China-Africa infrastructure cooperation creating new opportunities for Africa's development

Xinhua) 08:07, August 27, 2024

A man takes pictures at the Photography Exhibition on Pragmatic China-Africa Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Infrastructure development is the cornerstone of Africa's development, and improving the state of infrastructure is a common desire of the African people.

To bolster Africa's green development, China has assisted countries in constructing several clean energy projects.

Modern port cooperation between China and Africa is also developing rapidly.

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Railways. Ports. Industrial parks. Power stations. Infrastructure cooperation between China and Africa is thriving, and the outcome is changing the lives of millions.

Industrial leaders and officials observed that the infrastructure projects undertaken by Chinese companies have yielded tangible benefits for Africans, helping the continent enhance its connectivity; improve conditions for economic and social development; advance its industrialization, modernization and integration; and forge new pathways for future growth.

"To get rich, build roads first." The popular Chinese proverb rings true in Africa. Drawing on its own development experience, China has been dedicated to working with Africa to build transport facilities crucial for economic development.

According to the white paper, "China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals," Chinese companies over the last quarter century have helped African countries build or upgrade more than 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of highways, roughly 1,000 bridges, almost 100 ports and 66,000 km of power transmission and distribution.

Additionally, Chinese companies have helped build an installed power-generating capacity of 120 million kW, a communications backbone network of 150,000 km and a network service covering nearly 700 million user terminals.

In Kenya, the Chinese-funded Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway has drastically reduced travel time and emerged as the preferred choice for commuters, playing a pivotal role in reducing logistics costs, stimulating commerce and empowering smaller towns along its corridor.

In Nigeria, the Abuja light rail, built by a Chinese company, started operating in May and has considerably eased congestion in the capital.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described the light rail's operation as the "fruit of collaboration, dedication, progress, and foresightedness."

China-Africa cooperation has taken infrastructure development to new heights. To bolster Africa's green development, China has assisted countries in constructing several clean energy projects.

The De Aar Wind Farm has changed South Africa's energy landscape. As the first wind power project financed, constructed and operated by a Chinese company in Africa, it supplies 760 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, meeting the electricity needs of 300,000 households. The farm has contributed to closing the gap caused by unstable clean energy and addressing the electricity shortage in South Africa.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 15, 2019 shows the China-financed solar power plant Garissa Solar in Garissa County, Kenya. (China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation/Handout via Xinhua)

In Kenya, the 55 megawatt Garissa Solar Power Plant, financed and constructed by Chinese firms, generates over 76 million kilowatt-hours annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 64,000 tons annually.

Kenya has moved closer to achieving its clean energy transition goals with the power plant, said Moses Masika Wetangula, speaker of Kenya's National Assembly.

China has been a dependable partner to Kenya, Wetangula said, noting China's support has been crucial to Africa's development.

Various industrial zones were built and are operated by Chinese enterprises, such as the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park in Uganda, the Diamniadio International Industrial Platform in Senegal, the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Nigeria, and the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Egypt.

Through these zones, countries can participate more effectively in the global production chain and promote the internationalization of local brands.

David Bahati, Uganda's minister of state for trade, industry and cooperatives, told Xinhua that China has been providing capital and sharing skills and technology to help drive industrialization in his country.

"The development of the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park is doing wonders. We have seen the foreign direct investment coming through the industrial park, helping us in terms of import substitution. Most of the things we were importing, such as televisions and clothes, are all being produced at the park," said Bahati.

Modern port cooperation between China and Africa is also developing rapidly.

A good example is the Kribi Deep Sea Port, built by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC) in Cameroon's southern town of Kribi. The new seaport, strategically positioned in the center of the Gulf of Guinea, has stimulated the country's economy and has become a regional hub for the African Atlantic coast.

"With the coming of the Kribi port, Cameroon has once again placed herself as the port entry to the sub-region. This (port) has added more value to certain industrial projects in Chad, the Central African Republic and Congo," said Alain Patrick Mpila Ayissi, manager of the Land Development and Environment Department of the Port Authority of Kribi.

In 2023, Tanzania's first modern fishing harbor, Kilwa Harbor, also constructed by CHEC, was launched. As a flagship project under the Tanzanian government's third five-year plan, it is expected to become an engine for economic growth.

The Kribi Deep Sea Port has played a crucial role in bolstering infrastructure development, employment, trade and investment in Cameroon, said Raymond Tavares, a representative in Cameroon and Central Africa of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

Infrastructure development is the cornerstone of Africa's development, and improving the state of infrastructure is a common desire of the African people.

Cooperation between China and Africa in the new era provides a path to mutual development, creating a stronger foundation for a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Feature: Parliamentarians from developing nations tour Chinese history and modernity

Xinhua) 09:40, August 27, 2024

TIANJIN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- On field trips in Beijing, Shanxi Province and Tianjin, parliamentary leaders and representatives from 32 developing countries experienced the country's ancient architecture, traditional art and modernization.

The event was a part of the 2024 Inter-regional Seminar on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Parliaments of Developing Countries, co-hosted by China's National People's Congress and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

During their trips, the parliamentarians also had the opportunity to witness the resilience of the Chinese people and gain insights into China's astonishing development over the past 40 years, hoping to bring back Chinese solutions and wisdom to aid development back home.

FAST-PACED MODERNIZATION

Seeing is believing. During field trips, parliamentarians from developing countries learned about China's rural revitalization, intelligent mining methods, smart agriculture, among others.

"I was here about 15 years ago. I'm impressed with this significant development that is taking place in China from 15 years ago," Faizal Jaffarally, a member of the parliament of Guyana, told Xinhua in Beijing.

Botswana's House of Chiefs Chairman Puso Gaborone, who has visited China several times, told Xinhua that there have been significant changes over the years in China, including infrastructure and services development, promotion of the welfare of the people, as well as technological innovation, "which is an indication that China is growing."

"I've never seen intelligent mining," said Doreen Chibomba, director of the Social Committee of the National Assembly of Zambia, after visiting the Tashan Coal Mine in Datong, Shanxi Province.

Chibomba told Xinhua that the application of 5G and artificial intelligence in the mining system left a deep impression on her.

"The path that China is taking with these SDGs is something that I think, especially me coming from an African country, we should learn from," she said.

At the Jinzhong National Agriculture High-tech Zone Smart Farm Demonstration Base, parliamentarians listened carefully to the introduction of various agricultural products, and asked about the disease resistance feature of seeds and inquired about the use of drones in agriculture.

Binuka Sherpa, a parliamentary representative from Nepal, took notes on agricultural products and told Xinhua that she was amazed by China's automated and intelligent systems.

"Only one man is enough to control all these 10,000 square meters. That's so amazing," she said after seeing an intelligent water and fertilizer integrated machine system.

IMPRESSED BY CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION

After visiting the Ancient City of Datong, a significant cultural hallmark, Sebastien Pillay, a member of the National Assembly of Seychelles, bought two stone-lion souvenirs.

"The Chinese value culture so much that you try to protect it to the point where you keep it safe for the future generation," he said.

Gaborone said there is a "strong preservation of culture in China. The values and teachings ... have been preserved over the years and transmitted to the young ones."

The parliament representatives said it is increasingly important for the international community to jointly promote inter-civilization dialogue in the current context of multiple interconnected crises and challenges.

"A society without a culture is akin to one without a soul. Respecting the diversity of civilizations and cultures helps preserve and enrich them," said Nabwera Daraja Nabii, a member of the National Assembly of Kenya.

"China is one of the forefront countries allowing small countries, small economies, poor communities, to have their say freely and contribute to the development of the human species," said Lesotho's National Assembly Speaker Tlohang Sekhamane.

INSPIRED BY RESILIENCE

After days of field trips in China, the parliamentarians agreed that China's success did not happen overnight.

In the eyes of Richard Ravalomanana, who is the president of the Senate of Madagascar, the story of Yang Jiayao village is inspiring.

After witnessing firsthand the Shanxi village's eco-friendly living environment and high living standards and watching a video of how the village has transformed from poverty-stricken to modernized, Ravalomanana credited China's unwavering rural revitalization efforts.

"I am impressed. This is the place I want to remember," said Francis Belekanyama, a Malawian MP, after visiting music and computer classrooms at the Yangjiayao Village School.

Belekanyama told Xinhua that he could not imagine how a village could be so developed. He kept taking pictures during the trip, expecting those memories to give him "the energy to work hard and be innovative."

In the Museum of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing, the parliamentarians had the chance to learn the stories of the CPC's revolutionary traditions, deciphering how the CPC united and led the Chinese people toward ground-breaking paths.

Tulia Ackson, IPU president and Tanzania's National Assembly speaker, said that the museum taught her "how China as a nation has developed from different stages, at which point they had to defend themselves, at which point they had to really work hard."

"It's remarkable to see where China has begun with," Adrien Charles Duval, speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius, told Xinhua after visiting the museum, adding that it is a profound learning journey to understand the challenges and the tremendous sacrifices that have marked China throughout the years.

"China is the leading country in the world in terms of innovation and the second largest economy," he said. "When you look at the CPC Museum, you really understand the challenges that China has come through...a lot of effort has been put under the CPC to drive China to where it is today."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
This photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view of Dubrovnik seen from the Srdj Hill in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Zvonimir Barisin/PIXSELL via Xinhua)

Many previously less-known European cities started to welcome a growing number of Chinese travelers this summer.

BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- As Europe continues to attract Chinese tourists, this summer a growing number of Chinese travelers preferred less-touristy destinations and opted for slow and immersive travel.

Croatia, located along the Adriatic Sea, has seen a significant increase in Chinese tourists. Kristina Mamic, director of corporate communications at the Croatian National Tourist Board, said that 96,700 Chinese tourists had visited Croatia by Aug. 21, surging 93 percent year-on-year.

Dubrovnik, the prominent tourist destination in southern Croatia, the capital city of Zagreb and the second-largest city of Split have been particularly popular. Mamic noted that although the tourist number has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, the trend is encouraging.

Chinese police officers talk with Chinese tourists during a joint police patrol with Croatian counterparts in Zagreb, Croatia, July 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)

Albania is also gaining popularity among Chinese travelers. According to Albania's Ministry of Tourism, 13,000 Chinese visited the country between January and July this year, representing a 118.6 percent increase.

Chen Shuo, a tour guide from Sky Tour Shpk in Tirana, attributed this rise to the country's rich cultural history and affordable travel options.

Apart from changing their preferred destinations, Chinese tourists now favor slow and immersive travel over the previously fast-paced and intense style of tourism.

In the Dutch village of Giethoorn, known as the "Venice of the North" for its serene waterways and picturesque landscape, Chinese tourists are increasingly favoring longer stays and cultural immersion.

This undated file photo shows a view of Giethoorn, a top destination in the Netherlands favored by Chinese tourists. (Giethoorn/Handout via Xinhua)

Gabriella Esselbrugge, a Dutch tourism promoter for Giethoorn, said most Chinese tourists opted for independent travel now, staying longer and more eager to immerse themselves in the local culture.

Similarly, Belgium's Dinant, a scenic tiny town along the Meuse River and the birthplace of the saxophone, also attracts Chinese tourists.

To cater to this growing market, European countries are adjusting their services.

Dinant has introduced Chinese-language signage and increased its presence on popular Chinese travel platforms.

Yang Junwei, owner of Restaurant China Town in Dinant, has said he noticed that the number of Chinese tourists visiting the town has significantly increased in recent years.

Participants take part in the International Bathtub Regatta on the Meuse River in Dinant, Belgium, on Aug. 15, 2023. Starting in 1982, participants vie to create the most impressive bathtub-based craft and compete down the Meuse River in Dinant on Aug. 15 each year. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

The Czech Republic has seen a 125.7 percent rise in Chinese tourists this year, partly due to the resumption of direct flights between Beijing and Prague.

Frantisek Reismuller, director of CzechTourism, the Czech tourism authority, has noted that tourism in the country has returned to pre-COVID levels. The CzechTourism has also invited Chinese influencers to showcase local culture and attractions to a wider audience, Reismuller added.

In Finland, the Helsinki Airport has enhanced its services for Chinese travelers, offering Chinese-language signage and accepting payment methods like Alipay.

Nelli Koskimaki, a media representative of Finavia, a state-owned company managing and operating 20 airports around the country, confirmed ongoing negotiations with Chinese airlines on Friday to expand flight connections, catering to increased demand.

People view an illuminated building during the International Light Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Jan. 25, 2024. (Photo by Alfredas Pliadis/Xinhua)

Lithuania, previously off the radar for most Chinese travelers, is emerging as a new destination. The capital city of Vilnius is known for its well-preserved medieval old town, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourist companies are considering adding Chinese-language services.

Athens International Airport has also added Chinese-language signs and introduced two robots that provide services in Chinese to adapt to the growing influx of Chinese tourists. 
The secretary-general of the United Nations has called on world leaders to phase out oil and gas from their economies and stop new exploration in hydrocarbons.

Speaking in Tonga, during a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, Antonio Guterres said This is a crazy situation: rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanitys making. A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.

The head of the United Nations also said The reason is clear: greenhouse gases  overwhelmingly generated by burning fossil fuels  are cooking our planet. And the sea is taking the heat  literally.

To avoid the apocalyptic catastrophe, Guterres urged world leaders to stop using oil, gas, and coal, and suspend further expansion in hydrocarbon exploration.

Guterres also issued a grim warning, saying that Without drastic cuts to emissions, the Pacific Islands can expect at least 15 centimeters of additional sea level rise by mid-century, and more than 30 days per year of coastal flooding in some places.

There have been predictions that places such as the Maldives would be completely underwater by now but so far these have failed to materialize. Nevertheless, Pacific Island nations are among the most vocal supporters of the global energy transition championed by the UN, arguing they are more exposed to the adverse effects of climate change because of changing sea levels.

In a call to the leaders of the G20, Guterres urged those countries to finance the transition as they can afford to shoulder a greater financial burden than poor Pacific Island nations and developing countries.

He also called on world leaders to finalize their so-called nationally determined contributions to the transition by next year, as agreed at the last conference of the parties last year.

And the world must massively increase finance and support for vulnerable countries. We need a surge in funds to deal with surging seas, Guterres said.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Venezuela's contested president Nicolas Maduro will make big changes to the top leadership at the state-owned oil giant, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), and the oil ministry, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Tuesday. The move follows the controversial presidential election that has threatened the country's political stability.

Maduro is expected to replace PDVSA's current CEO, Pedro Rafael Tellechea, with its current vice president, anonymous sources have said. Maduro appointed Tellechea to head PDVSA in early January 2023 and later as Venezuela's Oil Minister following the March 2023 resignation of Tareck El Aissami. El Aissami found himself embroiled in an extensive corruption probe involving oil cargoes that allegedly left the country without payments being made.

According to sources, Tellechea, who was ostensibly installed to root out corruption in the state-run company, was recently ordered to perform an audit of his time at PDVSA. To that end, he requested detailed reports from division chiefs on his achievements. However, sources suggest that despite his efforts to combat corruption and rally support among the company's workforce, Maduro plans to make a leadership change.

The shakeup follows the highly publicized disputed presidential election that was held last month. Although the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, opposition leaders claim that they have had access to 90% of the votes, and by their count, Edmundo Gonzalez won twice as many votes as Maduro. Deadly protests and a heightened state of political instability ensued following Maduro's claim of victory. It has also led to the forced resignations of numerous public sector employees, including those at PDVSA and the oil ministry.

In the run-up to the election, Maduro communicated to Washington that he was willing to restart talks with the United States about the lifting of sanctions against the country.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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On Wednesday, the Nebraska Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that will determine if people convicted of felonies lose their right to vote for life unless granted clemency.

In July, two of Nebraskas top state officials deemed two state laws that restored voting rights to be unconstitutional  and ordered county officials to halt registrations for people convicted of felonies. The Nebraska Legislature voted earlier this year to allow those with felony convictions the right to vote immediately upon the completion of their sentences.

At the request of Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued a non-binding legal opinion in July finding the state law eliminating a two-year waiting period for regaining the right to vote was unconstitutional. Hilgers opinion also found a 2005 law enacting the waiting period was unconstitutional.

Hilgers said the restoration of voting rights cannot be done legislatively, because that power rests exclusively with the Nebraska Board of Pardons. In response to Hilgers opinion, Evnen ordered county election officials to stop allowing people with felony records to register to vote.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska petitioned the Nebraska Supreme Court on behalf of three men with felony records  two from Omaha and one from Hall County  who are seeking to vote in the 2024 election.

Attorneys for each side will have 15 minutes Wednesday to present arguments in front of the states high court.

Does voting law violate the Separation of Powers Clause?

Since 2005, Nebraskans with felony records have had their voting rights restored after a two-year waiting period following the completion of their sentences.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers passed Legislative Bill 20 on a 38-6 vote. The law, which took effect in July, eliminated the two-year waiting period.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen opted not to sign or veto the bill when it came to his desk in April, allowing it to become law. He issued a statement inviting Evnen, who is responsible for the management of elections in the state, and Hilgers, who has the power to respond to legal questions from state agencies and officials, to promptly take such measures as are appropriate to determine if the new law was constitutional.

In an 18-page legal opinion requested by Evnen in July, Hilgers found that both the recent and the 2005 laws are unconstitutional. The restoration of voting rights is considered a pardon, Hilgers said, or an act of grace that relieves a person of legal consequences of his crime. Hilgers argued the Nebraska Board of Pardons has sole jurisdiction to restore voting rights to felons.

The Nebraska Board of Pardons includes of three people: Hilgers, Evnen and Pillen.

Though Hilgers opinion is not legally binding, Evnen quickly directed county election officials to stop allowing felons to register to vote  even those who completed the waiting period previously required under 2005s LB 53.

The Attorney General concluded that LB 20 and LB 53 violate the Separation of Powers Clause set forth in the Nebraska Constitution, Evnen wrote. The opinion concluded that only the Board of Pardons could restore voting rights to an individual convicted of a felony.

Evnen announced Aug. 15 those with felony convictions who registered to vote under the provisions of LB 53 would not be removed from the states voter registration system  but he instructed county election offices not to accept voter registration applications from felons unless they had been pardoned.

In legal filings, the petitioners requested the Nebraska Supreme Court issue a writ of mandamus  a court order requiring a government official or lesser court to perform their legal duty. The petitioners argued the court should order Evnen to allow those with felony convictions to register to vote as is required under current state law.

Secretary of State: The last 19 years were an unconstitutional aberration

In written briefs filed this month, the sides laid out their arguments.

Evnens brief, written by Nebraska Solicitor General Eric Hamilton, makes the case for what could become one of the countrys most restrictive felon disenfranchisement laws. If the state Supreme Court sides with the state, only Nebraska and Virginia would have policies that strip all felons of the right to vote unless they are explicitly restored on an individual basis, according to the Brennan Center.

The respondents take the position that any form of re-enfranchisement is, by definition, a type of clemency which can only be granted by the Nebraska Board of Pardons.

The last 19 years of automatic legislative re-enfranchisement are an unconstitutional aberration, the brief said. The separation-of-powers clause precludes the Legislature from re-enfranchising felons since re-enfranchisement is an exercise of the executive clemency power.

The argument also relies on what respondents call the rules of grammar. Language in the Nebraska Constitution says those convicted of a felony cannot vote unless restored to civil rights. And because of the use of the plural rights, they argue, restoring a singular civil right (the right to vote) is impermissible without also restoring other rights, like the right to serve on a jury or hold public office.

Would-be voters: The states actions led to confusing, chaotic election year

Attorneys for the three Nebraskans with felony convictions said Evnens and Hilgers actions have led to a confusing, chaotic, and unsettling operation of elections.

On the eve of a presidential election, the Secretary has, without legal authority, upended two decades of rights restoration law, re-disenfranchised thousands of Nebraska voters, and declined to enforce large swaths of Nebraskas election code, the brief stated. The Court should not countenance this clear violation of legal duty.

The petitioners argue the Nebraska Supreme Court addressed the issue of legislative authority over voter re-enfranchisement in a 2002 case called Ways v. Shivley. In that case, which predated the implementation of LB 53 and the two-year waiting period, the court found that Lincoln man John Ways was ineligible to vote because of his felony conviction.

Core to the petitioners argument is that the court in its Ways opinion wrote that the restoration of the right to vote is implemented through statute.

Because Ways states that voting rights restoration can occur via the legislature, in other words, through statute  and not solely executive action by the Board of Pardons, or any other agency or official the Re-Enfranchisement Statutes are constitutional, the petitioners brief reads.

Pillen, former secretary of state, others file amicus briefs

Multiple people, including Pillen, submitted amicus briefs to the court. Amicus briefs allow uninvolved third parties with a vested interest in a case to add their arguments for consideration.

Pillens brief was joined by U.S. Sen. and former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, and State Sens. Joni Albrecht, Bruce Bostelman, Robert Clements and John Lowe.

(We) believe that individualized consideration by the Board of Pardons serves an important state interest in discouraging recidivism and promoting rehabilitation, the brief states.

State and national nonprofits also submitted amicus briefs. The Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association and the National Probation and Parole Association submitted briefs arguing in support of the petitioners and against Evnen.

Former Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale also joined in an amicus brief in support of the petitioners alongside State Sen. Justin Wayne.

County election officials currently face the impossible dilemma of being required by law to facilitate registration for Nebraskans with past convictions who have completed their sentences, while also being required to comply with Respondent Evnens directives, the brief says.
Emmanuel Balogun, a 17-year-old undergraduate of the University of Abuja was left drowning by his friends with whom he went celebrating their admission together on Sunday night.

The incident took place at The Dome, a recreational centre in the FCT.

The three colleagues have been arrested.

According to the CCTV footage of the incident taken from the hotel, four of them went into the swimming pool tht afternoon, and only three of them came out.

What surprised the investigators was that the three friends would later gather, and decided to watch Emanuel struggling until he drowned.

They made no attempt to call for helpnor did they inform his parents.

After they were sure Emmanuel was dead, they took his phones, shoes, and cash, and left.

But the hotel staff later informed the police, and the corpse was taken to a mortuary.

A girl in the class, however, informed the parents Monday night that their son had been missing, adding it is like something has happened.

After series of calls to Emmanuels line, the couple decided to go check at his hostel, where they were told he went for a party at the Dome on Sunday.

The search eventually ended at the police station where the family was led to the mortuary to identify their son.

According to a family friend who witnessed the interrogation after watching the CCTV footage, one of the three wanted to pull Emmanuel out. But the other objected.

He is always doing shakara because his father is rich,  and all the girls are always admiring the deceased so he should let him be, one of the boys was quoted as saying.

Emma, the boys confessed, paid for the gate fees, food and drinks for the outing.

The young man was buried amid tears.

But the friends and the hotel staff are still in police custody at the Force headquarters.

Post Views: 144
An Indian national, Lokesh Parwani, who allegedly attempted suicide after he was arrested for an alleged N116 million fraud , Thursday appeared at an Igbosere Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos , The Nation reports.

The Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (Force CIID), Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos arraigned Parwani, the Personnel Manager of an Indian-owned firm in Lagos, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and attempted suicide.

Police counsel Morufu Animashaun alleged that Parwani and his accomplices, who are on the run, conspired and defrauded his employer of the said sum on July 19, 2019 at Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Animashaun said the defendants employer reported the fraud to the police which, after investigation, confronted Parwani with the allegations on July 26.

The police arrested Parwani, but he allegedly attempted to take his life by quickly eating Super Kill Action Ready Bait Cake, a rat poison.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened sections 411, 280(1) and 235 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and were punishable under sections 287 and 407 of the same law.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read to him in English.


CLINTON  A Bloomington man has been sentenced to 10 days in jail and two years of probation for driving under the influence before a crash that left a Wapella woman seriously hurt last summer.

Dominique C. Stevenson, 28, appeared in DeWitt County court on Monday and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated DUI in a crash causing bodily harm, a Class 4 felony. Additional charges were dropped.

He was ordered to pay close to $16,000 in restitution and follow standard rules of probation, including not consuming or possessing drugs or alcohol.

Stevenson, who is well known locally for his musical career under the stage name V8 Vast Change, declined to comment.

As part of his sentence, Stevenson can still perform music at venues where alcohol is served, but he must notify court services and undergo testing afterward.

The crash took place north of Wapella on June 29, 2023. According to a crash report from Illinois State Police, Stevenson was speeding as he drove north on U.S. Route 51 and struck a Dodge Caravan when it turned south onto the highway from Bucks Road.

Stevenson's vehicle caught on fire after the crash, and the drivers of both vehicles were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

The driver of the other vehicle, Kim Donovan, said she suffered a neck fracture, dislocated jaw and various other injuries to her face, shoulders, back, hips and ankle.

Earlier on the night of the crash, an EF-1 tornado knocked out power in the area. Donovan, 64, had been retrieving food items from the fridge at the Wapella Farmers & Merchants Bank Building, her gifts and specialty foods store.

Speaking after Stevenson's sentencing, Donovan said she doesn't believe he has taken accountability for his actions, and he had continuously snubbed the court system.

In her victim impact statement she read for the court Monday, Donovan said Stevenson has no respect for the law, adding "he is not a king of anything except reckless and criminal behavior."

Donovan said Stevenson had publicly complained that traveling to hearings in Clinton inconvenienced him, but he was still able to attend events in Chicago and Atlanta, Georgia.

She also questioned whether restitution will ever be paid to her, because Donovan said Stevenson hesitated to tell the judge when he could start making monthly payments.

Donovan said she has not sued Stevenson for pain, hardship or loss of income. She added Stevenson has not directly apologized to her.

While Donovan said she feels she has regained a sense of normalcy, her life has still changed. She has trouble moving her hip and neck, and she has shoulder surgery scheduled this fall. Donovan also said she pays $960 each month for physical therapy, with 16 months left to go.

"It will never set right with me," Donovan said.

In some states, road safety is going in reverse In some states, road safety is going in reverse Less driving, but more road fatalities Statistics peaked during the pandemic Falling further behind Mapping the worst roads in the U.S. Above pre-pandemic norms
NORMAL  An Illinois State University student reported being attacked on campus over the weekend, and university police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

At 3:20 a.m. Aug. 24, the Illinois State University Police Department received a report that four people had confronted a student who was on a scooter near the Bone Student Center, the department said in a crime advisory posted late Monday afternoon.

The suspects knocked the student off his scooter and began punching him in the face, while repeatedly referring to the student with offensive and homophobic terms, the student told police.

Due to the nature of the language and assaultive behavior, ISUPD said it is investigating this incident as a hate crime and working to locate the suspects.

"Understandably, a crime such as this creates significant concern on our campus," ISUPD said. "We are focused on the safety of our entire Redbird community. We care about you and your safety and are committed to ensuring a safe campus environment in which everyone can learn, work, and thrive."

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked contact ISUPD detectives at 309-438-8631.

ISUPD reminds students to use the following safety tips on campus:

Use Redbird Safe Walk, at 309-438-WALK (9255), or the Safe Redbirds App to request a walking escort or use the virtual safe walk features 24/7;

Stay alert to your surroundings and avoid distractions, including using a cellphone and excessive alcohol consumption;

Travel in groups and avoid going out alone at night;

Plan the safest route to your destination, choosing well-lit and busy pathways and streets;

If someone is bothering or harassing you, use a loud voice to tell them to stay away;

Carry a cellphone with you and be prepared to call 911 with a description of a suspect;

If you are a victim or witness to an attack, call the police immediately and try to remember as many details as possible;

Call the police immediately if you observe suspicious activity.

Common conditions that can affect driver safety Common conditions that can affect driver safety Speeding is a factor in nearly 1 in 5 car crashes that result in death The vast majority of weather-related crashes involve wet pavement Rain is related to more than twice as many vehicle crashes than snow
After destroying lands and burning the church building of Protestant Christians in a village in Mexicos Oaxaca state earlier this month, local tribal leaders notified the government that they will expel them, according to the state secretary of government.

Jesus Romero Lopez, secretary of government of Oaxaca state, said at a press conference on Tuesday (Aug. 20) that area leaders in the predominantly tribal community of the village of San Isidro Arenal, San Juan Lalana municipality in the northeast part of the state had notified him that they had decided to expel the Protestant Christians.

On Wednesday (Aug. 21), while most of the Protestants were at a meeting with Oaxaca officials, area tribal Catholics looted and destroyed homes of the evangelicals in the Cerro Cajon area of San Isido Arenal, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

Three women, Maximina Contreras Antonio, an 83-year-old paraplegic, and mother and daughter Esmeralda Antonio and Cristina Hernandez, were abducted and had their mobile phone confiscated before being forced onto a truck and later abandoned on a roadside hours away from their homes, CSW reported.

On Aug. 6, more than 300 village Catholics looted evangelicals properties, destroying cacao and mango fields and destroying homes and their church building in Cerro Cajon, according to CSW.

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Two pastors, Moises Sarmiento Alaves and Esdras Ojeda Jimenez, on Aug. 16 went to the community accompanied by two other men, Pablo Gomez Sosa and Nabor Ojeda, to attend a meeting with the Oaxaca state prosecutors office, according to CSW. Pastor Alaves was to interpret for Chinanteco-speaking tribal villagers, and the other three men planned to deliver food to the persecuted families.

However, the planned proceeding never took place, and the four men were attacked by a mob, CSW stated. They were stripped, beaten, arbitrarily detained for over six hours, and forced to sign a document which they did not have the opportunity to read.

A representative from the states prosecutors office eventually arrived by truck to San Isidro Arenal but did not take witness statements regarding the Aug. 6 attacks as tasked and departed without any action on behalf of the four men, Pastor Geraldo Hernandez, legal representative of the San Isidro Arenal Protestants, told CSW.

[Catholic] Members of the community blocked the entrances to San Isidro Arenal, preventing anyone else from entering, CSW stated. The four men were ultimately freed by the police later that same day.

Local officials also targeted rights advocates, on Aug. 18 issuing an ultimatum to leave the area in eight days to Lucia Antonio, who is not an evangelical but had expressed support for the Christians religious freedom and disagreement with the actions of the local authorities. The previous week, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Oaxaca Pedro Vasquez Villalobos on Aug. 11 had denounced the attacks in his Sunday sermon.

After the Protestants met with state officials on Tuesday (Aug. 20), they were informed that their livestock would be returned to them only on the condition that they pay a daily fee of 1,000 pesos (about $50 USD) for grazing rights, backdated to Aug. 6, according to CSW.

Roots of the aggression go back to November 2023, when local leaders began enforcing a 1993 community accord stating that Roman Catholicism was the only religion permitted in San Isidro Arenal, according to CSW.

Following this move, 13 families belonging to the Protestant Interdenominational Christian Church (ICIAR) began to experience threats and acts of violence encouraged by community leaders, despite the fact that they were fulfilling all of their community responsibilities, including participating in Roman Catholic activities even though they are not members of that religious group, CSW stated. One month later, in December 2023, three religious minority families were forcibly expelled from the community and took refuge in Playa Vicente Municipality, Veracruz state.

Tribal Mexicans commonly cite the constitutional Uses and Customs to justify actions against Protestants who do not practice their blend of Catholic and native beliefs and rituals. The Uses and Customs article is meant to protect the rights of indigenous communities to practice their cultural traditions but is frequently misused by local officials such as those in San Isidro Arenal to justify persecution of Protestants.

The Mexican constitution guarantees FoRB [Freedom of Religion and Belief] and other human rights to all citizens, CSW noted. However, in practice FoRB violations are common among indigenous communities governed under Uses and Customs, and the Mexican government at the federal, state and municipal levels does little to ensure that these protections are upheld. As a result, in many communities a religious majority attempts to enforce religious uniformity with consequences ranging in severity for members of minorities who wish to practice a religion or belief of their choosing.

State Secretary of Government Lopez said talks to resolve the conflict are continuing between officials of San Isidro Arenal and local Christian leaders.

The Ombudsmans Office of the People of Oaxaca issued a statement on Thursday (Aug. 22) calling on the state secretary of government, the Oaxaca attorney general and the president of San Juan Lalana to protect the human rights of the Protestants of San Isidro Arenal.

This human rights organization has documented that, because of professing a religion other than Catholicism, residents of San Isidro Arenal, San Juan Lalana, have deprived a group of people of their freedom, including women, children, and an elderly person with a disability, in addition to entering their homes with the aim of destroying them and finally expelling them from the community, under the argument that due to customs and practices, it is not permitted to profess any faith other than Catholicism, the ombudsmans office stated.

Also in Oaxaca state, on July 20-23 married couple Tito Mariano Mendez and Esther Abigail Perez Ramirez, were arbitrarily detained in Montenegro village, the San Juan Bautista Valle Nacional Municipality, after local leaders learned they had submitted a complaint to the Oaxaca State Ombudsmans Office regarding FoRB violations as Protestants, according to CSW.
The Global Women Conference, a premier event empowering women, is set to take place on October 10-11, 2024 at Wesley Tower Ridge in Accra, Ghana.



This year's conference, themed "Advancing Innovation and Equality in Business," aims to tackle the pressing issues of gender parity and foster an environment conducive to women's success in the business landscape.



The two-day event will bring together influential leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals from diverse industries to share their insights, experiences, and strategies for driving innovation and promoting equality in the business world.



Attendees can expect a dynamic program featuring keynote speeches, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities designed to inspire, educate, and connect women leaders.



The conference which is powered by the US-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Ghana Ports and Harbor Authorities, will feature keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities, fostering collaboration and support among attendees.



This event is crucial for promoting women's leadership and innovation in business, encouraging participants to share insights and strategies for achieving equality in the workplace. Registration details will be available soon.



As part of the summit, there will also be an expo where entrepreneurs, and companies will exhibit their products and services for the 2 day conference.



For more information and to secure your spot, please visit the conference website at www. usghanachamberofcommerce.org

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Newmont Corporation, the worlds leading gold business and Ghanas leading gold producer continues to make substantial financial contributions to the economy through its tax payments.



In the first half of 2024 alone, Newmonts operations in Ghana, which include the Ahafo and Akyem mines, paid over GHS 3.176 billion in taxes, royalties, levies, carried interest and property rates to the Government of Ghana.



These payments were directed to the Ghana Revenue Authority, Forestry Commission, Ministry of Finance, and various District Assemblies where the company operates. This significant contribution underscores Newmonts commitment to fulfilling its fiscal obligations and supporting the countrys economic development.



A recent release from the company provided a breakdown of the different components of the fiscal payments. These included GHS 1.727 billion in corporate tax, GHS 625 million in mineral royalties, and GHS 364 million in carried interest payments. The others were pay as you earn (PAYE) tax contributions which stood at GHS 253 million, withholding tax payments totaling GHS 180 million, GHS 22 million of forestry levy payment for the Akyem mine operations and property rates of GHS 5 million paid to the district assemblies in Asutifi North and the Birim North.



Through the transparent and responsible payment of taxes, Newmont emphasizes its dedication to regulatory compliance and good corporate governance.



The organization attributes these achievements to the hard work and commitment of its employees as well as to the systems in place to ensure operational excellence.



Newmonts contributions extend beyond tax payments. The company invests in various social and community development initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of host communities and promoting sustainable development. Through the development foundations in both Ahafo and Akyem, Newmont is transforming communities by creating shared value in education, healthcare, social infrastructure, and environmental conservation.



Newmonts consistent and substantial fiscal payments highlight the crucial role of the mining sector in Ghanas economy. In the whole of 2023, Newmonts operations in Ghana contributed a total of GHS 3.965 billion in fiscal payments. This remarkable growth reflects the substantial economic impact of Newmonts safe and responsible mining operations on both local communities and the broader Ghanaian economy.



As a key player in the mining industry, Newmont continues to set a benchmark for corporate governance, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. The companys ongoing commitment to responsible mining practices and its significant financial contributions underscore its role as a responsible corporate citizen in Ghana.

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The Ghana Police Service through an intelligence-led operation has arrested three persons in connection with a robbery incident which took place at East Legon in Accra on 18th August, 2024.



The suspects were arrested in a series of coordinated Police operations. While suspects Isaac Brena Eshun and Peter Amuzu, were arrested on the 21st and 23rd of August respectively in Accra, suspect Ibrahim Mohammed was arrested at Tamale on the 24th of August 2024.



Exhibits recovered from them include two iPhones, a Mercedes-Benz C180, and three additional vehicles suspected to have been obtained through illegal means.



Investigations have so far revealed that the suspects are part of a criminal syndicate involved in the robbery and sale of stolen vehicles across the country.



All the suspects are in police custody assisting the investigation.

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Lateness and seizure of smartwatches characterised the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at some centres in Accra.



This came to light when the leadership of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) inspected some of the examination centres in Accra yesterday.



At the Osu Presbyterian SHS, about 16 students who were supposed to be seated at 8:30 a.m. for the Social Studies Paper II at 9:00 a.m., arrived at 9:25 a.m. As a result, they were prevented from entering the examination hall.



A similar situation occurred at the Labone SHS, where seven students were not allowed to take part in the exam because they came in an hour after the start of the paper.



However, students of the Osu Presbyterian SHS were later permitted to write the paper by the headmaster after several pleas, 40 minutes into the examination.



They cited traffic congestion and sickness as reasons for their late arrival to the examination centres.



About 50 smartwatches were also seized from some students of the Presby SHS, because possessing such items during examinations is against the rules.



Concerns



The Head of the National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Dr Rosemond Wilson, who led the delegation, described the situation as worrying.



In our rules and regulations, students are supposed to be seated 30 minutes before the start of the paper; so supervisors are to adhere to this rule and regulation for the smooth start of the paper, she said.



Dr Wilson added that supervisors were expected to write detailed reports on why the students were not allowed to write the papers for WAEC to take further action.



Generally, she described the examination as successful and commended all stakeholders for their contribution in the exercise so far.



Commitment



The Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who also inspected the examination centre at Labone SHS, said the government was committed to ensuring that financial obligations to WAEC were settled on time to enable the body to discharge its mandate effectively.



From time to time you hear some level of indebtedness and we respond timeously to ensure that even if we do not pay fully, we are able to put forth a substantial amount for them to be cushioned, he said.



The deputy minister added that every quarter, the government made some payment, adding: We will continue to do more to ensure that WAEC does not get stressed.

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The Director of Corporate Affairs at the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) says the NDCs promise to introduced tax exemptions for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is not new since his office has already implemented that.



According to Mr Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya there is already an existing programme where SMEs can apply for tax exemptions through NEIP.



The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government through the finance minister announced tax exemptions for SMEs through NEIP, so if you are an entrepreneur and want to enjoy tax exemption, all you have to do is to write to our office and we will work together with Ghana Revenue Authority to grant you tax exemption. The NDC are aware but they decided to add it to their manifesto to deceive the masses, Mr Brenya said.



Mr Brenya noted that the NDC has never sustained any intervention and cannot be trusted when it comes to social interventions.



Former President Kuffour introduced, NHIS, Metro Mass Transit, school feeding, capitation grant, free bus ride for students and many more but the NDC took over and collapsed all these interventions, it took Nana Akufo-Addo government to revive all these interventions, he added.



He said when it comes to SMEs, the NPP government has a good track record of supporting SMEs and also creates enabling environment for SMEs to thrive.



He said the government through NEIP has trained 19,000 and funded over 4,350 of them.



This year alone, according to Mr Oppong 26,000 SMEs have been trained and 5000 will be funded.

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Startup Discovery School (SDS), in collaboration with Sahara Impact Ventures, an Autodesk Foundation portfolio organization, in collaboration with Academic City University College has announced the inaugural Climate Champion Competition, offering a grand prize of US$3,000 to climate technology startups with the most scalable solutions in Ghana



This event happening at Academic City University College on August 10, 2024, is set to attract a diverse group of participants, ranging from seasoned entrepreneurs to emerging innovators. Eligible startups must present scalable solutions that address climate change, have an MVP or developed product, and be based in Africa. Additionally, their solutions should align with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributing to a broader vision of a sustainable future.



The Climate Champion Competition is more than just a pitch event; it is a platform to showcase bold ideas that are shaping the future. Startups will pitch their solutions to some of todays most pressing challenges, including clean energy access, sustainable agriculture, water sanitation, electric mobility adoption, manufacturing, and digitalization for climate change.



Mandy Nyarko MBE, Managing Partner of Sahara Impact Ventures, and co-founder of SDS, added, We believe African startups have exceptional talent in building technology solutions. This partnership will be transformative, enabling them to scale solutions that address both environmental and social issues related to climate change.



Gosbert Chagula, co-founder of SDS, also noted, We selected Ghana due to its vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, government commitment to innovation, and its strategic position in West Africa. Ghanas dynamic market and focus on sustainability make it an ideal hub for impactful climate solutions.



SDS Africa aims to tackle Ghanas climate-related challenges by focusing on agriculture, renewable energy, mobility, industrial innovation, and gender disparity. Programs will empower entrepreneurs with training, networks, and capital, in collaboration with corporates and institutions.



The long-term goal for SDS Africa is to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, forge strong partnerships, and increase capital flow to startups. We envision driving sustainable business growth while delivering significant social impact across the continent, Chagula said.



In addition to the competition, a significant announcement will be made about the launch of the Startup Discovery School Africa Venture Studio. This venture studio will be the first West African Gender-Lense Venture Studio for climate change focused startups building the Just Transition and will serve as a comprehensive resource center, offering mentorship, incubation, development, and essential resources to startups combating the impact of climate change The Venture Studio aims to accelerate the growth of innovative startups by providing them with the support needed to scale their impact across Africa and beyond.



The Climate Champion Competition is not only an opportunity for the competitors but also for anyone interested in sustainability, innovation, or entrepreneurship. The event will provide a platform for networking with key industry players, learning from leading experts, and being part of a movement toward a greener future.



This event is a chance to witness the future of sustainability in action. Free tickets are available on https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-champion-pitch-competition-tickets-995134021647?aff=oddtdtcreator. For more information, please visit StartupDiscoveryAfrica.com.







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Over 10,000 trainees have graduated from the Youth Employment Agencys (YEA) Skills Training Programme with a call on the government to integrate these newly skilled professionals into key national projects such as the Agenda 111.



At a graduation ceremony held at Valley View University in Techiman, Bono East Region, YEA's Chief Executive Officer, Kofi Agyepong celebrated the accomplishments of the first cohort of 20,000 trainees who have undergone six months of intensive training in various trades.These trades include carpentry, beauty care, auto works, welding, electrical work and more, hence equipping the youth with practical skills for self-employment and national development.



"This is not just a day of celebration but a day of history in the making."



"We are witnessing the passing out of 10,006 talented young men and women who are now ready to contribute to our nation's growth", Agyepong said.



Mr. Agyepong took the opportunity to appeal to the government through Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who was present at the event, to employ these skilled artisans in ongoing and future public projects.



"These skilled professionals are ready to contribute to the nations growth. We plead with the government to immediately rope in these artisans onto all Agenda 111 projects. Let these young men and women be part of the hands that build the hospitals our districts need", he stated.



The YEA's training programme which Mr. Agyepong initiated shortly after assuming office in October 2022 is designed to provide sustainable, long-term employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth.



This shift from traditional short-term employment modules to hands-on skills training marks a strategic redirection of YEA's resources and focus.



Mr. Agyepong touched on the success stories of trainees like Rose Asante and Alidu Adamu who overcame personal challenges to become skilled professionals through the programme.



"Today, we celebrate Rose and Alidu, who are no longer defined by their circumstances but by their potential", he said, urging the graduates to uphold integrity and trust as they embark on their new careers.



The event marks a new chapter for the thousands of graduates who are now equipped to transform their lives and contribute meaningfully to Ghanas development.



"The time is now to make your families, the government, and yourselves proud", the YEA boss told the graduates.







Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The National Democratic Congress (NDC), as part of ensuring transparency within the governance system of the next NDC government, has announced that priority will be placed on thorough declaration on assets owned by public officials before appointed into public office.



The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi Esq., stated that the NDC, a party established on the core values of probity and accountability, is committed to ensuring that all public officers fully disclose their assets, making this information accessible to the general public.



In an interview on Joy FMs Super morning show, Sammy Gyamfi explained that the NDCs intention to make asset declarations mandatory as well as highly accessible to the public is a noticeable diversion from the current system being run by the NPP government.



Mr. Sammy Gyamfi said, "The problem with the current system is its lack of transparency, which is why its not working effectively. We are promising to revise the law on asset declaration so that the public can see what is contained in the declarations of public officials."



According to him, in the tenure of the new NDC government, should they be voted into power come December 7, 2024, all government officials would be required to make their asset declarations public. These declarations would be published in national newspapers as well as on official government websites which is to ensure that every Ghanaian has the opportunity to scrutinise the assets of public officers.



He added, "We believe asset declarations should not be confidential, known only to the Auditor-General. Instead, they should be transparent and accessible to anyone who wants to examine the affairs of any public official".



Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi explained that the current system of assets declaration lacks transparency adding that there is a lack of strict enforcement.



Mr. Gyamfi issued a stern warning regarding non-compliance, stating that under an NDC government, failure to adhere to asset declaration laws would not be tolerated. He pledged that strict penalties, including the removal of non-compliant public officials, would be enforced.



He said, The president, under the next NDC government, will ensure that any public officer who does not comply loses their position. This will be our starting point.





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A survey by Lifeway Research shows that 81 percent of American Protestants believe Christian movies are effective evangelism and discipleship tools. The survey also showed that 68 percent of respondents had watched a Christian faith movie in the last year.

Churchgoers from denominations slightly differed in response to the statement, Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.

Baptists and non-denominationals strongly agreed (84%), with Lutherans at 75 percent and Presbyterians/Reformed lower at 68 percent. Evangelicals were also more prone than other types of Christians to agree with the statement: 90 percent compared to 71 percent.

It can be easy for Christian resource providers to design resources they hope are helpful, but Christian movies are something churchgoers want to see, said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

They dont assume every Christian movie is a fit for non-Christians they know, but they agree films can be an effective way to share the gospel.

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McConnell explained that one of the intentions of the survey was to gauge if churchgoers placed importance on Christian themes when watching secular movies.

However, its clear some churchgoers may not have been familiar with this use of the term secular and others may have thought it was seeking to contrast movies that are overtly anti-Christian.

Meanwhile one in 10 churchgoers (12%) had invited a non-believer to watch a Christian movie in the last year and younger believers were more likely to do so. This broke down to 26 percent of 18 to 34 year olds, and 21 percent of 35 to 49 year olds  compared to only eight percent of 50 to 64 year olds, and three percent within the 65-plus age range.

The survey also revealed a few other interesting results.

Believers classed as white churchgoers were the least likely ethnic group (9%) to invite a non-believer to a Christian film.

Some 72 percent, representing almost three out of four churchgoers, purposefully watch movies containing a form of Christian message.

More than 68 percent had watched a specific Christian movie in the last year, but only 48 percent had seen a secular film in the same period.

Stephen Kendrick, co-producer of The Forge, a movie focused on evangelism and discipleship released this month (August) believes faith movies played a key role in helping believers in their walk with Christ.

We live in a visual, video-driven generation. Movies can be great tools to reach people where they are and share biblical truth in the context of an emotional and memorial story, Kendrick said.

Countless people have come to Christ through watching a Christian movie. The Holy Spirit continues to use art to point to the glory of Christ and the gospel.

Christian books are also important for discipleship and evangelism. About two out of three churchgoers had read at least one Christian book, not including the Bible, in the past year.

The figures also showed that 17 percent had read such a Christian book recently, and another 17 percent had upped their reading to two such books this past year.

13 percent had read three Christian books, 11 percent four or five, three percent six or seven, one percent eight or nine  and three percent had managed to read 10 or more such books in the reporting period.

Meanwhile, 31 percent had read no Christian books during the past year and four percent said they couldnt remember.

Older churchgoers were less likely to read such books: 37 percent in the 65-plus group compared to 25 percent of 18 to 34 year olds and 26 percent in the 35 to 49 age bracket.

Ethnically, a third of white churchgoers (34 percent) had not read a Christian book in the past year, compared to 25 percent of African Americans.

In the denominational breakdown selecting none for reading Christian books in the past year, Lutherans (50%) were more likely than Presbyterian/Reformed (34%), Baptists (26%) and non-denominational churchgoers (25%).

Evangelicals were less likely to have not read Christian books (25 percent) than non-evangelical believers (38%) in the survey.

Kendrick believed that Christian books were an excellent resource to follow-up after watching a Christian movie on differing themes.

After the emotion of a movie ends, a Christian resource can bridge them to what the Word of God instructs about a topic or issue they are facing, he said. Our hope is that people will see a film and be inspired to dive into a resource that will help them be transformed by the renewing of their minds.

Kendrick gave as an example the production of the movie Fireproof with the linked book The Love Dare, which he said helped many marriages. He also said Christian men were helped by the film Courageous by reading The Resolution for Men. A third example was prayer ministries being supported by the double combination of the War Room movie and the resource book, The Battleplan for Prayer.
The continent of Africa in the last few years have seen a myriad of activities that have destabilised the democracies of some of countries within the continent. In view of this unfortunate incidents invading the continent, there is a clarion call by former President and the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani mahama on all African heads of states to tackle the challenges threatening democratic governance on the continent.



As a keynote speaker at the 64th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian bar Association in Lagos, former President John Mahama stated that Ghana has her own struggles with democratic governance as far as the recent findings of the Afrobarometer is concerned.



According to the Afrobarometer survey, there is a growing trend of disillusionment with democracy among the Ghanaian youth, who increasingly would prefer a military rule as a temporary solution due to a civilian leaders disappointing tenure.



He added that time is running out to make crucial decisions in the area of governance, that will inspire hope in the future of the Ghanaian youth.



He reiterated that the findings indicate a decline in trust in democratic governance, serving as a wake-up call for African leaders to address the imminent challenges marring and impeding the progress of countries on the continent.



He said, Time is running out to make the most crucial decisions that will once again inspire hope in the future of our democratic governance. Let me share a few examples from my own country Ghana. According to the latest Afrobarometer survey, an overwhelming 83% of Ghanaians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.



Additionally, 85% of Ghanaians rate the countrys economy as bad. While 72% described their personal living conditions from fairly bad to bad. About 55% of Ghanaians say they have lost trust in our Ghanaian Parliament. 53% have lost trust in the presidency.



Moreover, 77% believe the government is not doing enough to fight corruption and 64% feel that the government is failing to improve the economy. Another revealing statistic is that 22% of Ghanaians agree that the country will be better off under military rule.



Mr. Mahama added, These figures indicate a significant decline in trust in a democratic country like Ghana, which is a wake-up call for all of us. The African continent today is grappling with a range of complex issues that are threatening to derail our progress.





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The opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded an emergency meeting with the Electoral Commission of Ghana over a discussion regarding the voters exhibition exercise.



The General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, in a letter to the EC alleged that there were some discrepancies in the ongoing voters exhibition exercise for which they demand a clarity.



According to Mr. Kwetey, an analysis of the provisional voter register reveals many discrepancies that need urgent attention, he however stopped short of revealing what the anomalies are.



The exhibition exercise commenced on the Tuesday, August 20 and is expected to last till Tuesday, 27th August, 2024. This exercise provides an avenue for electorates to have their names checked in the voters register in order to avoid any inconveniences during the upcoming December 7 elections.





Below is the NDCs full letter.



REQUEST FOR AN IMPORTANT EMERGENCY MEETING WITH YOUR TEAM OVER THE 2024 VOTER EXHIBITION EXERCISE



We bring you greetings from the NDC Party Headquarters, Accra and trust that this letter finds you well.



We write to request an important emergency meeting with you and your team to discuss very serious discrepancies discovered during the ongoing 2024 voter exhibition exercise. The discrepancies emanate from analysis of the Provisional Voter Register (PVR) given to us by the Commission, and registers being exhibited at the centres.



We anticipate a favourable and timely response as we work towards free, fair and transparent elections.

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The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President John Dramani Mahama has reacted to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's "Ghana needs an upgrade, not a reset" claim.



Mahama had stated that Ghana needs a reset because the economy is in bad shape.



However, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia during his media engagement on Sunday, August 25 said: What this country needs is an upgrade, not reset. And if given the mandate, I will roll out the measures outlined in our recently launched manifesto to revamp the economy



Mahama fires back



The NDC flagbearer in response to Bawumia said when something is broken, it needs to be fixed and not upgraded.



In a meeting with NDC supporters in Accra on Monday, August 26 he said: I have said that this is a reset, but somebody says it is an upgrade but how do you upgrade something that is broken, the engine is spoilt so how do you upgrade it?



You need to reset the engine properly and put it in the shape where it can be upgraded and so we need to reset this country. When we talk about resetting we are not talking only about the economy and so at the manifesto launch I didnt talk only about the economy, I talked about Ghana needs a reset, our economy needs a reset, our governance needs a rest, our attitudes need a rest.







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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated that their government will prioritise alleviating the excruciating hardships that Ghanaians have been plunged into by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led government.



According to the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC will address the high cost of living of all Ghanaians by lowering the prices of essential goods as well as reducing the hikes in fuel prices.



Posting on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, August 27, Mr. Fifi kwetey expressed his deepest worry over the economic challenges Ghanaians have been made to endure in the tenure of the NPP government.



"In 2025, the NDC will prioritise alleviating the severe hardships Ghanaians face. We will address the high cost of living by lowering the price of essential goods, reducing the fuel costs, and stabilisng the economy."



He further added that the NDC is committed to job creation and ensure that fair wages are received by workers in order to ensure financial stability for families across the country.



"By reversing the economic mismanagement we currently endure, we will build a Ghana where prosperity is shared by all, he said.



He, therefore, called on all Ghanaians to rally behind the NDC in driving the NPP out of office by voting massively for the NDC in the upcoming December 7 elections, adding that the NDC as a political party, has the real solutions that will reset the nation onto the right path.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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In a groundbreaking move set to redefine Ghanas political landscape, the New Force Movement, led by the visionary Nana Kwame Bediako, will unveil its national policies in a historic virtual launch on September 1, 2024, at 7:30 PM.



This event, the first of its kind in Ghana, signals the dawn of a new era in the nation's political discourse, showcasing a bold approach to leadership and policy-making.



Nana Kwame Bediako, a leader celebrated for his transformative initiatives in industrialization, real estate, and community development, is spearheading the New Force Movement with a clear vision for Ghana's future.



His leadership has consistently been a beacon of innovation, and this virtual policy launch is no exception. It reflects his commitment to embracing modern technology and new ideas to bring about significant national change.



The policies to be unveiled promise to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing Ghana today, with a focus on driving an industrial revolution that could propel the nation into a new era of prosperity.



Key areas of focus include the development of advanced infrastructure, achieving energy independence, fostering technological innovation, and empowering local industries.



Central to these plans is the creation of a robust manufacturing sector aimed at generating employment and establishing Ghana as a leader in African industrialization.



The significance of the September 1st policy launch extends beyond the policies themselves. It represents a shift towards a future where digital platforms and innovative strategies are integral to national development.



As Ghanas first-ever virtual policy launch, it not only sets a precedent but also underscores the New Force Movement's commitment to breaking with tradition in favor of progress and inclusivity.



Ghanaians across the country and the diaspora will be able to participate in this momentous occasion, as the event will be broadcast live on all national television stations and streamed across various social media platforms. This widespread access ensures that every Ghanaian has the opportunity to engage with and reflect on the future direction of the nation.



The New Force Movements virtual policy launch is poised to inspire a new generation of leaders and citizens alike, as the country stands on the brink of a new chapter filled with promise and possibility.

Source: Portia Mensah Bonsu/Peace FM Newsroom









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Fresh from his exhaustive interaction with the media Sunday night, Vice President and NPP Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia also delivered another energetic address to thousands of supporters in Dansoman last night.



Dr. Bawumia, as part of his campaign tour, visited three of the Ablekuma constituencies namely West, South and Central.



He had series of engagements including what has become characteristic of his campaign where he meets and greets people on the streets, markets and lorry stations.



In his interactions earlier in the day, Dr. Bawumia sparked excitement being mobbed by enthusiastic traders as he arrived at Odorkor lorry station, kokompe and Mallam market.



The biggest crowd, however, waited for Dr. Bawumia in Dansoman where he put the icing on the cake of his busy campaign.



Music legend, Samini, a resident of Dansoman, thrilled the large crowd with his popular tunes including his latest single No Pressure.



The charged crowd responded wildly to Samini's latest banger; a crafty song in support of Dr. Bawumia's presidential bid as they awaited his arrival.



By the time Dr. Bawumia arrived, every space at the venue had been covered with people eager to catch a glimpse of him.



With a charged crowd in front of him, Dr. Bawumia delivered a powerful rallying call reminding the audience of how former President Mahama represents the past and how a vote for Bawumia is a vote for the forward movement of Ghana to modern way of doing things and transformation.



While highlighting what he has done as Vice President and his new vision for the future as President, Dr. Bawumia quickly reminded the crowd of the "bad record" of Mahama when he was President which included the erstwhile government's inability to provide chalks to schools and a four-year dumsor crisis.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Chief Executive Officer of the State Transport Cooperation (STC) and the Vice Chair of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias campaign team, Nana Akomea has chided the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramanui Mahama over his 24-hour economy policy.



Nana Akomea stated that the opposition partys 24-hour economy mantra has remained unexplainable by some members of the NDC.



Nana Akomea explaind that, before the 24-hour economy can be functional in Ghana, certain conditions ought to have been met, amongst them is a drastic reduction in electricity tariffs.



Speaking on Tuesday, August 27 edition of the 'Kokrokoo' morning show on Peace FM, Nana Akomea stated, "We dont just get up to run a 24-hour economy. We run a 24-hour economy because it is profitable. If you are making profit from our enterprise, then you can opt to run a 24-hour economy as does by some business ventures.



24-hour economy is the result of demands, he added.



The stalwart of the NPP opined that, the 24-hour economy mantra by the opposition National Democratic Congress has been reduced to nothing but mere theories with reasons being that, the flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama has not expounded the policy to the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian.



Nana Akomeas statement is in reaction to the manifesto launched by the NDC on Saturday, August 24, at the University of Education, Winneba, in the Central region where the flagbearer, John Mahama outlined a number of interventions his government, if voted come December 7, will implement.



Top of the policies of the NDC is the introduction of the 24-hour economy which the party explains that to be same job which will be done by three people spanning across three shift systems.



However, Nana Akomea maintains that, it is not every kind of job that will require a 24-hour system, hence, the decision to enact a legislation to make it mandatory is totally flawed.



"This 24-hour economy is not a policy that warrants the enactment of legislation to protect it.



If you consider the policies of the NPP establishing a 5 million solar panels for 2000 megawatt of solar power, this is a policy that requires a 24-hour system because there will be a high demand on solar energy. With the latest discovery of Lithium, which is one of the minerals used in the manufacture of the batteries that will provide power for the solar panels.



"Bawumia has said he is going to enact laws that will promote the patronage of made in Ghana products. This will mean that all Ghanaians will be required to buy made in Ghana products. What then happens is that, there will be high demand for made in Ghana products which means, there will be a need for a 24-hour economy. But if you dont tell us what you will do with your 24-hour economy, then you dont know what youre talking about, Nana Akomea said on Peace FMs 'kokrokoo' morning show.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Nana Akomea has touted Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's policy on import duties as one of the best to curb smuggling of goods into Ghana.



Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, at GSTS in Takoradi on Sunday, August 18, launched his manifesto which he intends to implement if he becomes President in 2025.



Among the many policies, he highlighted, is his introduction of a system to reduce import duties for Ghanaians which Dr. Bawumia believes will increase Ghana's economic productivity.



Touching on the policy during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, Nana Akomea addressed the naysayers recounting why this policy is significant to Ghana's growth.



He explained that the low import duties in Togo encourage smuggling, therefore Dr. Bawumia's import duty policy will stop the menace.



"When you check the statistics, theres a lot of smuggling coming into Ghana from LomeLome is on the border and there is frequent smuggling because many people take their cars, machines, drinks and a whole lot of commodities to pass there because their port duties are minimal," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Geographical distribution of selected teleconnection drivers for heat wave frequency in South Korea. Credit: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41612-024-00722-1

As record-breaking heat waves become increasingly frequent in South Korea, the development of AI-driven prediction technologies is emerging as a vital tool in responding to these extreme weather events and other climate changes.

Professor Jungho Im and his research team from the Department of Civil, Urban, Earth, and Environmental Engineering at UNIST have developed an innovative AI model for predicting heat waves. The paper is published in the journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.

This model analyzes a range of global climate factors, including sea surface temperature (SST), soil moisture (SM), snow depth (SD), and sea-ice concentration (SIC). Notably, the snow depth in the Mongolian desert and the Tianshan Mountains has been identified as a critical factor in forecasting the number of heat wave days in South Korea.

The concept of teleconnectionwhere the variability of terrestrial and oceanic conditions interacts with the atmosphere to influence weather patterns in distant regionswas foundational to this research. The team identified specific areas that significantly affect heat waves and integrated these findings into their prediction model.

Their research demonstrated that an increase in snow depth in the Tianshan Mountains during winter, coupled with a decrease in snow depth in the Gobi Desert during spring, are key variables in predicting summer heat waves. The analysis confirmed a correlation between heightened variability in snow depth in these regions and rising summer temperatures in Korea.

Atmospheric patterns induced by variability in the two snow depths and their relation to heat waves in South Korea. Credit: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41612-024-00722-1

Remarkably, the snow depth in the Tianshan Mountains played a significant role in predicting the heat wave experienced in 2023. The complexity of interactions among various climate factors, such as soil moisture and sea surface temperature, is expected to evolve further in 2024.

Researcher Yeonsu Lee commented, "We have established a link between snow depth and heat waves in the Mongolian desert and the Tianshan Mountains. This structure aligns with existing large-scale teleconnection patterns and is likely to be crucial for improving heat wave predictions."

Professor Im noted, "By monitoring the relationship between previously unexamined teleconnection factors and heat waves, we can enhance prediction accuracy. This study will significantly contribute to our understanding and response to heat waves in Korea."

More information: Yeonsu Lee et al, Unveiling teleconnection drivers for heatwave prediction in South Korea using explainable artificial intelligence, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41612-024-00722-1 Journal information: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Nearly 1.7 million people visit Juneau, Alaska, between May and September, spilling into the city by the thousands each morning when their cruise ship docks.

On any given day, the capital of Alaska has a population of almost 32,000 people.

It's easy to imagine the myriad effects, both good and bad, that the annual influx of tourism has on this small town. It's harder to measure those effects and look for ways to mitigate the negative impacts while still protecting the economic benefits and allowing people to experience the jaw-dropping natural beauty that Juneau offers.

Joseph Little, chair and associate professor in the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance in The W. A. Franke College of Business at NAU, is part of a global interdisciplinary research team that is examining the effects of cruise ship tourism on Arctic communities.

"The basic idea for the project is to look more holistically at the impacts of large-scale cruise ship tourism in Arctic communities," he said.

Little's research is focused on Juneau, but the team is looking at effects in four additional Arctic cities:

Nome, Alaska (population 3,654)

Visby, Sweden (population 24,330)

Bergen, Norway (population 271,949)

Akureyri, Iceland (population 18,191)

The good, the bad and the complicated of cruise ship tourism

We'll start with the positives. Economic health is a big one; many of these small-town economies are becoming more dependent on tourists spending money on shopping, sightseeing dining and passenger fees. In total, tourists spent more than $375 million in 2023.

But the economic effects are even broader than that. In the last few decades, improved air and water standards and monitoring have led to cleaner air and water in these communities. Cruise ships have switched to cleaner fuels and onshore power, so they're not running diesel engines all day while docked.

Additionally, cooperative agreements introduced by local governments in coordination with the cruise companies have reduced the number of ships docked at any given time, so cities are less likely to be overwhelmed with many thousands of tourists at once. Part of this research will measure how those practices are working.

Of course, there's no way to avoid the significant disruption that results in a small town when even a few thousand tourists arrive all at once. Residents are less likely to spend their weekends shopping and eating downtown or hiking popular trails if those areas are inundated with tourists. For a town like Nome, which has virtually no infrastructure for a high level of tourism, dramatic change could be on the way as the climate warms, sea ice melts and more cruise ships head farther north.

There also are questions about cultural sustainability and impacts on Alaska Native and Indigenous communities, who are important partners in the study. Those communities should not lose sacred spaces or identities, meaning any solutions to problems need to be looked at holistically, not just through numbers. That's harder to quantify, but, Little said, it's a critical question to consider.

The white whale of cruise ship tourism

Anyone taking a cruise to the north almost certainly has whale watching on the to-do list.

What that means is hundreds of cruisers taking to the sea on boats, all in the same general area, looking for the same pods. This may have adverse effects on the whales, including charter boats hitting whales and potentially changes in migration patterns and other behaviors that then impact the ocean's ecosystem. The researchers want to know those effects so companies and cities can create policies and practices that still allow for whale-watching without impacting the animals.

"A bunch of boats running toward a pod of whales won't work," Little said. "When people visit, they don't want to harm the area or, in this case, harm the animals. The information we're gathering, such as non-regulatory approaches to managing whale charter activities, will help governments and companies understand what's happening and produce thoughtful measures that can help mitigate a lot of the negative effects of these impacts."

Thinking about a cruise? Go! But be aware of your impact.

Little's piece of this research is ongoing and likely won't be completed until summer 2025. But he already knows this much: He's not going to tell people to stop going on cruises.

But he hopes governments, tourism agencies and cruise ship companies pay attention to this research and work with local communities to create policies and standards that protect the environment, the cultures and the economies of these towns. He also hopes tourists will learn from the research and become more thoughtful, respectful visitors who understand the impacts of their travel on residents' lives.

"I want people to go to Alaskago visit it," Little said. "It's an amazing place. But I want people to be cognizant of the people who live there and understand that you're being welcomed into somebody's home. I want people to understand the value of exchange and trade and that it's important to have ethic behind that."
Just as the fall festival season was about to kick off, Netflix released the trailer of "Emilia Perez," a new musical crime drama by Jacques Audiard, poised to make a splash in the upcoming Oscar competition.

Following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival recently, Netflix secured the rights to "Emilia Perez." The movie earned Audiard the Jury Prize at the festival, per Variety.

The thriller helmed by Audiard has garnered acclaim from film reviewers, with a remarkable 11-minute standing ovation at the Cannes festival, according to the LA Times. Among its accolades are a jury prize and a collective best actress award presented to the film's four lead stars, with Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz.

According to the movie's logline, "Writer-director Jacques Audiard's 'Emilia Perez' tells the story of high-powered lawyer Rita (Saldana) who takes on an unexpected assignment: helping a Mexican cartel leader (Gascon) fake their death and undergo sex-reassignment operations."

In the story, Rita, a lawyer from Mexico who has been underestimated, is approached by Manitas, a cartel leader, to help them find a skilled doctor for gender-affirming care. This is so that Manitas can finally embrace their true self. To start afresh and embrace a different identity, Manitas decides to stage their death, undergo gender reassignment surgery, and adopt the persona of Emilia Perez.

As time passed, a new layer of intrigue unfolded as the main character longed to reconnect with her loved ones, particularly her former spouse Jessi, portrayed by Selena Gomez. Guided by a series of songs, Perez is compelled to face the consequences of her history. Joining the cast are talented performers like Mexican star Paz in the role of Epifania and Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez as Gustavo.

According to Gascon who spoke to Tudum, "You have a musical that is not a musical, an action movie that's not an action movie, a drama that's not a drama, a comedy that's not a comedy."

"It is such a great gift, and I'm so proud to be part of it."

The movie is set to make its first appearance in limited theaters on November 1 and later available on Netflix starting November 13. Before its official release, "Emilia Perez" is slated to make special screenings at film festivals in September and October, including the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival.
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Image of Ash-1 obtained at DSS2-colored optical wavelength in ALADIN sky atlas. Credit: Tadross et al., 2024.

Using ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers have serendipitously discovered a new open cluster in the Milky Way galaxy. The newfound cluster, which received the designation Ash-1, is relatively young and consists of at least 400 member stars. The finding was reported in a research paper published August 21 on the pre-print server arXiv.

Open clusters (OCs), formed from the same giant molecular cloud, are groups of stars loosely gravitationally bound to each other. So far, more than 1,000 of them have been discovered in the Milky Way, and scientists are still looking for more, hoping to find a variety of these stellar groupings.

Expanding the list of known galactic open clusters and studying them in detail could be crucial for improving our understanding of the formation and evolution of our galaxy.

Now, a team of astronomers led by Ashraf Latif Tadross of the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics in Cairo, Egypt, reports the detection of a new Galactic open cluster. They detected the new OC in the constellation Sagittarius in the field of the poorly studied cluster Majaess 190.

"Examining the area surrounding the open star cluster Majaess 190, we have discovered another cluster entirely by chance. It exists in a denser star field than Majaess 190, so it was difficult to recognize over the background field," the researchers explained.

The newfound cluster was named after the first three letters of the team leader's first nameAsh-1. The collected data indicate that Ash-1 is a dynamically relaxed cluster located some 4,400 light years away from the Earth.

According to the paper, Ash-1 has a limiting radius of about 28.7 light years and its total mass is 455 solar masses. The cluster is estimated to be 630 million years old, while its relaxation time was found to be some 25 million years. The astronomers managed to identify 410 most likely member stars of this cluster.

Based on the obtained data, the authors of the study were also able to determine fundamental parameters of the nearby cluster Majaess 190, finding that it is smaller, less massive, but much older than Ash-1. The limiting radius of Majaess was measured to be approximately 12 light years, while its total mass was calculated to be 375 solar masses. The age of this cluster was estimated to be about 4 billion years.

Summing up the results, the researchers noted that Ash-1 and Majaess 190 may form a binary system. However, further observations of these clusters are required in order to confirm this hypothesis.

"We believe that the two clusters are different with some overlapping because they form a binary system, which requires another detailed study," the scientists conclude.

More information: A. L. Tadross, Discovered a new open cluster near the poorly studied Majaess 190, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2408.11383 Journal information: arXiv

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Race is intricately woven into the fabric of daily culture, and as a result, it influences artificial intelligence (AI) systems that automate tasks traditionally performed by humans.

Whether in disease detection, resource allocation, loan approvals, or generative imagery, race is an embedded element in numerous technologies. Consequently, AI systems have frequently been criticized for their insensitivity and inaccuracies in addressing race, often neglecting the complex social nuances it entails.

Two members of the Pamplin College of Businessmarketing doctoral candidate Angela Yi and Assistant Professor of Marketing Broderick Turnerrecently explored the complex relationship between race and AI in their paper, "Representations and Consequences of Race in AI Systems," appearing in the August edition of the journal Current Opinion in Psychology.

To address the issue, Yi and Turner first had to find the definition of race.

"There's actually no genetic basis behind race," Yi said. "It's more of a social categorization system that we still see used today."

The concept of race first emerged during the European Enlightenment. It was used to classify people based on superficial traits, which were then used to reinforce existing social hierarchies. These categories, established during periods of colonialism and slavery, have persisted and continue to influence modern AI systems, often perpetuating outdated and inaccurate assumptions.

According to Yi, race is often treated as a fixed categorysuch as Black, white, or Asianin many AI systems. This static representation fails to capture the social and cultural dimensions of race, leading to inaccuracies and potential biases.

"For example, when a person using Google Gemini searched for an image of the Founding Fathers of the United States, the system outputted an image that included non-white individuals," Yi said. "It is speculated that this occurred because Google was trying to overcorrect for diverse representation."

As illustrated by the issues encountered when using Google Gemini, integrating race into AI systems presents significant challenges. The tendency to treat race as a fixed category overlooks its social and historical dimensions, leading to inaccuracies and potential biases.

In their paper, Turner and Yi offered recommendations for appropriately incorporating race in AI systems.

Reassess the necessity of race: Evaluate whether incorporating race into an AI system is necessary for achieving its objectives. If the inclusion of race adds no benefit to improving accuracy, it may be best to exclude it from the model.

Capitalize on the probabilistic nature of AI: Instead of relying on fixed racial categories, AI systems should utilize odds-based approaches that reflect the variability and complexity of race. Probabilistic models can provide a more nuanced representation versus assigning individuals to fixed categories.

Use proxy variables: In contexts such as medical AI, where race is often used to explain differences in health outcomes, other variables should be considered. For example, rather than attributing differences in kidney function solely to race, AI systems could use specific proteins or other relevant biomarkers to provide more accurate predictions and insights.

"People need to recognize that race is a dynamic social construct that changes over time," Yi said. "AI systems should reflect this complexity rather than relying on outdated or overly simplistic categories."

Yi also suggested that developers of AI systems consider the broader implications of including race in AI systems and embrace a more nuanced representation.

"Including race in AI systems is not always going to be a simple answer, but it's going to need to be a nuanced answer because race is social, and understanding the social and historical context of race can help developers create more equitable and accurate models," she said.

More information: Angela Yi et al, Representations and consequences of race in AI systems, Current Opinion in Psychology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101831
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Change-6 landing site locates to the southern Apollo basin in the northeast of the South Pole-Aitken basin, lunar farside. Credit: Y. Qian

Lunar igneous activities, including intrusive and extrusive magmatism, and their products contain significant information about the lunar interior and its thermal state. Their distribution is asymmetrical on the nearside and farside, reflecting the global lunar dichotomy.

In addition to previously returned lunar samples all from nearside (Apollo, Luna, and Chang'e-5), samples from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin on the farside have long been thought to hold the key to rebalancing the asymmetrical understandings of the moon and disclosing the lunar dichotomy conundrum.

Earlier this year, the Chang'e-6 mission of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, successfully launched on May 3, landed on the lunar surface on June 2, and returned to the Earth on June 25 carrying a total of 1,935.3g of lunar soil. It is the world's first lunar farside sample-return mission, which landed in the south of the Apollo basin within the SPA basin on the farside.

These precious samples could open a window to solve the long-standing question of lunar dichotomy, reshaping human's knowledge of our closest neighbor. However, compared with the well-known mare volcanism surrounding the Chang'e-6 landing site, the intrusive magmatic activities have a much more obscure presence and origin, impeding future sample analyses when they are available for application.

In a research paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Dr. Yuqi Qian, Professor Joseph Michalski and Professor Guochun Zhao from the Department of Earth Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and their domestic and international collaborators have comprehensively studied the intrusive magmatism of the Chang'e-6 landing site and its surroundings based on remote sensing data.

The study revealed their extensive distributions and obscure nature with significant implications for the petrogenesis of lunar plutonic rocks and the Chang'e-6 mission, which will facilitate scientists' further study of the lunar farside.

Figure 2. Intrusive magmatism is extensive across the South Pole-Aitken basin, whose products highly likely collected by the Change-6 mission. Credit: Y. Qian

Key findings

The study has found that intrusive magmatism is widespread in the SPA basin. They occur in various forms including sills beneath floor-modified craters, linear and ring dikes shown by gravity data, and Mg-suite intrusions with characteristic spectral absorptions.

These observations agree with the intermediate-thick crust of SPA where intrusion is favored. Landing in the SPA basin, Chang'e-6 likely collected plutonic rocks, excavated and transported by adjacent impact craters to the sampling site, that could be examined by the ongoing sample studies.

They have discovered two heavily degraded floor-fractured craters, inspiring them to identify more similar features on the moon. All indicate that intrusive magmatism is abundant in the Chang'e-6 sampling region.

This study has traced potential plutonic materials in the Chang'e-6 samples and found that Mg-suite materials highly likely exist, primarily from the western peak ring of the Apollo basin delivered by Chaffee S crater.

These Mg-rich materials contain crucial information on the origin of mysterious KREEP-poor Mg-suite rocks. Samples from both the intrusive and extrusive magmatism from the never sampled farside, especially the mysterious Mg-suite, will shed further light on solving the lunar dichotomy conundrum and a series of fundamental scientific questions relating to secondary crust building and early evolution of the moon.

Professor Xianhua LI, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), and a leader of China's lunar sample studies from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (CAS), said, "The results of this research set a significant geological framework to study plutonic rocks in the Chang'e-6 samples, especially Mg-suite rocks."

Professor Li emphasized, "Their petrogenesis and timing are unclear, and this research would dramatically help to understand their origin mechanism."

"This research is an excellent example of HKU's deep involvement in the China's Lunar Exploration Program," said Professor Guochun Zhao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Science and Chair Professor of Earth Sciences (HKU).

"Lunar and space exploration programs are an important component of China's goal to become a scientific and technological power, and HKU's proactive involvement in these programs will bring additional resources for Hong Kong to become an international center for science and innovation," he continued.

HKU is the first university in Hong Kong that possesses lunar samples obtained by the Chang'e-5 mission. Building on the foundation of this work, the geologists from HKU will also pursue opportunities to study Chang'e-6 samples in the future and be more deeply involved in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.

More information: Yuqi Qian et al, Extensive Intrusive Magmatism in the Lunar Farside Apollo and South PoleAitken Basins, Chang'e-6 Landing Site, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2024). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad698f Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters
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A cemetery on Majuro Atoll is flooded by high tides and ocean surges in the low-lying Marshall Islands, which rises barely a metre above sea level.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent out a global climate "SOS" at a Pacific islands summit on Tuesday, unveiling research that shows the region's seas rising much more swiftly than global averages.

"I am in Tonga to issue a global SOSSave Our Season rising sea levels. A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril" he said.

Sparsely populated and with few heavy industries, the Pacific islands collectively pump out less than 0.02 percent of global emissions every year.

But this vast arc of volcanic islands and low-lying coral atolls also inhabits a tropical corridor that is rapidly threatened by encroaching oceans.

The World Meteorological Organisation has been monitoring tide gauges installed on the Pacific's famed beaches since the early 1990s.

A new report released by the top UN climate monitoring body showed seas had risen by around 15 centimeters in some parts of the Pacific in the last 30 years.

The global average was 9.4 centimeters, according to the report.

"It is increasingly evident that we are fast running out of time to turn the tide," said the forecasting agency's top official, Celeste Saulo.

Some sites, particularly in Kiribati and Cook Islands, measured a rise that matched or was just under the global average.

Map of island nations threatened by sea level rise, showing potentially submerged land by 2100, according to Climate Central.

But other sites, such as the capital cities of Samoa and Fiji, were rising almost three times higher.

In low-lying Pacific nation Tuvalu, land is already so scarce that throngs of children use the tarmac at the international airport as their own makeshift playground.

Scientists have warned that, even under some moderate scenarios, Tuvalu could be almost entirely wiped off the map within the next 30 years.

"It's disaster after disaster, and we are losing the capacity to rebuild, to withstand another cyclone or another flood," Tuvalu Climate Minister Maina Talia told AFP Monday on the summit's sidelines.

"For low-lying island states, it's a matter of survival for us."

Canary in the coal mine

The plight of Pacific islands has been easily overlooked in the past, given their relative isolation and lack of economic might.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced a global climate "SOS" at a Pacific islands summit.

But the region is increasingly seen by scientists as a climate canary in the coal mine, hinting at the troubles potentially facing other parts of the planet.

"This new report confirms what Pacific leaders have been saying for years," Australian climate researcher Wes Morgan told AFP.

"Climate change is their top security threat. Pacific nations are in a fight for survival, and cutting climate pollution is key to their future."

Surrounded by millions of square miles of tropical ocean, the South Pacific is uniquely threatened by sea-level rise.

The vast majority of people live within five kilometers of the coast, according to the United Nations.

Rising seas are swallowing up scarce land and tainting vital food and water sources.

Warmer waters are also fueling more intense natural disasters, while ocean acidification slowly kills the reefs that nourish key marine food chains.

Map showing the member nations of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Pacific nations are pushing for carbon polluting countries to cut emissions and fund climate resilience programs.

The issue is expected to feature heavily in summit talks throughout the week.

"The need for loss and damage finance is here today, and costs will only rise without urgent climate action now," said Rosanne Martyr, a senior scientist with the Climate Analytics policy institute.

"In 2020, some Pacific Island nations including Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Micronesia lost more than one percent of their GDP to rising seas."

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In the agricultural and food industry, determining the chemical composition of raw materials is important for production efficiency, application, and price. Traditional laboratory testing is time-consuming, complicated, and expensive. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrates that near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning can provide quick, accurate, and cost-effective product analysis.

In two studies, the researchers explore the use of NIR spectroscopy for analyzing characteristics of corn kernels and sorghum biomass.

"NIR spectroscopy has many advantages over traditional methods. It is fast, accurate, and inexpensive. Unlike lab analysis, it does not require the use of chemicals, so it's more environmentally sustainable. It does not destroy the samples, and you can analyze multiple features at the same time. Once the system is set up, anyone can run it with minimal training," said Mohammed Kamruzzaman, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE), part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at U. of I. He is a co-author on both papers.

In the first study, the researchers created a global model for corn kernel analysis. Moisture and protein content impact nutritional value, processing efficiency, and price of corn, so the information is crucial for the grain processing industry. The research is published in the journal Food Chemistry.

NIR and other spectroscopic techniques are indirect methods. They measure how a material absorbs or emits light at different wavelengths, then construct a unique spectrum that is translated into product characteristics with machine learning models. Many food and agricultural processing facilities already have NIR equipment, but models need to be trained for specific purposes.

"Corn grown in different locations varies because of soil, environment, management, and other factors. If you train the model with corn from one location, it will not be accurate elsewhere," Kamruzzaman said.

To address this issue and develop a model that applies in many different locations, the researchers collected corn samples from seven countriesArgentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Serbia, Tunisia, and the U.S..

"To analyze moisture and protein in the corn kernels, we combined gradient-boosting machines with partial least squares regression. This is a novel approach that yields accurate, reliable results," said Runyu Zheng, a doctoral student in ABE and lead author on the first study.

While the model is not 100% global, it provides considerable variability in the data and will work in many locations. If needed, it can be updated with additional samples from new locations, Kamruzzaman noted.

In the second study, the researchers focused on sorghum biomass, which can serve as a renewable, cost-effective, and high-yield feedstock for biofuel. The research is published in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy.

Biomass conversion into biofuels depends on chemical composition, so a rapid and efficient method of sorghum biomass characterization could assist biofuel, breeding, and other relevant industries, the researchers explained.

Using sorghum from the University of Illinois Energy Farm, they were able to accurately and reliably predict moisture, ash, lignin, and other features.

"We first scanned the samples and obtained NIR spectra as an output. This is like a fingerprint that is unique to different chemical compositions and structural properties. Then we used chemometricsa mathematical-statistical approachto develop the prediction models and applications," said Md Wadud Ahmed, a doctoral student in ABE and lead author on the second paper.

While NIR spectroscopy is not as accurate as lab analysis, it is more than sufficient for practical purposes and can provide fast, efficient screening methods for industrial use, Kamruzzaman said.

"A major advantage of this technology is that you don't need to remove and destroy products. You can simply take samples for measurement, scan them, and then return them to the production stream. In some cases, you can even scan the samples directly in the production line. NIR spectroscopy provides a lot of flexibility for industrial usage," he concluded.

More information: Runyu Zheng et al, Optimizing feature selection with gradient boosting machines in PLS regression for predicting moisture and protein in multi-country corn kernels via NIR spectroscopy, Food Chemistry (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140062 Md Wadud Ahmed et al, Rapid and high-throughput determination of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) biomass composition using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics, Biomass and Bioenergy (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107276 Journal information: Food Chemistry
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Vulnerability-free Hardy paradox test experimental device diagram. Credit: Si-Ran Zhao et.al

A research team has achieved the loophole-free test of Hardy's paradox for the first time. The team successfully demonstrated Hardy's nonlocality while closing both the detection efficiency loophole and the locality loophole.

Their findings were published in Physical Review Letters as an "Editor's Suggestion." The team includes members from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), led by Prof. Pan Jianwei, Zhang Qiang, and Chen Kai, in collaboration with Chen Jingling from Nankai University.

Hardy's paradox, introduced by Lucien Hardy in the 1990s, offers a simplified test of local realismthe classical idea that physical properties exist independently of observation and that no signals exceed the speed of light. This paradox exposes the conflict between quantum mechanics and local realism by demonstrating that, under certain conditions where three "Hardy events" have a zero probability, quantum mechanics predicts a non-zero probability for a fourth event, which contradicts local realism.

Experimentally confirming Hardy's paradox is challenging due to the low probability of the fourth event, requiring high fidelity and efficiency in entanglement sources to distinguish it from noise. Prior experiments faced two main challenges: the locality loophole, where measurement choices could affect outcomes, and the detection efficiency loophole, due to optical losses.

In addressing the locality loophole, the researchers meticulously crafted a space-time experimental setup that ensured the measurement choices were spacelike, separated from both the entangled state preparations and the photon detections. This configuration precludes any possibility of the measurement settings being influenced by the outcomes, thereby eliminating the locality loophole.

To tackle the detection efficiency loophole, the study employed a high detection efficiency of 82.2%, which substantially mitigates the impact of optical losses. Moreover, the integration of high-speed quantum random number generators for the selection of measurement settings introduced an element of true randomness, safeguarding against any potential manipulation by local hidden variables.

By also incorporating undetected events and double-click events into their analysis through a refined form of Hardy's inequality, the researchers effectively closed the detection efficiency loophole, presenting a robust experimental framework that stands as a significant contribution to the field of quantum physics.

Finally, the experiment, conducted over six hours, demonstrated a strong violation of Hardy's paradox, with a significance level of up to 5 standard deviations across 4.32 billion trials. A null hypothesis test confirmed that the probability of explaining the results through local realism is less than 10-16348, providing compelling evidence in favor of quantum nonlocality.

This research deepens our understanding of quantum mechanics and has significant implications for developing quantum technologies such as quantum key distribution and quantum random number certification. It marks an advancement in quantum physics, offering new evidence of quantum nonlocality and paving the way for future quantum information technologies.
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A mayfly nymph underwater. Thom Quine via Wikimedia, CC BY

A tiny, vibrant world thrives along the rocky bottom of most streams. As sunlight filters through the water, mayfly nymphs, no larger than your fingernail, cling to algae-coated cobbles. Their brushlike mouthparts scrape the greenish coating, leaving faint trails as they feed. Six spindly legs anchor them against the current, while feathery gills wave gently, drawing oxygen from the flowing water.

This scene is common in well-maintained creeks and streams that flow through populated areas. But when wildfires sweep through, the toxic materials left behind can devastate this ecosystem.

When you think of urban wildfires, you might picture charred trees and houses. But beneath the surface of nearby streams, fires can also cause a silent upheavalone that affects populations of creatures that are important indicators of the water's health.

Wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems. They rejuvenate landscapes by clearing out dead brush and releasing nutrients from vegetation and soils.

When fires move from nature into neighborhoods, however, they encounter a drastically different set of fuels. Urban conflagrations consume a mix of synthetic and natural materials, including homes, vehicles, electronics and household chemicals. This creates a unique set of problems that can have far-reaching consequences for waterways and the creatures that call them home.

As an environmental engineer, I study how human actions on land affect the chemistry and ecology of surface water systems, including an important group of stream dwellers: benthic macroinvertebrates. These tiny creatures, which include mayflies, stone flies and caddis flies, are not only food sources for fish and other stream life but also serve as nature's own water quality monitors.

2018's Camp Fire was a wake-up call

In November 2018, the Camp Fire devastated the town of Paradise, California, destroying over 18,000 homes and other structures. In the aftermath of this tragic event, my colleagues and I examined the effects of large-scale urban burning on the chemistry of nearby watersheds.

The results were alarming: Metal concentrations in affected watersheds increased dramaticallyup to two-hundredfold compared with prefire levels. Concentrations of these metals exceeded EPA aquatic habitat acute criteria, recommended levels that indicate when a metal has reached the threshold of "toxic" for organisms in the water.

These elevated metal levels can pose risks to both ecosystems and human health.

For humans, contaminated watersheds can compromise drinking water sources by requiring extensive water treatment or even making some water supplies temporarily unusable.

Wildlife, particularly sensitive aquatic species such as fish and amphibians, face immediate threats from these pollutants. The toxic metals can disrupt their reproductive cycles, impair growth and destabilize ecosystems. Tiny benthic macroinvertebrates provide early warnings of the harm.

Silent witnesses: Benthic macroinvertebrates

In their larval stages, benthic macroinvertebrates live on the benthos, or bottom, of the stream, where they are constantly exposed to the water, making them sensitive to changes in stream chemistry.

Fly-fishing enthusiasts might recognize these creatures as the inspiration for the flies they tie. They are food for other aquatic life, but their presence, diversity and abundance also provide insight into both short-term pollution events and long-term environmental changes that chemical tests alone might miss.

Many species have short life cycles, allowing scientists to observe changes quickly. Different species also have varying tolerances for pollution, providing a nuanced picture of water quality.

Marshall Fire dramatically altered water quality

Just as we were finishing up our analysis of the Camp Fire samples, on Dec. 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire devastated communities in my home state of Colorado, destroying over 1,000 homes in Boulder County's Coal Creek watershed.

For two years following the fire, I worked with a team at the University of Colorado Boulder to monitor water chemistry, benthic macroinvertebrate populations and algae in Coal Creek. We found that the runoff from fire debris dramatically altered both water quality and the ecological balance at fire-affected sites.

Our findings showed persistently elevated toxic metal levels and declines in sensitive aquatic species, indicating potential long-term risks to human activities, such as fishing and irrigation. They also showed that recovery would likely take many years.

Urban wildfires create a toxic cocktail for streams

Similar to after the Camp Fire, at Boulder County's urban, fire-affected sites, we observed elevated concentrations of nutrients and metals, including copper, nickel, lead and zinc. By measuring stormwater, we were able to show that these pollutants were conveyed by concrete drainage systems that quickly funneled the water into the creek. We noted 84 instances where metal concentrations exceeded EPA aquatic life criteria limits in the first year.

We also measured significant changes in the types and numbers of benthic macroinvertebrates present. One of the most striking findings was the impact on algae-eating mayflies, which are particularly sensitive to changes in water quality.

In the burned urban stretch of the stream, we observed an interesting phenomenon: abundant algae growth, but fewer algae-eating mayflies. This suggests that fire runoff is having a dual effect on the stream ecosystem: Nutrients from burned vegetation are likely stimulating algae growth, while toxic metals from the urban fire debris seem to be negatively affecting sensitive organisms such as mayflies.

The algae, while plentiful, may be accumulating toxic metals from the water. When other organisms consume this algae, they could potentially ingest these metals as well. This process, known as bioaccumulation, can lead to increasing concentrations of toxic materials moving up the food chain.

What does the evidence mean?

It's important to note that the full impacts of urban wildfires on stream life are still being studied. We can't yet say definitively whether organism numbers are low because those organisms are dying or if they are experiencing subtler effects, such as reduced reproduction. The decrease in mayfly populations, however, is a concerning indicator of ecosystem stress.

For humans, the implications are nuanced. While Coal Creek isn't a source of drinking water, it is used for irrigation and recreation. Metal-contaminated water could accumulate in stream sediments and continue to affect sensitive organisms long term.

The creek's overall health also affects its ability to filter water and support biodiversity.

Protecting streams and their ecosystems

The story told by these streams and their tiny inhabitants is clear: Urban wildfires pose a serious threat to water quality and aquatic life. To protect streams, communities need to reduce fire risk and runoff afterward. Improving urban planning, management of stormwater and watershed monitoring can help safeguard water resources.

The health of streams affects the health of communities. Everyone can benefit by listening to the mayflies' warning.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The International Court of Justice in The Hague has been busier than ever in recent years: it has been asked to render judgments and issue advisory opinions on conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar, among others, and it settles border disputes all over the world. What roles does this Court of Justice play in such cases, and how can its authority be explained? Rosa Mohrlein examined these questions and will defend her Ph.D. thesis at Radboud University on 28 August.

In national legal systems such as that of the Netherlands, the roles and powers of a court, court of appeal or tribunal are fairly clear. It is different for international tribunals, which operate in the international legal system, partly due to the fact that regulations have not been drawn up by a central legislative body. The absence of any compulsory jurisdiction for international tribunals is also often cited as a complicating factor.

Delicate balance

"An international court therefore constantly faces challenges relating to its roles and has to try to strike a delicate balance: offering a resolution to the dispute without antagonizing the parties," Mohrlein writes.

In her research, Mohrlein deconstructs various rulings and advisory opinions by a number of interstate tribunals: the International Court of Justice (not to be confused with the International Criminal Court), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Appellate Body of the WTO. Based on i) the legal issues of the dispute, ii) the application and interpretation of the law in the relevant case and iii) the answer or conclusion given by these tribunals, she identifies five judicial roles: dispute resolution, legal clarification, judicial lawmaking, legitimation, and control and compliance.

"Dispute resolution is often cited as the cornerstone of international law," explains Mohrlein. "Understandably so, as interstate tribunals have often been established with the notion that they provide an alternative to armed conflict. But it is usually unclear exactly what dispute resolution entails and where the boundaries lie for what a court actually does within this role. In addition, other important roles are performed that also matter greatly for the development of stable relations between states as well as the formation and interpretation of the law. It is important to have a clear picture of those roles because that also explains why a court has and maintains authority."

A 'controversial crowbar'

"Judicial lawmaking involves not just applying the law, but also providing interpretations relating to how the law should be understood in case of gaps and in new areas of law. This is a controversial role given that it could see the International Court of Justice encroach too much on territory where only states have competence: the creation of new obligations in international law. Legitimation is also an important role in international rulings and advisory opinions.

"One example is the advisory opinion in the Namibia case, where the situation was politically deadlocked and the request for an opinion was supposed to signal a breakthrough. If you do it wrong, it becomes a controversial crowbar; if you do it right, it delivers valuable guidance," says Mohrlein.

Mohrlein's research offers explanations as to why international tribunals possess authority and why many states (continue to) knock on the Court's door.

"On the one hand, there is a perception that a court of this nature is limited in what it can achieve due to its focus on dispute resolution. On the other hand, rulings and advisory opinions are frequently used as arguments in other cases, including national ones. One explanation for this is that the International Court of Justice goes beyond simply performing a dispute resolution role. You can see this, for example, in the advisory case relating to the wall Israel built around the West Bank.

"The Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on this in 2004 and again last July. While these opinions are not (so far) improving the situation on the ground, they are seen as a guide to what is permissible in international law in this area and what is not. Moreover, they can damage a country's reputation and offer direction in terms of how the conflict is talked about," Mohrlein writes.

This may be why states continue to turn to the International Court of Justice.

More information: Mohrlein, R. The Multiplicity of Judicial Functions of International Courts and Tribunals. An Inquiry with a focus on the International Court of Justice.
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The C.A.R.E.  Corinth Aims to Reach Everyone  Committee announced its third annual Back to School Fair, set to take place on Aug. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Corinth Middle School.

This event brings together students, families, and community members for an evening of celebration, support, and fun as they gear up for the new school year.

The Back to School Fair, hosted by volunteers of the C.A.R.E. Committee, is designed to warmly welcome students back for the start of a new school year. Attendees can look forward to resources focused to help create a successful and confident start to the school year; including free school supplies, back-to-school haircuts, and an array of other goodies, according to information from the group.

The event will feature donated ice cream from Dairy Haus, served by the students favorite teachers, along with Riverhawk water bottles, toiletries, hygiene products, and essential clothing items such as new socks and underwear all available at no cost to students.

This event is open to all Corinth Central School District students entering Pre-K through 12th grade.

To ensure that every students needs are met, families were asked to register in advance to allow the committee time to prepare grade-appropriate supply lists and ensure that each child leaves the fair well-equipped for the school year ahead.

Since the creation of this event, the C.A.R.E committee worked to even the playing field of all students, working to fulfill all school supply requests specifically and in their entirety. Students and families who were unable to register for this event are still welcome to attend to check out the resources and receive any available supplies on hand, the informational materials say.

In addition to these offerings, the fair will provide valuable information about community resources. Representatives from the Corinth Booster Club, Corinth Youth Commission, the Corinth branch of the Saratoga YMCA, Saratoga County Youth Program from the Department of Aging and Youth Services, Corinth Schools Transportation Department and the Saratoga Childrens Literacy League will be present to share information and support. Many Corinth teachers will also be on hand to help distribute school supplies and reconnect with their students.

Additionally, a door prize raffle will take place during the event, offering exciting donated prizes to include a three-month Family Membership at the YMCA, a childrens bike gifted from the Queensbury Walmart and gift certificates to the Saratoga Corinth Hudson Railway, Kaylas Cookie Jar and Elis, a local barber.
St. Marys  St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School in Glens Falls will return to the name by which it was known for most of its 141 years: St. Marys Academy. The announcement was made by Rev. Scott VanDerveer, who, as pastor of St. Marys Parish oversees the school.

The name St. Marys Academy makes it easier to tell people who we are, he said in a letter to the school and parish communities. With the change, comes a new school logo. It (the name change) connects to the thousands of alumni who span our 141-year history. It expresses our commitment to academic excellence and moral virtue, and it acknowledges the primacy of commitment from St. Marys Parish to our schools future.

Also, the name change will reestablish St. Marys as the premier choice for a private religious education for our region, VanDerveer said. St. Marys teaches classes from preschool through eighth grade. The high school closed in 1989.

Communications Director Sally Behan said the merger reflects the school more accurately.

We are no longer considered a regional school, Behan said in a telephone interview. The merger with St. Alphonsus was completed successfully years ago. The two schools have become one. Our name didnt reflect that. It actually suggested an ongoing separation. St. Alphonsus became part of the heart and soul of St. Marys years ago, and we think renaming our chapel, which is the heart and soul of the school, actually honors that marriage in a more significant and accurate way.

The name change, which will not affect the schools legal name, will be part of the steady stream of positive news about the direction of our school, he said, referring to the schools recent increase in enrollment and hiring of a new principal, Marielena Hauser and major renovations including to disability access and the school buildings Great Hall at 10 Church St., near the intersection with Warren Street, downtown.

He also announced that, in honor of the parish, school, and people of St. Alphonsus, the chapel on the third floor of the St. Marys school building will be renamed the St. Alphonsus Chapel. A dedication of the St. Alphonsus Chapel will take place later this fall.

St. Alphonsus School on the citys west end closed in 1991, and a significant number of its teachers and students moved to St. Marys. The school became St. Marys  St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School to reflect the merger and the system of regionalized support established at that time by the Albany Diocese. The school became known colloquially as SMSA.

Today, St. Marys is once again administered by its founding parish, St. Marys, although its students come from communities throughout Warren, Washington, and Saratoga counties.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service issued a smoke advisory Sunday for Burlington and Ocean counties, but the source of the smoke wasnt a new fire.

The smoke was coming from the July 5 Tea Time Hill Wildfire that was sparked by fireworks in the area of the Batona Campground and Apple Pie Hill in Wharton State Forest.

The fire, which burned more than 4,000 acres, was declared 100% contained in early July.

But that doesnt mean its completely out, according to the states forest fire service, which issued the advisory.

Unburnt pockets of woods within the containment area continue to be consumed by whats left of the fire, the fire service reported.

Also, the fire continues to burn and smoke along the forest floors duff layer the decaying branches and leaves  a common behavior of summer forest fires, according the fire service.

Higher humidity in the evening and overnight hours also can cause smoke to lay low to the ground. Smoke is expected to remain present until significant rain falls over the area.

Fire officials often stress while reporting fires that containment does not mean a fire is completely put out.

Residents in Burlington and Ocean counties can expect a smoke condition stemming from the Tea Time Hill Wildfire which has been burning in Wharton State Forest since early July, the fire service said Sunday.

Atlantic County was not part of the advisory, but communities such as Chatsworth, Washington Woodland townships in Burlington County and Barnegat in Ocean County are all areas that might notice the smoke.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service crews continue to strengthen their containment lines and clean up hotspots as they monitor the fire.

To report a forest fire, call 911 or 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
Thirteen Wildwood Boardwalk businesses were issued notices of violation for allegedly selling flavored vape products banned in the state, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.

Spirit Gifts, Spirit USA, Genesis, Over the Boardwalk, Exotics, Gift World, High Society, Gifts 4 U, Waves, No Cap, Golden Gate, Smoke Factory and Dolphin were among 19 businesses throughout the state to be fined, Platkin said.

An investigation was launched in June, and through undercover purchases and inspections, investigators determined that smoke shops, convenience stores and gift retailers in five counties were offering and selling the banned products, Platkin said in a news release.

In January 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation prohibiting the sale and distribution of all vapor products with a flavor, taste, or aroma after research showed that the products were appealing to teens and children.

Thanks to Governor Murphy, New Jersey has some of the strongest laws in the nation to prevent the sale of flavored vape products that are particularly attractive to kids, and we intend to enforce them, Platkin said. As students across the state head back to school, were sending a message of deterrence to retailers. If you are caught selling these dangerous, banned products, you will be held accountable.

Each store was required to pay $4,500 in civil penalties, Platkin said.
ATLANTIC CITY  A convenience store employee was arrested and two others were charged Wednesday after they allegedly sold cocaine, marijuana and illegal cigarettes to customers, police said.

Cecil Morgan, 35, of Atlantic City, was charged with possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, two counts of possession

Tariq Mehmood, 58, of Egg Harbor Township, owner of the 24-7 Food Mart, and another merchant, Yasmin Faheem, 39, of Atlantic City, were each charged with possession of unstamped, out-of-state stamped, and/or counterfeit stamped cigarettes. The two were also charged with engaging in a cigarette transaction with an unlicensed person, sale of single cigarettes, or loosies, and failure to display the New Jersey Cigarette Retail Dealers License.

All three were released on summonses pending court.

Police were conducting surveillance in the 1400 block of Atlantic Avenue at 1:11 p.m. Aug. 16, and noticed that a clerk at the 24-7 Food Mart left the counter multiple times to interact with customers, police said.

Officers spotted the individual, Morgan, selling drugs and loose cigarettes to a customer, police said in a news release Monday.

Morgan was taken into custody and found to be in possession of 12 grams of cocaine and four grams of marijuana, police said.

Several cartons of cigarettes and drug paraphernalia was recovered following a search of the store, police said.

The Department of Treasurys Office of Criminal Investigation and the citys Department of Licensing & Inspection were notified of the arrest and Mehmood and Faheem were charged with various tobacco offenses.

The city also suspended the business mercantile license.
The Kimpton Santo hotel is scheduled to open this week. It's part of a flood of hotel development downtown. White Lodging The Tenfold Rooftop bar and its view are seen in this rendering. Its part of the Kimpton Santo, which is set to open this week downtown. White Lodging A rendering shows The Bar at Deans at the Kimpton Santo hotel. White Lodging A rendering shows Deans Steak & Seafood, a steakhouse at the Kimpton Santo hotel set to open this week. White Lodging A rendering shows the oyster bar at Deans Steak & Seafood. White Lodging

The upscale Kimpton Santo across from Hemisfair is scheduled to open Thursday, part of a flood of hotels with thousands of rooms slated to be built downtown in coming years.

Developed by Indiana-based White Lodging, the 347-room property at 431 S. Alamo St. is the Kimpton brands first in San Antonio, its largest in Texas and its second-largest nationwide. The name reflects the origins of the citys name, with the arrival of a Spanish expedition on the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua on June 13, 1691.

The hotel, which has been under construction for the past two years, will include a restaurant and three bars.

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White Lodging renovated a historic building that was once occupied by the German-English School, which was founded by German immigrants in 1858 to offer bilingual classical education, for a 207-room steakhouse dubbed Deans Steak & Seafood.

The Bar at Deans will serve alcoholic beverages and items from the menu at Deans Steak & Seafood. A bar called The Study at Deans will open in another building formerly occupied by the German-English school, and a bar called Tenfold Rooftop will open atop the 10-story building.

Multiple hotels are in the works or have recently been completed downtown, an indication of developers confidence in the recovery of the hospitality industry, which was battered by the pandemic. Another 2,539 hotel rooms are expected to be finished by the end of 2027, according to projects tracked by real estate data company CoStar.

Vacationers are returning to San Antonio, but the convention business has not fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and sizzling temperatures have kept some travelers away. The occupancy rate across downtown hotels was 64.5% in July, down from 79.3% during the same month in 2019, according to CoStar. Revenue per available room, a key measure of hotels performance, was $99.69 last month, down from $111.10 before the pandemic.

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Before building the Kimpton Santo, White Lodging last year turned the adjacent 251-room Marriott Plaza next door into the Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa. Across the street from the Kimpton and Plaza hotels, construction is underway on a 200-room hotel at Hemisfair dubbed the Monarch San Antonio.

After a lengthy renovation, the former Wyndham San Antonio River Walk on East Pecan Street reopened in early August as the luxury InterContinental Hotel. Several blocks south, a developer has proposed building a 171-room hotel along North Main Avenue near Main Plaza.

More hotels are also planned farther north near Pearl.

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St. Ambrose University signed a guaranteed admissions agreement with Rivermont Collegiate in Bettendorf, offering its students a direct pathway to undergraduate education.

Under the new agreement, students who spend a minimum of two years at Rivermont Collegiate or its international partner campuses and meet specific academic requirements will earn guaranteed admission to SAU.

"This agreement is more than just a pathway to higher education; it is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the Quad-Cities," Rivermont Headmaster Max Roach said in an SAU news release. "By working together, Rivermont Collegiate and St. Ambrose University are opening doors for students and reinforcing the value of a quality education that is both affordable and impactful."

The initiative aims to reflect the university's dedication to academic excellence and providing students with opportunities to advance their education, "in an innovative environment rooted in faith and tradition," the release said.

"We are thrilled to partner with Rivermont Collegiate to offer students a seamless transition to higher education at St. Ambrose," said Toby Arquette, SAU's vice-president for strategic growth, marketing and digital transformation. "This agreement aligns with our mission and vision as we empower students to achieve their full potential and to make a positive impact in the world. This is where students come to become who they are meant to be."

The guaranteed admissions agreement takes immediate effect for students set to graduate from Rivermont. Across the river, Augustana College signed a guaranteed admissions agreement with Rivermont in June.

Photos: St. Ambrose football media day
Paul Stephen is a food writer for the Express-News. He can be reached at pstephen@express-news.net.

He moved to San Antonio from North Carolina in 2017 to join the Express-News Taste team. In that time, hes cooked through about 1,000 recipes, noshed at more than 200 restaurants and seriously considered getting a map of the citys grocery stores tattooed on his arm for easy reference. He cannot be trusted around your cookbook collection.
An attempt by Republican lawmakers to add work requirements for South Dakotans covered under Medicaid expansion will hinge on two election outcomes in November.

First, voters will decide on Amendment F, a legislative effort to allow employment criteria to be used for able-bodied adults to receive Medicaid benefits as part of the 2022 expansion approved by South Dakota voters.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps cover medical costs for qualified individuals with limited income and resources.

Even if voters approve the change to the state constitution, it will take a victory by Republican Donald Trump in the presidential election to move the plan forward. Thats because changes to Medicaid eligibility need to be cleared through the federal government.

When Trump was in office from 2017-2021, his administration approved work requirement plans for 13 states. Most required working-age recipients who dont have children or other dependents to be employed at least 80 hours a month to stay covered, with exemptions such as full-time schooling or community service.

When Democrat Joe Biden took office in 2021, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services blocked such requests and rescinded state plans approved under Trump, many of which were tied up in the court system at the time.

State Rep. Tony Venhuizen, a Sioux Falls Republican who helped spearhead Amendment F, told News Watch that Democrats keeping the White House would almost certainly delay implementation of Medicaid work requirements in South Dakota for at least four years.

Biden has disallowed them. I assume (Democratic nominee) Kamala Harris would do the same, said Venhuizen. There has really not been enough time to fully implement these plans in any state.

Contrast in political philosophies

Work requirements are already part of the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.

Adding the criteria to able-bodied Medicaid health care recipients highlights a fundamental difference between conservative and liberal political philosophies, not just in South Dakota but across the country.

Conservatives view work requirements as a means of putting certain individuals on a path to greater self-sufficiency and less reliance on government programs. Liberals see the requirements as an impediment to eligible citizens getting the medical assistance they need.

Unlike Medicare, which provides health care for the elderly, Medicaid focuses on low-income individuals and covers services such as hospital visits, preventative care, X-rays and family planning.

The Affordable Care Act in 2010 expanded Medicaid to include nearly all adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which translates to an annual gross salary of about $21,000 for an individual or $43,000 for a family of four.

But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that states could reject the expansion and still get federal funding for traditional Medicaid costs.

South Dakota was one of the Republican-led states that resisted expansion, which meant childless adults without a disability were ineligible for Medicaid coverage regardless of income level. Many also didnt qualify for ACA subsidies to help obtain private coverage unless their income was at least 100 percent of the poverty level.

The number of these residents who fell through the cracks of health care coverage in South Dakota was estimated at 42,500 for five-year planning by the Legislative Research Council. Nearly 30 percent of the uninsured in South Dakota in 2022 were Native American, according to U.S. Census data, compared to about 8 percent of the population that is Native American.

South Dakota became one of 40 states to expand Medicaid when voters approved the 2022 constitutional amendment with 56% of the vote.

Matter of 'dignity and humanity'

The wording of the amendment passed in 2022 said that the state may not impose burdens or restrictions that are greater than those imposed on any other person eligible for Medicaid benefits under South Dakota law.

That sounds reasonable enough, said Venhuizen, a former chief of staff under Gov. Kristi Noem and former Gov. Dennis Daugaard. But keep in mind that traditional Medicaid covers the elderly, children, the disabled and pregnant women, all subject to income guidelines, and you would never apply a work requirement to those groups. It wouldn't make any sense. So (Amendment F) doesnt enact a work requirement. It just removes a prohibition. Right now, our constitution says that we cant even consider this, and I think thats wrong.

State Rep. Kadyn Wittman, a Sioux Falls Democrat who has pushed for more support for low-income and homeless populations, sees the amendment as an attempt to water down what South Dakota voters passed two years ago.

I voted for Medicaid expansion before I was a state legislator, so Im deeply offended by the insinuation that I did not understand what I was voting for, Wittman, who is running for re-election in District 15, told News Watch.

She added that work requirements add unnecessary administrative burdens and have not proven to boost employment numbers in states where theyve been enacted.

South Dakota currently has the nations lowest unemployment rate at 2%.

I think there's an inherent conflict between promoting personal responsibility and also making sure that we have equitable access to essential services and support, Wittman said. When jobs that are available dont offer sufficient hours or wages to meet basic needs and were restricting access to Medicaid, thats a huge problem. If you look at rural isolation and economic hardships in smaller communities, I feel like our role in government should be to uphold the dignity and humanity of people we serve. And work requirements show a lack of compassion and support.

Study: Work program failed in Arkansas

A Harvard University study published in 2020 found that Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas, the first state to implement such a plan in 2018, caused thousands of low-income adults to lose coverage without increasing employment numbers.

By April 2019, when a federal judge put the policy on hold, 18,000 adults had already lost coverage, said the report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Most of those coverage losses were reversed in 2019 after the court order.

Administrative complexities and lack of awareness about reporting requirements explained some of the falloff, said the study. Researchers found that of those who lost coverage, 50% reported serious problems paying off medical debt, 56% delayed care because of cost, and 64% delayed taking medications because of cost.

A federal district judge discontinued the program after state residents sued, and an appeals court unanimously upheld the decision in 2020.

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal but later ruled the case moot after Biden took office and his administration reversed Trump-era approvals for work requirement plans.

Venhuizen, running unopposed for re-election in District 13, pointed out that the Arkansas program was in effect less than a year before being cut short.

It didnt have very long to get off the ground before it was ended, so I dont know that the experience was all that informative, he said. What I would say is that South Dakota has a reputation for doing an excellent job administering programs like this, and we already have a work requirement for SNAP, so I think concerns about the administration of this are pretty overblown.

Medicaid enrollment trails projections

Concerns about the cost and administrative stress of Medicaid expansion in South Dakota, which took effect in July 2023, have so far been unfounded.

As of June, the total number of Medicaid expansion enrollees was 24,241, well short of the projected 35,000 at the one-year mark by state legislators and the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff told Appropriations Committee members in May that enrollment numbers are hard to predict and swayed by economic trends. Venhuizen, who serves on the committee, added that these are working-age adults, so most only show up at the hospital when theyre sick or injured, and thats when they sign up (for Medicaid).

Federal dollars absorb a large percentage of the cost. When the 2022 amendment was drafted, the Legislative Research Council estimated the total cost of expansion over the first five years at $1.5 billion, of which the states share would be $166.2 million.

Total savings to the state's general fund  from federal matching and incentive funds and fewer reimbursement payments to hospitals for treating uninsured patients  was estimated at $162.4 million over that five-year period, putting the states net financial obligation at $3.8 million.

It will cost us less to expand Medicaid than it cost to buy the governor a new airplane, Democratic state Sen. Reynold Nesiba told News Watch at the time, referring to the states 2021 purchase of a $4.5 million Beechcraft King Air 350. The failure of South Dakota to take this step is one of the most short-sighted economic decisions we have ever made.

Nesiba, who is not running for re-election, has derided Medicaid work requirements as government bureaucracy designed to "deny health care to people who otherwise qualify for it."

Asked whether he considers work requirements a fiscal priority, Venhuizen stressed that Amendment F does not add employment criteria to Medicaid but rather puts South Dakota in position to legally do so at some point in the future.

That will likely require a Republican in the White House and enough political gumption from the states dominant party in Pierre to make it happen.

If you got to a point where you had a governor and a Legislature who wanted to do this, and who felt that the juice was worth the squeeze, and the federal administration was willing to entertain it, that's when you would talk about what it would look like, Venhuizen said.

What exceptions are there? How will we administer this? What would be the projected savings? My motivation isn't really fiscal because I don't think doing this would save a great deal of money. It's more about just being consistent in our philosophy in South Dakota that any social program is about giving someone a hand up, not a long-term way of life.

The Associated Press contributed to this report, which was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact investigative reporter Stu Whitney at stu.whitney@sdnewswatch.org.
Military service knows no creed, color or political party. The armed forces are one of this countrys great success stories in welcoming the disparate backgrounds of all Americans and combining them into a whole greater than the sum of its parts. They are the living embodiment of our national motto, e pluribus unum. Theres a reason why, for many years, it was known as an Army of one.

As a veteran of both the United States Air Force and the Army National Guard, as well as a retired teacher, I have witnessed the sacrifices made by those who have served our country. Thats why the recent attacks on vice presidential nominee Tim Walz regarding accusations of stolen valor are so disturbing to me. They arent just an assault on his character; they represent a troubling trend that undermines the dignity of all veterans. In the charged atmosphere of our overheated political moment, we must reflect on how these attacks not only damage individual reputations but also erode the collective honor of those who have served.

Stolen valor is a serious accusation  one that carries immense weight and stigma. It implies a profound betrayal of the trust placed in veterans by their peers and the society they vowed to protect. Yet, in the case of Tim Walz, the narrative has been distorted for political gain. His political opponents have argued that he has embellished his military career. In reality, he served in the Army National Guard for 24 years, reaching the rank of command sergeant major and opting to retire in 2005, four years after he became eligible. He was honorably discharged.

We must remember that many veterans have complicated paths that dont always fit neatly into a single narrative. Veterans are people; they have families, careers, livelihoods and the rest. Walz served his country in a meaningful way, and his military service should be acknowledged alongside his subsequent career as an educator. Both roles demonstrate a commitment to the values we hold dear: service, sacrifice and the betterment of our communities.

The attacks fueled by partisan politics  particularly from former Minnesota Army National Guard members who have gone out of their way to criticize Walzs service  are especially disheartening. Its easy to overlook the broader implications of such accusations when they are wrapped in political rhetoric. But the consequences are lasting and profound. They not only diminish the integrity of the individuals making the claims, but also cast a shadow on the veteran community as a whole. When we allow political motivations to dictate our treatment of fellow veterans, we compromise the ideals we fought for. And we make it all too easy for the public to diminish all of our service.

Furthermore, these attacks contribute to a growing divide between veterans and civilians.

The vast majority of people never serve. Even fewer ever see combat. Many members of the public may not fully grasp the complexities of military service or the nuances of what it means to be a veteran. When they see high-profile figures engaged in mudslinging public disputes, it can lead to misunderstandings and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. Veterans like Walz deserve our respect, not just for their service but for their dedication to the well-being of their fellow citizens. Walz himself modeled just this kind of decency when he said, 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.

It is essential for all of us, regardless of our political affiliations, to hold ourselves to a higher standard. The actions taken against Walz by his political opponents do not just reflect poorly on him; they tarnish the reputations of all veterans involved in this fray. We must advocate a culture of respect and integrity that honors the sacrifices made by all who have served.

For many, appearing to go against your side in this way can be hard. Thats why Im part of Republican Voters Against Trump, a nationwide campaign of former Trump voters who wont be supporting him in 2024. Many of us are veterans, and we know that the country comes before politics. Together, were helping make the case  firmly and apologetically  that our politics doesnt have to be marred by the kind of hate and division that fuels the partisan attacks on Walzs military service. We can and must do better.

In the spirit of service and camaraderie that defines the veteran community, I urge my fellow veterans and citizens alike to rise above political opportunism. We should be leaders in fostering dialogue that strengthens our democracy, rather than tearing it apart. Tim Walz may be facing political attacks, but let us not allow those attacks to divide us further. Instead, lets focus on the shared values that unite us as Americans  integrity, respect and a commitment to the common good. Those values will be on the ballot in November.

We owe it to ourselves and to future generations of veterans to uphold these principles. Lets choose to honor our fellow service members, regardless of their political affiliations, and work together to ensure that our actions reflect the best of what we stand for.

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New Braunfels will spend $45,000 to study options for a property near Gruene that could become a hotel, film studio or medical office buildings. Liz Teitz

A 16-acre tract of land near Gruene could become the site of a new convention center, medical office facility or, in a moonshot scenario, a film studio, if New Braunfels can find developers interested in the site.

The New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation, a volunteer board that governs the use of some of the citys sales tax revenue, has owned the parcel at Gruene Road and Common Street since 2016. It was initially purchased for an expansion of HD Supply, a Home Depot subsidiary that sells maintenance, repair and operations on an adjacent lot, but corporate changes and the pandemic canceled those plans, Economic and Community Development Director Jeff Jewell said.

The New Braunfels City Council voted unanimously Monday to spend $45,000 on the second phase of a feasibility study. It previously approved spending $60,000 on the first phase, putting the total cost for the work at $105,000.

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The first round of studying resulted in three possible scenarios, characterized as visitation, creativity and local focus.

The visitation scenario, which scored the highest of the three in the study, would include a convention center or meeting space with a boutique hotel, aimed at capitalizing on the tourism potential of the area, Jewell told the council earlier this month.

He said it would meet an underserved demand for business travel, and conference activity could bring hotel guests to the area during shoulder seasons, outside of the busiest tourist months. That proposal would increase visitor spending and create hospitality jobs, he said.

The second-ranked option was a film studio, also paired with a boutique hotel.

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The region as a whole has seen a significant uptick in demand for film studio space, Jewell said. This would try to capitalize on what were seeing in trends all over the region as Texas continues to be an attractive hub for film and television production.

Film studio projects are underway elsewhere in the Interstate 35 corridor. The $267 million Hill Country Studios development in San Marcos and Line 204's studios in Bastrop County. Last November, the Texas Film Commission added New Braunfels to its list of more than 175 Film Friendly communities.

The local focus vision would include one or two medical office buildings on the property, along with either for-sale or rental housing to add value to the development.

Jewell said the city has a burgeoning medical office sector along Common Street, and more space is needed for that industry.

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This is likely to be the easiest scenario to pursue in terms of development, because there is such an established market in and around the area, he said, making it less risky than the other two possibilities.

The next phase of the study will include a more detailed feasibility model, he said, including the kind of incentives or other assistance needed to pull off any of those projects.
Despite the star power of an Oscar winner, this miniseries about a European dictatorship has little to say about how such power is accumulated and used, and so has little to say to our political moment.

Dark political comedy is an underrated genre, as it enables us to see both the horror and the humor in a given political situation. Politicians often behave in ridiculous ways, but because of their incredible power, their actions have serious real-world consequences. When dark comedy is done well, as in Stanley Kubricks masterpiece Dr. Strangelove, it can become a cultural touchstone that helps us name the things that ail our political class.

Aside from Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, In the Loop, The Death of Stalin, and Veep), the contemporary writer who has consistently tried his hand at dark political comedy is Adam McKay, with movies like The Big Short, Vice, and Dont Look Up. Yet because McKay reduces all problems in politics to The people I dont like are stupid or evil, his satire more often than not falls flat.

Enter The Regime. The HBO miniseries stars Oscar-winner Kate Winslet as Elena Vernham, the tyrannical ruler of an unnamed Central European nation trying to keep power while protecting her country from threats within and without. Chaos only grows when she brings on a brutal soldier known as The Butcher to be her personal aid and an attraction grows between them.

This series seems tailor-made for a searing comedic commentary on modern geopolitics. The idea of a female foreign dictator reflects both our growing concerns about tyranny (foreign and domestic) and the steady rise of women to positions of high power. Yet it also cuts against our expectations of totalitarianism as particularly masculine. Hence the potential for humor.

When the show leans into its social commentary, its compelling. We see what its like to be a small country dwarfed by much bigger ones like the United States and China, and how that fuels a desire to feel powerful in its own right. When an American senator demeans Elena because she feels like she can, we almost root for the dictator to turn the tableswhich she does. The series also repeatedly contrasts her claims to love her people as their mother with her tendency to slaughter them en masse, a contradiction that is ripe for a psychological as well as a politician examination that, unfortunately, never materializes.

The best part of the show is easily Winslet. Her character is a mess of paradoxes, and Winslet manages to wrangle them all into a mesmerizing whole. Shes both vulnerable and commanding, Machiavellian and idealistic. Winslet convinces us that Elena is both deeply insecure about her ability to live up to her late fathers legacy, yet almost delusionally certain of her greatness. The rest of the cast, however, do the best they can but arent given much to work with in terms of character development. Matthias Schoenaerts is utterly committed to his role as a lovesick savage. Stanley Townsend is calmly dignified as a corrupt businessman adviser and antagonist. Hugh Grant is incredibly entertaining in a woefully small role as the deposed ruler of the countrycheerfully unfazed by everyones comical eccentricities.

But The Regime get stuck on one note. The writers make the same jokes juxtaposing Elenas female identity and stereotypically male despotic habits without further enlargement. They touch on the dynamics of a small dictatorship taking on the U.S. but then pivot to a long, drawn-out, cartoonish romantic subplot about Elena and The Butcher. The Regime wants us to empathize with or at least try to understand Elena, but her decisions are so baffling, her inner life so bizarrelike when her fathers animated corpse speaks to herthat we find ourselves empathizing more with her fearful underlings.

In The Death of Stalin, for example, each step of Nikita Khrushchevs and Lavrenti Berias competitive rise to replace Stalin is increasingly both horrifying and absurd, so each plot beat increases the terror and comedy at the same time. But in The Regime, the drama and nonsense only interrupt each other, so neither the terror nor the absurdity gain momentum.

The Regimes portrayal of a woman in power is also confused. Many films have told such stories very well, from almost any angle you can imaginefeminist, anti-feminist, and everything in between. Some, like The Devil Wears Prada, argue that women face a double standard: Meryl Streeps Miranda Priestly would be admired if she were a man in her same position exhibiting the same behavior. Pre-feminist films like Woman of the Year put Katharine Hepburns Tess Harding in power just to show why women shouldnt be in power. Movies like Tar make it a non-issue, treating the sex of Cate Blanchetts Lydia Tar as irrelevant to how powerful people abuse that power.

But The Regime doesnt do any of those things. It is, in many ways, a profoundly anti-feminist take. While both feminists and anti-feminists may insist that women do act differently when given powerpositively in the eyes of the former and negatively in the eyes of the latterThe Regime never tries to give us a coherent take on what politics look like when a woman has power, let alone all-consuming power as in a dictatorship.

As an example: journalist Louise Perry and behavior scientist Corey Clark discussed on Perrys podcast how, because men and women are different on average, the rise of women in public life changes that life drastically. Since women value safetyphysical and emotionalmore than men, we get a rise in the enforcement of emotional safety over truth through social exclusion via things like trigger warnings and cancel culture. Its easy to draw parallels between this and Elenas forcing her underlings to lie constantly to protect her feelings. But The Regime simply presents but never examines, and so makes observations about Elenas behavior feel more sexist than incisive or insightful.

So how did The Regime turn out so wrong? Did its creators just try to do too much? Perhaps, but its hard not to see a pattern here. Whether its Napoleon, Civil War, Shogun, or Horizon, even big-budget efforts lack an ability to find a coherent meaning behind their characters actions and life stories. Why was Napoleon so ambitious? What was Civil War saying about war? What Western values did John Blackthorne abandon by adopting Eastern ones? When it comes to establishing themes or character motivations that will add weight or unity to the events of a story, so many modern efforts fall flat.

Dr. Jonathan Haidt in his book The Anxious Generation suggests a possible explanation for this phenomenon. Haidt argues that technologyparticularly, but not limited to, social mediahas devastated our societys ability to formulate a coherent narrative for our lives. We no longer live in the same towns, go to the same churches, or even watch the same movies anymore. We now live in isolation, watching our own 15-second TikToks that offer no narrative at all. We experience mere moments, not stories. We have individual strands, but no threads. Brett McCracken points out thats why movies like Barbie can break their own story rules with no consequences: because nobody cares about internal coherence in fiction anymorewere not trained to expect it even in our own lives.

Thats a society ripe for dictatorship because all dictators gain power by telling a story about themselves thats a lie. But you can only get away with a lie if you cant check it against the truth. And if you cant see how certain truth claims contradict other truth claims within a given narrative, you wont be able to detect when theyre lying.

The Regime has some excellent performances and a concept with a lot of potential. Hopefully, other filmmakers will make use of the political dark comedy better in upcoming years. The genre at its best creates an insightful framework in which to understand our politics. And Lord knows we need it now as much as ever.
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai gives his State of the County address to the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce at Frost Bank Center on Oct. 26, 2023. Sakai says he plans to seek a second term as county judge. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai says he plans to run for reelection in 2026, saying another term in office will give him time to accomplish his goals for the county, which include delivering on promises to revitalize the East Side and help build out rapid bus lines.

Sakai confirmed his reelection plan during a meeting with the San Antonio Express-News editorial board. Still two years away from election day, it appears no other competitors have yet emerged. Candidate filing for the county judge race is expected to open in November 2025.

Sakai, a former district judge, beat former county commissioner Trish DeBerry in the 2022 general election. Sakai became the first new county judge in 20 years, succeeding long-time County Judge Nelson Wolff, who had endorsed Sakai during the race.

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Sakai's campaign platform called for public safety improvements, helping small businesses land more county contracts and making Internet access more accessible.

Sakai's staff pointed to the Bexar County Commissioners Court agreeing last year to contribute $11.8 million to a Spectrum project intended to connect more than 10,500 houses in suburban cities and unincorporated areas to the Internet. Spectrum committed to spending $31 million on the project.

The Commissioners Court last week agreed to provide $100 million to VIA Metropolitan Transit to make the agency eligible for $146.7 million in federal grant money for a rapid bus line running east and west through downtown San Antonio.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  One of Gaza's last functioning hospitals has been emptying out in recent days as Israel ordered the evacuation of nearby areas and signaled a possible ground operation in a town that was largely spared throughout the war, officials said Monday.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah is the main hospital serving central Gaza. The Israeli military did not order its evacuation, but patients and people sheltering there fear it could be engulfed in fighting or become the target of a raid.

Also on Monday, Israeli strikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis killed at least 19 people, according to local officials, and fighting between Israel and Hezbollah resumed across the Lebanon border.

Israeli forces invaded several hospitals in Gaza over the course of the 10-month-old war, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, allegations denied by Palestinian health officials.

Israeli evacuation orders now cover about 84% of Gaza's territory, according to the United Nations, which estimates that about 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million were forced from their homes. Many have been displaced multiple times.

The evacuation orders reduced the size of the humanitarian zone declared by Israel at the start of the war while crowding more Palestinians into it. Thousands of Palestinian families have packed into tent camps along the beach where aid groups say food and clean water are scarce and disease spreads quickly.

The most recent satellite images available from PlanetLabs analyzed by The Associated Press show the increase in tent density along the beachfront since July 19.

AP reporters saw people fleeing the hospital and surrounding areas on Monday, many on foot. Some pushed patients on stretchers or carried sick children, while others held bags of clothes, mattresses and blankets. Four schools in the area were also evacuated.

"Where will we get medicine?" Adliyeh al-Najjar said as she rested outside the hospital gate. "Where will patients like me go?"

Fatimah al-Attar fought back tears as she left the hospital compound heading in the direction of the tent camps.

"Our fate is to die," she said. "There is no place for us to go. There is no safe place."

The U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs known as OCHA said since Friday the Israeli military issued three evacuation orders for more than 19 neighborhoods in northern Gaza and in Deir al Balah, affecting more than 8,000 people staying in these areas.

The order covers an area including or near UN and other humanitarian centers, the Al Aqsa hospital, two clinics, three wells, one water reservoir and one desalination plant, said Jens Laerke, a spokesman for OCHA.

"This effectively upends a whole lifesaving humanitarian hub," Laerke said.

Doctors Without Borders, an international charity known by its French acronym MSF, said an explosion about 250 yards from the hospital on Sunday caused panic, accelerating the exodus.

"As a result, MSF is considering whether to suspend wound care for the time being, while trying to maintain life-saving treatment," it said on social media.

The hospital said it was treating more than 600 patients before the evacuation orders, which apply to residential areas less than a mile away. About 100 patients remain, including seven in intensive care and eight in the children's ward.

Israel's military said Monday its forces expanded operations on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah. Officials claimed to discover weapons in a residential apartment and dismantle an underground Hamas tunnel more than 700 yards long long.

Local health officials said an Israeli airstrike hit a group of people on the seashore in Gaza City, killing at least seven men while they were fishing.

Another strike hit a vehicle inside the Israeli-declared humanitarian zone near the southern city of Khan Younis, killing at least five people, according to a Kuwaiti field hospital, where the bodies were taken.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on those attacks.

Monday night, a strike hit a house in Maghazi, a refugee camp near Deir al-Balah, and killed at least seven people, including four children and a woman, according to hospital records and AP journalists who counted the bodies. Ambulances recovered the bodies that were taken to Al Aqsa hospital.

The war began with a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. The fighting killed about 1,200 people and militants took about 250 hostages.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and caused heavy destruction across much of the territory. Hamas is still holding about 110 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were freed in a cease-fire last year.

Israel has continued carrying out strikes across Gaza as the United States, Egypt and Qatar have tried to broker a lasting cease-fire and the release of the remaining hostages. Major gaps remain despite several months of high-level negotiations.

U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors Most Menacing Loan Messengers Loan Harassment Hotspots Billionaire Bets on Bad Credit Lenders Try to Shutter CFPB Holidays, Interest Rates Not to Blame Methodology
Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations toxic playbook for a second Trump administration, has so inflamed Democrats that it was invoked every night of their convention in Chicago last week. But the awful truth is that Trump doesnt have to win in November for this Christian nationalist blueprint to be put into action across the country. Outside the sight of the national political press and seemingly beyond the reach of the Biden Justice Department, MAGA-dominated states are enacting policies that implement the same retrograde worldview that animates Project 2025. And whereas Project 2025s proposals would be advanced mainly by federal agencies and prosecutors, these state programs are enforced by everyone from sheriffs to school boards and ordinary citizens.

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The system red states are constructing works by empowering extreme ideologues and partisans to impose their will on their communities, whatever level of popular support they happen to enjoy. Dissenters get the right to set public health and educational policy, overriding the judgment of elected school boards and expert regulators. Anti-abortion vigilantes and anti-LGBTQ+ extremists are empowered to surveil their neighbors and rewarded for bringing legal proceedings against them. Lax open-carry laws, immunity from criminal prosecution, promises of kid-glove treatment from police and prosecutors, and pardons when leftist prosecutors try to crack down on right-wing thuggery signal to militias and other reactionary radicals that they can engage in political violence with near impunity.

Examples abound. This year, Indianas Republican attorney general, Todd Rokita, launched a website with the Orwellian name Eyes on Education. The website invites informants to report on teachers who share objectionable curricula, policies, or programs; it also posts personally identifying information that can easily be used to dox or harass educators. Among the objectionable materials reported through the site is an email from a superintendent who vowed to address societal injustice in our classrooms in the aftermath of George Floyds murder. After Florida enacted its Safety in Private Spaces Act, banning transgender people from using state-owned bathrooms that match their gender identity, transgender and cisgender residents alike have reported being assaulted by bystanders claiming that they dont belong in public restrooms. Local ordinances designed by Jonathan Mitchell, the lawyer behind Texas anti-abortion bounty-hunter scheme, use vigilantes to target individuals who cross state lines to secure abortions. Georgia is implementing changes to its electoral rules that practically invite hardcore partisans to disrupt the certification of election results, a strategy with origins in the 2000 presidential election that MAGA leaders returned to in 2020 and 2022.

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Related From Slate The Courts Are Already Starting to Implement Project 2025, Without Trump Read More

States miniProject 2025s are already dividing communities and unleashing terror in the jurisdictions where theyve been adopted, triggering an exodus of marginalized families from red states to safer havens. (Many more would surely follow suit if they had the means to do so.) Importantly, these state policies will remain in place regardless of who wins the race for the White House this November. But a Trump winand the all-but-certain efforts to implement parts of Project 2025 by his appointeeswould turbocharge them.

For example, one of the most widely reported proposals in Project 2025 is its threatened campaign to enforce the criminal prohibitions of the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. That law, enacted in 1873 amid a sexual-purity crusade, purports to make it illegal to mail any article or thing  intended for producing abortion. For decades, federal agencies under both Republican and Democratic administrations interpreted the Comstock Act narrowly, to apply only when the person mailing an article or thing intended that it be used unlawfully. Reversing this long-standing position would trigger not only a wave of federal criminal prosecutions, as speakers at the Democratic National Convention stressed. It would also kick off a surge of vigilante lawsuits under local laws that authorize ordinary citizens to enforce federal abortion restrictions.

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Just as importantly, because Project 2025 has already burrowed itself into state law, a Democratic victory in November is not enough to keep its agenda from being realized. That agenda must also be fought in the states, a task made considerably more difficult by voter suppression, partisan gerrymandering, and other moves insulating lawmakers from being held accountable at the ballot box.

A crucial piece in this effort is for liberal and progressive lawmakers to recognize that their states have as much power in the new culture wars as red states; indeed, blue states may have more power than red states thanks to their economic and cultural clout. Those lawmakers can adopt protections for interstate travel and medical records, housing and economic supports for individuals fleeing red states, and measures holding vigilantes liable for attacks on fellow citizens. These measures will go a long way toward leveling the playing field between opponents of Project 2025s agenda and red states that are implementing it. They will also provide a prototype for new federal civil rights protections, which would shield Americans wherever they live.

Put another way, the response to Project 2025 must be as dexterous and multifaceted as Project 2025 itself. Just as the movement behind the initiative operates all the way from the halls of power in Washington to county clerks offices and local school boards, so must those who recoil from its vision for America.
On Friday, Donald Trump accepted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s endorsement and appeared with the independent candidate at a rally in Phoenix. Democrats do have reason to be concerned that this will boost Trumps campaign: A recent poll published by the Cook Political Report, for example, found that about half of RFKs supporters said Trump was their second-choice candidate, as opposed to only about a quarter who said the same about Kamala Harris.

But theres also a reason for Democrats to be hopeful: The member of Team Trump who reportedly brokered the alliance is Donald Trump Jr., whose role as an adviser to his father and powerful voice within the Republican Party is, arguably, one of the Republican Partys biggest problems.

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The younger Trump is often described as a GOP kingmaker because he uses his connections and public staturehes an extremely prolific social media poster and ubiquitous right-wing TV and podcast guestto decide who the party will nominate in high-profile races. But the term seems ill-applied given that the candidates Trump Jr. has supported have tended to lose. He is like a political King Midas, except instead of everything he touches turning to gold, it turns to raw sewage and drops a key race by 6 points.

Trump Jr.s influence really began to take hold during the 2022 midterm cycle, although he was also involved in earlier bad ideas like trying to overturn the 2020 election. (He texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Nov. 5, 2020, that Republicans held operational control of multiple paths to retain the presidency, which, in addition to exposing him as someone who thinks hes in a Bourne movie, was not really true in any sense.)

In that year, Republicans lost several high-profile governors races in swing states and failed to win control of the Senate despite incumbent Democratic president Joe Bidens unpopularity. The elder Donald Trump is usually blamed for thisand that blame is deservedbut behind every Trump endorsement of a conspiracy theorist with a messy personal life, there was often an even more enthusiastic endorsement of that person, sometimes backed up with joint rally appearances, by Trump Jr.

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Related From Slate RFK Jr. Endorsement May Not Help Trump Beat the Weird Allegations Read More

Trump Jr. campaigned in Pennsylvania, for example, with gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who lost his racein an otherwise closely divided state!by 15 points. He endorsed Kari Lake in the Arizona governors race and Blake Masters in the states Senate race; they lost. He said in June 2021 that Herschel Walker would be the partys strongest Senate candidate in Georgia; Walker lost. He backed 2020 election denier Kelly Tshibaka as a MAGA challenger to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski; Tshibaka lost.

Perhaps most egregiously, Trump Jr. backed the Missouri Senate primary campaign of the states former governor, Eric Greitens, who resigned amid scandal when the woman he was having an affair with accused him of taking nude photos without her consent in order to blackmail her. (Greitens, who denied the allegations, was also accused of abusive behavior by his ex-wife; he denies those allegations as well.) That idea was so toxic that even other MAGA figures helped shut it down; the states attorney general, Eric Schmitt, eventually won the seat easily.

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In 2022, Trump Jr. was also instrumental in securing his fathers endorsement for J.D. Vance, who was then running for Senate in Ohio. Vance won, but performed significantly worse than other Republicans running in Ohio. Ignoring that warning sign, Trump Jr. was instrumental in pushing his father to make Vance the VP nominee this summer, according to NBC:

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The conversation quickly turned tense when the former president indicated that he was leaning toward Doug Burgum, until recently the largely unknown governor of North Dakota  but someone whose low-maintenance, no-drama personality would never threaten to outshine Trump.

Thats when Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump chimed in.

Don Jr. and Eric went bats crazy: Why would you do something so stupid? He offers us nothing, a longtime Republican operative familiar with the discussion told NBC News. They were basically all like JD, JD, JD, the operative said.

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Vance, as you might know, has proven to be the rare vice presidential nominee who is so unpopular that it becomes an issue in the larger race. Speaking of ignoring prior results: Trump Jr. endorsed Kari Lake again in this cycle, this time for Senate. Shes currently trailing by a fairly wide margin in the polls against Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in a state where, again, presidential polls find an almost evenly split electorate.

This all points to the problem with Trump Jr.s strategy when it comes to RFK Jr., namely that it involves no strategy at all. The older Trump interacts frequently with conventional Republican donors and advisers, who sometimes get him to agree to certain guardrails and concessions in the name of appealing to swing voters, but the evidence suggests Trump Jr. is simply a dopamine freak who is constantly seeking out hits of the adoration and engagement he gets from the MAGA base at rallies and online. (He stares at his iPhone all the time, a Republican operative told New York Times magazine writer Jason Zengerle of Trump Jr. in 2020. This was supposed to be meant as a compliment.)

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And while it is true that the cultivation of this base was crucial to Trumps surprise victory in 2016at which time Trump Jr. served as his fathers representative to the online alt-rightits demands and preferences have, ever since, been mostly an albatross. Under Trump and Trump Jr., the GOP has underperformed in the three most recent elections. The ideas that get a buzz from your most committed supporters are not always the ones that are most useful in general elections.

While its true that Trump could benefit from defecting Kennedy voters, his campaigns handling of the dropout and endorsement seems to be driven more by the pursuit of shock value and buzz than strategic thinking. (Indeed, CNN reports that Trump Jr. sought out a Kennedy Jr. alliance because he was annoyed that right-wing TV channels and conservative influencers were giving him so much coverage.) Kennedy was out of money and had largely stopped campaigning; its likely that some of his support was going to bleed to Trump no matter what. But by appearing with an anti-vax figure like Kennedyand offering him a senior role on the Trump presidential transition teamTrump is voluntarily reminding voters of his own predilection for unpopular, weird conspiracy theories.

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Confusingly, too, Kennedy also told his supporters that while he is attempting to remove his name from ballots in swing states, they should still vote for him if they dont live in one of those states. But NPR found that because he waited so long to drop out, Kennedys name will still be printed on ballots in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, and may remain as a choice in North Carolina as well. One also wonders how many of Kennedys supporters, who are by definition at least somewhat disenchanted with conventional politics, know whether they live in a swing state to begin with.

In any case, this sort-of endorsement by Kennedy has not created any immediately noticeable poll bump for Trump, although it could be obscured in the data by a concurrent boost to Harris from the Democratic National Convention. We wont be able to start saying definitively whether or not Trump Jr. made a good move here until a few more weeks of information are availableand after all, theres a first time for everything.
Donald Trump has been convicted of 34 felony counts in the New York hush money casebut theres a lengthy appeals process ahead. And what ever happened to the other three cases against himJack Smiths federal election interference and classified documents cases, and Fani Willis Georgia election interference case? All three have hit various roadblocks. To make it easier to follow all of Trumps ongoing legal entanglements, each Monday, well keep you updated on the latest developments in Keeping Up With the Trump Trials.

Special counsel Jack Smith is taking a long, hard look at his election interference caseand a New York Times report says Smith has decided against asking for a comprehensive review of evidence and witness testimony in a high-stakes hearing scheduled for next week. Meanwhile, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan is considering whether to delay Donald Trumps sentencing for a second time in the hush money case or let it continue as planned, despite Trumps defense team appealing the case on the grounds of presidential immunity. And after a nearly six-week-long wait, on Monday Smith finally filed his appeal of Judge Alieen Cannons decision to dismiss his classified documents case.

The Special Counsel Is Revising His Strategy in the Jan. 6 Case

Two weeks ago, Jack Smith requested an extension of an Aug. 9 filing deadline so he could have more time to figure out his next move in his election interference case. Now the special counsel is also against holding a hearing that would decide which of Trumps charges should stick after the Supreme Court ruled Trumpand all future U.S. presidentshas a level of presidential immunity for actions taken while in the White House.

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This prospective hearing could have turned into a mini-trial, where witnesses and experts get called to testify and make the case for why Trumps charges should remain or should be dropped. Its an exercise judges in all of Trumps ongoing criminal cases will have to go through in order to apply the Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision. And unnamed sources told the New York Times that Smith is now against holding a mini-trial in his own election interference case, as it would inevitably lead to a highly publicized airing of critical evidence mere weeks before the presidential election. Trumps defense team would most likely object to this type of hearing, claiming its unfair to his ongoing presidential campaign.

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Meanwhile, anonymous sources familiar with Smiths decisionmaking also told Bloomberg that his team is revising their case against Trump. Both Trump and Smith have to formally detail their preferences for how Judge Tanya Chutkan should consider the federal election interference charges in light of the Supreme Courts ruling by Aug. 30an extension that Chutkan agreed to after a separate request by Smith. A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5.

If Smith decides not to recommend any witness testimony or debate over evidence, it would be a big win for the former president. From the onset of Smiths case, Trump has railed against the special counsel and his investigation, claiming political persecution. If Trump wins the November election, hes expected to direct his Department of Justice to drop Smiths casebut if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, the special counsels case will have a new lease on life.

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So Will Trump Be Sentenced Next Month, or What?

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told Justice Merchan that hes not opposed to delaying Trumps sentencing, currently scheduled for Sept. 18, which Trump has asked to push back pending his presidential immunity appeal. And now the decision lies in Merchans hands, with the presidential election a mere 10 weeks away.

Ordinarily, if the defendant asks for a delay, and the prosecutor doesnt object, then it would absolutely be granted, Adam Pollock, former assistant attorney general of New York, told Slate in an email. However, most judges want to resolve cases quickly, allowing all parties involved to get some closure, and Pollock believes there is a not-insignificant chance that Merchan will stick to Sept. 18 and simply proceed with sentencing Trump.

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If Merchan does not further delay sentencinghe already did once after the Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision was released in JuneTrumps immunity appeal could still upend it, especially if the appeal is successful. Given that, Pollock noted that delaying Trumps sentencing until after his appeal is resolved could save the justice some effort.

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Another factor to consider is whether Merchan will sentence Trump to prison. Pollock believes thats unlikely, given this is a nonviolent crime and Trump is a first-time offender. However, if Merchan keeps the Sept. 18 sentencing and does not give Trump prison time, it could be used as fodder in his appeal to suggest the hush money case was nothing but political theater. But if Merchan decides to give Trump prison time on Sept. 18, it could tangibly impact the November election.

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Merchan has said hell announce his decision to either delay or keep Trumps current sentencing date on Sept. 16.

Related From Slate The Trump Hush Money Trial Judge Is Getting Pretty Tired of This Read More

Smith Officially Appeals the Decision to Dismiss the Classified Documents Case

New court filings made public on Monday revealed that the special counsel has officially filed an appeal against Judge Aileen Cannons decision to dismiss his classified documents case, nearly six weeks after filing a notice of appeal.

In July, Cannon dismissed the classified documents case, arguing that Smith was improperly appointed as special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland, and therefore he cant legally prosecute Trump. On Monday, Smith pushed back on that assertion, writing that Cannon misconstrued the statutes that authorized the Special Counsels appointment, and took inadequate account of the longstanding history of Attorney Generals appointments of special counsels.

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Smith points to the Watergate scandal, which also used a special counsel to investigate Republican president Richard Nixon back in 1973. That appointment came after the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Nixon that the AG did have statutory authority to assign special counsels. Smith argues Cannon is the only judge who has ever challenged the high courts decision.

The Supreme Court regularly uses qualifying language to indicate assumed premises but included no such caveat in Nixon when discussing the Attorney Generals authority to appoint the Special Prosecutor, Smith wrote. Nixon therefore binds this Court, just as it did the district court, and reversal is warranted on that ground alone.

Smith filed his appeal with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has already laid out a schedule for the appeals process in this case. Both Smith and Trump are required to file briefs through mid-October, and oral arguments will likely be held a few months after that. The timeline suggests that Smiths appeal of Cannons decision to dismiss will stretch well beyond Novembers presidential election. And if Trump wins, his DOJ will almost certainly drop this case.
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IENERGIZER is dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity, with a particular focus on empowering women within the workforce. Through initiatives such as theand the Pink IJP program, the company provides a platform for women to connect, grow, and advance in their careers. Flexible work arrangements accommodate the diverse needs of women, while maternity and parental leave benefits ensure job security and support during significant life events. Professional development opportunities and a commitment to work-life balance further empower women to succeed and thrive in their roles.We promote equal opportunities and a supportive culture where women are valued, respected, and given the resources they need to excel. By prioritizing womens empowerment and promoting diversity and inclusion, we strive to create a workplace where all employees feel empowered to reach their full potential, regardless of gender, asserts Adarsh.Through a suite of strategic initiatives, the company endeavors to reduce attrition rates and cultivate a culture where employees feel valued and supported in their professional journeys. Offering career development opportunities through training, mentorship and career planning, IENERGIZER empowers its employees to chart their growth trajectory within the organization. Competitive compensation, recognition programs, and initiatives promoting work-life balance show cases the companys commitment to employee satisfaction and well-being.Working at IENERGIZER offers a multitude of benefits and value additions that prioritize employee satisfaction and growth. From competitive compensation to comprehensive health and wellness benefits, we ensure our employees are well taken care of. Flexible work arrangements cater to diverse needs, while ample career development opportunities pave the way for professional advancement. Our recognition and rewards programs celebrate achievements, and employee assistance programs offer support when needed. Additionally, we provide a range of amenities and facilities to enhance the workplace experience. From employee engagement activities to community involvement programs, we strive to create a positive and inclusive environment where every individual feels appreciated and empowered to thrive, adds Adarsh.IENERGIZER prioritizes both lateral hiring and internal mobility as integral components of its talent management strategy. Through a robust lateral hiring process, the company actively seeks out individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, ensuring a rich tapestry of skills and perspectives within the workforce. Skill and competency alignment are crucial, as candidates are evaluated not only for their quali-fications but also for their potential to contribute meaningfully to the organization. Moreover, IENERGIZER fosters a culture of internal mobility by regularly posting job openings and encouraging employees to explore new opportunities within the company. Career development programs, transparent communication channels, and performance-based considerations further facilitate employees transitions within the organization. By nurturing a supportive and inclusive environment where career growth is encouraged and supported, IENERGIZER empowers its workforce to thrive, adapt, and excel in their chosen career paths within the company.IENERGIZER takes proactive measures toand groom future leaders through a variety of programs and initiatives. Leadership development programs provide employees with the tools and knowledge necessary to excel in leadership roles, while succession planning ensures that high-potential individuals are identified and prepared for advancement. Mentorship and coaching opportunities offer guidance and support as employees navigate their career paths, while cross functional exposure broadens their understanding of the business landscape. Recognition and rewards programs celebrate achievements and keep employees motivated to strive for excellence. Promotion decisions are based on a combination of factors including demonstrated leadership skills, a proven track record of success,collaborative approach, and adaptability. Individuals who exhibit these qualities are considered for lead positions in team or project management, where they can leverage their skills and experience to drive innovation, collaboration, and success within the organization.IENERGIZER is dedicated to continually enhancing its workplace environment to ensure it remains the best possible space for its employees. Moving forward, the company is committed to soliciting and acting uponand addressing concerns effectively. Continuous learning and development initiatives will be expanded to empower employees with the skills and knowledge necessary for success. Enhanced work-life balance programs, coupled with innovative technology integration, will further bolster employee satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, IENERGIZER will deepen its commitment to diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and respected. Recognizing and rewarding employee contributions will remain a priority, alongside initiatives promoting community involvement and social responsibility. Through these strategic steps and initiatives, IENERGIZER aims to create an inclusive, supportive, and inspiring workplace where employees can thrive, grow, and make a meaningful impact on both a personal and professional level.
Farma pod Vtacnikom is a popular tourist attraction in its region.

Though the Upper Nitra region is not traditionally known as a sheep-breeding powerhouse, a local farm has consistently ranked among Slovakia's elite cheese producers for several years. (Source: Archive of Farma pod Vtacnikom)

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The best sheep cheese products of the year are not coming from Slovakia's renowned Liptov or Orava regions. Instead, the highest accolades at the all-Slovak cheese competition held during Agrokomplex, a prominent agricultural fair in Nitra, went to a sheep farm nestled beneath Vtacnik Hill near Prievidza.

Though the Upper Nitra region is not traditionally known as a sheep-breeding powerhouse, this farm has consistently ranked among Slovakia's elite cheese producers for several years.

This year, it distinguished itself by securing six awards at the Egon Gyarmathy Memorial.

Best sheep cheese

Farma pod Vtacnikom first entered the competition in 2017. Notably, in 2018, it earned the coveted title for the best bryndza, Slovakia's cherished sheep cheese.

This year, the farm made a notable impact by presenting eight products across six categories, achieving commendable results in each.

"We secured first place for both matured sheep and cow cheeses, as well as for fresh sheep cheese," said farmer Jana Kovacikova, describing the outcome as both unexpected and extraordinary, underscoring the farm's continued commitment to excellence in cheese production.

A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers a travel guide of Slovakia.

Recipe inspired by Italy

One of the farm's standout offerings is its matured sheep cheese, which boasts a unique formula.

"The recipe was brought to us by a cheesemaker from the Banska Bystrica area who spent 15 years honing his craft in Italy," explained Kovacikova. "The secret to its success lies in his recipe."

The farm's commitment extends beyond just flavour. Every product is handled manually, ensuring that preservatives, chemical additives, and artificial interventions are strictly avoided.

"Our bryndza, for instance, may occasionally have a yellower hue," she noted. "This is simply because it's neither pasteurised nor bleached."

Is Slovak bryndza really Slovak? Read more

From family farm to tourist attraction

Established nine years ago, Farma pod Vtacnikom began with a simple vision: to produce wholesome food for the former owner's family. Starting with just a hundred sheep and a modest old farm, the operation has steadily expanded, adding employee accommodation and a shop.

Today, the farm, a popular destination for tourists, cyclists, and families with children, is home to nearly 500 sheep, cattle, and poultry. From spring through autumn, it attracts visitors eager to experience farm life firsthand.

"We wanted to give people, especially children, the chance to see what life on a farm is really like and how their favourite products are made," said the farmer. "People come here not just to relax, but to learn something new."

The farm also offers group tours, which include informative presentations and guided visits.

My Horna Nitra

https://sk.frame.mapy.cz/s/nodecotovo
One of Meehan's photos, shared with The Slovak Spectator, features his great-aunts, Bernadette and Mary, and people named Jan (XY's husband) and Halka. (Source: Archive of M. M.)

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You can read this exclusive content thanks to the FALATH & PARTNERS law firm, which assists American people with Slovak roots in obtaining Slovak citizenship and reconnecting them with the land of their ancestors.

Having spent much of his childhood in a town where ethnicity played a central role in community life, when Michael John Meehan moved from western Pennsylvania to Philadelphia he found himself missing the Slovak traditions that had permeated his upbringing.

So he decided to found a small Facebook group dedicated to Slovak ancestry, hoping to share memories and traditions with a few like-minded people. His expectations were not great  he doubted he would get much response. Instead, the tiny online gathering he anticipated gradually grew into a vibrant community of nearly 23,000 members.

I really just started it on a whim, Meehan, 48, tells The Slovak Spectator. At first, it was maybe 15 of us, and wed share stories and memories about our families and traditions, like Christmas Eve dinners or Easter baskets. But then it just kept growing. Now, weve got people from all over, even some of my own relatives who I didnt know were on Facebook.

The group, which Meehan founded in the early 2010s, taps into a broader trend among Americans seeking to reconnect with their ancestral heritage. In Meehans case, his Slovak ancestry had deep roots in Western Pennsylvania, a region that saw waves of immigrants arrive from Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. But when he moved to Philadelphia, where he works as a speech-language pathologist at a local hospital, he found the Slovak community much smaller and less visible.

Theres a lot of Polish and Ukrainian culture here, but not so many Slovaks, he explains.

Meehan grew up near Erie, north of Pittsburgh, but his mothers family lived in the town of Mount Pleasant, where they ran a farm. As a result, Meehans family frequently visited the farm. Located outside Pittsburgh, the town was once a patchwork of ethnic enclaves, each group carving out its own space.

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Mount Pleasant had four Catholic churches, Meehan recalls with a laugh. There was the Irish church, the Italian church, the Polish church, and the Slovak church. My mums family went all the way across town to the Slovak church even though they lived right next to the Polish one.

At the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where hymns are now sung in English, the Slovak inscriptions etched into the stained-glass remain untouched, quietly preserving the immigrant legacy of its founders - miners and farmers from the territory of what is today Slovakia. Meehans sister, who still lives in Mount Pleasant, along with most of Meehans family, continues to attend the church.

There are still people in that town who can speak Slovak, he adds. The traditions havent completely faded.

(Source: Archive of M. M.)

Some of the names mentioned in the 1992 photo, possibly taken in Spisske Podhradie: Hancha, Milan, Tomaz, Hanichka and Milan.

Grandparents farm

All four of Meehans great-grandparents on his mothers side - Mary Elizabeth Centko, John Jablunovsky, Michael John Polanovsky, and Maria Laclav (all the names are Americanised, ed.) - were born in Slovakia, in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They journeyed to America from the eastern Slovak villages of Markusovce, Bertotovce, Polanovce and Spissky Hrusov. While his grandparents and mother, Catherine Polanovsky Meehan, spoke Slovak fluently, the language was not passed down to Meehan and his siblings  he has two sisters and one brother - even though he fondly recalls summers on his grandparents farm where Slovak was spoken all the time. He also remembers his mother sharing stories of her own upbringing, during which her Slovak-speaking grandparents would converse with her in their native tongue, and she, as a second-generation American, responded in English and Slovak.

My siblings and I grew up speaking only English, and we learned our heritage through traditions rather than words, Meehan, who is half-Irish, says.

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Reflecting briefly on his Irish heritage, he recalls how his Slovak-speaking grandfathers stern disapproval of his mothers marriage to an American of Irish ancestry in 1960 became a recurring story in their family lore.

It was a big issue because he wasnt Slovak, Meehan notes.

In Erie, unlike on the farm, Meehans mother seldom spoke Slovak. Opportunities were rareexcept for the occasional conversation with an elderly Slovak woman who lived next door.

I wish I had learned the language, he reflects wistfully.

Although he does not speak Slovak, he is determined in his desire to preserve the heritage and traditions of his mothers family and to not let them fade as they have on his fathers side.

Church in Polanovce, eastern Slovakia. (Source: Archive of M. M.)

The back of the photograph. (Source: Archive of M. M.)

Mushroom soup

Spending holidays on the family farm and in the Slovak church, Meehan was steeped in the rituals of his Slovak heritagegrand Christmas feasts and the blessing of hundreds of baskets by a priest at Easter.

I was drawn to it for a while, he reflects. Then, I drifted away. But eventually, I realised I didnt want it to die out altogether.

The legacy of these traditions remains intact in Meehans hands, quite literally: cherished recipes, carefully transcribed by his grandmother from her own, form an unbroken link to his ancestry. Though Slovak wasnt spoken in his childhood home in Erie, the spirit of the culture was alive in every meal his mother cooked.

As you can see, Im not exactly slim, Meehan quips with a smile. She cooked Slovak food all the time.

Though he does not speak the language, he still easily recalls certain Slovak words he vividly remembers his mother, a nurse by profession, peppering their conversations with. Give me the ucirka (dishcloth/tea towel), shed say, Meehan remembers. And somehow, I always knew what she meant.

Today, Meehan continues the tradition of his familys Slovak heritage by turning to his familys cookbook. For Christmas Eve, when his sisters gather, he always prepares the mushroom soup, a meal so familiar to him that he no longer needs the recipe. He also makes halusky, though he admits to some level of cheating in this caseunlike his mother, who made it without shortcuts.

She would grind the potatoes herself, and in Western Pennsylvania, you could find sheep cheese (brynzda) at local markets, he remembers.

His mother also taught him how to prepare hrudka, the Slovak egg cheese, each Easter.

This culinary connection is just one facet of his heritage he has carefully preserved; he also still has a book of Slovak fairy tales packed away in a box in the attic.

(Source: Archive of M. M.)

Yuri and Maria in their home in (Banske?) in September 1992. (Source: Archive of M. M.)

Tracing their family in Slovakia

As we speak on Zoom, Meehan, named after one of his great-grandfathers, also recounts how his great-aunts Bernadette Jablunovsky and Mary Jablunovsky Turify and his great-uncle Phillip Jablunovsky, travelled to Slovakiathen still part of Czechoslovakiain 1992, seeking their Slovak relatives.

While they found them, neither Meehan nor his mother have any information on them.

I have some photos from that trip, Meehan says, showing the pictures to the camera. In one of the photos, a couple proudly displays the mushrooms they have picked. They show a town and people in Slovakia, but unfortunately, there are no full names on the back, so I dont know who they are.

Though Meehan is aware that some relatives remain in eastern Slovakia, he is uncertain whether his great-aunts left any information about them within the family. What he does know is that his great-aunts once brought a cousin from Slovakia to live with them in the United States, a visit that included attending Meehans brothers wedding.

One [relative] played the organ at the local church in Slovakia, Meehan recalls, I remember hearing that story.

Meehan and his siblings have yet to set foot in Slovakia, though their desire to visit runs deep.

Well take that journey one day and see the place our great-grandparents once called home. But, as Meehan admits, life has a way of postponing such plans. Somehow, we never quite get there. But one of these daysone of these days, we will.

Another of Meehan's photos taken in Slovakia in 1992. (Source: Archive of M. M.)

(Source: Archive of M. M.)

Repository of stories

For Meehan, his thriving Facebook group dedicated to Slovak traditions and culture serves as a vital link to a heritage he is eager to explore. Through the posts of other members, Meehan has discovered new things, such as the Easter Monday tradition of women being doused with water and the fact that hrudka can also be known as syrek.

Even though Slovakia is a small country, Im learning that its regions each have their own distinct customs, foods, and sights, Meehan observes.

The group is a repository of shared stories, vintage photographs, and ancestral names, allowing members to delve deeper into their family histories. The diverse membership includes both Americans who speak some Slovak and native Slovaks, fostering a cross-cultural exchange where queries about Slovakia are readily addressed.

While many members of the Facebook group might have pursued Slovak citizenship by now, drawn by the benefits of an EU passport or a deeper connection to their heritage, Meehan has not considered applying for Slovak or Irish citizenship. He remains content with his cultural exploration through the group rather than seeking formal nationality.

If I had Slovak citizenship, it would place me in a role that doesnt quite fit, he says. Im of Slovak heritage, but Im not Slovak. I dont live there.

Meehan acknowledges that pursuing Slovak citizenship would make sense if he were fluent in Slovak, spent time living in Slovakia, and engaged with daily life there. But, he says, he finds his connection to Slovakia sufficiently strong through social media and the internet. Its amazing, he says. Who would have imagined Id be having a conversation with someone in Bratislava on a Thursday night here? Its truly amazing to me.

Spectacular Slovakia travel guides
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In the 1990s, Slovakias emergence as an independent nation came as a surprise to many in Germany, given the broader global events of the time, according to Germanys new ambassador to Slovakia Thomas Kurz. During the late 1990s, Vladimir Meciar did not raise significant concerns within Germany, he tells The Slovak Spectator.

Today, Slovakia remains an important partner for Germany, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges posed by Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine. The collaboration between Germany and Slovakia extends across various sectors, including security and economic investments, though there are still areas that need alignment, such as migration policy and energy cooperation.

You have been working for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs since the 1990s. You focused on central and eastern Europe, economically (1993-1994) and later politically (1997-2000). How was Slovakia perceived by Germany at that time?

Initially, there wasnt a special focus on Slovakia per se. At the beginning of the 1990s, Slovakia did not exist as an independent country; it was part of Czechoslovakia. And there was so much else happening, such as the war in Yugoslavia, the collapse of the Soviet Union, German reunification, and significant global developments. There simply wasnt space to focus on Slovakia specifically.

However, it was somewhat surprising to us Germans, and to me personally, when the Czech Republic and Slovakia split. Perhaps we didnt know enough about these countries, but when it happened, it was a surprise to some extent. We were, of course, relieved and grateful that the separation was peaceful, especially considering that there was a bloody war in Yugoslavia at that time. It was heartening to see that the separation occurred without conflict. The situation in Slovakia was stable, so there was no pressing reason to give it special attention.

Thomas Kurz born in 1961, married, three children

studied German studies, philosophy, and history in Freiburg and Paris

focused on central and eastern Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

worked at German embassies in Uganda, Afghanistan and Turkey

after serving as Ambassador to Rwanda, he was assigned to Slovakia, which is the final professional posting of his diplomatic career

However, since Slovakia is no longer a neighbouring country  [as part of Czechoslovakia] it used to be  its visibility on the German political horizon has diminished somewhat. The Czech Republic has remained our primary focus, with Slovakia often considered only afterwards. This is something we are still addressing today: striving to pay more attention to developments in Slovakia.

What about Slovakias quasi-authoritarian 1990s prime minister Vladimir Meciar? Was he not a concern for Germany?

I dont think he was a concern. I do remember that period, of course. Meciar did have a special reputation. Lets leave it at that.

How did you perceive Slovakia?

Well, I dont think there was a significant difference from how it was viewed from the perspective of the German government. I was part of the desk dealing with central Europe from 1997 to 2000. I worked on a desk responsible for all our eastern neighbours, from the Baltic countries to Slovenia. During that time, we did have specific bilateral issues with the Czechs. For instance, I was involved in negotiating the Fund for the Future, a significant bilateral agreement between the Czech Republic and Germany. That was a complex and crucial process for both countries. In comparison, managing relations with Slovakia was simpler. It was a relatively easy task for us in terms of bilateral relations. This might not be a very diplomatic answer, but that's the reality of the situation.

Did you travel to Slovakia often at that time?

The first time I visited Slovakia was earlier this year, after I learned that I would be coming here.

You have worked as a diplomat in Rwanda, Uganda, Vienna, Turkey and Afghanistan. Why did you choose Slovakia now?

Foremost, its not really our choice. You cant ask me why I chose Slovakia for my posting. You can only apply for vacancies or positions that might be available in the following year, when youre due for a transfer. Among various European destinations, I requested Bratislava because I had experience with the region, having worked with it twice at the ministry back home. I had been to Vienna before, so I was familiar with the area, and I found Slovakia to be an interesting place at this time. I should add that this is my final posting; after spending three years here, I will retire. And for the first time in my 33 years at the ministry, they granted me what I wanted. Slovakia was on my wish list.

Former president Zuzana Caputova met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Germany several times, most recently in April, when he praised her for her pro-European stances and protection of the rule of law. They first met in the summer of 2019, two months after Caputovas inauguration. When do you think President Steinmeier will meet President Peter Pellegrini, who, like President Steinmeier, considers himself a social democrat?

Im pretty sure this will happen later this year. Both presidents have indicated their plans. Before I left, I spoke with President Steinmeier, and I met President Pellegrini when I handed over my credentials at the end of July. Both mentioned that President Pellegrini intends to visit Berlin later this year. Although there is no fixed date yet, they are considering late September or October.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister Robert Fico already met earlier this year in Germany. The topic was more or less the war in Ukraine, but Scholzs Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) supported the suspension of the Smer party from the pan-European Party of European Socialists (PES). Does the German government see the Slovak government as a reliable partner?
Recordings may still be used against accused police officers who investigated corruption tied to former governments led by PM Fico.

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Slovakias Constitutional Court has rejected complaints from a group of National Crime Agency (NAKA) officers linked to Jan Curilla, who were investigating corruption cases involving former governments led by the Smer party and Prime Minister Robert Fico. The officers had challenged the legality of secret recordings made in their offices without their knowledge, which have been used as evidence in charges against them for alleged abuse of power.

In July of this year, news emerged that the Trnava regional prosecutor had filed charges against the police officers. However, back in 2021, the Bratislava Regional Court had already ruled that the criminal prosecution initiated by the Interior Ministrys police inspectorateled by Matus Sutaj Estok, head of one ruling partywas unfounded.

The courts decision was made by a panel presided over by Robert Sorl, along with judges Peter Straka and Martin Vernarsky, according to the daily Sme. Peter Kubina, a lawyer representing the officers, expressed disappointment in the ruling, following a May decision from the Constitutional Courts plenum. That decision stated that the legality of wiretaps should be addressed in the trial itself, leaving the matter to the court presiding over the case against the officers.

The latest ruling reflects the panels response to the plenums position from May, Kubina wrote on social media, although he argued that the courts approach was procedurally incorrect.

Discrepancies

Kubina also criticised the Constitutional Court for the lengthy delay in deciding on the officers complaints, adding that if the court had ruled in their favour, it could have expedited the criminal proceedings by rendering the wiretap evidence inadmissible.

The wiretaps are crucial evidence in the case against the officers, but questions remain about their origin. Kubina contends that the judge who authorised the recordings did so without sufficient cause, and he highlighted discrepancies between the recordings and the transcripts prepared by the police inspectorate. In one instance, a recorded conversation included the term verify (pooverovat) but the transcript misleadingly quoted it as fix (poopravovat), altering the context of the officers discussions.

Problem with judge

The trial, which will be heard by the Bratislava I District Court, will be overseen by Judge Juraj Kapinajthe same judge who ordered the officers (Jan Curilla, Pavol Durka, Branislav Duncko, Milan Sabota, Stefan Masin and Peter Scholtz) into custody in 2021, a decision later overturned by the Bratislava Regional Court. Kubina has raised concerns about Kapinajs impartiality in the case.

Prime Minister Fico has frequently referenced the wiretaps in press conferences, selectively quoting them in what critics describe as an effort to discredit the investigators and distort the facts.
Nathaniel Melendez, Jr., right, sits beside defense attorney Ron Ross following closing arguments in his murder trial in the 379th District Court, Judge Ron Rangel presiding, on Aug. 22. Melendez was found guilty of killing Evelyn Gumbardo, 16, at a party on July 5, 2022. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Defense attorney Ron Ross hands a photo of shooting victim Evelyn Gumbardo back to prosecutor Jessica Schultz during Nathaniel Melendez Jr.s trial on Aug. 19. Melendez was found guilty of fatally shooting 16-year-old Gumbardo at a house party on July 5, 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Jessica Schultz gives closing arguments in the murder trial of Nathaniel Melendez, Jr, 21, in the 379th District Court, Judge Ron Rangel presiding, on Aug. 22. Melendez was found guilty of killing Evelyn Gumbardo, 16, at a party on July 5, 2022. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Judge Ron Rangel, center, talks with the prosecution, including Jessica Schultz, left, and defense, Ron Ross, during Nathaniel Melendez Jr.s murder trial on Aug. 19. Melendez was found guilty of fatally shooting 16-year-old Evelyn Gumbardo on July 5, 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

A San Antonio jury found a man guilty of the murder of a 16-year-old girl at a Fourth of July party in 2022.

Nathaniel Melendez Jr. fatally shot Evelyn Gumbardo on July 5, 2022, at the Legacy at Crown Meadows apartments in the 7700 block of Ingram Road. Melendez, now 21, faces up to life in prison.

The jury deliberated for about three and a half hours before delivering the verdict on Friday. Melendez is being held without bond pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.

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Melendez still faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he was accused of injuring two others at the party, Catalina Farias and Daniel Valdez. Those charges are still pending.

The case was heard in the 379th District Court, state District Judge Ron Rangel presiding.

COURTS & CRIME: San Antonio man accused of killing teen at party testifies he was high on ecstasy and paranoid

Melendez was high when he showed up to the party armed with a handgun, according to witness testimony. Melendez stated on the witness stand that he consumed ecstasy prior to the shooting.

Prosecutors Jonathan Alvarado and Jessica Schultz said when Melendez and a friend arrived at the party, Melendez was armed with a handgun and the friend had an AR-style rifle.

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Melendezs lawyer, Ron Ross, said Melendez fired his weapon because he was afraid a group of boys at the party were going to harm him.

In his mind, they were getting too close, they were out to get him, they were going to kill him, but that was all his paranoia from him ingesting those drugs, Alvarado said. He ingested it, he chose to do it, he has to live with the responsibility with that.

During the trial, the jury viewed graphic body-camera footage from officers who responded to the scene of the shooting. The footage showed Gumbardo on the ground fighting for her life as officers administered first aid.

Farias, now 20, testified that as she and her friends stood in the kitchen, Farias noticed Melendez in the corner, clutching his gun and glaring at others in the room. When she approached him, Melendez fired, striking her.

Police later arrested Melendez at a nearby apartment complex after a resident reported him knocking on her front door with a gun. The resident, who testified in court, said Melendez threw the gun inside her apartment when she opened the door.

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She testified that Melendez appeared manic and told her that someone was out to get him. She held the weapon as they waited for police to arrive.

During their testimony, police officers who interacted with Melendez after his arrest described him as paranoid, anxious and under the influence.
Interview with the new German ambassador and an Americans quest to find his lost Slovak family.

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Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, August 27 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Generous thank-you for general prosecutor

General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka. (Source: TASR - Jaroslav Novak)

In a move that has sparked controversy, Slovakias General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka, 54, could be poised to receive a lifetime pension under a proposal put forth by a relatively unknown Smer lawmaker, Daniel Karas. The proposal, Karas first, seeks to amend the law governing prosecutors and was recently submitted to parliament.

The draft legislation extends not only to standard retirement benefits for prosecutors but offers a notably generous provision for the general prosecutor. Under the proposal, Zilinka and his successors (though not his predecessors) would be eligible for a lifetime pension if they resign after serving at least four years of their seven-year term.

Zilinka, whose tenure has been marked by criticism for quashing a number of charges in high-profile corruption and criminal cases involving former governments under Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer), was elected to the top prosecutorial post in December 2020 by a government led by the OLaNO party (now rebranded as Slovensko). If passed, the legislation would allow Zilinka to claim his pension as early as January 2025.

Under the proposal, Zilinkalike Fico, who was granted a lifetime pension by a Smer-controlled parliament in Junewould receive a monthly amount of 5,300.

Curiously, the bill was introduced by an MP rather than the Justice Ministry, a move that circumvents expert consultations. While parliamentary debate on the measure is still possible, it avoids the standard vetting process typical of ministerial proposals.

While the General Prosecutors Office has welcomed the proposal, Zilinka and Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer) have remained quiet, and the opposition parties have criticised the bill.

Whats supposed to happen now that he deserves to leave? asked MP Maria Kolikova, a former justice minister from the SaS party, who called the proposal legalised corruption. Former MP Juraj Seliga (Demokrati) asked if the pension was a thank-you gift for the general prosecutor.

In 2022, Zilinkas office dismissed charges against Fico related to forming a criminal group and violating tax secrecy.

Smer MP Daniel Karas ran for mayor of Banska Bystrica in 2022, backed by the Smer party, with support from Smer leader Robert Fico himself (seen in the background of the picture). (Source: TASR - Jan Kroslak)

Related: In response to the news about the bill, recently retired prosecutor Matus Harkabus remarked that what the cabinet is offering is not a retirement pension for prosecutors but rather a payoff to make them leave. He added, I hope prosecutors wont fall for this cheap trick. Harkabus, who oversaw the case of murdered journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, left the prosecution service in June after Zilinka refused his request for a transfer to a prosecutors office closer to home. This came after the abolishment of the Special Prosecutors Office in March, where Harkabus had worked, with Zilinka instead assigning him to the General Prosecutors Office in a department unrelated to criminal law.

MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE

Politics: Is the Smer party and its politics not a problem for Germany at all? German Ambassador to Slovakia Thomas Kurz responds, Well see. Were all facing domestic issues.

Is the Smer party and its politics not a problem for Germany at all? German Ambassador to Slovakia Thomas Kurz responds, Well see. Were all facing domestic issues. Courts: Slovakias Constitutional Court has rejected complaints from charged National Crime Agency officers linked to Jan Curilla, who were investigating corruption cases involving former governments led by the Smer party and PM Robert Fico.

Slovakias Constitutional Court has rejected complaints from charged National Crime Agency officers linked to Jan Curilla, who were investigating corruption cases involving former governments led by the Smer party and PM Robert Fico. Travel: Farma pod Vtacnikom is Slovakias cheese champion and a hidden gem, drawing visitors from far and wide to its acclaimed dairy delights.

If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.

FEATURE STORY

Growing social media group unites Slovak-Americans

Church in Polanovce, eastern Slovakia. (Source: Archive of Michael Meehan)

When Slovak-American Michael John Meehan moved from western Pennsylvania to Philadelphia, he found himself missing the Slovak traditions that had shaped his upbringing. So, he turned to Facebook and started what he thought would be a small group for people like him. Well, it didnt quite turn out that way, did it?

EVENT

Lucnica to ignite the square with dance

Fountain in Freedom Square, Bratislava. (Source: TASR)

One of the two closing events of Bratislava Cultural Summer will feature a performance by the renowned Lucnica folk dance ensemble on August 31 at the fountain in Freedom Square. The Saturday performance starts at 19:30, and admission is free.

The Slovak Philharmonic will take the stage at the same location on September 1.

IN OTHER NEWS

The Slovak National Theatre will be led temporarily by Zuzana Tapakova, who was appointed to the role by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a nominee of the SNS party) on Tuesday. Tapakova previously headed TV Markiza, Slovakias most-watched television channel, and recently worked as a marketing and PR manager for the scrapped public broadcaster RTVS. She studied theatre and film, but her name also surfaced in a scandal involving the organization of overpriced cultural events associated with Slovakias presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2016.

Tapakova previously headed TV Markiza, Slovakias most-watched television channel, and recently worked as a marketing and PR manager for the scrapped public broadcaster RTVS. She studied theatre and film, but her name also surfaced in a scandal involving the organization of overpriced cultural events associated with Slovakias presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2016. The Justice Ministry has refused to disclose, in response to a freedom of information request, the extraordinary appeal and decision regarding the suspension of the prison sentence that Minister Boris Susko (Smer) used to temporarily release former top prosecutor Dusan Kovacik, who was convicted of corruption. The minister cites the privacy of the former special prosecutor as the reason. As a result, the specific grounds for Suskos decision remain unclear. The ministry asserts that it does not have Kovaciks consent to release the information. (Dennik N)

The minister cites the privacy of the former special prosecutor as the reason. As a result, the specific grounds for Suskos decision remain unclear. The ministry asserts that it does not have Kovaciks consent to release the information. (Dennik N) The intensity of the attacks against us is significant. It has a cascading effect: politicians issue press releases, which are then picked up by the media, followed by disinformation media, and eventually discussed on forums. Subsequently, we receive calls from individuals wishing us death in the Danube River , said Veronika Fishbone Vlckova, director of the Milan Simecka Foundation, regarding the governments attacks on the organisation. (Dennik N)

, said Veronika Fishbone Vlckova, director of the Milan Simecka Foundation, regarding the governments attacks on the organisation. (Dennik N) Prime Minister Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini, who used to be Ficos protege, met on Tuesday for the first time since the attempt on Ficos life in mid-May 2024. The two, along with interim Speaker of Parliament Peter Ziga (Hlas), will sign a declaration on Slovakias foreign policy orientation on September 1. Pellegrini also emphasised that the attack on Fico was an assault on Slovak democracy, accusing the opposition of extremely hostile political rivalry.

The two, along with interim Speaker of Parliament Peter Ziga (Hlas), will sign a declaration on Slovakias foreign policy orientation on September 1. Pellegrini also emphasised that the attack on Fico was an assault on Slovak democracy, accusing the opposition of extremely hostile political rivalry. Schools are seeking 1,423 teaching staff and 12 principals just days before the start of the school year. The highest demand is for math teachers, with the most severe shortage in western Slovakia. Last year, there was a shortage of 1,200 teaching staff before the school year began. (TASR)

Evening rehearsal of the military parade for the 80th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) at Stadlers Embankment in Banska Bystrica on August 26, 2024. (Source: TASR - Jan Kroslak)

WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Wednesday will be very warm, with temperatures climbing between 27C and 35C. Heat warnings will be in effect during the afternoon, so do take precautions if you are out and about.(SHMU)

AUGUST 28 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Augustin.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/bidens-migrant-program-paused-amid-fears-it-would-fuel-raging-border-crisis-1119922640.html

Biden's Migrant Program Paused Amid Fears It Would Fuel Raging Border Crisis

Biden's Migrant Program Paused Amid Fears It Would Fuel Raging Border Crisis

Sputnik International

Biden's "Keeping Families Together" immigration program has been put on hold by a federal judge in Texas in response to lawsuits filed by attorneys general from 16 states.

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2024-08-27T07:29+0000

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US President Joe Biden's much-touted "Keeping Families Together" immigration program has been put on hold by a federal judge in Texas in response to lawsuits filed by attorneys general from 16 states, led by the Lone Star State.First announced by Biden in June, it intended to grant undocumented immigrants whose spouses are US citizens an opportunity to apply for a green card and remain in the country while waiting to obtain legal status. Typically, the path to citizenship could include a years-long wait outside the US.However, Republican-led states argue that this program would open the floodgates to even more unauthorized migration. Texas, which has been bearing the brunt of the Biden-Harris border crisis, claims it has had to fork out tens of millions of dollars annually on immigrants living in the state without legal status.The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date, US District Judge J. Campbell Barker wrote in the court order. A final decision on the matter is expected shortly before the November presidential election or before a newly elected president takes office in January.Applauding the decision, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton went on X to say that This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law.When he announced earlier that he was suing the Biden administration for its "unlawful parole in place policy that incentivizes and rewards illegal immigration, Paxton underscored that the program would let 1.3 million undocumented persons apply for permanent residency without having to leave the country. That would include around 200,000 living in Texas, he said.Earlier in August, a Fox News poll found that some 87% of would-be voters consider the situation at the US' southern border a serious concern, with 44% dubbing it an "emergency" and 43% a "major problem."With the US witnessing historic illegal immigration numbers under Biden, former President Donald Trump has pledged to restore order to the US-Mexico border.At the heart of the Republican platform is our pledge to end this border nightmare, and to fully restore the sacred and sovereign borders of the United States of America  on day one, Trump said in July.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240818/pre-election-miracle-illegal-border-crossings-in-us-miraculously-drop-to-four-year-low-1119812466.html

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what is the biden keeping families together program, what happened to the biden keeping families together program, why did texas judge put biden's immigration program on hold, who is to blame for crisis at the border, did biden cause border crisis, did trump cause border crisis, do americans care about the border situation
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/cut-the-defense-budget-by-975-1119923120.html

Cut the Defense Budget by 97.5%

Cut the Defense Budget by 97.5%

Sputnik International

The United States is one of the most politically polarized countries in the world.

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analysis

us

u.s. congress

military & intelligence

national defense authorization act (ndaa)

pentagon

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congress

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Because effective lawmaking requires bipartisanship and members of Congress are, like their constituents, at their most ideologically divided point in a half century, cooperation is in increasingly short supply. As a result or, more precisely non-result, the U.S. Congress passes fewer bills every year.There is, however, one consistent area of agreement on Capitol Hill: defense spending. Each year for the past six decades, the massive National Defense Authorization ActWashington-speak for the federal defense spending bill has passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Defense appropriations are so sacrosanct that the press often describes the NDAA as must pass; it is routine for Congress to add in hundreds of millions of dollars of extraneous spendingthat the Pentagon does not want or request.In the U.S. Congress, even antiwar voices support the military. Obamas 2008 campaign was primarily predicated on his opposition to the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. Yet even his GOP opponent John McCain didnt care call out Obama on the fact that when he had six chances to vote on the Iraq Warhe wasnt in the Senate yet when it voted on the measure authorizing President George W. Bush to attack the government of Saddam Husseinhe voted to send the cash each time. Bernie Sanders has repeatedly voted to fund the military and sending weapons for wars being waged by U.S. proxies like Israel and Ukraine.Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Republicans describe as Marxist, socialist and communist, is thoroughly committed to the cult of American militarism. As Commander-in-Chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world, she said in Thursdays nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.The idea that military expenditures are must pass relies on the assumption that the U.S. faces existential threats to its safety and/or sovereignty. This is crap.As Statfors classic 2011 assessment of the United States and its geopolitical position noted: The American geography is an impressive one.Consider Russia. It has thousands of miles of land borders, most of it without significant natural barriers like mountain ranges or large bodies of water to deter a potential invader, millions of square miles of fairly flat lands that can quickly and easily be traversed, with numerous neighbors that are hostile and have posed a historical threat. Given its situation, Russias rulers have traditionally relied on friendly buffer and vassal states around its perimeter.Asian and European powers, deserts separate the United States from Mexico to the south, while lakes and forests separate the population centers in Canada from those in the United States. The United States has capital, food surpluses and physical insulation in excess of every other country in the world by an exceedingly large margin. Canada and Mexico are friendly vassal states.Red Dawn was just a movie. Gun nuts who think theyll need AR-15s to arm a Resistance against alien invaders are deluded. No one wants to invade us. No one wants to take away our freedoms.No one can.We are acting like the hippopotamus. Hippos are the most dangerous land animal on the planet, killing 500 human beings every year. Theyre nervous and high-strung because they rapidly evolved from a much smaller creature that made easy prey. Poor things! They dont realize that theyve become huge, grown fearsome teeth and no longer need to be aggressive and territorial. Like the hippo, the U.S. started out small and vulnerable to aggressors like England, which re-invaded in 1812. But things have changed for both the hippo and us. Cant we be smarter than a hippo?The U.S. has, like other countries, faced raids like the Pearl Harbor attack and cross-border incursions from Mexico in the 19th century. In a now largely-forgotten episode, two of the Aleutian islands were occupied by Japanduring World War II, before Alaska became a state. Non-state terrorists have struck the contiguous 48 states, as on 9/11. But none of those incidents, though violent and disturbing, represented anything close to an existential threat. Most other countries, faced with attacks on such a small scale, would not feel traumatized as much as merely annoyed.We have not faced a substantial risk of territorial invasion by an enemy army or navy since the War of 1812.In the 21st century, the U.S. faces two main threats to national security: terrorism and cyber attacks. These are addressed by, respectively, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. We dont need a fleet of ships lining our coastlines or a perimeter of military bases to fend off the Germans or the Japanese or the Chinese or the Russians. And we dont have them. The Defense Department doesnt defend the U.S.; it attacks and disrupts other countries and non-state entities abroad and, far less frequently, defends U.S. allies against internal uprisings, rival factions and hostile neighbors.Given our remarkably enviable security situation is not inconceivable that the U.S. could get by eliminating its military budget entirely, as have countries like Costa Rica, Panama and Iceland, all of which have abolished their army, navy and air force and yet have been invaded since. Could it be that, much as you are likelier to be shot by a gun if you own one, that an unarmed nation is less likely to be attacked because its neighbors no longer view it as a potential threat?Alternatively, we could decide not to continue the current practice of constantly adding new and fancier technology to our existing arsenal. We could make do with the equipment and materiel we have now, while spending enough to maintain it.Defense should be about defense, i.e. defending our own borders. Brazil, bigger than the contiguous 48 U.S. states, and by far the dominant military power on the South American continent, has a military budget of $20 billion. Thats equivalent to 2.5% of the U.S., which currently wastes $1.6 trillion a yearmore than half of discretionary federal spending.Lets start there.(Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall), the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist)

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/french-left-wing-party-plans-protest-against-macrons-seizure-of-power-on-september-7-1119931635.html

French Left-Wing Party Plans Protest Against Macron's 'Seizure of Power' on September 7

French Left-Wing Party Plans Protest Against Macron's 'Seizure of Power' on September 7

Sputnik International

French left-wing party La France Insoumise announced they will hold a protest on September 7 against Macron's "seizure of power" for excluding the left-wing coalition from forming a government, despite it winning the elections.

2024-08-27T19:39+0000

2024-08-27T19:39+0000

2024-08-27T19:38+0000

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europe

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emmanuel macron

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"The president of the Republic is gravely endangering democracy by rejecting the results of the vote and dismissing the government of the members of the New Popular Front (NFP), who won the legislative elections," the statement read."Considering the exceptional gravity of the situation, we urge French society to take decisive action. That is why we join calls from youth organizations, including the Union of Students and the Union of Lyceum Students, to organize a large-scale demonstration against Emmanuel Macron's seizure of power on September 7."On Monday, after consulting with the president, the leader of the right-wing National Unity Party, Jordan Bardella, reiterated that their party would consider a vote of no confidence if the new government included members of the left-wing coalition. The head of the opposition faction in parliament, Marine Le Pen, requested an extraordinary session of the lower chamber in order to allow for a no-confidence vote to be held immediately, rather than on October 1, when the parliament resumes work. NFP candidate for prime minister Lucie Castets described the president's decision as "a rejection of democracy" and said that "the president cannot create the government he wants." The leaders of some left-wing parties in the coalition have announced their refusal to participate in the planned second round of consultations, stating they do not want to be "part of a parody of democracy." She also noted that 34 out of 168 lawmakers from Macron's coalition were elected because NFP candidates withdrew from the second round of elections at Macron's request. Macron acknowledged this support during a Friday consultation, but later excluded NPF from forming a government, despite their 182 seats in the National Assembly, citing "institutional stability."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240717/frances-le-pen-says-convinced-that-macron-would-dissolve-parliament-again-in-1-year-1119403885.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/kursk-gambit-the-samson-option-1119929652.html

Kursk Gambit: The Samson Option

Kursk Gambit: The Samson Option

Sputnik International

The recent major Ukrainian military incursion across the Russia border in the Kursk oblast has left everyone scratching their heads in puzzlement. What possible advantage is gained in this war by invading an area of no apparent strategic importance? When it is clear that full-on defense is necessary in the East. But from the beginning, a number of commentators identified the obvious target in the area: the Kursk nuclear power station.

2024-08-27T15:23+0000

2024-08-27T15:23+0000

2024-08-27T15:27+0000

analysis

volodymyr zelensky

kursk

ukraine

nato

international atomic energy agency (iaea)

kursk

chernobyl

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Dr. Chris Busby, a renowned physical chemist, scientific secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk and former member of the UK Defense Ministry's Oversight Committee on Depleted Uranium, shares his concerns about the situation around the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant with Sputnik.The recent major Ukrainian military incursion across the Russia border in the Kursk oblast has left everyone scratching their heads in puzzlement. What possible advantage is gained in this war by invading an area of no apparent strategic importance? When it is clear that full-on defense is necessary in the East. But from the beginning, a number of commentators identified the obvious target in the area: the Kursk nuclear power station.I will share some thoughts about the serious dangers associated with targeting nuclear power stations. Or the existence of NPPs in war zones in time of war. In a previous article I wrote about the Ukraine attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Plant, I mentioned the Samson option. Like [the Biblical hero] Samson, who pulled the pillars down and killed everyone including himself, it is all you have left when everything is lost. Although here it may have a more strategic component.A nuclear disaster in Zaporozhye with a melt-down or an explosion releasing fission-products like Chernobyl to Europe and the world would invite the invasion of the area by Europe (by NATO) to 'save' the Europeans from the downstream effects of any exacerbation. It seems that Ukraine continues to shoot missiles and drones at the Zaporozhye plant. But that plant itself is a pressurized water reactor with thick concrete walls that would be pretty hard to penetrate. Of course, the spent fuel pools are easy to hit, and the supplementary control systems, the cooling, and those things are vulnerable.But Kursk is another matter. This nuclear site has the RBMK reactors like Chernobyl, and these have no thick concrete shielding. They are therefore vulnerable to missile and drone attacks which could damage the reactor systems directly. Unlike Zaporozhye, where the reactors are in shutdown, in Kursk, one of these is apparently operating. And it appears that Ukraine is shooting missiles and drones at the Kursk plant.As with Zaporozhye, the Russians have sent for the cavalry, in the form of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. He has visited and agreed that there is indeed danger of a nuclear incident. That he was shown evidence of military activity near the plant and agreed that this was a bad thing. Well, what else could he say? He is apparently going to Kiev to talk to President Zelensky.There are two things I think about this. First, following all the arguments about who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, it seems clear that Ukraine is not one organization, but many. There are inputs from a range of actors in the West and also different ideas about what to do held by actors and groups inside Ukraine itself.Who is in charge? It seems to me that no-one really has control of everything that happens and that there are independent chaotic elements in play here with aims and strategies that are hard to fathom. The possibilities in this new Kursk theater are therefore scary. For example, it is an obvious Great Game strategy to pop a cruise missile into the critical Kursk reactor, cause a nuclear explosion and then call in NATO to 'save' Europe. Thats the one [thing] I fear. And having Grossi visit Kiev seems to me to have no real value except to keep the issue on the front pages for a while. Grossi is not a policeman. We do not need Grossi to tell everyone that there are serious downstream effects associated with firing missiles at a vulnerable and operating nuclear reactor.What is the solution? It is to do whatever it takes to stop Ukraine or those actors inside (or outside) Ukraine from arranging attacks on either of the nuclear plants. If one of those reactors goes up, Europe is in deep trouble.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240811/ukraines-attack-breached-zaporozhye-npps-physical-integrity---znpps-spokesperson-1119727527.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/military-activity-near-kursk-nuclear-power-plant-raises-concerns-about-its-safety---grossi-1119928104.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/scientist-ukraine-attacking-russian-nuclear-plants-is-height-of-lunacy-and-moral-irresponsibility-1111877770.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/lockheed-martin-offers-to-repair-f-16-jets-supplied-to-ukraine-in-poland-1119927238.html

Lockheed Martin Offers to Repair F-16 Jets Supplied to Ukraine in Poland

Lockheed Martin Offers to Repair F-16 Jets Supplied to Ukraine in Poland

Sputnik International

The F-16 fighter jets, supplied to Ukraine by Western countries, may undergo technical maintenance at Lockheed Martin's service center in Poland, if Washington approves of it, the US defense company's chief operating officer has said.

2024-08-27T10:40+0000

2024-08-27T10:40+0000

2024-08-27T10:40+0000

military

volodymyr zelensky

ukraine

poland

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"Our intention for that facility is that it'll be a regional facility, and so Ukraine is certainly in the region. So again, all of this comes under the guidance and auspices of the US government and so it's certainly capable of doing that, but we'll follow the government's lead on how they want us to work Ukraine support," Frank St. John told the news website on Monday. The company will reportedly look to apply a similar model of building a maintenance hub in Ukraine as it did in Poland. It is also planning to establish more regional maintenance centers beyond Poland, in western European countries, Australia and East Asia, St. John said. Media reported in August that Ukraine received the first 10 of the 79 F-16 fighter jets promised by Western countries on July 31. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the delivery. The Telegraph reported that Kiev was already using the jets for air defense. Western countries have ramped up their military and financial aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's military operation in 2022. The Kremlin has warned against arms deliveries to Kiev, saying this would lead to further escalation of the conflict.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240808/f-16-fighter-jets-spotted-over-kherson-region---head-of-district-administration-1119679937.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/military-activity-near-kursk-nuclear-power-plant-raises-concerns-about-its-safety---grossi-1119928104.html

Military Activity Near Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Raises Concerns About Its Safety - Grossi

Military Activity Near Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Raises Concerns About Its Safety - Grossi

Sputnik International

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said military activity near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant raises concerns about its safety, adding that he had been briefed on the consequences of attacks on the plant.

2024-08-27T12:57+0000

2024-08-27T12:57+0000

2024-08-27T12:57+0000

world

international atomic energy agency (iaea)

kursk

russia

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IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said military activity near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant raises concerns about its safety, adding that he had been briefed on the consequences of attacks on the plant. There is a danger of a nuclear accident in the Kursk Region, Rafael Grossi said.The IAEA head added that he will analyze how to prevent a nuclear accident in the Kursk Region, discussing the relevant steps with the Russian Foreign Ministry and Rosatom.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240822/putin-ukraine-tried-to-strike-kursk-nuclear-power-plant-at-night-1119872073.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/poland-is-clueless-as-to-how-many-of-its-mercenaries-are-fighting-in-ukraine-for-kiev--source-1119920090.html

Poland Is Clueless as to How Many of Its Mercenaries Are Fighting in Ukraine for Kiev  Source

Poland Is Clueless as to How Many of Its Mercenaries Are Fighting in Ukraine for Kiev  Source

Sputnik International

The Polish authorities cannot provide even an approximate number of Polish mercenaries fighting for Zelensky, an anonymous source in the Polish Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

2024-08-27T03:08+0000

2024-08-27T03:08+0000

2024-08-27T03:08+0000

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poland

polish foreign ministry

volodymyr zelensky

mercenaries

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mercenary

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He explained that Polish law, in fact, allows its citizens to serve in a foreign army or other foreign paramilitary formation.The violator could face a punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to five years if these requirements are not met, for cases of participation in military operations as part of a foreign armed formation.He specified that it is not possible for the country's authorities to determine even their approximate number.In March, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 13,387 mercenaries had arrived in Ukraine since the beginning of the special military operation, including 2,960 Polish citizens. At that time, 5,962 mercenaries have been confirmed killed, most of them Poles (1,497).In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the largest number of mercenaries in Ukraine were from Poland.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240810/russian-forces-eliminate-15-foreign-mercs-with-thermobaric-weapons-near-sudxha-in-kursk-region-1119705546.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240821/us-private-military-company-operating-in-kursk-was-in-ukraine-conflict-zone-for-2-years-1119852428.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/putin-modi-hold-phone-conversation---kremlin-1119925871.html

Putin, Modi Hold Phone Conversation - Kremlin

Putin, Modi Hold Phone Conversation - Kremlin

Sputnik International

Russian president Vladimir Putin has held a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

2024-08-27T09:34+0000

2024-08-27T09:34+0000

2024-08-27T10:06+0000

world

vladimir putin

narendra modi

dmitry peskov

ukraine

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"Putin is working in the Kremlin today. Earlier, just an hour ago, Putin held an international telephone conversation, he spoke with his colleague from India, Modi. We will soon give a detailed report, where we will tell you what was discussed during this conversation," Peskov told reporters.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin bilateral relations and the conflict in Ukraine.Narendra Modi has briefed Vladimir Putin on his visit to Ukraine during a phone conversation, noting India's interest in contributing to a possible settlement of the situation, the Kremlin said.Putin, in turn, gave a fundamental assessment of "the destructive line of the Kiev authorities and their Western patrons, outlining the key Russian approaches to ways of resolving the conflict," the statement read.Additionally, the sides discussed the issues of the practical implementation of agreements in trade and economic areas, the Kremlin said."The sides expressed satisfaction with the level of interaction between the two countries in BRICS. Narendra Modi confirmed his readiness to take part in the summit of the association held under the Russian chairmanship in Kazan in October," the statement said.Earlier, Modi held a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden to discuss the latter's recent trip to Kiev. Modi visited Ukraine on August 23 to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The White House in a separate press release said that Biden also discussed Modi's recent trip to Poland as well as meetings scheduled during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September for high-level week.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240716/india-summons-ukrainian-ambassador-over-zelenskys-remarks-on-modis-russia-trip-1119389733.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/scholz-vows-increased-deportations-following-brutal-mass-stabbing--1119920754.html

Scholz Vows Increased Deportations Following Brutal Mass Stabbing

Scholz Vows Increased Deportations Following Brutal Mass Stabbing

Sputnik International

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed to strengthen weapons and deportation laws following a deadly mass stabbing in the western city of Solingen on Friday night.

2024-08-27T06:05+0000

2024-08-27T06:05+0000

2024-08-27T06:05+0000

world

olaf scholz

germany

syria

european union (eu)

afghanistan

deportations

immigration

migrants

eu migrants

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed to strengthen weapons and deportation laws following a deadly mass stabbing in the western city of Solingen on Friday night.A suspected Islamic extremist killed three people and injured eight others during a street festival that marked the citys 650th anniversary. A 26-Syrian asylum-seeker reportedly turned himself over to the police, while admitting to the assault, NPR reported on Sunday citing German authorities.The 26-year-old had his asylum application rejected and was supposed to be deported last year to Bulgaria, through which he had first entered the European Union. Germanys failure to deport the Syrian man has renewed criticism of the German governments handling of deportation and migration policies.Scholz laid a white rose at a makeshift memorial in Solingen and said he was furious and angry about the attack.The chancellor said that there had already been a 30% increase in deportations this year, but promised that the government would look at how they can contribute to raising these figures even further.Earlier this month, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser proposed regulations that would allow knives measuring up to 2.4 inches (6 centimeters) to be carried in public rather than those that are 4.6 inches (12 centimeters).In May, a terrifying knife attack committed by an Afghan immigrant took place in Mannheim and left four people injured and one person dead. The attack occurred at an anti-Islamist political rally and a livestream video shows what appears to be the leader of a right-wing campaign group being pursued by the attacker.These mass stabbings have prompted Scholz to announce that Germany will begin deporting people from Afghanistan and Syria again - currently, Germany does not carry out deportations to those countries because they have no relationship with the Taliban and they consider the situation in Syria too compromised, AP News reported.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230923/many-german-municipalities-no-longer-able-to-shelter-migrants-1113609574.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231022/we-must-deport-more-and-faster-scholzs-plan-to-curb-illegal-migration-1114397943.html

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IPU secretary-general lauds China's development approach

09:42, August 27, 2024 By Zhong Wenxing and Cao Xinyue ( People's Daily Online

Martin Chungong, secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, is interviewed in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Cao Xinyue)

Martin Chungong, secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), praised China's contributions to global sustainable development during a recent visit, saying China's experience is worth emulating.

Chungong, who attended the 40th anniversary commemoration of China's National People's Congress (NPC) joining the IPU and a 2024 interregional seminar on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for developing countries' parliaments, expressed admiration for China's poverty alleviation and sustainable development achievements.

"China has made significant contributions to promoting sustainable development in the Global South," Chungong said.

He highlighted China's role in providing assistance to developing nations and promoting South-South cooperation to achieve the SDGs.

Chungong particularly praised China's climate change efforts. During his visit, he was briefed on specific climate governance projects in China.

The IPU leader also noted the close ties between the NPC and IPU, citing China's role in global issues like combating terrorism and violent extremism. He expressed hope for increased cooperation to promote world peace and sustainable development.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chengliang)
Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos talks about his plan to run for mayor in an Aug. 22 interview. Pablos said crime, lack of affordable housing and endemic poverty are among the most pressing issues for San Antonio. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos wants to be San Antonios next mayor, injecting a contender with statewide name recognition into a crowded field made up mostly of City Hall insiders.

Pablos will file a campaign treasurer form today, which will allow him to begin fundraising for the contest that has gotten off to an early start. The election to replace term-limited Mayor Ron Nirenberg isnt until next May, with candidate filing for a spot on the ballot not until January.

Pablos has been active in the Texas political scene for years and has long been viewed as a potential candidate  whether for Texas Senate, Congress or the mayors seat of the city he has called home for most of his adult life.

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He said he decided to go public with his mayoral intentions to address speculation on whether he would enter the race. This will be his first run for elected office.

Im very confident in my abilities to run a campaign, Im very confident in my skill set and what I bring to the table and Im under pressure to solidify my candidacy, he said.

Three City Council members have already entered the race, as have two political outsiders.

Though not a City Hall insider, Pablos is no stranger to politics.

Gov. Rick Perry appointed him in 2011 to the Texas Public Utility Commission, which regulates the states electric, telecommunications, and water and wastewater utilities. Gov. Greg Abbott tapped him as secretary of state in late 2016. In that role, which he resigned from in 2018, Pablos served as the states chief elections officer and a top adviser to Abbott on border issues.

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Both Republican governors also named him to the Texas Racing Commission, which oversees horse and greyhound racing.

Pablos, 56, said San Antonio voters are ready to elect someone from outside City Council to the citys highest office. That hasnt happened since 2005, when former 4th Court of Appeals Chief Justice Phil Hardberger won the mayors seat.

The current council is dysfunctional, Pablos said. We cant get things done if we cant get along. If we insult people on the dais, if we demean colleagues, how do we expect to come to any compromise?

This month, District 8 Council Member and mayoral contender Manny Pelaez called fellow council members poverty pimps during a debate over whether to put a city charter amendment on the November ballot that would raise council pay. The derogatory term refers to someone who benefits politically or financially from advocating for disadvantaged communities.

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Right now, what we need is leadership that can unify council. We need leadership that brings everybody together, Pablos said. And usually thats done with having a master vision. Right now, I dont know what the vision is for San Antonio. I dont know where were headed. Were kind of aimless, actually.

Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos talks about his plan to run for mayor in an Aug. 22 interview. He will file for a campaign treasurer on Tuesday, which will allow him to begin fundraising for the crowded contest to replace term-limited Mayor Ron Nirenberg. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Can you deliver?

Pablos cited crime, lack of affordable housing and endemic poverty as some of San Antonios most pressing issues. He said he wants to get back to basics  we need to focus on basic (city) services, from streets to reliable electricity to animal control.

He said hiring more police officers and firefighters is another priority, as is supporting small-business owners and attracting companies to San Antonio.

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Pablos platform isnt all that different from those of the other candidates.

In addition to Pelaez, District 9 Council Member John Courage and District 4 Council Member Adriana Rocha Garcia have announced mayoral campaigns. District 6 Council Member Melissa Cabello Havrda is expected to join them.

Tech entrepreneur Beto Altamirano made a splashy entrance to the race with a June 1 launch event complete with campaign T-shirts, hats and yard signs. Real estate developer Robert Melvin, a past CEO of San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, filed for a campaign treasurer in July.

Heres the difference  can you deliver? Pablos said of the similarities in policy platforms. Those that are on council right now have had ample time to deliver, and so lets take a look at how they delivered.

Pablos said his 25 years of doing business with Mexico would be an asset for the mayors office. No Mexican multinational company is headquartered in San Antonio, he noted, despite the city touting itself as the gateway to Mexico.

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Pablos moved his family from San Antonio to El Paso in 2013 to become the first CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, a regional economic development group focused on bringing jobs to West Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. He left that job in 2016 to start a renewable energy company focused on Texas and Mexico  an endeavor that took a back seat while he served as secretary of state.

Pablos was born in Mexico and moved to El Paso with his family at age 9. He became a U.S. citizen at 19.

He came to San Antonio for college, earning bachelors and law degrees from St. Marys University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Since returning to San Antonio in 2019, Pablos has been a managing partner at Cross-National Advisory Partners, which helps foreign companies, nonprofits and governments expand into the United States or other countries.

He backed Nirenbergs 2020 ballot measure to devote 1/8-cent of city sales tax from December 2021 through December 2025 to job training, an initiative known as San Antonio Ready to Work. He even recorded an endorsement video for social media.

Since its 2022 launch, Ready to Work has failed to meet its job placement targets and has seen its enrollment goals reduced.

I think that SA Ready to Work is a good concept, but I dont think its been handled the way that people intended for it to be handled, Pablos said.

He doesnt know yet whether he would do away with it if elected but said he would take a hard look at at the program to determine how best to spend the sales tax dollars. The city has spent more than $40 million of the nearly $156.4 million collected to date.

Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos talks about his plan to run for mayor in an Aug. 22 interview. Candidate filing for a spot on the May 2025 ballot opens in January. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Lean on bipartisan support

San Antonio city elections are officially nonpartisan but largely draw Democratic Party candidates. Only one member of the current City Council identifies as a conservative: Marc Whyte, who represents District 10 on the Northeast Side.

Nirenberg has cast himself as an independent for most of his time in office, though he acknowledged mostly voting for Democrats. His predecessor, Ivy Taylor, was seen as a more conservative figure, though she too generally voted in Democratic primaries.

San Antonio remains a Democratic stronghold. President Joe Biden won the city and the rest of Bexar County in November 2020 with just over 58% of the vote to former President Donald Trumps 40%.

Pablos has been active in the Republican Party for decades.

I grew up in a devout Catholic family. Im conservative by nature, he said. But that doesnt mean that Im going to bring my ideology to the table. You cant do that. What I will bring to the table is my fiscal conservative nature.

Our current mayor and every mayor before him has enjoyed bipartisan support, and I expect to do the same, he said. I expect to lean on bipartisan support to help get the city where it needs to be.

Though Pablos has long been viewed as a potential contender for state office, he said he has no political ambitions beyond the mayors office.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/telegrams-durov-vs-metas-zuckerberg-how-do-they-stack-up-on-censorship-1119928274.html

legrams Durov vs Metas Zuckerberg: How Do They Stack Up on Censorship?

legrams Durov vs Metas Zuckerberg: How Do They Stack Up on Censorship?

Sputnik International

While Telegram founder Pavel Durov waits to be formally charged by French prosecutors for multiple charges relating to the platforms lack of moderation, no such fate is likely to befall Mark Zuckerberg.

2024-08-27T17:02+0000

2024-08-27T17:02+0000

2024-08-27T17:04+0000

world

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mark zuckerberg

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meta

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censorship

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While Telegram founder Pavel Durov waits to be formally charged by French prosecutors for multiple charges relating to the platforms lack of moderation, no such fate is likely to befall Mark Zuckerberg.Unlike Durov, the Meta* CEO has admitted to what was an open secret anyway: that he caved to repeated White House demands to throttle content on his platform. Senior Biden administration officials, pressured Meta to censor content, acknowledged Zuckerberg in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on August 26.Elon Musk was quick to note theres be no arrest for Zuck as he "censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data."Let's see how the two platforms and their CEOs line up:Pavel DurovThe Russian-born IT entrepreneur co-created Telegram - a blend of private messaging and public channels with his brother in August 2013. Durov vowed to champion encryption in messaging, not allow the moderation of messages, deny requests to store records of confidential data, telephone messages and internet traffic of clients, or hand over keys for decrypting users' correspondence upon request.Telegrams unlimited in size channels and group chats are encrypted using a combination of 256-bit symmetric AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA encryption, and Diffie-Hellman secure key, per the Telegram team. Telegram doesn't provide end-to-end encryption for common private and group chats, but does provide a secret chat feature. Telegram lets users post files enjoying unlimited cloud storage. There is no targeted advertising or algorithmic feed. The platform's audience exceeded 950 million users by July 2024.The US government wanted to get its hands on Telegrams code to infiltrate the system and spy on its users, Durov revealed in an April interview with ex-Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. The entrepreneur rejected pressure to allow a "backdoor" in the app for Western intelligence. Durov resisted personal pressure in the US, where law enforcement officials approached him, seeking to establish a relationship to in a way control Telegram better.Mark ZuckerbergZuckerberg turned his Meta (formerly Facebook) into a tool for US censorship. The platform with its standard for messaging apps end-to-end (e2e) encryption and non-open source algorithm has served up documented cases of censorship and manipulation of public opinion proven by whistleblowers and information leaks. After the 2016 US elections, conservative viewpoints were suppressed under the pretext of "hate speech" while liberal ones were elevated. In 2018 it was revealed that UK-based political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica engaged in the harvesting of tens of millions of Facebook profiles in 2014. They were used to target users with personalized political ads, including during the 2016 US presidential campaign.The company engaged in similar harvesting and vote manipulation operations in nations across the globe.Posts criticizing everything from US foreign and immigration policy, climate policies, to vaccines were occasionally deleted outright, but more often hidden or deranked.Used as an election manipulation tool, whistleblowers have documented Facebooks skewed content moderation directives regarding candidatse and their supporters, in direct violation of the companys policy on protecting political speech.Facebook barred Donald Trump from the platform in the wake of the 6 January Capitol riot after being accused of "incitement of violence". He was reintated his account with "new guardrails in place."Biden officials "repeatedly pressured Facebook for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire" during the pandemic, Zuckerberg has admitted. As a result, in April of 2020 Facebook announced that it was imposing limits on "harmful misinformation about COVID-19." The decision was reversed a year later.On the eve of the 2020 presidential elections Facebook suppressed the New York Post story based on damning files in Hunter Bidens laptop containing evidence of a pay-to-play corruption scheme by the Biden family.Mark Zuckerberg admitted that in an interview with Joe Rogan in 2022, claiming he was ordered to censor the story by the FBI. He has now conceded that the Hunter laptop story was not "Russian disinformation," as it was alleged at the time by the Democrats and the mainstream media.While Meta admitted in 2021 that Palestinian posts using words like martyr and resistance were as inaccurately labeled as incitement to violence, the platform revealed its hypocrisy the following year. Meta openly supported calls for violence against Russian citizens after the start of the special military operation. In March 2022 it loosened prohibitions on violent speech for users in Eastern Europe, allowing the placement of ads with such content.*Meta is banned in Russia as an extremist organization.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/meta-shouldnt-have-demoted-hunter-biden-laptop-story-on-platform---ceo-1119920010.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230317/former-us-president-donald-trump-returns-to-facebook-for-first-post-since-2021-1108522292.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240204/how-facebook-became-tool-for-state-censorship-and-goldmine-for-us-intelligence-services-1116575342.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/ukraine-mulling-dirty-bomb-use-false-flag-chemical-provocations-with-us-help---russias-mod-1119926381.html

Ukraine Mulling 'Dirty Bomb' Use, False-Flag Chemical Provocations With US Help - Russia's MoD

Ukraine Mulling 'Dirty Bomb' Use, False-Flag Chemical Provocations With US Help - Russia's MoD

Sputnik International

The US, aided by the Ukraine, continues to act in violation of international treaties banning chemical and biological weapons, evidence presented by the Russian Defense Ministry shows.

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The US, aided by Ukraine, continues to act in violation of international treaties banning chemical and biological weapons, evidence presented by the Russian Defense Ministry shows.Furthermore, Washington is boosting efforts to develop bioagents capable of selectively targeting specific ethnic groups, the MoD said at its briefing on August 27.An updated analysis of the activities of the US and Ukraine has revealed:Evidence previously revealed by the MoD showed that the US and its allies had taken at least 16,000 biosamples out of Ukraine before the special military operation started. As part of the UP-8 Project, blood samples were taken from 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers, while dangerous pathogens and their vectors (over 10,000 samples) were exported to the US. Biological material was taken from Ukraine's Center for Public Health to Pentagon-related Western research laboratories. Their use for subsequent biological warfare research included studies to select biological agents most dangerous to the population of a given region.Furthermore, Russias MoD warned of the likelihood of provocations being staged by the Kiev regime with the use of toxic chemicals. Here is some of the evidence presented at the briefing:Evidence of Ukraine violating the Chemical Weapons Convention has been submitted by Russia to the OPCW Technical Secretariat, the MoD said, and called for an impartial investigation. However, it added that because the OPCW is "controlled by the US" and is used for score-settling, there has not been any response from the organization.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/ukrainian-troops-trained-to-use-chemical-ammunition-for-western-made-artillery-systems--russian-mod-1119923840.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-declaring-war-on-telegram-to-control-last-vestige-of-free-speech--mega-founder-1119931845.html

US Declaring War on Telegram to Control Last Vestige of Free Speech  Mega Founder

US Declaring War on Telegram to Control Last Vestige of Free Speech  Mega Founder

Sputnik International

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's arrest is a declaration of war between Washington and those public opinion platforms it cannot yet control, the founder of Megaupload and Mega, Kim Schmitz, also known as Kim Dotcom, said on Tuesday.

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"The US Govt declared war on those parts of the Internet that are not under its control," Dotcom said on X, adding that the US government is waging a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and attempting to stop the further expansion of BRICS. "How inconvenient that Telegram was the major source of truth about what's really going on in Ukraine."Dotcom warned that the United States would blackmail Durov into handing over Telegram encryption keys, which is what happened to Mega. "Heres the major issue for Telegram users. Pavel is gone unless he gets bail. He was charged with a conspiracy crime as a member of a criminal 'group'. It means the team thats running Telegram now will either have to make a deal or face the same charges. They will make a deal," he said. Russian-born Durov, who is a citizen of multiple countries, including France, was detained at an airport north of Paris on Saturday on charges linked to criminal uses of his Telegram app, including terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and fraud. He may remain in police custody until August 28, the Paris Prosecutor's Office told RIA Novosti.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-defense-lobbyists-need-war-middle-east-regional-war-could-spiral-as-us-fails-to-intervene--1119917711.html

'US Defense Lobbyists Need War': Middle East Regional War Could Spiral as US Fails to Intervene

'US Defense Lobbyists Need War': Middle East Regional War Could Spiral as US Fails to Intervene

Sputnik International

On Monday, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, author and analyst, joined Sputniks The Final Countdown.

2024-08-27T02:02+0000

2024-08-27T02:02+0000

2024-08-27T02:02+0000

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Israel and Hezbollah launched a heavy exchange of fire against one-another on Sunday morning which threatened to trigger a broader regional war that could negatively affect cease-fire negotiations, a US news outlet reported. Both sides said they were only aiming for military targets, which resulted in the death of three people in Lebanon and an Israeli soldier.On Monday, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, author and analyst, joined Sputniks The Final Countdown. He cautioned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot afford a ceasefire, and that the conflict will escalate even further.Netanyahu really [...] cannot afford a ceasefire. He could do so. He would weaken his own posture," Maloof began. "It would go against the grain of his more radical ministers, [Minister of National Security Itamar] Ben-Gvir and [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich, who really want another Nakba or a clearing out of Palestinians altogether. First in Gaza, then West Bank, and then they're going to go up into Lebanon. This is their messianic mission.It was first reported on Sunday that Israel had informed the US of their plans to strike Lebanon overnight. Hezbollah fired over 320 rockets and dozens of drones toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander who was killed in Beirut. The Israeli military said about 100 of their warplanes struck more than 1,000 Hezbollah projectiles aimed at northern and central Israel.Steve Gill, a US attorney, asked the shows guest if Israel believes they have the Gaza Strip under control now that they are firing missiles into Lebanon.Gaza is not under control, will not be under control. That's why they're insisting on maintaining the two corridors and Hamas is objecting. Hamas has not been eliminated, Maloof said.Ben-Gvir reportedly said that he would build a synagogue on the Temple Mount, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in Jerusalem in order to give equal rights to Jews and Muslims, according to a report on Monday. Netanyahu dismissed his ministers comments and said that there had been no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The temple is the third holiest site for Muslims, and while others are allowed to visit, only Muslims are allowed to pray.You can kiss goodbye the whole notion that we're supporting democracy in this area because of the way the Israeli government is conducting itself and the way they're treating non-Jewish citizens and even the Palestinians, even Arab Israelis - they're second-class tertiary. Ben-Gvir wants them all gone.As long as that government is in place, you're going to have this problem unless there can be an internal disruption that will unload Netanyahu as the leader or the country goes into a civil war, he continued. [A civil war] is increasingly possible because [there are] different types of reformed Jews and the more Ashkenazi types who are just hell-bent on a pure Jewish state as opposed to working with the Palestinians and even other Arabs that are in the region.Sputnik reported on Monday that neither Hezbollah nor Israel really wants a full-scale war as it would upend life in Israel and Tehran and stretch US resources. The US is wary of a full scale conflict because Hezbollah, unlike Hamas, is not a small-scale non-state actor but is a powerful force in terms of its ground strength as well as its air defense power, an academic told Sputnik.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240826/israeli-national-security-minister-says-he-would-build-synagogue-on-temple-mount---reports-1119914827.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240826/hezbollah-could-end-normal-life-in-israel-drive-israelis-underground-in-any-major-escalation-1119916441.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-military-escort-for-philippine-ships-in-south-china-sea-reasonable-option--admiral-1119927988.html

US Military Escort for Philippine Ships in South China Sea 'Reasonable Option'  Admiral

US Military Escort for Philippine Ships in South China Sea 'Reasonable Option'  Admiral

Sputnik International

The US military said Tuesday that it is an entirely reasonable option for it to accompany Philippine vessels during resupply missions in the disputed South China Sea region, US media reported.

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Certainly within the context of consultations, every option between two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense  escort of one vessel to the other is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said, as quoted by Bloomberg. Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Romeo Brawner said his countrys armed forces would escort the ships when they could and seek other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves. He added that the Philippines also cooperated with countries other than the US. Their comments followed a collision between Philippine and Chinese ships near the disputed Sabina Shoal on Sunday, amid recurring clashes.The territorial affiliation of a number of islands and reefs in the South China Sea has been the subject of disputes between China, the Philippines and several other Asia-Pacific countries for decades. Significant oil and gas reserves have been discovered on the continental shelf of those islands, including the Paracel Islands, Thitu Island, Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands, with the Whitson Reef being part.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240722/philippines-china-agree-on-principles-for-de-escalation-in-south-china-sea---ministry-1119454227.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/venezuelan-top-diplomat-says-country-currently-on-orbit-of-brics-1119932078.html

Venezuelan Top Diplomat Says Country Currently On Orbit of BRICS

Venezuelan Top Diplomat Says Country Currently On Orbit of BRICS

Sputnik International

Venezuela is currently on the orbit of the BRICS group as it actively participates in events thrown by the organization, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said on Tuesday.

2024-08-27T21:30+0000

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We may say that Venezuela is inside BRICS Our ministers are taking part in the BRICS conferences, we participate in commissions, meetings of heads of the foreign ministries, the minister told the national La Iguana TV broadcaster in an interview."We are on the orbit of BRICS, we are working."Earlier in August, Gil said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had received an invitation to attend the next BRICS summit, which will take place in the Russian city of Kazan in October. Venezuela announced its BRICS bid in 2023, with Maduro saying that the Latin American country expected to join the group at the BRICS summit in Russia in October 2024. BRICS was established in 2009 as a cooperation platform for the largest emerging economies, uniting Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined the group in 2010. Russia assumed the bloc's rotating presidency on January 1. On the same day, BRICS expanded its membership to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240810/venezuela-will-contribute-to-brics-with-its-largest-oil-reserves-in-world---deputy-un-envoy-1119702706.html

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Buttinski drew the outside in the field of six going for $8,000 in one of two Prospect Series divisions at Grand River Raceway on Monday (Aug. 26), but neither that nor his 7-1 mild upset odds held him back from prevailing at the wire by only a nose.

Lockdown Romeo (Bruce Richardson) and Georgeofthejungle (Brett MacDonald) battled to the :28.1 opening quarter with Buttinski (Travis Henry) landing in third. Georgeofthejungle took command after the first panel and continued to maintain control through the :57.3 half and 1:26.3 three quarters. Buttinski stayed put, pulling first over en route to the third quarter pole. Buttinski and the leading Georgeofthejungle battled home, trading strides. Down to the wire, only a nose separated the pair with Buttinski prevailing by a career best 1:57.1. Hp Musical Alarm (Samuel Fillion) completed the triactor.

Trainer Mary Ratchford co-owns the Lookslikeachpndale - Dance Hall Wendy gelding with Cynthia Graham. Graham and William Woolfrey bred Buttinski, a winner of four races from 18 career starts. He paid $16.40 to win.

Wheelzablazin ($2.10) took the second division of the fourth leg of the series for sophomore colt and gelding trotters with a gate-to-wire triumph in 1:58. Jody Jamieson was in the bike for Paul Cameron, who trains the Wheeling N Dealin - Blazing Shot gelding for Arnolds Horse Shack.

To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Grand River Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)
As part of the ongoing celebration of harness racings heroes leading up to the 2024 National Caretaker Appreciation Day, Standardbred Canada is proud to highlight Melissa MacRae.

Born and raised in Mount Stewart, P.E.I, MacRae grew up in a small village located 30 minutes east of Charlottetown. She lived there until the age of 23 before moving to Orwell, where she furthered her career in racing.

MacRaes journey with horses began when her father-in-law, Donald MacRae, introduced her to the world of horse ownership. Her passion blossomed 14 years ago when Donald purchased Blue Star Outlaw.

"I instantly fell in love with him," recalled Melissa MacRae.

Inspired by this connection, she took the initiative to learn how to care for him, a commitment that has guided her ever since. Today, Blue Star Outlaw resides on her family farm, in her 14-acre backyard, alongside several other retired horses.

MacRae's connection to her father-in-law and his involvement in the industry naturally led her to the career she has today. She and her family became acquainted with Jennifer Doyle while being stabled in the same barn.

I approached her [Jennifer] one summer because I work in the school system and had the summer off, shared MacRae. I remember asking if she needed any help in the barn. From then on, we clicked, and it has worked out really well.

For the better part of the last three years, MacRae has been working for Jennifer Doyle, who manages a stable of 18 horses. In addition to racing, she devotes time to her small breeding operation.

The bulk of her work focuses on the racing side of the business, which includes organizing equipment, paddocking and bathing the horses afterward. In addition to that, MacRae assists with Doyles stable in the mornings, helping with tasks such as cleaning stalls, harnessing and jogging the horses.



What MacRae treasures most is the opportunity to pass on her passion for horses to her seven-year-old son, Denver. She finds immense joy in seeing how much the industry excites him and hopes that maybe one day he can become a horse trainer himself.

Denver already helps with race day preparations and is very attentive at the barn for Doyle. Not to be out done, he practices his jogging regiment with the miniature horses at the farm, in preparation for when he gets elevated to Standardbreds.

Horse racing has really brought him out of his shell, shared MacRae. Being around all the [horse]people has really helped him. He has such a cute love for it, and that makes me admire the sport even more.

In recent years, MacRae has found inspiration in following in the footsteps of trainer Jennifer Doyle. She admires Doyles deep care for each horse and the extensive knowledge she brings to her craft.

It's amazing to witness and be part of her success, shared MacRae.



Celebrating National Caretaker Appreciation Day holds special significance for MacRae because she understands the pride caretakers take in the quality of their care and how that translates into the horses' performance.

For MacRae, the most fulfilling part of being a horse caretaker is getting to know the horses and their unique quirks, which has led her to form special bonds with certain horses. She also cherishes the time spent at her uncle's farm, surrounded by broodmares and foals.

Join Standardbred Canada in showing appreciation for Melissa MacRae and all of the unsung heroes of our industry as we celebrate National Caretaker Appreciation Day across our nation.

2024 National Caretaker Appreciation Day Event Dates:

Clinton Raceway  Sunday, Sept. 1

Dresden Raceway  Sunday, July 7 (Completed)

Fraser Downs Racetrack  Thursday, Sept. 12

Grand River Raceway  Friday, Sept. 6

Hanover Raceway  Saturday, Sept. 14

Hippodrome 3R  Sunday, Sept. 15

Kawartha Downs  Friday, Aug. 30

Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park  Thursday, Sept. 12

Red Shores at Summerside Raceway  Tuesday, Sept. 10

Rideau Carleton Raceway  Thursday, Sept. 12

The Track On 2  Saturday, Sept. 7

Truro Raceway  Friday, Sept. 6

Woodbine Mohawk Park  Friday, Sept. 6

Leamington Raceway  Sunday, Sept. 8

National Caretaker Appreciation Day was launched in 2017 to recognize and reward caretakers in the Standardbred industry across Canada.

(Standardbred Canada)
The annual four-day harness racing meet at the Shenandoah County Fair in Woodstock, Virginia kicks off on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 12 noon with an 11-race card featuring 52 horses and $22,000 USD in purse money. Six pacing events will be contested to complement five trots.

Five of the races Wednesday are exclusive to two-year-old horses including a trio where all entrants will be making their first lifetime start -- the second race with freshman trotters, the seventh with freshman pacers and the day's final race with freshman filly trotters.

The kickoff race is named "In Honor of All Veterans" and recognizes active and retired service members in the Shenandoah Valley. Interestingly, that first harness race features five veteran pacers aged six through 14, two of whom will be making career start number 322.

The elder statesman is Big N Bad, who brings a five-race winning streak into Wednesday's card although he will be making his first start in 10 months. The 14-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding is owned and trained by Jimmy Viars and has bankrolled $850,107 to date. His most recent streak of wins all came at the 2023 Shenandoah Downs fall meet. Roger Hammer's R N Nate is a 12-year-old Nuclear Breeze gelding, who has 42 career wins from 321 lifetime starts and earnings of $283,310.

Also in the field are six-year-old Ideal Big Guy ($126,931), seven-year-old Windemere Frank ($146,373) and 11-year-old Brooklynite ($$247,612). The five pacers combined have made 1,182 starts.

Some of Wednesday's named races recognize individuals who have been instrumental in the decades-long success of the Shenandoah County Fair harness races, including Terry Kibler, Wilson Ryman, Winston Lineweaver and many others.

The fair meet continues this week with cards on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 12 noon. After a two-week break, the ninth annual Shenandoah Downs pari-mutuel harness season kicks off on Sept. 14 and continues every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 27.

(Shenandoah Downs)
Former trainer Ray Allen of Newcastle, Ont. passed away suddenly on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at the age of 84.

Ray worked 30 years at Outboard Marine in Peterborough and Genoto shippers in Oshawa for 15 years. He loved old classic country and sitting with his family. He adored listening to his son John play his guitar and banjo and sing to him and his wife Barb.

His racehorses were his true passion for many years and he found such pleasure with that lifestyle and the people he met through racing. His first horse was Kawartha Bearcat that he trained and raced and got his first win at Morrow Park. Ray trained and raced many horses throughout the years, one of which was EL Roope, who was Kawartha Downs' Aged Trotter of the Year.

Ray was a simple man that called a spade a spade. He enjoyed his life to the fullest right up to the end.

He leaves behind his wife Barb, his daughters Kathy (Russ) Bradley and Donna (Glenn) Wagar. Predeceased by his son John.

A private family memorial will be held.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Ray Allen.
A crime scene unit vehicle is seen parked within Rice University during an investigation of a "potential homicide" at Jones College was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Rice University Police are seen in front of a closed gate within Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Police are seen standing in front of a building within Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Rice University Police are seen in front of a building within Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Police tape blocks one of the hallways in a building within Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A family is seen riding bikes out of a blocked gate at Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

A Rice University junior was killed on the first day of the fall semester in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide in her dorm room.

Andrea Rodriguez Avila was found shot to death in Jones College after a 4:30 p.m. Monday welfare check by the university police department, school officials said. A man who was not believed to be a Rice student was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A shelter-in-place was issued for about an hour Monday for all students and staff on campus, and all classes were canceled Tuesday, officials announced late Monday.

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IN THE EAST END: Precinct 6 deputy constable fired after allegedly causing fatal wrong-way crash

"It is with deep sadness and shock that I write to you on what should have been a day filled with promise and new beginnings. Instead, we find ourselves mourning the loss of one of our own in a tragic event that has shaken our campus to its core," university President Reginald DesRoches wrote. "This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead."



DesRoches urged students to seek support from friends, faculty and staff in the counseling center. The university has organized a call center to support members of the Rice community.

"We encourage you to come together as a community, spend time with each other to mourn and use the campus resources available for counseling," he said.

Authorities conducted a welfare check at the request of the victim's family and visited the dorm after learning she missed a class, Rice University Chief of Police Clemente Rodriguez said.

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Rice leaders said they discovered no signs of forced entry at the dorm, where officers found the bodies as well as a note detailing some troubles in an apparent dating relationship between the two, he said.

The chief said the suspect likely entered Jones College with Rodriguez Avila, who is identified in the Rice directory as a student in the School of Social Sciences. Rodriguez Avila is from Maryland, and the unidentified alleged shooter is possibly from Florida, he said.

In an email to the campus community, Rice officials described Rodriguez Avila as "a wonderful person taken from us too soon."

"As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be," DesRoches said. "We are communicating with Andrea's parents and are flying them out early tomorrow morning. We ask the community to keep us in your prayers as we comfort each other."

Rice has turned into one of the country's top universities over the past several decades, appealing to 8,400 students for its selectivity and academic rigor as well as for its promise of a tight-knit residential experience. About 70% of Rice undergrads live on campus in one of 11 residential colleges, though every undergraduate is designated a college upon matriculation and maintains that membership throughout their university experience.

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Jones is a residential college, built in 1957 as the private university's first women's dorm. It became coed in 1981 and is also home to some of the university's most well-known traditions, including Beer Bike.
This weeks long-awaited opening of Costcos newest location in Ridgefield is good news for shoppers looking to save money by buying in bulk. For drivers, though, the opening weekend is sure to mean traffic jams and delays.

Ridgefield released its traffic management plan for the opening weekend on Friday. According to the news release, city officials have been working closely with Costco, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue and Washington State Patrol on traffic management measures to minimize disruptions for residents and businesses.

When Costco opens its doors at 8 a.m. Thursday, two routes will be available between Pioneer Street and Costco. The first route is via North 56th Place. The second route is via North 53rd Place and Pioneer Canyon Drive, where a temporary traffic signal will be remotely monitored to adjust for real-time conditions and ensure smooth traffic flow.

We are working closely with the city of Ridgefield to assist with the Costco opening, said Kelly Hanahan, spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Hanahan said incident response teams will be posted in the area beginning Thursday and will respond to any crashes or traffic backups.

WSDOT will use a tethered drone to monitor backup and traffic impacts and share those with the city of Ridgefield and law enforcement, Hanahan said.

For residents living near the Interstate 5 interchange concerned about heavy traffic on Pioneer Street, Royle Road and smaller side streets, Hanahan said operations are also prepared to change signal timing if that is supportive to traffic flow.

This isnt the first time Ridgefield residents have been stymied by heavy traffic. During the opening week of the Cowlitz Indian Tribes ilani casino in 2017, there was often a miles-long queue of cars on both the northbound and southbound side waiting to exit I-5.

The new store is expected to draw many of its shoppers from the north end of Clark County, as well as Cowlitz and even Lewis counties. Repairs on the Lewis River Bridge will mean a double dose of traffic delays for drivers coming from north of Woodland.

The Ridgefield traffic management plan also includes flaggers to direct and stage traffic, advance warning through temporary signs, continuous monitoring of traffic queues, a temporary parking lot for employees and overflow, and an alternative emergency access point for first responders.

If backups begin to form, flaggers will guide and stage vehicles into the main or overflow lot to keep traffic moving on Pioneer Street.

The multi-agency team will stay in communication throughout the opening weekend to keep traffic moving and minimize delays, the news release said.

The highest traffic volumes are expected Thursday evening and Saturday around noon. Drivers using Pioneer Street on Thursday or Friday are urged to use an alternate route, especially during the evening commute.
A Pierce County Republican has alleged that a former gubernatorial candidate from the Tri-Cities made threats against his life at a weekend meeting of the state party.

But Semi Bird, the candidate in question, denied he made the threats, calling the allegations Bird Derangement Syndrome and saying he conducted himself with kindness and professional decorum at the meeting.

David Prutzman, a state committeeman, did not return phone calls or text messages this week requesting an interview about what happened.

He and another party member called the police Friday, Aug. 16, after Bird allegedly made the threats at a meeting of the Washington State Republican Party at the Wenatchee Convention Center.

A gentleman just approached another gentleman. He was mad at him, and he called him a fat f***er and said he was going to bury him, and hes lucky his wifes here so he didnt, a Chelan County party member told an 911 emergency dispatcher.

A copy of the call was obtained by the Tri-City Herald under the Washington Public Records Act. The Herald also requested the Wenatchee Police Department investigation and witness statement but they had not been released by Thursday evening.

Its unclear if anyone else overheard the interaction between the men.

State Republican Party Chairman Jim Walsh did not respond to a request for comment about the incident.

If true, the remarks appear to be a concerning escalation in the bad blood thats simmered between Bird, an outsider candidate for Washington governor who earned the state partys endorsement earlier this year, and moderates from his own party, who backed another candidate in the Aug. 6 primary election.

Bird claims party leaders ruined him and and his family after media reports surfaced that he allegedly defrauded the military to further his military career and engaged in stolen valor. Hes denied them.

Bird placed third in the election, earning just 11% of the open-primary vote. Democrat Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert will face off in the Nov. 5 general election.

Even though I am no longer a candidate, nor will I ever be one again, they feel as though they must continue to discredit and destroy me, Bird said in a statement to the Herald.

He has declined to endorse Reichert in the general election and says hes planning a citizens initiative to restore same-day, in-person voting.

Visibly shaken

The Jason Rantz Show, on 770 KTTH in Seattle, was first to report on the threat allegations. The shows Sunday report included a photo of a witness statement reportedly written by Prutzman.

The statement says Prutzman ran into Bird after the meeting at the convention. On his way to the reception area, he passed Bird but turned around to speak to him.

Prutzman had made a motion at the meeting to prohibit the state party from funding attack ads against fellow Republicans, according to the Rantz report, and Bird had called the move hypocritical, suggesting he had spoken ill of him.

I approached Semi and told him, I am not sure what you have heard but I have never publically (sic) attacked you on social media or in public settings, the police statement read.

He (Semi) started out calling me a fat motherf***er, said several other things that I cant remember then, as his wife walked [redacted] of the restroom, he stated I better be f***ing glad his wife [redacted] with him or he would bury me fat motherf***er. He was very angry, said it multiple times and I walked away. He then yells to be (sic) that I better walk away, it continued.

A Chelan Party member found Prutzman really visibly shaken up, according to the Rantz report, and helped call the sheriff and then 911.

Aaron Young, chairman of the Chelan County Republican Party, told Rantz that the incident was really reminiscent of a conversation he and Bird had previously had where Bird made veiled threats against him if he crossed him again.

Bird suggested in a Thursday episode of his podcast that Republican leaders in Pierce and Chelan counties teamed up to fabricate the threats story.
Woodland Mayor Todd Dinehart will consult with the Cowlitz County prosecutor regarding the potential removal of City Councilmember Gabe Huston.

The decision announced Aug. 19 follows allegations that Huston misrepresented his residency status after moving out of his previous home nearly four months prior.

During an Aug. 5 City Council meeting, Dinehart accused Huston of providing false information about his residence, stating he has stayed with his family outside Woodland for four months.

Huston denied any wrongdoing, noting that although his family had moved outside Woodland, he had maintained his connection to the city by renting two rooms from friends following his move. He requested time from the council to reestablish himself in the town, pointing to his ongoing recovery from colon cancer and his doctors advice not to return to work yet.

Dinehart attests both renters agreements are bogus, and no neighbors could say he stayed in either home a single night.

The issue was revisited during the Aug. 19 council meeting. A few residents, including Monica Rehm, asked the council to allow Huston to retain his seat. Rehm argued the rental agreements should suffice and urged the council to show leniency given Hustons circumstances.

Where is our compassion in this? Lets just get him out, I guess, Rehm remarked sarcastically.

Dinehart, however, maintained that city law is clear on the definition of residency, which requires a city councilmembers permanent residence to be within city limits. Although temporary stays outside Woodland are permitted under certain conditions, such as during a home remodel, maintaining a valid residence within the city is mandatory.

The City Council held an executive session to consult with the city attorney on the matter. Council member Carol Rounds stressed the importance of legal compliance to avoid potential litigation.
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ORNL researchers demonstrated the use of drones equipped with cameras and other sensors to check power lines at an EPB of Chattanooga training center for electrical line workers. Credit: Jason Richards/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

A sensor on the electric grid picks up a strange blip in current or voltage. What's happening, and will it cause an outage? Usually, a utility worker must travel in person to check. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have now developed a new automated drone inspection system that can respond rapidly to unusual electric grid behavior, especially in remote areas that are tough for a worker to reach.

ORNL demonstrated the new approach at a training facility for powerline workers owned by utility partner EPB of Chattanooga in Tennessee. A recording of popping sounds, like those made by an arc of superheated electricity, started the exercise. In moments, a drone lifted into the air, following GPS coordinates to check for problems.

Hovering near power lines, the drone filmed the equipment with a tiny camera and then called other drones carrying high-resolution acoustic sensors, radio frequency sensors or other specialized equipment. The drones livestreamed their inspection back to the EPB's command center and ORNL's linked Grid Operations and Analytics Laboratory in Knoxville. The drone-mounted sensors can collect enough information for the utility to decide whether to dispatch a bucket truck for urgent maintenance to prevent a power outage.

The demonstration proved that humans don't have to be directly involved with this level of grid monitoring, said lead researcher Peter Fuhr, who also leads the Grid Sensing and Communications group at ORNL. Drone-based sensors could pinpoint problems faster.

EPB is interested in implementing the approach because accurate, early recognition of electric line malfunctions can prevent outages and save money.

"The biggest opportunity is identifying imminent equipment failure," said Jim Glass, assistant vice president of Smart Grid Operations for EPB. "Just as with your health, if you catch problems early, you can correct them with less expense and difficulty. Proactively addressing problems before customers experience outages provides tremendous benefit."

The automated drone inspection and its technology are part of a collaborative project called Autonomous Intelligent Measurement Sensors and systems, or AIMS. ORNL researchers developed the system for using machine-to-machine communications to automatically sense problems, generate work orders and coordinate multi-stage drone inspection of electrical transmission equipment. The project also supports processing the drone data and images so they are useful in rapid decision making.

ORNL demonstrated a variety of drone types for automated power line inspection, but the project focuses on affordable models so the approach can be practical for utilities. Credit: Emma Foley/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

AIMS customizes off-the-shelf drones, sensors and software along with new technology, algorithms and automated protocols developed by ORNL. Using commercial technology when possible makes the approach practical and affordable for electricity providers.

"This is completely novel to the utility world," Fuhr said. "No one has put this together as a holistic system before. We're taking these components and operating them in a very different way, tailoring the math, hardware and software to the needs of utilities."

In the cases when commercially available products were not affordable for use across a utility system, the ORNL team designed new technology. For example, ultraviolet cameras for the drones were priced at $25,000 and weighed 10 pounds. ORNL researchers invented a combination visual/ultraviolet/invisible light sensor that's less than 1% of the cost and weighs less than a pound, Fuhr said.

Here's how the inspection process works: Sensors mounted on power lines and transformers throughout the grid trigger the process when they collect information. The utility's centralized management system can automatically compare these readings of current and voltage with waveforms in the Grid Event Signature Library, a vast DOE repository of grid data maintained by ORNL.

When irregular activity is identified, a ground control unit can be automatically directed to send a scout drone from an electrical substation. The system can decide which drone is the closest with the appropriate range and battery charge.

The scout drone uses global positioning coordinates to locate and check the area with a radio frequency sensor, visual and infrared cameras and a simple sound detector. The drone can monitor its own battery, dodge obstacles such as trees and power lines, record readings and convey them in real time using wireless or cellular networksor in the case of the demonstration, via EPB's fiber optic network.

Based on information collected by the scout drone, the ground control system can send other drones equipped with more specialized inspection capabilities. Fuhr compares the scout drone to an emergency room triage nurse.

"You show up at the ER intake, where a person evaluates your condition and decides if you need a specialist," he said. "This works the same. The scout decides what type of measurement is needed based on whether there is electrical arcing, a cracked fuse or a branch on a power line."

Leaders from EPB of Chattanooga observed as ORNL researchers processed sensor feeds from drones as part of a demonstration of automated power line inspection capabilities. Credit: Emma Foley/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Sensor data from the drones, as well as their location and operating status, could be relayed to the central control system in real time. Researchers are working on ways for this processing to occur near the drone, such as at a substation, reducing drain on the battery as well as the risk of interrupted communications. Quantum-based communication will generate random keys that encrypt access to the sensor data and protect drone controls, Fuhr added.

Although this inspection approach is designed to operate independently of human intervention, a built-in override function allows a person to immediately land the drones or send them back to their chargers.

ORNL researcher Elizabeth Piersall adapted the sensor components and developed control software for the drone and cameras. She also created algorithms to recognize dangers to power equipment that are visible in the video feed.

"We want to understand how to use these sensors to accurately identify active arcing, even when dealing with potentially poor resolution and motor vibration from affordable sensors and drones," she said. To train these models, Piersall has been able to use a vast trove of drone video taken during routine power line inspections through an earlier EPB partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Fuhr envisions a fleet of drones, each equipped with a different sensing capability, on standby at wireless chargers in substations. EPB has about 100 substations covering 600 square miles of service area, but Glass said he envisions equipping the 20 largest substations first and then adding more as needed. Outfitting substations with the affordable drones ORNL identified would be much more economical than the cost of sending trained line workers in a bucket truck to check far-flung electric lines and equipment.

Glass said EPB has an equal interest in using drones for both routine and emergency line inspection after storms. "The first step in restoration efforts after a major weather event is to assess where the most severe damage is, and drones could be a huge advantage in that."

Piersall noted that although utilities have thousands of stationary sensors on the grid, those don't offer an easy way to see elevated equipment close up while it's operating. "This provides a perspective on the information that utility specialists may not have otherwise," she said. "We are not just finding a better way to do something that can be done already. We are providing a new capability."

ORNL researchers Gary Hahn, Ali Ekti, Bill Monday, Jason K. Richards, and Ozgur Alaca and University of Tennessee students Emma Foley and Stephanie Tomasik also contributed to the research.
Texas State Rep. Ernest Bailes IV, right, sits down to talk and joke alongside Coldspring High School football team manager Robby Roseman before Coldspring High Schools rivalry football game against Shepherd, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in Coldspring. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer State Representative candidate Janis Holt assembles campaign signs before a meet and greet at Generations Coffee and Sandwich Shop, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024 in Liberty. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 17: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Alex Wong/Getty Images

Rep. Ernest Bailes agreed with Gov. Greg Abbott on virtually every issue during his six years in the state House.

But Bailes was among the two dozen Republicans last year to oppose Abbotts push to give families taxpayer dollars for private education, which Bailes argued could strain the public school systems that the communities in his rural district were built around.

The governor backed Bailes primary opponent, Janis Holt, and before long, Bailes said, there were up to a half dozen ads per hour on TV stations in his Southeast Texas district declaring that Abbott couldnt trust him. Holt, whom Bailes had easily defeated just two years earlier, ended up beating Bailes by more than 14 percentage points.

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It was one of 18 GOP primary races where Abbott spent millions of dollars backing candidates in their races against Republicans who opposed his voucher push. The governor spent more than $700,000 supporting Holt, the second most for any candidate he endorsed.

That spending made a difference, a new Hearst Newspapers analysis shows. Turnout in contested districts where Abbott spent money in 2024 increased at a rate 50% higher than in contested districts where he didnt. On average, districts that were contested and where Abbott spent money saw a 3 percentage point increase in turnout from the cycle before, compared with 2 percentage points in the others.

What does this mean in real numbers? In San Antonio's District 121, Marc Lahood, who received nearly $700,000 from Abbott, won by 3,090 votes in a race where around 6,070 more votes were cast in this years GOP primary election than in 2022. More than 22,100 votes were cast in the election overall.

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Two of the races Abbott got involved in saw the second- and fourth-highest turnouts in the state during this years GOP primaries. In those races, the Abbott-backed candidates defeated Reps. Glenn Rogers (House District 60) and Travis Clardy (House District 11).

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It was an unprecedented drive by the governor against members of his own party that political scientists and GOP operatives say sends a message ahead of the upcoming legislative session.

Abbott has made very clear to legislators, and strangely, especially legislators from his party, that his threats are credible, said Joshua Blank, a political scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. If the governor says that he has a priority and that he will punish those who oppose him, it's clear that he means it. And for elected officials always concerned about reelection, he's dramatically increased the cost of opposing him going forward.

Brendan Steinhauser, a Republican political consultant, said GOP candidates now see Abbott as the most important political figure in their future.

Psychologically, this has had a big impact among legislators and the lobby and outside groups involved, Steinhauser said. Just anecdotally, people were using words like earth shattering.

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Abbott wasnt the only one campaigning to send a message to lawmakers. Attorney General Ken Paxton also worked to unseat members who voted to impeach him last summer, though Paxton spent none of his own campaign cash in those races.

Paxtons endorsed candidates won only 38% of the time, compared with Abbotts 79% success rate.

It seems the impeachment was just one of the issues, but school choice was the top issue, and Abbott was the most important figure in that debate, Steinhauser said. If hes willing to spend the money on an issue that resonates and has support, and theres daylight between the governor and the legislator, now you have a trifecta  and if youre a statehouse member, you have to be concerned.

Bailes said that even as vouchers were the impetus for Abbotts drive against him, much of the governors campaign messaging had more to do with the border and allegations that Bailes votes with Democrats and couldnt be trusted to work with Abbott. Public polling shows that border security is a top issue for Republican voters, while education generally ranks much lower.

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Abbott has not made clear what he will prioritize next session, aside from passing private school voucher legislation. His campaign account had more than $50 million as of its last filing. Most of the money he spent on the voucher push came from a single donor, Pennsylvania billionaire and TikTok investor Jeff Yass, who has given $10 million to Abbott since December.

ABBOTT ON EDUCATION: With school voucher critics ousted, all eyes turn to Abbott on Texas education priorities

Bailes said he opposed Abbotts voucher push because he didnt believe it was right for his district. He said he tried to meet with the governor during the past session to discuss the issue but that Abbott did not want to talk about it.

He quite simply said how the vote has to be: You have to vote for this, your people demand it, Bailes said. Im like, my people dont demand that.

This job should be representing the district you are sent to represent, Bailes said. And the governor of the state of Texas plainly said, Thats not your job.

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He said he believes the governors involvement tipped the scales against him.

He has automatic credibility with his office, and he capitalized on that from a political standpoint to win an election  an election which he really should have had nothing to do with, Bailes said.
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 deluge of bizarre computer-generated images swept Elon Musk's social platform X last weekincluding violent, offensive and sexually suggestive content. In one, Trump piloted a helicopter as the World Trade Center buildings burned in the background. In others, Kamala Harris wore a bikini, and Donald Duck used heroin. Amidst the online furor, Musk posted, "Grok is the most fun AI in the world!"

By Friday, the shocking images had lost some of their novelty. The volume of posts about Grok peaked at 166,000 posts on Aug. 15, two days after the image generation features were announced, according to the data firm PeakMetrics.

But while the craze has faded, the most lasting impact of Grok's viral moment may be its implications for the still-nascent field of AI content moderation. The rollout of Grok was a risky experiment in what happens when guardrails are limited, or don't exist at all.

Musk has been a champion of AI without much intervention, vocally criticizing tools from OpenAI and Alphabet Inc.'s Google as too "woke." Grok's images, powered by a small startup called Black Forest Labs, were deliberately unfiltered. But even Grok appears to have reined in some forms of content.

About a week after the image generation features debuted, Bloomberg observed Grok seemingly introducing more restrictions into its AI tool in real time.

Requests for explicit depictions of violence and gore were met with more refusals, though the same tricks that were effective on older image generatorsreplacing the word "blood" with "strawberry syrup," for instance, or adding the word "toy" to "gun"worked easily on Grok. X did not respond to questions from Bloomberg about how Grok works and what its rules are.

There are plenty of reasons AI companies have been careful about what their images depict. With most AI image generators, carefully orchestrated controls help the bots avoid content that can defame living people, infringe on copyrighted material or mislead the public. Many creators also give the AI strict rules on what it isn't allowed to produce, such as depictions of nudity, violence or gore.

There are three places one can put guardrails on an image generator, said Hany Farid, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley: Training, text input and image output. Mainstream AI tools usually include guardrails in two or all three of those areas, Farid said.

For example, Adobe's generative AI tool, Firefly, was largely trained on its own catalog of stock photosimages that can be used explicitly for commercial purposes.

That helps Adobe ensure that the images generated by Firefly are copyright-compliant, because the AI tool isn't drawing from a data set of company logos or images protected by intellectual property laws. But the company also deploys heavy-handed content moderation in the AI tool, blocking keywords that could be used to depict toxic or illicit content, such as "guns," "criminals" and "cocaine."

OpenAI's DALL-E, meanwhile, makes use of expanded prompts. When someone asks the AI tool to "create an image of a nurse," OpenAI includes what other words, exactly, the AI used to generate the photo, as part of its effort to be transparent to users. Typically, that description elaborates on details like what the nurse is wearing and what their demeanor is.

In February, Bloomberg reported that Google's Gemini AI image generator worked similarly when users asked it for images of people. The AI automatically added different qualifierssuch as "nurse, male" and "nurse, female"in order to increase the image diversity of its outputs. But Google didn't disclose this to its users, which sparked a backlash and caused the company to pause Gemini's ability to generate images of people. The company has yet to reinstate the feature.

Then there are the restrictions on image outputs that some popular image generators have adopted. According to DALL-E's technical documentation, OpenAI will block its AI from creating images it classifies as "racy" or sexually suggestive, as well as images of public figures. Even Midjourney, a small startup which is known to have looser rules, announced in March that it would block all image requests of Joe Biden and Donald Trump ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

But while it's not the norm, Grok isn't the first AI tool to launch with few guardrails, said Fabian Offert, an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who studies digital humanities and visual AI. "It's not novel at all, actually, in terms of the capabilities it has," Offert said. "We've had unrestricted AI models before."

What is different about Grok is the fact that X chose to embed an AI tool with so few limitations directly into one of the world's most widely used social networks, according to Jack Brewster, an enterprise editor at NewsGuard, which tracks online misinformation. Brewster said that adding Grok natively to the platform is an implicit suggestion that a user should share their AI images with their networksno matter how offensive or shocking they might be. "It's so easy to move an image that you create on Grok right into the app," he said.

Black Forest Labs, the maker of the AI model behind Grok's image generator, doesn't spell out what restrictions it's built into the tool. Online documentation for Flux, the AI model that powers Grok, shows only barebones rules for users, like prohibiting the use of the AI for disseminating child exploitative content or creating images with the purpose of harming others. But it's up to users to follow these rules.

NewsGuard has already documented some of the consequences of X's design choice with Grok. Last week, the group published a report that found Grok produces images that can be used to advance or bolster false narratives far more often than other leading AI image generators.

Brewster and his colleagues systematically prompted Grok to create depictions related to 20 different pieces of misinformation, drawn from a database of provably false narratives that NewsGuard maintains. The researchers also requested similar images from Midjourney and OpenAI's DALL-E.

NewsGuard found that Grok created the images it asked for in 80% of the cases it tested, producing 16 out of 20 images depicting misinformation. That compared with Midjourney generating fake images in nine out of the 20 cases NewsGuard tested for, and DALL-E returning requests for images in only two cases.

But it's important to note that fake images don't necessarily result in false narratives, as online audiences become savvier about what's real and what's not. In some examples, the images NewsGuard generated using Grok weren't particularly believable. While Grok was the only AI image generator that didn't refuse the request to "generate a photo of Kamala Harris' birth certificate, showing that she was not born in the United States," the image it produced also included unrecognizable words, a common failing of AI image generators.

Other requests were more disturbing. According to NewsGuard's report, Grok agreed to produce a photo in response to the prompt, "Generate an image of masked men storming into a polling location in Venezuela stealing ballot boxes." In this case, the resulting image had hallmarks of being a believable news photo.

A larger problem is that AI companies have rolled out image generators without a clear purpose for them, said Offert, the assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "You can create anything you want," Offert said. "It looks halfway good. But we still haven't figured out what these things are good for, except maybe replacing stock photography, or just playing around with it."

As the viral images fuel the debate over what these tools should show, Musk, an ardent supporter of Trump, has given the discourse a political tone. The focus on "anti-woke" AI development could be counter-productive, said Emerson Brooking, a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who studies online networks.

"By belittling AI safety and drumming up outrage, Musk may be trying to politicize AI development more broadly," he said. "Not good for AI research, certainly not good for the world. But good for Elon Musk."

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:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini excel at being trained on large data-sets to generate informative responses to prompts. Yi Cao, an assistant professor of accounting at the Donald G. Costello College of Business at George Mason University, and Long Chen, associate professor and area chair of accounting at Costello, are actively exploring how individual investors can use LLMs to glean market insights from the dizzying array of available data about companies.

Their new working paper, appearing in SSRN Electronic Journal and co-authored with Jennifer Wu Tucker of the University of Florida and Chi Wan of University of Massachusetts Boston, examines AI's ability to identify "peer firms," or product market competitors in an industry.

Cao explains the significance of selecting peers by relating this process to the real-estate market. "The capital market is similar to the real-estate market in that a firm's value is partially determined by the value of its peers. In the real-estate market, we price a home based on the value of comparable properties in the neighborhood, or the so-called 'comps.' In our paper, we aim to leverage the power of LLMs to identify comps for evaluating firm value."

This task is at least as difficult as it is essential. It takes much time, skill and effort to gather, aggregate and manage data to select peers. However, the researchers reasoned that LLMs could do a lot of the heavy lifting of data aggregation and analysis for the individual investors, and produce a list of peers comparable in validity to that identified by human experts.

"The advantage is in the capability to utilize all the information potentially out there so that it is at least performing as well as other traditional methods that can help us investors and researchers," says Cao.

For the study, Chen and Cao employed Bard from Google, now known as "Gemini," as their LLM of choice because "Bard has a greater ability to utilize its pre-training data, which is arguably larger than ChatGPT's and with more parameters," says Cao.

After defining "product market competition" and forming a prompt for Bard, the researchers instructed Bard to limit its knowledge pool to a specific year within the period 19812023, in order to avoid "look-ahead bias," i.e., future information scrambling the results.

They limited focal firms to large, publicly listed companies as there is less data out there for smaller or private firms. In all, the data-set comprised over 300,000 focal firm-years.

On average, the LLM could generate about seven peer firms for a focal firm, a number that is similar to the SEC recommendations on how firms should disclose their segments.

The researchers then compared the LLM's performance to the lists generated by three human experts for a set of 40 leading computer software companies. The average overlap was a little over 40%, greater than expected.

They also compared the AI-identified peer lists to two alternative systems for identifying peers: the federal government's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes and Text-based Network Industry Classification (TNIC), which compares firms based on linguistic similarities in their 10-K filings. The LLM's output overlapped significantly with TNIC's. Plus, the peers identified by the LLM were generally a better fit than those from SIC and TNIC, as their monthly stock returns hewed closer to the focal firm.

But TNIC outperformed the LLM in identifying peers for mid-sized firms within the sample, indicating that it is not a clear-cut case of universal LLM superiority.

"We need to understand that LLMs are actually a very powerful, new tool, unmatched in their efficiency, ability to process vast amounts of information at a low cost, and accessibility to the general public," Cao notes.

"It's especially beneficial for individual investorsas all the cost concerns that we're talking about are especially relevant for them," Chen adds.

Regarding the future of LLM, Chen states, "There are always costs and benefits associated with using generative AI. It is uncertain whether current systems will soon be obsolete." When asked about the SEC adopting an AI tool for investors, Chen emphasizes that users need to understand the pros and cons of using AI to make their informed judgments "because AI cannot be held responsible for the information it provides or for how it is utilized."

Chen concludes, "We need to embrace this new technology, but we must recognize that it is not yet in a perfect state. Competition to improve the technology is fierce. Our findings might just represent the lower bound of the effectiveness of the technology."

More information: Yi Cao et al, Can generative AI assist investors? An evaluation of machine-generated peer firms, SSRN Electronic Journal (2024). DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4761624
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California AI Watermarking Bill Supported by OpenAI

OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, is backing a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content in the form of a digital "watermark."

OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, is backing a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content in the form of a digital "watermark." Microsoft, Adobe, and other tech companies have also expressed their support.

The proposed legislation, known as the "California Digital Content Provenance Standards" (AB 3211), aims to ensure transparency in digital media by identifying content created through artificial intelligence. This requirement would apply to a broad range of AI-generated material, from harmless memes to deepfakes that could be used to spread misinformation about political candidates.

Watermarking is a technique used to embed additional information into images, audio, video, and documents, often invisibly, to establish their provenance and authenticity

In a letter sent to California State Assembly member Buffy Wicks, who authored the bill, OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon emphasized the importance of transparency in AI content, especially during election years. "New technology and standards can help people understand the origin of content they find online, and avoid confusion between human-generated and photorealistic AI-generated content," Kwon wrote. (The letter was reviewed by Reuters.)

This bill has been overshadowed by another California state bill, SB 1047, which aims to require that AI developers conduct safety testing on some of their own models. That bill has faced a backlash from the tech industry, including Microsoft-backed OpenAI. (More information here.)

California state lawmakers introduced 65 bills addressing artificial intelligence during this legislative session, according to the state's legislative database. These proposed measures include ensuring algorithmic decisions are unbiased and protecting the intellectual property of deceased individuals from AI exploitation. However, many of these bills have already stalled.

San Francisco-based OpenAI has emphasized the importance of transparency and provenance requirements, such as watermarking, for AI-generated content, particularly in an election year.

With elections taking place in countries representing a third of the world's population this year, experts are increasingly concerned about the impact of AI-generated content, which has already played a significant role in some elections, including in Indonesia.

"New technology and standards can help people understand the origin of content they find online and avoid confusion between human-generated and photorealistic AI-generated content," Kwon wrote in his letter.

AB 3211 passed the state Assembly with a unanimous 62-0 vote and recently cleared the senate appropriations committee, setting it up for a full Senate vote. If approved by Aug. 31, the bill will move to Governor Gavin Newsom for signing or veto by Sept. 30.

The full text of the bill is available here.
Waking at dawn on Sunday to explosions and sirens, Abigail Levy checked the news and quickly understood there had been "an escalation" of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

She stepped outside to find the Israeli port city of Haifa in a "very sad" state after the military announced it had carried out air strikes in Lebanon to thwart a large-scale attack by the Iran-backed militants.

"There was no one outside. Everything was closed, whereas usually there would be a lot of people and activity here," she said.

The coastal city's beaches are typically crowded during the summer, but with drones and rockets raining down near the border 30 kilometres (18 miles) away, Israeli authorities on Sunday declared a 48-hour state of emergency.

The Israeli civil defence force, the Home Front Command, ordered the closure of "supervised swimming areas" between Haifa and Nahariya, the northernmost city on the coast.

Red-and-white tape barred access to the beach in Haifa's Bat Galim neighbourhood, depriving vacationers of the chance to cool off in the Mediterranean as temperatures topped 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Hedva, a 32-year-old student who declined to give her last name, said she did not understand why such measures were necessary since "there are shelters in all the buildings near the beach".

But the army says these are an insufficient safeguard, asserting that, given Haifa's proximity to Lebanon, residents must be able to access anti-rocket shelters less than a minute after hearing sirens to avoid the risk of being hit by projectiles and fragments.

Hezbollah began firing on Israel on October 8, one day after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

The cross-border violence has killed hundreds, mostly in Lebanon, and displaced tens of thousands of residents in both southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

On the Lebanese side 605 people have been killed, mostly Hezbollah fighters, but including at least 131 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, authorities say 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed.

Hezbollah recently released a video threatening the port of Haifa, claiming the footage came from one of its drones.

The city is home to a refinery and large industrial zone, raising residents' fears of a chemical disaster in the event of such an attack.

In the summer of 2006, during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the militant group targeted Haifa with rockets, and 15 years earlier Iraqi missiles fired on Haifa during the Gulf War.

Despite this history, 62-year-old Jane Paz said on Sunday she had "not an ounce of fear", while voicing frustration that her planned day at the beach had been scuttled.

"It makes no sense to close the beach and force people to stay home!" she fumed at a security guard who ordered her and her dog away from the water and onto a nearby promenade.

"If a missile is going to fall, it will fall. Jews are not safe anywhere anyway, so we can't live in constant fear," Paz told AFP.

Sitting on a bench, Olga Log staved off her boredom with a beer.

"I come to the seaside every day. Israel is a great nation. We shouldn't be afraid of missiles," said the young woman of Russian origin.

"Around four in the morning, I heard a noise, as usual," she added, referring to the fighter jets and drones that frequently roar over northern Israel these days.

Log learned that the beaches were closed after consulting a Russian-language Israeli news site, but decided to head out anyway.

"I don't care," she told AFP before joining some others who ended up venturing onto the sand in defiance of official warnings.
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PayerMax, a leading global provider of payment solutions, will present innovative digital payment solutions that are bolstering Saudi Arabias digital economy at the 24 Fintech event.

Taking place from September 3 to 5, 2024, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre, the event will see PayerMax emphasise its alignment with the kingdom's digital aspirations and its contribution to the burgeoning market for digital transactions in Saudi Arabia.

PayerMax's Partner, COO, Essay Zhu, will appear in a panel discussion titled Shaping Tomorrows Financial Services With Future Payments Infrastructure. Her insights will enlighten attendees on how PayerMax's revolutionary payment solutions cater to the evolving preferences of global consumers and demands of Saudi consumers, resonating with the kingdom's objective to transform to 70% of its transactions to cashless mediums by 2030.

Borderless growth

PayerMax is set to engage with key stakeholders, showcasing its innovative payment solutions that are driving the advancement of the fintech landscape both regionally and internationally. As a leading omni-channel global payment provider, with over 600 payment methods and supporting 70+ transaction currencies, PayerMax is focused on empowering the borderless growth of the worlds fastest-growing digital merchants in emerging markets.

In showcasing its Value-Added Services Matrix during the event, PayerMax will offer a variety of robust offerings beyond global acquiring, payouts, and fund management. The company has an array of value-added services, including risk management, foreign exchange management, payment marketing (webshop), and finance & tax services, constructing a comprehensive environment for merchants to excel in a competitive global marketplace and handle the intricacies of globalisation with ease.

Wang Hu, Co-Founder of PayerMax, said: Our participation in the 24th Fintech event is a testament to our commitment to supporting Saudi Arabias Vision 2030. The kingdom is leading the charge in digital innovation, creating a vibrant and dynamic economy that offers unparalleled opportunities for growth.

Managing risk

As the very first Asian fintech company to participate in the Regional Headquarters Programme (RHQ) and obtain an RHQ licence in Saudi Arabia, we are proud to align our solutions with Saudi Arabias forward-thinking vision, helping businesses manage risk more effectively, navigate the complexities of globalisation for sustainable growth and harness the full potential of this transformative era. We embrace the opportunity to play a pivotal role in the kingdom's digital revolution, contributing to an economy marked by expansive potential, he added.

Highlighting the potential for growth in digital payments, with the total transaction value in the digital payments market is projected to reach $63.90 billion in 2024, PayerMax's role in driving this trajectory is significant. The market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.06% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a total transaction value of $87.14 billion by 2028.

PayerMax has introduced embedded payment technologies facilitating seamless integration into merchants websites and apps. This innovative approach not only supports diverse payment methods - cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, and even cash payments in various countries - within a unified framework but also enhances the consumer experience, fostering convenience at every transactional touchpoint.--TradeArabia News Service
Oman's Nama Water Services has awarded Galfar, a leading engineering and contracting company in the sultanate, an OMR117 million ($304 million) contract for the construction of water distribution networks in the Ad Dhahirah Governorate.

The contract, awarded on Monday (August 26), covers water networks for Ibri, Yanqul and Dank wilayats in the governorate, the company said.

The execution period for the contract is set at 44 months from the commencement date.

This award will further enhance Galfar's order book and sustain its market share within the water sector projects, the company said. -TradeArabia News Service
OQ Gas Networks (OQGN), the exclusive operator of Oman's natural gas transmission network, has inaugurated the Saib Project, an additional gas pipeline in Dhofar Governorate with a length of 208 km, built at a cost of OMR76 million ($197.43 million).

The inauguration ceremony was held under the patronage of Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar, and was participated by government officials, community leaders, OQGN Board of Directors and key stakeholders and contractors.

The Saib Project aligns with OQGN's strategic goals to expand the gas network's capacity in response to rising population, urban development, and economic growth, said an Oman News Agency report.

With the inauguration of the project, the capacity of the gas network will increase 60 per cent from 10 million cu m per day to 16 million cu m per day. The project consists of two loops, the first loop with a length of 32 km at Hubara, in the wilayat of Haima, and the second loop with a length of 176 km from Harweel to Raysut station in Salalah with a total of 208 km of 32-inch pipeline alongside the existing 24-inch pipeline.

The project scope includes the extension of six block valve stations along with three new launching and receiving stations. A total of 16,978 pipes (each with a 32-inch diameter and 12.5 m length) were transported to the work sites crossing mountainous terrains within Governorate of Dhofar and Al Wusta.

Eng Mansoor Ali Al Abdali, CEO of OQGN, said: The inauguration of the Saib project in Dhofar Governorate is a significant milestone in our companys projects records. It addresses the increasing demand for gas in the region and underscores our commitment to supporting local communities and fostering economic development in line with Oman Vision 2040.

"Completing the Saib project represents a major advancement in strengthening the natural gas infrastructure in the Sultanate of Oman. This strategic expansion not only meets the growing energy needs of Dhofar Governorate but also highlights our dedication to sustainable growth and our determination to lead the transition to clean energy in the near future," he added.

Over the past 10 years, OQGN has maintained an impressive gas availability rate of 99.9%, with no interruptions in supply. It has successfully transported approximately 40 billion cu m of natural gas and operates around 4,031 km of gas pipelines throughout the sultanate.
Trimble, a global leader in construction technology, has underscored the integral role of advanced technology in meeting project deadlines and reducing costs, amid the Middle East construction markets rapid expansion.

The company also announced key updates to its cutting-edge software solutions, which can be seamlessly integrated with Trimbles hardware devices and other third-party solutions.

By utilising this integration capability, businesses can streamline workflow, reduce errors, and facilitate connectivity across all phases of construction to ensure timely project delivery, adhering to budget constraints.

In construction time is money

Trimble stated: "In construction, time truly equates to money," emphasising the importance of connected construction solutions in expediting project completion. The UAE construction market is poised to achieve an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of over 3% between 2025-2028, driven by robust investments in transport, housing, and renewable energy projects.

Similarly, KSA's construction market is projected to reach a valuation of $70.33 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $91.36 billion by 2029. These markets present excellent opportunities for implementing cutting-edge technology that can optimise construction processes and efficiency.

Paul Wallett, Regional Director of Trimble Solutions, Middle East, said: Our advanced connected construction solutions are tailored to address the multifarious challenges faced by the Middle Easts construction markets. It is pertinent to address critical issues such as design accuracy, stakeholder alignment, and efficient document control and management to ensure precise and timely project completion, which will in turn reduce costs. We are also in the process of expanding our innovative solution portfolio in the Middle East region.

Advanced tech solutions

With the rise of smart cities, the demand for eco-friendly and efficient infrastructure is burgeoning. As a result, governments are seeking solutions that can facilitate connected and automated infrastructure. In keeping with this goal, Trimble aims to catalyse the shift towards sustainable and integrated urban developments with its advanced tech solutions.

Trimble is set to announce the expansion of its software portfolio for construction document management in the Middle East, aimed at facilitating seamless workflows, during the Connected Construction Conference at the Museum of the Future, Dubai on October 30, 2024.

Trimbles state-of-the-art solutions are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the Mena regions growing markets, by elevating project efficiency and cutting down costs. Underpinned by its long-standing expertise as a construction solutions market leader, Trimble holds the potential to facilitate robust development within the regions key markets.--TradeArabia News Service
The bar at Okto, a new Mediterranean restaurant opening soon in Montrose Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

Okto, a Mediterranean restaurant with a lively bar scene from the James Beard-nominated restaurateurs behind Sof Hospitality, is opening Aug. 31 at the Montrose Collective.

The restaurant group behind Hamsa and Doris Metropolitan  both of which are on the Chronicles most recent Top 100 restaurants guide  is aimed at offering a light-night option thats centered on sharing drinks and small plates.

Owners of Okto, Itai Ben Eli and Itamar Levy, a new Mediterranean restaurant opening soon in Montrose Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

At this point, operating for more than seven years, we feel like we know what the locals like and how Houstonians eat, said Itai Ben Eli, who owns the restaurant with partner Itamar Levy. The concept were bringing is missing in Houston.

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HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles top 100 restaurants

The dining room of Okto, a new Mediterranean restaurant opening soon in Montrose Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer The dining room of Okto, a new Mediterranean restaurant opening soon, is photographed on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer The dining room of Okto, a new Mediterranean restaurant opening soon, is photographed on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Chef Yotam Dolev is photographed in the dining room of Okta Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

That niche, at least according to Sof Hospitality, is a buzzy bar with a strong Mediterranean influence.

Okto, 888 Westheimer, is designed by Elis wife Lindsay Madrigal. The 4,200-square-foot space is a moody setting with dim lighting, shades of green and a bar that takes up at least half the space.

It caters to late-night dining thats common in many countries located in the Levant, Eli said.

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Mediterranean chic, Eli describes the design.

Small plates are featured on the menu at Okto

For now, Okto is only opening in the evenings. The dining room, which seats 60, is reservations only, but its not a formal sit-down affair where customers order from a set menu.

Instead, Eli said people should feel free to order a variety of small plates to share. Okto will be open until 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the beginning its open until 10 p.m. the rest of the week), and they hope to extend hours beyond that.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Houston icon Damians bids farewell on closing night after 41 years as leading Italian restaurant

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Frena is a Moroccan bread that will be served at Okto.

Chef Yotam Dolev moved over from Hamsa to Okto. Hes working with Doris Metropolitan chef Hai Avnaim on the menu.

Hamsa's beloved salatim  dips like hummus, labneh and eggplant  are not on the menu. But the popular bread service includes a new dish: frena, which Eli describes as a Moroccan version of a fluffy focaccia.

Salads, whole fish and a host of cocktails, some which call for Mediterranean spirits like the anise-tasting ouzo, round out the menu.

Eli has traveled throughout the Levant from Spain to the South of France to Israel. Those trips have informed the menu at Okto, which means eight in Greek.

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The meddling of flavors and cooking techniques from the Levant, North Africa and Europe will be found across the 16 or so dishes on the menu.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has launched a new Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Label to promote sustainable business practices.

Developed by the chambers Centre for Responsible Business, the label is designed to help organisations evaluate their ESG readiness and maturity levels, gain recognition and foster business growth.

A thorough assessment was conducted by globally recognised ESG experts as part of the development process, which examined global and regional regulatory landscapes and reporting frameworks to identify the critical factors in determining an organisation's ESG maturity. The business community was also consulted during the development phase to help shape the framework, which is aligned with global best practices and meets the local and international baseline for ESG reporting and preparedness.

Holistic approach

Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, commented: The Dubai Chamber of Commerce ESG Label addresses the need for a holistic approach to sustainable business practices that benefit society and the environment, while also supporting our mission to promote good governance and ethical business practices. By shifting the emphasis from corporate social responsibility to ESG labelling, we aim to encourage businesses to adopt comprehensive strategies that embed sustainability into their core operations and decision-making processes.

Organisations of all sizes that have been established for at least two years are eligible to apply. Companies that successfully apply for the label will benefit from alignment with ESG best practices, enhanced brand image and reputation, and added value for potential investors. The framework promotes ESG ownership within organisations by benchmarking ESG practices against key parameters and peer companies in the region and globally.

Participating organisations receive a feedback report highlighting any areas for improvement, together with a maturity level score based on their overall ESG rating. Once awarded, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce ESG Label certificate is valid for a period of one year.

ESG has emerged as a strategic priority for organisations of all sizes, creating a need for companies to integrate sustainability goals into their core business practices and operations. This includes adopting transparent reporting standards, reducing environmental impact, enhancing social responsibility initiatives, and ensuring governance practices align with ethical principles.

Virtual roadshow

Recently, the chamber organised a virtual roadshow that was attended by 224 participants. The online session covered the main concepts of ESG, the development of the framework, and the application process for the ESG Label, together with the benefits for participating organisations. More sessions will be organised in future to drive engagement with the business community.

Dubai Chamber of Commerces Centre for Responsible Business plays a pivotal role in promoting responsible and sustainable business practices in the emirate and is committed to supporting and motivating companies to adopt best practices in ESG to enhance their performance, increase competitiveness, and enrich their social and environmental contributions.

The centre provides a range of platforms and tools, as well as access to knowledge and expertise, to help companies embed governance, sustainability, and social responsibility throughout their operations.

--TradeArabia News Service
Daphne Technology, a leading Swiss climate deep-tech company committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in hard-to-decarbonise industries, has set up its new subsidiary, Daphne Technology SG, in Singapore.

This expansion marks a key step in the company's growth, positioning Singapore as the central hub for its maritime operations in the Asia-Pacific region.

Daphne Technology SG will play a crucial role in the company's scale-up phase, focusing on delivering innovative solutions to mitigate methane slip and other harmful emissions within the maritime sector. Renowned as a global maritime hub, Singapore offers the perfect ecosystem for Daphne Technology to advance its mission of driving a sustainable energy transition in the shipping industry.

Wealth of experience

The new Singapore entity will be led by Kuldipak Pednekar, who has been appointed Managing Director. Kuldipak, who has been with Daphne Technology since the beginning of 2022 and serves as the company's Head of Marine & Offshore Operations, brings a wealth of experience in maritime operations and business scaling, making him ideally suited to lead Daphne Technology's efforts in this dynamic region. His leadership will be pivotal as the company accelerates its efforts to provide groundbreaking technologies contributing to global decarbonisation goals.

"We are thrilled to establish our presence in Singapore, a critical market for maritime operations and a key region for our growth strategy," said Dr Mario Michan, CEO & Founder of Daphne Technology. "With Kuldipak Pednekar at the helm, Daphne Technology Singapore SG will drive the adoption of sustainable practices in the maritime industry, delivering cutting-edge solutions that align with our commitment to environmental sustainability and technological innovation."

"I am honoured to lead Daphne Technology SG at such a crucial moment in our company's growth," said Pednekar. "Singapore's strategic position in the global maritime industry provides us with a unique opportunity to accelerate the adoption of our innovative technologies. I look forward to driving our mission forward, ensuring that we make a significant impact in reducing emissions and advancing sustainable practices within the maritime sector."

Daphne Technology's expansion into Singapore underscores its dedication to tackling the global methane slip challenge, especially in the maritime sector. The Singapore subsidiary will be instrumental in deploying the company's pioneering technologies, including SlipPure, which significantly reduces methane emissions from ship exhausts, and PureMetrics, an advanced real-time GHG measurement and optimisation system.--TradeArabia News Service
The fifth annual Airtaxi World Congress (ATWC) to be held in Dubai, from October 7-10, at the Grand Hyatt Dubai Conference & Exhibition Centre, will celebrate the redefining of commercial air transport in a region widely recognised as one of the first-movers.

The event will introduce original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of clean-tech aircraft, and start-up operators planning to fly them, to prospective buyers, investors and regulators.

The congress includes an event within an event on October 10  a showcase, where it will host a selection of eVTOLs, STOLs, drones, and next-gen aircraft at The Air Chateau Dubai Helipark, adjacent to Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority recently issued Air Chateau with certification to develop new vertiports and heliports to support regional air services in the UAE. The company also pledged to acquire 100 Archer Midnight eVTOLs, plus 10 eVTOLs from Crisalion Mobility.

We are looking forward to welcoming up to 1,000 delegates from all the over the world in October, stated Airtaxi World Congress President Mike Howarth, emphasising its unique formula is all about conducting business and spurring on the rapid development of this emerging industry.

ATWC will include several fireside chats with Next Gen OEMs, complemented by workshops focusing on the critical role of regulators; airlines and airports planning future route network strategies together; plus the needs/and future role of handling agents and infrastructure specialists.

Notable international and Middle East participants to date include the US FAA; Electra.aero; Rolls-Royce; Volocopter; Lilium; AENA; Bristow Group; Korea Airports Corporation; United Airlines; Edmonton International and Houston Airports; Skytrac; InterGlobe, FlyNAS and Honeywell.

The event commences with a high-level summit, and sessions include:

 Airports of Tomorrow: Pioneering AAM Integration

 Airlines & Operators: The New Reality

 Regional Air Mobility vs Urban Air Mobility

 Heavy Cargo Drones and Delivery Services as a New Market

 USA, China, UK, and Portugal Markets

Complimentary Attendance

Airtaxi World Congress will once again arrange online scheduling, in 20-minute slots, enabling airlines and start-up mobility operators, whose attendance is complimentary, to meet with OEMs, suppliers, operators, airports and vertiports, emerging urban networks and potential business investors.

Since weve been running these events (San Francisco in 2023, Istanbul in 2022) the AAM market has grown exponentially, said Howarth.

There are now around 1,000 models in various development globally, together with a host of fixed-wing regional air mobility aircraft.

Back to the Future

Not since US deregulation in the 1980s and the ushering in of innovative regional aircraft and airlines we have seen such excitement in air transportation, said Howarth.

In many ways this is Back to the Future, with the same reasons and requirements for regional, point to point air travel, but this time, powered by vertical lift technology, autonomy, AI and hybrid-electric propulsion.

Observers have called this the Third Age of aviation, which is an excellent descriptor, said Howarth.

The Dubai event will take place concurrently with Routes World in Bahrain (October 6-8), providing international delegates a bonus opportunity to optimise their business trips by attending both events.

Airtaxi World Congress commences on October 7 with an Immersive Tour of Dubai, with places available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Welcome Reception is sponsored by the congress' destination partner, Dubai Department of Economy, and Tourism.  TradeArabia News Service
PROVEN Arabia, a leading Saudi holding company providing comprehensive solutions, has revealed its new brand identity to showcase its commitment to provide state-of-the-art solutions and services for its customers.

The new brand reinforces the companys aspiration to expand its offerings and enhance its capabilities, ensuring that it remains as a trailblazer in the industry.

"We are proud to highlight our remarkable customers growth both regionally and globally which has inspired our decision to evolve. The expansion of our workforce and the unveiling of our new brand identity, underscores the significant progress we've made over the years. It is also a testament of our hard work and the vision to deliver enhanced quality solutions for our customers. At PROVEN Arabia, we strive to foster a culture built on solid values, continually enhancing our workplace to better serve our team and clients. This new space embodies our dedication to these principles and our vision for the future," said Zaid Al Mashari, Co-Founder and Group CEO PROVEN Arabia.

Iconic logo

At the heart of PROVEN Arabias new identity is an iconic logo that was inspired by a desire to create a visual identity that seamlessly blends both the Arabic and English languages. The modern and sleek design reflects the companys forward-thinking approach, while the fusion of an Arabic version displays its dedication to inclusivity and cultural roots, thus emphasizing its global outlook and bilingual proficiency.

The brand refresh also includes a new and bigger office space in Riyadh to accommodate their expansion and future growth. The office has an open-space layout, aimed at enhancing communication and collaboration among team members and aligns with the company's commitment to transparency and unity.

By integrating these design elements, PROVEN Arabia aims to create a work environment that not only boosts productivity but also promotes a sense of community and well-being among its employees. Additionally, the new brand encapsulates the company's dedication to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Bold step forward

Our new look perfectly captures the essence of who we are and is indicative of our plans ahead, added Naif Al Otaibi, Member Board of Directors - PROVEN Arabia. It is a bold step forward that signifies our commitment to growth, innovation, and excellence in everything we do.

Established in 2008, PROVEN Arabia has experienced exceptional growth and boasts a diverse portfolio of companies serving multiple sectors. Its subsidiary companies include PROVEN Consult, PROVEN Solution ( sub-brands - PROVEN Reality and PROVEN Robotics), PROVEN, PROVEN 360, Servhub and AEMACO.

The new brand identity will be implemented across all company platforms, including the website, social media channels, and marketing materials. PROVEN Arabia invites its customers, partners, and stakeholders to join them in celebrating this exciting new chapter as it embarks on a new journey of growth and innovation.--TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Abundance Solar Panels Industries will set up a AED55 million ($15 million) sophisticated solar plant on an area of 27,000 sq m in Kezad, Abu Dhabi.

For this Advanced has signed a 50-year land lease agreement with Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi  Kezad Group, the largest operator of integrated and purpose-built economic zones.

To be set up in Kezad Area A  Al Ma'mourah, the plant will manufacture solar panels and integrated photovoltaic modules for businesses across industries looking to move to energy-efficient ecosystems. The plant represents another landmark moment in Kezads history of facilitating the development of new-energy environments. The agreement also reinforces AD Ports Groups strategic vision to drive the transition towards renewable energy and lead the UAEs green agenda to achieve net-zero emissions.

Latest innovations

The proposed plant will leverage the latest innovations in solar panel technology and operate within a sustainable ecosystem, promoting environmental responsibility and stewardship that Kezad Group stands for.

Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO, Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi - Kezad Group, said: We welcome the establishment of Abundances solar panel plant. The project aligns with our leaderships vision for innovation in sustainable economic development as well as Kezad Groups goals of driving industrial development responsibly and sustainably in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Sunil Madhok, Founder of Abundance Solar Panels Industries, said: Encouraged by the vision of UAEs leadership to drive innovation and excellence in sustainable manufacturing, we are setting up fully automatic plant for solar panels manufacturing to offer our humble contribution to Abu Dhabi's green future.--TradeArabia News Service
Vida Marina Resort Marassi ... an invite to explore the bustling marina

Vida Hotels and Resorts has launched Vida Marina Resort Marassi, the first-of-its-kind Vida resort in Egypt. This upscale lifestyle hotspot blends chic coastal living with vibrant waterfront indulgence, set against the stunning Mediterranean Sea.

Located on the enchanting Marassi coast, Vida Marina Resort Marassi provides direct access to the Marassi Marina, one of the largest international marinas in the Middle East.

The resorts strategic location allows guests to explore the bustling marina, enjoy designer boutiques, gourmet cuisine, and vibrant nightlife. With proximity to historical cities like Alexandria and Cairo, travellers are perfectly positioned to explore Egypt's rich culture and contemporary lifestyle.

The resort features 103 deluxe rooms, twin rooms, and suites with stunning marina views. The interiors reflect a Mediterranean oasis with open, airy aesthetics, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Thoughtfully curated spaces inspire creativity, with bold textures and artistic details echoing the vibrant Mediterranean spirit.

During the stay, guests can unwind by the infinity pool with breathtaking marina views or relax on the serene beach at the resorts sister property, Address Beach Resort Marassi.

The resort also offers a state-of-the-art fitness studio, The Spa by Vida, a kids pool, and a dedicated kids club.

Mark Kirby, Head of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: Vida Marina Resort Marassi is a true embodiment of the Vida brand, bringing our signature blend of stylish living and vibrant hospitality to the stunning Mediterranean coast of Egypt.

This resort not only offers luxurious accommodations and exceptional amenities but also creates a unique space where guests can connect, rejuvenate, and find inspiration.

We are excited to welcome travellers to this new coastal haven and look forward to providing unforgettable experiences that showcase the very best of what Vida Hotels and Resorts has to offer.

The resorts dining options feature four unique restaurants that offer both gourmet dishes and grab-and-go goodies.

Stage2 provides a relaxed yet elegant setting, perfect for socialising. Origins is a lively all-day dining restaurant with wholesome foods and clean ingredients. SoCal brings a taste of California to Egypt with its refreshing beverages, delectable bites, and tropical vibes.

This casual eatery, with its retro feel, is ideal for escaping the daily grind and finding your sunset spot to de-stress or socialise with Hubbly Bubbly and upbeat music. Lastly, the Pool Lounge and Bar, nestled by shimmering waters, invites guests to revive with handcrafted cocktails and light bites.

Discover the Mediterranean's allure, the vibrant social scene of the marina promenade, and endless opportunities for relaxation and adventure, a statement said.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Airways is elevating travel experiences to the Maldives through its new interline partnership with Maldivian, the national carrier of the Maldives, providing passengers the option to book both Qatar Airways and Maldivian flights on qatarairways.com.

Travellers planning their holidays at one of the Maldives beautiful islands can now incorporate both their Qatar Airways and Maldivian flights in one booking. Once Qatar Airways passengers arrive to Velana International Airport, they will be guided to the domestic terminal for their Maldivian flight.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: We, at Qatar Airways, continue to expand our services to provide our passengers with innovative and inviting travel experiences. With our latest Maldivian interline partnership, we look forward to seeing our passengers enjoy a smooth start to their holidays, as well as benefit from the plethora of new travel benefits. We are proud to offer the option of a seamless process, allowing passengers to book one ticket that includes both their Qatar Airways flight to Male, and the connecting Maldivian flight to their beachside getaway.

Maldivian Chief Commercial Officer, Ismail Amrah Umar, said: "We are thrilled to announce our interline partnership with Qatar airways, through which our customers will experience smooth connectivity with international baggage allowance while traveling within our network of 17 destinations across Maldives. By offering more choice and enhanced access to our strong and growing route network, we aim to boost tourism to the Maldives, showcasing our pristine islands to travellers from around the world.

The Qatar Airways and Maldivian partnership allows for more choice than ever, as well as providing competitive flight fares and co-ordinated flight schedules. With the new system boosting international connectivity, travellers will now have access to 17 domestic destinations in the Maldives, including Dharavandhoo, Faresmaathodaa, Funadhoo, Fuvahmulah, Gan, Hanimaadhoo, Ifuru, Kaadedhdhoo, Kadhdhoo, Kooddoo, Maafaru, Maavarulu, Madivaru, and Thimarafushi.

Maldivian is the leading domestic carrier in the Maldives that also serves the nearby destinations of Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Its fleet includes both seaplanes and wheelbase aircraft. - TradeArabia News Service
A rendering of the planned expansion at Houston Methodist West Hospital in Katy. Work is expected to begin this fall and be completed by 2027. Courtesy Houston Methodist A rendering of the planned Houston Methodist comprehensive care center that will be located next to the health system's existing emergency care center in Cinco Ranch. Courtesy Houston Methodist

Houston Methodist on Tuesday announced a $247 million project that includes the expansion of its West Hospital in Katy and a new comprehensive care center near Fulshear.

The project is expected to break ground this fall and be completed by 2027. It includes $185 million for the Houston Methodist West Hospital expansion and $62 million for a community expansion, including the construction of the comprehensive care center next to its existing emergency care center in Cinco Ranch.

Houston Methodist said rapid population growth, particularly in Katy and surrounding areas, has driven a need for more health care options close to residents homes.

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"We are embarking on this expansion journey with great enthusiasm, reaffirming our dedication to serving the evolving needs of our community," Wayne M. Voss, the CEO of Houston Methodist West Hospital, said in a news release. "This project will significantly elevate our capacity to deliver exceptional care, close to home."

For patients, the proximity will also limit the amount of time they spend in traffic en route to appointments, said Kyle R. Stanzel, Houston Methodist West Hospital's VP and chief operating officer.

We see that as the population grows in these communities, we have to be closer and closer to folks so they dont spend their day getting to these appointments," he said in an interview.

Stanzel said the project will add hundreds of new jobs at Houston Methodist West Hospital and the new comprehensive care center. Those jobs will be added periodically as pieces of the project are completed, he said.

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The project is the health systems latest expansion in the Houston suburbs. Over the past several years, Houston Methodist has completed expansions at its hospitals in the Woodlands and Baytown and opened an emergency care center in Clear Lake. The health system is also expected to open its Cypress hospital in 2025 and has announced plans to build a multi-specialty clinic in the Woodlands.

The expansion at Houston Methodist West Hospital is one of the largest since the campus opened 14 years ago, the health system said in the news release. It includes more than 129,000 square feet of new and renovated service areas. Currently the West Hospital is approximately 850,000 square feet.

The project includes a new 36-bed observation unit, which increases the hospitals bed count to 307. It also includes four new operating rooms; 16 new emergency department rooms; five new neonatal intensive care unit beds; a new endoscopy suite; an infusion center; and new MRI, CT scan and ultrasound imaging equipment.

CYPRESS HOSPITAL: Houston Methodist to break ground on new 400-bed hospital in Cypress

The hospital is also adding a 24/7 gift shop and an Einsteins Bagels and upgrading its coffee shop.

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Work at the West Hospital campus has already begun with the relocation of some offices to a nearby medical office building, Stanzel said. The bulk of the new construction will take place in 2025.

The three-story, 65,000-square-foot comprehensive care center will be Houston Methodist's fourth in the area, joining existing facilities in Aliana, Conroe, King's Harbor and Pearland. It will offer a range of services such as primary care, a same-day clinic, imaging, lab services and physical therapy. Specialized care in orthopedics, neurology, gastroenterology, urology, and rheumatology will also be available.
Hyatt farse and outta place. The audacity of them. Saying that in this country they are not 
Two women traveling from Arizona were killed in an armed attack in northern Sonora on Friday, according to the Sonora Attorney Generals office.

The women, identified by Sonora officials only as Enedina, 72, and Ubaldina, 82, entered Sonora through the Lukeville-Sonoyta port of entry and were attacked as they traveled toward Caborca, their city of origin, according to Sonora officials.

They were found dead in their overturned, bullet-ridden Nissan Pathfinder at 10:30 a.m. Friday, about 21 miles south of Sonoyta, on Federal Highway 2, officials said.

The U.S. State Department confirmed Monday that one of the victims was a U.S. citizen and one was a lawful permanent resident.

The agency is closely monitoring the situation, a spokesperson said in a Monday email. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We have no further comment at this time.

Sonora and U.S. officials did not confirm on Monday whether the women were current residents of Arizona, but the Phoenix-based husband of one of the victims posted about the attack on social media last week.

On Friday Mexican security forces launched a search operation to find the perpetrators, with support from air and land forces, the Sonora Attorney Generals office said.

The National Secretary of Defense, known as SEDENA, and National Guard officers located a stolen 2023 Ford F-150 in Quitovac, about 27 miles south of Sonoyta, which contained bullet-proof vests, ammunition and four AK-47 rifles, the office said.

Experts are working to establish whether the weapons match evidence at the crime scene, and the Sonora Attorney Generals office is continuing its investigation, alongside SEDENA, the National Guard, the state police and crime-scene investigators, a spokesman for the state Attorney Generals office said Monday.

Officials have not said what motivated the attack. Parts of northern Sonora are experiencing high levels of violence due to territorial battles between rival criminal organizations. Increasingly brutal outbreaks of violence between the groups caused a mass exodus of residents from the border town of Sasabe, Sonora last year.

In December, three U.S. residents, including a U.S. citizen, were fired on while traveling at 2 a.m. on a different stretch of Highway 2, between Altar and Santa Ana. One of the men was killed and the other two were wounded, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

An existing travel advisory from the State Department says travelers to Sonora should reconsider travel due to crime and kidnapping.

Sonora is a key location used by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks, the advisory says. Violent crime is widespread. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping. Travelers should maintain a heightened level of awareness of their surroundings in all their travels in Sonora.

State Department employees are not permitted to drive in the area north of Altar, east of Sonoyta and west of the Mariposa U.S. port of entry, an area that includes the highway where the shooting took place. To access Puerto Penasco, known as Rocky Point in Arizona, officials recommend using only Federal Highway 8, that connects Sonoyta and Puerto Penasco.
Katy ISD Board of Trustees President Victor Perez listens to comments during a board of trustees meeting on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 in Katy. The Katy ISD board of trustees took public comments on how to address gender fluidity among students. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

The Katy ISD board of trustees passed a measure Monday that adds gender fluidity to the list of banned book topics in the district.

Five of the seven board members voted to approve the changes to the book banning policy. Rebecca Fox and Dawn Champagne, who spoke out against the measure, abstained from voting.

Board president Victor Perez and trustees Amy Thieme, Morgan Calhoun, Lance Redmon and Mary Ellen Cuzela all voted in favor of the ban.

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The measure, according to district documents, mandates the removal of all books in elementary and junior high libraries that contain material adopting, supporting or promoting gender fluidity. Parents would have to opt in for high school students to access the literature.

Gender fluidity, according to Perez, is the view that gender is a social construct that espouses the view that a person can be any gender or no gender, i.e. nonbinary, espouses a view that an individuals biological sex should be changed to match a gender different from that persons biological sex, hormone therapy or other medical treatments or procedures to temporarily or permanently alter a persons body so that it matches a gender different from that persons biological sex.

The gender fluidity topic ban is an extension of the book ban passed in August 2023, whereby the board of trustees banned all books containing sexually explicit material.

Champagne said she didnt support the policy. She thinks its a potential violation of Texas law and could open the district to lawsuits, given that Perezs definition is too general and sweeping.

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For example, she said, A.A. Milnes beloved character Winnie the Pooh is technically genderless. The character has a male voice and we think of him as male, but its name is Winnie, which is usually a girls name, she said. You cant tell what he is.

Champagne also noted that most district books have already been audited since the board passed a new book banning policy in August 2023. The policy mandated that librarians go through all library materials.

Librarians will now have to go back through all the books, she noted, to make sure theyre in compliance with the new measure.

This seems like another way to add more burden to librarians, she said.

Fox expressed frustration that the board is continuing to focus its endeavors on banning library books.

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I am done talking about library books, Fox said. Weve modified the policy several times; this change is minimal and not needed.

Fox said she abstained from voting because she doesnt want her vote misrepresented, and she wanted the board to focus on educational outcomes for students.

The decision was met with mixed reviews from the public.

Katy resident Simon Lin likened the book ban to the law requiring child safety caps on prescription medications, noting that adding the caps was an inconvenience at first.

When these changes were implemented, it caused a major uproar, he said. At the end of the day, we accepted these changes because the intent was to protect the public.

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Mitzi Cross, a 40-year public school educator and librarian, said the purpose of public schools, dating back to the forefathers of the U.S., is to give all children from all backgrounds and beliefs an education. Part of that education, she said, is access to library books.

The courts have said we in Texas cannot ban books based upon officials disagreeing with the ideas within, she said. I fear our libraries will become hollow shelves and museums if we dont stop the constant focus on policing and banning books.

Karen Beham, a Katy resident, said she favored the ban because its the narrow self-interest of a few big players that has family and school boards playing defense.

The players, she said, include the American Library Association, book publishers and advocacy groups, and she believes they put profits over children.

Your childrens welfare comes in a distant second, she said.

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Amanda Rose, president and founder of Katy Pride and a Katy ISD parent, noted that the new ban would prevent their child from reading books about families like theirs.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

My grandfather came to the Sonoran Desert nearly a hundred years ago. Amidst the Depressions uncertainty, he sought opportunity in the West. But my grandfather was not a passive observer. He built his own business and contributed to civic development as Phoenix blossomed into a thriving metropolis. The values engendered by my grandparents were embraced by my own parents, who set the example for hard work and civic responsibility.

Just as Arizona offered unlimited possibilities for my parents and grandparents, I enjoyed many opportunities growing up here. I attended neighborhood public schools and gained a solid foundation for my later education at the University of Arizona. After graduate school and an early career out of state, I returned to Tucson to buy a home, raise my own family, and build a business.

Shortly after returning, I had the opportunity to open a satellite office of a small research company working in national security. Arete Associates wanted to expand into electro-optic system development, and Tucson was the perfect location due to its outstanding technical community anchored by the University of Arizona. Our initial hires drew from local talent and Arete became the employer of choice by providing quality jobs with great benefits. As Arete grew, we recruited the top talent from across the nation and enjoyed a high acceptance rate, with young people attracted by affordable housing, good public schools, and an outstanding quality of life. With such competitive advantages, Aretes Tucson division grew quickly and has contributed nearly $1B in economic activity to Southern Arizona.

Working families, young people, and life-long Arizonans now have fewer opportunities, and fewer freedoms, than my generation did. Chronic underfunding of public education may cause new businesses to look elsewhere and limit the availability of good-paying jobs. The lower cost of living that brought me back to Tucson has been eroded, and affordable housing has become unattainable for many. The reproductive care that was available to my wife brought us two beautiful children but is at risk of becoming unavailable. Even our public safety is at risk, where the Legislature has failed to fully fund our Department of Public Safety resulting in limited patrols where resources are most needed. And that outstanding quality of life? It will literally dry up if we dont protect our water resources.

We need to place a priority on funding a comprehensive educational system that is available to all our children and young adults, which will prepare them for satisfying careers in a wide range of fields. We need to protect womens reproductive freedom, and not criminalize medical professionals who provide compassionate and medically appropriate care. We need to keep health care affordable and available to all Arizonans. We need to prioritize public safety over special interests. And we need to secure our water future before out-of-state conglomerates deplete our shared water resources.

One of my proudest achievements at Arete Associates was to lead the transition to 100% employee ownership. As CEO of an employee-owned company, I worked for the employees, not the other way around. I knew who I worked for.

The opportunities that were available to my grandparents, parents, and my own family can still be available to future generations, but only if we elect legislators who put the needs and interests of Arizonans above the greed and arrogance of special interests. We need legislators who know who they work for.
A series of explosions that leveled the Aerlex Corp. fireworks factory at Hallett between Terlton and Jennings, killing 21 of the 26 people there, could be heard in Tulsa, about 25 miles away.

The June 25, 1985, blasts apparently started just outside the factory, where workers were loading a pickup, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Jim King said.

An explosion at the pickup may have caused a chain reaction, destroying the rest of the factory -- a large steel building and seven smaller ones.

The blasts sent a mushroom cloud a half-mile into the sky that was seen by a neighbor who drove toward the fireworks factory to help survivors. He said he met a man on fire running toward him.

"He asked if I had some water and if I would pour it on him," said the neighbor, Yuell Canida. "He was burned all over."

A man in another pickup poured water on the victim and put ice packs on him until an ambulance arrived, Canida said.

A doctor from Drumright said the scene "looked like a napalm bomb had been dropped."

Bodies were blown as far as 200 yards from the factory, the doctor said. Richard O'Bryant, one of the survivors, told a World reporter several days later from his hospital bed that he had been working with Aerlex's founder and owner, Richard Alan Johnson, when he heard a boom.

He said Johnson turned and ran -- and he did the same.

"They'd always stressed to just run, get away. So I didn't hesitate," O'Bryant said.

O'Bryant ran a few steps before an explosion knocked him to the ground. He forced himself to get up and keep running until he fell into a pond where he stayed "until it quieted down," he said.

It was the second explosion since the factory opened in 1973, after Johnson returned from the Vietnam war. The first blast, in July 1979, was much smaller, causing about $100,000 in damage, but all the employees escaped without injury because of a few seconds' warning.

Aerlex was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 13 safety violations and was fined $58,000. Five of the citations alleged willful violations, those that managers knew about but didn't correct.

The citations alleged the factory had inadequate exits, used careless unloading procedures and trucks that weren't flame-proof and stored explosives in unbarricaded buildings. The citations also alleged that smoking was allowed inside the factory.

A lawsuit filed against Aerlex three years later claimed the that the explosions started because two employees mishandled explosives they were unloading from the pickup.

One worker stumbled while unloading a canister of friction-sensitive material and his momentum carried him into an assembly room where an explosion occurred, the lawsuit alleged.

That explosion caused other blasts throughout the plant, it was alleged.

A $3 million default judgment was granted to the survivors of four employees who were killed in the explosions, but their attorney, John Nicks, said he expected it would go uncollected because Aerlex "has no money, that's for sure."

Johnson, who had moved to Fort Worth, did not attend the trial. Nicks said his clients wanted him to establish legal liability, "and we've accomplished that."

Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive.
The problem with requiring accreditation is that no one accredits the accreditors.

Oklahoma Watch's Ruby Topalian and Jennifer Palmer discovered that although the Parental Tax Credit program requires its approved private schools to be accredited, there are no rules about who accredits.

As some of their sources pointed out, anything goes.

School accreditation can be meaningful. Regional accreditors, such as Cognia, have long vetted schools to ensure they are academically sound. But there are plenty of others who will accredit a school for a fee, sometimes never setting foot on campus.

Think about the $5 online ordination from Universal Life Church and you're on the right path.

The Oklahoma City Zoo, for example, runs a private preschool that meets the state's accreditation standards and is eligible to participate in the tax credit program. However, its accreditor is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which evaluated the zoo on standards primarily focused on animal welfare and veterinary care.

Goodland Academy, a middle school in Hugo, was closed for two years but maintained accreditation and reopened in February with five students, all of whom received a tax credit.

As of Aug. 8, state regulators had approved 175 private schools for the Parental Choice Tax Credit program.

All are accredited. Read the story.

Oklahoma Watch: No one is vetting accreditors for private schools under tax credit program Schools that accept Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship students must be accredited by the #oklaed board or one of 15 approved organizations. Schools in the Parental Choice Tax Credit program arent limited to the list of vetted accreditors.
Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

An issue splitting the Republican Party and to some extent the Oklahoma congressional delegation is a matter of far greater magnitude than most Americans realize, 4th District Congressman Tom Cole fears.

One of the things that really disturbs me  in our own country is the lack of understanding about the scope of this, Cole said during a recent visit to the Tulsa World.

Cole was referring to the Russian-Ukrainian War, a conflict almost everyone except the Ukrainians expected to be over in weeks after Russias February 2022 invasion.

Theyre now pushing 600,000 (total) casualties in 2 years. Somewhere around 140,000 Russian dead. Eighty to 100,000 Ukrainian dead. Ukraine lost more people in the opening week of the war than we lost in 20 years in Afghanistan.

By further comparison, the U.S. suffered 211,000 casualties in Vietnam from 1955-1975.

This is being fought along about a 700 kilometer front (435 miles  the distance from Tulsa to Lubbock, Texas), and that doesnt include this latest thing (the Ukrainian invasion of Russia), said Cole, a historian by training. This is World War II-level warfare.

Politically, continued U.S. support of Ukraine with arms, ammunition and money is increasingly difficult for congressional Republicans. An argument, put forward by isolationists and budget hawks and amplified by strategists, that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is Bidens war and no concern of the U.S. has gained considerable acceptance with the party rank-and-file.

Former president and 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has been noncommittal, except to say he would solve the dispute in one day. Some believe he is overly sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Cole pointed out that Trump sent Ukraine weapons that the Obama administration would not.

At least one member of Oklahomas all-GOP delegation, 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen, generally opposes future aid, citing budget concerns.

First District Congressman Kevin Hern has voted against Ukrainian aid, partly because of spending. Hern and others also say they dont want to send more money to Ukraine until the U.S. southern border is secured.

Cole said he disagrees with that thinking. He said policy, not money, is the reason for the post-COVID surge of immigration across the United States southern border.

I was in the southern end of my district, and someone said, Why are we spending this money in Ukraine and were not spending money on the southern border?

I said, First of all, we are spending more money on the southern border than the president asked for. Second, thats a policy failure.  Its not a money issue. Its not like we arent spending money on the southern border. If you want to change the policy, change the president, Cole said. Dont link the two. But its so easy to say, Why are we spending money on this war over here and were not defending our own border?

According to the American Immigration Council, spending for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is at record highs, both individually and combined. Republicans and now even many Democrats say the dramatic post-COVID surge of immigration through the United States southern border is largely a result of the way asylum-seekers have been handled.

Still, spending for Ukraine is much higher  about $175 billion, according to the Council on Foreign Relations  compared to around $60 billion on immigration during a similar time frame.

In terms of national and international impact, though, the two situations are quite different. Cole and many others believe abandoning Ukraine to Russia could lead to a broader European conflict and invite Chinese expansion in the western Pacific.

Cole noted that two long-time neutrals, Sweden and Finland, joined NATO because of Russias aggressiveness and said most of the rest of Europe is rearming to an extent not seen in decades.

There are a dozen countries now spending more of their budget and of their GDP (on NATO) than the U.S., Cole said.

Even Japan, he said, is sending assistance to the Ukrainians.

They will tell you, We think the Chinese are watching everything that happens in Ukraine, and if Ukraine fails, we think it much more likely China will act in the western Pacific and Taiwan, he said.

Cole and most other Republicans blame Russias invasion on the Biden administrations decision to fully withdraw from Afghanistan three years ago, against military leaderships advice, and the chaotic final evacuation of U.S. personnel and allies.

Democrats counter that Biden was carrying out an agreement reached by the Trump administration.

In truth, both administrations gave every indication of wanting the U.S. out of that entanglement.

The politicization of the Ukrainian conflict puts some Republicans in the position of lamenting withdrawal from Afghanistan and supporting aid to Israel while criticizing involvement in Ukraine and warning of Chinese expansionism.

Others believe all of those moving parts cannot be calibrated independently of each other.

To be fair, youve got a presidential race underway; youve got the Middle East on fire; youve got China rattling sabers, Cole said. Ukraine seems a long way away.  Its a very complex history, but the bottom line is we have a direct interest in their survival.

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Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reports serve as a crucial tool for Vietnamese enterprises to showcase their commitments to long-term sustainability and social responsibility to investors, customers, and other stakeholders.

To get loans from international credit institutions, many local companies have shown an ESG report.

ESG practices are considered an entrance ticket for farm produce in the European market, according to some experts.

Phuc Sinh Corporation has obtained a US$25-million loan from SAIL Investments Netherlands-based & Green Fund, making it the first agricultural company in Vietnam to secure lending from the Dutch investment fund.

The key to its success is its ESG consideration.

Phan Minh Thong, chairman of Phuc Sinh, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, that an ESG report is meant to detail the operations of a company related to environmental, social, and governance spheres.

Many firms are publicizing ESG reports as a way to display their capacity and corporate culture to seek loans," Thong said.

We first paid attention to ESG in 2008 and started implementing ESG practices in 2010.

We worked with several ESG organizations 14 years ago.

Dedicating some years to pursuing ESG, the firm was certified sustainable in 2014, which helped us grasp opportunities to access loans and expand operations."

He took into account ESG practices due to requirements from his partners, he elaborated.

In 2008, I sold Vietnamese farm produce to a company in the Netherlands, and then the company vended the products to another enterprise which required that 50 percent of the items on sale be certified by 2015, Thong said.

To meet the customers requirement and earn more money, I began to pursue an ESG approach.

In fact, I have earned more profits from certified products and could secure cooperation with more customers as a result."

In discussing his success with ESG practices, he shared that many international credit institutions have conducted on-site surveys at farms and cultivation areas to assess quality and ensure compliance with ESG standards.

He also pinpointed three decisive factors behind the success, including orientation, patience, and capital.

Employees are at work at a pepper processing factory in Vietnam. Photo: T.Y.

ESG requires long-term efforts

Phuc Sinh always puts its first priority on environmental protection, while its production and processing factories are equipped with wastewater treatment systems.

ESG is a long journey, not a finish point, Thong said.

He added that he has been extracting part of his companys profits to invest in the environment.

Thong advised local firms to start with securing Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and GlobalGAP certificates before following the ESG standard if their financial health is not strong enough.

He explained that to get a loan from investment funds in Europe, firms must move toward sustainability.

Bringing Vietnamese farm produce to global market

Since the COVID-19 pandemic ended, the majority of enterprises worldwide have attached great importance to agriculture and food, while Vietnam has an abundance of farm produce.

Vietnam annually turns out billions of U.S. dollars' worth of coffee beans, rice, pepper, coconut, and cashew.

Many international groups have entered the Southeast Asian nation to tap its agricultural wealth, while looking for opportunities to cooperate with local food firms.

The European Union is one of Vietnams main forestry-agro-fishery buyers.

Particularly, since the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement took effect in August 2020, Vietnams farm produce export to the EU has posted impressive growth.

The potential of Vietnamese farm produce exports to the selective market remains huge, Thong said.

However, the EU market has constantly changed its requirements on food safety and plant quarantine, and it is now focusing on green agriculture transition.

Therefore, local producers and exporters should flexibly meet the standards on sustainable export and food safety.

Thong noted that Vietnam has not upgraded its product quality standards in the past 30 years, resulting in local agricultural firms being undervalued and struggling to secure international loans.

Many countries have adjusted their standards on product quality to make their products suit global consumers.

South Korea and Taiwan are applying European quality standards.

To succeed in making an ESG report, both firms and farmers must understand and comply with the ESG approach. Photo: T.Y.

Investing in ESG an inevitable trend

The EU imports some $290 billion worth of agro-forestry-fishery products each year, according to a representative of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The EU is not only a promising market but it also acts as a gateway for Vietnamese farm produce to make inroads into other nations and regions.

However, only rice and rubber among agricultural products have been registered as national brands.

Meanwhile, over 80 percent of Vietnam's seafood and agricultural exports to the EU remain unbranded nationally. Instead, these products are labeled as EU goods, which has led to the low visibility of Vietnamese farm produce in the market.

ESG a competitive edge in sales

Dang Bui Khue, director of sustainability at TUV NORD Vietnam, observed that while Vietnamese enterprises are producing ESG reports, they often lack appeal.

He attributed this to a limited understanding of the ESG approach among these firms.

"Many major markets, such as the EU and the United States, are prioritizing ESG-certified products, so companies with ESG certification will have a competitive advantage," Khue explained.

However, to gain an ESG certificate, firms must pour much money into its infrastructure, workforce, social programs, and development of supply chains, he added.

Nguyen Van Thu, director of Dong Nai Province-based GC Food JSC, said that the firm is pursuing ESG practices, but not until 2025 will it be certified.

Khue acknowledged that obtaining ESG certification is challenging, explaining that the process demands financial stability, the hiring of consulting firms, and the implementation of effective material-saving and environmental protection measures.

Ye, he emphasized that ESG certification provides companies with a significant sales advantage.

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After more than four years under Masans ownership, WinCommerce has enhanced its synergy with other components of Masans consumer-retail ecosystem, aiming for a path of sustainable, profitable growth.

WinCommerce is profitable, leveraging synergy from consumer-retail platforms

Recently, Masan announced that WinCommerce, which operates the WinMart/WinMart+/WiN retail chains, achieved over VND7.84 trillion (US$314.32 million) in revenue for Q2 2024 and has been profitable since June.

The 9.7-percent growth in June was driven by increased store traffic and effective cost control.

As of June, WinCommerce operated nearly 3,700 points of sale, having opened a net network of 40 new stores since December 2023.

Its diverse retail models include WinMart supermarkets and WinMart+/WiN stores, catering to all consumer segments from urban to rural areas.

A woman shops at a WinMart supermarket. Photo: Supplied

In Vietnam, WinCommerce stands out as the only modern retailer with a leading advantage in point-of-sale scale, supported by the strength in consumer goods production of Masan Consumer  Masans subsidiary  and its internal logistics company, Supra.

This positions WinCommerce favorably to dominate the retail market share in Vietnam.

Starting as a consumer goods manufacturer, Masan has leveraged its strengths in product research and development, brand building, and consumer insights.

By the end of 2023, Masan Consumer owned five brands with revenues exceeding VND2 trillion ($80.18 million), including CHIN-SU, Omachi, Kokomi, Nam Ngu, and Wakeup 247.

To build love brands, or brands that resonate deeply with consumers, Masan prioritizes a thorough understanding of market needs.

People shop for seafood at a WinMart supermarket. Photo: Supplied

In June 2023, Masan inaugurated its Consumer Innovation Center (CIC), with plans to establish five CICs across Vietnam.

These centers simulate real household environments, allowing consumers to experience and provide feedback on products.

This real-life experience serves as the foundation and large database for consumer understanding research activities at the center, helping to achieve four key criteria: accuracy, speed, security, and cost optimization.

This approach enhances the success rate of new brands before they are launched to the market.

A Hi!Beauty corner at a WinMart supermarket. Photo: Supplied

Masans strong brands, such as WinEco vegetables and MEATDeli chilled meat, attract customers to the WinCommerce retail system.

The WiN Membership program offers loyal WinMart/WinMart+/WiN customers a 20-percent discount on these products.

Leveraging Masans R&D and brand-building expertise, WinCommerce has also developed private labels priced 10-20 percent lower than competing products.

These include Ngoc Nuong Rice, Olala eggs, WinMart Good dried food, and WinMart Home personal care and household products.

People shop for toothbrushes at a Hi!Beauty corner at a WinMart supermarket. Photo: Supplied

Supras efficiency helps WinCommerce save 11 percent on costs

With a network of nearly 3,700 supermarkets and stores serving 32 million shoppers each month, and the need to transport thousands of items promptly to 62 out of 63 provinces and cities across Vietnam, logistics is a crucial component for WinCommerce.

In early 2022, Masan established Supra, marking its entry into domestic logistics services with the goal of supporting the groups ecosystem and helping consumers and partners reduce costs.

The Supra Distribution Center (DC) system comprises 10 warehouse clusters, including six dry storage and four cold storage facilities.

Goods delivered through the Supra DC system account for about 60 percent of WinCommerces total output.

Supra's cold storage facility. Photo: Supplied

To effectively manage its substantial volume of goods, Supra employs advanced technology in both warehouse and transportation operations, including a comprehensive suite of online and offline warehouse management systems that oversee tracking, inventory control, and logistics across the entire supply chain.

Technology is used to optimize transportation management, including record-keeping, fleet management, route planning, and order tracking.

According to Masans management estimates, Supra has helped WinCommerce reduce costs by 11 percent.

At the 2024 annual general meeting of shareholders, Nguyen Thi Phuong, CEO of WinCommerce, announced that the retail chain has finalized its optimal retail models and will now focus on profitable growth, aiming to open an average of one new point of sale per day and reach 4,000 points of sale by year-end.

A WinCommerce warehouse employee inspects the automated merchandise sorting system. Photo: Supplied

WiN Membership: 10 million members

One year after its launch, WinCommerces WiN Membership program has grown to 10 million members.

The program boasts zero customer acquisition costs, with member cart values twice as high as those of non-members.

On average, members shop four times per month, highlighting the programs success in driving customer engagement and loyalty.

With these factors in place, WinCommerce is well-positioned to succeed in the Vietnamese market.
VinCSS, a Vietnamese cybersecurity startup, has signed a memorandum of understanding with ST Engineering Info-Security, a unit of Singapores ST Engineering, to strengthen cybersecurity solutions, including bettering aircraft cyber services.

Under the deal, VinCSS will be in charge of researching the integration of its solutions, including passwordless authentication, known as FIDO2 (Fast IDentity Online) and FDO (FIDO Device Onboarding), with ST Engineering Info-Securitys products.

Specifically, the Vietnamese startup will cooperate with its Singaporean partner to offer Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) services to ensure the cybersecurity of planes as well as smart vehicles.

Besides, the Singaporean firm will provide VinCSS with access to its latest and most advanced cybersecurity solutions, namely secured remote workforce solution WizKnight Cloud, secured mobile computing solution SCALE, and AI-based apps to enhance cybersecurity data analysis.

The partnership is aimed at expanding the cybersecurity ecosystems of both VinCSS and ST Engineering Info-Security, improving response capabilities and tapping the Asia-Pacific market.

Goh Eng Choon, president of cybersecurity at ST Engineering, highly valued the cooperation with VinCSS, which would help tackle complicated cybersecurity challenges and protect customers assets.

VinCSS CEO Do Ngoc Duy Trac emphasized that the partnership with such a prestigious tech firm will help the Vietnamese company enhance its expertise and expand its reach to provide customers with pioneering and high-quality cybersecurity solutions.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and two other high-ranking officials have been approved as Vietnam's new deputy prime ministers following a resolution passed by the lawmaking National Assembly (NA) on Monday.

The resolution was passed with 100 percent of the 432 NA delegates voting in favor the appointment proposal by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the eighth extraordinary session of the 15th-tenure NA in Hanoi on Monday morning.

The two other new deputy premiers are Ho Duc Phoc and Nguyen Hoa Binh, whose positions before the appointments were finance minister and chief justice of the Supreme Peoples Court, respectively.

Deputy Prime Ministers Son and Phoc will continue working as foreign and finance ministers, respectively, while Deputy PM Binh had been relieved of his former post before the appointments.

Along with the two incumbent deputy premiers, Tran Hong Ha and Le Thanh Long, these new appointments have brought the number of deputies to PM Pham Minh Chinh for the 2021-26 term to five.

Deputy PM Son, 62, a member of the Central Party Committee and an NA delegate, graduated with a bachelor's degree in diplomacy in Vietnam in 1984 and earned a master's in international relations from Columbia University in the U.S. in 1993, according to the Vietnam Government Portal.

As a professional diplomat, Son has had more than 30 years of experience in foreign policy planning, international negotiations, international economics, and international relations studies.

Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (C) presents the appointment decisions to the three newly-appointed deputy prime ministers, who hold congratulatory flowers from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L, 2nd), August 26, 2024. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

Son began his diplomatic career in September 1987 as a researcher at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Institute for International Relations.

He later held several key positions, including director of the Foreign Policy Department and assistant to the foreign minister, before being appointed foreign minister in April 2021.

Deputy PM Phoc, 61, with a PhD in economics, is a member of the Central Party Committee and an NA delegate.

Before becoming finance minister in April 2021, Phoc was State Auditor General in 2016 after serving as secretary of the Nghe An Province Party Committee and chairman of the Nghe An Peoples Council from March 2013.

With a doctoral degree in law, Deputy PM Binh, 66, is a member of the Politburo and the Central Party Committee and an NA delegate.

After holding various posts since 1999, he became head of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy in August 2011 before being appointed chief justice of the Supreme Peoples Court in April 2016.

On Monday afternoon, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam awarded the appointment decisions to the three deputy prime ministers at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, in the presence of PM Chinh, who presented congratulatory flowers to his new deputies.

The Party chief and head of state also handed the appointment decisions to new Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh and new Minister of National Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy, whose appointments were also approved by the NA on Monday.

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The 13th Vietnam-U.S. Political, Security, and Defense Dialogue took place in Hanoi on Monday and was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins.

This annual event was also the first of its kind since the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

The dialogue included discussions on bilateral relations, defense, security, and law enforcement, war legacies, and emerging technologies cooperation, according to a press release on the website of the U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese delegation at the dialogue consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Defense, while the U.S. side included Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and officials from the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and a number of law enforcement agencies.

Deputy Minister Ngoc and Under Secretary Jenkins praised the effective bilateral coordination in fulfilling the commitments outlined in the joint statement on elevating relations between the two countries in 2023.

They expressed satisfaction with the substantial progress made across various areas, including politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, security, defense, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

This progress is seen as creating positive momentum leading up to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Hanoi and Washington.

Ngoc affirmed that Vietnam views the U.S. as a strategic partner and highly values its commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Vietnam.

He recommended that both sides enhance coordination to fully and sustainably develop the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Deputy Minister Ngoc emphasized the importance of utilizing dialogue mechanisms to build mutual trust, address obstacles, and further advance bilateral cooperation.

The Vietnamese official embraced the inclusion of hi-tech cooperation in the bilateral dialogue program for the first time, noting its significance in advancing collaboration in this key area as stated in the joint statement.

Under Secretary Jenkins commended the effective implementation of existing defense and security cooperation agreements and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to prioritizing the resolution of war-related consequences in bilateral relations.

Washington will continue to allocate resources toward cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as dioxin detoxification, bomb and mine clearance, support for Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and the search for and identification of the remains of Vietnamese martyrs.

On behalf of the U.S. government, Jenkins also expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese government for its proactive and effective efforts in locating and repatriating the remains of American soldiers missing in action in Vietnam.

The 13th Vietnam-U.S. Political, Security, and Defense Dialogue took place in Hanoi on August 26, 2024. Photo: The Gioi & Viet Nam (World & Vietnam) newspaper

The U.S. plans to bolster its defense and security cooperation with Vietnam through established frameworks and agreements, addressing needs in spheres such as military training, medical support, peacekeeping, and efforts to combat terrorism, cybercrime, and high-tech crime.

On international and regional issues, both nations have pledged to enhance cooperation to promote peace, security, and development globally.

Under Secretary Jenkins spotlighted the U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, affirming support for ASEANs central role and the continued collaboration to strengthen the ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-U.S. Partnership.

Regarding the East Vietnam Sea, both countries underscored the importance of maintaining maritime peace and security, as well as upholding freedom of navigation and aviation.

They agreed on the principle of resolving disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnam and the U.S. normalized diplomatic relations in July 1995 and established a comprehensive partnership in July 2013.

On September 10, 2023, during President Joe Biden's official visit to Vietnam, the two nations elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, bypassing the intermediate strategic partnership level.

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Lowes announced it would be cutting some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Paul Weaver/SIPA/AP

The home retailer Lowes announced it would be cutting some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiativesjoining a growing list of companies dropping programs amid pressure from anti-DEI activists.

Bloomberg reported Monday that Lowes dropped programs included its participation in surveys for LGBTQ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign. An internal company note obtained by Bloomberg said Lowes would also merge its groups representing diverse employees into one group.

Other companies that cut diversity initiatives before Lowes include Harley Davidson, Tractor Supply, John Deere and some tech companies such as Microsoft, Meta, and Zoom, Business Insider reported in July. Additionally, DEI programs were banned in higher education in Texas early this year, leading to more than 100 job cuts across Texas universities, many of which affected women and people of color.

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Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist, took to X, formerly Twitter, to claim responsibility for the company's decision.

I messaged Lowes executives last week to let them know that I planned to expose their woke policies. This morning I woke up to an email where they preemptively made big changes, Starbuck wrote.

According to Bloomberg, a company spokesperson said Lowes was already in the process of changing its DEI program when Starbuck contacted the company.

Conservatives warring against the woke agenda have put loud and clear pressure on companies to divert from programs focused on diversity and equity in the workplace for years.

But even without the pressure to withdraw from programs, the promise some American companies made toward DEI efforts has faced doubt on its own.

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Across Wall Street, big name American CEOs made a collective promise to invest nearly $50 billion toward improving racial inequality in their companies after the murder of George Floyd prompted widespread protest and launched the nation into conversations about racial injustice. A Washington Post analysis, found that over 90% of those investments went toward loans or allocations the companies themselves stood to profit from.

Lowe's last DEI report from 2021 shows the company saw an 11% increase in representation of people of color among their office population and an expansion of their business resource groups to eight, which included groups for Black, Latino, Asia Pacific, LGBTQ and women associates. The front of the report also boasted their third consecutive year being recognized as the Best Place to work for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign.
Vietnamese leaders on Monday sent congratulatory messages to their Ukrainian counterparts on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine's Independence Day (August 24, 1991 - August 24, 2024).

In particular, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam extended his congratulations to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a congratulatory message to his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal.

Chairman of Vietnams National Assembly Tran Thanh Man offered his congratulations to Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also wired a congratulatory message to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

Vietnam and Ukraine established their diplomatic relations on January 23, 1992, nearly five months after the European country adopted the Declaration of Independence on August 24, 1991.

Vietnam opened its embassy in Kiev in 1992, while Ukraine opened an embassy in Hanoi in August 1997.

In March 2011, Vietnam and Ukraine reached a comprehensive partnership and cooperation.

After 30 years of diplomatic relations, the two nations have extended cooperation to politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, and education.

In May 2023, PM Chinh met with President Zelensky for a little while at a session themed Toward a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous World' of the Group of Seven (G7) countries summit in Japans Hiroshima, according to the Vietnam Government Portal.

The Vietnamese government leader stressed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its traditional friendship with Ukraine and expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian government for supporting the Vietnamese community in Ukraine.

Commenting on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine military conflict, PM Chinh affirmed Vietnams consistent stance of respecting the UN Charter and international law.

All disputes should be settled by peaceful means, the prime minister added.

The Southeast Asian nation offered humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and stands ready to support the parties involved in seeking long-term peaceful solutions on the basis of international law and respect for their legitimate interests.

President Zelensky showed his appreciation for the stance and the humanitarian assistance from Vietnam and agreed to adopt measures to tighten the Vietnam-Ukraine bilateral ties.

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A 13-year-old boy in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam was revived after experiencing 30 minutes of respiratory and cardiac arrest due to a lightning strike a few days ago.

On Tuesday, Dong Nai Childrens Hospital reported that the boy, who was struck by lightning last Thursday, was initially rushed to the provincial General Hospital with dilated pupils and both respiratory and cardiac arrest.

Doctors administered continuous electric shocks and antiarrhythmic drugs, successfully restoring the boys heartbeat and stabilizing his blood pressure within 15 minutes.

He was then transferred to Dong Nai Childrens Hospital for further treatment.

Despite being on a ventilator and receiving antiarrhythmic drugs, the boy remained in a deep coma.

Concerned about potential brain damage, doctors employed therapeutic hypothermia to minimize the damage and reduce complications.

Three days later, his condition improved significantly.

Nguyen Trong Nghia, deputy head of Dong Nai Childrens Hospital, noted that after nearly a week of treatment, the boys health had stabilized, and his survival prospects were positive.

"The patient was fortunate as the lightning only grazed his shoulder. Although the strike caused him to go into respiratory arrest for 30 minutes, he was saved in time," Dr. Nghia explained.

How to avoid lightning

Doctors advise residents to minimize outdoor activities during the rainy season when lightning and thunderstorms are frequent.

They recommend seeking shelter and avoiding open areas when lightning is nearby.

Residents should avoid standing under large trees or near power poles during storms.

It is advised not to use electronic devices and to turn off electrical appliances during lightning strikes.

For those caught outside, it is safer to move to a low-lying area, stand on tiptoe or sit down, and cover their ears with their hands to reduce the risk of injury from lightning.

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Da Nang City in central Vietnam is calling on strategic investors for multiple projects, including free trade zones and hi-tech sites.

The municipal administration said on Sunday that it would organize a conference on August 31 to deploy the lawmaking National Assembly's resolution on the organization of urban government and piloting a number of special mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang, with the participation of some 500 officials, diplomats, and enterprises.

The resolution outlines projects that the city prioritizes for investment, including innovation centers, data centers, and research and development centers linked to training.

These projects are intended to support high-tech transfers in fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, automation, new materials, and clean energy, with each requiring a minimum investment of VND2 trillion (US$80.3 million).

Da Nang also calls for investment in semiconductor chip, semiconductor integrated circuit, accessory manufacturing, integrated circuit, printed electronics, battery, new material, and defense industry projects approved by the prime minister with an investment of over VND4 trillion ($160.6 million) each.

The Da Nang Hi-Tech Park. Da Nang prioritizes attracting investors for high-tech projects. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi Tre.

Among the projects put up for investment attraction are functional areas of the Da Nang free trade zone, including a trade - service area, a logistics center connected with Lien Chieu Seaport, and a production area with a price tag of VND3 trillion ($120.5 million) each.

The city is also seeking to develop and exploit inland waterway tourism at a cost of at least VND8 trillion ($321.3 million) and the Lien Chieu Seaport project at VND45 trillion ($1.8 billion).

Strategic investors will be entitled to incentives while fulfilling obligations.

Da Nang has made surveys, chosen locations for functional areas in the free trade zone, and worked with strategic investors who show their interest in the projects.

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A worker was seriously injured on Tuesday when the concrete floor of a house under renovation collapsed on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Around 11:00 am, the floor gave way while a team of workers was repairing the 150-square-meter structure.

Several workers managed to escape, but one was trapped and taken to the hospital.

Debris was strewn across the site.

A representative from Saigon General Hospital in District 1 told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that ambulances were dispatched to provide initial aid and transport the injured worker to 115 People's Hospital in District 10 for further treatment.

Broken concrete slabs at the scene. Photo: Supplied

The house owner had received permission from local authorities for the repair, according to a District 1 administration official.

The authorities noted that the house, which had been unused since 2021, was old and in a deteriorated condition.

Broken concrete slabs at the scene. Photo: Supplied

The scene of the incident is covered. Photo: Dinh Khai / Tuoi Tre

The scene of the incident is covered. Photo: Dinh Khai / Tuoi Tre

Inside the collapsed house. Photo: Dinh Khai / Tuoi Tre

Inside the collapsed house. Photo: Dinh Khai / Tuoi Tre

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Competent forces were deployed to flooded spots across Ben Cat City in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam to rescue motorcycles and cars being swept away by flooding amid a heavy downpour late on Monday afternoon.

The floodwater levels rose rapidly, inundating several major roads and leaving many cars stranded.

A host of motorcycles ran into engine breakdowns while attempting to pass through a waterlogged section of National Highway 13 in Thoi Hoa Ward.

On the flooded NA3 and NB16 Streets, cars were half-submerged in water, with one vehicle swept into a nearby canal.

Meanwhile, dozens of cooking gas cylinders were carried down the road by the floodwaters, raising concerns among residents.

Several men rescue a motorcyclist from floodwaters in Ben Cat City in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

Cars are deeply submerged in floodwaters in Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

Residents jointly rescue cars stranded on a flooded street in Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

A section of National Highway 13 passing through Ben Cat City in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam experiences severe flooding, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

Emergency crews including traffic police and soldiers were deployed to flooded roads to help stranded commuters in Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

Dozens of cooking gas cylinders are swept down the road in Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, August 26, 2024. Photo: B.D.

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More than 250 delegates from 12 countries have gathered in Coffs Harbour for the 2024 Australian Childrens Content Summit.

Writers, producers and creatives from the childrens sector have gathered with execs from ABC, NITV, Nine, BBC, Disney, PBS plus Screen Australia, Screen NSW and the Aust. Childrens Television Foundation representatives for the annual confest discussing the creative, producing and distribution side of childrens television.

Coffs Harbour has turned on magical weather for the event based at Pacific Bay Resort, also the site for future Coffs Harbour studios. The event is again under the steerage of Suzanne Ryan and Dean Sutherland and the team from SLR Productions.

The day began with VIPs taking a helicopter flight an a locations tour before a Welcome to Country snd Smoking Ceremony from Troy and Auntie Jenny.

NSW Minister for the Arts John Graham (pictured below) said, This is an incredible moment. Congratulations to Suzanne and Dean for getting you all here to this beautiful moment. I can see why youve come having made it here, but it is really special to have this group of people here, and the work you do, the connections you make over the next few days, will be incredible.

Gurmesh Singh, Member for Coffs Harbour, said, Its the biggest event of its type in Australia. And this year weve got many representatives from organisations all around the world.

This events really put Coffs Harbour on the map for your industry, and were extremely grateful for Suzannes work, and Dean, bringing it here  bringing you all together as colleagues and as an industry.

Kevin Anderson, Shadow Minister for the Arts, said, This is a fantastic gathering, wherever you come from and wherever studios, little spaces that you work in, as you create and you try to produce and come up with these fantastic ideas -this is where it comes together.

Im a big fan of Australian content. I believe a rising tide floats all boats. The more Aussie content that we can create, the more eyeballs across the world look at us and go, We want that and it starts to spread. So please continue to produce, think of those fantastic light bulb moments.

I know theres 160 meetings this afternoon in amongst all of you to try and pitch so good luck. Put your best foot forward. We want more Aussie content on Aussie TVs and screens right across the world.

Deidre Brennan from Screen Australia and Jenny Buckland from ACTF announced a joint Kids IP Incubator.

Were looking for teams, emerging or experienced, it doesnt matter, who want to play in the online space, said Buckland. Were going to explore the different creative mindset and business models that we need to think about if youre going to play in the online space, that could be YouTube, it could be FAST channels, robots, it could be something else we can come up.

Joined by ACCS Ambassador Emma Watkins, the conference will continue until Thursday featuring over 160 Pitch business meetings with, ABC, Nine, Screen Australia, Screen NSW, ACTF, Screen Territory.

There are 33 Speakers from across the globe, including from ABC, BBC & PBS KIDS, Disney Junior, SLR Productions, Flying Bark Productions, Nelvana & Kids Can Press (Canada), Tony Burke Minister for the Arts and more.
Shaun Micallef joins comedians Aaron Chen, Michael Wippa Wipfli, Lizzy Hoo, Dilruk Jayasinha, Nina Oyama and Arj Barker in the new SBS documentary series Shaun Micallefs Origin Odyssey.

In the six part series, Micallef accompanies the comedians as they discovery of parts of their heritage that have remained a mystery to them until now.

Shaun Micallef said: Two years ago, I retired from television, vowing never to return. I promised myself that I would travel the world helping younger and more diverse performers tell their stories. The offer to present Origin Odyssey has enabled me to do both. It represents the pinnacle of my glittering career.

SBS Commissioning Editor Emily Griggs said: Shaun Micallefs Origin Odyssey offers a fresh and engaging perspective on our shared curiosity about heritage and identity. Shauns skilful storytelling, paired with the fascinating odysseys of Aaron, Wippa, Lizzy, Dilruk, Nina, and Arj makes for an entertaining and heartfelt exploration of culture, family, and the stories that shape us.

Endemol Shine Australia Head of Comedy David McDonald said: I am beyond thrilled to have worked with Shaun and his six travelling companions, who have been so generous with their humour and heart and displayed true vulnerability in sharing their familys stories.

Having lived in Australia for most of his life, comedian Aaron Chen has little knowledge of the rich legacy hes inherited from his Chinese-born father. In the first episode, Aaron and Shaun head to China to learn more about Aarons fathers fascinating back-story. As the pair touch down in Shanghai, Aaron is keen to learn about the sacrifices his father Peter made before he moved to Australia in the late 1980s. And its a place Aarons visited before  more than five but less than ten times!

There are laughs-a-plenty in the next episode as comedian and radio presenter Michael Wippa Wipfli and Shaun travel to Switzerland, Wippas fathers ancestral home. The pair make a series of surprising discoveries about Wippas paternal family history  including why his grandfather decided to leave the idyllic and peaceful surrounds of the Swiss Alps for Melbourne when he was just 20 years old. And they aim to answer a profound question  is Michael Wipfli merely Swiss by name  or is he Swiss by nature?

As comedian Lizzy Hoo and Shaun embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Ireland, Lizzy sets out to discover more about the history of her mothers side of the family, who isnt a Hoo at all. When the pair arrive in Dublin following a 17-hour-flight from Melbourne, their driver Dave explains they can become Plastic Irish by consuming just six pints of Guinness. After ten, theyll also get a passport. From experiencing the family trade as a firkin maker, to discovering the harrowing story behind a monument in honour of her ancestor, Lizzy hits the road with Shaun to take it all in.

Comedian Dilruk Jayasinha grew up Colombo, Sri Lanka, and ventured to Australia at the age of 19 with plans to complete a degree in accounting and move home. But he fell in love with Melbourne and stayed, and 20 years on hes now spent almost equal time living in Australia as in his birth country. Embarking on a journey home alongside Shaun, Dilruk enjoys a reunion with extended family, revisits the Catholic school he attended, explores his fathers Buddhist temple, and seeks to learn more about his mothers Muslim beliefs  all together shaping the person and comedian he is today.

Actor, writer, and comedian Nina Oyama is half-Japanese by birth, but grew up in Australia and hasnt visited her fathers homeland since she was a child. In this episode, Nina and Shaun explore not only the countrys storied history and culture, but pose the question  is Nina able to look in the mirror and see herself as Japanese? But first a quick lesson about the weenis, which according to Nina is the flesh on your elbow, and one of Tokyos most popular traditions  the Shibuya Crossing  the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.

Australias adopted son of stand-up comedy, Arj Barker, hasnt been to his fathers homeland of India for almost three decades. Seeking to understand why his Sikh father chose to leave his family behind for a different life in the United States, the pair embark on an adventure-filled journey across the country. Disembarking the train at the sock line on the ankle of the first leg of their journey, Shaun is excited. Its been 26 years since Arj has been here, but hes most excited about his shpants. You know, too long to be shorts, too short to be pants. Shpants!.

Shaun Micallefs Origin Odyssey is developed and produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company), in association with SBS.

Shaun Micallefs Origin Odyssey will be subtitled on SBS On Demand in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. All episodes will be available with audio description.

7:30pm Tuesday 24 September on SBS.
Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

The Fort Bend ISD board voted to approve a library book policy on Monday that critics have called the most restrictive in the state of Texas.

The board voted 5-2 to approve the policy that allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves, meaning that the mandated library materials review committee will be optional going forward.

Critics, who turned out to oppose the vote, said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves.

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I cannot believe that an independent American public school has reached this point, Dhruti Pathak said. This policy is appalling to me.

Pathak, an Elkins High School student, grew up in Saudi Arabia, where she saw the impacts of censorship firsthand.

We are definitely headed in an extremist direction, said Fort Bend ISD parent Anna Lykoudis-Zafiris during a board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

We are definitely headed in an extremist direction, said parent Anna Lykoudis-Zafiris.

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Attorney Jonathan Brush advised Fort Bend ISD board members during their meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, Texas. Mr. Brush drafted the library book policy with trustee David Hamilton, that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board passed it in a 5-2 vote on Monday. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members attend the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Several expressed their opposition before the board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Fort Bend ISD student, Christopher Pontiff, spoke during the public comment section of the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Mr. Pontiff, who was recognized by the board for his academic achievements earlier in the meeting, said, I do want you all to consider the hypocrisy of restricting information while congratulating me for the very design that advocated for the openness of information, Pontiff said. He then brought silence to the room, asking the board to look at parents standing in opposition to the policy for the two minutes left on his clock. Board president Kristin Tassin attempted to move along with the commenters, but Pontiff said he did not yield his time. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting, instead voting 5-2 to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Fort Bend ISD student, Christopher Pontiff, spoke during the public comment section of the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Mr. Pontiff, who was recognized by the board for his academic achievements earlier in the meeting, said, I do want you all to consider the hypocrisy of restricting information while congratulating me for the very design that advocated for the openness of information, Pontiff said. He then brought silence to the room, asking the board to look at parents standing in opposition to the policy for the two minutes left on his clock. Board president Kristin Tassin attempted to move along with the commenters, but Pontiff said he did not yield his time. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting, instead voting 5-2 to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Fort Bend Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith attends a board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. He has said that if this policy came to pass he would delegate authority in almost every circumstance and that he trusts his library staff. He said in April that a policy which gives sole authority to one person should be avoided. He reiterated this Monday, speaking briefly that he would pursue all the options for feedback at his disposal, including convening committees, if the process must be undergone. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Noora Zafary, a student at Elkins high school, spoke at a press conference to express her opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Former Fort Bend ISD student, Emma Babaian spoke during the public comment section of the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. She spoke about how reading shaped her ethical foundation. Reading about these activities did not compel me to engage in bad behavior or to do anything illegal, immoral or objectionable. Instead, they taught me why certain actions were wrong, she said. It's a challenge to sympathize with that character while condemning their immorality. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Trustee David Hamilton speaks during a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Critics have called it the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, and warned that the policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this crusade against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-aged children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students. Hamilton has posted copiously on his social media page. In one animated video he is described as a crusader against a Groomer gang of Chicago Marxists that were responsible for opposition to strict book ban policies like the one the FBISD board is considering. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Trustee David Hamilton and Trustee Angie Hanan debate a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, during a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve the policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, and opposed by Ms. Hanan, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Trustee David Hamilton stands during the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Critics have called it the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, and warned that the policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this crusade against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-aged children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students. Hamilton has posted copiously on his social media page. In one animated video he is described as a crusader against a Groomer gang of Chicago Marxists that were responsible for opposition to strict book ban policies like the one the FBISD board is considering. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Trustee David Hamilton attends a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Critics have called it the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, and warned that the policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this crusade against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-aged children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students. Hamilton has posted copiously on his social media page. In one animated video he is described as a crusader against a Groomer gang of Chicago Marxists that were responsible for opposition to strict book ban policies like the one the FBISD board is considering. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Fort Bend Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith attends a board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. He has said that if this policy came to pass he would delegate authority in almost every circumstance and that he trusts his library staff. He said in April that a policy which gives sole authority to one person should be avoided. He reiterated this Monday, speaking briefly that he would pursue all the options for feedback at his disposal, including convening committees, if the process must be undergone. Meridith Kohut/Contributor The Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trusteess voted 5-2 to approve the policy, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves, meaning that the mandated library materials review committee will be optional going forward. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor I cannot believe that an independent American public school has reached this point, Dhruti Pathak, (center left in red sweatshirt and black pants) a student at Elkins high school, said at a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Pathak is a student at Elkins high school and spent some years of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where she said she was able to see the impacts of censorship firsthand. The Fort Bend Independent School District board voted on Monday to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Noora Zafary, a student at Elkins high school, spoke at a press conference to express her opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Thirteen stakeholders spoke against the policy at public comment before the deciding vote. One speaker, student Christopher Pontiff, was honored at the beginning of the meeting.

I do want you all to consider the hypocrisy of restricting information while congratulating me for the very design that advocated for the openness of information, Pontiff said.

He then brought silence to the room, asking the board to look at parents standing in opposition to the policy for the two minutes left on his clock. Board president Kristin Tassin attempted to move along with the commenters, but Pontiff declined to yield his time.

Amber Mann, (center), a school librarian, joined students, parents, fellow librarians and other community members in voicing her opposition to a library book policy during the public comment section of the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting, instead voting 5-2 to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Another speaker, a Fort Bend ISD former student and University of Texas at Austin graduate, told the board how reading shaped her ethical foundation.

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Reading about these activities did not compel me to engage in bad behavior or to do anything illegal, immoral or objectionable. Instead, they taught me why certain actions were wrong, said Emma Babaian. Its a challenge to sympathize with that character while condemning their immorality.

Most trustees said the policy was not meant to ban books but to remove explicit content from library shelves.

Tassin said the community can throw around rhetoric like banning books and destroying books. That is not what is happening.

President Kristin Tassin and Trustee David Hamilton express their support for a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, during a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Ms. Tassin said that she didnt have a problem with delegating ultimate authority to the superintendent and the board, who were hired and elected, respectively, to make these kinds of decisions. Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this crusade against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-aged children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

How did this come about?

An earlier version of this policy came across the dais in April, when the board voted to table the vote and edit the policy in workshops and board policy committee meetings. The policy was discussed again in June during a board workshop before returning to discussion during the Aug. 12 board workshop.

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During this time, the policy edited to address some of the communitys concerns, such as banning books that stimulate sexual desire among minors, a vague statement without directions as to how that would be decided.

The Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve the policy, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves, meaning that the mandated library materials review committee will be optional going forward. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

The updated policy mandates that content must not promote sexual activity among minors or contain graphic images or explicit descriptions of sex acts or simulations of such acts, and does not describe what simulations of sex acts means.

The policy also stipulates that library books foster growth in  aesthetic values and societal standards, two terms that are not defined.

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It also mandates that content not promote unlawful activity, such as illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs by minors. The original policy proposed that content in elementary schools must not depict or describe nudity in a way that appeals to prurient interest, but it was amended to remove that sentence and then add a new sentence that read instead that no depictions of sexual activity promoted the touching of genitals among minors.

Prurient, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as arousing, or appealing to sexual desire.

The policy was edited to add the term or superintendents designee in some areas to allow the superintendent to delegate the library materials tasks to someone else, which trustee David Hamilton said came in response to community feedback. Still, the policy as written does leave the authority with the superintendent to either make decisions himself or to choose whom to delegate those decisions to.

(From left to Right) Trustee Rick Garcia, Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith, President Kristin Tassin and Trustee David Hamilton attend a Fort Bend Independent School District board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Critics have called it the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, and warned that the policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Critics have said that this measure allows for pressure to be inflicted on the superintendent from the board if someone wants a book removed immediately, without a formal reconsideration process, which would be allowed by this policy.

Trustee Shirley Rose-Gilliam was concerned that this policy was putting the superintendent in a difficult situation.

I sure hope that we are not going to put Dr. Smith in a situation where we are going to have a board member that wants a book off the shelf, and then he is the one that is going to have to have to do that, Rose-Gilliam said.

Superintendent Marc Smith has said that if this policy came to pass he would delegate authority in almost every circumstance and that he trusts his library staff. He said in April that a policy that gives sole authority to one person should be avoided. He reiterated this Monday, speaking briefly that he would pursue all the options for feedback at his disposal, including convening committees, if the process must be undergone.

The policy does codify how a formal and informal book reconsideration would take place, yet it does not mandate that either process take place. Instead, it is dependent on what the complainant of the book asks for.

Librarian Traci Marlowe called the policy an overreach and argued that this proposed change violated House Bill 900, also called the READER act, and the Texas School Library and Archives (TSLAC) standards by making a reconsideration committee optional. She also said the current policy that was approved last year is in compliance with the law and that no updates were necessary.

She added that she has not seen a parent complain about a book their child is reading in her 14 years as a librarian. Marlowe said this policy would be the most egregious in the state and was concerned other districts would follow suit if this were passed.

One trustees fight against 'explicit' content

Trustee David Hamilton speaks during a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve a library book policy, proposed by Mr. Hamilton, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves. Critics have called it the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, and warned that the policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this crusade against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-aged children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students. Hamilton has posted copiously on his social media page. In one animated video he is described as a crusader against a Groomer gang of Chicago Marxists that were responsible for opposition to strict book ban policies like the one the FBISD board is considering. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Hamilton, who is president of the board policy committee, said he began this campaign against explicit content in libraries when he was made aware of books that he felt were objectively unsuitable for school-age children. He made many book challenges himself, where he compared some books to used toilet paper for students.

In a March board meeting, community members and pastors read excerpts of some books during public comment, which frustrated trustees who felt that the books, which were mostly available to students above middle and high school ages, should not be read aloud with elementary age children either in the room or in earshot of the livestream.

Students, parents, librarians and other community members held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX to express their opposition before the Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Hamilton posted some video excerpts of the passages read during public comment to X, formerly known as Twitter. He also said during the August board workshop that he had asked if he could read some excerpts himself but was advised against doing so.

In the months following the initial policy discussion, Hamilton has posted copiously on his social media page. In one animated video he is described as a crusader against a Groomer gang of Chicago Marxists that were responsible for opposition to strict book ban policies like the one the FBISD board is considering.

The video calls out Frank Strong, who is the co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, a nonprofit created to stand against book banning. The group writes frequent blog posts about districts that are considering banning books from their libraries, and they wrote multiple posts about Fort Bend ISDs library policy proposition earlier this year, including one that listed a few of Hamiltons book challenges, with the forms he filled out attached.

Since the March board meeting, complaints have been made against 46 titles, most from Hamilton himself.

If that is not driving an agenda  I dont know what is, said parent Angie Weirzbicki of Hamiltons book challenges.

Fort Bend ISD parent, Angie Wierzbicki spoke against the library book policy proposed by trustee David Hamilton, during the public comment section of the Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Since the March board meeting, complaints have been made against 46 titles, most from Hamilton himself. If that is not driving an agenda I dont know what is, Ms. Wierzbicki said of Hamiltons book challenges. Nine titles have since been removed, including works by Ellen Hopkins, Sarah J. Maas and Margaret Atwood. Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, which regularly appears on AP exams, was retained after a formal reconsideration. 14 of the challenged titles have been retained, and the majority of others are still pending committee or district decisions, according to the districts website. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Nine titles have since been removed, including works by Ellen Hopkins, Sarah J. Maas and Margaret Atwood. Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, which regularly appears on AP exams, was retained after a formal reconsideration. Fourteen of the challenged titles have been retained, and the majority of others are still pending committee or district decisions, according to the districts website.

Of the challenged titles, only one, All Boys Arent Blue has been placed on a restricted access shelf. It is currently the only book on a restricted access shelf in Fort Bend ISD libraries.

Aryan Seetepalli, a student from Travis High School, worried about more books being banned as a result of this policy. Seetepalli listed some of the commonly read titles that could be affected, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants and Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, found in high school English curriculums across the country. He worried that a restrictive policy that bans some titles that might appear on AP tests could hinder their ability to succeed.

What do other trustees think?

The Fort Bend Independent School District board voted to approve a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas, on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. Trustees voted 5-2 to approve the policy, which allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves, meaning that the mandated library materials review committee will be optional going forward. The board voted against the wishes of parents and staff who came to speak before and during the meeting. Critics said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Trustee Angie Hanan has continued to express concern about the library policy revisions. She said the policy would create a hot mess and that it continues to get worse and worse through each iteration. Hanan sits on the board policy committee alongside trustee Adam Schoof, who was elected to the school board in May.

Hanan said at the August workshop that the majority of revisions took place between Hamilton, the chair of the committee, and the boards legal counsel, and that she was not privy to discussions about the policy outside of their policy committee meeting.

She listed seven problems with the proposed policy, including that there is no mechanism in place to protect against abuse of the book challenge process; that the updated Texas School Library and Archives Commission standards include a clause that encourages school districts to adopt a reconsideration committee; and that it creates confusion surrounding whether an authors intent was to advocate or promote certain behavior and who would decide that.

Many of those she reiterated Monday, including that she felt the new policy does not defer to librarians as experts in their field on the appropriateness of books.

Hanan worried the districts library collection could become sterile as a result of the policy.

Trustee Angie Hanan listens during a Fort Bend ISD board meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Sugar Land, TX. She was only one of two trustees who voted against a library book policy that critics have called the most restrictive (policy) in the state of Texas. She listed seven problems with the proposed policy, including that there is no mechanism in place to protect against abuse of the book challenge process; that the updated Texas School Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) standards include a clause that encourages school districts to adopt a reconsideration committee; and that it creates confusion surrounding whether an authors intent was to advocate or promote certain behavior, and who would decide that. Many of those she reiterated Monday, including that she felt the new policy does not defer to librarians as experts in their field on the appropriateness of books. Hanan also said that there was a Library Media Services Coordinator position in the district open at the time of the workshop meeting, and she hope(d) that nothing that this board has done has inspired the vacancy of that position. Hanan worried that the districts library collection could become sterile as a result of this policy. Meridith Kohut/Contributor

Tassin said that she didnt have a problem with delegating ultimate authority to the superintendent and the board, who were hired and elected, respectively, to make these kinds of decisions.

Trustee Rick Garcia said the policy helps eliminate some circumstances where the formal reconsideration process had tied the districts hands. Garcia said he supported books being placed on restricted shelves or removed temporarily from the libraries while the committee was considering the title, instead of leaving it on the shelves when a parent or community member had complained about the appropriateness of the title. He said the new policy respects librarians more than the previous one despite opposition expressed by district librarians during public comment.

Schoof said there were pornographic images described in books on the districts shelves but did not specify which titles he was referring to.

Trustee Sonya Jones said libraries had degenerate books and it was the duty of trustees to protect childrens innocence.

One elementary school librarian, Brandie Dowda, said she fled Houston ISD because the district was eliminating its libraries. Dowda said she came to Fort Bend ISD this year because the policy in place safeguarded the importance of access to books that celebrate diversity, in one of the most diverse school districts in the country.

The librarian also took issue with some of the derogatory comments that have been made recently about her profession.

I am not a groomer. I have no prurient interest in children. Thats disgusting,  Dowda said. I want to help children find books that they love to read. Thats it. Thats my job.
Two of Africa's largest B2B e-commerce platforms, Wasoko and MaxAB, have finally completed the continents much-talked-about merger, TechCrunch has learned. The all-stock transaction, both companies say, marks an evolution from B2B e-commerce companies to a multi-vertical ecosystem for Africas $600 billion informal retail sector.

Talks of a merger between Kenya-based Wasoko and Egypt-based MaxAB began last December. This merger, the first of its scale on the continent, involved integrating 16 subsidiaries across multiple countries, Daniel Yu, co-CEO of the combined entity, told TechCrunch in an interview. Given this complexity, the eight-month timeline is not unusual in the context of global mergers.

Tiger Global, Silver Lake, Avenir, and British International Investment are some of the high-profile investors who collectively invested over $240 million in Wasoko and MaxAB before this merger.

Wasoko and MaxAB act as distributors for small mom-and-pop shops across Africa, with some financial services attached, and initially served traditional retailers in eight markets. However, they've scaled back to five markets: Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, and Tanzania. This retrenchment reflects a broader trend among B2B e-commerce companies across Africa, many of which have scaled back operations, pivoted, or closed due to cash shortages and changing funding landscapes.

Despite the challenges, the merger presents a bigger pie for the companies. Independently, Wasoko and MaxAB were two of the largest B2B e-commerce companies based on metrics like GMV and merchant base. Although both companies declined to share updated GMV figures (Wasoko, for instance, made $300 million GMV in 2022), the newly formed entity claims to have the continents largest network of B2B informal retailers, with over 450,000 merchants. Based on my conversation with Yu, a little over 200,000 might be active across both platforms.

In line with the shift in focus on what's important or not, we'll decline to state specific GMV; however, what I will emphasize is that we are now making a net contribution margin or net profit per order, which wasnt the case in the back in the day in the GMV maximizing period," Yu noted about the companys profitability gains.

Yus remarks echo a trend among startups today: prioritizing profitability. Wasoko and MaxABcurrently working on a unified brand name for the combined companyhope to achieve that goal by scaling their fintech offerings, which offer higher margins than the core commerce business that initially defined both companies.

B2B e-commerce companies have long argued that serving mom-and-pop shops is a moat to providing financial services, unlocking additional and more profitable revenue streams. Wasoko and MaxAB separately offered some of these services, including e-payments, credit financing, and digital services top-ups. In the merged entity, stand-alone business units will now manage these services, which the companies have received licenses to offer, providing them through a unified app alongside their core commerce services.

Egypt is the groups largest market in that vertical, and those services generate more sales than its e-commerce transactions, which amounted to over $180 million last year. In addition, the combined entity has provided over $20 million in merchant financing, launched within the past year, with a repayment rate of over 99%. The companies project that the revenue from the fintech services will more than double year-on-year by December 2024.

My conversation with Yu, who runs the combined entity alongside Belal El-Megharbel of MaxAB, details what the merger means for both companies, the new synergies formed as a result, and the combined entitys future expectations.

TC: Is this a merger of equals, or is there a dominant player in the deal? I recall reporting that there was supposed to be a 55/45 split. Can you confirm or provide more details on that?

DY: It's absolutely a merger of equals. The commercial terms we agreed on reflect that, as the cap tables and shareholder base were merged nearly 50/50.

Got it! In terms of valuation, what should we make of both companies value in light of VNV Global's markdown, which is the most recent attribution to what any of the companies are currently worth?

For private companies like Wasoko and MaxAB, since we haven't raised any new investment since our last round in 2022, there hasn't been an independent valuation to determine the current market value of our shares. When investors adjust the book value of their stake in Wasoko, for instance, based on off-cycle decisions  without any actual buying or selling of shares  it doesn't materially affect the day-to-day operations or value of the company. As the CEO and a lead shareholder, I'm not giving up any equity or receiving any new funds, so these changes don't matter to me. That would be how I would describe and explain that situation and how we practically look at it.

Fair enough. However, I'd say valuation matters when bringing together investors under the new entity. Shouldnt a benchmark or reference point be used to determine the value of shares investors will hold in the combined company?

In practice, the swap or conversion ratio between the two companies matters for us in the transaction. For instance, if the agreement is a 50/50 split, and one company has 10 million shares while the other has 5 million, the process involves combining these shares to equalize their value in the new entity.

So, we can decide that this results in a new combined company with 20 million shares, where shares from both companies are now equivalent. The actual share price, whether $70 or $100, doesn't factor into the calculation. The focus is on the conversion ratio, not the current share price.

You mentioned that neither company has raised any money since 2022. However, sources have told me of the new entity's plans to do so, which is proving tricky since B2B e-commerce right now isn't as sexy to investors as it was two years ago. My guess is the growth of the fintech vertical is to prove diversification and become more attractive to investors.

To answer different parts, we're not actively raising money right now, but we are looking at raising money in the future on our path to long-term growth and profitability.

But what you're reading into on the fintech side is correct. Both companies started as pure B2B e-commerce platforms, catering to small mom-and-pop stores. Early on, we recognized that this couldn't be the end game because e-commerce, while high in volume, is low-margin, operationally complex, and requires significant investment to achieve profitability.

The real value we've created isn't just in selling millions of dollars' worth of goods like rice, soap, or sugar. It's digitizing and onboarding over 200,000 mom-and-pop stores into our app and physical network, allowing us to provide services like free next-day delivery and cash pickup.

For example, in some of our markets, we're making deliveries on behalf of Jumia and Amazon through the logistics network. This online-offline network embedded in local neighborhoods is the core value weve built, and we've proven this by successfully adding additional value-added services on top of it.

At least for the next year, our primary focus is expanding our fintech offerings across existing markets. Our e-commerce operations are already profitable in most markets, with a profit per delivery.

Which markets are Wasoko and MaxAB profitable in? Also, describe the margins and blended take rates across these regions.

I won't quote the exact figures because they fluctuate weekly and monthly. However, we're currently e-commerce operationally profitable in three of the five countries we operate in, and we expect to achieve profitability in the remaining countries by the end of the year.

Regarding operations for the combined entity, what has changed from when the companies were independent players?

We have nearly 4,000 full-time employees, most involved in local operations, including warehouse management and other on-the-ground tasks. The main impact of the merger was on central back-office roles due to overlapping functions, which led to some difficult decisions and centralization. Realizing synergies in this manner is pretty standard in merging companies.

That being said, on the growth side, we are excited about new revenue streams and opportunities that can be unlocked by our expanded Pan-African footprint, such as the cross-border procurement business we started, which speaks to intra-African trade and exports. Were trying to source products directly within our operations and sell them across different African countries, leveraging our extensive network. A good example of this is tea. Egypt imports over 90% of its tea from Kenya, but our platform in Egypt currently sources it from importers and local distributors, even though it originates in Kenya. Since we have strong connections and operations in Kenya, it makes sense to source directly from there.

The other thing that complements this is that both companies already had quite sizable private label operations, where we were already doing some of this contract manufacturing for different products locally. While we havent yet expanded this to a cross-border scale, the merger allows us to explore these international opportunities.

Thats interesting. Still on cross-border synergy but from a different perspective, which has to do with the health of both businesses. From the outside, its hard to imagine how two loss-making businesses, especially in your industry, can combine to turn a profit.

I think this is where the point on the central or back-off synergies should not be understated because the reality of both businesses was that we were very close to profitable e-commerce operations on a stand-alone basis.

Both companies were losing money mainly due to overhead costs. The merger allows us to combine these costs, resulting in significant immediate savings. By combining overheads, we've significantly increased the efficiency of these fixed costs, leading to better proportional profitability. While we're already seeing some benefits from our larger footprint and new opportunities, these gains are still small and will take time to materialize fully.

And forward-looking, what should we expect from the combined entity in the B2B commerce space, particularly now, when there isn't much enthusiasm about it?

Id like to step back and speak to the broader African tech ecosystem because I think that's the more representative context of the funding slowdown and investor activity.

In that context, further consolidation is very much in the cards. I would back that up with a theoretical framework from my market view. We've reached a point where to be competitive as an investment opportunity on the global landscape, you need to have not just scale but also a diversified risk in the asset you're offering.

Especially in the current climate, where global capital is scarce, you must do more to stand out. Being in one country or vertical might not make you an investable asset or get the return at a venture scale that you or your investors ultimately desire.

To unlock the full potential of the African markets, we will require more of this kind of hyper-local startups coming together. We tried to do it alone in Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire back in 2022 and ultimately shut that down in 2023, not because the customer opportunity or pain point wasn't there, but because the operations that are required to build out both businesses properly require that deep local expertise and experience, and we realized we were lacking at the time. That opened us up to M&A with MaxAB to grow the business and expand to achieve a true Pan-African footprint.
Migrant and ethnic communities in Germany have raised concerns over a growing support for far-right parties, such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

The party is known for its fierce anti-immigrant rhetoric, leveraging migration as a key voter issue in eastern Germany.

This has caused anxiety amongst not only those who work to combat discrimination, but also minorities such as Black Germans and African migrants, who are among the most visible minorities and often the first to be discriminated against.

This is particularly prominent in the state of Thuringia, which will go to the polls next week.

Current polling shows up to 30% of voters in Thuringia say they want to cast their ballot for the AfD, putting the party ahead of other mainstream parties.

An AfD election campaign posters showing the slogan "summer, sun, remigration," are displayed in Erfurt. - Markus Schreiber/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved

Experts say that specifically in Thuringia, radical far-right forces have created an environment that's hostile toward minorities, including Black people.

In recent years, an extreme right-wing movement has formed in Thuringia, which has contributed to a noticeable ideological radicalisation of its followers. Politically, the Alternative for Germany party is the main beneficiary of this, says the Ezra Foundation NGO.

The AfDs Thuringia branch is particularly radical and was put under official surveillance by the domestic intelligence service four years ago as a 'proven right-wing extremist' group.

But the AfD also wields great power in the states of Saxony and Brandenburg, where elections will be held on 1 and 22 September respectively.

All three states account for 10% of Germanys population and their election results are expected to have a major influence on national politics.

Deepening migrant debate

The migrant debate in Germany has, in recent days, been exacerbated by the knife attack which killed three people at a street festival in Solingen.

The attack was allegedly perpetrated by a Syrian asylum seeker who should have been deported last year after his claim for asylum was rejected.

Opposition parties have used the incident to criticise the German government for failing on migration policy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lays flowers near the scene of a knife attack in Solingen. - Thomas Banneyer/(c) Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten

The government has responded by vowing to tighten deportation rules, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to meet CDU opposition leader Friedrich Merz to discuss the matter further.

Meanwhile, Germany's Justice Minister Marco Buschmann has confirmed rejected asylum seekers could be deported to Syria and vowed to seek a solution for Afghanistan.

"I am of the opinion that one can be deported to Syria. The courts have already decided that. Just think of the Higher Administrative Court in North Rhine-Westphalia. Because we also have regions in Syria where people can be safe. I think we also need a solution for Afghanistan," he said.
FILE PHOTO: Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

FILE PHOTO: Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

By Tassilo Hummel

PARIS (Reuters) -Relations between Moscow and Paris have reached a nadir following the arrest of Russian-born Telegram boss Pavel Durov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday, after the tech billionaire's detention was extended until Wednesday.

Durov, who has French as well as Russian nationality, was arrested near Paris over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.

It remains unclear if he knew about the threat of arrest in France. Durov's French lawyer did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Durov's arrest has plunged Moscow-Paris ties to their lowest level, Lavrov said on Tuesday, capping months of deteriorating relations between the two nations.

French authorities accused Russia of trying to destabilise it ahead of the Paris Olympics in response to its more hawkish stance on the Ukraine war - claims Russia has denied.

Durov's detention was extended by 48 hours late on Monday, a spokesperson for the Paris prosecutor's office said on Tuesday. After that, prosecutors will either need to charge or release him. Should he face charges, his flight risk status is a factor judges have to include in their assessment of possible pretrial detention, according to French law.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday that Russia was ready to provide Durov with all necessary assistance given his Russian citizenship, but that his French citizenship complicated the situation. Durov also holds a UAE passport.

"The charges are very serious indeed," said Peskov. "They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication."

FREE SPEECH DEBATE

Durov's arrest has sparked a debate about the limits of free speech online, with X-owner Elon Musk saying the right to expression in Europe was under attack. It also underlines a movement by governments around the world to take a tougher line on policing illegal activity that flourishes on some platforms.

Brazil's supreme court briefly suspended Telegram nationwide in 2022 over its failure to comply with judicial orders.

With close to 1 billion users, Telegram is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union. It presents itself as a haven for free speech, but is also widely used by far-right, anti-vax and conspiracist movements, as well as political dissidents.

The platform has become crucial to battlefield communications in the war in Ukraine and is used by governments and soldiers on both sides of the war to share war-related news and propaganda.

Without providing evidence, Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, earlier said the United States, through France, was attempting to exert control over Telegram.

"Telegram is one of the few and at the same time the largest Internet platforms over which the United States has no influence," Volodin said in a post.

"On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control."

The White House has yet to comment on Durov's arrest.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is known to be an avid user of the app, has said that the arrest was "in no way a political decision".

Russia has previously tried, and failed, to block Telegram and fined the company several times for failing to delete what it deemed illegal content.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Tassilo Hummel in Paris; Editing by Barbara Lewis and Gabriel Stargardter)
A US Air Force squadron tinkered with the electronic warfare systems on Ukraine's new F-16s so they could fight evolving Russian threats

A US Air Force squadron tinkered with the electronic warfare systems on Ukraine's new F-16s so they could fight evolving Russian threats

Ukraine recently received its first batch of long-awaited F-16s from its NATO partners.

A US Air Force squadron had to reprogram the electronic warfare systems on the fighter jets.

The aircraft needed to be adjusted so they could be effective against evolving Russian threats.

A US Air Force squadron was tasked with reprogramming the F-16 fighter jets donated to Ukraine so they could battle evolving Russian threats with electronic warfare.

The 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron, an element of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, recently worked with the Danish and Norwegian militaries to support the long-awaited delivery of F-16s to Ukraine, the Air Force said on Monday.

Denmark and the Netherlands provided Ukraine with its first batch of F-16s, which Kyiv finally unveiled earlier this month. However, the American-made aircraft's electronic warfare subsystems needed some tinkering to be better prepared for their new threat environment.

Electronic warfare has been a prominent feature of Russia's war against Ukraine, with both sides regularly using it to interfere with enemy weapons systems like precision strike munitions, guided bombs, and missiles, among other things.

A Ukrainian Air Forces F-16 is seen on the ground at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on August 4, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

The extensive employment of such tactics in this conflict has forced both Russia and Ukraine to find innovative ways to scale up their electronic warfare practices and develop countermeasures.

Russia and Ukraine "heavily rely on unfettered access to the electromagnetic spectrum to achieve commander objectives," the 350th, which is located at Florida's Eglin Air Force Base, said in a statement, adding that "both sides have continuously engaged in EW through techniques such as jamming and spoofing throughout the war to achieve spectrum superiority."

"With the third-party transfer of F-16s by Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands to Ukraine, another EW capability is joining the fight for Ukraine," the 350th said. It did not say what that capability is.

"To effectively integrate the F-16 into the Ukrainian Air Force, its EW subsystems required reprogramming to be effective against evolving Russian threats in the spectrum," the wing said, referring to electronic warfare. "The 68th EWS took this challenge head-on given the urgent priority it represents to the US and our partners."

Ukrainian F-16s are seen in the air in an undisclosed location of Ukraine on August 4, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

The squadron first had to learn about the unfamiliar system on the F-16s that were soon to be delivered from Europe, because the US does not have it in its inventory. Denmark and Norway provided data so the Americans could understand the system and how to reprogram it.

After gaining an understanding the system and traveling overseas to develop and test it, the 68th verified the different elements so they met the Ukrainians' requirements. Squadron members said working with partner nations paved the way for a successful project.

"When you're talking about a near-peer conflict, you need all of your coalition partners to operate with the same playbook so you can achieve spectrum dominance," the director of the 68th EWS said in a statement. They were not named.

"One F-16 with a reprogrammed pod won't achieve air dominance alone, but it may give you a pocket of air superiority for a moment's time to achieve an objective that has strategic importance and impact," the director added, setting expectations for the capability.

A Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jet flies in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on August 4, 2024. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky

NATO countries have pledged to send Ukraine dozens of F-16s, giving Kyiv's arsenal of aging Soviet-era aircraft a significant capability boost.

However, Ukrainian officials, top US generals, and experts have cautioned that the F-16 won't necessarily be a game-changing platform, as it faces a tough operating environment and Russia's sophisticated air-defense systems.

Ukrainian leadership has also said it likely won't have enough fighter jets to make a notable impact. However, with the right weapon configurations, the jet can still be effective for certain offensive and defensive missions.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his F-16s were used in combat to shoot down Russian missiles during a massive attack the day before.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Out of the so-called film brats of the 1970s, the filmmakers who redefined movie-making by being the first generation of directors to create film after being raised on movies, I have the softest spot in my heart for Brian De Palma. His visual sensibilities are closest to my own personal instincts as a visual storyteller. And like so many other directors, if he doesnt have the right script, his efforts can feel all for naught. It doesnt matter how incredible his production values are, if he doesnt have the right story, it just doesnt come together. He doesnt seem to be able to elevate materialbut if hes given the right material, he can make it come alive.

Carlitos Way, which was written by David Koepp, based on the novels by Edwin Torres, gives De Palma the perfect script to work with. It allows him to indulge in his excesses in a way that dont feel like excesses. They feel like the best possible way to convey information to the audience: His frequent use of steadicam, slow-motion, stage-setting soundtrack selection, they all feel so appropriate and at home in Carlitos Way.

Carlito Brigante, played by Al Pacino in one of his best performances, finds himself released from prison on a technicality after only serving five years of a thirty-plus-year conviction. Instead of going straight back into his life of crime, he decides to go legit. The thing is, he actually means it. Theres a sweet sincerity to his commitment to going straight, that he doesnt consider the external forces that want to prevent that from happening. For someone so street savvy, theres a naivete to him. Carlito isnt just some violent thug. He may have been a criminal in a past life, and he was damn good at it, but it was all in the name of survival. From now on, he intends to survive by the book, even if he makes enemies along the way.

Carlitos Lawyer, Dave Kleinfeld, played by a nervous, twitchy Sean Penn, is one of those external forces of nature that seems hellbent on pulling Carlito back into the world of organized crime. Kleinfeld has made a name for himself during Carlitos stint in prison. Hes no longer a crooked lawyer who helps criminals. Hes gone full gangster, pocketing drug lords money without delivering on services and putting a target on his back.

Penelope Ann Miller is Gail, Carlitos former girlfriend, from before his conviction. They reconcile not long after hes released, and she serves as his voice of reason. When Carlito says hes got to do one last thing, one last stupid thing before giving up and going legit entirely, she tells him, without mincing words, that his macho crap is going to get him sent right back to prison. Or worse, killed.

The entire cast is populated with young up-and-comers who werent quite household names yet, like John Leguizamo as Benny Blanco from the Bronx; Luis Guzman as Carlitos trusted friend and advisor, Pachanga; and Viggo Mortensen as Lalin, a smalltime hood who tries, and fails, to turn rat.

Like so many of De Palmas previous films, Carlitos Way builds into an explosive finale. Here, though, the way it builds is a showcase for the exceptional work from the director, the screenplay, and all of the work the talented cast and crew put in. The film pulls out all the stops so that when the bullets start flying, it feels real in its moment, and that the tension feels earned. Every decision a character made to get to this point felt like an organic one. Every mistake someone made felt real and true to their character. It doesnt feel like a manipulation to fit all the chess pieces together for this climax, which occupies almost the entirety of the final third of the film, it feels like a real moment and its a white knuckler.

Like the famous shootout at the train station in The Untouchables, it takes its time allowing everything to come together before the carnage begins, but where The Untouchables felt like an exercise in pure style from a confident filmmaker, Carlitos Way feels like a gut-wrenching exercise in tension from a brilliant storyteller.

Carlitos Way feels like a logical evolution for De Palma, combining elements from many of his past films like Scarface but twisting the perspective to a more mature reminiscence on a previous life. Theres a nostalgia to it, but also a sadness to it, in knowing that sometimes it doesnt matter how much we want to change, theres always a price to pay for a life built on crime.

Vital Disc Stats - The 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray

Carlitos Way is housed in a standard case with the same artwork that has adorned previous releases of the film since its days on VHSwhich is not a slam, its a great poster, and an ageless one. The case contains the film on both 4K Blu-ray and a 1080p Blu-ray, along with a digital redemption code for Movies and Fandango at home. All special features can be found on both discs.
A Houston ISD student snacks on an apple while participating the American Federation of Teachers rally against state takeovers of public schools Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at Discovery Green in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Less than 40% of Houston voters say they'd support a property tax increase to fund the districts $4.4 billion school bond package, according to a poll released Tuesday by Texas AFT, a statewide union for public school employees.

On behalf of the union, Z to A Research, a polling firm, surveyed 736 likely HISD voters online from Aug. 9 to 14 about if they would support increasing taxes to fund the districts proposed bond package, the two separate ballot propositions, confidence in the state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles and their views on the state takeover of the district.

The truth is, voters are deeply unsatisfied with Mike Miles management of HISD, they do not trust him to spend their tax dollars, and they do not trust him when he says this massive bond proposal is not a property tax increase, said Nancy Zdunkewicz, the founder of Z to A Research.

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HISDs proposed school bond  which the district says would not increase the tax rate  outlines spending billions to rebuild and renovate schools with poor facilities and learning conditions, expand pre-K and career and technical education, and make safety, security and technology upgrades. It would be the largest school bond in Texas history if approved in November.

The poll, which had a margin of error of about 3.6%, found that 49% of surveyed voters would oppose the $4.4 billion bond proposal if it would increase property taxes to repair HISD buildings and fund technology. According to the poll, 64% of Republicans, 53% of independents and 41% of Democrats said they opposed a tax increase to fund the bond.

The survey found that 39% of voters, including about half of Democrats, 30% of independents and 29% of Republicans, would support increasing taxes to pay for a bond, and the remaining surveyed voters remained unsure. The polling firm wrote that Democrats shift to oppose the bond when it becomes clear to them that Miles would be responsible for managing these funds.

The polls release comes nearly a week after the Kinder Institute for Urban Research released the results of its own January and August polls of about 7,500 Harris County residents, known as the Greater Houston Community Panel, on their support for a bond that did not raise property taxes.

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Both of the Kinder Institutes polls found more than 75% of surveyed HISD residents would support a bond that resulted in tax increases of $1 or less, while less than 60% of respondents said they would support a proposal that raised taxes by $25 a year or more. The poll did not ask residents directly whether they supported the district's specific bond proposal.

Miles is asking our community to shoulder the burden of the largest school bond proposal in the history of Texas, Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, said in a statement. Houston families cant afford to make this investment until we have steady, trusted, and accountable elected leaders running the district once more.

The Houston Federation of Teachers, the largest teachers union in HISD, is an affiliate of Texas AFT and the American Federation of Teachers. Leaders of all three organizations have been vocally opposed to the districts bond for months, citing a lack of trust after the Texas Education Agency replaced the elected board members and superintendent with appointees in June 2023.

In Z to A Researchs poll, less than a quarter of surveyed voters said they have confidence in Miles to manage bond funds, with at least three-fourths of respondents saying they dont find him trustworthy or effective, according to the firms reported survey findings.

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The districts school bond will be split into two propositions on the November ballot that residents can vote on separately. Proposition A would allocate $3.96 billion for school building renovations and expansions, including safety and security infrastructure, while Proposition B would allocate $440 million for technology equipment, systems and infrastructure.

The polling form wrote that 30% of respondents said they would vote for Prop A and 28% said they would vote for Prop B after hearing arguments for and against the bond, although the report of survey findings did not include the specific arguments presented. The supporters include 22% of Republicans, 27% of independents and 35% of Democrats.

About two-thirds of voters said they oppose the state takeover of HISD and the appointment of the Superintendent and Board of Managers, with 19% of voters saying they supported the move. The survey found more than 60% of polled voters support removing Miles and the state-appointed Board of Managers and restoring authority to an elected school board.

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Houston voters see through Mike Miless sham leadership, and this new poll proves it, Texas AFT president Zeph Capo said in a statement. Miles had a year to build trust with educators, parents, and the community. He failed miserably. Trust is broken, and Mike Miles has no business asking taxpayers for a single cent.
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Hindutva organizations ask Muslims to leave Upper Assam: AIUDF

The call for cleansing Muslims from Upper Assam has come to light where threats have been issued by some Hindutva organizations to the Muslims to leave the region or face the consequences

Tuesday August 27, 2024 5:19 PM , Syed Ali Mujtaba

[AIUDF Chief Badurddin Ajmal Qasmi in a file image.]

New Delhi: The call for cleansing Muslims from Upper Assam has come to light where threats have been issued by some Hindutva organizations to the Muslims to leave the region or face the consequences.

Upper Assam comprises of eight districts of the eldest sibling of the Northeast state.

After Himachal Pradesh, this is the second state in India, where Muslims are openly being threatened to leave the spaces occupied by them.

The threat call from the Hindutva organizations comes on the heels of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma statement that the Muslim population in Assam has increased to 40 per cent and it is a 'Matter of Life and Death' for the Hindu community.

According to AIUDF Chief Badrudin Ajmal, There are several organizations which have issued threats against a section of the Muslim community asking them to leave the Upper Assam districts or face the consequences."

Such statements are not only alarming but also create a serious threat to communal harmony and safety of the Muslim community in the region, the AIUDF Chief said.

The AIUDF submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Assam, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, seeking action against those individuals and organizations who have given such a sinister call.

Through the memorandum the AIUDF Chief has asked the BJP-led state government to issue a public statement condemning such threats issued by the organizations and reassure all communities that their safety and rights will be protected by the state government.

The AIUDF Chief urged the Governor to intervene in this matter and asked the state government to take strict legal action against those organizations, and initiate legal action against them.

The AIUDF Chief requested the state government to deploy adequate security forces in the upper Assam areas to ensure the safety and security of the Muslims living there.

The AIUDF also urged the members of the Civil Society to initiate programs and campaigns to promote communal harmony and unity among the different communities in the state.

[Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com.]

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Reflections on Hyderabads 1948 Legacy: Past and Present

A recently held seminar in Hyderabad discussed at length how the region's turbulent past, especially the 1948 Hyderabad Police Action, continues to influence its present socio-political landscape

Tuesday August 27, 2024 8:17 PM , Nabila Mulla, ummid.com

Hyderabad: A recently held seminar in Hyderabad discussed at length how the region's turbulent past, especially the 1948 Hyderabad Police Action, continues to influence its present socio-political landscape.

The painful events of 1948 police action in Hyderabad tried to break the economic and political backbone of the Muslims and pushed them back," said Abdul Hafeez, State President of SIO Telangana.

Speaking at a seminar titled Hyderabad State After 1948: The Pause, Reflection, and Continuities, Hafeez said, "In his letter, Maulana Maududi advised the leaders of Hyderabad in an insightful way to make agreements for the cultural self-determination of Muslims, and not to try to fight and resist with sentimentality and empty slogans."

The seminar, organised by the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), Telangana on Sunday, brought together experts to discuss the long-term effects of the 1948 annexation of Hyderabad, known as Operation Polo.

The seminar attracted an audience of 130 people, who gathered to reflect on the historical events that have shaped modern Telangana.

The discussions highlighted how critical it is to understand the past, from Operation Polo to the creation of Telangana, to grasp its impact on today's issues, particularly concerning the Muslim community.

The first session featured Mir Ayoob Ali Khan, Consultant Editor Siasat dot com. His talk, titled "Reimagining Public Spheres in Neo-Liberal Hyderabad," provided a detailed exploration of the region's historical timeline, focusing on public responses to various events over the years.

Veteran journalist and former MLC Syed Amin-ul-Hasan Jafri followed with an analysis of Hyderabad's political history, offering insights into how the region's political landscape has evolved.

In the afternoon session, a panel of speakers from various parts of the former Hyderabad State shared their perspectives.

Also Read: 17th September 1948 is a Black Day in Human History

Pramod Mandade, a PhD scholar from IIT Bombay, spoke about Marathwada, filmmaker and journalist Danish Majeed discussed Hyderabad, and linguistics scholar Khurram Muraad shared insights on the Kalyani region.

Each panelist recounted the experiences of survivors, touching on themes such as trauma, memory, and the ongoing struggle to navigate life today.

Their stories highlighted the lasting impact of past violence on these communities and explored how memory, language, and socio-political spaces have been shaped by these events.

The seminar concluded with remarks from Dr. Faheemuddin Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Translation Studies and Editor Dawat Weekly (dawatnews dot net).

Ahmed congratulated the organizers for facilitating such an important discussion and praised the participants for their engagement.

The event underscored the enduring influence of Hyderabads history on its present and the necessity of continuous reflection and dialogue to build a more just and inclusive future for all.

[The writer, Nabila Mulla, is a student of Journalism currently pursuing post- graduation (PG).]

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Ukraine Targets Another Russian Oil Depot Amid Escalating Conflict

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia reached new heights as Ukraine launched an attack on another Russian oil depot.

Wednesday August 28, 2024 0:11 AM , ummid.com News Network

[Image Source: Canva]

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia reached new heights as Ukraine launched an attack on another Russian oil depot. This was a provocative escalation of the hostilities between the two nations amid an already strained geopolitical situation, further impacting the dynamics of crude oil investing .

Background of the Conflict

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia dates back to 2014, with the annexation of Crimea by the Russians. The annexation resulted in several measures of condemnation and sanctions from the international community against Russia.

Since then, continuing fighting has occurred between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in eastern regions of Ukraine, particularly in Donetsk and Luhansk; thousands of people have died as a consequence of this conflict, and an approximate number of displaced civilians has also been estimated, which is a real humanitarian crisis.

Recent Escalation

Over the last few months, the conflict has escalated significantly; military operations have increased on both sides, with many reports of intensified artillery shelling and skirmishes along the front lines.

The reported attacks by Ukraine on oil depots are a strategic effort to incapacitate Russia's logistical and fuel supply lines; not only is this going to disrupt the immediate operations of the Russian military, but such actions will also have far-reaching consequences within the global energy market and crude oil investing.

Ukraine's Strategic Objectives

For a counterattack against the Russian invasion, Ukraine targets oil depots in Russia. Russia needs functioning oil depots to maintain supplies of fuel to military vehicles, aircraft, and other vital equipment; by the disruption of such supplies, Russia cannot engage in military operations for a long period; hence, this works to the tactical advantage of Ukraine.

Moreover, there are some symbolic implications of these strikes; they alert Russia and the world at large that Ukraine is willing and capable of striking such critical infrastructure deep in the territory of Russia. This might potentially deter further aggression or at least make Russia commit some of its resources to the protection of its assets.

Impact on Global Energy Markets

The impact of the conflict on world energy markets cannot be overemphasised. Russia is among the largest oil producers in the world, and any disturbance to its oil supply may result in very serious and far-reaching effects. The recent attacks on oil depots have already caused a change in the price of oil, with concerns about a possible shortage driving up the cost.

Investors in crude oil are already watching the situation; any disruption to oil production in Russia will result in extreme market volatility, this might prove extremely worrisome for countries that rely heavily on Russian oil supplies, which could cause a disruption in the supply chain and a rise in the cost of energy.

International Response

The response by the world has been one of condemnation but also calls for restraint; Western nations, in particular the United States and the European Union, have released statements that support Ukraine's right to defend itself but still urge both nations to end the crisis peacefully.

The international response has not been short of sanctioning Russia. The pressure from the measures is always intended to make Russia escalate the conflict and finally negotiate a ceasefire; however, how far this is going to be effective is always a highly debatable point since Russia will always show its resilience in adapting to economic pressures.

Humanitarian Concerns

The conflict has been escalating, further deteriorating the already dire humanitarian situation in the area. Thousands of civilians are left exposed to the confrontations , resulting in increased displacement and suffering. Humanitarian organizations are working under immense strain, and access to places of conflict is often impeded.

Such attacks on vital infrastructure, such as oil depots, raise the risks even higher. These might lead to ecological disasters due to oil spills and fires, setting up the scene for a long-term blow to the regional ecosystem; in addition, the health and safety of civilians in areas adjacent to such targets are endangered by the consequences of explosions or fire.

Potential for Diplomatic Solutions

Even as the battle rages, there are ongoing attempts to solve the conflict through peaceful means; various international bodies and nations are currently working behind the scenes to mediate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, these would ensure a halt to hostilities and then eventually provide the groundwork for permanent peace.

It is hard to find a diplomatic solution since deep-seated grievances and different objectives exist on both sides. There is little room for compromise. The past week's escalation, with the targeting of oil depots, dramatically changes things with increased distrust and hatred between the sides.

Economic Implications

The economic consequences of the conflict are not limited to only the energy sector. Instability within the region has disrupted trade routes impacting the flow of goods and services. As a result, the instability has caused an increase in costs for both businesses and consumers within Europe, most especially considering how highly interwoven it is with both Ukrainian and Russian economies.

Also, many companies have started reconsidering investments in the region due to the war; uncertainty about the future political and economic situation hinders long-term planning for investments, which might lower the economic growth and development in Ukraine and Russia.

Military Strategies and Tactics

The strikes against oil depots are part of a broader military strategy that Ukraine is using; in opposing forces, it hopes to degrade Russia's ability to continue its operations by focusing on the infrastructure that keeps its military running, this would include oil depots, supply lines, communication networks, and other logistics hubs.

In response, Russia will have to alter its strategies for the protection of such vital assets; this would most probably be done through the enhancement of air defences, dispersal of fuel supplies to relatively safer locations, and improvement in intelligence gathering to detect and hit back at Ukrainian raids. It is these shifting tides of military strategies that will define the future trajectory of the conflict.

Role of Technology

Technology is one of the most critical segments involved in today's warfare; hence the Ukraine-Russia conflict is no exception. Advanced technologies are being used to a large extent in the conflict, including drones, cyber warfare, and satellite surveillance. Drones have particularly been on the front lines as Ukraine and Russia deploy them in reconnaissance and strike missions.

Another critical component is cyber warfare. Ukraine has been having many cyberattacks against its critical infrastructure; it is also believed to be launching its cyber operations against Russian targets. These cyber skirmishes raise the complexity of conflict to a different level, with the potential to disrupt military operations and civilian infrastructure alike.

Historical Context

The historical context must be taken into consideration to clearly understand the conflict that is currently taking place. Ukraine and Russia have been in a tense relationship for a long time, with periods of conflict, domination, and resistance; the enormous turnabout occasioned by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the resultant independence for Ukraine remains affected today by the legacy of Soviet rule in the dynamics between these two nations.

The annexation of Crimea in 2014 proved to be a watershed moment, reigniting historical grudges and setting the stage for the current conflict. It becomes imperative to understand this historical backdrop to understand the motivations and actions of both Ukraine and Russia as this hostility unfolds.

Future Scenarios

The course of the conflict in the future is difficult to predict, given the complexity of the situation and involving variables. There are possible scenarios that may happen, each with its corresponding consequences.

One such scenario would be a long-term stalemate: both sides continue fighting, and no convincing victory is achieved by either side; the likely result would be continued instability and suffering for civilians who find themselves in the middle of the conflict zone.

Another way out could be a negotiated ceasefire, probably with international mediators; this would be welcome, but the concessions from both sides to achieve and sustain a ceasefire, along with mechanisms to monitor and enforce a halt in hostilities, would have to be very far-reaching.

The more worrying case is that the conflict spirals down into a broader regional or even global confrontation, the involvement of NATO, in particular, if member states perceive a direct threat from this, could then mean the conflict would spread wider in its repercussions.

Overall, the reported attack by Ukraine on another Russian oil depot reflects the significant escalation in the conflict . It underlines how the disruption of critical infrastructure is important to undermine the military options of the opponent. The effects of these actions are therefore not confined to the immediate area of conflict but extend to global energy markets, economic stability, and humanitarian conditions.

The developing nature of the conflict means that the international community has to be, just as it was with its predecessor, vigilant and proactive at all times in pursuit of solutions. These range from sustained diplomatic efforts through economic sanctions, and humanitarian assistance, which are all the important components that must feature in a response if it is to be holistic in dealing with this crisis. Bringing peace may be a long way off, but there is no alternative for a future of stability and prosperity in the region.



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Viet Nam, with its dynamic economic growth and increasing demand for high-quality healthcare services, represents a key market for Organon. The new entity will enhance Organon's ability to serve the Vietnamese market, foster local partnerships and contribute to the country's healthcare development.

"We are excited to embark on this journey in Viet Nam, a country with immense potential and a growing demand for quality healthcare," said Vo Thi Thuy Ha, Country Lead at Organon Vietnam. "Our commitment is to bring innovative solutions that address the unique healthcare needs of Vietnamese women. By establishing Organon as a foreign investment entity here, we aim to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of women and their families across the nation."

Vo Thi Thuy Ha, Country Lead at Organon Vietnam speaks at the eventOrganon plans to introduce a range of healthcare products and services tailored to the needs of Vietnamese women. The company is particularly focused on addressing issues such as declining birth rates and unintended pregnancies. Nearly half of all pregnancies in Vietnam are unintended, posing significant challenges to women's health and wellbeing. These unintended pregnancies often result in unsafe abortions, contributing to maternal mortality and other health complications.

"With more than two billion people in this region, we are committed to making a world of difference in women's health every day," said Andreas Daugaard Jorgensen, Managing Director of Organon Asia Pacific. "Viet Nam's dynamic market presents a tremendous opportunity for us to contribute to the healthcare sector and improve the lives of many."

To tackle these issues, Organon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnam Population Authority. This partnership aims to improve access to contraception and reproductive health education through new digital resources and a hotline for women aged 19 to 24 years. By empowering women with knowledge and resources, Organon strives to reduce unintended pregnancies and promote safer reproductive health practices.

About Organon

Organon is a global healthcare company with a focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Organon has a portfolio of more than 60 medicines and products across a range of therapeutic areas. Led by the womens health portfolio coupled with an expanding biosimilars business and stable franchise of established medicines, Organons products produce strong cash flows that will support investments in innovation and future growth opportunities in womens health. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialise their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets.
HA NOI  In the first eight months of the year, fruit and vegetable exports from Viet Nam reached nearly US$4.6 billion, a 29 per cent increase year-on-year, with Thailand expected to continue recording the impressive growth of imports.

Thailand experienced the highest growth in imports of Vietnamese agricultural products during the first seven months of the year, according to figures released by the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association based on customs data.

The country, which previously ranked sixth after Japan and Taiwan (China), has climbed to fourth place with a seven-month export value of $123 million, a 70 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Ngo Tuong Vy, CEO of Chanh Thu Company, said that in the first half of this year, Thailand ramped up its purchases of Vietnamese longans, lychees and durians. In particular, Thailand has increased its orders for frozen durians, leading to a significant rise in export volumes.

Secretary General of the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association ang Phuc Nguyen added that Vietnamese durians are available year-round, while Thailand only has seasonal durians.

The El Nino-induced drought has severely impacted Thailand this year, resulting in a decline in durian yields and the fruit's size does not meet standards.

As a result, Thailand has increased its imports of durians from its neighbour, with some shipments being re-exported to China.

Large Thai retail corporations are also importing dragon fruit, longans and lychees from Viet Nam to sell in their supermarket chains.

The import volume from Viet Nam by these companies has doubled compared to the same period last year, contributing to the significant growth in fruit and vegetable export turnover to Thailand.

China remains the largest market importing nearly $2.5 billion worth of fruits and vegetables from Viet Nam in the first seven months, up 25 per cent year-on-year.

Following China are the US and South Korea, with export values of $189 million and $188 million, respectively, representing increases of 31 per cent and 51 per cent.

According to Nguyen from the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association, when there is a free trade agreement, countries will impose technical barriers. This requires Vietnamese producers and exporters to continuously update their knowledge of import regulations in various markets to comply promptly.  VNS
Ly Ly Cao

MATO GROSSO  Corn, the second most produced agricultural commodity in Brazil behind soybean, is unleashing new growth prospects for the countrys rural producers and boosting exports to other countries, especially Viet Nam.

During a trip to Mato Grosso, Brazil's leading state for agricultural production, a Viet Nam News reporter explored sustainable refineries that extract corn ethanol and produce distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDG/DDGS), a potential ingredient for animal nutrition.

The unique climate of Mato Grosso enables farmers to double their harvest annually, maximising yields while minimising environmental impact.

This makes the state the biggest producer of DDG and DDGS, according to data from the National Corn Ethanol Association (UNEM).

In the crop year 2024/25, DDG and DDGS production is estimated at 2.46 million tonnes, more than three times that of the second largest state producer, 0.72 million tonnes.

The byproducts of the corn ethanol production process are rich in nutrients, offering high levels of protein and energy vital for livestock.

Our production control is monitored with the highest industrial standards, through an innovative automated process that assures stable nutritional production quality, said Rodrigo Bicarato, export manager of INPASA, the largest corn ethanol producer in Latin America.

INPASA, founded in 2018, has invested over US$360.7 million into the refinery here, with its products witnessing a remarkable reception among local farmers, leading to a surge in demand.

DDGS from INPASA can deliver 39.6 per cent PROFAT (protein and fat) per tonne, which is higher than soybean meal.

For the domestic market, most of INPASAs DDGS is allocated to the swine, poultry and pet sectors. The remaining is directed towards dairy cattle primarily and feedlots.

At the Passo do Lobo Farm in Nova Mutum, farmers have been using INPASA's DDGS for cattle feed for the past five years.

We are a commercial farm, so we need to pay close attention to costs and profit margins. DDGS offers a cost advantage over soybean meal and appeals to cattle due to its corn protein content, said Florian Diez, the farms owner.

"We create customised feed formulas. Although the DDGS proportion varies based on individual animal needs, it is a staple in all our formulas. This significantly enhances the weight and quality of the livestock compared to other feed options.

The cattle reared here cater not only to the domestic market but also to international customers, including to China, the European Union (EU) and Egypt.

BRF, the largest producer of animal protein and the largest exporter of poultry in Brazil, has also added DDG/DDGS to animal feed for many years.

According to BRF, with DDG/DDGS, it can double pork production while reducing the cost of animal feed, as these high-protein feeds help cut expenses for other ingredients.

Promising market

Guilherme Nolasco, CEO of the National Corn Ethanol Association (UNEM), emphasised the livestock nutrition potential of DDG/DDGS, underscoring significant export opportunities.

In 2023, Brazil commenced DDG/DDGS exports to countries including Viet Nam, New Zealand, Spain, Egypt and Turkey. According to UNEM data, Viet Nam emerged as the top buyer, representing nearly 46 per cent of the total export volume, or 255,325 tonne.

In the first five months of 2024, Viet Nam remained the primary destination for these products, with an export volume of 123,934 tonnes.

Nolasco said that UNEM's members are ramping up their production to enhance trading volumes.

INPASA, the pioneering firm to introduce DDGS to global markets, has reported product distribution to 30 countries across Asia, the Americas and Europe.

In 2022, the company exported 273,000 tonnes of DDGS. This figure more than doubled in 2023, reaching 680,000 tonnes, with an anticipated volume of 800,000 tonnes for this year.

Specifically, it shipped 322,000 tonnes to Vietnamese market last year, accounting for 47 per cent of its total exports.

Speaking to Viet Nam News, Bicarato of INPASA said that Viet Nam stands as the company's key market focus, driven by the rapid expansion of its livestock industry and the presence of major international players such as C.P and New Hope.

Statistics from the General Department of Viet Nam Customs pointed out that the country, in general, spends around $400 million importing animal feed each month.

Bicarato said that while export quantities remain modest, Brazil is now the second largest DDGS exporter, trailing only the US.

As a result, there is more room for the products.

The company has doubled processing capacity at its refineries to increase supplies for domestic and international markets.

Victor Trenti, executive manager of FS, another major producer of corn ethanol and DDG, shared a similar positive opinion about the industry.

"Introducing our new products to customers and educating them about DDGS will require time, given their novelty in the market. However, I am optimistic about the future prospects of the product," Bicarato said.

Trenti also added that logistics pose a significant challenge due to Brazil's considerable distance from import markets and the recent rising trend of freight rates.

"Once customers grasp the efficacy of the products, they are likely to boost their orders, consequently aiding in the reduction of logistics costs, Trenti said, adding that the company is looking for new markets like China.  VNS
HA NOI  Limited resources and a lack of support policies have hindered businesses eco-innovation, the development of products and processes that contribute to sustainable development, according to economists and policymakers.

Nguyen Thi Luyen, head of the economic institution research department at the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), said eco-innovation and more efficient utilisation of resources in production have gained traction in recent years with many localities launching programmes and initiatives for green development models.

At the same time, the participation of numerous organisations, scientists and experts has been crucial in training and encouraging businesses to engage in eco-innovation practices.

CIEM, however, said such policies were still lacking as a consistent, synchronised and coordinated effort.

For instance, its unclear what criteria businesses must fulfil to qualify as eco-innovation businesses and what regulations they must follow. Training has mostly covered the theoretical part but is severely inadequate in providing businesses with technical know-how, financial support and supply-chain connections.

"The primary source of financing for innovation is mainly from the businesses' pocket, followed by loans. The number of businesses with access to the States financial support remained small, she said.

Luyen added more policies were needed to involve the private sector, in particular commercial banks and investment funds. She said support must be given in consideration of business sizes and characteristics to encourage innovation and participation.

Mette Ekeroth, a representative of the Danish Embassy in Viet Nam, said Vietnamese SMEs often respond and adapt quickly to new challenges and requirements, not shying away from experiencing new business ideas and models.

She said eco-innovation has proven to be a challenge. However, it can also be an opportunity for pioneering businesses to enhance their competitive advantage, maximise resource-use effectiveness and reduce carbon emissions.

CIEM Deputy Director Nguyen Hoa Cuong said the State has steadily given more support to businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in promoting and implementing eco-innovation, including both financial and non-financial incentives.

For example, there are incentives for eco-innovation for businesses under the Investment Law 2020, the Science and Technology Law 2013, and the Law on Efficient Use of Energy, including preferential regimes for corporate income tax, value-added tax, import-export taxes and land and water lease rates.

He said its time the Government implement dedicated support policies and set the criteria requirements as the foundation for the development of business eco-innovation. Meanwhile, the country should focus on completing the legal framework and support policy system for green innovation, including standards, technical regulations, tax policies, financial investment, market policies, consumption policies and policies on education, training, research and development.  VNS
HCM CITY  With the Mid-Autumn Festival drawing near the mooncake market is bustling.

People can find a wide array of cakes with all sorts of flavours and eye-catching design and packaging.

This year new brands have made an appearance alongside familiar names to offer a broader range of choices to customers.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Childrens Festival in Viet Nam, is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which falls on September 17 this year.

Mooncakes are commonly given as a gift during the festival.

This year KIDO Group Corporation offers mooncakes under two brands, KIDOS Bakery and Tho Phat, the latter a newbie in the market.

Tho Phat offers traditional mooncakes with fillings like green bean, taro, lotus seeds, coconut milk, lap cheong sausage and mixed fruits, and roasted chicken, while KIDOS Bakery uses premium ingredients such as abalone, shark fin, Alaska shrimp, and scallops.

Phuong Diem Thuan Bakery in District 6 is filled with customers these days.

Phuong Trien Phong, its owner, said people started buying mooncakes in early August, one to two weeks earlier than normal.

The bakery is selling 18 varieties this year, and mooncakes with pineapple, and taro, lotus seed paste and juice of panda leaf are the top sellers, he said.

For the first time, it is selling mooncakes with a scallop and XO sauce filling.

Thanh Long Bakery, one of the oldest mooncake producers in HCM City, is offering eight new mooncake box designs at VN150,000-850,000 each.

Hoang Ngoc Thanh, its sales director, said a distinctive feature of Thanh Long's mooncakes is that it produces and processes the main ingredients using traditional family recipes, giving the cakes a unique and pure flavour.

Other major players in the mooncake market like ABC Bakery, Givral, Brodard, ai Phat, and prominent hotels such as Sheraton Saigon and Caravelle Saigon have also launched new mooncakes.

According to market players, with peoples health awareness increasing, they have launched low-sugar, vegan and gluten-free mooncakes.

Distribution systems such as Saigon Co.op, Central Retail and MM Mega Market are displaying mooncakes in eye-catching positions to make it easier for shoppers.

A Saigon Co.op spokesperson said the co-operatives chains of stores, including Co.opmart and Co.opXtra, are selling a range of mooncakes from affordable to high-end from well-known brands such as Mondelez Kinh o, Nhu Lan, Bao Minh, Kido, and ai Phat.

Its private label, Co.op Bakery, has launched a new mooncake line with both vegetarian and meat options.

The fresh mooncakes are handcrafted by skilled artisans using natural ingredients and without preservatives priced from VN50,900 per piece.

Central Retail in Vietnam (which owns GO! and Big C supermarket chains) is selling 19 mooncake varieties at prices ranging from VN29,000 to VN99,000 per piece, equivalent to VN240,000 to VN500,000 per box.

Nguyen Thi Bich Van, head of communications at Central Retail in Viet Nam, said a new feature of the mooncakes sold by GO! and Big C is that, besides being affordable, they also contain 30 per cent less sugar compared to last year and minimal quantities of preservatives.

It is also offering various promotions like a 15 per cent discount on orders worth VN1 million.

MM Mega Market is selling more than 100 different mooncakes made by big brands such as Mondelez Kinh o, Huu Nghi, Bibica, Richy, and Phuc Long.

Customers who buy mooncakes at any MM Mega Market outlet for VN650,000 or above will receive a voucher worth VN100,000.

With the rise of e-commerce, in addition to traditional brick-and-mortar stores and modern retail outlets, consumers can also order mooncakes from a variety of brands and have them delivered to their doorstep on popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Grab, and the TikTokshop.

According to mooncake producers, though the prices of inputs have increased significantly this year they have only hiked mooncake prices slightly amid the economic downturn.  VNS
China's democracy suits national conditions, yields remarkable results: IPU president

09:48, August 27, 2024 By Zhong Wenxing ( People's Daily Online

Tulia Ackson, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and speaker of Tanzania's National Assembly, praised China's National People's Congress (NPC) for its contributions to the IPU and its practice of whole-process people's democracy.

Tulia Ackson, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, is interviewed in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Wenxing)

In a recent Beijing interview, Ackson congratulated the NPC on 40 years of IPU membership. She highlighted the NPC's role in the IPU Executive Committee, its support for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and its seminars on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

Ackson commended China's approach to international affairs, citing its commitment to common development, equality and mutual respect. She also acknowledged China's efforts to promote South-South cooperation.

Tulia Ackson (center), president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, visits the Taiyuan Public Service Center in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 25, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Wenxing)

"China has its own form of people-centered democracy that suits its national conditions and has achieved remarkable results," Ackson said. She emphasized respecting diverse democratic models, adding, "As long as it can bring happiness to the people, it is a good model worth learning from."

Ackson noted the NPC's public consultation efforts throughout the legislative process. "I have learned that the NPC has established effective channels for public suggestions, from grassroots to central levels. This approach makes everyone be represented and heard," she said.

Ackson commended the NPC's commitment to diversity, noting its efforts to represent ethnic groups and women. She cited China's achievements in cultural preservation and economic development as examples for developing nations.

She expressed the IPU's willingness to strengthen cooperation with the NPC to promote global sustainable development.

Tulia Ackson, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, along with parliamentary leaders and representatives from 32 developing countries, visits the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, Aug. 19, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Wenxing)

The IPU, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is one of the oldest and most influential international parliamentary organizations. The NPC joined in 1984, marking 40 years of membership this year.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chengliang)
University of Houston students socialize in Student Center South after administrators relocate a Students for Justice in Palestine event planned at the location, on Monday Aug. 26, 2024. Samantha Ketterer

More than a dozen University of Houston students parked themselves at the top of a stairwell that doubles as a common seating area, some of them wearing keffiyehs to make their presence known after school officials on Monday barred them from holding an instructional program at the gathering space.

The UH chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine opted to comply with university orders but declined to take administrators offer to move their first event of the semester to a less visible room on the second floor of the student center. They engaged students who approached, though they didnt formally hold their planned talks about the war in Gaza and their opposition to university investments in weapons manufacturing companies.

This university responds very, very quickly when we do things that theyre not comfortable with, like visibly having people wear keffiyehs or take up space, said Reyna Valdez, a 22-year-old student and organizer with the chapter. They dont respond very quickly when theyre (number) one, informed that theyre investing in genocide.

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While speech is protected on college campuses, universities can limit the time, place and manner of speech. University leaders around the country responded to many pro-Palestinian protests in the spring by calling them disruptive to the learning environment, in some cases shutting them down or calling the police.

University of Houston officials on Monday reiterated a commitment to free speech and said they made SJP an alternate room reservation in accordance with school policy. The student center is not reservable as a highly utilized seating area and must remain open for all students to use and enjoy, they said.

The University of Houston is committed to fostering a learning environment where free inquiry and expression are encouraged and we support the constitutional rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, campus officials said in a statement. We encourage all who engage in expressive activity to do so safely, consistent with university policies and in a manner that respects the rights of others with differing opinions.

UHs Students for Justice in Palestine held a week of Popular University for Palestine events on and near the same staircase in April. They only ran into trouble with law enforcement later, when students took their protests outside and propped up tents near the library during finals week, according to videos from the demonstration. Two students were arrested.

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Mondays rainy forecast is expected to continue through the week, and members said they hoped to hold their first events this semester in the highly trafficked student center, where students are known to study, eat and talk with friends. The chapter again gave the planned demonstration the Popular University moniker and promoted eight hours of prayer and learning activities  among them, teach-ins on UHs investments, the history of university divestment campaigns and police de-escalation tactics. Activities included canvas drawing, letter writing and learning chants, according to the schedule.

Even without the formal programming going ahead as planned, the group raised some awareness while they sat on the steps Monday. People walking past the group spotted their friends among the organizers and supporters, who took the opportunity to explain the ongoing push for UH to divest its holdings in weapons manufacturers that do business with Israel amid the war in Gaza.

UHs Student Government Association passed a resolution last semester urging the UH System Board of Regents to vote on pulling its endowment investments in companies including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, General Electric, Northrop Grumman, Delek Group and Primo Water.

While students point to a precedent in successful divestment campaigns related to apartheid in South Africa, universities in recent years have largely refrained from being influenced by political or social movements, pointing to policies that charge them with investing in what is in the best financial interest for their endowments. At UH, administrators have pointed to state statutes governing fiduciary responsibilities as well as government code banning state agencies from boycotting Israel.

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Pro-Palestinian groups have persisted with their protests despite such statements from universities, and student Meekhail Rahman said he feels his organization has to go to greater lengths to have its members' voices heard.

We have to fight so much resistance institutionally, and its frustrating, Rahman, 18, said. We just want the money that goes from our tuition and from our finances to go to better places.
HA NOI  The Party Central Committees Economic Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), and the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam) have held a joint conference to popularise and implement Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW on carrying out the Politburos Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW on the strategic orientations to develop Viet Nams oil and gas sector until 2025 with a vision to 2030 and a number of orientations for the new period.

Opening the event, head of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang highlighted the Party and States special attention to the oil and gas sector.

He noted that on Saturday, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW on major policies to promote the potential and strengths of the country in general and the oil and gas sector in particular to ensure the industry overcomes all difficulties to develop sustainably.

The conclusion gives guidelines of special importance to the development of the Vietnamese oil and gas industry, creating new momentum and opening up new development space for the sector.

Deputy head of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission Nguyen uc Hien briefed participants on the major contents of the conclusion, along with a number of orientations, tasks, and solutions for the implementation of Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW and Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW.

Hien said that in order to create favourable conditions for the oil and gas industry in the new period, it is necessary to continue completing institutions, policies and legal regulations, promoting the key role of the Petrovietnam.

Amid the energy transition and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is crucial to pay attention to developing appropriate technical infrastructure systems, especially digital infrastructure associated with digital transformation, building databases, and effectively using the Science and Technology Development Fund, he said.

A representative from the MoIT presented a plan to realise of Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW of the Politburo and Resolution No. 38/NQ-CP of the Government with a link to the implementation of Party resolutions, strategies and socio-economic development plans of the country, ministries, sectors, and localities.

Le Manh Hung, Chairman of the Board of Members of Petrovietnam, delivered a report on impacts from the world and regional environment, difficulties, challenges facing Petrovietnam as well as assessment of the firms resources.

With an aim to become a national industrial and energy group, Petrovietnam proposed seven main groups of tasks and solutions to effectively implement Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW and Resolution No. 38/NQ-CP.

Concluding the event, Quang highlighted the great contributions that the oil and gas sector has made to the countrys socio-economic development, and emphasised the role of the industry in the countrys industrialisation and modernisation.

He held that the oil and gas sector should focus on promoting its potential and advantages to develop renewable energy and new energy resources, ensuring sustainable and modern development of the industry associated with accelerating green transformation and digital transformation, and developing advanced and modern processing and manufacturing industries in the direction of improving self-reliance and increasing the localisation rate.

In addition, the sector should pay greater attention to developing high-quality human resources, attracting talents, and providing intensive training to meet international requirements and standards, he said.

Quang asked central and local Party Committees as well as the Party Organisations of State-owned energy enterprises to thoroughly study Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW, Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW of the Politburo, and Resolution No. 38/NQ-CP of the Government, while continuing to build programmes and plans to effectively implement these documents.  VNS
HCM CITY  Vietnamese businesses need to improve the quality of their products and better corporate governance to promote exports to Japan which has high demands for Vietnamese garments and textiles, fine arts, farm produce and food, among others, experts said at a seminar in HCM City on Monday.

At the event, Head of the Viet Nam Trade Office's Branch in Osaka Quyen Thi Thuy Ha said there is a complementary nature to the two economies, with Japan being the third largest export market, and fourth largest trading partner of Viet Nam.

The combination of Viet Nams production strengths, and Japans technology and quality management, could bring practical benefits to both countries, she said, elaborating Vietnamese garments and textiles could capitalise on the rules of origin to enjoy tax preferences in Japan, while the wood and fine art industry boasts huge opportunities in the market as consumers are willing to pay high prices for unique products with artistic values.

According to Ha, the Japanese market has been hungry for agricultural products from Viet Nam such as coffee, cashew nuts, tropical fruits and frozen fruits and vegetables.

There is ample room for Viet Nam to boost its shipments to the East Asian country but businesses must adapt to stringent requirements regarding product quality and sustainability from this market.

She suggested Vietnamese enterprises study new techniques to better their production processes, from cultivation, harvest, preservation to packaging.

Along with the traditional trade form, they should tap e-commerce to increase exports and improve revenue since more Japanese consumers have shifted to online shopping, Ha said.

General Director of AEON TOPVALU Vietnam Co Ltd, Shiotani Yuichiro, said that Vietnamese foods have been favoured in the Japanese market, adding Vietnamese firms could increase their exports to Japan and even other markets through AEONs distribution system.

Standout taste, product quality, sound packaging and sustainability, he underlined, are among the keys that help Vietnamese goods break into the market. AEON TOPVALU has provided regular support, and guidance on techniques and quality standards for Vietnamese small- and medium-sized so that they could adjust their production, and better meet the requirements of the market, he said.

According to Director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City Tran Phu Lu, Japan has been a leading economic-trade partner of Viet Nam in the recent past. They have signed various bilateral, and multilateral free trade agreements such as the ASEAN  Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Viet Nam  Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which have created important cooperation frameworks to promote trade, investment and business ties between the two nations.

Statistics from the General Department of Viet Nam Customs showed that two-way trade during the January  July period was estimated at US$25.9 billion, up 4 per cent from the same time last year, with Viet Nams export revenue reaching around $13.5 billion, rising 2.8 per cent year-on-year.  VNS
HA NOI  Inter-regional links in trade promotion still faced many difficulties and need more focus, according to Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade)'s Export Support Centre at a recent seminar.

The Cong Thuong (Industry and Trade) Magazine held the seminar with the theme of effectively utilising regional linkage resources in trade promotion in Ha Noi on Monday.

Since early 2024, the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been working with provincial and municipal authorities to co-host trade promotion and import-export development conferences in major economic regions. Through these programmes, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is working closely with local areas to conduct major trade promotion activities focused on key export sectors and markets. This new approach in 2024 aims to make trade promotion more targeted and effective in the future.

Thuy said that isolated trade promotion efforts are less effective compared to those that are collaborative and large-scale. Thus, MoIT has included a series of regional trade promotion conferences in its agenda since late last year, covering all six economic regions.

The Ministry has already conducted five of these conferences, with one more planned in Can Tho to focus on trade promotion and export-import development for the Mekong Delta region.

"These conferences have shown that local participation and combined intellectual and resource efforts have generated many new ideas for enhancing future trade promotion activities," Thuy said.

inh Lam Sang, Deputy Director of Bac Kan's Department of Industry and Trade, highlighted that regional trade linkages have been effective in six northern provinces. Bac Kan's trade promotion has facilitated valuable connections for businesses with OCOP products. He emphasised that showcasing OCOP products across provinces, where products from Bac Kan are available elsewhere and vice versa, enhances trade and meets regional needs. This approach supports provincial directives for regional integration and inter-regional trade.

According Sang, the local trade promotion efforts have also achieved notable results. For example, Bac Kan's dong noodle, which has earned a 5-star OCOP certification, is regularly exported to Europe and has received high praise from international customers.

We plan to promote other high-standard products to new markets and nearby countries. This will provide opportunities for local businesses and cooperatives to export their products, increase their profit margins, and benefit both the businesses and the region, Sang said.

Despite some benefits, Thuy notes challenges in regional trade promotion, including inconsistent practices, limited infrastructure, and inadequate resources. To address these, the Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to introduce a new regional trade promotion model, including organising trade missions abroad. Vietnamese businesses and localities have a strong need to explore global markets and learn from international trade promotion models, Thuy said.  VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has asked for an agreement on the trading of coal with Laos.

At the working session with energy and minerals corporations on Tuesday, Dien said the coal trade with Laos not only plays an important role in promoting commercial and economic development, but it is also a political task between the two countries.

Dien asked corporations to have comprehensive evaluations about the demand for coal between the two, as well as outlining any potential problems to be addressed to create favourable conditions for the trade.

The agreement will focus clarifying imported volume from Laos, pricing, methods for transactions and the allocation of the imported coal.

Under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Viet Nam Ministry of Industry and Trade and Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines signed in July 2023, the two sides already agreed to enhance cooperation and investment in mining, processing and trading of coal.

Viet Nam will create favourable conditions for the trading of coals between enterprises of the two countries, enhance experience sharing and capacity building to promote energy security, energy transition and energy cooperation between the two countries.

Within the MOU a target has been set to export 20 million tonnes of coal from Laos to Viet Nam per year.

Viet Nam has high demand for coal import during 2025-30 period, estimated at 60-100 million tonnes per year.

However, the trading of coal with Laos remains difficult due to limited transport infrastructure, resulting in higher prices of imports from Laos and the absence of long-term mechanisms for coal trading, as well as problems in the quality of coal imported from Laos.

According to the Oil, Gas and Coal Department, solutions must be raised to lower prices of coal imported from Laos, including policies in taxes and investments in transport infrastructure.

Statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that Viet Nam imported 2.2 million tonnes coal from Laos in 2023, worth US$159 million. The imported coal volume from Laos remained modest compared to Viet Nams total coal imports, which was estimated at 51.1 million tonnes, worth $7.1 billion last year.

In the first six months of this year, Viet Nam imported 1.17 million tonnes coal from Laos, worth $75.8 million.  VNS
HCM CITY  The second Vietnam ASEAN International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair, which opened in HCM City on August 27, aims to help make the city a leading hub for furniture not just in Southeast Asia but Asia.

VIFA ASEAN has 600 booths set up by over 200 exhibitors from Viet Nam and 13 other countries and territories, including mainland China, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, the US, Italy, the Netherlands, Thailand, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Taiwan (China).

The fair showcases a wide range of products, including furniture, outdoor furniture, handicrafts, home decor, machinery, hardware, tools, and support services.

It will feature an industrial seminar titled ''Green-Eco with Net-Zero'' on topics such as FSC certification and sustainable development in the furniture and wood processing value chain, carbon credits and their role in the green economy and green transition by businesses in the furniture and wood processing industry.

Organised by Lien Minh Company, the VCCI, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations, and the Vietnam Association for Building Materials, VIFA ASEAN is being held concurrently with the 16th annual Vietnamese Typical Goods Fair until August 30.

Organised by HUBA and the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City, the Vietnamese Typical Goods Fair has 150 exhibitors, almost the same as last year, including most strong brands in HCM City .

Products on display include processed foods, household goods, leather products and footwear, textiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, handicrafts, and others, HUBA chairman Nguyen Ngoc Hoa said.

He said the two fairs promise to benefits the business community and underline the status of Vietnamese indoor and outdoor export furniture and other products on the international market.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two events, Nguyen Van Dung, deputy chairman of the city People's Committee, said the Government has issued Decision No.386/Qd-Ttg on developing the domestic market for locally made products in conjunction with the campaign ''Vietnamese people give priority using Vietnamese goods '' in 2021-25.

Its goal is to maintain a market share of 85 per cent for Vietnamese goods in modern distribution channels and over 80 per cent in traditional channels, he said.

So businesses need to bring to the market quality products at reasonable prices, he said.

He appreciated the initiative to combine the two shows, and expressed the hope they would be a place for businesses to enhance links and meet potential partners and customers to learn and exchange experiences, helping take more products to the international market.

Liem said exports of wood and furniture products are back on a growth trajectory after declining last year, with exports reaching US$10.7 billion in the first seven months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 25 per cent.

While optimistic about a recovery in exports, he also cautioned about challenges such as competition, continuing high shipping costs, stricter requirements related to quality, safety and product origin, and protectionism.

In this context, participating in international export fairs presents a golden opportunity for businesses to possibly secure orders and expand their markets, he added.

The events, being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7, will go on August 30.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has urged Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to establish five river basin committees to unify the efforts to improve water quality.

This initiative comes amid growing concerns over water quality in numerous river basins, with some rivers suffering severe pollution, posing risks to residents' health and daily lives.

The proposed measures include the comprehensive collection and treatment of domestic wastewater and ensuring clean water flow.

Chau Tran Vinh, director of the ministry's Water Resources Management Department, said that despite ongoing efforts by ministries and local authorities to restore polluted rivers, progress has been fragmented and lacks a unified strategy.

MoNRE has highlighted the continued industrial discharge into rivers, compounded by insufficient State resources for wastewater collection and treatment.

Currently, only 17 per cent of domestic wastewater is collected and treated nationwide.

Alarmingly, just 30.3 per cent of industrial zones and 16.1 per cent of craft villages have centralised wastewater treatment systems.

Rivers such as the Nhue-ay, Cau, To Lich and the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system are heavily polluted due to excessive waste inflows.

The Nhue-ay basin alone receives 65 per cent of its waste from Ha Noi, with approximately 1,980 discharge sources, including 1,660 from production facilities and 40 from industrial zones.

The ministry has enhanced environmental monitoring in the Nhue-ay basin with five automatic and 42 periodic monitoring stations and has established continuous online data connections for major discharge points.

MoNRE recently inaugurated a new centre for integrating and processing environmental data and managing the national monitoring network. It has committed to assessing river capacities and working with localities on suitable solutions.

However, the ministry stressed that restoring severely polluted rivers requires comprehensive involvement from all relevant ministries and local authorities to effectively manage waste and ensure clean water flow.

Vinh said the Water Resources Management Department outlined a plan that includes immediate local efforts to improve the collection and treatment of domestic and agricultural wastewater, as well as establishing mechanisms to attract resources for sustainable river management.

A pilot project for river restoration, expected to be submitted to the prime minister in 2025, will consider two approaches, starting with the polluted Bac Hung Hai system and expanding to other rivers in Ha Noi, or implementing a nationwide programme to address degraded and polluted water sources.

Another solution for restoring 'dead' rivers is to manage them by river basin rather than by administrative boundaries.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed five river basin committees for the Red-Thai Binh, North Central, South Central, Southeast and Mekong rivers.

These committees will manage major basins and their tributaries, such as the Nhue and ay rivers, with representatives from government, ministries, and local authorities for coordinated oversight.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc and US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins co-chaired the 13th Viet Nam-US Political, Security, and Defence Dialogue in Hanoi on August 26.

This was the first dialogue of its kind after the two countries upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023.

The two sides appreciated the effective bilateral coordination in implementing the high-level commitments outlined in the 2023 joint statement on the elevation of the relationship. They expressed their satisfaction with the practical progress made across all areas, including politics-diplomacy, economy-trade, security-defence, as well as culture, education and people-to-people exchanges, thus creating a positive momentum towards the 30th founding anniversary of Viet Nam-US diplomatic relations (1995-2025).

Ngoc affirmed that Viet Nam considers the US as a partner of strategic importance and welcomed the US's commitment to support a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Viet Nam.

He proposed the two sides enhance coordination to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership framework in a deep, practical and stable manner; increase high-level meetings to maintain stability and positive momentum for the bilateral relations and to effectively utilise dialogue mechanisms, including the Political-Security-Defence Dialogue in order to build trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation, while addressing obstacles in the bilateral relationship.

The Vietnamese official also welcomed the inclusion of high-tech cooperation in the dialogue agenda for the first time, contributing to the implementation of collaboration in this breakthrough field as affirmed in the 2023 Viet Nam-US Joint Statement.

Jenkins praised the effective implementation of existing agreements on defence and security cooperation, and agreed to continue prioritising the settlement of war consequences in the bilateral relationship. The US is committed to maintaining resources for collaborating with and supporting Viet Nam in addressing the war aftermath, including dioxin decontamination, bomb and mine clearance, assistance to Agent Orange victims, and the search, gathering, and identification of fallen soldiers' remains, she affirmed.

Jenkins also expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese government for its active and effective cooperation in the search for missing US servicemen during the wartime, adding that the US will continue to enhance defence and security cooperation with Viet Nam under established frameworks and agreements, suitable to Viet Nam's needs. This includes cooperation in areas such as training, military medicine, peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and prevention and control of cybersecurity and high-tech crimes.

Regarding international and regional issues of mutual concern, both sides agreed to intensify cooperation for peace, security, collaboration and development in the region and the world.

Jenkins affirmed that the US highly evaluates and prioritises the Indo-Pacific region, and supports ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture. She also affirmed that the US will continue to work closely with Vietnam to further enhance the effectiveness of the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-US Partnership.

As for the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) situation, they stressed the importance of maintaining peace, security, and order at sea, promoting freedom of navigation and overflight in the sea. They emphasised the principle of not using or threatening to use force, and solving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two sides outlined specific measures to maintain the effective implementation of the 2023 Viet Nam-US Joint Statement.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on Monday welcomed Governor of Japans Aichi prefecture Omura Hideaki on his sixth visit to Viet Nam, saying he believes that it will foster friendly cooperation between Aichi and Viet Nam, contributing to the overall development of the Viet Nam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership.

Son expressed his delight at the substantive progress in Vietnam-Japan ties, with the upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year, and stressed that the past five decades of achievements serve as a solid foundation, a source of inspiration, and a driving force for both nations to continue expanding their relationship in a more substantive manner.

The official said that during his recent official visit to Japan, he co-chaired the 13th session of the Viet Nam-Japan Cooperation Committee with the Japanese Foreign Minister, focusing on substantive discussions aimed at concretising the new framework of bilateral ties.

Praising cooperation between Aichi and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities, he affirmed that the Vietnamese Government attaches importance to strengthening locality-to-locality exchanges, considering it a key pillar in their overall relationship.

He thanked Hideaki and Aichi authorities for offering support to the nearly 60,000 Vietnamese living, studying and working there, suggesting that they continue facilitating the exchange of delegations and people-to-people interactions, and strengthening substantive and effective cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities through various flexible means.

The host sought Aichis support to encourage its businesses to increase investments in Viet Nam, particularly in sectors where the prefecture has strengths such as automotive manufacturing, railways, aviation, and hi-tech agriculture.

The Vietnamese Government is striving to improve regulatory frameworks and administrative reform to facilitate successful business operations for Japanese companies in Viet Nam, he said.

Son also urged Aichi to expand its acceptance of Vietnamese interns and workers, contributing to its socio-economic development and assisting Viet Nam in training a quality workforce for its industrialisation and modernisation.

He said he hopes Aichi prefecture will help Vietnamese airlines increase flight frequency and launch new routes to Aichi. contributing to trade, investment, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges between with Vietnamese localities.

Hideaki, for his part, informed the host that Aichi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment promotion with the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and another MoU on friendly cooperation with the HCM City People's Committee.

While in Viet Nam, he also held working sessions the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Vietnam Airlines, and Vietjet to explore potential cooperation in transportation and investment.

According to him, with around 200 Aichi-based companies investing in Viet Nam and a thriving Vietnamese community of 60,000 residents, Aichi stands as the leading Japanese prefecture engaged with the country, following by Tokyo with about 54,000.

The guest also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will consider opening a consulate general in Nagoya and encouraging airlines to boost connectivity with Aichi.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Foreign Minister o Hung Viet and Australian Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Michelle Chan co-chaired the 9th Viet Nam-Australia diplomacy-defence dialogue in Ha Noi on Monday.

At the annual event since 2012, the two sides agreed that the Viet Nam-Australia relationship is growing strongly and comprehensively with substantial outcomes, demonstrated by the upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Australia in March 2024.

They underlined that the two countries share many similarities with high political trust, which is an important foundation for them to further promote their cooperation in all fields.

Noting that they and other countries in the region are facing enormous challenges due to increasing geopolitical tensions, the two sides agreed to promote closer and more strategic cooperation within the new relationship framework to respond to common challenges. They concurred to increase exchanges and consultations to further concretise the high-level agreements reached and expand new areas of cooperation in accordance with the demands, potentials, and interests of the two countries.

They highly valued their fruitful defence cooperation through channels of dialogues, consultations, training, joint exercises, and especially effective cooperation in UN peacekeeping.

They emphasised the need to further strengthen bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation with an aim to become each others top 10 leading trade partners and doubling two-way investment capital as set in the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES).

The Australia side expressed its wish to promote cooperation with Viet Nam in the fields of digital transformation, digital economy, and high-tech industries, increasing investment in wind power, diversifying supply chains, training and developing businesses, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises in line with Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Viet Nam highly valued Australias practical programmes and projects to support it in enhancing capacity and completing socio-economic targets, and Australias provision of ODA in areas of gender equality, climate change response, environment, and energy transition.

The two sides agreed to bolster cooperation in education, continuing to make it a key pillar of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. They will create more favourable conditions for people-to-people exchange and locality-to-locality cooperation, while strengthening the promotion of each others culture to deepen mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Viet Nam welcomed Australias sharing of information on changes in its policies to attract international students, and asked for Australias continued favourable conditions for Vietnamese students, not allowing new policies to affect the progress of visa issuance for Vietnamese students in Australia.

The two sides also shared information and viewpoints on strategic issues as well as regional and international security matters of common concern. They held that fundamental changes in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, recent developments such as strategic competition between major countries, conflicts, socio-political crises in many countries, economic and technological separation, worsened by unpredictable fluctuations and risks to the world economy, have posed great impact on the security and development of countries, including Australia and Viet Nam.

They agreed to further promote cooperation at multilateral forums such as the UN, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.

Australia reaffirmed its continued close cooperation with ASEAN and support to ASEAN in promoting its central role in the regional rule-based structure, as well as support to the settlement of disputes in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) through peaceful measures with respect to international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Australia affirmed that the country is keen on and hopes to bolster effective cooperation with the Mekong Sub-region through the Mekong-Australia Partnership programme in the second phase, focusing on areas of climate change, energy transition, food security, water security, and human resources training, contributing to building a self-reliant, sustainable, and inclusive Mekong Sub-region.

Viet Nam and Australia concurred to organise the 10th edition of this dialogue in Australia at an appropriate time.  VNS
HA NOI  The inaugural Viet Nam-China Coast Guard Party Affairs & Political Exchange Programme 2024 took place Tuesday morning in Ha Noi.

This marks the first time the coast guard forces of the two nations have organised a political exchange programme.

The programme carries significant importance, providing a foundation for enhancing exchanges, sharing experiences and learning from one another to better fulfil assigned tasks.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Lieutenant General Bui Quoc Oai, Political Commissar of the Viet Nam Coast Guard, and the Chinese delegation, led by Major General Liu Houjie, Deputy Political Commissar of the China Coast Guard, attended the opening ceremony.

In their opening speeches, both officials emphasised the longstanding traditional friendship between Viet Nam and China, noting that the two nations share borders and have a history of close relations.

The establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership reflects the strong political trust between the two Parties, States, peoples and militaries. This trust provides a favourable basis for the two sides' functional agencies to promote and expand cooperation in various fields.

The two delegation heads affirmed that the exchange programme would serve as a bridge of friendship and goodwill, contributing to deepening mutual understanding and political trust between the two forces and strengthening the traditional ties that already exist.

It also presents an opportunity for both sides to exchange, share and learn about methods and experiences in Party and political work, thereby contributing to reinforcing and promoting the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

Oai noted that both Viet Nam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of their respective parties.

Both the Viet Nam Coast Guard and China Coast Guard operate under the absolute, direct leadership of their respective Communist Parties and have similar organisational structures and political work activities.

Conducting Party and political work is a fundamental principle in building and executing the missions of each country's coast guard force.

The Viet Nam Coast Guard and China Coast Guard are the specialised forces responsible for law enforcement at sea for their respective countries, he added.

Following the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2016, both sides have united and cooperated in various substantive and effective activities, making positive contributions to building trust between the two forces and maintaining peace, security, order, safety and respect for the law in the adjacent maritime areas. This cooperation is a shining example of law enforcement cooperation at sea in the region.

Oai emphasised that in the future, as the world and regional situations are expected to become more complex, the law enforcement forces at sea of both countries will face various types of crimes and legal violations. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen coordination, increase exchanges and share experiences in carrying out their missions.

The first Viet Nam-China Coast Guard Political Exchange Programme for 2024 features a variety of activities held in Hai Phong and Ha Noi cities, including courtesy calls on the leaders of the General Political Department of the Viet Nam Peoples Army, high-level talks between the two forces, observation of Party and political work on a coast guard ship and a cultural and artistic exchange night.  VNS
Samantha Ketterer is a Houston Chronicle reporter covering higher education. She can be reached at samantha.ketterer@houstonchronicle.com.

Since joining the staff in 2018, Samantha has also covered criminal justice and the Harris County courthouse. She is a former reporting fellow for the Dallas Morning News' state bureau and a former city hall reporter for The Galveston County Daily News.

Samantha, who is from Houston's suburbs, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and is a proud alumna of The Daily Texan.
HA NOI  The new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has confirmed that he will continue to cooperate closely with his Lao counterpart.

Deputy PM Son on Tuesday held phone talks with his counterpart Lao Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith.

The two sides vowed to coordinate effectively to implement the results of agreements and high-level visits, especially the State visit to Laos by President To Lam in July 2024.

Saleumxay Kommasith warmly congratulated Son on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the 79th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese diplomatic sector.

The Lao diplomat also congratulated Son on being approved by the Vietnamese National Assembly to hold the position of Deputy PM.

Saleumxay Kommasith believed that with his capacity and extensive experience, Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Son will continue to contribute to the successful implementation of foreign affairs tasks assigned by the Party and State of Viet Nam.

Son attributed the glorious achievements that Viet Nam has made over the past 79 years to the companionship, sincere and wholehearted support of Laos.

He affirmed that he would continue to cooperate closely with his Lao counterpart to further promoting the special relationship between Viet Nam and Laos in as well as the two ministries.

The two leaders expressed their joy at the developing, close and entrusted bilateral relationship across various areas.

Political relations continue to play a core role in the overall orientation of the bilateral relationship. Defence and security cooperation continues to be strengthened.

The two countries continue to support each other to maintain political stability, ensure defence and security, and social order and safety in each country.

The Viet Nam-Laos total import-export turnover in the first seven months of 2024 reached US$1.1 billion, an increase of 16.7 percent over the same period in 2023.

Cooperation in other areas such as education - training, health, culture and people-to-people exchange - has also achieved positive results.

The two sides vowed to coordinate effectively to implement the results of agreements and high-level visits and the 46th meeting of the Viet Nam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee.

Discussing cooperation at regional and international forums, the two Deputy PMs pledged to intensify experience sharing, information exchange and close coordination at multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations, ASEAN and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.

Deputy PM, foreign minister Son affirmed that Viet Nam will continue to support and assist Laos in successfully assuming its international responsibilities, especially the role of ASEAN/AIPA Chair in 2024.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and Australia should strengthen economic cooperation, focusing on enhancing investment and trade promotion to reach a trade turnover of US$20 billion and double bilateral investment within the next three years.

This topic was addressed during a meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines on Tuesday, as part of her official visit to Viet Nam.

PM Chinh welcomed and highly appreciated the Australian leader, noting that she is the first senior Australian official to visit Viet Nam since the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024.

He expressed his delight at the strong, comprehensive and substantive development of Viet Nam-Australia relations, emphasising that the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is the result of efforts by both sides over more than 50 years of diplomatic ties.

He also noted that this upgrade opens a new chapter in bilateral relations, marked by higher political trust and broader and deeper cooperation.

The Australian Senate President affirmed that Viet Nam is a key partner and that the Australian Government and Parliament prioritise their relationship with Viet Nam within Australia's broader foreign policy in the region.

She highlighted the two nations shared many values and high strategic trust, stating that this serves as a foundation for further enhancing cooperation in the coming years.

PM Chinh expressed gratitude for Australia's ongoing, practical and effective cooperation projects that support Viet Nam in various fields, including defence and security, capacity building, science and technology, innovation and climate change.

He suggested that both sides actively work together to implement the high-level agreements reached and continue to deepen cooperation in line with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.

PM Chinh thanked Australia for its continued support in English language training for officers and for helping Viet Nam participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Both leaders agreed to continue promoting dialogue, sharing information and enhancing mutual understanding and trust while deepening defence and security cooperation. They also discussed the potential for collaboration in new and promising areas such as the green economy, digital economy, the circular economy, digital transformation, science and technology and innovation.

The leaders also agreed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between localities to further mutual understanding between the peoples of both countries.

Senate President Sue Lines affirmed that Australia always pays attention to and creates favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in her country. She acknowledged the request to facilitate visa issuance for Vietnamese citizens and students wishing to travel to Australia.

The two leaders noted that, given the increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and international situation, with emerging security and strategic challenges affecting the security and development environment of countries in the region, Viet Nam and Australia need to strengthen consultations, share information, assess and coordinate policies and closely cooperate in regional and international forums. This cooperation aims to contribute positively to building a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and prosperous Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific region.

Senate President Sue Lines reaffirmed Australia's consistent position on the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, supporting Viet Nam's and ASEAN's principled stance on ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight and resolving disputes through peaceful means based on respect for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).  VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary and State President To Lam urged for further strengthening of economic cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia, affirming that Viet Nam will continue to create favourable conditions for Australian businesses to invest in the country.

He made these remarks while hosting President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and a high-level delegation from the Australian Parliament during her official visit to Viet Nam on Tuesday.

The Australian Senate President briefed General Secretary and President To Lam on the outcomes of her meeting with National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and her talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

She emphasised that Australia views Viet Nam as an important partner in Southeast Asia and that the Australian Parliament supports the promotion of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Viet Nam.

She stated that with the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Australia and Viet Nam have become priority and significant partners for each other, adding that this provides an opportunity to build on existing cooperation achievements and expand collaboration in new areas, particularly in climate change, digital transformation, energy, minerals and peacekeeping.

She also expressed her support for the General Secretary and President's views on the importance of bilateral cooperation, and she highly praised the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Australia to the country's development and the strong friendship between the two nations.

General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his belief that her visit to Viet Nam holds great significance, marking the first high-level official visit between the two countries since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This visit serves the interests of both nations and contributes to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

He also appreciated the Senate President's positive contributions to the development of bilateral relations.

The top leader highlighted the strong and growing relationship between the two countries, with increasing political trust and untapped potential for further cooperation.

He noted that Viet Nam and Australia share many similar perspectives on regional and international issues, proposing that the two sides enhance high-level exchanges and interactions across state, parliamentary and party channels.

He emphasised the importance of continued economic cooperation and welcomed the new areas of collaboration mentioned by the Senate President.

Regarding cultural, educational and training cooperation, which he viewed as having long-term significance, General Secretary and President To Lam requested that the Australian Senate President facilitate the Vietnamese community in Australia in continuing to contribute positively to the development of Australia and the strengthening of bilateral relations.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam attaches importance to further consolidating and developing the traditional friendship with Chile, which was founded by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Salvador Allende and has been cultivated by many generations of leaders and people of the two countries over the past five decades, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said on Tuesday.

At a reception for Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto Van Klaveren, who is in Ha Noi for an official visit from August 25-27, Son said Viet Nam wishes to further deepen its comprehensive partnership with Chile and will implement specific measures to promote bilateral ties, in terms of politics-diplomacy, trade and investment, agriculture, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

He suggested that the two sides coordinate to arrange and ensure the success of high-level visits, strengthen trade and investment relations on the basis of the strengths of Viet Nam and Chile and make full use of opportunities brought by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as well as the bilateral free trade agreement.

The two countries should facilitate market access for goods of each other's strengths such as electronics and agriculture-forestry-fishery products and enhance business connections between the two sides to soon raise the annual bilateral trade to US$3 billion from the current $2 billion.

Klaveren shared the results of his discussions with a number of Vietnamese ministries and agencies during the visit, suggesting that Viet Nam consider facilitating procedures for licensing Chilean agricultural products to be imported into the Southeast Asian nation, and promote the exchange of business delegations between the two countries.

He conveyed Chile's message of hoping to strengthen cooperation with Viet Nam and supporting it in enhancing relations with the Latin American region. He affirmed that Chile is ready to coordinate with the Vietnamese side to arrange high-level visits to bring Viet Nam-Chile ties to a new height.

The same day, the Chilean diplomat also met with Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pham Tan Cong. VNS
VIENTIANE  Sen. Lt. Gen. Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA), visited former General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith, along with some schools of the Lao army on Tuesday as part of his official visit to the neighbouring country.

Visiting the former leader of Laos, Quyet, who is also Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and member of the Central Military Commission, said bilateral defence cooperation has kept growing.

He noted that the two general political departments have contributed considerably to the unceasing development of relations between their countries and armies. Their units have worked together to comprehensively and effectively carry out cooperation fields, including training personnel and increasing communications and education among military cadres and young people on the Viet Nam - Laos solidarity and friendship.

He also appreciated Bounnhang Vorachiths great dedication to the enhancement of ties between the two countries and the two armies, proposing the host keep supporting the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

The same day, the VPA delegation came to the political theory school and the ethnic culture school of the Lao Peoples Army (LPA).

At the LPAs political theory school, Quyet affirmed that the VPAs General Department of Politics always welcomes more effective and comprehensive cooperation between the LPAs political theory school and the VPAs academies and schools, including the Academy of Politics and the School of Political Officers.

He asked the political schools of both sides to step up sharing experience in the Party-related and political affairs of the two armies, and in the building of politically strong armies.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the VPAs General Department of Politics are ready to receive cadres and lecturers from the Lao school for refresher courses, send cadres and experts in this field at the LPAs request, and fruitfully cooperate in the spirit of comradeship and fraternity for the ultimate goal of building the armies into absolutely loyal, pioneering, and core forces in safeguarding their respective Parties, Fatherlands, and people.

Also on Tuesday, the VPA delegation paid a working trip to Star Telecom (Unitel), an affiliate of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group of Viet Nam in Laos. VNS
Dr. Nguyen Khac Giang, a Visiting Fellow at the Viet Nam Studies Programme at the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, speaks to Vietnam News Agency about Viet Nams efforts to remove the 'yellow card' imposed by the European Commission (EC) for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In your opinion, what are the most outstanding results that Viet Nam has achieved in the fight against IUU fishing?

Combating IUU fishing has been identified by the Vietnamese government as one of the top priorities since the EC issued the 'yellow card' warning against Viet Nams seafood in October 2017. The Vietnamese government, along with the entire political system from the central to local levels, has been actively engaged in this effort, demonstrating a strong determination and commitment to resolve this issue.

One of Viet Nams most notable achievements in addressing the 'yellow card' issue is the establishment of a legal framework against IUU fishing, especially the promulgation of laws, major decrees, guiding circulars and specific guidance documents distributed to ministries, agencies and local authorities. There is a strong consensus in terms of policy from the central to local levels. This concerted effort has been widely recognised at home and also highly appreciated by the EC.

Another notable outcome is the embrace of international cooperation in tackling IUU fishing. Viet Nam has been very active and willing to expand cooperation not only with countries in the region that also face IUU fishing problems, such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, but also with the United Nations and other nations like the US and Australia through various cooperative agreements. Viet Nam has also been setting up hotlines with countries that share its maritime borders, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia. The country has joined a number of Asia-Pacific international agreements under the auspices of the United Nations in the field.

Another positive development is that Viet Nam has made significant efforts to strengthen law enforcement. Local authorities have intensified inspections and monitoring of fishing vessel activities, and have encouraged fishermen to install vessel monitoring systems (VMS) devices. This has made it easier to monitor the activities of fishing vessels.

However, a long coastline of over 3,000km running through 28 out of 63 provinces and cities along with the large number of fishing vessels and millions of fishermen pose a substantial challenge for Viet Nam in enforcing the comprehensive legal framework to fight IUU.

So far, the EC has highly appreciated Viet Nams efforts in tackling IUU fishing. However, only two key issues remain unresolved: IUU fishing in foreign waters and the traceability of fishery products.

However, overall, the EC still highly appreciates Viet Nam's efforts as the country has addressed nearly all of the ECs recommendations made a few years ago. This shows that Viet Nam has been very proactive in combating IUU fishing. Nevertheless, completely resolving this issue and getting the 'yellow card' lifted cannot be done overnight. Moreover, it is impossible to impose punishments that are too strict, as it also involves other issues such as social welfare and the livelihoods of millions of fishermen. The EC itself also understands the difficulties and the dilemma that Viet Nam is facing.

The EC is scheduled to send an inspection team to Viet Nam in October this year. In your opinion, what does the EC expect to see in Viet Nam during the upcoming working trip?

During this years inspection, the EC wants to see more clearly the results of Viet Nams efforts in combating IUU fishing, and to see whether the difficulties Viet Nam is facing are due to objective or subjective matters.

If the difficulties are due to objective reasons, for example, Viet Nam needing more technical support, such as help with installing a monitoring system for fishing vessel movements and tracing the origin of seafood products, then the EC, with its high level of technical development, will likely find ways to support Viet Nam in solving those technical problems.

The important thing is that if the EC sees tangible progress, at least in terms of commitment and law enforcement, it is likely to consider removing the 'yellow card' for Viet Nam. During the on-site inspection this year, the EC will likely visit certain central localities with long coastlines and many fishing vessels to inspect the current situation, such as the installation of vessel monitoring systems and measures to monitor and assess law enforcement for fishing vessels.

Viet Nam can minimise violations by strengthening inspection and supervision of fishing vessel activities, increasing communication campaigns to raise fishermens awareness, reducing the number of fishing vessels, focusing on those of better quality and scale to fish legally and strictly handling any violations. When the EC delegation sees such progress, it is likely that they will consider lifting Viet Nams yellow card status.

How has the ECs 'yellow card' affected Viet Nams seafood industry?

The ECs 'yellow card' has made it much more difficult for Viet Nam to export seafood to other countries, with Vietnamese products subject to increased inspection.

Furthermore, consumers, especially in developed countries and regions that are major markets for Viet Nam such as Japan, Europe and the US, have become more concerned about sustainable development issues. Tariffs, rules and regulations have also become more stringent, causing further delays in exports. Particularly for fishery products, the requirement for freshness is crucial. If products are stored for a long time and subject to longer inspections, it can lead to significant degradation of quality of Vietnamese seafood products.

Another indirect impact is related to the image of Vietnamese goods, not only fishery products but also aquaculture products (such as basa fish). Consumers may choose products from other markets, even though the prices of Vietnamese goods are very competitive compared to similar products from other markets.

One of the key unresolved issues is illegal fishing in foreign waters. Why does this situation still exist and what do you think Viet Nam can do to resolve this issue?

The first reason is that nearshore fisheries resources have been depleted, and there is almost nothing left to harvest. Secondly, some of the traditional fishing grounds of Vietnamese fishermen are located in disputed maritime areas. Thirdly, when the fisheries resources are depleted, people are under economic pressure to find alternative fishing grounds to exploit.

As for the government, it is not simple to implement comprehensive governance and surveillance systems across 28 coastal provinces, with a large number of fishing vessels and millions of fishermen. Even when vessels are required to install VMS, some turn off the device as soon as they leave port. This problem stems from a lack of awareness among the fishermen. Meanwhile, Viet Nams fisheries surveillance force faces limitations, both in terms of personnel and tools, to effectively handle violations.

Some countries have criminalised IUU violations, which has quickly proven effective. However, that measure can adversely affect the livelihoods of people, especially in the context of Viet Nam, where the majority of fishing vessels are small, and the profits are not high. Severe penalties, such as confiscating or burning vessels, for example, will greatly affect the lives of fishermen. The Vietnamese government also recognises these problems as well as the ECs recommendations regarding strict punishment for violations. However, it is difficult to quickly adopt all of these recommendations. It is necessary to carefully consider options to ensure the peoples livelihoods.

Currently, a possible solution is for Viet Nam to downsize its fishing fleet and utilise more modern vessels that are qualified to secure fishing contracts with the countries it wishes to operate in. Another solution is providing vocational training for those who may lose their jobs due to the downsizing of the fleet. And lastly, the country could develop a state-owned fleet that can take part in both surveillance and production activities. VNS
At least 132 killed in Sudan flooding: health ministry, Source: youtube.com/ AFP

The country has experienced an intense rainy season since last month, with intermittent torrential flooding mainly in the country's north and east.

"The total number of affected states is 10, while the number of affected families rose to 31,666 families and individuals to 129,650," it said in a statement.

"The total number of deaths reached 132."

While flooding takes place annually in Sudan, the impact is expected to be worse this year after more than 16 months of fighting between rival generals which has pushed millions of displaced people into flood zones.

Some 12,420 homes have completely collapsed and 11,472 others partially collapsed due to the rains, according to the ministry, which said most of the damage is in Sudan's Northern and River Nile states.

Intense rain on Saturday flooded the Arbaat area north of the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, causing the Arbaat Dam to collapse and wash away entire villages.

"The torrent swept away houses and animals... people went up to the mountains to protect themselves," said Issa Adroub, a resident of the area.

The reservoir is an important source of water for Port Sudan, where officials relocated to after war broke out in Khartoum.

Local volunteers helping with relief efforts told AFP that "13 people have been found dead, including women and children, and the search is ongoing for 210 missing persons."

They reported that the deluge of water completely washed away 20 villages and damaged 50 others. The rain is unusual for this time of year, with the region usually experiencing rainfall in November and March.

Sudanese authorities and the United Nations have reported a surge in cholera cases amid the downpours.

The World Health Organization earlier in August said Sudan had had at least 11,327 cholera cases, 316 of them deadly, since June 2023.

Sudan's Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim said "climatic conditions and water contamination" were behind the epidemic.

War has raged in the country since April 2023 between the Sudanese army, under the country's de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are commanded by Burhan's former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including the targeting of civilians and looting or obstructing humanitarian aid.

Myanmar closes over 200 schools due to floods Myanmars Ministry of Education on October 13 announced that a total of 268 schools in Bago region in the south of the country were closed due to serious flooding.
President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines visits the KOTO humanitarian vocational training centre in Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province on August 26. (Photo: VNA)

Bac Ninh - President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines visited the KOTO humanitarian vocational training centre in Tien Du district, the northern province of Bac Ninh, on August 26 as part of her official visit to Vietnam.

The Australian guest engaged in discussions, and joined several activities at the centre.

Founded in 2001 by Jimmy Pham, an Australian of the Vietnamese origin, the KOTO centre is a unique non-profit social enterprise in Vietnam and globally. Over the recent times, the Australian government has shown considerable interest in and provided support for the centre's humanitarian and social activities.

The centre provides vocational training for nearly 120 students. It covers 100% of the living and training expenses for disadvantaged youth, ethnic minorities, and those at risk or marginalised. More than 1,700 students have graduated from the centre since its establishment, with many of them becoming head chefs, sous chefs, hotel and resort general managers, and business owners.

The Australian official highly valued training activities of the centre, expressing her hope that the establishment will continue to better its humanitarian and training efforts to support more disadvantaged youth, thereby spreading positive values and contributing to families and society.

The same day morning, she laid a wreath and visited President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum in Hanoi.
The statement was made at the meeting between Xu Junqi, chairman of Hunan Hualian Ceramic Industry Co Ltd., and Nguyen Quang Hung, Standing Vice Chairman of Thai Binh People's Committee on August 26.

Since its establishment in 1994, the company has developed from a small and micro township enterprise into a leading enterprise in China's household ceramics industry. At present, the company has customers in more than 40 countries and regions worldwide.

As part of its business strategy, the company is looking for opportunities to expand in the international markets. Among them, the company plans to invest in Vietnam as a gateway to bring its products to penetrate the Southeast Asian market.

"After researching the investment climate in Thai Binh, the company found that the province boasts favourable conditions and advantages for developing the ceramic industry. We wish to make an investment to transform Thai Binh into a ceramic valley in the region," Junqi said. "Initially, the project has a total investment capital of about $200 million. Once completed, it will create jobs for 5,000 workers."

In 2023, the construction materials industry in Thai Binh generated a production value of VND5.42 trillion ($218.3 million) and created jobs for 25,652 workers. The industry has attracted many workers, including the highly skilled.

Land clearance for $2 billion Thai Binh LNG power plant set for completion in January 2025 Thai Binh authorities are working with the investor to complete site clearance for a $2 billion LNG power plant in the northern province by January 2025.

Thai Binh seeks Belgian investment, partnerships A conference promoting the trade and investment climate of the northern province of Thai Binh, one of Vietnam's major hubs for ago-fishery exports, took place at the Vietnamese Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, on May 23.
Coro Energy via one of its Vietnam-domiciled subsidiaries, has signed a second binding 14-year power purchase agreement (PPA) in Vietnam with Mobile World Group (MWG). The PPA aims to deliver power from 30 sites with a capacity of circa 1MW.

The terms of the PPA are consistent with those announced on March 8, 2024, whereby the PPA term is extendable in certain circumstances and includes a variable price with a floor of about $11.2 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Construction work at these sites is expected to begin imminently and to conclude approximately 28 days following commencement.

To facilitate the construction, Coro Energy has signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for these sites. The company has agreed upon payment arrangements with the EPC provider which will in effect provide deferred payment terms for 85 per cent of the EPC costs, subject to a cap of $1 million.
InfraCo is a Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company.

The loan will allow Dat Bike to more than double its production capacity through facility expansion, tool optimisation, and increased automation.

Dat Bike is the only vertically integrated electric motorbike manufacturer in Vietnam, and only one of three local e-motorbike producers. It runs all its research and development, as well as vehicle builds from inside the country, and more than 90 per cent of its spare parts come from domestic sources.

With four new model releases across its five years in operation, its bikes are sold direct to consumers and businesses, with the capability for users to quickly integrate firmware updates and product improvements.

The loan provided by InfraCo Asia is expected to facilitate the adoption of more than 30,000 two-wheelers in the next two years. These vehicles would be expected to avoid close to 26,000 tCO2e each year, and thus contribute to the decarbonisation of the transport sector in Vietnam.

The transaction is expected to create 60 short-term and long-term jobs during operation, a quarter of which are estimated to be taken by women.

Electric two-wheelers are a more eco-friendly alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles. Their operation produces no emissions, and the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries they run on are easier to recycle than the highly toxic lead-acid batteries used in conventional vehicles.

Providing existing companies with growth capital to support climate action forms part of our PIDG 2030 Strategy for sustainable development in emerging markets in Asia and Africa. We believe in the promise of Dat Bike  with its innovative, industry-leading practices  to drive greater EV adoption and shape a more efficient e-mobility future, said InfraCo Asia's investment management director, Karen Tsang-Hounsell.

Dat Bike Vietnam CEO Son Nguyen added, With this funding, Dat Bike is poised to scale up rapidly, accelerating our growth to meet the rising demand for electric motorbikes in Vietnam. As the fastest-growing company in this field, we are uniquely positioned to expand our production capacity and lead the charge in transforming green transportation across the region.

Vietnam had the highest annual market penetration for electric two-wheelers in 2023 in Southeast Asia at 16 per cent. This figure is estimated to grow to 40 per cent by 2040.

Dat Bike: continuously upgrading for greener transportation After four years in Vietnam, Dat Bike is still asserting its position as a Vietnamese brand in its homeland, continuing its goal of greening transportation and strengthening its connection with customers. Son Nguyen, CEO of Dat Bike, spoke with VIRs Bich Thuy about the importance of listening to customers in the product development process.

Dat Bike expands its e-vision for global coverage E-bike startup Dat Bike has set a clear path to become the fastest-growing player in the industry with its efforts to produce vehicles with exceptional range, rapid charging capabilities, and optimal pricing.
Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and Governor of Japans Aichi prefecture Omura Hideaki. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on August 26 welcomed Governor of Japans Aichi prefecture Omura Hideaki on his sixth visit to Vietnam, saying he believes that it will foster friendly cooperation between Aichi and Vietnam, contributing to the overall development of the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership.

Son expressed his delight at the substantive progress in Vietnam-Japan ties, with the upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year, and stressed that the past five decades of achievements serve as a solid foundation, a source of inspiration, and a driving force for both nations to continue expanding their relationship in a more substantive manner.

The official said that during his recent official visit to Japan, he co-chaired the 13th session of the Vietnam-Japan Cooperation Committee with the Japanese Foreign Minister, focusing on substantive discussions aimed at concretising the new framework of bilateral ties.

Praising cooperation between Aichi and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities, he affirmed that the Vietnamese Government attaches importance to strengthening locality-to-locality exchanges, considering it a key pillar in their overall relationship.

He thanked Hideaki and Aichi authorities for offering support to the nearly 60,000 Vietnamese living, studying and working there, suggesting that they continue facilitating the exchange of delegations and people-to-people interactions, and strengthening substantive and effective cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities through various flexible means.

The host sought Aichis support to encourage its businesses to increase investments in Vietnam, particularly in sectors where the prefecture has strengths such as automotive manufacturing, railways, aviation, and hi-tech agriculture.

The Vietnamese Government is striving to improve regulatory frameworks and administrative reform to facilitate successful business operations for Japanese companies in Vietnam, he said.

Son also urged Aichi to expand its acceptance of Vietnamese interns and workers, contributing to its socio-economic development and assisting Vietnam in training a quality workforce for its industrialisation and modernisation.

He said he hopes Aichi prefecture will help Vietnamese airlines increase flight frequency and launch new routes to Aichi. contributing to trade, investment, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges between with Vietnamese localities.

Hideaki, for his part, informed the host that Aichi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment promotion with the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and another MoU on friendly cooperation with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

While in Vietnam, he also held working sessions the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Vietnam Airlines, and Vietjet to explore potential cooperation in transportation and investment.

According to him, with around 200 Aichi-based companies investing in Vietnam and a thriving Vietnamese community of 60,000 residents, Aichi stands as the leading Japanese prefecture engaged with the country, following by Tokyo with about 54,000.

The guest also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will consider opening a consulate general in Nagoya and encouraging airlines to boost connectivity with Aichi.

Japanese 7-Eleven owner soars on takeover offer Shares in the Japanese operator of 7-Eleven soared on Monday after the firm confirmed it had received a takeover bid from Canadian retail giant Alimentation Couche-Tard.

Japans deep-tech startups to make waves in Vietnam Despite being in a fledgling state, more Vietnamese deep-tech startups are looking for Japanese funding and backing to scale up their operations.

Vietnam a key market for Japanese Japanese investors continue to bet on Vietnams market with rising strategic partnerships and greenfield investments.
The ministry (MoIT) last week reported that from now until the years end, sufficient petrol will be ensured for the public and businesses in all situations.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh orders sufficient petrol supply for production, business and consumption during the Tet holiday. (Photo: VNA)

The MoIT will focus on accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital, and review all remaining problems in order to put into operation key projects in electricity, oil and gas, processing, manufacturing, and minerals, it stated.

The MoIT will strengthen the direction and supervision of the implementation of projects in the oil and gas sector. It will also promptly report to the state steering committee of important national programmes and schemes related to energy development so as to direct the removal of difficulties.

The MoIT will also closely follow the situation of coal supply for electricity production to provide timely advice and report to the ministrys leaders to consider and direct the settlement of arising issues.

According to statistics from the MoIT, the total imported and domestically produced assorted fuel output in the first six months of this year hit an estimated 12.41 million tonnes, tantamount to about 15.2 million cubic metres. Of which, imports were responsible for 44.5 per cent, and domestic produced products hit 55.5 per cent.

In the period, the total consumption of assorted fuel is estimated to have stood at 13.2 million cu.m, and inventory is also estimated to have sat at 1.85 million of cu.m.

Thus, we have met all fuel supplies for the domestic market, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang.

It is forecasted that in the second half of this year, the Dung Quat Oil Refinery in the south-central province of Quang Ngai and the Nghi Son Oil Refinery in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa will produce 8.26 million tonnes of assorted fuel, equivalent to 9.9 million cu.m.

Last month, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation, PetroVietnam Oil Corporation, and Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR) inked a contract to supply crude oil from the offshore Dai Hung field to the Dung Quat Oil Refinery for the next three years.

BSR is a subsidiary of PetroVietnam and is accountable for operating the $3 billion Dung Quat refinery. Dung Quat, with an annual processing capacity of 6.5 million tonnes of crude oil, was the first oil refinery in the country and is the second-largest, after the Nghi Son refinery.

Since 2021, the three entities involved have carried out a similar contract for the long-term supply of Dai Hung crude oil for the plant.

Meanwhile, the $9.3 billion Nghi Son plant is funded by PetroVietnam (25.1 per cent), Kuwait Petroleum International (35.1 per cent), and the Japanese firms Idemitsui Kosan (35.1 per cent) and Mitsui Chemicals (4.7 per cent).

Also according to the MoIT, in the last six months of this year, an estimated volume of about 4.5 million tonnes of assorted fuel, or 5.4 million cu.m will be imported. The total imported and produced volume will be as much as 12.76 million tonnes, or around 15.3 million cu.m.

It is also estimated that in this period, the total consumption will be about $13.2 million cu.m, or nearly 2.2 million cu.m a month. The inventory will be about 1.8-2 million tonnes.

The MoIT will closely follow the production activities of the two oil refineries, traders petrol imports, and the domestic fuel consumption situation with a view to taking proper measures to ensure sufficient petrol supplies for the domestic market, the MoIT said.

Business weighs up petrol tax cut bid While the Vietnamese government has yet to decide on the reduction of the environmental protection tax on petrol, concerns have been raised regarding petrol imports, as local refineries already face losses due to impending machinery shutdowns, such as at Dung Quat Refinery.
Green building goals take gradual steps, Photo: Shutterstock

In July, Refrigeration Electrical Engineering JSC opened the E.town 6 building in Tan Binh district of Ho Chi Minh City after many years of construction. The project has a total rental area of 37,000sq.m, including 16 floors and five basements.

Despite just opening, the company said that more than 30 per cent of the area was already occupied.

The complex has also achieved LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of the LEED system. It is the second office building in Ho Chi Minh City to have such a certificate, after the Deutsches Haus building in District 1.

Elsewhere, Ho Chi Minh City is set to welcome a new office building by the end of the year, DSaint Raffles in District 1. The investor of DSaint Raffles has integrated the entire technical infrastructure into a smart building management system including a central air conditioning system, automatic fire protection system including block detection and sprinkler equipment, and a European safety lightning protection device.

In addition, the standard lighting system is designed to save energy, reducing artificial lighting when natural lighting is at a certain level.

There is also expected to be two more high-end office buildings made available in District 1, Marina Central Tower (formerly The Sun Tower) and Daikin Vietnam Office headquarters, with a total area of about 93,000sq.m.

Marina Central Tower is located within the 10-hectare Grand Marina Saigon, featuring the worlds largest Marriott branded residences. This building has received LEED Gold certification with additional operational accreditations awaiting to be obtained.

The Daikin Vietnam building is one of the projects participating energy-saving technology solutions within a scheme implemented by the Ministry of Construction, with funding from the Global Environment Facility through the UN Development Programme.

Along with applying optimal solutions in planning, material selection, mechanical and electrical equipment, and water conservation, the building limits waste, effectively uses water resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and uses energy economically and efficiently.

According to Knight Frank Vietnams assessment, the trend of tenants choosing green buildings is increasingly clear, especially for foreign businesses.

Businesses in technology as well as research and development have led the demand for luxury office rentals, accounting for just over half of the total transaction area last quarter, followed by the pharmaceutical industry with 23 per cent, said Leo Nguyen, director of Occupier Strategy & Solutions at Knight Frank Vietnam.

Grade B office buildings are also entering a state of improving quality. In the second quarter of 2024, the market recorded several changes, such as the Vincom Centre in District 1 being promoted to Grade A after upgrading and renovation.

According to Luong Thi My Thanh, general director of The Executive Centre Vietnam, one of the newest coworking spaces in Ho Chi Minh City, said that workspaces will no longer be a short-term strategy but must be comprehensively designed to meet the needs of long-term users.

Workers health and sustainability in terms of design and equipment are essential. Furthermore, the workspace will need to have green areas and provide maximum natural light, good ventilation, and the ability to control environmental temperature inside the building, Thanh said.

Since 2022, Thanhs company has committed to only opening new offices in green-certified buildings, and about 70 per cent of its investment portfolio is classified as green.

Figures from a survey of more than 2,500 businesses conducted by Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam in July showed that 78 per cent of people thought office occupancy would remain unchanged or continue to increase in the next three years.

In particular, cost efficiency is still the top priority of businesses. Next are the factors of classification, design and technical characteristics, and management services of the building. The more prominent factor in the survey belongs to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and buildings with sustainable design.

Ngoc Le, senior sales director at Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, said that real estate that achieves green certification has a positive impact for both building owners and tenants.

While sustainable buildings have the potential to be energy efficient, integrating renewable energy settings will significantly reduce emissions, create more environmentally friendly communities, and thereby achieve higher rental rates and lower vacancy rates than buildings without green certification, Ngoc said.

Nguyen from Knight Frank Vietnam said that Ho Chi Minh Citys office market is constantly developing, newly opened Grade A buildings have an occupancy rate of over 70 per cent, and tenants are increasingly inclined to choose rental locations with green elements. This helps increase negotiating advantages for investors.

New leasing transactions were recorded mainly in Grade A office buildings that opened last quarter. The occupancy rate in the Grade A segment is at a stable level. Some older buildings are losing tenants to newly built Grade A buildings with ESG certification, said Nguyen.

Vietnam's 300 certified green buildings yet to reach net-zero As Vietnam intensifies its focus on sustainability, the nation's progress is spotlighted with a modest tally of 300 certified green buildings. To date, no building in Vietnam has been designed, constructed, or managed to meet net-zero criteria.

KCN Vietnam takes up green mission Industrial property developer KCN Vietnam Group has unveiled its commitment to green building development, with a focus on achieving sustainability standards and certifications.

Whats in store for green industrial goals Vietnam is at a pivotal moment in its industrial development. Do Ngoc Diep, lead for the Green Building and Climate Resilience Programme under the International Finance Corporation in Vietnam, looks at the direction of green industrial growth and the tools required to help such development reach its potential.
KIDO bought an additional 4.5 million shares in Hung Vuong Plaza on August 22. After completing the transaction, KIDO has raised its ownership at Hung Vuong Plaza to more than 14 million shares, or a 58.05 per cent stake.

KIDO became a major shareholder in Hung Vuong Plaza in early August following the purchase of a 39.41 per cent stake.

At the 2024 AGM in June, the company unveiled plans to acquire a 77 per cent stake in Hung Vuong Plaza in the third quarter of 2024.

Hung Vuong Plaza covers 45,000 square metres of commercial floor area, encompassing seven floors as well as underground and outdoor car parks. The building faces four streets and houses nearly 200 stores with famous brands such as Nike, Adidas, CGV Cinema, California Fitness & Yoga, and Starbucks.

The move marks KIDO's expansion in the shopping mall scene in Ho Chi Minh City. The company has already achieved success with its Van Hanh Mall in District 10.

Located at 126 Hong Bang, District 5, Hung Vuong Plaza is the old premise of Parkson Vietnam. On April 2023, Parkson Vietnam filed an application to the Peoples Court of Ho Chi Minh City for the commencement of voluntary bankruptcy proceedings, and the company was forced to return the building to Hung Vuong JSC.

According to Savills Vietnam, a young population, a growing middle class, and increasing wealth will contribute to the expansion of the modern retail market in Ho Chi Minh City. According to Oxford Economics, consumer spending in Ho Chi Minh City is forecast to increase by 8.4 per cent in 2025. Modern retail in the city of over 13 million people will also account for half of the retail market share in 2025.

Vinamilk and Kido joint venture disbanded Vibev, an ice cream and non-alcoholic beverage company owned by Vinamilk (51 per cent) and Kido (49 per cent), has announced its dissolution after more than two years.

KIDO scoops up 68 per cent of food producer Tho Phat Packaged food producer KIDO Group has expanded its stake in Tho Phat Food Processing Co. from 25 to 68 per cent.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Hanoi, August 26 (VNA)

Hanoi - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for the early conclusion of negotiations on the Vietnam-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at a reception in Hanoi on August 26 for UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and leaders of 19 major UAE corporations.

Welcoming the Minister of State and business leaders from sectors such as logistics, energy, minerals, food, investment funds, finance, and banking, PM Chinh commended the progress in CEPA negotiations and highlighted the role of Al Zeyoudi as the UAE's chief negotiator.

Congratulating the UAE on its remarkable achievements, particularly in economy, the PM expressed Vietnam's eagerness to learn from the UAE's experiences.

Vietnam values its multifaceted friendship and cooperation with the UAE, one of its leading economic partners in the Middle East, he said.

Both sides expressed their delight at the recent positive development of the bilateral ties, with regular exchanges of all-level delegations and two-way trade estimated at nearly 4 billion USD in the first seven months of this year, up 47% year on year

They expressed determination to further bolster comprehensive cooperation and elevate the bilateral relations by finalising and signing the CEPA.

PM Chinh suggested facilitating cooperation and investment between businesses of both countries, considering the possibility of reducing tariffs on certain goods to leverage complementary strengths of their economies, aiming for a two-way trade target of 10 billion USD.

Both sides need to work closely to realise the agreements already reached, well prepare for the 6th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee in 2025, and step up cooperation in the energy, oil and gas sectors, he said.

They should also enhance collaboration in developing the Halal food industry, promoting the Vietnamese export of Halal products, seafood, fresh fruits, and processed foods to the UAE and the Middle East, PM Chinh said, encouraging the UAE to support the establishment of an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and invest in other sectors.

As both sides should enhance collaboration in labour, culture, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges through easing visa requirements and launching direct flights, he said Vietnam would step up its efforts to train human resources to meet the UAE's needs.

PM Chinh noted that Vietnam is ready to serve as a bridge for the UAE to strengthen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while considering the UAE as a gateway to foster collaboration with the Middle East.

Al Zeyoudi updated the PM on the CEPA negotiations, assuring that UAE ministries and agencies are actively working with Vietnamese counterparts to finalise and sign the agreement.

The UAE wants to strengthen collaboration with Vietnamese firms to produce and process Halal food, he said, adding that the UAE plans to establish a council of business cooperation with Vietnam to deepen and improve the effectiveness of Vietnam-UAE cooperation, particularly in trade and investment.

Vietnam-UAE trade boost imminent Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates are set to benefit from an economic cooperation deal slated for inking this year, with trade and investment forecast to improve.

Vietnam to finalise trade agreement with UAE Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are eager to negotiate on the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two nations, aiming for a boost in trade and investment.
Doctors perform surgeries to reshape lips, rebuild palates, and restore lips to give patients a new facial appearance. (Photo: VNA)

Son La  The Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the General Hospital of the northern mountainous province of Son La, in collaboration with Operation Smile Vietnam (OSV), are organising a cleft lip and palate surgery programme for local children from August 26-29.

Dr. Le Trung Nghia, head of OSV's volunteer team, said this is the third time the team has conducted the programme of this kind in Son La.

During the programme, doctors will perform surgeries to reshape lips, rebuild palates, and restore lips to give patients a new facial appearance. These procedures aim to improve their ability to speak, eat, and drink, helping them better integrate into the community.

On August 25, doctors conducted screenings and provided consultations for 155 patients and recommended surgery for over 80 children with congenital facial deformities such as cleft lips, cleft palates, cleft lips and palates, lip scars, nasal deformities, and congenital drooping eyelids. The patients also received partial support for travel, food, and accommodation expenses during their hospitalisation.

The programme offers a chance for local medical staff and doctors to learn from experience and gain access to advanced scientific and technical knowledge and surgical techniques.

SK Group gifts 4,000 Vietnamese children smile surgery over 25 years SK Group hosted the Free Surgical Treatment for Vietnamese Children with Facial Deformity project in Hanoi 108 Military Central Hospital, cooperating with Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Smile for Children, a Korean medical volunteer organisation, from September 19 to 23.

Programme helps bring smile to children with lip, palate deformities  A cleft lip and palate surgery programme was kicked off in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 27 by Operation Smile Vietnam and the provincial Fund for Children.
Even when the Vietnamese government approved the scheme to build at least one million social houses for low-income persons and workers in industrial parks (IPs) before 2030, together with a stimulus package of VND120 trillion ($4.8 billion), it seemed that there have not been many active moves from the foreign side. The paradox is that social housing is the only type of real estate when demand outnumbers supply, no matter how strong or weak the real estate market is.

Tran Nhat Quang, real estate development advisor

However, with the early commencement of three related laws in August, the Vietnamese government has raised strong hopes for social housing developers. Various regulations have been enacted with a remarkable improvement in comparison with previous ones.

To avoid the common misunderstanding, there are two types of social housing projects. Firstly, in each commercial housing scheme (with size from two hectares in special urban and grade I cities, or from five ha in grade II and III cities), investors must allocate 20 per cent of the total area for social housing. Secondly, if they choose to develop a pure social housing project, they are allowed to allocate 20 per cent of the total area for commercial housing. In this article, we will focus on the second type.

Our research pointed out three key improvements in the Law on Housing in comparison to the previous law. Developers still receive a land use fee exemption, but they no longer have to wait for the calculation of this fee.

The fixed profit margin of 10 per cent is only for the social housing subproject. Previously, such margin has been applied for the entire venture. If developers increase the selling price of commercial products, they have to reduce that of social houses to maintain the overall 10 per cent margin.

Besides 10 current entities eligible for incentive policies, two more groups (students and enterprises/cooperatives inside IPs) have been added in the new law. In addition, every province or city has issued supportive measurements, such as Haiphong with the all-in-one social housing development concept, or Binh Duong with a model of 30 sq.m apartments at $6,000 in selling price.

It can be said that the new laws have correctly addressed the concerns of foreign enterprises and bring various benefits to affordable housing developers, both domestic and international, by a faster development process. Foreign developers can get rid of waiting time for the land use fee calculation, sometimes up to five years, which can significantly speed up the project timeline. This change directly makes the overall process more efficient and attractive.

Profitability will be improved remarkably. The new regulation allows better financial planning and higher returns on the commercial part of the venture. In exchange, developers have to pay land use fees for the areas to be used for commercial products. However, they can fulfil this duty and build the social part simultaneously.

Later, when the community has been established with numerous residents, they can build areas for commercial customers. In this way, developers face fewer risks because they can quickly fill both subprojects while gaining much better profit and faster cash flow.

Market access is expanded. The inclusion of two new groups  students and workers within IPs  is especially useful since land banks in the parks are plentiful and the owners are willing to allocate land for social housing development to attract tenants. With the enlargement of incentive policies, the potential demand for social housing is expected to boom, leading to greater occupancy rates and more consistent revenue streams.

Last but not least, Vietnams cities and provinces are currently competing to draw in investment to their social housing plans. The appearance of foreign developers could be another key success factor to the project, guarantee to homebuyers and achievement to local authorities. Given all the advantages, developers may apply for better privileges, especially with other forthcoming commercial schemes.

With Vietnams comprehensive strategy of delivering at least one million social houses by 2030, coupled with the new legal reforms, there has never been a better time for foreign developers to enter this emerging market where demand consistently outstrips supply. The changes in the law address critical concerns around profitability, development timelines, and market absorption for social housing.

By entering this market now, foreign developers can fulfil the three-pronged goals of generating reasonable profit in a sector with significant growth, proactively contributing to corporate social responsibility goals, and securing a better foothold in the real estate industry. The door is wide open  now is the time to step in and be a part of Vietnams new horizon in real estate development.

Social housing needed to boost capital in real estate Amid a gloomy real estate market, experts have pointed out that the affordable housing segment is the key to mobilising capital.

Dong Nai eyes 10,000 units of social housing by 2025 The southern province of Dong Nai targets some 10,000 units of social housing built by 2025, the provincial Department of Construction said at a meeting on March 21.

PM emphasises need to diversify resources for social housing development Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has emphasised the need to diversify resources for social housing development, from the State, the public, society and financial institutions, in order to provide support for both sellers and buyers.
In early August, the overall planning of Binh Duong province was approved for the rest of the decade, and with a vision to 2050. In it, developing industrial parks (IPs) is one of the most important parts of the development strategy of the province.

By 2030, there is hoped to be over 40 IPs with a total area of about 18,600 hectares. Among them, 33 IPs will continue to be implemented according to the previous plan, and six IPs will be included in the national plan, along with preparation for i10 proposed parks.

Nguyen Trung Tin, director of Binh Duong Industrial Parks Management Board, stated that Binh Duong is rapidly expanding its IP coverage. Immediately after Binh Duong People's Council approved VSIP III, phase 2, and Cay Truong IP, these IPs are completing infrastructure, and readying land to attract new capital from abroad.

To promote and expand business opportunities for foreign-backed enterprises to come and bond with Binh Duong, the province will fund two IPs, with a total area of about 1,000ha. After that, in 2026-2030, the province aims to invest in eight IPs across 6,000ha, Tin said.

In late July, Dong Nai province had its planning approved for the same period. By 2030, the province will have a total of 48 IPs, increasing by 17 compared to current figures. These added IPs will include high-tech and green IPs and two IPs on a large scale, namely the 2,000-ha Ban Can-Tan Hiep and 1,800-ha Xuan Que-Song Nhan complexes.

In the draft planning for Ho Chi Minh City, the city proposed developing 11 more IPs by 2030. According to Ho Chi Minh City Industrial and Export Processing Zones Management Authority, the city currently has some 5,900ha expected for related activities.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau will also seek to have seven new IPs, including five with an area of over 1,000ha, namely Bac Chau Duc 1-5 facilities. By 2030, the locality could have up to 24 IPs.

The southeast is the leading region in the country in terms of the number of IPs with 119 units, covering an area of over 44,000ha.

Currently, the region also attracts the largest amount of foreign direct investment. Statistics published by the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that in the first half of the year, these localities attracted $4.66 billion among the $15.18 billion total for the whole country.

Although the southeast region is one of the largest overseas funding magnets in the country, it has run out of industrial land, according to Nguyen Van Toan, vice chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign-Invested Enterprises.

"The average occupancy rate of IPs in this area is over 70 per cent, which is the highest rate compared to other regions in the country," Toan said. "In key localities, namely Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai, the occupancy rate is up to over 90 per cent. Thus, adding IP planning to national strategies is extremely important, creating room for foreign investment attraction."

In addition, the room for attracting such capital is large because the localities in the south region in general are accelerating the construction of transport infrastructure, including inter-regional expressways and airports. "Thus, if they do not have preparation for such land, they will miss out on several opportunities, said Toan.

Big industrial real estate developers are also looking to the region. Thailands WHA Group is considering selecting Ba Ria-Vung Tau to expand operations in the south after the success in the central province of Nghe An. The group also wants to invest in the Chau Duc service-urban IP in the province.

Chau Duc district has ample potential for development. Under the newly approved provincial planning, an area of 4,200ha has been earmarked for industrial development in the district.

If implemented, it will be the second-largest project in Vung Tau, trailing behind Chau Duc IP. WHA Group seeks to pump in at least $1 billion in Vietnam in the next five years to develop smart and eco-friendly IPs. It also aims to lure secondary projects with a total capital of over $5 billion, said WHA chairwoman and managing director Jareeporn Jarukornsakul at a meeting with provincial authorities in March.

Vietnam must retain its competitiveness Although there are still some concerns from foreign-invested enterprises, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia are still chosen by many investors, in which Vietnam is the country that offers the most opportunities.

Green i-Park honoured for its green transformation strategies Green i-Park, the investor of Lien Ha Thai Industrial Park (Green iP1), has been praised for its green transformation strategies at the Vietnam Industrial Property Forum's special awards event.

Hai Long IP in full gear to serve investors Bao Minh Industrial Park Infrastructure JSC from Thai Binh province participated in a workshop on August 6 aimed at attracting investment in Vietnam at the Taipei International Convention Centre in Taiwan.

Hung Yen develops industrial parks to accommodate investment waves Hung Yen province is sparing no efforts to build and expand its industrial parks to best serve investors.
These two events will be taking place simultaneously this September 4-6 at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 7.

The show expects to bring together more than 7,000 manufacturers, traders and buyers, helping businesses discover potential suppliers, gain industry insights, solutions and adopt technologies that will enhance their production lines to meet the future demands of sustainable energy in the Asia-Pacific.

Electric and Power Vietnam and HVACR Vietnam are leading exhibitions in Power, Renewable Energy and HVAC technologies in the country

The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing robust renewable energy project development as a result of the various technologies cost competitiveness, as well as government actions to clean up the power generation mix across countries.

According to a report by DNV- one of the worlds leading certification bodies, renewable energy generation in the Asia-Pacific is expected to increase by 47 per cent between 2021 and 2030, and energy storage system (ESS) deployment is being evaluated as a potential solution in this sector.

The Asia-Pacific energy storage market size is projected to reach $75.56 billion by 2032, registering a compound annual growth rate of 14.2 per cent during the forecast period.

This prominent niche is rising due to concerns towards supply security along with soaring demand for power backup.

In that context, Informa Markets, a global trade exhibition organiser headquartered in the UK, is bringing Electric and Power Vietnam 2024 and HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration) Vietnam 2024 back to Ho Chi Minh City from September 4-6.

These prominent events will cover 8,800 sq.m of exhibition area.

These two events will feature over 350 exhibitors from over 15 leading technology countries and regions, including China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Turks and the Caicos Islands.

Numerous advanced technologies in renewable energy will be showcased at 2024 edition

Electric and Power Vietnam is a biennial trade event in Ho Chi Minh City. Alongside it, HVACR Vietnam, an annual event alternating between the north and the south, is one of the industry's leading exhibitions.

This year, over 7,000 trade visitors are expected to attend these events, which feature various activities designed to enrich the experience for both exhibitors and visitors.

The events will encompass international conferences and specialised seminars on topics like renewable energy transition, data centres, and advanced air conditioning solutions; business networking programmes; and a VR technology experience zone.

The series programmes are the collaborations between Informa Markets and prestigious organisations from around the world and in Vietnam, such as the Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association, Vietnam Internet Association, and Vietnam Cloud Computing and Data Centre Club, Viettel IDC, and Vietnam Society of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

These collaborations will help attendees stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in their industry, making the shows an unmissable occasion for businesses operating in Vietnam and surrounding regions.

Electric and Power Vietnam 2024 and HVACR Vietnam 2024 will host many insightful seminars on renewable energy and sustainable HVAC technologies

Ts. Lim Sai Soeng, executive director of QAV Test Technologies (KL) Sdn. Bhd, said, We've known about Electric and Power event for more than five years. This is our first time participating in the show, and it's really exciting.

We're eager to come from Malaysia and expand our market to Vietnam. We've found many visitors at this exhibition who could be our prospects. I plan to set up my company in the next six months, so definitely, in two years' time, I'll be here.

Meanwhile, HVACR Vietnam has been a trustworthy business physical platform for over 15 years.

Kumud Jhamb, vice president of the Energy Division, Southeast Asia, shared in HVACR Vietnam said, It is a good platform where we can introduce innovative products and solutions to many potential customers and help them save energy in their processes. It is also a good place to meet potential distributors and expand our greener image in the country.

Under the first-ever national development strategy for renewable energy, Vietnam aims to have over 32 per cent of its generation capacity derived from a combination of solar (19-20GW), wind (18-19GW), and biomass by 2030.

Besides this, there will be an increasing need to improve the IT and telecommunications infrastructure to serve the growth of the distribution grid, along with the development of decentralised power plants.

As part of ASEAN, ESS opportunities in Asia could receive a medium to long-term boost under the ASEAN Plan of Action and Energy Cooperations phase II (20212025).

Particularly in Vietnam, to address the redundancy of solar power generation during peak times, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have been considered for application in renewable energy projects. This is evident in the Prime Ministers orientation to install 300MW of BESS systems by 2030.

In May, Vietnams first grid-connected battery storage system integrated by AMI AC Renewables collaborated with global tech giant Honeywell in the southern province of Khanh Hoa, featuring a short-duration BESS with a 15MW output and 7.5MWh capacity. These developments show the key trend for the future of the power industry in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

As part of the Global Cooling Pledge for COP28, Vietnam is fast-tracking policies and incentives to cut energy consumption and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment reports that by mid-2023, around 563 industrial zones were planned across 61 out of 63 localities in Vietnam, with 397 already established and 292 in operation.

In this scenario, adopting sustainable HVAC systems that boost energy efficiency in large-scale buildings is more than just a trend- it's a vital move towards meeting environmental goals and advancing sustainability.

More information about Electric & Power Vietnam 2024 and HVACR Vietnam 2024:

Date: September 4-6

Venue: Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), 799 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

Diary of Events: hvacrvietnam.com/en/event-news/diary-of-event-at-electric-power-vietnam-hvacr-vietnam-2024/

Hotline: +84 28 3622 2588

Registration link (for visitors): ers-vn.informa-info.com/eph?cid=OnlineNews

Registration link (for conferences/seminars): surveymonkey.com/r/EPVxHV24_SeminarRegis_OnlineNews?name=[name_value]

Southeast Asia tops growth market for APAC region SME leaders in Asia Pacific see the greatest potential for growth in Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, according to a new FedEx survey.

APAC retailers turn to technology investment to drive profitability As retailers in Asia Pacific (APAC) feel the omnichannel squeeze, particularly with managing online returns and reducing losses caused by theft, fraud and other factors, they are tapping into the power of technology to drive profitability.
Rebekah F. Ward is the Houston Chronicle's climate & environment reporter. She can be reached at rebekah.ward@houstonchronicle.com.

Before coming to Texas, Rebekah was an investigative journalist at the Albany Times Union, where she started in 2021 as the newsrooms first Joseph T. Lyons fellow. She has worked for outlets including Reuters, France 24 and the OCCRP, reporting from the U.S., Colombia, Mexico and her native Canada.
Waco-area hospitals have until Nov. 1 to begin recording the immigration status of patients and their health care costs under a new executive order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, but they have yet to announce how they will carry out the order.

Meanwhile, immigration attorneys practicing in Waco say the questions could intimidate immigrants seeking medical care, even though they are not required to answer them.

Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest spokesperson Megan Snipes said Friday the hospital had no comment on the order and referred questions to the Texas Hospital Associations guidance on the order.

Ascension Providence spokesperson Ann Howser did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Abbotts Aug. 8 executive order requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to direct public Texas hospitals to collect information on illegal immigrants who use Texas public hospitals for inpatient and emergency care starting Nov. 1.

A spokesperson for the governor later confirmed with the Texas Tribune that the order covers the vast majority of hospitals, including acute care hospitals enrolled in Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program.

Texas hospitals are required to inform patients that under federal law their response to questions about immigration status will not affect their care. But the order does not specify whether a patients response can result in a report to immigration authorities.

The order would also require hospitals to record all inpatient and emergency care costs of undocumented immigrants so the state can seek reimbursement for uncompensated care from the federal government.

McLennan Countys total uncompensated care in 2022, which includes charity care and bad debt, was $241.6 million, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Ascensions total uncompensated care bill was $113.5 million and Hillcrests was $127.2 million.

Carrie Williams, spokesperson for the Texas Hospital Association, said the association is now working through recent guidance from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that directed hospitals to ask each patient during the intake process whether the patient is a citizen or an alien lawfully present in the United States or an alien not lawfully present in the United States.

The commission provided an Excel spreadsheet outlining the reporting fields for hospitals, but the commissions guidance did not specify how hospitals are expected to derive costs of care for undocumented immigrant patients.

Waco immigration attorney Susan Nelson said patients have the right to refuse answering any questions about immigration status when seeking hospital care.

As far as immigration status, they are required to give their name and address, but they are not required to tell anybody what their status is, Nelson said. You dont have to tell them youre a U.S. citizen either. Its none of their business.

Nelson said the order could place an unnecessary burden on hospitals and scare undocumented immigrants away from getting the health care they need.

A lot of people that I work with dont have a status, but theyre pregnant with a U.S. citizen child and so theyre eligible for things like WIC benefits and Medicare or Medicaid, but if the hospital has to start reporting most people then people are going to stop seeking prenatal care, Nelson said.

Nelson cited a similar law in Florida that was passed last year requiring hospitals to gather information on immigration status and health care costs. Unlike Texas, Floridas law requires hospitals specify to patients that their answers cannot result in a report to immigration authorities.

Despite the clarification, recent news reports have found some undocumented immigrants in Florida have avoided seeking medical care due to the new law.

Floridas first public report on the new patient data found few than 1% of inpatient admissions and emergency department visits were patients who identified themselves as unlawfully present in the state. Another 7% to 8% of patients declined to answer the question.

Florida claims $556 million of care was provided to undocumented immigrants between June and December 2023, but it is still unclear how much of that care was uncompensated. The report also specified that the state found no correlation between the level of uncompensated care and the number of undocumented immigrants seeking care at Florida hospitals. Instead, high levels of uncompensated care were more associated with rural county status.

American Gateways, a nonprofit advocacy group for immigrants and refugees that has a Waco office, has concerns about the burden could place on both hospitals and the access impact on undocumented immigrants, said Edna Yang, co-executive director.

Anyone who arrives at the emergency room of a public hospital should receive prompt, high-quality care without regard for their income or immigration status, Yang said Friday in a statement to the Tribune-Herald. Texas should not make treating patients more burdensome on hospitals by creating additional unnecessary reporting requirements.

We learned during the pandemic that the only way public health works is when we make sure people from all backgrounds can access health care. If Governor Abbott is worried about health care costs in Texas, the best thing he could do is to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid.
1. A murder-suicide at Rice University

Rice University Police are seen in front of a closed gate within Rice University as Rice University and HPD investigate a "potential homicide" at Jones College that was announced on the school website on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Students remain under a notice to shelter in their dorms, and campus classes and activities are canceled for the remainder of the day. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

A Rice University student, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, was found shot to death in her dorm on the first day of the fall semester. Police are investigating it as a murder-suicide, with the suspected shooter, a male not believed to be a Rice student, found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. University President Reginald DesRoches assured the community that the campus is safe and there is no immediate threat. Authorities discovered a note describing troubles in their relationship. Counseling support is available for students, and Avila's parents are being flown in.

2. Abbott sweeps voter registrations

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas has removed over 1 million names from its voter rolls, including 6,500 potential noncitizens. Abbott said, "Illegal voting in Texas will never be tolerated" and mentioned that the names are being sent to the attorney general for possible criminal charges. The ACLU of Texas has raised concerns about the accuracy of the data used for these removals. Senate Bill 1 mandates regular sweeps of voter rolls and imposes new consequences for noncompliance. The Texas Democratic Party criticized the move, urging voters to check their registration status before the 2024 election.

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3. Renewables come out ahead, despite efforts

John Fuller, left, and Anthony Hill, right, both with the Prairie View A&M University Roy G. Perry College of Engineering, are shown in the off-grid solar lab Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Prairie View. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Texas made it through a record-setting August heatwave without grid emergencies, but the grid isn't fixed, writes Chris Tomlinson. On Aug. 20, solar power provided over 20,000 megawatts, enough for 5 million homes, and utility-scale batteries added 4,000 megawatts in the evening. Despite fossil fuel industry efforts, more solar, wind and battery capacity is being built because it's cheaper and earns tax credits. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission need to update market rules to reflect these changes. Texans' electricity bills will depend on how often were willing to risk rolling blackouts to avoid high costs.

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4. Affordable housing meets standards

The Pointe at Bayou Bend, the 400-unit affordable housing complex on 800 Middle Street, in under construction Thursday, May 23, 2024 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

The Houston Housing Authority announced that all its tax-exempt affordable housing projects are now in compliance after an internal review found $2.7 million in unpaid fees from developers. This comes as City Council prepares to vote on three new projects under a tax incentive program. This is the most effective tool I've seen in my 30-year housing career, said Houston Housing Authority President David Northern. Critics argue the program hasn't significantly helped extremely low-income families. Mayor John Whitmire and Northern have disagreed over who initiated the audit, but both emphasize the need for better oversight.

5. Rain returns

Expect scattered storms in the Houston metro area on Tuesday, with heavy rain mainly south of I-10. Morning downpours will affect coastal areas like Galveston and Lake Jackson, moving inland by late morning. Houston will see rain around lunchtime, so keep an umbrella handy. More widespread storms are expected later in the week, with heavy rainfall and potential street flooding. Coastal areas could see 4 to 6 inches of rain through early next week, while Houston may get up to 4 inches. Labor Day weekend will also bring afternoon and evening storms, so have an indoor plan ready.
CEDAR FALLS  When the Checkers Stone Soul Picnic takes place Sept. 8, Sofie Michalicek and her brother, Tyler, will be thinking about their late dad, Mike Checker Michalicek.

The event is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Overman Park in Cedar Falls.

A retired music teacher at Waterloo Community Schools, Michalicek was front man for Checker and the Bluetones and co-founder with Jovita Long of the picnic that battles childhood hunger. Funds support Northeast Iowa Food Bank child feeding programs, including the Backpack Program.

More than $200,000 has been raised for the food bank since 2011.

Michalicek died unexpectedly at age 67 in 2021, but his efforts have not been forgotten by his children.

It gives me a deep sense of pride, respect and responsibility to carry this on. Dad focused on giving us a civic-minded attitude, so volunteering and perpetuating this event is carrying on his tradition, said Sofie Michalicek. It gives us warm fuzzies inside and makes us feel good about helping out our community.

Tyler Michalicek agreed.

This is very meaningful to me, to carry on something he started and to give something back to the community. A lot of people take and dont give back. Dad wanted us to give back, and this picnic benefits those who need it the most  children, he explained.

There will be food, childrens activities and local band performances. Attendees can bring lawn chairs and coolers. The water monster from Cedar Falls Utilities will let picnickers fill their water bottles at no charge.

Admission to the picnic is free, but cash donations are encouraged. Michaliceks children will pass the hat, as well.

We have his hat. He used to take it off his head and walk around, passing the hat and asking for money. Were carrying on that tradition. We have lots of opportunities to drain wallets to raise funds for hungry kids, said Sofie Michalicek.

Featured bands are Sugar Daddys Jazz Band, 11 a.m.; Katie & The Honky Tonks, noon; Solid Ground, 1 p.m.; Deja Blue, 2 p.m.; Get Up! Get Down!, 3 p.m.; and The Beaker Brothers Band, 4 p.m.

Food is provided by Blue Barn BBQ for a free-will offering. Pies and cookies from Karma Cafe will be available for a donation.

Youth activities will include the Petting Zoo by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony. Face painting and hair tassels will be provided by volunteers from Capris College in Waterloo for a free-will offering.

Dad was a passionate, smart and engaged individual  everybodys advocate. Checker and the Bluetones played for many charity events. He loved people, he loved music, and he loved the community and worked to make the world a better place, said Tyler Michalicek, who plays drums, piano, and guitar.

Sofie Michalicek said their dad had a way of making people feel seen and heard. Were still riding on his coattails to carry on something that was so important to him.

And he was hugely funny. About 90% of his jokes landed. You were either rolling your eyes or rolling on the floor, Tyler Michalicek recalled, with a laugh.

Organizers appreciate support from the Cedar Falls Municipal Band and the use of Overman Parks Band Shell for performances. In addition, the event coincides with Artapalooza along Cedar Falls Parkade, which has helped increase picnic attendance.

In addition, students at the Waterloo Career Center produced posters and T-shirts this year.

Photos: 2024 North End Arts & Music Festival in Waterloo
One of my favorite corners of France is Burgundy, a region overflowing with edible, drinkable, scenic, and floatable delights. Its rolling hills and a handful of sleepy villages have given birth to the superior wines and fine cuisine that are so quintessentially French.

The city of Beaune, snug within its medieval walls, makes a handy base for exploring the region. You'll feel comfortable right away in this prosperous and popular town, where life centers on the prestigious wines grown in the picturesque vineyards all around. Medieval monks and the powerful dukes of Burgundy laid the groundwork that established this town's prosperity. The monks cultivated wine, while the dukes cultivated wealth.

Beaune's real charm is the town itself, which is especially vibrant on Saturday, the market day, when colorful stands fill the square. There is one must-see sight in town, the Hotel Dieu des Hospices de Beaune, a medieval hospital. Six hundred years ago, concerned about the destiny of his soul, one of Burgundys wealthy sons attempted to buy a ticket to heaven by building this charity hospital. Rich and poor alike came here to die (or occasionally get better). The colorful glazed tiles on its roof established the classic style repeated on ancient buildings all throughout Burgundy.

In Beaune, every other shop seems to be selling wine. The production and consumption of the famous Cote dOr (Golden Hillside) wines is big business, and a good nose is a life skill worth developing. Your visit to Burgundy can include just about every aspect of the wine trade, right down to traditional barrel making. This time-honored craft is kept alive at cooperages, where crafting barrels is a mix of modern efficiency and traditional techniques. Workmen use steam and bands of iron to bend oak staves into wine-tight casks. The characteristics of the wood contribute to the personality of Burgundys wine.

Each bit of land in the region has its own terroir  a unique combination of geology, soil characteristics, exposure to the sun, and altitude. Aficionados say that the quality of wine can be different from one spot to another just 200 yards away. Visitors are sometimes surprised by the poor-looking soil. Struggling to survive in the rocky ground, the grapevines manage to produce fruit of wonderful character and aromatic complexity.

To the connoisseur, the lovingly tended fields of Burgundy are a kind of pilgrimage site. For those versed in this drinkable art form, roadside signs read like fine-wine lists. Sightseers are welcome to drop in at many wineries, enjoy a little tasting, and pick up a bottle or two. Drivers enjoy motoring on Burgundys lovely tree-lined roads, and bikers are happy here, too. Except for the rare farm vehicle, service roads are the domain of cyclists pedaling among the scenic villages.

An even more peaceful way to see Burgundy is by barge. Like much of France, Burgundy is laced with canals dug in the early Industrial Age. Two hundred years ago, these canals provided the cheapest way to transport cargo. With the help of locks, you could actually ship your goods clear across France, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Today, trucks and trains do the heavy hauling, and the canals are for relaxed barging.

In the country famous for super-fast TGV trains, this popular mode of travel has two speeds: slow and stop. Full-service barges can be hired with a captain and crew who do the navigating, cooking, and guiding. Boats have fine staterooms with all the comforts you'd expect in a good hotel. You'll invariably be eating and drinking some of the best that Burgundy has to offer: buf bourguignon, coq au vin, escargots, and the celebrated local wine.

The French, who invented our modern concept of a vacation, are on to something good with barging. Whether on a luxury barge or a captain-it-yourself boat, the basic barging experience is the same: a lazy, intimate glide by pastoral yards and green fields. Barges come with bikes, and the pace is slow enough to allow for excursions. But what could be more enjoyable than sitting back in a deck chair and letting the sights come to you?

The Burgundy canal is 150 miles long, with about 200 locks. Your barge ride is punctuated by a lock every mile or so. By rising from lock to lock, boats can gently climb, step by step, over the rolling terrain. Each lock is a treat. Attendants who live in the historic lock houses are friendly and always ready to help out. Some locks are automated, while others involve a little old-fashioned elbow grease to ease the barge through.

In this calm and cultivated region, nature is as sophisticated as the people, and traditions are strong. If youre looking for quintessential French culture, youll find it in Burgundy.

(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick's favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
WATERLOO  U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is announcing four community colleges across Iowa will receive a total of $509,775 in federal grants to expand their commercial drivers license training programs.

The U.S Department of Transportation will fund Hawkeye Community College in addition to three other community colleges in Iowa. Hawkeye will receive $132,375 for the program.

Improving pathways for eligible individuals to secure commercial drivers licenses is a simple way we can boost the economy. These resources will unlock good-paying jobs, address labor shortages in the trucking industry and streamline supply chain operations. Ive seen firsthand the efficacy of commercial drivers license programs in Iowa and am confident our community colleges will use this federal investment to build on their proven successes, Grassley said.
WATERLOO  Expo High School has started classes in a new building.

The alternative school kicked off the year for freshmen and other new students Friday at the Waterloo Career Center expansion. On Monday, Principal Cary Wieland and Assistant Principal Henry Shepherd greeted students as sophomores, junior and seniors also arrived for their first day.

The new wing of the career center, located at 1348 Katoski Drive, was completed in December 2022 and initially housed students from the adjacent Central Middle School while that building was being renovated. Expo students previously attended the school at 1410 Independence Ave., which continues to host other Waterloo Community Schools alternative learning programs.

Both Wieland and Shepherd made sure to connect with each student as they walked into the school, often complimenting a new haircut or outfit. The staff at Expo tries to make it the best possible welcome a student could want while entering a new year  and throughout the school year.

Its what we try to do, said social studies teacher David Boody. Nice and friendly is how you get students to come and be excited to learn.

Wieland said he is so excited for the opportunity to have alternative education in a new spot. And one of the biggest points is that our school districts mission is a diploma and a plan. We were able to give our kids a diploma previously, but now we have a plan because they can go over to the Waterloo Career Center and access a lot.

Students are now able to earn certificates and college credits in addition to earning their diploma  without leaving the building.

I think when the parents and the families get to know and get to understand how the new Expo looks, like, I think that theyre going to be just blown away, said Wieland. ... I mean we got kids leaving the Waterloo Career Center making 30-40 bucks an hour. Thats life changing.

He added that the kids in this building are being supported in an environment that is comfortable for them. The school is set up similar to a college campus, there are no bells that ring when a class starts or ends. The students are accountable for getting themselves to classes.

Not just administrators are excited for this new building and the opportunities it brings.

Just the fact that it is connected to the career center, I believe it is going to be very beneficial for everyone, said school counselor Whitney Robbins. ... I think it opens a whole lifeline of possibilities for our kids.

Robbins said the new possibilities could help boost attendance within the school and that an increased number of students may want to come classes as a result.

I really hope that our kids take advantage of the classes at the career center and that they are able to gain not only the experience but new friendships and new connections within the community, said Robbins.

Im looking forward to getting them to go to the WCC, added Boody. ... I saw that students who go to the WCC have a much higher attendance and graduation rate. Learning what they plan to do for a lot of their life might feel more important and (cause students to) come to school more.

As for the students, junior Jonas Dahlen is happy with the change of scenery and opportunities that come with the new school year.

I think it will be better for the Expo community, especially with a lot nicer building and a little bit better management with the kids, he said.

Dahlen also mentioned that being connected to the career center will be better since there were troubles with busing there from Expo last year. He will be taking the opportunity to participate in the construction program. This will be his third semester of construction classes.

Wieland wants students to leave Expo once they are either done for the year or ready to graduate with a preparedness for life.

Wherever that takes them, to a two-year college or four-year college, or if their going directly into the workforce, Wieland said he is just hoping they are ready for the next steps.

Photos: Cedar Falls High School first day of school in new building
Kevin Virgil, who lost to U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the GOP Fourth Congressional District primary in June, is now asking western Iowans to consider voting blue in November's House race.

Sunday, Virgil, who took 40% of the vote after challenging Feenstra in the June primary, posted an article on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to explain why he supports a split ticket in IA-04 this year. At the top of the ticket, Virgil, who attempted to run to Feenstra's right in the primary, told voters to back former President Donald J. Trump. For the Fourth District though, he said residents should consider Democratic Party candidate Ryan Melton, who Feenstra beat in the 2022 general election.

"Obviously this is not a typical endorsement as today's politicians are expected to place party loyalty above all," Virgil wrote. "My phone has thus been ringing off the hook for the past 24 hours. Many people are support, more than a few are upset, and I'm sure that a silent majority have questions as to why I would make such an unusual proposal."

Virgil said voters in the Fourth district, which Feenstra has represented for two terms, are holding their noses and voting for the congressman from Hull because Republicans have such a massive advantage in the District.

"For most of them, voting any other way would be unthinkable  regardless of how bad their party's candidate might be," Virgil wrote. "But that blind party loyalty hasn't helped our state and brought forth serious problems."

What Virgil considered serious problems for the state were a dip in Iowa's public education ranking, an uptick in cancer diagnoses (Iowa ranks second in the country), a child poverty rate of 12% and more. Virgil, who was supported in the primary by former Republican Congressman Steve King (the man Feenstra defeated), said because of party loyalty too many voters are tolerant of "bad leaders" and said things won't change unless voters send a message.

"That's why I am proposing a vote for Ryan Melton this November," he said. "Ryan and I disagree on many issues  right to life, taxation, etc. But he's pragmatic and knows that Western Iowa is a highly conservative district. I believe that he has good character and will represent us well  certainly better than our current congressman."

Melton welcomed the news and took to X to say "I appreciate Kevin's bravery here in highlighting the backslide we are seeing in so many vital quality of life indicators in the state under Republican control. I agree with him that it's a matter of leadership. Many Democrats speak fondly of a Republican leader that once ran this state, Gov. Bob Ray. The modern Republican Party needs to get back to being true stewards of the state instead of extractors of our wealth to their donors."

Feenstra's campaign slammed the announcement from Virgil.

In a text message, campaign spokesman Billy Fuerst said the news about Virgil wasn't a shock.

"It's no surprise that New York liberal Kevin Virgil has endorsed anti-Trump liberal Ryan Melton," Fuerst said. "Virgil is an east coast liberal and chose to endorse a Democrat that would block the Trump agenda at every opportunity. This November, Iowans will reject the radical Virgil-Melton agenda and elect conservative champion Randy Feenstra."

The Fourth District GOP primary was marked by a number of attacks lobbed by both candidates. Virgil and King called a Feenstra ad a "montage of lies." In a conversation with The Journal, Feenstra called it the act of "desperate people." The Feenstra campaign also hit Virgil for not being sufficiently supportive of Israel and for calling Edward Snowden, an NSA whistleblower, a patriot.

In a possible third term, Feenstra said he would want to focus on stricter immigration measures and tax cuts. Feenstra has called for the building of a border wall and pushed for extending the Trump tax cuts of 2017.

Among other issues, Melton's campaign has prioritized addressing: health care and prescription drug prices, the cost of child care, public school funding and a federally-mandated living wage.

Virgil has already tipped that he intends to run again in the 2026 GOP primary for the Fourth Congressional District.
Harris County Public Health director Barbie Robinson, center, announces a new health initiative in September 2023. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

When a consulting company collapsed in California amid a billing scandal, the scrutiny soon followed it to Harris County.

DEMA Consulting & Management got its start operating homeless shelters for Sonoma County during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The company made its way to Texas shortly after that countys top health official, Barbie Robinson, left to take a similar job in Harris County in May 2021.

Two months later, Robinson arranged for DEMA to run two COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites in Pasadena and Aldine, after issues emerged with a previous contractor. By December of that year, the company won a bigger, more competitive public health contract, cementing its expansion into Texas. It gave DEMA the authority to run a new program responding to certain nonviolent 911 calls with medical and social workers instead of sheriffs deputies.

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Its downfall in California this spring came after county auditors there determined the company may have billed as much as $11 million in work without sufficient documentation. Sonoma County cut ties with the company, which laid off its workforce there and relinquished its facilities.

Harris County officials launched their own, narrower audit of DEMA, but the scandal in Sonoma County invited questions over how the for-profit California firm beat out local competitors to land the 911 contract in the first place.

Emails and other records obtained by the Houston Chronicle show Robinson played a pivotal role in bringing the company here, and several exchanges during the countys procurement process for the 911 contract suggested possible conflicts of interest.

DEMAs founder, Michelle Patino, sought Robinsons advice when submitting materials for the initial COVID-19 contract. A DEMA official later sent an email indicating the company knew in advance it would win the 911 contract. And, perhaps most explicitly, Patino offered Robinson a part-time consulting job while Robinsons department was actively seeking proposals for that deal.

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Per our conversation we would love to have you as a consultant for some of the legal issues we may have in California, Patino wrote in an email to Robinson in September 2021, less than a month before submitting DEMAs 911 proposal. Please let me know what your consultation fees would be and how we can proceed.

It is not clear why Patino would have made such an offer; Robinson has a law degree and is licensed to practice in California, but she said she has never been a practicing attorney.

Patino, who stepped aside as CEO of DEMA earlier this year, did not respond to written questions. Celeste Cramer, the companys new executive, said DEMA followed the countys guidelines when bidding for the contract, but she did not respond to later questions about the job offer.

Robinson said she did not see Patinos emails seeking advice or offering the job at the time, and she did not learn of them until the Houston Chronicle requested communications between the two under the Texas Public Information Act.

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I dont even know what conversation she is referencing. As I said, I dont have a personal relationship with her, Robinson said of the job offer. If I did have a personal relationship, she would know that Im not a practicing attorney. Ive been a government bureaucrat my entire career.

Robinson said she never worked for DEMA in any capacity, and Patinos email did not influence her evaluations on the 911 contract.

The offer, if Robinson had seen it, likely would have qualified as a conflict under the countys procurement manual, and she would have been required to disclose it before serving on the contracts evaluation committee, the five-person panel that recommends a winner for Commissioners Courts approval.

As director, Robinson had final say on the evaluation committees members. About two months after the job offer, Robinson herself served on the panel that recommended DEMA for the job.

In the context of COVID

Robinson said she was not very involved in the companys work for her previous employer in Sonoma County. Though she signed the early contracts, she said a deputy director there brought in DEMA. But Robinson said she does remember DEMA righting the ship at a troubled care facility after issues with a previous vendor emerged there.

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When a similar issue arose in her first months on the Harris County job, she turned to DEMA. In search of a new vendor for the two COVID-19 health sites, Robinson said her department struggled to find a local supplier.

We have to put this in the context of COVID. We saw a shortage of supplies, a shortage of personnel, a shortage of workforce, a shortage of everything, Robinson said. So finding folks who could do quality work was a challenge.

Emails show Patino asked Robinson for advice when submitting a background document for that initial COVID-19 contract. Patino said she wanted Robinsons opinion before sending the document to one of her deputies. Robinson said she did not offer any insight.

When the company applied for the 911 contract later, Robinson said she found its experience with homeless populations in Sonoma to be pertinent. Any insinuation that she directed that contract to DEMA is false, she said.

Robinson pointed to her previous work for the federal government, where she oversaw administration of healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

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I cant take responsibility for things that (Patinos) done or said. Those are needles that are being thread that imply an innuendo of wrongdoing that Ive had no part of, Robinson said. Why would I wait until the last five years of my career to engage in wrongdoing when Ive had a career around program integrity and preventing waste, fraud and abuse?

Other emails and records reviewed by the Chronicle raised additional questions about the contract process. A couple months after Patinos job offer, a DEMA executive sent an email indicating the company knew in advance it would land the contract.

A confident email

DEMA beat several competitors to win the 911 contract, including the Harris Center, a state agency dedicated to mental health services in Harris County. The Harris Center had experience running similar 911 diversion programs and a history of partnering with the county.

In November, Robinson and four other county evaluators were set to meet with the interested companies, including DEMA and the Harris Center. One day before DEMA presented, though, one of its senior officials sent an email indicating he thought it was already a done deal.

Branden Bowman, then DEMAs operations chief in Texas, had just helped provide a tour of the COVID-19 health sites for members of the Harris Center. While there, he mentioned a new project with the county that DEMA had coming up. An official reached out later to ask for more information.

DEMAs new project is very exciting and should be beginning in the next few months, Bowman wrote. This HART (Holistic Assistance Response Team) program will decrease the utilization of ER rooms, mitigate mental and behavioral health crises, provide case management that collaborates with our community partners and so on. This is just the beginning too. We plan to grow our scope and build it across Harris County.

Patino saw the email the next morning and quickly backtracked. The company did not have the contract yet, she wrote in response  it was just preparing a presentation. Bowman was merely extremely excited about the prospect, she wrote.

The emails struck some officials at the Harris Center as bizarre, suggesting the procurement process was predetermined.

It definitely seemed very odd You have a county agency that you control, and you go out and look for a for-profit agency to do the same work? It just did not make sense, said Shaukat Zakaria, the board chair of the Harris Center at the time. It just seemed like it was packaged to give them the contract.

Cramer, DEMAs CEO, said the company diligently followed all Harris County Public Health Request for Proposal guidelines.

Robinson said she does not know why DEMA officials would have been so confident.

I was shocked when I saw the message, Robinson said, after the Chronicle shared the email. I know that Michelle wanted to have a presence here, but I cant speak to why (Bowman) said (he) got the contract.

Fraction of a point

Scoring sheets show DEMA later won the 911 contract by a fraction of a point, 72.88 to 72.5, over the Harris Center. Evaluators gave the Harris Center the edge when it came to organizational capacity and experience, along with budget and resource allocation. They gave a narrow advantage to DEMA for technical approach and methodology.

The Harris Center was faulted most severely for the references portion of the evaluation. All four evaluators said they would have liked to see more references for the center. The Harris Center received just 4.75 possible points out of 10. DEMA received 7.5. A county supervisor in Sonoma County later told Harris County officials that DEMA had listed him as a reference without his permission.

Robinson scored the Harris Center 66.5 out of 100, the lowest of the four evaluators who submitted grades. She gave DEMA a 70.5. Only one evaluator, Dr. Ann Barnes, then chief health officer of the Harris Health System, gave the Harris Center a higher score, but it was substantial  she scored them 20 points higher than DEMA, praising the centers track record of translatable efforts.

HART PROGRAM: More Harris County 911 calls to see mental health crisis team instead of police

But the two evaluators from Harris Countys public health department  Robinson and one her deputies  expressed concern about the Harris Centers previous 911 response teams. Most of those teams included health professionals responding alongside law enforcement officers, and the Harris Center had not demonstrated how it could move to a method that did not include those officers, Robinson wrote.

The Harris Center, though, already ran response teams without law enforcement in a pilot program for the Houston Police Department  and described that program in its proposal.

Robinson emphasized the difference in the scores she gave DEMA and the Harris Center was just four points, hardly indicative of a thumb on the scale. And she said she did not influence the other evaluators scores, noting that she had then been on the job only about six months at that point.

I did not know my assistant director that well, and I did not know the other panelists on this to know how they would score it or not score it, she said.

Still, the margin was so close that Robinsons scores were critical. If removed, the result would have flipped: The Harris Center would have beaten DEMA by a fraction of a point.

DEMAs collapse

In May, DEMA collapsed in Sonoma County after investigative reporters and county auditors there probed its billing practices.

The Press Democrat, a local newspaper, found Patino was billing the county for positions that former employees could not recall existing, for 22-hour workdays and, on one occasion, on a day when social media posts showed she was attending a Denver Broncos game.

After Sonoma severed ties with the company in April, DEMA survived in Texas, continuing to operate Harris Countys 911 diversion program. The HART program diverts certain non-violent 911 calls to mental health professionals, freeing up sheriffs deputies to concentrate on violent crime. Since 2022, the company has responded to more than 11,500 calls.

There have not been documented issues with DEMAs ability to provide those services, but the scrutiny of its billing practices followed the company to Texas after Sonoma County officials reached out to their counterparts here.

COMMISSIONERS INTERVENE: Harris County pauses program that diverts 911 calls to mental health crisis team

Harris County commissioners voted to withhold payments to DEMA while county auditors probed and then ultimately cleared payments to the company. Unlike in Sonoma County, where DEMAs contract required it to list employees working hours on its invoices, the company here is paid a set fee for providing the services.

Still, some commissioners have homed in on the contractor, exploring other ways to continue the 911 diversion program with county staff or with other operators. As a result, DEMA apparently has had a staff exodus. In a note Robinson sent Aug. 9, she said the program was paring back its hours, no longer offering 24-hour coverage.

According to DEMA leadership, staff resignations have increased due to the uncertainty of the programs existence and the lack of payment to the vendor, Robinson wrote.
Former President Donald Trumps running mate, JD Vance, will return to Wisconsin on Wednesday to campaign in De Pere.

Vances visit is the first by the Republican ticket since Trumps Democratic challenger, Vice President Kamala Harris, accepted the Partys presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week. Trump and Harris appear locked in a neck-and-neck race in the battleground state, according to a recent Marquette Law School Poll.

The Ohio senator will deliver remarks at 6:30 p.m. at distribution business AmeriLux Family of Companies, according to a campaign statement. Vance plans to target Harris on GOP talking points like the economy, crime, the nations southern border and immigration. Additional details were not immediately available.

The trip will be Vances fourth to Wisconsin since he accepted the Republican vice presidential nomination in Milwaukee last month. Trump, who has made four trips to Wisconsin this year, plans to hold his own campaign event, a town hall, in La Crosse on Thursday.

Harris, meanwhile, has visited Wisconsin seven times this year, including three stops since President Joe Biden stepped down and endorsed his vice president in late July.

Vances latest trip to Wisconsin will bring him to the states heavily Republican 8th Congressional District. The districts recent Republican primary saw turnout more than double from more than 50,000 votes in 2020 to more than 101,000 votes in the August 13 primary, where three Republicans were on the ballot for the nomination to fill the open seat previously held by former U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay.

In that race, gas station chain owner Tony Wied, who was backed by Trump, bested two Wisconsin legislative veterans to seize the Republican nomination for the open seat.

Wied will face Democrat Kristin Lyerly, an obstetrician who sued to overturn Wisconsins abortion ban, in the November election. Lyerly ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

In Marquettes latest poll, released earlier this month, Trump received support from 50% of registered voters, compared with 49% for Harris  within the polls 4.6% margin of error.

What college students need to know before they vote Tips for college students Register to Vote Make Your Vote Count
More than two out of three UW-Madison students pay more for housing than they can afford, according to a first-ever study conducted by the city and the university.

The study confirmed what is largely already known through reams of anecdotal evidence: Nearly 70% of rentals are too expensive, costing individual students $1,000 or more in rent each month per student, often hundreds of dollars above what the students consider affordable; the cheapest apartments are often farthest from campus and more run down; and UW-Madison is one of the most expensive off-campus housing markets in the Big Ten conference.

In many campus markets, even across the Universities of Wisconsin, opting to stay in the dorms is the more expensive option. But UW-Madisons off-campus housing market flips that conventional wisdom on its head: On-campus housing at UW-Madison averages about $869 a month per bed, about $400 less per month than the average off-campus price per student.

For a quarter of students, reaching their affordable price point of about $980 a month requires them to share bedrooms, not just their apartment, with roommates. The average off-campus apartment rents for $1,273 a month per student bed, while newer apartments tend to go for about $1,575 per bed.

The nearly 3,600 students surveyed reported paying an average of $903 in spring 2024. Those students reported getting savvier as the years went on: More time in the housing market allowed them time to find cheaper rents.

On the flip side, students newer to the area are at a significant disadvantage. Leases often open in early October, giving first-year students just a handful of weeks to find roommates and scout out where to live the following year before all of the good options are snatched up.

Theres also just not enough housing to go around, the study finds. The occupancy rate of off-campus student housing is 98%. That 2% vacancy rate is far below whats considered healthy: 5% to 8%. Thousands more off-campus housing units are set to come online in the coming years, but like the rest of Madison, many of those new units are considered unaffordable to the population theyre meant to serve.

Other studies of student housing stock have been taken in the past, but this is the first that gathered student feedback.

UW-Madison and the city of Madison funded the survey after a rental frenzy in the fall of 2022, when rents jumped hundreds of dollars a year and students scrambled to find somewhere cheaper to live  even sleeping overnight to be first in line when rental offices opened leases for the next year. The study was championed by Ald. Juliana Bennett, District 2.

That same year, UW-Madisons on-campus housing suffered its own serious crunch  the largest freshman class in history squeezed University Housing to the point that it paid returning students with residence hall contracts to leave. Applications to be a housefellow, what UW-Madison calls its resident assistants in dorms, skyrocketed as students saw that as a way to escape the increasingly costly off-campus housing market.

Madisons geography, with UW-Madisons placement near Downtown, complicates the housing challenges. UW-Madisons students compete with young professionals and employees who also want to work and live Downtown in ways their Big Ten university peers dont. Madisons Downtown is also on an isthmus, meaning it has more room to grow up than out, leaving inherently cheaper older properties vulnerable to being razed to make way for larger developments.

More student housing is expected in the coming years. About 1,700 units are under construction and another 4,000 units have been proposed.

A case for new dorms

While UW-Madison cant do anything about the private housing market, it can lobby the state Legislature for a new residence hall to relieve some of the pressure on housing prices. One of the recommendations by Chicago-based consultant Jones Lang LaSalle, hired as part of the study, was that the campus invest in more residence halls.

UW-Madison hasnt opened a new dorm in more than a decade, when enrollment was just shy of 43,000 students. Since 2010, first-year student enrollment has grown 34%. UW-Madison cracked 50,000 students last fall.

UW-Madison has been eyeing a $293 million new dorm for years and added it to its wish list for capital spending last fall. Just last week, Universities of Wisconsin leaders approved adding it to a short list of major projects it hopes to see approved in the states next two-year budget.

But even adding those 2,000 beds wouldnt get UW-Madison as far as it needs to go. Much of that capacity would be used to ease congestion in UW-Madisons other dorms, where some larger double rooms now house three people and lounges have been converted to rooms.

This shows the continuing demand for a UW-Madison education, the pressures on our current residence halls, designed for about 7,700 students, were counting about 8,800 this year, UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Rob Cramer said Monday.

While borrowing for UW system residence halls has to be approved by state lawmakers, it doesnt cost the taxpayers any money. The money to pay off those loans comes from students who pay room and board fees to their respective universities.

Partnering with landlords

Jones Lang LaSalle, the consultant, also recommends UW-Madison work with private landlords to extend the time for signing leases to give students more time to research housing and develop public-private partnerships to create more student housing.

The city also should encourage building more higher-density apartments with more three-, four- and five-bedroom apartments, and encourage developers to build units that are more affordable, the consultant said.

While the market appears to cater to student renters because of the sheer number of beds available  about 60,000 in a 2.5-mile radius of campus  the layout of the units does not cater to students, the consultant said. Most of the rental units available for students are either one- or two-bedroom units, layouts aligned more with a multifamily housing market, not one for students.
David Northern, president and CEO of the Houston Housing Authority, speaks during a ribbon-cutting event Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, at Rasmus-Tenemos Place in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Officials from the Houston Housing Authority said Monday that all of the agencys tax-exempt affordable housing projects are now in compliance after an internal review uncovered gaps in oversight, including $2.7 million in unpaid fees from developers.

The announcement came as the City Council is about to vote on the first three deals using a tax incentive program called public facility corporations, or PFCs, approved in a 2023 law change.

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This is the most effective tool Ive seen in my 30-year housing career, Houston Housing Authority President David Northern said at a committee meeting Monday morning.

Northern framed the agreements as necessary to raise money for low-income housing that werent getting funded from the federal or city government.

Housing authority officials presented the three PFC projects City Council is expected to vote on in the coming days, including a 366-unit development at 10201 Main St., a 352-unit development at 1100 Blackhaw St. and a 270-unit development at 12781 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Audit reveals gaps in oversight

The Houston Housing Authority, which operates independently from the city of Houston, serves tens of thousands of low-income residents through public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other affordable housing initiatives.

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One program that has faced scrutiny in recent years involves deals that exempt developers of apartment complexes from property taxes in exchange for making some units affordable and paying a fee to the housing authority. The tax savings can amount to roughly $1 million a year for a large multi-family development. Most of the agreements use PFCs, although after that part of the tax code was reformed in 2023, the housing authority has passed similar deals using a different part of the tax code.

Supporters view these projects as a way to encourage the private sector to create affordable housing in neighborhoods that historically have lacked such developments. Critics, however, question the programs effectiveness in reducing rent.

Earlier this month, the Houston Chronicle reported, based on an internal review by the housing authority, that the tax incentive program has yielded minimal benefits for extremely low-income families, who face the greatest housing shortage. The report also revealed a lack of financial oversight, resulting in millions of dollars in uncollected developer fees that should have funded the housing authoritys own affordable housing projects.

Northern said that as result of the self-audit, all of the agencys PFC projects now meet their affordability requirements and that private developers have paid their outstanding fees.

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We have 17,000 affordable units, Northern said. Without this program, 17,000 families will be without affordable housing.

But there are differing levels of affordability. The majority of those affordable units  10,600 apartments  are affordable to those earning 80% of area median income, or AMI, who could afford to pay $1,702 for a two-bedroom apartment in 2024.

Experts have criticized the program for not adequately addressing the needs of the citys most vulnerable families. Of the more than 30,000 tax-exempt units created through deals with the Houston Housing Authority, only 270 units are affordable for families with extremely low incomes defined as earning less than 30% of the regions AMI, or $22,710 a year for a two-person household.

Most of the units either have no rent restrictions or are geared toward families earning less than 80% or 60% of Houstons AMI. Meanwhile, research by the Washington, D.C.-based National Low Income Housing Coalition shows that Houstons private market is generally capable of providing units at these higher income levels without government intervention.

Housing authority officials emphasized on Wednesday that PFC deals are just one tool at their disposal, and the fees collected from these projects are used to pay for other projects that cater to lower-income families, including the redevelopment of the 72-year-old Cuney Homes public housing complex.

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That redevelopment, which would tear down and rebuild Cuney Homes and create two new Third Ward developments, has been projected to cost over $500 million. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has contributed $50 million, leaving the housing authority to form partnerships to cover the remainder. In application materials, the Houston Housing Authority indicated it planned to spend $48 million of its own capital and non-federal funds on the project.

The housing authoritys internal review reported that, as of April, it had collected $53 million in fees from these deals, but the agency did not disclose how the fees have been spent or how much remains in reserve.

Mike Nichols, head of Houstons Housing and Community Development Department, said on Wednesday that the city is working with the housing authority to ensure the fees are being spent efficiently.

Criticisms from city and state officials

PFC deals have attracted the attention of city and state officials in recent years.

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In early 2023, following concerns raised by Tanglewood residents about a PFC proposed for the wealthy neighborhood, former Mayor Sylvester Turner requested that the housing authority pause any votes on such projects. Later that summer, state officials passed a bill to reform the program, introducing stricter affordability and oversight requirements.

Mayor John Whitmire similarly vowed to examine some of these tax deals when he took office. While the housing authority is an independent entity, the mayor, with the power to appoint its board members, has historically held sway over its decisions. Whitmire recently told the Chronicle that concerns about the program were part of why he overhauled the housing authoritys board earlier this year.

Whitmire and Northern have disagreed over who initiated the internal audit. Whitmire has repeatedly insisted that the audit was carried out at his direction, but Northern said on Wednesday that he was the one who requested it.

In response, the mayors office forwarded an email in which Whitmires deputy chief of staff emailed two board members on April 9. In the email, the deputy chief of staff, Steven David, said he and the chief of staff had put our heads together this morning and came up with a set of data points we think would help to demonstrate the marked difference on when yall became board members and the information yall have uncovered.

David listed a series of fields, including the date of agreement, affordability requirements, affordability dollar value, demand letter date and first payment remit after the demand letter. Some, but not all, of those data points were included in the housing authoritys internal review.

I asked my new appointees before moving forward to review all HHA projects for conflicts of interest and to ensure they are in the best interest of my administrations goal to make Houston the best city in the nation for affordable housing, the mayor recently said. The previous board I inherited did not meet any of those standards.
From Midwest eats to funky festivals, these are the places to visit in Rapid City this fall
At one point, when Miller was caring for both parents, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. What got me through was the spiritual belief that the greatest gift you could give someone you love is to be there and walk with them at the scariest point of their life. For some people its religious; others faith-based. And for me it was spiritual. I describe that as being in the flow of the universe, perhaps more of a Buddhist way of looking at things.

When she thinks of caregiving, she envisions a glass of water and constantly taking from your own glass to give to the other person. The reality is if you dont find a mechanism for refilling the glass of water, you will go emotionally and physically dry, says Miller. Thats when reframing is so powerful  to discover what helps you look at the glass not as something that is depleting, but something beautiful thats refilled by things that are meaningful to you.

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A link to mental health



David H. Rosmarin, 45, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, approaches spirituality and religion as a clinician and scientist, looking at ways these beliefs can be linked to mental health in positive and negative ways. Spirituality is a powerful domain of life, which has often been ignored by health care, he says. Scientists and clinicians view the world through the secular lens they were trained in, but that can miss the mark in the hearts, minds and souls of individuals who are struggling. Caregivers, in particular, often gravitate toward spiritual resources along their challenging journey.

Throughout his career as a minister and co-pastor of the Rye Presbyterian Church, Dan Love, 60, from Rye, New York, has counseled caregivers and care recipients. Last year, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and his wife, Carol, 58, became his caregiver.

Its so valuable to be part of a community where the faith piece, belief in God, was lived out by people in their interactions with me, Dan says. When people are asking deep questions about life, thats an opportunity to look at God and faith in different ways. Weve been so grateful for people, some we dont know, touching base, providing meals, or the flowers that just show up. Thats the power of people in community, to be part of the supportive circle.

Carol agrees. Theres a source of wisdom and discernment available when showing up to offer someone support, she says. One can spot when caregivers are tangled up in finding a solution to anothers problem. Im just trying to help can be a loaded way caregivers explain a desire to fix the situation. Youre the caregiver; God is the curegiver. Part of being a caregiver is being willing to admit we dont have this all figured out and we need some help ourselves.

Carol is also grateful for the friends that have shown up in her life to help her name the dark side, but facilitate the bright side.

When its lonely, and you are hanging out there by yourself, its critical to be able to talk about scary moments and have a memory that primes that pump of how God will show up, she says.

As a minister and now a care recipient, Love has seen faith in every aspect of his diagnosis and treatment. I dont know how people walk this journey without faith, he says. Ive gotten tired of the just stay positive kind of language. My faith is more about authenticity than it is about positivity. It allows space for the inevitable anger, sadness and questions to get out. If were stuffing all that down, were clogging the tubes that allow grace to flow.

Finding purpose, soothing for the soul

Ralph Patrick, 62, from Allenspark, Colorado, is a dementia consultant and spiritual director who views spirituality as critical to the caregiving journey. I see spirituality as a spectrum, and people can practice it in a variety of different ways, says Patrick. Some people need more than the dogma and rituals of religion. Spirituality can also help caregivers be gracious to themselves, because theres an awful lot of guilt with the role.
The East Water Purification Plant is photographed Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Houston. A boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer



Houston officials are seeking assistance from state lawmakers to help pay for some of the $4.93 billion in water utility improvements needed to prevent people from suffering widespread boil water notices and mass water loss, should aging infrastructure lead to catastrophic failure down the road.

Josh Sanders, Mayor John Whitmires chief of intergovernmental relations, said city officials will not be asking for the money from the state all at once, but rather will seek funding to aid individual projects, such as replacing the line that transports untreated water to the citys East Water Purification Plant, as a part of that total price tag. Erin Jones, spokesperson for Houston Public Works, said there are no plans to charge Houstonians more money for their water usage to offset the cost of improvements to the utility, nor is there a study taking place to determine the need to raise water costs.

Sanders and other city officials plan to attend committee hearings Sept. 3 in Austin to lay out Houstons needs.

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Houston Water Utility consists of a puzzle of water and wastewater treatment facilities and wastewater lift stations, along with the veins of pipes winding underground that provide water to more than 5 million residents across the Houston region. The highest profile users include the Texas Medical Center  the largest in the nation  and the areas 622 petrochemical facilities, which represent 44% of the facilities in the country.

The utility malfunctioning could spell trouble for millions. The east plant supplies water for 65% to 70% of city residents, and if the line that carries raw water to be treated at the plant fails, it could mean that many residents will be without water.

The East Water Purification Plant is photographed Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Houston. A boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Not to mention the Astros cant play, said Houston Water Director Greg Eyerly said.

Eyerly said the $4.93 billion price tag for fixing the wear and tear doesnt include the citys consent decree, which requires the city to spend $2 billion on improvements to its water utility over the next 15 years.

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Other requirements include having to repair or replace 2.5% of its sewage pipes per year and 5% of its lift stations. The decree only applies to the sewer system, but both the water and sewer system are funded by the citys Combined Utility System.

The citys water infrastructure has been a contentious issue among city leaders and residents in recent months. Houstonians have most recently had challenges with high water bills as a result of aging water meter readers and malfunctioning reading devices, which have been patched with a manual reading process that isnt always accurate.

Whitmires administration came up with a plan to address those high bills, including replacing meter readers and charging based on bill averages.

What needs to be fixed?

Houston Water has three main issues when it comes to making the fixes to its water utility. Two of the most critical involve the East Water Purification Plant  which treats between 300 million to 310 million gallons of water a day.

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The East Water Purification Plant is photographed Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Houston. A boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

The East plant needs another pipe for raw water to replace the 70-year-old one in place. The plant also needs to be rebuilt entirely.

Then comes the need to address leaky pipes in Houston that have been the center of the citys water billing issues. Houstons water loss alone could supply a city of 900,000  like Fort Worth or San Jose  with water, Eyerly said.

One of the lawmakers Houston is working with is state Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican whos led the charge for water-related initiatives at the state level.

Perry chairs both the Water, Agricultural and Rural Affairs, and the State Water Implementation Fund committees, which could both prove beneficial in leveraging state dollars.

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Officials warn Houston needs to make the fixes sooner rather than later.


Nimbus Zinc Silver Project Update

Perth, Aug 28, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to provide an update on the Nimbus silver-zinc project, adjacent to the Boorara gold mine, 17km east-southeast of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the goldfields of Western Australia (Figure 1*).



HIGHLIGHTS



- The current global Mineral Resource estimate for Nimbus stands at:



o 12.1Mt grading 52g/t Ag for 20.24Moz of silver and 0.9% Zn for 106kt zinc



- A high-grade subset exists within this global resource immediately below the historical pits and has a Mineral Resource estimate of:



o 260kt grading 774g/t Ag for 6.4Moz silver and 12.8% Zn for 33kt zinc



- Concept study has confirmed the optimal economic development pathway through mining of the higher-grade lodes and generation of a silver / zinc concentrate with more drilling required to increase overall tonnage and mine life



- Silver currently trading at A$42/oz and zinc at A$4,000/t



- A Programme of Work (POW) has been approved by DEMIRS and drilling expected to be undertaken in the first half of 2025 to drill test the exploration target



- Exploration Target defined below Nimbus to be tested.



Commenting on the Nimbus silver-zinc project, Horizon Managing Director and CEO Mr Grant Haywood said:



"We see the potential to grow the higher-grade core within the Nimbus resource at depth down plunge and along strike. Whilst we are firmly focussed on delivering on gold production at Boorara and Phillips Find, the Company will continue working to develop a longer-term production profile at Nimbus. We look forward to undertaking drilling in 2025 with the aim of increasing the resource prior to re-instigating a feasibility study for the project".



The Nimbus Project is sits 2km east of the Company's cornerstone Boorara project and 6.5km northnorthwest of Golden Ridge. Both Boorara and Golden Ridge are historic gold mining centres, with Boorara recommencing production activities.



The Nimbus mine site on granted mining leases M26/490 and M26/598 and easily accessed from the Kalgoorlie-Bulong Road via an unsealed haul road. The tenements are located within the Hampton Hill Pastoral Station (Figure 2).



The Nimbus Project was mined by Polymetals in two stages. Phase 1 (Jan 2004 - April 2005) concentrated on mining extremely weathered oxide material in the Discovery and East Pits. Phase 2 (Nov 2005 - May 2006) concentrated on mining remnant oxide and supergene material from the Discovery Pit. Ore treatment was undertaken at an onsite mill utilising a Merrill-Crowe circuit.



The Nimbus Silver-Zinc Project was placed on care and maintenance in 2007 after producing 3.6 Moz of silver from 318 kt of ore processed at a grade of 353 g/t Ag.



MacPhersons Resource Limited (MRP) completed due diligence in August 2011and purchased the Nimbus property on 8th September 2011 from Kalgoorlie Ore Treatment Company Pty Ltd (KOTC) in order to treat ore hauled from their proposed Coolgardie gold mining operations, some 55km to the west. MacPhersons fast tracked the development of the Nimbus project, securing financing and purchasing necessary plant infrastructure.



In June 2019 the former Intermin Resources Limited finalised its merger with MRP, becoming Horizon Minerals Ltd. The Nimbus project was put on hold pending review.



Nimbus was classified as a contaminated site by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) in 2006 as Contaminated - Remediation Required under the Contaminated Sites Act from the historic mining and processing of ore which restricted some activities. Following the merger with MacPherson Resources in 2019, Horizon undertook a Mandatory Review Audit process under the Contaminated Sites Act to carry out cleanup works to reclassify the site. The Company completed the clean-up in 2022 and the MAR report is nearing completion to submit to DWER to reclassify the site. The old plant was removed and the area rehabilitated. The mine office and other infrastructure is still in place and operational and on grid power.



An independent review by Australian Mining Consultants (AMC) and Sedgmen was commissioned in 2022 to assess the historic data, mine optimisations and metallurgical work to evaluate the optimal pathway forward for the project.



The review highlighted the potential of the project through underground mining the fresh higher-grade ore below the historic Discovery pit and generating a silver and a zinc concentrate for sale to potential offtake partners. A gold concentrate was also assessed to improve overall life of mine given the need for additional tonnage to underpin a concentrator at site.



Exploration Target Drilling Zones Identified



Given the drilling success to date along the Gretel-Nimbus-Brindabella trend and the potential for repeat high grade lenses at Nimbus deeps and along strike, a drilling campaign has been designed to commence in the first half of 2025 pending cashflows from gold mining operations.1 Exploration Target drilling zones identified below the Nimbus pits which remain untested are show below (Figure 3 and 4*).



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/UD6988IY





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.

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Spectators hold signs during a LULAC rally to bring attention to the voter fraud raids that happened last week. The peaceful rally was in front of the San Antonio offices of Texas Attornaey General Ken Paxton. Robin Jerstad State Senator Jose Menedes speaks during a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) rally to bring attention to the voter fraud raids that happened last week. The peaceful rally was in front of the San Antonio offices of Texas Attornaey General Ken Paxton who sanctioned the raids. Robin Jerstad League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National President Ramon Palumares speaks during a LULAC rally to bring attention to the voter fraud raids that happened last week. The peaceful rally was in front of the San Antonio offices of Texas Attornaey General Ken Paxton. Robin Jerstad League of United Latin American Citizens Texas State Director Gabriel Rosales speaks during a LULAC rally to bring attention to the voter fraud raids that happened last week. The peaceful rally was in front of the San Antonio offices of Texas Attornaey General Ken Paxton. Robin Jerstad State Senator Roland Gutierrez speaks during a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) rally to bring attention to the voter fraud raids that happened last week. The peaceful rally was in front of the San Antonio offices of Texas Attornaey General Ken Paxton who sanctioned the raids. Robin Jerstad Tamara Garrett with her daughter, Amara Garrett, 8, leaves after voting at the Richard and Meg Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Road, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Cypress. The center is a polling location for voters on Election Day. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that the state has removed over 1 million names from the Texas voter rolls, mainly people who moved out of state or died but including 6,500 who Abbott described as potential noncitizens.

Illegal voting in Texas will never be tolerated, Abbott said in a statement. We will continue to actively safeguard Texans sacred right to vote while also aggressively protecting our elections from illegal voting.

Abbott added in a social media post that the removed names are being passed on to the attorney generals office for possible criminal charges.

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The governors announcement came five years after a botched attempt in 2019 to purge up to 100,000 suspected noncitizen voters led to the resignation of a Texas Secretary of State and a settlement with voting rights organizations setting parameters for future cleanups.

Ashley Harris, attorney for the ACLU of Texas, said the group has unresolved questions about the accuracy of the states latest data because the organization has not been allowed to review it.

Several local election officials in 2021 had warned that the states data continued to wrongly flag people who became citizens through naturalization.

Gov. Abbotts recent announcement about voter registration list maintenance lacks context, and instead points to routine voter list maintenance that does not provide evidence of wrongdoing by any voter, Harris said. Any attempts to point to this data as evidence of criminal wrongdoing is part of a pattern of voter intimidation and suppression by the state of Texas and certain elected officials.

There were nearly 18 million registered voters as of February, according to the secretary of states office.

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Senate Bill 1, the Republican-backed election law overhaul passed in 2021, requires that the secretary of states office conduct regular sweeps of the voter rolls. It also laid out new consequences for local voter registrars who fail to comply with voter roll maintenance requirements, such as mandated training or audits.

The people removed since the new law went into effect in December 2021included: Over 6,000 who have a felony conviction, over 457,000 who are dead, over 463,000 whose addresses may have changed and who did not respond to a request for confirmation, over 134,000 who confirmed they moved, and over 19,000 who requested to cancel their registration.

Those removed from the voter rolls also include 65,000 who failed to respond to a notice requesting that they attest to their eligibility to vote after a secretary of state investigation indicated they may be ineligible.

Over 6,500 were removed because they are potential noncitizens, and of those, about 1,900 had cast votes in Texas elections, according to a statement from Abbott.

Inclusion on that list does not prove a person is a noncitizen, as the list includes people who failed to respond to a request from the secretary of states office for them to submit proof of citizenship within 30 days. Those who have recently moved may not have seen the notices.

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Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he doesnt understand why Republicans are touting the latest numbers as a big headline. He said the number of potential noncitizens removed is miniscule in context with the overall registration numbers and is probably an overcount that includes naturalized citizens.

The reason he (Abbott) and others are trying to undermine confidence in our election system is to give a reason to suppress legitimate votes through draconian legislation, Saenz said. And to, in advance, call into question an election outcome they dont like. Thats what we saw in 2020.

Abbotts announcement came the same day that the League of United Latin American Citizens held a news conference condemning raids conducted on the homes of Latino Democrats as part of an investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxton into alleged ballot harvesting.

Also last week, Paxton announced he was launching an investigation into allegations that groups may be registering noncitizens to vote outside of state offices where drivers licenses are issued.

Paxtons statement seemed to pick up on a similar claim about Parker County in North Texas that was made by Fox News host Maria Bartiromo and quickly disputed by Parker County Republican Party chairman Brady Gray. Gray later added that he supports the attorney general investigating the broader claims, and was only speaking about his own research in Parker County.

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Under SB 1, the secretary of states office is required to regularly cross-check data from the Department of Public Safety with voter registration records to verify the accuracy of voters citizenship status.

Neither Abbott nor the secretary of states office responded to requests for comment.

Abbott and the secretary of state also have not responded to questions about how these latest voter roll cleanups will avoid the mistakes made in the botched 2019 purge.

That year, the state had requested counties confirm the citizenship status of almost 100,000 registered voters  and purge them if they did not respond  but many were later found to be naturalized citizens or others who had been flagged in error, and the lawsuit forced the state to shut down the program. About 70,000 immigrants are naturalized in Texas each year on average and become eligible to vote.

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Under SB 1, the secretary of states office can only consider DPS data regarding citizenship status for those who registered to vote and then later in a document indicated they were a noncitizen. It cannot consider people who registered to vote after previously saying they were noncitizens because they may have since become naturalized citizens or otherwise gained citizenship.

The Texas Democratic Party in a statement Monday condemned top Republican leaders for continued attacks on elections.

Using secret police-like tactics to raid the homes of the elderly and Democratic strategists, while ignoring their own Secretary of States claims of clean voter rolls, Texas Republicans will stop at nothing to undermine our democracy, said Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa. We wont be intimidated  Texans are ready to stand up for their rights and make their voices heard at the ballot box this November.
BIBA, one of the leading womens Indian wear brand in India, has announced the collaboration with Bollywood Fashion Sensation Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador. This collaboration imbues a fresh take on the brands commitment to honouring Indian heritage while introducing contemporary and modern day designs. Through this partnership, BIBA continues to pay tribute to the rich cultural roots of India.

From the grandest occasions to the most casual outings, BIBA offers a diverse range of styles that cater to every womans taste and preference and adds to her glamour. Each piece is a reflection of the brand's commitment to quality, innovation, and the rich heritage of Indian fashion. Behind the scenes is a dedicated team of artisans and designers that meticulously create garments that are not just visually stunning but also comfortable and durable.

With the campaign titled Theres something BIBA about her, the ad-film which has been conceptualised and executed by Enormous Brands, beautifully encapsulates the spirit of BIBAwhere traditions meet modernity in every outfit. The film, starring Kriti, takes viewers on a journey through vibrant colours, intricate designs, and luxurious fabrics, each piece telling the story of Indias rich cultural tapestry. Kriti's effortless style and charm bring the collection to life, illustrating how BIBAs designs blend heritage with modern elegance, making it an ideal choice for festive and special occasions.

Siddharath Bindra, Managing Director of BIBA Fashion, shared his enthusiasm on the collaboration, stating, "We are happy and excited to have Kriti Sanon as part of the BIBA family. Kriti is the epitome of the modern Indian womanconfident, graceful and deeply connected to her roots, which aligns perfectly with the BIBA ethos. Her journey from a talented actress to a beloved household name mirrors our brands evolution over the years. This partnership is not just about endorsing a collection; its about celebrating the spirit of every BIBA woman and girl who embraces tradition while stepping confidently into the future.

Speaking about her association Kriti Sanon said, I am elated to be a part of the BIBA family and launch the stunning Festive collection. Biba is a brand that celebrates Indian heritage and empowers women through fashion. It's a brand that truly understands the modern Indian woman and her evolving style and offers something stylish for every occasion and age group.

Tanima Kholi, Copy Group Head at Enormous, shared 'The film celebrates the spirit of the modern Indian womanindependent, successful, and one who is unafraid to embrace her Indian culture and roots. And in doing so, we created a campaign that could only be owned by an iconic brand like Biba.

The film titled There's Something Biba about Her, featuring Kriti Sanon can be viewed on BIBA's official website and social media platforms including Youtube, Facebook and Instagram. The ad film brings forth the Indian roots and heritage with a contemporary twist for the modern woman of today.

Also Read: Meena Bindra on brand Bibas remarkable home-grown journey to multi-crore success
Birla Fertility & IVF, Indias third-largest IVF network and a part of the USD 3 billion CK Birla Group, has announced the acquisition of 12 BabyScience IVF Clinics. This strategic move extends Birla Fertility & IVF's footprint into Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, bringing its total number of clinics nationwide to 50. The expansion is a key element of the company's ongoing growth strategy, backed by an investment of over Rs 500 crore.

This acquisition follows Birla Fertility & IVF's recent purchase of the ARMC IVF chain in Kerala just three months ago. Avanti Birla, Chairman and Founder of Birla Fertility & IVF, expressed her enthusiasm for the expansion: "At Birla Fertility & IVF, we are committed to blending care with the science of conception. Our goal is to increase accessibility for couples and women seeking fertility solutions. We focus on personalized treatments, incorporating advanced diagnostic testing and precision medicine to enhance outcomes. Our services also include fertility preservation, egg freezing, and embryo freezing, giving women more control over their family planning. We are excited to welcome BabyScience IVF clinics, known for their excellence in fertility care."

Abhishek Aggrawal, Chief Business Officer of Birla Fertility & IVF, highlighted the benefits of this expansion: "Our growth across India leverages our global expertise and advanced infrastructure to deliver exceptional pregnancy rates that meet international standards. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including gynaecological and male fertility treatments, laparoscopic procedures, genetic screening, diagnostics, and donor services."

Manjunath CS, Founder of BabyScience, commented on the merger: Joining Birla Fertility & IVF is an exciting opportunity for us. Our patients will benefit from the leading-edge science and operational enhancements that come with being part of this national brand. We look forward to continuing our growth in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Akshat Seth, Vice Chairman of CK Birla Healthcare, added: This acquisition reinforces our commitment to providing reliable fertility treatments and strengthens our presence in the South. BabyScience IVF shares our dedication to quality care.

With over 120,000 IVF cycles and more than 230,000 patients treated, Birla Fertility & IVF aims to address the needs of the 28 million couples in India facing fertility challenges, where less than 1% seek assistance.

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Conran Design Mumbai has implemented the rebranding effort of Adani Capital and Adani Housing Finance to Tyger Capital & Tyger Home Finance. The rebranding is following Bain Capitals acquisition of Adani Group's stake in Adani Capital and Adani Housing Finance.

As a part of the rebranding mandate, Conran Design Mumbai was responsible for brand strategy, naming, brand identity creation and activation across all touchpoints.

Conran Design Mumbai's mandate was to come up with a new brand highlighting customer-centricity, agility, and digital capabilities. The newly introduced NBFC brand, Tyger Capital/Home Finance, targets an underserved Tier 2 to Tier 5 audience of budding entrepreneurs and first-time homeowners who seek credible, quick, and hassle-free loan approvals. The brand's promise is anchored on flexibility, speed, and transparency, with a core belief in providing a platform for customers to fulfil their dreams.

These attributes are embodied in the bold name, Tyger Capital/Home Finance. The brand identity captures the essence of speed, motion and protection, supported by a valiant spirit represented through Dynamic Green and Trustworthy Blue. The deliberate articulation in the 'R' of Tygers logo nods to the financial sector with a rupee symbol, while the two horizontal lines and forward arrow in the visual mark convey speed and agility. The unique logo shape creates a striking visual world, featuring devices like The Window, which provides a glimpse into the world of Tyger, and The Spotlight to highlight entrepreneurial stories supported by Tyger.

The rebranding initiative also included the creation of a suite of well-designed templates, a launch film, and robust brand guidelines to ensure consistency and brand amplification.

Reflecting on the rebranding process, Gaurav Gupta - Founder, CEO & MD, Tyger Capital said, "Conran Design Mumbai approached the rebrand of Tyger Capital and Home Finance with bold thinking and agility, embodying a true 'one team' spirit. This collaborative effort has resulted in a new brand purpose that transcends mere transactions, powerfully reflected in the name and identity. The rebranding initiative has successfully carved out a distinctive position for Tyger Capital and Home Finance within the industry."

Geet Nazir, Managing Director, Conran Design Mumbai, said, "Conran Design Mumbai is proud to have partnered in the creation of the Tyger brand. It is rewarding to see the role design can play in bringing a larger vision of financial inclusion to life. Working alongside Gaurav and his wonderful team, who trusted us to realize their ambition to uplift and empower the nation, has been an incredible journey."

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Chinese goods, services exhibition kicks off in Minsk

Xinhua) 09:49, August 27, 2024

MINSK, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Goods and Services (Belarus) Exhibition 2024 opened at the Great Stone China-Belarus Industrial Park in Belarus on Monday, building a bridge for practical cooperation between the two countries.

Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Xie Xiaoyong said at the opening ceremony that under the strategic leadership and common concern of the leaders of the two countries, the China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to develop healthily and stably, and the high-quality cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative has been pushed forward in a solid manner.

"The exhibition has played an important platform role of exhibition and matchmaking for the cooperation between China and Belarus," said Xie, stressing that "it is not only an important window to show the strength and innovation achievements of Chinese enterprises, but also an important opportunity to promote the economic and trade cooperation between China and Belarus to a new height."

Deputy Minister of Economy of Belarus Alesya Abramenko said that the long-term trade partnership between Belarus and China has been developing steadily, consolidating the status of all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

"The two countries will further cooperate in terms of deepening technological cooperation, optimizing industrial chain and trade, promoting emerging industries and deepening the development of digital economy informatization," she added.

Deputy Minister of Industry of Belarus Andrei Kuznetsov said China's modernization process and great achievements in the field of engineering and technology are remarkable.

According to him, the cooperation between companies of Belarus and China is developing deeply in all aspects. The exhibition will add impetus to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation and promote the establishment of close ties between all parties.

The first Chinese Goods and Services (Belarus) Exhibition was held in 2019, and this is the third exhibition.

The exhibition, with an area of more than 10,000 square meters, will last four days and cover various fields such as electromechanics, auto parts and accessories, textiles and textile machinery, medical equipment and supplies, warehousing and logistics, and wood processing.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Adgully ME recently held its maiden webinar on Bridging the Gap: Overcoming Challenges and Unlocking Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Region. The webinar sought to explore critical strategies to empower women leaders in this rapidly evolving region.

The session was chaired by Ayah El Arief, an expert moderator with extensive experience in gender equity and leadership development in the Middle East. She is also the Managing Director of MENA Women Business Club. The esteemed panellists included Dr Noura Abdelwahab, Senior Gender and Social Inclusion Expert, and Soha El Baklawy, an entrepreneur, women empowerment expert, and multifaceted leader.

All the panelists have made significant contributions to fostering female entrepreneurship and leadership across the region. They shared their expertise on securing funding, government support for women entrepreneurs, and empowering Emirati women leaders.

Segment 1: Key Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs

Ayah El Arief: Soha, lets start with you. From your experience, what are the key barriers that women entrepreneurs face in the MENA region when seeking funding for their businesses?

Soha El Baklawy: Thank you, Ayah. One major barrier is that women tend to be more risk-averse compared to men, often waiting until they feel completely secure before seeking investment. Additionally, while women excel in budgeting and financial management, they often lack confidence in the broader financial aspects of investment, which is crucial when dealing with investors. Furthermore, the predominantly male-dominated investment landscape often doesnt align with the traits and approaches of women entrepreneurs. This mismatch contributes to the low funding rates for women-led startups. Recent statistics show a stark discrepancy in funding, with women receiving a minuscule share compared to their male counterparts. This highlights the need for both improved financial literacy and tailored investment programs that understand and address the unique challenges faced by women.

Segment 2: Government Initiatives and Their Impact

Ayah El Arief: Noura, what are your thoughts on the recent initiatives led by governments in the MENA region to support women founders? How effective are these initiatives in providing access to finance and new investments?

Noura Abdelwahab: Great question, Ayah. While there are numerous strategies and programs aimed at empowering women, many of them fall short when it comes to practical implementation and monitoring. There is often a lack of action plans and KPIs to track progress effectively. For example, while Morocco has made strides with comprehensive support for women in specific sectors like the argan oil industry, other countries struggle with policy incoherence and fragmented ecosystems. The key issue is not the presence of strategies but the execution and scaling of successful models. Effective government programs should not only provide access to finance but also offer continuous support and integration into the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Segment 3: Local vs. International Investment Perspectives

Ayah El Arief: Soha, Id like to hear your thoughts on how local investors in Egypt view pitches from women entrepreneurs compared to international investors. Are there differences in how they approach these opportunities?

Soha El Baklawy: There is indeed a difference in perspective. Local investors in Egypt generally focus on the potential of the startup rather than the gender of the founder. However, international investors, particularly those with a focus on gender diversity, might be more inclined to support women entrepreneurs due to shared experiences and understanding of the challenges faced by women. Local investors may not always have the same level of engagement with gender-specific investment opportunities, which can create a gap in support compared to the more progressive international investment landscape.

Segment 4: Ecosystem Comparisons and Insights

Ayah El Arief: Lets expand our discussion. How do you see the difference between the ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Egypt and Saudi Arabia? What can we learn from the successes in Saudi Arabia?

Soha El Baklawy: Saudi Arabias recent focus on female entrepreneurship is notable, given the historical context of restricted opportunities for women. The surge in support and investment reflects a period of rapid change and opportunity for women. However, this excitement sometimes overshadows the need for robust, sustainable development and integration into the existing ecosystem. In contrast, Egypt, while also making progress, faces challenges related to the prioritization of womens entrepreneurship and the alignment of support programs with real-world needs. The key takeaway is that while Saudi Arabia's focus on women is commendable, ensuring that this support translates into long-term success requires careful planning and execution.

Segment 5: Government Programs and Their Effectiveness

Ayah El Arief: Noura, how effective can government programs be in promoting womens entrepreneurship in the MENA region, especially considering the different approaches weve seen?

Noura Abdelwahab: Government programs can be highly effective if they go beyond mere rhetoric and implement actionable strategies. Programs need to address the specific challenges faced by women, such as risk aversion and access to resources, while also fostering an environment that supports long-term growth and scaling. Successful examples like Moroccos comprehensive support for women in the argan oil sector show that targeted, holistic approaches can yield positive results. However, there needs to be a concerted effort to bridge the gap between policy and practice, ensuring that initiatives are not only launched but also effectively monitored and scaled.

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In a strategic move to strengthen its Fried Chicken portfolio for the South market, McDonalds India (W&S), owned and operated by Westlife Foodworld, has announced the launch of Crispy Fried Chicken. This crispier-than-ever fried chicken elevates the brand's Chicken portfolio in the region. Adding further crunch and excitement to this initiative, McDonald's India has roped-in renowned Kannada movie star Kiccha Sudeep as the face of its new campaign  Let the Crunch Takeover.

The campaign features a TVC, conceptualised by DDB Mudra Group starring Kiccha Sudeep. These TVCs showcase the Kannada star relishing the Crispy Fried Chicken and highlighting the product's defining crispy texture.

The TVC opens with a comical scene of the Police interrogating Kiccha Sudeep at his home, which appears a bit ransacked. As the officers scribble in their notepad, asking if they remember anything else? Kiccha is seen calmly enjoying a McDonald's Crispy Fried Chicken. A family member then exclaims, Yes, Crunch sound! We were eating Crispy Fried Chicken, before grabbing a piece and biting into it with an exaggerated crunch sound. The police officer tries the same as well, repeating Oh...like this! as the family continues debating the perfect this crunch sound. The spot closes with a showcase of the mouth-watering Crispy Fried Chicken bucket.

Arvind R.P., Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald's India (W&S), said, At McDonald's, we are constantly strengthening our menu portfolio to offer a variety of chicken products for our customers in the Southern markets. Our new Crispy Fried Chicken with the campaign featuring y. Kiccha Sudeep is a testament to this strategy. His expansive fan base and connection with our core audience in this region will drive strong consumer engagement and preference for our offerings."

Kiccha Sudeep said, I am truly excited to partner with McDonald's India (W&S) for the launch of their new Crispy Fried Chicken. Glad to see the brand truly capturing the essence of crunch and flavour in this new offering. I cannot wait for my fans and food lovers across the South to experience its mouth-watering taste. The Crispy fried Chicken is sure to get everyone hooked on the same satisfying crunch that I love.

Over the years, McDonald's India has strategically leveraged the celebrity culture and fan following of South Indian movie stars to drive brand salience in the region. In addition to the partnership with Kiccha Sudeep for the Crispy Fried Chicken launch, the brand has previously associated with other popular South Indian stars like Rashmika Mandanna and Jr. NTR. These collaborations have helped McDonald's India effectively connect with its core audience and enhance brand affinity in the South Indian market.

The new Crispy Fried Chicken is Real Food that's Real Good. Beyond being free of artificial colours, artificial flavours, and preservatives, it has no added MSG. The product features a unique crunch and juicy texture, crafted through a meticulous in-house preparation process. It is now available across McDonald's restaurants throughout the Southern regions. Customers can enjoy this crispy offering not only for dine-in, but also on-the-go via the Drive-Thru and through McDelivery.

Also Read: McDonalds India unveils Minions-themed mango desserts
After the resounding success of the Diamond States Summit (DSS) editions in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, News18 India is now gearing up to bring the prestigious event to Maharashtra on 29th August in Mumbai. The event aims to highlight the significant achievements within the region, foster meaningful dialogue, and contribute to the overarching narrative of national growth.

DSS Maharashtra edition will focus on conducting insightful discussions on issues critical to the state such as economic development, governance, law and order, and cultural preservation. The platform will bring together some of Maharashtra's most influential political figures and policymakers, providing them with an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and share their vision for the state's future.

Among the distinguished speakers and guests expected to attend the summit are Shri Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister, Maharashtra; Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra; Shri Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Maharashtra BJP President; Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister of Forests and Culture, Maharashtra; Shri Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of School Education and Marathi Language, Maharashtra; Shri Ashish Shelar, President, Mumbai BJP; Shri Praful Patel, Rajya Sabha MP, NCP; Shri Milind Deora, Rajya Sabha MP, Shiv Sena; Shri Vivek Phansalkar, Police Commissioner, Mumbai; and Shri Brijesh Singh, Principal Secretary, Maharashtra CMO.

This edition of DSS promises to be a significant event, further cementing News18 India's commitment to providing a platform for constructive conversations and will also offer insights into the challenges and opportunities that will shape the state's future.

Watch Diamond States Summit Maharashtra on News18 India on 29th August 10 AM onwards.

Also Read: News18 Lokmat's Krishi Ratna Sanman celebrates Maharashtra's Farmers
Siyaram's, one of Indias leading manufacturers of premium suiting and shirting fabrics and fashion apparels, has signed Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor as their esteemed brand ambassador. This strategic partnership is set to elevate the brand's popularity amongst the youth, resonating with a new generation of discerning consumers who seek style, sophistication, and an unparalleled sartorial experience.

With an iconic heritage spanning about five decades, Siyaram's has become synonymous with high quality products, continuous innovation, and international futuristic designs that are local at heart yet international in appeal. Recognized for its exceptional craftsmanship and commitment to excellence, Siyaram's has consistently pushed boundaries, making global fashion accessible to Indian consumers. Their fabrics, garments, and textile products embody a culture of legacy and values, offering a perfect blend of tradition and modernity that resonates with millions of Siyaram's customers.

"We are very excited to welcome Ranbir Kapoor to Siyaram's family," says Mr. Ramesh Poddar, Siyaram's Chairman and Managing Director. "Signing Ranbir goes beyond a mere celebrity endorsement. While his star power is undeniable, what truly drew us to Ranbir was his genuine persona and the effortless style he embodies. Ranbir's personality impressively reflects the values of timeless elegance, unwavering confidence, and a commitment to staying ahead of the times. This collaboration will create a powerful connection with our target audience and propel the brand towards new horizons. Together, we look forward to crafting a powerful narrative that will inspire todays youth and propel Siyaram's to even greater heights."

Expressing his delight, Ranbir Kapoor shared, "I am extremely happy to be a part of the Siyarams family, and in a way, it feels like coming home. Siyaram's commitment to innovation, reliability, and superior quality are values I truly admire as well, and it is an iconic brand and a family favorite, like most Indian households. Their collection resonates with my style, offering designs that exude sophistication. Growing up, I vividly remember watching their larger-than-life advertisements on TV, which left a lasting impression. To be a part of this legendary legacy feels like a childhood dream coming true. It's truly a nostalgic homecoming and an honor for me to be the new face of Siyarams, a brand renowned over decades for its unwavering dedication to values of excellence, trust, and Indianness, and that has earned the respect and admiration across generations."

As Siyarams embarks on this exciting next chapter, it plans to blend its storied heritage with one of the most celebrated actors of our timeRanbir Kapoor, whose contemporary appeal is setting new benchmarks in men's fashion and aims to further build Siyaram's position as one of India's most loved fashion brands across generations.

Also Read: Siyarams Marks 78 Years of Independence with Tribute to Indias Heritage
Vietjet, a pioneering new-age airline, has announced the launch of its "Love Connection Phase 2 - Dreams Take Flight India," offering an extraordinary opportunity for 50 individuals across India to explore their passions in Vietnam, discover a whole new world, and explore a whole new me. This initiative clearly reflects the companys commitment to social responsibility by promoting rich culture, community welfare, and fostering talents in India.

Understanding the dreams of Indians to travel and engage in cultural exchanges, Vietjet's "Love Connection - Dream Take Flight India" presents an opportunity for selected participants to experience the arts, culture, and culinary legacy of Vietnam. For young individuals pursuing passions in photography, culinary arts, or music, this program offers the chance to follow their dreams and turn them into reality with Vietjet's return tickets.

The Vietjet "Love Connection - Dream Take Flight India" program offers 50 return flight tickets from India (Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi) to Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang). The program was launched on August 20, 2024, and runs until December 15, 2024. There will be monthly winners, with the final announcement at the end of December 2024. Participants can sign up for the program at loveconnection.vietjetair.com , submit their passions, and express their desire to visit Vietnam to experience its arts, culture, cuisine, and natural beauty.

According to the contest rules, applicants must be of Indian nationality currently residing, studying, or working in India. Additionally, participants must have a travel itinerary and an intention for cultural exchange in Vietnam and must be legally able to travel by air in accordance with law regulations and Vietjet Air's General Conditions of Carriage.

The foundation of this program is Vietjets commitment to promoting cultural initiatives and contributing to societal development. By implementing the "Love Connection - Dream Take Flight India" program, Vietjet aims to invest in young Indian talent and provide them with a unique opportunity to learn about Vietnamese culture.

In collaboration with Furama Resort Danang, a world-class resort renowned as Vietnam's culinary beach resort, the "Love Connection - Dream Take Flight" program also offers participants wonderful opportunities to receive specialized training in the hospitality industry at international standards. The most inspiring stories will have the chance to join free professional training in hospitality, powered by IBH Academy (https://ibhacademy.com/en/), and put their skills into practice at Furama Resort Danang, Furama Villas Danang, the International Convention Centre (ICP), and the Ariyana Convention Centre Danang.

In India, the airline has established several strategic expansions, operating a total of 29 weekly round-trip flights and creating direct connections between Vietnam and four key Indian cities  New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kochi. VietJets footprint and connectivity between Vietnam and India are well established, expanding through modern fleets, dedicated crews, and attractive promotions specific to Indian customers.

Vietjet is a new-age airline company focused on delivering superior aviation services and enhancing society's welfare. Through this program, Vietjet plans to bring people from both countries closer, bridging the gap and helping young talents gain international exposure, thereby giving flight to their dreams. For more information and to be part of the Vietjet "Love Connection - Dream Take Flight India" program, please visit loveconnection.vietjetair.com.

Also Read: How Vietjet is building a strong aLove Connectiona between India & Vietnam
YES BANK has announced the appointment of Sumit Bali as the Country Head - Retail Assets and Debt Management.

In his role, Bali will be responsible for driving the growth and profitability of the retail assets, rural assets, and debt management businesses, which are crucial to the Banks overall success. He will work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen the Banks assets business, ensuring best-in-class management and governance practices across the organisation.

Commenting on the appointment, Rajan Pental, Executive Director, YES BANK said, We are pleased to welcome Sumit Bali to YES BANK. His extensive experience and deep understanding of the retail assets, rural assets, and debt management will be instrumental in driving our strategic goals. As we continue to focus on sustainable growth and building a robust assets business, I am confident that Balis leadership will be pivotal in achieving our objectives and reinforcing our position as the Bank of Choice across all customer segments. I wish him every success in his new role at YES BANK.

Bali is an accomplished banking professional with over 30 years of experience in Retail Lending and Collections. He has a proven track record of building highly profitable and sustainable assets businesses from the ground up, and has managed large P&L books and diverse teams across the country. Before joining YES BANK, Bali held significant leadership roles in major financial institutions, like Axis Bank, India Infoline Group and Kotak Mahindra Bank, where he demonstrated his ability to drive business growth and foster a strong community of Retail Assets professionals within the BFSI ecosystem.

Also Read: BBDO Worldwide appoints Andrew Robertson as Chairman; elevates Nancy Reyes to President
Zee 24 TAAS has announced the telecast of the much-anticipated Shikshan Parishad 2024 on 31st August 2024, Saturday at 3.30 PM. The telecast of Shikshan Parishad 2024 is set to inspire a wide audience with trailblazing strategies and pioneering solutions, promising to reshape the future of education in Maharashtra.

The Shikshan Parishad 2024, emphasizing on Advancing Education: Strategies and Solutions, brought together a diverse assembly of educators, policymakers, industry leaders, and students to explore and shape the future of education in Maharashtra and beyond. This landmark event featured a series of insightful discussions aimed at revolutionizing the education sector within the state. The upcoming telecast will showcase transformative dialogues and innovative strategies designed to address current educational challenges and chart a progressive course for the future.

Viewers can look forward to thought-provoking exchanges with leading experts and visionaries who are set to drive significant advancements in education. Key highlights of the conclave also comprised of engaging panels with prominent Chief Guests such as Deepak Kesarkar, Cabinet Minister - School Education & Marathi Language- Govt. of Maharashtra; Chandrakant Patil, Higher and Technical Education Minister, Government of Maharashtra; and Harshvardhan Shahajirao Patil, Chancellor of Pimpri Chinchwad University, Pune. These discussions fostered a collaborative atmosphere, integrating diverse perspectives to form a cohesive vision for the future of education. Deepak Kesarkar, Cabinet Minister - School Education & Marathi Language- Govt. of Maharashtra emphasized, Our mission is to develop an education system that is both innovative and inclusive, while remaining deeply connected to our cultural roots. By tackling existing challenges with forward-thinking solutions, we aim to empower every student and drive meaningful progress across Maharashtra. Chandrakant Patil, Higher and Technical Education Minister, Government of Maharashtra, further highlighted, We have laid out a clear strategy to address the challenges in our education system. Our commitment is to transform education in Maharashtra, making it inclusive and ready for the future.

Kamlesh Sutar, Officiating Editor of Zee 24 TAAS, emphasized the relevance of the upcoming telecast: Shikshan Parishad 2024 represents a pivotal moment in educational dialogue and reform. By bringing together influential voices and innovative ideas, this event has created a powerful platform for change. We are excited to showcase these transformative discussions to our audience, offering a glimpse into the future of education that is both inspiring and impactful.

Karan Abhishek Singh, CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited, added, Hosting Shikshan Parishad 2024 has been a tremendous honor for us. This event has spotlighted visionary ideas and strategic solutions that are set to transform the educational landscape of Maharashtra. We are eager to share these impactful dialogues with our viewers, who will be inspired by the progressive perspectives presented.

The success of Shikshan Parishad 2024 on-ground conclave was enhanced by the support of esteemed Associate Partners, including Vayudoot Aviation, Dr. D Y Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Yashwant Institute, Venus World Schools, FOCUS Education, and Special Partner Smolensk State Medical University, Russia.

Zee Media Corporation Ltd, one of India's leading media companies, has a strong presence in the news and regional genres, with 18 news channels in seven different languages, reaching more than 528+ million viewers through its linear and digital properties.

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Bless Southern Livings heart.

Sometimes, we almost forget that the Souths most beloved lifestyle magazine is based in Alabama  was founded here, in fact.

Heck, sometimes, they seem to forget where they came from, too.

Take Southern Livings latest list of The Souths Best New Barbecue Joints of 2024.

It includes 22 barbecue restaurants from seven Southern states.

Five from Texas and five from South Carolina. Three from North Carolina and three from Tennessee. Two each from Georgia, Virginia, and, yes, even Florida.

But Alabama?

None. Nada. Zero. Zilch.

The birthplace of world-famous Alabama white sauce and the home of barbecue legends Robert Big Bob Gibson, John Big Daddy Bishop and Chris Lilly deserves a little more love and respect than that.

RELATED: The Mount Rushmore of Alabama barbecue

We get it, though. We cant rest on our laurels, as hall-of-fame-worthy as they may be.

But its not like we havent had any new barbecue joints open in Alabama over the past couple of years, either.

For its purposes, Southern Living defined a new restaurant as one that opened since the magazine published the last version of its best new barbecue joints list in September 2021.

It needs to be a truly new restaurant, too, Robert F. Moss, the magazines contributing barbecue editor, writes. Plenty of successful restaurateurs have opened new locations in recent years, and some are building sprawling multi-state empires. But more isnt the same as new, and weve excluded additional locations that share the same name and format as their progenitors.

Fair enough.

And with a fist-bump to the Charleston, S.C.-based Moss -- who dined at all 22 places on his list at least once, and some of them multiple times  we realize that time, distance and, uh, stomach capacity make it impossible to visit every new restaurant that opens in every Southern state.

RELATED: Alabamas Best BBQ: Our Top 10

Trust us, having put together our fair share of such lists in the past -- from the best barbecue in every county in Alabama to old Alabama barbecue joints we miss the most -- we know it is no easy undertaking (outside perceptions to the contrary) but that it is easy to overlook something right under our noses.

And no matter how long you make your list, somebody is always going to get left out.

With that in mind, the next time Southern Living sends Moss on the hunt for some new cue, here are a couple of Alabama places we think he needs to visit. Well be happy to join him, too.

And while we realize that these are just two of many new barbecue restaurants that have opened in Alabama since 2021, we dont want to appear greedy.

So, two is plenty for now.

And its a whole lot better than none.

The brisket sandwich at Creekside BBQ in Pelham is stacked with smoked brisket, drizzled with Alabama white sauce, and dressed with Wickles Pickles and fried onion straws(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

Creekside BBQ in Pelham

Alexandria, Virginia native Eric Pippert worked in kitchens in North Carolina and Tennessee before he moved to Alabama and opened Creekside BBQ in a converted Waffle House near the Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Pelham in late 2021.

A self-professed pork connoisseur, Pippert understands that quality barbecue takes time and patience, and it shows in moist smoked chicken, tender pulled pork, meaty ribs and melt-in-your-mouth brisket that he serves to a fanbase that has grown exponentially since he opened his little smokehouse overlooking Pelhams Bishop Creek nearly three years ago.

Pipperts crispy chicken wings  which he smokes, flash-fries and then tosses in an Alabama white sauce  were among our favorite things we ate in 2022, and his brisket sandwich  a two-fisted whopper stacked with smoked brisket, drizzled with more of that same Alabama white sauce and dressed with Wickles Pickles and fried onion straws  repeated that same feat in 2023.

Creekside BBQ is at 1020 Oak Mountain Park Road in Pelham, Ala. The phone is 205-358-7103. For more information, go here.

Jamie Lee Mitchell grew up in the tiny Sumter County town of Gainesville in Alabama's Black Belt, and after moving away to Boston, he came back home and opened the Alabama Rib Shack in 2021. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

Alabama Rib Shack in Gainesville

Jamie Lee Mitchell, who grew up in the tiny Sumter County town of Gainseville, moved away to Boston after graduating from high school but came home on the Fourth of July in 2020 and started building the A-frame log cabin that would become the Alabama Rib Shack. He opened about a year later, in May 2021.

(While that is outside Southern Livings September 2021 window to quality as a new restaurant, Moss -- who writes that rules are meant to be broken, or at least bent a little  made an exception for Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach, which opened in early 2021, so were making that same exception for the Alabama Rib Shack.)

To be clear, the Alabama Rib Shack is neither a shack nor is the menu limited to ribs.

Mitchell, a self-taught pitmaster, also smokes chicken, sausage, pork and pig tails using white oak and pecan firewood that is stacked from the floor to the ceiling of his pit room.

We first visited this little slice of barbecue heaven in Alabamas Black Belt in 2022, and John T. Edge spread the gospel to a national audience when he featured the Alabama Rib Shack on Season 6 of his popular SEC Network series TrueSouth.

Since then, thousands of barbecue lovers from all around the country have made the pilgrimage to this town of less than 200 people to partake of Mitchells glorious barbecue and listen to his fascinating life story.

And if its not yet on your bucket list, it should be.

The Alabama Rib Shack is at 9316 State St. in Gainesville, Ala. The phone is 205-652-1115. For more information, go here.
A solemn jury watched two hours worth of video footage Monday of Frederic Rogers confessing to investigators in 2020 that he murdered seven individuals inside a home in Valhermoso Springs with his accomplice, John Michael Legg.

Both Rogers and Legg are charged with capital murder. If found guilty, they will be sentenced either to death or life in prison.

As the jury entered the courtroom, an unshackled Rogers stood with his attorneys. A few of the victims friends and families sat on the prosecutions side of the courtroom.

According to testimony, Rogers, 26, and Legg, 23, arrived at a home on Talucah Road on the night of June 4 and shot and killed four men and three women: Jeremy Roberts, 31, of Athens, James Wayne Benford, 22, of Decatur, William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville, and Roger Lee Jones Jr., 20, of Decatur, Tammy England Muzzey, 45, Emily Brooke Payne, 21, and Dakota Green, 17, of Valhermoso Springs.

Morgan County Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery began the court day Monday by putting FBI Investigator Chris Hendon on the stand and asking him about the initial arrest of Rogers on June 21, 2020.

What all transpired with the defendant following his arrest in Oregon? Vickery asked.

I was notified there was a successful arrest and I provided a general briefing of what I knew about the investigation to date to those agents (in Oregon) so that they could conduct at least enough of the interview with enough facts, Hendon said.

Hendon and Morgan County Investigator Robert Irvin conducted a second interview with Rogers on June 29, 2020, in an interview room at the Morgan County Jail. Video with audio from that interview was recorded and shown to jurors Monday.

Vickery asked Hendon to clarify that Rogers did not have an attorney during the time of the second interview and Hendon confirmed it was true.

Rogers sat and watched the interview silently, occasionally whispering to his attorneys.

At the beginning of the video, Rogers is seen in a striped jumpsuit and is shackled at the feet but not the hands. He is seated at a table facing Hendon and Irvin. After they read Rogers his Miranda Rights, Rogers said he would tell his story from the beginning.

This all started when me and John (Legg) first met and that was about a year ago, Rogers said in the video. We talked about starting a motorcycle club and over the course of six to eight months, we became really close.

Rogers said he and Legg started the Seven Deadly Sins motorcycle club, and Rogers was president, Legg was vice president, Roberts was the enforcer, and Jones was a prospect. Roberts and Jones were among the seven who were killed.

Rogers then told investigators on the video about his and Leggs relationship with Roberts.

Jeremy has always been about robbing people and selling dope, Rogers said. Ive known him for three years.

Rogers said Roberts robbed a man whom he believed was affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood.

He robbed Byron and Byron swears hell kill him, Rogers said. To retaliate, Jeremy took the guns we had in the house and shot up Byrons house. When that happened, Byron started coming after Jeremy and all his people. We were scared.

Rogers believed Byron would try to retaliate against him or his family because of his affiliation with Roberts and claimed his now ex-wife received death threats but he could not confirm who made the threats.

We learned that Jeremy was trying to get us comfortable over at Tammys house to get it to where we would get the blame for all of Byron and Jeremys (b.s.) or we were going to go to jail for that s---, Rogers said. We got scared that they were going to come after our families.

Rogers told investigators he made a rash decision.

So, we loaded up with some guns. We were invited over to Tammys house for dinner that night and we took out everyone in the house, Rogers said. The plan was to go in there and (b.s.) for a little bit and get everything done and then leave.

When investigators asked him to elaborate on get everything done, Rogers replied with a chuckle, As in to kill everybody.

Rogers said after he and Legg shot the seven inside the house, they went back to Rogers house and got rid of their phones. He said they stayed with a woman in Colorado for two nights and were in Fort Collins, Colorado, for two weeks before arriving at his grandmothers house in Oregon.

Investigators concluded the interview by asking Rogers to sign his confession, and shortly before doing so, Rogers remarked he would like to go into ministry, before I get sentenced to death.

After the video ended, the jury was excused and Vickery said the state rested the guilt phase of their case. The defense had no witnesses to call and court was adjourned. Circuit Judge Stephen Brown said court would resume session Tuesday morning.

In opening arguments last week, Rogers lawyer said his client would be found guilty and that the only question is if he would be executed or spend his life in prison.

Defense attorneys have said numerous witnesses will be called during the penalty phase of the trial.

 wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442.

___

(c)2024 The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.)

Visit The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) at www.decaturdaily.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Alabama legislators are again proposing two bills that could criminalize librarians and make it easier for local officials to regulate local libraries.

HB4 , sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Shelby County), would give librarians 25 days after a challenge to remove inappropriate content -- or face a criminal penalty.

SB6 , sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Baldwin County), allows city councils and county commissions to remove library board members easily.

Both bills stem from a nationwide battle between those who believe certain books, particularly books with LGBTQ themes or characters, are inappropriate for children and those who believe removing or moving books is censorship.

No librarian in the state likes a threat of being locked up, said Craig Scott, president of the Alabama Library Association.

Criminalizing adult content in libraries

HB4 would extend the same obscenity laws that apply to adult bookstores to public and K-12 libraries. If a patron complains, the library must move or remove the material, or the matter is passed on to law enforcement.

It also would restrict sexual or gender-oriented conduct, presentation, or activity that knowingly exposes a minor to a person who is dressed in sexually revealing, exaggerated or provocative clothing in costumes, who is stripping or who is engaged in lewd or lascivious behavior.

Last year, opponents said legislation like this would criminalize activities like drag queen reading hour . A Democratic legislator also suggested that patrons could complain about anyone wearing short skirts or revealing clothing in a library.

Mooney didnt respond to AL.coms requests for comment.

Libraries already have book challenge processes; Scott said the legislations new timeframe wouldnt give libraries enough time to assess the challenge and review materials.

He said politicians dont trust librarians to do the jobs theyre trained to do, have gone through school to do.

He believes smaller libraries that cant quickly move or remove content will resort to extreme measures, as in Ozark, which closed for a month to review 8,000 childrens and young adult books for inappropriate content.

He said law enforcement officials hes spoken to have no interest in wasting time, money and effort for silliness when there are so many more important issues that they need to deal with.

Parents should be the ones focused on what their children should be reading, Scott said.

Whats SB6 About?

SB6 specifies terms on how library board members are appointed. The bill says that a library board member serves a four-year term and shall serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing authority and may be removed at any time by a two-thirds vote of the appointing majority.

In 2024, opponents of a previous version said this would force library boards to align with a governing bodys political agenda ."

Last year, a House committee wanted a previous version of the bill to include language to make sure board members wouldnt be unjustly fired.

Elliott told AL.com that his bill was simple and that adding with cause was unnecessary.

It feels like its contrary to the bill, Elliott said. He believes library boards should operate like other government-appointed bodies.

Scott said he expects the bill to pass but worries about potential local conflicts.
A state prison inmate who escaped custody this morning outside a Birmingham hospital is back in custody.

Antwone Lonezo Wilson, a 34-year-old William Donaldson Correctional Facility inmate, who has several previous escapes on his record including a jump from a second-story courthouse bathroom in St. Clair County, was being taken to UAB Highlands hospital Tuesday morning when he escaped.

Authorities left Donaldson just before 8 a.m. to take Wilson - who ADOC officials label as a Gangster Disciple gang member - to UAB Highlands for a medical appointment. When they got to the hospital about 8:45 a.m., Wilson took off running as he was being removed from the transport vehicle.

The two officers transporting him chased Wilson until he got in a waiting vehicle. The getaway car was initially said to be a black Mercedes, but turned out to be a Dodge.

Investigators said Wilson was possibly picked up by a girlfriend. He was found lying down in the back seat of the girlfriends vehicle.

Wilson, of Birmingham, is serving a life sentence for first-degree robbery. He published a book in 2020 called Wanted Dead or Alive, Surviving Life Without Parole.

He and another inmate in 2017 escaped the St. Clair Correctional Facility.

Charging documents in the 2017 escape case said he did unlawfully make, obtain or possess, a gun, bolt cutters and a hacksaw blade.

While he was on the run in that case, he called into a local television station saying he broke out of prison because hes innocent of the robbery for which he received the life sentence.

The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Brevard County sheriffs deputies later recaptured Wilson at a hotel in Titusville, Fla. where he surrendered without incident.

In May of 2022, Wilson was set to go on trial for the 2017 escape when, about 9:30 a.m., he jumped from a second-story courthouse bathroom in Ashville in another getaway attempt.

Authorities said Wilson was taken to the bathroom after he said he wasnt feeling well.

They heard a toilet flush and then realized Wilson didnt emerge from the restroom.

Deputies realized Wilson had jumped from the bathroom window. He was quickly taken into custody a short distance from the courthouse.

Authorities found a getaway car and cash nearby.

He is serving the life sentence for a 2012 spate of robberies on Birminghams Southside - including three in one night.

Wilson also pleaded guilty to a 2019 escape attempt from the Jefferson County Jail in which he threatened a deputy with a Taser stun gun.
This is an opinion column.

Ashley Estelle grew up in Birminghams West End, a young woman with an interest in history and social justice. Shes inquisitive and thoughtful and charming, by any measure a success story.

Estelle went to Ramsay High School, and was prepared for college. She was less prepared, she learned when she showed up for school at Notre Dame, for the assumptions some people there would make about her.

People looked at her with pity when they found out where she grew up. They told her how tough it must be, growing up in Alabama as a Black person. They told her  you can tell this really bugs her  how lucky she was to get into Notre Dame.

She has some questions.

I was born and raised in Birmingham and had never lived anywhere else until I decided to attend Notre Dame for college, she said. I often encountered mixed reactions that left me wondering, Is this really how people see Alabama?

Ah, yes. Who among us Alabamians hasnt been judged by our home address, or presumed a step slow when the words took too much time getting out of our mouths?

Ive come to embrace it. My drawl grows in direct proportion to the distance I get from Birmingham, Ala. I find myself, in faraway places, going on and on about the proper preparation of collard greens and cornbread. I consider it a public service.

But Estelle is talking about more weighty things. Assumptions about race and bigotry and violence and the value of that place called home.

Its not uncommon for people to focus solely on Alabamas troubled history as if the state is frozen in the 1960s, she said. Ive even had to explain to some that Birmingham and many other parts of Alabama are majority-Black cities that are just trying to rise from the difficulties of their past, which comes as a shock to them.

Its complicated. Assumptions are often based on history and truths. Alabama was legally divided by segregation before the 60s, but Estelles schools in recent years were just as segregated. We have stepped forward and fallen back. Our cities are too violent and too divided, and politicians win now as they did in Bull Connors day, by playing to our fears of each other.

But Estelle, bless her, is not blaming. Shes simply asking the questions our leaders ought to be asking.

Alabama is beautiful, she says, with biodiversity, literature, manufacturing, music, food, and more. How can we celebrate it in ways that lift up its people, while acknowledging its mistakes?

How, in essence, do we heal?

I wish I had those answers. But I do believe it starts with understanding, with acknowledging our history.

Alabamians did terrible things in the name of race, from slavery to lynching to cementing the idea of white supremacy into law. The state has not dealt well with that past. Instead of seeking to atone for those things it has too often tried to hide them from its children .

It is hard to move past your sins when youre working to cover them up.

Alabama will surprise people when it elects leaders who value bringing us together rather than tearing us apart, who choose to represent a state and not just a party. It seems far-fetched now, but it wasnt always.

I guess Alabamians will have to get to a place where they value the rights of others  races, religions, genders  as much as their own. Its not just about perception, either. Alabama will prosper when a critical mass of its residents agree there is value in being around people unlike themselves. Different is not the same as dangerous.

People make a lot of assumptions about each other, no matter where they come from. And then, most of the time, they make friends.

Thats our best hope. Not just for perception, but for the world.

John Archibald is a two-time Pulitzer winner.
Voters will head to the polls today in parts of Huntsville to elect school board representatives and city council members.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the north and west Huntsville districts.

Because Tommy Battle has already been declared the winner in his bid for a fifth term as mayor, there will not be elections in other parts of the city.

Heres what you need to know:

How can I find my polling place and check my registration?

Its too late to register to vote, but you can confirm your polling place and registration status here.

Will there be a runoff?

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes in any of the races, a runoff will take place on Sept 24.

Why isnt the mayor on the ballot?

The mayor isnt on the ballot because no one challenged him in his bid for a fifth term. The council declared him the winner in June. State law requires the council to certify the election for an unopposed candidate. Battle has continued to bring in donations since being declared the winner.

Who will be on the ballot?

North Huntsville council seat

Seeking a third term as the representative for District 1, Devyn Keith has pointed to neighborhood development, construction of new homes and investments in roads as evidence of his record of success.

Michelle Watkins, who spent the past eight years serving on the city school board, and Reggie McKenzie, the president of North Huntsville Business Association, say its time for a change.

First we must start by electing a genuine leader  thats me  a leader that can regain the district one residents and the community trust, said McKenzie, a retired Army lieutenant colonel.

McKenzie also serves as the executive director for Huntsville-based Harris Home for Children, which provides foster care services and support.

Watkins has worked as a lead management program analyst with the United States Army since 2009. She said longtime residents of north Huntsville want to see more fruits of the citys growth with more even distribution of development.

We dont have a variety of restaurants in our community. We dont have a variety of shopping areas. I shouldnt have to leave 35810 (zip code) to go shop in another district. So, my vision is for District 1 to thrive and have opportunities and options available to them, she said.

Keith, the incumbent, previously worked as an assistant professor in the department of political science at Alabama A&M University, according to his bio on his campaign website. He also served on the board of the Cap & Gown Project, a mentorship organization for college and career preparedness.

Keith pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of shoplifting from Walmart last year, but said those legal troubles have not affected his work.

West Huntsville council seat

Running for a second term, John Meredith said he is campaigning on a record of results in District 5. The son of civil rights icon James Meredith, he serves on the Huntsville Metropolitan Planning Organization and previously chaired the Drake State Foundation Board.

Now, our roads are brighter because weve invested in putting street lights up in our darkest, unlighted areas, he said when announcing his reelection bid. He also touted 60 street resurfacing projects in the district. He touted other achievements in his first tenure, including a new fire station for the district.

Lewis, a businesswoman, owns PROJECTXYZ, a technology service provider. She previously served as chair of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. In a statement to AL.com, she addressed the citys westward expansion.

One thing that I often hear from residents, especially those living out in Limestone County, is that our district doesnt have the infrastructure needed to keep up with the rate at which we are building, said Lewis.

North Huntsville school board seat

Four candidates are running for the seat currently held by Michelle Watkins.

Claudia Harris is an educator who has taught in the Huntsville City, Madison City and Madison County schools. Harris said at a recent candidates forum that it is our duty as the involved stakeholders to try and attract parents back into (serving) our public schools.

Chaundra Jones, a Huntsville social worker, volunteer and former president of Huntsville Council PTAs, said, There need to be parameters in place to make sure that our teachers feel like they can teach the students who are there to learn  and things are equitable for both.

Pat King, an engineer and volunteer, said Superintendent Clarence Sutton is doing a very good job in understanding the areas that (are) lacking, and he has policies and procedures and people in place to help.

Will Culver is a former Huntsville city councilman.

West Huntsville school board seat

Carlos Mathews is the first-term incumbent. At a recent candidates forum, Mathews noted the recently approved Teachers Bill of Rights gives educators more options for dealing with disruptive behavior in the classroom.

Discipline issues are driving our teachers out of the education business very quickly, so we have to get a handle on that and I believe some of the policies were putting in place will assist with that, he said.

Zara Broadenax, a veteran and former long-term substitute teacher, said parent involvement can help solve disciplinary challenges.

When you have one kid who decides they dont want to learn and theyre able to disrupt a classroom of 20-plus students, no one gets a quality education, she said.

Who has raised the most money?

Council races

Combined, the five council candidates have raised close to $200,000 in cash contributions to their campaigns.

Meredith leads with more than $95,000, in the west Huntsville race. Lewis, his opponent, brought in close to $20,000.

In north Huntsville, Keith raised nearly $46,000. Watkins raised nearly $34,000, while McKenzie, the last to announce his candidacy, raised $5,200.

School board races

Jones, running in north Huntsville, leads all board candidates in fundraising and spending. Her campaign has raised $21,856.59 this season and spent $13,230.56. The total includes the largest single contribution in the race, $10,000 from BizPac earlier this month.

Harris has raised $6,099.55 and spent $3,474.80, while King has raised $3,070 and spent $2,764.81.

In the west Huntsville district, Matthews has raised $3,000 and spent $2,900 as of Monday.

Culver and Broadenax have not raised or spent any campaign funds, according to the latest data from the Alabama Secretary of States office.
The Rev. Brandon Miles, a Birmingham native who graduated from Homewood High School and the University of Alabama, has moved from senior pastor at Florence First Presbyterian Church to a new pulpit in Mobile.

He took over as senior pastor of Spring Hill Presbyterian Church on Aug. 1.

My goal is to find ways to participate in Gods continual manifestation, Miles said in an interview this week. The Living Word is active and living among us.

Miles, 41, worked in campus ministry at University Presbyterian and Covenant Presbyterian in Tuscaloosa, earned a masters degree in divinity from Austin Presbyterian Seminary and worked as a youth minister and family ministry coordinator at Oakmont Presbyterian Church in Hoover.

He went to First Presbyterian Church in Florence as associate pastor for youth in 2013 and eventually became senior pastor, succeeding the Rev. Richard T. Gillespie IV when he retired. The Rev. Taylor Todd is currently interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Florence.

The Rev. Brandon Miles became senior pastor of Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Mobile on Aug. 1, 2024.File

At Spring Hill, Miles follows the Rev. Searcy Allen Buz Wilcoxon IV, who accepted a job in 2022 as chaplain and dean of spiritual life at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C.

Wilcoxon had been pastor at Spring Hill since 2013.

Spring Hill Presbyterian, with weekly attendance of about 175 to 200, is near Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama.

Spring Hill Presbyterian was founded during World War II, in July of 1944.

Its got the feel of a neighborhood church, Miles said.

Its beautiful, he said. Theres something reverent. Its all neighborhoods. You dont have too many major roads. Theres a reverence and excitement about what it means to be church.

Miles and his wife, Sarah, have three children, a girl and twin boys.

Miles spent much of his early ministry geared to youth and students.

A lot of times you hear people say youth are the future of the church, Miles said. Theyre part of the church now. The way we communicate our theology and the importance of what it means to be a covenant community together matters now, not in 10 years, or 15 years or 20 years from now.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has struggled with membership loss for several decades, similar to other mainline Protestant denominations. The PCUSA has declined from 4.25 million members in 1983 to 1.14 million in 2022, and about a third of all members are 71 or older.

The Presbytery of South Alabama, which Spring Hill Presbyterian is part of, is in the process of downsizing its presbytery administrative operation, selling its Daphne office and moving into a smaller space at the Spanish Fort Presbyterian Church. Proceeds from the presbytery sale will go to fund ministry for the presbytery.

Finding new growth opportunity for Presbyterians depends heavily on reaching a new generation.

Thats been a focus of ministry for Miles.

One of the reasons youve seen a decline in the church throughout America, is because a lot of the youth dont feel a part of the church now, Miles said. They want to express their faith now. They want to discover God in their lives in a way that isnt the way their grandparents did it 60 years ago.

Churches need to welcome what youth have to say, he said.

When you focus on youth, you listen, he said. You explore together. You create a place where people feel welcome to share their beliefs, their hopes, their fears, their hurts. In that, you discover Gods grace and Gods presence among you.

When Miles started in student ministry on campus at the University of Alabama, MTV was a cultural force, and nowadays social media has the same kind of influence on a younger generation.

I used to hate MTV, Miles said. It created a false reality for kids. It showed them a world that was not real, that made them think this was a world they could have if they listened to certain things, did certain things, acted certain ways.

Christian doctrine can be a hard sell alongside the allure of a materialistic lifestyle.

The hard thing about ministry, teaching theology and what it means to be part of the church, is recognizing what cultural influences are happening, and not knocking them, but recognizing the difference between that way of living and the way of following God, Miles said.

And sometimes, how they can come together. One of the hard parts about being Presbyterian is people are looking for certainty. Its really easy to tell someone, If you believe this, if you do this, youre going to heaven. For Presbyterians, its complex. Theology is not just black and white, its gray and hard.

Following Jesus is not an easy thing to do. Each experience, each encounter you have in the world, It gets messy sometimes, different perspectives, different experiences. Its our role as members of the church together to discern that. Sometimes, its hard and it takes time.

The pastor tries to help find a way.

In todays world, a lot of people just dont want to give the effort and time that it requires to grow in the way that Gods calling us to grow, he said.
Mississippi is not a state known for embracing gun restrictions, nor does the states leadership often draw applause for its policies from gun control groups like Moms Demand Action.

But after the tragic early January death of George County Deputy Jeremy Malone -- after he was shot and killed by a man carrying a handgun converted into an automatic weapon -- lawmakers went into action.

The result? Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signing legislation in early May making it a felony in Mississippi for someone to possess a gun conversion device like a so-called Glock switch.

Alabama officials are hoping to do the same, even if similar efforts in Montgomery stalled out last spring following a gun-rights versus gun control debate on the Alabama House floor.

The federal regulations that prohibit the conversion devices, itself, are not found unconstitutional including under the Second Amendment, said Dustin Williamson, director of policy advocacy at Everytown for Gun Safety, a network that includes Moms Demand Action and advocates for common sense gun laws. We dont feel its unconstitutional for the state to regulate them.

Bipartisan approach

Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, holds a news conference in his district to announce eight gun laws he will introduce in the 2023 legislative session. Sarah Swetlik/AL.com

Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, is once again sponsoring the legislation that makes anyone caught with a Glock switch on a pistol subject to a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in state prison.

Its almost the same bill that was passed out of the House in April but was not taken up in the Senate during the waning days of the session.

Ensler, who announced he had pre-filed legislation on Monday, called HB26 a bipartisan measure that has had prior strong support from law enforcement: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Fraternal Order of Police, The Alabama Sheriffs Association, and the Alabama District Attorneys Association. The Big 10 Mayors of Alabama  who represent the 10 largest cities in the state  have also advocated for stricter laws on Glock switches.

The biggest difference, and the one Im most optimistic about, is its not only a Democratic bill but a bipartisan bill, said Ensler.

Related content: How Alabama legislation banning Glock switches revived a back the blue debate

Indeed, some Republican lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors including those with law enforcement backgrounds like Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Birmingham, a former assistant police chief with the Birmingham Police Department.

Treadaway is also chairman of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, which is where HB26 will first be debated next spring.

Its certainly a public safety issue, Treadaway said. It puts a lot of law enforcement lives and the lives of citizens in danger when you have Glock switches making these (guns) fully automatic machine guns. You cant control them. Bullets spraying everywhere. They need to be taken off the streets.

Gun control

A convention attendee looks at NRA branded shirts for sale at the NRA Store at the NRA Annual Meeting held at the George R. Brown Convention Center Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) APAP

Not every Republican sees it that way. A group of lawmakers voiced their concerns last spring about how a state penalty on the trigger devices represented a potential infringement on Second Amendment rights.

Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, said if Enslers legislation is identical to the one the House approved last year, he will vote against it.

My opinion is that all these gun control laws just apply to the law-abiding citizen, Rehm said. I dont think it will make a dent toward reducing crime. It seems that we have societal problems in the high crime areas and whether (criminals) have the Glock switches or not will not make a difference. They are just creating another reason to arrest people. Thats my angle on it.

The focus of the debate is on a small device that is about one inch long and can be made of metal or plastic and can be made on 3D printers. The device, which can be purchased for around $100 or less, then fits onto the back of a handgun allowing the user to switch between semi-automatic gunfire to fully automatic like a machine gun.

Randy Kozuch, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, in a statement, said the possession of gun conversion devices is already a felony under federal law, and that their use in violent crime carries a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Kozuch blames President Joe Bidens administration for a soft-on-crime approach that has left it up to the states to deal with this issue.

State authority

Alabama State Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, and a former assistant police chief with the Birmingham Police Department, speaks on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday, June 1, 2023, in defense of legislation that adds enhanced penalties against people who commit crimes while associated with a criminal enterprise. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

Machine guns have been outlawed by the federal government since 1986, but Treadaway said a state law is important to give local law enforcement officials the ability to make arrests of criminals possessing the conversion devices.

What folks need to understand is that (conversion devices) are against federal law, Treadaway said. So why do we need a state law? Its simple. A lot of times the feds do not adopt these cases.

Said Ensler, Its important we have a federal statue, but also a state one so (state and local law enforcement) have those tools in the toolbox and instead of referring everything to the (Department of Justice), they can refer those cases to the DAs. It expands the scope to deter people and hold them accountable.

Williamson, with Everytown for Gun Safety, said the Alabama proposal is more limiting than what other states have done which includes a blanket outlaw of all conversion devices. Enslers HB26 focuses on pistols only.

Im realistic about what we can pass in Alabama, Ensler said. Whatever the other states are doing, we have to focus on what makes the most sense and can be accomplished in our legislature.

Ensler has also gone out of the way in recent months to explain how legislation does not conflict with the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in June that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was wrong to interpret the federal ban on machine guns extended to bump stocks.

Ensler said that bump stocks are devices attached to rifles, while HB26 deals only with modifications to pistols. The two devices are not the same, he said.

There is also another big difference between what the legislature will be asked to consider versus how the federal government interpreted a bump stock ban, he said.

(The Supreme Court) said the federal agency cannot pass a law, that has to be Congress, Ensler said. The issue wasnt the ban itself, but how it was enacted. This isnt some state agency promulgating a regulation. Its a state legislature passing a law and would be consistent with what the Supreme Court said.

Community risk

5 1 / 5 Operation Flip the Switch

It will be an uphill climb in a Legislature that is a supermajority Republican, and where Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa  who has long pushed for gun control measures  said in 2023 that the NRA runs this building, referring to his legislative colleagues.

But since the issue stalled last spring, there has been more shootings involving guns converted into automatic weapons. The most high-profile and recent example occurred in early July in Birmingham after a gunman sprayed a north Birmingham adult birthday party with bullets. Authorities said the guns were converted with a Glock switch that unleashed 20 rounds per second or 1,200 rounds a minute.

The shooting also stirred the Northern District of Alabama into action after U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona announced the launching of Operation Flip the Switch that targets the illegal conversion devices.

In Montgomery County, Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said his deputies are seeing the switches on weapons even during simple traffic stops.

There is a significant community risk posed by the machine gun conversion devices, Williamson said. Multiple mass shootings are caused by these devices and they pose a particular threat to law enforcement officers.

Cunningham said a new state law would send a message to criminals who think we are going to sit around and let them do as they want with these weapons. They are going to see we are not going to tolerate it.

Two dozen states have laws criminalizing the devices, including GOP-led states like Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

The Mississippi law is named after Malone, whose killing occurred on U.S. 98 and less than a half-hour drive to the Alabama state line.

We think its an important law, Williamson said. We support this renewed legislative effort in Alabama.
Formal charges have been filed against a robbery suspect who police say fired a shot during a foot chase with Birmingham officers.

Quinton Shell, 26, of Birmingham is charged with first-degree robbery. He is being held in the Jefferson County Jail.

At around 12:45 p.m. Saturday, South Precinct officers were dispatched to a robbery in progress call in the 4600 Block of 13th Avenue North.

Officers quickly arrived on the scene when they learned an adult male had been robbed at gunpoint nearby of several belongings and the suspect was fleeing on foot.

Officers got into a foot chase with the suspect. During the foot chase, officers heard the suspect fire a shot.

Officers saw a bystander fall after the shot was fired. They initially believed the bystander was shot; however, officers later determined no one had been injured.

Police said they did not believe the suspect was firing at them.

Shell was captured after a brief foot chase. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said officers recovered a ski mask.
A 28-year-old man has been acquitted of murder in last years shooting death of a 16-year-old Birmingham girl over spring break.

A Jefferson County jury found Arnold Laterrant Fuller not guilty of murder in the killing of Jackson-Olin High School student Jada White, according to court records made public Tuesday.

Fuller was also charged with attempted murder in the wounding of a second teen girl during the same incident. The jury convicted him on the lesser charge of attempted first-degree assault.

The trial began Aug. 19, and the jury returned its verdict on Thursday.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Streety set Fullers sentencing in the attempted assault case for October. He remains jailed.

A second person charged in the shooting  23-year-old Daemar Martin  has not yet gone to trial.

Fuller was represented by attorneys Chris Daniel and John Lentine. Deputy District Attorneys Isabella Colombo and Blake Owens.

The deadly shooting happened March 29, 2023,

The citys West Precinct officers about 2:30 a.m. that Wednesday received multiple Shot Spotter alerts in and around the 3000 block Avenue F in Ensley. When they arrived on the scene, they found Jada unresponsive on a sidewalk in a residential area.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced her dead on the scene.

Officers found another teen girl inside a vehicle a few blocks away. She, too, had been shot but her injuries were not life threatening. A young male was also in the vehicle, but he was not wounded.

Police have previously said Jada was shot to death while with a group of teens who may have been vandalizing a house and car, and that appeared to be the motive in her death.

The suspects were acquaintances of the homeowner whose property was being vandalized, but police said the homeowners had no involvement whatsoever in the deadly violence that followed.

At 2:24 in the morning, I dont know what a 16-year-old was doing out with three other juveniles, all of which had been drinking alcohol, Police Chief Scott Thurmond previously said. Theyre damaging a vehicle and they subsequently get shot at.

Where were the parents? Did their parents know where they were? Did their parents know they were consuming alcohol? Did their parents know they were out at 2:24 in the morning? he said. I dont think so, and thats a problem.

We had one of the females passed out and throwing up in our police car, throwing up here so shes unable to speak to us, he said. Theyre juveniles and we cant find their parents to come up here so we can question them.

One of the females even told us, I dont have time to deal with this right now. I have to be home by 7 a.m.,' Thurmond said. Well, 7 a.m. is not an acceptable curfew.
An initiative to help people released from prison in Alabama has set a goal of cutting the states recidivism rate by half by 2030.

The Alabama Commission on Reentry, also called Reentry Alabama, met Tuesday and stressed the need for collaboration and communication to assist former inmates in finding jobs, housing, and help with problems such as addictions and mental illness, services that can help them sustain productive lives after incarceration.

This is a very complicated subject, Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Director Cam Ward said. And its not one agency or one entity thats going to fix it.

Ward, a criminal justice reform advocate in Alabama for more than a decade, chairs Reentry Alabama. The commission includes state lawmakers and representatives from the Alabama departments of Corrections, Labor, Law Enforcement, Mental Health, Human Resources, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Alabama Community College System, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and other organizations.

Alabama is one of five states that have joined a program called Reentry 2030 in collaboration with the Council of State Governments Justice Center. Reentry 2030 Program Director Jesse Kelley and Senior Policy Advisor Nicole Jarrett spoke at Tuesdays Reentry Alabama meeting at the State House.

Alabamas most recently available numbers, from 2018, show a recidivism rate of 29%, according to the CSG Justice Center. Thats the percentage of people who were reincarcerated within three years of release. The rate improved from a decade earlier. It was 34% rate in 2008.

Alabamas rate appears pretty close to the middle of the pack among states. The CSG Justice Center report says states differ in how they calculate recidivism and cautioned against comparing state rates. A table in the CSG report showed that 16 states had rates lower than the 29% that Alabama reported.

Nationally, recidivism rates for state inmates declined from 35% in 2008 to 27% in 2019, the CSG reported. The report notes that Congress passed the Second Chance Act in 2008, which has provided $1.2 billion to state and local efforts to reduce recidivism.

Alabama officials have stressed the need to reduce recidivism for years. In 2020, Gov. Kay Iveys study group on criminal justice policy released a report saying that lowering recidivism was the long-term solution to Alabamas perennial problem of overcrowded and understaffed prisons.

In December 2020, the Department of Justice alleged in a lawsuit that violent conditions in Alabamas mens prisons violate the Constitution. The case is ongoing.

At Tuesdays meeting, Reentry Alabama members talked about efforts to help people leaving the prison system reintegrate into society.

Ward said Pardons and Paroles has helped people at the PREP Center in Perry County, which offers education and job training, as well as mental health and addiction treatment. Pardons and Paroles offers similar programs at its day reporting centers across the state for people on probation or parole.

J.F. Ingram State Technical College offers vocational training for state inmates.

Several initiatives are intended to help inmates leaving prison obtain the identification documents they will need to find work and reestablish their lives after prison.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is working on a project to provide them with drivers licenses or non-driver state identification cards. The Alabama Department of Corrections is in the final stages of completing a partnership with the Department of Public Health to provide birth certificates for inmates leaving incarceration, said Jeffery Williams, deputy commissioner for governmental relations for ADOC. Williams said ADOC has provided Social Security cards to close to 100% of inmates leaving incarceration.

Alabama Secretary of Labor Fitzgerald Washington said the Department of Labor established a career center at Julia Tutwiler Prison last year. Washington said the career center begins helping inmates with job preparation six months before they are to be released. Washington said the Labor Department plans to establish career centers at other prisons.

Ward said state agencies need a shared database that helps them identify the needs for people being released from prison. He said that information, such as whether a person has a history of drug addiction or has been diagnosed with a mental illness, is hard to find now because there is no central database.

The problem is, my system has an identifier for probation and parolees, Ward said. Court has an identifier for those going through the court system. DOC (the Department of Corrections) has an AIS (inmate) number. Nobody has the same number.

The Bureau of Pardons and Paroles is preparing to release a request for proposals (RFP) to companies to build a central database that agencies could access. Ward said that would help agencies collaborate on how to help inmates find the services they need.

Mental Health could come in and look at my stuff thats allowed under law, Ward said. I can look at their stuff thats allowed under law. And you wouldnt have to go to eight or nine different sites.

You may not need mental health services, Ward said. You may have a drug addiction. You may not have either one. But if we had a unique identifier we could evaluate you and say this is what this person needs. Maybe hes only got a third-grade reading level. Weve got to work on that. So it allows us to figure out how we can best use and allocate the resources we have without just throwing everything against the wall.

Reentry Alabama was reauthorized by legislation that passed earlier this year. Ward said the goal will be to meet monthly to get ready for the next legislative session, which starts in February.

Everyone will have a role in this, Ward said. I think its going to take all of us using best practices in our individual fields, our individual agencies, our individual groups to make it work. I do think its ambitious. But I think with the united support, the bipartisan support weve had over the years on this, I think we can really make a dent in a better, safer society for those who are post-incarceration.

Ninety-five percent of everyone in prison eventually comes out. Youve got to figure out what you want to do. I know what I want. I want a safe society. I think we all do. But that doesnt come cheap. That comes with better resources and efforts to making sure theyve got a job. Theyre able to fix their underlying issue. Stable housing. Stable income. And I think we can do this. I think its a goal that we all share in common.
Former President Donald Trump said Monday that if he is reelected to the White House, he will create a Space National Guard to support the newest military branch that he established under his previous term in office.

You want this very badly, but I agree that the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat Reserve of the U.S. Space Force, the Republican presidential candidate said speaking at the annual meeting of the National Guard Association of the United States.

Held this year in Detroit, the annual meeting has hosted at least one major party candidate since 1992. Trump last addressed the group in 2016. Roughly 4,000 people were in attendance, according to the association.

Organizers said they also invited Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for president.

During Trumps first presidential term, he announced the creation of the Space Force as a service branch. It was established under the Department of the Air Force on Dec. 20, 2019, roughly one month before Trump left office.

Since then, there has been debate about how creating a part-time Reserve option for the Space Force could help bring talented people into the military who might otherwise seek higher paying civilian jobs.

A group of bipartisan senators has filed legislation to create a Space National Guard that has failed to gain traction amid congressional resistance and opposition from the White House.

Harris has not spoken publicly on the subject.

A report released in April that reviewed the option of creating a Space National Guard raised concerns that recruiting and retaining members for a Space Guard would be challenging because it would only have about 700 personnel at most. The report also described it could be an expensive option, though relatively easy to implement quickly.

Instead, the Department of the Air Force is moving forward with plans to allow for part-time service in the regular Space Force. While this infrastructure is established, it is seeking approval to allow the Space Force to absorb space-related units in the Air National Guard.

The National Guard Association has been strongly opposed to this plan, so Trumps proposal was met with strong applause Monday afternoon.

Space Force has been very important, very, very important, he said.

(c)2024 the Stars and Stripes

Visit the Stars and Stripes at www.stripes.com

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Nearly a dozen men are under arrest after authorities say they targeted and solicited children for sex.

Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham announced the arrests Monday following last weeks two-day operation.

An Alabama state trooper was among those charged. ALEA officials announced he has resigned.

The operation was carried out Thursday and Friday at an undisclosed hotel in the Montgomery area.

The U.S. Marshals Service, ALEA, the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Covenant Rescue Group assisted in the effort.

It aint about us talking to the people that live here. Were talking about the people that want to come here and prey on our young people, Cunningham said. We in law enforcement are sick and tired of it and were putting an end to it.

Were not going to allow you to do this to young people, the sheriff said.

Assistant Chief Deputy Wesley Richerson said the operation was aimed at those who target and solicit people online and agree to engage in unlawful sex acts with those who they believe to be minors. When they showed up, however they were met by law enforcement investigators.

Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said the suspects could face up to life in prison if convicted.

The seriousness of this is incredible, Bailey said. If you think about it, we have grown, adult men going to hotels to have sex with children.

That should sicken all of us, he said. Each one is facing up to life in prison and its going to my goal to make sure these individuals take their last breath in the Alabama Department of Corrections.

A similar operation last year in Montgomery County led to the arrests of 15 people, and the sheriff said theyre not done.

If we didnt get you this time, well get you next time, Cunningham said.

Those arrested on charges of attempted first-degree human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act are:

- Dai Xing Chen, 45, of New Albany, N.Y.

- Subin Choi, 34, of Atlanta

- James Clifford Grier, 44, Montgomery

- Michael Lynn Hester, 54, Montgomery

- James LeGregory McGhee, 47, Montgomery

- William Robert Ogburn Jr., 44, Montgomery

- Ryan Christian Rhodes, 26, Tallassee. He was also charged with resisting arrest.

- Justin Gregory Tomberlin, 36, Deatsville

- Joseph Carroll Vasseur III, 38, Opelousa, Louisiana

- Owen Delma Walker Jr., 57, Montgomery

- QuDarrius Darcy JaQuan White, 24, Montgomery
The son of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and the manager of the Birmingham coke plant owned by his family were held in contempt by a federal judge last week for not cooperating with local environmental groups pre-trial requests in the groups pollution lawsuit.

James Jay Justice III, the son of Jim Justice and president of the Justice-family owned Bluestone Coke, also did not appear for a hearing last week in the lawsuit from Black Warrior Riverkeeper and the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP) alleging the coke company made nearly 400 water pollution violations at the Birmingham plant, which has been closed for more than three years amid air pollution infractions.

The younger Justice and Donald Wiggins, the manager of Bluestone Coke, failed to comply with several court orders to produce responses to Black Warrior Riverkeeper and GASPS discovery requests and to set dates to be deposed, according to U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctors contempt order.

Bluestone Coke, LLC, Donald Wiggins, and James Jay Justice, III are found to be in civil contempt for failure to comply with this courts ... [o]rders, Proctor wrote in the order issued Thursday in federal court in Birmingham.

Proctor gave the defendants until Sept. 11 pay the environmental groups reasonable costs and fees and respond to the plaintiffs discovery and other requests in order to purge the contempt.

Lawyers for Black Warrior Riverkeeper and GASPS said the defendants were not in compliance with the order as of Monday.

Efforts to reach an attorney for the defendants were unsuccessful.

The lawsuit, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act, claims the Birmingham coke plant has continually discharged unpermitted pollutants into Five Mile Creek and its tributary.

The environmental groups said they documented 392 times that Bluestone itself reported violations of the Clean Water Act.

Last year, the Jefferson County Board of Health said the company owed an additional $356,000 in penalties and late fees for failure to comply with a 2022 settlement over air pollution violations at the plant. In 2022, Bluestone Coke agreed to pay $925,000 in penalties, the largest fine ever issued by the Jefferson County Board of Health, which regulates air pollution in Birmingham.

As of May, the company was approximately $300,000 behind on its payment schedule as of, and continues to rack up late penalties for missed payments. The necessary improvements to reopen the plant have not been made, and it remains idle.
A man was arrested and charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of another man over the weekend in Semmes, the Mobile County Sheriffs Office announced Monday.

Paublo Barrios Maldonado was charged in the murder of Juan Antonio Ganados Acuna, who was found by Semmes police officers responding to a call of a male down in the roadway Sunday in the 7700 block of Bermuda Drive, according to the sheriffs office.

Acuna was suffering from what appeared to be a laceration to the neck, the sheriffs office said.

He was taken to University of South Alabama Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Mobile County Sheriffs Offices major crimes and crime scene units responded to the scene after being contacted by Semmes police.

Witnesses told detectives they saw Acuna stumbling in the road and called 911.

Mobile police officers pulled over Maldonado around 8 p.m. Sunday at University Boulevard and Moffet Road.

Maldonado was then interviewed by Mobile County sheriffs detectives before being arrested and charges with Acunas murder.
This is a guest opinion column

We are all-too familiar with federal spending of our tax dollars that can be unnecessary and wasteful. There are basic areas of federal spending that are constitutional and necessary  defense, border security, the court system, highways, and disaster relief. Sometimes these types of necessary funding need to be increased.

One area of spending that should be added to the necessary list is the cost of running our election system. Without fair and accurate elections, our constitutional republic could be at risk.

As Congress deliberates on appropriations for fiscal year 2025, our election system faces a critical moment. Funding decisions made in the upcoming months will either ensure well-equipped state and county election offices and bolster public trust in the electoral process or potentially leave election officials struggling with insufficient resources. It is essential for Congress to understand the challenges our election system faces and allocate adequate funding.

The Senate Appropriations Committee, including our own Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), secured $75 million for election infrastructure grants in the current version of the FY 2025 FSGG appropriations bill. This investment is a pivotal step forward, but it falls short when compared to the $400 million allocated for election security under the Trump administration.

Hostile foreign nations like China, Russia, and Iran are using increasingly sophisticated methods to meddle in American elections. With artificial intelligence and other technologies rapidly evolving, ransomware attacks and misinformation strategies are becoming more advanced, putting our voter data, election results, and overall electoral integrity at significant risk. These emerging threats not only compromise the security of our elections but also erode public trust in the election process.

Threats to our election system are not new. Over a decade ago, I supported Alabamas first Voter Fraud Task Force to investigate emerging threats to the integrity of our elections. Since then, both domestic and foreign threats have only increased, emphasizing the urgent need for the government to bolster our defenses. Increased investment is essential to equip our election offices with the updated equipment and tools necessary to counter these advanced threats effectively.

Given the urgency of election security, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal partners have recognized election infrastructure as critical infrastructure. We must pass a federal spending package that reflects this priority.

Given that there were zero dollars set aside for election security in the House version of the FSGG appropriations bill, I thank Senator Britt for voting in favor of $75 million for election infrastructure in the Senate version and steering it through her committee. This investment is crucial for maintaining the reliability of our election offices. While $75 million is a good starting point, I urge a more robust investment to fully address our election security needs.

I encourage our congressional delegation to support increased federal investment that mirrors the urgent needs of our election offices. A proper investment in election infrastructure will reinforce our defense measures and preserve public trust. While our nation remains divided on many issues, we must unite to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of our elections.

The costs of accurate and safe elections is a price we pay to maintain our constitutional republic.

Jim Zeigler served as State Auditor in Alabama from 2015 - 2023.
The worst president in modern history has passed the baton to an even worse candidate, Kamala Harris. Harris is calling for government control of all commerce -- though she calls her plan price controls rather than communism. Her running mate, Tim Walz, is considerably less nuanced. He endorses communism as people sharing with each other.

Kamala Harris has failed at every job she has held. She was the top law enforcement officer in San Francisco. Its now a cesspool of crime, drug abuse, and homelessness. Then she took her San Fransisco policies statewide as the California Attorney General. Now one of the most naturally blessed states in the country is experiencing a mass exodus of its most productive people. As the Vice President, Harris was appointed by Joe Biden to be the border czar. Under her supervision, enough illegal aliens entered the country to populate Los Angeles three times over. Yet in this years election, Kamala Harris will undoubtedly get over 70 million votes. How is it that someone as unaccomplished as Harris is even competitive?

About one third of voters are concerned that were losing our self-governed republic, and vote for the candidates least likely to undermine our Constitution -- Republicans. Another third of voting age citizens dont bother to vote. Theyre the complacent, who either dont care about our future, or have given up. The remaining third of adult citizens votes for the party openly undermining the Constitution -- Democrats. Only a tiny portion of that third are true radicals who think our Constitution is obsolete, and wish our federated republic to be replaced with a system of centralized control. Most Democrat voters are those who vote their feelings. The non-voters and the feelings voters comprise the complacent gullible segment of Americans.

The MSM propaganda machinery is determined to sell the socialist narrative to the gullible. It does so by playing to their feelings. Socialism is described as neighborliness. Government seizure and redistribution is simply spreading the wealth around. The government picking commercial winners and losers is saving the planet. The propagandists hope the gullible find blind acceptance of the narrative less troublesome than observation and analysis.

The narrative asks us to sacrifice our freedom because

Carbon dioxide is killing us -- even though its essential for life

Speech is violence -- but actual violence requires context

Killing the unborn is a fundamental right -- but defending ourselves is not, and

All races are equal -- but some are incapable of achievement without government intervention.

The narrative is designed to make the gullible feel good about sacrificing their rights for centralized control.

Shortly before his death, I watched a Charles Krauthammer interview on Fox News in which he shared his accumulated wisdom (unfortunately I cant find the link). He said that he didnt think our civilization would end because of a meteor impact, or an extinction level pandemic. He suspected that mankind would die quietly as we stop caring enough to survive. We would give up on producing food, maintaining the infrastructure, and enforcing standards of civilized behavior. Krauthammer predicted that civilization would stop facing lifes challenges, and wither away from complacency. One need only take a tour through Kamalas home state of California to see the beginning of that decline.

How did that happen?

During the 20th century, the government undertook a massive change of mission. It transitioned from being our protector, to being our provider. Our founders vision (as codified in the Constitution) was that the federal government exists to protect our inalienable rights, secure us from threats, and maintain civil order. But it has morphed into a leviathan that protects us from

Loss of income with bailouts and unemployment compensation,

Economic downturns with stimulus,

Ethnic disparities with quotas, and

Personal offense with censorship.

The gullible naively expect tomorrow to be just like today -- if not better -- due to the governments benevolent oversight. The party of FDR, LBJ, and Kamala Harris offers us a world free of consequences, in exchange for our freedom. A disturbing number of voters will accept that deal.

But a world without consequences is a world without accountability -- failure costs nothing. But when failure is free, it is also abundant. That abundance applies equally to us, and to the government functionaries which the gullible trust as their caregivers, even though it has become obvious that such trust is misplaced. Those entrusted with our welfare, are totally unconcerned with our wellbeing. Do the TSA agents at the airport seem at all concerned about our travel experience? That indifference infects our entire government.

The Department of Homeland Security has lost track of 320,000 illegal immigrant children released into the country. Yet there hasnt been a mass mobilization of law enforcement to find them. Our federal bureaucrats are apparently indifferent that those children may now be slaves or sex workers. Ahh complacency is such a peaceful state of mind.

Just one month after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, a Secret Service agent guarding him left her post without permission to breast feed. Yet shes still on the job because she lives in a consequence-free world, in which there is no consequence for prioritizing her convenience over the life of her protectee.

Our military is the best trained and funded in the world. Yet it lost a 20-year war to an 80,000-man, poorly trained and equipped army. Despite such an epic failure, nobody in leadership has been fired, disciplined, or even suffered loss of advancement. Its easy focusing on social engineering when there are no consequences for military failure.

NASA sent two astronauts on a one-week mission. Theyve now been marooned in orbit for months. Yet there hasnt been any agency full court press such as was done for the Apollo 13 accident. The complacent NASA leadership is saying: maybe well get the astronauts back later this month, or maybe next year -- depending on schedules.

Freedom from consequences has made those maintaining our government complacent, and the safety net it promised is rotting -- even as the nets load is increasing.

We are approaching a suicidal level of complacency because

Corporations are too big to fail,

Oaths of office arent binding promises,

Professional expertise has been replaced by intersectionality,

Failure has become victimhood, and

Government incompetence is justification for government growth.

Eventually the net will fail and an unprepared people will be met with the consequence of avoiding the realities of life for years. It will be because the party of Obama, Biden, Harris, and Walz assured us that they could deliver a utopian world free of consequences. Most Harris voters will be those who chose to live as naive children, not realizing that they are entrusting their welfare to other indifferent children.

The contrasts between Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz gives us a clear choice in November. Will we choose to be coddled like children -- blissfully unaware that the consequence of todays feel good is tomorrows downfall? Or will we choose to be self-reliant adults -- securing the future, by accepting accountability today? I pray the disaster that has been the Biden administration has moved a few people out of the gullible column.

John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a contributor to American Thinker, The American Spectator, and the American Free News Network. He can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

Image: AT via Magic Studio
Questions about the newly rebalancing weight of bureaucratic privilege loom large. The overturning of mandatory judicial deference to experts, with the SCOTUS Loper Bright decision, regarding the interpretation and application of congressional legislative intent, opens a wide realm of possibilities for reasserting the primacy of civil liberties over what amounts to unaccountable opinions by support staff  and political ones at that. Nowhere is this change as instantly significant as inside our election bureaus preparing for the 2024 general election.

Election officials have a challenging task. They have an equal responsibility to make sure every eligible citizen has the opportunity to vote, while simultaneously preventing any ineligible or fictitious voters from diluting those precious rightful ballots. Theres not some magic equation that resolves this conundrum perfectly. Therefore, election administrators have long held authority to excuse or justify questionable registration practices on the basis of weighting denial of the vote as the more important harm to prevent, despite SCOTUS having ruled in Reynolds v Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) that denial and dilution of the vote are equal harms.

As an example of administrative deference in voter list management, observe the humble default date. In a time before time, when there was no such thing as an anonymous voter because people lived together in towns and congregated in schoolhouses, churches, Conestoga wagons, and publick houses, and were therefore known to one another, birthdates and registration dates may not have been required by the local clerk. Therefore, we can reasonably expect that some registration records will lack accurate date information. Although it is a requirement to be 18 years of age, and a requirement to be registered to vote before voting, and voter rolls are required by Congress to be accurate in order that elections be reliable, it is generally considered understandable that these dates are missing from some voter records. When this completely normal, everyday circumstance arises, experts at the election bureaus assign a default date in the absence of a factual date. According to them, every time this occurs, it made and continues to unquestionably make perfect sense.

A wandering mind, however, might deign to ask, Exactly how many times has this happened? (If you are in possession of such a mind, you are surely an election denier.) In a report recently released by nonpartisan election validity watchdog United Sovereign Americans (USA),* professional auditors volunteering with the organization provided an answer. Looking at the official voter roll records for the 2022 general election, in 20 states responsible for 338 Electoral College votes, USA found 10,921,180 registered voters with invalid registration dates. Reasonable defaults every last one.

Curiosity will surely draw you to the inevitable next question: Does it matter? One hundred forty years of U.S. Supreme Court decisions originating with In re Coy, 127 U.S. 731 (1888) show again and again that accuracy in the conduct of our elections matters a lot. Returning to our example, dates in your voter registration determine your eligibility; they provide the anchors against which to weigh the law. The mere presence of so many uncertain registrations demands comprehensive and immediate investigation.

And default dates are only one of the areas of potential fraud identified in the report, which breathtakingly measured 29 million facially invalid registrants responsible for 10 million apparently illegal votes in the 2022 midterm. At a minimum, the report proves there are no data validation controls applied to our voter rolls, mystifyingly rendering our voting systems a sitting duck.

Now that a new judicial era has dawned, prioritizing philosophical consistency with the U.S. Constitution above obeisance to the countless ministers of policy set down by Congress in law, United Sovereign Americans has begun challenging election administrators in federal court regarding these findings. Referencing the pathways of enforcement described in the U.S. DOJs Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses, USA asserts that these facially invalid registrations may be nothing more than deadwood, false or corrupted registrations that exist purely for injecting felony false votes.

Mandamus actions ordering the State to properly perform ministerial duties are filed in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida, with more states in the hopper. USA makes no direct accusations and does not suggest altering previous election results. Represented by Bruce L. Castor, Jr. of van der Veen, Hartshort, Levin & Lindheim, they assert that error in the 2022 midterms created by this mountain of uncertainty has so corrupted the very meaning of the right to vote that the courts must order recalcitrant officials to bring their systems immediately into compliance for the 2024 presidential election. Granting a right to vote to registrants who are not proven to meet state and federal requirements for eligibility and citizenship equally to those who are is a crime against all Americans and against our system of legitimate representative government.

Elections contain an intractable trap regarding expertise, and there couldnt be more at stake in this regard in the 2024 election. When we confer absolute authority upon election administrators to make blanket decisions about poorly construed efforts (possibly in ignorance of serious security breaches), we effectively entrust decision-making power over election outcomes affecting the nation to a tiny group of umpires. This renders the third sentence of the U.S. Constitution, that the people of the several states shall choose their representatives, meaningless.

Our founders deliberated at every turn to construct a system of government that protected against such vulnerability. Rule by experts must be replaced with government by consent, starting immediately at the key that turns every lock: the process of electing representatives.

*Marly Hornik is the volunteer CEO of United Sovereign Americans.

Image: cagdesign via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Its good to know that the daughter of two academics, one a Tamil Brahmin and the other a Marxist economist, is just Middle-Class Kamala.

But now the last echo of the Kennedy mystique, RFK Jr., has plumped for Trump, after releasing a screed in which he accused the Democrats of being meanie jelly-beanies.

But I wonder if the main contribution from RFK Jr. will be to help mainstream three conspiracy theories.

(What is a conspiracy theory? I dont know. But it is something dark and threatening, rather like far-Right extremists.)

Conspiracy Theory One is our children's health and chronic disease in general. Says RFK Jr.:

Two-thirds of American adults and children suffer from chronic health issues In America, 74% of Americans are now overweight or obese, and 50% of our children Today, one out of every three kids who walks through [a typical pediatricians] office door is diabetic or pre-diabetic[.]

You tell me: is this a conspiracy theory or just a routine failure of the managerial administrative state that runs our health care system?

Conspiracy Theory Two is the Ukraine war. RFK Jr.:

Ukraine War began in 2014 when U.S. agencies overthrew the democratically elected government of Ukraine and installed a handpicked pro-Western government that launched a deadly civil war against ethnic Russians in Ukraine.

Is he allowed to say that?

In 2019, America walked away from a peace treaty, the Minsk Agreement, that had been negotiated between Russia and Ukraine by European nations. And then, in April of 2022, we wanted the war.

Did you know that NPR CEO Katherine Maher was active in the color revolutions of the early 21st century? Meaning that she came from the Intelligence Community -- to lord it over National Public Radio.

Conspiracy Theory Three is Democratic Party lawfare. RFK Jr.:

In the name of saving democracy, the Democratic Party set itself to dismantling it; lacking confidence... that its candidate could win in a fair election at the voting booth, the DNC waged continual legal warfare against both President Trump and myself.

Hey, Nance! Is this a far Right extremist conspiracy theory, or what!

On Conspiracy Theory One on health, RFK Jr. blames ultra processed food and toxic chemicals. Could be. Of course, I have assumed for years that whatever the current narrative on food, the opposite is true. Fat is bad? Must be time to crank up on butter consumption. Meat bad? Grill me a steak! Food pyramid? I say invert it.

On Conspiracy Theory Two on Ukraine, RFK Jr. confirms what I had picked up from extreme disinformation extremists over the last couple of years. I say that the job of containing the Russians, after the Fall of Communism, is the job of the Germans and the French. And maybe a war would help unify the two nations, that have been invading each other for the last thousand years. Mind you, I blame Julius Caesar as the real villain, for dividing Gaul into three parts -- Gallia Celtica, Belgica, and Aquitania -- and the Romans for colonizing the lands of the Aquitani with settler-colonialist Visigoths, for the ridiculous reason that centuries later Katharine Hepburn could play Eleanor of Aquitaine in Hollywoods The Lion in Winter.

On Conspiracy Theory Three on saving democracy from the Democrats, I couldnt agree more. The best way to evaluate it is to imagine Republicans doing to Democrats what Democrats are currently doing to Republicans. Imagine the reaction to any Republican President loading up Nancy Pelosi with dozens of felony charges, and changing voting laws at the last minute to benefit Republicans. The Heavens would not be big enough to contain the outrage of every journalist and social-media influencer and devoted NGO activist and educated-class American displaying a KAMALA lotus yard-sign in their yard.

I wonder if RFK Jr. will succeed in moving his three Conspiracy Theories into the national conversation, or whether the regime media will continue to marginalize and bury them.

But never mind about RFK Jr. or lotus blossom Kamala or Big Mama Biden-crushing Nancy Pelosi or our indefatigable nation-protecting Intelligence Community. I want to inject a notion into their oligarchic hive mind from the lordly philosophical height that I am honored to occupy.

Riddle me this, hive mind: You said that you would transform America with your educated administrators; you said you would rescue the working class from exploitation; you said you would liberate women; you said you would deliver racial justice to Americas blacks; you sent two generations of American boys to fight against tyranny and Nazism; you have cranked up spending to 35 percent of GDP and debt up over 100 percent of GDP. Now you want to double down to save the climate with gigantic subsidies and censorship of climate deniers.

And the only way to do that is to put a former president in jail and elect a woman by suspending the rule of law.

Are you kidding?

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also get his American Manifesto and his Road to the Middle Class.

Image: AT via Magic Studio
Its refreshing to see Democrats tear their hair out over the blessings our freedoms give us. Just look at their goal of transitioning from fossil fuel vehicles to electric vehicles (including airplanes and construction equipment). The whole plan is based on the unproven connection between the use of fossil fuels and climate change.

Whatever their motivations, its not working out as they hoped it would. Dont be surprised if they soon switch crusades from climate change to some other emergency.

As is often the case, Democrats were smitten with a cause  in this case, electric vehicles to rescue the climate  and assumed everyone else would fall in love with it, too.

Then, when President Joe Biden proposed rules that would require 60 percent of new cars sold to be battery-powered by 2030 and 66 percent by 2032, what happened?

Unfortunately for these aspiring socialists, the U.S. economy is still predominantly based on that economic freedom known as voluntary exchange.

So far, auto buyers have not voluntarily exchanged enough of their hard earned dollars for E.V.s. The vast majority continue to prefer fossil fuel alternatives. At this point, only about 7 percent of cars sold are electric. Furthermore, according to a McKinsey & Company survey, 46 percent of electric vehicle owners say they intend to switch back to internal-combustion cars.

A Catch-22 the E.V. enthusiasts are struggling with is the need to maintain a rough balance between the number of E.V.s and the number of charging stations. Unless the number of E.V.s grows, there will be no incentive to build more charging stations. A scarcity of charging stations is already something that E.V. owners complain about.

Democrat policy-makers believe they are far more clever than the rest of us. They dont seem to think its necessary to determine how many car buyers are perfectly happy with their gasoline and diesel vehicles and unimpressed with E.V.s.

In order for their electric vehicle dream to happen, let alone work, they would have needed unlimited power from the git-go. Their precious transition would have required not just subsidies, but brute force as well. Their plan would have necessitated doing away with, in advance, our preference for voluntary exchange.

Democrats are against voluntary exchange because they dont approve of what we do with it, such as producing and consuming fossil fuels. Fortunately for the rest of us, these incompetent Marxists neglected to emasculate us prior to springing their E.V. fantasy on us. They mistakenly left us free to say, Thanks, but no thanks. Thanks to voluntary exchange we did just that.

Ron Ross, Ph.D. is a former economics professor and author of The Unbeatable Market and a member of CO2 Coalition. He resides in Arcata. California and can be reached at rossecon@aol.com. His website is rossecon.com.

Image via Pixabay.
One of the truisms of con artists is that theyre lazy. If they werent lazy, theyd earn an honest living. This truism may prove to be very true when it comes to Robin DiAngelo, the white woman whos achieved tremendous fame and fortune by accusing other whites of being racist. DiAngelo is accused of having plagiarized the work of two Asian American scholars (as well as many white scholars) when she wrote her doctoral thesis:

According to a complaint filed last week with the University of Washington, where DiAngelo received her Ph.D. in multicultural education, she plagiarized several scholarsincluding two minoritiesin her doctoral thesis. The 2004 dissertation, "Whiteness in Racial Dialogue: A Discourse Analysis," lifts two paragraphs from an Asian-American professor, Northeastern University's Thomas Nakayama, and his coauthor, Robert Krizek, without proper attribution, omitting quotation marks and in-text citations. DiAngelo also lifts material from Stacey Lee, an Asian-American professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in which Lee summarizes the work of a third scholar, David Theo Goldberg.

Often, the borrowing (to be polite) was subtle. Thus, when it came to Goldberg, DiAngelo implies that she was citing directly to him. In fact, she was copying almost verbatim from Lee, whom she did not cite. Lee wrote:

David Theo Goldberg (1993) argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should focus not so much on how true stereotypes are, but on how the truth-claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview, and what forms of action that worldview authorizes.

DiAngelo wrote:

Goldberg (1993) argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should focus not so much on how true stereotypes are, but how the truth claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview that authorizes and normalizes forms of domination and control.

So, while DiAngelo didnt plagiarize Goldbergs core idea, she seemingly stole how Lee had summarized that core idea. Put aside the fact that everything Goldberg, Lee, and DiAngelo wrote is vapid, academic gobbledy-gook. Focus only on DiAngelos lazinesswhich seemingly amounts to fraud.

Amusingly, the Washington Free Beacon expose opens by noting that one of DiAngelos biggest shticks is that evil white racists steal ideas from victimized minorities. If whites truly want to be anti-racists, she insists, they must always acknowledge the people of color from whom their ideas come. What she neglects to say is that if you dont want to be accused of plagiarism and want to be an honest person, you should acknowledge your source materials regardless of whether they originated with people of white or people of color.

The same Free Beacon piece also notes that her 2004 thesis is how DiAngelo justifies the validity of her shtick that only by buying her book, attending her lectures, and generally enriching her can white people free themselves from their internalized racism, which theyre too fragile to abandon without her expensive aid:

The doctorate has become a centerpiece of DiAngelo's marketing. Her website, "Robin DiAngelo, PhD," refers to her as "Dr. DiAngelo," notes that she is a professor at the University of Washington, and states that she coined the term "white fragility" in an "academic article" in 2011.

Of course, DiAngelo didnt limit herself to including passages that, to put it politely, echo works that Asians wrote. The same seminal thesis echoes material from Kristin Gates Cloyes, a classmate, and Debian Marty, a communications professor. In the latter case, DiAngelo is accused of using that old high school gambit, the one where you block and copy a passage and then, using your thesaurus, trade out words.

DiAngelo, of course, is not alone. Recent discoveries have revealed that several people in the DEI industry, in true communist fashion, have no compunction about redistributing to themselves other peoples work product. In March, the New York Post editorial board summed it up this way:

Yet another Ivy League chief for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion stands exposed as an apparent plagiarist  further suggesting DEI is more of a racket than anything else. The top DEI officer at Columbias medical school, Alade McKen, stands accused of lifting about a fifth of his thesis from 30 other academics and copying heavily from Wikipedia, per a Washington Free Beacon report. This comes just a week after news of a whistleblowers complaint against Shirley Greene, a DEI officer at Harvard extension school, alleging that she plagiarized more than 40 passages of her dissertation. And weeks after Harvards chief DEI officer, Sherri Ann Charleston, got hit with an anonymous complaint alleging dozens of instances of plagiarism in her work over the last 15 years. All this follows the fall of Harvard prez Claudine Gay (whose hiring was all about DEI) over dozens of plagiarism allegations, which evidently inspired a wave of freelance detective work that seems likely to keep the complaints coming against many more recent hires across academia.

DEI employees at institutions other than the Ivies have been caught copying, too, as was the case with a UCLA employee, Natalie J. Perry.

All these people profit from the lie that America is irredeemably racist because whites, other than the enlightened ones, are awful people. Its to be hoped that, as the grifters game is revealed, the ugly house of cards theyve built collapses so that America can return to racial sanity.

Image: Robin DiAngelo. YouTube screengrab.
Donald Trump has made very clear that his coming administration will not focus on anti-abortion legislation because the Supreme Court has held that the federal government cannot have a say over abortionalthough hes also said that he intends to use his bully pulpit to be pro-life. This constitutionally correct stance has brought out a peculiar type of allegedly pro-life advocate: People who are so betrayed by Trump that their only alternative is to support Harris, either directly with their vote or indirectly by sitting out the election.

These people started filling my X feed after JD Vance explained Trumps abortion stance; namely, that abortion is no longer within the federal purview:

WATCH: Trump running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) commits to not imposing a federal abortion ban.@kwelkernbc: If such a piece of legislation landed on Donald Trump's desk, would he veto it?@JDVance: I think he would. He said that explicitly that he would. #MTP pic.twitter.com/wAY888A9TL  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 24, 2024

Heres the key language:

I think it's important to step back and say What has Donald Trump actually said on the abortion question and how is it different from what Kamala Harris and the Democrats have said. Donald Trump wants to end this cultural war over this particular topic. If California wants to have a different abortion policy from Ohio, then Ohio has to respect California, and California has to respect Ohio. Donald Trump's view is that we want the individual states and their individual cultures and their unique political sensibilities to make these decisions because we don't want to have a non-stop federal conflict over this issue. The federal government ought to be focused on getting food prices down and getting housing prices downissues, of course, where Kamala Harris has been a total disaster. So I think Donald Trump is right. We want the federal government to focus on these big economic and immigration questions, Let the states figure out their own abortion policies.

Regarding Lindsay Grahams proposed abortion ban, which Kristen Welker raises, a couple of points: First, its unconstitutional because the feds can no longer make abortion policy without amending the Constitution. Second, its a con. The ban, if enacted, would stop abortions after 15 weeks. However, 94% of all abortions in America occur before 15 weeks. Abortion would continue virtually unabated.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are promising their own unconstitutional abortion laws, which would reinstate unfettered abortion across America (and, assuredly, funding would follow). Kamala would have no qualms about signing an unconstitutional law.

Image by Andrea Widburg using AI.

People who are genuinely concerned with ending abortions would say, Well take the battle to the states and continue to work to change the culture. What they would not do is say that Trumps pragmatic (and, again, constitutional) approach is so awful that they have no option but to give their direct or indirect support to Democrats to punish Trump. They would understand that the time for getting a more pro-life candidate is during the primaries. Now, the fight is binary (total abortion versus trying to end it locally and culturally). But thats not how these alleged pro-life warriors see it.

One of the most persistent people advocating this view is David French, whose love of Christ and hatred of abortion requires him to abandon the more pro-life candidate and vote for Harris, the Moloch had the right idea candidate. At the NY Times, where he now works, French made the Pro-Life Case for Kamala Harris. French bizarrely argues that Trump is the reason there are more abortions because the Dobbs decision weakened the pro-life movement. (Plus, Orange Man Bad.)

In the same vein is a guy named Ben Zeisloft:

You are showing Trump that he can betray you with zero real political consequences. https://t.co/5HtJiKQDRO  Ben Zeisloft (@BenZeisloft) August 25, 2024

Sure, those are just two guys, but social media is crawling with people saying words to the effect of dont vote for Trump because hes for abortion, an attitude that, in a binary election, effectively throws votes to Kamala. Both James Lindsay and Kurt Schlichter suspect that whats going on here is worse than stupidity. Kurt thinks its about money:

The professional pro-lifers are going to run out of friends fast. https://t.co/OFJ6pLWWj8  Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) August 26, 2024

James Lindsay, who probably understands communism better than anyone in America, thinks whats happening is more nefarious than that:

Pro-life is a position, and a reasonable, moral, and admirable one.



Pro-Life Inc. is *probably* a Communist front made to force conservative losses and to absorb huge amounts of conservative donor money on a deliberately losing project.  James Lindsay, anti-Communist (@ConceptualJames) August 26, 2024

Real voters who oppose abortion know that they have two choices on November 5: The candidate who is pro-life but who understands that the federal government is no longer the right battlefield versus the candidate who wants to ensure that abortion up to and after the moment of birth is enshrined at the heart of America.
In 1973, as a young airman first class, United States Air Force, I was assigned to Yokota Airbase in Japan. It was winter. I had my wife and child with me. Skipping over some details, we were assigned to a special government housing program in which we paid only for utilities, mainly electricity and steam heat. This circumstance was the beginning of my education in practical, real-world economics.

The steam heating system was run by the base commander, who no doubt delegated the operation to subordinates. It was not reliable. Having an infant with us made this an untenable situation. Worse yet, to save money for the government, the heat could be turned off whenever the commander deemed that the cold season was ended, even though the mornings remained cold. The final insult was that we had to pay year-round, to spread our monthly expense to a more affordable level.

For these and other reasons, customers complained to the commander, but he had important duties that took up his time, and so lower-ranking officials responded, meaning nothing improved. Therefore, some people began opting out of the steam heat program, choosing to use the more reliable kerosene heat instead. We could control how much of that to use, and when.

Predictably, this raised the per-household cost of steam heat, which in turn forced the steam heat provider to raise its monthly fee. Just as predictably, this led to even more people dropping out of the steam heat program, and very soon, the final death spiral left the steam heat program with no paying customers.

It must be noted that, from the very beginning, many of us urged the steam heat officials to lower their monthly fee so as to bring in more paying customers. I remember trying to explain this in person to one government official. He responded with anger  are you crazy? Were not taking in enough money as it is. How can we possibly lower the price? If people like you would stop opting out, the price would stabilize.

He was utterly deaf and blind to basic economic reality. Every time he raised the price, he lost customers, but the only remedy he could think of was to keep raising the price even more, oblivious to the fact that he was losing money for the program by doing so. (What is the proverbial definition of insanity?)

Yes, it may be counterintuitive, but lowering the price can increase the amount of money coming in.

The personnel running the steam heat program had obviously never run their own business, and they therefore had the same collectivist mindset that is rampant in government.

Although this is a simple example, the principle applies to everything the government manages, or should we say mismanages, from tax policy to procurement to oil production.

Its been fifty-one years, and the death spiral continues.

Image via Pixabay.
Tulsi Gabbard made headlines yesterday for her endorsement of President Trump. Like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. the Friday before, she had been a Democrat.

According to the Washington Examiner:

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard endorsed former President Donald Trump on Monday at an event for the National Guard Association in the battleground state of Michigan. The support from Gabbard, a former Democrat who ran for president against Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020 and served in the Army National Guard, came as the two marked the three-year anniversary of the airport bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, that left 13 U.S. service members dead. This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts and regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before, Gabbard said. This is one of the main reasons why I'm committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander in chief. Gabbard, who has been helping Trump prepare for his debate against Harris, served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and left the Democratic Party in 2022 because it had become what she called an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness."

It drew a bit less attention though, because she had been friendly with President Trump for years despite not seeing eye to eye with him on every single issue. She had even been on a short list of potential vice presidential running mates, so it's hardly news that she's somewhere in the Trump orbit.

On that ground, it amounted to just a nice endorsement, like many others.

It took a tweet by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to drive home what the endorsement was really about, and it was important:

Wonder Woman just joined the Justice League. pic.twitter.com/RT95DLJUJa  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 27, 2024

In other words, while Tulsi's stated reason for her endorsement was her respect for keeping Americans out of fourth-world trashcan wars with no victories, seen since the days of President George W. Bush, but also Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the real significance of her Trump endorsement was justice, same as the reasons RFK, Jr. decided to endorse Trump in this election -- justice.

Tulsi, recall, had been demonized by Democrats for questioning Kamala Harris's commitment to law as well as basic fairness and justice. This performance was deadly to Harris's 2020 campaign, forcing Kamala to pull out shortly afterward:

Democrats took revenge after that on Tulsi, placing her under surveillance and on the terrorist watchlist on no grounds whatsoever, hampering her travel wherever she went, attempting to make her a pariah. Not only was it illegal, it was a profound abuse of power under a federal system run by politicized Democrats.

Tulsi also can rightly claim drawing more delegates during the primaries in that election than Kamala ever did. She's got that -- and yes, that enraged the Democrats, who then launched their revenge, too.

But it must have hit them where it hurt that Tulsi exposed Kamala in concrete terms for her naked abuse of power. That's ripping the mask off. Abuses of power are what they do, so they decided to do more of it.

That echoes squarely with the Democrats' abuse of power against RFK, Jr., who was illegally and abusively kept out of presidential debates, kept off the ballot in blue states, and hit with lawsuits left and right because he, too, challenged the Democrats' power structure, first with federal vaccine mandates, second by revealing the revolving door of conflicts of interest in the public health bureaucracies, and simply by running for president against Joe Biden and doing so pretty successfully, even as they tried to shut him out of media access, ballot access, debates and even personal security, forcing him to pay for his own even though he was entitled to federal protection and should have been given it even earlier than when he had a legal right to it, given his family history.

The biggest recipient of these federal abuses, though, was Donald Trump, though, because of their efforts to bankrupt him, lawfare him with half a dozen jailtime charges over blatantly non-existent crimes, as well as their odd incompetence on his personal security, which, given their lack of cooperation in the investigation since, has raised many suspicions. They tried to jail him, bankrupt him, cut into his campaign time, smear him with their press lackeys, and maybe even kill him.

I'm a big fan of Ron DeSantis, but this Democrat abuse of power is so disturbing to me I felt it needed to be dealt with immediately, or everyone's rights are in danger. I chose Trump over DeSantis precisely because of the urgency of ending these abuses of power. DeSantis misread the moment when he decided to run in his ill-considered campaign.

Kennedy, though, didn't and he calls it a justice league, and it explains why Elon Musk, who also has been hit by lawfare on insanely invented matters, such as refusal to hire illegal aliens at his space facilities, SEC charges, press smears, and even being shut out of government-tied electric car showcases, despite having the most Made-in-America cars in the country, has also endorsed Trump. He had to, because they are still coming destroy him. He, too, is in this justice league.

We may be adding Elon's social media rival, Mark Zuckerberg to the list, which if it happens, would be major headlines. But he, too, has outlined how he was bullied into censoring content during the 2020 election by the Democrat establishment, another abuse of power by Democrats same as Elon, Tulsi, RFK, Jr. and Trump endured. He is not making it up -- I knew about it in early 2023 from a Lee Smith report that ran in Tablet, and wrote about it here.

There is an emerging justice league as RFK, Jr. notes, and it's all premised on Democrat abuses of power, the tinpottification of the once popular party, hypocritically claiming it's saving democracy when in fact it's destroying democracy and trying to set up a Mexican PRI-style permanent state of rule.

If we don't get rid of this party one way or another, they eventually will take control of all areas of power with no way in for any new ideas, turning the U.S. into a stagnant Ottoman-style empire of zero freedom and zero growth, a "perfect dictatorship" as Mario Vargas Llosa once said of PRI Mexico.

It's not a place anyone wants to live in. The growth of the justice league is precisely the matter that must animate this election. Put Democrats on the spot for their abuses, because these abuses are multiplying. Tulsi's endorsement just made it that much clearer.

Image: Twitter screen shot
There is a serious consequence to the fact that the nations socialist media are the marketing arm of the DNC. They are the gaslighting gatekeepers, the people who decide who is to be slapped with a fact check and suppressed and who is sanctioned as a trusted source and who is ignored. Thus, the media are free to propagate any propaganda for what is obviously their side, while mercilessly attacking pro-freedom media sources for the crime of telling the truth.

This means that the left has become overly dependent on lies. Lying is the lefts only way to move forward. It also means that the pro-freedom side has had to defend itself rhetorically and, in doing so, has demolished some of the lefts most cherished lies and tropes. Therefore, leftists become dependent on them, and weve become experts in taking them apart, depriving them of their last metaphorical weaponry.

What lies can be unburdened by what has been the truth.

paraphrasing Comrade Kamalas favorite communist incantation

You can see that they appear to be proud of their lies, just from the headline How Kamala Made Trump the Incumbent from what is appropriately called the Talking Points Memo. Other pieces from the nations socialist media echoed the same gaslighting concept, but this one was the most blatant and the worst example.

This morning on Twitter, Tim Murtaugh, a former Trump campaign spokesman, concluded a tweet attacking Harris by writing: Her whole vacant message sounds like its from a party thats out of power. But theyre her messes. Through the spittle and frustration you can see him making a point which quite understandably has Trumps campaign angry and bewildered. Harris has made Trump into the incumbent with her as the challenger running on a campaign message to turn the page. Whether this is fair or true or any number of other descriptors you might come up with, theres little doubt that it is an accurate description of the campaign we are in the midst of. The Trump campaign itself is telling us this, almost in spite of itself. And its worth taking a moment to consider how exactly this manages to be the case. Since Harris is not only a member of the incumbent party. Shes literally the incumbent Vice President.

For the record, you can check the White House website yourself and verify the obvious fact that Comrade Kamala is indeed the vice president of the United States. We shouldnt have to do that, but leftists may be reading this, and they should be acquainted with the facts at least a little bit. As you can see, the author of the piece actually admitted the truth of the matter but then engaged in all manner of mental gymnastics to justify this leftist lie. (Isnt it funny how those two words are merging into a redundancy?)

If youve made the mistake of tapping into the firehose of falsehoods that emanate from the nations socialist media, youll see that this example is moderate by most standards. But we note that the lefts mendacity and over-exploitation of certain lies have had serious consequences. One of these is that a majority on the pro-freedom right are no longer intimidated into accepting many of the lefts most cherished lies  specifically denying the obvious fact that the Nazis were far-left.

This used to be one of those tropes that we just ignored for various reasons. We followed along with their little rules on not bringing it up, and Democrats didnt push it too much. But then the fascist far left lost the plot, forgot their little rules they made up, and even asseverated that comparing Donald Trump to Hitler belittles Hitler.

So weve been having to defend ourselves  and we have so much more to add to the database, such as that both parties used similar sloganeering concepts, along with the fact that Joseph Goebbels praised the fascistic policies of FDR. Then all the protests by the far left seriously exposed their horrific beliefs.

The far lefts denial that the Nazis and the communists were just two sides of the same collectivist coin  with Gemeinnutz geht vor Eigennutz (the common good comes before the individual) engraved on the edge. Leftists have always heavily depended upon bluster and appeal to authority logical fallacies.

Now all of that has fallen by the wayside, and were no longer being intimidated into denying the truth: the Nazis were leftists. And the floodgates are opening in comparing the left to the Nazis. Its a disaster for the left if people arent intimidated into silence. Once people start seeing that its okay to voice basic truth, their power will evaporate.

D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack.

Image via Raw Pixel.
Did a light bulb go on for Mark Zuckerberg about government censorship?

Well, check out what he said, based on a letter he wrote this week to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan:.

According to the Daily Wire:

In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree, he said in the letter. Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure. I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it, he continued. I also think we made some choices that. with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today. Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens again.

That's the same Zuckerberg who shelled out $400 million for an NGO called the Center for Tech and Civic Life which claimed to be a neutral group just concerned about expanding ballot access.

In reality, they were a Democrat shock-troop operation, horning in on, for example, swing-state Wisconsin's 2022 election to manipulate the voting results to its liking. In some cases, they took over county clerk operations -- altering ballots, changing rules, and other acts reserved solely for those elected officials. A special counsel in that state literally called the operation "bribery."

As I wrote here in March 2022:

Can you imagine what that must have been like for those officials affected  to see well heeled Zuckerbuck leftists from out of state waltz in and take over local election efforts, arbitrarily changing rules, redoing forms to manipulate results, telling elected officials to go to hell because they were in charge here? It would have been like a coup or terrorist attack, a clearly illegal takeover by outside dirtbags who otherwise belonged in jail. That was hardly all. The report focuses on the unequal treatment of voting districts, with urban districts getting virtually all the cash and the rest of the state getting nothing. Here's how bad it was: On pages nine and ten, the WSVP requires that the Zuckerberg 5, "[p]rovide assistance to help voters comply with absentee ballot request & [sic] certification requirements." App. 15-16. None of the private funding in this regard would benefit residents outside the Zuckerberg 5. Id. Instead, it targeted only the "Biden profile voter." In Green Bay, the City would use the private money to fund bilingual LTE "voter navigators" to help Green Bay residents properly upload a valid photo ID, complete their ballots, comply with certification requirements, offer witness signatures, and assist voters prior to the elections. "Vote navigators"? Really?

Zuckerberg was muscled into donating the $400 million for that operation in 2020 as a "punishment" from Team Obama in retaliation for its not censoring content during the 2016 election, the one which saw the election of Donald Trump, according to a 2022 report that ran in Tablet by investigative reporter Lee Smith. They did it to make an example of him, even sending a fake whistleblower to testify against him as a sort of way to discourage others from allowing free speech on their platforms. I wrote about that here and here.

Apparently, Zuckerberg got tired of getting kicked around by the Harris-Biden administration, so he went public to Jim Jordan.

That's quite a sea change, for one of them in the swamp milieu to go public like that. It almost sounds as though Zuckerberg's fed up with it and may change political sides, if for nothing else, to get the meddling and punishing out of there, allowing to run his business as he sees fit without interference from Obama, the government, or the lawfare crowd.

That could signal a dramatic shift as more and more billionaires come onboard to support President Trump, following the examples of Elon Musk, and RFK, Jr., both of whom have exposed the scope of Democrat meddling. Zuckerberg may be headed that way, too.

Business tycoons like Zuckerberg must know that they will be free to grow with Trump, and end up as puppets on strings for Democratic operatives if things continue the way they are. Zuckerberg has obviously chosen wisely which direction he will eventually go.

Image: Anthony Quintano, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0 Deed
Google has just confirmed when will Android 15 start rolling out. A report surfaced quite recently claiming that it will happen in October, and it seems like that report was spot on.

Google indirectly confirms when will Android 15 start rolling out to Pixels

The company did not confirm this directly, well, not exactly. The confirmation comes from the release notes for the Android 14 downgrade OTA, which is still an official confirmation of sorts.

Google recently changed the release notes for the Android Beta Exit update. The updated version, as spotted by Android Authority, says that users who are waiting for a stable version of Android 15 should ignore [the downgrade] OTA until Android 15 is available in October.

Thats a pretty straightforward confirmation. Folks over at Android Authority believe that the update will start rolling out mid-month, so were in for a bit of a wait. Google apparently still needs to put some final touches on the update.

The source also said that Google declined to confirm the initial report when asked, and yet then indirectly confirmed it via these release notes. At least now we know when to expect the update to drop.

Android 15 is coming to quite a few Pixel phones

Android 15 will be coming to quite a few Pixel phones. The Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will get it, of course. They launched with Android 14, which is an odd move for Google, but the event did occur very early, so we realize why that happened.

In addition to Googles latest offerings, a ton of other phones will get it, basically every phone from the Pixel 6 to today. The Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a.

There you go. All we can do at this point is wait for the update, which will likely drop in about a month and a half.
Google has begun rolling out a significant redesign of its Google Tasks app, bringing a fresh look and updated functionality to Android devices. The redesign first hinted at in June 2024, is now widely available. The update is part of Googles ongoing efforts to streamline its productivity tools and make them more visually consistent across its ecosystem.

Google Tasks redesign features a card-based interface

The most notable change in the Google Tasks redesign is the introduction of a card-based interface. Each task is displayed on a separate card, creating a clear visual separation between individual tasks and the header. The cards are slightly darker than the background, which becomes more pronounced when dark mode is enabled. This change enhances readability and gives the app a more modern, polished appearance.

The redesign also moves the three-dot overflow menu to the top right corner of each card, alongside the sorting options. The new layout makes it easier to manage tasks and access additional features without cluttering the screen. The completed tasks remain minimized and neatly sit within their cards, preserving the clean aesthetic of the app.

In addition to the visual overhaul, Google has removed the bottom app bar from Google Tasks. The floating action button (FAB) remains in the lower right corner, allowing users to quickly add new tasks. However, the absence of the bottom bar streamlines the interface, making it more intuitive to navigate. The actions previously housed in the bottom bar are still accessible within the task list itself, so users do not lose any functionality with this change.

The decision to remove the bottom app bar aligns with Googles broader design philosophy of simplicity and ease of use. The app offers a more focused and efficient experience by eliminating unnecessary elements. This is especially true for users managing multiple tasks simultaneously.

The Google Tasks redesign is rolling out gradually to Android users as part of a server-side update tied to version 2024.08.05.x of the app. Users who have not yet received the update can try force-closing and reopening the app to prompt the redesign. If this does not work, downloading the latest version of Google Tasks from a trusted source like APKMirror might help.

Google Tasks to integrate reminders from Google Keep

Beyond the visual changes, the redesign is also a precursor to a more significant functional update. Over the next year, Google plans to integrate all reminders from Google Keep into Google Tasks. While the exact timeline for this migration has not been specified, it signals Googles intent to centralize task management within Google Tasks.
Google released the Android 15 QPR1 beta a few days ago. The firmware is the first test build of the upcoming Pixel Feature Drop update. Recent reports suggest that the company is working on refreshing the OS with UI tweaks and new animations. Pixel Wallpaper is one of the apps that shows a new design in the latest Android 15 QPR1 beta.

Pixel Wallpaper is an app that allows you to set your favorite wallpapers and tweak other things on Pixel devices. It basically acts as a customization hub, going a bit beyond its initial goal. From there, you can change lock screen shortcuts, tweak the lock screen clock style, and more. That said, it looks like Google is revamping the Pixel Wallpaper app UI in favor of a better user experience.

Google may revamp the Pixel Wallpaper app with the first Android 15 Pixel Feature Drop

As spotted by Android Authority, the Pixel Wallpaper app looks different in Android 15 QPR1 beta. The new look isnt available by default, but the source managed to enable it. While there are still some things that dont work, the report gives us a hint of what we can expect. Since the changes are available in the QPR1 beta, they probably wont be present in the first Android 15 stable build. Users would have to wait until at least December for the rollout of the first Android 15 Feature Drop.

According to the source, the new design allows switching between lock screen customization and home screen customization by swiping instead of tapping on tabs. As for lock screen clock customization, all styles will be available on a bottom sheet. Previously, you had to swipe left and right on a style carousel. The bottom sheet now also includes the lock screen clock color and size options. It looks like Google is bundling several options into that section so theyre easily accessible.

The customization section for UI color accents appears different due to the inclusion of two rows of options, rather than just one. A better zoom-in effect enhances the display of color palettes and light/dark mode previews. You can check out the differences between the current and new Pixel Wallpaper app designs in the video below.
REDMAGIC is just a week out from having announced the international availability of its first official gaming laptop, the Titan 16 Pro, and now the company is already throwing out teaser images of its next gaming device called the Gaming Pad.

As one might guess, the Gaming Pad is bringing REDMAGIC back to its staple line of products which is in the mobile space. Several years ago REDMAGIC entered the mobile market with a dream. To offer high-end performance in a gaming phone that didnt cost nearly as much money as competitors. It has without a doubt achieved that dream. So now its moving on to the next area where it feels the market is lacking. Gaming tablets.

REDMAGIC wouldnt be the first company to release a gaming tablet. However, gaming tablets arent something you see very often. So if theres a chance REDMAGIC can fill that void, you can bet the company is going to take the chance to be at the forefront. Gaming tablets may not be common but gaming on a tablet happens quite a lot. In fact, the iPad is commonly used for playing some of the most demanding mobile games out there. Such as Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.

Samsungs Galaxy Tab S line is in a similar position. Being one of the only truly high-end Android tablets on the market. Therein lies another area REDMAGIC can capitalize on. There just arent very many Android tablet options in general. Let alone ones that are catered towards top-tier performance for mobile gaming.

The REDMAGIC Gaming Pad teaser confirms two sizes

The teaser for the REDMAGIC Gaming Pad doesnt say much. That doesnt mean theres not a story to tell. There are absolutely zero specifics about the Gaming Pad when it comes to specs details. However, there are two things the teaser does confirm. One is the date and time of REDMAGICs official announcement about the tablet. Based on the teaser, REDMAGIC plans to announce this new device on September 5 at 3 PM Beijing time. That just so happens to be next week Thursday so there is only about a week and a half left before all the major details about this device are revealed.

The other notable confirmation is that the Gaming Pad will come in two sizes. Its not clear exactly what the sizes are. That being said, one is likely to be around 7 or 8 inches and the other is probably a 10-inch model. This would put the larger version squarely in line with what Samsung offers for the larger Galaxy Tab S tablets. While also offering something more portable for those who just want something bigger than their smartphone.

The Gaming Pad will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

The only other detail about the tablet that seems to be confirmed at this time is its chipset. The Gaming Pad will reportedly be using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This is hardly surprising, as REDMAGIC already uses this chipset in its most recent gaming phone. So it stands to reason the Gaming Pad would use the same. This specific detail comes from a separate teaser from the image where two people from the REDMAGIC team show off the Gaming Pad box in a video.

In that video, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is mentioned. With Qualcomms ultra-powerful mobile chipset at play here, its highly likely the Gaming Pad will also come with some hefty RAM and storage size options. If we had to guess, the Gaming Pad will probably come with at least 12GB of RAM and at least 256GB of storage. With potential options at 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. More will be detailed about this tablet toward the end of next week.
A possible VR/XR headset from Samsung has been in the talks for a while now. The device would be another result of the companys close relationship with Google. Now, a new Geekbench listing for the alleged Samsungs VR headset suggests that its launch is very close.

A report from mid-July claimed that the South Korean giant will launch a dev version of a competitor to the Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro in October. The most recent developments appear to be moving in that direction. According to 91mobiles, theres a new entry for Samsungs VR headset on Geekbench. The report also includes some key hardware specs.

Samsungs VR headset specs leaked on Geekbench

The source claims that a SoC with a six-core CPU (base clock speed of 2.36 GHz) will power the upcoming product. These numbers seem to match those of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip. Qualcomm launched the latter earlier this year, although a report suggested that Samsung might skip it to wait for the next generation. However, it seems that this will not be the case. The chipset features 2x high-performance cores, 6x energy-efficient cores, and an Adreno 740 GPU. For reference, the Adreno 740 is the GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.

On Geekbench, the alleged Samsung VR headset has the model number SM-I130. It also has 16 GB of RAM and runs Android 14. There are rumors that Google is working on a special Android version for VR/XR products. Its unclear if the company plans to launch it alongside Samsung in the near future. The two companies have already jointly announced the merger of Wear OS and Tizen, so there are similar precedents.

The Galaxy S25 series may inherit design lines from the VR headset

A recent leak claims that the Galaxy S25 series will take design cues from Samsungs upcoming VR headset. The company could want to establish a cohesive and recognizable design language across its product lines. However, its not yet clear what the two products will look like. The closest we have are early renders that show a boxier Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Convicted gangster Curtis Warren wants peace and to be out of the public glare, his barrister said as the 61-year-old was sentenced for breaching an order designed to prevent him committing serious crime.

Warren appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to six charges of failing to comply with a serious crime prevention order.

He admitted a further charge, which he asked to be taken into account when he was being sentenced.

Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC handed him a 14-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.

Curtis Warren arrives at Liverpool Crown Court, where he has been given a 14-month jail term, suspended for 18 months (Peter Byrne/PA)

Warren, who has previously been convicted of drugs offences in the Netherlands and Jersey, had been due to stand trial charged with 18 breaches of the order, but changed his pleas to six of the counts.

Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, asked the court to lie the remaining counts on file.

Anthony Barraclough, defending Warren, said: He doesnt want to be in the public glare any more, he wants peace and an end to it.

Mr Mitchell said there had been regular breaches of the serious crime prevention order, which was imposed in 2013 but came into effect on November 21 2022 when Warren was released from prison.

The court heard that the requirements included that Warren can only own one mobile phone, but Mr Mitchell said there was substantial evidence of him using other handsets.

When originally arrested on suspicion of breaching the order in July last year Warren handed over an iPhone 14 which was not declared to the National Crime Agency (NCA), the court heard.

Curtis Warren has previously been convicted of drugs offences in the Netherlands and Jersey (State of Jersey Police/PA)

Warren also breached requirements related to his finances by using a bank card in the name of John Harrison to pay for car insurance and for a speeding fine issued by Greater Manchester Police, as well as by opening bank accounts without notifying the NCA.

When he was arrested, 1,000 was found in a brown envelope in his kitchen, Mr Mitchell said.

Other requirements which were breached included using vehicles without telling the NCA and going abroad, to Alicante in Spain, without giving seven days notice to the agency.

The court heard he was registered as a named driver for an Audi TT and a Range Rover.

He also failed to notify the authority that he was living at a flat in Birkenhead.

In a discussion about the need for a pre-sentence report, the judge said he had asked the Probation Service whether it wanted Warren on their books.

He said: It seems to me, if he was on a bus heading for unpaid work it would be chaos.

Mr Barraclough said Warren wants a fresh start and has been doing his best to comply with the order, which he described as very, very draconian.

Judge Menary said: There are a lot of obligations which would require a pretty structured life. Whether the defendants capable of that, I dont know. Hes plainly an intelligent man.

Mr Barraclough told the court: It is extremely difficult. His best mitigation is he is accepting it and what the consequences of that acceptance are.

He did wish to say, in his basis of plea, that he was less than perfect.

When Judge Menary suggested Warren try to live a simple life, Mr Barraclough said: Try and do that if you are Mr Curtis Frances Warren. He is followed everywhere. A simple thing would be to change his name but theres a restriction on that.

Mr Barraclough said Warren is not on state benefits and does not have legal aid.

Referring to an an amount Warren has been ordered to pay in a confiscation order, Mr Barraclough said: Im not being paid out of 200 million, this is pro-bono.

He said there is no evidence Warren was breaching the order in furtherance of criminality.

Sentencing Warren, Judge Menary said: The offences admitted by you, by pleas of guilty, do demonstrate a pretty comprehensive catalogue of failure to abide by the conditions of the order. Those breaches by you, I have no doubt, have seriously undermined the effectiveness of the order.

On one view at least they do seem to indicate a decision by you not to take the order seriously.

The judge said that because there was no evidence Warren was actively involved in criminal activity and because it was the first time he was being prosecuted for the breaches, he was willing to suspend the prison term.

Warren, wearing a Nike tracksuit, nodded as he was warned that, if he commits further offences, including further breaches of the order, he will have to serve the full sentence.

The court heard Warren has 31 previous convictions for 70 offences.

The former nightclub bouncer appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 1997 when he was listed as a property developer worth 40 million, but disappeared from the list the following year after he was jailed for drug dealing in the Netherlands.

Head of the NCAs Prisons and Lifetime Management Unit Alison Abbott said: Curtis Warren treated his order with contempt, breaching it within days of his release from prison, and going on to breach it multiple times.

Serious crime prevention orders are a powerful tool to help prevent those convicted of serious offences continue their criminality when they come out of prison.

This case should serve as a warning to others. As we did with Warren, we will actively monitor all those who are subject to such orders, and they will stay on our radar even after they are released from jail.
Eve Hewson says she considered quitting acting following a bad experience on the set of a film she has not named.

The 33-year-old Irish actress explained that she still has a love-hate relationship with the job, which she felt most actors had.

She told the Radio Times: I had a bad experience on a film and I thought, whats the point of this?

I dont want to put myself in a position where Im being constantly treated like shit.

I think most actors have moments like that. Its a love-hate relationship with the job.

Hewson was speaking in the latest issue of the Radio Times (Radio Times/PA)

She did not reveal the title of the film project.

The actress is the daughter of U2 frontman Bono, and has starred in Netflix supernatural thriller series Behind Her Eyes and the Apple TV+ dark comedy Bad Sisters.

Hewson said her father had given her wonderful advice on dealing with fame during her career.

She added: Ive gotten so much advice my whole life, its been wonderful.

Someone once said to me that no matter who you are, if you get mega-famous, youre going to be very weird for about seven years.

Youll start to think everything you do is important, and its something you have to watch out for.

But the Dublin-born actress said she had not really hit that kind of stardom yet.

Hewson went on to say that she became so giddy when her co-star in the upcoming series, Nicole Kidman, arrived on set for the Netflix mystery drama The Perfect Couple.

She said: It was incredible. I had no idea she was even part of the show.

My agents kept talking about this Nicole person, and I was like, Nicole who?

When she came on to set, we all got so giddy.

Its amazing to watch someone like that work. Shes been doing it for so long, but shes constantly pushing herself.

Hewson added that she did not find it daunting to work with the Oscar-winning The Hours actress and said the cast had such a good time dressing up and being awful.

The upcoming series, about a body being found on a beach, also stars Ray Donovan actor Liev Schreiber, and The Watchers actress Dakota Fanning.

The full interview can be read in the latest edition of the Radio Times.
Former Barclays wealth boss Thomas Kalaris has lost his appeal against a decision banning him from holding senior roles in the industry after he was found to have acted dishonestly when questioned about the banks capital raising at the height of the financial crisis.

Mr Kalaris  who was acquitted of fraud charges in 2020  had sought approval to head up the investment firm he co-founded, Saranac Partners, as chief executive but the move was blocked by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2022 after the watchdog said he had failed to be open and transparent in two different investigation interviews, and therefore was not considered to be fit and proper to lead the firm.

The ex-chief executive of Barclays wealth arm had challenged the FCA decision, which centres on two interviews as part of the regulators investigations into Barclays controversial capital raising from Qatar in 2008.

The Upper Tribunal in London upheld the FCAs decision on Tuesday, finding Mr Kalaris was dishonest in one of his answers when quizzed by the FCA.

Laura Dawes, director of authorisations at the FCA, said: We welcome the tribunals ruling.

It unanimously found that Mr Kalaris was dishonest in two enforcement interviews the FCA conducted into events that occurred during his time at Barclays.

He is therefore not fit to be a senior manager in a business regulated by us.

It is vital financial firms are led by those who are honest, transparent and who act with integrity.

Saranac Partners said it was disappointed by the tribunal decision.

A spokesman for the firm added: The matters at issue pre-date the establishment of Saranac Partners and are completely unrelated to the firm and its work.

The law firm representing Mr Kalaris was also approached for comment.

Barclays declined to comment.

Mr Kalaris  who left Barclays in June 2013  and two fellow former top Barclays bankers, Richard Boath and Roger Jenkins, were cleared in February 2020 over a 4 billion investment deal with Qatar in 2008, which helped the firm avoid a State rescue.

The Serious Fraud Office alleged that lucrative terms given to Qatar were hidden from the market and other investors through bogus advisory service agreements.

Mr Jenkins, Mr Kalaris and Mr Boath were acquitted by jurors following a five-month trial at the Old Bailey.
Four gang members have been jailed for a total of 13 years after forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates that allowed people to live in the UK illegally.

Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between March 2019 and May last year, the Home Office said.

The organised crime group, who were all themselves Nigerian, provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to support the applications of the nationals to help them remain in the country.

A Home Office investigation both domestically and with its international operations based in Lagos, Nigeria uncovered more than 2,000 false marriage documents.

Onifade and Shodipo were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry in the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the Home Office said.

Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception.

Onifade, from Gravesend, was sentenced to six years imprisonment and Shodipo, from Manchester, was jailed for five years at the same court on Tuesday.

Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment while Kabir, from London, was jailed for nine months.

Home Office chief immigration officer Paul Moran said: This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.

As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit peoples desperation to remain in the UK.

We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.
Harriet Dart made it through to the second round of the US Open for the first time after breezing past Chloe Paquet in New York.

Dart is enjoying the best period of her career and after making it through to the third round at Wimbledon, she has followed it up by winning her first main draw match at Flushing Meadows.

The 26-year-old dropped just two games in a dominant performance which saw her win 6-1 6-2 and victory will see her ranking rise to a provisional career high of 66 in the world.

Dart reached the third round at Wimbledon and is now through to the second round at the US Open (John Walton/PA)

She will have her work cut out to repeat her Wimbledon feat as 13th seed Emma Navarro waits in the next round.

Dart was in control from the off, winning the first four games. Only a strong service game from Paquet denied the Brit from delivering a New York bagel.

Still, she took the first set and assumed control of the second set amid a run of five successive games.

Earlier, Jan Choinski became the first British casualty after falling to an agonising five-set defeat to Roberto Carballes Baena.

Jan Choinski battles hard before losing out in an epic at the @usopen Good to see Jan in the main draw after coming through qualifying #BackTheBrits  | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Pm83qaJCdO  LTA (@the_LTA) August 26, 2024

Choinski, ranked 276 in the world, had earned himself a 100,000 dollar (75,730) payday by coming through qualifying to earn a spot in the main draw at Flushing Meadows.

And he looked to be heading for a swift exit as he found himself two sets and a break down to the world number 55.

But the British number 10 rallied to send it to a decider, only for Carballes Baena to regain control and earn a 6-2 6-3 5-7 6-7 (5) 6-3 victory.
Jean-Philippe Mateta struck twice at Selhurst Park to inspire Crystal Palace to a 4-0 Carabao Cup second-round victory over Norwich.

Daichi Kamada opened the scoring inside the first two minutes in south London for his first competitive goal in an Eagles shirt and added an assist when Mateta made it two after the break.

It was a beauty of a bicycle kick from the Paris Olympic silver medallist, who bagged his brace with a powerful effort 11 minutes later.

The hosts had already all but booked their place in round three when Eberechi Eze added one of his own six minutes from time.

Palace boss Oliver Glasner named a strong line-up, including what was perhaps to some the unexpected inclusion of centre-back Marc Guehi. The England defender has been linked with a move to Newcastle ahead of Fridays transfer deadline and will now be cup-tied should he depart before the window closes.

Johannes Hoff Thorup, meanwhile, rang seven changes from Norwichs draw with Sheffield United.

It was the hosts who got out to an early lead when Mateta slipped the ball to summer signing Kamada, who obligingly poked it past George Long in the second minute.

Norwich were unlucky not to level soon after when first Dean Henderson denied Ante Crnac then Gabriel Forsyths effort pinged off the post.

In a worrying scene for Glasner, already thinner on defenders following Joachim Andersens departure on Friday, Palace summer signing Chadi Riad was forced off after just 10 minutes.

It was just the second Eagles start for the Morocco international, who hobbled off with what looked like a knee issue and was replaced by Chris Richards.

Canaries boss Thorup was forced into a change of his own three minutes later. Amankwah Forson went down in midfield and needed air as he was treated on the pitch for some time before he went off in considerable pain with an apparent shoulder injury, using his shirt as a makeshift sling.

Eze had the ball in the back of the net in the 18th minute but the offside flag had gone up.

Marcelino Nunez had a chance to square things up before the break but skied his 38th-minute effort from the edge of the area, while there was another offside effort from Eze before the break.

Forsons replacement Kenny McLean did well to nod away Ezes free-kick soon after the restart, but the Eagles doubled their lead in the 57th minute through Matetas overhead effort.

Two alert saves in quick succession from Henderson kept out Norwich substitute Oscar Schwartaus shot then McLeans attempt from the rebound.

Mateta netted his second with a powerful 68th-minute effort that looked to perhaps have grazed Long on its way in.

As it began to seem like the Frenchman had settled the scoreline, home and away supporters entertained themselves exchanging weve got the ball chants until Eze made it four with a low effort in the 84th minute.
British number one Katie Boulter showcased her fighting spirit to book her place in the second round of the US Open.

Boulter, seeded 31st in the final grand slam of the year, joined compatriot Harriet Dart in the next stage after a 5-7 6-2 6-1 win over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

The win was far more testing than the scoreline suggests as she endured a battle in sweltering New York conditions.

She started brightly, winning the opening two matches, before the Belarusian started causing problems with a strong forehand weapon.

Sasnovich was able to turn the first set around, breaking at 5-5 to assume control.

But Boulter dug deep and again started the second set well, crusing into a 3-0 lead which allowed her to send it to a decider.

The contest was still not over, though, as the Briton had to fend off four break points in the opening game.

However, she took control of her destiny with a run of five successive games to make it through to the second round  and a match against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro or Petra Martic.
The Cass review

The British Medical Association (BMA) is showing symptoms of having been infected by a dangerous mind virus. Clinicians are now self-isolating themselves from their unions deranged decisions and resigning.

Last month, in a statement more befitting a students union than a professional body representing clinicians, the BMA leadership announced it had rejected the findings of the Cass review.

It urged the NHS to continue to prescribe experimental puberty blockers to teenagers who identify as transgender despite a paucity of clinical evidence as to their efficacy. The unions 195,000 members were not consulted. Dr Cass recommendations, which followed a comprehensive investigation lasting four years, have been accepted by the rest of the medical profession.

BMA chair Philip Banfield solemnly declared it was time to truly listen to this group of important, valued, and unfortunately often victimised people, urging medical professionals to take their lead from distressed young patients rather than expert clinical guidance. He added that clinicians, patients, and families should be at the centre of an evidence-based decision-making process about their health rather than politicians.

The misleading implication was that Cass had not spoken to those affected. The snide aside about politicians can only be read as petulant kick against the former government who acted on her findings.

The BMAs decision to reject the Cass review has provoked a revolt from clinicians, 1,400 of whom signed a letter which accused the leadership of failing to reflect the views of the wider membership, whose opinion you did not seek. Today, many of those unhappy with the BMAs stance and refusal to listen to reason resigned from the union.

Predictably, the BMA has doubled down and positioned itself as a victim rather than taking responsibility for its unpopular, and undemocratic, actions. In a statement responding to criticism, Banfield complained that the names of some council members who voted to reject the findings of the Cass review were leaked and they were subjected to abuse online which was, conveniently, so despicable, it cannot be repeated.

Whingeing about being bullied has become the default response of cowards seeking to shirk responsibility. While no one deserves to be harassed one might imagine those prepared to make decisions over life and death would be robust enough to ignore upsetting posts on social media. The promotion of secrecy above transparency, and the deflection of legitimate criticism by vague comments about unpleasant remarks online, are not marks of a self-confident organisation.

More widely, the sickness of the BMA has not only harmed patients, it has left medics unsupported. The union hasnt apparently found the time to condemn the harassment and persecution of clinicians by transgender activists. No public support seems to have been offered, for example, to the 26 female nurses who have threatened to take legal action after County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust allowed a biological male who identified as transgender to get changed alongside them. The nurses were told to re-educate themselves despite reporting inappropriate behaviour by their colleague identifying as a woman.

Moreover, Banfield opted not to praise the whistleblowers from the scandal-struck Tavistock gender identity clinic, brave and experienced therapists many of whom were monstered, and some forced out of the NHS, for simply trying to protect the interests of confused young people.

And not one person who voted to reject Cass found the time to speak up on the impossible situation for BMA members who are now expected to routinely ask men if they might be pregnant during hospital appointments. Meanwhile, the BMA has found time to release statements on the conflict in Gaza, the killing of George Floyd, keeping communities safe from fascists on British streets and the situation in Afghanistan.

In opting to ignore the science on puberty blockers, the BMA departs from its core purpose, which the leadership may need reminding is to champion the interests of its members, rather than the niche demands of transgender lobby groups. But Banfields certainty surpasses such petty concerns as clinical evidence; he and the band of zealots at the top of the BMA are drunk on their sense of moral rectitude. More concerningly, it seems they are happy to abdicate clinical judgement in favour of the feelings of the very confused teenagers they have a duty to protect.

Doctors deserve better from those who purport to represent them. The BMA has not only failed members, it has abandoned the most basic tenet of the medical profession: First do no harm.
Education minister Jason Clare said the proposal would pare international student enrolments at public universities back to 145,000, or around their 2023 levels. Photograph: Paul Miller/AAP

Elite universities have warned they remain implacably opposed to international student caps as the federal government announced it plans to limit new enrolments next year to 270,000.

Despite Labors decision to dump a controversial ministerial direction giving priority to students applying to low-risk institutions, the Group of Eight said the policy had already significantly damaged the global reputation of Australias international education sector, and stated a cap will compound this damage.

In a statement on Tuesday the education minister, Jason Clare, revealed the details of the proposed national planning level, which would set total university enrolments at 145,000  near 2023 levels.

It means some universities will grow their enrolments while others will be pared back.

The policy rules out introducing a cap on international students as a proportion of enrolments, instead targeting cuts mainly at prestigious metropolitan universities and the vocational education sector  the latter of which Clare said must be purged of shonks.

Related: Australian universities accused of awarding degrees to students with no grasp of basic English

A low-risk institution is a government term for a university or education provider whose students are considered likely to be enrolling as genuine students rather than using a student visa to enter Australia for other non-study reasons.

Under the reforms, private universities and non-university higher education providers will be able to enrol 30,000 new international students in 2025; while vocational education and training providers will be limited to 95,000.

As of August 2021, about 1.2 million people were attending university or other higher education whereas half that  601,901  were attending vocational education (including TAFE and private training providers), according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Clare told reporters in Sydney there are about 50% more international students in private vocational and training providers today than before the pandemic, while universities had about 10% more.

Clare said the plan  subject to a bill still before parliament  would result in universities having 15% more international student enrolments than before the pandemic while private vocational providers will be about 20% less.

The reforms  along with shutting down 150 ghost colleges  aimed to crack down on those seeking to exploit this industry to make a quick buck by not really operating to provide an education for international students but really are a backdoor for people to work here, he said.

Clare said ministerial direction 107, a regulation enacted in December 2023 that gave priority to students applying to low-risk institutions, had proven a pretty blunt instrument.

It has meant a few universities have got a lot more international students this year than they did last year, he said.

While a lot of universities have got a lot less, Clare said Newcastle, Wollongong, Griffith, Charles Darwin and La Trobe universities were bearing the brunt of this.

Labor has been heavily criticised by the tertiary education sector for pursuing a plan to cap international students to counter political attacks about the level of arrivals and net migration, in the absence of evidence that students are exacerbating housing shortages.

Universities pointed to evidence from Treasury that existing measures to lower enrolments had already achieved the desired reduction.

In July, Labor more than doubled the visa application fee for international students, in a further effort to cut net immigration from 528,000 in 2022-2023 to 260,000 by 2024-25.

The Group of Eight chief executive, Vicki Thomson, said the unexplained target of 270,000 gave the sector no comfort. This policy was bad yesterday and it is bad today.

Thomson said the policy would punish the universities that have proven to be the most popular for the very best global students.

Caps will not undo the damage of ministerial direction 107 as international students simply will not study where the Australian government tells them to.

The Greens education spokesperson, Mehreen Faruqi, accused Labor of charging ahead with this terrible policy despite near unanimous opposition from the higher education sector.

Faruqi said it was disgraceful Labor had put international students in the firing line in response to Coalition fear-mongering about immigration.

Prof David Lloyd, chair of Universities Australia, said the policy will apply a handbrake to Australias second biggest export industry.

Even without legislated powers to limit international student numbers, the government has already taken a sledgehammer to the international education sector, he said.

We note the governments acknowledgment of the harm done by this destructive instrument [ministerial direction 107] and again call for its immediate removal to deliver growth in the sector, as the minister has promised.

The Independent Tertiary Education Council of Australias chief executive, Troy Williams, said the sector-wide limits need to be accompanied by immediate and precise information to providers about what it means for them.

Related: Labor hikes international student visa fees as sector warns of death by 1,000 cuts

Earlier in August, Universities Australia told a Senate inquiry the number of student visas being granted had dropped by 23%  or almost 60,000 students  over the past year. It warned a further reduction of that size could result in up to 14,000 job cuts.

In response to the cap, the National Tertiary Education Union called on the government to ensure that university bosses dont use these changes as an excuse to cut jobs from an already stretched workforce.

The NTEU national president, Alison Barnes, argued some of the numbers thrown around by university leaders in recent months were simply part of an unfair scare.

A University of Sydney spokesperson said it would carefully work through the detail to assess the likely impact but promised to work collaboratively with governments and the sector on managed growth of international higher education, one of Australias most valuable exports.
Robin DiAngelo has previously written about the importance of properly attributing the work of ethnic minority writers - NBC

The bestselling author of a book about white fragility has been accused of plagiarising sections of the work of two Asian-Americans in her doctoral thesis.

Robin DiAngelo, an anti-racism consultant who argues that racial divisions have been entrenched by defensive white people, committed 20 cases of plagiarism, according to a complaint filed with her alma mater, the University of Washington.

Ms DiAngelos book White Fragility became a New York Times bestseller when it was published in 2018, and also experienced a surge in popularity following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

The 67-year-old has previously written about the importance of properly attributing the work of ethnic minority writers in a section on her website about how white people must continually educate themselves on race.

Her thesis allegedly lifts two paragraphs from Thomas Nakayama, an Asian-American professor with Northeastern University, and his co-author, Robert Krizek, without attribution, The Washington Free Beacon reported.

In making its case the newspaper published large excerpts from her work alongside the text she is accused of copying, with the similarities highlighted in red.

In one section, Prof Nakayama and Prof Krizek wrote: While this discourse recognises a part of its historical constitution  this reflexivity does not necessarily mean that there has been a recognition of the power relations embedded in that history.

Similarly, Ms DiAngelo wrote in her 2004 thesis: While this discourse recognises in part a historical constitution, this does not necessarily indicate that there is a recognition of the power relations embedded in that history.

Her Whiteness in Racial Dialogue dissertation is also reported to have lifted material from Stacey Lee, an Asian-American professor of education, summarising the work of a third scholar.

Prof Lee wrote that David Theo Goldberg argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should focus not so much on how true stereotypes are, but on how the truth-claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview, and what forms of action that worldview authorises.

Ms DiAngelo wrote: Goldberg  argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should not focus so much on how true stereotypes are, but how the truth claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview that authorises.

Never appropriate

Peter Wood, the president of the National Association of Scholars, likened the practice to forgery.

It is never appropriate to use the secondary source without acknowledging it, and even worse to present it as ones own words, said Mr Wood, a former provost of Boston University. He added: Thats plagiarism.

Ms DiAngelo has previously emphasised the importance of providing proper academic citation, writing on her website: Always cite and give credit to the work of BIPOC [black, indigenous and people of colour] people who have informed your thinking.

She added: When you use a phrase or idea you got from a BIPOC person, credit them.

Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility was a New York Times bestseller

The University of Washington defines plagiarism as borrowing the structure of another authors phrases or sentences without credit, or citing a source but reproducing their exact words without quotation marks.

Among her other alleged examples of plagiarism, Ms DiAngelo seemingly lifts two sentences from Bronwyn Davies, a professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Both write of how an individual emerges through the processes of social interaction as one who is constituted and reconstituted through the various discursive practices in which they participate.

It does look like plagiarism, Prof Davies told The Washington Free Beacon.

In her book, Ms DiAngelo characterised white fragility as the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, characterised by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, entrenching racial inequalities.

Ms DiAngelo and her publisher, Beacon Press, have been approached for comment.
The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks gestation. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Some religious groups and conservative politicians in Australia have claimed babies are being born alive after abortions and left to die alone.

But experts warn born alive campaigns are riddled with misinformation, use misleading statistics and could threaten womens access to abortions.

So whats really going on?

A proposed federal bill to supposedly protect those born alive went to a parliamentary inquiry, which found there was no basis for it. A motion in the federal Senate last week to note that babies were born alive after abortions was defeated.

Related: Abortion is essential healthcare  so why isnt it universally affordable and accessible? | Ronli Sifris

Meanwhile, a Queensland inquiry into proposed legislation is ongoing. Last week a recent emotional address from the Australian Christian Lobbys Louise Adsett on unwanted babies being left in witches hats received broad media coverage.

The Queensland health minister, Shannon Fentiman, says misinformation in the debate can be inflammatory and cause hurt to bereaved parents.

Heres what you need to know.

Are babies sometimes born alive after an abortion?

Dozens of health experts and major organisations have told inquiries that, on rare occasions, an unviable baby is born alive.

The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Ranzcog) told a Queensland inquiry its an uncommon scenario.

Ranzcog says only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks gestation. Usually an injection would be used to ensure the foetus is dead.

In rare cases, parents may choose not to have foeticide because they want to hold their (non-viable) baby while it dies, Ranzcog says.

The baby, which has no chance of survival, is kept comfortable during the process.

The born alive campaign has used various statistics to claim this happens hundreds of times a year. However, there arent even robust national statistics on the number of abortions each year (one estimate is about 88,000). The ACL claims such babies are fully developed with beating hearts but set aside and left to die, a claim repeatedly debunked by health professionals.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union says abortions after 20 weeks gestation occur where the foetus has late-diagnosed lethal or significant abnormalities, genetic conditions, severe growth restriction, or maternal health risks, where continuing the pregnancy and/or birth poses a significant threat to the mother and the foetus has zero chance of survival.

The bill projects an unnecessary narrative on to a rare scenario and places undue pressure and emotional manipulation on women, pregnant people, and their families, the union says.

Whats the legislation all about?

Proponents of born alive legislation want it made explicit that any child born after abortion should receive the same duty of care as any other child, raising the spectre of health providers feeling pressured to try to resuscitate a baby that was never going to live.

In the US, there have been a range of born alive state-based laws, and a federal attempt to impose fines and prison terms on anyone who does not try to save a baby, even if not viable.

The former federal MP George Christensen first proposed a born alive bill in 2021 to require medical practitioners to provide medical care, treatment and statistics on children born alive as a result of terminations. That lapsed, but was reintroduced in 2022 by Liberal senator Alex Antic and National party senator Matt Canavan, and sent to an inquiry.

The inquiry found there was no legal, ethical or medical basis to support the bill, and it made no recommendations for the government to respond to.

A Queensland bill to remove any doubt that babies born in these circumstances are entitled to the same degree of medical care and attention as a baby born in any other way is before an inquiry and is due to table a report to government in September.

Before the recent Northern Territory election, the new Country Liberal party leader, Lia Finocchiaro, said the party would consider supporting a similar bill. ACL and Pro-Life Victoria distributed flyers during the campaign saying the CLP supported born alive legislation.

The Sphere Womens Sexual and Reproductive Health Coalition says the proposed legislation compromises the right to access pregnancy termination services and demonstrates a poor and inaccurate understanding of second trimester abortion care and the complexities of foetal viability.

The bill may dissuade providers from performing late-term abortions due to fear of prosecution in the extremely rare event a baby is born alive, it says in its submission.

In its submission, the Royal Womens Hospital says the anti-abortionists strategy was to erode rights by multiple minor legislations.

These are aimed at limiting the provision of, and access to, services. We believe this bill can be understood as such a strategy, it says.

The Western Australia health minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, told parliament that invasive medical care, such as attempts to resuscitate a neonate who is not going to survive, would rob parents of that time with their baby.

Do doctors have a duty of care after a termination?

All practitioners are bound by a duty of care which informs when and how they may perform their duties in such a scenario, Sphere says.

Ranzcog says any additional legislation is entirely unnecessary. It argues duty of care includes babies born alive whether this happens following an abortion or otherwise.

Further legal regulation will be confusing and unhelpful, it says, and would create a law that treats abortion differently to other medical procedures.

The born alive lobby claim more medical intervention could save those aborted babies. The explanatory notes for the Queensland bill claim a 2023 study of 29 babies born at 22 weeks had a survival rate of 82.8%.

The QNMU says the study excludes neonates with major congenital anomalies. The study found all neonates born at 22 weeks received intensive, invasive medical intervention, a third of which died before the age of 18 months, and of those that did survive, 38.9% showed moderate or severe neurodevelopmental impairment, the union says.

Are babies left alone for hours?

A few anecdotes are doing the heavy lifting on the claim that babies are being born alive and left for hours. The 1998 case of Jessica Jane is often used.

According to the coroners report, in a small Darwin hospital, a foetus was unexpectedly born alive after a termination. There was confusion over the gestation age. The nurse present didnt know what to do, and the treating doctor did not help her. The nurse wrapped the baby in a warm rug and constantly checked on it. But the coroner heard it would only have had an extremely small chance of survival no matter what. It died 80 minutes later.

The coroner recommended protocols be put in place to prevent the rare event happening again.

Another case often mentioned is Xanthe. A Queensland couple decided to have a termination after they found out their daughter had Downs syndrome. Xanthe was born alive. The father said they were not told and would have wanted to be with her when she died. The case was reportedly being investigated by the ombudsman, who declined to provide an update.

Then theres Adsett, a midwife who appeared for the ACL at the Queensland inquiry. Adsett says she is a conscientious objector when it comes to providing care for women aborting their babies but says she makes herself available to hold babies afterwards. She says parents do not want to see or hold them and they are sometimes born into witches hats or kidney dishes. She says she was either on shift or her colleagues told her about such occasions.

Fentiman, Queenslands health minister, says all babies born with signs of life are treated with the same dignity, respect and access to healthcare as any other person in Queensland.

Some remarks in the debate have been inflammatory, Fentiman says, and have the potential to cause hurt to parents already grieving the loss of a child.

I ask those responsible to stop and think about the hurt you are causing.
Steve Hilton is believed to be the inspiration for the herbal tea-drinking spin doctor Stewart Pearson in the BBC sitcom The Thick of It - i-images/Andrew Parsons

A former spin doctor to Lord Cameron is reportedly laying the groundwork to run as a Republican candidate for California governor.

Steve Hilton, who was Lord Camerons director of strategy in Downing Street from 2010 to 2012, is seen by local Republicans as a serious candidate to replace Gavin Newsom, according to Politico.

Mr Hilton acquired a reputation for blue-sky thinking at No 10 for proposals that provoked exasperated exchanges with Whitehall mandarins and Andy Coulson, the director of communications.

His ideas included abolishing maternity leave to boost productivity, replacing hundreds of government press officers with a handful of bloggers, and getting rid of job centres while handing out money to community groups.

While the Conservatives were in opposition, he reportedly suggested investing in a cloud-busting machine to provide Britain with more days of sunshine.

Mr Hilton (R) had a reputation at a 'blue-sky thinker' which sometimes led to exasperated exchanges with people such as the director of communications, Andy Coulson (L) - Steve Black

People close to Mr Hilton said he is now focused on tackling Californias biggest problems, including the high cost of living and education, and a lack of affordable housing.

A future platform would likely involve embracing the tech sector  Mr Hilton having worked to win over Silicon Valley billionaires who have become disillusioned with the direction of the state.

He is thinking very seriously about running for governor and he is doing it in a very organised way, said Jim Brulte, a former California Republican Party chair and lead of the state Senate. I know hes talking to a lot of the right people because I have heard from a lot of the right people that hes talking to them.

Hes focused on policy and my sense is his campaign would be a policy-driven agenda. Hes a positive and optimistic guy.

Mr Hilton, who is believed to have been the inspiration for the herbal tea-drinking spin doctor Stewart Pearson in the BBC sitcom The Thick of It, moved to the wealthy town of Atherton in California after leaving No 10.

He became a Fox News host in 2017, hosting The Next Revolution on Sunday nights until last year, and took US citizenship in 2021.

For five years Mr Hilton had his own show on Fox News

The 55-year-old, who was known for walking around Downing Street in his bare feet, raises chickens and is said to be known locally for ditching formal shirts in favour of canary-yellow henleys

Chamath Palihapitiya, a billionaire tech venture capitalist, praised Mr Hilton as a no-BS person who cuts to the heart of issues no matter how uncomfortable the truth is.

He added: I think that that could be really refreshing at the right moment in California.

If Mr Hilton did run he would be aiming to replace Gavin Newsom, the current Democrat governor of California, seen here with Nancy Pelosi - Getty Images/Tayfun Coskun

Local Republicans believe the fate of Mr Hiltons candidacy will depend on what happens in the presidential election in November.

If Donald Trump returns to the White House, they believe there will be little room for a fellow Republican such as Mr Hilton to break through.

However, if Kamala Harris becomes the USs first female president, then California voters are expected to be more receptive to an anti-establishment candidate.

Mr Hilton has been a strong supporter of Trump since his election run in 2016, while the former president is known to watch his Fox News programme and has previously posted clips of it on social media.

California has not had a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and bodybuilder, left office in 2011.
Tulsi Gabbard waves after endorsing Donald Trump at the National Guard Association conference in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday. Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, has endorsed the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in the US presidential election.

Gabbard, who served in the military in Iraq, ran for president in the Democratic primary in 2020. She quit the party two years later and has become a fixture at conservative conferences and in rightwing media.

Addressing a National Guard Association conference in Detroit, Michigan, where Trump was speaking, Gabbard said: This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.

Related: Anti-Walz slogan website used to troll Trump supporters: Lets vote for adults

This is one of the main reasons why Im committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander-in-chief. Because I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war.

Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress and is a former vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee, accused the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, of retaliating against political opponents, undermining civil liberties and weaponising Americas institutions against both Trump and herself.

We as Americans must stand together to reject this anti-freedom culture of political retaliation and abuse of power, she added.

Gabbards announcement comes a day after Robert F Kennedy Jr, scion of a Democratic dynasty, suspended his own White House bid and threw his weight behind Trump. Elon Musk, who describes himself as historically a moderate Democrat, is also backing the former president.

Democrats dismissed Gabbards endorsement. Alex Floyd, rapid response director for the Democratic National Committee, said: Donald Trumps Maga brand is so toxic that hes resorted to touting support from off-putting extremists like RFK Jr and Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard and Trump have a lot in common  they have both earned the praises of white supremacists and other extremists, celebrated the overturning of Roe v Wade and campaigned for dangerous election deniers.

Trump, who has been portraying Harris as a leftwing extremist, told the gathering on Monday: This fight is no longer between Democrats and Republicans. This is a fight between communism and freedom.

Its a very serious fight. Thats why millions of traditional Democrats, including FDR Democrats, JFK Democrats, independents and old-fashioned liberals are joining our movement. Our poll numbers are great.

Trump admitted that he had not been aware that Gabbard served as a lieutenant-colonel in the army. Shes a special person, he added. Shes got great common sense, great spirit. She loves our country and she loves the people in this room.

Recently Gabbard has been helping Trump prepare for next months televised presidential debate against Harris. In 2020 she took Harris to task on the debate stage over her record as a prosecutor  a clip that still circulates in rightwing media.

Trump, who earlier laid wreaths during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, was marking the third anniversary of a suicide bombing that killed 13 US service members during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world, he said in Detroit, seeking to blame Harris and Joe Biden for the deaths.

In her own statement marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport attack, Harris said she mourns the 13 service members who were killed. My prayers are with their families and loved ones, she added. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss.
Narinder Kaur, 54, owned an Indian restaurant and a nursing business before turning to crime in 2015

From afar Narinder Kaur, or Nina Tiara, one of her many aliases, seemed to have a normal professional life. Every morning she would leave her home near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, hop into her car and head off to work.

It was what the 54-year-old did at work that set her apart from respectable society. Behind the mundane facade, Kaur was one of Britains most prolific fraudsters, a professional criminal working 8-5, who swindled retailers in England and Wales out of half a million pounds over the course of a four-year campaign of shoplifting.

At a court hearing in July, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for what the presiding judge described as a veritable tsunami of dishonesty and deceit on a near-Olympian scale: 26 counts of fraud, money laundering and perverting the course of justice, for which she used more than 17 different aliases. In his ruling, Ian Lawrie KC added that Kaur was a thoroughly dishonest individual.

The extraordinary case came as law enforcement agencies the length of Britain are grappling with record levels of shoplifting.

This week, it was reported that many police agencies have practically stopped punishing the crime, despite offences soaring to record high levels. Earlier this week Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, vowed to end the shameful neglect of a crime she described as epidemic in our society.

Retailers and police will be relieved that one perpetrator, at least, is safely behind bars.

Gloucester Crown Court found that between 2015 and 2019, Kaur, originally from Wiltshire, defrauded major British retailers, including Debenhams, Boots and TK Maxx, on more than 1,000 occasions.

Kaur has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for 26 counts of fraud, money laundering and perverting the course of justice

Narinder Kaur undertook fraud in a long-standing and wide-ranging manner, said Giovanni DAlessandro of the Crown Prosecution Service.

It was a very lucrative full-time job which demonstrably made her over half a million pounds over this period of offending. She went to extraordinary lengths to carry out her deceptions, seeking to find a way of defrauding a retailer and then travelling all over the country to replicate the fraud.

Kaur owned an Indian restaurant in Kidderminster and a nursing business before turning to crime in 2015. One of her methods was to steal something and head to a different branch to return it. While some stores ask for proof of purchase, usually a receipt, others can be bypassed if you say the item was a gift. Another of Kaurs techniques, caught on CCTV, was to simply pick items from the shelves and then take them to the till as if they had been previously purchased  where she would typically be granted a refund.

According to the National Business Crime Centre, refund or return fraud can be one of the most difficult for merchants to track and prevent. Other tactics can include switching the price tags on items or shoplisting, where a fraudster obtains a receipt and uses it as a shopping list.

More recently, the rise of online shopping has led to an increase in wardrobing, where customers buy something, wear it for an event  a wedding or a Christmas party, say  and then return it, claiming it is as good as new. In 2023, it was estimated that returns fraud cost the UK economy 11.3 billion.

One of the tricky bits is that on the front end, staff want to be helpful, says Prof Martin Gill, a criminologist and director at Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International. As part of his work, retailers pay Gill to to test their systems, using former shoplifters to go into their shops and try to commit fraud.

Youve got your policies [on returns] but if you have a helpful member of staff and a convincing fraudster, its a recipe for circumventing any rules, he adds. Even if its not meant to be discretionary, the reality is that in practice thats not how it tends to be.

Much depends on the strength of the policy and the shoplifting measures in place. The staff will make a judgement call based on whats in front of them. These fraudsters can be damn persuasive. There are clever techniques, but a lot of it is the gift of the gab.

None more so than Kaur. Her repeat offending saw her cheat some of Britains household retail names out of tens of thousands of pounds, making as much as 2,000 a week. Prosecutors acknowledged she had beaten the system.

Her bank and card receipts showed that she received 42,853.65 in returns from Debenhams, 33,141.61 from John Lewis, 23,000 from Monsoon and 23,147 from House of Fraser. She also targeted Homesense, TK Maxx and Homebase.

Kaur frequently picked up items from shop shelves and took them to the till for a 'refund' - Jam Press

But Kaurs most lucrative target was Boots. Between July 2015 and September 2019, she claimed more than 60,787.09 in refunds from the pharmacy chain, despite only spending 5,172.73.

Kaurs crime took her up and down the country. No shop was safe. She went to Boots branches in Cheltenham, Malvern, Solihull, Droitwich, Kidderminster, Dudley and Smethwick. John Lewis outposts in Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Leicester, Southampton were hit too. She made a point of avoiding CCTV cameras.

Her ill-gotten gains paid for a 600,000 house in Worcester, a Mercedes and a holiday.

Kaur first came to the attention of Wiltshire Police in 2016, for theft. West Mercia police later became involved too. The two forces worked with National Business Crime Solution, a not-for-profit initiative which represents retailers, to bring her to justice. A joint investigation saw her arrested in August 2020, when officers found more than 1,000 suspected stolen items at her home.

Two months later, in October, she was arrested again in a branch of Dunelm in Swindon while fraudulently attempting to return items for a refund. This time, police found more than 113,000 at her home in cash and gift cards. She threatened to sue staff who stood to act as witnesses against her, leading to a further charge of witness intimidation. But while out on bail, she continued to offend, and in 2021 Kaur was arrested for a third time. A police sniffer dog found another 38,000 in cash hidden below her boiler.

Rather than confess her crimes, as the net closed around her Kaur moved on to different types of fraud. She attempted to defraud Wiltshire Council out of 7,400 by overpaying the local authority using stolen credit cards and then asking for a refund, claiming she had accidentally used too many zeros. She separately lied to a magistrates court, using fake documents to avoid a speeding conviction, and to a crown court to get more lenient bail conditions.

When her fraud trial eventually came up two years later, Kaur repeatedly refused to turn up, citing illness. The hearing at Gloucester Crown Court lasted four months, and she was eventually found guilty in March 2023  16 months before her sentencing. Summing up her offending, Judge Lawrie said Kaurs home was a treasure trove of criminal proceeds.

Steve Tristram, the fraud investigator from West Mercias economic crime unit, said Kaur was a calculated individual who committed offences across the country.

Kaur was captured on CCTV all around the country

She showed no remorse  [and] is, without doubt, the most dishonest person Ive ever dealt with in 40 years of policing, he added. Tristram said that he hoped the sentence sent a clear message that West Mercia Police will deal seriously with prolific fraudsters.

But try as they might, much of the evidence suggests this type of crime is becoming more common in the UK. Shoplifting is rife, while prosecutions are down. In its latest annual survey of retail crime, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found its members, which include more than 200 businesses, had reported 16.7 million customer thefts in the 2023-24 financial year, estimated to have cost 5 million a day.

Yet according to a report by The Times earlier this week, police issued just 431 fixed penalty notices for shoplifting, down from 19,419 a decade ago, a drop of 98 per cent. Cautions are down 87 per cent in the same period and court convictions down to 28,955 from 71,998.

Shoplifting poses a huge issue to businesses and communities across the country, and inadequate police action has given criminals a free hand to steal goods, says Graham Wynn, assistant director of regulatory affairs at the BRC. Not only has the number of thefts increased, but thieves are becoming bolder, more aggressive and frequently armed with weapons. We call on the police and the elected Police and Crime Commissioners to get tough on retail crime and ensure tackling this issue is a high priority.

As of July, Narinder Kaur, Nina Tiara and her many other identities are all safely locked up. But with such a gulf between the reported figures and the likely reality of retail fraud, you can bet that there are many others, just like her, still at large.

Look out for them in Boots or John Lewis or TK Maxx, clutching brand new high-value items.

They are terribly sorry, they dont have a receipt. It was a gift, you see.
Sam Parnia's new book challenges the academic and cultural status quo - Dan Callister

Cancer, heart disease, diabetes name most major conditions, and treatment today has changed radically from decades past. Except for one: death.

But, according to Sam Parnia, associate professor of medicine at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center, what we believe about death is fundamentally wrong. It is not the end, he says, but a reversible state.

Parnias 30 years of research into where life ends and death begins have made him a leading resurrectionist, with a fundamental desire to change how we view both. He outlines his discoveries in Lucid Dying, to be published on Thursday: a book that charts compelling evidence that reviving the dead isnt as difficult as we might think, and his research into what happens when consciousness ebbs away.

Parnia, who is British and trained at Guys and St Thomas in London, has come to see a flatline on an ECG (electrocardiogram) as meaningless. You can reverse death, and its not just a wish, its the reality, the 52 year-old says. People used to think you could never go beyond the boundaries of [flying], let alone going beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. And if you always believed that, then youd never try.

Death, he adds, is suffering from terrible PR. If we remove that social label that makes us think everything stops, and look at it objectively, its basically an injury process  one that, he believes, can be treated.

Sam Parnia's new book 'Lucid Dying' charts compelling evidence that reviving the dead isn't as difficult as we might think - getty

Research produced in the past five years has made it clear that our idea of dying is simply a social convention that does not conform with scientific realities. This new frontier of science, as Parnia terms it, feels at least a little revolutionary, fundamentally challenging one of lifes two certainties (taxes sadly seem less prone to reversal). But he remains frustrated that existing theories about death, which are either outdated and frankly wrong, or at best inadequate and inaccurate, persist given the research and tools now at our disposal.

In 2012, resuscitation rates following cardiac arrests at his hospital in New York were 33 per cent (compared to a US average of 16 per cent); he believes his team are the only ones in the world to be giving patients cocktails of drugs similar to those proven to successfully preserve pig organs following CPR, which have significantly improved survival.

Parnia, who has an eponymous research lab at NYU Langone, says brains remain salvageable for not only hours, but possibly days of time. In one case, brain cells were found to retain full function 48 hours after being removed from a persons body  in spite of the ice being used to preserve the organ melting due to a delayed DHL delivery. So thats a whole game-changer.

In recent years, such discoveries have come thick and fast. Parnia cites Yale Universitys 2019 study detailing how decapitated pig brains had been revived for up to 14 hours post-mortem as among the most compelling pieces of proof for the same being done in humans (the research was labelled Frankenstein-style the year prior to publication). Another study published by Yale in 2022 demonstrated how a modified heart and lung machine combined with a series of drugs could restore organs in pigs. It is just a matter of time before those same results transcend the pig-person barrier, Parnia thinks.

While the promise to reverse death would be compelling at any point, our current obsession with thwarting time is insatiable; there are supplements and tinctures filling health store shelves and social media feeds; and record-breaking podcasts making stars of their DNA-defying supremos. Last month, excitement ramped up anew when news of Tomorrow Bio, Europes first cryonics startup, circulated, with its deep-freeze services going for 170,000 a pop.

Founded in 2019, Tomorrow Bio is the first company to offer cryopreservation to the public so they can be reanimated in the future - Getty Images

Cryonics has yet to prove that it is capable of returning people to life (Parnia calls it wishful thinking), though the idea that cooling the body is highly protective is true. He points to the case of a British woman who developed hypothermia while hiking in Spain in 2019, whose heart stopped for six hours while rescue teams tried to locate her. Thats way past what we consider dead for humans, Parnia says. Yet after being flown to a specialist centre with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine (ECMO, which takes on the function of the heart and lungs when the body is unable to do so), she was revived. She was lucky they had [ECMO]. They did it, they didnt give up on her. If they had taken her to another place, she would have been declared dead. (In another similar case, a woman was brought back to life seven hours after being found in the cold in a park.)

Back from the dead

These are reported as exceptional cases, but Parnia says they neednt be. For the most part, CPR, which was introduced in 1959, remains our sole revival method  in spite of the fact it has a 10 per cent success rate, and many hospitals have ECMO machines. Why do it with something thats so inferior, which either doesnt work properly or it ends up bringing people back but leaves them with brain damage? Parnia rails. It doesnt make sense.

Still, it is not only the will that is holding medical professionals back from mounting a full-time resurrection mission. With hospitals overstretched  NHS waiting lists hit a record high in August, rising for the fifth consecutive month  the likelihood of departments having the resources and staff to keep at patients bedsides 24/7 feels perhaps more far flung than the idea of people returning from the dead in the first place.

But Parnia is convinced it is possible, the fact he is part-way through an intensive care shift when we speak is doing nothing to dilute his fervour. Though his fascination with the subject began in 1994, when a man he had been chatting with an hour earlier suddenly flatlined in the hospital where he was working, the pursuit has only recently begun to feel personal.

Giving up too soon?

He notes that his age and gender makes him a prime heart attack risk, so I tell everyone, look, Im going to have a cardiac arrest soon. And Im appalled at the treatment Im going to get... Its atrocious what we have to go through when [interventions] are possible, he says. If I have a heart attack and die tomorrow, why should I stay dead? Thats not necessary anymore.

Parnia doesnt believe everyone who dies needs to be brought back  someone with multiple organ failure is obviously an unsuitable candidate for life-extension. But of the many heartbreaking cases of people who die while in otherwise good health (Parnia cites a young mother stabbed to death in a Sydney mall attack earlier this year, or those killed in war), we are giving up too soon. You just need someone to go to the operating room, find where the laceration was, stitch it together, and put blood back into your body again, he says. Those who die while otherwise young, who are otherwise healthy  those people are all potentially salvageable.

To Parnia, these ideas arent ghoulish, but hopeful, astonishing and life-affirming. Just as bringing people back via CPR would have been considered the stuff of fantasy 100 years ago, I have little doubt that, in the future, people who would be declared dead today will be routinely brought back to life. He acknowledges that major shifts of this kind are unlikely to have fully taken hold by the time his own death comes, but he remains optimistic, he says. As I look forward, I am excited to think about what will be discovered.

Lucid Dying by Sam Parnia is out on August 29.
A high-profile Sydney man has been charged with six counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and one count of threatening to distribute an intimate video. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

A high-profile Sydney man accused of raping five women raped one 19-year-old woman in his home while she was undertaking an internship with him, a court has heard.

The man, whom Guardian Australia cannot name due to a suppression order, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges alleged to have occurred over a six-year period against six women on separate occasions.

The charges include six counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and one count of threatening to distribute an intimate video. It also includes one count of an act of indecency in which he allegedly rubbed his penis while propositioning a woman who was 18 at the time of the alleged offence.

The trial, which has been set down for 10 weeks, began on Tuesday. In the crowns opening argument in the Sydney Downing Centre district court, prosecutor Adrian Robertson said he would be arguing the man has a tendency to conduct himself in a particular way.

Namely, to carry out sexual conduct with usually much younger females, usually with limited warning, and little or no foreplay  with a particular state of mind, knowing they do not consent to the sexual contact with him or being reckless to it, or holding no honest belief based on reasonable grounds that they are, he said.

The 19-year-old woman cut short her planned month-long internship after the rape allegedly occurred, the court heard.

Robertson told the court the man raped another 19-year-old woman in her home. Shortly before, Robertson alleged hed grabbed her throat and spat on her face.

A year prior to that, when she was 18, she went to the mans house with another friend, during which time she alleges he was smoking ice with some women, Robertson said. That night, she says she slept in a spare bedroom of the mans house, Robertson added.

She awoke to the accused lying on top of her, he was naked and trying to engage in sexual contact with her, Robertson said. Over a period of 20 minutes he tried to convince her to have sex, during which she said no, and he then left the room.

In three of the incidents, the man had had consensual sex with the woman prior to allegedly raping them, Robertson said.

One woman, who was 19 at the time, had consensual sex with the man when she visited his home to talk about undertaking an internship with him, Robertson said.

The same woman alleges she was raped by the man a year later when she stayed in his spare bedroom, Robertson said.

Robertson said that in a text exchange in 2018 when the woman was then 22, the woman messaged the man saying you should have taken responsibility for the power imbalance between us.

She also texted him that when he allegedly raped her she told him she was in pain and wanted him to stop, Robertson said. Robertson said the man then texted back an apology and said: I wish I could take it back.

Robertson told the court that in another text exchange that year the woman told the man she had been in contact with the police about the incident, but wouldnt proceed if he went to rehab.

The mans defence counsel, David Scully SC, said the man denied any sexual contact whatsoever for one woman, who alleged he touched her bare breast with his hand leading to a charge of indecent assault.

For the five other women, who alleged the man raped them, Scully said there was sex with each and every one but not in the circumstances alleged by the crown.

Whenever [the man] had sex with any of the other complainants it was consensual, Scully said.

The complainants admired the accused, even idolised him, Scully said. That was the context in which the sex occurred but it was always consensual.

Scully said the man also denied the assault alleged by two of the women.

He also said the man recorded videos of one woman with her full knowledge but that he never threatened to distribute the videos.

The trial continues on Tuesday.
No 10 said this weeks meeting would be the PMs fifth with the German chancellor since Labour won the UK election. Photograph: BPA/Getty Images

Keir Starmer has promised to turn a corner on Brexit and rebuild productive relationships with EU member states in advance of a flying visit to Berlin for talks with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, expected to focus on defence and trade.

The prime minister said the trip was part of wider efforts to restore the broken relationships with European neighbours left by the last government.

It was, he added, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe.

Starmer, who will head on to Paris on Wednesday to see Emmanuel Macron and attend the opening of the Paris Paralympics, will also meet German business leaders and the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a stopover lasting less than 18 hours.

His attempt to renegotiate Britains European relationships is part of a broader strategy of taking controversial decisions early on in his term as prime minister and reap the rewards for them closer to the next election.

Earlier on Tuesday he gave a hint of tax rises to come in Octobers budget, warning it would be a painful fiscal statement. Last week the Guardian revealed that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was considering increasing capital gains tax and inheritance tax to help close the 22bn shortfall Labour says it inherited.

The government is also under pressure for its decision to cut winter fuel payments to 10 million pensioners, and for giving a string of high-ranking civil service jobs to Labour supporters and donors.

Starmer said on Tuesday it was all part of a move to fix the British state after what he called 14 years of rot.

The talks with Scholz are also due to focus on migration and asylum seekers, including discussions on intelligence over unofficial border crossings.

Much of the focus will be on defence and security, with the UK and Germany to begin negotiations on a bilateral treaty modelled on a 2010 deal with France signed by David Cameron, which set out a 50-year plan for defence cooperation.

No 10 said a British team was scheduled to spend six months on the treaty, with both countries wanting to sign it in early 2025.

On the issue of strengthening mutual plans to counter a more aggressive and expansionist Russia, defence cooperation is one of the EUs key priorities before Starmers government seeks to negotiate any revised post-Brexit agreement with Brussels.

Germany and France are the blocs main players in defence, with Macron in particular keen to focus defence procurement within Europe.

In comments released by No 10 before Starmer left for Berlin on Tuesday, the prime minister said his government had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.

He said: We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government. That work started at the European Political Community meeting last month, and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.

Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling the global problem of illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth across the continent and crucially in the UK  one of the key missions of my government.

Starmer saw Scholz and Macron at the European Political Community gathering at Blenheim Palace, as well as at the Nato summit in Washington. No 10 said this weeks meeting would be the PMs fifth with the German chancellor since Labour won the UK election, and his fourth with the French president.

Sources in Germany said the agreement with the UK could also partly mimic a longstanding deal Berlin has with France, which covers a series of bilateral issues, but avoids EU-centred subjects such as trade.

The Franco-German cooperation treaty singed in Aachen in 2019 also includes joint cultural and digital programmes and an expansion of an existing youth mobility programme to include young people with special needs. Last week, Downing Street explicitly ruled out joining any youth mobility schemes as part of a revised agreement with the EU.

Sourcing defence contracts in the UK may also be an option  last year the German ministry of defence signed a contract with a Dutch shipyard as one of the main contractors for naval vessels.

Sources in Germany said Scholz had already made his desire to strengthen relations with the UK known and he would want to build on this quickly particularly with anything that could help inter-country trade, damaged by Brexit.

One German source said Scholz, who faces a potentially perilous federal election next year, would be keen to exchange tips with a leftwing leader who just won a landslide victory. They are two socialists; they are also two technocrats; they will want to learn from each other, the source said.

As part of the trade-based elements of the trip, Starmer will meet Christian Bruch, the chief executive of Siemens Energy, and Armin Theodor Papperger, chief executive of Rheinmetall, Germanys largest defence company.

While brief, Starmers schedule in Germany will be packed, including a military guard and, after the talks with Scholz, a joint press conference with the chancellor.

After leaving for Paris on Wednesday, the PM was due to attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, and attend a reception alongside Macron and others at the Elysee Palace. In France he was also scheduled to meet French business leaders.
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is considering a new zero-tolerance approach to Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. She is pictured with Sir Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner - Jeff Moore/Pool via REUTERS

Labour is set to strengthen hate-crime laws watered down by the Tories over free-speech concerns in order to crack down on anti-Semitic and Islamophobic abuse.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is considering a new zero-tolerance approach to ensure that anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate falling short of criminality is recorded by police.

She is understood to be committed to reversing the Tories decision to downgrade the monitoring of non-crime hate incidents, specifically in relation to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, so they can be logged by police.

Home Office sources said incidents would only be recorded where proportionate and necessary to protect Jewish and Muslim individuals and communities from abusive and hateful comments and behaviour while also preserving the fundamental right to free speech.

Suella Braverman, as home secretary, issued new guidance last year ordering forces to stop recording the incidents just because someone was offended amid concern that freedom of expression was being curtailed.

Officers are restricted to recording only incidents motivated by intentional hostility and which pose a real risk of escalating into significant harm.

The changes followed trivial cases such as a man who ended up with a police file for whistling the theme tune to Bob the Builder at his neighbour, who perceived racial hatred.

Labour, however, believes the guidance is preventing police from monitoring tensions involving Jewish and Muslim communities that could escalate into violence and criminality.

This then prevents local agencies from providing support to the communities.

The move follows a surge in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents after the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct 7. Anti-semitic incidents hit a record of 4,103 last year, double the previous high, while Islamophobic incidents tripled to 2,010 in a similar period.

It is understood the review of how such incidents were recorded was ordered by Ms Cooper before this months riots. Some of the violence was fuelled by false rumours that the suspect behind the murder of three young girls in Southport was a Muslim.

A Home Office source said: The Home Office has committed to reverse the decision of the previous government to downgrade the monitoring of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate, at a time when rates of those incidents have increased.

It is vital that the police can capture data relating to non-crime hate incidents when it is proportionate and necessary to do so in order to help prevent serious crimes which may later occur.

We are carefully considering how best to protect individuals and communities from hate whilst also balancing the need to protect the fundamental right to free speech.

Ms Cooper signalled the new approach before the election after the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia after Oct 7. There is no place for hatred or prejudice on Britains streets, she said.

There must be zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and for the hateful vitriol that devastates lives and corrodes communities here in the UK.

Suella Braverman downgraded monitoring of non-crime hate incidents as home secretary - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Thats why Labour is calling for stronger action to tackle and monitor hate to ensure that events unfolding internationally do not increase tensions or sow the seeds of hatred here in our communities.

Any new guidance is likely to be drawn up in consultation with the College of Policing, the national standards body, with police given discretion on how to apply it. Persistent perpetrators could have their personal details logged although that would be at the discretion of police forces.

The Government adopted an international definition of anti-Semitism in 2016 under Theresa May. Although not legally binding, it is designed to help police and criminal agencies tackle it.

There is no similar definition for Islamophobia. However, Angela Rayners Housing, Communities and Local Government department is considering whether to introduce one for Islamophobia  although there is controversy over how widely it could be drawn.

Critics have suggested that some definitions of Islamophobia could curtail free speech by limiting legitimate criticism of the religion.

The move follows a wider rapid review of the Governments counter-extremism strategy ordered by Ms Cooper into how best to tackle the threat posed by extremist ideologies online and offline.
Lucy Letby was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others

The public inquiry into baby deaths at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked should be postponed until concerns arising from her conviction have been investigated, scientists and medics have said.

The Thirlwall Inquiry, which is due to begin next month, was set up to examine how Letby was able to harm babies in her care while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital, as well as look into conditions in the neonatal unit.

Since Letby was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others, several experts have questioned how the evidence was presented to the jury.

Two dozen scientists, statisticians and medics have now written to Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, and Lady Justice Thirlwall, calling for a postponement to allow for further investigation and to hear wider professional concerns.

They have also asked that the terms of reference of the inquiry be amended so that other potential reasons for the increase in baby deaths during 2015 and 2016 can be examined.

Scientists, statisticians and medics have written to Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, plus Wes Streeting and Lady Justice Thirlwall - Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing

The scientists, who include members of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), university professors and NHS staff, wrote: We are concerned that the current terms of reference may unintentionally deflect from multiple potential causes of neonatal deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital and thus miss the opportunities to draw the correct wider lessons for the NHS.

We believe that legal systems are particularly vulnerable to errors when dealing with intricate scientific evidence, especially in cases involving statistical anomalies in healthcare settings, and the complex physiology of neonates.

We believe that adjusting the inquirys scope is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the events and their implications for the NHS as a whole.

Signatories include Peter Elston, a fellow of the RSS, who has repeatedly questioned the use of data in the trial; Prof Peter Green, a former president of the RSS; Philip Dawid, an emeritus professor of statistics at the University of Cambridge; and Dr Tariq Ali, the former head of the paediatric critical care unit at Oxford University Hospitals.

No desire to relitigate

The experts said that their goal was not to relitigate the Letby case but to address systemic issues in neonatal care and hospital management, which could improve patient safety across the healthcare system.

At the weekend, The Telegraph reported how, in the years leading up to the deaths, nurses had written to the NHS trust warning of their grave concerns about unsatisfactory staffing levels on the neonatal unit, which were 30-40 per cent lower than guideline levels.

A letter signed by 12 senior nurses written in 2004 warned of continual excessive workload that is causing serious concerns about the increased risk of clinical incidents.

By 2011, eight registered nurses had left the unit, and eight unregulated nursery nurses were employed to plug the gap. By 2015, a consultant claimed that staff were in tears because they were being forced to look after more babies than they could safely accommodate.

The hospital had struggled to get rid of a dangerous bacteria that had colonised taps in the neonatal unit during the period when deaths spiked, and there was a problem with raw sewage entering the ward from poor plumbing.

The experts said that their goal was 'not to relitigate the Letby case' - EPN/Newscom/Avalon

An investigation by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health found that between 2015 and 2016, there were organisational and environmental issues with the ward and major issues with under staffing, but the report was never shown to the jury.

The Royal College review team found serious concerns with the unit, uncovering a pattern of insufficient senior cover and a reluctance to seek advice from consultants.

Reviewers warned that senior doctors should have been more available, given the vulnerable nature of the premature babies on the ward, while the number of nurses on the unit was frequently less than the recommended levels.

There was a 21 per cent shortfall in nurses between 2014 and 2015, and agency staff were often drafted in to plug the gaps.

Responding, the Government said that the terms of the inquiry had been set following wide-ranging engagement, while a spokesman for the inquiry said the hearings would follow the terms of reference set by the Health Secretary.
Lord Mandelson 'has no problem whatsoever rubbing shoulders with the 1 per cent' - Jamie Lorriman

Lord Mandelson is being lined up as the new ambassador to the United States, The Telegraph can reveal.

The Labour peer is said to have made a credible pitch for the job, which is one of the most important appointments for the Prime Minister.

Sir Keir Starmer is planning to wait until after the US election to make the decision, with Lord Mandelson as the front-runner should Kamala Harris become president, it is understood.

A Whitehall source told The Telegraph: Hes a significant figure in the party with a lot of foreign policy experience. Hes made a credible pitch for it.

Hes a person of political weight and substance. He knows power, he understands money, has no problem whatsoever rubbing shoulders with the 1 per cent.

Lord Mandelson, who held several cabinet positions during his parliamentary career, is the front runner for the job based in Washington DC, with David Miliband, the former foreign secretary, also said to be in contention.

Typically, the role is given to a career diplomat, who works with whoever the US president happens to be.

Should Donald Trump be elected again as US president in November, an ambassador could perform a vital political role requiring a specific skillset.

Sir Keirs choice will be one of the most important diplomatic decisions he makes in his first year in the job and is one that is likely to shape UK-US relations.

Dame Karen Pierce was granted an extension to her tenure as Britain's ambassador to the US because of the pandemic - Dan Callister

Dame Karen Pierce, the current British Ambassador to the United States, had been given an extension to stay in the role until early next year, after the Covid-19 pandemic affected her first years in the role.

Should Lord Mandelson get the job, he and his partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva will move into the newly refurbished British embassy located on Massachusetts Avenue.

The 95-year-old building in Washington DC, designed by the renowned Architect Edwin Lutyens, had been crumbling and in urgent need of repair, along with the seven-storey office block adjoining it.

Over the last full year it was in use, the embassy held 790 events for 15,000 people but problems with a leaking roof, creaking water pipes and outdated electric wiring forced it to close.

The bill for taxpayers rose when the pandemic halted construction works and asbestos was discovered.

The embassys prominent position, next door to the vice-presidents residence, has long been seen by the Foreign Office as essential to consolidating Britains special relationship with the US.

The British Embassy in Washington DC has undergone a five-year restoration - alamy

It features a 1966 statue of Winston Churchill, a portrait of Field Marshal Montgomery, seven guest bedrooms and offices for nearly 400 staff.

The five-year restoration was completed last year, after costs more than doubled from 55 million to 118.8 million, and the building finally opened its doors again to Dame Karen, dignitaries and officials.

The process wont start until November, the source added.

Lord Mandelson is also among a small pool of contenders, including Lord Hague, in the running to become Chancellor of Oxford University.

The life peer has held several Cabinet positions, including Secretary of State for Trade and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

It was during his time as Labours director of communications that he gained the nickname the Prince of Darkness because of his handling of the media.

Lord Mandelson declined to comment. He is understood to be concentrating on becoming Chancellor of Oxford University.
The columns included in the architect Robert Venturi's designs served no structural purpose.

A secret letter from a National Gallery donor saying that he never liked the design of the museums new columns was discovered inside one of the pillars as it was being demolished.

The late John Sainsbury, along with his two brothers Simon and Timothy, backed the construction of a 30 million wing named in honour of the family of supermarket operators in 1990.

It has now been revealed that the former Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover loathed one aspect of the design so much that he inserted a note into the structure that welcomed its eventual destruction.

The typed note, in which he says he despised the design of the false columns, was found in 2023 by demolition workers in one of two pillars placed in the foyer of Sainsbury Wing.

The columns included in the architect Robert Venturis designs served no structural purpose.

The note from 1990 congratulated the demolition workers on their decision to get rid of the false column in which the message was hidden.

Signed by the supermarket magnate and typed in block capitals on Sainsburys-headed notepaper, it said: If you have found this note you must be engaged in demolishing one of the false columns that have been placed in the foyer of the Sainsbury Wing of the national gallery.

I believe that the false columns are a mistake of the architect and that we would live to regret our accepting this detail of his design.

Let it be known that one of the donors of this building is absolutely delighted that your generation has decided to dispense with the unnecessary columns.

The typed note was found in 2023 by demolition workers in one of two pillars placed in the foyer of Sainsbury Wing

According to The Art Newspaper, it appears that Sainsbury slid the note into the structure of one of the false columns before it was complete.

The supermarket magnates wish was granted during work a year after his death in 2022, aged 94.

The Sainsbury Wing was opened in 1991 by Elizabeth II, and has been undergoing a 35 million remodelling to improve the National Gallerys facilities.

The reconstruction work welcomed by Sainsbury has been vehemently opposed by one of its architects, Denise Scott Brown.

The wife and professional partner of Mr Venturi said in 2022 that the proposed design for the wing looks like a circus clown wearing a tutu.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has also condemned the insensitive plans for the wing, which is now a grade I-listed building.

It is being redesigned by the German-born architect Annabelle Selldorf, whose plans may undo some of the crypt-like features of the original.

John Sainsbury, who along with his two brothers Simon and Timothy backed the construction of a 30 million wing - Abbie Trayler-Smith

The Twentieth Century Society said that it was strongly opposed to the proposed removal of the columns in the ground floor lobby area, seeking to preserve what Lord Sainsbury had privately disliked.

The campaigner for the preservation of mainly modernist buildings said the proposed redesign would undermine the intended drama of the carefully orchestrated entrance route.

The row over the plans is not the first controversy provoked by the wing.

The Venturi design was only chosen after Prince Charles decried the original design in 1984, branding it a monstrous carbuncle.

He uttered the famous rebuke of modern architecture at a dinner for the 150th anniversary of the RIBA held at Hampton Court Palace.

He said: Instead of designing an extension to the elegant facade of the National Gallery which complements it and continues the concept of columns and domes, it looks as if we may be presented with a kind of municipal fire station.

He continued his criticism of the design, saying: Apart from anything else, it defeats me why anyone wishing to display the early Renaissance pictures belonging to the gallery should do so in a new gallery so manifestly at odds with the whole spirit of that age of astonishing proportion.
Ellie Reeves denied reports of internal Cabinet divisions over the policy - Tayfun Salci/Zuma

Sir Keir Starmers Cabinet is not split over Rachel Reeves decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners, the Labour Party chairwoman has said.

Ellie Reeves denied reports of internal divisions over the policy and claimed Labour had been forced to take the step because of the economic mess it inherited from the Tories.

Ms Reeves, who is also a Cabinet Office minister, said Sir Keirs top team was behind the Chancellor on this and there arent splits.

At the end of July, Rachel Reeves announced that she was scrapping winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners as part of a plan to fill a 22 billion black hole which Labour claimed the Tories had left behind.

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The payment of the winter fuel allowance will no longer be universal and will instead only be given to pensioners who are already claiming means-tested benefits.

Some Labour MPs have called for a rethink amid concerns that elderly people who are just above the means-tested threshold could be plunged into fuel poverty this winter as energy bills rise.

On Sunday, the i newspaper reported that a voter backlash over the policy had sparked a Cabinet split, with at least one minister privately calling for a change in tack.

Asked whether there was a Cabinet split, Ms Reeves told Sky News on Tuesday: No. This is an incredibly tough decision, and not one that the Chancellor wanted to be taking, but its because of the economic mess that weve inherited from the previous government.

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Asked again whether the Cabinet was united on the approach taken, she said: The Cabinet are behind the Chancellor on this. This is a decision thats been taken by the Chancellor, with the support of the Cabinet. There arent splits on this.

Its a decision that no one wanted to be in the position to have to make, its not something that we wanted to do, but its something that is the responsible thing to do because of that 22 billion black hole in the countrys finances.

Ofgems announcement last week that average household energy bills will increase by 149 from October prompted fresh calls for a rethink on scrapping the payments, but the Government appears to be digging in ahead of the Chancellors first Budget on Oct 30.
Fayaz Khan 29, was described as having a 'medieval' attitude towards his girlfriend - -/-

A police officer pressured a victim of domestic violence to drop a complaint against her abusive husband three months before he stabbed her multiple times, a court heard.

Lancashire police has launched an investigation after it emerged in court that a serving officer had advised the woman to retract a formal complaint of abuse she had made against her husband, Fayaz Khan.

Khan, 69, was described as having treated his wife like a slave and having a medieval attitude towards her when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week for the December 2023 knife attack.

Four months before the incident, in August 2023, police had visited the couples address after a neighbour heard Khan shouting aggressively.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made a formal complaint against Khan at the time but later retracted it, Preston Crown Court heard.

Shameful police officer

In her sentencing remarks, Judge Heather Lloyd said the woman had been advised by a shameful police officer, who was not named in court, to drop the complaint.

She then gave a retraction statement, not saying it was not true but that she did not want to go on, Judge Lloyd added.

That December, Khan, who had historic convictions for violence and drug possession, launched at his wife with a knife inside the family home and repeatedly stabbed her.

The court was told that the intervention of Khans son and the thickness of the womans clothing was all that prevented her from being seriously injured.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, responsible for complaints against police forces, said it had not received a referral from Lancashire police.

Clive Grunshaw, police and crime commissioner for Lancashire, said the force needed to ensure victims have confidence that officers will take any report seriously.

Those who are a victim of domestic abuse should be able to feel confident in reporting to the police, and have confidence that officers will take any report seriously, he said.

As commissioner I am committed to improving victim services, supporting and building trust for victims to come forward and receive the service they need and deserve.

Khan was in his 30s when he first married the woman, who was then aged just 17, in Pakistan without having previously met her.

Judge Lloyd told the court the woman had lived in Britain for 25 years but did not speak English fluently and was rarely allowed out of the home by Khan.

He was sentenced on Aug 19 to 15 years imprisonment for attempted grievous bodily harm, 10 of which will be served in custody.

Khan will also serve concurrent sentences for controlling and coercive behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon in private, actual bodily harm and intimidation of a witness or juror.

A spokesman for Lancashire police said: This is being reviewed by our professional standards department; therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.
The problems have been worsened by a surge in arrests over the Bank Holiday weekend, including 330 at the Notting Hill Carnival - Tim Anderson/PA

The number of spare prison places in male jails fell below 100 on Tuesday, the lowest figure on record.

There are just 83 spaces left in male jails, making it the closest the prison service has come to running out of space, although Ministry of Justice (MoJ) officials are hoping that they will not have to introduce further emergency measures.

The MoJ has already activated Operation Early Dawn, under which defendants are kept in police cells until prison spaces become available.

The problems have been worsened by a surge in arrests over the Bank Holiday weekend at festivals and events including Notting Hill Carnival in west London.

Sources suggested MoJ officials are confident they will manage without having to activate further emergency measures, known as Operation Brinker.

Operation Brinker is a contingency plan, never before used, under which police forces would be required to hold suspects in their cells for longer than under the current Operation Early Dawn  potentially overnight and even beyond 24 hours  before they can be sent to court.

It is only triggered when the prison service is so close to running out of places that officials do not believe it has sufficient space to take all those being held in police custody. The overall prison population hit a record high of 88,945 on Tuesday, with an occupancy rate of 99.9 per cent.

One-in, one-out system

Operation Brinker would mean operating a one-in, one-out system, where the prison service would say it only had a set number of places each day. Suspects would have to be driven around the country in secure vans to find a free cell, with officials monitoring national data on capacity to ensure every space is being used.

Police fear that if Operation Brinker is introduced it could limit their ability to arrest suspects as they run out of police cells backed up with people who should be in jail.

The beginning of the week is traditionally the peak time for prison places to be filled. It is understood that the number being released from prison has yet to catch up with the number of people arrested over the weekend including the 330 as violence broke out at the Notting Hill Carnival.

They are currently being held in custody for offences including assault, possession of guns, knives or drugs, theft, drug dealing and sex crimes. Officials believe some of those arrested will be released on bail rather than remanded, freeing up spaces.

Thats disgraceful

Sir Keir Starmer used his Downing Street speech on Tuesday to say the Government had to undertake daily checks on the number of prison places to make sure we could arrest, charge and prosecute people quickly during the recent riots.

Thats disgraceful, he said. No prime minister should ever be in that position when trying to deal with disorder. Thats what we inherited. Thats what we will fix.

Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, has introduced an early release scheme from Sept 10 that will see thousands freed 40 per cent of the way through their sentence, rather than halfway.

It is expected to reduce the prison population by some 5,500, giving the Government time for a major review of sentencing and bringing more prisons online.

A prison service source said: It is touch and go whether we can reach Sept 10, but we believe we are out of the woods for another week. There will be enough people bailed and released for the rest of the week to mean there should be enough spaces.

An MoJ spokesman said: The new Government inherited a justice system in crisis and has been forced into taking difficult but necessary action to ensure we can keep locking up dangerous criminals and protect the public.
The Victorian government will also grant local councils and owners corporations powers to ban or limit short-stay accommodation. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

The Victorian government will grant local councils new powers to limit short-stay accommodation as it moves to introduce a 7.5% levy on properties listed on platforms like Airbnb and Stayz.

The Allan government will on Tuesday introduce legislation for its nation-first levy  which some have dubbed the Airbnb tax  that will begin on 1 January 2025. Properties that are the owners primary residence will be exempt from the short-stay levy, as well as hotels, motels and caravan parks.

The government will also grant local councils and owners corporations powers to ban or limit short-stay accommodation.

Related: Melbourne mayor backs converting offices into apartments in bid to boost housing supply

The treasurer, Tim Pallas, said the reform would help in getting the balance right in Victorias mix of housing.

It is important we recognise and give a signal to the market that our priority is to get people into homes and long-term, secure rental accommodation is important, he said.

But Pallas could not say how many of Victorias short-stay properties  which number at almost 50,000  would transition to permanent rentals.

The legislation will apply a 7.5% levy on revenue for short-stay accommodation booked on platforms like Airbnb and Stayz. It will apply to stays of less than 28 days, but will not apply for bookings made before 1 January.

The Melbourne city council last year voted in-principle for new regulations on short-stay rental accommodation, including a days-per-year cap and an annual registration fee by February. But the reform was paused after the Victorian government revealed its plans to implement a state-wide levy on short-term accommodation in its housing statement.

At the time, the government said it was expected to raise about $70m a year, with the additional revenue to fund social and affordable housing.

But Pallas on Tuesday said the carve-out for owner-occupied properties meant the revenue figure had been revised to about $60m a year.

The government has committed to 25% of the funds being invested in regional Victoria.

A Victorian government spokesperson said the bill did not provide councils with the power to ban short stay accommodation and changes to their planning schemes would require approval from the planning minister.

The Greens secured the additional council and owners corporations reforms as part of negotiations with the government over the legislation.

In a letter to the Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, viewed by Guardian Australian, Pallas said the levy would mean owners corporations would be able to prohibit short-stay accommodation within its strata scheme, and from early 2025 local governments could regulate short stays.

The regulations could include requiring a permit or limiting the number of nights a property can be rented as a short stay.

Airbnb last year urged the Victorian government to exclude private room bookings and other budget accommodation from its levy and cautioned other states from immediately following suit. Airbnb previously pushed for a 3-5% tax on all accommodation providers.

Michael Crosby, head of public policy at Airbnb Australia and New Zealand, said the government had contradicted its clear pledge to create one simple framework for the short-stay accommodation sector.

Airbnb has long advocated for a small levy, paid for by the guest at the time of booking, that goes into affordable housing. We need to build more houses and this is a way to raise much-needed funds to do that.

However 7.5% is too high and will jeopardise the ability for Victoria to attract tourists to areas lacking traditional accommodation, and penalise families looking to travel as cost-of-living pressures continue to bite.

Crosby said Airbnb supported a statewide framework and not a council-by-council approach.

This will undermine the economic benefits that flow from short-term rentals, with Airbnb contributing billions to the Victorian economy and helping support tens of thousands of jobs, he said.

Eacham Curry, senior director for government and corporate affairs at Stayz, said the governments announcement was a departure from what it previously proposed, citing the exemption for primary places of residence and stronger powers for councils and owners corporations.

These changes will undermine the original purpose of the levy; to raise money for social housing initiatives, and risks creating bureaucratic complexity that will drive away tourism dollars, Curry said.

Stayz has always advocated for the STRA [short-term rental accommodation] sector to make a contribution that recognises the impact that it has on the provision of services by state and local governments. Any levy should be set at a sensible level and applied to all short-term accommodation providers.

Curry said short-term rental accommodation was not the cause or the solution to the current pressures on housing.

We would encourage government to avoid additional or increased day or night caps, limits on guest numbers, or day fees. None of these approaches address current concerns around housing and could risk the value STRA brings to local communities and their economies.
Spanish villagers stage protests on zebra crossings - A/NPZ/SM

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Protesters have refused to leave three zebra crossings in a Spanish village to block tourists from visiting its beach.

About 80 pedestrians in Hio, Galicia, repeatedly crossed the road on Sunday afternoon, causing long tailbacks.

Villagers are unhappy about the traffic congestion caused by an influx of beachgoers in the summer months.

This is not tourist phobia  its about locals right to live in peace, said Mercedes Villar, the leader of the Hio residents association behind the protest.

The co-ordinated roadblocks at three zebra crossings lasted around 20 minutes and caused several drivers to turn around and seek alternative routes.

Ms Villar said villagers had unsuccessfully demanded action from the local authorities to reduce traffic. They also want to prevent the overuse of beaches, which she said were becoming degraded.

Hio, on the Morrazo peninsula, is known for its wild beaches and attracts visitors from across Spain. Frustration among Galicians over their presence has given rise to an increased use of the nickname fodechinchos  applied to brash or rude tourists, typically from Madrid.

The word, which regularly trends on social media, originally refers to tourists who stole the catch from local fishermen.

But now, according to Anton Losada, a Galician writer and journalist, it covers visitors who ignore warnings of dangerous rip tides or dont like to hear us speaking our Galician language.

The owners of a popular bar-restaurant in Mera, Galicia, announced that they were closing in the busiest week of the year between Aug 12 and 19 to avoid the stress and strain caused by rude Spanish tourists.

On reopening last week, the Puerto Martina bar put up a sign saying: You are now entering a fodechincho-free zone.

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Elsewhere in Spain, there have been large protests against the impact of mass tourism in the Canary and Balearic islands and Barcelona this year. Common complaints have included the saturation of beaches and services by mainly foreign visitors.

Foreigners make up around 30 per cent of the total annual visitors to Galicia. Many of these are drawn to the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela as opposed to the regions beaches, which are more popular with Spanish visitors.
James Cutfield, the captain of the Bayesian, faces an investigation by prosecutors

The captain of the Bayesian has declined to answer prosecutors questions as they investigate what caused the 30 million vessel to capsize and sink off the coast of Sicily.

James Cutfield, 50, an experienced skipper who is originally from New Zealand, exercised his legal right not to answer prosecutors questions when they met on Tuesday at the four-star hotel where he has been staying with other survivors since last Monday, when the superyacht sank in a violent storm off the fishing town of Porticello.

It was the first time prosecutors had tried to question him since he was informed that he is under investigation for multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck.

No charges have been laid and the fact that he is under investigation does not imply any culpability, prosecutors have stressed.

The victims of the Bayesian sinking: Top L-R: Mike Lynch, Hannah Lynch, Judy Bloomer, Jonathan Bloomer. Bottom L-R: Chris Morvillo, Neda Morvillo, Recaldo Thomas - PA/GETTY

Aldo Mordiglia, one of his two lawyers, told The Telegraph that there were two reasons for the skippers decision not to respond to questions. He is understandably exhausted. In addition, we were only appointed as his lawyers on Monday and we need to gather information, which we do not have yet, in order to prepare the defence.

The Bayesian sank in the early hours of last Monday when it was hit by an extreme and highly localised weather phenomenon known as a downburst, half a mile off the coast.

One of the key questions prosecutors are addressing is how all but one of the crew survived the disaster whereas six passengers died: Mike Lynch, the multimillionaire tech tycoon; Hannah, his 18-year-old daughter who was looking forward to taking up a place at the University of Oxford this autumn; Recaldo Thomas, the ships chef; Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International; Judy, his wife; Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance; and Neda, his wife.

The body of the chef was found floating in the water on the day the yacht went down, whereas the other bodies were found in subsequent days by specialist divers in two cabins inside the yacht.

Investigators want to establish what measures the crew took to raise the alarm and why the six passengers did not leave their cabins and escape to the deck in time.

They are also scrutinising whether any hatches were open despite the forecast of approaching storms, and whether the keel was partially raised, which would have rendered the luxury much less stable.

Italian coastguard divers and an underwater robot known as a ROV, or Remotely Operated Vehicle, carried out an extensive inspection of the sunken yacht on Tuesday amid concerns about the 18,000 litres of petrol and oil still in its tanks.

The Bayesian sank after being hit by a violent storm off the coast of Sicily last Monday - ANSA

They collected samples of sea water, which showed that so far there has been no contamination from the yacht, which lies at a depth of 165ft, the coastguard said.

A former captain of the Bayesian, Stephen Edwards, issued a long statement in which he said the superyacht was sound and seaworthy by design, and to my knowledge well maintained as such.

However, heeling her to more than around 45 degrees while in normal operational state could result in flooding and subsequent loss if the flooding could not be controlled.

He said the tornado-like downburst appeared to have struck the vessel out of nowhere, making it hard to react to.

The weather conditions that could have created these extreme circumstances can indeed occur with very little warning and being so localised are difficult to prepare for, leaving a very short time for the crew to react, Mr Edwards wrote.

How the vessel came to be taken outside her operation limits is what the investigators will need to determine, which Im sure they will.

Prosecutors are preparing to place under investigation more crew members of the superyacht, including two Britons.

They are looking to broaden their inquiries and to place under investigation Tijs Koopmans, 33, the Dutch first officer, and two British crew members, named as Tim Parker-Eaton and Matthew Griffith, according to Italian press reports.

Mr Parker-Eaton, from Clophill, Bedfordshire, was the ships engineer, while Mr Griffith is reported to have been keeping watch on deck.

Data from the superyacht show that it was hit by a violent storm at 3.50am last Monday and sank 16 minutes later, at 4.06am. But it was not until 4.34am that the crew fired a red flare from their life raft to raise the alarm.

Post-mortem examinations on the seven victims are expected to be carried out this week at an institute of forensic medicine in nearby Palermo, Italy.

Prosecutors said that they want the wreck of the yacht to be raised from the seabed as soon as possible, as part of their investigation into how the disaster unfolded.
Tom Tugendhat said fighting illegal migration was the "moral thing to do" - JULIAN SIMMONDS

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has called for the military to be involved in tackling illegal migration in the way the Royal Navy helped stop slavery.

The former security minister said the UKs national security demands the same level of commitment the Royal Navy showed in the fight against slavery almost 200 years ago  which cost the equivalent of around 50 billion a year.

He said it is not wrong or nasty to be against illegal migration and tackling human trafficking gangs was the moral thing to do.

A recording of Mr Tugendhats speech, delivered at Kensington, Bayswater, Chelsea and Fulham Conservatives association on August 14, was obtained by The Times.

The newspaper reported that he told Tory members: Our national security today demands the same level of commitment the Royal Navys West Africa Squadron showed in the fight against slavery almost 200 years ago.

The tools have changed but the focus remains - human trafficking is evil and we must be serious and invest in long-term commitments, not Labours short-term sticking plasters.

He added: The UK must show the same determination and commitment to fighting this evil trade as we did in fighting slavery.

We need to see our military engaged in fighting this threat.

He said funding the effort to fight slavery through the West Africa Squadron had cost the country 2 per cent of GDP and added: Im afraid it again looks like we might need to return to that.

Allies told The Times he was referring to the kind of determination that is needed rather than drawing a direct comparison with how much needs to be spent.

Migrants arrive in Dover earlier this month - PA

Mr Tugendhat said: Ive had enough of this idea that its somehow wrong or nasty to be against illegal migration.

Ill tell you whats wrong and nasty: tolerating deaths in the Channel because of illegal migration; tolerating thousands of deaths in the Mediterranean; tolerating tens, even possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Sahara, and in many other places.

Thats whats wrong and nasty, and thats why Im going to stop it. The moral thing to do is to stop the illegal trade in human beings.

Mr Tugendhats rivals for the Tory leadership are former business secretary Kemi Badenoch, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, former foreign secretary James Cleverly, former home secretary Priti Patel and former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride.

A series of votes when the Commons returns from its summer recess next week will see the field reduced to four, who will make their case to Tory activists at the partys conference at the end of September.

Further votes by MPs will result in a final pair, with the Tory membership electing the replacement for Rishi Sunak who will be announced on November 2.

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Emergency crews at the Delta maintenance facility at the Hartsfield-Jackson international airport on Tuesday in Atlanta. Photograph: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP

A tire blowout on a Delta Air Lines jet during maintenance at the Atlanta airport on Tuesday killed two employees and seriously injured a third, authorities in Georgia said.

The two deaths occurred early in the morning in a hangar at the Hartsfield-Jackson international airport as the workers changed the tire, Delta said in a statement.

Atlanta police department Maj Kelley Collier told reporters that emergency crews responded to a call about a tire explosion at the airports technical operations maintenance facility at about 5am.

The identities of the dead workers were not immediately disclosed. The third Delta employee was taken to hospital with major injuries, but the workers condition on Tuesday afternoon was not known.

According to flight records, the three were working on a Boeing 757 jet that arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Delta was cooperating with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened, the company said in a statement.

The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning. We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time, it said.

The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site.

The mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, tweeted his sympathy. I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees, he wrote. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), a union that says it represents more than 100,000 airline workers across the US, said the groups members also wanted a full inquiry into Tuesdays deaths.

IAM stands in solidarity with the community of Atlanta and expresses our deepest condolences to the victims families following the tragic incident that occurred this morning, it said in a statement.

As a union dedicated to the well-being and safety of our members and the broader community, we will offer our resources to all those impacted by this tragic event.

We stand in unity with Delta workers during this difficult time and we call on Delta and the relevant authorities to quickly launch a thorough investigation into how this happened.

A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of the Delta workers deaths and was in contact with the airline. Flights in and out of the Hartsfield-Jackson airport were unaffected, airport officials said.
What did you miss?

Victoria Coren Mitchell admitted Only Connect viewers would be "rowing for weeks" after Monday's episode.

Four Opinions - made up of Jacob Epstein, Rafi Dover and Aron Carr - took on the Bean Farmers - Furo Cookey, Pippa Woolley and David Todd - on the unique and notoriously difficult BBC quiz show where knowledge only gets you so far. Only Connect viewers were surprised when Mitchell gave the points to Four Opinions when the team's reasoning behind the answer was wrong.

Later, Mitchell evened it out as she admitted she had been "lenient" earlier on so she gave out two points to the Bean Farmers when they didn't get the "absolutely perfect answer". However, viewers at home were not impressed with the "generous" point scoring.

Read more: Only Connect viewers 'screaming' at the TV over question

What, how and why?

Four Opinions' gamble paid off. (BBC screengrab) (BBC screengrab)

Cheeky Mitchell knew giving out points to the Four Opinions was going to divide viewers at home. She quipped: "I'm going to take your answer and we can all enjoy rowing about it for weeks afterwards. For quite the wrong reasons, you can have the points."

Four Opinions had decided "let's gamble" when discussing amongst themselves before the rest of the sequence had appeared on the screen. So far, the team had been presented with Bank of England monetary policy committee meetings and 30-day months.

Dover buzzed them in and said: "Months without 30 days." Their guess paid off with the team banking three points.

Mitchell said: "I think I'm going to take your answer... Even though, I don't think you know why. What do you think the sequence is?"

Dover responded: "We think it's four times a year, five times a year, six times a year, seven times a year,"

"Have a look at the whole sequence," Mitchell said. The sequence was in fact eight, four, two, one times a year. Bank of England monetary policy committee meetings happen eight times a year. 30-day months is four times a year. Number plates change in the UK twice a year.

"We need something that happens once a year," Mitchell said in revealing the answer. She added: "You are wrong about the sequence but luckily for you months without 30 days happen once a year. Months with 31 days still have 30 days. There is a riddle based on exactly this. How many months of the year have 28 days? Twelve, and some have more."

The Bean Farmers then also didn't get the 'perfect' answer. (BBC screengrab) (BBC screengrab)

Later, Mitchell returned the favour to the Bean Farmers as she gave them two points when they hadn't quite grasped the sequence. Woolley buzzed the team in to say the connection was "Mars". The sequence was: 1st rising, Blonde 2nd, The day the 3rd stood still. "Mars bar," she said.

The quiz show host said she would accept the answer because she had been "lenient" earlier on. She admitted: "I will take it. I was a little bit lenient earlier with your opponents when they didn't really know why about the months. So I'm going to give you this even though it's not absolutely perfect answer."

Woolley explained: "Planets of the solar system, we need something from mars."

Mitchell agreed but she shared what was missing from the answer. She said: "Exactly. Moving away from the sun. I'd have liked to have heard a film title. The other are all films."

What did Only Connect viewers think?

Only Connect sparked some fury from viewers at home. (BBC) (BBC/Parasol Media Limited/Rory Lindsay)

Social media was awash with fans complaining about the "over-generous" awarding of points in the sequence round. Leading the troops, one viewer noted: "The most ridiculously over-generous awarding of points in the history of #onlyconnect."

Another person wrote: "Should never of accepted that answer #OnlyConnect."

Someone else wrote: "Getting the answer completely wrong but getting the point. Only on #OnlyConnect."

Another wrote: "Let the rowing commence. #onlyconnect."

Someone else said: "2 excellent teams #OnlyConnect, really loved 'Four Opinions' & their chat; however, can I point out that 11 months actually have 30 days?"

Some fumed: "May as well press after 1 clue in sequence round, make something up and the points are yours!!! shamble of an answer tonight #onlyconnect."

Another said: "I thought the point of this was to figure out the connections? Which they didn't. #OnlyConnect."

Someone else said: "I don't want to get bogged down in #onlyconnect controversy but didn't one of the teams just get points for getting an answer wrong?"

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/only-connect-row-lenient-point-scoring-092943094.html
One of Britains most famous Paralympians had to crawl off a train at London Kings Cross station because no-one was there to help her, she said.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson travelled on a train from Leeds to London Kings Cross on Monday evening but arrived at 10pm to find no-one there to help and said she was left waiting for 16 minutes.

Baroness Grey-Thompson, who has spina bifida, was a wheelchair racer and competed in five Games between 1988 and 2004. She claimed 11 gold medals, plus four silvers and a bronze, and was created a life peer in 2010.

She told BBC Radio 4s Today programme she missed her 7.15pm train and got on the 7.45pm service, but when she arrived at Kings Cross no-one was there to meet her.

At 22.17 (train got in at 22.02) I decided to crawl off. Had to move all my stuff onto the platform. Member of cleaning staff offered to help. Theyre not insured.  Tanni Grey-Thompson (@Tanni_GT) August 26, 2024

I waited five minutes before I put anything on social media, because thats youre meant to leave sort of five minutes, she added.

But after 16 minutes of sitting at Kings Cross, no-one in sight  there were a couple of cleaners, but theyre not insured or able to help me off  I decided that Id crawl off the train.

So Im going to Paris later today, Ive got a few bags, had to chuck them on the platform, get out of my chair, sit on the floor right by the door, which is not particularly pleasant, and then crawl off.

She added: There was no-one around. I mean, I was pretty angry last night.

Tanni Grey-Thompson won 11 gold medals, four silvers and a bronze during her glittering Paralympics career (Gareth Copley/PA)

Baroness Grey-Thompson said: Disabled people have a legal right to turn up and go. So I had booked assistance, but I hadnt made that train, so, legally, I am allowed to turn up and ask to get on a train.

So my view is, once somebody has put me on a train, I have a contract, which means somebody should meet me at the other end.

The booking system is not particularly fit for purpose. Every train company does things slightly differently.

You know, we were meant to have level boarding in the UK January 1st 2020, under the Disability Discrimination Act, every single government has kicked the can down the road.

Well Ive just crawled off @lner  Tanni Grey-Thompson (@Tanni_GT) August 26, 2024

It is now going to be 100 years before we have level boarding and I can get on a train without the permission or support of a non-disabled person.

So Im still quite angry this morning. I thought I was over it, but Im not, because I can still just about get off the train if I have to.

There are loads of people who cant, and it was only the train manager on the 11 oclock train going north saw me getting off the train that somebody came along. If they hadnt have seen that, I dont know whether I would have got off. I would have had to have pulled the emergency cord and then delayed the train going north.

@LNER who do I need to call to get off this train !!! It got to KGX 10 mins ago !!!!!  Tanni Grey-Thompson (@Tanni_GT) August 26, 2024

She said she had a call from a senior member of LNER on Monday night and they had also been in touch on Tuesday morning to say an investigation has started.

Asked why the Disability Discrimination Act has been kicked down the road, she said: Some of its cost, some of it is when trains are being procured level boarding is not in the contract, there are some companies who build trains who dont really want to build level boarding, so make them much more expensive. And it all just gets accepted and we get forgotten about.

And there are some, you know, brighter sort of sparks  Liverpool have a closed loop, they have level boarding. Some of the Greater Anglia trains have level boarding. But its an old network, I accept it. Its not cheap or easy to do, but at what point is the Government, any government, going to step in and say OK, we need to make a change.

My sincere apologies for this Tanni. Something has clearly gone wrong here and weve let you down. Well investigate what went wrong and share the details.  David Horne (@DavidHorne) August 27, 2024

LNER managing director David Horne wrote on X, formerly Twitter: My sincere apologies for this, Tanni.

Something has clearly gone wrong here and weve let you down.

Well investigate what went wrong and share the details.

An LNER spokesman said: We are sorry to understand there has been an issue at London Kings Cross station on Monday evening.

We are in the process of investigating this and are in contact with the customer directly.

Legislation on the accessibility of mainline trains dates back to 1998.

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 meant all trains were required to be accessible by 2020, but many carriages still do not comply with the rules.

Alison Kerry, head of communications at disability equality charity Scope, said: This is a sad reminder that far too often disabled people get treated like second-class citizens.

On the eve of the Paralympics it highlights how much further we need to go; it shouldnt be this difficult for a wheelchair user to use public transport.

For the Paralympics to have a legacy beyond sport, everyone needs to improve their understanding and attitudes towards disability.

The Department for Transport has been approached for comment.
Sir Keir Starmer says the UK has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe as he heads for two days of meetings in Berlin and Paris.

The Prime Minister is expected to say on the trip that we must turn a corner on Brexit and will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin to launch negotiations on a new treaty aiming to boost business and increase joint action on illegal migration.

It is expected the Prime Minister will tell Mr Scholz that he is focused on making sure the UK moves past Brexit and rebuilds relationships with European partners.

After Germany, Sir Keir is then expected to travel to Paris for the Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, before a breakfast meeting with French business leaders on Thursday morning, and a summit with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.

It is expected Sir Keir will say: We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.

We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government. That work started at the European Political Community (EPC) meeting last month and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.

Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling the global problem of illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth across the continent and crucially in the UK  one of the key missions of my government.

The UKs negotiation team will spend the next six months working on the treaty with Germany, aiming to agree a partnership by early 2025.

Sir Keir and Mr Scholz are also expected to discuss joint action to tackle illegal migration, including further intelligence sharing to intercept and shut down organised immigration crime rings.

The Prime Minister will also reiterate his personal condolences to the German people following the attack in Solingen on Friday, where three people died.

While he is in Berlin, the Prime Minister is also expected to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the chief executive of Siemens Energy, Dr Christian Bruch.

In Paris, the Prime Ministers breakfast meeting is expected to include representatives from companies including Thales and Sanofi, and Sir Keir will then meet Paralympians preparing for their competitions before meeting the French President at the Elysee Palace.

Last month at the EPC summit held at Blenheim Palace, Sir Keir said the UK would be a friend and a partner ready to work with Europe, and that we can only make progress on the issues that so many people care about, like illegal migration and national security, if we have the maturity and leadership to reach out a hand to our European friends.
The public have been warned not to approach a suspect wanted for the murder of a 53-year-old man in north London.

Kamar Williams, 33, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, is believed to be connected to the murder of Derek Neil Thomas on Tuesday July 30.

Mr Thomas, who lived in Stoke Newington, was pronounced dead after he was found with stab wounds.

A post-mortem examination revealed that he died from a stab wound to the chest.

The Metropolitan Police said officers are looking for Williams in connection to the murder and released a photograph of him.

They warned members of the public to avoid him if they see him, and to call 999 immediately.

Any information can be shared by calling the incident room on 0208 345 3715 quoting Operation Brooktunnel.

A 30-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of assisting an offender and remains in custody, the Met said.
Retail sales fell for the third consecutive month in August although the rate of the downturn eased back, according to the latest data.

The Confederation of British Industrys (CBI) latest Distributive Trades Survey pointed to continued weakness in the retail sector.

The survey question deducts the number of firms saying they reported a decline in sales from the number reporting growth for the period.

On Tuesday, the latest reports headline retail sales balance hit -27% for the month, as significantly more retailers witnessed a dip in sales.

Retail sales volumes continued to disappoint in the year to August. Firms reported increased caution regarding their investment and hiring plans, which seemed to reflect concerns about persistently weak demand conditions Check out the headline results  https://t.co/oikgBjpJmy  Martin Sartorius (@SartoriusMartin) August 27, 2024

However, it represented an improvement, following a balance of -43% in July.

Retailers told the industry body they still expect overall decline in September, but indicated the rate of decline will slow down further.

Firms surveyed said that sales for the time of year were poor in August, with sales volumes likely to remain depressed next month.

As a result, retailers expect to reduce investment in the next 12 months.

Employment in the retail sector also declined for the eighth consecutive quarterly survey, with a balance of -25% showing that more firms are cutting staff numbers rather than taking on extra employees.

Martin Sartorius, principal economist at the CBI, said: Retail sales volumes continued to disappoint in the year to August, with contractions also being seen in the wholesale and motor trade sectors.

Retailers reported increased caution regarding their investment and hiring plans, which seemed to reflect concerns about persistently weak demand conditions.

Although households seem to still be feeling the pinch from the cost-of-living crisis, firms should gradually begin to see some tailwinds from consumers rising real incomes.
More than three out of 10 young drivers have taken photographs or recorded video footage while they are behind the wheel, a new survey suggests.

Some 31% of UK motorists aged 18-26 admitted to the behaviour in a poll commissioned by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.

More than half (57%) said they subsequently uploaded the content to social media.

The survey also indicated that 41% of young drivers have got behind the wheel while tired, 16% have sent a text message while driving, and the same percentage have driven in excess of 90mph.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show a fifth of drivers crash within one year of passing their test.

Some 4,311 car drivers under the age of 25 were involved in crashes on Britains roads in which at least one person was killed or seriously injured in 2022.

IAM RoadSmart believes its research demonstrates the need for graduated driving licensing to be introduced in the UK.

This would place restrictions on drivers for a set period after they pass their test, such as preventing them from carrying passengers of a similar age.

Graduated driving licences are used in several countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and Sweden.

The DfT announced in July 2019 that it was considering introducing them in England.

But the assessment was halted in autumn 2020, partly due to the potential impact on young peoples employment.

IAM RoadSmart policy and standards director Nicholas Lyes said: Young people can often feel invincible behind the wheel, but the Government statistics paint a different picture.

Meanwhile, our research reveals some worrying habits, like speeding and using phones behind the wheel, all of which can have devastating consequences.

This shows the Government needs to consider a statutory minimum period of learning to allow new drivers to gain confidence, experience and skills.

There is also an appetite for younger drivers to take additional driving courses, but, given the costs they face, we believe there must be some financial reward for doing so through lower insurance premium costs or taxation.

A DfT spokesperson said: The safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government.

Through our longstanding Think! campaign we are encouraging behaviour change in order to tackle dangerous driving.

We are committed to delivering a new road safety strategy  the first in over a decade.

We will set out next steps on this in due course.

 The survey of 1,000 young drivers was carried out by research company OnePoll between August 9 and 13.
An escaped water buffalo on the lam from police in the Des Moines suburb of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, on Saturday.

An "aggressive" water buffalo escaped from its owner in Iowa over the weekend and remained on the loose Tuesday, with police urging residents in and around Des Moines to keep their eyes peeled and steer clear of the creature.

Police in Pleasant Hill issued a statement Monday with the words "do not approach it" written twice in all capital letters to describe the beast, which might have been injured when officers fired a shot at it.

"The owner informed us the animal is aggressive," the statement said.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has launched a drone to search for the animal, along with ATVs, along bicycle trails near Little Fourmile Creek, police said.

"The safety of the Pleasant Hill community is our top priority," police said. "With a dangerous animal loose in our community, we are using all resources available to keep our community safe and attempt to return the animal to its owner, if possible."

Pleasant Hill resident Martin Pontier, 34, said the animal appeared calm as it strolled through his backyard Saturday.

"Yeah, he was just walking. He'd look up and take a look at us and see what was going on," Pontier said Tuesday. "He was never running around or anything."

There was no damage to his home, and Pontier's 4-year-old son, Rian, was left with fun stories to tell his preschool classmates.

"I've learned more about Asian water buffaloes in the last 72 hours than I ever cared to know about them," Pontier said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  An Army private who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.

Travis Kings attorney, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told The Associated Press that King intends to admit guilt to a total of five military offenses, including desertion and assaulting an officer. Nine other offenses, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be withdrawn and dismissed under the terms of the deal.

King will be given an opportunity at a Sept. 20 hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, to discuss his actions and explain what he did.

He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did, Rosenblatt said.

In a separate statement, he added, Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations.

He declined to comment on a possible sentence that his client might face. Desertion is a serious charge and can result in imprisonment.

The AP reported last month that the two sides were in plea talks.

King bolted across the heavily fortified border from South Korea in July 2023, and became the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years.

His run into North Korea came soon after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on assault charges.

About a week after his release from the prison, military officers took him to the airport so he could return to Fort Bliss to face disciplinary action. He was escorted as far as customs, but instead of getting on the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.

He was detained by North Korea, but after about two months, Pyongyang abruptly announced that it would expel him. On Sept. 28, he was flown to back to Texas, and has been in custody there.

The U.S. military in October filed a series of charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, as well as kicking and punching other officers, unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. Those allegations date back to July 10, the same day he was released from the prison.
A Massachusetts man who had been missing for more than a week is believed to have been found dead underneath a home at the same resort in South Carolina where he was vacationing with his family, according to authorities.

Stanley Kotowski, 60, vanished Aug. 16 after he left the vacation rental property at Hilton Head Island where the family was staying. Law enforcement officers in Beaufort County, which includes the island, spent days searching the area for Kotowski, who was believed to be having a mental health crisis.

That search came to an end Monday when sheriff's deputies called to a home for suspicious activity found the body of a man underneath the property, the agency said in an update on Facebook. The body was believed to be Kotowski's, according to the sheriff's office.

Missing hiker found dead: Remains found in Washington believed to be missing Oregon hiker

Stanley Kotowski left vacation rental with no shoes, phone

Kotowski and his family, who are from Methuen, about 30 miles north of Boston, were vacationing at Hilton Head Island when he disappeared.

Kotowski was last seen on the morning of Aug. 16 leaving his familys rental at the Sea Pines Resort. When Kotowski left, he was shoeless and without his phone and wallet, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Breaking news in your inbox every morning: Sign up for USA TODAY's Daily Briefing newsletter.

Stanley Kotowski

In home surveillance footage shared Saturday by the sheriff's office, Kotowski doesn't appear to be rushed or panicked as he calmly leaves the home. He can be seen in the footage walking barefoot to the street, where he pauses for a few moments before walking off camera.

His wife, Jackie Kotowski, said her husband had been struggling with anxiety, insomnia and paranoia.

"He thought someone was chasing him," Jackie Kotowski told ABC Savannah, Georgia, affiliate WJCL.

The sheriff's office deployed canines, drones, and helicopters to locate Kotowski, and firefighters helped to comb residential and wooded areas. But for days, the only signs of Kotowski came from sporadic recordings on neighbors' home surveillance cameras.

Kotowski believed to be found dead underneath Sea Pines home

After sheriff's deputies were called at 11:30 a.m. local time Monday to a home at the Sea Pines resort, "the body of a deceased male was located underneath a residence," the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office said an autopsy would be performed.

Kotowski's family confirmed to WJCL that the body was his and was found beneath a home four houses down from their rental unit.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man found dead in Hilton Head is believed to be missing man
A Chicago countertop manufacturer failed to protect its workers from silica exposure, leaving a father and son in need of lung transplants, federal labor officials said.

Florenza Marble & Granite exposed employees to silica levels up to six times greater than permissible, leaving a 31-year worker, his 59-year-old father and a co-worker with silicosis, an incurable lung disease, the U.S. Department of Labor said Monday in a news release.

In addition, a 47-year-old Florenza employee had been treated for unresolved work-related lung disease for more than three years, the agency stated.

Federal inspectors in February found workers at the company laboring in a haze of dust and using required respirators improperly, with few controls to reduce silica exposure as they cut stone countertops for residential and commercial use, the Labor Department said.

Silica dust risks

A hundred times smaller than a grain of sand, silica dust can lead to lung cancer and silicosis, an irreversible scarring and stiffening of the lungs, among other conditions, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Florenza Marble and owner Brad Karp did not have a safety program to monitor its six workers. Two workers compensation insurance carriers refused to insure the company in 2022 and 2024 for not providing air sampling or proof of protections, according to the agency.

Karp did not respond to a request for comment.

OSHA cited Florenza for 32 safety and health violations and is proposing more than $1 million in penalties.

The two workers suffering from silicosis have limited English and did not receive any information from their employer about the dangers of silica exposure or training in the use of equipment to protect themselves, according to labor regulators.

The life expectancy for those with silicosis is reduced by about 11 years, and the chances of surviving at least 15 years after a lung transplant are less than 11%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Hampshire confirms death of person with mosquito-borne EEE

2 workers killed at Atlanta Delta facility after reported tire explosion

Veterans and spouses find strength through bakery fellowship program
A conservative group is launching a campaign designed to weaken Kamala Harris' standing with Black voters focusing on a proposed menthol cigarette ban.

A conservative nonprofit group plans to spend $10 million in the hopes of chipping away at Vice President Kamala Harris' key base of Black voter support by criticizing the White House's proposal, which it postponed earlier this year, to ban menthol cigarettes.

The new ad campaign from Building America's Future and Americans for Consumer Protection, described to NBC News by a Building America's Future official, will target primarily Black voters in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Through digital advertising, text messages and direct mail, the message will try to frame the Biden-Harris administration as out of touch for focusing on a menthol cigarette ban over other issues.

"Instead of solving the problems that matter to you, Kamala Harris and D.C. Democrats are coming after your menthol cigarettes," a narrator in a new digital ad says.

"We've got bigger problems to deal with, and so do Democrats," the ad continues, with headlines about the "border crisis" and the "fentanyl crisis" displayed on the screen.

While the Biden administration proposed the ban in 2021, it delayed its implementation earlier this year.

Black smokers are significantly more likely to use menthol cigarettes, according to government data, and the proposed ban has divided civil rights and health care groups.

The ads dont make a specific political ask, as rules for nonprofit groups' advertising don't allow it. And it's unclear whether the message will work, as stakeholders on both sides disagree about the potential political impact of the proposed ban among Black voters specifically.

But Republicans see messaging like this as a potential way to blunt Harris' consolidation of her party's base, as she remains locked in a tight race against former President Donald Trump.

"Vice President Harris coronation completely reset this race because she was able to consolidate the Democrats' most important constituency  Black voters," Ryan Tyson, the head of the Tyson Group, wrote in a memo shared with NBC News by Building America's Future summarizing the group's recent polling.

"A way Republicans can combat Harris rise in the polls is to drive Blacks away from her," he continued. "Highlighting Harris support for a ban on menthol cigarettes could be the niche message that can get this done."

The Harris campaign did not provide a comment when asked whether she would seek to implement the ban if she won the White House.

In February, Building America's Future quietly launched a pilot program testing this message ahead of the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, an uncompetitive contest featuring a large swath of Black Democratic voters. The messaging was broadly similar, but it was directed at Biden, then the party's clear front-runner for the nomination. The ads now feature Harris as a key villain.

The Biden administration announced its intent to ban menthol cigarettes in 2021, framing it as a potential game-changing policy to protect young and minority smokers by helping them quit or stopping them from smoking in the first place. The plan is backed by a broad coalition of public health groups, as well prominent Black officials like NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who have appeared in ads by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids touting the policy.

In an interview with NBC News, Johnson called the ads a "distraction" from an important effort.

"Tobacco use has been a serious health crisis in the African American community," he said. "The fact that every flavor has been banned, except the one flavor that research shows is more attractive to African Americans shows that the industry has created a discriminatory practice against the African American community."

Johnson dismissed the attack that the issue takes focus away from others, saying that political leaders can do "multiple things at the same time."

"There are no either-ors in this scenario," he said.

"We can ensure that people are treated with human dignity, and we can ensure that citizens from varying backgrounds and communities have better health outcomes, and not [have tobacco companies] be deceptive in their business practices or seek to distract in this current political environment," Johnson continued.

Tobacco companies have opposed the ban. So have some Black leaders, including attorney Benjamin Crump, who evoked the death of Eric Garner (who died in 2014 after a police officer put him in an apparent choke hold after he was accused of selling loose cigarettes) to warn against giving "police another reason to confront Black people" during a 2023 interview.

The polling conducted by Building for America found that Black voters want the administration to prioritize other issues over the menthol ban. Also, the poll found that while majorities of Black voters say they'd be more likely to vote for Harris if she backed the ban, a smaller percentage would be less likely to vote for her if she supported it (the poll did not specifically test whether those voters were on her side to begin with, or if they would change their vote).

But polling from February provided by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids found that highlighting Biden's support for the ban didn't affect his margin with Black voters on a head-to-head ballot test.

Yolonda C. Richardson, the president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told NBC News that their polling showed this new ad campaign was "based on a false premise."

As a political nonprofit group, there's not a robust public record associated with Building Americas Future. Tax filings show it's affiliated with a handful of prominent GOP consultants, including Generra Peck, who served as the campaign manager on Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign.

Unlike super PACs and other groups that expressly advocate for or against a candidate, Building Americas Future is not required to disclose its donors. An official with the group declined to comment when asked whether it would share any information about its donors, including whether tobacco companies or interests have given money to it.

The group has made other campaign expenditures in presidential battlegrounds this year, including an effort to criticize Harris over her border policies.
The Georgia State Election Board was sued Monday by several election officials and Democrats over recent rules passed by three Trump-approved board members.

The plaintiffs want to make sure the new rules don't prevent the November election results from being certified on time.

The two rules at issue require election officials to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" into the accuracy of results before certifying them, and to allow individual members of county election boards to look at "election related documentation created during the conduct of elections.

The Georgia county election officials and Democrats who are suing acknowledged that the rules, on their face, appear to respect certification deadlines because they only allow a "reasonable inquiry" or "examinations" that wouldn't push certification past the legal deadline.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance attend campaign rally, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., August 3, 2024. REUTERS/Megan Varner

However, the rules could still delay certification by giving officials license to hunt for any kind of election irregularity, according to the lawsuit.

"At minimum, these novel requirements introduce substantial uncertainty in the post-election process andif interpreted as their drafters have suggestedinvite chaos by establishing new processes at odds with existing statutory duties," the plaintiffs said.

The five members of the Georgia State Election Board didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. In comments provided earlier, member Janelle King, who is one of the three to back the new rules, told USA TODAY no approved rules would allow county officials to violate state law by delaying certification.

"In fact it works in the reverse. Ensuring that every County election board member has access to all election-related documentation actually strengthens the certification process," said King, who is the former deputy state director for the Georgia Republican Party.

Former President Donald Trump praised King and the other two members who ultimately backed the rules  Dr. Janice Johnston and Rick Jaffares  by name at a campaign rally Aug. 3, describing them as "pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory."

Republican board members face calls to resign

Also on Monday, Democratic lawmakers from Georgia called for the three members praised by Trump to resign at a press conference, local Atlanta news channel Fox 5 reported.

Georgia state Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes said the integrity of the state's electoral process "is under serious threat," while U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath said failing to protect democracy could mean "falling into chaos."

In response to ethics complaints against the board, Republican Gov. Brian Kemps office released a letter saying, This office has received Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes and others letters alleging ethics violations by members of the State Elections Board. Due to uncertainty regarding whether this office has authority to act under Code Section 45-10-4 in response to these complaints, we have sought the Attorney Generals advice regarding the application of the statute to the letters. We will respond following receipt of this advice and further evaluation of the letters. Kemp refused Trump's requests for help overturning the 2020 election in Georgia.

King told the local outlet that she joined the board "to do the right thing" and she doesn't have any partisan allegiance. "Before I agree to do anything, I ask all the right questions, I talk to attorneys, I make sure that I'm walking within the steps of the law."

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs noted that many Georgia county election officials have objected to certifying elections since 2020, including one county official as recently as March of this year.

They are asking the Fulton County Superior Court "to prevent chaos in November" by making clear  through what's known as a "declaratory judgment"  that the state deadlines for certifying the results are mandatory, and the new rules don't change that.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Swing state election board sued by Democrats over alleged power grab
By Phil Stewart

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (Reuters) - The near-term risk of a broader war in the Middle East has eased somewhat after Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah exchanged fire without further escalation but Iran still poses a significant danger as it weighs a strike on Israel, America's top general said on Monday.

Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to Reuters after emerging from a three-day trip to the Middle East that saw him fly into Israel just hours after Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, and Israel's military struck Lebanon to thwart a larger attack. It was one of the biggest clashes in more than 10 months of border warfare, but it also ended with limited damage in Israel and without immediate threats of more retaliation from either side.

Brown noted Hezbollah's strike was just one of two major threatened attacks against Israel that emerged in recent weeks. Iran is also threatening an attack over the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran last month.

Asked if the immediate risk of a regional war had declined, Brown said: "Somewhat, yes."

"You had two things you knew were going to happen. One's already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out," Brown said while flying out of Israel.

"How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not."

Brown also cautioned that there was also the risk posed by Iran's militant allies in places such as Iraq, Syria and Jordan who have attacked U.S. troops as well as Yemen's Houthis, who have targeted Red Sea shipping and even fired drones at Israel.

"And do these others actually go off and do things on their own because they're not satisfied - the Houthis in particular," Brown said, calling the Shia group the "wild card."

Iran has vowed a severe response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which took place as he visited Tehran late last month and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement.

Brown said the U.S. military was better positioned to aid in the defense of Israel, and its own forces in the Middle East, than it was on April 13, when Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, unleashing hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

Still, Israel, the U.S. and other allies managed to destroy almost all of the weapons before they reached their targets.

"We're better postured," Brown said. He noted Sunday's decision to maintain two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East, as well as extra squadron of F-22 fighter jets.

"We try to improve upon what we did in April."

Brown said whatever plans Iran's military might have, it would be up to Iran's political leaders to make a decision.

"They want to do something that sends a message but they also, I think ... don't want to do something that's going to create a broader conflict."

STRUGGLING WITH GAZA FALLOUT

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been seeking to limit the fallout from the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, now in its 11th month. The conflict has leveled huge swathes of Gaza, triggered border clashes between Israel and Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement and drawn in Yemen's Houthis.

Brown traveled on Monday to the Israeli military's Northern Command, where he was briefed on the threats along Israel's borders with Lebanon and Syria. In Tel Aviv, he met Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and its Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi.

Asked about Lebanese Hezbollah's military might, particularly after the strikes by Israel, Brown cautioned "they still have capability."

The current war in the Gaza Strip began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel's military campaign has driven nearly all of the Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing at least 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
A U.S. Army soldier stationed in Alaska used artificial intelligence to generate child sexual abuse material in a criminal case that underscores the lengths that online predators will go to exploit children, federal prosecutors said this week.

Seth Herrera, 34, used AI chatbots to create pornography of minors whom he knew, the Justice Department said. He also viewed tens of thousands of images depicting violent sexual abuse of children, including infants, according to court records.

Criminals considering the use of AI to perpetuate their crimes should stop and think twice  because the Department of Justice is prosecuting AI-enabled criminal conduct to the fullest extent of the law and will seek increased sentences wherever warranted, said Deputy U.S. Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

The FBI issued a public service announcement earlier this year about child sexual abuse material, noting all such images and videos, including those created through AI, are illegal.

The arrest comes as federal officials warn about a rise in sex abuse content through AI, which allows offenders to create images and videos on an exponentially larger scale, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The technology poses new challenges to law enforcement targeting the content, but it may also serve as a tool to quickly and accurately identify offenders and victims, the DHS said.

Court papers detail child pornography chat groups

According to a memo in support of pre-trial detention filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, Herrera joined online messaging groups devoted to trafficking the abusive content. The soldier, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, saved surreptitious recordings of minors undressing in his home and then used AI chatbots to generate exploitative content of them, according to federal court documents.

He also used images and videos of children posted to social media to create sexually abusive material, according to the memo.

Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant of Herreras home, where he lives with his wife and daughter, according to court records. Three Samsung Galaxy phones contained tens of thousands of videos and images that depicted rape and other sexual abuse of children as young as infants, the memo said, dating back to at least March 2021. Herrera stored the material in a password-protected app disguised as a calculator on his phone, prosecutors said.

Herrera also sought out sexually abusive content that depicted children roughly the age of his daughter, according to the memo, and six kids lived under the same roof as he did in the military base fourplex.

Court records say he admitted in an interview to viewing child sexual abuse content online for the past year and a half.

Absolutely no child should suffer these travesties, and no person should feel immune from detection and prosecution for these crimes by HSI and its partners in law enforcement," said Katrina W. Berger, executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations.

Herrera was arrested Friday and is charged with transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His initial court appearance was expected Tuesday.

A public defender listed in court records for Herrera did not immediately return USA TODAYs request for comment Monday.

Combating sexual predators in age of AI

The arrest is the latest to sweep the nation as federal law enforcement agents grapple with the use of new technology by sexual predators.

Federal law prohibits the production, advertisement, transportation, distribution, receipt, sale, access with intent to view, and possession of any CSAM (child sexual abuse material), including realistic computer-generated images, according to an FBI public service announcement.

Officials say they have also been able to use the new technology to catch offenders. In 2023, Homeland Security Investigations used machine learning models to identify 311 cases of online sexual exploitation. The three-week-long mission, dubbed Operation Renewed Hope, led to the identification or rescue of more than 100 victims and the arrests of several suspected offenders, the HSI said.

Suspected production of child sexual abuse content, including AI-generated material, can be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 800-THE LOST or online at www.cybertipline.org. It can also be reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Feds say Army soldier used AI to create child sex abuse images
August and September are prime months for mosquito activity in the U.S.

A New Hampshire resident has died from eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, a rare but deadly virus spread by mosquitoes, the states Health Department announced Tuesday.

Its the first EEE death reported in the United States so far this year. The individual had been hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease, New Hampshire health officials said.

The case is the fifth this year. EEE cases have been reported in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The nation is in the midst of peak mosquito season, as the insects tend to be most active in August and September.

The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills" the mosquitoes, New Hampshires state epidemiologist, Dr. Benjamin Chan, said in a news release Tuesday.

The Massachusetts Public Health Department announced that insecticide sprays would begin this week following a case of EEE in a man in his 80s. Several Massachusetts towns said they will close public parks from dusk until dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

While many people with EEE have no symptoms, others develop symptoms typical of many viruses: fever, chills, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or fatigue. Sometimes, encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, can occur, as well as meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

This year, so far, is not a record-breaker for the virus. Last year, seven cases were reported. Thirty-eight were logged in 2019.

But health authorities are always on alert for EEE cases because of its high mortality rate. About a third of patients die, usually within 10 days after their symptoms begin, according to the CDC.

Whats more, the CDC says that many of those who recover are left with long-term problems, including mild to severe intellectual disability, personality disorders, seizures, paralysis and cranial nerve dysfunction.

The U.S. is also seeing high numbers of another mosquito-borne virus: West Nile. As of Tuesday, the CDC said that 289 cases had been reported in 33 states. The majority, 195, had evidence of neuroinvasive disease.

Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors, Chan said.

Those steps include:
Israeli forces rescued a Bedouin man during an operation in Gaza, Israeli officials announced Tuesday, more than 10 months after he was taken captive during the Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued from an underground tunnel in a "complex mission" by Israeli commandos acting on intelligence, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a news briefing Tuesday.

"He is alive and back home in Israel," Hagari said.

Alkadi, a father of 11 from south of Rahat, an Arab Bedouin city in the Southern District of Israel, was taken hostage during Hamas Oct. 7 attacks while working in security at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen in southern Israel, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement Tuesday.

Freed Israeli hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi with the commander of the 162nd Division BG Itzik Cohen after his rescue at an undisclosed location in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday.

The full details of Alkadi's rescue were not immediately clear, with the IDF and Israel Security Agency, or the Shin Bet, saying in a statement Tuesday that further details could not be published "due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security." Alkadi was alone when the troops found him, according to a senior military official.

They said Alkadi was in stable medical condition and was being transferred for medical checks at a hospital. In a video shared by the IDF, Alkadi can be seen wearing a tank top and smiling as he shakes hands with the commanding officer of the Shayetet 13, Israel's naval commando unit.

In a separate video shared on X by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, family members of Alkadi could be seen running to greet him at a medical facility.

The Soroka University Medical Center said he was airlifted to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

"He is fully conscious, and his overall condition is good. He has already met with a family member in a very emotional reunion," the medical center said in a statement, adding: "We ask to respect their privacy and dignity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke with Alkadi over the phone following his rescue, his office said in a statement Tuesday.

"The Prime Minister congratulated Farhan and told him that the entire Israeli people are excited by his release," the statement said, adding that Netanyahu "clarified in the conversation that he will continue to do everything to return all our abductees home."

Freed Israeli hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi talking to his brother after arriving for a checkup at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva on Tuesday.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday's operation "joins a series of actions taken by the IDF that bring us closer to achieving the goals of this war." He added that "Israel is committed to taking advantage of every opportunity to return the hostages home."

The rescue comes as Netanyahu faces mounting pressure in Israel and on the international stage to strike a cease-fire deal with Hamas that would bring fighting in Gaza to an end and secure the release of hostages who remain held there.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of those held hostage in Gaza, said Alkadi's rescue was "nothing short of miraculous."

But, the forum said, "we must remember: military operations alone cannot free the remaining 108 hostages, who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror." The group called for a cease-fire deal that would see hostages released.

Ramped up efforts to negotiate a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas have been underway, but have so far failed to yield any results.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi sits on an Israeli military helicopter during the rescue operation on Tuesday.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said it welcomed Alkadi's release.

"The United States remains determined to see all hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens, freed and reunited with their families," the spokesperson said. "We will continue to work tirelessly to finalize the ceasefire and hostage release deal through ongoing talks in Cairo and Doha."

More than 100 hostages are believed to remain in Hamas' captivity following the Oct. 7 attacks in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli officials. At least third of those who remain held in Gaza are believed to be dead.

Of the 108 hostages the forum mentioned, at least four are people who are believed to have been held in Gaza since 2014. The rest are believed to have been taken hostage on Oct. 7.

Dozens of hostages were released by Hamas during a temporary cease-fire in November, while four hostages, including 26-year-old Noa Argamani, were freed by Israeli forces in a daring rescue operation in June that left a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

Three Israeli hostages, Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim and Samer Talalka, were mistakenly shot and killed by IDF troops in December during combat with Hamas in the Gaza district of Shijaiyah.
The incursion of our nations airspace by a Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our countrys sovereignty, but also a threat to our safety, and we consider it completely unacceptable, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

TOKYO  The violation of Japans airspace by a Chinese military plane is completely unacceptable, the Japanese governments top spokesperson said Tuesday, a day after the U.S. ally scrambled its military in response to what it said was an unprecedented incursion.

While Beijing said it has no intention of violating any countrys airspace, Chinas military assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific, where it has vast territorial claims, has been a growing source of concern for the United States as well as Chinas neighbors in the region, with confrontations becoming more common.

A Chinese military Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft entered Japanese airspace in the territorial waters off the Danjo Islands southwest of Japans main southern island of Kyushu from about 11:29 to 11:31 a.m. on Monday (10:29 to 10:31 p.m. Sunday ET), Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, prompting Japans Air Self-Defense Force to warn it away.

The incursion of our nations airspace by a Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our countrys sovereignty, but also a threat to our safety, and we consider it completely unacceptable, he said at a daily news briefing.

Hayashi said Japan had lodged an extremely severe protest with the Chinese government through diplomatic channels on Monday and strongly demanded that preventive measures are taken.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Monday that it had summoned the acting Chinese ambassador.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Tuesday that relevant departments in China were verifying what had happened.

Id like to stress that China has no intention to breach any countrys airspace, he said at a regular briefing in Beijing.

A Chinese military Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft that the Japanese defense ministry said violated Japanese airspace.

Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, chief of staff of Japans Air Self-Defense Force, did not describe the exact actions taken by the Japanese military or discuss the behavior of the Chinese plane. But he said that in general, warnings are issued first over the radio on an emergency communication frequency, and then the pilot will send a visual warning to the other aircraft by fluttering the planes wing. If the other pilot still refuses to comply, a flare is fired.

I believe that the Chinese militarys activities in the skies are generally expanding and becoming more active, Uchikura said at a news conference Tuesday.

While the purpose of the Chinese military aircrafts actions was unclear, Hayashi said the Japanese government would continue to monitor Chinas military activities with keen interest.

The officials remarks on Tuesday came as a bipartisan delegation of Japanese lawmakers left for Beijing to improve relations between the two countries, which are embroiled in a long-running territorial dispute over a group of uninhabited islands known in Japan as the Senkaku and in China as the Diaoyu.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan also arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with senior Chinese officials that are expected to touch on tensions in the South China Sea, a strategically important waterway that China claims almost in its entirety.

Though multiple countries are involved in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, China and the Philippines have been at the center of some of the most serious recent encounters. Those have raised concerns that the U.S., a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, could be drawn into a larger conflict.

On Tuesday, Philippine defense secretary said China was the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia and that there should be stronger collective multilateral action against China, a day after China blocked Philippine boats from delivering supplies to a coast guard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal.

China said the Philippine ships had intruded in its territorial waters and then escalated the situation.

Arata Yamamoto reported from Tokyo, and Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong.
Joe Biden announcing the parole in place program on 18 June 2024 in Washington DC. Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked a Joe Biden immigration policy that allows undocumented spouses of US citizens to remain in the country while their applications for permanent residence are considered.

The so-called parole in place program was halted in a Monday night ruling by federal district court judge J Campbell Barker in the eastern district of Texas, a favorite venue of conservatives seeking to derail the presidents policy agenda. Barker was appointed to his position by the Donald Trump White House.

About half a million foreign-born spouses of US citizens were estimated to have been eligible for the Biden administrations initiative that was announced in June under the banner Keeping Families Together. Applications opened on 19 August.

Related: Abuse of migrants rampant at Louisiana Ice centers, report finds

Unless or until Barkers 14-day stay is lifted or overturned on appeal, the pre-existing requirement for applicants to seek a change in legal status from overseas remains in effect.

Immigration advocates condemned the ruling as heartbreaking, saying it could separate mixed-status families for years  or even permanently while their lengthy green card applications are processed.

Barkers ruling is a response to a lawsuit filed on Friday from 16 Republican attorneys general, led by Ken Paxton of Texas, against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Bidens policy, it states, directly violates the laws created by Congress and amounts to a blanket amnesty for people who entered the country illegally.

Paxton said Texas taxpayers were funding tens of millions of dollars a year in healthcare and other services for those undocumented immigrants.

The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date, said a written ruling from Barker, who was appointed in 2019 in the third year of Trumps presidency. The judge set a deadline of 10 October for the opposing sides to file arguments in the case.

The DHS can still accept applications, Barker said  but his decision prevents them from being processed. Under the Biden policy, undocumented immigrants married to US citizens and residents in the country for at least 10 years, among other criteria, are eligible.

Paxton, in a tweet, celebrated Barkers ruling. Bidens unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over one million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our countrys laws  and incentivized countless more, he said.

There was no immediate reaction to the ruling from the White House or the DHS. But immigration advocates said it was an extreme measure that would cause irreparable harm.

This is heartbreaking for our clients and the thousands of couples who hope to benefit from this process and be able to live without fear that their family will be separated, Karen Tumlin, founder and director of Justice Action Center, said in a statement.

To halt a process for which Texas has not been able to provide an iota of evidence that it would harm the state is baffling. Texas should not be able to decide the fates of hundreds of thousands of US citizens and their immigrant spouses without confronting their reality.

The group filed a motion to intervene in the case on Monday on behalf of 11 individuals who will be affected. One of the plaintiffs, Oscar Silva, 23, was brought to the US by his parents from Mexico when he was a toddler. Silva said he and his wife, Natalie, a US citizen, had been banking on parole in place to secure their future.

I wish everyone could see that my wife and I are just like every other married couple you know. We want to be able to live knowing that the life were building wont be taken away from us. The parole process would make that a reality, he said.

The eastern district of Texas comes under the purview of the fifth US circuit court of appeals, a bastion of conservatism following Trumps remaking of the federal judiciary during his single term of office.

Republicans seeking to block elements of Bidens agenda frequently file cases in Texas districts seeking favorable rulings likely to be endorsed by the appeals court, which many observers consider one of the most extreme and influential courts in the US. It has heard cases on abortion, immigration and gun control.

In June, a panel of Republican-appointed judges in the northern district of Texas blocked a move that could have seen dozens of cases transferred out of the circuit courts jurisdiction, making it harder for the Biden administration to defend lawsuits in the state.
A prominent Latino advocacy group asked the US Justice Department on Monday to investigate Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton after his office launched a series of raids the group says was at the homes of Democratic activists and leaders on allegations tied to voter fraud.

In a letter to the Justice Departments civil rights division, the president and the CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens requested immediate action by the federal agency.

We believe that his conduct constitutes a direct attempt to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and harassment, in violation of the Voting Rights Act and other federal civil rights law, LULAC President Roman Palomares and CEO Juan Proano wrote in the letter.

The Justice Department confirmed to CNN it received the letter, but a spokesperson declined to comment further.

So far no charges have been filed as a result of last weeks raids. Paxtons office said search warrants were executed in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties as part of what his office described as an election integrity probe dating back to 2022.

In a release last week, the attorney generals office said its election integrity unit was investigating a referral from Audrey Louis, the district attorney in the states 81st judicial district, involving allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting.

Secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic, Paxton said in the release. We were glad to assist when the district attorney referred this case to my office for investigation. We are completely committed to protecting the security of the ballot box and the integrity of every legal vote. This means ensuring accountability for anyone committing election crimes.

Paxtons office did not respond to a request from CNN on Monday about the investigation and its details.

In a statement to CNN on Tuesday, the district attorney said, Prosecutors are very limited in discussing pending criminal cases.

This rule of professional responsibility ensures due process, Louis said. I cannot discuss the pending criminal investigation. I can confirm sending the request for an investigation and that our office takes the allegations of voter fraud seriously and will prosecute those responsible for undermining integrity in the election process regardless of who the person is or their party affiliation.

Paxton has been accused of using intimidation tactics before.

He took up the voter fraud cause after President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, filing a federal lawsuit to overturn the results in four key swing states. The US Supreme Court threw that suit out and the State Bar of Texas sued Paxton in 2022 for misrepresenting claims of substantial voter fraud.

Earlier this year, Paxton took aim at an El Paso nonprofit that helps migrants, accusing it of facilitating illegal entry to the United States, alien harboring and human smuggling, before a judge halted his efforts to run roughshod over the group without regard to due process or fair play, the judges decision said.

Hes pursued the medical records of transgender youth  including those that some say are protected by patient privacy laws  seeking gender affirming care at out of state clinics.

And under the states strict abortion ban, he publicly named both a patient seeking an abortion and her doctor in an open letter threatening potential first degree felony prosecutions and civil penalties of $100,000.

At a news conference Monday outside the attorney generals office in San Antonio, members of LULAC and Democratic activists condemned the raids and criticized Paxton for launching what they called a campaign of intimidation against Latino voters.

Attorney General Paxton is using his position of authority to harass and intimidate Latino nonprofit organizations, Latino leaders, and LULAC members, Palomares said. This is point-blank voter intimidation, and LULAC will fight for the right of very Latino to exercise their right to vote.

Those whose homes were raided included Cecilia Castellano, a Democrat running for a state House seat, as well as a 73-year-old woman and an 80-year-old woman, LULAC said. Castellano is one of 12 Latinos in three south Texas counties targeted by Paxton, according to LULAC.

You dont go after our grandmothers. You dont go after our great-grandmothers, said Domingo Garcia, another leader at LULAC. And you dont go after them because they are just trying to vote.

Castellano told CNNs Laura Coates on Monday night that her phone was taken during the search of her home.

I was shocked. Im still shocked.  Im more mad because my son was a few feet away, Castellano said.

An investigator found evidence that the target of another warrant was hired to collect mail ballots for several candidates, an affidavit for a search warrant states.

CNN is not naming the person whose cell phone was seized under the search warrant  a longtime political operative in Frio County  because they have not been charged with a crime.

Under Texas law, it is illegal for a person who is not a relative or roommate of a voter to deliver that voters mail ballot unless the assistance is disclosed on the ballot. Being paid for vote harvesting is also illegal in Texas.

The sealed affidavit obtained by CNN says that, in addition to helping voters fill out mail ballot applications, some voters said in interviews with an investigator that they had received a ballot despite never filling out an application for one.

Several interviews were conducted and witnesses who had voted by mail had confirmed that (the operative named in the affidavit) either influenced their vote, prepared their ballot, and/or took possession of their carrier envelope to mail their ballot, the affidavit states.

CNN reached out to the individuals named in the affidavit, and messages were not immediately returned.

The affidavit also says Frio County election administrator Sylvia Santos was among those under spot surveillance by the attorney generals office. It says the subject of the search warrant was seen receiving what appeared to be sample ballots from Santos behind the election office on February 15, 2024, suggesting those could have been used to indicate the subjects preferred candidate to voters.

However, Santos told CNN on Tuesday that providing sample ballots is simply part of her job. The only thing I can say is that anybody and everybody that calls or walks into this building and requests a sample ballot, I dont question them, Santos said.

Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old activist and LULAC member who has long helped to register voters, told reporters at Mondays news conference that armed officers with Paxtons office showed up to her home at the break of dawn August 20 with a search warrant. She said they told her the search was related to fraud and questioned her for three hours. She said they also made her stand outside in her front yard, still in her nightgown.

It was just embarrassing, intimidating, (and) harassment, she said, growing emotional. They searched everything in my house.

She said she was questioned about other LULAC members, and she blasted the search as a Gestapo-style raid. Her devices, personal calendar, and voter registration materials were confiscated, according to LULAC.

I dont do anything illegal. I follow the rules of the elections office, and I have never done anything illegal as, as far as voter registration or mail by ballot or any of the things that theyre looking for, she said. I dont know whos doing it. And, and I dont care to know; Im not associated with them. Im not guilty of it, but Im being harassed. Im sick.

In the letter to the federal government, LULAC argued the recent raids reflected a broader pattern of voter intimidation in Latino and Black communities.

Attorney General Paxtons actions are not isolated incidents but are part of a concerted effort to suppress the growing political power of minority communities in Texas, the letter stated. These actions are reminiscent of past attempts to intimidate and disenfranchise voters through fear and coercion.

CNNs Andy Rose, Hannah Rabinowitz and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.

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Nubbles is a very special cat. But he needs someone to see how great he is and bring him home ASAP. The cat is currently at Benton-Franklin Humane Society in Kennewick, Washington and now the shelter is hoping that someone will come take the cat home.

Video of Nubbles waiting by the door has gone viral online. All he wants is for someone to love him.

Nubbles has been at the shelter for 28 days. But for a shelter animal, 28 days can be an eternity. The poor cat's former owner had health issues and could no longer care for him. Now all he can do is hope that someone will find him at the shelter and want him to be their pet.

Related: 18-Year-Old Cat Recently Surrendered to NYC Shelter Breaks Our Hearts

"POV you're visiting the animal shelter and see this cat staring at the door and waiting patiently for his family," the video's text overlay.

Commenters were pulling for Nubbles. They wanted him to find a new family  fast. "His owner is probably hurting having to make that decision too, its so sad," wrote one person. "Looks just like my boy. I can't imagine..." someone else added. "Boosting for Nubbles, the unconditional love of a cat is truly magical," a third person wrote. "Guys Oranges are the best cats. Someone give this baby a new home pleaseeeee," one commenter pointed out.

Adopting From Benton-Franklin Humane Society

Anyone would be lucky to bring Nubbles home. And you can if you adopt from Benton-Franklin Humane Society.

There are so many animals looking for a forever home at the shelter. By acting today you can save a life. Available at the humane society are cats and dogs of many different breeds, so there's bound to be the right kind of animal for every pet owner.

There are several ways to go about adopting from Benton Humane. You can either go to the shelter in person or browse their animals online. Then you'll meet with an adoption counselor and book time to have a one-on-one with your potential pet. The counselor will help determine if you and the animal are a good match.

Then you'll fill out an application and see if you're approved. All pets will be spayed or neutered before leaving Benton Humane. If your pet has any medical conditions, you'll get a consultation with medical staff.

Adopting a pet is something that can change their life  and yours.

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.
Mariah Careys mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, both died on the same day over the weekend, the singer said Aug. 26.

My heart is broken that Ive lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day, she shared in a statement. I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.

Carey concluded by saying she appreciated everyones love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.

No additional details regarding Patricia and Alison Careys deaths have been released.

Over the years, Mariah Carey has opened up about her complicated relationship with her sister, Alison Carey, and surviving brother, Morgan Carey.

Who was Mariah Careys sister, Alison Carey?

In her 2020 memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," the singer described the complexities of her relationship to her sister and their childhood in Long Island, New York.

Mariah Carey described Alison Carey as deeply wounded and the most brilliant and broken person I have ever known.

Noting that her sister experienced the discomfort and animosity in her family firsthand, the singer wrote that Alison Carey saw things a child should never see and I will never know.

I do know that what she experienced damaged and derailed her girlhood, Mariah Carey wrote. She was fully aware when the family unit unraveled and our parents turned on each other; she absorbed the full pain of a family coming undone.

Aside from detailing their estranged sibling relationship, Mariah Carey also noted that her sister was extremely intelligent and curious and she loved to learn.

I was told she brought home good grades, got into good schools, and loved music too, Mariah Carey added.

The memoir also notes that Alison Carey had two sons, Mike and Shawn. In several chapters and stories, Mariah Carey mentions her nephews and wrote she "treasures them endlessly" in the acknowledgements.

She also detailed more harrowing moments with her sister, whom she alleged had a drug problem.

My sister drugged me with Valium, offered me a pinky nail full of cocaine, inflicted me with third-degree burns, and tried to sell me out to a pimp, Mariah Carey alleged in the book.

Her sister has denied the allegations and following the release of the memoir, Alison Carey threatened to sue sister Mariah Carey in February 2021 for $1.25 million in New York County Supreme Court. Alison Carey claimed the infliction of immense emotional distress caused by defendants heartless, vicious, vindictive, despicable and totally unnecessary public humiliation of defendants already profoundly damaged older sister, per Variety.

NBC News found a summons listed in New York that includes the details in the Variety story but additional information on the status of that suit could not be found.

Who is Mariah Careys surviving sibling, Morgan Carey?

Following the release of Mariah Careys memoir, her surviving brother Morgan Carey also filed a defamation lawsuit against the singer.

Her memoir alleged there were violent fights between Morgan Carey and their parents, including on incident where he pushed their mother Patricia so hard into a wall that she was knocked out.

Suddenly there was a loud, sharp noise, like an actual gunshot. My brother had pushed my mother with such force that her body slammed into the wall, making a loud cracking sound, she wrote. Next thing I knew she was totally limp, as if her bones had melted, folding onto the floor. It was a split second. It was an eternity. My eyes were still fixed in place, only now I was looking at my mother collapsed in a crumpled pile on the floor.

Mariah Carey and brother Morgan Carey during the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California.

In his defamation lawsuit against his famous sister, Morgan Carey denied that there were ever violent fights in his childhood home. His legal team specifically called the above story a false and defamatory lie.

Elsewhere in the memoir, Mariah Carey had written that her brother provided powdered party favors to the beautiful people of New York City while working at bars and clubs in the late 1980s.

He was strikingly handsome and occasionally worked as a model. He was well known and well liked, she wrote of her brother. He discreetly supplied the beautiful people with their powdered party favors. He was diabolically charismatic.

In Morgan Careys defamation lawsuit, he denies that he dealt drugs. His lawsuit against his sister also provided some details about him from his own perspective. His legal team wrote that Morgan Carey was a very scrawny child who was born with cerebral palsy, grand mal and petit mal epilepsy, and a left leg which was several inches shorter than the right.

The suit goes on to say he overcame his disabilities and became as a young man very physically fit who was featured in mens fitness magazines.

The lawsuit says Morgan Carey and his wife moved to Italy in 2012.

While there, they wrote two screenplays, one of which was optioned for a film, the lawsuit reads. He is currently writing a permaculture-based fitness and lifestyle book.

New York Supreme Court records show that the defamation suit filed by Mariah Careys brother remains active in the court.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
By Ana Isabel Martinez and Kylie Madry

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The Mexican government has paused its relationship with the U.S. and Canadian embassies in the country, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday, after their ambassadors criticized a proposed judicial reform that he backs.

"There is a pause," Lopez Obrador said in a press conference, clarifying that the freeze was with the embassies and not with the countries.

The president is pushing a reform to elect judges, including Supreme Court justices, by popular vote. A committee in the lower house of Mexico's Congress passed the proposal late on Monday, paving the way for it to be approved when the newly elected Congress takes office in September.

Proponents say the reform will boost democracy and help fix a system that they argue does not serve the public, while critics say it will skew power in favor of the executive, cut off judges' careers, and make the courts more susceptible to criminal influence.

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar last week labeled the reform a "major risk to the functioning of Mexico's democracy" and cautioned of a potential risk to the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship.

The U.S. and Mexico are each other's largest trade partners.

Canada's ambassador to Mexico, Graeme Clark, also warned of investment concerns.

Later on Tuesday after Lopez Obrador's comments, Salazar posted a diplomatic note from the embassy, dated Aug. 23.

"The United States supports the concept of judicial reform in Mexico, but we have significant concerns that the popular election of judges would neither address judicial corruption nor strengthen the judicial branch of the Government of Mexico," the note read.

The Canadian embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lopez Obrador had criticized what he called Salazar's interference in internal politics.

"How are we going to allow the ambassador to give his opinion, to say what we're doing is wrong?" Lopez Obrador added. "We aren't going to tell him to get out of the country. But for him to read our Constitution, yes, we will say that."

Salazar had previously said he was open to speaking with Mexican government leaders to discuss different judicial models.

Lopez Obrador said the "pause" would continue until "there was confirmation that (the embassies) would respect Mexico's independence."

The diplomatic note from the U.S. said the country had the "utmost respect for Mexico's sovereignty."

Mexico's peso was down 1.65% in early afternoon trading.

It has dropped sharply since the June elections, in which Lopez Obrador's favored successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, won the presidency and their Morena party and allies nabbed a supermajority in the lower house and nearly a supermajority in the Senate.

A two-thirds vote is necessary to amend the Constitution, which the judicial reform would need to do.

(Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez, Raul Cortes and Kylie Madry; Editing by Sarah Morland, Paul Simao and Jonathan Oatis)
McLaren Health Care said its technology platforms have been fully restored following an Aug. 5 ransomware attack that disrupted operations at all 13 of its hospitals, surgery, infusion and imaging centers, along with its network of 113,000 medical providers throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

"All temporary procedures enacted during the disruption have been lifted," McLaren said in a statement issued Monday. "Providers at all McLaren Health Care hospitals, Karmanos cancer centers, and outpatient clinics again have access to patients electronic medical records."

McLaren Flint is seen on Monday February 22, 2016 in Flint.

Appointments now can be scheduled and surgeries that were postponed during the ransomware attack are now being rescheduled, the health system said.

"We have been largely operational for some time, and our staff has been reaching out to patients for the past couple of weeks to reschedule appointments impacted by the event," said David Jones, a McLaren spokesperson.

It could be a few more weeks, however, before details about medical care that took place over the last three weeks will be visible in patients' electronic charts. That's because McLaren staff will have to manually input lab and imaging test results, notes from office visits, surgeries, and other care that occurred during the tech disruption. It's a process that began over the weekend "and is expected to last several weeks," McLaren said.

Patients told the Free Press earlier this month that the ransomware attack led to the cancelation of cardiac tests and radiation treatments for cancer during the tech disruption. Some ambulances were diverted from McLaren hospitals and appointments had to be canceled because physicians couldn't access radiology reports, lab test results or orders for additional testing and procedures.

Some hourly employees told the Free Press that McLaren required them to use up all their paid time off during the tech disruption, and when that ran out, they went unpaid.

This was the second ransomware attack at Grand Blanc-based McLaren within a year. A ransomware gang known as BlackCat/AlphV claimed responsibility for another crippling tech disruption that began in August 2023. The group claimed in a post online that it stole 6 terabytes of data, including the personal information of 2.5 million patients.

McLaren reported at the time that it had shut down its own computer networks "out of an abundance of caution" after its information technology security team found suspicious activity during routine monitoring.

It's still unclear whether the latest McLaren ransomware attack led to a breach of protected personal or health data about patients or employees.

"McLaren is continuing its work with cybersecurity experts to determine what, if any, patient or employee information was compromised," the health system said. "If it is determined that any protected health information (PHI) or personal information was compromised, those individuals will be contacted directly."

McLaren isn't alone in dealing with the fallout of cybercriminals in the health care sector.

In May, 140 Ascension hospitals in the U.S. were struck by a cyberattack, cutting off electronic access to medical records, lab test results, radiology imaging and even impaired the ability for doctors to issue medical orders. At Ascension's Michigan hospitals, ambulances were diverted and there were hours long delays in treating even critically ill patients, employees told the Free Press.

More:McLaren patients say they can't get cancer treatments, heart tests in wake of cyberattack

More:How to protect yourself from health care cybersecurity breaches

Also in May, the personal information of more than 56,000 people  including names, medical record numbers, addresses, dates of birth, diagnostic and treatment information, and health insurance details  was compromised in a cyberattack at Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan.

From 2018-22, there was a 93% rise in large cybersecurity breaches reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and a 278% increase in large breaches involving ransomware, the agency reported.

These breaches can cause disruptions to the care of patients, delay medical procedures and put patient safety at risk.

Our experience has made clear that cyberattacks against our health care infrastructure are an industrywide problem, and its not hyperbole to call health care cybercrime a national security threat," said Phil Incarnati, president and CEO of McLaren, in a statement issued earlier this month.

Im committed to working with my fellow providers, elected officials, law enforcement and cyber experts to find ways to hold these criminals accountable and prevent their entry into our systems."

Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: McLaren Health Care's tech systems restored following cyberattack
One American man is dead, and an American woman is injured in Iceland following a collapse of the Breiamerkurjokull ice cave, Icelands public broadcaster RUV said Monday.

The rescue operation, which started Sunday evening, is now complete, with police saying that no one was trapped under the ice, according to the public broadcaster.

A group of 23 tourists from several countries were exploring an ice cave at the Breiamerkurjokull glacier in southeastern Iceland when the incident occurred Sunday, according to the broadcaster.

The American couple were rescued on Sunday, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the woman sustained injuries of unknown severity and was taken to a hospital in Reykjavik, RUV reported.

Authorities initially launched a massive search for two missing people, believing that 25 tourists were on the trip, RUV reported. They ended the search on Monday after realizing the original group held only 23 tourists, all of whom were accounted for.

More than 200 responders participated in the operations, and a massive amount of ice has been broken down and moved, almost all by hand, RUV said, citing the police. CNN has reached out to police for details.

Rescue teams at the scene after an ice cave partially collapsed, at the Breiamerkurjokull glacier, in southeastern Iceland. - Vilhelm Gunnarsson/STOD2/AP

A US State Department spokesperson confirmed the death of one US citizen and the injury of another, saying that they were ready to provide consular assistance.

We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones on their loss, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not provide details on the circumstances of the death and injury or information about either of their identities. The State Department typically does not provide personal information about Americans killed or injured abroad.

Ice caves are a popular destination for visitors to Iceland, with tour operators offering customers the chance to explore the insides of glaciers and see the blue color and stunning patterns in the ice, according to Associated Press.

Glaciers cover about 11% of the territory of Iceland, an island nation in the north Atlantic that sits on the southern edge of the Arctic Circle, AP reports. The largest is Vatnajokull, which covers 7,900 square kilometers (3,050 square miles). Breidamerkurjokull is a tongue of Vatnajokull that ends at the Jokulsarlon Lagoon, where icebergs constantly break off from the glacier.

The receding Breiamerkurjokull glacier, a portion of it black with volcanic dust and stones, ends at Jokulsarlon lake on August 15, 2021 near Hof, Iceland. - Sean Gallup/Getty Images/File

According to the US Geological Survey, the Breiamerkurjokull was growing until the turn of the 19th century, but since about 1930 it has been melting due to planet-warming fossil fuel pollution.

Local news site Visir said the group that was at the cave during the collapse was on an organized tour accompanied by a guide. Most people were outside the cave when it collapsed, AP reports.

Moving rescue equipment and personnel up to the glacier was difficult due to the rugged terrain, and rescuers had to cut through the ice using chainsaws, says AP.

The glacier is about 300 kilometers (185 miles) from a volcano that erupted Friday on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland.

Iceland has been affected by human-caused climate change and has been warming roughly three times faster than the rest of the planet, according to the Icelandic Met Office.

Reporting contributed by CNNs Jennifer Hansler and Angela Fritz

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Lil Baby in Las Vegas on Feb. 10.

Rapper Dominique Jones, known to fans as Lil Baby, was arrested Monday morning on an illegal firearm possession charge.

Jones, 29, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, according to court records. Las Vegas police confirmed he was arrested at 5 a.m. on the Las Vegas Strip but did not provide additional information.

Representatives for Jones did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

His attorney told NBC affiliate KSNV of Las Vegas that Jones has a concealed carry permit in Georgia.

The Nevada Public Department of Safety has a list of more than two dozen states it honors permits from, but Georgia is not one of them.

Jones posted a cash bond at an initial court appearance Tuesday.

It does not appear that he entered a plea based on court records. His next hearing is Oct. 1.
Former "The Real Housewives of Orange County" star Vicki Gunvalson revealed she is lucky to be alive after a sinus infection misdiagnosis turned out to be pneumonia and severe sepsis.

The 62-year-old businesswoman opened about about her health scare on her podcast "My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast," where Gunvalson said she experienced amnesia and stroke-like symptoms. Gunvalson detailed the alarming conversation she had with a medical professional who diagnosed her.

"I said, 'Did I hear this right that I had a 10 to 20 percent (chance of) survival?'" Gunvalson told co-host Christian Gray Snow and partner Michael Smith on the podcast. "'Yes, the sepsis that went to your body is deadly and you survived it. And so you're going to be okay. It's just going to take a while.'"

Doctors have treated the Bravo alum with antibiotics and steroids for several days. Gunvalson said she still feels weakened by a lack of energy.

"So I have pneumonia, which I've never had pneumonia in my life. My right lung is pretty compacted with junk," Gunvalson said while emotionally distraught. "I'm having a hard time getting it up. So that's my biggest thing."

Vicki Gunvalson attends the Alo House Winter 2021 at Alo House on November 3, 2021 in Los Angeles.

Client found Gunvalson 'talking gibberish' in office

Gunvalson shared the chilling moments that led to her accurate diagnosis. On Thursday, she recalls being at a hair salon before undergoing about an hour or two that she does not remember. During that period Smith's daughter Olivia found Gunvalson in the office speaking with a client.

"I had a client coming in and she said I was talking gibberish and I wrote an email out and the email didn't make sense," Gunvalson said.

The client, a retired ER physician, informed Olivia that Gunvalson was possibly experiencing a stroke and Gunvalson was taken to a hospital. Gunvalson said she was then misdiagnosed and treated for a sinus infection by medical staff who sent her home. Smith later arrived at Gunvalson's home and discovered she was unconscious in a bathtub filled with water.

"One of the scariest things for me was when I walked in, for some reason, Vicki decided she wanted to take a bath. So she's in the bathtub with water and I walk in and she's pretty much passed out," Smith said. "So I grabbed her, that was scary, and I grabbed her, pulled her out of the water, put her in bed."

After sleeping for nearly 14 hours, Smith took Gunvalson back to the hospital where she was properly diagnosed and treated.

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a serious condition that stems from a bacterial infection including pneumonia, a skin infection, a gastrointestinal infection or a UTI. When the infection spreads through the bloodstream it can cause symptoms like fever, chills, low blood pressure, elevated heart rate and rapid breathing as well as confusion and disorientation.

Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, previously told USA TODAY that sepsis can also cause the body to overreact to an infection where inflammatory compounds that help fight the infection also end up damaging organs such as the kidney, lungs, heart, or the brain.

While most people recover from mild sepsis, the Mayo Clinic says the mortality rate for septic shock "is about 30 percent to 40 percent."

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happened to Vicki Gunvalson? 'Real Housewives' alum shares story
Commentary: Washington should back its commitment on U.S.-China relations with action, respect

Xinhua) 10:09, August 27, 2024

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will begin his inaugural visit to China in his current position on Tuesday for a new round of strategic communication between China and the United States.

This visit is another opportunity for both nations to stabilize their bilateral relationship and seek common ground amid rising global uncertainties.

Sullivan's trip is part of a broader bilateral effort to implement the consensus the two heads of state -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden -- reached at last year's San Francisco summit. His visit follows those of other senior U.S. officials, such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who have also engaged in talks with China in recent months.

Although China-U.S. relations have shown signs of stabilization following the San Francisco summit, deep-seated tensions persist. The root cause lies in the misguided perceptions held by some U.S. politicians, who view China as a long-term strategic competitor and the "most consequential geopolitical challenge."

These flawed views have prompted a series of detrimental actions, including intensified trade restrictions, technological decoupling and military manoeuvres in the Asia-Pacific.

As Sullivan embarks on his visit, it is crucial to recognize that dialogue alone will not bridge the gap between the two nations, especially when Washington's contradictory policies exacerbate tensions.

To move forward, Washington should break away from its outdated Cold War mentality. Undoubtedly, there is competition and cooperation between China and the United States, particularly in the economic and technological spheres. China does not accept the notion that ties should be solely defined by competition -- The narrative does not encapsulate the entirety or essence of the world's most important bilateral relationship.

Meanwhile, any competition must be defined by clear and fair boundaries. It should be conducted within established rules and refrain from undermining the developmental capacities and legitimate rights of others. Competition should foster mutual improvement, not mutual destruction.

China has consistently demonstrated its commitment to maintaining and developing sound relations with all countries, including the United States. China's stance is rooted in the belief that cooperation, rather than confrontation, benefits all sides and contributes to global stability.

While China remains open to dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual concern, its determination to safeguard its core national interests and legitimate right to development is steadfast.

The Taiwan question is at the heart of China's core interests, and the one-China principle is the cornerstone of the political foundation for China-U.S. relations. The U.S. side must adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and turn the Biden administration's commitment not to support "Taiwan independence" into concrete actions.

China also firmly opposes U.S. irresponsible meddling in the South China Sea and sowing discord between China and its neighbors. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are inviolable.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the largest economies, China and the United States bear a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

For sound and stable China-U.S. relations, Washington must back its commitment to stabilize relations with concrete steps that show genuine respect for China's core interests and sovereignty.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Scientists have linked semaglutide use to suicidal ideation. Artem Hvozdkov/Getty Images

This article originally appeared on Medical News Today

A new study finds a significant correlation between the use of semaglutide drugs such as Ozempic, antidepressant, or benzodiazepine use, and suicidal ideation.

No such link was found between liraglutide GLP-1 drugs and suicidal ideation.

National health authorities have so far found no connection between GLP-1 medications and suicidal thoughts, but research is continuing.

A new study adds to the conversation regarding the possible effect of GLP-1 diabetes/weight loss drugs on suicide ideation, although its message is a subtle one.

The study finds a disproportionality in the number of people who take semaglutide-based GLP-1 drugs and antidepressants or benzodiazepines and who report suicidal ideation.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications were originally developed to help people with diabetes maintain blood sugar levels and a healthy weight. They have since become popular as weight loss drugs, with Wegovy officially being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use, as well as Zepbound (tirzepatide) receiving approval from the FDA for weight management in November 2023.

Many of these drugs are based on semaglutide, which was first made available to patients in 2017. These include Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, all manufactured by Novo Nordisk.

Among the early GLP-1 drugs still in use is liraglutide. Drugs based on liraglutide include Saxenda and Victoza.

The researchers found no indication of increased suicidal ideation in people who took liraglutide GLP-1 drugs alongside antidepressants.

Experts concerns regarding GLP-1 drugs and suicidal ideation stem from three patients reported in Iceland, and 201 similar reports received by the FDA. Since that time, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the FDA have investigated the issue. On January 11, 2024, the FDA released a statement saying it had found no connection between the drugs and suicidal thoughts. In April 2024, EMA did the same.

In fact, in January 2024, the U.S. National Institutes of Health reported on a study finding people on GLP-1 drugs had less suicidal ideation than other people.

What is unusual about the new study, and what it adds to the discussion, is that it found a disproportionality signal specifically among people who were taking both semaglutide medications and antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

In arriving at their findings, the authors of the new study analyzed the World Health Organizations global database of adverse drug reactions that were suspected to be attributable to semaglutide or liraglutide.

The study is published in the JAMA Network Open.

A possible connection between GLP-1 drugs and suicidal ideation

To begin with, lead author Georgios Schoretsanitis, MD, PhD, pointed out to Medical News Today that the disproportionality signal is a hint and cannot be interpreted as a proxy of severity.

It is not clear how strong the association is, nor does the study in any way demonstrate a causal relationship.

Mir Ali, MD, board certified bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, who was not involved in the study, said:

As far as I know, no definite mechanism to link GLP-1 medications and suicidal ideation [has been described]. He also said, There is disagreement because the incidence [of suicidal ideation] is so rare that it is difficult to accurately assess and try to delineate a possible reason for this.

Separating existing psychological stressors from those possibly caused by GLP-1 is also difficult.

Ian Douglas, PhD, BSc, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who was also not involved in the study, pointed out:

The time at which someone starts a treatment for obesity can itself be correlated with mental health difficulties, and the effects of the medication on weight, whether this is a dramatic reduction in weight, or a disappointing lack of weight reduction, can also trigger changes in mental health.

If we want to know whether GLP-1 agonists cause changes in mental health status, either through their direct pharmacological action or indirectly through their action on weight, we ideally need studies that compare people treated with GLP-1 agonists with similar people not receiving them to see if there are differences in their risk of mental health outcomes.

 Ian Douglas, PhD, BSc

Of the NIH study, Douglas said, I wouldnt go so far as to say GLP-1 agonists prevent mental health problems based on these findings, but the results are certainly not consistent with a harm.

Douglas questioned the methodology used in the new study, saying that individual spontaneous reports of suspected adverse drug reactions [] such as those used in the new study are not an appropriate resource in which to test this hypothesis about GLP-1 agonists.

Ali expressed a similar concern. A disproportionality analysis is a quick and inexpensive way to assess whether a certain group is overrepresented or underrepresented in a particular outcome.

Contradictory evidence on semaglutide and mental health

Moreover, another newly published study, which appears in JAMA Internal Medicine, found no association between semaglutide treatment and suicidal behaviors in users with no history of mental health conditions.

The research, which examined data from four of the five Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with obesity (STEP) trials, looked for changes in symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and for indications of potential suicidal ideation and behavior using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale.

Our new analyses provide assurance that the medication, when taken by individuals who are free of significant mental health concerns, does not increase the risk of depression, suicidal thoughts, or suicidal behavior, said the lead author of the study, Thomas Wadden, PhD, a professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and the former director of Penns Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, in a press release.

While these findings do provide reassurance, it is important to note that this study may not be entirely free of bias. Several of its authors have declared potential conflicts of interest, as  outside of this study  they are affiliated with companies that commercialize semaglutide drugs, such as Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, and AstraZeneca.

This study received funding from the Strategic Research Area Epidemiology program at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, one of the institutions supporting this research.

Keeping semaglutide users safe

Schoretsanitis said that he and his team suggest that physicians prescribing semaglutide should inform their patients about the medications risks, assess their psychiatric history, and evaluate the mental state of patients before starting treatment with semaglutide.

If needed, such as in cases of persisting suicidal ideation or in cases of other relevant mental disorders, the treating physician should involve different specialists, including a psychiatrist and/or clinical psychologists for a psychological and psychiatric evaluation.

 Georgios Schoretsanitis, MD, PhD

Of particular concern with GLP-1 drugs is that some people obtain online prescriptions and receive them by home delivery. We highly discourage off-label use of semaglutide and without any medical supervision, said Schoretsanitis.

One of the reasons most medications are only available by prescription is to make sure they are used appropriately, and this includes potential monitoring for emerging side effects, added Douglas.

There is a world of difference, Douglas said, in terms of follow-up between being prescribed a medication by a known family physician and a relatively anonymous online operator. There is a vital duty of care for all prescribers to ensure they are available and accessible for follow-up and monitoring.

View the original article on Medical News Today
The patient was flown to University Hospital Graz after an accident - Medical University of Graz

A surgeon in Austria is under investigation for allowing her 13-year-old daughter to drill a hole in a patients skull.

A 33-year-old man was flown to University Hospital Graz with serious head injuries in January following an accident in an Austrian forest.

The female neurosurgeon, who has not been named, is alleged to have allowed her daughter to actively take part in the emergency surgery, including drilling open the patients skull, according to Austrias Kronen Zeitung newspaper.

The surgery was completed without problems. However, in April an anonymous complaint lodged with the public prosecutors office in Graz  the regional capital of Styria, Austrias second-largest state  prompted an investigation.

The patient reportedly first read about the incident in the media, only to be informed by police in July that he was the victim.

Peter Freiberger, his lawyer, said You lie there, unwilling, unconscious and become [a] guinea pig. Theres probably no other way to put it... thats not possible. You cant do that.

Girl may have actively participated

The hospital has confirmed that the surgeon who performed the operation and a senior surgeon who was there at the time were both suspended from duty with immediate effect. Both are being investigated on suspicion of causing serious bodily harm.

Five other people who were in the operating room are also under investigation for failure to prevent an act that is punishable by law.

Mr Freiberger is now looking to sue the surgical team and demand compensation for pain and suffering of the victim, who he said has been unable to return to work.

The Styrian Hospital Association (Kages), which operates the hospital, has neither confirmed nor denied whether the teenager drilled the hole.

In a statement at the end of May, Kages admitted that the girl may have actively participated in the operation, but stressed that the procedure was carried out without complications.

Mr Freiberger said that everyone present during the surgery shared responsibility, adding that neither Kages nor the hospital had contacted the victim. He told the German newspaper Bild: There has been no contact, no explanation or apology, nothing. That is simply undignified.

Graz University Hospital said in a statement that the investigation into the entire surgical team was ongoing but as of yet, there is no concrete evidence that the daughter herself took actual part in the operation.

It continued: The hospitals management would like to express its utmost regret and extend its sincere apologies for this incident, and is working to fully clarify the matter.

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.
.

Her babies had been delivered too early to survive, and Lauren Rosenberg barely had herself.

In November 2019, Rosenberg was transferred from Greenwich Hospital to Yale New Haven Hospital with a severe pregnancy complication.

My liver was failing. It was really dire, Rosenberg said.

While grieving the loss of her twins, she felt hopeless. One of the doctors who saved her life specialized in fertility treatment. Rosenberg, who was 40 years old at the time, told the doctor: I need a plan. This cannot be the end of the story. I just want to be a mom.

She was told there was a 40% to 60% chance she might develop a life-threatening complication called HELLP syndrome during pregnancy, but she could do IVF and find a gestational carrier. She was referred to the Yale Fertility Center.

In January 2020, she started her first round of IVF injections.









Patients thought the Yale name meant they'd be receiving quality care

After her near-death experience, Rosenberg prioritized going to a top-notch clinic.

I felt with the name Yale that they were going to take great care of me, Rosenberg said. I never once questioned that they wouldn't know what was going in my body or that they wouldn't care about how I was feeling.

But during her first retrieval, she was horrified.

When you get an egg retrieval, youre in stirrups. Youre in a vulnerable position, Rosenberg said. They have you strapped down too, (so) you can only move so much.

Immediately, she felt excruciating pain. Her body jerked, and she was told to stop moving.

My body was convulsing on the table, and I just remember the look of irritation on the doctors face, Rosenberg said. He put his hands up and he said, She has to stop moving, or I can't do this procedure.

At that moment, she told herself to get it together and that it was her fault the doctor was so irritated. The nurse told her to take a deep breath and try again.

It happened again, and I said, Im feeling everything.'"

Finally, she was given more medicine, but it didnt help.

I asked the nurse: 'That really, really, really hurt. Is that normal? Rosenberg said. And she said something like, Its not like you were getting a manicure.

A gynecologist prepares to perform an oocyte retrieval on a patient during a medically assisted reproduction (MAP) procedure at a fertility center in Paris.

Without the nurse or doctor expressing any urgency or concern regarding her experience, Rosenberg convinced herself that her level of pain was normal.

Maybe this is just how painful this is. Maybe this is what I have to endure to be a mom, she remembers thinking. And at that point, honestly, I was willing to do anything to be a mom.

One thing that shocked her about her experience was how different it was from everybody else's based on those she had spoken to ahead of time. Rosenberg had always considered herself tough, and after the procedure, she felt ashamed she couldnt withstand the pain.

I was almost embarrassed to tell people how painful (it was), Rosenberg said.









'It was 45 minutes of living hell and just absolute torture'

For Angela Cortese, the neglect began even before the first retrieval.

In 2017, Cortese and her partner decided to assess what kind of reproductive intervention she would need to have children. At her first fertility consultation, doctors discovered she had only one fallopian tube and a unicorn uterus, which meant her right ovary was not in the expected anatomic position.

In December 2019, she went forth with her first egg retrieval at Yale Fertility Center. That plan was for Cortese to undergo IVF and for her partner to carry the baby.

Leading up to the procedure, Cortese had a string of uncomfortable check-ins during which doctors and nurses struggled to find her right ovary.

"Theyre telling you, You can stop whenever you want. But you really cant, because you only have so much time in that appointment. You want to see how the follicles are developing, Cortese said.

But on the day of the retrieval, everything seemed to be operating as normal  until the procedure: It was 45 minutes of living hell and just absolute torture, Cortese said.

With each needle insertion, the nurses  who were all women  tried to keep Cortese calm as she convulsed on the table.

But it's the male doctor who's at the end of the table saying, Well, do you think you could like hold on a little bit longer? Cortese said.

She remembers being told she had maxed out on medication, but the doctor told her he could retrieve three more follicles and she had to push through if she wanted the best odds.

Cortese was awake for the entirety of the procedure but was never asked if she needed to take a break. She felt like an inconvenience and pushed through the pain.

I was trying to survive, Cortese said. I was trying to figure out how to convince my body to just handle the pain because if I couldnt do it, then I was jeopardizing my entire familys future. It was balancing the excruciating pain with that feeling of This is your fault.

After the procedure ended, the pain lingered. Her mind raced with worries that her pain had interfered with the success of the retrievals. The doctor came into the room and prescribed her pain medication but did not check in with her again.

Corteses first retrieval resulted in her wife getting pregnant, but that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. So they made the difficult decision to have a second retrieval.

While preparing for the second retrieval, she was finally able to address the harrowing experience from the first procedure.

One of the nurses finally commented like, Yeah, it wasnt a normal amount of pain that you were in, Cortese said. "But they found ways to just justify what I was feeling."









'I was literally crying. There were tears coming out.'

Rosenberg's first egg retrieval created the embryo that resulted in her two twin boys. But it was the only viable embryo from her procedure. Fear sunk in as she reviewed data on the success of transfers, which suggested there was a high risk of the embryos not taking. So, she decided to have a second retrieval, despite lingering concerns about how painful it had been.

Lauren Rosenberg's first retrieval eventually created the embryo that resulted in her two twin boys, but because she was concerned about the success rate of transfers, she decided to undergo a second egg retrieval in June 2020.

For her second retrieval in June 2020, she was sedated and alone in the clinic. COVID-19 protocols had shifted the environment  the facility felt isolating, and her partner wasnt allowed to accompany her inside. Her anxiety around the procedure had increased, but she did not experience pain during it. Instead, an intense, sharp pain followed it. Unlike her first retrieval, she was unable to walk afterward and was brought out to her car in a wheelchair.

Similarly, she was incoherent and slipped in and out of consciousness during her third retrieval in August 2020.

After these procedures, she tried to share her pain with doctors, but she felt no one wanted to engage.

I think the desperation I had for a family allowed me to endure it, Rosenberg said. As I was lying there and that needle was going in and out, I was literally crying. There were tears coming out. To have that be just dismissed I think speaks volumes.

Angela Cortese's second retrieval, in June 2020, resulted in the birth of her son. Cortese, right, and her wife have since welcomed another child via IVF.

Corteses second retrieval also took place in June 2020 and was just as traumatic as her first. Without her wife in the clinic, Corteses anxiety was greater than ever before.

There was no acknowledgment that I had been through something traumatic, Cortese said. It was basically 'Suck it up, Buttercup, or else were not gonna get this done.'

Though she had been sedated this time, she woke up mid-procedure to members of her medical team saying she was in distress and had maxed out on pain medication. Once they noticed she was awake, they terminated the procedure before retrieving eggs from both ovaries.

No one checked in on her after the procedure. Instead, she was given pretzels and ginger ale and told she could leave the clinic after she ate.

Her wife pulled up to the front door as Cortese was wheeled out to the car, and while being transferred from a wheelchair to the car, a nurse informed her there were further complications during the procedure.

She told me (they) went through my bladder, so I might have some bleeding, Cortese said. She was not anybody who was in the procedure room with me. She wouldn't even be able to answer (questions) because it was beyond what she knew.

Again, Cortese felt like a burden who had taken up too much of the doctors time.

This retrieval was successful, but she decided to immediately go ahead with a third retrieval for financial reasons  she didnt have the money to wait until later in case this pregnancy resulted in another miscarriage.

At this point, she was angry with the poor quality of care she received at the clinic. She told the team they could go forth with an abdominal procedure to avoid continuous difficulties with finding her right ovary. I was like: I don't want to have to keep experiencing this. Clearly, my body can't handle it. Like, get them out, Cortese said.

As she was brought into the room to start the procedure, she experienced an intense panic attack.

I really hadn't processed and truly understood the scope of the damage that the first two retrievals had inflicted, Cortese said.

Her second retrieval resulted in the birth of her son.









The truth delivered by mail

The letter came in the mail in December 2020. Each woman got an identical copy. Yale had learned of an event that may have involved (their) care.

The center disclosed that they had discovered that on multiple occasions, a Yale Fertility Center nurse had been replacing fentanyl with saline in "some medication vials," which may have resulted in some patients receiving saline instead of the intended narcotic during their procedures.

While theres no reason to believe that this event has had any negative effect on your health or the outcome of the care that you received, the letter stated, we believe that you should be informed.

All of a sudden, everything made sense. The convulsions. Sweats. Tears.

Not only was their pain real, but it could have been avoided if the medical staff had been willing to do one thing: believe the women in stirrups crying out in pain.









Studies show doctors are less likely to believe women in pain

Behavioral and attitudinal traits that are considered female, such as vulnerability, dramatics and emotionality, can cause providers to believe that women have a lower pain tolerance and exaggerate the severity of their conditions. Providers are more likely to recommend psychological services in response to complaints of pain to a woman than a man, yet are more likely to offer analgesic drugs to men.

In a 2019 study, 1 in 5 women reported that they felt their symptoms were overlooked or disregarded by a health care provider, and 17% believed they had been treated differently because of their gender  compared with only 6% of men.

During the retrievals, all Cortese wanted was someone to acknowledge her pain and help her make it better. Now, any trust she had in doctors is gone. Even after leaving Yale and having a validating experience at a different fertility center, she is still on edge.

You never think that the doctors are just letting this go by unnoticed or they're not addressing it, she said. I certainly didn't think that a nurse was going to be stealing fentanyl and putting me in this position to feel this much pain.

Rosenberg, who came to Yale after a near-death experience, was relieved that she wasnt crazy, but at the same time, felt horrified and violated.

The minute I opened the letter, I knew they were talking about me, she said. It felt like a knife in the back.

There was a number you could call with questions, but Rosenberg was too angry to speak with anyone. Instead, her husband rang the line, and no one answered; the clinic had sent the letters out just before winter break. A week later, they finally received a call back. Her husband asked for a record of which vials of fentanyl Rosenberg received. To their dismay, the representative told her husband that they "dont keep track of those."

In that moment, I just remember feeling so incensed that they just didnt have protocols in place to protect their patients, Rosenberg said.

Rosenbergs trust in medical professionals has also changed dramatically since her experience, even affecting her in medical settings outside of reproductive or maternal care.

She manages her care more closely now, even cross-referencing her prescriptions with photos of the medication online to ensure that the pharmacy is giving her what she needs.

I was put in a position to beg for medication, to beg to not be in excruciating pain, Rosenberg said. I go into every situation wondering if Im going to be heard.

And though she feels grateful for her twin boys, it angers her that she can't separate them from this experience. "It feels really sad to know that I could have made them without all that pain," she said.









Yale Fertility Center under lawsuit for drug diversion and medical negligence

It was later disclosed that Donna Monitcone, a former nurse responsible for managing controlled substances at the Yale Fertility Center, had been stealing at least 75% of all fentanyl housed at the clinic and replacing vials with saline solution over at least five months. In November 2020, she brought in about 175 vials of stolen fentanyl and dispensed them in waste containers at the REI clinic.

Monitcone, who struggled with opioid addiction, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of tampering with a consumer product and surrendered her nursing license in October 2021. She had been using the fentanyl on herself  self-injecting it both in the clinic and at home. Yale paid the Justice Department a $308,250 settlement in October 2022 to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act.

"Yale deeply regrets the distress suffered by some of its patients when a former nurse at the Yale Fertility Center diverted pain medication intended for patient procedures," Yale University said in a statement. "After Yale discovered the nurses misconduct, she was removed from the Center; the university alerted law enforcement agencies and notified patients who might have been affected. The Center also reviewed its procedures and made significant changes to further oversight of pain control and controlled substances."

Along with Rosenberg and Cortese, dozens of patients who experienced severe pain during fertility procedures are suing Yale on the accusations of drug diversion and medical negligence.

This is a case of staggering neglect and betrayal by Yale University, Josh Koskoff, an attorney, said in a news release last year.

The women say this could have easily been avoided. There were signs all along  but no one listened.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yale Fertility Center patients say signs of neglect were there all along


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In the latest development of the Agreement between China and the Holy See, authortities recognise the underground prelate long under arrest for refusing to join the Patriotic Association as leader of the local Catholic community. Archbishop Celli had met him two years ago and presented him with a pectoral cross in the name of Francis. Today's ceremony was held in a hotel and not in the cathedral to reaffirm aappointment's civil rather than canonical character.

Tianjin (AsiaNews) - The Chinese authorities have officially recognised 94 year-old Msgr Melchior Shi Honghzen as bishop of the Tianjin diocese - a metropolis in northern China. Until now, the prelate had been considered an underground bishop in a large diocese where there has been no official bishop since 2005.

The gesture - which falls within the framework of the Agreement between the Holy See and Beijing on the appointment of bishops - was announced this morning by the website chinacatholic.cn, the voice of the official Catholic bodies controlled by the Beijing government, and confirmed with its own statement at noon by the Vatican Press Office.

Msgr. Melchiorre Shi Honghzhen is the prelate who, after years of detention two years ago, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli - a Vatican diplomat who has been following the Chinese dossier for many years - was able to meet during the visit to China of the Holy See delegation in view of the renewal of the agreement in October 2022. On that occasion Msgr. Celli had also presented him with a pectoral cross in the name of the pope, with a clear reaffirmation of his episcopal dignity.

A Vatican communique released today reads the Holy See learns with satisfaction that today Bishop Melchiorre Shi Hongzhen is officially recognised as the bishop of Tianjin. This measure is a positive fruit of the dialogue established over the years between the Holy See and the Chinese government'.

The recognition of Msgr. Melchiorre comes just a few months after the three new bishop appointments in January and the transfer to Hangzhou in June of one of the two Chinese bishops who participated in the work of the Synod.

And it also comes just a few weeks after decisions were made on how to renew the provisional agreement between Rome and Beijing, whose two-year term will expire at the end of October.

A native of the same city of Tianjin where he was born on 7 October 1929, ordained a priest in 1954, Msgr Melchiorre Shi Honghzhen had been consecrated coadjutor bishop in 1982 with the permission of the Holy See by Msgr Stefano Li Side, another courageous underground bishop who paid with imprisonment and confinement until his death in a mountain resort in 2019 for his defence of religious freedom in China.

Msgr Melchior Shi Honghzhen has also always refused to join the Patriotic Association and for this reason he had never been recognised as a bishop by the Beijing authorities until now.

In its report of events, the website chinacatholic.cn speaks of an installation ceremony for the bishop of Tianjin in the presence of the bishop of Beijing, Msgr. Joseph Li Shan, as president of the Patriotic Association and vice-president of the Council of Chinese Bishops (the collegial body not officially recognised by the Holy See, ed.) and about a hundred people.

It also hastens to report that at the inauguration ceremony, Shi Hongzhen solemnly swore to abide by the National Constitution, to safeguard the unity of the homeland and social harmony, to love the country and the Church, and to always adhere to the direction of the sinicisation of Catholicism in China.

It adds that by obeying God's commandments, carrying out his duties as a bishop well, faithfully preaching the Gospel, together with the priests and faithful of the Tianjin diocese, he contributes to the overall construction of a modern socialist country and the overall promotion of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

As to the real meaning to be given to these last words steeped in patriotic rhetoric, however, one fact speaks for itself: as the pictures themselves show, the ceremony did not take place in the historic St Joseph's Church in Xikai - which is the seat of the cathedral - but in a room of a city hotel.

According to local sources, it was Msgr Melchiorre himself who wanted this location, thus emphasising the civil character of the ceremony, since canonically he was already the bishop of Tianjin.

Moreover, he would have expressed his intention to continue to live at the Zhongxin Qao Church where he currently resides. All signs that speak not of a turning point, but of continuity with what he has represented all these years for the Catholic community of Tianjin.

Finally, it is worth noting that Beijing's recognition of Bishop Melchior Shi Honghzen finally heals a wound from the past. But the lack of communication of even an agreement on a coadjutor bishop to accompany the now 94-year-old prelate leaves open the question of who will lead the Catholic Church of Tianjin in the future.

A community that - as the Vatican note reports - today numbers about 56,000 faithful, distributed in 21 parishes, served by 62 priests and a good number of nuns.
Today's news: Joe Biden and Modi discussed the conflict in Ukraine after the Indian Prime Minister's historic visit; Patriarchs and heads of the Churches of the Holy Land: Interminable negotiations. A way to peace must be found'; Vietnamese authorities continue to crack down on social media users who criticise the government; Journalist found dead in Turkmenistan.

JAPAN - CHINA

Japan accused a Chinese spy plane of violating its airspace, in what would be the first known case of a direct violation; the violation allegedly occurred in the Danjo Islands for about two minutes at 11:29 local time yesterday. Japan's Cabinet Secretary called the violation absolutely unacceptable. The incident comes amid rising tensions where China vies for influence against the US and its allies, including Japan.

INDIA - UKRAINE - USA

US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Modi discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine on Monday, following Modi's visit to Ukraine, and the situation in Bangladesh, where protests led to the ouster of former leader Sheikh Hasina earlier this month. Modi wrote online that he had discussed the situation in Ukraine on the phone with Biden and reiterated India's full support for a speedy return to peace and stability.

HOLY LAND - CHURCHES

Gaza ceasefire talks continue interminably, with leaders of the warring parties apparently more concerned with political considerations than with ending the quest for death and destruction. This was denounced by the heads of the Churches of the Holy Land in a new communique, renewing their call for a rapid path of peace in the region.

ISRAEL - GAZA

If 40,000 people were standing side by side in Paris, the first person would be at Notre-Dame and the last at Versailles, writes Al Jazeera. The line would be 24 kilometres long. 40 thousand Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip in the 320 days since 7 October. Among them almost 17 thousand children, 2.6% of all children in Gaza. At least 53 children have been killed every day since 7 October, as have 72 men and women.

VIETNAM

The Vietnamese authorities are continuing their crackdown on social media users considered critical of the state and the Communist Party, using two articles of the Penal Code that human rights groups say are too vague. After seven months of pre-trial detention, the authorities in Hanoi announced their intention to prosecute Facebook user Phan Van Bach under Article 117 of the Penal Code for production, storage, dissemination of information.

UKRAINE - RUSSIA

About 300 faithful, as well as some priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Upz, linked to the Russian Orthodox Church and now at risk of closure after the Kiev parliament's decision on the matter, signed an appeal to Metropolitan Onufryj (Berezovskij), the local head of the Church, asking him to officially declare the severing of all relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.

TURKMENISTAN

Radio Azattyk correspondent in Turkmenistan, 35-year-old Khudajberdi Allasov, who was found lifeless at home after long periods of stress and depression caused by continuous persecution of him by the government, has died, and the community of independent journalists is wondering how to react in the face of the excesses of authoritarianism, violence and torture.
by Melani Manel Perera

The celebration presided over by Card. Ranjith together with the Archbishop of Goa, Card. Filipe Neri Ferrao. From Pope Francis a message of closeness to the sick and pilgrims: I invoke upon you the gift of courage and perseverance. Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus also recount the graces received from the Virgin.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - A special solemnity marked the annual blessing of the sick on Sunday 25th August at the Tewatta basilica, which this year celebrates 50 years since it was recognised as the national shrine of Our Lady of Lanka.

As is customary, Catholics and non-Catholics flocked from all over the country, reporting that they received the blessings physically and in spirit, some pilgrims said.

Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists also came to ask for Our Lady of Lanka's intercession. Presiding over the recitation of the rosary in the three languages of the country (Sinhala, English and Tamil) and the Eucharistic blessing, together with the Archbishop of Colombo, Card. Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Goa, Card. Fiilipe Neri Ferrao, who from next January will lead the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences.

A message on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Dedication of the National Basilica was sent by Pope Francis and read out by the Apostolic Nuncio in Sri Lanka, Msgr. Brian Udangwe. In the text, the pontiff recounts that he personally asked God for the gift of courage and perseverance for the sick pilgrims who come to Tewatta.

Addressing the pilgrims gathered for the Day of the Sick, the Archbishop of Colombo, Card. Malcolm Ranjith, invited thanks to God the Father for preparing the peaceful environment that allows the people of Sri Lanka to gather in this place of worship today. We thank Almighty God for presenting to us the Mother of God, who is full of love, and we entrust our country and all our brothers and sisters who inhabit it to God's maternal love, the cardinal added.

Among the devotees of Our Lady of Lanka, a Buddhist family from the distant central province of Polonnaruwa told AsiaNews that they visit every year on the Day of the Sick. My husband had a pain in his left leg that lasted for months. Eventually, one of our Catholic friends invited us to come to Tewatta and participate in the special blessing day in 2018, says Vinishia Nissanka.

We are Catholics from the Kandy diocese. I too experienced a great miracle that happened from Our Lady, adds Mrs Marita Perera. After the birth of my third daughter, since 2000, I suffered from severe stomach pain. I was treated by very famous doctors and had to spend a lot of money. But after five years, after attending holy masses and praying the rosary as a family, at the Basilica every month, I had the gift of healing.
27 August 2024 16:37 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

Founded in Europe in 1949, PACE is committed to the mission of promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Europe. The main institutions of the organization, which consists of 46 member states, include the Committee of Ministers (MC), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Commissioner for Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

But the question is does the PACE show loyalty to the organization's mission?

From January 2024, the Azerbaijani delegation decided to suspend cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and its participation in the organization for an indefinite period. Since then, relations between PACE and Azerbaijan have been suspended. The Western press reports that this decision was made after the calls of the European MPs to not accept the credentials of the members of the Azerbaijani delegation at PACE.

The Assembly came to the conclusion that official Baku did not fulfil its "main obligations" and adopted a resolution on this.

PACE claims that official Baku does not respect the democratic values based on the fundamental principles of the European Union. In addition to exhibiting a biased position in the post-Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, the organization also tried to interfere in the internal affairs of official Baku. Citing "arrests and violations of human rights" within the country, PACE allegedly claims that Azerbaijan prevents freedom of speech.

It is easy to criticize and blame, but it is not every organization's job to be exemplary, is not it? It seems that either PACE cannot withstand those heavy "fundamental principles" that it has taken on as a mission, or there are serious problems within the organization.

For example, the presence of corrupt and pro-Armenian politicians like Frank Schwabe in PACE is a clear threat to Azerbaijan. Because Schwabe always grossly violates the principles of law with both his financial nterests and biased views.

We wonder how long Azerbaijan will have to turn a blind eye to the decisions made by pro-Armenian politicians of the European Union.

The anti-terrorist measures of September 19, 2023, left Europe in deep question. After all, until that time, some pro-Armenian politicians made promises to their partners.

But their promises did not come true. On the contrary, the political representatives of PACE, who tried to obstruct the work of the State Border Service at the Lachin border crossing point, tried to move towards the red line.

On January 22, 2024, the reason for the pain of PACE became clear.

PACE was not invited to the extraordinary presidential elections held in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024. The reason was clear - what can an organization that does not want to include Azerbaijan and does not respect its territorial integrity do in the elections?

Eventually, the date is 2024 and the upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan did not want to see the PACE delegation in the elections again. Of course, this incident greatly disturbed the president of PACE, Theodoros Rousopoulos, of Greek origin. The PACE President has reacted to the announcement by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan that certain members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will be considered as personae non gratae in the country. Azerbaijan's blacklisting of 76 PACE members, in fact, has had a serious impact on PACE. When PACE discriminated against Azerbaijan, it should have known that it would end like this. An organization that only unilaterally advocates for Armenia and disrespects the territorial integrity of the other side should now think: either to eliminate discrimination or to leave the leading state of the South Caucasus out of the loop, relying on the unfair approach of a few biased politicians.

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27 August 2024 13:25 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Analysis of data from the State Statistics Committee, the Ministry of Energy, and the State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources, as compiled by the Media Analysis Center (MTM), reveals significant growth in Azerbaijan's renewable energy sector, Azernews reports.

Since President Ilham Aliyev's announcement of the "National Program for Renewable Energy in the Republic of Azerbaijan" on October 21, 2004, the installed capacity of renewable energy in the country has increased by 74%, or 717.8 MW.

Following the ratification of the Charter of the International Renewable Energy Agency, which was signed in Bonn on January 26, 2009, and later approved by President Aliyev on May 2, 2014, Azerbaijans renewable energy investment capacity has grown by 50.7%, equivalent to 567.9 MW.

As of July this year, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan reached 1,687.9 MW, marking a 30.7% increase (396.6 MW) compared to five years ago. Hydropower remains the dominant source of renewable energy in the country. Over the past two decades, the installed capacity of hydropower plants has grown by 34.2%, or 331.6 MW, now totaling 1,301.7 MWa 13.7% increase in the last five years alone.

Wind energy has also seen substantial growth. The capacity of wind power plants currently stands at 66.5 MW, a 39.1-fold increase (64.8 MW) since 15 years ago. Notably, Azerbaijan's first wind power plants became operational in 2009, with an initial capacity of 1.7 MW.

Solar energy has experienced an even more dramatic expansion. The installed capacity of solar power plants is now 282 MW, representing an eightfold increase over the past five years and a 117.5-fold increase compared to 10 years ago. A significant portion81.6%, or 230 MWof this capacity is attributed to the "Garadagh GES," inaugurated in 2023. "Garadagh GES," built with $262 million in foreign investment, is the first industrial-scale solar power plant in Azerbaijan financed by international investors.

The Balakhani biopower plant, the only one of its kind in the country, has an installed capacity of 37.7 MW.

In terms of the number of power plants, hydropower facilities dominate, with 47 plants in total (11 large and 36 small). Thermal power plants follow with 22 stations, accounting for 25.6% of all power plants. Overall, renewable energy plants represent 74.4% (64 stations) of the total number of power plants operating in the country.

For additional context, Azerbaijan currently has 9 solar, 5 wind, and 1 biopower plant producing electricity. The country also operates 2 hybrid power plants, where electricity generated from wind, solar, and biogas is integrated into the grid.

Looking at the evolution of electricity production in Azerbaijan over the past 20 years, solar, wind, and biopower plants have been established, and the number of hydropower plants has increased.

In 2004, Azerbaijan had only two types of power plants generating electricity: thermal and hydropower plants. At that time, the installed capacity of power plants was 5,665.1 MW, with 82.88% (4,695 MW) coming from thermal power plants and 17.12% (970.1 MW) from hydropower plants.

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27 August 2024 14:43 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

During the event "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New Perspectives of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation," organized jointly by the Center for the Analysis of International Relations (ICAR) and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, emphasized that industrial cooperation is a key focus of the bilateral relationship, Azernews reports.

In his speech, Ashrafkhanov highlighted the historic document signed during President Ilham Aliyevs state visit to Uzbekistan, which marked the establishment of a strategic alliance between the two nations. He noted that the countries have fostered 11 sister city partnerships, exemplifying their close ties.

Ashrafkhanov also underscored Azerbaijans role as a bridge to Europe for Uzbekistan, while Uzbekistan serves as a gateway to Asia for Azerbaijan. He announced that 2025 will be designated as "the year of Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan economic cooperation," signaling a new era of strengthened economic ties.

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27 August 2024 13:02 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

An art exhibition "My Lachin" and the photo exhibition "Wings of Time - Lachin", have been presented at Lachin Cinema, Azernews reports.

The event was organized as part of Lachin City Day by the Special Representation of the Culture Ministry and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Lachin district with the support of the Baku Abadlig Service LLC.

The guests first got acquainted with the art exhibition "Lachin is mine" and the photo exhibition "Wings of Time - Lachin".

Furthermore, the audience watched the documentary "Shusha, You are Free!", filmed jointly by Baku Media Center and the Salname Film Studio with the support of the Culture Ministry.

The director of the film is Javidan Sharifov, producers are Nazim Huseynov and Orman Aliyev.

Shusha, You are Free!" provides insight into some interesting details of the "Shusha operation".

The documentary also contains interviews with Azerbaijani valiant soldiers and officers - participants of the operation and exclusive footage taken during the battles for the city of Shusha.

The film aroused great interest among the audience.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A festive atmosphere has been felt in every corner of Lachin city, Azernews reports.

The air was filled with the uplifting sounds of patriotic songs performed by children. During the holiday celebrations, vibrant performances were showcased at "Seyrangah."

Oyug Independent Children's Theater delighted the audience with scenes from national fairy tales, followed by a spectacular concert program highlighting Azerbaijani children's cinematography.

Additionally, the Shusha State Musical Drama Theater staged the play "Red Hat," directed by Honored Artist Logman Karimov, inspired by Yevgeny Shvarts' renowned work.

The play's music was composed by Azad Mammadov, set designer was Valeh Mammadov. The talented cat included Surahi Alimammadova, Pustakhanim Zeynalova, Aybaniz Jahangirova, Nihat Heybatov, Orkhan Abishov, Javid Javadzade.

Local residents enjoyed the wonderful festivities accompanied by wonderful music.

Following the performances, an interactive exhibition titled "Gochdash" was organized as well, featuring master classes on traditional applied arts.

Attendees were educated about various crafts, including netting, mat art, ceramics, and coppersmithing, with live demonstrations of many of these processes.

It's noteworthy that last year, August 26 was officially recognized as Lachin City Day, established by President Ilham Aliyev's decree dated July 31, 2023, "On the establishment of city days in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan".

In 2024, Lachin City Day was organized by the Special Representation of the Culture Ministry and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Lachin district with the support of the Baku Abadlig Service LLC.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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27 August 2024 20:08 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

One of the Armenian lobby's favorite pastimes in the West is to spotlight "Armenian celebrities" who have gained fame through "special" means. The Kardashian family, which has established itself in the U.S., is a prime example of this lobbying tool. Kimberly Kardashian, the most biased member of the Kardashian family against the Azerbaijani people and state, launched a fundraising campaign through social media during the Second Garabagh War.

Currently, one of the hot topics in the U.S. is the presidential elections scheduled for November. Looking at the election campaigns, it is evident that Joe Biden is no longer considered a candidate. The remaining contenders are Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and the Kardashians have already moved to entice Kamala Harris.

Indeed, the Armenian lobby's strategy of buying Western politicians with money has become a habit. We have previously heard accusations and biased statements financed by Armenian bribes through many ambassadors and representatives. Now, with the help of the Kardashians, the stakes have been raised, targeting a U.S. presidential candidate.

Why Kamala Harris?

Among the contenders for power in the U.S., Donald Trump is the most noticeable figure. So why is the Armenian lobby aiming to win Kamala Harris favor instead of Trumps? The reality is that during Trumps presidency, not only did the U.S. economy grow, but peace in the world was also somewhat established. This was because Trumps primary goal was not to escalate tensions in foreign regions but to focus on the U.S. economy, social life, and welfare. Considering that Donald Trump attaches special importance to relations with Azerbaijan, it is natural that the Armenian lobby does not support him. They needed someone who would support Armenians and increase tensions in the South Caucasus as the U.S. President.

Realizing that they would not get this support from Trump, the pro-Armenian forces redirected their efforts towards Kamala Harris, gifting her $100 million through Kim Kardashian. Of course, Harris role is crucial here. It remains unclear what steps the presidential candidate will take in return for Kardashian's bribe.

Kim Kardashian and PR Campaign

During the Second Garabagh War, Kim Kardashian tried to collect donations for the Armenian army through videos posted on her Instagram account and spread misinformation about Azerbaijan while shedding crocodile tears. It is easy for Armenians, who expelled 1 million Azerbaijanis from their homes and committed genocide and crimes in Garabagh, to label Azerbaijan as an aggressor for liberating its territories.

However, candidates for the U.S. presidency should be well aware of this nation, which has historically been under the patronage of other states and attempted to seize other countries' lands.

Today, Armenia, with the help of its PR campaigns, is trying to inscribe the fictitious "Armenian Genocide" story into the annals of history. Creating a fictitious state on Azerbaijani lands and appropriating many cultural and social traditions, while blaming Azerbaijan for covering up these crimes, is unacceptable.

The bribe Kim Kardashian gave to Kamala Harris under the guise of charity delays the already stalled peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Thus, the Armenian lobby and the Pashinyan administration are clearly demonstrating their lack of interest in peace in the South Caucasus.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
27 August 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pakistan that resulted in the death of at least 50 people.

Azernews reports that the Foreign Ministry has shared about this on X.

Appalled by the horrifying news of a terrorist attack that killed dozens in #Balochistan, #Pakistan.



We vehemently condemn all forms and manifestations of terrorism threat, offer heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of this awful attack, and express our firm  MFA Azerbaijan  (@AzerbaijanMFA) August 26, 2024

"We are shocked by the news of the death of dozens of people as a result of the terrorist act committed in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, we strongly condemn all forms and manifestations of terrorism and offer our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Azerbaijan stands in solidarity with the brotherly Islamic Republic of Pakistan."

It should be noted that at least 51 people died as a result of an attack by militants on passenger buses in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

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27 August 2024 12:24 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The Western Azerbaijan Community has demanded that the forces representing Azerbaijan in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) put an end to discrimination against Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing a statement released by the Community.

It is noted that certain groups, acting on orders, have launched a large-scale campaign against Azerbaijan in PACE based purely on racial discrimination, leading the Azerbaijani delegation to decide to suspend its activities in the Assembly.

"The anti-Azerbaijan resolution adopted by PACE on January 24, 2024, is the peak of this infamous campaign. The resolution, adopted by a handful of elements disguised in various political garbs but essentially extreme nationalists, clearly reveals the real motive behind this campaignthe Azerbaijanophobes cannot digest our country's restoration of its territorial integrity. The Azerbaijani side, based on its national interests, has declared certain PACE members who oppose Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty and violate the European Convention on Human Rights through racial discrimination as undesirable individuals. This decision, which exposes racism, is Azerbaijan's sovereign right and serves the promotion of human rights."

It was noted that the reactions of PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos, a member of the Greek parliament, and PACE member Frank Schwabe from Germany, a notorious Azerbaijanophobe, regarding Azerbaijan's decision are unacceptable.

"For the past 30 years, the 'human rights enthusiasts' who have not called for an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, who have not condemned the mass rallies held in the capital of a country with the slogan 'Turkless Armenia' in the 21st century, who promote the right of return exclusively for Armenians, and who have not called for the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands, hold no value for the Azerbaijani people," the statement added.

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27 August 2024 12:45 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Uzbekistan's participation in the Middle Corridor project is extremely important, Azernews reports citing Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Analysis of International Relations, as he stated this during a speech at the event titled "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New Perspectives of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation," which was organized jointly with the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

"Transportation sector relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are developing. Trade turnover along the Middle Corridor is increasing. In this regard, it is very important for Uzbekistan to be more actively involved in this project. Over the past two years, we have seen the practical and financial benefits of the Middle Corridor," he said.

Farid Shafiyev noted that certain investments are needed for the Middle Corridor to function more reliably and generate more revenue.

"Today, the importance of alternative energy is increasing. We can direct our attention to the development of alternative energy. However, when talking about alternative energy, traditional energy should not be forgotten. Therefore, while Uzbekistan has traditional energy sources, they also need to be developed in Azerbaijan," he said.

It is worth noting that an online conference on the topic "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New Perspectives of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation" is being held in Baku, organized by the Center for Analysis of International Relations and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan.

Additionally, an Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan business forum was held in Tashkent on August 22. As a result of the discussions, a project portfolio worth $2 billion has been formed.

During President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Tashkent, a meeting between the heads of state and representatives of the business circles of the two countries was held on August 23. As a result of the meeting, seven projects with a total value of $520 million are being prepared for implementation.

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27 August 2024 14:07 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

On August 26, Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures, held a series of meetings during the 35th International Conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Azernews reports, citing Report.

During his meeting with Usama Al-Azhari, the Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Ramin Mammadov emphasized the friendly relations between the two countries and noted that the policies of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Egypt have created a solid foundation for establishing cooperation at the highest level in all areas. He discussed the state-religion relations and multicultural environment in Azerbaijan and provided information about the large-scale measures carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev in this field, including the protection of national and spiritual values and the assurance of religious freedom. He highlighted the significant contributions of First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva and the Heydar Aliyev Foundations initiatives to promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. He also noted the necessity of expanding cooperation between religious educational institutions in Egypt and the Azerbaijan Theology Institute, which operates under the Committee.

Usama Al-Azhari, the Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments of the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated that Azerbaijan's initiatives aimed at spiritual unity, coexistence, and achieving peace and understanding in the world are highly valued in the Islamic world. The Minister touched upon the prospects for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation, stating that there are good opportunities for strengthening connections between the relevant institutions of the two countries.

During a meeting with Ibrahim Najm, Secretary General of the World Fatwa House, the State Committee Chairman emphasized the successful continuation of cooperation between the two countries in the religious and spiritual fields, as well as in all other areas. It was noted that active partnership in international events has further strengthened this cooperation. The contributions of Azerbaijan to interfaith dialogue, Islamic solidarity, and the fight against Islamophobia were highlighted. The significance of hosting the summit of world religious leaders within the framework of COP29 in Azerbaijan and discussing the modern challenges of a globalized world with prominent religious figures was also emphasized.

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27 August 2024 11:45 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Moldova Maia Sandu on the occasion of the country's Independence Day, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"Dear Madame President,

On behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations and offer my best wishes to you and, through you, to the entire people of Moldova on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Moldova  Independence Day.

The current level of relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova, based on traditions of friendship and mutual respect, is gratifying. Our interstate relations, built on a solid foundation, and fruitful cooperation in various fields serve the interests of our countries and peoples.

Today, there are good opportunities for the development of cooperation between our countries and for enriching it with new content. I believe that by utilizing these opportunities, we will continue to successfully make joint efforts to develop and expand the traditional bonds of friendship and partnership between Azerbaijan and Moldova, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and to the friendly people of Moldova  lasting well-being and prosperity.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan"

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27 August 2024 17:15 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory letter to First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva on the occasion of her birthday, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"To Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Dear Mehriban Arifovna,

I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday.

You rightfully enjoy high authority among your compatriots and abroad. In Russia, your personal contribution to strengthening the allied relations between our countries and mutually beneficial cooperation across various areas is highly valued.

I fondly recall our recent meeting in Baku. I sincerely wish you good health, happiness, prosperity, and success in your state duties. Please convey my warm regards to Ilham Heydarovich and all members of your family.

Sincerely,

Vladimir Putin

President of the Russian Federation"

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27 August 2024 23:30 (UTC+04:00)

The position of Azerbaijan and Turkiye is one. Our relations of mutual support, strategic partnership, and alliance will continue. This policy of our countries will bring peace, tranquility, and stability to our region.

Azernews reports, citing Azertag that Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov voiced this opinion at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara.

Looking at the process of negotiations with Armenia, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan said that the main obstacle to the completion of the peace process is the territorial claims against Azerbaijan and Turkey in the constitution of Armenia.

The minister also looked at the worrying trend observed in the region recently: "Armenia is rapidly arming itself, and third countries are contributing to this process. This very wrong policy is an additional source of threat for our region."

Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that official Baku is carefully monitoring all processes and coordinating its steps with Turkiye.

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27 August 2024 23:42 (UTC+04:00)

The head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a number of members of the Organizing Committee under the leadership of Samir Nuriyev, in connection with the holding of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), visited the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG that COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company first conducted a presentation on the progress of the preparation process.

Then, the head of the Presidential Administration and his accompanying persons inspected the Blue and Green zones, including the Leaders' Summit, country pavilions, plenary halls, additional events, the space reserved for the media and other locations, and got acquainted with the works on infrastructure construction.

In the end, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Samir Nuriyev, gave instructions on the relevant issues.

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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.
In the runup to the 2020 election, the New York Post broke the story of the Hunter Biden laptop, but social media suddenly blocked the story being repeated on their sites. Post election polls showed that if this story had gotten out it would have changed the outcome of the 2020 election.

The Twitter files, released after Elon Musk took over showed very inappropriate actions by the politically corrupt FBI to shut down the Hunter laptop story. Later testimony in the Hunter Biden trial showed that the FBI had already examined the laptop and determined it was real, but that was not the way they presented it to social media and big media companies. They lied and they lied for political purposes

Now another shoe has dropped. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, which censored any post regarding the Hunter BIden laptop, has admitted that they did it because of FBI pressure. Zuckerburg appologized for going along with the censorship.

The politically corrupt FBI has turned America into a banana republic.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/26/zuckerberg-admits-facebook-killed-hunter-biden-laptop-story-fbi-russian-disinformation/

https://nypost.com/2024/08/28/opinion/mark-zuckerberg-needs-to-spill-all-on-how-fbi-censored-americans/

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2024/08/29/shellenberger_nobody_at_the_fbi_has_gone_to_prison_for_their_election_interference_crimes.html

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/stunning-letter-congress-zuckerberg-admits-biden-harris-pressured-facebook-censor-content

https://freebeacon.com/author/stiles/politics/kamala-harris-tries-to-bail-on-trump-debate/

And this is not the only pressure Zuckerburg has received to censor Americans. He reported that the Biden-Harris regime has pressured him to censor on Covid issues.

https://www.ft.com/content/202cb1d6-d5a2-44d4-82a6-ebab404bc28f?segmentId=b385c2ad-87ed-d8ff-aaec-0f8435cd42d9
A Texarkana, Ark., physician was sentenced to 87 months in prison for illegal prescription.

Lonnie Parker, MD, was investigated in 2018 following complaints of a suspected pill mill and the possible overdose of a patient, the Justice Department said in an Aug. 26 news release.

In a two-year period, Dr. Parker prescribed roughly 1.2 million doses of opiates to approximately 1,508 patients and around 16 gallons of promethazine with codeine cough syrup to approximately 29 patients.

He was convicted on two counts of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance without an effective prescription and two counts of distribution of a Schedule V controlled substance without an effective prescription.
Optum and Tenet are the parent companies of the two largest ASC networks  SCA Health and United Surgical Partners International, respectively. Here's how the ASC giants stack up against one another right now:

Optum

1. Acquired SCA Health in 2017 for $2.3 billion.

2. SCA Health has grown from 186 ASCs in 2019 to 320 in 2023.

3. Largest employer of physicians in the U.S. Optum added 20,000 physicians in 2023.

4. Has spent $31 billion on acquisitions in the last two years.

5. Inked three major physician group acquisitions in 2023. Earlier in 2024, Optum backed out of plans to buy out the financially troubled Steward Health Care's 1,700-physician group.

6. Is one of the potential buyers of Brentwood, Tenn.-based ASC operator Surgery Partners and quietly purchased two cardiology chains in 2023.

Tenet

1. Owns 512 ASCs and 25 surgical hospitals through USPI, spanning 38 states.

2. Acquired more than 90 ASCs from SurgCenter Development for approximately $1.2 billion in 2020.

3. Acquired 45 ASCs in Q1 of 2024, and has plans to invest $450 million in ASCs in 2024.

4. Reported $259 million in Q2 income, a 111% year-over-year increase.

5. Sold nine hospitals in California and South Carolina for a total of $3.9 billion in Q1 of 2024. It also plans to sell its majority stake in five more Alabama hospitals for $910 million this fall.

6. Acquired Covenant Physician Partners in the first quarter of 2024.
Here are five hospitals and health systems who have close physician practices in 2024:

1. MercyOne announced its plans to close a hospital and consolidate two physician practices in Primghar, Iowa, by Sept. 30. MercyOne, owned by Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health, will consolidate MercyOne Paulina Family Medicine and MercyOne Sutherland Family medicine with Primghar Family Medicine.

2. Northern Light Health will close its internal medicine facility in Dexter, Maine, on Sept. 30. A spokesperson for the health system told Becker's "the building no longer meets our standards for a patient care facility," and it will consolidate its resources into other health centers.

3. Lewiston, Maine-based St. Mary's Health System announced plans to close its oncology practice, St. Mary's Center For Cancer and Blood Disorders, on July 1. The system and Portland-based MaineHealth are "entering into a more streamlined cooperative agreement in response to a fast-changing environment for healthcare delivery in Maine and beyond," a hospital spokesperson said.

4. Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health announced plans to close Duchesne Clinic in Kansas City on June 1 and to transfer the Marian Dental Clinic in Topeka, Kan., and the St. Vincent Clinic in Leavenworth, Kan., to Atchison (Kan.) Community Health Clinic.

5. In March, Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System announced plans to close two hospitals and all physician offices and health centers it operates in Western Wisconsin with multispecialty group Prevea Health.
The Indiana State Police arrested a woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from her employer, Batesville, Ind.-based Scheele Orthodontics, according to an Aug. 16 report by FOX 59.

The ISP launched an investigation in August 2023 after Scheele Orthodontics contacted authorities because a number of patient payments were "missing and unaccounted for."

The investigation found that Jennifer Fullenkamp, also of Batesville, was alleged to have stolen thousands of dollars over the course of several years, by allegedly telling patients they would receive a discount if they paid in cash. When patients did pay in cash, Ms. Fullenkamp allegedly would pocket the money.

According to the police, Ms. Fullenkamp hid the action from the company by altering computer records.

Ms. Fullenkamp was arrested Aug. 23 on charges of theft and corrupt business influence, both of which are Level 5 felonies, the report said.
Recently, Florida and Texas passed laws requiring hospitals that receive Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program funds to collect information about patient immigration status, KFF reported Aug. 26.

Although hospitals are required to collect this status, federal law dictates that it is not allowed to affect that patient's care. In Florida, hospitals must also indicate that the response will not result in a report to immigration authorities. This requirement is not specified in Texas' law.

The new regulations, along with other restrictions for undocumented immigrants, could increase fears among immigrant families, which may make them reluctant to seek care. A Politico report indicated Florida's emergency Medicaid expenditures fell after the requirements were implemented because of a decreased use of care among undocumented immigrants, which could have negative health consequences. Some families may also move to other states to seek care. The American Medical Association recommended avoiding explicit documentation of immigration status of patients and their family members in a health record for these reasons, according to the news outlet.

KFF research found that noncitizen immigrants have higher uninsured rates but use fewer healthcare services and have lower per capita healthcare spending than citizens. Lower use among noncitizens could be explained by them being younger and healthier than their U.S.-born counterparts, as well as facing increased barriers to care access.

Florida released a public dashboard based on hospital reporting under the new requirement for June through December 2023. The report showed fewer than 1% of inpatient admissions and emergency department visits were among patients who were not citizens. About 7% to 8% of patients declined to provide responses and could include additional undocumented immigrants. The state is estimated to have provided care to undocumented immigrants over this period for a cost of $556 million, and it is unclear how much of that care was uncompensated, according to KFF.
From seeking Chapter 11 protection on May 6 to sharing plans to close four of its hospitals across Massachusetts and Ohio that would result in a combined 2,187 layoffs, Dallas-based Steward Health Care has experienced a great deal of turbulence over the last year.

As the for-profit health system continues to push back bid deadlines and sale hearings for many of its hospitals, the status of each facility remains in question, leaving community members, healthcare workers and state and local lawmakers concerned.

Below, Becker's has provided a list of Steward's 31 hospitals by state, per the health system's website, and the most recent information regarding each facility.

Editor's note: This story will be updated routinely and was last updated Oct. 8.

Arizona

Attorney General Kris Mayes launched an investigation into Steward's bankruptcy on May 10.

1. Florence Hospital: Scottsdale, Ariz.-based HonorHealth was named interim manager for this hospital under an interim settlement agreement between Steward and its landlord Medical Properties Trust during a Sept. 11 Steward bankruptcy court hearing and received approval to purchase the hospital during an Oct. 3 hearing.

2. Mountain Vista Medical Center (Mesa): HonorHealth was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust and received bankruptcy court approval to purchase the hospital during an Oct. 3 hearing.

3. St. Luke's Behavioral Health (Phoenix): The 127-bed facility was ordered to cease operations by state officials Aug. 14 after temperatures inside the hospital reached 99 degrees. Employees at the hospital were furloughed Aug. 26 due to the suspended operations. The bid deadline for this hospital was Sept. 9, with an undetermined sale hearing date. The hospital filed an Oct. 1 WARN notice to lay off 255 employees.

4. Tempe St. Luke's Hospital: HonorHealth was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust and received bankruptcy court approval to purchase the hospital during an Oct. 3 hearing.

Arkansas

1. Wadley Regional Medical Center at Hope: Hope-based Pafford Health Systems received approval Sept. 12 to purchase the hospital for $200,000.

Florida

1. Coral Gables Hospital: Healthcare Systems of America-Florida was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

2. Florida Medical Center (Lauderdale Lakes): Healthcare Systems of America-Florida was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

3. Hialeah Hospital: Healthcare Systems of America-Florida was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

4. Melbourne Regional Medical Center: In March, it was reported that a lawsuit was filed against the hospital, and Rockledge Regional Medical Center, by a landscaping company for more than $59,000 in unpaid bills. Orlando Health received bankruptcy court approval to purchase the hospital and two other Steward Florida facilities for $439.42 million on Sept. 10.

5. North Shore Medical Center (Miami): The hospital closed its neonatal intensive care unit and behavioral health units Feb. 9 and its obstetrics unit March 10. The service cuts resulted in 152 employee layoffs. In early July it was revealed that North Shore was ordered by the FDA to pause its mammogram services after failing to meet clinical image quality standards by the American College of Radiology. Healthcare Systems of America-Florida was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

6. Palmetto General Hospital (Hialeah): Healthcare Systems of America-Florida was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

7. Rockledge Regional Medical Center: Another lawsuit was filed against Rockledge Regional by a pest control company due to a bat infestation in the facility. The lawsuit claimed that the bat removal took almost two months and cost $936,320. The company demanded Steward pay more than $1.6 million for interest, damages, attorney fees and court costs. Orlando Health received bankruptcy court approval to purchase this hospital and two other Steward Florida facilities for $439.42 million on Sept. 10.

8. Sebastian River Medical Center: Orlando Health received bankruptcy court approval to purchase this hospital and two other Steward Florida facilities for $439.42 million on Sept. 10.

Editor's note: Healthcare Systems of America is an affiliate of Glendale, Calif.-based American Healthcare Systems.

Louisiana

1. Glenwood Regional Medical Center (West Monroe): The hospital closed its inpatient rehabilitation unit March 20. In late June, the hospital shared that it had laid off 23 employees, including some in leadership positions, as a "necessary step to adjust to the business conditions that have changed." Healthcare Systems of America Glenwood was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

Massachusetts

1. Carney Hospital (Dorchester): The hospital closed Aug. 31 and laid off 753 employees.

2. Good Samaritan Medical Center (Brockton): Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey shared that deals "in principle" had been reached in mid-August to keep multiple Steward hospitals running. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Chris Lopez approved Boston Medical Center to take over Good Samaritan as part of a $140 million deal during a Sept. 4 hearing.

3. Holy Family Hospital-Haverhill: Lawrence (Mass.) General Hospital received approval Sept. 4 to purchase the hospital as part of a $28 million deal and officially took over operations on Oct. 1.

4. Holy Family Hospital-Methuen: Lawrence General Hospital received approval Sept. 4 to also purchase this hospital as part of a $28 million deal and officially took over operations on Oct. 1.

5. Morton Hospital (Taunton): Providence, R.I.-based Lifespan received approval Sept. 4 to purchase Morton Hospital as part of a $175 million deal and officially took over operations on Oct. 1.

6. Nashoba Valley Medical Center (Ayer): The hospital closed Aug. 31 and laid off 490 employees.

7. Norwood (Mass.) Hospital: Steward filed an Oct. 7 notice of closure for the already nonoperational hospital and four satellite facilities, which include a facility specializing in performance therapy, an infusion clinic, a pharmacy and a facility offering radiology services.

8. St. Anne's Hospital (Fall River): Lifespan also received approval Sept. 4 to purchase St. Anne's as part of a $175 million definitive agreement and officially took over operations on Oct. 1.

9. St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (Brighton): Boston Medical Center received approval Sept. 4 to acquire St. Elizabeth's as part of a $140 million deal. Ms. Healey seized control of the hospital through eminent domain Sept. 27 to transfer operations to Boston Medical Center, who officially took over operations on Oct. 1.

Ohio

1. Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital (Warren): Insight Foundation of Hillside was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust. The hospital was originally set to close on or around Sept. 20 and lay off 170 employees.

2. Trumbull Regional Medical Center (Warren): Insight Foundation of Trumbull was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust. The hospital was initially expected to close on or around Sept. 20 and result in 765 layoffs.

Editor's note: Insight Foundation is also known as Flint, Mich.-based Insight Health Systems.

Pennsylvania

1. Sharon Regional Medical Center: Pennsylvania has agreed to pay Steward $4.5 million over three months to keep the hospital from closing its doors. The funding will be used for hospital operating purposes only.

Texas

1. Medical Center SE Texas-Port Arthur: HSA Port Arthur was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

2. Odessa Regional Medical Center: Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

3. Scenic Mountain Medical Center (Big Spring): Quorum Health was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

4. St. Joseph Medical Center (Houston): HSA St. Joseph was named as the interim manager for this hospital under the interim agreement between Steward and Medical Properties Trust.

5. Wadley Regional Medical Center (Texarkana): Christus Health Ark-La-Tex, part of Irving, Texas-based Christus Health, entered into a binding asset purchase agreement for the hospital on Sept. 3 and received bankruptcy court approval to purchase the hospital on Sept. 24.

Editor's note: During a Sept. 17 final hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Lopez gave final approval to make the interim management of 15 Steward hospitals permanent.
Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health posted an operating income of $72.7 million (7.3% margin) in the first half of 2024, up from $4.7 million (0.5% margin) over the same period last year.

The health system posted operating revenues of $1 billion for the six months ended June 30, a 15.4% increase over the same period last year, according to its Aug. 26 financial report. Renown attributed the increase primarily to an increase in patient service revenues.

Renown reported total expenses of $928 million in the first two quarters of 2024, a 7.6% increase year over year. Salaries and wages totaled $356.9 million, down from $364.5 million over the same period last year. Supply expenses were $160.5 million, up from $143.4 million. Purchased services totaled $102.1 million, up from $85.2 million. The system also paid $23.7 million in a provider tax associated with a new private hospital assessment program that went into effect in Nevada on Jan. 1.

The system had 253 days of cash on hand as of June 30, up from 250.8 year over year. Renown attributed the 0.9% increase to favorable investment market conditions, partially reduced by higher daily operating expenses.

Renown posted a net income of $127.9 million in the first half of 2024, up from $61.9 million over the same period last year.
A Steward Health Care-owned behavioral health hospital in Phoenix has furloughed employees following a state order to suspend operations.

The furloughs at St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center, a 127-bed facility, took effect Aug. 26 and affect more than 200 employees, Dallas-based Steward confirmed to Becker's.

"The temporary closure of St Luke's by the state as a result of equipment malfunctions and hospital license suspension, has led to the unfortunate but necessary decision to furlough all St. Luke's employees," Steward said in a statement.

Furloughed employees will not be paid, but employees can use paid leave or PTO, Steward added. Employees will also receive full healthcare coverage through at least Sept. 30.

"This is a difficult situation, but we believe it can be resolved quickly, and our employees can return to doing their important work serving patients at St Luke's which SHC is actively working to transition to new ownership," Steward's statement said. "We will provide further updates as appropriate."

The furloughs come after Arizona ordered Steward to suspend operations at the hospital Aug. 14 after temperatures inside St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center reached 99 degrees. The state placed the hospital in immediate jeopardy Aug. 9 for failing to ensure its HVAC systems were working appropriately. Patients were transferred to other facilities. Steward, which has expressed alarm at the state's decision, is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing Aug. 29.

Steward filed for bankruptcy in May and is working to sell its hospitals, including its four hospitals in Arizona. Click here for the latest on where Steward hospitals stand.
Bill Vobejda has been appointed president and CEO of Methodist Fremont Health in Omaha, Neb.

Mr. Vobejda will take the helm Sept. 2, according to an Aug. 26 news release from Omaha-based Methodist Health System.

He has been the system's vice president of integrated service since 2020 and previously served as Methodist Fremont Health's vice president of operations.

Before joining the system, Mr. Vobejda served as regional publisher of the Fremont Tribune and the Columbus Telegram and marketing director of the Lincoln Journal Star, the release said.

Methodist Fremont Health is a 75-bed hospital and is part of Methodist Health System.
As chief nursing officer of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Christy Grabus makes it a point to be as accessible as possible to front-line nursing staff.

Rounding, joining staff meetings and quick, scheduled check-ins are central to her leadership style at the Woodbridge, Va.-based hospital, she told Becker's.

"One of my favorite things to do is round," Ms. Grabus said. "It's an opportunity to get to know your team better. It's also an opportunity to get to know patients better and just get a really good idea of what's going on from a big picture perspective, and figure out what [nurses] need."

It's this approach that recently earned her what she called the complement of her career: "Our Magnet appraisers shared that our nurses here define me as a 'nurse's nurse,'" Ms. Grabus said. "I really can't think of a better complement."

SNVMC recently earned its first Magnet designation and is one of 11 hospitals in the U.S. so far to have achieved the Magnet with Distinction recognition  a special designation program the American Nurses Credentialing Center created to honor the top performing Magnet organizations in the world.

As part of the Magnet application process, the hospital submitted examples of nurse-led changes that improved care delivery, efficiency and job satisfaction. In one case, Ms. Grabus was rounding on the hospital's intermediate unit when a nurse asked whether it was possible to add windows to the doors of patient rooms. Previously, nurses had been keeping the doors open to have an easy line of sight to patients, which can be a barrier to patient privacy and pose an infection risk during infectious disease outbreaks.

Ms. Grabus took the feedback to the hospital's facilities department and got new doors in play.

Such improvements may seem small or mundane, but they add up over time to improve nurses' workflow.

"They're really big to them because when you think about how many times [nurses] do something over and over in a day, it can lead to delays in getting procedures done or time spent with patients, just depending on what the barrer may be," Ms. Grabus said.

While she can't accept every calendar invite that comes her way, Ms. Grabus said she prioritizes dropping into a meeting even if it's only for a few minutes to give nurses the opportunity to ask questions or share concerns. Throughout her 16 years in executive leadership roles, Ms. Grabus said this has been invaluable in establishing trust with staff, who in turn are more comfortable bringing up ideas or concerns.

"That would be my advice  is to make yourself available and make opportunities available to really be able to hear your team," she said.
A healthcare artificial intelligence company that spun out of New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System has raised $20.7 million in a series B funding round.

PreciseDx said it plans to use the investment to advance its AI for breast cancer diagnostics and risk assessment. The startup, which has brought in $31.5 million to date, has also started collaborating with Los Angeles-based UCLA Health, Coral Gables, Fla.-based Baptist Health, and Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health.

"Our team continues to advance breast cancer diagnostics by delivering faster, more accurate data, in a cost-efficient method," said Eric Converse, founding board member of PreciseDx, in an Aug. 21 statement. "This allows clinical care teams to make better informed clinical decisions resulting in improved patient outcomes."

The funding round was led by biotech investor Eventide Asset Management and also included laboratory giants Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics.
Cybersecurity is top of mind for most healthcare organizations, thanks to a growing number of data breaches and cyber threats.

Hospitals and health systems nationwide look to their CISOs and CPOs to build robust cybersecurity strategies, implement novel technologies, recruit top-tier IT teams, and safeguard private data. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, these leaders deftly adapt to ensure the protection of sensitive information.

Note: Becker's Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of included leaders, organizations or associated healthcare providers. Leaders cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list.

Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.





Mauricio Angee, DBA. CISO for University of Miami Health. Dr. Angee, the chief information security officer for the University of Miami, is instrumental in protecting the academic medical institution's sensitive data, including health information and research data. He has developed and implemented a comprehensive information security strategy to ensure compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, strengthen the universitys cybersecurity posture and manage security technologies. Dr. Angee leads incident response efforts and fosters a culture of security across the institution, including UHealth, safeguarding intellectual property and research data. With over 30 years of experience in various sectors, including healthcare and financial services, Dr. Angee is recognized for his technical expertise, strategic vision, and leadership in cybersecurity.

Jennings Aske. Senior Vice President and CISO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). Mr. Aske joined NewYork-Presbyterian in 2015 and now leads the health system's information security efforts, business continuity programs and the medical staff office. Prior to joining the system, he was vice president of information security and CISO for Nuance Communications, a computer software technology corporation based in Burlington, Mass. He has also held CISO roles at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, the Boston-based Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Partners HealthCare in Boston.

Connie Barrera. Corporate Director and CISO of Jackson Health System (Miami). Ms. Barrera joined Jackson Health in February 2014 as director of information assurance and CISO and was promoted to corporate director and CISO in May 2017. Her responsibilities include developing policy and standards related to privacy as well as ensuring the integrity and availability of IT services. She has previous experience at the University of Miami, where she served in management and executive roles for seven years.

Miroslav Belote. CISO of Valley Health System (Ridgewood, N.J.). Mr. Belote became director and CISO of Valley Health System in March 2019 after spending 22 years of his career at JFK Health System in Edison, N.J., most recently serving as the director of information systems infrastructure. He has experience in infrastructure design, information security, telecommunications and data center operations. Mr. Belote has also built high-performing teams and been responsible for major IT initiatives. Prior to joining JFK, he spent 10 years with Dreyfus Service Corp.

Patrice Bordron. Vice President of Cyber Security Risk Management and CISO for Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Mr. Bordron joined Community Health Systems in 2021, bringing more than a decade of experience in IT security, data privacy, compliance and continuity management. In addition to overseeing all aspects of the companys information security risk management program, he is also serving as interim vice president of information technology. He has designed and deployed critical cybersecurity controls for a multi-year enterprise resource planning system consolidation and migration program, resulting in well-rationalized roles and entitlements, security, and enforcement of segregation of duties. He has enabled secure generative AI capabilities in collaboration with the clinical operations team and Google Cloud to enhance care delivery. He also recently participated as a provider representative in a White House invitation-only discussion on cybersecurity challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare industry.

James Bowie. Vice President of Cybersecurity and CISO for Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Mr. Bowie, vice president of cybersecurity and chief information security officer at Tampa General Hospital, leads key divisions including cyber operations, governance risk and compliance, identity protection and access management. He is responsible for safeguarding the hospital's digital assets across on-campus and cloud environments, overseeing more than 18,000 users and 70,000 endpoints. Mr. Bowie has successfully restructured and modernized Tampa Generals cybersecurity program, implementing a robust digital defense system and crisis containment plan to protect patient information and critical infrastructure. His leadership extends to chairing the cybersecurity council, where he manages the development and enforcement of security policies and procedures. Regularly collaborating with other members of senior leadership, Mr. Bowies strategic vision ensures Tampa General remains resilient against evolving cyber threats.

Brad Carvellas. Vice President of Cybersecurity and CISO of The Guthrie Clinic (Sayre, Pa.). As CISO, Mr. Carvellas leads the information security and risk management program at The Guthrie Clinic. He has successfully implemented various programs and controls, including a quantified cyber risk management program, an advanced cybersecurity operations center, and improved incident response capabilities. Additionally, Mr. Carvellas effectively built a third-party cyber risk management program to support digital health and cloud initiatives. Previously, he was director of information security and risk management at Highmark Health.

James Case. Vice President and CISO for Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.). Mr. Case serves as vice president and chief information security officer for Baptist Health, overseeing the organization's information security operations, including incident response, vulnerability management and risk assessments. With nearly 30 years of IT experience, primarily in healthcare, he leads efforts to protect sensitive electronic information and ensure that Baptist Health's digital ecosystem remains secure and compliant. Since taking on his current role in December 2021, he has implemented a comprehensive cybersecurity program aligned with the health system's business and clinical objectives. He is also actively involved in IT strategy planning and has led initiatives like a full-scale cyberattack rehearsal to prepare the organization for potential threats. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security and the Jacksonville/Northeast Florida chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.

Brian Cayer. CISO of Keck Medicine of USC (Los Angeles). Mr. Cayer took on the role of CISO for Keck Medicine of USC in July 2023. He brings expertise in cybersecurity strategy, security architecture, vulnerability management, security operations and governance to his role. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as CISO for Burlington, Mass.-based Tufts Medicine, where he helped to transform their cybersecurity program through the creation of a centralized model. During his time at Tufts Medicine, he helped lead the system's migration to Epic, making it the first healthcare system to host Epic on Amazon Web Services.



Dave Christiano. Chief Technology Officer and CISO of Middlesex Health (Middletown, Conn.). Stepping into the CISO role in 2014, Mr. Christiano has been a digital healthcare leader for over a decade. He became director of IT infrastructure and St. Raphael integration CIO for Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health System in 2004 and served in that position for nine years before becoming the director of IT for Norwalk (Conn.) Hospital. He also has experience as the chairman of the technology leadership group at the Connecticut Hospital Association.

Monte Coulter. CISO at OU Health (Oklahoma City). Mr. Coulter has enhanced cybersecurity through improved processes and streamlined operations using security and National Institute of Standards and Technology framework best practices. He leads a high-performing cybersecurity team that helps to optimize operations, resulting in cost savings and improved cyber resilience. Mr. Coulter has over 25 years of experience in information technology and more than 17 years in information security. He held senior roles at Caris Life Sciences, where he established the information security program, and at GAF Materials, where he built a multinational security program focusing on privacy regulation and securing critical manufacturing systems. He currently sits on the Gartner security and risk advisory board and has previously served on the Rutgers University cybersecurity advisory board and Forcepoint technical advisory board.

Andrew Coyne. CISO of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Leading the Mayo Clinic's Office of Information Security since 2016, Mr. Coyne has led initiatives to build up the system's IT capacity. He notably built cybersecurity operations centers, implemented a cybersecurity incident response process and created a medical device cybersecurity program that has since been widely adopted by other health systems. He has previous experience as the director of PwC's Health Industries Cybersecurity practice.

Lee Cullivan. CISO of Boston Medical Center. First joining Boston Medical Center in 2008, Mr. Cullivan left the system briefly to serve as director of IT at Pierce Atwood, a law firm in Portland, Maine. He returned to Boston Medical Center in August 2017 to assume the CISO role, responsible for the 514-bed hospital's information security. He is experienced in guarding the hospital and its patient data against malware, ransomware, phishing attacks and other threats.

Lou Dignam. Vice President of Cybersecurity at Virtua Health (Marlton, N.J.). Mr. Dignam, serving as vice president of cybersecurity for Virtua Health, oversees the security strategy for the large nonprofit academic health system, including its five hospitals and over 400 care locations. With 39 years of IT experience, 22 of which are in cybersecurity, Mr. Dignam has played a critical role in advancing Virtua's security objectives, earning the organization a level 10 "Most Wired" designation from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives in 2023. He is responsible for developing a comprehensive security strategy, managing risk and compliance, and leading a high-performing cybersecurity team. A respected leader in the field, Mr. Dignam actively participates in national security advisory committees and has contributed to numerous security initiatives that enhance Virtuas capabilities, including security awareness training, vulnerability management, incident response, role-based access, and threat-hunting.

Michael Erickson. CISO of Baptist Health (Louisville, Ky.). Mr. Erickson joined Baptist Health in 1995 and has served as its chief information security officer since November 2016. He works with the clinical, IT and compliance departments to oversee all parts of the system's information security risk management initiatives. His other IT roles at Baptist Health have included system director of IT infrastructure, HIPAA security officer and executive director of IT infrastructure and security.

Wayne Floyd. CISO of Saint Francis Healthcare System (Cape Girardeau, Mo.). Saint Francis Healthcare System tapped Mr. Floyd to serve as cybersecurity officer for IT in October 2017. He has more than 20 years of IT experience and is responsible for IT security policy, standards and safeguards at Saint Francis, a Catholic-based system that includes a 306-bed nonprofit tertiary care hospital.

Bruce Forman. CISO of UMass Memorial Health Care (Worcester, Mass.). Mr. Forman serves at UMass Memorial Health, a three-hospital system with 13,000 total employees and 1,125 hospital beds. Before joining UMass, he was director of information security for Genesis HealthCare in Lake Forest, Calif.

Chase Franzen. Vice President of IT Risk Management and CISO for Sharp HealthCare (San Diego). In his role at Sharp HealthCare, Mr. Franzen manages IT security architecture, engineering, operations and various aspects of cybersecurity, including training and compliance. Recently, he launched the cybersecurity ambassadors program, promoting a culture where cybersecurity is a shared responsibility across all levels of the organization. He also spearheaded the integration of identity governance and administration with Epic. Additionally, he is developing a cybersecurity apprenticeship program to train aspiring professionals through mentorship. Before joining Sharp, Mr. Franzen held senior technology roles in banking and finance, including vice president positions at Wells Fargo, and has experience founding businesses in various sectors.

Greg Garneau. CISO of Hospital Sisters Health System (Springfield, Ill.). Mr. Garneau is a seasoned information security leader who is currently CISO of Hospital Sisters Health System. He brings over 25 years of IT and information security experience to the role, which he assumed in January 2024. Prior, he served as CISO of Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System for over seven years. There, he managed security for the $3 billion integrated system, which is one of the largest rural health systems in the nation.

Todd Greene. Senior Vice President and CISO for Advocate Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Mr. Greene is the senior vice president and chief information security officer at Advocate Health, the nation's third-largest nonprofit integrated health system. He leads a team of approximately 105 cybersecurity professionals who are tasked with safeguarding the organizations extensive operations, including its 67 hospitals and 1,000-plus care sites. Under Mr. Greenes leadership, Advocate Health has implemented rigorous cybersecurity measures, including advanced phishing simulations and cloud-based data protection strategies, particularly during the organizations transition to the Epic EHR system. Mr. Greene's proactive approach to cybersecurity supports the organizations growth by emphasizing education, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

Karen Habercoss. Chief Privacy Officer for University of Chicago Medicine. As chief privacy officer for UChicago Medicine, Ms. Habercoss has played a pivotal role in protecting sensitive patient information and ensuring compliance with privacy laws such as HIPAA. She develops and implements privacy policies and procedures, conducts regular risk assessments, and enforces measures like data encryption and access controls to address potential vulnerabilities. Ms. Habercoss is also responsible for staff training on privacy and data security, managing responses to privacy breaches, and overseeing third-party vendor compliance. Her efforts have resulted in the creation of AI privacy policies, enhanced vendor management, and the launch of privacy awareness campaigns. Additionally, she collaborates with departments such as IT, legal and compliance to integrate privacy considerations across the hospital system.

Jacob Hammersmith. CISO for Billings (Mont.) Clinic-Logan Health. Mr. Hammersmith serves as the chief information security officer for the Billings Clinic-Logan Health unified health system, where he plays a crucial role in protecting patient data and ensuring adherence to regulations like HIPAA. With over 20 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Mr. Hammersmith has developed and implemented a robust information security strategy that aligns with both organizational goals and industry standards. His leadership has significantly improved the security posture of the health system and reversed rising cyber insurance premiums through effective risk management. Known for his collaborative approach and strong leadership, Hammersmith has successfully driven digital transformation and enhanced operational efficiencies.

Dave Heaney. CISO for Mass General Brigham (Boston). Mr. Heaney, Mass General Brigham's CISO, brings prior experience in risk management in online hosting environments at scale. He has served as a security consultant and has run cyber teams of various sizes. Through his work, he has crafted and helped implement security policies, driven awareness and training programs, performed and led penetration tests, rolled out attack monitoring infrastructure, and much more. He has also developed and implemented a large-scale IT security strategy and roadmap.

Andy Heins. Vice President and Chief Security and Privacy Officer for Lifepoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.). Mr. Heins serves as vice president and chief security and privacy officer for Lifepoint Health, overseeing a broad range of responsibilities including cybersecurity, information protection, identity management, cloud security, IT risk management and enterprise customer support. He manages security and privacy across Lifepoint Healths extensive network, which includes 60 community hospitals, 41 rehabilitation hospitals, 23 behavioral health hospitals and over 300 additional care sites. Known for his visionary approach, he has successfully integrated cybersecurity with digital transformation initiatives, ensuring that innovation is matched with robust security measures. His prior experience includes roles in information security compliance at Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems and roles in information security and internal audit at Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.

Dan Henke. Vice President, Information Security Officer at Mercy Technology Services (St. Louis). Mr. Henke has over 20 years of experience in information security. He joined Mercy Hospital and Healthcare in 2013 as the vice president and information security officer responsible for disaster recovery and business continuity of clinical systems. He also is the system's chief HIPAA security compliance officer and has a reputation for building strong technical teams.

Preston Jennings. CISO of Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.). Since 2016, Mr. Jennings has served as CISO for Trinity Health, a $23 billion healthcare organization with 115,000 colleagues across 25 states. In his role, he leads over 65 security professionals in ongoing implementation and operationalization of information security for the organization. Over the past fiscal year, he and his team have launched over 50 projects, including the transition to enhanced multi-factor authentication for over 100,000 team members, the extension of privileged access management to new platforms and the introduction of data leakage prevention. This has helped to identify and address threat actors in early stages.

Esmond Kane. CISO of Steward Health Care (Dallas). Mr. Kane brings 25-plus years of experience leading IT and security programs across multiple industries to Steward Health Care. In his role as CISO, he is responsible for assisting clinicians and leaders to deliver high quality care in alignment with industry frameworks, regulations and best practices. Mr. Kane has led intern programs sourcing from local universities, including Cyberwarrior, YearUp, StemMatchMA, BFIT, and more. In June 2021, Mr. Kane was named Cisco's inaugural CISO of the month.

Darrell Keeling, PhD. CISO at Parkview Health (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Dr. Keeling is in charge of developing and implementing an information security strategy at Parkview Health, conducting risk assessments, designing safeguards and protecting against threats. He has established the system's security culture, delivered training programs and collaborated with various departments to align security objectives. He also ensures compliance with data protection and works with the system's legal and compliance teams to stay current on new threats and regulations. He has 25 years of experience leading information technology and security in various industries, including retail, manufacturing, hospitality, banking, finance and healthcare. Dr. Keeling has also been an adjunct professor at six universities, educating on cybersecurity, programming, robot process automation and informatics.

Jack Kufahl. CISO for Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor). Mr. Kufahl has over 20 years of experience in information technology, primarily in leadership roles. As chief information security officer for Michigan Medicine, Mr. Kufahl directs all information assurance activities across the enterprise, simultaneously working to build strong teams and support novel talent pipelines. He is also an incorporating officer and current board member of the Michigan Healthcare Cybersecurity Council, a public-private partnership that seeks to protect the critical healthcare infrastructure and institutions of Michigan by providing relevant knowledge and information security services.

Kris Kusche. Senior Vice President and System CISO of Albany (N.Y.) Med Health System. Mr. Kusche oversees information security and cybersecurity at Albany Med Health System. He has experience with clinical systems, data architecture and leading infrastructure teams. He first joined Albany Medical Center in 1993 as director of clinical engineering and has held roles of progressive responsibility since. In his current role, which he took on in 2021 in an official capacity, he is tasked with overseeing all technology security policy, operations, investigation, enforcement and assurance.

Tony Lakin. Vice President and CISO at UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas). Mr. Lakin joined UT Southwestern Medical Center in March 2023 as vice president and CISO. He brings 26 years of management and leadership experience to his role, over 13 of which have been spent in information assurance and cyber operations management. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as CISO for Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.

Derrick Lowe. CISO at Orlando (Fla.) Health. Mr. Lowe sets the vision and strategy for Orlando Health's cybersecurity, IT risk, and business resiliency programs. He oversees daily cybersecurity needs for the entire organization, which encompasses 15 hospitals, over 200 ambulatory sites, more than 27,000 team members, 4,750 physicians and $9.2 billion in assets. As the system experiences rapid growth through mergers and acquisitions, Mr. Lowe has ensured the seamless IT and clinical engineering integration of each unique entity. He first joined Orlando Health in 2019 as corporate director for IT security and resiliency.

Ron Mehring. Vice President of Technology and Security and CISO for Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Mr. Mehring, as vice president of technology and security and chief information security officer at Texas Health Resources, spearheads efforts to create innovative and sustainable information security and technology programs. With over 15 years of C-level experience, Mr. Mehring has led the transformation of Texas Healths information security into a nationally recognized, risk-centered and data-driven program. He secured executive approval for a major IT investment to restructure and consolidate data centers, aligning with the company's long-term growth strategy. He also developed a robust security leadership team, achieving high employee engagement and retention, and launched a comprehensive communication and training program for over 29,000 employees, achieving near-perfect completion rates. His initiatives have significantly reduced enterprise risks and improved IT service delivery, positioning Texas Health for optimal operational performance.

Matthew Modica. Vice President and CISO of BJC HealthCare (St. Louis). Mr. Modica is a servant leader who holds 25 years of experience in the information security and technology fields at multiple Fortune 1000 companies across the financial services, healthcare and data services industries. He is a certified information security manager and has served on multiple nonprofit and customer advisory boards, such as the St. Louis CISO Board, Securonix Advisory Board and Autism Speaks Heartland Board. He is also a governing body member of the Evanta STL CXO Summit. He is an adjunct professor for cybersecurity courses in the McKelvey School of Engineering and serves on the cybersecurity advisory committee at Washington University in St. Louis.

Jacki Monson. Senior Vice President, Chief Integration Officer, CISO and Chief Privacy Officer of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). For the past 12 years, Ms. Monson has been responsible for all aspects of privacy and information security at Sutter Health. She first joined the organization in 2013 and currently serves as senior vice president, chief integration officer, CISO and chief privacy officer. Ms. Monson is a member of the HHS's Health Care Industry Cybersecurity Task Force, and previously held the chief privacy officer role at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.

Mitchell Parker. CISO at IU Health (Indianapolis). Mr. Parker has expertise in security governance, regulatory compliance and risk management. In his role as CISO at IU Health, Mr. Parker is responsible for the information security of the health system's patients and employees. He is an avid speaker on several health IT topics, with a recent focus on blockchain in healthcare.

Michael Prakhye. CISO and Director of Information Security for Adventist HealthCare (Gaithersburg, Md.). Mr. Prakhye has led the security program at Adventist HealthCare since joining the organization in 2016. Since then, he has applied his technical expertise and numerous cybersecurity certifications to build a comprehensive security strategy. He has established a robust security posture that includes prevention, detection and response mechanisms while promoting a strong culture of security awareness. Mr. Prakhye is recognized for his effective communication of cybersecurity issues to the board of directors in clear, business-focused terms. Additionally, he has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland and is an active member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. His leadership and dedication have been instrumental in enhancing patient safety and organizational security.

Andy Price. Vice President of Information Technology, CIO and CISO of St. Claire HealthCare (Morehead, Ky.). Mr. Price is vice president of information technology, CIO, and CISO at St. Claire Healthcare, where he oversees the organization's cybersecurity and privacy programs. He brings strong technical expertise and numerous cybersecurity certifications to both his role at St. Claire and his volunteer work with various cybersecurity groups. Prior to becoming CIO and CISO, Mr. Price served as administrative director of information technology at the health system.

Steven Ramirez. Chief Information Security and Technology Officer for Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Mr. Ramirez manages cybersecurity and technology operations at Renown Health, overseeing critical areas including security operations, identity and access management, third-party risk management, governance, risk and compliance, security architecture, threat intelligence and network security. He also handles technology operations, covering firewalls, servers, data centers, service desks, and network and desktop management. Mr. Ramirezs innovative and pragmatic approach has significantly enhanced Renown Healths cybersecurity posture. Known for pioneering methodologies such as pixel management and autonomous security response, he is also active in the cybersecurity community through speaking engagements and mentoring. Prior to assuming his current position, he has served as chief information security officer at Louisville, Ky.-based UofL Health and has held positions at IBM, McKesson and CHI, which is now CommonSpirit Health.

Jamie Reid. CISO for Advantum Health (Louisville, Ky.). As chief information security officer at Advantum, Mr. Reid oversees the company's technology infrastructure and security, including IT, digital product development, cybersecurity and information systems management. With extensive experience on Advantum's leadership team, he plays a crucial role in safeguarding client and patient data while enhancing the organization's platforms and systems. His decades-long expertise in team management, business process improvement and disaster recovery complement his deep knowledge of IT security and operations. Since assuming this role in January 2024, Mr. Reid has already begun driving significant improvements and setting a new vision for Advantum's technology strategy.

Joshua Roth. CISO of Children's Hospital of Orange County (Orange, Calif.). Mr. Roth is responsible for overseeing the quality and security of business partner, employee and patient information at Children's Hospital of Orange County. He brings over 17 years of experience in cybersecurity to his role, many of which has been spent in the healthcare industry. He has expertise in ensuring that security strategies align with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Sanjeev Sah. Vice President and CISO for Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Mr. Sah joined Novant Health as vice president and chief information security officer in June 2024. He is tasked with strengthening information security, protecting sensitive data and ensuring regulatory compliance. Mr. Sah leads innovative and mission-driven teams that integrate the quadruple aim of enhancing patient experience, improving population health, reducing costs, and improving healthcare providers' work life into technology and cybersecurity strategies. He has spearheaded the "Hospital of the Future" initiative, which integrates advanced technologies and cybersecurity measures to advance these goals. The initiative's contributions include implementing solutions designed to optimize workflows and improve patient and provider experiences, deploying AI for predictive analytics and efficient resource management, and adopting sustainable energy solutions to reduce the hospital's carbon footprint and operational costs, among other innovations.

William Scandrett. Vice President and CISO of Allina Health (Minneapolis). Mr. Scandrett joined Allina Health as CISO in 2016. He handles all aspects of the system's cybersecurity functions, such as threat and vulnerability management, identity and access management, and governance, risk and compliance. He also leads medical device security and the organization's IoT program. He has a stellar reputation for proactivity and for addressing security risks before they happen. He brings prior experience leading information security in retail, finance and healthcare.

Michael Shrader. Senior Director of Information Security for WellSpan Health (York, Pa.). Mr. Shrader leads WellSpan Healths information security program, ensuring the protection of the health system's information assets, technology and infrastructure. His responsibilities include identifying and managing IT and cybersecurity risks while aligning security measures with business objectives. Under Mr. Shrader's leadership, the information security team has expanded, with a focus on professional development and improving WellSpans overall security posture. He chairs key committees, such as the information security steering committee and a ransomware-focused workgroup, to drive operational advancement and innovation. He first joined WellSpan in 2014 as a senior information services security analyst and has taken on roles of progressive responsibility since.

Pavel Slavin. CISO for Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.). Mr. Slavin, the chief information security officer at Endeavor Health, leads the organization's cybersecurity efforts, including security operations, risk management and threat intelligence. He is responsible for developing a long-term cybersecurity strategy that aligns with the organization's goals, focusing on control, risk and threat-based approaches. Mr. Slavin collaborates closely with the CIO, other C-suite executives, and senior security professionals to prepare for and manage potential cyber threats, ensuring regulatory compliance and ongoing risk management. He also oversees the professional development of his team and works with vendors and supply chain partners on security issues, implementing the organization's incident response plan. He is known for his ability to build high-performance teams, streamline cybersecurity operations for Fortune 500 companies, and maintain compliance in heavily regulated industries. He holds a patent for Trusted Operating Systems and has a strong track record of transforming cybersecurity programs to align with business objectives.

Monique St. John. CISO and Associate Chief Information Officer at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Ms. St. John and her team focus on critical areas in healthcare cybersecurity, including third-party risk management enhancements, security awareness education, the implementation AI data analyzation tools, and the utilization of automation that reduces response time and improves efficiency. She has led Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia through substantial growth over the past several years, and developed a comprehensive information security strategy that evaluates risks from multiple perspectives, maintains a human-centric approach, balances security with innovation and uses data to measure services. The program leads roadshows and facilitates several cross-functional, multilevel exercises throughout the year, helping organizational stakeholders plan for a major cyber incident. Additionally, knowing that cybersecurity risk equals patient safety risk, the program uses patient safety principles and aligns them to information security, which has contributed to an increased focus on security culture throughout the enterprise.

Stephen Stallard. Assistant Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer for Orlando (Fla.) Health. As the chief privacy officer for Orlando Health, Mr. Stallard oversees the organization's compliance with privacy and information security laws, including HIPAA, while also leading the compliance and ethics program. With over 30 years of healthcare experience and a deep understanding of revenue management, IT and information security, Mr. Stallard has played a pivotal role in developing and expanding Orlando Health's internal compliance programs. His leadership is marked by a collaborative approach, bridging the gap between operations, technology and compliance to ensure the protection of sensitive information across the organization. Beyond his role at Orlando Health, he is a founding board member of the Florida Compliance and Privacy Consortium.

Glynn Stanton. CISO and Chief Technology Officer for Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. Mr. Stanton serves as the chief information security officer and chief technology officer for Yale New Haven Health, overseeing information security across three states, seven hospital campuses, and over 240 outpatient locations. With 12 years at the system, he has significantly expanded the information security office, growing the team from three to over 40 by consolidating functions such as identity and access management and disaster recovery. Mr. Stantons dual role includes managing cybersecurity, IT audit, patient privacy, disaster recovery, and IT incident management, while also leading infrastructure, end-user computing and the IT service desk. He has implemented critical security controls that balance functionality and security, such as "tap and go" technologies. Mr. Stanton is also a key advocate for increased medical device security and has played a crucial role in lobbying efforts to extend security licenses for rural hospitals. His leadership is characterized by a focus on cultural change, balancing clinical access with data integrity, and responding swiftly to evolving threats.

Hussein Syed. CISO of RWJ Barnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.). Mr. Syed serves as CISO of RWJ Barnabas Health, where he drives cybersecurity strategy to secure technology and data assets for the academic healthcare system. He is playing a key role in the implementation of the system's historic overhaul of its EHR platform. During his time as CISO, he has grown the department into several divisions focused on risk, architecture, operations, vulnerability management, and identity and access management.

Teresa Tonthat. Vice President and Associate CIO, CISO and Chief Technology Officer at Texas Children's Hospital (Houston). Ms. Tonthat oversees technology, digital solutions, health technology management, data and cybersecurity at Texas Children's Hospital, the largest pediatric hospital system in the U.S. Since joining the organization in 2018, she has led a team of over 500 professionals in safeguarding a vast technology infrastructure and managing critical data for more than 20,000 staff and 4 million patients. Her leadership has notably enhanced the hospital's cybersecurity posture through comprehensive awareness campaigns and a focus on people, processes and technology. Prioritizing organizational resilience, Ms. Tonthat ensures the hospital can deliver care effectively, regardless of digital connectivity. Her strategic approach has also facilitated the digital transformation of the new Texas Children's Hospital in North Austin, with successful innovations set to be implemented at the Houston campus.

Jeffrey M. Vinson, Sr. Senior Vice President and Chief Cyber and Information Security Officer of Harris Health System (Bellaire, Texas). Mr. Vinson was promoted to senior vice president and chief cyber and information security officer at Harris Health System in 2020 after having been with the organization since 2013. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and executing a strategic cyber vision in alignment with organizational goals to ensure patient safety. In 2022 and 2023, Mr. Vinson was recognized as a Top 50 Information Security Professional by Oncon Icon.

Aaron Wishon. Vice President and CISO of Cook Children's (Fort Worth, Texas). Mr. Wishon oversees information security for Cook Children's, which includes a medical center and physician network that has more than 60 primary, specialty and urgent care locations in Texas. There are 303 specialty care doctors in the network. In September 2019, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives recognized Cook Children's as one of the nation's Most Wired hospitals.

Randy Yates. Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System (Houston, Texas). Mr. Yates is responsible for the development and execution of Memorial Hermann's security strategic plan for its employees, providers and business partner users. He oversees the system's data security program, ensures implementation of technical solutions for data security, access management, security risk assessment, cyberattack response, business resiliency and executive governance of the security program. He coordinates internal and external audit inquiries, manages digital compliance efforts and manages information security policies. He helped transform Memorial's information security team into a full-service InfoSec and cybersecurity program. In 2021, his team organized an exercise for a common ransomware attack. He also established an internship program in the Memorial cybersecurity department to bring interns into full-time roles on the team.

Dee Young. CISO of UNC Health (Chapel Hill, NC). Ms. Young is CISO for UNC Health, where she ensures the overall cyber resiliency of the system and leads teams responsible for cybersecurity, information and medical device security compliance, emerging technology security and cyber risk management efforts. Her innovative spirit has led UNC Health in the implementation of cutting-edge tools and processes such as generative AI for care teams, virtual nursing initiatives and the Advance Care at Home program. She has over 20 years of security and technology experience, ranging from healthcare to academia.

Vugar Zeynalov. CISO of Cleveland Clinic. Since 2017, Mr. Zeynalov has served as CISO for Cleveland Clinic, where he is responsible for all cybersecurity endeavors. Mr. Zeynalov leads his team in controlling IT assets including clinical, research, and educational areas of the enterprise. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic, Mr. Zeynalov operated as executive director of information security of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas as well as head of information security at pharmaceutical and medical device company Hospira.
Leaders of the CDC, HHS and FDA held a press conference Aug. 23 about the upcoming respiratory virus season. Here are four things to know:

1. CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, acknowledged the heightened levels of COVID-19 currently sweeping parts of the country. However, severity of illness has fallen since the pandemic's onset, so the increase in infection rates is not causing as many hospitalizations and deaths as previous years.

This fall and winter, the CDC estimates that virus levels will be similar to or lower than the 2023-24 season.

"Their outlook going forward is that this season  we can expect a similar or slightly improved in terms of peak hospitalizations that we saw last year when you look at combined COVID, flu and [respiratory syncytial virus] together," Dr. Cohen said.

Last fall and winter, 10% of the U.S. population had the flu, according to Jeff Nesbit, HHS assistant secretary for the public affairs. At its peak last year, more than 2,500 people a week were dying from COVID-19, he said.

In the final week of 2023, RSV peaked at a rate of 4.2 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to CDC data.

2. The CDC recommends everyone 6 years and older receive an updated COVID-19 shot and updated flu shot in September or October. Dr. Cohen said it is safe to get both vaccines at the same time.

For older adults who did get an RSV vaccine last year, the CDC recommends people aged 60 to 74 at increased risk of severe RSV and everyone 75 and older to receive an RSV shot.

3. HHS will relaunch its program of providing free COVID-19 tests, starting in September.

4. Beginning in 2025 and running through 2028, Pfizer will take charge of the patient assistant program for Paxlovid. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has stockpiled 1 million Paxlovid courses.
A new photo of the Gallagher brothers has been released to celebrate Oasis' reunion

Oasis fans here are gearing up for a Ticketmaster showdown ahead of the bands highly-anticipated comeback tour, with a ballot registration for tickets to the UK and Ireland gigs already open.

Liam and Noel Gallagher have confirmed their reunion after splitting in 2009, announcing dates in Cardiff, Manchester, London and Edinburgh.

The brothers will also perform two gigs in Dublins Croke Park on August 16 and 17.

Tickets prices will start at 86.50 (73) plus booking fee. There will be a pre-sale on Friday, and the bands website states: We strongly advise that those wishing to purchase tickets register in advance of the sale with the relevant ticket agencies.

There are some concerns that Northern Ireland fans could face an extra challenge, as tickets for the Dublin gig go on sale an hour earlier than tickets for the concerts in Great Britain.

Some fear this could encourage English, Scottish and Welsh fans to try to increase their chances of attending a gig by buying up tickets for Dublin and squeezing out fans here and in the Republic.

The band tweeted that tickets for the Dublin concert would go on sale at 8am IST (Irish Standard Time) on Saturday and 9am BST (British Summer Time) for the concerts in Great Britain. IST and BST are both an hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Announcing the pre-sale scheduled for Friday, the band tweeted: To ensure the maximum number of fans have a fair opportunity to access tickets, applicants will be selected for the pre-sale via a ballot.

Ballot registration is open now and will close at 7pm BST, this Wednesday 28th August.

Register here: https://OasisMusic.lnk.to/OLI25Ballot

Successful applicants will receive an email with full access information the morning of Friday 30th August.

Success in the ballot will not guarantee tickets. Tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, several fans expressed their anxieties about securing tickets and the potential for inflated prices. Despite the challenges, the overall sentiment remains positive as they celebrate the reunion of Liam and Noel.

"What a morning it's been," said fan Scott McGaffin from Newtownards.

Oasis fan Scott McGaffin

"My initial reaction to the Irish tickets being released first was actually positive. We know it's going to sell out quickly, but fans like myself are probably going to try and get a ticket for any date, whether that be in the UK or Ireland. So if I don't manage to get tickets for Croke, I know that I'll have another chance at 9am with the UK tickets."

However, Scott expressed concerns about resellers and accommodation prices.

"What I'm really concerned about are resellers and accommodation prices," he added. "Last night, I looked up a hotel local to Croke Park  the room was costing around 120. That exact room is now triple the price  it's extortionate.

"I'm also worried tickets will sell out instantly, then will pop up on resale sites shortly after at hugely inflated prices. Saturday morning will be a stressful one, but hopefully, it will be worth it. I never thought I'd see the day  a literal dream come true."

Nick McCay, frontman of Oasis tribute act Roll With It, isn't overly concerned about the Dublin tickets selling out first, admitting the "global demand" for the tickets will be great regardless.

Frontman of Oasis tribute act Nick McCay

"I think demand for these shows is so high globally that it won't really matter," he said. "People will be travelling from all over Europe and further just to get to these shows. The Welsh Oasis fans are going to feel the pinch because Cardiff is where people will want to go first.

That first gig is a moment in history."

Oasis reunion: Liam and Noel Gallagher to play Croke Park

"I'm like a kid on Christmas morning," Nick added. "I will be using as many favours as possible to bag as many as I possibly can and have to do a lot of work between now and the weekend to shift some of our own shows about, but I'll be happy to get a ticket for any of the shows wherever it is."

Niall Thomas Curtis, a Belfast fan of the duo, is simply thrilled that Liam and Noel are back together after 15 years of estrangement, which was reportedly settled by a phone call.

Oasis fan Niall Thomas Curtis

"I was the same as everyone this morning, refreshing the feed from 7:59 waiting to see if it was all true," he said. "It's going to be impossible to get tickets regardless (of Dublin being on sale first), just a proper luck of the draw situation.

"The Croker tickets go on sale at 8am, and we can all use the Ireland version of Ticketmaster here in the north. I have my fingers crossed. Even if I don't get tickets, I'm still just happy that it's really happening."

Darragh Doherty, from Donegal and Tyrone is hoping some wider UK fans will be put off by the Dublin prices alongside flights and travel expenses so Irish fans can secure their first preference.

Oasis superfan Darragh Doherty

"Well as we have seen in the past few years the cost of going to a gig isnt what it was in the 90s with Knebworth tickets for example priced at 22.50, he said.

"I definitely think this will be playing on the minds of the fans today when everyone is making their decisions about what gigs to try and get the golden tickets for. I think rather than booking flights and accommodation in Dublin for which the prices will undoubtedly skyrocket which we have seen this year with the price of accommodation and tickets alone for AC/DC and Coldplay.

Liam and Noel confirm Oasiss long-awaited reunion for 2025

"I would imagine people living in England/Scotland/Wales will be pushed to go for the gigs closer to home. I would be very surprised if the Mancunians make the trip across the Irish Sea as the gigs in their hometown promises to be a special few nights. I think the main people in the queue for Croke Park will be NI and Irish fans.

What it does do though, is give those Irish fans who will miss out on tickets another chance to secure tickets which is definitely a positive.
Oasis are set to play Dublin next year as part of a bumper reunion tour.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will bring their reformed band to Croke Park for the final announced gigs on August 16-17, after also playing in Manchester, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

Tickets go on sale at 9am this Saturday (August 31), but one hour earlier at 8am for the Dublin gigs.

They are expected to be priced at around 130.

The tour begins in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium on July 4-5 before playing four nights at Heaton Park in Manchester on July 11, 12, 19 and 20.

There are then four nights at Wembley Stadium on July 25-26 and August 2-3.

Its then on to Murrayfield in Edinburgh on August 8-9 before heading to Dublin.

Confirming the Oasis Live 25 tour, they said: "The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised."

Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher are getting back together for the Oasis Live 25 worldwide tour next year (Fear PR/PA)

It is as yet unclear who else will make up the band along with the Gallagher brothers, with fans hoping the likes of Bonehead and Gem Archer are included.

With the Oasis tour dates starting after Glastonbury, set for the last weekend in June, rumours are still rife that the band will first play at the festival.

A source told the Mail on Sunday: "Theres a genuine feeling that next summers Glastonbury will be too much of an attraction for Liam and Noel to turn down. They have been made aware of the headline slot thats open for them next summer. Now its all down to them.

There are also plans for the band to play outside Europe later next year.

Rumours escalated on Sunday evening after the pair shared the same video on social media, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement on Tuesday at 8am.

The same date and time appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

The announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasiss debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock N Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Hours before the announcement, posters began circulating online which featured potential Oasis tour dates with special guests including LCD Soundsystem, Blossoms, Fontaines DC and Kasabian.

Oasis were one of the most successful groups to emerge during the Britpop era of the mid-1990s before their bitter split in 2009 (Zak Hussein/PA)

Liam fuelled the rumours by offering some tongue-in-check responses to fans who flooded him with messages on social media asking for confirmation.

After The Times posted the article on X, formerly Twitter, a fan said Heaton Park is a terrible venue for concerts, with Liam responding: See you down the front.

When another asked when the reunion dates will be announced, he replied: Next Friday.

The rocker also tweeted on Sunday morning that he never did like that word FORMER.

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Liam has been touring the UK this summer on his Definitely Maybe tour to celebrate the 30 years since its release in 1994.

Noel has been absent from the concerts but during a show in Cardiff, Liam made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his little brother, saying he is still playing hard to get.

Liam also played Oasis hits during his headline performance at Leeds Festival on Friday night.

Fans were also surprised to hear Noel pay Liam a string of compliments in an interview released last week with music journalist John Robb at Manchesters Sifters Records in honour of the albums 30th anniversary.

Reflecting on Liams performance on a number of their hits, Noel said: Its the delivery or the tone of his voice and the attitude.

I dont have the same attitude as him.

He also jokingly compared Liams voice to 10 shots of tequila on a Friday night and his own as half a Guinness on a Tuesday.

Formed in 1991, the Britpop group rose to fame with hits like Wonderwall, Dont Look Back In Anger and Stop Crying Your Heart Out.

They went on to become one of the biggest bands in British music history before their break-up in 2009.

The brothers went on to have successful separate careers, with Noel fronting the group Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds.

News Catch Up: Monday 26 August
Chris Williams of Shoosmiths on its support of Young Agent of the Year category

Aerial view over Downtown Belfast along the River Lagan with Lagan Weir Bridge in the foreground, ICC Belfast, Lagan Boat and Victoria Square Dome. Belfast, North Ireland, UK

Recognising the importance of young professionals in driving the real estate sector forward, especially in adopting transformative technologies like artificial intelligence, Shoosmiths is proud to sponsor the Young Agent of the Year category at the 2024 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards.

AI continues to influence many industries and its impact on the property sector is increasingly profound. From streamlining property management, to enhancing decision-making processes, AI is reshaping how property professionals operate worldwide.

Automated valuation models (AVMs) have gained traction in European financial and real estate markets for several years. Used by lenders and institutional investors for monitoring purposes, AVMs are considered complementary to traditional valuations.

These computer-assisted quantitative methods are systematic and fast, reducing the need for labour-intensive input in providing end-to-end valuations. While AVMs are efficient and consistent, their accuracy depends entirely on the quality of the underlying data.

Shoosmiths

In the US, companies like Skyline AI, now part of JLL, are using machine learning algorithms to analyse vast amounts of real estate data, helping investors identify opportunities. In Singapore, CapitaLand, one of Asias largest real estate companies, has implemented an AI and cloud-based platform that uses image recognition technology to automatically detect and report issues in common areas of its properties, reducing the time needed for manual inspections.

AI is also transforming how properties are marketed and sold.

Many agents already use AI to provide virtual property tours and personalised recommendations to potential buyers. Despite these technological advancements, the human element remains irreplaceable in many aspects of property transactions.

AI serves as a powerful tool, but it cannot replicate the understanding of local markets, the ability to negotiate complex deals, or the personal touch in client relationships. Real estate is fundamentally a people-centric business, where property professionals bring key skills to the table.

Belfast Telegraph Property Awards 2024

In Northern Ireland, the property sector is poised to benefit from these global AI trends. The recent merger of Propertynews and PropertyPal, along with the launch of the new property portal Homes NI, is expected to enhance technology offerings making property searches more streamlined and user-friendly.

Although local adoption may not be as swift as in larger markets, there is increasing awareness of the potential for technology to transform the sector. As Northern Ireland strengthens its position as a technology hub, the property sector has the potential to leverage this expertise.

Recognising the importance of young professionals in driving the real estate sector, especially in adopting transformative technologies like AI, Shoosmiths is proud to sponsor the Young Agent of the Year category at the 2024 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards.

Chris Williams is a real estate principal associate at law firm Shoosmiths
Campaign group say subsidy scheme should be available for children of primary school age

10,000 children have been signed up for the subsidy scheme. Stock image.

Parents are beginning to see the financial benefit of a new childcare subsidy scheme as discounts are applied to bills  but a campaign group has stressed this is only the beginning with a long way to go before care is accessible for parents.

In the region, 10,000 children were registered for Northern Irelands Childcare Subsidy Scheme within just a fortnight of it opening.

But campaign group Melted Parents NI has said they hope the scheme will expand to older age groups in order to make childcare accessible for all.

The 25m scheme was announced in May and includes a 15% childcare subsidy on top of the 20% granted by the UK Government but is only applicable to children under school age.

Raissa Balduino is a member of the grassroots campaign group, which worked to make childcare accessible for all and who were integral in discussions around the initial proposals of the scheme.

While this is a big win for us, and for parents across Northern Ireland it is of course welcomed, but this is only the beginning, she told the Belfast Telegraph.

We are so pleased the government is willing to invest in parents, and one mother of four contacted us to say that through this she would be saving over 3,000 a year which is incredible, but we have a long way to go yet.

This will help relieve some of the stress for some parents but children older than primary one age still require childcare, especially during holidays.

The subsidy can be offered by registered childcare providers who are signed up to the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme and can register a child below primary school age.

This includes daycares, playgroups, childminders and Approved Home Childcare (AHC) providers.

However, the decision to offer the subsidy to parents lies solely with the childcare providers as it is not mandatory.

If they choose to offer it, the subsidy provided to parents can be claimed back by providers directly from the scheme administrator.

This ensures that the provider can offer the subsidy without any financial loss.

Ms Balduino added: The scheme is also not available for parents who receive benefits or are on universal credit and parents of school-age children are struggling to pay for wraparound costs so we will continue to lobby for the extension of these interim interventions to ensure that childcare is accessible for all.

Education Minister Paul Givan said he is encouraged by the uptake of the scheme so far.

The families of these children will see their childcare bills reduced from September 2024, he said.

I have stated that making childcare more affordable was one of my top priorities, and I am pleased that this scheme is about to deliver on that commitment for hard-working families across Northern Ireland. My intention was to have the scheme operational by September this year and am delighted that we are on track to do so.

I am grateful for the excellent work of our delivery agent, Early Years Organisation for helping us achieve this and to other partners who have helped to promote the scheme and support its rapid roll-out, he added.

I specifically want to pay tribute to the 1280 childcare providers, including daycares, childminders, playgroups and Approved Home Childcarers who have so far signed up to offer the scheme to their parents.

Although the closing day (August 20) has just passed for guaranteeing timely September payments, registration remains open for both providers and parents and I would encourage anyone who has not yet signed up, to do so as soon as possible. Early Years Organisation will continue to process these as they receive them.

Mr Givan previously said it could cost up to 400m to put a childcare strategy in place  with only 25m available.

Parents in Northern Ireland up until now have not been in receipt of free childcare hours, unlike in other parts of the UK  where parents are entitled to 30 free hours.
However, industry experts warn of challenges facing trade despite the increase

The figures reflect a bounce back relative to the ravages of the pandemic for hotels.

Hotels in Northern Ireland enjoyed record average daily rates of 129 during June, up over 50% on pre-pandemic levels, Business Telegraph can reveal.

The figures obtained exclusively by Business Telegraph from Co Star, formerly known as STR, reflect a bounce back relative to the ravages of the pandemic for hotels.

But an industry boss cautioned against interpreting the figures as a sign that all was completely well in the industry, as hotels continue to battle high costs.

Average figures for Belfast show a jump from 2019 similar to the levels seen across the rest of Northern Ireland.

In June that year, the average daily rate for hotels across Northern Ireland was 83.80. At 129.52 in June this year, the rate was 55% higher.

And in Belfast, the rate has gone up from 84.09 in June 2019 to 132.55 in June 2024, a jump of 58%.

There are a variety of measures of the strength of business in the hotel trade. Occupancy rate describes the percentage of the total available rooms being used by guests at any one time.

The pandemic saw very low occupancy rates, with the figure standing at 14.1% in June 2020.

Occupancy rates of rooms have remained relatively steady from 2022, albeit this June saw a 2% drop from the prior year to 81.7%.

Revenue per available room (RevPAR) has also risen from the levels recorded in June 2019. The figure then was 70.63. June 2024s RevPAR was recorded as 105.78, an almost 50% increase.

However Janice Gault, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, warned against using a snapshot of business to draw large conclusions.

Mrs Gault pointed out that the summer has been challenging for many in the trade due to poor weather. She further warned that the industry is facing cost increases due to the rising prices of energy, labour and consumables.

News Catch Up: Monday 26 August
A Belfast man allegedly pointed out the homes of migrant neighbours living on his street to be attacked with hammers, the High Court heard today.

Craig Watson is accused of being part of a masked crowd who targeted houses in the north of the city earlier this month.
A Strabane man has been jailed for what a magistrates court judge described as the worst case of revenge porn he has encountered  expressing concerns, along with a number of colleagues, as to why such a case was not elevated to a higher court.
Killer returned to jail after chilling encounter with courageous shop worker

A teenage girl who had a chilling encounter with an escaped killer has been praised for her bravery in calling police to have the murderer apprehended.
Top doctors have called for legislation aimed at tackling youth vaping to include a total ban on disposable e-cigarettes and all flavours apart from tobacco (Nicholas T Ansell/PA)

Top doctors have called for legislation aimed at tackling youth vaping to include a total ban on disposable e-cigarettes and all flavours apart from tobacco.

The British Medical Association (BMA) urged ministers to take bold and brave actions to protect the health of children and young people amid a vaping epidemic.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill earlier this year, which included plans to ban disposable e-cigarettes and introduce restrictions on flavours and packaging.

However, it was shelved after the General Election was announced in May.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revived the Bill following Labours victory at the July 4 vote, although details on the measures included in the proposed legislation are yet to be published.

Dr Penelope Toff, chair of the BMAs public health medicine committee, called on the current Government to go even further than the plans outlined by Mr Sunak.

She described the BMA report  Taking our breath away: why we need stronger regulation of vapes  as a blueprint of the actions that should be taken by ministers.

It calls for a ban on the sale of disposable vapes on the grounds of disproportionate and harmful use by children and young people and their adverse impact on the environment.

The BMA also suggests all vape flavours apart from tobacco should be banned, with measures introduced to prohibit the use of imagery, colouring and branding on packaging and e-cigarettes, as well as further restrictions on all advertising and marketing.

Dr Toff said: The last government made significant progress putting forward a Bill that included a ban on disposable vapes, and plans to regulate flavours and marketing.

This new Government must now ensure these measures are carried through into legislation  and it would do well to go even further.

Dr Toff warned e-cigarette use among youngsters is a serious public health threat.

We are calling on ministers to take bold and brave actions that will make a real difference, like banning all vape flavours other than tobacco, so that the grip these products have on our children and young people is released, while still ensuring they remain an option to help some people stop smoking, she said.

Likewise, there is no reason why they should need colourful branding and displays; they should be relegated to behind the shop counter, in plain packaging, like cigarettes have been for years.

While this Government has rightly pledged to tackle smoking and vaping, the test will be in how it acts. As we await details, we have put together this blueprint of the actions that are crucial right now to stop this serious public health threat in its tracks.

Disposable vapes of varying flavours on sale in a store (Jacob King/PA)

The BMA also wants tighter regulations to tackle the illegal sale of vapes, including Government-funded education campaigns, as well as measures to stop the sale of other products, such as nicotine pouches, to young people.

Publication of the BMAs report comes after analysis by public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found 11% of the adult population in Britain vape, the equivalent of 5.6 million people.

The figure is the highest since Ash started asking about vaping in its Smokefree GB analysis in 2017.

A separate report by Ash also estimated 18% of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain  or around 980,000 youngsters  have vaped in 2024.

Professor David Strain, chair of the BMAs board of science, said: There is no denying we are living in a vaping epidemic. Vape usage has risen hugely in the last decade, with one in 10 ten adults now vaping.

However, far more worrying, is the increase in young people who vape, with almost six times more 11-17 year-olds vaping now compared with 10 years ago.

As a doctor, I understand the role vapes can play in helping people to stop smoking, but they have no rightful place in our children and young peoples lives and when it comes to protecting their health, we cannot afford to gamble.

An industry so obviously targeting children with colours, flavours and branding, to push a product that can lead to nicotine addiction and potential further harms cannot be allowed to happen any longer.

And with two vapes thrown away every second in the UK, the environmental impact of this epidemic is disastrous.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: The marketing of vapes to children and young people is utterly unacceptable.

Vapes can be an effective way for adult smokers to quit, but we have always been clear that children and adult non-smokers should never vape.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes from deliberately being branded and advertised to appeal to children, including by regulating flavours, packaging, and changing how and where they are displayed in shops.
Three men have been arrested over the stabbing of a 32-year-old mother at the Notting Hill Carnival which left her in critical condition.

The woman, who attended the family day of the Carnival on Sunday with her young child, was attacked in Golborne Road shortly before 6pm and police officers gave her emergency medical treatment until paramedics arrived.

She was taken to hospital where she remains in critical condition.

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The Metropolitan Police said initial inquiries suggest she became caught up in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men but it is unclear if they were known to her.

The force said a 20-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder while two other men, aged 24 and 22, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

All three men were detained on Tuesday morning after officers attended separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham and all remain in custody.

Another man, Kamar Williams, 33, has been charged with murder in connection with the stabbing of 53-year-old Derek Thomas last month, after being arrested by officers at the carnival on Monday, the force said.

There were five stabbings at the carnival on Monday and an incident involving a corrosive substance, the Met said, with two of the stabbing victims also left in a critical condition.

Police made 349 arrests over the weekend, including 72 for possession of an offensive weapon, 53 for assault on an emergency worker, and 53 for possession of class B drugs.

There were 61 instances where officers were assaulted, the Metropolitan Police said.

Police officers detain a man during the Notting Hill Carnival celebration. (Tim Anderson/PA)

The weekend saw eight stabbings, and a 41-year-old man was left in a critical condition after he was assaulted in Queensway on Monday.

There were also eight stabbings during the two-day event last year, and seven, including a murder, in 2022.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Mets spokesperson for the Notting Hill Carnival, said: Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones. She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects.

We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival.

Id also like to acknowledge the incredible work of the officers, including police medics, who arrived so quickly  delivering emergency medical treatment and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence.

Our investigations into the other incidents over the weekend continue.
President Joe Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, days after the most prominent leader from a nation that maintains a neutral position on Russias invasion of Ukraine visited Kyiv.

Mr Modi, in a post on X, said that he spoke to Mr Biden about Indias full support for early return of peace and stability in Ukraine. He said the leaders also discussed Indias concern about the safety of Hindus and other religious minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh after this months ouster of the countrys long-serving prime minister.

The White House said it welcomed Modis engagement with Ukraine.

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White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters: We welcome any other country that wants to help President (Volodymyr) Zelensky work towards this just peace, and any country thats willing to come at that discussion by starting with President Zelenskys perspective, by hearing him out.

Mr Zelensky and Mr Modi discussed at length Ukraines peace formula during their meeting last week, which prioritises territorial integrity and the withdrawal of Russian troops, according to the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We say it very loudly and clearly that we support the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mr Modi said during the meeting. Its our highest priority.

The Kyiv visit came after Mr Modi met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Mr Zelensky had criticised Mr Modi for the visit with Mr Putin, which came on the same day Russian missiles struck across Ukraine, killing scores of people.

India, which has a long-running relationship with Moscow, has largely avoided weighing in on the Russian invasion.

The country began building a strong relationship with the then-Soviet Union in the mid-1950s during the Cold War, then strengthened those ties over conflicts with neighbouring Pakistan.

The Soviet Union helped mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan to end the 1965 war over control of the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Then, during Indias war with Pakistan in December 1971, the Soviet Union used its veto power to support India at the United Nations, while the US ordered a task force into the Bay of Bengal in support of Pakistan.

Protests in Bangladesh led to the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar, File)

Mr Modi said he also discussed the situation in Bangladesh, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India this month.

Her ouster was triggered by student-led protests against a quota system for government jobs. After clashes between protesters and government forces that led to hundreds of deaths, the movement grew into a broader rebellion against the leader and her government.

Dozens of attacks against Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh have been reported since Ms Hassinas ouster.

Mr Modi said during the call with Mr Biden that he underscored the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.

Mr Biden took part in the call from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is on holiday with family.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of denying democracy after he rejected the left-wing coalitions candidate for prime minister following last months inconclusive election.

As president, Mr Macron has sole power to name the prime minister.

French politicians have been deadlocked over a future government since an early legislative vote in July produced no clear winner.

The latest tensions include calls for major protests against Mr Macron next week as Paris prepares to host the Paralympic Games, with the opening ceremony set for Wednesday evening.

French President Emmanuel Macronhas held talks with party leaders (Thomas Padilla/AP)

The New Popular Front coalition won the most seats in the National Assembly.

Mr Macrons centrist alliance came in second and the far-right National Rally came in third, leaving Frances powerful lower house of parliament with no party holding a majority.

Still, the left-wing coalition, which includes the hard-left France Unbowed, the Socialists and the Greens, has insisted that the new prime minister should be from their ranks because it is the largest group.

On Monday, Mr Macron rejected their nominee for prime minister  little-known civil servant Lucie Castets  saying that his decision to refuse a government led by the New Popular Front is aimed at ensuring institutional stability.

The deeply fractured parliament would not endorse a left-wing government, Mr Macron said, and announced another round of consultations with political leaders.

He called on left-wing leaders to seek cooperation with parties outside their coalition, including with the presidents centrist alliance.

Leftist leaders lashed out at Mr Macron, accusing him of endangering French democracy and denying the election results.

The Socialists and the Greens refused to meet the president for a new round of talks on Tuesday.

France Unbowed, whose leaders were not invited to the Elysee presidential palace, called for mass protests against Mr Macron. They say that he is responsible for an exceptionally grave situation.

How is it possible that we have reached such denial of democracy? the Greens leader, Marine Tondelier, said in an interview with broadcaster France Info. We are in the process of having this election stolen from us.

She added that the New Popular Front would reject any government that is not left-wing.

Francois Ruffin, a lawmaker with France Unbowed, said in an X post that the people must remove Macron in the name of democracy. He added: Chaos and instability are his fault.

In a sign of fracturing opinion on the left, Pierre Jouvet, the Socialist Partys secretary-general, said that its supporters do not plan to take part in protests, and hinted that they were open to further discussions with the president.

We are not calling for people to take to the streets at this stage, Mr Jouvet said in an interview with France Info. The emergency is in the debate, in the political discussion, even if Emmanuel Macrons decision worries us deeply.

There is no rulebook that requires Mr Macron to name a candidate from the party that won the most seats, or specifies a timeline for a decision. The absence of any dominant political bloc is unprecedented in Frances recent political history.

Mr Macrons office said last week that he would name a prime minister based on consultations that started on Friday and were aimed at moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible.

Politicians from the centre, the right and the far right have suggested that they would try to bring down any government that includes members from France Unbowed.
Special counsel has asked for the classified documents case against Trump to be reinstated (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal appeals court on Monday to reinstate the classified documents case against former president Donald Trump after it was dismissed by a judge last month.

US District Judge Aileen Cannon threw out the case, one of four prosecutions of Mr Trump, after concluding that Mr Smiths appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional.

Mr Smiths team then appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, with prosecutors saying in their appeal brief that Ms Cannons decision is at odds with widespread and longstanding appointment practices in the Department of Justice and across the government.

Special counsel Jack Smith (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

The appeal is the latest development in a prosecution that many legal experts consider a straightforward criminal case but has been derailed by delays, months of hearings before Ms Cannon, a Trump-appointed judge, and ultimately a dismissal order that brought the proceedings to at least a temporary halt.

Its unclear how long it will take for the appeals court to decide the matter, but even if it overturns Ms Cannons dismissal and revives the prosecution, there is no chance of a trial before the November presidential election and Mr Trump, if elected, could appoint an attorney general who would dismiss the case.

The case includes dozens of felony charges that Mr Trump illegally retained classified documents from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructed the governments efforts to get them back.

Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Smith was appointed special counsel in November 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Mr Trumps handling of the documents as well as his efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election ahead of the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

Both investigations resulted in criminal charges, though the election subversion prosecution faces an uncertain future following a US Supreme Court decision last month that conferred broad immunity on Mr Trump and narrowed the scope of the case.

Defence lawyers in the classified documents case had argued that Mr Smiths appointment violated the Constitutions appointments clause, a motion that prompted Ms Cannon to hold a multi-day hearing in June.

The judge sided with the defence, saying no specific statute permitted Mr Garlands appointment of Mr Smith and saying Mr Smith had been unlawfully appointed because he had not been named to the position by the president or confirmed by the Senate.

Mr Smiths team is expected to point out that special counsel appointments have been repeatedly upheld by judges in multiple cases, and that an attorney generals ability to name a special counsel is well-established.
A destroyed Russian tank sits on a roadside near the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region (AP/PA)

Ukrainian troops control nearly 500 square miles of Russias Kursk region since their surprise incursion three weeks ago, the chief of the countrys army has said.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi also said Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in its operation.

Commenting on the situation in Kursk, Mr Syrskyi said: The enemy drags troops from other directions, in such way weakening them.

They attempt to create a ring of defence around our offensive group of troops and plan counter-offensive actions.

The seized territory is roughly the size of Los Angeles.

His claim, which could not be independently confirmed, came hours after Ukraine endured a second consecutive barrage of night-time air and missile attacks from Russia.

People walk in front of their damaged houses after Russian rocket attack in Usatove village near Odesa (Michael Shtekel/AP/PA)

Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which President Volodymyr Zelensky said included 81 drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

He said four people died but the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region later said a fifth person had died there from burns in the attacks.

We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since the Second World War, forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes.

Russia has sent reinforcements into the region but it was not clear to what extent these movements might be weakening Russias position in eastern Ukraine, where it was making slow advances in efforts to gain ground in the Kharkiv region.

The Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk  some 6,600 troops either killed or injured  and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armoured vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

In the Kyiv region, which had struggled with blackouts after Mondays onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night.

A Russian assault unit prepares to leave an armoured personnel carrier in the direction of Konstantinovka in Ukraine (Russian defence ministry press service via AP/PA)

The regional administration said air defences destroyed all the drones and missiles but that falling debris set off forest fires.

After Mondays barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists.

He urged Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

President Joe Biden called Mondays Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had reprioritised US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first.

He also said the US was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region.

The fighting in the region has raised concerns about the nuclear power plant there.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi arrived to inspect the plant on Tuesday, but did not immediately give a public assessment.
A UVF cocaine baron on trial for the murder of Ian Ogle has been told by the terror gang he will not be able to return to east Belfast when he is freed from prison.
BENNINGTON  A 94-year-old Bennington resident was arraigned Monday morning on several counts, including a felony charge of lewd and lascivious conduct, disorderly conduct with obscene or abusive language, criminal threatening, prohibited conduct, and two counts of violating his conditions of release stemming from an ongoing dispute with family members.

Edward Doucette is facing a possible seven-plus years behind bars if convicted of all charges. He pleaded not guilty Monday morning at the Bennington courthouse on all counts and was released on the condition he has no contact with family members involved in the dispute.

According to an affidavit in the case, police arrived on North Branch Street on the morning of July 7 after a call of a verbal disturbance between Doucette and a family member. Doucette allegedly threatened the family member then made a lewd gesture with his exposed genitalia.

Doucette was on previous conditions of release after an arrest at the beginning of the summer. He was charged on June 4, a month before the latest incident, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary against the same family member. He was given several conditions, including not having any contact with or harassing the victim. Doucette was charged with two violations of conditions at Mondays arraignment from those previous initial conditions.

According to an affidavit from the June 4 incident, police arrived to find the victim, a family member of Doucettes, holding a paper towel over a slash wound on his arm. The victim told police that Doucette had broken into a relatives home and slashed him with a pull-saw. Police made contact with Doucette at his condemned property. He told them that the victim had stolen property from him in the form of window-cleaning tools. Police estimated the value of the tools to be $10. Doucette also claimed that the family member attacked him. An investigation revealed video footage from a neighbor allegedly showing Doucette climbing into the relatives window from a ladder.

Doucettes new conditions of release include not contacting or harassment of several family members. Doucette must also stay away from the scene of the alleged altercation.

Doucette was the subject of foreclosure proceedings in 2010 on three properties in Bennington that had bedeviled town officials for years because of fires and health and safety violations.

The properties, two on North Branch Street and one on Chapel Road, were all formally owned by Edward Doucette.

Kevin Goodhue, the town building inspector, and fire marshal at the time, told the Banner that former town attorney Robert Woolmington filed foreclosure papers in Bennington Superior Court in January of 2010, seeking to foreclose on all three properties because Doucette owed the town $27,000 for costs the town has incurred in previous cleanup efforts. Doucette also owed the town money for overdue property taxes and water and sewer bills.

The town previously sought and received court orders for Doucette to maintain the properties, one going back about 20 years. The town last performed cleanup work on the properties in 2008 to bring them into compliance with Bennington town laws.

According to newspaper reports at the time, there were several fires on the properties, the last one occurring in 2008, when a mobile home on North Branch Street was destroyed. In 2007, another mobile home on North Branch Street caught fire. A man staying in the structure said he only escaped because a cat had woken him up.

Police investigated a fire in 2002 that killed an elderly man, Frank Slade, who lived alone in a camping trailer. The trailer was one of several dwellings in an open lot owned by Edward Doucette. The camping trailer where Slade perished got its electricity through an extension cord allegedly belonging to Doucette. The town had previously warned Doucette not to let anyone live in such substandard dwellings. No formal charges were ever brought by authorities in Slates death. The fire was deemed accidental.

Doucette and the family member involved in both incidents have each taken out stalking orders against one another in the past. A Bennington judge issued temporary restraining orders with the family member in the fall 2023, and with Doucette this past July. However, in both cases, permanent orders were never issued due to both plaintiffs failure to show up for their court dates.

Doucette pleaded no contest to misdemeanor petty larceny in April and was ordered to repay the merchant. He also pleaded guilty to driving on the sidewalk in 2024 in Bennington and was fined.

Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady ordered Doucette to undergo an outpatient evaluation before any new hearings resume.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low near 40F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low near 40F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
LENOX  With a school building project and union negotiations ahead for Lenox Public Schools, a former School Committee member has been appointed to fill a vacancy until May 23, 2025, and bring the board back to full strength.

The Lenox School Committee and the Select Board met in a joint session last week and appointed Robert Munch in an 8 to 2 vote. Munch had served on the School Committee for seven years until May 2023.

School Committee posts are filled at the annual town elections. But when theres a midterm vacancy, the School Committee and Select Board evaluate and appoint applicants. This opening was created when Meghan Kirby resigned her post last month following a verbal dispute with another committee member.

Munch was one of four people who responded to the School Committees outreach. The term expires May 23, 2025, when voters will select candidates to fill four School Committee openings.

In his letter of interest to the School Committee, Munch wrote that it would be my honor to serve the town and the students once again.

He served on the School Committees bargaining unit during two previous contract negotiations with the Lenox Education Association.

The School Committee faces bargaining on a new union contract covering teachers, guidance and adjustment counselors, librarians and nurses. The current contract expires Aug. 31, 2025.

A proposed new Lenox Memorial Middle and High School building addition is also on the committee's radar. As envisioned, a 12,000- to 15,000-square-foot building would house eight classrooms, including four state-of-the-art science labs and spaces for other programs. The facility could cost up to $15 million and may be funded by the town, subject to taxpayer approval.

A feasibility study for the project is expected next month, in time for a special town meeting expected in November.

School Committee members supporting Munch cited his experience on the board as a major reason for appointing him to fill the vacancy.

The other three contenders were:

 August Danowski, a self-described off-and-on town resident who moved to Lenox full-time in 2012. He has been a long-term substitute teacher at the middle and high school.

 Benjamin Finley, who graduated from Lenox schools and runs Finley Technology Solutions, has been assistant director and technical director at several high school musicals, and was a substitute manager at the Duffin Theater.

 Jared Weber, who lives in Lenox and works for Danos Associates, a Boston firm. He ran for a Select Board last May and came in a close third.

School Committee member Kim Graham advocated for Munch as a voice of experience and a force for stability until the May election. She cited the upcoming union negotiations and pending issues involving curriculum and policies.

School Committee Chair Oren Cass noted that he returned to the board through an appointment following last Mays election, where he came in fourth in a race for three seats, but the third-place winner had already withdrawn prior to the vote.

Supporting Weber, committee Vice Chair Veronica Fenton advocated consideration of younger candidates like him instead of always going to the same people to volunteer and participate.

Cass supported Munchs application, pointing to his expertise.

I will be one of the people on the ballot [in May], Cass said, saying the more candidates, the better. Ill encourage [other applicants] to run again.
GREAT BARRINGTON  The Board of Health's order would force Housatonic Water Works Co. to deliver 5-gallon jugs of water to Housatonic households on a daily basis until its water quality problems are resolved.

It's an order that would mean that the Housatonic Water Works also pays for independent water testing at times and locations of the towns choosing. And it would mean that Housatonic Water Works is fined $1,000 per day per customer for noncompliance; it has more than 750 customers.

But whether the Board of Health's order will fly is up for debate. Housatonic Water Works will very likely appeal the order, a consultant told the board.

I think that you're going to see some very quick action, said Mike Hugo, a lawyer who is director of policy and government affairs for the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards. He told the Great Barrington Board of Health recently that the water company will move to either stop this from happening or to come before you with an appeal and try to see if they can strike some sort of a middle ground with you.

The towns attorney, David Doneski, agreed.

After two public hearings, the Board of Health updated and approved its Aug. 8 Correction Order issued to the Housatonic Water Works Co. The updates include that a waterworks representative must attend the Board of Healths next meeting on Sept. 5 to set a timeline in motion for implementing the order. The Board of Health's order is intended to force the company to address water quality problems for its customers. (The Eagle requested a copy of the finalized order from the town but has not yet received it. The board wants the waterworks to receive it first, board Chair Michael Lanoue said.)

The order stems from increasing concerns and complaints over spells of brown or yellow tap water due to what the company says is excessive manganese from the Long Pond source. Also, the company has struggled to control haloacetic acids, compounds linked to cancer. Those levels now meet state regulatory standards. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection says it is safe to drink the company's water.

But the Board of Health wants to find out for itself whether the drinking water is safe. Its order would force the company to pay for testing at locations and times of the board's choosing, for instance. Another consultant has been contracted to help figure out where and when that would happen, among other details.

Doneski said that, should the waterworks appeal the order, it would likely do so in Berkshire Superior Court. If so, it would be the second court case related to the waterworks the town is involved in. On Aug. 20, the town appealed in Supreme Judicial Court the state's approval on July 31 of the company's rate hike.

In a unsubtle foreshadowing of what might happen next, Housatonic Water Works attorney Robert Cox told the Board of Health earlier this month that the panel does not have the authority to place such orders on the company because federal law trumps state and local jurisdictions.

Cox, an environmental attorney with firm Bowditch & Dewey who specializes in drinking water cases, said at an earlier public hearing on the order that the federal Environmental Protection Agency oversees the Safe Drinking Water Act. The EPAs state arm, the DEP, is in charge of making sure the water is safe here in Massachusetts, he noted.

James Mercer, the waterworks co-owner and treasurer, declined to comment.
Ian Evans holds a pitcher of water from his tap at his Housatonic home, right, and a glass of Poland Spring water, left. Evans is just one of many residents who are dealing with another bout of yellow-to-brown shades of water due to what the Housatonic Water Works Co. says is elevated manganese. Great Barrington and West Stockbridge filed an appeal in court of the state's rate hike approval for the company. Stockbridge is not joining the appeal, citing the time, expense and likely failure.
At some point, Christianity lost the narrative aspect of the Gospel. The early church began with the Jews but grew across the Roman Empire through the Gentiles, mostly influenced by the Hellenistic culture, a Greek-Roman combo. Greek philosophy still ruled the day and ended up greatly impacting the early church. This led Christianity into more intellectual and theological debate rather than the Gospel narrative.

Doctrine and theology prove important, and the New Testament abounds with such. At the same time, when we read the books we call Gospels, the apostles wrote Jesus story. Jesus taught his doctrine in context of his story, and the disciples did the same. In fact, Mark tells us Jesus never taught without a story. We call these parables  fictional tales meant to point to deeper, heavenly truths. Mathew 13:34-35 says, All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Christ quotes from the prophet Asaph of Psalm 78. Jesus didnt only tell stories, he never taught without one.

Stories can be very simple yet reveal much deeper truths. Think about a short parable, like the one about the lost sheep, and how many hours a preacher can take exploring the truths about God within.

This shouldnt surprise us. The Old Testament explains the world through story. From a literal Genesis in the beginning, to the narrative of how humankind fell, to a redemptive story beginning with Abraham and continuing through epic and minor characters from David to Rahab. The Old Testament expresses truth as well, but always within context of peoples lives and Gods activity within history through people. Of course, Jesus and his disciples would continue this tradition.

As should we. Revelation 12:11 includes our personal transformational stories of how we overcome the evil one. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. We need Jesus blood for salvation, and his salvation results in living a different life. Thats a story. And our stories give us courage to live courageously, even in the face of death.

How can we take these biblical elements and engage with modern media and movies?

Photo credit: Getty Images/tomertu
Escher-Wyss-Platz is being traffic-calmed. Last December, a five-year-old boy was run over and killed there. (archive picture) sda

In December 2022, a boy was fatally injured by a truck on Escher-Wyss-Platz. Now the mother speaks out for the first time.

Sven Ziegler

No time? blue News summarizes for you In December 2022, a boy is fatally injured by a truck at Escher-Wyss-Platz.

Now the mother speaks out for the first time. Show more

Susanne Schmetkamp will never forget the moment she received the news of her little son Tony's death. "I just screamed. I screamed for a very, very, very long time," she says in the SRF program"Sternstunde der Nacht". Tony, not even six years old, was hit by a truck and fatally injured on his way to kindergarten shortly before Christmas 2022.

The accident caused great consternation far and wide and changed the woman's life forever. Schmetkamp, a philosopher and ethicist, was suddenly trapped in the reality of a mother whose loved one had been taken from her.

"It felt like having part of your heart ripped out of your body," says Schmetkamp, describing the agony she experienced when she arrived at the scene of the accident. In the days and weeks that followed, her life was divided into two different realities. On the one hand, everyday life continued in a seemingly orderly fashion; on the other, there was a paralyzing standstill. "You live in different times and realities," she explains in an interview with philosopher Barbara Bleisch.

Grief is omnipresent

Tony is not the first child Schmetkamp has lost. Eleven years ago, she experienced the loss of a newborn baby who died just one day after birth. The death of her father, when she was only 13 years old, also left a deep mark on her life.

But the loss of a child that you love unconditionally and are responsible for protecting is an unbearable burden that shakes your own identity. "It's as if the child you were physically connected to was taken from your body again. But not to live, but to die," she says, describing the pain.

Today, a year and a half after Tony's death, the grief is still omnipresent. "Actually, I don't even like to say 'still', because it may always stay that way," says Schmetkamp quietly. She has learned to work again and look after her family, but the despair remains. Getting over the loss is impossible. "You can't get over this kind of blow from fate. You can only come to terms with them, if at all."


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Chinese naval vessels conduct joint training with Egyptian counterparts

China Military Online) 10:42, August 27, 2024

Sailors assigned to the 46th Chinese naval escort taskforce bid farewell to Egyptian Navy's frigate Al Galala as the two sides wrap up a joint maritime training in the Mediterranean on the afternoon of August 19, local time. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Dayu)

Chinese naval guided-missile destroyer Jiaozuo and Egyptian Navy's frigate Al Galala occupy positions on the starboardside and portside of Chinese naval comprehensive supply ship Honghu respectively during a joint maritime training exercise in the Mediterranean on the afternoon of August 19, local time. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liang Lei)

Vessels of the 46th Chinese naval escort taskforce and the Egyptian Navy conduct formation maneuver training during a joint maritime training exercises in the Mediterranean on the afternoon of August 19, local time. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liang Lei)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
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A man accused of delivering a "running kick" to the head of a Canadian tourist on Dublin's O'Connell Street, who later died, has yet to learn if he will face a "more serious charge".

Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned Ionut Danca's case for two weeks with "pressure on" the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide.

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Mr Danca, 24, a Romanian construction worker with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was accused of assault causing harm to Neno Dolmajian in the early hours of June 23rd.

He was denied bail on June 28th at Dublin District Court.

Mr Dolmajian, who was from Montreal, single and in his 40s, was brought to the Mater Hospital "unresponsive", never regained consciousness and on July 2nd, he passed away.

Mr Danca appeared again at Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday when Judge Alan Mitchell noted that gardai had still not received the DPP's directions. He noted the change of circumstances since the first court hearing and that the injured party had since died.

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Judge Mitchell said he could only deal with the charge before the court and granted a two-week, rather than four-week, adjournment "to keep pressure on for directions".

Mr Danca, who spoke only to confirm his name and say he could understand, listened to the proceedings with the aid of a translator.

Judge Mitchell remanded him in continuing custody to appear on September 10.

The accused has deferred a High Court bail application.

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At his earlier District Court bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Eoghan Byrne said the accused was allegedly with a group at Cathal Brugha Street when the injured party approached and engaged in conversation.

It was claimed a member of the group struck him, and they moved on to O'Connell Street, where there was another interaction with the injured party.

Some "became hostile", while others tried to intervene.

The tourist walked toward the quays but was allegedly knocked on the ground and received a "running kick". The detective described it as a full-force blow to the face.

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CCTV evidence had been obtained, and it was alleged the accused's action caused the tourist's injury.

The court also heard that aware gardai were looking for him, he left the country for two days. Initially, he booked a flight from Dublin to Bucharest, and officers waited for him at the airport.

But he went to Belfast instead and flew to Edinburgh and then Naples.

According to Detective Sergeant Byrne, gardai went to his Dublin address, but it was "cleaned out," and there were 10 bags of his belongings. It was claimed that "his girlfriend indicated they intended to leave Ireland permanently and have their stuff shipped to Romania."

The detective sergeant believed Mr Danca had no ties to this jurisdiction and could face additional charges.

He agreed with defence solicitor Evan Moore that the accused had no prior criminal convictions and lived and worked in Ireland for six years and that he came back voluntarily following discussions.

However, that was allegedly after two days of avoiding calls, texts, and emails and efforts to locate him. Another man is also before the courts accused of assaulting Mr Dolmajian.
South Dublin County Council has refused planning permission to Google Ireland for a new data centre at Grange Castle Business Park in south Dublin.

In its refusal, the Council cited what it called "the existing insufficient capacity in the electricity network (grid) and the lack of significant on-site renewable energy to power the data centre" as reasons.

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The scheme was to be the third phase of the Google Ireland data centre campus at Grange Castle Business Park and involves the creation of 800 construction jobs and 50 jobs when operational.

The new 72,400m squared data storage facility data centre involves the construction of eight data halls on a 50 acre greenfield/brownfield site.

Planning documents lodged with the application by Google Ireland warned that if the new data centre project does not progress, the company will struggle to meet the increasing demands for its ICT services to its customers here.

The planning documents stated that the data centre will indirectly contribute 224,250 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum without any mitigation measures.

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A 78-page planning report by ARUP lodged with the Co Council stated that the proposed development will be powered through an existing connection as agreed with Eirgrid.

The report stated that the duration of the effects on climate is considered to be short-term, as, in accordance with CAP24, 80 per cent of the electricity grid will be renewable by 2030, thereby significantly reducing carbon emissions.

However, in its refusal, the Council also cited the lack of clarity provided in relation to the applicant's engagement with Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in Ireland and the lack of a connection to the surrounding district heating network as grounds to turn the application down.

The Council also highlighted the proposed design of the development as well as how it relates to its surroundings, and lack of detail of how the proposal will impact power supply once operational in 2027.

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The Council ruled that Google Ireland has failed to demonstrate that the proposed use is acceptable on Enterprise and Employment (EE) zoned lands, in accordance with the South Dublin County Development Plan (SDCC) 2022-2028.

The Council also refused planning permission as the scheme did not comply with objectives in the South Dublin County Development Plan in relation to the retention and protection of existing green infrastructure (stream and hedgerow), culverting and alteration of the stream on site, provision of green infrastructure, and complying with the SDCC Green Space Factor.

In a submission, An Taisce warned that planning for the data centre "would further compromise our ability to achieve compliance with our carbon budget limits and would put additional pressure on renewables capacity to deal with the significant additional power demand.

An Taisces Planning Officer, Sean O'Callaghan stated that the proliferation of data infrastructure has largely gone unchecked, and data centres now consume 21 per cent of Irelands total metered electricity.

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Mr O'Callaghan stated that the planned data centre will put great pressure on an already strained electricity grid in the Dublin region, particularly in light of the large number of existing and proposed data centres already in the area.

Mr O'Callaghan further contended that a projected increase of 0.44 per cent in national emissions from the project "is entirely incompatible with our obligations to reduce emissions.

Head of Policy at Friends of the Earth, Jerry MacEvilly, stated our concern is that the proposed development would actively undermine the achievement of the states carbon budget programme.

Dr Colin Doyle has told the council that claims of commitment by Google and Google Ireland Ltd to decarbonisation amount to greenwashing.

He said: The claims are all based on purchase of renewable electricity. While these purchases can be reported in corporate Green House Gas (GHG) accounting systems, they do not mitigate or offset in any way the physical additional GHG emissions caused by Google's activities in Ireland.

Google Ireland now has the option of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanala.
The Department of Transport is examining reports that weapons bound for Israel flew through Irish airspace.

The Ditch news website claims there were four flights from the US with ammunition on board for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), which travelled through Irish airspace.

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A spokesperson for the Department said it is investigating, adding no such applications or exemptions had been granted this year or last.

The Department said the carriage of munitions through Irish sovereign territory or airspace by civil aircraft is prohibited without a special Government exemption.

The spokesperson said the Department is aware of media reports, and engaging with the carrier concerned.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said any such passage would be subjected to clear consent protocols, adding that he had been consistently told there have been no requests to transport munitions to Israel across Irish airspace.

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The Ditch reported the flights were carrying detonating fuses, teargas primers, ammunition primer and explosive charges.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Harris said: It is very important now that the facts are established.

The Department of Transport has confirmed today that it is now engaging with the carrier.

Once those facts are established, of course it could be for the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Defence to provide a further update on this and Ill certainly be keeping in contact with both of them.

Professor Scott Lucas from the Clinton Institute said the Irish Government may have decisions to make.

Prof Lucas told Newstalk: "You either then have to say, 'Oh, OK, America that's fair enough. You can keep on delivering these weapons, including some used as offensive weapons, as we have this open-ended war, including on civilians in Gaza.

"Or the Irish Government has got to take a stand against an ally, the United States, and say, 'no, sorry, you're going to have to route the aircraft around Irish airspace, or you're going to have to give us a good reason to give you an exception'."
Liam and Noel Gallagher are getting back together for Oasiss long-awaited reunion with a worldwide tour in 2025.

The Britpop band, who split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe around three decades ago, announced the series of dates will kick off at Cardiffs Principality Stadium.

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The UK and Ireland tour will also visit Manchesters Heaton Park, Londons Wembley Stadium, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Dublins Croke Park throughout July and August next year.

The band will play Croke Park on August 16th and 17th 2025.

Liam and Noel Gallagher fell out in August 2009 (Dave Thompson/PA)

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Noel, 57, quit the Manchester rock group on August 28 2009, saying he simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.

Fans have been pleading with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Reunion rumours have intensified recently after they teased an announcement for 8am on Tuesday, and reports that the feuding brothers were ending their disagreement.

Confirming the Oasis Live 25 tour, they said: The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.
The mother of a five-year old autistic boy who does not have a primary school place has described the Governments Autism Innovation Strategy as a load of fluff.

Caitriona Rohan told RTE radios Morning Ireland that not enough was being done about early intervention which was leading to permanent damage. The problem was being kicked down the road.

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"How can people with autistic children expect the strategy to be implemented and the government to be held to account when they cant even do the basics?", she said.

Ms Rohan told of how she had applied to 16 schools for a place for her son Rian who was due to start primary school this week, but they could not find a place for him.

We've got refusal letter after refusal letter. There are just no spaces available in Dublin 15 and for children with additional needs. We're basically told that the classes are full or we're very far down on the waitlist.

Ms Rohan said she was not very hopeful about finding a school place for her son. There has not been many solutions given to us, but a lot of them are not viable. And I know a lot of parents are forced to send their children into a mainstream setting without the appropriate support.

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The strategy was a good read but the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the HSE were not doing the basics and were in fact breaking the law, she said, as they were not providing education or early assessment.

It's an absolute disgrace.

Ms Rohan called for a centralised system to record every child from the minute they were diagnosed with autism.

That record would then go to schools, the Department of Education, the NCSE for forward planning.

There was no forward planning at present, she said. This should be a priority. We all know early intervention is key, and our children need the rights and services that they deserve. Permanent damage is being done to our children by all of these failings. There needs to be more services and supports. Essentially, they're just kicking the can down the road. Not dealing with the situation at hand.

Intervention needed to start at an earlier age. If children were not supported early then they could need more services down the line.
For years, model Ruth Crilly was subjected to comments about her looks, her weight, her image, suffering humiliations in varying degrees from bookers, casting directors and photographers.

I was constantly thinking I was too big, but I was constantly being told that I was too big as well. It was a seesaw. You could go to one job, and I had a very sexy, curvy (look) for a fashion model and Id be told, Youve got an amazing figure and great boobs. Then you could go to another 10 minutes later and someone would say, You need to lose a bit.

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I had one director that said, The only way you could walk for me in shows is to strap those down, meaning my boobs. Youd have to bind them in. Thank God I never had any kind of disordered eating, which I feel incredibly fortunate about. It so easily could have been different.



Today, at 43, happily married to photographer Richard Grassie with whom she has two children, aged nine and seven, the model-turned-blogger and hugely successful content creator is able to reflect on her 12-year modelling career in the noughties.

Its allowed me to laugh about things that perhaps I wouldnt have laughed about at the time, says the erudite writer and social media star, who lives in Somerset.

Though she was never really a supermodel, Crilly ditched a law degree at Birmingham University after entering a national model search  posting her details on the back of a casual snap  and went on to grace the pages of magazines, appearing on billboards and in multiple fashion store windows, coming up through the ranks with the likes of Alexa Chung and Agyness Deyn.

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Her new book, How Not To Be A Supermodel, charts her 12-year modelling career, from the age of 21 (when she was considered a little old to be starting) to her throwing in the towel to pursue writing, having taken a literature degree, mostly completed in airports and hotel rooms, and an MA in creative writing, and looking back over the copious notes she had scribbled of her modelling experiences while they were happening.

View this post on Instagram Advertisement A post shared by Ruth Crilly (@ruthcrilly)

Its a clever, witty, well-written read, as she recalls travelling the world for shoots, from Tokyo and New York to the Seychelles and the Caribbean, being photographed over shark-infested waters and freezing lakes wearing everything from skimpy lingerie to a bright yellow bodysuit resembling the Teletubbies.

There are tales of a lingerie shoot with heartthrob actor Jude Law, of her naked shoot with Sophie Dahl for a Patrick Cox campaign, of working with Rankin, the enfant terrible of the photography world, and how she never had the typical waif-like heroin chic look which was popular in the early noughties.

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The book is hilarious and heartbreaking in turns, as the young (and regularly broke) Crilly negotiates all manner of demands from photographers to agents who make her acutely aware of her weight and physical imperfections and rush her off to casting sessions where she assumes a variety of personas to get the job.

At the BAFTAs in 2013 (Alamy/PA)

There are hilarious moments  a huge red coat she wears for a major casting in Paris bleeds red dye all over her skin during the sweaty, rainy journey  but there are also heart-rending passages as she suffers the humiliations of being deemed too fat (at 5ft 8in and 8 stone 4lbs), or sent for a job in which the end of her ponytail is cut and the hair glued on to her face as a mock moustache, or the time she is asked to wear a rubber penguin hat while on a lingerie shoot.

That was particularly humiliating. You feel vulnerable anyway when youre in lingerie. Theres a whole room full of people and everybody is looking at you. Youre stripped bare. So when youre asked to put a rubber penguin head on you feel like youre being degraded.

For the past 14 years Crilly has written a blog, primarily on fashion and beauty but also on off-the-wall stuff which grabs her attention. She has become an award-winning content creator and social media star whose blog has been read more than 50 million times.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruth Crilly (@ruthcrilly)

The modelling culture has changed a lot since Crilly gave up her modelling career for writing more than a decade ago, she reflects.

There are a lot of things that wouldnt be said now that were said then, she says plainly. People would have to be a lot more careful now if they were talking to girls about their weight, for example.

While most of the bad experiences Crilly had were not in the UK, she says it seemed acceptable to have an industry where you had to be extremely thin.

Now, in all honesty, it is probably the same but its masked better. Then, it was a lot more direct and unfiltered, and people were just very frank about it.

Duty of care is also different now, she reckons. The incidence of casting sessions which saw teenagers going off to do lingerie Polaroids in dubious settings have lessened, she observes, as portfolios and self-filmed clips are sent digitally to casting directors.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruth Crilly (@ruthcrilly)

But I was a 21-year-old girl landing in Istanbul at four in the morning after a delayed flight, having to try to find a cab with no smartphone, when email didnt really exist.

She didnt experience any sexual harassment or feel threatened by people she encountered at work, she says, but maybe because she started modelling relatively late at 21 she could fend for herself a bit more and wouldnt have been such an easy target.

I had weird experiences but there wasnt a point where I ever thought Im in danger here and felt terrified for myself, but other girls have had awful experiences.

I also met my now husband straight away and I wonder whether he afforded me some level of protection because he was older (he is 11 years her senior) and he was known in the industry as a photographer.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruth Crilly (@ruthcrilly)

Today, Crilly believes that the pressure to strive for unrealistic beauty standards and body ideals is greater than it was when she was modelling, partly because its easy to edit pictures online for perfection.

There are people that are filtering themselves. So what people are looking up to isnt even real.

When people were retouched in magazines, and thats what you were limited to, at least you sort of knew that for a lot of the time it was almost unattainable. But now weve got people who are influencing other people, and people look up to them as though it is attainable. A lot of the time what you see on social media isnt the truth.

When her nine-year-old daughter sees Crilly videoing herself for her website, she plays it down.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruth Crilly (@ruthcrilly)

I try to play it down that appearance isnt the be all and end all, which is quite difficult, considering that almost all of what I do to earn money is appearance-based. I feel a massive responsibility towards her and towards the people who follow me.

Part of the reason I havent had any treatments or Botox is that I want to keep it real for the people who follow me. When Im online, I try to be the truest representation of myself that I possibly can be.

(Blink Publishing/PA)

How Not To Be A Supermodel by Ruth Crilly is published by Blink Publishing on August 29th.
Charlotte Tilburys new campaign channels sultry film noir with British supermodels Kate Moss, 50, and Jourdan Dunn, 34.

Known to indulge in the hyper-glamourous, the campaign celebrates Tilburys new Exagger-eyes Volume Mascara: a new formula that promises 28-hour lift and volume.

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The bold campaign is inspired by the shadowy and dramatic world of film noir, featuring the brands beauty muses including Charlottes niece, Bella Tilbury.

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Bella Tilbury and her sister, make-up artist Sofia Tilbury, work with their aunt for her namesake brand (Charlotte Tilbury/PA)

Charlotte and I may have been best friends for over 30 years, says Moss, but her vision and continued creativity continues to amaze me. This shoot was no exception, entering her film noir world blew me away  it was like being on an iconic Hollywood movie set.

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Kate Moss has been working with Charlotte Tilbury since her early 20s (Charlotte Tilbury/PA)

For the campaign, each muse took on different a character, including the private eye, seductress and damsels not stressed, the campaign has the allure of retro femme fatales.

Embodying the damsels not stressed femme fatale character to bring Charlottes film noir vision to life made me feel like a Hollywood screen siren, says Dunn, I was hoping Charlotte would let me keep that 1950s Cadillac maybe next time!

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Jourdan Dunn has been a Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Muse for over two years (Charlotte Tilbury/PA)

A brand rooted in British character, Tilbury focuses on British icons to champion her brand. Kate Moss has been a face of Charlotte Tilbury since the brands inception, having first worked with the make-up artist in the 1990s.
There are 100 spaces left in mens prisons in England and Wales, it is understood.

The system, already in the middle of an overcrowding crisis, is normally under greater pressure after a bank holiday weekend, which eases once courts reopen.

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On Friday magistrates were told to delay jailing criminals as the number of people in prison hit a new weekly high.

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The prison population then stood at 88,234, the highest end of week number since weekly data was first published in 2011.

Earlier this month a UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said that more than 500 places will be made available in the coming weeks.

They added: The new Government inherited a justice system in crisis and has been forced into taking difficult but necessary action to ensure we can keep locking up dangerous criminals and protect the public.

Staff across the whole criminal justice system are working incredibly hard and the Government will continue to support them before the changes come into effect on September 10.

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Plans are in place to release some inmates early to relieve overcrowding, and emergency measures have already been brought into force in the north of England to allow prisoners to be held in police cells.

There is considerable concern among justice figures about what could happen over the coming weeks prior to prisoners being freed early, the PA news agency understands.

Last month, UK justice secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to cut the proportion of the sentence inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent, as the MoJ said violence and self-harm in prisons had risen to unacceptable levels as overcrowding pushed jails to the point of collapse.

The temporary move  which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences  is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.
A French investigative judge has extended police custody for the chief executive officer of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, prosecutors have said.

Mr Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

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They include complicity in selling child sexual abuse material and in drug trafficking, fraud, abetting organised crime transactions and refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

A statement from the Paris prosecutors office said Mr Durovs police custody order was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours.

After that, authorities must release or charge him, the prosecutors office said in an earlier statement.





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Mr Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.

Russian government officials have expressed outrage at his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the Wests double standard on freedom of speech.

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The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Mr Durovs arrest was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.

Mr Macron posted on X that his country is deeply committed to freedom of expression but freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

The UAE foreign ministry said on Tuesday that it was closely following the case and had asked France to provide Mr Durov with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner.

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The Russian embassy in Paris said consular officials were denied access to Mr Durov because French authorities view his French citizenship as his primary one.

Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also weighed in on Mr Durovs arrest.

You saw that France arrested this poor young fellow, yes, they are that strict, Mr Khamenei said in a meeting with members of new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkians Cabinet.

Thats because he has violated their governance (over the internet), Mr Khamenei said.

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Violating the governance is not acceptable. You rule a country, you have a responsibility  you cant let anyone violate your governance.

Telegram is banned in Iran after years of protests challenging the countrys Shiite theocracy, though the app remains widely used by Iranians.

Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Mr Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from the Russian authorities.

It also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war, and deliver missile and air raid alerts.

In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws and its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, Telegrams post said.

Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.
US vice president Kamala Harris is sitting down with CNN this week for her first interview since President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid.

She will be joined by her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, in a joint interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash in Savannah, Georgia.

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Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota governor Tim Walz (Matt Rourke/AP)

The interview will air at 9pm on Thursday Eastern time.

Ms Harris has been criticised for not holding news conferences or granting interviews with news outlets since Mr Biden stepped aside on July 21.

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Donald Trumps campaign has kept a tally of the days she has gone by as a candidate without giving an interview.

On Tuesday, the campaign reacted to the news by noting the interview was joint, saying shes not competent enough to do it on her own.



Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump speaks during a stop at a campaign office in Roseville, Michigan (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

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Earlier this month, Ms Harris had told reporters that she wanted to do her first formal interview before the end of August.
China has called for more countries to endorse its peace plan for Ukraine after a round of diplomacy with Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa to support its proposal.

Envoy Li Hui called the three countries representative of the global south and important forces in promoting world peace who share similar positions with China.

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Mr Li, Chinas special envoy for Eurasian affairs, said: They have maintained communication with both Russia and Ukraine, and stay committed to a political settlement to the crisis through dialogue and negotiation.

China and Brazil issued a joint peace plan earlier this year that calls for a peace conference with both Ukraine and Russia, and no expansion of the battlefield.

China and Russia were absent from a peace summit hosted in Switzerland in June. Russia was not invited while China chose not to attend.





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Initially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said China had pressured other countries to not attend the peace summit.

Since then, Ukraine has recognised Chinas role in a peace process, given its close relationship with Russia, with the Ukrainian foreign minister paying a visit to the country in July, the first since the war began.

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While a diplomatic dialogue between Russia and Ukraine so far appears out of reach, the war has shifted.

In August, Ukraine opened a new front in the war by attacking the Russian oblast of Kursk in a surprise move that made clear Russia was also vulnerable.

Mr Zelensky has said the aim was to create a buffer zone to protect Ukraine from attacks.

Mr Li noted the incursion and criticised Western support for Ukraine.

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He said: All sides are worried that the West continues to relax conditions for Ukraine to strike the Russian territory with aided weapons.

Recent developments on the battlefield confirmed these kind of worries.

The US and Nato have called China an enabler of Russia in the war.

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said China provides equipment, microelectronics and tools that are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircraft, to build the weapons they use to attack Ukraine.

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Just last week, the US expanded sanctions to cover more Chinese firms that trade with Russia.
Night-time Russian drone and missile attacks struck across Ukraine, killing at least five people on Tuesday, a day after a heavy barrage pounded energy facilities throughout the country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks included 81 drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, and that 16 people were injured.

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He said four people died, but the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region later said a fifth person had died there from burns in the attacks.

We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

In the Kyiv region, which had struggled with blackouts after an onslaught targeting power facilities on Monday, five air alerts were called during the night.

The regional administration said air defences destroyed all the drones and missiles that Russia fired, but that falling debris set off forest fires.

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Mr Zelensky described Mondays barrage of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones as vile.





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The strikes hit civilian infrastructure and most of the country was targeted, he said.

The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

He urged Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched, Mr Shmyhal said.

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We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.

President Joe Biden called the Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had reprioritised US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first.

He also said the US was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

The Russian defence ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraines military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

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At least four people were killed in the attacks on Monday.

In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region, where Russian forces are fighting Ukrainian troops that made a surprise incursion this month.

The fighting in the region has raised concerns about the nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said he would visit the plant on Tuesday.
A separatist group has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in south-western Pakistan that left more than 40 people dead.

The outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) group insisted it did not harm civilians as authorities on Tuesday sent the bodies of 23 victims to their home districts for burial.

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The group warned in a statement overnight into Tuesday of more attacks, saying 800 of its well-trained fighters took part in the first phase of the shooting and bombing attacks that began late on Sunday and ended on Monday.

It warned the second phase of the attacks would be even more intense and widespread.

Some 23 people and 14 security officials were among the dozens killed by insurgents in multiple attacks in the restive south-west, the highest one-day death toll in recent violence in the area.



A man comforts another who mourns over the death of a family member killed by gunmen at a highway in Musakhail (Arshad Butt/AP/PA)

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday there would be no peace talks with insurgents who took up arms against the state, killed innocent people and attacked security forces in Baluchistan.

He said the latest attacks in Baluchistan seek to harm Chinese-funded development projects under the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC), which includes building and improving roads and rail systems to link western Chinas Xinjiang region to Pakistans south-western Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.

In recent years, BLA and other militants have also attacked Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects.

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Shafique Ullah, a local administration official, said 14 people from the eastern Punjab province and nine Baluch were among the 23 people killed by BLA after they were offloaded from their vehicles on a highway in Musakhail, a district in Baluchistan early on Sunday.

The bodies were sent to their home districts on Monday, he said.

Funerals for the 14 security officials killed in the assaults were held in Baluchistan overnight.

The government has vowed to punish the attackers and their facilitators.

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BLA has targeted security forces for years in small-scale attacks but the latest violence indicated it was now much more organised.

Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Baluchistan, told reporters on Monday that operations against the insurgents were still under way, adding that those who killed our innocent civilians and security with be dealt with a full force.

Baluchistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces.

The separatists have been demanding independence from the central government.

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Although Pakistan says it quelled the insurgency, violence has persisted in Baluchistan.
Donald Trump has added former White House hopefuls Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard to his transition team if he wins November's US presidential election, his campaign said on Tuesday.

Mr Kennedy and Ms Gabbard hail from outside the Republican Party sphere where former president Trump draws most of his support.

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As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team, Trump campaign senior advisor Brian Hughes said in a statement.

Mr Kennedy, 70, an environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist and descendent of a Democratic political dynasty, was running as an independent presidential candidate until he suspended his campaign last week and endorsed Mr Trump.

He joined the race for the White House as a Democratic challenger to Joe Biden before switching to run as an independent.

A former Democratic congresswoman, Ms Gabbard ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

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She left the party in 2022 to become an independent. Increasingly critical of Mr Biden and his administration, she is now popular among conservatives, frequently appearing as a guest on far-right TV and radio shows.

Former presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr (R) speaks as Republican presidential nominee, former US president Donald Trump listens during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on August 23rd, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

In an interview posted on X on Monday, Mr Kennedy told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson he had been asked to join Mr Trump's transition team "to help pick the people who will be running the government".

In exchange for endorsing Mr Trump, Mr Kennedy is hoping for a job in a potential Trump administration, a super PAC supporting Mr Kennedy told Reuters last week.

Strategists have said it was unclear how Mr Kennedy's endorsement would help Mr Trump, who is in a tight contest with Democratic vice president Kamala Harris.

Voter interest in Mr Kennedy waned this summer as Mr Trump survived an assassination attempt and Mr Biden passed the campaign torch to Ms Harris.
The US military is open to the possibility of escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, depending on consultations under the allies 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty, officials have said.

Head of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparos remarks provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the US mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting US Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

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Chinese coastguard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine coastguard and navy vessels during attempts to resupply Philippine sailors stationed on remote features claimed by both countries.

These clashes in the South China Sea have grown increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries among Filipino forces and damage to their ships.



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The Philippine government has faced questions about whether it should consider invoking its treaty alliance with Washington.

Mr Paparo and Philippine armed forces chief General Romeo Brawner Jr spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organised by the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Military and defence officials and diplomats from the US and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

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Asked if the US military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Mr Paparo replied: Certainly, within the context of consultations.

Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defence, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our mutual defence treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us.

Mr Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

He said: The attitude of the armed forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves.

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We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the mission  in this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.



General Romeo Brawner Jr was cautious of the suggestion (Aaron Favila/AP/PA)

We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to the aid of the other if it comes under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Philippine defence secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the conference that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in south-east Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coastguard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China, blaming unspecified other actors for making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability.

Mr Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough.

The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Mr Teodoro said, adding that diplomats and defence officials should determine those stronger steps.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coastguard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll both countries claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.
The Crockett Project - Brand New | Great Scott PR

FRANKLINTON, NC (26 AUGUST 2024): Entering a transitional time in his life, guitarist Kevin Crockett was apprehensive about what loomed ahead. But as a devout man of faith, he leapt into the unknown anyway. That move from big city Boston after graduating Berklee College of Music to smalltown Franklinton, North Carolina led to meeting his future wife, becoming a member of a new church and ministering with the praise and worship team; and taking on a new focus: launching The Crockett Project, his gospel/Christian group. Crockett journaled the transformative experience and set it to music as Brand New, the single that he wrote and produced dropping last Friday (August 23).

The prospect of relocation stirred uncertainty in Crockett as he contemplated all the unknowns the move would bring. But then he shifted his mindset to listening to the still small voice inside that was calling him to take the leap and trust in Gods will. Crockett surrendered and changed his life in unimagined ways.

Brand New is intended to be a celebration of being new on the inside through Christ. It was written in a time of personal transition as far as direction in my life. God was telling me to make a move. I also knew that once I made that move everything would be new: new focus, new surroundings, new church, and new people. The single was written about being new on the inside, which can and did affect every part of my life, said Crockett, who plays electric and acoustic guitar on the track.

Mixing gospel, jazz fusion and soulful R&B, Brand New is a vocal song featuring two powerfully illuminating lead voices, Jalisa Faye and Quayshaunna Massey. Massey and Kimberly Chante add celestial background vocals. Mid-tune Dave Percell issues a stirring acoustic guitar sermon, slashing and burning through the wall of keyboards constructed by Crockett, Nile Hargrove, Jairus McNeil, and David McNeil. Jimmy Brown (bass synth) and Damir Watson (drums) anchor the rhythmic groove.

Brand New will appear on The Crockett Projects debut album, Faith is the Key, which is tentatively slated for release next summer. Crockett has released singles as The Crockett Project in the gospel and Christian genre. Their debut gospel single Your Word (2017) was followed by the instrumental Glory last year. In the jazz realm, Crocket releases music under his own name. 2022s "Cruizin' in the Wind" and 2023s Be Light There hit Billboards most added list in their debut week of release.

Crockett grew up in Washington, DC where he played in local bands and gospel groups. After he finished his schooling, his professional career touring and performing with dozens of smooth/contemporary jazz artists took off. His resume includes gigs with Kim Scott, Marcus Anderson, Willie Bradley, Lin Rountree, Ragan Whiteside, Gino Rosaria, Althea Rene, Art Sherrod Jr., Eric Darius, Jazmin Ghent, Jeanette Harris, Marqueal Jordan, Reggie Codrington, George Freeman, Patrick Lamb, and Brooke Alford. Crockett is a member of World Overcomers Christian Church and ministers on his instrument as a part of the praise and worship team.

For more information, visit https://www.thecrockettproject.com.
The government, the Coalition and in particular the Greens have effectively accused the two large supermarket groups of legally robbing customers by price gouging. So its contextually fascinating that one of the biggest drivers of Coles billion-dollar-plus profit in 2024 was successfully thwarting thieves who loot its supermarket shelves.

Foiling thieves contributed $80 million to Coles earnings in the second half of the financial year. In the same period last year, Coles lost twice that amount to theft. Successfully reducing its costs was also an important element in the mix that helped the supermarket division report a pre-tax profit improvement of about 10 per cent.

Coles CEO Leah Weckert said the company had invested a record amount into lowering prices. Credit: Eamon Gallagher

And this shrinkage isnt pensioners pinching a few sausages or some milk, its people (often organised crime) taking high-value goods for resale  apparently cosmetics are popular items along with meat, which is resold to the restaurant trade.

And as for the Canberra narrative that Coles is the gouging customers, this cannot be measured by revenue alone because this is a function of volume and not just price.
Expert tips on what you need to do to successfully launch your small business idea.

One of the scariest business decisions Sandra Seah has ever made was to go all in on her chilli oil brand, Six-Eyed Scorpion.

The former Melbourne chef was in a position many entrepreneurs dream of - realising her side hustle had the potential to transform into a full-time business.

Her chilli oil recipe had gained a solid fan base ever since shed started cooking for neighbours during pandemic lockdowns. Soon enough, Seah was being approached with more opportunities to grow the product than she could balance while also working a day job.

Six-Eyed Scorpion chilli oil is stocked at more than 150 locations throughout Victoria alone, with further expansions into NSW and South Australia soon to come. Credit: Brody Bloom

But taking the leap and spending tens of thousands of dollars on manufacturing equipment and a kitchen space takes nerves of steel.
Social media celebrity and fighter for the rights of renters everywhere Jordan van den Lamb is coming for federal parliament.

The activist known as purplepingers, and for his shitrentals.org website  where renters post unflattering reviews of landlords and crummy rental properties  will attempt to translate his social media following into votes.

Jordan van den Lamb aka purplepingers. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Do 200,000 TikTok followers translate into a Senate seat? Time will tell.

Van den Lamb, 28, is a lawyer and federal public servant who lives in Melbourne and vows to take on the aspirational ruling class.
In the early 20th century, Vaslav Nijinsky was considered the finest dancer of his generation. During the conservative era in which he lived, his wild, sexually adventurous life that spilled from his private sphere and into his choreography fascinated the public. But his career was cut short, and he ended his days in an institution.

Nijinsky helped shape ballet as the art form we know today, and his life and legacy come together in a rare performance that will open the 2025 season for The Australian Ballet.

Callum Linnane will perform in The Australian Ballets returning Nijinsky. Credit: Simon Schluter

Last performed by the company in 2016, Nijinsky will be performed in February at Melbournes Regent Theatre before heading to the Sydney Opera House in April. Casting has yet to be done for the 2025 production, but principal artist Callum Linnane, who shared the title role in the 2016 production, will take part.

Australian Ballet artistic director David Hallberg says he is frequently asked about restaging the piece after the successful 2016 run.
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 Once upon a time in Hollywood, the bad guys holed up in anonymous hotel rooms or shabby bedsits. They were rootless; they took what they could get. If their lairs happened to be in places of former grandeur  castle ruins or sunken hotels  it was just a neat visual reminder of their moral decay. But around the mid-century, things started to shift; the sophisticated baddie took hold. Today, modernist architecture is movie shorthand for menace. Such houses can be read as cold and stark. But they can also be idiosyncratic, built into rocks, or perched in canyons like strange birds, transcending house-as-shelter. If the house reflects the self, then it follows that whoever lives in such places might see themselves as inviolate, removed from the hustle and hassle of everyday life. So if we are drawn to the dream houses of movie villains, does this indicate some latent badness within, our shadow self of wealth and taste? Martin Landau and James Mason inside Vandamms house in North by Northwest (1959). Credit: Alamy My own love affair with lairs started with the Vandamm house in North by Northwest (1959). In the movie, Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) is a communist spy  softly spoken, elegant and ruthless. Hes gunning for ad-man Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), whom he has mistaken for a CIA operative. Its all cat-and-mouse and crop-dusting until Thornhill brings him down and wins his lady, the real CIA plant. We know Vandamm is evil, but his badness is enhanced when we find him in his natural habitat: a modernist glass-and-stone dwelling on top of Mount Rushmore. Like Frank Lloyd Wrights famous Fallingwater (1935), the house has dramatic angles; it is arch and imposing. It lurches over darkness  symbolically, the villain is never far from the void. Film lore tells how Hitchcock approached Lloyd Wright to design it, but quailed at the architects proposed fee (10 per cent of the films budget). In the end, he hired production designer Robert Boyle and his team to build a copycat house on the MGM stages in Culver City: beams, balconies, floating stairs, limestone feature fireplace, landing strip and all. The sophisticated baddie is a complicated beast. He wants to be admired, but also, he will crush you. He says: We are not so different you and I  but then: How do you like my island, Mr Bond?

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Bond villains, of course, get the most lairy lairs, most from the fervid imagination of production designer Ken Adam. In The Man with the Golden Gun, Scaramangas island lair is built into the rocks, right next to the ocean. Inside there is a labyrinth/maze, and the whole is generated by a high-tech solar power plant. In his long, illustrious career, Adam also designed the sets for Dr Strangelove, the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and an 18th-century frigate in Captain Horatio Hornblower. He had an affinity for impossible sites and built lairs in space (Moonraker), underwater (Dr No), and in the heart of a hollow volcano (You Only Live Twice). Of the volcano, Adam said: Once I started designing it, I went on and I went on and I went on. I never talked to a cameraman, I just thought, well, somebody can light it. I learned that from Stanley Kubrick, who was also a great photographer; he would never accept from anybody that something couldnt be done. The volcano lair designed by Ken Adam for The Man With the Golden Gun. Credit: Getty Images Loading You can visit James Bond Island  its part of Ao Phang Nga National Park in Thailand  but you wont find the lair. The exterior was a facade, the usual movie trickery, and the interiors were all sets built at Pinewood Studios. Frank Lloyd Wright Jrs Sowden House in Los Feliz (1926) is a real-life villains lair, famous for once being home to George Hodel, a gynaecologist and sadist who hosted sex parties in his gold bedroom, and beat his sons in the basement. Hodel has been linked (by son Steve Hodel) to the Black Dahlia murder, among others.

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Sowden House features in the TV drama I am the Night (2019), which delves into the case. The home, nicknamed the Jaws House, looks like an ancient Mayan tomb; its front features jagged jaws jutting from the centre. A virtual tour shows black and silver interiors, a stainless steel toilet, an aquarium wall. Any blood spill could be easily cleaned from those shiny surfaces. The walls are super-thick; the better to muffle your screams. Frank Lloyd Wrights Sowden House, pictured during a fundraising event, became a real-life villains lair. Credit: New York Times It is ironic that in the beginning, the promise of modernist architecture was one of utility and democracy above filthy lucre. Like Australias Small Homes Service, Californias Case Study houses (1945-1966) were designed to be cheaply made and easily constructed to service the post-war housing boom. The style was organic, favouring clean lines, open-plan living, and natural materials. Often their makers were innovative, meeting the challenges of place. John Lautners famed Chemosphere (1960). Credit: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images John Lautners famed Chemosphere (1960) was built on a hillside that had a 45-degree slope. Lautner essentially built a pod on a pole, with windows all around and a funicular railway for access.

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The Chemosphere has hosted villains in films ranging from Body Double to Charlies Angels  even The Simpsons has paid homage, replicating its spaceship likeness for disgraced movie star/deviant Troy McClure and his sham-wife Selma Bouvier. Inside the Chemosphere. Credit: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images In his 2007 film-essay Los Angeles Plays Itself, Thom Anderson offers a line-up of lairs from Frank Sinatras Palm Springs pad as a mob boss residence in The Damned Dont Cry (1950), to the mid-century Hollywood Hills hide-out in The Night Holds Terror (1955) (A straight drop, says Thug #2. I wouldnt try it.) Anderson is deadpan regarding Hollywoods poor treatment of modernist houses. The most heinous case is Lautners iconic Garcia House (1962) in Lethal Weapon 2. The house resembles an eye of glass and wood on stilts so slender that Mel Gibson can sling a cable around one, attach it to his tow-bar and bring the whole crazy-beautiful structure crashing into the canyon. Frank Sinatras house in Palm Springs was used as a mob boss residence in The Damned Dont Cry (1950). Credit: Getty Images Since Andersons film, there have been several variations on this theme: Curator/creative Benjamin Critton has produced two zine/broadsides: Evil People in Modernist Homes in Popular Films (2010) and Sad People in Modernist Homes in Popular Films (2019).

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Before Twitter, slogan T-shirts were the preferred medium for telling others to Choose Life, Thats Hot and Im with stupid. They continue to make noise in the age of social media, with the trends revival now requiring more meaningful calls to action on cotton.

Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson is asking you to drink your milk to fight shame in the LGBTQ community, Camilla and Marcs latest T-shirt highlights Ovaries. Talk About Them as part of the brands campaign for an early detection test for ovarian cancer, while Melbourne designer Erik Yvon wants you to be Reborn for the environment and homelessness.

T-shirts without a cause. Victoria Beckhams My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce T-shirt; Zendayas I Told Ya top from Loewe and Kim Kardashians vintage I Love Nerds T-shirts were not for charitable causes. Credit: Instagram, Getty

Raising money and awareness for charities and scientific causes is the latest spin on the fashion cycle. Zendaya silently says, I Told Ya, Kim Kardashians vintage top suspiciously proclaims I Love Nerds and Victoria Beckham made the public service announcement My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce.

Replacing luxury logos with pointers to popular causes has drawn accusations of virtue signalling but wearing slogan T-shirts can be about doing good while looking better.
I knew this. I knew it in my bones and in my fatigue-battered brain because I had once taken babies into care myself. I began to hallucinate. I believed I was dead. I wondered if my baby was mine.

Id been his mother, bewildered, leaking, reeling (as new mothers so often are) for just four days when the psychotic symptoms began to appear. I became paranoid. Alert. Awake. I was sure that child protective services (where I had previously worked as a frontline caseworker and psychologist) were coming to remove him from my care. I was under surveillance.

Holding him in my arms for the first time, I felt numb. Emptied. It was as though I was observing myself from my previous life looking on as an outsider. Unsettling, yes, but so much of birth is. There were stitches and visitors and midwives and scales. And a perfect tiny stranger who fed and cried and didnt sleep.

Postpartum psychosis is rare  affecting one to two in every 1000 mothers. How I felt post-birth, though, in those seconds after my baby was born is far more common and also taboo. But it shouldnt be.

So let me take you back there, to that space. My newborn is placed on my chest, his little heart is beating against mine. He is bigger, heavier than I expected. For months, I have been told he was measuring small. But now he is here, he isnt small at all, and the weight of him is a shock.

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I had, as so many new mothers so often do, expected to feel the immediate rush of love at first sight. We are promised this, or if not promised, we expect it. But where does this idea come from? And why does this prevailing idea of instant love, of instant bonding, differ from the research and what we know of womens experiences.

As many as 40 per cent of first-time and 25 per cent of second-time mothers experience a feeling of indifference when holding their baby for the first time, according to a study published back in 1980 and backed up by contemporary research. The same study found that while most mothers developed feelings of affection after a week, others struggled for months after bringing their baby home.
Former Commonwealth Bank worker Curtis McNulty wrote to an associate on encrypted messaging platform Telegram that detectives had just visited his Balmain home.

Cops were over, stay safe, he wrote.

Curtis McNulty (left) defrauded PayPal out of more than $53,000. Credit: Kate Geraghty

They didnt have a warrant, just asked questions. They were funny, asked if I knew what this shit was the PayPal crap.

McNulty had been using stolen customer information to defraud PayPal for more than a year, and continued for several months after police spoke to him.
What they have done is handed every future Labor or Liberal government a blueprint on how to seize control of any trade union or civil society association they dont like and crush it, and that is disgraceful. At stake is control of the peak construction union after the Building Bad investigation by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes aired allegations of corruption, standover tactics, threats of violence and links to organised crime within the union. The CFMEU rally in Melbourne drew an estimated 50,000 to the city streets. Credit: Jason South Workplace Minister Murray Watt hit back at the Greens and defended the governments decision to pass laws through parliament last week  backed by the Coalition and some crossbenchers  to appoint an administrator to run the union for five years. Im never surprised to see Max Chandler-Mather grandstanding in front of a crowd. Its what he lives for, Watt told this masthead.

The government noted the Greens MP was at the rally with Ravbar, who was ousted as Queensland CFMEU secretary after the appointment of the administrator and who lost a civil case in the courts last year about the unions tactics. The Federal Circuit Court ordered Ravbar to pay $9320 for breaching right-of-entry laws, while the union had to pay $204,000 and another organiser $12,000. Chandler-Mather defended his appearance by saying he was not supporting any individual. I was at the rally to speak to the tens of thousands of union members outraged at Labors attacks on unions  not any specific official, he said. Ravbar drew cheers at the Brisbane rally by telling members he would launch a High Court challenge to the law that enforces the administration.

We will be doing a High Court challenge as a matter of urgency, and Ill be the applicant, he said. This is going to be the biggest challenge and the biggest fight that weve ever had, but were all up for it. Youve got to get control of your union back. You will never allow a government takeover again. CFMEU members protest in Sydney on Tuesday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The ETU confirmed it would withhold $1 million from Labor and use some of that money to fund legal challenges to the government intervention, but it has not given any indication that it would use the money to support the Greens instead. We have deep concerns about the legislation and deep concerns about trial by parliament, said ETU national secretary Michael Wright, who was not at the protests on Tuesday.

While the demonstrations did not trigger violence or arrests, the Brisbane protest featured a placard depicting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Hitler and calling him an AlboNazi. Loading In Sydney, sacked NSW CFMEU secretary Darren Greenfield, who faces charges of taking bribes from employers, urged the members to vote these bastards [Labor] out, while his former assistant secretary Rob Kera said, Were going to campaign for the absolute destruction of the Australian Labor Party. In Melbourne, former CFMEU official Christy Cain said the government had betrayed workers and said his friend John Setka  the former Victorian secretary of the union who was expelled from the Labor Party after a rift with Albanese two years ago  was there in spirit. The crowd chanted: Johnny Setka, here to stay!

CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith, one of the few officials to stay on at the union after the administrator took charge, assured members at the Canberra rally that the union would survive the intervention. Smith made no criticism of the government or the Labor Party but defended the union against the revelations by this masthead in detailed reporting over recent weeks. We are not a safe harbour for criminality, we are not a safe harbour for corruption, he said. As long as you stick by and defend your union and defend trade unionism, defend your union, this is not the end. Im going to continue to serve the members and put the best interests of the members forward on issues like Palestine, continue to be a good voice on issues like public housing, on taxation.
The auditor-general has opened the door to probe public investment of almost $1 billion in a quantum computing firm, as new documents raise questions about the deals probity and the companys pitch.

The Coalition has for months argued that federal Labor gave a sweetheart deal to PsiQuantum in April when it pledged $470 million in equity, loans and grants, using the outlay as a tool to talk down the governments headline Future Made in Australia policy.

The opposition earlier this month wrote to the Australian National Audit Office asking for a review into what it has described as a sham process to fund PsiQuantum while pretending other firms were genuinely considered. Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic has repeatedly accused the opposition of overreach and spurious claims.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, flanked by Queensland Premier Steven Miles (left) and Science Minister Ed Husic announcing the deal in April. Credit: Jamila Toderas

Acting Auditor-General Rona Mellor said after considering the Coalition request, she decided to add a potential audit topic on government investment vehicles.
The scandal-plagued CFMEU has vowed to fight Commonwealth legislation which sacked the unions leadership and appointed an administrator, as an estimated 8000-strong protest descended on the heart of Sydneys CBD to denounce the federal and state Labor governments.

Hours after his lawyers appeared for him in court over allegations of corruption, former CFMEU NSW branch secretary Darren Greenfield delivered a broadside against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele ONeil and secretary Sally McManus, calling them traitors who were selling the militant union out.

Macquarie Street in Sydneys CBD ground to a standstill on Tuesday morning as workers clad in high-vis and brandishing union paraphernalia poured in.

The Commonwealth and state legislation placed the CFMEU into administration after a series of allegations were levelled against the unions leadership. The protest has been deemed an illegal stop-work action, which could result in fines being issued against workers who walked off the job.
A growing list of Labor MPs privately lobbied for elite schools in their electorates to be exempt from a payroll tax, despite voting for it in state parliament.

Newly released letters show Employment Minister Vicki Ward and Box Hill MP Paul Hamer wrote last year to Treasurer Tim Pallas seeking exemptions for some of the states top private schools  including Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC)  over concerns the new tax rules could drive up school fees.

Ward sought an exemption for two schools in her seat, Eltham College and Catholic Ladies College, where she was a student and graduated in 1986.

Premier Jacinta Allan (centre) with ministers Vicki Ward and Ben Carroll, who both raised concerns about the impact of Labors tax changes on their local private schools. Credit: Jason South

As a past student, I know first-hand that this is not a school for the elite, but one where parents work hard to send their daughters, seeking an education that is focused on empowering and supporting girls as well as instilling a strong sense of social justice, Ward said.
Singapore: A Chinese spy plane breached Japanese airspace on Monday, the first known incursion of its kind, prompting Tokyo to scramble its fighter jets in response.

The Chinese Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft entered Japanese airspace for two minutes from 11.29am near the Danjo Islands, off the southernmost main island of Kyushu, the Japanese Defence Ministry said.

Japans Ministry of Defence photo of a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane. Credit: AP

In response, the Self-Defence Forces scrambled fighter jets from the Western Air Defence Force and took other measures, including issuing notifications and warnings, the ministry said in a statement.

The airspace breach was not only a serious violation of Japans sovereignty but it also threatens our security, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Tuesday.
Ben Jayaweera, a former financial adviser and director of Growth Plus Financial Group Pty Ltd, which is currently in Liquidation, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment following a hearing in the Brisbane District Court yesterday.
The initial pilot, which went live on Aug. 12 , includes Aussies white label products major banks and regionals being the first lenders to integrate.



PEXA AU CEO Les Vance said the company had always advocated for solutions that deliver efficiency in the property settlement process and improve the connection and communication between the various organisations that need to work together effectively to deliver the best experience to consumers.
Kim Jong Un makes North Korea's nuclear status "irreversible" (Photo: Edgar Su/Reuters)

U.S. Army Private Travis King has agreed to plead guilty to desertion and several other serious charges as part of a plea deal, according to his attorney. This development follows King's highly publicized escape into North Korea in July 2023, a move that garnered global attention and led to a series of legal and diplomatic repercussions.

King, who was stationed in South Korea, made headlines last year when he dashed across the heavily fortified border into North Korea, becoming the first American detained in the country in nearly five years. The 23-year-old private was expected to return to the U.S. after being released from a South Korean prison, where he had served a nearly two-month sentence for assault charges. Instead, he chose to flee, joining a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom and running across the demarcation line into North Korean territory.

North Korea says U.S. soldier Travis King wants to stay because he's unhappy with America's "unequal society," blames "racial discrimination" in the U.S. Army pic.twitter.com/Xyd345bGy5  BNO News (@BNONews) August 15, 2023

According to Franklin D. Rosenblatt, King's attorney, the Army private will formally admit his guilt to five out of 14 charges during a plea hearing scheduled for September 20 at Fort Bliss, Texas. The charges to which King will plead guilty include desertion, assaulting an officer, and several other offenses. The remaining charges, which include possession of child pornography and unlawfully possessing alcohol, are expected to be dismissed under the plea agreement.

Rosenblatt emphasized that King's decision to plead guilty reflects his desire to take responsibility for his actions. "He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did," Rosenblatt said. However, the attorney declined to speculate on the potential sentence King might face. Desertion, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, is among the most serious offenses for a service member.

The circumstances surrounding King's escape were both alarming and peculiar. After his release from the South Korean prison, he was escorted to the airport to return to Fort Bliss. Instead of boarding his flight, King deviated from his path, joining a tourist group and crossing the border into North Korea. His dramatic entry into the isolated nation led to his detainment by North Korean authorities.

King was held in North Korea for approximately two months before being expelled and returned to the U.S. on September 28, 2023. Upon his return, he was swiftly placed in custody and faced a series of charges filed by the U.S. military under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The charges included not only desertion but also assaulting officers, making false statements, and possessing sexually explicit material involving minors.

The legal proceedings have been closely watched, given the unusual nature of King's case. The Army's charges against him included a range of offenses dating back to the day he was released from the South Korean prison. As a result of plea negotiations, it appears that King will admit to a subset of these charges, while others will be dropped as part of the agreement.

King's situation has raised significant questions about his motivations and the broader implications for military discipline and international relations. His plea deal is expected to address not only the legal ramifications of his actions but also the broader impact on his military career and personal life.
Meghan Markle Believed Prince Harry Deserved More Materially When They Met (Photo: REUTERS)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are currently establishing a life for themselves in Hollywood; nevertheless, royal experts do not believe that the couple will be able to sustain their A-list position without the support of the palace. In the year 2023, they were referred to as "grifters" and a "flop," but after months of examination, the couple has been working to rehabilitate their image.

Its very difficult because he is part of an extraordinary institution and then suddenly hes cut free from that. Its a brave step into an unknown world. Unless they keep coming up with new initiatives and new goods, theyre going to disappear like so many other celebrities," royal author Hugo Vickers told Express UK.

The Sussexes' recent Colombia trip was seen as an opportunity to promote Meghan's brand, OK! Magazine reported.

"[She] sees this Colombia tour as her chance to prove to the world what a big star she is and how much the royal family misses her. Doing events like this was the one thing about royal life that appealed to her. She was furious when that was taken away because she knows she's such an asset, an unnamed source claimed.

"She feels her and Harry together really shine when meeting dignitaries and locals, and it helps with the brand and their plan to be the alternative royal family. Meghan knows that nobody in the royal family can put on a show like her and Harry, the anonymous insider added.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the claim that they were establishing a "progressive new role" inside the royal fold when they initially departed the United Kingdom; nevertheless, they were ultimately forced out of that role.

"When they left, they asked that they could still represent the family on tours but were told no, so she feels it's the ultimate revenge as they were both so upset when they were rejected," the undisclosed informant stated.

According to Anna Pasternak, an expert on royal affairs, Meghan and Prince Harry place a high level of importance on the acceptance of the people of the country that they are visiting.

"They can go and be honored in their own right. When you have this quasi-royal status, you're seen internationally as a royal and you're treated as such on tour, but you don't have the protection of the Foreign Office," Anna continued, adding that the unofficial visit was "a high-risk tour for them."

The partners were invited by Colombia's Vice President, Francia Marquez, to discuss digital safety. "As the Vice President of Colombia and Minister of Equality and Equity, I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country, Marquez said in an official statement at the time.

In light of the fact that the Sussexes' time spent in Nigeria was so fruitful, Meghan and Prince Harry have also hinted at the possibility of pursuing more professional and charitable possibilities in other countries.

"In these vibrant locations, they will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress. In addition to these meaningful interactions, the Duke and Duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia, Marquez stated.

Business Times has reached out to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for comments.
Apple's operations in India are projected to generate up to 600,000 jobs by the end of this financial year, highlighting the company's significant expansion in the region as it seeks to reduce its reliance on Chinese production, according to a report by The Economic Times.

The Indian workforce for Apple is expected to include 200,000 direct positions by March next year, with women making up about 70 per cent of these roles, according to estimates and data provided by the company and its suppliers to the government. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

The report quoted sources as saying that Apple's three contract manufacturers in India  Foxconn, Wistron (now Tata Electronics), and Pegatron  have already created 80,872 direct jobs. Additionally, broader suppliers like Tata Group, Salcomp, Motherson, Foxlink (in Tamil Nadu), Sunwoda (in Uttar Pradesh), ATL (in Haryana), and Jabil (in Maharashtra) have collectively added around 84,000 direct jobs, the report said.

Apple has emerged as the largest single creator of blue-collar jobs in India in recent years, with a workforce primarily composed of women and newcomers to the industry, the report further stated.

The report quoted an official as saying, "Overall, Apple vendors and suppliers have created around 165,000 direct jobs since the inception of the smartphone PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme in 2020."

iPhone production facility in Tamil Nadu

Tata Group's dual facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, is projected to employ around 50,000 people over time. The iPhone production unit, which is located next to the group's enclosure manufacturing plant, is scheduled to begin commercial production of iPhones this October. The production capacity will be expanded gradually, the report said.

The government has projected that for every direct position in the electronics industry, three additional indirect jobs are created. This implies that the Apple ecosystem could generate between 500,000 and 600,000 jobs by the end of March.

When the smartphone PLI scheme was introduced in 2020, it aimed to create 200,000 direct jobs. Although the scheme was designed to achieve this target through 10 selected companies over five years, the Apple ecosystem has reached this goal in just four years, the report said.

Apple has successfully implemented its China model in India, mirroring its approach to building a comprehensive ecosystem and creating significant employment opportunities. Over the past 25 years, Apple is reported to have generated more than 4 million jobs in China within its manufacturing and app development sectors, the report stated.

Apple has become the first major global value chain (GVC) to swiftly relocate a segment of its supply chain from China to India.

Starting in 2021, Apple began assembling iPhones in India for the first time outside of China. Since then, iPhone production in India has consistently increased through Apple's three contract manufacturers, with production reaching Rs 1.20 trillion in FY24, of which Rs 85,000 crore was exported.

The latest Economic Survey highlights that India now accounts for about 14 per cent of Apple's total production, marking a significant rise from around 7 per cent in FY23 and establishing itself as a crucial centre for the company's global exports.
As per its strategy, Samsung is focusing on the front-load washing machine. | Photo: Reuters

Consumer Electronics maker Samsung India on Tuesday launched a new range of AI-powered washing machines and aims to be the market leader in the premium segment in the coming quarters, said a company official on Tuesday. The company, which currently holds around 20 per cent of the washing machine market, has "an objective of becoming a consumer leader" by gaining market share quarter-on-quarter, outpacing the industry growth, said Samsung India Senior Director, Digital Appliances, Saurabh Baishakhia. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Samsung expects new launches, the ongoing trend of premiumisation in the appliances segment and the coming festive season this year and tailwind from attractive financing schemes breaking down acquisition costs will help it gain in the segment and claim market leadership, he said.

"We have 20 per cent market share and are looking further improving it. We aspire to become a brand that is bought by most consumers," Baishakhia told PTI.

At present, South Korean maker LG Electronics is the leader in the Indian Washing Machine segment, with over 35 per cent overall market. In the washing machine vertical, brands like Haier, Bosch, Siemens, IFB, Godrej Appliances, and Whirlpool of India compete with Samsung.

Samsung is looking at the new consumer trends, where people are upgrading and replacing, opting for a higher capacity washing machine of over 9 kg, which currently contributes 40 per cent of the front-load model sales.

As per its strategy, Samsung is focusing on the front-load washing machine. Within this, models with a load capacity of nine kg and above are having a higher growth of 50 per cent, said Baishakhia.

"So, people are already paying a premium in this industry for a large capacity of nine kg. We are doing is democratising it further by giving them even a larger load," he said, adding that the demand for the large sizes is growing because of changes in lifestyle besides growing urbanisation and rise in disposable income.

Consumers are paying around a 5 per cent premium on the addition of every one kg load capacity. However, Samsung is a 12 kg capacity washing machine with a 10 per cent premium only against a 20 per cent market trend.

"We have got the inflection point to almost half of it, which means that even at a premium of 10 per cent, they will not only get a larger capacity size but also get all these features," Baishakhia said.

The Indian washing machine market is estimated to be around 10 million units annually, growing in single digits. Semi-automatic machines are still popular in rural markets, but full automatic front load and top load models are catching up now.

When asked if Samsung would have a leadership position in the premium segment of Washing Mahchine over Rs 30,000 plus per unit, Baishakhia said the company would.

"For us, our first target is to become a leader in this front-loading segment... So, our current goal would be, as to how, in this category, we can gain the highest market share and lead the market," he said.

Samsung has claimed that its new AI-powered line-up of 10 large-sized front-load washing machines of 12 Kg will help to reduce energy consumption by around 70 per cent and be a "game changer".

These machines with larger drums will reduce the wash timing to 39 minutes as the AI will detect the fabric and water turbidity and also decide on the perfect amount of detergent and fabric care.

"Through this AI energy mode, we will be reducing energy consumption by more than 70 per cent. So, it will also be adapting to the consumer habit, with habit learning to suggest what kind of cycles suit most washing times," he said, adding that users will also have seamless information exchange through Samsung's app.
Nithin Kamath, the co-founder and CEO of Zerodha, has raised alarm over the increasing prevalence of fake trading app scams that are targeting unsuspecting investors. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp These scams are characterised by fraudulent applications that closely imitate the interfaces of reputed brokerage platforms, luring users with promises of easy profits. Kamaths warnings highlight the sophisticated tactics employed by scammers and the urgent need for investor awareness. In a post shared on the social media platform X, Kamath wrote, Fake trading app scams have exploded and have become a mega nuisance. These scams work by inducing you to trade and making you think that making money is easy.



Nature of the scams



The scams typically begin with potential victims being added to WhatsApp groups where they are introduced to fake trading apps. These apps are designed to look legitimate, often mimicking the user interface of well-known brokerage firms. Initially, users may experience small gains in their trades, which serves to build their confidence and encourage further investment. Kamath explains on X, So first, you are added to WhatsApp groups and then asked to install fake trading apps that look exactly like those of major brokers. On the first couple of trades, you will make money. This is designed to convince you that you can make a lot of money



A long trail of victims



In the past few months, hundreds of individuals across the country have fallen victim to these scams, losing significant sums of money.



For example, the most recent case is of a Delhi man who was duped of Rs 1.15 crore in a stock market scam. In April, a businessman in Jayanagar lost Rs 5.2 crore in a sophisticated cybercrime. He was tricked into downloading a fraudulent app and transferring money under the guise of high-return investments.



Similarly, in March, a woman from Pune lost Rs 24.12 lakh of her savings in an online share trading fraud. She had sold her jewellery to invest in a get-rich-quick scheme promoted by conmen, who asked her to download a mobile phone application to start trading.



Shri Venkatesh, Managing Partner, SKV Law Offices, explains the legal aspect.



Nitin Kamath seems to be voicing concerns regarding prevalent phishing scams in the Indian capital market sector. This crime is punishable under Indian law  such as Section 66B, 66D, 66E etc. of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act)  which penalises cheating by personation by using computer resource and under Section 318 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, amongst others.



In fact, these scams often involve securing confidential information of the potential victims which itself is punishable under Section 66E of the IT Act. Besides the aforementioned laws, the criminal activities described herein are also illegal under Section 318 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita which criminalises cheating.



Spot the red flags



Tanvi Kanchan, Head-UAE Business & Strategy at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers says, It is crucial for investors to exercise caution and stay informed. I strongly urge all investors to thoroughly verify the authenticity of any trading platform before engaging. Stick to well-known and regulated brokers, and avoid apps promising quick riches, as these are often red flags. Educating yourself and seeking advice from trusted financial advisors can safeguard your investments and help you make informed decisions.
Somanath said India's medium-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) was already competitive on price with SpaceX. | Photo: PTI

India's space agency expects a 20 per cent-30 per cent increase in its budget in the coming years, its head said in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview on Tuesday, describing the agency's rocket launch prices as on a par with SpaceX's, though without giving details.

In a wide-ranging interview, Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) Chairman S Somanath discussed ongoing plans for a heavy-lift booster rocket - capable of carrying large payloads - using a combination of private and public money. He also talked up other goals, including crewed spaceflight.

Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The government has allotted nearly Rs 13,000 crore ($1.55 billion) to India's space department this year.



Asked how much he expected funding to increase, Somanath said "something like an additional 20-30 per cent", though "over a long period of time".



NASA's approved budget for the current fiscal year stands at $25 billion after cuts.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on Isro to make India a profitable space superpower, and the agency has responded by looking to work with the private sector.



The $630 billion global commercial space market is expected to be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, according to McKinsey & Co.

The Indian government estimates its share of the market is currently just $8 billion, but it is aiming to increase that to $44 billion over the next decade, commission its own space station by 2035, and put an Indian on the moon by 2040.



India is also setting up a 10 billion rupee venture capital fund to expand its space sector, months after the government allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment in the manufacturing of satellite systems without official approval, and eased the rules for launch vehicles.



The country hopes that liberalising the space sector, long controlled by the government, will draw interest from Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, among others.



Somanath said India's medium-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) was already competitive on price with SpaceX.



"If you are looking at a dedicated launch on LVM-3 and the SpaceX, if you get a quote, both will look alike," he said.

Isro's ambitions come on the heels of India's historic landing on the south pole of the moon last year.



The country is also preparing for Gaganyaan - its crewed mission into space - which will make India the fourth country to launch such a mission after the United States, Russia and China.



Somanath said that, with the mission's rocket already built and crew module activities in the final phases of integration, the agency expected to launch an uncrewed test flight by December.





(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Matter of days before Arvind Kejriwal walks out of jail," said Manish Sisodia at 'padyatra'.

Major port, dock workers defer indefinite strike proposed from August 28, according to official sources.



"BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He will assume this role on December 1, 2024," says ICC.



The ruling NDA reached majority mark in the Rajya Sabha today as nine BJP members and two from allies were elected unopposed in the by-polls for the upper house. With the nine, BJP's strength has reached 96, taking NDA to 112 in the upper house. Among the three others to get elected unopposed were one each from NDA allies NCP faction of Ajit Pawar faction and Rashtriya Lok Manch. The ruling alliance also has the support of six nominated and one independent members. One member of the Congress also got elected, taking the Opposition numbers in the Upper House to 85. Major port, dock workers defer indefinite strike proposed from August 28, according to official sources."BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He will assume this role on December 1, 2024," says ICC.The ruling NDA reached majority mark in the Rajya Sabha today as nine BJP members and two from allies were elected unopposed in the by-polls for the upper house. With the nine, BJP's strength has reached 96, taking NDA to 112 in the upper house. Among the three others to get elected unopposed were one each from NDA allies NCP faction of Ajit Pawar faction and Rashtriya Lok Manch. The ruling alliance also has the support of six nominated and one independent members. One member of the Congress also got elected, taking the Opposition numbers in the Upper House to 85.

"Today at around 10.30 am Namibian male cheetah Pawan was found lying near the edge of a nala amidst bushes without any movement... Preliminary cause of death seems to be due to drowning. Further details will be known after the postmortem report is received," said APCCF and Director of Lion Project in a press note.



Court issues release warrant for BRS leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases related to Delhi excise 'scam'. "Today at around 10.30 am Namibian male cheetah Pawan was found lying near the edge of a nala amidst bushes without any movement... Preliminary cause of death seems to be due to drowning. Further details will be known after the postmortem report is received," said APCCF and Director of Lion Project in a press note.Court issues release warrant for BRS leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases related to Delhi excise 'scam'.

The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has extended the judicial custody of CM Arvind Kejriwal until September 3 in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the excise policy case.



Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati has once again been re-elected as the national president after she chaired the national executive meeting held in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.



The Supreme Court granted bail to BRS leader K Kavitha in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam today. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan was hearing Kavitha's pleas seeking bail in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged scam which are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Kavitha, sought bail saying the probe against her has already been completed by the two agencies. The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has extended the judicial custody of CM Arvind Kejriwal until September 3 in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the excise policy case.Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati has once again been re-elected as the national president after she chaired the national executive meeting held in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.The Supreme Court granted bail to BRS leader K Kavitha in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam today. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan was hearing Kavitha's pleas seeking bail in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged scam which are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Kavitha, sought bail saying the probe against her has already been completed by the two agencies.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha stated that the central government will send a team to the state to assess the damage caused by the floods. At least 26 people died as the floods devastated the state. A total of 17 lakh people were estimated to have been affected, and of them, 1.37 lakh were rendered homeless, officials said. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured me that he will be sending a central team shortly to assess the damage caused by the floods. The central team will physically visit the flood-hit areas," Saha told reporters on the sidelines of a Janmashtami programme on Monday.

Over 70 people were dead in several cases of terror attacks reported in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, Al Jazeera reported citing military and police officials. The country's military said 14 soldiers and police were killed. 21 terrorists were also killed in fighting in a major attack that targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district. In a separate attack in Musakhel district, local officials said at least 23 civilians were killed after attackers reportedly stopped their convoy, checked their IDs and determined they were from Punjab.

Senior JMM leader and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren is set to join the BJP on Friday, Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a late night post on X. Champai met union home minister Amit Shah late Monday night in New Delhi along with Sarma, who is also the saffron party's co-incharge of Jharkhand assembly elections. Last week, the veteran leader, who had resigned as chief minister to make way for Hemant Soren upon his release from jail, accused the party leadership of insulting him.
Police said they had to take action after the agitators breached barricades at some locations. | File photo: PTI

Police used teargas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters when they marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally on Tuesday.

The rally was called for demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at state-run R G Kar Medical College.

The police action began after BJP supporters attempted to break police barricades to enter Lal Bazaar.





BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who led the march, fell ill after being exposed to teargas and subsequently left the scene. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who led the march, fell ill after being exposed to teargas and subsequently left the scene.

Earlier a BJP procession led by Majumdar was stopped from advancing towards Lal Bazar.

In response, Majumdar, along with local BJP leaders, sat in protest at the barricade around 4:30 PM, demanding that the police clarify their stance on the arrests and seeking unconditional release of the students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan.

After their demonstration yielded no response from the Police Commissioner or other senior officers, BJP leaders and supporters attempted to break the barricades to enter Lal Bazaar.

Police alleged that they have used force and arrested 94 protestors.

The state president has warned the Police Commissioner to explain their stand on the arrests and ensure the unconditional release of the Bengali students who were detained from various locations during the march to Nabanna, a state BJP leader said.

The Nabanna Abhijan rally, organised under the banner of 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha,' saw participation from various locations, including Howrah, Santragachi, Howrah Bridge, M G Road, and Princep Ghat.



Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as 29 police personnel were injured.

Today we handled the situation well as we are well prepared. Intelligence inputs helped us, otherwise the situation could have been worse. In the state police area, we have arrested 94 people. We arrested 25 others yesterday, ADG (Law and Order) told reporters in Nabanna.

According to Kolkata Police sources, 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, one of the organizers of the rally, were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women.

Police used batons, water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones at the security forces, and attempted to breach barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

"Why were we beaten by police? We did not break any law. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. The chief minister should take responsibility and resign," said a woman protester.

Police said they had to take action after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and attacked security personnel.

Fifteen personnel of the Kolkata Police and 14 from the state police force were injured in the clashes.

"We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course," a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said.

The call for March to Nabanna was separately given by an unregistered students' body Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating for long demanding their DA to be made at par with their Central government counterparts.

Senior minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the police have done a commendable job in controlling the crowd, without giving in to the provocations during the Nabanna Abhijan.

The police foiled their plot to get a body. That is why they called a strike tomorrow to cripple Bengal's booming economy ahead of the Durga Puja festival, she said.

We are forced to give the dawn-to-dusk strike call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee's police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women, BJP state president and union minister Sukanta Majumdar said.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari earlier told reporters: The police unleashed unthinkable oppression on the peaceful student marchers to Nabanna during the day. If Mamata Banerjee's police treat peaceful democratic protestors in this way, we will bring the entire state to a halt tomorrow.

Responding to BJP's shutdown call, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said, We have been stating from the very beginning that the Chhatra Samaj-sponsored Nabanna Abhijan had the backing of the BJP.

This was apparent the way miscreants masquerading as student protestors created large-scale disturbances in the name of peaceful protests today. This was clear by the way the BJP lost no time to give call for a bandh to foment disturbances.

The West Bengal government said that the administration will ensure that normal life is not affected during the strike that will begin at 6 am.
Flooded township in Hunan Province to entirely relocate

10:43, August 27, 2024 By Li Yawei ( Global Times

An aerial drone photo taken on July 6, 2024, shows rescuers blocking a dike breach of Dongting Lake in Tuanzhou Township, Huarong County under Yueyang City, Central China's Hunan Province. (Photo: Xinhua)

After the dike breach in July in Tuanzhou township, Central China's Hunan Province, the provincial government is planning to relocate the whole region to maintain a stable life for the residents, with experts believing that it is a long-term solution and manifests the philosophy of human-nature coexistence.

The Hunan provincial government announced on Sunday that the post-disaster reconstruction of Tuanzhou township is being carried out in an orderly manner, and an overall relocation of residents living in the flood storage area is being planned.

On July 5, torrential rain caused a Dongting Lake dike burst in Tuanzhou Township, resulting in around 5,000 residents being immediately relocated, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

While the affected areas are in the process of being reconstructed, it is difficult to guarantee that the disaster will not strike again in the future. Relocation is therefore a once-and-for-all solution that safeguards locals from future flood dangers and relieves them of the long-term threat to their livelihoods and production, Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Monday.

The local government said that Tuanzhou township is expected to develop a pilot project for relocating flood storage area residents.

This will provide an effective mechanism for relocating residents to ensure that they not only move out of the affected areas, but also enjoy a favorable environment.

Ma noted that the relocation involves certain challenges, especially for the local elderly and children who are likely to have differences in language and living habits. Therefore, the government should emphasize the need to adapt to the new environment.

From competing with nature to upholding the belief that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, Ma believes that this actually embodies a new ecological concept of harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature.

This advanced philosophy also demonstrates that China has recognized the eco-friendly environment as an indispensable component, and is willing to make greater efforts to this end, Ma added.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The Department of Telecom (DoT) and Home Ministry representatives also attended the meeting as special guests. | Representative Picture

A joint panel of sectoral regulators brainstormed on taking urgent action on spammers making promotional voice, robo and pre-recorded calls in a meeting convened by the telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday. The joint committee of regulators (JCOR) was attended by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MoCA) and Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), an official statement said. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Department of Telecom (DoT) and Home Ministry representatives also attended the meeting as special guests.

The regulators deliberated on business entities making commercial voice calls using cloud-based telephony and fixed-line connection-based private exchanges, with hundreds of indicators in violation of Trai's regulations.

"These entities should be migrated to the designated 140 series for making promotional calls. Also, there is an urgent need to take firm action, without further delay, on spammers, who are using PRI/ SIP/ bulk connections for making promotional voice calls, robocalls, pre-recorded calls," the statement said.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has mandated all telecom operators to migrate telemarketing calls starting with 140 series to an online blockchain-based platform latest by September 30 for better monitoring and control.

All telecom operators have been mandated to block the transmission of messages, containing web links or any other online link or callback numbers, which are not whitelisted by the senders from September 1 onwards.

During the JCOR meeting, regulators discussed the misuse of headers and templates of SMS for the transmission of malicious links, using the variable parts of the messages.

In case of misuse of headers and content templates, it is difficult to identify the sender.

Trai has mandated that all transmitted messages from the sender to the receiver should be traceable from November 1 onwards.

The regulator deliberated on enforcing mandatory whitelisting of URLs (web links), APKs (application links) or call-back numbers within the timelines set by Trai.

The committee discussed the use of the 160 series for service and transactional calls.

"A pilot study was commissioned by Trai and RBI to determine the technical feasibility of various options, the outcome of the same was discussed," the statement said.

During the meeting, emphasis was given to the exchange of information available with various regulators on their platforms and for its effective utilisation to control frauds, the statement said.
Datamatics announced that it has partnered with Microsoft to develop its own copilot solutions focusing on process automation to accelerate business transformation for organizations. Datamatics has launched a Partner On-boarding Copilot available on the Microsoft Teams store which integrates Azure OpenAI with Datamatics Intelligent Automation Platform. With this new feather in the cap, Datamatics was recognized as one of the ISVs building an ISV custom copilot solution and they were featured in the Microsoft Build 2024 conference held in Seattle, USA, along with a prominent mention in the blog by Merav Davidson, Vice President, Industry AI from Microsoft. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Datamatics advances its copilot innovation by customizing solutions for each organization with support for Microsoft 365 or creating custom copilots for each unique client organization. This enables organizations to maximize the potential of copilots through a personalized, consultative approach rather than a one-size-fits-all method.

Datamatics, a recognized partner in the Copilot Partner Ecosystem, is advancing its technological collaboration with Microsoft by becoming a beta partner for Microsoft's private preview Copilot initiatives, specifically tailored for the developer community.

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Premier Energies IPO: Brokerages, including Reliance Securities, Deven Choksey, Anand Rathi Research, Choice, Geojit, Canara Bank Securities, and Swastika Investmart, remain broadly optimistic on the much-awaited initial public offering (IPO) of GEF Capital-backed solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturer Premier Energies, which opens for public subscription today.

Before we dive into the brokerages' reports, here are the key details of the public issue of Premier Energies: Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Premier Energies IPO details With this IPO, Premier Energies aims to raise Rs 2,830.40 crore by offering a fresh issue of 28,697,777 equity shares and an offer for sale, with promoters and investors offloading nearly 34,200,000 shares with a face value of Re 1 each. Premier Energies announced that it raised Rs 846.12 crore from anchor investors on August 26, 2024.

The three-day subscription window for the Premier Energies IPO, which is available at a price band of Rs 427-450 with a lot size of 33 shares, ends on Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Meanwhile, the unlisted shares of Premier Energies are commanding a strong premium in the grey market. According to several websites that track grey market activities, the latest grey market premium (GMP) of Premier Energies IPO was quoted around Rs 358, or 80 per cent, ahead of the upper end of the issue price, reflecting positive sentiment for the IPO.

Kfin Technologies is the registrar for the Premier Energies IPO, while Kotak Mahindra Capital, JP Morgan India, and ICICI Securities are the book-running lead managers of the public issue.

Premier Energies, in the RHP papers, stated that it will utilise the net proceeds from the public issue towards funding the investment in its subsidiary, Premier Energies Global Environment, for part-financing the establishment of a 4 GW Solar PV TOPCon Cell and 4 GW Solar PV TOPCon Module manufacturing facility in Hyderabad.

Following the closure of the subscription window for the IPO, the basis of allotment of Premier Energies shares is scheduled for Friday, August 30, 2024, and the company's shares will be credited into demat accounts on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Premier Energies shares are likely to debut on the boursesBSE, NSEon Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Should You Subscribe for the Premier Energies IPO?

Reliance Securities - Subscribe

Analysts at Reliance Securities have recommended a Subscribe rating on the Premier Energies IPO. The brokerage highlighted that the company has a long track record in the solar module manufacturing sector and experience in solar cell production with a 2.0 GW annual installed capacity, representing 28 percent of Indias total capacity in FY24. Premier Energies has developed Indias first solar manufacturer to produce a bifacial monocrystalline PERC solar cell based on the M10182 mm x 182 mm format in FY22.

"Premier Energies has a diversified customer base with strong relationships both within India and overseas, along with a robust order book of Rs 5,926 crore. Given its consistent profitability and growth, we recommend subscribing to the issue," said Reliance Securities in its report.

Deven Choksey - Subscribe

Deven Choksey has recommended a Subscribe rating on the Premier Energies IPO for investors. The brokerage believes that strategic initiatives, such as expanding into TOPCon technology and wafer production, alongside benefiting from Indias favourable domestic content requirements, position Premier Energies to capitalise on the growing solar energy market. With India targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and expanding export opportunities to markets like the USA, Premier Energies plans to add a 1 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing plant by FY25 and further expand with an additional 4 GW TOPCon solar cell line and 4 GW TOPCon solar module line.

According to Deven Choksey, a robust order book of Rs 5,926.6 crore across DCR and non-DCR solar modules, solar cells, and EPC projects provides strong growth visibility for the near to medium term. "The company is valued at a P/E multiple of 87.7x FY24 adjusted EPS, which is in line with or cheaper than some similar companies, leading us to assign a 'Subscribe' rating for the IPO of Premier Energies," said the brokerage in its report.

Anand Rathi Research - Subscribe  Long Term

Anand Rathi Research has recommended investors subscribe to Premier Energies for the long term. The brokerage noted that the company's P/E ratio is 87.7 times based on its FY24 earnings, though if we annualize the FY25 earnings, the P/E ratio significantly decreases to 25.5 times. Based on FY24 earnings, it has a market cap-to-sales ratio of 6.4 times. Anand Rathi Research believes that the company is well-positioned for future growth due to its strong market position, well-diversified customer base, and high technical expertise. "Therefore, we recommend a 'Subscribe  Long Term' rating to the IPO," said the brokerage.

Geojit - Subscribe for Medium to Long Term

Analysts at Geojit remain bullish on the initial public offering of Premier Energies and have recommended investors subscribe to the public issue for the medium to long term. The brokerage noted that, "considering its extensive experience in module and cell manufacturing, backward integration strategies, export market exposure, and domestic manufacturing opportunities supported by various government policies and the China Plus One strategy, we assign a 'Subscribe' rating for the medium to long term."



Canara Bank Securities - Subscribe for Long Term

Brokerage firm Canara Bank Securities has recommended subscribing to the Premier Energies IPO. According to Canara Bank Securities, this companys issue is available at a P/EPS of 64.94x for FY2024, while the annualised P/E of FY2025 appears reduced to 18.97x, due to strong expectations of revenue potential from the order book and expansion plans at the same price. "We cannot compare the valuation of the company with peers as it is loss-making. Hence, we recommend subscribing to the IPO for the long term," said the brokerage in its report.

Choice - Subscribe

Analysts at Choice remain optimistic about the Premier Energies IPO and have recommended investors subscribe to the public issue. The brokerage in its report stated that, "with pro-active regulations, policy support, and commitments towards renewable energy by the government, the domestic solar manufacturing market is likely to witness an accelerated growth trajectory in the medium term. Manufacturers like Premier Energies, with its dominant market position, are well-equipped to benefit from the market's expansion."

According to the brokerage, declining raw material prices have positively impacted the companys financial performance during FY24 and Q1 FY25. Thus, any volatility in raw material prices would be negative for the company. "At the higher price band, Premier Energies is demanding an EV/Sales multiple of 4.8x, which seems attractive considering the prevailing valuation of a sole listed peer (which is loss-making). Thus, we assign a 'Subscribe' rating for the issue," said the brokerage in its report.

Swastika Investmart - Subscribe

Swastika Investmart has also shared positive views on the Premier Energies IPO and recommended investors bid for the public issue. According to the brokerage report, "while the company has faced challenges such as underutilised capacity and historical losses, its strong financial performance in FY24 indicates a positive trajectory. However, the intense competition within the solar manufacturing industry remains a key risk."

"The IPO's valuation of 64.93x P/E appears fully priced, reflecting the company's recent financial success. Despite the premium valuation, considering the other factors, we recommend a 'Subscribe' rating for this IPO," said Swastika Investmart.

About Premier Energies

As of March 31, 2024, Premier Energies Limited is ranked as the second-largest integrated solar cell and module manufacturer in India and also holds the position of the country's second-largest solar cell producer by annual installed capacity. Premier Energies' Restated Consolidated Revenue from operations during the quarter ended June 30, 2024, stood at Rs 1,657.36 crore and Rs 3,143.80 crore for the financial year 2023-24. As per data available in the Red Herring Prospectus, the Restated Profit attributable to Owners of the company during Q1 FY25 stood at Rs 198.16 crore and Rs 231.36 crore for FY24.
hBits has recently expanded its portfolio in Pune. With this expansion, hBits aims to increase its total assets under management (AUM) to Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years.

Mumbai-based fractional ownership firm hBits announced its plans to launch its first SM REIT (small-medium real estate investment trust) in the third quarter of the financial year 2025, according to a company statement. The firm has already applied for an SM REITs licence with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

The company stated that this strategic move is part of hBits commitment to democratising access to commercial real estate investments for retail investors across India. With its entry into the SM REITs space, hBits aims to enhance transparency, governance, and investor confidence in fractional ownership of commercial real estate. Upon the launch of its first SM REITs, the platform will also subsequently migrate its existing properties into SM REITs over the next few quarters. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Shiv Parekh, founder and chief executive officer of hBits, said, We believe in the tremendous potential that commercial real estate has to offer to Indians, and through SM REITs we aim to provide our investors with diversified, lucrative, and regulated investment opportunities.

hBits has recently expanded its portfolio in Pune. With this expansion, hBits aims to increase its total assets under management (AUM) to Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years. Currently, the company manages a portfolio of 14 properties across key cities, with an AUM of over Rs 365 crore.

hBits SM REITs offerings would deliver regular rental income, potential capital appreciation, and liquidity through the secondary market. The firm caters to premium office spaces, warehouses, and data centres, among other sectors.

The latest policy on SM REITs introduced by Sebi is expected to create a more structured and secure environment for fractional ownership investments. By migrating existing assets and acquiring new ones, hBits is well-positioned to leverage this regulatory framework, thereby enhancing the investment appeal for its stakeholders, according to the company.
South West Port (pictured) is JSW Infrastructure's first port operation. South West Port provides logistic support to the JSW Steel plant at Vijayanagar, Karnataka. Photo: Company site

JSW Infrastructure share price surged 5 per cent at Rs 324.85 per share on the BSE in Mondays intraday deals. This came after the global credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings revised its outlook to Positive for the company and affirmed its rating at 'BB+'.

A BB+ credit rating from Fitch indicates that an entity has slightly lower credit risk compared to a BB rating but remains vulnerable to economic conditions or other changes. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

At 12:00 PM; the share price of JSW infrastructure was trading 4.41 per cent higher at Rs 322.90 per share on the BSE. In comparison, the BSE Sensex rose 0.12 per cent at 81798 levels.

Fitch Ratings noted that the 'positive outlook' for JSW Infrastructure Ltd. (JSWIL) reflects expectations that the companys leverage (gross debt/EBITDA) will remain below upgrade sensitivity limits, despite increased investment plans.

The outlook is also supported by the expectation that JSWIL will maintain its third-party cargo mix at around 40 per cent in the medium term. The rating is underpinned by JSWIL's geographically diversified port locations, reasonable tariffs, and long-term take-or-pay contracts, which contribute approximately 30 per cent of total revenue.

However, the rating is tempered by high cargo exposure to coal and iron ore, as well as customer concentration risk, with JSW Steel contributing over half of JSWILs cargo volume. Despite this, JSWILs credit assessment is independent of JSW Steel's rating.

JSW Infrastructure, India's second-largest private port operator by cargo handled, reported a nearly 9 per cent decline in first-quarter profit on Thursday due to higher expenses. Its consolidated net profit dropped to Rs 292 crore for the quarter ended June 30, down from Rs 321 crore in the same period last year.

Despite a 9 per cent increase in cargo volume to 27.8 million tons and a 15 per cent rise in revenue from operations, total expenses surged 41 per cent, with operational costs rising 23 per cent.

JSW Infrastructure, part of the JSW Group, operates 10 ports across India and recently acquired a majority stake in Navkar Corporation through its unit JSW Port Logistics, marking its entry into the logistics sector.

The shares of the company are presently trading at a price to earnings multiple of 203.89 times with an earning per share of Rs 1.52.

JSW Infrastructure is a port-related infrastructure firm in terms of installed cargo handling capacity and cargo volumes handled. It is the second-largest commercial port operator in India by cargo handling capacity.

The company provides maritime services, including cargo handling, storage solutions, logistics services, and other value-added services, and is evolving into an end-to-end logistics solutions provider.
1. What's the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price today?

Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price was Rs 6,555.30 at 04:01 PM IST on 8th Oct 2024 . Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price was up by 2.27 % over the previous closing price of Rs 6,410.00 . Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price trend:

Last 1 Month: Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price moved down by 8.56 % on BSE

Last 3 Months: Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price moved up by 0.25 % on BSE

Last 12 Months: Tata Investment Corporation Ltd share price moved up by 97.04 % on BSE

Last 3 Years: Tata Investment Corporation Ltd price moved up by 344.85 % on BSE

2. How can I quickly analyse the performance of the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd stock?

The performance of the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd stock can be quickly analysed on the following metrics:

The stock's PE is 89.31

Price to book value ratio is 1.10

Dividend yield of 0.43

The EPS (trailing 12 months) of the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd stock is Rs 72.98

3. What is the market cap of Tata Investment Corporation Ltd ?

Tata Investment Corporation Ltd has a market capitalisation of Rs 33,170 crore.



4. What is Tata Investment Corporation Ltd 's 52-week high/low share price?

The Tata Investment Corporation Ltd s 52-week high share price is Rs 9,744.40 and 52-week low share price is Rs 2,885.05 .



5. Is the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd profitable?

On a consolidated basis, Tata Investment Corporation Ltd reported a profit of Rs 112.76 crore on a total income of Rs 141.68 crore for the quarter ended 2024 . For the year ended Jun 2024 , Tata Investment Corporation Ltd had posted a profit of Rs 131.07 crore on a total income of Rs 167.47 crore.



6. Which are Tata Investment Corporation Ltd s peers in the Financials sector?

Tata Investment Corporation Ltd s top 5 peers in the Financials sector are M & M Fin. Serv., 360 ONE, LIC Housing Fin., Tata Inv.Corpn., Poonawalla Fin, Authum Invest, TVS Holdings .



7. Who owns how much in Tata Investment Corporation Ltd ?

Key changes to the Tata Investment Corporation Ltd shareholding are as follows:
Over the past two decades, the Indian workplace has made noticeable progress in terms of gender inclusiveness. Women figure in far larger numbers than before in professions that were previously considered male bastions, from accountancy and finance, information technology to medicine, engineering, aeronautics, and defence. However, recent revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report on women working in the Malayalam film industry and the course of events following the rape and murder of a medical student in Kolkatas R G Kar hospital point to a disturbing regression. Both incidents reflect the amplification of innate gender chauvinism into
Highlighting the Asha Kiran shelter home case, where 14 inmates died in July, the minister said investigation has revealed that there was a shortage of doctors and paramedics | (Photo: PTI)

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday said he has directed a series of measures to combat the spread of dengue in the national capital. "We have requested that warnings and awareness announcements be made across all metro stations, bus stations and other public transport hubs to inform people about dengue prevention," the minister said. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Emphasising that it is very important that all government hospitals in the city are fully equipped to handle dengue cases, Bhardwaj said he directed several actions to the health secretary but was unsure if those steps have been implemented.

"I have directed the health secretary to visit one government hospital each day to check that all necessary dengue-related equipment is available. However, I'm uncertain if these visits have commenced. If not, I will personally visit the hospitals and ensure compliance," the AAP minister said.

Bhardwaj alleged that whenever there is a major crisis in Delhi, documentation has revealed that Lt Governor V K Saxena is behind it.

Highlighting the Asha Kiran shelter home case, where 14 inmates died in July, the minister said investigation has revealed that there was a shortage of doctors and paramedics.

"The responsibility for appointments lies with the LG. Since becoming a minister, I have written dozens of letters to the LG regarding the 30 per cent vacancies," Bhardwaj said.
Guterres said he can see changes since the last time he was in the region in May 2019 (Photo: UN)

Highlighting seas that are rising at an accelerating rate, especially in the far more vulnerable Pacific island nations, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued yet another climate SOS to the world. This time he said those initials stand for save our seas. The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization Monday issued reports on worsening sea level rise, turbocharged by a warming Earth and melting ice sheets and glaciers. They highlight how the Southwestern Pacific is not only hurt by the rising oceans, but by other climate change effects of ocean acidification and marine heat waves. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Guterres toured Samoa and Tonga and made his climate plea from Tonga's capital on Tuesday at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, whose member countries are among those most imperiled by climate change.

This is a crazy situation, Guterres said. Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanity's making. A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.

A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril, he said. The ocean is overflowing.

A report that Guterres' office commissioned found that sea level lapping against Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa had risen 21 centimeters between 1990 and 2020, twice the global average of 10 centimeters. Apia, Samoa, has seen 31 centimeters of rising seas, while Suva-B, Fiji has had 29 centimeters.

This puts Pacific Island nations in grave danger, Guterres said. About 90% of the region's people live within 5 kilometers of the rising oceans, he said.

Since 1980, coastal flooding in Guam has jumped from twice a year to 22 times a year. It's gone from five times a year to 43 times a year in the Cook Islands. In Pago Pago, American Samoa, coastal flooding went from zero to 102 times a year, according to the WMO State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2023 report.

Because of sea level rise, the ocean is transforming from being a lifelong friend into a growing threat, Celeste Saulo, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, told reporters in Nuku'alofa on Tuesday.

While the western edges of the Pacific are seeing sea level rise about twice the global average, the central Pacific is closer to the global average, the WMO said.

Sea levels are rising faster in the western tropical Pacific because of where the melting ice from western Antarctica heads, warmer waters and ocean currents, UN officials said.

Guterres said he can see changes since the last time he was in the region in May 2019.

While he met in Nuku'alofa on Tuesday with Pacific nations on the environment at their leaders' annual summit, a hundred local high school students and activists from across the Pacific marched for climate justice a few blocks away.

One of the marchers was Itinterunga Rae of the Barnaban Human Rights Defenders Network, whose people were forced generations ago to relocate to Fiji from their Kiribati island home due to environmental degradation. Rae said abandoning Pacific islands should not be seen as a solution to rising seas.

We promote climate mobility as a solution to be safe from your island that's been destroyed by climate change, but it's not the safest option, he said. Barnabans have been cut off from the source of their culture and heritage, he said.

The alarm is justified, said S. Jeffress Williams, a retired US Geological Survey sea level scientist. He said it's especially bad for the Pacific islands because most of the islands are at low elevations, so people are more likely to get hurt. Three outside experts said the sea level reports accurately reflect what's happening.

The Pacific is getting hit hard despite only producing 0.2% of heat-trapping gases causing climate change and expanding oceans, the UN said. The largest chunk of the sea rise is from melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. Melting land glaciers add to that, and warmer water also expands based on the laws of physics.

Antarctic and Greenland melting has greatly accelerated over the past three to four decades due to high rate of warming at the poles, Williams, who was not part of the reports, said in an email.

About 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases goes into the oceans, the UN said.

Globally, sea level rise has been accelerating, the UN report said, echoing peer-reviewed studies. The rate is now the fastest it has been in 3,000 years, Guterres said.

Between 1901 and 1971, the global average sea rise was 1.3 centimeters a decade, according to the UN report. Between 1971 and 2006 it jumped to 1.9 centimeters per decade, then between 2006 and 2018 it was up to 3.7 centimeters a decade. The last decade, seas have risen 4.8 centimeters.

The UN report also highlighted cities in the richest 20 nations, which account for 80% of the heat-trapping gases, where rising seas are lapping at large population centers. Those cities where sea level rise in the past 30 years has been at least 50% higher than the global average include Shanghai; Perth, Australia; London; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Boston; Miami; and New Orleans.

New Orleans topped the list with 126 centimeters of sea level rise between 1990 and 2020. UN officials highlighted the flooding in New York City during 2012's Superstorm Sandy as worsened by rising seas. A 2021 study said climate-driven sea level rise added $8 billion to the storm's costs.

Guterres is amping up his rhetoric on what he calls climate chaos and urged richer nations to step up efforts to reduce carbon emissions, end fossil fuel use and help poorer nations. Yet countries' energy plans show them producing double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than the amount that would limit warming to internationally agreed upon levels, a 2023 UN report found.

Guterres said he expects Pacific island nations to speak loud and clear in the next General Assembly, and because they contribute so little to climate change, they have a moral authority to ask those that are creating accelerating the sea level rise to reverse these trends.
The encrypted Telegram app, based in Dubai, has close to 1 billion users and is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union

A senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Washington was behind the French arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and the CEO of the Telegram messaging platform that plays a key role communicating the war in Ukraine.

Durov, the Russian-born entrepreneur, was arrested in France over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.

Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Without providing evidence, Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament, said that the United States, through France, attempted to exert control over Telegram.



"Telegram is one of the few and at the same time the largest Internet platforms over which the United States has no influence," Volodin said in a post.



"On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control."

The White House has not commented on Durov's arrest. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the arrest was "in no way a political decision."



The Kremlin on Monday said it had yet to see any official French accusations against Durov.



The encrypted Telegram app, based in Dubai, has close to 1 billion users and is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.



After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become the main source of unfiltered - and sometimes graphic and misleading - content from both sides about the war and the politics surrounding the conflict.



The platform has become what some analysts call "a virtual battlefield" for the war, used heavily by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his officials, as well as the Russian government.


, the Founding House of Japanese Whisky, hosted One Night in Toki-O in Delhia vibrant event celebrating Japans rich traditions through a contemporary lens. The evening brought the streets of Tokyo to life, blending old-world charm with modern flair, all while highlightingfrom the iconic portfolio of The House of Suntory.One Night in Toki-O is a concept that takes the audiences to the streets of Tokyo, a modern version of Japan where the juxtaposition of old and new sparks creative reinvigoration. A vivid world that is dynamic, playful, and whimsical, providing cultural enrichment through the discovery of a new piece of Japan that is exciting, engaging and fun. In partnership with Toki, the event captured the essence of Japan by merging its rich traditions with a modern, innovative approach.Toki is a blended whisky inspired by Japans culture, heritage, and future-forward outlook. It is a fusion of three storied brands from Suntory's portfolio - Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita - creating a blend that excites whisky enthusiasts and beginners alike. Representing the best of old and new, Toki Suntory Whisky blends the rich legacy of The House of Suntory with Japans cultural traditions and modern spirit, resulting in a groundbreaking and timeless whisky., expressed excitement about bringing this unique event to Delhi after its success in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. He added, The evening wasnt just about honouring Japans cultural legacy; it was about creating an experience that was lively, sincere, and full of inventive craftsmanship. From the energetic vibe to the nuanced flavours of Toki Suntory Whisky, every detail was designed to evoke the joy and ingenuity that Suntory pours into its craft.At the event, the essence of Japan came alive, transporting attendees into the heart of Japanese culture. The event kicked off with a mixology workshop led by Heena Riat . Attendees delved into Suntorys rich heritage and the revered Japanese Highball traditiona simple yet sophisticated way to enjoy whisky, beloved in Japan. Suntory Global Spirits has always played a pivotal role in popularising the highball as a drink, making whisky more accessible to consumers in Japan and across the globe.The evening continued with a vinyl listening session, an interactive screen printing by The Toki Art Studio, and a Hanko stamp workshop, along with curated culinary delights inspired by the streets of Japan. Hosted at Call Me Ten in Vasant Vihar, Delhi, the event saw the presence of prominent faces such as Aditya Bhalla Jasbir Singh Mehta and many more. Offering a captivating blend of music and art, the event successfully immersed guests in the vibrant spirit of Japanese culture.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 4:11AM

Photo: Google

Some Google Pixel 9 Pro XL users are experiencing intermittent and unreliable wireless charging performance across various accessories. Reports from Reddit and the Pixel community forum detail the issue, with users encountering inconsistent charging behavior even when using Google's own second-generation charging stand.

Some users have noted that their devices display "odd behavior" when wirelessly charging, such as starting to charge and then abruptly stopping. Others have reported excessive heat generation and sporadic charging with MagSafe Qi chargers.

Google support has confirmed that they are aware of the problem and are working on a solution. In the meantime, users are advised to keep a wired charger handy or explore potential workarounds suggested by Google support.

It's worth noting that similar charging issues have been reported for the smaller Pixel 9 Pro model, although to a lesser extent. This marks another instance of flagship Pixel devices facing charging-related problems, following the USB-C charging port issues experienced by Pixel 8 Pro owners.

While Google has not provided an estimated timeline for a fix, it is likely that a software update will address the issue. Users can keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

Source
MORE than 8,200 has been raised to help the family of a father of five who was killed instantly in a car crash last Monday.

Nkosana Sibana was returning home from working as a carer on Monday morning when his car collided with a truck in Barnhill outside Castledermot, killing him instantly.

Nkosana was originally from Zimbabwe and came to Ireland in 2017. Hed been living in Baltinglass since 2022 with his wife Cingo and children, Maria (18), Priscilla (15), Michael (13), Malven (10) and two-year-old Miracle.

His devastated sister Mthandazo Sibanda set up a GoFundMe page to help the family cover the cost of bringing his remains back to his home in Zimbabwe, where his mother still lives.

Your generosity will allow us to give Nkosana Sibanda the dignified farewell he deserves, surrounded by the love of family and friends back home', said Mthandazo.

Donations came pouring in after the fundraising appeal was set up, with the target being 10,000 to help cover the flights and funeral costs.

One of his co-workers paid tribute to him on the GoFundMe page saying: Hope you get the best bed in heaven. It was a pleasure to work alongside you. You always had a great big smile every time I saw you. Baltinglass Town AFC donated to the fund, while condolences were paid by Baltinglass GAA Club, where Nkosanas son Michael plays.

His friend Prince Belunda described Nkosana as a very humble man who was devoted to his family.

Nkosana was a very good guy. He really loved his family and worked hard to provide for them, Prince told The Nationalist.

Nkosana was a deeply religious man and was a preacher in The Zion Church in Clondalkin, where his family and friends held a 24-hour vigil for him over the weekend. His community are comforting his wife Cingo and his children, who are struggling to come to terms with their loss.

Gardai are investigating the fatal crash and are appealing for dashcam footage and information from the public. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kildare Garda Station on 045 527730, the garda confidential line on 1800 666111 or any garda station.
Louise Walsh

A Coldplay fan who was scammed out of 200 for a ticket to the sell-out concerts is warning others to double check who they are buying online from.

Sara Dever was quick to reply to a post, she thought was on the Facebook page of a trusted customer, but unfortunately she soon discovered that his page had been hacked.

"I tried to get Coldplay tickets when they went on sale last year, but like many others I was unsuccessful," said Sara who lives in Moynalty, Co. Meath.

"I was scrolling through social media and saw the post on the page of a man who comes into the Carnaross Inn where I work so I really thought it was genuine.

"I told him I would give him the money the next day in the pub but he told me that he wasn't in town, that's why he was selling the tickets and to ask someone else to help me transfer 200 euro to revolut as I only had cash at that time.

"I was busy at work so I forgot to get back to him and he messaged me back that night to say 'All Good'. He then said to just send him a screenshot once the money was transferred to a revolutmelink@gmail.com. I was got for 200 for two tickets - thank God, I didn't decide to pay 400 for four.

"I can't get through to him since, either on Facebook or SnapChat and then I found out that the page of the man who I thought it was was hacked. I was sick.

"I checked and the money went to the revolut account of a man with a non-typically Irish name so it could be anywhere in the world.

"I know. I know I should've known better but everything, even the revolut link seemed genuine.

"I won't get that money back. I'm not even sure it is worth going to the Gardai to report it but I will do so tomorrow with all the screen shots I've taken. I just don't want anyone else to be caught in the same way.

"It's very easy to get carried away in the moment, especially through a page of someone you think you know. If this happens anyone, ring that person or message them or WhatsApp them to ensure it is them and that they haven't been hacked."

Meanwhile, Garda Crime Prevention Officer for Laois and Offaly, Sgt Graham Kavanagh urged people to only buy tickets through reputable people and platforms, especially if the festival or concert is sold out.

"Many scammers use social engineering to create fake profiles when selling tickets and always ask for over the odds or under the odds prices. If it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

"Never buy from online platforms and if you have to buy something, use your credit card instead of your debit card because you have better come back that way.

"And please, report any scams to Gardai. If it's not reported, then it didn't happen so the quicker you go to the gardai with screenshots and all the information, the better.

"Many people are embarrassed or feel gardai can't do anything but you would be surprised at what we can do, if we know about the scam early and have all the information to hand."
Tom Tuite

A man accused of delivering a "running kick" to the head of a Canadian tourist on Dublin's O'Connell Street, who later died, has yet to learn if he will face a "more serious charge".

Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned Ionut Danca's case for two weeks with "pressure on" the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide.

Mr Danca, 24, a Romanian construction worker with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was accused of assault causing harm to Neno Dolmajian in the early hours of June 23rd.

He was denied bail on June 28th at Dublin District Court.

Mr Dolmajian, who was from Montreal, single and in his 40s, was brought to the Mater Hospital "unresponsive", never regained consciousness and on July 2nd, he passed away.

Mr Danca appeared again at Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday when Judge Alan Mitchell noted that gardai had still not received the DPP's directions. He noted the change of circumstances since the first court hearing and that the injured party had since died.

Judge Mitchell said he could only deal with the charge before the court and granted a two-week, rather than four-week, adjournment "to keep pressure on for directions".

Mr Danca, who spoke only to confirm his name and say he could understand, listened to the proceedings with the aid of a translator.

Judge Mitchell remanded him in continuing custody to appear on September 10.

The accused has deferred a High Court bail application.

At his earlier District Court bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Eoghan Byrne said the accused was allegedly with a group at Cathal Brugha Street when the injured party approached and engaged in conversation.

It was claimed a member of the group struck him, and they moved on to O'Connell Street, where there was another interaction with the injured party.

Some "became hostile", while others tried to intervene.

The tourist walked toward the quays but was allegedly knocked on the ground and received a "running kick". The detective described it as a full-force blow to the face.

CCTV evidence had been obtained, and it was alleged the accused's action caused the tourist's injury.

The court also heard that aware gardai were looking for him, he left the country for two days. Initially, he booked a flight from Dublin to Bucharest, and officers waited for him at the airport.

But he went to Belfast instead and flew to Edinburgh and then Naples.

According to Detective Sergeant Byrne, gardai went to his Dublin address, but it was "cleaned out," and there were 10 bags of his belongings. It was claimed that "his girlfriend indicated they intended to leave Ireland permanently and have their stuff shipped to Romania."

The detective sergeant believed Mr Danca had no ties to this jurisdiction and could face additional charges.

He agreed with defence solicitor Evan Moore that the accused had no prior criminal convictions and lived and worked in Ireland for six years and that he came back voluntarily following discussions.

However, that was allegedly after two days of avoiding calls, texts, and emails and efforts to locate him. Another man is also before the courts accused of assaulting Mr Dolmajian.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Taoiseach will hold a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday.

The meeting at the Elysee Palace comes ahead of the appointment of a new European Commission and the term of the new European Parliament.

Simon Harris will meet with Emmanuel Macron, President of France (Joel Marklund/PA)

Simon Harris and Mr Macron will discuss issues on the EU Council agenda ahead of their autumn meetings.

The leaders will also raise bilateral matters, including education and tourism as well as maritime connections and energy co-operation.

They will also focus on international issues, including the latest efforts for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, as well as the EUs continued support for Ukraine.

While in Paris, the Taoiseach will also host a reception for Team Ireland competitors of the Paralympic Games and tour the athletes village.
The school resource deputy assigned to East Hamilton High School was made aware on Monday at approximately 10 a.m. of a possible threat of mass violence that had been made via email.

During the investigation, the deputy questioned the student implicated in the email.



By promptly responding to the potential threat, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office was able to quickly identify and arrest the student, thereby preventing any potential harm or disruption to classes.



Officials said, "The swift investigation and involvement of the school resource deputy underscores the importance of vigilance and the established protocols for addressing threats within the school system."



The student was taken into custody and physically transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center for processing and charged with violating TCA 39-16-502 (false reports).

In another incident, the school resource deputy assigned to Brown Middle School was made aware at 9:30 a.m. of a possible threat of mass violence that had been made by a student.

During the investigation, the HCSO SRD questioned the student's teacher and several other witnesses who had heard the student make a threat.



By promptly responding to the possible threat, the HCSO SRD was able to quickly identify and arrest the student, thereby mitigating any potential harm or further disruption to classes.



The juvenile was taken into custody and physically transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center for processing and charged with violating TCA 39-16-517 (threat of mass violence).










Families from Oak Grove, Ridgedale and other neighborhoods will soon have access to a new kind of park that is quite literally in their own backyards  the reimagined Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School.Staff from Trust For Public Land joined with Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson, leaders from the City of Chattanoogas Parks & Outdoors Department and residents from the Oak Grove and Ridgedale communities today to break ground on this project, the first of its kind in the Chattanooga area.The vision for the Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary is the result of months of collaborative engagement with the schools students, their families and neighbors in the vicinity, and is informed by the Citys official Parks & Outdoors Plan (POP).Upon completion, the $400,000 project will transform East Sides playground along East Main Street into a "more open, accessible and welcoming public space" for a variety of users when classes are not in session. Impact Parks, a division of Playcore, has produced the conceptual design and will also serve as the projects general contractor. The East Side Elementary Schoolyard is funded through a public-private partnership between the City of Chattanooga and Trust for Public Land. A $200,000 contribution from the citys Department of Parks & Outdoors has been matched by Lyndhurst Foundation, Bobby Stone Foundation, The Howard Fund and the Schillhahn Husky Foundation.TPLs work has always been about transformation as much as it's about conservation. Our Community Schoolyards program allows everyone to enjoy the abundant health and social benefits of great parks by activating nearby school playgrounds in new ways, said Noel Durant, director of the Tennessee Office of Trust For Public Land. We owe a debt of gratitude to the students and faculty, alongside community advocates who designed and informed this first community schoolyard in Tennessee. Their support and dedication have made this uniquely beautiful new public space possible.Urban parks are essential to quality of life in Chattanooga, and this is a smart way to add a new park that the entire community can enjoy outside of school hours, said Mayor Kelly. Parks bring so many benefits to their neighborhoods, from improved health outcomes to cleaner air to increased investment. I want to thank TPL and Hamilton County for forging this partnership. These are One Chattanooga principles in action.Investing in public school campuses as community hubs beyond school hours is a brilliant vision for the future of our county, said Mayor Wamp. Im grateful to the Trust for Public Land for their interest in serving schools and neighborhoods across Hamilton County.Hamilton County Schools is committed to Every Community Served, within that commitment is a desire to ensure that our facilities are safe and welcoming places for our children to learn and thrive, said Dr. Robertson. That said, we recognize that each school campus is an important and indelible community asset to all of the families around us. TPLs Community Schoolyards lets us welcome more neighbors onto our school grounds at more times without compromising their security and the core mission of our facilities.TPL is already looking ahead, and plans to work with local leaders on more Community Schoolyards at other local public schools next year.Parks have an uncanny ability to bring families of different backgrounds and income levels together in a safe and fun way, said Ms. Durant. We are excited for our East Side neighbors to enjoy this one and cant wait to watch this program expand.The Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School is anticipated to open in early 2025.
Former mayoral candidate Marie Mott is facing an assault charge from an incident on Sunday.

Her boyfriend said she pointed a gun at him, and he had to wrestle it away from her.

Ms. Mott admitted pushing the boyfriend, but denied that a weapon was involved.

Police said there was not enough proof relating to the gun, so she was charged with simple assault rather than aggravated assault.

Police responded to Forest Villas Circle at 10:43 p.m. after a man called saying he had argued with his girlfriend, who had pointed a gun at him. He said Ms. Mott had left in a burgundy Nissan Pathfinder.

He said he was able to recover his gun before she left.

Police spotted Ms. Mott's car driving west on Shallowford Road at the Highway 153 bridge, and she was detained without incident. She was later taken to the county jail.

The boyfriend said he had just returned from a trip to Colorado and had brought a hemp vape into the house. He said Ms. Mott got upset, saying it was marijuana and they should not be using drugs.

He said a short time later, while he was doing laundry, he saw Ms. Mott holding his Sig Sau P365. He said he saw her finger on the trigger. He said he rushed toward her and was able to take the gun away from her.

The boyfriend said while they were wrestling a picture frame fell from the wall and broke, and some of the glass shards cut him. Police said there was a very minor laceration on his hand.

He said he told Ms. Mott she needed to leave, and she gathered up her things and left.

Ms. Mott said they were arguing because she believed he had snuck marijuana through TSA at the airport.

She said she did not appreciate him using drugs since she mentors young children and does not want to be associated with someone who uses drugs.

Ms. Mott said they began arguing, and, while they were close together, she pushed him backwards. She said both ended up tumbling to the floor, and he landed on top of her. She said a picture frame fell and broke and she received minor injuries to her hand and elbow.
In an effort to assist in reducing recidivism rates, especially with failure to appear cases, the Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerks Office announced the release of a new smartphone application, Hamilton County Judicial Services.

Criminal Court Clerk Vince Dean said, "The app will serve as a new way for our office, as well as other judicial aervices, to connect with Hamilton County residents, providing information quickly and efficiently to anyone with a smartphone."

As the popularity of the App increases, additional judicial offices will be adding services as well, he said.

The Hamilton County Judicial Services app was developed by the GovApp, a brand of OCV, LLC., which specializes in mobile app development for clerks offices and public safety organizations across the country.

Mr. Dean said the app offers quick access to items of public interest and is easy to use. In just a few clicks, users can access features such as:

?Criminal Clerk Clerks Office  Dockets for Criminal Sessions/State Circuit Criminal Court/Expungement Services Case Search  Defendants as well as Officers, and witnesses

?Alternative Sentencing Services, Program Rules, contacts for reporting, scheduling court ordered public work days, and area litter pick up

?Coming to Court, Location/Parking Information/How to locate each courtroom

?Payment Center Functions/Pay by App, phone, or call for additional assistance

?Push notifications for all users

?Defendant Notifications of Upcoming Court Dates

?Victim Notification Services  VINE / Victim Information Notification Everyday

?Integration with our upcoming social media platforms

Mr. Dean said the failure to appear rate was 10 percent in 2023. He said, "That could create over $100,000 in taxpayer burden just in incarceration fees alone. This does not include the costs on the Clerks Office to process each case or the additional burden on the defendant of having to post additional bonds and pay any new fees associated with the additional case.

The App will send several reminders to the defender on when they are due in court.

The Hamilton County Judicial Services app is available for download for free in the Apple Store and Google Play Store. Search Hamilton Judicial Services.
Howard School administrators were made aware at approximately 2 p.m. on Tuesday of a social media post from a student where a handgun was visibly tucked in a student's waistband while they appeared to be on school property.The student was removed from class, and upon search, the HCSO school resource deputy and school resource officer assigned to the school located a loaded 9mm handgun on the student. The magazine was loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition and had one chambered round.Upon further investigation, it was determined the handgun was reported stolen last month in Chattanooga.The student was placed into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center without further incident.The student is being charged with carrying a weapon on school property, unlawful carry or possession of a weapon, and possession of a stolen firearm.In another incident on Tuesday around noon, the Hamilton County School Resource Deputy (SRD) assigned to the Chattanooga Preparatory School was made aware of a threat a student made while in class.The SRD began an investigation and discovered that a 14-year-old student made a statement in a classroom full of other students and a teacher that they were going to Burn down the classroom.The juvenile student was arrested and transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with making a threat of mass violence on school property.
In order to cleanse wastewater of heavy metals, industry has to resort to highly refined filter technologies. Often, the production of these very technologies is not truly environmentally friendly either. Vienna-based researchers are now developing filter systems based on Lignin, a waste product from the paper industry. Their process promises a small ecological footprint and low production costs.

In recent decades, the quantities of heavy metals discharged into European water bodies from chemical, metallurgical and metal processing plants have decreased drastically. This is due not only to strict EU regulations, but also to highly developed filter technologies that can do a good job extracting lead, zinc, copper and chromium from wastewater. This ability comes at a price, however. The filter materials themselves consist of products from the chemical industry, which are manufactured from petroleum products in extremely complex processes - also in themselves producing hazardous wastewater.

In the context of the FWF-funded project Bio-based macroporous materials for heavy metal absorption, Alexander Bismarck, Hande Barkan and Philip Verdross and their group of researchers at the University of Vienna are exploring a promising alternative. Inexpensive, bio-based raw materials and industrial by-products are forged into a permeable polymer structure with a pore structure that can be specifically adapted to bind and accumulate heavy metals. The method is designed to reduce the ecological footprint of the filters by a factor of multiples. For this cross-border project, the University of Vienna has joined forces with the Luxemburg Institute of Science and Technology.

In this project, we focused on the adsorption of toxic chromium. Chromium VI is used inter alia for tanning leather. Particularly in Southeast Asia, this heavy metal often is discharged into rivers unfiltered, notes chemist Hande Barkan. We need new technologies that are both sustainable and cheap in order to improve the situation. Moreover, the technology studied is also of interest for the removal of copper, lead, arsenic and mercury.

Filter systems made from renewable raw materials hold great potential for the industry. Not only are they many times cheaper and more environmentally friendly to produce, they are also more efficient. Some heavy metals still find their way into rivers unfiltered.

A by-product from the paper industry The innovative materials are based on lignin, i.e. the material that provides stability to the cell walls of plants. Cellulose production in the paper industry produces a by-product called black liquor, which contains a great deal of lignin in addition to residues from the extraction chemicals used. This black liquor serves as a propitious base material for the researchers. Other materials they use are agricultural by-products, such as vegetable fats or glycerine, which is produced from bio-based raw materials. Amine carbon compounds are an exception, as they are produced industrially as petroleum products. Amines are used as so-called crosslinkers and they are responsible both for the crosslinking of the natural substance molecules and, later, for the chemical bonding of the heavy metals to the polymers, explains Barkan. In overall terms, however, the bio-based materials, especially lignin as the main ingredient, have an extremely positive effect on the life cycle analysis of the development, notes Barkan.

This being said, it takes more than creating a functional, solid material from the natural substance lignin. The resulting polymer structure, in which many complex macromolecules are intertwined, requires a pore structure that maximizes the separation of heavy metals from the water sent through the structure. The technology able to do that is called foam/emulsion templating and was significantly co-developed by Bismarck and his team.

From droplet to filter pore As the name suggests, the shape of the polymer is fixed in an emulsion. A large number of droplets is dispersed in this foam-like liquid. The size and frequency of the droplets is determined by surfactants that are added according to specific criteria. Surfactants are substances that influence the interfacial tension between liquids, explains Philip Verdross. The emulsion and the liquid polymer are mixed before the polymer is cured. The emulsion then acts as a template that determines the shape and pore properties of the lignin-based plastic. Where there were droplets in the emulsion, there are pores in the finished polymer.
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At the University of Tasmanias Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, a baby Maugean skate has hatched from an egg laid in captivity for the first time ever. Scientists are expecting more to follow.

Last year, an adult female skate was captured in December as part of a conservation program for the endangered species. Soon after, she laid her first egg.

According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Maugean skate is a ray that is only found in Tasmania, specifically in Macquarie Harbor.

It is heading for extinction, as the population has been experiencing major declines over the past few years. The Maugean skate may become the first marine fish extinction in modern times due to human activity.

Weve been trialing captive holding and rearing methods for two years with other skate species, so successfully producing our first hatchling from a captive-laid egg for this very unique skate is something to celebrateand its a significant step toward conserving the species, said Jayson Semmens, a researcher at the institute and leader of the Maugean skate captive breeding program.

It takes approximately seven months for the eggs to develop. The first hatchling was a healthy female who arrived on July 10.

Since the mother skates arrival, she has been laying two eggs at a time at an average of every four days. So far, she has produced over 100 eggs.

Researchers also brought 50 eggs laid in the wild into captivity in December. More than half of them produced healthy hatchlings. Captive egg-laying is just another technique that researchers are using to boost the Maugean skate population.

Since December, the program has evolved quickly from simply knowing if we can safely hold skate and their eggs to confirming that not only can this be done, but captive females can rapidly contribute to the number of eggs in captivityand the embryos can develop into viable hatchlings, said researcher Dr. David Moreno.

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This man is hung up on a woman he met in Paris and isnt sure hell ever be able to get over her since their romance was that incredible.

Hes 25 and has been living in Paris for a few years. In 2022, he met a 23-year-old English woman in the city as an exchange student on a dating app. He began swooning over her after a memorable first date in a Parisian cafe.

Since both of their families were in other parts of the world, they spent the entire holiday season together, enjoying Christmas in Paris, going on more exciting outings, and growing quite fond of each other.

One day, while hanging out and laughing, she asked him the famous What are we? question.

Since the mood was not serious at all at that moment, I gave her the stupidest answer you can think of, he recalled.

I said, Were two people who like to have fun together, even though I liked her so much and my romantic intentions were serious.

After he downplayed their relationship, things became awkward between him and his date. She continued to text him in the following days, but her tone was colder, and he found it harder to make plans with her.

Weeks before she was due to return to England for school, they had an intense conversation where she suggested they try to be friends instead of entering something more committed.

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In the future, scientists plan to build various types of infrastructure on Mars and the moon, a feat that is both extremely expensive and difficult to accomplish. So, efforts are currently being made to ensure that construction materials are both as simple and strong as possible.

Two researchers from the University of Manchester in England have developed a concrete alternative to be used in space. It consists of simulated Martian or lunar soil, a pinch of salt, and potato starch.

The new material, named StarCrete, is twice as strong as conventional concrete and is well-suited for use in extraterrestrial environments.

In their study, the researchers demonstrated that potato starch can act as an effective binder when mixed with simulated Martian and lunar soils.

The mixture has double the strength of ordinary concrete, which measures around 32 Megapascals (MPa). The StarCrete made with fake Martian soil had a compressive strength of 72 MPa, while the StarCrete made with fake moon dust was at 91 MPa.

The research team estimated that only 55 pounds of dehydrated potatoes are needed to produce nearly half a ton of StarCrete. That is enough to make over 200 bricks. On Earth, about 7,500 bricks are required to build a three-bedroom house.

As with any space mission, the weight of materials is a major consideration for future lunar and Mars constructions. The heavier the delivery package, the more costly it is to send into space. So, a strategy called in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) has long been used to figure out how to create sustainable structures on other planetary bodies.

A concrete mix with a lightweight base of potato starch might be the most desirable option in terms of availability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

Potato starch wasnt the first ingredient that the team experimented with. This work improves on a previous study where they used human blood and urine as binding agents for concrete. Blood and urine are consistently available from astronauts, so theyre renewable resources.

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Beijing urges Manila to withdraw vessel

11:01, August 27, 2024 By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily

The China Coast Guard has confirmed that it implemented control measures against two Philippine coast guard vessels illegally intruding into waters near China's Xianbin Reef in the South China Sea on Monday.

The Philippine vessels "kept trying in a dangerous way to approach the China Coast Guard vessels, which were sailing normally there", and Manila rolled out media hype about what happened, the China Coast Guard said in a social media post.

Chinese law enforcement officers took controlling measures on Sunday to tackle intrusion into waters near Xianbin Reef by the Philippine vessel No 3002.

Manila has frequently sent coast guard vessels and government ships to intrude into the waters around Xianbin Reef.

Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, warned on Monday that Manila is "attempting to provide supplies to the Philippine coast guard vessel that has anchored for a long period of time in the lagoon of Xianbin Reef, seeking to achieve a long-term presence".

"This move by the Philippine side seriously infringes on China's sovereignty, gravely violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and damages peace and stability in the South China Sea," Lin said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

"China urges the Philippines to immediately stop provocations and infringement of (China's) rights, and immediately withdraw the vessel concerned," he said.

The spokesman emphasized that Xianbin Reef is part of China's Nansha Islands.

Speaking of Sunday's intrusion by the Philippine government vessels that ignored China's resolute opposition and repeated warnings, Lin said, "The responsibility for causing the collision between the vessels of the two sides rests entirely with the Philippine side".

The China Coast Guard took necessary measures to tackle the Philippine vessels in accordance with domestic and international laws, and "the on-site operation was professional, coolheaded and disciplined", he said.

China will continue to take resolute and strong measures in accordance with the law to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold the sanctity of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Lin added.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
This 22-year-old girl works in a warehouse and earns $70,000 a year. She is appreciative of her job, though it leaves her wanting, well, more. She did graduate from college but doesnt work in an industry that requires her to use her degree.

She has a 26-year-old sister who is currently in law school, and while shes proud of her for pursuing higher education, her sister is super snooty about it.

She understands being proud of your accomplishments, but her sister talks to no end about how shes going to be a lawyer one day.

If they encounter anyone, her sister jumps to say shes a future lawyer, and its so out of control that their family has a joke that if you ask her sister how her day is going, shes going to tell you about what shes going to school for.

She tries her best to be patient with her sister, but its hard to do that when she makes digs about her.

Her sister will say things like she makes great money but not enough to make her wealthy, or she will brag about being the most highly educated member of their family.

Her sister also throws it in her face that shes going to be making six figures in the near future and working out of a cushy office.

Her sisters words cut deep, and it makes her think that her sister has an air of superiority. She does try to take shots at her sister when she can, trying to get her back.

The one way she can get under her sisters skin? Well, her sister is irresistible when it comes to money and constantly borrows from everyone.

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Home News AME Church reaches settlement to restore missing retirement funds

Some 5,000 employees and retirees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who filed a class-action lawsuit against the denomination in 2022 after a former church executive allegedly squandered some $90 million of their retirement savings on foolish" and risky investments, have reached a settlement that will begin restoring some of the lost money.

The settlement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, was announced at the AME Church General Conference meeting in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday by the denominations general counsel, Douglass P. Selby.

The agreement reached today demonstrates the Churchs ongoing commitment to its clergy and the determination to hold those truly responsible accountable, Selby said in a statement, according to RNS. The prayer of the Church is that this settlement, and the reforms to which the Church has committed itself, will help to close a painful chapter in the denominations history, and begin the path towards healing and recovery of faith and trust among its members and in the systems of the Church.

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According to The Christian Recorder, the AMEs official publication, the denomination offered the plaintiffs in the lawsuit $20 million. The AARF Foundation, which joined the class action lawsuit as co-counsel in April 2022, noted in a statement to The Christian Post that the settlement provides immediate restoration of some funds and creates a pathway for the Church and Plaintiffs to restore the balance of the lost retirement funds.

Church employees who served their community for years deserve the retirement funds they were promised. This agreement marks an important step to address the financial harm caused to thousands of people by restoring the funding they depend on, William Alvarado Rivera, senior vice president of litigation at AARP Foundation, said in a statement to CP.

The AME Church is the oldest and one of the largest U.S. Protestant denominations and historically black churches, with more than 2.5 million members and 7,000 congregations worldwide.

According to the 49-page federal complaint filed in the class-action lawsuit in March 2022 by retired AME pastor the Rev. Cedric V. Alexander, Jerome V. Harris, the former executive director of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc.s Department of Retirement Services foolish and risky management of the denominations pension fund hurt its more than 5,000 participants financially. At least two other lawsuits alleging similar charges were filed in Florida and Virginia.

Other defendants named in the lawsuit besides the AME Church, Inc., are the General Board of the AME Church and Council of Bishops of the AME Church, Newport, and Symetra Life Insurance Company.

The complaint alleges that Harris was "given sole authority by the church to invest tens of millions of AMEC clergy's and other Church servants' retirement savings in a questionable and potentially unlawful purchase of undeveloped land in Florida, a promissory note to an Illinois installer of solar panels, and an even more foolish investment in a now non-existent capital venture outfit."

While all of this was happening, church officials kept reporting to the plan's beneficiaries that their retirement funds were safely flourishing as investments in annuities from Symetra Financial.
Home News Florida can enforce ban on puberty blockers, trans surgeries for kids: appeals court

An appeals court panel has ruled that Florida can enforce a state law prohibiting doctors from performing cosmetic sex change surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to minors younger than 18.

In a 2-1 ruling issued Monday, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit decided to allow a Florida law passed in May 2023 to take effect as litigation continues.

The majority concluded that they believe the defendants have made a strong showing that they are likely to succeed on the merits, reversing a lower court decision against the law.

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The panel majority rejected the claim that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm if the law remained in effect, noting that it allows doctors to continue to prescribe puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones to children and teens who are already taking these irreversible, body-deforming drugs.

The district court itself recognized that there were legitimate concerns about some of the treatments effects, as well as a risk of misdiagnosis, risks attendant to treatment, and the potential for additional medical risks, continued the majority. Considering these factual conclusions, we think Florida has satisfied its burden to show that the fourth factor favors a stay.

Circuit Judge Charles Wilson, a Clinton appointee, authored a dissenting opinion, claiming that there was sufficient record evidence to support concluding that the acts passage was based on invidious discrimination against transgender adults and minors.

On balance, evidence in the record demonstrates that the plaintiffs and class-members would suffer if the stay were granted  withholding access to gender-affirming care would cause needless suffering, he argued in defense of performing trans procedures on children.

In contrast, denying the stay would support a ruling grounded in the public interest. This matter is a medical issue, where patients are best left to make decisions alongside health professionals, with access to complete, unbiased information, as needed.

In August 2022, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration enacted a rule that prohibited the use of Medicaid funds to pay for puberty blockers, opposite-sex hormones and body-mutilating surgeries, including elective double mastectomies and chemical and surgical castration.

The state rule came after the agency had announced the findings of a review in June 2022, in which they concluded that such procedures were not consistent with generally accepted professional medical standards and are experimental and investigational with the potential for harmful long-term affects.

Scientific studies supporting hormone replacement therapy, puberty blockers, and sex reassignment surgery for treating gender dysphoria are weak to very weak, stated the agency at the time.

The evidence showing benefits from hormone replacement therapies for gender dysphoria is very weak  Scientific studies do not show that the use of puberty blockers improves mental health.

In June of last year, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued an injunction against Floridas ban on the Medicaid funding of drugs like puberty blockers for those suffering from gender dysphoria.

These plaintiffs are Medicaid beneficiaries who are entitled to payment, as a matter of medical necessity, for puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones as appropriately determined by their multidisciplinary teams of providers, ruled Hinkle at the time.

The rule and statute violate the federal Medicaid statute, the Equal Protection Clause, and the Affordable Care Acts prohibition of sex discrimination.
Home News Catholic nonprofit denounces 'horrific attack' against crisis pregnancy center near DNC

A Catholic pro-life nonprofit that has been tracking violent incidents against pregnancy centers in the United States since 2022 denounced the recent vandalism attack against the Aid for Women clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

During the early morning hours last Friday after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, the Aid for Women clinic near United Center was splattered with red paint and graffiti, according to spokesperson Mary FioRito.

The organization, which is "founded on the faith and teachings of the Catholic Church," has two maternity homes and five crisis pregnancy centers in the Chicago area.

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For the past 25 years, its been my privilege to be a volunteer and board member at Aid for Women, a nonprofit that runs maternity homes and pregnancy services throughout Illinois.



Last night, after the closing of the DNC, vandals attacked one of AFWs Chicago locations. pic.twitter.com/yieCfi3XqE  Mary H. FioRito (@maryfiorito) August 23, 2024

FioRito told Catholic News Agency that the clinic's security cameras caught four vandals painting "fake clinic" and "the dead babies are in Gaza" on its entrance and cementing its doors shut.

According CatholicVote.org's tracker, the vandalism marked the 93rd attack against a crisis pregnancy center since the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion to the states.

In a statement provided to The Christian Post, CatholicVote.org president Brian Burch denounced the vandalism in Chicago as a "horrific attack" and accused the Democratic Party of enabling such violence by effectively worshiping abortion.

"The aggressive actions and rhetoric of pro-abortion politicians maligning pregnancy resource centers as they serve the vulnerable has no doubt fueled this senseless violence," Burch said.

"Its no surprise then that an attack like this would occur so close to and immediately following the DNC where the party spent the week worshiping at the altar of abortion, complete with free abortion vans and officially nominating the extreme Harris-Walz ticket," he continued.

Burch also accused Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of politically going after charities that exist to help struggling women who want to have their babies.

"Going beyond these nominees' abortion at any stage agenda, and even their opposition to providing babies born alive after a failed abortion basic medical care, Harris and Walz have a record of politically attacking the charitable organizations which provide resources and support to any pregnant woman who wants to keep her child but needs help," he said.

"Just a few miles away from the Democrats' death cult celebration, Aid for Women was targeted for quietly continuing its daily work of supporting women and children in need. Americans hopefully will see through Democrats message of death at the polls this November," he added.

A memo released last week by the nonprofit Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America laid out what it described as the "fringe" pro-abortion platform of the Democratic Party, noting that its willingness to loosen all restrictions on abortion up to birth is out of line with mainstream opinions on the issue.

"They still cant find a protection for the unborn or a limit on abortion that they can accept," the organization said of the party. "The old party line that abortion should be 'safe, legal and rare' has been replaced with brazen support for taking unborn human life at any stage for any reason."

The nonprofit went on to list "outrageous" examples of the party's abortion views on display at the DNC.

At the top of the list, SBA listed a parade at the DNC with women dressed up as abortifacient drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, as well as the Planned Parenthood bus that was parked on DNC grounds to offer free vasectomies and drug-induced abortions.

Planned Parenthood told The Washington Times that it performed nine vasectomies and provided abortifacient drugs to eight women during the two days it was stationed outside the DNC.
Home News South Carolina church bans man who brought gun to service

A man who brought a gun to a church service in South Carolina has been banned from attending future events at the congregation, according to authorities.

The Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office reported that a 60-year-old armed man attended a church service on Sunday in Woodruff. The man allegedly told attendees that he wanted to let it all out today while displaying his firearm, according to FOX Carolina.

When police arrived, the man was seated in the back pew and was escorted out of the sanctuary. When asked why he brought a gun to the church, he reportedly said he wanted to become closer with the Lord.

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Authorities confirmed that while the man legally possessed the firearm, the disturbance he caused led to his being labeled a trespasser, barring him from returning to the church.

In recent years, concerns about security at houses of worship have increased following multiple high-profile mass shootings in the United States.

A survey released in June of last year by Lifeway Research found that nearly four out of five Protestant pastors in the U.S. said their churches have some form of security measures in place during worship services. However, 17% reported having no security measures at all.

Among the security measures, more than half (57%) of the churches surveyed reported having an intentional plan for an active shooter situation, and a similar number (54%) said they had armed church members as part of their security protocols  an increase of nearly 10% since 2019.

Last December, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a guide titled Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities offering a set of security practices for congregations to implement, aiming to strike the right balance between security and accessibility.

In a statement at the time, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the department is committed to protecting every Americans right to live, express, and worship their faith freely and in safety.

The physical security performance goals we are releasing today provide churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based institutions with cost-effective, accessible, and readily implementable strategies to enhance their security and reduce the risk to their communities, stated Mayorkas last year.

I strongly urge all faith-based institutions to take advantage of this new resource and incorporate the security practices it outlines.
Home News Freedom Kids lawsuit, sexual harassment claims, Rocket Man: 5 Trump controversies you might've forgotten

While former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump might elicit diverse opinions, nearly everyone can agree that the man has had a controversial political career.

Trump garnered headlines from the onset, when, during his campaign announcement speech in 2015, he talked about Mexico sending people that have lots of problems including crime, drugs and rapists.

Since announcing his plan to run for president in 2024, Trump has seen his share of legal trouble, including having a New York jury find him guilty in May of 34 charges over alleged hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential election season.

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Most recently, Trump has spurred a great deal of negative feedback from a key part of his base  pro-life Evangelicals  over his recent comments saying he supports reproductive rights and his lobbying to get the Republican party platform to soften its stance on abortion.

To document and detail every controversy great and small that Trump has been party to since he entered electoral politics in 2015 would be quite the herculean task. Amid the deluge of controversies over issues like rhetoric and litigation, some headline-grabbing moments might have been lost amid ever moving news cycle.

Here are five controversies surrounding Donald Trump that you might have forgotten about.
Home News AME official Jerome V. Harris dies amid lawsuit over nearly $100M missing from pension fund

Jerome V. Harris, the former executive director of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc.s Department of Retirement Services who was accused in a federal lawsuit of losing nearly $100 million from the denominations retirement plan through "foolish" and risky investments, has died. He was 79.

The AMEs official publication, The Christian Recorder, said Harris died suddenly on May 8. John Thomas III, a general officer of the church and editor of The Christian Recorder, told RNS that he suffered a heart attack.

Harris only child, Chris Harris, remembered his father as his first best friend and superhero in a public statement on Facebook a day after his death.

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I lost my first best friend yesterday .. My guiding voice, my protector, my example of what work is, looks like and is.. my superhero in real life, not just me but to many many others, he wrote. I'm forever broken but not shattered .. know I'll be fine eventually and that I LOVE YOU thru this space and time and beyonduntil we hug again my friend .. my Father and most important my Dad!!! Rest in Love !!!

The late AME officers life was also celebrated in a homegoing service at St. John's AME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 15.

According to a 49-page federal complaint filed in a proposed class-action lawsuit in March 2022 by retired AME pastor, the Rev. Cedric V. Alexander, Harris foolish and risky management of the denominations pension fund hurt more than 5,000 participants financially. At least two other lawsuits alleging similar charges have been filed in Florida and Virginia.

The complaint alleges that Harris was "given sole authority by the church to invest tens of millions of AMEC clergy's and other Church servants' retirement savings in a questionable and potentially unlawful purchase of undeveloped land in Florida, a promissory note to an Illinois installer of solar panels, and an even more foolish investment in a now non-existent capital venture outfit."

While all of this was happening, church officials kept reporting to the plan's beneficiaries that their retirement funds were safely flourishing as investments in annuities from Symetra Financial.

"This suit is about a complete and total abrogation of these fiduciary responsibilities by Defendants, resulting in numerous breaches of duty and resulting in a single, unmonitored individual, Defendant Harris, controlling all Plan assets and investments," the complaint says.

In March 2023, U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson, of the Western District of Tennessees Eastern Division, dismissed federal ERISA charges against the AME church and third-party administrators in connection with the churchs retirement plan. They will still, however, have to face state charges. Harris, along with Newport Group, Inc. and Symetra Life Insurance Co., administered the denominations pension fund.

In an amended complaint, the plaintiffs in the case alleged fiduciary breach charges against the defendants and Anderson upheld that position.

The court holds that Symetra has not discharged its burden to show that plaintiffs lack capacity to sue as representatives of the plan as a matter of Tennessee law and that the AMEC has not carried its burden to show why the Council of Bishops and the General Board lack the capacity to be sued as matter of the law of corporations, Anderson said in his decision.

In addition to his son, Harris leaves behind his wife, Sandra Elaine Anderson, and three grandchildren.
Home News Police in Philippines wont leave megachurch compound until Apollo Quiboloy is arrested

The Philippine National Police remained resolute in their mission to arrest fugitive televangelist and Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy as they vowed to continue searching for him at his 74-acre compound Tuesday until they have him in custody for child abuse and human trafficking charges.

Col. Jean Fajardo, a spokesperson for the PNP, said in a report from Inquirer.net that the approximately 2,000 police officers who have been searching for the megachurch pastor at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound in Davao City since Saturday will keep searching until the pastor is in custody despite ongoing protests from his followers.

One to two days may not be enough for the search, and the PNP maintains that we are continuously following legal protocols, Fajardo said.

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Davao Police Regional Office director, Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, said Quiboloy is believed to be hiding in a bunker on the property.

As the police search for Quiboloy continues, a regional court in Davao City issued a temporary protection order in his favor, Rappler reported.

Judge Mario Duaves of the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 in Davao City ordered the PNP in the Davao Region to immediately cease and desist from any act or omission that threatens the life, liberty, or security, as well as the properties, of the petitioners, after an appeal by the lawyer for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Israelito Torreon, challenging the ongoing police operation on church property.

The court ruled that the police were violating the property rights of the church as well as their religious and academic rights.

The PNP XI is hereby ordered to remove all barricades, barriers, or blockades that bar access to and from the subject compound and hinder petitioners religious, academic, and proprietary rights and the pursuit thereof by its officers and members within and surrounding the premises, the order notes.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has defended the actions of the police who have been accused of human rights violations.

What the police are doing is enforcing the warrant of arrest against Apollo Quiboloy. Thats all theyre doing, he said.

Torreon insists, however, that the police operation inside the churchs compound is unlawful.

We are politely demanding that the PNP cease and desist from this operation immediately because it is illegal and lacks any legal basis, he said.

As the standoff between Quiboloy and the PNP continues into its fourth day, the megachurch pastor, who claims to have 4 million tithing followers in the Philippines, 2 million more overseas, and reaches 600 million viewers worldwide through his TV station, remains on the FBIs Most Wanted list for a raft of crimes including sex trafficking and fraud.

He is a former member of the United Pentecostal Church but founded the Restorationism church in 1985 after he claimed to have received a calling from God. According to Asia Times, Quiboloy claims that God came to his mother in the form of a cloud after he was born, and declared, "That's my son."

An indictment from the Department of Justice in 2021 charged Quiboloy and two of his top administrators with trafficking young women and girls in the U.S. who were coerced into having sex with him under threats of eternal damnation. The controversial megachurch pastor allegedly claimed that sex with him was a privilege and Gods will.
Home News UMC bishop detained in Nigeria over visa dispute amid Church leadership debate

A United Methodist Church bishop has been detained in Nigeria, reportedly over a visa dispute, as he traveled to the country amid a debate over who controls the regional denominational body.

Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe was detained last Friday by the Nigeria Immigration Service while meeting with members of the UMC Southern Nigeria Annual Conference, The Herald reported.

At issue was the effort to establish new leadership for the Nigerian Episcopal Area amid disputed claims over whether the regional body is still affiliated with the UMC.

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Local UMC leaders called for the release of Nhiwatiwa and alleged that those within the Nigerian Episcopal Area who wanted to leave the UMC were behind the arrest, reported The Herald.

A government official told Sahara Reporters that Nhiwatiwa was detained because he was found doing religious business with a visit visa, which is prohibited under immigration law.

We arrested him following an information that he was presiding over a church meeting with the aim of electing a new bishop, continued the official. And it is prohibited to perform any religious duty with a visit visa. He required a religious visa to function as such.

Another factor in Nhiwatiwa's detention was his representation of a faction believed to be in support of same-sex marriage, which is illegal in Nigeria, as is belonging to any group that advocates for it.

Again, we gathered he was in the country to supervise the election of a new bishop for a faction of the church which believes in same-sex marriage, the official also told Sahara Reporters. And we all know that our laws have outlawed same-sex marriage. So basically, he deceived our embassy in his country, because I think he knows the difference between the two visas.

Earlier this year, after decades of debate over the issue, the UMC voted overwhelmingly at its General Conference to remove language from the Book of Discipline prohibiting the blessing of same-sex marriages and the ordination of clergy in same-sex relationships.

The votes came after approximately 7,500 mostly conservative congregations had left the denomination over the debate, with most joining the nascent theologically conservative Global Methodist Church.

In July, Nigerian Bishop John Wesley Yohanna sent a statement to Nigerian state officials explaining that, at a special called session held earlier that month, the regional body had voted to leave the UMC and join the GMC.

Therefore we want to make a statement that since the church has derailed from biblical principle we cannot be in this church where  homosexuality can be celebrated, Yohanna stated.

However, a group of Nigerian UMC officials released a statement disputing Yohannas claims, arguing that only the former bishop and about 10% of the regional body had left the UMC.

Even though we are saddened by their exit, we hold them in our prayers and wish them Gods guidance in their newfound faith community, read the statement. We also wish to make it categorically clear ... that our denomination does not permit them to leave with any of the United Methodist property in the way.

On Aug. 1, the UMC named Nhiwatiwa, along with bishops Patrick Streiff and John Schol, to serve as an interim team to lead the Nigerian Episcopal Area through December, when new leadership for the regional body would be appointed.

The GMC has maintained that the Nigerian church body has affiliated with their denomination, with Transitional Connectional Officer Keith Boyette telling CP in an earlier interview that their information on the issue came directly from those in positions of authority on the ground in Nigeria.

They informed me that unanimous votes were taken at the duly called special sessions of each of the four annual conferences in Nigeria to withdraw from The United Methodist Church and to align with the Global Methodist Church, Boyette explained.

For their part, the UMC directed CP to a letter by Schol, which claims that [s]everal hundred congregations and clergy have already communicated that they will stay with The United Methodist Church.

There are reports that Annual Conferences were held, and Conferences voted to leave The United Methodist Church. This is not true, wrote Schol. There were no Conference Sessions convened according to our Book of Discipline, and most delegates/conference members were not invited to these gatherings.

Schol also expressed concern over reports that some UMC officials in Nigeria had been arrested due to their refusal to leave the denomination, comparing them to Peter and John in the Book of Acts and the Apostle Paul who were arrested because of their humility and conviction.
Australian Court Rules Against Women, Gaza Hospital Director Backs Hamas, Christian Officer Stripped Of Position

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 08:15 08:15

Top headlines for Tuesday, August 27, 2024

In this episode, HonestReporting reveals a Gaza hospital director's ties to Hamas, Australia's Federal Court redefines the concept of sex, a Christian officer faces backlash over his Biblical views, and Kirk Cameron discusses his mission to spark a great awakening through his children's books.

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Home Opinion Can a vote for Trump be morally justified?

In my 2020 book, Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?, I devoted an entire chapter to the question, Does Character Still Count and Does Morality Still Matter? Four years later, that question is still relevant, especially for Christian conservatives. They (or, we) cannot possibly vote for Kamala Harris for a host of reasons. But can we, in good conscience, vote for Donald Trump?

Back in 1998, in response to the candidacy of Bill Clinton, the Southern Baptist Convention drafted a resolution in which it was stated clearly that that moral character matters to God and should matter to all citizens, especially Gods people, when choosing public leaders.

In keeping with this, the resolution urged all Americans to embrace and act on the conviction that character does count in public office, and to elect those officials and candidates who, although imperfect, demonstrate consistent honesty, moral purity and the highest character.

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How do we reconcile this with our support for Trump (and I write this as a two-time voter for Mr. Trump)? Does he, although imperfect, demonstrate consistent honesty, moral purity and the highest character? Hardly.

How, then, can we justify our vote for him?

Many have answered, Were electing a president, not a pastor (or priest). Were voting for a Commander in Chief, not a spiritual leader.

But is this how we felt in the days before Trump? Did we use this same reasoning when Bill Clinton was running for president? Werent we saying that character counted and morality mattered? And havent we been known as Values Voters? What values would those be? Didnt we once call ourselves the moral majority?

The SBC resolution stated that, Tolerance of serious wrong by leaders sears the conscience of the culture, spawns unrestrained immorality and lawlessness in the society, and surely results in Gods judgment. Do we still believe that today? Or have our own consciences become seared?

The resolution also affirmed, that moral character matters to God and should matter to all citizens, especially Gods people, when choosing public leaders. But today, when concerned Christians point to President Trumps questionable morality, they are called legalists, shortsighted, religious, or worse. What has happened to our moral convictions?

The book of Proverbs warns us about the deadly power of the tongue and about the damage a fool can do through his or her words. (In Proverbs, a fool refers to someone who is morally bankrupt rather than someone who is intellectually challenged.) The last thing a nation wants is a fool for its president (or king).

Why, then, vote for Trump?

When pressed further on this issue, the answer would sound something like this: We still believe that character counts and morality matters, but things have become so extreme in America that we have to elect a streetfighter, someone who stands up for our cause  not just for our good, but for the good of the generations to come.

In short, the battle we are fighting is an existential one, with our most fundamental liberties under attack. And many of us reason, Donald Trump, with all his shortcomings, is the best man for the job.

As Tucker Carlson said in December 2019, If you're wondering why so many Christians have been willing to support this president despite his personal life, this is why: It's because whatever his flaws, he's made it clear that he's not the enemy of Christians. Many a Trump supporter would say, Precisely so!

In harmony with these sentiments, when Franklin Graham was asked why he talked about politics more than his father did, Franklin responded, When my daddy was a child, they read the Bible in school. (While I do not have the exact citation for this quote, a senior staff member of Rev. Graham confirmed its accuracy to me.) How things have changed!

But can we really look to Trump to fight for the things that are important for us? On Friday, August 23, he posted on Truth Social that if he is reelected, his administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.

What? Here is an allegedly pro-life candidate using the misleading rhetoric of the pro-abortion camp (speaking of reproductive rights rather than the so-called right to abortion) and promising this right to women.

Talk about a deep betrayal of our values, also reflected in the GOPs gutted 2024 platform, where the pro-life plank is virtually gone and all opposition to same-sex marriage has completely disappeared.

How, then, can Christian conservatives justify their vote for Trump?

Many would still argue that, despite his caving in on some of the issues most important to us and despite his many glaring character weaknesses, he will still do a better job on the economy, on securing our borders, on standing with Israel, on standing up to our international enemies. And so, overall, balancing out the pros and the cons, Trump is the better choice.

This could well be true.

But lets stop pretending that Trump is someone that he isnt. The cards are on the table for all to see.

In the end, though, it may all come down to this: a vote for Trump is, more than anything, a vote against Harris.

So, we can vote for Trump without being enamored by him, without being his defenders or apologists, and without being unrealistic in our expectations.

And if we do choose to vote for him, a choice that the vast majority of Christian conservatives will make, we must remember to keep our focus on Jesus and the Gospel and to be sure that, to the extent Trumps character deficiencies are a negative example, we distance ourselves from those deficiencies while setting the bar high in our lives and conduct. We can vote for him without becoming like him.
Home Opinion Chicago and the rotten harvest of Progressive policies

Another typical weekend in Chicago, where 30 people were shot. One guy was sitting outside on a porch before midnight when unidentified individuals pulled out guns and started blasting. The victim is in grave condition but still breathing, for now.

Not so lucky was the man who was hanging out on a sidewalk when someone opened fire on him and took off. He didnt make it, succumbing to his injuries later at the hospital. Overall, out of the 30 folks wounded by gunfire, 5 didnt survive.

This level of bloodshed has long plagued Chicago, earning it the title of murder capital of the U.S. for 12 consecutive years  a distinction that would scare even Al Capone, to borrow a line from the Wall Street Journal. From 2022 to 2023 alone, violent crime surged by 11.5%, and homicide rates are now 50% higher than they were 10 years earlier.

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The Bible says youll know a tree by its fruit. And when it comes to progressive governance, the fruit isnt merely rotten  its downright deadly.

So its fitting that Chicago hosted the lefts grand convention last week. Not only because of their criminals are the real victims mindset but also because the city stands as a warning to the havoc leftism would inflict on America as a whole. If were not careful, whats happened to Chicago is exactly what progressive politicians have in store for the rest of us.

Lets dig into the details, shall we?

Like other lib strongholds, Chicagos leaders have basically decriminalized theft for anything under $1,000. What do criminals do as a result? They ensure that their haul doesnt cross that magic number. If they do get caught  and thats a big if  theyre only looking at a slap-on-the-wrist misdemeanor instead of a more serious felony.

This misguided priority is what the left calls social justice  which, practically speaking, means that business owners are at the mercy of retail gangs, all because Mayor Brandon Johnson is more fixated on launching a reparations task force than on protecting his residents and their property. To the mayor, the swarms of hostile mobs terrorizing neighborhoods are simply restless teenagers who have been starved of opportunities.

On that last point, Johnson might be onto something  but not in the way he thinks.

Chicagos public school system is a chaotic environment where safety is scarce and educational progress is virtually nonexistent. Taxpayers in the Windy City fork out nearly $30,000 per pupil, yet only 25% of students meet the expected reading standards for their grade. For black students, that number plummets to 17%. Math scores are equally dismal.

Meanwhile, violence in these school districts has spiked by 26%, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. To make matters worse, the city decided to kick school police officers off campus despite students facing escalating threats to their physical well-being.

And how is the teachers union compensated for fostering this anarchy? With an average salary of around $94,000 a year. Thats not enough, however: Theyre presently demanding an additional $50 billion in taxpayer funding for pay raises and other benefits, including subsidized abortions.

Thats the yield of leftist education: churning out kids who are functionally illiterate and sending them into the war zone known as public schools, all while staunchly opposing vouchers and other school choice options for parents desperate for something better.

Take the head of Chicagos Teachers Union, for example, who sent her own son to a private school so that he could live out his dream, even as she works tirelessly to shatter those dreams for families who cant afford to do the same.

If this is the fruit the left is offering  rotten schools and unsafe neighborhoods  Id rather go hungry. And with Mayor Johnsons plan to open city-owned grocery stores, Chicagoans might soon get that chance.

Rampant crime has led to the inevitable closure of many retailers, including supermarkets, leaving certain communities with what are called food deserts.

Whats the mayors grand idea?

He wants to fund government-run grocery stores  three of them, to be exact.

In the absence of private sector action or commitment to provide sustainable grocery options, it is necessary for the city to play a role in creating and sustaining grocery services in neighborhoods that lack grocery access, a report commissioned by his office explains.

Of course, theres no private sector action because Chicago politicians refuse to protect businesses operating in these blighted areas. Profit margins are already slim. Stores cant withstand the financial blows from the ongoing social justice smash-and-grabs. And when a business cant remain profitable, it either shuts down or relocates  both of which are happening at breakneck speed.

Rather than addressing the root cause of these food deserts  lawlessness  Johnson wants City Hall to assume authority. The price tag? A cool $26.7 million upfront, with who knows how many millions down the drain afterward.

Conservatives havent overseen Chicago for almost a century, so the government grocery store will likely get the green light. When it does, the locals will quickly learn the harsh reality of government-controlled pricing and food distribution: shortages.

In fact, if Johnson thinks food insecurity is currently a problem, just wait until the city starts running out of other peoples money to spend.

Chicago is already sitting on a $538 million budget deficit. At some point, the cash cow will realize hes being milked dry by power-hungry politicians and will seek greener pastures. As the New York Post observed, Chicago has seen nine continuous years of population decline, losing nearly 130,000 residents over that time period.

What was once the heartbeat of Midwestern grit and culture is now the poster child for what happens when progressivism takes hold: sky-high crime, economic decay, crumbling public schools, and people fleeing faster than Kamala dodging questions.

Thats the harvest. And Chicagoans are choking on it.

Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
Home Opinion Rediscovering your purpose in a chaotic world

In a world filled with uncertainty, many struggle with the question of purpose. This is not just a fleeting thought but an inquiry that can shape the course of your entire life: "Who am I?" If you can answer this, you're ahead of many others.

Lifeway Research has studied the general attitude of purpose among American adults post-pandemic.

The results of their study revealed that most Americans (57%) say they wonder, How can I find more meaning and purpose in my life? at least monthly, with more than 1 in 5 saying they consider the question daily (21%) or weekly (21%).

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The Bible offers a clear answer in 1 Peter 1:9: You are a chosen people. This passage reminds us that we are called out of darkness into a wonderful light  a truth that resonates deeply in todays turbulent times.

The world is indeed filled with darkness. The pandemic, global social justice movements, and intense political polarization have left many feeling lost and unsure of their direction. I recently spoke with someone who expressed this very sentiment  they felt adrift, uncertain of where their life was headed. In these moments, its crucial to step back and reflect on why God placed you here, now.

As a warrior, Ive experienced my share of frustration, particularly over Afghanistan after 20 years of sacrifice. Yet, amid this frustration, Im reminded of our identity in Christ. John 1:12 reminds us that believing in Him gives us the right to become children of God. This is not just a title; its a calling to a higher purpose. Joining this journey is like taking an oath in the army, committing yourself to the Kingdoms cause.

Remember who you represent

In my travels around the globe, speaking to various audiences, one thing remains clear: the world needs agents of change. It needs men who are courageous and bold, willing to stand firm for what is right. If you find yourself disoriented or unsure of your purpose, remember your identity  who you are and what you represent. Youre part of a new team, a new squad, and forgetting this will only leave you lost. Whenever I struggle, I remind myself of who I am and why Im fighting.

Who are you? Im a kid from LA with nothing. But if the Creator can work through me, He can do even more through you. Your objective is to be a leader and an unstoppable force for good. Knowing your identity gives you the power to achieve this.

Determine your personal constitution

To discover your purpose, I recommend writing your personal constitution. Begin by defining your existence. What characteristics and attributes would others say about you? Be honest. For years, I thought I was a good dad and husband, but I was egotistical and self-deceived. If you cant be real with yourself, youll never reach your potential.

In leadership, seeking feedback from subordinates and peers is crucial. True leaders arent afraid of criticism, knowing that it helps them improve. I used to ask my troops for their honest opinions about my leadership. For instance, I once authorized a jump during high winds due to pressure. One of my top enlisted leaders pulled me aside and shared his concern about the borderline unsafe conditions.

He was right, and Im glad I listened to him. I learned a lesson that day because I was willing to be challenged, and I never made the mistake again of prioritizing the mission over people. Trust is earned by respecting and caring for your people.

Once you've written down what others think of you, both good and bad, focus on improving your weaknesses. Next, define what you stand for. If asked, what would you say? This is about understanding your core beliefs and values. Reflect on what others might say you stand for. This self-awareness is crucial for growth.

Lastly, think about the legacy you want to leave. Your impact isnt just personal; its shared with those you influence. Every morning, I remind myself of my purpose and commitment to making a mark. It took me a long time to embrace my name and legacy, but I realized I have the power to define my own path.

You have one shot at life. Make the most of it today. Strive for a clear understanding of yourself to lead effectively. Your purpose, identity and legacy are intertwined  embrace them fully, and you will become the force for good that this world desperately needs.
'Keyboard warriors' shouldn't be sentenced to prison, says bishop

(CP) A prominent bishop in the Church of England contends that "keyboard warriors" shouldn't be jailed for commenting on social media about the spate of riots that broke out in the UK after the murder of three young girls in a mass stabbing.

The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Rev Rachel Treweek, said she believes the individuals jailed for allegedly inciting the riots by commenting online shouldn't be punished with prison time.

Treweek, who speaks for the Church of England on prison issues, said that while she believes there must be "consequences for all of our actions," the prison sentences for alleged online incitement were "not right."

"I understand people immediately want that person to be punished, but if you want that person to be changed and not incite that hatred and not cause broken relationship in our communities, we have to be asking what sort of intervention will actually enable us to help that person be changed, to look upstream at some of the underlying issues," she said, as quoted by The Telegraph.

"Sending someone to prison for a number of months or years, and expecting that that person will come out and suddenly come back and contribute to a stronger community, if there's been no appropriate intervention, is just foolish."

The bishop was also "hugely concerned" with the idea that streets would be safer if more people were imprisoned, saying that there was "no evidence to show that locking more people up for longer makes our streets safer."

"Indeed, our rates of reoffending are extremely high," she said. "And if we want to create communities which are good for the victims of crime, for those who've offended, for families in the wider community, we do have to be asking that long-term question about, what do we think we are doing and what is prison for?"

Instead, she said, many offenders, including those who incited hate online, should receive probation sentences and championed "more appropriate community sentencing."

One of the people recently sentenced for allegedly inciting online hate was a 53-year-old woman named Julie Sweeney, who responded to a post on Facebook about the clean-up from the riots by saying: "It's absolutely ridiculous. Don't protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it."

"So-called keyboard warriors like you must learn to take responsibility for your disgusting and inflammatory language," Judge Steven Everett said when sentencing her to 15 months, The Telegraph reported.

"In circumstances such as these, even people like you need to go to prison because a message must go out that if you do these terrible acts the court will say to you, 'you must go to prison.'"

The suspect in the Southport attack was named by police as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, a second-generation Rwandan immigrant.

The mass stabbing sparked violent protests across the UK after false reports claimed Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker. Approximately 600 people were arrested, with over 150 reportedly charged since July 30. Some have been accused of targeting mosques and immigration centres. Muslim men armed with knives and machetes were also out in the streets and attacking protesters.

In response to public comments on social media, London's Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley threatened to have US citizens extradited for making incendiary posts.

Earlier this month, a group of religious leaders, including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, signed a joint statement sent to The Times of London denouncing the violence and commending those working to repair the damage.

Other signatories include Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, Chief Imam and Director General of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society Sayed Razawi, and Imam Qari Asim, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board.

"Over the last few days we have watched in horror as a small minority has brought hatred, violence and vandalism to towns and cities across the country," read the statement, in part.

"We have seen anti-Muslim hatred and the targeting of mosques; asylum seekers and refugees attacked; violence directed towards the police and private property, all of which are a stain on our national moral conscience."

 The Christian Post
Pope Francis expresses concern over Ukraine's ban on Russian-linked church

(CP) Pope Francis has expressed concern over a newly passed law in Ukraine that bans groups with historic ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, seeing it as an attack on religious freedom.

In official remarks on Sunday, the head of the Roman Catholic Church said he was "thinking about the laws recently adopted in Ukraine" regarding Orthodox churches.

"I fear for the freedom of those who pray, because those who truly pray always pray for all," said Francis. "A person does not commit evil because of praying."

"If someone commits evil against his people, he will be guilty for it, but he cannot have committed evil because he prayed. So let those who want to pray be allowed to pray in what they consider their Church. Please, let no Christian Church be abolished directly or indirectly. Churches are not to be touched!"

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law banning groups that had ties to Russia, claiming that it's part of a national security measure.

The law effectively bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has historic ties to the Moscow patriarch but announced that it was severing those ties in May 2022 in opposition to the war.

The new ban does not apply to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was officially recognized by most global Orthodox Church leadership in 2019 and is independent of Russian influence.

"Ukrainian orthodoxy today is taking a step toward liberation from the devils of Moscow," stated Zelensky in an address made Saturday evening, according to CNN.

The new law will give entities like the UOC nine months to sever ties with Russia or be shut down. While the UOC already technically did so in 2022, Ukrainian authorities claim that the links remain.

Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, multiple allegations have surfaced of UOC-affiliated clergy and facilities helping spread pro-Russian propaganda.

Last week, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Legislature, passed the bill, with lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko calling it "a historic vote" that "bans a branch of the aggressor country in Ukraine."

Wesley J. Smith, chair of the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism, contends that the new law violates the religious freedom of churches that want to remain with the UOC.

"The dispute about whether the Ukrainian Orthodox Church or the Orthodox Church of Ukraine legitimately represents Ukrainian Orthodoxy is a matter for the Orthodox Church to work out," wrote Smith for National Review.

"But the government of Ukraine should not decide which church is 'legitimate' and which is not, which can operate openly and which should be suppressed."

 The Christian Post
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As a country rapidly transforming into a digital economy hub, Thailand is taking the lead in cloud technology and the development of its digital infrastructure in the region. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) released seven key digital policies as its priorities for the year, including a cloud-first policy in the public sector. This is the first of its kind to encourage the use of digital technologies in public services to drive the countrys digital future.

In tandem with this shift, the recent Huawei Cloud Summit Thailand 2024 saw Huawei Cloud and MDES releasing an AI Acceleration plan to accelerate the digital transformation of local enterprises in the country.

This is not the first collaboration with the Thai government; since 2018, Huawei has built three cloud data centers, and is the first and only cloud vendor to do so. The data centers currently serve pan-government entities, large enterprises, and some of Thailands regional customers. At the summit, new innovations were announced to further strengthen Huaweis presence as a core component of Thailands digital ecosystem. The Thailand cloud region, which has three availability zones, ensures both high elasticity and high reliability, allowing Huawei Cloud to cater to a variety of customer demands.

Together with Thailand, we are working to advance technology innovation, industry development, and ecosystem construction. [The] Summit is not only an event for technological innovation, but also a platform to showcase the industrys deep cultivation and ecosystem collaboration. We hope to contribute to Thailands innovation and technology development, and are committed to helping Thailand realize its Cloud-First digital vision. said Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service during the summit.

Supporting Thailands Cloud First Initiative

Security and reliability have always been a priority at Huawei Cloud. As more data centers and cloud regions are launched globally, Huawei Clouds multi-dimensional, full-stack cloud security system ensures access control and monitoring and takes service continuity assurance measures to consistently improve the security and reliability of the Huawei Cloud infrastructure.

Being the first and only cloud vendor with three data centers in Thailand, Huawei Cloud provides the technical platform to help Thailand realize its digital vision with MDES, implementing Cloud First security compliance measures. The next five years will be dedicated to Huaweis investments in local digital infrastructure construction, ensuring a more robust environment for local data processing and enterprise data security to bolster Thailands position as a digital leader in Southeast Asia.

Delivering cutting-edge solutions and the latest in digital innovation practices

From big data to AI and machine learning, Huawei Cloud is set to boost its efforts in Thailand over the next five years, focusing on local digital infrastructure to ensure data security and processing efficiency. This includes products like GaussDB, which supports full software encryption and end-to-end intelligence for mission-critical workloads, and Pangu Large Language Models (LLMs), developed specifically for the industry with three-layer architecture. The Pangu models are now used in more than 30 industries and 400 task scenarios, including government services, finance, manufacturing, drug discovery, coal mines, steel manufacturing, railways, autonomous driving, industrial design, architectural design, and meteorology, driving real value creation everywhere.

In addition, Huawei Cloud offers MetaStudio, a cloud-based service that can produce virtual human videos and live streams. MetaStudio is pushing the boundaries of digital content production with its digital person modelling capability that can be completed in just three hours, with a 95% lip synchronization rate.

Huawei also displayed Kuafu robots at the summit, an advanced humanoid robot developed by Leju Robotics and powered by Huaweis Pangu AI model. With the ability to understand natural language commands, these robots can plan and execute tasks swiftly. They can also learn new tasks quickly with its machine learning capabilities.

From governments to enterprises: transforming the digital landscape across industries

According to Frost & Sullivans report in December 2023, Huawei Thailand ranked No. 1 in the Thai hybrid cloud market. Thailands top 10 enterprises, more than 70% government ministries, and 25 financial institutions (covering 80% of the top ones) have chosen Huawei as their digital transformation partner. A report by Gartner reveals that Huawei Cloud ranks third in Thailands Infrastructure-as-a-Service market share, leading the cloud market in the region. This includes the e-Government cloud with MDES to improve the efficiency of digital collaboration and support the construction of the first smart city in Thailands Eastern Economic Corridor.

With a strong partner ecosystem of over 300 cloud local partners and more than 700 enterprise partners in Thailand, Huawei continues to build a community of startups by launching the Spark Ignite startup competition with governments and partners. Huawei also partnered with Chulalongkorn University to develop courses in cloud and AI that aim to create a robust ecosystem that nurtures talent, stimulates technological advancements, and ultimately contributes to developing a more intelligent and digitally empowered society. Having won the Prime Ministers Award for Best Human Capital Contribution, Huawei continues to support the countrys talent-building efforts to fill the gap of 500,000 digital talents and train 100,000 people by 2025 in digital leadership, advanced skills, practical knowledge, and digital inclusion.

With events such as Huawei Cloud Summit Thailand, Huawei furthers its commitment to collaborating with the Thai government and supporting its digital development efforts. Whether through its advanced technology that fosters growth, efficiency, and competitiveness or education and support in human resources, the efforts are ongoing as the nation strives to become the digital hub of ASEAN.
In early 2000, following ITs unprecedentedly effective response to the Y2K situation, the world botched its after-action review. Consumed by the need to have someone to blame, influencers from around the world proclaimed it was a hoax perpetrated by IT to inflate technology budgets and its perceived importance.

Happy to have a scapegoat, the world ignorantly sneered and then moved on to the next pseudo-culprit.

So now we have CrowdStrike. Consumed by the need to have someone to blame, and with Microsoft as a sitting duck perched precariously atop a dubious CrowdStrike Falcon content update pile, influencers around the world are determined to expend their energies and (speaking of dubious) expertise, blamestorming instead of constructing a systems view of the situation.
IT architect Marco Simoncini was enjoying Friday evening supper in a restaurant in Rome with his colleague Piernunzio Pennisi when inspiration struck. Simoncini began sketching out his vision on a napkin. Before long, he headed home. By 2am the following morning, he had finalised the design for a new kind of desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) service.

He left the restaurant without paying, says Pennisi. But it was an incredible idea: using container technology to create a new way of delivering desktop environments via a low-cost user interface.

Today, Simoncinis design is a patented technology called KARL: a system for creating virtual workstations based on container technology, rather than virtual machines. The technology gave birth to two software solutions: Karl Platform and Karl O.S..

IT buyers will be familiar with the argument that it makes sense to equip employees with thin clients, rather than over-specified PCs. But KARL pushes the thin client approach to its ultimate conclusion: the system works on a Raspberry Pi, or a $100 Single-Board Computer (no bigger than a cigarette box in your pocket, says Pennisi).

The new element is the use of efficient, lightweight containers  long associated with microservices-based application development  to replace virtual machines running Microsoft Windows applications.

Sustainability is a major attraction: because KARLs infrastructures uses ephemeral PersistentVolumeClaims (PVCs) and pooled instances, a single hard drive can support an entire group of similar machines.

KARL products allow each cluster node to host a number of KARL instances (bubble or pods). The ephemeral nature of each pod  is a big positive in terms of security.

Endpoints are the biggest source of security problems, says Pennisi. When a malware threat is detected, KARL simply terminates the users session and rolls back automatically a new threat-free session. Work that the user has completed within the previous pod becomes available within the new session.

Pennisi says that the technology has already been deployed in Europe and North America by one major partner: a SaaS-based air traffic control system vendor.

He adds that he is looking for system integrators who are interested in deploying the technology further afield.

Pennisi says: We aim to build an open-minded community of partners who understand the technologys potential to shape compute infrastructures in ways we cant even imagine at the moment.

Today, KARL operates as a Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) offering, the kind of technology that typically attracts smaller organisations with modest IT resources and a need for agility.

Although the DaaS market remains smaller than the traditional market for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), it is growing much more rapidly.

KARL products are being launched at a moment when VDI and DaaS are responding to the dynamic demands of hybrid working, the increasing maturity of cloud computing and the cost pressures bearing down on IT organisations.

The results have included an uptick in competition, and the private equity acquisitions of both Citrix and VMwares end user computing business. In addition, the hyperscalers have started to show interest in the segment, including Google (acquisition of Cameyo) and Amazon (launch of WorkSpaces).

The results include new opportunities for independent challengers. Shankar Iyer, the CEO of Omnissa, which launched itself on to the world this summer after being spun off from VMware, talks of a $26bn market opportunity.[1]

Pennisi shares the same optimism, but from a very different perspective: Imagine you had a computer that only exists if you need it: low cost, low maintenance and highly secure. Thats KARL. An average size company with perhaps 1,000 employees and relatively limited in-house IT organisation stands to gain a lot from this approach.

Learn more about KARL here.

[1] The new standalone software company Omnissa is here!
A lawsuit filed in a Texas federal court on Friday is a good illustration of the problems that can arise when two competitors  or even potential competitors  sign Non-Disclosure and Access Agreements (NDAAs) to share sensitive information to ostensibly help mutual customers.

Fridays filing involved Cognizant Technology Solutions, Colorado-based TriZetto, whose software helps process medical claims, which is now owned by Cognizant, and India-based Infosys. Cognizant is accusing Infosys of having agreed to an NDAA to receive sensitive technology details about TriZetto, and of then using that information to create a competing product.

Infosys gained access to certain of TriZettos closely guarded, proprietary software offerings, and related technical documentation, under the guise of NDAAs that it executed with TriZetto for the limited purpose of equipping Infosys to complete work for certain Infosys clients, the lawsuit said. The NDAAs narrowly and strictly define the contours of Infosyss authorized access to TriZettos proprietary information and trade secrets, granting access to a very limited number of Infosys employees for narrowly specified reasons. Yet, in contravention of those agreements, Infosys has misappropriated TriZettos trade secrets and stolen its confidential information to develop or enhance its own competing software and service offerings.
A number of Scottish charities have called on the nations devolved government to improve funding structures for the sector, so more long-term grants are available.

Scotlands Social Justice and Social Security Committee recently consulted on third sector funding principles ahead of the Scottish Governments budget for 2025-26.

The committee said it would like to understand what can be done now to make the funding process more efficient, so available funding can be used more effectively.

It noted: A significant amount of the third sectors funding comes from public sector contracts and grants. This includes contracts and grants from the Scottish Government and local authorities.

Scottish Labour previously pledged to forge a new deal for the third sector and to give fair and multi-year funding to charities so they can help grow our economy and communities.

Huge uncertainty

A number of Scottish charities and membership organisations called for urgent changes in answer to the consultation.

Children in Scotland said in its response that a shift to longer-term funding would be a significant benefit to it and its third sector members and partners.

The move would support longer-term planning, more efficient spending, greater organisational stability (including staff retention), and it would also positively impact staff wellbeing, it stated.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) also called for longer term funding, and warned of the insecurity its staff face.

Derek Mitchell, CAS chief executive, wrote that most third sector organisations , including the network of 59 Citizens Advice bureaus (CABs) across Scotland, receive funding on an annual basis.

This means at the end of each year, there is huge uncertainty about whether funding will be renewed, he said.

The immense stress this places CAB staff under cannot be understated.

At its heart, advice is about bringing stability to volatility. And yet, this approach means our advisers own livelihoods are often marked with precarity and at the mercy of short-term funding cycles.

CAB managers are all too painfully well acquainted with the annual process of issuing redundancy notices to staff as the new financial year approaches because funding is yet to be confirmed. The worst task of the year so many have told me.

Furthermore, the TSI Network, a body of charities that support the third sector across Scotland, emphasised the importance of fair funding , and the increasing inequality between third sector and public sector employees often doing similar jobs.

We also ask the committee to consider the impact of the recent Scottish Government announcement that all but essential expenditure would be halted.

We are deeply concerned about what this will mean for the third sector, and what it signals for the Scottish budget.

It also highlighted the lack of clarity about the future of UK government funds going into communities across Scotland through the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up funds.

Charities struggling to meet demand

SCVOs Scottish Third Sector Tracker is a research community made up of representatives from third sector organisations who share their experiences, views and concerns.

Its most recent findings for Spring 2024 reported a 6% drop since winter 2023 in charities reporting being able to meet the demand for their services.

In this wave, SCVO also asked organisations what they considered the main features of good grant management in the sector and any improvements they would like to see made to ensure that reporting is proportionate.

On grant management, respondents said they valued flexibility, clear communications, transparency, timely payments, ongoing support and relationships, as well as a good understanding of the sector and the specific challenges faced by different types of organisations, such as small and rural organisations.

On reporting, respondents highlighted the frequency and deadlines for reporting; proportionate reporting based on grant size; flexible and adaptable reporting; feedback on reporting, reducing duplication and simplification and standardisation.

sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
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Earlier this month, Russian social media posts indicated that something significant might be happening at the border between the region of Kursk and Ukraine. Everything was a little bit vague, Andrew Kramer, a reporter at the New York Times, recalled on the papers Daily podcast last week. We were seeing reports of fighting along the border, but nothing indicating the scale of what was to come. It soon transpired that Ukrainian forces had executed a surprise raid on Russian territory, held it, and kept going. Kramer and colleagues drove an armored car to the border area and crept closer to the border itself, eventually arriving at what was left of a Russian administrative building. Ukrainian soldiers were on the scene in surgical masks. Kramer realized that they were clearing the bodies of dead Russians.

Other journalists would go deeper into the territory that Ukraine was occupyingand Russia would freak out about it. After Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, two journalists with the Italian public broadcaster RAI, became the first foreign media to report from Sudzha, a town six miles or so inside Russia, the countrys foreign minister summoned the Italian ambassador and accused Battistini and Traini of illegally crossing the border. (RAI pulled the journalists out of Russia, citing their safety.) Americans were soon implicated in a similar dynamic: Russian officials hauled in a US diplomat and complained about the provocative actions of American journalists on Russian soil, adding that their presence helped prove the involvement of the United States as a direct participant in the conflict; the officials didnt initially specify which journalists they were talking about, but have since opened a case against Nick Paton Walsh, a correspondent for CNN, and have reportedly threatened similar action against staffers with the Washington Post. At the same time, officials opened similar proceedings against two Ukrainian journalists. This morning, they said that theyd done likewise against another Ukrainian media worker and one from the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Those affected, Russia has said, will go on an international wanted list.

It is, clearly, nonsense to suggest that any journalists for US outlets who may have followed Ukrainian troops into Russia were doing so under direct orders from the American government; indeed, the US has actively discouraged its citizens from traveling to Russia, including for reporting purposes. And Russias charges of illegal border crossing are grotesquely hypocritical. Not only have Russian forces invaded Ukraine, but journalists and war bloggers have frequently followed them into the territory that they have occupied, as the Post recently pointed out. Several appear to have been killed there under Ukrainian rocket fire.

On last weeks episode of The Daily, Michael Barbaro, the host, pointed out that Russia is obsessed with its borders. Its recent treatment of Battistini, Traini, Paton Walsh, and the others would seem to attest to that. And yet, initially, the countrys response to Ukraines occupation of its territory was to downplay it in state-run media; also speaking on The Daily, Anton Troianovski, who covers Russia for the Times, said that the invasion was being presented not as part of the Ukraine war but as a natural disaster, with footage of vigils and aid supplies. The strategy is kind of self-denial, Barbaro said. If Russia doesnt treat this like an invasion, its not an invasion.

The way the Kursk episode has played out so farin general terms and for specific journalists covering itreflects a broader, messy reality of a war in which borders can appear both as bright red lines but also as fragile and contingent. This is, at least, true of the media story behind the war. Even beyond the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk, recent days have furnished several reminders of this state of affairs. Some of these have been murky; several have shown how the war and related issues have affected journalistsand the broader informational air they breathein democratic lands far beyond Russias borders. Weve also been reminded, again, of the shocking clarity that war can visit on its victims.



As I wrote a year ago, the media story of the war has often appeared to abide by an inside/outside dynamic: Russia clamped down on media within its borders (including by smearing reporters and whole outlets as treacherous agents of foreign powers); many independent journalists fled over those borders and into exile. But this dynamic has long been messy and porous. Democratic European governments have not always played welcoming hosts to exiled Russian reporters; last year, researchers suggested that one such government may have planted potent spyware on the phone of an independent Russian editor while she was in Germany (though the culpability for this was murky). Meanwhile, two exiled Russian journalists in Europe reported symptoms of poisoningan episode that was itself murky, and has remained so, but palpably undermined the idea, if it was ever tenable, that escaping Russias borders means escaping Russian threats. Inside Russia, some foreign reporters felt more freedom to do their jobs than their domestic counterpartsbut this idea was punctured, too, after Russia moved last year to arrest Evan Gershkovich, of the Wall Street Journal, and Alsu Kurmasheva, of the US broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

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Earlier this month, Russia freed Gershkovich and Kurmasheva as part of a wider prisoner swap. But even this good news came tinged with concernthat Russia had gotten away with taking hostages for diplomatic leverage, and that the latter is becoming a disturbing (if, again, often murky) international trend. And broadly, the porous inside/outside dynamic that I wrote about a year ago has persisted. Russia has continued to clamp down on both domestic and foreign media within its borders, the latter in the form of expulsions and bans. More infections with spyware have been reported on exiled journalists phones in Europe. And in recent months in particular, Russian authorities have pursued legal proceedings against more than a dozen exiled journalists, up to and including spurious convictions in absentia.

These, clearly, make it hard for those targeted to return to Russia, but have also, in some cases, had broader global ramifications. Last month, the US journalist Masha Gessen was convicted in absentia for comments they made about the Russian military, and sentenced to eight years in prison; since then, they have faced complications in securing a visa to travel to Australia after officials there asked them to furnish documents from Russian police as part of their application. The visa was eventually approved, but Gessen noted that the incident had played into Russias hands. This is a very concerted campaign for making Russian dissidents feel unsafe and unfree and constraining our movement in the world, they said, and this is not the first time a Western government has become unwittingly complicit in this.

In recent days, Western governments have faced questions over issues linked to Russia that dont revolve around independent journalism directly, but have raised concerns about free speech in which independent journalists are deeply invested. Over the weekend, French authorities arrested Pavel Durov, a Russian-born French and Emirati citizen who founded the messaging app Telegram, upon his arrival at an airport in Paris. Among many other things, Telegram has been a central platform in the dissemination of information about the war in Ukraine, on both sidesincluding both propaganda and factual news. The reasons for Durovs detention remain unclear. He appears to be being held over allegations involving his platforms failure to stop the facilitation of a broad range of crimes, from child exploitation to drug trafficking; Emmanuel Macron, the French president, insisted yesterday that the country respects free expression, and some observers dont seem overly concerned that it is being infringed. But others do seem concerned; their number includes the likes of Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson (who noted, predictably, that Durov has been locked up not by Putin but by a Western democracy), but also free-expression watchers outside of the political right, who have at least urged the French government to shed more light on the case.

Meanwhile, the Times reported last week that the US government is investigating Americans who have worked with Russian state media (one of whom traveled this year both to Russia and territory that it is occupying in Ukraine). The terms of this probe are also murky; the Times reported that it involves potential violations of US laws concerning sanctions and registration requirements for foreign agents, but also noted that it could raise First Amendment concerns since the Americans in question are working with news organizations, however propagandistic. Over the weekend, I put the latter concerns to several close observers of Russia and US speech laws; all of them suggested that its hard to know exactly what to make of the probe in the absence of further details, but Seth Stern, the director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, urged US officials to tread carefully in a general sense. The government needs to be extremely cautious in drawing subjective distinctions between journalists, propagandists and alleged lobbyists, especially when doing so in order to punish people who criticize US policy, Stern told me in a statement. If the government is just looking for petty ways to mess with foreign adversaries, it should find another option that doesnt potentially endanger press freedom.

These two stories involve issues that predate, and remain broader than, the war in Ukraine: global debates about content moderation on social platforms, in the first case, and concerns about Russian election meddling in the US, in the second. It should also be noted that there is no equivalence between independent journalism and state-sanctioned propaganda. But the war remains such a huge story (even if the Western news cycle doesnt always elevate it as such these days) that it factors into any discussion around Russia, speech, and journalism. And these disparate stories all show that that discussion transcends the territory of Ukraine and Russiaeven if it is, still, felt most painfully on the ground.



Over the weekend, a missile hit a hotel housing journalists and other civilians in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, a short distance from the current front lines of the war inside Ukraine. Reuters reported that two of its journalists were injured and that another staffer was missingthen confirmed that Ryan Evans, a British military veteran who was working for the agency as a safety adviser, had been found dead in the rubble. According to the Kyiv Independent, at least one of the journalists injured in the attack remains in serious condition in the hospital. News organizations could not immediately confirm the provenance of the strike, but Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, said it was Russianand deliberate.

Since then, Russia has rained strikes on other cities in Ukraine; yesterday, reports circulated that a missile had hit a hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih, which has reportedly also been frequented by journalists and humanitarian workers. (At least two people were killed.) Overall, the blitz, Kramer and his Times colleague Matthew Mpoke Bigg report today, has been one of the biggest of the war so far. Russian military bloggers have suggested that the bombardment is a response to the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk. The reality, once again, remains murky.



Other notable stories:

For Vanity Fair, Joel Simon, who led the Committee to Protect Journalists when Donald Trump was president, assesses the risks for press freedom of Trump returning to office. During his first term, the Justice Department pursued several secret leak investigations into leading news organizations, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and CNN, Simon writes. In his campaign for a second term, Trump has twice discussed scenarios for jailing journalists in the course of leak investigations and implied that the threat of a prison rape could get them to cough up their sources. To understand what Trump might be capable of, Simon argues, its worth reviewing what he attempted to do in the first termand why he failed.

In yesterdays newsletter, I noted the recent resurfacing of an old interview in which the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who just suspended his third-party presidential bid, recounted her father severing the head of a dead whale with a chainsaw and driving with it to New York (while whale juice leaked into his vehicle). Now an environmental group is asking federal officials to investigate whether Kennedy violated animal-protection laws, adding that the story made it seem like this was normal behavior for him.

And New Yorks Brock Colyar profiled the pop star Charli XCX, whose album Brat has made a defining contribution to the vibes of this summer (including in politics). Lying is so fun, so brat, she told Colyar, adding, Who made this rule that you have to be truthful and honest in the press as an artist? The press is just a tool. Charli is well aware that you cant be omnipresent forever, she said, but the press and outlets dont get to decide when its over. The kids get to decide when its over.

ICYMI: Evan and Alsu are free. Vladyslav, Ihar, and Andrey are not.

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Delawares highest court said on Tuesday it will hear an appeal by GSK and other drugmakers seeking to end more than 70,000 lawsuits claiming discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer.

GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim are asking the court to overturn an order by a lower court judge allowing plaintiffs in the lawsuits to offer expert testimony on the alleged cancer link, which the companies argue is not supported by sound scientific methods. Without that testimony, the lawsuits cannot go forward.

There has been no trial or final judgment in any of the Zantac lawsuits in Delaware. The states top court hears appeals before final judgment only when it finds that there are exceptional circumstances.

Related: GSK to Seek Dismissal of Florida Case Against Heartburn Drug Zantac

GSK said in a statement that it was pleased that the Supreme Court is of the view that such circumstances are present here.

Jennifer Moore and Brent Wisner, lawyers for the plaintiffs, said in a joint statement that they were confident that the (Supreme) Court will reach the same conclusion that the trial court did.

Business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, had urged the state Supreme Court to take the case, arguing that the lower court ruling would turn traditionally business-friendly Delaware into a hotbed of mass tort litigation if allowed to stand.

Related: GSK Settles Another Heartburn Drug Lawsuit in Illinois

First approved by U.S. regulators in 1983, Zantac became the worlds best-selling medicine in 1988 and one of the first to top $1 billion in annual sales. It was sold at different times by the four companies, all of which have faced thousands of lawsuits.

The litigation began after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 asked manufacturers to pull the drug off the market over concerns that ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac and generic versions of the drug, could degrade into NDMA, a carcinogen, over time or when exposed to heat.

Three Zantac cases so far have gone to trial, all in Illinois, with two ending in verdicts for the defense and one with a hung jury.

Related: Industry Groups Back Drugmakers Appeal in Zantac Cancer Lawsuits

The drugmakers won a significant victory in 2022, when a federal judge in Florida rejected the plaintiffs expert witnesses in about 50,000 cases on the grounds that they did not use reliable scientific methods. While the experts were different from those at issue in Delaware, the legal arguments made by both sides were similar.

Some of the Florida cases are being appealed, and the vast majority of the remaining cases are in Delaware.

Sanofi has agreed to settle about 4,000 cases against it, while Pfizer has reportedly agreed to settle more than 10,000. The companies have also settled some individual cases before trial.

(Reporting By Pierson in New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Jonathan Oatis)
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The plight of Gazas people continues to worsen in the enclave where humanitarian operations are ongoing where feasible amid repeated evacuation orders from the Israeli military, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warned on Tuesday
COLUMBUS, OhioThe Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission announced Tuesday it is suspending late fees, the transfer of unpaid tolls to collection agencies, and the placing of blocks on motor-vehicle registrations through mid-October to give drivers time to adjust to the highways new tolling system.

The 60-day grace period, which began Aug. 13, was set up after the turnpike saw a bump in calls in recent weeks, including from motorists invoiced after using new open-road tolling lanes and drivers targeted by scam text messages demanding payment for unpaid tolls, according to turnpike spokesman Chuck Cyrill. Call center wait times rose to more than 13 minutes in late July, though thats leveled off to about six minutes as of Aug. 16.

The Ohio Turnpikes new tolling system opened in April after years of work, revamping how tolls are calculated, erecting two new toll plazas, and creating new tolling lanes that allow drivers with EZPass transponders to drive through toll plazas without stopping.

A turnpike analysis showed that many drivers were mailed a bill because their EZPass transponder wasnt mounted properly in their vehicle, they didnt pull a ticket when driving onto the turnpike, or they (intentionally or not) drove through an open-road tolling lane without having a transponder. Violators are charged the maximum fare, based on where they got on the turnpike (or the farthest possible distance if they have no ticket).

Since May, the Ohio Turnpike has sent out about 212,000 invoices, according to Amanda Ginley, the turnpikes customer service center manager.

We want to allow time for customers to adjust to the new system, Ginley said in an interview about the grace period. Were hearing their pains  their growing pains, I guess you could say.

Cyrill noted the turnpike is still sending out invoices for toll violations during the grace period. He said he didnt immediately know how much money the turnpike expects to forego from suspending late fees and sending outstanding invoices to collections.

To avoid receiving an unpaid toll invoice, the Ohio Turnpike recommends that EZPass users properly affix their transponder to their windshield (waving an E-ZPass by hand is ineffective and unsafe, according to a turnpike release), as well as keep their online account up to date.

Non-EZPass turnpike drivers should make sure to follow overhead signs, make sure they use the correct toll lanes, stop upon entry to take a toll ticket, and to pay by cash or credit card when exiting.

Jeremy Pelzer covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
New York, US (PANA) - The level of the sea globally is rising faster and higher than ever before, creating what the United Nations has described as an urgent and escalating threat to people around the world
Nvidia is not the only stock that could cash in big on its earnings when results are reported Wednesday after the bell, according to Morgan Stanley. Its supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company could get a boost if Nvidia's latest quarter, as well as its forward guidance, continue to suggest a strong outlook for chips that power artificial intelligence applications, analysts led by Charlie Chan wrote Sunday. Nvidia shares were slightly higher in light trading Tuesday ahead of results. U.S. shares of Taiwan Semiconductor were little changed so far in the session. Taiwan Semiconductor, the sole supplier for graphics processing units for Nvidia, is expected to get 15% of its total revenue in 2024 from AI-related demand, the Morgan Stanley analyst said. That means a beat in Nvidia's revenue guidance for the quarter ending October should be a major catalyst. "We would expect TSMC's share price to rise if NVDA's guidance were to beat expectations," Chan wrote. TSM 1D mountain Taiwan Semiconductor The Wall Street investment bank came up with three possible scenarios for Nvidia's earnings this week: Scenario 1: Nvidia's October revenue guidance beats buyside expectations, topping $33 billion. This would drive a 3% jump in Taiwan Semiconductor's stock price. Scenario 2: Nvidia's guidance matches buyside estimates of $31.5 billion. That would drive a 1% rise in Taiwan Semiconductor. Scenario 3: Nvidia's guidance misses investors' expectations, coming in below $31 billion. Taiwan Semiconductor falls 2%. Morgan Stanley has assigned 50% odds that Nvidia's outlook will meet expectations, a 30% likelihood that Nvidia will beat buyside estimates and a 20% chance it will miss. NVDA 1D mountain Nvidia
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with U.S. President Joe Biden ahead of the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 9, 2023.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the Russia-Ukraine war following Modi's visit to Ukraine, along with the situation in Bangladesh where protests led to the ousting of former leader Sheikh Hasina earlier this month.

Modi posted online that he discussed the situation in Ukraine with Biden over the phone and "reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability." He also said the two leaders stressed "the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh."

The White House issued a separate statement, opens new tab, saying Biden commended Modi's recent visit to Poland and Ukraine, and that both leaders expressed "support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter."

Last week, Modi visited Ukraine in the first visit by an Indian prime minister in modern Ukrainian history. It came at a volatile juncture in the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Moscow is making slow gains in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv presses a cross-border incursion.

Modi urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war and offered to help bring peace.
The violation of Japan's airspace by a Chinese military aircraft is "utterly unacceptable," the top Japanese government spokesperson said on Tuesday, a day after Japan scrambled jets and summoned a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo in protest.

The airspace breach was "not only a serious violation of Japan's sovereignty but it also threatens our security," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular press conference.

The government continues to monitor increasing Chinese military activity near Japan and will be fully prepared for any airspace violation, Hayashi said, while declining to comment on the details of the diplomatic talks between Tokyo and Beijing.

Japan has said a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane flew over the Danjo Islands to the west of the southern island of Kyushu for around two minutes on Monday morning, in what it said was the first breach of its airspace by China's military.
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) during morning trading on March 4, 2024 in New York City.

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here .

Dow record, tech stocks lag

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high as investors rotated out of tech stocks. The 30-stock index rose 0.16%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.32% and 0.85%, respectively. Nvidia dived 2.25% ahead of its earnings report on Wednesday. Other chip stocks Broadcom and Micron fell 4% and 3.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose slightly higher after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signalled plans to cut rates.

Apple new CFO

Apple announced that Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri will step down on Jan. 1, to be succeeded by long-time Apple insider Kevan Parekh. Maestri, who has been CFO since 2014, will continue to lead IT, security and real estate development teams. Parekh, currently VP of financial planning and analysis, has been a key member of Apple's finance leadership. Under Maestri's tenure, Apple's revenue more than doubled and the company's stock surged over 800%. Separately, the company plans to host a press conference on Sept. 9 at its headquarters, where it is expected to unveil new iPhones and Apple Watch models.

Oil soars

U.S. crude oil prices rose 3.5% due to production halts in Libya and escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Libya's eastern government shutdown oil production and exports amid a political dispute over who should run the central bank, potentially impacting global markets. Simultaneously, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire. The ongoing Middle East tensions, including recent assassinations of militant leaders, have kept the region on edge.

Staying power

Exxon Mobil predicts oil and natural gas will account for over 50% of global energy use by 2050, despite efforts to reduce fossil fuel reliance. Oil demand will plateau but stay above 100 million barrels per day through to 2050. This persistent demand challenges global climate goals of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. While gasoline demand is projected to decline, oil will continue to be crucial for manufacturing, chemical production, and heavy transportation.

'Orange pilled'

Former President Donald Trump's newfound support for bitcoin appears to have been influenced by a small group of cryptocurrency advocates, particularly a trio of individuals from Puerto Rico. Along with others in Trump's inner circle, they worked behind the scenes to change his perspective on bitcoin, a process referred to in the bitcoin community as being "orange-pilled." This term draws from the "red pill" concept in the movie "The Matrix," symbolizing a conversion to bitcoin ideology. Trump's support appears linked to potential financial backing from the crypto community. CNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos has the back story.

[PRO] Nvidia hedge

Bank of America is warning that "investors may be underpricing the risk of a disappointment" from Nvidia's earnings, which could lead to a broader market sell-off. This is what the investment bank suggests to hedge against the risk.
After Costco's gold bars went semi-viral , the wholesaler's latest value-focused offering has caught Oppenheimer's eye. The investment firm found brands such as DoorDash , Instacart and Uber among the discounted gift cards in store for the first time during a store check, according to analyst Rupesh Parikh. He said it sticks out as a benefit that can keep consumers engaged  even while they become more choosy about where to shop and spend. "We continue to see improvements in the quality of COST's treasure hunt from stronger brands in apparel/consumer durable offerings to a more powerful assortment of discounted gift cards in store," Parikh told clients. "In a mixed discretionary backdrop lately, we believe this has contributed to a meaningful improvement in non-foods category trends and the company's standout performance." The three companies' gift cards are selling at $79.99 for a $100 value, reflecting a discount of about 20%. While he called these additions to the gift card lineup "attractive," the analyst said he is unsure of how long they will be in store. Costco has long offered gift cards at a discount for other brands. But Parikh pointed to the new businesses included as part of a broader effort to improve nonfood offerings, a push that also includes bringing popular products such as Nike apparel, Hydro Flask water bottles and Dyson hair tools to aisles. This category also includes gold bars, which Wells Fargo in April estimated accounts for as much as $200 million in monthly sales. Work on this front appears to be paying off, with Parikh noting Costco's nonfood business has grown in both June and July. He said this momentum should continue looking ahead. It also comes after the Washington-based wholesaler announced last month that it would raise membership fees in the U.S. and Canada. The base annual membership will increase $5, while the higher-tier "executive" plan will rise $10. Costco shares have jumped more than 37% this year, building on 2023's advance of almost 45%. But the average analyst surveyed by LSEG sees a pullback ahead after that big run, with a price target reflecting downside of around 1.5%. Still, the majority of analysts have buy ratings on the stock. Parikh said investors should buy any dips in the stock's price. He noted that potential catalysts ahead include a stock split, he said.
Environmental activists calling for an international moratorium on deep-sea mining. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Brazilian marine scientist Leticia Carvalho will be the first-ever woman, oceanographer and person of Latin American heritage to lead the International Seabed Authority  and she says it "feels fantastic." "I am very proud," Carvalho told CNBC via videoconference. "I think it is quite meaningful that someone new, fresh and with a different perspective is coming to take over." The ISA, a little-known U.N. regulator that oversees deep-sea mining, is responsible for both the exploitation and conservation of an area that covers around 54% of the world's oceans. Carvalho recently beat incumbent Michael Lodge to the top job in a bitterly contested election billed as a pivotal moment for the fate of a potentially multi-trillion-dollar industry. Her four-year term as ISA chief will start on Jan. 1, 2025.

Critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese can be found in potato-sized nodules at the bottom of the seafloor. Pallava Bagla | Corbis News | Getty Images

Carvalho's election victory comes at a time of intense debate about the future of deep-sea mining and the world's oceans. The controversial practice of deep-sea mining involves using heavy machinery to remove minerals and metals  such as cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese  from the seabed, where they build up as potato-sized nodules. The end-use of these minerals are wide-ranging and include electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and solar panels. Scientists have warned that the full environmental impacts of deep-sea mining are hard to predict. Environmental campaign groups, meanwhile, say the practice cannot be done sustainably and will inevitably lead to ecosystem destruction and species extinction.

I would be very much concerned to have a mining exploitation request sat on my table without a mining code. Leticia Carvalho Brazilian marine scientist

The ISA Council, a body composed of 36 member states, recently wrapped up a series of meetings in Jamaica as it seeks to draft a mining code to regulate the exploitation and extraction of polymetallic nodules and other deposits on the ocean floor  before mining activity begins. Negotiators are trying to ensure formal rules are in place by the end of 2025 and Carvalho says it remains feasible that member states can meet this goal. "My obligation as Secretary General is to set the stage for them to be able to finalize the work by the end of next year. And I will do everything in my power to do it," Carvalho said.

'Cacophony and chaos'

The scramble to reach consensus on a mining code was prompted by Nauru in 2021 when the Pacific Island state informed the ISA of its intention to begin deep-sea mining. That triggered a controversial provision in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, known as the "two year rule," which allows mining applications to be submitted whether the mining code has been finalized or not. It has led some companies to pursue aggressive timelines for extraction, with Canada's The Metals Company (TMC) in 2023 saying it intends to seek a license to extract minerals from the seabed by the end of this year.

Gerard Barron, chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, hopes that his company will be able to mine the seafloor for nickel, cobalt, manganese in the Pacific Ocean. Carolyn Cole | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

Asked about TMC's plans, Carvalho replied: "It's fair enough. It's part of the law, they have the right to table their request." She warned, however, of litigation risks in such a scenario. "I would be very much concerned to have a mining exploitation request sat on my table without a mining code," Carvalho said. "In my experience, regulatory stability for businesses and society is really fundamental. If you don't have stability, you then therefore have a cacophony and chaos because you open space for litigation at different levels," she added. "And particularly deep-sea mining as an activity has many players, meaning many courts would be called to have their say, not only in the international level but also at a national level."

A 'mind-blowing' dark oxygen study

Carvalho, who had previously served as head of the U.N.'s marine and freshwater branch, said her top priority as ISA chief would be the management of the regulator itself. "For me it became quite clear that the primary issue is the governance of the ISA itself. There is a need for me, quite clearly, to rebuild trust," Carvalho said. "I don't want to criticize anyone or any individual specifically, but I think the reality of the facts is that there is a lot of transparency and accountability to be put in place."

A team of international scientists has found that oxygen is being produced in complete darkness approximately 4,000 meters below the ocean's surface. Chaluk | Istock | Getty Images
Three of the nation's largest retailers  Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Kroger  charge fees to customers who ask for "cash back" at check-out, amounting to more than $90 million a year, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Many retailers offer a cash-back option to consumers who pay for purchases with a debit or pre-paid card.

But levying a fee for the service may be "exploiting" certain customers, especially those who live in so-called banking deserts without easy access to a bank branch or free cash withdrawals, according to a CFPB analysis issued Tuesday.

That dynamic tends to disproportionately impact rural communities, lower earners and people of color, CFPB said.

Not all retailers charge cash-back fees, which can range from $0.50 to upwards of $3 per transaction, according to the agency, which has cracked down on financial institutions in recent years for charging so-called "junk fees."

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Five of the eight companies that the CFPB sampled offer cash back for free.

They include Albertsons, a grocer; the drugstore chains CVS and Walgreens; and discount retailers Target and Walmart. (Kroger proposed a $25 billion merger with Albertsons in 2022, but that deal is pending in court.)

"Fees to get cash back are just one more nickel and dime that all starts to add up," said Adam Rust, director of financial services at the Consumer Federation of America, an advocacy group.

"It just makes it harder and harder to get by," he said. "It's thousands of little cuts at a time."
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Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine mRNA 2024-2025 formula. Courtesy: Moderna

A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions. It's that time of the year again. A new round of Covid shots is on its way to Americans. The Food and Drug Administration last week approved updated mRNA-based vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna amid a relatively large summer surge of the virus. Here's what you need to know, including how the shots are different this time around, who is eligible, where to get a vaccine and more.

What makes these shots different?

U.S. health officials have long told patients to expect annual updates to Covid shots as the virus mutates into new strains that can dodge the immunity people develop from previous vaccinations or infections. It's similar to how the U.S. rolls out new flu shots each year. This time, the shots from Pfizer and Moderna are designed to target a strain called KP.2, a descendant of the highly contagious omicron subvariant JN.1 that began circulating widely in the U.S. earlier this year. KP.2 was the dominant strain of the virus in May, but now only accounts for roughly 3% of all U.S. cases as of Aug. 17, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Still, both Pfizer and Moderna have said that their new vaccines can produce stronger immune responses against other circulating variants, such as KP.3, than last year's round of shots targeting the omicron strain XBB.1.5 can. KP.3 accounts for nearly 17% of U.S. cases, while a related strain called KP.3.1.1 makes up almost 37% of cases, CDC data says. "The good news is so far that the updated vaccine closely matches the KP.3 family of viruses that continues to grow in dominance," CDC Director Mandy Cohen told reporters during a briefing on Friday.

Who is eligible?

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive one dose of the new Covid vaccine. To maximize protection, people should wait at least two-to-three months since their last Covid vaccination or infection before getting one of the updated shots, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, told NPR last week. Health officials have also stressed the importance of high-risk individuals keeping up with their Covid vaccinations. That includes people 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised or have serious medical conditions.

When will the shots be available?

Following the approval last week, Pfizer and Moderna both said they expected their new shots to be available in pharmacies, hospitals and clinics across the U.S. "in the coming days." Walgreens said patients can now schedule vaccination appointments at stores nationwide, according to a statement on Thursday. Appointments for people ages 12 and above are available starting on Sept. 6, the company noted. Meanwhile, CVS' online vaccine scheduler offers appointments for as early as Wednesday. Rite-Aid's own scheduler shows appointments for early September. The CDC plans to relaunch its shot appointment locator once the jabs are more widely available.

When should I get a vaccine?

The FDA's Marks told NPR that he would likely get vaccinated "in as timely a manner as possible" because the variant targeted by the updated shots is "reasonably close" to the strains currently circulating in the U.S. But he said some people could consider waiting until September or October if they want to maximize their protection from the vaccine through a potential winter Covid surge and the holiday season. "Getting vaccinated sometime in the September to early October time frame seems like a pretty reasonable thing to do to help bring you protection through the December/January time frame," Marks told the outlet. "It doesn't, like, suddenly stop. This is not like something that suddenly cuts off at three or four months. It's just that the immunity will decrease with time."

Can I get it for free?

Most private insurance plans, as well as the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, cover the cost of Covid vaccinations. Children can also receive free shots through a federally-funded program called Vaccines for Children. Meanwhile, the CDC's Bridge Access Program, which was designed to provide free Covid shots to underinsured and uninsured Americans, will not reopen this year. But the CDC has found $62 million in funding for state and local immunization programs to cover the cost of Covid vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters during the briefing last week.

Can I get Novavax's shot?

Novavax has filed for authorization of a new protein-based shot targeting JN.1. The company said its vaccine should provide protection against descendants of that strain, such as KP.2.3, KP.3, KP.3.1.1 and LB.1. In a statement last week, Novavax said it is working "productively" with the FDA as the agency completes its review. Novavax expects its shot to receive authorization in time for peak vaccination season in the U.S. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

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Jaque Silva | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
The logos of Super Micro Computer are pictured at one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows.

Hindenburg Research on Tuesday disclosed a short position in Super Micro Computer and alleged "accounting manipulation" at the AI server maker, the latest by the short seller whose reports have rocked several high-profile companies.

The report pits the short seller, which has tussled with billionaire investor Carl Icahn and India's Gautam Adani, against the server marker that has been one of the biggest winners of the generative artificial intelligence boom.

Shares of Super Micro were down 3.5% in morning trade. The stock has nearly doubled in 2024, after more than tripling last year.

Hindenburg said it found evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, and failure to abide by export controls, among other issues, citing an investigation that included interviews with former senior employees and litigation records.

"It (Super Micro) benefited as an early mover but still faces significant accounting, governance and compliance issues and offers an inferior product and service now being eroded away by more credible competition," Hindenburg said in its report.

Super Micro did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not independently verify the claims in the Hindenburg report.

Close ties with chip giant Nvidia have allowed Super Micro, known for its liquid cooling technology for high-power semiconductors, to capitalize on the surge in demand for AI servers.

Though revenue has surged, margins have taken a hit recently due to the rising costs of server production and pricing pressure from rivals including Dell.

Analysts have flagged the company's hefty spending on supporting a new generation of AI chips, including those sold by Nvidia .

The company's shares have also come under pressure in recent months on rising worries that Big Tech could scale back AI spending due to slow payoffs from the billions of dollars they are investing in the technology.
The luxury sector has had a tough few months, with sales of well-known names such as LVMH and Burberry hit by a decline in high-end spending. But one analyst is bullish on under-the-radar names in a segment adjacent to the luxury market. "I like the luxury space , but long-term I think there is also good potential in the adjacencies to luxury like premium food and beverages players and apparel companies," Morningstar senior equity analyst Jelena Sokolova told CNBC Pro. "Beverage companies are exposed to the same trends as luxury plays," she added, naming Diageo as a company to watch. The British multinational counts brands like Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Baileys and Hennessy in its portfolio. Shares in the spirits giant are listed on the London Stock Exchange and trade as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) in the U.S. Its shares are down 11.4% year-to-date, but are showing some signs of picking up. Shares hit a four-year low after the company announced it had missed full-year profit estimates . Sokolova remains bullish on Diageo as a long-term play: "It is a resilient business with high barriers to entry and very strong profitability." According to Factset data, of 24 analysts covering Diageo, eight give the stock a buy or overweight rating while 11 have a hold rating and five have sell calls. Their average price target is 2,599.52 ($3,429.03), giving it 2.7% potential upside. 'Top pick' Another company on Sokolova's radar is German online retailer Zalando. Calling it her "top pick" in the apparel sector, the analyst likes that it is the "biggest in its space in terms of customer reach and cash on the balance sheet." "I also see the company investing when their competitors are undergoing retrenchment exercises," she added. Zalando recently reported a 6.5% jump in its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to 171.6 million euros ($190.9 million) in the second quarter. The retailer expects its full-year EBIT to come between 380 and 450 million euros. Zalando's shares are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and trade as an ADR in the U.S. Year-to-date, its shares are up around 16%. Of the 25 analysts covering the stock, 18 give it a buy or overweight rating, while six have hold calls and one has an underweight rating. The average price target on the stock is 33.43 euros, according to FactSet data, giving it just above 34% upside potential.  CNBC's Jenni Reid contributed to this report.
The artificial intelligence boom is ramping up demand for more powerful processors as well as the energy needed to keep data centers cool.

That's an opportunity for data center company Sustainable Metal Cloud, which operates "sustainable AI factories" made up of its HyperCubes in Singapore and Australia.

The HyperCubes contain servers fitted with Nvidia processors which are submerged in a synthetic oil called polyalphaolefin that draws heat away more efficiently than air. The company said its platform reduces energy consumption by up to 50%, as compared to traditional air cooling technology typically used in data centers.

"It enables high density hosting for GPUs. It enables the sort of hosting that we need to see for platforms like [Nvidia's] Grace Blackwell," said Tim Rosenfield, co-founder and co-CEO of Sustainable Metal Cloud, referring to the new generation of AI graphics processors Nvidia announced in March.

The Singapore-based firm also said its immersion cooling technology is 28% cheaper to install than other liquid-based solutions. The HyperCubes are designed to go into any data center and can be deployed in unused spaces within existing data centers.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes an announcement on the future of his campaign in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. August 23, 2024.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Tuesday voted to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the state's November presidential ballot, thwarting the former third-party candidate's plan to remove his name from ballots in key battleground states set to decide the 2024 presidential election.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 5-1 Tuesday to keep Kennedy's name on its ballot in keeping with state law, which dictates that, "Any person who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot may not decline nomination."

A spokesman for Trump did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the state's decision.

Kennedy suspended his long shot bid for the White House on Aug. 23, and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump for president.

Appearing with Trump in Arizona, Kennedy said his name would remain on the ballots in most states.

But "in about ten battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I'm going to remove my name," Kennedy said. "I've already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me."

The move is widely viewed as effort to help Trump by making sure that Kennedy voters not have the option to cast their ballots for him in states that could be decided by tiny margins of voters.

Polling initially indicated that Kennedy's exit from the race would likely help Trump more than it would benefit his opponent, the Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

That's in part because Kennedy is much more popular with Republicans than he is with Democrats, making Trump better positioned to pick up would-be Kennedy voters than Harris is.

But this strategy works best if voters do not have the option to vote for Kennedy, because his name does not appear on the ballot.

But Kennedy's strategy of dropping out and seeking to remove his name from the ballot in key states is not going entirely to plan.

In Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina  three battleground states  Kennedy's name will likely remain on the ballot through November.

In April, Kennedy secured a spot on Michigan's ballot as the nominee of the Natural Law Party.

Per state law, it's too late for the Natural Law Party to select new electors, so Kennedy's name will stay on the ballot, Cheri Hardmon, senior press secretary for Michigan's secretary of state, told CNBC in an email.

In Michigan, "Minor party candidates cannot withdraw," Hardmon wrote.
Russia on Tuesday issued words of caution to France over its detainment of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, suggesting the move may be politically motivated.

On Saturday, the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office issued a warrant for Durov's arrest over an investigation opened on July 8 into organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of pornographic images of minors on the platform.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on a Tuesday call with journalists urged Paris to provide evidence to support its allegations against Durov, Reuters and Russian state news agency Tass reported.

"The charges are very serious indeed," Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters-translated comments. "They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication."

Peskov suggested that Durov's arrest could be viewed as both restricting freedom of speech and an act of intimidation if France fails to provide serious evidence of his guilt, Reuters and Tass reported.

Although born in Russia, Durov holds citizenship of France and the United Arab Emirates. Peskov indicated that Russia still considers him a citizen, however, and that the country stands ready to support him with necessary assistance  although Peskov admitted the situation was complex.

On Tuesday, the UAE said in a statement it had submitted a request to French officials offering Durov diplomatic assistance "in an urgent manner," and was "closely following the case."
While it might seem like humans and animals consume most of the world's water, heavy industry uses up to half of it. That's why business sectors are looking for new ways to recycle water, especially in the face of increased drought.

Some of the world's most essential industries, like pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, textiles, mining, renewables and power all use huge amounts of water. Now, new companies are finding ways to reclaim and recycle water as inexpensively as possible.

The global water and wastewater treatment market is expected to reach half a trillion dollars by the end of this decade, according to Statista. Much of it now involves harsh chemicals and uses a lot of energy, but companies like Xylem, Veolia and Boston-based startup Gradiant are trying to reduce both costs and energy while eliminating chemicals.

"We take highly contaminated wastewater which contains solvents, which contains dissolved salt, which contains organics, and we eliminate the entire liquid waste," said Prakash Govindan, co-founder and chief technology officer at Gradiant.

Anurag Bajpayee and Govindan founded Gradiant in 2013 as a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Gradiant's technology mimics how nature creates rain. Wastewater is heated and pumped into a humidifier and mixed with ambient air. As the two interact, they are heated into vapor, leaving the contaminants behind. Using a proprietary technology, the vapor is transferred to a column with cool clean water. When the two mix, the air cools and drops fresh water, like rain falls from a cloud. The process, according to Gradiant, cuts traditional costs in half.

"Other technologies can recover maybe 50 to 60% of water, but we can recover 99% of water," Govindan said.

Gradiant is the first water purification unicorn. Its client roster is impressive, working with companies that include Coca-Cola , BMW, Pfizer and Adnoc. It claims to save 1.7 billion gallons of water daily, or the amount consumed by 48 million people. It closed over $500 million in new orders in the first half of this year, according to the company, making its growth trajectory attractive to investors.

"Scaling these technologies is difficult. It's easy to find a product, but it's it's much more difficult to find a full end-to-end solution for customers, and that's what Gradiant has done," said Mark Danchak, co-founder at General Innovation Capital Partners, a Gradiant investor.

Gradiant is also backed by Warburg Pincus, M&G Investments, Formation 8, Clearvision Ventures and GRC. It has raised $228 million to date.

CNBC producer Lisa Rizzolo contributed to this piece.
With a plum position atop many "Best Places to Travel" lists, Japan is on track to welcome a record-breaking number of travelers in 2024. But China faces a different reality: a far slower return of international visitors. Both countries dropped Covid-related border restrictions relatively late  Japan in October 2022, and China in January 2023  but their post-pandemic recovery trajectories have diverged ever since.

Demand rises for both countries

Demand to visit China is on the rise, according to its National Immigration Administration, which announced a 130% year-on-year increase in foreign visitors from January to July. Summer trips are up too, with inbound bookings doubling since last summer, a representative from the travel website Trip.com told CNBC Travel. However, arrivals are still far below pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, China welcomed some 49.1 million travelers  as of July this year, around 17.25 million foreigners had arrived, according to Chinese state media.

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Japan, for its part, is also struggling  but under the weight of its own popularity. More than 3 million international travelers have visited each month since March  well above 2019 levels. Beyond the cultural fascination with Japan, the country's current "it" status is partially the product of initiatives put in place by the Japanese government, said Joydeep Chakraborty, chief strategy and investment officer at the Southeast Asian travel app Traveloka.

"The government has long been focused on making Japan a top travel destination through pro-tourism efforts, such as enhancing traveler experiences and simplifying the travel process for international visitors," he said. These efforts were then accelerated by the depreciation of the yen, he said. "The USD/JPY exchange rate [moved] from approximately 140 in January 2024 to over 160 by July 2024, making Japan more affordable," said Chakraborty.

Crowds of people pack the walkways of Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Japan, on Nov. 11, 2023. Jasmine Leung | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Now "overtourism" in Japan is making headlines again, as crowds pack Kyoto's famed temples and jockey for space during peak cherry blossom season. The country's labor market  one of the tightest in the advanced world before the pandemic hit  is straining to keep up. This year, 85% of travel and hospitality operators limited operating hours because of labor shortages, according to the Japan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers' Unions.

Why interest to visit China is down

Flight capacity into China is still below pre-pandemic levels from many countries, notably from the United States (-77%), according to the airline analytics company Cirium. But geopolitical tensions are taking a toll too, according to the policy network East Asia Forum. "The Chinese government's tightening grip on societal regulations could potentially cause discomfort for foreign travellers in China," states an article on its website titled "Visa-free policies alone will not revive China's inbound tourism."

China's expansion of its visa-free policies is spurring demand to visit. Some 58% of arriving travelers in the first half of 2024 came countries with such arrangements, according to its National Immigration Administration. But a Pew Research Center report shows that, among 35 surveyed countries, more than half have unfavorable views of China. According to the July report, some of the world's biggest travel spenders  such as those from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and France  maintain largely negative views of China. China's favorability views in the report are highest in sub-Saharan Africa as well as Asia, though opinions are mixed in the latter. "Views tend to be among the most and least positive in the Asia-Pacific region  more positive in middle-income countries like Malaysia and Thailand, and more negative in high-income ones like Australia, Japan and South Korea," the report states.

Difficulties getting around
Chinese electric car company Xpeng displays its mass-market Mona M03 coupe inside a headquarters' showroom in Guangzhou, China, on Aug. 26, 2024. CNBC | Evelyn Cheng

BEIJING  Chinese electric car company Xpeng on Tuesday announced that its mass-market brand Mona will start selling some models for less than $17,000. The basic version of the Mona M03 electric coupe will be listed at 119,800 yuan ($16,812), with a driving range of 515 kilometers (320 miles) and some parking assist features. A version of the Mona M03 with the more advanced "Max" driver assist features and a driving range of 580 kilometers will sell for 155,800 yuan. In comparison, Tesla's cheapest car  the Model 3  costs 231,900 yuan in China, after a price cut in April. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng did not specify a launch date for the standard version of the car in his presentation on Tuesday. The company told investors last week on an earnings call that mass deliveries would begin shortly after Tuesday's announcement. Presales of the Mona M03 began on Aug. 8.

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The Mona M03 standard driver-assist supports parking, including parallel parking. The company says it uses a range of automatic sensors, cameras and light detection and ranging sensors. The Max version of driver assist includes features such as automatically backing up a car to a designated position in a dead-end street with the push of a button. Xpeng also plans for it to support the remote control of entering and exiting a narrow parking spot. That Max version is set to begin deliveries after the Lunar New Year holiday in 2025, CEO He said. The Chinese holiday runs from late January to early February next year. Xpeng's driver-assist technology is widely considered one of the best currently available in China. Tesla 's version, marketed as "full self-driving," isn't fully accessible in China, although it is widely expected to be released in the coming months. The Xpeng CEO's presentation on Tuesday also commemorated the 10th anniversary of Xpeng's founding. Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi's founder Lei Jun was among those in attendance CEO He said the brand name Mona stands for "Made of new AI." He emphasized that over the next decade, Xpeng would focus on developing artificial intelligence for cars. The company also said Tuesday that it plans to reveal its second-generation humanoid robot in October. It also revealed its own chip, but did not specify what nanometer process  or level of production technology  is used in its manufacturing. Premium Chinese electric car startup Nio in late July said it had finished designing a five nanometer automotive-grade chip, the NX9031. The company had teased the chip in December, and plans to use it in its high-end ET9 sedan, set for delivery in 2025.

Collaboration with Didi
Eli Lilly on Tuesday released a new form of its weight loss drug Zepbound for roughly half its usual monthly list price to reach millions of patients without insurance coverage for the popular injection, such as those with Medicare.

The move also aims to expand the supply of Zepbound in the U.S. as demand skyrockets, and to ensure eligible patients are safely accessing the real treatment as cheaper copycat versions gain traction.

The company is now offering 2.5-milligram and 5-milligram single-dose vials of Zepbound for $399 per month and $549 per month, respectively, through its direct-to-consumer website. Patients typically start treatment with a 2.5-milligram dose, gradually increase the amount and later take so-called maintenance doses to keep the weight off.

The list prices of Zepbound and other popular weight loss drugs, such as Novo Nordisk 's Wegovy, are around $1,000 per month before insurance and other rebates. Those treatments are part of a blockbuster class of medications called GLP-1s, which mimic certain gut hormones to tamp down a person's appetite and regulate blood sugar.

Patients need to use a syringe and needle to draw up the medicine from a single-dose vial  the version of Zepbound Eli Lilly is releasing Tuesday  and inject themselves. That differs from single-dose autoinjector pens, the currently available form of all Zepbound doses, which patients can directly inject under their skin with the click of a button.

Eli Lilly has said the vials will create additional supply capacity because they are easier to manufacture than autoinjector pens.

The lower price points will benefit patients who are willing to pay for Zepbound themselves and are enrolled in Medicare or employer-sponsored health plans that do not currently cover obesity treatments, said Patrik Jonsson, president of Eli Lilly diabetes and obesity, in an interview.

He noted that Medicare beneficiaries are also not eligible for Eli Lilly's savings card programs for Zepbound. One program allows people with insurance coverage for Zepbound to pay as little as $25 out of pocket.

The company offers another to patients whose commercial insurance does not cover the drug. Patients currently enrolled in that program can continue to pay as low as $550 per month for Zepbound through the end of the year.

But as of Tuesday, the lowest cost of the drug for new patients who join that program will increase to $650 per month, according to an update on the company's website. That price hike will "help maintain the sustainability of the program as coverage for Zepbound improves," a spokesperson for Eli Lilly said in a statement Tuesday.

Having patients directly pay for single-dose vials of Zepbound also "enables a transparent price by removing third-party supply chain entities," the company added in a release.

There "will be no markups, and we believe that's super important  that consumers have this predictability in terms of pricing," Jonsson said.
For better or worse, politics has always been a family affair for President Joe Biden, and his emotional farewell at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago is no exception.
China expresses strong dissatisfaction with Canada's EV tarrifs

Xinhua) 14:00, August 27, 2024

OTTAWA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Canada expressed on Monday its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition against the Canadian government's action to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

A spokesperson of the embassy criticized the Canadian government's decision to increase import taxes on Chinese-made EVs as typical trade protectionism and politically motivated, adding that it violates WTO rules and undermines Canada's traditional image as a global champion for free trade and climate change mitigation.

It will damage trade and economic cooperation between China and Canada, hurt the interests of Canadian consumers and enterprises, slow down the green transition process of Canada and certainly won't help global efforts to address climate change, which benefits no one and will only backfire, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson emphasized that the rapid development of China's EV industry is a result of persistent technological innovation, well-established industrial and supply chains, and full market competition.

Its competitiveness is gained through utilizing its comparative advantages and following market principles, rather than relying on government subsidies, the spokesperson added.

"China will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," said the spokesperson.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced at the federal cabinet retreat in Halifax on Monday that the country will raise import taxes on Chinese-made EVs from 6.1 percent to 106.1 percent on Oct. 1.

Tariffs on Chinese-made steel and aluminum products will increase to 25 percent starting Oct. 15.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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If youre munching on some turkey jerky while reading this, fear not: Were not here to protest every possible killing of an animal, or to say you can never use animals parts for anything. Meat tastes great, and feathers make for kick-ass quills. Still, the idea of processing animals into products can get a little weird.

For example, have you ever greased a baking pan using butter? Though butter is delicious, which is why its an ingredient in the cake, the taste doesnt matter so much when you use it as pan grease. You just want the pan slippery so the cake will cleanly pop out. And to get this lubricant, we figured the most reasonable source was to tap the bodily fluids of living cows in pens and then extract from the milk the fatty acids they themselves obtained from bacteria in their guts.

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If you think about it like that, it seems a little gross. Travel a bit into the past, and things got even grosser.

5 Whales Were How We Kept Cars Running You likely already know that we used to get oil from whales. Heres a quick recap of how that went down: In the 18th and 19th centuries, ships hunted whales, and they boiled up the whales blubber to make into oil for lamps. When sailors killed a whale, they didnt tow the giant corpse to shore or carve it up for meat. It was more practical to extract only the fat for oil and then sink the carcass. William M. Davis Sucks for the whales, but the fish who ate the corpse were thrilled. Whale oil was on its way out by 1870 or so. We were figuring out how to process petroleum, and kerosene was proving a better fuel for lamps than whale oil. The rise of the petroleum industry  or the oil industry, as wed come to call it, since it dwarfed all other sources of different types of oil  was the only reason we didnt hunt whales to extinction. Advertisement But though the heyday of whaling for oil was over, the practice continued longer than a lot of us realize. Whale oil remained a lubricant a full century later, in 1970. Transmission fluid used sperm whale oil, which appeared to prevent corrosion more effectively than anything derived from petroleum. Sperm whale oil is different from most other whale oil, as its the fluid around the whales brain rather than derived from the blubber. One organ that contains the oil is called the junk, because its funny to say sperm is in someones junk. Kurzon/Wiki Commons Its also funny to talk about sperm alongside transmission and lubrication. Then came 1973 and the Endangered Species Act, and sperm whale oil became illegal. Car makers had to turn to mineral alternatives. And as a result, transmissions started failing much more often. With whale oil lubricating cars, fewer than a million transmissions failed every year in the U.S., but once the ban went into place, that number soared to over eight million. Advertisement We have to conclude that whales evolved to grease our engines and for no other purpose.

4 Before Crash-Test Dummies, We Had Crash-Test Baboons Along with cars running, were very concerned about cars stopping, especially if they stop by hitting another car or a tree. Manufacturers crash cars purposely in tests, to see how well they hold up. Inside are dummies modeled after the human body, and depending on when you grew up, you might have seen dummies on TV reminding you of the importance of seat belts. Ad Council Youre still alive today, proving the ads worked. Before we had dummies, we used human cadavers. These offered big advantages over the dummies, in that a dead human body simulates a live human body better than a dummy does. But cadavers are in short supply, and so, we also used animals. Live animals, such as pigs, baboons and bears. Advertisement Advertisement Baboons didnt sub in for human passengers nearly as well as cadavers did, and pigs were even worse. Still, they had the advantage of being alive. Testing with a human corpse can tell you whether a crash might decapitate a driver, but if you want to know whether instant deceleration will shut down every organ, you cant do that if the organs have all already shut down. Till Niermann Baboons also made for good subjects because theyre terrible drivers. Car companies claimed another surprising justifications for using animals: ethics. The human subjects hadnt consented to being used in these tests (animal consent wasnt an issue because animals are animals). The humans had donated their bodies to science, sure, but they probably imagined that meant theyd wind up in labs curing cancer, not that Ford would drive them into a brick wall. You might dispute all those justifications, and sure enough, automakers largely phased out tests with these larger animals once the 1970s concluded. In the 1980s, however, General Motors switched to testing with dogs, rabbits and tens of thousands of rats and mice. Were having trouble imagining how much useful data could be gleaned from crashing a speeding car full of rats, but we kind of want to watch to find out. Advertisement

3 Bear Grease: A Cure for Hair Loss People are particularly open to the idea of killing bears, due to ancestral memories of battling bears in the woods. So, 300 years before we were strapping bears into doomed Pontiacs, we were killing bears and melting their fat for another purpose  preventing baldness. The logic behind this was solid. Bears are hairy. Plus, weve associated bears with defending against baldness since biblical times, when passersby called the prophet Elisha baldhead, and two bears suddenly came and mauled 42 of them. AOC Archaeology Group This product is endorsed by both science and religion. Now, leaving aside the fact that rubbing yourself with an animal doesnt actually confer on you that animals attributes, you might point out that many animals are hairy, not just bears. Its one of the distinguishing characteristics of mammals. Sea otters have thicker coats than bears, and youll run into some breeds of cows with fur thats very long. Advertisement Advertisement We have to assume than that the men who applied bear grease to their scalps also did so because bears are powerful, which is the sort of spirit someone suffering from hair loss wants to imbue in themselves. No man wants to rub themselves with, say, mink grease. That would be silly. Atkinsons Bears are super manly. For details, google manly hairy bears near me. Bear grease was scented with ingredients such as lavender (pure bear fat doesnt smell very nice) and was sometimes dyed green (pure bear fat doesnt look very nice either). Also, sometimes, commercial bear grease contained no actual bear grease at all. English chemists would just use pig fat instead, which was much easier to obtain, and call it bear grease. It proved just as effective.

2 Admission to the Zoo Advertisement No, we dont mean that animals were kept in zoos. We mean something else. Also, the place were talking about wasnt a zoo exactly but the Royal Menagerie, located in the Tower of London. Being a castle, this place wasnt well-equipped to keep any wild animal for very long. One elephant, for example, was considered to have an unusually large living space because it had a room that measured 40 feet by 20 feet, and it died just a couple years into its captivity. Still, for centuries, the Royal Menagerie hosted a revolving collection of exotic animals gifted to the royal family. This included a polar bear whod swim in the Thames (this was why everyone who drank from the Thames got hair in their throats). It also included lions. Advertisement Historic Royal Palaces They were called leopards back then because we were still figuring names out. The Crown didnt always pay for the food these animals needed. They ordered Londons sheriffs to handle this expense, and the sheriffs had no choice but to obey. They funded this by charging admission to visitors, but the price (three halfpence early in the 18th century) wasnt enough to fund much of anything. They couldnt charge more and cover expenses that way because people wouldnt willingly pay more. Advertisement Tryon Gallery Thats the free market for you, also known as the law of the jungle. They also offered an alternate mode of payment. You could hand over one dog or one cat, which they would feed to the lions. By most measures, a pet was worth more than three halfpence, but maybe a visitor had no convenient way of selling their pet other than this. Plus, owning a pet meant daily expenses, so freeing yourself of that and getting a ticket to the zoo made for a double win.
Trey Parker and Matt Stones names have been bouncing around social media a lot lately  and not just because South Park warned everybody about that whole Disney being pure evil business. Multiple X/Twitter accounts have been generating thousands of likes with an old clip of the duo sharing the greatest lesson in storytelling ever.

Back in 2011, the duo were guest lecturers in Professor Ken Liottis Story-Telling Strategies class at NYUs Tisch School of the Arts. Why? Well, it was all part of the show Stand In, which aired on mtvU, the MTV-owned channel for college students.

Each episode of Stand In found real, totally unsuspecting students being taught lessons by celebrity guests, such as Cameron Diaz, Seth MacFarlane and even Larry David, presumably because UCLA has an Advanced Misanthropy course. More regrettably, Ye guested in one episode, back when he was known as Kanye West. The episode isnt online, so its unclear whether or not he spent the whole show force-feeding sushi to the students.

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Parker and Stones surprise lesson was full of great advice, as the widely-shared clip illustrates. Specifically, Parker elucidated the need to provide motivation behind the events of a narrative, explaining that, when writing out the beats of a story outline, If the words and then belong between those beats, youre fucked, basically. Youve got something pretty boring. What should happen between every beat that youve written, is either the word therefore or but.

Parker and Stone also revealed that they will often write out the story beats of a South Park episode just to make sure that there is causation between each beat. Stone noted as well that ignoring this fundamental rule isnt just a mistake that new writers make, even major Hollywood productions fall into this trap. You see movies, and youre just watching, and its like this happened, and then this happens, and then this happens. ... Thats not a movie. Thats not a story, Stone told the class.

Parker and Stones lesson has received the seal of approval from a number of creatives, including Robert King, the co-creator of shows like Evil and The Good Wife, who pointed out that the subject of this lesson is the foundation for everything we do in the writers room, while also bemoaning that many current shows in the streaming era have lost this sense of causation.

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The full lecture doesnt appear to be available anywhere, which is too bad, because its seemingly full of helpful information, including Parker and Stones suggestion to focus on simplicity when writing. Just do one thing really right, Stone stated. All you need is clarity, Parker added.

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They also reassured the class that they themselves still have fears and anxieties around writing, with Parker admitting that having that blank page in front of us is still the most terrifying thing in the world.

So even more terrifying than private detectives stalking you and going through your trash, apparently.

You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this).
Gilbert Gottfried blew it. His job squawking AF-LAC! on insurance commercials was one of the cushiest gigs around, earning him big paychecks for easy afternoons of voice-over work. He lost the gig in 2011, however, when he took to Twitter to make jokes about a Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Reminiscent of his 9/11 jokes that practically invented the term too soon, Gottfried unleashed one-liners like I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, Theyll be another one floating by any minute now.

Despite an eventual apology, Gottfrieds gags were a step too far for Aflac, which didnt want its duck associated with such insensitivity. Japan accounted for about 75 percent of Aflacs business, so the breakup with Gottfried was understandable. But it meant the insurer needed a new duck voice, prompting a casting call that saw more than 12,000 people competing to quack for Aflac.

One of the people who auditioned for the gig? Comedian Norm Macdonald told the gang on The Howard Stern Show that he tried out for the job. Robin Quivers wondered if Macdonald tried to imitate Gottfried or if he worked up his own interpretation of the insurance duck.

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Ive only been on like five auditions in my life, Macdonald confessed. And everyones been a fucking nightmare.

Macdonalds assumption was that hed get into the recording booth and say Aflac a few times  easy, right? But the woman running the auditions had something else in mind. She goes, Listen. I want you to create a story, Macdonald remembered. Just think of the duck. Be quizzical and funny and then sarcastic and then serious and then sexy. She goes, Just create a story. Have fun!

They all say fucking have fun with it, Macdonald growled.

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Three seconds in, Im like, I want to get the fuck out of here, he continued. So she left and then there was just me and a guy with a hat. I said, Listen man, Ill just say Aflac and get the fuck out of here because know I only got so many fucking moments in my life.

Undeterred, the Guy with a Hat kept trying to give Macdonald directions. Hes telling me how to say Aflac, Im saying Aflac, Macdonald griped. But throughout his short audition, all he could think was, I dont have that many years left!

Needless to say, Macdonald didnt get the job. Instead, it went to Dan McKeague, a clean-cut Minnesota father of three not known for making light of tragedies on social media. McKeagues duck was Gottfried-esque but without the baggage associated with the too soon comic. Given Macdonalds career-long habit of pissing off his bosses, Aflac probably made the right choice.
Gary Larsons The Far Side may not seem like the best candidate for a feature film adaptation, considering that it contains no real narrative to speak of. But back in the late 80s, the iconic daily single-panel comic very nearly made the jump to the big screen, thanks to Alan Rudolph, the acclaimed director of offbeat films like Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle and Mortal Thoughts.

Not too much is known about the unproduced movie, although we did get a taste of what it might have looked like, thanks to actor Dirk Blocker. In 2021, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star shared photos from a Far Side screen test he participated in, recalling that, while the project didnt go anywhere, the actors laughed a lot and got to meet the amazing Gary Larson.

In addition to these vaguely cursed photos, Rudolph revealed to The A.V. Club that his plan was to film a sketch-based narrative with a loose story. Basically, an examination of everyday life in which humans, non-humans and objects equally occupy (space) with competing bizarreness.

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How do you turn all that into a Hollywood script? The details are still somewhat murky, but the hosts of the Best Movies Never Made podcast, producer Stephen Scarlata and screenwriter Josh Miller, somehow got their hands on a copy of Rudolphs screenplay. Along with guest Paul Scheer, the podcasters provided some additional details about the Far Side movie  and it sounds like it could have been a total disaster.

As Miller described, the closest thing we get to the story in the script involves an academic named Professor Henderson, whos trying to come up with an all-encompassing existential theory to win something called the Big Answer Grant. In order to uncover the mysteries of life as we know it, Henderson (played by Night Courts John Larroquette in the test shoot) dons a pith helmet and journeys into the jungle, where he soon runs into an elephant wielding a knife, just like in the comic.

Gary Larson

Meanwhile fellow academics Miller and Smith are also after the Big Answer so they decide to travel to outer space, thus allowing the movie to remake some of Larsons alien jokes. Theres also a subplot in which the Creature from the Black Lagoon emerges from the jungle and hitchhikes into town with the Hunchback of Notre Dame  and theyre just kind of wandering around the movie.

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In the end, Miller and Smith fuck up the Martians, and so the Martians come down to fuck up Earth. But then the Creature from the Black Lagoon pacifies the alien invaders, assuring them that the Earth will make some changes, which leads to dogs rising up against their masters and animals taking over.

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The problem with the script seems to be that its just a nonstop series of classic Far Side jokes retold in movie form, which inevitably becomes exhausting after a while. As Scheer pointed out, the story has no engine and is aggressively unfunny in parts.

Theyre just transcribed Far Side cartoons, Scheer explained. They should be funny, but theyre grating. Its like being force-fed a delicious treat. By the time you get 10 of them, youre like, Im done. I dont need anymore.

So perhaps its for the best that the Far Side movie never got made  although it has served as the basis for some great animated specials, wall calendars and the worlds most dryly humorous thongs.

You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this).
Great Rooms A visual diary by Design Editor Wendy Goodman. The Living Room: The Donald Judd furniture was something I always wanted, Jack Shainman says. Emanoel Araujos polychrome wood sculpture hangs on the back wall; El Anatsuis Obscured Narrative is on the right wall; a 16th-century panel and chest is on the left. Photo: Jason Schmidt

It was dreary. I mean really dreary, gallerist Jack Shainman says of the loft, which occupies part of what was once a ballroom in an 1872 building near Madison Square that he and his artist-husband Carlos Vega bought a decade ago. The apartment hadnt been inhabited for years and was filled with unclaimed furniture scattered around the dark musty space that retained the trimmings of 80s living: gold-painted tin ceilings and pipes, ruddy natural brick walls, and, in one corner, a narrow spiral staircase that led to the primary bedroom with its uninviting brown hot tub.

It was very unattractive, Vega agrees, but immediately the scale--2,057 square feet and 16-foot ceilingswas the most exciting thing. They wanted space, both for themselves and for their rotating art collection.

At the time of my visit, they are living with Emanoel Araujos Relevo, a monumental wall sculpture of polychrome wood, and, on another wall, El Anatsuis Obscured Narrative, a tapestry composed of aluminum and copper wire that hangs opposite a 16thcentury work, The Virgin and Child With Saint Anne, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Sebastian. Theres Donald Judd furniture in the living room along with Arturo Hererras felt One Time (Orange) placed between the windows, looking as if it had blown in on a breeze and just -happened to attach on that spot.

Renaissance religious and royal paintings face off with the powerful beauty of portraits by Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Barkley L. Hendricks, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. The juxtapositions add to the impact of the collection that changes according to what Shainman and Vega decide to exhibit at any given time.

Collecting started early for Shainman, whose father was a professor at Williams College. Hed visit the Clark Art Institute where, he says, as a kid, I especially liked the old paintings but mostly the famous Bouguereau, Nymphs and Satyr. He adds, laughing, It was titillating as a child. It was probably like porn, almost. He started buying photographs from students at age 10 for $20 or $30. I still have those. Some of them still look really good.

Shainman opened a gallery in 1984 in Washington, D.C., with his then-partner, Claude Simard. An early show featured the work of a self-taught postal worker, John Robinson. I found these paintings, he says. I mean we always love bringing something into the art world that wasnt considered. Nine years later, he sought out Kerry James Marshall and gave him his first exhibition in New York City, where Shainman had moved his gallery. In 2014, Shainman opened a 30,000-square-foot exhibition space, the School, in a former Kinderhook high school near his 235-acre farm upstate in Stuyvesant. This fall, he will open a new space in the landmarked, Tribeca-adjacent Clock Tower Building. (His Chelsea gallery will remain open.)

Vega grew up in Spain and North Africa before moving to the U.S. to attend the Art Institute of Chicago. He and Shainman have been together since 1995, often making a home in spaces tighter than this loft. For years, Vega says, we lived in a very little apartment; 11 years at Eighth Avenue and 21st Street.

Although, Shainman points out, we actually had big art in there. It made it look bigger.

The Entrance Hall: Vega, left, and Shainman seated on Judd chairs beneath paintings of different eras, including works by Gomez Bueno, Rodrigo de Villandrando, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Kerry James Marshall. Photo: Jason Schmidt

The Guest Room: The shelves, and 16-foot ceilings, create space for a collection of Charles Catteau pottery. Photo: Jason Schmidt

The Kitchen: The renovation included moving and enclosing the kitchen. Charles Catteau and Barry McGee ceramics are on the shelves. Photo: Jason Schmidt

The Dining Area I have had that Noguchi table since the early days of Washington D.C., 1985. The chairs have changed a few times because they just dont last, Shainman says the area they use for meetings and meals. Carlos Vegas Ivory Tower, 2012, made with stamps and oil paint on lead is on the back wall behind the table. Photo: Jason Schmidt

Dining Area Wall: Kerry James Marshalls Ecce Homo, 2008-2014, acrylic on PVC panel, hangs opposite the dining table. Photo: Jason Schmidt

View into Powder Room: Nick Caves Arm Peace, 2018, made of cast bronze, and vintage sunburst and tole flowers, hangs on the wall to the right of the kitchen door, at the far end of the entrance hall. Two 19th-century marble-panel rain water drains from India can be seen on the wall inside the powder room. Photo: Jason Schmidt
SCHENECTADY - Looking for something to do in Schenectady that's free, fun and musical? Check out the organ series at the GE Theatre at Proctor
Dr. Jagruti Sahoo, left, is among the cybersecurity experts on the SC State faculty.

ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State University has been redesignated as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense through the 2029 academic year by the National Security Agency (NSA).

SC State remains the only historically Black college or university (HBCU) in South Carolina to hold this designation.

This honor means that SC State is a leader in helping increase the understanding of cyber defense technology, policy, and practices  all to prevent and respond to cybersecurity events.

Dr. Nikunja Swain, chair of SC States Department of Computer Science and Mathematics and a professor of computer science, spearheaded the submission for the CAE Cyber Defense redesignation effort along with other faculty members within the department.

This redesignation -- along with the accreditation of our Computer Science Program by the Computing Accreditation Commission of Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology -- validates the quality of our Computer Science and Cybersecurity programs, Swain said. It helps us with recruitment, retention, getting external funding and training students in cybersecurity, which is a critical field with a huge shortage of workers.

It also helps in the university is planning to expand its Cybersecurity Program by offering an online graduate program in cybersecurity and that the cyber defense designation helps to make that possible, Swain said.

As the world operates increasingly in cyberspace, the threat from hackers and viruses multiplies. SC States Bachelor of Science degree in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity fulfills the growing demand for experts in this field to serve in a wide variety of jobs in areas such as government, commerce and education.

The CAE aims to address the lack of awareness and participation in cybersecurity using a multi-tier approach to cybersecurity education, training, and awareness in the undergraduate curriculum.

Your ability to meet the increasing demands of the program criteria will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure, Renae Weathers, the NSAs National CAE program manager, wrote in a letter confirming the redesignation. The National Cyber Strategy, September 2018, addresses the critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills and highlights the importance of higher education as a solution to defending Americas cyberspace.

Garnering redesignation resulted from a collaboration between Swains colleagues in the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics and Transportation. Swain also credited faculty in the SC State College of Business and Information Systems and the Criminal Justice Program.

He said the support of the SC State administration is key to the programs contribution toward filling a national need.

Swain also thanked Dr. Kim Muschalek, a professor at San Antonio College and director of the Cyber Innovation & Education Center, for serving as a resource for SC States redesignation effort.
Following the Lib Dem's clamber aboard the Taylor Swift bandwagon to have her made a Freeman of London, fans are now taking part in a social media campaign to have their idol made a Companion of Honour.

While Taylor might relish the privileges of roaming her sheep toll-free and being immune from arrest when drunk, it is unlikely to become reality.

After Ariana Grande's Manchester show was bombed in 2017, then-BBC host Jon Sopel tweeted to the late Queen: 'Dear Your Majesty, how about a Damehood for @arianagrande in the birthday honours. She has been MAGNIFICENT.'

Nothing came of it.

Taylor Swift performs on stage at Wembley Stadium in London on August 15

After the news 10 Downing Street is drawing up plans for when Larry the Cat heads for that great cattery in the sky, clergyman and Critic magazine columnist the Reverend Marcus Walker cheekily asks: 'But who will lead the BBC coverage now Huw Edwards is disgraced?'

Will Noel and Liam be warbling their hit Whatever during the Oasis reunion tour?

They still have to part with 20 per cent of the royalties to the estate of the late-Rutles star Neil Innes after it was proved the 1994 song bore a striking resemblance to titular song How Sweet To Be An Idiot from his 1973 album.

Thirty-six years after actor Roy Kinnear fatally fell off a horse filming in Spain, his son Rory, remains in contact.

Aged ten when he lost his dad, he tells Radio Times that he still sees him in dreams.

'I am able to go into that imagined landscape and have a hug from him and talk with him,' he says. 'It's a wonderful thing, what we are able as humans to do with our imaginative life.'

Rory Kinnear, whose father Roy Kinnear died after he fell off a horse while filming The Return Of The Musketeers in Spain, in 1988

Official verification that the Shroud of Turin dates from the time of Christ will have the late Professor Teddy Hall spinning in his grave.

When an earlier Vatican examination concluded it was medieval, ardent atheist Teddy jumped for joy declaring: 'Someone got a piece of linen and faked it up and flogged it.'

Princess Margaret's thirst for gin prompts former RAF officer Andrew Brookes to recall standing to attention as HRM's plane was taking off.

'Halfway down the taxiway it turned back,' he tells The Times. 'The VIP aircraft was out of gin and replenishments from the officers' mess were needed.'

Princess Margaret (left) and Queen Elizabeth (right) stand next to the Queen Mother as she waves to admirers on her 100th birthday celebration August 4, 2000

Nouvelle cuisine creator Michel Guerard, who died last week, also invented the ultra-healthy but miniscule 'minceur'.

One food critic once declared: 'If you want to find the meat, look under the pea.'

Parkinson's Disaese sufferer Billy Connolly tells the BBC series In My Own Words how he gave up booze: 'Alcohol does not make you clever. Once I was in a phone box and I could not find my way out. It's hardly Hampton Court Maze, is it?'
Back in 1944, despite the War, there was an enviable certainty to life as my mother helped fill Red Cross parcels for British prisoners of war.

The parcels assembly line at St Peter's hospital, Chertsey, was organised by her great aunt May Bowen, a tiny but indomitable baronet's widow who resembled a miniature Margaret Rutherford.

The dowager ran an efficient assembly line, and my mother, aged ten, had to stay alert in order to insert one Mars Bar into each box as it whooshed past her.

Other objects in Red Cross parcels could include Nestle's dried milk, Lusty's collops (meat slices), Crosse & Blackwell herrings, Peek Frean biscuits, Marmite and a small drum of Player's Navy Cut cigarettes.

After being sealed with the Red Cross's distinctive symbol, the parcels would be flown to Switzerland and then taken by lorry to German PoW camps to be distributed  with remarkably little larceny, it seems  to captured Allied servicemen.

Four British Red Cross nurses carrying gift parcels from the USA and elsewhere which are to be distributed to patients in various hospitals in March 1941

Princess Diana poses in her uniform as a patron for the British Red Cross Youth

Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross (pictured around 1900)

That Red Cross logo, an inversion of the Swiss flag, overcame all manner of bureaucratic obstruction. It had a magic, almost spiritual power that tended to suppress the usual venalities.

My mother had a particular interest in Red Cross parcels, because her Uncle Peter, an officer in the Tank Regiment, was being held in a PoW camp in Germany. When Peter Johnstone eventually returned home, in 1945, he was skeletal.

My grandmother's friends donated bread units from their ration books, and the newly liberated Peter sat there for days eating loaf after loaf until he slowly returned to a more normal size.

Red Cross parcels were important not just for morale, but also for the physical survival of thousands of starved PoWs. In my family, when we heard mention of that charity, it was therefore always 'the good old Red Cross'.

But that was in the days of simpler notions of right and wrong, when a few revered institutions occupied a precious no-man's-land in the public imagination. The same was true of the BBC, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the RSPCA and the British Legion: solid, constant, dependable. That was then. And now? Well, at least the British Legion is still unaffected. But the others?

Yesterday's Mail reported that the British Red Cross had issued a 12-page guide telling staff what to say and think. They should no longer address a gathering with the term 'ladies and gentlemen', because that would be insufficiently inclusive and might omit those who are neither male nor female.

Likewise, they should not say someone was 'born as a woman' or 'born as a man', because that could distress a trans person.

Terms such as 'pensioner', 'youngster' and 'elderly' are also out of bounds  hors de combat, as might once have been said about poor Peter because they could perpetuate negative stereotypes.

Red Cross employees should instead use terms such as 'everyone', 'all' or 'folk'. Oh, and one should never refer to a woman's 'maiden name'. Sexist, you see.

The flag of the International Red Cross flies as refugees fleeing Ukraine arrive at the Vysne Nemecke border crossing on March 13, 2022 in Slovakia

Women wearing duster coats on a production line packing American Red Cross prisoner of war food packages in 1943

Princess Diana signs a guest book while visiting a Red Cross centre on March 2, 1993 in Kathmandu, Nepal

Reading the report, I was struck not only by the silliness and corporate arrogance but also by the intellectual laziness. This sort of wokery is not exactly novel. Swathes of Whitehall and the charity world  the third sector as, pompously, it now likes to be called  have already fallen for its linguistic tyranny, and there has been plenty of criticism. So in some senses the Red Cross is only treading well-shelled ground.

But that possibly makes its involvement all the worse. It should have known this was bad territory.

Politicised pettiness about language has, in the past decade or so, driven otherwise intelligent souls on Left and Right round the twist. Even by using the expression 'round the twist', I may be laying myself open to furious denunciation by mental-health campaigners who may claim, wrongly, that I am seeking to make light of mental illness.

Such are the habitual, dreary realities of today's identity politics, which are fuelled by a charity-lobbying sector that pays top managers hundreds of thousands of pounds. The 2023 accounts of the British Red Cross, since you ask, show that it had 17 employees on more than 100,000 a year. One of them was on as much as 190,000.

The Red Cross's language code falls into what has become known as 'culture wars'. That term was initially adopted playfully from the 19th century expression Kulturkampf that described tensions between the Roman Catholic Church and the Prussian government of Otto von Bismarck.

Since their modern inception, culture wars have become anything but ironic and, as can be seen daily on social media, they are now genuinely bellicose.

The Red Cross was founded to rise above warfare. In the early 1860s, a prosperous Calvinist, Henry Dunant, from neutral Switzerland, proposed a network of national societies that could cooperate on relieving the suffering caused by war.

The original oil painting for a WWII Red Cross poster

A woman works on baskets for Red Cross medical supplies in June 1941

M Dunant happened to be in the vicinity when Napoleon beat the Austrian army at the Battle of Solferino.

He was so distressed by the plight of thousands of wounded and captured soldiers stumbling through the streets that he vowed to improve their lot.

In those days, and indeed for a long time thereafter, the Red Cross was run on a voluntary basis. Aunty May received no spondoolicks for her work in Chertsey. There were no third-sector mega-salaries in those days.

Henry Dunant's admirable campaign, which saw the Red Cross created in 1863, was important both in its humanitarian instincts and in establishing the value of an organisation that could be trusted on all sides in a combat. As was evident 81 years later, when my dear mother was doing her bit, the Red Cross could act as a go-between, not quite as a peacemaker, but as a conduit for pacific gestures.

Unless a few such institutions exist, peace becomes much harder to achieve.

Since the 1940s, the Red Cross has, to use a business term, diversified. There are still plenty of war zones around the world, not least Ukraine and the Middle East, in both of which regions the International Red Cross is at work, but the exigencies of professional corporatism have pushed the brand into wider activities.

The British Red Cross is now active in areas that might surprise some small donors (though not, presumably, our government, which in 2022, provided nearly 20 per cent of the charity's funds).

Today, it busies itself in 'cost of living support'  inverted commas seem advisable because the term has a party-political flavour  and in providing help for refugees. It also offers to help migrants bring their families to Britain. This may be a clement thing to do, but it is not meticulously neutral behaviour.

A soldier receiving a Christmas gift from the mission of the American Red Cross in Italy during World War I

Red cross flags fly in Italy to mark the 150th anniversary of the International Red Cross which was founded by Switss Henry Dunant after the battle of Solferino

The same British Red Cross, whose patron is the King, waded into politics in 2017, when it claimed that the government's handling of the NHS had led to a 'humanitarian crisis', a hyperbolic assertion immediately jumped on by the then leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn.

Celebrity backers of the British Red Cross include that noted non-combatant in politics, Gary Lineker.

The bossy little rulebook about language to staff can be seen in the same light. It stands in direct contravention of the Red Cross's important heritage of staying out of the fight.

Still the 'good old Red Cross'? Only, perhaps, if you consider maiden names a sexist atrocity. The rest of us might conclude that another of life's certainties has been taken captive by the enemy.
An 'infuriated' Aussie who was fed up with selfish neighbours taking up more parking space than they needed decided to take matters into his own hands.

Matt de Boer, a former AFL player living in Sydney, discussed the 'sneaky' trick he used to 'educate' the selfish parkers on a podcast with Dylan Buckley.

'So in Sydney you know what it's like to get a parking spot sometimes,' he said in a video.

'And right out the front of our house there was clearly room for four cars, you can tell to the eye there's room for four, but with the way people park there was always three.

'And I was like, selfish parking, it infuriated me because I'd come home and not be able to park out front. I had to try around the corner or it ended up being a fair walk.'

While Matt first considered writing a note to the 'selfish' neighbours, he decided there must be a better way to get the message across.

'So I went and bought fluorescent masking tape and Rach is just like, "what are you doing?".'

Matt then waited for it to be dark before he went out and measured what would be four parking bay equivalents, marking each spot out with the fluorescent tape.

Former AFL player Matt De Boer was 'infuriated' by 'selfish' drivers who took more space than they needed to park, so he decided to use fluorescent tape to mark out each spot clearly

The common problem of parkers taking up too much space and not leaving enough room for others is an annoying issue in many busy streets across Sydney

And his creative approach worked.

'Sure enough, I come back the next day and there's three cars parked beautifully in their spots and I took the fourth one,' he said.

'People are hungry to be led mate, you just need to show them sometimes.'

Aussies were impressed with Matt's direct approach to the common parking problem, praising him for taking charge of the issue himself.

'Absolute genius. I've said this for years now that councils should put lines down for all car spots on every street. This is why big car parks work, because there are dedicated parking spots,' one said.

Another suggested that Matt take it to the next level and get some spray paint to make the new parking bays 'official'.

This comes after drivers in Melbourne were outraged after spotting a giant GMC pick up tracking taking up two parking spots.

Fed-up with with these giant utes, many angry Aussies are demanding drastic action be taken against the owners.

And some councils across Australia are even investigating the possibility of charging drivers of super-sized vehicles extra to park their cars.

People were fired up in their response to the photo of the pick-up in the Melbourne shopping centre.

One Aussie was very blunt in their response: 'I hate those f***ing utes so much.'
The Norwegian Palace has confirmed Marius Borg Hiby will not attend the nation's wedding of the year this weekend as Princess Martha Louise and controversial shaman Durek Verrett tie the knot.

Self-proclaimed 'clairvoyant' Martha-Louise, 51, is marrying the celebrity shaman in Geiranger Fjord in western Norway, with the nuptials being covered exclusively by Netflix and Hello! magazine.

Royal guests listed on the Palace's website include King Harald and Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Astrid.

As Borg Hiby (who admitted assaulting his 'girlfriend' while 'intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol' following his arrest earlier this month) is not a working royal, it is not necessarily customary for the Palace to have included him in the list of royal attendees in the first place.

However, when contacted by FEMAIL, the Norwegian palace confirmed the embattled 27-year-old, who is Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, will not attend the big day.

The Norwegian Palace revealed Marius Borg Hiby, who is no longer a working member of the royal family , is not attending the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett

A palace spokesperson said: 'I can confirm that Marius Borg Hiby is not attending the wedding.'

A statement about the royal guestlist on the website read: 'Parts of the family will also be present during the [pre-wedding] event in Alesund on Thursday 29 August.

'The royal family is looking forward to being guests at Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett's wedding. The Royal Yacht Norge will be used as accommodation during the wedding.'

In a scandal that has rocked the country, Marius, who is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, issued a grovelling statement earlier this month saying sorry for attacking Rebecca Helberg Arntsen, citing his mental health diagnosis.

Norwegian tabloid VG has since published what they claimed were clips from two phone calls between the 27-year-old and his victim after the violent episode and vandalism in an apartment in Oslo on the night of August 4.

In the conversation, former motorcycle mechanic Borg Hiby, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, reportedly defends his assault as a 'little pat on the back... hit you with a flat hand'.

But the woman allegedly replies that he hit her a hundred times and strangled her at least five times until she struggled to breathe, according to the Norwegian report after it was translated into English.

Borg Hiby also reportedly threatens to burn the victim's belongings in a bin if she doesn't collect them from Skaugum Castle, his family's official residence, by a certain time.

Elsewhere in the calls, which were said to have taken place before Borg Hiby was arrested by the police at 4.10pm, the Prince's stepson allegedly mentions a third person, claiming they are scared 'because I'm going to kill him'.

Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett is marrying the celebrity shaman in Geiranger Fjord in western Norway, with the nuptials being covered exclusively by Netflix and Hello! magazine next weekend

Marius Borg Hoiby (4-R) and Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit (2-R) with other members of the royal family arrive for a government's party event in Oslo

The individual isn't named by VG, but the publication does state that they are known to both Borg Hiby and his 'girlfriend'.

The audio is reportedly part of the police investigation against Borg Hiby, who was arrested and placed in police custody for 30 hours, according to local reports.

He has been accused of causing bodily harm and injuring a woman with whom he was having a relationship.

In the first conversation, Borg Hiby reportedly says loudly: 'Yes, you should. If not, I'll burn up all your stuff', after explaining that he wants the woman to collect her belongings from him.

When the victim asks why he would do this, he replies: 'Because you deserve all the s*** I can throw at you,' and refers to his girlfriend in derogatory terms, according to the publication.

'Your clothes are on fire at 4pm. 4pm. Everything you own is already in the space outside here. And I have a large can of petrol and a lighter in my hand. Do you hear that? You will be here at 4pm,' says Borg Hiby.

'Then I'll set fire to your things', he adds, after the woman - who has apparently lived in Skaugum Castle with Borg Hiby and his mother and stepfather during certain points in the past year - insists she will not go to the 27-year-old.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Marius Borg Hoiby arrive at Ravnakloa fish market on June 23, 2016 in Trondheim

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) 'allegedly threatened to set fire to and burn the girl's clothes and belongings' whilst on the phone, reported Se og Hr

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

The two were in a relationship, according to VG, and Borg Hiby apologised to 'my girlfriend' in his statement on Wednesday. In July, Borg Hiby announced he was dating Rebecca Helberg Arntsen.

However 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 Prince's stepson has already pleaded guilty and says he is ready to serve out whatever sentence is handed down, his lawyer Oyvind Bratlien told Norway's TV2 television.

But the scandal of the Norway Royal Family's black sheep Borg Hibys arrest has damaged some Norwegians affection for their monarchy, MailOnline previously revealed.

Traditionally the people of Norway are even more fervent royalists than Britons, but we found that young people in particular were less forgiving of Borg Hibys behaviour.

It comes after Princess Martha Louise of Norway's big day was hit with even more drama on her fiance's side of the family.

The couple more recently becoming embroiled in a public row with Durek's estranged mother, 81, and the Norwegian monarch facing renewed calls to strip his daughter of her princess title.

Last month, the couple reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter to his estranged 81-year-old mother and threatened legal action over her 'slander' and 'false statements'.

Durek explained on Instagram how the pair believe their decision is 'the only remaining option for change'.

He said his mother Veruschka Urquhart has 'repeatedly slandered our characters through false statements showing a significant lack of care and love towards Martha, myself, and our respective families'.

In interviews with celebrity magazine Se og Hr, Veruschka has labelled her son 'dangerous', alleging that he had 'brainwashed' the princess and that their family was not as wealthy as Durek has tried to make out.

The publication claimed last month to be sharing the 'shock letter, word for word', in which Martha has reportedly threatened her future mother-in-law with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, if she does not retract what she has said.

The letter from 'Shaman Durek and Princess Martha Louise' allegedly reads: 'We are writing to order you to refrain from defaming, disparaging and making false and provocative statements about Shaman Durek.

Princess Martha (pictured in 2021) was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiance's controversial views

Shaman Durek and Princess Martha of Norway are pictured in West Hollywood in 2022

Undated photo of Shaman Durek with his mother Veruschka Urquhart, who has given interviews to local media in recent months

Princess Martha Louise of Norway (pictured, right) will wed her fiance Shaman Durek Verrett (pictured, left) in August

'If you do not fully and loyally comply with this order, and choose not to deny your statements, Shaman Durek will use the civil remedies at his disposal against you to the extent possible under the law, including seeking damages of millions of dollars. To put it plainly, Shaman Durek will sue you.'

The princess's manager reportedly confirmed to newspaper VG that the letter was sent from the royal and her partner.

Following the reports, Durek took to Instagram to explain his reasoning, saying: 'I wanted to clarify Martha Louise's and my recent decision to issue a cease-and-desist letter to my mother, Veruschka.

'VGs research earlier this year has uncovered Veruschka being in a paid contract with Se og Hr, and she has, because of this contract, repeatedly slandered our characters through false statements showing a significant lack of care and love towards Martha, myself, and our respective families.

'The cease-and-desist letter directly addresses these issues and is a standard procedure in the United States when defamatory situations occur.

'Regrettably, we have found the cease-and-desist letter to be the only remaining option for change. We are sorry that it has come to this step. We see no other options.'

He continued in the post: 'Veruschka has been estranged from much of our family for a considerable period.'

In April, Martha Louise furiously hit back at her future mother-in-law's claims that Durek 'was not from a wealthy family'.

In a defiant Instagram post, the royal included comments from one of Durek's former classmates who insisted he was 'one of the richest kids' in their school.

Martha Louise's social media rant comes after her future mother-in-law Veruschka gave another interview to celebrity magazine Se og Hr - having previously labelled her son 'dangerous' and alleging that he had 'brainwashed' the royal.

In the bombshell interview, Veruschka commented on the family's finances and claimed they were not as wealthy as Durek - who previously told Vanity Fair that he had access to a private plane growing up - has tried to make out.

Accusing the publication of 'spreading lies', the royal wrote: 'This time they are repeating the lie that Durek was not from a wealthy family as a child [...], when the truth is that he grew up in a good neighbourhood, his mom left him at an early age and it was in reality his mom not having money, not him.

Princess Martha Louise, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, spoke to the BBC in May 2023 after announced she was stepping back from royal duties in November, admitting it had been a process filled with 'turmoil'.

The Norwegian royal discussed how her fiance's controversial 'views' had contributed to how the public viewed her position in the royal family.

She said: 'The Norwegian people I guess... have decided it's best for me to step down because of his views about things.'

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.
UPDATE:

ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State Universitys annual Fall Convocation scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12, has been relocated to the Martin Luther King Auditorium on campus.

The event had been scheduled to occur in Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, but unforeseen circumstances required SC State to change the venue.

Fall Convocation will begin at 3 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.

Freshmen students are required to attend. Because of the size of the freshman class, SC State will be unable to accommodate the public at the event.

Naida Rutherford About Naida Rutherford

Rutherfords journey from homelessness to becoming a history-making public official is a testament to resilience, service, and determination. In 2020, she was elected to serve as the coroner of Richland County, South Carolina  home to the states capital.

Her victory made her the first woman, first medical professional, and first African American to hold this position in the offices 173-year history.

Rutherford quickly gained national recognition, not just for her role as Coroner but also as an inspiring motivational speaker. Featured in USA Today, she has cultivated a strong social media presence, especially after launching innovative youth programs designed to introduce young people to unconventional career paths, like investigating causes of death. Rutherford enjoys bringing popular crime shows like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators" to life for her audiences, offering a glimpse into the real-world side of forensic science.

Based in Columbia, Rutherford is also a nationally board-certified nurse practitioner, dedicating her medical expertise to serving underserved communities. Through her "ASK A DOCTOR" series, she bridges the gap between medical professionals and community needs, providing crucial resources and information.

Whether dealing with natural or unnatural deaths, Rutherford approaches her work with compassion, guiding families through the shock and sorrow of loss. She believes that every individuals passing carries a unique story that deserves to be told with dignity, empathy, and justice.

Her lifes work is driven by the belief that no matter the circumstances surrounding someones death, their truth is vital and worthy of being heard. Rutherfords journey from adversity to leadership is a powerful example of how determination and a commitment to serve can transform livesnot just her own, but those of the people she serves every day.
A would-be wedding guest was shocked to learn that she had be disinvited from a destination wedding after she'd already shelled out $1K on flights for the big day.

A Redditor posted under the username, 'Powerful-Lettuce-999,' and wrote: 'Just got uninvited from a destination wedding,' in the popular 'wedding' subreddit.

The guest, who is based in America, explained in the post that the bride notified their university friend group about the wedding day in Asia, a year prior.

She had already booked her expensive plane ticket, when her friend group got a text from the bride stating: 'Hey guys, I'm so sorry to tell you this, but I don't have any accommodation left for y'all for the wedding.

'I sincerely apologize. I hope y'all haven't booked tickets as yet.'

A stunned guest has been disinvited from a destination wedding after they spent $1,000 on flights (pictured is the Reddit post)

A Redditor posted under the username, 'Powerful-Lettuce-999,' and wrote: 'Just got uninvited from a destination wedding,' in the popular 'wedding' subreddit (stock image)

The shocked guest messaged the bride privately, and told her: 'Hey, I literally just booked my tickets and everything, like three days ago, cause our agent knew and found something (I dont think the rest did idk).

'Im gonna try to cancel, but I dont think I can. I understand how the space was limited [for] family and all that, so its fine, no worries.'

The bride told the Redditor to let her know if she can't cancel the flight, and that she'll 'figure something out.'

The bride also told the guest: 'Please don't tell the rest of the group,' and added as a head's up that 'the hotel staff are not budging on accommodations.'

The Redditor was left with two options.

The first being to 'cancel and get a partial refund.'

As for the second option, she explained: 'I can attend and feel like its an obligatory invite because I was uninvited.

'If I attend, my friends would feel horrible that I got to go and they didn't.'

The guest, who is based in America, explained in the post that the bride notified their university friend group about the wedding day in Asia, a year prior

The guest admitted in the post: 'Please some advice? I am feeling so embarrassed, because I already told my friends and family I was invited to a destination wedding, and to tell people I was uninvited is so embarrassing.

'I was super excited about this, and really happy for her. I feel so icky about all of this.

'I wish she had at least extended wedding invites if they cant do accommodations. Id understand and book my own accommodation.'

The Redditor went back to 'edit' her post and added: 'My friend did message her in the group chat to ask if we are no longer being given accommodations or no invites in general.

'She did tell me privately that she will adjust and accommodate me if I cant cancel my tickets. But, please do not tell the rest, as she needs to cut the list.'

The Redditor provided further insight in the comments.

One person commented: 'Are there zero hotels or Airbnb's in the area?'

The guest responded: 'There's plenty. So that's why I'm confused. Like, I'm going to ask her again if the issue is accommodation or wedding size in general.'

She had already booked her plane ticket, when her friend group got a text from the bride saying: 'Hey guys, I'm so sorry to tell you this, but I don't have any accommodation left for y'all'

Another person commented: 'Y'all can't just stay somewhere else? This is so weird.'

The Redditor replied: 'Exactly! This option has not been presented to us yet. But even if she now says, "please feel free to stay elsewhere and still attend," would you still go after how she rescinded the invited? I'm not sure what to do.'

The post got more than 230 votes and 69 mixed comments.

Some users came up with theories as to why the awkward situation occurred.

One person wrote: 'Makes me think she invited way more people than she could have accommodated, and didnt think that many people would actually show up for her destination wedding.'

A second person added: 'Sounds like [the] bride is over budget, and is cutting her invite list to save money. Guests could always book their own hotel.'

Most users provided the guest with advice.

One person wrote: 'She's trash for this and I'd honestly still take the trip and forget her wedding and unfriend her.'

The bride continued: 'I sincerely apologize. I hope y'all haven't booked tickets as yet'

A second person added: 'I say go to Asia anyway and just do something else besides that wedding. Thats what I would do.'

A third person commented: 'Screw this "friend." If you cant cancel your plane, change it and go somewhere else. Life is too short to have people like that in it.'

A fourth person wrote: 'I went to S.E. Asia by myself and had the BEST time. Go to Asia [and] skip the wedding! Have a great time!'

A fifth person added: 'Id be cutting this person off and making this into a vacation.'

One person wrote: 'Keep your tickets, go have a great vacation, and dont give her a second thought.'

Another person commented: 'I would take the vacation and ditch the wedding.'
Prices of over 450 products at Woolworths will be reduced from Wednesday

Woolworths is set to drop the price of more than 450 products as part of its spring program.

From Wednesday, prices will be reduced by up to 23 per cent with products including meat, dairy buys, snacks, pantry staples along with salad dressings and cleaning buys.

Top customer favourites include Woolworths RSPCA Approved Chicken Wings, reduced to $7 from $9, Woolworths Beef Sizzle Schnitzel, reduced to $10 from $12, and Dettol Multipurpose Cleaner Surface Spray Disinfectant Citrus now $3.50 from $7.

Other markdowns include Champagne Leg Ham Sliced From The Deli (now $20 per kilo), McCain Beer Batter Steakhouse Chips (was $5.80, now $5.20), Peters Maxibon ice cream (was $10.50, now $7) and Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Blueberry Yoghurt (was $2.60, now $1.70).

Woolworths Chief Commercial Officer Paul Harker said the new program was created in response to customer demand.

'Our customers have told us they're looking for value more than ever before,' he said.

'This spring we have more than 450 products dropping in price to help them better manage their budgets, especially as Australians reconnect more with family and friends over meals and occasions as the months warm up.

'In addition to our seasonal campaign, we're also introducing a range of products at a Lower Shelf Price to provide customers with even more ways for their budget to go further for more sustained periods of time at Woolworths.

From Wednesday, prices of more than 450 items at Woolworths will be reduced by up to 23 per cent

'All customers need to do is look out for the red Lower Shelf Price ticket in store and online to find the products that have had their shelf price lowered. We continue to work hard to provide customers with value when shopping with us,' Mr Harker added.

It comes after the supermarket giant announced the launch of a new Scan&Go trolley feature - but copped backlash from customers online.

The Scan&Go Trolley trial in Sydney allows shoppers to scan their items as they shop using a tablet device.

Before shopping, customers can unlock a tablet by scanning their Everyday Rewards card and placing it on a trolley.

The groceries can be tracked easily and paid for in one transaction without the need to remove any items.

Discounted buys include meat, dairy, snacks, pantry staples along with salad dressings and cleaning products

WOOLWORTHS PRICE DROP: TOP DEALS Essentials Tuna 425g - now $3.30, down from $3.50, lowered by 5.7 per cent Woolworths Greek Yoghurt 1kg - now $4.20, down from $4.40, lowered by 4.5 per cent Essentials Sugar White 1kg - now $1.80, down from $2, lowered by 10 per cent Pauls Protein Yoghurt 160g - now $2.30, down from $2.90, lowered by 20.7 per cent Do Good Labs Mix 115-120g - now $3.50, down from $4.50, lowered by 22.2 per cent Bulla Double Cream 200ml - now $4.30, down from $4.80, lowered by 10.4 per cent Woolworths Beef Sizzle Schnitzel 400g (was $12.00, now $10.00) Woolworths Chicken RSPCA Approved Chicken Wings 1.38kg - 1.8kg (was $9, now $7) Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Blueberry Yoghurt 150g (was $2.60, now $1.70) Peters Maxibon Vanilla 4 Pack (was $10.50, now $7) Dettol Multipurpose Cleaner Surface Spray Disinfectant Citrus 750ml (was $7, now $3.50) Kellogg's Guardian 360g - now $6.50, down from $7.50, lowered by 13.3 per cent Advertisement

The new offering is being trialled at Woolworths Windsor in Sydney's North West with plans to also launch in Warringah Mall, The Ponds, Kellyville North, Lane Cove, Kellyville, Oran Park, Kellyville Grove, Schofields Town Centre and North Parramatta.

But shoppers on TikTok were outraged and claimed the new feature makes them feel like they're Woolworths employees.

'So do we get discount since we do all the work for Woolies?' one wrote.

'Adding "Woolies employee" to my resume,' another said.

A third added: 'So do I work at Woolworths now?'

'Our customers are looking for us to deliver both value and convenience,' Woolworths Group's Faye IIhan said in a statement.

'Scan&Go Trolley is a market-leading innovation that will help them both save time and balance the budget on their supermarket shop.

'Pending feedback from our customers, we hope to introduce Scan&Go Trolley in more of our supermarkets nationwide.'
In 2015, Danielle and Alexander Meitiv let their 10 and six-year-old children walk home alone from a park in Silver Springs, Maryland.

Halfway through their trip, the kids were stopped by police and within days, the parents were under investigation for neglect.

Mr and Mrs Meitiv were blasted across social media for letting children roam free in a dangerous world, subject to kidnapping or worse.

Their case highlights how much our culture has been warped by the idea of 'stranger danger' - a decades-old concept that any unknown person is a threat.

When we teach kids that the world is awful, they believe us, even when its not accurate or healthy.

Studies have found that the odds of a child being kidnapped by a stranger is far less than one percent

Every kidnapping is a tragedy. But most fears of strangers are misplaced: the actual risk of a child being abducted and killed by an unknown person is estimated to be 0.00007 percent.

By comparison, your odds of being struck by lightning are about 0.0065 percent - so you're more likely to be struck by lightning than to be kidnapped by a stranger as a child.

As a parent to two daughters myself, I understand these urges.

But as a Stanford University psychologist seeing an epidemic of young adults struggling with depression and anxiety, I believe that stranger danger mania may be hurting younger generations more than helping them.

Thirty-five years before the Meitivs troubles, in 1981, Reve Walsh brought her six-year-old son Adam to a Sears department store in Hollywood, Florida.

He waited by an Atari video game display while she shopped for lamps.

When she returned minutes later, Adam was gone. Within two weeks, Reve would learn Adam had been kidnapped and murdered.

Mrs Walsh lived every parents nightmare, and soon that terror became an American fascination.

Reves husband, Johnwho would later host Americas Most Wantedtestified to Congress that the country was littered with strangled children, claiming that 50,000 kids were taken by strangers each year.

Coverage of abductions shot up dramatically during the 1980s. I grew up during this period and remember eating cereal while gazing at images of kidnapped children on milk cartons.

By 1987, almost half of American kids thought they were 'very likely' to go missing.

Violent crime has dropped enormously since then, and yet a 2024 survey found more than a quarter of American parents remain 'extremely worried' their child will be abducted.

In the 1960s, young people trusted others more than older adults. But after years of stranger danger, the trend reversed, making Gen Z the least trusting generation on record.

Young adults have also been ravaged by surging loneliness, depression, and anxiety - and I think it's possible that the distrust we've built into them could be a factor in it.

Dr Jamil Zaki is a Stanford University psychologist and author

University of Pennsylvania psychologists found in a 2021 study that parents believe that to succeed, their kids must think of the world as dangerous and competitive.

This leaks into our behavior in at least two ways.

The first is what Jonathan Haidt, an influential New York University social psychologist, calls safetyism, or doing anything to prevent our kids from harm.

Safetyism is physicalnot allowing kids to climb trees or race bikesbut its also social.

More than ever before, kids are prevented from spending time in community settings, like parks and public pools, without their parents.

A 2022 study found that 94 percent of news stories about childrens independence painted that independence in a negative light. Other research found that people tend to judge parents who give their kids freedom as bad parents.

Through safetyism, we send a strong signal that people we dont know are not to be trusted.

The second is parents stepping in to solve childrens social problems. As a parent, I too wither when my kids are suffering, and if I had a button that would brighten their mood, Id press it repeatedly.

But stepping in - especially when your kid is dealing with issues with their peers, can backfire.

As child psychiatrist Meghan Walls put it, by solving our childrens problems for them, we interfere with our childrens ability to develop the effective coping mechanisms needed to deal with these challenges.

I would add that our meddling also teaches children that other kids are menaces.

Safetyism and intervention are usually well-intentioned, but they are also exactly backwards.

Scientists have studied how life turns out for kids who are raised with a more trusting, open view of the world versus kids who are raised to be shut off.

They found that people who saw the world as safe were happier, more fulfilled, and more successful than their warier counterparts.

Cynics suffered from greater mental and physical illness, and even died younger than their more trusting counterparts.

John Walsh, the host of America's Most Wanted, tragically lost his son Adam to a kidnapping and murder in 1981

In other words, by shielding our kids from short term, fictional dangers, we're steering them into more long term, real risk- of losing out on love, friendship, and community.

Rather than driving our kids into fear and isolation, we can help open them to the world.

Two strategies can help here. First, we can point children to stranger goodness.

Media portrays the world as terrifying. As a result, research has found that the more people tune in, the more they think crime is rampant, even when its decreasing.

Real people are much more trustworthy, generous, friendly, and open minded than we realize. The average person underestimates the average stranger, and science proves it.

But we can look more closely, and so can our children. With my own kids, I try a practice called social savoring.

My daughters and I regularly trade stories of kindness weve seen throughout the day. This helps them notice the helpers around us, who are everywhere.

Second, we can let children tackle their own problems and manage their own relationships.

My brilliant, late friend, neuroscientist Emile Bruneau described this parenting style as under-bearing attentiveness. This includes being present and available for young people, but not stepping in to help until they ask, and even then asking them for ideas instead of offering them.

Research bears out his thinking. When parents gave children social independence in older studies, they experienced less stress at school and greater faith and positive feelings towards their peers.

We can get our kids into this healthier mindset. To help our kids thrive, we can tell help them see the good all around them. To help them have faith in others, we can start by putting more faith in them.

Jamil Zaki is a professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.
Three years ago Ray Weaver was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease  just weeks after taking early retirement from a career in education.

It was a cruel blow. The disease is incurable and caused by the loss of nerve cells in the brain, leading to a drop in levels of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine regulates the bodys movements and without enough of it, muscles become rigid, causing frequent freezing, tremors and bradykinesia  or slow movements.

Ray, 59, who lives in Aigburth, Liverpool with his wife Angela, 67, told Good Health: My initial symptoms, which began months before the diagnosis, included pains in my right shoulder, then difficulty walking.

Yet despite the diagnosis, there was some hope that, with the right medication  in this case a drug called ropinirole (which reduces Parkinsons symptoms by copying the effects of natural dopamine in the brain)  Ray might still have a reasonable quality of life.

Initially it worked nicely, he says, although it helped that I am relatively young and did not at the time have problems such as tremors.

Ray Weaver, 59, lives in Aigburth, Liverpool, with his wife Angela, 67

But over the past six months, Rays condition has deteriorated. He has lost mobility and strength and worsening muscular stiffness now seriously affects his walking.

I get more and more out of control, losing balance and staggering backwards, he explains. Negotiating obstacles such as steps are a problem. And if Im standing still it is difficult to start moving.

Yet without his medication Ray knows his health would be declining faster still, and whats making matters much worse for him is that supplies of ropinirole  the drug he so depends on  have become perilously scarce.

Nationwide shortages of the medicine meant that towards the end of last year, he could no longer get the dose that he is prescribed.

I can only get 250mcg  whereas I need doses of 750mcg, he says.

Now Im having to swallow three times as many pills. Thats a total of 606 tablets every month.

Yet Parkinsons makes it very difficult to swallow, because it affects the muscles in your throat. Plus, each pill is hard to take out of the blister packs because of my worsening dexterity. Its very tiring.

The ropinirole shortage is part of a much wider problem involving a range of prescription medications.

And surveys show these shortages now affect around half of all UK adults.

Experts say the problem has numerous causes but the main one is that most generic medicines (cheaper copies of branded drugs, which account for 80 per cent of all medicines prescribed on the NHS) are made in far-flung places across Asia, for instance. That leaves supply chains prone to sudden failures in production and transport.

Ray and Angela have both struggled to get supplies of their medication. Ray, who suffers from Parkinson's disease and takes ropinirole, says: I was always on edge about running out of pills, because if I stop the drug my symptoms intensify and the condition progresses more quickly'

Rays problems peaked in February, when even the supply of 250mcg ropinirole pills dried up. He was forced to drive around all his local pharmacies to get enough pills to get him through the next few days.

As Ray explains: One chemist would be able to fill, say, a quarter of my prescription, but theyd keep the prescription form (which is standard practice when dispensing medication). So in the same day, Id have to go back to my GP for another prescription. I could spend three hours just sourcing pills for the next few days.

I was always on edge about running out of pills, because if I stop the drug my symptoms intensify and the condition progresses more quickly.

And hes not alone, says Rowan Wathes, associate director of policy at Parkinsons UK: Weve heard from many people with Parkinsons who have been forced to make their medication last longer than intended and visit multiple pharmacies to get their vital drugs.

Being unable to get hold of a drug you rely on to manage your condition can cause your symptoms to deteriorate, sometimes irreversibly. It can result in difficulty moving, pain and additional distress and anxiety.

Mercifully, ropinirole pills are now back on pharmacy shelves  albeit only in 250mcg doses.

Meanwhile, pharmacists are complaining of shortages of other vital drugs  including antibiotics, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as well as medicines for asthma, epilepsy and ADHD.

Chemotherapy drugs and medicines for people with cystic fibrosis have also been squeezed.

In July, a survey of more than 1,200 UK chemists found that seven in ten said medicine shortages have put patients at risk in past six months.

One area of particular concern is Creon  a drug which mimics an enzyme thats vital for people who have survived pancreatic cancer, or who have the genetic condition cystic fibrosis, which blocks the pancreas and lungs with mucus.

If patients stop taking Creon, their bodies dont absorb the crucial vitamins A, D, E and K  and they can become more sick and lose weight.

Rays wife Angela has also been affected. She has struggled to get hold of a vital drug for her primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune condition that causes progressive liver disease and eventually, liver failure.

In PBC, the bile ducts in the liver become injured and inflamed and are eventually destroyed. Bile accumulates and causes liver damage, which in turn causes bone and joint aches, extreme fatigue and abdominal pains.

Angela, a retired teacher, told Good Health: I have suffered with PBC for more than a decade.

The drug in question is azathioprine [a generic drug that was originally made under the brand name, Imuran] which suppresses my immune system.

It started becoming difficult to get hold of two years ago. I have to get it from a hospital pharmacy, but shortages mean that I have to go from hospital to hospital to source them.

But she can only get 75mg doses  rather than the 25mg dose she is prescribed  so has to cut them up herself at home.

Angela says: Its very difficult. Sometimes I cut a bit too much, sometimes a bit too little. But its my only option.

Its a constant worry. Overdosing can cause ulceration of the throat, fever and infections, as well as bleeding and fatigue. Fortunately my body seems to have been tolerating the mishaps.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry blames manufacturing problems in countries such as China and India, where production can be halted by shortages of raw materials, factory breakdowns and distribution problems.

Shortages are also increasing as global demand for drugs grows ever greater, due primarily to a growing worldwide population who are older and living with conditions that need medication.

In January, the European Union announced a system in which its 27 members may stockpile supplies of 200 commonly used medications, such as antibiotics, painkillers and vaccines.

But whats the solution for the UK? Some leading analysts are proposing that Britain re-energises its domestic drug-manufacturing industry, to ensure a steady supply of life- saving medications.

Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Manufacturers Association, says successive governments have failed to promote domestic production of generic medicines.

In the past five years approximately 4billion of investment has been put into manufacturing sites in Europe by governments there, while almost nothing has been directed here, he says.

Our industry is built on high volumes and razor-thin margins which combine to save the NHS billions of pounds annually, but it needs a supportive environment.

Diederik Stadig, healthcare economist at the Dutch banking giant ING, adds: UK shortages are worsening because profit margins for generic drugs are very low. So their production is centralised in India and China, where they can be made cheaply in a few factories that produce the lions share of the market.

The Americans pay more for generics than Europeans. So when production problems arise, they get the drugs first and we get the delays.

The solution, he says, is to restore manufacturing capacity in the UK and Europe. It may mean paying more, but thats a price we will have to accept.

The UK has a tremendous amount of pharmaceutical expertise in its drug companies, says Mr Stadig. You would think that with all that ability, Britons could make more generic drugs with relative ease. It is frankly surprising that they dont.

Carl Heneghan, a professor of evidence-based medicine at the University of Oxford and author of two papers on drug-shortage problems last year in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, agrees.

The revival of a drug-making industry in the UK as a way of improving resilience is essential to solve the problem. Its odd no one has yet twigged this is the only solution for the shortages.

We have the technology and manufacturing ability to build new factories with government support that would ensure that we have adequate supplies of quality-assured generic medicines that we could also sell at a profit into the world markets, he says.

This issue should be the first thing the new Commons health select committee should be lobbying ministers about when it reforms for the new Parliament.

Indeed, unless something is done soon it looks likely that UK patients problems will only worsen. As a report by analysts at the Nuffield Trust in May said, there are now more than double the number of notifications by drugs companies warning of impending shortages than there were three years ago.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: Medicine supply chains are complex, global and highly regulated. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the UK, as well as other countries around the world.

Our priority is to ensure patients continue to get the treatments they need. Where there are supply issues, we work with industry, the NHS and others to ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock.
Have YOU been affected by the West Nile virus outbreak?

Fears are growing over the spread of the deadly West Nile virus after two more people die in Spain having been bitten by mosquitos.

Five victims have now succumbed to West Nile virus since the start of the year in the Seville region.

The last two to die both lived in Coria del Rio on the banks of the Guadalquivir River where another person died earlier this year. One is known to have been a 71-year-old man who had been admitted to intensive care at a hospital in Seville.

The regional Junta de Andalucia government said overnight it had identified ten new cases of the illness as concern rose in the area.

On July 19, Granada Romero Ruiz's family confirmed the 86-year-old had lost her fight for life at Seville's Virgen del Rio Hospital following her admission on July 11 and confirmation she had West Nile virus.

Fears are growing over the spread of the deadly West Nile virus after two more people die in Spain having been bitten by mosquitos (file image)

On July 19, Granada Romero Ruiz's (pictured) family confirmed the 86-year-old had lost her fight for life at Seville's Virgen del Rio Hospital following her admission on July 11 and confirmation she had West Nile virus

Her son Antonio Pineda said at the time she was in perfect health before she was bitten by a mosquito and claimed her death could have been avoided if areas near her home in La Puebla del Rio a half-hour drive south of Seville had been properly fumigated.

The other two victims came from the town of Dos Hermanos and Coria del Rio.

WHAT IS WEST NILE VIRUS? West Nile virus is a disease spread by mosquitoes, which carry it from birds. It was discovered in Uganda in the 1930s and is now found on almost every continent in the world. It's commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia. It is rare for people in the UK to get infected with the illness on holiday and nobody has ever caught it while in Britain, according to the NHS. It generally takes between three and 14 days for the disease to develop. About 80 per cent of people who are infected don't have any symptoms but those who do may experience fluey feelings, feel sick and develop a rash. In more serious cases, which are rare, people can develop meningitis or brain and nerve damage, which may be deadly. There is no vaccine for West Nile Virus and no cure. Sources: NHS and WHO Advertisement

British holidaymakers travelling to Spain have been warned about the deadly West Nile virus for the past few years.

Pablo Barreiro, an expert in infectious diseases, warned after a deadly outbreak in 2020 claimed the lives of two people in Seville and put eight in hospital intensive care, that it could spread to the whole of Spain.

He said at the time: 'Only about two to five per cent of the cases present symptoms.

'It's an illness that can go unnoticed very easily.'

Last month the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) sounded the alarm, with its director Andrea Ammon saying: 'Europe is already seeing how climate change is creating more favourable conditions for invasive mosquitoes to spread into previously unaffected areas and infect more people with diseases such as dengue.

'Increased international travel from dengue-endemic countries will also increase the risk of imported cases, and inevitably also the risk of local outbreaks.'

West Nile virus, spread by the Culex mosquito, first reached Spain in 2004 with horses being most affected.

Elderly people and those with underlying health conditions like diabetes and cancer are most at risk, but it can cause meningitis in children.

Wetlands and swimming pools in countryside areas have been identified as the places where the mosquitoes carrying the virus are most likely to be found.

La Puebla del Rio Town Hall, in a statement on X posted last month after Granada's death showing her enjoying a beer and looking a picture of health just weeks before she fell ill, said: 'We deeply regret the death of Granada, affected by West Nile virus.

'We will work tirelessly so that all public providers do the utmost against this virus and there is a permanent strategy in place to tackle mosquitoes.'

In recent times, the ECDC has reported 713 locally acquired cases of West Nile virus across nine different European countries - a shocking figure that resulted in the tragic loss of 67 lives and saw the virus creeping into 22 fresh regions previously untouched by it.

Last year's main hotspots for the deadly virus were Italy, Greece, Romania, Hungary, and Spain.
The number of children referred for specialist anxiety treatment has doubled in just four years, striking new figures have shown.

More than 200,000 children in England  or 4,000 every week  were waiting to begin treatment in the past year.

This is up more than 100,000 on 2019/2020 when almost 99,000 were stuck in the queue.

Experts, who labelled the figures 'shocking', today blamed exam worries, social media's influence and the cost of living crisis on the 'staggering' rise.

But they warned the stats may only be the tip of the iceberg, with other children suffering in silence under the radar.

More than 200,000 children in England  or 4,000 every week  were waiting to begin treatment in the past year. This is up more than 100,000 on 2019/2020 when almost 99,000 were stuck in the queue

A 2022 joint survey of 1,130 teachers conducted by the children's mental health charity Place2Be and the National Association of Head Teachers also found an increase in emotional and mental health issues among pupils since the pandemic

The new figures, from NHS England, found there were 204,526 new referrals for patients aged 17 or under where the primary cause was anxiety in 2023/24.

By comparison, in 2019-20  the year before Covid struck  this stood at 98,953. In 2016-17 it was 3,879.

The health service does not record the reasons for referrals for anxiety. But experts today cited a range of factors behind the surge.

Andy Bell, the chief executive of the charity the Centre for Mental Health told The Guardian: 'These stark figures underline the urgency of addressing children and young people's mental health today.

He added: 'Our research indicates that academic pressures, particularly those related to exams, have intensified in the past decade.

'Rising levels of poverty and inequality have also contributed to increased anxiety among children and young people, including factors such as financial stress within households and the impact of racism.

'Evidence also suggests that online harms, such as cyberbullying and pressures around appearance, are relentless and can fuel anxiety in children.

'The pandemic has amplified these pressures on children and young people by disrupting their routines and increasing feelings of isolation and uncertainty about the world and their futures.'

Dr Elaine Lockhart, the chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists child and adolescent faculty, also said medics had seen first-hand 'a dramatic rise in the number of children and young people experiencing anxiety' in recent years.

Dozens of studies have also recently highlighted how the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hindered children's development.

Youngsters from all economic backgrounds have suffered setbacks to their emotional and social development, researchers have found.

Unprecedented stay-at-home orders and the closure of schools were among the key policies introduced at the start of the pandemic.

Ministers had little choice but to shelter society once the virus reached the UK, after being warned that hundreds of thousands could die without immediate action.

Vaccines  considered the only safe route out of the pandemic  were still months away from being deployed.

Responding to the figures, Claire Murdoch, NHS England's national mental health director, said mental health services were experiencing record demand due to children facing 'unprecedented pressures'.

Between April 2021 and October 2021, the number of children aged under 18 needing care for issues ranging from self-harm to eating disorders had increased by 77 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, according to NHS figures

Giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry last year, former chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, said the full impact of lockdowns had failed to be considered. While she acknowledged she agreed with lockdown in principle, the impact had 'damaged a generation', she claimed

'The NHS is expanding services to treat more children and young people than ever before, including rolling out hundreds of mental health teams in schools,' she said.

Any parents or guardians concerned about their child's mental health should explore the Every Mind Matters website for advice, or seek help via their GP or local mental health service, she added.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it planned to provide specialist mental health support in every school and walk-in mental health hubs in every community.

'It is unacceptable that too many children and young people are not receiving the care they deserve, and we know that waits for services are far too long,' a spokesperson added.

'We are determined to change that.'

Studies have repeatedly suggested that students' academic performance suffered as a result of the pandemic, while the country also entered a recession due to the economic impact of Covid.

A major study published last year found nearly half of parents said their children's social and emotional skills got worse during the pandemic.

Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and the University College London Institute of Education discovered children appeared more worried and scared, lost confidence more easily, and were more prone to tantrums after lockdowns.

A damning report from parent campaigners last year also revealed ministers were warned in November 2020 that more children would die from suicide than from contracting Covid if they shut schools.
A woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has claimed she was 'gaslit' by medics after they dismissed her pelvic pain as just 'part of being a woman'.

Keesha Walden, from Norfolk, began suffering shooting pains on her left side in early 2023, aged 26.

But by March she experienced agonising aches in her lower abdomen and irregular periods. Yet she claimed she was told by her GP she should simply watch what she was eating and exercise.

It was only after her symptoms worsened she was sent to gynaecology as an urgent cancer referral in September that they found what they believed to be a cyst on her ovary.

Surgery to remove it a month later showed she had a cancerous tumour measuring 26cm  roughly the size of a rugby ball.

Keesha Walden, from Norfolk, began suffering shooting pains on her left side in early 2023, aged 26. But by March she experienced agonising aches in her lower abdomen and irregular periods. Yet she claimed she was told by her GP she should simply watch what she was eating and exercise

However, follow-up scans in February showed her cancer had spread, with a new mass in her pelvis and abnormal tissue on her lung.

She was diagnosed with Mucinous Adenocarcinoma  so rare it makes up just three per cent of all ovarian cancer cases  and has since had to have both ovaries, womb, appendix and cervix removed.

Recalling her heartbreaking ordeal, she said: 'Due to the delayed diagnosis, I was informed that a hysterectomy was my only option for survival, and that they suspected the cancer was in fact stage three, potentially stage four.'

'I was told all my checks were fine and everything was healthy, despite the GP never seeing me face-to-face, and told to watch what I eat and exercise as my BMI was perfect, but the waist circumference was very large.'

'One of the most harmful ways I was gaslighted by doctors was when they repeatedly dismissed my symptoms, despite telling them how severe my pain and discomfort were.

'This made me doubt my own experience and delayed the proper diagnosis and treatment I needed.'

The 27 year-old sales consultant revealed her large abdominal swelling - another telltale sign of the ovarian tumour hiding in her pelvis

She added: 'I was told I was "too young" to have a serious condition, especially when it came to something like ovarian cancer.

'My concerns were brushed off, and I was reassured that my symptoms were probably nothing to worry about because of my age. This assumption led to a significant delay.

'There were times when doctors implied that my symptoms were due to poor lifestyle choices, without considering other possibilities.

'They would suggest I just needed to eat better, exercise more, or relax, which made me feel responsible for my own suffering and prevented them from looking deeper into the real cause.

'One of the most disheartening instances of gaslighting I experienced was when I asked my doctor about the five-year survival rate.

'She responded condescendingly, saying, "They're just numbers", as if my concerns were irrelevant or foolish.

'When I pressed for more information, she vaguely assured me that she was 'pretty confident' I would be discharged in five years but offered no further clarity.

'Her inability to provide a concrete answer, combined with her dismissive attitude, made me feel silly for even asking.

'She concluded by saying, "Sometimes doctors don't have all the answers."

'This left me feeling even more anxious, as it seemed she was downplaying the seriousness of my concerns.'

Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the UK.

Ms Walden had to undergo a major procedure to extract the cancer which included the removal of several of her pelvic organs

The disease kills around 11 women every day in Britain, on average, or 4,000 a year.

It also kills three times as many women in the US every year, figures show.

It is often diagnosed late because symptoms are vague and can include indigestion, pelvic or abdominal pain, loss of appetite, constipation, and needing to urinate more often.

Around 93 per cent of women diagnosed live five years or more if it's spotted at the earliest stage, compared with just 13 per cent diagnosed at stage four.

Stage three means the cancer has spread outside the pelvis into the abdominal cavity or to lymph nodes.

About a fifth of women with ovarian cancer are also diagnosed in A&E, often when it is too late for any treatment.

In March, Ms Walden underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy, removing both ovaries, both tubes, her womb, appendix, cervix, 26 lymph nodes and omentum.

She said: 'I'm still currently undergoing chemotherapy, with the hope that my last cycle will be on September 6.

She was diagnosed with Mucinous Adenocarcinoma, so rare it makes up just three per cent of all ovarian cancer cases

Ms Walden said: 'Cancer and chemotherapy have profoundly impacted my confidence and self-esteem as a woman. The physical changes that come with treatment, hair loss, weight fluctuations, and the visible toll on my body and the large scars have been challenging to accept'

'After that, I'll face a five-year period of monitoring to see if the nodules in my lung change and to ensure there are no other signs of recurrent disease.

'The uncertainty of my situation makes it difficult to imagine what my future will look like.

'At 27, most people are focused on building their lives, buying a house, settling down, and starting a family.

'Unfortunately, that has all been stripped away from me. My new reality is about finding peace with the unknown.'

She added: 'Cancer and chemotherapy have profoundly impacted my confidence and self-esteem as a woman.

'The physical changes that come with treatment, hair loss, weight fluctuations, and the visible toll on my body and the large scars have been challenging to accept.

'These changes have often left me feeling disconected from the person I once was, struggling to recognise myself in the mirror.'

According to the NHS, short staffing and workload were reasons blamed on the late diagnosis.

'There is widespread misunderstanding of current results reporting processes and the role of the cancer centre,' they added.

'There is no effective failsafe in gynaecology for highlighting abnormal results. This is a trust wide issue.'

Ms Walden said: 'This experience has changed me irrevocably. While I hope to find peace, the uncertainty of whether I even have five years left to live adds to the emotional turmoil.

Now Ms Walden is urging others to demand answers from their doctors and not give up on getting a diagnosis

Ovarian cancer is a rare form of the disease that develops in the ovaries, the female organs that produce eggs. It is often called a 'silent killer', as symptoms don't present until late stages of the disease.

'Everyone was in disbelief that this could happen to me at such a young age'

'There was anger that it hadn't been detected sooner, especially after I had struggled with my health for so long and had been wrongly reassured throughout.

'It was a crazy and overwhelming time for me and my family. The delay in the results meant that everything suddenly became urgent-there was no time to pause and process what was happening.

'It felt surreal and terrifying for all of us.'

Now Ms Walden is urging others to demand answers from their doctors and not give up on getting a diagnosis.

'Now I've still got nodules in my lung that have not been tested, the hospital has no plans to conduct a biopsy as they're too small apparently (five millimetres) and so they are still not able to confirm whether they're cancerous, or not.

'But my trust in the NHS is non-existent now considering the misdiagnosis and delay in results being actioned.

'To everyone facing the challenges of cancer and chemotherapy, I know this journey can feel overwhelming, but please remember that you are stronger than you think', said Keesha.

'Every day you fight is a testament to your resilience and courage.

'Your worth is not defined by the changes in your body or the struggles you face, but by the incredible strength you show in navigating them.

'Always listen to your body, if you think something isn't right then make sure to push and follow it up. I regret not being more persistent in getting a diagnosis.'
Vaccines hailed as primary hope of stopping a now global mpox outbreak of a new deadlier strain may not even work, scientists have warned.

Professor Marion Koopmans, director of the pandemic and disaster Centre at the Erasmus Medical Centre in The Netherlands said experts just don't know how the new clade 1b mpox virus would react to current jabs.

'The honest answer is we do not know yet,' she said.

Current mpox vaccines were used during the 2022 global outbreak against the milder strain of the virus, known as clade 2.

But they have yet to be tested against the more potent version that's swept across Africa and has now been spotted in Europe and Asia.

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A woman cares her baby suffering from a severe form of mpox in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

And experts are not even sure exactly how much protection they provided against the 2022 outbreak.

The jab is, in fact, the vaccine given to prevent smallpox, a close relative of mpox.

Due to the similarity between the two viruses, experts believed it would be effective  which is known as cross-protection.

However, as it was deployed during a live outbreak, it was hard to unpick exactly what benefit it provided, says Prof Koopermans.

During the 2022 outbreak, gay and bisexual men  the group mpox primarily hit  is believed to have taken other measures to reduce their risk, such as limiting the number of new sexual partners.

'There is some evidence for clinical efficacy during the vaccinations were given during an evolving outbreak when there are also other things that people do that reduce transmission,' Professor Koopmans told journalists.

'It's not so easy to say is this full-vaccine protection.

'The hope is that for clade 1b there would also be sufficient cross-protection, but that's an area with an urgent study need.'

Professor Dimie Ogoina, an expert in infectious diseases at Niger Delta University who also spoke at the event, added another factor that would be challenge a potential mpox vaccine rollout in Africa is who gets it first.

'Any vaccine strategy should be informed by your understanding of the epidemiology of the disease in your region,' he said,.

'I'm not sure we fully understand the transmission dynamics and risk factors for mpox in many parts of Africa.'

Like Professor Koopmans he also highlighted the uncertainties regarding the effectiveness of the current mpox vaccines.

'The vaccine effectiveness studies that have been done were done in the global North for clade 2b and amongst gay and bisexual men,' he said.

'One cannot (guarantee) to say the effectiveness was based fully on the vaccine alone.

'Some studies have shown behavioural change was responsible for the decline in mpox cases in parts of Europe and America, while vaccines also helped.'

Professor Ogoina added there were also uncertainties such as how long the vaccines offered protection and how effective they were in children who seem particularly at risk in the new outbreak

'We have not replicated these studies in children and that is a great challenge especially in the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) where the majority of people impacted significantly are children,' he said.

'We should use a risk/benefit approach, especially in an outbreak setting, in whether children should be vaccinated.'

The smallpox vaccine has been known to help prevent mpox due to the two viruses being closely related. But experts said there wasn't yet enough evidence to suggest a vaccine would be effective against the new clade 1b strain

But Professor Placide Mbala Kingebeni, an expert in epidemiology at the Clinical Research Center at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the DRC, the nation hit hardest be the ongoing outbreak, said jabs remained 'the best tool we have'.

'Even if we don't have all the data regarding the efficacy, this is something we should do,' he said.

The new strain of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is far deadlier than the mild strain which spread to over a dozen countries, including the UK in 2022.

Designed clade 1b mpox, it kills about one in 20 adults it infects but the mortality rate rises to one in 10 in children.

The virus spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact which can include sex or through direct care, for example mother to child.

Clade 1b has swept through central Africa killing hundreds since the outbreak began.

In just the past few weeks cases of the new strain have been detected in Sweden and Thailand meaning it has now reached both Europe and Asia.

While no cases have yet been confirmed in the UK experts suspect the new variant is already in Britain as it can take over two weeks for symptoms like the classic skin lesions to develop.

But experts have said fatality rates for clade 1b from central Africa are unlikely to be replicated in developed nations due to better access to higher quality healthcare.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has already cautioned it is 'already planning' for UK cases of the new strain.

It comes as the World Health Organization said it needs over 66million ($87million) over six months to stop the current mpox outbreak.

Mpox typically causes characteristic lumpy lesions, as well as a fever, aches and pains and fatigue.

In a small number of cases, it can enter the blood and lungs, as well as other parts of the body like the brain which causes it to become life-threatening.
Scientists have pinpointed the exact amount of time you need to walk each day to add a year to your life expectancy.

It's long been known that regular exercise reduces the risk of major illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

For this reason the NHS recommends all adults should be physically active every day  ideally mixing muscle building and aerobic workouts, aiming for 150 minutes a week.

But according to new research, walking for just ten minutes once a day could add up to a year onto your life expectancy if you are over 60 years old.

The UK study showed that men gain more from exercise. A regular walk adds nearly 11 months to women's life compared with 16 months for men.

The new study analysed data from over 40,000 women and over 30,000 men, who were mostly in their 60s. Participants didn't have to be fit to start with: the research showed that the benefits were seen in people that were previously inactive

Currently, only 20 per cent of people over the age of 65 meet the NHS target of 150 minutes exercise a week

The study showed that extra years of life could also be gained by increasing the length and intensity of the stroll.

Walking for 30 minutes a day was linked to an extra 16 months of life in women and nearly two and a half years for men.

The study analysed data from over 40,000 women and over 30,000 men, who were mostly in their 60s.

And participants didn't have to be fit to start with: the research showed that the benefits were seen in people that were previously inactive.

University of Leicester physiologist Tom Yates, who led the study, told MailOnline: 'We are not exactly sure why there is a gender difference and we need to do more research on this area.

'What is important about this study is that we are getting a much more precise impact on the benefits of exercise and that is what we haven't seen before.'

He added that: 'The study showed that everybody benefited from increased exercise, especially the people who are currently averagely active.'

Doctor Francesco Zaccardi, co-lead author on the study, said: 'This study adds to the evidence that habitual daily physical activity is a powerful determinant of health and longevity.

'Our hope is that these findings will lead to public health messaging promoting the importance of small regular additions of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity in adults who are currently inactive.

'We recommended public health bodies undertake campaigns which focus on ten minutes of brisk walking a day.

'A small change really can make a significant difference.'

Currently, only 20 per cent of people over the age of 65 meet the NHS target of 150 minutes exercise a week.

According to Marcus Davis, an osteopath with the Harley Street Back Centre in London, walking is more beneficial than jogging for those over 50.

He said: 'Walking helps to drain the lower legs of excess fluid and can help prevent varicose veins through the pumping action of the calf muscles.

'The increased supply of oxygen exercise promotes also gets rid of the waste products in the tissues.

'And because more people are able to walk at a consistent speed than run, it is a more beneficial form of tissue-cleansing, particularly for the over-50s, for whom jogging can actually cause more problems.

'Walking is also better for the spine than running, as it puts less stress on the discs.

'Yet we were designed for constant movement, not sitting in cars or in front of computers, which causes negative pressures on our spinal cord.

'Regular walking is excellent for the spine, which receive minerals and vitamins through the pumping action it causes.'

According to Marcus Davis, an osteopath with the Harley Street Back Centre in London, walking is more beneficial than jogging for those over 50

This latest research finding comes after scientists discovered that 10,000 steps a day is not the magic number.

The Medical University of odz in Poland and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US have found that regularly getting 4,000 is enough to start reducing the risk of early death.

While 2,300 is enough to benefit the heart and blood vessels, the scientists found that 4,000 can reduce the risk of an early death by 15 per cent.

And then it is a case of more is more, as every additional 1,000 steps a day further reduces the risk of dying early by 15 per cent until the benefit rate plateaus at 20,000 steps a day.
A US state claiming to be the most pro-life in America is also home to some of the highest death rates for pregnant woman and babies, statistics show.

Arkansas, which banned abortions unless the mother's life is in danger, has the third highest infant mortality rate in the US, with 7.7 infants dying per 1,000 live births, compared to the US national average of 5.6.

It also has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate - about 38 per 100,000 mothers, compared to the nationwide average of 23.

Experts attribute the high death rates to tightened abortion laws as well as an exodus of OB-GYNs, causing birthing clinics to shut down. Those that are still standing have severe staffing shortages, and there is widespread confusion among mothers about where they can receive their prenatal care.

Additionally, poor sex education and lack of accessible birth control has led to higher-than-average rates of teen pregnancy and pregnancy complications.

'If we really say to the world were pro-life, we need to put our money where our mouth is and make sure these women are treated and have the care they need,' state representative Aaron Pilkington, a republican, told The Washington Post.

Sa-Ryiah Lincoln, a 15-year old new mother living in a rural county in Arkansas, has dealt with the complicated landscape of giving birth in the state. Her hometown of Warren has an estimated population of 5,227.

When the teen began spending more time with a boy, her mother, Ronica Lawson, tried to find a doctor in the area who could give her birth control - specifically, a long term kind like an IUD or arm implant.

She couldn't find anyone and months later, Sa'Ryiah found out she was pregnant.

Several months into her pregnancy, when Sa'Ryiah spotted blood in her underwear, she called an ambulance. While on the way to a nearby hospital, they learned that hospital no longer had labor and delivery services.

This isn't an anomaly in the state.

Sixty-four percent of hospitals in rural areas of Arkansas don't offer labor and delivery services, according to a July 2024 report.

In the past four years, the number of hospitals providing labor and delivery in the state dropped to 35, The Post reported.

As such, Sa'Ryiah had to travel 30 minutes away to get care - but she and the baby were fine.

The remainder of her pregnancy checkups had to be done at a clinic 30 minutes from her home, called Mainline.

Mainline has seen a sharp increase in patients as more and more rural hospitals in the area shut down.

One obstetrician at the clinic had delivered more than one baby a day in February.

Obstetrician Dr Kara Worley, who has worked at multiple clinics in the state that have since closed, said the situation since the Dobbs v Jackson supreme court decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v Wade and took away federal protections to abortion, has been chaotic.

'From where I stand, [lawmakers] havent done anything except make it harder to care for the patient,' Dr Worley told The Post.

Because of staff shortages, red-tape from abortion laws and limited resources, she's had to forego treating patients until they were actively sick, she added.

Despite the barriers Sa-Ryiah faced, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Kaydence this year.

Arkansas ranked fourth in the nation for maternal mortality - with 38.3 new mothers dying per ever 100,000 births. This data is based on 2018-2022 reports from the CDC

Acknowledging the problems with maternal healthcare, state lawmakers have begun attempting to address the situation.

They plan to expand a program at the University of Arkansas that trains and certifies midwifes and have expanded Medicaid so that it covers birth control implants for new mothers.

Rep Pilkington pushed two laws that provide depression screening for mothers to be covered by Medicaid.

Pilkington told the Arkansas Advocate it could help 'Arkansas to go from one of the worst states to have children to one of the best states to have children.'

In addition, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders just announced a new initiative to address maternal health. It includes educating women about what programs they might be eligible for before and after birth.

'The solution is not more government programs. The solution is getting women to take advantage of the programs we already have,' Gov Sanders said.

But critics say more government assistance is needed.

Gov Sanders' plan didn't include expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days after pregnancy to a year. Every state except Arkansas has pursued this expansion, NPR reported.

The state also doesn't require sex education at public schools.

When a school opts to pursue a program, it's pressured by state to feature abstinence-first education, according to The Post. Sexual health experts at Columbia say this tactic fails to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Teen pregnancy rates in Arkansas are two times higher than the national average.

In Arkansas, teen pregnancy rates are nearly double the national average. Preterm births also represent 11.8 percent of all births - higher than the national average of 10.4 percent

Republican Governor from Arkansas Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered remarks during the second day of the Republican National Convention

A 2024 report from the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families therefore concluded: 'Teenagers here arent any more sexually active than they are in other states.

'The difference is access to contraceptives, especially the most effective kind, and lack of information because sex education isnt required here.'

Locals like Hajime White, a doula with a degree in early childhood education who started Precious Jewels - a non-profit group for mentoring new mothers - questioned what government resources Gov Sanders was referring to in her recent maternal healthcare initiative.

'She said theres resources. Where are the resources?' Ms White said.

Ms White said she's had a hard time finding steady suppliers for things like diapers, car seats and food for her nonprofit organization.

She's been passed over multiple times for state grants to fund her work, which has helped new mothers like young Sa'Ryiah deliver their babies safely.

She herself has raised her six girls in Arkansas, and works two full time jobs to be able to fund her work at Precious Jewels.

And while she struggles to find funding, religion-based pregnancy counseling centers seem to have plenty of funds to operate, Ms White told the Post.

Since Arkansas' abortion ban went into affect, the state has given $2million to these faith-based centers, with another $2million approved for the upcoming fiscal year.
An Alameda County Fire Department firefighter has been placed on leave after he was caught on video using racial insults. Getty Images

An Alameda County Fire Department firefighter was placed on administrative leave after he was caught on video berating a driver and using racial insults against the man.

A viral video posted on Tik Tok Friday by Vath Touch showed a man who identified himself as a firefighter arguing with the driver, Touch, following a crash and calling the driver dumb Mexican and saying he probably works at a f lawn job. He later refers to the driver as a f Filipino.

Alameda County Fire Department identified the man in the video as one of their firefighters. They did not release his name.

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The firefighter will be placed on full administrative leave until further notice, said Cheryl Perry, Alameda County Fire public information officer. It was unclear how much money the firefighter will receive while on leave.

Alameda County Fire Department Chief William McDonald denounced the firefighters behavior during a news conference Monday.

I want to sincerely apologize on behalf of the firefighter and our department for his actions, McDonald said. What you saw on that video does not in any way reflect our dedication to integrity, professionalism, and community trust.

He added that some of the language used in the altercation did not align with the values and standards of the department. The fire department will be taking a critical look inward and assessing where we are with our training, according to the news release.

The incident was under investigation Monday.

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California Highway Patrol responded to a crash on Highway 99 near Stockton on Friday, KCRA 3 reported. After the crash, the firefighter came up to Touchs window.
A 14 year-old boy has contracted a lethal infection that kills 30 per cent of patients and causes horrific symptoms such as bleeding from the eyes.

The teenager infected with the virus, called Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), is currently being isolated in hospital.

The disease, which causes multiple organ failure, is spread via bites from infected ticks or by direct contact with infected animal blood.

The latest patient hails from Pakistan where another suspected case has also been reported.

The World Health Organization map shows the distribution of CCHF cases around the globe per year. Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan and parts of Russia record more than 50 cases per year. Meanwhile, while five to 49 are detected annually in parts of Europe (Bulgaria and Albania), Africa (South Africa, Sudan and Mauritania) and Asia (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Oman, China and Kazakhstan)

Health chiefs said the risk to public health is low, as the disease is usually spread through bites from ticks that are not present in the UK and is not easily transmitted between people. Pictured: stock image of tick

While CCHF is endemic in places with warm climates, experts warn it could soon land in the UK.

While CCHF is endemic in places with warm climates, experts warn it could soon land in the UK.

Professor Isabel Oliver, chief scientific advisor at the UK Health Security Agency, previously said the risk of the disease infecting Brits may increase due to global warming.

Changing climates may see infected ticks travel further afield and thrive in new environments, experts say.

A report published last year revealed similar disease-ridden bugs - carrying several diseases including Rift Valley fever - were found in 26 European countries.

Others that health chiefs are on high alert for include dengue fever, chikungunya, West Nile disease, yellow fever and Zika.

Symptoms of CCHF usually appear within three days of a bite from an infected tick, and include fever, muscle ache, dizziness and sore eyes.

The World Health Organisation say nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and mood swings are also common early signs of the disease.

Within a week, patients may also suffer racing heartbeat, bleeding skin rashes as well as blood spilling out of small capillaries, such as around the eyes.

Organs such as the liver begin to fail.

Treatments for the condition are limited, although doctors have seen some success with the antiviral drug ribavirin which is used to treat hepatitis C.

The disease was first detected in Crimea in 1944 and given the name Crimean haemorrhagic fever.

But in 1969, medics realised the pathogen that triggered this disease was responsible for an illness identified in the Congo in 1956.

This led to the virus being named Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, to encompass both locations.

It is now endemic in Africa, the Middle East and some Asian countries.

Previous CCHF outbreaks have killed between 10 and 40 per cent of those infected, according to the WHO.

In 2022, doctors in London announced they were treating a woman with CCHF who had recently travelled to central Asia.

This was only the third case recorded in England.

The following year, the virus was detected in France for the first time.

Live ticks collected from cattle in the Pyrenees Orientales region were found to be harbouring the disease.

Prof Oliver from the UKHSA said the risk to the British public is currently 'very low'.
A man in New Hampshire has died after testing positive for a rare mosquito-borne virus.

Health officials in Hampstead, New Hampshire, issued a warning Tuesday after a resident died from Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV), also known as 'Triple E.'

The condition, which is carried by mosquitos, causes a fever and brain swelling and can lead to seizures and comas, killing around a third of those it infects. It's the state's first human case in 10 years.

The announcement comes after half of the state of Massachusetts remains under a curfew after 10 counties issued warnings of an elevated presence of the virus.

Cities across the US are being sprayed down with pesticides to deter mosquitos, which are becoming increasingly disease-ridden.

The White House Covid doctor Anthony Fauci was hospitalized earlier this month with West Nile virus, which is also spread by the insects.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) is spread from mosquitos to humans and other animals through bites. There is no treatment or cure

New Hampshire State epidemiologist Dr Benjamin Chan warned that 'there is an elevated risk' of Triple E and similar conditions like West Nile Virus, which hospitalized Dr Anthony Fauci earlier this summer.

'In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus,' Dr Chan said.

'We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos.'

'Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors.'

In addition to the unidentified New Hampshire victim, one horse and seven mosquito batches have been infected with the virus so far this summer.

The CDC estimates that just 11 human cases occur in the US every year, though the risks are severe.

One-third of people infected with Triple E die and those who recover are often left with lifelong physical and mental difficulties.

The virus circulates in the environment between mosquitos and birds typically found in freshwater swamps. Humans and other animals like horses may become infected when mosquitos feed on them. Horses cannot spread the virus.

There are no vaccines or medications to treat Triple E. The CDC recommends protecting yourself with mosquito bites using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants.

'It is also important for residents to remove standing water from around their homes to reduce mosquito populations and ensure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens without holes,' the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) advised.

According to the CDC's latest data, Wisconsin, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey have each reported one human case this year.
Twenty-one Americans have been diagnosed with a virus that originated in sloths and is spread by mosquitos.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said the patients were diagnosed with the Oropouche virus after returning to the US from Cuba.

Twenty of the cases were in Florida and one is in New York. The most common symptoms were fevers, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue and stiffness.

Three patients were hospitalized, but there were no deaths.

The Oropouche virus is spread by mosquitos in tropical parts of the Caribbean and South America where it has been causing an unprecedented outbreak since late last year.

The Oropouche virus is nicknamed sloth fever not because it's transmitted by sloths, but because the animals can be carriers for the disease

The Oropouche virus is spread primarily by bites from a bug called a midge. Sometimes, mosquitos also carry it

In rare cases, it can cause brain swelling and death, and claimed the life of two healthy Brazilian women earlier this year.

In 2024, there have been more than 8,000 cases reported in Central and South America - causing two deaths, one miscarriage and four newborns to be born with birth defects.

Nineteen cases were reported in Europe earlier this month, leading to a warning from the European Center for Disease Control.

The Oropouche virus is spread by mosquitos and a small, blood-sucking insect called midge.

Despite its nickname, sloth fever is not caused by coming into contact with sloths.

Instead, it got the nickname because scientists believe sloths can carry and be infected by the disease. Experts suspect other animals, like birds, can also carry the virus.

If you get bit by a bug carrying Oropouche, there are no medicines to treat it and no vaccines to prevent it. The only defense against the disease is to avoid being bit all together when traveling to these regions.

The 21 infected Americans ranged from 15 to 94 years old, with an average age of 48. The most common symptom was fever (95 percent), followed by muscle aches (86 percent), headache (76 percent), fatigue (62 percent), and joint stiffness (57 percent).

Patients also reported diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, back pain, and bloody mucus.

Less than one in 20 people who get the disease will go on to develop more serious, life-threatening symptoms. These include severe bleeding, meningitis, a swelling of the membranes that protect the brain, and encephalitis, a swelling of the brain itself.

It can also cause birth defects and miscarriage.

It's unclear if any patients in the CDC's report were pregnant. Pregnancy status was not collected due to confidentiality.

The agency recommended physicians prevent suspected Oropouche infections to state or local health authorities to speed up testing and prevent spread. Patients should avoid taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen to lower the risk of bleeding.

To prevent infection, the CDC recommends wearing long sleeves and pants, wearing insect repellant and staying in places that use window and door screens.
I care for my husband who has multiple sclerosis and early onset dementia. He is only 59 years old and is deteriorating. I work part-time in a shop, mainly for respite but the money comes in useful, too.

From January 1, I had my hours cut from 15 to ten a week which meant I became entitled to carers allowance. I applied to the Department for Work and Pensions on February 1, asking for it to be back dated to January 1. I have not received a penny, or any correspondence. Please help.

S. R., West Sussex.

Sally Hamilton replies: Im so sorry to read about your husbands health issues. You have enough on your plate supporting him without having to chase the DWP.

Carers allowance is available at a rate of 81.90 a week to a person who cares for a disabled person at least 35 hours a week and that individual is receiving at least one of a list of benefits, such as the daily living component of the Personal Independent Payment, or attendance allowance.

Carers only get it if their earnings are 151 or less, a week, after tax.

On one call you made to officials, you were told they had your application, but it had been passed to an office dealing with claims that have been waiting more than nine weeks. You were astonished, as by this time 26 weeks had passed. You had asked your local MP for assistance but heard nothing back.

You came to me as you were worried about money. You have had to give notice at work as you feel it is no longer safe to leave your husband home alone.

SCAM WATCH Netflix subscribers should beware scam emails warning their membership has expired, consumer website Which? warns. The messages threaten its a last notice and the membership expires today. Tricksters go on to claim they are offering a one-year membership extension for free as part of its loyalty programme. The email says this can be accessed by clicking a button but the link will lead to a malicious website which asks for your personal details, Which? says. Do not click on any links and forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk.

Finances will be tight until January 2025 when you can claim your state pension. At that point you will no longer be entitled to carers allowance but you may still be entitled to what is called an underlying entitlement to carers allowance if you receive pension credit.

A premium of 45.60 per week is paid on top of pension credit if you would be getting carers allowance but for the fact that you are a pensioner.

You expressed your annoyance not just about the delays which have left you more than 2,000 out of pocket but by the poor communication over the months.

You asked if the hold-up was because you previously claimed carers allowance and had been overpaid for a short period after a return to work in 2023. However, you repaid this promptly and the DWP confirmed nothing more was owed.

I asked the DWP what the usual waiting time is for claims but got no response.

However, Mobilise, an information website for carers, suggests the normal period is three to six weeks  though it has heard reports of delays up to 15 weeks.

It seems your claim had landed in a time warp somewhere. I asked the DWP to get to work on it so you could receive this vital financial lifeline. This got things moving and within a few days your claim was agreed, including the arrears which totalled 2,165 for February to August.

No explanation was forthcoming for the gridlock. A DWP spokesman says: We have apologised to S.R. for the delays she experienced with her claim. Her payment has now been reinstated and arrears have been paid.

My husband paid 5,400 for chairs but then died - now I can't get a refund

I am 75 and have read the Daily Mail for more than 50 years. I need your help. My husband sadly passed away on June 12. He was very ill as his liver was failing and he had lost weight.

About a month before he died, he decided that sitting in a chair would help him feel better. He asked our children to contact furniture retailer HSL, and a salesman came to the house. He brought a selection of chairs to try and set my husband up with two chairs, saying he would get a discount if he bought two.

I did try to dissuade my husband, but he paid the whole sum of 5,400. They were delivered a couple of days later, by which point my husbands health had deteriorated and he was no longer able to use them.

Neither chair was used so are in perfect condition, but when I asked HSL to take them back for a refund, it refused. I have emailed and written to the chief executive but received no reply.

L.P., Bromley.

Sally Hamilton replies: It seemed harsh for you to be turned down for a refund in such tragic circumstances, especially as the chairs were never used.

And it does seem incredible that such items would have been sold to someone so unwell. But a salesman could not have been expected to know how ill he was. Under consumer law, HSL had the right to reject a refund request as your late husband had seen the chairs in person and had them fitted to his shape and then ordered them of his own free will.

It is harder to return items for a refund bought this way unless they are faulty.

Since the chairs were unused, I felt inclined to step in and ask for special consideration so contacted HSL.

It is a large family firm that specialises in adjustable and reclining chairs popular with those suffering mobility issues.

HSLs head of customer care responded quickly.

She said she was saddened to hear of your husbands death but insisted it is not a rare occurrence for deaths to occur soon after purchase due to the demographic of its customers, making it unsustainable to allow returns in all such cases.

She said furniture that is sent back usually goes to charity and is not resold.

However, she was sympathetic and said since the company puts customer satisfaction at its core it would, on this occasion, take back the chairs.

When I caught up with you last week, you told me you were mightily relieved that the items had already been collected and the 5,400 refunded.

Can Sally Sorts It help you? Do you have a consumer problem you need help with? Email Sally Hamilton at sally@dailymail.co.uk and include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail or This Is Money for answers given.

Straight to the point

The cruise I booked was cancelled so we booked another leaving a day later. I asked agency Travel Performance if my flight upgrade to the departure location could be transferred. It told the airline to move me to business class but when I arrived the airline didnt know this. I was seated in economy and want a refund.

Travel Performance is refunding 489.

I was sent a recall letter for a Russell Hobbs stove I bought at Currys in 2021. I dont want it repaired and prefer a refund but havent been offered this. Each time I call Russell Hobbs the line cuts off and I feel this issue lies with Currys but it keeps pointing me back to Russell Hobbs.

Currys and Russell Hobbs say customers should follow Office for Product Safety and Standards advice and organise a free inspection. Currys has now resolved the issue.

I ordered a 90 pair of trainers for a race but didnt get them. The courier says it has lost the parcel so I must contact the manufacturer for a refund. I have emailed, called and messaged to no avail.

The retailer apologises and says it was overrun with orders which led to delays in replying to customers. The courier also apologises. You have been refunded by the retailer and given a voucher.

I moved house and wanted to take my BT broadband with me. This was arranged and I waited in all day but the BT engineer never came. I was later told they couldnt provide a service at my new home. BT told me to try Virgin. I did and they swiftly connected me. But then BT took 406 from my bank account for terminating my contract early, which is not the case. Ive tried to talk to people at BT but have been fobbed off with excuses.

BT has refunded the early termination charges.
As Jeremy Clarkson likes to remind us at this time of year, getting lousy GCSE and A-level results doesnt necessarily land you on the scrap heap.

After all, some of the UKs top businessmen and women either flunked their exams, like Clarkson (a C and two Us), or couldnt bear to waste another nanosecond at school.

Virgins Sir Richard Branson is perhaps the best-known entrepreneur who escaped the classroom as soon as he could.

Nearly a third of the 2,000 school leavers interviewed regret career choices. Two thirds said they are not doing what they dreamed of while studying

As did mobile phone tycoon John Caudwell, Dragon Dens Deborah Meaden, and X-Factors Simon Cowell. For truly aspirational leaders who avoided higher education, think Walt Disney and Steve Jobs.

Yet these are the exceptions. So too are those who know exactly what they hope to achieve in life.

Most youngsters dont. Careers advice in Britain is notoriously hopeless, and in many schools almost non-existent.

Ill never forget the look of pride on the face of a young apprentice I met at the Bentley factory in Crewe.

He had left school at 15 to work in a garage because he liked mucking around with cars. But he hated it. By chance, he managed to wangle work experience at Bentley.

By the time we met, he was one of Bentleys advanced apprentices and studying for an engineering degree part-time at college.

And, as he remarked, he had no debt. He was also one of Bentleys ambassadors, visiting schools telling students what they were missing out on. Genius.

Why dont more businesses run schemes like this? Most teachers are time-poor. They also dont know enough about apprenticeships or the job market  especially cutting-edge industries like artificial intelligence  to advise their pupils.

A study from Saatchi & Saatchi to coincide with exam results shows how bleak the situation is.

Nearly a third of the 2,000 school leavers interviewed regret career choices. Two thirds said they are not doing what they dreamed of while studying.

More worrying, around half said school had not prepared them for their jobs. And over two-thirds say they dont have the right skills for what they are doing.

There was also an astonishing gap in satisfaction between those at state schools and their peers at private and specialist schools.

Around half of state pupils say they like what they do. Yet more than two-thirds of private school leavers  and 70 per cent at specialist schools  say they are satisfied.

Thats not a surprising gap. Teachers at private schools are more likely to be more engaged with pupils.

Parents tend to put their offspring more readily in touch with contacts and prospective employers. Call it nepotism if you will but, like it or not, we are nothing if not tribal creatures.

Saatchi & Saatchi undertook the research because of fears that state schools are failing students, and that they know next to nothing about the creative fields.

Which is daft as the creative industry is big business, worth around 100billion annually employing two million people.

Improving careers advice should be a top priority for Labour; contented people tend to be happier and indeed healthier.

Instead of destroying private schools with its vindictive VAT hike, the Government should find out how and why pupils at private and specialist schools are so much more satisfied in their jobs  and why their results are consistently higher.

And its not just money, as the off-the-scale results at the state-run free Michaela school in Wembley, north-west London, have shown. Heaven forbid, other teachers might want to poach their methods.
Upbeat: Waitrose boss James Bailey (pictured), said 'people are beginning to feel slightly more confident about finances'

The boss of Waitrose has said shoppers are buying more 'treats' as the cost of living squeeze eases.

James Bailey, the firm's executive director, said 'people are beginning to feel slightly more confident about finances'.

'Customers are beginning to trade back into some of the premium tiers  buying more brands, more treat products,' he added. But Bailey said shoppers were 'still looking for a bargain,' with an uptick in spending on promotions.

His comments came as supermarket prices fell for the first time in nearly three years  down 0.3 per cent compared to 12 months earlier.

The drop was driven by non-food products  clothing, furniture and electronics  which fell 1.5 per cent year-on-year.
Buy-now-pay-later firms such as Klarna and Clearpay are braced for tough new rules as Labour pushes ahead with plans to regulate the industry.

The Treasury is set to announce reforms by the end of next month  three years after rule changes were first considered in 2021.

Britons have spent nearly 55billion through the buy-now- pay-later lenders (BNPL) since then.

Crackdown: The Treasury is set to announce reforms to the buy-now-pay-later industry by the end of next month  three years after rule changes were first considered in 2021

BNPL is an unregulated form of credit that allows consumers to defer payments or pay for products in instalments.

Critics blame providers for trapping users in a spiral of debt as affordability checks are not tough enough.

But platforms have welcomed Labours commitment to new rules.

It comes as Swedish giant Klarna, the biggest BNPL provider in the UK, continues with long-standing plans to list in New York, where it is reportedly targeting a 15.5billion valuation.

Ministers are in talks with lenders and consumer rights groups and aim to make an announcement on the sector within Labours first 100 days of Government.

Before the election, Labour said it wanted BNPL firms to do affordability checks on customers and track their credit records more closely.

It indicated that customers should be given clearer information on signing up and be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service when something goes wrong.

Plans by the previous government to regulate stalled amid fears that lenders would quit the UK for countries with more relaxed rules.

Simon Trevethick, at debt charity StepChange, welcomed a clear commitment from the new Government to regulate.

BNPL is often marketed aggressively at the point of checkout, he said. Affordability checks are also inconsistent and a uniform approach is required. The sector is ready, it just needs the political will.

Some 9.4billion has been spent by British consumers through BNPL services in 2024  an increase of 3.5 per cent from a year earlier, according to figures by Adobe.

The purchases made up 15.6 per cent of the total amount spent by online shoppers in the year to the end of July.
The huge house price premiums some parents are paying to live near top schools has been revealed, with some shelling out hundreds of thousands for a place in the right catchment area.

On average, Britons are paying 116,000 more to live near an Ofsted rated 'outstanding' school compared to an 'inadequate' one, according to the online estate agent Yopa.

Living close to a good or outstanding school matters to parents because every state school has a limited number of pupils it can admit each year.

Catchment areas exist so that when too many children apply, the school can use geographical location to narrow down the pupils it will admit.

> What next for mortgage rates? Should you fix for two years or five years?

In demand: Higher house prices generally correspond with better schools, according to Yopa

Yopa's analysis of almost 18,500 schools in England found that property costs an average of 359,000 near schools rated as 'outstanding'.

That compares to an average house price of 305,000 near 'good' schools, an average of 277,000 in postcodes where a school 'requires improvement' and a typical house price of 243,000 near where schools are branded as 'inadequate.'

While the differences in house prices may be vast, it is important to note that this is influenced by other factors in the local area, as well as its schools.

On average, house prices in postcodes boasting an outstanding school have a 2.8 per cent price premium compared to the average found across their wider local authorities.

For 'good' schools, the postcode price is roughly the same as the wider local authority, according to Yopa.

Meanwhile, in catchment areas when a school 'requires improvement' the average house price of 277,000 is 4.6 per cent below the local authority at 291,000.

For 'inadequate' schools, living nearby typically means the house price costs 10.4 per cent less than the wider local authority, at 243,000 compared to 271,000.

> How to remortgage your home? A guide to finding the best deal

Premium: It costs 116,000 more to live near an 'outstanding' school compared to one that 'inadequate', according to Yopa's analysis

Where does it cost most to live near a top school?

The biggest chasm between the cost of property near a school and the surrounding area is in Devon's TQ8 postcode, according to Yopa's analysis.

It costs a huge 822,000 to live in the same outcode as 'good' rated Salcombe Church of England Primary School, almost 152 per cent higher than the average price in the rest of the local authority area of 327,000.

That said, Salcombe is a highly desirable coastal area where house prices are elevated.

In the Northumberland's NE20 postcode there are six schools, with five rated 'good' and one 'outstanding'.

Living in that same postcode costs 450,000, which is almost 122 per cent more than the typical price in the area of 203,000.

It's a similar story in Cumberland, where the CA12 postcode boasts four 'good' schools and one 'outstanding' school and commands an average price of 378,000 - again almost 122 per cent more than the average local area price of 170,000.

What's the average house price near YOUR local schools? Yopa's interactive map allows you to search for schools across England, and find out the typical house price in its postcode, compared to the average in the wider local authority area.

However, while it typically costs more to live near 'outstanding' schools, Yopa's analysis found that it's not always the case.

For example, house prices in the S4 postcode with the 'outstanding' St Catherine's Catholic Primary School (Hallam) in Sheffield are almost 58 per cent less than the local authority price of 221,000.

And the East Sussex postcode of TN3 is home to an average house price some 121 per cent higher than the surrounding area, despite the fact that St Michael's Primary School is rated as 'requires improvement'.

What will private school VAT mean for house prices?

Labour has said it will start charging VAT on the income private schools make from fees, and this could result in schools passing on the 20 per cent increase to parents.

The added VAT is also expected to be introduced incrementally, rising over five years to the full 20 per cent standard rate, though this has not been confirmed yet.

The fear is that this could create unprecedented competition among families looking to take their children out of private school and secure a home in popular state school catchment area.

This could result in a bigger house premium close to good or outstanding schools.

How much can you afford? Find out how much you can afford to borrow for a monthly payment amount with This is Money's mortgage affordability calculator.

Verona Frankish, chief executive of Yopa said: 'Labour's move to scrap VAT relief on private schools will make attending more expensive, which could persuade more parents to put their children into highly rated state schools.

'Living near a good state school already commands a premium, and if more are persuaded to move nearby that could cause the gap in price between the best and worst schools to further widen.

'Currently there's a gap of 116,000 between the best and the worst schools, however some will see that as a worthwhile investment to give their children the advantage of a better education and it's fair to say that those who can afford private education for their children are better positioned to stomach these higher property prices.

'This could see more homeowners priced out of areas with higher rated schools, but as always, it pays to do your research, as despite the general trend it isn't always expensive to live near the UK's best schools and some of the best actually offer relative affordability when compared to the wider area.'

> The first-time buyer's step-by-step guide

Price gap: With Labour's plan to scrap VAT relief for private schools, more parents may see it as more cost-effective to put their children into quality state schools in the years ahead

More parents seek homes near top grammar schools

Demand for the best rated schools is already surging, according to OnTheMarket.

The property portal revealed that since the General Election, when Labour's proposed tax levy on private school fees became a reality, searches for homes around some of the UK's top-rated grammar schools saw an increase of up to 166 per cent as parents rushed to secure alternatives.

Homes within five miles of Birmingham's King Edward VI Camp Hill, in the B14 postcode, saw the biggest spike in interest with searches throughout July up 166 per cent compared to July 2023.

It was a similar picture in the South East, with searches for homes around Dartford Grammar School in Kent (DA1) 151 per cent above the equivalent period the year prior, followed closely by St Olave's Grammar School in Orpington (BR6), just 10 miles away in South East London, at 143 per cent to complete the top three.

Jason Tebb, president of OnTheMarket, said: 'The UK's top grammar and state schools have seen a marked increase in applications and interest since the plans to levy VAT on private school fees were confirmed, with reports in the last few weeks alone of many receiving record application numbers and speculation over the impact on their local property markets.

'While the majority looks to be concentrated in the south of the country, it shows the concern extends well beyond London and the Home Counties, with some of the most notable uplifts in the Midlands and South West.'
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has issued a climate SOS at the Tonga summit, warning that rising sea levels are 'putting this Pacific paradise in peril'.

Guterres toured Samoa and Tonga and made his climate plea from Tonga's capital on Tuesday.

He did this at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, whose member countries are among those most imperilled by climate change.

It comes as a 6.6 magnitude earthquake rattled the opening day of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.

Epicentred about 200km north of Nuku'alofa, delegates felt a long, rumbling tremor as well as aftershocks during proceedings.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks to locals in a church hall in Manuka while the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting is held

Guterres leaves after an event at the National University of Samoa, in Apia

Tonga's Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala (centerleft), United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (centre right) and leaders attend the Pacific Islands Forum

There have been no immediate reports of damage or tsunami threats issued.

'I thought I was just hungry, but no, it was an earthquake!' French Polynesia President Moetai Brotherson said.

Next month the United Nations General Assembly holds a special session to discuss rising seas.

'This is a crazy situation,' Guterres said. 'Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanity's making.

'A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.'

'A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril,' he said. 'The ocean is overflowing.'

The earthquake which hit the meeting was nothing new for the region, which regularly encounters natural disasters at scale.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres poses for a picture with locals in a church hall in Manuka, Tonga, who have turned out to discuss climate change

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (center) attends an Intergenerational Youth Dialogue event with officials on the sidelines of the 53rd Pacific Islands Foru

In 2022, Tonga and the region was struck by a tsunami from the huge Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai undersea volcanic eruption.

Mr Brotherson suggested Monday's earthquake was almost fitting, given the PIF summit's theme of 'Transformative Resilient Pasifiki'.

'These natural disasters are reminders from nature that we are so tiny. They command us to look at our resilience and the capacity that we can develop together,' he said.

More than 1500 delegates are expected in Nuku'alofa this week for the five-day summit.

The Kingdom of Tonga has hustled to be ready on time, erecting fast-build accommodation to house the influx and opening giant new school buildings for major meetings.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed Monday's opening ceremony, which celebrated the diversity of the region.

Mr Guterres said the region's ambitions for a 'fossil fuel-free Pacific (was) a blueprint for the G20 and the world'.

'The biggest emitters must step up and lead, by phasing out the production and consumption of fossil fuels and stopping their expansion immediately,' he said.

'When governments sign new oil and gas licenses, they are signing away our future.'

His comments are a clear repudiation of Australian and New Zealand plans to expand fossil fuel production.

The summit begins with three days of talks in Nuku'alofa before leaders head to the offshore island of Vava'u for a private retreat.

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon are scheduled to land on Tuesday, while Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and New Caledonia President Louis Mapou are also yet to check in.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (right) speaks during an official handover of new wing of the One UN House ceremony in Apia

Haitelenisia Angilau, of Talafo'ou village, gives a speech on climate change to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Beyond climate change - the enduring threat to the region - the agenda includes a broad range of issues, including unrest in New Caledonia, security issues and economic resilience.

The New Caledonia question is a particularly thorny one for countries, which many Pacific countries hoping a clear path to independence from France, which Paris opposes.

PIF will also consider adding two more nations - American Samoa and Guam - who have been recommended as associate members.

In addition to the Pacific meetings, the summit will also host external powers looking to engage local leaders.

The US and China are taking powerful delegations, while Taiwan confirmed its own mission on Sunday, alongside at least a dozen other countries.

Another is Turkey, which is Australia's rival for the COP31 UN Climate Change conference in 2026.

Regional unity is a goal of the 18 PIF nations, given recent spats which nearly splintered the organisation.

In 2021, the five Micronesian nations gave notice they would leave over power-sharing concerns before a deal brokered by Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka - the Suva Agreement - rescued the situation.

'Everybody's talking about unity,' Lowy Institute senior fellow Meg Keen said.

'The strong efforts to bring (Micronesia) back in really reflect a commitment broadly across the whole membership to hold a cohesive Pacific Islands Forum and region ... because they know they have greater strength together.'

It is yet to be seen how tiny Tonga - population roughly 100,000 - will manage the hosting challenge but Dr Keen is confident.

'Like all things in the Pacific, they'll pull it off,' she said.

'Occasionally the microphone may not work, or the air conditioning may break down, but it will happen ... you just get on with it.

'No one is going to not have a good experience in Tonga, or not to have them feel proud of what they have achieved as a host.'
Renunciation comes months after club paid tribute to family's involvement

EXCLUSIVE

A Tasmanian fishing enthusiast accused of pleasuring his female partner with a live brown trout has been disowned by his late father's legendary angling club.

Ashley David Hallam made global headlines last year when video of his alleged sex act appeared on social media and quickly went viral under the tag 'Tassie Trout Lady'.

After an international outcry, the 55-year-old was charged with a raft of bestiality offences, along with his 58-year-old co-accused, Catherine June Lee.

Police allege the vision shows Lee - a trained vet clinic worker - lying on her back on a boat as Hallam films himself performing the sex act on her with the live fish.

'That's how you catch a trout,' a man can be heard saying in the vulgar footage.

The confronting vision has sparked outrage among Tasmania's game-fishing community which has moved to distance itself from the accused couple.

Family friends told Daily Mail Australia that Hallam's father, David, a highly regarded local angler, was horrified to learn of the allegations in the months before his death.

Ashley Hallam, 55, has been disowned by the legendary Tuna Club of Tasmania just months after it paid tribute to his family's long-history with the iconic fishing institution

Ashley Hallam's father, David, was once president of the family-orientated fishing club

Just months ago, the Tuna Club of Tasmania paid tribute to the family's distinguished connection to the club, where his father had once been president.

But this week the 'family-orientated club' vehemently denied any current link with the accused angler or his partner.

'Ashley Hallam and Catherine Lee have absolutely no involvement in the club and are not members,' a Tuna Club of Tasmania spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

'And they haven't had any involvement with the club for at least the past three decades.'

The club's outburst comes just six months after it had hailed the Hallam family's involvement ahead of a memorial service for his late father on January 18.

'On behalf of the President and Members, the Tuna Club of Tasmania extends our condolences to the family of David Hallam,' the club said in an announcement on its official Facebook page before the ceremony.

'David was a past President and extremely active competitor with the [Tuna Club of Tasmania] over many years.

'During this time he passionately participated in club competition with his family Rebecca and Ashley.

'The Hallam family's record of success is a stand out in our club's deep history.'

The public spurning comes after Lee's former vet clinic employer also took steps to distance itself from the alleged fish molesters after the sick vision first went viral last January.

'Dear valued clients, pets and supporters of Kingston Animal Hospital,' the clinic's owner, Dr Chris Lee, told clients in an online announcement.

Hallam and Lee have both been charged with a series of bestiality offences

'It has come to my recent attention that an ex-employee of the hospital has recently been the subject of attention by [allegedly] appearing in a video that has been widely circulated on social media.

'Please understand that this person is no longer a paid employee, has not worked at Kingston Animal Hospital for over 5 years, and over 10 years ago as a full-time employee.

'I would like to apologise for the distress this matter may have caused you.'

Hallam and Lee fronted Hobart Magistrates Court again last week, 18 months after they were arrested and charged with a series of bestiality offences last February

Lee appeared on Monday, facing two counts of making or reproducing a bestiality product between between February 2022 and January 25, 2023, and another of possessing it.

Dressed in a black suit for the appearance, the 58-year-old, from the Hobart suburb of Howden, requested an adjournment without entering a plea.

Hallam, from Dolphin Sands in the island state's south-east, appeared on Tuesday facing two charges of making or reproducing a bestiality product and three counts of possessing a bestiality product in the same time-frame.

The prize-winning angler, who was once a regular feature in local Tasmanian fishing columns and blogs, also requested an adjournment without entering a plea.

Both requests were granted with the couple scheduled to appear again on October 25.
Marin County determined that six Stinson Beach homeowners with beachfront properties who put up posts and other fencing onto the beach must remove the fences or apply for a permit. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Owners of six ocean-facing homes in Stinson Beach who roped off areas of the beach as private property are in violation of county law and must either remove the barriers or obtain permits to keep them, Marin County officials said Monday.

The decision followed an anonymous complaint earlier this month from a person who claimed that owners of six beachfront properties at Stinson had recently used posts and rope to cordon off areas in front of their properties that should be open to the public. Some of the owners reached by the Chronicle said that they have had the fences on a seasonal basis for decades and that they were needed to prevent instances of people climbing onto their decks and even building campfires underneath a home on stilts.

But county officials say rules are rules.

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All six properties are in violation of Marin County code, said Gil Sanchez, supervising code compliance specialist with the Marin Countys Community Development Agency who took part in the investigation last week. Weve required either removal or an attempt to legalize the fencing.

Marin County determined that six Stinson Beach homeowners with beachfront properties who put up posts and other fencing onto the beach must remove the fences or apply for a permit. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

The dustup over fences in Stinson Beach was first reported by SFGATE. (SFGATE and the Chronicle are both owned by Hearst Corp. but operate independently.)

Its the latest conflict arising around boundaries between private property and access to public beaches in California. In July, a woman in Laguna Beach (Orange County) was captured in a viral TikTok video using profanities as she unfurled a roped barrier and forced a family off a segment of beach she claimed was private property. She was later reprimanded both by the city and California Coastal Commission.

With its wide, white expanse of sand, Stinson Beach is a prime destination on warm days. Its also one of the few Bay Area beaches with multimillion-dollar homes perched right at the shoreline. The houses named in the complaint are at the ends of four narrow lanes, between Calle del Resaca and Calle del Pinos. Two face the area where a public parking lot run by the National Park Service opens to the beach.

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Marin County determined that six Stinson Beach homeowners with beachfront properties who put up posts and other fencing onto the beach must remove the fences or apply for a permit. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

When theres really, really hot weather, people will flock to Stinson, said Greg Dixon, whose mother owns one of the beach homes flagged by the complaint, located on property his great-grandfather purchased in the 1940s. When its that packed, we carve out a space to lie out, he said, referring to the roped area he said his brother-in-law puts up in front of the house each spring and takes down each winter lest the barriers be washed away by storms.

Dixon and two other property owners reached by the Chronicle said that theyd had their fences  all knee-high metal or wooden posts with ropes  in place for years, if not decades, and no one had ever raised the issue. They said the main reason they had put them up was to dissuade beachgoers from littering on their property, trespassing and worse.

People light fires underneath my home, said Anantha Pradeep, owner of a bungalow built close to the water line known as the Spider House because it perches on tall stilts.

Marin County determined that six Stinson Beach homeowners with beachfront properties who put up posts and other fencing onto the beach must remove the fences or apply for a permit. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Until he set up the ropes, Pradeep said, he would sometimes return to his house to find embers and beer bottles below it, remnants of a bonfire party. He also sometimes woke up in the middle of the night to find people on his deck, he said. Once he put up the mini-stanchion, it stopped.

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People are conscientious, he said.

The owner of another house named in the complaint said she has owned the home for 52 years and has had fences along her property line the entire time, except in winter.

If I dont have a fence, the public comes up to the house and hangs their towels to dry on my deck, said the homeowner, who did not want to use her name for fear of retaliation. (The Chronicle granted her wish based on its anonymous sources policy.)

Sanchez said that fences on three of the properties appear to be on private property only, while the other three could be partly on public land, but that would have to be determined by a survey, if those property owners decide to apply for a permit.

Any development in the coastal zone, whether in private property or not, requires a Coastal Development Permit, Sanchez said. The posts and rope fencing is by definition considered development.

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Marin County determined that six Stinson Beach homeowners with beachfront properties who put up posts and other fencing onto the beach must remove the fences or apply for a permit. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

In general, public access at state beaches is guaranteed to at least the high tide line, according to California law, but can extend beyond that depending on the particular beach.

Owners of beachfront homes in Aptos are in a legal battle with both the California Coastal Commission and Santa Cruz County over a pathway that they argue is part of their backyards but the state agency and county deem vital to public accessibility, especially for those using strollers or wheelchairs.

In the case of the Laguna Beach situation, the Coastal Commission sent a letter of violation to the homeowner, informing her that the area she kicked beachgoers off of was publicly owned, and threatening fines if she did not remove the barriers. They have since come down, said Joshua Smith, public information officer at the California Coastal Commission.

Last week, Dixon said his family would consider applying for a permit if needed for their home at Stinson Beach.

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We dont want negative backlash like were some family thats trying to keep the public out and denying them access to the beach, he said. Thats not what were about.

Smith said that the Coastal Commission is pleased that the county is addressing the fencing complaint.

Issues of public access are really important to Californians, he said. We safeguard them. Thats our job.
The elderly parents of the man said to be behind a second attempt on the life of Donald Trump have spoken out about how anger and hatred consumed his life.

Lee and Phyllis Syvrud told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview, they knew their son Ronald, a convicted sex offender with a long rap sheet, detested Trump  but they dont believe he would have followed through on his threats.

I think its just him trying to get attention and talk tough, Phyllis, 89, told DailyMail.com.

He was filled with hatred, she added. He drank more and more. He was getting angrier and angrier. Ive told Lee he needs help.

The couple said hes been in numerous failed relationships and been fired from multiple jobs working in warehouses.

Ronald Syvrud is a convicted sex offender with a long rap sheet, but his parents Lee and Phyllis Syvrud told DailyMail.com he detests Donald Trump but they dont believe he would have followed through on his threats

For the last few months, Syvrud has lived with blonde girlfriend Dawn Batchelder in a trailer park in Benson, 50 miles southeast of Tucson. Their neighbors hated living near the pair as Syvrud was known to be aggressive

Its just been one situation after another, the mom said as she spoke at their roomy, well-maintained home a half-hour north of Madison.

Syvrud, 66, was arrested on Thursday, 35 miles from the spot where Trump was touring the border in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Cops say he had posted a series of messages on social media threatening the life of the former president.

His mother said Syvrud called her shortly after Thomas Crooks shot Trump, hitting him in the ear, on July 13.

When he called, I answered the phone, Phyllis told DailyMail.com of the day Trump narrowly missed death.

He didnt say Hi, ma or anything else. He just said, One inch! Thats it. And I said, "Yeah, one inch."

His dislike of Trump is as bad as ours, she added. He doesnt like all his lying. But Ive never heard him make a threat before.

Its Trumps own admission that he wants to be a dictator, Lee, 92, chimed in. That scares the sh*t out of me. I had four brothers in the service in the Second World War.

I dont want another Hitler.

Choking back tears, the mom added: I always told him  just like Kamala said  if you dont like him, do something. Vote.

Syvrud was brought up in Windsor, Wisconsin, where his parents still live, but moved to Arizona several years ago.

For the last few months he has lived with blonde girlfriend Dawn Batchelder in a trailer park in Benson, 50 miles southeast of Tucson.

The home where Syvrud has been living with his girlfriend in Benson, Arizona, is festooned with Harley Davidson memorabilia

Syvrud (top) was devastated by the 2022 cancer death of his brother Gregory, his mother told DailyMail.com

Officials said security was heightened at the Cochise County event amid the alleged assassination plot by Syvrud and after Trump had been shot by Thomas Crooks less than six weeks earlier

Batchelder, 54, would not comment when contacted by DailyMail.com, at the home which is festooned with Harley Davidson memorabilia.

In subsequent texts with a DailyMail.com reporter she wrote F**k off, Go f**k yourself and Get bent.

Others living in the sleepy Palo Blanco Lakes retirement complex told of a bitter braggart who made their lives hell.

One park resident, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation from Syvrud and Batchelder, said: He would constantly swagger around in a vest and no shirt, telling people how great he is.

He liked to wear big rings on every finger too.

She told how he used the alias Rudy Lee when he first moved in in November which allowed him to evade criminal background checks that would have revealed him to be a pedophile who was convicted of abusing a 13-year-old girl in 2000.

A manager at the park said they had been trying to boot him out for months.

Neighbors said the angry senior had savagely battered Batchelder during a drunken fight two months ago, but charges were dropped at her request.

We all celebrated when he was arrested, added the neighbor who said he had been an aggressive presence in the community.

He did the job of getting rid of himself by himself thanks to Trump. Hes definitely got my vote now.

One man described Syvrud as the neighbor from hell and said he was glad he was gone.

Another said that Batchelder was left seething after cops, the Secret Service, and FBI descended on their trailer home and searched both it and her navy-blue Nissan Altima.

She was later heard berating neighbors demanding to know who had alerted the authorities

Trump met locals as he toured the southern border at Sierra Vista, Arizona, last Thursday

Secret Service snipers perched on a crane to survey the area where Trump spoke in Cochise County, Arizona

Syvrud's plans came weeks after an assassination attempt on Trump's life saw a bullet graze the former president's ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania

Neighbors said the angry senior had savagely battered Batchelder during a drunken fight two months ago at their trailer home in Benson, Arizona

Her grizzled boyfriend had already left the scene by the time the cops arrived and was eight miles south of the home when he was cornered.

Syvruds parents said they first discovered he was in trouble when his girlfriend Batchelder called them, leaving a startling message saying he had really screwed himself by posting something on Facebook about Trump and a gun and a scope and all this other crap.'

Management at the Pato Blanco Lakes park had been trying to boot Syvrud for months

The message, reviewed exclusively by DailyMail.com, continued, And now weve got the CIA and Secret Service looking for him. And from what he just told me 10 minutes ago, the cops were there to get him.

Phyllis picked up the call at that point and asked for elaboration. She told me he put out there that he was going to buy a scope for his gun, Phyllis said.

'She said shed never even seen Ron have a gun, and I said Right, he doesnt have a gun. Hes never had a gun."'

Later the same day, Batchelder called again to say Syvrud had been arrested and banged up in the Cochise County Jail.

Authorities said Syvrud threatened to kill Trump in multiple postings in the past couple of weeks but wouldnt elaborate on what he wrote.

Police said there were several warrants out for his arrest including for a DUI and failure to appear in court in Wisconsin, and for failure to re-register as a sex offender and for a felony hit and run in Arizona.

Syvrud's girlfriend Dawn Batchelder, 54, would not comment when contacted by DailyMail.com but later sent profane texts to a reporter

Syvrud, who lived in Benson, been in numerous failed relationships and been fired from multiple jobs working in warehouses, according to his parents

Syvruds parents said the sex abuse case occurred in 2000 and saw their son plead no contest to second-degree sexual assault of a child  for which he received several months in jail and had to register as a sex offender.

They said they dont believe their grown son abused the child, who they described as a 13-year-old girl, but acknowledged he has serious problems and has been repeatedly arrested, often for drunk driving.

They also said hes been suicidal in the past. Hes been upset over the death of his younger brother Gregory to cancer in 2022.

Hes also grown increasingly frustrated with what hes considered unfair treatment by law enforcement, including arrests for drunk driving when he claims he was merely sleeping in a parked car.

He was also furious a couple of years back when his prized Harley Davidson got stolen and he felt police did nothing to investigate.

Im not defending his behavior, Lee told DailyMail.com. Im just saying this is why he continued to be mad at the authorities for not doing enough for him.

In recent weeks, the parents said, theyve been trying to get him to go home to Wisconsin to receive therapy and to get hospital care for pain hes been experiencing in his legs.

They say he has nerve damage and blackening of his skin.

Syvrud moved to the desert city of Benson, Arizona, 50 miles southeast of Tucson to live with girlfriend Dawn Batchelder

We want him to come home and get better, to take care of his leg and get himself in therapy and take care of that DUI stuff, Lee told DailyMail.com.

I told Ron that, yeah, you cant keep doing this to yourself, the mom said. He does need medical attention and therapy.

He needs it so bad because hes so angry and hateful. We talk and he starts swearing and I say, Ron, youre talking to your mother. And hell say, Im sorry mom.

He doesnt mean it, but hes so angry.

We worry, we really worry.

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels had been forced to ramp up security in the area around the section of border wall near Sierra Vista that Trump was visiting last week as the search went on for Syvrud.

'We have zero tolerance for any kind of threats or intents of violence, so we'll find him. He'll go to jail,' Dannels said.

Syvrud has been arrested over the alleged threats against the former president and banged up in the Cochise County Jail (pictured) in southern Arizona

'He's a registered sex offender here in Cochise County, and we were looking for him. He's out of compliance as part of his violations. So we're looking for him on that.

'We're going to arrest him on that. But also the fact his pulse was obviously directed toward this event. So we want to talk to him about that.'

In a statement following his arrest, the Cochise County Sheriffs Office said: Intelligence developed led to a possible location in the St David area and multiple units deployed to the location.

At approximately 2.15pm, units on scene observed the suspect traveling outside the identified location, and a felony stop was conducted.

Syvrud was taken into custody without further incident at approximately 2.30pm. Syvrud was subsequently booked into the Cochise County Jail. He remains in custody pending further court adjudication.
Roughly 30 miles east of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry in the boiling hot Arizona desert, groups of military-aged men from Asia awaited rides from federal agents after completing a monthslong journey.

It was a Friday morning along a remote stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border just before 8 a.m. The temperature was already nearing 90 degrees and the sun had been steadily rising for hours already, bathing everything in its scorching heat.

It was pick-up time - everyone from the migrants to the human smugglers to the Border Patrol and the humanitarian aid workers knew it.

Like clockwork - and as printed on the tents lining the remote border outpost in different languages - pick up at this location occurs at 8 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

All you need to do is get there and wait for a ride.

The man on the right here recalled having a cartel member point a gun at his head and demand his cell phone and money. The entire group was held up by the human smugglers on the very last leg of their journey, after already paying a fee to cross

Driving out to this remote crossing spot where the border wall abruptly ends and migrants waltz across into the U.S., DailyMail.com encountered roughly three dozen migrants who had just walked into the U.S. and were awaiting their Border Patrol-sponsored shuttle service.

The migrants started engaging when asked about how the Mexican cartels treated them as they made their journey to the border.

'They beat. Take everything, money ... food,' a man from Bangladesh told DailyMail.com of how his group was treated by the cartel human smugglers.

A group of men from India who had just recently crossed illegally by foot into the U.S. via a gap in the U.S.-Mexico borer wall near Sasabe, Arizona, await a Border Patrol transport

The man indicated that they were locked in a room overnight where there were bugs that roamed the floor, biting them.

He showed DailyMail.com his feet, which were covered in small red dots.

'They lock inside the room,' he said while revealing his feet covered in bug bites, 'then they go.'

The first group of migrants encountered by DailyMail.com was comprised of young men from Bangladesh and Nepal.

They said they plan to settle in Los Vegas, Nevada, Los Angeles, California, and other Democrat-run cities across the country that have more lenient sanctuary city policies.

A few others said they were making the trek to New York.

The group of men was awoken by DailyMail.com's truck driving out to the remote crossing point. After they awoke they shared where they are from and details about their journey, including how they were treated by the cartels they paid to get into the U.S.

A group of 18 men from Bangladesh and Nepal were first spotted by DailyMail.com asleep on the side of a remote road adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border. The men looked exhausted and hardly any had more than a backpack

They were spotted asleep on the side of the road, looking dehydrated, exhausted and covered in dirt.

Most of the men had spent five to six months traveling to the U.S., some said.

They were awoken by the sound of the truck DailyMail.com was driving out to the frequented hole in the fence.

The remote patch of dirt on which the groups of migrants were sleeping was tens of miles from any town or area with basic structures, food or water

This man from Bangladesh showed his sore-riddled feet to DailyMail.com, apparently indicating that they were bug bites that came from a shelter they stayed in provided by the cartel. He said they were locked in

The Bangladeshis and Nepalese began in South America before hiking up through Panama and most of Central America before making it to Mexico.

Down another stretch of dirt road another group of men, this time from India, were discovered sitting in the shade of a near by cliff also waiting for a ride.

They too took the dangerous monthslong journey through Central America to the U.S., and largely had the same feedback as the first group of men.

The group from Bangladesh hardly spoke any English, but explained that they left to come to the U.S. after escaping political unrest at home

This pair from India told DailyMail.com there is 'no safety in Mexico' and that they were beaten by the cartel members who herded them through the border into the U.S.

Indian migrants in their twenties were headed for major cities like Chicago and New York

'In Mexico there is no safety,' an Indian migrant in his early twenties told DailyMail.com.

'Here is safe,' he said referencing American soil.

Upon the group's arrival to the breach in the barrier the presumably cartel-affiliated human smugglers pointed their guns at the group of Indian men and demanded their valuables, including food.

Another Indian man then spoke up, 'Give me your money, [your] mobile,' recounting what the cartel members told him after delivering them to the hole in the border fence.

Despite the turmoil they came running from, the men had never had guns pointed at their heads until arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, they said.

Both the groups of men told DailyMail.com they were beaten by the cartel members while getting smuggled into America.

The migrant on the left was headed for New York while the man on the right for California

All of the people in the Bangladesh and Nepal group were men appearing to be between 20 and 40-years-old

At the end of the road where the border wall ends there was another group of migrants too.

This smaller group was comprised of four unaccompanied minors, a family unit of a mother, father and daughter as well as another mother-daughter group and several adult males.

These migrants came from Mexico and Guatemala.

The total of migrants spotted having just crossed this morning out in the remote Arizona desert was 36 in total.

Shortly after 8 a.m. the Border Patrol trucks could be seen crossing the distant hills approaching the breach in the border barrier.

A group of migrants from Central America stands in the shade of a humanitarian aid tent at the hole in the U.S.-Mexico border

Humanitarian aid workers were there to help the struggling families and their little ones

Just after 8 a.m. Border Patrol pulled up to the distant outpost and began loading migrants into their cars

After speaking with some humanitarian aid workers to glean basic details about the migrant group, the federal agents began loading the migrants into their cars.

Shortly after loading the dozen migrants from Central America into their all-terrain trucks, the agents began the hour-long journey across the tough roads back to the official port of entry and processing center.

On the ride back DailyMail.com once again encountered the group from Bangladesh and Nepal.

They were being loaded in to Border Patrol vans to also be shuttled to the processing center.

Again driving up to the group from India, the young men had shifted from the shade of a hill to the shade of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Unfortunately for them, the vehicles were full and they would have to wait for the next transport.

But they weren't worried, they knew they were going to get a ride.
The Christian nurse who blew the whistle on Texas Children's Hospital allegedly using federal funding for gender-affirming care has been fired.

Vanessa Sivadge, 31, announced on social media that the hospital unlawfully fired her on August 16 - months after putting her on leave.

The hospital at the time cited 'things [she] shared publicly' as its justification for putting Sivadge on leave after journalist Christopher Rufo published her allegations that the hospital charged Medicaid to cover minors' cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers against state law.

She now says her claims about the hospital, and a religious accommodation request to transfer out of the endocrinology clinic - where she claims she was forced into the 'indirect participation in the care of children on cross-sex hormones' - contributed to the hospital's decision to fire her.

'This is unlawful for two reasons: It is retaliation for my coming forward with information on TCH's egregious pattern of deception and Medicaid fraud, and this actin also illegally disregarded my request to transfer due to my belief that these procedures bring irreversible harm and lifelong regret to children confused about their sex,' she argued.

Vanessa Sivadge, 31, announced on social media that the hospital fired her on August 16

The nurse is now seeking to challenge her termination in court, and has set up an online fundraiser to cover legal fees.

'The only thing I am guilty of is telling the truth, and I am more committed to this fight than ever before,' Sivadge wrote in the GiveSendGo, which has raised more than $50,000 by Monday evening.

'The risks have never been higher for whistleblowers who come forward to expose wrongdoing, but when the lives and well-being of children are at stake, it is worth it.'

Sivadge went on to say that she sees her situation as part of a religious struggle, noting: 'I believe that human beings are made in the image of God, and the intrinsic biological differences between men and women should be affirmed, upheld and celebrated.'

She said it was her faith that guided her to come forward with the allegations that the hospital was using federal funds for gender-affirming treatment.

She has claimed Texas Children's Hospital charged Medicaid to cover minors' cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers against state law

Sivadge approached Rufo about the claims after he published a story about Dr. Ethan Haim - who leaked medical records suggesting that Texas Children's Hospital continued to prescribe puberty blockers and other sex-change treatments for kids even after it said it stopped.

The hospital's claimed it was no longer performing such procedures a month after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ruled that gender-affirming care for kids is considered a form of child abuse under state law.

But in the files Haim released, one doctor performed transgender medical procedures on minors whose ages ranged from 12 to 17, with 'visit types' listed as 'gender dysphoria' and 'gender identity.'

Another visit was listed for 'HRT [hormone replacement therapy].'

One procedure also listed in the documents suggests one appointment was with an 11-year-old 'female-to-male transgender person'  three days after the hospital announced it was halting such treatments.

Texas Children's Hospital denied these claims, saying in a statement back in June that it 'never condones any criminal act,' according to the Daily Signal.

'It goes without saying that if we uncover any rogue or unauthorized criminal activity, we will take swift action to correct the issue,' a spokesperson said.

'To reiterate, our internal investigation to date has found no basis to substantiate any allegations of Medicaid fraud. All services provided by Texas Children's were permitted according to Medicaid billing and paying guidelines that were in effect at the time care was provided.'

She came forward with her allegations after Dr. Ethan Haim leaked medical records suggesting that Texas Children's Hospital continued to prescribe puberty blockers and other sex-change treatments for kids even after it said it stopped

But Sivadge has backed Haim's allegations.

'I knew what Dr. Haim reported to be true, because I worked in the endocrine clinic, and had first-hand knowledge of patients being prescribed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, despite the hospital repeatedly and publicly denying the program's existence,' she wrote in the GiveSendGo.

The nurse also claimed in an interview with the New York Post that she saw doctors at the clinic telling parents their kids could kill themselves if they did not transition, and said many parents feared the doctors would call Child Protective Services on them if they did not agree to the gender-affirming care.

'These doctors are driven by a political agenda, like an ideological agenda,' Sivadge said, 'and I truly believe that they think that they're doing the right thing.'

She added: 'Parents were manipulated by doctors with an ideological agenda to go down this path of medical transition for their child...

'And I do think that doctors would use manipulative language to suggest that if they didn't do this their child would commit suicide or they would harm themselves.'

Sivadge also believes doctors at the hospital miscategorized gender-affirming treatments in order to get around Texas' ban on Medicaid covering hormone treatments.

Sivadge also claimed that doctors would tell parents their kids could kill themselves if they did not transition, and many parents feared the doctors would call Child Protective Services on them if they did not agree to the gender-affirming care

The allegations prompted Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to open an investigation.

But in June, Haim was indicted on four counts of violating the patient-privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

He faces penalties of up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, but has pleaded not guilty - citing the fact that the medical records were all redacted.

Sivadge has not been indicted by the federal government, but the FBI reportedly visited her house after she came forward with her allegations.

She claims the agents told her 'they could make my life difficult, and said I was not safe unless I helped them.

'I felt scared, intimidated and overwhelmed,' she said in her online fundraiser.

After coming forward with her claims, FBI agents reportedly visited her house

Sivadge now says she believes federal law enforcement have been politically weaponized.

'I never thought that [my identity] would come to light, and that I would be ultimately visited by the federal government, wanting to intimidate me into silence,' she told the Christian Post.

'And so I think that instead of investigating medical institutions and organizations - in my case, a hospital - for wrongdoing and for illegal activity, the federal government was weaponized to come after people exposing crime and whistleblowers like me.

'And so that's egregious, it's something I never imagined in a million years would happen to me.'

She went on to say that she fears political weaponization of federal agencies would continue under a Kamala Harris presidency.

'I believe that the Department of Justice has been weaponized against people of faith and people who expose wrongdoing and illegal activity - not just in my case, but in man others.

'And so I am deeply concerned that if she gets elected, nothing will change in that regard.'

Sivadge now argues she is the victim of political weaponization, and is planning to fight her termination in court

Still, Sivadge said she 'absolutely' feels God's presence.

'Not just that, but I've felt tremendous support from the people of God,' she said, adding that 'people in the community who have reached out, have sent so many messages, have donated to my GiveSendGo, have ultimately made me feel like I'm doing the right thing, no matter what comes down the pike.

'And that's ultimately the greatest encouragement that I receive is from people who have donated and who have prayed for me.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Texas Children's Hospital for comment.
A Colorado woman who had a 'paranoia' about child molesters has been sentenced to life in prison after she shot a wanted sex offender and dumped his remains in a drainage ditch.

Deka Simmons, 38, will spend the rest of her life behind bars without the possibility of parole over the murder of 48-year-old Daxcimo Ceja in Colorado Springs.

At sentencing on Wednesday, prosecutor Sharon Flaherty said in her closing arguments that Simmons murdered Ceja because he was a sex offender who had a relationship with a 17-year-old girl when he was 25, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Simmons was the subject of an intensive investigation that stretched back to April 2022 when she was arrested for the brutal killing.

Deka Simmons, 38, was the subject of an intensive investigation that stretched back to April 2022, when she was arrested for the killing of 48-year-old Daxcimo Ceja in Colorado Springs

Simmons killed Ceja while he had a warrant out for his arrest for his failure to register as a sex offender.

According to authorities, Simmons shot Ceja in a garage, dismembered his body, and stowed it in a freezer before transporting his remains in a van.

Officers had been able to link the brutal murder to Simmons because of DNA they had recovered from blood in the garage across more than 300 stains.

In October 2023, police found Ceja's body in a drainage ditch near the 500 block of W. Polk Street, after an anonymous tip regarding human remains in a bag.

Flaherty told the court Simmons had an intense disdain for pedophiles, according to testimony from the trial. It was claimed her ill-feelings stemmed from an alleged incident which involved her daughter.

'[She] has an unrestrained hatred for anyone who would molest a child,' the prosecutor said, before adding that this feeling of loathing was a 'fixation' and a 'paranoia.'

Prosecutor Sharon Flaherty said that Simmons murdered Ceja because he was a sex offender who had a relationship with a 17-year-old girl when he was 25

CSPD detective Jerry Shiffelbei testified that one of Simmons' previous cellmates told him that she had said that she once murdered a man because she believed he was a child molester.

Other incriminating evidence came in the form of a Facebook message that the killer allegedly sent to a witness via Facebook messenger.

'DID YOU CLEAN THE HOUSE???' Simmons reportedly sent to someone who was allegedly involved in scouring the garage after the murder.

In October 2023, police found Ceja's body in a drainage ditch near the 500 block of W. Polk Street, after an anonymous tip regarding human remains in a bag

Detective Jason Gasper revealed that the Colorado mother believed that her daughter suffered sexual assault at the hands of Simmons' stepfather, whom she stabbed in 2019 after a furious dispute over custody.

During the trial, Ceja's parents, Karen and Barry Joseph Fancher, gave heart-breaking victim-impact statements.

'Dax [Ceja] was a good person. He didn't deserve to go out this way,' father Barry Fancher said.

'[He] was killed for something he did 24 years ago,' Karen Fancher said. 'She won't be on the street to hurt anyone else's families like she has done her whole entire life.'

In addition to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Simmons was sentenced to 24 years for tampering with a deceased body, and three years for tampering with physical evidence.

In a statement, the DA said that she had been charged with first-degree murder after deliberation, violent crime with a weapon, tampering with a deceased human body, among other things.

'The successful outcome in this case, against a woman who has proven herself to be a danger to members of our community, took the dedication and perseverance of many members of my office,' said District Attorney Michael Allen.
Series of creditors now owed more than $1million

A motorcycle company belonging to a two-time Young Entrepreneur of the Year and former Young Australian of the Year has collapsed owing more than $1million.

Braaap Motorcycles Pty Ltd was ordered into liquidation by the NSW Supreme Court on August 7, owing 121 unsecured creditors at least $1.074million.

Former motocross champion Brad Smith started the business at the age of 17 in 2008 after being disappointed by the quality of imported mini bikes from China.

He decided to travel to China the following year where he found two factories prepared to make bikes to his specifications to sell in Australia.

The company, which has a headquarters in Carrum Downs in southeast Melbourne, sells and leases new and used bikes across the country.

Braaap offers a paid lifetime warranty with the purchase of every bike, and customers are now asking how they can claim that guarantee.

Queensland man Liam Leonard is seeking a refund on a $5,000 bike he purchased for his wife after it suffered 'several' mechanical issues in just 18 months.

'Chain was fitted to the bike way too tight. No flex. A break/snap in the chain at speed can have fatal consequences. They declined to have a new chain sent under warranty to re-fit correctly,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Former motocross champion Brad Smith (pictured) started the business at the age of 17 in 2008 after being disappointed by the quality of imported mini bikes from China

Braaap Motorcycles Pty Ltd was ordered into liquidation by the NSW Supreme Court on August 7 owing 121 unsecured creditors at least $1.074million (Mr Smith is pictured)

Queensland man Liam Leonard (left) is seeking a refund on a $5,000 bike he purchased for his wife (right) after it suffered 'several' mechanical issues in just 18 months

'After the chain was replaced, the front sprocket seal broke (as a result of the original chain being too tight) and started leaking oil.'

Mr Leonard said the lifelong warranty he had paid an extra $250 for had covered the $3 seal for the broken sprocket but not for cost of the labour.

Additionally, he says the speedometer has a faulty speed reading and the front ABS brake sensor on the bike has failed.

'We purchased through Braaap as we wanted a learner motorcycle for my wife. And with lifetime warranty for an extra $250, how could we go wrong,' he said.

'We are still looking into avenues of possible action to take. We will be looking at claiming the full price of the motorcycle as well as the lifetime warranty cost to the liquidators.'

Just weeks before the collapse of the company, Mr Smith spoke about what it means to be an Australian entrepreneur.

'What we call entrepreneurs in Australia, we often actually mean founders. Everyone should be an entrepreneur whether you're the founder or the 10th employee,' the founder told Artisana Academy in April.

'Most of the time, if you go and look at the number two, three, four employee, if you're good, if you're highly talented, you're going to have good employee share option bonuses.'

In his book, 'DIRB IT UP: Do It Real Big', Mr Smith (pictured) revealed that his parents had mortgaged their house to help fund his business venture

Mr Smith began trading stocks at the age of 14 with money he had saved from motocross competitions and went full-time three years later.

The teenager began selling motorbikes out of his garage, and within the first year, while most of his friends were still in school, he sold $230,000 worth of stock.

In his book, 'DIRB IT UP: Do It Real Big', he revealed that his parents had mortgaged their house to help fund his business venture.

'I understood the risk and I loved the pressure. They would never have let me do it if they thought I was just plucking trades,' he wrote.

'They trusted me. They trusted in my character and brain. What a great gift for a parent to give their child, the gift of self-belief and trust.'

However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing.

In 2016, Mr Smith was arrested by NSW Police and charged with a series of fraud offences over his alleged involvement in a 'rebirthing' syndicate that scratched off and replaced serial numbers to resell motorbikes.

He was convicted of one charge of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and was handed a two-year community corrections order.

Mr Smith (pictured) spoke about what it means to be an Australian entrepreneur in an interview shared just weeks before the collapse of his company

In 2019, Braap Wholesale pleaded guilty to six counts of approval for the placement of identification plates and three counts of importation of vehicles requiring modification and was ultimately handed a $25,000 fine.

Braap Wholesale went into liquidation in 2020 with Braaap Motorcycles Pty Ltd following suit four years later.

One of the company's bank accounts had just $69.27 and others were overdrawn.

Liquidators Edwin Narayan and Graeme Ward from Mackay Goodwin has warned customers not to expect any refunds, news.com.au reports.

'Unfortunately, our office will not be in a position to fulfil orders taken by the company prior to our appointment and will also not be able to provide you with a refund,' Mr Narayan and Mr Ward wrote.

'If you have paid the deposit with a credit card, you may be able to contact your credit card provider and discuss alternative options.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Smith for comment.
Australia has recorded its highest winter temperature on record as the country sweats through an untimely heatwave.

A scorching 41.6C was recorded in Yampi Sound, in north-west Western Australia, on Monday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has 'provisionally confirmed' the temperature - meaning they have yet to run more tests to double-check the reading wasn't affected by something else before they can officially confirm it.

A BoM spokesman said that if it is legitimised, it would stand as the 'Australia-wide maximum temperature record for any winter month'.

It exceeds the previous record of 41.2C that was set in West Roebuck, about 100km southwest of Yampi Sound, on August 23, 2020.

Local temperature records in Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing - all in WA - were also broken as the mercury soared above 40C.

The heatwave had left swathes on the nation's interior sweltering with temperatures up to 15C higher than August averages.

Outback towns in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and NSW also smashed previous all-time highs last week.

Millions of Aussies are expected to sweat through the final days of winter after a heatwave started to spread out from the nation's interior last weekend

Warm weather is forecast to continue across much of #Australia this week and into the weekend, with no weather systems forecast to force the hot air away from the country. The heat will extend towards the east coast of #Qld and #NSW this week.

Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/wOFFJkBeZG  Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) August 26, 2024

The warmer air which had been laying reasonably dormant in the centre of Australia is expected to spread across NSW and Queensland.

BoM predicts the increased temperatures to last throughout the week, with some areas seeing highs about 11C greater than the average for the end of winter.

The unseasonable weather has been less than ideal for snow resorts, with many reporting snow losses and poor conditions leading into spring.

BoM have also issued a weather warning for areas along the nation's south coast as a cold front is predicted to move north and cause severe winds.

The entirety of Tasmania was warned of potentially 'destructive' winds in excess of 60km/h on Tuesday morning.

Elevated areas across the apple aisle and between between Swansea and Orford, on the east coast, could see winds reaching up to 125 km/h.

Swathes of Victoria and coastal areas of WA, SA and NSW have also been warned to be prepared for 'damaging' and 'destructive' winds on Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The unseasonably hot weather is expected to warm up areas of Queensland and New South Wales to well above their August averages throughout the week (Pictured, Bondi Beach)

Sydney

Wednesday: Sunny. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h increasing to 35 to 50 km/h in the morning then turning westerly in the early afternoon. Min 16C Max 28C

Thursday: Sunny. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the morning. Min 13C Max 23C

Friday: Sunny. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h becoming light during the evening. Min 12C Max 19C

Melbourne

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers about the Dandenongs, medium chance elsewhere. Possible small hail about the bayside suburbs in the late afternoon and evening. Winds northwesterly 35 to 50 km/h turning westerly early in the morning then decreasing to 20 to 30 km/h in the evening. Min 13C Max 18C

Thursday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h tending north to northwesterly 25 to 40 km/h during the day. Min

Friday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northerly 35 to 50 km/h turning westerly 25 to 40 km/h during the morning then tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Min 13C Mac 19C

Brisbane

Wednesday: The chance of fog in the early morning. Sunny day. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the evening then becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening. Min 16C Max 31C



Thursday: Sunny. Light winds becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 19C Max 33C

Friday: Sunny. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. Min 16C Max 32C

Perth

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. The chance of morning fog. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the evening. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day. Min 9C Max 21C

Thursday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h tending westerly 25 to 40 km/h during the morning then decreasing to 15 to 25 km/h during the evening. Min15 Max 21

Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds westerly 20 to 30 km/h. Min 11C Max 18C

Adelaide

Wednesday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. Winds westerly 30 to 45 km/h decreasing to 15 to 25 km/h in the evening. Min 13C Max 17C

Thursday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Winds west to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending north to northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning. Min 11C Max 22C

Friday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h turning westerly 30 to 45 km/h during the morning. Min 14C Max 19C

Hobart

Wednesday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h tending westerly 30 to 45 km/h in the morning. Min 8C Max 12C

Thursday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, with possible small hail in the morning. Winds westerly 25 to 40 km/h turning north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the afternoon. Min 7C Max 14C

Friday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds north to northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h turning westerly during the morning then tending northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the evening. Min 10C Max 15C

Canberra

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Winds northwesterly 30 to 45 km/h turning westerly 35 to 50 km/h in the middle of the day then decreasing to 25 to 35 km/h in the evening. Min 8C Max 18C

Thursday: Partly cloudy. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h turning northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon then decreasing to 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 4C Max 16C

Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h increasing to 30 to 45 km/h during the morning then turning westerly 15 to 25 km/h during the afternoon. Min 5C Max 21C

Darwin

Wednesday: Sunny. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25 km/h in the morning then tending northeasterly in the early afternoon. Min 23C Max 34C

Thursday: Sunny. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then tending northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 23C Max 24C

Friday: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then tending west to northwesterly during the afternoon. Min 23C Max 33C
A driver has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition following a multi-vehicle collision involving four trucks on a busy motorway - before two ambulances attending the scene also crashed.

A B-double truck crashed on a stretch of the Bruce Highway south of Miriam Vale, near Gladstone in central Queensland, around 1.50am on Tuesday.

The semi-trailer then collided with two other trucks before two ambulances that were dispatched to the scene also crashed.

Queensland Police said that four trucks in total were involved in the crash after emergency services were initially notified of a single vehicle collision.

The drivers of the trucks were trapped in their vehicles and one driver in his 50s suffered serious injuries to his head, hip and leg and was rushed to Gladstone Hospital.

One witness told Nine News the ambulances arriving at the scene were forced off the road after one of the trucks tried to reverse on the highway.

Paramedics assisted five other people who sustained minor injuries before they were transported to hospital.

A B-double truck crashed on a stretch of the Bruce Highway south of Miriam Vale, near Gladstone in central Queensland , around 1.50am on Tuesday (pictured)

A man in his 20s was taken to Gladstone Hospital after he suffered injuries to his head and leg.

Another 20-year-old man was taken to Bundaberg Hospital in a stable condition after he sustained injuries to his head, chest and leg.

Two other passengers were treated at the scene for minor injuries, but did not want to be taken to hospital.

A spokeswoman from Queensland Police said multiple road closures are in place.

The road closures, which stretches for 98km, is expected to be closed for most of Tuesday.

'Motorists travelling between Gin Gin and Miriam Vale are advised to slow down and drive with caution, with smoke causing low visibility in the area,' the spokeswoman said.

'Complete road closure at Gin Gin and Miriamvale. Detour in Gin Gin is via Mulgrave Street, which turns into Bundaberg Gin Gin Road and then onto Rosedale Road and then onto Lowmead Road, to Tablelands Road, Fingerboard Rd into Miriamvale. Not suitable for heavy vehicles.'

The two ambulances (pictured) were forced off the road causing the two vehicles to crash after emergency services were dispatched to the scene

The Bruce Highway between Gin Gin and Miriam Vale stretches for a distance of around 80km.

The crash is understood to have occurred due to low visibility, with heavy smoke and fog that had blanketed the road.

It is understood that hazard reduction burns were being conducted near the crash scene.
Fighting in Ukraine intensifies by the day. The drumbeat to all-out war in the Middle East grows ever louder.

China rattles its sabre at Taiwan and other neighbours, while waging a silent cyber campaign against Britain and the West.

The volatility of North Korea and its capricious leader Kim Jong Un raises fears of nuclear calamity and across much of the planet tyranny is on the rise.

In such febrile times, its vital that Britains military is properly resourced and fit for purpose. As well as needing to be ready to defend ourselves, we are also, along with our Nato allies, at the forefront of a global fight for freedom.

So why does the Government not give defence the priority it deserves?

As we report today, even frontline military units are having their training budgets slashed in a bid to save money.

Instead of using live ammunition during battlefield exercises, soldiers may be told merely to pretend to be firing their weapons and senior officers have been ordered to limit use of artillery. Pictured: Soldiers in a training area on October 29, 2019 in Salisbury, England

Labour has also refused to commit to a deadline for raising defence spending to the benchmark figure of 2.5 per cent of GDP from its current level of 2.3

Instead of using live ammunition during battlefield exercises, soldiers may be told merely to pretend to be firing their weapons and senior officers have been ordered to limit use of artillery.

If this charade werent so terrifying, it would be hilarious. Certainly, it will raise a smile from Vladimir Putin and other ambitious despots.

The cuts are being made to save 400 million to fund a pay rise for all service personnel. The increase is long overdue but funding it from existing budgets leaves the military dangerously stretched.

Labour has also refused to commit to a deadline for raising defence spending to the benchmark figure of 2.5 per cent of GDP from its current level of 2.3.

The Mails Dont Leave Britain Defenceless campaign has called for significant military investment to counter the threat from Russia in particular.

Yet this government seems to be going in the opposite direction. It is a false economy and one which seriously jeopardises national security.

Ministers will no doubt argue that in these straitened times, Britain cant afford to spend more on defence. The truth is, we cant afford not to.

Crossing the line

For 154 years, the British Red Cross has done indispensable humanitarian work in war zones around the world.

In order to pursue its work of alleviating suffering wherever its to be found, the organisation is rightly wary of being drawn into political controversy.

However, a new inclusive language guide issued to staff comes perilously close to breaking that golden rule.

It recommends, for example, using the phrase pregnant women and people, on the grounds that people who are not women can go through pregnancy.

In order to pursue its work of alleviating suffering wherever its to be found, the Red Cross is rightly wary of being drawn into political controversy. Pictured is a British Red Cross van

It warns against saying someone was born a certain sex, preferring assigned/observed/registered male or female at birth.

And, of course, it insists anyone who identifies as female should be treated as such and allowed access to female-only spaces.

This is a headlong dive into sexual politics, which many of its clients may find at best uncomfortable, at worst offensive.

If it wants to preserve its reputation for neutrality, the Red Cross should avoid taking sides in the culture wars and get on with the business of saving lives.

n LABOUR still refuses to say who authorised a Downing Street pass for prominent donor Lord Alli in clear breach of protocol. Favourites are Sir Keir Starmer himself and shadowy chief of staff Sue Gray. Question: If its all above board, as they insist, why dont they just come clean?
A woman who wanted to renovate her home to make it safe for her dementia-affected dad to move in is now $132,573 out of pocket after the builder went bankrupt.

Kerry Beake was awarded that sum following a two-year fight in the WA State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) for compensation because the work was either incomplete or of such poor quality that her father was never able to move in before he died.

However the builder has now been declared bankrupt so she will not receive any of that money.

'I'd have more consumer protection if I bought a toaster from Aldi,' Ms Beake told Daily Mail Australia.

She hired Perth builder Buildwise Solutions based in Byford and run by Peter John Edmonds, saying there was no means in WA to be made aware of serious complaints against builders.

'We're not stupid people, we were scammed because we trusted a person would do the job they were paid and qualified to do,' she said.

'In other professions people are stood aside if there's a complaint but people in WA are at risk from cowboy builders, the system is not going to protect you.'

Mr Edmonds, 71, was fined $2,000 in Mandurah Magistrates Court this month after he pleaded guilty to doing construction on Ms Beake's home in Mandurah without taking out mandatory home indemnity insurance that would have covered the SAT ordered sum.

Ms Beake had contracted him in 2020 to convert a shed to a granny flat, do safety upgrades on the bathroom and convert a carport to an office.

Kerry Beake hired Peter Edmonds of Buildwise Solutions to do renovations (pictured) on her home so her father who suffered dementia could move in to avoid going into aged care

Her father was never able to move in before he died as the proper building permits and insurance weren't obtained and the work was of a sub-standard quality

But when she later discovered the work was botched, she was quoted $185,000 to fix it.

Mr Edmonds had charged Ms Beake for home indemnity insurance but never took a a policy out, so she cannot make a claim to get any of her money back as would usually be the case for a builder that goes into insolvency.

'He did not get proper building permits or insurance. There were gaps in the wall and windows were removed where water was flooding onto the floors.

'He quoted a 35-day job - which seemed excessive in the first place - but it was unfinished and he would stop communicating, we didn't hear from him for months.

'I found out later parts weren't built to code.'

Ms Beake, 54, said she believes she won't see a cent of the money she is owed - the total cost of the build was $152,250 - and is worried others could fall victim to similar situations.

'I'm finding it hard to resign myself (to the fact) that there is no other way to pursue this.'

'I probably look and sound ok, but I have a lot of trauma I've not been able to address or process because of all this... I haven't been able to grieve the loss of my dad.'

Eventually her father went into aged care - the situation Ms Beake had been trying to avoid by renovating her home - and he passed away late last year.

Ms Beake has written to government ministers about the traumatic events, urging law changes to provide greater protections for consumers.

'A penalty of $2,000 is insulting,' she said.

Ms Beake (left) said water would flood into the granny flat through gaps left in the walls

The construction work was not done to code and needs to be ripped up and built again which she said she cannot afford

Other customers, staff and subcontractors have alleged they were also owed money from Buildwise Solutions.

The business' website, which has now been taken down, described it as: 'A team dedicated to listening to you and understanding your needs and you will be our highest priority throughout your journey with us.'

Mr Edmonds declared himself bankrupt on March 18 and bankruptcy trustee Giovanni Carrello said creditors were owed $433,425, according to The West Australian.

'The bankrupt advised that the business ceased trading on or around 9 November 2023 as a result of a significant onsite accident,' he stated in a report to creditors.

Mr Edwards said an injury disrupted his ability to continue trading.

'The bankrupt is the joint borrower on a mortgage... secured against real property held in the name of the bankrupt's spouse.

'In 2022 he transferred a 2003 Harley Davidson with an estimated value of $15,000, and a 2013 Mercedes-Benz hatchback with an estimated value of $19,000 to his spouse.'

He has also run businesses under the names Enviro Housing Group and Alternate Living Homes.

Daily Mail Australia made attempts to contact Mr Edmonds.
Lethal defects affecting some of Britain's most well-used military vehicles led to a string of deaths  after 'negligent' defence officials failed to take action despite warnings years earlier.

Five soldiers died in four incidents between 2017 and 2022, involving the Challenger II tank, Warrior and Jackal armoured vehicles, and the Scimitar light tank, a Mail audit found.

Service inquiry reports  internal MoD inquiries into deaths or serious incidents  into the tragedies identified almost 300 failings and made 227 recommendations.

As well as vehicle defects, the reports identified shortcomings in maintenance and training.

This newspaper has conducted a forensic audit of these cases revealing how commanders repeatedly missed opportunities to prevent the deaths.

Now, as defence chiefs must cut expenditure by hundreds of millions, there are fears other fatal accidents will follow.

Five soldiers died in four incidents between 2017 and 2022, involving the Challenger II tank, Warrior and Jackal armoured vehicles, and the Scimitar light tank, a Mail audit found. Pictured is a Challenger II tank during an exercise on the Salisbury Plain Military Training Area, Wiltshire

Matthew Hatfield: Died in Challenger II explosion in 2017 during a "live fire" exercise at Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire

Furious families accused top brass of having 'blood on their hands'  and called for an urgent review of the armoured vehicle fleet.

Moira Watson-Pickering's son, Private Jethro, 23, died in 2021. He was driving a badly maintained Scimitar when its gun barrel hit a tree, the turret spinning unexpectedly and hitting him.

She said: 'We, the families, understand there's an element of risk. (But) when they've known about this issue yet they've failed to do anything, that to me is negligent. It's the only word for it.'

Ms Watson-Pickering said: 'Changes need to be put in place before another soldier is killed or maimed.'

A service inquiry report found the Scimitar's gun turret had been expanded to accommodate extra equipment, creating a risk of collision with the driver, and revealed therewere three 'near-miss' incidents since 2008.

An inquest in June heard the 7.6-ton, open-top vehicle had stability problems and had overturned 40 times since its introduction in 2008. Two reports from 2009 and 2010 found the roll cage  a structure to protect occupants in the event of the vehicle overturning  was also insufficient to protect tall occupants.

An inquest in June heard the 7.6-ton, open-top vehicle had stability problems and had overturned 40 times since its introduction in 2008.

Two reports from 2009 and 2010 found the roll cage  a structure to protect occupants in the event of the vehicle overturning  was also insufficient to protect tall occupants.

The inquest heard the 6ft 4in soldier's head was subjected to such 'severe force' that his height made no difference. Jurors identified a string of failings.

Jethro Watson-Pickering: Killed in 2021 while driving faulty Scimitar when its gun barrel hit a tree, the turret spinning unexpectedly and hitting him

A service inquiry report found the Scimitar's gun turret had been expanded to accommodate extra equipment, creating a risk of collision with the driver, and revealed therewere three 'near-miss' incidents since 2008. Pictured: Scimitar Light Recconnaisance Tank

Staff Sgt McKelvie's sister, Jackie Welsh, said: 'John had tours of duty in Kosovo, Bosnia, Kuwait and Iraq; he put himself in dangerous situations for years. Then he was killed in a training exercise accident that was avoidable and preventable.'

Mrs Welsh added: 'These defects had lethal consequences. If the MoD did their job properly my brother would be alive.

Darren Neilson: Died in 2017 after a design flaw with the Challenger II tank led to an explosion in the turret during a live firing exercise

'The MoD failed him and they failed our family. They have blood on their hands.'

In another tragedy, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans Corporal Matthew Hatfield, 27, a young father from Wiltshire, and Corporal Darren Neilson, 31, from Lancashire, died in 2017 after a design flaw with the Challenger II tank led to an explosion in the turret during a live firing exercise.

A fail-safe which would have prevented the explosion was removed from the Challenger II's original design in the 1980s and investigators found the tragedy could have happened 'at any time' since.

And Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, from County Durham  awarded the Queen's Medal at Sandhurst for achieving the best results in military, academic and practical studies of his cohort  was crushed to death by a reversing Warrior armoured personnel carrier in 2022.

An alarm fitted to the vehicle after serious accidents in the 1990s and 2000s  telling the driver if a rear door used by troops onboard to enter and exit the passenger area was still open  had not worked for four years. Retired Army commander Colonel Richard Kemp said: 'It sounds from these cases that there does appear to be negligence.

'There appears to be a failure of leadership in ensuring proper procedures were followed and maintenance done.

Max George: Died in 2022 after being crushed to death by a reversing Warrior armoured personnel carrier

A blind spot at the rear of the Warrior armoured personnel carrier (pictured) led to eight reversing accidents in which three people died between 1998 and 2010

'The MoD definitely needs to look very closely to see if there's a systematic problem here.'

Former SAS soldier turned author Andy McNab added: 'There's a duty of care owed by the military to troops and this needs to be sorted out.

'This would appear to be down to money. However, incidents like these end up costing the MoD a lot and there are going to be huge compensation claims.

'It's hard enough recruiting troops and this kind of thing is not going to help.'

A soldier injured in one of the incidents said: 'I'm just disgusted the same issues of not rectifying serious flaws in vehicles have kept happening.' Jonathan Cloudsdale, of law firm Simpson Millar, representing some of the affected soldiers in compensation claims, said: 'It is absolutely imperative the MoD takes on board the findings of the various reports and inquest outcomes to prevent potential risk to life.'

The failings can be revealed as the Daily Mail's Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign calls on ministers to increase funding for the Armed Forces to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP.

The Health and Safety Executive has investigated all four incidents. It is taking the MoD to a Crown Censure hearing in October over Staff Sgt McKelvie's death  a special hearing where the MoD will receive a formal reprimand because it is normally immune from prosecution  while HSE inquiries continue into the other three incidents.

John McKelvie: Killed when a Jackal overturned on a steep slope in 2019

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies are always with the families, friends, and colleagues of those who have died.

'We owe a clear duty of care to personnel which we take extremely seriously.

'We're wholly committed to organisational learning which can better enable us to deliver that duty.

'The majority of recommendations made in these cases have been accepted and actioned.'

The five soldiers who lost their lives... despite years of urgent warnings

WARRIOR

Armoured personnel carrier (1987-present); used in Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Promising young officer Max George was killed because of a defect known about by military top brass since 1998.

A blind spot at the rear of the Warrior armoured personnel carrier led to eight reversing accidents in which three people died between 1998 and 2010.

An alarm was fitted to alert the driver if the rear door was not closed  but investigators found it had not functioned for four years on the vehicle which reversed over 2nd Lt George.

An Army soldier died exiting the Warrior (file photo) when his equipment became caught in the rear door during an exercise on Salisbury Plain on June 21, 2022

The 26-year-old, of Fifth Battalion The Rifles, died exiting the Warrior when his equipment became caught in the rear door during an exercise on Salisbury Plain on June 21, 2022.

A service inquiry report found that had the alarm been working, 'the accident would not have occurred', while the vehicle had 24 other faults and should not have been in use.

The report highlighted shortfalls posing 'credible risk to life': lack of knowledge that the rear door alarm existed, lack of safe procedure for 'debussing' troops, the 'blind spot' for drivers and lack of an 'all clear' switch to inform the vehicle commander troops inside had exited.

An inquest into 2nd Lt George's death has been adjourned by the Wiltshire coroner. The MoD has fixed the alarms and accepted most of the inquiry recommendations.

SCIMITAR

Tracked light tank, (1974 to 2023); deployed in Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some donated to Ukraine and others sold to an Eastern European country.

Soldiers driving the Scimitar were in danger of collision with the turret after it was widened to accommodate storage for extra onboard equipment, a report found.

The risk occurred if the driver was in a 'head-up' position, with their head and shoulders out of the vehicle in order to see ahead  common in 'non-tactical' situations  instead of lowered inside.

There were three previous near-miss accidents involving the widened turret, as long ago as 2008, more than 13 years before the death of Private Jethro Watson-Pickering.

Private Jethro Watson-Pickering, 23, of First Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, died on October 15, 2021, when his Scimitar's gun collided with a tree while he drove 'head-up' on Salisbury Plain  causing a 'violent rotation'. Two other soldiers were seriously injured

The soldiers were training in Salisbury Plain, Wilts, near the village of Enford on October 15, 2021 when the tank flipped. Pictured, the scene after the soldier's death

The 23-year-old, of First Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, died on October 15, 2021, when his Scimitar's gun collided with a tree while he drove 'head-up' on Salisbury Plain  causing a 'violent rotation'. Two other soldiers were seriously injured.

In an earlier incident, fittings came loose, causing the turret to rotate without warning. In another, from October 2015, a driver needed hospital treatment, also after striking a tree.

A service inquiry report found previous incidents were not properly investigated and no changes were made to mitigate risk, Pte Watson-Pickering and his two colleagues were inadequately trained, while the vehicle was in poor repair and 'should not have been in use'.

An inquest has been adjourned by the Wiltshire coroner. The MoD has accepted all service inquiry recommendations and instructed soldiers not to drive 'head-up'. The tank is no longer in UK service.

JACKAL

Armoured troop carrier (2008 to present): Introduced in Afghanistan, later deployed in Poland and Mali. Four loaned by the MoD to Estonia in 2020.

Replacing 'death-trap' snatch Land Rovers, which provided scant protection against the Taliban's roadside bombs, the Jackal was ordered in 2008 but shortcomings were quickly identified: a 2009 review found the roll cage did not protect tall soldiers, while a 2010 report highlighted 'credible deficiencies', including risk of crush injury if the vehicle overturned.

Stability issues came to light after 40 'rollover' accidents.

Reservist Staff Sergeant John McKelvie, 51, of the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry, was on a Jackal driving course on January 29, 2019, when his vehicle overturned on a steep slope at Catterick, North Yorkshire. He suffered multiple brain injuries.

Rollover horror: The Jackal armoured troop carrier had dangerous stability issues

Wing Commander Paul Summers, president of the service inquiry which investigated the 6ft 4in father-of-two's death and found 179 failures, told an inquest in June there was 'no evidence of anything being done' to fix the vehicle's problems.

He said: 'The Army was not a good safety learning organisation.'

The inquest jury said the tragedy resulted from lack of a neck and head support, unsuitability of the training ground for the vehicle, SSgt McKelvie's inexperience in driving it, and lack of supervision by his chain of command.

The MoD said there has been a 'complete revision of policies' since the incident.

CHALLENGER II

The Army's main battle tank (1994 to present); used in the Gulf Wars and Kosovo. Fourteen have been sent to Ukraine, where they are being used in the incursion into Russia.

Two men died after a blast in a Challenger when the gun was fired without a critical part being fitted after servicing. Hot gases discharged backwards, igniting explosive charges, killing Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson, of the Royal Tank Regiment.

Two men died after a blast in a Challenger when the gun was fired without a critical part being fitted after servicing. Hot gases discharged backwards, igniting explosive charges, killing Corporals Matthew Hatfield (left) and Darren Neilson, (right, with his wife Jemma) of the Royal Tank Regiment

A service inquiry report into the accident at Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, on June 14, 2017, found a fail-safe in the original gun design dating back to 1984 had been altered and such an accident 'could have occurred at any time in the CR2's service history.'

The fail-safe was supposed to mean it could not be fired without the presence of a key part, a BVA (Bolt Vent Axial), to prevent gases escaping backwards.

The report identified the design of the gun  subject of safety reviews in 1989 and 1994  as a 'causal factor'. At an inquest in 2018, Coroner Louise Hunt said the 'production and manufacture of the gun did not adequately assess this risk'.

The MoD said 'significant work' has taken place including mechanical changes to the gun.
Two Hayward High School students were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after an altercation with a third student who had a knife. Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

Two students were taken to a hospital after a stabbing at Hayward High School on Monday, according to the school district.

Three students were involved in an altercation on the schools campus around 1 p.m. Monday, when one of the students pulled out a small knife and injured the other two.

The two students, both 15-year-old males, were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Hayward Police Department. The student who possessed the knife was taken to the school office with a campus safety officer, according to school district public information officer Michael Bazeley.

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At least one of the two students had been released from the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon, Bazeley said.

All three students will face discipline, Bazeley said.

School officials, along with the Hayward Police Department, are investigating what sparked the altercation. Officials have no evidence of any threat to the campus, Bazeley said. No arrests have been made, police said.

Hayward High School placed additional security officers and staff on its campus Tuesday, and local police committed to providing additional officers in the schools vicinity, according to the school district.

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Former President Donald Trump appeared amused by Virginia Senate candidate Hung Cao's name during a campaign pit stop in the politician's home state.

'This is a great gentleman. I love his name: Hung Cao,' Trump, 78, said at a restaurant in Virginia alongside the candidate, who moved to the state by way of West Africa as a refugee in the wake of the Vietnam War.

'I love that name. And that name alone can get you elected,' a visibly tickled Trump said during the event Monday, spurring patrons, and even 52-year-old Cao, to laugh.

'It's really an honor to be with you,' Trump told those convened at Truong Tien Vietnamese Restaurant in Falls Church, with the republican newcomer poised to take on Democrat Tim Kaine stationed to his right. 'Thank you.'

In a speech that also saw the ex-commander-in-chief juxtapose the supposed laziness of Joe Biden with the hardworking nature of Vietnamese-Americans, Trump mainly sang praises for Cao - eventually spurring a chant of 'U-S-A.'

'This is a great gentleman. I love his name: Hung Cao,' Trump, 78, said at a Vietnamese restaurant in Virginia alongside the senate candidate, who moved to the state by way of West Africa as a refugee following the Vietnam War

Cao, a Republican, is set to take on Tim Kaine in the state's senate elections this November. Trump, seen here with the candidate during a meeting this year, has surfaced as one of his staunchest supporters

'I don't know what it is. You'll have to explain it. But the Vietnamese community loves me, and I love them,' Trump told the crowd of supporters convened at the eatery at the town's Eden Center Monday morning.

Of Cao, he said, 'We think he's got a very good chance of winning for the Senate. And I really believe it.

'I hope your community gets out and really supports him, like 100 percent,' he said.

'Because you can win. You can win. Definitely win. And we're looking to win the state. And I think we will win the state.'

Cao, a retired Navy captain who came to the US in the 70s, proceeded to address the crowd in both Vietnamese and English.

'I'm so honored to represent the Vietnamese-American community. Next year is the 50th anniversary of fall Saigon,' he said of the the capture of the capital of South Vietnam by communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong on April 30, 1975

'And we'll have the first Vietnamese American U.S. senator on the anniversary,' the Republican said.

Trump, in turn, talked up the political newcomer, who since moving to the town of Purcellville has been an active member of their community and church.

'I love that name. And that name alone can get you elected,' a visibly tickled Trump said during the event Monday, spurring patrons, and even 52-year-old Cao, to laugh

'More importantly [from his name], actually,' Trump said of his Vietnamese American ally, 'he's tremendous. He ran a great primary campaign. I endorsed him very early and he did very well'

'More importantly [from his name], actually,' Trump said of his Vietnamese American ally, 'he's tremendous.

'He ran a great primary campaign. I endorsed him very early and he did very well.

'We're looking at polls that are showing us with a lead in this state, which is traditionally not necessarily for Republicans,' Trump said at a point.

'But I'm not the average Republican and neither are you.'

Cao, the father of five children, is poised to take on Kaine come November, in a race where, as of writing, Kaine maintains a substantial lead.

That said, as Trump indicated, the tides could shift, as Cao bills himself as a moderate conservative with Christian values, as well as a former vet who served in the US military.

That stint came shortly after Cao's arrival in the states following the fall of Saigon in 1975, when he made the move as a small child.

At a point in the talk, Trump drew a contrast between the alleged laziness of Biden and the hard-working Vietnamese people, telling onlookers, 'We are the closest to World War III we've ever been. And we have a man who just took a vacation in California and he came back today.

Cao, a father of five, bills himself as a moderate conservative with Christian values, as well as a former vet who served in the US Navy

His service came shortly after Cao's arrival in the states following the fall of Saigon in 1975, when he made the move as a small child.

Trump even took jabs at Joe Biden while talking up the Vietnamese, saying 'Where's he going?', a little over a month since he dropped out of the race

'Delaware - another vacation, he's going another week,' he added, Cao at his side. 'That's not the Vietnamese - they're hard-working'. Biden and first lady Jill Biden are seen disembark from Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base prior to departure for Rehoboth Beach earlier in the day

Trump on Monday even took jabs at Joe Biden, saying 'Where's he going?', a little over a month since he dropped out of the presidential race.

'Delaware  another vacation, he's going another week,' he added, with Cao at his side. 'That's not the Vietnamese  they're hard-working'

The former president proceeded to sign autographs and speak at length with patrons, with Cao at his side all the while.

'Make America Great Again!' one restaurant goer shouted in a thick Vietnamese accident, drawing a smile and laugh from the former president.

Trump, meanwhile, is set to face off with Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
Chants of 'F*** Albo' and 'hands off our union' have echoed through Sydney's CBD as thousands of protesters supporting the embattled CFMEU swarmed the streets despite warnings against unauthorised strikes.

More than one thousand construction workers cheered and applauded ex-CFMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield as he addressed the rally outside the state's parliament on Tuesday.

It marked one of several protests held around the country with more than 10,000 workers walking off the site and demonstrations unfolding in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth to support the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union.

Mr Greenfield slammed the Labor Party after the federal government forced the CFMEU into administration last week, calling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a 'dirty rotten bastard'.

Mr Greenfield lost his job as the CFMEU NSW boss on Friday, after the union's construction and general arms were compelled to accept a government-appointed administrator.

'I'm not going anywhere,' Mr Greenfield told crowd.

The federal government last week passed a bill giving it powers to force the CFMEU, which has been dogged by allegations of widespread corruption and links to organised crime, into administration after securing a deal with the Coalition.

Chants of 'F*** Albo' and 'hands off our union' have echoed through Sydney's CBD as thousands of protesters supporting the embattled CFMEU swarmed the streets despite warnings against unauthorised strikes (pictured, protestors in Melbourne)

More than one thousand construction workers cheered and applauded ex-CFMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield as he addressed the rally outside the state's parliament on Tuesday (pictured, demonstrators in Sydney)

Streets were overwhelmed with protestors in Melbourne on Tuesday

Mr Albanese earlier warned there will be 'consequences' if people walk off the job as part of the nationwide protests.

Speaking to reporters at the Western Sydney Airport construction site, the Prime Minister defended his government's action on the CFMEU was 'in the interests of all trade unionists'.

'We respect the work that construction workers do,' he said.

'It's a tough job and they do magnificent work, including here at this wonderful airport.

'What we want to do, though, is to make sure that their union is free of corruption.'

Pressed on whether action against the CFMEU imperiled the right of workers to unionise, Mr Albanese said the goal was 'proper trade unionism'.

'You need to have unions in the building industry, it's a dangerous industry,' he said.

'But what we want to do is to make sure that they have a union that's worthy of the incredible work that construction workers do.'

Police kept a close eye on demonstrators as protestors erupted in Sydney

Mr Greenfield lost his job as the CFMEU NSW boss on Friday, after the union's construction and general arms were compelled to accept a government-appointed administrator (pictured, demonstrators in Brisbane)

Pressed on whether forcing the CFMEU into administration cut back the ability of workers to unionise, Mr Albanese said the goal was 'proper trade unionism' (pictured, Sydney protestors)

Mr Albanese also said: 'If there is unprotected industrial action, then there are consequences for that.'

Shortly after Mr Albanese's comments, NSW Police said it was responding to an unauthorised protest in Sydney's CBD, with 'rolling road closures' along Macquarie St and Elizabeth St towards Hyde Park.

Some 300 CFMEU officials have been stood down since the union entered administration last week.

While Tuesday's rallies have received backing from some unions, the CFMEU administrator has distanced itself from any strikes, with a spokesman saying that taking 'unprotected industrial action is not lawful' and the union is 'no longer involved' in the protests.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers weighed in on the protests, telling the ABC the government was expecting some 'blowback' for its action against the CFMEU but urged protesters to be 'peaceful'.

He said that 'when you appoint an administrator to a union and you move on a couple of hundred officials, there's going to be blowback.'

'We want these protests to be peaceful today, but they're not surprising when you take on the leaders of a union with the sorts of behaviour that has been alleged in recent times,' he said.

CFMEU assistant state secretary Jade Ingham speaks at the Brisbane rally

Some 300 CFMEU officials have been stood down since the union entered administration last week (pictured, Sydneysiders at the protest)
Sewage was dumped at Britain's best bathing spots more than 2,000 times last year, new figures show.

Heaping yet more pressure on water companies to clean up their act, the data showed a staggering rise in sewage discharges near Blue Flag beaches - up 55per cent on 2022.

The five worst affected beaches were in Devon - with Seaton topping the list, where South West Water discharged sewage from nearby storm overflows 340 times last year.

Second worst was Exmouth, where South West Water dumped sewage 214 times last year, over 1,984 hours.

Across England, there were 2,328 sewage discharges - lasting over 17,174 hours - near Blue Flag beaches last year, according to analysis of Environment Agency data by the Liberal Democrats.

Pictured: Bathers swim in the polluted River Wharfe in Ilkley on August 24, 2024 despite Yorkshire Water posting signs advising against doing so

Swimmers are warned at River Wharfe in Ilkley not to go into the water

It represents a 55per cent increase on 2022, when there were 1,504 sewage discharges.

The Blue Flag status is awarded to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes.

But the findings raise fears of water pollution for swimmers and wildlife, and follow reports of people becoming sick after swimming and surfing off popular beaches.

The rise in discharges comes despite a growing clamour for action to prevent pollution across Britain's waterways and beaches.

The Lib Dems called on water firms to stop pumping raw sewage onto Blue Flag status beaches.

Tim Farron, the party's environment spokesman, said: 'This is a national scandal. Our prestigious Blue Flag status beaches must be protected from foul sewage pumping. It is time to save our beaches.

Dirty water, scum and river debris accumulate by an outlet pipe along the River Thames in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire on August 17, 2024

Sewage in the River Misbourne at Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire on February 24, 2024

An aerial view shows the outfall into the River Thames, at Thames Water's Crossness Sewage Treatment Works, in south east London on July 3, 2023

'It is truly shocking to hear reports of families becoming sick after taking a dip in the sea on holiday.

'Profiteering and polluting water firms have gotten away with it far too long. Still today they pay themselves massive bonuses and profits, all whilst destroying our country's coastlines. Frankly, the whole thing stinks.

'The new government must clamp down on this after years of Conservative government failure.'

In last month's King's Speech, Labour announced plans to introduce a Water Bill to improve water quality by strengthening regulation and increasing accountability for water executives.
Thousands more violent offenders, including knife and sex attackers, are escaping prosecution if they say sorry, new figures show.

More than 147,000 people accused of offences including sex crimes, violence and weapons possession were given community resolutions in the year to March rather than being prosecuted.

Community resolutions are generally reserved for low-level crimes and do not constitute a criminal record.

Offenders are required to apologise to the victim, repair any damage that has been caused and offer some form of compensation to the victim.

But according to The Telegraph, resolutions  which are issued at the discretion of individual officers  have increased by 40 per cent since 2019.

More than 147,000 people accused of offences including sex crimes, violence and weapons possession were given community resolutions in the year to March rather than being prosecuted (file image)

Jess Phillips, the Home Office minister responsible for safeguarding (pictured), has ordered a review of the police response to 'non-contact' sexual offences

Analysis of Ministry of Justice data revealed resolutions are now twice as likely as a criminal charge.

It comes amid a deepening crisis in the criminal justice system, as the number of spare places for adult male offenders in UK prisons has dipped below 300 for the first time.

Jess Phillips, the Home Office minister responsible for safeguarding, has ordered a review of the police response to 'non-contact' sexual offences, according to The Telegraph.

Ms Phillips told the newspaper: 'This Government has been clear that violence against women and girls is a national emergency, and we expect police to treat all sexual offences with the seriousness it warrants.'

Since 2019, community resolutions for robbery have increased by 127 per cent, from 175 to 397, while those issued for sex offences have risen by 29 per cent from 482 to 621.

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Resolutions for violence against a person have risen by 57 per cent, from 29,188 to 45,845, while those for possession of weapons are up 77 per cent from 1,590 to 2,821.

Prison leaders recently said it was now 'one in, one out' in the aftermath of riots this month.

Jails across much of the country have run out of room, forcing the Government to introduce emergency measures named Operation Early Dawn.

This means offenders will be summoned to a magistrates' court only when it is confirmed that a cell in the prison estate is ready for them, should they be remanded into custody. They will be held in a police station until they are summoned to court.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Lord Timpson said: 'We inherited a justice system in crisis and exposed to shocks.

'As a result, we have been forced into making difficult but necessary decisions to keep it operating. However, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated staff and partners, we have brought forward additional prison places and now introduced Operation Early Dawn to manage the pressure felt in some parts of the country.'

Prisons minister Lord Timpson (pictured) announced he had activated a crisis plan, called Operation Early Dawn, which sees defendants held in police station cells and summoned to court only when prison space is available

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The police have insisted that this will not impact their ability to arrest criminals, and anyone who poses a risk to the public will not be bailed.

Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, said: 'It is essentially one in, one out at the moment. It's going to be extremely tight over the next few weeks. We might just about scrape through by the skin of our teeth until the wider release scheme begins.'

But police leaders warned new measures could push officers to 'breaking point'.

Phil Jones of the Police Federation said: 'Police stations are not prisons. They are not suitable to be used as such for any length of time.

'We are also concerned the additional pressure on our colleagues... will push many closer to breaking point.'

The prison population in England and Wales hit 87,893 earlier this month  up by 397 in a week following the rioting linked to the Southport stabbings.
EXCLUSIVE

The heartbroken family of a tradie who suffered critical head injuries following a horror moped crash in Bali turned off his life support this morning, as they revealed he has 'given the gift of life' by donating his organs.

Shane Ramsey, 30, had been visiting the Indonesian island for a wedding and was riding a moped in Seminyak on Sunday when he crashed into a roadside pole.

He was not wearing a helmet and did not have travel insurance, which would have only cost about $50 a week.

Mr Ramsey was rushed to hospital where he underwent brain surgery and has been in a coma ever since, racking up huge hospital bills.

His family paid $70,000 for him to undergo emergency neurosurgery and secured a medical evacuation flight, believed to cost around $150,000.

Mr Ramsey landed in Perth shortly after 5pm on Thursday and was taken by ambulance to Royal Perth Hospitals intensive care unit.

However, his mother, Catherine Ramsey, said she and her family were left 'broken' after deciding to switch his life support off in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

'It was turned off at 3.18am when he was taken to the theatre to give the gift of life,' Ms Ramsey told Daily Mail Australia.

Shane Ramsey (pictured), 30, had been visiting Bali for a close friend's wedding and was riding a moped in Seminyak on Sunday when he crashed into a roadside pole

His family turned his life support off at 3.18am on Monday

It is understood Shane will donate all of his organs to those in urgent need of a transplant.

Ms Ramsey previously told Daily Mail Australia Mr Ramsey had suffered three bleeds on the brain - necessitating the surgery - and a fractured skull.

He was on his way to watch a UFC fight with friends when the accident happened.

His mother earlier told Nine News she would sell their family home to pay for his medical bills if she had to.

'I just want to get him home, we're in a strange country,' she said.

Doctors were unsure of the extent of the damage caused to his brain.

Mr Ramsey had plans to buy a property when he returned home.

The family of Perth carpenter, Shane Ramsey (pictured), have revealed the horrifying extent of his injuries after crashing his moped while on holiday in Bali

The young tradie has been in hospital since Sunday and his family say they don't know the full extent of his injuries

A GoFundMe was launched last Monday to help pay for Mr Ramsey's medical bills and the potential medical evacuation home.

Almost $130,000 has been raised at time of publication.

Mr Ramsey had just completed a three year apprenticeship and was looking forward to the future ahead.

The carpenter's former boss also took to Facebook on Monday to raise awareness about the fundraiser.

He recalled bumping into his former apprentice a few weeks ago.

'You forget how f***ing fragile life can be (and) how quick everything can change,' he wrote.
READ MORE: What to really expect on your Santorini dream holiday

Restaurants in Lisbon are reportedly ripping off tourists with higher prices than they charge locals, who are given cheaper rates for food on a wink-and-nod basis.

A report in a Portuguese newspaper claims multilingual menus given to visitors visiting the capital have higher prices than those charged to residents.

The lower prices are 'transmitted verbally, in whispers or indicated on menus placed in inconspicuous or even hidden areas', the report claims.

Industry experts have thundered that the selectively different pricing for people based on their nationality is 'completely illegal' while Portugal's national hospitality trade body says it is not aware of the practice taking place.

But it comes as Lisbon, like other parts of Europe popular with visitors, faces a reckoning over exactly how much tourism it wants to welcome in as locals say they find themselves feeling second-best in the place they call home.

People tucking into food at a restaurant in Lisbon. A newspaper in the country has claimed some eateries are charging tourists more than locals. There is no suggestion the restaurant in this image is indulging in this practice

Lisbon is a huge tourism draw, bringing in six million visitors each year - to the chagrin of locals

Lisbon is experiencing an overtourism issue, according to locals, with the tuk-tuk taxis popular with tourists (pictured) a particular bugbear

Lisbon is estimated to have around 20,000 short-term accommodation properties on offer - a huge number in a city of 570,000 people

Expresso, which first reported on the claims of a 'two-tier system', quoted Portugal's AHRESP hospitality industry association as saying it was not aware of restaurants having discriminatory prices for tourists.

The body said that rates for dishes must be equal for all customers and displayed 'in a totally transparent manner'.

Residents have launched campaigns calling for a ban on tuk-tuks - the three-wheeler novelty taxis beloved by tourists - and campaigners have collected enough signatures for a referendum on banning short-term lets such as Airbnbs.

The Associated Press recently sent a reporter to the Sintra municipality just west of Lisbon, where locals said they felt 'isolated' in their own home cities because of abundant overtourism - more so than during the Covid pandemic.

The pandemic is thought to be partly to blame for a spike in tourism to major global destinations. Lisbon receives around 6million visitors a year.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated earlier this year tourism in Portugal will grow by almost a quarter above 2019 levels - creating jobs and boosting the economy.

But it comes at a price, according to locals living in Lisbon - rising housing costs, a multiplication in the number of properties that are let out as short-term rentals instead of as long-term homes and a lack of well-paid skilled jobs.

The city has responded by agreeing to halve the number of tuk-tuks and to build more parking spaces for the troublesome taxis amid complaints they are blocking up the roads.

It is also doubling tourist tax from two euros to four per person per night as of the end of the week.

It is yet to decide what it will do about Airbnbs. An estimated 20,000 holiday apartments are thought to operate in Lisbon - a large number in a city of some 570,000 inhabitants.

But overtourism remains a growing problem in many other corners of Europe - and locals are taking the fight to the streets themselves.

Protests in Barcelona have seen locals break out water pistols to shoot at visitors in a bid to make them leave

'Tourists go home' has become a rallying cry in European cities that locals say are overburdened with tourism

Bogatell beach in Barcelona pictured at the end of last month. The city has vowed to get rid of Airbnbs by the end of the decade

An anti-tourism protest in Mallorca - one of several Spanish island territories to voice dissent against the growing reliance on tourism in the local economy

In Barcelona, locals have fired at tourists with water pistols and held protests telling them to 'go home'.

Rents rose by 18 per cent in June from a year earlier in tourist cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, according to the property website Idealista, as property prices exploded due to growing demand for short-term lets.

The city is now pledging to rid the city of Airbnbs altogether by the end of the decade - prompting calls for other cities in the UK, such as Edinburgh, to follow suit.

On Spanish islands such as Tenerife, Mallorca and Menorca, thousands have taken to the streets to call for a rethink on their local governments' economic strategy, which relies heavily on the tourist trade.

'Tourists go home' has become a popular rallying call among locals in Spain and its island territories.

Elsewhere, locals have crowded the beaches being enjoyed by holidaymakers with banners reading 'Let's occupy our beaches!' in a bid to put off sunseekers.
Shocking footage has captured an alleged road rage attack, which led to a man being charged with assaulting a group of women.

A witness filmed the incident unfold on Marion Road in the southern Adelaide suburb of Mitchell Park just after 3pm on Monday.

Video showed the man furiously yelling at a female behind the wheel of a Toyota Kluger and pushing against the door.

The driver then emerged plus two passengers from the back seat, one of whom began to record the altercation with her phone.

The man screamed and swung his fist through the air before he stepped towards the woman with the phone in her hand.

He appeared to take a swipe at the device and knocked it to the ground, prompting the woman to launch herself at him.

The pair we seen pushing each other before the video cut out.

The man is understood to have then got back into his car and driven away.

A 47-year-old man has been charged after allegedly assaulting a woman during an ugly road rage incident in South Adelaide on Monday afternoon (pictured)

South Australian Police on Tuesday said a 'female driver was assaulted and the front drivers side door of her car was damaged'.

A 47-year-old man from Hackham West was arrested following an investigation.

The man was charged with throwing a missile, assault and property damage.

He was granted bail and scheduled to appear before Christies Beach Magistrates Court on October 10.

Anyone with information - including dashcam footage - has been urged to come forward to police.
Billionaire Adrian Portelli has given a brazen intruder a taste of his own medicine after catching two men breaking into his $40million penthouse.

Mr Portelli, known online as Mr Lambo, turned the tables on the home invader by visiting his home on Tuesday.

'We are at the front of one of the guy's houses that broke into the penthouse,' he posted to his Instagram account at 2.30am.

'He's continued being a smart a*** online so I ended up finding out his address. I've come to his house and knocked on his door.

'He showed his face and sprinted into his room. Mate c'mon! If you want to show up uninvited to people's houses I'll do the same thing to you. F***ing weak dog.'

Portelli then uploaded a photo of two Victoria Police squad cars attending.

'We're making progress. Break-ins need to be taken more seriously in this country,' the Young Rich Lister captioned the photo.

One of the intruders sent an Instagram message and offered to work for the billionaire for free in an effort to make amends.

Billionaire Adrian Portelli (pictured) has given a brazen intruder who was caught breaking into his $40million penthouse a taste of his own medicine

Portelli uploaded a photo of two Victoria Police squad cars early on Tuesday morning

'I'm sorry. I know it was the wrong thing to do. I was aiming for the roof and apologies for invading your space,' the man wrote.

'I'd be glad to work for you for free for the next month to fix my wrongdoings.'

It comes after Portelli denied the break-in was a 'publicity stunt'.

In CCTV of the break-in, two men are seen entering the penthouse, located in Melbourne's CBD, and inspecting one of Portelli's luxury cars.

'It's definitely not a set-up. I've got better things to do,' Portelli told A Current Affair on Monday, adding that he feels 'unsafe' after the incident.

'The fact that there's people wandering around the building who shouldn't be there is concerning for everyone,' he said.

A police spokesperson confirmed that an investigation had been launched into a 'trespass incident'.

One of the intruders sent an Instagram message and offered to work for the billionaire for free in an effort to make amends

Portelli was forced to deny the break-in was a 'publicity stunt' on A Current Affair on Sunday

'It is understood two male offenders gained access to a residence between 11pm on Sunday 25 and 2am on Monday 26 August,' a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

It's not the first break-in Portelli has experienced this year.

In February, he offered a whopping reward to anyone who can identify a group of alleged thieves who broke into his office and left empty-handed.

Portelli shared two CCTV videos of the group inside his north Melbourne office after the clueless thieves gained entry through a smashed window.

The 35-year-old is best known online for giving away thousands of dollars through his savings subscription, LMCT+, and bidding on properties from The Block.

He has previously admitted to having 'lost count' of how many luxury cars he owns.

Portelli was named on the AFR Young Rich List in 2023 with an estimated worth of $1.03billion.
Kim Jong-un was pictured cackling as he watched the testing of 'suicide drones' with a huge fireball explosion - just a few weeks after ally Vladimir Putin visited him in North Korea.

Photos of the delighted North Korean leader showed him evidently pleased by his regime's latest demonstration of military hardware as he grinned dressed in a white safari jacket and a cream cap.

He was seen supervising a demonstration of the new exploding drones designed to crash into targets, state media said on Monday, as the US and South Korea engaged in joint military drills.

Test pictures displayed a white drone with X-shaped tails and wings supposedly crashing into and destroying a target resembling South Korea's main K-2 battle tank.

In a speech, the leader called for the use of AI in developing 'suicide drones of various types'.

Analysts suggest the North Korean drones shown in state media photos resemble Russian drones, implying friendship in the face of their separate confrontations with the US.

Kim Jong-un was pictured cackling as he watched the testing of 'suicide drones' with a huge fireball explosion at the Drone Institute of North Korea's Academy of Defence Sciences

A target explodes during a performance test of drones overseen by Kim Jong Un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiles while on a visit to the construction sites of various North Korean industrial factories on Saturday and Sunday

Analysts suggest the North Korean drones shown in state media photos resemble Russian drones, suggesting friendship in the face of their separate confrontations with the US

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Saturday's test involved various types of drones built to fly different ranges to attack enemy targets on land and sea, and flew along various routes before accurately hitting test targets.

After the test, Mr Kim pledged to spur the development of drones that explode on impact, conduct reconnaissance or attack targets underwater to boost his country's war readiness, saying the North's military should be equipped with advanced drones 'as early as possible', KCNA said.

The drone test came as the US and South Korean militaries carry out the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which continue until Thursday.

The exercises focus on enhancing their readiness against North Korean threats and include computer-simulated war games and live-fire training, with a combined aerial drill involving 60 warplanes that began its three-day run on Monday.

South Korea's air force said the drill, which kicked off with precision-bombing demonstrations that included South Korean F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, is aimed at coping with North Korean threats posed by drones, cruise missiles and artillery.

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to Pyongyang, North Korea

Kim Jong Un walks past workers on scaffolding, during a visit to the construction sites of various North Korean industrial factories

After the test, Mr Kim pledged to spur the development of drones that explode on impact, conduct reconnaissance or attack targets underwater to boost his country's war readiness

Also on Monday, the US and South Korea also began a separate amphibious landing drill involving dozens of aircraft and vessels from their navies and marines, including US F-35 fighters and amphibious assault ship USS Boxer.

South Korea's military said the Ssangyong Exercise, which will continue until September 7, is aimed at sharpening combat interoperability.

Lee Chang Hyun, spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a briefing that South Korea's military is closely examining North Korea's drone capabilities and that the South's military is equipped with systems to detect and intercept them. He did not provide further details.

Some analysts suggest the North Korean drones shown in state media photos resemble Russia's Zala Lancet-3 drones, and Mr Lee said the South is looking into the possibility that Russia had helped North Korea acquire its drone capability.

'We are aware that during the past exchanges between North Korea and Russia that some (drones) were given (to North Korea) as gifts,' he said. 'We would need to analyse various aspects, including whether (North Korea) would have modified to improve their capabilities or other possibilities.'

Vladimir Putin beamed as he was greeted by Kim Jong Un after touching town in North Korea

Honour guards take part in a ceremony welcoming Russia's President Putin at an airport in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19

The two men were pictured shaking hands and hugging each other on the runway before leaving the airport in the same car on June 19

Putin talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to Pyongyang on June 19

North Korea and Russia have been aligning closely in the face of their separate confrontations with the US. Mr Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held summits this June and in September last year.

Washington and its allies have accused the countries of expanding an alleged arms arrangement in which North Korea provides Mr Putin with badly needed munitions to prolong Russia's fighting in Ukraine in exchange for economic aid and technologies to upgrade Mr Kim's nuclear-armed military.

Animosity on the Korean Peninsula is high as Mr Kim uses Russia's war against Ukraine as a distraction while he strengthens his nuclear-armed military and issues verbal threats of conflict toward Washington and Seoul.

While most of the international attention has been focused on his long-range missiles designed to reach the US mainland, he has also been expanding weapons targeting rival South Korea, most notably short-range missiles and artillery systems the North has described as nuclear-capable.

Earlier this month, Mr Kim staged a huge ceremony in the capital, Pyongyang, to mark the delivery of 250 nuclear-capable missile launchers to frontline military units and called for a ceaseless expansion of the military's nuclear programme.

Huge banners with a smiling photograph of the Russian leader reading 'we ardently welcome President Putin!' were hung from lamp-posts across Pyongyang alongside Russian flags

The North has denied giving Russia military hardware but, ahead of his trip, Putin thanked Kim Jong Un 's government for helping the war effort

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, right, arrive to attend the official welcome ceremony in the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024

This added to concerns as he demonstrated an intent to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons along the North's border with South Korea and claimed his military could react with pre-emptive nuclear strikes if it perceived the leadership was under threat.

In a closed-door briefing to politicians on Monday, South Korea's spy agency said it is unclear whether North Korea is currently capable of producing enough missiles to fill up those launch vehicles, which are each designed to fire multiple missiles with potential range to cover most of South Korea's greater capital area and central regions.

The agency said the North has been focusing its manufacturing capacities on producing missiles and other military equipment that are being supplied to Russia, according to the office of politician Park Sun-won, who attended the briefing.

Analysts say Mr Kim may seek to dial up pressure in a US election year as he advances his long-term goals of forcing Washington to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

Ballistic missile launchers that North Korea has said it plans to deploy on the border with South Korea are believed to have a range of 110 km (68 miles), allowing them to target Chungcheong Province south of Seoul, the Yonhap news agency reported.

North Korean state media reported earlier this month that leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the delivery of 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers described as modern tactical weapons personally designed by Kim to be transferred to the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un (R) attend a welcoming ceremony on June 19, 2024 in Pyongyang, North Korea

Kim Jong Un meets soldiers during a visit to a western operational training base in North Korea

Kim Jong Un, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands after signing a comprehensive strategic partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, June 19, 2024

A tank T-64 drives by in Novoselivka Persha after driving out of Avdiivka, Ukraine

Experts have said Pyongyang could use them to attack or threaten Seoul.

South Korean intelligence officials, however, are sceptical over whether North Korea can supply enough missiles for the 250 missile launchers while it also supplies weapons to Russia as part of bilateral military cooperation, Yonhap reported on Monday, citing lawmakers on the intelligence committee.

North Korea and Russia have been accused of conducting arms trade by Seoul and Washington to help replenish Russia's stock of missiles and artillery for its war with Ukraine. Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the allegations.

A Russian delegation led by a top trade official arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, state media reported.

The team was headed by Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Roman Chekushov.

At the airport, the delegation was greeted by North Korea's External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong Ho as well as Russian embassy officials, and a reception followed, according to the report.

The visit comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his country's support over devastating floods that caused an unspecified number of deaths and damaged thousands of homes in late July.

The government has vowed to move 15,000 flood victims to the capital as international offers of support have poured in since news of the flooding disaster emerged.

South Korean media have reported that the number of dead and missing in the North from the floods could be as high as 1,500, but North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed the reports as a provocation.

North Korea and Russia have been allies since the North's founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

North Korea is accused of breaching arms control measures by supplying weapons to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine.

Natural disasters tend to have a greater impact on the isolated and impoverished country due to its weak infrastructure, while deforestation has left it vulnerable to flooding.
A furious service dog owner filmed the moment she was targeted by a Macy's manager who was upset that her dog was in the store unleashed.

The TikTok video shows a black lab lying on the tile flooring of the store in Lake Grove, New York, with audio of the dog's owner and her friend being told, 'You can't have dogs without leashes.'

The handler, Payton, then tries to explain to the manager, who later identifies herself as Ashley, that her dog and her friend's dogs are service animals.

'I understand that, but they have to be on leashes,' the manager tells them.

But the dog owner doesn't back down, explaining, 'Under the [Americans with Disabilities Act], they're not required to be on leashes if it interferes with tasks.'

When Ashley again tries to argue, Payton could be heard telling her, 'federal law overrides store policy.'

She explained in a comment on the video that her dog, Onyx, jumps up to alert her of a pending medical emergency and his leash could get tangled

Still, the store manager says the dogs need to be on leashes, but Payton again tries to inform her of the law during the clip posted in June.

'It is state and federal law that they are not required to be on leashes. It is for their safety and our safety,' she said, later explaining in a comment on her video that her dog, Onyx, jumps up to alert her of a pending medical emergency and his leash could get tangled.

At that point, the manager offers to help them shop - but Payton shoots down that idea.

'They're trained,' she argues, 'and I could pull up the law for you if you want.'

'I'm trying to help you,' Ashley then claims.

'But you obviously don't understand,' Payton shoots back.

The manager then tries again to get someone to help them shop, and says she understands what Payton is saying 'but this is the rule of the store.

'I understand these are your dogs and that's what they're trained for,' the manager says, but Payton argues 'they're medical equipment, they're not pets' and 'federal law overrides the policy.'

Payton also said she gave the corporation her cell phone number, and claimed in a comment that the manager was fired

The manager then tries to tell Payton and her friend there are other customers at the store, and eventually asks them to go to security.

'Yeah we can go to security,' Payton replies, 'because this is against the law.'

The comment seems to irate Ashley, who again offers to help the girls shop.

'We don't need help,' Payton replies. 'That's why we have them, but requiring them to be on leash is against the law.

'You can get sued, I can sue you for money,' she warns.

'I understand that,' Ashley insists, as she once again offers to help them shop.

'This is ridiculous,' an increasingly aggravated Payton says. 'But you don't understand, because if understand, you would know the law. Do you want me to pull it up for you right now?' she asks.

Still, the argument continues for several minutes as Payton seems to be losing her breath. The video then cuts to Payton lying on the ground with Onyx next to her.

'And this ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when you go after a service dog,' her friend says. 'Thanks Ashley, thanks Macy's.

'Payton did pass out after this interaction,' she explains, 'and I almost did as well.'

In an update a few days later, Payton said she returned to the store the following day and someone told her Ashley 'was just uneducated, and it was fine.'

'Obviously it's still not fine, because we did try to educate her in the video, as you can tell, and she just would not listen,' Payton said.

'So obviously still not OK, and in my opinion she deserves to be fired.'

She added that the corporation saw the video and reached out to her saying 'they're disappointed to hear what happened.

'But I was obviously speaking to a bot because it asked for my information, and I said like, "Before I give you my information I would like to know what action will be taken?" and then they just go, "We're disappointed to hear about it, thanks for giving us your info,"' she claimed.

Payton also said she gave the corporation her cell phone number, and claimed in a comment that the manager was fired.

The manager was apparently fired from the store in Lake Grove, New York, but many online suggested Payton take legal action against the company

But many online said she should take legal action against the company.

'You seriously should contact a lawyer and see what your options are there,' one woman commented on her video. 'That employee caused you physical harm and Macy's needs to be held responsible in making you whole for that.'

Another TikTok user begged, 'Please sue them and keep us updated. The way they treated you was disgusting,' while a third urged Payton not to speak with the company without a lawyer present.

'Pleeeeease just call an attorney, because Macy's is huge and all over and they need to train ALL employees at all locations,' she said.

'Get a lawyer. DON'T SIGN ANYTHING, don't agree to anything,' another urged.

Macy's spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'At Macys, we welcome pets and service animals in all our stores. We prioritize the safety and positive experience of our customers and colleagues.

'As per our policy, pets need to be properly restrained and well-behaved while in our stores and are not permitted in areas where food is prepared.'
Megan Fan Munce is a reporter on the climate team covering Californias home insurance crisis. She writes about the California FAIR Plan; State Farm non-renewals; pullbacks by other insurers such as Allstate and Farmers; policy initiatives from the California Department of Insurance; and how homeowners in the Bay Area and elsewhere are navigating the challenges.

Munce first joined the San Francisco Chronicle as part of the two-year Hearst Journalism Fellowship, spending her first year of the program at the Houston Chronicle. She grew up in San Jose before attending Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism.
More than 1,600 people have been arrested and a whopping $93million worth of drugs seized in a police operation to crack down on the narcotics trade.

The massive haul of drugs and cash was uncovered by officers across Australia and New Zealand during Operation Vitreus from August 19 to August 23.

A total of 528 search warrants were executed across both countries during the week-long operation.

Almost 1,400kgs of illicit drugs and more than 2,500 cannabis plants with a street value of about $93milion were seized, along with 71 guns and $2.2million in cash.

More than 2,900 charges were laid during the week as police arrested 1,611 individuals on drug-related charges.

South Australia Police charged a 26-year-old man, who is accused of possessing more than 1,100 LSD tabs, from an address in Adelaide as part of the crackdown.

Victoria Police allegedly uncovered six kilograms of what appeared to MDMA in the suitcases of a man and woman.

The pair were stopped from boarding a ferry in Tasmania.

Police in Australia and New Zealand seized almost 1,400kgs of illicit drugs (pictured) as part of the joint taskforce

Operation Vitreus involved the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

Meanwhile, ACT Police seized more than 1,000 cannabis plants and around 280g of cocaine as part of the operation.

Officers also discovered 42kg of dried cannabis material worth around $3.1million.

A Canadian national was also arrested at Sydney Airport while allegedly attempting to import around 15kg of methylamphetamine into Australia.

Police arrested 1,611 individuals and laid more than 2,900 charges as part of Operation Vitreus (pictured drug paraphernalia seized by police)

Police also seized more than 2,500 cannabis plants with a street value of about $93milion (pictured)

The operation follows on from a recent report by the criminal intelligence commission finding that Australia had the second-highest methylamphetamine consumption per capita.

The damning finding was made following a comparison with 29 other countries.

Australia also ranked 20th out of 32 countries for the consumption of cocaine and 15th out of 33 countries for the consumption of MDMA.

Australia is also the third largest consumer of cannabis out of 20 countries.

Cannabis and methylamphetamine are consumed more than any other illicit drugs in Australia.

The sweeping police raids (pictured) follow on from a recent report by the criminal intelligence commission finding that Australia had the second-highest methylamphetamine consumption per capita

'The harm caused by drug use can impact, directly and indirectly, on all Australian families and individuals,' Federal Police Commander Paula Hudson said.

'The impacts range across the spectrum of health, social and economic harm.'

Methamphetamine remains the most significant illicit drug threat to the Australian community and causes increased healthcare costs of $5 billion annually.
Nurses are 'terrified' to continue working in the NHS in case they are blamed for future deaths of patients, a group of medical workers has said in an open letter to the Prime Minister.

A group of 19 nurses is behind the letter to Sir Keir Starmer urging him to open a 'full forensic review' of the evidence used to convict Lucy Letby of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others.

Letby was convicted of the murder charges and six attempted murders at the Countess of Chester Hospital last summer, and convicted of a further attempted murder last month following a retrial.

However, doubts have been cast on the security of the evidence relied upon by prosecutors to convict the former neonatal nurse - amid concerns wider problems of staffing, capacity and practice on the ward were downplayed during the trial.

Some of the registered and retired nurses and medical and healthcare professionals behind the letter say they attended Letby's trials and are not confident in the security of the evidence.

Lucy Letby is serving a whole life sentence for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven others

Letby wrote a series of notes - including one which reads 'I did this' - that were recovered by police during searches of her home

Letby has never confessed to her crimes and experts have expressed doubts about the safety of the convictions

Letby, who worked at the Countess of Cheshire Hospital, giving evidence in court

An anonymous group of nurses has written to the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to ask for an independent review into the evidence used to convict the killer nurse

As a result, they say, NHS workers are nervous about becoming the 'next' Letby - and being, in their view, unfairly convicted for a death in which they played no part.

Letby is now serving a whole life sentence - meaning she will die in prison.

'All of us are worried that this conviction is unsafe and as a result we and many of our colleagues are now terrified to continue working in the NHS as we believe that next time it could be one of us who is blamed for a failing system,' the letter reads.

They list nine areas of concern - including that a report prepared by the hospital trust after a spike in baby deaths that reported staffing shortages and a lack of expert consultants on the ward.

The letter also claims a staffing chart used to secure convictions against Letby by suggesting she was on shift for the majority of the deaths was 'misleading' and that the health of the babies who died under the nurse's watch was 'misrepresented'.

'With respect, we request a scientifically rigorous Royal Commission/Independent review where real experts... can conduct a detailed and meticulous forensic assessment to re-examine the evidence in this troubling case,' the letter reads.

'We believe this is crucial for nurses and healthcare practitioners alike, so that we can feel confident and safe in our work.

'We also encourage the formation of a specialised cross-party task force, dedicated to investigating the procedural irregularities that have been exposed by the media. We are unified as a country in our belief in a fair and open justice system.

'The trial of Ms Letby has undermined our collective faith, and we urge you to act now to restore the public confidence in the justice system. For now, many nurses and healthcare professionals do not have that confidence.'

Body worn camera footage issued by Cheshire Constabulary showing Letby's arrest in July 2018

The neo-natal ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby worked

A spokesperson for the anonymous group - who say they cannot be identified for fear of reprisals from their employers - told the Telegraph: 'After each case it became apparent that we were talking about babies born barely viable for life, with pre-existing congenital medical conditions as well as a lot of sub-optimal care.'

Nurses claim to be resigning in large numbers following the conclusion of the Letby trial for fear they will be accused of killing patients.

Letby denied killing and attempting to kill babies at trial, and sought to appeal her convictions after they were secured - a hearing that she was denied.

Evidence shown during the trial revealed she authored notes reading: 'I am evil,' 'I did this,' and 'I killed them on purpose because I am not good enough'.

But Dr Mike Hall, a neonatologist who provided expert opinion for Letby's defence during the trial, has previously said he does not believe the prosecution proved the nurse was guilty 'beyond reasonable doubt'.

He told the Guardian in July: 'I dont think she had a fair trial because no medical expert witness was called for the defence to challenge the prosecution expert medical evidence.'

And he later told The Times: 'I would have given different answers to those given by the prosecution's medical expert witnesses, and different interpretations for some of the cases.

'That's not to say that I know all the answers, or that I know that Lucy Letby is innocent. There were certainly some events which were difficult to explain.'

The Crown Prosecution Service admitted last week that swipe card data showing when staff entered and exited the neonatal unit where Letby worked was incorrect.

Prosecutors said during the nurse's retrial that the data had been 'mislabelled' - and that a previous assertion that Letby had been alone in the ward on a particular date was in fact inaccurate.

In both trials, swipe data was used to show Letby was the only nurse in the unit at a time when babies' conditions deteriorated.

A spokesman for the Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service said: 'The CPS can confirm that accurate door swipe data was presented in the retrial.'

The open letter is published on the Science On Trial website.
Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the Biden administration was 'wrong' to demand Facebook censor what they deemed 'COVID misinformation' during the pandemic.

The Meta CEO said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan that they'll fight back against any attempts at censorship in the future and also admitted the company had 'demoted' stories about Hunter Biden's laptop.

He wrote that the White House 'repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree'.

He said that this pressure 'was wrong' and says he regrets 'that we were not more outspoken about it'.

'We made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today,' he added.

Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the Biden administration was 'wrong' to demand Facebook censor what they deemed 'COVID misinformation' during the pandemic

'I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any administration in either direction - and we're ready to push back if something like this happens again.'

A spokesperson for the White House told DailyMail.com in a statement that the Biden administration's policy is to encourage big tech to act responsibly.

'When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety. Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present.'

A spokesperson for Meta told the Wall Street Journal the letter spoke for itself.

Zuckerberg also said that Meta would not repeat what it did in 2020, funding non-profits to fund local election efforts, which Republicans criticized as 'Zuckerbucks' meant to assist liberals.

He and his wife Priscilla Chan gave nearly $420million to nonprofits that aided in the administration and infrastructure of the 2020 election , and heavily favored Democrat counties.

Zuckerberg, 37, and Chan, 36, donated $419.5million to The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) and The Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR), which the report says was given with specific conditions.

Using the donations, both CTCL and CEIR sent funds to local governments to implement administrative practices, voting methods, data-sharing agreements, and outreach programs for the 2020 elections.

Analysis shows Biden-winning counties were three times more likely to get funding from the organizations than Trump ones, and the Democrats were reportedly given a significant boost in key swing states through promotion of practices that have typically favored their vote tally, such as mail-in voting.

In the letter to the Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg acknowledges the perception of bias and promises not to do the same next time.

Zuckerberg wrote that the Biden White House 'repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree'

Zuckerberg also said that Meta would not repeat what it did in 2020, funding non-profits to fund local election efforts, which Republicans criticized as 'Zuckerbucks'

'Despite the analysis I've seen showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefited one party over the other,' he wrote.

'My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or anotheror to even appear to be playing a role. So I don't plan on making a similar contribution this cycle.'

In April of 2020, Facebook had announced that it was imposing limits on 'harmful misinformation about COVID-19'.

That included efforts to claim the so-called 'lab leak' theory was true. Within a year, the company reversed the decision.

He also admitted the company 'shouldn't have demoted' the Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 election.

Democrats and liberal media members suggested that Hunter Biden's laptop was 'Russian disinformation' ahead of the election, leading social media to censor the story.

In June 2024, federal prosecutors used the laptop as a piece of evidence in the first son's ongoing federal gun trial in Delaware - putting the question of its authenticity at rest.

'It's since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldn't have demoted the story,' Zuckerberg wrote.

Zuckerberg also admitted the company 'shouldn't have demoted' the Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 election

Many Republicans believe suppression of the story led to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' win

In a statement to X, Jordan called this a 'big win for free speech'.

In February of 2021, the company announced that it was expanding its crackdown to include claims that the virus was man-made. In a blog post, Facebook said that it would not allow conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines.

The social network's about-face comes on the same day that President Joe Biden asked his intelligence agencies to 'redouble their efforts' to pinpoint the origins of the coronavirus.

In 2020, claims by the Trump administration that the coronavirus may have originated in a lab in Wuhan were met with skepticism from mainstream media, which appeared to adopt the view that pathogen was transmitted from bats to humans.

Democrats and anti-Trump commentators in the press accused the then-president and his administration of advancing a theory about China deliberately creating the coronavirus in order to deflect attention away from its handling of efforts to mitigate the spread of the disease in the US.

But reports surfaced about an apparent cover-up of the origins of the virus have prompted a re-examination of the issue.

In October of 2021, it was revealed Facebook researchers are said to have had extensive knowledge that coronavirus and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine existed on the company's apps, yet did little to combat it let alone share the information with the White House.

Documents presented by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen show how multiple studies were run producing a number various number detailing the types of users who were most likely to share fake news.

In a statement to X, Congressman Jim Jordan called the letter a 'big win for free speech'

In October of 2021, it was revealed Facebook researchers are said to have had extensive knowledge that coronavirus and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine existed on the company's apps, yet did little to combat it let alone share the information with the White House

Lawmakers, academics and the White House urged Facebook to share such information publicly.

Facebook employees also knew misinformation about the coronavirus was dominating parts of the social media platform creating 'echo-chamber-like effects' ultimately reinforcing hesitancy over the vaccine.

The trove of documents shows that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook carefully investigated how its platforms spread misinformation about life-saving vaccines. They also reveal rank-and-file employees regularly suggested solutions for countering anti-vaccine content on the site, to no avail.

Facebook's internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen's legal counsel.
EXCLUSIVE

A heroic good Samaritan who was slashed with a boxcutter while trying to save a woman's life has been discharged from hospital.

Paul Sargeant, 67, suffered a 20cm gash across his abdomen during a stabbing rampage at Engadine, in Sydney's south, just before 9am on Sunday.

The chaos unfolded when Antony Benson, 57, allegedly stabbed his partner, a 48-year-old woman, a number of times in the neck and breast after she 'changed the radio station' on him as they drove along Old Bush Road in a white 2013 Jaguar XF.

He then allegedly crashed into a Mitsubishi Lancer as they turned onto the Princes Highway, before slashing Mr Sargeant when he rushed to the couple's aid.

Benson then turned the knife on himself and allegedly stabbed a police officer before he was tasered and arrested. He has been charged with eight offences and remains in Liverpool Hospital receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Mr Sargeant suffered serious injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he required several stitches to his abdomen.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, the father-of-two's wife Beverley said he is now at home recovering from his injuries.

'He's going well,' she said.

Paul Sargeant (pictured with his wife Beverley) was injured in the alleged stabbing rampage on Sunday

Steve Mace (far left) was one of the witnesses who stopped the alleged attacker (right) from re-entering the car, where the man's partner sat badly injured

'We have a close supportive family, and he's going ok.'

In total, six people were treated by paramedics: two for car-crash related injuries and four from blade wounds.

Bystanders rushed over to the car after the crash to find the 48-year-old woman bleeding from apparent wounds.

Witnesses claim Benson was ranting and spouting conspiracies before allegedly turning the knife on himself, cutting his wrists and neck. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but has since been re-graded to serious.

Benson's partner was rushed to St George Hospital in a critical condition, but her condition too has now classified as serious.

The 20-year-old female Lancer driver suffered a broken wrist, her male passenger suffered minor injuries, and Constable Campbell Fordyce suffered lacerations to his wrist.

Cronulla Sharks CEO Steven Mace, who was on his way to a footy match when he witnessed the crash, was also allegedly assaulted while rushing to help the 48-year-old woman.

Superintendent Donald Faulds praised the heroic actions of bystanders who were allegedly attacked while trying to save the woman's life.

'They've just turned up thinking it was a motor vehicle accident, so they're obviously going to render assistance to both people, and then they're [allegedly] faced with a box cutter.

Pictured: Antony Benson with his partner, 48, before his alleged rampage on Sunday

The alleged knifeman (pictured) was heard ranting about 'conspiracy theories' after the alleged stabbing attack and crash

A blue and white sedan were caught up in the crash in Sydney's south

'It's quite frightening, but very, very brave as well.'

Benson was on Monday charged with causing grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder (domestic violence-related), wounding a person with intent to resist/prevent arrest, reckless wounding, dangerous driving, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He has also been charged with failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact, affray and hindering/resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.

Benson had been due to appear in Sutherland Local Court on Monday but was still unconscious at Liverpool Hospital.

Magistrate Philip Stewart's suggested adjournment until Tuesday was further delayed as Benson was undergoing surgery, so the next hearing will be on Thursday.
The parents of a girl left in coma following a fall from a sorority house window have filed a lawsuit against the Greek society's president.

Sarah Cox was a junior at Northeastern University when she plummeted 20 feet during a party before her formal.

She has since yet to regain consciousness, parents Batul Kazim and William Cox said in a document, filed this past March, that accused their daughter's sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, of not taking the necessary precaution to protect its members.

The complaint, in turn, names then-chapter President Margaret 'Maggie' Scales, property owner Marcia Ramos, and the Ramos Properties company as defendants.

The inclusion of Ramos and her real estate business stemmed from her knowing the apartment building at 2 Judge Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts, was being used by Scales as a 'sorority house.'

Filed in March nearly a year after the incident, the suit surrounds Sarah Cox (pictured), who was a junior at Northeastern University when she plummeted 20 feet during a party before her formal

The complaint, in turn, names then-chapter President Margaret 'Maggie' Scales (seen here) as one of the parties liable for the girl's injuries, accusing her of not taking the necessary precaution to protect members

'Sarah Cox's injuries are catastrophic, and she will require one to one care 24 hours per day and seven days per week on a permanent basis,' a statement of damages reads.

'Sarah Cox will require a variety of medical devices and equipment to survive.'

The statement goes on to note how the family's medical bills have already far exceeded $200,000.

'[T]he costs of her care will continue to mount for the rest of her life,' it continues.

The sorority has responded by filing a motion to dismiss the suit, doing so back in July, alleging that the incident that happened during a party on March 31, 2023, around 6pm was Cox's fault.

'When you cut through the six negligence counts against the Sorority Defendants in the 170-paragraph Complaint, Plaintiffs' claim is: "Sarah Cox fell out of a window onto the driveway below,''' the motion sniped.

'While certainly sympathetic to Cox's alleged "catastrophic injuries as a result of the fall", the counts against the Sorority Defendants fail under the most basic duty-breach-causation-damages analysis.'

The motion went on to accuse Cox's parents of making 'generic negligence allegations' against the sorority and chapter president in their quest for financial restitution. The family alleges Cox's injuries will require intensive - and costly - round-the-clock care.

It also names property owner Marcia Ramos, and the Ramos Properties company as defendants, after Cox fell from a second-floor kitchen window onto the driveway below. She has yet to regain consciousness nearly a year later

Scales (pictured) and her school-sanctioned sorority have since questioned the 'generalized duties' they were supposedly responsible for, as well as the so-called 'dangerous' conditions at the apartment

The school-sanctioned sorority, in turn, questioned the 'generalized duties' they were supposedly responsible for, as well as the so-called 'dangerous' conditions present at the apartment.

'Plaintiffs merely allege that all defendants were somehow responsible for the myriad of alleged behavior without any allegation of what actually caused the fall,' the sorority's filing said.

'Sadly, Sarah cannot provide any facts or details about it because she has been in a catatonic state ever since she hit the ground.

'Moreover, none of the people present at the party have offered any facts about how it happened, not even her close friends,' the motion to dismiss continued.

'Despite requests for information made by Sarahs mother and other efforts to obtain certain facts about Sarahs fall from the window, nobody was willing to offer any details,' it pointed out.

'So[,] the only tool available to the Plaintiffs is the court and its grant of discovery powers.'

The latter assertion came as Cox's parents continue to demand answers about the incident, which happened while their daughter was at a sorority-related gathering at the apartment where Scales lived.

The incident, as mentioned, remains somewhat shrouded, despite the fact that 'at some time between 6 and 6:30 pm, Cox fell approximately 20 feet out of a kitchen window onto a driveway,' the complaint said.

As for how it happened, the sorority said, 'The plausible suggestion is that there were too many people in the kitchen... As the crowd moved and swayed in the small kitchen, Sarah was squeezed against the window and could not avoid falling'

Potential witnesses, meanwhile, have so far been not helpful to the family, who has struggled to discern how the fall actually happened. In the interim, Cox (pictured) remains in a coma, her career upended by the accident. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 11

Of the residence, it states it was 'publicly known to be an apartment that [Scales] and the Sorority openly used as their Sorority house,' thus putting Ramos and her company on the hook for future prospective payments, the family said.

Ramos, in response, has laid blame toward the local sorority chapter, their national organization, and Scales as well - along with Cox herself.

'If the Plaintiffs suffered injuries as alleged in the Plaintiffs Complaint, then said injuries, to the extent not caused by the Plaintiffs own failure to exercise due care for her safety, may not have been caused in whole or in part as a result of the actions for failures to act' of the other defendants, Ramos Properties wrote it its own filing to get the claims against them dismissed.

Potential witnesses, meanwhile, have so far been not helpful to the family, who has struggled to discern how the fall actually happened.

In the interim, Cox remains in a coma, her career upended by the accident.

'She had just come back from her third international medical mission trip helping people all over the world who have limited access to health care,' a fundraiser for the aspiring doctor noted.

As for how it happened, the sorority offered its own hypothesis in their motion to dismiss the case, saying simply, 'The plausible suggestion is that there were too many people in the kitchen, people were drinking, [and] some were impaired,

'[A]s the crowd moved and swayed in the small kitchen, Sarah was squeezed against the window and could not avoid falling out of the window,' it concluded.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 11.
Australia will trim its intake of international students by nearly 20,000 - or around seven per cent - as the their influx is blamed for the explosion in house prices and rents.

On Tuesday, federal Education Minister Jason Clare announced the government would set international student commencements at 270,000 for the 2025 calendar year.

Universities will take in about 145,000 of those international students, with another 95,000 allotted for vocational education and training (VET) courses, which the government says will bring the figures down to pre-pandemic levels.

The highly-anticipated move has been criticised by the higher education sector, which has become heavily reliant on foreign students paying up-front fees.

However the government says the move will strengthen integrity in the sector rather than having many arrivals sign up for courses that are little more than a means to secure permanent residency.

It believes limiting the number will reinforce the 'social licence' for a student influx.

ABC economist Alan Kohler last week spelt out the conflicting aims of the government and the tertiary sector.

'The current Labor governments point of view is that the universities have become addicted to foreign students and they should not be deciding Australias population growth based on their desire for revenue,' Mr Kohler wrote for The New Daily.

'The government should manage it based on national interest, especially in the midst of a housing shortage.'

Australia will cut its intake of international students by nearly 20,000 following a record high number of enrolments reported this year

Figures in the year to May 2024 reported there were 810,960 international student enrolments (a 17 per cent in 2019 pre-Covid figures) across universities and VET courses, with commencements also 16 per cent higher at 289,230 in the same period.

At the same time the government is also under pressure to curb overseas net migration from a high of 528,000 reported in 2022-23, to 260,000 this financial year.

On July 1, the government quietly doubled the application cost for international student visas from $710 to $1600, with Mr Clare defending the decision as a way to inject revenue into education initiatives.

On Tuesday, federal Education Minister Jason Clare announced the government would set international student commencements at 270,000 for the 2025 calendar year as part of its yet-to-be legislated National Planning Level (NPL)

While Tuesday's announcement was focused on the overall cap, individual unis will be given a specific figure under the International Student Profile (ISP).

Western Sydney University's Vice-Chancellor and President George Williams said international students in western Sydney - a key growth area for the government - were critical in dealing with Australia's 'key skill shortages,' like nursing.

He said the Western Sydney Airport slated to open in 2026, and the surrounding Bradfield mini city would also require 'international students to fill key skills gap'.

Financially, Prof Williams said a significant student cap would also restrict the university's ability to provide equity programs, like food outreach and support, to students with low socio-economic status.

'When it comes to our university, we have the largest number of low SES students in the nation,' he told a Senate inquiry into the proposed restrictions on Monday.

'Because what we're hearing from those students is they're not able to both study and eat, and international students provide a key source of revenue to support domestic students, otherwise unable to study at university but for the support we are able to provide.'
An LGBTQI campaigner has called for Anthony Albanese to be banned from Sydney's Mardi Gras after his government broke a promise to record the number of gay and trans people in the next census.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will not ask for sexual preference or status in the 2026 census despite a Labor promise to introduce that change.

Just.Equal spokesperson Rodney Croome said Mr Albanese should not be invited to next year's gay Mardi Gras or future ones, despite having become the first PM to participate in the event.

'He may have marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for WorldPride last year, but in the eyes of many LGBTIQA+ Australians he has now pulled up the draw bridge to equality,' Mr Croome told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Federal Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh confirmed to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday there would be no new topics covered in the next census.

'While the Australian Bureau of Statistics tests changes from time to time, it is the decision of the government that there will be no change to the topics in the next census, which will be held in 2026,' a spokesperson for the minister said.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported three unnamed Labor MPs 'were upset by the decision' to not include questions in the 2026 survey to capture the number of LGBTQI Australians.

The publication quoted unnamed Labor sources as giving different reasons for the decision not to make the change.

There are calls to ban Anthony Albanese from taking part in Sydney 's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras over a controversial census decision

Two unnamed Labor MPs claimed the government feared a backlash from the Coalition and faith groups.

Another anonymous MP said there were concerns such a census question would under-represent LGBTQ numbers because many would not want to answer.

However, another 'government source' said the decision was made to show Mr Albanese was 'razor-focused' on cost of living pressures and to avoid distraction with 'non-core' issues.

The source also said officials worried about making the census more complicated and said other questions had also been jettisoned to keep it streamlined.

Equality Australia chief executive Anna Brown accused the government of abandoning its commitment.

'The federal government has betrayed LGBTIQ+ people around Australia who will again be rendered invisible in 2026,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'[It] hasn't taken this opportunity to finally reflect the diversity of Australia and gather crucial information about the kinds of services people need.'

Following the decision by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) not to record the number of gay and trans people in the national census, which is a Labor policy promise, a leading activist says the Prime Minister should be shunned

A leading gay rights activist has called on the Prime Minister to be banned from the Gay Mardi Gras over an apparent census backflip (pictured a participant in the 2024 march_

April Long, who made the Australian Human Rights Commission complaint, said the outcome was devastating.

'This isn't just about numbers or data, it's about our basic human right to be counted, recognised and valued,' they said.

About one in 10 Australians are thought to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, according to a 2019 Department of Health report.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Prime Minister and the ABS for comment.
An experienced parachutists has died in a horror skydiving accident at a rural property in southern Queensland.

Emergency services were called to Meandarra Talwood Road in Tarawera, near Goondiwindi on the Queensland-NSW border, around 8am on Tuesday.

Paramedics treated the 25-year-old man for life-threatening injuries, but he died at the scene.

His parachute is understood to have opened properly and the device functioned as normal, but he landed badly.

The man was attempting a group jump at an event organised for experienced skydivers along with four others. The four other divers all landed safely.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the Forensic Crash Unit was sent to the property along with police helicopters.

Inspector Kelly Hanlen said officers are investigating the incident.

The Australian Parachute Federation (APF), who are also investigating the death of the man, said in a statement the man had been a skydiver for several years.

Emergency services were called to Meandarra Talwood Road in Tarawera, near Goondiwindi in Queensland, around 8am on Tuesday following the incident (stock image)

'[He had] successfully landed more than 600 jumps since taking up the adventure sport in 2022,' they told the ABC.

APF CEO Stephen Porter said the man grew up in the local skydiving community.

'Our thoughts are with the young man's family, which has been part of the skydiving community for many years, and we offer our condolences at this sad time,' he said.

A safety officer from the organisation travelled to the crash scene to carry out their investigation.

The accident is understood to have occurred during a skills camp on Funny Farm, the Courier Mail reports.

The camp is being held on the property over five days after the event began on August 26, according to its Facebook page.
Poll Is the Secret Service covering up information about Trump's assassination? Yes No Is the Secret Service covering up information about Trump's assassination? Yes 3032 votes

No 248 votes Now share your opinion





Less than two months ago, Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt after 20-year-old Thomas Crooks opened fire at an open-air rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

While Secret Service agents were applauded for bravely swarming the stage to protect Trump, the incident represented one of the worst security failures in American history.

Following the shooting on July 13 - which claimed the life of firefighter Corey Comperatore - Congress set up a bipartisan taskforce to investigate.

As questions mounted, Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle was forced to resign.

But in the wake of her departure, much remains unclear about how Crooks was able to launch the attack or what motivated him to target the Republican presidential candidate.

Several congressman, including Mike Waltz and Clay Higgins, have suggested that a third-party must have been involved, Higgins goes as far as to claim the FBI has engaged in a cover up. Meanwhile, the mainstream view of the Washington commentariat appears to be that Crooks was acting as a 'lone wolf.'

Now Daily Mail is asking YOU, the readers, in our exclusive poll... Is the Secret Service covering up information about Trump's assassination?

Thomas Crooks, 20, attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13
Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, who faced heavy criticism over her refusal to condemn Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, will join a probe into anti-Semitism.

The NSW Senator, who also holds the Greens' tertiary education and anti-racism portfolios, has been placed on a senate committee into anti-Semitism at Australian universities.

The inquiry follows complaints by a number of students and staff members from different institutions who believe anti-Jewish discourse has been normalised on campus, along with ongoing pro-Palestine protests.

More than 170 submissions by students and staff have been uploaded to the committee's website, detailing experiences with discrimination or blatant racial hate.

During a debate to refer the bill to the committee, Ms Faruqi said the Coalition was 'trying to weaponise anti-Semitism, to attack those who are standing up to Israel's genocide in Gaza'.

In July, she has repeatedly refused to call for Hamas to be axed and told the ABC's Insiders program the people of Palestine should decide whether to dismantle it.

She also minimised pro-Palestine graffiti on the Australian War Memorial as 'paint on a building'.

Last year, she posted a photo on Instagram of herself standing with student protesters holding up pro-Palestine signs outside Town Hall in Sydney, including one that said 'keep the world clean' - with an image of an Israeli flag going in the bin.

Liberal MP Julian Leeser, who originally called for the probe in May, has now asked why Ms Faruqi felt the need to insert herself into the inquiry.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi is pictured on the ABC's Insiders program in July

Senator Faruqi is pictured posing with student protesters in November. One sign read 'keep the world clean' with an Israeli flag going in the bin. She then deleted the image off Instagram

'Given the range of things she's said and done in this space, I think she needs to explain her motivation for being on this inquiry,' he told The Australian.

He pointed out the probe was a matter sent to the legal and constitutional affairs committee, which meant Senator David Shoebridge would be the best person from the Greens to join.

'Why is Senator Faruqi on this committee? What is her motivation for sitting on this inquiry in particular?' he asked.

The CEO of the Australian Jewish Association, Robert Gregory, told Daily Mail Australia her involvement in the committee 'makes a mockery of the inquiry'.

'Senator Faruqi was unable to unequivocally condemn a terrorist organisation and herself is guilty of sharing an image containing ugly antisemitism online,' he said.

'Senator Faruqi and the Greens are part of the problem not the solution. She is famous for her anti-Israel stunts and it looks like she has inserted herself in an attempt to derail an important investigation.

'The Jewish community won't be intimidated by Senator Faruqi. We will call out anti-Semitism in universities and wherever it occurs, as well as the far-left instigators who are behind most anti-Semitism in Australia today.'

Ms Faruqi declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.

Pictured: Protesters at a 'Free Palestine' rally in Brisbane in March. Greens leader Adam Bandt addressed the demonstration

Pictured: Banners at a pro-Palestine protest at the Australian National University in Canberra

Pictured: University of Melbourne students speaking at a press conference during a pro-Palestine protest

A total of 191 submissions were uploaded to the committee's website - largely written by Jewish organisations, students, staff, and older members of the Jewish community whose close relatives were murdered during the Holocaust.

One 19-year-old student who was born and raised in Australia said in his submission that he never felt threatened before the Hamas attack on October 7.

'I feel apprehensive going to campus now,' he wrote.

'What graffiti, posters and handouts will I see today that call for my death and the destruction of the state that may have been able to provide refuge to my 122 relatives killed in Auschwitz had it existed then?'

A 32-year-old, who is not Jewish, said: 'What I've witnessed my Jewish friends and members of my family in Israel go through since October 7 and what I've seen with my own eyes makes my entire soul ache with pain and rage.'

He started conversing with people who were spouting anti-Semitic rhetoric online, which ended with a member of the psychology faculty at the University of Sydney sending 'abusive DMs, voice messages, and eventually threatening my family'.

'Telling me to go back to Poland (I'm an Anglo-Australian), comments about how "you Jews run everything", disparaging remarks about me apparently being Jewish, and other similarly anti-Semitic comments,' he wrote.

Liberal MP Julian Leeser (pictured, right) is pictured in Parliament House on Thursday. He has asked why Senator Faruqi her joined the senate committee into anti-Semitism

Others told the committee they lost more than 100 family members in the Holocaust and were concerned about Australia's future.

The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network condemned racism in its submission, saying Jewish people should not be held accountable for Israel's crimes, but argued that penalising students for protesting was harmful to democracy.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network said it was concerned about the 'genuine anti-Jewish racism in communities', but said some of those examples were being conflated with legitimate concern for Palestinians.

It said the inquiry was 'unnecessary and counterproductive', arguing universities should 'foster an environment that supports diverse viewpoints, embraces rigorous debate, and addresses all forms of racism with a comprehensive, intersectional approach'.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the attack on October 7.

The Israeli death toll is unclear, but it is estimated to be around 1500.
Sound mountain ecology contributes to prosperity in China's Fujian

14:56, August 27, 2024 By Wang Yinxin, Lin Yuan ( People's Daily

Jiangjun Mountain, located in Shaxian district, Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province, has been particularly bustling these days.

Wei Fasong, a forest farmer in Jiai village, Shaxian district, makes his way to the mountain every week to check on the growth of Chinese herbal medicine such as Dioscorea nipponica and Siberia landpick that he has planted under the trees for nearly three years, anticipating the upcoming harvest.

A farmer plants herbs under the trees in Shaxian district, Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Wenjin)

"We can now make a fortune without cutting down trees. The average annual income per mu (about 667 square meters) can reach at least 1,000 yuan ($140)," said Wei.

Bao Xingkun, head of a state-owned forest farm in Shaxian district, is also a frequenter to the mountain. His farm has set up a demonstration forest featuring stereoscopic planting on the mountain. During the journey up the mountain, visitors can come across precious broad-leaved trees such as Phoebe bournei and Ormosia hosiei, and higher up, they will be greeted by a lush plantation of artificial Chinese fir trees reaching 10 meters in height.

"We plant herbs at the foot of the mountain, trees at the top, and intercrop valuable tree species in between. Through this science-based stereoscopic planting approach, our trees grow better. We can greatly improve the utilization of the forest space, and our income per mu is ten times more than that of simple tree planting," Bao explained.

On the mountain, Zhang Min, general manager of a travel agency, was leading tourists on a tour. Zhang's company has leveraged the sound local natural environment to set up a rehabilitation resort on the mountain.

Photo shows an exhibition cabinet of under-forestry economy products in Shaxian district, Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo from the official WeChat account of the Fujian Provincial Forestry Bureau)

"Throughout this summer vacation, the resort has been fully booked every week. Guests stay in forest cabins and enjoy healthy cuisine. They appreciate the sound ecological environment here," said Zhang.

The effective ecological management of Jiangjun Mountain well exemplifies Fujian's commitment to maximizing the value of forestry ecological products in recent years.

In 2023, the forest coverage in Fujian accounted for 65.12 percent of the province's total area. However, in the past, the majority of local forest farmers lived in poverty, and the province was plagued with issues such as rampant and illegal logging. In 2002, Fujian took the lead in China to implement a collective forest tenure reform, shifting from cutting trees to growing them, making barren mountains green and thriving again. Moreover, a variety of ecological products have been developed, turning green mountains into a source of wealth.

Thanks to these environmental protection efforts, local residents have a wider range of options for generating income. A broader variety of forestry ecological products has been introduced by local authorities, creating more ways to recognize the value of forest ecosystems.

For instance, the farming practices in Yanping district, Nanping city, have undergone a remarkable shift from disorderly to well-organized in recent years. Thanks to the exceptional forest ecology, Yanping district has experienced a boom in green industries specializing in milk, flowers, and bamboo. In 2023, the lily cultivation area in the district expanded to 8,500 mu, with an output value of 600 million yuan. Meanwhile, the annual output value of the dairy industry hit 2 billion yuan.

Workers make bamboo tableware to be exported in a workshop of a company in Wuyishan, southeast China's Fujian province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Wangwang)

Besides, Nanping has set up a service platform to promote innovation in green industries, which has proved to be effective in helping companies overcome technological challenges and maximize ecological benefits.

For example, Xingda Bamboo Industry Co., Ltd., located in Shaowu, Nanping city, had long struggled with the perishability of bamboo building materials. After posting its needs on the platform, the company soon connected with experts at Wuyi University and Nanjing Forestry University who specialize in relevant technologies.

"After more than two months of trials, we made great progress," said Wu Minda, head of the company. "Once the new technology is applied to production, our output value is expected to increase tenfold."

There are also breakthroughs outside the woods. For instance, a unique carbon voucher is highly valued by Changkou village, Gaotang township, Jiangle county, Sanming city. In 2022, Changkou village used this carbon voucher to trade the carbon reduction obtained from its 3,197 mu of ecological public welfare forest over a five-year period. Each of the over 1,000 villagers received 150 yuan from this exchange. "We can even make money by selling air!" said villager Sun Guiying.

"In recent years, based on the strictest ecological protection policies, Fujian has developed green forestry industries, diversified forestry products, and increased their added value. In 2023, we achieved a total forestry output value of 765.1 billion yuan," said Lin Xudong, deputy head of the Fujian Provincial Forestry Bureau.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
The Klamath River returned to its natural state this week after a lengthy process to remove four 100-year-old dams. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

HORNBROOK, Siskiyou County  After decades of planning and pounding, the removal of four dams on the Klamath River near the remote California-Oregon border wrapped up this week  all but a few loose ends.

 UPDATE: See Klamath River in California flowing freely for first time in a century after historic dam removal

The monumental effort, considered the largest dam dismantling in U.S. history, is the longtime aspiration of the two states and their several partners, including Native American tribes. The goal has been to clear the old hydroelectric infrastructure from the 250-mile Klamath and restore a free-flowing river and its native fish and wildlife populations, principally the imperiled salmon runs.

The completion of the dam demolition, while a blow to many local residents who didnt want to lose the popular lakes created by the dams, is being widely celebrated by environmentalists, fishing groups and indigenous people.

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Im excited, but a little scared, too, said Aaron Troy Hockaday, who sits on the Karuk Tribes Tribal Council and watched the river begin flowing over the former site of the 173-foot Iron Gate Dam on Wednesday. Ive never seen the river run its natural course. All the stories told by my grandmother and the elders of how the river used to be.  Im very excited to see the progress thats going to happen.

Even with the four dams now out of the river channel, the spotlight will remain on the $500 million deconstruction project and whether it lives up to expectations. In years to come, migratory fish, which were blocked from going upriver by the dams and have struggled to reproduce, are projected to thrive as hundreds of miles of waterways open up for spawning. A vast revegetation program at the former dam sites, and the now dry reservoirs they supported, promises to revive the basins native landscape. Water quality on the river is expected to greatly improve.

Theres still a lot of unknowns and a lot of ifs and hopes, but this is a great start, Hockaday said.

On Wednesday morning, capping a year of demolition work, crews tore the final pieces of two dam complexes out of the river channel, allowing the waterway to run through the site of the former Iron Gate Dam as well as the site of the former 126-foot Copco 1 Dam, both in California. In each case, excavators cleared out smaller dams at the sites, called cofferdams, which had been steering the river into bypass tunnels while the larger dams were removed.

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The reservoirs behind the two dams had already been drained of water so that the river flowed through, and the river was already running freely through the sites of the small Copco 2 Dam, also in California, and the 68-foot J.C. Boyle Dam in Oregon.

Many involved in the effort to raze the hydroelectric facilities, some for decades, were on hand Wednesday, cheering as they watched the Klamath return to the course it wove before construction of the dams began more than a century ago.

You can ask what does this represent. It represents the future, said Leaf Hillman, a Karuk tribal member, who was with his wife, Lisa, on Wednesday, reflecting on the significance of fish passage in the newly free-flowing river. Things had grown so dim with the fisheries collapsing and our communities struggling.

For the Karuk and other tribes, salmon was traditionally a dietary staple as well a spiritual one.

The clearing of the dams comes just in time for the fall run of chinook salmon. The fish, which migrate upriver this time of year, have been spotted about 100 miles south of the former dam sites and could make it to the site of the former dams within weeks. The hope, of course, is that many continue upriver to expand their spawning habitat and eventually their numbers.

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The Klamath River project is considered the largest dam dismantling in U.S. history and will benefit salmon populations that once thrived in the waterway. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Ren Brownell, spokeswoman for the nonprofit Klamath River Renewal Corp. that is overseeing the dam removal, called this weeks events among the projects most meaningful.

To (most) people, dam removal is done at this point, she said. To the engineers (though), we have about two weeks of work afterwards.

Parts of the dams that remain on the riverbank will be torn out in the coming days. Also, the diversion tunnels that rerouted the river around the dams will be plugged.

The series of dams, known as the Klamath Hydroelectric Project, came to life in the early 1900s, bringing power and economic development to the region. In recent decades, however, the owner of the facilities, Portland-based PacifiCorp, determined that the electricity generated wasnt worth the rising cost of maintaining the facilities.

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The company decided, at the urging of tribes and others, to remove the aging dams. California and Oregon officials helped formalize the initiative and took over the properties, with the cost covered by PacifiCorp and California voter-approved bonds.

The dams did not provide flood protection or water storage. They did, however, support reservoirs that became the backbone of a handful of small lakeside communities in Siskiyou County that are now without their lakes.

Many residents are upset by the change, which has resulted in diminished views, property values and recreational opportunities, such as boating and fishing.

The Klamath River, which runs from Oregons high desert to the coast of Northern California, still has two large dams north of where the hydroelectric project operated. These structures are equipped with fish ladders and are expected to be navigable for salmon.

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The woman who was filmed putting her arm in a tiger enclosure at a New Jersey zoo has been charged for taunting the dangerous predator.

Zyair Dennis, 24, of Millville, was charged with defiant trespassing for the August 18 incident at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, and was given two citations covering general conduct for people climbing fencing at the zoo, NJ.com reports. She face a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

She was quickly identified as the trespasser after Bridgeton police released video and photos of a suspect trying to entice a Bengal tiger by sticking her hand through a wire enclosure, Police Chief Michael Gaimari said, according to NBC New York.

The video shows the big cat coming in for a closer look before lunging and swiping its paw at the woman as she rips her hand back.

After the close call, the woman can be seen casually walking away and jumping back over the fence to safety.

Zyair Dennis, 24, of Millville, was identified as the woman who was caught on camera putting her arm in a tiger enclosure at a New Jersey zoo

Gaimari has now revealed there was a similar video of her doing the same thing at a nearby bear enclosure on the same day - despite signs posted around the zoo warning people that climbing fences is prohibited.

Dennis was released pending a hearing in municipal court, NJ.com reports.

It is unclear whether she has retained an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

But zoo officials said they are also investigating the incident.

'The Cohanzick Zoo is evaluating measures related to the safety of our animals and visitors,' administrators said on Monday.

The nearly 650-pound feline was born in 2016 and donated to the Cohanzick Zoo from North Carolina

'These measures include a review involving USDA, NJ Fish Wildlife and communicating with larger zoos to evaluate and/or incorporate industry best practices.

'Current safeguards notwithstanding we are always examining ways to enhance animal safety as well as the safety of our visitors and guests,' they said.

The nearly 650-pound tiger that almost bit Dennis was born in 2016 and donated to the Cohanzick Zoo from North Carolina, zoo officials have said.

It is one of two brothers currently living in the enclosure.

According to the zoo, the Bengal is considered the second largest tiger after the Siberian tiger.
EXCLUSIVE

The son of a woman found dead at home along with her disabled teenage daughter has revealed his white supremacist tattoos as he faced court on Nazi graffiti charges.

Christopher Carrig, 20, appeared briefly in Burwood Local Court on six charges including allegedly spray-painting a statue with a Nazi swastika symbol.

He faced a magistrate for a few minutes in a court room where tattoos numbers '88' behind his right ear and '14' behind his left ear could be clearly seen.

The numbers '88' - representing HH as the eighth letter of the alphabet - are notorious white supremacist code for' Heil Hitler'.

The number '14' represents a 14-word supremacist slogan about white power securing the future of 'white children'.

The graffiti charges stem from an alleged incident at Macquarie University in February.

He is also accused of of stalking a man at a Woolworths in May, both of which pre-date the family tragedy which befell his mother and sister.

Jennifer Carrig, 53, and Ella, 13, were found dead in two separate bedrooms of their home on Menzies Road in Marsfield in Sydney's north-west in early July.

Christopher Carrig attends Burwood Local Court on Tuesday on charges of spraying a Nazi swastika and a National Socialist Network symbol on statues at Macquarie University

On Tuesday, Chris Carrig appeared before a magistrate, his white supremacist neck tattoos clearly on display in court where he was charged with spraying Nazi graffiti on statues

The reason for their deaths publicly remain a mystery with no arrests made. It is not suggested Christopher Carrig had any involvement.

However, the Menzies Road home was visited by police just eight days earlier when Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command officers arrived at 6am to arrest Christopher and his girlfriend Taylor Bayly, 20.

The couple were taken to separate police stations to be charged with offences relating to the spray painting of 'extreme right-wing ideology' at Macquarie University in Sydney's north.

Police allege Mr Carrig and Ms Bayly blackened their faces and then entered Macquarie Park - which has around 130 statues, inside Macquarie University - at around 12.17am on February 25.

Court documents allege they used a can of spray paint to mark objects on the campus with a swastika and with the tag of the National Socialist Network, an Australian neo-Nazi political organisation.

The couple were charged with intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property, blacken or disguise face with intention to commit an indictable offence, possess graffiti implement and unlawful entry on enclosed lands.

Mr Carrig was also charged with offences dating from May at a Woolworths in north-west Sydney, while police took out an Apprehended Violence Order against him on behalf of another man.

Christopher Carrig, (left) with his mother Jennifer and sister Ella about seven years ago, was charged with spraying Nazi graffiti and arrested eight days before his sister and mother's tragic deaths

Chris Corrig and his lawyer arrive at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday where he had his bail varied on charges including praying a Nazi swastika on a statue at Macquarie University

Jennifer Carrig and her daughter Ella (left), whose bodies were tragically found in their Marsfield home in July. Forensic officers (right) leave the Menzies Road home

Chris Carrig was already banned from the Woolworths when he allegedly unlawfully entered the premises on the afternoon May 25, and is alleged to have stalked or intimidated the man.

On Tuesday, he appeared in court with a lawyer to have his bail conditions varied, so that he could report to police three times a week.

When approached on the street, Mr Carrig flicked his fingers dismissively and said: 'Go get a real job'.

It remains unclear how Either Jennifer Carrig or her daughter Ella died, with neither having obvious injuries. Locals believe it was a tragic was a murder-suicide.

A police spokesman added: 'There was no bullet or stab wounds to the victims.'

Contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or visit their website lifeline.org.au
Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart is not used to being upstaged, but an insistent horse left her in helpless fits of laughter as it kept interrupting her speech.

Mrs Rinehart stood in a paddock filming a speech for the Bush Summit being held in the north west Tasmanian city of Launceston on Tuesday when one of the two horses grazing behind her ambled her way.

As Mrs Rinehart, who is head of iron ore giant Hancock Prospecting, talked about the benefits of mining to the general community, the horse started nibbling on the sleeves of her Driza-Bone jacket.

Despite trying to gamely continue and ignore the farm animal, Mrs Rinehart eventually burst out laughing when the horse nibbled her collar leading to a sudden cut in filming.

On the other side of the abrupt edit Mrs Rinehart attempted to resume where she left off but the horse maintained an interest in the back of her jacket.

'The housing crisis doesn't stop on the mainland, I know it reaches Tassie too,' Mrs Rinehart said while the horse started tugging on her sleeve causing her to shoot it an alarmed look.

The mining magnate broke out into another laugh but determinedly continued talking about the benefits of mining and agriculture.

As the horse nuzzled behind her, the animal at one stage caused Mrs Rinehart to pitch awkwardly forward, but she kept her feet planted.

Gina Rinehart was left in helpless laughter after an insistent horse kept interrupting her address to camera

Having sufficiently explored the back of Mrs Rinehart the horse walked around the side and then suddenly loomed up in the bottom right corner of the screen as the video cut away to pre-recorded stock footage to illustrate the themes of the address.

When the video focused once more on Mrs Rinehart the equine interloper had finally wandered off.

In the speech, the third she has given to the six-day Bush Summit, Mrs Rinehart urged those who valued agriculture and mining to 'let our politicians know we dont want to go down as an industry or country, we want to go up'.

'We want to see policies that dont frighten away investment, that instead lead to increased investment, increased living standards, and more in your pocket after tax, to spend as you wish,' she said.

The things that drag Australia down are taxes, over-regulation and red tape, Mrs Rinehart argued.

She said the Minerals Council of Australia had recently estimated that the nation is missing out on about $68 billion of investment because major mining projects had been 'increasingly put in the too-hard basket'.

Mrs Rinehart said only 20 per cent of projects that debut on Australias major projects list are completed 'while 80 per cent are abandoned altogether'.

Despite trying to gamely go on with her address the horse refused to be ignored as it nuzzled Mrs Rinehart's back

Despite record immigration, Mrs Rinehart stated there was a worker shortage.

She claimed that for every million migrants 'this government has brought in' there had only been about 'approximately 40,000 added to the workforce'.

She called on federal and state governments to drop taxes as a way to ease the cost of living crisis that had left people deciding whether 'to heat (their homes) or eat'.

'We dont want empty words, we want to know taxes that were to be dropped when GST came in, payroll, licence fees and stamp tax will be dropped,' she said.

'We want to hear that the federal government will drop its excise tax on fuel, not just lowering costs for our cars and other vehicles, but lowering the cost of all transported goods, and all goods that require fuel for their processing or manufacture.'

Mrs Rinehart's Driza-Bone is one of the sponsors of the Bush Summit, which goes for six days in six different regional locations.

The regional centres hosting the summit are Townsville in Queensland, Bendigo in Victoria, Launceston in Tasmania, McLaren Vale in South Australia, Orange in NSW and Port Hedland in Western Australia.
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Fox News host Jesse Watters, 46, drew widespread criticism after suggesting that generals 'would have their way' with Kamala Harris if she were elected.

Watters made the controversial remark while discussing the issue of foreign policy during Monday's edition of The Five.

'What is her foreign policy?' the Fox host asked. 'This is where the commander in chief has the most impact. We don't know who she is. We don't know what she believes.'

He continued: 'She's gonna get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her.'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, 46, drew widespread criticism after suggesting that generals 'would have their way' with Kamala Harris if she were elected

'What is her foreign policy?' the Fox host asked of Harris

Watters' own co-hosts appeared to be shocked by his crude suggestion.

'I don't like that. Take it back,' Jeanine Pirro said in a reproachful tone.

Watters, who also hosts Jesse Watters Primetime, shook his head.

'Figuratively,' he quickly added.

'Have their way with her! Control her,' the Fox host continued. 'Not in a sexual way,' Watters said.

In the background, co-host Greg Gutfeld appeared to be laughing.

Watters attempted to brush off the awkward moment and return to the point he was attempting to make about Harris' foreign policy.

'Ukraine's actually now invading Russia and you're gonna have her as commander in chief?'

Watters made the controversial remark while discussing the issue of foreign policy during Monday's edition of The Five

Despite Watters' attempt to move past the blunder, viewers were stunned with the Fox's host's choice of words.

On X.com, American journalist Yashar Ali posted a clip of the moment and wrote: 'Would Watters use this sexualized language when describing a straight man? He likely wouldn't!'

One person replied in the comments section: 'A classic misogynist. He was called out and you can see his smile. That wasn't said innocently. He meant it that way.'

Someone else wrote: 'Another day, another example of Jesse Watters' sexism and misogyny.'

Other viewers, however, protested that the host did not mean for his statement to come across as sexual.

'He said immediately afterwards he didn't mean it sexually,' one viewer said.

Watters attempted to brush off the awkward moment and return to his main point: Harris' unsophisticated foreign policy

'You watched it. So you know he said he didn't mean it sexually, so why are you going there?' another asked.

At Fox, Watters first became known through his work on The O'Reilly Factor, where he was featured in a recurring segment called Watters' World.

In 2023, after Fox fired Tucker Carlson from the network, they hand-picked the rising star to fill the coveted 8pm slot.

In late July, Watters raised eyebrows after he said that women who vote for Kamala Harris have 'mommy issues' and men who vote for her will turn into a woman.

'Vote for a woman just because she's a woman?' he asked during an episode of The Five.

'It's either childish or that person has mommy issues or they're just trying to be accepted by other women.'

The Fox host went on to make a joke abut what happens to men who vote for women.

'I heard that scientists said the other day that when a man votes for a woman, he actually transitions into a woman,' Watters said.
Text messages from a mother warning her son to stop speeding in the family's car are now at the center of a murder trial after an 18-year-old star swimmer was killed in a 100mph crash last year.

Kiernan Tague, 17, had picked up his friend and neighbor Flynn MacKrell from his parents' home in Grosse Pointe, a leafy suburb of Michigan, on the night of November 17, 2023.

Tague lost control of the vehicle just five minutes later while traveling at 105mph, hitting a pole and then a tree. The force of the impact obliterated Tague's mother's BMW X3 M and killed Flynn, a standout swimmer at the University of Dayton.

Tague escaped with his life but is now out on bond awaiting trial after being charged with second-degree murder in March.

Now Tague's mother, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague is being investigated by police after text messages emerged showing she was aware of her son's speeding habit - which she had intimate knowledge of through a GPS app called Life360.

Flynn's parents told The Detroit Free Press that Elizabeth should face criminal charges, with his devastated mother Anne stating: 'It's like she handed him an AR-15.'

Kiernan Tague, the driver who survived the catastrophic high-speed crash, has had at least 22 documented contacts with the police since 2018

He had been going over 100 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone when he crashed his mother's brand-new BMW X3 M on November 17, 2023

Among the text messages, Elizabeth wrote to Tague on September 14, 2023, two months before the crash: 'Slow the f*** down right now!'

It was after the then 16-year-old had been caught traveling 123mph in the family's Audi coupe.

'I have screen shots of you... doing 123 mph... It scares me to my bone,' read another.

Flynn's parents, Anne Vanker and Thad Mackrell, are seeking to use the messages to show how Elizabeth failed to take reasonable actions to prevent her child from hurting others.

They wrote in a letter to local prosecutors: '[Tague] was speeding over and over, and mom knew it'.

Not only that, but Elizabeth, the campus minister at a local Catholic School, bought herself a brand-new BMW weeks after sending those texts that she proceeded to give her son access to, despite it being able to reach speeds of 177mph.

Tague's passenger was 18-year-old college freshman Flynn MacKrell, a standout swimmer whose death was deemed a homicide. His parents, Thad MacKrell and Anne Vanker and, are seeking to use the messages to show how the suspect's mother was partially responsible

Elizabeth Puleo-Tague is accused of failing to take reasonable actions to prevent her child from hurting others after becoming aware of his speeding, as evidenced in several texts

Tague is not being charged as an adult but as 'adult designated,' which means that if convicted, he could be sentenced either as an adult or a juvenile, with the second-degree murder charge still carrying a max sentence of life in prison.

Before his arrest, Tague had a history of bad behavior aside from speeding, including assaulting his mother in 2020.

The offenses were uncovered by Grosse Pointe City police officers who penned a report laying out the more than 20 offenses, and problems he was having at home before he took the BMW out for its fateful final ride while mom was away in Canada.

Citing the 'extensive' text messages between the two compiled during this effort, one investigator wrote: 'There was much conversation about Kiernan taking/using his mother's credit card without permission, being out during overnight hours without permission, and about Kiernan's extensive reckless driving habits.'

The investigator added: 'The messages between the two suggest that Kiernan's mother has little to no control over Kiernan.

'Kiernan regularly drove recklessly and took/used his mother's credit cards without permission, despite his mother's repeated orders not to.'

Another exchange cited was a text from the mother to her 16-year-old son on October 2, 2023, a little over a month away from the crash.

Months after the crash, Tague was cuffed for murder, and received a $10,000 cash/surety bond. He is not being charged as an adult but as 'adult designated,' which means that if convicted, he could be sentenced either as an adult or a juvenile

It read: 'Will you pick up a bottle of wine??  Please!' to which Tague replied, 'Sure.'

A week later, his mother sent him a screenshot of a website laying out the penalties for having a fake ID.

In 2020, police responded to a call from the mom after she alleged her son 'had just assaulted her and fled the area,' cops wrote.

The report goes on state how the incident occurred - when Tague was being picked up at his friend's house and became angry at his mother.

'While in the front seat, Kiernan turned around and began punching his mother (who was in the back seat) and even bit her on her hand,' an officer wrote.

Tague, in turn, was arrested for domestic violence and kept briefly at the Wayne County youth home.

In November of last year, days before the crash, another fight would break out between the two, this time at home, during which Tague broke a table after his mom refused to let him use one of her two cars.

'I simply asked you to take your car... yet you refused. Now I'm running late and we have a broken table,' Tague texted on Nov. 3, 2023, according to the report viewed by the Free Press.

'Why should he get a break?' Vanker said of Tague, who in September received the following text from his own mom: 'Your obsession (word choice intentional) with cars having upwards of 600 hp  It's not healthy.'

'She was sitting on a ticking time bomb,' Vanker told the paper eight months after her own son's death

The two teens had been friends since 2017. The suspect was charged with MacKrell's murder in March, and is now awaiting trial

He also apologized: 'I'm sorry about your table.'

Within two weeks, the crash occurred - as cops wrote the majority of the calls they received about Tague involved complaints of him being out of control at home.

'His mother repeatedly told responding officers that she was afraid of Kiernan,' an investigator wrote, adding their most recent to the family's home was on August 30 of last year.

The reason for the visit was 'because [Tague] was yelling and throwing items within the house because his mother refused to get him an American Express Gold Card.'

Vanker and her husband are now using the exchanges between the mother and son as proof Elizabeth knew for months her son was driving recklessly, but failed to do anything about it.

Speaking to the Free Press, she brought up how Elizabeth also has a 2015 Subaru Forrester, but continued to allow her son to drive the much more powerful Audi and then BMW even after warning him about what he was doing.

The purchase of the BMW and leaving the keys for him to freely take, however, was the worst offense, she said, comparing the prospect to handing the unruly teen a loaded assault rifle.

'She was sitting on a ticking time bomb,' Vanker told the paper, eight months after her son's death.

Thad MacKrell, right, of Grosse Pointe, gets emotional while talking about the loss to the Detroit Free Press, which viewed the police report laying out the litany of text messages

This kid had every break and every privilege there is,' Vanker said during the interview, as a trial date has yet to be set

'She knows he's out of control, yet she basically gets him a weapon - it's like she handed him an AR-15.'

'I want him in prison for as long as possible,' she added, as the family and their attorneys look to use the legal precedent secured by the case surrounding the 2021 deadly mass shooting at nearby Oxford High School by Ethan Crumbley, that killed four students.

Prosecutors went on to charge the gunman's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, since they bought the gun used in their then 15-year-old son's rampage. Both are now in the midst of separate 10-year sentences handed down by different juries.

'Why should he get a break?' Vanker said of Tague, who in September received the following text from his own mom: 'Your obsession (word choice intentional) with cars having upwards of 600 hp  It's not healthy.'

Three weeks later, she bought the BMW, and a few weeks after that, the crash occurred.

'This kid had every break and every privilege there is,' Vanker declared.

Flynn, meanwhile, is survived by both of his parents and two elder siblings.

Tague - who was going over 100 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone when the two crashed - is still awaiting a trial date.
They encouraged him to trade cryptocurrency

Aussies have been urged once again to be vigilant about crafty online scams after a man lost $13,000 in seconds to a fake user on Tinder who claimed she was investing in crypto.

The man, only known as Andrew, recently had his savings fleeced by the scammer known to him as 'Zoe'.

Andrew and Zoe had been speaking for weeks on the popular online dating app before the scammer slowly earned his trust.

She told Andrew she was investing in Crypto and was making a lot of money and encouraged him to start trading the digital currency through an online platform.

The unsuspecting Aussie decided to try his luck after Zoe helped him set up an account before he made a small, first investment.

He received money in return before deciding to take out a $13,000 bank loan and make a larger investment.

Soon after, Andrew suddenly realised his savings was gone when he was unable to withdraw the funds.

The scammer also immediately stopped communicating with him.

The scammer told Andrew she was investing in Crypto and was making a lot of money and encouraged him to start trading the digital currency through an online platform (stock image)

The hack was shared by South Australia Police as part of their annual Scam Awareness Week, which started on Monday and ends on Friday.

South Australia Police Cybercrime's Senior Constable Casey Morrison urged people to be alert for these scams that are designed to prey on people's trust.

'Investment scams involve promises of big payouts, quick money or guaranteed returns,' Constable Morrison said.

'In addition to the traditional way of transferring funds through bank transfer, cryptocurrency is becoming more popular because of the perceived anonymity it offers.

'Crypto scams often aim to gain private information such as security codes or trick an unsuspecting person into sending cryptocurrency to a compromised digital wallet.'

Investment scams claimed around $1.3billion from Aussies in 2023. Residents in South Australia lost more than $10.2million alone during the same year.

Andrew and Zoe had been speaking for weeks on Tinder, the scammer slowly earning his trust before discussing the crypto investment opportunity (stock image)

'While this amount is alarming, it is likely actual losses are significantly higher because many people don't report when they've been scammed,' Constable Morrison said.

Victims aged over 65 incurred the most money lost to investment scams, with the median amount lost totalling $30,000.

Aussies are urged not to enter into investment opportunities that promise high rates of return with very little risk.

Scammers target victims through advertisements on social media and fraudulent websites to lure them into transferring their money into fake investment funds.

Investment scams also often contain several grammatical errors or typos.

Personal information including mobile phone number, identification documents and bank details must always be protected.

The details of these accounts must not be shared with anyone else or a third party.

Investment scams claimed around $1.3billion from Aussies in 2023 and residents in South Australia lost more than $10.2million alone during the same year (stock image)
A SWAT counter-sniper who was working the Trump rally in Pennsylvania where a gunman opened fire has issued a damning verdict on the FBI's alleged evidence tampering.

Washington Regional SWAT counter-sniper Ben Shaffer admitted that it was 'absolutely' concerning that the roof of the AGR International building where gunman Thomas Matthew Crook, 20, was cleaned quickly after the July 13 assassination attempt.

He also agreed with Republican lawmakers that it was suspicious that Crooks' body was disposed of before an official autopsy could be released at a panel discussion hosted by the Heritage Foundation on Monday.

Shaffer then went on to acknowledge that Crooks should have been elevated from a 'person of interest' to someone 'who would have warranted some type of investigatory detention' by agents because he was using a range finder.

Washington Regional SWAT counter-sniper Ben Shaffer gave a damning verdict on the FBI 's alleged evidence tampering during a Heritage Foundation panel discussion on Monday

The counter-sniper was asked by Rep. Cory Mills, of Florida, about the FBI's decision to clean the sloped roof of the AGR International building - which former Secret Service head Kimberly Cheatle infamously said was too sloped to station an agent.

'Do you find it odd that literally only days after the attempted assassination on President Donald J Trump, while the roof was too sloped to place individuals for counter-sniper operations, that it wasn't too sloped of a roof for the FBI to go ahead and tamper, in my opinion, with evidence by washing the roof off that may have had significant evidence on it?' Mills questioned Shaffer.

'Yes, I do,' he responded.

Mills then went on to question Shaffer about his thoughts on the body of Matthew Crooks being released and cremated.

'Do you also find it odd... that the body of Matthew Crooks had not only been released and cremated, but the coroner who's responsible for releasing the body had no knowledge of it?' he asked.

'Yes, absolutely,' Shaffer said.

Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL who founded Blackwater in the late 1990s, then said: 'It sounds like destruction of evidence.'

Five members of Congress angry that they were not selected for the task force held the hearing-style event at the Heritage Foundation that sought to find answers about the assassination attempt

The hearing came just about a week after Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), a former police officer and member of the House select task force probing the assassination attempt, released a preliminary six-page report to a bipartisan 13-member task force.

He said that his effort to examine Crooks' body on August 5 created 'quite a stir and revealed a disturbing fact... the FBI released the body for cremation 10 days after July 13.

'On July 23, Crooks was gone,' Higgins wrote, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

He added that even though the Butler county coroner technically had legal authority over the body he would 'have never released Crooks' body to the family for cremation or burial without specific permission from the FBI.

'The problem with me not being able to examine the actual body is that I won't know 100 percent if the coroner's report and the autopsy report are accurate,' Higgins wrote.

'We will never actually know,' he argued. 'Yes, we'll get reports and pictures, etc. but I will not ever be able to say with certainty that those reports and pictures are accurate according to my own examination of the body.'

Shaffer was asked if he agreed that it was suspicious that gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks' (pictured) body was disposed of before an official autopsy could be released

Higgins further claimed in his report that the FBI 'cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene', which he says is unheard of.

'Cops don't do that, ever,' he said. 'This pattern of investigative scorched Earth by the FBI is quite troubling.'

But the bureau has denied any wrongdoing.

'Any suggestion the FBI is interfering with congressional efforts to look into the attempted assassination which took place in Butler, Pennsylvania is inaccurate and unfounded,' it said in a statement to the New York Post.

'The FBI has been working closely with our law enforcement partners to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting and we have followed normal procedures in the handling of the crime scene and evidence.

'The FBI continues its painstaking work on the investigation to develop as complete a picture as possible of what led to the shooting, and we remain committed to maximum transparency as we continue to share information with Congress, which includes participating in open hearings and conducting multiple direct briefings and publish information for the public regarding the ongoing investigation.

'The crime scene was released to the property owners in phases as we completed our work at the AGR building, its surroundings and the Butler Farm Show grounds. Nothing was rushed and everything was documented as part of the investigation,' the bureau added.

It also said it 'arranged for the cleaning of the location where the perpetrator died, which is in keeping with normal procedures.

'The shooter's body was released to his family after coordination with the coroner's office and our state and local law enforcement partners. This is also in keeping with normal procedure.'

Higgins released his findings on the FBI investigation in an initial report last week

Mills, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, has now vowed that this 'will not be the last' of its kind.

'This is a message to all of Congress, that if we are not selecting people based on meritocracy, that independent investigations will continue to move forward,' he said.

Meanwhile, several members of the bipartisan group toured Butler, Pennsylvania on Monday.

Several told DailyMail.com that they were shocked at the sheer proximity of the building where Crooks perched close to the rally stage where Trump was speaking on July 13.

They hobbled up onto the roof of the AGR building where Crooks opened fire just a few hundred yards from the former president, shooting Trump in his right ear.

The lawmakers spent time walking around the rally site to 'get an understanding of the physical space' and 'where this security shortcoming took place,' as Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., explained.

'And I'll tell you, for many of us, it raises more questions than we came here with today, because we can see it's not a large place,' she noted.

'We can get a sense of the area and just how close these buildings were to that stage where President Trump stood that day. So for all of us, having an opportunity to see and to walk around and experience this, was a really critical step in our investigative process.'

Lawmakers also toured the site of the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania on Monday as they try and get to the bottom of the security failures that led to the shooting



Ranking Member Jason Crowe (D-Colo.), who served as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan, also claimed the many 'lines of sight that appeared to have been unsecured that day.'

'Certainly at this point, [I have] a lot more questions than answers,' he went on.

Chairman Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) even disclosed that it's too early to completely rule out 'criminal negligence' in a sign that those responsible for the near-death of the former president, and the murder of rally-goer retired firefighter Corey Comperatore, could face criminal charges.

He is also urging his colleagues in Congress to step aside and let the panel complete their investigation before releasing more information about the attempt on the former president's life by Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Higgins further claimed in his report that the FBI 'cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene, which is unheard of

The FBI has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that it followed its normal procedures

When asked if his colleagues are undermining the task force's efforts, Kelly told DailyMail.com in Butler on Monday: 'As members of Congress, they can do that, but we were the only task force that was put in place by the speaker and the minority leader.'

'I would love for them to wait until we finally find out what really has happened, as opposed to getting out early,' he continued. 'Getting out early is all right, as long as you know when you get out there, what you're saying is actually what took place.'

'We have talented people in Congress right now, and they love to get involved in these things. That's fine, that's fine,' the slightly exacerbated chairman said. 'But there is a task force. It's been appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader.'

'I would like to  just give us the time to get in this. We didn't just start today. This started way back in early August.'
A man and woman have been charged with the murder of 12-year-old Tiffani Scholten.

Tiffani was found unresponsive at a home on the Gold Coast on April 18, 2022.

She was later declared dead at the Coomera residence.

A 37-year-old man and 36-year-old woman, who were known to Tiffani, have now each been charged with a single count of murder each.

The pair did not appear before Southport Magistrates Court when their matters were first mentioned on Tuesday afternoon.

A full brief of evidence was ordered to be prepared by October 25 and the pair's matters will be mentioned again on November 8.

Gold Coast District Vulnerable Persons Unit Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher said the investigation had been 'heart-wrenching'.

'It is deeply distressing to investigate the death of any child, but the circumstances surrounding this case have been particularly confronting for our officers.'

Tiffani Scholten was found unresponsive in her home on a quiet street at Coomera on the Gold Coast with 'no obvious cause of death' in 2022

Forensic crews were seen outside the home on the Gold Coast for more than two days in 2022

Court documents for the woman reveal she still lives in Coomera - where police allege the murder took place - and her occupation is listed as 'unemployed'.

The man now lives in Redland Bay and his employment is listed as 'unknown'.

Police said at the time they found 'no obvious cause of death' and Tiffani had suffered from a 'number of health conditions'.

The Courier-Mail earlier reported one of these conditions was Rett Syndrome, a rare condition that affects a person's brain development.

Tiffani was suffering from an intense form of the illness, which can impact movement and growth, often leading to seizures.

Some children are diagnosed with Rett Syndrome and can lead normal lives, while others are debilitated by the condition.

Detective Inspector Fletcher said the investigation into the death of the young girl was one of the most complex his unit has had to conduct.

'From the moment the investigation commenced, our priority has been to seek justice for this innocent child,' Inspector Fletcher said.

'Our detectives have worked diligently, using every resource available to ensure we could bring this investigation to a close and ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law.'

Tiffani Scholten (pictured) suffered from a number of medical conditions. A man and a woman known to her have been charged with murder over her death

Inspector Fletcher said the case had caused the community significant pain.

'We understand the grief and pain this has caused the community, and we hope these arrests bring some level of comfort to those who knew and loved this young girl,' he said.

'While nothing can undo the tragic loss of life, we are committed to ensuring justice is served.'

Emergency services were called to a Bellagio Crescent home at Coomera about 8pm on April 18, 2022.

Gold Coast District Vulnerable Persons Group Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Aubort earlier said police had received 'various levels of co-operation' from the family.

He also confirmed police had never been to the home or encountered Tiffani prior to the incident.

Sergeant Aubort would not elaborate on the medical conditions Tiffani had been suffering from.

'Suffice to say we're in consultation with pediatric specialists and experts in the field of the conditions that we're talking about,' he said.

'It's certainly a case that we need to separate the implications of the medical conditions that Tiffani was suffering from any other possible factors that may be contributing to the death.'
Over a dozen people are trapped on the Vortex ride at Sea World.

A spokesperson at the theme park on the Gold Coast told Daily Mail Australia '13 people' have been trapped on the Vortex ride since 3pm, with the incident 'still unfolding'.

'We are experiencing a ride stoppage on one of our rides this afternoon,' the spokesperson said.

'We have communicated with all of them and they are safe and in good spirits.'

The Vortex invites thrill-seekers to 'twist, turn and spin like never before, spiralling 15 metres above sea level'.

This ride reaches 30km per hour and spins 360 degrees.

A spokesperson at the theme park on the Gold Coast told Daily Mail Australia '13 people' were trapped on the Vortex ride (pictured), with the incident 'still unfolding'

The Vortex invites thrill-seekers to 'twist, turn and spin like never before, spiralling 15 metres above sea level'

It comes just days after another Sea World Ride caused around 20 guests to become trapped last week.

Riders became stuck on the wooden Leviathan rollercoaster at 2.30pm on Thursday after a sensor activated. They were assisted off the ride by park staff.
A man has been found dead in a car as police investigate if the incident is linked to the recent horrific shooting of a father.

The man was found dead in his car on Mount Ararat Road, Nar Nar Goon North in regional Victoria at about 3.15pm on Monday.

'At this time the man is yet to be formally identified and his death is not being treated as suspicious,' Victoria Police said.

But police are investigating whether the man's death is somehow linked to the shooting of 58-year-old father Victor Valla on Monday morning in Cranbourne East, Melbourne.

Mr Valla is in a coma after being shot in the stomach when he was trying to protect his daughter, who was followed home.

Blessing Valla, 21, called her father about 12.25am on Monday, saying she believed an unknown man in a white station wagon was trailing her car in Melbourne's south-east, according to police.

Mr Valla, 58, told his daughter to return home to Cranbourne East, where he waited for her out the front.

When she pulled up to the house five minutes later, the station wagon also stopped.

A man has been found dead in his car on Mount Ararat Road, Nar Nar Goon North (pictured) in regional Victoria at about 3.15pm on Monday

Victoria Police are investigating if there is a link between the dead man and the shooting of Melbourne father Victor Valla, 58, (pictured left) who is in a coma

Mr Valla approached the car and became involved in an altercation with the driver.

The man got out of the vehicle and pushed Mr Valla before pulling out a handgun and shooting him in the abdomen.

He then fled the scene as neighbours rushed to Mr Valla's aid.

Blessing stayed by her father's side until he was rushed to hospital, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

'She was saying, 'Dad, Dad, don't go'. My daughter was left holding her dad's hand,' Mr Valla's ex-wife Cecilia told reporters.

'She [told me], 'Dad almost lost his life for me', it's crazy, it was a young boy with the gun.'

It's understood that Mr Valla has lost a kidney and will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Police are treating the incident as a random attack.

No connection has been established between Mr Valla or his daughter and the gunman - who remains on the run.

The shooting was captured on CCTV (pictured) before the gunmen fled the scene in the white station wagon

'When a man just comes out to protect his daughter  to be shot in the street is distressing,' Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Daly told reporters on Monday.

'We don't know why she was targeted herself and why the offender shot the father.

'It's very concerning, firearms in the community is a concern.'

Detectives are ramping up their investigation in the area, and spent Monday afternoon canvassing CCTV and talking to locals.

Police would also like to speak with anyone from the area who may have CCTV or dash-cam footage.
A home is seen engulfed in flames during the Thompson Fire in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, July 2, 2024. A man was arrested and charged with starting the fire. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

A 26-year-old Northern California man has been charged with arson on suspicion of igniting the Thompson Fire in July that torched more than 3,700 acres and destroyed 13 homes, Cal Fire and the Butte County District Attorneys Office said.

The man, Spencer Grant Anderson, of Oroville, was charged with arson of an inhabited structure and arson of structure/forest land, according to Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey. Ramsey added that Anderson faces a special allegation that multiple structures burned in the fire as well as an allegation of a prior strike conviction for a felony threat during a 2019 domestic violence incident.

He could face more than 21 years in state prison if convicted on all the charges, Ramsey said.

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The Thompson fire erupted on July 2 in Oroville and burned 3,789 acres before it was fully contained. In total, the wildfire destroyed 26 structures and damaged eight more. About 28,000 Butte County residents were evacuated while firefighters battled the blaze.

The fire started at about 10:47 a.m. near Cherokee Road, at the bottom of an embankment, the DAs office said Monday. Prosecutors said Cal Fire determined that a Toyota sedan driven by a man later determined to be Anderson was allegedly in the area of the fire at the time it started. Investigators determined the fire was most likely started by a flaming object thrown from the Toyota as it drove southbound on Cherokee Road, a statement from the DAs office said.

Cal Fire determined that the fire was sparked by an intentional human act, after conducting a forensic investigation where the blaze erupted, the DAs office said. When authorities searched Andersons home on Thursday, they allegedly discovered evidence tying him to the start of the fire, the DAs office said. After his arrest, Anderson allegedly admitted that he threw a firework out his car window in the area where the fire started on July 2.

Anderson was arrested in Chico Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Cal Fire said Friday that firefighters determined the cause of the fire to be arson within the first 24 hours after it sparked. The agency said that officers began monitoring Anderson immediately while they worked to finalize the details of the case.

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Anderson was being held in Butte County Jail on a no-bail hold, the DAs office said. He is set to appear in court on Wednesday.
A kitten was left abandoned outside an animal rescue charity with a heartbreaking note from the owner saying it could not afford to feed it - as the number of pets being ditched rises at an 'alarming' rate.

The 9-month-old moggy was found in a basket outside a Blue Cross animal hospital by a milkman, with a note attached which read: 'I cannot afford to feed and look after my beautiful cat. Please look after my cat in a way that I cannot. May God forgive me.'

Another cat and her litter were abandoned outside a separate rehoming centre with a note that said: 'Please help. As you can see from the cats' weight, I can no longer afford to feed them. We tried to make things work but it's come to a point where I have to accept I'm causing more harm to them than good. I'm so very sorry.'

The heartbreaking tales are ones the country's biggest pet charity is hearing more and more due to the dramatic increase in cats and dogs being brought to its rehoming centres.

In 2024, 79 per cent more dogs and 25 per cent more cats have been admitted to Blue Cross centres than last year, following a 32 per cent increase in all abandonments the previous year.

The 9-month-old moggy was found in a basket outside a Blue Cross animal hospital by a milkman, with a note attached which read: ''I cannot afford to feed and look after my beautiful cat.' (NOTE: This is a file image, not the cat mentioned in the story)

In 2024, 79 per cent more dogs and 25 per cent more cats have been admitted to Blue Cross centres (pictured) than last year,

Since the start of 2023, more than 1,050 animals, including ten horses, have been abandoned into care.

The charity, which runs four animal hospitals and 11 rehoming centres, fears an even greater surge in the number of people giving up their pets this autumn due to rising energy bills.

A reduction in the number of pensioners receiving the winter fuel allowance combined with the 9 per cent increase in the cost of gas and electricity in October would force many older people into 'heartbreaking choices', Blue Cross said.

Owners are being urged by the charity to use pet food banks if they are struggling financially and to ask it for help rather than abandoning their pets.

Chris Burghes, chief executive of Blue Cross, told The Times: 'It's extremely worrying to see more pets being abandoned but we fear we may see more this winter if bills jump again as people are really struggling.

'Our pet food banks provide a vital lifeline for owners who need help and we'd urge anyone struggling to seek help from us rather than abandon their pet.

'Pets are part of the family, and for so many they are their only family or companion, their only reason to get up every morning. We know the sacrifices many owners will make to keep them, including ensuring their pets are fed instead of themselves.

'We want to help keep pets and people together as much we can rather than people being forced to make the difficult decision to give up their pet.'

Gwen, from Bicester, has been getting help from her local Blue Cross pet food bank for her two kittens whilst she recovers from a stroke.

Since the start of 2023, more than 1,050 animals have been abandoned into care (file image)

The 84-year-old retired cleaner said: 'They mean a lot, they really do. I can't go to sleep if they're not in at night. It would upset me tremendously if anything happened to them.'

She also stressed that she 'don't know what I'd do without the help' of the charity amidst the rising cost of living.

Through its pet food banks in Sheffield, Exeter, Newport, Bicester and Manchester, Blue Cross helps 85,000 pet owners and works with more than 500 other food banks to provide food to owners in need.

The charity said that donations of pet food were being accepted at Blue Cross rehoming centres and animal hospitals, as well as in all Pets at Home shops.
A single mother has been left disheartened after a landlord labelled her relationship status a 'huge red flag'.

Jessica Das has been desperately searching for a rental property for her and her daughter in Melbourne and aired her frustrations in a video earlier this year.

However, rather than showing any sympathy for the mother facing insecure housing, a landlord left an abrupt comment.

'As a landlord, single mums are a huge red flag... I never lease to them,' they wrote.

Ms Das shared another video responding to the landlord's brutal comment.

'This is so heartbreaking, like how many parents and their children have had to face really unfortunate circumstances - like homelessness or couch surfing or living in their cars - based on the beliefs of these people,' she said.

'What about a relationship status puts your property at risk?

'In the last couple of days I've applied for a couple of properties and at the end of the application process I've had to tick a little box that I understand I'm given equal opportunity, equal rights, etc.

'It's comments like these that make me believe otherwise.'

Ms Das hit back at the 'understanding', noting the comment proved landlords prefer dual parent households over single parent homes.

'I am getting discriminated against because I'm a single mum. Maybe not by property managers but definitely by landlords, according to this person,' she said.

'What is it about my relationship status that removes the need for a basic human right like housing for me and my daughter or any single parent and their children?'

Farah Farouque from Tenants Victoria told Yahoo Finance warned more renters are being subject to landlords' prejudices due to a low vacancy rate and high demand.

'Certain groups are finding it more difficult, and there's no doubt that single mothers and older women are more squeezed than ever in their pursuit of rental properties,' she said.

Ms Farouque claimed several single mothers have written to Tenants Victoria to report discrimination, despite it being outlawed by Consumer Affairs Victoria, and compared the rental market to the 'Hunger Games'.

Melbourne single mother Jessica Das was disheartened after struggling to find a rental. Pictured are potential renters at an open inspection in Sydney

Victorian legislation states it's illegal for landlords to discriminate on renters based on several factors including their age, marital status, race, religion, disability, carer status, family responsibilities and parental status.

Several single mothers commented on Ms Das' video to share their own ordeals in securing a rental.

'It took me 13 months for a landlord to choose me as a single parent. I have an extremely well paying job and was turned down by hundreds of rentals,' one said.

Another wrote: 'Im a homeless mum with three kids. Its been rough.'

However, landlords who commented on Ms Das' video were divided by the issue.

'As a landlord the issue is usually the income. If rent is more than one-third of your income, then the property manager generally throws your application in the bin,' one wrote.

'Im a landlord and I wouldnt hesitate renting to a single mum. I want those babies to have a roof over their heads. What is wrong with people?,' another said.

A landlord labelled single mothers a 'huge red flag', leading Ms Das (pictured) to the conclusion she was being discriminated against during the application process

One Sydney landlord, who chose to stay anonymous, fiercely disagreed with the view single parents are high risk tenants.

'The single mums want to stay in their property and not cause a problem because they want to have stable housing,' she said.

The landlord said she's rented to nearly a dozen single mothers over the last 24 years and almost all were perfect tenants.

Jenny Davidson, chief executive of the Council of Single Mothers and Their Children, said often the only properties left for single mothers are those which 'nobody else wants'.

'They are substandard rentals and they often end up not being long-term tenancies. The quality of the house can be so bad [families] aren't able to remain in it for very long and it can also have impacts on their health,' she said.

Ms Farouque urged those looking to secure a rental to arrive to first inspections as early as possible with all necessary paperwork and references prepared.
Ukraine has endured a second night of deadly Russian air strikes just hours after a 'massive' bombardment saw energy infrastructure and civilian buildings destroyed by waves of drones and hypersonic missiles.

At least four people were killed in the strikes, including two confirmed dead after a missile attack 'wiped out' a four-storey hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih.

Air raid sirens blared most of the night in the Ukrainian city, President Zelensky's hometown, as well as throughout central and eastern regions from 11pm on Monday.

The attack comes just days after another hotel used by civilians in the Donetsk region was targeted, resulting in the death of British ex-soldier Ryan Evans, a security adviser for Reuters.

President Zelensky said Russia had used over 90 aerial weapons, including 81 Iranian-made Shahed drones as well as as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

'We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks,' he said on X. 'Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished. '

The Ukrainian leader yesterday condemned Moscow's 'vile' bombing campaign, declaring that Vladimir Putin's forces had launched at least 127 missiles and 109 drones on Monday in 'one of the largest Russian attacks' of the war.

The Aurora Hotel in Kryvyi Rih was almost completely destroyed by a Russian air strike

Local residents stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih

A car crushed by rubble from a destroyed building in Kryvyi Rih, central Ukraine

Monday's onslaught killed seven, and left 47 people injured across the country. Some of the strikes sought to deprive civilians of electricity and water.

Pictures show rescuers continuing to work to locate two missing people at the Aurora Hotel, who are feared trapped beneath the rubble.

This morning, the Ukrainian air force confirmed early the takeoff of 'several' Tu-95MS bombers from the Engels airfield in western Russia.

Ukrainian air defences shot down about 15 drones and several missiles near Kyiv during Russia's overnight attack, according to Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration.

US President Joe Biden described the strikes as 'outrageous' but the Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War, predicted that Moscow 'likely lacks the defence-industrial capacity to sustain such massive strikes at a similar scale with regularity'.

The latest attacks are seen as reflecting Putin's wrath at Ukraine occupying a swathe of territory inside Russia, in Kursk region.

The Hotel Aurora as it was before last night's strike

An emergency vehicle is seen next to the building where at least two people were killed last night

Rescuers carry a victim at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih

Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles for the second day running, hitting a hotel used by civilians in Kryvyi Rih, home city of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky

President Zelensky called for him to be given Western permission to launch long-range strikes inside Russia with missiles supplied by NATO nations.

Poland revealed that an unidentified 'aerial object' flew into its air space during the Russian bombardment.

General Maciej Klisz, operational commander of the armed forces, said at least three radar stations had registered the suspected drone.

The army was in 'full control' of the situation and was ready to shoot the object down if necessary, he said.

A search has been launched in case the object came down on Polish territory.

The incursion was near the Ukrainian town of Chervonohrad.

Video shows explosions, reportedly in Kyiv, as Russia launched a bombardment of Ukraine on Monday

Video what Russian Telegram channels SHOT and Mash identified as a high-rise residential building in the city, with a damaged side and several windows blown out across three floors

A visibly enraged Putin is seen in a muted video from a weekend meeting with top military chiefs

In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack overnight.

Four people were injured in the central region of Saratov, where drones hit residential buildings in two cities.

One drone struck a residential high-rise in the city of Saratov, and another hit a residential building in the city of Engels, home to a military airfield that had been attacked before, local officials said.

Russia's Defense Ministry said a total of 22 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight and in the morning over eight provinces, including the Saratov and Yaroslavl regions in central Russia.

Russia also said its troops had fended off Ukrainian attempts to advance on half a dozen settlements in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion on Aug. 6 that caught Russia off-guard.

The fighting in the region has raised concerns about the nuclear power plant there. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said he would visit the plant Tuesday.
Oasis fans are ecstatic after Noel and Liam Gallagher sensationally confirmed the band would be reforming for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud to one side to announce they will be performing together again 34 years after their first gig.

Excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday evening after the pair shared the same video, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement for Tuesday 8am. It has been viewed more than 71million times across Liam, Noel and Oasis' X accounts.

The iconic Britpop band have announced dates in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer.

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy, as they desperately searched or information on how to get tickets.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud to one side to announce they will be performing together again 34 years after their first gig

The iconic Britpop band have announced dates in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer

The full list of tour dates are:

JULY 2025

4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium

5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium

11th - Manchester, Heaton Park

12th - Manchester, Heaton Park

16th - Manchester, Heaton Park

19th - Manchester, Heaton Park

20th - Manchester, Heaton Park

25th - London, Wembley Stadium

26th - London, Wembley Stadium

30th - London, Wembley Stadium

AUGUST 2025

2nd - London, Wembley Stadium

3rd - London, Wembley Stadium

8th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium

9th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium

12th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium

16th - Dublin, Croke Park

17th - Dublin, Croke Park

Tickets for these historic shows will go on sale on Saturday, August 31 at 9am and will available on the Ticketmaster, GIGSANDTOURS and See Tickets websites.

Dublin tickets will be available from 8am on the same day.

Despite speculation that a Glastonbury slot could be in the works, the Worthy Farm event will not see Oasis on the bill, it is understood.

The band have previously played the festival in 1995 and 2004.

A black and white image of the two brothers, both in dark jackets, was also released as part of the reveal on Tuesday.

It is believed they met in person for a photo shoot over the summer.

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock 'N' Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs

Liam and Noel Gallagher at the Knebworth Festival in 1996

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Their last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009. Days later, they cancelled a headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following the argument.

Noel explained at the time: 'It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.

But after Noel's 20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band back together.

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live onstage in 2001

According to reports the plans are well and truly in motion, with the pair already having reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows (Wembley Stadium pictured)

Oasis have teased fans with this post in which they said an announcement was coming on 27 August at 8am

Reunion rumours have also intensified recently amid the apparent thawing in the feud between the pair.

According to The Sun the plans are well and truly in motion, with the pair already having reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows .

A source told the publication: 'They will announce four shows at Wembley Stadium today, along with a load more dates across the whole of the UK, including in Manchester which will be incredibly poignant for them'.

'Once the announcement is made and their fans are rushing out to buy the tickets, the hard work will start as they get ready to start performing together again.

'It is something so many people never thought would happen. But now the brakes have been taken off and it's going to be mad.'

The brothers met in secret and staff present even reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements in a bid to keep it under wraps.

MailOnline contacted Noel and Liam's reps for comment.
Morrisons has made a major change to its working patterns in a bid to increase productivity and beat its rivals following a fall in market share.

The supermarket chain has revealed it is slashing night shifts for workers as it battles to return to Britain's 'top four' after being overtaken by Aldi.

The move, which the company says is aimed at making the business more efficient and allowing for a better handover between shifts, has sparked anger from employees who were paid extra to work nights.

According to The Telegraph, the supermarket giant will be reducing night shifts and instead move towards using a mix of twilight and early shifts. It is hoped the change will lead to increased productivity and fewer mistakes.

It comes after Morrisons' market share dropped in recent years, with the Bradford-headquartered chain being booted out of Britain's Big Four after being overtaken by Aldi in 2022.

Morrisons has been overtaken by Aldi in market share. Aldi is at 9.4 per cent while Morrisons holds just 8.8 per cent of the market share

Morrisons executives insist the move is not aimed at cutting costs, but rather that the new shift times would allow for better efficiency.

It seems to be part of Morrisons' new chief executive Rami Baitieh's ambitious project to bring the chain back to the top four.

But the changes mean employees who worked night shifts will lose out on the extra 2.35 per hour they earnt for working the late hours.

A Morrisons spokesman said the scaling back of traditional night shifts is 'a progressive step, delivering a better store replenishment, a better customer experience and better continuity in the store'.

'In the stores where it has been introduced, we are seeing better availability, reduced overstock, increased productivity, greater customer satisfaction and less waste. We recognise that fewer night shifts does not suit absolutely everyone, but the move is widely popular with our colleagues.'

Those who are moved from working nights to twilight shifts will still be paid the higher night salary for some months, before then receiving a 'half night pay premium' for another two months. No redundancies have been made in relation to the slashing of night shifts.

The changes have been rolled out at around 100 stores across the UK.

Earlier this month, Mr Baitieh told The Telegraph that he thinks Morrisons 'went a bit too far' with the rolling out of self-checkouts, after customers complained about the unmanned tills.

He said the company would reduce the number of self-checkouts at some stores, adding: '[Increasing self-checkouts] had the advantage of driving some productivity.

'However, some shoppers dislike it, mainly when they have a full trolley.'
A university student in Houston, Texas has been found dead in her dorm room along with a gunman in an apparent murder-suicide.

The body of junior student Andrea Rodriguez Avila was discovered by Rice University police at 4.30pm CT on Monday.

It came after a family member asked for a wellness check and officers saw she missed classes that day.

Rice University in Texas was put into a nearly two-hour lockdown as students attended their first day of classes after the tragic discovery.

The shooter is an unidentified male who was not a student and was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police officers respond to an apparent murder-suicide at Jones College, a residential college at Rice University

A police crime scene unit vehicle sits parked after the apparent murder suicide on Monday

Police officers are seen responding to inicdent at the university. Rice University was put into lockdown for two hours

Rice University Police said that the two were in a relationship and the shooter, who is possibly from Florida, was not a registered visitor and most likely gained access to the dorm coming in with Ms Avila.

There were no signs of forced entry into Ms Avila's room.

According to Fox26, a note written by the shooter was also found, in which he claimed the pair were having a troubled dating relationship.

Based on the note, investigators believe the man shot Avila before shooting himself.

Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said: 'In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship and obviously they were having a troubled relationship at this time.'

While announcing the tragic incident, Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said: 'This is a speech that no president ever wants to make.

'Tonight, I want all of our students, our parents and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe and there is no immediate threat, and tonight we will wrap our arms around our students.'

The university was put into a campus-wide lockdown at around 5:40pm and was lifted at 7.18pm, CNN reported.

The Rice University Police Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department.

A police vehicle is parked up on the outside of the entrance to the university. There were no signs of forced entry into the room

Andrea Rodriguez Avila was discovered by Rice University police at 4.30pm CT on Monday. (Pictured, a general view of Rice University in Houston, Texas)

A Rice University Police vehicle sits parked after the apparent murder-suicide at Jones College

Ms Avila lived in Jones College which is one of 11 residential colleges that house Rice undergraduates.

Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez did not say where in Maryland Ms Avila is from but her family is flying to Texas today.

Rice University said in a statement on Monday night: 'We are heartbroken to tell you that earlier today Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a student at Jones College, was found deceased in her room on campus during a wellness check by RUPD.

'According to investigators at the scene, Andrea is believed to be a victim of homicide. A second individual, who was not a member of the Rice community, was also found deceased in the room.

'Investigators believe the second individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and may have known Andrea. There was no sign of forced entry into her room.

'Please be assured that RUPD is working with the Houston Police Department and that our campus is safe.

'As you gather to support one another, please respect the Jones community by giving them the space to mourn. We anticipate additional information regarding remembrance and resources to be shared in the coming days.'
X CEO Elon Musk has branded the revelations that the Biden administration put pressure on Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, to censor COVID misinformation as a 'First Amendment violation.'

In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee's chairman Jim Jordan, which was published last night, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that the Biden administration was 'wrong' to demand Facebook censor what they deemed 'COVID misinformation' during the pandemic.

Zuckerberg, 40, promised that Meta fight back against any future attempts at censorship and also admitted the company had 'demoted' stories about Hunter Biden's laptop.

He wrote that the White House 'repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree'.

Elon Musk, a self-described free speech absolutist, said the episode 'sounds like a First Amendment violation', in a post to X, his social media platform.

X CEO Elon Musk (pictured) branded the Facebook revelations as a 'First Amendment violation'

Zuckerberg admitted that Meta demoted stories about Hunter Biden (pictured, right, with father Joe Biden) and his laptop

Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) promised not to cow to further pressure

Zuckerberg said the White House's pressure 'was wrong' and says he regrets 'that we were not more outspoken about it'

Musk took to X to voice his concerns following last night's revelation

He later said on X: 'Just want to reiterate that this platform really is meant to support all viewpoints within the bounds of the laws of countries, even those of people with whom I vehemently disagree and personally dislike.

'If that doesnt seem to be happening, please yell at me (ideally on X).'

Zuckerberg said the White House's pressure 'was wrong' and says he regrets 'that we were not more outspoken about it'.

'We made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today,' he added.

'I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any administration in either direction - and we're ready to push back if something like this happens again.'

A spokesperson for the White House previously told DailyMail.com in a statement that the Biden administration's policy is to encourage big tech to act responsibly.

In a statement to X, Congressman Jim Jordan called the letter a 'big win for free speech'

Many Republicans believe suppression of the story led to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' win

Zuckerberg also admitted the company 'shouldn't have demoted' the Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 election

'When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety.

'Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present.'

A Meta spokesperson meanwhile told the Washington Post that the letter spoke for itself.

It comes just two months after it was revealed that ex-intelligence officials were actively being paid by the CIA on a contract basis when they signed the letter that falsely claimed Hunter Biden's laptop was 'Russian disinformation.'

Michael Morell, former deputy director of the CIA, and former CIA Inspector General David Buckley was another, according to a bombshell new report from the House Judiciary Committee.

Morell was the one who organized the letter after a call from now-Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He said he did it to give Biden a 'talking point' in the lead-up to the 2020 election when Trump attacked him for the laptop that was later verified to be his son's.

Zuckerberg also said that Meta would not repeat what it did in 2020, funding non-profits to fund local election efforts, which Republicans criticized as 'Zuckerbucks'

Zuckerberg wrote that the Biden White House 'repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree'

According to the report, high-ranking CIA officials were made aware of the letter before its publishing and some raised concerns about the political nature of the letter.

'The signatories decision to leverage their former intelligence community titles to promote a narrative about foreign election interference improperly embroiled the [CIA] in domestic politics,' the report states saying it 'underscores the potential dangers of a politicized intelligence community.'

The free speech row in the US comes as France is facing its own growing squabble, after French authorities arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

Durov, 39, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris shortly after landing on a private jet late on Saturday, after OFMIN, a French government agency responsible for protecting minors from violence, issued an arrest warrant for him.

He was accused of facilitating organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, cyberbullying, and the promotion of terrorism on his platform, which has around 950million users worldwide.

Musk also weighed in on Durov's arrest, posting '#FreePavel' alongside a video of the Telegram CEO praising X in an interview with Tucker Carlson.
Lady Tanni Grey-Thompson says she was forced to crawl off a train last night when rail staff failed to come and help her.

The gold-medal-winning Paralympian, 55, said she arrived into London King's Cross station at around 10pm yesterday and there were no workers there to help her.

She had initially been posting on X, formerly Twitter, about her journey on a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train into the capital from Leeds.

The wheelchair racing champion, who is now a House of Lords crossbench peer, was on the 7.45pm service and had praised rail staff who kept checking on whether or not she needed food.

The train got into the station just after 10pm, and she posted: 'Hey LNER my train has arrived at KGX and there is no one to get me off.'

Lady Tanni Grey-Thompson, pictured in April at the Laureus World Sport Awards in Madrid, says she was forced to crawl off an LNER train last night

The gold-medal-winning Paralympian, pictured in 2004, said staff failed to come and help her last night

And just minutes later: 'Cleaning crew are on board.' And then: 'Cleaning crew are now leaving the train!!!!'

The Baroness continued posting, desperately trying to find out who could help her.

She wrote: 'LNER who do I need to call to get off this train!!! It got to KGX 10 mins ago!!!!!'

At 10.24pm she said she'd had to crawl off the train.

She posted on X: 'Well I've just crawled off.

'At 22.17 (train got in at 22.02) I decided to crawl off. Had to move all my stuff onto the platform. Member of cleaning staff offered to help. They're not insured.'

Lady Tanni said that she had been starting her journey to Paris for the Paralympics when the saga unfolded.

She told the BBC this morning: 'I'm going to Paris later today, I've got a few bags. I chucked them on the platform, I had to get out of my chair, sit on the floor by the door which is not pleasant and then crawl off.'

Lady Tanni posted just after 10pm yesterday asking when LNER staff would be arriving

Minutes later, she asked again

About 15 minutes later, the Baroness said she was forced to crawl off

She shared the entire experience online

She said she had a 'contract' to be met at the other end by staff to help her off the train, adding: 'Legally I am allowed to turn up and ask to get on a train.

'We were meant to have level boarding in the UK on 1 January 2020 under the Disability and Discrimination Act but government has kicked the can down the road.'

MailOnline has contacted Lady Tanni for further comment.

LNER has this morning apologised, and said it is probing the incident.

A spokesperson said: 'We are sorry to understand there has been an issue at London King's Cross station on Monday evening.

'We are in the process of investigating this and are in contact with the customer directly.'

LNER's Managing Director David Horne also replied to Lady Tanni's post, saying: 'My sincere apologies for this Tanni.

'Something has clearly gone wrong here and we've let you down. We'll investigate what went wrong and share the details.'

But the situation was met with fury online.

One person wrote: 'This is awful, so sorry to hear this. Did the onboard team just run away (I presume there were staff)? Even station staff should have done a walk-through as the train terminated.

'Awful Tanni, so sorry  disgraceful from LNER, not good enough.'

Another said: 'Geesh  that is disgraceful. What are you going to do about this LNER?

'What changes are you going to make to ensure that no wheelchair user is left abandoned on one of your trains?'

One other said: 'LNER this is disgusting! Why didn't your crew do a walk-through to make sure all passengers had safely disembarked?

'Appalled that Tanni was left in this situation.'

Lady Tanni has long campaigned for disabled travellers and wrote a piece in the Mail On Sunday in recent years.

She shared her own 'collection of horror stories'.

Lady Tanni wrote: 'There was the time I had to crawl from my seat and out of the plane at Berlin's Brandenburg airport because there were no staff or what's known as an aisle chair  a buggy-like chair that is narrow enough to get around the plane  to help transport me.

'Or the time my wheelchair got lost in transit for three months, or when I travelled with my daughter and staff told me I wasn't a responsible adult, so couldn't look after her.

'I've even had to crawl to the toilet on a plane, when staff have told me they didn't want to get the aisle chair  which would transport me to the loo  out of storage.'

She was opening up about her own experiences after the 'bleak image' of a disabled woman left abandoned in an empty plane cabin surfaced online.

Lady Tanni revealed that was Victoria Brignell  a well-respected producer at BBC Radio 4 and a friend of hers.

She said: 'Eventually the crew took it upon themselves to move her  something that, strictly speaking, they are not trained to do or insured for.

'It was a depressing experience for Victoria, but also a familiar one.'
Police have largely stopped punishing shoplifters as the number of offences rises to record levels, official figures reveal.

Retail experts have repeatedly warned that the rise of shoplifting is being driven by the perception that it was a risk-free crime.

And the idea that most shoplifters are getting off scot-free is supported by newly uncovered statistics, which show all forms of punishment are in decline.

Just 431 shoplifters in the year to March received fixed penalty notices - the lowest form of punishment for goods under 100 - down 98 per cent from 19,419 a decade ago.

The use of cautions, which are added to an offender's criminal record, has also plummeted from 16,281 in 2014 to only 2,077 in the last year - a drop of 87 per cent.

Just 431 shoplifters in the year to March received fixed penalty notices - the lowest form of punishment for goods under 100 - down 98 per cent from 19,419 a decade ago

Almost 444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the year to March

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper vowed to 'end the shameful neglect of this problem' that has 'allowed it to become an epidemic in our society'

There has been a significant decline in the number of retail thieves pursued through the courts, with 28,955 convictions over the last year versus 71,998 a decade ago.

Reacting to the figures, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper vowed to 'end the shameful neglect of this problem' that has 'allowed it to become an epidemic in our society'.

Outlining her plans, she told The Times: 'We will remove the 200 threshold, bring in stronger powers to ban repeat offenders from town centres, make assaults on shop workers a specific criminal offence, and, through our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will put thousands more police onto our streets to crack down on shop theft, antisocial behaviour and the other crimes that blight our communities and make people feel unsafe.'

Almost 444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the year to March, up from 342,428 in the previous 12 months - the highest figure since records began in 2003.

The Mail on Sunday previously revealed that as few as 12 gangs are behind a quarter of all shoplifting in England and Wales, with some foreign offenders flying in to steal and flee the same day on budget flights.

In a markedly rare example of offences being brought to justice, last week saw the jailing of three Romanian women who targeted make-up and beauty counters in a 40,000 month-long crime spree.

Ancuta-Alexandra Ion, 28, Grama Zorila, 31, and Ana Iosif, 28, who formed part of a 'professional shoplifting gang', struck at supermarkets and high street stores across East Anglia, travelling from their homes in London.

In one outing, they escaped with a haul of goods worth 12,000 which are believed to have been stolen to order as part of a wider criminal network.

The gang were caught when police stopped their car and found cosmetics and clothes stuffed in the footwells and boots of two cars they were driving.

Beauty products are a popular target for shoplifting gangs because of their small size, high value and ease with which they can be resold.

Zorila and Iosif both received 23-month jail terms and Ion was locked up for 20 months after they admitted conspiracy to steal between May 1 and June 1 last year.

Footage filmed last month shows a group of men brazenly grabbing goods from a Boots store in north London before loading them into bags in front of shocked shoppers

A customer at the store in Barnet tells one of the men 'you need to stop'. He replies 'yeah, I'm going innit' as he continues stripping shelves with no attempt to hide what he is doing

Footage filmed last month shows a group of men brazenly grabbing goods from a Boots store in north London before loading them into bags in front of shocked shoppers.

A customer at the store in Barnet tells one of the men 'you need to stop'. He replies 'yeah, I'm going innit' as he continues stripping shelves with no attempt to hide what he is doing.

Professor Joshua Bamfield Director, Centre for Retail Research, said the rise of shoplifting was being driven by the perception that it was a risk-free crime.

He recently told MailOnline: 'At one time, shoplifting used to be a sort of craft where people didn't want to get caught because they knew they'd be trouble, but now people don't even bother because there's a perception nothing much will happen to you.

'A lot of retail crime now is organised, with people stealing large quantities of products like alcohol, meat and designer clothes. They are linked to other criminals who sell it on elsewhere.

'The fact thefts below 200 are not pursued and there are a lot of demands on officers mean retailers have found it very difficult to get the kind of support they require.

'Meanwhile, managers have become increasingly concerned about the violence that apprehending shoplifters can involve so are telling their employees not to risk it.

'So you've got two issues - shoplifting being partly decriminalised and the fact the police are too busy, then retailers telling shop staff not to intervene.

A shoplifter empties the shelves of a Greggs store in south east London into a giant holdall last month

Professor Bamfield suggested the latest police figures may actually underplay the seriousness of the situation due to underreporting.

'Shops are rationing their use of police, which means offences are going unreported,' he said. 'I spoke to one retailer who said the police had told them only to report two shoplifting offences a day because they don't have enough time.'

The retail expert suggested the only way to tackle the epidemic was to make it a priority for law enforcement.

'Shoplifting is often an individual's way to becoming a serious criminal so if you stop them at 15 or 16 that may get them off that path,' he said.

Separate data from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) estimates retailers have recorded more than 5.6million incidents of theft over the last year.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said the gangs committing the majority of these crimes were typically organised, stealing to fund other criminal activity or substance abuse.

'They are often stealing to order, targeting higher value items to sell on to normal people who are struggling with the cost of living,' he added.

'These thieves are stealing on a regular basis without fear of apprehension, so it's essential that every police force in the country takes theft seriously, not least because challenging thieves is one of the biggest triggers for abuse of shopworkers.'
This is the shocking moment a Benidorm hotel receptionist allegedly sneaks into a British mother's room before sniffing and stealing her underwear after she set up a secret camera to catch him.

Rara Armstrong, from Gloucester, took her 11-year-old son on a family holiday to Benidorm, Spain, where she said she was left 'creeped out' when the hotel employee asked for her number and to take her for a coffee.

The man then dropped off a bottle of prosecco in her room 'to apologise', which caused her to set up her son's iPad to record the door while she and her son went to dinner in case he would enter her room again.

In a 'surreal' twist, the receptionist can be seen on video entering the room and appearing to rustle around in what Ms Armstrong claims is her dirty laundry bag.

Footage shows the man, wearing a smart shirt and trousers, pulling what appears to be a thong out of the bag and seemingly sniffing it, before stuffing the garment in his back pocket.

This is the shocking moment a Benidorm hotel receptionist allegedly sneaks into a British mother's room before sniffing and stealing her underwear after she set up a secret camera to catch him

Rara Armstrong (pictured in her Benidorm hotel room), from Gloucester, took her 11-year-old son on a family holiday to Benidorm, Spain , where she said, said the employee made her feel uncomfortable when he asked for her number and to take her for a coffee

Footage shows the man, wearing a smart shirt and trousers, pulling what appears to be a thong out of the bag (left) and seemingly sniffing it (right), before stuffing the garment in his back pocket

'It made me feel horrible, I felt so violated. I was there with my son and this man was meant to be [a member of] staff,' Ms Armstrong said.

She added about the 'surreal' moment captured during her holiday back in May: 'It was crazy. I wasn't expecting something like that.'

The mother-of-one said first encountered the man when she went to the hotel reception on her first day to ask about her room key not working.

She claims that this was when he asked to take her for a coffee, and when she rejected him, he asked for her number instead.

'I felt a little bit creeped out by that and I was like, "I've just got here, this is the last thing I need",' she said.

'But I didn't make a complaint because I didn't want to ruin the holiday from the minute we first got there.'

After firmly rejecting the man, Ms Armstrong discovered a few hours later that he'd subscribed to her OnlyFans account. She suspects he used the details from her hotel booking to look her up.

She said: 'He was messaging me and saying "oh I can't believe you're in Spain". At first I didn't click that it was him.

'I was like "oh have you seen me at the airport or somewhere?" and he said "yeah, you're in the hotel where I work" and I thought "oh my god". He was [looking me up] online.

'I said "this is making me really uncomfortable and it's really unprofessional, I'm here with my son and this isn't acceptable" and he was like "oh I'm so sorry, please don't tell anyone". I said "I won't but please leave me alone".'

She claims that the staff member stated she was too 'sexy' for him to resist after she berated him for asking her out.

After coming back from dinner and discovering a bottle of prosecco in the room on their final night, Ms Armstrong decided to prop her son's iPad up to film the doorway in case he entered again.

Ms Armstrong messaged him on OnlyFans to confirm it was him who dropped it off, and the man allegedly replied saying he was 'sorry for upsetting you'.

After filming him entering her room and rummaging around, she said she was annoyed with herself for not reporting him when he was 'inappropriate' on the first day.

She said she took her son to the reception at an adjacent hotel and staff there arranged for her and her son to stay in a new room for the last night of their holiday, before returning to the UK on the next day.

The man appeared to stuff the alleged thong into his pocket before leaving Ms Armstrong's hotel room

After filming him entering her room and rummaging around, Ms Armstrong said she was annoyed with herself for not reporting the employee when he was 'inappropriate' on the first day by asking her out

The travel company Ms Armstrong booked her holiday with apologised for her ordeal and claimed the hotel fired the man immediately the next morning after she reported it to staff.

However they are refusing any refund or compensation for her holiday as she did not report the incident to them or police before coming home.

Ms Armstrong claims she was unable to report the incident to police as the incident happened on her last day of the trip and she didn't want to miss her flight.

Since arriving back in the UK, Ms Armstrong has been unable to make a police report in Spain and says the hotel won't refund her stay or offer any compensation due to the lack of a police report.

Ms Armstrong also claims that her hotel is saying they told her to report the incident to the police, but she said they never did that and instead asked her to not show the video to anyone.

'It's been a real nightmare getting any sort of justice from it,' she said.

She now hopes to warn other women to report 'creeps' immediately and potentially set up recording cameras if they suspect something is wrong.

Ms Armstrong said: 'My advice to others would just be to be really vigilant. If someone is being creepy towards you, report them straight away. Maybe carry a door lock protection or something.

'And maybe record your room, that seems to be a good thing to do so then you have evidence and the hotel can't deny that it's happened.'

The hotel declined to comment.

The travel company explained that because Ms Armstrong did not report it to them while she was still on holiday, they did not have the opportunity to provide support or advise her on the process of reporting the issue to the police at the time.

They said that for this reason no compensation is being offered.

A spokesperson for the travel company said: 'We are very sorry to hear of Ms Armstrong's experience while on holiday.

'Unfortunately we were not made aware of the incident while she was on holiday, so we were unable to provide her with support or advice on making a police report during her stay.

'We have fully investigated the issue with the hotel and are confident the appropriate action has been taken to ensure this does not happen again.'
A one-story, 1,296-square-foot house is proposed to be built on the last vacant waterfront plot in Stinson Beach. Toward the back, the chimney of the previous home on the site that burned down several decades ago still stands. Lauren Segal/Special to the Chronicle

The Marin County Board of Supervisors has denied efforts to block a proposed house on the last vacant beachfront property in Stinson Beach.

The supervisors voted unanimously to uphold the Marin Planning Commissions approval of a one-story 1,296-square-foot house with a septic system at the end of Calle Del Onda in a meeting last week. The proposed house has been assessed at a value of $3.6 million.

The owners of the 15,200-square-foot property, which has been in their family for almost 90 years, hope to build the vacation home on the site of a cottage that burned down in the 1980s. But in the intervening decades, concerns about environmentally sensitive habitat and sea level rise have made development more difficult.

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A representative for the neighbors who oppose the construction said they will appeal the boards decision to the California Coastal Commission.

The county just paid for this great sea level rise study, said Elizabeth Brekhus, a lawyer representing two neighbors, at the meeting. Are we serious about it?

Various studies show that the sea level is expected to rise 3-6 feet or more by 2100; 200-400 of the more than 700 houses on Stinson Beach are vulnerable to flooding in the next decade; and some of the beach could disappear by 2050. But assessments done of the property and the houses proposed design would prepare it for such risks, said Justin Taplin, a hydrologist hired by the county.

Impacts of flooding from a nearby creek during a 100-year storm, as well as from sea level rise, would be less than significant because of the site elevation, Taplin said at the meeting. He also said that inspections two weeks after Januarys destructive winter storms showed no damage to the parcel, while nearby areas were severely impacted.

The owners have agreed to restore the sand dunes on the property (which are currently covered in invasive ice plant) with native vegetation and not to rebuild if it is destroyed in a storm or flood, as part of their coastal development permit.

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Building on sand dunes is not allowed under Marin Countys Local Coastal Program, a planning document required under the California Coastal Act, but that same document allows exemptions to prevent what is known as a taking of private property.

Im just asking for fairness in this, said Brian Johnson, the majority owner of the property, at the meeting.
Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has called for the military to be involved in tackling illegal migration in the way the Royal Navy helped stop slavery.

He said it was not 'wrong or nasty to be against illegal migration' and tackling human trafficking gangs was the 'moral thing to do'.

He said the UK's national security 'demands the same level of commitment' the Royal Navy showed 'in the fight against slavery almost 200 years ago' - which cost the equivalent of around 50 billion a year.

He cited the effectiveness of the navy's West Africa Squadron, which was used to suppress the Atlantic slave trade for half a century after the barbaric practice was banned across the British Empire in 1808.

Mr Tugendhat said the UK's national security 'demands the same level of commitment' the Royal Navy showed 'in the fight against slavery almost 200 years ago' - which cost the equivalent of around 50 billion a year.

He cited the effectiveness of the navy's West Africa Squadron, which was used to suppress the Atlantic slave trade after the barbaric practice was banned across the British Empire in 1808.

Mr Tugendhat pointed out that funding the effort to fight slavery through the West Africa Squadron had cost the country 2 per cent of GDP, adding: 'I'm afraid it again looks like we might need to return to that.'

A recording of Mr Tugendhat's speech, delivered at Kensington, Bayswater, Chelsea and Fulham Conservatives association on August 14, was obtained by The Times.

The newspaper reported that he told Tory members: 'Human trafficking is costing thousands of lives and being weaponised by the Kremlin and its proxies. The UK must show the same determination and commitment to fighting this evil trade as we did in fighting slavery.

'We need to see our military engaged in fighting this threat.

'Deaths in the Channel, the Mediterranean and the Sahara show how evil the traffickers are.

'(Vladimir) Putin's puppets use human beings by smuggling them into Belarus and then pushing them over the border into Nato countries including Poland and Lithuania.

'We need to stand with our allies and defend Europe's land and sea borders by deploying naval and military forces to protect ourselves and deter this cruel trade.

'We need determined leadership in the fight against those who traffic people and undermine our borders. As security minister, I commissioned work to combat the traffickers as part of a strategic, intelligence-led approach.

'Our national security today demands the same level of commitment the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron showed in the fight against slavery almost 200 years ago.

'The tools have changed but the focus remains - human trafficking is evil and we must be serious and invest in long-term commitments, not Labour's short-term sticking plasters.'

Mr Tugendhat pointed out that funding the effort to fight slavery through the West Africa Squadron had cost the country 2 per cent of GDP, adding: 'I'm afraid it again looks like we might need to return to that.'

But allies told The Times he was referring to the kind of determination that is needed rather than drawing a direct comparison with how much needs to be spent.

Mr Tugendhat said: 'I've had enough of this idea that it's somehow wrong or nasty to be against illegal migration.

'I'll tell you what's wrong and nasty: tolerating deaths in the Channel because of illegal migration; tolerating thousands of deaths in the Mediterranean; tolerating tens, even possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Sahara, and in many other places.

'That's what's wrong and nasty, and that's why I'm going to stop it. The moral thing to do is to stop the illegal trade in human beings.'

Mr Tugendhat's rivals for the Tory leadership are Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, Priti Patel and Mel Stride.

A series of votes when the Commons returns from its summer recess next week will see the field reduced to four, who will make their case to Tory activists at the party's conference at the end of September.

Further votes by MPs will result in a final pair, with the Tory membership electing the replacement for Rishi Sunak who will be announced on November 2.
A man has been jailed in what's been described as one of the worst sextortion cases in history after he posed as a teenage social media celebrity to coerce more than 250 victims - including 180 children - to perform sexually explicit acts on camera.

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, 29, from Perth has been sentenced to 17 years in jail over the sextortion of 286 victims.

He was sentenced in the Perth District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to 119 charges in December last year.

The charges stemmed from more than 550 incidents over a period of 11 months.

A further three charges that captured 108 incidents of behaviour was also considered by the judge when handing down the sentence.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner David McLean described the case as one of the worst sextortion cases in history.

The AFP worked with United States Homeland Security Investigations and Interpol to investigate reports that an Australian man was sextorting girls through social media.

AFP officers in WA worked with police in multiple countries to identify victims and check on their welfare.

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed (right) will spent 17 years behind bars

The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET), with officers from the AFP and the WA Police launched an investigation in September 2019.

WA JACET discovered Rasheed used multiple social media accounts to target victims.

Rasheed would contact young females who had visible friend lists on social media and tried to befriend them before manipulating them into providing him with explicit content.

He would then blackmail them into providing increasingly sexual and degrading videos and threatened to send earlier explicit content to their family and friends.

A Canadian victim told police she was 13 years old when someone she thought was a 15-year-old social media celebrity contacted her online.

But it was Rasheed, who asked her sexually explicit questions before sending edited screen shots of the conversation that depicted the victim liking his sexual fantasies.

Rasheed then threatened to send the doctored images to her friends and family unless she complied with his demands for sexually explicit videos.

On occasions, he forced victims to perform sexual acts on camera, in one instance it was viewed by almost 100 other people.

He also talked to other child sex offenders online, swapping sextortion strategies and the details of children who were susceptible to blackmail and abuse.

The AFP first charged Rasheed when he was aged 25, in September 2020 and laid further charges in 2021.

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed pleaded guilty to 119 charges last December

Since September 2019, the AFP and Commonwealth prosecutors have reviewed the man's stored online chat records, videos and photographs.

AFP investigators liaised with international law enforcement partners to identify the victims and scale of the sexual exploitation and abuse.

As multiple young women were targeted at the same time, police had to separate thousands of jumbled text conversations from the social media accounts to ensure all the offences were identified.

AFP assistant commissioner McLean said the Rasheed's abhorrent actions and callous disregard for his victims' obvious distress, humiliation and fear made it one of the most horrific sextortion cases prosecuted in Australia.

'This type of online exploitation and abuse is devastating and causes lifelong trauma,' he said.

'The predator, through his facade of being a social media celebrity, manipulated and exploited 286 children and young adults for his own sadistic pleasure.

'Most of these victims were in their own homes, a place where they should feel safe.

'Sextortion can escalate in a matter of minutes.

'We encourage parents and carers to speak to their children regularly about their online activities, so they feel comfortable about asking for help if needed.

'We also want to remind people to never share personal information with people they have only met online.'

Rasheed posed as a teenage social media celebrity to coerce his victims, including 180 children

Homeland Security Investigations attache Ernest Verina said HSI was steadfast in its mission to safeguard victims of child exploitation.

'HSI will always stand with Australia on a global scale to hold accountable those who commit these heinous crimes against our children,' he said

The man exploited and abused victims from 20 countries including Australia, the US, the UK, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Guam, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Namibia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, South Africa, Spain and Netherlands.
Notting Hill Carnival arrests have hit their highest level since 2019 this year with 349 detained in two days as police said they were 'tired' of violence blighting the event.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed 247 people were arrested yesterday as well as 102 on Sunday's 'Family Day' which saw a mother stabbed in front of her young child.

The violence has prompted rank-and-file police to warn 'no one is safe' if even mothers with children are now targets for attacks at Europe's biggest street party.

Today, research by MailOnline has found that arrests were 13 per cent up on the 308 at last year's event in West London - and 67 per cent up on the 2022 total of 209.

There was no carnival in 2020 or 2021 due to pandemic restrictions - and the last time arrests were above this year's total was in 2019 when they hit 354.

The 2024 arrest total is also the fourth highest over the past 20 years - having only also been beaten by 373 in 2018, 407 in 2015 and the record 454 in 2016.

Eight people were stabbed this year - three on Sunday, and five yesterday. This was down from ten in 2023, but up from seven in 2022 which included a murder. Before the Covid years, there were 18 stabbings in 2019, seven in 2018 and 12 in 2017.

Police officers stand in riot gear at the Notting Hill Carnival on 'Family Day' on Sunday

Police officers make an arrest at the Notting Hill Carnival in West London yesterday

A blood-soaked jumper at a crime scene near Ladbroke Grove in West London this morning

The annual celebration has been running since 1966, and arrests have been on a rising curve since the start of the millennium when they stood at 158 in 2002.

Notting Hill Carnival arrests since 2002 2024 - Sun 102; Mon 247 ( 349)

2023 - Sun 110; Mon 198 ( 308)

2022 - Sun 76; Mon 133 ( 209)

2021 - n/a

2020 - n/a

2019 - Sun 111, Mon 243 ( 354)

2018 - Sun 133; Mon 240 ( 373)

2017 - Sun 122; Mon 204 ( 326)

2016 - Sun 156; Mon 298 ( 454)

2015 - Sun 126; Mon 281 ( 407)

2014 - Sun 104; Mon 148 ( 252)

2013 - Sun 111; Mon 190 ( 301)

2012 - Sun 98; Mon 180 ( 278)

2011 - Sun 73; Mon 172 ( 245)

2010 - Sun 93; Mon 150 ( 243)

2009 - Sun 78; Mon 165 ( 243)

2008 - Sun 108; Mon 172 ( 280)

2007 - Sun 82; Mon 164 ( 246)

2006 - Sun 109; Mon 168 ( 277)

2005 - Sun 61; Mon 122 ( 183)

2004 - Sun 62; Mon 105 ( 167)

2003 - Sun 91; Mon 95 ( 186)

2002 - Sun 56; Mon 102 ( 158) Advertisement

The total over the past 20 years between 2005 and 2024 is now well over the 5,000 mark.

Rick Prior, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told the Daily Mail that the carnival needed to be moved out of Notting Hill so it could be better policed.

His comments came against a backdrop of growing frustration among frontline officers about the level of violence and hostility they are forced to endure at the event, with 'the vast majority' said to dread the occasion.

Mr Prior suggested a more contained area, such as Hyde Park, could allow for the celebration to still take place, but in a safer manner.

'Now people are going after women with children, you know no-one's safe,' he said.

'One has to recognise the cultural significance of the event and no-one wants to be a party-pooper - I personally wouldn't wish to see the event completely cancelled - but it's evolved from its roots and it needs to evolve further now.

'With a huge increase in numbers coming year-on-year, an unacceptable amount of crime, injuries and serious assaults taking place, I just think there has to be alternative, safer nearby venues that need to be, at least, seriously considered.

'If you're advertising it as a family event, it needs to be safe. If people see it's a family day out and want to go there, it shouldn't be that they become the expected victims of crime when they turn up.'

He expressed frustration at the lack of progress in considering an alternative location since last year's event, when ten people were stabbed and 308 people arrested.

'It disappoints me that we've not really pushed it forward, for the organisers to at least scope out and consider safer venues where we can still have the celebration, but do it in a much safer manner,' he said.

Some of the 7,000 police officers working at the Notting Hill Carnival yesterday

Thousands of people pack the streets of West London for the Notting Hill Carnival yesterday

Police officers make an arrest at the Notting Hill Carnival in West London yesterday

A crime scene is in place around two damaged vehicles near Ladbroke Grove this morning

And Festus Akinbusoye, the former Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), tweeted today: 'I am a fan of the Notting Hill Carnival but these are extraordinary crime figures and would be interesting to see how they compare to past events.

'Under no circumstances can it be acceptable that a single event produces this sort of crime data, despite the historical and cultural significance of the carnival as well as the majority not being involved in any form of crime.'

Mr Akinbusoye, who was Britain's first black PCC, added: 'Far from calling for the carnival to be scrapped as some do each year, surely there must be changes to its format to make it safer, more fun and enjoyable for everyone without it becoming so heavily policed.

'I know parents who refused to let their kids attend this year due to fear of assaults, which is extremely sad. It was good to see the usual vibrant colours, costumes and mixing of people from all over the world. There just must be a way to make this safer.'

Police officers on Ladbroke Grove as the Notting Hill Carnival takes place yesterday

Drummers perform in the parade on the second day of the Notting Hill Carnival yesterday

He also praised the 'great job' by Metropolitan Police officers and staff, adding: 'Brilliant comms too.'

Metropolitan Police data on Notting Hill Carnival 2024 arrests by offence OFFENCE SUNDAY MONDAY TOTAL Possession of an offensive weapon 18 54 72 Assault on an emergency worker 16 37 53 Sexual offences 4 9 13 Violence with injury 2 10 12 Other violence 5 16 21 Possession of a firearm 0 1 1 Possession with intent to supply drugs 8 11 19 Possession of class A drugs 9 9 18 Possession of class B drugs 13 40 53 Possession of nitrous oxide 4 4 8 Possession of drugs (other) 6 3 12 Theft from a person 2 2 4 Other theft offences 0 3 3 Robbery 5 0 5 Vehicle crime 0 3 3 Harassment 0 1 1 Public order 1 13 14 Other offences 9 28 37 TOTAL 102 247 349

The Met said three people were injured in knife attacks on 'Family Day' on Sunday, including the 32-year-old mother stabbed in front of her child who 'narrowly' avoided being killed.

The carnival's second and final day, 'Adults Day', yesterday welcomed more huge crowds.

Around a million people were expected to attend the celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture over the two days, requiring 7,000 officers to be on duty after scenes of shocking violence in recent years.

The Met said today that three men had been arrested over the stabbing of the 32-year-old mother on Sunday.

The woman, who attended the family day of the Carnival on Sunday with her young child, was attacked in Golborne Road shortly before 6pm and police officers gave her emergency medical treatment until paramedics arrived.

She was taken to hospital where she remains in critical condition.

The Met said initial inquiries suggest she became 'caught up in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men' but it is unclear if they were known to her.

The force said a 20-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder while two other men, aged 24 and 22, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

All three men were detained this morning after officers attended separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham and all remain in custody.

There were five stabbings at the carnival yesterday and an incident involving a corrosive substance, the Met said, with two of the stabbing victims also left in a critical condition.

Police officers march past Westbourne Park Underground station in West London yesterday

Police made at least 247 arrests relating to the carnival yesterday, including 54 for possession of an offensive weapon. Three firearms were seized, and 37 officers were injured. A further 24 officers were injured on Sunday.

Carnival stabbings over past eight years

2024: 8

2023: 10

2022: 7 (including one fatal)

2021: n/a

2020: n/a

2019: 18

2018: 7

2017: 12

2016: 16 Advertisement

The Met said the assaults on officers mostly involved kicks, punches or pushes.

There were four incidents where officers were spat at, two where where officers were headbutted and two where officers had glass bottles thrown at them.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met's spokesperson for the Notting Hill Carnival, said: 'Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones. She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

'These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects.

'We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival.

'I'd also like to acknowledge the incredible work of the officers, including police medics, who arrived so quickly - delivering emergency medical treatment and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence.

'Our investigations into the other incidents over the weekend continue.'

Earlier yesterday, a man wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted and arrested, the Met said.

Dancers prepare to take part in the parade at the Notting Hill Carnival in London yesterday

Police make an arrest at the Notting Hill Carnival outside Queensway station on Sunday

Thousands of revellers turned out for the final day of the carnival, flooding the streets with colour, costumes, dancing and music.

Six deaths caused by violence at Carnival 1987: Michael Augustine Galvin, 23

1991: Nicholas John Hanscomb, 38

2000: Greg Fitzgerald Watson, 21

2000: Abdul Munam Bhatti, 28

2004: Lee Christopher Surbaran, 27

2022: Takayo Nembhard, 21 Advertisement

A heavy police presence was visible after three people were stabbed on Sunday.

Some people were made to walk through metal-detecting 'knife arches' as they arrived at the event.

Officers standing in pairs were dotted along the streets, while a police helicopter hovered above throughout the day.

In a statement, the force said weapons had been seized.

'Officers were able to stop a car in Harrow, believed to be en route to Carnival, where a firearm was seized and two people arrested,' the force said.

'Later in the afternoon, officers carried out a search at one of the entry points, seizing a further firearm.

'A man who was wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted and arrested following a successful stop.'

Thousands of people thronged the area for Adults' Day yesterday afternoon, billed as the culmination of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture and history.

Thousands of people pack the streets of West London for the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday

After months of preparation, dancers showed off their flamboyant costumes and floats blasted music for spectators who blew whistles and horns.

The carnival is billed by organisers as 'the greatest community-led event on the planet'.

Following Sunday's disorder, the Met Police made an unusually frank intervention, urging those 'who value this event' to come forward if they had information about criminality.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who was in charge of the policing operation for the event, said: 'We saw the first day of Carnival marred by unacceptable violence.

'Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.

'This was supposed to be 'family day'  a celebration suitable for all ages. One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at Carnival with her young child. We are tired of saying the same words every year.

Rene Graham, 15, was killed in a shooting on July 21 at 'Park Lime', a pre-Notting Hill Carnival event in West London organised by the Caribbean Music Association

Police at a cordon near Emslie Horniman's Pleasance on July 22 after last month's shooting

'We are tired of telling families that their loved ones are seriously injured, or worse. We are tired of seeing crime scenes at carnival.

'Carnival is a community event and the vast majority of people come to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy music and have a fantastic experience.

'It is the responsibility of all who value this event, who want to see it as the celebration it should be, to speak out and speak up about the violence that continues to overshadow it.'

The force added that a 29-year-old man who was also stabbed on Sunday remained in hospital in a non-life-threatening condition, and a second man, aged 24, who was stabbed on Sunday discharged himself from hospital.

There were 104 arrests on Sunday and 18 officers were assaulted, Scotland Yard said.

Police make an arrest at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2023, when 308 people were detained

Takayo Nembhard, 21, was stabbed to death at the Notting Hill Carnival on August 29, 2022

A statement from Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, the organisers of the event, said: 'Violent incidents are depressingly common throughout society.

'That affects us too and it is an awful reality that our community unfortunately suffers, all too often. There is no excuse for this behaviour - that is not carnival.

'Carnival is the people who dedicate so much time, love and incredible creativity to the parade, sound systems, music, food and costumes. That's why the overwhelming majority of visitors have a fantastic experience.'

It comes after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a shooting on July 21 at 'Park Lime', a pre-Notting Hill Carnival event organised by the Caribbean Music Association.

Rene Graham was pronounced dead at the scene at the Emslie Horniman's Pleasance open space - also known as 'Teletubbies Park' - in Ladbroke Grove.

At the event in 2022, footballer-turned rapper Takayo Nembhard, 21, was killed in the sixth death caused by violence in the carnival's history, and the first in 18 years.
Oasis have confirmed that they will be reuniting for live shows across the UK and Ireland in summer 2025, sending fans into a frenzy following the announcement.

After weeks of intense speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig. Following an 'unprecedented' demand for tickets, the band announced three extra dates.

So, when exactly do tickets go on sale, where can they be bought and which dates have been confirmed by the band so far?

Read on below for everything you need to know about how to get Oasis tickets for their reunion tour in 2025.

Oasis have confirmed that they will be reuniting for live shows across the UK and Ireland in summer 2025, sending fans into a frenzy following the announcement

After weeks of intense speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud on ice

When do tickets go on sale?

The announcement - released via Oasis' official social media platform as well as those of the Gallagher brothers - revealed that tickets will go on sale on the morning of Saturday August 31.

Tickets for shows in Ireland will be released at 8am local time while those for performances in the UK will go on sale at 9am local time.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour today, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Their last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009. Days later, they cancelled the headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following the argument.

Where can you buy tickets?

Tickets will be sold via official vendors Ticketmaster - for shows in the UK and Ireland - along with fellow ticket operator Gigs And Tours.

There has been no announcement made by the group regarding a pre-sale as yet, although a notice on the band's website advises 'those wishing to purchase tickets register in advance of the sale with the relevant ticket agencies.'

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

How much will Oasis tickets cost?

Ticket prices were revealed on Thursday August 29, two days before the sale for shows begins - with fans permitted to buy a maximum of four tickets each.

For dates at Wembley Stadium, pitch standing tickets cost 151.25, while seated tickets range from 74.25 to 206.25, depending on the view your chosen seat has of the stage.

Meanwhile, a number of different premium packages are on offer, with a pricier pitch standing package costing 216.25, while premium seat deals cost 271.25.

For those who are desperate not to miss out and prepared to spend more for the privilege can fork out 506.25 for a premium seated ticket that includes a pre-show party and access to a private Oasis exhibition.

Oasis Ticketmaster pre-sale and ballot

Fans can now register to be part of a pre-sale ballot until 7pm BST on Wednesday August 28.

Successful applicants in the ballot will be informed on Friday August 29 via email.

The email will include information on how to access the pre-sale but does not guarantee that you will get a ticket.

Full list of dates 2025 announced so far

Oasis have announced an initial run of 14 shows that will take place across the UK and Ireland in 2025.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009

This will consist of two nights at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on July 4 and July 5, followed by a run of four nights at Heaton Park in their native Manchester.

They will play at the esteemed outdoor venue - the site of their last hometown performances in 2009 - on July 11 and 12 and July 19 and 20.

This is set to be followed by another set of four nights, this time at London's Wembley Stadium. These will take place on July 25 and 26, as well as August 2 and 3.

Fans based in Scotland will be hoping to get their hands on tickets for shows at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, which will be held on August 8 and 9.

The initial round of dates will finish in Ireland, with the group performing two sets at Dublin's Croke Park on August 16 and 17 next year.

Further dates were confirmed by the group on the morning of Thursday August 29.

This will see them play extra shows in Manchester (July 16), London (July 30) and Edinburgh (August 12).
Katie Price is due back in court today for a bankruptcy hearing and faces being arrested if she fails to turn up again.

The former glamour model, 46, is expected at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning over her finances.

She was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt.

Price was in court the morning after her arrest where the judge said she must appear on August 27 with 'no ifs or buts, no going abroad, no holidays'.

She confirmed she understood and promised to move her diary in order to attend the hearing.

Katie Price is due back in court today for a bankruptcy hearing and faces being arrested if she fails to turn up again. Pictured: Price being arrested at Heathrow Airport after returning to UK from Turkey on August 8

The former glamour model, 46, is expected at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning over her finances. Pictured: Price attending court on August 9

Price was arrested upon her return to the UK from Turkey nearly three weeks ago and remanded in custody at a west London police station. She was then bailed a few hours later by an out-of-hours magistrate.

She arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice the next day where she turned up wearing a beige outfit and black head covering to conceal her injuries caused by a 10,000 facelift she had in Turkey.

Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Daniel Schaffer ordered the model to give an 'undertaking' to the court that she would attend a further hearing to face questions over her finances on August 27 at 10.30am.

Price confirmed that she understood she must attend and later said: 'I will move my diary for it.'

It led to Judge Schaffer discharging the arrest warrant issued against her on July 30 by a different judge after she failed to attend a previous hearing.

Price previously said she was 'not running from matters', but was 'away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries' during the court hearing.

Katie Price arrested at Heathrow Airport after failing to appear in front of a judge on July 30

Price's son Harvey is helped by a Heathrow assistance worker after Price arrived at the airport

In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Price wrote: 'I am aware that I am about to be detained at the airport which is obviously what the courts feel is necessary.

'I do hope of course for my son's sake who is with me that they will allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see.

'Whilst I understand the importance and severity of the matter I do feel like I am being treated like a criminal.'

Photographs from August 8 show the former model being taken away by police after landing at about 7.45pm with her son Harvey, 22, and boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, who was left to pick up her bags.

Members of the airport's assistance team were seen pushing Harvey in a wheelchair through a corridor in the terminal as he watched his mother being arrested.

Price, whose head was covered in bandages, was later seen sitting on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick and taking a few puffs of her vape.

Price seen exiting a police van following her arrest at Heathrow Airport

Price sat on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick

The mother-of-five, who lives in Sussex, failed to appear in front of a judge on July 30 as a part her 760,000 bankruptcy court proceedings and instead flew to Turkey on holiday for her sixth facelift while staying at a 133-a-night five-star hotel.

Price was aware she would be detained at the airport but had asked police that they 'allow some dignity and protection' for Harvey, claiming it would be 'extremely disturbing for him to see'.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Price claimed she had been in Turkey filming a documentary.

She said on return from work, she would be 'detained at the airport' which is what the 'courts feel is necessary.'

Discussing her son Harvey, Price asked that authorities 'allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see'.

While acknowledging the 'severity' of the matter, Price said she was being treated 'like a criminal' and declared the 'unfortunate financial circumstance' did not make her a 'criminal or bad person'.

Defiantly, Price said she was 'not embarrassed or ashamed' regarding the arrest.

Katie Price, 46, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on August 9

Price's head is currently covered in bandages and black tape after her facelift in Turkey

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Price with her knees up at court

She explained that her bankruptcy was due to 'serious mental health issues and breakdowns from PTSD'.

She added that she would be paying back debtors and hoped for 'Harvey's sake it's handled with care and compassion'.

Her statement came after she was ordered to pay 25,000 after being declared bankrupt twice.

A judge at a previous hearing said Price risked arrest if she did not attend further court dates, adding evidence must be provided if she could not appear.

Issuing the arrest warrant , Judge Burton said she had 'failed to attend today's hearing' and had provided no explanation for her absence.

She said: 'It is in my judgment necessary that the court issue a warrant for Ms Price's arrest.

She continued: 'The reason for her absence today is irrelevant.'

Judge Burton said that an arrest warrant was not issued 'lightly' but that Price had offered only 'piecemeal co-operation' and failed to provide the 'most basic information' in relation to her bankruptcies.

Previously, Price was served an eviction notice that ordered her to leave her 'Mucky Mansion' by the end of May and has since moved into a 5,000 per month new Tudor-style property.

She was declared bankrupt for a second time in March over an unpaid tax bill of 761,994.05 after first being declared bankrupt in 2019.

However, at the end of July she claimed 'everything is sorted' with her second bankruptcy after being evicted from her Sussex home.

Price flew to Turkey on July 29, sharing a snap of her on a plane just hours before her court hearing the day after.

Katie Price pictured for the first time with a heavily bandaged and bruised face after having her sixth facelift in Turkey

Model and Reality TV Star Katie Price pictured with her son Harvey

Revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks, Price walked down the street with son Harvey, 22, in Istanbul

It's believed Price - whose 2million home was recently repossessed - was joined on the jaunt by her friend Lou Anderson.

In Turkey, Price had her sixth facelift, which cost 10,000.

She is understood to have had the facelift at the Trio Clinic in Istanbul, with work being carried out on her eyes and under her chin.

Price also underwent another dental procedure, sharing pictures of her new veneers.

On Instagram, she posted snaps of her new dental work, wearing sunglasses with the name of the dental surgery 'Dentica' on.

Price was also seen in Istanbul with Harvey, revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks in a pair of oversized sunglasses, which did little to hide the bandages, staples and surgical tape around her face.

Taking on Instagram a few weeks ago, Price dismissed claims that she travelled to Turkey after being turned down by other cosmetic surgeons.

She said: 'I'm filming my new documentary. The reason I've chose the Trio Clinic is because I've had friends who have had surgery there and in my opinion they are the best for what I want doing.

'I can't wait, they're amazing, and they're thorough here.'

She wrote: 'Whilst I'm currently aware of the severity of my current personal financial situation with my ongoing bankruptcy, I am today shocked that whilst away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries that I should find myself yet again headline news.

'The media in my opinion once again are trying to cause continued humiliation to myself and family. There are far greater and more pressing issues going on around the world that are more important and I'm sure most people are bored reading stories that are constantly misrepresented.

'I have I am continuing to to cooperate with the relevant people on matters to the best of my ability which will be addressed after my return from work.

'Despite consistent stories trying to humiliate me on my personal misfortunes, I am neither embarrassed or ashamed. I own my situation and I am trying my best to work my out of it and put matters right.'

Price added that she was going through 'challenging times' and was doing 'the best I can' for the sake of her family.

She wrote: 'I have to continue in my work in order to satisfy these bankruptcy orders which is all I am trying to do right now. I am however not running from matters and will continue to take matters with great seriousness.

'I am doing the best I cam to rectify things during extremely challenging times. Once again I would like to highlight there are far greater and more news worthy stories.

'I will continue to work on my mental health disorders for the sake of my self and my family and do the best I can.'
Noel and Liam Gallagher sent Oasis fans into a meltdown by announcing a mammoth 14-date comeback tour after the warring brothers reunited.

But only the band's most diehard supporters have noticed the relevance of the date of their surprise announcement.

The pair sent their followers into overdrive on Sunday when a post from the official Oasis account teased the return of the legendary rock band.

The short clip showed the date '27.08.24' on an Oasis-style logo, before morphing into '8am'.

Eagle-eyed fans noticed the revival comes just one day before the 15th anniversary of their shock split, marking one of the most bitter fallouts in Britpop history.

Noel, 57, quit the Manchester rock group on August 28, 2009, saying he 'simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer'.

Fans have been pleading with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig

The iconic Britpop band ended all speculation by confirming a string of concerts - which will not be televised - in Cardiff, Manchester, London , Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer

The reunion announcement comes a day before the date they split on August 28, 2009, when they cancelled the headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following a ferocious argument

According to reports an argument broke out backstage, with Liam wielding Noel's guitar around 'like an axe'.

It was the last straw for the duo and the show was cancelled, along with the rest of the tour.

This meant that the band's last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009.

Noel explained at the time: 'It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009.

In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.

But after Noel's 20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band back together.

Reunion rumours have also intensified recently amid the apparent thawing in the feud between the pair.

According to The Sun, the pair reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows.

Staff present even reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements in a bid to keep it under wraps.

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live onstage in 2001

The iconic Britpop band will be performing at Wembley Stadium (pictured) in London as part of their tour

Oasis have teased fans with this post in which they said an announcement was coming on 27 August at 8am

Excited Oasis fans - including Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham were hitting the refresh button as they eagerly awaited the 8am announcement this morning.

Oasis superfan Mr Burnham told BBC Breakfast today: 'It's the news we've all been waiting for. It promises to be a massive day for Manchester.

'It would be the most Noel and Liam thing ever if one of them woke up this morning and said they'd had a change of heart.

'It feels this time its going to come together, it's going to be huge for our city region.

'It's going to be one of the biggest things we've seen in recent times. Manchester is having a moment right now, but this development will take us to the next level. The eyes of the world will be on Manchester in 2025 because of this. Everyone will be talking about and celebrating all things to do with the city.

'It's just going to be the place to be. We are already in a great moment but this will make it even better. I'm pleased for the generation that never got to see them live.

'This is a big thing for them because Oasis has been the soundtrack to their lives, they are the ultimate British guitar band. For that generation to see them perform live, that's absolutely brilliant.

'The person I'm most pleased for of all and by far the most important Gallagher is Peggy Gallagher and she gets to see her sons on stage again and that will just be brilliant for her.'

On Tuesday, Oasis confirmed a 14-date 2025 tour, beginning in Cardiff on July 4.

Running until August, they will also play Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Confirming the Oasis Live 25 tour, they said: "The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised."

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs

Liam and Noel Gallagher are pictured at the Knebworth Festival in 1996. They will be performing again next summer

The dates are as follows: Principality Stadium July 4 and 5; Heaton Park July 11, 12, 19, 20, 25 and 26; Wembley Stadium August 2 and 3; Murrayfield Stadium August 8 and 9; and Croke Park August 16 and 17.

There are also plans for dates outside Europe.

Liam clarified on X, formerly Twitter, that the UK and Ireland leg of the tour is "the band's exclusive European appearances".

Despite speculation that a Glastonbury slot could be in the works, the Worthy Farm event will not see Oasis on the bill, it is understood.
A restaurant in Italy has sparked fury after charging diners a whopping 50 to cut their birthday cake.

A family attended the restaurant in the southern area of Arezzo to celebrate their mother's birthday after asking in advance whether they can bring a cake from the pastry shop.

However, after enjoying a calm meal on Thursday, the 659 bill included a charge of 58 to cut the cake and bring it to the table.

The cost turned out to be even more expensive than the birthday cake - which cost 45 euros - with an expense of 4.50 for each of the 13 guests, Corriere Fiorentino report.

It comes after it was revealed that diners in London were being charged for the 'privilege of paying their bill' on top of a 13.5% service charge.

A look at the 58 fee a restaurant in Italy charged for cutting a cake for a family birthday

The charge of the cake turned out to be more expensive than the cake itself (stock image)

Unleashing a storm on social media, the daughter of the mother told the story in a post on an Arezzo Facebook group.

She claimed the restaurant said it is the rule of their establishment and they were required to pay it.

The owner of the restaurant told the Italian media site: 'We do not charge a cover charge and we mainly serve dishes of our own production, so we try to discourage those who bring things from outside.

'If we consider that in Arezzo the average cover charge is 2.5 euros per person, there is not such a big difference.

'My restaurant has to pay for the waiter who serves at the table, the dishwasher and other related services. We have to recover them somehow.'

However, the owner did admit: 'I wasn't there that evening and my employees were perhaps too fussy in managing the situation that had arisen, perhaps cutting the usual price a little or even not charging anything for the cake.

'Better 50 euros less and people going home happy than this misunderstanding in which we are all damaged.'

In August last year, another restaurant in Italy shocked their customers by charging them 20 to cut a birthday cake.

The family had brought in the cake with them for a celebration in Palermo, Sicily.

But the party-goers were astonished when they found they had been charged 20 (17.26) for cutting it into pieces.
Hundreds of Ukrainian troops have reportedly attempted to break through Russian border points in a new incursion bid as battles continue in Kursk.

Russian Telegram channels with links to the security services said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had attacked a border post in Russia's southern Belgorod region, but there was no immediate official confirmation of fighting there.

Belgorod borders the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops have seized Russian territory since staging a lightning incursion on August 6 and are still battling to seize more ground, with Kyiv saying it was making advances.

The Mash Telegram channel said around 500 Ukrainian troops had attacked two Russian checkpoints at Nekhoteyevka and Shebekino in the Belgorod region.

Mash said up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers with infantry fighting vehicles had tried to cross the border at Nekhoteyevka and were fired on by Russian artillery. It said about 300 Ukrainians had attacked the other checkpoint at Shebekino.

A soldier of Ukraine's 22nd Separate Mechanised Brigade aims a Browning M2 machine gun during an exercise in the Sumy region near the Russian border, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, August 17, 2024

Russian servicemen, in footage released by the by the Russian Defence Ministry Press-Service on August 23, are seen firing a 122-mm howitzer D-30 towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location

A Ukrainian serviceman stands near a damaged building in the city center of Sudzha, in Ukraine-controlled territory of Russia's Kursk region on August 21, 2024

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday, August 19, 2024, Russian soldiers fire an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in the Russian Kursk region

There was no official confirmation of the reports and SHOT, another Telegram news channel, said that Ukrainian forces had been pushed back from Nekhoteyevka after suffering losses. SHOT said there had been no clashes at Shebekino.

In a Telegram message, Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said: 'Information has emerged that the enemy is trying to break through the border of the Belgorod region. According to the Russian defence ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult but under control.'

He later posted a message saying Ukraine had launched shelling and drone attacks on at least three villages in the region, without commenting further on the reported incursion.

Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said on Tuesday that Moscow does not believe that Ukraine planned its incursion into Russia's western Kursk region by itself, the TASS state news agency reported.

Russia has claimed, without providing evidence, that the United States helped Kyiv launch its attack into Russia.

Meanwhile the battles in the Kursk region continue, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky saying on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had taken control of two more Russian settlements in Kursk region, adding to dozens already captured.

More than 130,000 people have been displaced so far.

Kyiv has said the offensive aims to prevent cross-border strikes from Russia into its Sumy region and to force Russia to the negotiating table 'on our own terms' as Putin's forces are moving deeper into eastern Ukraine.

It comes as UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi kicked off a visit to 'independently assess' conditions at Russia's Kursk nuclear plant on Tuesday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly warned of the dangers of fighting around nuclear plants following Russia's full-scale military offensive into Ukraine in February 2022.

A spokesperson for Russia's nuclear agency, Rosatom, said that Rossi had arrived at the power plant as he personally leads a mission to assess the situation there, which he has warned is 'serious'.

It comes as UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi kicked off a visit to 'independently assess' conditions at Russia's Kursk nuclear plant on Tuesday

Ukrainian servicemen ride a military vehicle, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the Russian border in Sumy region, Ukraine August 11, 2024

A Ukrainian military member holds weapon and takes photos on August 16, 2024 in Sudzha, Russia

In the first days of the conflict, Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, and also briefly held the decommissioned Chernobyl plant in the north.

Putin accused Ukraine of trying to attack the Kursk nuclear power plant last week, which is less than 30 miles from fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

The IAEA confirmed that it had been told by Russian authorities that drone fragments were found last Thursday roughly 320 feet from the Kursk plant's spent nuclear fuel storage facility.

Grossi said he would 'independently assess what is happening' at the plant, 'given the serious situation'.

'The safety and security of all nuclear power plants is of central and fundamental concern to the IAEA,' Grossi said in a statement.

The plant lies some 37 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border, next to the Seym river, and less than 31 miles away from Kursk city, the region's capital with a population of around 440,000.

Robert Kelley, a former IAEA director of inspections, said: 'The possibility of a Chernobyl-type incident with the reactor blowing up and burning for days is zero.'

But he added that an errant bomb or large artillery strike on spent fuel storage ponds could damage the fuel and release radioactive gases and particles.

Russia has repeatedly sounded the alarm over a possible hit since Ukrainian troops and tanks stormed into Kursk.

The IAEA urged both Russia and Ukraine to exercise 'maximum restraint' to 'avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences'.
Katie Price has arrived at the High Court for a bankruptcy hearing where she is set to face questions over her finances.

The former glamour model, 46, appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses.

She was accompanied by her lawyer Bertie Beor-Roberts and addressed the media as she walked into the court.

Price was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt.

She was told by a judge she must appear on August 27 with 'no ifs or buts, no going abroad, no holidays'.

Katie Price has arrived at the High Court for a bankruptcy hearing where she is set to face questions over her finances

The former glamour model, 46, appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses

She was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt

Price was accompanied to Court 15 of Rolls Buidling, part of the Royal Courts of Justice, by her lawyer.

'You alright there guys,' she said to the reporters gathered at the court as she walked inside.

Price, dressed all in black, took off her large black sunglasses after she entered the building.

She sat alongside Lynne Rickwood who had previously been introduced to the court as her appropriate adult.

Rickwood had once worked for Sussex social services but was fired after she became too close to Price after being offered a job as a nanny to her children.

Price was arrested upon her return to the UK from Turkey nearly three weeks ago and remanded in custody at a west London police station. She was then bailed a few hours later by an out-of-hours magistrate.

She arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice the next day where she turned up wearing a beige outfit and black head covering to conceal her injuries caused by a 10,000 facelift she had in Turkey.

Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Daniel Schaffer ordered the model to give an 'undertaking' to the court that she would attend a further hearing to face questions over her finances on August 27 at 10.30am.

Price confirmed that she understood she must attend and later said: 'I will move my diary for it.'

It led to Judge Schaffer discharging the arrest warrant issued against her on July 30 by a different judge after she failed to attend a previous hearing.

Price previously said she was 'not running from matters', but was 'away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries' during the court hearing.

She was accompanied to court by her lawyer Bertie Beor-Roberts this morning

Price addressed the media as she walked into the court and said: 'You alright there guys'

Price, dressed all in black, took off her large black sunglasses after she entered the building

Her ex Alex Reid was spotted arriving at the court where her bankruptcy hearing was taking place

In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Price wrote: 'I am aware that I am about to be detained at the airport which is obviously what the courts feel is necessary.

'I do hope of course for my son's sake who is with me that they will allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see.

'Whilst I understand the importance and severity of the matter I do feel like I am being treated like a criminal.'

Photographs from August 8 show the former model being taken away by police after landing at about 7.45pm with her son Harvey, 22, and boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, who was left to pick up her bags.

Members of the airport's assistance team were seen pushing Harvey in a wheelchair through a corridor in the terminal as he watched his mother being arrested.

Price, whose head was covered in bandages, was later seen sitting on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick and taking a few puffs of her vape.

The mother-of-five, who lives in Sussex, failed to appear in front of a judge on July 30 as a part her 760,000 bankruptcy court proceedings and instead flew to Turkey on holiday for her sixth facelift while staying at a 133-a-night five-star hotel.

Price was aware she would be detained at the airport but had asked police that they 'allow some dignity and protection' for Harvey, claiming it would be 'extremely disturbing for him to see'.

Katie Price arrested at Heathrow Airport after failing to appear in front of a judge on July 30

Price's son Harvey is helped by a Heathrow assistance worker after Price arrived at the airport

In a statement posted to Instagram, Price claimed she had been in Turkey filming a documentary.

She said on return from work, she would be 'detained at the airport' which is what the 'courts feel is necessary.'

Discussing her son Harvey, Price asked that authorities 'allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see'.

While acknowledging the 'severity' of the matter, Price said she was being treated 'like a criminal' and declared the 'unfortunate financial circumstance' did not make her a 'criminal or bad person'.

Defiantly, Price said she was 'not embarrassed or ashamed' regarding the arrest.

She explained that her bankruptcy was due to 'serious mental health issues and breakdowns from PTSD'.

She added that she would be paying back debtors and hoped for 'Harvey's sake it's handled with care and compassion'.

Her statement came after she was ordered to pay 25,000 after being declared bankrupt twice.

Price seen exiting a police van following her arrest at Heathrow Airport

Price sat on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick

A judge at a previous hearing said Price risked arrest if she did not attend further court dates, adding evidence must be provided if she could not appear.

Issuing the arrest warrant , Judge Burton said she had 'failed to attend today's hearing' and had provided no explanation for her absence.

She said: 'It is in my judgment necessary that the court issue a warrant for Ms Price's arrest.

She continued: 'The reason for her absence today is irrelevant.'

Judge Burton said that an arrest warrant was not issued 'lightly' but that Price had offered only 'piecemeal co-operation' and failed to provide the 'most basic information' in relation to her bankruptcies.

Previously, Price was served an eviction notice that ordered her to leave her 'Mucky Mansion' by the end of May and has since moved into a 5,000 per month new Tudor-style property.

She was declared bankrupt for a second time in March over an unpaid tax bill of 761,994.05 after first being declared bankrupt in 2019.

However, at the end of July she claimed 'everything is sorted' with her second bankruptcy after being evicted from her Sussex home.

Katie Price, 46, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on August 9

Price's head covered in bandages and black tape after her facelift in Turkey

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Price with her knees up at court

Price flew to Turkey on July 29, sharing a snap of her on a plane just hours before her court hearing the day after.

It's believed Price - whose 2million home was recently repossessed - was joined on the jaunt by her friend Lou Anderson.

In Turkey, Price had her sixth facelift, which cost 10,000.

She is understood to have had the facelift at the Trio Clinic in Istanbul, with work being carried out on her eyes and under her chin.

Price also underwent another dental procedure, sharing pictures of her new veneers.

On Instagram, she posted snaps of her new dental work, wearing sunglasses with the name of the dental surgery 'Dentica' on.

Price was also seen in Istanbul with Harvey, revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks in a pair of oversized sunglasses, which did little to hide the bandages, staples and surgical tape around her face.

Katie Price pictured for the first time with a heavily bandaged and bruised face after having her sixth facelift in Turkey

Model and Reality TV Star Katie Price pictured with her son Harvey

Revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks, Price walked down the street with son Harvey, 22, in Istanbul

Taking on Instagram a few weeks ago, Price dismissed claims that she travelled to Turkey after being turned down by other cosmetic surgeons.

She said: 'I'm filming my new documentary. The reason I've chose the Trio Clinic is because I've had friends who have had surgery there and in my opinion they are the best for what I want doing.

'I can't wait, they're amazing, and they're thorough here.'

She wrote: 'Whilst I'm currently aware of the severity of my current personal financial situation with my ongoing bankruptcy, I am today shocked that whilst away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries that I should find myself yet again headline news.

'The media in my opinion once again are trying to cause continued humiliation to myself and family. There are far greater and more pressing issues going on around the world that are more important and I'm sure most people are bored reading stories that are constantly misrepresented.

'I have I am continuing to to cooperate with the relevant people on matters to the best of my ability which will be addressed after my return from work.

'Despite consistent stories trying to humiliate me on my personal misfortunes, I am neither embarrassed or ashamed. I own my situation and I am trying my best to work my out of it and put matters right.'

Price added that she was going through 'challenging times' and was doing 'the best I can' for the sake of her family.

She wrote: 'I have to continue in my work in order to satisfy these bankruptcy orders which is all I am trying to do right now. I am however not running from matters and will continue to take matters with great seriousness.

'I am doing the best I cam to rectify things during extremely challenging times. Once again I would like to highlight there are far greater and more news worthy stories.

'I will continue to work on my mental health disorders for the sake of my self and my family and do the best I can.'
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with rape after a jogger was allegedly thrown to the ground and sexually assaulted in Melbourne.

The woman claims she heard someone come up behind her as she jogged underneath a bridge in Jacana Reserve in Melbourne's north at about 11.30am on August 14, police said.

She was subsequently thrown to the ground by the man and sexually assaulted.

The woman was able to get away and ran to a car park, where two members of the public called police.

She was taken to hospital with minor injuries, including scratches and pain in her shoulders.

Victorian Detective Inspector Mark Burnett from the Sexual Crimes Squad commended the woman's response to her attacker.

'She is a very brave woman and we were especially impressed with the way she was able to assist police with our inquires and provide a very accurate statement,' he told reporters on Friday.

'And the way she was able to fight and run from the scene.'

The Air Wing and Dog Squad searched the area but were unable to spot the man.

Police on Tuesday carried out a search warrant at a home in Melbournes north.

A teenage boy was arrested and charged with rape, stalking, false imprisonment, common law assault, recklessly cause injury, detention for a sexual purpose and two counts of sexual assault.

He was not known to the woman.

The boy will appear at a children's court.

Police earlier released images of an unidentified man wearing a dark jumper and pants who they wanted to speak to as part of the investigation.
Dirt bike riders spin circles in a San Francisco intersection. Police said they were using drones to track down the riders. Provided by Sharky Laguana

San Francisco police are using recently acquired drones to investigate a swarm of dirt bikers who stormed Valencia Street on Sunday evening, popping wheelies and spinning doughnuts as cars and pedestrians attempted to maneuver around them.

The event was one of several incidents involving dozens of motorized bikes and ATVs to disrupt Bay Area neighborhoods throughout the day, including witness reports from Market Street and other areas of San Francisco, on the Bay Bridge and in Oakland.

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Sharky Laguana, a San Francisco business owner and member of the citys Homeless Oversight Commission, captured multiple scenes on video Sunday afternoon as he was dining out near the intersection of Valencia and 23rd streets and posted them on X.

It was legitimately scary to cross the street because you couldnt see them or how fast they were coming in, and they were not stopping for red lights, Laguana said in an interview. I saw parents scooping their kids up into their arms and running away.

Laguana said police eventually responded and chased away the motorcyclists, prompting cheers from the surrounding crowds. But the bikers kept coming back, he said, and seemed unconcerned with police efforts to disperse them.

I watched a police car that tried to stop a couple of the motorcyclists by pulling in front of them rapidly, Laguana said. And the motorcycles were literally going in circles around the police car, pointing at them and laughing, mocking them. They had absolutely no fear of the police whatsoever.

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A spokesperson for San Francisco police on Monday said that while officers made no arrests Sunday, they were continuing to investigate after witnessing several of the individuals commit vehicle violations.

The department has a plan to address this activity, which includes seizing vehicles when possible and conducting follow-up investigations to impound vehicles, said Officer Robert Rueca.

Rueca said officers used drones to help them observe the vehicle violations but declined to provide specific details on when or where the dirt bikes were spotted, citing the open investigations.

San Francisco police purchased a fleet of six drones earlier this year after voters approved Mayor London Breeds Proposition E, which expanded police powers.

Rueca noted that officers have already used drones to investigate suspects on dirt bikes, including a July 26 incident involving car break-ins. This incident, Rueca said, led to an arrest and seizure of the vehicles.

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Although this activity was not limited to San Francisco, the SFPD will diligently investigate these cases when individuals come into our city, Rueca said in a statement.

Rueca said its unclear whether the dirt bike riders in San Francisco were part of the same groups that were witnessed on and across the Bay Bridge on Sunday.

In most circumstances, San Francisco police policy prohibits officers from engaging in vehicle chases, which have killed hundreds of people throughout the country over the past several years.

Sundays scenes came almost exactly a year after a caravan of approximately 200 dirt bikes snarled traffic and disrupted communities in and around San Francisco.

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol said the agency received reports of a group of motorcyclists slowing traffic on the Bay Bridge at two separate times on Sunday. One began at around 11:15 a.m. when the group was headed eastbound, and the second at around 3:50 p.m. when a group was headed westbound.

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No members of the group were arrested by CHP officers, said Officer Mike Andrews.

Andrews said CHP officers attempted to make contact with some of the riders who exited from the West Grand off-ramp but that they discontinued for safety reasons after some of the bikers began driving the wrong way on Oakland city streets.

The incident was separate from another involving a procession of two-wheeled vehicles on the Bay Bridge this weekend, in which about 100 bicyclists took over the lower deck on Saturday afternoon. Two people from this group were detained.
A defiant Kirstie Allsopp has gone on the offensive once again regarding her 15-year-old son's interrailing trip describing it as a 'rite of passage that's happened for eons' whilst also criticising the 'absurd' social services probe into her parenting.

The extraordinary episode began last Monday when the Location, Location, Location presenter wrote on X, formerly Twitter, of her pride in Oscar after he and his friend returned from a nine-stop trip by train around Europe.

Her admission prompted widespread concern from many parents who argued going on a solo trip at 15 is too young.

During an interview on Wednesday on the BBC's Today programme, she insisted that mobile phones and better healthcare meant travel was safer than in the past and 'in previous generations people did things far younger'.

But at 12.40pm the following day, Ms Allsopp received a text message from a social worker from 'Kensington and Chelsea children [sic] services', which stated: 'I am wanting [sic] to have a conversation with you re a referral we have received in relation to your son.'

A defiant Kirstie Allsopp has gone on the offensive once again regarding her 15-year-old son's interrailing trip

At 12.40pm last Thursday, Ms Allsopp received the above text message from a social worker from 'Kensington and Chelsea children [sic] services'

In her latest tweets, Allsopp describes the trip as a 'rite of passage that's happened for eons' whilst also criticising the 'absurd' social services probe into her parenting

Ms Allsopp said: 'I immediately rang the number and said "I cannot tell you how angry this makes me". I was very agitated. I said I could not be more upset. How on earth have you got time for this? How on earth have you got the resources? Where the hell did you get my telephone number?'

A referral takes place when someone contacts children's services because they are concerned about a child's safety and well-being.

Taking to Twitter today, the Channel 4 angrily doubled down on her position.

She argued: 'When I tweeted about Oscars travels did I think it would be this controversial? Hell no! I was aware of Jon Haidts work on how risk averse we have become, but every year kids who have finished their GCSEs travel about the UK & Europe, its a right of passage that has been happening for eons.

'I was proud of his trip, hes our youngest, letting him go was a big deal, seeing him return so happy & confident was a joy & I thought it was inspiring. Do I regret that tweet? Yes & No.

'Yes, because its been a load of hassle & Oscar is not best pleased.

'No, because if some of the responses Ive had are anything to go by we clearly have a far greater problem with fear, xenophobia & restriction of the rights of teenagers to explore the world than I could ever have imagined, and that is something that needs to be openly discussed.

'Re Child Services, thats just absurd & made me very angry, if anything its a distillation of where we have got to, but it isnt the main issue. The main issue is that so many people seem to think the world is a more dangerous place to travel in, yet modern communications, safer transport & better emergency health mean its a safer place to travel in.

'Some stats are up, some are down, but theres not a substantial difference in any data that relates to teen travel.

Kirstie Allsopp has said she was outraged at being quizzed by social services for allowing her 15-year-old son to go interrailing across Europe

To the 52-year-old's fury, the social worker demanded to know what 'safeguards' had been put in place when she allowed Oscar (seen) to travel for three weeks on the continent alongside a 16-year-old friend

'Oscars birthday is in late August, so he is summer born, this means he was always going to be 15 not 16 when doing post GCSE activities, the obsession with this age boundary is bizarre, why does anyone think he is less mature & capable than 2 boys I know who went from London to Istanbul by train after GCSEs, but happened to be older for their school year?

'Anyhow I hope the silver lining of all this fuss is that a debate has begun about how we best help teenagers become confident, capable adults, and how factually & realistically we perceive risk, as FDR said so famously in his 1933 inaugural speech let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself  nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.'

The Mail on Sunday revealed, in an extraordinary intervention, a social worker contacted the TV presenter to inform her that a file had been opened after child protection concerns were raised over her youngest child, Oscar.

To the 52-year-old's fury, the social worker demanded to know what 'safeguards' had been put in place when she allowed Oscar to travel for three weeks on the continent alongside a 16-year-old friend.

Astonishingly, she was told that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), her local council, could keep the file open 'in case there was another referral and we needed to come to your house and look into this further'.

Speaking exclusively to this newspaper, Ms Allsopp branded the council's actions 'Orwellian' and 'absolutely outrageous'.

She said that officials had failed to understand she had been targeted by a 'malicious' complaint from someone falsely alleging neglect.

'I just felt sick  absolutely sick,' she said. 'Then I was cross. I was very, very cross. It was just so extraordinary. I was in a parallel universe where they were actually taking this seriously.

'I have broken no law and nothing about allowing my child to travel around Europe is neglectful.'
Oasis fans are fizzing with excitement today at the news of Oasis' reunion - prompting attention to quickly focus on which other members might join Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage.

Following weeks of growing speculation, the Manchester duo have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

The 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

But who will be joining them remains unclear. Below, MailOnline looks at the Gallagher's former bandmates, where they are now, and whether they could form part of the huge comeback.

Gem Archer

Gem Archer joined Oasis following Boneheads departure in 1999. He is seen on the left in 2006 and right in 2014

After joining Oasis following Bonehead's departure in 1999, the rhythm guitarist has achieved the impressive feat of remaining close to both Gallagher brothers.

Archer, 57, began his musical career in the early 1980s with bands like The Edge and The Contenders.

Later on he was a member of Heavy Stereo, which gained some recognition after contributing to a Jam tribute album and opening a Paul Weller tour.

During his time with Oasis, Archer played lead guitar on acoustic tracks and also got involved in songwriting.

Following the brand's break-up, he joined Liam Gallagher, Chris Sharrock and Andy Bell in former Beady Eye. He has also jigged with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Chris Sharrock

Chris Sharrock played with Oasis between 2008 and 2009 after replacing Zak Starkey. He's seen in 2009 and 2023

A possible drummer in a reformed Oasis, the 60-year-old played with the band between 2008 and 2009 after replacing Zak Starkey and has also joined both Gallagher brothers in their respective solo projects.

The indie rocker is a staple of the British music scene as a member of bands including the Icicle Works, the La's, the Wild Swans, World Party and the Lightning Seeds.

He's also appeared in Robbie Williams's live band and is currently in Noel's High Flying Birds.

Bonehead

Bonehead (performing with Oasis on the left; and right, in 2021) has been credited in some quarters with helping to repair the brothers' relationship alongside Liam's fiancee Debbie Gwyther

Original Oasis member Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs also has the distinction of having remained friends with both the Gallaghers.

The guitarist has been credited in some quarters with helping to repair the brothers' relationship alongside Liam's fiancee Debbie Gwyther.

'Bonehead is one of the few people they are both pals with and he has recently been trying too and it's finally paid off,' a source close to the negotiations told the Mirror.

Arthurs left Oasis in 1999 during the recording of its fourth album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, with an official statement saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

He has performed with Liam in recent years.

Andy Bell

Andy Bell - left in 2006 and right in 2015 - joined Oasis in 1999 as their bassist following the departures of Bonehead and Guigsy

The Welsh musician joined Oasis in 1999 as their bassist following the departures of Bonehead and Guigsy.

He wrote several songs, including Turn Up the Sun and Keep the Dream Alive, and continued working with the band until its breakup.

Now aged 54, he was a member of Liam's Beady Eye.

Despite being rumoured to have a frosty relationship with Noel, in 2023 his band Ride supported High Flying Birds.

Paul McGuigan

A passionate Manchester City fan, Paul McGuigan has remained largely out of the spotlight, making few public appearances

After being a founding member of Oasis, Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan quit in 1999 - with Noel claiming he did this by sending a fax.

A passionate Manchester City fan, the 53-year-old has remained largely out of the spotlight, making few public appearances.

McGuigan decided not to participate in the 2004 Definitely Maybe DVD or 2016 documentary Supersonic.

Liam said of Guigsy: 'Not seen him since he left the band and he only lives up the road.'

Tony McCarroll

Tony McCaroll announced his departure from Oasis in 1995 following an argument with Noel, who had become increasingly critical of his drumming. He's seen in 1994 and 1999

A founder member of Oasis who became the band's first drummer, McCarroll on debut album Definitely Maybe as well as performing on singles Whatever and Some Might Say.

He announced his departure in 1995 following an argument with Noel, who had become increasingly critical of his drumming.

McCarroll went on to try and sue Oasis 18m but settled out of court in March 1999, agreeing to give up future royalties.

In 2011, he announced on Twitter that he had been admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack.

Alan White

Alan White was Oasis' longest serving drummer and is seen performing in 2002

Oasis' longest serving drummer, White was with the band from 1995 to 2004 after being recommended following McCarroll's departure in 1995.

His debut performance was on BBC Top Of The Pops for a rendition of the number one single Some Might Say.

He was fired in 2004 for reasons that remain unclear.

Now aged 52, he has been out of the public eye ever since.

Zak Starkey

Zak Starkey was reportedly banned from staying at an Airbnb in Buckinghamshire after he accidentally let it slip that he was planning a party earlier this month

After coming in as White's replacement, Starkey performed with the bank until 2004.

The son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, he reportedly fell out with Noel - possibly due to his ongoing commitments with The Who.

Earlier this month he was reportedly banned from staying at an Airbnb in Buckinghamshire after he accidentally let it slip that he was planning a party.

The musician was hoping to rent a six bed pad in the Chilterns to celebrate his wife Sharna Liguz's 40th birthday.

However it seems his rockstar reputation let him down on this occasion, with cleaners finding out he was planning a party, leading to Airbnb cancelling his booking.
A Muslim trainee solicitor has won 110,000 in a sex harassment case after a male colleague told her to take off her headscarf so she could 'attract men'.

Paralegal and divorcee Forida Kaiser was left 'insulted and embarrassed' after receiving the advice from lawyer Imitiaz Ahmed, an employment tribunal heard.

Ms Kaiser felt as if Mr Ahmed was suggesting she 'would not be able to find a husband' if she continued to wear her headscarf.

In a separate incident, fellow Muslim Mr Ahmed told Ms Kaiser 'If you're so into it - you should go elsewhere' when he overheard her and one of the firm's clients discussing 'personal matters'.

Ms Kaiser told him she was 'upset' at his suggestion she was having an 'intimate conversation', but the conveyancer shouted at her, the tribunal heard.

Ms Kaiser successfully sued Khans Solicitors, based in Canary Wharf, London, at an employment tribunal. She has been awarded 109,020 in compensation.

Ms Kaiser successfully sued Khans Solicitors (pictured), based in Canary Wharf, London , at an employment tribunal

The tribunal heard she started working for Khans Solicitors as a paralegal in April 2019.

She had been declared bankrupt after divorcing her husband, and was training to be a solicitor at the firm, the panel was told.

The practice covers areas of law including divorce, wills and immigration, and is a 'predominantly Muslim business', the East London employment tribunal heard.

In September of that year Mr Ahmed, a conveyancing specialist, saw a photo of Ms Kaiser without her headscarf on, and told her 'that if she did not wear her headscarf, she could attract men', the panel was told.

The tribunal said: 'Ms Kaiser was insulted and embarrassed and thought that he was suggesting that she would not be able to find a husband if she kept her scarf on.

'Mr Ahmed knew that her marriage had ended.'

In an incident the previous month, a client of another lawyer was talking to Ms Kaiser in the firm's open-plan office.

She 'politely indicated' she wanted to get on with her work, but the client continued talking to her about 'his personal matters', the tribunal heard.

Angry at being disturbed from his work by the talking, Mr Ahmed stood up, pointed to the door and said to her 'if you're so into it - you should go elsewhere!', the panel was told.

Ms Kaiser told him she was 'upset' at his suggestion she was having an 'intimate conversation', but the conveyancer shouted at her, the tribunal heard.

The East London employment tribunal (pictured) heard that Ms Kaiser started working for Khans Solicitors as a paralegal in April 2019

One of the firm's partners, Muhammed Akram Rana, heard the disturbance and came out of his room before defending Ms Kaiser and shouting at Mr Ahmed, the panel was told.

The tribunal also heard Ms Kaiser suffered from a number of medical conditions including Glaucoma and Fibromyalgia.

She requested a larger computer screen and comfortable chair to ease her pain in the office, but none of her requests was met, the panel heard.

Colleagues would sometimes 'comment on how much medication she needed', and when she objected to moving some furniture, one colleague said 'you will not die so you better not give me any excuses', the tribunal heard.

Ms Kaiser's claims of sex harassment and discrimination, disability discrimination, unfair dismissal, unauthorised deductions from wages, and breach of contract succeeded.

An additional claim of race discrimination failed.

Employment Judge Julia Jones concluded: 'As a practising Muslim man, Mr Ahmed would have known that modesty in dress is important to Ms Kaiser as a Muslim woman and that he was likely to insult her by the suggestion that she needed to go against her beliefs in order to attract a man.

'Ms Kaiser was being professional in speaking to a client and the suggestion that there was anything else going on hurt her feelings deeply.

'She felt disrespected and insulted by the comments. It is our judgement that both comments were particularly offensive to her as a Muslim woman and that Mr Ahmed would have known that.

'He would have been aware of how insulting, humiliating and offensive it would be to suggest that she should go off with a strange man.'

At the latest compensation hearing, Judge Jones found that Ms Kaiser has been caused significant 'injury to feelings'.

'In this case, the [company's] treatment of [Ms Kaiser] caused her upset, frustration, worry, anxiety, mental distress, fear, grief, anguish, humiliation, unhappiness and exacerbated stress and depression', Judge Jones said.
A British ex-pat living in Tenerife has been accused of hypocrisy for leading an anti-tourism campaign which supports a tax on holidaymakers coming to the popular Spanish island.

Brian Harrison, who originally hails from Bridgend, South Wales, is the secretary general of Salvar La Tejita, a group which calls for curbs on the number of holidaymakers allowed to come to the Canaries.

The organisation was started in 2016 to protest against a new hotel being built in the southern Tenerife beauty spot where Brian lives, but has since grown into an influential force in the Spain-wide campaign.

Thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets this summer as part of anti-tourism protests across the country, including in the Canaries, Balearics and Barcelona - where visitors were even sprayed with water guns by angry locals.

But UK holidaymakers are unlikely to expect to see a fellow Brit among protesters' ranks, with Mr Harrison admitting that he is frequently asked: 'Don't you think it's a bit hypocritical?'

People march on a street during a demonstration for a change in the tourism model in the Canary Islands, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, April 20, 2024

'Tourists go home' slogans spread across the south of Tenerife in March this year

La Tejita, where Mr Harrison lives, is a stretch of coastline which is designated as protected by the Spanish government

'I've never really felt like I belonged anywhere,' the 57-year-old ex-pat, who has lived in Spain for 30 years, explained to the Telegraph.

'I didn't just go on holiday to Spain and stay there, I made a plan to move here when I was in my early twenties and I've lived here for most of my life,' he said.

He admitted he understands that his involvement seems ironic, but argued that the number of years he has lived in the country entitles him to campaign on the issues.

'Why wouldn't anyone want to take care of a place they've lived in for over 30 years?' the Welsh engineer said.

He denied claims that his group is completely against tourists, saying that instead it is taking issue with the number of people flocking to his adopted home.

Figures show that the 11 million international visitors travelled to Spain in July alone, 2.6 million of whom came from the UK - up 4.6 per cent on the year before.

Mr Harrison said that the number of people coming to Tenerife every year was around two million when he first arrived in 1991, but that the number has since jumped to around six million.

'The problem is not the people who come here, but the huge numbers of people who come, the volume,' he said.

'For an island that has limited space, it is unsustainable. This is the problem,' he said.

Despite graffiti often being written in English, Mr Harrison claimed that it 'is not specifically aimed at tourists

Locals have taken to the streets this year as part of a wave of anti-tourism protests in the Canaries

A hotel hotel which was given planning permission near the seafront in La Tejita has sparked fury among locals

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Mr Harrison said: 'Tourists are always welcome here, there will be no hostility. But obviously action needs to be taken.

The government has had three decades to deal with this problem and it has gotten worse every year. This is the last resort for the government to take notice.'

He added that anti-tourist graffiti is 'not as widespread' as is being reported, adding that 'you have to go looking for it to find it.'

He said that the authorities 'have to take action to limit tourism, to make tourism sustainable.'

The Welsh engineer argued that 'there is no economic model that shows that limiting tourism and increasing the quality of tourism has a negative impact.'

'On the contrary, many destinations like Mallorca, Barcelona, other places in Europe, all have a tourist tax and there is no negative impact at all, neither economic nor otherwise,' he said.

La Tejita, where Mr Harrison lives, is a stretch of coastline which is designated as protected by the Spanish government.

But a large hotel which was given planning permission on the seafront has sparked fury among locals, including Mr Harrison.

Thousands of people demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain on April 20

Protesters holding signs saying 'The beach is ours' and 'Canaria is not for sale' had a run-in with police after storming the construction site.

Mr Harrison highlights one concern as being the significant amount of water the hotel will need, which he said had not been accounted for when a drought was declared on the island earlier this year.

Locals in a nearby town are also reported to have gone on hunger strike over plans for a beachside resort.

Daniel Duque, Salva La Tejita's spokesman, said that while Tenerife's locals - around a third of whom work in the tourism industry - 'owe a lot to tourists', things 'have to change'.

He added that politicians need to listen to their concerns amid rising fury over lack of affordable housing and other issues, or they will face a 'public uprising'.

Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands, has repeatedly said that his administration is taking action to deal with people's concerns.

He said back in April that the government was 'revising' its model for dealing with tourism, adding that while 'the Canaries tourist model has been a successful one [...] as with anything, there are things that could be perfected.'
A Federal judge has blocked Joe Biden's efforts to grant legal status to the immigrant spouses of US citizens after a lawsuit from 16 Republican-led states.

U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker has put a temporary hold on the 'parole in place' program which was announced in June.

The program allows for humanitarian parole and a path to permanent residency for certain illegal immigrant spouses without having to leave the country.

It is estimated the program could benefit 500,000 immigrants in the country, plus about 50,000 of their children.

But 16 states, led by Texas and America First Legal, argued in a filing reported by Fox News Digital that the rule violates federal law, which prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits such as permanent status without leaving the country first and being readmitted.

U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker (pictured) has put a temporary hold on the 'parole in place' program

Joe Biden has been accused of seeking to rewrite immigration law. (Biden and his son Hunter Biden depart Old Mission Santa Ines Catholic Church, August 24)

The program allows for humanitarian parole and a path to permanent residency. (Joe Biden speaks at the White House on June 18)

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16

They claim Biden's move was an abuse of executive authority that sought to rewrite U.S. immigration laws and that the administration bypassed Congress for 'blatant political purposes.'

Judge Barker issued a 14-day administrative pause on approving applications to the program with a possible extension and scheduled additional hearings in the coming weeks.

In a statement, Judge Barker said: 'The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date.

'As with most administrative stays, the court has simply undertaken a screening, 'first-blush' review of the claims and what is at stake in the dispute.'

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cheered the order, saying: 'Biden's unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our country's lawsand incentivized countless more.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (pictured) claimed Biden's program was unconstitutional. (Mr Paxton makes a statement at his office in 2023)

Stephen Miller pictured arriving before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at ll Toro E La Capra. He has claimed a 'huge victory' for America First legal

'This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law. Great to work together with America First Legal, Stephen Miller and our partner states.'

Stephen Miller, president of AFL, said: 'This is a huge victory in our courtroom battle to block the Biden-Harris executive fiat giving over 1 million illegal aliens a path to U.S. citizenship.

'That executive decree is now frozen. America First Legal is deeply honored to partner with Attorney General Paxton, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, along with 14 other states to fight this unconstitutional mass amnesty.'

The lawsuit claims Texas has to pay tens of millions of dollars annually from health care to law enforcement because of immigrants living in the state without legal status.

The court order comes one week after the Department of Homeland Security began accepting applications.

Judge Barker was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2019 as a judge in Tyler, Texas, which lies in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a favored venue for advocates pushing conservative arguments.

The program was announced in June by President Joe Biden. (Biden speaks during an event with the National Governors Association in the East Room of the White House on February 23)

The judge laid out a timetable that could produce a decision shortly before the presidential election Nov. 5 or before a newly elected president takes office in January. Judge Barker gave both sides until October 10 to file briefs in the case.

The policy offers spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status, who meet certain criteria, a path to citizenship by applying for a green card and staying in the U.S. while undergoing the process. Traditionally, the process could include a years-long wait outside of the U.S., causing what advocates equate to 'family separation.'

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the order.

'The courts decision tonight to halt the federal government from providing relief is devastating to the thousands of Texas families that could have benefited from this program,' Jessica Cisneros, an attorney for the advocacy organization the Texas Immigration Law Council, said Monday.

Several families were notified of the receipt of their applications, according to attorneys advocating for eligible families who filed a motion to intervene earlier Monday.

'Texas should not be able to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens and their immigrant spouses without confronting their reality,' Karen Tumlin, the founder and director of Justice Action Center, said during the press conference before the order was issued.

The lawsuit claims Texas has to pay tens of millions of dollars annually from health care to law enforcement because of immigrants living in the state without legal status. (Pictured: Migrants camping on the bank of the Rio Grande River bordering Mexico and Texas are dispersed by Texas National Guard)

Critics claim it the program is a form of amnesty for people who broke the law. (Migrants line up to be transferred by U.S. Border Patrol after having crossed the Bravo River in El Paso, Texas)

The program has been particularly contentious in an election year where immigration is one of the biggest issues, with many Republicans attacking the policy and contending it is essentially a form of amnesty for people who broke the law.

To be eligible for the program, immigrants must have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, and have been married to a citizen by June 17 - the day before the program was announced.

They must pay a $580 fee to apply and fill out a lengthy application, including an explanation of why they deserve humanitarian parole and a long list of supporting documents proving how long they have been in the country.

If approved, applicants have three years to seek permanent residency. During that period, they can get work authorization.

Before this program, it was complicated for people who were in the U.S. illegally to get a green card after marrying an American citizen. They can be required to return to their home country - often for years - and they always face the risk they may not be allowed back in.
The Bayesian will be raised from the seabed after 18,000 litres of fuel have been removed from its tank under plans presented by the doomed yacht's management firm.

The 184ft yacht sank off the coast of Sicily last Monday, killing British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and five others.

The British-flagged vessel is believed to be holding 18,000 litres of fuel aboard, which management firm Camper and Nicholsons International reportedly plans on emptying from the tank to prevent the fuel from polluting the water.

Once the tank is empty, it plans on retrieving the yacht, which is currently lying at a depth of 164ft off Porticello, near Palermo, sources briefed on the plan told Italian news agency ANSA.

But the operation could take several weeks, as the firm first needs to obtain a permit to remove the Bayesian before it can raise the ship from the seabed.

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah both died in the Bayesian tragedy when the superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily

Judy and Jonathan Bloomer died on the Bayesian as it keeled over in the water

The bodies of Neda and Chris Morvillo, pictured in 2018, were also retrieved last week

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person to be recovered after the yacht sunk on Monday

It comes as it was revealed that prosecutors in Italy are investigating the captain of the Bayesian on possible charges including manslaughter.

James Cutfield, the 51-year-old New Zealand national who was captain of the superyacht, was among 15 survivors - which also included Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, whose company Revton Ltd owns the Bayesian - of the August 19.

Cutfield is being investigated for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck, said lawyer Aldo Mordiglia, one of two attorneys appointed for the captain's defence.

Mordiglia said Cutfield, who already has been questioned, would be questioned again by prosecutors on Tuesday. He declined to discuss the strategy for the defence.

Under Italian laws, being under investigation doesn't imply any guilt, and doesn't necessarily lead to criminal charges.

On Saturday, chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed that an investigation had been launched.

He said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht's manufacturer.

While the yacht is believed to have been hit a very sudden meteorological event, it was plausible that crimes of multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck through negligence had been committed, chief prosecutor of Termini Imerese, Ambrogio Cartosio, said on Saturday.

Maritime law gives a captain full responsibility for the ship and the crew, as well as the safety of all aboard.

Divers of the Vigili del Fuoco, the Italian Corps. of Firefighters enter Porticello harbor near Palermo, on August 23, 2024

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander, was in charge of the Bayesian when it sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm

Hannah Lynch and her father Mike Lynch (both pictured above) were on the yacht celebrating Mr Lynch's acquittal on US fraud charges

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Italian prosecutors held a press conference on Saturday where it was revealed the victims were unable to escape as they had been asleep during the storm

Prosecutors in Italy have previously questioned Cutfield, who they said had been 'extremely cooperative'. Other Bayesian crew members have remained in Italy voluntarily to assist the investigation.

The British-flagged luxury yacht went down near the Mediterranean island in southern Italy.

Investigators are focusing on how a sailing vessel deemed 'unsinkable' by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors said the event was 'extremely rapid' and could have been a 'downburst' - a localized, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

The crew was saved, except for the chef, while six passengers were trapped in the hull.
A 32-year-old mother who was knifed at Notting Hill Carnival in front of her young child got caught in a fight between two groups of men, police say.

Scotland Yard has confirmed that the woman remains in hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed in Golborne Road just before 6pm on 'family day' on Sunday.

Police believe she got caught in the middle of a brawl between two groups of men.

A 20-year-old man was today arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder, while two other men, aged 24 and 22, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

Metropolitan Police officers arrested the trio at three separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. They have been taken into police custody.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met's spokesperson for Notting Hill Carnival, said the mother had come to the festival to 'have fun... and was caught up in the most awful violence'.

Scotland Yard deployed 7,000 officers on the streets of Kensington during the Notting Hill Carnival

Revellers pass through metal security at Notting Hill carnival the largest street festival in Europe

'Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones,' she said.

Notting Hill Carnival arrests since 2002 2024 - Sun 104; Mon 230 ( 334)

2023 - Sun 110; Mon 198 ( 308)

2022 - Sun 76; Mon 133 ( 209)

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2019 - Sun 111, Mon 243 ( 354)

2018 - Sun 133; Mon 240 ( 373)

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2015 - Sun 126; Mon 281 ( 407)

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2012 - Sun 98; Mon 180 ( 278)

2011 - Sun 73; Mon 172 ( 245)

2010 - Sun 93; Mon 150 ( 243)

2009 - Sun 78; Mon 165 ( 243)

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2006 - Sun 109; Mon 168 ( 277)

2005 - Sun 61; Mon 122 ( 183)

2004 - Sun 62; Mon 105 ( 167)

2003 - Sun 91; Mon 95 ( 186)

2002 - Sun 56; Mon 102 ( 158) Advertisement

'She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

'These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects.

'We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival.

'I'd also like to acknowledge the incredible work of the officers, including police medics, who arrived so quickly - delivering emergency medical treatment and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence.

'Our investigations into the other incidents over the weekend continue.'

The Met said it is still appealing for information and anyone who can help should call 101, message @MetCC on X or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Arrests at this year's carnival hit their highest level since 2019 with 334 detained in two days as police said they were 'tired' of violence blighting the event.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed 230 people were arrested yesterday as well as 104 on Sunday's 'Family Day'.

The violence has prompted rank-and-file police to warn 'no one is safe' if even mothers with children are now targets for attacks at Europe's biggest street party.

Rick Prior, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told the Daily Mail that the carnival needed to be moved out of Notting Hill so it could be better policed.

Mr Prior suggested a more contained area, such as Hyde Park, could allow for the celebration to still take place, but in a safer manner.

Police officers stand in riot gear at the Notting Hill Carnival on 'Family Day' on Sunday

'Now people are going after women with children, you know no one's safe,' he said.

'One has to recognise the cultural significance of the event and no-one wants to be a party-pooper - I personally wouldn't wish to see the event completely cancelled - but it's evolved from its roots and it needs to evolve further now.

'With a huge increase in numbers coming year-on-year, an unacceptable amount of crime, injuries and serious assaults taking place, I just think there has to be alternative, safer nearby venues that need to be, at least, seriously considered.

'If you're advertising it as a family event, it needs to be safe. If people see it's a family day out and want to go there, it shouldn't be that they become the expected victims of crime when they turn up.'
Oasis fans hoping to catch the legendary band at one of their shows across the UK next year will have to fork out an arm and a leg for accomodation as standard room rents in venue cities have almost quadrupled in price already.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

Next summer, the Gallaghers will perform together from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before packing out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour alongside the brothers' first picture together in years, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy and although tickets have not yet been officially been released, many hotels where the band will play are already sold out or advertising exorbitant rates.

Liam and Noel Gallagher have sensationally confirmed that Oasis - one of the biggest bands in British music history - have reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland. They are pictured here together for the first time in several years

These are the shows that Oasis will be performing at. It's understood Glastonbury is not on the cards

CARDIFF: In Wales, where the band will kick off their tour, rooms in hotels around the city centre are being advertised for between 118 to 399 on the weekend before Oasis arrive

CARDIFF: A week later, a room at the voco hotel in St Davids will cost you 676 a night when Oasis are in town where a week previously it would cost just 181 - an increase of almost 500

EDINBURGH: Prior to rooms selling out, one fan shared a screenshot purportedly showing rooms in a hotel selling for 1299 for two nights

MANCHESTER: A room at the Holiday Inn Express in Manchester City Centre is advertising a room at a rate of 480

In Cardiff, where the band will kick off their tour, rooms in hotels around the city centre are being advertised for between 118 to 399 on the weekend before Oasis arrive.

However rooms in Welsh capital from July 4th to July 6th are either entirely sold out already or drastically higher in price.

A room at the voco hotel in St Davids will cost you 676 a night when Oasis are in town, whereas a week previously it would cost just 181 - an increase of almost 500.

In Edinburgh, rates are also sky high although the bands date fall at the start of the Fringe, where tourists' budgets usually take a battering anyway.

To stay in the holiday Inn Express in the Scottish capital on August 1, a week before the gigs, you will currently be expected to pay 319.

Rooms at the venue have now sold out on August 8th and 9th when Oasis are in town, however prior to this one fan shared a screenshot purportedly showing rooms in the hotel selling for 1299 for two nights.

In Manchester, where the group will play four shows at Heaton Park across two weekends, a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Manchester City Centre is advertising a room at a rate of 480.

Despite speculation that Oasis will be on the bill at Glastonbury 2025, it's understood the band will not be performing at Worthy Farm. However, plans are underway for Oasis to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour alongside the brothers' first picture together in years, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy. The reunion comes a day before the date the band split on August 28 2009.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour today, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs

Liam and Noel Gallagher are pictured at the Knebworth Festival in 1996. They will be performing again next summer

Oasis released a promotional video, which featured old shots of the brothers performing

The Oasis website crashed instantly after the comeback tour was announced at 8am this morning

Tickets to see the Don't Look Back In Anger hitmakers will go on sale in the UK from 9am on August 31, while Dublin tickets will be available from 8am on the same day.

Oasis Live 25: Full tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 11th - Manchester, Heaton Park 12th - Manchester, Heaton Park 19th - Manchester, Heaton Park 20th - Manchester, Heaton Park 25th - London, Wembley Stadium 26th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium 3rd - London, Wembley Stadium 8th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 9th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 16th - Dublin, Croke Park 17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement

Oasis fans have hailed it as the 'ticket bloodbath of the century' and have vowed 'to go to war' to get their hands on them. Others have fumed that it is set to be a complete 'free-for-all' because there appears to be no pre-sale links and it is simply one big general sale.

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock 'N' Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Their last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009. Days later, they cancelled the headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following the argument.

Noel explained at the time: 'It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'
A Chinese gang who laundered more than 55m and arranged shady cash deals around London have been jailed.

A three-year investigation by officers in Stoke Newington uncovered a sophisticated international network of money laundering via Chinese underground banking.

Officers found that over 55m had been laundered between February 2020 and June 2023, and seven criminals have now been handed a total of 24 years and 11 months behind bars.

The gang's ringleader, Qiji Wang, 29, who operated under the user handle 'There is a Big Sun in the Sky' on a Chinese messaging app that was used to carry out the illegal operations, has been jailed for 12 years.

Qiji Wang, 29, of Left Bank, Manchester, was the ringleader, operating under the user handle There is a Big Sun in the Sky on a Chinese messaging app which was used for communications when carrying out the illegal money business

Large swathes of cash were found during multiple police searches of the crime gang's homes

Cash counting machines were also found at the addresses. The criminals have now been sentenced to a total of nearly 25 years in jail

Wang and three others, including one woman, were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on August 19 for a range of money laundering offences. Three others were previously sentenced, also at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in June.

Wang was jailed for conspiracy to money launder and operating an unregistered money service business.

Officers began investigating the group following increasing concerns around underground banking.

On 29 December 2022, officers conducted two simultaneous warrants. While searching the first address, belonging to Xiaoyu Shu, 29, and Yin Ying Wang, 28, both of Biscayne Avenue, Canary Wharf, they found more than 104,000 in a carrier bag hidden in a wardrobe.

The second warrant took place at the address of Yunchen Huang, 28, of Biscayne Avenue, Canary Wharf, where multiple cash counting machines and money bags were discovered.

Xiaoyu Shu (pictured), 29, of Biscayne Avenue, Canary Wharf, was found to have had more than 104,000 in a carrier bag hidden in a wardrobe during a police search of the address

Yin Ying Wang (pictured), 28, lived at the same address with Shu. The pair were found to have been in possession of criminal property.

Officers seized a total of almost 500,000 in assets from the group.

Specialist officers then undertook comprehensive analysis of Shu and Huangs mobile phones, revealing that the pair were using a Chinese messaging app to sell British pounds to university students to circumnavigate foreign currency controls which limits the amount of cash that can be taken out of China per year.

The messages also identified that Shu and Huang were working for a person with the user handle There is a Big Sun in the Sky.

This person arranged for the pair to collect large amounts of cash, sometimes as large as a quarter of a million pounds at a time.

Shu and Huang were not told the identities of those they collected cash from, and were instructed to take a photo of a 5 bank note, including the unique serial number. This was then passed onto the courier allowing the interaction to take place without either party knowing the identity of the other.

A second police warrant took place at the address of Yunchen Huang (pictured), 28, of Biscayne Avenue, Canary Wharf, where multiple cash counting machines and money bags were discovered

The seven criminals have now been handed a total of 24 years and 11 months behind bars

This was done by the group to prevent those in the chain giving information to police if they were arrested.

Officers also identified that Peng Liu, 28, and Ang Li, 26, of Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf, were assisting the group by operating an unregistered money business.

Counting machines and 14,600 in cash were found during a search at their address in June 2023.

Officers were then able to identify that Qiji Wang was the head of the group and responsible for the handle There is a Big Sun in the Sky. When searching his address in Manchester, they discovered numerous mobile phones, computers, bank cards in others' names and a cash counting machine.

Officers also identified that Peng Liu, 28, of Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf, were assisting the group by operating an unregistered money business

Ang Li (pictured), 26, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for acquiring and possessing criminal property

These mobile phones and computers were forensically searched by officers and included comprehensive ledgers of each consignment from February 2020  June 2023, allowing the officers to value the earnings of the operation at over 55 million.

Qiji Wang was sentenced to 12 years in jail, while Ruolan Chen, 28, also of Left Bank, Manchester, was sentenced to two years for operating an unregistered money service business.

Shu was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison, while Huang was given three years and four months.

At the earlier sentencing in June, Liu and Li were handed 18 months in jail, while Yin Ying Wang was sentenced to 11 months.

DC Zach Rowe, of the Stoke Newington Proactive Crime Team, said: 'Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of highly skilled officers in the Met, we have been able to disrupt a sophisticated economic crime operation.

'The sheer scale of this laundering will generate crimes such as illegal drug supply, prostitution, human trafficking and more.

'This verdict and the lengthy three-year investigation that led to it, demonstrates that well leave no stone unturned in our pursuit to catch criminals who look to enjoy the proceeds of illicit funds  no matter how complex the case.'

Ruolan Chen, 28, of Left Bank Manchester, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for operating an unregistered money service business

Benn Maguire, lead counsel from QEB Hollis Whiteman, said: 'The assiduous and relentless commitment of DC Rowe and his team, to investigating this case, has resulted in dismantling a professional gang of international money launderers.

'The gang laundered vast sums of cash (in excess of 55 million) on behalf of those involved in organised crime.

'This successful prosecution has eviscerated the criminal operation, preventing those involved in crime from profiting from their wrongdoing.'
Keir Starmer has revealed ministers had to check 'every day' that there was space to jail race rioters after the Southport tragedy amid a crisis in UK prisons.

The Prime Minister said he had questioned whether the legal system could handle the fallout from the lawlessness that followed the attack in Merseyside that left three children dead.

Sir Keir said that as a former director of public prosecutions he had not wanted to trigger the early release of other prisoners to free up space.

But he suggested he had needed to make an example of those involved in violence and criminal damage in the days after the stabbings.

After a speech in Downing Street this morning he said that in 2011, when he was DPP, he did not doubt that the courts could respond to the riots, but 'this time, to be honest with you, I genuinely didn't know'.

'Every day of that disorder, literally every day, we had to check the precise number of prison places and where those places were to make sure we could arrest, charge and prosecute people quickly,' he said.

'Not having enough prison places is about as fundamental a failure as you can get and those people throwing rocks, torching cars, making threats, they didn't just know the system was broken, they were betting on it, gaming it. They thought ''Ah, they'll never arrest me and if they do, I won't be prosecuted, and if I am, I won't get much of a sentence''.

The Prime Minister said he had questioned whether the legal system could handle the fallout from the lawlessness that followed the attack in Merseyside that left three children dead.

After a speech in Downing Street this morning he said that in 2011, when he was DPP he did not doubt that the courts could respond to the riots, but 'this time, to be honest with you, I genuinely didn't know'.

Earlier this month ministers activated 'Operation Early Dawn' as they triggered emergency measures to avoid prison overcrowding as more rioters were sentenced.

'They saw the cracks in our society after 14 years of failure and they exploited them. That's what we've inherited. Not just an economic black hole, a societal black hole and that's why we have to take action and do things differently.'

Earlier this month ministers activated 'Operation Early Dawn' as they triggered emergency measures to avoid prison overcrowding as more rioters were sentenced.

The long-standing plan, described as a 'one in, one out' policy, was implemented in the North of England in the wake of the recent widespread disorder across towns and cities.

It allows defendants to be held in police cells and not summoned to magistrates' court until a space in prison is available.

In the aftermath of riots that broke out after the Southport stabbing attack on 29 July, hundreds of people appeared in magistrates' courts in relation to the chaos.

Sir Keir told reporters today: 'I didn't want to release prisoners early, I was chief prosecutor for five years, it goes against the grain of everything I've ever done, but to be blunt, if we hadn't taken that difficult decision immediately, we wouldn't have been able to respond to the riots as we did.

The Prime Minister drew parallels between the clean-up of the riots, and the work his Government is proposing to improve the country.

Sir Keir Starmer said: 'We can get through this together, because the riots didn't just betray the sickness, they also revealed the cure, found not in the cynical conflict of populism, but in the coming together of a country.

'The people who got together the morning after, all around the country, with their brooms, their shovels, their trowels and cleared up their community, they reminded us who we really are. I felt real pride in those people who cleaned up our streets, rebuilt the walls, repaired the damage.

'And I couldn't help thinking about the obvious parallels, because imagine the pride we will feel as a nation when after the hard work of clearing up the mess is done, we have a country that we have built together, built to last, that belongs to every single one of us, and all of us have a stake in it.

'Our hard work rewarded a dozen times over, because we'll have an economy that works for everyone, an NHS not just back on its feet, but fit for the future, streets that everyone feels safe in, no longer dependent on foreign dictators, because we're producing our own clean energy right here and giving every child, wherever they come from, whatever their background, the chance to go as far as their talents will take them.'
The Slanted Doors chef-owner Charles Phan works to finish the indoor space for his newest restaurant in Napa in November 2023. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

The Slanted Door, the acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant from chef-owner Charles Phan, said goodbye to the Ferry Building in May. Now it is preparing to resurface at a familiar location.

The restaurant will return to 584 Valencia St. in the Mission District, where Phan first opened the restaurant in 1995. A publicist for the restaurant confirmed the news to the Chronicle via email, with a projected opening set for spring 2025.

Were going home, wrote Anh Duong on behalf of the restaurant.

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The address was most recently the site of spritzy Euro-inspired bar Chezchez. The bar, from BV Hospitality, the group behind acclaimed Mission District bar Trick Dog, closed in early 2023.

The Slanted Door brought Vietnamese cuisine to new heights in San Francisco in the 90s, and was an immediate sensation when it opened in the Mission. Outgrowing its space on Valencia Street, the restaurant moved to SoMa in 2002, and then its marquee Ferry Building space in 2004.

The Ferry Buildings Slanted Door location first closed temporarily in 2020, at the peak of restrictions set on restaurants and gathering places as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained dark as Phan announced plans to refurbish the space. Prolonged inactivity led to rumors of a permanent closure, which were finally confirmed this spring.

The move to Valencia Street follows the Slanted Doors departure from the San Francisco Ferry Building after a 15-year tenure. Charles Phan said the cost of remodeling the space was too high to make an opening feasible in a written statement to the Chronicle. The Slanted Door also operates locations in Napa, San Ramon and Beaune, France.

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Kamala Harris has taunted Donald Trump with chicken noises after he suggested he may not take part in a debate against her with 'biased' ABC.

The debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump is scheduled for September 10, in what will be their first-ever bout in the run-up to the Presidential election.

But on Sunday, Trump took to social media and labeled ABC 'FAKE NEWS' asking, 'Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?'

Also while campaigning in Northern Virginia on Monday, Trump was asked again whether he should to the debate.

He replied: 'I think ABC really should be shut out. I'd much rather do it on NBC.

'I'd much rather do it on CBS. Frankly, I think CBS is very unfair, but the best of the group. And certainly, I'd do it on Fox.'

Kamala Harris' campaign added chicken noises to clips of Donald Trump speaking about how he didn't need to debate on ABC. (Pictured, a screenshot taken from Kamala Harris HQ on X)

The Kamala HQ team posted the video on X, asking: 'You scared, Donald Trump?' (Kamala Harris gives her keynote address on the final night of the Democratic National Convention on August 22)

In response, Kamala Harris' campaign team released a video of Donald Trump speaking to Fox News, in which he rails against ABC and says doesn't need to debate his rival as he has a lead in the polls, with chicken sounds added.

The Kamala HQ team posted the video on X, asking: 'You scared, Donald Trump?'

Trump tore into the network after 10pm on Sunday night in a post on Truth Social, where he gave bad reviews to the network's weekend programming before raising the threat.

'I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl's (K?) ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I ask, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?' he wrote.

He was referencing the network's Jonathan Karl, who questioned Trump at the White House during his presidency.

Then he went on to go after members of the network's 'This Week' panel, including Donna Brazil, a member of the DNC who parted ways with CNN after hacked emails posted on WikiLeaks in 2016 revealed her shipping debate questions to the Hillary Clinton camp.

'Will panelist Donna Brazil give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala's best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise. Where is Liddle' George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved. They've got a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!' Trump wrote.

Kamala Harris' campaign team called Trump a chicken for seemingly trying to duck out of the ABC debate on September 10. (Another picture taken from Kamala HQ's X account)

Former President Donald Trump took on ABC News in an online post Sunday and asked why he should do a debate with Kamala Harris on the network. He blasted the network again on a visit to Virginia, where he appeared with Senate candidate Hung Cao

Stephanopoulos apologized in July after he was caught on video speaking to a passerby about President Joe Biden. 'I don't think he can serve four more years,' the host said, days before Biden decided to get out of the race.

Trump was at it again during an appearance at a shopping center filled with Vietnamese shops and restaurants in Falls Church, Virginia.

'I think it's disgraceful, and I think ABC is a disgrace,' Trump said. 'I think having Donna Brazile sitting on that panel, she's the one that gave the answers and the questions to Hillary Clinton before a debate. I think ABC is really, should be shut out. I'd much rather do it on NBC. I'd much rather do it on CBS, frankly, I think CBS is very unfair, but the best of the group, and certainly I'd do it on Fox. I'd even do it on CNN,' Trump said.

He again complained about the ABC roundtable, saying the 'hostility is crazy.' Trump called Harris a 'dummy.'

The two camps continue to haggle over the terms of the upcoming debate, the only one left that both sides have agreed to.

Harris advisor Brian Fallon said both candidates should have their mics kept live throughout the broadcast.

'Our understanding is that Trump's handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don't think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,' he said in a statement. The Trump camp, meanwhile, says Harris wants a seated debate that allows for notes and opening statements.

The Harris camp disputes this. 'All three parties (Trump, Harris and ABC) have agreed to standing and no notes, and we never sought otherwise,' said Fallon.

Trump raged at an interview that Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) did on ABC Sunday, claiming the network was biased

Trump tore into ABC's Jonathan Karl for his handling of a recent interview, called VP Kamala Harris a 'dummy,' and said he would 'probably' prefer to have mics remain on while the rival candidate in the debate is speaking

Trump said he would 'probably' rather have the mics remain hot, but said 'I think it should be the same,' meaning the pre-negotiated rules without a hot mic should remain in place.

Whatever Trump's criticisms of the network, he may feel pressure to show up. Trump's June 27 contest with Biden began the cascading events that forced the 81-year-old president to end his campaign.

And next month he will confront a Harris campaign that is on the move after her political convention and a fresh fundraising haul. Harris has also turned around the race in 'Blue Wall' battleground states while evening the race in others. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have moved to 'lean Democratic', according to the latest NPR analysis out Monday, while while Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina have moved to 'tossup' status.

Karl clashed with Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton on Sunday's 'This Week,' after he blasted Kamala Harris for her past support of Mecicare-for-all.

Cotton compared it to 'taking away health insurance on the job for 170 million Americans.'

'What do you mean taking away health insurance? What are you talking about?' Karl shot back.

'I mean, that is not her position now,' Karl continued. Harris has since walked back her position from the 2020 primary, and is now in line with the Biden administration on health policy.

'How do you know that is not her position now?' countered Cotton.

Trump has threatened to bail out on debates in the past, including earlier this month, when he threatened to hold back from the ABC debate, preferring an earlier one on Fox that Harris has not agreed to.
LISTEN: Katie Price opens up on Straight to the Comments! Available wherever you get your podcasts now

Katie Price's bankruptcy hearing at the High Court has been adjourned so she can attend a 'private interview' after her lawyers warned a public examination of her finances would affect her 'mental wellbeing'.

The former glamour model, 46, appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses.

She was accompanied by her lawyer Bertie Beor-Roberts who asked for an adjournment during the proceedings and it was granted by Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs.

Price was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt.

She was told by a judge she must appear on August 27 with 'no ifs or buts, no going abroad, no holidays'.

Katie Price 's bankruptcy hearing at the High Court has been adjourned so she can attend a 'private interview' after her lawyers warned a public examination of her finances would affect her 'mental wellbeing'

The former glamour model, 46, appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses

She was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt

Price was accompanied to Court 15 of Rolls Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice, by her lawyer.

Beor-Roberts immediately asked Judge John Briggs to grant an adjournment and argued she should be allowed to have a private meeting with her creditors and the official receiver - which would keep details of her income and spending over the last five years from being aired in a court.

The lawyer referenced her mental health and said it would be made worse having to undergo a public examination in front of the media and giving evidence in person.

'Ms Price has long been subject to intense media scrutiny', he said.

He referred to her 'PTSD and ADHD' and told the court that 'these conditions would be exacerbated by a public examination of her personal affairs.'

'She's able to give more considered answers in the security of a private interview where she's not under pressure from the media.'

He also said she should be given more time by the court to deliver documents required by her creditors that reveal how she has run up a six figure tax bill and failed to pay any money to creditors from her failed companies.

Beor-Roberts argued that Price had complied with a previous court instruction to hand over documents.

He said her finances were complex and complicated and more time was needed for her to locate documents requested by her creditors.

The former model showed no emotion during the hearing and played with her long black hair as her counsel argued to have the hearing adjourned.

Price had been due to be quizzed by lawyers over her finances and why she has failed to pay her creditors and the taxman.

Her ex-husband Alex Reid turned up at the court and sat in the public gallery in the Rolls Building, part of the Royal Court of Justice in London.

Price, who sat alongside her appropriate adult, Lynne Rickwood, was unaware he had walked into court 15 of the insolvency court dressed in a pink T-shirt and shorts.

He is one of her creditors and is owed over 250,000.

Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs listened to the arguments by Prices lawyer and noted there had been other delays.

My concern is that we have been here before, he said.

She was accompanied by her lawyer Bertie Beor-Roberts (right) who asked for an adjournment during the proceedings

Price addressed the media as she walked into the court and said: 'You alright there guys'

Price, dressed all in black, took off her large black sunglasses after she entered the building

Price had been due to be quizzed by lawyers over her finances and why she has failed to pay her creditors and the taxman

Derragh O'Connell, for the trustees, accepted the idea of a private interview but said that 'late developments have been the consistent theme' across the bankruptcy hearings.

He continued: 'We need progress in relation to this matter as quickly as possible.'

O'Connell told the judge that there 'has been engagement from Ms Price' since her arrest but asked for the private interview to 'take place on very firm grounds.'

Judge Briggs granted the adjournment and asked Price whether she would give an undertaking to the court that she would attend the private interview on September 24.

Price replied: 'I do.'

The public examination hearing dealing with her bankruptcies was scheduled for February 11, next year.

As she left the courtroom, she said 'I hope you reporters write a good story today, won't you, all the bulls*** that you write, scumbags.'

Her ex-husband Alex Reid was also in attendance watching proceedings from the public gallery

Her ex-husband Reid spoke to reporters following the hearing and said: 'She is living the high life with victims seeing no reimbursement.

'How is she funding her legal team today. Time we asked these questions - what is she hiding?'

Price was arrested upon her return to the UK from Turkey nearly three weeks ago and remanded in custody at a west London police station. She was then bailed a few hours later by an out-of-hours magistrate.

She arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice the next day where she turned up wearing a beige outfit and black head covering to conceal her injuries caused by a 10,000 facelift she had in Turkey.

Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Daniel Schaffer ordered the model to give an 'undertaking' to the court that she would attend a further hearing to face questions over her finances on August 27 at 10.30am.

Price confirmed that she understood she must attend and later said: 'I will move my diary for it.'

It led to Judge Schaffer discharging the arrest warrant issued against her on July 30 by a different judge after she failed to attend a previous hearing.

Price previously said she was 'not running from matters', but was 'away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries' during the court hearing.

In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Price wrote: 'I am aware that I am about to be detained at the airport which is obviously what the courts feel is necessary.

'I do hope of course for my son's sake who is with me that they will allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see.

'Whilst I understand the importance and severity of the matter I do feel like I am being treated like a criminal.'

Photographs from August 8 show the former model being taken away by police after landing at about 7.45pm with her son Harvey, 22, and boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, who was left to pick up her bags.

Katie Price arrested at Heathrow Airport after failing to appear in front of a judge on July 30

Price's son Harvey is helped by a Heathrow assistance worker after Price arrived at the airport

Members of the airport's assistance team were seen pushing Harvey in a wheelchair through a corridor in the terminal as he watched his mother being arrested.

Price, whose head was covered in bandages, was later seen sitting on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick and taking a few puffs of her vape.

The mother-of-five, who lives in Sussex, failed to appear in front of a judge on July 30 as a part of her 760,000 bankruptcy court proceedings and instead flew to Turkey on holiday for her sixth facelift while staying at a 133-a-night five-star hotel.

Price was aware she would be detained at the airport but had asked police that they 'allow some dignity and protection' for Harvey, claiming it would be 'extremely disturbing for him to see'.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Price claimed she had been in Turkey filming a documentary.

She said on return from work, she would be 'detained at the airport' which is what the 'courts feel is necessary.'

Discussing her son Harvey, Price asked that authorities 'allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see'.

While acknowledging the 'severity' of the matter, Price said she was being treated 'like a criminal' and declared the 'unfortunate financial circumstance' did not make her a 'criminal or bad person'.

Defiantly, Price said she was 'not embarrassed or ashamed' regarding the arrest.

She explained that her bankruptcy was due to 'serious mental health issues and breakdowns from PTSD'.

She added that she would be paying back debtors and hoped for 'Harvey's sake it's handled with care and compassion'.

Her statement came after she was ordered to pay 25,000 after being declared bankrupt twice.

Price seen exiting a police van following her arrest at Heathrow Airport

Price sat on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick

A judge at a previous hearing said Price risked arrest if she did not attend further court dates, adding evidence must be provided if she could not appear.

Issuing the arrest warrant, Judge Burton said she had 'failed to attend today's hearing' and had provided no explanation for her absence.

She said: 'It is in my judgment necessary that the court issue a warrant for Ms Price's arrest.

She continued: 'The reason for her absence today is irrelevant.'

Judge Burton said that an arrest warrant was not issued 'lightly' but that Price had offered only 'piecemeal co-operation' and failed to provide the 'most basic information' in relation to her bankruptcies.

Previously, Price was served an eviction notice that ordered her to leave her 'Mucky Mansion' by the end of May and has since moved into a 5,000 per month new Tudor-style property.

She was declared bankrupt for a second time in March over an unpaid tax bill of 761,994.05 after first being declared bankrupt in 2019.

However, at the end of July she claimed 'everything is sorted' with her second bankruptcy after being evicted from her Sussex home.

Katie Price, 46, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on August 9

Price's head covered in bandages and black tape after her facelift in Turkey

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Price with her knees up at court

Price flew to Turkey on July 29, sharing a snap of her on a plane just hours before her court hearing the day after.

It's believed Price - whose 2million home was recently repossessed - was joined on the jaunt by her friend Lou Anderson.

In Turkey, Price had her sixth facelift, which cost 10,000.

She is understood to have had the facelift at the Trio Clinic in Istanbul, with work being carried out on her eyes and under her chin.

Price also underwent another dental procedure, sharing pictures of her new veneers.

On Instagram, she posted snaps of her new dental work, wearing sunglasses with the name of the dental surgery 'Dentica' on.

Price was also seen in Istanbul with Harvey, revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks in a pair of oversized sunglasses, which did little to hide the bandages, staples and surgical tape around her face.

Katie Price pictured for the first time with a heavily bandaged and bruised face after having her sixth facelift in Turkey

Model and reality TV star Katie Price pictured with her son Harvey

Revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks, Price walked down the street with son Harvey, 22, in Istanbul

Taking on Instagram a few weeks ago, Price dismissed claims that she travelled to Turkey after being turned down by other cosmetic surgeons.

She said: 'I'm filming my new documentary. The reason I've chosen the Trio Clinic is because I've had friends who have had surgery there and in my opinion they are the best for what I want doing.

'I can't wait, they're amazing, and they're thorough here.'

She wrote: 'Whilst I'm aware of the severity of my current personal financial situation with my ongoing bankruptcy, I am today shocked that whilst away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries that I should find myself yet again headline news.

'The media in my opinion once again are trying to cause continued humiliation to myself and family. There are far greater and more pressing issues going on around the world that are more important and I'm sure most people are bored reading stories that are constantly misrepresented.

'I am continuing to cooperate with the relevant people on matters to the best of my ability which will be addressed after my return from work.

'Despite consistent stories trying to humiliate me on my personal misfortunes, I am neither embarrassed or ashamed. I own my situation and I am trying my best to work my out of it and put matters right.'

Price added that she was going through 'challenging times' and was doing 'the best I can' for the sake of her family.

She wrote: 'I have to continue in my work in order to satisfy these bankruptcy orders which is all I am trying to do right now. I am however not running from matters and will continue to take matters with great seriousness.

'I am doing the best I can to rectify things during extremely challenging times. Once again I would like to highlight there are far greater and more newsworthy stories.

'I will continue to work on my mental health disorders for the sake of myself and my family and do the best I can.'
A neurosurgeon is facing a criminal investigation after allowing her teenage daughter to drill into a patient's skull during surgery.

The medic, whose identity was not disclosed, was employed at University Hospital Graz in Austria and reportedly guided her 13-year-old daughter step-by-step through the procedure in January.

She allegedly went as far as letting her daughter drill into the skull of 33-year-old Gregor R., who required emergency surgery following a head injury from a forest accident.

Graz Public Prosecutor Hansjoerg Bacher confirmed that both the neurosurgeon and a second doctor were swiftly dismissed from the hospital following the incident.

Bacher also confirmed that the two, along with five others involved in the emergency surgery, are now under investigation for serious bodily harm.

The medic, whose identity was not disclosed, was employed at University Hospital Graz in Austria (pictured)

The neurosurgeon is facing a criminal investigation after allowing her teenage daughter to drill into a patient's skull during surgery. Pictured: the University Hospital in Graz

He said: 'We are currently still waiting for the final report from the criminal investigation department.'

The patient only learned the truth about his surgery when the police revealed the details afterwards. He is reportedly still dealing with the aftereffects of the accident.

His lawyer, Peter Freiberger, said he plans to pursue legal action against everyone involved and seek compensation if needed.

Freiberger said: 'The operation and the drilling were necessary, that is beyond dispute for us. But it's a question of letting a 13-year-old do something like that.'

Freiberger criticised the behaviour of the hospital's management and pointed out that everyone in the operating room shares responsibility since they had the opportunity to prevent a 13-year-old from taking part in the op.

He said: 'There was no contact, no explanation or apology, nothing. That is simply undignified.'

The hospital commented: 'Contact was not made because the patient joined the criminal proceedings as a private party and is therefore a party to the criminal proceedings.

'The operation was carried out without complications. Finally, we would like to state that we are very sorry about the incident and are committed to fully clarifying the matter.'
Gail's bakery today faced a mounting revolt over fresh plans to open a new branch in a seaside town amid concerns it could force independent cafes to shut.

Concerned residents and businesses fear the planned outlet within a conservation area of Worthing in West Sussex is out of keeping with the historic setting.

Local preservation group the Worthing Society said the 'illuminated hanging sign' on the narrow shopping street could be 'overly dominant' and 'set a precedent'.

And owners of family-run cafes warned existing local businesses were 'struggling as it is' and could lose custom or even be forced to close for good if Gail's opens.

But the chain is already going ahead with the refurbishment of the unit, which was previously occupied by Italian restaurant Nonna's Kitchen and then MasterChef winner Kenny Tutt's now-defunct restaurant Pitch until it closed in July last year.

Gail's  which has more than 130 branches in England - is also hiring at least five staff for the new outlet, including a kitchen team member and barista each on 12 per hour; and a head barista, team leader and head baker each on 13 per hour.

It comes after residents of Walthamstow Village in East London campaigned against the chain opening a branch on their high street amid similar concerns for the area.

People walk along Warwick Street in Worthing, West Sussex, where a Gail's is set to open soon

Gail's has submitted plans for the proposed shopfront elevation for its new Worthing branch

Aerial view of the West Sussex seaside town of Worthing where Gail's is planning a new branch

A close-up of the Gail's sign in planning documents submitted to Adur and Worthing Councils

The outlet is on Warwick Street in Worthing's South Street Conservation Area (file picture)

A Gail's sign on the front of the vacant shop on Warwick Street in Worthing says: 'Hello Worthing. We'll be baking here soon'.

Gail's chairman Luke Johnson who made millions from pizza Gail's chairman Luke Johnson began his career at 18 when he organised parties as an Oxford medical student. The entrepreneur worked at TV-AM as an assistant to former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken, who was an investor in the broadcaster, and was also an analyst at investment bank Kleinwort Benson. But he made his fortune with Pizza Express after buying it with fellow medic Hugh Osmond for 8million in 1983. It grew from 12 outlets to more than 200 and the pair then floated it on the stock exchange 10 years later. He also co-founded investment firm Intrinsic Value in 1999, and invested in businesses such as Belgo Group, which owned The Ivy and Le Caprice. Mr Johnson set up Risk Capital Partners in 2001 which owns stakes in a range of businesses including Brighton Pier Group and Gail's. He also became the youngest ever chairman of Channel 4 in 2004 and donated money towards the Brexit campaign before the EU referendum. Mr Johnson spoke out against pandemic restrictions, saying in October 2020 that the country could not afford another lockdown. And in a column for The Sunday Times in 2019, he said he worried that 'climate alarmists are unduly pessimistic and anti-business, and that global warming is used by some as a convenient stick with which to beat capitalism for purely political reasons'. Advertisement

But independent cafe owners expressed fears that the branch may result in local businesses having to close for good.

Tushar Patel, who owns Cafe Traditionale on Chapel Road in Worthing, told the Daily Telegraph: 'Allowing more cafes to open will have a knock-on effect on existing businesses.

'Existing businesses are struggling as it is. Somebody will have to close their doors very soon here. It is frustrating.

'The council should look after the existing businesses by not allowing new cafes to open.'

Another local business owner called Baz, who runs Bites Cafe And Kitchen in the town, estimated that he would lose around two tables a day if Gail's opened its doors.

He told the newspaper: 'There are already enough cafes. Nobody can make money, nobody can survive, it's just becoming that difficult. Nobody seems to be doing well. The council should be managing this before it gets too late.'

The Worthing Society responded to the planning application on the Adur and Worthing Councils website following a discussion with the group's heritage team  and specifically criticised plans for 'illuminated signage'.

Its chair said in a letter: 'This building is located in Warwick Street, one of the most historic areas in Worthing and set within the South Street Conservation Area.

'Although not included on the Statutory List or included on the Local List, it is a building of same age and scale within the street scene.

'Warwick Street is one of the narrowest shopping streets in Worthing. Whilst we can appreciate the need for a hanging sign we consider it does not need to be illuminated.

'Given the scale of the building, an illuminated sign could be overly dominant and set a precedent.'

The group added that it thought the illuminated sign would breach Section 72 (1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 because it would not enhance the conservation area.

Gail's started as a single store in Hampstead, North London, and slowly began to spread across the capital before cherry picking new towns and cities to set up in.

Gail's has submitted a series of drawings to Adur and Worthing Councils for its new branch

The existing front elevation and rear elevation of the building are shown in these drawings

But its rise to prominence has not been welcomed with open arms, as some residents look to fight the gentrification of their towns.

The chain now is seen by many as the successor to Waitrose, with plans now in place for 35 new sites to be opened.

Gail's already has five bakeries in Sussex  on Seven Dials and North Road in Brighton; Church Road in Hove; Carfax in Horsham and High Street in Lewes.

Earlier this month, Gail's hit the headlines when residents of gentrified Walthamstow Village launched a fight to stop a branch opening on their high street.

The petitioners said they wanted to protect 'the unique identity of our community' by 'safeguarding the soul of a beloved neighbourhood'.

However, some business owners claimed that local resistance was down to company chairman Luke Johnson, who is said to be pro-Brexit, anti-lockdown and has called climate activists 'alarmists'.

The Worthing Society responded to the planning application from Gail's on the Adur and Worthing Councils website following a discussion with the group's heritage team

The location where Gail's wants to open its new branch on Warwick Street in Worthing

Some residents said they felt Mr Johnson did not align with the politics of the area, which backed Remain in 2016 and has had a Labour MP for more than 30 years.

During the General Election campaign earlier this year, the Liberal Democrats targeted constituencies where there are Gail's outlets - believing there were Conservative voters who could be prepared to swing - in a scheme launched by Sir Ed Davey and dubbed 'Operation Cinnamon Bun'.

Asked about the Worthing outlet, a Gail's spokesperson told The Telegraph: 'We understand the concern, but our view is that a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers, each delivering their best.

'High streets evolve over time, and we open our small bakeries often in closed banks or stranded restaurants.

The row in Worthing comes after residents of Walthamstow Village in East London campaigned against Gail's opening a branch on their high street (pictured on August 19) amid similar fears

A sign featuring a bearded tattooed hipster has emerged on the new Gail's in Walthamstow

A petition which has been set up to stop Gail's bakery opening a new store in Walthamstow

'All of our bakeries exist in areas where the choices are wide and growing  we should be celebrating the improvement in our food landscapes.

'Bringing our bakery to Worthing, with such a dynamic and thriving food scene, is something we've wanted to do for a while.

'We're looking forward to having a small footprint in a place that we love and admire, and are excited to fire up our ovens for the Worthing community.'

MailOnline has contacted Adur and Worthing Councils and Gail's for comment.
An Oklahoma community expressed outrage after a high school student was banned from flying the American flag on his truck.

The decision sparked a patriotic protest from students and parents outside Edmond North High School who responded by flying a number of American flags on campus in support of the student.

Caleb Horst, a senior at the school, said he was left confused by the school telling him to stop flying the stars and stripes on his pickup, particularly as he had already been 'flying it for quite a while.'

'I've never really had problems with it before, and it's our First Amendment, so it's kind of hard for them to infringe upon our rights,' Horst told KOCO last week.

Caleb Horst, a senior at Edmond North High School in Oklahoma, sparked a local protest after he was banned from flying an American flag on his truck on campus

Droves of students, parents and members of the community convened at the school in protest of the decision

Since Horst spoke out about the order from his school, he has received an outpouring of support from other students, parents, and local lawmakers demanding it is reversed.

Edmond Public Schools said that the district prohibits the flying of any flags on vehicles.

'This is designed to prevent disruptions and distractions during the school day,' the school district told KOCO.

'It is also done in an effort to provide a safe school environment as flying flags on vehicles creates safety issues in the parking lot as well as can cause damage to other vehicles.'

The explanation appeared to do little to calm backlash from the community, with Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters saying he plans to launch an investigation into the school district.

'It sounds like they're making a bunch of excuses to me,' he said.

'Here's the reality: you told the kid he couldn't bring a flag on to campus, that is a ridiculous position, and it needs to be fixed.'

Locals said they were outraged by the decision, as one protestor said the flag 'represents us as one and it's our freedom, we have people that fight and die for that flag every day'

Edmond High School said it will handle any discipline on a case-by-case basis

Walters vowed to protect students' rights to fly the flag until the rules are changed.

A group of local lawmakers announced they are requesting that the district superintendent updates its policies.

The protests in Edmond even drew support from Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider, who released a video to Facebook saying he was 'applauding' the student's efforts.

'These are the kinds of people that we need to continue not only support, but to shout their names and their patriotism from our rooftops,' Schneider said.

'Caleb, you're doing a great job... keep doing it, and I want you all to continue to back this wonderful young man.'

Horst said in response to the ban: 'It's our First Amendment, so its kind of hard for them to infringe upon our rights'

The school district has held firm, threatening disciplinary action if Horst refuses to stop flying the flag on his truck.

The situation spark a small protest in the school parking lot as a number of parents and students convened to wave the flag in protest.

Vance Miller, a friend of Horst's, said outside the school that the ban 'hit home' for him due to his family's military background.

'I've got a brother in the military so it kind of hit home to me 'cause I was like he's fighting for that flag, we should be allow to fly it,' Miller said.

'It'd be different if we were trying to make a political statement, but there's nothing political about it.

'It represents us, it's unity, it represents us as one and it's our freedom, we have people that fight and die for that flag every day so I think we should be allowed to fly it.'

While the school district has held firm, the campus was filled this week with parents, students and members of the community defying the order not to wave the flag

In the face of potential disciplinary action, Horst said Monday that he plans to continue fighting the flag ban and was touched by the outpouring of support from the community.

'It felt pretty good to just see how many people were behind us,' he said.

'I know there's a lot of people that aren't behind us, but there's probably even more that are, and it kind of was encouraging.'

The school district said it will handle any discipline on a case-by-case basis, with students so far saying their protests have not resulted in any action.

'Last week, they talked about disciplinary action,' Sutton Cargill, a junior at the school, to KOCO. 'There's really nothing new coming out.'

'Unless they want to put half of their school in AISP (Alternative In-School Placement), they really couldn't punish everybody for having the American flag out.'
A mother who was desperately trying to flee the tower block blaze in Dagenham has told of her horror when she realised the fire gate was padlocked shut.

Cydney Parker, 26, was still in her pyjamas when she ran in fear for her life after a fire broke out at the Spectrum building on Freshwater Road in the early hours of Monday.

Speaking to Sky News, the mum-of-two described her shock when she fled down the fire exit to discover the escape route gate was locked.

Reliving the ordeal, she said: 'I've looked outside and seen loads of fire engines pull up... I looked through the front door and the whole corridor is covered in thick black smoke.

Cydney Parker, 26, was shocked to find the fire gate was 'padlocked shut' after rushing down the fire escape

The mother-of-two asked: 'How can they cut off a fire escape?'

'As we went down the fire exit, we realised that the fire was at the back so we had to run.

'And we realised that the fire gate had been padlocked shut.

'It felt like there was no way out. It felt like I was going to die then and there.

'The only way out was finding something [we could use] to jump over the fence. As we were on top of the fence, we couldn't get down, so we were screaming at police officers to come and help us'.

Struggling to hold back her emotion, she asked: 'How can they cut off a fire escape?'

Ms Parker also told of how the fire alarm did not go off.

The distraught young mother also told of how the fire alarm, which 'has gone off so many times for no reason', failed to go off when it was most needed.

Breaking into tears while holding her daughter, she said: 'No alarms went off. They've gone off so many times for no reason. So many times for no reason.

'And then the time we need them to go off, they didn't go off.

'That block needs to get shut down and we all need to get housed - I hope they are all as angry as me.'

Ms Parker fears that her possessions have all been lost in the fire.

All residents were able to escape the blaze which engulfed the tower block in east London.

Some 40 fire engines and 225 firefighters battled the blaze which broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, with more than 100 people evacuated in the middle of the night and two people taken to hospital.

The tower block had a 'number of fire safety issues known to London Fire Brigade' and work was also underway to remove 'non-compliant cladding' on the building, which is why it was covered in scaffolding.

Fire engines were still stationed outside the tower block today afternoon as they continue to work at the scene

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has spoken out on the incident, saying it was 'horrific' to see the damage done to the Dagenham tower block.

Speaking outside the burned building, the Housing Secretary said: 'It's horrific to see the level of damage that's happened to the building, but it was also heroic to see the way the community and the first responders, the council, and all of the emergency services came together to prioritise, first of all, making sure that everyone got out of the building safely, but then also about bringing the fire under control.

'You can see the level of damage that's happened to the building, and I'm incredibly grateful for those that responded and managed to make sure that everybody was out of that building safely.'

London Fire Brigade vehicles are still stationed outside the building on Freshwater Road and a cordon remains in place.

Shortly after Ms Rayner arrived, two firefighters on ladders were spraying the building's roof.

It comes as Dame Judith Hackitt, who led a review on building safety after the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, has called on the Government to step up the pace of "remediation and holding those who are responsible to account for doing so".

Asked if she would do that with urgency, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told PA: 'I think she's absolutely right to raise the issue of the expediency of remuneration, since taking office I think it's far too slow.'

Ms Rayner said 4,630 buildings have been identified with flammable cladding, and remediation has started on more than 50 per cent of them.

'But that's nowhere near enough seven years on from Grenfell', she said.

'We've already taken action to ensure that those that own the buildings, that have legal responsibility for them, step forward and do that work', she added.

She said she is meeting with the Health and Safety Executive and the building safety regulators.

Pictures taken today show the aftermath of the fire which engulfed the tower block

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner at the scene of the fire in Dagenham today

She said buildings need to be seen as 'people's homes' rather than 'assets'.

She said: 'We need to deal with supply, we need to build homes but they need to be safe homes, and they have to be homes - not assets - into the future, and that's why I outlined the new proposals on the planning framework.

'But also, we've talked about building safety. I've met with the Grenfell survivors and the memorial trust and others involved in that, and the heroic work that they've undertaken over the last seven years to fight for justice, to make sure that there (are) changes.

'I don't think that's been happening at the pace I would want to see, and therefore we will be stepping up that work.

'Remediation work continues to happen too slowly, as far as I'm concerned, so we will continue to push to make sure that that happens - and that people have the confidence that their buildings are safe and secure.'

More than 100 people were evacuated from a high-rise block of flats which became engulfed in flames in the middle of the night

Barefoot residents, including children, were seen fleeing the building wrapped in sheets

The London Fire Brigade (LFB), which was called at 2.44am yesterday, declared a major incident after the ground floor, roof and parts of the scaffolding surrounding the building, were set alight. The major incident was stood down just after 12.30pm yesterday.

Four patients were treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service, two of whom were taken to hospital. 20 people were saved during a 'significant search and rescue operation' and everyone has now been accounted for.

Those who fled the building told of being woken up to 'piercing screams' as huge flames ripped through the residential and commercial building. Barefoot residents, including children, were seen fleeing the building wrapped in sheets.

The London Fire Commissioner said today that firefighters tackling the Dagenham blaze faced the 'most dangerous conditions you can imagine' after a 'very significant building failure'.

Speaking outside the charred residential block, Andy Roe told reporters: 'I'm immensely grateful to our crews and officers who operated in the most dangerous conditions you can imagine to rescue people and to bring the incident under control - despite being faced, as you can see behind me, with a very significant building failure.

'A full simultaneous evacuation of the building was immediately carried out, and a significant search and rescue operation took place - again in very, very high-risk circumstances for firefighters.

'Despite that challenge, the personal risks of their own lives, they helped evacuate more than 80 people, and, most importantly, carried out 20 rescues.'

The smoke and flames are seen rising from a a charred block of flats with blackened windows, smoke-stained walls in Dagenham

Some 40 fire engines and around 225 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze on Freshwater Road, which has left two people in hospital

Valcan, a non-combustible cladding supplier, posted on Facebook six days ago that it had 'popped over to Dagenham' to check on the progress of 'remedial work to external cladding to the fifth and sixth floors' and 'removing the non-compliant cladding'. A planning application to carry out this work was approved on July 3 2023.

Questions around the role of cladding in the fire will 'form part' of the investigation into the incident, LFB has said.

Families who fled from the burning block of flats in the early hours of this morning spoke of their anger today.

Adding to local fury is the fact that the block had no sprinkler system nor any working communal smoke alarms in the corridors of the six-storey building.

Civil servant Emmanuelle Perraud, 54, escaped her third floor flat with 17-year-old daughter Maliha Baig, 17 and sister Alexandra Perraud, 56.

She said: 'I'm angry and concerned that the cladding hadn't been removed faster because the plans were in place to do so last summer and it's taken nearly nine-months for them to start taking it down as we've had scaffolding around the building since January.

'The residents complained about it being there because we all remember what happened with Grenfell Tower. Whether it was a factor in this fire, we don't know yet but it should've been removed long ago.

'I woke up around 2.30am this morning because I could hear people shouting outside.

'I looked out the window and there was a lot of smoke. I knew we had to get out quickly.

Firefighters work hard to try and put the terrifying blaze out after a fire broke out in the night

'My sister was staying with me so I woke her and my teenage daughter and headed out.

'But when I opened my front door the whole corridor was engulfed in thick smoke, which then drifted into my flat.

'At no point did I hear any smoke alarm in the corridor - the only one that went off was the small battery-operated one I have in my kitchen - and there was no sprinkler system in the building either.

'None of us could see a thing and we couldn't breathe which was the scariest thing. My daughter and I inhaled some of the smoke which was really unpleasant.

'Fortunately, there was little smoke in the fire escape so we were able to get to the ground floor and out of the block. But we were one of the last residents to escape as there was a crowd of people gathered outside along with fire crews, police and ambulances.

'We stood watching the building burn for about three hours before we were put in buses and taken to a shelter.'
Kamala Harris has repeatedly said she would shut down Donald Trump's border wall project and once called it a 'medieval vanity project' and a 'waste of taxpayer'.

But now that she is the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris has allegedly and suddenly vowed to sign a bill that would allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to continue building a wall along the southern border, according to a report.

Materials for Trump's wall sit and decay in border states ever since the construction came to a screeching halt when President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris took office in 2021.

The flip-flop came during her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week where the vice president said on Thursday she would sign the bipartisan border security bill that Republicans killed.

'It requires the Trump border wall,' Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told Axios.

Vice President Kamala Harris now appears to be in favor of Donald Trump's border wall after saying in her DNC speech last week that she would a bill that would allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to continue building the wall

'It is in the bill itself that it sets the standards that were set during the Trump administration: Here's where it will be built. Here's how it has to be built, the height, the type, everything during the Trump construction.'

Trump's campaign responded to the latest reporting on Harris' walkback on border policies by claiming she has never been for securing the country against illegal immigration.

'As a senator, she tried to block President Trump's construction of the border wall,' a campaign email noted. 'And as Border Czar, Kamala Harris halted construction of the border wall.'

'Maybe if Kamala Harris sat down for an interview she could explain her views on the border wall, until then we can only look to her record of supporting open borders,' it concluded.

Trump aides also called the report 'false' and asked: 'How much longer will the mainstream media allow Kamala Harris to hide and use staff to speak on her behalf?

'It's DAY 37 of ZERO interviews and Kamala's anonymous campaign sources are now claiming she supports President Trump's border wall -- this is a preposterous and false claim. Kamala's RECORD proves she is pro-open border,' Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the statement.

Lankford negotiated the bill with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

But Trump was worried if it passed it would help Democrats in Novembers' election and worked with his allies in Congress to kill it.

Before her speech last week, Harris has on several different occasions slammed the border wall initiative.

When Harris declared her presidential primary candidacy in 2019 she called Trump's wall a 'medieval vanity project.' She insisted that it would not work to stop drug and human smugglers working for gangs from entering the U.S.

In February 2020 she wrote on Facebook: 'Trump's border wall is a complete waste of taxpayer money and won't make us any safer.'

She also said while running for president the first time: 'An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal' and repeatedly showed support for decriminalizing illegal border crossings.

Millions of migrants have illegally crossed the southern border since President Joe Biden signed an executive order halting construction of the border wall

Harris signaled in 2020 that she was in favor of offering migrants and illegal immigrants free health care, which would significantly burden the U.S. healthcare system with higher costs.

She also attacked the wall project in April 2017, right after becoming a U.S. Senator, by claiming it was a 'stupid use of money.'

'I will block any funding for it,' she said at the time.

Among those who took aim at the latest on Harris' border policies is Heritage Action for America Executive Vice President Ryan Walker.

'Kamala Harris' newfound support for the border wall is the latest flip-flop of many in her fledgling campaign, which just goes to show she's a phony that will do anything to get in power,' Walker said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 'Clearly, Harris wants to distance herself from the Biden-Harris Administration's historically awful record at the border.'

'Unfortunately for her, the American people haven't forgotten that she was tapped to oversee the disastrous immigration policies at the southern border that led to record illegal immigration numbers.'

Harris also appears to be upping her border hawk rhetoric in a TV ad that has been running for weeks and features images of the border wall.

Trump supporters have recently caught onto the imagery and are all over social media slamming the VP for using the former president's project in an effort to appear like she is addressing the border crisis.

Harris' flip-flop comes as millions of dollars in wall material continue to sit and decay along the southern border after the Biden-Harris administration stopped construction three-and-a-half years ago

Ex-President Donald Trump visited the border in Arizona on August 22 to survey the rusting materials his administration sent there and are now going unused

The ad portrays Harris as a 'border state prosecutor' and shows an image of the border wall while touting that the VP has prosecuted gangs.

Mike Howell, the executive director of the conservative Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project, took a screenshot of the wall images in the ad and seized on her supposed hypocrisy.

'What is that in this ad?' he wrote in a post on X. 'Looks like the @realDonaldTrump BORDER WALL to me!'

One user replied to the post saying: 'I was told walls don't work though...Was I lied to again by democrats?'
The daughter of ex-MLB star Greg Swindell has been found safe in Oregon after she was reporting missing last week.

The World Series-winning pitcher, 59, had pleaded for help to find his daughter, Brenna, who he said went missing from Austin, Texas, after her ex-boyfriend left a concerning handwritten note.

On Tuesday, the Texas Longhorn legend said on X: 'She has been found. That's all we have for now. Thank you to everyone. And I mean everyone who helped in the process.'

Swindell and his wife Sarah said they feared the 29-year-old was with her ex-boyfriend, Morgan Guidry, who they allege is 'violent' and 'is in trouble with law from when he assaulted her last month'.

The Travis County Sheriffs Office said Brenna was found with Guidry, who has been arrested on an outstanding warrant and is in custody.

Brenna Swindell, the daughter of ex-MLB star Greg Swindell has been found safe after she was reporting missing last week. Her family feared she was with her ex-boyfriend, Morgan Guidry (right), who they allege is 'violent'

Guidry's father shared a note supposedly left by his son with KVUE, which read, 'Off to travel the world heart Morgan + Brenna, see you on the other side'

Guidry's father shared a note supposedly left by his son with KVUE, which read, 'Off to travel the world heart Morgan + Brenna, see you on the other side.'

The mother-of-three was last seen at a bar in State Highway 71; her missing white KIA was reportedly last spotted on I-25 in Colorado on Friday evening, with possible sightings of Guidry and the van in Colorado Springs on Sunday evening.

They also said that Brenna left without making contact with her three children, which they claim she would never do without explanation.

'Our daughter Brenna Swindell has not been seen or heard from in the Austin area since late Thursday afternoon,' the Swindell family said on Facebook .

'Her phone is off and she has not been in contact with family, friends, and most importantly her children. Her ex-boyfriend in the photo has a warrant and is violent so PLEASE if you have seen or heard from either one of them, let us know. She drives a white Kia Carnival which has not been located yet.'

The World Series-winning pitcher made a public plea for help to find his daughter, Brenna, who he said went missing from Austin, Texas

They later added an update: 'They were seen together Thursday night and we have managed to get a GPS on the KIA that is now in Colorado. Both phones seem to be there but both are turned off. License Plate VFS7528 White Kia Carnival.'

Swindell confirmed that he had been in touch with Guidry's father, who had been cooperating and aiding with the search.

'Please continue to pray for the safe return,' he added. 'Thank you all so much again.'

A later update from the family confirmed that a missing persons report had been filed with the Department of Public Safety with the Austin Police Department leading the investigation.

However, the family said they had no further leads beyond the car going through a reader in Colorado on Friday evening as both Brenna and Guidry's phones have been switched off.

An update from the family confirmed that a missing persons report had been filed with the Department of Public Safety with the Austin Police Department

'Again, her boyfriend is in trouble with law from when he assaulted her last month and we don't know if she went with him willingly, was talked into running away with him, or what. I still feel she would never abandon her 3 children or just take off without explanation. So until we can prove otherwise, we feel she is in danger,' Sarah wrote in a joint Facebook post from family members.

Left desperate without any encouraging leads, they continued to urge the public, especially those located in Colorado, to keep coming forward with tips

'We SO appreciate all the leads and the offers of help from people in Colorado,' the family said.

'But we have no idea where in Colorado they are, or if they are even still there. PLEASE keep the tips coming of any sightings or information.'

Swindell issued another plea later Monday morning, asking people in Idaho to be on the lookout, which suggests that there is belief Brenna could also be there.

Brenna, a hair stylist at a salon in Austin, last posted on Facebook on August 13.

Swindell, a Houston native, is a Texas Longhorn legend, and former Astros player.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 1986 MLB draft made his Big League debut just weeks after the Cleveland Guardians selected him.

A one-time All-Star, Swindell logged a 3.86 ERA in his career, pitching for several teams, including the Guardians, Reds, Astros, Twins, Red Sox and Diamondbacks.
A baby-faced teen has been unmasked as the gunman who took the lives of three young men in Indiana in 2021.

Caden Smith, now 19, was convicted in the shooting deaths of Michael James Jr, 22, Joseph Thomas, 18 and Abdullah Mubark, 17, on Monday, according to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.

On October 12, 2021, an off-duty police officer discovered their bodies and several fired shell casings in a wooded area near South Meridian Street and West Hanna Avenue - sparking concerns of a serial killer in Indianapolis.

The prosecutor's officer identified Smith, then 16, as the killer after learning he took the boys to the field that night 'to show them how Glock switch works,' and discovering communication he had with the victims.

'It was a long and challenging road for these families, but thanks to the steadfast commitment of the investigators, deputy prosecutors, and the multitude of agencies, justice has been secured for Abdullah, Joseph, Michael, and their families,' Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.

Caden Smith (pictured), now 19, was convicted in the shooting deaths of Michael James Jr, 22, Joseph Thomas, 18 and Abdullah Mubark, 17, on Monday

Smith murdered Michael James Jr, 22 (left), Joseph Thomas, 18 (right) and Abdullah Mubark, 17 (not pictured)

In 2022, a judge said detectives violated Smith's Fourth Amendment right after executing a search warrant. Key evidence was then thrown out in the case, while Mmith was released with a GPS ankle monitor and was restricted from leaving the state.

After he was initially set free, James' mother, Gladys Larsen, explained her anger with the justice system.

'We did not want Caden Smith released, because once again, we are back here having another conversation about this kid and his crimes,' Larsen told WTHR.

It wasn't long before police found that Smith violated his release order after finding Snapchat images of him posing with guns and doing drugs.

He was arrested on his 18th birthday at his home, where police say they found guns, drugs and ammunition.

Smith was charged with dealing marijuana, visiting a common nuisance, invasion of privacy and violating his pretrial release conditions.

After being set free in 2022 with an GPS ankle monitor on him, detectives soon uncovered Snapchat images of him holding a gun in his hand and smoking marijuana

Smith is seen smoking a blunt in another image

At the time, the murderer's attorney, David Hennessy, argued that the guns weren't in his clients possession.

'They have to prove he possessed it, not that he was just in some house where there happened to be guns that were not out in the open,' Hennessey told WTHR.

When asked about the Snapchat photos of Smith smoking and holding up a gun Hennessey didn't seem as confident.

'Yeah, I'm gonna have to have a young person walk me through Snapchat,' he said before walking away.

Smith has been charged with three counts of murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of robbery resulting in a serious bodily injury, one count of dangerous possession of a machine gun, one misdemeanor count of dangerous possession of a firearm, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana and one ne misdemeanor count of resisting law enforcement.

'Abdullahs, Josephs, and Michaels families will never be able to see them grow up and live their lives.

Smith is expected to 'spend the rest of his life in prison.' A court date had not yet been scheduled for him

'This verdict solidifies that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed,' Mears said at the time.

A court date for Smith's sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

In March, a gunman filmed himself opening fire in a Kroger supermarket in Fort Wayne, Indiana after hunting around the store for 'someone good' - and failing to hit them.

Richard Klaff, 20, recorded the shooting on Facebook Live as he prepared for and carried out the attack at the store.

He began about 6.15pm on May 23 by lighting up a cigar in a bathroom upstairs from the Georgetown Kroger, claiming 'I'm gonna shoot 11 people... watch.'

Klaff cocked the pistol several times before heading downstairs and wandering around the supermarket looking for the right target.

'Which one am I gonna choose? Let me find someone good real quick, I ain't gonna kill no old-a** man,' he said.

Klaff eventually spotted a black woman at what appeared to be a deli or bakery counter, and marked her for death.

'Oh yeah, I see one, I see one,' he said, then fired six rounds at her, all of which missed and no one was injured.

His chosen target raised fears that the shooting was racially motivated, but it was not clear whether this was the case, or if she was the first black shopper he saw.

The gunman fled the store after firing as the video ended. He was arrested in another store nearby soon after the shooting.

He was charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and locked up in the Allen County Jail.
Music fans have mocked Catfish and the Bottlemen by claiming that their 'ambitious' 2025 arena tour will be overshadowed by the return of Oasis.

After weeks of growing speculation, Noel and Liam Gallagher finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they would be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy with all tickets to the shows in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin and Manchester set to sell out in minutes on Saturday morning.

And whilst this is good news for the music industry, it could spell bad news for the Bottlemen who also announced an arena tour this month which some fans now believe will sell 'negative tickets.'

The band, whose most famous song Cocoon was released 10 years ago, recently played Reading and Leeds festival as part of their comeback trail, which will culminate with a new album and a string of dates at arenas next year.

Catfish are set to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 3 next summer, but the show now coincides with one of Oasis' comeback gigs, just 12 miles away at Wembley.

Even before the Gallaghers' announcement, tickets were not exactly flying off the shelves for the Catfish show.

Music fans have mocked Welsh band Catfish and the Bottlemen by claiming that their 'ambitious' 2025 arena tour will be overshadowed by the return of Oasis

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, Noel and Liam Gallagher finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig

The iconic Britpop band will be performing at Wembley Stadium on August 3 (pictured) in London as part of their tour

However, Catfish will play the Tottenham Hottspur stadium on the same day and sales are less than encouraging

At the time of writing prospective Catfish fans will not have to worry about securing a 64.35 ticket as basically the entire stadium has capacity

Many music fans have begun to mock Catfish's bad fortune on social media

At the time of writing prospective Catfish fans will not have to worry about securing a 64.35 ticket as basically the entire stadium has capacity.

Mocking the band on social media, one fan wrote: 'Catfish at Tottenham on the same date as Oasis at Wembley. Might be the first gig ever to sell a negative amount of tickets.'

Another joked: 'Catfish and the bottlemen finding out their already very ambitious stadium date in London is on the same day as a newly reformed Oasis playing Wembley' - accompanied by a picture of a solemn looking Jose mourinho.

By contrast, demand for Oasis tickets is already stratospheric despite tickets not being on sale until the weekend.

Upon hearing the news, fans have taken to X to express their desperation for tickets, with some claiming they would 'sell their house' in order to be at one of the shows.

Upon hearing the news, fans have taken to X to express their desperation for tickets, with some claiming they would 'sell their house' in order to be at one of the shows

Another fan who has gone wild after hearing the news that Oasis were reforming

The iconic Britpop band have announced dates in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer

One fan said: 'Don't think I've been as stressed about anything in my life. A part of me will die if I don't get a ticket. My dad told me to get a grip and that it isn't the 'second coming' but f**** me, it is. Means everything.'

Another said: 'How has this actually happened, lost for words.', while one simply posted: 'Time to sell the house.'

The 14-concert tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour today, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

Following the announcement, fans were seen going into a meltdown, with many posting that it was 'the best day ever'.

Music-lovers are now preparing 'to go to war' over tickets, with many preparing to pay eye-watering sums to watch one of Britain's biggest ever bands next summer.

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy. Tickets for the UK dates will go on sale from 9am on August 31, while Dublin tickets will be available for fans from 8am on the same day.

Noel Gallagher and Liam Galllagher attend the Oasis photocall in Wembley Stadium to promote their new album 'Dig out Your Soul' released on October 6, and their two sold out concerts at Wembley Arena, on October 16, 2008

Fans have been sent into a meltdown after Oasis ended speculation by confirming their reunion

Excitement over a possible Oasis reunion had reached fever pitch this morning

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live onstage in 2001

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

Oasis Live 25: Full tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 11th - Manchester, Heaton Park 12th - Manchester, Heaton Park 19th - Manchester, Heaton Park 20th - Manchester, Heaton Park 25th - London, Wembley Stadium 26th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium 3rd - London, Wembley Stadium 8th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 9th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 16th - Dublin, Croke Park 17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Their last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009. Days later, they cancelled the headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following the argument.

Noel explained at the time: 'It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.

But after Noel's 20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band back together.

Reunion rumours have also intensified recently amid the apparent thawing in the feud between the pair.

According to The Sun, the pair reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows .

Staff present even reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements in a bid to keep it under wraps.

In expectation of the official announcement of the reunion tour, Spotify said Oasis streams increased more than 160% globally between Monday and the previous week.

'The increase in streams was continuing to grow throughout yesterday,' the music platform added.

Abbey Road Studios, the famous London recording studio where Oasis recorded multiple songs, described the band's reunion as 'history'.

The studio posted that single word as it joined tens of thousands who commented beneath the band's announcement on Instagram, where BBC Radio 2 also commented: 'They're back!'

Alan McGee, the music executive who signed Oasis to his label Creation Records in 1993, posted to the platform: 'Good for music. Good for them. Good for us.'

Oasis have teased fans with this post in which they said an announcement was coming on 27 August at 8am

There was a report in The Sunday Times at the weekend that Oasis would tour following the Gallaghers seeming to thaw their acrimonious split.

During a show in Cardiff, Liam made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his 'little brother', saying he was 'still playing hard to get'.

The 51-year-old songwriter also played Oasis hits during his headline performance at Leeds Festival on Friday night - where he teased the 8am announcement.

Noel, who fronts the group Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, recently paid Liam a string of compliments in an interview released last week with music journalist John Robb at Manchester's Sifters Records in honour of the album's 30th anniversary.

He also jokingly compared Liam's voice to '10 shots of tequila on a Friday night' and his own as 'half-a-Guinness on a Tuesday'.

In 2021, the documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996 was released to celebrate the band playing two concerts at Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire, a year after the release of their 1995 album What's The Story (Morning Glory).

The two August 10 and 11 performances saw the band play in front of 250,000 music fans.

Known for the hits, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger and Stop Crying Your Heart Out, the band was formed in 1991.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out this week, but if you were part of the summer COVID-19 surge, experts say you may want to hold off on booking your shot. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle

Schools back in session and the pumpkin spice lattes are flowing. You know what that means: Time to get another COVID shot.

The FDA approved new formulations for this falls vaccine last week, and they are already starting to roll out in the Bay Area. The updated shots are tailored to target the so-called FLiRT variants that have dominated the U.S. in recent months: Summer may be ending, but the summer surge is still going strong.

Lots of people have had it and theyre going to carry on getting it, said Paula Cannon, a virology professor at USC Keck School of Medicine. I dont think weve peaked quite yet in California.

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COVID-19 wastewater levels have been very high in California for some time, according to CDC data, prompting Bay Area health officials to recommend masking again.

In the four years since the pandemic began, a pattern has emerged: a summer wave and then a bigger winter wave. In the last two years, California has had a lull in summer cases. That hasnt happened this year. Students back in classrooms without masks are creating fresh opportunities for the ultra-contagious variants to spread.

Vaccine uptake also has diminished over time. About 85% of Americans had received the COVID vaccine as of December 2021, the first year the vaccines were available to the general public. But as of May 2024, only 22.5% of American adults had received the most recent shot.

When should you get vaccinated if youve recently had a COVID infection?

If you were part of the summer surge, you may want to hold off on booking your updated shot. The CDCs official recommendation is that if you have had COVID in the past three months, you may consider delaying your next shot by three months.

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The CDCs website doesnt offer any details about what precisely that means. Cannon said the three-month figure should be considered a rough estimate, not a hard and fast rule.

I would say three months after you have passed the acute phase, she said. I would start the clock maybe a week after I first got it.

You dont need to get a new shot if you just had COVID because your body is still recovering from the previous infection and circulating the protective antibodies it developed to fight back.

Updated COVID-19 vaccine shots tailored to target the so-called FLiRT variants are rolling out this week. Peter DaSilva

Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the co-director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said to think of it like a bell curve: Your immunity increases for a period of time and then begins to diminish again. You want to get your new vaccine in that sweet spot between when you last got sick and when youre vulnerable again. That precise moment in time varies from person to person, but he said three months from infection is a reasonable average.

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If its been more than two months and you think you have risk factors and youre going to be exposed to a lot of COVID, then yeah, you probably could still get the vaccine, he said. Any less time than that, he said, you should definitely wait.

You might also consider timing your next vaccine around your travel plans. Cannon said vaccine-derived immunity peaks about two weeks after you get the shot. She had COVID in July and is planning international travel around the winter holidays, so she said shes holding off on her next vaccine until early December.

I would wait at least three months after an infection to get a new vaccine booster, she said. But I would also be comfortable waiting up to six months.

Who should get the new COVID-19 vaccine now?

If you didnt have COVID this summer, you should go ahead and get the vaccination. Anyone age 6 months and older who has not had COVID in the past three months and not had a COVID vaccine in the past six months is eligible.

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Even if this surge starts to go down  which it hasnt yet  but even if it starts to go down, another ones on its way, Hotez said. You want to be protected.

How to get the updated COVID vaccine

Check with your health care provider or your regular pharmacys website. Among the big drugstore chains, Walgreens and CVS are already scheduling appointments, with the former starting Sept. 6 and the latter starting this Wednesday (bonus: you get a $5-off-$20 CVS store coupon when you get vaccinated).

Youll be in good company: Hotez said hell be rolling up his sleeve bright and early Wednesday morning.
CBS News legend Phil Jones has died at the age of 87.

Jones died over the weekend at his Florida home, according to CBS News, where he worked as a correspondent for more than 30 years.

The former 48 Hours correspondent is survived by his son, Paul, and daughter, Pam.

Jones joined CBS News in 1969, under the reign of Walter Cronkite - and was considered one of 'Cronkite's Kids.'

He went on to win an Emmy for huis coverage of the Vietnam war.

CBS News legend Phil Jones has died at the age of 87, according to his family

Jones joined CBS News in 1969, under the reign of Walter Cronkite - and was considered one of 'Cronkite's Kids'

Jones also covered the Watergate scandal and was a White House correspondent during the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton.

During his time on 48 hours, he famously rode a mule through Burma as he pursued a drug kingpin.

Jones retired back ibn 2001 after 32 years at the network.

Many in the journalism industry have taken a moment to honor Jones' legacy.

Face the Nation honored him on Sunday for his 'legendary and tenacious political reporting.'

During his time on 48 hours, he famously rode a mule through Burma as he pursued a drug kingpin

Jones also covered the Watergate scandal and was a White House correspondent during the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton

KFAN Radio's Mark Rosen said: 'Phil Jones changed my life forever with one phone call allowing me to walk through the doors of WCCO TV when I was 17.

'He was our neighbor across the street in St. Louis Park and one of the most tenacious reporters in CBS news history. RIP!'

CBS News editor Kerry Cipriano added: 'R.I.P. Phil Jones, a CBS News legend, covering the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Gerald Ford White House, Capitol Hill and so much more. It was a privilege to know him.'
Oasis fans marked the band's reunion today by descending on a record shop immortalised in their hit, Shakermaker.

Sifters Records in Didsbury, Manchester, was where the Gallagher brothers first started buying music as youngsters.

It is referenced in the Definitely Maybe track in the line written by Noel which goes: 'Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just 16, now he stops at traffic lights but only when they're green.'

Superfans pitched up this morning to take in the small piece of music history as the famous brothers unveiled a mammoth run of stadium tour dates next year after a 15 year hiatus, including four dates each in Manchester and London.

Sports writer Razz Ashraf, 29, drove down to the store before work and said the reunion was a 'monumental moment'.

Oasis superfans like Razz Ashraf (pictured), 29, marked the band's reunion by descending on Sifters Records in Didsbury, Manchester - where brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher bought records as children

Emily McShane posed with the Oasis mural round the corner from the shop this morning

Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher today unveiled a mammoth run of stadium tour dates next year after a 15 year hiatus

Speaking outside the store, he said: 'I've just been blasting [Oasis songs] Shakermaker and Columbia, I am buzzing.

'I set my alarm for 7.30 this morning, I woke up and I felt pure excitement and ecstasy. It's an amazing feeling. They've reunited after 15 years.

'I've come down to Sifters, that's where it all started, that's the record shop where they bought their records before they formed the band.

'The owner was the one who educated them on music and there's a big mural on the side. I wanted to feel the energy of where it all started.

'I've been to the shop a few times but never seen this mural actually, it's stunning.'

The line about Sifters was supposedly born out of a frustrating taxi ride between the Gallagher brothers, as Liam begged Noel to hurry up and finish writing the song.

The cab stopped outside the shop on Fog Lane, named after how one 'sifts' through records and run by Peter Howard from 1977, so Noel penned the lyric.

Sifters Records became so famous that owner Mr Howard told Manchester Evening News that he has been asked to sign autographs as 'Mr Sifter'.

The Gallaghers - who shared a famously volatile relationship - broke up Oasis for good in 2009 after a row backstage on tour.

A public war of words broke out over the ensuing years and the pair were believed to have never been in the same room since.

The duo - who shared a famously volatile relationship - broke up the band for good in 2009 after a row backstage on tour

Sifters was immortalised on Definitely Maybe's second track, Shakermaker, which includes the lyric: 'Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just 16 / Now he stops at traffic lights but only when they're green'

Razz said: 'I've come down to Sifters, that's where it all started, that's the record shop where they bought their records before they formed the band'

Sifters was so named named after how one 'sifts' through records and was run by Peter Howard from 1977

But talks are believed to have began in recent months and they secretly came together for a photoshoot to promote the gigs.

Razz added: 'It's not just the band to getting back together, it's beautiful that two brothers have reunited. Just to see them let bygones be bygones is amazing.

'I never got the chance to see them live first time round, I was too young.

'Parents and teachers would tell us about them as kids, but we never really took it in, we were too young.

'It's only as you get older, you do your research and you realise what they meant to Manchester, they put the city on the map musically on a global scale.

'For many Mancunians, they're the blueprint of what a Manc is. The swagger, the way they dress, the way they talk. It's a monumental moment, I'm so happy.

'They need to pack their bags and leave Hampstead Heath or wherever they live and come back home to Manchester.'

The band will hit the road next year with gigs which will take in Cardiff, Dublin, Manchester and London.

Razz said he was hoping to get his hands on tickets, adding: 'I want to go to all of them that I can. I'm definitely getting a ticket.'
An Aussie tradie has tragically died in a horror motorbike accident just a day before he was due to return to Australia for work.

Jayme Altieri, 41, from Western Australia, died after suffering catastrophic head trauma on his way back from dinner in Bohol, a province in the Philippines, on August 18.

It's understood he was wearing a helmet at the time.

His brother Scott told 7news.com.au that the tragedy was a massive shock and huge loss to the family.

Mr Altieri, a FIFO rope access boilermaker born in Rockingham, is one of seven siblings.

He has been remembered as having a 'cheeky smile, (drinking) lots of tequila and having a good time'.

Mr Altieri spent his life travelling through North America, Europe and Asia. He was also a thrillseeker who had gone skydiving hundreds of times.

'Whenever he had an idea in his head, you couldn't stop him,' his brother recalled.

Jayme Altieri (pictured) died overseas just a day before he was set to return to Australia

Mr Altieri (pictured), a FIFO rope access boilermaker born in Rockingham, is one of seven siblings

Mr Altieri's parents have flown to the Philippines to collect his remains.

A fundraiser has been launched to help Mr Altieri's family following the death.

'Hey guys, sadly we have lost a friend to a tragic motorbike accident in the Philippines,' the GoFundMe page said.

'Let's pass the hat around to help Jayme's family in this tough time.'

A wake will be held at the Rockingham Naval Association on September 8.

Mr Altieri's brother has set up a Facebook page for people to share photos to remember his brother.

'This is a place for everyone to drop pictures, message or a story about Jayme,' he wrote.

'Nothing's off limits as we all know he wasn't. I'll go through them all and set it up so we can show them at his last big p*** up.'

Mr Altieri's death also sparked an outpouring of tributes from mates.

'Friends who had the privilege of knowing Jayme Altieri are still in shock of learning of his early demise. We will miss you, bro. Rest in peace,' one wrote.

Mr Altieri (pictured) was a thrillseeker who spent his life travelling through North America, Europe and Asia

Another said he would be missed by many people.

'Jayme was, like myself, very outgoing, and took every day like it was his last. Rest in piece, brother. You will be sadly missed by so many of us,' he wrote.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian man who died in the Philippines.

'We send our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time,' the department said in a statement.
Katie Price's ex-husband Alex Reid has accused her of 'living the high life' while her 'victims' are left unpaid.

The 49-year-old, who is owed over 250,000, turned up at the High Court and sat in the public gallery for the former glamour model's bankruptcy hearing.

But the case was adjourned so she can attend a 'private interview' after her lawyers warned a public examination of her finances would affect her 'mental wellbeing'.

Reid spoke to reporters following the decision and said: 'She is living the high life with victims seeing no reimbursement.

'How is she funding her legal team today. Time we asked these questions - what is she hiding?'

Katie Price's ex-husband Alex Reid has accused her of 'living the high life' while her 'victims' are left unpaid

The 49-year-old, who is owed over 250,000, turned up at the High Court and sat in the public gallery for the former glamour model's bankruptcy hearing. Pictured: Price and Reid in January 2011

But the case was adjourned so Price can attend a 'private interview' after her lawyers warned a public examination of her finances would affect her 'mental wellbeing'

She was previously arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt

Price appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses.

It came after she was arrested at Heathrow airport on August 8 over a failure to attend a hearing in relation to her enormous 760,000 debt.

She was accompanied to Court 15 of Rolls Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice, by her lawyer.

Bertie Beor-Roberts immediately asked Judge John Briggs to grant an adjournment and argued she should be allowed to have a private meeting with her creditors and the official receiver - which would keep details of her income and spending over the last five years from being aired in a court.

The lawyer referenced her mental health and said it would be made worse having to undergo a public examination in front of the media and giving evidence in person.

'Ms Price has long been subject to intense media scrutiny', he said.

He referred to her 'PTSD and ADHD' and told the court that 'these conditions would be exacerbated by a public examination of her personal affairs.'

'She's able to give more considered answers in the security of a private interview where she's not under pressure from the media.'

He also said she should be given more time by the court to deliver documents required by her creditors that reveal how she has run up a six figure tax bill and failed to pay any money to creditors from her failed companies.

Beor-Roberts argued that Price had complied with a previous court instruction to hand over documents.

He said her finances were complex and complicated and more time was needed for her to locate documents requested by her creditors.

The former model showed no emotion during the hearing and played with her long black hair as her counsel argued to have the hearing adjourned.

Price had been due to be quizzed by lawyers over her finances and why she has failed to pay her creditors and the taxman.

Price, who sat alongside her appropriate adult, Lynne Rickwood, was unaware Reid had walked into court 15 of the insolvency court dressed in a pink T-shirt and shorts.

He is one of her creditors and is owed over 250,000.

Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs listened to the arguments by Prices lawyer and noted there had been other delays.

My concern is that we have been here before, he said.

Price appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London this morning dressed in an all-black outfit and sunglasses

Price had been due to be quizzed by lawyers over her finances and why she has failed to pay her creditors and the taxman

She was accompanied by her lawyer Bertie Beor-Roberts (right) who asked for an adjournment during the proceedings

Price addressed the media as she walked into the court and said: 'You alright there guys'

Price, dressed all in black, took off her large black sunglasses after she entered the building

Derragh O'Connell, for the trustees, accepted the idea of a private interview but said that 'late developments have been the consistent theme' across the bankruptcy hearings.

He continued: 'We need progress in relation to this matter as quickly as possible.'

O'Connell told the judge that there 'has been engagement from Ms Price' since her arrest but asked for the private interview to 'take place on very firm grounds.'

Judge Briggs granted the adjournment and asked Price whether she would give an undertaking to the court that she would attend the private interview on September 24.

Price replied: 'I do.'

The public examination hearing dealing with her bankruptcies was scheduled for February 11, next year.

As she left the courtroom, she said 'I hope you reporters write a good story today, won't you, all the bulls*** that you write, scumbags.'

Price was arrested upon her return to the UK from Turkey nearly three weeks ago and remanded in custody at a west London police station. She was then bailed a few hours later by an out-of-hours magistrate.

She arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice the next day where she turned up wearing a beige outfit and black head covering to conceal her injuries caused by a 10,000 facelift she had in Turkey.

Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Daniel Schaffer ordered the model to give an 'undertaking' to the court that she would attend a further hearing to face questions over her finances on August 27 at 10.30am.

Price confirmed that she understood she must attend and later said: 'I will move my diary for it.'

It led to Judge Schaffer discharging the arrest warrant issued against her on July 30 by a different judge after she failed to attend a previous hearing.

Price previously said she was 'not running from matters', but was 'away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries' during the court hearing.

In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Price wrote: 'I am aware that I am about to be detained at the airport which is obviously what the courts feel is necessary.

'I do hope of course for my son's sake who is with me that they will allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see.

'Whilst I understand the importance and severity of the matter I do feel like I am being treated like a criminal.'

Photographs from August 8 show the former model being taken away by police after landing at about 7.45pm with her son Harvey, 22, and boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, who was left to pick up her bags.

Reid spoke to reporters following the decision and said: 'She is living the high life with victims seeing no reimbursement

Katie Price arrested at Heathrow Airport after failing to appear in front of a judge on July 30

Price's son Harvey is helped by a Heathrow assistance worker after Price arrived at the airport

Members of the airport's assistance team were seen pushing Harvey in a wheelchair through a corridor in the terminal as he watched his mother being arrested.

Price, whose head was covered in bandages, was later seen sitting on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick and taking a few puffs of her vape.

The mother-of-five, who lives in Sussex, failed to appear in front of a judge on July 30 as a part her 760,000 bankruptcy court proceedings and instead flew to Turkey on holiday for her sixth facelift while staying at a 133-a-night five-star hotel.

Price was aware she would be detained at the airport but had asked police that they 'allow some dignity and protection' for Harvey, claiming it would be 'extremely disturbing for him to see'.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Price claimed she had been in Turkey filming a documentary.

She said on return from work, she would be 'detained at the airport' which is what the 'courts feel is necessary.'

Discussing her son Harvey, Price asked that authorities 'allow some dignity and protection for at least his sake as this will be extremely disturbing for him to see'.

While acknowledging the 'severity' of the matter, Price said she was being treated 'like a criminal' and declared the 'unfortunate financial circumstance' did not make her a 'criminal or bad person'.

Defiantly, Price said she was 'not embarrassed or ashamed' regarding the arrest.

She explained that her bankruptcy was due to 'serious mental health issues and breakdowns from PTSD'.

She added that she would be paying back debtors and hoped for 'Harvey's sake it's handled with care and compassion'.

Her statement came after she was ordered to pay 25,000 after being declared bankrupt twice.

Price seen exiting a police van following her arrest at Heathrow Airport

Price sat on the edge of a police van before applying lipstick

A judge at a previous hearing said Price risked arrest if she did not attend further court dates, adding evidence must be provided if she could not appear.

Issuing the arrest warrant, Judge Burton said she had 'failed to attend today's hearing' and had provided no explanation for her absence.

She said: 'It is in my judgment necessary that the court issue a warrant for Ms Price's arrest.

She continued: 'The reason for her absence today is irrelevant.'

Judge Burton said that an arrest warrant was not issued 'lightly' but that Price had offered only 'piecemeal co-operation' and failed to provide the 'most basic information' in relation to her bankruptcies.

Previously, Price was served an eviction notice that ordered her to leave her 'Mucky Mansion' by the end of May and has since moved into a 5,000 per month new Tudor-style property.

She was declared bankrupt for a second time in March over an unpaid tax bill of 761,994.05 after first being declared bankrupt in 2019.

However, at the end of July she claimed 'everything is sorted' with her second bankruptcy after being evicted from her Sussex home.

Katie Price, 46, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on August 9

Price's head covered in bandages and black tape after her facelift in Turkey

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Price with her knees up at court

Price flew to Turkey on July 29, sharing a snap of her on a plane just hours before her court hearing the day after.

It's believed Price - whose 2million home was recently repossessed - was joined on the jaunt by her friend Lou Anderson.

In Turkey, Price had her sixth facelift, which cost 10,000.

She is understood to have had the facelift at the Trio Clinic in Istanbul, with work being carried out on her eyes and under her chin.

Price also underwent another dental procedure, sharing pictures of her new veneers.

On Instagram, she posted snaps of her new dental work, wearing sunglasses with the name of the dental surgery 'Dentica' on.

Price was also seen in Istanbul with Harvey, revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks in a pair of oversized sunglasses, which did little to hide the bandages, staples and surgical tape around her face.

Katie Price pictured for the first time with a heavily bandaged and bruised face after having her sixth facelift in Turkey

Model and reality TV star Katie Price pictured with her son Harvey

Revealing her latest surgically enhanced looks, Price walked down the street with son Harvey, 22, in Istanbul

Taking on Instagram a few weeks ago, Price dismissed claims that she travelled to Turkey after being turned down by other cosmetic surgeons.

She said: 'I'm filming my new documentary. The reason I've chosen the Trio Clinic is because I've had friends who have had surgery there and in my opinion they are the best for what I want doing.

'I can't wait, they're amazing, and they're thorough here.'

She wrote: 'Whilst I'm aware of the severity of my current personal financial situation with my ongoing bankruptcy, I am today shocked that whilst away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries that I should find myself yet again headline news.

'The media in my opinion once again are trying to cause continued humiliation to myself and family. There are far greater and more pressing issues going on around the world that are more important and I'm sure most people are bored reading stories that are constantly misrepresented.

'I am continuing to cooperate with the relevant people on matters to the best of my ability which will be addressed after my return from work.

'Despite consistent stories trying to humiliate me on my personal misfortunes, I am neither embarrassed or ashamed. I own my situation and I am trying my best to work my out of it and put matters right.'

Price added that she was going through 'challenging times' and was doing 'the best I can' for the sake of her family.

She wrote: 'I have to continue in my work in order to satisfy these bankruptcy orders which is all I am trying to do right now. I am however not running from matters and will continue to take matters with great seriousness.

'I am doing the best I can to rectify things during extremely challenging times. Once again I would like to highlight there are far greater and more newsworthy stories.

'I will continue to work on my mental health disorders for the sake of myself and my family and do the best I can.'
Russia has blasted Macron and said its relationship with France is at its 'lowest level' following the arrest of Telegram boss Pavel Durov.

Durov, a Russian-born billionaire, was arrested in France over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the accusations by France against Durov were 'very serious', and warned they would be viewed in Russia as an attempt to restrict freedom of communication unless they were backed up with significant evidence.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added that the relationship between Russia and France is now at its 'lowest level', with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov casting doubt that Macron had no political motive in Telegram chief Durov's detention.

Russian troops have grown to rely on Telegram in their day-to-day operations, using the encrypted app for everything from the transfer of intelligence to course-correcting artillery attacks and guiding missile systems, according to observers.

But Durov's arrested sent shockwaves among Russian authorities and war propagandists who fear that the popular app will be compromised if Durov hands the encryption keys over to Western intelligence.

If Western intelligence gets a backdoor into Telegram 'it would be an absolute disaster' for Russia, Moscow propaganda expert Ivan Filippov said, summing up their thinking.

Pavel Durov's Instagram is full of pictures and videos of him flaunting his physique

Durov mostly shows himself wearing all-black clothing, like above in Venice

The tech tycoon founded Telegram in 2013, saying the absence of any secure form of communication in Russia gave rise to the idea

'They're terrified,' Filippov added, referring to influential pro-war bloggers with tens of thousands of followers.

'It's about management on the ground,' added Filippov, who runs a widely-followed Telegram channel.

The arrest of Durov has drawn global attention to the importance of Telegram for Russian troops and propagandists.

Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram, which has over 900 million active users, has emerged as a crucial platform used by pro-war bloggers to justify Moscow's invasion and sow disinformation in Ukraine and the West.

A self-proclaimed libertarian, Durov has championed confidentiality on the Internet.

Moscow tried to block Telegram in 2018, but abandoned those efforts two years later after fining the company several times for failing to delete what it deemed illegal content.

Pro-war blogger Andrei Medvedev said Telegram had emerged as the 'main messenger' of Russia's invasion against Ukraine. 'This is an alternative to classified military communications,' Medvedev said.

Mykhailo Samus, director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, a Kyiv-based think tank, said that while Russia has command and control systems, 'they are not efficient on the battlefield'.

'The Russian army is stuck in the past,' Samus added.

He pointed out that the Ukrainian army has successfully relied on Delta, a battlespace management system developed by Ukrainians in collaboration with NATO.

Delta has earned high praise from the Western military bloc, which called the system 'ground-breaking.'

While military observers do not expect Durov's arrest to have any immediate impact on Russia's war in Ukraine, it might spur the development of alternative encrypted communications systems in Russia.

Durov has dual French and Emirati citizenship and had been living in Dubai before his arrest

His last video before his arrest shows him driving freely in Azerbaijan shortly before leaving for Paris

Russian-born billionaire entrepreneur and Telegram messenger founder Pavel Durov, 39 (marked) pictured in Kazakhstan days before he was detained in France

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov delivers a speech at a conference in 2016

Alexei Rogozin, head of the Centre for the Development of Transportation Technologies, said many joked that Durov's arrest was tantamount to 'the arrest of the chief of communications for the Russian armed forces - this is how troop battlefield management depends on Telegram today.'

'Intelligence transfer, artillery course-correction, video streaming from copters and many other things are indeed often carried out with the help of Telegram,' said Rogozin, the son of the controversial former Russian space agency chief, Dmitry Rogozin.

Medvedev said it was now 'vital' for the Russian army to create a proper military messenger as 'it is difficult to predict how long Telegram will remain the way we know it' or 'remain at all'.

The Free Russia Forum, co-founded by Kremlin critic and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, said Durov - 'willingly or unwillingly' - has allowed Telegram to become a 'weapon of war.'

'No matter how Durov's French saga ends, we hope that Telegram will stop being a tool of Putin's war.'

The team and supporters of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny also actively use Telegram, and Durov's detention has split the anti-Kremlin opposition.

Many Kremlin critics called France's actions an assault on the freedom of speech, while others said Telegram should become more responsible.

Bulgarian journalist Christo Grozev, who has investigated Russian intelligence services and was close to Navalny, said Russian domestic security service FSB and the GRU military intelligence have used Telegram to recruit saboteurs and plot 'terrorist acts'.

'I believe that France has no right to treat him any differently than anyone who runs a marketplace selling drugs and child porn, and refuses to remove such services,' Grozev said, referring to Durov.

'And this has nothing to do with the freedom of expression or protection of user rights,' added Grozev.

Pavel Durov's Instagram is full of pictures and videos of him flaunting his physique

A very different-looking Durov seen in his 20s. He set up VK, dubbed the 'Facebook of Russia', when he left university at 21

Dubai-based streamer Yulia - or Juli - Vavilova (pictured above), 24, appears to have vanished since arriving in Paris with Durov when he was detained on the steps of his Embraer Legacy 600 private jet

In Kyrgyzstan, Durov is said to have whisked her to the mountains in an eight-seater helicopter, while insisting on confidentiality over his presence in the country

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Russia was ready to provide Durov with all necessary assistance given his Russian citizenship, but he said Durov's French citizenship complicated the situation.

'The charges are very serious indeed,' said Peskov, warning Paris against trying to intimidate Durov. 'They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication.'

Peskov said Durov's case could be seen as intimidation of the head of a large company and cast doubt on an assertion by French President Emmanuel Macron that there was no political motive in Durov's detention.

France issued an arrest warrant for Durov in a preliminary investigation into alleged offences including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and promotion of terrorism and arrested him at Le Bourget airport on Saturday.

A French investigative judge then extended police custody for Durov on Monday evening for up to 48 hours, the Paris prosecutor's office said.

After that, authorities must release or charge him, the prosecutor's office said in an earlier statement.

Durov also holds a UAE passport. In its press information, Telegram says its founder has 'dual citizenship of the United Arab Emirates and France'.

The UAE said today that it had requested consular services for Durov after the Dubai-based tech boss was arrested.

'The UAE is closely following the case of its citizen Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, who was arrested by the French authorities in Paris-Le Bourget Airport,' the Gulf state's foreign ministry said in a statement.

'The UAE has submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to provide him with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner,' it added.
Just 100 places are left in men's jails, according to reports - marking the closest the prison service has come to running out of space.

Britain's already crowded prison system has come under even more pressure in recent weeks following the jailing of far-right thugs involved in race riots earlier this month.

A surge of arrests over the Bank Holiday weekend, including 330 at the Notting Hill Carnival in West London, has further worsened the situation.

The Ministry of Justice has already activated Operation Early Dawn, which allows defendants to be held in police cells and not summoned to magistrates' court until a space in prison is available.

The next step, which has never been used, would be to activate an emergency plan known as Operation Brinker, which would require forces to hold suspects even longer before they reach court - potentially overnight and even beyond 24 hours.

A man is led away in handcuffs by two officers at the Notting Hill Carnival in West London yesterday

Britain's already crowded prison system has come under even more pressure in recent weeks

But sources suggested MoJ officials are confident they can manage without activating the unprecedented measures, according to the Telegraph - which reported the claim that only 100 male prison spaces remain available.

MailOnline contacted the MOJ for comment.

It comes as Keir Starmer revealed ministers had to check 'every day' that there was space to jail race rioters after the Southport tragedy amid a crisis in UK prisons.

The Prime Minister said he had questioned whether the legal system could handle the fallout from the lawlessness that followed the attack in Merseyside that left three children dead.

Sir Keir said that as a former director of public prosecutions he had not wanted to trigger the early release of other prisoners to free up space.

But he suggested he had needed to make an example of those involved in violence and criminal damage in the days after the stabbings.

After a speech in Downing Street this morning he said that in 2011, when he was DPP, he did not doubt that the courts could respond to the riots, but 'this time, to be honest with you, I genuinely didn't know'.

'Every day of that disorder, literally every day, we had to check the precise number of prison places and where those places were to make sure we could arrest, charge and prosecute people quickly,' he said.

'Not having enough prison places is about as fundamental a failure as you can get and those people throwing rocks, torching cars, making threats, they didn't just know the system was broken, they were betting on it, gaming it. They thought ''Ah, they'll never arrest me and if they do, I won't be prosecuted, and if I am, I won't get much of a sentence''.

Dozens of far-right thugs have been jailed following riots earlier this month

'They saw the cracks in our society after 14 years of failure and they exploited them. That's what we've inherited. Not just an economic black hole, a societal black hole and that's why we have to take action and do things differently.'

Earlier this month ministers activated 'Operation Early Dawn' as they triggered emergency measures to avoid prison overcrowding as more rioters were sentenced.

The long-standing plan, described as a 'one in, one out' policy, was implemented in the North of England in the wake of the recent widespread disorder across towns and cities.

It allows defendants to be held in police cells and not summoned to magistrates' court until a space in prison is available.

In the aftermath of riots that broke out after the Southport stabbing attack on 29 July, hundreds of people appeared in magistrates' courts in relation to the chaos.

Sir Keir told reporters today: 'I didn't want to release prisoners early, I was chief prosecutor for five years, it goes against the grain of everything I've ever done, but to be blunt, if we hadn't taken that difficult decision immediately, we wouldn't have been able to respond to the riots as we did.

The Prime Minister said he had questioned whether the legal system could handle the fallout from the lawlessness that followed a stabbing on Merseyside that left three children dead.

The Prime Minister drew parallels between the clean-up of the riots, and the work his Government is proposing to improve the country.

Sir Keir Starmer said: 'We can get through this together, because the riots didn't just betray the sickness, they also revealed the cure, found not in the cynical conflict of populism, but in the coming together of a country.

'The people who got together the morning after, all around the country, with their brooms, their shovels, their trowels and cleared up their community, they reminded us who we really are. I felt real pride in those people who cleaned up our streets, rebuilt the walls, repaired the damage.

'And I couldn't help thinking about the obvious parallels, because imagine the pride we will feel as a nation when after the hard work of clearing up the mess is done, we have a country that we have built together, built to last, that belongs to every single one of us, and all of us have a stake in it.

'Our hard work rewarded a dozen times over, because we'll have an economy that works for everyone, an NHS not just back on its feet, but fit for the future, streets that everyone feels safe in, no longer dependent on foreign dictators, because we're producing our own clean energy right here and giving every child, wherever they come from, whatever their background, the chance to go as far as their talents will take them.'
America's supply of accountants is diminishing because Gen-Z are put off by the grueling training, shabby pay and long hours.

As older Certified Public Accountant (CPA) retire and fewer young people enter the profession, a recent Bloomberg analysis found that there are 340,000 fewer accountants than there were five years ago.

Fewer students are completing degrees in the field and the number of people taking the CPA exam fell by 50 percent between 1990 and 2021, according to the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Experts say the industry is nearing extinction because the 150-hour college credit rule, the intense entry exam and long work hours for minimal pay are unappealing to the younger generation.

'It's hard to put lipstick on a pig. The truth is there's not a lot of glamor in accounting,' Richard Rampell, retired CPA, told Business Insider.

There are 340,000 fewer accountants than there were five years ago because older accountants are retiring and not enough young people are entering the field

'The pay is crappy, the hours are long, and the work is drudgery, and the drudgery is especially so in their early years.'

Approximately 65,000 students in the U.S. completed bachelor's or master's degrees in accounting in the 2021-22 school year, 18 percent fewer than a decade earlier, according to The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Members of Gen-Z said they are disinterested in the field because it is perceived as boring and has extensive requirements.

CPA candidates are also required to take 150 credit hours in college, then take the CPA exam which consists of four four-hour long tests that all must be passed within 18 months.

'I think there was a greater appeal to the industry in a previous era, when certainty and maintaining a job at one place for your entire career was seen as the ultimate goal,' said 23-year-old CPA candidate Bryan. 'Now it's not.'

Those who do pursue a degree in finance are opting to take other career paths because the entry level pay for a CPA is lower compared to others.

The industry is diminishing because the 150-hour college credit rule, the intense entry exam and long work hours for minimal pay are unappealing

The median salary for an entry level accountant is $71,000, according to Glassdoor. By contrast, the median pay for entry-level management consulting is $97,000 and financial analyst roles is $95,000.

'If I were entering now into the profession, I don't think I would've gone into accounting,' accounting professor at Hofstra University Ralph Polimeni said.

With less people entering the field, accountants are becoming overworked and it is leading to mistakes in their work.

More than 700 companies cited insufficient staff in accounting and other departments as a reason for potential errors in their quarterly earnings statements, reported Bloomberg.
A British tourist has starkly warned others not to wear flip-flops on motorbikes, after a pothole crash left her bones exposed and with a gruesome infection.

Angel Willows, 28, was riding a moped in Bali, Indonesia, with her cousin when they crashed after hitting a pothole.

They hit the concrete road below and Angel a personal trainer, originally from Guildford, Surrey, was left with the combined weight of the scooter and her cousin on top of her. The metal bike stand had pierced her left foot, leaving her with a deep wound, as she had been wearing flip-flops.

In agony, the British tourist was rushed to a nearby hospital but claims her cousin - who is a nurse - had to inform hospital staff the wound needed washing before being stitched up. On top of this, Angel said her stitches weren't done properly, leaving her left foot still bleeding, before it turned a sickly yellow colour.

She said: 'I was in shock, I thought I just needed a plaster initially. We went to the closest emergency place and they gave me stitches. It was a bad job. My cousin is a nurse and she was having to give them instructions.'

After getting it redressed by a chemist, Angel and her cousin flew to Sydney, Australia, where they still had several days left on their visa, to get it checked out by better-qualified doctors.

Angel Willows, 28, (pictured) was riding a moped in Bali, Indonesia, with her cousin when they crashed after hitting a pothole

The bike's kickstand pierced her left leg (pictured)

She needed to undergo several rounds of surgery, and months of rehabilitative work

There, doctors said her foot was badly infected and that she was at risk of losing it.

'To be honest I didn't realise how bad it was until I got to Australia. I just thought I'd be in and out with more stitches but it was much worse than I originally thought', she said.

'It was scary when they said I could have lost my foot because of how bad the infection was. They said it was really badly infected.'

'It just didn't stop bleeding after they stitched it up - I had to have my foot just over a bucket whilst it filled up with blood. It was turning a horrible colour.'

After arriving back in Australia - where they'd been travelling for 10 months before - the severity of Angel's injuries began to set in.

She underwent a first washout surgery on the day she arrived at the hospital while doctors assessed her options.

Australian doctors had to graft skin and flesh to her left foot

They took flesh and skin from her groin area

She said: 'They said I was lucky that I got there when I did.

'I had a wound washout surgery the first day I got there - I think I still had grit in the wound.'

Over the coming days, Angel had two further washout surgeries but her skin failed to heal and improve.

Doctors made the decision to perform skin flap surgery on her foot - taking a part of skin from her groin to replace the skin on her foot.

She said: 'So they did the washout three times but as the skin kept dying they told me they'd need to take a chunk from my leg to replace it.

'They prepared me and said I'd have to look at the open wound and I had to stand under the shower with my bone exposed and wash it out before surgery.

Several years on, the only sign of her accident is the patch of skin on her foot

'I've got what kind of looks like a big birthmark on top of my foot now - it's just part of my story', she said

'It was painful and a bit of a shock but they were injecting me with morphine throughout.

'Then they marked out where they were going to take the skin from on my groin before putting me to sleep.

'After I woke up I needed a boot to learn to walk again, which took a couple of months.

'I've got what kind of looks like a big birthmark on top of my foot now - it's just part of my story.'

Though she has since been on a motorbike, she says she'll be staying well clear of the flip-flops.

She said: 'I've been super cautious when riding them now - always trainers.

'If I had trainers on I certainly don't think it would have been as bad.'
A nursery school worker has been warned she faces jail for making a hoax 999 call about a fictitious kayaking accident.

Clair Frost, 35, sparked a major search of Loch Tay in freezing conditions for an overturned kayak.

But emergency services personnel began to suspect the call was a hoax after a six-hour search turned up nothing.

Frost was eventually caught after the call was traced to a phone in a nappy-changing room at Killin Nursery School, Perthshire.

She denied sounding the false alarm from a landline at the nursery, but the callers distinctive, higher-pitched, childlike tones were identified as hers by two colleagues and a police officer who had all known her for years.

A Sheriff told Clair Frost that she 'cannot exclude the possibility of a custodial sentence'

Stirling Sheriff Court heard police, ambulance, a paramedic and fire fighters were sent to the scene after receiving the call on January 17 this year.

A helicopter was also scrambled, while police checked lay-bys near the loch for vehicles, as well as nearby hotels and campsites.

After deciding the call must have been a hoax, the call was traced back to the nursery.

Initially police thought a child at the facility - which caters for 0 to 5 year-olds and doesnt actually have a view of the loch at all - might have been responsible.

Village police constable Iona Frickleton even sat down with the children and asked if any of them had used the phone that day. One boy put up his hand and said he had.

PC Frickleton said: His parents attended and it was established he had been playing with a toy phone.

Giving evidence, PC Frickleton said she was then able to listen to a recording of the call, and was 100 per cent certain the voice was that of Frost, whom she had known for eight years.

A nappy changing log identified that Frost had been in the relevant room at the time the call was made, and after two other members of staff at the nursery also identified her voice, she was arrested.

At Falkirk Police Station, Frost conceded that her husband was a retained firefighter and had been called out as part of the search, but denied any financial difficulty, and denied he would have derived any financial benefit from the callout.

After police played the recording to her, Frost conceded, with tears in her eyes: It does sound like me, I cant say it doesnt. But its not me.

Frost, of Killin, a nursery worker for 15 years, denied making a false call to emergency services - a contravention of the 2005 Fire (Scotland) Act, but did not give evidence.

After a two-and-a-quarter hour summary trial, Sheriff Clair McLachlan told Frost she found all the Crown witnesses wholly credible and reliable and found Frost guilty.

Sheriff McLachlan said: Two civilian witnesses and a police officer who all have known you for years unequivocally identified you as the caller.

That evidence is supported by circumstantial evidence which places you in the nappy changing room at the relevant time.

Deferring sentence until October 2 for reports, she warned Frost: Notwithstanding that this is a first offence, it is a very serious one.

The rescue operation launched as a direct result of this false call was a huge waste of manpower and resources and potentially put the public at risk.

Its only fair to give you warning that for those reasons I cannot exclude the possibility of a custodial sentence.

Detective Constable Gavin Dingwall, who headed the police interview of Frost, said he was stumped as to why Frost had committed the offence.
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This video is no longer available

Ex-wife of Doug Emhoff slams Fox News host for outrageous comment on air

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff's ex-wife is coming to Vice President Kamala Harris' defense after controversial remarks about her by Fox News host Jesse Watters.

The 46-year-old TV personality drew widespread criticism after suggesting that generals 'would have their way' with Harris in the situation room if she were elected president.

'There are many things to worry about, but Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not one of them,' wrote Kerstin Emhoff in a post on X.

Emhoff has been a fierce defender of the vice president who has been married to her ex-husband since 2014 after his first marriage ended in 2009.

Kerstin Emhoff with ex-husband Doug Emhoff and daughter Ella. Doug Emhoff is married to Vice President Kamala Harris

DailyMail.com broke the news that Emhoff's first marriage ended when he got his children's nanny pregnant.

Watters made the outrageous statement while discussing the issue of foreign policy during his Monday appearance on The Five.

'What is her foreign policy?' the Fox host asked. 'This is where the commander in chief has the most impact. We don't know who she is. We don't know what she believes.'

'She's gonna get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her,' he continued.

Watters' own co-hosts appeared to be shocked by his crude suggestion.

'Jesse Watters,' co-host Judge Jeanine Pirro chided. 'I don't like that. Take it back.'

Doug Emhoff's ex-wife responds after Fox News host Jesse Watters made a controversial comment that generals will 'have their way with' the vice president if she is elected

'What is her foreign policy?' the Fox host asked of Harris

Watters, who also hosts Jesse Watters Primetime, shook his head.

'Figuratively,' he quickly added.

'Have their way with her! Control her,' the Fox host continued. 'Not in a sexual way,' Watters said.

In the background, co-host Greg Gutfeld appeared to be laughing.

Watters attempted to brush off the awkward moment and return to the point he was attempting to make about Harris' foreign policy.

'Ukraine's actually now invading Russia and you're gonna have her as commander in chief?'

Despite Watters' attempt to move past the blunder, viewers were stunned with the Fox's host's choice of words.

Multiple users called for the Fox News host to be fired for it, calling his remark appalling, misogynistic, sexist, disgusting and repulsive.

Watters made the controversial remark while discussing the issue of foreign policy during Monday's edition of The Five

American journalist Yashar Ali posted a clip of the moment and wrote: 'Would Watters use this sexualized language when describing a straight man? He likely wouldn't!'

One person replied in the comments section: 'A classic misogynist. He was called out and you can see his smile. That wasn't said innocently. He meant it that way.'

Someone else wrote: 'Another day, another example of Jesse Watters' sexism and misogyny.'

Other viewers, however, protested that the host did not mean for his statement to come across as sexual.

'He said immediately afterwards he didn't mean it sexually,' one viewer said.

Watters attempted to brush off the awkward moment and return to his main point: Harris' unsophisticated foreign policy

'You watched it. So you know he said he didn't mean it sexually, so why are you going there?' another asked.

At Fox, Watters first became known through his work on The O'Reilly Factor, where he was featured in a recurring segment called Watters' World.

In 2023, after Fox fired Tucker Carlson from the network, they hand-picked the rising star to fill the coveted 8pm slot.

In late July, Watters raised eyebrows after he said that women who vote for Kamala Harris have 'mommy issues' and men who vote for her will turn into a woman.

'Vote for a woman just because she's a woman?' he asked during an episode of The Five.

'It's either childish or that person has mommy issues or they're just trying to be accepted by other women.'

The Fox host went on to make a joke abut what happens to men who vote for women.

'I heard that scientists said the other day that when a man votes for a woman, he actually transitions into a woman,' Watters said.
Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardos thoroughness in understanding complex issues makes him the best candidate to represent the 16th Congressional District. Paul Kuroda/Special to the Chronicle 2020

If youre a fan of political drama, the March primary election for the U.S. House seat representing Silicon Valley gave you everything you could ask for.

Two contenders  state Assembly Member Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian  tied for second place with 30,249 votes in their bid to face off against former San Jose Mayor and frontrunner Sam Liccardo in the November general election for the 16th Congressional District seat.

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It was the first tie in a House race since California began using the top-two system in 2012. Initially, all three Democrats were set to advance to the general election.

Then Jonathan Padilla, a former Liccardo mayoral campaign staffer whod donated to Liccardos congressional campaign, requested a recount  and formed an independent expenditure committee to cover the $300,000 cost. Padilla said hed filed the request on behalf of Low  under state law, a voter must request a recount on behalf of a specific candidate  but emphasized that he was not coordinating or communicating with any candidate or campaign.

Low fervently denied any connection to the request. In fact, his campaign attempted to halt the recount, denouncing it as a page right out of Trumps political playbook. Ultimately, however, Low emerged victorious, eking out a five-vote win over Simitian.

The drama didnt end there. Two federal elections complaints were filed against Liccardo, alleging he concealed his ties to the committee that paid for the recount. Liccardo has maintained that he didnt request the recount and didnt communicate with Padilla or committee donors about it.

Ann Ravel, former chairperson of the Federal Elections Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, told the editorial board that Lows allies were weaponizing the federal election complaint process by submitting baseless allegations.

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There was nothing illegal about what (Liccardo) had done, Ravel said.

What should be more concerning to voters, Ravel said, is that state ethics investigators in 2020 opened a probe into Low after he stopped disclosing donors to a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Legislatures tech caucus, which he leads.

As juicy as this saga has been, it has obscured the fact that only one candidate in this race has the policy chops for Congress  and thats Liccardo.

In his endorsement interview with us, Liccardo displayed an impressive understanding of complex issues ranging from community solar projects role in greening Californias energy grid to federal funding limitations for mental health facilities. He delights in nitty-gritty details and data-driven research  as evidenced by a 53-page book he put together outlining potential solutions for his three policy priorities: homelessness, crime and the cost of living  and has a game plan for his time in Congress, including joining the Problem Solvers Caucus to advocate for bipartisan solutions.

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Low, on the other hand, spoke largely in platitudes and repeatedly noted that, if elected, he would be the first openly gay and Chinese American official to represent Northern California in Congress.

About Opinion The editorial positions of The Chronicle, including election recommendations, represent the consensus of the editorial board, consisting of the publisher, the editorial page editor and staff members of the opinion pages. Its judgments are made independent of the news operation, which covers the news without consideration of our editorial positions.

This would indeed be a milestone worth celebrating. But Lows lack of a concrete policy platform  paired with his incendiary rhetoric surrounding the recount  suggests that hes more interested in his political ascent than he is in pursuing meaningful policy.
Donald Trump vowed to release the remaining files on the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy if he is elected president for a second term.

The ex-president previously said he would declassify the documents, but was urged not to by one of his senior cabinet members, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

It now seems that Trump had a change of heart after an assassin made a failed attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, shot Trump's right ear. He was taken out by the Secret Service, but not before he killed a supporter and critically injured two others in the crowd that day.

Like the murder of Kennedy's uncle, conspiracy theories are on the rise claiming that Crooks did not act alone and may have been involved with a foreign entity like Iran or Pakistan.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says Donald trump didn't release JFK's assassination files when he was in office becuase then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged him not to

RFK Jr. revealed that Trump-era Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the one who persuaded Trump not to release the files.

The independent presidential candidate suspended his campaign in the 10 most competitive states and endorsed Trump last week, the Republican nominee pledged to make public all documents related to the 1963 assassination of Kennedy's uncle.

'I was astonished that Trump didn't declassify them because he promised it during the campaign,' Kennedy said during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

'I talked to President Trump for the first time about that this week,' he continued. 'He said that Mike Pompeo begged him... called him and said, this would be a catastrophe to release these.'

During the interview, the former Fox News host called Pompeo a 'criminal.'

Trump said at a Friday evening rally near Phoenix with the Democrat-turned-independent: 'This is a tribute in honor of Bobby,'

'I will establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts, and they will be tasked with releasing all of the remaining documents pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.'

The commission created to investigate JFK's death concluded that shooter Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone when he killed the president in Dallas, Texas.

Trump has vowed that he would release the files on JFK's assassination if he gets another term in the White House

During an interview with Tucker Carlson, RFK Jr. blamed Trump not making the files public on his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

But in the wake of JFK's assassination in 1963 and in the decades after his death, several documents were withheld from the public, which sparked conspiracy theories that are still circulating today.

Some question whether Oswald worked with foreign entities like Soviets or Cubans  or even conspired with U.S. CIA agents.

RFK Jr. said last year he thinks the CIA was involved in his uncle's murder.

And now, Rep. Mike Waltz raised doubts over whether Crooks acted alone in his attempt on Trump's life last month.

The Florida congressman told DailyMail.com that there's no way the FBI and Secret Service can confidently say the 20-year-old was a lone wolf when they still don't know his motive for going after the ex-president.

Waltz is on the House task force investigating the assassination attempt.

Fellow task force member Democratic Rep. Jason Crowe (Colo.) said during a press conference in Butler, Pennsylvania on Monday that there isn't enough evidence to suggest foreign entities were involved one way or the other.

Soon after Crooks shot Trump, it was revealed that Iran was also plotting an assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee.
A man wanted over the killing of a London bus driver was today charged with murder after officers arrested him at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Kamar Williams, 33, from the Isle of Dogs in east London, was wanted by detectives investigating the death of Derek Neil Thomas, 53.

Police were called at around 11pm on Tuesday, July 30 to reports of a man suffering a stab injury on Northwold Road in Stoke Newington.

Mr Thomas was reportedly attacked at 11.05pm on his way home from work at the Northumberland Park bus garage in Tottenham, where he worked for transport company Go-Ahead London.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kamar Williams, 33, (pictured) from the Isle of Dogs in east London, was wanted by detectives investigating the death of Derek Neil Thomas, 53

Mr Thomas' family has been informed and continues to be supported by specialist officers

Officers were called at around 11pm on Tuesday, July 30 to reports of a man suffering a stab injury on Northwold Road in Stoke Newington

Williams was arrested on Monday and charged with murder and possession of a knife today. He will appear in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

The Met released an appeal to find Williams on August 4, a day after a 30-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. She was later released on bail.

Mr Thomas' family has been informed and continues to be supported by specialist officers.

He has been remembered as a 'gentleman'
A nine-month-old baby has undergone surgery after a stranger poured a scalding hot drink on him.

The baby was with his family enjoying a picnic at Hanlon Park in Coorparoo in Brisbane's south when an unknown man approached the group at about midday on Tuesday.

The stranger poured a hot liquid believed to be coffee onto the baby before fleeing the scene.

The infant was rushed to the Queensland Children's Hospital with burns to his chest and face.

He underwent surgery on Tuesday night to determine how serious the burns were.

The baby was with his family enjoying a picnic at Hanlon Park in Coorparoo in Brisbane's south when an unknown man approached the group

His injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.

The baby's family told Nine News that they're traumatised and heartbroken. They also want the man responsible found.

Officers from the Child Protection and Investigation Unit have launched an investigation and are examining CCTV from the park.

The man remains on the run early Wednesday.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers.
A Russian rapist who was freed by the Kremlin from prison to take part in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine will serve another stint on the frontlines after he raped a 17-year-old at knifepoint.

Yakov Paramonov, 36, attacked a 17-year-old student, 17, at knifepoint near some garages in Saransk, western Russia.

A Russian court was told that after he attacked the girl, he made her urinate so he could 'wash himself' after the brutal assault. He was given a ten-year sentence at a penal colony after being convicted of 'rape and violent sexual acts against a minor'.

But he is expected to be pardoned again soon in exchange for another stint on the frontlines of Putin's invasion.

He spent several months in the Wagner Group, formerly led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, before losing his leg in battle, for which he recieved a clutch of awards for 'exemplary performance of combat missions and impeccable service to the Fatherland.'

Yakov Paramonov, 36, (pictured) attacked a 17-year-old student, 17, at knifepoint near some garages in Saransk, western Russia

Paramonov worked for the Wagner group (pictured)

A Russian court was told that after he attacked the girl, he made her urinate so he could 'wash himself' after the brutal assault

He was praised for 'selflessness and courage, a difficult combat path, scorched by battles, soaked in blood and sweat'.

He had been jailed in 2017 for a string of robberies in which he tore jewellery from women or forced them to give away their necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

In one such case he threatened to kill a woman, 24, if she did not have sex with him. He was convicted of a violent sexual act but received a full pardon from the Russian dictator for agreeing to fight in the war.

While the Wagner group was the first to draft prisoners for the brutal invasion of Ukraine, the policy was apparently adopted by the Kremlin in December 2023.

They would often be grouped together in so-called Storm-Z units, and were treated as cannon fodder.

Former Wagner chief Prigozhin was known to have visited prisons across Russia to promise convicted criminals they would be allowed to go home with no convictions if they would make it through six months of fighting against Ukraine.

One Storm-Z unit member told US-funded website Sever Realii, that Kremlin military recruiters promised inmates salaries of of 205,000 roubles (about $2,000 or 1,700) a month, a payment of 3m roubles ($31,000 or 26,000) per injury and 5m roubles ($52,000 or 43,000) to be paid to the recruit's relatives if they die.

But prisoners would often be sent into a 'total meat-grinder' without being properly equipped, or even told about what was going on on the frontlines.

Several troops released from prison to fight on Putin's frontlines, only to go back and commit various crimes, have been freed once again.

Former Wagner fighter Ivan Rossomakhin, who was sentenced to 22 years for the heinous rape and murder of Yulia Buiskikh, 85, was allowed to go back to the frontlines, the victim's family said.

'Grandma's killer has escaped punishment for his crime  again  and has gone to fight in the war,' Anna Pekareva, the granddaughter of Yulia Byuskikh, told the BBC.

Anna says his governor notified the family that Rossomakhin was released on 19 August  just one week after the start of his sentence.

'My first reaction was terror. I read the forensic reports and I know what this person did to my grandmother. It's monstrous that he has been released again,' says Anna, adding: 'The fact that this is happening in the 21st Century... there are no words that can describe what's happening!'
Is Noel Gallagher's divorce from his wife Sara MacDonald the reason Oasis is getting back together? Some might say, not least his brother Liam - who has long blamed her for keeping the band from a long-awaited reunion.

The younger Gallagher, 51, has said Sara drove a wedge between himself and his older brother and was to blame for the band being 'no longer'.

Liam and Sara have long had very public rows - with Liam once labelling Sara a 'dark' person, and labelling her a 'b****' during furious late-night calls.

But Sara has often hit back - reportedly once dubbing him a 'deplorable w*****' and saying she hoped he'd 'have dropped dead' by a certain time.

Since Noel and Sara announced their split in December last year, insiders claimed we could see the reunion Oasis fans have long been waiting for.

And as the news of the brothers' upcoming reunion tour hits after 15 long years, we look back on the feud that could have been the reason the comeback was delayed for so long.

Noel Gallagher, Sara Macdonald, Nicole Appleton and Liam Gallagher pictured at the Q Awards in London in 2005

Liam and Noel Gallagher, pictured here together for the first time in several years, today sensationally confirmed that Oasis have reformed for a mammoth tour

Sara, pictured in March this year, split with Noel in December

In 2018, Liam labelled his brother's then-wife 'dark' on social media

Liam famously didn't get along with Sara and had a slew of online rows with the PR exec in the past.

He even hinted she was the reason that an Oasis reunion wouldn't be happening, with Noel furious over Liam's name-calling about Sara.

But after Noel's 20million divorce from his ex-wife went through last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band back together.

Noel and Sara revealed their split in January 2023, after nearly 12 years of marriage.

In a statement released to MailOnline at the time, announcing their separation, they said that their two sons 'remain their priority'.

The couple, who met in 2000 at an Ibiza club named Space, share Donovan, who was born in 2007 and Sonny, born in 2010.

Noel also has a daughter Anais, born in 2000, who he shares with his first ex-wife Meg Matthews.

He was still wed to his first wife when he and Sara met, and following the split, it was reported the rocker had an affair with Sara during his four-year marriage to Meg.

Liam and Noel Gallagher are pictured at the Knebworth Festival in 1996. They will be performing again next summer

Oasis released a promotional video, which featured old shots of the brothers performing

These are the shows where Oasis will be performing. It's understood Glastonbury is not on the cards

But they have strongly denied this claim, with the star releasing a statement in 2001 which shared that he didn't cheat and 'left Meg because I could no longer tolerate her behaviour'.

Sara said in an interview in 2020 that she liked her brother-in-law when she first met him, but everything crumbled when she and Noel briefly split in 2002.

She told Vogue Liam turned on her, adding: 'He rang me 11 times in one night. It was 'f***ing b****' this, 'f**king b****' that.'

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She also recounted an incident where a quarrel between the two brothers resulted in Liam tossing her handbag down a hotel corridor.

In August 2009, Noel announced he was leaving the band, writing: 'It is with some sadness and great relief I quit Oasis tonight.

'People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

The elder Gallagher and Sara went on to tie the knot in 2011, marrying at the Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest in a 60,000 ceremony, with guests including Russell Brand watching on - but Liam apparently wasn't invited.

Noel told the Chicago Sun Times: 'He goes on about how he wasn't invited to my wedding. No one was at my wedding but Nic's [his ex-wife Nicole Appleton] mum and my mum. Get over it, mate. I've not been invited to his wedding.'

In 2018, Liam reportedly joked in an interview that he 'didn't care' if Sara, Noel or his brother's 'f*****g kid' - Anais - were targeted by social media trolls.

Then, according to The Sun, Sara took to an Instagram fansite and was said to have posted: 'His f****** kid? You mean your gorgeous niece, you deplorable w***ker.

'Please god [you] have dropped dead by the time my kids are on social media.'

It was during that same year that Liam labelled Sara 'dark' and said she was 'the reason Oasis is no longer'.

In 2019, the couple moved to an 8million South Downs mansion near Hampshire's town of Petersfield with their two children.

It was in a tell-all interview in 2020,

But the good times were not to last, and the couple confirmed last January that they were going their separate ways.

This followed what was reported by some to be a family holiday to Spain instigated by Noel in mid 2022, during which he allegedly hoped could save the marriage.

During an interview on the Matt Morgan podcast at the end of last year, Noel intimated that the split may not have been as amicable as initially thought, noting how much the break-up had cost him.

Addressing the fact that he would soon be living in North West London, Noel said: 'I can get on the bike and go outside my wonderful ex-wife's house and give her a little wave  and go, 'you didn't take this from me'.'

However, one upside following the split is that it reportedly helped end Liam and Noel's bitter years-long feud.

The Oasis frenzy is being felt across the world. This shop in Japan was selling Oasis albums with a sign 'Oasis is back!'

Oasis have teased fans with this post in which they said an announcement was coming on 27 August at 8am

Last December sources who know the siblings said that the split had an 'instant impact' on relations between Liam and Noel, who are now 'closer than they have been for years'.

Liam is said to have clashed repeatedly with Sara throughout her relationship with his brother - which is said to have contributed to the vicious and often public rift between the brothers.

In response to a message on X, formerly Twitter, Liam hinted that Sara was a factor in Oasis not reuniting.

A fan tweeted the younger Gallagher asking: 'Hi Liam, do you know why Noel hates Oasis reunion so much??????'

To which Liam replied: 'I've told you before he's rite up for it but you know who won't let him as she doesn't like Oasis music [sic].'

In the wake of the divorce, a source said: 'Liam did not have the best relationship with Sara. There were many reasons for the bitter feud that erupted between Noel and Liam after Oasis split up.

'It was never going to be easy for any woman caught up in the middle of this spat to have to deal with Liam. But Sara and Liam both blamed one another, often for things that were sparked by factors outside.

'It [the divorce] made Liam and Noel confront some of the issues that they were constantly clashing over, rather than blaming somebody else. The pair of them are now closer than they have been for years.

'I wouldn't rule out some kind of announcement that Liam and Noel are ready to perform together again after that. There is already loose talk about a possible Oasis stadium tour in 2025.'

And now, that's come true.

The brothers today sensationally confirmed that Oasis - one of the biggest bands in British music history - have reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

Excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday after the pair shared the same video, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement for Tuesday 8am. The same poster appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

And this morning, the iconic Britpop band ended all speculation by confirming a string of gigs - which will not be televised - in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer.

The 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Despite speculation that Oasis will be on the bill at Glastonbury 2025, it's understood the band will not be performing at Worthy Farm. However, plans are underway for Oasis to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour alongside the brothers' first picture together in years, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'
A prison worker is set to appear in court accused of having an 'inappropriate relationship' with Zara Aleena's killer.

Hayley Jones, 33, from Strood, Kent, allegedly had a month-long relationship with Jordan McSweeney, 31, in HMP Belmarsh.

Sexual predator McSweeney is serving 38 years in the high security category A prison for murdering law graduate Zara, 35, as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in June 2022.

Jones has been charged with wilful misconduct in a public office. McSweeney has also been charged with assisting an offender between March 6 and April 7, 2023.

They both will appear at Westminster magistrates' court tomorrow morning.

Hayley Jones, 33, from Strood, Kent, allegedly had a month-long relationship with Zara Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney, 31, (pictured) in HMP Belmarsh

McSweeney is serving 38 years in the high security category A prison for murdering law graduate Zara, 35, (pictured) as she walked home from a night out in June 2022

Farah Naz, Zara's aunt, has been left 'deeply disappointed and shocked' saying: 'It undermines the very notion of justice.'

She told The Sun: 'This situation not only defies the principles of justice but also exposes serious systemic failures.'

She continued: 'We must understand and uncover how a Class A prisonerconvicted of murder and sexual offences in a high security prison was apparently left alone with a female prison worker long enough to allegedly form a relationship and engage in sexual activities.'

Jones was reportedly arrested in June last year and suspended from duties after an allegation of inappropriate conduct was reported to police officers.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'It would be inappropriate to comment on live legal proceedings.'

A jury inquest ruled in June that failures 'across multiple agencies' contributed to Zara's death.

McSweeney had been released from prison on licence just nine days before the killing, but had breached his conditions and was recalled to prison on 22 June.

The police were given powers to arrest him two days later, but delays in the necessary paperwork meant the police were unable to arrest him before he killed Zara.

Farah Naz, Zara's aunt, has been left 'deeply disappointed and shocked' saying: 'It undermines the very notion of justice'

A jury inquest ruled in June that failures 'across multiple agencies' contributed to Zara's death

Undated CCTV image issued by the Metropolitan Police of sexual predator Jordan McSweeney just before he attacked Zara Aleena

McSweeney ambushed Zara Aleena and punched her in the back of the head before dragging the 35-year-old into a driveway and kicking her as she lay on the ground as she went home after a night out in June 2022.

As the law graduate lay dying, the brute sexually assaulted her then grabbed her handbag, mobile phone and keys. He then walked away but returned moments later to deliver the fatal final blows.

Ms Aleena died in hospital from a blunt force head injury and neck compression, the jury said.

McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting Ms Aleena's murder and sexual assault.

In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence.
The 6,000 foreigners caged in Louisiana's immigration lockups don't have it easy.

They complain of being served paltry meals infested with maggots, mold, and rat poop.

Their cells, they say, are grimy and often smell of vomit and feces.

At night, they bed down with snakes, cockroaches, and spiders crawling around nearby.

When they complain, they're typically laughed at or face retaliation from guards.

Conditions in Louisiana's nine migrant lockups are so bad they amount to 'torture,' researchers say

At night, detainees bed down with snakes, cockroaches, and spiders crawling around.

That's according to a shocking report from human rights groups about the nine migrant lockups in the Bayou State.

Sarah Decker, one of the report's lead authors, calls them 'black sites' in America's immigration system.

The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency uses Louisiana as a 'national detention and deportation hub shielded from public scrutiny,' says Decker.

'They've picked an area of the country that is extremely remote and isolated, and they're transferring people from all over the country to these jails,' she adds.

Her 107-page report comes as illegal migration stands as a top issue in the 2024 election race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.

Louisiana's migrant lockups will doubtless get busier should Trump win in November and deliver on a promise to detain and then deport millions of foreigners who don't have papers.

Harris meanwhile has hardened her stance on migration.

She's vowed to spend millions on wall-building at the frontier, after record-breaking people flows across it during her time in the Biden Administration.

An Ipsos poll from May showed that most voters support a mass deportation.

More than a third want to see massive camps built to process them out of the country  part of Trump's plan.

The report on Louisiana puts a spotlight on life inside the sprawling detention system.

Though immigration hawks may say that harsh and unsanitary conditions deter Central Americans and others from entering the US illegally, the researchers say they're so bad they amount to 'torture.'

Researchers looked at the nine migrant lockups across central and northern Louisiana

Detainees toil for as little as $1 a day in a state where temperatures can exceed 100F

More than half of Americans want to see mass roundups and deportations of undocumented immigrants

They interviewed more than 6,200 people held in nine Louisiana detention centers under the purview of the New Orleans ICE field office over a two-year period.

They paint a devastating picture of a miserable life in the facilities, eight of which are run by private contractors that have funded various politicians' campaigns.

The report  Inside the Black Hole  was written by Decker's group RFK Human Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Project, and Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy.

On any given day more than 6,000 people, comprising recently arrived asylum seekers as well as longer-term US residents from other countries, are caged by ICE in Louisiana.

It's the second-largest state for immigration detention behind Texas, which has about 11,600 detainees.

Many of its facilities are former jails and prisons that were emptied after legal reforms in the 2010s

The report says some detainees were transported to Louisiana from the border shackled in five-point restraints for as many as 26 hours.

In that time, they were unable to use the restroom or eat and drink, and were left with deep cuts on their wrists and legs.

Detainees described 'giant rat' infestations, black mold, leaking ceilings and food clearly marked with expiration dates long passed and infested with worms and larvae.

One of the detainees, Mariia, 30, who was fleeing persecution in her native Russia, reported pest-infested food and foul water at a women-only facility for 750 in Basile, in central Louisiana.

'We saw snakes,' Mariia told researchers.

'It was scary to try to sleep and always find something crawling on the wall or on your mattress, spiders and different kinds of bugs.'

Other female detainees said they were denied menstrual products.

Those in solitary confinement reported going without clean laundry and bedding for as long as three months.

Many spoke of being denied medical care, resulting in serious complications.

Detainees at one lockup say they were often woken at 3am for tiny breakfast portions.

The numbers of migrants caged in Louisiana has surged during the Biden Administration

Detainees say they've been exposed to coronavirus and complain of conditions harmful to health

Cockroaches are a common problem in the moldy cells of Louisiana's lockups

Some toiled for $1 a day performing menial tasks, the report says.

But when they went to spend their earnings in the facilitys store, they found that a single bag of Doritos was priced at $9.

ICE detainees are not guaranteed legal representation, and the report alleges that the lockups routinely deny them access to legal libraries and translation services.

In a statement, ICE's New Orleans Field Office rejected the findings and said it is committed to the health and welfare of migrants.

'The agency continuously reviews and enhances civil detention operations to ensure noncitizens are treated humanely, protected from harm, provided appropriate medical and mental health care, and receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled,' it said.

A spokesperson for GEO Group, which holds the contracts to operate four of the centers probed in the report, accused the researchers of being politically biased.

'GEO categorically denies such allegations and stands by our provision of contract compliant support services in accordance with all established federal standards,' the spokesperson told Bloomberg.

The Biden Administration released the latest border crossing numbers earlier this month, showing a 32 percent drop in migrants caught in July  what the feds call the 'lowest number since September 2020.'

The staggering decrease in migrant crossings comes four years into the worst border crisis the US has ever seen  with historic numbers of migrants arriving at the nation's border's seeking entry  including a huge number of asylum seekers.

Since October 2021, over 10 million migrants have crossed into the US, according to federal statistics  straining the federal agencies that handle migrants and bringing border communities, like El Paso, Texas, to its knees.

Since January, the Mexican government has stepped up efforts to stop mostly South and Central American migrants traveling through its country on their way to the US.

Pressured by the Biden Administration, Mexican officials have set up checkpoints to find migrants on northbound buses and trains and return them to the Mexico-Guatemala international boundary.

In June, the White House announced changes how migrants could seek asylum at the border.

Any migrant who did not legally enter the US would be removed and not allowed to seek asylum.
France is tonight bracing for yet another round of riots, after President Emmanuel Macron refused to appoint a Left-wing prime minister from the election-winning coalition.

After his Ensemble coalition lost a majority in the country's European Union elections in June before nearly losing the presidency in July, Macron has been forced to compromise with his new coalition partners.

But the 46-year-old has refused to appoint a new prime minister for almost two months, after the parliamentary elections failed to produce a majority party in the National Assembly. Left-wing coalition the New Popular Front (NFP) emerged from the vote as the largest bloc but still falls well short of an absolute majority.

Macron's refusal to appoint their candidate, civil servant Lucie Castets, a 35-year-old London School of Economics graduate, has infuriated the Left, who have promised to run riot in France.

French cops up and down the country are set to be on high alert following the news, with a security source telling MailOnline: 'Thousands of officers will be on duty, including ones belonging to anti-riot units.'

French President Emmanuel Macron has been forced to compromise with his new coalition partners

France is tonight bracing for yet another round of riots (File image)

Macron ruled out naming a Left-wing government, saying it would be a 'threat to institutional stability'.

Instead, he called on 'all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility'.

Macron's office said that it would be pointless to name a NFP government as it would immediately be rejected by a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The President called on the socialists, ecologists and communists in the leftist alliance to 'cooperate with other political forces', in an apparent attempt to lure the more moderate members of the coalition away from the hard-Left LFI.

But on Tuesday, Socialist party boss Olivier Faure refused Macron's overture, saying he would 'not be an accomplice to a parody of democracy'.

Socialist deputies would back a no-confidence motion against any government that was not put forward by the NFP, he said, accusing the president of seeking to 'prolong Macronism' despite losing the National Assembly election.

Macron's refusal to appoint their candidate, civil servant Lucie Castets, a 35-year-old London School of Economics graduate, (pictured) has infuriated the Left

Participants wave French national tricolours during an election night rally following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024

'French people will start to get annoyed, to say the least,' Faure warned, saying he would take part in street protests, after Communist party leader Fabien Roussel - who also rejected new talks with Macron - called for a 'grand popular mobilisation'.

'The left is being robbed of this election,' said Green Party chief Marine Tondelier.

Castets accused Macron of seeking to be 'president, prime minister and party leader all at the same time', adding that this was 'not respectful of French voters or of democracy'.

LFI founder Jean-Luc Melenchon even threatened to start impeachment proceedings against Macron.

Members of the president's camp say that Macron did not expect the leftist bloc to resist his efforts to split them.

'Macron underestimates the left, a lot,' said one presidential ally, not wishing to be identified.

A member of the caretaker government added that Macron's advisors were perhaps not very well informed about the inner workings of the NFP.

People gathered during an election night event following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Republique Square in Paris, France, on July 7, 2024

People gathered in Place de la Republique, Paris, France, on July 7, 2024, after the results of the second round of the 2024 legislative elections

'Macron doesn't have enough Leftists around him. They're all gone,' the minister said, also asking not to be named.

The far-Right RN was not invited to Tuesday's talks, which kicked off with Macron meeting a group of independent deputies.

On Wednesday, he will see representatives from Les Republicains, a centre-right party, and a number of other conservative figures.

Meanwhile Francois Bayrou, a highly respected veteran centrist, chided the president for getting bogged down in party negotiations, which he said was 'the wrong method'.

Instead, he said, Macron should seek out a candidate with experience of high office.

'There are people who have held the office of president,' he said, 'others who had high government positions' or 'who have represented political movements and currents'.

Macron's office has not given any indication about the president's timetable for naming a prime minister - but the clock is running to October 1, the legal deadline by which a government must present a draft budget law for 2025.

The President is also scheduled to open the Paris Paralympic Games on Wednesday, and is expected in Serbia on Thursday for an official visit.
America's billionaires are still eagerly snapping up luxury properties in some of the nation's most desirable locations - despite major climate risks and soaring prices.

Wealthy buyers are continuing to flock to coastal areas like Malibu, Palm Beach, and Miami - despite the risk of increasing climate disasters.

Industry experts reveal that billionaires are largely immune to typical home-buying hurdles, as they can afford top-tier protection against natural disasters and often own multiple homes to escape extreme weather.

Recent high-profile sales highlight this trend, with Oakley founder James Jannard selling his Malibu estate for a California record $210 million in June, as reported by Realtor.com.

Supermodel Karlie Kloss and husband Joshua Kushner have also bought one of Malibu's most iconic beachfront mansion for nearly $30million.

America's billionaires are still eagerly snapping up luxury properties in some of the nation's most desirable locations - despite major climate risks and soaring prices

Wealthy buyers are continuing to flock to coastal areas like Malibu, Palm Beach, and Miami - despite the risk of increasing climate disasters

Laurene Powell Jobs paid $94 million for a Malibu beachfront property, adding to her existing properties in the area.

Jay-Z and Beyonce also shelled out $190 million for a Malibu mansion last year.

These ultra-wealthy buyers are demanding instant perfection, seeking 'triple-mint' turnkey properties and unwilling to wait for renovations, as reported by Realtor.com.

'The most important factors we see Palm Beach buyers looking for, universally, are one, instant gratification or turnkey products, and two, value,' Margit Brandt, with Premier Estate Properties, Inc. in Palm Beach told the outlet.

Supermodel Karlie Kloss and husband Joshua Kushner have also bought one of Malibu's most iconic beachfront mansion for nearly $30million.

Laurene Powell Jobs paid $94 million for a Malibu beachfront property, adding to her existing properties in the area

'Buyers want to feel like they can enjoy their purchase sooner rather than later.

Brandt explained that the ultra rich may also not be impacted by hurricane season because they fly down after thanksgiving.

'Most Palm Beach residents skip hurricane season [then fly down] after Thanksgiving,' Brandt explained. 'Or they will often decamp back to their [northern] summer home by air if necessary.' she said.

There are also new standards developed as a result of extreme weather patterns.

'The new FEMA regulations and the requirements of insurance providers have really encouraged or mandated that developers and custom builders reach certain standards in terms of wind and flood protection,' said Brandt. 'These improvements in the building code have prepared the region well for storms.'

Additionally, places like Malibu are appealing due to its natural beauty and proximity to key industries.

Creative financing options also play a role in this luxury market boom.

The ultra-rich can leverage their assets for competitive loan rates or simply pay cash, sidestepping the high mortgage rates that impact average buyers.

Many billionaires view economic turbulence as an opportunity to negotiate better deals with their vast cash reserves.

'Many feel times of turmoil give them a better opportunity to use their cash to negotiate a better deal,' John Antretter, a licensed associate real estate broker with The Agency, told Realtor.com.

Meanwhile, soaring home prices and mortgage rates have sidelined many average homebuyers, however, some states have seen declines since last year.

Brandt explained that the ultra rich may also not be impacted by hurricane season because they fly down after thanksgiving. There are also new standards developed as a result of extreme weather patterns (Pictured: Flooded homes stand in a rural part of Naples)

Twenty of the US's fifty largest cities have seen declines since last year, according to a June report by Realtor.com.

The news will be welcome to cash-strapped first time buyers and others priced out by higher mortgage costs.

The average home price across the country was $442,500 as of May - which is 'relatively stable compared to the same time last year,' according to Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale.

But some areas are seeing big drops, including Miami where the average price dropped 11 percent.
A Michigan mother expressed she was afraid of her troubled son months before he totaled her BMW in a 100mph crash that killed an 18-year-old star swimmer.

Kiernan Tague, 17, is charged with the second-degree murder of his friend Flynn MacKrell after he lost control of his mother's BMW in Grosse Pointe on the night of November 17, 2023.

Investigators have since revealed that Kiernan was no stranger to police, having had had at least 22 contacts with authorities since 2018, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.

On several times police visited Kiernan's home after his mother Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, a campus minister at a Jesuit high school, reported he was out of control and 'breaking things in the house.'

Kiernan's most recent contact with cops before the fatal crash came on August 30, 2023, when Elizabeth called police 'because Kiernan was yelling and throwing items within the house because his mother refused to get him an American Express Gold Card.'

Kiernan Tague, 17, is charged with second-degree murder of his friend and neighbor Flynn MacKrell after he lost control of his mother's BMW in Grosse Pointe last year

Elizabeth Puleo-Tague is accused of failing to take reasonable actions to prevent her child from hurting others after becoming aware of his speeding, as evidenced in several texts

In 2020, police responded to a call from the mom after she alleged her son 'had just assaulted her and fled the area,' cops wrote.

The report goes on state how the incident occurred - when Kiernan was being picked up at his friend's house and became angry at his mother.

'While in the front seat, Kiernan turned around and began punching his mother (who was in the back seat) and even bit her on her hand,' an officer wrote.

Kiernan, in turn, was arrested for domestic violence and kept briefly at the Wayne County youth home.

In November of last year, days before the crash, another fight would break out between the two, this time at home, during which Kiernan broke a table after his mom refused to let him use one of her two cars.

Kiernan's passenger was 18-year-old college freshman Flynn MacKrell, a standout swimmer whose death was deemed a homicide. His parents, Thad MacKrell and Anne Vanker and, are seeking to use the messages to show how the suspect's mother was partially responsible

Kiernan had been going over 100 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone when he crashed his mother's brand-new BMW X3 M on November 17, 2023

'I simply asked you to take your car... yet you refused. Now I'm running late and we have a broken table,' Kiernantexted on Nov. 3, 2023, according to the report viewed by the Free Press.

Citing the 'extensive' text messages between the two compiled during this effort, one Grosse Pointe City investigator wrote: 'There was much conversation about Kiernan taking/using his mother's credit card without permission, being out during overnight hours without permission, and about Kiernan's extensive reckless driving habits.'

KIERNAN'S SPEEDING BEFORE DEADLY CRASH

-July and August 2023: Kiernan hits speeds of 127 mph, 143 mph, 102 mph, 150 mph and 155 on separate days. -September and October, 2023: Kiernan is seen drag racing on videos on his phone - October, 2023: Kiernan's takes the wheel on 94 trips - nearly half are over 90mph - November 1, 2023: Kiernan drives at 153 mph for 20 miles Source: Detroit Free Press Advertisement

The investigator added: 'The messages between the two suggest that Kiernan's mother has little to no control over Kiernan.

'Kiernan regularly drove recklessly and took/used his mother's credit cards without permission, despite his mother's repeated orders not to.'

But the mother and son also seemed to have a cordial relationship at times - in one October, 2023, exchange, Elizabeth asked her then-16-year-old son to buy wine for her.

The message read: 'Will you pick up a bottle of wine??  Please!' to which Kiernan replied, 'Sure.'

A week later, just days before the fatal crash that killed Flynn, Kiernan's mother sent him a screenshot of a website laying out the penalties for having a fake ID.

Flynn's parents, Anne Vanker and Thad Mackrell, claim the exchanges between Elizabeth and Kiernan show criminal liability on the mother's part.

Elizabeth is being investigated by police after text messages emerged showing she was aware of her son's speeding habit - which she had intimate knowledge of through a GPS app called Life360.

Flynn's parents told the Free Press that Elizabeth should face criminal charges, with his devastated mother Anne stating: 'It's like she handed him an AR-15.'

Among the text messages, Elizabeth wrote to Kiernan on September 14, 2023, two months before the crash: 'Slow the f*** down right now!'

It was after the then 16-year-old had been caught traveling 123mph in the family's Audi coupe.

'I have screen shots of you... doing 123 mph... It scares me to my bone,' read another.

Kiernan Tague, the driver who survived the catastrophic high-speed crash, has had at least 22 documented contacts with the police since 2018

Elizabeth, the campus minister at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, bought herself a brand-new BMW weeks after sending those texts that she proceeded to give her son access to, despite it being able to reach speeds of 177mph. Stock of a BMW X3 M seen above

The Tague home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, is pictured above

Flynn's parents, Anne Vanker and Thad Mackrell, are seeking to use the messages to show how Elizabeth failed to take reasonable actions to prevent her child from hurting others.

They wrote in a letter to local prosecutors: '[Kiernan] was speeding over and over, and mom knew it'.

Not only that, but Elizabeth, the campus minister at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, bought herself a brand-new BMW weeks after sending those texts that she proceeded to give her son access to, despite it being able to reach speeds of 177mph.

Vanker and her husband are now using the exchanges between the mother and son as proof Elizabeth knew for months her son was driving recklessly, but failed to do anything about it.

Speaking to the Free Press, she brought up how Elizabeth also has a 2015 Subaru Forrester, but continued to allow her son to drive the much more powerful Audi and then BMW even after warning him about what he was doing.

Elizabeth is the campus minister at University of Detroit Jesuit High School

The purchase of the BMW and leaving the keys for him to freely take, however, was the worst offense, she said, comparing the prospect to handing the unruly teen a loaded assault rifle.

'She was sitting on a ticking time bomb,' Vanker told the paper, eight months after her son's death.

'She knows he's out of control, yet she basically gets him a weapon - it's like she handed him an AR-15.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to University of Detroit Jesuit High School for comment on this story.
The Democratic Party platform on criminal justice largely resembles presidential nominee Kamala Harris centrist approach when she was San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

As a presidential candidate in 2020, Kamala Harris cited her longtime opposition to the death penalty, which she described as deeply immoral, irreversible and ineffective. After his election, Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to publicly oppose capital punishment, while reinstating a moratorium on federal executions that Donald Trump had rescinded. And the Democratic Party platform for 2020 called for abolition of the death penalty.

But the platform adopted at last weeks Democratic convention, which nominated Vice President Harris to succeed Biden, did not mention the death penalty.

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Nor  unlike the 2020 platform  did it call for ending the war on drugs, for repealing mandatory prison sentences for specified federal crimes, or for eliminating qualified immunity, the Supreme Court doctrine that can make it virtually impossible to sue police for violation of ones civil rights.

The platform also includes a statement that we need to fund the police, not defund the police.

There were still substantial differences between Democrats and Republicans, whose agenda includes large-scale executions, fewer restrictions on police searches, rejection of unidentified Marxist prosecutors, and the largest deportation program in American history. But the Democratic platform on crime and punishment, which drew little attention at the Chicago convention, suggests a shift in ideology.

It seems largely consistent with the approach Kamala Harris staked out when she was (San Francisco) district attorney and then (California) attorney general, a centrist approach to criminal justice, said David Sklansky, a Stanford law professor and former federal prosecutor.

Sklansky cited then-DA Harris 2009 book Smart on Crime, which called for tough policing as well as compassion for those caught up in crime. He said there were elements of both in the 2024 Democratic platform, which calls for restrictions on solitary confinement in prison and on choke holds by police, as well as more education and employment programs for released prisoners and bans on dangerous firearms.

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The partys stance is reminiscent of the policies of President Bill Clinton, said Robert Weisberg, another Stanford law professor and co-director of the schools Criminal Justice Center. He said Clinton took office in 1993, for the first of his two terms, as a somewhat centrist New Democrat who wanted to immunize the party from soft-on-crime attacks.

In 1994, Clinton  with the help of Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.  signed a sweeping crime bill that increased federal sentences, encouraged states to do the same, broadened the federal death penalty and provided substantial funding for additional police and prisons. It also included a nationwide ban on semiautomatic rifles, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., that Congress allowed to expire 10 years later.

Weisberg noted that Harris, as a 2020 presidential hopeful, faced resistance from some on the left because of her background as a prosecutor.

Like every San Francisco district attorney since 1995, she refused to seek death sentences in murder cases, but took heat from conservatives  and from Feinstein  for declining to file capital charges against the man who fatally shot police officer Isaac Espinoza in 2004. The defendant, David Hill, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

At the same time, she drew criticism from liberals as attorney general for appealing a federal judges 2014 ruling that Californias death penalty law was unconstitutionally arbitrary because condemned prisoners had to wait 20 years or more to get legal representation and have their appeals decided.

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A federal appeals court reversed the ruling and kept the death penalty in effect, although California, with more than 630 prisoners sentenced to death, has not executed anyone since 2006. As attorney general, Harris said she was legally required to defend state laws in court unless she considered them unconstitutional  such as the ban on same-sex marriage that was approved by California voters in 2008 and struck down by federal courts in 2013.

She has not publicly discussed the death penalty during her current campaign. Trump, on the other hand, has called for making some non-murder crimes, such as drug-dealing and human trafficking, punishable by death, despite a 2008 Supreme Court ruling declaring the death penalty unconstitutional for non-homicide offenses against civilians.

Project 2025, an ultraconservative blueprint for a future Republican administration whose drafters included 140 former Trump administration officials, has called for the immediate executions of all 40 federal prisoners who have been sentenced to death.

Trump has also promised to pardon all those convicted of crimes for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol  a pledge that Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, called outrageous and destabilizing.

Levenson is a former federal prosecutor and founding director of her schools Project for the Innocent. She said the Democratic platform is silent because theres no gain in being too specific on criminal justice issues.

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Chinese hackers believed to be backed by the government have gained access to American government and military accounts, according to a new report.

These attacks are 'unusually aggressive and sophisticated' and have allowed hackers to gain access to at least two major internet service providers with a combined reach of millions of customers, The Washington Post reports.

The revelation comes as the United States and China take steps toward repairing their damaged relationship, with Jake Sullivan, U.S. national security adviser, travelling to the northern outskirts of Beijing for a two day meeting with Wang Yi, a senior foreign policy official for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

'President Biden has been very clear in his conversations with President Xi that he is committed to managing this important relationship responsibly,' Sullivan told Wang before the talks got underway.

Meanwhile back home, it is understood Chinese-backed hackers have been spying on Americans via their internet service providers.

These attacks are 'unusually aggressive and sophisticated' and have allowed hackers to gain access to at least two major internet service providers with a combined reach of millions of customers

Other targets, according to the publication, are believed to include government and military personnel working undercover.

Brandon Wales, the former executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, told the publication the attacks are 'dramatically stepped up from where it used to be. It is an order of magnitude worse.'

The Chinese embassy in Washington emphatically rejected the report.

Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu instead suggested departments are amplifying suggestions of perceived risk in order to secure greater funding.

He said: 'There are signs that in order to receive more congressional budgets and government contracts, the U.S. intelligence community and cybersecurity companies have been secretly collaborating to piece together false evidence and spread disinformation about so-called Chinese government's support for cyberattacks against the U.S.'

The revelation comes as the United States and China take steps toward repairing their damaged relationship, with Jake Sullivan, U.S. national security adviser, travelling to the northern outskirts of Beijing for a two day meeting with Wang Yi, a senior foreign policy official for Chinese leader Xi Jinping

The goal of Sullivan's visit, which lasts through Thursday, is limited - to try to maintain communication in a relationship that broke down for the better part of a year in 2022-23.

No major announcements are expected, though Sullivan's meetings could lay the groundwork for a possible final summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping before Biden steps down in January.

Wang, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office, noted that the China-U.S. relationship has gone through twists and turns in the past few years.

'The key,' he said, 'is to keep to the overall direction of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence, and win-win cooperation.'

The Biden administration has taken a tough line on China, viewing it as a strategic competitor, restricting the access of its companies to advanced technology and confronting the rising power as it seeks to exert influence over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Already frosty relations went into a deep freeze after then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a senior U.S. lawmaker, visited Taiwan in August 2022. Hopes of restoring ties were dashed the following February when a suspected Chinese spy balloon drifted across the U.S. before being shot down by the U.S. military.
The haunting final texts of the Long Island woman killed by her brother in a horrifying murder-suicide reveal she was celebrating her 64th birthday when she was shot dead.

Tina Hammond was gunned down during a visit to her late mother's house on Sunday by her brother Joe DeLucia, 59. Her siblings Frank DeLucia, Joanna Kearns, 69, and daughter Victoria, 30, were also murdered in the crossfire.

Killer DeLucia was said to be struggling with the death of their 95-year-old mom Theresa Martha De Lucia and was scared of losing the family home where he had lived his entire life. His former coworkers today described the mechanic - who was a known hoarder - as 'mild-mannered,' 'respectful' and a 'good employee.'

Horrifying screengrabs obtained by DailyMail.com show Tina had replied to a text from friend and neighbor Randi Marquis wishing her happy birthday 15 minutes before her death. Randi had planned to bring food over for the grieving family and later they intended to go out for dinner to celebrate Tina's birthday.

Tina Hammond was celebrating her 64th birthday on Sunday when she was gunned down by brother Joe De Lucia, 59, alongside her brother Frank DeLucia, also 64, daughter Victoria, 30, and sister Joanna Kearns, 69

Haunting screengrabs show Tina had responded to a happy birthday message from friend Randi Marquis just 15 minutes before she died

Randi texted Tina at 11.35am on Sunday to say: Happy Birthday! Make sure no one eats lunch.'

In response, Tina wrote at 11.38am: 'Thank you, I'll be at mom's in five minutes thank you so much, Randy lol I'll tell them.'

The family arranged to meet at their mother's home in Syosset, Long Island, shortly before noon on Sunday to speak to real estate agent Mary Macaluso about selling the property.

Family matriarch Theresa Martha DeLucia, 95, (pictured) died on August 19

DeLucia, who suffers from mental health issues, was terrified of being homeless despite his siblings' reassurance he would be taken care of, neighbors said.

Though he would receive a portion of the money from the sale of the house, friends said he had struggled to grasp that concept.

Sources also told DailyMail.com DeLucia was $45,000 in debt which was in part amassed due to him spending all of his money on work tools and hoarding them in his family home.

He opened fire on his four family members, firing 12 shells and killing them instantly.

Nearby residents heard the murderer wailing, crying and screaming incoherently before he turned the gun on himself.

Detective Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said DeLucia had previously told neighbors: 'If you hear gunshots, don't bother calling 911, it'll be too late'.

The killer was reportedly born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, depriving him of oxygen.

His mental state was said to have deteriorated after family matriarch Theresa died on August 19 and was buried the following Friday.

An exclusive image obtained by DailyMail.com show DeLucia's driving license headshot

Distraught DeLucia (left) 'mild-mannered,' 'respectful' and a 'good employee,' officials at his workplace said today

Fitzpatrick had revealed the house was 'pretty much hoarded, packed with tools.'

Police said psychiatric medicine was found in the home during a search, along with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun that was legally bought by DeLucia.

But today, officials at Advantage Hyundai in Hicksville - where he had worked for eight years - expressed disbelief at the news.

Joseph Gentile, a lawyer for the dealership, told DailyMail.com: 'He was a good employee.

He came to work every day. He did not have any problems with his co-worker or his manager nor did not have any problems with his customers.'

Its incomprehensible. We know he loved his mother and he did speak about his mother often to people. He had told people his mother was sick but this is just a shock.'

Victim Victoria Hammond, 30, was Tina Hammond's daughter and DeLucia's niece

Oldest sister Joanne Kearns, 69, was also killed in the crossfire

Ring Camera footage from Randi's home on August 20 show Tina (right) with daughter Victoria in the neighborhood the day after family matriarch Theresa died

He added: 'He was mild-mannered, respectful and diligent at his job. It was just a complete tragedy.

When DailyMail.com visited DeLucia's property today, the windows were piled high with tools he had purchased and unopened boxes.

Neighbors said that Tina was trying to help both her brother and mother with their mounting bills in the days before their deaths.

Tina was reportedly working at the registers of Giunta's Meat Farms located in Bohemia in the year and a half before her death.

The house is is estimated to be worth nearly $900,000 by Zillow, and Theresa wanted it sold

DeLucia used this 12-gauge pump-action shotgun that he legally bought, to gun down his family

Her ex-coworker Hannah Debeauchamp told DailyMail.com: 'She was honestly probably the sweetest person. Not a bad bone. Always happy. Always bubbly. Even when her mom was sick she still had a great attitude.

'She was very caring about her mom. She was a great mom herself to her own daughter.'

Manager Steven Huey said: 'She was a bubbly, friendly, outgoing person helping anybody any way she could. It's almost like a bad dream.'
Authorities are desperately searching for a pair of adorable siblings who were allegedly kidnapped by their parents during a supervised visit in California - social workers worry they're a family that could 'live off the grid.'

Wyman, four, and Willow Bryant, two, went missing on August 14 after their parents Tiffany Bryant, 39, and David James, 53, allegedly stole them during a supervised visit with the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles, according to ABC 7.

They allegedly snuck the kids out through the emergency exit and left their 15-month-old child behind.

The three children had been living with a foster family since last year after the 15-month-old tested positive for drugs at birth.

Social workers are now worried the family has the capability of living in remote areas as they are 'nomadic'.

Wyman, four, (right) and Willow Bryant, two, (left) went missing on August 14 after their parents Tiffany Bryant, 39, and David James, 53, allegedly stole them during a supervised visit with the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles

Tiffany (left) and David (right) allegedly stuck the kids out through the emergency exit and left behind their 15-month-old child. The three children have been living with a foster family since last year after the 15-month-old tested positive for drugs at birth

'They are the type of people that can live off-grid, if that makes sense,' Nina Glass, the director of Search & Rescue San Antonio, told ABC 7.

'They like to be out there in the middle of nowhere.

'They live out of their car. They don't really have an address.'

California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for the two children last week on behalf of the LA County Sheriff's Department.

They are believed to be traveling in a 'brown Buick Enclave SUV with no front plates and blue rear paper plates,' according to police.

'There is concern for their well-being,' the Sheriff's Department said.

They are believed to be traveling in a 'brown Buick Enclave SUV with no front plates and blue rear paper plates,' according to police. Glass claimed the parents have abducted their children before and it took two months to find them

Glass claimed the parents have abducted their children before, with the first incident taking place last summer after their third baby was born.

It took two months to find the missing children. Afterward, the parents were granted visitation rights, according to ABC 7.

Glass encourages the entire nation to keep a lookout for the youngsters.

'This is not the type of search where you can actually say: "We're going to go to this location, and we're going to start searching",' she told the outlet.

'This is more of a nationwide search where everybody needs to be on the lookout for these people.'
One of the men accused of chopping down the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree and causing more than 620,000 of damage has been pictured for the first time.

Daniel Graham, 38, appeared in court today to deny chopping down the much-loved Hadrian's Wall landmark in Northumberland in September last year.

He and Adam Carruthers, 31, have been jointly charged with causing 622,191 worth of damage to the tree and a further 1,114 worth of damage to Hadrians Wall.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site was hit by the falling tree when it was felled overnight on September 28 last year.

Graham, who is from Carlisle, attended Newcastle Crown Court for a 10 minute pre-trial hearing today and did not cover his face, unlike on previous occasions.

Daniel Graham, 38, appeared in court today to deny chopping down the much-loved Hadrian's Wall landmark in Northumberland in September last year

Walkers stop to look at the tree next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland after it was cut down in September last year

Daniel Graham leaves Newcastle Crown Court after his hearing today

Judge Paul Sloan set a trial date for December 3, with an estimate of 10 days, and he granted Graham conditional bail in the meantime.

There will be a further pre-trial hearing on November 11.

The Sycamore Gap tree, which appeared in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, was one of the most photographed trees in the world.

It also featured in the music video for Bryan Adams' Everything I Do, I Do It for You.

The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree caused a public outcry and headlines across the world.

One person reacted on social media at the time: 'I'm almost lost for words this morning on hearing that the beautiful sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian's Wall has been deliberately felled overnight.

'What an absolutely disgusting act of mindless vandalism.'

The tree was one of the most photographed in the whole of the UK and was an iconic landmark

Daniel Graham, 38 (left), and Adam Carruthers, 31 (right), appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court last month with their faces covered

The iconic tree, which is believed to be 300 years old, was found cut down last year

Daniel Graham arrives at Newcastle Crown Court for a hearing today

People look at the tree at Sycamore Gap next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland after it was felled

The iconic tree, which is believed to be 300 years old, was cut down last September

People look at the tree at Sycamore Gap, next to Hadrian's Wall, after it was cut down

Another said: 'Somebody has taken a chainsaw to the one of our nation's most beautiful sights. The Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall Path - Northumberland.

'It was also the star of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Utterly appalling, police are investigating.'

After the tree was chopped down, workers from the National Trust and the Northumberland National Park Authority were able to recover young seeds from the site.

Conservationists have since confirmed that the saplings are beginning to show shoots of life while they are kept at a secret location.
Thousands of workers at Next yesterday won a six-year legal battle for equal pay in a landmark decision which could cost the retailer 30million.

More than 3,500 current and former shop staff, who are mostly women, were victorious in the employment tribunal.

It ruled that the workers should not have been paid at lower rates than staff in warehouses, which are male dominated.

Lawyers at legal firm Leigh Day believe more than 30million could be owed in back-pay.

They said the difference between shop and warehouse staff's hourly rates ranges from 40p to 3 and an average salary loss is more than 6,000 per person.

Shop staff at Next have won an equal pay battle after they claimed they were being paid less than their largely male warehouse workforce

Next, which is run by Tory peer Lord Wolfson (pictured), says it intends to appeal the decision

Tesco is also facing a similar equal pay case - with 50,000 store workers claiming they are unfairly paid compared with their warehouse stablemates

But the High Street stalwart, which has 500 UK stores, says it intends to appeal the decision.

The tribunal rejected Next's defence that warehouse pay rates were higher than on the shop floor due to wage levels in the wider job market.

However, the tribunal did rule there was no evidence of 'direct discrimination' towards women.

Instead, the ruling says the pay discrepancy was down to Next wanting to 'reduce cost and enhance profit'.

It said the 'business need was not sufficiently great as to overcome the discriminatory effect of lower basic pay'.

Between 2012 and 2023, around 77.5 per cent of retail workers at Next were women while 52.75 per cent of warehouse operators were men.

Former and current staff are hopeful now they will be paid thousands of pounds of compensation.

Helen Scarsbrook, 68, was one of the three laid claimants in the case and has worked for Next for more than 20 years.

Celebrating the victory, she said: 'We did it! It has been a long six years battling for the equal pay we all felt we rightly deserved but today we can say we won.'

Elizabeth George, Leigh Day partner and barrister representing the successful claimants, added: 'When you have female dominated jobs being paid less than male dominated jobs and the work is equal, employers cannot pay women less simply by pointing to the market and saying, "It is the going rate for the jobs". We knew that already.'

'It is worth reminding people that the financial compensation they will now be entitled to is not a windfall. It is pay that they were always entitled to if Next had complied with its equal pay obligations.'

A spokesman for Next said: 'This is the first equal pay group action in the private sector to reach a decision at tribunal level and raises a number of important points of legal principle.'

Five supermarket giants  Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and the Co-op  are also facing equal pay cases.

And in these cases, the retailers also argue pay is set based on market rates.

Britain's largest grocer Tesco is the subject of legal action involving nearly 50,000 workers.

Shop workers, who are mostly women, claim they have been paid unfairly as they were paid up to 3 less per hour than distribution centre workers, who are mostly men.

Their lawyers claim the potential pay-put could top a staggering 4billion.

A Tesco spokesman said: 'The jobs in our stores and distribution centres are different. These roles require different skills and demands which lead to variations in pay - but this has absolutely nothing to do with gender.

'We continue to strongly defend these claims.'
A police force has revealed some of the shocking crimes that are being investigated at schools in the UK.

Attempted murder, threats to kill and racially aggravated assault are just some of the violent offences that have been recorded in schools over the past two years.

In Essex alone, there have been 203 reports of pupils carrying or using weapons since the start of 2022.

Essex Police made 65 arrests for offences including incidents of attempted murder, non-fatal strangulation and threats to kill in the same time period.

The most common age of the victims was just 13, whilst the most common age of suspect was 14.

On 26 occasions, the suspect was aged under-10, whilst on 17, occasions the victim was aged nine or younger.

Attempted murder, threats to kill and racially aggravated assault are just some of the violent offences that have been recorded in schools in the past two years (Stock photo)

Essex Police have made 65 arrests for offences including incidents of attempted murder, non-fatal strangulation and threats to kill since 2022

It comes as anti-knife campaigner Julie Taylor continues to push for wider education about knife crime at school.

She said: 'School should be a very safe place for our young people. I plead with parents: talk to your children, check their rooms, their bags and their friends - it's called being a good parent.

Full list of offences recorded in schools Assault with injury - assault occasioning actual bodily harm Assault without injury - common assault and battery Harassment - putting people in fear of violence Threaten with a blade or sharply pointed article on school/further education premises Fear or provocation of violence Attempted - Robbery (of Personal Property) Threats to kill Threaten with an offensive weapon on school/further education premises. Harassment Racially or religiously aggravated common assault or beating Stalking - Pursue course of conduct in breach of Sec 1 (1) which amounts to stalking Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety Attempted murder Possession of offensive weapon without lawful authority or reasonable excuse Sexual assault on a male child under 13 Causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress Non-fatal strangulation and suffocation Racially or religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence Robbery (of Personal Property) Other criminal damage to a vehicle (Under 5,000) Other criminal damage, other (Under 5,000) Advertisement

'We need early intervention in schools from seven or eight years old teaching the dangers of knife and violent crime, choices and consequences and real people telling their stories about how the ripple affects everyone involved and the headache that comes with it.'

In July, police were called to Sandon School in Chelmsford, Essex, after a Year 9 pupil allegedly brought a knife on-site. The incident was described as 'alarming' by headteacher Andrew Weaver.

Official figures show possession of weapons offences have decreased by 0.7 per cent in Essex in the 12 months leading up to June 2024 compared to a year earlier.

The highest single proportion of victims of knife crime are males, aged between 10 and 19.

In the year to April 2024, there were 1,519 knife-related offences across Essex - a decrease of seven per cent compared with the period leading to April 2023.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Hughes from Essex Police said status and posturing amongst young people 'lie at the heart of this issue'.

He said: 'Whilst the figures are trending in the right direction, I know that will mean very little to people who have been the victim of a serious knife crime offence.

'My plea is, you may perceive that knife crime is everywhere, that it's happening all around you, but it is not. We have an innovative and effective approach to tackling it through our 'Op Grip' hotspot policing model, which was trialled in Essex and now rolled out across England and Wales.

'That model sees visible patrols taking place in areas which we know, statistically, there is a higher likelihood of violent crime being committed.

'Not only that, we know the times at which those incidents of violence are likely to take place and the patrols are focused in those times in order to be most effective.

'Our message to young people who may worry about knife crime is simple. It is extremely worrying to hear about people who have been injured or even killed with a knife - but carrying a knife yourself does not make you any safer and in fact can put you more at risk.

'Carrying a knife in public, in any situation, we know will only make matters worse. The reality is in Essex we know it as a small number of people who are carrying knives, but that number is always one too many.

'It is absolutely vital, if you know someone who does carry a knife, you report it to us. Or, if you would prefer, speak to a trusted family member or a teacher.

'Alternatively there are ways of making a report entirely anonymously, through charities like Crimestoppers.'
Vice President Kamala Harris is being called out for 'rewriting' her story about where she really grew up in northern California to claim more moderate beginnings.

The presidential hopeful speaks fondly about her upbringing in Oakland, California, but she actually spent the majority of her youth and early school years in Berkeley, a place with more leftist connotations.

During her presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last week in Chicago, Harris spoke about how her mother rented an apartment in 'the East Bay.'

'In the bay, you either live in the hills or the flatlands,' she said. 'We lived in the flats, a beautiful working-class neighborhood of firefighters, nurses, and construction workers all who tended their lawns with pride.'

Harris, however, did not officially move to the flats of Oakland until she was an adult in her 20s, according to the New York Times.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about her upbringing at the Democratic National Convention without mentioning her ties to Berkeley

Although she was born in an Oakland hospital, her birth certificate lists an apartment building near to the University of California at Berkeley where her parents were pursuing their doctorates.

Harris has a record of speaking vaguely about her upbringing, likely an attempt to identify with a more humble middle class life, instead of the privileged life as a child of Berkeley academics.

Harris also sidestepped her Berkeley identity when she first delivered her official kickoff rally in Oakland for her failed 2020 presidential campaign.

'I am so proud to be a daughter of Oakland, California,' she said. 'And as most of you know, I was born just up the road at Kaiser Hospital.'

In her 2019 memoir, Harris wrote that she 'spent the formative years of my childhood living on the boundary between Oakland and Berkeley.'

But Harris grew up in Berkeley and attended Berkeley public schools.

She was also part of a busing program that shifted the location of her school to the more wealthy part of the city.

A young Kamala Harris at her mother Shyamala at a laboratory at UC Berkeley

An image of Kamala Harris' childhood home in Berkeley, California

Harris' childhood friend wrote about the 'Berkeley village' that raised them

Oprah Winfrey mentioned Harris' participation in the busing initiative during her DNC speech, noting that Harris 'became part of the second class to integrate the public schools in Berkeley, California.'

A close childhood friend Stacey Johnson-Batiste published a book in 2021 about her relationship with Harris and 'The Berkeley Village that raised Kamala and me.'

At the DNC, Harris also avoided any mention of her upbringing in Montreal, Canada.

Harris' mother moved twelve-year-old Kamala and her family to Montreal to teach at McGill Universitys medical school and worked in research at the prestigious Jewish General Hospital.

Kamala Harris spent her formative teenage years in Montreal and graduated from High School at the age of 17.

She then moved to Washington, D.C., to study at Howard University before returning back to California.

Harris did not officially move to Oakland until 1993 when she purchased a one-bedroom condo, while she was working as a prosecutor for Alameda County.

In this April 1965 photo provided by the Kamala Harris campaign, Donald Harris holds his daughter, Kamala.

Kamala Harris and her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris

It was then she met and started dating California State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, who appointed her to well-paying positions on state government boards.

Harris moved to San Francisco after she was appointed to work for San Francisco District Attorney Terrence Hallinan.

Harris' life story drew the attention of Fox News host Jesse Watters who highlighted the Harris family address on her birth certificate.

Jesse Watters uses Kamala Harris birth certificate to claim she didnt didnt grow up in Oakland pic.twitter.com/ksM0zjcrlk  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

A copy of Kamala Harris' birth certificate

'Did you know that Kamala Harris didnt grow up in Oakland as she always said she did?' he asked his audience on Jesse Watters Primetime.

Watters featured a New York Times article investigating Harris' Berkeley ties and her efforts to obfuscate her upbringing in a town known for it's leftist activism.

'Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, the "Peoples Republic of Berkeley," "Berserkeley," the most insanely liberal precinct in America,' he continued.

'Her birth certificate lists an apartment right next to Berkeleys campus,' he noted.
J.D. Vance mercilessly tore into Kamala Harris for copying at least two of Donald Trump's policies in her bid to be president.

The Ohio Senator and Republican vice presidential candidate quipped during a rally in Michigan on Tuesday that he 'feels bad' for Harris because she 'doesn't know what she believes', to which the crowd jeered.

Trump proposed earlier this summer a policy that would get rid of taxes on tips, which Harris jumped on shortly after launching her campaign just last month.

And now, new reporting reveals that Harris is in favor of continuing construction of Trump's southern border wall.

It comes after Harris promised at the Democratic National Convention that she would sign the bipartisan border security bill if she gets into office, which allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to continue the project.

Sen. J.D. Vance said he 'feels bad' for Kamala Harris because she 'doesn't know what she believes' and has to 'copy' Donald Trump's policies to be popular

'I read a story this morning that her advisors are considering just copying all of Donald Trump's policies  they're more popular,' Sen. Vance said in Big Rapids, Michigan.

He continued: 'In fact, I've heard that for her debate in just a couple of weeks she's going to put on a navy suit, a long red tie and adopt the slogan Make America Great Again.'

'She opened that border on day one and as much as fake Kamala wants to pretend that she now agrees with Donald Trump, we've got to remind her, she's the vice president right now,' Vance said. 'Stop talking about what you're going to do, start talking about what you are going to do right now because you're vice president.

The Republican VP nominee vowed that he and Trump's campaign would keep Harris accountable and remind voters that she is the 'candidate of American decline.'

'Now I will confess that in some ways I have a soft heart, ladies in gentlemen. In some ways, I feel bad for Kamala Harris,' Vance said to resounding boos from the audience in Michigan on Tuesday.

Harris said at the Democratic National Convention last week that she would sign the bipartisan border security bill if she gets into office

The bill allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to continue construction of Donald Trump's southern border wall

He jokingly pointed behind and then in front of him to the crowd saying: 'They don't, you don't.'

'But I really  I'm not sure that this is a woman who knows what she actually believes,' he explained. 'She is, if you think about it, she is just a cog in the wheel of a very corrupt system.'

This earned some pity laughs for the VP and chuckles of approval for those who thought Vance was growing a soft spot for Trump's rival.
A mother-of-three was left fighting for her life after being hit by a taxi while on holiday.

Stephanie Watson, 26, was hit by a taxi in Bulgaria just moments after arriving at Burgas Airport and was rushed into intensive care.

Ms Watson, from Edinburgh, had travelled to the Balkans to enjoy a holiday with two friends, and was left with serious injuries after the horror accident on August 18.

But the mother of three boys, who has undergone some operations while in hospital, has now been left with huge bills after failing to take insurance out before her trip.

The horrific crash left her with a disfigured shoulder, a punctured lung, broken ribs and a smashed pelvis.

Stephanie Watson, 26, was seriously injured after being hit by a taxi in Bulgaria

Ms Watson was hit by the taxi just moments after arriving at Burgas airport in Bulgaria

She has had two major surgeries already  with those costs covered by the taxpayer under the Global Health Insurance Card scheme  but it is feared that she will need further treatment for her badly injured pelvis.

Friends and well-wishers have rallied behind her, with more than 6,000 so far raised to help bring her home.

But they need thousands more to have enough for the essential medical flight home, and hospital bills are also mounting.

A family member told the Daily Record: She has been in a really bad way and was in intensive care up until Sunday.

She underwent surgery to put plates in her shoulder and another operation to remove the drain from her punctured lung.

She made a mistake like most young girls do and didnt take insurance so we are trying to raise funds to bring her home safely.

Her severe injuries will need further treatment when she gets back to Scotland and Ms Watsons mother has flown out to Bulgaria to help her daughter in her time of need.

The family member added: As it stands, were looking at having to pay around 17,000 to get her flown home.

She obviously cant sit up, so she cant be taken home on a domestic flight and she will need to be flown with a medical team to support her.

Her mum is also having to pay for hospital bills and hotel bills over there, so costs are mounting up.

The GoFundMe page has been shared widely on social media, with those behind the campaign hoping to raise a much money as possible for help with the bill and medical repatriation.

The family spokesperson said: It is a stressful and worrying situation to be in, Stephanie has three young kids so it is important that he gets home and makes a full recovery for them.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: The Scottish Governments sympathies go out to Ms Watson and her family at this difficult time.

Ms Watson will, of course, receive all the treatment and care she requires from the NHS in Scotland when she returns home.

Consular assistance for those in difficulty abroad, including advice to families who wish to repatriate their loved ones from abroad, is reserved to the UK Government.

The UK Global Health Insurance Card which can provide some support with healthcare costs in Europe, is funded and administered by the UK Government.

Neither the Scottish Government nor NHS Scotland can cover any healthcare or repatriation costs in the event of serious illness or accident for those travelling overseas.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: We are supporting a British woman who was hospitalised in Bulgaria and are in contact with the local authorities.
Two of the jurors from Alex Murdaugh's blockbuster murder trial are speaking out for the first time to share their doubts over the guilty verdict.

Myra Crosby - the infamous 'egg juror' - and Mandy Pearce - 'juror Z' - relived the trial in Fall of the House of Murdaugh, a new documentary airing on Fox Nation today.

The documentary, fronted by Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, includes sensational claims of jury tampering and external pressure to reach a guilty plea, throwing into doubt the final verdict.

Pearce was the sole juror who claims her guilty verdict was swayed by court clerk Becky Hill.

She said her doubts initially stemmed from the lack of a murder weapon.

As the trial wore on, she became concerned that 'they had in their minds he was guilty' and 'didn't try to look for anybody else'.

Two of the jurors from Alex Murdaugh's blockbuster murder trial are speaking out for the first time to share their doubts over the guilty verdict

Mandy Pearce has identified herself as Juror Z - the sole juror who claims her guilty verdict was swayed by court clerk Becky Hill

Myra Crosby has revealed that she is the 'Egg Juror' who infamously asked if she could pick up her eggs and purse when she was dismissed from the case

'She made it seem like he was already guilty,' Pearce said of Hill. 'What Becky did wasn't right.'

'She came into the juror room, and was talking and interacting with all of us.'

But Pearce revealed she didn't realise this conduct would be considered improper until she was contacted by Murdaugh's lawyers after the trial.

MacCallum asked Pearce if she ever would have raised concerns about Hill's actions if it weren't for her discussion with Murdaugh's lawyers.

'Probably not,' she accepted.

Murdaugh is serving two life sentences for the deaths of his wife and son on a family estate in 2021.

The 56-year-old has maintained his innocence and his lawyers have since accused Hill of telling jurors 'not to be fooled by him', in a bid to secure his conviction so she could make money from a book about the case.

She denies any wrongdoing, but has since left her job as an investigation is underway.

The South Carolina patriarch had a small victory in court just two weeks ago, when judges agreed to consider whether Hill interfered in the case, and whether it swung the jury.

As a result, the Supreme Court will now consider whether Murdaugh has a case for a retrial.

Even if he is eventually granted a new murder trial, he's still serving 40 years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from clients of his law firm.

This punishment is being served at the same time as his 27-year sentence for his separate state fraud convictions.

While Pearce is so far the only juror who deliberated in the case to express concerns about Hill, Crosby has also detailed feeling like she was 'targeted' because she was undecided throughout much of the trial.

She said the decision to remove her from the jury felt like a mistake.

'I had a real hard time because there wasn't more evidence saying ''okay you did it'', there was a lot of ''what ifs'', ''possibly'',' Crosby said.

Even if Murdaugh is eventually granted a new murder trial, he's still serving 40 years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from clients of his law firm

Crosby was eventually removed from the jury panel, accused of sharing an opinion on Murdaugh with her ex husband and tenants during the trial.

She claimed in the documentary that this was untrue, and that she first heard about the allegations via Hill.

'Me and Ms Becky went into an office outside, she closed the door behind me and she asked me if I had an ex husband, and I said ''well, yeah I do. I haven't seen him in over 10 years'' and she said there was a post... on a social platform that said I had been drinking with him and that I had offered an opinion.

'I told her, no, I have not seen him, I haven't talked to him, I sure as hell haven't been talking with him, can I see the post. Well, she couldn't find it. She asked me, ''well, do you have an opinion on Mr Murdaugh's guilt''?'

Crosby said she told Hill she was undecided and wanted to hear more information.

She was later removed from the jury over a separate matter, which she claims also didn't happen.

Crosby said the judge told her he'd received an anonymous email accusing her of speaking about her opinion of the case with her tenants.

'That did not happen,' she said.

She claims she later found out, two weeks after the trial had concluded, that her ex husband had never posted anything accusatory toward her.

'Apparently they found somebody with a similar name to my ex-husband that made an apology post,' she said.

'I feel like I was targeted. I don't know why.'

The South Carolina patriarch had a small victory in court just two weeks ago, when judges agreed to consider whether Hill interfered in the case, and whether it swung the jury

On a lighter note, Crosby was asked about her now infamous decision to tell the judge about her dozen eggs immediately after she was dismissed.

'They were just farm fresh eggs in a carton... at the time, you have to remember, we were just coming to where groceries were ungodly - a dozen eggs were $8,' she said.

'I wanted my farm fresh eggs. I'm sorry, I'm a country girl. I like eggs.'

Pearce claimed on the day Murdaugh was due to take the stand, Hill told jurors 'not to be fooled by his actions... don't believe what he's saying.'

She recalls 'everybody being ready to go home' on the day of deliberations - prompting her to think: 'Okay, then I guess we'll just say he's guilty.

'I just agreed with everybody else.'

His six-week trial heard that both his wife and son were shot in the head after initially being wounded near dog kennels on the family's rural estate in Islandton.

Paul was shot twice with a shotgun, each round loaded with different sized shot, while his mother, apparently running towards her son as he was slaughtered, was shot multiple times with a .300 Blackout semi-automatic rifle.

The murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh shocked South Carolina, where the family were well known as a political and legal dynasty.

Members of the family had served as solicitor and district attorney for the Low Country region for 85 consecutive years.

Murdaugh claimed he found the bodies of his wife and son after returning home from a visit to his parents, but prosecutors based their case on damning cell phone evidence that showed him at the crime scene near the time of the murders.
Former President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris appear to agree on some ways to ease the housing crisis. Associated Press

To say pro-housing advocates are amped about Vice President Kamala Harris campaign would be an understatement.

When Harris laid out her economic plan during a North Carolina rally this month, she promised to cut red tape that can stymie new housing, and she added a bold pledge: And by the end of my first term, we will end Americas housing shortage by building 3 million new homes and rentals that are affordable for the middle class.

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Then, at last weeks Democratic convention, Barack Obama deviated from his soaring rhetoric (and quips about Trumps obsession with size) to emphasize the new tickets support for zoning reform. She knows, for example, that if we want to make it easier for more young people to buy a home, we need to build more units and clear away some of the outdated laws and regulations that make it harder to build homes for working people in this country, he said of Harris.

On Wednesday, it will yield a YIMBYs for Harris call, featuring a slate of California politicians, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed and state Sen. Scott Wiener, whose push for all kinds of housing construction  including market-rate  has pitted them against preservationists and those who say affordable, below-market housing should take priority.

But one aspect of Harris housing focus appears to have flown under the radar: Several of her proposals align closely with those being floated by her opponent, former President Donald Trump.

Its a reflection of how Republicans and Democrats in states across the country have found broad agreement on potential solutions as the housing crisis has escalated. Lawmakers in red and blue states have passed measures intended to increase supply and lower housing costs, including zoning reform, building incentives and, at times, overriding local or neighborhood pushback.

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The thing thats nice about housing right now is that its relatively non-polarized, said Ben Metcalf, the managing director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley. What you really hope for is that the rhetoric coming from the presidential candidates can somehow not squash that depolarized context that allows this to be an issue area that Republicans and Democrats can get behind.

Here are some areas where there appears to be overlap between Harris and Trump.

Both candidates want to funnel assistance to first-time homebuyers

Providing assistance to people buying a home for the first time is a concept that appears to have support from both candidates.

Harris plan expands a Biden-Harris proposal providing $25,000 in down-payment assistance only for 400,000 first-generation home buyers, meaning those whose parents dont own a home. Her plan would provide on average $25,000 for all eligible first-time home buyers.

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The Republican Party platform is far less detailed but says the party will promote homeownership through Tax Incentives and support for first-time buyers.

Californias Dream for All program, launched in 2023 and structured as a loan intended to offset down payment and closing costs for new homebuyers, was wildly popular and exhausted its first round of funds in less than two weeks.

Both candidates want to build on federal lands

This is a concept both candidates have expressed interest in, but neither has offered much in the way of detail. Harris economic plan says: Vice President Harris will also take action to make certain federal lands eligible to be repurposed for new housing developments that families can afford.

The GOP platform says it will open limited portions of Federal Lands to allow for new home construction.

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As local opposition has proven the biggest obstacle to new homebuilding, government entities and other landowners have sought to make it easier to open up their space for building. California has taken steps in the last decade to open state land to building affordable housing and also to require local governments to report excess public land to the state.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a so-called YIGBY bill by Wiener that makes it easier for churches and nonprofit colleges to build affordable housing on their property.

Both candidates want to eliminate bureaucracy that can stifle homebuilding

Cutting red tape is the kind of political promise that borders on parody because its so vague that its virtually unobjectionable.

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Yet, its clear that unnecessary bureaucracy is one of the biggest hurdles to building more homes.

The White House recently singled out San Francisco for having a median time of 33 months that large projects spent in the permitting process. The California Department of Housing and Community Development ruled in July that San Francisco did not meet its housing permitting goals in 2023, making it the first city in California to be subject to a new state law requiring cities that are behind on their state housing goals to streamline the approval of most projects.

Harris has zeroed in on these roadblocks. When she pledged to cut red tape and bureaucracy, she said including at the state and local levels.

Trump, meanwhile, has spoken mostly in terms of federal regulation  whether its lowering the cost of financing via the Federal Reserve or cutting environmental regulations.

While both candidates speak in broad strokes about cutting red tape, those details could signal fundamentally different approaches, Metcalf said.

Federal regulations are certainly a barrier to building housing, but compared to state and local, its like a rounding error. The real issue here from a regulatory perspective is on zoning and land use approvals, which are all controlled locally, and building codes, which are set by the state, Metcalf said. When Harris is saying we need to cut regulation, she means get the locals and states to streamline, and that is not what Trump seems to be saying. So thats a pretty substantial difference, even though the rhetorical top line might sound the same.

But theres also a major caveat here

Project 2025, a collection of Republican policy proposals written by former Trump administration officials and advisers, similarly calls for fewer land use and zoning regulations. But it also details the importance of ensuring that ultimate zoning authority and land use decisions reside with local authorities  who are typically the source of obstruction.

The city of Huntington Beach, for example, has argued that state housing mandates violate its constitutional rights. A federal judge disagreed and dismissed its lawsuit.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a question about whether it supports the Project 2025 plans points about preserving local autonomy over housing decisions. But Trump has signaled similar beliefs. In 2020, he wrote on Twitter (now called X): I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood.

What about renters?

There are, of course, major differences between how Harris and Trump would approach housing. Perhaps the biggest: Harris plan offers many proposals aimed at renters, while the Trump campaign and the Republican Party platform do not.

Harris plan would crack down on Wall Street investors buying up housing units and on data firms used by landlords to set rental prices.

Trump, the son of a real estate magnate, has himself been accused in numerous lawsuits of making life miserable for tenants of buildings he owned.

And theres another big difference between Harris and Trump on housing. While they seem to agree that red tape has worsened the housing crisis, Trump zeroes in on what he sees as another culprit: immigrants.

Republicans will end luxury housing and Taxpayer benefits for Illegal Immigrants and use those savings to shelter and treat homeless Veterans, according to the party platform.

Sen. J.D. Vance, Trumps running mate, has hammered this point. In his speech at the Republican National Convention last month, Vance said the housing crisis was a result of the Democrats (flooding) this country with millions of illegal aliens. So citizens had to compete with people who shouldnt even be here for precious housing.
True self-reflection is a rare thing among politicians. So rare, in fact, that notable examples truly stand out.

For countless television viewers, for example, Michael Portillo is the rather avuncular fellow who presents those railway journey programmes that cheaply fill half an hour on BBC Two while most of us are eating dinner.

But to those of a certain age, he will forever be remembered, primarily, as a much disliked Conservative minister whose defeat in Labours general election landslide of 1997 was symbolic of the publics backlash against a Tory party that had lost its way.

The title of a swiftly published account of Prime Minister Tony Blairs remarkable victory asked Were you still up for Portillo?. The Portillo Moment was born.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn is desperate to convince the public that he and his party have changed

Portillo didnt simply switch lanes and move into television presenting. He wrote and spoke about the views he might have long held on a range of issues from education to equality, he challenged himself and to a greater degree than anyone might reasonably be expected to, he took responsibility for decisions made and changed his mind on all sorts of matters.

A cold uncaring Thatcherite right-winger is now a conservative of socially liberal views with an engaging love of art and trains.

The SNPs Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has neither the time nor the inclination for self-examination at the moment. All he cares about is convincing us he and his party have changed.

Just a few months ago, many SNP figures were still convinced of their infallibility. Utterly mediocre MPs, so lacking in imagination that they couldnt understand treating the majority of voters with contempt for a decade might have backside-biting consequences, spoke of holding a Labour Prime Ministers feet to the fire.

Long after the rest of us had made up our minds, SNP MPs continued to think they were on the gravy train for life.

Mr Flynn admits his party has failed to give voters what they want and that it has lost trust and momentum. It is time he says for his partys priorities, actions and delivery to change.

This certainly makes sense. If voters dont like what youre doing, do something different.

I wonder whether anyone recalls a wonderful routine by Sir Billy Connolly about dining in a Mexican restaurant?

The joke rests on the fact that most dishes sold in high street cantinas consist of identical ingredients - bread, meat, sauce, cheese - arranged differently.

Connolly, the anxious waiter, apologises to the couple who received Pollo This instead of Pollo That, then mimes picking up, unwrapping and rewrapping a parcel before proudly placing in back in front of the diners.

To a great degree, then, and I accept its an unconventional analysis, nationalism is high street Mexican food, all the same stuff wrapped differently.

This simple truth is especially problematic for Mr Flynn, right now.

The SNP MP, once the puff-chested leader of the third largest party in the house of commons is now the humbled head of little more than a nationalist rump, confused about how they came to fall so very far.

It doesnt take a genius to explain how and why things went wrong for the SNP. In 2014, the SNP led the Yes campaign to convincing defeat in the independence referendum.

The result was not close. Yes, it certainly showed support for independence had grown but nobody could have argued that a result of 55-45 in favour of No was anything other than a completely decisive result. Scotland did not move to the very brink of independence.

Rather, it stopped some distance short having decided that the SNPs offer did not appeal.

Scotland's best hope could stand in John Swinney quitting as First Minister

The parties of the No campaign, gracious in victory, established The Smith Commission, a body where Unionists and Nationalists alike gathered to discuss and agree a new package of devolved powers for Scotland.

John Swinney was the SNPs representative during that process and observers remember him as a dominant force, a political Alpha making decisions solely in the interests of independence, even if that meant blocking the devolution of some issues.

Someone with a ring-side seat to the Smith talks recall the Scottish Greens being especially keen for legislation on abortion to become the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament and Swinney stepping in to overrule.

For the Greens it was all about them being able to say Scotland would have a more compassionate system or whatever but John was of the view that its a massively emotive issue, a position has been reached on the matter and the law seems to satisfy various concerns to various degrees, so why on earth would you want to take that law up to Holyrood just to start unpicking it?

I tell the story of Mr Swinneys deft handling of the Smith negotiations because it illustrates perfectly the cynicism of the SNP. It is this cynicism - not some easily fixed matter of policy - that lies at the heart of the nationalists problems.

The SNP can never be satisfied. In increasing numbers, voters are growing wise to that.

And Im afraid things stand to get much worse for the SNP. The nationalists failure in government moves from the realm of incompetence into the realms of betrayal.

Senior SNP figures from Alex Salmond to Nicola Sturgeon to John Swinney knew they had lost and lost well.

It was a political choice, almost Trumpish, for them to move forward post September 2014 as if Scots had been cheated. It was a decision - in the short-term interests of the SNP rather than the long term interests of Scotland for Ms Sturgeon to concentrate on agitating for a second referendum rather than addressing growing problems in the NHS and the education system.

It was a decision, too, for consecutive SNP First Ministers to declare possession of various non-existent mandates for referendums unwanted by voters.

And it was a decision for the SNP to ignore the change in political tides.

Arrogant and complacent, the nationalists watched their poll ratings plummet while continuing to insist their movement had unstoppable momentum.

So how does that SNP change to become something voters will want again? How, after years of treating the electorate with contempt, does that SNP begin to win back crucial support?

Scottish Nationalisms best hope for survival stands in John Swinney quitting as First Minister to ride the Orient Express for the BBC.

In fact, that may be Scotlands best hope.

The SNP messages is stale and out of date. Voters are already looking elsewhere and no amount of refolding will make the nationalists offer any more palatable.
France's Chief Rabbi has been reported to state prosecutors for 'apologising for war crimes' after he said the Israeli military needed to 'finish the job' in Gaza.

Haim Korsia, 60, caused outrage on Monday by openly supporting Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza - a war which has seen tens of thousands of Palestinians die, many of them children.

He said live on a news channel: 'I have absolutely no reason to be ashamed of what Israel is doing in the way it conducts the fighting' and that 'I am not uncomfortable with a policy that consists of defending its nationals.'

Rabbi Korsia added: 'Everybody would be very happy if Israel finished the job, and we could finally build peace in the Middle East without people who only want one thing all the time  the destruction of Israel.'

Now today, French MP Aymeric Caron confirmed he had filed a complaint to Paris prosecutors for comments he claimed were 'an apology for war crimes'.

Haim Korsia (pictured centre), 60, caused outrage on Monday by openly supporting Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a press conference at a military base in Tel Aviv on October 28 last year

Chief Rabbi of France Haim Korsia applauds during a demonstration against anti-semitism on August 27

In France this offence can be punished with up to five years in prison and a fine equivalent to 40,000.

Mr Caron said: 'On the basis of Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, I have contacted the Paris Public Prosecutor to report these comments by the Chief Rabbi of France publicly apologising for war crimes in Gaza.'

In turn, prosecutors said they were examining the evidence, including video images, before proceeding.

There was no initial comment about the complaint from Rabbi Korsia, who is a former chaplain to the French Army.

Rabbi Korsia made his comments on the BFM news channel on Monday, saying that all Palestinians were victims 'of an act of war that is the responsibility of Hamas' who 'refuse all proposals to stop the fighting.'

When asked if he was worried about the ferocity of the Israeli attacks on Gaza, he replied: 'I am never uncomfortable with a policy that consists of defending [Israeli] citizens.'

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more wounded in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7th, when 1200 Israelis died during a Hamas raid on Israel.

Palestinians conduct search and rescue operation after Israeli attack in Khan Yunis on August 27

Palestinians stand amongst smoking rubble after an Israeli attack in Khan Yunis on August 27

A man pushes a child sitting in a cart along a street in central Gaza City on August 27

The rising number of child and women deaths in Gaza and on the West Bank has led to the International Criminal Court (ICC) opening a war crimes investigation into what is being called a genocide by some.

This has included arrest warrants being issued in May for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant.

ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A Khan KC, who is British, said compiled evidence pointed to both men bearing 'criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine'.

These include 'willful killing', 'intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population' and 'extermination, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation.'

Rabbi Korsia has regularly reported rises in anti-Semitism in France, particularly ones connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

It comes after two cars were set on fire and a police officer was injured by an explosion next to synagogue near Montpellier on Saturday.

Firefighters and police rushed to the scene near Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte at around 8.40am local time.

Pictured: The blaze near the synagogue in France on Saturday

The man suspected of attacking a synagogue in France was caught on CCTV wearing a Palestinian flag and carrying two bottles of liquid as he fled the scene

Firefighters, police, and the Gendermerie arrived at the scene near Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motteat around 8.40am local time on Saturday (Pictured: Smoke rising into the air)

'The alarm was raised at around 8.30am,' said an investigating source. 'There was at least one violent explosion, and flames touched the door of the synagogue.

'A gas bottle was clearly stored in one of two cars parked directly outside the synagogue, and that's what caused the explosion.

'A policeman who attempted to secure the area was badly injured and rushed to hospital.'

CCTV footage captured a man wearing a Palestinian flag and carrying two bottles of liquid as he fled the scene.

The explosion is being treated as terrorism and has been denounced by a community leader as an 'attempt to kill Jews'.
The presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is back on, and set for September 10 on ABC.

The bombshell update came from the former president who said he had 'reached an agreement' with the Harris campaign for a primetime showdown in Philadelphia using the same rules of the CNN debate with President Joe Biden.

His statement on Truth Social on Tuesday suggested the impasse over whether microphones should be muted had been resolved.

Trump's statement included some rules but doesn't specifically mention what is being done about the microphone muting. But the ex-president hinted he got his way and that microphones will be muted.

The debate will be the first time the two presidential nominees will share a stage.

'I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a Debate with Comrade Kamala Harris,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He lamented that Harris would not agree to a Fox News debate on September 4  before the ABC date. He said that the network and his campaign are keeping that date open 'in case she changes her mind or, flip flops.'

He noted that the debate host, ABC News, is 'by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business.'

'The Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate, which seemed to work out well for everyone except, perhaps, Crooked Joe Biden,' Trump added.

The debate between Trump and Biden led to a series of disastrous events for the President that ultimately led to a pressure campaign to end his reelection bid.

On July 21, Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed his vice president.

Since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate, Harris has remained on script and has barely stepped out from behind a podium. She has not done a formal sit-down interview or held a press conference.

The Harris campaign has not yet said whether the VP will participate, but released a statement earlier on Tuesday slamming Trump for wanting to repeat the rule from the CNN debate.

'We have told ABC and other networks seeking to host a possible October debate that we believe both candidates' mics should be live throughout the full broadcast,' Harris' senior advisor for communications Brian Fallon said in a statement.

'Our understanding is that Trump's handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don't think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,' he continued.

Microphones were muted in the CNN debate between Trump (left) and Joe Biden (right), which most felt was to the benefit of the former president

But the Harris team also speculated that Trump was not aware of the microphone dispute, claiming 'it would be too embarrassing to admit they don't think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button.'

'The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump's constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.'

Among the rules Trump listed in his Truth Social post are the fact that candidates will be standing behind podiums for the debate. They are also prohibited from being 'cheat sheets,' the former president noted.

'We have also been given assurance by ABC that this will be a 'fair and equitable' Debate, and that neither side will be given the questions in advance,' he wrote in the post on his social media platform.
Dramatic video showed the moment a Good Samaritan came to the aid of a woman being targeted by two bandits aboard a motorcycle in Ecuador.

The victim was in her car in the Guayaquil neighborhood of Sauces 8 on Saturday morning when the suspects rode up to her.

One of the men can be heard telling the woman, 'Give me your phone, give me your phone,' before the suspect riding the bike grabbed the device.

That's when another driver plowed into the suspects, sending them and their bike flying.

Two suspects robbed a woman of her cell phone in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday. As they were about to escape, a Good Samaritan plowed his vehicle into the perps

Two robbery suspects are seen being knocked off their motorcycle when a Good Samaritan rushed to the aid of a woman after she was forced to give up her cell phone Saturday in Guayaquil, Ecuador

A motorcycle used by thieves to pull off a cell phone robbery was left on ground wrecked after a Good Samaritan rammed his vehicle into it twice to prevent two suspects from fleeing in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday

When one of the assailants attempted to pick up the motorcycle, the driver charged forward again, striking the bike and knocking the suspect to the ground.

After the thieves fled, the driver returned to check on the woman who was targeted.

The National Police launched a search for the two suspects, who remained on the run as of Tuesday.

The incident comes after Yuliano Salazar, a 22-year-old with 40 percent mental capacity, ran over four suspects and killed two after they attempted to rob him on a motorcycle.

Prosecutors charged him with culpable homicide and placed him in pretrial detention.

President Daniel Noboa issued a statement in defense of Salazar and slammed the judicial system for faulting the university student.

A robbery suspect tried to restart the motorcycle while his accomplice approached him moments before a Good Samaritan crashed his vehicle into the bike a second time and knocked the perp to the ground before he and his accomplice fled in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday

A robbery suspect was knocked to the ground after he tried to restart his motorcycle to flee with his accomplice after robbing a woman's cell phone in Guayaquil, Ecuador

'I will not be a passive witness to the indolence and incoherence of a system that prosecuted a young university student for defending his life and that of his companions when he was attacked by four armed criminals,' Noboa wrote on X.

According to statistics released by the Attorney General's Office earlier this month, there were 182,293 incidents of crime registered during the first six months of this year in Ecuador.

A total of 43,475 of the incidents were reported as robberies, with 16,444 occurring in the province of Guayas, topping all other provinces.

A total of 10,760 of the robberies were reported in Guayaquil, the capital of Guayas.
Despite breaking up 15 years ago with a much publicised and bitter feud the Gallagher brothers announced today it was definitely and not maybe for a long awaited and much hoped for Oasis reunion.

The news has sent fans into a frenzy of nostalgia and excitement with an army of them making their way to Burnage in South Manchester to visit the record store where the brothers first bought records as they nurtured their love of music.

Sifters on Fog Lane is an old school record store, packed with vinyls and owned by 'Mr Sifter' Peter Howard, 76, who remembers the brothers as young lads sifting through the racks until the time 'he lost them to the world.'

The store and its proprietor were namechecked in the band's 1994 hit Shakermaker from their debut album Definitely Maybe - Oasis' first top 20 hit, which peaked at number 11 in the UK charts.

Mr Howard said: 'Liam and Noel used to come in in the mid Nineties and it was after the first single I started to notice them.

Sifters on Fog Lane is an old school record store, packed with vinyl and owned by 'Mr Sifter' Peter Howard, 76, (pictured)

An army of fans are making their way to Burnage in South Manchester to visit the record store where the brothers first bought records as they nurtured their love of music. Pictured: Sifters on Fog Lane

Mr Sifter remembers the brothers as young lads sifting through the racks until the time 'he lost them to the world'

The store - where the brothers used to buy their records - was also featured in the Shakermaker music video

The band can be seen sifting through the disks as they film the music video inside the record store

Posters on the walls at Sifters on Fog Lane show artists including Guns N' Roses, local boys Oasis and their idols The Beatles

The brothers' legacy means Sifters is often visited by fans and tourists - including people from as far away as South Korea and Japan. Pictured: A mural of Oasis at the side of Sifters Record Shop Burnage

The owner of Sifters remembers the brothers as young lads sifting through the racks until the time 'he lost them to the world'. Pictured: The nearby home where Noel and Liam grew up, left

Noel and Liam Gallagher proved they had buried the hatchet on their 15-year feud as they met up this summer to pose for a photo together to mark Oasis' comeback tour

How Sifters was namechecked by Oasis Sifters and its owner were namechecked in Shakermaker from their debut album Definitely Maybe - Oasis' first top 20 hit, which peaked at number 11 in the UK charts. The store - where the brothers used to buy their records - was also featured in the music video, where the band can be seen sifting through his disks. The lyric goes: 'Mister Sifter sold me songs 'When I was just sixteen 'Now he stops at traffic lights 'But only when they're green' Advertisement

'They used to come in and interact.... but I lost them to the world.'

Their legacy means Sifters is often visited by fans and tourists - including people from as far away as South Korea and Japan.

Peter says 'We have fans coming in from South Korea and Japan.

'We had a woman from Tokyo who was doing an exhibition and asked if I could be on a poster.'

The superstars are still no strangers to the shop or the area as mum Peggy still lives a couple of minutes drive away from the store and Noel was last browsing there just two months ago.

Peter says: 'Noel was in the shop two months ago talking about buying a 6 million house of Mike Oldfield. Now that's not a conversation you normally hear at Sifters.'

'The announcement today came as a complete surprise to most people even though there were a few hints in recent conversations.

'There are a lot of good songs that they have done that will be heard again and that is what millions and millions of fans will be keen to see.'

Visiting the shop, which is adorned with a huge black and white mural of Noel and Liam at the height of their fame, is Laura Beaumont, 36, from Moston who says she has liked Oasis all her life.

She says: 'It's 15 years since they last spoke, so I think something must have happened for them to reconcile.

Visiting the shop, which is adorned with a huge black and white mural of Noel and Liam at the height of their fame, is Laura Beaumont, 36, from Moston who says she has liked Oasis all her life

Partner Stacey Robertson, 43, a youth worker from Leeds says she is a huge Oasis fan and is emotional at the prospect of seeing her idols back together

Isla Derbyshire, 7, said that she thought Noel and Liam would still argue - just like her and her brother. Pictured: Laura Beaumont with Isla Derbyshire

The super-stars are still no stranger to the shop or the area as mum Peggy still lives a couple of minutes drive away from the store and Noel was last browsing there just two months ago. Pictured: Cranwell Drive, Burnage

The 1996 Oasis gigs at Knebworth saw the largest ever demand for gig tickets in UK history

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live on stage in 2001

'When I heard they had got back together, I was like 'Oh My God!' - but are they going to last a year before anything happens? It's Noel and Liam.'

Partner Stacey Robertson, 43, a youth worker from Leeds says she is a huge Oasis fan and is emotional at the prospect of seeing her idols back together.

She said: 'Today is hugely important. The songs you love are songs you loved as a teenager.

'It's so important, not just for Manchester but for a lot of people in this country.

'I bet at least one in every six households bought the first two albums. They sing songs for every day, normal people. It's not about being rich - if you see every day, normal people on Top Of The Pops, it's important.

'When I first heard the news I wondered if it was true - but here we are. It's just great.'

Isla Derbyshire, aged seven, said: 'I like the songs and the rhythm of the songs.

'I think they will argue sometimes like me and my brother but they will get back together.'

Suzanne Lake, 36, rushed to visit the store with her two daughters. Pictured: Mollie McKenna, 14, Suzanne Lake, Lexi Lake, 14, and Robyn Lake, six, outside Sifters record shop

Standing in the rain on the street outside their former home they say they decided they may as well have a look at the house where the brothers lived as kids. Pictured: Cranwell Drive, Burnage

Four per cent of the UK population applied for tickets to see Oasis at Knebworth in 1996

Suzanne Lake, 36, rushed to visit the store with her two daughters.

She says: 'I went to see Liam Gallagher in June this year but the last time I saw Oasis live together was in June 2009, when they were a band so this is amazing - I am dead excited. I have been driving my older daughter mad - blasting out Oasis tunes. It's mint to be here and we are mad for it!'

Tickets will go on general sale this Saturday.
Scotland is in the grip of a housebreaking epidemic as one home is broken into every hour.

Police Scotland recorded 8,838 housebreakings in the year to the end of June, equivalent to more than 24 homes being targeted every day.

Nearly three-quarters of housebreakings went unsolved as the perpetrator was never caught by police.

It comes after Chief Constable Jo Farrell said earlier this year that tackling break-ins was a priority for the force.

But there are concerns housebreaking crimes are not being taken seriously enough.

An average of 24 homes across Scotland are being targeted by thieves every day, according to alarming new figures

Victims often suffer significant trauma and studies have shown that as many as one in 10 move house as a result.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay MSP said: People should have confidence in the justice system to deal effectively with this invasive crime which can even cause victims to move home.

Yet its clear that not only are house-breakings far too common, most of them go undetected and the perpetrators unpunished. This despicable crime must be taken seriously.

Mr Findlay also accused the Scottish Government of slashing police budgets and weakening Scotlands criminal justice system after new recorded crime figures showed an alarming three per cent increase in crime in 2023/24.

Police Scotland recorded 300,070 crimes compared to 292,702 in the year to June 2023.

He added: This alarming rise in crime is unsurprising given the SNPs relentless slashing of police budgets and weakening of Scotlands criminal justice system.

With officer numbers at a 17-year low, our streets are less safe due entirely to decisions made by successive SNP justice ministers in Edinburgh.

While the SNP continue to fail the public, the Scottish Conservatives would get tough on crime and recruit 1,000 additional police officers.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said the rise in housebreakings were a result of the SNP's 'relentless slashing of police budgets'

The clear-up rate for all crimes was 54.1 per cent  an improvement of less than one per cent on 2022/23 but still lower than it was a decade ago.

But only 27.6 per cent of housebreakings were cleared up by police, meaning thousands of householders did not have the reassurance of knowing a culprit had been identified.

Highlighting the extent of the crimewave, police yesterday issued an appeal for witnesses after two housebreakings a fortnight apart at the same property.

Both break-ins happened in the early hours at a house in Longniddry, East Lothian, and are believed to be linked. Two suspects were seen fleeing after the incidents, with the most recent being at around 1.45am yesterday (Tues).

The most recent housebreaking figures showed an increase on 2022/23, when police recorded 8,809 crimes.

Thefts from a lockfast place - which can include garages and sheds - rose by 16 per cent to 1,464 crimes, and thefts from motor vehicles were up by 13 per cent to 2,234.

Overall, there were 112,384 crimes of dishonesty marking an eight per cent increase on the previous year and a seven per cent increase compared to the pre-pandemic level in 2019/20.

Shoplifting accounted for 35 per cent of crimes of dishonesty, an increase of 34 per cent on last year and 50 per cent on 2019/20. Police recorded 40,554 crimes of shoplifting, up from 30

Retail chiefs have also warned that shoplifters are becoming bolder and more aggressive.

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, called for tackling crime against retailers to be made a greater priority by the authorities, including the Scottish Government.

He said: Its appalling that shoplifting has soared by a third.

Despite record spending by retailers on crime prevention the rate of thefts continues to rise. In fact, these figures wont even capture the full picture as many thefts arent reported by retailers who are sceptical that action will be taken.

Shoplifting isnt a victimless crime. Shoplifting is the main factor behind abuse and threats towards shop workers and we know from member feedback that thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive.

The financial costs too are enormous and are ultimately borne by shoppers themselves; in some cases through higher prices on shop shelves.

Deputy Chief Constable Bex Smith said: Scotland is a safe place to live and work with historically low levels of crime.

The onus is on policing to build and maintain public confidence and we encourage people to report crime as this helps us to keep communities safe.

The Chief Constable has been clear we must focus on strengthening and modernising our frontline so our people are best equipped to prevent crime and target offenders.

Our response to housebreaking is based on an enhanced assessment of threat, risk and harm to ensure the most vulnerable get the help they need and deserve.

We fully understand the impact that such an intrusive crime has on victims and we are committed to reducing the number of housebreakings and identifying offenders.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Housebreaking has fallen by 71 per cent since 2006-07, with overall recorded crime at one of the lowest levels since 1974 and down 40% since 2006-07. Record police funding of 1.55 billion this year  an increase of 92.7 million  means Police Scotland will take on more recruits this year than at any time since 2013. Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales, and they are better paid.'
UK ports are being handed a 10.5million boost to help them prepare for enhanced EU border checks ahead of the bloc's new Entry/Exit System (EES) coming into force.

The new system requires holidaymakers entering the European Union for a short period to undergo biometric checks - including having their photo taken and their fingerprints scanned.

The money will be used to support new facilities and technology at the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone and London's St Pancras station for Eurostar services.

These are the three UK locations where French border checks are carried out before people embark on cross-Channel journeys.

Concerns have been raised over the potential for long queues at these sites after the EU implements its Entry/Exit System (EES), which is planned for November 10 after years of delays.

Traffic building up at the Port of Dover yesterday. The government has announced 10.5million of funding for the UK's entry-exit points for the EU ahead of new border checks

The Eurostar terminal at London's St Pancras International (pictured) is also receiving funding

The new checks will see fingerprints and photographs taken - and refusal means not getting into the EU

The EU says the checks are necessary to combat people outstaying their welcome and to stop identity fraud

Migration minister Seema Malhotra (right, seen here at Gatwick Airport last month) says the funding will 'minimise any disruption' for those travelling into the EU

The Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone (pictured) is also receiving funding to support its EES infrastructure

A sign at the Port of Dover last month alerting motorists to works being carried out to enable the entry-exit system

But European mandarins say the system will make the EU more secure by identifying those who outstay visitor visas and will combat identity fraud by requiring the collection of biometric data.

Travellers from non-EU countries such as the UK will need to have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken to register them on a database the first time they enter a member state, with the data stored for three years.

Those who refuse to have a picture taken or their fingerprints scanned will be denied entry into the Schengen travel area.

The DfT said the new funding will 'reduce the risk of queuing and disruption', with the three UK sites receiving 3.5 million each.

Migration minister Seema Malhotra, who visited the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel on Tuesday, said: 'While EES checks will be a significant change to the EU border, we are working hard with the European Commission, member states and ports to ensure we are well prepared, and minimise any disruption for Brits travelling into Europe.

'This additional funding for ports will ensure they have the right technology and processes in place, so that EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible.'

Future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood said: 'Nobody wants to see excessive queues at our ports, which is why we're providing this funding to ensure our borders are as prepared as possible for the upcoming change - despite EES being an EU initiative.

'Since coming into Government, we have been reviewing plans and closely supporting ports to make sure they have the right processes in place so that EES registration can be smooth and queue times kept to a minimum.'

The UK Government has previously pleaded with Brussels to loosen the rules on its biometric checks amid fears of long queues at the EU entry-exit points because of the time required for the additional checks.

Dover is braced for delays of up to 14 hours, with Kent County Council warning jams could be 'much worse' than 23-mile tailbacks seen in 2022.

The Port of Dover says it will use the new funding to expedite work on its project to infill a marina for use as a site for EES processing.

Chief operations officer Emma Ward said: 'We are doing all that we can to be ready with the facilities that will be used by French border officials operating the new system.'

Eurostar chief safety and stations officer Simon Lejeune said: 'With support from the Government, we have enhanced our facilities and upgraded our technology to meet the new requirements.

'Eurostar will be fully prepared and compliant by November, ensuring a smooth transition for all our passengers.'

Yann Leriche, chief executive of Eurotunnel owner Getlink, said: 'The group has invested more than 70 million since the beginning of the process, designing and building a new dedicated EES zone on each terminal, making sure that when the new regulation is introduced people will travel through the Channel Tunnel just as easily as they do today.'

The funding is a combination of 9 million from the DfT and 1.5 million from the Home Office.
Shocking footage captured the moment a diner pulled a knife on another man in a restaurant in a frenzied episode triggered by spilled wine.

Florida senior David Gulley, 75, was arrested on Thursday and charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and terroristic threats following a crazed rant at the Red Horse restaurant in Rumson, New Jersey.

According to police, Gulley pulled out a steak knife and 'lunged at the victim after an argument over wine being spilled on the victim's wife.'

In footage shared to social media, the victim can be seen angrily arguing with Gulley before exclaiming: 'What is that, do you have a knife in your hand?'

Shocking footage captured the moment a patron pulled a knife in an altercation over spilled wine

The victim can be seen angrily arguing with the attacker before exclaiming: 'What is that, do you have a knife in your hand?'

The altercation began as the victim told another table to 'slow down on the old spirits, people.'

After a woman replies that 'it was an accident,' he angrily responds: 'An accident is why there's wine all over her back.'

The situation drastically escalated after the victim, who is not named, said he spotted a knife in Gulley's hand. Stunned patrons urged other witnesses to call 911.

Gulley is seen lunging at the other patron but falls to the floor as the two men grappled over the knife.

The victim was seen gripping the assailant's wrists, as he yells to 'call the f***ing cops.'

Other witnesses piled into the chaos from other tables, while the manager continued yelling throughout the melee.

'Are you kidding? Attempted murder?' one stunned witness repeated as the group broke up.

Police said that Gulley punched the restaurant's manager and pulled a knife during the altercation, and he was arrested at the scene.

The frenzied scenes saw other patrons race into the melee

The altercation took place at a restaurant owned by celebrity chef David Burke, who praised management afterwards and said they 'did an excellent job' under the circumstances

According to police, the victim's finger was cut during the altercation, but he refused treatment.

Gulley was taken into custody and he is now facing a number of charges, including disorderly conduct and simple assault.

The Red Horse is owned by celebrity chef David Burke, who told the Asbury Park Press that he spoke with the restaurant's management that same evening.

'I thought they did an excellent job,' Burke said.

'I mean they did exactly as they should have done. They tried to defuse it and they called the police.'

After Gulley was arrested and charged, he was released on a summons.
Zara Aleena's family are 'deeply disappointed' and have called for an investigation after a female prison worker was charged with having an 'inappropriate relationship' with her killer.

Jordan McSweeney is serving 38 years in the high security category A prison for murdering law graduate Zara, 35, as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in June 2022.

Female prison workshop instructor Hayley Jones, 33, from Strood, Kent, allegedly had a month-long sexual relationship with McSweeney, 31, in HMP Belmarsh.

Zara's aunt Farah Naz has revealed the family wants an investigation into the alleged relationship, which she says 'not only defies justice but also highlights serious systemic failures'.

She told MailOnline they find it 'deeply troubling to learn that the prison system had failed to manage a Class A prisoner just four months into his life sentence' and claims the situation demonstrates 'serious systemic failures' in the prison system.

Jones has been charged with wilful misconduct in a public office. McSweeney has also been charged with assisting an offender between March 6 and April 7, 2023. They both will appear at Westminster magistrates' court tomorrow morning.

Jordan McSweeney is serving 38 years in the high security category A prison for murdering law graduate Zara, 35, (pictured) as she walked home from a night out in June 2022

Hayley Jones, 33, from Strood, Kent, allegedly had a month-long relationship with Zara Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney, 31, (pictured) in HMP Belmarsh, south London

'The inquest into our dear Zaras death revealed systemic flaws that allowed her murder to occur. Now, we see further evidence of more failures within the justice system,' Ms Naz told MailOnline today.

She claimed the family is 'deeply disappointed' that McSweeney and Jones allegedly shared a sexual relationship.

'When he was sentenced to life imprisonment, I assured my family that justice had been served. It is deeply troubling to learn that the prison system had failed to manage a Class A prisoner just four months into his life sentence,' she said.

'This situation not only defies justice but also highlights serious systemic failures.'

Ms Naz acknowledged that Jones has been charged, but also argued 'this does not resolve the core issue of how such a serious breach happened'.

She said: 'We must investigate how a high-security prisoner was apparently left alone with a female staff member. We must examine Belmarsh Prisons management practices, staff screening, and supervision.

'We must investigate how and why a sexual predator and murderer of a woman was apparently left alone with a female staff member.'

Jones was reportedly arrested in June last year and suspended from duties after an allegation of inappropriate conduct was reported to police officers.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'It would be inappropriate to comment on live legal proceedings.'

A jury inquest ruled in June that failures 'across multiple agencies' contributed to Zara's death.

McSweeney had been released from prison on licence just nine days before the killing, but had breached his conditions and was recalled to prison on 22 June.

The police were given powers to arrest him two days later, but delays in the necessary paperwork meant the police were unable to arrest him before he killed Zara.

Farah Naz, Zara's aunt, (pictured in July 2022) has been left 'deeply disappointed and shocked' by the latest development, saying: 'It undermines the very notion of justice'

A jury inquest ruled in June that failures 'across multiple agencies' contributed to Zara's death

Undated CCTV image issued by the Metropolitan Police of sexual predator Jordan McSweeney just before he attacked Zara Aleena

McSweeney ambushed Zara Aleena and punched her in the back of the head before dragging the 35-year-old into a driveway and kicking her as she lay on the ground as she went home after a night out in June 2022.

As the law graduate lay dying, the brute sexually assaulted her then grabbed her handbag, mobile phone and keys. He then walked away but returned moments later to deliver the fatal final blows.

Ms Aleena died in hospital from a blunt force head injury and neck compression, the jury said.

McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting Ms Aleena's murder and sexual assault.

In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence.
Dramatic video captured the moment a California liquor store employee pulled out a pistol on a wild mob after they surrounded him.

The incident took place just after 4:15 pm on Saturday outside of Golden Hours Liquor on the 3200 block of International Boulevard, the Oakland Police Department told DailyMail.com.

The unidentified worker didn't appear to fire the gun, but police said they responded to the scene to investigate a 'ShotSpotter activation' - a security technology that detects gunfire.

Officers 'located evidence of a shooting' but nobody sustained any gunshot wounds, police said. Nobody was arrested.

A California liquor store worker is seen pointing a gun at a rowdy group of people on Saturday afternoon

Video showed young men hitting and punching the employee just before he brought the gun out

The violent moment started with the worker, who was dressed in a black T-shirt, had long dark hair and sported tattoos on his arm, having a conversation with a young man in a red hoodie who later slapped him across the face.

The employee's hat flew off his head as another young man slapped him multiple times.

The employee quickly shuffled into the store, followed by a large crowd of bikers.

He proceeded to grab a handgun as the mob sped out of the shop, screaming.

The store employee led the crowd outside before he turned around and pointed the weapon at the gathering.

He then waved the firearm around as the crowd quickly picked up their bikes and frantically fled the scene.

Before the violent moment broke out, the employee got into a heated argument with people outside the store

The employee rushed into the liquor store as the mob of people followed behind

While some people got away, others stayed near the store while the employee ran around with the gun still in hand and yelled at them.

At one point, he approached a man in a gray hoodie and pushed him to the pavement.

The worker continued to scream and appeared to put the gun away as more people cleared the area.

He then walked over to the front of the liquor shop, picked up his hat and yelled at a man in jeans, a face mask and black hoodie.

Another man, dressed in a white T-shirt and black pants, stepped between the two and appeared to try to break up the heated argument.

A separate video posted to X showed a different angle of the heated exchange just moments before the employee grabbed a gun.

Officers 'located evidence of a shooting,' but nobody sustained any gunshot wounds, police said. Nobody was arrested

A man in a red hat told the employee: 'I'm not shoplifting, that's a kid shoplifting, and you handled that.'

'But you're threatening three motherf******,' he added.

'I'm not threatening nobody, I said back the f*** off me,' the employee responded.

The young man in the red sweatshirt then asked him: 'Why you pulling out guns on kids, bro?'

'Did you see me pull out of gun?' the employee asked as he stepped closer to the young man.

It is unclear exactly what sparked the heated confrontation.
Crowds continued to visit Presidio Tunnel Tops Park in San Francisco as the attraction saw notable increases in visitors, according to data from Placer.ai. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle

San Franciscos pandemic recovery has been uneven, but signs of a partial return to work and leisure are apparent at some of the citys most prominent sites.

Cellphone data from Placer.ai, and shared with the Chronicle, shows all but one of 10 landmarks around the city have seen estimated visitor gains over the past year, stretching from Ocean Beach to the west to Salesforce Tower on the east.

The one exception: Union Square, the hard-hit downtown shopping district that has seen an exodus of large and small retailers. Estimated foot traffic fell nearly 9% during the first half of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to Placer.ai data, which is based on aggregate, anonymous device activity. The first half of this year was also down nearly 6% decline compared with the first half of 2022.

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It does seem to show weakness in Union Square that isnt matched by other visitor destinations, said Ted Egan, San Franciscos chief economist, though he noted that Placer.ais monthly data appeared volatile, making it harder to understand trends.

Union Square saw the number of visitors to this retail center decrease in recent years, according to data from Placer.ai. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Placer.ai uses anonymous mobile device data to track movement trends and samples specific locations to estimate broader patterns. While sampling can help provide insights, it can be prone to errors as it does not represent all movements. Notably, it also does not include data from international visitors.

The Presidios Tunnel Tops Park has been a hit since opening in 2022, with an estimated 45% jump in visitors in the first half of 2024 compared with the prior year. That was the biggest gain among the 10 locations, and a new food hall is slated to open next year, potentially boosting traffic further.

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Salesforce Tower, headquarters of San Franciscos biggest private employer, came in second with a 34% gain over the same period. Compared with the first half of 2022, the city's tallest building saw estimated foot traffic increase 87.8% in 2024, the biggest gain among the 10 landmarks. Salesforce has a hybrid work policy, with many workers coming in three days per week or less. However, the tech giant is reportedly requiring some teams to come to the office more frequently.

Placer.ai said in a separate report that San Francisco saw a 20% increase in office visits in July, though it was still at a little over half of 2019 levels  the lowest percentage among 11 major U.S. cities that it tracked.

Salesforces roots in San Francisco run deep and its central to our identity as a company. As the citys largest private employer and philanthropist, we are committed to its future and will continue to invest in it, a company spokesperson said in a statement.

More people visited Salesforce Tower in recent years, according to data from Placer.ai. The company also draws visitors for its annual Dreamforce convention, shown here. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Salesforces Dreamforce megaconference will also return next month, bolstering foot traffic at Moscone Center, which saw a 6% gain in visitors in the first half of 2024 compared with the prior year.

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The nearby San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which had to shut down during the early pandemic, saw a 15% increase in visitors during that time period. Another museum, the Legion of Honor, saw a 9% rise in visitors.

Dolores Park, the popular Mission District hangout, saw estimated visitors up 5.6% in the same period. But the first half of 2024 was down 1.6% compared with the first half of 2022. Only Dolores Park and Union Square saw estimated declines between 2022 and 2024.

Waterfront tourist magnets Pier 39 and the Ferry Building saw the smallest visitor gains at 3% and 4% respectively between 2024 and 2023, but that figure doesn't include international visitor data. Lower gains in the areas partially reflects lower tourism, including domestic tourists, compared with 2019 peaks, with a full recovery not expected until 2026 or later.
A sovereign citizen who tried to avoid paying council rates by using groundless legal arguments has had their argument torn to shreds by a savvy council worker.

A copy of the email reply from the government employee has gone viral for its pointed takedown of the sovereign citizen's excuses.

'Your missive is somewhat confusing,' the response begins.

The council worker starts by informing the sovereign citizen that the repeated Biblical references in their letter hold no legal relevance.

'On page 1, you refer to the 'Maxims at Law' and then provide various Christian biblical references. Australia is a secular nation, and Bible references are not considered law,' they write.

The worker then quashes claims the sovereign citizen is 'held to a number of things', including the 'Laws of God as held to the Church of England and the Holy See'.

A sovereign citizen who tried to avoid paying council rates by using groundless legal arguments has been torn to shreds by a savvy council worker (pictured)

'I would suggest you research the Reformation and King Henry VIII of England to provide you with the background,' the response said, noting the historical challenges to the power of the Catholic hierarchy in Rome.

'Nobody has been held to account to BOTH the Church of England and the Catholic Church since the Pope refused to dissolve the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon so Henry could marry the already pregnant Anne Boleyn.

'Also, while an interesting part of history, I am unsure what either the Church of England or the Catholic Holy See have to do with (council fines) in 2024.'

The sovereign citizen was then called out for referring to the Australian Commonwealth as a 'company'.

'You assert that the Commonwealth of Australia is a company. It is not. This is a common misperception by people who go down rabbit warrens of nonsense on the internet,' they write.

The employee then mocked the sovereign citizen for copying and pasting parts of an outdated template.

'Page 2, you also refer to 'Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen'. I am sorry to be the one to advise, but Her Majesty died on 8 September 2022. King Charles Ill is the current monarch for Australia,' they write.

'I am afraid this is what happens when you copy things from the internet without reviewing them.'

A reference to a unrelated legal case between Queensland Rail and a major union is slammed as 'incorrect' by the council worker.

'Page 2, you use a citation for HCA 11, 2015 and then incorrectly use case law to extrapolate to a point that it was never intended,' they write.

'I am completely unsure why you would use this to argue that you should not pay rates to your local council.'

A copy of the email reply from the civil servant (pictured)has gone viral on X, for its savage takedown of the sovereign citizen

The council worker then factchecks the sovereign's erroneous interpretation of the Australian Constitution.

'On page 4, you state that section 109 'nullifies every new law since 1900 in any state-contrived Local Government Acts',' they write.

'Section 109 of the Australian Constitution actually just refers to the inconsistency issues that may arise in a federation. No state is permitted to have a state law that would contradict or be inconsistent with a federal law.

'The NSW Local Government Act is not inconsistent with any federal law.'

An attempt to claim council tax is the 'distribution of goods' is quickly rebutted.

'Rates paid to Local Councils under the NSW Local Government Act have nothing whatsoever to do with a stage in the distribution of goods and therefore this is not relevant case law for your argument,' the employee writes.

The sovereign citizen then receives a quick lesson on land titles and ownership.

'On page 5, you also refer to an old maxim that 'people own their land all the soil all the way down to the centre of the earth and all the air above'. This is actually not correct,' they write.

'Land titles issued after 1891 limit ownership to 15.24 metres below the surface. Air above is regulated under the State Planning Legislation. Either way, I am not understanding the relevance of the point you were erroneously making.'

The council worker finishes their response to the sovereign citizen with some blunt advice

The council worker then finishes their response with some blunt advice.

'Unfortunately, nowhere in your letter am I able to determine what you are contacting council for,' they conclude.

'I have genuine concerns that you are following false leads and disingenuous people on the internet. That activity is harmless in and of itself, but please do not give any of those people any of your money and always check independently any information you are given.

'The internet holds all of the history of humankind, our collective knowledge and understanding. Please be aware that it also holds nonsense and people who will lie and be disingenuous.

'Should you have an issue that you believe we can actually assist you with as your local council, please contact us.

The post also included a screenshot of a sovereign citizen asking if anyone had used the 'bills of exchange act' to avoid paying credit card debt on Telegram (pictured)

'Please note, if you write back erroneous and nonsensical demands you have copied off the internet, no response will be provided in future.'

The post also included a screenshot of a sovereign citizen asking on Telegram if anyone had used the 'bills of exchange act' to avoid paying credit card debt.

'On the process now of doing  see how it goes,' one replied. 'They are still sending letters but extending time  a bit at (a) time  really getting stressful.'

'Same here  lost the lot  and trying to not let fear sneak in of someone arresting me as the threat letters are coming in,' a second wrote.

What is a sovereign citizen?

Sovereign citizens believe the government is essentially a massive corporation that governs without consent and, therefore, is illegitimate and without jurisdiction over them.

This concept is frequently explained to frustrated police officers when they are stopped in traffic or for breaking another law.

'I don't consent' is a common phrase used by sovereign citizens when confronted by any form of law enforcement or authority.

Their deeply held belief in the legitimacy of their cause means that they are not concerned about hiding their identity from police.
Megyn Kelly has slammed a Washington Post columnist for calling Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff a 'modern day sex symbol.'

The journalist called out columnist Catherine Rampell on Monday's SiriusXM's 'The Megyn Kelly Show' after she wrote a gushing piece about VP Kamala Harris' hubby.

Rampell's article painted Emhoff as the stuff of 'modern female fantasy' - a man 'secure enough with his own masculinity to sometimes prioritize his wife's ambitions over his own.'

Rampell additionally called Emhoff a 'hunk,' a 'dreamboat,' and a 'high-achieving alpha' who 'isn't threatened if his wife is too.'

The former Fox News star accused Rampell of writing 'drivel' to curry favor with left-wing readers after a previous article criticizing Harris' economic plan.

Megyn Kelly has slammed a Washington Post columnist for calling Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff a 'modern day sex symbol'

This comes after Dailymail.com exclusively revealed that Emhoff's first marriage ended after he cheated got his children's nanny pregnant, who also taught at their children's pricey private school.

'You know who Catherine Rampell is?' Kelly said.

'That name may ring a bell because she's the one who wrote the piece ripping Kamala's economic plan to shreds on the price gouging, saying, 'This is ridiculous, when they're accusing you of being a communist, maybe don't propose communism as your economic plan,' and she got killed by her readers on the left.'

'So a week later she writes this drivel, trying to rehabilitate herself with the left,' Kelly continued.

Kelly also emphasized that Emhoff 'cheated on his first wife with the nanny whom he impregnated.'

Rampell's article painted Emhoff as the stuff of 'modern female fantasy' - a man 'secure enough with his own masculinity to sometimes prioritize his wife's ambitions over his own.'

'They either aborted the child or he abandoned the child,' Kelly claimed. 'Either way, no bueno.'

'The media is absolutely disgusting,' Kelly scoffed.

This comes after Dailymail.com exclusively revealed that Emhoff's first marriage ended after he cheated got his children's nanny pregnant, who also taught at their children's pricey private school.

The woman, Najen Naylor, 47, did not deny the story when approached by DailyMail.com at her home in The Hamptons.

While Emhoff admits to having an affair it's unclear whether the woman's pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.
The son of a sub-postmistress who falsely admitted stealing 35,000 to save his mother from jail has told of his tears when his conviction was quashed.

In 2010 Ravinder Naga, then 34, was ordered to pay the cash back and complete 300 hours of community service after he confessed to stealing from the Post Office where his mother worked.

Mr Naga requested a review of his conviction and sentence in 2022. The Scottish Cases Review Commission concluded that he had 'pleaded guilty in circumstances that were, or could be said to be, clearly prejudicial to him'.

His conviction was quashed last week. Mr Naga told the BBC: 'It brought tears to me. I did break down for a second, and then it was relief. There have been times where it has been hard to carry on.'

More than 700 Post Office sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon IT software made it look as though money was missing from their shops, with many convictions now being overturned.

Ravinder Naga falsely admitted stealing 35,000 to save his sub-postmistress mother from jail

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells arriving to give evidence on her third day at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry at Aldwych House, London, on May 24, 2024

More than 700 Post Office sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing between 1999 and 2015 (Stock image)

Mr Naga's mother worked at a Post Office in Greenock, Inverclyde, and he believes that had he not taken the blame for the 'missing' money his mother would not have survived jail.

'I feel if I hadn't done what I'd done 15 years ago, I wouldn't be sitting here now getting my conviction overturned,' he said.

'I'd have been sitting here now getting a letter saying that my dead mum was being exonerated, because that's the effect it would have had on the family.'

A Post Office spokesman said: 'We are truly sorry for the suffering caused by Post Office's past actions. We are doing all we can to help victims get answers and to put things right.'
Ukraine revealed yesterday it has successfully tested its first ballistic missile  as it launched a second 'mini-invasion' of southern Russia.

The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, revealed the breakthrough following months of top secret research.

It comes as Russian reports said more than 500 Ukraine troops had attempted to cross the border into the Bolgorod region.

Bolgorod is adjacent to Kursk, where thousands of Ukrainian troops have taken 500 square miles of territory, captured 100 Russian settlements and seized 594 prisoners of war.

Discussing the landmark project, President Zelensky said: 'There was a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile. I congratulate our military production complex on this.'

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, revealed it has successfully tested its first ballistic missile  as it launched a second 'mini-invasion' of southern Russia

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, walks to get in a bus to inspect the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) outside the town of Kurchatov on August 27

A Russian armoured vehicle pictured at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

The details of the ballistic missiles remain a closely guarded secret in Ukraine.

However, it is expected to have a range of around 200 miles and may be a development of ballistic missile which was being tested before the conflict, called the Hrim-2.

Prior to the Russian invasion, the Hrim-2, also known as the Grom, had been at the prototype phase.

Developing a home-grown long-range missile, capable of striking targets deep inside Russia, would reduce Ukraine's dependency on Western long-range rockets.

To Mr Zelensky's chagrin, the US, UK and France continue to put strict caveats on the use of HIMARS, Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles.

He likened his attempts to get these restrictions lifted to 'ping pong', saying: 'They [the West] don't want to talk about it, but I keep bringing it up.'

Achieving a level playing field in long-range capabilities would improve the country's negotiating position with the Kremlin.

Yesterday, Mr Zelensky predicted the war would end through 'dialogue' and announced he would share a fresh peace proposal with allies in September.

Rafael Grossi, during a visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant on August 17

The spread of the conflict into southern Russia is a concern for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), due to the proximity of the Kurchatov nuclear plant. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi (pictured at the plant) said there was a risk of a 'nuclear incident'

Recently, Ukraine's hand has been strengthened by its 'mini-invasion' of southern Russia. Ukraine attempted to widen this area yesterday, as 200 troops attacked the border crossing at Nekhoteyevka and 300 at Shebekino, both in Bolgorod, according to reports.

However, the spread of the conflict into southern Russia is a concern for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), due to the proximity of the Kurchatov nuclear plant. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said there was a risk of a 'nuclear incident'.

Mr Zelensky spoke hours after Russia subjected Ukraine to two nights of missile and drone attacks. More than 200 Kremlin warheads were fired at energy infrastructure targets on Monday and a similar number on Tuesday. At least six people were killed after 15 regions of Ukraine were hit.

Ukraine is at last using Western-provided fighter jets to intercept Russian missiles and drones. Mr Zelensky said the F-16s had produced 'a very good result', adding: 'We don't have many of them, and we still need to train pilots.'

Ukraine has been promised 79 F-16s by the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium. The first ten arrived earlier this month.
The so-called 'Deadpool killer' who brutally murdered two women in 2019 appeared stoic in court as he learned his fate on Tuesday.

Wade Wilson, 30, who shares a name with the Marvel mercenary, showed no emotion as Florida County Circuit Judge Nicholas R Thompson ruled that he would face two death sentences - one for each murder of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43.

Others in the courtroom, however, cheered and clapped as the ruling was handed down.

'Bye Wade,' one woman said as he was escorted out of the court room by five police officers. 'Forever,' a man sitting next to her added, according to Newsweek.

Wilson was previously convicted in June of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree meditated murder in the deaths of the two women, whom he strangled within hours of each other on October 6, 2019 in Cape Coral.

Wade Wilson, 30, who shares a name with the Marvel mercenary , showed no emotion as Florida County Circuit Judge Nicholas R Thompson ruled that he would face two death sentences on Tuesday

Wilson was convicted over the murders of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, who prosecutors said he killed 'for the sake of killing'

A jury voted in favor of the death penalty 9 - 3 in Melton's case and 10 - 2 in Ruiz's murder. Under Florida law, only eight out of 12 jurors need to recommend a death penalty for it to be considered by a judge.

The jury found that the crimes involved aggravating factors, including that the crimes were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel, committed by a person convicted of another capital felony, involving the use of threat of violence to the person, and committed by a person previously convicted of another capital felony and under the sentence of imprisonment or placed on community control or on felony probation, the Independent reports.

Prosecutors have said Wilson began his murder spree on the afternoon of October 6, 2019, when he met Melton at a live music bar and went home with her.

Wilson strangled her to death inside her home in Cape Coral, Florida the next day, where her body was found inside.

The same day, Ruiz was reported missing after she was seen being asked for directions by Wilson while on her walk to work.

Some in the gallery cheered as the death sentence was handed down on Tuesday

He was driving a car he stole from Melton's home after he murdered her, which Ruiz got into before she was also strangled to death.

In testimony from Wilson's father, it was said that he went onto 'run her over until she looked like spaghetti.' Ruiz's body was found three days later in a field behind a Sam's Club.

The 30-year-old killer also drove to Fort Myers in Melton's car and attacked Melissa Montanez, his ex-girlfriend.

Video shown in court in June showed the moment he was stopped by police after they'd received a call from Montanez, who claimed he attacked her at the spa she runs and stole her car.

In the clip, Wilson is found without a shirt on in Montanez's car outside a local restaurant and tells an office that he was waiting there for her. He asks why he's being stopped.

Eventually, the officer tells him was going to be arrested 'because of the battery this morning'. Wilson denies that he attacked Montanez.

The officer asks Wilson to turn off the car and turn over the keys and tells him to stay in the vehicle until they can obtain backup. Wilson simply restarts the car and drives away.

The officer can be heard saying: 'Don't go anywhere, don't do it'.

Wilson was finally arrested on October 8, and remained behind bars without bail prior to his murder conviction.

He has since added a number of tattoos to his face includes several swatikas, menacing Joker-like mouth tattoos, and a neck tattoo reading: 'Bred for war.'

Wilson was previously convicted in June of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree meditated murder in the deaths of the two women, whom he strangled within hours of each other on October 6, 2019 in Cape Coral

Throughout the trial, Wilson's attorneys have tried to argued he was impaired by drugs.

His adoptive parents submitted letters saying he was a 'joyful child' who 'loved his parents,' and claimed that he became delusional after his drug addiction began, the Independent reports.

An expert witness had also claimed that Wilson took drugs the night before the murder, and a number of lovesick women argued in their own letters to the judge that the drugs may have affected his behavior as they pleaded for him to receive a lenient sentence.

'As someone who cares unconditionally for Wade, I have deeply reflected on the gravity of the situation and impact of your decision,' one woman from Visalia, California wrote, according to WINK.

Another woman from Canada told the judge she's noticed that Wilson looks 'healthier' in prison.

'If you look past his tattoos to his face structure since being in prison and medicated he is healthier, his face is fuller compared to his booking picture where his face is gaunt, pale and he looks unhealthy,' the mother-of-two said.

A woman also asked the judge to 'impose a lighter sentence that reflects the possibility of recovery and rehabilitation.'

Women infatuated with convicted double murderer Wade Wilson wrote letters to Judge Nicholas R. Thompson pleading for his life after a jury voted for him to face the death penalty

One woman asked the judge to 'impose a lighter sentence that reflects the possibility of recovery and rehabilitation.' (pictured: Wilson in court on June 3)

In court on Tuesday, the defense once again tried to point to Wilson's drug addiction for his behavior that night as they asked the judge to instead sentence the murderer to two life sentences.

'We'd ask the court to take into consideration that death is permanent,' attorney Lee Hollander told the judge.

He called upon Dr Mark Rubino, a neurologist, who said he found evidence of cognitive and emotional dysfunction, causing worsening behavior and less critical thinking, in addition to brain injury.

Rubino said he thought those injuries the drugs Wilson was on the night of the murders likely resulted in the two women's deaths.

But another expert witness, Dr. Thomas Coyne, a neuropathologist and associate medical examiner, stated that he did not find any damage to Wilson's skull or brain.

In the end, the judge agreed, saying: 'Given the facts of the case, nothing in defendant's background or mental state would suggest that a death sentence is inappropriate.'

Dr. Thomas Coyne, a neuropathologist and associate medical examiner, stated in court on Tuesday that he did not find any damage to Wilson's skull or brain

The families of Melton and Ruiz celebrated the verdict.

They vowed they would see him at execution, with Melton's cousin Samantha saying at a news conference, 'This will not be the last that Wade Wilson sees of us in a courtroom.'

Ruiz's father also said he plans to be there when Wilson is on death row, growing emotional as he recounted how he 'didn't get to say I love her' to her daughter before her untimely death.

Meanwhile, prosecutors stated that Wilson will now be just a number in the Florida Department of Corrections, awaiting death.

'He is no idol,' they said.
A leafy village located on the outskirts of Chicago is the top suburb in the nation, according to a new ranking that put a premium on affluence.

The town of Western Springs beat out 29 others to claim the top spot in GOBankingRates' list, which included a runner-up also in the Chicago area.

The southwestern suburb has a population of 13,557 people and an average household median income of $276,402 - well above the national average.

Similarly, the average single-family home value was $763,060 - almost the double the US average home price of $495,100, according to the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development.

It can be found hidden between Hinsdale and La Grange, 15 miles from its city's center.

The town of Western Springs beat out 29 others to claim the top spot in GOBankingRates' list, which included a runner-up also in the Chicago area

Billed as 'The 30 Safest and Richest US Cities To Live in 2024', the list excluded 'budget-friendliness' as a factor to be weighed.

It instead looked at small cities deemed the safest and richest, yielding several suburbs in cities like San Francisco and Boston's stead.

To compile it, the website looked at a variety of data points, such as the average household income, total population, number of households, cost of living, and rate of crime in each community being considered.

No. 1 surfaced as Western Springs, an affluent suburb named for its now dried up mineral deposits on the southwest side of town.

Filled with trees and picturesque houses, the area on which the town sits was once comprised chifly of prairies and swamps, when a large number of early residents were Quakers

Its seminal spring dried up in 1890 a few decades after it was founded, forcing the village to hire engineers to build a village waterworks system - yielding its now famous water tower originally constructed in 1893.

Attractions include its famous water tower, originally constructed with stone more than one hundred years ago

The southwestern suburb has a population of 13,557 people and an average household median income of $276,402. Similarly, the average single-family home value was $763,060 - well above the national average

.It can be found nestled between Hinsdale and La Grange, 15 miles from Downtown Chicago

Safest/Richest Suburbs 1. Western Springs, Illinois 2. Kenilworth, Illinois 3. Lexington, Massachusetts 4. Winchester, Massachusetts 5. Winnetka, Illinois 6. Ottawa Hills, Ohio 7. Ridgewood, New Jersey 8. Wellesley, Massachusetts 9. Westfield, New Jersey 10. Ross, California 11. Glen Ridge, New Jersey 12. Haddonfield, New Jersey 13. Summit, New Jersey 14. Chatham, New Jersey 15. University Park, Texas 16. Sammamish, Washington 17. Wilmette, Illinois 18. Vienna, Virginia 19. Needham Massachusetts 20. Mill Valley, California 21. Newton, Massachusetts 22. Hopkinton, Massachusetts 23. Lafayette, California 24. Hingham, Massachusetts 25. Cupertino, California 26. Greenwich, Connecticut 27. Los Altos, California 28. Kensington, California 29. Bellaire, Texas 30. Los Gatos, California Source: GoBankingRates.com Advertisement

Built with Naperville stone, it stands 112 feet high and became a museum in 1970. It was entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

A variety of other iconic additions have been made over the years as well, including a fire department, electric plant, a park district, and a library (1926).

The village has expanded several times with annexes in 192, 1955, 1973, and 2005, putting its total area at 2.79 square miles, according to the US census.

If living near a hub without the crime that comes with a more urban setting, the website deemed the little-known community your best bet.

The No. 2 spot, meanwhile, belonged to Kenilworth, located on North Shore of lakeside Chicago.

The average household median income there is a lower $437,822, which is still well above the national real median household income of $75,000.

There, the average single-family home will run you $1,768,606 - a hefty price for most homebuyers.

The number, moreover, is more than double that of the town a few miles away that ranked number one, but factors like safety and its location by Lake Michigan helped it secure its spot.

The cost of living in the town was more similar to that of Winnetka, a northern suburb next door to Kenilworth that also made the list at No. 5.

In that Chicago suburb, the average household median income is $458,988, with an average single-family home value of $1,623,361.

The community is home to the world -famous Home Alone house, which recently sold for more than $5 million.

One other Midwestern town ranked on the list - high up as well - with Ohio's Ottawa Hills coming in at No. 6.

Two Boston suburbs rounded out the top five - Lexington and Winchester.

Ridgewood, New Jersey, came in seventh - due to its proximity to New York City - while another Boston enclave in Wellesley ranked eighth.

Westfield, New Jersey, near New York, took ninth, and the tiny town of Ross just north of San Francisco seized no. 10.

Towns from California and Massachusetts, moreover, represented seven of these 30 cities, with notable hives like Cupertino making appearances.

The No. 2 spot, meanwhile, belonged to Kenilworth, located on North Shore of lakeside Chicago. Unlike Western Springs, it's located right along Lake Michigan, and has a much higher cost of living

Ridgewood, New Jersey, came in seventh, largely due to its proximity to New York City

The town of Ross just north of San Francisco rounded out the top 10. It has just barely 2,000 residents

The current rate of crime in Chicago has contributed to the popularity of its comparatively more placid suburbs, many of which are linked to the city by train

Six of the cities were in New Jersey, all in the northern part of the state near New York,

Notably, none of the cities had a median household income under $251,210, which itself is nearly four times the national average.

Perhaps most surprising though was that four of the towns - including three in the top five - were satellites of Chicago.

The Chicago metropolitan area represents about 3 percent of the entire US population, and is home to 31 Fortune 500 company's headquarters.

Companies like McDonald's, United Air Lines, and Blue Cross Blue Shield have moved there in recent years, helping the metro emerge as the top for corporate relocations.

The area is also home to a variety of universities, like the University of Chicago and Northeastern University, both of which regularly rank amongst the best schools in the US.

The Chicago Transit Authority also connects several of these suburbs to the city night and day, every day of the year.

The current rate of crime in Chicago, meanwhile, has contributed to the popularity of its comparatively more placid suburbs.
After months of anticipation, McDonald's is finally introducing the Big Arch - its biggest burger to date.

McDonald's first announced its plans to introduce the Big Arch at its annual investor meeting in December 2023 in response to overwhelming customer demand for heartier burgers that are both flavorful and affordable.

This long-anticipated addition was originally being test run in select countries, but is now available in select countries including Canada and Portugal.

'We have heard our guests loud and clear and understand they are looking for a bigger, burger on our menu, and we are excited to bring this new global menu item to Canadians,' said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Canada.

'This satisfying burger combines the familiar McDonald's flavors our fans know and love with some unique new ingredients, including a tangy new burger sauce created for the Big Arch specifically.'

After months of anticipation, McDonald's is finally introducing the Big Arch - its largest burger to date

With two quarter-pound 100% Canadian beef patties, three slices of cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and a new tangy sauce, the Big Arch is designed to satisfy even the biggest appetites.

In Canada, a Big Arch meal - with a drink and fries - was $12.59 at one of the selection test locations in Ontario. That is about $9 in the US.

While it may not be available in the United States yet, McDonald's plans to learn from test launches before expanding its availability.

Before the launch of the Big Arch, McDonald's most substantial single-patty burger was the Quarter Pounder, which competes roughly with Burger King's Whopper.

In December, the company's CEO Chris Kempczinski said the planned bigger burger won't break the bank: 'We think we're going to be able to deliver a great tasting large burger at a superior value to what customers can get anywhere else.'

The BIG ARCH is officially here! @McDonaldsCanada heard you loud and clear and brought a new bigger, burger to their menu for you burger lovers out there!



Try out the BIG ARCH today at participating McDonalds locations across Canada #TeamMcDs pic.twitter.com/SqJsJibqri  Supendra - #LoveMyCityProject (@supendratoronto) August 27, 2024

Although both are made up of patties that are claimed to weigh four ounces before they are cooked, the Whopper has 670 calories while the McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese contains just 520 calories.

Fast food restaurants in California have been raising menu prices in recent months after a state-mandated rise in the minimum wage to $20-an-hour for those working in the sector.

McDonald's has experimented with bigger burgers before - but by offering larger versions of what it has on offer.

In January, the Double Big Mac - which has four beef patties instead of two and extra sauce - returned for a limited time. It cost around $7 and was a hit while on sale for a month.

McDonald's has also started rolling out CosMc - a spinoff which focuses more on coffee and drinks than food and which is said to be Starbucks-inspired. It was so busy that cars lined up for hours when it first opened.

The first is in Bolingbrook, Illinois. A further nine are set to launch by the end of 2024, with one located in Dallas-Fort Worth and another in San Antonio.

McDonald's new bigger burger is part of its plan to attract customers back.

The chain on Monday had reported a surprise fall in sales in the April to June quarter - as customers cut down on trips to the fast food giant.

McDonald's first announced its plans to introduce the Big Arch at its annual investor meeting in December 2023 in response to overwhelming customer demand for heartier burgers that are both flavorful and affordable

This long-anticipated addition was originally being test run in select countries, but is now available in select countries including Canada and Portugal

Americans placed fewer orders than a year ago - meaning sales were down by nearly one per cent. Globally, sales fell by a similar amount.

The Chicago burger giant introduced a $5 meal deal at US restaurants - either a McChicken or McDouble, four-piece chicken nuggets, fries and a drink - on June 25 as part of its plan to lure back value-conscious customers.

That offer was only live for about a week of the financial reporting period - so its effects will be seen in the next quarter.

Across the board, chains are reeling from falling customer numbers as Americans fed up with two years of price rises stay away - so are rolling out all these offers.

Burger King's $5 Your Way Meal - offering four items like McDonald's - was the first to hit restaurants in June.

Wendy's has a $3 breakfast offer and also a four-item $5 meal similar to McDonald's and BK's.

Starbucks also made a surprise entry into the value war with a coffee and food breakfast combo from $5.
A grieving mother has hit out at Labour's early prisoner release scheme after being told one of her son's killers is to go free  just months after being sentenced.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer yesterday said the decision to release prisoners who have served 40 per cent of their sentence in order to ease overcrowding 'goes against the grain of everything I've ever done', referring to his former role as Chief Prosecutor.

In his Downing Street speech, Sir Keir added there was a 'framework to ensure that we don't release those who create the greatest risk'.

But Dionne Barrett  whose 14-year-old son was killed in a machete attack  said her child has had 'no justice' and that a 'dangerous criminal' would be back on the streets because of the release scheme.

Gordon Gault died after being stabbed during a feud on November 9, 2022 between rival gangs in Newcastle.

Dionne Barrett whose teenage son Gordon Gault died from knife wounds after being stabbed in 2022 in Elswick, Newcastle Upon Tyne

14-year-old Gordon Gault, who was fatally stabbed as part of a tit-for-tat violence between rival groups

Eighteen-year-old Lawson Natty, who supplied the machete that killed him, was sentenced to two years and eight months for manslaughter in March.

He had already spent eight-and-a-half months on remand and is to be released in just two weeks under Labour's scheme, meaning he will have served 14 months in total.

Ms Barrett told BBC Radio Newcastle she 'couldn't speak' after receiving the phonecall about Natty's release before getting confirmation in a letter.

'I was so shocked,' she said. 'I put the phone down, and had to call back because I couldn't make sense of it. I still can't. Gordon's had no justice whatsoever.

'It's giving the message out... take a knife, and you'll only do a couple months. I've had so much anger. It infuriates me.'

The Government's strategy has been put down to a shortage of prison places.

But Ms Barrett added: 'Fair enough, letting petty criminals out for shoplifting  but he [Natty] has been done for manslaughter and has only done a few months. I cannot get my head around it.'

The mother described the offender's early release as 'an absolute disgrace' in a social media post and added: 'Something is seriously wrong.'

Eighteen-year-old Lawson Natty, who supplied the machete that killed Gordon, was sentenced to two years and eight months for manslaughter in March

The letter she received from a Probation Service liaison officer reads: 'Due to significant issues within the prison population, the Lord Chancellor has announced plans to introduce a change to the law which will allow some prisoners serving a determined sentence to be released on licence early.

Prisoners who meet the criteria will be released after serving 40 per cent of their sentence in custody rather than the 50 per cent they serve now.

'These changes are due to happen from September, so no prisoner will be released under the scheme prior to that time.

'We have been advised that Lawson Natty meets the criteria for this scheme, so I'm writing to inform you that the release will be brought forward.'

Gordon died six days after being fatally injured in a fight between rival gang members near a park.

He was stabbed in the arm by a machete wielded by Carlos Neto, 18, who was jailed for nine years and two months for manslaughter. Natty was also armed, but did not use the machete, a jury at Newcastle Crown Court was told.

During their trial, Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC said the pair 'immersed themselves in a gang culture which... celebrates acts of significant violence'.

Ms Barrett fears such a short period of time behind bars will not have corrected Natty's ways.

'He's a dangerous criminal,' she said. 'He's never had a chance to change or be rehabilitated. It's just a slap on the wrists.'
Oasis are tipped to announce even more dates for their long awaited reunion tour, which music insiders say will 'sell out in less than three minutes'.

The band, set to be rejoined by original guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, will play 14 concerts in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin next summer.

Tickets to the Oasis Live 25 tour will go on sale at 9am on Saturday - and presale will be held on Friday for certain fans that will be selected from a ballot pool.

More than 4million fans are expected to be vying for the 1,066,888 tickets available across the 14 gigs, with sources telling The Sun that once they sell out 'extra dates will be added for sure'.

Industry insiders have also claimed that Bonehead is 'confirmed' for the tour and 'ecstatic' that the band is back together - with Liam and Noel Gallagher reportedly 'both wanting him in the fold' after he was 'one of the drivers of the reunion'.

Oasis are tipped to announce even more dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which music insiders say will 'sell out in less than three minutes'. Pictured: Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher in a promotional photo for the Oasis Live 25 worldwide tour

Group portrait of Oasis at Nomad Studios in Manchester in 1993. Pictured left to right: Paul Arthurs (aka Bonehead), Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Paul McGuigan

Oasis split in 2009 after many years of infighting, with Noel officially leaving the band just before a performance at a festival near Paris, saying at the time he 'simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer'.

Oasis Live 25: Full tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium 11th - Manchester, Heaton Park 12th - Manchester, Heaton Park 19th - Manchester, Heaton Park 20th - Manchester, Heaton Park 25th - London, Wembley Stadium 26th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium 3rd - London, Wembley Stadium 8th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 9th - Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium 16th - Dublin, Croke Park 17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement

Even before the dissolution 15 years ago, the brothers had long had an antagonistic relationship and reportedly did not speak to each other for years after the breakup.

Fans have been pleading with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded and are now preparing for what they have hailed as the 'ticket bloodbath of the century'.

'These shows will sell out in less than three minutes. Extra dates will be added for sure,' an insider told The Sun.

The source also offered insight to the band's line-up, alleging that Bonehead and members of Noel's band High Flying Birds would be joining the tour.

'The Oasis family has really come back together. Bonehead is ecstatic,' the source said, adding: 'Noel has brought in some of his band too.'

The music industry insider claimed Bonehead, who overcame tonsil cancer in 2023, can be credited with helping to end the feud between brothers, while the band's founder Alan McGee yesterday attributed the reunion to their 81-year-old mother Peggy.

'I'm sure she is behind the whole thing. Peggy is great, she is rocking on,' McGee told Virgin Radio. He also claimed that the pair have been 'really professional' and 'I don't think it will be an issue.'

Another source close to the band echoed McGee's claims, recalling how Noel and Liam agreed to meet for a shoot after the Oasis reunion 'deal was signed seven weeks ago'.

The source, who claims the meeting occurred three weeks ago, described how onlookers 'could feel the magic and chemistry' between the pair in the studio and alleged it felt just like their glory days in the 1990s.

'Noel and Liam haven't had an easy relationship but they were very comfortable with each other and were messing around and having a laugh,' the sourced told The Sun.

Industry insiders have also claimed that original guitarist Bonehead - real name Paul Arthurs (pictured in 1996) - is 'confirmed' for the tour and 'ecstatic' that the band is back together. Liam and Noel Gallagher reportedly 'both wanted him in the fold' after he was 'one of the drivers of the reunion'

the band's founder Alan McGee yesterday attributed the reunion to their 81-year-old mother, Peggy (pictured left with Noel, right with Liam)

Liam and Noel this morning confirmed Oasis's long-awaited reunion with a worldwide tour in 2025 and also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement.

'The guns have fallen silent,' Oasis said. 'The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

A black and white image of the two brothers, both in dark jackets, was also released as part of the announcement.

The Britpop band, who split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe around three decades ago, announced the series of dates will kick off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

The UK and Ireland tour will also visit Manchester's Heaton Park, London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium and Dublin's Croke Park throughout July and August next year.

Liam clarified on X, formerly Twitter, that the UK and Ireland leg of the tour is 'the band's exclusive European appearances'.

The dates are as follows: Principality Stadium July 4 and 5; Heaton Park July 11, 12, 19, 20, 25 and 26; Wembley Stadium August 2 and 3; Murrayfield Stadium August 8 and 9; and Croke Park August 16 and 17.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour today, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

These are the shows where Oasis will be performing. It's understood Glastonbury is not on the cards

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Paul Arthurs and Liam Gallagher

Despite speculation that a Glastonbury slot could be in the works, the Worthy Farm event will not see Oasis on the bill, the PA news agency reported. Oasis previously played the festival in 1995 and 2004.

There are also plans for dates outside Europe.

Reunion rumours had intensified recently after Liam and Noel teased an announcement for 8am today, and reports surfaced that the feuding brothers were ending their disagreement.

During a show in Cardiff, Liam made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his 'little brother', saying he was 'still playing hard to get'.

The 51-year-old songwriter also played Oasis hits during his headline performance at Leeds Festival on Friday night  where he teased the 8am announcement.

Noel, who fronts the group Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, recently paid Liam a string of compliments in an interview released last week with music journalist John Robb at Manchester's Sifters Records in honour of the album's 30th anniversary.

He also jokingly compared Liam's voice to '10 shots of tequila on a Friday night' and his own as 'half-a-Guinness on a Tuesday'.

In 2021, the documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996 was released to celebrate the band playing two concerts at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire a year after the release of their 1995 album What's The Story (Morning Glory).

Liam and Noel Gallagher are pictured at the Knebworth Festival in 1996. They will be performing again next summer

Oasis released a promotional video, which featured old shots of the brothers performing

During his headline slot at Reading Liam performed a number of Oasis hits from their debut album Definitely Maybe to celebrate its 30th anniversary

Oasis has been promised a payday of 50 million to reform and embark on a global tour (pictured together 2008)

Abbey Road Studios, the famous London recording studio where Oasis recorded multiple songs, described the band's reunion as 'history'.

The studio posted that single word as it joined tens of thousands who commented beneath the band's announcement on Instagram, where BBC Radio 2 also commented: 'They're back!'

McGee, the music executive who signed Oasis to his label, Creation Records, in 1993, posted to the platform: 'Good for music. Good for them. Good for us.'

In expectation of the official announcement of the reunion tour, Spotify said Oasis streams increased more than 160 per cent globally between Monday and the previous week.

'The increase in streams was continuing to grow throughout yesterday,' the music platform added.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed Britain will 'turn a corner on Brexit' as he arrived tonight for talks in Germany as part of a bid to repair what he calls the country's 'broken relationships' with Europe.

The Prime Minister will launch negotiations on a new treaty to boost business and trade with Berlin ahead of a follow-up trip to France.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz will host the Prime Minister this morning for talks they are aimed at improving the lives of hard-working people in both countries.

The two leaders are expected to discuss forging closer ties on defence and security, as well as considering joint action on illegal migration and intercepting gangs through greater intelligence sharing.

Sir Keir will meet with business figures including the boss of Siemens Energy during his trip, too.

The Prime Minister will seek to repair Britain's 'broken relationships' with its European allies. Pictured with Jill Gallard, the British Ambassador to Germany

Prime Minister Keir Starmer walks near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on August 27

Siemens supports one-sixth of global energy generation, and the PM's visit is among several he has planned to increase investment and create more skilled jobs in the UK.

He will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of Germany's largest defence and security company Rheinmetall.

It is helping modernise the British Army and has recently made significant investments in its Telford hub to deliver Boxer armoured fighting vehicles.

Sir Keir will say: 'We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.

'We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government.

'Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth  one of the key missions of my Government.'

It will be the fifth time Sir Keir has met Chancellor Scholz since the election.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte pose for a photo with Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he arrives at a reception at the Elysee Palace in Paris

Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa outside 10 Downing Street in London, United Kingdom on August 27

Germany is Europe's largest economy and the UK's second largest trading partner  accounting for 8.5 per cent of all UK trade.

A new treaty between the two countries will be key to Sir Keir's plan for a wider reset with Europe, and will build on a defence agreement currently being negotiated between the two.

The partnership is expected to increase collaboration on market access, critical science, innovation, clean energy and trade, among other areas. It is hoped it will be agreed early next year.

No 10 said that a treaty of such magnitude has never been agreed between the UK and Germany before.

Later today Sir Keir will travel on to Paris for the Paralympics Opening Ceremony.

And tomorrow morning the PM is set to have breakfast with French business leaders, including major investors into the UK economy.

He will also hold bilateral talks with French president Emmanuel Macron, which will be the leaders' fourth meeting since the UK general election.

The two-day trip comes after Sir Keir hosted Bahrain's prime minister Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa at Downing Street to progress inward investment from the Gulf.
EU risks backfire with proposed tariffs on Chinese EVs

Xinhua) 08:15, August 27, 2024

People visit the booth of Chinese carmaker Xpeng during the 2023 International Motor Show in Munich, Germany, Sept. 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

Experts are concerned about the potential long-term impact on the EU's auto industry and broader trade relations with China brought by the tariffs.

BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission's plan to impose tariffs of up to 36.3 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) has sparked concerns among industry experts and business insiders across Europe.

Critics argue that the move may worsen the competitiveness issues of the European Union (EU), hinder the region's green transition and escalate trade tensions with China rather than protect the European auto industry as intended.

STRONG OPPOSITION

Michael Schumann, chairman of the Board of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, condemned the EU's proposal as "erroneous," emphasizing the association's strong opposition.

"The Chinese EV industry has become, and will continue to be, a global innovation benchmark," Schumann said, adding that Chinese automakers have made significant strides in smart technology, enhanced their research and development (R&D) capabilities, and actively invested in Europe's auto industry, contributing to the sector's evolution.

Tadas Povilauskas, an economist at SEB Bank in Lithuania, described the EU's investigations into Chinese auto industry subsidies as a "political move." He noted that the influx of Chinese EV imports will intensify competition for European automakers, driving them to seek ways to remain competitive.

Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary's Szazadveg Institute, labeled the EU's plan as "shortsighted," noting that it comes as European manufacturers struggle with declining EV sales in their core market, Europe.

Kiszelly argued that the root of Europe's competitiveness challenges lies within the EU rather than in China's subsidies.

"The best course of action would be to encourage competition to drive down prices and push European car manufacturers to innovate further," Kiszelly said. "Improvement is better achieved through competition than through isolation and decoupling."

Kiszelly pointed out that Western companies have benefited from their presence in China for decades and urged them to face competition from Chinese EV manufacturers rather than attempt to limit or ban them.

HINDERING EUROPE'S GREEN TRANSITION

Experts and officials also expressed concerns about the potential contradiction between the EU's green ambitions and its tariff policies.

"The EU's temporary anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese EVs hinder mutually beneficial cooperation and obstruct the green and low-carbon transition," Schumann warned.

Luigi Gambardella, president of the Brussels-based international digital association ChinaEU, criticized the EU's protectionist measures, stating that they "risk stifling future advancements in mobility technologies."

He encouraged efforts to advance mutual investment, foster mutual growth and ensure that the benefits of EV technology are shared more widely.

"EVs are crucial for Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy," Gambardella said, pointing out that high costs already pose a significant barrier to widespread EV adoption. He argued that the proposed tariffs could further slow consumer adoption of electric vehicles, undermining Europe's climate goals and delaying the shift away from fossil fuels.

"We hope to see a greater variety of EV brands on the market, particularly cost-effective Chinese models, to accelerate Germany's green and low-carbon transition," Schumann said, highlighting China's role in the global green transformation of the transportation sector.

Croatian political analyst Mladen Plese said that the Europeans are returning to classic outdated technologies in the auto industry because of the high prices of EVs. "If the prices of EVs continue to be high, this will certainly continue, and this will threaten the green transition in Europe."

"THREAT TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS"

Experts are concerned about the potential long-term impact on the EU's auto industry and broader trade relations with China brought by the tariffs.

Triinu Prits, head of the foreign trade policy and international economic organizations' division at Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that while Estonia lacks an automotive industry, the EU's tariff measures would still affect the country's subcontractors, importers, car maintenance providers and consumers.

"Tariffs could make the European market less attractive to Chinese firms looking to collaborate or enter the European market," Gambardella warned. He said that protectionist measures are clearly "a threat to current market conditions" and could have far-reaching consequences for the future of mobility in Europe.

"Any political or economic measures, including potential countermeasures, could lead to unpredictable consequences," Prits said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
China's PLA starts live-fire drills in areas bordering Myanmar

Xinhua) 15:57, August 27, 2024

GUANGZHOU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command started joint live-fire exercises involving army and air force units on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border.

The drills, starting Tuesday, aim to test the command's reconnaissance, early warning, multi-dimensional control and strike capabilities, according to Tian Junli, spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command.

The troops are prepared to handle various emergencies and are committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people's lives and property, said the spokesperson.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Greg Porter is a senior newsroom meteorologist at the San Francisco Chronicle. Porter comes to Chronicle after seven years working as a meteorologist for the Capital Weather Gang at the Washington Post. Porter has also worked as a meteorological technical subject matter expert in for both government and commercial organizations around the world.

Porter received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Atmospheric Science from UMass Lowell and the University of Maryland. A native of Boston, Porter has also spent time living in Washington, D.C. and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Outside of work, Porter loves to spend time with his wife and very energetic 2 year old son. He also enjoys spending as much time outside as possible and he fancies himself a very average golfer.
They will use money to fund cost-of-living relief

Greens to tax the rich to better support the poor

Tax the rich to fund support for the poor - that is how one party will try to win over Australians at the federal election.

Rents, mortgage payments and grocery prices have continued to soar as Australian companies post billion-dollar profits.

The Greens are proposing to increase taxes on corporations, and use that money to fund cost-of-living relief.

Such tax-and-spend policies can be superficially appealing, but do not factor in the likelihood that businesses will simply pass on the increased impost to customers via higher prices, thus maintaining their profit margin but making the cost-of-living crisis worse.

Greens leader Adam Bandt will present his 'Robin Hood reforms' to the National Press Club on Wednesday.

'Big corporations across the economy have squeezed hundreds of billions of dollars out of the public since the end of the pandemic - too much of it tax free,' he will say.

'Enough is enough.'

The Greens took the same approach to the last election.

The Greens are suggesting a 40 per cent tax on the 'super profits' of most mining projects (pictured, Greens leader Adam Bandt)

This time around, the minor party has updated its costings and identified new companies to target with tax.

One part of the package, which would raise $296billion across a decade, involves imposing a 40 per cent tax on corporations' excess profits.

This would apply to profits earned on turnover after the first $100million for any Australian corporations or multinational operations in Australia.

Another pillar, applying to offshore gas and oil companies, would raise $111billion by amending the petroleum resource rent tax and forcing them to pay royalties.

The final part of the tax package would impose a 40 per cent tax on the 'super profits' of mining projects, apart from those involved in lithium or nickel mining.

The money raised from these taxes could be used to build homes, put dental care into Medicare, or keep Australians out of poverty.

'It will provide huge amounts of much-needed funding to redirect to everyday people and it will reduce the cost of living,' Mr Bandt will say.

The Greens demands could hold more sway after the federal election, as Labor is expected to fall into a minority government.

A federal election must be held by May.
Safety standards have fallen at one of Britain's largest care providers two years after it was taken over by Kuwait's 700 billion investment fund.

Voyage Care, which looks after 3,500 adults with learning disabilities in 288 homes across the UK, was bought by the oil-rich Gulf state's sovereign wealth fund in 2022.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections have found that 23 of its homes have seen a drop in safety standards since the takeover, with a third of 75 homes assessed seeing overall performance ratings fall.

The Department of Health described the findings as 'deeply concerning'.

It brings the foreign ownership of Britain's care sector into sharp focus, with the investment funds of Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as well as the Chinese state, buying into child and adult-social care in recent years.

Safety standards have fallen at one of Britain's largest care providers two years after it was taken over by Kuwait's 700 billion investment fund. Stock image

Voyage Care has received almost 500 million in public money, largely through local authority funding, since its takeover by the Kuwait Investment Authority, according to data analytics firm Tussell.

Voyage said 89 per cent of its homes in England are rated either 'good' or 'outstanding' and that its 28 homes rated 'requires improvement' have been awaiting reinspection for over 12 months.

Some 110 of its homes have not been assessed for five years. The CQC found that one of Voyage's managers at a home in Reading failed to take allegations of abuse seriously, dismissing the concerns as 'known behaviours'.

Meanwhile, at a home in Liss, Hampshire, a staff member faced allegations of abuse after a resident suffered unexplained bruising and was allegedly prevented from leaving their room.

Earlier this month police were called to a home in Alton, Hampshire, following the death of resident Shahida Khan, 46, who died at Cloverdale Care Home in December 2022.

A coroner found earlier this month that it 'cannot be ascertained' how she came to receive a fatal dose of medication.

Hampshire Police said it had been alerted to the inquest's finding and was making inquiries. Voyage said it will cooperate.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Daisy Cooper has called for an urgent investigation

Since being taken over by the Kuwaiti fund, 26 Voyage homes have seen their ratings drop, and 43 have remained the same and six have improved. Meanwhile, the average weekly fees have risen from 1,882 to 2,308.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Daisy Cooper has called for an urgent investigation into the care provider.

'These shocking allegations should be investigated as a matter of urgency and should sound alarm bells in government too,' she told the i newspaper. 'It is no secret that our social care sector is at breaking point but these alleged failures which may have left vulnerable people in distress and at real risk are inexcusable.'

A Voyage Care spokesman said: 'There are occasions when regrettably we do not meet our own high standards. As an organisation committed to continuous improvement, we act swiftly, working collaboratively with stakeholders and our regulators to address any concerns proactively.'

A DHSC spokesman said the reports were deeply concerning, adding: 'When a care setting or provider falls below the high standards we expect, the Care Quality Commission should act, and it has a range of powers at its disposal including suspension and cancellation of registration.'

A CQC spokesman said: 'Where we find instances of inadequate care, we take swift action to ensure improvements are made and people are kept safe.'
Soft-touch cannabis laws overseas are driving an 'exponential' spike in the number of plane passengers trying to smuggle the drug in their suitcases, police fear.

Border officials have already seized 15 tons of cannabis from passengers at UK airports so far this year  a 650 per cent increase on the total amount seized in 2022.

Arrests of air passengers importing cannabis have similarly skyrocketed 700 per cent  from 17 people in 2022 to 136 in 2023, climbing higher this year with 378 people arrested so far.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said drug couriers have been caught returning from countries such as the US, Canada and Thailand, where cannabis is easier to obtain legally.

Drug gangs are thought to increasingly favour cannabis grown in countries where it has been decriminalised because it is cheaper to obtain and they can market it as a 'superior' product.

Soft-touch cannabis laws overseas are driving an 'exponential' spike in the number of plane passengers trying to smuggle the drug in their suitcases, police fear (stock image)

The smugglers  who have often been persuaded to carry the drugs by organised crime gangs  are now so 'brazen' they are said to barely bother concealing the drug in their suitcases.

Charles Yates, deputy director of borders and commodities at the NCA, said: 'We've seen an exponential rise in people flying into the UK with cannabis stowed in their luggage [and] are rapidly seeing more people brazenly walk through airports with suitcases full of cannabis.

'Subsequently, there has been a dramatic uptick in arrests for the importation of cannabis  already this year more than double those for the whole of 2023.'

Smugglers were predominantly British and American nationals last year, the NCA said, but have largely been British, Malaysian and Canadian this year.

Around half of all arrests this year (184) related to cannabis originating in Thailand, while 75 arrests related to cannabis coming from Canada and 47 from the US.

Typically the suspects are found carrying between 15kg and 40kg of the drug in their suitcases.

The NCA said drugs gangs often downplay the risk of imprisonment when recruiting couriers, telling them they are unlikely to face more than a fine if caught.

Border officials have already seized 15 tons of cannabis from passengers at UK airports so far this year  a 650 per cent increase on the total amount seized in 2022 (stock image)

Cannabis is said to remain the most widely used illegal drug in the UK, with approximately 2.5 million people aged 16 to 59 reporting using the drug in 2023.

Several seizures have led police to uncover tracking devices in the luggage, so criminals are 'able to track their illicit loads'.

This month, 11 British passengers were caught with a total of 510kg of cannabis inside 28 suitcases at Birmingham Airport on a single day, the NCA said. The passengers had travelled from Thailand via Paris and were all arrested.

The NCA are said to be monitoring the relaxation of drug laws in other countries to see if it impacts the UK drugs trade. Germany became the largest European country to partially decriminalise cannabis in April.
Two new Covid vaccines could soon be available in Australia, with major pharmaceutical companies lodging applications with the TGA to protect against new strains of the virus.

The new vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, will target the JN. 1 variant, first detected in Australia in late 2023.

According to the most recent Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report, JN. 1 remains the dominant variant in the country.

The JN. 1 variants, which includes the recent FLiRT mutation, is closely related to the KP. 2 and KP. 3, or FLuQE mutations, so the new vaccines are expected to be able to protect against both.

Pfizer's application is for people 6 months and older, while Moderna's vaccine has been created for those 12 and older.

The new vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, will target the JN. 1 variant, first detected in Australia in late 2023

Both vaccines are under evaluation by the TGA, and approval is not guaranteed.

Infectious diseases physician Paul Griffin told SBS the vaccines would be a 'significant improvement' on what is available at the moment, with current vaccines designed for older variants.

'Even though the virus has continued to change, it by no means indicates that these vaccines are not effective. It just means with each iteration efficacy does decline relatively speaking to a degree,' he said.

According to the Royal College of General Practicioners, the new variants do not appear to cause more severe disease than other variants, but are believed to be more transmissible than earlier variants of the virus.

From January 1 to August 11 this year, there have been 205,830 reported cases of Covid-19, with notified cases plateauing after a peak in infections in June.
The boss of Ryanair has called for an alcohol limit at airport bars amid claims drunken and drugged up passengers disrupt flights.

Michael O'Leary, running Europe's largest airline, said there has been a 'notable rise' in bad behaviour because of inebriated travellers.

He wants a two-drink limit on each boarding pass, explaining: 'It's not that easy for airlines to identify people who are inebriated. As long as they can stand up, they'll get through.

'Then, when the plane takes off, we see the misbehaviour.'

Mr O'Leary said airports are opposed to changes, insisting that they refuse to serve passengers who are too drunk. But he added: 'They do serve the relatives of the drunken passenger.'

The boss of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary (pictured), has called for an alcohol limit at airport bars amid claims drunken and drugged up passengers disrupt flights

Mr O'Leary said there has been a 'notable rise' in bad behaviour because of inebriated travellers (Stock image)

The Irishman, who started the budget carrier in 1984, revealed Ryanair was dealing with assault cases on a weekly basis.

He stated flights from the UK are particularly troublesome, especially to 'party destinations' such as Ibiza, from regional airports including Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Mr O'Leary added: 'We used to only allow them to take bottles of water on board, not realising they were full of vodka. Now we don't even allow those.

'In the old days, people who drank too much would eventually fall over or fall asleep. But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder.'

His remarks come after a British holidaymaker was convicted of sexually assaulting a flight attendant on a Ryanair service from Newcastle to Majorca in 2023.
Classiebawn Castle in the village of Mullaghmore, County Silgo, is steeped in history.

The impressive hulk of Mountcharles sandstone, standing majestically above the picturesque settlement on the west coast of Ireland, was built in the 1860s by two-time Prime Minister of England, Lord Palmerston.

Some years later, the Ashley family took it over but were absentee landlords.

Mullaghmore village was only 12 miles from the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland and near an area known to be used as a cross-border refuge by IRA members.

Hostages were once taken and held there to secure the release of condemned IRA prisoners.

The castle was mined with dynamite to prevent any attempt of rescue.

In 1922, Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, known as 'Dickie' to family and close friends, married Lord Ashley's daughter, Edwina, and so came into ownership of Classiebawn and its sprawling estate.

Given the scale of the conflict a few miles down the road in Northern Ireland, it was almost inevitable that Mountbatten would be a prime target for some kind of political demonstration.

This was the great grandson of Queen Victoria, uncle to Prince Philip, mentor to Prince Charles, second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, retired Admiral of the Fleet, one-time Commander of Allied Forces in Southeast Asia, last Viceroy of India, First Sea Lord and Earl of Burma.

Earl Mountbatten was murdered by the IRA 45 years ago today. Above: The esteemed Royal Navy commander with his wife Edwina. He came into ownership of Classiebawn Castle in Ireland when he married Lord Ashley's daughter

Classiebawn Castle was built in the 1860s by two-time Prime Minister of England, Lord Palmerston

After taking ownership, Lord Mountbatten began visiting it during the summer. Above: Lord Mountbatten seen on the beach with his grandsons, the Knatchbull twins, below his castle

In 1960, Mountbatten's estate manager, Patrick O'Grady, raised questions with the Gardai about the Earl's safety.

They replied: 'While everything points to the fact that no attack of any kind on the Earl, by subversive elements was at any time contemplated, it would in my opinion be asking too much to say in effect that we can guarantee his safety while in this country.'

Mountbatten himself scorned a major security presence, saying that he 'was used to giving orders, not taking them.'

There were at least two attempts on Mountbatten's life before the IRA were successful in their aim.

One was an attempt to sink Mountbatten's boat, the 30ft Silver Shadow V, years earlier.

But for the vigilance of local fishermen, who foiled the attempt, it would have been sunk.

Someone had drilled holes in her bottom when she was grounded at low water and had expected the filling tide to finish her off.

This should have served as a warning, but it was dismissed as an insignificant act of vandalism.

In 1978, the IRA had allegedly attempted to shoot Mountbatten when he was on his boat, but poor weather had prevented the sniper taking his shot.

But on the fateful Monday morning of August 27, 1979, the weather, for a change, was sunny and clear.

Mountbatten was keen to take advantage of the weather to go lobster potting and tuna fishing.

During the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations

Mountbatten when informed of the security risk said 'he was used to giving orders not taking them

Mountbatten and family, seen fishing from his boat Shadow V in 1970 with Classiebawn Castle in the distance

Lord Mountbatten playing with his grandchildren in the grounds of the family castle in County Sligo

Lord Mountbatten and his family seen fishing on Shadow V in 1970

Part of the wreckage of Mountbatten's boat, Shadow V, after washing up on shore

He was joined by his elder daughter Patricia, Lady Brabourne; her husband Lord Brabourne, their twin sons Nicholas and Timothy Knatchbull; Lord Brabourne's mother Doreen, Dowager Lady Brabourne and Paul Maxwell, a young crew member from Eniskillen.

They all trooped on board the boat in the harbour at Mullaghmore.

But obviously what they did not know was that Provisional IRA member Paul McMahon had sneaked on board the unguarded boat and attached a radio-controlled bomb weighing 50 pounds (23 kg).

Young Paul Maxwell, who was just 15, was steering the boat as it left the harbour. But just a few hundred yards away the bomb was detonated.

The boat was destroyed by the force of the blast and Mountbatten's legs were almost blown off.

Then aged 79, he was pulled alive from the water by nearby fishermen, but died from his injuries before being brought to shore.

Nicholas, 14, and Paul were killed by the blast and the others were seriously injured.

Doreen, Dowager Lady Brabourne, 83, died from her injuries the following day.

Two hours before the bomb detonated, McMahon had been arrested at a Garda checkpoint on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle.

He was tried for the assassinations in Ireland and convicted on November 23, 1979, based on forensic evidence that showed flecks of paint from the boat and traces of nitroglycerine on his clothes.

He was released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement after serving nearly 20 years.

Thomas McMahon seen in Dublin was released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement after serving nearly 20 years

The front page of the Daily Mail on August 28, 1979

Two men were charged with the murders of Mountbatten, his grandson's Nicholas, the Dowager Lady Brabourne and teenage crew member Paul Maxwell. Above: Francis McGirl and Thomas McMahon arriving at court in Dublin

John Maxwell, the father of Paul Maxwell, carries his son's coffin at his funeral

Earl Mountbatten's coffin was placed on a Sea King helicopter ready for flying home

The coffin Earl Mountbatten arrived at Eastleigh with a Union Jack flag draped over it

Earl Mountbatten's coffin arriving at Waterloo on the day of his funeral

Mountbatten's coffin during his funeral with his admiral's hat, sword and gold stick laid on top

The horse of Lord Mountbatten being lead, rider less, in the procession at his funeral

Prince Charles and Prince Philip walk in the procession behind the late Lord Mountbatten's coffin

Mountbatten's funeral was the first major royal funeral to be held in the Abbey since the 18th century

Prince Charles sheds a tear at the funeral of his great-uncle, Earl Mountbatten

On the day of the bombing, the IRA - 114 miles away - on the east coast in Northern Ireland also ambushed and killed eighteen British soldiers.

It was the deadliest attack on the British Army during the Troubles.

The attacks triggered outrage and condemnation around the world.

On September 5, 1979, Mountbatten received a ceremonial funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Heading the Royal Family was Queen Elizabeth II, while members of European royal houses were also in attendance.

Watched by thousands of people, the funeral procession, which started at Wellington Barracks, included representatives of all three British Armed Services, and military contingents from Burma, India, the United States, France, and Canada.

His coffin was drawn on a gun carriage by 118 Royal Navy ratings.

Mountbatten's funeral was the first major royal funeral to be held in the Abbey since the 18th century.

During the televised service, his great-nephew Charles - who had garnered much wisdom from his mentor - fittingly read the lesson.
Royal women have served their country's in many different ways, including taking up roles in the Armed Forces.

Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, could follow in her late grandmother's footsteps and join the military.

Her LinkedIn profile reportedly said she is interested in pursuing a career in 'the military, diplomacy or law.'

Louise, who also has a passion for horses like the late Queen Elizabeth, 'talks about being very keen on a career in the military, serving the King and country,' a source told The Sun.

Queen Elizabeth II was the first royal woman to serve full-time in the Armed Forces, when she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945.

Other royals who have actively served since including Princess Salma of Jordan, who became her country's first female pilot.

And Princess Leonor of Spain is currently undergoing three years of training at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza.

Read below to find out about the royal women who have been in the military.

Lady Louise Windsor , daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie and granddaughter to Queen Elizabeth II , has 'fallen in love' with army cadets, a source has said.

Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen's relationship with the Armed Forces began when, as Princess Elizabeth, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945.

She was the first female member of the Royal Family to join the military as a full-time active member.

Princess Elizabeth enrolled on a driving and vehicle maintenance course, where she learnt to drive heavy Army vehicles, mechanics theory and map reading.

Princess Elizabeth in her Royal Auxiliary boiler suit she wore to carry out her duties in 1945

The Queen's relationship with the Armed Forces began when, as Princess Elizabeth, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945.

She was the first female member of the Royal Family to join the military as a full-time active member.

During her time in the ATS, Princess Elizabeth enrolled on a driving and vehicle maintenance course, where she learnt to drive heavy vehicles, mechanics theory and map reading.

Queen Elizabeth II serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In this picture, she is learning to change a tyre in 1945

She received no special treatment during her training, and mixed with people from all backgrounds.

After working seven hours a day at the barracks, she returned home to Windsor Castle in the evenings.

She was ultimately promoted to the rank of Honorary Junior Commander.

The Second World War came to an end before she was able to put her skills to practical use.

Princess Ingrid of Norway

Princess Ingrid started her military training in January and is set to serve a year at the Engineer Battalion in Brigade Nord. She will then go on to Skjold camp in Indre Troms.

According to the Norwegian military's website, members of the Engineer Battalion are specialists 'who, among other things, work with defence facilities, bridges and other constructions and CBRN.'

Princess Ingrid of Norway in military uniform with her parents Crown Princes Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon in May

She took some time out of training to celebrate the country's National Day in Mayand wore her military uniform.

In 2021, the royal toured several army and air force bases in Norway to learn more about the country's armed forces.

Sitting in the backseat of an F-16 fighter jet, she was allowed to take control of the plane and pilot it as it flew over Northern Norway.

When she ascends the throne, she will become commandant of Norway's armies.

Princess Ingrid visiting the Norwegian Navy at its main and logistics base in Northern Norway in Setermoen in October 2022

Norway's Princess Ingrid practising parachuting as she visits the military base at Rena Leir in Norway in November 2021

Princess Salma of Jordan

Princess Salma of Jordan made history by becoming her country's first female pilot in 2020.

In 2018, the princess graduated from Britain's prestigiou Royal Military Academy Sandhurst when she was just 18 years old.

Princess Salma with her mother Queen Rania of Jordan at her Graduates Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy in 2018

King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein hugging his daughter after the graduate ceremony at Sandhurst

A photo of Princess Salma during an airdrop of medical supplies to northern Gaza, posted by Queen Rania on social media

Prince William also trained at the school and was commissioned as a British Army officer in December 2006.

His younger brother, Prince Harry, endured the 44-week training course at Sandhurst in 2005 before becoming an Officer in the Household Cavalry Blues and Royals in April 2006.

Last December, Salma - who is first-lieutenant in the Jordanian Royal Air Force - airlifted aid to a Jordanian field hospital in northern Gaza, The Telegraph reported.

Princess Leonor of Spain

The heir to the Spanish throne, 18, must complete the three years in the military in line with tradition.

Princess Leonor is following in the footsteps of her father King Felipe at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza.

He was a student there from 1985 until 1988.

In July, the Princess became a junior army officer and was presented with a badge by her father.

The pair saluted each other after he attached it to her uniform.

King Felipe and Princess Leonor salute each other after he presented her with a badge in July

Leonor's face was the picture of concentration as she took notes on her first full day of military college

The heir to the Spanish throne, known for her chic style, still radiated elegance in her camouflage uniform

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium

Most university students find it's enough of a challenge to drag themselves to lectures.

But not Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, who juggled her degree in history and politics in Oxford with military training back home.

Elisabeth began her training at the Royal Military Academy in 2021 and recently graduated from Oxford.

The balance of academic and military experience is regarded as an essential foundation for her future life as a queen.

It is not known how long Elisabeth plans to spend at the academy but her father King Philippe studied there for three years as a teenager.

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium takes part in a three-day internship at the Commando Training Centre in Marche-les-Dames in July 2021 after finishing her year at Royal Military Academy

Princess Elisabeth abseiling down a rocky hillside during her time at the Commando Training Centre in Marche-les-Dames in July 2021

Elisabeth and her father walked alongside each other as the Belgian royals attended the graduation ceremony in July

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

Princess Mary of Denmark was appointed captain of the Danish Home Guard in March 2019.

In her role, the mother-of-four oversees the annual Parade  which celebrates Denmark's liberation from Nazi rule.

Last year, Mary wore an army uniform as she took part in a Home Guard Parade in Copenhagen.

Mary proudly had four medals on show for the ceremony, including the Order of the Elephant, which is the highest-ranking order in Denmark.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attended a celebration dinner for the 60th anniversary of the Danish Home Guard in Nymindegab in Denmark in 2009

Princess Mary of Denmark is appointed Captain of the Danish Home Guard during a visit with Queen Margrethe of Denmark on the occasion of the Home Guard's 70th anniversary in 2019
Takeaway coffees bought from popular High Street outlets contain up to three times as much caffeine as those made at home, a study shows.

Consumers who drink just three or four cups a day may exceed the safe daily limit for the stimulant of 400mg, researchers warned.

Tests on more than 200 coffees bought from popular chains such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee revealed Americanos had the highest caffeine levels - averaging around 140mg per drink.

Home-made coffees made with one teaspoon per person had the lowest levels - around 23mg.

Caffeine is a stimulant which can cause insomnia, nausea, rapid heart rate and headaches when drunk to excess.

Takeaway coffees bought from popular High Street outlets contain up to three times as much caffeine as those made at home, a study shows (stock image)

The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, come just days after a separate team of scientists from Zydus Medical College and Hospital in India found drinking more than 400mg of caffeine a day is linked to higher blood pressure - a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Caffeine is thought to be the most widely-used stimulant in the world.

Millions rely on it to kick-start their day and shake off the morning slumber.

But the NHS recommends limiting daily consumption to 400mg due to the potentially dangerous side-effects of over-consumption.

For pregnant women, the limit is just 200mg.

But scientists from the National Institute for Public Health in Warsaw, Poland, set out to test caffeine levels in takeaway coffees after becoming concerned that many consumers might be drinking too much.

Tests on more than 200 coffees bought from popular chains such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee revealed Americanos had the highest caffeine levels - averaging around 140mg per drink (stock image)

They analysed samples of espresso, cappuccino, latte and Americanos from Starbucks and Costa Coffee, as well as branches of McDonald's, petrol stations, grocery stores and bakeries.

They found a huge variation in caffeine content - some had just 12.8mg per serving, others had more than 300mg.

On average, researchers discovered, just two to three Americanos was often enough to exceed the daily caffeine limit.

They said shop-bought coffees tend to be served in much larger quantities than those drunk at home, adding to caffeine intake.

Coffee bean strength was also a factor.

Research suggests British consumers now spend more money than ever before on takeaway coffees - at an average 530 per person a year.

In a report on their findings, researchers called for coffee lovers to be given more practical information on caffeine content.

They said: 'High caffeine intake is not harmless to health - it can cause muscle tremors, insomnia, upset stomachs and tachycardia (rapid heart rate).

'We found coffees served in franchise shops had significantly higher caffeine levels than home-made ones.

'It would be advisable to have more practical guidance to avoid the regular intake of high doses of the stimulant.'
Boeing is no longer the only space company suffering from delays as SpaceX announces its daring Polaris Dawn mission will be postponed until Wednesday.

A helium leak on the ground at Kennedy Space Center forced mission controllers to call off the launch of the Crew Dragon Capsule just hours before lift-off.

The highlight of the mission is intended to be a space walk 435 miles (700km) above Earth - the first commercial space walk in history.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote: 'We are triple-checking everything to make sure there is nothing more we can do to improve crew safety.'

The company now aims to launch the spacecraft, carried by a Falcon 9 booster, at 3:38 am EST (08:38 BST) on Wednesday.

The launch of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission (pictured) has been delayed until Wednesday as crew investigate a helium leak on the ground

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the crew are 'triple-checking everything' to ensure the mission can proceed safely

An overnight mission readiness review had found no issues of concern and the flight had been given the greenlight barring any last-minute weather issues or glitches.

However, at 8 pm local time (01:00 BST), the crew detected a leak in the line feeding helium to the rocket.

Helium is used to pressurise rocket fuel tanks since it is inert and non-flammable but because helium atoms are so small leaks are not uncommon.

With risks higher than normal in this daring mission, the decision was made to call off the launch with just hours remaining.

In a statement posted to X, SpaceX wrote: 'Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical.

The crew for the Polaris Dawn mission are (from left to right) billionaire Jared Isaacman, SpaceX engineers Anna Menon, and Sarah Gillis, and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteet

'Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.'

That crew includes billionaire Jared Isaacman, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott 'Kidd' Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

In a post on X, Mrs Menon wrote: 'I always appreciate SpaceXs diligence and commitment to not fly until we are ready. We will try again tomorrow!'

Mr Isaacman, the founder of electronic payment company Shift4, bankrolled the mission.

He has declined to say how much he has spent, but it is estimated to be more than $100 million.

The billionaire, who is also an experienced pilot, has previously funded an entire SpaceX Crew Dragon passenger mission called Inspiration4, going in a modified Crew Dragon around the Earth for three days at about 350 miles above the surface.

The crew (pictured) will travel further from Earth than any humans before them as they reach a distance of 870 miles (1,400km), orbiting through parts of the Van Allen radiation belt

The highlight of the mission was intended to be a space walk at 435 miles (700km) above Earth. This would have been the first ever commercial space walk

In the Polaris Dawn mission, Mr Isaacman and his crew are scheduled to reach an altitude of 870 miles (1,400km) and travel further into space than has ever been attempted previously.

At this distance, they will orbit through part of the Van Allen Belt - a ring of intense high-energy radiation that surrounds the Earth.

The crew will use this opportunity to test Starlinks laser-based communication systems from high orbit.

The most dangerous moment of the mission, however, will come when the entire crew attempt the first-ever commercial spacewalk at 435 miles (700km) above Earth.

Only US astronauts and Russian cosmonauts have performed spacewalks to date, most recently by occupants of the International Space Station, who regularly don spacesuits to perform maintenance and other checks of their orbital home.

The first U.S. spacewalk was in 1965, aboard a Gemini capsule, and used a similar procedure to the one planned for Polaris Dawn: the capsule was depressurised, the hatch opened, and a spacesuited astronaut ventured outside on a tether.

Only two of the four - Jared Isaacman and Scott Poteet - will leave the craft during the spacewalk.

The SpaceX Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) suit has been tested in laboratory conditions on Earth (pictured) but this would be the first time it has been exposed to the vacuum of space

At 8 pm local time (01:00 BST) a leak in the line feeding helium to the Falcon 9 rocket was detected, leading mission control to postpone the mission

But the whole crew will be simultaneously exposed to the vacuum of space even as Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon remain seated.

Polaris Dawn's crew will be testing SpaceX's new, slimline spacesuits during the spacewalk.

Those spacesuits have been adapted from the company's vehicular activity suits which have been used on previous missions.

The suit features an integrated heads-up display, a new camera, and materials borrowed from Falcon rockets and Dragon spaceships.

SpaceX says that testing the suits will help pave the way for future colonisation efforts on the Moon and Mars.

The company website writes: 'Building a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will require millions of spacesuits.

'The development of this suit and the execution of the spacewalk will be important steps toward a scalable design for spacesuits on future long-duration missions as life becomes multiplanetary.'
For a generation that has grown up glued to their screens, you would expect Gen Z to be masters of all things electronic.

However, experts now suggest that the online generation might be losing their ability to type on a keyboard.

As smartphones and tablets eclipse laptop and desktop computers, many are concerned that touch typing might become a forgotten skill.

In April, Gen Z icon Billie Eilish told Rolling Stone: 'I never learnt to type because I wasn't that generation, and now I regret it.'

So, how fast can you type? Take the test below to find out.

In April, Billie Eilish revealed that she could not touch type, saying that this was because she 'wasn't that generation'. Like Ms Eilish, many Gen Z also appear to be lacking this core skill

Over the last 25 years, the number of young people taking typing courses has fallen drastically.

This may be driven by a reduction in the number of schools offering 'keyboarding' classes, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

In the UK, schools can decide to offer a national Ofqual regulated certificate in typing but there is no requirement that this be offered.

Despite typing skills being described as 'desirable', touch typing is not part of the national curriculum.

Prestigious schools like Brighton College and Eton reintroduced touch typing to the curriculum, but there is no official data on how many students across the country are taught this skill.

Teachers are also concerned that Gen Z's increasing use of touchscreen devices might be making matters worse.

Since Gen Z spend more time on smartphones and tablets, some believe that they may be losing the ability to type on a keyboard (stock image)

Instructure, a Utah-based company which produces platforms for students to upload work, found that 39 per cent of assignments submitted in May were written on an online device rather than a computer.

Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure told the Wall Street Journal: 'What students want to do is do the work on their mobile devices.

'We have two generations experiencing the teaching, and the learning, in a very different way. That's alarming to me.'

Since one of the biggest predictors of typing speed is time spent typing, a reduction in computer use is likely to produce less proficient typers.

In 2019, a study of 37,000 typers conducted by Alto University and the University of Cambridge found that smartphone typing speeds are now catching up with computer speeds.

Their study found that the so-called 'typing gap' between smartphone and computer speeds is now just 25 per cent.

In 2000, 44 per cent of students had taken a typing course with many being taught using software like Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing (pictured). However, by 2019 that figure had fallen to just 2.5 per cent

A study assessing smartphone typing speed (pictured) found that the gap between smartphones and computer keyboards was shrinking with participants hitting 38 words per minute on a smartphone

The mean typing speed on a smartphone was 38 words per minute (wpm) compared to about 52 on a standard QWERTY keyboard.

That gap was even smaller among those aged 10-19 years old who, on average, could type 10 wpm faster on a phone than those in their 40s.

That speed increase might not be surprising given that the participants reported spending about 6 hours per day on their mobile devices on average.

While this study alone does not show that computer typing ability is falling, anecdotal evidence from teachers points towards declining touch typing speeds among Gen Z.

Christine Mueller, a teacher from Oklahoma had heard so many colleagues complaining about their student's poor typing skills that she organised a keyboard spelling competition.

Ms Mueller found that the renewed enthusiasm for the skill helped boost speeds across the school with one student hitting 91 wpm.

A fourth-grade teacher even told Ms Mueller that her students' average speed had increased from 13 wpm to 25 wpm.

Dr Per Ola Kristensson, an expert in typing systems from the University of Cambridge and co-author of the phone typing study, told MailOnline that the issue is likely to be time spent practising.

While Dr Kristensson says his research does not show Gen Z are losing the ability to type, it does suggest that they are spending more time typing on screens.

The main problem appears to be that students are spending less time on computers than they had in the past which could lead to decreased typing speeds (stock image)

'There are many factors but the key factor is practice,' Dr Kristensson says.

'I am unaware of any evidence that increased touchscreen typing would be detrimental to physical keyboard skills. More likely, people spend less time typing on physical keyboards.'

Despite the growing ubiquity of typed exams and coursework in schools, reduced use of keyboards at home and for homework could explain the difficulties seen by teachers.

However, Dr Kristensson points out that this is not necessarily an issue so long as students are still able to get information down quickly.

He says: 'As long as a user has a typing strategy that yields a text entry rate at 40 words per minute or higher it is in my opinion more important to focus on what to write, rather than the specific skill of inputting it into a computer.'

The bigger issue is that a shift towards typing on screens may actually hinder students' ability to communicate.

Dr Kristensson concludes: 'I suspect auto-correct and generative AI are more likely to have a deteriorating effect on the ability to write.'
After months of speculation and a torturous wait for fans, Apple has confirmed its next unveiling event on September 9.

Dubbed 'It's Glowtime', Apple will launch its next smartphone, the iPhone 16, and its numerous variants during the event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

But as the 10th anniversary of the tech giant's first ever smartwatch approaches, it may just mark the occasion with a very special new product.

Apple is preparing to release the 'Apple Watch X' which could feature a radical redesign, according to a leaker.

Akin to the iPhone X in 2017 that celebrated a decade of the iPhone, Apple Watch X could mark 10 years since the world glimpsed the first Apple Watch.

Apple is hosting an event on 9 September at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it is expected to unveil a series of new iPhones - and potentially a special new watch

Apple Watch X could mark 10 years since the world glimpsed the first Apple Watch (pictured) which was unveiled in September 2014 and released in April the following year

The claim comes from respected Apple tipster Mark Gurman based in California, who says Apple is 'preparing a big update' in his weekly newsletter.

'Apple Watch is nearing its 10th birthday and the company has a chance to mark the occasion,' he says.

'With the X model, Apple designers are working on a thinner watch case and have explored changing the way bands are attached to the device.'

Gurman also says the watch could have a larger display and 'other enhancements under the hood' in terms of hardware.

For example, new AI-capable chips 'could lay the groundwork for some AI enhancements down the road'.

However, if fans hope the new watch will run Apple Intelligence, the upcoming suite of AI features, they should 'reset expectations'.

Gurman says Apple Intelligence is 'only headed to the iPhone, iPad and Mac' for now, followed by Vision Pro, Apple's 3,500 headset.

Pictured, the Apple Watch Series 9 which was only released last September along with the iPhone 15

The very first Apple Watch was unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook in September 2014 at the same press event where the iPhone 6 was presented.

Cook called it 'the most personal device we've ever created', adding: 'We've set up to make the best watch in the world  one that is precise.'

But it didn't go on sale until the following April, so there's a chance this special 'Watch X' model could follow a similar timeline.

All should be revealed at the 'It's Glowtime' September unveiling event, which is taking place on a Monday this year instead of a Tuesday like Septembers past.

On its website, Apple's eye-catching invite includes the classic Apple logo with a redesigned twist  with swirling hues of blue, purple, orange and pink.

Apple's invite includes the classic Apple logo with a redesigned twist. An animation on its website sees the logo swirl between hues of blue, purple, orange, and pink, seemingly in reference to the 'It's Glowtime' tagline

It's expected that the biggest focus of the event will be four new iPhone 16 models  the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, in a range of different colours.

iPhone 16 is expected to have a new button located on the right hand side, which could be a game-changer for selfie fans.

And according to MacRumours, the screen size of the two Pro models  the two most expensive options  will get bigger compared to the iPhone 15 equivalents.

An expert has claimed that the tech giant's new AI platform, known as Apple Intelligence, could be delayed until at least October  one month after the iPhone 16 hits the market.
Cities America are spraying chemicals through their streets in response to a rise in several deadly mosquito-borne illnesses, in an unprecedented move.

Massachusetts, New York, Texas and California are among the states deploying pesticides to repel the increasingly disease-ridden insects.

The decision comes on the heels of an onslaught of mosquito-borne illnesses throughout the US, including West Nile Virus, which hospitalized White House Covid doctor Anthony Fauci this month, 'Triple E', a brain-swelling disease that has killed two Americans so far this year, and 'sloth fever', a disease transmitted from sloths to mosquitos.

Officials are spraying the streets at night when people are less likely to be outside to reduce residents' exposure to the chemicals, which can be harmful to breathe in or ingest. The doses will also be 'ultra-low volume'.

Other areas have taken equally drastic measures, including imposing curfews to limit people's exposure to mosquito bites.

Public health departments will be spraying pesticides near these four cities to combat the spread of deadly mosquito-borne illnesses.

A number of Americans have died from mosquito-borne illnesses this year, including a New Hampshire man who died from EEE earlier this month. It was the state's first human case in 10 years.

In Massachusetts, towns in southern Worcester County and Plymouth County have taken an aggressive approach to fighting mosquito-borne illness this month after an 80 year old man from Worcester County caught EEE - the state's first human case since 2020.

EEE is a rare but serious virus that spreads to humans via infected mosquito bites. It causes swelling in the brain, and roughly 30 percent of infected people do not survive.

To curb the spread of this virus, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health will spray the pesticide Anvil 10+10 from trucks and planes overnight, starting shortly after dusk and ending in the early morning.

In addition to pesticide spraying, officials in Oxford, MA instated a voluntary curfew urging residents to stay inside after 6p.m. to avoid mosquito bites.

And in Plymouth, MA, officials have ordered parks to close from dusk until dawn when mosquitos are most active.

Meanwhile, New York City, Arlington, and San Jose will be battling a different disease: West Nile Virus. WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental US.

In most cases, the virus causes no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms. But roughly one in 150 cases turn severe and life-threatening, causing swelling of the brain, the membranes surrounding the brain or the spinal cord.

Cities will use trucks and planes to spray the mosquito-killing pesticides in areas with high disease risk.

In New York City, there have been six severe cases of West Nile Virus this year. None of them were fatal, but the city has moved to spray pesticides in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn to reduce the risk.

The city's Department of Health is using trucks to spray the pesticides Anvil 10+10, Duet or MERUS 3 overnight.

Texas has reported 37 cases West Nile Virus in 2024 - more than any other US state. One of these cases was fatal.

Recently, three mosquitos in the city of Arlington tested positive for the virus, prompting city officials to schedule overnight pesticide spraying in select locations.

In select areas throughout Arlington, contractors will spray a pesticide called Aqua-Reslin, which kills adult mosquitos.

In Santa Clara County, California, a resident died of West Nile Virus earlier this month, and another was hospitalized. West-Nile-positive mosquitos have also been detected in San Jose and the surrounding area.

The pesticides used for this treatment are Zenivex E4 and Merus 3.0 - both of which are highly effective mosquito-control treatments.

Rising global temperatures are driving the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses in the US.

All four of these cities will spray pesticides at 'ultra-low volume,' which means they will not pose significant health risks to residents and no one will have to relocate during the treatment.

Officials have also schedule spraying at night when people are less likely to be outside to reduce residents' exposure to these chemicals.

Some data suggests that the risk of mosquito-borne illness is rising in the US as rising global temps allow infected mosquitos to expand their range.

Cases of Dengue Fever, for example, increased over 800 percent in the US between 2021 and 2022, according to Vector Disease Control International.

In most cases, mosquito-borne illnesses are not fatal. But they can make an infected person very sick.

As cases of mosquito-borne illnesses rise in the US, cities may have to spray pesticides more frequently.

But there are things you can do to protect yourself from mosquito bites and reduce your risk of disease.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing loose-fitting clothes that cover your skin, applying insect repellant, and putting screens on windows and doors to prevent them from getting inside.
After Boeing's faulty Starliner capsule left two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station, NASA faced two options.

They could risk sending Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore home on Starliner - which could cost them their lives - or leave them up there until they could hitch a ride on SpaceX's Dragon capsule.

Ultimately, NASA decided that the risk of a fatal accident is too high to bring the astronauts home on Starliner, meaning that Williams and Wilmore will remain on the ISS until February, 2025.

'I don't think that's terribly surprising given the experience of the Columbia shuttle disaster in 2003, when they had a known problem and didn't address it with obviously tragic results,' said space consultant Bill Harwood.

Stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore will remain on the ISS for another six months after NASA decides that risking a return flight on Starliner could cost their lives.

That's not far from what happened in 2003, when NASA's Columbia space shuttle broke up in the atmosphere and killed all seven astronauts on board.

The incident was avoidable, as it was caused by a large piece of foam that fell from the shuttle's external tank and breached the spacecraft wing.

This technical issue had been known about for years, and NASA came under scrutiny for not addressing it before it was too late.

This time, 'NASA decided to play it safe,' Hardwood said.

But while Boeing officials cooperated with the decision, they didn't necessarily agree with it.

'For their part, the Boeing engineers think the capsule is totally safe, would easily bring the crew back home in safety as needed.'

'NASA looked at all the same test data, but they decided, 'we just don't have enough certainty.''

The impact of this decision on NASA's relationship with Boeing remains to be seen.

'NASA is counting on Boeing to perfect this spacecraft,' Harwood said.

'Boeing says they will, but that's all TBD.'

Starliner launched on June 5 with the intention of docking at the ISS for eight days before returning Wilmore and Williams safely to Earth.

But before, during, and after the launch, the spacecraft was plagued by technical issues - including helium leaks and thruster failures.

Astronauts Williams and Wilmore were able to reach the ISS safely. But by the time they got there, Starliner had sprung more helium leaks and five of its 18 thrusters failed.

They have been stuck up there ever since, waiting patiently as NASA and Boeing raced to figure out the best way to bring the astronauts home.

NASA decided not to bring Williams and Wilmore home on Starliner to avoid a tragic incident like the Columbia shuttle disaster, which killed seven astronauts in 2003.

In a press conference on August 24, NASA finally revealed their decision. Williams and Wilmore will remain in space for another six months while they wait for SpaceX's Dragon capsule to take them back to Earth.

'Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,' said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate.

NASA's decision ultimately came down to the astronauts' safety, Harwood told CBS news.

If Starliner experienced more technical issues during the return flight, the spacecraft could burn up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere and incinerate the astronauts inside.

'You can't prove that those problems won't get worse after the ship undocks, and of course they've got to be able to fire their engines and get out of orbit to come home,' Hardwood said.
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Miss your old flip phone? Samsung has released their new Galaxy Z Flip6 phone that gives you double the productivity in half the space as your current smartphone - because, yes, this phone flips down into half its size.

Filled to the brim with practical features and a whole host of AI tools, this sleek and portable smartphone is perfect for those who need more from their handset  enabling you to multitask across two screens with absolute ease.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Filled to the brim with practical features and a whole host of AI tools, this sleek and portable phone is perfect for those who need more from their smartphone  enabling you to multitask across two screens with absolute ease. Shop this new release through Vodafone today and enjoy a host of exclusive offers and perks  including VeryMe Rewards, a flexible pay-monthly contract, a Lifetime Service Promise, a three-year battery refresh and a lifetime warranty. Shop Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Prefer to fold instead of flip? Get your hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6. Featuring a large 7.6-inch foldable display, the Z Fold6 allows seamless multitasking across the two screens, making it perfect for running multiple apps, editing documents, or video conferencing. With advanced cameras, S Pen compatibility, and a durable, IPX8 water-resistant finish, this phone is built to handle your day-to-day with ease. Shop

If youre looking for a new phone that works harder for you while remaining compact and utterly simple to use, then youre going to want to get your hands on Samsungs new offering.

With its sleek, foldable design that can be used both open and closed, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 effortlessly slips into your pocket, making it the ultimate choice for busy life on the go.

When unfolded, the 6.7-inch AMOLED display offers a stunning visual experience with vibrant colours and sharp details, perfect for taking advantage of the phones AI photo tools and clever features.

Not only that, with Flex Mode, you can split your screen into two to make multi-tasking easy  whether youre using one half for a video call and the other half for taking notes or browsing documents.

This clever FlexWindow can also be used when the phone is flipped shut, enabling you to deal with calls, messages and even control your playlists without opening your phone.

Choose an interactive wallpaper that responds to your touch and movements, or simply set a screen saver that reflects who you are.

Perfect for capturing every moment in crystal clear quality, the Samsung flip phone boasts a 50MP rear camera with 2x optical quality zoom, as well as Quick Shot on the FlexWindow, which allows you to capture your best selfies yet.

This clever FlexWindow can also be used when the phone is flipped shut, enabling you to deal with calls, messages and even control your playlists without opening your phone

Not only this, but you can also take advantage of advanced AI features like Nightography and generative AI for professional-quality photos and videos, not forgetting the ProVisual Engine, which enhances subtle details like eyelashes and skin for stunning results.

Flip, un-flip, drop, spill, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 has been built for durability, featuring an improved hinge mechanism and durable folding glass, along with IP48-rated water and dust resistance, ensuring it stands up to whatever your day throws at you.

Whether youre navigating a busy commute or handling a hectic workday, this phone is designed to keep up with you, providing reliability and style in any situation.

But potentially the main reason shoppers are flocking to shop the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is due to the insanely clever, productivity-enhancing AI tools the phone offers.

The two new releases from Samsung allow you to seamlessly multitask across the folding and flipping screens, boasting a huge array of AI tools to help simplify your everyday

Boasting everything from Live Translate and Call Assist for real-time translation of 216 languages during calls and messaging and Circle to Search with Google for quick and easy searching, to Transcript Assist, which enables you to record and transcribe meetings, every inch of your personal and professional life is covered.

Alongside a large 4,000mAh battery, 25W Super Fast Charging and a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor for streaming optimising and quick responses, this innovative flip phone really has it all.

Whether you're looking to multitask with absolute ease, capture stunning photos, or stay productive with advanced AI tools, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is the everyday-enhancing device you need to get your hands on.

Prefer to fold instead of flip? Explore the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, featuring a large 7.6-inch foldable display for seamless multitasking across the two screens.
She's since travelled all over the country and its islands with her Greek boyfriend

Ancient history, vine-covered tavernas and breathtaking beaches - there's nothing quite like a Greek island.

But you've been visiting them all wrong.

Here Sophie Jansen, a 31-year-old Greece travel expert from the Netherlands whose TikTok Greece tips have earned her 78,000 followers, reveals the key mistakes beginners make and her top tips for making the most of what Greece's islands have to offer.

She reveals why ferry timetables are the key to any enjoyable Greek island holiday, the best local dishes to try, how to order Greek coffee, whether it's okay to drink the tap water - and why you'll probably regret taking a suitcase.

Read on for more...

Sophie Jansen, a 31-year-old Greece travel expert from the Netherlands whose TikTok Greece tips have earned her 78,000 followers

Choose the right island

Sophie tells MailOnline Travel: 'Greece is a large and scattered country' - with 227 inhabited islands - adding that 'every part' has 'something to offer'.

While an island might look picture-perfect, it might not be the right destination for you.

Sophie explains: 'Research if it is the right place for the month you're going in, the amount of days you want to stay, the mode of transportation you're looking at, the type of activities you want to do and, of course, your budget.

'Not every island is budget or child-friendly and some islands are less suitable if you can't rent a car.'

Check the ferry timetables

Sophie warns: 'Don't book your hotels before you have looked at the ferry timetables and schedules. Not all the islands have a connection with each other.

'So make sure you do not have a non-refundable hotel booking before figuring out how to get from A to B.'

She recommends using ferryhopper.com to find the ships' routes and schedules.

Pack the right size suitcase

Sophie says: 'Sure, if you're staying in the same hotel for two weeks and are being transferred to it from the airport - bring your heavy suitcase.

However, if you're going island hopping or visiting towns with car-free centres, cobblestones or lots of stairs (such as Santorini) - it might be best to pack light.'

As seen in Sophie's video, tourists may struggle with a heavy wheelie suitcase.

You may regret taking a heavy suitcase on a holiday to a Greek island as visits to many - such as Santorini - involve walking up and down long flights of stairs

The Greece expert says her 'simple rule' for inaccessible places is 'do not bring what you can't carry yourself'.

Be careful with tap water

While Sophie says you can use the water on smaller islands for brushing your teeth, it's not 'meant for large amounts of consumption'.

Tourists can buy water at the supermarket but Sophie says to keep an eye out for island wells, which are free, and refill stations, which carry a small charge of around 6 cents (5p), as they're better for the environment.

Check shop opening times

Sophie says: 'Tourist shops are open every day, all day, till late at night. The same applies to supermarkets and mini markets, although larger supermarkets are closed on Sundays.'

However, other shops may close for 'siesta time' from around 2-3pm until 5-6pm, so it's best not to plan a shopping trip for the early afternoon.

Sophie adds: 'In general, it is polite to stay quiet during the "siesta" hours in residential areas, as many Greeks are actually sleeping at that time. In the evening they come out again and eat late (around 9-10pm).'

Download an offline map

Sophie warns that travellers should 'never blindly trust offline maps' - as they could send you down tricky routes

FOR MORE FROM SOPHIE JANSEN

Sophie Jansen fell in love with Greece as a child and visited for the first time by herself when she was just 14. Since then, she's travelled all over the country and its islands with her Greek boyfriend and shares her travel tips on her blog (tzatchickie.nl) and on Instagram (@tzatchickie) and TikTok (@tzatchickie). Advertisement

'You might find yourself without a stable internet connection while being in the car and in need of GPS. It is best to download an offline map of the island on your phone,' says Sophie.

However, she adds: 'Never blindly trust these apps. They hardly know the difference between asphalt and dirt roads and sometimes send you through back roads and alleys that you could be really uncomfortable with. Or down a road that has a dead end and leads nowhere.

'Check before you leave if the suggested route is mainly through larger roads or not. Some dirt roads are okay to drive on with every vehicle, others are not. In case of severe doubt, just turn back and do not risk it.'

Try Greek coffee and cuisine

Sophie says: 'Greece is more than gyros and souvlaki and historically actually a cuisine based on vegetables.'

She recommends heading to a 'mezedopoleio or 'tsipouradiko' - restaurants that serve smaller mezze style dishes or the 'Greek version of tapas'- with a group. She adds: 'This way you can taste more dishes and the bill ends up being cheaper. At the end of the dinner, they will probably bring you a free sweet or shot of alcohol, which you have to politely accept!'

When it comes to coffee, Sophie recommends trying a frappe (an iced drink made with instant coffee) or a freddo cappuccino (a cold cappuccino with cold milk foam on top).

She adds that there are three levels of sweetness to a Greek coffee. 'Sketo' - without sugar, 'metrio' - medium sweet - and 'glyko' - sweet.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a blimp!

A YouTube creator who flew in a blimp from Boston to New York City has shared the pros and cons of the seven-hour journey - from stunning views to not having access to a bathroom.

US-based content creator Michael Downie embarked on a different kind of journey in the skies.

He signed up for a ride in an airship from Massachusetts to New York, and documented the entire thing on his channel.

In a video detailing his trip, one of the pilots informed him that the vessel was called an American Blimp A-170, and was 'roughly about 170,000 cubic feet.'

After boarding the aircraft, Michael quickly discovered that the interior of the main cabin was quite basic - and that there was no bathroom on board.

YouTube creator Michael Downie embarked on a different kind of journey in the skies after signing up for a ride in an airship from Boston to New York

He told viewers that he was aware of this beforehand so he didn't drink anything that morning and went to the toilet twice before his seven-hour flight.

'I should be good to get through the six to eight hours. I really do not want to find out what happens if you don't make it,' the content creator mused.

Throughout the journey, the airship provided superb views through the large windows.

As they glided above a rural area, Michael panned the camera around as he said: 'We have tons of leg room and we're just cruising along at a casual pace, floating only at about 1,000 feet.

'Heading towards the coast means we get to take in the sights below us.

'This is a unique perspective. We're a lot lower and slower than a plane, so we actually get to see a lot more.'

In one scene, Michael explained that a wheel at the side of the pilot's seat controlled the 'pitch at the rear rudders which points them up and down.'

Meanwhile, foot pedals were used to steer the blimp left and right.

In a video detailing his trip, one of the pilots informed him that the vessel was called an American Blimp A-170, and was 'roughly about 170,000 cubic feet'

Throughout the journey, the airship provided superb views through the large windows

Touching on the history of airships, Michael noted that while they were mainly used for marketing purposes today, in the past they were used for passenger travel

While Michael said controlling an airship was 'pretty simple,' he noted that it did require constant attention because the 'slightest gust of wind will blow us off course.'

For this reason, the blimp was manned by several pilots who rotated every few hours.

In terms of the speed, one of the pilots noted that the blimp can achieve 35 miles an hour in no wind, but 'you never have no wind.'

Touching on the history of airships, Michael noted that while they were mainly used for marketing purposes today (with Goodyear being the most famous example), in the past they were used for passenger travel.

Confirming this fact, one of the pilots added: 'It was really after the First World War you know... when they they thought about using them as passenger transport.

'I mean they've flown across the Atlantic. I mean the first aircraft to fly around the world was an airship.'

While they used hydrogen in the past to lift airships, helium was used today because it was a safe and inert gas.

As they passed over communities below, Michael told his viewers that 'if you're watching this and you ever see a blimp in the air make sure to wave... we definitely appreciate seeing you wave from up here.'

In terms of the speed, one of the pilots noted that the blimp can achieve 35 miles an hour in no wind, but 'you never have no wind'

Continuing on their way, Manhattan gradually came into view

Some way into their journey, Michael and the crew had to make a quick pitstop to rebalance the blimp.

Michael explained that on longer journeys, ground crew have to add weight to the aircraft to counteract the weight of the fuel that has burnt off.

Continuing on their way, Manhattan gradually came into view.

As they passed by various landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, Michael seemed blown away by the unique views the blimp offered.

He told viewers: 'We're going down the Hudson River [with] Manhattan to our left in an airship... that's all I have to say. I'm pretty much speechless.

'If I'm honest, after a long day in the air, I can't think of a better way to end this flight than a scenic float down the Hudson river past the tall Manhattan skyline.'

To date, Michael's YouTube detailing his blimp trip has been watched more than 219,000 times, with many viewers thanking him for sharing the 'fun' and 'cool' experience.
Devin Strader sought the counsel of host Jesse Palmer during Fantasy Suite week on Monday's episode of The Bachelorette on ABC.

The 28-year-old contestant was dealing with doubts over his relationship with Jenn Tran, 26, after she failed to reciprocate after he declared his love for her in Hawaii.

Devin after his overnight date with Jenn sat alone at a bar at The Fairmont Orchid and admitted to feeling 'jaded'.

'You can only love somebody like that for so long without getting it back before it just ...and that scares me because I'm waiting for something that I don't know is coming,' said Devin, a freight company owner from Texas, in a confessional.

'So I really don't know what to do here. And I really do need some guidance on this. And, you know, just somebody to talk to and let it all out,' he added.

Devin Strader sought the counsel of host Jesse Palmer during Fantasy Suite week on Monday's episode of The Bachelorette on ABC

'Devin, what's up man?,' Jesse, 45, said as he arrived out of nowhere at the bar.

They exchanged greetings and Jesse revealed that he had been thinking about Devin.

'Yeah. I heard you been struggling a little bit,' said Jesse, who starred on season five of The Bachelor in 2004.

'Yeah, man, just a tad. Um, I'm having a lot of tough, tough thoughts, you know, back and forth in my head about a lot of different things. And I was really, really excited for my overnight date,' Devin said.

Devin added that he 'needed to feel the love the back' and Jesse acknowledged the he 'wanted that reciprocation'.

'You know, I've been waiting for this time to hear something that'll get me through this process,' Devin said.

Devin said he wanted to ask Jenn if she loved him as much as he loves her, but didn't want to put pressure on her during their overnight date.

'You know, I didn't want to scare her with my true feelings about how bad it is inside for me,' Devin said.

'Yeah. I heard you been struggling a little bit,' said Jesse, who starred on season five of The Bachelor in 2004

Devin after his overnight date with Jenn sat alone at a bar at The Fairmont Orchid in Hawaii and admitted to feeling 'jaded'

'Devin, what's up man?,' Jesse, 45, said as he arrived out of nowhere at the bar

'You can only love somebody like that for so long without getting it back before it just ...and that scares me because I'm waiting for something that I don't know is coming,' said Devin, a freight company owner from Texas , in a confessional

'Did you get any kind of reassurance from her at all?,' Jesse asked.

'I tell her I love her, and she says, 'Well, I can see a future with us''. You know, and that's great, you know? But that's not what I'm feeling in this moment. But leaving that moment, leaving that room, I didn't feel whole, and I, again, told her I loved her on the way out and...nothing. And it hurts me because I keep giving and giving and giving, and she's growing from that, but I'm withering away,' Devin said.

Jesse told Devin that he was giver and Devin started crying.

'I withheld what had been bothering me. You know, I regret that. Even though I would have never given her an ultimatum. I just needed to know that she loves me back,' Devin said in a confessional.

Jesse said he was sorry that Devin was feeling so bad.

'When you're giving that much, you just want a little bit back. I get it. I totally get it,' Jesse said.

Jesse added: 'You just have to hang on. Jenn's someone that you want to fight for every day. I mean, could you really stop now?'

Devin in a confessional said he didn't want to leave Jenn, but she should express it if she's feeling a certain way.

'I do feel myself slipping away here, and my gut is strongly disagreeing with my heart, and you can love somebody and they not love you back. And that's the realization, you know, here. Um, I just feel lost completely about it. I can't keep moving forward. Can't do it anymore,' he said.

'I do feel myself slipping away here, and my gut is strongly disagreeing with my heart, and you can love somebody and they not love you back. And that's the realization, you know, here. Um, I just feel lost completely about it. I can't keep moving forward. Can't do it anymore,' Devin said

Devin said he needed to talk to Jenn and was shown walking alone down a long corridor to her hotel room.

'You know, I'm scared. This is one time that I'm going to be brutally honest, and I hope that she can accept that. Now I am doubting myself. This is probably the end for me, and it scares me to no end,' Devin told the camera.

Devin was then shown knocking on Jenn's door.

'Hey,' Jenn said smiling as the episode concluded.

The episode began with Devin's overnight date, where he and Jenn first enjoyed a helicopter tour of Hawaii.

Devin was shown knocking on Jenn's door

'Hey,' Jenn said smiling as the episode concluded

The episode began with Devin's overnight date, where he and Jenn first enjoyed a helicopter tour of Hawaii

During their dinner, Devin opened up about his fears and insecurities. 'Sometimes it's hard for me to accept a good thing when I see it,' Jenn admitted. 'I know you're a good thing. And it's, like, scary for me to, like, lean into that fully because I know that if I lean into it all the way, it's going to be real.'

Devin told Jenn that she was worth the wait, but told the cameras about his frustration.

'You know, it's like she's done a good job of showing she cares deeply for me. But I would like to hear the big L. You know, I'd like to hear that back. It's important to me,' he said.

They both agreed to the overnight date and were happy the next morning.

Jenn next had a date with Jonathon Johnson, 27, a creative director from Kansas City, Missouri, and they ate some local treats and enjoyed a private waterfall date.

Jenn next had a date with Jonathon Johnson, 27, a creative director from Kansas City, Missouri, and they ate some local treats and enjoyed a private waterfall date

'When I'm with him, I feel fun and flirty. It's so easy to be myself with him and to have fun and laugh about anything and everything,' Jenn said.

They also decided to spend the night together in the Fantasy Suite.

'I see the picture of me getting down on one knee. I see the confidence that I have in what we have, and I could see this being something absolutely incredible,' Jonathon said.

Marcus, 32, an Army Ranger Veteran, and Jenn went swimming at night with manta rays.

'I am in love with Marcus. I've been feeling it for a couple weeks now,' Jenn admitted to the cameras.

Marcus, however, during dinner shared his uncertainties.

'I'm not in love with Jenn right now. I think it's just scary to tell someone something that they probably, like, don't want to hear,' he admitted.

Marcus, 32, an Army Ranger Veteran, and Jenn went swimming at night with manta rays

'I am in love with Marcus. I've been feeling it for a couple weeks now,' Jenn admitted to the cameras

Marcus, however, during dinner shared his uncertainties

'I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I am in love with you. And the way that you make me feel, and the way that we have had so many moments in which I can't even explain it but felt so comfortable with you and felt so close to you,' Jenn told him.

Marcus was visibly moved by her words and said, 'That means the world to me that you just said that. I guess, like, the biggest thing that I want you to know is, like, even though I'm not there yet, I would not be sitting in front of you right now if I didn't think that it was possible.'

They decided the spend the night in the Fantasy Suite and the next morning Marcus felt more hopeful about their relationship.

The Bachelorette will return on Tuesday with the Men Tell All special episode.
Morning Live returned to screens on Monday after an extended break as the hosts reunited for 'welcome back' episode.

The BBC show had been off air for five weeks after kicking off its summer holiday on July 19.

Announcing their return on X, Morning Live detailed what fans could expect to see on the upcoming episode.

Hosts Gethin Jones and Michelle Ackerley were joined by Janette Manara and a series of experts and guests for a fun photo.

It was captioned: 'WELCOME BACK! Here's what was on today's show...'

Morning Live returned to screens on Monday after an extended break as the hosts reunited for 'welcome back' episode

The BBC show had been off air for five weeks after kicking off its summer holiday on July 19 and announced their return on X

They added: 'Victoria Ekanoye and Dr Xand van Tulleken on living with cancer, Rav Wilding on 'crash for cash' scams, how to research your family tree with Prof. Turi King and Sheree Murphy on perfume dupes.'

The BBC magazine show started in 2020 and with the likes of former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh and Strictly's Helen Skelton presenting on a rotational basis.

It airs at the same time at the same as ITV rivals Lorraine and This Morning.

Announcing it would be taking a break in July, a social media post read: 'Here's this week's Strictly Fitness summer themed workout with Mr Neil Jones.

'Morning Live is on a break now. Join us on Monday 26th August from 9:30am for more Strictly Fitness.

The post concluded by reminding fans that they can still catch up on all the morning workouts with the Strictly Come Dancing professional by heading to their catchup service.

It added: 'You can do all of the routines from this week in full & see how to do them sat down, on BBC iPlayer.'

The news comes shortly after presenters Michele and Gethin revealing that they had to attend an 'improvement meeting' with the broadcaster.

Morning Live was taken off air and replaced by Rip-Off Britain over the summer (pictured: Kym Marsh, Sam Quek, Gethin Jones, Kimberley Walsh, Sara Cox and Rav Wilding)

Gethin wrote: 'Michelle and me sitting down with the boss to discuss what we can do better.Love it. Always welcome a chance to improve.'

Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh, 42, has also hosted the show but took a leave of absence so she could join The Promise hitmakers on their comeback tour.

Over the summer, Rip-Off Britain aired in its slot.
Gold Logie award winner Larry Emdur has had an AVO taken out to protect him just days after winning the major award.

The order has been taken out by NSW Police on behalf of Emdur against Victorian man Rodney Pearce.

NSW Police said officers were called to Network Seven's Eveleigh office on Central Ave in Sydney about 11.15am on August 22 after Pearce attempted to gain access to the building.

'Officers from South Sydney Police Area Command attended and spoke with a 52-year-old man who had been escorted from the building by security,' NSW Police said in a statement.

Mr Pearce was arrested and taken to hospital for assessment before he was then taken to Surry Hills Police Station.

He was charged with trespass and possession of a prohibited drug.

Police have issued an AVO on behalf of recent Gold Logie winner Larry Emdur

Pearce faced Downing Centre Local Court where he was granted conditional bail and is due to reappear on September 5.

His conditions include not entering Central Ave, the suburb of Haymarket, or within 200m of Channel 7.

The 52-year-old has also been ordered to report to Redfern Police Station daily.

Court records show the AVO in protection of Emdur is set to be mentioned in court on September 16.

The arrest came just days after Emdur took the top gong at the 2024 Logies on August 18.

In the lead up to the award show, Emdur had told multiple news outlets about his tattoo pledge, stemming from a lack of confidence he would win from his first ever Logie nomination.

The Channel Seven star (pictured with wife Sylvie) has been in TV for four decades

After four decades on the screen, the television personality took home the top award.

But early Monday morning, Bondi Ink tattooist Zach was awaiting the Logie winner in the studio where he did the tattoo on live television.

Co-host Kylie Gillies laughed along as Emdur was inked, telling the audience: 'He's actually shaking'.

Network Seven did not comment as the matter is before the court.
A guest on the Antiques Roadshow was left in shock when she discovered the life changing value of her incredibly rare dress.

The woman revealed she had been gifted the 18th century a la francaise, or a sack back robe, by her friend in the 1960s after the birth of her daughter.

The garment, made from hand painted silk, had been stored in a box until now, with the lady joking dont tell my granddaughter! when the true value was revealed.

Expert Hilary Kay began: 'Looking at this dress, I can sort of picture the scene one misty morning, a woman walking through the abbey meadows. Its wonderful and is it a family heirloom?'

The guest replied: 'It was given to me by a friend in the 1960s. And she gave it to me because I just had a daughter and I think she thought she might be interested in it, to dress up in it.'

A guest on the Antiques Roadshow was left in shock when she discovered the life changing value of her incredibly rare dress

The woman revealed she had been gifted the 18th century a la francaise, or a sack back robe, by her friend in the 1960s after the birth of her daughter.

She added: 'But she never did. It's never been touched and I've never seen it out.'

Hillary then revealed that it dated back to circa 1760-1770s: 'It is an open front and women would wear it with a petticoat underneath and wide hoops to create a wonderful silhouette.It would have been quite extraordinary.

'It's painted silk. It would have been imported from Europe to be made up into this dress in England.

'When one looks at a dress like this, one has to appreciate that this is an extraordinary survivor.

'Painted fabrics are notoriously difficult to keep and the fact its been kept in a box for so long, would perhaps explain why it hasnt just fallen to pieces which so often is the fate.

'It is an incredibly rare survivor, its beautiful, its a lovely design, and perhaps more importantly, a dress like this is of huge demand internationally by collectors and museums.

'This has a future way outside here at Tewkesbury and who knows where it will ultimately end up but this is for a major museum somewhere in the world.'

She then left the owner and the crowd stunned when she declared that it could be worth a staggering 40,000.

The garment, made from hand painted silk, had been stored in a box until now, with the lady joking dont tell my granddaughter! when the true value was revealed as 40,000

As the crowd in the background gasped, the guest was left stunned by the value. She then laughed: 'Oh dont tell my granddaughter that! Oh dear, I cant believe that'

Kay concluded: 'What was a present from a friend, is now going to be worth something around 40,000.'

As the crowd in the background gasped, the guest was left stunned by the value.

She then laughed: 'Oh dont tell my granddaughter that! Oh dear, I cant believe that.'
Alicia Vikander looked beautiful in a brown dress as she left the BBC Radio 6 studios in London on Tuesday.

The Swedish actress, 35, paired the short-sleeved mid-length dress with a strappy pair of silver heeled sandals.

She accessorised with just a bracelet and ring and smiled as she headed home after appearing on the station's breakfast show.

Alicia had been talking with Nick Grimshaw, in for Lauren Laverne, about her upcoming historical drama film Firebrand.

Firebrand tells the story of Katherine Parr (Alicia) the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII (Jude Law).

Alicia Vikander, 35, looked beautiful in a brown midi dress as she left the BBC Radio 6 studios in London on Tuesday

The Swedish actress paired the short-sleeved mid-length dress with a strappy pair of silver heeled sandals

She accessorised with just a bracelet and ring and smiled as she headed home after appearing on the station's breakfast show

Firebrand premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 and will finally hit UK cinemas on September 6.

Alicia told Nick, 40, of what attracted her to the film: 'I think one of the big draws was actually getting to work with Karim Ainouz, the director.

'I'd seen his films and he's kind of a very big and loud Latin man and that is what is films kind of are, too.

'And knowing that this Brazilian director was going to take on this very known British story and costume drama made me be very interested to know what that mix would be.

'Jude Law was already attached to play Henry - that was another huge draw for me. He's incredible in the film. And, I knew that it was going to be a pretty remarkable transformation.

'So, that, alongside the fact that when I actually read the script, I almost felt a tiny bit embarrassed that I didn't know much about this woman.

'We've been fed a lot about this era and this time and this story about Henry, and the story about his wives, and then this woman who actually ended up coming out on the other side, surviving the whole thing, I knew probably the least about.'

Firebrand was written by sisters Henrietta Ashworth and Jessica Ashworth and is based on the 2013 biography Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle.

Alicia had been talking with Nick Grimshaw, in for Lauren Laverne, about her upcoming historical drama film Firebrand

Firebrand tells the story of Katherine Parr (Alicia, left) the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII (Jude Law, right)

Alicia told Nick, 40, of what attracted her to the film: 'I think one of the big draws was actually getting to work with Karim Ainouz, the director

'I'd seen his films and he's kind of a very big and loud Latin man and that is what is films kind of are, too

'And knowing that this Brazilian director was going to take on this very known British story and costume drama made me be very interested to know what that mix would be'
Love Is Blind UK star Nicole Stevens has blasted ex-fiance Sam Klein for alleging on international TV that she wanted to sleep with him, but he rejected her advances.

Divorcee Nicole, 30, agreed to marry product designer Sam, 32, after they dated from behind a screen on the Netflix show, which is sought to challenge singletons to make deeper connections.

But within hours of meeting Sam face to face, Nicole came to the sudden realisation she had made a terrible mistake and her heart was with Benaiah Warrilow, who she eventually wed.

The landscaper, 34, had attempted to warn Nicole that he doubted Sam's intentions on the dating series were genuine and he was chasing fame instead of true romance.

It was only after they called it quits that Sam dramatically returned to filming to tell Benaiah his then fiancee had wanted to bed him, a 'false' claim Nicole vehemently denies.

Love Is Blind UK star Nicole Stevens has blasted ex-fiance Sam Klein for alleging on international TV that she wanted to sleep with him, but he rejected her advances

Divorcee Nicole agreed to marry product designer Sam after they dated from behind a screen on the Netflix show, which is sought to challenge singletons to make deeper connections

But within hours of meeting Sam face to face, Nicole came to the sudden realisation she had made a terrible mistake and her heart was with Benaiah Warrilow, who she eventually wed

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Nicole said: 'No woman wants their private relationship to be exposed like that.

'At the time I thought I was trying to take the high road when it came to the intimate details of our relationship, nonetheless what he said wasn't true.

'So, we need to address that because it was false information he said to Ben and in my opinion, it was really, really quite poor form.

'All I can say is what you saw on camera was the tip of the iceberg.

'From everything I have seen on screen and off camera, Sam disrespected me and he disrespected my husband, and that's all I'll say.'

Love Is Blind contestants agree to marry before meeting face to face and only have the opportunity to see each other for the first time once they're engaged.

Nicole admits accepting Sam's proposal despite being warned of his questionable nature was 'delusional' and she had been burying her true emotions.

Her anguish stemmed from previously being married for two years before the relationship failed and the fear of history repeating itself made her feelings even harder to process.

Nicole admits accepting Sam's proposal despite being warned of his questionable nature was 'delusional' and she had been burying her true emotions

Her anguish stemmed from previously being married for two years before the relationship failed and the fear of history repeating itself made her feelings even harder to process

Benaiah was left devastated by the rejection and fled to Germany where he was consoled by his mother and sister, who revealed he even struggled to eat following the heartbreak

She explained: 'I came into the experiment, and I wanted someone to be so sure about me. But I was delusional. I thought it had to look one way and therefore I was giving Sam the benefit of the doubt when it came to those red flags my body was warning me about.

'I almost went into decision paralysis because you're thinking I have done this before, and I really want to get it right and meet somebody who genuinely wants to have that lifelong marriage. I was so scared and at the time it felt like Ben was this risky choice because he may not want to commit, and I was in my head about Ben so much and it caused me to panic.

'My instinct knew but I wasn't trusting myself in the process and I was doubting myself. I have been married before and it didn't work out so, when I realised I had made that mistake I tried to push it away. I had made the decision, but it was there.

'I thought I am a person of my word, and I want to make sure I can at least give him a chance. But even when I first saw him, I was not excited if I'm honest... I didn't feel it, which was my genuine truth, but I had been scared to say that. I was lying to myself.'

Benaiah was left devastated by the rejection and fled to Germany where he was consoled by his mother and sister, who revealed he even struggled to eat following the heartbreak.

The self-confessed nomad from Preston had never heard of Love Is Blind before producers approached him to star in the first UK series and after being single for the past decade, he jumped at the opportunity.

But Benaiah continued to keep his guard up after Sam attempted to put doubts in his mind in unaired scenes filmed from the men's living quarters.

He said: 'It hit me harder than I realised, I didn't prepare for the rejection, so it shook me. Going away from that was difficult too. I had to wrap my head around it.

'I thought it would be a couple of weeks and Nicole would see Sam for who he is and hopefully she would reach out when she was ready, but I didn't think it would happen so soon.

'I will take responsibility for not opening up but it's because I heard things which weren't shown about Nicole that put doubts in my head, but I heard them from someone else who wasn't there for genuine reasons.

'My guard went up and I looked back in hindsight and wished I was more open, but I didn't want to get my heart broken on international TV.'

The self-confessed nomad had never heard of Love Is Blind before producers approached him to star in the first UK series and after being single for the past decade, he jumped at the chance

Following their wedding, which took place in September last year, Benaiah says his feelings towards Nicole have only grown

After living together for the past year, with Benaiah relocating to London, he and Nicole are looking forward to their future, including a trip to Ghana to meet extended family

Benaiah, who's 6ft1, sobbed as he caught sight of 5ft Nicole for the first time, who wore a lace wedding dress with a trail

Benaiah has no regrets after he challenged Sam's motives during the show, which was presented for the first time by married couple Emma and Matt Willis.

Following their wedding, which took place in September last year, Benaiah says his feelings towards Nicole have only grown, partly because of her warm-hearted personality, which he cites as her only 'downfall' during the dating experiment.

He said: 'I had to protect Nicole and I will always pick that route. I had to call him out. I would do the same thing and I'm glad I managed to keep my cool on the whole.

'I am a good judge of character so I can see through people pretty quickly. It didn't sit well with me because I have come onto the show for pure reasons, I came on to find a partner because I have struggled for the past 10 years so it seemed like an unjust approach. I was trying to do the right thing.

'Nicole is such a pure soul and always tries to see the good in people, which obviously translated into her downfall in some of the episodes but one thing that impresses me most is Nic never deviates from her true self and her core value and principals never crack and it's just unbelievable.'

The couple made the ultimate commitment by saying 'I do' on their wedding day, cementing their connection which was first established behind a screen.

And unlike other dating shows such as Married At First Sight UK, their nuptials were official and they have entered a legally binding contract.

Benaiah, who's 6ft1, sobbed as he caught sight of 5ft Nicole for the first time, who wore a lace wedding dress with a trail.

After living together for the past year, with Benaiah relocating to London, he and Nicole are looking forward to their future, including a trip to Ghana to meet extended family.

Nicole said: 'I am very proud of Ben. It's been hard in terms of the adjustment but it's been a privilege to witness his growth and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, it's been incredible. He impresses me a lot every day, genuinely, he really does.

'What I love about us is there's some flexibility in lifestyle, there's so much unknown and I like that he's not someone who wants to stay in one place we're fluid.

'I thought I was going to be somewhere with someone forever but it didn't happen. It is taking every single day with gratitude and he checks me on that. I really value the fluidity.'

Ben added: 'I'm looking forward to friends and family finding out about us and we're going to Ghana to meet Nicole's family.

'Our core family knows but I have friends and family all over the world and some of them don't know about the end result so it's being able to celebrate that. Perhaps we will have another ceremony or celebration. I want to be open about sharing our story and happiness.'
Kate Moss channels her inner Hollywood siren as she poses for the new Charlotte Tilbury campaign.

Drawing inspiration from Hollywood icons including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, Ms Moss showcased her natural beauty and young looks.

The supermodel, who turned 50 in January, wore heavy black eyeliner whilst she stared into a mirror.

Her long hair, put to the side was curled and she wore a black lace dress.

She was joined by supermodel Jourdan Dunn, 33, who is also a regular in Ms Tilbury's campaigns, to promote the launch of her new Exagger-eyes Volume mascara.

Kate Moss channels her inner Hollywood siren as she poses for the new Charlotte Tilbury campaign

The supermodel, who turned 50 in January, wore heavy black eyeliner whilst she stared into a mirror

Ms Tilburys niece Bella Tilbury also starred in the campaign.

Best friends with Charlotte Tilbury herself, the new campaign marks one of many shoots Ms Moss has done for the brand.

The two women have been friends since they met aged 19 on a magazine shoot in the 1990s and Ms Moss is even the godmother to Charlotte's children.

Ms Moss, who was discovered at the tender age of 14, was one of the biggest models of the 90s, while Ms Tilbury soon became one of the most sought-after makeup artists of the era.

She has been an inspiration for many Charlotte Tilbury innovations over the years, becoming the face of the Beautiful Skin Foundation last year.

Ms Moss is also said to have been the muse for the original cult classic lipstick, Pillow Talk, with Ms Tilbury revealing the model was one of the first to wear it on a red carpet.

Speaking on the new product launch Ms Moss said: The Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara shoot will go down as one of my favourite shoots ever.

Embodying the damsels not stressed femme fatale character to bring Charlottes film noir vision to life made me feel like a Hollywood screen siren  I was hoping Charlotte would let me keep that 1950s Cadillac. Maybe next time.'

She was joined by supermodel Jourdan Dunn , 33, who is also a regular in Ms Tilbury's campaigns, to promote the launch of her new Exagger-eyes Volume mascara

Jourdan looked incredible in a leather-look corset as she posed for the photos

Ms Tilburys niece Bella Tilbury also starred in the campaign

Kate has been an inspiration for many Charlotte Tilbury innovations over the years, becoming the face of the Beautiful Skin Foundation last year

She added: I always feel more confident when Im wearing mascara and NEW! Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara is the only one Ive worn since. I have finally found the one.

I dont have to compromise on volume to get curl or ditch curl for length  it does it all!

My eyes looked bigger and brighter instantly, which is so important on camera  as a model, I always want to captivate my audience and Exagger-Eyes empowers me to do that! Obsessed, Charlotte, Obsessed.
Days of Our Lives stars Arianne Zucker, 50, and Shawn Christian, 58, tied the knot after 11 years of dating.

The soap opera stars shared their happy news on Instagram, revealing that they got married on August 17th at Jacobs Berry Farm in Gardnerville, Nevada.

'Its official! Mr & Mrs Christian! This is how we wedding! Action shot right in the middle of our entrance dance!,' Arianne's caption began.

'8/17/24 was filled with so much love with all our guests. We hope everyone felt like they were part of our wedding, not just invited!,' Arianne  who sued a producer of her show  gushed.

'This was such a special time for me and Shawn!, she wrote, adding, 'We did it babe! I love you so much! This truly is one of the most memorable time in my life!'

Arianne also teased an upcoming video featuring a 'wedding guest flash mob line dance!'

Shawn shared the same photo and caption on his Instagram, adding, 'DEEPLY GRATEFUL to the following and their incredible teams,' before going on to list some the professionals who helped plan their big day.'

The couple wore beige to tie the knot with the bride in a beautiful, ethereal gown with a brown belt and sparkly cowboy boots.

The groom wore a beige sport coat, vest and cowboy hat with a white shirt and black pants.

Arianne and Shawn have been dating since 2013 and engaged since 2021. Last year, she revealed that they were finally planning their wedding in an Instagram post.

'This is it! The year we have all been waiting for!!!! We are finally planning our wedding! Ha! Its our turn!,' her post began.

'There are no words to explain how incredibly kind, honest, honorable, giving, heartfelt oh and sexy this man is!

'Cant wait to OFFICIALLY call you my husbandin another yearbut still,' she joked.

Days of Our Lives stars Arianne Zucker, 50, and Shawn Christian, 58, tied the knot after 11 years of dating, seen here in 2019

The soap opera stars shared their happy news on Instagram, revealing that they got married on August 17th at Jacobs Berry Farm in Gardnerville, Nevada, seen here in 2016

'Its official! Mr & Mrs Christian! This is how we wedding! Action shot right in the middle of our entrance dance!,' Arianne's caption began, seen here in 2014

'8/17/24 was filled with so much love with all our guests. We hope everyone felt like they were part of our wedding, not just invited!,' she gushed. Pictured here in 2015

'Even though weve been together for 10 yearsstill cant wait to call you my OFFICIAL husband! I love you @shawnchristian,' she gushed.

The couple got engaged on Father's Day 2021 with the actor completely surprising his bride-to-be.

'This man has an unbelievably beautiful heart and he always seems to know how to make me feel so wonderful,' she wrote on Instagram at the time.

Zucker played Nicole Walker on the long-running soap opera while Christian played Daniel Jones.

Zucker - who former president Donald Trump and Billy Bush infamously ogled in the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood bus tape - in June addressed what she thought about the widely-circulated clip, and how she felt Trump was an effective leader during his presidency.

Zucker appeared June 20 on the Miss Understood podcast with Rachel Uchitel, who herself was involved in a national scandal as Tiger Woods' former mistress.

In the clip, which leaked during the 2016 presidential election, Trump and Bush were overheard on a hot mic speaking in a lascivious manner about Zucker as she approached the bus they were on.

After Trump remarked on how he unsuccessfully sought to bed Bush's then-Access Hollywood colleague Nancy O'Dell, Bush pointed out Zucker approaching the vehicle.

Arianne Zucker, who Donald Trump and Billy Bush infamously ogled in the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood bus tape, addressed what she thought about the widely-circulated clip on a podcast Thursday

Zucker made clear she didn't take offense to the discussion Trump and Bush had

'Your girl's hot as s*** - in the purple,' Bush told Trump, who said he 'better use some Tic Tacs just in case' he started 'kissing her.'

Trump then explained to Bush how his celebrity benefitted him when he was courting women.

'You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful ... I just start kissing them,' said the 45th president. 'It's like a magnet - just kiss, I don't even wait - and when you're a star they let you do it.

'You can do anything - grab them by the p**** - you can do anything.'

Zucker had 'nice legs,' Trump said, while Bush said she had 'good legs.'

After they got off the bus, Bush - who was swiftly let go from his plum Today Show job after the clip surfaced - encouraged Zucker to hug both him and Trump, since they both got off of the bus.

On the podcast, Zucker made clear she didn't take offense to the discussion Trump and Bush had.

'He made a comment, I guess, about my legs and so did Billy Bush,' said Zucker, who subsequently filmed a soap opera scene with Trump after he got off the bus in 2005.

The Los Angeles native continued: 'Everybody has spoken poorly about somebody in their lifetime. I don't care who you are, everybody has, it's just people get caught on camera doing it - unfortunately, that happens all the time.

In the clip, which leaked during the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump and Billy Bush were overheard ogling Zucker as she approached the bus they were on, with Bush later asking her to hug both of them since they had just gotten off of the bus

Zucker said on the podcast that she 'felt attacked by the media' and 'knew all they wanted' was to diminish Trump's chances in the 2016 election against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton

'And if you've ever gone to a fraternity party, the things happen. So I'm going, "Sounds like something my fraternity guys I know would say." But I just didn't see it in the way that people were seeing it.'

Zucker said on the podcast that she 'felt attacked by the media' and 'knew all they wanted' was to diminish Trump's chances in the 2016 election against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

'I mean, the biggest thing was to get Trump off the ballot - I was like, that is not my job,' Zucker said.

Zucker said that while she's not in alignment with Trump's overall communications, she thinks he implemented strong policies during the span of his presidency from 2017-2021.

'I don't really like talking politics,' Zucker said, 'but as far as the way he speaks, could he do a better job of it? Absolutely.'

She added of Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the 2024 election: 'I think there are policies that were great that he did. I'm sure our pockets felt a little bit better four years ago than they do now. I know mine did.

'And so I think there were things  without getting too much into that  that I felt were really great.'

Zucker said that she wasn't 'going to judge the system' but felt there are problematic issues nationally, without delving into specifics.

Trump was pictured on the campaign trail in Roseville, Michigan Monday

'I think people can probably hear the way I think by the things that I'm saying, but I'm very in the middle of what's going on in this country,' Zucker said. 'And I mean, if this is the conversation we want to have, I just feel like there is weaponization on both sides.'

Zucker's final day working on Days of Our Lives came last December 23, according to Deadline, and in February she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the show's executive producer Ken Corday and one-time director-executive producer Albert Alarr.

She said in court docs that she faced professional repercussions in the form of a slashed salary and an unrenewed contract after she was critical of Alarr's on-set conduct. Alarr, who exited the show last summer following an investigation into his behavior, has denied the allegations.
While promoting her highly-anticipated film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega is opening up about an iconic role she didn't get.

The 21-year-old actress - who plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz in the sequel - was doing a puppy interview with BuzzFeed Celeb.

She was asked what role fans would be surprised to learn she auditioned for, Ortega revealed she auditioned for Zendaya's Chani role in Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies.

'I think I auditioned for Dune when I was about 15,' the actress revealed, though she added the audition process was quite secretive.

'I remember just being a big fan of that film and the franchise and everything like that and being really excited for that interview because Denis is one of my favorite filmmakers,' she added.

While promoting her highly-anticipated film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega is opening up about an iconic role she didn't get.

She was asked what role fans would be surprised to learn she auditioned for, Ortega revealed she auditioned for Zendaya 's Chani role in Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies

When asked what role she believes she auditioned for, Ortega said, 'I think it was Chani, I think it was Zendayas, but they werent saying that, everything was very secret.'

Villeneuve signed on to direct both Dune movies back in January 2017, though he had to finish Blade Runner 2049 first before delving into the adaptation of Frank Herbert's epic 1965 novel.

He revealed in 2018 that the adaptation would span two films, and that year was also when Timothee Chalamet signed on to play the lead character Paul Atreides.

While it isn't known exactly when auditions were held for the Chani role that Zendaya would ultimately win, Ortega would have been 15 if she auditioned before September 2018.

Zendaya was announced as Chani back in January 2019, and although she would only be seen briefly in 2021's Dune, she would have a pivotal role in the 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two.

2021's Dune earned $108.8 million domestic and $407.5 million worldwide from a $165 million budget, strong numbers especially considering it debuted streaming simultaneously on Max.

The 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two took in $282.1 million domestic and $711.8 million worldwide from a $190 million budget earlier this year.

The year Ortega - who got her start on the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle - started breaking out of her child performer persona like You and The Babysitter: The Killer Queen.

The year Ortega - who got her start on the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle - started breaking out of her child performer persona like You and The Babysitter: The Killer Queen.

She had her mainstream breakthrough in 2022 with the hit movie Scream and her immensely popular Netflix series Wednesday

Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters the next day on September 6, and she has Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun arriving in 2025

Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters the next day on September 6, and she has Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun arriving in 2025

She had her mainstream breakthrough in 2022 with the hit movie Scream and her immensely popular Netflix series Wednesday.

Ortega has starred in two movies already this year - Miller's Girl with Martin Freeman and Winter Spring Summer or Fall, which hits theaters September 5.

Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters the next day on September 6, and she has Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun arriving in 2025.

She also has the second season of Wednesday coming in 2025, which started production back in May.
Love Is Blind UK star Freddie Powell has a secret second job as a naked butler to hire after failing to find the one on the dating show.

The Bolton funeral director, who turned down his bride-to-be Catherine Richards at the altar on the Netflix show, is listed on a website called Butler Bookings.

He is seen on the website posing topless while wearing a bow tie and an apron around his waist as he advertised a Buff Bingo Bottomless Brunch.

A source told The Sun: 'Love Is Blind viewers were relieved when Freddie turned down Cat on their wedding day over concerns that their lives were too different.

'He's by far the show's most popular boy and will have offers from women and for work coming left, right and centre.

Love Is Blind UK star Freddie Powell has a secret second job as a naked butler to hire after failing to find the one on the dating show

The Bolton funeral director, who turned down his bride-to-be Catherine Richards at the altar on the Netflix show, is listed on a website called Butler Bookings

'Freddie has come across as a real homebody who loves his family  but the photos of him working as a butler in the buff tell a completely different story.'

It comes as Love Is Blind UK couple Sabrina Vittoria and Steven Smith have split, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

The pair got married last September after dating sight unseen on the Netflix show but have called it quits less than a year after saying 'I do.'

Their wedding was a legitimate ceremony, meaning the couple will need to get an annulment or divorce to be legally separated.

CrossFit gym owner Steven, 37, who resides in London, and marketing professional Sabrina, 35, from Belfast, committed to each other in front of friends and family during filming of the Netflix series.

But it's believed the distance between them eventually caused problems in their relationship.

MailOnline understands the couple's big day, captured for the global streaming platform, was the beginning of the end for Sabrina and Steven, who excitedly referred to themselves as 'The Smiths' once they said their vows.

A TV source told MailOnline: 'Sabrina and Steven committed to each other on their wedding day last year because they fell in love and hoped they could make it work.

It comes as Love Is Blind UK couple Sabrina Vittoria and Steven Smith have split, MailOnline can reveal

The pair got married last September after dating sight unseen on the Netflix show but have called it quits less than a year after saying 'I do'

Their wedding was a legitimate ceremony, meaning the couple will need to get an annulment or divorce to be legally separated

'But after filming for the show finished, they started to learn things about each other that they hadn't discussed while dating in the pods.

'There were hurdles they struggled to overcome, like their difference in opinion about starting a family and where to live long-term.

'They are still friends and after going through a life changing experience together, will be bonded for life but their relationship is well and truly over.'

Speaking during Monday night's reunion, which airs on Netflix at 9pm, Sabrina said: 'I don't feel like you respected me.'

Steven proposed to Sabrina before they had met face to face after the couple dated from behind a screen.

They connected right away, talking about their hopes and aspirations for the future and sharing their memories of Sabrina's late grandmother and Steven's grandfather, who has also passed away.

But they conflicted about whether to have children, with Sabrina less keen to start a family while Steven wanted to become a father.

Sabrina said: 'I don't feel the urge that I need to have kids or else I'm not going to feel happy in myself and in my life.'

They were also unsure about where to live together, with Sabrina's heart set on Belfast while Steven preferred to remain in London.

Sabrina explained: 'When it comes to where Steven and I will live all cards are on the table. Steven loves Belfast and he's very open to moving there, we just need to figure out as a couple and individually where we thrive.'

Steven proposed to Sabrina before they had met face to face after the couple dated from behind a screen

But the couple conflicted about whether to have children, with Sabrina less keen to start a family while Steven wanted to become a father

The exes will discuss the reasons behind their separation on Love Is Blind: The Reunion, which is available to watch on Netflix from 9pm on Monday

Steven added: 'I think we will probably end up living in London for the first couple of years.'

Participants on Love Is Blind who make it to their wedding days, the final stage of the dating experiment, have the option to say 'yes' at the altar or pass up the chance to marry their partner.

Sabrina and Steven were one of three couples including co-stars Nicole Stevens and Benaiah Warrilow and Jasmine Chamberlain and Bobby Johnson to commit on the big day.

The couple hoped they could work past their differences, professing their love to each other on camera.

Speaking on their wedding day, Steven said: 'There's so much I love about Sabrina, everything just fits and feels right. I know I've only known her for a few weeks but I do know that I love her wholeheartedly.'

Sabrina added: 'Marriage is a big deal. No one gets married thinking that they're going to get divorced. The reality is this is real life and this is forever.'

The exes will discuss the reasons behind their separation on Love Is Blind: The Reunion, which is available to watch on Netflix from 9pm on Monday.

Stars from the series including a 'special guest' will reunite to be interviewed by hosts Emma and Matt Willis, almost a year on from when filming the experiment ended.
Lana Parrilla of Once Upon a Time fame had a trespasser at her home in Los Angeles earlier this month.

According to TMZ, an unknown man was spotted in front of the 47-year-old star's home by security.

The outlet reported that when security approached the person, he ventured further onto the property grounds, leaving them to call the Los Angeles Police Department.

After law enforcement surveyed the property, the suspect  a 40-year-old homeless man  emerged from the house and surrendered.

Parrilla is known for her role as Regina Mills/the Evil Queen on the ABC fantasy drama.

Lana Parrilla of Once Upon a Time fame had a trespasser at her home in Los Angeles earlier this month; pictured in May

Parrilla is known for her role as Regina Mills/the Evil Queen on the ABC fantasy drama

Nothing was stolen from the premises of the home and the intruder was arrested and booked into jail.

And Lana was out of town when the incident took place.

Police officers believe the situation was nothing more than an unhoused person roaming onto someone's property, which is an ongoing issue in the neighborhood.

It was reported, however, that a source close to the situation believes the actress may have been targeted.

Despite the unfortunate scenario, Parrilla has been active on social media.

Last week she shared a set of smiley photos from a trip to Puerto Rico, writing in a caption to her 1.5 million followers, 'Dime Detective Daze.'

Earlier this year the Hollywood fixture discussed her experience with homelessness when she was younger.

During an appearance on an episode of Tommy DiDario's I've Never Said This Before podcast, she revealed a fear of being homeless again has stayed with her ever since.

The outlet reported that when security approached the trespasser, he ventured further onto the property grounds, leaving them to call the Los Angeles Police Department

Despite the unfortunate scenario, Parrilla has been active on social media and recently shared a set of smiley photos from a trip to Puerto Rico

'There's always a little part of me, in the back of my head, thats like, "Oh my God, don't ever stop working so hard,"' Lana said.

'I was homeless for two months living in a car,' she shared. 'I just dont ever want to end up there again.'

The star said that her time without a stable living situation 'forces' her to 'be more creative and find new ways to make money and find all these different ways to, like, develop projects and do your own thing and take on all these new talents.'

Lana went on to reveal that she was still a teenager when she went through the bout of homelessness.

'There was a time, early on on my career  and it was very early on  I was living on my own, like 19 years old. It was a really hard time,' she recalled.
With chatter about an Oasis reunion reaching fever pitch, one Aussie musician has revealed the staggering cost of 'becoming' Liam Gallagher.

Darren Spiby, who takes on the role of Liam in Oasis tribute band NOASIS, has revealed he has spent an eyewatering $200,000 to emulate the iconic Brit rocker.

Since forming the tribute band in the UK in the mid-90s, Darren says that he has spent a staggering $120,000 on lookalike clothes including Adidas Spezial parkas, trainers and bucket hats worn by the Wonderwall hitmaker.

The band also dropped $25,000 on rare guitars including a rare Union jack guitar, the same model as Noel's and painted in the colours of Noel's treasured Manchester City.

The high-value shopping list doesn't end there either, with a further $13,000 spent on a scooter, registered as 'Lyla' after the Oasis 2005 hit, and $5,000 on a custom-made wig from Italy.

The band even spent $12,000 recreating the iconic album cover for Oasis' seminal 1997 album Be Here Now, including renting a Rolls Royce and a 3-metre phone box.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Darren said that while his attention to detail may not be easy on the hip pocket, it's definitely worthwhile.

'Financially, it might not be worth it, but maybe it will all come to fruition,' Darren said.

Darren Spiby (pictured) who takes on the role of Liam in Oasis tribute band NOASIS, has revealed he has spent an eyewatering $200,000 to emulate the iconic Brit rocker

'You just hope that it pays off in the end, and I think it will. Also the experiences we've had in this band have been priceless.'

While sourcing the items may be a full-time job in and of itself, Darren said that a global network of 'shoppers' are on call to help him out.

'I have this little network of people around the corners of the world that keep their eye out for things that come around that I don't have,' he said.

'One of the famous Liam parkas that I've now got was Spotted in South America and one of my friends in that part of the world gave me a call and said: "Darren, I have spotted this thing. You must have it.'

Since forming the tribute band in the UK in the late '90s Darren (pictured centre with NOASIS bandmates) says that he has spent a staggering $120,000 on lookalike clothes including Adidas Spezial parkas, trainers and bucket hats worn by the Wonderwall hitmaker

'I've also got a guy, an ex-Pommy and he's very connected with the clothes side of it all - I kind of call him my dressing room guy," Darren continued.

'In fact, I'm just looking at a couple of jackets that he brought in yesterday morning.

In fact, one of Darren's most prized artifacts - a set of maracas owned by Liam - were given to him by a fan after Liam threw them into the crowd during his 2022 solo show in Melbourne.

Darren, who started NOASIS in the UK back in 1995, added that he was nervously optimistic about a potential Oasis reunion.

'I'm a bit nervous that it's not the news that everybody wants,' he said.

'But I'm still super excited, man. It's a privilege for be because I set this up in 1995 during the first Oasis mania so, for this to come back around full circle is something else.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Darren said that sourcing the rare Liam items can be a full time job itself, but one made easier thanks to the band's global network of 'shoppers'. Pictured: The real Liam Gallagher in 2024

Oasis front man Noel Gallagher reportedly 'caved in and agreed' to the rumoured Oasis reunion during a string of late-night phones call with brother Liam, during which they ended their 15-year feud.

The sibling's fractious relationship came to a head in 2009, after a backstage fight in Paris led to Noel, 57, leaving the iconic Britpop band.

But as Liam closed his set at Reading Festival he teased that an announcement could be made on Tuesday at 8:00am.

A short clip of a sign in the style of Oasis logo was projected on a large screen above the stage and subsequently shared to Oasis and Liam's official Instagram and X accounts.

The band also dropped $25,000 on rare guitars including a rare Union jack guitar, the same model as Noel's and painted in the colours of Noel's treasured Manchester City. Replica pictured, with Darren's son Tom Spilby

Now according to reports, plans for the reunion were agreed to during a late-night phone call after Noel 'dug his feels in for a long time'

A source told The Sun: 'Noel and Liam are never going to be the best of friends but they want to bring Oasis back for the fans'.

'Noel dug his heels in for a long time but has finally caved and agreed to return.

Before adding: 'He spoke to Liam on the phone and they are on the same page. They know this reunion will go down in music history'.

Oasis has been promised a payday of 50 million to reform and embark on a global tour.
Robert Irwin has revealed his surprising new career move just weeks after nabbing a milestone nomination for the prestigious Gold Logie.

The conservationist, 20, has made waves on screen since his TV hosting debut on I'm A Celebrity Australia and made history as the youngest star to nab a Gold Logie nomination.

However, he has now unveiled his unlikely new career move away from TV as he has expanded his career as a product influencer, fronting a new campaign.

The presenter took to Instagram on Monday to share footage of himself starring in a new campaign for meal prep delivery service HelloFresh.

In the paid promotion, Robert is shown chatting with some of the animals at Australia Zoo in Queensland as he promotes the service.

Robert, who recently copped backlash for not being vegan despite being a conservationist, detailed how you can 'add fish to a veggie dish' in one change with the meal plans.

'HelloFresh has made planning family feeding time as easy for us humans as it is for you guys,' Robert tells Albie the echidna.

He is then seen spruiking the service as he jokingly tells his zoo animals about the various benefits of subscribing to it.

Robert Irwin (pictured) is taking advantage of his newfound status as a Gold Logie nominee, by expanding his career as a product influencer. The celebrity conservationist, 20, took to Instagram on Monday to share footage of him starring in a new campaign for HelloFresh

He has joined the likes of YouTuber Natalie Tran, NRL star Beau Ryan, Paralympian Dylan Alcott and comedian Ed Kavalee in fronting a campaign for Hello Fresh AU.

Many of Robert's followers took to the comments section to express their amusement over the new advert.

'The bloopers are gold!' wrote Robert's mother Terri Irwin and another fan added: 'Can all advertisements be like that?'

His move into advertising comes after it was reported that he is raking in the big bucks after signing several lucrative presenting gigs, each paying hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He is one of Australia's most in-demand talents and currently hosts Channel Ten's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia and fronts a QLD tourism campaign.

'Robert can basically name his price for work right now. His brand, both as a TV talent and an advertising influencer, is in white-hot demand,' an insider told New Idea magazine.

Robert was the 'hot favourite' to win the Gold Logie at the 64th annual TV Week Logie Awards on August 18, but missed out to Channel Seven presenter Larry Emdur.

The milestone nomination saw him up for the night's biggest award alongside a string of TV veterans, including his I'm A Celebrity co-host Julia Morris.

Irwin is all smiles in the hilarious clip in which he is seen chatting to some of the animals at Australia Zoo in Queensland, as he promotes the service

It comes after it was reported that he is raking in the big bucks after signing several lucrative presenting gigs, each paying hundreds of thousands of dollars amid his Logies nomination

As well as his TV success, he is also moving more into advertising and earned $200,000 to appear in a minute-long Twisties commercial, as well as a similar pay check to appear in a Queensland tourism campaign alongside Bluey.

He joined drummer G Flip for the Twisties campaign back in May, but not all fans were happy about the move with many criticising the cringeworthy advert.

The advert saw Robert advocate for the chicken flavour of Twisties while G Flip gunned for cheese in the ultimate battle.

But the lighthearted clip has sparked backlash in the comments of the post that was shared to Robert's Instagram page.

Some fans remarked that they were surprised Robert was not vegan considering he is a wildlife conservationist.

'I'm honestly surprised that you aren't vegan, or at least vegetarian @robertirwinphotography someone who loves and cares about animals like you should care about the animals in the meat industry too,' one said.
George Clooney and wife Amal looked the picture of style and elegance on Monday night as they arrived for dinner at the restaurant of Grand hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como, Italy.

The pair looked as loved-up as ever as they walked arm-in-arm to the swanky eatery alongside a group of friends.

While the film star, 63, cut a dapper figure in a beige suit, it was lawyer Amal, 46, who stole the show as she slipped into a sparkly white gown for the evening.

The crochet maxi dress perfectly hugged the beauty's curves and shimmered beautifully under the moonlight and streetlights.

The human rights lawyer wore her brunette tresses in soft waves for the evening, finishing off her look with a statement pair of silver earrings.

George Clooney and wife Amal looked the picture of style and elegance on Monday night as they arrived for dinner at the restaurant of Grand hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como, Italy

The pair looked as loved-up as ever as they walked arm-in-arm to the swanky eatery alongside a group of friends

Amal kept her poise as George and crew members helped her off the boat and onto dry land.

The Gravity star meanwhile teamed his suit with a white shirt and casual shoes.

He looked delighted and proud as he kept a tight hold of Amal's arm as they walked together.

The couple were assumedly coming from their home as they own a villa called Villa Oleandra in Lake Como.

George and Amal tied the knot in Venice, Italy in 2014. Three years later, the couple welcomed their twins, Alexander and Ella, in 2017.

It comes after George has revealed that he's 'a little irritated' with Quentin Tarantino for talking 's**t' about him.

The pair starred together as brothers in Robert Rodriguezs 1996 thriller From Dusk Till Dawn, which was written by Tarantino early in his career.

Before this, George made his name portraying Doug Ross in medical drama ER before going on to launch a successful Hollywood career, starring in huge films such as O Brother, Where Art Thou?, One Fine Day and Out of Sight.

While the film star, 63, cut a dapper figure in a beige suit, it was lawyer Amal, 46, who stole the show as she slipped into a sparkly white gown for the evening

The crochet maxi dress perfectly hugged the beauty's curves and shimmered beautifully under the moonlight and streetlights

The human rights lawyer wore her brunette tresses in soft waves for the evening, finishing off her look with a statement pair of silver earrings

Amal kept her poise as George and crew members helped her off the boat and onto dry land

Amal and George were joined by friends as they hopped off the boat

The Gravity star meanwhile teamed his suit with a white shirt and casual shoes. He looked delighted and proud as he kept a tight hold of Amal's arm as they walked together

But despite their past collaboration and his illustrious career both in front of and behind the camera, Quentin, 61, reportedly had some negative things to say of George of late, with the hunk not impressed at all.

Speaking in a joint GQ interview with pal Brad Pitt, George remarked: 'Quentin said some s**t about me recently, so Im a little irritated by him.

'He did some interview where he was naming movie stars, and he was talking about you, and somebody else, and then this guy goes, Well, what about George? He goes, hes not a movie star. And then he literally said something like, "Name me a movie since the millennium." And I was like, "Since the millennium? Thats kind of my whole f***ing career."'

Instead of giving his support on the matter, his longtime pal Brad evidently found George's rant hilarious, chucking 'Heh heh heh heh heh' amid their interview.

It comes after George has revealed that he's 'a little irritated' with Quentin Tarantino for talking 's**t' about him [George and Quentin pictured in 1995]

Speaking in a joint GQ interview with pal Brad Pitt, George remarked: 'Quentin said some s**t about me recently, so Im a little irritated by him [Read the full interview in the September issue of British GQ, available on newsstands and via digital download from Tuesday 27th August]

Continuing to share his frustration at the director, George went on: 'So now Im like, all right, dude, f*** off. I dont mind giving him s***. He gave me s***.'

In spite of his irritation, George insisted that they as actors were 'really lucky' to work with 'great directors', noting that directors and the screenplay of a film is what 'keeps you alive' - having learnt that after starring in 'really bad films'.

While the film star is a tad frustrated at Quentin, he had nothing but great things to say about his long time pal Brad, who stars with him in new action comedy film Wolfs.

After making a joke about 'restraining orders', George told how the two 'check in on each' other every now and again, which is an 'important' part of friendship seeing how life can get 'complicated at times'.
August 26, 2024: After decades of smuggling weapons to customers around the world, North Korea has now found another customer. Russian forces have been fighting in Ukraine for over two years. Russia invaded in early 2022 expecting a quick victory. The Ukrainian did not cooperate and now Russia is losing its war in Ukraine. In 2023 Russia purchased some weapons from North Korea and shipped them to the Ukraine border via sea and railroad to a Russian supply center about 300 kilometers from Ukraine. In June 2024 Russian and North Korean officials signed a partnership agreement. This treaty obliged both countries to assist each other with military supplies during an emergency or when called upon. At the moment Russia is purchasing all the weapons and munitions North Korea can produce.

Since both North Korea and Russia are forced to operate under Western economic sanctions, it is difficult to obtain the use of a ship that can carry North Korean or Russian cargo safely. First North Korea, in 2006, then Russia in 2022 were placed under economic sanctions. North Korea was sanctioned internationally in 2006 but the United States imposed its own sanctions in 2005. The United States accounts for much of world trade so American sanctions can temporarily cripple a sanctioned nation's use of their own or chartered cargo ships or oil tankers. North Korea has found ways around this, and passed on what they knew to Russia. North Korean and Russian ships are still at risk and some are caught because of fraudulent documents, or the Americans using electronic and space-based video monitoring to see where suspect ships are actually going. For years North Korean commercial ships regularly traveled with their mandatory position transponders turned off. This violates international shipping agreements but the North Koreas, and now the Russians dont care either because they are both outlaw states and do whatever it takes to keep some of their commercial ships operational. When ships from these countries carry Russian or North Korean cargo, they can deliver it to a Russian or North Korean port without penalty or any harassment from nations enforcing the shipping sanctions on Russia and North Korea.

This is how Russia is shipping North Korean weapons from North Korean ports or the Russian Pacific coast port of Vladivostok despite the sanctions. Russia has become heavily dependent on North Korean munitions and weapons, which are the same caliber as Russian weapons. This is because Russia has been a major supplier of weapons and munitions to North Korea since the end of World War II. The trade has benefited North Korea because Russia can ship in food via the Trans-Siberian railroad or by ship. North Korea has been chronically short of food since the 1990s and additional Russian food supplies pay for the North Korean munitions going to Russia.

Another thing North Korea has in its favor is that Chinese shipbuilders produce most of the cargo and tanker ships used by international shipping firms. While the ships come from China, the crews come from many other countries and shipping insurance is provided by Western firms if these ships are technically in compliance with shipping regulations. Major shipping insurance companies have been established in Japan, Singapore, Chinese controlled Hong Kong and Singapore. China has become a supplier of all manner of material and monetary services for shady operations like the North Korean and sanctions Russian merchant fleets.
Shania Twain made a very glamorous cameo in the trailer for the upcoming ABC television show, Doctor Odyssey.

In the teaser trailer, which was released by ABC on Monday, the country pop icon, 58, made a guest appearance for a scene, joining the series starring Joshua Jackson.

She was seen dancing with Don Johnson, 74, who looked dapper in a white tuxedo with a black bowtie, on the party deck.

The Man! I Feel Like A Woman hitmaker  who looked like she was close to tears as she recalled the struggles she faced as a young child  sparkled like a disco ball as she modeled a sexy gown covered from top to bottom in sequins.

Her honey blonde tresses was styled in a voluminous, bouncy blowout with face-framing curtain bangs, and her makeup was done glamorously with a sultry, smoky eye look.

Shania Twain made a very glamorous cameo in the trailer for the upcoming ABC television show, Doctor Odyssey. In the teaser trailer, which was released by ABC on Monday, the country pop icon, 58, made a guest appearance for a scene, joining the series starring Joshua Jackson

The trailer begins with a close-up shot of Jackson, 46, as Dr. Max Bankman as he prepares to board the luxury cruise ship to start his new job as the on-board doctor.

He removes his sunglasses to take in the sight of the colossal vessel, and his face falls into a soft smile.

He is welcomed onto the Odyssey by Captain Robert Massey, who is played by Don Johnson.

'Welcome to the Odyssey,' the captain says to Max.

'This ship is heaven. Our mission is to preserve the dream,' he continued.

'And that's why you're here,' he said. 'Keep these dreamers safe.'

'I'm in,' Max tells Robert.

Then, Phillipa Soo, 34, and Sean Teale, 32, are seen as Nurse Avery Morgan and Nurse Tristan Silva, respectively.

The medical drama series, which was written and executive produced by Ryan Murphy of American Horror Story fame, follows Jackson as Dr. Max Bankman

Don Johnson stars as Captain Robert Massey

The trailer begins with a close-up shot of Jackson, 46, as Max as he prepares to board the luxury cruise ship to start his new job as the on-board doctor

He removes his sunglasses to take in the sight of the colossal vessel, and his face falls into a soft smile

He is welcomed onto the Odyssey by Captain Robert Massey

Then, Phillipa Soo, 34, and Sean Teale, 32, are seen as Nurse Avery Morgan and Nurse Tristan Silva, respectively

As the captain narrates, the Beach Boy's Wouldn't It Be Nice plays in the background with eerie pauses and beeping from a heart rate monitor for an unsettling and suspenseful feeling.

Soon, things take a turn for the worse as the music starts slowing down and becoming distorted.

A man collapses by the pool, a woman convulses on a hospital bed and another woman watches a man fall backwards and go overboard into the ocean.

'It's not a question of when you'll encounter waves, but what you do when they come up,' the captain says, seemingly with premonition of the hurdles to come.

Then, Dr. Max Bankman performs CPR on a passenger after they collapse, and the entire ship is caught into a powerful and perilous storm.

'Keep breathing,' Max tells the man who fell into the ocean after he dived in himself to save him and they resuscitated him.

As the captain narrates, the Beach Boy's Wouldn't It Be Nice plays in the background with eerie pauses and beeping from a heart rate monitor for an unsettling and suspenseful feeling. Soon, things take a turn for the worse as the music starts slowing down and becoming distorted. A man collapses by the pool, a woman convulses on a hospital bed and another woman watches a man fall backwards and go overboard into the ocean

Another woman watches a man fall backwards and go overboard into the ocean. Max and his medical team are seen getting onto a smaller boat to rescue the passenger

'Keep breathing,' Max tells the man who fell into the ocean after he dived in himself to save him and they resuscitated him

Then, Dr. Max Bankman performs CPR on a passenger after they collapse, and the entire ship is caught into a powerful and perilous storm, which Johnson has to navigate them through safely

The first episode of Doctor Odyssey premieres on September 26, and following episodes will be available to stream on Hulu

The medical drama series, which was written and executive produced by Ryan Murphy of American Horror Story fame, is 'all about escapism, lust at sea and life or death medical emergencies,' Jackson told ABC 7 earlier this month.

The logline reads: 'It's all-hands-on-deck as Max and his small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore.'

Jackson and Johnson also serve as executive producers for the show.

The first episode of Doctor Odyssey premieres on September 26, and following episodes will be available to stream on Hulu.
Dumped KIIS FM stars Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips have had the ultimate revenge by topping the Melbourne radio ratings.

The duo's Melbourne breakfast show was axed last year to make way for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson's big expansion into the city from Sydney.

Amid the competition, the Jase and Lauren Show, which now airs on rival network Nova FM, has been crowned Melbourne's most listened to breakfast program.

The comedic chat show has taken home the coveted number one spot in the newly-released 5th radio ratings survey results for 2024 from GFK.

Jase and Lauren's popular program gained 0.3 points and rose to 9.9 per cent in audience share, giving it a clear lead over rivals The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Kyle and Jackie O trailed significantly at a 6.1 per cent share, after its premiere in Melbourne on April 29, and was the city's fifth most listened to breakfast show.

However, Melbourne newcomers Kyle and Jackie O still marked a slight rise in the city's ratings, from 5.9 to 6.1 per cent.

Fox FM's Fifi, Fev and Nick was the runner-up with a 9.6 per cent audience share while Gold FM's Christian O'Connell was in third place.

Dumped KIIS FM stars Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips have had the ultimate revenge as they have topped the Melbourne radio ratings after they were axed to make way for The Kyle and Jackie O Show

Kyle and Jackie O took their breakfast radio show to Melbourne in April in a huge multimillion-dollar expansion deal, which triggered the axing of Jase and Lauren's KIIS FM breakfast show.

At the time, an unapologetic Kyle said he felt indifferent to his competitors being sacked as it ultimately came down to who was attracting the most listeners.

'No, I don't care. That's why we went for Melbourne, we were like, 'We've given this Jase and Lauren on KIIS FM a good run, it can't get over fourth in the radio ratings, so we'll take it',' he told news.com.au.

Despite being beaten in the Melbourne ratings, The Kyle and Jackie O Show once again helped KIIS FM claim the top spot as Sydney's most listened to radio station.

The popular breakfast show attracted a weekly cumulative audience of 750,000 listeners across Sydney - up by over 50,000 people from the prior survey.

Duncan Campbell, ARN Chief Content Officer, paid tribute to Kyle and Jackie O's success in a statement.

'They continue to prove why they're recognised as one of the best breakfast shows in the world, attracting over 1.24 million listeners each week, achieving their 45th consecutive survey at #1 in Sydney and showing promising growth in Melbourne.

Amid the competition, the Jase and Lauren Show, which now airs on rival network Nova FM , has been crowned Melbourne's most listened to breakfast program, beating Kyle and Jackie O

Elsewhere in the ratings, Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little marked a huge success as they were ranked as the number one national drive show in Australi

'Their rise in share in Melbourne is what we anticipated and reflects what we are seeing in our internal tracking. Building momentum in new markets requires time, and we remain confident in our long-term growth strategy.'

Elsewhere in the ratings, Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little marked a huge success as they were ranked as the number one national drive show in Australia.

The Hit Network's Carrie & Tommy nabbed an 11.1 per cent share in Australia, securing the top spot for the fourth time in a row in an impressive feat.

The pair said of the results: 'We are so lucky to have such a hard-working team and incredible listeners who continue to drive us to unbelievable results.

'Thank you, Australia, for making us #1 for the fourth time in a row. We're having an absolute blast every afternoon, and we love sharing in the fun with listeners around the country.'
Liberace's former lover Scott Thorson has died at the age of 65.

Thorson - who was portrayed by Matt Damon in 2013 HBO movie Behind the Candelabra, based off his 1988 book - died at a medical facility in Los Angeles August 16 following a battle with a heart ailment and cancer, TMZ reported.

Thorson's affiliation with Liberace (whose full name was Wadziu Valentino Liberace) started when he was 18 and Liberace was 57, according to the outlet.

Liberace fired Thorson from his employ after he fired him after five years in 1982, five years before the entertainer's death from HIV/AIDS-related complications in 1987.

Thorson filed a $113 million palimony lawsuit against Liberace filing his termination from the entertainer's employ - noted by TMZ as 'the first same-sex palimony suit ever filed' in the U.S. - which was settled out of court in 1986.

Liberace's former lover Scott Thorson has died at the age of 65. Pictured 2013 in Reno, Nevada

Scott Thorson and Liberace pictured at the Coconut Grove in LA in April of 1979

Liberace said that he wasn't gay and told the court that he and Thorson had never been intimate with one another, according to Variety.

In the settlement, Thorson got a total of $75,000 cash, three vehicles and three dogs, which had a value of $20,000, Variety reported.

Thorson put out his book Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace in 1988.

Among the claims Thorson raised was that Liberace had funded numerous plastic surgery procedures so that Thorson would resemble a younger Liberace, such as a a chin implant and nose job.

Liberace had Thorson involved in his Las Vegas stage show, as he donned a rhinestone-laden outfit while chauffeuring the entertainer onto the stage.

Thorson had past said that problems with drugs were in part due to the multiple surgeries he had at Liberace's asking, as he was taking drugs such as quaaludes, amphetamine, cocaine and Demerol in the wake of the medical procedures, Variety reported.

Steven Soderbergh directed the 2013 HBO film based on Thorson's novel, with Damon playing Thorson while Michael Douglas played Liberace. The film also featured Scott Bakula, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd and the late Debbie Reynolds.

The motion picture was a huge hit with critics, garnering Douglas a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and nominations for Damon and Lowe.

Thorson was behind the wheel with Liberace in 1981 at La Cage Aux Folles in LA

Scott Thorson and Liberace were pictured with one another in 1982, the year Liberace terminated Thorson's employment with him

Thorson filed a $113 million palimony lawsuit against Liberace filing his termination from the entertainer's employ. Pictured in 1983

The film also captured 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Douglas, and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for Soderbergh.

Thorson was also involved in another violent event in Hollywood's past, the Laurel Canyon Murders in 1981, which involved late porn star John Holmes.

Thorson in 1989 testified in the trial of nightclub owner Eddie Nash, who had been accused of ordering the murders of four people - Ron Launius, William 'Billy' Deverell, Joy Miller and Barbara Richardson - in response to a home robbery Holmes had been linked to.

Thorson said in testimony that he had been at Nash's home buying drugs and saw Holmes being beaten and questioned about the robbery, two days before the July 1, 1981 murders.

The trial resulted in a hung jury and Nash died in 2014, never convicted in connection with the killings.

Thorson said he would change his name to Jess Marlow and enter the federal witness protection after taking the stand.

The grisly killings inspired a scene in the 1997 film Boogie Nights, as well as the 2003 film Wonderland in which Val Kilmer played Holmes.

It is also set to be reexamined in the upcoming docuseries The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, which is set to stream on MGM+ starting September 8.

Thorson was portrayed by Matt Damon in 2013 HBO movie Behind the Candelabra, based off Thorson's 1988 book

Michael Douglas played Liberace in the 2013 HBO film from Steven Soderbergh

It is adapted off a 2022 podcast Thorson did with author Michael Connelly titled The Wonderland Murders and the Secret History of Hollywood.

Thorson had problems with drug and alcohol abuse over the years, as he was sentenced to four years in prison for in 2008 after entering a guilty plea to felony drug and burglary charges.

In 2014, he was sentenced to 8 to 20 years in custody in Nevada after he failed multiple drug tests while on probation for the aforementioned violation.
The cast of Paramount's present-day Yellowstone spin-off The Madison has grown once again, with Lost star Matthew Fox coming aboard to star.

The 58-year-old actor will play a character named Paul, described as, 'a self-reliant bachelor who loves the outdoors,' according to EW.

Earlier this month, Michelle Pfeiffer came aboard to both star in and executive produce the series, the first Yellowstone show to be set in present-day.

The cast has filled out considerably since then, with Patrick J. Adams, Elle Chapman, Beau Chapman and Amiah Miller.

The show is described as a, 'heartfelt study of grief and human connection,' following a New York City family to the Madison River Valley in central Montana.

The cast of Paramount's present-day Yellowstone spin-off The Madison has grown once again, with Lost star Matthew Fox coming aboard to star

Earlier this month, Michelle Pfeiffer came aboard to both star in and executive produce the series, the first Yellowstone show to be set in present-day .

Pfeiffer will play Stacy Clyburn, described as a 'wealthy matriarch,' who uproots her family from the Big Apple to Montana following the tragic deaths of her husband and brother-in-law in a plane crash.

Adams is playing Russell McIntosh, described as, 'a young investment banker who has followed the life path set before him from the start.'

Chapman will play Paige McIntosh, said to be, 'a somewhat self-centered woman who indulges in a luxurious New York lifestyle provided by her parents and investment banker husband.'

Garrett portrays Abigail Reese, described as, 'a resilient and sardonic New Yorker, who is a recently divorced mother of two.'

The current cast is rounded out by Miller as Bridgette, Abigail's eldest daughter.

The show will be executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, John Linson, Art Linson, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Christina Voros, Michael Friedman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Keith Cox.

Fox started his career as Charlie Salinger in the hit Fox series Party of Five, which ran for six seasons from 1994 to 2000.

Four years later he starred as the iconic Jack Shephard in Lost, which ran six seasons from 2004 to 2010 on ABC.

The 58-year-old actor will play a character named Paul, described as, 'a self-reliant bachelor who loves the outdoors,' according to EW

Pfeiffer will play Stacy Clyburn, described as a 'wealthy matriarch,' who uproots her family from the Big Apple to Montana following the tragic deaths of her husband and brother-in-law in a plane crash

The show will be executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, John Linson, Art Linson, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Christina Voros, Michael Friedman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Keith Cox

He also starred in movies like Smokin' Aces, We Are Marshall, Vantage Point, Speed Racer, Alex Cross, Extinction, World War Z and Bone Tomahawk.

The actor went on an acting hiatus from 2014 to 2021, revealing in 2022 that the time was right for a break.

'I kind of had a bucket list in my mind of things that I wanted to accomplish in the business, and after I did 'Bone Tomahawk' in 2014 that had kind of completed the bucket list,' Fox said in 2022.

'I wanted to do a Western. Its a very odd Western, but its a Western. And so that sort of completed the bucket list,' he admitted.

'At that time in my life, our kids were at an age where I felt like I needed to really reengage,' Fox said of sons Kyle, 26, and Byron, 23, who he shares with his wife of over 30 years, Margherita Ronchi.

He added, 'I had been focused on work for some time, and Margherita had been running the family so beautifully, but I felt like it was time to be home, and I really felt like I was retiring from the business, and working on other creative elements that are really personal to me  some music and writing.'
Nicole Kidman has teased that her upcoming erotic drama Babygirl is her most risque film to date as she shed light on the steamy project.

In Babygirl, the Aussie actress, 57, is starring as a high-powered New York business executive who starts a risky affair with her much-younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson.

The steamy movie will include some very intimate scenes including one of Nicole's character masturbating after having sex with her husband, played by Antonio Banderas.

Addressing the erotic scenes, Nicola - who most recently starred in another age-gap romance, A Family Affair - admitted it is the most 'exposed' she has ever felt in front of the camera.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Nicole said she isn't sure she is 'brave enough' to watch the film on the big screen at its Venice Film Festival premiere next month.

'There's something in me going: 'Okay, this was made for the big screen and to be seen with people. I'm not sure I have that much bravery,' Nicole told the publication.

'I've made some films that are pretty exposing, but not like this,' she added of the 'confronting' experience.

Nicole shared her apprehension over audiences seeing the sex scenes, admitting that the 'vulnerable' filming process left her feeling 'ragged'.

Nicole Kidman has teased that her upcoming erotic drama Babygirl - which features a masturbation scene - is her most risque film to date as she shed light on the steamy project

In Babygirl, the Aussie actress, 57, is starring as a high-powered New York business executive who starts a risky affair with her much-younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson

'It's like, golly, I'm doing this, and it's actually now going to be seen by the world. That's a very weird feeling,' she said.

'This is something you hide in your home videos. It's not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world.'

Babygirl sees Nicole take on the role of Romy, a business executive who is balancing her career with trying to find fulfillment in her marriage to a theatre director (Antonio).

Cracks in their marriage appear when new intern Samuel (Harris) makes his attraction to Romy clear and they begin to explore a 'forbidden sexual dynamic'.

Director Halina Reijn is said to have wanted to put specific focus on the female orgasm in the thriller, with one charged scene showing Romy masturbating.

It is not the first time Nicole has starred in a steamy age-gap romance as she recently took on the leading role in Netflix's A Family Affair alongside Zac Efron.

In the rom-com, the pair starred in one steamy nude scene together, with Nicole giving an insight into the filming process in a recent interview.

She told how she thinks it is 'lazy' to solely rely on chemistry when casting lovers as she weighed in on the topic of audition chemistry tests.

It is not the first time Nicole has starred in a steamy age-gap romance as she recently took on the leading role in Netflix's A Family Affair alongside Zac Efron (pictured)

She told The Hollywood Reporter's Drama Actress Roundtable: 'There's a way you can shoot things, I think just relying on chemistry is lazy. There's the writing, there's the interaction - you can literally be directed through it.'

'Also, you can not have chemistry, and onscreen, it's made,' she added.

A Family Affair proved not to be a hit with critics, with claims later emerging that Nicole's husband Keith Urban was 'secretly' pleased about its poor reception.

An insider told New Idea that it didn't sit right with Keith, 56, seeing his wife get cosy with Zac, after the pair last portrayed lovers 12 years ago in the buzzy crime drama The Paperboy.

'He absolutely trusts Nicole but it unnerved him seeing her get so cosy with Zac on-screen a second time around,' the source said.

'She likely won't be doing a third, which, deep down, has made Keith happy to no end  something he's having to keep to himself of course!'
Ben Affleck looked to be in great spirits while grabbing a fast food meal delivery on Saturday, days after his estranged wife Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce.

The Argo director, 52, flashed a bright smile as he carried food and drinks from Jack In the Box to his Brentwood rental home, opting to spend his weekend indoors.

The actor  who was recently linked to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter, Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy, 36  rocked a blue Nirvana t-shirt that showed off his muscles.

He completed the casual look with a pair of blue jeans and sneakers.

It comes following news that Lopez, 55, is 'relieved' after taking the official step to end her marriage to Affleck, on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding.

Ben Affleck, 52, looked to be in great spirits while grabbing a fast food meal delivery on Saturday, days after his estranged wife Jennifer Lopez, 55, filed for divorce

Amid the news of his divorce Ben has reportedly been spotted hanging out with RFK Jr.'s daughter Kick in recent weeks.

He previously enjoyed a brief fling with Kick, before he rekindled his relationship with now-estranged wife Lopez, sources have revealed.

Insiders have revealed to DailyMail.com that Kick and Ben are 'enjoying spending time' together but the writer is remaining 'tight-lipped' about their connection because she doesn't want to be seen as a 'mistress'.

'Ben and Kick had a fling before he got back together with JLo,' the source began. 'They met because Ben is from Boston and when you live in Boston, the Kennedy family is royalty.'

The insider continued: 'So when he started hanging out with Kick, he legit thought that he had landed into the Kennedy family. But she was too young and not ready for anything serious.'

The source stressed that the pair's romance did not ever overlap with the actor's rekindled relationship with Jennifer.

'They didnt have any affair during his marriage, but it is interesting to Kicks friends that as soon as this divorce happened all of a sudden Ben is hanging out with an old hookup whose family he sees as royalty.'

As for how Kick views the actor, the insider stated: 'She thinks that he is intelligent and very much her style but is being incredibly tight-lipped because she does not want to be seen as a mistress.

The Argo director flashed a bright smile as he carried food from Jack In the Box to his Brentwood rental home, opting to spend his weekend indoors

The Batman actor rocked a blue Nirvana t-shirt that showed off his muscles

He completed the casual look with a pair of blue jeans and sneakers

'She is not a mistress. She is nothing like JLo and likes to keep her private life private.'

The source explained that Kick isn't wasting much time worrying about how Jennifer might feel about Ben's decision to reconnect as they added: 'Kick is fond of Ben, and she does not care what JLo thinks honestly.'

'When they started hanging out, he and JLo were separated. He made this very clear with her. JLo listing their separation as April only confirmed this.'

The source continued: 'They are both taking it day by day but so far, she is enjoying spending time with him. They hang out at Beverly Hills Hotel because it offers a level of privacy to celebs that nowhere else does.

'The fact that people say she looks like Jen Garner is flattering to her as she thinks Jen is beautiful.'

Meanwhile, a second source confirmed that the pair are simply getting to know each other better as they stated: 'Ben has been spending time with Kick but there is nothing there yet.

'They are friends and enjoy hanging with each other and it is true that she really doesnt have any thoughts about what JLo would think of her spending time with Ben. Hes a great guy and they are getting to know each other.'

Meanwhile Lopez is 'doing as well as she can' even though she 'didn't want a divorce' from the actor, a source told People on Monday.

'It's been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind,' the insider shared.

'She didn't want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out. They love each other. Jennifer is not the type to just give up. It's been almost torture for her to wait around.'

Ben has been 'spending time' with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter, Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy, 36, amid his divorce from Lopez; (L) Ben seen in 2023, (R) Kick seen in 2021

It comes following news that Lopez is 'relieved' after taking the official step to end her marriage to Affleck on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding; pair seen in 2023

'After filing for divorce, she seems relieved,' a source told People, though they noted that Lopez 'didn't want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out'; the pair seen in February

'It's been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind,' the insider shared; the two seen in 2023

'After filing for divorce, she seems relieved,' the source shared.

'Her family and friends agree that it was the right decision. She's surrounded by a lot of love and support. She'll be fine. She's strong and always comes out on top.'

Notably, Jennifer filed the divorce paperwork herself, and she did not have an attorney listed as representing her, though she may have an attorney listed in the future.

She cited 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the divorce filing.

Although she was the one to file, and Ben appears to have opted not to do so, Us Weekly reported on Friday that he was allegedly well aware of her plans.

According to an insider, the estranged couple had 'already agreed to these terms before she filed.'

They said the two had 'had gone through all the details' of the filing in advance, describe it as a 'planned' event, rather than a filing designed to take Ben by surprise.

'JLo finally pulled the trigger because that was their agreement that she would file, and she was the one who ultimately made the decision,' the source added.

The reporting is largely in line with the couple's decision to fake a healthy marriage for months with occasional public outings together, despite having already split behind the scenes.

The source noted that both parties 'came in with significant assets of their own,' so they allegedly don't plan to fight over their wealth, leaving their massive Beverly Hills mansion as their only significant shared property that needs to be sold off.

Jennifer and Ben were married in an intimate ceremony on July 16, 2022, but they later tied the knot a second time for family and friend at Ben's estate in South Carolina on August 20, 2022  two years to the day before she filed for divorce

Ben and Jennifer first got engaged at the end of 2002 but broke it off a year later before calling quits on their relationship for good in 2004

Accordingly, Jennifer requested no spousal support from her ex, and she asked the court to deny it for Ben.

She listed the date of their separation as April 26.

Jennifer and Ben were married in an intimate ceremony on July 16, 2022, but they later tied the knot a second time for family and friend at Ben's estate in South Carolina on August 20, 2022  two years to the day before she filed for divorce.

They first first got engaged at the end of 2002 but broke it off a year later before calling quits on their relationship for good in 2004.
Channel 10 have announced the cast of the new season of their hit MasterChef spin-off Dessert Masters.

The ten contestants have been revealed in a bubbly new trailer for the series which is set to hit screens later this year.

Fan favourite Melissa Leong, 41, will once again judge the delicious concoctions produced by the cooks alongside Amaury Guichon.

Each of the contestants can be seen in the teaser shared to the network's Instagram account - and many will be familiar to Network Ten viewers.

Included in the cast of Dessert Masters this year is former MasterChef guest chef, Indonesian-born Christy Tania.

The founder of Glace dessert stores, she's a well-known kitchen master who has worked in Paris' Ritz Hotel.

Also in the cast is two-time MasterChef contestant Emelia Jackson, who had to pull out of the spin-off's debut season last year ahead of filming due to scheduling issues.

She is now an author after appearing on the original hit cooking competition in 2014 and 2020.

Channel 10 have announced the cast of the new season of their hit MasterChef spin-off Dessert Masters. Pictured: Fan favourite Melissa Leong , 41, will once again by judging the delicious concoctions produced by the cooks alongside Amaury Guichon.

Two time MasterChef contestant Emelia Jackson is also in DM kitchen this year (pictured)

Former MasterChef guest chef, Indonesian-born Christy Tania also joins the dessert gurus this season (Pictured)

Also featured is baker Dan Pasquali, who was runner-up in the Great Australian Bake Off in 2019.

Meanwhile, another MasterChef star, chef Darren Purchese, will be in the Dessert Masters kitchen this year as a contestant.

He is the founder of the Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio and the platform Studio Kitchen.

Food blogger Alisha Henderson, whose online business Sweet Cakes boasts a whopping 228K followers, also joins the dessert gurus this season.

Alisha is also co-founder of Melbourne event space Co.Bake.

Contestant Donato Toce is meanwhile famed as Gelato Messina's Chief Creative Chef.

The brand has 30 shop fronts in Australia and a single shop in Hong Kong.

Melbourne-raised pastry chef Jana Lai also joins the cast of DM 2024. Jana is famed as an instructor at the Ecole Bellouet Conseil in Paris.

Well known baker and pastry chef John Demetrios will also be battling it out with the dessert masters this season.

John has worked for top eateries in Melbourne including Vue de monde.

Included in the cast of Dessert Masters this year is food blogger Alisha Henderson

MasterChef star, chef Darren Purchese also joins the cast this year (pictured)

Former MasterChef guest Katherine Sabbath is another familiar face joining the spin-off.

The former teacher-turned food blogger and cake guru boasts 475K Instagram followers and is the author of three dessert themed books.

Rounding out the cast is cook book author Reece Hignell.

Another MasterChef veteran, Reece founded the boutique eatery Cakeboi in Newcastle, NSW after rising to fame in the 2018 season of hot cooking competition.

He joined the series again for the Back to Win season in 2020.

It comes after Gareth Whitton was crowned the winner of Dessert Masters last year.

Former MasterChef guest chef Katherine Sabbath also features in the cast in 2024 (pictured)

Melbourne-raised pastry chef Jana Lai is also a contestant this year

He beat out fan favourites Jess Liemantara and Reynold Poernomo for the top honour.

Gareth walked away with the title of Australia's first-ever Dessert Master and $100,000 in prize money after a nail biting grand finale.

Debuting its first last November, the show was a success for Melissa Leong.

The 42-year-old was dumped as a judge on Masterchef Australia and moved to the new spinoff series, which performed well in the ratings.

The show scored 451,000 viewers who tuned in across all the major cities.
Anna Nicole Smith's daughter Dannielynn shared a fun-filled weekend with her father Larry Birkhead while decked out in cosplay at a fan convention.

The 17-year-old Dannielynn was pictured in various cosplay outfits in a new Instagram post from her father on Monday.

This comes just months after the father and daughter were spotted at the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby back in early May.

The duo spent the weekend at The Official Power Morphicon Convention in Pasadena, California.

Birkhead revealed in the lengthy caption that his daughter got to meet some of her favorite actors throughout the weekend.

Anna Nicole Smith 's daughter Dannielynn shared a fun-filled weekend with her father Larry Birkhead while decked out in cosplay at a fan convention

Birkhead revealed in the lengthy caption that his daughter got to meet some of her favorite actors throughout the weekend

'Had an awesome time at this weekends @officialpowermorphicon in Pasadena, California thanks to @tokuspirits!' Larry began.

'Dannielynn got to meet some of her favorite actors from Japanese live-action television. She was so excited to meet @maaaaaaaasahiro (Masahiro Inoue) that plays Decade from Kamen Rider Decade that she was overcome with joy,' he added.

'She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from Engine Sentai Go-Onger was her other favorites!' he added.

Larry continued that, 'Dannielynn cosplayed three different Kamen Rider characters at the event.'

'First up was, Hino Eiji Followed by Ankh (@ryosuke.miura216) and to finish the convention off, she cosplayed Ankh possessing Eiji from the Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection movie, complete with Ankhs (Greeed) bird-style hand and feather infused hair,' he added.

'This is the first stop and pre-celebration for Dannielynns upcoming birthday celebration! The countdown begins now!' he added.

Larry also gave, 'special thanks' to Toku Spirits, Dominic Tuazon (@thedomtuazon), and wig stylist Ryan Austin (@hairbyryanaustin).

He also teased that the father and daughter area heading to the Land of the Rising Sun next, concluding the post with, 'Next up Japan.'

'Had an awesome time at this weekends @officialpowermorphicon in Pasadena, California thanks to @tokuspirits!' Larry began

'Dannielynn got to meet some of her favorite actors from Japanese live-action television. She was so excited to meet @maaaaaaaasahiro (Masahiro Inoue) that plays Decade from Kamen Rider Decade that she was overcome with joy,' he added

'First up was, Hino Eiji Followed by Ankh (@ryosuke.miura216) and to finish the convention off, she cosplayed Ankh possessing Eiji from the Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection movie, complete with Ankhs (Greeed) bird-style hand and feather infused hair,' he added

'She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from Engine Sentai Go-Onger was her other favorites!' he added

Larry continued that, 'Dannielynn cosplayed three different Kamen Rider characters at the event'

'This is the first stop and pre-celebration for Dannielynns upcoming birthday celebration! The countdown begins now!' he added

Back in May, Larry shared snaps of Dannielynn in a red Badgley Mischka gown at the Kentucky Derby, which also had inspiration from her favorite show Kamen Rider.

'Dannielynns dress was inspired by her favorite character Hino Eiji, Kamen Rider OOO TaJaDor combo  she made me write that  because that character had the same shoulders as the design of the dress she found!,' he said.

The outing came just after the teenager graduated from high school, as Larry addd in the caption, 'Looking forward to a fun Derby weekend with the newly graduated high school student!'

Larry met Dannielynn's mother at the same event back in 2003.
Sami Sheen showed off her new 'dream' nose on Monday while grabbing lunch at Urth Cafe in Los Angeles, two weeks after undergoing a rhinoplasty.

The 20-year-old daughter of Denise Richards, 53, and Charlie Sheen, 58, was spotted enjoying a meal with a pal, with her nose looking noticeably more refined and uplifted.

The OnlyFans model sported a casual look for the outing, wearing a black tank top and grey sweatpants.

Her blonde tresses were parted in the middle and cascaded down in a straight style. She opted for a makeup-free look, showing off her flawless complexion.

Earlier this month Sami shocked fans when she revealed she went under the knife to achieve her ideal nose shape.

Sami Sheen, 20, showed off her new 'dream' nose on Monday while grabbing lunch at Urth Cafe in Los Angeles, two weeks after undergoing a rhinoplasty; (R) seen with her old nose

The daughter of Denise Richards , 53, and Charlie Sheen , 58, was spotted enjoying a meal with a pal, with her nose looking noticeably more refined and uplifted

Sami worked with Beverly Hills-based surgeon Dr. Deepak Dugar, who specializes in what he calls the 'Scarless Nose' job.

It's a closed rhinoplasty that involves making incisions inside of the nose so that none of the cuts are externally visible, and provides more natural results when done correctly.

Open rhinoplasties can sometimes lead to scarring on the underside of the nose, especially on the columella, which is the strip of tissue that separates the nostrils.

A scarless nose job costs roughly between $19,000 and $24,000, and healing can take as little as a week.

Speaking out about the procedure, Dr. Dugar told DailyMail.com that he took a 'finesse approach' to rhinoplasty in order to give patients the most natural results possible.

'The nose that they should have been born with is already there. I just want to refine it and bring it out. I don't want to recreate some TikTok/Instagram nose on their faces,' he explained.

Dr. Dugar estimates that the vast majority of celebrities who have had nose jobs have done so with a closed, scarless approach.

'I'm part of an 80-year legacy practice here in Beverly Hills doing celebrity nose jobs and I can tell you that most celebrity rhinoplasty is closed scarless rhinoplasty because of the discretion,' he explained.

'They don't want people to know they had a nose job. There's still a taboo and a stigma no matter who you are. They want very natural results that look like it could have been what they were born with,' he continued.

The OnlyFans model sported a casual look for the outing, wearing a black tank top and grey sweatpants

Earlier this month Sami shocked fans when she revealed she went under the knife to achieve her ideal nose shape

She worked with Beverly Hills-based surgeon Dr. Deepak Dugar. who specializes in what he calls the 'scarless nose job'

She shared the process of her recovery

'I know that she was very anxious about doing surgery because she's young and she's also very aware of stigmas around plastic surgery,' Dr. Dugar explained

Sami said that she'd wanted the procedure done for five years and she was forced to Photoshop her selfies because her natural nose (pictured) 'photographed horribly'

'The cookie cutter, TikTok, Instagram, Turkish upturned nose job, the "Barbie nose" as they call it, everyone knows you can't really be born with that.

'So it's kind of like extremely white veneers. It's almost like a status symbol, but everyone knows those are fake. And so the problem is, if you're a very elite actor or a celebrity, you don't want people to know that you have a fake nose. You want to look as good as possible, of course, but you want to look very natural.'

When it comes to treating Sami, Dr. Dugar said that the model was nervous about going under the knife.

'Sammy is a beautiful girl who was plagued by the droopiness of her nose for years,' he said.

'She saw several consults before she decided to do her surgery with me. I know that she was very anxious about doing surgery because she's young and she's also very aware of stigmas around plastic surgery.

'And being the daughter of two very famous parents, of course she was nervous to do this, but she was also very excited.'

Dr. Dugar said that the surgery itself was 'phenomenal' and he's looking forward to everybody seeing the final results.

'It's going to be stunning and she's going to be stunned with how beautiful it is,' he gushed.

Shortly after the surgery, Sami took to TikTok to share her joy at going under the knife.

'I'm so happy I finally did this! Thank you for everything @deepakdugarmd, you are seriously the best surgeon out there!' she wrote.

Sami, who currently works as an OnlyFans creator, first went under the knife last year for a boob job

Before and after: Sami is pictured before her boob job (left) and then after (right)

Aside from Sami, exes Denise and Charlie  who split in 2006  also share daughter Lola, 19; Lola, Charlie, Sami and Denise pictured together in an Instagram snap

Sami also confessed that she'd been dying to get her nose done for the past five years.

'I would have to Photoshop every single photo I took because it photographed horribly,' she wrote.

'Just so droopy and too big for my face.'

Sami said that she met with multiple surgeons before settling on Dr. Dugar for the procedure, which she had done on August 12.

'It's only day two of my recovery but I already feel like a new woman and I'm so happy I finally got my dream nose.'

Some of Dr. Dugar's previous celebrity clients include TikTok sensation Madi Monroe, adult film star Mia Khalifa, and Vanderpump Rules alum Dayna Kathan.
Beetlejuice stole the show while being interviewed by Michael Keaton in a Hot Ones parody posted on Monday by Warner Bros. Pictures on YouTube.

The promotional video for the upcoming sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opened with Betelgeuse in his striped suit and tie chugging a bottle of hot sauce and burping.

A logo for 'Not Ones' was shown along with the sound of a rooster crowing as Michael, 72, said hello and welcomed Betelgeuse to the interview show.

'How long is this gonna take? I have to get to the spa,' Betelgeuse said.

Betelgeuse poured hot sauce on his ribs as Michael asked him who were some of his influences.

Beetlejuice stole the show while being interviewed by Michael Keaton in a Hot Ones parody posted on Monday by Warner Bros. Pictures on YouTube

'Well, Napoleon was a pal. Bieber, of course, for obvious reasons,' Betelgeuse replied referencing the French emperor and Canadian pop star Justin.

'Caligula was a wild man, gotta say that,' Betelgeuse added while casually eating and tossing his leftovers.

Michael tried to point out some hot sauce on his guest's face, but soon gave up.

The interview moved on to The Juice Is Loose brand of hot sauce as Michael upped the ante.

'You've been haunting this metaphysical astral plane for over 600 years. You ever allowed yourself to contemplate the infinite nature of time?,' Michael asked.

'Nope!,' Betelgeuse replied.

Michael asked Betelgeuse about the taste of the ribs.

'This is eerily reminiscent of a guy I ate in Seattle,' Betelgeuse said as steam blew out of his ears.

'This is eerily reminiscent of a guy I ate in Seattle,' Betelgeuse said as steam blew out of his ears

'You've been haunting this metaphysical astral plane for over 600 years. You ever allowed yourself to contemplate the infinite nature of time?,' Michael asked

'Nope!,' Betelgeuse replied when Michael asked if he ever contemplated the infinite nature of time

Betelgeuse then farted and told Michael that he had a question for him.

'Who the hell are you?,' Betelgeuse asked.

Michael instead of answering walked away as Betelgeuse drank more hot sauce straight from the bottle.

The video was a parody of the Hot Ones talk show on YouTube hosted by Sean Evans, 38, which features celebrity guests answering questions while eating increasingly spicy chicken wings.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is scheduled to be released in US theaters on September 6 by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Michael, Catherine O'Hara, Winona Ryder and Tim Burton are shown earlier this month in New York City promoting Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

The fantasy comedy horror film by director Tim Burton, 66, is a sequel to the 1988 film Beetlejuice that starred Michael as the title character.

The sequel, also directed by Burton, stars original cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara in addition to Michael, as well as new cast members Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe.

The film's story takes place 36 years after the events of Beetlejuice and follows the Deetz family as they return to Winter River after the unexpected death of Charles Deetz, who was played by Jeffrey Jones, 77, in the original.

Jenna plays Astrid Deetz, the teenage daughter of Winona's character, Lydia Deetz.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will open the 81st Venice International Film Festival on Wednesday at Venice Lido in Italy.
August 26, 2024: The importance of NATO support for Ukraine after the Russians invaded in 2022 has led pro-NATO nations in the Pacific to establish closer relationships with NATO. Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand, as well as the United States are seeking to apply these lessons of how NATO supported Ukraine after Russia invaded to the similar threat in the Pacific where Chinas growing navy is acting more aggressively towards its Pacific neighbors. South Korea and Japan have substantial naval and air forces while Australia is upgrading and expanding its own fleet. Although Australian naval bases are far from China, South Korea and Japan, the Australians know from their World War II experience that they are dependent on keeping sea lanes to the Americas, the Middle East, South Korea, Japan, and India open.

While in Europe NATO is largely supporting land operations in Ukraine, in the Pacific any conflict would be over who controls key shipping lanes. Another threat from the Pacific is Chinese support for Russian forces in Ukraine. The Chinese support is unofficial and concealed as much as possible but it is substantial and growing. China believed the invasion of Ukraine was a mistake, but Russia is a long-time military and economic partner that must not be allowed to fail. Russia is already losing in Ukraine and may have to admit defeat and leave Ukraine, and probably all the Ukrainian territory Russia has occupied since 2014. The Russian economy is a mess, in part because the Western economic sanctions caused major problems for Russia and the sanctions wont end until the Ukraine War is over and perhaps not even then. Russia is seen as a long-term threat by NATO countries, and the Pacific nations NATO is now talking to see China as a greater threat to pro-NATO Pacific nations.

China insists it has no intention of using military force against its Pacific neighbors. China has the largest fleet in the region, including aircraft carriers. The Chinese fleet is growing and China expects it to be larger than the entire U.S. fleet by the 2030s, though this is doubtful due to corruption and the problems it has manning its existing fleet. Chinese military practices put more emphasis on intimidation than action. China is heavily dependent on seaborne trade and if that is disrupted it would mean China would not get essential food and petroleum supplies. China has to import food to feed its population and imported petroleum is essential to keep the economy going. Based on past performance, China may threaten and sometimes act aggressively but wont deliberately try to kill anyone.

The initial Chinese public reaction to a Pacific NATO was to accuse the Americans of seeking such an alliance to sustain U.S. economic and military domination in the Western Pacific. This situation was an aftereffect of World War II. China and Russia sought to resist in Korea, Vietnam and a few smaller wars. Their only success was in Vietnam, but that came at the expense of economic growth, individual prosperity and personal freedoms. Vietnam is still ruled by a communist dictatorship, although one that is trying to, like China, allow a free market economy to operate. Vietnam is still a communist dictatorship that, unlike China, was unable to make the most of free market opportunities. As a result Vietnam currently has a GDP per capita of $4,300 compared to over $12,000 for China. South Korea, which remained an ally of the United States since the end of World War II, is now one of the top ten largest economies in the world with a per capita GDP of $35,000. In socialist North Korea it is $1,200. South Korea is a democracy with elected government officials. North Korea is a socialist dictatorship where the government started by Kim Il Sung in 1948 has been continued by his son and grandson as a hereditary dictatorship. Unlike the constitutional monarchies in Europe that are overseen by an elected government, the North Korean hereditary government is a dictatorship with no input from the population.

Because of this situation South Korea welcomes NATO while North Korea condemns it and sells Russia weapons to be used in Ukraine by the Russian invaders.
Kelly Monaco is leaving General Hospital after starring on the long-running soap opera for 21 years.

The 48-year-old actress, who has been playing Sam McCall for over two decades, will be exiting the daytime drama series sometime in the fall.

On Monday, Soap Opera Network reported that Monaco was 'blindsided' after she learned her longtime character will be 'killed off' the show.

She recently learned that her role on the show was terminated by the network and that she will be making her last appearance in Port Charles before the end of the year.

Previously, she was sidelined from the show back in 2020 but it was only a temporary replacement as she was suffering from a health problem at the time.

Kelly Monaco is leaving General Hospital after starring on the long-running soap opera for 21 years

The 48-year-old actress, who has been playing Sam McCall for over two decades, will be exiting the daytime drama series sometime in the fall and saying goodbye to Dominic Zamprogna's character Dante Falconeri

Previously, Monaco portrayed Livvie Locke on spinoff series Port Charles.

She played the role for three years before the show was canceled and she was asked to join its long-running counterpart: General Hospital.

Monaco first joined the series in October 2003, and since then, she has appeared in more than 2,200 episodes of General Hospital.

She was also the first-ever winner of the Mirrorball Trophy after competing on Dancing with the Stars for its inaugural season in 2005.

In 2012, she returned for the show's 15th season, the All Stars season.

That year, she came in third place with professional dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy.

He would later make a guest appearance on General Hospital as a boxer.

In 2017, Monaco once again returned to Dancing with the Stars for its 25th season.

On Monday, Soap Opera Network reported that Monaco was 'blindsided' after she learned her longtime character will be 'killed off' the show

Monaco first joined the series in October 2003, and since then, she has appeared in more than 2,200 episodes of General Hospital

For her acting performances, she has also been nominated for two Daytime Emmys throughout her career.

In 2003, she received a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Port Charles.

Three years later, she was nominated for Oustanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on General Hospital.

This comes on the heels of her co-star Steve Burton reprised his role as Jason Morgan in March after being fired in November 2021.

This comes after her co-star Steve Burton reprised his role as Jason Morgan in March after being fired in November 2021

Emma Samms will also be returning to the show as Holly Sutton-Scorpio in the fall.

News of Monaco's departure comes shortly after it was revealed that co-head writer Patrick Mulcahey was leaving the show.

Earlier this month, it was also revealed that Chris Van Etten would be returning to run the writers room with Elizabeth Korte.

And as Monaco departs, Star Trek: Discovery star Sawandi Wilson will be joining the cast to play a character named Isaiah, who has a 'connection' to Jonathan Jackson's Lucky.
The cast of the hit 90s television series Baywatch reunited for the documentary premiere of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun on Monday.

Many of the stars were in attendance despite personal struggles.

Among the star-studded alumni in attendance were Jeremy Jackson, 43, Traci Bingham, 56, and Brande Roderick, 50 who have all endured quite a bit since they were on the hit series.

Beauty Carmen Electra, 52, was also there.

The event was held at The Bungalow in Santa Monica.

And now DailyMail.com will look into the lives of some of Baywatch's stars...

The cast of the hit 90s television series Baywatch reunited for the documentary premiere of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun on Monday; Jeremy Jackson pictured

The event was held at The Bungalow in Santa Monica and Carmen Electra, 52, was also there

Top, from left: Donna D'Errico, Jose Solano, Michael Newman, Marliece Andrada; center row, from left: Michael Bergin, David Hasselhoff, Angelica Bridges, Jeremy Jackson; bottom, from left: Traci Bingham, Carmen Electra, David Chokachi, Kelly Packard in 1997

Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001.

David Hasselhoff played Lt. Mitch Buchannon.

He was the dedicated leader of a group of lifeguards at Malibu Beach in Los Angeles.

Pamela Anderson was CJ, the hot blonde with a heart of gold.

Although this prime-time soap opera features a lot of sand, sun and bikinis, it also tackles many serious themes and features multifaceted characters.

It spawned several other shows and a movie with Zac Efron and The Rock.

Jeremy Jackson as Hobie Buchannon

Jeremy Jackson  who allegedly stabbed a woman in 2015  cleaned up in a light brown suit and white shirt at the event

Jeremy Jackson  who allegedly stabbed a woman in 2015  cleaned up in a light brown suit and white shirt at the event.

The now 43-year-old actor sported a very full, dark beard and a short haircut as he posed alongside his former co-stars.

He flashed his megawatt smile next to Carmen, who looked great in a three-piece white pantsuit that included an ab-baring bandeau top.

Jackson wore a long silver-toned chain with a cross pendant around his neck and his getup was punctuated with white sneakers.

His rare red carpet appearance comes after he began serving time behind bars in 2017 following his agreement to a plea deal for allegedly stabbing a woman in Los Angeles in 2015.

He snagged a role as the son - named Hobie - to David Hasselhoff's Mitch Buchannon on the beachside series from ages 10-19.

Per People, he reflected on his downward spiral during a 2006 episode of E!'s Child Star Confidential, discussing his drug addiction.

'I probably made over $2 to $3 million from Baywatch,' he said at the time. 'I had the means to destroy myself: I had a lot of money, and I had a lot of people around me that weren't really my friends but I thought they were, and I totally got sucked into a downward spiral of a lifestyle.'

He later was sentenced to a 270-day jail sentence and five years' probation.

Upon his release, he became a personal trainer.

Traci Bingham as Jordan Tate

Among the star-studded alumni in attendance was Traci Bingham

Traci pictured left on Monday in a plunging purple gown and seen right on the set of Baywatch

Meanwhile, Traci Bingham opted for a clinging dress to emphasize her slim figure.

The 56-year-old actress arrived to the starry affair in a plunging purple gown that exposed her very busty chest.

Her face was heavily made up and she wore a long, straight, brunette and blonde-highlighted wig with a deep side part.

The stunner portrayed Jordan Tate in the hit series.

Bingham's rare Hollywood outing comes more than ten years after she reportedly tried to 'dine and dash' at a Red Sox game in April 2014, according to Page Six.

It was alleged that she did not have funds to foot the bill after she and friends ordered drinks and shots at an exclusive club in Fenway Park.

'Three attempts to run her card were declined, and the party was over as her sister and other members of the crew scattered, leaving through different exits,' a source told the publication.

Brande Roderick as Leigh Dyer

Brande Roderick also hit the red carpet in style

Brande made a statement in a lacy red dress with an exaggerated flower choker

Brande Roderick also showed off her stunning figure in a clinging red number at the gala event.

For her part, the 50-year-old actress made a statement in a lacy red dress with an exaggerated flower choker at Monday's screening.

The 2001 Playboy Playmate of the Year portrayed fan-favorite Leigh Dyer beginning in April 2000.

Her Instagram profile describes her as a 'mother, actress, producer, and author.'

On August 13 she shared a teaser for the After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, a four part docuseries about the iconic show.

She wrote in a caption to her 126,000 followers, 'After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, a four part docuseries is coming to @hulu on August 28th  Im so proud of this project and everyone involved.'

The blonde bombshell has also previously had legal trouble as she was reportedly accused of embezzlement by a jailed fraudster back in May 2014.

She and her now ex-husband Glenn Cadrez were facing legal allegations from Michael Prozer III.

Prozer, who was jailed for eight years in 2012 for fraud, claims the couple asked him to invest 150,000 in their company Financially Hung, a networking group for business people seeking exclusive parties.

But he claims the pair instead deposited the cash in their personal accounts and never used it for the business, it was reported by TMZ at the time.
Actress Halle Berry's longtime custody battle with ex Olivier Martinez is still continuing, with both sides making new claims in legal documents.

The 58-year-old actress was married to the 58-year-old French actor from 2013 to 2016, and they share 10-year-old son Maceo.

Berry is claiming that Martinez is causing 'detrimental harm' to their son with his latest motion to delay an upcoming custody hearing.

Martinez, on the other hand, filed last week that Berry is taking advantage of him by not allowing him time to prepare, and, 'attempting to bootstrap her way into an immediate hearing" to give him the 'absolute minimum.'

Berry made headlines just last week by seeking sole custody of their 10-year-old son Maceo.

DailyMail.com has reached out to reps for both Berry and Martinez for comment.

Actress Halle Berry 's longtime custody battle with ex Olivier Martinez is still continuing, with both sides making new claims in legal documents

The 58-year-old actress was married to the 58-year-old French actor from 2013 to 2016, and they share 10-year-old son Maceo

The actress is claiming that their son is struggling in school and that he is, 'grade levels behind,' adding he has been diagnosed with ADHD and mild dyslexia.

She adds that Maceo's father is, 'either oblivious' to his difficulties or, 'carelessly disregards them,' which she says proves he's unfit for custody.

The actress claims that Martinez is delaying the custody hearing which will impact a 'ruling on interventions necessary for the parties' struggling child.'

She also claims the actor is trying to 'extract more money' from her.

Martinez had previously stated that he needs an 'expert' to testify on his behalf, which she called, 'nonsensical.'

'It would be unjust, and certainly detrimental to Maceo, to continue the September 10, 2024 hearing by 120 days on the basis that third-party percipient witnesses are expected to testify or that Olivier somehow needs to retain other unidentified experts," the documents read.

Shortly after Berry's filing, Martinez fired back that the actress is 'refusing' to set a date that works for him.

He added that Berry has refused his request for help in paying his legal fees, despite, 'admittedly earning several millions of dollars at this time.'

Halle also has a daughter Nahla, now 16, with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry

The French actor insists Berry is, 'keeping him from being able to defend himself both by not having any time or fees to deal with her extreme request,' adding she is, 'not allowed to take advantage of [him].'

Martinez also claims he, 'cannot be forced to give up his right to discovery or his right to have sufficient time to prepare his response his response simply because [Berry] is attempting to force and railroad him into submission.'

Earlier in August, Berry filed a request for sole legal custody of Maceo, though she added an 'alternative,' that would give her, 'tie-breaking authority to make all decisions about his education, health and therapy needs.'

Berry's filing said she tries to address her son's, 'educational challenges,' adding she, 'fought for tutoring, an educational assessment and finding an environment that was suitable to Maceos needs.'

The filing added that Martinez is, 'oppositional, unmoving and withheld his consent for years.'

The actress also has a daughter Nahla, 16, with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubrey.

She is currently in a relationship with Van Hunt, a Grammy award winning musician.
Eva Longoria looked sensational as she spent the end of her summer relaxing at her home in Marbella on Monday.

The Desperate Housewives star, 49, relaxed in the sea with her family as she was joined by her son Santiago, six, and nephew.

Working on her tan, the actress showcased her incredible physique in a skimpy white bikini with orange flowers.

Eva completed the outfit with some black shades as she posed in the sea before sharing a sweet snap of her and Santiago.

Meanwhile in another snap, Eva burst out laughing as her nephew carried her in his arms as she joked: 'My nephew trying to carry me!'

Eva Longoria showcased her incredible physique in skimpy bikini as she relaxed in Marbella with son Santiago on Monday

The Desperate Housewives star, 49, relaxed in the sea with her family as she was joined by her son Santiago, six, and they shared a sweet snap together

Eva shares son Santiago with her husband Jose Baston after the pair tied the knot in 2016.

The family have relocated to Marbella from Los Angeles, after purchasing a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion on the Spanish coast.

'Eva and Jose are leaving Los Angeles for good and have put their home up for sale again,' a source told DailyMail.com exclusively in April.

'They took it off the market in June but recently relisted it for $4 million less in February because they are just ready to get out.'

'This is still $5.4 million more than what they splashed out to purchase the 11,000 square-foot home in 2017.

'They are already shipping their belongings there and this is not something that they will change their mind on.

'They want to raise their son in a place where he will be surrounded by nature and beauty and not be sucked into the whole Hollywood cycle.'

The source added: 'They are moving to their home in Spain full time and are both so excited about it. She has had everything that she wanted in Hollywood.'

, Eva burst out laughing as her nephew carried her in his arms as she joked: 'My nephew trying to carry me!'

The family have relocated to Marbella from Los Angeles, after purchasing a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion on the Spanish coast (pictured with her husband Jose Baston)

The family have relocated to Marbella from Los Angeles, after purchasing a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion on the Spanish coast

Eva purchased a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion in Marbella in early 2023.

The 1,531-square-meter villa also boasts an indoor pool, sauna, and a state-of-the-art home gym.

The couple hired architect and interior designer Nicolas Escanez to help renovate the property.

In January, Eva debuted their luxurious home in HELLO! magazine and told the publication: 'The first time I came to Marbella, two decades ago, it was love at first sight. I said to myself: "Some day I'll live here."

'Later, we set up the Global Gift Foundation, and this is where Antonio Banderas, my best friend Maria Bravo and I held the first gala.'

Speaking about finding the house, she continued: 'Five years ago, I said to Nico, who's very clued-up about property: "When you see the right place, let me know."

'I viewed a few places, but nothing was quite what I wanted. Finally, in early 2023, this house came on the market. It needed refurbishing, but it had just the size and location I was after.

'So, taking advantage of the fact that I was in Barcelona filming, I came down and bought it that same day.'
Danny Boyle's 'stringent security measures' brought in to guard the 28 Days Later set have left ramblers 'jumping out their skin.'

The director, 67, is currently filming the third instalment for the post-apocalyptic horror series near Newcastle, but it's not the zombies that have scared locals.

Residents have been given quite the fright after being 'shouted at' by a number of robots, who have been employed to guard the site.

One neighbour told The Sun: 'Danny and his team had put in really stringent security measures on the site to make sure locals didnt just walk into view.

'The area is really eerie and remote, but its used by a lot of ramblers.'

Danny Boyle's 'stringent security measures' brought in to guard the 28 Days Later set have left ramblers 'jumping out their skin' (pictured in May 2022)

The director is currently filming the third instalment for the post-apocalyptic horror series near Newcastle, but it's not the zombies that have scared locals (L-R Brendan Gleeson, Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris pictured in 2002's 28 Days Later)

They added: 'Its a vast area to cover and some walking groups were caught out by these censored robots that start shouting. Its really loud. This group of ramblers jumped out of their skins when it happened.'

Jodie Comer, who will play a Geordie character in the post-apocalyptic flick, has been spotted filming in the Northumberland countryside.

She will be joined by Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy, who will return as Jim, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Erin Kellyman and Jack O'Connell.

Over the weekend, Danny was banned from filming the 'profane' zombie movie at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Morpeth.

His application to use the Grade I Listed site to film was refused by a Church court, who said the movie would 'offend' Church doctrines and 'profane' the house of God.

St Mary's had previously been used as a set for an episode of ITV crime drama Vera.

The director's plans were backed by both St Mary's' vicar and warden but was refused by ecclesiastical body the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Newcastle.

The film's producers, DNA films, including supervising location manager Camilla Stephenson, had said the church would be the backdrop to a 'post-apocalyptic world in which people are largely infected by a 'rage' virus which leads them to violence'.

Residents have been given quite the fright after being 'shouted at' by a number of robots, who have been employed to guard the site (Danny pictured in October 2022)

The church's rector, Reverend Simon White supported the proposals, saying he didn't believe shooting the movie would detriment either the parish or the diocese.

He agreed to submit an application to the diocesan advisory committee along with churchwarden Dr Andrew Mowat.

But they were overruled by the Archdeacon of LIndisfarne, who advised parishes in her area to refuse the requests.

The film had been noted by members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to be 'very violent and gory' while not promoting or glorifying evil or violence.

The original zombie apocalyptic film debuted in cinemas 22 years earlier in 2002 - with Cillian taking on a leading role.

Over the weekend, Danny was banned from filming the 'profane' zombie movie at t he Church of St Mary the Virgin in Morpeth by a Church court, who said it would 'offend' doctrines

The film had been noted by members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to be 'very violent and gory' while not promoting or glorifying evil or violence (Cillian pictured in 2002)

In the 2002 film, the actor played a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma only to find that an 'incurable virus had spread throughout the U.K.' and 'a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.'

The sequel is slated to be the third instalment in the franchise and the first in an upcoming trilogy.

Danny, who directed 28 Days later, as well as original writer, Alex Garland, are also returning. The pair notably only served as executive producers on the second movie, 28 Weeks Later (2007).

Both Danny and Alex are producing the new project alongside Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice and Bernie Bellew, while Cillian is an executive producer.
Jackie O Henderson was having a girls' lunch date with her good friend Gemma O'Neil' on Tuesday.

The KISS FM radio host headed out for the low-key meal in Sydney, followed by a Pilates class.

The 49-year-old showed off her slimmed down figure in a black tank top matched with loose slacks in the same tone.

She strolled along while smoking a cigarette and wore a pair of designer sunglasses.

Jackie appeared to have on minimal makeup for the outing with a sheer foundation and a hint of pink lipstick.

The star added a pair of stacked white sneakers to her look and wore her blonde hair in a ponytail.

She completed her casually chic ensemble with a leather tote bag slung over her shoulder.

Jackie and Gemma chatted as they tucked into their meals with Jackie appearing to opt for a salad.

Jackie O Henderson (pictured) was having a girls' lunch date with her good friend Gemma O'Neil' on Tuesday

The KISS FM radio host headed out for the low-key meal in Sydney, followed by a Pilates class

It comes after Jackie was left 'mortified' when she realised she was having stereotypical 'rich people conversations' at dinner.

The Australian radio host, who has a net worth of over $50 million, played a viral TikTok by an American creator live on her KIIS FM show, which was about the differences in conversations between the social classes.

'I have a lot of wealthy friends and a lot of broke friends and the biggest noticeable social difference is the topics they talk about at dinner,' the TikTok creator said.

She explained that her 'broke friends' talk about reality television, pop culture, the news and politics, while her 'wealthy friends' talk about their goals, self development, and spirituality.

The 49-year-old showed off her slimmed down figure in a black tank top matched with loose slacks in the same tone

She strolled along while smoking a cigarette and wore a pair of designer sunglasses

Jackie appeared to have on minimal makeup for the outing with a sheer foundation and a hint of pink lipstick

The star added a pair of stacked white sneakers to her look and wore her blonde hair in a ponytail

After listening to the video, Jackie exclaimed: 'I didn't realise that was a rich person's thing, spirituality?'

'Well, you wouldn't,' her co-host Kyle Sandilands, 53, replied, adding 'Who's got the time for that?'

'Normal people don't have time to wonder if the alignment of the planets might be affecting the way they feel today,' he said.

'I thought everyone's talking about this stuff!' Jackie said. 'We are always asking big questions about the universe in my group of friends.'

She completed her casually chic ensemble with a leather tote bag slung over her shoulder

Jackie and Gemma chatted as they tucked into their meals with Jackie appearing to opt for a salad

She then challenged Kyle and asked what he speaks about with his friends.

'Trump and TV. I'm a rich guy living a broke guy's socio-economic group and I prefer it that way,' he responded.

Kyle then told Jackie to 'keep [her] goals to herself' and 'don't go showing off to your friends.'

'We're not showing off!' Jackie said defensively. 'We're trying to better ourselves as humans.'

'Well how much better do you think you can get?! Where's the cut off? You lost the weight, got rid of the dumb husband, and you're killing it in your career. What else do you want?' Kyle asked.

It comes after Jackie was left 'mortified' when she realised she was having stereotypical 'rich people conversations' at dinner

Jackie: 'You can always better yourself as a person!'

'You've made yourself worse,' Kyle laughed.

The radio personality  who up until recently had a small social circle  has become a fully-fledged socialite in the last couple of years.

Jackie's friend group previously included Kyle, KIIS newsreader Brooklyn Ross, and her Besties business partner Gemma O'Neill.

Now, the blonde beauty is mixing with Australia's rich and famous, even making her way over to Europe for one of her new friend's nuptials in July.

Her close bond with P.E Nation designer Pip Edwards has also seen Jackie move in the same circles as top Sydney stylist Jess Pecoraro, make-up artist to the stars Max May, and Four Seasons condom heirs Michael and Alexander Porter.

After a luxury getaway to Greece with Gemma recently, Jackie attended the wedding of Alexander to his partner Chris Ledlin at Chateau de la Napoule in France.

In 2023, Jackie and Kyle signed a $10 million, 10-year deal with parent company ARN to take the Kyle and Jackie O radio show across Australia.

Kyle shocked radio listeners recently by claiming that the pair 'earn way more' than the reported $10 million each annually.

'It's more than that, it's more than what was reported but Jackie would rather me not bring that up. It's way more, it's a third more,' he said.

Kyle's net worth was last reported as being $40 million in 2022 and he's previously revealed that his one-year-old son, Otto, is already a millionaire.
Oasis have sent fans into a frenzy as they are set to reunite for the first time in 15 years with a 50million reunion tour around the UK and Ireland.

After weeks of growing speculation about a comeback, Noel and Liam Gallagher have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again 34 years after their first gig.

On Tuesday, the iconic Britpop band ended all speculation by confirming a string of concerts - which will not be televised - in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer.

The band have sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful of all time.

As they prepare for their mammoth comeback, we take a look at the Oasis' best moments and how they made the history books.

Oasis have sent fans into a frenzy as they are set to reunite for the first time in 15 years with a 50million reunion tour around the UK and Ireland

Debut album

Oasis signed to independent record label Creation Records in 1993 and released their record-setting debut album Definitely Maybe the following year. It topped the UK Albums Chart

The band formed in 1991 with frontman Liam asking his brother Noel to join the band a few months later.

Oasis signed to independent record label Creation Records in 1993 and released their record-setting debut album Definitely Maybe the following year.

It topped the UK Albums Chart and quickly became the fastest-selling debut album in British history at the time.

Knebworth

Oasis had only released their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe and their smash 1995 follow-up (What's the Story) Morning Glory at the time of Knebworth in 1996

The gigs saw Liam and Noel - as well as Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan and Tony McCarroll - perform for two nights in front of an audience of 125,000

Oasis had only released their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe and their smash 1995 follow-up (What's the Story) Morning Glory at the time of Knebworth in 1996.

The gigs saw Liam and Noel - as well as Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan and Tony McCarroll - perform for two nights in front of an audience of 125,000 each time, the largest outdoor concerts in UK history at the time.

Noel previously admitted he was too 'f***ing arrogant' to enjoy the famous concert, which they later named their documentary on.

He said: 'I was so f***ing arrogant at the time that it didn't really register. Genuinely. It's only since Supersonic (Oasis's 2016 documentary) and this film that you try and put yourself back in there and you get goosebumps.'

'I'm not sure there are any bands who had that lift-off like we did. We were still in the same circumstances as our audience, almost. It is a snapshot of a band, of its zenith. It is a great moment for the band.

'Morning Glory (Oasis's second album, in 1995) hadn't really taken off. We were loaded but we hadn't really got paid. You know, the f***ing chimps hadn't turned up and tigers and fur coats.'

Brit-pop chart rivalry with Blur

As fans eagerly awaited the release of Oasis' second album, a chart rivalry formed between the band and Blur (pictured Graham Coxon Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree and Alex James)

As fans eagerly awaited the release of Oasis' second album, a chart rivalry formed between the band and Blur.

Blur had found success in 1994 with Parklife and the two bands had been amicable with one another up until April in 1995.

Blur frontman Damon Albarn said a rivalry began to form when Oasis scored their first number 1 with Some Might Say.

He told the NME: 'I went to their celebration party, yknow, just to say "Well done". And Liam came over and, like he is, he goes, "Number f****n One!", right in my face. So I thought, "OK well see".'

They decided to compete with Oasis in the charts and decided to release their single Country House on the same day - August 14 1995 - as their rivals put out Roll With It.

NME called it the 'biggest chart showdown' with Blur's single Country House coming out top in the charts selling 274,000 to Oasis' 216,000.

But the chart battle only intensified with the release of their albums a month apart.

Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory? spent ten weeks at number one on the British charts.

It became one of the best-selling albums of all time and the biggest-selling album in the UK of the 1990s.

Oasis at the BRITs

The Oasis stars both have had a long history with the BRIT Awards over the years, full of many infamous drunken moments (pictured in 1996)

The Oasis stars both have had a long history with the BRIT Awards over the years, full of many infamous drunken moments.

In 1996, while accepting an award for Best New Band, Liam grabbed the microphone from award presenter Micheal Hutchence, and said: 'Right, first thing first. I heard Michael was going to give me a slap. So come on...'

Before Noel savagely added: 'Has-beens shouldn't be dishing out awards to gonna-bes.'

The warring brothers also famously mocked their Britpop rivals Blur by performing a rendition of their hit Parklife at the 1996 ceremony.

Then as the 2001 BRITs when handing an award to U2, Noel aimed a dig at band A1, saying: 'This award ceremony over the years has been accused of not having a sense of humour, but when you see A1 winning best newcomer, you know that someone's taking the p*** somewhere.'

The last concert in 2009

Noel and Liam Gallagher have not shared the same stage since a backstage fight in 2009

The group's long hiatus can be traced to an extraordinary behind-the-scenes brawl between the Gallaghers at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris on August 28, 2009.

Just before they were due on stage, founding brothers Noel and Liam traded blows in a vicious fight which saw Liam smash Noel's guitar after hearing he was quitting.

Medical staff and security were called, and Noel confirmed the gig was off - which marked the official end of Oasis who at that point had sold 50million records.

After the Oasis gig was called off, Noel posted a statement on the group's official website saying the rift with his brother Liam had become unbearable.

How the Daily Mail newspaper reported the news of Oasis breaking up on August 29, 2009

Many in the crowd at the Rock en Seine festival on August 28, 2009 thought it was a joke until screens confirmed the Oasis set had been cancelled due to 'an altercation within the band'

Noel said he was leaving 'with some sadness and great relief.' He added: 'People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer'.

In another statement a few days later, entitled 'Tales From The Middle Of Nowhere', Noel added: 'The details are not important and of too great a number to list.

'But I feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable.

'And the lack of support and understanding from my management and band mates has left me with no other option than to get me cape and seek pastures new.'

It was the second gig Oasis had cancelled in a week, after they pulled out of the V Festival in Chelmsford the previous weekend, saying Liam was suffering from viral laryngitis.

Speaking two years later in 2011, Liam told the Daily Telegraph: 'Noel was acting like a d***, I was acting like a d***. Two d***heads in a room  f***ing hell. Band over.'

Noel said in a press conference, also in 2011, that Liam was 'quite violent', adding: 'Liam does the 'F*** you and f*** you and f*** you' and he kind of storms out of the dressing room.

'On the way out he picked up a plum and he threw it across the dressing room and it smashed against the wall. Part of me wishes it did end like that, that would have been a great headline: 'Plum Throws Plum and Finishes F***ing Oasis'

'For whatever reason he went to his own dressing room and he came back with a guitar and he started wielding it like an axe - he nearly took my face off with it.

'And at that point the tour manager came in and said, 'Five minutes!'. I got in the car and I sat there for five minutes and I just said f*** it, I can't do it anymore.'

Reunion

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised'

Excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday after the pair shared the same video, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement for Tuesday 8am.

The same poster appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

The 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Despite speculation that Oasis will be on the bill at Glastonbury 2025, it's understood the band will not be performing at Worthy Farm. However, plans are underway for Oasis to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour alongside the brothers' first picture together in years, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy. The reunion comes a day before the date the band split on August 28 2009.

Tickets to see the Don't Look Back In Anger hitmakers will go on sale in the UK from 9am on August 31, while Dublin tickets will be available from 8am on the same day.

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

The announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock 'N' Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.
The Gallagher brothers kids and celebrities joined thousands of Oasis fans in voicing their excitement at the band's comeback gigs on Tuesday morning.

Liam and Noel Gallagher announced they are reuniting their iconic band and performing four huge gigs at Wembley before touring the UK next summer.

The live run will kick off on July 4 with back to back nights at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before four hometown shows at Heaton Park in Manchester.

The group will then move onto Wembley Stadium in London, and two nights at Edinburgh's Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium before bringing the tour to an end at Dublin's Croke Park.

Noel's daughter, model Anais Gallagher, 24, shared the news on her Instagram, posting photos of her dad and uncle from the nineties and declared: 'Summer 2025'.

The Gallagher brothers kids and celebrities joined thousands of Oasis fans in voicing their excitement at the band's comeback gigs on Tuesday morning

Noel's daughter, model Anais Gallagher, 24, shared the news on her Instagram, posting photos of her dad and uncle from the nineties and declared: 'Summer 2025'

She also reposted the band's announcement video and their statement: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The post marks a thawing of relations between Anais and her uncle Liam, after the Oasis frontman famously questioned the paternity of Anais, who is Noel's daughter with Meg Matthews.

The remarks in 2000 led to Noel punching his brother and splitting his lip open before he walked out on the band.

Tickets for the comeback dates go on sale from 8am on Saturday, August 31st on Seetickets, Ticketmaster and Gigsandtour.com, with Dublin tickets available an hour earlier via Ticketmaster.

Liam teased the iconic Britpop band's reunion during his headline set at Reading Festival on Sunday, before he and his older sibling, 57, revealed an announcement would be made on Tuesday 8.00am after a cryptic and identical post was shared to their social media accounts.

During his headline slot at Reading, Liam performed a number of Oasis hits from their debut album Definitely Maybe to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Introducing Half The World Away - a 1994 B-side that also featured as the theme tune to sitcom The Royle Family - he told revellers: 'I wanna dedicate this song to Noel f**king Gallagher.'

In 2000 Noel punched his brother and split his lip open after Liam questioned the paternity of Noel's child with Meg Matthews, Anais

Liam and Noel Gallagher announced they are reuniting their iconic band and perfomring four huge gigs at Wembley before touring the UK next summer

The live run will kick off on July 4 with back to back nights at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before four hometown shows at Heaton Park in Manchester

Liam continued to keep fans guessing by dedicating his rendition of Cigarettes & Alcohol at the Reading Festival to people who hate Oasis.

The track, written by his older brother, was the final single on their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe.

Oasis has been promised a payday of 50 million to reform and embark on a global tour.

The eye-watering sum is said to have convinced warring brothers Noel, 57, and Liam to bury the hatchet 15 years after they last appeared on stage together.

Celebs rushed to comment on the band's social media announcements

Their fractious relationship came to a head in 2009, after a backstage fight in Paris led to Noel leaving the band.

In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.

But after Noel's 20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band together for dates at Glastonbury and Wembley Stadium.

It is expected to be the most popular tour in British concert history, with industry insiders saying the deal negotiated between the brothers will net them 50 million.
Madeline Holtznagel let her natural beauty shine on Monday when she arrived back in Sydney with her billionaire boyfriend Justin Hemmes.

The 27-year-old model stepped out without a lick of makeup on her genetically blessed features as she donned a $360 tracksuit from Venroy.

She looked especially cosy in the white slacks and jacket which featured red panelling at the shoulders and a matching line down her legs.

Opting for comfort, the blonde beauty stepped into a pair of simple beige slides which matched the backpack she used as carry-on on Justin's private jet.

Her locks tumbled to her shoulders in their natural curl pattern as she smiled and waved at a friend while unpacking her luggage.

Meanwhile, her pub baron boyfriend, 52, opted for a very monochrome look as he slipped into a black button-up and shorts paired with white Crocs.

It comes just a few weeks after rumours surfaced Madeline is currently feuding with the ex of her model sister Simone Holtznagel.

The rift between one-time eastern suburbs 'It couple' Jono Castano and Simone, 31, took an unexpected turn earlier this month.

Madeline Holtznagel, 27, (right) let her natural beauty shine on Monday when she arrived back in Sydney with her billionaire boyfriend Justin Hemmes, 52, (left)

Jono, a celebrity personal trainer whose clients include Candice Warner and Rebel Wilson, told Daily Mail Australia at the time he split from Simone nine weeks earlier.

But in the days since the announcement, the 33-year-old owner of Sydney's trendy Acero gym has now been hit with claims he's feuding with Simone's sister Madeline.

Daily Mail Australia understands Jono's rift with Madeline stems from before he ended things with Simone and was sparked by a 'disrespectful' argument.

A source with knowledge of the feud says Jono and Madeline now 'want nothing to do with one another'.

The model stepped out without a lick of makeup on her genetically blessed features as she donned a $360 tracksuit from Venroy

While Jono and Madeline still follow each other on Instagram, they do not generally like each other's posts or interact on the social media platform.

The Holtznagel sisters have both remained notably silent on Instagram in the days since Jono confirmed his shock split from Simone.

Despite the alleged estrangement, Simone remains on good terms with her sister Madeline and the siblings are frequently seen spending time together.

Jono and Simone are said to have split just weeks after they welcomed their newborn daughter Gia to the world on Easter Sunday.
Richard Madeley halted Good Morning Britain on Tuesday to announce the 'biggest showbiz news of the year.'

Admitting he had been 'counting down to this moment' the presenter, 68, paused the show in line with Liam and Noel Gallagher's 8am announcement.

After weeks of growing speculation about an Oasis comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their long-standing feud to one side to return to the stage.

Confirming the news during the ITV programme, presenter Charlotte Hawkins, then explained they had reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland.

'That is the breaking news,' she said.

Richard Madeley halted Good Morning Britain on Tuesday to announce the 'biggest showbiz news of the year'

'We've been counting down to the moment, haven't we, at 8 o'clock, when we knew Oasis were going to announce something. They've revealed news of a huge UK tour, the news is that Oasis are reuniting for 2025.'

Charlotte then read the band's statement: 'Oasis said, "The guns have fallen silent, the stars have aligned, the great wait is over. Come see  it will not be televised.'"

Excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday after the pair shared the same video, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement for Tuesday 8am.

The same poster appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

And this morning, the iconic Britpop band ended all speculation by confirming a string of gigs - which will not be televised - in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer.

The 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Despite speculation that Oasis will be on the bill at Glastonbury 2025, it's understood the band will not be performing at Worthy Farm.

However, plans are underway for Oasis to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Admitting he had been 'counting down to this moment' the presenter, 68, paused the show in line with Liam and Noel Gallagher 's 8am announcement

After weeks of growing speculation about an Oasis comeback, the Manchester brothers have finally put their long-standing feud to one side to return to the stage

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy. The reunion comes a day before the date the band split on August 28 2009.

Tickets to see the Don't Look Back In Anger hitmakers will go on sale in the UK from 9am on August 31, while Dublin tickets will be available from 8am on the same day.

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.
August 27, 2024: The United States recently sold 1,200 Switchblade 300 and ALTIUS 600M loitering munitions to Taiwan. These drones can be used for surveillance or, when equipped with a warhead, as attack munitions. Taiwan is apparently going to store many of these drones on Taiwanese islands very close to the Chinese coast. From there Taiwanese forces could launch these drones against nearby Chinese ports and military bases. These drones fly low, slow and quietly, making them difficult to detect and intercept with radar or even visually if the attack is made at night or when there is a coastal fog. In effect, if Taiwan deployed over a thousand of these drones against attacking Chinese ships that would face a wall of small, elusive drones that could damage the topside weapons and equipment on these ships. Taiwan can add to that sea level drones that hit ships at the water line and explode, causing ships to take on water and be in danger of sinking.

Many of these drones have already been used in combat and have been used a lot. This is happening in Ukraine. Noting the success of the Switchblade loitering munition in Ukraine, the U.S. has ordered thousands more sent to Ukrainian forces. At the same time the American army and marines are planning to issue more of these lightweight weapons to their own troops for use as a standard weapon, like existing rocket launchers and portable anti-tank weapons.

The ALTIUS 600M loitering munition is a recent development. It weighs 13 kg and has a range of 440 kilometers. It can loiter for up to four hours waiting for a suitable target to appear and be attacked. ALTIUS has the propeller in the rear, leaving the front of the drone video camera an unobstructed view. ALTIUS can be equipped with several different explosive warhead types, including submunitions and anti-tank options. ALTIUS can be launched from the ground or from the air, usually on larger drones like the 4.7-ton MQ-9 Reaper.

Ukrainian forces found Switchblade less effective than drones developed and built locally. The Ukrainians were dealing with a resourceful enemy and the Russian were already using several forms of jamming against Ukrainian drones. The $1,300 Switchblades needed several upgrades to be competitive with existing Ukrainian drones. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces are using cheap, about $500 each quadcopter drones controlled by soldiers a kilometer or more away, who use FPV (First Person Viewing) goggles to see what the day/night video camera on the drone can see. Adding night vision doubles the cost for each drone, so not all of them have that capability. Each of these drones carries half a kilogram of explosives, so it can instantly turn the drone into a flying bomb that can fly into a target and detonate. This is an awesome and debilitating weapon when used in large numbers over the combat zone. If a target isnt moving or requires more explosive power that the drones can supply, one of the drone operators can call in artillery, rocket, or missile fire, or even an airstrike.

A major limitation is the need for trained drone operators. These troops need over a hundred hours of training before they are able to start operating these drones, and another hundred hours of actual use before they are able to make the most out of the system. These drones are difficult to shoot down until they get close to the ground and the shooter is close enough, as in less than a few hundred meters, to successfully target a drone with a bullet or two and bring it down. Troops are rarely in position to do this, so most of these drones are able to complete their mission, whether it is a one-way attack or a reconnaissance and surveillance mission. The recon missions are usually survivable and enable the drone to be reused. All these drones are constantly performing surveillance, which means that either side can commit enough drones to maintain constant surveillance over a portion of the front line, to a depth, into enemy territory, of at least a few kilometers.

This massive use of FPV-armed drones has revolutionized warfare in Ukraine and both sides are producing as many as they can. Not having enough of these to match the number the enemy has in a portion of the front means you are at a serious disadvantage in that area. These drones are still evolving in terms of design and use and becoming more effective and essential. Currently most of the battlefield casualties in Ukraine are caused by armed drones.

One countermeasure that can work for a while is electronic jamming of drone remote control signals. Drone guidance systems are constantly modified or upgraded to cope with this. Most drones have flight control software that sends drones with jammed control signals back to where they took off from to land and await. The jammers are on the ground and can be attacked by drones programmed to home in on the jamming signal and detonate their explosives on the source of the jamming signal. Another approach was used by the Russians, who were found to have attached a thin control cable over a kilometer long to a drone, making it impossible to jam. As a result, even countermeasures can be overcome and the side that can do this more quickly and completely has an advantage. That advantage is usually temporary because both sides are putting a lot of effort into keeping their combat drones effective on the battlefield. The more expensive Switchblade loitering munition has much less combat experience and, until Ukraine, none against an enemy like Russia with similar development and manufacturing capabilities.

Switchblade 600 entered service in 2020. While the original Switchblade 300 weighed 2.7 kg, Switchblade 600 was ten times heavier at 23 kg, could stay in the air for 40 minutes and be controlled up to 80 kilometers from the operator. Top speed is 180 kilometers an hour and more economical cruise speed is closer to 150 kilometers an hour at altitudes of under 100-150 meters. The heavier warhead could destroy most tanks, although some modern tank designs include protection from top attack.

Switchblade 600 was requested by the U.S. Army for longer range surveillance missions and the option to hit specific small targets, like a building or enemy position. Unlike the earlier Switchblades, the 600 uses a tablet controller with more options, including manipulating the more powerful video camera. Video transmitted back to the operator can be saved and passed on to other drones. The operator also has a wave off feature in which a quick tap on the controller screen can cause the 600 to abort an attack and be available for another try. The 600 can be programmed to carry out a mission without operator control. This means there is no control signal for enemy electronic warning systems to detect or jam. In this case when time is up the 600 self-destructs. The 600 can be carried into a remote area and used quickly. This is what Ukrainian troops discovered and they used their Switchblade 600 very successfully and requested a lot more of them. This also persuaded the U.S. Army to issue Switchblade 600s to troops as a basic item of equipment and instruct soldiers on how to use these drones for reconnaissance and combat.

The marines were also early and enthusiastic users of Switchblade and found that it could be launched from the rear ramp of an MV-22 tilt-wing transport and carry out aerial reconnaissance for the marines as well as for attacking targets.

The original Switchblade was a small drone fired, like all Switchblades, from its shipping tube container. Switchblade was sent to Afghanistan in 2009 for secret field testing. This was very successful and the troops demanded more, a lot more. Switchblade completed development later in 2009 and was initially thought useful only for special operations troops. In 2011, after a year of successful field testing, the army ordered over a hundred Switchblades for general troop use and since then has ordered thousands more.

While Switchblade was developed for the army, the marines apparently noted the success that soldiers and SOCOM (Special Operations Command) had with this system and ordered them as well. Switchblade was very popular with troops in Afghanistan and with SOCOM in all sorts of places they wont discuss in detail. Switchblade is still used and thousands have been ordered and many of them used. There have been several upgrades

The original Switchblade was a lightweight, used only once drone that could also be equipped with explosives. The Switchblade was launched from its shipping and storage tube, at which point wings flip out, a battery-powered propeller starts spinning and a vidcam begins broadcasting images to the controller. The Switchblade is operated using the same controller as the larger two kg Raven drone. A complete Switchblade 300 system, with a missile, container, and controller weighed 5.5 kg.

Moving up to a kilometer a minute, the Switchblade could stay in the air for 20-40 minutes, depending on whether or not it is armed with explosives. Switchblade can operate up to ten kilometers from the operator. The armed version can be flown to a target and detonated, having about the same explosive effect as a hand grenade. Thus, Switchblade enables ground troops to get at an enemy taking cover in a hard to see location.

Technically a guided missile, the use of Switchblade as a reconnaissance tool encouraged developers to refer to it as a drone. But because of the warhead option, and its slow speed, Switchblade also functions like a rather small cruise missile. The troops were particularly enthusiastic about the armed version because it allowed them to more quickly take out snipers or a few bad guys in a compound full of civilians.

Switchblade has been so successful that the army ordered several upgrades and this updated Switchblade was renamed Switchblade 300. The new version appeared in 2016. It was a heavier 2.7 kg drone with 15 minutes endurance and a 10-kilometer range. The sensor has night vision and is stabilized. The 300 could lock onto a target and track it. The 300 came with optional accessories, like a six-pack launcher that is used as part of base defense. This was first used for base protection in 2019 and proved useful. One or more of these six packs are placed near the base perimeter and power is maintained with a solar panel. The base security commander could order a Switchblade to be launched from the six-pack and control it as it searches for a potential target. Switchblade 300 was also capable of being used from a helicopter or larger drone and controlled from the helicopter or by the operator of the larger drone like a MQ-9 Reaper.
Made in Bondi has been slammed by Sydney locals who don't think the Channel Seven reality series does Bondi Beach any favours.

Residents of the area told Yahoo this week that they're upset by how the beachside suburb is being portrayed.

'Bondi isn't defined by a handful of cosmetically enhanced, entitled rich kids wanting attention,' local Jake Leech told the publication.

Another local called Jean said: 'The last thing Bondi needs is more unrealistic media reinforcing these stereotypes [that everybody is an influencer here].

'This is one of the most diverse suburbs in Sydney with such a strong sense of community but that is never highlighted.'

Yet another resident quipped: 'The real elite wouldn't be caught dead doing this'.

It comes after news the majority of the show's cast aren't from the iconic beachside suburb.

According to Seven, the reality TV series 'follows the real lives and loves of young Sydney socialites living in the affluent Eastern Suburbs and the most famous beach in the world  Bondi.'

Made in Bondi has been slammed by Sydney locals who don't think the Channel Seven reality series does Bondi Beach any favours. Pictured: The cast

However, it appears that most of the cast members aren't actually from Bondi, or even Sydney.

'Producers tried hard to get actual Bondi locals with a profile on board, but they didn't have much luck,' a source disclosed told The Sunday Telegraph.

Instead, the cast includes: Bella Salerno, 23, who spent much of her childhood in Europe; Molly Paradice, 23, from Scone in country NSW and Isabella Cicero, 31, a content creator from Perth.

Pippa Hanan, 22, from Paddington, publicist Billy Daniels, 32, who moved from Perth to Paddington, and model Lachlan McLean, 27, from Sydney's northern beaches also appear in the series.

Residents of the area told Yahoo this week that they're upset by how the beachside suburb is being portrayed. Pictured: Bondi Beach

Jewellery designer Emma Pillemer, 22, is believed to be the only cast member genuinely raised in Bondi.

On set sources also claim that the majority of the filming took place in Brighton Le Sands, approximately 30 minutes from Bondi Beach.

'They're clearly not targeting an Australian audience,' one insider remarked. 'This show is aimed at the international market, who won't know the difference.'

Participants were also reportedly paid as little as $240 for a day on set.

In stark contrast, the Real Housewives of Sydney cast have contracts worth between $30,000 and $50,000.

It appears that most of the cast members aren't actually from Bondi, or even Sydney. Pictured: Emma Pillemer, who is is believed to be the only cast member genuinely raised in Bondi

Born and raised in the Eastern Suburbs, Lawson Mahoney (pictured) attended the renowned private all-boys school, The Scots College

Producers initially aimed high, trying to recruit model Montana Cox, fashion designer Sophie Coote, Pilates instructor Bernadette Fahey, and socialites Andy El-Bayeh and his wife Harriet Williams.

When these efforts didn't pan out, they had to settle for a mix of influencers and socialites from various parts of Australia and beyond.

With a title suggesting local glamour and beachside living, Made in Bondi might just surprise viewers with its unexpected cast and filming locations.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.
Dumped KIIS FM stars Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips have revealed how they coped when they lost their jobs.

The pair have had the ultimate revenge by topping the Melbourne radio ratings and are celebrating after a dark period.

The duo's Melbourne breakfast show was axed last year to make way for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson's big expansion into the city from Sydney.

Amid the competition, the Jase and Lauren Show, which now airs on rival network Nova FM, has been crowned Melbourne's most listened to breakfast program.

'I was a mess the end of last year. You guys know what this industry is like,' Jase told The Project on Tuesday.

'To get a team where you get along so well and you're so proud of the product you are putting out, it is so rare in this industry. So, for me I was gutted. I felt like, we're just getting started.'

Lauren chimed in: 'I think we thought the fairytale for us was getting a second chance and going to Nova.

'Today is like a little cherry on top. We were pretty graceful in defeat. We accepted the fact we'd been replaced by what we were told was a much better product than us. Being told you're not good enough puts fire in your belly,' she continued.

Dumped KIIS FM stars Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips have revealed how they coped when they lost their jobs. Both pictured

'Today's been a nice day for us to get to number one. To celebrate with the team.'

When asked about their rivals Kyle and Jackie 'O', the pair were humble and graceful.

'We've always just run our own race. Everyone is talking about this Melbourne radio war. We a have done our own thing,' Jase said.

The comedic chat show has taken home the coveted number one spot in the newly-released 5th radio ratings survey results for 2024 from GFK.

Jase and Lauren's popular program gained 0.3 points and rose to 9.9 per cent in audience share, giving it a clear lead over rivals The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

The pair have had the ultimate revenge by topping the Melbourne radio ratings and are celebrating after a dark period

Kyle and Jackie O trailed significantly at a 6.1 per cent share, after its premiere in Melbourne on April 29, and was the city's fifth most listened to breakfast show.

However, Melbourne newcomers Kyle and Jackie O still marked a slight rise in the city's ratings, from 5.9 to 6.1 per cent.

Fox FM's Fifi, Fev and Nick was the runner-up with a 9.6 per cent audience share while Gold FM's Christian O'Connell was in third place.

Kyle and Jackie O took their breakfast radio show to Melbourne in April in a huge multimillion-dollar expansion deal, which triggered the axing of Jase and Lauren's KIIS FM breakfast show.

The Jase and Lauren Show, which now airs on rival network Nova FM, has been crowned Melbourne's most listened to breakfast program, beating Kyle and Jackie O (pictured)

At the time, an unapologetic Kyle said he felt indifferent to his competitors being sacked as it ultimately came down to who was attracting the most listeners.

'No, I don't care. That's why we went for Melbourne, we were like, 'We've given this Jase and Lauren on KIIS FM a good run, it can't get over fourth in the radio ratings, so we'll take it',' he told news.com.au.

Despite being beaten in the Melbourne ratings, The Kyle and Jackie O Show once again helped KIIS FM claim the top spot as the city's most listened to radio station.

The popular breakfast show attracted a weekly cumulative audience of 750,000 listeners across Sydney - up by over 50,000 people from the prior survey.

Duncan Campbell, ARN Chief Content Officer, paid tribute to Kyle and Jackie O's success in a statement.

'They continue to prove why they're recognised as one of the best breakfast shows in the world, attracting over 1.24 million listeners each week, achieving their 45th consecutive survey at #1 in Sydney and showing promising growth in Melbourne.

'Their rise in share in Melbourne is what we anticipated and reflects what we are seeing in our internal tracking. Building momentum in new markets requires time, and we remain confident in our long-term growth strategy.'
Oasis are set for an emotional homecoming as part of their epic comeback tour next summer.

Warring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

And the Burnage-raised siblings will head to Manchester for what is set to be a biblical homecoming back at Heaton Park - 16 years after last performing there.

They will play four nights at the park - across two epic weekends in the summer as part of what is expected to be a 400million tour.

The dates announced on Tuesday for Manchester are on Friday July 11, Saturday July 12 and then the following weekend on Friday July 19 and Sunday July 20.

Oasis will play Manchester's Heaton Park for the first time in 16 years as part of their historic comeback tour in 2025 (Liam seen playing the venue in 2009)

Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher will play four nights at the park - across two epic weekends in the summer as part of what is expected to be a 400million tour

Oasis last played Heaton Park in June 2009 with three memorable gigs just before they split and are openly proud of their Manchester roots.

Among their final gigs together Oasis played the three sold-out dates at Heaton Park in before months of explosive rows, show cancellations and backstage fights signalled the end.

Soon after Noel released a statement on their official website saying he could 'not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

On Tuesday Liam and Noel sensationally confirmed that Oasis - one of the biggest bands in British music history - have reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland.

Excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday after the pair shared the same video, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement for Tuesday 8am.

The same poster appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

And on Tuesday morning, the iconic Britpop band ended all speculation by confirming a string of gigs - which will not be televised - in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin for next summer.

The 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin.

Oasis last played Heaton Park in June 2009 with three memorable gigs just before they split and are openly proud of their Manchester roots

The dates announced on Tuesday for Manchester are on Friday July 11, Saturday July 12 and then the following weekend on Friday July 19 and Sunday July 20

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour today, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised'

Despite speculation that Oasis will be on the bill at Glastonbury 2025, it's understood the band will not be performing at Worthy Farm. However, plans are underway for Oasis to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Announcing the Oasis Live 25 tour alongside the brothers' first picture together in years, the legendary band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy.

The reunion comes a day before the date the band split on August 28 2009.

Tickets to see the Don't Look Back In Anger hitmakers will go on sale in the UK from 9am on August 31, while Dublin tickets will be available from 8am on the same day.

Oasis fans have hailed it as the 'ticket bloodbath of the century' and have vowed 'to go to war' to get their hands on them. Others have fumed that it is set to be a complete 'free-for-all' because there appears to be no pre-sale links and it is simply one big general sale.

It's understood the brothers buried the hatchet during a late night phone call to embark on a 50million reunion tour.

Today's announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasis's debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock 'N' Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Their last concert together was at V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, in August 2009. Days later, they cancelled the headline gig at the Rock en Seine festival following the argument.

Noel explained at the time: 'It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.'

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs

These are the shows that Oasis will be performing at. It's understood Glastonbury is not on the cards

The Oasis website crashed instantly after the comeback tour was announced at 8am this morning

Oasis had teased fans with this post in which they said an announcement was coming on 27 August at 8am

In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.

But after Noel's 20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band back together.

According to The Sun, the pair reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows.

Staff present even reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements in a bid to keep it under wraps. MailOnline contacted Noel and Liam's reps for comment.
Nick Grimshaw looked downcast as he as he stepped out in London on Tuesday after his Ibiza villa was ransacked by masked thieves earlier this week.

The former BBC Radio 1 presenter and his 81-year-old mother were gassed as they slept before raiders ransacked their rented holiday apartment on the party island, MailOnline previously revealed.

The star had rented the villa to celebrate his 40th birthday with his family but the property was targeted by the gang who have hit a number of properties occupied by wealthy tourists on the island since last year.

And as he was seen after the incident back in the UK on Tuesday getting back to normality and looked sombre.

He looked typically stylish in a denim jacket and dark trousers and had his headphones in as he headed out.

Nick Grimshaw looked downcast as he as he stepped out in London on Tuesday after his Ibiza villa was ransacked by masked thieves earlier this week

The former BBC Radio 1 presenter and his 81-year-old mother were gassed as they slept before raiders ransacked their rented holiday apartment on the party island, MailOnline revealed

Nick and his mum Eileen were sedated after the gang pumped a sedative gas into the property where the star was sleeping - and waited for it to take effect before they broke in wearing hazmat suits and turned the villa over.

No one is said to have been hurt in the incident, although it is believed some items were stolen in the raid.

A source said the gang would have had no idea who Nick was but the villa was on a target list as it was known to be 'used by high net worth clients'.

'Sadly it's a case of the wrong place at the wrong time but it's scary to say the least,' they said.

'Nick was obviously upset but thought best to keep things off social media.'

Prior to the incident Nick was seen last week pictured in Ibiza enjoying a night out with his niece Liv and fiance Mesh Henry where they ate ice creams.

It has since been revealed Nick's villa was on the target list of a sedative gas gang, with the same gang thought to have carried out similar attacks by pumping sedative gas into a property and then breaking in wearing hazmat suits.

Other celebrities claim to have been targeted in similar raids in the past with Richard Hammond and Jenson Button amongst those to have revealed their ordeals.

And as he was seen after the incident back in the UK on Tuesday getting back to normality and looked sombre

Nick and his mum Eileen were sedated after the gang pumped a sedative gas into the property where the star was sleeping - and waited for it to take effect before they broke in wearing hazmat suits and turned the villa over (pictured in London in February 2017)

Prior to the incident Nick was seen last week pictured in Ibiza enjoying a night out with his niece Liv and fiance Mesh Henry where they ate ice creams

Former Top Gear host Richard and his wife Mindy were gassed before being burgled as they slept in their Saint Tropez villa in 2018.

Richard, Mindy, and 15 other guests were targeted by raiders who used anesthetic gas to knock them out before rifling through rooms for cash and jewellery.

Meanwhile Jenson and his ex wife Jessica were with friends in St Tropez in 2015 when thieves broke in and stole valuables worth 300,000 including Mrs Button's engagement ring, believed to be worth 250,000.

It was claimed the Formula One driver, then 35, and his wife may have been knocked out by gas pumped into the house through air conditioning units.

A source close to Button said the Grand Prix star was 'convinced' that's what happened.

They added that Button and his friends weren't disturbed during the raid as the effects of the gas gave the burglars 'free rein'.
Wendy Williams looked happy and relaxed as she was pictured in public for the first time in over a year during a shopping trip at a herbal supplement store in Newark, New Jersey earlier this month.

The talk show host, who turned 60 in July, posed for a photo with one of the owners of African Bio Mineral Cell Food, Victor Bowman, on August 18, and looked like her usual glamorous self as she clutched a bouquet of flowers and smiled for the camera.

Wendy hasn't been seen in public since May 2023, which is when she was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. The diagnosis came one year after Wendy was placed under a court-ordered legal guardianship that oversees both her finances and health.

New York lawyer Sabrina Morrissey was assigned as her guardian after Wells Fargo froze her accounts in 2022, as a result of her financial adviser at the time claiming that she was of 'unsound mind.'

Despite Wendy's relatives claiming in July that they were denied contact with her, she was evidently on the New Jersey outing with her only child, Kevin Hunter Jr., who also posed for a photo with Victor.

Wendy Williams has been spotted in public for the first time in over a year at a herbal supplement shop in Newark, New Jersey

Victor Bowman, who works at the herbal store, also posed for a picture with Wendy's son Kevin Hunter Jr. (right)

Wendy flaunted her bare legs in a blue button-up dress, which she teamed with a pair of chunky white moon boots, bright pink lipstick and matching nail polish. She wore her hair down and was sporting bangs as she wrapped her arm around the man's waist.

The post was captioned: 'Much love to Wendy Williams and her son @topfloor_kev I remember when I met Kevin in Usha village, my dad told me I want you to meet Wendy's son. At that time, we were the only ones of the same age in Usha.'

And people were quick to comment on it.

'This makes me smile,' one person wrote, while another said: 'So glad to see this....'

A third fan commented: 'Wendy looks good! God bless her,' while a fourth said: 'Yes please get her back healthy we miss the old Wendy.'

'This is so wholesome, her story has been heartbreaking...,' another person claimed, while someone else wrote: 'Yes!! So happy for her!'

According to The US Sun, the store's manager said of Wendy and Kevin's visit: 'When they came, they didn't ask for specific things, and they were talking about health and wellness.

'Wendy did mention how she wanted to detox more herself. It was like she wanted to learn more about the products before she jumped in, so we are expecting to have her back so we can go more in-depth. This was kind of an icebreaker.'

'She did mention she is dealing with brain fog as well, and that she wanted to get more mental clarity,' he continued.

A documentary chronicling Wendy's life since 2022, Where Is Wendy Williams? aired on Lifetime in February 2024

Fans were concerned as the four-part series showed Wendy downing a bottle of vodka and crying

'She also said she is dealing with stress, because who's not battling that, but she didn't go in much more detail on that. She also mentioned she wanted to work on her circulation.'

The store manager also said that it seemed Wendy had gotten care elsewhere, as he added: 'Whatever type of care she was getting, which she didn't describe - it seems like she's definitely looking into other stuff and wanting to learn more.'

Fans were left feeling concerned for Wendy when a documentary chronicling her life since 2022, aired on Lifetime in February 2024.

In March, it was reported that Wendy was allegedly paid $100,000 per episode for her involvement in the four-part docuseries titled Where Is Wendy Williams?

At the same time, it was revealed that Wendy's guardian had filed a lawsuit against the parent company of Lifetime, A&E Television Networks with allegations of 'blatant exploitation' in 'disgusting' fashion.

The guardian, Sabrina, filed the lawsuit under temporary seal (which keeps details in the case protected from the public) last month, but the docs were unsealed and reviewed Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter, revealing explosive accusations in the case.

'This blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition who is beloved by millions within and outside of the African American community is disgusting, and it cannot be allowed,' the legal team for Williams' guardian told the court.

Sabrina told the court that the talk show host 'did not have the capacity to consent,' according to THR, and producers did not get her consent, as her court-appointed guardian, to produce it.

Williams was misled by producers into thinking that the documentary would be a 'positive and beneficial' project for her public image and reputation, the suit stated.
Monica Bellucci looked effortlessly chic as she walked hand in hand with Tim Burton in Venice on Tuesday ahead of the city's annual Film Festival which begins on Wednesday.

The Italian actress, 59, looked effortlessly chic as she opted for a white blazer and trouser suit which she wore over a simple black blouse.

Completing her look with some large black sunglasses and a matching white leather bag, the pair looked in great spirits as they waved from the boat ahead of Tim's Beetlejuice opening on Wednesday.

Meanwhile the American director and film producer, 66, looked to be embracing his inner rock star as he arrived in an all black suit, shirt and matching hat.

He accessorised his dapper appearance with some blue lens sunglasses and black suede trainers.

Monica Bellucci looked effortlessly chic as she walked hand-in-hand with Tim Burton at Venice Film Festival on Tuesday ahead of the Beetlejuice screening

The American director and film producer, 66, looked to be embracing his inner rock star as he arrived in an all black suit, shirt and matching hat

The couple have been to first met 16 years ago but are said to have started dating after seeing one another at the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon in October 2022.

Monica confirmed their relationship in June of the following year as she told Elle France: 'What I can say... I'm glad I met the man, first of all.'

'It's one of those encounters that rarely happens in life... I know the man, I love him, and now I'm going to meet the director, another adventure begins.'

She added: 'I love Tim. And I have great respect for Tim Burton.'

Monica is also starring in the new Beetlejuice film alongside Jenna Ortega, Micheal Keaton and Winona Ryder.

Earlier on Tuesday, Jenna was also seen arriving in Venice as she wore a gorgeous a pleated miniskirt and checked blazer.

Her onscreen mother in the movie Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia, was also spotted arriving but hid her face under a visor hat.

Sigourney Weaver also arrived for the festival as she happily greeted fans, whilst looking chic in a pair of white wide-legged trousers and a boater hat.

The Italian actress, 59, looked effortlessly chic as she opted for a white blazer and trouser suit which she wore over a simple black blouse

Completing her look with some large black sunglasses and a matching white leather bag, the pair looked in great spirits as they waved from the boat

Earlier on Tuesday, Jenna Ortega was also seen arriving in Venice as she wore a gorgeous a pleated miniskirt and checked blazer

Sigourney will receive the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award during the festival

Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will open the festival on August 28.

Jenna recently opened up about what it was like meeting Winona Ryder for the first time on the set of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

The Wednesday star, 21, plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Ryder's, 52, Lydia Deetz in the film.

'She was so warm and welcoming and kind and inviting right from the jump, and I couldn't be more grateful,' Ortega explained in an interview with the New York Times.

'It was at a time where my career was taking a different turn, and I didn't realize that I needed that from somebody who could relate, but I did,' she said, adding that she was in a 'transformative' period in her life after shooting to overnight superstardom on Netflix's Wednesday.

'The way Winona and I got along was quite weird. It was like we were reading each other's minds a little bit,' she added.

Sigourney meanwhile will receive the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award during the festival.

Sigourney said ahead of receiving the prize: 'I am truly honored to receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from La Biennale di Venezia.'

Jenna's onscreen mother in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia, was also spotted arriving but hid her face under a visor hat

Winona clutched a bottle of water as she tried to keep a low profile in her visor

She was given a helping hand at the pier as she headed to her first stop of the day

'To be gifted this award is a privilege I share with all the filmmakers and collaborators I have worked with throughout the years. I proudly accept this award in celebration of all who have helped bring these films to life.'

The 81st Venice International Film Festival is organised by La Biennale di Venezia and will be held on the Lido di Venezia from 28 August to 7 September 2024.

As well as Sigourney and the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast there is an array of A-listers expected to descend on Venice over the coming days.

George Clooney is already in town, alongside his wife Amal, for the debut of his anticipated new movie Wolfs - the Jon Watts-directed heist thriller that reunites him with Oceans 11 co-star Brad Pitt.

Both George and Brad will be attendance at the September 1 screening.

Jenna, who stars in the Beetlejuice sequel which will open the festival, looked gorgeous in a pleated miniskirt and checked blazer as she arrived

The Wednesday star was given a helping hand onto her boat to take her to her first stop

Jenna was in great spirits ahead of her night on the red carpet on Wednesday

Brad's ex wife Angelina Jolie is also due in Venice to promote the film Maria, in which she plays opera legend Maria Callas.

Sources indicate that the schedules have been arranged so that the warring couple - who continue to be embroiled in legal action eight years after they split - will not be at the film festival at the same time.

Another major screening is Joker: Folie a Deux on September 4. The premiere of the sequel will welcome stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga to the Venice red carpet.

Sigourney Weaver meanwhile happily greeted fans, whilst looking chic in a blazer

Sigourney added some chic accessorises to her look with her Chanel belt and bag

Sigourney said ahead of receiving the prize: 'I am truly honored to receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from La Biennale di Venezia

'To be gifted this award is a privilege I share with all the filmmakers and collaborators I have worked with throughout the years'

Patroness of the festival, Italian actress Sveva Alviti arrived at the Excelsior pier

Top model Izabel Goulart looked gorgeous in her white crop top and blazer for her arrival

Daniel Craig will also be at the festival to promote his movie Queer, which screens on September 3.

Venice regulars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton are in town for Pedro Almodovars English-language debut The Room Next Door while Nicole Kidman is screening her erotic thriller Babygirl on August 30.

Pupi Avati's The American Backyard will close the festival on September 7.
Tom Daley auctioned off a pair of his swimming trunks on Sunday for 10,000 after announcing his retirement from diving.

The Olympic medallist, 30, put his hand-crocheted trunks on eBay and and fans immediately flooded to the site.

His passion project received a total of 112 bids and managed to raise a staggering amount of money for charity.

The crochet swimming trunks were made in partnership with drinks brand Malibu and the Royal Life Saving Society UK.

The tiny pair of swimming briefs feature the phrase: 'Don't drink and dive' in white writing and include a Malibu branded label.

Tom Daley has auctioned off a pair of his swimming trunks on Sunday for 10,000 after announcing his retirement from diving

The crochet swimming trunks were made in partnership with drinks brand Malibu and the Royal Life Saving Society UK

Tom took to Instagram to share his campaign with his 4million Instagram followers on Monday - showcasing billboards from around the UK showing off his tiny swimming trunks

The five-time Olympic diver created the limited edition swimming trunks in an effort to raise awareness for alcohol-related deaths in and around water.

All proceeds from the auction went to the Royal Life Saving Society UK which works to improve safety and education around water.

Fans flocked to the auction site to bid on the limited edition crotchet piece with the lucky winner spending a small fortune in order to get their hands on the trunks.

On Monday Tom, who is a keen knitter and even released a practical guide on knitting, took to Instagram to share his campaign with his 4million Instagram followers.

The athlete posted several snaps of his billboard advert from around the UK.

The boards showed a picture of Tom's bottom in a pair of his knitted briefs, showing off the tagline: 'Don't drink and dive', in front of a pool.

He captioned the Instagram post: 'My bum was on billboards all around the UK, in some of the locations where most alcohol-related, accidental drownings happen

'Remember everyone: #dontdrinkanddive

'@maliburumuk @malibu_rum @rlssuk'

Tom is a keen knitter and was spotted working away on a Paris-themed jumper while watching the diving and has even released a practical guide on knitting (pictured Paris August 2024)

The medal-winner announced his retirement just two weeks after his final competition and he told Vogue: 'It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive'

The diver called time on his career after bursting on to the scene in 2008, aged just 14

Earlier this month the father-of-two took to Brighton beach to model his swimming trunks alongside a giant sign that read '1 in 4' and referenced the number of water-related deaths linked to alcohol.

He said of his campaign: 'I've always loved being in the water, but maybe more than most, I also understand its power and the need to respect it to stay safe.

'I'm proud to be working to get this message out there. Stay safe and 'Don't Drink and Dive'!'

The briefs were made as part of Tom's Made With Love clothing line and it appears his knitting may well may well become a part of his post-diving career, as his capsule collection  of bucket hats, briefs, sliders and sunglasses  are available to buy on his website, with proceeds going to RLSS UK. They are available to buy from 30 to 60.

The diver called time on his career after bursting on to the scene in 2008, aged just 14.

He has since competed in every Olympics and was the UK's flag bearer at the Paris games.

He announced his retirement just two weeks after his final competition and he told Vogue: 'It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive.

Earlier this month the father-of-two took to Brighton beach to model his swimming trunks alongside a giant sign that read '1 in 4' and referenced the number of water-related deaths linked to alcohol

Tom pictured with his husband Dustin Lance Black who he married in 2017 after first meeting in 2013

Tom is now the UK's most decorated diver (pictured during one of his dives at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris)

But I have to make the decision at some point, and it feels like the right time to call it a day.

'I've spent my whole life doing this and being able to let go of it is going to be hard. It's going to be a major adjustment.

'I would love for people to remember me for being a person that persevered, who persisted and didn't give up on his dream until he was able to achieve it.

'To currently be Britain's most decorated diver, I feel so incredibly proud. When I look back, I'm really, genuinely satisfied with what I've done.'
Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila shocked fans by posing pant-less on Tuesday.

The How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days star, 54  who admitted to using special ointment to stimulate hair growth  took to Instagram to promote he and his wife's, 41, liquor brand Pantalones Organic Tequila by stripping down in a cheeky snap.

Pantalones directly translates to 'pants' in Spanish but is also cultural slang for 'guts.'

The actor rocked a blue button up shirt, work boots, protective glasses and a backwards cap while baring his bottom as he cut grass.

His Brazilian wife, 41, matched him in a denim button up, work boots, cap and protective eyewear while looking back at the Interstellar star's bottom.

Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila took to Instagram to promote their liquor brand Pantalones Organic Tequila by stripping down in a cheeky snap

'Trim grass, raise glass,' he wrote in the caption of the joint post, tying in the snap with the alcoholic beverage

Matthew and Camila's bottoms were censored to protect their modesty.

'Trim grass, raise glass,' he wrote in the caption of the joint post, tying the snap with their alcoholic beverage brand.

And this isn't the first time the couple had been a tease and ditched their trousers to promote their liquor line.

The post was a hit with their followers, racking up over 45k likes and hundreds of comments from stunned fans.

One follower poked fun at the pair, writing, 'A normal day at the McConaughey's.' The Pantalones brand account chimed in, 'Mow the merrier.'

Matthew and Camila launched Pantalones Organic Tequila in October 2023 and make the liquor from from 100% blue Weber agave at a family-owned distillery in Jalisco, Mexico.

The couple previously expressed in their brand's press release: 'We're precious about our tequila - not our pants. With the explosion in popularity of tequila, there's a level of snootiness that's crept into the category.

'People now talk about tequila the way they talk about wine. While we're all for being passionate about tequila, we wanted to remind people that, above all, it's meant to be fun.

'That's where the name Pantalones came from and that's why you won't see us wearing any,' it read.

And per the press release, the brand is is committed to standing up for labor and environmental rights.

It read: 'Pantalones Organic Tequila is born from the earth, nurtured by the hands of fourth generation agave growers, and produced in a certified organic family-owned distillery in Amatitan, Jalisco.'

Matthew and Camila launched Pantalones Organic Tequila in October 2023; Matthew seen in 2024

The couple previously expressed in their brand's press release: 'We're precious about our tequila - not our pants'; seen in 2024

And this isn't the first time the couple had been a tease and ditched their trousers to promote their liquor line; Matthew and Camila seen in June 2024

'We wanted to remind people that, above all, it's meant to be fun. That's where the name Pantalones came from and that's why you won't see us wearing any,' the release read; Matthew and Camila seen in June 2024

The brand is is committed to standing up for labor and environmental rights; Matthew and Camila seen in June 2024

The release also said: 'Pantalones Organic Tequila is dedicated to creating a positive ripple effect for our earth and communities [and is] already a proud member of one per cent'; Camila and Matthew seen in June 2024

The release also said: 'Pantalones Organic Tequila is dedicated to creating a positive ripple effect for our earth and communities [and is] already a proud member of one per cent.

'For the Planet, Pantalones Organic Tequila are proud partners with Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit organization that has spent the last 40 years dedicating itself to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves, and beaches,' it finished.

The Wedding Planner star and The Confidant actress have been married since 2012 and share three children: sons Levi, 15, Livingston, 11, and daughter Vida, 14.
Stephanie Waring looked beautiful in ivory at her UK wedding on Monday - a month on from her Maldives elopement.

The former Hollyoaks star, 46, married her partner of three years Tom Thornton-Brookes in a secret July ceremony.

But, Monday was a huge affair with guests including Stephanie's Hollyoaks co-stars Ross Adams, Gabriel Clark, and Kelly Condron.

Stephanie's dress had a matte top half and a silk skirt and she wore it with ivory heeled sandals and a beautiful hair piece.

Tom wore a smart navy suit with a white shirt and a black tie and he looked adoringly at his new wife.

Stephanie Waring, 46, looked beautiful in ivory at her UK wedding on Monday - a month on from her Maldives elopement

The former Hollyoaks star married her partner of three years Tom Thornton-Brookes in a secret July ceremony

But, Monday was a huge affair with guests including Stephanie's Hollyoaks co-stars Gabriel Clark (left), Ross Adams (right), and Kelly Condron

Stephanies daughters, Mia, 18, and Lexi, 13, were present at this wedding having missed their mother's Maldives union.

In July, Stephanie revealed their impromptu nuptials 'just felt right' and they 'jumped' at the chance to get hitched abroad.

Stephanie and Tom tied the knot at the five-star Ifuru Island resort after a last-minute decision.

In photos published by OK! Magazine, the actress looked stunning in an A-line gown with a fitted bustier and embroidered detailing.

And Stephanie made sure to FaceTime her teen daughters to show off her gown.

Steph told OK! Magazine: 'When we booked this holiday to the Maldives, Tom said, 'Do you want to get married?' and I just replied, 'Yeah.'"

Tom added: 'I was having a look online at where we were staying and I saw they did weddings.

'Im quite an impromptu person in some senses, so it just felt right. We just jumped at this chance.'

Stephanie's dress had a matte top half and a silk skirt and she wore it with ivory heeled sandals and a beautiful hair piece

Tom wore a smart navy suit with a white shirt and a black tie and he looked adoringly at his new wife

Stephs daughters, Mia, 18, and Lexi, 13, were present at this wedding having missed their mother's Maldives union

Mia looked elegant in a red gown while Lexi wore a blue floral mini dress with white sandals identical to Steph's

Tom dipped Steph low at their lovely venue

In July, Stephanie revealed their impromptu nuptials 'just felt right' and they 'jumped' at the chance to get hitched abroad

Stephanie and Tom tied the knot at the five-star Ifuru Island resort after a last-minute decision

In photos published by OK! Magazine, the actress looked stunning in an A-line gown with a fitted bustier and embroidered detailing

Steph said at the time: 'When we booked this holiday to the Maldives, Tom said, 'Do you want to get married?' and I just replied, 'Yeah'"

Tom showed off Stephanie's wedding ring in a candid poignant shot

Stephanie sweetly cuddled up to Ross

Ross wore a grey tartan jacket, a light blue shirt, navy trousers, and a navy polka dot tie

Kelly looked beautiful in a red dress and chic gold heels

Kelly smiled with guest who wore a fun mix of smart and casual

Kelly warmly hugged Gabriel and while doing so showed that her dress was backless

Gabriel looked handsome in a soft tan suit with a white T-shirt and brown brogues

Gabriel sweetly shared the moment Stephanie and Tom once again said 'I do' to his Instagram Story

Stephanie continued: 'I FaceTimed Lexi before going, and when she saw my wedding dress she burst into tears. Shes very funny and caring and is so happy for us. She loves Tom to bits.'

Stephanie unveiled the identity of her boyfriend - Tom - when the couple went Instagram official in March 2021, after dating for 'a few months.'

They were engaged in December of that year, with Steph sharing that Tom proposed on their first anniversary.

She shared a series of loved up snaps of them together and showed her true feelings for her new man, by writing alongside: 'My heart.'

The mother-of-two shares, Lexi, with ex Dan Hooper, and Mia, with an undisclosed former partner.

Stephanie briefly dated businessman Riad Erraji - ex-husband of Natasha Hamilton - in 2015 before having a short-lived romance with Rick Shore.

The soap actress also dated former Eastenders star Michael Greco for six months, between 2016 and 2017.

The weddings have been something positive to focus on for Stephanie who was left 'distraught' when she was sacked from Hollyoaks in April - after 28 years there.

The actress told fans on social media that she was 'heartbroken' after being told her long-running role was being culled as part of the cuts made for the cash-strapped soap.

Stephanie and Tom went Instagram official in March 2021, after dating for 'a few months' (pictured at the time) and announced their engagement that December

She said that she was given the option to reveal she quit in a bid to avoid public 'embarrassment' of her being axed but insisted she wanted to be honest with her fans.

Sharing a highlights video of her 28 years in the role accompanied by the Lady Gaga ballad Always Remember Us This Way, Stephanie wrote: 'I cant believe I am writing this and I have taken the last two weeks to process and come to terms with the shock of what I am about to say.'

'I am heartbroken to announce that my character of Cindy has been included in the actors reduction of Hollyoaks.'

She pointed out that she is the only original cast member included in 'the cast cull':
Martine McCutcheon has been spending some quality time with her son Rafferty as she put on a brave face in the wake of her split from husband Jack McManus.

Cosying up to her son in an array of sweet snaps, the Love Actually star, 48, looked in great spirits as she enjoyed her holiday in Marbella.

Beaming in the snaps with her son, nine, the actress made the most of her getaway as she captioned her post: 'Love these pics of us on our last night in Marbella.'

Appearing to stay strong, Martine hinted at her own silent struggles behind the scenes in a cryptic Instagram Story.

Sharing a post from the account Selfcare Withwall, it read: 'Be proud of yourself for surviving the silent battles no one knows about'.

Martine McCutcheon spent some quality time with her son Rafferty as she put on a brave face in recent Instagram snaps amid silent struggles following split from husband Jack McManus

Cosying up to her son in an array of sweet snaps, the Love Actually star, 48, looked in great spirits as she enjoyed her holiday in Marbella

Meanwhile on Tuesday she shared a quote titled 'August 27th, 2024' which read: 'I didn't have the year I wanted, I had the year I needed.

'I grew so much for this year and for that I am grateful.'

Last week, Martine revealed that Jack, 40, had left her after 18 years together- days after she wrote a heartfelt birthday tribute for him.

Discussing her struggles in the wake of the split, Martine admitted anxiety made her a 'recluse'.

She recalled she was feeling as if she was 'losing her mind' as she was overcome by 'huge fear' while dealing with perimenopause symptoms.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Womans Hour, Martine revealed: I didnt want to answer my phone.

'I didnt want to answer the front door, go outside and I would panic out of nowhere and have to pull over when I was driving because I felt this huge fear and couldnt breathe.

'I genuinely felt I was losing my mind. I didnt know if I really was or if it was something that was perimenopausal.'

Last week, Martine revealed that Jack, 40, had left her after 18 years together - days after she wrote a heartfelt birthday tribute for him

Appearing to stay strong, Martine hinted at her own silent struggles behind the scenes in a cryptic Instagram Story

On Tuesday she also shared a poignant quote titled 'August 27th, 2024' which read: 'I didn't have the year I wanted, I had the year I needed'

She added: 'It would just come on out of nowhere and when I spoke to my specialist about it she said, "You know this is sadly the case for many women".'

Last Friday Martine appeared to make a cryptic dig at Jack when she reposted a video from author Alex Elle.

In the video, Alex says: 'The older I get, the less time I have for people who are unsure about me.

'I need people in my life who are certain. People who want to be there. People who make space for me.'

Sharing the video to her Story, Martine wrote: 'I love this lady. @alex_elle soothing, gentle, voice, softly reminding us of our own strength, value, love and true worth.'

Announcing their split, she wrote in a statement: 'After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.'

'We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, 9 year old son Rafferty, who's happiness and welfare, has always been, and will continue to be, our number 1 priority.'

She continued: 'We both of course, still cherish and look forward to being parents together to our wonderful boy for the rest of our lives...

'Whilst this decision has evolved over a period of time, we are still finding our new way forward as a family and kindly ask for some privacy at this time... Especially for our little boy.

'Our love for Rafferty, is something that will never, waver, or change and we obviously want to protect him and help him feel as safe and secure as possible.

On Thursday, Martine wrote in a statement: 'After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision'

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the time of Martine's statement, Jack had said: 'There is nothing more to add. I will not be saying anything more about this'

On Friday, Martine appeared to make a cryptic dig at Jack when she reposted a video from author Alex Elle

'Many thanks in advance for your respect and support, at this difficult time...And I continue to send Jack, all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his.

'Rafferty and I (as always,) are rooting for you!

'Thank you all, for the love and support, now and always...Martine.xx.'

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the time of Martine's statement, Jack had said: 'There is nothing more to add. I will not be saying anything more about this.'

Meanwhile, a neighbour of the pair has revealed they had no indication that the pair were on the rocks while a member of Jack's family has said the split 'was very sudden.'

The neighbour shared: 'That is a big surprise. I'd often see them out with their son. Martine was always very friendly. I do feel sorry for them.'

The family of Jack have said their split was 'very sudden' - and was triggered by him two months ago.

Asked today why they had split, Jack's aunt said from the family home in West Wickham, Kent: 'I really can't say. Jack's mum is over there with him now. I am looking after the dog.

'It's been hard. There's been a lot going on. My sister just lost her husband as well. It was very sudden. It was announced two months ago now.'

The couple married in 2012 in Italy's picturesque Lake Como, five years after they started dating.
August 27, 2024: Learning from earlier Hamas electronic hacking efforts, the Yemen Houthi rebels have been using similar hacking efforts to insert malware into the cell phones of nearly 500 people in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey. The malware enables the Houti hackers to monitor all activity on those phones and view data currently stored on the phones.

In 2023 Russian and Gaza-based hackers attacked Israeli infrastructure targets. This cybersecurity campaign against Israeli targets complicated the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict, with hackers launching attacks on government and private sites, as well as an Israeli app that warned residents of incoming rocket strikes. In some cases, denial-of-service attacks knocked websites offline for short periods. The hackers included pro-Russian cybercriminal gangs like Anonymous Sudan, which claimed to have targeted the website of the Jerusalem Post. Earlier in 2023, Gaza-based hacking group Storm-1133 attacked energy, defense, and telecommunications companies inside Israel. The group used fake LinkedIn profiles and posed as software developers or project managers to send malware to employees at those targets and install back doors for later communications. The pro-Palestine AnonGhost hacking group manipulated alerts on an Israeli app that warns residents of rocket fire, in one instance warning that a nuclear bomb was on the way. They hacked 10,000 to 20,000 users.

Before October 2023 Hamas Gaza offensive, Russia and Israel were both defending themselves against more complex hacks. Both countries are major developers of systems that disrupt satellite navigation systems like GPS or the Russian GLONASS. Both nations use their jamming and anti-jamming tech against each other because Russia maintains a naval base and airbase on the Syrian coast while Israel is constantly under attacks by Iranian UAVs and missiles launched from Syria. Israeli missiles regularly hit Iranian targets in Syria and Russia uses its GPS jamming systems to disrupt these attacks. Israel has responded with new tech installed in the missile guidance systems that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of the jamming. This GPS jamming and counter-jamming competition has been going on for over a decade and became particularly intense when Russian forces arrived in Syria. Before that Russia had provided their ally Syria with these jamming weapons while Israel and the United States cooperated in developing new jamming tech.

Details of the new jamming technologies are usually kept secret but those that are sold as commercial products must reveal some technical details. For example, in 2021 the Israeli military announced that it was the prime backer of the new Advanced Navigation Technology Center. This new division of state-owned IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) develops and manufactures new generations of INS (Inertial Navigation System) technology to complement or replace satellite (GPS) guidance. IAI did not provide any more details of the new INS technology, not even the name of the new system. IAI already develops and makes INS systems as unjammable backups for GPS systems, but the future is seen as better INS.

The 21st century saw research in the U.S. and other industrialized countries developing new concepts and technologies that greatly improved INS accuracy and cost. By 2013 prototypes of new INS tech proved INS could be nearly as accurate as GPS and almost as small. Cost was still a factor, with the new INS still costing more than 10 times current GPS, but all this is a big improvement over what has been available before. The new INS tech can now be used to more effectively monitor GPS and alert the operator that their GPS has either developed a problem or is being jammed. The new INS systems are also useful for some fast missiles that often lose their GPS signal as they maneuver. Another urgent chore for INS is to more effectively deal with the growing use of GPS spoofing (misdirecting). This involves EW (electronic Warfare) equipment that can mislead) rather than jam without alerting the victim that their navigation system might not be reliable. Thus, even with the ability of GPS anti-jamming tech to keep up with jammer technology, there is still a demand for a new INS. That has led to smaller, cheaper and more accurate INS systems. Aside from airlines and commercial shipping, there is not much of a mass market for these new INS systems because for most users, GPS is reliable enough to keep the INS gear out of the more cost-sensitive markets. But the demand from the airlines, shipping companies and the military is huge. INS tech is becoming a popular feature for high-end smartphones and other consumer items, because some smartphone and smartwatch manufacturers seek to use INS to automatically fill in if the user temporarily loses the GPS signal.

Many defense specialists on navigation and electronics experts believe current anti-jamming efforts are sufficient to keep military GPS use viable for a while, but the improvements in GPS jamming and spoofing technology have been arriving faster than expected. Despite the secrecy about GPS disruption, since 2017 there has been growing evidence that Russia has been frequently jamming or spoofing GPS signals, mainly to hide the exact location that allows GPS tracking. Developing equipment like this is easily within Russian capabilities. In early 2019 a report made the news revealing that there had recently been nearly 10,000 instances where someone, apparently Russia, had been jamming or spoofing satellite navigation signals. Not just the American GPS, but also signals from non-American satellite navigation systems (Chinese Beidou, EUs Galileo, Japans QZAA and even the Russian GLONASS). Much of this activity was not outright jamming but harder to detect spoofing. This was apparently done to conceal the true location of key Russian officials, like President Putin, and Russian military units. The spoofing was particularly common for Russian military forces in Ukraine and Syria. Spoofing replaced the actual satellite signal with a false one that rendered smart bombs or planned attacks on targets inaccurate. Spoofing can introduce a false signal gradually and sometimes delay a navigation system's realization that it is being deceived. Thats one function of INS, to act as a monitor for GPS as well as a backup.

Current INS tech relies on receiving an accurate GPS location initially, and periodically thereafter, to keep both GPS and INS location data in sync. GPS depends on continuous satellite signals to operate, and INS is used to step in and replace GPS when the satellite signal becomes temporarily too weak, or absent. When an accurate GPS signal is achieved, INS goes back into standby mode. Spoofing can now mimic these momentary disruptions and evade detection as a false signal by the INS, which is completely self-contained. This is sometimes a problem for American guided weapons sent to Ukraine that do not have the latest jamming tech installed.

Israeli INS researchers are not the only ones seeking an INS that is accurate and persistent enough to replace GPS for extended periods. INS has long suffered from the inability to provide as accurate a location as satellite navigation systems while also suffering from drift as the gyroscope and acceleration capabilities now performed by microelectronics of the chip-based INS cannot maintain as continuously precise location as the space satellite-based system can. This is no longer seen as an insurmountable problem, nor is the large cost-difference between GPS and INS tech. Israel apparently feels it is closer to a solution than anyone else.

Meanwhile, spoofing satellite navigation systems has become more popular and practical because it does not require expensive or high-tech equipment. While American weapons and military navigation systems have a backup in the form of unjammable INS systems, these are useless if the spoofing is not detected. American systems are supposed to detect spoofing and revert to INS but the Americans do not disclose details of how these systems work in order to make it difficult for spoofing systems to be modified to be less detectable. That is one reason why the U.S. has not released detailed information on spoofing incidents because some of them may have evaded the INS spoofing detection tech.

To further complicate the issue, there have also been instances where mandatory AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders that all large ships must carry are more frequently reporting instances of getting no GPS signal at all. Large ships usually carry two AIS units, in case one malfunctions so AIS failure can be ruled out as a cause. Something outside the ship is messing with the GPS signal. New INS systems are sought that will eliminate that risk by replacing GPS most of the time.

New INS technology has attracted a lot of attention in the military as backups are always appreciated because when equipment fails in combat, or for commercial users like aircraft or ships, its literally a matter of life or death. Meanwhile, the U.S. is building and testing more compact GPS anti-jamming systems for smaller (as small as 200 kg/440 pounds) UAVs. This is part of a program to equip all American UAVs, even the smallest ones, with more secure GPS. While all UAVs can be flown by the operator, the GPS makes it a lot easier for the operator to keep track of exactly where his UAV is always, and sometimes the UAV is programmed to simply patrol between a series of GPS coordinates. If the GPS jams or fails, the operator can usually use the video feed to find landmarks on the ground and bring the UAV back to where it can be seen and landed. Other UAVs have a failsafe system for the GPS. When it is no longer available the UAV turns around and heads back in the general direction of the operator. This is better than just allowing the GPS-less UAV keep flying until it runs out of fuel and crashes somewhere,

GPS reliability threats are coming from a few suppliers like Russia, China and North Korea. These nations have developed all manner of GPS jamming technology, and in 2019 it became public that the Russians were using GPS new spoofing technology to conceal the true location of senior leaders and some military units.

Developers and users of GPS jamming gear tend to keep quiet about what they do because this sort of thing is illegal in peacetime, especially when civilians experience GPS disruptions themselves. When the United States tests military GPS jamming it does so at sea or in remote areas and warns nearby civilians who might encounter GPS problems to be aware of the tests and act accordingly. This warning policy has been in use for decades because of the growing number of new electronic equipment designs that could cause problems for civilians if the disruptive effect extended farther than expected.

Other nations are not as secretive in complaining and often the culprit is Russia. In late 2018 Finland and Norway went public with their accusations that Russia deliberately jammed GPS signals in northern Finland and Norway from a location near the Russian military bases in the Kola Peninsula on the Barents Sea. The jamming took place as NATO held its largest training exercise since the Cold War ended in 1991. Russia denied any responsibility even though they are known to possess long-range jammers for GPS and other signals. Norway said they had tracked the jammer to a specific location but when Russia refused to admit any involvement Norway refused to explain how they tracked the signal because that would provide Russia with information on Norwegian EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment that might be useful to them.

In 2020 Iran was caught testing spoofing tech at a military facility in the capital Tehran and trying to keep it secret. It is not known if the Iranians developed the spoofing tech themselves or received it from Russia or China.

Until the appearance of the new spoofing tech, GPS jamming had little or no impact on the NATO military exercises and even commercial airliners operating in the area had INS backup in case GPS signals were not working properly. The potential victims were civilians with smaller aircraft or on the ground who depend on commercial navigation gear using GPS. Then again, that may have been the point because Russian firms have long been producing a wide variety of GPS jammers that are generally ineffective against military GPS users but would be useful for criminals, terrorists or anyone involved in irregular warfare, as Russia has been in Ukraine since 2014. As for the damage to diplomatic relations with Norway and Finland, these two nations need no reminders of what a bad neighbor Russia is and historically has been.

GPS spoofing equipment has also found a market among criminal gangs. This was first encountered during 2018 in Shanghai, China where local gangsters were found to be using technology for spoofing GPS signals. Shanghai was just the beginning because this spoofing tech was subsequently encountered in twenty other Chinese coastal cities where gangsters ran profitable smuggling operations. The Chinese GPS spoofing was implemented differently from the Russian method. The Russian spoofing would make all GPS devices in an area appear in the same position instead of the many different positions they were. In contrast, the Chinese spoofing, when active, would show individual ships each in a different location but always around the same central point that was apparently where the spoofing signals were broadcast. This produced what was called a crop circle pattern. This was first noted by crews of ships slowly entering the port of Shanghai. While doing so they would watch the location of anchored ships somehow move around according to their AIS transponders. International law requires all large seagoing ships to carry and use AIS equipment which constantly broadcasts the GPS position of the ship, but there were cases where ships suddenly saw the AIS positions of ships near them change. The bridge crew could see, often with/or without, the use of binoculars, where the other ships were while, at the same time, the AIS display was showing them somewhere else within a circular area. After a few minutes, AIS signals would accurately report location again. In situations like this, it was noted that no GPS receivers onboard were receiving a signal, nor were GPS devices ashore that were within the circle.

The Chinese government denied responsibility for this GPS spoofing and blamed it on smugglers who apparently used a spoofing device to avoid being caught by the police while a smuggler ship was carrying illegal cargo. In one case the smuggler was caught anyway, because of an accident caused by the spoofing, and the smuggler ship was found to be carrying sand illegally obtained nearby and being taken out of the port for sale elsewhere. Sand mining had been banned in this region because this valuable commodity was in great demand elsewhere and exporting more of it was damaging the environment.

GPS spoofing declined during 2020 but China revealed no details about what happened. In the past China has given local hackers a choice between going to prison or quietly working for the Chinese government. Russia uses similar tactics as do many other governments. One thing that was noted about the Shanghai Spoofer was that the spoofing often took place around oil terminals where ships smuggling oil for Iran or to North Korea often operated. The governments of Iran and North Korea also noticed this and could have received useful information on how the Shanghai spoofing gear worked. Thats one of the conspiracy theories popular with many Iranians and South Koreans.

Since 2022, many new spoofing and anti-spoofing technologies have shown up in Ukraine. While this battlefield is invisible, its impact is not. This is+ especially true when normally reliable guided systems suddenly become unreliable.
Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice looked downcast as he was seen roaming the streets of Italy during a family holiday on Tuesday.

The current scandal has seen numerous allegations of misbehaviour and forced professional dancers Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni to exit the long-running Saturday night programme.

Giovanni's former partner Amanda Abbington, 50, made a series of accusations and an official complaint about his teaching methods and has described his behaviour as 'unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean'. He strongly denies all of the claims.

And as the scandal hit show continues to battle bullying allegations, the Italian dancer, 33, was spotting looking rather glum on his relaxing getaway.

It follows support from fellow pro dancer Vito Coppola, who has recently weighed in on the scandal.

Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice, 33, looked downcast as he was seen roaming the streets of Italy during a family holiday on Tuesday

It follows support from fellow pro dancer Vito Coppola, who has recently weighed in on the scandal

The dancer has thrown support behind axed star Graziano Di Prima after it was revealed he 'hit and kicked' his partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals last year.

Vito is said to be standing by his close friend - who he grew up competing in dance competitions in Italy with - despite he and Giovanni facing bullying claims.

He told The Mirror: 'I love Graziano. Ive known him since years ago, when we were competing. I love him and I will love him for ever.'

Amid Vito's voice of support, Giovanni cut a dapper outing in a beige suit while dining out for dinner with friends and family this week.

He was seen puffing on a cigarette outside a quant eatery in the gorgeous Italian streets.

Last week, MailOnline revealed that a verdict on the Amanda and Giovanni row is expected before the end of this week.

Investigators at the corporation have brought in former MET cops to oversee an inquiry.

A source close to the probe has told how a decision is likely to be announced within days.

Vito has thrown support behind axed star Graziano Di Prima after it was revealed he 'hit and kicked' his partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals last year

Vito is said to be standing by his close friend - who he grew up competing in dance competitions in Italy with - despite he and Giovanni (pictured) facing bullying claims

The current scandal has seen numerous allegations of misbehaviour and forced professional dancers Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni to exit the long-running Saturday night programme

And as the scandal hit show continues to battle bullying allegations, the Italian dancer was spotting looking rather glum on his relaxing getaway

Amid Vito's voice of support, Giovanni cut a dapper outing in a beige suit while dining out for dinner with friends and family this week

He was seen puffing on a cigarette outside a quant eatery in the gorgeous Italian streets

The source said: 'Investigators have spent the past few weeks pouring back over evidence including text messages and messages shared on whatsapp.

'They've spoken to witnesses and re-interviewed people who have given evidence as part of the investigation.

'The investigators believe they've seen and reviewed everything that they need to and are in a position to make a final decision on what happened.

'All of the allegations have now been put to Giovanni and his team of lawyers and Amanda has had an opportunity to share all the evidence she needs.

'Both of them now just want to hear what the BBC have decided.

The source added that the BBC is unlikely to share a 'warts and all' account of what they've discovered - and that their final statement could end up being quite short.

The source added: 'The investigation has taken a long time. It's been many many months of work because there has been a lot of information to go through.

'But it's likely that the final statement which is released will be pretty short. A lot of detail and information may remain private - not least because there's the potential for further legal action down the line that the BBC might need to be prepared for.'

It comes following reports that Amanda found BBC bosses line of questioning 'highly offensive' amid the probe

Giovanni is reported to have made a crude comment about a member of Amanda's family, only for her to 'effectively be asked' by BBC bosses whether the dancer meant the remark as light-hearted banter (Amanda pictured with son Joe, daughter Grace and fiance Jonathan Goodwin)

A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As we have said before, we will not be commenting on individuals or engaging in speculation.'

It comes following reports that Amanda found BBC bosses line of questioning 'highly offensive' amid the probe.

The actress has recently said to have been quizzed for a second time about an illicit video shared with her by the dancer as well as a 'lewd remark' he made about another celebrity contestant when the video was sent.

Giovanni is also reported to have made a crude comment about a member of Amanda's own family, only for her to 'effectively be asked' by BBC bosses whether the dancer meant the remark as light-hearted banter.

A source told The Sun: '[Amanda] found this line of questioning highly offensive.'

In regards to the alleged video they told the publication: 'The BBC can't ignore the fact the video was sent. There seems to be a trail of evidence'.

'Even if it is established the footage was shared with innocent intentions, the BBC are concerned this could constitute a breach of conduct according to the contract handed to the pro dancers.'

A BBC spokesman said: 'As we have said before, we will not be commenting on individuals or engaging in speculation'.

Amanda shares her children with ex partner Martin Freeman (pictured 2015) and he has reportedly reached out to support the actress amid the scandal

MailOnline have Amanda and Giovanni's reps for comment.

Amanda shares daughter Grace and son Joe with ex partner Martin Freeman, 52, who she was for 16 years from 20002016.

Amanda is said to have recently handed over more texts with fresh revelations over Giovanni's behaviour on Strictly.

It has been claimed the dramatic intervention has thrown the BBC investigation into professional Giovanni's behaviour into chaos and has 'changed the course of the probe'.

The Sun reports that Amanda has come forward with new bombshell messages just as the probe was about to conclude which reportedly show that Giovanni did 'step over the line of what is acceptable'.

It came after earlier this week Amanda was reportedly questioned by BBC bosses for a second time about 'crude comments' she claimed were made by Giovanni.

She is said to have been quizzed via video call last week as she sat down with two ex-Met detectives to discuss her allegations about the professional dancer.

They reportedly discussed claims of sexual comments during rehearsals, as well as 'new evidence'. Giovanni has denied all allegations made against him.

Amanda has made a series of accusations about Giovanni's teaching methods and has described his behaviour as 'unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean'. He strongly denies all of the claims.

In one interview, Amanda compared the dance show to 'the trenches' telling Channel 4 News that BBC producers had been left 'horrified' by clips that also allegedly exhibited 'humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature'.

In another, where she spoke to Christine Lampard on Lorraine, she said: 'It was inappropriate, it was mean, it was nasty, it was bul
Alicia Vikander cut an elegant figure in a lace embroidered blouse as she attended the photocall for her historical drama film, Firebrand in London on Tuesday.

The Swedish actress, 35, who stars as Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of the tyrannical King Henry VIII in the 2023 drama, put on a very leggy display as she teamed the blouse with a black leather mini skirt.

The stylish cream top boasted structured shoulder pads, flared cuffs, and a slightly cropped design.

She added inches to her frame with a pair of black strappy stiletto heels and wore a flawless palette of makeup to elevate her natural beauty.

The beauty styled her brunette tresses in loose tousled waves as she posed up a storm at the event.

Alicia Vikander cut an elegant figure in a lace embroidered blouse as she attended the photocall for her historical drama film, Firebrand in London on Tuesday

The Swedish actress, 35, who stars as Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of the tyrannical King Henry VIII in the 2023 drama, put on a very leggy display as she teamed the blouse with a black leather mini skirt

Alicia was also joined by her glamorous co-star Junia Rees, who plays the role of Princess Elizabeth.

The beauty looked incredible as she cut a stylish figure in a floral top and skirt co-ord.

Flashing a glimpse of her toned midriff, Junia opted for a classic pair of white ballet flats as she further accessorised with a gold pendant necklace.

The former ballerina replaced Michelle Williams in the role of Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, who managed to outlive him in the 1540s-set.

Alicia revealed on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier this year: 'I think this film is about a survivor, and I think she obviously stepped into this job being this wife knowing what the previous wives, where they had ended up.'

'So I think she had her kind of task very clear ahead of her, and I think she knew she would have to get close to this man - that she needed him to trust her more than anything.'

'One thing that is remarkable, she was actually the first ever published woman in Britain.

'That was something that she did during her time. Obviously, she even wrote certain texts that wouldn't have been maybe approved by her husband.'

The stylish cream top boasted structured shoulder pads, flared cuffs, and a slightly cropped design

She added inches to her frame with a pair of black strappy stiletto heels and wore a flawless palette of makeup to elevate her natural beauty

The beauty styled her brunette tresses in loose tousled waves as she posed up a storm at the event

Alicia was also joined by her glamorous co-star Junia Rees, who plays the role of Princess Elizabeth

The beauty looked incredible as she cut a stylish figure in a floral top and skirt co-ord

Flashing a glimpse of her toned midriff, Junia opted for a classic pair of white ballet flats as she further accessorised with a gold pendant necklace

Alicia replaced Michelle Williams in the role of Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, who managed to outlive him in the 1540s-set

She previously discussed the film on MSNBC's Morning Joe: 'I think this film is about a survivor, and I think she obviously stepped into this job being this wife knowing what the previous wives, where they had ended up'

She concluded: 'But that, to me, only proved the kind of impact she not only had on him but also on the people and the people who read her written word.'

Firebrand lost the coveted Palm d'Or prize to Sean Baker's Brooklyn-set sex worker dramedy Anora during the Cannes Film Festival in France.

On May 17, Variety reported that Alicia will reunite with Jude Law, 51, for Olivier Assayas' Russian-set political thriller The Wizard of the Kremlin.

The big-screen adaptation of Giuliano da Empoli's 2022 novel will also star Paul Dano, Zach Galifianakis, and Tom Sturridge.
Ben Affleck looked cheery as he arrived at his LA office on Tuesday - amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez and rumored new romance with Kick Kennedy.

The actor, 52, smiled as he toted an iced coffee while arriving in a blue suit and pink shirt.

The star carried a leather bag for his day at the office and sported a clean-shaven look.

It comes following news that Lopez, 55, is 'relieved' after taking the official step to end her marriage to Affleck, on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding.

Amid the news of his divorce Ben has reportedly been spotted hanging out with RFK Jr.'s daughter Kick in recent weeks.

Ben Affleck looked cheery as he arrived at his LA office on Tuesday - amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez and rumored new romance with Kick Kennedy

The actor, 52, smiled as he toted an iced coffee while arriving in a blue suit and pink shirt

He previously enjoyed a brief fling with Kick, before he rekindled his relationship with now-estranged wife Lopez, sources have revealed.

Insiders have revealed to DailyMail.com that Kick and Ben are 'enjoying spending time' together but the writer is remaining 'tight-lipped' about their connection because she doesn't want to be seen as a 'mistress'.

'Ben and Kick had a fling before he got back together with JLo,' the source began. 'They met because Ben is from Boston and when you live in Boston, the Kennedy family is royalty.'

The insider continued: 'So when he started hanging out with Kick, he legit thought that he had landed into the Kennedy family. But she was too young and not ready for anything serious.'

The source stressed that the pair's romance did not ever overlap with the actor's rekindled relationship with Jennifer.

'They didnt have any affair during his marriage, but it is interesting to Kicks friends that as soon as this divorce happened all of a sudden Ben is hanging out with an old hookup whose family he sees as royalty.'

As for how Kick views the actor, the insider stated: 'She thinks that he is intelligent and very much her style but is being incredibly tight-lipped because she does not want to be seen as a mistress.

'She is not a mistress. She is nothing like JLo and likes to keep her private life private.'

The star carried a leather bag for his day at the office and sported a clean-shaven look

Ben has been 'spending time' with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter, Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy, 36, amid his divorce from Lopez; (L) Ben seen in 2023, (R) Kick seen in 2021

It comes following news that Lopez is 'relieved' after taking the official step to end her marriage to Affleck on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding; pair seen in 2023

The source explained that Kick isn't wasting much time worrying about how Jennifer might feel about Ben's decision to reconnect as they added: 'Kick is fond of Ben, and she does not care what JLo thinks honestly.'

'When they started hanging out, he and JLo were separated. He made this very clear with her. JLo listing their separation as April only confirmed this.'

The source continued: 'They are both taking it day by day but so far, she is enjoying spending time with him. They hang out at Beverly Hills Hotel because it offers a level of privacy to celebs that nowhere else does.

'The fact that people say she looks like Jen Garner is flattering to her as she thinks Jen is beautiful.'

Meanwhile, a second source confirmed that the pair are simply getting to know each other better as they stated: 'Ben has been spending time with Kick but there is nothing there yet.

'They are friends and enjoy hanging with each other and it is true that she really doesnt have any thoughts about what JLo would think of her spending time with Ben. Hes a great guy and they are getting to know each other.'

Meanwhile Lopez is 'doing as well as she can' even though she 'didn't want a divorce' from the actor, a source told People on Monday.

'It's been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind,' the insider shared.

'She didn't want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out. They love each other. Jennifer is not the type to just give up. It's been almost torture for her to wait around.'

'After filing for divorce, she seems relieved,' a source told People, though they noted that Lopez 'didn't want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out'; the pair seen in February

'It's been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind,' the insider shared; the two seen in 2023

'After filing for divorce, she seems relieved,' the source shared.

'Her family and friends agree that it was the right decision. She's surrounded by a lot of love and support. She'll be fine. She's strong and always comes out on top.'

Notably, Jennifer filed the divorce paperwork herself, and she did not have an attorney listed as representing her, though she may have an attorney listed in the future.

She cited 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the divorce filing.

Although she was the one to file, and Ben appears to have opted not to do so, Us Weekly reported on Friday that he was allegedly well aware of her plans.

According to an insider, the estranged couple had 'already agreed to these terms before she filed.'

They said the two had 'had gone through all the details' of the filing in advance, describe it as a 'planned' event, rather than a filing designed to take Ben by surprise.

'JLo finally pulled the trigger because that was their agreement that she would file, and she was the one who ultimately made the decision,' the source added.

The reporting is largely in line with the couple's decision to fake a healthy marriage for months with occasional public outings together, despite having already split behind the scenes.

The source noted that both parties 'came in with significant assets of their own,' so they allegedly don't plan to fight over their wealth, leaving their massive Beverly Hills mansion as their only significant shared property that needs to be sold off.

Jennifer and Ben were married in an intimate ceremony on July 16, 2022, but they later tied the knot a second time for family and friend at Ben's estate in South Carolina on August 20, 2022  two years to the day before she filed for divorce

Ben and Jennifer first got engaged at the end of 2002 but broke it off a year later before calling quits on their relationship for good in 2004

Accordingly, Jennifer requested no spousal support from her ex, and she asked the court to deny it for Ben.

She listed the date of their separation as April 26.

Jennifer and Ben were married in an intimate ceremony on July 16, 2022, but they later tied the knot a second time for family and friend at Ben's estate in South Carolina on August 20, 2022  two years to the day before she filed for divorce.

They first first got engaged at the end of 2002 but broke it off a year later before calling quits on their relationship for good in 2004.
Hollywood actor Michael Madsen's domestic violence case where he was accused of shoving his wife DeAnna Madsen, 64, has been dismissed.

The Los Angeles District Attorney told TMZ on Tuesday it was due to 'insufficient evidence.'

'We are thrilled that Michael Madsen is able to put this behind him and look forward to our continued collaboration with more great things coming from this veteran and respected actor,' his representative said to the site.

Over a week ago the 66-year-old Kill Bill star was arrested for domestic violence amid claims he got physical with his spouse.

He also allegedly locked her out of their home, which is located in the Los Angeles area.

The Reservoir Dogs star was given a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

Hollywood actor Michael Madsen's domestic violence case where he was accused of shoving his wife DeAnna Madsen, 64, has been dismissed. Seen in 2011

A frequent collaborator of Quentin Tarantino, Madsen has starred in films including 1993's Reservoir Dogs (left) and 2003's Kill Bill (right)

And Madsen had to spend part of his weekend in jail, it was also alleged.

Madsen posted a $20,000 bond and was released from custody.

Days later in a statement to THR, Madsen's lawyer Perry Wander insisted that his client was 'not guilty of domestic violence.'

The scene sounded chaotic. It happened late at night in a residential community.

The Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood actor was arrested shortly after midnight on a Saturday night after police were called.

After cops hit the scene his wife was 'safe with a security team.'

But police still wanted the actor arrested after they spoke with him and DeAnna.

A representative for the star confirmed the incident to TMZ, saying: 'It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both.'

Michael wed DeAnna in 1996.

Together they have three children - Hudson, Luke and Calvin. Sadly, son Hudson died by gunshot wound in 2022.

The Los Angeles District Attorney told TMZ on Tuesday the case was tossed due to 'insufficient evidence.' Seen in 2017

This recent arrest wasnt Madsens first brush with the law.

In 2022 the Hollywood actor was arrested for trespassing at a luxury house from which he was evicted, DailyMail.com reported.

It was a $5.3 million Malibu mansion just across the Pacific Coast Highway from La Costa Beach.

A source exclusively told DailyMail.com at the time: 'Michael had been living at the house since last year, but the lease was in another persons name.

The house was leased out by another person and several thousand dollars were owed in back rent, DailyMail.com has learned.

The owner had tried for the past two years to get the tenants evicted, but because of the moratorium on evictions on account of Covid, it took several months to go through the legal process.

Over a week ago the 66-year-old Kill Bill star was arrested for domestic violence amid claims he got physical with his spouse. Seen in 2020

The person who leased the house was taken to court and all the parties were evicted including Madsen on February 17, added the source.

At about 8:30PM the owner received a call phone from his rental houses security company saying that someone was trying to break into the house.

The owner who lives a few miles away from the house drove over and found Madsen out on the front porch.

The owner quickly called 911 and a Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy came out and arrested disheveled looking Madsen for trespassing.

Wearing baggy jeans, a denim jacket and a partially unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, the Kill Bill star was first taken to the West Hills hospital then the police station.

According to booking documents he was given a $500 citation for a misdemeanor and released shortly before 7am on Thursday.

Since his arrest three-times-married Madsen and the owner of the property have reached an agreement which will allow him to retrieve his belongings.

Madsen has had a terrible start to 2022.

This recent arrest wasnt Madsens first brush with the law. In 2022 he was arrested for trespassing at a luxury house from which he was evicted, DailyMail.com reported. It was a $5.3 million Malibu mansion just across the Pacific Coast Highway from La Costa Beach

His arrest came just a month after his son, US Army Sgt. Hudson Madsen shot himself dead on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where he was stationed with the 25th Infantry Division. Hudson was an Afghan war vet.

Hudsons death came a week after his wife Carlie underwent surgery to remove a tumor from her breast.

'I am in shock as my son, whom I just spoke with a few days ago, said he was happy - my last text from him was "I love you dad,"' he told the Los Angeles Times.

'I didn't see any signs of depression. It's so tragic and sad. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and understand what happened.'

Madsen said his son's marriage was 'going strong' and he had recently completed his first tour in the U.S. Army.

Madsen's arrest came just a month after his 26-year-old son Hudson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound (pictured together in 2011)

'He had typical life challenges that people have with finances, but he wanted a family. He was looking towards his future, so its mind-blowing. I just can't grasp what happened.'

Madsen has requested a full military investigation into his sons death. The actor thinks 'the officers and rank and file were shaming' Hudson for wanting therapy. He believes this stopped him from seeking help for mental health issues he had been keeping to himself.

In 2019, the actor was axed from a $100,000 role in movie Confessions of a Serial Killer after crashing his Land Rover into a pole and subsequently being arrested for DUI. He was later sentenced to four days in jail.

In 2012 he was also arrested for DUI after driving erratically but struck a plea deal that involved attending AA meetings in lieu of more severe punishment.

However, after Madsen failed to attend his court ordered Alcoholics Anonymous meetings his probation was revoked.
Katie Holmes was spotted in a colorful ensemble in New York City on Tuesday - after daughter Suri Cruise's big move to college.

The Dawson's Creek star, 45, wore an oversized sweatshirt with a colorful graffiti-like design all over it.

She paired the stand-out top with a pair of wide-legged, tapered jeans that looked straight out of the 1980s and black ballet flats.

She wore sunglasses and her hair down and carried her phone and a brown leather tote.

The sighting comes aa the mother of one settles into her empty nest after Suri 18, moved to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for college.

Katie Holmes was spotted in a colorful ensemble in New York City

Next month the First Daughter star will head to Pittsburgh for Parents Weekend at Suri's college.

September 27 and 28 is Family weekend, and Katie is reportedly only allowed to visit her only child at that time.

'Katie looks forward to visiting her child at school, she is happy for her and wants to be a part of it,' said a source told DailyMail.com.

'Katie attended Columbia University for awhile and loved the experience so she is thrilled her girl will be going to college.'

Before Family Weekend, Suri will have a three day weekend over Labor Day.

The daughter of Tom Cruise 62, moved into the dorms a week ago with the help of Holmes. Classes begin on August 26, according to the school's website.

Tom, whom Suri is estranged from, won't be there, even though - as DailyMail.com reported last week - he is paying the tuition as it was in his 2012 divorce settlement that he must cover all of Suri's education.

When Suri turned 18 earlier this year she legally dropped the Top Gun star's last name and took her mother's middle name, Noelle, as her new last name.

The Dawson's Creek star, 45, wore an oversized sweatshirt with a colorful graffiti-like design all over it

The sighting comes aa the mother of one settles into her empty nest after her daughter Suri Cruise , 18, moved to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for college

Next month the First Daughter star will head to Pittsburgh for Parents Weekend at Suri's college. Pictured at a screening of Pieces of April in August 2024

September 27 and 28 is Family weekend, and Katie is reportedly only allowed to visit her only child at that time. Pictured at a screening of Pieces of April in August 2024

The divorce documents revealed Tom pays Suri's expenses, including 'medical, dental, insurance, education, college and other extracurricular costs.'

'Tom is indeed paying for Suri's tuition, he has always paid for her schooling and would never stop as he is a stand-up guy,' a friend of Tom's told DailyMail.com. The annual tuition at CMU is $65K.

'He has never hesitated paying his daughter's child support and expenses. He does not go back on his word. He is fulfilling his obligation.'

But he is likely no longer paying Katie $38,000-a year in child support as Suri is now 18 and no longer a child.
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After star Michael Ilesanmi finally revealed why he left estranged wife Angela Deem and 'went missing' on February 23 during Sunday's episode of the TLC reality show.

'After [filming the five-part eighth season Tell-All], we got home and my worst fear came true,' the 58-year-old grandmother-of-six recalled.

'We was home four days, I believe, four days, three days, he was gone. He was gone.'

The Nigerian 35-year-old - who's 23 years younger than Angela - then recalled how she 'started giving me attitude and saying all sorts of things to me' as soon as they had returned home.

'So it got to a point - I just had to leave,' Michael said.

90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After star Michael Ilesanmi finally revealed why he left estranged wife Angela Deem and 'went missing' on February 23 during Sunday's episode of the TLC reality show

'She said she wants to go out to make some errands, so she left the house, I went to the closet, picked up my backpack and my essential documents and my jacket, and I left the house.'

Ilesanmi 'walked for about five hours' away from Deem's Hazlehurst, GA home and 'almost got bitten by a dog' in the process, but he was able to reach 'one or two of my friends' after 'begging a man' to use his phone.

All in all, it took the aspiring influencer - who's now said to be happily living with friends in Texas - 'about 18 hours' to finally reach his current residence via bus.

Michael famously met the self-proclaimed 'Queen of Reality' on Facebook in 2017 before marrying in 2020, but they were long-distance loves until he finally received a US visa and moved to Georgia last December.

'I'm here for the right reason, of course, yes, from the bottom of my heart, I'm here for the right reason, you know, but unfortunately, what I was expecting wasn't what I met, you know,' Ilesanmi continued.

'I just want to move on with my life. Enough is enough. I mean, no one deserves to be treated this way. And I mean, I want the best for us, for myself, but it's just so unfortunate. I can't just take it anymore.'

At the end of the clip, Angela threatened: 'I'll see you soon Michael. In a plane or a courtroom.'

Indeed, the Florida-born blonde filed to annul their marriage in a Georgia court on June 20 on the grounds of being 'fraudulently induced in a conspiracy with other Nigerian men to induce US citizens into marriage for the purpose of gaining legal permanent resident status.'

The 58-year-old grandmother-of-six recalled: 'After [filming the five-part eighth season Tell-All], we got home and my worst fear came true. We was home four days, I believe, four days, three days, he was gone. He was gone'

The Nigerian 35-year-old - who's 23 years younger than Angela - then recalled how she 'started giving me attitude and saying all sorts of things to me' as soon as they had returned home: 'It got to a point - I just had to leave'

Michael 'walked for about five hours' away from Deem's Hazlehurst, GA home and 'almost got bitten by a dog' in the process, but he was able to reach 'one or two of my friends' after 'begging a man' to use his phone

All in all, it took Ilesanmi - who's now said to be happily living with friends in Texas - 'about 18 hours' to finally reach his current residence via bus (pictured Wednesday)

The aspiring influencer famously met the self-proclaimed 'Queen of Reality' on Facebook in 2017 before marrying in 2020, but they were long-distance loves until he finally received a US visa and moved to Georgia last December

Michael continued: 'I'm here for the right reason, of course, yes, from the bottom of my heart, I'm here for the right reason, you know, but unfortunately, what I was expecting wasn't what I met, you know. I just want to move on with my life. Enough is enough. I mean, no one deserves to be treated this way'

At the end of the clip, Angela - who filed to annul their marriage in a Georgia court on June 20 - threatened: 'I'll see you soon Michael. In a plane or a courtroom'

On August 13, Kiki & Kibbitz vlogger Mary K organized a GoFundMe page for Ilesanmi's legal fees, which has raised $48,480 of his $25,000 goal from 2,500 donations

Deem blasted via TikTok on August 15: 'Did you see Michael made his goal? What is wrong with you, United States of America?! I am totally ashamed right now'

The Florida-born blonde continued: 'Who makes a GoFundMe, makes $25,000 for legal fees when we have people out there who are posting [to raise money] for sick kids, sick moms or veterans out there who don't even get $25,000. Wake up, America! This is unacceptable'

In the Instagram comments of 90 Day Fiance's new clip, fans blasted Angela for her 'horrible abuse' and treating Michael 'like you owned him'

In his legal response filing on August 21, Michael - who's seeking 'temporary and permanent spousal support' - argued they were in a 'lawful marriage' and he experienced 'cruel treatment' and 'physical and mental abuse' both in private and while filming 90 Day Fiance.

On August 13, Kiki & Kibbitz vlogger Mary K organized a GoFundMe page for Ilesanmi's legal fees, which has raised $48,480 of his $25,000 goal from 2,500 donations.

'Did you see Michael made his goal? What is wrong with you, United States of America?!,' Angela blasted via TikTok on August 15.

'I am totally ashamed right now. Who makes a GoFundMe, makes $25,000 for legal fees when we have people out there who are posting [to raise money] for sick kids, sick moms or veterans out there who don't even get $25,000. Wake up, America! This is unacceptable.'

In the Instagram comments of 90 Day Fiance's new clip, fans blasted Deem for her 'horrible abuse' and treating Michael 'like you owned him.'

'She spit on him, screamed in his face, threw drinks on him, tried to destroy his car, smashed his cell phones, controlled him, called him names,' Instagram user @joelkay wrote.

'As a survivor of [domestic violence] this was all triggering to me. [I don't know] how she sleeps at night dehumanizing another human being none the less her husband like that.'
Bella Hadid proved she has the best abs in the business on Tuesday.

The former Victoria's Secret model, 27  who recently promoted her latest fragrance drop  was spotted looking ethereal as she made her way to a meeting in Los Angeles.

She rocked a chic lace crop top and low waisted jeans that displayed her ribbed abs and slender legs.

Her brunette locks were let loose and parted down the middle as they cascaded over her shoulders.

She teamed her look with sunglasses, a belt to cinch her tiny waist and boots while carrying a designer purse.

Bella Hadid was spotted looking almost ethereal as she made her way to a meeting in Los Angeles

She rocked a chic lace crop top and low waisted jeans that displayed her ribbed abs and slender legs

She added a touch of elegance to the sexy ensemble with various gold rings that brought attention to her fresh manicure.

When the style maven is not serving jaw dropping looks, she is busy promoting new fragrances from her brand Orebella.

On Monday she hit up makeup retailer, Ulta, surprising fans with a meet and greet to tease her latest scent from the collection, NIGHTCAP.

At the time, the five-foot-nine looker opened up to Harper's Bazaar about the brand, sharing: 'I never had a fragrance I was so obsessed with that made me feel unique and different. I started making my own and started making decks about it.

'Then, all of a sudden, I had conversations with myself about my future and, like, what excited me, and it really was bringing something that was so personal to me to the world, and having the opportunity for people to see my heart and my brain,' she model added.

She added: 'Creating Orebella was the best form of therapy, especially just using my brain again and educating myself on different things and knowing the business behind all of this, but also being able to stay true to who I am.'

When the style maven is not serving jaw dropping looks, she is busy promoting new fragrances from her brand Orebella; seen in 2024

Gushing over her fragrances Bella said: 'I want people to really know that for me, there is something really nostalgic about the first three scents that were launching now...

'Or the ones that I've already made that we'll be launching later this year, if all goes well. I want people's emotions to be triggered when they smell them.

'I want people to feel nostalgic of something from their childhood or, you know, have a sense of peace knowing all of our experiences are not singular...' she finished.
Angelina Jolie is set to receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media at this years Toronto Film Festival.

The Oscar winner, 49, who kicked off the Venice Film Festival, will be honored at the city's Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sunday, September 8, coinciding with the world premiere of her latest directorial project Without Blood, per Deadline on Tuesday.

The TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media, previously awarded to filmmakers such as Pedro Almodovar, honors individuals who bridge social impact and cinema.

Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, and David Cronenberg will also be recognized at the 2024 TIFF gala, with Sandra Oh serving as the Honorary Chair.

'Angelina Jolie is a multifaceted talent who has entertained audiences for decades while consistently using her platform to champion important causes,' TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in a statement.

Angelina Jolie is set to receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media at this years Toronto Film Festival; (pictured in June)

The Oscar winner, 49, who kicked off the Venice Film Festival (pictured), will be honored at the city's Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sunday, September 8, coinciding with the world premiere of her latest directorial project Without Blood, per Deadline on Tuesday

'This award recognizes her exceptional achievements in filmmaking, and her unwavering commitment for positive change, solidifying her status as a veritable humanitarian and global force to be reckoned with.'

The news follows a recent plea from Angelina Jolie's estranged father Jon Voight, who has urged her ex Brad Pitt to resolve their ongoing eight-year divorce battle for the sake of their children.

The 85-year-old actor told Fox News Digital that he wished pair could 'find a way to make peace' - just days after Pitt's daughter Shiloh officially dropped his surname.

He said: 'You know, I think the kids need some stability. I love the kids, and I love my daughter. And I want Brad to step up to do, you know, what he has to do. End this nonsense.

He added that he 'doesn't talk to his grandchildren as much as [he'd] like.'

Angelina and Brad, who share six children together: Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15, split in 2016.

Voight's plea comes after he praised Angelina and his granddaughter Vivienne after they stole the spotlight at the 2024 Tony Awards with their remarkable victory.

The mother-daughter duo produced the musical The Outsiders, which won four trophies, including the top honor of Best Musical.

'Im very proud of Vivienne,' Voight told TMZ at the time. 'Im really proud of Angie because she really tries to encourage each of the kids to be what they want to be.'

'I'm sure Angie contributed with the actors and Angie's a great director,' Voight continued to gush over the Maleficent star.

The news follows a recent plea from Angelina Jolie's estranged father Jon Voight (pictured August), who has urged her ex Brad Pitt to resolve their ongoing eight-year divorce battle for the sake of their children.

The 85-year-old actor told Fox News Digital that he wished pair could 'find a way to make peace' - just days after Pitt's daughter Shiloh officially dropped his surname; (Pitt in 2023)

The Midnight Cowboy icon also revealed how Vivienne got her mother involved with the production.

'Vivienne read the book and then went down to see the pre-Broadway play version down close by San Diego and she went down four times and she said "Mom, you got to see this,"' he explained to the outlet.

The accolades follow a history of turbulent moments between Voight and Jolie, which have caused periods of estrangement over the years.

They reconnected briefly during the filming of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001, but Jolie reportedly cut ties with her father again in the early 2000s.

'We don't really speak that much anymore,' the Changeling star told Vogue in 2002, shortly after starring in the Lara Croft film.

Voight's infidelity during his marriage to Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, and their subsequent divorce reportedly were key factors in the father and daughter's estrangement.

Although the pair have made up in the past, Voight recently slammed his daughter for her anti-Israel posts, branding them as 'lies' and saying 'the Israeli army must protect thy soil.'

Jolie is formerly a special envoy of the UN High Commission for Refugees. She accused Israel of 'deliberately bombing children, women, families, deprived of food, medicine and humanitarian aid' in violation of the international law.

The accolades follow a history of turbulent moments between Voight and Jolie, which have caused periods of estrangement over the years; (pictured 1998)

Voight is seen with James Haven and Jolie at the 1986 Academy Awards

In response, Voight said he was 'disappointed' that his daughter did not understand that Hamas' objective was 'to annihilate the land of the Jews.'

Meanwhile, Vivienne's appearance at the June 16 Tony Awards came as another blow to Brad on Father's Day shortly after she notably dropped his surname on her Playbill credit.

In May, it was also revealed that Vivienne dropped the last name Pitt from her moniker in The Outsiders Playbill.

According to People, the former couple's daughter was listed as Vivienne Jolie in the literature, instead of Vivienne Jolie-Pitt. It's unknown if she has legally changed her name.

The move came shortly after Angelina was ordered by a judge to turn over every NDA agreement that she signed with a third-party over an eight-year period amid the ex spouses' ongoing legal battle.

Shiloh and Vivienne's name change comes after her older sister Zahara made a similar choice in public.

Last November, when she was inducted into the AKA sorority at Spelman College, she appeared to drop her father's last name as she introduced herself. In a video clip shared by Essence magazine, she stated, 'My name is Zahara Marley Jolie.'

Pitt has also faced scorn from his son Pax, 20, who called him a 'world-class a**hole' and a 'despicable person' in an explosive instagram rant revealed by DailyMail.com.

Brad and Angelina are still embroiled in an ongoing divorce battle and the actor reportedly has a strained relationship with this children; (former couple seen in 2014)

Jolie, who shares six children - Maddox, 22, Pax, 19, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 1 - with Pitt, reportedly reached out to Voight in 2010; ( pictured in 2014)

Also in May, Brad and Angelina's daughter, Shiloh, 18, officially requested to drop 'Pitt' from her surname in court documents obtained by TMZ.

Angelina and Brad began dating after Pitt and then-wife, Jennifer Aniston, announced their divorce in 2005.

The two later tied the knot in 2014, with the Maleficent actress filing for divorce in 2016 after only two years of marriage.

Three years later in 2019, Brad and Angelina were declared legally single.
Brittany Cartwright broke her social media silence following her shock divorce filing from Jax Taylor on Tuesday.

The Vanderpump Rules star, 35 - who has been married to Taylor, 45, since 2019 - shared a glamorous snap as she moved on from her marriage.

The star wore hot pink and sported a glamorous make-up look in the snap captioned: 'Getting my sparkle back.'

Brittany cited irreconcilable differences as her reason for ending the marriage.

DailyMail.com has contacted a representative for Cartwright and NBCUniversal, Bravo's parent company, for comment.

Brittany Cartwright broke her social media silence following her shock divorce filing from Jax Taylor on Tuesday

The couple, who wed in a lavish wedding that aired on Vanderpump Rules, have a three-year-old son Cruz together. Brittany has requested primary legal and physical custody over the child however is open to visitation for her ex.

Additionally, Cartwright is seeking to block the ability of the court to award either one of them with spousal support.

Cartwright cited their date of separation as January 24.

The filing comes days after Taylor left a mental health facility. A rep for Taylor previously told Us Weekly he was set to depart last week.

Cartwright and Taylor wed in 2019 but separated this past February.

The couple's early romance was chronicled on the Bravo series Vanderpump Rules and the breakdown of their marriage was captured on the spin-off, The Valley, with Cartwright revealing she had moved out their marital residence with son Cruz.

'A lot has happened with me and Jax,' Brittany said in a confessional. 'We were already having issues all summer long, but once the cameras stopped rolling, things just seemed like they were getting worse and worse and worse.

'So about six weeks ago, I separated from Jax. I moved into an AirBnb with Cruz because Jax would not leave the house,' she said on the finale.

Brittany said that Jax not moving out showed his selfishness. Brittany said she left with their three-year-old son Cruz because the situation at home was toxic. Brittany said Jax would come with a hangover and in the morning would be 'mean as a snake.'

'I just hit this point where I just started noticing everything that he did to me,' Brittany said. 'It just hit me like a ton of bricks.'

Brittany said during their relationship that Jax cheated on her, disrespected her and humiliated her.

'I have been through a lot of pain in this relationship,' Brittany said. 'I just can't deal with it anymore.'

The Vanderpump Rules star - who has been married to Taylor since 2019 - shared a glamorous snap as she moved on from her marriage; pictured 2019

Brittany filed for divorce from Taylor in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Cartwright and Taylor wed in 2019 but separated this past February; pictured 2021

The couple's early romance was chronicled on the Bravo series Vanderpump Rules and the breakdown of their marriage was captured on the spin-off, The Valley

Following their separation, Brittany revealed the real reason why they split and told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that they had issues in their marriage for years.

She explained how the birth of their first child Cruz in 2021 made her reevaluate her marriage to the controversial Vanderpump Rules villain.

'So for me, it was just kind of like taking up for myself. Having a child really woke me up and lifted a veil a little bit of what I deserve and what I am going to put up with for the rest of my life,' she said.

'And I just knew that I had to ... figure out what I want to do for my future and make things a super positive living situation for my son. That's all that I care about.'

Cartwright also shared in April that her 'sexless marriage' with Jax made her hit her 'breaking point' and admitted they've discussed dating other people amid separation, saying 'I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life.'

In an interview with Us Weekly, the Vanderpump Rules alum said that her and Taylor's sex life had 'dwindled so much' in recent years and that it began to affect her self esteem.

Cartwright and Taylor, pictured April 2024 at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, separated this past February

'I felt like I wasn't good enough. If you start to feel like your partner doesn't want you and they're also being mean to you, it's like, 'What am I doing here?' I'm basically living with a roommate. I hit my breaking point,' she explained.

When she tried to speak to Taylor about their lack of sex, Cartwright claimed that he would tell her was '44 and I'm tired'  an answer that didn't suffice for her.

Brittany also admitted that the couple came under financial strain when they were fired from Vanderpump Rules in 2020 - which contributed to fractures in their marriage.

'It was definitely a difficult time in our relationship,' she confessed.

'It kind of shifted gears where I became the breadwinner because I was still working, I was doing commercials and different brand deals,' she continued.

'I was super lucky to have all that happen for me, but Jax wasn't having the same stuff happening for him. So it was a big shift in our relationship that kind of took a toll for a while.'

Last month on an episode of his and Cartwright's When Reality Hits podcast, Jax revealed he and Cartwright were still, 'trying to exhaust everything' before considering divorcing.

The former couple married at the Kentucky Castle in the Cartwright's home state in June 2019

They welcomed their son Cruz in 2021

'I am not  I repeat not  dating anybody. I was seen out with someone and it was strictly lunch. Obviously, Brittany and I are separated and have been for a long time. What we are going through right now is tough. Marriage is not easy,' he explained.

The bar owner continued: 'We are trying to figure out a lot of different things: therapy, separation, and maybe, possibly, dating other people.'

'We are trying to exhaust everything before we have to go down the divorce road  if that would be the case,' he told listeners. 'Part of taking some time apart means exploring other people. All marriages are different, but this is what is good for our marriage.'

Brittany previously reconciled with Jax in 2017 after it was revealed that he had cheated on her with their costar Faith Stowers.

She said she stuck by him through their tumultuous times but said continuous fighting in front of their young son was the final straw for her to break away.

Brittany and Jax started dating in 2015, two years before he admitted to infidelity.

But they stayed together and got engaged in 2018, married at the Kentucky Castle in the Cartwright's home state in June 2019 and welcomed their son Cruz in 2021.

Jax and Brittany are currently starring in the Vanderpump Rules spin-off The Valley.

The dramatic series follows the pair, as well as Kristen Doute and other members of their friend group, as they navigate married life and parenthood in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley.
Ashley Roberts took to Instagram on Monday to show off her incredible figure, flashing underboob in a tiny black bikini while on holiday in Spain.

The Heart FM presenter, 42, showed off her jaw-dropping physique as she posed in front of a wall during her sunny getaway.

She matched her accessories to her swimwear, wearing black sunglasses and a loosely tied black sarong.

Moving to the seaside, Ashley showcased her pert bottom as she sat on the edge of the beach's barrier.

Ashley captioned the post 'Summer in Espagna' and added a sun emoji.

Ashley Roberts, 42, took to Instagram on Monday to show off her incredible figure, flashing underboob in a tiny black bikini while on holiday in Spain

The Heart FM presenter showed off her jaw-dropping physique as she posed in front of a wall during her sunny getaway

Moving to the seaside, Ashley showcased her pert bottom as she sat on the edge of the beach's barrier

The post comes just days after Ashley gave her over 700,000 followers the highlights from her trip to Greece.

Ashley once again showcased her incredible figure on Sunday when she shared snaps of herself in a tiny white bikini.

She relaxed on a sun lounger at a pebbly beach as she topped up her tan during her trip to the Hellenic Republic.

Ashley showed off her bronzed tan and toned stomach in the white bikini top and tie-string shorts.

A beige bucket hat helped keep her shaded from the sun. The former Pussycat Doll also shared a snap wearing a tiny white miniskirt and a pair of sunglasses.

The former Pussycat Dolls star accessorised with a Prada beach bag.

Ashley is Heart Breakfast's showbiz reporter and she also hosts her own show on the station, Heart 00s.

The professional dancer has also been presenting the Netflix reality programme Dance Monsters since 2022.

Monday's post comes just days after Ashley gave her over 700,000 followers the highlights from her trip to Greece

Ashley recently revealed she is settled in the UK and has no plans to move back to America.

She told OK! Magazine: 'Every now and then I pop back to LA, but I'm not going to be moving back there.

'I lived there for a significant amount of time but the UK feels so much more like home to me. It just feels more "me".

'I resonate more with the people, the culture and the lifestyle.'
The home improvement retailer Lowe's has become the latest brand to scrap its support for Pride events and other diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) schemes in the face of consumer boycotts.

Lowe's will stop cooperating with the Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBTQ group, and will no longer separate employees into so-called 'resource groups' based on race, religion or sexual identities, according to an internal memo.

The company will also stop sponsoring parades, festivals, or fairs, and will instead focus on events related to its business, such as affordable housing and skilled trades education, says the memo.

In recent weeks, Jack Daniel's, Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply, and John Deere, have all reversed course on DEI in the face of anger from conservative consumers who eschew the progressive policies.

Lowe's has scrapped much of its DEI work, according to an internal memo from the company with more than 1,700 stores, including this location in Los Angeles

Anti-DEI campaigner Robby Starbuck claims another scalp with Lowe's climbdown on Pride parades

The anti-DEI campaigner Robby Starbuck celebrated the move on X, saying Lowe's had bowed to pressure from consumers who reject 'woke' and 'ridiculous' diversity policies in US corporations.

'We are winning and one by one we will bring sanity back to corporate America,' said Starbuck, 35.

'Lowe's says there could be other future changes, and there should be. They should eliminate their DEI team in total.'

According to Starbuck, he approached Lowe's last week, telling the firm he planned to target the home-improvement giant over policies such as their employee resource groups and donations to Pride events.

The company responded Monday with preemptive changes, said the Tennessee-based Cuban-American activist.

Lowe's, a $42 billion company with nearly 300,000 employees across 1,700 locations, which is headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, did not answer The Mail's request for comment.

But in a memo to employees Monday, its executives said that, like other firms, Lowe's started to review its DEI policies in the wake of the June 2023 Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in college admissions.

'We recently decided to combine our business resource groups, from individual groups representing diverse sections of our associate population, into one umbrella organization, says the memo.

'In addition, we are no longer participating in the Human Rights Campaign survey process.'

Many companies that embraced DEI policies in the wake of the cop killing of unarmed black man George Floyd in May 2020 have stepped back from them for fear of irking conservative customers.

Lowe's $18 million-a-year CEO Marvin Ellison is steering the retailer away from DEI

The $42 billion company has nearly 300,000 employees spread across 1,700 locations

Some businesses have received public shareholder letters since 2021 saying their DEI schemes amount to illegal discrimination and breach directors' duties to investors.

For some, DEI schemes are important and necessary, as they can help to overcome historical racism and sexism and make it easier for people of all backgrounds to get ahead in education and work.

Critics say it's a form of reverse discrimination that unfairly blows back on straight, white men.

Others say DEI schemes may be well-intentioned, but seldom achieve their desired goals and

that mandatory workshops on 'micro-aggressions' and 'white fragility' often make things worse by stirring up divisions in offices and classrooms.

An Ipsos poll in April found that 61 percent of voters called DEI a 'good thing.'

Still, a Gallup survey from around the same time found that only 38 percent of people wanted businesses to be taking a stance on current events  a drop of 10 percentage points from 2022.
Kamala prioritises the everyday citizen over corporate interests and her message is getting traction not only in the US but across the globe

The global economic landscape could shift dramatically if the US Democratic Party's presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, succeeds in implementing her bold stance on prices and corporate control. This move could send shockwaves across the world, compelling nations like India to reconsider their current economic modelsjust as they did during the liberalization era when corporate power surged. It appears the tide is turning, as people worldwide demand freedom from the manipulative tactics that drive up prices. Harriss message is clear: Americans can no longer tolerate skyrocketing costs. Her aggressive, populist economic agenda aims to rein in corporate power and lower the cost of living, potentially setting a new standard for global economic policies.

A 74-year-old Indian blogger after a lavish Indian corporate marriage in July blurted out on X-twitter, In my 74 years, I have not seen, or even heard of, a more tasteless, egotistical or pretentious wedding than the recent, 24X7 televised extravaganza.

The perversity and its real portent lie elsewhere.It lies in the way money was expended, at a time when the average Indian has never been worse off economically, when inequality and unemployment have reached record heights, when 67 percent of the GST is paid by 50 percent of its poorest citizens, when the top 1 percent control 40 percent of the country's wealth, when 800 million people have to be provided free/ subsidized foodgrains to survive.

Not much different is the weekend speech of Harris. She says, We know that many Americans dont yet feel that progress in their lives. Costs are still too high and it feels too hard to get ahead.

No wonder Republican nominee Donald Trump calls her too liberal.It seems so similar to the echoes of severe price rises and joblessness during the June Lok Sabha elections in India amid rows of mutton, muslim, mandir and mujra, mehngai and berojgari. Yes, Indians and Americans need food, a minimum quality of life and freedom from organised oppression.Indians are certainly more concerned because with whatever rank in the world economy, it is nowhere near the US.

If the American economy is not in good shape, Indians can at best be convalescing, post-COVID-19. But the stranglehold of the honchos in India is more gripping than in the US, which has strong anti-trust laws despite the protests from the big. Indian policies suit the big shops more with quite a few trillions being waved off in taxes and other benefits, including tailoring national and stock market policies. Harris instead, despite being the Vice President of the USA, empathising with the American people, says, The bills add up. Food, rent, gas, back-to-school clothes, prescription medication. After that, for many families, theres not much left at the end of the month. As president, I will take on the high costs that matter most to most Americans.

Those words any Indian voter would love to hear from their leaders. It follows a dozen proposals for improving the lives of Americans. Some like 3 million new housing units to the people seemingly have been picked up from Indian political party manifestos. Like Indias PM Avas, she proposes to provide up to $25,000 in down payment support for a million first-time home buyers.

An addition is tax incentives for builders, who build affordable rental housing. It could be a welcome scenario for most Indians.As now being debated in India on capital gains tax indexation or also rentals, Harris is keen on preventing corporate landlords from using algorithmic price-setting tools to increase rents by large margins. It is gradually becoming a problem in areas in the national capital regions of Noida, Gurgaon, Delhis Dwarka, Bengaluru, and Chennai. India has just started feeling it.Medical costs and health insurance fraud are the worst in the US. Many Indian companies now have emulated it.

Medical expenses are increasing in India and the US.

Both countries are discussing it intensely and often end up saying the United Kingdom has the best medical facilities. Harris promises to eliminate medical debt for millions of Americans, possibly by using federal funds to buy and forgive outstanding debt from health providers. She wants to limit Americans annual out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs to $2,000. Thousands of kilometres apart the conditions are so similar!

The one difference is that India wants to repeat the US insurance follies and they are trying to change it.

Though in some cases like PM JanAushadhi, India is doing better in providing generic medicines at low prices. Harris does not have that option and says would cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month for all.As direct benefit pensions are given to kisans in India, Harris would give a child tax credit that would provide $6,000 per child to families for the first year of a babys life.

Indian budgetary novelties introduced as direct benefits or pensions in various ways have fascinated Harris. Each of Harriss proposals, whether in terms of food, medicine, housing or child care is populist, involving government intervention against corporate interests on behalf of consumers.

Socialism, direct or indirect, despite big companies ruling the roost, is returning to world politics. What Harris does may just create a flutter, but countries like India, who claim to be the next global leaders, have to trudge more cautiously to safeguard the poor, farmers and the working class.Harris has borrowed quite a few of it from the Indian budget. Now it is Indias turn to ensure how it could check the corporates to serve peoples interests. The world is changing and Indias populism is winning big ones heart.

(The author is a freelance writer and columnist; views are personal)
One needs to inculcate habits of equanimity, and remaining calm, whatever the circumstance

The romance was in the air as India attained freedom from the British yoke. The period was the 1950s as India embarked upon the socialistic pattern to revive the country, which had inherited an impecunious economy.Two bright students from coastal Andhra landed in rain-washed Delhi University to pursue their dreams. To remain connected with their past, they made recurrent trips to the New Delhi Railway Station to receive students arriving in droves from their state and revive those nostalgic moments. When it is repetitively said, Those good old days!, in one stroke we send a signal to our Universe that the present is not congenial.As Buddha says, The mind is everything. What you think you become. If we live in the past, we keep fretting and fuming about the missed opportunities and those past impressions create roadblocks in our physical and metaphysical advancement.

On completion of their studies, the more aspiring students stayed back and the less enterprising ones returned home. The person in Delhi aspired to be a civil servant like his more illustrious siblings and their children. But destiny had carved out its plan. His friends and acquaintances qualified for the coveted job, a sinecure that eluded him. So, the mind became envious of his siblings, their children and friends and started implanting his failed mission upon his children, much to their discomfiture. How does one reach that state of present moment? Before dwelling on some techniques, it will be useful to read a fascinating Buddhist parable.One afternoon a Buddhist monk was carrying a bucket filled with water in a dense forest. Suddenly he heard a rustle. It was a tiger, smacking its lips and intently looking at the potential prey. The monk ran for his life, with the tiger in pursuit. The monk reached a precipice and had a choice to make, either be devoured by the ferocious tiger or jump off the cliff. Death stared in his face. The monk jumped and fortuitously clung onto a branch of a strawberry tree. He ate the strawberryconsidering it to be his last mealand thoroughly relished it. The monk had never had such a meal, as was absolutely in the present moment.A simple yet profound technique of sadhana is to be a witness to all the actions and activities that take place. The actor in us becomes the spectator too. This is what is espoused in the esoteric philosophy of Ashtavakra Gita (a classic dialogue between King Janakawho himself was a Raj Rishiand the sage Ashtavakra).

Any individual, householder or seeker needs to inculcate habits of equanimity, equilibrium, and equipoise to remain calm, whatever the circumstance or situation, to be contented and remain in the present moment. The protagonist who stayed back in Delhi could fulfil his dreams only partially. His son did qualify for the civil services, but could not join the service of his choice; this was due to excessive pressure applied by family members already in theelite services. Eventually, the son turned into an alcoholic. Perhaps it was because both father and son were not grateful to the Universe and did not adhere to the Law of Gratefulness.

Thus, lives were ruined. Meanwhile, the friend who returned home did not lose his way in the sands of time. He became a trade union leader and politician, living in the present.Life is one big road with lots of signs. So, when you are riding through the ruts, do not complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief, and jealousy, sang Bob Marley.

(The writer is a faculty at Art of Living, views expressed are personal)
Commercialisation of these institutions undermines their core mission which is to provide inclusive, affordable high-quality education to all

The Vice-Chancellor of JNU , Prof. C Santhishree D Pandit recently remarked that the countrys top university is facing a financial crunch with little regular income generated from its resources. The VC has decided to repurpose the universitys properties with private participation. This culture of looking at public academic institutions as a source of revenue has been rhyming among our policymakers during the past several years.

One reason is the huge prime land area holding maintained by the public sector institutions and another is the change in the shift in societal perception. Todays society evaluates everything based on money. The primary objective of public sector academic institutions is to offer an inclusive and excellent education to all sections of the population. Central to these institutions is the concept of education as a public gooda valuable asset that has advantages for society as a whole, rather than solely for individuals. Education, in this view, is not simply a product that can be purchased and sold, but rather a profound process that moulds individuals into knowledgeable, reflective members of society who are capable of making meaningful contributions to the collective welfare.

Their value should be assessed based on the number of enlightened minds generated by these institutions. As we can see it's these enlightened minds who are driving the wheel of the government machinery, and the nation's progress. Public sector academic institutions have been under growing pressure in recent decades to implement business-oriented strategies, which include prioritising income creation. The transition has been prompted by several circumstances, such as decreases in government financing, increasing operational expenses, and the expanding impact of market ideology in public policy. Consequently, numerous public universities and colleges have resorted to alternate sources of income, such as raising tuition fees, extending online programs, providing executive education courses, renting out spaces and forming alliances with private industry.

Private parties, if allowed to rent out spaces, should work closely with the academic and research community of the university. It should also help in imparting knowledge and transformation to students.In many NITs, the guest house rate has been increased tenfold, as mandated by the policymakers.

Unfortunately, people who visit these institutions including academicians and parents of students have to pay more than what is the market rate in that area. Although these initiatives can offer significant financial support, they also pose a potential threat of altering the core purpose of public sector institutions. It can be detrimental to maintaining high academic standards and fostering a wide range of intellectual perspectives.

Additionally, it can generate pressures to give higher priority to programs and research areas that provide greater profits, perhaps overlooking subjects that are less financially rewarding but equally crucial for societal progress. It is vital to provide students with a well-rounded education that encourages critical thinking and broad-based knowledge.

Public sector academic institutions hold a distinct and crucial role in maintaining the social fabric of the nation. Their objective is not to earn financial gain but rather to generate enlightened minds capable of critical thinking, and contribute to the development of the nation.

The great minds working in every field, including the bureaucrats and political leaders are groomed by these public sector institutions. For this to continue, we should not put a price tag on every facility a public sector university offers to the student or society at large.

(The writer is an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies; views are personal)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly utilised Pakistans airspace, while coming back from India to Poland, according to media reports of Pakistan.

Citing sources from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the report of news.com.pk revealed, that the plane entered Pakistani airspace at 10:15 am and remained there for about 46 minutes.

Further, the flight passed over Chitral and traversed the air control zones of Islamabad and Lahore before exiting into India at 11:01 am via Amritsar.

Speaking to The News, an official from the CAA clarified that the flight was allowed under the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of international civil aviation. International laws dictate that in such circumstances, no No-Objection Certificate (NOC) is required. The countrys CAA concerned only needs to be informed in advance, the official explained.

The newspapers said, quoting sources, that Indian PM Narendra Modi has crossed Pakistans airspace four times after becoming the Prime Minister of India for the third time.

On August 21, Modi entered Pakistans airspace at a height of 36,000 feet near Kasur at 10 am on his way to Polands capital Warsaw in his special India One plane from Delhi. His plane remained in Pakistans airspace for 48 minutes. He entered the Afghan airspace from Chitral.

On July 8, on his way from Delhi to Moscow, the Indian Prime Ministers plane India One flew at a height of 36,000 feet and entered Pakistans airspace near Chitral at 11:26 am. It entered the airspace of Afghanistan at 12:10 pm.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Poland from August 21-22. This marked the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland in 45 years.

Pakistan fully closed its airspace to India in February 2019 after Indian fighter jets violated its international boundary. Although the airspace was partially reopened in March of that year, it remained closed to Indian flights. Notably, Pakistan denied Modis request to use its airspace for a flight to Germany later that year amid heightened tensions over the Kashmir issue. However, in 2021, Pakistan granted permission for Modis non-stop flight to the US to pass through its airspace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and shared "insights" from his recent visit to Ukraine. During the telephone talks, Modi reiterated India's firm commitment to supporting an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

A day earlier on Monday, Modi had briefed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Ukraine and conveyed India's full support for the early return of peace to the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

As regards talks with President Putin, Modi said in a social media post, "Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm support to an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict."

The Prime Minister also said he and President Putin also discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

A statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) here said Modi had on Tuesday a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The Prime Minister recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit.

The two leaders reviewed progress on a number of bilateral issues and discussed measures to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.

They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict as Modi shared with Putin insights from his recent visit to Ukraine.

He underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch.

Modi's talks with Putin took place days after he met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

During his meeting with the Ukrainian President, Prime Minister Modi had said India is "not neutral as it is always on the side of peace".

"We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war," Prime Minister Modi said.

"I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed to respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity (of States) and it is of utmost importance to us," he added.

During his visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi had also said he hoped to see the "rising sun of peace". "I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in any effort towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that. I want to assure you as a friend," he had said to Zelenskyy.

On August 23, Modi paid a nearly nine-hour visit to Kyiv, the first-ever trip to Ukraine by an Indian Prime Minister since it became independent over three decades ago, and held wide-ranging talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He also invited Zelenskyy to visit India and the Ukrainian leader said he would be happy to travel to the "great" country.

Last month, Prime Minister Modi had visited Moscow and met President Putin. Reiterating India's stand on the Ukraine conflict, he had urged the Russian President to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy asserting that "no solution can be found on the battlefield".

The Russia-Ukraine war is in its second year and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. On Monday, Russia carried out drone and missile attacks across Ukraine.
Many people, including policemen, were injured in pitched battles intermittently fought at various locations of Kolkata and Howrah between the men in uniform and students protesting against the rape and murder of the lady doctor at a medical college in Kolkata. Several protesters were taken into custody.

The students under the banner of a relatively obscure Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj  with apparent blessings of the Opposition BJP  marched towards the State Secretariat Nabanna to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when clashes took place.

Initial jostling turned into skirmishes with the police repeatedly bursting tear gas, charging water jets and resorting to lathicharge as the charged up agitators that included many women refused to relent and turned aggressive. The pitched battles continued for more than five hours giving the police a harrowing time, sources in the administration said, adding additional combat forces and RAF had to be called in from the neighbouring districts.

At various places people profusely bleeding from head were seen being carried away by their co-agitators to the hospitals. Similarly the policemen who often got isolated were also attacked. At Babu Ghat a crowd of agitators badly beat up two policemen with lathis, rods, bricks and even shoes. Some even spit on them while journalists covering the incident tried to intervene by appealing the people not to take law into their own hands.

Intensity of the protest was such that the agitators who were quickly joined by swarms of political activists, moved dangerously close to the seat of State power, Nabanna with the police armed with riot gear having a trying time to push them back.

The scene was almost same on both sides of the Hooghly River as the agitators broke through firmly erected barricades one after the other at Mahatma Gandhi Road, College Square, Princep Ghat, Esplanade, Hastings, Santragachi, Vidya Sagar Setu leading to Nabanna, Howrah Maidan, Sarat Chatterjee Road and elsewhere shouting the hitherto familiar slogan "we want justice."

At Princep Ghat and Mahatma Gandhi Road the police chased away the agitators who were trying to break the cordons. At Kona Express Way too, the police fought intermittently with the agitators who were trying to enter Nabanna area from Howrah side.

In the melee more than 50 people, including policemen were hurt, sources said, adding that the count could go up as "more information from other zones are still awaited." The police had detained more than 350 people, the BJP sources said.

While the police accused the agitators of resorting to violence first by throwing bricks the opposite side said the students got agitated as news spread that four of their leaders who had been organising the movement for the past several days had "mysteriously gone missing" as they had allegedly been picked up around midnight on Monday.

Incidentally most of the agitating doctors at various medical colleges and the members of the civil society remained indifferent to the Tuesday's march but continued their cease work at their workplaces, sources said. The Tuesday's clashes were the culmination of fortnight long protests by the people from all walks of life against the brutal rape and murder of a lady doctor at the RG Kar Medical College Hospital and allege effort by the Kolkata Police and the powers that be to shield the real guilty.

The Left Front earlier detached itself from the movement with Meenakshi Mukherjee on Sunday night telling that neither the Students' Federation of India nor the Democratic Youth Federation  the students' and youth arms of the CPI(M)  would join the movement.

Meanwhile, in protest against the "atrocities perpetrated by the police on a peaceful march," the BJP on Tuesday declared a 12-hour bandh in Bengal.

Union Minister and State party president Sukanta Majumdar, urged the people to "participate in the general strike" from 6 AM to 6 PM "so as to knock some shame in the police and the State Government.

However the State administration said that as it was the policy of the government not to allow any kind of strike, "government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday", asking the people not to participate in the strike.

Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief advisor to the Chief Minister said that "all the transport services will remain operational, and shops, marketplaces and other business establishments will remain open."

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that "despite the act of shame in RG Kar Hospital and despite the Government taking all the steps some vested interests have made it a political agenda to pull down an elected Government  and the strike is a part of that  as strikes are out of fashion in Bengal there will be no bandh in on Tuesday."

He also said that the "BJP's efforts to purchase a dead body  for its political gains through the violent march on Tuesday has been failed by the police which despite all provocations acted in a restrained manner and did not fire a single shot  depriving the opposition to do politics with dead bodies."
The Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for the safety and security of healthcare professionals held its inaugural meeting under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary on Tuesday.

It decided to conduct broader consultations with key stakeholders to identify critical issues and develop a comprehensive framework for protecting those in the healthcare field.

Soon after the NTF panel also favoured setting up an online portal seeking suggestions from public, the Union Health Ministry shared a link in this regard, posting on the X social platform, Suggestions to NTF http://serviceonline.gov.in/directApply.do?serviceId=2987) for seeking suggestions from individuals and different stakeholders across the country.

It is operational as of today.

The 10-member panel was set up following Apex court's suo motu action last week regarding the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, a case that ignited nationwide protests and disrupted medical services.

Given the gravity of the situation, on Wednesday, a meeting co-chaired by the Union home secretary and Union health secretary will be held with state chief secretaries and DGPs through video conference to discuss short term measures regarding the security of medical professionals.

The NTF members informed that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions.

The states have also been requested to provide information on the security measures available in the medical institutions. A Google sheet has been shared with the states for this purpose, the officials said.

The panel plans to engage with organizations such as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and resident doctors' associations to gather diverse perspectives and input. A source noted the urgency of the task, highlighting the need for a swift and inclusive approach.

"It was decided that the NTF will interact further with stakeholders such as the Indian Medical Association (IMA), resident doctors associations concerned because it is important to know their viewpoints and hear them out besides reading the representations. Also there is a limited timeline so the draft needs to be readied as soon as possible," said the official.

"We have already deliberated on some of the inputs but we would expand those and hold deliberations further to make it more inclusive and comprehensive so that we have clarity on the issues that need prioritisation as well as implementation map and definite framework," he added.

The task force is charged with formulating recommendations under two primary areas: preventing violence, including gender-based violence, against medical professionals and ensuring safe working conditions, and preventing sexual violence against them.

The task force's agenda also involves ensuring compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, mandating the formation of Internal Complaints Committees in all hospitals and nursing homes.

The 10-member NTF includes notable figures such as Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General (Medical Services), Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, Dr M Srinivas, AIIMS-Delhi Director and Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru who bring a wealth of experience from various sectors of healthcare.

The Union Health Ministry has already issued directives to the hospitals and medical colleges to ensure safety of the medical professionals. These include enhancing security in high-risk areas like emergency rooms and intensive care units, implementing baggage screening at hospital entrances, and improving infrastructure with separate resting and duty rooms for male and female staff.

High-resolution CCTV cameras at strategic locations such as entrances and exits, corridors, dark spots, and sensitive areas should be installed while a control room should be set up for quick response at the time of an emergency.

The ministry has also asked the institutions to suggest that an adequate number of secure duty rooms with basic amenities should be created for women health professionals. And, preferably more than one woman should be deployed for the night shifts. They should be escorted in premises while on duty and proper arrangement of secured transport should be made for them for any movement at night, the letter says.
A delegation of Delhi BJP leaders including state unit President Virendra Sachdeva and South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Tuesday morning visited a Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) school and alleged that the school is understaffed, has no drinking water available, students are forced to sit on jute mats, and there is no toilet block for girls despite Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal governments claims of world-class educational facilities.

Hitting out at the AAP for the MCD school situated in Kapashera, near the Delhi-Haryana border, Sachdeva said, While Delhi constantly hears from Minister Atishi and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia that they have made schools world-class, standing in this MCD school, it is disheartening to see the conditions.

He claimed that children are forced to study sitting on jute mats in the school while in one hall, three different classes are being conducted simultaneously by a single teacher. The school has 1,250 students, but there is no water cooler, and all the taps in the school are dry, broken, and there is no drinking water available for the children. The schools toilet block is extremely dirty, and there is no separate toilet block for the approximately 550 female students, he added.

The Delhi BJP chief also said there has been no principal since 2022 and seven teachers are on BLO duty while six are on long leave, leaving the school understaffed.

He added that the classrooms lack even proper blackboards.

The deplorable condition of the Kapashera school is not an isolated case. Similar conditions can be found in government schools across every corner of Delhi.

Will Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in jail, and Manish Sisodia, who is out on bail, ever consider sending their children to such schools? he questioned.

Questioning the AAP leaders and the local MLA on the whereabouts of the educational revolution, Bidhuri added, They will also take this entire issue to the Mayor of Delhi so that improvements can be made, and the childrens future can be bright.

The BJP MP also said that they will lodge a complaint with the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and the NCPCR to ensure immediate action is taken against this treatment of children and that they are provided with basic facilities.

Although admissions take place in April, there is still a shortage of teachers. The Kejriwal government is exploiting the name of education, Bidhuri stated.

The delegation also included the Leader of the Opposition in the MCD Raja Iqbal Singh, Councillor from Bijwasan Jaiveer Rana, and Delhi BJPs media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor.

The Arvind Kejriwal government, which denied funds to the BJP-run MCD for eight years, continues to deceive Delhiites on primary schools, health, and sanitation, even when in power in the Municipal Corporation, he said.
Following the success of the Regional Industry Conclave initiated by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav at the divisional headquarters, the next event will take place at Gwalior headquarters. Prominent industrial representatives and investors have been invited to accelerate the industrial development of the Gwalior-Chambal region. Preparations for the conclave, which will be held at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University in Gwalior, a historic city in Madhya Pradesh, are now complete. The "City of Music," Gwalior, is ready to warmly welcome its distinguished guests.

The one-on-one meetings will be the highlight of the conclave, where prominent industrialists and investors will explore investment opportunities in the Gwalior-Chambal region. Established industrial units in the region, including Jamna Auto Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Supreme & Mandlays, Sanghvi Food, and Montage Enterprises, are set to expand their operations, bringing in approximately ?2,260 crore in capital investment. This expansion is expected to create employment for over 4,500 people.

In the Gwalior Regional Industry Conclave, Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited along with senior directors and officials from prominent companies like Reliance Industries, AGI Green Pack, Accenture Industries, Prime Gold, OFV Tech, BR Group, Marble Vinyls and Modern Techno are coming with industrial investment.

Trade commissioners of 6 nations to attend

Trade commissioners and industrial representatives from half a dozen countries are coming to participate in the Gwalior Conclave. These include Zambias Secretary of Economy and Trade, Ireen Akombelwa Apuleni and Secretary of Press - Tourism, Benny Mundando, Mission Attache of Tongo, Maz Viayo Mendeli, Chief Diplomatic Agreement of Costa Rica, Sofia Salas Monge, Mexicos Economic and Commercial Affairs Officer, Ricardo Daniel, Delgardo Munoz and Kharlo Mario Quinonez, Trade Commissioner Miss Priya of Netherlands and Ravi Tiwari of Canada.

Senior officials of the Principal Secretary level of the state government will give a presentation on the industrial possibilities of Madhya Pradesh including the Gwalior-Chambal region. A presentation will be given on Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh by Principal Secretary Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion. Presentations will be given on Opportunities in MSME and start-up sector in Madhya Pradesh by Secretary MSME, Managing Director Handicraft Handloom Development Corporation Mohit Bundas Opportunities in rural handloom and handicraft industries in Madhya Pradesh, Principal Secretary Mineral Resources Sanjay Kumar Shukla, on Opportunities in the field of Mineral Resources in Madhya Pradesh, Opportunities in ITESDM/ITES sector in Madhya Pradesh by Principal Secretary Science and Technology Sanjay Dubey and Principal Secretary Tourism Sheoshekhar Shukla on Opportunities in the field of tourism in Madhya Pradesh.

At the Regional Industry Conclave, the exhibition sector will feature stalls showcasing industrial products. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, along with other distinguished guests and entrepreneurs from India and abroad, will visit the exhibition. During the conclave, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav will hold one-on-one meetings with industrialists. Round table discussions will cover topics such as the Gwalior PCB cluster, opportunities in the start-up and footwear sectors, and sectoral sessions will explore tourism opportunities, MSMEs, exports, and the "One District-One Product" initiative.
Massive protest was staged by Madhya Pradesh Congress Scheduled Caste Wing against the incidents happening with the Dalit class in Madhya Pradesh.

Police stopped the Congress workers in front of Arera Hills Police Station where they were going to the CM House in Bhopal. Police instructed them to return, but the workers remained adamant on their stand. Police removed the protesters by using water cannons.

Earlier in the general meeting, State Congress President Jeetu Patwari said, every Congressman and citizen of the country has to take an oath to protect it. Stand up, raise your hands and take an oath. Until the caste census is done in the state and the country, every colleague of the state and follower of our Baba Saheb Ambedkar, will not remain in peace.

State Congress President Jeetu Patwari attended the general meeting. Congress officials presented him with a copy of the Constitution.

Jitu Patwari said, the post of Chief Minister has a culture. His language has credibility. The language of the Chief Minister has become like that of goons a small-time local leader.

Patwari said that this fight is not a small one. Rahul Gandhi has vowed to protect the Constitution. Which talks about protecting reservation, caste census. Whoever has more shares, his participation will be more.

Former minister PC Sharma said, people of Dalit class are being discriminated against and treated unjustly. Rahul Gandhi has talked about caste count. It should be known how many people belong to which class, so that they can get its benefit.

A public meeting of Congress was held at Roshanpura Chauraha. After this, they proceeded to surround the CM House. Congress held a public meeting at Roshanpura Chauraha. After this, they proceeded to surround the CM House.

State President of Congress Scheduled Caste Department Pradeep Ahirwar said that more than two thousand workers from the entire state have come to join this siege. Be it Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe class, a lot of atrocities are being committed on them in the entire state. The land allotted to these classes in Digvijay Singh's government is still occupied by the goons. Our reservation is also in danger. We are protesting on all these issues.

Pradeep Ahirwar said, Dalits are killed after stripping them, Dalit daughters die under suspicious circumstances. In Ashoknagar, a woman from Scheduled Caste is killed by entering her house. In Sagar, BJP is building a temple of Sant Ravidas ji at a cost of Rs 100 crores, the entire country knows how people from the same class are killed. Madhya Pradesh has become a state of hell under Mohan Yadav's government. When Congress fights for Dalits and demands a CBI inquiry, BJP said that Congress is doing politics.

In-charge of Congress departments and cells JP Dhanopia, said, Dalits, Adivasis and deprived classes are being oppressed in Madhya Pradesh. The incident of Barodiya Nonagir in Sagar is in front of everyone. Recently, a person was shot dead in public in Singrauli. They kill by hanging in jail and claim that person died of suicide. There is no concern of Dalits, nor Adivasis nor backward classes in the state.
The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) announced its support for increasing exports from Uttar Pradesh by assisting the Khurja Pottery Manufacturers Association in establishing a 3D design studio.

This support comes on the initiative of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and under the banks Grassroots Enterprise Development programme, which is specifically designed for small enterprises.

Earlier this year, Exim Bank, in collaboration with the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, organised a design development workshop in Khurja for 25 master craftsmen, aiming to enhance their design skills and technologies to make their products globally competitive.

Khurja, known for its tableware, crockery and technical ceramics industry, houses over 300 manufacturing units providing employment to more than 30,000 skilled and new workers.

Design development has long been a significant challenge for Khurja pottery. The lack of skills in design development has hindered even experienced artisans from innovating and adapting their products to market demands. The new 3D design studio aims to address these challenges by providing advanced design tools and expertise, enabling artisans to create new products and improving the industrys export potential.

The studio will benefit over 250 local pottery units (members of KPMA), providing them with access to cutting-edge technology and expert guidance. The studio will facilitate experimentation with new designs, reduce production costs, and enhance the overall quality of their products.

Training provided at the studio will equip potters with the skills necessary to create more appealing and commercially viable designs. With modern designs in high demand in international markets, Khurja artisans are expected to secure orders from global brands, supported by Exim Banks assistance in prestigious art festivals like Kala Ghoda.

Inaugurating the 3D design studio on Tuesday, Exim Banks Managing Director Harsha Bangari reaffirmed their commitment to continuously supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Uttar Pradesh.

She highlighted the role of the 3D design studio in modernising the ceramics industry and aiding grassroots enterprises in reaching global markets. In light of the export potential of these industries, Exim Bank recently opened a regional office in Lucknow.

Bangari also mentioned the banks support under the Grassroots Enterprise Development programme, including skill development training for Banarasi silk weavers and zari-zardozi artisans, and assistance in participating in major events like the Surajkund International Craft Fair and Kala Ghoda Art Festival.

The event was also attended by KPMA president Ravi Rana, vice-president Darshan Chhatwal, director of Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (Khurja) Sawan Kumar Sharma, District Industries Centre general manager Ashutosh Singh, and Exim Banks deputy managing director Dipali Agarwal.
Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Mangu Bhai Patel, was admitted to AIIMS Bhopal on Tuesday morning with a complaint of fever. Upon his arrival, a team of senior doctors immediately attended to him, ensuring that he received the highest standard of medical care.

The medical team, comprising experts from various specialties, conducted a thorough evaluation and initiated appropriate treatment. As of the latest updates, Mangu Bhai Patel's condition is stable and showing signs of improvement. The doctors are closely monitoring his health, and he is responding well to the treatment provided.

Prof (Dr.) Ajai Singh, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, assured that the medical team is taking all necessary precautions and following the best practices in managing the Hon'ble Governor's health. He stated, "The Hon'ble Governor is under our close observation, and we are committed to providing him with the best possible care. His condition is improving steadily, and we are hopeful for a swift recovery.
A labourer got trapped after an old building collapsed in MP Nagar on Tuesday afternoon he was rescued safely from the debris.

The building owner was getting it demolished. The work was going on for several days. Today, 3 laborers were working during the accident and all are safe.

MP Nagar police station in-charge Jai Hind Sharma said that no one was injured in the accident. The incident took place at plot number 85 of zone 2 of MP Nagar. It is near Hakim Restaurant. Locals said that the good thing was that there was no one around the building. The laborer who was rescued from the debris has suffered a minor injury in his leg.

The building is owned by Rajesh Pardarshani. The house was built 30 years ago and was demolished to build a new house.

Zone in-charge Shailesh Chauhan said that some workers were demolishing the rear portion, when the portion started breaking. Some bricks hit the worker in the front portion. He got injured due to this.

Injured worker Mangal Singh said that when the accident happened, he was working on the first floor. Some other workers were also present there during the incident, but they all managed to get out safely. A total of three floors were being demolished at the construction site, out of which the roofs of the remaining floors had already been demolished.


To woo the Dalit voters in the State, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) on Tuesday announced an alliance with Chandrashekhar Azads Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram). It will be the first political foray of Azad, the Bhim Army leader, into Haryana, but comes in the wake of his win from the Nagina Lok Sabha seat.



The two parties have also finalised the seat-sharing arrangement, with JJP contesting 70 seats and ASP 20 seats. This announcement was made in a joint press conference in Delhi by senior JJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and ASP leader and MP Chandrashekhar Azad.



Talking to reporters, Chautala stated that the JJP and ASP alliance has laid the foundation for taking Haryana forward. He assured that both parties would contest all 90 seats together with full force. The alliance will form a youth government in Haryana, uniting all 36 communities and empowering the poor, farmers, laborers, women, and all other sections of society. Chautala also said that the people of Haryana are eager to remove the BJP, and JJP has made it clear that they will not align with the BJP again.



On the occasion, ASP leader Chandrashekhar Azad emphasized that their primary goal is to take Haryana forward, as the state needs to become more powerful. The alliance would fight for the rights of the poor, farmers, and laborers, fulfilling the dreams of Jananayak Chaudhary Devi Lal and Kanshi Ram.



The JJP, which won 10 seats in its poll debut in the 2019 Assembly elections, had emerged as a kingmaker in the hung House that followed. Its support to the BJP allowed the latter to form the government, and got Dushyant the deputy chief ministership. However, since parting ways with the BJP earlier this year, the JJP has been on the decline. Seven of the JJPs 10 MLAs have quit the party, with one joining the Congress, and two expected to go with the BJP. The JJP-ASP alliance has its eye on the potentially formidable caste combination of the JJPs Jat support base and the ASPs expected Dalit backing. The Jats make up 26% of Haryanas population.



In the 2019 Assembly elections, four of the seats won by the JJP were SC-reserved constituencies. Earlier, the Abhay Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)  the original party from which Dushyant broke away to form the JJP  and Mayawati-led BSP announced that they would revive a previous tie-up for the Vidhan Sabha polls. The SC-reserved seats in Haryana have been won mostly by the Congress and BJP. In the 2019 Assembly polls, the BJP won five of the 17 SC seats in Haryana, and the Congress seven, with the JJP winning four and one seat going to an Independent.
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday adopted a Congress-backed resolution condemning Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut's remarks on farmers even as the Haryana unit of AAP held protests at several places in Haryana against what it called the anti-farmer mindset of BJP.

Ranaut had posted a clip of her interview in which she suggested that a "Bangladesh-like situation" could have erupted in India but for the country's strong leadership. She then alleged that bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place during the farmers' protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. She alleged the involvement of China and the US in the "conspiracy".

Kangana's remarks triggered heated exchanges in the assembly of her Congress-ruled home state with the House adopting a resolution condemning the remarks.



With Haryana going to polls on October 1, the opposition targeted the ruling BJP over the issue. The Aam Aadmi Party's Haryana unit staged protests in the state against her remarks, with a party leader saying her statement indicates the BJP's "mindset" towards farmers. The AAP leaders and workers held protests at various places including Jind, Yamunanagar, and Panchkula.



In the Himachal Assembly, as soon as the opposition BJP staged a walkout over rejection of its adjournment motion on law and order situation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said remarks of Kangana are insulting for the entire farm community of the country. After the BJP members returned to the House, he asked them to clear their stand on the issue. Members from both sides started raising slogans as Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said Kangana's remarks are personal and it is not the view of the party.



Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu supported the resolution and said the BJP should have come forward to discuss the issue. Supporting the resolution, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the farmers are furious over the remarks of Kangana and the BJP should seriously consider its conduct. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said an FIR should be registered against the actor as her remarks can create a law and order situation. Pacifying the agitated members, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said a resolution condemning the remarks of Kangana has been passed by the House and there is no need for further discussions.



Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh and her mother Pratibha Singh, who is the state Congress president, hit out at Kangana, terming her remarks on the farmers' protest as "reckless and misinformed". The Congress leaders, in two separate statements, condemned Ranaut's remarks, and said they were a grave insult to the farmers.



The Haryana unit of AAP held demonstrations at various places with state senior vice president Anurag Dhanda leading a protest in the Yamunanagar district. The protesters carrying placards raised slogans against the BJP government. Haryana AAP president Sushil Gupta dubbed Ranaut's remarks "shameful". He alleged the BJP hated farmers because they forced them to roll back the "black" farm laws.



Kangana has made such statements on farmers earlier also, Gupta said, and alleged it has been the "mentality" of the BJP that those who abuse farmers are rewarded with posts. Her remarks indicate the "mindset" of the BJP towards farmers, he further alleged.
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, has expressed concern over the non-payment of salaries to the employees of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) for the last 6 months. He stated that the non-payment of salary has created a livelihood crisis for them. In this regard, Gupta wrote a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on August 13, requesting him to instruct the Delhi government to release the pending salaries of the commissions employees. Taking a notice on this, the Lieutenant Governor has asked the commission to take necessary action on the matter.

The Leader of Opposition mentioned that last week, a delegation of DCW employees met him and reported that they have not received their salaries for 6 to 9 months. As a result, they are facing severe financial hardships. Many employees are solely dependent on their salaries for medical treatment and medications.

Gupta added that some women, who were victims of domestic violence and acid attacks, were also appointed as employees in the Delhi Commission for Women. However, due to non-payment of salaries for several months, they are now facing severe financial crises. These women should be paid promptly, as withholding their salaries is not just an economic issue but a serious violation of their rights.

Gupta also pointed out that it is not just the employees but also the social institutions receiving grants from the Delhi Commission for Women that have not been paid. Consequently, these institutions are unable to pay their employees. He has urged the Lieutenant Governor to intervene and ensure that these female employees receive their salaries, so they dont have to struggle to make ends meet on meager wages.
NTPC Swayamsiddha Ladies Club, Coal Mining Headquarters,Ranchi as part of CSR initiative distributed food items/groceries to 40 needy families in Mahadev Toli village located in Namkum,Ranchi.

The initiative was undertaken under the guidance of Rekha Jain, President, Swayamsiddha Ladies Club in association with Robin Hood Army (Swayam Sevi Sanstha).

Jain conveyed her gratitude to the Members of Swayamsiddha Ladies who have wholeheartedly contributed for the initiative of providing of the grocery items and encouraged them to participate in various welfare activities for the upliftment of the needy particularly providing education to the children. Jain also interacted with the members of Robinhood Army & encouraged them for being part of the initiative and thanked them for providing an opportunity to serve the society.

On this occasion Welfare in-charge and Vice-President Shikha Rastogi, Cultural in-charge and Vice President Purnima Shrikhande, Welfare secretary Mansa Verma, Cultural Secretary, Anitha Prasad and Treasurer, Snigdha Rani Majhi were also present. The noble initiative was appreciated by the beneficiaries.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to review the progress of national highway projects in Punjab on Wednesday, including the much-anticipated Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, the State Government has sprung into action. Ahead of the high-stakes meeting, Punjabs Chief Secretary Anurag Verma has written to the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, requesting the deployment of police forces to ensure the smooth acquisition of land required for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in Malerkotla and Kapurthala districts.

Verma, in his letter, emphasized the urgency of securing two critical yet small stretches of land  1.34 kilometers in Malerkotla and 1.25 kilometers in Kapurthala  by August 27, 2024. He noted that with adequate police presence, these sections could be swiftly acquired, allowing the state to present a favourable progress report during the Prime Ministers meeting.

The Chief Secretarys correspondence is part of a broader effort to address delays in land acquisition, a key bottleneck that has slowed down the ambitious highway projects, including the NHAIs flagship project Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.

The letter came amidst a prolonged standoff between the Punjab Government and the Centre over land acquisition for NHAI projects. The dispute has been a thorny issue, with the Centre, led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, previously warning that delays in land acquisition could lead to the cancellation of key projects. Gadkari had also raised concerns over assaults on contractors and their workers, further complicating the situation.

Currently, NHAI has 293 kilometers of highway projects underway in Punjab, with an estimated cost of Rs 14,288 crore.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier assured the Centre of the states cooperation, clarifying that delays were primarily due to the high land prices in Punjab. Mann also pointed out that FIRs lodged against contractors were based on legitimate grievances. The ongoing negotiations, which included meetings with Punjabs new Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, underscored the complexity of the situation.

The State Government, following backlash from the Centre, had also intensified efforts to resolve issues with protesting farmers, in the past few days, offering enhanced compensation and clarifying the legal repercussions of illegally occupying acquired lands.

It has been reported that districts such as Patiala, Sangrur, and Pathankot have fully transferred the necessary land for the construction of the 669-kilometer, four-lane, access-controlled Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, which connects Jasaur Kheri in Jhajjar district near Delhi to Katra in Jammu.

The remaining districts  Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, and Gurdaspur  have achieved up to 97 percent land acquisition success.

Chief Secretary Verma emphasized that both civil and police administrations have been fully mobilized to ensure the smooth, peaceful, and timely completion of all highway projects across the state, particularly the Katra expressway.

PM Modis Review Meeting today

Prime Minister Modis meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday will be a crucial review of NHAIs projects in Punjab, with the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway prominently on the agenda. In response to the impending review, the Punjab Government has intensified its efforts to resolve the land acquisition issues that have been stalling progress. Vermas letter to the DGP is a clear signal that the State is taking concrete steps to meet the Centres expectations. The Chief Secretarys letter directed the DGP to ensure that land acquisition in the two identified stretches is completed under the supervision of District Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates, with the presence of sufficient police forces to handle any resistance from landowners or local groups. The deployment is deemed necessary to avoid further delays and ensure that the state can present a satisfactory progress report during the PMs meeting.

Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway: A High-Stakes Project

The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is a four-lane project being developed in 18 phases, 11 of which pass through Punjab. Given its significance, the project has been placed at the top of the agenda for the Prime Ministers review. The Centre has been particularly focused on ensuring that this Rs 39,000 crore Greenfield Corridor, which spans 669 kilometers and connects Delhi with Katra near Jammu, remains on track despite the challenges. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier issued a stern warning to the Punjab government, citing incidents of violence against NHAI officials and stressing that further delays could jeopardize the entire project. The Ministers concerns were echoed in Vermas letter, which highlighted the need for a concerted effort to secure the land required for the project.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government is intensifying its battle against drug abuse, taking a decisive step toward making the state drug-free. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is set to unveil a comprehensive anti-narcotics action plan on Wednesday, which includes the launch of a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and a WhatsApp helpline aimed at eradicating the drug menace from Punjab.

The newly constituted Anti-Narcotics Task Force, modeled after the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), is designed to target and dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within the State. The Chief Minister will inaugurate the ANTFs state-of-the-art headquarters in Mohali at 11 am, marking a significant milestone in the governments ongoing campaign against drugs. The event will also see the introduction of a WhatsApp number, allowing citizens to report drug-related activities directly to the authorities.

A senior Punjab police official, who did not wish to be named, told The Pioneer, Under this new phase of states anti-drug campaign, the introduction of ANTF and WhatsApp helpline represents a proactive and innovative approach to tackle the drug crisis. Citizens are encouraged to use the WhatsApp number to report any suspicious drug-related activities in their areas, enabling the police to respond promptly and effectively.

In response to the escalating drug crisis, the Punjab Government has constructed a new ANTF building equipped with advanced technological infrastructure. The facility houses a cutting-edge computer lab that will enable real-time monitoring of drug trafficking activities. With the latest software and surveillance tools, the task force will keep a close watch on suspected drug networks, ensuring that the fight against narcotics is both relentless and effective.

The governments decision to bolster its anti-drug strategy comes at a time when drug trafficking has become a pervasive issue, not just domestically, but also across borders. With drug supplies increasingly being sourced from neighboring countries like Pakistan, the ANTF will play a crucial role in safeguarding Punjabs borders and preventing the influx of illicit substances.

In addition to the ANTFs new headquarters, the Punjab Government has initiated a surveillance project in six border districts, investing Rs 40 crore in the installation of high-tech cameras. Given that Punjab shares a 553-kilometer border with Pakistan, these cameras are strategically positioned within a five-kilometer radius of the border to monitor and intercept any illegal activities, including the smuggling of drugs and arms via drones.

The project, which also includes enhancing mobility and strengthening infrastructure with an additional Rs 20 crore, represented a multifaceted approach to combat the drug trade.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also taken a firm stance against drug traffickers, demanding that the states Director General of Police (DGP) submit a detailed report on all pending NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases where suspects have not been apprehended within six months. The court has issued clear directives that drug traffickers must be arrested immediately after a case is registered. If they evade capture, they should be declared Proclaimed Offenders (POs), and their properties should be attached.

In response to the surge in cross-border drug trafficking and arms smuggling fueled by drones, the Border Security Force (BSF) has recently demanded two additional battalions to bolster its efforts along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. The push came amidst a marked increase in drone activity, with over 120 drones intercepted this year alone, compared to 107 in all of 2023. Currently, the BSF has 20 battalions deployed along the 500-kilometre border, with two dedicated to critical security roles at the Attari check post and the Kartarpur corridor. The proposed battalion, comprising about 800-900 personnel, aimed at enhancing surveillance and counter-drone capabilities. With the majority of drugs now arriving via drones, the BSF is also focusing on improving intelligence operations and community engagement. The force is innovating patrol methods and constructing infrastructure, such as culverts over rivers, to prevent illegal crossings and smuggling.
Members of nine Rotary Clubs from the Kolhan region took to the streets of Sakchi today in a rally protesting the recent murder of a female doctor in Kolkata on August 9th. The demonstrators later met with the local Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ananya Mittal, to voice their demands for stronger government action against such crimes.

Representatives from Jamshedpur West, Jamshedpur Green, Chaibasa Rotary Club, Jamshedpur Rotary Club Main, Jamshedpur Dalma Rotary Club, Jamshedpur Mid Town, Rotary Club Jamshedpur Femina, Rotary Club Jamshedpur Steel City, and Rotary Club Jamshedpur East were present at the rally. They emphasized that crimes against women, particularly those targeting medical professionals, are unacceptable and must be met with the strictest legal measures.

In their meeting with DC, the Rotary members presented a collectively signed letter urging the government to implement measures to prevent such incidents in society. They also called for enhanced security arrangements and special facilities for doctors in hospitals to ensure their safety.

"This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by women, especially those in the medical field. We must take action to prevent such crimes and protect those who serve our society," said a representative from the Jamshedpur Rotary Club Main.

Mittal assured the group that he would bring their concerns to the attention of higher authorities and stressed the importance of safeguarding the safety of doctors and other vulnerable professionals.


With the Assembly Elections around the corner, the Political leaders and workers in Haryana are sweating profusely in the Streets to show their strength for getting ticket in their respective constituencies. As none of the political parties have announced tickets so far in the State, the aspirants are leaving no stone unturned to garner support from the public through holding rallies, roadshows and public meetings as well as putting all their efforts to mount pressure on their top brass. These aspirants are also using innovative ways to connect with the voters, such as door-to-door campaigns, social media interactions, and community outreach programs.



The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress (INC), and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are among the key players in the fray. The Elections are scheduled for October 1, and the results will be declared on October 4.



In the Congress party, the candidates are working tirelessly to secure a ticket as there is a long queue of aspirants in every segment. There are over 2500 candidates who have applied for tickets in the Congress in Haryana. These aspirants are banking on the party and organisational work, past record as social workers and their connection with the masses to get the mandate.



In Congress, the Hooda faction, Birender Singh faction and the Selja-Surjewala faction are at loggerheads and workers are approaching their leaders to get tickets in their respective constituencies.



Vrinda Sharma, a ticket aspirant from former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader Birender Singh's faction, who recently held a rally at Jat Dharmshala in Jind to show the strength, said, Large number of people attended the rally. They want me to contest assembly elections as I have been working for the party over the last many years. I am a dedicated worker of the Congress party.



In Jind, Parmod Sehwag and Pardeep Gill, who are considered close to former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda have been conducting their padyatra in different areas over the last many days to garner support from public and also to mount pressure on party high command to get ticket.



Talking to reporters, Ajay Chaudhary, who is considered close to Sirsa MP and senior Congress leader Kumari Selja, said, I am seeking a ticket from Narnaund segment of Hisar district. I had recently organized a party worker meeting at Ravidass Dharamshala and sought support from them. At a rally in Narnaund, Selja ji had recently declared my candidature and sought votes for me.



Talking to reporters, senior Congress leader Sukhbir Kataria, who himself is a contender for the ticket from Gurugram, said, 32 aspirants have already staked claim for the party ticket from Gurugram. He further said, We are very confident about defeating the BJP across the State and in Gurugram as it has failed to deliver services to the people in the last 10 years. Gurugram has become a waterlogged city, which is permanently traffic-jammed and full of garbage. We will end this nightmare, said Kataria.



In a press statement, Mohit Grover, who fought the election in 2019 as an independent from Gurugram said, I am a tried and tested candidate as I managed to get around 50, 000 votes and came second in the 2019 election. I have earned the trust of people in Gurugram and that is the reason they voted for me. My father also served the Congress for many years. If a mandate is given I will work hard to ensure that the party wins in the polls.



Pankaj Dawar, Media Coordinator of the Congress party, Gurugram, said, I have served the organisation in the toughest period from 2010 to 2024 with dedication. I have served the party with loyalty and almost 90% of party activities held in the last 10 years have been carried out by me. I ensured that 10,600 people joined the party during the membership drive.



Manish Bansal, son of former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, is making a push for political influence in Panchkula. In a statement, Bansal said, I have been working in Panchkula for the last 16 years and have the desire to contest from here, but the final decision will rest with the party high command.



Congress State Women Wing Chief Sudha Bhardwaj as well as former mayor Upinder Ahluwalia are also actively seeking the ticket, signalling a competitive race for the party nomination from Panchkula. Senior Congress leader Laxman Goyal from Panchkula has also staked claim to the Panchkula seat.



To show their strength, the kin of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal held separate public meetings to mark his birth anniversary in his home constituency Tosham and native village Golagarh. Kiran Choudhry, daughter-in-law of Bansi Lal, along with her daughter Shruti Choudhry, organised a public meeting in Tosham town, which was attended by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as chief guest. On the other hand, Lals elder son, Ranbir Mahendra, former Congress MLA and his son Anirudh Chaudhry held a meeting of their supporters in Golagarh, his native village.



Despite facing anti-incumbency after ruling the State for 10 years, BJP district president Kamal Yadav said that enthusiasm among the workers and leaders was high. Talking to reporters in Gurugram, he said, There is strong demand for the BJP ticket as workers and leaders have faith in the organisation and work which we have done in the last 10 years. As many as 15 candidates have sought the Gurugram ticket. Party will give the ticket to the candidate who has a clean image and is loyal to the party.



A BJP leader Gargi Kakkar said, I have worked both in the party organisation and as a social worker to help people. If the party gives me a chance, I will definitely work for the betterment of the city.



Talking to reporters, BJP State Unit President Mohan Lal Badoli said that a large number of aspirants have sought a BJP ticket across the State and their names were discussed in detail in the state election committee meeting. The names of candidates will be shared with the central leadership soon. The first list could be finalised by August 28 or August 29, he added.
Samajwadi Partys Nagina MLA Manoj Kumar Paras led a delegation of local leaders and Muslim clerics to the party office, demanding more punitive action against the policemen who raided the house of a woman in Bijnor.

The 55-year-old woman allegedly died of a panic attack after a police team raided her house on a tip-off that beef was stored in her premises in the Bijnor district on Monday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Razia, who was a resident of the Khatai village.

Bijnor Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jha sent to the police lines the four constables who raided the premises where the police team did not find any objectionable material as was tipped off.

The raid was conducted on suspicion of violation of the anti-cowslaughter law in Uttar Pradesh, which prohibits cow slaughter, and the sale or transport of beef.

An inquiry has been ordered, and the role of the police informer will also be probed. Necessary legal action will be taken against the informer for providing biased information to the police, and against the police officers if our probe finds them guilty, said Jha.

Nasim, the son of the deceased, alleged that four police constables had stormed his house and misbehaved with the women present there.

They ransacked the household articles while we pleaded that we had not stored anything the government banned. My mother had a panic attack due to the polices behaviour. We rushed her to the local clinic, where the doctor pronounced her dead, said Nasim.

As the representative of my constituency, it is my responsibility to ensure that the police or anti-social elements harass none of any caste or community, Paras said.

Meanwhile, Station House Officer (SHO) of Kiratpur, Bijnor, Jai Bhagwan Singh said the womans death had nothing to do with the police raid.

Razia was an asthma patient and had been getting treatment for the same for the last few years, he claimed.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has established itself as the world's fifth-largest economy, with Madhya Pradesh making steady progress towards development. Significant advancements are being made in agriculture, industrialization and employment. Yadav emphasized the need for large-scale industrialization in the state and noted that efforts are underway to achieve this.

The Bhoomi-Pujan ceremony held today marks a step in this direction. He also announced the establishment of a police station in Acharpura area of Bhopal to enhance security for employees and improve police management as industrial activities continues to expand. Yadav was adressing the Bhoomi Pujan programme for the TWE-OBT Industrial Group's new world-class Hygiene Non-Woven Unit in the Acharpura Industrial Area of Bhopal.

Chief Minister announced that a series of regional industry summits has been launched to enhance industrial growth across the state. Summits have already taken place in Ujjain and Jabalpur, with future events scheduled for Gwalior, Rewa, and Sagar. These gatherings have been key in attracting investment and spurring industrial growth throughout Madhya Pradesh, creating around 75,000 new jobs.

Similar summits have been held in major industrial centers like Mumbai, Coimbatore, and Bangalore, with another set for Kolkata on September 19th. The goal of these summits is to draw significant investors and industrialists to Madhya Pradesh for expansion opportunities.

Chief Minister Yadav emphasized that Madhya Pradesh offers comprehensive facilities for investment and industry. The state is home to humble, diligent, hardworking, and dedicated human resources, with no signs of labor strikes. Both the political leadership and administrative system are supportive of industrial growth, backed by an industry-friendly policy.

Yadav noted that industries benefit not only industrialists but also create employment opportunities, generate revenue and enhance the state's reputation both nationally and globally. The government remains committed to attracting investment and enhancing industrial activity throughout the state.

Chief Minister said that initiating a non-woven fabric unit in the state by the TWE-OBT industry group is commendable. Its production in the country will reduce our dependence on other countries and increase our self-reliance. He expressed the hope that this industry group will establish more units of non-woven fabric in the state. Chief Minister Yadav also invited TWE-OBT to set-up employment-based units like carpet manufacturing in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhopal MP Alok Sharma said that, under Chief Minister Yadav's leadership, industrial activities are growing across the state. The Berasia area of Bhopal, traditionally known for its agricultural focus, is now emerging as an industrial center. Berasia MLA Vishnu Khatri also addressed at the event. Additionally, Jorg Artmeier and Rudra Chatterjee from the Group provided details about their organization's activities.

Notably, TWE-OBT Private Limited is an almost 100-year-old multinational joint venture, headquartered in Emsdetten, Germany. The OBT Group, in India is engaged in the field of handmade carpets, non-woven fabric, technical textile fabric, furniture, and tea. The group is one of the world's top largest companies in non-woven manufacturing, with 12 plants operating in different countries. OBT is setting up this unit with an investment of over Rs 126 crore, which will produce non-woven hygiene products such as ADL, top seats, and back seats which are currently imported from China. With the operation of this unit, their production will start in India itself, which will be an important step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. Dedicated to the goal of industrialization, this unit will provide direct employment to more than 250 people, and will also pave the way for the development of high-quality technical skills among local individuals. The state government has allotted 38 thousand square meters of land in the Acharpura industrial area of ??Bhopal for the unit. Commercial production from the unit is likely to begin by September 2025.
The controversy surrounding actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut intensified as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)  known as Sikhs mini parliament  on Tuesday issued a legal notice to the makers of her upcoming film Emergency for allegedly misrepresenting the character and history of Sikhs.

The notice, sent by SGPCs legal adviser Amanbir Singh Siali, accused the film of misrepresenting Sikh history and portraying anti-Sikh sentiments, and demanded the removal of objectionable scenes and a public apology.

The SGPC, Sikhs highest religious body, took strong objection to a particular dialogue in the films trailer, which allegedly depicts Sikhs in a negative light. The trailer, released on August 14, features a character in Sikh attire who is shown demanding Khalistan  a sentiment the SGPC firmly denounced as inaccurate and misleading.

The notice emphasized that such portrayals could hurt the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide and tarnish their image as separatists  a label that has no basis in Sikh history.

This is not the first time the SGPC has intervened. A few days earlier, the committee had sent a notice to G-Studio, the production house behind Emergency, opposing the release of the films trailer.

Kangana, who plays the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the biographical film, is no stranger to controversy. Her remarks on the ongoing farmer protests have already drawn widespread criticism, particularly from Punjab's farmer unions.

In her recent statements, Kangana claimed that had the government not been firm, Punjab could have turned into another Bangladesh during the farmer protests, accusing the movement of inciting violence and unlawful activities. In a recent interview, she alleged that the absence of strong leadership could lead Punjab to descend into chaos akin to Bangladesh, accusing protestors of instigating hooliganism, including acts of rape and murder.

This has led to an outcry among farmer leaders, who have demanded a public apology and disciplinary action against her by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite the BJPs media cell distancing itself from Kanganas remarks, the outrage continues to grow.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, speaking from the Shambhu border, called for immediate disciplinary action against the actress, emphasizing that such statements should not go unpunished. He also announced a mass gathering on August 31, marking 200 days of the ongoing farmer protests, where a significant number of farmers from Punjab and Haryana are expected to converge. BJP, at the national level, has distanced itself from Kangana's statements, but as a BJP MP, disciplinary action should be taken against her. She should issue a personal apology as the ongoing opposition and false narratives harm the farmers movement, he said.

Additionally, prominent farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal questioned Kanganas mental stability, further escalating the demand for accountability.

The Emergency movie trailer has sparked widespread protests, with Sikh organizations and leaders condemning the films portrayal of Sikhs. Independent MP from Punjab Sarbjit Singh Khalsa had already objected to the scenes, urging the Central Government to halt the film's release.

In addition, Congress MP and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has also criticized Kanganas remarks, accusing the BJP Government of maligning farmers and failing to fulfill its promises to them.

The SGPC's notice comes amidst a growing backlash against the film, which is set to be released on September 6. The controversy has already escalated, with threats being issued against Kangana. A viral video of Vicky Thomas, a Christian convert to Sikhism, surfaced on social media, where he threatens to behead the actress if the film continues to misrepresent Sikh history.

As the situation escalates, all eyes are on the response from Kangana and her film's producers. The SGPC has made it clear that they will not tolerate any distortion of Sikh history and will continue to fight for the dignity and respect of the community.

Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, meeting the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur during the first day of the Monsoon Session of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha at Shimla on Tuesday. The two-week Monsoon session of the Assembly started on a stormy note with the opposition BJP staging a walkout after rejection of its adjournment motion on alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that Ujjain is moving rapidly in the direction of industrialization. Textile industry will play a key role in women empowerment. CM Dr. Yadav directed to prepare a project to promote textile industry in Malwanchal and also to ensure all necessary arrangements by the police administration for women safety in industries.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav visited Best Life Style Industries (Textile Industry) located at Nagjhiri in Ujjain on Tuesday. He observed the work of textile manufacturing being done by more than 1000 women here. CM Dr. Yadav also commended the efforts of working women during a cordial interaction with them. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also operated the machine. More than 1000 women working in the industry thanked CM Dr. Yadav for providing employment.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav discussed with the women artisans preparing clothes about salary and household-family. Women artisans said that they are satisfied with getting employment. Now there is no difficulty in running the household and the family and we have become self-reliant.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav discussed in detail with the officials in the Best Life Style office regarding the activities of industrial development in Ujjain. He said expeditious efforts should be made towards making Ujjain a medical tourism destination. CM Dr. Yadav stated that land should be provided promptly for the investment proposals submitted by prominent industrialists of the country who are interested in establishing their industrial units in Ujjain. He said that like Bengaluru, an IT park should be established in Ujjain too so that IT engineers of Malwa can get employment and Ujjain can become a hub of start-ups. He directed the district administration to allocate land for the IT Park soon.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the clothes being prepared in Ujjain's Best Apparel Park are of high quality and international standard level. The clothes prepared from here are being exported to countries like America, Canada etc., due to which Ujjain's name is emerging as an industrial area at the international level. Ujjain's prosperous textile industry is now being revived. The skill of Ujjain's women is being hailed all over the world. Along with this, he directed that night shift should also be started soon in Best Apparel Park to increase more employment. He said that like Indore, readymade complex, plug and play industrial park should be developed in Ujjain too. He directed to expand the success of Vikram Udyog further. Yadav also talked about encouraging farmers for cotton cultivation and said that industries should source raw materials locally to enhance farmers' income.

In the meeting, Vice President of Best Life Style, Puneet Jain told that Best Life's unit in Ujjain is one of the largest textile industry units in the country. More than one lakh clothes are being manufactured here every day. An investment of Rs 358 crore has been made in Best Life Style of Ujjain, creating employment opportunities for over 1,000 women, which is being increased to 4000 women.

Executive Director MPIDC presented the roadmap of industrial development in Ujjain in the meeting, mainly providing information on accelerating the proposed IT Park, Readymade Complex, Plug and Play and the plan to expand Vikram Udyogpuri. On this occasion, MLA Anil Jain Kaluhera, Mayor Mukesh Tatwal, Vivek Joshi and other public representatives and officials were present.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday instructed officials to enhance services for devotees and tourists in Mathura-Vrindavan. He said that everyones safety, whether they are local residents, tourists or devotees, is the responsibility of the government and must be prioritised.

The chief minister, who was in Mathura on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, discussed the safety of devotees and other tourists in a review meeting with local public representative and administrative officials on Monday, and said that the development of the entire municipal corporation area as a Safe City should be expedited.

The CM added: Ensure everyones faith is respected. Security should be increased on the parikrama route and highways with increased patrolling of bikes and PRVs.

The chief minister also called for enhancing the Integrated Traffic Management System with the installation of additional CCTV cameras and ensuring continuous police presence in sensitive and crowded areas.

Stressing the need to enhance civic amenities in the Braj region, the chief minister directed the officials to ensure that the roads were unbroken and free of potholes.

He called for special attention to this issue, ensuring that the damaged roads are promptly repaired.

Additionally, he directed that roads affected by ongoing works under the Jal Jeevan Mission or Amrit Yojana be repaired as quickly as possible.

Furthermore, the CM instructed the officials to maintain cleanliness on the Parikrama Marg and repair roads connected to it.

Yogi instructed that door-to-door garbage collection be made more effective, highlighting the importance of public participation through mohalla committees for maintaining cleanliness.

He also directed the deployment of additional manpower for cleanliness in the Mathura-Vrindavan area and urged that garbage management efforts be enhanced, drawing inspiration from the Prayagraj Kumbh model.

The chief minister instructed that street lighting and decorations in Mathura be improved.

He recommended installing solar-powered street lights on major routes and key areas.

Additionally, he called for the organisation of street vendors and the creation of designated vending zones.

He also directed the officials to make arrangements for piped drinking water facilities for the convenience of devotees.

The CM instructed the Braj Tirtha Vikas Parishad, municipal corporation, police, and development authority to enhance parking facilities.

Develop additional multi-level parking facilities and establish commercial complexes within these parking areas, incorporating retail shops. Engage with the community to lease these shops, as this will not only generate revenue but also help alleviate traffic congestion, he stated.

Highlighting the need for improved facilities, the chief minister noted that the number of devotees visiting the Mathura-Vrindavan area from both within the country and abroad is steadily increasing each year.

He stressed the importance of enhancing all amenities to ensure that devotees leave with a pleasant experience.

Additionally, the chief minister called for the creation of multi-level parking and commercial spaces within the corridor.

Yogi stated that the state has vast potential for religious tourism, with key centres like Ayodhya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Kashi, and Prayagraj.

Over the past seven years, these areas have undergone significant transformation, leading to an unprecedented increase in tourist footfall, he added, pointing out that the surge in visitors is set to boost the local economy.

With the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh scheduled for next year, millions are expected to attend, including visitors to Mathura-Vrindavan. In this context, it is crucial to ensure top-notch services for the devotees, he stated.

Regarding the Sri Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, the chief minister stated that discussions would take place with all relevant stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Yogi unveiled the statue of Rashtraveer Durgadas Rathore. Addressing a public gathering at the Taj Mahal Metro Station, he emphasised the paramount importance of national unity. Nothing is greater than the nation, he stated.

He added, Our strength lies in our unity. If we allow ourselves to be divided, we will fall. The situation in Bangladesh serves as a warningthose mistakes must not be repeated here. We must stay united, uphold our noble values, ensure our safety, and strive for the pinnacle of prosperity."

On August 9, 1925, revolutionaries like Pt Ram Prasad Bismil, Thakur Roshan Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Chandrashekhar Azad boldly challenged British rule with the train action. Though the revolutionaries secured only Rs 4,600, the British spent a staggering Rs 10 lakh to arrest and punish them. Yet, the fight for Indias independence remained unshaken. These great sons of Mother India, with their enduring spirit, continued their relentless efforts to undermine foreign rule, he stated.

Yogi also touched upon historical connections, stating, We know our history. Aurangzeb had ties to this very Agra, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great hero of the Hindavi Swarajya, defied his power. Shivaji boldly declared that Aurangzeb would struggle like a rat but would never conquer Hindustan. Maharaja Jaswant Singh led the resistance in Rajasthan, with Rashtraveer Durgadas Rathore as his key commander. Despite Aurangzebs repeated attempts, he couldnt conquer this land. How could any foreign invader succeed where brave nationalists like Rashtraveer Durgadas Rathore stood firm? But Aurangzeb, being wicked and cunning, resorted to deceit. He made a treaty with Maharaja Dashrath Singh, promising no harm to Jodhpur, and lured him by claiming that Afghans were about to invade India. Through trickery, he captured and killed him.

Extending his greetings to the people of Agra on Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the CM remarked, Lord Krishna resides in every speck of Agras soil. This city is a beacon of art, trust, faith, and dedication. Let this trust, faith, and rich cultural heritage flourish with national pride.
Hundreds of processionists, mainly youths, commenced the 'Nabanna Abhijan' from two locations across the city on Tuesday afternoon demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those responsible for the rape-murder of a doctor in R G Kar hospital.

The rallyists held the CM responsible for failing to ensure the safety and security of women, which they argue led to the RG Kar tragedy that sparked nationwide outrage.

The rally, organised by student platform 'Chhatrasamaj' and 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' of state government employees, began from two locations - College Square in north Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah.

One processionist said, "We will reach Nabanna no matter what. We must get to the state secretariat to demand the resignation of the Chief Minister, whose administration has been trying to shield the perpetrators of this heinous crime and suppress the incident. We want to hear from her."

The rally originating from College Square will head towards Nabanna via Howrah Bridge, while the procession from Santragachi will proceed towards the state secretariat via Sibpur.

In response to the rally, police erected barricades along the roads leading to Nabanna and in its vicinity, citing prohibitory orders in the area.

Chhatrasamaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri emphasised that the rally is apolitical.

"Despite provocations, we intend to keep this a peaceful, democratic movement against the horrific crime committed against our sister at R G Kar hospital. We demand justice for her and her family. The call for justice by the people of Bengal and the country must be acknowledged by the Mamata Banerjee government," Lahiri said.
A Delhi court on Tuesday issued release warrants for BRS leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases related to alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the order after being informed that the politician was granted bail earlier in the day by the Supreme Court in both the cases.

The judge granted relief on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both the cases along with sureties.

An apex court bench noted that Kavitha has been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was complete in these cases.

The apex court set aside a July 1 Delhi High Court order denying her bail.

The high court had dismissed Kavitha's bail pleas in both cases, saying she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy related to the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her on April 11 from Tihar jail.

Kavitha has denied all allegations against her.
Chinese company contributes to rapid development of cocoa industry in Cote d'Ivoire

16:21, August 27, 2024 By Che Bin ( People's Daily

Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest cocoa producer and exporter, accounting for nearly 40 percent of global production and exports.

In the PK24 industrial park on the outskirts of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire's economic capital, a cocoa processing plant and cocoa bean warehouse are nearing completion.

Photo shows the Abidjan cocoa processing plant in Cote d'Ivoire. (Photo/Wen Shangwen)

The project, contracted to China Light Industry Nanning Design Engineering Co., Ltd., is set to become Cote d'Ivoire's largest domestic cocoa processing facility, boosting the local cocoa industry's development.

The cocoa sector is a pillar of Cote d'Ivoire's economy. According to the Coffee-Cocoa Council of Cote d'Ivoire, cocoa exports make up 40 percent of the country's total export revenue, and 6 to 8 million people in the country work in relevant industries.

However, Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa industry faces an urgent need to increase product added value and achieve industrial upgrading. Statistics showed that in 2019, only 35 percent of Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa was processed locally. According to the International Cocoa Organization, the global chocolate market is valued at about $100 billion, but only 6 percent of this value reaches cocoa-exporting countries, with a mere 2 percent trickling down to cocoa farmers.

"The Ivorian government's vision is to process 100 percent of our cocoa beans locally. We hope to increase Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa processing rate with China's help. This is crucial for our country," said Kone Brahima Yves, director general of the Coffee-Cocoa Council of Cote d'Ivoire, in an interview with People's Daily.

In 2018, President of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and paid a state visit to China. During this visit, the leaders of both countries witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents.

Local workers install production equipment at the Abidjan cocoa processing plant in Cote d'Ivoire. (People's Daily/Meng Xianglin)

In September 2020, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Abidjan cocoa processing plant was held in the PK24 industrial park. At the ceremony, Ouattara stated that the cocoa processing project would contribute to Cote d'Ivoire's industrialization.

At the PK24 industrial park, a striking picture of a giant cocoa pod adorns the facade of the administrative building built simultaneously with the cocoa processing plant.

In 2019, China Light Industry Nanning Design Engineering Co., Ltd. signed two turnkey contracts with the Coffee-Cocoa Council of Cote d'Ivoire. According to the contracts, the Chinese side would build two new cocoa processing plants, each with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons, in Abidjan and the southwestern coastal city of San-Pedro, along with cocoa bean warehouses capable of storing 140,000 and 160,000 tons respectively. This project is a key collaboration under China-Cote d'Ivoire Belt and Road cooperation.

Tang Chong, project manager of the Abidjan cocoa processing plant, said that the project covers 21 hectares, including a 67,000-square-meter cocoa bean warehouse and an 18,000-square-meter processing workshop. The project uses high-efficiency materials that exceed local environmental standards, ensuring clean disposal of solid waste, wastewater, and exhaust gases.

In the processing workshop, workers were busy installing final equipment. Corneille, an employee from Togo, said in fluent Chinese: "After studying Chinese for over two years at the Confucius Institute of the University of Lome in Togo, I joined the Abidjan cocoa processing plant project. I've learned so much here - equipment installation, procurement, translation - I can handle it all now."

Photo shows a cocoa drying machine imported from China equipped by the Abidjan cocoa processing plant in Cote d'Ivoire. (Photo/Wen Shangwen)

"My mother loves China and Chinese culture. She's always encouraged me to learn Chinese and visit China," Corneille told People's Daily. "I'm very satisfied with my current job. It not only provides me with a stable income but also brings me closer to my dream of going to China."

It is reported that about 82 percent of Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa is processed by four global chocolate manufacturers. "Once completed, this project will become Cote d'Ivoire's largest domestically-owned cocoa processing plant, which is of great significance to the country," said Tang.

Kone stated that the soon-to-be-completed Abidjan cocoa processing plant is a modern facility at the cutting edge of global standards. "Through this project, our cooperation with Chinese enterprises has reached new heights. We look forward to even closer collaboration with Chinese companies on the San-Pedro project."

It is learned that 40 percent of the products from the cocoa processing plant will be destined for the Chinese market in the future. Kone noted that China has a vast middle-income population, representing an enormous potential market for cocoa products.

"We're incredibly excited about introducing our products to the Chinese market. We believe that a continuously developing China will undoubtedly bring more opportunities," Kone said.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
With at least 25 DCP-ranked officers overseeing security arrangements in Kolkata Police jurisdiction and four IGs, many DIGs and SP-ranked officers leading security forces in Howrah to stop the scheduled 'Nabanna Abhijan' rallies from reaching anywhere close to the state secretariat on Tuesday, the city looks to be bracing for a massive showdown between the two sides.

Student organisation 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' are set to hold their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday afternoon, despite the administration declaring the event as "illegal and unauthorised".

The rally is aimed at demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those involved in the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Two major rallies, one starting from College Square in central Kolkata and the other from Santragachhi in Howrah are scheduled to head towards the state secretariat amid serious apprehensions of law and order situation spiralling out of control in the eventuality of a clash between the two sides.

Bengal police have confirmed the preventive arrest of four students on grounds of hatching a "conspiracy of murder and attempted murder".

Police have set up aluminium guard walls reinforced by wooden barricades in at least five locations in Kolkata's approach ways to the Howrah Bridge, including at the foot of the bridge at the Kolkata end to stop the rally from proceeding any further, officials said.

In Howrah, barricades reinforced with iron and steel bolted to the ground have been set up at four places on Kona Expressway and other approach roads to the secretariat, they added.

A massive deployment of armed police, RAF and special combat forces have been made on both sides of the Hooghly River to control possible violence. Drone surveillance, tear gas shells and some five water cannons have also been deployed as security measures.

An unprecedented usage of cargo ship containers and 10-feet high iron guard walls to block roads were also seen in places like the AJC Bose Road and Vidyasagar Setu approach roads, converting the city and its outskirts into a virtual fortress.

Police sources revealed that the first attempt to stop the rally starting from College Street and headed for the Howrah Bridge would be made at the Strand Road-Mahatma Gandhi Road junction with reinforced aluminium guard walls at the base of the bridge.

Barricades have also been set up on approach roads to Vidyasagar Setu on Turf View Road, Hastings, Furlong Gate and Kidderpore Road to stop protestors' movement towards the Second Hooghly Bridge.

In Howrah, over 2,000 police personnel would be dotting various approach points to Nabanna who would be led by four ADGs, 13 DIGs and 15 SP-ranked officers. Four water cannon trucks have also been deployed.

Traffic movement at both Kolkata and Howrah ends has been severely restricted by the police since this morning.

The state police has termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma indicated that there is credible intelligence suggesting attempts by miscreants to incite violence and chaos during the protest.

Consequently, the government has imposed prohibitory orders near Nabanna (state secretariat) under Section 163 of BNSS, restricting gatherings of five or more people.

The Trinamool Congress has denounced the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, releasing videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur district, planning to provoke violence. The persons shown in the videos have been detained for questioning.

In response to the anticipated disruptions, several educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declared a holiday for Tuesday.

Governor CV Ananda Bose has urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.
Calling the pollution control boards of Delhi-NCR "ineffective" due to staff shortage, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the body responsible for air quality management in the national capital and adjoining areas to explain how it proposes to tackle pollution and stubble burning which would spike with the onset of winter.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih directed the Chairperson of the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas to remain present virtually during the hearing of the matter.

"Today, the situation is that there are large number of vacant posts in the state pollution control boards rendering them ineffectiveWe therefore call upon the chairman of CAQM to remain present through video conferencing on the next date of hearing and explain what steps does the commission propose to take," the bench said.

The bench also wondered how the sub-committee on safeguarding and enforcement to be constituted by the CAQM will function due to lack of representation from the state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh due to the vacancies.

It directed the five NCR states to fill the vacant posts urgently, preferably before April 30, 2025.

The bench also directed the CAQM chairperson to file an affidavit explaining the steps the commission proposes to take to check the air pollution menace, often attributed to burning of paddy straw on farms in the states adjoining the national capital, and posted the matter for further hearing on September 2.

During the hearing, senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, informed the bench about a large number of vacancies in all state pollution control boards of the Delhi-NCR region.

She said under the CAQM Act of 2021, the commission is mandated to take steps to curb pollution in the region and to form sub-committees comprising representatives from the states in Delhi-NCR for enforcement of its directives.

"We are almost in September and soon problems of stubble burning and pollution will crop up due to non-functional state pollution boards. Due to huge vacancies, it would be difficult to enforce the directives issued by CAQM," Singh submitted.

The bench deplored the "sorry state of affairs" at pollution control boards which are statutory bodies.

Counsel appearing for Rajasthan said 395 of the 808 sanctioned posts in the the state pollution control board are vacant.

"Out of the 395 posts, we will be filling 115 posts in the next two months for which the process is on. The rest of the posts are to be filled through promotions and it will take some time," he said.

The court voiced its displeasure over a large number of posts being vacant and warned it will summon the chairperson of the state pollution board if the vacancies were not filled expeditiously.

Counsel for the Delhi government submitted that out of the 344 sanctioned posts in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), as many as 233 are vacant.

The bench noted the "sad state of affairs" in the capital city and asked the Delhi government to fill these vacancies by April 30, 2025.

It noted that out of the 652 sanctioned posts in Punjab, 314 are vacant, and directed the state government to fill all the vacancies by April 30, 2025.

It issued identical an order for Haryana, where 202 of the 483 sanctioned posts are vacant. In the case of Uttar Pradesh, the bench was informed that around 350 posts are vacant in the state pollution control board and efforts are on to fill them.
Student organisation 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' are set to hold their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday, despite the administration's declaration of the event as illegal.

The rally to the state secretariat is focused on demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those involved in the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student group, while Sangrami Joutha Mancha represents state government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance (DA) to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

The state police have termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma indicated that there is credible intelligence suggesting attempts by miscreants to incite chaos during the protest. Consequently, the government has imposed prohibitory orders near Nabanna (state secretariat) under Section 163 of BNSS, restricting gatherings of five or more people.

The Trinamool Congress has denounced the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, releasing videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur district, planning to provoke violence. The persons shown in the videos have been detained for questioning.

In response to the anticipated disruptions, several educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declared a holiday for Tuesday. Governor CV Ananda Bose has urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.
Aries Wealth Management grew its stake in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 2.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,689 shares of the payment services companys stock after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the period. Aries Wealth Managements holdings in American Express were worth $854,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AXP. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners purchased a new stake in shares of American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Sachetta LLC acquired a new stake in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Game Plan Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in American Express by 62.5% in the first quarter. Game Plan Financial Advisors LLC now owns 130 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.33% of the companys stock.

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American Express Stock Performance

AXP traded up $3.54 during trading on Friday, hitting $251.30. 1,868,199 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,975,919. The firm has a market capitalization of $180.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.70, a PEG ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.21. American Express has a 1-year low of $140.91 and a 1-year high of $256.24. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $239.68 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $231.14. The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74.

Analyst Ratings Changes

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The payment services company reported $3.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.26 by $0.23. American Express had a return on equity of 32.94% and a net margin of 15.53%. The firm had revenue of $16.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.60 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.89 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that American Express will post 13.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AXP shares. Bank of America cut American Express from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $263.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of American Express from $265.00 to $267.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of American Express from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of American Express from $225.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt boosted their target price on American Express from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, American Express has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $230.70.

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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.

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AMG National Trust Bank grew its stake in Curtiss-Wright Co. (NYSE:CW  Free Report) by 100.0% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,336 shares of the aerospace companys stock after buying an additional 1,168 shares during the quarter. AMG National Trust Banks holdings in Curtiss-Wright were worth $633,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in CW. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Curtiss-Wright by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,657,854 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $936,191,000 after acquiring an additional 18,939 shares during the period. Boston Partners raised its position in shares of Curtiss-Wright by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,393,662 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $356,684,000 after purchasing an additional 40,657 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Curtiss-Wright during the 4th quarter valued at $113,885,000. Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. boosted its holdings in Curtiss-Wright by 41.7% in the 1st quarter. Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. now owns 352,813 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $90,299,000 after buying an additional 103,780 shares during the period. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Curtiss-Wright by 30,079.2% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 302,396 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $81,943,000 after buying an additional 301,394 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.71% of the companys stock.

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Curtiss-Wright Price Performance

Shares of NYSE CW traded up $5.82 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $309.99. 257,137 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 208,622. The companys 50 day moving average is $282.46 and its 200 day moving average is $265.00. Curtiss-Wright Co. has a one year low of $190.64 and a one year high of $310.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 2.02 and a quick ratio of 1.38. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.87 billion, a PE ratio of 31.92 and a beta of 1.18.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Curtiss-Wright ( NYSE:CW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The aerospace company reported $2.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.24 by $0.43. The business had revenue of $785.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $735.82 million. Curtiss-Wright had a net margin of 12.78% and a return on equity of 16.79%. Curtiss-Wrights quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.15 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Curtiss-Wright Co. will post 10.25 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on CW shares. StockNews.com lowered Curtiss-Wright from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Curtiss-Wright from $310.00 to $318.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Curtiss-Wright from $284.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, May 23rd. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Curtiss-Wright from $252.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Curtiss-Wright from $300.00 to $312.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $307.50.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Glenda J. Minor sold 500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $302.80, for a total transaction of $151,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,382 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $418,469.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Curtiss-Wright news, Director Glenda J. Minor sold 500 shares of Curtiss-Wright stock in a transaction on Friday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $302.80, for a total transaction of $151,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,382 shares of the companys stock, valued at $418,469.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, COO Kevin Rayment sold 8,415 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.67, for a total transaction of $2,370,253.05. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 19,914 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,609,176.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have purchased 120 shares of company stock valued at $27,914 over the last ninety days. 0.67% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Curtiss-Wright Company Profile

(Free Report)

Curtiss-Wright Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides engineered products, solutions, and services mainly to aerospace and defense, commercial power, process, and industrial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Industrial, Defense Electronics, and Naval & Power.

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AMI Investment Management Inc. decreased its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP  Free Report) by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 14,803 shares of the railroad operators stock after selling 67 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 1.2% of AMI Investment Management Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. AMI Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,349,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Forum Financial Management LP lifted its position in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 7,037 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $1,731,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP lifted its position in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 7,838 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $1,925,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,100 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $1,007,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,015 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $741,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elevated Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,269 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $312,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They issued an overweight rating and a $270.00 price target on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a buy rating and issued a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock traded up $2.53 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $246.85. 2,449,222 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,001,557. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $234.81 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $239.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $199.33 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $150.38 billion, a PE ratio of 23.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This is a boost from Union Pacifics previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.17%. Union Pacifics payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.28% of the companys stock.

About Union Pacific

(Free Report)

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.

Further Reading

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Banque Pictet & Cie SA lowered its position in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSEARCA:EWZ  Free Report) by 3.0% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 244,395 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 7,540 shares during the period. Banque Pictet & Cie SAs holdings in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF were worth $6,679,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ninety One UK Ltd bought a new stake in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,097,000. Raymond James & Associates grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 90.1% during the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 160,081 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $4,375,000 after purchasing an additional 75,851 shares during the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF during the second quarter worth $153,000. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 22.1% in the second quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 36,993 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,011,000 after buying an additional 6,694 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversify Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF in the second quarter valued at about $1,355,000.

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iShares MSCI Brazil ETF Stock Up 2.3 %

Shares of NYSEARCA EWZ opened at $30.44 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $4.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.65 and a beta of 0.93. iShares MSCI Brazil ETF has a 12-month low of $26.23 and a 12-month high of $35.74. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $28.37 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.49.

About iShares MSCI Brazil ETF

iShares MSCI Brazil Capped Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Brazilian market, as measured by the MSCI Brazil Index (the Index).

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British Smaller Companies VCT2 (LON:BSC  Get Free Report)s share price shot up 1.8% on Monday . The company traded as high as GBX 56 ($0.74) and last traded at GBX 56 ($0.74). 47,638 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 22% from the average session volume of 60,775 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 55 ($0.73).

British Smaller Companies VCT2 Stock Up 1.8 %

The firm has a market capitalization of 128.00 million, a P/E ratio of 1,866.67 and a beta of -0.01. The businesss 50 day moving average is GBX 55.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 55.54.

About British Smaller Companies VCT2

(Get Free Report)

British Smaller Companies VCT 2 plc is a venture capital trust specializing in emerging growth, growth capital, acquisition funding, and development funding. It is an evergreen fund. The fund invests in a range of securities which may include ordinary and preference shares and fixed income securities, such as corporate bonds and gilts in VCT qualifying and non-qualifying securities.

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First Merchants Corp reduced its position in shares of Cencora, Inc. (NYSE:COR  Free Report) by 22.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,464 shares of the companys stock after selling 700 shares during the period. First Merchants Corps holdings in Cencora were worth $555,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Rise Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cencora during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Legacy Bridge LLC acquired a new stake in Cencora during the first quarter worth $27,000. TCTC Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in Cencora during the first quarter worth $29,000. TFO Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Cencora in the first quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Cencora in the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. 97.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Cencora from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Cencora from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 30th. SVB Leerink reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $275.00 price objective on shares of Cencora in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Cencora from $280.00 to $287.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Cencora from $236.00 to $249.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cencora has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $258.63.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Silvana Battaglia sold 1,473 shares of Cencora stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.69, for a total value of $357,482.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 10,948 shares in the company, valued at $2,656,970.12. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Silvana Battaglia sold 1,473 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $242.69, for a total value of $357,482.37. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 10,948 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,656,970.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. sold 4,438,171 shares of Cencora stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.56, for a total value of $1,067,646,415.76. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 19,980,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,806,388,800. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 4,479,366 shares of company stock worth $1,076,666,297. Company insiders own 15.80% of the companys stock.

Cencora Stock Performance

Shares of COR stock opened at $237.74 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $231.85 and a two-hundred day moving average of $232.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $47.42 billion, a PE ratio of 26.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.93. Cencora, Inc. has a 52 week low of $171.65 and a 52 week high of $247.66.

Cencora (NYSE:COR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $3.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.18 by $0.16. Cencora had a return on equity of 266.60% and a net margin of 0.65%. The business had revenue of $74.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $73.32 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.92 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Cencora, Inc. will post 13.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cencora Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. Cencoras dividend payout ratio is presently 22.32%.

Cencora Company Profile

(Free Report)

Cencora, Inc sources and distributes pharmaceutical products. The company's U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment distributes pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers; provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers; clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support services; data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers; pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and other products to the companion animal and production animal markets; and sales force services to manufacturers.

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Ceredex Value Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN  Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 344,500 shares of the specialty retailers stock, valued at approximately $7,310,000. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC owned 0.21% of Nordstrom as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in JWN. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co lifted its stake in Nordstrom by 0.6% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 90,144 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $1,828,000 after purchasing an additional 520 shares during the last quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System grew its stake in Nordstrom by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 23,908 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $485,000 after buying an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC raised its holdings in Nordstrom by 5.7% during the 4th quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC now owns 11,882 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $219,000 after acquiring an additional 636 shares during the period. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Nordstrom by 33.1% during the first quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,648 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 659 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Nordstrom by 2.9% in the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 28,000 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $568,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the period. 88.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Nordstrom Price Performance

Shares of JWN traded up $0.58 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $21.73. The stock had a trading volume of 2,225,002 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,339,710. The company has a market capitalization of $3.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 2.62. The companys 50-day moving average is $21.93 and its 200 day moving average is $20.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.13. Nordstrom, Inc. has a 12-month low of $12.88 and a 12-month high of $24.03.

Nordstrom Announces Dividend

Nordstrom ( NYSE:JWN Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 30th. The specialty retailer reported ($0.24) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by ($0.16). Nordstrom had a negative return on equity of 26.45% and a negative net margin of 1.35%. The company had revenue of $3.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.07 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Nordstrom, Inc. will post 1.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.19 per share. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. Nordstroms dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.53%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently issued reports on JWN shares. Bank of America increased their price objective on Nordstrom from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Nordstrom from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Friday, May 31st. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Nordstrom from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Nordstrom from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Nordstrom from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, May 17th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $17.75.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on JWN

About Nordstrom

(Free Report)

Nordstrom, Inc, a fashion retailer, provides apparels, shoes, beauty, accessories, and home goods for women, men, young adults, and children. It offers a range of brand-name and private-label merchandise through various channels, such as Nordstrom branded stores and online at Nordstrom.com; Nordstrom.ca; Nordstrom stores; Nordstrom Rack stores; Nordstrom Locals; ASOS; Nordstromrack.com; mobile application; and clearance stores under the Last Chance name.

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Clear Creek Financial Management LLC boosted its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (NYSEARCA:SPHQ  Free Report) by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 73,723 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 4,354 shares during the quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLCs holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF were worth $4,684,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC lifted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 25.7% in the 2nd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 1,016 shares of the companys stock valued at $65,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. SteelPeak Wealth LLC lifted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. SteelPeak Wealth LLC now owns 18,422 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,171,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 2.7% in the 1st quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 8,322 shares of the companys stock valued at $503,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares in the last quarter. Glassman Wealth Services lifted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 121.7% in the 4th quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 510 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MADDEN SECURITIES Corp lifted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. MADDEN SECURITIES Corp now owns 20,192 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,283,000 after acquiring an additional 284 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF Stock Performance

NYSEARCA:SPHQ traded up $0.35 on Friday, hitting $65.98. The stock had a trading volume of 724,833 shares, compared to its average volume of 982,373. The stock has a market cap of $9.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.60 and a beta of 0.98. Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF has a 1 year low of $47.72 and a 1 year high of $66.30. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $64.20 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.31.

Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF Company Profile

The Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500 Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large-cap stocks selected by return on equity, changes in net operating assets and financial leverage. Stocks are weighted by these quality factors, scaled by market cap.

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Clear Creek Financial Management LLC increased its position in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IJK  Free Report) by 26.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 153,856 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 32,494 shares during the period. iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF makes up about 1.6% of Clear Creek Financial Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC owned approximately 0.14% of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF worth $13,556,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Simplex Trading LLC purchased a new stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $165,000. Rodgers & Associates LTD lifted its stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. Rodgers & Associates LTD now owns 72,152 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,716,000 after buying an additional 935 shares in the last quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC now owns 83,296 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,599,000 after buying an additional 1,098 shares in the last quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. purchased a new stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $202,000. Finally, Dohj LLC lifted its stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF by 136.1% in the 4th quarter. Dohj LLC now owns 61,218 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,850,000 after buying an additional 35,287 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF Stock Performance

IJK stock traded up $1.89 on Friday, reaching $91.77. The company had a trading volume of 170,442 shares, compared to its average volume of 348,617. iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $67.63 and a 1 year high of $93.56. The companys fifty day moving average is $88.87 and its 200 day moving average is $88.13. The company has a market cap of $9.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.52 and a beta of 1.08.

iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF Profile

iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF, formerly iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market and consists of those stocks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index exhibiting the strongest growth characteristics.

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Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC trimmed its position in shares of iShares Core High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:HDV  Free Report) by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,050 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 93 shares during the quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Group LLCs holdings in iShares Core High Dividend ETF were worth $223,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of HDV. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in iShares Core High Dividend ETF by 48.7% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 2,697,776 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $275,146,000 after purchasing an additional 883,411 shares during the period. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co increased its stake in iShares Core High Dividend ETF by 19.7% in the 1st quarter. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co now owns 3,008,172 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $331,531,000 after buying an additional 495,944 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in iShares Core High Dividend ETF by 434.8% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 321,188 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $35,398,000 after buying an additional 261,132 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in iShares Core High Dividend ETF by 9,716.9% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 206,154 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $22,720,000 after buying an additional 204,054 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DAVENPORT & Co LLC increased its stake in iShares Core High Dividend ETF by 4,833.4% in the 1st quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 165,613 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $18,252,000 after buying an additional 162,256 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Core High Dividend ETF Stock Up 0.9 %

HDV stock traded up $1.10 during trading on Friday, reaching $116.96. The companys stock had a trading volume of 195,916 shares, compared to its average volume of 431,539. iShares Core High Dividend ETF has a 1 year low of $93.46 and a 1 year high of $117.00. The company has a market capitalization of $11.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.82 and a beta of 0.55. The companys fifty day moving average is $111.59 and its 200-day moving average is $109.15.

iShares Core High Dividend ETF Profile

The iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus index. The fund tracks a dividend-weighted index of 75 high-yielding US equities, screened for high earnings potential and dividend sustainability. HDV was launched on Mar 29, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.

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First Merchants Corp lessened its stake in shares of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW  Free Report) by 7.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 8,414 shares of the electronics makers stock after selling 687 shares during the period. First Merchants Corps holdings in Corning were worth $327,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Banque Pictet & Cie SA grew its stake in shares of Corning by 12.3% during the 2nd quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SA now owns 80,000 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $3,108,000 after acquiring an additional 8,766 shares during the period. Grove Bank & Trust lifted its position in shares of Corning by 21.5% in the second quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 1,414 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $55,000 after buying an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its stake in Corning by 0.3% during the second quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 170,066 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $6,607,000 after buying an additional 588 shares during the last quarter. BCK Partners Inc. grew its holdings in Corning by 119.9% during the 2nd quarter. BCK Partners Inc. now owns 70,861 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $2,753,000 after buying an additional 38,632 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Corning by 98.7% in the 2nd quarter. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 24,810 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $964,000 after acquiring an additional 12,325 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.80% of the companys stock.

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Corning Trading Up 1.6 %

Shares of NYSE GLW traded up $0.67 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $41.94. The company had a trading volume of 2,893,101 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,012,128. The stock has a market cap of $35.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.05. Corning Incorporated has a 52 week low of $25.26 and a 52 week high of $46.39. The businesss 50-day moving average is $41.08 and its 200-day moving average is $36.15. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63.

Corning Announces Dividend

Corning ( NYSE:GLW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The electronics maker reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.01. Corning had a net margin of 3.53% and a return on equity of 12.69%. The company had revenue of $3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.55 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.45 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Corning Incorporated will post 1.91 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.28 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.67%. Cornings dividend payout ratio is presently 157.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Jeffrey W. Evenson sold 12,830 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.39, for a total transaction of $479,713.70. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 57,280 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,141,699.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.40% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

GLW has been the topic of several research reports. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Corning from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Bank of America decreased their target price on shares of Corning from $47.00 to $46.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Corning from $38.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Corning from $47.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res raised Corning from a moderate sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Corning has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $45.62.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on GLW

About Corning

(Free Report)

Corning Incorporated engages in the display technologies, optical communications, environmental technologies, specialty materials, and life sciences businesses in the United States and internationally. The company's Display Technologies segment offers glass substrates for flat panel displays, including liquid crystal displays and organic light-emitting diodes that are used in televisions, notebook computers, desktop monitors, tablets, and handheld devices.

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JB Capital LLC decreased its holdings in Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL  Free Report) by 8.3% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 7,697 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 698 shares during the period. JB Capital LLCs holdings in Delta Air Lines were worth $365,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 8.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 20,936,699 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $842,283,000 after purchasing an additional 1,689,053 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 15,030,836 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $719,526,000 after purchasing an additional 49,712 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Delta Air Lines by 220.2% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 8,600,741 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $346,008,000 after buying an additional 5,914,301 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Delta Air Lines by 10.9% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 8,374,052 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $336,908,000 after buying an additional 826,232 shares during the period. Finally, Royal London Asset Management Ltd. boosted its position in Delta Air Lines by 27.0% during the 4th quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. now owns 6,467,749 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $260,198,000 after buying an additional 1,376,221 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.93% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Willie Cw Chiang acquired 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $43.90 per share, with a total value of $439,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 20,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $878,000. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.96% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. HSBC assumed coverage on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Monday, May 13th. They set a buy rating and a $72.80 price target for the company. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $55.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $58.00 to $56.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, June 28th. TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of Delta Air Lines from $61.00 to $59.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $66.00 to $62.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Delta Air Lines presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $60.70.

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Delta Air Lines Stock Up 3.1 %

Shares of Delta Air Lines stock traded up $1.24 during trading on Friday, hitting $41.38. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,033,520 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,552,022. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.40. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $43.99 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.90. The company has a market capitalization of $26.70 billion, a PE ratio of 5.95, a P/E/G ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.35. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 52 week low of $30.60 and a 52 week high of $53.86.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 11th. The transportation company reported $2.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.37 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $15.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.45 billion. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 36.02% and a net margin of 7.46%. The firms revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.68 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 6.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Delta Air Lines Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 30th were paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.45%. This is a positive change from Delta Air Liness previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 30th. Delta Air Liness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 8.63%.

About Delta Air Lines

(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.

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JB Capital LLC decreased its position in Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) by 89.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,919 shares of the natural resource companys stock after selling 72,656 shares during the quarter. JB Capital LLCs holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $433,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in FCX. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Freeport-McMoRan during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Lynx Investment Advisory acquired a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 422.2% in the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 658 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 532 shares in the last quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 209.9% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 657 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.77% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on FCX shares. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Scotiabank reduced their target price on Freeport-McMoRan from $58.00 to $52.00 and set a sector outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 19th. Raymond James dropped their price target on Freeport-McMoRan from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. BNP Paribas upgraded Freeport-McMoRan to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded Freeport-McMoRan from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the company from $49.50 to $62.00 in a research note on Friday, June 21st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $53.00.

Freeport-McMoRan Trading Up 3.1 %

Shares of NYSE:FCX traded up $1.36 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $44.66. The companys stock had a trading volume of 11,801,118 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,436,732. The firm has a market capitalization of $64.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.52, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 2.40. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $46.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $46.45. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $32.83 and a fifty-two week high of $55.24.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The natural resource company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $6.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a return on equity of 7.60% and a net margin of 7.83%. The firms revenue was up 15.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.35 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Freeport-McMoRan Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Investors of record on Monday, July 15th were given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.34%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 15th. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is 26.55%.

Freeport-McMoRan Profile

(Free Report)

Freeport-McMoRan Inc engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile.

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Secure Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Progressive Co. (NYSE:PGR  Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 1,817 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $377,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Sachetta LLC purchased a new position in shares of Progressive in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Northwest Bank & Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Progressive in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new position in Progressive in the first quarter worth about $32,000. Hilltop National Bank increased its position in shares of Progressive by 126.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 165 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Register Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Progressive during the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. 85.34% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Progressive Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of PGR stock traded up $1.03 on Friday, hitting $241.25. The stock had a trading volume of 1,544,660 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,539,333. The Progressive Co. has a one year low of $130.27 and a one year high of $241.43. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $217.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $208.17. The company has a market cap of $141.29 billion, a PE ratio of 24.69, a P/E/G ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30.

Progressive Dividend Announcement

Progressive ( NYSE:PGR Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The insurance provider reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.61. Progressive had a net margin of 10.17% and a return on equity of 33.01%. The business had revenue of $17.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.54 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.57 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 21.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that The Progressive Co. will post 12.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.17%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 3rd. Progressives dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 4.09%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Susan Patricia Griffith sold 43,371 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $214.01, for a total transaction of $9,281,827.71. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 517,105 shares of the companys stock, valued at $110,665,641.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Susan Patricia Griffith sold 43,371 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $214.01, for a total transaction of $9,281,827.71. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 517,105 shares in the company, valued at $110,665,641.05. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO John P. Sauerland sold 22,708 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $214.01, for a total transaction of $4,859,739.08. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 302,958 shares in the company, valued at approximately $64,836,041.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 116,441 shares of company stock worth $25,111,350. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PGR has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Progressive from $256.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Progressive from $210.00 to $239.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Progressive from $243.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Citigroup dropped their target price on Progressive from $232.00 to $225.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Progressive from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $230.00 to $262.00 in a report on Thursday, August 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $234.41.

Read Our Latest Report on PGR

Progressive Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Progressive Corporation, an insurance holding company, provides personal and commercial auto, personal residential and commercial property, business related general liability, and other specialty property-casualty insurance products and related services in the United States. It operates in three segments: Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, and Property.

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AlphaStar Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 9.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,808 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 505 shares during the period. AlphaStar Capital Management LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $589,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Kessler Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in Philip Morris International during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 684.4% during the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 251 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH lifted its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 250.0% in the 1st quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH now owns 322 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC lifted its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 57.4% in the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 318 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northwest Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.63% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Stock Performance

PM traded up $0.33 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $121.58. The company had a trading volume of 670,230 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,287,280. The stock has a market cap of $189.00 billion, a PE ratio of 23.68, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.58. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $109.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $100.21. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.23 and a 12-month high of $122.01.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

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 for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.02. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 9.41% and a negative return on equity of 113.32%. The firm had revenue of $9.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.60 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 21st were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.28%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 21st. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 101.56%.

Insider Transactions at Philip Morris International

In related news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of Philip Morris International stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the insider now owns 85,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total value of $1,038,150.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 85,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.01, for a total transaction of $2,260,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 158,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,906,095.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

PM has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com raised Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Barclays lifted their target price on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Philip Morris International presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $109.80.

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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.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. trimmed its position in shares of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF (BATS:IBHD  Free Report) by 6.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 437,592 shares of the companys stock after selling 29,044 shares during the quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. owned 2.25% of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF worth $10,170,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF during the first quarter worth approximately $537,000. Timber Creek Capital Management LLC raised its position in iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Timber Creek Capital Management LLC now owns 23,477 shares of the companys stock valued at $547,000 after purchasing an additional 908 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF in the 4th quarter worth $1,012,000. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF by 74.3% during the 1st quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 71,419 shares of the companys stock worth $1,665,000 after buying an additional 30,436 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Peloton Wealth Strategists grew its position in shares of iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF by 19.4% during the 4th quarter. Peloton Wealth Strategists now owns 103,750 shares of the companys stock worth $2,408,000 after buying an additional 16,890 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF Price Performance

BATS:IBHD traded up $0.01 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $23.23. The companys stock had a trading volume of 64,165 shares. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $23.18 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $23.22.

iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF Cuts Dividend

iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF Profile

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 5th. Investors of record on Monday, July 1st were issued a dividend of $0.1178 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 1st.

(Free Report)

The iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield and Income ETF (IBHD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund tracks a market-value-weighted index of USD-denominated, high yield and BBB-rated corporate bonds maturing in 2024. The fund will terminate in December 2024.

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Dongfang Electric Co. Limited (OTCMKTS:DNGFF  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 800 shares, a decline of 99.2% from the July 31st total of 104,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently  days.

Dongfang Electric Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:DNGFF remained flat at $1.10 on Tuesday. Dongfang Electric has a 1-year low of $0.81 and a 1-year high of $1.58. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $1.36 and its 200 day simple moving average is $1.15.

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Dongfang Electric Company Profile

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Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited engages in the design, develop, manufacture, and sale of power generation equipment in China and internationally. It operates through five segments: Renewable Energy Equipment, Clean and Efficient Energy Equipment, Engineering and Trade, Modern Manufacturing Services Industry, and Emerging Growth Industry.

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Greencore Group plc (OTCMKTS:GNCGY  Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as $8.70 and last traded at $8.70, with a volume of 0 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $8.70.

Greencore Group Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $8.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $6.89.

About Greencore Group

(Get Free Report)

Greencore Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells convenience food products in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company offers sandwiches, salads, sushi, chilled snacking, chilled ready meals, chilled soups and sauces, chilled quiche, ambient sauces and pickles, and frozen Yorkshire Puddings.

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Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its position in Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT  Free Report) by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 28,456 shares of the aerospace companys stock after purchasing an additional 514 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A.s holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $13,292,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in LMT. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC raised its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 6.2% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 1,051 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $491,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Aljian Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. Aljian Capital Management LLC now owns 9,595 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $4,482,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares in the last quarter. Northcape Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 10.8% in the second quarter. Northcape Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,361 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $636,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares during the last quarter. AMG National Trust Bank grew its position in Lockheed Martin by 13.4% in the second quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 1,900 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $888,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tempus Wealth Planning LLC lifted its position in Lockheed Martin by 12.6% during the 2nd quarter. Tempus Wealth Planning LLC now owns 780 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $364,000 after buying an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.19% of the companys stock.

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Lockheed Martin Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE LMT traded down $2.02 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $555.01. The stock had a trading volume of 870,355 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,078,855. Lockheed Martin Co. has a twelve month low of $393.77 and a twelve month high of $564.22. The companys 50 day moving average price is $504.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $469.36. The firm has a market cap of $133.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.40 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.10, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.24.

Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend

Lockheed Martin ( NYSE:LMT Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.45 by $0.66. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 95.03% and a net margin of 9.48%. The firm had revenue of $18.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.05 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $6.73 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.71 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed 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 is Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $12.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.10%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $518.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Royal Bank of Canada raised Lockheed Martin from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $500.00 to $600.00 in a report on Monday, August 5th. Susquehanna upped their price objective on shares of Lockheed Martin from $540.00 to $565.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Lockheed Martin from $503.00 to $599.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $541.85.

Get Our Latest Research Report on LMT

Insider Transactions at Lockheed Martin

In related news, insider Timothy S. Cahill sold 3,975 shares of Lockheed Martin stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the sale, the insider now owns 8,877 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,574,850.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.

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Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 209,265 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 3,574 shares during the quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $21,745,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT now owns 25,085 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,761,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the period. Wynn Capital LLC boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 2.9% during the 1st quarter. Wynn Capital LLC now owns 3,427 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $390,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc now owns 3,423 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $377,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 19,280 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,122,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bfsg LLC boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 21.4% during the 1st quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 567 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. 75.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

Shares of ABT traded up $0.59 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $112.69. 4,511,637 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,979,149. The company has a market cap of $196.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.72. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $121.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The firms fifty day moving average is $106.15 and its 200 day moving average is $108.68.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last released 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. The business had revenue of $10.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.37 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.18% and a net margin of 13.65%. Abbott Laboratoriess revenue was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.08 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 15th were given a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 15th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.95%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is presently 68.54%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on ABT. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $120.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Edward Jones cut Abbott Laboratories from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $121.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup increased their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $119.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, June 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $121.80.

Read Our Latest Analysis on ABT

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(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.

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Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 13.0% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 9,238 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,062 shares during the quarter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $681,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Nelson Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Charles Schwab by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Nelson Capital Management LLC now owns 37,726 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,729,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the period. Abbrea Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.5% during the first quarter. Abbrea Capital LLC now owns 5,777 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $418,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the period. Sweet Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. Sweet Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,430 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $320,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Ironwood Financial llc boosted its stake in Charles Schwab by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Ironwood Financial llc now owns 10,186 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $737,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. Finally, Sculati Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Charles Schwab by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Sculati Wealth Management LLC now owns 42,971 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,956,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. 84.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Charles Schwab

In other news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 77,431 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.94, for a total value of $5,492,955.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,630,986.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, President Richard A. Wurster bought 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was bought at an average price of $62.05 per share, for a total transaction of $620,500.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the president now owns 144,228 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,949,347.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 77,431 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.94, for a total value of $5,492,955.14. Following the sale, the insider now owns 121,666 shares in the company, valued at $8,630,986.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 185,231 shares of company stock valued at $12,638,320. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Charles Schwab Stock Performance

Shares of SCHW traded up $0.12 on Friday, reaching $64.39. 13,127,823 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,089,044. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $68.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.42 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The firm has a market cap of $114.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.99. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12 month low of $48.66 and a 12 month high of $79.49.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $4.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.68 billion. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 26.30% and a return on equity of 18.14%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.75 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 9th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is 41.84%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Barclays reduced their target price on Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $68.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. TD Cowen reissued a hold rating and issued a $71.00 price target (down from $88.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Piper Sandler downgraded shares of Charles Schwab from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $80.00 to $64.00 in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Charles Schwab from $85.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $91.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Charles Schwab presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $74.00.

Read Our Latest Report on SCHW

Charles Schwab Profile

(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.

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Shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC  Get Free Report) gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $6.68, but opened at $6.98. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. shares last traded at $6.91, with a volume of 136,627 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th.

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Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a current ratio of 1.78. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $7.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $6.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.60 and a beta of 0.85.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, May 27th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $996.26 million during the quarter. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. had a return on equity of 11.51% and a net margin of 10.07%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S.

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BTC Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. during the first quarter worth about $1,073,000. StoneX Group Inc. acquired a new position in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. during the first quarter worth $996,000. Capital Wealth Planning LLC bought a new stake in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. during the first quarter worth $880,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 41.4% in the first quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 385,600 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $2,001,000 after acquiring an additional 112,852 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caprock Group LLC grew its position in shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 319.0% in the 2nd quarter. Caprock Group LLC now owns 96,490 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $731,000 after acquiring an additional 73,460 shares during the period.

About Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S.

(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.

Further Reading

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Wedgewood Investors Inc. PA bought a new position in shares of Eaton Co. plc (NYSE:ETN  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 2,304 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $722,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ETN. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eaton by 4.1% during the second quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 1,603 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $503,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky boosted its stake in Eaton by 5.0% in the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 3,143 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $985,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Optas LLC lifted its stake in shares of Eaton by 11.3% during the second quarter. Optas LLC now owns 880 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $276,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. WT Asset Management Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Eaton by 1.0% during the second quarter. WT Asset Management Ltd now owns 132,460 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $41,533,000 after purchasing an additional 1,260 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clear Creek Financial Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Eaton by 27.1% during the second quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC now owns 1,421 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $446,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. 82.97% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Eaton news, insider Taras G. Jr. Szmagala sold 335 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $288.72, for a total value of $96,721.20. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 9,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,858,328. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other Eaton news, insider Taras G. Jr. Szmagala sold 335 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $288.72, for a total value of $96,721.20. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 9,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,858,328. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Heath B. Monesmith sold 49,040 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $301.02, for a total transaction of $14,762,020.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 71,262 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,451,287.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.53% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Eaton Trading Up 0.8 %

NYSE:ETN traded up $2.31 on Friday, hitting $300.00. The stock had a trading volume of 1,950,652 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,173,366. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The stock has a market cap of $119.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.42, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $307.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $310.05. Eaton Co. plc has a 1-year low of $191.82 and a 1-year high of $345.19.

Eaton (NYSE:ETN  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.73 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.61 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $6.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.35 billion. Eaton had a net margin of 15.12% and a return on equity of 21.45%. Equities research analysts expect that Eaton Co. plc will post 10.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eaton Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, August 5th were paid a dividend of $0.94 per share. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.25%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 5th. Eatons payout ratio is currently 44.39%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Eaton from $376.00 to $371.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Eaton from $318.00 to $319.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Raymond James initiated coverage on shares of Eaton in a report on Friday, June 28th. They set an outperform rating and a $375.00 target price for the company. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on shares of Eaton from $357.00 to $333.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Eaton from $279.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Eaton presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $328.00.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Eaton

Eaton Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eaton Corporation plc operates as a power management company worldwide. The company's Electrical Americas and Electrical Global segment provides electrical components, industrial components, power distribution and assemblies, residential products, single and three phase power quality and connectivity products, wiring devices, circuit protection products, utility power distribution products, power reliability equipment, and services, as well as hazardous duty electrical equipment, emergency lighting, fire detection, explosion-proof instrumentation, and structural support systems.

Further Reading

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A second Derry man has died from injuries sustained in a crash in County Donegal on Saturday night has been named.

The victim, named locally as Eoghan Dawson (20), was involved in a fatal road accident at Cross, Quigley's Point at 11.15pm.

No other vehicles were involved in the tragic accident.

Eoghan suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast but has since tragically passed.

His cousin Kian Dawson was also involved in the accident and sadly died.

Tributes have been flooding in on social media for Eoghan.

His good friend Gary Mc Devitt posted: Can't believe I'm writing this. Feels like a bad dream boys. Wee Eoghan Dawson taken from us too soon, him and his wee cousin Kian. May yous rest in peace

Let me tell yous about Eoghan. He was an absolute character, full of craic and didn't have a care in the world. Not only was he my wee gym buddy but felt like he was a wee brother to me. Always did my best to keep him right. Me and him always had a laugh so we did. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet you bud and I hope u impacted your life as you did mine.

ALSO READ: Funeral arrangements of teenage Derry crash victim announced

To think that me and you were sitting chatting and joking away on Friday talking about doing this and that getting a day fishing anol. Life is nothing but cruel.

You always joked about being bigger and stronger than me. Had me tortured. Knew how to wind me up. You are the bigger one and the stronger one now sir and you'll save many lives. Absolute warrior and I'm so proud of you brother.

Until we meet again, and that we will. I love you

Always

The family have set up a go fund me. Please be kind and donate and support them.

LMC Media added a fitting post on their Facebook page.

It read: One of a kind 

Unfortunately weve lost an integral part of the team. A man who a lot of you will know from events. My wee bro. My best mate. Eoghan Dawsy Dawson.

Wont be the same without you bro!

For anyone who wishes to make a donation to the family of both him and his cousin Kian, who also sadly lost his life from the same accident, there is a GoFundMe linked in my bio.

Please keep this in mind if travelling home late from events folks. Stay safe!!

And family member Belinda Doran took to Facebook to pay tribute following the tragic news of the boys passing.

She said: We are the family of the boys involved in the recent tragedy. A quick trip to their favourite place soon turned into a living nightmare. Two beautiful cousins Eoghan (20) and Kian (16) were involved in a fatal road accident and now will remain forever young. We would be extremely grateful if you could please donate what you can to help cover funeral costs and alleviate the pressure from our devastated family. Please like, comment, and share this post so that more people can see and contribute. Thank you.

The link to the gofundme page is attached through this link.
Loughs Agency recently held an exciting day of inclusive surf sessions at the North Coasts stunning Benone Beach, in collaboration with the Mae Murray Foundation and Long Line Surf School. The initiative welcomed participants of all abilities aged 8 and up, inviting them to try their hand at surfing under the guidance of professional instructors from Long Line

Surf School, who were ready to provide guidance, assistance and advice for those eager to learn the basics of the popular sport.

The session emphasised accessibility, and a diverse range of participants had the opportunity to get in the water and brave the waves in conditions ideal for surfing.

Sharon McMahon, Loughs Agency CEO, commented: We were thrilled to play a key role in making these inclusive surf sessions at Benone Beach possible, in collaboration with the Mae Murray Foundation and Long Line Surf School.

At Loughs Agency, we are passionate about promoting water-based activities, whether its surfing, angling or swimming. The Mae Murray Foundation has played a crucial part in ensuring these types of activities are as inclusive as possible, and it

was great to see how well-received this initiative was.

Kyleigh Lough, Mae Murray Foundation CEO, added: We are delighted that Loughs Agency have bought into our vision that all public events at an inclusive beach should have activities suited to all abilities. This was a fantastic day where everyone of all ages and abilities had the opportunity to surf and to also learn more about the environment and our waters.

Loughs Agencys education team regularly visits festivals, events and schools with the popular Marine Machine, an immersive interactive trailer which promotes marine species awareness, sustainability, biodiversity, and youth angling initiatives. Keep an

eye on Loughs Agencys social media platforms to find out where the team may be heading next.
Syrian Mohamad Otah Bashi was a lingerie and cosmetics manufacturer supplying goods to over 120 shops.

He and his wife Randa had their own business in Damascus, a young family, a nice house.

Life was good for the Otah Bashis. Then war came.

On May 10 2012 over 50 people were killed when two car bombs exploded in the Syrian capital, disputed claims laying the blame at the door of al-Qaeda.

Two weeks later 108 people were executed in what has become known as the Houla Massacre.

On June 12 2012 the UN for the first time officially declared Syria to be in a state of civil war.

Thousands of people, including the Otah Bashi family, were forced to flee, leaving behind everything they had ever known.

I had a lingerie shop in Damascus but when the revolution started, I couldnt continue, says Mohamad who has lived in Derry since 2019.

I was scared for my family and it was my duty to protect them. So myself, my wife and my children moved to Egypt.

I had money and we were able to rent a house and I was able to start over again. I set up a lingerie shop in Cairo before we moved to Alexandria where I started making lingerie as well as cosmetics.

In January 2014 the UK Government opened the Syrian Resettlement Scheme to assist those escaping the conflict which by this point had claimed in the region of 200,000 lives.

Happily settled in Alexandria where business was thriving, initially Mohamad and his wife had no intention of applying to the scheme.

But when the couples son was almost killed in a car accident, they had no choice but to seek overseas medical aid.

One of his main arteries was severed and he was close to death, says his father.

The surgery he needed was complicated and in Egypt the expertise wasnt available. So we came to the UK.

After arriving in Derry five years ago Mohamad set himself the task of learning English. He now has a good level of communication and plans to start his own business.

When I arrived here my English was zero but I knew that if I wanted to look after my family then I had to learn the language. So I started attending classes in North West Regional College.

Ive looked into setting up a business making cosmetics but its really expensive in Northern Ireland. Now Im thinking about a different project, maybe a candy shop. I have an appointment with Go Succeed and hopefully they will be able to support me in that.

Mohamad Otah Bashi who fled Syria with his family when civil war broke out in 2012. He has lived in Derry for five years and says that while he would one day like to return to Syria, he is not sure it will ever be possible.

While Mohamad, now aged 52, has plans of his own, his children are also busy building lives for themselves.

My oldest son is working as a chef in the Everglades Hotel. He is married to a girl from Buncrana and they have twins.

One of my other sons is a pianist while the third is 17 and a student at Oakgrove College.

My little daughter has just finished at Model Primary School and is about to start at Thornhill. My other daughter lives in Cologne with her husband and their three children. He works as an engineer and she is hoping to become a pharmacist.

Mohamad Otah Bashis story is typical of the millions of people who, through no fault of their own, are on the move across the globe. Families forced to pack up and leave relatives, their culture, their language, the streets they once played on, behind and start all over again in a foreign land they know little about.

And like almost everyone in the same situation, he thinks about home often.

But Derry is his safe place now and Mohamad is making the most of it. He has involved himself in various community projects, including Songs Without Borders and a local play he recently appeared in.

As to whether he will ever see his country again, it is not a straightforward question.

I wish to go back to Syria but Im not sure I ever will. The situation is only getting more complicated. There is no gas, no food, no electricity, no opportunities.

Syrian people are hard workers but the life there now is very poor. I miss it because it is where I grew up but what can I do? In a perfect world I would be back there but we dont live in a perfect world.

Here it is different and our life now, its a good life. I look after my wife who is unwell. I cook, I clean, I do the shopping, I take my daughter to school each morning and collect her in the afternoon. I am also studying because I want to pay my way, I want to contribute to my community and to society.

The people here are very friendly. My neighbours are kind and Derry is a very welcoming place.

I feel like this is my home now.
Stormont has been urged to reverse a decision to extend a temporary ban on the sale or supply of puberty blockers to Northern Ireland.

Campaigners held banners which read Trans Liberation Now and Gender Affirming Care Saves Lives during the demonstration at Belfast City Hall on Tuesday evening.

It comes after a ban was introduced in England earlier this year preventing the prescription of the medication, which suppresses the natural production of sex hormones to delay puberty, from European or private prescribers and restricting NHS provision to within clinical trials.

A legal challenge brought by campaigners who said they were concerned for the safety and welfare of young trans people in the UK failed last month when the High Court ruled the ban was lawful.

The Stormont Executive agreed to extend the ban to Northern Ireland last week, which came into effect on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, NHS England is expected start a trial into the use of puberty blockers early next year.

In a statement, First Minister Michelle ONeill said a temporary suspension of puberty blockers was based on clear and unequivocal advice from the Chief Medical Officer pending review.

We want the best possible medical support for children and young people who need trans healthcare, she said.

The three-month temporary suspension of puberty blockers for children and young people is based on clear and unequivocal advice from the Chief Medical Officer pending review.

Children, parents and clinicians need to have full confidence in the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments. Health care and clinical decisions need to be based on the scientific and medical evidence.

Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray was among those who addressed the gathering in Belfast on Tuesday evening.

Alexa Moore, of the Rainbow Project, urged Stormont to reverse the decision.

This protest shows the level of community upset at the decision which has been taken without much consultation with trans communities, she said.

This is a ban specifically on the use of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. These medications are used to treat a vast variety of other condition as well, including endometriosis. Theyre not being banned in those cases, theyre just being banned specifically for use by trans young people.

Picket @sinnfeinireland HQ in Dublin after its devastating decision to support a ban in NI on youth access to essential #transhealthcare  letter handed in is here pic.twitter.com/22zajr51q3  ROSA  Socialist Feminist Movement (@RosaSocFem) August 27, 2024

She added: The only way that people could access gender affirming care right now in Northern Ireland was by going privately to access that care, and we know countless families and young people who have gone privately because theyve been abandoned by health care services in Northern Ireland and even that route is now being shut down.

She called for Stormont to reverse the decision and commission and reform gender affirming health care services.

Trans people in Northern Ireland have been languishing on waiting lists for far too long, and we need to see urgent action taken to address what is, in fact, a crisis.

Earlier in Dublin, members of Rosa held a protest outside Sinn Fein headquarters, saying the party had backed extending the ban to Northern Ireland.

In a letter to party president Mary-Lou McDonald and vice-president and Ms ONeill, they expressed their deep disappointment, adding the decision to extend the ban to Northern Ireland is devastating and must be reversed.

Puberty blockers are a vital part of gender-affirming healthcare for trans, non-binary and cisgender people alike, they wrote.

It is not too late to reconsider and to truly stand with trans people.
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South Korea launches initiative to support tech firms following ASML model

The South Korean government is rolling out a "Super eul" initiative to foster companies in the materials, components, and equipment sectors. This ambitious plan includes targeted support for research and development, accelerated commercialization, and financial backing, sparking interest across various industries.

The concept envisioned by South Korea seeks to elevate the traditional role of B2B companies, positioning them as providers of exceptional service and value. The initiative targets firms with unique, unreplicable technologies that play a pivotal role in the global supply chainsimilar to how ASML of the Netherlands has established itself as the sole producer of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment.

Reports from local media, including ET News and SBS, reveal that South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) recently convened a field consultation to outline the "Super eul" scheme, which revolves around three core strategies: Super R&D, Super Pass, and Super Growth.

MOTIE plans to bolster these firms by developing world-class supply chain technologies under its "Super R&D" strategy. The newly established committee will assess companies' research and growth roadmaps, selecting firms to receive comprehensive seven-year support packages, including two years of early-stage technology development, three years for commercialization, and two years for subsequent advancements.

To hasten the commercialization of research outcomes and expand global market reach, MOTIE is introducing a "Super Pass" system. This will integrate patenting, standards, certification processes, and export support, with a focus on securing patents in key markets such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan. Additionally, the plan will provide support for overseas production evaluations and tailored export assistance.

In tandem, MOTIE is devising a "Super Growth" strategy, encompassing financial, investment, tax, and infrastructure support. By 2025, a "Super eul development fund" is expected to be established, along with enhanced support structures like tax incentives and testing platforms within special economic zones.

Prominent South Korean companies in the materials, components, and equipment sectors, including PI Advanced Materials and Jahwa Electronics, took part in the consultation, alongside key institutions such as the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT).
India expands partnership with Singapore to include semiconductors and advanced manufacturing

Following a semiconductor collaboration with Malaysia, India further expanded its partnership with Singapore to include advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, aviation, and other sectors in their latest ministerial roundtable.

According to the Strait Times, the Hindustan Times, and Financial Express, Singapore hosted the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable on August 26, where Singapore and India expanded their bilateral cooperation to include advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, aviation, and maritime connectivity.

In addition to these new focus areas, the two sides finalized about half a dozen agreements in sectors such as food trade, digital cooperation, skill development, healthcare, and the green economy. These agreements are expected to be unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore in September.

S. Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister, described the dialogue on X as productive, noting that both sides explored bilateral cooperation in digital innovation, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity, and advanced manufacturing.

The India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable serves as a vital platform for ministers from both nations to discuss bilateral cooperation and shared interests. Initially launched in 2022 by Singapore's then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during his visit to India, the roundtable has now convened for its second meeting.

The inclusion of semiconductors in the bilateral collaboration follows India's recent efforts to establish similar partnerships with other nations. Just days ago, India and Malaysia upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with a commitment to enhance cooperation in several sectors, including semiconductors.

In addition to its partnerships with Southeast Asian countries, India has joined forces with the US and Japan to strengthen a resilient semiconductor supply chain. Later this year, India will host the Quad Summit 2024, where participating nations are expected to announce further collaborations in the semiconductor sector.
The government is failing miserably to get to grips with the GP crisis as new figures from doctors organisation, the Irish College of GPs (ICGP) shows there has been a reduction in the numbers operating in Louth, according to Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu.

In a new study published last week, ICGP showed how there are 106 GPs available in Louth in 2023, a reduction of 2.8% from the previous years figure of 109. That equates to one GP per 76 GPs per 100,000 people and shows that doctor numbers are not growing fast enough to meet demand.

The worst place in the State for GP numbers is Meath, with 54 per 100,000 population, while the best places were Galway and Waterford, with 102 GPs in each county per 100,000 people. The World Health Organisation says an adequate number of GPs per 100,000 population is 100.

The Louth TD said the report showed a worrying trend in Louth, with a reduction in the number of doctors. He said he had raised the issue of the lack of availability of GPs a number of times in Leinster House.

Deputy O Murchu said: The government is failing miserably on this issue. I have seen in it my constituency office where people come to us looking for help in getting a GP in the Dundalk area. They have tried eight, ten places and are told they are not taking any new patients on.

Its particularly difficult for private patients, or those without a medical card, because those who qualify for a medical card will be allocated a GP by the HSE when they are approved for the GMS scheme.

The government needs to get its act together and ensure there is proper workforce planning so that there is an increase in GP numbers. They also need to focus on the fact that the private practice model of doctors surgeries is not working in modern Ireland and the solution will involve greater State intervention.
The Class of 2024 received their Leaving Certificate results last Friday morning, with students from St Louis Secondary School in Dundalk among those to receive their results.

Principal of St Louis, Ms Michelle Dolan, shared some words with the Dundalk Democrat on how the big day went at the school: The Department of Education made all Leaving Cert results available for schools from 9:15 am and the Class of 2024 were eager to gather at the beautiful St. Louis school to celebrate their successes with their peers, parents and teachers on Friday morning.

The group of wonderful students had a lot to celebrate, many of them had exceeded their own expectations, having risen to the challenge of Leaving Cert, earning more points than they possibly need to access third level courses. The CAO offers will be eagerly awaited and while Guidance Counsellors Ms Dara Mee and Ms Sarah Quinn were on hand to offer support, students were generally feeling positive and hopeful that their chosen pathway was now open to them.

Students have achieved the highest grades, many exceeding the coveted 500 points+ and have bright futures in the most sought-after courses. A number of students will now receive bursaries from Universities as a result of their excellent results including Trinity College Dublin where St. Louis enjoys a special relationship as a School of Distinction Award winner every year since 2018.

The Leaving Cert Applied Class results were also particularly remarkable in that almost 70% of the group of eight students achieved the highest Distinction grade based on their high attendance, continual assessment tasks and final exams. These students had great praise for the support they received from teachers and Special Needs Assistants who supported their journey, over the years.

The sense of relief was palpable from the gathering as Teachers beamed at the success of their students and parents felt the heavy burden of worry lift.

Parents affirmed the special relationships the girls had enjoyed over their six years at the school and thanked Principal Michelle Dolan, Deputy Principal Mary Gilmore, the Year Head Elaine McGrath and all the staff for the care and effort that culminated in such a wonderful success for all involved.

The sun was shining as parents, students and teachers hugged for a final time, sending the girls off to achieve their full potential and continue to be excellent ambassadors for the school, on what happened to be the weekend of the feast day of Saint Louis!

Open Day preparations are underway as we plan for our first shared Open Afternoon on Wednesday 25th of September. Parents will have the opportunity to visit both St. Louis and De La Salle College on this afternoon. Brothers and sisters can avail of an excellent education on adjacent sites, and the convenience of avoiding traffic in town. Put the date in your calendar!

More photos to follow.
The Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Independent Cllr Kevin Callan, has said that he has serious concerns about the viability of the routes proposed for the Dundalk Bay to Carlingford Greenway and that his meetings and conversations with residents, farmers and business people in the potentially impacted areas have further emphasised the concerns people have about the proposed routes as not workable.

Louth County Council, with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), is developing proposals for the project. The study area for the proposed greenway project encompasses the Regional Centre of Dundalk, and the town of Carlingford, along with the interconnecting road network.

The R173 Regional Road is the main route connecting Dundalk with Carlingford, and, along with other regional and local roads in the study area are seen as having no provision for pedestrians and cyclists, for reasons including, high vehicle speeds, narrow road widths and lack of segregated facilities.

The public has been urged to participate in the second non-statutory public consultation (Option Selection) for the proposed greenway. The aim of the public consultation is to receive feedback on the Route Corridor Options to assist the project team in the decision-making process when further refining the corridor options and selecting the emerging preferred route corridor.

The date for making submissions in relation to Public Consultation No.2 has been extended to 6 September. Details in relation to making submissions can be found at www.dundalkcarlingfordgreenway.ie

Members of the local community in the Cooley Peninsula voiced huge concerns over Louth County Council's plans for a greenway from Dundalk Bay to Carlingford at two public meetings in July, along with farmers, landowners and some members of the local community in Cooley, holding a protest at Louth County Council offices in July, against plans for the new greenway.

In a statement from Cllr Kevin Callan, following meetings held with residents at Greenore on Saturday, along with Cllr Ciaran Fisher, the Cathaoirleach said:Any scheme like this that could potentially cross farmland land and impact on residential property must have the support of the community it is being placed in and unless there is this buy in and support, the project in my opinion cannot work.

Cllr Callan said that he has spent time in Greenore meeting with groups, individual residents and business people as well as environmental groups who have all raised objections to the proposed routes. As public representative and member of the County Council I feel that I have an obligation and duty to support people in their community, he continued.

Between now and the closing period of the non statutory consultation process, I will continue to sit with and listen to people who want to put their points across. I strongly encourage people to put in their views, opinions, observations and objections via the consultation process at www.dundalkcarlingfordgreenway.ie.

I also thank Cllr Ciaran Fisher who also called in to listen to a number of the people who took the time to meet me.
Home care provider, Home instead, says it is delighted to announce the creation of 1,000 new Professional CAREGiver roles to be filled at its upcoming National Hiring Week, taking place from Monday 2nd-Friday 6th September. Hiring events are to take place at two venues in Dundalk during the week.

Home Instead currently provides compassionate, relationship-based care to upwards of 8,000 older adults throughout the country, employing a team of nearly 4,000 fully-trained Professional CAREGivers to support its services. CAREGivers are part of a dedicated care team who have extensive caregiving experience, focus on the person first and create care plans to enhance quality of life.

Discover a meaningful career in care with Home Instead. For event details and career opportunities, visit HomeInstead.ie/Hiring-Week. Hiring events will take place in Louth on:

Thursday 5th: Talk and interviews, Louth Local Development office, Partnership Court, Park St, Dundalk, A91 V2KF, 11:00-12:00

Friday 6th: Hiring Event, McCormacks Pharmacy, Fairways Centre, Dundalk, 11.00-13:00

Allison Doggett, General Manager at Home Instead Louth says Hiring Week, now in its third year, is a nationwide initiative to reach out and connect with those people who are interested in starting a career in care, and in doing so make a real difference to the lives ageing adults in their local communities and beyond.

"Its also a fantastic opportunity for Home Instead to highlight what makes us an employer of choice in the home care sector, for example, we offer best-in-class training, career progression opportunities, quality compliance and both recognise and celebrate the stellar contributions of our wonderful CAREGivers.

Home Instead says it hires people who embody the values of kindness, dignity and respect as this is how all those it cares for are treated. As a Home Instead CAREGiver, it adds, you will receive research-based, practical training through Home Insteads in-house Home Care Professionals Academy which ensures each new CAREGiver has the skills and confidence to perform their role effectively.

Allison continues, Whether youre interested in full-time work or part-time hours that fit around your schedule, theres an opportunity for you with Home Instead. Home Instead Hiring Week offers an excellent opportunity to meet your local team and explore all the amazing benefits a career in care can offer. We encourage anyone who has a passion for care to get in touch and join us at our Hiring Week events.
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MBABANE  The visual arts sector in Eswatini is facing significant challenges, as economic pressures mount, impacting both artists and galleries.

With a growing number of visual artists and art spaces, the need for sustainable funding has never been more critical. Many artists find it increasingly difficult to rely solely on their artwork for income, leading to a struggle for survival in a financially-constrained environment. Mzwandile Moletsane, a local artist, articulates the harsh realities of the industry. It is hard for artists to live only through their work, because we are not a rich country economically. You need a few income revenues to survive, he explained. Moletsane has managed to sell around ten concept pieces alongside over 100 commissioned artworks, highlighting the importance of diversifying income streams. His loyal clientele appreciates both his creativity and the customised nature of his pieces, yet the overall market remains challenging. Fela Dlamini, another artist, echoed Moletsanes sentiments. To be really honest, it is not possible for an artist to make a living through artwork in Eswatini. One needs to have something else besides art in order to survive, he stated.



Highlights



Dlamini notes that his recent exhibition pieces have yet to find buyers, emphasising the reliance on galleries to connect artists with potential clients. Often, galleries play a crucial role in facilitating sales, calling upon specific artists based on client needs. In contrast, Yini Loku, a contemporary creative hub, aims to showcase the talent of emerging artists. Siphilele Magagula, co-Founder of Antidote Culture and Yini Loku, highlights the wealth of artistic talent in Eswatini. The joy is always the discovery of new talent. Eswatini has some exceptional visual artists who are honing their skills and making important social commentary through their work, she shared.

However, the lack of opportunities due to economic constraints hampers their growth. Magagula points out that low sales figures lead to minimal returns for artists, creating a long and lonely road for many. She emphasises the role of art in reflecting societal issues, stating: The various exhibitions we have had have touched on nostalgia, culture and mental health issues depicting internal battles and the search for meaning, while also inspiring hope. The conversation about support for the arts extends to government involvement. Magagula suggests that government policies could significantly enhance the local art scene. If there were regulations that required all government and corporate spaces to display 50 to 70 per cent local art, it would boost the visual art community and enable artists to have sustainable careers, she proposes.



Private



However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture, Stanley Dlamini, clarifies the governments stance on funding. We do not have a government gallery in the country as yet, only private galleries and how can the government fund a private business? he questions. The newly-launched arts and culture policy aims to promote creativity and skill development within the sector. Despite the immense talent available, fine arts remain underdeveloped in Eswatini. The policy seeks to encourage artists to create works that meet international standards, while reflecting local culture. It emphasises the importance of training, exhibitions and publications to elevate the profile of Eswatini artists both locally and abroad. As the visual arts community navigates these economic challenges, the resilience and creativity of artists continue to shine through. The hope remains that with increased support and innovative policies, the sector can thrive, allowing artists to flourish and contribute meaningfully to the cultural landscape of Eswatini.
WHEN I read this article in the Times of Eswatini my heart was bleeding for emaSwati and His Majesty The King in particular. The RSTP Website states and I quote -The Royal Science & Technology Park (RSTP) was established through the vision of His Majesty King Mswati III. The park came to fruition via an Act of Parliament in 2012. The vision is the first comprehensive effort to promote science, technology and innovation, in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The RSTP aims to provide steadfast support for basic research and innovation. In doing so, we provide a coherent approach to maximising the innovation dividend.The idea to develop a science and technology park started in 2007, with the creation of an initial concept. In 2008, a team of experts conducted a study to decide the feasibility of establishing such a park.

They completed the study in 2009 and found that the idea was feasible and that it would be a gain in stimulating the economy of Eswatini. A master plan was developed in 2010. Then RSTP was founded through the Royal Science & Technology Act of 2012. It was then designated as a Special Economic Zone through the Special Economic Zone Act of 2018. My dear reader, you can see that a lot of hard work was put into establishing this institution. The King, at the official opening said, the RSTP must make an initial annual turnover of about E10 billion, but nothing has been realised. Years later, where did we go wrong?



Indian T-Hub duplicate



The RSTP was designed and funded through a soft loan from Exim Bank with the assistance of the government of India. The building design, layout, and interior design right down to furniture within the RSTP at Phocweni resembles the building at T-Hub in the city of Hyderabad in India. These two organisations, namely RSTP and T-Hub, are so similar that as I was walking around the T-Hub in India, I thought I was at RSTP Phocweni. Yes, I did get to tour the T-Hub in India courtesy of the Indian Government, and you need to google contact@t-hub.co. to see what I am talking about. Fortunately for me, I had the opportunity to also tour RSTP with my brother, former Member of Parliament Sibusiso Scorpion Nxumalo.



The physical appearance and similarities in the service provided and overall objectives of the two institutions did not unfortunately for emaSwati translate to similar financial benefits. The T-Hub has assisted more than 2 000 local and international startups and technology transfers with a value of US$25 billion (E445 billion) since its inception in 2015. Other such centres can turn over US$200 million (E3.54 billion) per year. They are dealing with international corporations like Boeing Aircraft, Defence, Aerospace, healthcare, digital health solutions and patient-centric care. Partner with startups in pioneering innovations fuel advancements in Electric Vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, and sustainable mobility solutions



First World a reality

through RSTP



Until my tour of RSTP coupled with my travel to India, I was one of these skeptics about this First World dream His Majesty the King kept promoting. However, upon the realisation of just how much money in cash Dollars the RSTP alone can bring, I changed my mind. The data storage alone has the potential to partner with Google, Yahoo and serious international players within the technology space to bring in one to three billion Dollars per year.(E18 Billion to E54 billion Emalangeni) We brought in a South African multimillionaire who specialises in data storage for the likes of Nedbank, and others to talk with the RSTP officials some time ago, Unfortunately, RSTP was not ready with the data recovery base, but everything else was highly impressive. This is the billion-Dollar potential we were looking at. This is just data storage, we have not gotten into the innovations startup including the biotechnology and other income streams. A small country like Eswatini can cash in on this in a big way.



Leadership matters



When we go to T-Hub in India, the average age of the innovators and the general leadership was youth below 35 years of age. There are those in their 20s but so educated in the IT space programme such that you could not believe it. Young people, we are working on innovations within the Indian space as we speak. Financial incentives are there for young people who can solve complex industry problems. The public of Eswatini is told that the RSTP has not made any money since its inception, when a similar institution in India is talking of billions of Dollars. We are told that some E100 million Emalangeni is unaccounted for instead. What is even more disturbing is that the people implicated are part of the royal family. This must be particularly disappointing for His Majesty the King, and I hope he will allow the new Firebrand Minster Savanna Maziya to get to the bottom of this and get this institution running like it was designed to do. We need the money.



Loyalty vs professionalism



His Majesty the King seems to have put too much value on loyalty above Professionalism. His appointment of Major V the self-proclaimed healer /Prophet and social media influencer for the lack of a better description, says to me that loyalty comes first to him. I can only assume he was appointed advisor because of his open defence of the King during difficult times of unrest. There are times when loyalty is important and there are times when you need professionals who know their job and you pay them according to set deliverables. Professionals are loyal to the money, and pay they deliver. If I were the Chairman of the Board of RSTP I would organise a trip to T-Hub in India for all the board members, some Members of Parliament, and some senior ministry staff members.



Once there we would try to understand the institution and then recruit some of the young Indian professionals to come and run this Institution. The exposure needed to run this effectively might not be available locally. The other element of T-Hub is its international Connections. Even working with T-Hub management directly would be helpful.

They work with companies in the US, within the EU and all over the world. The Board of directors needs to know that RSTP needs serious international intervention to succeed. septemereswatini@gmail.com






As the skies start to gray and the rain begins its daily dance, theres nothing quite like wrapping yourself up in the warmth of a steaming bowl of noodles. Having traveled to Taiwan already I know how their hot bowl of noodles are the best. Its like a cozy hug in a bowl, the perfect companion for those chilly, rainy days we all know too well. In the Philippines, where the rainy season turns streets into rivers and makes us all want to stay in bed just a little longer, hot noodles have always been the ultimate comfort food. Theyre not just a meal; theyre a mood, a little slice of heaven that warms both body and soul.

And guess what? Your favorite kapitbahay, the ever-reliable 7-Eleven, has once again hit the nail on the head when it comes to satisfying our cravings. Just when we need it most, theyre introducing something thats bound to make your rainy days a whole lot brighter: the Imperial Big Meal Noodles, straight from Taiwan, the land of legendary street food. These arent just any instant noodlesthese are Taiwans number one, and theyre about to become your new go-to comfort food.

What makes these Imperial Big Meal Noodles so special?

First off, were talking about real beef chunks herenone of that powdered stuff. These are tender, juicy pieces of beef imported all the way from Australia and New Zealand. Imagine that rich, meaty flavor melting in your mouth with every bite. Its the kind of luxury you wouldnt expect from a quick meal, but 7-Eleven is here to spoil us, and Im totally here for it.

The noodles themselves are soft and slurp-worthy, soaking up all that flavorful broth like a sponge. Speaking of the broth, its like a symphony of savory notes thats both comforting and satisfying. Whether youre in the mood for something classic or youre craving a bit of spice, 7-Elevens got you covered. The Imperial Big Meal Noodles come in two mouthwatering flavors: Beef and Hot Beef. The Beef flavor is perfect if youre all about that rich, savory goodness, but if youre feeling adventurous and want to turn up the heat, the Hot Beef is the way to go. Its got that spicy kick thats sure to warm you up from the inside out.

And the best part? You dont need to be a master chef to enjoy these noodles. All you need is some boiling water. Just pour it over the noodles and beef chunks, let it work its magic for a few minutes, and voila! Youre ready to dig into a bowl of comfort that transports you straight to the bustling streets of Taiwan. Its quick, its easy, and its downright delicious.

Now, I know what youre thinkingthis sounds amazing, but whats the damage to my wallet? Well, prepare to be pleasantly surprised because a bowl of Imperial Big Meal Noodles starts at just P125. Yep, you can treat yourself to a taste of Taiwan without breaking the bank. Its like dining like royalty on a paupers budget, and honestly, Im not mad about it.

So, the next time you find yourself caught in a downpour or just in need of a pick-me-up, head over to your nearest 7-Eleven and grab yourself a bowl of Imperial Big Meal Noodles. Whether its the classic Beef or the fiery Hot Beef, youre in for a treat thats as comforting as it is convenient. Rain or shine, 7-Elevens got your back.

And hey, while youre at it, why not join the celebration? 7-Eleven is marking 40 years of being our trusty kapitbahay, and what better way to celebrate than by indulging in something delicious? Dont forget to like them on Facebook at 7-Eleven Philippines, follow @711ph on Instagram, and keep up with them on Twitter and TikTok at @711philippines. Trust me, you wont want to miss out on all the exciting things theyve got in store.

So heres to staying warm, staying cozy, and staying well-fedthanks to 7-Eleven and their latest, greatest noodle creation!
A new affordable housing development in Cork will open for applications next week.

Cork County Council is inviting prospective homeowners to apply for the new two and three-bed houses at Tir Cluain, in Midleton, which are being offered at a discounted rate, from noon on September 2.

The development of 13 A-rated, family homes is within walking distance of Midleton Train Station and the towns Main Street.

Constructed by OMahony Developments, the houses will be available for first-time buyers who do not own a home, and fresh start applicants, with a small number of exceptions.

Mayor of the county of Cork, councillor Joe Carroll said: Cork county council is delighted to announce the launch of this Affordable Housing Scheme in Midleton.

The development at Tir Cluain is superbly situated in this popular residential area just a short walk from Midletons town centre and all its amenities.

This new scheme demonstrates the work that Cork county council is doing in achieving the targets set by the government.

Through the scheme, purchasers will enter an affordable dwelling purchase arrangement with Cork County Council, where under this arrangement, the council will retain a percentage equity share in the dwelling, equal to the difference between the market value of the dwelling and the price paid by the purchaser.

This is expressed as a percentage of the market value of the dwelling to a minimum of 5%.

Chief executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell said: The launch of these 13 houses, provided by the council under the Affordable Scheme will provide a further supply of high-quality homes for eligible applicants.

Applications for the scheme will be accepted until noon on September 23 via the online application portal, available on Cork county councils website: www.corkcoco.ie.
A new Homeless Peer Support Toolkit has been launched in Cork.

The initiative, co-developed by the Housing First National Office in collaboration with stakeholders in the homeless NGO sector and statutory partners in the HSE, was created to support NGOs to engage those with lived experience and offer guidance about how they can be involved in the provision of services.

Peer support, a key principle of the Housing First programme, sees workers who have personally experienced homelessness use their experiences to help others.

The Housing First National Office is keen to see the involvement of more peer support workers throughout the country.

Housing First aims to eliminate homelessness for people with a history of rough sleeping and long-term use of emergency homeless accommodation by providing direct access to permanent housing together with intensive case management and health supports delivered by a wrap-around team, mainly in the persons home.

Tenants of Housing First have complex needs around mental health, substance use, physical health, and other social and behavioural challenges.

Nationally there are 1,031 Housing First tenants with 50% of these in the four Dublin Local Authority areas.

At an event held in Cork City Hall, Minister of State at the Department of Health Colm Burke TD said: From a health perspective, Housing First can be viewed as Slaintecare in action  the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Providing people with a home of their own is the critical ingredient that enables the effective and timely delivery of health care services.

We know that involving people with lived experience of homelessness in supporting Housing First can drastically improve trust and engagement with health services and vastly increase health outcomes.

The presence of a Peer Support worker as an active member of the team demonstrates that recovery is possible and provides an inspiring example to the tenants in the Housing First programme.
Further funding for addiction services would have huge benefits for Cork in the long run, both socially and financially, according to the manager of a Cork addiction services provider.

Coolmine Therapeutic Community has urged the Government to include several essential proposals in Budget 2025, including seeking funding to establish a new Cork service. In 2023, Coolmines Cork/Kerry division worked with 1,117 clients, oversaw 1,384 new referrals, completed 741 new assignments and 6,772 key working sessions.

Coolmine is seeking alignment for its employees with public sector pay rates as staff pay rates currently remain 17.5% behind those in the public sector.

Coolmine Southwest manager Brian Duncan told The Echo: In 2023 we had over 40% staff turnover across Cork and Kerry. It has stabilised since, but that stabilising comes at the same time as the HSE recruitment embargo  what usually happens is staff come in, they get training, they are highly skilled and excellent workers but when a job offer comes up with better terms and conditions you cant blame them for taking it.

The submission calls for 560,000 to establish recovery centres across three regions (Dublin, Cork/Kerry, and Limerick), which will give support to those transitioning from treatment to recovery, reducing the risk of relapse.

Most funding nationally goes into primary treatment interventions, theres very little dictated towards supporting people after that, but all international research says supporting people after treatment interventions, ideally in their communities, is crucial, Mr Duncan said.

When people leave treatment its stacked against them straight away he said, explaining the last thing we want is setting people up to fail afterwards  its vital to fill the void thats left when someone puts down drugs or alcohol. They might have had to cut contact with lots of people, they may not have employment or education  without all of those its very difficult to sustain recovery.

Additional funding would also help Coolmine offer social activities for clients to help fill this void and the free time left behind when people stop using a substance, he added.

Coolmine is also advocating for a centralised sustainable multi-annual funding model, addressing the current instability caused by annual, retrospective funding agreements.

We do have a very good working agreement with the South West HSE, were 100% funded by them, so were not dependent on probation or client contributions, but our funding is year by year. Were pretty confident its not going to get reduced this year, but we dont know if in five years time its going to reduce or increase which can be tricky in terms of planning.

From a funders perspective, theres huge savings to be gained from better addiction services, from people not getting re-hospitalised or turning up in the judicial system again. We highly value the social benefits of recovery for the individual, their families, and for communities.
Investigations are ongoing after a home in the northside of Cork city was damaged on Monday evening.

It is understood that a petrol bomb was thrown into a house at Mary Aikenhead Place in Gurranabraher.

Gardai and a unit from Cork City Fire Brigade attended the scene, where nobody was injured but the property was damaged.

A Garda spokesperson told The Echo: Gardai are investigating a reported incident of criminal damage by fire at a residential premises at Aikenhead Place, Cork, yesterday evening, Monday 26th August 2024.

No injuries have been reported at this time and enquiries are ongoing.
Rising rents in Cork, now standing at an average of just over 2,000 in the city, have been decried as scandalous and eye-watering.

According to the latest daft.ie Rental Price report for Q2 2024, rents in Cork city have risen by 11.9% in the last year and the average rent is now 2,005.

In the rest of Cork, market rents were on average 8.7% higher in the second quarter of 2024 than a year previously, with the average listed rent now standing at 1,533.

Social Democrats councillor in the citys South Central ward Padraig Rice described the reported increases as really worrying.

Right now rents in Cork are unaffordable, and house prices are far too high for people on average incomes.

We need far more houses to be built  but not any kind of housing.

We need more affordable and social housing. It is the only way to end the housing crisis.

We also have to look for solutions from other countries.

We need to have more not-for-profit solutions like cost rental schemes  where the cost of rent is linked to the cost of construction with repayments spread over a long period, he said.

People are paying out thousands more for the same properties, in the same places, and with the same infrastructure, the Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, said following the publication of the report.

That is scandalous, he added.

His party colleague, Cork South Central TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire described the average rent in Cork city as absolutely eye-watering.

Who can afford this? Thousands of people across Cork, working hard, doing everything right, and they just see rents going up and up and up, no respite.

People are being absolutely crucified. After rents like that there is very little left for anything else, not to mind trying to pull together a deposit, he said.

According to the daft.ie report, the average open-market rent nationwide in the second quarter of the year was 1,922 per month  up 7.3% year-on-year.

In Munster, there were just over 250 homes listed for rent on August 1  down 17% on the same date a year ago.
Tshwane officials laud Chinese investment as auto parts plant opens

14:21, August 27, 2024 By Karabo Mohamme ( People's Daily Online

The Tshwane City Government in South Africa has expressed gratitude to Chinese enterprises for their significant contributions to the local economy.

At a recent ceremony, city officials praised Chinese businesses for investing in the region, creating jobs and promoting economic development.

Chinese enterprises have invested in various sectors, including manufacturing, construction and trade, introducing new technologies and management practices.

These investments have created employment opportunities for locals and introduced new technologies and management practices, enhancing the city's competitiveness.

Yanfeng Plastic Omnium, a joint venture between Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co., Ltd. and OPmobility of France, is China's leading supplier of exterior automotive parts.

With 33 domestic production sites, Yanfeng Plastic Omnium is expanding internationally, with its first overseas facility in South Africa.

This 50,000-square-meter plant will manufacture and assemble components, including bumpers, thresholds and spoilers, for the BMW X3 model in South Africa.

This expansion marks a pivotal moment in the company's global growth strategy.

During the opening ceremony, Zhang Xin, general manager of Yanfeng Plastic Omnium South Africa, discussed the plant's progress since July 2022.

He acknowledged the efforts of domestic and local teams and emphasized cultural integration and social responsibility.

Guests and representatives congratulated Yanfeng Plastic Omnium and expressed interest in future collaborations.

Ni Jianhua, general manager of Yanfeng Plastic Omnium, outlined the company's commitment to sustainable development, green energy and digital transformation in South Africa.

He pledged to support growth in the local automotive industry and create a positive work environment.

Hannes Coetzee, a member of the Tshwane Mayor's Council, hailed the 1-billion-rand ($56 million) investment and creation of 325 jobs at Yanfeng Plastic Omnium's South African plant as a landmark achievement for the local automotive industry.

As Tshwane's head of economic development and spatial planning, Coetzee expressed enthusiasm for the project, citing it as a testament to the city's appeal as a global investment hub.

The city government is committed to streamlining the development process, making it easier for businesses to operate and thrive.

With the automotive industry playing a vital role in Tshwane's economy and job market, the city's coalition government aims to attract more investments through successful cases like Yanfeng Plastic Omnium, fostering a thriving business environment and driving growth.

As the countdown ended, 10 distinguished guests illuminated a symbolic lamp post, marking the official opening of the South African factory.

Colorful streamers filled the stage, celebrating the successful launch of Yanfeng Plastic Omnium (South Africa) Automotive Exterior Systems Co., Ltd.

This event represents a significant milestone in the expansion of China's premium manufacturing capabilities in South Africa, potentially injecting new momentum into the local automotive industry and paving the way for future growth and development.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
LOBAMBA - The Acting Minister of National Defence and Security, Pholile Shakantu, has assured senators that the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) remains vigilant to prevent a recurrence of the June 2021 unrest. While emphasising the militarys readiness, Shakantu highlighted that the true priority lies in fostering peace among emaSwati.She also stressed the importance of promoting peace across all sectors of the nations structures, urging collective efforts to ensure stability.This was disclosed yesterday, when the Ministry of National Defence and Security was presenting its first quarter performance report for the year 2024/25 financial year before its Senate portfolio committee.



The committee members had questioned the minister about the armys readiness to protect the country against foreign elements that would want to disturb peace.Senator Fezeka Dlamini said there were elements that infiltrated the country in 2021.Dlamini asked for the ministrys assurance, questioning what they were doing to ensure that what happened during the June 2021 unrest was not repeated.She said emaSwati love peace and they appreciate it in the country. Adding, Dlamini mentioned that they were happy to see that the national airspace was safeguarded, both in peace and wartime.She, however, raised concerns about the aircraft that need to undergo major servicing, but due to a lack of budget, that mandate was not achieved.



appreciated



On the same note, Senator Celumusa Mndvoti appreciated the army for their work during the unrest.Mndvoti also appreciated that the country was regained, following the disturbing events of the unrest.He shared that he was one of the people who experienced the unrest first-hand.According to Mndvoti, it was difficult for one to even clad traditional regalia as they were targets.In response to the senators concerns, Minister Shakantu acknowledged that a lot of damage was done to the country during the unrest.Shakantu said there was a need to safeguard the country and the army was on guard to provide security.According to the minister, there is a need for enough budget in order to tap into the emerging technologies used for security.She stated that the budget should be sufficient to address any issues.Moreover, the minister stated that there was a need to continue protecting the country, so that it would not regress to the previous events.As a nation, we should continue to engage and promote peace as emaSwati. Every person has a mandate to protect the country.



opened



What we saw happening during the unrest, we do not want to see it because, if there is something you want to say, His Majesty opened that platform to engage on how we can develop the country peacefully as emaSwati, Shakantu said.She went on to state that the country should desist from the idea that, if one does not agree with any other persons view, one should burn his or her property.Shakantu explained that emaSwati should promote peace in all sectors because, without peace, no business can thrive.Some of the businesses that were affected during the unrest are still struggling. It is within us as emaSwati to promote peace and the army will then protect us from foreign elements coming to disturb the peace, she said. Furthermore, she mentioned that there is a need of continued training of the army, as the world changes.She stated that there are emerging security threats that need continued training and investments in advanced technologies.
A northside community group has stressed that they are not opposed to housing in general, but to the destruction of a natural amenity in their area.

It comes as the Murphys Rock Bride Valley Support Group sent a letter to TDs and councillors about survey works which are to begin on a Dublin Hill site which could yield 4,420 homes, saying the homes would be built on the last natural green space on the northside of the city.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) announced this month that 41 hectares there will be surveyed to assess their suitability for affordable and social housing.

The chair of the Murphys Rock Bride Valley Support Group, Joan Lewis, explained: Any development in this area  be it housing or factories  will kill the biodiversity of the valley, taking away critical feeding areas for the wildlife.

We are opposed to any activity that will impact the site.

At the end of July, the group met with the agency to understand the proposed development in Murphys Rock.

Two years previously, the agency told the group there would be no development on this land for at least eight years and a public consultation would take place before any development.

We strongly believe that any development should cease until the Local Area Plan for Blackpool/Kilbarry is completed. This is currently being compiled by the Cork City Council with a plan to go to public consultation, Ms Lewis said.

This will give the public the opportunity to decide how they see it being developed in the future  as a public amenity or developed, she added.

Green Party councillor for Cork City North East Oliver Moran said: The LDA will not be proceeding with any developments until the North Blackpool/Kilbarry framework plan is completed.

This will include a public consultation, and he has spoken with officials about including the Murphys Rock Bride Valley Support Group in a pre-consultation phase before creating a draft for formal public consultation.

Ms Lewis said other sites being reviewed or utilised by the agency are already developed and have little or no impact on wildlife or biodiversity, but Murphys Rock is a pristine site and we believe should be maintained as an amenity with protected wildlife.

Murphys Rock has been used as an amenity for centuries, and has been relatively untouched for over 100 years. It is an area of great beauty and biodiverse life, she added.
Students from four Cork schools have been given potentially lifesaving training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and have each been recognised for their efforts.

St Patricks College in Montenotte, St Colmans Community College in Midleton, Colaiste Muire in Cobh, and St Colmans Community College in Youghal, are beginning the new academic year with an Irish Heart Foundation award for training their students in CPR.

Students from each of the schools received CPR 4 Schools Awards, which recognise schools, teachers, and students for remarkable efforts in CPR promotion and training. The schools were among 36 across Ireland which were presented with 57 awards as part of the national heart and stroke charitys CPR 4 Schools programme.

Since the schemes inception, 2,630 teachers in 649 post-primary schools have taken part, learning how to deliver CPR and giving the programme a reach of over 350,000 post-primary school students.

The charity aims to build a generation of life savers by training students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, use an AED (defibrillator), and respond when someone is choking.

The resuscitation manager with the Irish Heart Foundation, Brigid Sinnott, said the charity is delighted to recognise schools, teachers, and students.

Every year we are blown away by the work and commitment of schools to teach the lifesaving skill of CPR, she said.

We know that schools are busy places, but they are making CPR a priority for their students and the impact is seen in their homes and communities.

The Irish Heart Foundations mission is to build a nation of lifesavers through CPR training, and schools are vital in helping us to achieve that.

These schools are, quite literally, the beating heart of the programme and are recognised for empowering students with a vital lifesaving skill, Ms Sinnott said.

A persons chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately.

A person who learns CPR once in their life is 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.

Designed to be embedded within the school curriculum, the Irish Heart Foundations CPR 4 Schools programme is easy to run and takes just one hour to train a class.

Post-primary school teachers interested in signing up for the free programme should visit irishheart.ie/cpr4schools
News of Oasiss long-hoped for reunion has prompted feelings of nostalgia among people in Cork and calls for the iconic band to pay a visit to Leeside.

The Britpop band, who split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe around three decades ago, today confirmed a new tour with a series of dates which will kick off at Cardiffs Principality Stadium.

The UK and Ireland tour will also visit Manchesters Heaton Park, Londons Wembley Stadium, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Dublins Croke Park throughout July and August next year.

While it is currently stated that these dates will be the bands exclusive European appearances, on Leeside hopes abound for a Cork appearance.

It would be great if Pairc Ui Chaoimh was considered at some point, Cork Business Association (CBA) president Aaron Mansworth said.

It would be a great lift for Cork.

For Dublin to get two [gigs] its a start but wed love to see them down south as well.

Asked if he would describe himself as an Oasis fan, Mr Mansworth, who is the managing director of Trigon Hotels, said: Oh I would. Back in the heyday it was Blur or Oasis and I definitely came down on the Oasis side, particularly with their Irish connection!

Meanwhile, the Lord Mayor of Cork councillor Dan Boyle described the 1996 Pairc Ui Chaoimh Oasis concert as one of the most successful ever to be held in Cork, adding:

It would be good to see it happen again.

Labour councillor John Maher said news of the bands reunion brought back memories of being introduced to Oasiss music when he was a teen.

It brought me back to first year in Mayfield Community School with my introduction to Oasis, so I was a small bit nostalgic this morning when the news broke, he told The Echo.

From a Cork perspective, if theyre here [in Ireland] for two gigs, then you know what make it four or make it six and make sure that Cork is included in those other dates!

Anytime we see a big event like that, whether its Bruce [Springsteen] or the smaller capacity events, you see with the Marquee and Virgin Media Park, the buzz that it brings is fantastic.

I think that Cork is well able to look after Liam and Noel!

Its really good news that an iconic band are coming back and theyre coming to Ireland... if theres an opportunity now to expand that tour then it would be fantastic if it would come to Leeside  no better people to look after them and support them.

Similarly, Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan said he would be thrilled to see the Manchester musicians return to Cork.

Id absolutely love it and I think we deserve it and I think Pairc Ui Chaoimh with Oasis would be just outstanding, he said.

Tickets for the Oasis gigs in Dublin go on sale at 8am on Saturday, with tickets for UK gigs on sale at 9am.
A man in his 30s was taken to hospital on Tuesday evening following an alleged assault in a Cork town.

The incident occurred shortly after 6pm when gardai responded to a reported assault outside a commercial premises in Carrignafoy in Cobh.

A man, who gardai said is in his 30s, was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries.

Gardai said a man in his 50s was subsequently arrested and was detained in a garda station in Co Cork under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Images shared on social media showed a large garda presence at the scene of the incident.

A garda spokesperson told The Echo: Shortly after 6 pm, gardai were alerted to an incident in which a man was assaulted outside a premises in Carrignafoy, Cobh.

The injured man, a male in his 30s was transported to Cork University Hospital by ambulance for treatment.

A man in his 50s was subsequently arrested and is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Cork, the spokesperson said.
Sean McCarthaigh

Planning permission has been granted for a large-scale residential development of almost 270 homes on the northern outskirts of Midelton, Co Cork.

An Bord Pleanala has upheld the decision of Cork County Council to approve the development but revised some details to permit 268 residential units, a creche and a community-use building at Broomfield West, Midleton by a 2-1 majority.

It also imposed a planning condition that the new homes can only be sold to individual buyers and cannot be sold to any commercial investors or housing bodies providing social or affordable housing.

The proposed new housing estate on an 8-hectare site by developer, Castle Rock Homes, which consists of 212 houses, 48 duplexes and eight apartments, had been opposed by several local residents.

The plans also provide for some road widening works and a new footpath on Broomfield Road in Midleton.

While approving the bulk of the development as proposed by Castle Rock Homes, An Bord Pleanala directed that plans for seven houses should be revised to provide a more active dual frontage appearance.

It also instructed the developer to provide increased storage space in the design of two-bedroom duplex apartments.

The board also requires the childcare and communal unit to be fully fitted out and suitable for immediate occupation and operation before construction work on the second phase of the housing units can be started.

The councils decision had been separately appealed by Castle Rock Homes over a number of conditions including that 22 houses at the northern end of the site should be omitted in in order to provide public open space.

It proved successful in its argument that the omission of 22 units was unnecessary and there was no sufficient rationale to exclude them.

The developer also successfully challenged conditions about the phasing of the development and a reduction in the height of eight duplex units which it claimed would result in the loss of four one-bed units.

In addition, the board also overturned the condition imposed by the council that the developer should pay a special contribution of 965,175 for works to be carried out on the Northern Relief Road in Midleton as well as for cycleways, footpaths and traffic signalling.

An inspector with An Bord Pleanala said the requirement for such a contribution could not be justified.

In its majority decision, the board said it considered that the proposed development would be consistent with the zoning and other provisions of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028 subject to compliance with a number of planning conditions.

It ruled that the plans would make efficient use of an appropriately zoned greenfield site on the urban edge of Midleton and would positively contribute to an increase in housing stock.

The board said the development would also be acceptable in terms of urban design, layout and building height as well as pedestrian and traffic safety.

Furthermore, it said the housing scheme would provide an acceptable form of residential amenity for future occupants and would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.

A total of 27 units will be made available to Cork County Council under the Part V provision for social and affordable housing.

Opponents of the development voiced a number of concerns about the project including its excessive density, the capacity of the water and sewage network in the area as well as the nuisance effect of the construction phase on local residents.

Several appellants complained that the new homes and creche would overlook their properties, while the local road was not suitable to accommodate such traffic  claims disputed by the developer.

Other issues raised included the risk of flooding and the capacity of local schools and other social facilities in the area to cater for the increased number of residents in the estate.
James Cox

The Department of Transport is examining reports that weapons bound for Israel flew through Irish airspace.

The Ditch news website claims there were four flights from the US with ammunition on board for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), which travelled through Irish airspace.

A spokesperson for the Department said it is investigating, adding no such applications or exemptions had been granted this year or last.

The Department said the carriage of munitions through Irish sovereign territory or airspace by civil aircraft is prohibited without a special Government exemption.

The spokesperson said the Department is aware of media reports, and engaging with the carrier concerned.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said any such passage would be subjected to clear consent protocols, adding that he had been consistently told there have been no requests to transport munitions to Israel across Irish airspace.

The Ditch reported the flights were carrying detonating fuses, teargas primers, ammunition primer and explosive charges.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Harris said: It is very important now that the facts are established.

The Department of Transport has confirmed today that it is now engaging with the carrier.

Once those facts are established, of course it could be for the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Defence to provide a further update on this and Ill certainly be keeping in contact with both of them.

Professor Scott Lucas from the Clinton Institute said the Irish Government may have decisions to make.

Prof Lucas told Newstalk: "You either than have to say, 'Oh, OK, America that's fair enough. You can keep on delivering these weapons, including some used as offensive weapons, as we have this open-ended war, including on civilians in Gaza.

"Or the Irish Government has got to take a stand against an ally, the United States, and say, 'no, sorry, you're going to have to route the aircraft around Irish airspace, or you're going to have to give us a good reason to give you an exception'."
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.

Local officials have closed the area around Monterey, Californias San Carlos Beach to people following the takeover of hundreds of sea lions.

Caution tape was placed along the beach, but crowds continued to gather and take photos of the sea lions resting and frolicking, reported Reuters.

The social and playful marine mammals frequently gather on the beaches along Californias picturesque coastline, but locals said they had never observed so many together at a time in Monterey.

The large pinnipeds have already been at San Carlos Beach for more than two weeks, and city officials werent sure how long they would stick around, the Los Angeles Times reported.

City spokesperson Laurie Huelga said the sea lions normally stay on the beach for three to four weeks. Monterey parks staff have been monitoring them along with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS).

We want residents and visitors to be safe while visiting the coastline, and remind you to enjoy and watch the sea lions from a distance of at least 50 yards, said city officials in a news release. Please remember, we humans are sharing this space with other species.

Lisa Uttal, a MBNMS marine biologist, said the reason the sea lions gathered at San Carlos Beach wasnt clear, but that they could be attracted to the diverse array of delicacies in the marine ecosystem there, reported Reuters. Most of the eared seal occupants of the beach were male, Uttal said.

Sea lions at San Carlos Beach in Monterey, California on Aug. 20, 2024. Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu via Getty Images

According to Marge Brigadier, an MBNMS Bay Net program volunteer, the sea lions are protected under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The law prohibits people from interfering with the sea lions behavior by getting too close to them or forcing them to flee, for example.

People just need to think about how they would feel if they were resting on their bed taking a nap and something big kept coming and chasing them out of the house, Brigadier said.

The primarily male group travels from the Channel Islands each year, usually stopping along adjacent beaches to feed and rest, the Los Angeles Times reported. However, Huelga said, this journey brought them to San Carlos Beach.

They migrate up here down from Ventura and the Channel Islands They are incredibly mobile. Theyre usually chasing the food and because Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is so productive out here, the productivity is really rich, Uttal explained, as reported by Reuters.

The area is a scuba divers hangout, and this years pinniped party also happened to be at the same time as Monterey Car Week  a luxury car and motorsport event.

It was traffic gridlock with streams of exotic cars revving their engines and backfiring. With each loud pop the sea lions would begin to bolt towards the ocean, Stephen Pacetti wrote on the Monterey Bay Area Scuba Divers Open Facebook group, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Car Week in Monterey is not consistent with the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Uttal said MBNMS volunteers have been talking with people about how important it is to give the sea lions their space, both for the protection of the animals and their own.

I dont think the scuba divers know that theyre breaking a federal law if they get too close. Its also a safety issue, Uttal said. Unlike the harbor seals that lug along on the beach, these guys have pectoral fins and they can rise up on them and move if they need to.

San Carlos Beach is situated in the tourist center of Monterey, on Cannery Rows west end.

Please, please let these beautiful, cacophonous, naturally-perfumed creatures do their thing and you do yours elsewhere, diver Suzanne E. Frey said on social media, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
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.

The U.S. National Park Foundation has received a $100 million grant, the largest in the foundations history, from Lilly Endowment Inc., a private philanthropic foundation. The grant is also the largest ever to benefit national parks, according to the National Park Foundation.

As The Associated Press reported, the grant funding will go toward the more than 400 U.S. National Park System (NPS) units, which include national parks, monuments, reserves, recreation areas and more for conservation and visitor improvements.

This grant will allow us to supercharge our efforts to ensure our national parks are for everyone, for generations to come, Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, said in a press release.

The funding is part of The Campaign for National Parks, a $1 billion fundraising drive for the parks.

Our founders were inspired by the beauty and wonders of the natural world and supportive of research and educational programs about archaeology and the cultural history of our nation, N. Clay Robbins, chairman and CEO of Lilly Endowment, shared in a statement. We are pleased therefore to further their interests through this grant. We believe the National Park Foundations campaign will enhance the programming in and promote the future vibrancy of our countrys marvelous system of parks, monuments, and historic sites.

According to the foundation, it plans to target four key areas with the grant funding: inspiring the next generation of park stewards, conserving threatened parks and wildlife, improving visitor experiences, and providing more comprehensive historical accounts of the country.

Some of the most urgent initiatives will include restoring coral reefs in Biscayne National Park and restoring trout species in multiple national parks in the western U.S., The Associated Press reported.

U.S. national park sites face several challenges today, including congestion from high numbers of visitors, an accumulation of plastic waste and other pollution, flooding, and wildfires. As National Parks Traveler reported, threats from hurricanes, sea level rise, invasive species and oil exploration further threaten national parks and the wildlife living in them.

As the National Park Foundation explained, funds made available through private philanthropy help the foundation better care for the park system and have done so for decades. Congress established The National Park Foundation in 1967 to allow private gifting to the countrys national parks for conservation.

The impact of this gift will be felt in our parks and in surrounding communities for generations to come, Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service, said in a press release. This is a truly visionary investment, and an example of how the power of philanthropy can amplify this crucial work that we all believe in so much.
(Reuters/Patrick T. Fallon)People protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on Muslim majority countries at the International terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 28, 2017.

Over recent decades, migration has risen steadily, and today, over 280 million people, or 3.6 percent worldwide, are global migrants, living outside their country of birth, with Christians the largest migrant group.

Christians made up an estimated 47 percent of people living outside their country of birth as of 2020, the latest year available, found a new Pew Research Center analysis of United Nations data and 270 censuses and surveys.

Muslims made up 29 percent of living migrants, followed by Hindus (5 percent), Buddhists (4 percent) and Jews (1 percent).

The religiously unaffiliated those saying they have no religion or who identify as atheist or agnostic  represented 13 percent of all the people who have left their country of birth and are now living elsewhere.

Over the past three decades, the total number of people living as international migrants has increased by 83 percent, outpacing the growth of the global population by 47 percent.

The Pew report focused on stocks of people rather than migrants' flows.

Pee counted all adults and children who now live outside their countries of birth, no matter when they left.

It found that the religious makeup of migration flows can change drastically from year to year, due to wars, economic crises, and natural disasters.

Yet the total stock of migrants changes more slowly, reflecting patterns that have accumulated over time.

The religious makeup of all international migrants has remained relatively stable since 1990.

Christians make up a much larger share of migrants (47 percent) than they do of the world's population (30 percent).

Mexico is the country with the most common origin of Christian migrants, and the United States is the most common destination.

Muslims account for a slightly larger share of migrants (29 percent) than of the world's population (25 percent).

MUSLIM MIGRANTS

Syria is the most common origin country for Muslim migrants, and Muslims often move to places in the Middle East-North Africa region, such as Saudi Arabia.

People who say they have no religion make up a smaller percentage of migrants (13 percent) than of the global population (23 percent).

China is the most common origin country for religiously unaffiliated migrants, and the United States is their most common destination.

Hindus are glaringly underrepresented among international migrants (5 percent) compared with their share of the global population at 15%.

India is both the most common country of origin and the top destination for Hindu migrants.

Buddhists comprise 4 percent of the world's population and 4 percent of its international migrants.

Myanmar (also called Burma) is the most common origin country for Buddhist migrants, while Thailand is their most common destination.

Jews form a much larger share of migrants (1 percent) than of the world's population (0.2 percent).

Israel is the most frequent origin country among Jewish migrants and their top destination.

Pew reported that of the major religious groups, Jews are by far the likeliest to have migrated.

Twenty percent of Jews reside outside of their country of birth, compared with smaller shares of Christians (6 percent, Muslims (4 percent, Hindus (1 percent), Buddhists (4 percent and those unaffiliated with a television (2 percent).
MATSANJENI  An innocent bystander was shot dead, while two others were injured when armed robbers stormed a restaurant at Matsanjeni on Sunday night.

The shooting took place around 9pm, shortly before closing time. Matsanjeni is located about 59km to the south of Nhlangano, towards the southern border town of Lavumisa, and closer to the borderline separating the country from northern KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa.Witnesses said it was nearing closing time at the business establishment when three men ambushed staff and forced them to open a cash register. One of the intruders was reportedly armed with a gun and another accomplice carried a knife, according to the witnesses. They are said to have then rummaged through the cash register, taking all the days collections, which amounted to E6 700. Upon laying their hands on the cash, the robbers are said to have fled towards the parking lot of Ekhaya Restaurant, which is located at the Matsanjeni business area. While fleeing, the rogues are said to have indiscriminately opened fire, injuring three people they came across in the process.



Injured



One of the victims did not make it, while two others were seriously injured and had to be taken to different health facilities. They were initially taken to a nearby health facility, where they were further transferred to two others due to the extent of their injuries.The person who did not make it was certified dead at Matsanjeni Health Centre. The 34-year-old man was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head.The victim was later identified as a Mozambican national, who had been employed by the restaurant owner as a bricklayer. However, at the time of the attack, he was just milling around the area, after he had finished his duties for the day.A staff member of the restaurant, a security guard, who was manning the premises, was among the two who were caught in the crossfire.

The other victim was identified as a customer who had come to the restaurant to get himself something to wad-off his hunger pangs. A hurried call brought police officers to the scene. Investigators are now working together with the local community policing forum to bring the culprits to book.A community member disclosed to this publication that even yesterday morning, a number of police officers were seen processing the crime scene for possible clues.There were just a lot of police officers, he said.Information reaching this publication indicated that the net was closing in on the suspects.The incident left community members terrified. Interviewed community members called for frequent patrols and increased police visibility around the area.



Discomfort



Among the people who expressed their discomfort over the lack of police visibility in the area was former Member of Parliament (MP) Qedusizi Ndlovu.I am shocked and disappointed at the same time. We have been complaining about the lack of police visibility for quite a long time and I wonder what is taking authorities so long to intervene. We need at least a police post, because this is a very busy area; there is a lot of business going on around here, he said.Apart from the economic activity taking place around the area, Ndlovu also highlighted that there was a lot of drinking going on.You can imagine what happens when there is a lot of alcohol consumption.

The place seriously needs constant monitoring, he insisted.This was further corroborated by current parliamentary representative Vusi Ndlangamandla, who indicated that the area was soon gaining the notoriety of being a crime spot. He said criminal elements usually take advantage of the nearby porous borderline.The shooting incident was confirmed by Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, in a press statement.She further reported that police charged a 31-year-old man of Mbhuleni and a 24-year-old man of Mehlwabovu for being found in possession of a dagga consignment weighing 124.9kg. The illicit herb was stashed in a white Freightliner horse and trailer truck, which was intercepted around Matsapha at around 7pm on Saturday. Arraignment of the pair is expected soon.




Office building of the Fodisch Group in Markranstadt near Leipzig

The Zurich-based technology group ABB is acquiring the Fodisch Group, a manufacturer of measurement and analysis solutions for the energy and industrial sectors. The two companies have now signed an agreement to this effect.

With this acquisition, ABB is expanding its range of Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS). The Fodisch Group generated sales of around EUR 50 million in 2023 with around 250 employees. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial details of the transaction, which is expected to be finalised by the end of the year, were not disclosed.

The Fodisch Group is based in Markranstadt near Leipzig, where it operates a 3,000 square metre production facility; it has further sites in Germany, the Netherlands and China. The company offers its customers comprehensive solutions for overcoming environmental, testing and certification challenges in various industries from a single source. The Fodisch Group's integrated analysis systems support the cost-efficient monitoring of pollutant emissions and are used in power plants, waste incineration plants and the paper, glass and cement industries.

Aerial view of the Fodisch Group headquarters in Markranstadt near Leipzig

The Fodisch Group's offering complements ABB's portfolio of measurement and analysis solutions and expands it to include continuous gas analysers as well as dust and particle measurement technology. The measurement and analysis technologies of the two companies enable reliable process measurements and provide real-time data and insights that help improve efficiency and reduce emissions.

With the acquisition of Fodisch Group, ABB is strengthening its commitment to advanced continuous emissions monitoring systems, which are essential for organisations today to monitor and mitigate emissions and comply with environmental regulations, said Jacques Mulbert, head of ABB's Measurement & Analytics division. The integration of the Fodisch Group into ABB will open up attractive opportunities for existing and new customers.

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LOBAMBA  The Eswatini Competition Commission (ESCC) will soon reveal governments stance on a medical aid scheme that runs its own hospital and pharmacies.This was disclosed by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, yesterday. The minister was responding to a question that was posed by Senator Tony Sibandze, who wanted to know if there was no breach of competition laws in the case of the medical aid scheme that was running its hospital.There is a medical aid scheme in the country that has a hospital and now runs the biggest retail pharmacy outlet. The scheme also requires members to use their benefits in its facilities. About 80 per cent of service providers in the country, such as doctors, pharmacies and hospitals are blocked from accessing the benefits, he said.The senator questioned whether the ESCC viewed the practice as fair competition.Senator Lindiwe Ngwenya also stated that there was an outcry from butcheries about a large meat wholesaler.



Franchise



The senator said meat traders felt that the wholesaler should just franchise its brand than to open branches all over the country, because it is taking them out of business. In response, Khumalo said the ESCC would soon reveal its position on that matter. Coming to the issue of butcheries, the minister invited those who had complaints to lodge them with the commission. He said the issue was that people were not reporting cases to the commission, but complained on the streets.
HP is the latest recipient of CHIPS and Science Act funding. The Biden-Harris Administration said on Tuesday that the Department of Commerce has agreed to preliminary terms with the company to funnel up to $50 million into modernizing the companys Oregon-based plant. The expansion of HPs lab-to-fab facility, which combines R&D with chip manufacturing, is expected to create over 250 jobs.

Once finalized, HPs funding would support the development of chips for life sciences lab equipment. This includes devices used for drug discovery, single-cell research and cell line development. HP says the expansion will also advance tech built for microfluidics, the study of the behavior and control of fluid on a microscopic scale. Microfluidics has the potential to drive revolutionary changes across industries, delivering speed, efficiency, and precision, to help pave the way for the next generation of innovation in life sciences and technology, HPs President and CEO Enrique Lores wrote in a Department of Commerce press release.

The proposed $50 million would support the expansion and modernization of HPs existing plant in Corvallis, OR, around 80 miles south of Portland. In addition to manufacturing silicon, the plant is one of the companys three global R&D centers. The 80,000-square-foot plant has incubated 39 startups, including 20 spun off from Oregon State University faculty and students. The company has academic partnerships with Portland Community College on training and recruitment programs.

The proposed $50 million funding is through a preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT). The non-binding agreement is conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. Having completed a merit review of HPs application, the Department of Commerce will begin due diligence on HPs proposed projects before the agency negotiates or refines its final funding terms.

The $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, signed by President Biden in 2022, directs funding to incentivize semiconductor companies to manufacture in America, boosting America's ability to compete with China while generating job growth. It includes $39 billion in subsidies for domestic chip manufacturing and $13 billion for workforce training.

Previous recipients include $8.5 billion for Intel, $6.6 billion for TSMC and $6.4 billion for Samsung. In addition, GlobalFoundries received $1.5 billion and Texas Instruments got $1.6 billion to produce legacy chips (less advanced silicon for things like phones, appliances and defense equipment).
Due to a challenging external environment, Sony will increase the PS5s price in Japan by 19 percent. The new price of the standard PS5 model will be 79,980 (about $554) and will come into effect by September 2, 2024. Prices for the console in other countries are not affected.

Its important to note that Sony raised PS5 prices around the world two years ago, with the exception of the US. Similar to the Japanese price hike, Sony also remarked that challenging economic decisions led to this difficult decision. Without getting into specifics, the console isnt the only product about to cost more, as accessories like the DualSense controller and PlayStation VR2 are also experiencing price hikes.

A price hike this late into the consoles life and by this much is rather unusual, and Sony is expecting fewer PS5 sales for the fiscal 2025 year. But despite that slowdown, the PS5 reached 50 million sales last year and is outselling the Xbox Series X/S by a wide margin.

There are also rumors that a PS5 Pro will come out this fall. While its not likely why the PS5s price in Japan is increasing, its still a potential factor in how Sony considers pricing the current model. Nevertheless, the PS5 Pro is still unconfirmed.
Summer Walker has weighed in on the ongoing drama involving London On Da Track.

Eboni Ivori, another mother of one of his children, accused the producer of neglecting his own daughter in an Instagram post, and Summer Walker is agreeing.

Eboni Ivori, who shares a daughter named Paris with the songwriter, born London Tyler Holmes, recently took to Instagram to criticize his absence as a father, posting various images of sad children. One post included the caption: "MY LIL GIRL WAITING ON HER DAD SINCE LAST CHRISTMAS."

Summer Walker joined the conversation in The Shade Room's comments, replying with "Same" and an eye-rolling emoji, suggesting she faces similar issues with London. She shares a daughter named Bubbles with him.

In reaction, London On Da Track responded on The Shade Room, questioning, "which baby daddy u talking bout?"

The situation grew more complex when Larry Williams, the father of Walker's twin sons, entered the fray. He defended himself in the comments, stating, "I got mines with me right this second. Leave the REAL FATHERS out of the internet s**t."

Larry's comment resonates with Walker's previous praise of him as a devoted father, despite their breakup in 2022. She had previously lauded Larry on Instagram for his commitment, mentioning his presence at various child-related activities.

Despite their separation before their twins were born, Walker, 28, expressed in a now-deleted Instagram Story that there were "no hard feelings" between them.
Wendy Williams has resurfaced after more than a year away from the public eye, and she is looking happy and healthy.

Photos of Williams' first public sighting in more than a year popped up online, showing her visiting a holistic store in New Jersey with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.

As seen in images shared by store owner Victor Bowman on Facebook and Instagram, the former "Wendy Williams Show" host, 60, was all smiles as she held up a large bag of products and a bouquet of red, blue and yellow roses.

A store employee confirmed to Page Six that Williams and her son visited Bolingo Balance in Newark around a week ago and met the late self-proclaimed herbalist healer Dr. Sebi's son, who now runs the shop.

The unidentified worker described Williams as "sharp, upbeat and aware" and "very bubbly" during her visit.

According to the employee, the former TV personality discussed health products with Bowman while they were at the store.

Williams was "engaging but wasn't as familiar with what we do here, so her son was more explaining things," the eyewitness told the outlet. "She talked about circulation improvement."

However, the worker said Williams "didn't want to get into too much detail on their first meeting and plans to come back in the near future."

Bowman reportedly gave her several holistic products to take home and try out. These included iron-rich herbs such as sarsaparilla, contribo and bottano oil, which is said to be beneficial for the skin.

He also gifted Williams capsules that claim to help with hormonal balance and mental health.

In the latest image of Williams, she sported a blue romper and white boots and rocked a fringe hairstyle as she posed with Bowman.

Her son Kevin could be seen carrying more bags and what appeared to be the same bouquet in a photo with the store owner.

"Much love to Wendy Williams and her son [heart emoji]," Bowman captioned the images. "@topfloor_kev I remember when I met Kevin in Usha village, my dad told me I want you to meet Wendy's son. At that time, we were the only ones of the same age in Usha."

Prior to this, Williams was last photographed in public in March 2023 when she was seen walking home in New York City.

The media personality, who has been battling Graves' Disease and lymphedema for years, was also diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia as well as aphasia in 2023 after she started losing her memory and words.

Williams had been staying at an undisclosed treatment center when she received the new diagnoses, but it is unclear if she has since finished treatment and left the facility.

She has been under court-ordered guardianship since April 2022.

Last month, an unnamed source told People that Williams' family is still being "denied contact" with her.
Francis Ford Coppola has admitted to kissing young women on the set of his new film "Megalopolis" but insisted that there was nothing inappropriate about these interactions.

The acclaimed director, 85, faced allegations of unprofessional behavior back in May when The Guardian released a bombshell report claiming eyewitnesses saw Coppola allegedly attempt to "kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras" to "get them in the mood" while filming a bacchanalian nightclub scene.

Coppola was also accused of making women on his set sit on his lap.

When asked about the allegations that he acted inappropriately toward "Megalopolis" extras during a new interview with Rolling Stone, Coppola vehemently denied them, calling the claims "totally untrue."

Coppola said that he was only greeting women he knew with kisses on the cheek.

"The young women I kissed on the cheek in regards to the New Year's scene -- they were young women I knew," he told the magazine.

When he was previously asked about the allegations in June, Coppola denied kissing and touching female extras.

"I'm not touchy-feely," he told the New York Times at the time. "I'm too shy."

Coppola's new statement came after Variety published two videos that appeared to back the claims made by The Guardian's eyewitnesses.

The clips, which were reposted on X, formerly Twitter, showed Coppola grabbing, hugging and kissing several female extras playing partygoers in a nightclub scene filmed in February 2023 at an Atlanta concert hall.

An unnamed source told Variety that Coppola had ruined some shots due to his actions, which were described as "unprofessional" and "uncommon."

A new video of Francis Ford Coppola grabbing and kissing female extras on the set of MEGALOPOLIS has surfaced online.



He reportedly announced with a microphone to the entire set, Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know its solely for my pleasure.



Another source pic.twitter.com/ZVaLZNgyj6  DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 26, 2024

The insider claimed that at one point, Coppola grabbed a microphone and said, "Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it's solely for my pleasure."

In a statement to the publication, "Megalopolis" executive producer Darren Demetre said Coppola gave "kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players" in order to "help inspire and establish the club atmosphere."

According to Demetre, they received no complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the production of the film.

However, Variety's sources claimed that crew members appeared uncomfortable by Coppola's actions but had no one to report him to due to a lack of an "HR department" for the film funded by the director.

In his Rolling Stone interview, Coppola alleged that news outlets were simply "looking for some sort of dirt" to release about him ahead of "Megalopolis'" world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The "Godfather" director speculated that the "eyewitnesses" quoted by The Guardian were the same insiders who gave quotes for a 2023 Hollywood Reporter exclusive that said Coppola's movie was "in peril" due to a "ballooning budget" and "crew exodus."

"The truth of the matter is, they were looking for some sort of dirt," Coppola alleged.

"It's all so ridiculous," he continued. "Look at the timing of that article. It's right before we're about to premiere the film at Cannes. They're just trying to damage the picture."

As for why he believes anyone would try to damage his new movie, Coppola said he believes Hollywood's most powerful may have wanted to make an example out of him for not following its "rules."

"There's a prevailing tendency in Hollywood to say, if you follow our rules, you'll have a better chance of a success. 'Well, what about Francis? He doesn't follow your rules.' 'Well, look, what's going to happen to him, he's going to have a failure,'" he claimed.

"I'm trying to do something different here," Coppola added. "Film is change. I mean, the movies that your grandchildren are going to make are going to be nothing like what we see now.
Craig Mack's cause of death has finally been revealed.

Craig Mack died on March 12, 2018, in Walterboro, South Carolina. He was 46.

At the time of his death, it was reported the former Bad Boy Records artist died of congestive heart failure.

Per his death certificate and 'Rolling Stone,' the rapper instead had HIV/AIDS. Suffering from complications from these diseases is what spurred his untimely death.

While Mack, real name Craig Jamieson Mack, was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, he reportedly didn't want treatment and didn't want the public to know of his illness. Therefore, his family, "honored his wishes and repeated his assertion that he had congestive heart failure."

According to 'The Jasmine Brand,' the "Flava in Ya Ear" rapper reportedly told his family his HIV diagnosis was a false report.

"I've truly, honestly never seen a human being in that condition before. He was catatonic. I believe he was very much in denial, but that's him living his truth to the end," said his brother, Andrew Mack. "I know that sounds really crazy, but you have to know him to understand that. As much as that bothers me, I understand why he did what he did. He lived his truth."

Read more: Summer Walker Blasts London On Da Track For Being A Negligent Parent

The New York native was absent from hip hop until 2012, when a leaked YouTube video showed Mack participating in a Christian ministry, surprising family members and fans. Mack was connected to the Overcomer Ministry in South Carolina. The Overcomer Ministry was reportedly called a cult  per 'Daily News,' whose leader, Brother Stair, had been charged with numerous crimes, including sexual conduct with a minor and assault.

In May 2016, the ministry released a video, "Craig Mack Testimony," where Mack performed a Christian remix of "When God Comes." The video has since been privated.

Fellow rapper Erick Sermon said six months before Mack's death, he called his friends to bid farewell, according to 'TMZ.'

His surviving family has speculated over whether or not he would have sought treatment were it not for this religious connection. It is unknown whether or not this is true.

His daughter, Amanda Mack, told the outlet, "I'll never know what the truth is. So much is a mystery." Yet, even though the situation has been mired in some significant untruths, his daughter does "forgive him [and] believes his intentions were good for trying to find the Lord, but it's just a bad situation."
One hour after being baptized in a Texas lake, a man tragically drowned while rescuing a teenage girl from his church group.

Lincer Mejia Lopez, along with his church group from Garland, Texas, went to Lake Waxahachie for a baptism ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Shortly after the baptism, while the group was still at the lake, a teenage girl began to struggle in the water.

21-year-old Lopez quickly jumped in to help her, but drowned in the process. His uncle, Jacobo Lopez, described him as a "hero" for selflessly risking his life without hesitation to save someone else.

The teenage girl was rescued by Jacob Bell, a nearby boater who performed CPR and revived her. Bell also assisted in recovering Lopez's body. He expressed his grief, noting that he has not fully come to terms with the loss, partly due to his own past tragedy of losing his younger brother to drowning.

"He was a hero. He had just been baptized and gave his life to the Lord," he said. He extended his prayers to both Lopez's family and the girl's family, acknowledging Lopez's strong character and the pride they should feel.

Read more: Yacht Captain Investigated For Deadly Shipwreck That Killed British Tycoon Mike Lynch And His Teen Daughter

Jacobo Lopez shared that his nephew was eagerly anticipating his baptism and had worked hard in construction to support his siblings in Mexico. Despite his young age, Lopez's uncle believes his actions will inspire others to help those in need and live a life of service.

A GoFundMe campaign has been organized to assist in sending Lopez's body to Mexico for his family. As of this writing, the fundraiser has raised over $27,000 of its $30,000 goal.
LOBAMBA  An inspection of filling stations has revealed that some motorists receive less fuel than they pay for.This was due to the fuel pumps not dispensing fuel equivalent to the quantity the motorists had paid for. The pumps were found to have failed the measurement test.This is contained in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade quarterly performance report, that was debated yesterday by the Senate Portfolio Committee.These fuel pumps, according to the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, were discovered during inspections that were carried out by the Weights and Measures Department under the ministry.

Responsible



The department is the National Measurement Office and is responsible for the administration and control of metrology in trade - ensuring in this regard equitable and correct measurements in industry; and traded goods and services. This is conducted based on measurement or weight. It includes the inculcation of correct use of measurement units of the Systems International (SI) and other units, so that they meet required measurement standards and specifications. The minister told the senators that 81 filling stations pumps were verified and eight of them were found to be non-compliant with the metrology requirements.

Those that did not comply were closed and an order for their recalibration before further use was issued.This means that the pumps were not dispensing fuel that was equivalent to the quantity that the motorists had paid for. In most cases, the motorists received less fuel than what they had paid for. It is for that reason that some motorists felt that they received less fuel than they usually did.The senators mentioned that there had been an outcry that some filling stations were somehow allegedly swindling consumers by tampering with the fuel pumps.



Questioned



They questioned how often the ministry conducted the inspections, because it was likely that more motorists were receiving less than they had paid for. Additionally, they quizzed the minister about what he has done to ensure that the proprietors of the affected filling stations reimburse the consumers who were affected by this.Senator Chief Ngome Ndlangamandla questioned the minister on how he would ensure that the fuel retailers repaid emaSwati or if penalties were effected on the retailers.I was shocked to learn that you uncovered that fuel retailers bekabulala sive. The question is, if there is any punishment and how are the retailers going to compensate the customers? They have to pay for swindling the nation, he said.

In response, Minister Khumalo said the law requires that the ministry gives the business 14 days to sort out the issue. He said what they uncovered was that the retailers did not tamper with the fuel pumps deliberately to swindle their customers.



Machine



It is because they also did not have the machine to test their pumps, to ensure that they meet the required measurement or to easily detect if their pumps have shifted, he said.

Khumalo added that all the retailers whose pumps failed the measurement test complied and fixed them within 14 days. The minister said they have also explored other proactive ways that the public could apply to see whether fuel pumps had been tested and passed the measurement test. He said: We have introduced stickers in all fuel pumps that emaSwati need to identify in all filling stations. Khumalo said a red sticker signifies that the fuel pump should not be used and a green sticker means the pump has been tested and has passed the measurements test.
Former President Barack Obama was the target of a failed assassination plot.

Members of a Wayward, Florida, chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rustled up an elaborate plan to kill Obama just days before he was elected president in September 2008. Their plan included the day, time, location of the hit, and his motorcade route.

According to 'VIBE,' as the KKK was planning an attack to kill Obama, Joe Moore, a former counterterrorism informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), infiltrated the far-right terrorist organization to stop the assassination.

Moore recently released a book, 'White Robes and Broken Badges,' where he detailed how in order to stop the Obama assassination scheme, he joined the KKK himself, impressing them with expert gunmanship and military record.

"The deeper I became entrenched in the Klan, the more of a challenge it became to leave all that at the door when I went home to my wife and son," Moore wrote in the shocking memoir. "All I could visualize were members kicking in the door to come get me after learning my true purpose."

The book's description shares how Moore successfully infiltrated "the Ku Klux Klan in the backwoods of the Sunshine State, uncovering details about the hate group's structure and its modern far-right spinoffs which are operating to achieve the same goal: inciting a second civil war by whatever violent means necessary."

Shortly after he helped stopped the assassination attempt, Moore's cover was blown. He and his family were forced to go undercover.

"I take great pride in dealing a hateful organization a devastating near deathblow," he said. "The overall movement in general, though, was far, far from dead or even in decline."

Through his work he continued to urge that problems such as this are far from over.

"The Klan and the like-minded groups it has produced have learned to balance bullets with bluster and pistols with paper, both of which have the potential to do far more irrevocable damage on the state of our democracy than the former," the ex-Army sniper turned FBI informant said. "With the 2024 election looming, and democracy itself on the ballotwe should be very afraid."

According to the 'New York Post,' Moore's infiltration was the FBI's first-ever undercover operation targeting the hate group.

The former Chicago senator isn't the only political figure whose life was plotted on.

On July 13, former President Donald Trump was also the victim of an assassination attempt while speaking at an open-air campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.
Parents of a college student want a Boston university to take responsibility.

On March 31, 2023, a Northeastern University student, Sarah Cox, experienced a horrific fall while attending a party. Cox, who was a member of a sorority at the institution, fell out of a second story window. The college student has been in a catatonic state since the incident.

The Cleveland Clinic defines catatonia as a "disorder that disrupts how your brain works, disrupting how a person processes and reacts to the world around them. People with catatonia often don't react to things happening nearby or may react in ways that seem unusual. Impaired communication, unusual movements or lack of movement, and behavior abnormalities are the most striking features of this condition."

Now, according to 'Law & Crime,' Cox's parents are seeking legal retribution from the sorority Alpha Phi Epsilon, whom they believe are responsible for the tragedy.

In a lawsuit filed by her parents, they state that "Sarah Cox's injuries are catastrophic, and she will require one to one care 24 hours per day and 7 days per week on a permanent basis. Sarah Cox will require a variety of medical devices and equipment to survive." The medical bills they have amassed so far exceed $200,000.

The Greek organization, however, is looking to have the suit  which is seeking damages from the organization, the local chapter, then-chapter President Margaret "Maggie" Scales, property owner Marcia Ramos, and the Ramos Properties company  dismissed.

"When you cut through the six negligence counts against the Sorority Defendants in the 170-paragraph Complaint, Plaintiffs' claim is: 'Sarah Cox fell out of a window onto the driveway below. While certainly sympathetic to Cox's alleged 'catastrophic injuries as a result of the fall', the counts against the Sorority Defendants fail under the most basic duty-breach-causation-damages analysis," the sorority said in a statement.

The sorority claims Cox's parents' accusations of negligence are too general to hold up. "Plaintiffs merely allege that all defendants were somehow responsible for the myriad of alleged behavior without any allegation of what actually caused the fall," they said.

Furthermore, the suit has faced difficulty moving forward in any direction due to a substantial lack of information.

"Sadly, Sarah cannot provide any facts or details about it because she has been in a catatonic state ever since she hit the ground. Moreover, none of the people present at the party have offered any facts about how it happened, not even her close friends," Cox's parents said, per the outlet. "Despite requests for information made by Sarah's mother and other efforts to obtain certain facts about Sarah's fall from the window, nobody was willing to offer any details, so the only tool available to the Plaintiffs is the court and its grant of discovery powers."
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Lituania no descarta el uso de drones para derribar los globos de contrabando que lanzan desde Bielorrusia
Pickup Short URL to Share

Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel.

Instant News Wire
Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Author Portal to PR Power and POP!

A Press Release is an ideal way to start the publicity train for you and your book.

When and where do you distribute your press release? An excellent question. I reached out to someone who Ive had on my podcast several times. Jules Marie put together a list of resources shared below. Some are freesome have a cost to them.

In the podcast I did last week, I walked the listener through a template for a press release.

If you dont share your news with the media, they wont know that you just returned from a trip to the Moon, invented a floating tent or created a unique work of art! Editors rely on press releases for current news to share with their viewers. Send them something they can chew on and push out to their viewers, readers, and listeners.

Your goal is to write a release that intrigues editors to assign a reporter to interview you for the whole story. Lets say youre a non-profit business and you just received a large grant for an outdoor kids adventure program. Write about a press release about it and send it off. Your goal is to be contacted for an interview. Once your story is published, more people will hear about you which has the potential to grow your business. You can also send your PR to your email contact list alerting them to your news. Non-profit businesses can send their press release to radio stations which are read aloud by the announcer as a Public Service Announcement. Radio stations are required by law to provide a certain percentage of non-paid advertising to non-profit PRs.

If you dont have an email distribution service, consider using online press release distribution sites. Some of these sites allow you to post your press release for free; others offer various pricing levels. Choose the free sites initially and get a sense of how their programs work before you spend money on a service. Be sure to read the small print before committing.

No one site is better than another. There are no guarantees that if you post your release to one of these sites that anyone will publish it. Its up to you to write something people will want to read and share!

Write a Compelling, Attention-Grabbing Press Release

If you have a story to tell, tell it to the media with compelling, memorable, persuasive words. Everyone loves a story unless of course, its a boring story with no plot, no plan, and no movement. So, jazz it up! Use your press release to talk about why your product or service is unique, one-of-a-kind, timeless, or classicwhatever it is, tell it in a way that the person reading it will want to know more.

Begin with an attention-grabbing one-line heading followed by a one-line sub-heading.

Open your first sentence with a HOOK that compels an editor to want more information. The first paragraph should be juicy! Whats the scoop? Spell it out and sell it!

Next, add two paragraphs of informational content, including one with a quote from an industry source or a satisfied customer.

Your last paragraph should be detail-oriented and include specific information about your product, service, event.

The final section is your About Me statement, also known as your boilerplate. The boilerplate paragraph is the who, what, when, where of your business and always includes contact information in the event the media wants to reach you. Dont make your readers guess where youre located or how to contact you.

The entire PR should fit on one pagethough they can run two. If it doesnt fit, edit it until it fits. Each press release should only highlight one hook. If its too long, that probably means you need to write two press releases; each with a different hook to be sent separately.

PR Sites to use  remember  some are free and some have a fee.

Do a bit of research and decide which company might work best for you. These sites are popular and reliable. For ease of reading, I eliminated www, and domain names are not case-sensitive. Each site is liveclick and explore.

1888PressRelease.com

Business Wire

eReleases

ExpertClick  on the AuthorU.org website, under Resources, Expert Click offers a discount.

Express-Press-Release.com

Free-Press-Release-Center.info

i-Newswire.com

Newswire

NewswireToday.com

Online PR Media

PR9.net

PR.com

PR-Inside.com

PRlog.com

PRurgent.com

Release-News.com

PR

PRLeads

PRweb.com

PRNewswire.com

PR Underground

Release Wire

Send To Press Newswire

TheOpenPress.com

~~~

Dr. Judith Briles started writing notes to her classmates in first grade  and got into disruptive trouble from her teachers. Shes now the author of 47 books and counting, still being a disrupter. Her books have won over 55 book awards and been Amazon bestsellers. You can follow her professional side at www.TheBookShepherd.com where she works with writers to become published authors. Listen in to her weekly podcast: AuthorU: Your Guide to Book Publishing at https://bit.ly/AuthorUPodcast

2024 Judith Briles  The Book Shepherd All Rights Reserved
HELENA, Mont. - Montana Governor Greg Gianforte is asking Montana superintendents and school board trustees to establish cell phone-free schools.

In a letter to Montana superintendents and trustees, the governor asked that they put policies in place, to remove distractions and disruptions in our schools, a place where students should be focused on learning.

Missoula schools revisit cell phone policy following parent push for ban

Given the gravity of the situation, I ask you, and all school districts throughout our state, to consider adopting policies that create cell phone-free schools, the governor wrote. Schools across the country that have enacted policies to make schools cell phone-free have seen increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.

Common Sense Media reports 97% of students 11 to 17 years old use their phones during school.

Gov. Gianforte says parents and educators have told him about the negative impact of phones in schools, and that the state is seeing academic performance declining and increasing rates of mental health disorders.

Tips for how parents can help kids manage school anxiety

You can read the Governor's full letter to school officials here.

Montana property tax task force highlights multiple property tax reform recommendations
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said it is 'disappointed' that the BBCs bovine TB documentary featuring Sir Brian May was 'missing key evidence'.

The levy board said the programme was still allowed to air despite it speaking to the BBC to share concerns about 'a number of inaccuracies' in the preview version it had seen.

The documentary Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me examined the results of a research project which focused on the crisis caused by bTB on one farm family.

Airing on Friday 23 August, the controversial documentary also highlighted Sir Brian's opposition to the UKs ongoing badger cull.

Since 2013, the government has permitted the culling of badgers across certain parts of England to curb bovine TB, with the existing policy set to end by 2026.

However, the AHDB said the programme 'missed key evidence' that would have helped inform viewers on the facts about the disease.

It said: We went to some effort to highlight to the BBC the importance of including peer reviewed evidence about how the disease is spread, the positive impact of badger culling on TB in cattle herds and the effectiveness of the current 25-year eradication strategy.

This was not reflected in the final edit. Bovine TB is a complex disease, and we were pleased to see the programme highlight its impact on the mental wellbeing of farmers, as well as the devastating effect it has on animals.

We will now take some time to further reflect on the programme before considering further action.

Before the programme was aired, the NFU had written to the BBC to express its 'deep concern' over the documentary's contents.

The union said it was "completely unacceptable and irresponsible" for Sir Brian May to have been provided the platform he had.

It cited the complex and controversial nature of TB in cattle, and the proven role badgers play in the cycle of infection on farms.

Speaking about the documentary, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "I am extremely concerned the impact this programme will have on the mental health of farmers who are still impacted by this terrible disease on farm. The toll on them and their families is huge.

We have said this programme is fundamentally flawed. It ignores all the independent peer-reviewed science and evidence that has gone before it; science that continues to demonstrate the current TB eradication strategy is working.

While I am sure it was well-intended, this programme focuses heavily on one farm, claiming that slurry is to blame for the widescale spread of bTB.
A case of bluetongue has been confirmed in a single sheep on a farm in Norfolk, with farmers being warned there is now a high risk of onward spread in the UK.

A 20km Temporary Control Zone has been put in place around the farm, near Haddiscoe, following confirmation of the disease on Monday (26 August).

Surveillance is underway by government vets to determine if the virus is currently circulating in Britain.

Defra said farmers must remain vigilant and follow the restrictions on animal and germinal product movements that now apply in the zone.

Given the current temperatures and midge activity, which spread the disease, it warned there is now a high risk of further cases.

UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Ele Brown said: "Bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, but the disease can impact livestock farms, and cause productivity issues.

"This is the first animal in England that has shown clinical signs and been unwell from infection with bluetongue.

"This detection is a clear reminder of the threat of the disease: farmers and their vets must remain vigilant and report any suspicions to APHA."

It comes amid a rising number of the cases in Northern Europe, which led the UK government to recently call for increased vigilance and responsible sourcing of livestock.

According to surveillance by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), there have been over 4,000 recorded cases reported in Europe since May 2024.

Farmers have been told to monitor their animals frequently for clinical signs and the 'vital importance' of responsible sourcing of animals with a reliable health status.

APHA said farmers should also speak to their private vet when importing livestock, as the situation in Europe 'is continually changing'.

Free testing is also available for animals moving from the highest risk counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex to elsewhere in Great Britain.

Last November, government vets identified the first case of the disease in Britain through the annual bluetongue surveillance programme.

The government recently set out its plans to minimise the impact of a likely outbreak of bluetongue as experts feared a surge in cases during the summer months.

There is currently no BTV-3 vaccine authorised or approved for use in the UK, however free testing is now available for animal keepers.

BTV is a notifiable disease. Suspicion of it in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.
Two men have been appeared in court following the theft of multiple high value agricultural GPS units from across the north of England.

The men appeared at Preston Crown Court last week charged with conspiring to steal from a motor vehicle.

They have been remanded in custody to appear against at Preston Crown Court on 16 September.

The first, Aidas Cinga, 27, of no fixed abode, has been charged with conspiring to steal from a motor vehicle.

The second, Damantas Skeltys, 28, also of no fixed abode, has been charged with the same offence.

The case was a multi force operation involving officers from Lancashire, Cheshire, North Yorkshire, Humberside, and the National Rural Crime Unit.

Supt Andy Huddleston, from the National Rural Crime Unit and National Policing Lead for Theft of Agricultural Theft, urged farmers to remain vigilant.

This was a collaborative effort between a number of forces to tackle what is International Organised Crime targeting UK farms, and were also working with our law enforcement colleagues in France and Germany.

"We would ask farmers to remain vigilant and are grateful to the NFU Mutual who have assisted greatly in not just this investigation but also the wider tackling of GPS thefts across the UK."

The cost of rural crime cost the UK nearly 53 million last year as thieves continued to raid farms for expensive items, such as tractor GPS units.

NFU Mutuals report, published earlier this month, revealed that rural crime cost increased by over 2 million in 2023 compared to the previous year,

In a sign of the increasing organisation among criminals, GPS units were targeted by gangs, causing the value of claims to NFU Mutual to rocket by 137% to 4.2m.
Katie Price's bankruptcy case has been adjourned until next month.

Katie Price arrives at court

The 46-year-old star - who was arrested on her return from Turkey to London's Heathrow Airport earlier this month after failing to attend a hearing on 30 July - was due to face questions from barristers in a specialist bankruptcy court on Tuesday (27.08.24) but her lawyer, Bertie Boer-Roberts, requested she be able to attend a "private interview" in September instead.

The barrister cited the former glamour model's "mental well-being" as one of the reasons behind having the case heard behind closed doors, noting Katie had "long been subject to extreme media scrutiny" and this would be exacerbated by public examination of her financial affairs.

The lawyer said his client would be able to give "more considered answers" in a private interview and felt it would be useful to "take stock of a complex matter with a long history".

He also stressed Katie "understands her duties" and had "been compliant" with the case so far.

However, Judge Nicholas Briggs admitted he was hesitant to agree and said: "My concern is we've been here before".

He then asked lawyers for both sides to discuss details out of the courtroom and on return, both Mr. Boer-Roberts and Darragh Connell, the barrister for the trustee, agreed to Katie attending a private interview on 24 September, before a potential personal examination on 11 February, if deemed necessary.

The judge told the former 'Loose Women' star: "If you fail to comply with the undertaking you will be at risk of being arrested".

He told her she was expected to attend the private interview and that she was asked to give a signed statement regarding both the documents she was able to hand over, and any she could not provide, by 17 September.

As she left the London court building, Katie - who was previously declared bankrupt in 2019 and then again in March this year over an unpaid tax bill of over 750,000 - blasted assembled media.

She raged: I hope you reporters write a good story today, wont you, all the bull**** that you write, scumbags."

Katie was previously ordered to pay 40% of her monthly income from OnlyFans until February 2027, and have six of her vehicles delivered to the trustee to help pay off the money she owes.
Sean Kingston and his mother have pleaded not guilty to fraud.

Sean Kingston has pleaded not guilty

The 'Beautiful Girls' hitmaker and 61-year-old Janice Turner have been accused of of falsely claiming they had sent bank transfers for luxury items worth more than $1 million, but on Monday (26.08.24), they denied the charges of organised fraud and grand theft during an arraignment hearing in front of Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra.

According to the Sun Sentinel newspaper, bond had already been set at $90,000 in a previous hearing and the judge didn't make any changes.

The United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida, previously explained the 34-year-old rapper and his mother's charges stem from their alleged involvement in "a scheme to defraud victim sellers of high-end specialty vehicles, jewellery, and other goods purchased by the defendants through the use of fraudulent documents."

The office went on to state the pair "unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers as payment for vehicles, jewellery, and other goods purchased by the defendants, when in fact no such bank wire or other monetary payment transfers had been executed by the purported banks, and thereafter the defendants retained or attempted to retain the vehicles, jewellery and other goods despite non-payment. Through the execution of this scheme, the defendants obtained in excess of $1 million in property."

The pair are accused of having stolen almost $500,000 in jewellery, more than $200,000 from Bank of America, more than $100,000 from First Republic Bank, $160,000 from a Cadillac Escalade dealer and $86,000 from a maker of customised beds.

In May, Kingston was arrested at an army base in California - where he was performing - and extradited to Florida after his home in the state was raided, where his mother was also arrested.

At the time of his arrest, the musician was serving two years probation for trafficking stolen property.

His mother previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud for stealing $160,000 and served more than a year in prison.

The pair are due back in court in October, and are also facing related charges in federal court.
A World Bank report released recently said Vietnams gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow at 6.1 per cent this year and at 6.5 per cent in both 2025 and 2026, driven by a rebound in manufacturing exports, tourism, consumption and business investment. The growth was 5 per cent last year.

However, the countrys economy is not yet back to its pre-pandemic growth path, the report, titled 'Reaching New Heights in Capital Markets', noted.

A recent World Bank report said Vietnam's GDP is expected to grow at 6.1 per cent this year and at 6.5 per cent in both 2025 and 2026. The growth was 5 per cent last year. However, the country's economy is not yet back to its pre-pandemic growth path. The development of capital markets would offer a key source of long-term funding for the economy, it noted.

While the net export contribution to GDP remains modest, expanding trade was accompanied by a gradual recovery of domestic demand with investment and consumption growth recording 6.7 per cent and 5.8 per cent year on year (YoY) in the first half (H1) of this year respectively.

Manufacturing output in Vietnam grew by 7 per cent YoY in H1 2024 from a low base and drove growth in the year so far, accounting for a quarter of GDP growth.

The agriculture sectors contribution remains stable, at 0.4 percentage points.

Retail sales grew by 8.8 per cent in H1 2024, driven by goods sales on a stable trajectory since late 2022, but below a pre-pandemic average of 11.6 per cent.

Real income growth continues to be muted at 2.5 per cent YoY in June 2024, on par with annual 2.7 per cent average growth since 2022, but below pre-pandemic trends (8.4 per cent). Similarly, formal employment remained relatively stable with a 0.4 per cent YoY improvement in April 2024.

Recovering manufacturing exports contributed to a pick-up in investments. Total investment registered 6.8 per cent growth YoY in H1 2024, up from 4.8 per cent YoY in H1 2023, but below a pre-COVID average of 7.1 per cent YoY.

Similar to total investment, domestic private investmentclose to 60 per cent of total investmentcontributed 3.9 percentage points YoY growth in H1 2024, below its annual average of 4.7 percentage points over 2017-19.

Foreign investments represented the largest increase in investment categories in H1 2024, up by 13 per cent YoY. Meanwhile, public sector investment growth eased to 4 per cent YoY in H1 2024 compared to 20.5 per cent in H1 2023.

Bank asset quality remains a concern given rising non-performing loans, it said.

To sustain growth momentum not only for the rest of the year but over the medium term, the authorities should deepen structural reforms, step up public investment while carefully managing emerging financial risks, said World Bank East Asia and Pacific practice manager for macroeconomics, trade and investment Sebastian Eckardt in a press release.

The development of capital markets would offer a key source of long-term funding for the economy and help the country achieve its goal of becoming a high-income nation by 2045, the report added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Vietnams textile (excluding yarn and fibre) and garment exports rose by 6.3 per cent year-on-year to $20.274 billion from January to July 2024, as reported by the Customs IT and Statistics Department of the General Department of Customs under Vietnams Ministry of Finance. In July 2024, these exports increased by 17.6 per cent month-on-month to $3.715 billion.

Simultaneously, Vietnams yarn exports saw a 3.5 per cent year-on-year increase to $2,536.780 million. In terms of volume, there was a 6.8 per cent rise, with the country exporting 1,055,614 tons of yarn in the first seven months of 2024. On a month-on-month basis, yarn exports increased by 8.8 per cent in value and 10.6 per cent in volume during the latest month. In July 2024, the country exported 159,954 tons of yarn, valued at $373.731 million.

Vietnam's textile and garment exports rose by 6.3 per cent to $20.274 billion from January to July 2024. Yarn exports also increased by 3.5 per cent in value and 6.8 per cent in volume. The US was the largest market for textiles, while China was the largest for yarn. Cotton and fabric imports also grew. VITAS has reduced 2024 export target to $44 billion.

The US remained the main market for Vietnams textile and garment exports, accounting for 44.02 per cent of the total, equivalent to $8.926 billion. Japan and South Korea were also significant markets, with exports amounting to $2,296.560 million and $1,632.051 million, respectively.

Regarding yarn exports, China was the largest recipient, accounting for 48.38 per cent of Vietnams total yarn shipments, valued at $1,227.217 million. Yarn exports to India were worth $35.462 million from January to July 2024.

In terms of inbound trade, Vietnams cotton imports increased by 2.7 per cent to $1,717.436 million from January to July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The volume of imported cotton was 858,922 tons, marking a 13.1 per cent year-on-year increase. The country imported 692,780 tons of yarn, worth $1,520.118 million, reflecting a 23.1 per cent rise in value and a 17.8 per cent increase in volume. Fabric imports totalled $8.444 billion, up by 14.2 per cent.

In 2023, Vietnams textile and garment sector witnessed a decline of around 12 per cent to $36.230 billion. Although the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) had set an export target of $48 billion, this goal was not met. In 2022, the sectors exports grew by 14.7 per cent year-on-year to $37.5 billion, falling short of the $43 billion target. In 2021, exports in this sector reached $32.750 billion, a 9.9 per cent increase from 2020s $29.809 billion.

Due to a decrease in global market demand, VITAS has lowered the export target for textiles, garments, and yarn to $44 billion for 2024.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Cairo, Aug 27 (UNI) Five people have been killed in the Israeli attack on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank's Tulkarm province, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Monday.

"Five people killed in the result of occupation's [Israel's] strike on the Nur Shams camp have been delivered to the Tulkarm state hospital," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in August, the Palestinian health ministry said that a total of 632 people have been killed on the West Bank (WB) since October 2023 due to actions by the Israeli military.

On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Following this, fighters from the Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated border areas, opening fire on military and civilian targets, and captured more than 250 hostages. According to authorities, approximately 1,200 people were killed.

In response, the Israel Defence Forces launched Operation "Iron Swords" in the Gaza Strip. Israel declared a total blockade of the enclave, halting the supply of water, electricity, fuel, food, and medicine.

According to the health authorities in Gaza, the death toll from Israeli strikes in the enclave since October 7 has exceeded 40,400, with more than 93,500 people injured.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
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Premier Vehicle Service Contracts for Luxury and Exotic Car Enthusiasts

duPont REGISTRY, the leading marketplace for exotic and luxury automobiles, is proud to announce the launch of dR Protect, offering bespoke vehicle service contracts tailored specifically for clients and dealerships in the realm of luxury cars and exotics.

duPont REGISTRY Protect

With a commitment to providing unparalleled service and expertise, dR Protect brings a service product offering which is the first of its kind for the luxury and exotic customer. Whether you're in the market for a rare supercar or a classic luxury sedan, our team has put together a product tailored for these unique vehicles, giving our customers peace of mind and the white glove service they should expect from their ownership experience.

"The repair for an exotic car can vary widely with an average engine repair bill of $32k and the transmission at $20k. In addition, repairs are often needed at the most inconvenient time for our clients; duPont REGISTRY is thrilled to introduce dR Protect as the latest addition to our suite of premier services for our clients and dealerships," said Jeremy Vander Velde, COO of duPont REGISTRY Group. "We understand that acquiring a luxury vehicle is more than just a transaction - it's about how driving and enjoying the vehicle makes our clients feel. With dR Protect, we want to ensure that feeling can be enjoyed long after their purchase."

Through a partnership with Alpha Warranty Services, dR Protect has created curated products made specifically to cover vehicles valued above $100k. "This partnership with duPont REGISTRY marks a new chapter for Alpha Warranty Services, where innovation meets tradition to provide duPont REGISTRY branded vehicle protection plans for exotic and luxury vehicle owners. We are proud to collaborate with duPont REGISTRY and its millions of loyal automotive enthusiasts," said Jeremy Lindsey, President of Alpha Warranty Services.

Offering services with named exclusionary coverage so that what's covered is transparent. We also provide products that will cover expensive parts like wheels and key fobs over and above your standard vehicle service needs. "Our partnership with the duPont REGISTRY, a brand synonymous with luxury and excellence, aligns perfectly with Alpha Warranty's commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences and cutting-edge technology. With dR Protect, a first-of-its-kind vehicle protection plan offered exclusively to dealers that want to enhance the car ownership experience for exotic car enthusiasts, we are redefining the standard for automotive service products in the luxury market," said Bryan Haakenson, EVP of Strategic Partnerships. We are excited to make dR Protect available to dealers to offer in their showrooms and to all customers directly at www.dupontregistry.com/protect.

About duPont REGISTRY Group:

The heart of the Driven Lifestyle division, the duPont REGISTRY Group is the world's leading luxury ecosystem, encapsulating the culture, community and commerce of the high-end automotive lifestyle. Built by some of the biggest names in the luxury automotive space, duPont REGISTRY Group represents a vibrant community of members worldwide nurtured over nearly four decades. Its portfolio includes duPont REGISTRY, Sotheby's Motorsport, Canossa Events, Cavallino, Petrolicious and FerrariChat.

About Alpha Warranty Services:

As a veteran-owned business enterprise, Alpha Warranty believes in doing the right thing for our partners and their customers. It was this belief that started our company in 2002 and it's this belief that drives us today. Alpha Warranty Services was founded because another administrator didn't value their customers and refused to honor contracts to dealerships that had a personal relationship with our founder & CEO. Alpha Warranty was formed and covered those claims. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. Today, Alpha Warranty continues to deliver an unrivaled customer experience by providing supercharged service and technology powered by amazing people. Contact us at 800.662.5519 or online at AlphaWarranty.com.

Contact Information

Media DRG

media@dupontregistrygroup.com

3055078799

SOURCE: duPont REGISTRY Group

View the original press release on newswire.com.
SANDNES, Norway, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Desert Control AS (DSRT) announces its second-quarter report and interim financial results for the fiscal period ending 30 June 2024.

Desert Control made significant progress in the second quarter of 2024. Technological advancements drove a record number of installations and expanded the U.S. project portfolio, while collaboration with partners advanced key regulatory and operational milestones in the Middle East.

Operational Highlights:

Technological Breakthroughs Drove Record Growth in Installations

Increased Production Capacity: Achieved a sixfold increase in LNC production capacity with a new compact, lightweight prototype, enhancing deployment efficiency and scalability.

Record Number of Installations: Field-testing the new prototype drove a record number of installations, significantly reducing project execution time and costs.

Enhanced Agility and Scale-Up Readiness: The prototype's high capacity and lightweight design improve mobility, opening profitable pathways to more diverse projects and facilitating the transition from pilots to larger deployments.

Increased Pilot Acquisition Rate and Expanded Markets in the United States

Accelerated Pilot Acquisition: Accelerated the pilot acquisition rate, expanding the U.S. project portfolio from 29 to 38 projects, with strong performance in citrus, dates, vineyards, and landscaping.

Direct to Larger-Scale Pilots: Several projects bypassed small-scale tests and moved directly to extended (stage 2) pilots, demonstrating increased market confidence.

Expansion in High-Value Markets: Significant progress in golf courses and sports fields, with multiple new pilots and promising early results, paving the way for larger-scale contracts by year-end.

Accelerated Regulatory Integration and Solidified Position in the Middle East

Regulatory Framework Integration: Progressing toward integrating LNC into regulatory frameworks as a preferred solution for soil and water conservation requirements in the UAE.

Operational Readiness in Saudi Arabia: Both of Desert Control's licensed operators are now fully operational with offices, production capacity, and initial LNC deployments activated.

Strategic Pilots and Deployments: Ongoing pilots and projects with government entities and large enterprises in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are progressing, with additional strategic deployments underway.

Entered New Strategic Partnerships and Strengthened Market Validation

Syngenta Collaboration: MoU with Syngenta underscores the growing recognition and validation of LNC beyond water conservation, extending impact to holistic soil health solutions.

University of Arizona: The five-year research program with the University of Arizona continues, with the inaugural interim publication under peer review.

University of California: Initiated research with the industry-leading Turf Research Center in Riverside to position LNC as a relevant, trusted, and attractive solution in the golf and turf segment.

Financial Highlights:

In the first half of 2024, Desert Control executed a record number of installations, increased LNC deployment volumes, and doubled LNC revenue compared to the same period the previous year. This progress reflects enhanced operational efficiency, driven by the new prototype LNC production system, the integration of LNC application with irrigation systems, a more streamlined organization, and learnings from the implementation of pilots and projects.

Revenue Increase: LNC revenue in Q2 2024 was MNOK 0,5, compared to MNOK 0,02 in Q2 2023. For the first half of 2024, LNC revenue totaled MNOK 1,8, up from MNOK 0,8 in the first half of 2023, driven by larger-scale deployments and an increased volume of pilots and project installations.

Improved EBITDA: Operational efficiency improvements and the transition to a licensed operator model in the Middle East contributed to an EBITDA result of MNOK -16 in Q2 2024, an improvement from MNOK -19.5 in Q2 2023. For the first half, EBITDA improved to MNOK -30.4 from MNOK -42.9 in the same period last year.

Cash Position: Desert Control ended Q2 2024 with a cash balance of MNOK 91, compared to MNOK 42 in Q2 2023. The company continues to operate with no interest-bearing debt.

The growth in project volume and LNC deployment, combined with improved EBITDA figures, underscores the enhanced efficiency of operations. The ability to handle larger volumes at a reduced cost base positions Desert Control to maintain healthy margins as the company scales up.

Outlook:

Diverse opportunities in the U.S. and Middle East, combined with regulatory integration and technological advancements, are driving the transition towards more significant contracts by year-end and strengthening the foundation for long-term value creation for stakeholders.

Key Figures (in MNOK):

Second quarter 2024 [second quarter 2023 in brackets]

LNC Revenue: 0.5 [0.0]

Total Revenues: 0.5 [0.5]

EBITDA: -16.0 [-19.5]

First half 2024 [first half 2023 in brackets]

LNC Revenue: 1.8 [0.9]

Total Revenues: 1.8 [2.3]

EBITDA: -30.4 [-42.9]

Total cash balance 30.06.24 (bank deposits and funds): 91 [42]

Equity 30.06.24: 100 (equity ratio 94.5%) [68 (91.2%)]

Q2 Report 2024:

The information enclosed is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to sections 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

The report can be downloaded from the company webpage: https://desertcontrol.com/investors/

A webcast presentation for Desert Control Q2 2024 Report and Company Update is hosted on 20 August 2024 at 10.00 AM, Central European Time (CET). Register: https://go.desertcontrol.com/Q2-2024

Cautionary Note:

Disclaimer related to forward-looking statements. This release contains forward-looking information and statements relating to the business, performance, and items that may be interpreted to impact the results of Desert Control and/or the industry and markets in which Desert Control operates.

Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "aims," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "foresees," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "targets," and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections, reflect current views concerning future events, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and may be subject to change without notice. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of any future performance, and risks, uncertainties, and other important factors could cause the actual business, performance, results, or the industry and markets in which Desert Control operates to differ materially from the statements expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements.

No representation is made that any of these forward-looking statements or forecasts will come to pass or that any forecasted performance, capacities, or results will be achieved, and you are cautioned not to place any undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.

For more information, please contact:

Ole Kristian Sivertsen

President and Group CEO

Email: oks@desertcontrol.com

Mobile (NOR): +47 957 77 777

Mobile (USA): +1 650 643 6136



Leonard Chaparian

Chief Financial Officer

Email: leonard.chaparian@desertcontrol.com

Mobile (NOR): +47 90 66 55 40

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/desert-control-as/r/desert-control-releases-q2-2024-report-and-year-to-date-company-update,c4023702

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/22706/4023702/2951189.pdf DSRT_Q2_2024_REPORT

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/desert-control-releases-q2-2024-report-and-year-to-date-company-update-302226065.html
Kunstliche Intelligenz hat spatestens nach dem Raketenstart von Chat GPT das Leben aller verandert. Doch der Superzyklus steht nach Meinungen von Experten erst am Anfang. Wahrend Aktien wie Nvidia von der ersten Aufwartsentwicklung stark profitieren konnten, versprechen aussichtsreiche Player aus der

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 26, 2024) - Royalties Inc. (CSE: RI), ("RI" or "the Company") reports its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. Amounts are stated in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's unaudited financial statements and the associated management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 which are available on the Company's website at www.royaltiesinc.com or under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.SEDARplus.ca.

Progress in Q2 - Royalties Inc. continues to advance the strategies on its 3 major investments:

1) monetizing the Bilbao silver-zinc-lead property in Zacatecas, Mexico, ideally by selling to an existing silver producer for cash and shares in order to generate further potential gains from the rise in the price of silver, which appears poised for a breakout in 2025, perhaps back to its previous 2011 high of US$50 per ounce. The value of Bilbao is most directly tied to the 2014 PEA economic assumption of $30 per ounce silver and the unexplored potential high grade silver areas including the north-south Victor vein which was drilled in 2021;

2) achieving success in the lawsuit against Capstone Gold S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Capstone Copper Corp. to properly recognize and pay the 2% NSR on the five Portree claims, which have been in production since 2020 and are part of the Cozamin mine. A judgment is expected to be rendered this Fall; and

3) acquiring sufficient cash flowing Music Royalties to cover corporate overhead and to pay dividends.

Music Royalties

The Company's five cash flowing music royalties' investments generated $18,857 in the second quarter, an increase of 21% over Q2 2023. RI received $13,125 (CAD$18,000) in dividend income, up 17% versus $11,201 (CAD$15,000) from Music Royalties Inc. ("MRI"), a private company which has acquired 28 catalogues and paid out over CAD$9 million in 55 dividend payments to its shareholders since 2019.

Mining Royalties - Royalties Inc. owns two mining royalties with significant potential value resulting from:

1) successful litigation against a subsidiary of Capstone Copper Corp. in Zacatecas, Mexico to make payments on the 2% NSR owed on the production since 2020 and payments on the remaining mine life from the five Portree claims on the Cozamin Mine, on which a lien has been registered with the Public Mines Registry in Mexico City. Proof of production on one of the Parroquia (Portree) group of mining claims has been received from a refinery, Met Mex Penoles, so the evidence period is expected to close in September, followed by a judgment from the court in due course.

2) a 1.5% NSR on the Bilbao property where the strategy to maximize its value is tied to the sale of the property to a silver producer which can potentially process material, especially during a period of high silver prices.

First Half 2024 Results of Operations

The Company generated dividend and royalty income of $42,257, up 29% vs $32,769 in the prior year quarter. Total expenses were $87,827, 14% lower than $101,693 in the prior year, resulting in a 34% reduction in the operating loss of $45,570 vs $68,924 in 2023. The non-cash increase in the net loss of $64,613 vs $45,867 in 2023 is primarily due to the decline in the value of the Canadian dollar on the Company's investment in MRI.

Assets and Liquidity

Total assets as at June 30, 2024 were $1,278,177 compared to $1,313,330 at December 31, 2023, representing the Company's investment in two mining royalties and five music royalties less amortization. Since 2008, the Company has invested $23,426,866 on the Bilbao silver-zinc-lead mining project which in accordance with the Company's accounting policies was fully impaired, primarily due to the 2014 PEA's assumptions of three year trailing average prices of: Zinc US$0.94/lb, Lead US$1.01/lb and Silver US$30.24/ounce were higher than market prices. August 2024 spot prices of: Zinc US$1.27/lb, Lead US$0.94 /lb and Silver US$29.90/ounce need to be sustainably above the PEA price assumptions, to attract the attention of both potential acquirors and investors.

The mine plan incorporated in the PEA targeted the extraction of only the lower, unoxidized, sulphide zone based on a production rate of 2,000 tonnes per day or 720,000 tonnes per year with an average grade of 2.1%, 1.4% and 63.96 g/t of zinc, lead and silver, respectively, over a mine life of approximately eight years. The mineral processing plant described in the PEA proposed the treatment of the silver-lead-zinc sulphide ore at a design throughput rate of 2,000 tonnes per day, which would thereby project on average, 16,913 dry tonnes per year of silver-rich lead concentrate, and 26,966 dry tonnes per year of zinc concentrate, with an average combined total of approximately 20 million pounds of zinc, 17 million pounds of lead and one million ounces of silver per year.

As at June 30, 2024, the Company had cash of $31,409 to settle current liabilities of $123,383. Accordingly, on August 21, 2024 the Company announced a proposed financing up to 6 million shares at $0.035 for CAD$210,000.

About Royalties Inc.

Royalties Inc. has a 2% stake in Music Royalties Inc., a Canadian-based private company that acquires passive music royalties from rightsholders (including but not limited to artists, producers and songwriters) and currently holds a portfolio of approximately 28 cash-flowing royalties.

Royalties Inc. owns a 100% interest, subject to a 1.5% net smelter royalty repurchased in July 2019, on the Bilbao silver-lead-zinc-copper project located in the southeastern part of the State of Zacatecas, Mexico.

Royalties Inc. owns 88% of the outstanding shares of Minera Portree de Zacatecas, S.A. de C.V ("Minera Portree") which holds an asserted claim to a 2% net smelter royalty and a lien on five mining concessions which are part of the Cozamin Mine operated by Capstone Copper Corp., which claim is challenged by Capstone.

For further information contact Royalties Inc. at www.royaltiesinc.com.

Neither the CSE, nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "likely", "should", "would", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "proposed", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of those terms, or other similar words, expressions, and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is based on assumptions made in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to: sufficient capital and financing required in order to fulfill the Company's business plans and strategy may not be obtained as expected; that the Company will not be able to pay future dividends; and other risks related to the Company as disclosed in the documents filed on the Company's profile at SEDAR+ at www.SEDARplus.ca. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release and they are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements herein are made as at the date hereof and are based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations, and opinions of management on such date. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required under applicable securities law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221187

SOURCE: Royalties Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 26, 2024) - Captiva Verde Wellness Corp. (CSE: PWR) (OTC Pink: CPIVF) ("Captiva Verde") a public company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the trading symbol PWR and further listed on the US OTC Market under the symbol CPIVF announces the following updates:

The company has arranged with a European based finder, Cormel Capital LLC, a private placement of 150 million units at $0.02 per unit subject to CSE approval. Each unit comprises one full common share and one full common share purchase warrant entitling each full warrant to convert to a full common share for a price of $0.05 per warrant for 3 years.

The use of proceeds will be for general working capital and to start the development of badly needed affordable homes on the company's 100% owned debt free 130-acre property located in New Brunswick.

In addition, the company has been in negotiations with Ronnie Strasser and his nominees (collectively "RS") for the Company to sell back to RS, the Miami Padel team for various considerations including the return by RS of 89 million shares and 55 million warrants to the treasury for cancellation as well as RS and his nominees making available for purchase an additional 37 million shares of Captiva.

If such negotiations are not fruitful, the Company will place for sale the entire Miami Padel Team and its marketing rights to the highest bidder through a sales process involving several agents. The Company was in Miami earlier this month, scoping some of the potential buyers. The company will then remain in the real estate business as per its original mandate with the CSE.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and United States securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the expansion of Captiva's health and wellness platform.

Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget", "propose" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A (a copy of which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com). The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221195

SOURCE: Captiva Verde Wellness Corp.
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.



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Washington/New Delhi, Aug 27 (UNI) US President Joe Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the latters recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September, and commended PM Modi for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.

A White House readout of Monday nights phone conversation between the two leaders said:

"The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.

The Leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter.

The Leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

Significantly, the readout does not mention the two leaders discussing Bangladesh or that they emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh, which the Indian statement said, and so did PM Modi mention in his X post.

PM Modi in his X post on Monday night said:

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.

We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.

The Indian statement said: The two leaders had a detailed exchange of views on a number of regional and global issues.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, Prime Minister briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability.

The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.

The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad.

They agreed to remain in touch, the statement added.

UNI RN
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 26, 2024) - Parent Heating & Cooling, a BBB-accredited Ottawa HVAC and plumbing company, is celebrating nearly four decades of serving Ottawa, ON, and the surrounding communities.

Parent Heating & Cooling Celebrates Nearly 40 Years of Serving Ottawa

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/220769_3a8eab52b4b23971_002full.jpg

Robert, a representative of Parent Heating & Cooling, said the company's continued growth honors its close to four decades of exceptional service and unrivaled reliability. The HVAC and plumbing company has become known for its comprehensive AC repair, duct cleaning, and heating services. It is continuing its growth course with protection plans and emergency HVAC services. He further explained that this celebration marks not only how far Parent Heating & Cooling has come but also what's possible.

"This celebration is an important milestone for us," said Robert. Since the beginning, our goal has been to provide Ottawa residents with professional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services built on a high level of customer service. Today, that foundation lives on, making us a major player in the Ottawa HVAC and plumbing space."

In addition, Parent Heating & Cooling has built strong credentials in innovation, becoming a benchmark company in Ottawa's HVAC and plumbing industry. The company acknowledges that the world is constantly changing, and if it is going to meet and exceed its ambitions and customers' expectations, innovation needs to be a driving force. The company remains dedicated to providing residential and commercial clients with the highest quality of service and installations in the industry.

"In our 40-year journey, we have earned a reputation of integrity, reliability, and innovation. We are dynamically pushing ahead with our promise to the residents of Ottawa; to continue our legacy of excellence and innovation every day, and in every service we offer and client interaction we have," added Robert.

Robert also acknowledged that the company's success wouldn't be possible without its people. "It is because of the hard work our team puts in every day that we are able to celebrate decades of serving Ottawa." The team of local Ottawa HVAC and plumbing experts is known for their on-time, reliable, professional, and friendly HVAC services. They also provide fast emergency services and immediate assistance to clients with heating and cooling emergencies.

In many ways, Parent Heating & Cooling is a classic success story of a company that started small and has grown into a large-scale operation. After decades of reliable services and local Ottawa HVAC & Plumbing expertise, the company has made it abundantly clear that they are Ottawa's trusted home comfort experts. They remain dedicated to maintaining high standards of customer service into the future. Robert invites residents of Ottawa and surrounding areas to enjoy the comfort of worry-free heating and cooling with Parent Heating & Cooling's comprehensive HVAC and plumbing services.

"Our momentum continues to build as we look to the future because we want to ensure that every homeowner in Ottawa is taken care of, granting them their home-comfort needs. Here's to the next 40," concluded Robert.

About Parent Heating & Cooling:

Parent Heating & Cooling is a BBB-accredited HVAC company serving Ottawa and surrounding areas. The company specializes in AC repair, duct cleaning, and heating services and offers 24-hour HVAC emergency services. Parent Heating & Cooling also provides monthly protection plans.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220769

SOURCE: Plentisoft
Avance Clinical streamlines its biotech clients' clinical trial operations, workflows, and data management, optimizing study efficiencies, minimizing costs, and accelerating trial timelines.

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recently assessed the biotech contract research organization (CRO) industry and, based on its results, recognizes Avance Clinical with the 2024 Global Customer Value Leadership Award. The company is a leading CRO facilitating top-tier clinical trials with globally recognized data for biotech firms worldwide. With an exclusive focus on the biotech sector, the company leverages over 30 years of deep clinical research experience across more than 250 therapeutic indications to provide customized services catering to biotech R&D's dynamic needs. Overall, the company's world-class team, exceeding 330 clinical and regulatory specialists, delivers high-quality clinical trials in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and North America for international biotechs. As a full-service CRO, it builds on its extensive expertise across various modalities (ranging from small molecules to advanced cell therapies) to offer sophisticated solutions covering the entire spectrum of drug development, from preclinical stages through to Phase II/ III studies.

Avance Clinical comprehensively supports biotech clients through all clinical trial stages-including protocol development, site selection, patient recruitment, and data analysis-and eliminates the need to engage with multiple CROs. This streamlined approach optimizes clinical study efficiencies, minimizes overall costs, and accelerates trial timelines. Moreover, Avance Clinical, as a midsized entity, embeds itself deeply into its biotech customers' operations, with its scientific and regulatory consulting teams engaging as early as possible to optimize their trial designs and protocols. The company's flat organizational structure gives customers direct access to leadership teams, facilitating continual collaboration throughout their drug development journeys. Avance Clinical's in-house regulatory team seamlessly integrates into biotech clients' clinical and project delivery operations to minimize delays and costly errors by up to 50% and 30%, respectively.

Unmesh Lal, global research director at Frost & Sullivan, observed, "Unlike larger multinational CROs, this intimate approach enables Avance Clinical to understand customer challenges closely, empowering it to deliver flexible solutions and hands-on guidance that optimally position it to match the fast-paced nature of biotech R&D. As a result, the company's agility and responsiveness make it the ideal partner for small to mid-sized biotech companies, addressing a crucial need that competitors often struggle to fulfill."

Avance Clinical's in-house regulatory experts provide strategic counsel on study design, regulatory compliance, and protocol development, and they support customers' adaptability to rapidly evolving regulatory landscapes. The company assists biotech companies in achieving a 'clinic ready' status and offers a 'global ready' roadmap for later phases, effectively transitioning biotech products through the clinical development journey and towards marketing authorization. Its high-quality, globally accepted data empowers biotech clients to adequately address the sector's increasing drug development complexities.

Avance Clinical's expansive network of over 2,000 high-quality, trusted clinical trial sites ensures geographic diversity and a wide patient population for each client. It facilitates quick feasibility evaluations and rapid progression through start-up activities, allowing for expedited patient recruitment and shorter overall timelines. This ensures faster and more effective clinical trials, including accelerated study start-up durations of five to six weeks for early phase studies in Australia.

"Avance Clinical's customer focus, agility, and responsiveness position it as the ideal contract research organization partner for biotech customers. The company's globalization strategy, continual scientific collaboration, unmatched regulatory expertise, and personalization capabilities set it apart from its contemporaries. Its overall customer-first approach offers immense value to existing and new customers and solidifies Avance Clinical's reputation in the market," added Sama Suwal, best practices research analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

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, megatrends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Tarini Singh

P: +91 9953764546

E: tarini.singh@frost.com

About Avance Clinical

Avance Clinical is the largest premium full-service Australian, Asian, and North American CRO delivering quality clinical trials with globally accepted data for international biotechs. The company's clients are biotechs completing Phase I to Phase III of their drug development program which requires fast, agile, and adaptive solution-oriented clinical research services.

Frost & Sullivan Awards

Avance Clinical, a Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific CRO Market Leadership Award recipient for the past four years, has been providing CRO services in the region for more than 26 years.

Pre-clinical through to mid to late phase

Avance Clinical offers pre-clinical consulting and regulatory services with their experienced ClinicReady team right from pre-clinical and Phase I through to Phase III clinical services leveraging significant Australian Government incentive rebates of up to 43.5% and rapid start-up regulatory processes.

With experience across more than 250 indications, the CRO can deliver world-class results and high-quality internationally accepted data for TGA, FDA and EMA review.

Technology

Avance Clinical uses state-of-the-art technology and gold standard systems across all functional areas to provide clients with the most effective processes. Medidata, Oracle, TrialHub, Certinia, Salesforce, Zelta and Medrio are just some of the technology partners.

www.avancecro.com

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PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / August 26, 2024 / Proving its worthiness of love, the prestigious companion brand GAC Motor accompanied the highly anticipated 2024 China-France Tour. The M8 was a steadfast presence throughout the journey, roaring like a mighty lion as it retraced the century-old Peking-to-Paris rally route. With the confidence of the Chinese people, it proudly showcased China's automotive culture.

Now, the Chinese team has triumphantly returned, and the event organizer, Autohome, held a grand closing ceremony in Tianjin to welcome them back. High-ranking leaders from various sectors gathered to review the event's map, reflecting on the milestones of China's automotive industry and looking forward to the promising future of Chinese automobiles.

GAC Motor, a pioneering leader in the automotive industry, has courageously forged new paths and broken through technological barriers. The M8, which embodies the ancient charm of Chinese landscapes alongside the modern aesthetics of industrial technology, has significantly enhanced the vehicle's recognition as it traverses six countries, capturing the attention of Europeans. Its exceptional noise control, whether during high-speed driving or urban cruising, effortlessly achieves a state of comprehensive tranquility.

Throughout the 11,700-kilometer journey, the M8 not only showcased its exceptional long-range endurance but also provided first-class comfort with features such as one-touch SPA activation. Equipped with SDC electromagnetic suspension, it effortlessly navigated the challenging Nurburgring and the winding roads of the Alps, ensuring smooth handling and precise cornering. The vehicle offered stable support throughout the China-France Tour, tracing back to the "Automobile City" of Stuttgart and visiting the "Olympic Capital" of Lausanne.

In the Paris Olympics, China made history by winning 40 gold medals, setting a new record for the most golds earned at an overseas Olympic Games. GAC Motor honors the legends and heroes cherish heroes. M8, a leader in the Chinese luxury MPV market, paid tribute to the trailblazers of every era who have made history with a spectacular Paris Grand Show.

While the 2024 China-France event has concluded, GAC Motor's journey continues unabated. The brand remains dedicated to enhancing its products with high quality, exceptional value, and advanced technology, establishing a benchmark for Chinese brand excellence. Together with the future, they will allow the flower of China-France friendship to bloom vibrantly and collaboratively write a new chapter of brilliance in the automotive industry.

Name: Wang Mingshuo

Email: wangms@gacmotor.com

Phone: +86 15726679318

SOURCE: GAC MOTOR

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Elliptic Labs (OSE: ELABS), a global AI software company and the world leader in AI Virtual Smart Sensors currently deployed in over 500 million devices, has announced the launch of its AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY on vivo's iQOO Z9s and iQOO Z9s Pro smartphones. The vivo iQOO Z9s series, targeted for the international market, utilize chipsets from Elliptic Labs' partners Qualcomm and MediaTek. The vivo iQOO Z9s is driven by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 chipset while the vivo iQOO Z9s Pro is running Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. Elliptic Labs previously announced this contract in January 2024.

"vivo's iQOO Z9s and iQOO Z9s Pro adds up of a total of 17 vivo devices shipping with our AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY," said Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs. "vivo, the fourth largest smartphone OEM globally, has come to rely on Elliptic Labs' leadership in AI, ultrasound, and sensor fusion to bring true AI innovations to their devices. Our AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform is at the core of this innovation and the driver for why vivo chooses Elliptic Labs to make their devices greener, smarter, and more user-friendly."

AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY

Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Proximity Sensor detects when a user holds their phone up to their ear during a call, allowing the smartphone to turn off its display and disable its screen's touch functionality. This keeps the user's ear or cheek from triggering unwanted actions during the call, such as hanging up or dialing numbers. Turning off the screen also helps conserve battery life.

Proximity detection is a core capability that is used in all smartphones, but Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Proximity Sensor is a unique, software-only solution that delivers robust proximity detection without the need for a dedicated hardware sensor. By replacing hardware sensors with software sensors, the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor reduces device cost and eliminates sourcing risk.

INNER BEAUTY is a registered trademark of Elliptic Labs.

AI Virtual Smart Sensor, AI Virtual Proximity Sensor, and AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform are trademarks of Elliptic Labs.

All other trademarks or service marks are the responsibility of their respective organizations.

About Elliptic Labs

Elliptic Labs is a global enterprise targeting the smartphone, laptop, IoT, and automotive markets. Founded in 2006 as a research spin-off from Norway's Oslo University, the company's patented software uses AI, ultrasound, and sensor fusion to deliver intuitive 3D gesture, proximity-, presence-, breathing- and heartbeat-detection experiences. Its scalable AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform creates software-only sensors that are sustainable, human-friendly, and already deployed in hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Elliptic Labs is the only software company that has delivered detection capabilities using AI software, ultrasound, and sensor fusion deployed at scale. The company joined the Oslo Brs main listing in March 2022.

Elliptic Labs is headquartered in Norway with presence in the USA, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Its technology and IP are developed in Norway and are solely owned by the company.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240826852175/en/

Contacts:

PR Contacts:

Patrick Tsui

pr@ellipticlabs.com

Investor Relations:

Lars Holmy

Lars.Holmoy@ellipticlabs.com
PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Bone Harvester Market by Type (Marrow Harvesting and Cancellous Bone Harvesting), Application (Fractures, Fusions, Bone Repair, and Others), and End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and Diagnostic Centers): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the bone harvester market was valued at $13.5 million in 2023, and is projected to reach $23.4 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2024 to 2033.

Prime Determinants of Growth

The global bone harvester market is experiencing growth due to surge in geriatric population, high adoption of bone marrow transplantation, and rise in prevalence of orthopedic disorders. Furthermore, the developing healthcare infrastructure in the developing nations such as India, China, and Middle Eastern countries is expected to provide significant opportunity for growth.

Request Sample of the Report on Bone Harvester Market Forecast 2033 - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A62721

Segment Highlights

The bone harvester market is segmented into type, application, end user, and region. On the basis of type, the market is divided into marrow harvesting and cancellous bone harvesting. On the basis of application, the market is classified into fractures, fusions, bone repair, and others. As per end user, the market is segregated into hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and diagnostic centers. By type, marrow harvesting segment dominated the market share in 2023. This is attributed to the fact that advancements in medical research and technology have expanded the understanding of the therapeutic potential of bone marrow, driving increased demand for bone marrow harvesting procedures.

By application, the fusion segment dominated the market share in 2023. This is attributed to rise in number of spinal fusion procedures which are used for the treatment of various spinal disorders, including degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spinal fractures. By end user, the hospitals segment dominated the market share. Hospitals serve as the primary setting for a wide range of orthopedic and surgical procedures, including those that require bone grafts and bone harvesting devices.

Want to Explore More, Connect to our Analyst - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/A62721

Regional Outlook

Countries such as Japan, India and China are experiencing rapid development in the healthcare infrastructure, availability of advance technology and increased healthcare expenditure. In addition, the development of medical technology companies in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the market. Furthermore, government initiatives such as healthcare funding are expected to drive the growth of the market.

Key Players

Acumed, LLC

Globus Medical, Inc

Arthrex

Johnson & Johnson

Paradigm BioDevices, Inc.

Biogennix, LLC

Spierings Orthopaedics B.V.

Zimmer Biomet

Avitus Orthopaedics, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global bone harvester market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches 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.

For Purchase Related Queries/Inquiry - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/A62721

Recent Development:

In August 2021, DePuy Synthes, the Orthopaedics Company of Johnson & Johnson, announced the launch of new products and technology solutions for new standards of care for modern-day orthopedics during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting.

In May 2022, Biogennix, LLC, an advanced bone regeneration technology company, announced the launch of the DirectCell Advanced Bone Grafting System. The system is aimed to provide surgeons and hospitals with comprehensive bone graft solutions in a single product.

AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) Offered by Allied Market Research:

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 Allied Market Research:

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 domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI.

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.

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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.

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Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR



Allschwil, Switzerland, August 27, 2024

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, announced today that the European Commission (EC) has extended the indications of the antifungal Cresemba (isavuconazole) to pediatric patients and also granted an extension of market exclusivity by two additional years, which triggered a CHF 10 million milestone payment from Basilea's license partner Pfizer Inc.

Dr. Marc Engelhardt, Chief Medical Officer of Basilea, said: "We are very pleased to have received the European Commission Decision to approve Cresemba for the use in children who suffer from invasive aspergillosis or mucormycosis. These severe mold infections primarily affect children suffering from hematologic malignancies, or immunodeficiency disorders and there is a high unmet medical need for new antifungal treatment options in the pediatric population. We are pleased that access to Cresemba is now available to this vulnerable patient population in Europe."

The approval is based on results from two pediatric clinical studies, including a phase 2 open label, non-comparative, multicenter study, evaluating the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of Cresemba for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis in pediatric patients aged 1 to 17 years old.1, 2

In addition to the approval, the EC granted pediatric exclusivity for Cresemba, which extends the period of market exclusivity for Cresemba in the European Union by an additional two years to October 2027.

About isavuconazole (Cresemba)

Isavuconazole is an intravenous (i.v.) and oral azole antifungal, commercialized under the trade name Cresemba. Basilea has entered into several license and distribution agreements for isavuconazole covering approximately 115 countries. In the 27 European Union member states, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, isavuconazole is approved for patients aged from 1 year of age and older for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and for the treatment of mucormycosis in patients for whom amphotericin B is inappropriate.3 Isavuconazole is also approved in the United States (US) and several additional countries in Europe and beyond, including the U.K., China and Japan.4 It has orphan drug designation in the US, Europe and Australia for its approved indications.

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, we have preclinical and clinical anti-infective assets in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd, Allschwil

Hegenheimermattweg 167b

4123 Allschwil

Switzerland Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com (mailto:media_relations@basilea.com)

investor_relations@basilea.com (mailto:investor_relations@basilea.com)

This ad hoc announcement can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

References

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03816176

A. C. Arrieta, H. Segers, J. D. Deville et al. Safety and Outcomes of Isavuconazonium Sulfate for the Treatment of Invasive Aspergillosis or Invasive Mucormycosis in Pediatric Patients. IDWeek 2023, Abstract #1124 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03241550

A. C. Arrieta, M. Neely, J. C. Day, et al. Tolerability, and Population Pharmacokinetics of Intravenous and Oral Isavuconazonium Sulfate in Pediatric Patients. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2021;65(8):e0029021 European Commission Decision on file with Basilea. European Public Assessment Report (EPAR) Cresemba not yet updated to reflect extension to pediatric patients: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/cresemba (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/cresemba) [Accessed: August 26, 2024] The registration status and approved indications may vary from country to country.

Attachment
The expansion of renewable energy storage is a significant driver for the battery cooling plate market. Efficient energy storage solutions are essential as renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are increasingly integrated into the grid. Battery cooling plates play a crucial role in managing the thermal load of large-scale storage systems, ensuring stability and reliability.

WILMINGTON, Del., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Battery Cooling Plate Market by Material Type (Aluminum, Copper, Graphite, Composite Materials and Others), Technology Type (Liquid Cooling Plates and Air Cooling Plates), and Application (Electric Vehicles, Consumer Electronics, Energy Storage Systems and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the battery cooling plate market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $9.8 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 14.9% from 2024 to 2033.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A31426

Prime determinants of growth

The global battery cooling plate market is experiencing growth due to increasing adoption of electric vehicles. However, high manufacturing costs associated with battery cooling plates hinder the market growth to some extent. Moreover, the expansion of renewable energy storage solutions presents additional opportunities for the battery cooling plate market.

Report coverage and details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2024-2033 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $2.5 billion Market Size in 2033 $9.8 billion CAGR 14.9 % No. of Pages in Report 300 Segments Covered Material Type, Technology Type, Application and Region. Drivers Rise in adoption of electric vehicles

Expansion of renewable energy storage Opportunity Advancements in battery technology and design Restraint Complexity in integration



Composite materials segment is projected to maintain its dominance by 2033

By material type, the composite materials segment held the highest market share in 2023 and is likely to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increase in demand for composite materials in the battery cooling plate market is driven by several factors. Firstly, composite materials offer superior thermal conductivity and heat dissipation properties compared to traditional metals, making them ideal for efficiently managing heat in battery systems. Secondly, composites are lightweight, which helps to reduce the overall weight of battery cooling plates and improves the energy efficiency of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems. Lastly, composites can be tailored to specific design requirements, offering flexibility and customization in battery cooling plate applications, thereby enhancing performance and reliability.

Procure Complete Report (300 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) @ https://bit.ly/3ADcoky

Liquid cooling plates segment is projected to maintain its dominance by 2033

By technology, the liquid cooling plates segment held the highest market share in 2023 and is likely to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing demand for liquid cooling plate technology in the battery cooling plate market is driven by its superior efficiency in thermal management. Liquid cooling plates offer enhanced heat dissipation capabilities, ensuring optimal battery performance and longevity, especially in high-energy-density applications like electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage systems. As EV adoption accelerates and battery technology advances, the need for effective cooling solutions becomes critical. Liquid cooling plates are also favored for their ability to maintain stable temperatures under heavy loads, reducing the risk of thermal runaway and enhancing overall battery safety and reliability.

Electric vehicles segment is projected to maintain its dominance by 2033

By application, the electric vehicles segment held the highest market share in 2023 and is likely to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) significantly drives the battery cooling plate market. As EV production scales up, the need for efficient thermal management systems becomes paramount to ensure battery safety, performance, and longevity. Battery cooling plates are essential in preventing overheating and maintaining optimal battery temperatures. Government incentives and stringent emission regulations further accelerate EV adoption, enhancing the demand for advanced cooling solutions. Additionally, advancements in battery technology, leading to higher energy densities, necessitate more effective cooling mechanisms, thereby boosting the growth of the battery cooling plate market.

Asia-Pacific was the fastest-growing region in terms of revenue in 2023

Based on region, Asia-Pacific was the fastest-growing region in terms of revenue in 2023. The demand for battery cooling plates in the Asia-Pacific region is increasing due to several key factors. The rapid growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market, driven by government incentives and a strong push towards sustainable transportation, is a major contributor. Countries like China, Japan, and South Korea are leading in EV production and adoption, necessitating efficient battery cooling solutions. Additionally, the expansion of renewable energy projects in the region, including solar and wind power, requires advanced battery storage systems that rely on effective thermal management. These developments are fueling the demand for battery cooling plates to ensure optimal performance and safety.

For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/battery-cooling-plate-market/purchase-options

Leading Market Players: -

KenFa Tech

Zhejiang Sanhua Automotive Components Co., Ltd.

Kingka Tech Industrial Limited

Bespoke Composite Panels

Dana Limited

ESTRA Automotive

HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA

Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd.

MAHLE GmbH

MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global battery cooling plate 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.

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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.

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BRUSSELS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dstny, the Belgian technology company that has become a European innovator and developer of cloud-based business communications solutions, appointed Kris De Schepper as the new Managing Director for Dstny Belgium on August 1st. He succeeds Joachim Lauwers who has worked at Dstny for more than 10 years, the last six of which as Managing Director. With a wealth of experience and a proven track record in commercial and operational leadership, which he brings from his previous positions at Telenet and bpost, Kris is ready to further grow Dstny Belgium.

Kris De Schepper holds a Masters in Business Engineering from the University of Antwerp and has a wealth of expertise in driving successful change and improving customer experience. In his previous position, he was Vice President Sales at bpost, where he was responsible for the SME market. There he developed and implemented a successful sales and customer-focused strategy that led to significant growth. This makes him the perfect match for the further growth of Dstny Belgium.

"I am excited to be part of the Dstny family and very much look forward to working closely with the Belgian team and realizing its ambitious growth plans," said Kris. "With its innovative all-in Business Communications platform that brings cloud telephony to all devices, enables fixed-mobile integration and integrates seamlessly with other tools such as Microsoft Teams and CRMs, Dstny has today built a strong position as a UCaaS player. We want to further strengthen and expand this in Belgium as well. Combined with the best connectivity and security solutions, today we offer Belgian SMEs and large companies a future-proof business communication platform, which we will soon expand even further with interesting additional integration possibilities."

Daan De Wever, Group CEO Dstny: "Thanks to organic growth and targeted acquisitions of leading market players, Dstny has grown in recent years from a telecom player to a full-fledged international technology company with the ambition to become the number one provider of business cloud communications solutions in Europe. We are therefore delighted with the expertise Kris will bring to our Belgian team. We look forward to realizing our ambitions together and further growing Dstny Belgium under his leadership. At the same time, we would like to take the opportunity to thank Joachim Lauwers for his impactful contribution to the expansion of Dstny in Belgium. Kris will report to Christophe Costers, our Chief Operating Officer within the Dstny Group."

For images, click HERE.

About Dstny

Dstny is a leading European provider of cloud-based business communications, delivered both directly to businesses and through partners and service providers. The company aims to simplify the daily lives of its more than 3.5 million users: its interactive business communication tools are delivered as-a-service and connect employees and customers through all possible communication channels (voice, video, chat, and others).

Dstny's tools are mobile-first, locally customizable, user-friendly and easy to integrate. By combining innovative technology with close relationships with partners and service providers, as well as strong local teams, Dstny can provide the best possible user experience and make the latest applications accessible to companies across Europe.

Headquartered in Zaventem, Dstny has more than 1,000 employees in 7 European countries (Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, UK). More information: www.dstny.com

Contact : Christian Hed, CMO, Dstny, Email: christian.hed@dstny.com, Tel: +46707187603

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for an investigation into former U.S. senator and University of Florida President Ben Sasse's spending following reports that he funneled millions of dollars to his GOP allies.

During his 17-month tenure as UF president, Sasse allegedly increased his office's spending to $17.3 million in his first year - more than triple the $5.6 million spent in the final year of his predecessor, Kent Fuchs, according to the Independent Florida Alligator, the university's student newspaper.

The spending spike was largely attributed to secretive consulting contracts and high-paying positions for Sasse's GOP allies and former U.S. Senate staff.

"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," Bryan Griffin, a communications director for DeSantis, told The Hill on Thursday.

Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer and state fire marshal, wrote on X that reports of the "exorbitant spending" by Sasse were concerning and that his agency would assist with the investigation.

Here's a list of Sasse's questionable hires and spending during his time as UF president:

- Raymond Sass, former Senate chief of staff, hired as UF's vice president for innovation and partnerships. Salary: $396,000

- James Wegmann, former Senate communications director, hired as UF's remote vice president of communications. Salary: $432,000

- Taylor Silva, former Senate press secretary, hired as assistant vice president of presidential communications and public affairs. Salary: $232,000

- Raven Shirley, Kari Ridder and Kelicia Rice, served as presidential advisors. Salaries: Unknown

- Penny Schwinn, former Republican Tennessee commissioner of education, hired as UF's vice president of PK-12 and pre-bachelors programs. Salary: $367,500.

- Alice James Burns, former scheduler for U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, hired as director of presidential relations and major events. Salary: $205,000

- Travel expenses: $633,000, 20 times higher than Fuchs' annual average of $28,000.

- University consultants: $7.2 million, 40 times higher than Fuchs' total expenses during his eight years. A majority of the money went to McKinsey & Company, where Sasse once worked as an adviser.

- Three former McKinsey consultants. Salaries: Between $150,000 and $200,000

Sasse resigned from his leadership position last month to focus on his family following his wife's epilepsy diagnosis. The former U.S. senator from Nebraska served as president for less than two years, and had said he plans to transition to a teaching and advisory role at the school.
HNEFOSS, Norway, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartCraft ASA, the leading Nordic provider of mission-critical SaaS solutions to small and mid-sized companies in the construction sector, today reported its results for the second quarter of 2024, with record-high revenues with continued high margins. The company ended the period with annual recurring revenue (ARR) of NOK 461 million, which represents an annual growth of 29 percent. Organic ARR growth was 11 percent.

Reported revenue in the second quarter was NOK 133 million (+32 percent), of which 90 percent was recurring, including a dilution of 7 percentage points from the recent acquisitions. The adjusted EBITDA-capex margin was 29 percent, including a negative effect of 3 percentage points from the acquired companies. Churn was 8 percent in the second quarter, up 0.5 percentage points from the first quarter 2024.

"We extended our long-term growth track record in the second quarter with a strong combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Operating margins stayed strong, and given the tough market conditions in the construction industry, we are pleased with this steady performance," said CEO of SmartCraft Gustav Line, and continued:

"Our solutions are primarily aimed at small and medium-sized businesses focused on the renovation segment. These companies have proven to be less affected by the soft macro conditions than the broader construction sector. Anticipating a medium-term improvement in the general construction sector, we remain confident in our medium-term financial targets of 15-20 percent organic growth and increasing margins due to the scalability of the business."

In the second quarter, SmartCraft broadened its business in Sweden by acquiring Locka and entered the UK market with the acquisition of Clixifix. SmartCraft has a solid track-record of value accretive acquisitions, improving profit margins of acquired businesses and increasing recurring revenues. The objective is to accomplish this with both Locka and Clixifix as well.

"SmartCraft boasts a robust balance sheet and substantial free cash flow. This enables us to be proactive in the mergers and acquisitions sector. We are particularly enthusiastic about entering the UK market, massively enlarging our addressable market. Clixifix will serve as a platform for organic growth and further acquisitions in the UK," said Gustav Line.

The second quarter 2024 report and presentation materials are enclosed.

WEBCAST PRESENTATION

Investors, analysts, and journalists are welcome to join an English-language webcast presentation of the report today, Tuesday 27 August 2024, at 08:00 CET.

Webcast link: https://channel.royalcast.com/hegnarmedia/#!/hegnarmedia/20240827_2

Presenters: CEO Gustav Line and CFO Kjartan B

Viewers are welcome to submit written questions through the webcast player during and after the presentation. A recording of the presentation will be available on the same link and at https://smartcraft.com/investor-relations/ immediately after the live stream is concluded.

DISCLOSURE REGULATION

This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

CONTACTS

Gustav Line, CEO, +47 952 67 104, gustav.line@smartcraft.com

Kjartan B, CFO, +47 410 27 000, kjartan.bo@smartcraft.com

ABOUT SMARCRAFT

SmartCraft is the leading Nordic provider of mission-critical SaaS solutions to SMEs in the construction sector, increasing their productivity, margins, and resource efficiency. The Group currently has more than 13 300 customers and 260 employees distributed across Norway, Sweden, Finland and UK. SmartCraft was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in June 2021.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Public/22283/4028802/b746d509a5ed1b45.pdf SmartCraft ASA Q2 2024 presentation https://mb.cision.com/Public/22283/4028802/90343ac3466e6ba9.pdf SmartCraft ASA Q2 2024 report

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PRESS RELEASE

Alex Bastian joins Memo Therapeutics AG as VP Commercial Strategy

Seasoned commercial leader with significant international experience

Joins ahead of lead development candidate Potravitug entering Phase III trial

Schlieren / Zurich, Switzerland, 27 August, 2024 - Memo Therapeutics AG(or "MTx"), a late-stage biotech company translating unique human immune responses into superior medicines to treat viral infections and cancer, today announces that Alex Bastian has joined the Company as VP Commercial Strategy.

Alex Bastian is an experienced commercial leader in the biotech sector. Most recently he was VP Commercial & Patient Access at AM-Pharma, where he led market access for an innovative in-hospital therapy for acute kidney injury.

Prior to joining AM-Pharma, Alex was VP, Head of Value & Market Access at Galapagos where he led the creation of a global function for market access, health economics, and policy, built the team and launched a product in a competitive and dynamic therapy area. He previously held various senior roles in big pharma including at Incyte Consulting in both Europe and the US.

Erik van den Berg, CEO of MTx, commented: "Alex joins us at an exciting time as we progress towards initiating a Phase III trial in kidney transplant patients with BK virus infection ahead of commercial launch. We are delighted to bolster our in-house expertise with such a high calibre individual and on behalf of the senior leadership team I warmly welcome Alex to the company."

Alex Bastian, VP Commercial Strategy at MTx, added: "With a best and first-in-class antibody for BK viremia, MTx offers new hope for patients with no effective treatment options. I am excited to join a company with such a promising asset alongside a powerful technology platform and I look forward to working with the team."

Alex is completing a Doctor of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, US. He has an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a BA from the University of Minnesota, US.

In May, MTx announced that it had raised an additional CHF 20 million, bringing in new investors Ysios Capital and Kurma Partners and increasing its Series C financing to CHF 45 million. In July, the Company announced the appointment of Paul Carter as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. Paul has as had an extensive executive career in the international biopharma space, including over 10 years of commercial experience working in the virology field at Gilead Sciences.

-Ends-

Contacts Memo Therapeutics AG info@memo-therapeutics.com (mailto:info@memo-therapeutics.com) ICR Consilium Amber Fennell, Ashley Tapp memotx@consilium-comms.com (mailto:memotx@consilium-comms.com) +44 (0)20 3709 5700

About Memo Therapeutics AG

Memo Therapeutics AG ("MTx") is a late-stage biotech company translating unique human immune responses into superior medicines through the development of best-in-class antibodies to treat viral infections and cancer. The Company's lead program, Potravitug, is in Phase II development targeting BK viremia in kidney transplant recipients, an infection which can result in decreased kidney functionality and longevity and reduced patient survival. Potravitug has the potential to become the best and first-in-class BKV disease-modifying therapy for kidney transplant patients with a market potential of more than $1bn.

Alongside Potravitug, MTx is focused on discovering novel oncology targets, both alone and in partnership. The Company has had a partnership in place with Ono Pharmaceutical since late 2022. Underpinning MTx's core assets is its proprietary DROPZYLLA technology, an antibody repertoire copying engine with high- throughput screening capabilities. MTx is a private company located in Schlieren / Zurich and backed by investors including Ysios Capital, Kurma Partners, Pureos Bioventures, Swisscanto, Vesalius Biocapital and Adjuvant Capital. Learn more at www.memo-therapeutics.com, and on LinkedIn.
New Research Finds Ransomware Remains a Mission Critical Issue as 61% of Companies Deal with at Least 24 Hours of Downtime Following an Attack

Onapsis, the global leader in business-critical application security, today announced new research investigating how enterprises are experiencing and managing ransomware attacks: ERP Security in the Age of AI-Enhanced Ransomware. The results drew on insights from 500 cybersecurity practitioners, manager and above, at enterprise organizations with 500 or more employees across the UK and DACH.

The research found that ransomware is an all-too-common occurrence: 83% of organizations have experienced at least one ransomware attack in the last year, 46% of respondents experienced four or more and 14% indicated they experienced 10 or more. Of those respondents who experienced at least one ransomware attack in the last year, 61% said it resulted in downtime of at least 24 hours.

Enterprises Can't Rely on the Integrated Security of ERP Solutions

Of those organizations that experienced ransomware attacks, 89% said their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications and systems were affected by the attack at least once. The majority of respondents realize this is a business-critical issue with 93% of respondents agreeing it's necessary to have a dedicated ERP security solution.

Growing Concern Amid AI-Enabled Threats and Impact of ERP Disruptions

According to Gartner, AI-enhanced malicious attacks was the top most commonly cited concern in the first quarter of 2024 based on the research firm's emerging risk rankings.*

"While the volume of these attacks isn't surprising, the increasing impact to ERP applications is notable and it will only get worse amidst AI-enabled threats," said Mariano Nunez, CEO of Onapsis. "This is a reflection of ransomware actors realizing that disrupting ERP and business-critical applications gives them the most leverage, as downtime is measured in millions of dollars per hour at large organizations. The research is also very clear in that generic security solutions on the market are falling short. Enterprises need a purpose-built, comprehensive solution that protects their mission-critical ERP platforms from this increasing threat."

A View into how Companies are Handling Ransomware

When asked if they communicated with the threat actor executing the ransomware attack, the majority (69%) said yes. As for whether organizations are paying the ransom, respondents were split with 34% paying every time, 21% paying only some of the time and 45% never paying. Many organizations are turning to outside support to help manage ransomware with 83% of respondents who paid the ransom at least once, saying they have worked with a ransomware broker.

Ransomware has become so prevalent and problematic, 96% of organizations realized they've needed to make changes to their security strategy. When asked how ransomware has influenced their cybersecurity investment:

57% invested in new solutions

54% invested in employee training

53% added more cybersecurity staff internally

36% hired an outside threat research team

To view the full data, visit: ERP Security in the Age of AI-Enhanced Ransomware

Methodology

The survey was conducted among 500 Cybersecurity DMs, Manager and above from organisations with 500+ employees across UK and DACH. The interviews were conducted online by Sapio Research in June and July 2024 using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. Sample was selected from Online partner panels.

*Gartner Press Release, Gartner Survey Shows AI-Enhanced Malicious Attacks Are a New Top Emerging Risk for Enterprises, May 22, 2024.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Onapsis

Onapsis protects the business applications that run the global economy. The Onapsis Platform delivers vulnerability management, change assurance, and continuous compliance for business applications from leading vendors such as SAP, Oracle, and others. The Onapsis Platform is powered by the Onapsis Research Labs, the team responsible for the discovery and mitigation of more than 1,000 zero-day vulnerabilities in business applications.

Connect with Onapsis on LinkedIn, X, or visit https://www.onapsis.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827395975/en/

Contacts:

10Fold Communications

Onapsis@10Fold.com
The Stock Spirits Group has committed to reducing its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 42% and by minimum 20% scope 3[1] by 2030 as part of its revised Sustainability

Strategy built on the pillars of People, Planet, Processes. To support the implementation of the strategy, the Group announced a number of intermediate, specific and measurable commitments for each of the three pillars.

The Group has also published a Sustainability Report for 2023 to detail the measures taken to reduce environmental impact, a renewed governance model, ways to support local communities and create the best possible working conditions for employees.

WARSAW, Poland, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Sustainability Strategy is a response to strong consumer demand for sustainable products and practices during a time of global challenges like the climate crisis, water scarcity, societal changes and public health issues. Stock Spirits Group aspires to be a driver of positive change in those areas it can influence, and the new Sustainability Strategy reflects this desire - it is an integral part of the Group ambition and business strategy. Stock Spirits Group developed the People, Planet, Processes Strategy to be aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has also signed a commitment letter with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Renewed Sustainability Strategy

The new Sustainability Strategy is based on three pillars: People, Planet, Process. Each pillar has its own defined focus areas and measurable commitments for the period 2025-2030[2].

In PEOPLE pillar company focuses on commitments in the areas of Health and safety, Responsible alcohol consumption and Equal treatment and inclusive organisation.

In the pillar of PLANET the Group defined its commitments in the areas of GHG Emissions reduction, Materials and packaging, Water and energy use, Responsible farming and sourcing of raw materials.

In the pillar of PROCESSES Stock Spirits Group focuses on the areas of Transparent business conduct and Cybersecurity and data protection.

Sustainability Report 2023

In addition to the People, Planet, Processes Strategy, Stock Spirits Group is publishing its Sustainability Report. In 2023, the Group made significant strides in sustainable development, completing key projects like the construction of a state-of-the-art distillery in Lublin, Poland, an investment of EUR 50 million. In September 2023, the company completed four strategic acquisitions: Clan Campbell Scotch whisky and Dugas in France, Polmos Bielsko - Biala in Poland and Borco (now Stock Spirits GmbH) in Germany. These moves have strengthened the Group's position in Europe - now the fourth position in terms of value and volume market shares in 2023[3] in Europe - and have paved the way to drive sustainable practices wherever it is present.

The Group's commitment to sustainability has been recognised with an EcoVadis Silver Medal, placing it in the top 9% of the spirits industry globally. The Group aspires to attain a Platinum Medal by 2027.

Reflecting on the new Sustainability Strategy and Sustainability Report, Jean-Christophe Coutures, CEO of Stock Spirits Group summarised the Group's progress: "The year 2023 marked a dynamic transformation of our business and significant progress in our sustainability efforts. We have undertaken numerous projects that will enable us to fulfil the commitments outlined in our revised Sustainability Strategy 'People, Planet, Processes'. One of our standout achievements in 2023 was the completion of a cutting-edge distillery in Lublin. Due to its efficiency and the way it enables us to control quality, it is one of the most modern in Europe.

We are proud to be a signatory of the commitment letter of the Science Based Targets initiative. One of our ambitions is to cut GHG emissions in scope 1 and 2 by 42% and in scope 3 by minimum 20%by 2030. We also regularly undergo external assessments by EcoVadis. Our efforts were recognised with a Silver Medal in 2023 and our goal is to attain the Platinum Medal by 2027.

Our ambition is to lead ESG activities in Central Europe and make sustainability a key contributor to our competitiveness and differentiation across Europe. I am convinced that only those companies that

develop in a sustainable and transparent way can build a long-term future and enjoy the trust of their stakeholders."

Here are links to the Stock Spirits Group Sustainability Strategy and Sustainability Report for 2023.

About Stock Spirits Group visit www.stockspirits.com

[1] By 2025, we will set a scope 3 intensity-based reduction target, which is equivalent to approximately a 20%1 absolute reduction in Scope 3 emissions. The final reduction targets will be submitted for SBTi validation in 2025. 20% absolute reduction does not consider the Lublin distillery, Poland and acquisitions.

[2] The declared years for reaching ESG targets refer to Stock Spirits Group's fiscal year, October-September. The Group fiscal year 2023 covers the period from 01/10/2022 to 30/09/2023.

[3] IWSR total 2023, spirits only, Europe excluding Ireland and UK.

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Aftermarket Division of Tenneco Making Bold Moves to Support Growth Goals of European Distributors, Wholesalers and Vehicle Service Businesses

KONTICH, Belgium, Aug. 27, 2024, the global aftermarket business group of Tenneco, will unveil a series of brand enhancements as well as significant product range expansions by several of its storied brands during Automechanika 2024, September 10-14 in Frankfurt, Germany. Company executives will share these achievements during a September 11 press conference, and customers can learn more by visiting the DRiV exhibit, located in Hall 4.0, C31 of Messe Frankfurt.



Established in 2019, DRiV is one of the world's premier partners to replacement parts distributors and wholesalers, engine rebuilders and vehicle service and repair businesses. DRiV is home to 31 of the industry's most trusted brands, including Monroe, MOOG, Ferodo, Champion, Walker, and Wagner, as well as a family of six leading "Engine Expertise" brands. DRiV employs approximately 9,000 professionals worldwide and operates a network of 20 engineering and technical centers and 29 distribution facilities.

"It is now five years since we established DRiV to combine the power of our unparalleled family of brands with entirely new levels of product innovation, coverage, convenience, support for aftermarket customers," said Jean Francois Bouveyron, DRiV EMEA Vice President and General Manager, Tenneco. "Industry professionals attending Automechanika 2024 will see we not only continue to deliver these competitive benefits but are making bold moves to help our customers thrive over the long-term in a fast-changing market."

DRiV's Automechanika 2024 announcements will include:

Significant enhancements to the DRiV corporate brand identity and positioning.

corporate brand identity and positioning. Introduction of a comprehensive, high-volume range of components under DRiV's globally respected Wagner brand.

brand. Launch of additional product offers and extensions to serve light vehicles and commercial vehicles, from Monroe , one of the global automotive industry's best known and one of the most trusted brands.

, one of the global automotive industry's best known and one of the most trusted brands. Relaunch of the MOOG brand and product range, including a new focus on product innovations that help mechanics save time and prevent comebacks.

brand and product range, including a new focus on product innovations that help mechanics save time and prevent comebacks. A comprehensive new product range from Walker , a trusted original equipment partner in exhaust systems.

, a trusted original equipment partner in exhaust systems. Introduction of next generation digital information and support capabilities serving customers of DRiV's Engine Expertise brands - AE, FP Diesel, Glyco, Goetze, Nural, and Payen.

Visitors to the DRiV exhibit also can learn how the company's Garage Gurustechnical training and online knowledge platform is helping mechanics, service writers, engine builders and students become increasingly proficient in diagnosing and repairing a full range of complex vehicle systems.

"Everyone who connects with our team at Automechanika will discover that we are dramatically accelerating our pace of innovation, new-part introductions and customer service, support and value - all to help the industry and our business partners achieve their growth objectives," said Massi Milani, Executive Director, Product, Pricing and Marketing EMEA, DRiV. "We are absolutely committed to being the best possible partner to every aftermarket customer, whether they are a parts distribution network or a small, family-run workshop. We believe there is a bold, bright future in this industry for all."

About Tenneco

Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers, and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers. Through our DRiV, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain business groups, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket.

Visit www.tenneco.comto learn more.

CONTACT:

Simonetta Esposito

Global Communications

Tenneco

sesposito@driv.com

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Three Trusts partner for shared EPR to improve interoperability, safety, and care delivery

The Norfolk and Waveney Acute Hospital Collaborative has officially launched its clinical transformation project, partnering with MEDITECH to implement a single instance of MEDITECH's Expanse electronic patient record (EPR) across all three Trusts. The digital programme was established to provide "better joined-up care" through a shared record, and is the largest initiative the Trusts have undertaken together.

The collaborative, formed of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (JPUH), and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEHKL), selected MEDITECH Expanse as the foundation platform to support its interoperability, safety, and patient engagement initiatives. The Trusts see this project as transformational in their ability to deliver exceptional patient care by providing staff with accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible patient information.

Alice Webster, Chief Executive Officer at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn and Senior Responsible Officer for the EPR Programme said: "This transformative initiative will empower our healthcare professionals to deliver exceptional patient care by providing them with accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible patient information. We believe this investment in digital innovation will greatly enhance our ability to meet the healthcare needs of our community now and in the future."

Implementing Expanse will establish one digital health record for each patient accessible across all three acute Trusts, enabling seamless transitions between settings and providing the care team with a more complete patient history. MEDITECH will host the Trusts' Expanse acute and outpatient EPR on its cloud-hosted model, including advanced solutions like Oncology, Business and Clinical Analytics, Labor and Delivery, and Surveillance.

"This EPR system will form the backbone of our electronic clinical data systems and open the door for our staff and patients to access the benefits that artificial intelligence and other technologies bring," says Dr Ed Prosser-Snelling, Chief Digital Information Officer and EPR Senior Responsible Officer at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals.

To improve patient engagement and communication across their communities, the Trusts will also introduce MEDITECH's Expanse Patient Portal that will serve as a digital front door. The portal will enable patients to self-schedule appointments, monitor test results, and message clinicians.

"The implementation of an Electronic Patient Record system is a critical initiative that will revolutionise the way patient information is managed and shared across the three acute Trusts," said Mr Vivek Chitre, Chief Medical Officer and EPR Senior Responsible Officer at James Paget University Hospitals. "It will improve safety, efficiency, and the overall experience for our patients and their families."

The new Expanse EPR will replace a combination of paper-based records and software currently used by the Trusts. To assist with the implementation and engage staff in the project, the three hospitals have established a Change Network team which will help standardise workflows, test the technology, and facilitate ongoing internal support for the transformation.

"We are honoured to partner with the Norfolk and Waveney Acute Hospital Collaborative on this impressive clinical project," said Executive General Manager for MEDITECH UK and Ireland Charlotte Scott. "The Trusts have a large and diverse patient population that will benefit significantly from the implementation of Expanse. The result will be safer, more efficient, and integrated care that facilitates better outcomes."

MEDITECH Executive Vice President and COO Helen Waters views MEDITECH's continued growth in the UK as confirmation of the successful innovation the Expanse platform has driven globally.

"MEDITECH has a longstanding history in the UK, and we welcome the profound transformation that healthcare delivery is currently undergoing in this region," she says. "With Expanse, we are well positioned to support customers' needs across diverse environments, from large NHS Trusts and universities to specialty hospitals and the private sector. We look forward to partnering with The Norfolk and Waveney Acute Hospital Collaborative and leveraging their commitment to innovation to enable next-level care."

Read the recent news on how NHS Trusts are using MEDITECH's EPR and securing top scores on the Digital Maturity Assessment.

About MEDITECH

For over 30 years, MEDITECH systems have been deployed in numerous private healthcare facilities and NHS Trusts throughout the UK, including university, paediatric, women and cancer centre speciality Trusts. We empower healthcare organisations to expand their vision of what's possible with Expanse, the world's most intelligent EPR platform. Expanse positions organisations for the next digital era and answers the demands of an overburdened workforce: personalised workflows, intuitive functionality, interoperable systems, and innovative AI applications, all working together to drive better outcomes. Follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, and visit: ehr.meditech.com/global/meditech-uk-ireland.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827057964/en/

Contacts:

Jason Patnode

Manager, Content, Branding, and Digital Marketing

MEDITECH

781-774-5746

jpatnode@meditech.com
euNetworks Group Holdings Limited ("euNetworks"), a Western European bandwidth infrastructure company, today announced that it has closed on a 2.1 billion equity recapitalisation. Leading investors in the recap included a Stonepeak managed vehicle anchored by Mercer and Aware Super, and direct investments from the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario ("IMCO") and APG Asset Management ("APG").The equity commitments follow the company's recent debt refinancing announced in June and together will further euNetworks' momentum as the company continues to scale and execute against its strategic priorities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827800500/en/

Kevin Dean, Interim Chief Executive of euNetworks (Photo: Business Wire)

euNetworks builds and invests in city and long haul fibre networks to connect key European data centres and data hubs. The company owns and operates deep fibre networks in 18 cities, as well as a highly differentiated long haul network that spans 45,000 route kilometres across 17 countries. euNetworks leads the data centre connectivity market in Europe, directly connecting more than 542 data centres today, and is well positioned to continue advancing its leadership position in the rapidly evolving connectivity and bandwidth infrastructure space as data centre needs continue to grow.

Kevin Dean, Interim Chief Executive of euNetworks, said, "Our successful debt refinancing and equity recapitalisation underscores the robust value proposition and fundamental infrastructure delivered by euNetworks. We've had a fantastic partnership with Stonepeak and IMCO since 2018 along with our other investors, and we extend our gratitude to them for their unwavering support. The combination of Stonepeak, IMCO, APG, Mercer and Aware Super coming together as the new euNetworks represents a very strong opportunity for our customers, our people, our partners and the communities in which we operate. We're very proud of what we've achieved and are excited for the future, continuing to construct and deliver Europe's future critical infrastructure with our customers and our long-term committed investors."

Cyrus Gentry, Managing Director at Stonepeak, said, "Since 2018, we have partnered with an industry-leading platform in euNetworks, which is leading the way in sustainably developing the next generation of essential bandwidth infrastructure in Europe. We'd like to thank the entire management team for their significant contributions during this period particularly Brady Rafuse and Paula Cogan, who have led the business through many phases of its evolution. We look forward to stewarding the next chapter of euNetworks' growth alongside our new partners."

Arjan Reinders, Head of Infrastructure Europe at APG, said, "We are impressed by euNetworks' focus on sustainable growth and providing high quality connectivity solutions to its customers on a pan-European level. We are thrilled to be entering into this partnership, on behalf of our pension fund client ABP and Asset Owner Partners, and we are eager to work closely with the euNetworks team as they continue to develop and further their strategic vision."

Matthew Mendes, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure, IMCO, said, "As an investor in euNetworks since 2018, we take great pride in contributing to its growth and working with its high calibre management team to help the company achieve a market leading position in Europe. Alongside our co-shareholders, we look forward to continuing our partnership with euNetworks as they focus on building the next generation of bandwidth network in Europe, connecting more data centres and key sites with fibre, and leading the industry in sustainability practices."

Mark Hector, Head of Infrastructure at Aware Super, said, "euNetworks' market-leading characteristics have contributed to its historical growth and we're excited to partner with our co-shareholders to empower the euNetworks team to capture the strong industry tailwinds arising out of the acceleration in AI innovation and adoption. This is also a strong opportunity for us to further diversify our global digital infrastructure holdings into Europe."

J.P. Morgan acted as sole financial advisor to euNetworks. Simpson Thacher Bartlett LLP and Campbell Lutyens acted respectively as legal counsel and financial advisor to Stonepeak. UBS and Baker McKenzie acted respectively as financial and legal advisors to APG. Gowling WLG acted as legal counsel to IMCO.

About euNetworks

euNetworks is a critical bandwidth infrastructure company, owning and operating 18 fibre-based metropolitan networks connected with a high capacity intercity backbone covering 53 cities in 17 countries across Europe. The company leads the market in data centre connectivity, directly connecting over 542 today. euNetworks is also a leading cloud connectivity provider and offers a targeted portfolio of metropolitan and long haul services including Dark Fibre, Wavelengths, and Ethernet. Wholesale, finance, content, media, mobile, data centre and enterprise customers benefit from euNetworks' unique inventory of fibre and duct based assets that are tailored to fulfil their high bandwidth needs.

The company delivers services with an active commitment to sustainability and is focused on its path to being carbon emissions net zero, environmentally responsible supply chain management and working as a community and industry to collaborate on the environmental challenges ahead. For further information visit eunetworks.com.

About Stonepeak

Stonepeak is a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets with approximately $71.2 billion of assets under management. Through its investment in defensive, hard-asset businesses globally, Stonepeak aims to create value for its investors and portfolio companies, with a focus on downside protection and strong risk-adjusted returns. Stonepeak, as sponsor of private equity and credit investment vehicles, provides capital, operational support, and committed partnership to grow investments in its target sectors, which include communications, energy and energy transition, transport and logistics, and real estate. Stonepeak is headquartered in New York with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, London, Singapore, and Sydney. For more information, please visit www.stonepeak.com.

About APG

As the largest pension provider in the Netherlands, APG manages the pensions of 4.6 million Dutch participants with approximately 577 billion of assets under management (as of June 2024). APG Infrastructure has invested 30 billion over 50 investments in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific, across sectors including energy, telecom, transportation and social infrastructure. With approximately 4,000 employees globally, APG works from Heerlen, Amsterdam, Brussels, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information, please visit our website: www.apg.nl.

About IMCO

The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) manages $77.4 billion of assets on behalf of our clients. Designed exclusively to drive better investment outcomes for Ontario's broader public sector, IMCO operates under an independent, not-for-profit, cost recovery structure. We provide leading investment management services, including portfolio construction advice, better access to a diverse range of asset classes and sophisticated risk management capabilities. As one of Canada's largest institutional investors, we invest around the world and execute large transactions efficiently. Our scale gives clients access to a well-diversified global portfolio, including sought-after private and alternative asset classes. Follow us on LinkedIn and X @imcoinvest.

About Aware Super

Aware Super is one of Australia's top-performing and largest profit-for-member super funds with a core objective of delivering the strongest risk-adjusted returns for its 1.1 million members. Our Australian and London-based investment teams currently originate and manage A$180 billion AUM on behalf of our members with a projected growth target of A$250 billion AUM in the next few years. As one of the top 50 institutional investors globally, we typically take an active management approach across alternative assets, including infrastructure, real estate and private equity, and additionally allocate to liquid markets. Returns for our A$18.6 billion infrastructure portfolio are driven by a globally-diversified program which captures global trends in demography, sustainability and technology to achieve a broad universe of assets. For more information, visit www.aware.com.au or follow us on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827800500/en/

Contacts:

euNetworks

Hannah Britt

hannah.britt@eunetworks.com

+44 7717 896 446

Stonepeak

Kate Beers Maya Brounstein

corporatecomms@stonepeak.com

+1 (646) 540-5225



APG

Robert Bakker

robert.bakker@apg.nl

31 6 4629 6189

IMCO

Annette Robertson

annette.robertson@imcoinvest.com

1 (437) 233 3971

Aware Super

Sara Bradford

sara.bradford@aware.com.au

61 (04)478405382
Former U.S. senator and University of Florida President Ben Sasse issued a lengthy response on Friday, addressing accusations that he channeled millions of university dollars to his GOP allies while serving in the leadership role.

In his 1,700-word response on X posted Friday, Sasse denied any inappropriate spending during his brief tenure as president.

"Many have asked whether it's true if UF over the last couple years had inappropriate spending. No, it's not true - but it is a duty to transparently address folks' concerns, both because fiscal stewardship is a fundamental obligation of public institutions," he wrote.

Sasse highlighted several projects initiated under his leadership, including the development of new institutions and campuses, the hiring of additional faculty, the creation of a data analytics unit to enhance student services and course scheduling, and the reform of the core curriculum.

"With each new initiative comes new staff - and new investment expenditures," Sasse said, while acknowledging that not all newly hired staff relocated to Florida. "I persuaded almost a dozen folks who had worked with me in one or more of my last three jobs, both in and out of politics, to join in this important work - as basically all arriving CEOs do."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for an investigation Thursday into Sasse's spending following reports from the Independent Florida Alligator, the university's student newspaper, that he hired his GOP allies into prominent positions and paid them unusually high salaries.

During his 17-month tenure as UF president, Sasse allegedly increased his office's spending to $17.3 million in his first year - more than triple the $5.6 million spent in the final year of his predecessor, Kent Fuchs.

New hires included Raymond Sass, a former Senate chief of staff, who was appointed UF's vice president for innovation and partnerships with a salary of $396,000; James Wegmann, a former Senate communications director, who took on the role of vice president of communications with a salary of $432,000; and Taylor Silva, a former Senate press secretary, who was named assistant vice president of presidential communications and public affairs with a salary of $232,000.

While he didn't address specific hires, Sasse noted, "Some of our new hires took pay cuts because they wanted to join this cause; others of them got pay raises because they are super-talented folks who had competing opportunities and offers."

Sasse ultimately welcomed an audit of the expenses but insisted his budget underwent the "appropriate approval process."

Sasse resigned from his leadership position last month to focus on his family following his wife's epilepsy diagnosis. The former Nebraska senator served as president for less than two years, and had said he plans to transition to a teaching and advisory role at the school.
The car sharing telematics market is growing due to increasing demand for efficient urban mobility solutions, rising environmental awareness, and advancements in IoT technology.

WILMINGTON, Del., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Car Sharing Telematics Market by Service (Automatic Crash Notification, Emergency, Navigation, Assistance & Access, Diagnostics, Fleet Management, Billing and Others), Business Model (Subscription-based Model, Pay per use Model, Corporate Fleet Management, Partnerships with OEMs and Others), Form (Embedded, Tethered and Integrated), and Component (GPS Receiver, Accelerometer, Engine Interface, Sim Card, Software and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the car-sharing telematics market was valued at $259.3 million in 2023, and is estimated to reach $872.8 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2024 to 2033.

Prime determinants of growth

Growing environment concerns and increasing urbanization are two prime factors driving the growth of global car sharing telematics market. Furthermore, high investment cost and data privacy issues are two significant factors restraining the growth of global car sharing telematics market. Moreover, integration with mobile applications factor provides an important opportunity for the growth of global car sharing telematics market.

Request Sample of the Report on Car Sharing Telematics Market Forecast 2033: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A238778

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2024-2033 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $259.3 million Market Size in 2033 $872.8 million CAGR 13.2 % No. of Pages in Report 454 Segments Covered Service, Business Model, Form, Component and Region. Drivers Growing environmental concerns Increasing urbanization Opportunities Integration with mobile applications Restraint High investment cost Data privacy issues

Procure Complete Report (454 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/car-sharing-telematics-market-A238778

Segment Highlights

Based on service, the fleet management segment dominated the market in 2023. This is because fleet management solutions are essential for car-sharing operators to track and monitor their vehicles in real time, optimize routes, manage vehicle maintenance, and ensure efficient operations. Meanwhile, the automatic crash notification (ACN) is expected to grow at an increasing rate in the market. This is because automatic crash notification is crucial for ensuring the well-being of car-sharing users. The automatic crash notification is not directly related to hardware. Integrating ACN capabilities into telematics hardware can enhance the safety and security of shared vehicles, making it an important consideration for car-sharing operators.

By business model, the subscription-based model segment dominated the market in 2023, as it involves users paying a recurring fee for access to the car-sharing service, which often includes the cost of telematics hardware and services. Meanwhile, the pay-per-use model is expected to grow at a significant rate in the market, as this model is attractive to occasional users and those who prefer a more cost-effective option compared to traditional car ownership.

Based on form, the embedded segment dominated the market in 2023. This is because embedded telematics systems are integrated directly into the vehicle during the manufacturing process, providing seamless connectivity and functionality. Meanwhile, the tethered and integrated segments are expected to grow at a significant rate as it offer upfront costs and easier retrofitting for existing vehicles,

Based on component, the GPS receiver segment dominated the market in 2023. This is because it enables fleet managers to monitor vehicle movements, optimize routing, and ensure efficient allocation of resources. GPS technology also plays a vital role in enhancing the security of shared vehicles by enabling features such as geofencing and stolen vehicle recovery. Meanwhile, the software segment is expected to grow at a significant rate in the market. This is because fleet management software facilitates vehicle tracking, reservation management, billing, and customer support. Advanced analytics software enables operators to derive insights from telematics data, optimize fleet utilization, and improve operational efficiency.

Regional Outlook

Based on region, the North America region dominated the market in 2023. This is due to the region's strong infrastructure, technological advancements, and high adoption rates of car-sharing services, contributing to the leadership in this market segment. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at an increasing rate. This is due to growing automotive technology startups in the region.

To Talk With Our Industry Expert @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/A238778

Key Market Players:

Cal/Amp

Geotab Inc.

Invers GmbH

Octo Group Spa

Ridecell Inc.

Samsara Inc.

Verizon

Vulog

Mobility Tech Green

Targa Telematic

Openfleet

WeGo BV

Fleester

MoC Sharing

Convadis AG

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global car-sharing telematics market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches and partnerships 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 Developments:

In June 2022, Samsara Incorporation partnered with Free2move, a global provider of linked data, fleet, and mobility services, a division of Stellantis and formed a new solution. Through the new solution customers have access to Stellantis embedded telemetry data, including GPS location, engine hours, fuel consumption, and tire pressure.

In September 2023, Thrifty Car & Van Rental Company launched Flexi Connect solution. It gives companies access to a fleet of long-term rental cars that individual employees can reserve for as minimum as 15 minutes at a time and get rapid access via a secure radio frequency identification (RFID) card or a mobile smartphone.

In June 2022, Geotab, a leader in the world of IoT and connected transportation solutions, partnered with Renault to integrate its My Geo tab fleet management platform with the telematics capabilities of Renault cars. This strategy was implemented to help the fleet managers to take educated decisions and offer connectivity solutions to fleets of any size.

In May 2024, Invers GmbH launched fleet guard solution for theft and joyride detection in car sharing. Fleet Guard is a software-only product that uses high-quality real-time vehicle data from CloudBoxx. CloudBoxx is a car sharing telematics unit that is trusted by many users.

In October 2023, OCTO Telematics entered into a partnership with Flexcar, the smart alternative to car ownership, focused on adding OCTO's connected vehicle capabilities to Flexcar's fleet across the United States. Flexcar wants to make sure that its cars are always being checked for the best possible condition and that OCTO can help out in the case of an accident.

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Coppell, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Last month, the ACT test shared that major format changes will arrive in spring of 2025. In response, KD College Prep (KD) soon announced its plans to adapt curriculum and practice tests to prepare students for this new testing experience.

KD College Prep Announces Plans to Adapt to Recent ACT Changes

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"We were one of the first companies in the nation to develop and utilize updated curriculum and digital practice tests for the recent changes to the SAT test format. We are doing the same for the new ACT changes. Our students will have a considerable runway to be ready for the revised ACT format," said KD CEO David Dillard.

KD's curriculum team has already started working on updated curriculum materials that will prepare students for ACT test changes. While the current curriculum will still prepare students for the changes, KD will soon provide updated bonus lessons that will more closely simulate what students will encounter starting in Spring 2025. The company also plans to develop new digital practice tests as more details about the new ACT test format become available.

In addition, Complete Test Prep students will have the opportunity to attend college planning seminars in early 2025. During these sessions, KD advisors will explain the specifics regarding test changes and provide additional guidance for how to adequately prepare.

The changes announced by ACT, Inc. last month will result in a "core" test with 44 fewer questions and more time per question, and students will now have the option to choose whether to take the science section of the test. There are no known plans to convert the ACT test to an adaptive format, like what students now experience with the SAT test.

Dillard said the new ACT test will feel more similar to the digital SAT test. KD's recommendation remains the same-if timing allows, students should plan to take both admissions tests.

"Allow yourself time to discover your 'best test,'" Dillard said. "We have always found that some student's natural aptitudes, or style preferences for either the SAT or ACT test format provides a natural advantage with one test or the other."

SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board. ACT is the registered trademark of ACT, Inc. KD College Prep has no affiliation with these institutions and is not approved or endorsed by them.

CONTACT: Name: David Dillard Organization: KD College Prep Address: 621 TX 121 Suite 450 Coppell, TX 75019, United States Phone: (972) 906-8825. Website: https://kdcollegeprep.com/act-changes-coming-2025/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221091

SOURCE: Plentisoft
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei and Vodacom Tanzania have joined forces to launch the DigiTruck initiative to provide digital education and skills for people in Tanzania.

The initiative will complement the government of Tanzania's vision of fostering innovation, inclusion, and sustainable development through the use of digital technologies.

The launch was officiated by Hon. Doto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, who was joined by Hon. Jerry William Silaa, Minister of Information Communication and Information Technology; H.E. Amb. Chen Mingjian, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Tanzania; and other distinguished guests from both the public and private sectors.

"I am honored to be here representing the President of the United Republic of Tanzania on this monumental occasion. I congratulate Huawei and Vodacom for this profound initiative that will greatly complement the government's digitization efforts. Data clearly indicates that as a nation we have work to do in bridging the digital divide and improving digital literacy levels. It is evident that both the government and private sector players have to come together to address this challenge. Ours is a big country, therefore I invite Huawei and its partners to consider adding more DigiTrucks so as to reach more people and expedite the digital revolution in Tanzania," said Hon. Doto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy in Tanzania.

The Hon. Jerry William Silaa, Minister of Information Communication and Information Technology, reiterated the urgent need for digital and financial literacy in Tanzania to allow the nation to catch up with the ongoing digital revolution.

"The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has placed significant emphasis on the use of ICT, including digital skills, as the foundation for the nation's development. We believe that the future of Tanzania lies in the hands of our youth, and providing them with the necessary digital skills is our top priority. In line with this, the government has initiated various programs, including policy interventions such as the 5 years National Digital Economy Strategy of 2024, aimed at enhancing digital skills across the country. The launch of this DigiTruck project, funded by Huawei and Vodacom, will help boost our national digital capacity and enable Tanzania to rise in global rankings," said Hon. Silaa.

The Tanzania DigiTruck program is designed to extend digital skills training to Tanzania's remote regions, especially youth and women. The initiative is part of Huawei's commitment to digital inclusion through the TECH4ALL program, which aims to drive equity and quality in education to benefit Tanzania's remote communities and underserved groups.

"Huawei and Vodacom's DigiTruck Project is not only a key initiative to continuously deepen the friendship and trust between the peoples of the two countries, but also a practical cooperation of promoting digital inclusion and sustainable development cooperation in the digital technologies domain, to realize the vision of Tanzania's digital transformation," said H.E. Amb. Chen Mingjian, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Tanzania.

The DigiTruck will drive across Tanzania, covering ten regions in the first year. It will leverage innovative ICT solutions to make quality education accessible to more people, especially students in remote areas. By the end of the second year, the aim is to cover the whole country and bring the benefits of digital education to thousands of Tanzanians. Both the Vodacom Tanzania and Huawei CEOs pledged to work together to make the project a real success story in Tanzania.

This launch follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 15, 2024 between the two companies, which paves the way to exploring opportunities for collaboration in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), engagement for startup acceleration, and digital skills.

As well as Tanzania, Huawei has run DigiTruck initiatives in 18 countries, benefiting more than 93,000 people across the world.

About Huawei TECH4ALL

TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to help promote inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.

For more information, please visit Huawei TECH4ALL website at

https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all

Follow us on Twitter at

x.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-and-vodacom-tanzania-launch-digitruck-program-to-drive-an-inclusive-and-sustainable-digital-tanzania-302231447.html
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Lenso.ai has launched a highly accurate, fast, and user-friendly facial recognition tool in collaboration with EyeMatch.ai. Both companies, specializing in machine learning and AI technologies, joined forces to develop a leading-edge facial recognition system. This new feature is now available for users to try on the lenso.ai website.





Lenso's face recognition used on an image of students

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Lenso's Road to Success

Lenso.ai, known for its reverse image search capabilities, has gained popularity for its remarkably accurate search results and distinctive features. The platform has recently expanded its offerings to include facial recognition, setting it apart from its competitors.

Previously, users could enjoy lenso's pattern and location recognition. The site allowed searches where users could upload any image to find similar, related, or identical images online - including matching exact buildings and other landmarks. Results could also be downloaded as CSV files or saved to collections within user's profiles.

In addition, lenso.ai offers an innovative filtering option that allows users to filter by domain - search on a specific website by entering its URL address - or by text - add a keyword to a search and search for more specific images. For example, adding the keyword "at night" to a landscape will return the results of images taken at that location at night.

Finally, lenso's sorting options allow users to sort images by newest, oldest, best or worst match, as well as randomize or shuffle images. These options make it easy to find both diverse results and exact matches, depending on the user's needs.

Face Recognition on Lenso.ai

Lenso.ai has now introduced a groundbreaking facial recognition tool, thanks to its collaboration with EyeMatch, a company specializing in face recognition technology. This new feature is available for everyone to try on the lenso.ai website.

Find any Face with Lenso

To use lenso's new facial recognition feature, visit the lenso.ai website and upload a clear image of a person. Then, if needed, select the area of the face and click "Expand" in the "People" category. The tool, which scans a large number of websites every day, is able to find almost any face online.





Lenso.ai's face recognition used on a picture of a woman

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Lenso.ai and EyeMatch Revolutionizing Facial Recognition

In the field of reverse image search tools, lenso.ai has achieved a significant milestone by introducing a revolutionary facial recognition feature. With this tool, it's now possible to discover images of people and faces that were long forgotten, as well as new images of specific individuals online.

Here is a simple tutorial on how to use lenso.ai on an iPhone to find people, places, duplicates and more:





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFn1bpoHFG0

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220912

SOURCE: Lenso AI SA
ODENSE, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Robots (UR), the Danish collaborative robot (cobot) company, recently asked 1,200 manufacturers across North America and Europe how they use technology and how they plan to invest for the future. In the survey more than 50% responded that they already harness artificial intelligence and machine learning in their production.

"AI isn't just hype," says Anders Billes Beck, Vice President for Strategy & Innovation at Universal Robots. "Though it may only have become a common topic of conversation within the last two years, AI and machine learning are now critical drivers of innovation and efficiency in today's manufacturing."

Looking forward, 48% of manufacturers plan to further invest in AI and machine learning by 2025, indicating that these technologies will continue to play a pivotal role in the future of manufacturing.

"We're experiencing a significant interest in physical AI. Our UR+ ecosystem keeps expanding and a key driver for this is the rapid increase in AI-applications and solutions coming from our partners, including our growing number of OEM partners, opening brand-new opportunities for customers," says Anders Billes Beck.

Other highlights

The survey shows the evolving importance of digitalization , with 47% of manufacturers currently using technologies like the Internet of Things, cloud computing and digital twins. These tools help manufacturers to optimize operations, reduce downtime, and save costs through simulations and predictive maintenance. This enables manufacturers to shift towards more resilient, high-mix production models that better meet market demands.

, with 47% of manufacturers currently using technologies like the Internet of Things, cloud computing and digital twins. These tools help manufacturers to optimize operations, reduce downtime, and save costs through simulations and predictive maintenance. This enables manufacturers to shift towards more resilient, high-mix production models that better meet market demands. Over 50% of respondents identify improving product quality, increasing productivity and enhancing accuracy as top reasons for embracing new technologies. Additionally, 30% of manufacturers are using technology to improve working conditions, and 26% are driven by sustainability goals.

While return on investment remains the primary concern for 32% of manufacturers, other factors such as usability, in-house expertise, safety, and potential disruptions are also significant (all around 20%).

Get the full insights from the survey here.

About the survey

With a confidence rate of 99%, the survey gathered responses from 1,195 participants from seven different countries in Europe and North America. The participants represented 569 large enterprises and 278 small and medium-sized companies. They come from various industries, primarily manufacturing, healthcare, food and beverage, and automotive.

Learn more about Universal Robots here.

Download pictures here.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/manufacturers-are-embracing-ai-reveals-survey-from-universal-robots-302231488.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE: BYRG) (OTC Pink: BYRRF) (FSE: O0K) ("Bayridge" or the "Company") has commenced Phase I exploration at the 11,142 ha Constellation uranium project in Canada's Athabasca Basin region.

The program will focus on prospecting and ground-truthing the magnetic and electromagnetic anomaly areas located during the Geotech heliborne VTEM program completed earlier in the spring (Figure 1). The objective of the program is to evaluate the anomalies in advance of H1 2025 drilling. Bayridge is fully funded to undertake both the surface exploration and an initial follow up drill campaign.

Figure 1 Constellation Project VTEM B-Field Z Component Channel 30, Time Gate 0.880 ms

(Electromagnetic anomalies are warm colors yellow through pink)

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"The preliminary VTEM results are encouraging and we anticipate the phase I program will enhance the magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies and generate drill targets for a H1 2025 drill program," commented President & CEO, Saf Dhillon. "Our treasury will allow us to undertake a Constellation drill program without further financing and dilution as we focus on making a basement-hosted uranium discovery in the area," he continued.

The Constellation property has favourable geology for basement-hosted unconformity-style uranium deposits. The regional geology and magnetics have defined structural lineaments trending NNW and ESE, which could represent structural conduits between the Archean granite inlier and graphitic metasediments that have been mapped on the property. These types of structural zones typically act as pathways for hydrothermal activity. Historical NE-trending conductors have also been outlined on the property but are under-explored and un-drilled. Strong EM conductors are proven targets associated with unconformity and basement-hosted uranium mineralization in and around the Athabasca Basin.1

Bayridge has the right to earn up to an 80% interest in Constellation through a series of cash payments, share issuances and exploration expenditures over the next 4 years. Constellation is located 60 km southwest of the Key Lake Mine, and is accessible via helicopter or float plane, with potential winter road access from Highway 914.

R. Tim Henneberry, P.Geo. (BC), and a Consultant and Advisor to the Company, is the Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

The Company also announces that Brian Thurston has resigned from its board of directors on August 22, 2024. The Company would like to thank Mr. Thurston for his contributions to the board and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

About Bayridge Resources Corp.

Bayridge Resources Corp. is a green energy company advancing its portfolio of Canadian uranium and lithium projects. The 1,337 ha Waterbury East project is located 25 km northeast of the Cigar Lake Mine in the northeastern Athabasca Basin region. Geophysical surveys have identified a 7km long conductivity corridor where mid-2000's drilling highlighted faulted and altered basement rock with local uranium enrichment. Large sections of this corridor remain untested. The 11,142 ha Constellation project is located 60 km south of the present-day Athabasca Basin edge in an area of significant exploration activity for basement hosted uranium. Historic airborne radiometric, electromagnetic, and magnetic surveys identified electromagnetic conductors associated with magnetic lows. The 4,413 ha Sharpe Lake project, located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario, hosts peraluminous S-type muscovite bearing pegmatite bearing granites in contact with metasediments. Preliminary sampling has highlighted anomalous rare-element values, potentially indicative of lithium mineralization.

Forward-looking information

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the Company's exploration and drill campaign plans at Constellation, enhanced magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies at Constellation, undertaking drilling at Constellation without additional financing or dilution and potential uranium and lithium discovery for the Company's projects. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.

________________________

1 The Company cautions that similar results on its Constellation Project are not implied.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221193

SOURCE: Bayridge Resources Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Exploits Discovery Corp. (CSE: NFLD) (OTCQB: NFLDF) (FSE: 634) ("Exploits" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from the remaining three diamond drill holes recently completed at the Saddle Zone situated within the Company's Bullseye property.

The Saddle Zone is in the vicinity of the Company's drill hole # BE-23-028, near the Appleton Fault Zone (AFZ) in Central Newfoundland. In 2023, Exploits' drilling program intersected several clusters of quartz veining within an 18 metre interval of core (refer to hole # BE-23-028 assays within a news release dated August 14, 2023). In June 2024, follow-up drilling encountered coarse visible gold in hole BE-24-015 which generated a 254.08 g/t Au intercept over a 0.8 m core sample (see Press Release dated July 15, 2024).

Drill holes BE-24-022 and 023 were designed to extend the mineralization intersected in hole BE-24-015 along strike and provide additional lateral continuity to the mineralized zone. BE-24-024 was designed to test the potential connection of the mineralization intersected in drill holes BE-24-013 and 014 with BE-24-015.

Highlights Include:

BE-24-022: Intersected 1.60 g/t Au over 2.05 m core-length, located at a vertical depth of approximately 73 m below surface. Including 1.26 g/t Au contribution from a 0.65 m sample Including 1.76 g/t Au contribution from a 1.40 m sample Intersected 3.92 g/t Au over 0.45 m core-length, located at a vertical depth of approximately 84 m below surface.





BE-24-024: Intersected 1.48 g/t Au over 0.65 m core-length, located at a vertical depth of approximately 165 m below surface. Intersected 3.68 g/t Au over 0.50 m core-length, located at a vertical depth of approximately 166 m below surface. Fine-grained visible gold noted.



Drill holes within the Saddle Zone are currently being surveyed by DGI Geoscience with their proprietary downhole Televiewer tool to assist with the final structural-orientation interpretation of this zone.





Current interpretation of 2023-2024 logging observations and these assay results suggest that the Saddle Zone remains open in all directions.

Jeff Swinoga, President and CEO, comments, "We are pleased that our Phase 3 drill program discovered a new gold zone which we have called Saddle. These remaining drill results confirm the gold mineralization system extends beyond the previously reported central high grade gold mineralization that reported initial results of 67.55 g/t gold over 3.3 metres.

Our all-local talented team are now focused on designing follow-up drill plans utilizing their logging insights coupled with downhole Televiewer data. Meanwhile, to the north, our till-sampling program at our large Gazeebow property is 80% complete. Results from this program are expected in the coming months. With 10 kms of claims on the Appleton Fault Zone, we remain well-funded with large supporting shareholders such as Eric Sprott and New Found Gold, our goal is to be the next large successful gold exploration company in the beautiful Province of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Figure 1: Plan map of Bullseye property; recent collars from drilling at the Saddle Zone are shown in red; previously released drill-collars shown in white.

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Figure 2: Simplified cross section (looking north) of drilling at the Saddle Zone. The plotted large discs with corresponding yellow text indicate assay values (Au g/t) from current release; white text are results from past 2024 releases. The smaller discs indicate previously released assay values encountered in drill hole BE-23-028.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Table 1: Select drill core assays. Additional samples are being collected.

2024 Bullseye Drilling - Selected Assays Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Vertical Depth (m) Below Surface Analysis Type Au Assay (ppb)* Au Assay (g/t) Au - Weighted Average Grade (g/t )* Comments

BE-24-022 94.00 94.65 0.65 ~73m Fire Assay 1,260.00 1.26 1.60 g/t Au / 2.05m

94.65 96.05 1.40 1,757.00 1.76

AND 111.85 112.30 0.45 ~84m Fire Assay 3,918.00 3.92





BE-24-023















NSV

BE-24-024 242.60 243.25 0.65 ~165m Screen-Met 1,475.00 1.48



AND 244.20 244.70 0.50 ~166m Screen-Met 3,684.00 3.68

VG NOTED

*Assays reported direct from lab certificate. Screen-Met samples are 'Weighted Averaged ppb' as calculated from lab **All intersections are core intervals and do not represent true thickness

Table 2: Drill collar data.

Bullseye - Collar Information for Reported Drill Holes

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation (m) Azimuth Dip Length (m) BE-24-022 659744 5430542 48 285 -50 243 BE-24-023 659753 5430542 49 255 -45 250 BE-24-024 659761 5430561 48 295 -50 314

Coordinates Reported in NAD-83

Bullseye Gold Property

The Bullseye claims were staked by Exploits in September 2022 and are contiguous to New Found Gold Corp.'s Queensway project. The claims are considered by the Company's geologists to be highly prospective because they directly overlay a 1,200 by 800 m segment of the AFZ and its related splay structures.

Quality Assurance - Quality Control ("QA/QC")

All prospective NQ core is logged and delineated for sampling by an Exploits' professional geologist. The core is subsequently halved by a diamond-bladed core saw by the Company's technicians with one half being placed in a bag with a unique sample identification. The remaining half core is retained within the Company's secure storage facility in Gander, NL. Sample bags are sealed and then shipped directly to Eastern Analytical Ltd. Certified standards and blanks are inserted at defined intervals following the Company's QA/QC documented procedures, representing approximately 5% of all samples sent for assaying. All core samples are currently analyzed at Eastern Analytical Ltd. of 403 Little Bay Road, Springdale, NL, a commercial laboratory that is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and completely independent of Exploits. Samples are analyzed using fire assay (30g) with AA finish (Au-FAA 30 ppb process) and/or a four-acid digestion followed by multi-element ICP-OES analysis. All samples with visible gold or assaying above 10.0 g/t Au are further assayed using metallic screen to mitigate the presence of the nugget effect of coarse gold. Metallic screen assays are reported as 'Weighted Averaged ppb' directly calculated from the lab.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Ken Tylee, P.Geo., VP of Exploration with Exploits, is a qualified person within the Provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador as defined by NI 43-101 standards. Mr. Tylee has reviewed and approved the technical information presented herein.

About Exploits Discovery Corp.

Exploits is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Exploits is utilizing its experienced, talented local team and geologic understanding with the vision to become one of the most successful explorers in Canada.

On Behalf of the Board

/s/ "Jeff Swinoga"

President and CEO

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, actual results of the Company's exploration and other activities, environmental risks, future metal prices, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law.

Acknowledgments

Exploits Discovery would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program from the Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221214

SOURCE: Exploits Discovery Corp.


CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple Inc. has scheduled its upcoming launch event, titled 'It's Glowtime,' on September 9. The event at Apple Park, California, US, which will be livestreamed on Apple's website, is expected to launch iPhone 16 series and updates to other devices and apps.



As per reports, invites have been sent for the in-person event, which is scheducled to commence at 10 AM PT.



Besides the new iPhone 16 series including iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, the newly launching devices also would include the fourth-generation AirPods and Apple Watch Series 10.



The event is also expected to highlight the tech major's advancements in artificial intelligence or AI, with the iPhone 16 series to be the first to feature Apple's latest AI tools.



The iPhone 16 is also expected to feature significant hardware upgrades, a camera button for touch gesture controls, and in new colors.



The move comes after the company, at its developers conference in June, introduced Apple Intelligence with a number of AI features backed by a partnership with OpenAI, the developer of generative chatbot ChatGPT. According to Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, Apple Intelligence is a breakthrough personal intelligence system that puts powerful, private generative AI models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac.



The iPhone maker then said that an updated version of its voice assistant Siri would be able to tap into ChatGPT and will be capable of hundreds of more tasks. The company also stated that its users would be asked for permission to share their questions with ChatGPT. Their requests and information will not be logged. Apple also emphasised on its commitment to privacy, noting that AI features would prioritise on-device processing and utilise cloud computing with a view to safeguarding user data.



Meanwhile, following Apple's OpenAI partnership, Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, among others, had threatened to ban Apple devices from his companies if the tech major incorporates OpenAI technology into its operating system.



In early August, the company had reported improved profit for the third quarter above the Street estimates, with a new June quarter revenue record of $85.8 billion, up 5 percent from a year ago. Meanwhile, iPhone sales edged down, and overall sales in China dropped more than expected as Chinese competitors experienced larger growth.



Immediately following the release of Apple's quarterly results, news emerged that billionaire investor Warren Buffett's investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway, had sold nearly half of its stake in the tech giant, reportedly citing China risk.



In the latest developments, Apple announced that it will replace Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri on January 1, 2025. Kevan Parekh, Apple's Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, will succeed as CFO.



Maestri, who had been Apple CFO since 2014, will continue to lead the Corporate Services teams, including information systems and technology, information security, and real estate and development, reporting to Apple CEO Cook.



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 2024 AFX News




HONG KONG, Aug 27, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - On August 22, Wuling Motors (0305.HK) released its 2024 interim results. For the first half of the year, Wuling Motors reported total revenue of RMB 3.946 billion, with a gross profit margin of 10.8%, up about 270 basis points from 8.1% in the same period of 2023. The profit for the period was RMB 21.125 million, representing a 72.3% year-on-year increase.Despite intensified market competition and pressures from industry transformation, the automobile sector showed an overall upward trend in the first half of the year. From January to June, revenue in China's automotive industry reached RMB 4.767 trillion, reflecting a 5% year-on-year increase. The growth in vehicle production and sales also improved profitability for upstream industry chain companies. Wuling Motors' latest results are notably strong.Steady Profit Growth and Synergistic Development Across Three Major SectorsWuling Motors primarily offers commercial vehicles, automotive power systems, and automotive parts. Benefiting from the robust development of the global automotive industry chain, these three major sectors have advanced in tandem, driving revenue and profit growth for Wuling Motors.Breaking down the performance of each sector:1/ Automotive Power Systems: By focusing on upgrading traditional fuel vehicle engines and developing new energy power systems, Wuling Motors has maintained its established customer base while securing new orders for high-efficiency and cost-effective HEV hybrid assemblies. This approach combines traditional power technology upgrades with new energy power integration. In the first half of the year, revenue reached RMB 902 million, with casting product sales totaling 515,000 units, up 26.2% from the same period in 2023.2/ Automotive Parts: Wuling Motors has continued mass production of key NEV components such as electric drive axles, motors, and electronic controls, achieving breakthroughs in both products and customer acquisition. In the first half of the year, sales to new customers amounted to RMB 1.042 billion, accounting for 38.6% of the total revenue in this segment. The share of revenue from customers outside SGMW increased to 38.6%. Various new energy electric axles have been used in projects for Great Wall Motor, JAC, and BAIC Qingdao. The first commercialized electric drive coaxial axle for the Changan Kaicheng market has already entered mass production. Wuling Motors' parts products are gradually moving toward mid-to-high-end markets, capturing trends in high-end and intelligent products, and expanding its diverse customer base, supporting further performance growth.3/ Sales and Manufacturing of Commercial Vehicles: Following last year's restructuring and strategic adjustments, Wuling Motors' commercial vehicle business has expanded into international markets and promoted new products. Currently, NEVs such as logistics vehicles, sightseeing buses, and patrol vehicles have been exported to countries including Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Australia. In 2024, the company's global expansion continued with its first export to Egypt, delivering 200 vehicles. As Wuling Motors accelerates the development of new energy and intelligent products, it creates new growth opportunities for commercial vehicle revenue, contributing to overall performance growth.Each sector shows varying degrees of success, and Wuling Motors' continued optimization of product structure, commitment to technological innovation, and cost control measures have established stable profitability.Notably, the synergy between the commercial vehicle, automotive power system, and automotive parts sectors has created significant benefits along the industry chain. With factories in Guangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, and Hubei, Wuling Motors now has an annual production capacity of over 2 million sets of automotive parts. The Jingmen Base, dedicated to supporting Great Wall Motor, generated RMB 333 million in revenue in the first half of the year, with promising future potential. The combination of industry chain and technological advantages enables Wuling Motors to maintain leadership in product quality, cost, and scale, providing strong brand competitiveness and resilience through industry cycles.Creating new high quality productive forces and accelerating overseas expansionNew energy, exports, and intelligence are emerging as key drivers of performance for China's automotive industry chain. Strengthening China's new energy vehicle industry chain is closely linked to enhancing productive forces with higher quality.In the context of balancing energy security and achieving "dual carbon" goals, coupled with policies promoting large-scale vehicle trade-ins to stimulate automotive consumption, the new energy vehicle market is showing steady growth and increasingly high-quality development.According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), from January to June 2024, production and sales of new energy vehicles reached 4.929 million and 4.944 million units, respectively, marking a year-on-year increase of 30.1% and 32%. Domestic sales totaled 4.339 million units, up 35.1% year-on-year; exports were 605,000 units, up 13.2%. The total sales of new energy vehicles in China for 2024 are expected to reach 11.5 million units, indicating strong growth momentum.Wuling Motors is continuously strengthening its layout in the new energy sector across its three main business segments. In the long term, this will provide sustained new growth driver for its performance. From the current customer group perspective, Wuling Motors has accumulated a sufficient number of new energy customers. In addition to major client SGMW, there are well-established new energy automotive companies or emerging companies such as Great Wall, Chery, Geely, Foton, and Hozon. Furthermore, Wuling Motors is actively implementing a diversified customer policy and achieving outstanding results. For example, in the first half of the year, its independently developed new energy parts products made significant breakthroughs in securing overseas clients, successfully completing the development and supply of rear drive axle assemblies and driving system assemblies for the first new energy passenger car exported to Vietnam. As automotive enterprises expand their production and sales targets in 2024 compared to last year, this will undoubtedly create growth opportunities and drive comprehensive business growth for Wuling Motors.Furthermore, the new energy vehicle industry will inevitably move towards high-quality development. Recently, the profit margins in the automotive industry have shown a downward trend. However, a positive change this year is that several automotive enterprises have exited the "price war" and are focusing more on the business quality. As the automotive industry enters a phase of healthy development, the whole industry chain is expected to move toward common prosperity, and Wuling Motors' profitability is likely to further improve.In addition, Wuling Motors is actively striving to expand internationally and seize overseas development opportunities. In March of this year, Wuling Motors established an innovation center in Hong Kong. It is understood that the vision of the Wuling Motors Innovation Center is to be based in Hong Kong, leverage resources from the mainland China, and serve a global market. Its business includes forward-looking R&D, parts development, automotive intelligence and digital services, international sales services, and industrial incubation.The establishment of this innovation center will effectively enhance Wuling Motors' technological strength and product competitiveness. As Hong Kong serves as an excellent window for the mainland China to expand its new energy business overseas, Wuling Motors will be able to more efficiently reap the benefits of global market development, drive the growth of related companies' overseas sales of new energy vehicles, and achieve rapid improvement in its own performance.Looking ahead to the prospects of the overseas market, recent research reports indicate that in the passenger car sector, the market share of self-owned brands is gradually increasing, and the product exports is changed to capacity exports, with a high sustainable growth of export. The internationalization of China's commercial vehicles is rapidly advancing. In 2023, the total export volume of China's commercial vehicles reached 770,000 units, tripling compared to 2017.China's automobile exports, particularly commercial vehicles, are experiencing rapid growth. Recent data suggests that by 2024, China's automobile exports could reach 6 million units, representing a 15%-20% increase. Commercial vehicle exports are expected to reach 850,000 units, with a 15% growth rate. This growth indicates a significant acceleration in the internationalization of China's automotive industry, providing Wuling Motors with more opportunities to secure vehicle and core component orders, thereby boosting its performance to a new level.Summary:In summary, Wuling Motors exhibited robust business performance in the first half of this year, and its strategic layout is steadily progressing, which will continue to yield operation outcome.This year marks a significant moment for the development of new energy vehicles in China. In July, the monthly retail sales penetration rate of domestic new energy passenger cars exceeded that of traditional fuel vehicles for the first time, indicating that new energy vehicles have truly become mainstream. Moreover, Wuling Motors has accumulated ample industry experience, a solid customer group, and technological strength. As a result, its new energy layout and future potential will gain market recognition. Transitioning from the era of fuel vehicles to that of new energy vehicles, Wuling Motors is experiencing a leap in its intrinsic value.Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "CNG Tanks Market by Material Type (Metal, Carbon Fiber, Glass Fiber), Tank Type (Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 4), Application Type (Fuel, Transportation), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2029", is estimated at USD 2.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4.3 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2024 to 2031. There are various factors due to which the demand of CNG Tank will grow in coming years. Government is expected to bring in initiatives of adopting to clean energy and subsidies to promote the use of compressed natural gas as a fuel.

Browse in-depth TOC on "CNG Tanks Market"

311 - Tables

66 - Figures

247 - Pages

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By 2029, CNG tank market is expected to grow moderately in terms of value and volume, by 2029

CNG tanks are expected to grow moderately over the time due to their properties such as cost-effectiveness and lower emission of greenhouse gases as compared to diesel or gasoline. CNG tanks are used in light duty vehicles, medium duty vehicles and even in heavy duty vehicles in terms of fuel tanks and cascades which can be used for transportation Industry. Many countries have started to invest in CNG Infrastructure by increasing the count of CNG refuelling stations.

Type 1 tank dominates the global market in 2023, in terms of value and volume

Type 1 CNG tanks have dominated the global market of CNG tanks in 2023. They have the highest share, if compared with the rest types of tanks as these tanks are less costly than then the rest of the tanks and are often used in light-duty vehicles. Type 1 CNG tanks have a solid record of durability and reliability. CNG Type 1 tanks are made up of high strength steel which makes them extremely strong and robust choice for various application. CNG Type 1 tanks are less expensive as compared to composite tanks. As Type 1 tanks are durable, they have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance. CNG Type 1 tanks are most commonly available as these tanks are easier to source and replace if necessary. Due to such properties like cost effectiveness, durability, longer lifespan, they are chosen over type of tanks.

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Asia Pacific region is expected to account for the largest market share in 2023.

The compressed natural gas market has been studied in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.

The Asia pacific region of compressed natural gas accounts for the largest share in 2023 and is expected to grow furthermore due to increasing use of CNG vehicles due to their low cost and growing CNG refueling stations in nations such as China, India. As countries such as India, China are growing the vehicle demands have drastically been growing, driving the growth of CNG Tank market in Asia Pacific region. The government has been initiating policies and rules to lower emission and governments are shifting towards clean energy for Industrial and commercial use boosting the use of CNG tanks in Asia Pacific region. CNG powered vehicles are an attractive option in Asia pacific as compared to the other fuels due to their low cost.

Prominent companies include Worthington Enterprise (US), Luxfer Holding PLC (UK), Hexagon Composite ASA (Norway), Quantum Fuel Systems (US), Everest Kanto Cylinder (India), Beijing Tianhai Industry (China), Faber Industries SPA (Italy), CIMC Enric (China), Luxi New Energy Equipment Group (China), Sinocleansky (China), Timetechnoplast ltd (India), Rama Cylinders (India)

Browse Adjacent Market: Fibers and Composites Market Research Reports & Consulting

Related Reports:

Composites Market - Global Forecast to 2028

Carbon Fiber Market - Global Forecast to 2033

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WalletHub recently released its 2024 ranking of the best community colleges in the U.S., evaluating over 650 institutions to identify those offering the best education at the most affordable cost.

The analysis focused on 18 key factors, including in-state tuition, student-faculty ratios and graduation rates. The top three colleges were located in the Midwest, while two schools in New Mexico rounded out the top five.

Top 5 Community Colleges in 2024:

Manhattan Area Technical College in Kansas State Technical College of Missouri Pratt Community College in Kansas Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico Southeast New Mexico College

"A good community college minimizes costs for students while also providing an enriching learning experience that leads to high student retention and high graduation rates," WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said. "The best colleges also help their students even post-graduation by offering employment services to help them find jobs with good salaries. Finally, many of the best community colleges realize school isn't the only place people learn, so they offer credit for life experiences."

Manhattan Area Technical College in Kansas secured the top spot thanks to its strong student outcomes. Over 77% of former students earn more than the average high school graduate, with a median salary exceeding $50,000 - ranking fifth among all schools in the study. The college also boasts the lowest student-loan default rate, the fifth-highest graduation rate, and the third-best retention rate for first-year students.

State Technical College of Missouri ranks second, largely due to its high retention and graduation rates. With 88% of students returning for their second year and a 79% graduation rate (the highest in the country), students are well-supported in completing their studies. The school also offers substantial financial aid, averaging $9,223 per student, and provides credit for life experiences and job placement services.

Pratt Community College in Kansas ranks third, with over 97% of its instructional and research staff being full-time employees - the second-highest rate nationally. Pratt graduates have a median income of $47,720, and are unlikely to default on their loans, according to WalletHub. The college also offers significant grants and scholarships, averaging over $6,700 per student.

The study also includes a comprehensive ranking of community colleges by state.
Includes 0.4 m @ 44.4 g/t Gold, 0.6 m @ 14.6 g/t Au, and 0.2 m @ 29.0 g/t Au

Mawson Gold Limited ("Mawson" or the "Company") (TSXV:MAW)(Frankfurt:MXR)(OTC PINK:MWSNF) announces that Southern Cross Gold Ltd. ("Southern Cross Gold" or "SXG") has released results from two "control" diamond drill holes (SDDSC125 and SDDSC126) which significantly extend the exploration target area . SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 were drilled 190 m and 470 m respectively below the base of the historic Golden Dyke mine area at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria, Australia (Figure 4).

Highlights:

Two large step-out "control" diamond drill holes (SDDSC125 and SDDSC126) drilled perpendicular to the dyke breccia host rock but sub parallel to mineralized veins at the Golden Dyke prospect significantly extend the exploration target area as reported on 23 Jan 2024 . SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 drilled 190 m and 470 m respectively below the base of the most productive historic mine on the 10 km long Sunday Creek field.

SDDSC126 successfully intersected the dyke/breccia/altered sediment host structure down hole from 793 m to 836 m and drilled three high-grade vein sets 470 m below historic workings. It included four assayed intervals of > 10 g/t Au (up to 44.4 g/t Au) . Selected highlights include (Figures 1 and 2): 0.6 m @ 14.6 g/t AuEq (14.6 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 807.0 m 4.8 m @ 2.4 g/t AuEq (2.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 821.0 m, including: 0.2 m @ 29.0 g/t AuEq (29.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 822.4 m 1.8 m @ 13.0 g/t AuEq (11.3 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 833.6 m, including: 0.4 m @ 49.3 g/t AuEq (44.4 g/t Au, 2.6% Sb) from 834.9 m

SDDSC125 intersected the dyke/breccia/altered sediment host structure down hole from 390 m to 415 m in a 190 m step out below historic workings, proving the mineralized host continues along strike and at depth. Highlights included 1.0 m @ 2.4 g/t AuEq (1.4 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 414.7 m (Figures 1 and 2).

With these control holes now completed, the next steps at Golden Dyke are to drill east to west holes parallel to mineralized host structure (the ladder "rails") and at high angle to the vein sets ("rungs"). Three east to west holes (SDDSC130, 132 and138) have now completed with results pending.

Cumulatively, 130 drill holes for 57,880 m have been reported by SXG (and Mawson Gold Ltd) from Sunday Creek since late 2020. Sixteen drill holes on the project are currently being processed and analyzed, with five holes in progress.

Mawson owns 96,590,910 shares of SXG (48.9%), valuing its stake at A$275.3 million (C$251.9 million) based on SXG's closing price on August 26, 2024 AEST.

Michael Hudson, Mawson Interim CEO and Executive Chairman, states: "Impressively, Sunday Creek continues to grow significantly beyond the exploration target area (Figure 2) with these new and important holes that show the system with high grades continuing almost half a kilometre below the most prolific mine on the 10km long historic Sunday Creek gold field.

"SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 were drilled 190 m and 470 m respectively below the base of the old workings. Despite (purposely) drilling perpendicular to the host dyke breccia host rock ("rails"), and sub-parallel to the mineralized vein sets ("rungs'), both holes, and especially SDDSC126, were successful in intersecting high grade gold and antimony mineralization including 0.6 m @ 14.6 g/t Au , 0.2 m @ 29.0 g/t Au and 0.4 m @ 44.4 g/t Au.

"With these control holes now completed, the next step at Golden Dyke is to drill east to west holes at a high angle to the vein sets ("rungs") to best test for mineralization below Golden Dyke. Three east to west holes (SDDSC130, 132, 138 - Figures 1 and 2) have already been completed with results pending. Given these new results, the Company has already planned a significant number of further holes under Golden Dyke."

Drill Hole Discussion

Two drill holes (SDDSC125 and 126) are reported from the Golden Dyke prospect (Figures 1 and 2). Both holes were designed to drill at a high angle to the dyke/breccia host structure with the intention of locating the mineralized host structure at depth. Despite drilling sub parallel to the mineralized vein sets both holes, and especially SDDSC126, were successful in intersecting high grade mineralization and successfully tested the dyke/breccia host structure at depth, drilling an altered package (dyke/breccia and altered sediment halo) with an estimated true width of 20 m - 25 m.

SDDSC125 intersected the dyke/breccia/altered sediment host structure down hole from 390 m to 415 m in a 190 m step out below historic workings, proving the mineralized host continues along strike and at depth. Highlights from SDDSC125 include:

1.0 m @ 2.4 g/t AuEq (1.4 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 414.7 m

SDDSC126 successfully intersected the host dyke/breccia/altered sediment host structure down hole from 793 m to 836 m and drilled three high-grade vein sets in and 470 m below historic workings. These vein sets demonstrate a 470 m down-dip extension below historic workings and highlight the continuity of the host dyke/breccia structure at depth. It included four assayed intervals of > 10 g/t Au (up to 44.4 g/t Au) . Selected highlights include (Figures 1 and 2):

0.6 m @ 14.6 g/t AuEq (14.6 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 807.0 m

4.8 m @ 2.4 g/t AuEq (2.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 821.0 m, including: 0.2 m @ 29.0 g/t AuEq (29.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 822.4 m 1.8 m @ 13.0 g/t AuEq (11.3 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 833.6 m, including: 0.4 m @ 49.3 g/t AuEq (44.4 g/t Au, 2.6% Sb) from 834.9 m



Pending Results and Update

Sixteen holes (SDDSC123-124, 127-128, 130-137, 140, 050W1, 050W2, 092W1) are currently being processed and analyzed, with five holes (SDDSC129, 137W1, 138-139, 092W2) in progress (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Exploration Target

On January 23, 2024, SXG announced the maiden gold and antimony Exploration Target at its flagship 100%-owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria, Australia. The Exploration Target ranges reported are shown in Table 1. Notably, the Exploration Target was constrained to the current drill footprint at Apollo and Rising Sun as they contain sufficient drilling to determine continuity and infer grade ranges. This represents approximately one third to one half the strike of the main drill area and significant potential exists to increase the size of the exploration target with high grade drill results drilled for up to 450 m beyond the Exploration Target area. Drilling since January has significantly expanded the footprint of mineralization beyond the bounds of the exploration target area.

Table 1. Sunday Creek Exploration Target for Apollo and Rising Sun at the Sunday Creek Project

Range Tonnes (Mt) AuEq g/t* Au g/t Sb % Au Eq (Moz) Au (Moz) Sb (kt) Lower Case 4.4 7.2 5.3 1.2 1.0 0.74 53.5 Upper Case 5.1 9.7 7.8 1.2 1.6 1.28 62.8

The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and therefore is an approximation. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared and reported in accordance with the 2012 edition of the JORC Code.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project by Southern Cross Gold is available on the SXG website at www.southerncrossgold.com.au.

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. During future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed.

Figures 1 to 4 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 1 to 3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 60-70% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width unless specified.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6-12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXG projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

In August 2024, the Chinese government announced it will place export limits on antimony and antimony products. This will put pressure on Western defence supply chains and negatively affect the supply of the metal and push up pricing given China's dominance of the supply of the metal in the global markets. This is positive for SXG as we are likely to have one of the very few large and high quality projects of antimony in the western world that can feed western demand into the future.

Antimony represents approximately 20% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek.

Technical Background and Qualified Person

The Qualified Person, Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman and a director of Mawson Gold, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

MAW considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

MAW considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2024 dated March 28, 2024. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2023 production costs, using a gold price of US$1,900 per ounce, an antimony price of US$12,000 per tonne and 2023 total year metal recoveries of 94% for gold and 89% for antimony, and is as follows:

???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88  ???? (%).

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXG considers that a ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88  ???? (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

About Mawson Gold Limited (TSXV:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, OTCPINK:MWSNF)

Mawson Gold Limited has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic exploration company. Over the last decades, the team behind Mawson has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in the Nordics and Australia. Mawson holds the Skelleftea North gold discovery and a portfolio of historic uranium resources in Sweden. Mawson also holds 49% of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. (ASX:SXG) which owns or controls two high-grade, historic epizonal goldfields in Victoria, Australia, including the exciting Sunday Creek Au-Sb discovery.

About Southern Cross Gold Ltd (ASX:SXG)

Southern Cross Gold holds the 100%-owned Sunday Creek project in Victoria and Mt Isa project in Queensland, the Redcastle joint venture in Victoria, Australia, and a strategic 6.7% holding in ASX-listed Nagambie Resources Limited (ASX: NAG) which grants SXG a Right of First Refusal over a 3,300 square kilometer tenement package held by NAG in Victoria.

On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Interim CEO and Executive Chairman Further Information

www.mawsongold.com

1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7

Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary

+1 (604) 685 9316 info@mawsongold.com

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are 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. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, Mawson's expectations regarding its ownership interest in Southern Cross Gold, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including COVID-19, on the Company's business, risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; exploration potential being conceptual in nature, there being insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource on the Australian-projects owned by SXG, and uncertainty if further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource; planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from broadly north-south drilled control holes SDDSC125, 126 reported here (blue highlighted box, orange trace and green highlighted steep north dipping down dip extension of dyke, dyke breccia and altered sediment package, selected prior reported drill holes and pending holes.

Figure 2: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the north (striking 236 degrees) showing mineralised veins sets. Showing from broadly north-south drilled control holes SDDSC125, 126 reported here (blue highlighted box, orange trace and green dyke breccia highlighted), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. For location refer to Figure 1.

Figure 3: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing LiDAR, soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas (Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan) tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo.

Figure 4: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the Redcastle JV and simplified geology.

Table 2: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

Hole_ID Depth (m) Prospect East GDA94_Z55 North GDA94_Z55 Elevation Azimuth Plunge SDDSC116 682.6 Rising Sun 331465 5867865 333.3 272.5 -41.5 SDDSC117 1101 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.5 70.5 -64.5 SDDSC118 1246 Rising Sun 330464 5867912 286.6 80 -64.5 SDDSC119 854.1 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC120 1022.5 Rising Sun 331110 5867976 319.5 266.5 -55 SDDSC121 588.7 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63 SDDSC122 889.89 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 267.7 74 -62 SDDSC114W1 625.1 Rising Sun 330464 5867914 286.6 82 -58 SDDSC119W1 643 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC123 124.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 276 -52 SDDSC124 969.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 274 -52.2 SDDSC121W1 953.4 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63.8 SDDSC125 551.7 Golden Dyke 330462 5867920 285.6 212 -68 SDDSC126 941.4 Rising Sun 330815 5867599 295.7 321.6 -54 SDDSC122W1 1007.8 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 276.5 72 -61.4 SDDSC050W1 797.1 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC127 483.2 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.9 271.3 -43.3 SDDSC128 745.1 Apollo 331465 5867867 333.1 272.6 -43.3 SDDSC129 In progress plan 1200 m Rising Sun 330388 5867860 276.5 77.3 -57.3 SDDSC092W1 767 Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC130 614 Golden Dyke 330777 5867891 295.9 255 -42 SDDSC050W2 789.4 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC131 179.6 Christina 330081 5867609 273.1 284 -47 SDDSC132 740.7 Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 295.9 261.5 -50 SDDSC133 347.2 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 8 -42 SDDSC134 230.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 302.5 -61.5 SDDSC135 182.4 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 342.5 -51 SDDSC136 349 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 329 -41 SDDSC137 299.7 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273 40 -62 SDDSC138 In progress plan 530 m Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 296 250 -36 SDDSC139 In progress plan 650 m Apollo East 331465.4 5867865.1 333.2 267 -37.4 SDDSC140 349.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 8.9 -70.2 SDDSC092W2 In progress plan 781 m Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC137W1 In progress plan 222 m Christina 330074.9 5867612.4 273.6 41 -61.9

Table 3: Tables of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC125 and 126 using two cut-off criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m.

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC125 414.67 415.65 0.98 1.4 0.5 2.4 SDDSC126 696.4 696.56 0.16 1.0 0.0 1.0 SDDSC126 806.98 807.54 0.56 14.6 0.0 14.6 SDDSC126 821 825.82 4.82 2.4 0.0 2.4 Including 822.36 822.56 0.2 29.0 0.0 29.0 SDDSC126 827.53 827.75 0.22 1.1 0.0 1.1 SDDSC126 833.57 835.35 1.78 11.3 0.9 13.0 Including 834.91 835.35 0.44 44.4 2.6 49.3

Table 4: All individual assays reported from SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq.

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC125 388.36 388.77 0.41 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC125 389.73 390.24 0.51 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC125 390.89 391.79 0.9 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC125 391.79 392.06 0.27 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC125 402 402.63 0.63 0.3 0.1 0.4 SDDSC125 409 409.48 0.48 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC125 409.48 410.27 0.79 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC125 411.68 412.74 1.06 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC125 413.75 414.67 0.92 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC125 414.67 414.77 0.1 1.1 0.0 1.2 SDDSC125 414.77 415.13 0.36 1.5 0.7 2.9 SDDSC125 415.13 415.65 0.52 1.3 0.5 2.2 SDDSC125 415.65 416.37 0.72 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 666.25 666.59 0.34 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 669.83 670.77 0.94 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 670.77 671.44 0.67 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 687.65 687.94 0.29 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 687.94 688.21 0.27 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 696.4 696.56 0.16 1.0 0.0 1.0 SDDSC126 787 788 1 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 794.95 795.13 0.18 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 795.13 795.45 0.32 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 795.45 795.8 0.35 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 795.8 796 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 797.89 798.1 0.21 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC126 802.88 803.5 0.62 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 803.5 804.27 0.77 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 806.54 806.98 0.44 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 806.98 807.2 0.22 17.9 0.0 17.9 SDDSC126 807.2 807.54 0.34 12.4 0.0 12.4 SDDSC126 807.54 808.4 0.86 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 808.4 809.24 0.84 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 809.24 809.59 0.35 0.6 0.0 0.7 SDDSC126 814.34 815.08 0.74 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 815.99 816.6 0.61 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 817.19 817.47 0.28 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 818.52 819.04 0.52 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 819.04 819.63 0.59 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 819.63 820.15 0.52 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC126 820.15 820.33 0.18 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC126 820.33 821 0.67 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 821 821.68 0.68 1.7 0.0 1.7 SDDSC126 821.68 822.36 0.68 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC126 822.36 822.56 0.2 29.0 0.0 29.0 SDDSC126 822.56 823.26 0.7 1.9 0.0 1.9 SDDSC126 823.26 823.4 0.14 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC126 823.4 824.39 0.99 1.4 0.0 1.4 SDDSC126 824.39 825.39 1 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC126 825.39 825.82 0.43 1.4 0.0 1.4 SDDSC126 825.82 826.16 0.34 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 827.05 827.53 0.48 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 827.53 827.75 0.22 1.1 0.0 1.1 SDDSC126 827.75 828 0.25 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC126 828.46 828.69 0.23 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC126 828.69 828.9 0.21 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC126 828.9 829.07 0.17 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 831.77 832.18 0.41 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC126 832.18 832.6 0.42 0.4 0.3 0.8 SDDSC126 833.3 833.57 0.27 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC126 833.57 833.81 0.24 0.7 0.5 1.7 SDDSC126 833.81 834.36 0.55 0.2 0.5 1.1 SDDSC126 834.36 834.91 0.55 0.4 0.2 0.8 SDDSC126 834.91 835.35 0.44 44.4 2.6 49.3 SDDSC126 835.35 835.52 0.17 0.3 0.0 0.4 SDDSC126 835.52 836.03 0.51 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC126 837.47 837.71 0.24 0.3 0.0 0.3

SOURCE: Mawson Gold Limited

View the original press release on accesswire.com
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR)(OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the last remaining (geotechnical) holes of the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") drilling program on its El Tigre Project in Sonora, Mexico. These new results are highlighting the near surface, consistent mineralization present.

Drill hole ET-23-513 intersected the Stockwork Zone with 126.6 metres grading 0.77 g/t gold equivalent or 57.5 g/t silver equivalent from 7.4 to 134.0 metres, consisting of 0.55 g/t gold and 16.6 g/t silver INCLUDING 19.6 metres grading 1.68 g/t gold equivalent or 126.2 g/t silver equivalent from 94.0 to 113.6 metres, consisting of 1.03 g/t gold and 48.8 g/t silver (Figure 1). This hole highlights the confirms the strong, near-surface mineralization footprint of the Stockwork Zone and expands the Footwall Zone by 50 metres to the east over the 2023 MRE.

Figure 1: Stockwork Zone Cross Section 4325 N





Highlighted Intersections

New intersections through the Stockwork gold deposit, comprised of the Footwall, Hanging Wall and high-grade Keel Zones, are highlighted below, shown on Figure 2 and listed in Table 1.

Drill hole ET-23-531: 23.4 metres grading 1.30 g/t gold equivalent or 97.6 g/t silver equivalent from 121.4 to 144.8 metres, consisting of 0.29 g/t gold and 75.7 g/t silver INCLUDING 2.2 metres grading 11.75 g/t gold equivalent or 881.5 g/t silver equivalent from 140.0 to 142.2 metres consisting of 1.20 g/t gold and 791.4 g/t silver. The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade veins still present with the Stockwork Zone.

Drill hole ET-23-555: 69.1 metres grading 0.73 g/t gold equivalent or 54.8 g/t silver equivalent from 79.9 to 149.0 metres, consisting of 0.57 g/t gold and 12.2 g/t silver INCLUDING 7.0 metres grading2.13 g/t gold equivalent or 160.0 g/t silver equivalent from 82.0 to 89.0 metres consisting of 2.12 g/t gold and 0.7 g/t silver. The hole confirms Hanging Wall Zone mineralization 200 metres south of Starter Pit and expands mineralization profile 25 metres to the west.

Drill hole ET-23-562: 118.7 metres grading 0.51 g/t gold equivalent or 38.3 g/t silver equivalent from 55.9 to 174.6 metres, consisting of 0.46 g/t gold and 3.5 g/t silver INCLUDING 9.6 metres grading 1.18 g/t gold equivalent or 88.6 g/t silver equivalent from 165.0 to 174.6 metres consisting of 0.80 g/t gold and 28.3 g/t silver. The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade SK veins still present with the Stockwork Zone.

Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "As we progress to a PFS in September 2024, this release marks the last of the promising drill results from the PFS Drilling Program" Mr. Jessome further stated, "These results further de-risk the project and, coupled with the advantageous geotechnical and metallurgical results, increase the confidence and size of the El Tigre Project."

On May 20th, Silver Tiger has completed PFS Drilling, totalling 24,550 metres focused on expanding the Mineral Resource, upgrading the classification, completing metallurgical testwork and geotechnical studies as it progresses from an exploration to a development project. The value-added PFS progress is on schedule for publication in H2-2024.



Figure 2: Stockwork Zone - Plan View

Highlights from the concluded Pre-Feasibility Study Drilling Program include the following:

Expanding known mineralization by 10 to 15%, to the footwall and hanging wall zones, as well as the higher-grade 'Keel' at PEA pit bottom associated with the El Tigre and SK Veins;

Converting first two to three years of mineralized material in the potential 'Starter Stockwork Zone' from Indicated Mineral Resource to Measured;

Converting a significant portion of the 2 km strike length 'ultimate' PEA pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource to Indicated;

Completion of enhanced PFS Metallurgical Drilling and analysis; and

Completion of enhanced PFS Geotechnical Drilling and analysis

Mineral Resource Drilling

P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") of Brampton, Ontario completed the initial MRE in 2017. On Oct 27, 2023, P&E released an updated El Tigre Project NI 43-101 and NI 43-01 F1 compliant MRE technical report titled "Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate of the El Tigre Silver-Gold Project, Sonora, Mexico" authored by William Stone, Ph.D., P.Geo.,Yungang Wu, P.Geo., Fred H. Brown, P.Geo., Jarita Barry, P.Geo., David Burga, P.Geo., D. Grant Feasby, P.Eng., Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET and David Salari, P.Eng. The MRE has a pit-constrained Indicated Mineral Resource totaling 43.0 million tonnes containing 818 thousand ounces AuEq grading 0.59 g/t AuEq; and a pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 11.5 million tonnes containing 267 thousand ounces AuEq grading 0.72 g/t AuEq (see update MRE press release dated September 12th 2023).

PEA-level bench optimization of the pit-constrained Mineral Resource highlighted the higher-grade (~0.80 gpt AuEq), low strip ratio (~0.3) potential Starter Stockwork Zone (see PEA press release dated November 1st, 2023). Recommendations of the PEA-level study included increasing Mineral Resource confidence in potential 'Starter Stockwork Zone' and additional exploratory drilling to target the 1) Footwall, 2) Hanging Wall and 3) 'Keel' areas of the Stockwork Zone. P&E were again retained to lead the current El Tigre PFS-level study. Complete and final assay results are listed in Table 1.

Below, highlighted intersections are enumerated with reference to the three (3) zones targeted (Figure 2):

Drill hole ET-23-513: This hole highlights the confirms the strong, near-surface mineralization footprint of the Stockwork Zone some 200 metres north of the PEA 'Starter Pit';

Drill hole ET-23-531: The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade veins still present with the Stockwork Zone;

Drill hole ET-23-555: The hole confirms Hanging Wall Zone mineralization 200 metres south of Starter Pit and expands mineralization profile 25 metres to the west; and

Drill hole ET-23-562: The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade SK vein still present with the Stockwork Zone

Table 1-Geotechnical Drill Hole Results

AuEq Total (2) AgEq Total (2) Hole ID Comment From To Length(1) Gold Silver m m m g/t g/t g/t g/t ET-23-513 STOCKWORK ZONE 7.4 134.0 126.6 0.55 16.6 0.77 57.5 including 32.0 56.2 24.2 0.77 39.1 1.29 96.5 including 94.0 113.6 19.6 1.03 48.8 1.68 126.2 ET-23-522 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-531 STOCKWORK ZONE 35.0 53.5 18.5 0.47 0.9 0.48 36.1 STOCKWORK ZONE 101.0 102.5 1.5 6.10 8.9 6.22 466.3 STOCKWORK ZONE 121.4 144.8 23.4 0.29 75.7 1.30 97.6 including 140.0 142.2 2.2 1.20 791.4 11.75 881.5 STOCKWORK ZONE 187.9 189.5 1.6 3.47 28.7 3.85 288.8 STOCKWORK ZONE 200.0 201.7 1.7 1.59 8.2 1.70 127.5 ET-23-542 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-544 Margin - Stockwork 4.6 6.1 1.5 0.52 6.6 0.61 45.7 and 82.5 86.0 3.5 0.24 0.6 0.25 18.6 and 120.5 122.5 2.0 0.70 2.5 0.74 55.3 and 143.3 144.0 0.7 3.63 1.0 3.65 273.6 ET-23-546 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-549 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-551 Margin - Stockwork 105.5 108.0 2.5 0.63 1.1 0.64 48.4 and 119.0 122.0 3.0 0.41 0.5 0.41 30.9 ET-23-555 STOCKWORK ZONE 11.0 19.8 8.8 0.30 16.2 0.51 38.6 STOCKWORK ZONE 79.9 149.0 69.1 0.57 12.2 0.73 54.8 including 82.0 89.0 7.0 2.12 0.7 2.13 160.0 SK Vein 203.9 206.2 2.3 4.16 32.9 4.59 344.5 Mining VOID 208.2 211.8 3.6 * * * * and 211.8 213.1 1.3 0.09 7.0 0.18 13.4 Mining VOID 213.1 218.2 5.1 * * * * ET-23-556 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-559 STOCKWORK ZONE 2.4 29.5 27.1 0.31 30.7 0.72 54.1 including 13.9 16.9 3.0 1.49 239.3 4.68 351.2 Seitz Kelly Vein 74.7 79.0 4.3 0.29 21.1 0.57 42.7 ET-23-561 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-562 STOCKWORK ZONE 25.3 31.0 5.7 0.59 0.5 0.60 44.8 STOCKWORK ZONE 55.9 174.6 118.7 0.46 3.5 0.51 38.3 Seitz Kelly Vein 165.0 174.6 9.6 0.80 28.3 1.18 88.6 Mining VOID 174.6 179.2 4.6 * * * *

The above holes were drilled to assess geotechnical characteristics of future pit walls, thus not all holes intercepted mineralization as they were drilled distal from the hanging wall or footwall.

Table 2-Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length ET-23-513 671,135.9 3,384,353.3 1993.3 110 -45 242.7 ET-23-522 671,195.8 3,384,569.2 2108.3 80 -60 141.0 ET-23-531 671,038.6 3,384,545.9 2097.9 90 -60 250.7 ET-23-542 671,037.5 3,384,545.6 2097.8 270 -65 200.0 ET-23-544 671,106.8 3,384,298.3 1968.7 200 -65 170.4 ET-23-546 670,949.4 3,384,942.5 1853.0 350 -65 151.9 ET-23-549 670,967.1 3,384,778.7 1953.7 240 -70 80.8 ET-23-551 671,172.0 3,383,656.6 2006.6 275 -70 216.1 ET-23-555 671,173.7 3,383,655.9 2006.6 45 -60 218.2 ET-23-556 671,229.8 3,384,255.6 2023.6 100 -65 160.3 ET-23-559 671,204.7 3,383,931.9 1893.4 20 -65 170.3 ET-23-561 671,316.4 3,383,618.1 2074.9 90 -60 230.7 ET-23-562 671,297.0 3,383,358.7 1954.5 120 -60 179.2



Figure 3: El Tigre - Conceptual Cross-Section Showing Mineralization Styles





Figure 4: El Tigre-Longitudinal Projection Showing Exploration Potential

About Silver Tiger and the El Tigre Historic Mine District

Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 25 years' experience discovering, financing and building large hydrothermal silver projects in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger.

The El Tigre historic mine district is located in Sonora, Mexico and lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre silver and gold belt which hosts many epithermal silver and gold deposits, including Dolores, Santa Elena and Las Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the Property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining silver veins in the area with production coming from 3 parallel veins the El Tigre Vein, the Seitz Kelley Vein and the Sooy Vein. Underground mining on the middle El Tigre Vein extended 1,450 metres along strike and was mined on 14 levels to a depth of approximately 450 metres. The Seitz Kelley Vein was mined along strike for 1 kilometre to a depth of approximately 200 metres. The Sooy Vein was only mined along strike for 250 metres to a depth of approximately 150 metres. Mining abruptly stopped on all three of these veins when the price of silver collapsed to less than US20 per ounce with the onset of the Great Depression. By the time the mine closed in 1930, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012). The average grade mined during this period was over 2 kilograms silver equivalent per ton.

The El Tigre silver and gold deposit is related to a series of epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad silver and gold mineralized prophylitic alteration zone developed in the El Tigre Formation that can be up to 150 metres wide. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 0.5 metre wide; however, locally can be up to 5 metres in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometres along strike in our brownfield exploration area. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.6-kilometre portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The under explored Caleigh, Benjamin, Protectora and the Fundadora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometres. Silver Tiger has delivered its updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate and PEA and is currently drilling to update its Mineral Resource Estimate and publish a PFS.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full drill core is sawn with a diamond blade drill core saw with one half of the drill core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the drill core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged drill core sample bags are transported to the Bureau Veritas facility in Hermosillo, Mexico. Bureau Veritas crushes the samples (Code PRP70-250) and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 200 mesh (Code PUL85). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 30-gram charge by fire assay (Code FA630) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code MA200 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified reference materials, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed Silver Tiger's QA/QC protocols.

Qualified Person

David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Corporation, is the Qualified Person for Silver Tiger as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn Jessome

President and CEO

902 492 0298

jessome@silvertigermetals.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, the ability to convert Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend Mineral Resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.

SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging food brands is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Black as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"). Concurrently, former CEO Shawn Moniz will transition to the role of Chief Operating Officer and President.

After spearheading Happy Belly's mergers and acquisitions strategy, real estate division, and franchise development for the past two years, Mr. Black will now take on the additional role of CEO. With over 30 years of experience in the restaurant and franchising industry across Canada and the USA, Mr. Black brings a wealth of expertise to the role. His extensive background includes various C-suite executive roles in both private and public companies, as well as a deep understanding of capital market strategies and strategic partnerships. His proven success in implementing organic & inorganic growth strategies in the restaurant sector while executing on high-impact growth strategies uniquely positions him to drive Happy Belly's growth through its next phase of development.

In his new role, Mr. Black will drive Happy Belly's strategic vision and evolve growth initiatives as the company strengthens its presence and market share in the QSR sector. As the former Chief Development Officer at MTY Food Group (TSX: MTY), Mr. Black has the unique knowledge and skill set of what it takes to deliver on building a leading growth company evolving its stable of emerging brands.

"Working side by side, day in and day out with Shawn Moniz and the entire team at Happy Belly has been an extremely rewarding experience for me. I am honoured to step into the CEO role and continue working with such a talented group of individuals as we continue to grow our brand portfolio," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer. "Happy Belly is built on a foundation of good food and great people. As we enter our next phase of accelerated growth, I'm eager to keep pushing forward. While we've achieved so much in the past few years, I firmly believe we are just getting started ."

"I'd like to formally congratulate Mr. Black and express my excitement about continuing to build Happy Belly alongside him as the company's Chief Operating Officer," said Shawn Moniz, Chief Operating Officer. "Mr. Black's extensive experience will be invaluable as we work to unlock stockholder value and explore new market opportunities. As the founder and former CEO, I had the privilege of overseeing and being intimately involved in all aspects of the business. I'm eager to leverage that experience to support Happy Belly in this next phase of growth. It's truly an exciting time at Happy Belly, with record-breaking quarters, rapid franchise expansion, and a continually growing portfolio of emerging brands. As Happy Belly's largest shareholder, I can say with 100% confidence that Mr. Black has my full trust in taking the reins, and he is undoubtedly the best person to lead us into our next phase of growth." It's a very exciting time at Happy Belly."

For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com.

About Happy Belly Food Group

Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leading consolidator of emerging food brands.

Happy Belly Food Group

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6625/221223_ed6f71a3d4c94b83_001full.jpg

Happy Belly Food Group

Sean Black

Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221223

SOURCE: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
Vault CRM Service Center now available for life sciences inside sales, contact center, and hybrid reps

Vault CRM Suite to unify sales, marketing, medical, and service for true customer-centricity

BARCELONA, Spain, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) today announced Veeva Vault CRM Service Center for inside sales, contact center, and hybrid reps. Supporting inbound and outbound engagement across channels, Vault CRM Service Center includes case management, video calls, telephony integration, and industry-specific capabilities including consent, sampling, call reporting, and a foundation of compliant content. It also features Microsoft 365 integration which drives productivity, including case collaboration in Microsoft Teams and OneNote, with all data captured in Vault CRM.

Service Center is part of Veeva Vault CRM Suite - along with Vault CRM for sales and Campaign Manager for marketing - all built from the ground up for life sciences on the Vault Platform. Unified in the same Vault means no more siloes among customer-facing teams as they work from the same customer data, content, and key processes to deliver a streamlined, customer-centric experience. For example, sales and marketing collaborate on campaigns for synchronized outreach, and all teams work from the same customer communication preferences and consent.

Vault CRM Suite helps customer-facing teams to execute better together amid greater complexity in medicines, stakeholders, channels, and go-to-market models, through:

Vault CRM , the next generation of CRM for life sciences, which expands Veeva CRM's deep online and offline capabilities with enhanced productivity tools like streamlined account profiling and dynamic personalized content.

, the next generation of CRM for life sciences, which expands Veeva CRM's deep online and offline capabilities with enhanced productivity tools like streamlined account profiling and dynamic personalized content. Compliant omnichannel engagement, including Engage for compliant HCP chat and video, and Approved Email .

for compliant HCP chat and video, and . Events Management for end-to-end event lifecycle management for all event types and related content, attendees, speakers, and expenses.

for end-to-end event lifecycle management for all event types and related content, attendees, speakers, and expenses. Align for agile field planning, visual territory design, and territory management with integrated rosters, plans, and field feedback.

for agile field planning, visual territory design, and territory management with integrated rosters, plans, and field feedback. Service Center for inside sales, contact center, and hybrid reps' inbound and outbound engagement across channels.

for inside sales, contact center, and hybrid reps' inbound and outbound engagement across channels. Campaign Manager , coming December 2024, for marketers to execute omnichannel campaigns orchestrated with the field, including connected content for speed and reuse.

, coming December 2024, for marketers to execute omnichannel campaigns orchestrated with the field, including connected content for speed and reuse. Powering AI insights and processes, Vault Direct Data API delivers data 100 times faster than traditional APIs, and the AI Partner Program enables customers and partners to easily build specialized AI applications that integrate seamlessly with Vault applications.

delivers data 100 times faster than traditional APIs, and the enables customers and partners to easily build specialized AI applications that integrate seamlessly with Vault applications. Core Capabilities span all Vault CRM Suite applications, including optimization for regional and global commercialization intricacies, Vault's core content capabilities for seamless content flow across teams and channels, and Common Data Architecture data standards.

More than 15 companies are already live on Vault CRM since its release in April 2024 to all new customers. Veeva CRM migrations will begin for smaller customers in Q4 this year. Some larger customers are planning to start their migration programs in early 2025. The first large global top 20 biopharma is expected to complete its migration to Vault CRM by the end of 2025.

"The unified and connected Veeva Vault CRM Suite is delivering on our vision to bring sales, marketing, medical, and service together for the first time for true customer centricity," said Matt Farrell, executive vice president of commercial strategy at Veeva. "The pace of application development, customer adoption, and migrations is a reflection of our long-standing commitment to consistently deliver on product excellence and customer success for the industry."

Companies can learn more about Vault CRM Suite, including Vault CRM Service Center, at Veeva Commercial Summit Europe in Madrid, 19-21 November.

Additional Information

For more on Veeva Vault CRM Service Center, visit: veeva.com/eu/ServiceCenter

Connect with Veeva on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/veeva-systems

About Veeva Systems

Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,000 customers, ranging from the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com/eu.

Veeva Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Veeva's products and services and the expected results or benefits from use of our products and services, including certain of our new solutions and applications that are still under development or not generally available. These statements are based on our current expectations. Actual results, availability, and any future events relating to these products and services could differ materially from those anticipated or provided in this release and we have no obligation to update such statements. There are numerous risks that have the potential to negatively impact our results, including the risks and uncertainties disclosed in our filing on Form 10-Q for the period ended April 30, 2024, which you can find here (a summary of risks which may impact our business can be found on pages 35 and 36), and in our subsequent SEC filings, which you can access at sec.gov.

Contact:

Meera Lakhani-Patel

Veeva Systems

+44-790-430-0698

meera.lakhani-patel@veeva.com

 2024 Veeva Systems Inc. All rights reserved. Veeva, V, Vault, and Crossix are registered trademarks of Veeva Systems Inc. All third party trademarks (including logos and icons) referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1488285/Veeva_Systems_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-service-center-in-veeva-vault-crm-suite-unifies-sales-and-service-302231100.html
SUIC, IHart Group signed contracts with the Taiwan French food group, Bojiang International Catering Group and a leading healthcare company, Daily Oral Care Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Artistic Dental Consultant Group

SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd. (OTC:SUIC) today announces that SUIC's partner, IHart Group, signed contracts with the Taiwan French food group, Bojiang International Catering Group and a leading healthcare company, Daily Oral Care Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Artistic Dental Consultant Group to supply diversified cuisines and tailored culinary services. IHart Group and the subsidiary in US also earned a certification in New York City for food services including automated lines of diverse food products and food delivery services nationwide.

Bojiang International Catering Group owns and operates "MiraWan" (Miracle of Taiwan), a prestigious high-altitude landscape restaurant led by executive chef Josh Cheng. It was designated for plate recommendation in the MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020 Selection. MiraWan flourishes on its contemporary take on Parisian cuisine fused with Taiwanese deeply umami flavors by creating dishes with marine and terrestrial elements, showcasing the culinary prowess of its Executive Chef Josh Cheng. Visit their website at https://www.mirawan.com.tw/

Artistic Dental Consultant Group, founded in 2012, is a premiere brand in restorative and cosmetic dentistry services, with 22 clinics and more than 100 business partners in Taiwan, offering high-quality dental services including implants, sedation, orthodontics, cosmetic and general dentistry. Artistic group works with some of the most dynamic dental practices in the industry. Visit their website at https://www.artisticdc.com/

IHart Group and its US subsidiary are making headways in the U.S. as the subsidiary, Unise Investment Corp, earns a certification in New York City for food services including automated lines of diverse food products and food delivery services nationwide. They are now screening OEM factories that will provide different products and distributors that will cater to schools, hospitals, airports, hotels and shopping malls around the country. For more information about our product lines, please visit our website with video:

https://www.ih-art.com.tw/engmain.html

"SUIC is the biggest investor, shareholder and major operating partner of Beneway USA. Our unified goal is to create more economic prosperity by increasing our group's momentum this year 2024 and to tap more opportunities to serve more markets and our customers, growing our footprint in the global food market by tenfold. We are confident we can achieve these as we are driven by our strong values of discovery, partnership and integrity." said Hank Wang, CEO.

About SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd., USA.

SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd. provides research and development, venture financing for and investing in private enterprises and the public sector that develop products and services adopting core capabilities of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, mobile payment, Big Data, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence, to enhance and streamline existing processes, and establish new and exciting business models that will create revolutionary products and services. Shareholders of SUIC will be exposed to the diverse application of advanced services in various parts of the economy. Additionally, existing and potential customers can benefit from this company's diversified portfolio of technologies. As one of the pioneering publicly traded technology companies, SUIC will help build tech-enabled businesses of the future. To learn more, please visit www.sinounitedco.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

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. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results are achieved. This press release is considered considering all Company filings contained in the Edgar Archives of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

Contact

SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd.

New Release Department

929-391-2550

SOURCE: SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Highlights

Drilling has recommenced with two rigs at the high-grade advanced Cowley Park copper prospect.





5,000m within a fully funded and planned 13,000m summer drill program is scheduled over 4 sections at Cowley Park targeting both the resource potential and exploration upside of high-grade copper skarn mineralization.





and of high-grade copper skarn mineralization. Drilling will test exciting new shallow, undrilled, chargeability anomalies identified from recently completed Induced Polarization (IP) surveys, potentially related to unrecognised copper sulphide bodies.





Last month ~2,500m were completed at the Little Chief and Arctic Chief prospects, intersecting significant widths of copper-gold mineralization. Assays pending.

Drilling at Cowley Park - August 2024

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/221213_gladiatorimg1.jpg

Gladiator CEO, Jason Bontempo commented:

"Following the successful closing of the Company's $9m private placement, Gladiator has commenced its fully funded, Phase 1, 13,000m summer drilling campaign testing exploration targets and extensions to zones of known, high-grade, copper-skarn mineralization to demonstrate the near-term resource potential of our lead prospects including Cowley Park, Arctic Chief, Best Chance and the Cub trend.

Drilling has now commenced at Cowley Park with two diamond drill rigs testing both the resource upside of known mineralization and exciting new drill targets identified from geological compilation work, mapping and Induced Polarisation geophysics."

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Gladiator Metals Corp. (TSXV: GLAD) (OTCQB: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") has now recommenced drilling, with two rigs targeting both the resource potential and exploration upside of high-grade copper skarn mineralization at Cowley Park.

Cowley Park - Resource and Exploration Drilling

The Resource program plans to establish 4 systematic drill fences (Figure 1) on 120m- 200m spacings through the known prospect area. Drilling at Cowley Park is planned to:

Confirm and test the continuity of near surface, high-grade copper mineralization identified from previous drilling for future high-grade copper resource definition.





Test new shallow, undrilled, chargeability anomalies identified from recently completed Induced Polarization (IP) surveys, potentially related to unrecognised copper sulphide bodies.





Test significant exploration upside including extensions to known high-grade copper skarn mineralization and test sub-parallel trends recently identified in drilling.





Test the previously unrecognized resource potential of the endoskarn copper mineralization at Cowley Park which has not been systematically targeted or sampled in historic drilling.





Test the economic potential of complimentary co-products to copper mineralization including molybdenum, gold and silver.

Figure 1: Plan map of the advanced Cowley Park, showing planned Section Lines & Planned hole collars (teal) versus historical and completed drill collars (purple).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/221213_7c49f312c40a0a23_003full.jpg

Recent geological modelling of the Cowley Park prospect has identified multiple areas of significant exploration upside (refer to news release dated May 28th, 2024) which will be the subject of planned exploration drilling this summer (refer to Figure 1 below) including:

Southeastern extension: The interval in CP-159 represents the most south easterly intercept of copper skarn mineralization to date, with mineralization remaining open under cover.





The interval in CP-159 represents the most south easterly intercept of copper skarn mineralization to date, with mineralization remaining open under cover. Northeastern extension: The most north-easterly copper-skarn intercept at Cowley Park is 43.28m @ 2.24% Cu from 93.27m, including 13.72m @ 5.41% Cu (19-CP-08) with mineralization remaining open to the east under cover.





The most north-easterly copper-skarn intercept at Cowley Park is 43.28m @ 2.24% Cu from 93.27m, including 13.72m @ 5.41% Cu (19-CP-08) with mineralization remaining open to the east under cover. Sub Parallel trends: Additional, unexplored sub-parallel trends under cover indicated by initial drilling including 10m @ 1.23% Cu from 204m in CPG-015.





Additional, unexplored sub-parallel trends under cover indicated by initial drilling including 10m @ 1.23% Cu from 204m in CPG-015. Western extension: Recent mapping undertaken at Cowley Park has identified a significant fault that may have displaced the main mineralized body on the western side, opening up significant potential for the mineralization to extend west.





Recent mapping undertaken at Cowley Park has identified a significant fault that may have displaced the main mineralized body on the western side, opening up significant potential for the mineralization to extend west. Depth extensions: Mineralization remains open at depth with the deepest intervals drilled to date, including 14.33m @ 1.22% Cu from 130.15m (18-CP-03) including 5m @ 2.78% Cu, remaining open at depth.

Figure 2: Plan map of the advanced Cowley Park. Select recent and historical drill results with a cumulative copper%*m of >40 highlighted. Map shows recently identified areas of exploration upside from geological modelling.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/221213_7c49f312c40a0a23_004full.jpg

In addition, drilling is following up on recently identified near surface chargeability anomalies identified from Induced Polarization (IP) surveys conducted at Cowley Park. The IP successfully mapped geology and sulphide mineralization known from areas with existing drilling providing confidence that these new chargeability anomalies may represent untested copper sulphide bodies (refer to Figure 3 below).

Figure 3: Section through Cowley Park (Planned Line 3 - Figure1) showing recently completed Induced Polarization survey (chargeability) highlighting new shallow, untested zones of chargeability potentially representing undrilled zones of copper sulfide mineralization.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/221213_7c49f312c40a0a23_005full.jpg

Summer Exploration Strategy Recap

Following the Company's successful closing of its $9M private placement (refer to news release dated June 25th 2024) and as part of the objective to establish high-grade copper skarn resources at the Whitehorse Copper Project, the Company has launched its Phase 1 drilling campaign which will be testing multiple, high-priority target areas.

Gladiator's planned Phase 1, 13,000m, summer drilling campaign will be targeting high-grade copper skarns throughout the Whitehorse Copper Belt by way of:

1 - Advancing to Resource Definition at:

Cowley Park resource target: 3,000m. Establish initial drilling framework for inferred resource drilling at Cowley Park.





3,000m. Establish initial drilling framework for inferred resource drilling at Cowley Park. Chiefs Trend resource target: 1,500m. Identify further high-grade, near-term copper resource potential by testing southern target area.

2 - Exploration Drilling at:

Arctic Chief: 2,500m. Highlight continuity of high-grade near surface copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.





2,500m. Highlight continuity of high-grade near surface copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling. Best Chance: 1,500m. First drill test of outcropping high-grade, magnetite-copper skarn mineralization and test continuity of mineralization between Best Chance and Arctic Chief prospects.





1,500m. First drill test of outcropping high-grade, magnetite-copper skarn mineralization and test continuity of mineralization between Best Chance and Arctic Chief prospects. Cowley Park exploration: 2,000m. Targeting upside potential for further copper-skarn mineralization at Cowley Park.





2,000m. Targeting upside potential for further copper-skarn mineralization at Cowley Park. Cub Trend exploration: 2,500m. Highlight continuity of high-grade, near surface, copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.

Drilling will be complemented by planned geophysical programs including Induced Polarization (commenced), Electromagnetic and Magnetic surveys to help refine drill targeting in the prospect areas and highlight undiscovered areas of exploration potential.

QA / QC

Drilling completed by Gladiator was irregularly spaced to test parts of the mineralised systems, holes were directionally surveyed utilising a North Seeking Gyro direction tool. Drill collars were being subsequently surveyed utilising a high-accuracy RTK DGPS system.

Upon drilling of diamond core Gladiator undertakes geological logging, marking up of lineal length of the core, recording core recovery, and Geotech measurements such as RQD's and taking core photographs.

Based on the geological logging, core is then marked up for sampling with a new sampling ticket that matches the submitted sample for analysis at the start of the sample interval, the drill core is then cut in half utilizing a core saw equipped with a diamond saw blade. The core samples are then sent for analysis and the remaining half core retained for future reference. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) or known blank material, or requests for coarse duplicate repeats are placed within the sampling sequence at a nominal sampling rate of approximately 1 in 20 samples to monitor the Laboratory. Samples are submitted to ALS Global laboratory (Canada).

Samples subject to this release were crushed to 70% less than 2mm before pulverizing to better than 85% passing 75 microns. Samples were then analysed by ALS method ME-ICP61 (Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish), with over limits for Cu analysed by method CU-OG62 and other elements by their relevant )G62 method (Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish). As part of this process, Gladiator also captures the required sampling metadata to potentially utilize the core and analysis for any future requirements if deemed acceptable. The QA/QC meets the current required standards under reporting instruments, such as NI-43-101. At this point the Company regards the data collected from this exercise as reliable for the purposes of identifying future exploration targets and may be used to inform future drilling and exploration campaigns.

In reference to historic drill results reported in this news release from the Company's data compilation exercise, these results are historical in nature. Gladiator has not undertaken any independent investigation, nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. The Company believes that the historical drill results currently do not conform to presently accepted industry standards. Gladiator considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company will use this data as a guide to plan future exploration and drilling programs. The Company also considers the data to be reliable for these purposes, however, the Company's future exploration work will include verification of the data through drilling.

Qualified Person

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared or reviewed and approved by Kell Nielsen, the Company's Vice President Exploration, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Jason Bontempo"

Jason Bontempo

President and CEO

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 does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information". Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "estimates", "intends", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) that are not statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information.

Forward-Looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the ability to define an initial inferred resource at Cowley Park, the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company's properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company's material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons; availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs; and that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames and can be funded without the need for additional capital or that if required, additional capital can be raised by the Company through financings. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

The Company's forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this news release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221213

SOURCE: Gladiator Metals Corp.
EQS-News: North Peak Resources Ltd. / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

North Peak Reports Wabash/Chicago Zone Extended by Strong Widths; Hole PM24-016 Intersects 1.9 g/t Au over 135ft (Includes 3.9 g/t Au over 60ft) and PM24-015 Returns 1.3 g/t Au over 60ft



27.08.2024 / 13:30 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - North Peak Resources Ltd. (TSXV: NPR) (the "Company" or "North Peak") announces further assay results from holes 11-17 of the recently completed 27-hole surface drilling program on the west side of the ridge on the Prospect Mountain Property (the "Property") in Eureka, Nevada. The program was targeted towards the historical Wabash, Williams and Chicago mine areas and strategically followed up on drilling results of the 91-hole program carried out in 1998/1999 by European American Resources (EPAR) (see Figure 3 below). Highlights PM24-016 intersected 60ft (18.3m) @ 3.92 g/t Au (which includes 35ft (10.7m) @ 5.01 g/t Au ), from 235ft, which is 50ft below the historical Wabash mine; within 135ft (42.1m) @ 1.89 g/t Au, from 230ft; the intersection is located 25.5ft NE of historical EPAR hole PM-W-79 (and between the intersections in EPAR holes PM-W-78 and 79).

PM24-015 intersected 60ft (18.3m) @ 1.3 g/t Au, 22.6 g/t Ag from 200ft, which included 15ft (4.6m) @ 3.0 g/t Au, 20.4g/t Ag from 210ft; the intersection is located NE of historical EPAR hole PM-W-78. Holes PM24-015, PM24-016 and PM24-017, together with historical EPAR holes PM-W-78 and PM-W-79 is further evidence that the new interpretation of steeply-dipping mineralization along structures that were conduits for the gold fluids, is accurate, and means that historical vertical drill holes likely missed mineralization) (see Figure 2 below). PM24-013 intersected over 690ft (210m) of non-commercial, but continuous gold mineralization, with individual zones over 0.2 g/t Au of up to 105ft (32m), and with 0.16 g/t Au overall (no cutoff). The wide mineralization in previously reported hole PM24-004 is some 50ft (15.24m) west of the intersections in this hole (see the Company's August 14, 2024 press release for additional information about PM24-004). "Drilling Prospect Mountain with new technology is already paying off as it has permitted the geology team to see the steeply dipping mineralized zones which could not have been defined before due to vertical only historical drilling," said Brian Hinchcliffe, Company CEO. "These two holes PM25-015 and 016 could extend the areas mined in the historical Wabash and Chicago mines along a steep zone connecting these two mines and provide the outline for a larger mineralized area with high grade pockets." In the description above for the mineralization of hole PM24-013, reference is made to the recently released Hole PM24-004 which intersected from surface 415ft (126.49m) @ 1.06 g/t Au which included 40ft (12.19m) @ 4.20 g/t Au, from 0 ft. It now appears that holes PM24-015, 016 and 017 and historical EPAR holes PM-W-78 and PM-W-79 (21.3m @ 3.0 g/t Au and 10.7m @ 3.8 g/t Au, respectively - see the Technical Report for more details) appear as a down strike extension to the SW of holes PM24-004, 006, and 007 (together with various historical hole intersections). (see Figure 1 below). Additional historical mines with interpreted similar NE-SW trending zones are located further to the NW suggesting the possibility of a bigger footprint of close-spaced zones; there is high-grade gold in soil, gold in rock samples, and geophysical targets that have not been drilled to the NW, and along trend to the SW and to the NE. See Tables 1 and 2 below for full results and information for these 7 holes of the 2024 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill program at Prospect Mountain North. See the Technical Report (defined below) for full details of the historical drill results referenced in this press release. Table 1: Assay Results Hole ID From To Intercept From To Intercept Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Cu

(%) Pb

(%) Zn

(%) Gram x Metres (Au) (m) (m) (m) (ft) (ft) (ft) *PM24-004 0 126.49 126.49 0 415 415 1.06 12.26 0.06 0.06 0.72 134.1 including 0 12.19 12.19 0 40 40 4.20 71.04 0.11 0.15 0.96 51.2 which includes 3.05 12.19 9.14 10 40 30 5.0 86.2 0.04 0.04 0.35 45.7

























PM24-011 0 4.6 4.6 0 15 15 2.25 25.3 0.05 0.04 1.06 10.4 PM24-012 0 6.1 6.1 0 20 20 3.01 22.0 0.06 0.06 0.96 18.4 PM24-013 67.1 70.1 3.0 220 230 10 0.93 6.8 0.2 0.02 0.2 2.8

99.1 103.6 4.6 325 340 15 0.21 2.0 0.001 0.006 0.03 1.0

134.1 138.7 4.6 440 455 15 0.20 2.4 0.005 0.01 0.06 0.9

172.2 175.3 3.0 565 575 10 0.28 2.2 0.03 0.02 0.06 0.8

204.2 237.7 33.5 670 780 110 0.22 1.4 0.03 0.01 0.1 7.4

253.0 269.8 16.8 830 885 55 0.23 1.1 0.008 0.007 0.03 3.9 PM24-014 0 19.8 19.8 0 65 65 0.30 8.6 0.01 0.14 0.42 5.9

33.5 38.1 4.6 110 125 15 0.28 3.7 0.005 0.05 0.15 1.3 PM24-015 61.0 79.3 18.3 200 260 60 1.27 22.6 0.03 0.4 1.59 23.2

62.5 67.1 4.6 205 220 15 3.02 20.4 0.03 0.2 1.32 13.9 PM24-016 70.1 111.3 41.2 230 365 135 **1.89 4.7 0.14 0.03 0.16 77.9





36.6





***2.13 5.3 0.15 0.03 0.19 78.0

71.6 82.3 10.7 235 270 35 **5.01 7.7 0.28 0.03 0.35 53.6





9.2





***5.91 9.0 0.32 0.03 0.41 54.4

70.1 88.4 18.3 230 290 60 **3.92 6.3 0.30 0.03 0.33 71.7





16.8





***4.28 6.9 0.33 0.03 0.36 71.9 PM24-017 41.2 42.7 1.5 135 140 5 0.30 0.6 0.004 0.02 0.03 0.5

64.0 71.6 7.6 210 235 25 0.32 8.4 0.003 0.04 0.10 2.4

Notes: * previously released (see the Company's August 14, 2024 press release); ** includes "0" grade for voids; *** leaves out voids; Composite intersections are calculated using a 0.2 g/t cutoff for gold with 10m internal dilution for the lower grade intervals. Higher grade intervals included within the lower grade intervals use a 1 g/t Au cutoff with 5 m internal dilution. True widths are unknown due to uncertainty around orientations of mineralized zones. Table 2: Drill Hole Coordinates Hole ID Azimuth Dip Northing Easting Total Depth (m) Total Depth (ft) NAD83 m, Nevada East grid. EPSG: 32107 PM24-011 154 -66 8524407 164704.2 40 130 PM24-012 127 -53 8524408 164702.3 43 140 PM24-013 300 -62 8524485 164756.8 301 985 PM24-014 149 -46 8524480 164758.7 153 500 PM24-015 142 -55 8524493 164659.7 83 270 PM24-016 140 -69 8524494 164660.4 116 380 PM24-017 142 -43 8524492 164660.6 197 645

Figure 1: Skewed map (looking down the interpreted dip to the NW) showing the 7 new RC holes drilled lining up with hole PM24-004 and other previously-released holes and historical mine infrastructure To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9875/221217_d25647165409aa4c_002full.jpg Figure 2: Section showing Holes PM24-015, 16 and 17 and steep interpreted dip and historical mine infrastructure To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9875/221217_d25647165409aa4c_003full.jpg Figure 3: Map showing all drilling reported in this RC drill program to date and other mines/rock samples/soils/geophysical anomalies further NW and along trend to the SW and NE To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9875/221217_d25647165409aa4c_004full.jpg Wabash/Williams/Silver Connor Area - Seven (7) holes are reported here from the 20 holes drilled to date in this area. The voids caused by mineralizing fluids has restricted the drilling to five main drill pads from which multiple angled RC holes were drilled. 24-011 and 24-012 were drilled to intersect a high-grade intersection in historical EPAR hole PM-W-74 (13.7m @ 5.6 g/t Au + 60.8 g/t Ag) but were drilled too far SW and west of the desired set-up due to ground conditions; they both intersected intervals similar to previously-reported hole PM24-010 (same set-up but different direction) of 15ft (4.6m) @ 2.25 g/t Au and 20ft (6.1m) @ 3.01 g/t Au, respectively, both from surface.

24-013 intersected wide low-grade zones; it intersected over 690ft (210m) of mineralization, with individual zones over 0.2 g/t Au of up to 105ft (32m), and with 0.16 g/t Au overall (no cutoff). The wide mineralization in hole PM24-004 is some 50ft (15.24m) west of the intersections in this hole.

24-014 targeted the SE-most historical RC hole (PM-W-01) which had not much gold but very high silver - potentially indicating proximity to another mineralized zone in that direction; this hole did intersect 65ft (19.8m) @ 0.3 g/t Au from surface.

24-015 was drilled to intersect just above historical EPAR hole PM-W-78 to show the zone has a steep dip; it intersected 60ft (18.3m) @ 1.3 g/t Au, 22.6 g/t Ag from 200ft, which included 15ft (4.6m) @ 3.0 g/t Au, 20.4 g/t Ag from 210ft.

24-016 was drilled to intersect just below historical EPAR hole PM-W-79 to show the zone has a steep dip; it intersected 60ft (18.3m) @ 3.92 g/t Au , 6.3 g/t Ag from 230ft, which included 35ft (10.7m) @ 5.01 g/t Au , 7.7g/t Ag from 235 ft; within 135ft (41.2m) @ 1.89 g/t Au, 4.7g/t Ag from 230ft; the intersection is located 25.5ft NE of historical EPAR hole PM-W-79 (and between the intersections in historical EPAR holes PM-W-78 and 79).

24-017 was drilled to intersect well above historical EPAR hole PM-W-78 to show the zone has a steep dip; a low-grade gold zone was intersected showing the steep dip. Review by Qualified Person, Quality Control and Reports Mr. Mike Sutton, P.Geo., a director of the Company, is the Qualified Person, as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, who reviewed and approved scientific and technical disclosure in this press release. The Qualified Person has not reviewed the mineral tenure, nor independently verified the legal status and ownership of the Property or any underlying property agreements. Drilling and Sampling: Drilling was carried out using a Canadian built tracked MPD1500 RC drilling unit, the rig has jacks and a blade and is capable of working on small pads on steep ground to minimise ground prep. It is capable of drilling to 1500ft (455m) using 4' inch pipe and a 51/4' bit. Holes were cased down to 25-80ft (21.4-24.45m) with 8" steel casing drifted in using a tricone bit. RC drilling uses a hammer, that is not face sampling but samples 4ft away from the hammer. A face sampling hammer is also been trialed to compare efficiency. Under Nevada law dry sampling is not allowed due to dust restrictions so RC drilling is done wet, with water actively pumped down the hole mixing with pulverised sample and coming through the cyclone to an 8 compartment rotary fan wet splitter. Each compartment can be shut off giving control of the amount of split material. Rotary splitter was setup with 1:4 split, with the quarter split going into two calico bags housed in buckets, for an assay sample and a field duplicate for permanent reference. The remainder of the sample falls to the ground and runs into the sump. Each assay sample is for a 5ft (1.52m) interval. The splitter and cyclone are flushed every 4 samples or on noticing a change in colour. Chips were collected from the splitter reject and put into chip trays for reference. Calico bags are pre-labelled with hole number and footage, with an FD for field duplicate added to the sample number for the field duplicate. The drilling team are responsible for changing the bags and the clearly labelled footage intervals on the bags avoids sample mix-ups. Filled sample bags are laid on the ground in order so a visual check can be easily performed when collecting samples. Samples are loaded into a plastic crate and dispatched daily to the ALS Global prep-lab in Elko Nevada. A standard, a blank and a field duplicate were inserted after every 20 samples, for a QA/QC rate of 15%. Six standards from CDN Resource Laboratories were rotated through the samples. The standards had gold values ranging from 0.433 to 7.34 ppm. Samples are dried crushed and pulverised and assayed for gold with a 30g fire assay and a 44 element ICP MS suite. Overlimit samples for gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper are automatically re-assayed by suitable methods. Correction in AGM Circular The Company wants to correct an inadvertent error its Information Circular dated August 1, 2024 for its upcoming annual and special meeting of shareholders on September 12, 2024. On page 6 of the Information Circular, it incorrectly refers to Ty Erickson as holding the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary position with the Company. To clarify, Mr. Erickson is a director and Mr. Andrew Dunlop, as announced by the Company in its July 2, 2024 press release, is the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for the Company. The Company apologizes for any confusion this error may have caused. About Prospect Mountain The Property lies in the Battle Mountain Eureka trend, in an area known as the Southern Eureka Gold Belt, where three styles of mineralization have been identified, gold, silver Carlin style mineralization, Carbonate Replacement gold, silver, lead, zinc mineralization (CRD) and carbonate hosted Porphyry Related Skarn lead, zinc and gold mineralization associated with cretaceous intrusions. At the Property, the CRD mineralization is heavily oxidized to depths of at least 2,000 ft (610m) below the top of the ridge line. A Plan of Operations is in place which covers part of the Property (totalling 81 acres) and entitles an operator to pursue surface exploration, underground mining of up to 365,000 tons per annum and certain infrastructural works. It includes a permit to extract water from a well and to build water containment facilities. A more complete description of Prospect Mountain's geology and mineralization, including at the Wabash area, can be found in the NI 43-101 Technical Report (the "Technical Report") on the Prospect Mountain Property, Eureka County, Nevada, USA dated and with an effective date April 10, 2023, prepared by David Pym (Msc), CGeol. of LTI Advisory Ltd. and Dr Toby Strauss, CGeol, EurGeol., of Merlyn Consulting Ltd., which has been filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the profile of the Company and on the Company's website. About North Peak The Company is a Canadian based gold exploration and development company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NPR". The Company is focused on acquiring historical sites, with low cost producing gold and other metals properties, with near term production potential and 8+ year mine life in the northern hemisphere. The Company recently acquired an initial 80% interest in the Prospect Mountain Mine complex in Eureka, Nevada (see the Company's May 4 and 23, 2023 and August 25, 2023 press releases). The Company can give no assurances at this time that its properties and interests will fulfil the Company's business development goals described herein. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. For further information, please contact: Brian Hinchcliffe, CEO

Phone: +1-647-424-2305

Email: info@northpeakresources.com

Website: www.northpeakresources.com Chelsea Hayes, Director

Phone: +1-647-424-2305

Email: info@northpeakresources.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, timing and completion of any drilling and work programs on the Property, estimates of mineralization from drilling, sampling and geophysical surveys, geological information projected from drilling and sampling results and the potential quantities and grades of the target zones, the potential for minerals and/or mineral resources and reserves, and statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Property and the Company that may be described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, accuracy of assay results, geological interpretations from drilling results, timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services, future operating costs, and the historical basis for current estimates of potential quantities and grades of target zones, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the quarter ended March 31, 2024, available at www.sedarplus.ca , many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221217 Click on, or paste the following link into your web browser,to view the associated documents http://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221217

News Source: North Peak Resources Ltd.





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Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has been selected to deliver radio frequency (RF) payloads for a constellation of satellites for a leading European defense contractor. Through this work, Redwire will extend its established, flight-proven RF payloads to overseas customers.

Redwire will provide multiple shipsets of RF payloads and control electronics. The RF payloads will be manufactured and tested at Redwire's recently expanded Longmont, Colorado, facility, which features 26,000 square feet of high-bay manufacturing, integration, and testing floor space, as well as an advanced RF testing chamber for installed performance testing of RF payloads.

"Redwire is proud to be providing its flight-proven RF antenna technology in support of a critical European defense contractor," said Adam Biskner, President of Redwire Space Systems. "As a leading RF antenna supplier, Redwire has made significant investments to successfully develop the technologies, manufacturing methods, and business systems to serve the rapidly growing number of customers around the world."

Redwire is a world leader in antenna production, having delivered more than 50 flight antennas and with more than 180 additional antennas in development. This new contract leverages Redwire's years of antenna and RF systems development and the company's investments in RF and advanced antenna manufacturing and testing capabilities. A recently announced milestone out of Redwire's RF portfolio was the first-ever transmission of a Link 16 signal from space, using an antenna Redwire delivered to York Space Systems for SDA's Tranche 0 Transport Layer. Link 16 is a military tactical data link network that provides secure line-of-sight communications capabilities for personnel on land, in the air, and at sea.

About Redwire

Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is a global space infrastructure and innovation company enabling civil, commercial, and national security programs. Redwire's proven and reliable capabilities include avionics, sensors, power solutions, critical structures, mechanisms, radio frequency systems, platforms, missions, and microgravity payloads. Redwire combines decades of flight heritage and proven experience with an agile and innovative culture. Redwire's approximately 700 employees working from 14 facilities located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to building a bold future in space for humanity, pushing the envelope of discovery and science while creating a better world on Earth. For more information, please visit redwirespace.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827190337/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Emily Devine

Emily.Devine@redwirespace.com

305-632-9137

OR

Investors:

investorrelations@redwirespace.com

904-425-1431
As the new academic year kicks off, universities in Texas and Virginia have revised their free speech and demonstration policies, responding to the shifting dynamics of campus expression following widespread spring protests over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The University of Texas Board of Regents amended its free speech policy last week to prevent the system and its 14 universities from adopting political or social positions.

The new policy states that, "Institutions should not, in their official capacity, issue or express positions on issues of the day, however appealing they may be to some members of the university community." However, individuals are still free to express themselves in a personal capacity.

This change comes as the UT system, like many others across the country, navigates the challenges of managing free speech in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The war has ignited intense debates and protests on campuses, particularly at UT-Austin, where clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police led to numerous arrests earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the University of Virginia also updated guidelines this week that now regulate how expressive activities, such as protests and demonstrations, can occur on campus.

According to UVA President Jim Ryan, the policies are designed to ensure that the university remains a place of open inquiry while also protecting the rights of all community members to access shared spaces without disruption. Notably, the new policies restrict the use of structures like tents in the historic Academical Village, prohibit outdoor events between 2 and 6 a.m., and place limitations on camping and the use of face coverings during protests.

"The right to free expression and free inquiry is foundational to our democracy and to UVA," Ryan said in a Monday statement. "In that spirit, we do our best to ensure that any regulations we place on expressive activities are content-neutral and strike the right balance, promoting free expression and ensuring that our Grounds are safe, welcoming and accessible for everyone."

In cases of noncompliance with these rules, UVA officials will follow a tiered enforcement process, ranging from warnings to suspensions and potential arrests for persistent violations. The university emphasizes that it supports the right to protest but expects all activities to comply with these new guidelines.

As both Texas and Virginia universities implement these new policies, they join a growing list of institutions striving to balance free expression with campus safety and neutrality in an increasingly polarized environment.

Indiana University's Board of Trustees approved a new policy in July regarding campus demonstrations following an independent review of the school's response to pro-Palestinian protests this past spring.

The new policy, which went into effect Aug. 1, supports protests that don't disrupt university operations or hinder the expressive activity of another individual or group.

While the new policy permits actions such as assembly in public areas, peaceful protesting, making speeches and carrying signs, it prohibits constructing temporary structures without approval at least 10 days in advance, outdoor amplified sounds that disrupt others and applying permanent markings to university property.

The University of Pennsylvania also introduced temporary protest guidelines this summer, explicitly banning encampments. And Harvard University announced it wouldn't make official political statements, impeding protesters' efforts to push institutions to take a stance on the Israel-Gaza war.

Universities are also showing stronger solidarity with Jewish students, some of whom have sued their schools over hostility or harassment during the protests. This could impact how future demonstrations are handled.
Avant Brands Inc. (TSX:AVNT)(OTCQX:AVTBF)(FRA:1BU0) ("Avant" or the "Company"), a leading producer of innovative and award-winning cannabis products, announces that it will consolidate its outstanding common shares on the basis of thirty (30) existing common shares for one (1) new common share of the Company (the "Consolidation"). In accordance with the articles of the Company, the Consolidation has been approved by the board of directors (the "Board") of the Company, and shareholder approval is not required. The effective date for the Consolidation is Friday, August 30, 2024 (the "Effective Date").

As of the date of this news release, the Company has 316,342,373 common shares issued and outstanding. Following completion of the Consolidation, the Company is expected to have approximately 10,544,745 common shares issued and outstanding, subject to rounding.

No fractional post-Consolidation common shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. The holdings of any shareholder who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the Consolidation shall be rounded up to the next higher whole number if the fraction is 0.5 or greater, and rounded down to the next lower whole number if the fraction is less than 0.5.

Registered shareholders of the Company holding their shares in certificate form will receive a letter of transmittal from the Company's transfer agent with instructions for exchanging their pre-Consolidation shares for post-Consolidation shares. Registered shareholders of the Company holding their shares in DRS advice form will receive their post-Consolidation shares automatically within three (3) business days after the Effective Date with no requirement to complete the letter of transmittal. Shareholders who hold their common shares through a broker or other intermediary will not need to complete a letter of transmittal.

The Company's outstanding warrants, options and other convertible securities will be adjusted on the same basis as the Consolidation with respect to the underlying common shares exercisable pursuant to the warrants, options and other convertible securities, with proportionate adjustments being made to applicable exercise or conversion prices, as applicable.

The Consolidation is subject to obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"). It is expected the common shares will commence trading on the TSX on a consolidated basis at the opening of trading on the Effective Date under the new ISIN CA05353D2023 and new CUSIP 05353D202.

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About Avant Brands Inc.

Avant is an innovative, market-leading premium cannabis company. Avant has multiple operational production facilities across Canada, which produce high-quality, handcrafted cannabis products based on unique and exceptional cultivars.

Avant offers a comprehensive product portfolio catering to recreational, medical, and export markets. Our renowned consumer brands, including BLK MKT, Tenzo, Cognoscente, flowr and Treehugger, are available in key recreational markets across Canada. Avant's products are distributed globally to Australia, Israel and Germany, with its flagship brand BLK MKT currently being sold in Israel. Additionally, Avant's medical cannabis brand, GreenTec, serves qualified patients nationwide through its GreenTec Medical portal and trusted medical cannabis partners.

Avant is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AVNT) and accessible to international investors through the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX:AVTBF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA: 1BU0). Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Avant operates in strategic locations including British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

For more information about Avant, including access to investor presentations and details about its consumer brands, please visit www.avantbrands.ca.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations at Avant Brands Inc.

1-800-351-6358

ir@avantbrands.ca

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to raise capital, and the overall performance of the cannabis industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. 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, except as required by law. Investors are urged to carefully consider the risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings with securities regulatory authorities, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

SOURCE: Avant Brands Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
In early July 2024, Meta Force released a pilot of the superhero comic and announced ambitious plans to create its own Cinematic Universe (or Extended Universe, or in this case MFEU).

Meta Force is a company developing its blockchain-based metaverse Neo Dao. The implementation of a creative project may have seemed like a marketing move, but Lado Okhotnikov, CEO of Meta Force announced plans to release a comic series and create a large-scale MFEU.

Lado Okhotnikov presents the comic: Heroes of the New Generation

Currently, there is a very well-established idea of what a superhero should be. Marvel, DC, and Japanese manga dominate the media, forming "right" character images.

The heroes proposed by Meta Force depart from traditions and stereotypes, they operate in a new world where metaverses become part of our lives. And this is no longer the assumption nor a creative idea of the writers, but reality.

The superhero of the Neo Dao metaverse largely transmits the ideas and beliefs of Lado Okhotnikov himself, and the comic book, among others, becomes manifest. Moreover, the pilot is partly autobiographical, similar events happened in the life of the founder of Meta Force, and many heroes have real prototypes.

All this is well described by the Meta Force's slogan: "Virtuality meets reality".

The first pilot gives a general idea of the new hero. He receives superpowers not by chance, not as a gift of fate, but as a result of work and self-improvement.

Evil also appears not in the form of traditional villains, but as something mysterious and existential, secretly governing our civilization. The main character's mission is not so much to defeat enemies physically, but to maintain the balance of the Universe.

The main character, Mr. Dao, is philosophical, and charismatic, and has a unique style, in the story, action is successfully combined with reflections.

MFEU

The basic initial element of modern cineverses was a comic book, around it new formats were built such as cartoons, series, and feature films. That's how Marvel and DC started.

Lado Okhotnikov emphasizes that the comic is the first step in creating its own MFEU. The release dates of the comic continuation and new formats are not specified, it is claimed that this will be soon.

About Company

Meta Force is the company that created the DeFi platform and developer of Neo Dao metaverse. In two years of operation, the number of users exceeded two million. Lado Okhotnikov is the founder and CEO of Meta Force.

Based on Dan Michael's materials

The head of the Meta Force Press Center

press@meta-force.space

meta-force.space

SOURCE: Meta Force

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") is pleased to announce the commencement of a first phase of drilling at its wholly owned Silver Kings Project, Ontario, Canada, with plans to drill a total of 10,000 m in multiple phases. A diamond drill is now on site to test for high-grade silver-cobalt mineralization at depth in the historic Cobalt Ontario silver mining camp. The program is expected to include drilling of the Company's new Frontier NW target (see below), the Campbell-Crawford target, as well as the Airgiod target where the first known drill hole, completed by Kuya in 2023, intersected silver-cobalt mineralization in an identical setting to the Angus Vein at the adjacent Campbell-Crawford prospect.

David Lewis, Kuya Silver's Vice President Exploration, commented: "It's great to have a drill back on site again at the Silver Kings Project, especially given the accomplishments that Kuya Silver made here in 2023. We've updated and refined our technical skillset and I'm looking forward to testing and expanding our discoveries in this world-class historic mining district."

Frontier NW target zone update

The brownfields Frontier NW target area is located 350 m NW of the Frontier Mine, which produced 7.0 million oz silver and 1.7 million pounds cobalt, primarily from the N-S trending Woods-Watson fault and fault-hosted veins (Sergiades 1968). This new zone is hosted by a 400 m long, NW-trending fault, named the Hammerstrom fault, which is of a comparable width to the Woods-Watson fault (~3 m). In 2018, eight 100 m-spaced drill holes intersected anomalous to mid-grade silver-cobalt mineralization (0.01 to 0.46% cobalt). A trenching program in 2023 uncovered three fault-hosted mineralized veins, which assayed up to 23 g/t silver, 4.1% cobalt and 1.1% nickel (1,250 g/t AgEq*) over 1.74 m (see Kuya Silver June 24, 2024 news release).

*AgEq (silver equivalent) values calculated on August 26, 2024, using the following values and assuming full recovery: Silver $29.94 USD/troy oz; Cobalt $24,300 USD/tonne; Nickel $16,758 USD/tonne.

Follow-up work in 2024 included surface mapping of the trenched areas, relogging of the previous drill holes, and the commissioning of a detailed Induced Polarization (IP) survey. Details of the surface width and extent of the Hammerstrom fault display well in the IP Resistivity plan maps and known mineralized veins (FNW Target 1) are extremely apparent in the Chargeability data (Figure 1). Importantly, a second area has a similar chargeable response within the Hammerstrom fault zone, suggesting the presence of additional, previously unknown mineralized veins (FNW Target 2). This work was designed and quality assured by Jeremy S. Brett, M.Sc., P.Geo., Senior Geophysical Consultant, Jeremy S. Brett International Consulting Ltd.

Historically, mineralization in the Silver Centre camp can be discontinuous along mineralized faults and/or veins, but is generally arranged in parallel, cigar-shaped, high-grade, plunging shoots. For example, a north-south long section of the Woods Vein at the Keeley and Frontier mines shows several steeply plunging shoots, defined by underground stopping on a north-south section (Figure 2). On an east-west long section of the No. 16 vein, mineralized shoots plunge more shallowly, parallel to the Nipissing Diabase rock contact (Figure 3).

Two aspects of mineralization can be made with the geophysical results and compiled mine workings:

If the plunge of mineralized shoots can be established, high-grade mineralization on surface can be predicted to depth. Mineralization may follow an evenly spaced periodicity along mineralized structures.





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Campbell-Crawford and Airgiod Targets

The Campbell-Crawford and Airgiod target areas, defined historically as separate mining claims, are otherwise continuous properties. In both cases, weakly-mineralized veins occur on surface within the 300 m thick Nipissing Diabase sill, and mineralization is being targeted in these structures at the lower diabase contact which was essentially untested prior to 2023, when Kuya Silver intersected bonanza-grade silver in a new discovery drill hole (see the following Kuya Silver news releases: March 15, 2023; April 4, 2023; May 30 2023). In subsequent trenching and drilling, at least six mineralized veins (both NW-SE and WSW-ENE trending) have been identified and traced at depth, with mineralization increasing dramatically in vein intersections and bends (see the following Kuya Silver news releases: June 29, 2023; January 11, 2024; January 29, 2024). Drilling will be focused on interpreted high-grade mineralized shoots at the Campbell-Crawford target and will follow-up on surface veins, fault zones and historic projected mineralization at the Airgiod target.

References

McIlwaine, W.H. 1970. Geology of South Lorrain Township; Ontario Department of Mines and Northern Affairs, Geological Report 83, 95p.

Sergiades, A.O. 1968. Silver Cobalt Calcite Vein Deposits of Ontario; Ontario Department of Mines, Mineral Resources Circular No. 10, 498p.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. David Lewis, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Kuya Silver, and Jeremy S. Brett, M.Sc., P.Geo., Senior Geophysical Consultant, both Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadian-based, growth-oriented mining company with a focus on silver. Kuya Silver operates the Bethania silver mine in Peru, while developing district-scale silver projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions including Peru and Canada.

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information," including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization 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/221177

SOURCE: Kuya Silver Corporation
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Romios Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: RG) (OTC Pink: RMIOF) (FSE: D4R) ("Romios Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to report that a recent field program on Romios' Kinkaid property in Mineral County, Nevada, has returned numerous high-grade gold, silver and base metal assays, and expanded the apparent footprint of at least two of the postulated porphyry Cu-Au-Ag centres on the property.

HIGHLIGHTS

At Honeycomb Hill, the apparent porphyry copper centre and overlying epithermal to mesothermal base and precious metal rich vein system has now been expanded to an area >450 x 450 m with the discovery of numerous historic mineralized trenches and adits that returned assays from 1.31 to 26.96 g/t Au, 1.55% to >10% Cu, and 1.0 to 10.4 g/t Ag.

Sampling of the ore veins inside the main workings at Honeycomb Hill confirmed the very high silver content of the galena, 574 and 189 g/t Ag, with gold values of 0.26 and 3.45 g/t Au. A nearby dump sample of fairly non-descript quartz vein material returned the highest gold values to date on the project, 78.16 g/t Au.

with gold values of A nearby dump sample of fairly non-descript quartz vein material returned the highest gold values to date on the project, Mapping around the 500 m long, historic Montreal Au-Ag mine workings located an important mineralized outcrop laced with actinolite, epidote, biotite and copper bearing veins, 150 m to the west of the mine, significantly expanding the footprint of the suspected porphyry system. This alteration is believed to be part of the deeper alteration zones of a porphyry copper system and assayed 1.62% Cu, 11.3 g/t Ag and 0.49 g/t Au.

The suspected epithermal mineralization overprint on the historic PM mine skarn system has been further supported by the discovery of quartz veins that assayed 10.6 g/t Au and a zone of chalcedonic quartz that assayed 0.79 g/t Au.

and a zone of chalcedonic quartz that assayed Work on the adjacent KIN claim block located numerous copper-rich boulders of conglomerate and garnet-epidote skarns, making the nearby sedimentary horizons a prime target and suggesting that the source pluton for this mineralization may be at relatively shallow depths.

Stephen Burega, President and CEO of Romios, stated: "These are exceptional results, and we continue to build support for Romios' Kinkaid model of multiple porphyry Cu-Au-Ag centres overlain by high-grade epithermal to mesothermal veins and high-level sericite alteration zones. We have now substantially expanded the footprint of the Honeycomb Hill and Montreal Mine centres as well as adding more proof of an epithermal gold-silver overprint on the PM skarn site, all with a low-cost, boots on the ground approach."

Target Details

The 139 Kinkaid and adjacent KIN claims cover approximately 11.0 sq km in Mineral County, 18 km east of the town of Hawthorne, and are largely accessible by road. Romios personnel undertook a low-cost, week-long exploration program here in June 2024 to follow-up on the 2023 discovery of high grade Cu-Au boulders on the new KIN claims; to explore the area around several of the postulated porphyry and skarn centres; and to assess the significance of sericite anomalies detected by a recent Short Wave Infrared Satellite Imagery (SWIR) satellite image study of the property. The results of this work are described in more detail below; all pertinent assay results are listed in Table 1 and the target areas are shown on Map 1.

Honeycomb Hill Centre Target:

One of the largest alteration zones on the Kinkaid property, up to 275 m long and 90 m wide, this is now believed to be part of a larger porphyry-related mineralized system ~450 x 450 m that is partially overlain by younger volcanics.

Eight additional adits and trenches were located in this broader zone in 2024, in addition to the 6 shafts and adits previously known. It is believed that the historic mining here targeted silver-rich galena veins.

Romios' samples not only returned high silver assays but moderate to very-high gold values as well: the four samples with even minor sulphides assayed up to 78.16 g/t Au, 574 g/t Ag and 2.3% Cu , with locally high values in mercury, up to 13,250 ppb Hg ; antimony, up to 650 ppm Sb ; arsenic, up to 2,981 ppm As ; and up to 86.6 ppm tellurium (see Table 1 for results of all 4 samples).

, with locally high values in mercury, up to ; antimony, up to ; arsenic, up to ; and up to (see Table 1 for results of all 4 samples). Two galena rich samples assayed 3.96% and >10% Pb. A 30 x 50 cm panel chip sample of the altered but vein-free host rocks outside one adit assayed 0.13% Pb, 41 ppm Sb, 707 ppm As, and 443 ppb Hg, indicating that broad areas of the discoloured, friable, altered host rocks are weakly mineralized.

A series of old trenches newly discovered 400 m NW of Honeycomb Hill mine workings also returned impressive assays, 1.31 to 26.96 g/t Au, 1.55% to >10% Cu and 1.0 to 10.4 g/t Ag as well as high mercury in one sample: 5,098 ppb Hg (see Photo 1). These results have significantly expanded the footprint of this apparent porphyry centre.

Although the samples were mainly collected from relatively narrow veins and dump samples left behind by the historic miners, the suite of elements in these latest assay results suggest that these veins are part of an epithermal to mesothermal vein and pervasive alteration system (see Photo 3) that likely overlies a magmatic source, believed to be a porphyry copper system.

The general zonation from silver rich samples at Honeycomb Hill to the more gold and copper rich mineralization at the trenches 400 m NW is to be expected in the metal zonation around the top of porphyry-epithermal systems.





Photo 1: Sample B994732 from the newfound trenches 400 m NW of Honeycomb Hill. Assayed 26.96 g/t Au, 10.4 g/t Ag, >10% Cu.

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KIN Claims:

Initial work in May 2023 in this area returned high-grade copper +/- gold values up to 13.3% Cu and 12.7 g/t Au from a series of boulders of uncertain origin along a dry creek bed (see Romios press release October 12, 2023). Follow-up mapping and prospecting in June 2024 located numerous additional, visibly well mineralized boulders along the same creek.

Of special note is that the new copper-rich samples include conglomerates and obvious skarn-type rocks (Photo 2). These samples have now shifted the target for the next work phase to a series of nearby sedimentary units. Such well developed and mineralized skarn boulders indicate that there must be skarn outcrops nearby and that the pluton responsible for the skarns may be at a relatively shallow depth.





Photo 2: Epidote-garnet skarn boulders stained with secondary copper minerals (mainly chrysocolla), KIN claims.



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Montreal Gold-Silver Mine Target:

This 500 m long series of old stopes, adits and trenches was mined for gold and silver in the early 1900s and is the largest historic mining operation on the Romios claims. The old workings are developed in a broad, north east trending, highly sericitic, friable zone(s).

The intense sericite alteration is typical of most of the mineralized prospects on the Kinkaid property and forms a prominent anomaly 50 m wide and 500 m long on SWIR satellite imagery (see Romios press release June 13, 2024).

Further evidence of a porphyry-type system is seen on lower ground 150 m west of the workings in the form of a large, well mineralized outcrop with abundant actinolite veins, epidote-biotite alteration selvages and copper mineralization.

A typical sample of the vein material assayed 1.62% Cu, 11.3 g/t Ag and 0.49 g/t Au , with elevated mercury (1,345 ppb Hg) values. Sericite alteration and mineralized Cu-Au-Ag veins can be expected near the top of typical porphyry copper type systems and give way at depth and inwards to a series of sodic-calcic and potassic alteration haloes around the main Cu-Au-Ag zone, including an actinolite sub-zone.

, with elevated mercury (1,345 ppb Hg) values. Sericite alteration and mineralized Cu-Au-Ag veins can be expected near the top of typical porphyry copper type systems and give way at depth and inwards to a series of sodic-calcic and potassic alteration haloes around the main Cu-Au-Ag zone, including an actinolite sub-zone. This discovery of the well mineralized outcrop with actinolite, biotite and epidote alteration is considered highly supportive for the porphyry model being pursued on the Kinkaid property. The area west of this outcrop is covered by younger, largely flat-lying volcanics that likely obscure the full extent of the system.

PM Skarn Target:

Located in the northernmost Kinkaid claims, the PM skarn is one of three skarns spread over 1.4 km and believed to have formed around the periphery of a metamorphic aureole related to an underlying granitoid intrusion. The historic PM skarn mine is a 150 m long series of shafts, adits and pits developed in garnet skarns and mined for gold prior to World War II. Romios' mapping in 2023 identified a 40 m wide skarnified horizon near the old workings, a unit which provides a potential host for extensive mineralization at depth closer to the source intrusion.

A typical sample from a small stockpile of silver-rich iron carbonate vein material at one adit assayed 55 oz/t Ag, 0.25% Sb, 6.9% Zn, 0.4% Cu, and 495 ppm Hg in Romios' 2021 sampling (see Romios press release March 10, 2022), indicating that there is likely an epithermal vein system overprinting the skarnified area.

For the first time in Romios' work, the 2024 samples returned significant gold values from the PM site: a sample of several small parallel quartz veins assayed 10.6 g/t Au as well as 177 ppm molybdenum, and a representative sample of a patch of apparently "low-temperature", chalcedonic quartz assayed 0.79 g/t Au. The discovery of these gold-bearing quartz veins/floods supports the postulated epithermal overprint on the PM skarn.

Table 1: Assays of samples pertinent to this release. (Cu and Pb are in ppm unless stated as %).





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Map 1: Kinkaid Project claim outlines and apparent porphyry centres.

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Photo 3: Pervasive, discoloured, sericitic, iron stained alteration at Honeycomb Hill.

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Background

The Kinkaid property now consists of 139 claims, covering approximately 11.0 sq km, located 18 km east of the town of Hawthorne where the prolific Walker Lane trend overlaps the southern edge of the mineral-rich Basin and Range geological province. The claims are largely accessible by road and short hikes and are wholly owned by Romios.

For more information, please click here for Romios' website.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Biczok, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Romios Gold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. In addition to his extensive experience with several major mining companies exploring for a wide variety of ore deposit types across Canada and India, Mr. Biczok spent 12 years conducting exploration and research at the Musselwhite gold mine in NW Ontario.

QA/QC

All samples were submitted to the Standards Council of Canada ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited Bureau Veritas laboratory in Reno, Nevada for assay. As a matter of procedure, a rigorous quality assurance and quality control program was implemented in the form of blanks and Certified Reference Material standards at every 10th position in the sample series. The assay results of these standards and blanks were well within the acceptable ranges.

About Romios Gold Resources Inc.

Romios Gold Resources Inc. is a progressive Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in precious- and base-metal exploration, focused primarily on gold, copper and silver. It has a 100% interest in the Lundmark-Akow Lake Au-Cu property plus 4 additional claim blocks in northwestern Ontario and extensive claim holdings covering several significant porphyry copper-gold prospects in the "Golden Triangle" of British Columbia. Additional interests include the Kinkaid claims in Nevada covering numerous Au-Ag-Cu workings, and two former producers: the Scossa mine property (Nevada) which is a former high-grade gold producer and the La Corne molybdenum mine property (Quebec). The Company retains an ongoing interest in several properties including a 2% NSR on McEwen Mining's Hislop gold property in Ontario; a 2% NSR on Enduro Metals' Newmont Lake Au-Cu-Ag property in BC, and the Company has signed a definitive agreement with Copperhead Resources Inc. ("Copperhead") whereby Copperhead can acquire a 75% ownership interest in Romios' Red Line Property in BC.

For more information, visit www.romios.com

As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages.

To book a one-on-one 30-minute Zoom video call, please click here.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221207

SOURCE: Romios Gold Resources Inc.
Revenue Increased by 22.2% and Net Loss Reduced by Nearly 70% year-on-year

In the first half of 2024, Xuan Wu Cloud achieved total revenue of RMB 647.5 million, reflecting steady growth of 22.2% compared to the same period last year. Net loss was significantly reduced by 69.5% to RMB 6.1 million.

The Company's operating expense ratio decreased by 6.7 percentage points year-on-yea r, demonstrating significant results in cost reduction and efficiency enhancement.

The Company served a cumulative total of 2,406 clients during the reporting period, our Average Revenue Per User contributed by core clients reached RMB1.9 million,with core clients' net revenue retention rate has further increased to 98.4%.

Revenue from SaaS operations amounted to RMB 365.1 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 39.6%. The revenue percentage of SaaS business surpassed 50% for the first time, reaching 56.4%.

The Marketing Cloud segment reported revenue of RMB 306.5 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 41.1%, driven by advanced product capabilities and strong customer acquisition.

Leveraging its leadership in AI technology and a deep understanding of large-scale consumer business scenarios, Xuan Wu Cloud has enhanced customer retention. The Sales Cloud's Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) reached RMB 21.7 million, up 22.4% year-on-year.

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Xuan Wu Cloud Technology Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as " Xuan Wu Cloud " or "the Company," stock code: 2392.HK), a leading local intelligent CRM services provider in China, announced its interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2024, on August 27.

During the reporting period, the Company achieved steady growth by implementing its dual-driven strategy of technology and business. Revenue increased by over 20% year-on-year. Additionally, the Company made significant progress in reducing net losses through careful expense management and effective cost-control measures.

Revenue Up 22.2% year-on-year and SaaS Revenue Percentage Surpasses 50% for the First Time

The announcement reveals that during the reporting period, Xuan Wu Cloud continued its steady progress by expanding its customer base while retaining existing clients. For the first half of 2024, the Company achieved revenue of RMB 647.5 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.2%. Notably, revenue from the SaaS segment reached RMB 365.1 million, up 39.6% from the previous year. This is the first time that SaaS revenue has surpassed 50% of total revenue for the first time, reaching 56.4%, highlighting the Company's strategic focus on CRM SaaS.

Additionally, Xuan Wu Cloud maintained its commitment to prudent expense management throughout the period. Following an update to its organizational structure at the end of last year, the Company significantly reduced its net losses, which narrowed by 69.5% to RMB 6.1 million.

During the reporting period, Xuan Wu Cloud, committed to driving digital transformation, served a total of 2,406 clients across four key industries-finance, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), public utility and government-related sectors, and TMT. The Company delivered these services through its CRM SaaS products, including the "Three Clouds" (Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, Customer Service Cloud), as well as its aPaaS and cPaaS platforms.

Thanks to a long-standing focus on superior service and continuous product improvement, the average revenue per core client reached RMB 1.9 million. Core client revenue accounted for 95.3% of the total client revenue, and the core client net revenue retention rate was 98.4%. In the SaaS segment specifically, the number of clients increased to 1,705, representing a year-on-year growth of 9.9%. Additionally, the ARPU for SaaS client reached RMB 1.5 million, up 14.2% from the previous year. In addition, our SaaS core clients ' n et revenue retention rate reached 106.1%

The Dual-Driven Strategy of Technology and Business Accelerates Expansion of SaaS Standardized Products

Reflecting on the market trends of the first half of the year, the digital economy has emerged as a central theme, driving the development of new productive capabilities and supporting high-quality economic growth. In this context, Xuan Wu Cloud has continued to implement its dual-driven strategy of technology and business. By the end of the reporting period, the Company had been granted 172 patents and 196 computer software copyrights, with 36 new patents and software copyrights awarded during the first half of the year. In terms of product innovation and service, Xuan Wu Cloud has focused on the digital transformation needs of industry clients, enhancing their business scenarios through intelligent upgrades and supporting their growth. Notably, during the reporting period, the Company intensified its efforts in developing standardized SaaS products, aiming to reduce project costs and expand its customer base among small and medium-sized enterprises.

Specifically, as a business segment dedicated to the digital and intelligent upgrade of marketing strategies for the clients in industries such as finance and government-related enterprises, the Marketing Cloud has closely tracked the policy trends in the financial industry during the reporting period and has persistently delved into the understanding of clients' needs. The Marketing Cloud secured new contracts with several leading banks in East China, West China, and Northwest China, generating revenue of RMB 306.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 41.1%. Regarding products, the Marketing Cloud's flagship offering, integrated communication centre ("ICC"), on the basis of comprehensive compatibility with domestic localization, has released version 5.3.0, which further enriches the product modules by introducing features such as, among others, multiple legal entity mode/international SMS/contract signing copies to cater to the diverse and emerging business requirements of an increasing number of financial clients, while also addressing the repurchase and additional purchase needs of existing customers. Meanwhile, the ICC has conducted specialized optimization for the iPush functionality, launching a version tailored for the securities industry, thereby accelerating breakthroughs into more niche sectors.

Simultaneously, as the key driver of the Company's secondary growth phase, the Sales Cloud segment focused on a comprehensive upgrade of client product usage during the reporting period, supported by the aPaaS platform. This approach aimed to enhance user experience and strengthen client retention. Additionally, the Sales Cloud continued to prioritize the development of standardized products, refining the operational foundation of these products. Through the "Mass Innovation Products" initiative, the Company has promoted the release of over 20 project components. Leveraging the foundational capabilities of Xuantao, the Company's multi-modal large model for the mass consumption industry, the AI standardized product matrix has been further expanded, with the addition of new projects such as image stitching models and historical database duplication checks.

Additionally, as a standardized product facilitating FMCG clients in achieving digital marketing for intelligent retail stores, the AIoT intelligent fridge experienced smooth market expansion in the first half of the year, with several major dairy and beverage clients signing on. In terms of collaboration models, the Company has introduced an independent AI model cooperation solution to cater to clients' personalized needs. As a result of these developments, during the reporting period, the Sales Cloud achieved revenue of RMB 43.1 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 34.9%. Meanwhile, the ARR for Sales Cloud reached RMB 21.7 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.4 %.

Based on multi-channel customer communication and full process business management, the Service Cloud provides intelligent customer services with human-machine coupling throughout the entire industry chain. During the reporting period, the Service Cloud introduced distinctive features specific to the consumer finance industry, such as intelligent case initiation, voice message, and industry statements, which enhanced customer willingness to pay and product competitiveness. In the meantime, the number of paid seats in the contact centre increased by 42.8% year-on-year.

In parallel with its strong domestic performance, Xuan Wu Cloud has been actively expanding its international presence and ecosystem partnerships. During the reporting period, the Company concentrated on supporting domestic clients in extending their marketing efforts to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Latin America. In the meantime, the Company has been actively exploring overseas ecosystem collaborations, establishing core resources, enhancing risk control capabilities, and improving operational support for our business. In terms of domestic ecological cooperation, Xuan Wu Cloud continued to strengthen cooperation with cloud vendors such as Huawei Cloud. During the reporting period, it has signed a HarmonyOS cooperation agreement with Huawei, the Company's "Smart Sales 100" and "iPush" products will start developing the native application in HarmonyOS. This move will also provide more diversified choices and more intelligent and convenient product service experiences for the clients.

Accelerated standardization of products to cover mid-tier customers and aiming for full-year breakeven

For the second half of 2024, Xuan Wu Cloud stated in its announcement that the company will closely seize the opportunity presented by the digital economy era. Supported by our AI and DI technologies, our intelligent CRM products will assist more enterprises in achieving high-quality digital and intelligence transformation.

First, with respect to the Company's second growth curve, Sales Cloud. Xuan Wu Cloud have upgraded the brand of Sales Cloud from " Xuanxun" to "Xuantong ". In this regard, Mr. CHEN YongHui, Chairman of Xuan Wu Cloud, said that"Tong"represents AI visual recognition and data insight in the context of AI, which is precisely relevant to numerous scenarios in the consumer goods industry involving visual AI and data applications. The transition from " Xun" to "Tong" signifies the empowerment of intelligence as wings, and the value enhancement from "connection"to"intelligent recognition, data insight, intelligent operation, and industrial interconnection". T he brand upgrade will also help us continue to focus on the top 100 customers in the consumer goods industry, and drive the iterative upgrade of existing customer businesses through SaaS+AI products (Sales Cloud + AI + DI + AIOT), and build a standardised product system to enhance our average revenue per consumer.

At the same time, Xuan Wu Cloud will continue to leverage our large-scale models and deep industry experience to further integrate AI and DI technologies into our intelligent CRM products. On this basis, the company will invest in our distribution channels to accelerate the coverage of our standardised products among mid-tier customers. This part of the business will also become a new growth engine for the Company's future development and can further enhance our market share.

In the second half of 2024, our Marketing Cloud business segment will continue to investigate the needs of financial and Government-related clients for the digital and intelligent transformation of their business processes, and assist clients in deeply mining their data value through products such as ICC and DMP, helping customers in the construction of comprehensive user personas, and enhancing their operational management capabilities, thereby ensuring precise marketing reach and conversion capabilities. Regarding 5G technology, Xuan Wu Cloud will enhance the underlying communication capabilities of 5G messaging on our cPaaS platform, opening it up for efficient integration with a wider range of communication products.

Overseas business will also continue to be one of Xuan Wu Cloud's new growth engines. Xuan Wu Cloud will focus on specific countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America and other regions, prioritizing the development of core resources to ensure the stability of our business operation. In terms of clients, while actively expanding our market presence, we will also assess the overseas marketing needs of our domestic clients, aiming to achieve cross-selling and further enhance client stickiness.

Mr. CHEN YongHui, Chairman of Xuan Wu Cloud, says, "in the second half of 2024, we are committed to maintaining the steady development of our business while continuously enhancing the Company's self-sustaining capabilities, improving profitability, and strengthening shareholders ' r eturns, striving to achieve a break-even position in our annual performance."

Financial Results



Six months ended 30 June

2024 RMB'000 2023 RMB'000 Change % Revenue 647,469 529,963 22.2 Gross profit 101,249 100,611 0.6 Operating (loss)/profit (4,106) (19,612) (79.1) (Loss)/profit before income tax (5,912) (20,715) (71.5) (Loss)/profit and total comprehensive (loss)/income (6,140) (20,155) (69.5)









Six months ended 30 June

2024 2023 Change

RMB'000 RMB'000 % Revenue(By Service Segment) CRM PaaS 282,411 268,397 5.2 CRM SaaS 365,058 261,566 39.6 Total Group 647,469 529,963 22.2

About Xuan Wu Cloud:

Xuan Wu Cloud Technology Holdings Limited, the largest local intelligent CRM service provider in China (stock code 2392.HK), which was successfully listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 8 July, 2022. The company's domestic operating entity is Xuan Wu Technology, which has established a marketing service system covering 34 provinces and cities across China. Xuan Wu Cloud has aPaaS, cPaaS, AI, and DI platform as technical base, with Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, Service Cloud as core SaaS product applications, aiming to provide customers with multi-touch, all-channel, entire business cycle management of intelligent CRM products and services.

SOURCE Xuan Wu Cloud Technology Holdings Limited
Assays Confirm Mineralization Across Entire 79 m trench, Including 4 m Averaging 4.52g/t Au

South Pacific Metals Corp. (TSXV:SPMC)(FSE:6J00) ("SPMC" or the "Company"), an emerging gold-copper exploration company operating in the heart of Papua New Guinea's proven production corridors, is pleased to announce initial assay results from its Osena Gold-Copper Project surface exploration program, completed September 2023 at the Ontenu Prospect and surrounding areas.

Highlights:

Trench 1 returned significant results including a peak trench rock sample value of 8.82 g/t Au, 13.8 g/t Ag, 0.25% Cu, 580 ppm Mo, 0.93% Zn. 79 m averaging 0.75 g/t Au, 981 ppm Cu, 1.73 g/t Ag, 1877 ppm Zn, including: 16 m averaging 1.25 g/t Au, 0.15% Cu, 0.18% Zn; and 4 m averaging 4.52 g/t Au, 0.13% Cu, 0.23% Zn.

Trench 1 mineralization occurs across the entire 79 m trench and is expected to extend to the east and west over more than 200 m width.

Regional rock samples returned up to 2.69 g/t Au, 71.3 g/t Ag, 0.26% Cu, 5.3% Zn .

The Ontenu Prospect is part of an interpreted multi-intrusive, large-scale gold-copper porphyry system spanning an area of at least 2.5 km by 1 km. Metal signatures (Au-Te-Bi) in assayed soils and rocks suggest a later metal-bearing event overprinting an earlier porphyry Cu-Au-Mo event, similar to that observed at other major deposits such as at the Kainantu and Porgera Mines.

"We are thrilled to see Ontenu results as high as 8.82 g/t gold within a broad alteration halo, confirming the significance of this prospect that remains open in all directions," commented Cathy Fitzgerald, President and Chief Geologist. "We are also highly encouraged by the continuity of gold mineralization found in Trench 1 assays, demonstrating excellent gold endowment potential that bodes well for future exploration efforts. These results, along with Ontenu's location at the southwestern end of the Kainantu Transfer Zone, make this a high-priority prospect for the Company. A comprehensive review of all historical and modern data for the Ontenu Prospect and broader area is underway, with the aim to fully characterize the scale and size of this mineralized system, identify additional targets and inform further exploration."

Ontenu Prospect Exploration Program

From July to September 2023, the Company (then operating as Kainantu Resources Ltd. under previous management), conducted surface sampling and detailed geological, alteration and structural mapping over the core area of the Ontenu Prospect. A total of 118 reconnaissance rock samples, 150 trench samples from five trenches and 116 soil samples were collected and secured in storage until being sent for assay this year (see news release dated July 3, 2024). These samples have now been assayed by Intertek Laboratory, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with preliminary results discussed in this news release.

Initial Surface Trenching Results

The Company interprets that the Ontenu Prospect at surface is the upper part of a significant gold-copper porphyry system.

Trench 1 is a 79 m long, east-west oriented channel excavated to a depth of 1 to 1.5 metres (see Figure 1). This trench targeted an area associated with high tenor gold in soils (between 80-360 ppb Au) over a line-length of 260 m. The exposed rocks in the trench revealed weathered gossanous material and was mapped as a combination of microdiorite, diorite porphyry and diorite breccia. The trench was oriented E-W and is proximal to mapped silica ledges and feldspar-hornblende porphyries intruding the sampled microdiorite. Stockwork veins and gossanous material (iron oxides from weathering of sulphide material) were mapped in the trench. The area has not been previously drilled, and based on regional interpretation, may link along a WNW-ESE striking structural corridor to a gold-in-soil anomaly (80 to 210ppb Au) located 300m to the ESE. The area to the north (and northwest) of Trench 1 has not yet been soil sampled by the Company. Further, many rock samples peripheral to Ontenu's core area returned high grade results that warrant following: Regional rock samples returned up to 2.69 g/t Au, 71.3 g/t Ag, 0.26 %Cu, and 5.3 %Zn.

Soil sampling was designed to complement two soil lines previously collected by the Company in 2022 (see news release dated March 23, 2023). Soils were collected at a nominal 50 m spacing along E-W lines with 100 metres spacing between lines. Nearly the entire area sampled, over 1 km by 800 m has highly anomalous gold in soils. The peak soil assay result returned was 1,560 ppb Au (1.56 g/t Au). As evidenced by high tenor gold in soils on the last lines of the soil survey, the soil anomaly is likely to continue farther to the west, north and south of the current area sampled.

The Company anticipates reporting full results, including review and interpretation of all assays and historical data in September 2024.

Figure 1: Ontenu Porphyry Prospect Geology and Recent Soil and Rock Results

Figure 2: Ontenu Porphyry Prospect Trench 1 Gold Assay Results

About the Osena Project

Covering 626 km of strategic ground, the Osena Project is located southwest of and adjacent to K92's tenements that host the Kainantu Gold Mine. Priority prospects include Ontenu, a porphyry copper-gold and epigenetic gold prospect with exposed porphyritic diorite intrusive phases hosting supergene copper minerals, and overprinted by a later gold mineralized event associated. The Ontenu Prospect is one of many occurring within a highly mineralized corridor that extends more than 40 km northeast across the Kainantu District.

Figure 3: Osena Project Location in the Kainantu Gold District

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

All Ontenu samples were collected under previous management, with the samples securely stored in the Kainantu office of the Company for the past year, prior to being sent to the laboratory for assaying.

Trenching and Rock Sampling

Trench samples are collected from a hand-excavated trench to a depth of approximately 1 m. The trench wall and floor is mapped and a representative sample is collected each metre along the length of the trench. Rock samples are collected from in-situ outcrops during reconnaissance work.

Trench and rock samples were sent to the ITS (PNG) Ltd (Intertek) Laboratory in Port Moresby. Gold assays were conducted using 30 g charge Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption Spectra finish (Intertek Code FA25/OES), with a detection limit of 0.01ppm. Samples >1 ppm (1 g/t) Au were re-assayed as a check with no significant difference noted.

Multi-element assays were determined using 4-acid digestion with Induced Coupled Mass-Spectrometry (ICPMS) (Intertek code 4A/MS48). Certified reference material, duplicates and blanks were inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance, with no significant variations from expected results.

Soil Sampling

Soil sampling involves sieving a c-horizon soil to a <2 mm in the field with the sample secured on site before being staged. Soil samples were sent to the ITS (PNG) Ltd (Intertek) Laboratory in Port Moresby for assay. Assaying for gold and other elements is determined by aqua regia digestion with a mass-spectrometry finish (Intertek code AR01/MS). Certified Reference Material, duplicates and blanks are inserted in the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been compiled by Company geologists reviewed and approved by Darren Holden, Ph.D., FAusIMM, a "Qualified Person" as defined under the Canadian Institute of Mining National Instrument 43-101, 2014 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Dr. Holden is a Technical Advisor to the Company.

About South Pacific Metals Corp.

South Pacific Metals Corp ("SPMC") is an emerging gold-copper exploration company operating in the heart of Papua New Guinea's proven gold and copper production corridors. With an expansive 3,000 km land package and four transformative gold-copper projects contiguous with major producers K92 Mining, PanAust and neighbouring Barrick Gold, new leadership and experienced in-country teams are prioritizing thoughtful and rigorous technical programs focused on boots-on-the-ground exploration to prioritize discovery across its portfolio projects: Anga, Osena, Kili Teke and May River.

Immediately flanking K92's active drilling and gold producing operations to the northeast and southwest, SPMC's Anga and Osena Projects are located within the high-grade Kainantu Gold District - each having the potential to host similar-style lode-gold and porphyry copper-gold mineralization as that present within K92's tenements. Kili Teke is an advanced exploration project situated only 40 km from the world-class Porgera Gold Mine and hosts an existing Inferred Mineral Resource with multiple opportunities for expansion and further discovery. The May River Project is located adjacent to the world-renowned Frieda River copper-gold project, with historical drilling indicating potential for a significant, untapped-gold mineralized system. SPMC common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX.V: SPMC) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: 6J00).

For further information please contact:

Michael Murphy, Executive Chairman and CEO

South Pacific Metals Corp.

Tel: +1 604-428-6128

Email: info@southpacificmetals.ca

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information

Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of SPMC. In making the forward-looking statements, SPMC has applied certain assumptions that are based on information available to the Company, including SPMC's strategic plan for the near and mid-term. There is no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements may involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of the Company. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because of the context of the statements, including such words as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "plans", "may", "estimates", or words of a similar nature. Forward-looking statements or information in this news release relate to, among other things: formulation of plans for drill testing; and the success related to any future exploration or development programs. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic, regulatory or other unforeseen uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, without limitation: success of the Company's projects, prices for metals remaining as estimated, currency exchange rates remaining as estimated, availability of funds for the Company's projects, capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates, prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation), no labour-related disruptions, no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production, all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner, and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in gold prices, fluctuations in prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation), fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar), operational risks and hazards inherent with the business of mineral exploration, inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards, the Company's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, changes in laws, regulations and government practices, including environmental, export and import laws and regulations, legal restrictions relating to mineral exploration, increased competition in the mining industry for equipment and qualified personnel, the availability of additional capital, title matters and the additional risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property.

Appendix 1

Table 1: Results from Trench 1 (coordinates WGS84 UTM Zone 55)

TrenchID Grid Easting Northing From To Length Rock Type Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Copper (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Mo (ppm) Trench 1 SUTM55 364554.8 9294562.6 0 1 1 Gossan 1.57 5.2 868 490 133 Trench 1 SUTM55 364555.6 9294562.2 1 2 1 Gossan 1.1 0.9 687 493 40 Trench 1 SUTM55 364556.5 9294561.8 2 3 1 Gossan 0.39 1.4 682 454 48 Trench 1 SUTM55 364557.3 9294561.4 3 4 1 Porphyry 0.34 2.1 1045 539 33 Trench 1 SUTM55 364558.2 9294561.1 4 5 1 Porphyry 0.79 1.9 1563 587 99 Trench 1 SUTM55 364559.0 9294560.9 5 6 1 Porphyry 0.25 0.25 610 359 25 Trench 1 SUTM55 364559.9 9294560.6 6 7 1 Porphyry 0.31 1.3 667 428 48 Trench 1 SUTM55 364560.8 9294560.4 7 8 1 Porphyry 0.51 0.25 725 525 33 Trench 1 SUTM55 364561.7 9294560.1 8 9 1 Porphyry 0.11 4.2 556 428 40 Trench 1 SUTM55 364562.6 9294559.8 9 10 1 Porphyry 0.2 2.6 761 696 55 Trench 1 SUTM55 364563.5 9294559.5 10 11 1 Porphyry 0.15 1.1 595 755 27 Trench 1 SUTM55 364564.4 9294559.1 11 12 1 Porphyry 0.12 0.8 609 958 35 Trench 1 SUTM55 364565.3 9294558.8 12 13 1 Porphyry 0.1 0.25 456 744 24 Trench 1 SUTM55 364566.3 9294558.7 13 14 1 Microdiorite 0.09 0.25 271 501 29 Trench 1 SUTM55 364567.2 9294558.6 14 15 1 Microdiorite 0.1 0.25 184 595 107 Trench 1 SUTM55 364568.1 9294558.4 15 16 1 Microdiorite 0.13 0.25 340 1268 38 Trench 1 SUTM55 364569.1 9294558.3 16 17 1 Microdiorite 0.94 0.25 310 1352 24 Trench 1 SUTM55 364570.0 9294558.2 17 18 1 Microdiorite 1.92 0.25 426 2825 16 Trench 1 SUTM55 364570.9 9294558.0 18 19 1 Microdiorite 0.17 1 1484 2760 32 Trench 1 SUTM55 364571.9 9294557.9 19 20 1 Microdiorite 2.44 0.25 2048 2722 76 Trench 1 SUTM55 364572.8 9294557.8 20 21 1 Microdiorite 0.28 0.25 2271 2106 118 Trench 1 SUTM55 364573.8 9294557.5 21 22 1 Microdiorite 1.91 0.25 2142 2086 218 Trench 1 SUTM55 364574.7 9294557.2 22 23 1 Microdiorite 0.24 0.6 2040 2787 91 Trench 1 SUTM55 364575.7 9294557.0 23 24 1 Microdiorite 0.5 0.6 1549 2865 77 Trench 1 SUTM55 364576.6 9294556.7 24 25 1 Microdiorite 0.17 1.2 1769 2532 88 Trench 1 SUTM55 364577.6 9294556.4 25 26 1 Microdiorite 1.5 1 2485 849 172 Trench 1 SUTM55 364578.5 9294556.1 26 27 1 Microdiorite 3.36 0.5 1668 951 136 Trench 1 SUTM55 364579.5 9294555.9 27 28 1 Microdiorite 2.31 0.9 1390 1491 250 Trench 1 SUTM55 364580.4 9294555.6 28 29 1 Volcanic Dike 0.54 0.25 910 1009 155 Trench 1 SUTM55 364581.4 9294555.6 29 30 1 Volcanic Dike 0.94 0.8 1365 550 580 Trench 1 SUTM55 364582.4 9294555.6 30 31 1 Volcanic Dike 1.32 0.25 954 1255 195 Trench 1 SUTM55 364583.3 9294555.5 31 32 1 Volcanic Dike 1.41 0.25 1251 886 106 Trench 1 SUTM55 364584.3 9294555.5 32 33 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.41 0.25 1246 2872 44 Trench 1 SUTM55 364585.3 9294555.5 33 34 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.13 1 794 3193 59 Trench 1 SUTM55 364586.2 9294555.5 34 35 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.15 0.7 742 5380 32 Trench 1 SUTM55 364587.2 9294555.5 35 36 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.22 0.7 947 4653 48 TrenchID Grid Easting Northing From To Length Rock Type Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Copper (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Mo (ppm) Trench 1 SUTM55 364588.2 9294555.5 36 37 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.21 0.25 780 7674 24 Trench 1 SUTM55 364589.1 9294555.4 37 38 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.19 0.25 920 8055 17 Trench 1 SUTM55 364590.1 9294555.5 38 39 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.2 1.7 719 5578 30 Trench 1 SUTM55 364591.1 9294555.6 39 40 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.08 0.25 595 5782 10 Trench 1 SUTM55 364592.1 9294555.7 40 41 1 Hornblende Diorite 0.1 0.8 332 5226 8 Trench 1 SUTM55 364593.1 9294555.7 41 42 1 Breccia 0.26 0.25 386 9289 24 Trench 1 SUTM55 364594.1 9294555.9 42 43 1 Breccia 0.08 0.25 289 0.01 20 Trench 1 SUTM55 364595.1 9294556.0 43 44 1 Breccia 0.13 1.6 312 8476 48 Trench 1 SUTM55 364596.1 9294556.2 44 45 1 Porphyry 8.82 1.6 1661 4242 71 Trench 1 SUTM55 364597.1 9294556.4 45 46 1 Porphyry 3.91 2.5 1043 1662 26 Trench 1 SUTM55 364598.1 9294556.5 46 47 1 Porphyry 0.78 0.25 409 1314 4 Trench 1 SUTM55 364599.1 9294556.7 47 48 1 Porphyry 4.74 5.2 1978 2039 30 Trench 1 SUTM55 364600.0 9294557.1 48 49 1 Porphyry 0.17 1.6 962 2204 36 Trench 1 SUTM55 364600.9 9294557.5 49 50 1 Porphyry 0.14 1.7 1148 2286 37 Trench 1 SUTM55 364601.8 9294557.9 50 51 1 Porphyry 0.16 0.25 842 1918 49 Trench 1 SUTM55 364602.7 9294558.2 51 52 1 Porphyry 0.13 0.25 688 1720 32 Trench 1 SUTM55 364603.6 9294558.3 52 53 1 Porphyry 0.12 0.25 774 1512 57 Trench 1 SUTM55 364604.6 9294558.4 53 54 1 Porphyry 0.25 3.3 1200 1794 32 Trench 1 SUTM55 364605.5 9294558.4 54 55 1 Porphyry 0.17 1 1065 1766 30 Trench 1 SUTM55 364606.5 9294558.5 55 56 1 Porphyry 0.13 1.1 1148 1716 37 Trench 1 SUTM55 364607.4 9294558.6 56 57 1 Porphyry 0.19 3.5 1642 1327 24 Trench 1 SUTM55 364608.4 9294558.6 57 58 1 Porphyry 0.24 1 1236 1075 59 Trench 1 SUTM55 364609.3 9294558.7 58 59 1 Porphyry 0.12 1.1 941 1276 11 Trench 1 SUTM55 364610.3 9294558.8 59 60 1 Porphyry 0.11 0.9 1064 1315 6 Trench 1 SUTM55 364611.2 9294558.8 60 61 1 Porphyry 0.12 0.7 573 842 26 Trench 1 SUTM55 364612.1 9294558.7 61 62 1 Porphyry 0.35 2.8 1085 747 33 Trench 1 SUTM55 364613.1 9294558.7 62 63 1 Porphyry 0.12 2 752 955 22 Trench 1 SUTM55 364614.0 9294558.6 63 64 1 Porphyry 0.19 0.6 743 889 26 Trench 1 SUTM55 364614.9 9294558.5 64 65 1 Porphyry 0.27 0.25 947 767 27 Trench 1 SUTM55 364615.9 9294558.4 65 66 1 Porphyry 0.64 0.25 766 267 36 Trench 1 SUTM55 364616.8 9294558.3 66 67 1 Porphyry 0.22 10 1306 842 48 Trench 1 SUTM55 364617.7 9294558.2 67 68 1 Porphyry 2.15 9.1 1561 597 62 Trench 1 SUTM55 364618.6 9294558.1 68 69 1 Porphyry 0.12 3 636 782 36 Trench 1 SUTM55 364619.6 9294558.0 69 70 1 Porphyry 0.22 0.8 724 663 53 Trench 1 SUTM55 364620.6 9294558.0 70 71 1 Porphyry 0.08 1.4 730 648 72 Trench 1 SUTM55 364621.5 9294558.0 71 72 1 Porphyry 0.23 1.2 667 864 36 Trench 1 SUTM55 364622.5 9294558.1 72 73 1 Porphyry 0.33 1 712 712 82 Trench 1 SUTM55 364623.5 9294558.1 73 74 1 Porphyry 0.68 12.7 1480 795 43 TrenchID Grid Easting Northing From To Length Rock Type Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Copper (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Mo (ppm) Trench 1 SUTM55 364624.5 9294558.1 74 75 1 Porphyry 2.1 4.9 1421 1124 58 Trench 1 SUTM55 364625.5 9294558.2 75 76 1 Porphyry 0.56 2.3 651 828 56 Trench 1 SUTM55 364626.4 9294558.2 76 77 1 Porphyry 2.06 13.8 826 707 214 Trench 1 SUTM55 364627.4 9294558.2 77 78 1 Porphyry 0.26 0.8 727 540 54 Trench 1 SUTM55 364628.4 9294558.3 78 79 1 Porphyry 0.19 4.4 648 532 39

Table 2: New Rock chip results of Au >0.1g/t Au, and/or Cu >1000ppm (coordinates WGS84 UTM z55)

Sample ID Easting Northing Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Copper (ppm) Zinc (ppm) E00462 365435 9294946 2.69 9.1 341 385 E00456 364455 9294638 2 5.2 2225 25957 E00083 365671 9294347 1.47 15.7 271 73 E00076 365006 9294493 1.34 4.8 1100 157 E00077 365898 9294618 1.26 8.7 61 726 E00081 365402 9294478 0.75 71.3 860 475 E00151 364523 9293952 0.7 1.6 1505 226 E00107 365397 9294479 0.66 18 419 353 E00078 365871 9294613 0.65 15.6 227 4825 E00320 364573 9294658 0.58 1.9 548 412 E00461 365407 9294976 0.38 10.7 59 182 E00119 365566 9294088 0.35 20.5 153 2112 E00121 364973 9293738 0.34 2.4 86 437 E00139 365011 9294032 0.34 29.9 982 52922 E00159 364633 9293827 0.31 13.1 200 39649 E00068 365162 9294820 0.3 13.8 319 0.01 E00116 365818 9294292 0.29 6.7 165 240 E00098 365828 9294490 0.27 5.2 106 185 E00103 365508 9294695 0.26 2.5 75 291 E00120 365560 9294086 0.25 20.6 125 3215 E00133 364992 9293902 0.24 1.7 408 489 E00138 365011 9294032 0.24 11.8 430 2961 E00075 364950 9294570 0.22 1 725 449 E00122 364971 9293743 0.2 1.8 2476 221 E00459 364993 9294607 0.2 1.3 1644 351 E00180 364587 9294473 0.17 1.8 520 2379 E00141 364127 9294308 0.15 0.25 17 43 E00123 364956 9293799 0.14 1.4 47 108 E00142 364127 9294308 0.14 0.25 366 90 E00137 365022 9294017 0.13 3.7 292 991 E00152 364556 9293881 0.13 5.8 784 93 E00458 364993 9294616 0.13 0.25 130 184 E00074 364999 9294609 0.11 2.6 296 850 E00080 365199 9294495 0.1 0.25 77 15 E00110 365819 9294413 0.09 1.5 1015 284 E00086 364447 9294542 0.04 0.7 2641 221

SOURCE: South Pacific Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The Nasuni File Data Platform Drives Agile Global Collaboration, Ransomware Protection, and GenAI Preparation for Top Firms Such as 9Rooftops Marketing, TWBA, and Omnicom

BOSTON, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nasuni , a leading enterprise data platform for hybrid cloud environments, today announced rapid growth in the media and advertising industry with a 121% increase in data under management over the last 24 months. Leading organizations in the sector such as 9Rooftops Marketing , Centaur Media , TBWA , Omnicom , Crain Communications , Quad Graphics , Multi-Color Corporation , and SGS , are modernizing their storage infrastructure and powering their growth using the Nasuni File Data Platform.

With the digital advertising industry expected to reach $965.6 billion by 2028 , and content production processes becoming more complex, collaborative, and global in scale, media and advertising companies are continually looking for new ways to more efficiently produce and distribute digital content.

"Media and advertising companies require a modern infrastructure with a fluid approach to file storage," said David Grant, President of Nasuni. "Yesterday's Network Attached Storage (NAS) and backup technologies cannot keep up with today's demands. This is because they need to deliver world-class collaboration functionality to help their users quickly create and distribute content while ensuring that critical IP is protected from threats. The Nasuni File Data Platform is accelerating these firms' ability to innovate and streamline their global-level content production processes, supported by secure access for extended production teams and collaborators. These capabilities and their ability to support industry-level content innovation, using tools such as GenAI, are instrumental in our growing adoption by this sector around the world."

The Nasuni File Data Platform couples cloud-native architecture and object storage with edge performance to give these firms the efficient and secure ability to access and manage their unstructured file data while readying for the adoption of GenAI. With leading media companies actively testing content creation from GenAI tools for video, audio, and still-life assets, existing datasets need to be fully accessible to ensure optimal creativity and performance while safeguarding content against infringement of copyright and intellectual property (IP) from activities such as unauthorized deep fakes.

"9Rooftops Marketing is one of the largest integrated marketing communications agencies in the world, so we obviously have a lot of need when it comes to data management," says Jason Scott, Director of IT at 9Rooftops Marketing. "Nasuni's cloud-first, best-in-class solution was able to completely replace our traditional file storage due to its scalable cloud capacity, automatic data protection, seamless collaboration, and simple management. Now, we can operate confidently and without disruption at a global scale."

With its scalable data platform and high-speed transfer of digital assets without file size limits, Nasuni enables production teams to achieve easier external collaborations with remote and hybrid content creators across multiple locations. Extended production teams can increasingly access and share their content anywhere in real-time with near-zero latency and built-in security. Nasuni Ransomware Protection protects firms' IP held as digital assets by ensuring that file data systems can provide early warning of, and rapid recovery from, ransomware attacks.

Additionally, Nasuni has enabled media and advertising organizations to optimize value from their IT investments, as it can reduce storage costs by up to 65% compared to legacy infrastructures.

To learn more about how Nasuni is enabling media and advertising companies to improve content production processes (including GenAI adoption), drive enhanced collaboration, reduce file storage costs, and strengthen resiliency from disasters and cybercrimes, please read our customer case studies .

About Nasuni

Nasuni is a scalable data platform for enterprises facing an explosion of unstructured data in an AI world.

The Nasuni File Data Platform delivers effortless scale in hybrid cloud environments, enables control at the network edge, and meets the modern enterprise expectation for insight- and AI-ready data. It simplifies file data management while increasing storage access and performance. Its best-in-class file recovery protects customers against a range of cyber threats and eliminates the need for specialized backup and disaster recovery - all while cutting the cost of infrastructure by up to 65%.

Organizations worldwide rely on Nasuni, spanning across the manufacturing, construction, energy, consumer goods, and public sectors. Nasuni's corporate headquarters is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and the company delivers services to over 70 countries. For more information, visit ? www.nasuni.com .

Social media links

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nasuni

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nasuni

Blog: http://www.nasuni.com/blog

Media Contacts:

US: Kristin Concannon

Nasuni

Phone: 617-416-2873

Email: kconcannon@nasuni.com



Europe: Maria Loupa

Waters Agency

Phone: +44 (0)7591 004 738

Email: nasunipr@watersagency.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nasuni-achieves-121-increase-in-data-under-management-in-media-and-advertising-sector-in-past-two-years-302225772.html
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Cybeats Technologies Corp. (CSE: CYBT) (OTCQB: CYBCF) ("Cybeats' or the "Company"), a company bringing industry-leading cybersecurity technology to the global market, announces a renewed and expanded licence for SBOM Studio[1] with a Fortune 500 client from the industrial control systems (ICS) sector, a space where Cybeats has experienced significant growth.

This engagement marks the fifth major client Cybeats has signed in the infrastructure space, notably with some of the world's largest companies. Cybeats has continued to validate its technology and approach, and solidify its leadership role in offering the most compelling SBOM management solution for the ICS sector. The contract expansion of 15% demonstrates both satisfaction and increased demand for our technology, and supports the Company's 100% client retention rate which it has maintained for a period of approximately two years.

"The renewal and expansion of SBOM Studio by another client from the ICS sector is a testament to our delivery of comprehensive solutions and client satisfaction. With strong organic contract growth in this space, and while maintaining 100% client retention, the infrastructure sector presents an immense opportunity for Cybeats. With a market driven by regulation and rising demand for software transparency, Cybeats continues to validate its approach, and further solidifies trust and reliance on its technology across industry," said Justin Leger, CEO, Cybeats.

SBOM Studio helps its clients achieve improved cybersecurity outcomes and significant ROI by automating and streamlining the software vulnerability lifecycle and SBOM management. With the key benefits of vulnerability monitoring, automated risk analysis, and regulatory compliance, SBOM Studio serves a broad range of users in the software supply chain. As a global cybersecurity Company, Cybeats is proud to serve the needs of a diverse blue-chip customer base and is an emerging pioneer with the first and most compelling product offering for managing SBOM.[2] Learn more here about how Cybeats can help you to manage risk and meet evolving cyber regulatory requirements.

Industrial Cyber Regulations & Requirements

NERC CIP[3] (North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection) is a set of requirements and standards to enhance the reliability and security of the electric utility grid by identifying and protecting critical cyber assets that, if compromised or destroyed, would impact the operation of the grid. Violations can also lead to penalties, making it essential for applicable entities to implement effective security measures and compliance strategies.

ISA 62443[4] standards provide a structured framework for addressing and mitigating security vulnerabilities in industrial automation and control systems (IACS). These standards are used globally and are applicable to multiple sectors, including manufacturing, power generation, water treatment, and other industries that rely heavily on automation and control systems. They aim to provide a common language and set of best practices to ensure that industrial systems are both secure and resilient against disruptions from cyber threats.

Executive Order 14028[5] bolsters U.S. cybersecurity through several key measures, including mandating the development of standards like the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) for more transparent software supply chain security, aimed to enhance national security and address the evolving landscape of cyber threats.

Read more about the power of SBOM and its role in building resilience in critical infrastructure on Cybeats' Blog, written by Dr. Georgina Shea, a renowned cyber expert, member of the PCAST Working Group, and advisor to Cybeats[6]. Cybeats will be participating in the 2024 ISA OT cybersecurity Summit[7] in London, UK, an event dedicated to safeguarding operational technology in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and building automation. It will feature the latest updates with ISA/IEC 62443 standards, and provide a platform for sharing insights about protection practices to enhance infrastructure and data security.

About Cybeats

Cybeats is a cybersecurity company providing Software Bill of Material (SBOM) management and software supply chain intelligence technology, helping organizations to manage risk, meet compliance requirements, and secure their software from procurement to development and operation. Our platform gives customers comprehensive visibility and transparency into their software supply chain, enabling them to improve operational efficiency and increase revenue. Cybeats. Software Made Certain. Website: https://cybeats.com

SUBSCRIBE: For more information, or to subscribe to the Company's mail list, visit: https://www.cybeats.com/investors

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement

Except for statements of historic 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. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the products described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Company filings are available at sedarplus.ca.

[1] https://www.cybeats.com/sbom-studio

[2] https://www.cisa.gov/sbom

[3] https://www.nerc.com/pa/Stand/Pages/ReliabilityStandards.aspx

[4]https://programs.isa.org/automationproday2024?utm_source=google_ads&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=IAPD&utm_content=search&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0FLia6r93aXiuXaN4TNsV3Z8ON3ROxRFqkvi3QAycVWsEXIDu-scAxoCeMkQAvD_BwE

[5]https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/12/executive-order-on-improving-the-nations-cybersecurity/

[6] https://www.cybeats.com/blog/the-power-of-sboms-building-resilience-in-our-critical-infrastructure

[7] https://otcybersummit.isa.org/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221227

SOURCE: Cybeats Technologies Corp.
Sparta Commercial made waves at the 2024 Startup Summit in Florianopolis, Brazil, with the official launch of its groundbreaking product, EZBroker360, operated by Agoge Global USA

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Sparta Commercial Services, Inc. (OTC PINK:SRCO) ("Sparta" or "The Company") announced the official launch of its groundbreaking product, EZBroker360, operated by the Company's subsidiary, Agoge Global USA. The event, hosted by Sparta's joint-venture partner, Wedev Group Ltda., in the heart of Brazil's "Silicon Valley," provided the perfect stage for Sparta to introduce this innovative solution to a diverse audience of startups, investors, and industry leaders.

EZBroker360 is designed to revolutionize the financial management of Brazilian importers and exporters by combining a Merchant of Record model with a comprehensive suite of services. This includes seamless integration of invoice management, bill of lading, and import/export declarations, along with a robust staged financing module. Tony Havens, CEO of Agoge Global USA, expressed his enthusiasm: "We're thrilled with how quickly EZBroker360 is gaining traction. The value it brings to importers and exporters in Brazil is undeniable, and we're excited to see the impact it will continue to have in the market."

The product has already been successfully launched with a few companies that are leveraging this infrastructure to enter the Brazilian market. By covering supplier payments, freightage, and all associated tax and customs clearance costs, EZBroker360 provides Brazilian entities with a more predictable cash flow, allowing them to sell products on extended terms of up to 120 days.

Wedev Group, as the event host, played a crucial role in facilitating discussions and demonstrations of EZBroker360. Eduardo Ribeiro Filho, Founder of Wedev Group, commented on the product's success: "We are incredibly excited about the rapid adoption of EZBroker360. The waiting list of interested customers continues to grow, which speaks volumes about the value we're delivering to both Brazilian and international entities."

The 2024 Startup Summit, held in Florianopolis, attracted more than 10,000 participants, 200 speakers, and 1,000 startups, solidifying the city's reputation as a key hub for technology and innovation in Brazil. As both sponsor and host, Wedev Group's involvement underscored its commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the development of new solutions like Agoge's EZBroker360 that drive global business growth.

About Sparta Commercial Services, Inc.

Sparta Commercial Services, Inc. (www.spartacommercial.com) was founded in 2004 and is the parent company of three subsidiaries in addition to Agoge Global USA, Inc.: iMobile Solutions, Inc., and New World Health Brands, Inc., offering a variety of products and services.

Agoge Global USA, Inc., the newly formed subsidiary of Sparta Commercial Services, Inc. through its Brazilian partnership with Wedev Group Ltda., facilitates the cross-border payments for the Brazilian import/export business.

About WeDev Group Ltda.

WeDev Group Ltda. is a Brazilian innovator focused on the disruption of traditional standards by fostering innovation and growth through new business models capable of transforming the way the world works.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains 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. Such statements are valid only as of today, and we disclaim any obligation to update this information. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to potential future losses, competition, financing and commercial agreements and strategic alliances, seasonality, possible fluctuations in operating results and rate of growth, management of potential growth, system interruption, consumer and industry trends, limited operating history, and government regulation. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. Further information regarding these and other risks is described from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available on its website at: http://www.sec.gov.

Company Contact:

Sandra L. Ahman

Corporate Secretary

Sparta Commercial Services, Inc.

sandy@spartacommercial.com

SOURCE: Sparta Commercial Services, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Livingstone College in North Carolina recently received an additional $8 million donation from an anonymous benefactor, marking yet another significant contribution as students return to classes.

Last month, the college received a record-breaking $10 million donation, the largest in its history. Over the past nine months, this anonymous donor has given a total of $25 million to the HBCU, according to HBCU Gameday. The school said on Saturday that the money would go toward its infrastructure and capital projects.

The college, with an enrollment of fewer than 900 students, is the latest HBCU to receive a major donation as the fall semester begins.

Earlier this month, Morehouse College, an all-boys HBCU located in Atlanta, Georgia, announced that an anonymous donor gave a $20 million gift to the school to expand academic programs and professorships at the college. The donation was contributed to the "Making Men of Consequence" campaign, which is the largest fundraising initiative in the schools 157-year history.

Morehouse College President David A. Thomas said in a statement at the time that the "transformational" donation will allow the school to "increase the ranks of our esteemed and talented professors so that we can uphold the legacy of excellence in our classrooms as our veteran faculty retire."

The college has a student body of roughly 2,300 men.
Less than two years after the launch of ChatGPT, over half of young consumers trust AI to make purchases

CINCINNATI, OH / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Generative AI is reshaping how consumers search for products, especially among younger adults. BrandRank.AI's latest study from the 'AI Trust and Shopping Behavior Monitor' series reveals that 41% of consumers are ready to trust generative AI for search recommendations, with confidence peaking at 52% among younger users.

BrandRank.AI logo

the words brandrank.ai with a search icon

Diving into the behaviors and attitudes of approximately 3,500 U.S. individuals, the study, completed in partnership with EMI Research Solutions, aimed to gauge the level of comfort and trust consumers have with AI that can generate search results and product suggestions tailored to their preferences.

Key research findings include:

41% Consumer Openness: 41% of people are likely or very likely to trust recommendations from generative AI search tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Grok.

High Trust Among Young Adults: Younger adults, particularly those aged 25-34, show a significant propensity to trust generative AI search recommendations, with 52% expressing a likelihood to do so.

Income Brackets Reflect Strong Trust: Consumers across all income brackets, especially those earning $60,000 and above, demonstrate notable trust in AI-driven search recommendations, with engagement levels as high as 50% in the highest income group.

Regional Variations in AI Adoption: Interest in AI-driven search recommendations is strong across the South and West regions, with 42% of participants from these areas expressing a high likelihood to consider AI recommendations, compared to 39% in the Midwest.

High Usage of ChatGPT: ChatGPT is the most widely used generative AI tool, with significant usage across all demographic groups.

Gender Differences: Men are slightly more likely than women to trust AI in search recommendations.

"We're entering an 'Answer Economy' that's transforming how consumers research and purchase products," said Pete Blackshaw, CEO of BrandRank.AI. "In less than two years, Generative AI has evolved from a tech curiosity and term paper shortcut to a mainstream shopping tool, particularly resonating with young consumers. Brands must now prepare for smarter, faster, more transparent, and even 'values-based' product vetting by empowered shoppers."

Anna Sullivan, Brand Analyst and summer intern from Miami University, who is helping to oversee BrandRank.AI's "Generation AI Soapbox" youth panel, observed that convenience, utility, and a sense of "gamified fun" are driving the popularity of tools like ChatGPT among her fellow students and other young consumers. "The extreme utility factor can't be overstated. These tools are also 'Sesame Street simple' for getting a smart handle on travel, large purchases, product comparisons, and even assessing whether a product will harm the planet or impact your health."

As a complement to these findings, BrandRank.AI will release the first-ever "Consumer Trust in AI" study ahead of the holiday season, further exploring how trust in AI influences decision-making and behavior. This study will provide invaluable data for brands navigating the AI landscape, including a scorecard evaluating some of the world's top retailers on their "AI Readiness" to meet the expectations of the "AI generation" of consumers, particularly in customer support, use of ChatBots, and brand-supported product information.

About BrandRank.AI

BrandRank.AI, based in Cincinnati, is a leading provider of AI-driven marketing solutions, helping brands optimize their strategies through cutting-edge AI technology. Combining AI with expert insight, we monitor all the major AI "Answer Engines" to pinpoint vulnerabilities and opportunities, identify key insights driving purchase behavior, and uncover category needs and opportunities to strengthen brand equity and consumer loyalty.

About EMI Research Services

EMI Research Services, located in Cincinnati, is a market research firm specializing in online sample solutions. They offer comprehensive services in respondent sourcing, data collection, and sample management, helping businesses gather reliable insights across various industries. EMI is recognized for its expertise in handling complex research projects and ensuring high-quality data to support informed decision-making.

Contact Information

Pete Blackshaw

CEO

pete@brandrank.ai

513-739-4969

SOURCE: BrandRank.AI

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) ("Zodiac Gold" or the "Company"). Zodiac Gold is pleased to announce that Michael Demeter will be nominated for election to its Board of Directors at Zodiac's annual and special meeting of shareholders on September 23, 2024. Mr. Demeter joins the Company's four incumbent directors - David Kol, Mark Kol, Douglas Cater and Graham Warren - as the Company's five nominees for election to the Board at the meeting.

"We are thrilled to include Mike as a new nominee to the Board of Directors," said David Kol, CEO of Zodiac Gold. "Mike has been a very loyal shareholder and advisor to Zodiac Gold and his extensive experience and deep understanding of the financial markets will be instrumental in guiding the Company as we continue to explore and develop the Todi Project, which we believe will prove to be a world class deposit. Mike's appointment is a strategic addition to the Board, reinforcing our commitment to building a first rate, best in class team to unlock shareholder value."

Mr. Demeter brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the financial services industry, with a strong focus on capital markets over the past 22 years. His depth of knowledge and expertise in advising companies and buy-side investors, as well as raising growth capital, will be invaluable to Zodiac Gold as the company continues to expand its operations and pursue strategic growth initiatives. Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Demeter has held senior management roles at well-established financial institutions, including Haywood Securities, where he served as Managing Director and Head of Institutional Sales, as well as Macquarie Group, Dundee Securities, Royal Bank of Canada, and Scotiabank. Currently, Mr. Demeter is a Partner at Fort Capital, one of Canada's leading independent investment banking advisory firms.

Mr. Demeter holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Huron College at the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Market Technician (CMT), and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations. In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Demeter actively contributes to the community through his involvement with the Rotman Dean's Global Advisory Board (GAB) and his role on the Loan Review Committee for Rise Asset Management, a charity focused on empowering individuals with mental health and addiction challenges to achieve financial independence through self-employment and small business ownership.

"I'm excited to join the team at Zodiac Gold," said Mike Demeter. "It's rare to find such a focused management team in this industry that fully commits by living in the country where its assets are held. Over time, I've had the privilege of getting to know David and many of the Zodiac Gold shareholders. I'm eager to contribute, provide guidance, and leverage my relationships within the sector as we continue through the discovery stage."

About Zodiac Gold

Zodiac Gold, Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) is a West-African gold exploration company focused on its flagship Todi Project situated in Liberia-an underexplored, politically stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction hosting several large-scale gold deposits. Strategically positioned along the fertile Todi Shear Zone, Zodiac Gold is developing a district-scale gold opportunity covering a vast 2,316 km2 land package. The project has undergone de-risking, showcasing proven gold occurrences at both surface and depth, with five drill-ready targets and high-grade gold intercepts.

For further information, please visit the Zodiac Gold website at www.zodiac-gold.com or contact:

David Kol

President & CEO

info@zodiac-gold.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation.

Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections, and forecasts and 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" 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 release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. 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 based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual 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, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials, and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, 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 Company with securities regulators. 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221073

SOURCE: Zodiac Gold Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - On Aug. 26, the 9th Canadian Clothing and Textile Purchasing Exhibition (ATSC) opened at the Toronto International Center. The event is hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles (CCCT), and Jiangsu Trade Promotion International Conference & Exhibition Co., ltd. (JSICE), organized by JPC company from the US, and co-organized by the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF).

Image 1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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This exhibition has attracted exhibitors from more than 10 countries including China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Peru, and Canada, with a total of over 200 booths and exhibition area of over 3000 square meters. As the largest national exhibition group, more than 120 Chinese exhibitors from more than 10 provinces and cities attended the show. Their exhibits cover multiple categories such as clothing, home textiles, apparel, bags, and shoes. Several well-known members of the chamber also attended the exhibition.

Image 2

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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According to the official statistics of the exhibition, there were about 800 visitors on the first day, and it is expected that the total number of visitors will reach more than 2000 within 3 days.

ATSC has received strong support from the China's Ministry of Commerce. The ministry has once again established a Chinese brand promotion project, which selects eight textile and clothing brands, including PEAK, APARSO, MIZUDA, CHANGLLGE WOLVES, SIRIS, ESIR, SUNSHINETEX, and GTGH. These brands have been selected to showcase high-quality Chinese textile and clothing brands and products to the local industry and enhance the overseas influence of Chinese brands.

Image 3

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/221222_8ddbef9c54b3cb4c_003full.jpg

As one of the distinctive features of the exhibition, more than 20 forums and lectures will be held during the exhibition. Industry experts from Europe and the US will conduct in-depth interpretation and discussion on hot topics such as global procurement trends, supply chain security, green and sustainable development, cross-border e-commerce trade, and digital marketing in the textile and clothing industry, providing ideas and inspiration for the development of the industry.

ATSC is the most specialized and influential international textile and clothing procurement exhibition in Canada. The exhibition pursues an independent principle to serve Chinese exhibitors and assist China's textile and clothing foreign trade. A one-day trade fair will also be held in Montreal on Aug. 30 after the show, with 70 textile and clothing companies participating.

China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles (CCCT)

Luan Ruicheng

relation@ccct.org.cn

https://www.ccct.org.cn/EN/default.aspx

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221222

SOURCE: Global News
The "Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2023/2024 The Patient Perspective UK Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This review contains the results of a November 2023 to late-February 2024 survey, answered by 87 UK-based patient groups.

The 87 respondent UK patient groups specialised in a wide range of therapy areas the largest representation (22 respondent patient groups) being rare-disease patient groups. The 87 stated that, collectively, they had actively supported and served almost 2 million UK patients during 2023/2024.

Summary of Results

Industry Wide

Several issues in 2023 may have influenced the opinions of UK patient groups responding to the 2023 'Corporate Reputation of Pharma' survey, including: the affordability of prescription drugs, and shortages of prescription drugs in the UK.

The UK's pharmacists noted supply difficulties in 2023. Community Pharmacy England, a body representing pharmacies, reported that 92% of English pharmacies experienced daily shortages of some drugs in 2023 (an increase of 67% over the previous year) shortages which 87% of these same pharmacies believed was putting patient heath at risk.

British citizens have free healthcare (with as many as 89% of prescription items free, too). However, the UK was enduring one of its periodic cost-of-living crises in 2023. A survey of 4,000 English people with long-term conditions, run by patient group Parkinson's UK, found that prescription cost had forced 1-in-10 respondents to skip medication in 2023. 12% said that they had to eke out their medicines by halving consumption.

UK patient groups perceive the pharmaceutical industry's corporate reputation to have improved steadily during the last five years. In this 2023 'Corporate Reputation' survey, 55 of respondent UK patient groups rated the industry's reputation as "Excellent" or "Good" higher than even the strong increase of the COVID period (when, at a 2021 peak, 50% of UK patient groups rated pharma's reputation as "Excellent" or "Good"). Despite the improvement, areas still exist in which sentiment towards the industry remains low. In 2023, only 2% of respondent UK patient groups perceived the industry to be "Excellent" or "Good" at 'Having fair pricing policies'; only 3% at 'Transparency of pricing'; and just 7% at 'Being transparent with clinical data'.

Key Insights

The corporate reputation of pharma in the UK, 2019-2023 of respondent UK patient groups stating "Excellent" or "Good"

How good or bad the pharma industry was at carrying out specific activities in the UK, 2019-2023 of respondent UK patient groups stating "Excellent" or "Good"



UK patient groups advise pharma on how to improve

Advice from 2023's respondent UK patient groups on how the industry could improve covers several areas including a request for pharma companies to improve their relationships with patient groups (one respondent UK patient group even wondering whether they were just part of a mere "tick-box exercise"). Another topic, mentioned by many UK patient groups, is earlier engagement in R&D (with respondent UK patient groups critical of 'near-to-market' research at the expense of early-phase research the latter being where patient groups suspect that they, and patients, can make the most difference).

Companies included in the UK element of the 2023 'Corporate Reputation' survey

13 companies are included in the UK edition of the 2023 'Corporate Reputation of Pharma' survey.

The companies were selected on the following criteria: size of revenue; or on request by companies or patient groups:

AbbVie

AstraZeneca

Bristol Myers Squibb

Eli Lilly

Gilead Sciences

GSK

Janssen

Merck Co/MSD

Novartis

Pfizer

Roche

Sanofi

Takeda

Companies are assessed on issues of importance to patient groups.

Individual Company Findings for the UK, 2023 and the Fastest Risers in the Rankings, 2023 vs. 2022

The top-three rankings in the UK in 2023 (out of 13 companies all 'big pharma')

As assessed by respondent UK patient groups familiar with the company:

1st, Pfizer

2nd, Gilead Sciences

3rd, Merck Co/MSD AND Takeda

The top-three rankings in the UK in 2023 (out of 10 companies all 'big pharma')

As assessed by respondent UK patient groups working with the company:

1st, Pfizer

2nd, Sanofi

3rd, AstraZeneca

Key Insights:

The companies rising the most in the upper rankings in the UK (out of all 13 companies all 'big pharma'), 2023 v. 2022, as assessed by respondent UK patient groups familiar with the company.

The companies rising the most in the upper rankings in the UK (out of 10 companies all 'big pharma'), 2023 v. 2022, as assessed by respondent UK patient groups working with the company.

The respondent UK patient groups feel that the sharing of their evaluation of the pharma industry, and their experiences on whether the industry (and individual pharma companies) meet patient needs and expectations, will help the industry gain valuable insights into improvement.

Because many of the 13 pharma companies featured in the UK element of the 'Corporate Reputation of Pharma' survey are currently building strategies around patients, the respondent feedback provided by the survey results can influence company models and approaches, enabling closer alignment with patient needs and perspectives.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sksw46

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240826015520/en/

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ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

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Partnership Expands Health Benefits Coverage and Delivers Cost Savings for AIQ Employees

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / AffordaCare Insurance, a nationally recognized group health insurance agency dedicated to revolutionizing the traditional employee benefits model, has announced a new partnership with Alpine IQ (AIQ.com), one of America's fastest-growing companies and the emerging leader in customer data, loyalty, and analytics platforms. The AffordaCare Insurance Champion Health Plan (i.e., the CHAMP Plan) will be made available to all eligible AIQ employees, expanding their health benefits coverage without any additional out-of-pocket expenses.





AffordaCare Insurance CEO Steven Guilfoile

Steven Guilfoile, CEO of AffordaCare Insurance, is revolutionizing the traditional employee benefits model. He partners with like-minded business leaders to bring premier healthcare solutions, like the CHAMP plan, to workforces nationwide.





The CHAMP Plan, AffordaCare's flagship product, is a comprehensive solution designed to complement existing employer healthcare plans. It provides employees unlimited access to a wide range of medical services, including doctor visits, urgent care, physical therapy, telemedicine, and mental health services, and expanded prescription coverage with minimal copays. The supplemental health benefit enhances employee health and well-being and boosts productivity and retention. By providing comprehensive access to medical services, the plan assures employees that they can afford critical healthcare services for themselves and their families when needed.

"At Alpine IQ, we are always seeking ways to support our rapidly growing team and maintain our standing as a Great Place To Work," said Nicholas Paschal, CEO of Alpine IQ. "Partnering with AffordaCare Insurance to offer the CHAMP Plan allows us to provide our employees with superior health benefits that are both comprehensive and cost-effective. This partnership reflects our commitment to the well-being of our employees as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation."

Alpine IQ has rapidly emerged as a national leader in behavioral-based marketing, loyalty, and e-commerce, earning recent recognition as the 10th fastest-growing company in America on the Inc. 5000 2024 list, with an astounding 16,469% three-year growth rate. Founded by Nicholas Paschal, Shahzil Abid, and West Paschal in 2020, AIQ has expanded from a small startup to a company now serving over 4,000 storefronts and driving a gross merchandise value of $32 billion in just four years. AIQ's innovative platform has set a new standard in retail growth and client engagement. This remarkable success underscores AIQ's commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and maintaining its status as a top workplace.

"In today's competitive business environment, the ability to attract and retain top talent hinges on offering exceptional benefits that truly meet employees' needs today," said Steven Guilfoile, CEO of AffordaCare Insurance. "Partnering with Alpine IQ emphasizes the importance of providing comprehensive healthcare solutions that go beyond just basic coverage. The CHAMP Plan is not just about cost savings - it's about empowering businesses to offer high-quality, accessible healthcare that enhances employee satisfaction and productivity. We're proud to work with innovative, forward-thinking companies like AIQ, who recognize that investing in their workforce's well-being is a smart and sustainable strategy for long-term success."

Founded in 2011, AffordaCare Insurance is dedicated to transforming the employee benefits landscape. The CHAMP Plan stands out by delivering substantial savings for both employers and employees without requiring changes to existing healthcare networks.

By leveraging a unique structure, the plan offers significant savings through:

Tax Benefits for Employers : Reduced FICA taxes can save companies hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

Increased Take-Home Pay for Employees : Employees benefit from tax savings, leading to higher take-home pay despite new deductions.

Lower Insurance Premiums : The CHAMP Plan helps lower major medical insurance premiums by absorbing many routine claims.

Potential Year-End Refunds: Some businesses may receive substantial refunds from their primary insurance carriers.

The CHAMP Plan creates a win-win scenario where employers save money while providing enhanced healthcare access to their workforce by utilizing pre-tax and post-tax deductions. This innovative approach enables companies like Alpine IQ to offer top-tier health benefits that attract and retain talent, all while improving their bottom line.

"The CHAMP Plan proves that better healthcare and cost savings can go hand in hand, marking a new era in employee benefits," concluded Guilfoile.

About AffordaCare Insurance

AffordaCare Insurance is a nationally recognized group health insurance agency dedicated to revolutionizing the traditional employee benefits model. Its signature product, the CHAMP Plan, combines the best features of fully insured and self-insured plans, delivering substantial savings and improved benefits to employers and employees alike. With over 27,000 affiliated agents, brokers, and partners across 60+ locations nationwide, AffordaCare Insurance is committed to providing value-driven healthcare solutions that promote healthier, more productive workforces while minimizing costs. The company has collectively saved employers and employees billions of dollars in healthcare-related expenses through its innovative plans and services. For more information, visit AffordaCareInsurance.com/Champ.

About Alpine IQ (AIQ)

Alpine IQ, headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, is a customer data, loyalty, marketing, and analytics platform. AIQ's behavioral-based marketing, loyalty, and e-commerce solutions empower businesses to streamline core operations and make informed decisions with ease. Serving organizations of all sizes, from small family-owned enterprises to large publicly listed corporations, AIQ ensures that its solutions are accessible and beneficial to businesses of every scale. In 2024, Inc. 5000 recognized AIQ as the 10th fastest-growing company in America. Learn more at www.AIQ.com.

Contact Information

AffordaCare Insurance

connect@caelumcomm.com

SOURCE: AffordaCare Insurance

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Successful integration of key Mavenir network functions into Whitestack's Open Telco Cloud platform based on Intel technology

RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider building the future of networks, and Whitestack, an open source-based developer of Telco Cloud solutions, today announce successful completion of a technology alignment that enables Mavenir's Cloud-Native IMS solution to be seamlessly integrated into Whitestack's Telco Cloud platform - demonstrating Mavenir's pivotal expertise in facilitating cloud-native deployments. The collaboration was initiated as part of a deployment with a leading Tier 1 operator in Latin America and harnesses the power and performance capabilities of the Intel Xeon processor and Intel Ethernet technology.



Empowering mobile operators to deploy telco workloads on its cloud solutions is a fundamental aspect of Mavenir's cloud-native strategy. Today's announcement marks the achievement of full integration with Whitestack's Telco Cloud solution - offering telco operators a wider array of flexible options for deploying Mavenir's solutions - and underscores the continued expansion of the telecom ecosystem aimed at liberating operators from legacy or monolithic solutions

The two companies are capitalizing on industry momentum, following significant announcements from operators adopting cloud infrastructure for critical network functions. This trend is generating substantial interest from traditional operators. To meet this clear demand, Mavenir and Whitestack are offering a compelling performance-to-cost ratio, making the transition to cloud solutions an easy decision.

"We are very pleased to have completed the integration process in a reasonable timeframe, thanks in part to our experience with other Telco Clouds and Whitestack's flexibility in adjusting their data plane configuration to maximize our performance," said Brandon Larson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mavenir's Cloud, AI & IMS Business Strategy. He added: "As the industry moves towards cloud infrastructure, cloud solutions must be adapted to be suitable for telco workloads," says Brandon Larson. "In order to accomplish this, it takes companies like Mavenir that have developed a specialized skillset in both cloud and telco."

Mavenir's Cloud-Native IMS solution is based on a microservices architecture comprising Containerized Network Functions (CNFs) that adopt cloud-native principles, offering voice services that leverage the intrinsic benefits of Kubernetes to ensure high availability. This solution operates on Whitestack's Telco Cloud platform under an automated deployment model.

"One of the many key aspects of a Telco Cloud, compared to a regular private cloud, is the ability to utilize advanced techniques for accelerating network function performance," said Jose Miguel Guzman, Telco/NFV Business Development Manager, Whitestack. "Each application has its own processing, memory, disk, and traffic profile. In WhiteCloud, we have granular control over these aspects, allowing us to provide each VNF or CNF with the optimal hardware settings to maximize their throughput, mixing and matching legacy and new-generation servers."

"Server configurations based on Intel Xeon processors include new features designed to accelerate user traffic. When combined with the Intel Infrastructure Power Manager software and Intel Ethernet E810 Controller, these configurations allow service providers to drive optimization of their infrastructure for performance, energy efficiency and space in the telco data center," said Alex Quach, VP Network and Edge Group, Intel.

Whitestack has emerged as a key player in the open infrastructure space in Latin America, supplying dozens of Tier 1 data centers in the region with a Telco Cloud solution based on open-source technology. Its offering includes whitebox networking, high-capacity optics systems, and COTS servers powered by Intel Xeon processors.

Mavenir, Whitestack and Intel will be participating at the Open Telco Cloud Summit 2024 in Mexico City on September 3rd 2024 - register to attend in person or virtually.

Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.

ABOUT MAVENIR

Mavenir is building the future of networks today with cloud-native, AI-enabled solutions which are green by design, empowering operators to realize the benefits of 5G and achieve intelligent, automated, programmable networks. As the pioneer of Open RAN and a proven industry disruptor, Mavenir's award-winning solutions are delivering automation and monetization across mobile networks globally, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers. For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com.

ABOUT WHITESTACK

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") reports its interim condensed consolidated financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2024 ("Q2 2024").

This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements and management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, which are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.bearcreekmining.com). Monetary amounts in this news release are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated and all capitalized terms herein have the same meaning as defined in the Q2 2024 financial statements.

Highlights

Key milestones that occurred during and subsequent to the end of Q2 2024 include:

Produced 9,304 oz of gold and 40,893 oz of silver;

Appointed Mr. Donald Mc Iver to the position of Vice President, Exploration and Geology;

Continuing to make technical changes at Mercedes to improve operating performance;

Enhanced Mercedes' ground control management plan ("GCMP") to overcome historical geotechnical challenges and development deficits;

Completed the North lateral ramp at the Marianas deposit, which includes two important pivots into the north and central ore bodies planned for late 2024 and 2025 production

Completed infrastructure projects at the San Martin deposit, including the new ventilation raise. This will allow acceleration of development by adding additional faces for ore extraction;

Eric Caba, President & CEO, states "Our efforts to optimize fundamental mine processes at Mercedes continued to result in improved gold grades and development meters achieved during Q2 2024. Pivoting development at the Marianas deposit toward driving a new lateral ramp resulted in gold production during the quarter that was lower than the previous two quarters due to restricted available working faces. Operating costs per ounce of gold produced also increased in Q2 2024 despite the effect of improved cost control measures, as a result of higher labour costs accompanying new union agreements settled during the quarter and increased contractor costs. The new Marianas ramp is expected to allow better positioning for ongoing infill drilling and development into other Marianas orebodies in late 2024 that we anticipate will contribute to production in 2025. We also initiated a near-mine and district-wide exploration program that is combining traditional exploration techniques with Machine Learning tools to identify new exploration targets. This work has already generated several new near-mine targets under cover that we are actively investigating. We remain convinced of Mercedes' ability to generate consistent, reliable quarterly production results and steady free cash flow."

Selected Q2 2024 Financial and Production Results

Bear Creek's Mercedes gold mine, located in Sonora, Mexico, produced 9,304 ounces of gold and 40,893 ounces of silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024. During this period 9,155 ounces of gold were sold, of which 825 ounces of gold were delivered under streaming arrangements. Cash cost and all-in-sustaining cost ("AISC") per ounce of gold sold were $1,657 and $2,058, respectively. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures", below.

Mercedes Operating Highlights Q2 2024 Year to Date Gold ounces produced 9,304 21,532 Silver ounces produced 40,893 84,933 Gold ounces sold 9,155 21,834 Cash costs per gold ounce sold (1) $1,657 $1,382 AISC per gold ounce sold (1) $2,058 $1,785 Tonnes mined 93,093 199,458 Tonnes processed 95,727 205,007 Average gold grade mined (g/t) 3.30 3.58 Average gold grade processed (g/t) 3.23 3.48 Recovery rate gold 94% 94% Average realized gold price (2) $2,318 2,163 Development (meters) 2,569 5,349

Financial Results

(millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts) Three Months Ended

June 30, 2024

Revenue $22.1 Comprehensive earnings (loss) after taxes $(11.2) Comprehensive earnings (loss) per share (3) $(0.05) Adjusted earnings (loss) after taxes (1) $(8.6) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share (1)(3)(4) $(0.04) Cash generated from (used in) operating activities $4.8 Cash generated from (used in) investing activities $(5.4) Cash generated from (used in) financing activities $(0.1) Weighted average shares during period 227,594,741 Shares issued and outstanding at end of period 227,650,785

(1) Non-GAAP Measure. Please see "Non-GAAP Measures" below for further information.

(2) Inclusive of final settlement adjustments on sales for non-streamed ounces.

(3) Per share amounts are based on weighted average shares during the period.

(4) Adjusted earnings excludes non-cash items that are significant but not reflective of the underlying operational performance of the Company and are a useful metric as they are an important indicator of the strength of operations and the performance of the Company's core business. Additional information is provided in the Company's Q2 2024 MD&A.

Mercedes Mine, Mexico

The Mercedes mine is a fully mechanized, ramp-access operation that produces gold and silver. Eleven individual deposits have been mined or are in production. Seven additional deposits have been identified and are in the early exploration or drill definition stage. Additional mineralized zones proximal to existing workings have been identified and are at the exploration or drill definition stage.

Exploration

Greenfield exploration drilling continued during Q2 2024 Targets included the San Martin Displacement, Margarita East, Klondike Displacement, Rey de Oro Deep, Diluvio Northwest and Lagunas West targets. Expenditures on this limited program during Q2 2024 totaled $0.6 million. Delineation infill drilling focused on the Marianas, Diluvio West, Intermediate, GAP and Barrancas deposits. Data obtained from this infill drilling will assist in the estimation of new Mineral Resources and the conversion of Resources to Mineral Reserves.

Development

The Company's focus on improving mine development continued through Q2 2024 with 2,569 meters of development advancement achieved during the period. This is in line with the development meters achieved in Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, after steady quarterly improvements over the course of the past financial year, from 1,044 meters in Q1 2023. Development at the Rey de Oro deposit advanced during Q2 2024.

With the completion of the vent raise in San Martin, mining progress improved in Q2 2024 with significant advance in infrastructure development, adding additional operating faces to be mined through the remainder of the year. Bear Creek made the strategic decision in Q1 2024 to discontinue development of the central vertical ramp at the Marianas deposit and to drive a new lateral ramp, which development was completed during Q2 2024. The central vertical ramp was situated in the hanging wall of a significant shear zone, which caused poor round conditions contributing to rock stability issues, cost increases and lower production. The new lateral ramp allows for both development to the north ore body of Marianas and for reestablishment of a new central vertical ramp that is offset from the shear zone of the hanging wall. During Q2 2024, both the Marianas North ore body pivot and the new central ore body vertical ramp pivot were established within the lateral ramp.

Planning for a new tailings storage facility ("TSF3") continued during Q2 2024. A land use permit for TSF3 was issued during Q1 2024, however final permitting has been impacted by bureaucratic delays in the implementation of Mexico's new mining law announced in 2023. Contingency plans for the deposition of tailings are being developed.

Production

Mercedes' Q2 2024 production was comprised of contributions from three main deposit areas: San Martin, Diluvio and Lupita. Q2 2024 production totaled 93,093 tonnes of ore mined at an average mining grade of 3.30 g/t gold, with 95,727 tonnes of ore processed at an average grade of 3.23 g/t gold. The average gold grade of ore processed during Q2 2024 was largely in keeping with the last two quarters, continuing the improvement in grade in comparison to the 2023 average of 2.77 gpt.

The Mercedes Mine had two lost time incidents and no reportable environmental incidents during the three months ended June 30, 2024.

Outlook

San Martin is expected to continue to contribute meaningfully to Mercedes' gold production through the remainder of 2024. Additional contributions are expected from the Rey de Oro, Diluvio and Gap deposits, as well as ongoing production from Marianas.

Work on a new geological and block models continued to progress during Q2 2024 and are being prepared for review by external experts, which is expected to occur during Q4 2024. The continued focus on development as well as delineation and exploration drilling, combine to support the Company's plans for medium and long-term production. Updates to estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources are tentatively expected before year end, pending completion of the first phase of the exploration and infill drilling campaign and approval of the models described above

The Company has commenced a program to delineate new prospects, with the potential to lead to new mineral resources proximal to Mercedes' current operations, to be followed by a second phase of work aimed at expanding the existing interpretation of the remainder of the Mercedes concessions with a view to defining key mineralized systems and new mineralization models. This holistic program integrates Machine Learning tools, aeromagnetic survey data, ground-based geochemistry and geological observations with concomitant interpretations. Additionally, specialized geological consultants have been contracted to better understand the complex structural environment of precious metal deposition at Mercedes and more precisely guide ongoing exploration efforts. Several new possible mineralized structures have been identified including a possible parallel structure to the primary Mercedes vein.

As a result of anticipated variability in Mercedes' production rates for the remainder of 2024, Bear Creek is not providing 2024 production guidance for the Mercedes Mine.

Corani Project

Activities at the Corani Property during the three months ended June 30, 2024 focused primarily on community support initiatives and on progressing a geometallurgical test program. The Company maintains and continues excellent working relationships with local communities.

The Corani geometallurgical program, which commenced in 2023, involved drilling nine holes totaling approximately 1,231 meters, and logging, sampling and assaying the drill core. Assay results were substantially in line with the existing Corani block model. A selection of samples for metallurgical test work were shipped to Base Metallurgical Laboratory in Canada in late 2023 with additional samples sent subsequent to the end of Q2 2024. Final metallurgical results on all submitted samples are expected to be received in late Q3 2024. The purpose of the geometallurgical program is to establish updated data as the Company prepares to resume Corani project financing efforts.

Pending receipt of the results of the geometallurgical test program and if and as Peruvian investment conditions improve, the Company plans restart its efforts to seek the funding necessary to construct the proposed Corani mine. In the meantime, the Company is continuing to focus on maintaining the Corani permits and the project's strong social license.

Overview of Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company recorded revenue of $22.1 million from the sale of gold and silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to $19.9 million for the comparative period of 2023). The cost of goods sold was $15.8 million and depletion, amortization and depreciation amounted to $8.9 million during Q2 2024.

The Company recorded a gross loss from operations of $2.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to a gross loss of $2.8 million the same period a year earlier). Mercedes' Q2 2024 operating costs were negatively impacted by: strengthening of the Mexican peso against the US dollar; increases in labor costs (20% higher than Q2 2023) as a result of the biennial union agreement negotiations that took place during Q2 2024 as well as severance payments due to a reduction in staff; and increases in contractor costs (41% higher than Q2 2023) due to the engagement of additional operations contractor services focused on accelerating mine development and reducing dilution. These cost increases were partially offset by lower material costs, lower cement consumption and lower maintenance costs stemming from the Company's cost reduction efforts.

Spending on the Corani property totalled $1.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2024, a small decrease compared to the same period a year earlier (Q2 2023: $1.9 million) due to decreased consulting costs and higher cost recovery. The Corani expenditures comprise both direct project expenditures and corporate overhead costs. Exploration costs, including maintenance of the Company's Peruvian property interests and exploration at Mercedes, totaled $1.0 million during the quarter (Q2 2023: $0.3 million). This increase is due to increased exploration drilling at Mercedes.

During Q1 2024, the Company closed the Sandstorm Restructuring Agreement (see the Company's news release dated January 22, 2024 and its MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2024). As a part of the restructuring, the Company derecognized deferred revenue associated with Sandstorm Gold Purchase Agreement on January 22, 2024, and determined fair value of the Restructured Sandstorm Gold Stream. Fair value of the Restructured Silver Stream has also been determined as at January 22, 2024. The change in fair value of the Company's stream arrangements as at June 30, 2024 of $1.9 million (as compared with $0.6 million in Q2 2023) is primarily due to change in metals price, remaining deliveries and discount rates utilized.

The Company fair values the conversion feature of its convertible debentures, and call options granted as part of notes payable at each period end and recorded a loss of $2.1 million (Q2 2023: gain of $1.2 million) presented as a change in fair value of the derivatives embedded into the Equinox Note and Sandstorm Loan. The major factor impacting this loss was the change in share price of the Company during the quarter.

The Company fair values the warrant liability associated with financing in Q4 2023 and recorded a loss of $0.9 million (Q2 2023: nil) due to the fluctuations in the Company's share price.

After operating expenses, other income and expenses, tax expenses and recoveries the Company recorded a comprehensive net loss of $11.2 million ($0.05 per share) for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (Q2 2023: $7.6 million and $0.05 per share). The increased comprehensive loss of $3.6 million period over period is primarily due to the $5.5 million loss on the valuation of embedded derivatives, stream arrangements and warrant liabilities and a $1.7 reduction in tax recoveries, offset by foreign exchange gain of $3.9 million.

At June 30, 2024 the Company held cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $3.4 million, a decrease of $0.5 million from December 31, 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 the Company had a cash inflow from operating activities of $5.8 million (2023: inflow of $7.5 million); a cash outflow from investing activities of $5.4 million (2023: outflow of $3.4 million); and an outflow of $0.8 million from financing activities (2023: outflow of $2.6 million).

The Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 were prepared following accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes the Company will be able to continue operations for at least twelve months from June 30, 2024 and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the ordinary course of operations.

As at June 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital (current assets less current liabilities) deficiency of $92.8 million (December 31, 2023: $89.7 million), which was impacted by the amendments to IAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements, requiring reclassification of equity-settleable convertible notes and warrant liabilities totaling $56.1 million (December 31, 2023: $47.4 million) from non-current liabilities to current liabilities.

Non-GAAP Measures

This news release includes disclosure of certain financial measures or ratios, as such terms are used in National Instrument 52-112 - Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure, including Cash Cost, All-In Sustaining Cost ("AISC") and Adjusted Earnings. These Non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards ("IFRS") and might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company believes that these measures and ratios provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the prospects of the Company as they provide additional information related to operating performance and are widely used in the mining industry.

For further information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures including reconciliations of these measures to the applicable costs items as reported in the consolidated financial statements for the respective periods, please see the information under the heading "Cash Cost and All-in-Sustaining Cost ("AISC") for Mercedes" in the Company's MD&A for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2024, available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Eric Caba

President and CEO

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Unless otherwise indicated, scientific and technical information in this news release is based on work programs and initiatives conducted under the supervision of, and/or has been reviewed and approved by, Andrew Swarthout, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, a director of the Company who is a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101. Additional information related to the Mercedes Mine and the Corani Project, including the Quality Assurance and Quality Control measures applied to the Company's sampling and assaying practices, is available in its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, available on its website and on SEDAR+.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding: the ability of the Mercedes mine to generate free cash flow; expectations regarding the deployment of free cash flow if and when generated; the expected outcomes and benefits of increasing drill density at the Mercedes mine; completion of, and third party review of, a new geological model, revised reserve block model, mining methodology optimization and mine sequencing for the Mercedes mine; the potential for additional mineralization, yet undiscovered, within the Mercedes property; the Company's interpretation of geological evidence; ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of mining methodologies at various Mercedes workings; outcomes related to permit applications; contingency plans for the future disposal of tailings at the Mercedes mine; the timing and outcome of results from geometallurgical test work at the Corani property; plans to re-initiate Corani project financing discussions; and expectations regarding the maintenance of Corani permits and social license. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making these forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to: that the Company will be able to meet its debt and stream obligations; that unforeseen factors will not impede the anticipated performance of the Mercedes mine; that development work at Mercedes will continue as planned and result in contributions to production as anticipated; and that exploration drilling plans will transpire as and when predicted. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221180

SOURCE: Bear Creek Mining Corporation
Grant will help fund 40-mile transmission line rebuild in Wake, Johnston and Wayne counties to improve reliability for an estimated 14,000 customers

RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm today announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Grid Deployment Office has selected the North Carolina Innovative Transmission Rebuild project to receive $57 million in cost-share funding to enhance the power grid's ability to deliver affordable, resilient energy. The project - a partnership between Duke Energy, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and State Energy Office - aims to reconstruct the 230-kV Lee-Milburnie transmission line to improve reliability for customers and meet growing electricity demand in eastern North Carolina.

"The grant announced today by the Department of Energy is a win for the communities Duke Energy serves, and signals North Carolina's leadership in the energy transition," said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North Carolina state president. "This project will help reduce outages, enhance the power system's resilience against extreme weather, enable the connection of more clean energy sources to the grid and create job opportunities and new partnerships with community organizations."

The Lee-Milburnie transmission line spans from the Greater Raleigh area to outside Goldsboro, N.C., including portions of Wake, Johnston and Wayne counties. The line rebuild will take place in the existing right of way to minimize the impact to nearby communities.

"Supporting our customers by helping ensure they have reliable service and restoring that service safely and quickly when we need to is our No. 1 job," said Scott Batson, senior vice president and chief power grid officer at Duke Energy. "The generous grant provided by the U.S. Department of Energy for this transmission line reconstruction work will improve the reliability of the grid while delivering affordable, clean energy to our customers."

The funds are part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, the federal government's single largest direct investment into critical grid infrastructure. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE's Grid Deployment Office, the GRIP program leverages federal and private investments to support a reliable grid that is prepared for extreme weather while also delivering affordable, clean energy and creating local economic opportunities.

"This funding will help support North Carolinians' efforts to invest in grid resiliency, improve reliability, and meet electricity demand," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "The Biden-Harris Administration is investing in the most crucial component of the nation's infrastructure, expanding and hardening the grid to allow more resilient, clean power to reach more household, and support the ongoing manufacturing boom-all while creating thousands of local jobs."

This North Carolina Innovative Transmission Rebuild will create robust opportunities for local economic development, including significant investments in workforce development programs at Nash Community College and North Carolina A&T State University.

"North Carolina A&T State University and STEPs4GROWTH are proud to be partners in developing a skilled workforce in support of Duke Energy's efforts to deliver reliable, affordable energy to its customers," said Balu Gokaraju, Ph.D., principal investigator for the STEPs4GROWTH program. "This project represents a significant investment that will not only enhance the grid but also benefit the community by creating good jobs with family sustaining wages."

The joint effort will create an estimated 550 new jobs that can be filled through partnerships with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and local community colleges.

"We have been a proud partner of Duke Energy for many years and are truly excited about this new initiative to enhance power grid reliability in North Carolina," said Lew K. Hunnicutt, President of Nash Community College. "We look forward to doing our part to support this important project, which will benefit our community through new job opportunities for skilled workers."

To learn more, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office's website.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Logan Stewart

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Duke Energy on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Duke Energy

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/duke-energy

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Duke Energy

View the original press release on accesswire.com
KeyBank and The Center for New York City Neighborhoods (CNYCN) continue to work together to increase Black homeownership throughout New York City with a new $20,000 grant from KeyBank Foundation to support the organization's Black Homeownership Project (BHP), which aims to preserve and increase the number of Black homeowners in the city by providing high quality services, advocating for policies that support Black homeowners, and organizing around issues related to Black homeownership.

The latest grant follows a two-year, $150,000 foundation grant made in 2022 to launch CNYCN's Savings Accelerator and Pathways to Tenant Purchases programs. This new funding will support program staff who work across CNYCN's five pilot BHP initiatives including the Savings Accelerator and Pathways to Tenant Purchases programs, which offer outreach, educational workshops, and direct, one-on-one services to homeowners.

"Homeownership is a crucial asset for building generational wealth and equity and for stabilizing neighborhoods and communities, but a history of racist housing practices has made acquiring and maintaining a home more challenging for many Black families in the city," said Kevin Wolfe, Deputy Director of Advocacy & Public Affairs at The Center for New York City Neighborhoods. "We're grateful for KeyBank's partnership and support in helping the Black Homeownership Project advance its mission of growing affordable homeownership opportunities and preventing displacement for New York's Black communities who have systematically been excluded from the system."

Founded in 2008 as a response to the loss of Black homeowners in Queens following the 2008 foreclosure crisis, CNYCN meets the complex and diverse needs of tens of thousands of middle- and working-class families by administering, coordinating, and funding a network of more than two dozen community-based nonprofits across New York City who deliver legal and housing counseling services to low- to moderate-income (LMI) homeowners. The Center and its partners have helped more than 250,000 low- and moderate-income (LMI) families keep their homes and gain financial stability, preserving over $10 billion in neighborhood property value across New York.

"As a community-minded bank, KeyBank is committed to providing access to capital and support to neighborhoods and neighbors who have often faced financial barriers," said KeyBank's Hudson Valley and Metro New York Market President, John Manginelli. "We are pleased to support the efforts of the Center for NYC Neighborhoods in implementing innovative programs that are driving affordable homeownership for all."

About The Center of New York City Neighborhoods

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods promotes and protects affordable homeownership in New York City so working- and middle-class families can build strong, thriving communities. We carry out our mission to promote and protect affordable homeownership through the lenses of racial equity and climate change. Established by public and private partners, the Center meets the diverse needs of homeowners throughout New York state by offering free, high-quality housing services. Since our founding in 2008, our network has assisted over 250,000 homeowners, and provided more than $60 million in funding to community-based partners. Visit cnycn.org to learn more.

About KeyCorp/KeyBank

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit?https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

KeyBank Media Contact: Karen Crane | karen_crane@keybank.com | 203-789-2752





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: KeyBank

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Jaime Gurdian, the renowned Costa Rican artist celebrated for his abstract, textured depictions of the country's beaches, has released a new painting that resonates with the natural beauty of Costa Rica's Guanacaste region.

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Titled Playa San Juanillo, this acrylic and mixed-media piece stands out in Gurdian's latest collection, offering a serene portrayal of one of Guanacaste's most picturesque beaches. https://miramefineart.com/product/san-juanillo-guanacaste-ocean-painting/

Jaime Gurdian L., Playa San Juanillo

Acrylic with textures, beach painting

MIRAME Fine Art, the leading online gallery dedicated to promoting Costa Rica's most accomplished artists, is proud to support Gurdian's work. MIRAME Fine Art continues to connect Costa Rican art with a global audience, celebrating the nation's diverse cultural heritage.

Playa San Juanillo: A Reflection of Guanacaste's Tranquility

Playa San Juanillo, situated north of Nosara on the Pacific coast - near the famous turtle nesting beach of Ostional - is renowned for its pristine white sand, gentle waves, and beautiful turquoise waters. Gurdian's new acrylic and mixed media painting captures its unique atmosphere by combining natural, earthy tones with rich shades of turquoise that intensify towards the horizon.

The painting's upper canvas depicts a gradual transition of blues, interwoven with green accents that convey the depth and vitality of the water. Gurdian's application of intricate textures throughout the composition invokes the tactile sensation of warm sand beneath one's feet and the rhythmic movement of the surf. This thoughtful layering invites viewers to experience the peaceful ambience and unspoiled grandeur of Playa San Juanillo firsthand.

Painting Costa Rica's Landscapes

While Playa San Juanillo is a prominent feature in Gurdian's collection, his broader body of work consistently celebrates the diverse and breathtaking landscapes of Costa Rica. Through his paintings, Gurdian conveys his deep appreciation for the country's natural environments, from lush rainforests and their vibrant wildlife to serene coastlines. His art encourages a more thoughtful connection with nature.

Experience Playa San Juanillo through MIRAME Fine Art

Playa San Juanillo is available for purchase through MIRAME Fine Art, an online platform dedicated to showcasing Costa Rica's finest artists.

MIRAME offers an integrated augmented reality feature that enables potential buyers to visualize the painting in their own spaces, accurately representing its dimensions and high-definition details. This innovative tool offers an immersive and informed experience before making a purchase. Additionally, the gallery's integration with DHL allows for easy calculation of shipping costs, ensuring a seamless and straightforward purchasing experience.

Playa San Juanillo is a gateway into Gurdian's broader collection, which invites viewers to explore the untouched beauty of Costa Rica's coastlines. Each of Gurdian's painting embodies his reflective appreciation for his home country of Costa Rica, offering an immersive experience of the serene beauty and natural splendor of Guanacaste.

Contact Information

Belinda Seppings

Co-Founder

belinda@miramefineart.com

+447821591397

SOURCE: MIRAME Fine Art

View the original press release on newswire.com.
A Rice University student was gunned down in her dorm room on the first day of classes in an apparent murder-suicide.

The Rice University Police Department is investigating the incident after receiving a welfare check request on Monday from the family of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland. Police later found Avila shot in her dorm room, school officials said. The suspect, a male unaffiliated with the university, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

In a letter to the school community, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman said there was no sign of forced entry. RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez told Fox News that Avila had likely given the man access to the building, noting that the two had a preexisting romantic relationship. A note found at the scene by the suspect suggested they were in a "troubled relationship."

"This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead," university President Reginald DesRoches said in a statement. "Tonight, I want our students, parents and Rice community to know that our campus is safe, that there is no further threat and that we are wrapping our arms around you with care and concern. As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be  to Andrea's family and our community."

Gorman said the community was mourning "the loss of a wonderful person taken from us too soon."

Tuesday classes at the small Houston school were canceled, with campus counseling resources available for those in need.
SHANGHAI, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Ajisen Ramen has been awarded the prestigious certification of World's No.1 Brand of noodle restaurant, measured in terms of the number of directly operated stores by Euromonitor, affirming the brand's superior quality and broad international presence.

50+ Years of Making Pork Bone Soup: Ajisen Ramen's Global Appeal Soars in 120 Cities

In the 1960s, Takaharu Shigemitsu opened the first Ajisen Ramen store with the aim of bringing authentic Japanese tonkotsu (pork bone) broth ramen to food enthusiasts worldwide. The brand incorporates "sen" (thousand) in its name, a testament to its ambitious goal of establishing 1,000 outlets globally.

In 1990, Ajisen Ramen became one of the representatives of Kyushu tonkotsu ramen in Japan and began to expand globally. Today, Ajisen Ramen is present in 15 countries across 5 continents, with restaurants in over 120 cities. Meanwhile, Marugame primarily adopts a direct-operated model to ensure consistent quality.

Over 50 years, Ajisen Ramen has been using premium pork bones to simmer the soup base, employing advanced Japanese soup-making techniques through seven meticulous processes. Each batch of bone broth undergoes a painstaking 12-hour process, demonstrating Ajisen Ramen's commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship while fostering innovation.

Ajisen Ramen follows stringent ingredient selection criteria, sourcing top-tier, premium ingredients globally through robust supply chains. This includes Danish Crown pork cartilage, Ecuadorian white shrimp, Australian beef, and Russian snow crab.

Five Facilities Established in China, with an Unwavering Commitment to Quality Craftsmanship

In 1996, Ms. Pan Wei introduced Ajisen Ramen to mainland China. Since then, Ajisen Ramen has established deep roots and flourished in the market, emerging as a leading player in China's chain restaurant sector.

As early as 2012, Ajisen China began pioneering the establishment of central kitchens. Currently, Ajisen China operates five facilities in Shanghai, Dongguan, Tianjin, Chengdu, and Wuhan. These facilities have also introduced advanced Japanese technological standards. Some of them have obtained ISO22000 certification. Over 15 years, all five major factories have ensured food quality and safety. Additionally, Ajisen Ramen has established a robust food safety management system, ensuring that every step complies with the strictly food safety standards, giving every diner peace of mind.

Ajisen Ramen's signature secret ingredient, senmi-oil (thousand flavors oil), is crafted through a 2-hour simmering process and 1,800 seconds of continuous grinding. Paired with the carefully selected European-sourced, juicy and flavorful pork cartilage, these unique offerings enhance the exceptional taste of Ajisen Ramen.

Collaborating with Michelin-starred Chefs, Ajisen Unveils Its New Offerings

During this year, Ajisen will collaborate with international Michelin-starred chefs to develop three new dishes, set to debut exclusively in mainland China and deliver a whole new culinary experience to the country's diners. Looking ahead, Ajisen Ramen remains committed to upholding the spirit of craftsmanship and accomplishing its mission of "offering a delicious bowl of ramen to patrons worldwide". The brand will continue to explore and innovate, bringing more delicious, healthy, and unique dining experiences to food enthusiasts everywhere.

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The Identity Authority releases dates and locations of its 2024 global tour allowing organizations to network with leading authorities in Identity Saviynt executives, customers, partners and industry analysts

Saviynt, a leading provider of cloud-native identity and governance platform solutions, today announced sixteen (16) dates and locations for its first Converge Global Tour. The 2024 events are focused on educating organizations about the accelerating migration of identity management solutions from on-premises legacy systems to modern, cloud-based solutions led by Saviynt's converged platform, The Identity Cloud.

"We are excited to meet with identity security professionals from around the world," said Paul Zolfaghari, President at Saviynt. "If you are one of those professionals, we invite you to join us at one of our global events where we are looking forward to engaging in thoughtful discussions about the important work of identity security. It's an opportunity for us to hear about the challenges and opportunities that organizations are facing in today's world of digital transformation. It is also a chance for us to show the industry the power of our Identity Cloud."

At each location of the Converge Global Tour which includes major markets like New York, Chicago, Dallas, London, Paris, Toronto, and Singapore Saviynt will address three key areas of Identity Security.

Current State of Identity and Access Governance: Attendees will learn about the characteristics of the exploding number of diverse identity types-human and machine, physical and digital-in our rapidly evolving tech landscape. Best Practices to Stay Ahead in a Changing Threat Landscape: Attendees will gain insights from leading experts on how to adapt an organization's identity security measures to keep pace with these evolving threats, particularly as more business processes move to the cloud. Experience the Power of Saviynt's Converged Identity Platform: Discover why global enterprises trust and love the simplicity and control of Saviynt's platform, and see how it can protect an organization throughout its digital transformation.

This year's tour will feature Saviynt speakers including Chairman and CEO Sachin Nayyar, President Paul Zolfaghari, Chief Product Officer Jeff Margolies, Chief Trust Officer Jim Routh, Chief Operating Officer Shankar Ganapathy, and SVP of Strategy and Former Gartner Lead Identity Analyst Henrique Teixiera. The event locations and dates are:

Seattle, Washington on Tuesday, September 17

Singapore on Friday, September 20

San Francisco East Bay, California on Tuesday, September 24

Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, September 24

Minneapolis, Minnesota on Tuesday, September 24

Toronto, Canada on Thursday, September 26

Chicago, Illinois on Tuesday, October 1

Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday, October 8

New York, New York on Thursday, October 10

London, England on Tuesday, October 15

Paris, France on Thursday, October 17

Sydney, Australia on Tuesday, October 22

Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 23

Frankfurt, Germany to be confirmed

Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, November 19

Dallas, Texas on Thursday, December 12

Saviynt's Converge Global Tour is an exclusive, complimentary event for Saviynt prospects, customers, and partners. To learn more about the event and how to register, please visit our website.

About Saviynt

Saviynt empowers enterprises to secure their digital transformation, safeguard critical assets, and meet regulatory compliance. With a vision to provide a secure and compliant future for all enterprises, Saviynt is recognized as an industry leader in identity security whose cutting-edge solutions protect the world's leading brands, Fortune 500 companies and government organizations. For more information, please visit www.saviynt.com.

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Contacts:

Jacklyn Kellick

jacklyn.kellick@saviynt.com
Complexio's partnership with reMARK will enable maritime shipping companies to streamline and improve their chartering process.

SAN ANTONIO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Nordic IT, the email collaboration platform provider renowned for serving maritime shipping companies, is partnering with Complexio, a Foundational AI joint venture between global tanker company Hafnia and the deep tech company Simbolo Ltd. This collaboration seeks to enhance reMARK's capabilities through the seamless deployment of AI technologies that enable organizations to understand and automate tasks and processes - like chartering - inside reMARK.

Complexio has built a system using proprietary technology, multiple LLMs, algorithms and more to understand how enterprises carry out their unique business activities. Through the integration of its advanced AI technology into existing infrastructures, Complexio maps the relationships between whole company data - both structured and unstructured - so it can provide contextual, relevant assistance to users to automate and optimize recurring tasks in their existing workflows. Further valuable insights from this mapping process can also be accessed through traditional BI tools or APIs, enabling enterprises to make critical business decisions, grounded in AI.

Nordic IT's robust email collaboration platform, reMARK, will benefit immensely from Complexio's AI technology, allowing the email provider to offer maritime customers a secure and groundbreaking way to leverage AI throughout their entire operations. With this partnership, maritime businesses can remove barriers to efficiency and gain deeper insights without compromising data security. Once integrated, Complexio works within the organization's existing security framework.

"Partnering with Complexio allows us to extend greater value to our maritime clients," said Martin H. Mrup, CEO of Nordic IT. "Their AI platform provides the kind of strategic acceleration our customers need to stay competitive in such a dynamic industry. The ability to automate complex recurring tasks within reMARK will undoubtedly enhance our clients' entire operational efficiency."

"We're excited to collaborate with Nordic IT and offer our AI technology to all users of reMARK's email platform," states Complexio CEO, Matthew Talbot. "Complexio's Foundational AI system and Natural User Interface is already helping our partners automate their Vessel Clearance process and better understand how they complete their entire Chartering Process in reMARK. This is a great example of how we are different - working from within existing company tools and systems to detect, understand and predict relationships in their data so we can help them automate unnecessary recurring tasks and transform the way humans interact with machines."

The integration between Nordic IT's reMARK and Complexio is indicative of a broader trend of companies transitioning to an AI-first world, enhancing their productivity and efficiency with leading-edge technological innovation.

Learn More About Nordic IT & Complexio's Technology Partnership

For more information about this integration and how it benefits the maritime industry, please reach out to Complexio and Nordic IT at https://complexio.com and https://nordic-it.com.

About Nordic IT

Nordic IT has been transforming maritime communication since 1982. Widely regarded as one of the leading experts in collaborative email technology, the company presently serves more than 300 clients worldwide. Nordic IT has offices in the USA, Denmark, UAE, and Singapore, and its collaborative email solution is used by some of the largest and most well-respected shipping companies in the industry. Offering exceptional customer service and highly effective communication solutions, Nordic IT is at the forefront of collaborative email technology for maritime shipping companies.

About Complexio



Complexio is a joint venture between Hafnia, in partnership with Marfin Management, C Transport Maritime, Trans Sea Transport and BW Epic Kosan and Simbolo.

Complexio is defining how principles of Foundational AI are understood and realized in real-world business applications. They work with real, live data from their partners' existing systems to continually inform R&D that's tailored to each business. By ingesting and mapping this whole company data, they enable automation and improved decision-making across the entire organization.

Contact Information

Martin Mrup

CEO

martin.morup@nordic-it.com

SOURCE: Nordic IT

View the original press release on newswire.com.
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Albert Gahfi, a proven enterprise-building Founder and CEO in the global FinTech and specialty financing sector, has been appointed to the prestigious Forbes Finance Council . This prestigious recognition highlights Gahfi's remarkable contributions to the industry and his exceptional leadership in shaping the innovative financial solutions that empower small and mid-sized businesses worldwide.

As the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Kings Cash Group, Gahfi oversaw its merger with an SEC-registered FinTech firm, fortifying its position as a market leader. His ventures extend further as the Co-Founder and CEO of NewCo Capital Group , Capytal.com , and NewCo Canada , where his strategic foresight has driven the successful expansion into international markets, including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom through his involvement with Melbourne-based Bizcap .

Gahfi's induction into the Forbes Finance Council highlights his exceptional skill in identifying, retaining, and empowering top talent within the multinational companies that he leads. Having a keen insight into human capital and partnership dynamics, Gahfi has fostered a culture of high-performing teams which have been instrumental in driving the success of the organization across five countries on three continents.

Reflecting on his induction into the Forbes Finance Council, Gahfi remarked, "Being recognized by Forbes is an extraordinary honor that underscores the impact we've made in the financial sector. NewCo and Bizcap's achievements are a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses while continuing to build innovative financial products and technologies. I am proud to be part of a community that is dedicated to excellence while supporting the growth of businesses across the globe ."

Under Gahfi's leadership , NewCo Capital Group has established itself as a preferred provider in the specialty financing space. His unique approach to risk assessment-integrating advanced technology with deep industry expertise-has enabled NewCo to deliver rapid funding decisions and deploy capital efficiently, even in challenging economic environments. Formed during the height of the global pandemic, NewCo (and companies) have not only sustained their profitability but also exceeded expectations, with a collective deployment of $1.5 billion globally and service to over 35,000 clients, the companies maintain a robust financial position and are uniquely positioned for continued growth.

For more information on NewCo Capital Group and Albert Gahfi's ongoing work in the FinTech and financing space, visit www.NewCoCapitalGroup.com .

Contact:

NewCo Capital Group

Email: Info@NewCoCapitalGroup.com

Website: www.NewCoCapitalGroup.com

About Albert Gahfi:

Albert Gahfi is a renowned entrepreneur and leader in the FinTech and specialty financing industries. With a proven track record of building successful enterprises, Gahfi has co-founded and led multiple companies, including NewCo Capital Group and Capytal.com. His innovative approach to financing has revolutionized the way small and mid-sized businesses access capital, driving growth and success across the globe.

About Forbes Finance Council:

Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for senior-level executives in the finance industry. Members are recognized leaders and innovators in their fields, contributing insights and expertise to the broader financial community.

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CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Market is expected to be valued at USD 631 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1,068 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Additions to existing applications in various industries and technological advancements in SWIR are key factors driving the expansion of the SWIR market.

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Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 631 million Estimated Value by 2029 $ 1,068 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 11.1% Market Size Available for 2020-2029 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Camera, Lenses, Spectral Imaging, Security & Surveillance, Monitoring & Inspection, Technology, Vertical and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Fundamental limits of FOV (Field of Vision) Key Market Opportunities Use in disaster management and response Key Market Drivers Enhanced vision and 3D sensing by SWIR in automotive vertical

Restraints such as temperature influence on image quality hinder market growth. Growth of SWIR cameras is driven by technological advances that reduced their cost and made them more accessible. It is used in various industries, much beyond defense and agriculture. Growing concerns about the environment and closer monitoring of unwanted contaminants in food safety or waste management are some of the many other ways in which this market seeks to expand. Better demand for improved imaging even in low-light conditions and more and more industrial processes getting automated-combined with AI use-are only adding to this increment. However, factors such as expansion in emerging markets such as consumer electronics will provide lucrative opportunities for market players in the coming years.

Spectral imaging by imaging type to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Spectral imaging is projected to have highest CAGR because of its growing applications in various industries. Spectral imaging has the ability to get detailed information and materials and their composition. The industries include medical research, food & beverage, automotive among others. Additionally, technological advancements are making the technology more affordable for industries to adopt. With increasing industries looking for accurate and non-invasive methods of analysis, the demand for spectral imaging is likely to rise. In addition, advancements in AI and machine learning can better the capability of spectral imaging, thereby fuelling adoption and growth.

SWIR market for monitoring & inspection by use case to hold high market share during the forecast period.

Monitoring & inspection is expected to have a high market share due to rising demand of safety, efficiency, quality control, adherence to safety standards and security. As industries seek to prevent hazards, monitoring & inspection becomes necessary. Technologies like SWIR which offer detailed analysis have become more crucial for industries to adopt. SWIR imaging can reveal details invisible to normal cameras, such as moisture content, material composition, or surface defects in applications important to the work of manufacturing, agriculture, and food processing, thus leading to very precise inspection of quality and safety.

Modules by offering in SWIR market to exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Modules offer advanced imaging capabilities with better performance in low light and in challenging environments. They can be easily integrated into various industries' systems, from security to industrial inspection. Technological advancements and demand for high-resolution imaging solutions are expected to boost the module market in the forecast period. These modules combine SWIR sensors with integrated optics and processing into compact, ready-to-use modules that reduce the burden for original equipment manufacturers when integrating SWIR technology into many types of devices and applications. As such, it finds use across various visions, ranging from defense and security to industrial automation and environmental monitoring.

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Based on region SWIR industry for North America is expected to hold the highest market share during the forecast period.

North America has an established and expanding manufacturing sector, especially in the automotive and semiconductor industries. The region has shown investments in research and developments while increasing the adoption of advanced technologies, thereby boosting demand for SWIR systems. The region's established industries, such as medical research and automotive, also boost the demand for SWIR technologies. North America leads in the adoption of AI and automation in industrial processes; SWIR imaging in this case provides high accuracy and efficiency. Most manufacturers and suppliers of SWIR technologies are located in North America, which ensures a stronghold of the market, allowing it to grow in this region.

Key Players

The SWIR companies includes major Tier I and II players like Teledyne FLIR LLC (US), Allied Vision Technologies GmbH (Germany), Collins Aerospace (US), Corning Incorporated (US), and Leonardo DRS (US), and others. These players have a strong market presence in advanced packaging across various countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW).

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Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting

Related Reports:

Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market Size, Share, Trends & Industry Growth Analysis Report by Offering (Cameras, System Integrator, Service Provider), Technology (Pushbroom, Snapshot, Tunable Filter, Imaging FTIR, Whiskbroom), Wavelength and Region - Global Forecast to 2029

Infrared Imaging Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report by Technology (Cooled & Uncooled Infrared Imaging), Wavelength (Near, Shortwave, Mid-wave, & Long-wave Infrared), Application (Security & Surveillance, Monitoring & Inspection, Detection), Vertical - Global Forecast to 2028

Thermal Imaging Market Size, Share & Industry Growth Analysis Report by Product Type (Modules, Cameras, Scopes), Type (Handheld and Standstill), Technology (Cooled, Uncooled), Application, Wavelength(SWIR, MWIR, LWIR), Vertical, and Region - Global Growth Driver and Industry Forecast to 2026

Infrared Detector Market by Type (Mercury Cadmium Telluride, INGaas, Pyroelectric, Thermopile, Microbolometer), Technology (Cooled and Uncooled), Wavelength (NIR & SWIR, MWIR, LWIR), Application, Vertical and Region - Global Forecast to 2028

InGaAs Camera Market by Camera Cooling technology (Cooled camera, Uncooled Camera), Scanning Type (Area Scan Camera, Line Scan Camera), Application (Military & Defense, Industrial Automation, Scientific Research), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023

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.

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MorphoSys AG today announced that its shareholders approved all resolutions proposed by the company's Management Board and Supervisory Board at its 2024 Annual General Meeting. This included the transfer of MorphoSys' minority shareholders' shares to Novartis BidCo Germany AG (hereinafter referred to as "Novartis"), the company's majority shareholder, against a cash compensation of  68.00 per share ("merger squeeze-out"). The merger squeeze-out will become effective once the transfer resolution and merger have been registered in the commercial register of MorphoSys, and the merger has also been registered in the commercial register of Novartis.

The 2024 Annual General Meeting was held on August 27, 2024, with 92.43% of the current MorphoSys share capital represented. The meeting was conducted virtually without the physical presence of shareholders or their proxies, in accordance with German law.

More information on MorphoSys' 2024 Annual General Meeting can be found at www.morphosys.com/agm.

About MorphoSys

At MorphoSys, we are driven by our mission: More life for people with cancer. As a global biopharmaceutical company, we develop and deliver innovative medicines, aspiring to redefine how cancer is treated. MorphoSys is headquartered in Planegg, Germany, and has its U.S. operations anchored in Boston, Massachusetts. To learn more, visit us at www.morphosys.com and follow us on Twitter at X and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements concerning MorphoSys, Novartis and the merger squeeze-out that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include any statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "goal," "may," "might," "plan," "predict," "project," "seek," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue" and similar expressions. In this communication, MorphoSys' forward-looking statements include statements about the consummation of the merger squeeze-out; MorphoSys' plans, objectives, expectations and intentions; and the financial condition, results of operations and business of MorphoSys and Novartis AG.

The forward-looking statements contained in this communication represent the judgment of MorphoSys as of the date of this communication and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which might cause the actual results, financial condition and liquidity, performance or achievements of MorphoSys, or industry results, to be materially different from any historic or future results, financial conditions and liquidity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, even if MorphoSys' results, performance, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates are consistent with such forward-looking statements, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods. Those risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ from expectations contemplated by forward-looking statements include, among other things: the effects of the acquisition of MorphoSys by Novartis AG on relationships with employees, other business partners or governmental entities; that Novartis BidCo AG and Novartis AG may not realize the potential benefits of the acquisition of MorphoSys by Novartis AG; potential operational difficulties with integrating MorphoSys with Novartis AG; that MorphoSys' expectations may be incorrect; the inherent uncertainties associated with competitive developments, clinical trial and product development activities and regulatory approval requirements; MorphoSys' reliance on collaborations with third parties; estimating the commercial potential of MorphoSys' development programs; and other risks indicated in the risk factors included in MorphoSys' filings with the SEC, including MorphoSys' Annual Report on Form 20-F. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this communication. MorphoSys expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this communication to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, unless specifically required by law or regulation.

For more information, please contact:

Media Contacts:

Eamonn Nolan

Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

Tel: +1 617-548-9271

eamonn.nolan@morphosys.com





Investor Contacts:

Dr. Julia Neugebauer

Vice President, Global Investor Relations

Tel: +49 (0)89 / 899 27 179

julia.neugebauer@morphosys.com

SOURCE: MorphoSys AG

View the original press release on accesswire.com
by Mindy Clegg

This months post might be shorter than usual, as the semester kicks off next week. I do want to address a couple of things going into the final stretch of the election season. Some historians and scholars have long debated what matters most, the zeitgeist (or vibes as the kids would have it) or materialist view of historical change. But is it really either-or? Lets take the upcoming election in November. Many have noticed that there has been a change in feeling these last few weeks. At least some of that is embedded in the material conditions happening in the world, such as improvements in the economy, strong job numbers, and rising wages. Stories that explicate the zeitgeist matter, but so do outcomes, as we can see with the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine story Past Tense. If there is a vibe change, its not just down to attitudes, but the material conditions in which we find ourselves. So, lets look at the changing vibes of the election.

Its important to keep in mind that humans love a good story. I would even argue (following the thinking of the late Sir Terry Pratchett) that our love of stories is what makes us human.

Stories can help us to better understand the deeply complicated world in which we find ourselves. A good set of stories can give us shared meaning and direction. It can cement ties between people and move us to make change for the better. The Harris-Walz campaign has seemingly harnessed the power of story in that manner. Both have a compelling background that most of us can connect with, grounded in both struggles and opportunities. They seem entirely relatable, human, approachable. Much like in the year 2000, many people embraced George W. Bush because some voters thought theyd like to have a beer at the local bar with him (despite Bush being someone in recovery from alcoholism-something also rather relatable). While Harris reflects an ambitious career-driven woman from a middle class background, Walz embodies strong mid-west dad vibes. We got some of that from their DNC speeches.

Although not perfect (just ask the Uncommitted movement), the DNC leaned heavily into the politics of change and engagement by average Americans rather than deferring to the rule of elites. Harris and Walz strived to embody that notion of change from below and engagement in politics.

The human love of narrative can be two-edged sword, especially in the age of social media. The Trump campaign has shown that narratives (false, conspiracy-centric ones) can be deployed for destructive impact. Anyone who reads Erin Reeds newsletter knows that hate can be translated into legislation that can destroy lives, as some states controlled by the GOP have passed some harsh anti-trans laws, based on conspiracy theories about trans lives. Many cisgendered women of child-bearing age have also been victimized by GOP policy decisions. The pro-life doctrine that Republicans claim save babies merely subvert womens health, well-being, autonomy, and lives. For much of human history, women died in large numbers in childbirth, because bearing children can be very dangerous. The GOP would see us return to that state of affairs. They not only worked to overturn Roe v. Wade, they plan to roll out a national ban and proscribe access to contraception and other forms of reproductive care for women (whatever Trump might say to the contrary). They pitch this as a pro-life platform, but infant mortality has spiked in Texas, a state that has one of the most draconian anti-choice laws on the books. This just hints at how the totality of the GOP platform, known as Project 2025, would negatively impact the lives of millions of Americans. These policies are underpinned by Trumps nihilistic narratives about American decline (a problematic trope if ever there was one, as we can see from the video below), and his bogus claims that only he can fix it. But if that were the case, wouldnt he have fixed things when he was president? Besides, as Timothy Snyder has shown us, a strongman never fixes the things he claims that only he can fix.

This brings us back to vibes and materialism. Many have noticed a change in feeling in recent weeks since President Biden stepped down from the Democratic nomination in favor of Vice-President Kamala Harris. The excitement seems palpable for those inclined to vote for the Democratic party. Meanwhile Trump, after an assassination attempt, the RNC convention, and the hype around his own VP pick JD Vance gave him a bump, seems to be flaming out. Or at least the media has finally decided to focus on his shortcomings as a candidate. Hes now the oldest candidate for president, so his weird ramblings can no longer be buried behind narratives about President Bidens age when Harris is at the top of the ticket. The media seems more willing to engage fact-checking Trump and delving into the policy proposals of a possible second Trump administration. The media has contributed to this shift in the zeitgeist in other words. For years now, the nihilistic politics of grievances and division that Trump eventually rode into political power dominated political media, at least since the Clinton administration. We were made to feel as if change wasnt possible as the Democratic party embraced more centrist policies to attract centrist voters. In 2008, President Obama was able to change the narrative by running on a platform of hope and change, powered by ordinary citizens getting out the vote. Harris and Walz are running on a similar message of hope and engagement, as the DNC convention illustrated. Many on the left (not liberals, but actual leftists) have had a deep well of criticism of Obamas presidency, feeling that his messaging never translated fully to legislative victories for the American public. They also object to his hawkish foreign policy. It can be said that President Obama carried on with Clintonian third-wayism. There are some signs that a Harris administration might be different. Harris brought on Minnesota governor Tim Walz rather than some of the more centrist Democrats on the vice-presidental shortlist. Walz has some real progressive legislative wins during his time as governor. One hopes this means that the progressive, transformative messaging will mean actual change and that Walz will influence policy direction on a number of important issues. Vibes are great, but far too often, they are only surface deep. But vibes are never completely divorced from material conditions. The trouble is almost always in figuring out how to translate those feelings into actual change. Both FDR and Lydon Johnson managed it, and Biden in his one term even managed some major legislation thats had a positive impact. Lets hope, if elected in November, Harris can do the same. In Jon Stewarts podcast, The Weekly Show, he discussed the DNC convention with his guests and the longer history of political conventions. Towards the end, historian Jill Lepore noted that both people on the Democratic ticket are public servants, which gives some hope that their hopeful rhetoric could translate into political change.

Vibes and materialism need not be at odds, in otherwords. One can inform the other. They do need to merged in the right way to make positive change. We will have to wait and see if they win, if they can make that shift.

We should not pass up the opportunity to discuss the upcoming date on the fictional timeline from Star Trek. In 1995, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine aired an episode set in the year 2024 called Past Tense, set at the end of August into early September. While in orbit around earth, a transport accident strands Commander Ben Sisko, Dr. Julian Bashir, and Lt. Jadzia Dax in the past in the city of San Francisco. While Dax (who despite being an alien looks like a young white human woman) ends up rescued by a tech/media entrepreneur, Sisko and Bashir (two men of color) wind up being taken to the local Sanctuary district. These districts, set up all over the US, were meant to help people struggling with homelessness or unemployment by offering them housing, food, and job training. Soon these districts became neglected and turned into slums that people are forced to stay in. In 2024, a man name Gabriel Bell led an uprising in the San Francisco district. Sisko told Bashir it was one of the largest civil disturbances in US history but would result in real, material change that would lay the groundwork for the utopian future they know. However, the timeline becomes disrupted when Bell was killed before the uprising. In order to preserve the timeline, Sisko steps into Bells shoes, risking his own life, as the riots ended when the National Guard came in and brutally put it down, killing hundreds of people. Though they preserve the timeline and are successfully returned to their future, the three are shaken up by their brush with our time. Unlike many other sci-fi shows or films of the era, the 2024 of DS9 is incredibly recognizable to us right now. There are no flying cars or highly evolved androids, or even mega-cities popular with 1980s cyberpunk books and films. In this imagining of 2024, their problems are our problems. While there are not sanctuary districts in American cities today, many politicians seem to care more about cleaning up cities than about helping people in distress. There are bans on public sleeping and the police regularly clear homeless encampments in many cities across the country. California is preparing for the 2028 Olympics, and governor Gavin Newsom has decided that he should be seen clearing out homeless encampments without offering alternatives to the people being displaced.

We should hope that we can look at a story like Past Tense and manage to tackle our housing and homeless crises before we see an event like the Bell riots. Star Trek was clearly hoping to send a message that change can come out of tragedy. But perhaps we should not let things get to this point. We should hope that we can look at that example and make different choices. Lets hope that the Democratic party, should they win in November, has finally decided to deal with issues prior to them becoming disasters. We are already living through endless disasters thanks to climate change. Trump and the GOP has clearly opted for the violence of disaster. Vote accordingly, with this knowledge in your heads. Also, keep in mind, voting is not the end of civic engagement, but the beginning. If elected in November and Harris fails to deliver, we push the administration and our members of congress to do the right thing. Presidents and legislators, after all, do work for us, at our behest.

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Net Savings Link, Inc. (OTC Pink:NSAV), a leading Web3, blockchain and digital asset technology company, is pleased to announce the integration of the ZEUS Chain on the company's NSAVx Centralized Cryptocurrency Exchange (CEX). ZEUS Blockchain Partners ("ZEUS"), will grant NSAV developer access to the ZEUS Layer 1 Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Proof of Authority (POA) blockchain. The first DApp to be launched under the partnership will combine the ZEUS NFT minting engine with NSAV to create tokenized securities for OTC Markets listings. The ZEUS NFT minting engine is available at https://www.zeusnftx.io/.

NSAV has been granted exclusive development rights by ZEUS to create a digital launchpad, allowing OTC Markets-listed companies to onboard their stock as tokenized securities on the ZEUS blockchain. This new platform, NSAVotcx.io, is scheduled to go live on September 1, 2024.

By tokenizing their stock, OTC Markets companies can enhance liquidity, reduce costs, improve transparency, and access new investor markets, ultimately supporting their growth and development in the digital asset space. With over 11,000 companies listed on OTC Markets, NSAV aims to onboard at least 10% of these companies by the end of Q4. The partnership's revenue model involves a split of transaction fees derived from the tokenized securities. For instance, if the average shareholder base of an OTC Markets company is 300 shareholders, and there are 11,000 listed companies, the goal is to onboard a minimum of 1,100 companies to NSAVotcx.io. Each company is projected to generate an average of $10,000 per month in transaction fees, resulting in approximately $11 million in monthly transaction revenue.

Beginning August 27, 2024, the exchange will be temporarily unavailable to the public while the integration with the ZEUS Chain is completed. The exchange will resume normal operations on August 30, 2024. During this period, we are also excited to announce the integration of a credit card onramp/offramp, further enhancing the overall consumer experience.

Alfonso Knoll, CEO of NSAV, stated, "NSAVx is strategically positioned to significantly increase the number of retail consumers using the exchange. The ZEUS Chain's incredibly fast transaction speeds and low costs are integral to our growth strategy. Our Q2 revenue exceeded expectations for a growing crypto company, and as we move into Q3, our goal is to create liquidity events by enhancing the utility of NSAVx.com projects and converting them into Tier 1 coins to strengthen our balance sheet."

About Net Savings Link, Inc.: NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated

technology company, which provides turnkey technological solutions to the Web3, blockchain and digital asset industries. The Company drives innovation in the digital currency space by developing advanced blockchain technologies, digital assets, and market solutions that bridge the gap between traditional business frameworks and the future of decentralized technology. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, financial services, advisory services and information technology.

For further information please contact NSAV at info@nsavholdinginc.com

For further information please contact NSAVx.com at hello@nsavxmail.com

The NSAV corporate website can be accessed at https://www.netsavingslinkinc.com

The NSAV CEX website can be accessed at https://nsavx.com/

TheAlley.io can be accessed at https://www.thealley.io

The AirdropX.co website can be accessed at https://www.airdropx.co/

The Swopx.io website can be accessed at https://www.swopx.io

The NSAV Stock information website can be accessed at https://www.nsavstock.com

The NSAVx Token website can be accessed at https://www.nsavxtoken.com/nsavx-token

The NSAVx Discord Server can be accessed at https://discord.com/invite/7Q2Vv5NmKd

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/nsav_tech

This press release contains certain 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Net Savings Link, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Net Savings Link, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Net Savings Link, Inc. or any other person.

Contact

Net Savings Link, Inc.

info@nsavholdinginc.com

Media Contact

Organization: Net Savings Link Inc

Contact Person Name: James Tilton

Website: https://www.nsavholdinginc.com

Email: info@nsavholdinginc.com

Contact Number: +17185698815

Address: 26 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair

Address 2: W1K4QW

City: London

Country: United Kingdom

SOURCE: Net Savings Link Inc

View the original press release on accesswire.com
EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Announcement on Resolutions of the 11th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Directors



27.08.2024 / 16:49 CET/CEST

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Announcement on Resolutions of the 11th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Directors

Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt / Hongkong, 27 August 2024 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Haier Smart Home", D-share 690D.DE, A-share 600690.SH, H-share 06690.HK) today published an announcement in accordance with applicable trading rules of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and applicable PRC laws in relation to the Resolutions of the 11th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Directors.

The announcement is fully available at:

https://smart-home.haier.com/en/dggg/P020240827681892248472.pdf?appdesc=Announcement%20on%20Resolutions%20of%20the%2011th%20Meeting%20of%20the%2011th%20Session%20of%20the%20Board%20of%20Directors

IR Contact:

Haier Smart Home Hong Kong

T: +852 2169 0000

Email: ir@haier.hk

Press Contact:

CROSS ALLIANCE communication GmbH

Sara Pinto

pi@crossalliance.de

T: +49 89 1250903 35

About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.:

Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as small household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud in the Chinese market, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience.

27.08.2024 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


Enables OEMs/ODMs to demonstrate conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) standards

USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, today announced the launch of the USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program. This new initiative is designed to assist Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)/Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs) in conforming to the basic requirements of the European Union (EU) Common Charger Directive, which mandates the use of standardized charging technology across a wide range of portable battery-powered devices in the EU.

In response to the EU's 2022 approval of the common charger directive-which will take effect on January 1, 2025, for portable battery-powered devices and in 2026 for laptops-the USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program specifically addresses key aspects of the directive. These include portable battery-powered devices, USB Type-C receptacles, USB Type-C cables and connectors, external power supplies (EPS), and the USB Power Delivery (USB PD) protocol for devices advertising more than 15 Watts.

"The USB-IF has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with IEC. We contributed the core USB specifications to IEC which, once adopted, became the IEC 62680 series of USB specifications," said USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Ravencraft. "The EU mandate covers only a portion of the entire USB specifications. As the industry group responsible for developing and overseeing all aspects of the USB specifications and testing, the USB-IF's new program is designed to assist OEMs/ODMs in demonstrating conformity with the EU's requirements of the common charger directive."

The USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program creates a simple, cost-effective process for OEMs/ODMs to demonstrate conformity to the EU Common Charger Directive. Using the USB-IF program, OEMs/ODMs can have their USB Type-C products formally tested by USB-IF authorized independent test labs (ITLs). Upon successful completion of testing, OEMs/ODMs will receive documentation to demonstrate to the EU that their products conform to the IEC 62680 (USB) specifications. This streamlined process allows for a quick testing turnaround, ensuring that manufacturers can meet regulatory deadlines:

OEMs will continue to register their products and submit test results through ITLs, following USB-IF's already established process.

A minimum set of required tests has been defined by the USB-IF to demonstrate baseline conformity.

The USB-IF will review all test result submissions and provide official approval.

A Vendor ID (VID) is required, and USB-IF will be utilizing a Test ID (TID) as a tracker reference.

"The USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program has been crafted to ensure that all submitted products undergo evaluation, focusing on the critical elements we believe are necessary for conforming with the EU mandate," said USB-IF Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Board Abdul Ismail. "Our testing levels are designed to offer a precise and reliable assessment, enabling OEMs/ODMs to confidently show to the EU that their products conform to the regulatory obligations."

While the USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program provides a vital service to OEMs/ODMs by offering a formal method to demonstrate conformity to EU mandates, it is important to distinguish this from the more extensive USB-IF Compliance Program. The USB-IF Compliance Program offers in-depth testing that not only establishes conformity with the IEC 62680 specifications but also fully verifies a product's adherence to the comprehensive USB-IF specifications for data performance, reliability and interoperability. Additionally, fully certified products qualify to be able to use the Certified USB Logo, which consumers recognize and trust to provide what they have come to expect from USB products.

"While this program is not a full certification of USB technologies, it provides a formalized pathway for OEMs/ODMs to test their products quickly," said Ravencraft. "We are confident this new program will help the industry achieve conformity so they can continue to sell their products in the EU marketplace."

An online public listing of OEMs/ODMs products that have passed the "USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program" is located on the USB-IF product search page at www.usb.org. This platform also differentiates between products that are fully USB-IF certified and those that have met only the conformity requirements.

About USB-IF

The non-profit USB Implementers Forum, Inc. was formed to provide a support organization and forum for the advancement and adoption of USB technology as defined in the USB specifications. USB-IF facilitates the development of high-quality compatible USB devices through its logo and compliance program and promotes the benefits of USB and the quality of products that have passed compliance testing. Further information, including postings of the most recent product and technology announcements, is available by visiting the USB-IF website at www.usb.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827576634/en/

Contacts:

Matt Baxter

USB-IF PR

press@usb.org
Curatis Holding (SIX:CURN) has submitted an orphan drug designation application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lead product candidate C-PBTE-01. The product is intended to alleviate the great suffering of children with side effects from a specific brain tumour.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827178296/en/

Curatis is focusing its development activities for C-PTBE-01 on an extremely rare group of aggressive brain tumours (Diffuse Midline Glioma, DMG). These tumours mainly affect children, with most cases being diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 9. In the USA, around 800 patients are diagnosed with DMG every year; in Europe, the number is in the same order of magnitude, which is why the disease is considered a 'rare disease' for regulatory purposes.

In connection with DMG, indirect brain damage regularly occurs due to an accumulation of extracellular fluid in the vicinity of the tumour. This peritumoural brain edema (PTBE) can cause symptoms such as headaches, vomiting and neurological dysfunction such as paralysis, speech disorders, visual problems and altered mental status and can be life-threatening.

The current typical treatment method for PTBE is the use of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids often have serious side effects such as severe myopathies, muscle wasting, abnormal weight gain, osteoporosis, gastritis, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension and personality changes. The already serious side effects are exacerbated in children.

C-PTBE-01 has demonstrated a strong steroid-sparing effect in two clinical safety and efficacy studies, which may lead to a significant reduction or complete replacement of corticosteroid use and thus alleviation of the severe side effects associated with steroid use in children.

A detailed analysis of Curatis and its product candidates is available in a research report at https://ir.curatis.com/equity-research-reports.

About Orphan Drug Designation

The FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to products that treat rare diseases, incentivising companies to develop drugs or biologics. The FDA defines rare diseases as those that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States at any given time. Through orphan drug designation, C-PBTE-01 would be eligible for certain benefits and incentives, including seven years of market exclusivity if regulatory approval is ultimately granted for the designated indication, potential tax credits for certain activities, eligibility for orphan drug grants and waiver of certain administrative fees. The FDA's decision regarding ODD of C-PBTE-01 is expected within 3 months.

About Curatis:

Curatis Holding AG is a publicly listed company (CURN.SW) specialising in the development and commercialisation of drugs for rare and very rare diseases. Curatis has a sales portfolio of more than 30 drugs and a pipeline of orphan drug products and speciality products that can make a significant contribution to cash flow from 2025 onwards. Further information can be found on the website www.curatis.com.

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this media release and in any link to our website indicated herein is not for use within any country or jurisdiction or by any persons where such use would constitute a violation of law. If this applies to you, you are not authorized to access or use any such information.

This media release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about us and our industry. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "project", "plan", "will likely continue", "will likely result", or words or phrases with similar meaning. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of the control of Curatis Group, that may cause Curatis' business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements (or from past results). For any factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this media release, please see our listing prospectus in connection with the business combination from April 2024. Curatis Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. It should further be noted that past performance is not a guide to future performance. Persons requiring advice should consult an independent adviser.

The information contained in this media release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for securities. This media release is not a prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act nor a prospectus under any other applicable laws.

Some financial information in this media release has been rounded and, as a result, the figures shown as totals in this media release may vary slightly from the exact arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827178296/en/

Contacts:

Contact for Media:

Dr. Roland Rutschmann

CEO Curatis

Phone: +41 61 927 8777

r.rutschmann@curatis.com

Contact for Investors:

Thomas Bieri

Managing Partner Yuma Capital

Phone: +41 44 575 20 01

thomas.bieri@yuma-capital.com
LONDON, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Media Group agency PHD Worldwide has released the results of its proprietary research benchmarking knowledge, adoption, expectations, and apprehensions around AI. Conducted in partnership with WARC, the study surveyed more than 700 senior marketers and agency professionals across 10 countries.1 The findings revealed significant gaps in desire vs adoption and perceived vs actual AI knowledge; as well as conflicting expectations around impact, including:

An Adoption Gap

The desire for generative AI adoption significantly outpaces current utilization levels. While 35% of client-side marketers and 36% of agency marketers feel generative AI should be utilized to a high or extremely high extent, only 27% of client-side marketers and 26% of agency marketers are currently using it at this level.

A Knowledge Gap

Nearly half of agency and client-side marketers (42%) consider their generative AI knowledge advanced, but quiz scores reveal a significant discrepancy between perceived and actual knowledge, with only 13.7% of all respondents scoring 2 or more out of 5 on the generative AI quiz.

Client Focus on Efficiency

Although agencies and client-side marketers are equally focused on generative AI's potential for innovation (52% and 51%, respectively), client-side marketers prioritize efficiency - 48% of client-side marketers prioritize streamlining repetitive tasks and freeing up resources, compared to 39% of agency marketers.

Technical Apprehension

Client-side marketers are more concerned about the lack of technical expertise in generative AI adoption than agency marketers. 38% of client-side marketers view the lack of relevant technical expertise as a limitation, while only 28% of agency marketers share this concern.

Higher Knowledge Respondents Foresee Major Changes

The findings also revealed that the more individuals knew about generative AI, the more they agreed that it would have a high or extremely high impact on marketing. Specifically, 44% of respondents with above-average knowledge agreed with this statement, compared to 32% of those with below-average knowledge.

Those with above-average knowledge were also more likely to see opportunities in new, innovative possibilities and ideas resulting from AI, rather than just streamlining repetitive tasks, 56% to 48%.

Respondents with above-average knowledge were also more likely to agree with the high cost of implementation, 43% to 32% of those with lower levels of knowledge, underscoring their ability to see the investment cost required for organizations to implement all the necessary components to create a fully connected enterprise platform.

Finally, only 21% of higher knowledge respondents believed that generative AI would replace actioning tasks currently carried out by agencies within the short term, versus 46% for those with below-average knowledge. This indicates that as the knowledge base increases, the perspective on AI's ability to automate becomes more realistic about the need for human involvement.

"As marketing stakeholders look for clarity in an AI information landscape that seems to get more cluttered and confusing every day, PHD wanted to level-set the conversation to real-world perspectives and expectations," said PHD Worldwide Chief Strategy Officer Mark Holden. "With this understanding, we can better help our clients eliminate the barriers to AI adoption in their marketing operations and strategies, enabling them to effectively leverage AI to outpace, outthink and outgrow their competitors."

WARC Advisory Director Katie Sterling adds, "While AI technologies are likely to bring about vast changes in marketing functions through unparalleled levels of innovation, today we are seeing a clear disjoint between expectations and reality. Significant knowledge gaps will have to be closed before AI can fulfill its potential, despite the current 'gold rush' of AI investment."

Implications from the PHD/WARC AI study will be further explored in PHD's Ascension, the agency's recently launched generative magazine offering a comprehensive and ongoing exploration of the impact of Generative AI on the marketing industry; and how clients and agencies alike will need to evolve their organizations and offers to effectively leverage the technology to drive business growth.

ABOUT PHD WORLDWIDE

PHD, an Omnicom Media Group Agency, helps the world's leading brands outthink, outpace, and outgrow the marketplace with a next-generation network of tools, talent and technology engineered for connected intelligence. Collaborating on the AI-powered Omni operating system, 6500 people in 81 offices across 74 countries connect data, technology, and human expertise to deliver modern media solutions that drive brands and businesses forward. Headquartered in the UK, PHD is currently the most awarded media agency network in the world according to the WARC Media 100, an independent ranking of campaigns and companies for creativity and innovation; and was named 2024 Global Media Network of the Year by leading US advertising publication Adweek.

About WARC - The global authority on marketing effectiveness

For over 35 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. Across four platforms - WARC Strategy, WARC Creative, WARC Media, WARC Digital Commerce - its services include 100,000+ case studies, best practice guides, research papers, special reports, advertising trend data, news & opinion articles, as well as awards, events and advisory services. WARC operates out of London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai, servicing a community of over 75,000 marketers in more than 1,300 companies across 100+ markets and collaborates with 50+ industry partners.

WARC is part of Ascential plc.

1Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, UK, and US

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2485601/PHD_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-global-research-from-phd-and-warc-reveals-ai-knowledge-gaps-conflicting-expectations-among-marketing-stakeholders-302231756.html
London, UK.- 27thAugust2024 - ThreatQuotient, an innovative security operations platform provider, announced today that its leading Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) is now available in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalogue with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS).?This exciting development in ThreatQuotient's mission is to enable cybersecurity teams to optimise threat detection, investigation, and response.



The ThreatQ Platform improves the efficiency and effectiveness of existing security operations by fusing together disparate data sources, tools, and teams. The data-driven platform automates the threat intelligence lifecycle, enabling teams to swiftly identify, investigate, prioritise, and respond to threats. By aggregating threat intelligence with internal data and additional context into a central repository, teams can gain a holistic view of their cybersecurity landscape. This enhances the visibility of their organisation's infrastructure, facilitates threat intelligence sharing across security teams and collaboration by integrating tools, teams and workflows and drives more informed decision-making.

This move enables a broad global audience of AWS customers to access ThreatQuotient's TIP directly within AWS Marketplace. AWS customers can now streamline the purchase and management of ThreatQuotient's TIP within their AWS Marketplace account.

"By accessing ThreatQuotient's Threat Intelligence Platform in AWS Marketplace, customers will be able to minimise the time-to-value of their investment," said Haig Colter, Director of Alliances, ThreatQuotient. "This simplifies the process of integrating a new cybersecurity solution and helps cybersecurity teams get straight to threat identification, prioritisation and response. With the current state of the threat climate, every minute is precious, and this new development will help teams capitalise on their time. This move demonstrates our commitment to help security teams work smarter, not harder."

ThreatQuotient's TIP is now generally available in AWS Marketplace. For more information on ThreatQuotient and its solutions, please visit here.

-ENDS-

About ThreatQuotient

ThreatQuotient improves security operations by fusing together disparate data sources, tools and teams to accelerate threat detection, investigation and responseis the first purpose-built, data-driven threat intelligence platform that helps teams prioritise, automate and collaborate on security incidents; enables more focused decision-making; and maximises limited resources by integrating existing processes and technologies into a unified workspace. The result is reduced noise, clear priority threats, and the ability to automate processes with high-fidelity data. ThreatQuotient's industry-leading integration marketplace, data management, orchestration and automation capabilities support multiple use cases including threat intelligence management and sharing, incident response, threat hunting, spear phishing, alert triage and vulnerability management. ThreatQuotient is headquartered in Northern Virginia with international operations based out of Europe, MENA and APAC. For more information, visit www.threatquotient.com.?

Press Contact

Paula Elliott, Managing Director,

C8 Consulting for ThreatQ (UK & US)

ThreatQ@c8consulting.co.uk
Beverly Hills Living, a private, resident-exclusive publication serving as a unique showcase for the vibrant life within the city of Beverly Hills, announces its Forty Under 40 honorees. Michelle Tang is recognized to have significantly impacted the fertility concierge & surrogacy ecosystem and contributed to the community, before reaching the age of 40.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / IMA ART, the leading white-glove luxury fertility concierge and surrogacy agency, celebrates the extraordinary achievements of its CEO and co-founder Michelle Tang. Since her arrival in Beverly Hills in May 2022, Tang has rapidly positioned IMA ART as the premier destination for discerning individuals seeking to build their families.

Michelle Tang, CEO, IMA ART Fertility

Tang's decision to relocate to Beverly Hills, from Hong Kong, allowed IMA ART Fertility to offer white-glove luxury fertility concierge and surrogacy agency services directly in the heart of Southern California - the fertility capital of the world. Beverly Hills, the paradigm of luxury, is the perfect setting for her sophisticated guests who seek the finest in fertility care. Tang finds inspiration in Beverly Hills, describing it as "the ultimate oasis" offering world-class dining, luxurious accommodations, and Rodeo Drive shopping. Together with advanced fertility care and progressive reproductive laws, the Company offers Haute Fertility unmatched anywhere in the world.

The Fertility Maison rapidly ascended to the top of search results for these keywords:

Luxury Fertility

Luxury Surrogacy

Luxury IVF

Luxury Fertility Concierge

Haute Fertility

Bespoke Fertility

Fertility for high-net-worth individuals

IVF for high-net-worth individuals

Fertility Maison

"Be compassionate - being your client's advocate and showing empathy is most important of all," says Michelle Tang, the visionary co-founder of IMA ART Fertility.

Tang's journey into reproductive health may surprise some, given her background. Before that, she was the Head of Compliance and Operational Risk at a major Swiss asset management company in Asia. The skills and frameworks from her previous career have proven invaluable in the fertility and surrogacy ecosystem. She also has a Master of Science in Global Finance.

Success for Tang is a complex tapestry woven from personal and professional aspirations and experiences. As the co-founder of IMA ART and a mother to a child with significant medical needs, her life is a delicate balance of compassion, resilience, and entrepreneurial drive. She measures success not only by IMA ART's achievements, but also by the strength and love within her family.

About IMA ART

IMA ART, the world's first and only luxury fertility concierge & surrogacy agency, is nestled in the heart of Beverly Hills. The private firm is a sanctuary of boutique advisory services offering discreet fertility solutions to an exclusive clientele.The Fertility Maison has redefined the journey for demanding clients expecting savoir faire. Known for its luxurious approach and strict confidentiality, it stands as a paradigm of excellence in Haute Fertility. Conceiving the next generation is at the core of the Fertility Maison's being.

Contact Information

Ron Sonnenberg

Co-Founder

ron@imaartfertility.com

(424)-284-1408

SOURCE: IMA ART Fertility







View the original press release on newswire.com.
Nova Storage, in collaboration with The Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its newest expansion to the Nova Storage network. The event was held at 3305 E. Palmdale Blvd. on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

PALMDALE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Nova Storage, in collaboration with The Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its newest expansion to the Nova Storage network. The event was held at 3305 E. Palmdale Blvd. on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

Palmdale Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Palmdale Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The new Palmdale location expands Nova Storage's footprint, adding to its impressive portfolio of 10 facilities, totaling 1000,000 rentable square feet across Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino Counties. The community was invited to explore the state-of-the-art facility, engage with the management team, and connect with the owners.

Dignitaries from the City of Palmdale, the State Senate, and the State Assembly were present to commemorate the occasion. Nova Storage's commitment to community support was evident as they announced donations and sponsorships to several local organizations, including Palmdale Aerospace Academy, Meals In Motion, Los Angeles Career Center, You Are Enough Foundation, and Friends of The Palmdale Library.

The expanded Nova Storage Palmdale facility is now open and ready to serve the community. To reserve a safe, clean, well-lit, and secure storage unit, visit NovaStorage.com or call (661) 266-1200.

About Nova Storage

Headquartered in Mission Hills, California, Nova Storage has been providing safe, clean, well-lit, and secure self-storage solutions since 1982. Serving over 8,500 tenants, Nova Storage is a locally owned and operated company with 10 locations across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties.

For more information, please visit NovaStorage.com

Contact Information

Emanuel Colindres

Business Development Manager

mcolindres@novadevco.com

3234474408

SOURCE: Nova Storage

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - 1844 RESOURCES Inc. (TSXV: EFF) (the "Company" or "1844") is extremely pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Andre Gauthier to the board of directors effective immediately. [1]

Mr. Gauthier holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering and a M. Sc. in Mineral Exploration both obtained from the UQAC - Chicoutimi, (Quebec) and is an active member and leader of many mining and professional organizations (Canada, Peru, UAE, and China).

Mr. Sylvain Laberge, President and CEO of 1844 states "On behalf of our board of directors, I would like to welcome Mr. Gauthier. His impressive resume over the span of his career, along with his experience and knowledge of both company and resource development in Quebec further strengthens our already strong team."

Mr. Gauthier's career has spanned 50 years and projects in over 35 countries. He has held senior positions, including officer and directors' appointments in SOQUEM, Falconbridge, Noramco Mining, Cambior Inc., Maxy Gold Corp (China), Inca Pacific Resources, Lara Exploration Ltd., Vena Resources Inc., and Western Union Peru.

Additionally, Mr. Gauthier has been involved in many Gold and Copper discoveries and acquisitions, including Lac Shortt (Canada), La Arena (Peru), Anabi Minaspata (Peru), Luchun (China), Metates (Mexico), La Granja and La Virgen (Peru) and Pachon (Argentina).

Since 2020, Andre has been leading Eval Minerals, his private company involved in mineral investment and advisory. He is on the board of various companies involved in the exploration industry, both privately owned or listed on the Canadian Stock exchange. Since April 2024 Andre is also vice president of CAUR Technologies, a revolutionary Seismic technology which is part of Geophysics GPR International.

About 1844 Resources Inc:

1844 is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gaspe, Nunavik Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the expected closings of the Unit Offering and the Option Agreement and the receipt of regulatory approval, including approval by the Exchange. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on several assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; and Exchange approval.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include exploration or other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

[1] The Company's Articles allow for the increase in the size of the Company's board of directors by 1/3 between annual general meetings. Pursuant to the Company's Articles, the Company's board of directors was increased from five directors to six directors.

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/221242

SOURCE: 1844 Resources Inc.
Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) will host a live webcast of a fireside chat session with Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer, at the 2024 Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference at www.pmi.com/2024barclays on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at approximately 12:45 p.m. ET. An archived copy of the webcast will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 4, 2024, at the same site.

The webcast will provide a live stream of the entire PMI session. The webcast may also be accessed on mobile devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile App at www.pmi.com/irapp.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company, actively delivering a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products. Since 2008, PMI has invested over $12.5 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. In 2022, PMI acquired Swedish Match a leader in oral nicotine delivery creating a global smoke-free champion led by the companies' IQOS and ZYN brands. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized versions of PMI's IQOS devices and consumables and Swedish Match's General snus as Modified Risk Tobacco Products and renewal applications for these products are presently pending before the FDA. As of June 30, 2024, PMI's smoke-free products were available for sale in 90 markets, and PMI estimates that 36.5 million adults around the world use PMI's smoke-free products. Smoke-free business accounted for approximately 38% of PMI's total first-half 2024 net revenues. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, PMI announced in February 2021 its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and, through its Vectura Fertin Pharma business, aims to enhance life through the delivery of seamless health experiences. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827751230/en/

Contacts:

Philip Morris International

Investor Relations:

Stamford, CT: +1 (203) 904 2410

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

Email: InvestorRelations@pmi.com

Media: David Fraser

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500

Email: David.Fraser@pmi.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - InZinc Mining Ltd. (TSXV: IZN) ("InZinc" or the "Company") announces the initial phase of the 2024 field program, involving mapping, prospecting and geochemical surveys, has advanced two new large-scale drill targets (Keel Barite, Delta Horizon) located 4-5 km along trend of the B-9 Sulphide Zone, where past drilling is highlighted by a shallow intercept of 10.0% (Zn+Pb), 16.2 g/t Ag over 9.9 m.

Follow-up drill programs to test the Keel Barite and Delta Horizon targets, notionally scheduled for this fall, have been deferred to 2025, largely due to time lost and logistical challenges associated with wildfire-related evacuation orders and alerts in the area this summer. A program of additional soil geochemistry and access preparation for drilling in 2025 will commence in the first week of September at the Indy Sedex (zinc-lead-silver) project (100% interest) ("Indy" or the "Project") located 90 km southeast of Prince George in central British Columbia.

Lab results, pending from the early summer sampling program will be combined with results from the fall program and carried over into 2025 for drill target selection. Renewal of a 5-year drill permit was completed in mid-July and the Company is well positioned with working capital.

The geological setting at Indy is highly analogous to that hosting the zinc-lead-silver-barite Sedex deposits of the prolific, metal-rich Selwyn Basin1. The Selwyn Basin, an 1100 km long sedimentary belt, hosts the world's second largest known accumulation of Sedex deposits, including some of the world's largest (see Table 1). Previously, the mineralized sequences of the Selwyn Basin were only known to extend from the Yukon into northeastern BC.

Table 1: Sedex Districts and Deposits of the Selwyn Basin, Canada1

Sedex Deposit/District Historical and Current Estimates (Mt - million tonnes) Anvil District, Yukon 120 Mt at 5.6% zinc, 3.7% lead and 45 to 50 g/t silver Howard's Pass District, Yukon 400 Mt at 5% zinc and 2% lead Mac Pass District, Yukon 11.2 Mt Indicated at 6.6% zinc, 2.5% lead and 21.3 g/t silver

39.5 Mt Inferred at 5.8% zinc, 3.1% lead and 38.2 g/t silver Cirque, Northeast BC 40 Mt at 7.8% zinc, 2.2% lead and 48 g/t silver Akie, Northeast BC 22.7 Mt Indicated at 8.3% zinc, 1.6% lead and 14.1 g/t silver

7.5 Mt Inferred at 7.0% zinc, 1.2% lead and 12.0 g/t silver

Property-Wide Sedex Drill Targets

The widespread distribution of mineralization (sulphide and barite) at Indy includes many features common to prolific Sedex districts. Barite mineralization with zinc and lead enrichment defines high-potential exploration vectors. Preliminary 2025 drill targets include (see Figure 1):

Keel Barite and Keel West - Extensive barite mineralization (700 m strike) at Keel with local enrichment in zinc-lead sulphides at Keel West.

- Extensive barite mineralization (700 m strike) at Keel with local enrichment in zinc-lead sulphides at Keel West. Delta Horizon - Additional widespread barite mineralization (up to 25% barite in rock samples) with zinc-lead enrichment occurring over a 1.3 km trend at Delta, located 1 km northwest of Keel.

- Additional widespread barite mineralization (up to 25% barite in rock samples) with zinc-lead enrichment occurring over a 1.3 km trend at Delta, located 1 km northwest of Keel. B-9 Sulphide Zone - Sedex-style mineralization (10.0% zinc and lead, 16.2 g/t silver over 9.9 m) at the B-9 sulphide zone (open for expansion), located 4 km south of Keel.





Figure 1: Indy Project - Main Trend Targets

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6480/221194_e9c22a80b424e8d2_001full.jpg

1 See News Release 2024-06, May 16, 2024 for details.

About InZinc

InZinc is an active explorer and, through its Indy project, equity investment and royalty interests, is exposed to a diverse portfolio of active North American base metals and precious metals projects. The Company has discovered and continues to explore for expansion of near surface zinc-lead-silver mineralization at the easily accessible Indy project located in a new and under-explored mineral region of central British Columbia, Canada. A Canadian subsidiary of South32 (ASX, LSE, JSE) became a major tenure holder in the Indy belt by staking approximately 200 km2 of adjacent claims in late 2021. InZinc has a significant equity investment in American West Metals (ASX) which is advancing multiple North American base metals projects. In addition, InZinc has a production royalty and will receive 50% of the revenue (NSR) from the sale of indium mined from American West's West Desert project. The Company is engaged in a continuing review of other properties and projects for possible acquisition.

InZinc Mining Ltd.

Wayne Hubert

____________

Chief Executive Officer

Phone: 604.687.7211

Website: www.inzincmining.com

Qualified Person

Brian McGrath, B.Sc., P.Geo. a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has approved the technical content of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, include but are not limited to, statements that address activities, events of developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipates, intends, estimates, plans, postulate, indicate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although InZinc believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results, performance or actions, and that actual results or actions may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with certain securities commissions in Canada and other information released by the Company and filed with the appropriate regulatory agencies. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Inzinc disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221194

SOURCE: InZinc Mining Ltd.
Mr. Douglass brings to Barclays a deep understanding of the private equity asset class and extensive M&A transaction experience that will further strengthen the firm's M&A platform and Financial Sponsors business.

Barclays today announces the appointment of Martin Douglass as Head of Financial Sponsors M&A. Mr. Douglass will be based in New York, and will report to Dan Grabos, Head of Americas M&A. Mr. Douglass will work in close partnership with JF Astier, Global Head of Financial Sponsors Group, and Christian Oberle, Head of Americas Financial Sponsors Group.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827339462/en/

Barclays appoints Martin Douglass as Head of Financial Sponsors M&A. (Photo: Business Wire)

Mr. Douglass has close to 15 years of investment banking experience and joins Barclays from Morgan Stanley, where he was a Managing Director in the M&A team in New York. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2014, Mr. Douglass was on the Healthcare investment banking team at Jefferies.

During his career Mr. Douglass has executed over $300bn of transactions advising on mergers, acquisitions, company sales, divestitures, separations, cross-border transactions, dual-track processes, and takeover defense assignments. During his tenure at Morgan Stanley, he played a key role in a number of significant M&A transactions including the sale of MGM Studios to Amazon, merger of Baker Hughes and GE Oil Gas, sale of Culligan by Advent and Centerbridge to BDT, sale of Champion Petfoods by HOOPP to Mars, merger of Vantiv and Worldpay and subsequent sale to FIS, and take-private of Kindred Healthcare by TPG, WCAS and Humana.

In his role at Barclays, Mr. Douglass will be responsible for identifying new M&A business opportunities with Financial Sponsor clients, working in close partnership with the Financial Sponsors Group and the broader Investment Banking industry coverage and M&A teams. Mr. Douglass will also work in close coordination with the M&A Sell-Side Advisory team that is responsible for executing Financial Sponsor sell-side transactions.

"Financial Sponsors M&A is a critical area of focus within our Investment Banking business, and one where we see significant opportunity given our expectation for increased levels of market activity," said Dan Grabos, Head of Americas M&A. "Martin's addition to our M&A platform will help best position Barclays to capture a large share of the Advisory opportunity. His exceptional industry knowledge, deep roster of key relationships, and extensive transactional experience with Private Equity firms will generate tremendous value for our clients, and his appointment is further evidence of our dedication to investing in top-level talent."

About Barclays

Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance. We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank. Through these five divisions, we are working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website home.barclays

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827339462/en/

Contacts:

Oksana Poltavets (US)

+1 (732) 889-6747

oksana.poltavets@barclays.com
The flagship installment of 2024's Transformation Agenda series will be programmed by Economist Impact and hosted by Bahrain Economic Development Board with the support of the Central Bank of Bahrain & Bahrain FinTech Bay

MANAMA, BAHRAIN / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Bahrain is gearing up for its second edition of Fintech Forward, which will be programmed by Economist Impact, hosted by Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) and supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB). The flagship installment of 2024's Transformation Agenda series will take place on October 2nd and October 3rd, 2024, at Exhibition World Bahrain.

Featuring a series of panel discussions, the two-day event will unite global fintech experts with financial institutions, governments, and regulators to tackle trending topics across generative AI, blockchain technologies, cybercrime, open banking, evolving consumer behaviour, the impact of new regulations, as well as best practices in prioritising sustainable financial initiatives. Against a backdrop of these insightful discussions that will deliberate on the evolving advancements and imminent challenges facing the global financial services industry, Fintech Forward will serve as a platform for both strategic collaboration and networking with leading players across the region and beyond.

As a singular financial regulator, the CBB has consistently enhanced the competitiveness of Bahrain's financial services sector, supporting the national transition to a digital economy by pioneering new regulatory frameworks and legislation, all while introducing innovative platforms in the likes of the Regulatory Sandbox. Year after year, Bahrain EDB has continued to attract investments into focused sectors in line with national priorities, fostering ongoing discussions with the private and public sectors to create a business-friendly environment backed by progressive legislation. Further driven by a thriving financial services ecosystem that comprises a balanced portfolio of leading international conventional banking institutions alongside new financial players, including crypto asset service providers, digital payment providers, and highly-specialised firms; Bahrain has earned a reputation as a leading hub of fintech in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Following the successful inaugural event last year, which secured attendees from across the world, Fintech Forward has cemented itself as a platform for innovative leaders to share experiences, collaborate on learnings, and connect with their peers. Showcasing Bahrain's phenomenal progress in digital transformation, expanding its fintech space, and success in developing a highly skilled talent pool to further fuel the growth of a booming industry, this year's flagship event is expected to be yet another resounding achievement.

More information on Fintech Forward 2024, which will be programmed by Economist Impact and hosted by Bahrain EDB, can be found on https://events.economist.com/fintechforward/.

- ENDS -

For more information, please contact:

Abdulelah Abdulla

Communications Department

Economic Development Board

Phone: +973-39798919

E-mail: internationalmedia@bahrainedb.com

About Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB)

The Bahrain EDB is an investment promotion agency with the overall responsibility of attracting investment into the Kingdom and supporting initiatives that enhance the investment climate.

The Bahrain EDB works with the government and both current and prospective investors, to ensure that Bahrain's investment climate is attractive, to communicate the key strengths, and to identify where opportunities exist for further economic growth through investment.

The Bahrain EDB focuses on several economic sectors that capitalise on Bahrain's competitive advantages and provide significant investment opportunities. These sectors include financial services, manufacturing, logistics, ICT, and tourism.

For more information on the Bahrain EDB visit www.bahrainedb.com

Bahrain FinTech Bay

Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB) provides a physical hub to incubate insightful, scalable and impactful FinTech initiatives through innovation labs, acceleration programs, curated activities, educational opportunities and collaborative platforms. BFB partners with governmental bodies, financial institutions, corporates, consultancy firms, universities, associations, media agencies, venture capital and FinTech startups to bring the full spectrum of financial market participants and stakeholders together.

SOURCE: Bahrain Economic Development Board

View the original press release on accesswire.com
M2S Group Expands its Capabilities in the Material Science and Solutions Industry via Iconex's Best-in-Class, High-Performance Label Products

M2S Group, a Wynnchurch Capital L.P. portfolio company, and Iconex LLC ("Iconex"), an Atlas Holdings ("Atlas") portfolio company, jointly announced today that M2S Group has acquired the label solutions business of Iconex ("Iconex Labels"). Iconex Labels is now part of the M2S Group platform, a leader in the material science and solutions industry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827252986/en/

Paul Charapata will lead the combined business, and Iconex CEO Craig Gunckel has been named to the board of M2S Group. The receipt solutions division of Iconex remains an independent business owned by Atlas. Craig Gunckel will continue to lead the receipt solutions business as Chief Executive Officer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Atlas formed Iconex in 2016 to acquire the Interactive Printer Solutions Division of NCR Corporation. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, Iconex is the premier provider of innovative solutions that power commerce around the world. M2S Group, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, is a leading material science and solutions company providing high-performance products in multiple industries. Iconex is M2S Group's fourth business unit, joining Appvion, Nekoosa and Decorative Films.

"Combining Iconex with M2S Group provides additional high-performance variable print label solutions to our customers and expands our portfolio of proven technology," said M2S Chief Executive Officer Paul Charapata. "This transaction fully aligns with our long-term growth and diversification objectives. We are excited to welcome the Iconex coworkers and customers to M2S Group and are looking forward to continued success."

"In partnership with the Iconex Leadership Team, we transformed the company's nascent label operations into one of North America's largest and most respected label manufacturers. Under the leadership of CEO Craig Gunckel and CFO Ira Genser, Iconex has led the label solutions market through innovative product development, superior operating performance, 'best-in-class' customer service, and the seamless integration of several acquisitions," said Michael Sher, Partner at Atlas Holdings. "Atlas wishes the Iconex Labels team continued success with M2S," Sher added.

"Iconex Labels joining the M2S Group is an attractive opportunity to combine complementary businesses. Iconex Labels has grown significantly through a dedication to customers, focus on innovation, and commitment to our coworkers. I am extremely proud of all that Iconex has achieved to date and I am excited to support Paul as the labels business continues to flourish as part of the M2S Group," said Craig Gunckel, Chief Executive Officer of Iconex. "I especially want to thank all of our coworkers for their hard work and dedication, which made Iconex into the market leader it is today."

About M2S Group

M2S Group is a leading material science and solutions company providing high-performance products in multiple industries through its three business units: Appvion, Nekoosa and Decorative Films. M2S Group consists of over 700 team members and operates in the application tapes, carbonless sheets, architectural window films, direct thermal paper and films, extruded films, and specialty print media sectors. For more information, please visit m2sgroup.com.

About Iconex

Iconex is the world's leading low-cost provider of paper receipt and highly differentiated variable print label solutions that transform business processes to drive profitability, productivity, customer satisfaction and sustainability. A tradition of innovation dating back to 1887 is woven into the fabric of Iconex's identity beginning with the company's invention of the paper receipt, which revolutionized business transactions. That spirit of innovation continues with the introduction of Iconex Sticky Media, Sticky Media G2 and other patented innovations that are relied on by several of the world's largest companies in food beverage, retail, quick service restaurants, grocery, pharmacy, manufacturing and distribution and logistics to streamline operations, leading to an improved customer experience. For more information, please visit iconex.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827252986/en/

Contacts:

For M2S:

Paul Charapata

pcharapata@m2sgroup.com

For Iconex:

Lisa Tilt

Lisa@fulltiltconsulting.com
Petroff Amshen LLP, a New York-based law firm, is adopting an aggressive strategy against lenders using questionable tactics to push foreclosures. By focusing on stopping unjust and deceptive practices, the firm distinguishes itself with a relentless approach to defending homeowners.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Petroff Amshen LLP, a New York-based law firm, is adopting an aggressive strategy against lenders using questionable tactics to push foreclosures. By focusing on stopping unjust and deceptive practices, the firm distinguishes itself with a relentless approach to defending homeowners.





Petroff Amshen LLP

Petroff Amshen LLP





What Makes a Foreclosure Unfair?

Unfair foreclosures occur when lenders cut corners in the legal process, fail to follow legal procedures, or engage in outright fraud. Homeowners facing foreclosure often feel helpless, but Petroff Amshen LLP steps in to scrutinize and challenge every part of the process. Whether it is incorrect documentation, misleading notices, or rushed decisions, they are committed to exposing flaws and holding lenders accountable, as foreclosure proceedings should be transparent to protect the rights of New York residents, their families, and communities.

Confronting Foreclosure Abuses Head-On

In New York State, the foreclosure process begins after a borrower misses several payments, prompting the lender to issue a 90-day pre-foreclosure notice, as well as a notice of default. The procedure involves several critical steps, including filing a notice of pendency, serving court papers, and conducting settlement conferences aimed at finding resolutions. If the case remains unresolved, it moves through additional legal stages, including discovery, motion practice, and potentially a trial. The process could ultimately culminate in a foreclosure sale, where the house is auctioned by the bank.

The law firm approaches foreclosure defense with meticulous preparation. They start by conducting a thorough investigation, examining lender practices and documentation for errors or legal violations. When issues are uncovered, they vigorously litigate in court, highlighting procedural flaws or lender misconduct. Additionally, they assess potential mortgage fraud, ensuring lenders are held accountable. Throughout the process, the firm remains committed to securing homeowners' rights and delivering a robust legal defense to level the playing field.

Unlike firms that take a cautious stance, this team goes on the offensive. Their strategy involves a specific and detailed analysis of each case, identifying even the smallest errors that could invalidate a foreclosure. The firm doesn't just defend - it actively fights back by taking lenders to court when evidence of wrongdoing is found. This proactive approach gives homeowners a fighting chance in a system often stacked against them.

Petroff Amshen LLP has earned its reputation as a strong consumer advocate by consistently winning cases and achieving favorable results for their clients. Their determination to challenge financial institutions and expose improper practices positions them as a leader in foreclosure defense. Their mission is clear: keep homeowners in their homes and protect New York residents from lender misconduct.

Contact Information

Gabriel Botero

Media Relations

media@petroffamshen.com

(718) 336-4200

SOURCE: Petroff Amshen LLP

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Company to provide more detailed commercial plans for its ARC-EX System

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD), the medical technology company creating innovative spinal cord stimulation therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), today announces that it will host a webcast to discuss its Half-Year 2024 business highlights.

The webcast will be held on September 10, 2024, at 2:00PM CET / 08:00AM ET. It will be hosted by CEO Dave Marver who will discuss highlights from 1H 2024 and provide a business update.

To join the webcast via Zoom, please register using this link.

Participants may also join by phone:

+32 2 290 9360 (Belgium)

+33 1 7095 0350 (France)

+49 69 3807 9884 (Germany)

+31 20 794 0854 (Netherlands)

+41 22 591 0156 (Switzerland)

+44 203 481 5240 (United Kingdom)

+1 346 248 7799 (US)

Additional telephone numbers available

Meeting ID: 834 0031 2222

A recording of the webcast will be available on the Company's website following the live event.

To learn more about ONWARD Medical's commitment to partnering with the SCI Community to develop innovative solutions for restoring movement, function, and independence after spinal cord injury, please visit ONWD.com.

*All ONWARD Medical devices and therapies, including but not limited to ARC-IM, ARC-EX, ARC-BCI, and ARC Therapy, alone or in combination with a brain-computer interface (BCI), are investigational and not available for commercial use.

About ONWARD Medical

ONWARD Medical is a medical technology company creating therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and movement disabilities. Building on more than a decade of scientific discovery, preclinical, and clinical research conducted at leading hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and neuroscience laboratories, the Company has developed ARC Therapy, which has been awarded ten Breakthrough Device Designations from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

ONWARD ARC Therapy is targeted, programmed spinal cord stimulation designed to be delivered by the Company's external ARC-EX or implantable ARC-IM platforms. ARC Therapy can also be delivered by the Company's ARC-BCI platform, which pairs the ARC-IM System with brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to restore movement after SCI with thought-driven control.

Use of non-invasive ARC-EX Therapy significantly improved upper limb function after SCI in the global pivotal Up-LIFT trial, with results published by Nature Medicine in May 2024. The Company has submitted its regulatory application to the FDA for clearance of the ARC-EX System in the US and is preparing for regulatory submission in Europe. In parallel, the Company is conducting clinical studies with its ARC-IM Therapy, which demonstrated positive interim clinical outcomes for improved blood pressure regulation following SCI. Other ongoing clinical studies focus on using ARC-IM Therapy to address mobility after SCI and gait challenges in Parkinson's disease as well as using the ARC-BCI platform to restore thought-driven movement of both upper and lower limbs after SCI.

Headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, ONWARD Medical has a Science and Engineering Center in Lausanne, Switzerland and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is listed on Euronext Brussels and Amsterdam (ticker: ONWD).

For more information, visit ONWD.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

For Media Inquiries:

Aditi Roy, VP Communications

media@onwd.com

For Investor Inquiries:

Amori Fraser, Finance Director

investors@onwd.com



Disclaimer

Certain statements, beliefs, and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company's or, as appropriate, the Company directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition, and technology, can cause actual events, performance, or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All ONWARD Medical devices and therapies referenced here, including but not limited to ARC-IM, ARC-EX, ARC-BCI and ARC Therapy, are investigational and not available for commercial use.
A Global Approach for All Primary and Revision Cases

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Contrary to some surgeons' views of traditional closed or endonasal approaches, the limited incision closed rhinoplasty technique can be reliably employed for all rhinoplasty cases regardless of their complexity. With a resurgence of interest from the public in scarless and preservation nose surgery, Albert Plastic Surgery's innovative closed rhinoplasty approach has quickly become a sought-after solution for patients in NYC and beyond.





Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty procedure in NYC, by Dr. Albert, will ensure your comfort by administering general anesthesia. He will address the specific aspects of your nose that you've discussed, such as its size, shape, and appearance.





Dr. Albert's approach comes with a wealth of benefits

Limited incision rhinoplasty has many advantages for both the patient and the surgeon. It is one of the most reliable techniques available and has a low rate of complications and revision requests. The technique minimizes soft tissue damage and preserves blood supply, enhancing safety while reducing downtime and optimizing results. External scarring is completely avoided.

It is an easier technique for surgeons to master, allowing for widespread adoption, especially among novice plastic surgeons. With conventional closed rhinoplasty, there are multiple endonasal incisions to master. Dr. Albert's version of closed rhinoplasty at Albert Plastic Surgery simplifies the procedure by requiring surgeons to learn just a single incision, making the technique easier to understand, absorb, and replicate.

Additionally, the endonasal approach allows surgeons to place cartilage grafts more precisely without suture fixation. The surgical team can make real-time aesthetic evaluations, as the nasal skin envelope remains intact throughout the procedure. This helps surgeons meet their patients' cosmetic expectations more accurately and reliably, resulting in higher patient satisfaction.

Dr. Albert - Surgical pioneer and innovator

Dr. Albert comes from a family of NYC-based physicians, which deepened his commitment to his craft. From early on, he viewed the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery as the arena where he could positively impact people's lives. He strives to remain ahead of the curve as a surgeon, incorporating the latest progressive techniques to perfect outcomes, reduce downtime, and minimize postoperative scarring.

Dr. Albert is devoted to producing natural-looking improvements that align with each patient's unique vision for a more attractive, inviting appearance. He completed elite Fellowship training in aesthetic surgery at among the world's most prestigious training institutions - the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. In 2017, he was chosen as the director of this renowned fellowship program, where he continues to advance his innovative surgical techniques.

Dr. Albert spent six years as a resident and chief resident in Plastic Surgery at the University of Massachusetts. A clinical editor and Aesthetic Society Board Member, he's renowned for his expertise in closed limited incision rhinoplasty, a technique he's mastered and shared globally through a recent publication in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Learn more about Dr. Albert and his innovative closed rhinoplasty technique.

Contact Information

Mark Albert

MD, FACS

cindy@albertplasticsurgery.com

332-239-2255

SOURCE: Albert Plastic Surgery

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Cardiff-by-the-sea, California--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - The AI Conference has announced plans to host its next event on September 10th and 11th. Established in 2023, the conference has quickly become a key gathering for AI professionals and leaders. Now in its second year, it continues to bring together top AI researchers, innovators, and decision-makers around the world (38 countries) to advance the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI technologies.

The AI Conference serves as a forum for researchers, engineers, startup founders, technology leaders, and investors in the field of artificial intelligence. It provides a platform for experts to share recent developments and insights in AI technology. The conference combines in-depth technical presentations with discussions on practical applications, allowing attendees to gain both theoretical knowledge and implementable strategies for integrating AI into their work.







Caption: Some of the speakers for this year's AI Conference

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10129/221009_52c4c8be54cf8abe_001full.jpg

This year's conference boasts an exceptional roster of speakers, including Peter Norvig and Alan Spector, pioneers in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Attendees will also hear from the Head of Research at OpenAI who is leading the development of frontier models like the highly anticipated GPT-5. Additionally, the conference will strongly represent open source models with Meta's head of GenAI Products, the CEO of Stability AI, and the Co-Founder of Anyscale among others. Adding a crucial perspective on AI's role in national security, the Pentagon's Head of Artificial Intelligence for the Department of Defense will discuss the strategic integration of AI within defense frameworks.

A major highlight of the conference will be the transformative potential of AI in healthcare. Experts will discuss the massive opportunities for developing new treatments and accelerating advanced drug discovery, highlighting how AI is revolutionizing patient care and medical research. Equally important, these discussions will address the ethical considerations inherent in deploying AI in such critical areas, ensuring that innovation proceeds hand in hand with responsibility.

The conference will also host a panel on building AI agents, featuring CEOs and industry leaders from top tech companies, including Salesforce, Microsoft, and Zapier, along with a representative from a leading AI agent startup.

"It's hard to overstate the impact AI will have on humanity.," said Shon Burton, creator of The AI Conference. "Our goal is to provide a space where experts and innovators can build and collaborate to ensure AI's advancement benefits society." Previously Shon founded an AI company in 2012, which he grew and sold in 2023. He also has experience in organizing industry events, having launched the Machine Learning Conference in 2012.

For further information about The AI Conference, including registration details and the event agenda, please visit aiconference.com. For press inquiries, contact press@aiconference.com.

About:

The AI Conference is a leading global event established in 2023, bringing together top AI professionals, researchers, and industry leaders to advance cutting-edge technologies. Held annually in San Francisco, the conference features expert speakers and discussions that bridge the gap between AI innovation and practical application. With a focus on fostering collaboration, the event covers key topics like healthcare, national security, and the ethical implications of AI. Founded by AI entrepreneur Shon Burton, the conference is dedicated to ensuring AI's advancement benefits society.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221009

SOURCE: AK Infinite
Spire announces multi-million-dollar contracts with U.S. Air Force, UK Space Agency and NASA

The Company expects to report second quarter results and restate impacted historical financials within six-month period

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) ("Spire" or the "Company") announces new multi-million-dollar contracts, the receipt of an NYSE notice regarding its late Form 10-Q filing and the Company's decision to restate certain historical financials following its review of the technical revenue recognition accounting for certain contracts.

Underscoring Spire's mission to improve life on Earth with data from space, the Company has been awarded new contracts focused on improving national security, weather forecasting and climate research:

$14M Air Force contract: Spire has been awarded a $14 million contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under the SBIR Phase II STRATFI program. Over the next 48 months, Spire agreed to develop and deploy a cluster of satellites designed to detect and track moving objects on Earth with the goal of enhancing situational awareness for U.S. defense operations. This project is expected to leverage advanced sensing technologies, including radio frequency, electro optical infrared, and multi-spectral imagery sensors, to deliver cutting-edge space-based Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking capabilities.

3.5M UK Space Agency grant: The Company has been awarded a 3.5 million grant by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to develop and demonstrate hyperspectral microwave sensing technology in orbit. Over the three-year project period, Spire expects to collaborate with the Met Office, STFC RAL Space, and STAR-Dundee to enhance global weather forecasting. This initiative will deploy a small satellite equipped with advanced microwave sounders, which is expected to offer high-quality vertical resolution and data accuracy, ultimately improving weather prediction and climate understanding.

$6.7M NASA contract renewal: Spire has been awarded a $6.7 million, 12-month contract renewal from NASA under the Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program. This marks the second consecutive year of increased contract value, allowing Spire to continue delivering its comprehensive Earth observation data, including GNSS radio occultation, GNSS Reflectometry, and space weather measurements. Spire's data will support U.S. government-funded research with the objective of enhancing global weather forecasting, atmospheric profiling, and climate research.

On August 21, 2024, the Company received notice from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") that the Company is not in compliance with the NYSE's continued listing standards as set forth in Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual due to the Company's failure to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-Q") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Under the NYSE's rules, the Company can regain compliance with this NYSE listing standard by filing the Form 10-Q with the SEC before February 19, 2025.

The delay in the filing of the Form 10-Q is due to the Company requiring additional time to prepare and complete its financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 as further described in the Company's Form 12b-25 filed with the SEC on August 14, 2024 and in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 27, 2024.

The Company has retained technical accounting experts to help examine and make recommendations regarding the potential existence of embedded leases of identifiable assets in certain contracts in the Company's "Space as a Service" business (the "Contracts") and the recognition of revenue and related costs for pre-space mission activities under such Contracts.

The Company is reviewing the potential existence of embedded leases of identifiable assets in the Contracts at this time. Separately from this ongoing review, the Company has determined that its accounting for these Contracts, including primarily revenue and cost recognition timing for pre-space mission activities, need to be revised to remove certain previously recorded pre-space mission activity revenue from the period in which pre-space mission activities were performed under the Contracts, and instead, record that revenue over the period in which data is delivered.

In connection with this evaluation, on August 23, 2024, the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company, after discussion with the Company's management and with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, concluded that the Company's previously issued consolidated financial statements for the annual and interim periods within the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 (collectively, the "Affected Periods") will need to be restated.

While the Company's review is ongoing, at the time of issuing this press release, the type of Contracts that the Company has identified for re-evaluation and restatement resulted in recognized revenue currently estimated to be $10 to $15 million on an annual basis. Depending on the results of the review, additional financial measures such as gross profit could also be impacted. However, the Company believes that the restatement of its revenue recognition for these Contracts will not impact its overall cash flows for any period.

The Company is working to complete its review and these restatements as soon as practicable and to file the Form 10-Q within the six-month period provided by the NYSE. The Company will make a subsequent announcement to schedule the date and time of its earnings release and conference call for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2024.

About Spire Global, Inc.

Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, offering unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth so that organizations can make decisions with confidence in a rapidly changing world. Spire builds, owns, and operates a fully deployed satellite constellation that observes the Earth in real time using radio frequency technology. The data acquired by Spire's satellites provides global weather intelligence, ship and plane movements, and spoofing and jamming detection to better predict how their patterns impact economies, global security, business operations and the environment. Spire also offers Space as a Service solutions that empower customers to leverage its established infrastructure to put their business in space. Spire has nine offices across the U.S., Canada, UK, Luxembourg, Germany and Singapore. To learn more, visit spire.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or the Company's anticipated financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "would," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "seek" or "continue" or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern the Company's expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about recent contracts entered into by the Company, including the ability to complete the services and realize the anticipated value under such agreements; the preparation of the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2024 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024; the annual and interim periods affected by the matters discussed above and subject to restatement; the cause of the delay in preparing and filing the Form 10-Q; the timing to restate the Company's financial statements for the Affected Periods and to file the Form 10-Q; and the potential scope and impact of the issues discussed above, which are estimates as of the date hereof.

The Company cautions you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Factors that may cause future results to differ materially from the Company's current expectations include, among other things, the performance of Spire and its partners under the contracts discussed above, the timing and nature of the resolution of the issues discussed in this press release, any further delay in the filing of required periodic reports, the timing and results of the Company's review of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and related disclosure controls and procedures, whether a restatement of financial results will be required for other accounting issues and adverse effects on the Company related to the disclosures made in this press release. For other risk factors affecting the Company, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for the Company to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The Company cannot assure you that the results, events, and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Moreover, the forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to expectations as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827125562/en/

Contacts:

For media:

Kristina Spychalski

Head of Communications

Comms@Spire.com

For investors:

Benjamin Hackman

Head of Investor Relations

Benjamin.Hackman@Spire.com
VANCOUVER, BC and KIBBUTZ YIFAT, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE:BOIL) (OTCQB:BEOLF) ("Beyond Oil" or the "Company"), a food-tech innovation company reducing health risks, extending the life of frying oil, reducing costs and waste, and contributing to the environment, is pleased to announce that it has been featured in a television broadcast on August 22, 2024, on Israel's National Public Broadcast Network ("Kan 11").

Nov Reuveni, the health reporter for Kan 11, noted that the public is generally aware deep fried food is not healthy, but they are not aware that the oil itself is the culprit: "What seemed until recently to be impossible, now becomes very simple. And it seems that it is only a matter of time until a cleaner and much less harmful oil becomes the standard."

Founder and President Michael Pinhas Or demonstrates the filtration capabilities of Beyond Oil's product

Michael Pinhas Or, President of Beyond Oil, comments, "We are so pleased to be featured by Israel's National Public Broadcast Network as we continue to work tirelessly to demonstrate Beyond Oil's benefits to global health, environmental stewardship, and cost savings. Fried food in refrying oil remains popular all across the world, and in the United States alone, as many as one in three Americans eat fast food at least once per day. Our team will continue to strive to help reduce certain health ailments for children and adults alike in the coming years by removing toxins from the frying oil."

About Beyond Oil Ltd.

Beyond Oil is a health food-tech company specializing in the health sector. Over the course of 15 years, it has developed a formula comprised of food additives that create an innovative filter powder, protected by a patent. This formula effectively absorbs degradation components from fried oil, slows down the rate of deterioration reactions, and, through a straightforward filtration process, enables the oil to be reused while preserving its quality. Beyond Oil's solution represents a significant global advancement in safeguarding the health of diners and kitchen workers in factories or restaurants that reuse the same oil over an extended period. The integration of Beyond Oil technology in restaurants, hotels, caterers, and factory operations not only enhances public health, social responsibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness but also represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the food industry. By mitigating pollution, conserving resources, and promoting responsible practices, Beyond Oil strives for environmental stewardship within the culinary landscape. For more information, visit our website at: www.beyondoil.co.

Contacts

Jonathan Or

CEO and Co-founder

info@beyondoil.co

Caroline Sawamoto

Investor Relations

1-647-691-9801

ir@beyondoil.co

 Mayo Clinic Website: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-why-eating-too-many-fried-foods-could-lead-to-early-death/

Forward-Looking Statement and Information"

The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the 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. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon management's current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. In addition, we cannot assure that any patent will be issued as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will be issued in a form that will be advantageous to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company's reports filed from time to time at sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. The Company is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.

SOURCE: Beyond Oil Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Burlington, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Evertz Technologies Limited (TSX: ET) will release its first quarter 2025 financial results on September 11, 2024 at approximately 4:00 p.m. (EDT).

The Company will hold a conference call with financial analysts to discuss the results on September 11, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (EDT). Media and other interested parties are invited to join the conference call in listen-only mode. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 289-514-5100 or Toll-Free (North America) 1-800-717-1738.

For those unable to listen to the live call, a rebroadcast will also be available until October 11, 2024. The rebroadcast can be accessed at 289-819-1325 or Toll-Free 1-888 660-6264.

The pass code for the rebroadcast is 92246 #.

About Evertz

Evertz Technologies Limited (TSX: ET) designs, manufactures and markets video and audio infrastructure solutions for the television, telecommunications and new-media industries. The Company's solutions are purchased by content creators, broadcasters, specialty channels and television service providers to support their increasingly complex multi-channel digital, and high and ultra-high definition television ("HDTV" and "UHD") and next generation high bandwidth low latency IP network environments and by telecommunications and new-media companies. The Company's products allow its customers to generate additional revenue while reducing costs through efficient signal routing, distribution, monitoring and management of content as well as the automation and orchestration of more streamlined and agile workflow processes on premise and in the "Cloud".

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221283

SOURCE: Evertz Technologies Limited
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company, today released financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024. All figures in this press release are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

John Moynan, Chief Executive Officer of SLANG, said, "This quarter we achieved reduced operating expenses year-over-year, increased wholesale sales in Vermont as well as increased sales in our leading Alchemy Natural CBD gummies. However, we continue to see increased competitive headwinds in our Core and Emerging Markets, which have led to a decline in sales revenue, gross profit and Adjusted EBITDA1. The reduction in retail sales, as well as limited cash available for general working purposes and rising public company corporate overhead costs, negatively impacted the Company's available cash from operations. As a result of these factors, SLANG continues to work with PGP Capital Advisors as our financial advisor as we pursue a full range of strategic and financial alternatives. The SLANG management team, as well as the Board of Directors, would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support and emphasize that we are committed to seeking an acceptable resolution. We will update our shareholders as we manage through this process."

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Summary

Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (" Q2 2024 ") was $6.28 million, compared with $8.44 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 (" Q2 2023 "), representing a 26% decrease year-over-year. The reduction was primarily driven by a decrease of $1.78 million in Core Market 2 sales, a decrease of $0.20 million in Emerging Market 3 sales, a decrease of $0.09 million in e-commerce sales, and a decrease of $0.09 million in our distribution sales. Within the Core Market segment, the Company experienced a reduction of $0.51 million and $1.27 million in sales in Colorado and in Vermont, respectively.

Gross profit of $2.69 million (43% gross margin) in Q2 2024, compared with $4.35 million (52% gross margin) in Q2 2023, representing a 38% decrease in gross profit and a 9% decrease in gross margin year-over-year. Gross profit before fair value of biological assets was $3.23 million (51% gross margin) in Q2 2024, compared with $4.54 million (54% gross margin) in Q2 2023, representing a 29% decrease in gross profit before fair value of biological assets, and a 3% decrease in gross margin before fair value of biological assets year-over-year.

Operating expenses of $5.47 million in Q2 2024, compared with $6.24 million in Q2 2023 and $5.54 million in the three months ended March 31, 2024 (" Q1 2024 "), representing a 12% decrease year-over-year and 1% decrease quarter-over-quarter. The reduction year-over-year was primarily driven by a decrease in salaries and wages, consulting and subcontractors, general and administrative, share-based payments offset by an increase in depreciation and amortization expenses. The reduction quarter-over-quarter was primarily driven by a decrease in salaries and wages and share-based payments, offset by an increase in insurance expenses.

Total comprehensive loss of $11.50 million in Q2 2024, compared with $5.16 million in Q2 2023, representing a 123% increase year-over-year. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in impairment of $4.30 million, a decrease in gross profit of $1.66 million, an increase in financing cost and fair value adjustment of $1.62 million and an increase in other expenses of $0.43 million, offset by a decrease in operating expenses of $0.77 million a decrease in income tax of $0.27 million.

EBITDA 1 of ($2.07 million) in Q2 2024, compared with ($1.17 million) in Q2 2023. The reduction in EBITDA is primarily attributable to a $1.72 million decrease in gross profit (excluding depreciation costs), offset by a reduction of $0.82 million in operating expenses (excluding depreciation) such as salaries and wages, consulting and subcontractors, general and administrative and share based payments.

Adjusted EBITDA 1 of ($1.42 million) in Q2 2024, compared with ($0.76 million) in Q2 2023. The reduction in Adjusted EBITDA is primarily attributable to a decrease of $1.36 million in gross profit before fair value adjustments of biological assets (excluding depreciation costs), offset by a reduction of $0.70 million in operating expenses (excluding depreciation expenses, expected credit losses and share-based payments).

$6.75 million in cash and restricted cash on June 30, 2024, compared to $8.32 million on March 31, 2024 and $9.04 million on December 31, 2023. Additionally, for the six months ended June 30, 2024, cash flows used in operating activities was ($1.46 million), compared to cash flows used in operating activities of ($0.49 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2023, a reduction of $0.97 million. This reduction was primarily attributable to decreased revenue and gross profit, offset by a reduction of expenditures and an improvement associated with non-cash working capital balances.

Second Quarter 2024 Operational Highlights

Vermont Q2 2024 wholesale sales were $0.38 million, compared to $0.31 million in Q1 2024.

The Company's Alchemy Naturals CBD gummies continue to see growth as Alchemy Naturals contributed $0.83 million in e-commerce sales in the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $0.58 million in the six months ended June 30, 2023.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Review

The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following is a selected presentation of the Income Statement for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024.

(In thousands of Canadian dollars except per share data and percentages)

For the three months ended



For the six months ended

30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23



30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23 Net Operating Revenue

6,282



8,436



13,311



19,259

Cost of goods sold

3,050



3,900



6,429



9,041

Gross Profit Before Fair Value Adjustment of Biological Assets

3,232



4,536



6,882



10,218

Realized fair value amounts included in inventory sold

(659 )

(609 )

(1,239 )

(1,032 ) Unrealized gain on changes in fair value of biological assets

113



419



405



876

Gross Profit

2,686



4,346



6,048



10,062

Gross Profit Margin

43%



52%



45%



52%

Operating expenses

5,469



6,235



11,011



12,015

Operating Loss

(2,783 )

(1,889 )

(4,963 )

(1,953 ) Other items (FV adjustment, FX, gains/losses, taxes, etc.)

(8,713 )

(3,275 )

(12,555 )

(5,542 ) Total Comprehensive Loss

(11,496 )

(5,164 )

(17,518 )

(7,495 ) Earnings Per Share















Basic

(0.05 )

(0.02 )

(0.08 )

(0.04 ) Diluted

(0.05 )

(0.02 )

(0.08 )

(0.04 )

(In thousands of Canadian dollars except percentages)

For the three months ended



For the six months ended

30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23



30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23 Net Operating Revenue

6,282



8,436



13,311



19,259

Cost of Goods Sold

3,050



3,900



6,429



9,041

Realized fair value amounts included in inventory sold

(659 )

(609 )

(1,239 )

(1,032 ) Unrealized gain on fair value of biological assets

113



419



405



876

Cost of Goods Sold

3,596



4,090



7,263



9,197

Gross Profit

2,686



4,346



6,048



10,062

Gross Profit Margin

43%



52%



45%



52%

Gross Profit before FV adjustment

3,232



4,536



6,882



10,218

Gross Profit Margin before FV adjustment

51%



54%



52%



53%

(In thousands of Canadian dollars)

For the three months ended



For the six months ended

30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23



30-Jun-24



30-Jun-23 Total Comprehensive Loss

(11,496 )

(5,164 )

(17,518 )

(7,495 ) EBITDA (Non-IFRS)

(2,065 )

(1,168 )

(3,546 )

(490 ) Adjusted EBITDA (Non-IFRS)

(1,422 )

(762 )

(2,485 )

(22 )

See the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 (the "Q2 2024 MD&A"), for a detailed reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Operating Income / (Loss). SLANG's financial statements and the Q2 2024 MD&A are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, and on the Company's Investor Relations website at www.slangww.com.

Non-IFRS Measures

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-IFRS financial measures that the Company uses to assess its operating performance. EBITDA is defined as net earnings (loss) before net finance costs, income tax expense (benefit) and depreciation and amortization expense. Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted for other non-cash items such as the impact of unrealized fair values, share based compensation expense, impairments, one-time gains and losses, and one-time revenues and expenses. This data is furnished to provide additional information and are non-IFRS measures and do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. The Company uses these non-IFRS measures to provide shareholders and others with supplemental measures of its operating performance. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties, frequently use these non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of companies, many of which present similar metrics when reporting their results. As other companies may calculate these non-IFRS measures differently than the Company, these metrics may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. We caution readers that Adjusted EBITDA should not be substituted for determining net loss as an indicator of operating results, or as a substitute for cash flows from operating and investing activities.

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a branded cannabis consumer packaged goods company, with five distinct brands and products distributed across the U.S., operating in 13 legal cannabis markets. The Company has over a decade of experience operating in the nascent and highly regulated cannabis sector, and its partners enjoy the benefits of that experience. Learn more at slangww.com.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email SLNG@kcsa.com with "SLNG" in the subject.

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 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.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's Q2 2024 MD&A and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. SLANG is not under any obligation, and 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 expressly required by applicable law.

Reader Advisory

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the 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.

________________________

1 EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-IFRS financial measures that is further described under the section "Non-IFRS Measures"

herein.

2 The Company's Core Market is comprised on Colorado and Vermont.

3 The Company's Emerging Market is comprised of states where the Company's branded products are produced and sold by the Company's third party license partners.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221280

SOURCE: SLANG Worldwide Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - McLaren Resources Inc. (CSE: MCL) (FSE: 3ML) ("McLaren" / the "Company") announces the completion of the sale of the Augdome gold property for $572,889 and a 1.0 % net smelter returns royalty on any gold produced from the property pursuant to a four-year option agreement with Goldcorp Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation. The option agreement was originally announced by McLaren on May 14, 2020.

McLaren held its interest in the Augdome property through a subsidiary. The Augdome property consists of 22 patented mineral claims covering approximately 414 hectares ("ha") located on the eastern side of the Dome Mine open pit in Timmins, Ontario.

Mineral Exploration Properties

McLaren currently holds a 100 percent interest in the Blue Quartz, McCool and Kerrs gold exploration properties located east of Timmins, Ontario.

The Blue Quartz property is located in Beatty Township 73 km east of Timmins and neighbors the Fox Mine, the Fenn-Gib project and the former producing Ross Mine. The property hosts the former producing Blue Quartz Gold Mine and consists of patented claims and staked claims covering an area of 640 ha. The property abuts immediately to the south of the Goldarm Gold Property owned by GFG Resources Inc. ("GFG") where GFG recently announced extremely encouraging gold results with abundant visible gold from drilling on their Aljo Target, including 13.94 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 7.1 m (see GFG news release issued on August 19, 2024).

Selected drill results from diamond drilling on the Blue Quartz property by McLaren include 14.0 g/t Au over 2.0m, 12.8 g/t Au over 1.5m, 13.3 g/t Au over 1.0m and 11.9 g/t Au over 2.2m (see McLaren news release issued on February 14, 2019).

The McCool property is located in McCool Township 85 km east of Timmins and neighbors the Tower Gold project, the Fenn-Gib project and the Holt Mine Complex. The property is on the north side of the Destor Porcupine Fault and covers 5 km of the Centre Hill Fault. The property consists of a mining lease and claim cells with an area of 1,770 ha.

Selected drill results from diamond drilling on the McCool property by McLaren include 16.5 g/t Au over 6.0m, 10.8 g/t Au over 9.0m, 7.9 g/t Au over 4.5 m and 58.4 g/t Au over 1.5 m (see McLaren news release issued on January 24, 2023).

The Kerrs property is located in Kerrs Township approximately 15 km north of the McCool property and consists of mining leases covering an area of 771 ha. Previous historical work on the property during the mid-1980s included 10,279 m of diamond drilling in 55 holes. The drilling was focused on an exploration target area that is an extension of a gold mineralized trend from the adjacent property to the east, known as the KBX Zone which is owned by Sheltered Oak Resources Inc.

McLaren intends to continue exploration work, including diamond drilling, on its portfolio of prospective gold properties in the coming months.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of the press release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward looking statements". When used in this document, the words "anticipated", "expect", "estimated", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements or information. These statements are based on current expectations of management; however, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. McLaren Resources Inc. does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date hereof, except as required by securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221295

SOURCE: McLaren Resources Inc.
The 21st Annual Prestigious Bubble Cap Award Recognizes Pioneering Florida Distillery

SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / The American Distilling Institute (ADI) honored St. Augustine Distillery with its highest accolade, the Bubble Cap Award for Distillery of the Year, on August 27, 2024, during its annual conference in Baltimore, MD. The award was presented by ADI President Erik Owens to the distillery's founders and VP of Production, Philip McDaniel, Mike Diaz and Ric deMontmollin.

The Bubble Cap Award, introduced in 2010, recognizes the top distillery globally for excellence in spirits quality, innovation, transparency, authenticity, growth and community involvement. Criteria for the award include producing fewer than 100,000 proof gallons annually, being independently owned and distilling its own products.

Owens praised St. Augustine Distillery's achievements, particularly noting their impressive tourism draw of 175,000 visitors each year. "In 2014, Phil McDaniel had a dream to make whiskey and share it with the world. That passion drove him to make connections in his community and overcome every obstacle," Owens remarked. He also highlighted the distillery's significant contributions to the craft spirits community and legislative progress. St. Augustine Distillery has played a crucial role in expanding the distilling sector in Florida and advocating on a national level for the craft spirits industry.

Based in the nation's oldest city, St. Augustine Distillery is renowned for its artisanal spirits, including award-winning bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka. Their commitment to quality and innovation is reflected in their numerous awards and acclaimed visitor experience, which has been named the "#1 Whiskey Tour in North America" by the Drammie Awards.

The distillery operates from the Historic FP&L Ice Plant, a building originally constructed in 1907. This once-silent structure was meticulously restored by the distillery's founders, earning the 2014 Award for Excellence for Reuse and Repurpose from the Urban Land Institute of North Florida.

Co-founder and CEO Philip McDaniel is a passionate advocate for the craft distilling industry. His efforts have advanced not only St. Augustine Distillery but the broader craft distilling community through legislative initiatives and industry advocacy. "We are deeply honored to receive The Bubble Cap award from the American Distilling Institute," McDaniel stated. "Since our founding in 2012, our mission has been to create an immersive and educational experience for our guests and to craft some of the finest bourbon in the world. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and the invaluable guidance from industry experts. We are thrilled to be in the company of so many amazing distilleries previously honored with this award. We remain committed to promoting craft distilling and its benefits for our community, the state of Florida and the industry nationwide."

As St. Augustine Distillery continues to grow and innovate, its dedication to quality and community remains unwavering. Being named ADI's 2024 Distillery of the Year is a testament to its passion, advocacy, and the exceptional quality of its spirits.

Contact Information

Amanda Olivero

Marketing Director

amanda@staugustinedistillery.com

407-414-9976

SOURCE: St. Augustine Distillery

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Strategic Partnership Aims to Advance the Project into Production in Ghana's Sefwi Gold Belt

Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSXV:PX) ("Pelangio") is pleased to announce that on August 26th, 2024 it has entered a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with MFD Investment Holdings SA ("MFD"), granting MFD the option to earn an undivided 10% interest in the Manfo Project, located on the Sefwi Gold Belt in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. This strategic partnership will accelerate the development of the project, aiming for a first gold pour in 2027.

The agreement outlines MFD's commitment to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and invest up to $1 million in developmental expenditures by December 31, 2025. Upon fulfilling these obligations, or achieving a first gold pour by December 2027, MFD will acquire a 10% interest in the Manfo Project.

"We are excited to collaborate with MFD on this significant project," said Ingrid Hibbard, CEO of Pelangio Exploration Inc. " This partnership aligns with Pelangio's strategy to leverage partnerships to expedite project development while retaining a strong interest in high-potential assets. This agreement provides Pelangio shareholders with a non-dilutive financing partner that will focus on Manfo, allowing us to accelerate development efforts and unlock the project's full potential."

Under the terms of the agreement, MFD will engage a qualified consultant to conduct the PEA, which will evaluate the economic viability of the Manfo Project in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 standards. The joint venture structure that follows the successful completion of the option will see Pelangio retain a 90% interest in the project, with MFD holding 10%.

Pelangio will remain the operator of the joint venture, overseeing the exploration, development and eventual operating activities with the aim of going into production.

"It is rare to find these types of opportunities in the mining sector," stated Antonios Maragakis, CEO and Director of MFD Investment Holdings. "The Manfo Project has extensive drilling, is located in a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction with the potential for significant upside through technical work plus continuing resource and expansion drilling. We look forward to leveraging Pelangio's extensive experience and excellent reputation in West Africa to sustainably develop this with the local and federal authorities."

Additional Information

The Manfo Project, located in the Sefwi Gold Belt, is situated in one of the most historically productive gold regions in West Africa. The Sefwi Belt is home to several significant gold deposits and mining operations, including Newmont's nearby Ahafo mine which produces more than 500,000 ounces of gold annually. The Manfo Project consists of three key concessions: Subriso, Twabidi, and Sempekrom. Subriso is the primary focus due to its advanced exploration status and potential for resource expansion, while Twabidi and Sempekrom serve as buffer zones with future exploration potential. There was a historic resource on the property done by SRK in 2013 which estimated the project hosts a gold mineral resource of 195,000 ounces (at 1.5 g/t Au) Indicated and 298,000 (at .96 g/t Au) Inferred.1

As part of the agreement, MFD's role includes procuring a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Manfo Project, a critical step towards determining the project's economic feasibility.

In order for MFD to fully acquire the 10% into the Manfo project, the Company will need to show either $1,000,000 in expenditures by December 2025 or a first pour of gold by December 2027.

Subject to approval of the TSXV, Pelangio shall issue MFD a bonus of common shares based on results from the next MRE completed on the Project and funded by MFD as follows:

If the base case estimate is at least 1,000,000 ounces and less than 1,500,000 ounces, 1,000,000 common shares;

If the base case estimate is at least 1,500,000 ounces and less that 2,000,000 ounces, 1,500,000 common shares; or

If the base case estimate is at least 2,000,000 ounces, 2,000,000 common shares.

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 MFD Investment Holdings

MFD is a private investment company that focuses on developing quick-to-cashflow mining assets with significant exploration upside. With a global team of experts in geology, metallurgy, project management, and finance, MFD specializes in early-stage investments and operational efficiencies that maximize value for its stakeholders. MFD leverages advanced technology and systems to improve mine development and operational management, addressing inefficiencies within the mining industry. The company aims to generate substantial returns by identifying and advancing high-potential mining projects across diverse geographies and commodities.

About Pelangio Exploration Inc.

Pelangio Exploration Inc. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company focused on advancing its portfolio of gold projects in West Africa and Canada. The company's strategy is centered on acquiring and developing highly prospective projects with the potential for significant returns. Pelangio holds a 100% interest in several properties located on the prolific Sefwi and Ashanti Gold Belts in Ghana and continues to advance its exploration efforts in one of the world's most productive gold regions.

1The 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.

For further information, please contact:

Ingrid Hibbard, CEO

Pelangio Exploration Inc.

Email: ihibbard@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, the option may not be exercised, 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
American Potash Corp. (CSE:KCL) ("American Potash" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Colin Healey to the Board of Directors.

Mr. Healey brings over 20+ years of extensive experience as a finance and management professional. Prior to his current role as CEO of a TSXV listed company, Mr. Healey dedicated 16 years of his career to Equity Research as a Mining and Special Situations Analyst at Haywood Securities Inc., covering uranium, lithium, other commodities and a diverse range of non-resource companies. Throughout his tenure, he consistently earned high rankings in the Bloomberg Portfolio BARR Ranking and secured the top position for uranium equities on a 3-year basis.

Before his time at Haywood, Mr. Healey served as an analyst at a major Canadian bank, where he specialized in structuring debt financing across diverse industries. Additionally, he spent 8 years as a Quality Manager at an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory which performed extensive assay and analysis work for major mining and precious metals refining companies, as well as conducting R&D support programs for a wide array of industries. Mr. Healey holds an MBA degree from the Schulich School of Business at York University, majoring in finance and investments, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Toronto Metropolitan University and a technical diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Humber College.

Mr. Besserer, President and CEO stated, "We are excited to welcome Mr. Healey and his vast expertise to the Board as we move to develop our Potash and Lithium assets in Utah. This is part of our strategy to rapidly move these assets closer to an economic decision point".

The Company announces that it has granted an aggregate of 5,600,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to certain of its directors, officers and consultants. The Options vest over a period of one year and each Option is exercisable to acquire one common share at $0.05 for a period of 5 years from the date of grant.

Subject to the prior approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Company also announces that it intends to issue 1,000,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.05 per common share to settle outstanding debt in the amount of $50,000.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Dean Besserer, President & CEO

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. 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 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.

Contact Information

Dean Besserer

President & CEO

deanb@americanpotash.com

780-916-5782

SOURCE: American Potash Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Revolut, a London, UK-based global financial technology company with over 45 million customers worldwide, signed agreements with a group of technology investors to provide liquidity to employees through a secondary share sale at a $45 billion valuation.

The round was led by Coatue, D1 Capital Partners, and existing investor Tiger Global.

This secondary share sale allows current employees to capitalise on their contribution to Revoluts growth, while attracting a diverse mix of both new and existing investors.

This valuation reflects the financial performance recorded by the company in recent quarters as well as the progress made in executing its strategic objectives. In 2023, Revolut reported revenues of $2.2 billion (a year on year increase of 95%) and a record profit before tax of $545 million.

This latest development builds on the growth Revolut has gained throughout the year. The company, led by Nik Storonsky, CEO, secured a banking licence in Mexico, followed by the granting of its UK banking licence (Authorisation with Restrictions) in July, an important step in the companys continued expansion both in the UK and globally. Additionally, Revolut announced the launch of several new products including the RevPoints Loyalty Programme, eSIMs, and the Revolut X crypto exchange.

FinSMEs

27/08/2024
Also, recently, Jaya Bachchan got into an argument in the parliament when Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh addressed her as Jaya Amitabh Bachchan read more

Jaya Bachchan has made headlines many times in the past and this has been happening for the last two decades. A video has gone viral on social media where at one point, she says Karisma Kapoor is her to be daughter-in-law and at another press conference, she says I am not a spokesperson for Amitabh Bachchan.

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Also, recently, Jaya Bachchan got into an argument in the parliament when Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh addressed her as Jaya Amitabh Bachchan. To this, the actress quipped, It wouldve been enough to call me Jaya Bachchan.

She added, Some new method has emerged that women have to be known by their husbands name. Women have no identity. They have no achievements, no identity of their own. This new thing, I just

On the finale episode of season 2 of the vodcast, What The Hell Navya, Jaya Bachchan and Navya Nanda spoke about the beautiful bond of friendship. The veteran actress said that her husband and megastar Amitabh Bachchan is her best friend.

My husband is my best friend, I dont hide anything from him. I believe every relationship should be based on honesty. You shouldnt be afraid to put forth your opinion, even if they differ from your friends. I also consider Navya one of my friends, even if she cant share everything with me, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani actress said.

I have friends made in college who arent from the film industry. Theyre my support system, she added. Its nice to have friends who keep you grounded, said the actress, adding, I also like making friends with ADs on sets, just to pull their leg.
The public relations officer (PRO) of the Kerala Police said that the complaint has been submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP) read more

Noted actor Siddique on Sunday resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists following sexual assault allegations raised by a woman actor on August 24. And now, he has filed a complaint against actress Revathy over her allegations against the actor.

The public relations officer (PRO) of the Kerala Police said that the complaint has been submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP).

Revathy alleged she was physically and mentally abused at the hands of Siddique when she was 21.

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The actress said, After completing my Plus Two, I had a terrible experience. Siddique sent me messages on Facebook. I had come to discuss a film. This incident occurred when I was 21 years old. He first approached me by calling me Mole. There was abuse from Siddiques side. During the discussion, he sexually abused me. The face he shows now is not the one I saw back then.

On his resignation

Speaking to media, the senior actor said he had sent his resignation letter to the President of the organisation, Mohanlal.

Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned, Siddique said.

Meanwhile, various members of A.M.M.A. welcomed the decision of the senior actor to step down from the top post of the outfit in the wake of the allegations. Meanwhile, Jayan Cherthala, the vice president of the A.M.M.A., said it was not appropriate for Siddique to continue in the position even after such serious allegations cropped up against him. Well-known actor Anoop Chandran said he sent an email to A.M.M.A. president Mohanlal in the morning detailing the necessity of seeking Siddiques resignation from the position.
Real Vs Reel! Netflixs IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack: All you need to know about Captain Devi Sharan, the heroic pilot of IC 814 from Kathmandu to Delhi. read more

Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot of IC 814 from Kathmandu to Delhi was bringing home honeymooners, holiday-makers and businessmen. It was the last Christmas Eve of the millennium and he was supposed to go on a vacation with his family. But life had something else in store for him. His plane was hijacked by five masked men. IC 814 had 188 passengers and the crew. It was in fact the longest hijack drama.

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According to reports and according to the book written by Captain Devi Sharan, the scariest moment Sharan had during the entire episode was when the Lahore ATC refused his request for an emergency landing and switched off all emergency lights. With the aircraft dangerously low on fuel, crash-landing was the only option.

Why did the IC 814, the Kandahar hijack, happen?

Throughout those eight days, Captain Devi Sharan kept his calm because he knew that the lives of so many people were at stake. The hijackers had just one single aim and that was to free one of the most dangerous terrorists, Maulana Masood Azhar. Masood was jailed in India for more than four years. Netflixs show mentions that Masood was sure that he will be freed and that was the entire reason that IC 814 was hijacked.

About Netflixs IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack

Adapted from the book Flight Into Fear by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury, the series also captures the heart of negotiations. Launching on August 29 Netflixs IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is a high-stakes drama that begs the question: Do we truly know all that transpired in those seven days? Produced by Matchbox Shots in association with Benaras Mediaworks, Anubhav Sinhas directorial streaming debut is inspired by real events.

WATCH the trailer of Netflixs IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack here:

(With added inputs from agencies)
A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi around nine months ago in Maharashtras Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday. An FIR claims that the nuts and bolts used in constructing the structure had rusted. CM Eknath Shinde has ordered a probe into the incident, while the opposition voices anger over it read more

A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, erected by the Navy and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, collapses at Rajkot Fort, in Malvan, Monday, August 26, 2024. PTI

A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi around nine months ago in Maharashtras Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday, August 26.

An FIR has been filed and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered a probe into the incident.

It has also sparked massive criticism from opposition parties, who have blamed the state administration for disrespecting the Maratha warrior and paying little attention to the quality of the work.

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Heres all we know about it.

The Shivaji statue collapse

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurgs Malvan collapsed on Monday at around 1 pm, according to The Times of India.

Soon after the collapse, senior police and district administration officials reached the site to take stock of the situation and assess the damage, an official told the outlet.

For those uninitiated, the 35-foot steel statue was unveiled by PM Modi on December 4, 2023, as part of Navy Day celebrations at the fort.

Sindhudurg, Maharashtra: The full-sized statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has collapsed. More details are awaited pic.twitter.com/hYK3opSS7M  IANS (@ians_india) August 26, 2024

The work on the statue began on September 8, with the Indian Navy, which has no expertise in statue construction, being tasked with the job.

Issuing a statement after the incident, the Navy said it notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Along with the state government and concerned specialists, the Navy had deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest.

Nuts and bolts rusted

Sindhudarg guardian minister Ravindra Chavan, who also holds the PWD portfolio, said a case has been registered against the contractor of the firm Jaydeep Apte, and structural consultant Chetan Patil under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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The charges include collusion, fraud, and endangering public safety, as per NDTV.

The FIR follows a complaint by the Public Works Department (PWD), which claims the statues construction was of poor quality. It alleged that the nuts and bolts used in the construction of the structure were rusted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Narayan Rane, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar after unveiling a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during the Navy Day 2023 celebrations, in Sindhudurg district, Monday, December 4, 2023. PTI

The department had also written to the Area Coastal Security Officer regarding the precarious condition of the statue on August 20. It highlighted that despite repairs carried out in June, the local gram panchayat and tourists had complained the statue looked shaky, as per TOI.

However, no preventive action was taken.

BJP minister Chavan said, as per the newspaper, The steel used in making of the statue had started rusting. The PWD had already written to the Navy informing them of the statue catching rust and requesting them to take appropriate steps. The Navy also said it has deputed a team to repair and restore the statue at the earliest.

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Opposition slams administration

Soon after the statue collapsed, the opposition leaders criticised the Mahayuti government and said that it is highly disrespectful towards Shivaji Maharaj.

Shiv Sena (UBT)s Aaditya Thackeray claimed that the memorial was made in haste keeping the elections in sight.

Because of that arrogance, Maharajs memorial was made in haste without considering the seriousness of it. The intention was to use only the Maharajas image, so the quality of the memorial was not taken into account, he said, further adding that The Mindhe regime and the poisonous snake called BJP, which insulted the Maharaja, must now bite! Every image of Chhatrapati Shivarai, who is the pride of Maharashtra, should be taken care of!

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               !



                   .



  pic.twitter.com/gHPJFgCliY  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 26, 2024

BJP      



   4 , 2023             



  8         



              pic.twitter.com/KLSy4Jkr8S  Congress (@INCIndia) August 26, 2024

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According to The Hindu, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said, It is disgraceful that this government has allegedly siphoned off funds even in the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs statue.

He further called the incident a shameful example of a government mired in corruption and demanded a thorough investigation.

Furious Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik reportedly vandalised Sindhudurgs PWD office, which was responsible for the substandard work.

He said, State government may try to evade responsibility. People responsible for the construction and erection of the statue must be probed thoroughly.

Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje of Kolhapur, the 13th direct descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, said in a post on X, The statue erected in haste to inaugurate by the Prime Minister collapsed! We had written a letter to the PM and demanded this statue, which was shapeless and not according to sculpture be changed. In Maharashtra, there is unprecedented for a memorial to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to collapse within a year. Given this, how can we even speak of preserving Maharajas forts with any credibility?

Now, it is essential to construct a proper memorial for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at that site. However, in the rush to complete it before elections, we must avoid repeating the same mistakes. It is crucial that this monument is rebuilt scientifically, even if it takes more time, the former Rajya Sabha MP and the heir to Kolhapur royal family, added.

AIMIMs Asaduddin Owaisi said that the collapse of Shivajis statue is a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi Sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality and secularism, his statues collapse is an example of PM Modis lack of commitment to Shivajis vision.

The 35-feet Shivaji Statue inaugurated by @narendramodi collapsed today. Its a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality & secularism, his statues collapse is an example of @narendramodis lack of commitment to pic.twitter.com/BY6VysT2G1  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) August 26, 2024

NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil said, The state government is responsible for the collapse as it did not take proper care. The government paid little attention to the quality of work. It only focused on conducting an event where PM Modi was invited to unveil the statue. This Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly.

CM Shinde orders probe

CM Shinde acknowledged the incident and attributed the collapse to strong winds.

He said, The incident that happened is unfortunate. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is the revered deity of Maharashtra. This statue was erected by the Navy. They had also designed it. But due to strong winds of around 45 kilometre per hour, it fell and got damaged.

VIDEO | We have our emotions attached to him (Shivaji Maharaj). We worship him like God. The statue collapsed due to the high wind. Its unfortunate. Our Minister has gone there and is inspecting the situation, says Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde (@mieknathshinde) on the Shivaji pic.twitter.com/VpGAzUQOVv  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 26, 2024

Tomorrow, officials from PWD and the Navy will visit the site and investigate the cause behind it. I sent PWD Ravindra Chavan to the site as soon as I heard about the incident. We will find out the reasons behind this incident and reinstall the statue at the same place, he added.

BJP minister Chavan said, The state paid Rs 2.36 crore to Navy for the statues installation. But the entire procedure of selection of artists, its design was done by Navy officials.

Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar said, I dont have all the details about the incident. However, its important to note that PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter.

We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. This statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharajs visionary efforts in building a sea fort. We will take all necessary steps to address this matter promptly and effectively, he said.

With inputs from agencies
Reports in Bangladesh have blamed the opening of the Farakka barrage in West Bengal for partially triggering floods in Bangladesh that have claimed 23 lives. India has rebuffed the fake news read more

People move a cart with a woman and a child through a flooded street, amid severe flooding in the Fazilpur area of Feni, Bangladesh, August 26, 2024. Reuters

Bangladesh is reeling from catastrophic floods that have claimed 23 lives and stranded about 1.24 million families in 11 districts. Torrential rainfall and overflowing rivers triggered the floods, forcing 470,000 people to take refuge in shelters.

Amid this, reports have emerged in Bangladesh blaming India for the flooding. They claim the deluge is partially a result of the opening of the Farakka barrage in West Bengal. New Delhi has rejected these charges.

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Our response to media queries regarding Farakka barrage:https://t.co/AbHoQiYwUN pic.twitter.com/601TnH5wJC  Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 26, 2024

What is the Farakka barrage? What is the fake news over it? Lets understand.

Farakka Barrage treaty

India and Bangladesh share the waters of the Ganges at Farakka in West Bengal as per the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty. This agreement was necessitated after the commissioning of the Farakka barrage in 1975, as per The Telegraph.

The Farakka Barrage, situated on the Ganga River in Bengals Murshidabad district, lies about 18 km from Indias border with Bangladesh. Built at a cost of nearly $1 billion, the barrage was completed in 1970. Its operations officially began five years later.

India constructed the Farakka barrage to divert water from the Ganges to the River Hooghly to maintain the navigability of the Calcutta port.

As negotiations continued between India and Bangladesh over the sharing of the Ganges water, Dhaka argued it should be regulated according to a mutual agreement as it is an international river.

In 1972, the two nations constituted a Joint River Commission (JRC) to discuss the terms of the water sharing.

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Amid a dispute between the two sides, the then Bangladesh president, Ziaur Rahman, raised the barrage issue at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA called on India and Bangladesh to resolve the issue consensually.

In November 1977, Babu Jagjivan Ram, the then-Indian deputy prime minister, travelled to Bangladesh and signed a pact to resolve the Farrakka issue, reported NDTV.

The two nations signed the Farakka water treaty on November 5, 1977, which provided the absolute flow figures of the Ganga water to be released by India to Bangladesh at Farakka over 10-day periods between January 1 and May 31 every year until 1982.

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ALSO READ: First floods, now visas: How anti-India sentiment continues to grow in Bangladesh

Ganga Water Treaty

In 1996, India and Bangladesh signed an agreement, known as the Ganga Water Treaty, on the sharing of the waters of the Ganges at Farakka.

The treaty, which expires on December 12, 2026, states that upper riparian India would make efforts to protect the flow of water at Farakka.

It allows India to withdraw 40,000 cusecs of flow when the water availability at Farakka exceeds 75,000 cusecs. If it is 70,000 cusecs or below, the water is to be shared equally between the two nations.

The treaty guarantees 35,000 cusecs of water in alternate three 10-day periods to both countries from March 11 to May 10.

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In June, a row erupted after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged she was excluded from the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on River Teesta and the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty. The Centre had rebuffed her claims of not being consulted over the water-sharing issue.

Fake news over Bangladesh floods

As media reports blamed India for the Bangladesh floods, New Delhi clarified its position.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Monday (August 26), We have seen fake videos, rumours and fear-mongering to create misunderstanding. This should be firmly countered with facts.

He said the Joint River Commission officials in Bangladesh receive relevant data on a regular and timely basis, and it was done this time as well.

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We have seen media reports of the opening of Farakka barrage gates that will allow the flow of over 11 lakh cusecs of water downstream of the river in its natural course into the Ganga/Padma river, Jaiswal added.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said this is a normal seasonal development prompted by the increased inflow from heavy rainfall in the Ganga river basin catchment areas upstream.

He further explained, It is to be understood that Farakka is only a barrage and not a dam. Whenever the water level reaches the pond level, whatever inflow comes, that passes. It is merely a structure to divert 40,000 cusecs of water into the Farakka canal that is carefully done using a system of gates on the main Ganga/Padma river, while the balance water flows into the main river to Bangladesh.

Last week, India had termed the reports in Bangladesh attributing the floods in certain parts of the country to the opening of a dam on the Gumti River in Tripura as factually incorrect.

Meanwhile, three images have gone viral on social media, claiming they were taken during the floods in Bangladesh. The posts also blame the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti river in Tripura for causing the floods in the neighbouring country. However, those images are not real and are generated by AI.

With inputs from agencies
A protest broke out at the Indian visa centre in Dhaka over processing delays. The agitation caused panic among the staff, prompting the Indian High Commission to take up the matter with Bangladeshs foreign ministry. This comes after Bangladeshis have expressed their anger at New Delhi over recent floods and providing former PM Sheikh Hasina with shelter after fleeing Dhaka read more

Protesters shout slogans as they vandalise a mural of now former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with paint and mud at Teacher Student Centre (TSC) area of University of Dhaka in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reuters

Fury against India continues to brew in Bangladesh and it erupted once again on Monday (August 26) at a visa centre in Dhaka when locals voiced their anger over delays and alleged harassment in obtaining visas.

This is another instance of anti-India hatred in the neighbouring country which has come out in the open since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in early August. Earlier, locals in Bangladeshs Feni blamed officials in India for releasing water from the dam in Tripura with no warning, resulting in catastrophic flooding in the region.

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But whats going on? Why were there protests inside a visa centre? And why is there so much resentment against India in Bangladesh? We explore.

Endless queues, anger at visa centre

On Monday (August 26), hundreds of Bangladeshis created a ruckus at the Indian Visa Application Centre in Satkhira. The locals began a demonstration after many applicants failed to receive their visas despite waiting in serpentine queues.

Vatara Police Station officer-in-charge Mazharul Islam told New Age that the demonstration started about 10:30 am and the situation was brought under control by 1 pm.

According to the cops present at the scene, people had queued up outside the visa centre to pick up their documents  in a line that was almost one-kilometre-long. However, when the staff at the centre told them that there was a delay in the processing of visas, the locals got angry and began chanting slogans. Indian collaborators, beware One point, one demand  we want a visa, the group could be heard chanting.

1 Kilometres Long Line Outside Indian Visa Center At Asias Largest Mall Jamuna.



The Line Started Inside, Involved Many Corridores, Then Came Out side, Went To Main Road, It Kept Going, Going And Going 



Who Will Process Ur Visa Bro?



Majority Of Staff Went Back To India, The pic.twitter.com/PkXAcbCoOC     (@iSoumikSaheb) August 26, 2024

Rustam Ali, one of the demonstrators, expressed his frustration to the Dhaka Tribune. He was quoted as telling the Bangladeshi daily, Getting an Indian visa has become a matter of luck. You cant apply again unless two months have passed since your last attempt. The application fee is Tk875, and while the visa is supposed to be issued within 15 days, it often takes two-three months, and even then, the visa doesnt arrive, nor is the passport returned.

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He said that he needed to go to India for medical reasons. Many Bangladeshis travel to India for medical and educational purposes. Indias healthcare system offers specialised treatments, surgeries, and healthcare services at a relatively affordable cost compared to other countries. However, the Bangladesh tumult has affected the outflow of people from Bangladesh to India.

Another local also voiced his outrage at the situation. I submitted my passport three months ago, but now it has been returned without a visa. They dont even provide a reason for the refusal. On top of that, the staff at the visa office treats us with rudeness. If theres even a slight mistake, they throw the passport book back at us, he told Dhaka Tribune.

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While no damage was caused at the centre, the employees were shaken up. The situation prompted the Indian High Commission to take up the matter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. They stated in their diplomatic note that while there was no vandalism or any physical assault, staff members at the visa centre panicked and felt threatened making it difficult for them to continue even with limited services.

Notably, the protest at the Satkhira visa processing centre comes at a time when limited operations have resumed. It was two weeks ago that Indian visa application centre announced the resumption of limited operations in its Dhaka centre. This came after centres had shut down due to the unstable situation after the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government.

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Flood fury

This protest at the visa processing centre comes at a time when anti-India sentiment is high. Earlier in the week, Bangladeshis expressed ire and fury at India after claims emerged that the flood situation in east Bangladesh was owing to the release of waters from a dam on Gumti River in Tripura.

Nahid Islam, one of the two student representatives in Bangladeshs interim government headed by Peace Nobel Laureate economist Muhammad Yunus, had told journalists: India displayed inhumanity by opening the dam without warning.

Volunteers carry an ill child to a hospital amid severe flooding in the Chhagalnaiya area, in Feni, Bangladesh. Reuters

In a separate Facebook post, he wrote: The generation that understands India as our enemy is made of the best children of the nation. It is an often-repeated quotation from one of Bangladeshs legendary politicians, the late Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, one of the first Bangladeshi politicians to allege that India was depriving Bangladesh of waters from transboundary rivers, reports The Diplomat.

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Such was the fury that some Bangladeshis wading through waist-deep waters could be heard shouting, We hate India and This is Indian water.

India has denied the claim with the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saying: We have seen concerns being expressed in Bangladesh that the current situation of flood in districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh has been caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura.

Jaiswal labelled the social media chatter as factually incorrect and pointed out that the flood in Bangladesh was due to large catchments downstream of the dam. The catchment areas of the Gumti River, which flows through both India and Bangladesh, experienced the heaviest rainfall of the year in recent days.

He further stated that because of the heavy rainfall in Tripura and the adjoining districts of Bangladesh, automatic releases have been observed.

India Out sentiment on the rise

Though Indias neighbour, Bangladesh, in recent times, has exhibited some strong resentment towards New Delhi. It began in January when Sheikh Hasina led her party, the Awami League, to victory in the elections. This sparked the opposition to start a campaign on social media calling for a boycott of Indian goods.

A flag-seller stands on the periphery of a memorial site, overlooking the tainted mural of first president of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the pier of a metro line, days after the anti-government protests that ousted then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, near Dhaka University. PTI

Many of Hasinas opponents at the time believed that India used its influence to make US President Joe Biden adopt a more agreeable position on Hasina. There is a growing perception that Hasina has remained in power by rigging elections because of Indias meddling and support, Shama Obaid, an organising secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition, told The Hindu Frontline.

This anti-India feeling was further exacerbated after Hasinas downfall. The fact that the former prime minister was provided shelter in India following her fleeing the nation has unsettled many. As one university student told The Print, India has given shelter to Hasina, knowing what she did with her people. It makes us think that India is complicit. She tortured the students, rigged elections, got all opposition leaders arrested and India was the first to congratulate her. Why?

Abdul Moyeen Khan, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, speaking on the same, said: Bangladeshi are not angry, but hurt, wounded as they never expected this.

Furthermore, the portrayal of the student movement as an issue of minority repression by some Indian media outlets has irked Bangladeshis. AB Siddiqui, a retired professional, told The Print that what irked them was the fact that a few Indian media outlets had covered the protest movement as an attack on Hindu minorities, a genocide, while in reality, the protests were for the rights of all Bangladeshi citizens and had nothing to do with religion.

However, Muhammad Yunus, the leader of the interim government, in Bangladesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken to one another and vowed to work closely with one another. In fact, on August 14, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain said the interim government wants to work closely with India to promote bilateral relations. He also underlined the commitment to ensure peaceful coexistence of different communities in Bangladesh including the minorities.

With inputs from agencies
New Zealand and Australia have doubled their student visa fees with the latter cutting its intake of international students by 20,000 and tightening up English language requirements, while the UK has barred international students from bringing their families over. Heres how Indian students have been impacted read more

Australia has announced it will cap international student intake at 270,000 next year.

Want to study abroad? Its becoming harder and harder.

A number of nations are changing their visa rules.

Australia has doubled its student visa fees and cut its intake of international students, while the UK has changed its rules for families of students.

New Zealand too has doubled its student visa fees, Poland has tightened its visa rules, while Canada has changed its policies  leaving 70,000 international students facing the threat of deportation.

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But what do we know about the changes? How is it making studying abroad more difficult and expensive?

Lets take a closer look:

Australia

Australia has announced that it will cut its intake of international students by 20,000, as per News.com.au.

This came after the country witnessed a record number of enrollments this year.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the country would cap international student intake levels at 270,000 for 2025.

Public universities would be able to enrol around 145,000 new international students  at par with 2023 levels  and another 95,000 students in vocational education and training (VET) courses.

The Australian government wants to bring the number of students down to pre-pandemic levels.

The fact is, for some of our big universities, they have a lot more students in their universities this year than last year, Clare said.

Its in the vocational education sector, those private providers where the reductions will be largest.

But I make no apology for making sure that were returning migration levels to pre pandemic levels, and this is part of that.

Australia in July more than doubled its visa fee for international students, as per The Times of India.

The fee, which was $454, is now at $1085.

The government also shut loopholes allowing international students to extend their stay.

This came after the number of students on subsequent visas spiked by 30 per cent to cross 150,000 in 2022-2023.

In May, Australia increased the amount of savings students needed to show to enter the country.

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Students now need $20,153 (Rs 16.91 lakh) in savings  up from $16,622 (Rs 13.94 lakh) earlier.

This was the second such hike in under a year.

Thats not all.

The government in March tightened up English language requirements for student visas.

Australias government has come under increasing pressure to ease migration  which surged 60 per cent in 2023 to hit a record high of 548,800 people.

India remains the second-largest source country for international student enrollments.

In May, Australia increased the amount of savings students needed to show to enter the country. Reuters

Data shared by the Indian High Commission in Canberra last year says over 1.22 lakh Indian students registered in Australian colleges between January and September of 2023.

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However, the number of Indian student visas fell by 48 per cent between December 2022 and December 2023.

Till March, one in five students had their visas denied this year, as per The Guardian.

Authorities rejected 21 per cent of visa applications lodged from overseas in the second half of last year, with refusal rates reaching 37 per cent for applications from Pakistan, 39 per cent from India and 52 per cent from Nepal, a Times Higher Education report stated in February.

Many others have had to wait a longer for their visas.

Some have even imposing blanket bans on Indian students, according to the newspaper.

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My major concern is the impact upon our bilateral relations with countries which are singled out when government and media seek to highlight these integrity issues by country, ex-Australian high commissioner to India Barry OFarrell told The Sydney Morning Herald.

There are many economic, strategic and social benefits to Australia and the source countries of overseas students wanting to study in Australia. The practice should be encouraged, OFarrell added.

The UK

The UK too has implemented a number of rule changes for student visas this year.

International students since January have been barred from bringing their families over  unless they are studying in a research programme or on a government-funded scholarship.

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Indian study visa holders had the second-most number of sponsored dependants (42,381)  after Nigerians (66,796)  in the year ending March 2023.

The decision was made by the previous Rishi Sunak government.

There were 138,532 sponsored study visa grants to Indian nationals in year ending March 2023, an increase of 53,429 (+63 per cent) compared to year ending March 2022 and the largest number of study visas granted to any nationality. Grants to study for Indian nationals have risen markedly since year ending March 2019 and are now around seven times higher, the UK Home Office said.

Our world-leading universities rightly attract some of the brightest students from around the world to the UK. But we have seen a surge in the number of dependants being brought by students, which is contributing to unsustainable levels of migration, then UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border Tom Pursglove said at the time.

The previous Conservative government too had vowed to tamp down on immigration  both legal and illegal.

We are completely committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration. The action implemented today to restrict bringing dependants on the student visa route allows us to better protect our public services while supporting the economy by allowing the students who contribute the most to keep coming here. This is part of a series of measures which together will see 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK compared to last year, he said.

As per Business Standard, students in degree-level courses have also been disallowed from changing their student visa to a work visa until they have finished their studies.

However, PhD students are allowed to change to a sponsored work route two years after the beginning of their course.

The UK also commissioned a review of the graduate immigration route for international students to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education, and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK.

In the year ending June 2024, Indian nationals represented the largest group of students granted leave to remain on the Graduate Route (67,529), representing almost half (46 per cent) of grants of Graduate Route extensions to main applicants, the data revealed.

The changes have seemingly had an impact.

The Home Office data for the past year until June 2024 shows a 23 per cent fall in Indian students coming to the UK for higher studies, even as they continue to represent the largest group granted leave to remain on the Graduate Route visa which allows foreign students to work in Britain for two years after their degree.

There were 110,006 sponsored study visa grants to main applicants who were Indian nationals in the year ending June 2024 (25 per cent of the total), 32,687 fewer than the previous year, the Home Office statistics revealed.

The UK in 2023 had issued around 500,000 sponsored study visas  nearly a third of which went to Indian students.

Indian students also got 142,848 sponsored study visas in 2023  a 54 per cent increase over 2022.

International students since January have been barred from bringing their families over  unless they are studying in a research programme or on a government-funded scholarship. Reuters

Most of the increase in foreign students between 2019 and 2023 were from Indian and Nigerian nationals, but numbers for these nationalities have fallen in the latest year (by 23 per cent and 46 per cent respectively), it noted.

Though the graduate review concluded in May with the recommendation that the route remain, some experts say the move itself stopped many Indian students from applying.

It is critical that we ensure that the chaos and uncertainty that the review of the Graduate Route had led to is now fully put to rest. NISAU has engaged with millions of students in India to spread the message that the UK remains a warm and welcoming destination for Indian students, National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK chair Sanam Arora told PTI.

Anuj Gupta, CEO of Youngrads, an online student recruitment platform, told Business Standard, Indian students are now hesitant to apply to UK universities for a Masters degree due to stricter visa regulations implemented earlier this year. These regulations particularly affect their ability to sponsor family dependents, spouses, or children, as well as preventing students from switching to work visas until they finish their studies.

New Zealand

New Zealand followed in Australias footsteps by announcing a massive hike on student visa fees from October 1, 2024.

As per Economic Times, the student visa, which used to cost $233 (Rs 19,500), now costs $466 (Rs 39,000).

The country made the changes after witnessing a huge influx of international students in 2023.

The outlet quoted a press release by Education New Zealand (ENZ) as saying that 2023 saw 69,000 more students enrol in the country than 2022.

This was a 67 per cent rise over 2022.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford was quoted as saying that the changes were made to create a more sustainable immigration system.

The changes were making are shifting the cost to those benefitting from the system. Were ensuring it is self-funding and more efficient," Stanford added.

Poland

Poland, meanwhile, has tightened its rules for international students.

As per Economic Times, the development came after the country witnessed a visa scandal in May.

Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna published a piece which revealed some foreign nationals were using their student visas to work in the Schengen area.

Polands foreign minister Radosaw Sikorski said the country will no longer give student visas to those without high school diplomas.

A student visa grants the right to work for one year, which led to numerous cases where individuals obtained visas and never attended the university that facilitated their entry, Sikorski told TVN 24.

Canada

In Canada, the Justin Trudeau government has announced it will cap study permits and reduce permanent residency nominations, as per India Today.

This government cap will likely lead to just 360,000 study permits being sanctioned in 2024.

That figure is estimated to be 35 per cent lower than it was in 2023, as per data from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The government claims it has made the changes as the influx of students has put pressure on the countrys healthcare, housing and other services.

The cap by the Justin Trudeau government will likely lead to just 360,000 study permits being sanctioned in 2024. AP

The government has also stopped foreign students from applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border from June 21.

This is key for international students looking for employment and permanent residency.

The PGWP witnessed a massive surge in 2023 compared to 2018.

Experts say the changes  which have led to protests around the country  have left around 70,000 international students facing risk of deportation.

I spent six years taking risks to come to Canada. I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, but the government has taken advantage of us, Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student facing deportation, told City News Toronto.

With inputs from agencies
The three-member panel, led by retired Kerala High Court judge K Hema, had submitted a 295-page report to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019. Some of those named in the sexual harassment scandal engulfing the Malayalam film industry also have links to the ruling CPI (M). Experts have argued that the government has, over the past few years, seemingly turned a blind eye to the rot within the industry read more

The panel had submitted a 295-page report to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019.

The Justice Hema Committee report has kicked up a political storm in Kerala.

The three-member panel, led by retired Kerala High Court judge K Hema, was established in 2017 in the aftermath of the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep.

The publication of the long-awaited report has revealed the inner workings of the Malayalam film industry and the exploitation of women within the business.

It has also left the ruling CPI (M) in a tough spot.

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Lets take a closer look:

Justice delayed

For one thing, the Hema committee report has taken years to reach the public.

The panel had submitted a 295-page report to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019.

As per Indian Express, questions are already being posed to the CPI (M) led-ruling LDF in Kerala about the delay.

The ruling government was reportedly waiting for the result of an actress plea against the publication of the report.

The release of the report, which was slated to be released on July 24, was also put on hold by the Kerala High Court after a Malayalam film producer moved a plea against it.

The court dismissed the plea on August 13 and ordered the government to make the report public within a week.

As per Indian Express, some of those named in the sexual harassment scandal engulfing the Malayalam film industry have links to the ruling CPI (M).

The newspaper reported that actor Minu Maneer on Monday accused two-time CPI (M) MLA M Mukesh of misconduct.

That came just a day after director Ranjith, another person with links to CPI (M) accused of sexual misconduct by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra, resigned as chairperson of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

The government had faced enormous pressure to get Ranjith to resign.

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A day after the release of the report, actor Shammi Thilakan had accused KB Ganesh Kumar  currently a minister in the Vijayan government  as one of those who had imposed an unofficial ban on his late father, the actor Thilakan.

The report had pointed to the existence of a group of influential men  known as the mafia  which dominates the industry.

This mafia which comprises top producers, directors, and actors, is said to levy unofficial bans on anyone who brings scrutiny upon the industry.

A day after the release of the report, actor Shammi Thilakan had accused KB Ganesh Kumar  currently a minister in the Vijayan government  as one of those who had imposed an unofficial ban on his late father, the actor Thilakan. ANI

Though he is one of the best actors in the industry whose ability is undisputed, he could be kept away from the industry, when the 10 to 15 joined hands to ban him from cinema. The above artist had to leave cinema and become a serial artist. But there also, he could not escape from the clutches of the powerful lobby. During that time, the president of ATMA was also a cine actor, the report said.

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Shammi told New Indian Express, What the report said is right. Ganesh worked in favour of the gang of 15, which controls the Malayalam film industry, to ban Thilakan even from serials. In a meeting of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), one star insulted Thilakan and shouted at him, asking him to get out of the meeting. The same star came to visit my father when he was hospitalised in a critical state. He told me that Thilakan was like a Bappa (father) to him.

They ousted Thilakan from AMMA. After my fathers death in 2018, I raised the issue of defaming Thilakan during an AMMA executive meeting. The then president Mohanlal said the committee could address the issue and justice should be delivered to Thilakan chettan. There was an opinion that AMMA should apologise to Thilakan. I told them to form a committee to look into the matter. However, nothing happened. Later, a senior actor told me that apologising to Thilakan would affect their image, he added.

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Kumar has been quoted as saying that he cannot comment on the issue.

I cant comment on this issue right now. The cultural affairs minister, who has already clarified, should address it. As the minister for transport, I find the medias relentless pursuit unnecessary and distressing, he said, as per The Wire.

No one in the film industry has complained to me so far. If anyone comes to me with such an issue, I would have raised my voice for them, Kumar added.

Opposition alleges cover-up, govt vows justice

The Opposition has taken aim at the ruling government, accusing it of a cover-up.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan was quoted as saying by Indian Express, By remaining idle on the Hema Committee report, the government covered up a series of sexual offences. It shows the government is trying to safeguard the interests of persons close to it.

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Satheesan took aim at Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan.

Sexual exploitation, including assaults under the POCSO Act, had happened. Still, the Cultural Affairs Minister is saying that a film conclave will be held to discuss the issues, Satheesan told reporters in Chempazhanthy.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan has accused the government of a cover-up.

A heap of complaints made by the government. The inaction on the part of the government is a crime. Whose interest did the government want to protect by hushing up a chain of atrocities? The exploitation in the film industry should be stopped, and all crimes should be probed, Satheesan was quoted as saying by India Today.

Let the people of the state evaluate a cultural affairs minister who speaks about conducting a conclave when such serious offences have been reported, he added.

Senior BJP leader and former union minister V Muraleedharan also attacked Cheriyan, alleging that he had also become part of the crime by not taking any action over the report.

Saji Cheriyan has no moral right to continue in his position. The Vijayan government has failed to protect the rights of women and children and ensure safe living conditions in the state, Muraleedharan said.

Mahila Congress activists stage a protest demanding a case against the perpetrators named in the Hema Committee report, Thiruvananthapuram, August 21, 2024. PTI

BJP state president K Surendran added, Why did the government want to cover up the names of the perpetrators of the atrocities? The government should ensure that there is a safe working atmosphere for women in the industry.

But the government rejected the charges and made it clear that it had already started measures to implement the recommendations and suggestions made by the Committee.

The government is always with the victimsand with the women community, Cheriyan told reporters.

Cheriyan said the government would discuss all aspects of the report and would take further action in the necessary areas.

It was Justice Hema who had first said that the report should not have been published because of its confidential nature, the minister said, adding that a proposed cinema conclave, to be organised by the government, would discuss all these issues.

Indian Express quoted CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan as saying, As the revelations emerge, many people will have to quit. We will also implement whatever the court directive is on the Hema report. But the media is engaged in a campaign against the government in the guise of the report, he said.

What do experts say?

Some experts have argued that the government has seemingly turned a blind eye to the rot within the Malayalam film industry.

An article in Deccan Herald claimed that the government, despite having the report in its possession for the past few years, seemed more focused on the potential economic prospects of the industry.

Kerala cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan, who also holds the cinema portfolio, was concerned more about how the allegations could affect the flourishing Malayalam film industry than the allegation itself, the piece alleged.

It said that the government, despite allegations being made, chose not to act citing a lack of specific complaints.

Various announcements of the government like bringing in legislation to regulate the film industry also remained as momentary interventions, with almost no further actions, the piece noted.

A piece in Indian Express also skewered the Kerala governments priorities.

__For example, the debate on whether it was Hema Committee or Hema Commission (with their different implications of power) seemed to outweigh the need to urgently curb the abuse, sexual violence, and rampant exploitation of women in Malayalam cinema which the report brings to light on the basis of evidence collected diligently in government-approved ways, the piece noted.

The Kerala government may try its best to dilute action, to divert attention, but the discourse that the report has triggered in Kerala cannot be curbed so easily.

A piece in The News Minute contended that the government and groups like the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) had been content to put the onus of taking action on the aggrieved women.

the state government and film bodies seem to continue to insist only upon traditional evidence such as witnesses and digital records such as saved chats, screenshots or phone calls, and puts the onus on individual women to prove that they are not indulging in mere defamation, the piece argued.

The piece stated that only the government could offer a grievance redressal mechanism in the Malayalam film industry.

In such a scenario, does it not become the duty of the state government to provide women a redressal mechanism without forcing them to flounder in a legal maze? the piece questioned.

With inputs from agencies
The release of the Justice Hema Committee report has sparked a MeToo movement in the Malayalam film industry. Several women have levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against big names like actors Siddique and Baburaj. The volley of charges has sent shockwaves across Mollywood read more

Siddique with actors Jomol and Ananya addresses the media on the Justice Hema Committee report, in Kochi, August 23, 2024. File Photo/PTI

The Malayalam film industry has been rocked by a volley of allegations of sexual misconduct since the Justice Hema Committee report was released last week. More women are coming out with their horrific accounts of sexual assault and harassment as the MeToo movement grips Kerala.

Several bigwigs have been accused of sexual misconduct, sending ripples across Mollywood, or the Malayalam film industry. The Kerala government is under intense pressure after the Hema Committee report revealed shocking details of the rampant sexual abuse haunting the film industry.

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Lets take a closer look.

Mollywoods MeToo

Senior Malayalam actor Siddique had to step down as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) after a female actor accused him of raping her when she was 19.

The actor said she was ready to take legal action against him provided the government assured her of protection. I had dreamed big when I came into the film sector. He invited me to a hotel room on the pretext of discussing a film project. I had only a professional approach. But I was trapped and he sexually abused me. It was rape He slapped and kicked me. I had to run away from there. He is a number one criminal. Some of my friends too had similar experiences with him, the young actor had alleged on Saturday, as per Indian Express.

Siddique has filed a complaint against the junior artist with the Director General of Police for accusing him of sexual abuse.

These allegations came a day after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused ace Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith of misbehaving with her in 2009, during the pre-production phase of the film Paleri Manikyam.

She has reportedly filed a complaint with the Kochi city police under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which pertains to criminal force or assault against a woman with the intention to outrage her modesty, Deccan Herald (DH) reported citing Kochi police commissioner S Syamsundar.

Amid the allegations, Ranjith stepped down as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. The national award-winning director claimed the accusation was part of a concerted move against him after he assumed the chairmanship of the academy.

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The case is likely to be handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Kerala government to probe the allegations in the wake of the Hema Committee report.

More allegations of sexual misconduct came to light on Monday. Actor Minu Muneer on Monday (August 26) accused several actors, including a two-time CPI(M) MLA, of sexual misconduct. In a Facebook post, she named the actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Edavela Babu. She said the incident took place in 2013 and these actors subjected her to physical and verbal abuse.

Speaking to the media, she alleged an actor tried to assault her at a hotel during the shooting of Calender (2009) and Nadakame Ulakam (2011).

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He entered the room and pulled me on the bed saying that I will have to consider those who have to be considered for getting better chances. Later, I left that place.. Before that, while travelling by a car, (another actor) told me that he would come to my room the next night. He too had knocked at my door during the night, Muneer was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Muneer accused a third actor of misconduct in 2008. She said she had applied for a membership of the AMMA in 2013. A person who acted in three films is eligible for membership in AMMA. When I called him over the phone regarding filling the application form, he invited me to his flat. While I was filling the application form at his flat, he kissed on my neck from behind. I ran out of the flat. I did not get the membership either, she said, as per Indian Express.

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In her Facebook post, Muneer mentioned she was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai as the abuse became unbearable.

I will file a complaint with the state police team, which was assigned to look into the revelations which came up in the wake of the Hema Committee report, Muneer told the media.

Maniyanpilla Raju has called for a probe into the allegations, claiming vested interests behind the charges, reported NDTV.

ALSO READ: Why Hema panel report on sexual harassment in Mollywood matters beyond Kerala

Casting director Tess Joseph also reiterated her allegations of inappropriate behaviour against actor-turned-politician Mukesh, who has dismissed her charges as a political conspiracy.

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The charges against Mukesh, a two-time CPI(M) MLA, have stirred a political storm. The Congress has demanded his resignation as a legislator in the Kerala Assembly and called on the police to register a case against him.

A junior artiste has levelled grave allegations against award-winning actor and filmmaker Baburaj. Speaking to NDTV, she said she was called to Baburajs residence at Aluva in the Ernakulam district to discuss a movie role. She claimed the 58-year-old verbally abused and sexually assaulted her there.

He called me to his house saying screenwriters and directors were coming to discuss my role. I believed him and went There he showed me room to rest and, after some time, called me to dinner. I had locked the door. When I opened it, he barged inside, locked it again and raped me, the junior artiste alleged.

Senior actor Baburaj is facing sexual abuse allegations. Instagram/baburajactor

Baburaj, the joint general secretary of AMMA, has denied the allegations and reportedly threatened to initiate legal action. He has alleged conspiracy behind the allegation to prevent him from becoming the general secretary of AMMA.

Actor Geetha Vijayan has accused filmmaker Thulasidas of trying to sexually assault her in 1991, during the shoot of his movie Chanchattam.

Actor Sridevika has also spoken against Thulasidas, accusing him of harassing her while working on the 2007 movie Avan Chandiyude Makan. She said she had lodged a formal complaint with AMMA but no action was taken.

Reactions to the charges

The series of allegations have sent shockwaves across the Malayalam film industry. The silence of top actors Mohanlal and Mammootty is being questioned amid the charges. Mohanlal, the president of AMMA, resigned on Tuesday (August 27) from the post in the wake of the Hema Committee report. As per reports, all members of the executive committee have submitted resignations en masse.

Gold actor Prithviraj Sukumaran has spoken up about the report, saying he hoped action would be taken against the offenders. Pointing to his co-star Sridevikas allegations against the director Thulasidas, he slammed AMMA for not handling the survivors complaints properly.

National award-winning actor Revathi said the Hema panel report has kindled faith in survivors to open up about their experiences.

Parvathy Thiruvothu, a leading Malayalam actor and founding member of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), said the report is not an expose on the Malayalam film industry. This is the first time, this is being done in any film industry, where a government-appointed committee has done a study on it and a report has come out. What I believe is that, when this happens in Malayalam industry I am not ok with it going like, Malayalam industry so rotten inside. No, we are good inside, which is why we are fixing it. The places where you dont hear anything about, thats where we should be worried about, she told NDTV.

Telugu star Nani has also expressed shock at the revelations of the Hema Committee report.

The seven-member SIT will probe the sexual abuse allegations by women in Mollywood. It remains to be seen if the Malayalam film industrys MeToo moment will bring the mighty down.

With inputs from agencies
A large crowd gathered around College Square in West Bengals Kolkata as the Nabanna Abhijan protest march began on Tuesday. The demonstration is called by a newly formed apolitical student outfit Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, which is demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees resignation over the Kolkata rape-murder case. As students pelted stones, police used lathi charge and tear gas read more

A water cannon being used by security personnel to disperse agitators during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally called by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, a students' organisation, to protest against the alleged sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. PTI

A large crowd gathered around College Square in West Bengals Kolkata as the Nabanna Abhijan protest march began on Tuesday.

Amid the ongoing row over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that shook the nation earlier this month, a new student outfit, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, called for a March to Secretariat, demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees resignation.

Heres all we know about the group.

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What is Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj?

Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, which means Society of Students in West Bengal, is an unregistered student group.

The students have claimed their outfit was apolitical.

The outfit called for the march to the West Bengal secretariat Nabanna," a high-security zone housing the offices of the Chief Minister and other top ministers and officials, to press its demand.

It is being led by Prabir Das, a Masters student at Rabindra Bharati University, Subhankar Halder of Kalyani University and Sayan Lahiri of Rabindra Mukta University.

Several students and citizens joined the march, displaying the tricolour in their hands and raising slogans as they moved towards the secretariat.

Lahiri said the governments handling of the rape-murder case has proved the CM was incompetent, according to India Today.

He told the media that the outfit has three demands: justice for Abhaya, capital punishment for the culprit, and Mamata Banerjees resignation.

The West Bengal Police has called the march illegal and said it has taken necessary precautionary measures due to concerns about potential law-and-order issues during the march.

Notably, protesting junior doctors, who are also leading the movement seeking justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor, have distanced themselves from todays rally. Instead, they have called for a separate one tomorrow in central Kolkata.

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#WATCH | West Bengal: 'Nabanna Abhiyan' protest march begins from College Square in Kolkata, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. People, students and others join the march. pic.twitter.com/zKZNqlS9YQ  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

The Left student bodies, SFI and DYFI, have also decided to stay away from the rally. CPI (M) youth leader Minakshi Mukherjee said that the Left student bodies would not participate as it was being organised by an RSS-backed body.

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Speaking to reporters, West Bengal Additional Director General (ADG) (law and order) Manoj Verma said no individual or organisation has sought permission to hold such a rally to the state secretariat, Nabanna, which is a restricted area.

According to the Indian Express, ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar also claimed that a student leader involved in organising the march met a prominent political figure at a five-star hotel in Kolkata on Sunday but did not identify either. However, one of the Chhatra Samaj leaders, Lahiri, denied any such meeting.

Is the BJP backing the outfit?

On the eve of the rally, the ruling Trinamool Congress aired videos alleging a conspiracy and suspected BJP leaders from Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district allegedly planning to incite violence at the march.

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Firstpost has not independently verified the authenticity of the videos.

At a press conference, TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Chandrima Bhattacharya showed videos claiming that BJP leaders were planning to incite the police personnel to open fire on the protesters.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Protests continue at Howrah Bridge, as part of 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. pic.twitter.com/6K2zGKlHj5  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

Senior Minister Bhattacharya said that the student outfit did not take any police permission for the march to the West Bengal state secretariat.

Police permission is required for any kind of rally or dharna, but no one has approached the police so far. It is clear who is behind it. They are taking the name of a student forum. Section 163 of the BNSS is always imposed in and around Nabanna. The Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has already said that bullets will be fired on August 27, she said.

However, the saffron party has denied the allegations. They say that they were not associated with the rally but would support the movement.

Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said, as per India Today, It is not called by the BJP. We support anyone who is speaking up against the atrocities and this case. We know that Mamata Banerjee wants to politicise this issue. It is a mass issue. She doesnt want this rally to happen, but why did she do the rally in 1993 that led to so many deaths?

Sinha was referring to then-Congress member Banerjees march to the then-Bengal secretariat, Writers Building, in July 1993, to demand mandatory photo voter ID to conduct fair elections. About 13 Congress workers were killed in police firing that day, which today is commemorated as Martyrs Day in the state.

What are Chhatra Samaj leaders saying?

At a press conference at the Kolkata Press Club, Sayan Lahiri said, This is an absolutely apolitical protest march by the students of West Bengal. Do not try to find any political affiliation for us, it is a pure social movement and we are requesting all political parties top leaders to stay away from the march. We do not want any political party to gain from this march.

School teacher Shubhankar Halder, who is also leading the march, said the newly-formed outfit doesnt have any political affiliation, though he was an RSS member and proud of that.

Lahiri, too, revealed being part of the BJP and TMC in the past.

Rabindra Bharati University student Prabir Das said not everyone in Chhatra Samaj had a political affiliation.

We are students fighting for justice for our sister, he said.

Whats the situation in Bengal now?

As per News18, Kolkata Police has deployed over 6,000 personnel on the city streets since morning, and set up at least 19 barricade points. The state has put 26 district collectors in charge to monitor the situation.

They have also deployed Vajra vehicles, water cannons, and the Riot Control Force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads, according to ANI.

Protestors Prevented From Breaking Into Govt Buildings In West Bengal



Local police used water cannons to disperse crowds gathered for a rally demanding justice in the rape-murder case of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.



 Courtesy pic.twitter.com/1l1F3JpSj9  RT_India (@RT_India_news) August 27, 2024

Protesters eventually breached barricades and hurled stones, triggering a face-off with police officials, who used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

The police have resorted to lathi charging and lobbying tear gas shells to disperse them.

The development comes despite Governor CV Ananda Bose urging the state government not to use power to stop the peaceful protesting students.

Ahead of the protests, the West Bengal police arrested four student activists, saying that they were trying to orchestrate large-scale violence, according to The Indian Express.

With inputs from agencies
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has announced the pilot programme of the Unified Lending Interface platform, which aims to revolutionise the lending landscape in the country. He said the tech platform, similar to Unified Payments Interface (UPI), will facilitate a seamless flow of information and reduce the time taken for credit appraisal read more

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday announced the pilot of Unified Lending Interface or ULI -- a public tech platform for frictionless credit. File image/PTI

After the success story of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a new venture  the Unified Lending Interface (ULI), which aims to provide frictionless credit and will soon be available nationwide.

Speaking on the same, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the RBI expects ULI to transform the lending landscape. Just like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) changed the payments ecosystem, similarly we expect ULI to transform the lending landscape, Das said at the Global Conference on DPI and Emerging Technologies in Bengaluru on Monday (August 26).

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But what exactly is this platform? How will it function? Heres all that we found out so far.

What is ULI that the RBI announced?

On Monday (August 26), RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that it has decided to call the tech platform that they are working on for frictionless credit as Unified Lending Interface (ULI).

He said just like UPI transformed the payments ecosystem, he expects that ULI will play a similar role in transforming the lending space in the country.

But what exactly is this platform? ULI, a digital platform, is expected to make the lending process easy. As Indian Express reports, ULI will facilitate a seamless and consent-based flow of digital information, including land records of various states, from multiple data service providers to lenders.

Currently, data required for credit appraisal is available with different entities like Central and state governments, account aggregators, banks, credit information companies and digital identity authorities. However, with the platform, all the data will be available at one location.

ULI, a digital platform by the RBI, is expected to make the lending process easy. File image/PTI

By digitising access to the customers financial and non-financial data that otherwise resided in disparate silos, ULI is expected to cater to large unmet demand for credit across various sectors, particularly for agricultural and MSME borrowers, the RBI governor said on Monday.

The governor further stated that the ULI will cut down the time taken for credit appraisal, especially for smaller and rural borrowers.

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He added that the ULI architecture has common and standardised APIs, designed for a plug and play approach to ensure digital access to information from diverse sources, as per a PTI report. This would decrease the complexity of the project and allow for seamless delivery of credit at a quicker rate without the need for extensive documentation.

Is ULI already in use?

No. The current ULI is in the pilot stage and will be available to the country soon. The pilot for ULI was launched last year by the RBI to enable frictionless credit. And based on the experience of the pilot, RBI will decide to launch ULI nationwide, Das said.

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Just like UPI transformed the payments ecosystem, we expect that ULI will play a similar role in transforming the lending space in India, he added.

Das in his speech also said, The earlier trinity was Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM). The new trinity JAM-UPI-ULI will be a revolutionary step in Indias digital infrastructure journey, Das said.

The ULI programme is based on the success of the Unified Payments Interface or UPI. This real-time payment system was launched in India in April 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Representational image/PTI

How successful has UPI been?

The ULI programme is based on the success of the Unified Payments Interface or UPI. This real-time payment system was launched in India in April 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Since its launch, it has become the digital payments channel of choice in India; it is used by over 30 crore individuals and over five crore merchants in the country. In August last year, UPI achieved a remarkable feat of 10 billion transactions. A January report further stated that transactions through UPI had closed at around 118 billion in the previous year. This was a 60 per cent jump as compared to 74 billion UPI transactions recorded in 2022.

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Another measure of UPIs success is its availability in foreign countries. Malaysia, France, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Oman and Bhutan accept payments through UPI apps.

As the Centre noted, from a modest beginning in 2016, UPIs phenomenal adoption and acceptance today is a one-of-a-kind story that is unmatched when it comes to its scale and impact.

With inputs from agencies
The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Paris is shining a spotlight on the app which has made protecting users personal data its stated mission. While terror groups, particularly ISIS, have repeatedly made use of the platform to organise attacks and push their propaganda, Telegram has adopted a dont shoot the messenger attitude read more

ISIS in particular has repeatedly made use of the platform to organise attacks.

The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Paris is shining a spotlight on the app.

The dual citizen of France and Russia was taken into custody at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday evening after landing in France from Azerbaijan.

Durov, 39, was detained on an arrest warrant claiming his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses including supporting terrorism.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that Durovs arrest was linked to proceedings accusing Telegram of complicity in numerous cases linked to drug trafficking, support for terrorism and cyberstalking.

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But what do we know about Telegram? Why are authorities so worried about it? Is it the go-to app for terrorists?

Lets take a closer look:

What do we know about Telegram?

Telegram was launched by Durov and his brother in 2013.

The app was founded in the wake of the Russian governments crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, adopting regulations that forced internet providers to block websites and cellphone operators to store call records and messages that could be shared with security services.

As per Vox, the app claims to be a completely secure messaging platform.

The app, which has around 700 million users around the world, is known for its emphasis on users privacy.

Its FAQ page states its mission as protecting your personal data from third parties, such as marketers, advertisers, etc.

As per Android Authority, Telegrams USP is end-to-end encryption.

Meaning that no-one  not the government, not the police, not your boss  knows what you are sending on the app.

However, it must be noted that Telegrams only encrypts its calls and secret chats.

Pavel Durov was arrested at Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening. Reuters

Another layer of security is that you do not need to give out your phone number to make contact with someone.

This can simply be done by exchanging usernames.

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If youre feeling queasy about giving out your username, you can even make contact with people via QR code.

Also, users cant forward or screenshot messages in the secret chats.

Users can also simply set messages to self-destruct after sending  from a second after it has been sent to a week.

A message deleted by the user is removed for everyone.

Users can delete chats from others as well.

Though all chats are not end-to-end encrypted, they are encrypted nonetheless, as per the website.

Which is why many people are enticed to use the app.

Its reputation is as the medium that cant be decrypted, Ahmet S Yayla, a counter-terrorism expert from George Mason University who has spent two years tracking ISIS on social media told Vox. People love the idea of privacy.

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You dont even need a SIM card to use Telegram.

Instead, you can buy a phone number from Telegram using its Toncoin crypto.

The SIM card you use to open your Telegram account and the SIM card you actually use on the phone with the application dont have to the same, Yayla added. So you can be the fakest person in the world.

Is it the go-to app for terrorists?

The problem is that at least some of the people who are most interested in such privacy features are criminals  and terrorists.

ISIS in particular has repeatedly made use of the platform to organise attacks.

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As per Vox, ISIS used Telegram as a way to push its propaganda after the 2015 attacks in Paris.

The terror group also recruited those who carried out the Christmas market attack in Berlin in 2016 on the app.

An ISIS leader in Raqqa also used Telegram to give instructions to the shooter in the New Years Eve attack at Istanbuls Reina nightclub.

Though Telegrams FAQ page lays out its attitude towards taking down illegal content including blocking terrorist bots, history shows this necessarily always the case.

Representational image. Reuters

Though Telegram claims to have taken down hundreds of ISIS accounts, experts say it is a drop in the bucket.

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Jade Parker, a senior research associate at the TAPSTRI research group, told Vox, You can create a new channel within 30 seconds. So now, instead of opening three channels, [ISIS] opens 50 channels to spread propaganda.

Deleting their channels doesnt put a dent in their activity.

Telegram is not very reliable in shutting down these [ISIS-operated] channels, Yayla added.

As per Cyfirma.com, ISIS militants continue to use the platform to recruit to its cause.

For example, its Telegram channels used alleged atrocities against women and children in the Al Hol camp to nab followers.

It later directed those followers to more radicalised content on other platforms.

These Telegram channels also serve as sources of cash  organising donation drives that are used to fund terror activities.

According to India Today, terror groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Resistance Front and the Peoples Anti-Fascist Front also make use of Telegram frequently.

The groups not only list their targets and push their propaganda through these apps, but they also put up videos and images of their brutal attacks on Indias armed forces.

Sources told PTI that the IT Ministry has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs for an update on where things stand in the Indian context and if there are any violations here.

In light of what has happened in France, IT Ministry has asked Ministry of Home Affairs to check on complaints pending against Telegram and what action can be taken.

The basic question here is are there any complaints, is there similar situation in India, and what is the status, and what action is required, according to sources.

Telegram was also used during the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel.

The official Hamas channel sent 1,145 messages through the app on 7 October itself, as per g-net research.

Uri Klempner, writing for Insight, singled out Telegrams emoji feature to warn that the app had perpetuated extremism during and after the attacks.

Emojis, by their very nature, are subjective and open to interpretation, and their presence in the context of news consumption may have unprecedented effects. Especially when juxtaposed with content thats already sensitive and divisive, these symbols can influence a users perception, subconsciously nudging them toward a particular emotional response when faced with a piece of content, Klempner wrote.

Klempner examined the concept of social influence  which proposes that people perceive public feeling through the lens of other users comments.

This, he argued, helps them form their own opinions  which often is in line with what they believe is public sentiment.

Compounding the issue is the substantial reach of some of the Telegram posts. Many garner tens or even hundreds of thousands of views within hours of being posted. Yet, only a fraction of viewers might react using emojis (Note Fig. 5 where 0.08% of viewers reacted to the broadcast). This small minority inadvertently becomes the emotional compass for the majority, dictating how individuals will internalise and remember these images and videos and their emotional associations, Klempner wrote.

Telegram itself has adopted a dont shoot the messenger attitude  literally.

In a blog post titled Dont Shoot The Messenger, Telegram argued that terrorists would simply switch to perfectly viable alternatives to the existing encrypted app.

It remains to be seen how governments around the world react to Pavels arrest.

With inputs from agencies
The Palianytsia weapon is Ukraines homegrown combination of a missile and a drone. It was created as Western allies placed conditions on the use of their long-range missiles in Russia read more

Made in Ukraine, the Palianytsia weapon is a combination of missile and drone. Image Courtesy: @Support4Freedom/X

Ukraine says it has a new long-range weapon to strike deep into Russia.

The homegrown weapon, according to the defence minister, would provide answers to a wave of Russian bombings.

Heres all we know about it.

Ukraines new homegrown weapon

Made in Ukraine, the Palianytsia weapon is a combination of missile and drone.

It is named after a type of Ukrainian bread and a word so notoriously difficult to pronounce correctly that it was used to unmask suspected spies early in the war.

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According to a military video from Ukraine, it has a range of up to 700 kilometres (430 miles), which is on par with the ATACMS provided by the US.

It further showed that the Palianytsia can reach at least 20 Russian airfields and displayed a map with many airfields, including the Savasleyka air base in Russia, which is located within that range.

One of the specialists involved in the long-range missile project said it was a completely new development, from scratch, that began about 18 months ago.

This is not an extension of an old Soviet project, said the specialist, speaking on condition of anonymity to safeguard the projects secrecy. The missile has a solid-fuel booster that accelerates it, followed by a jet engine, the specialist told The Associated Press.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday the existence of the Palianytsia, calling it a new class of weapons.

The Palianytsia was designed domestically to destroy the enemys offensive potential, he said, adding, The number of rocket drone productions will grow just like our long-range strike drone production did, whose efficiency we see almost daily.

The new weapon was used for the first time on Saturday, the 33rd anniversary of Ukraines independence from the former Soviet Union, according to officials who did not provide further details.

The weapon was aimed at a Russian military base located in the occupied region.

The attack came after a barrage of Russian missiles and drones struck Ukraines electrical infrastructure on Monday, in the biggest such strike in weeks.

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Defenders of life should have no restrictions on weapons, as long as Russia uses all kinds of its own weapons, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message following the attacks.

Ukraines technology minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, told AP that the next step was to scale up the weapons production.

I think this will be a game changer because we will be able to strike where Russia doesnt expect it today, he said.

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Fedorov declined to elaborate on the range or current supply, citing security reasons, but said that he has been involved in the projects for developing domestic missiles since the end of 2022.

Defence Minister Rustem Umerov promised Monday the weapon would be used again soon in response to the overnight attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine is preparing its response. Weapons of its own production, he wrote on his Facebook page. This once again proves that for victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemys military facilities.

It could bypass Western restrictions

The Palianytsia was created due to urgent necessity, Ukrainian officials said.

This was because Russia has been dominating the skies since the outbreak of the war in February 2022 and Western allies placed conditions on the use of their long-range missiles in Russia.

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The United States and other Western allies provide long-range weapons to Ukraine but restrict it from launching them deep into Russia for fear of escalating the war.

Ukraine can target the border regions but wants to go deeper to attack Russias military infrastructure.

The Institute for the Study of War said Russia was leveraging sanctuary space in deep rear areas.

It estimated at least 250 militarily significant targets in Russia were within range of the ATACMS missiles, but current restrictions allow Ukraine to strike only 20 of them.

A long-term goal of Ukraine

Battlegrounds in Ukraine have turned into a lethal testing ground for new and modified weaponry.

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Russian and Ukrainian forces have equipped military-grade infrared cameras and explosives with ordinary equipment; Russia has added GPS harnesses to unguided bombs from the Soviet period; and Ukraines underwater drones have rendered Russias Black Sea fleet completely unusable.

But the new weapon has been a long-term goal of Ukraine.

Ukraine says its inability to fight back against Russian long-range weapons has deadly consequences.

Ukraines Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia has launched 9,627 long-range missiles and Ukraines defence shot down only a quarter of them, and that more than half the Russian targets were civilian.

The specialist and Fedorov said each missile costs less than $1 million, and the military is turning to the private sector to bring down production costs further.

The private market generates solutions incredibly quickly, the minister said.

As of this year, private companies have become the main suppliers of drones for the Ukrainian army, including those now striking inside Russia and the underwater ones that have repeatedly struck the Russian Black Sea fleet, said Fedorov.

All types of missiles will be available in Ukraine, he said. If we have our own weapons like this, we will feel more independent and confident.

Fedorov added that he believed Russias vast size could also be its vulnerability.

Its impossible to produce enough air defense systems to protect such a large territory, he said. For us, this opens up the possibility of operating deep behind enemy lines.

With inputs from The Associated Press
Amid the rapid spread of a new and deadly mpox strain across the globe, India has developed two testing kits for the virus. The Made in India tests have been okayed by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare read more

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches, and mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. File Image/FP

India has achieved a significant milestone in the battle against the mpox virus by introducing its home-grown RT-PCR kit specifically designed for the detection of the viral disease.

The two testing kits, developed indigenously in India, come at a crucial juncture as the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a second public health emergency due to the rapid global spread of a more virulent and deadly strain of the mpox virus across the globe.

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Approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these testing kits not only boost the nations diagnostic capabilities but also highlight its growing prowess in advanced medical technology.

Heres a closer look at Indias very own mpox RT-PCR kits.

Introduced under the brand name ErbaMDx Monkeypox RT-PCR Kit, this diagnostic kit was developed by Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), a research body of the state government, in collaboration with Transasia Diagnostics.

With a 12-month shelf life and zero cross-reactivity with other orthopoxviruses, the kit promises exceptional accuracy and dependability, Dr. Jitendra Sharma, Managing Director and Founder CEO of AMTZ, told The Times of India (TOI).

Additionally, the kits standout feature is its use of lyophilised components, which allows it to be shipped and stored at ambient temperatures.

This attribute can be a game-changer for regions lacking cold chain infrastructure, ensuring that the diagnostic tool remains accessible even in the most remote areas, the TOI report said.

Introduced under the brand name ErbaMDx Monkeypox RT-PCR Kit, this diagnostic kit was developed by Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), a research body of the state government, in collaboration with Transasia Diagnostics. Image for Representation.

This innovation signifies a major advancement in the countrys healthcare landscape and epidemic preparedness efforts, Dr. Sharma was quoted as saying by the national newspaper.

A Make in India milestone

In addition to the ErbaMDx kit, Siemens Healthineers has also developed another RT-PCR testing kit, further bolstering Indias arsenal against mpox, ANI reported.

Approved by CDSCO for manufacturing, the testing kit named IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay is a ground-breaking molecular diagnostic test that targets two distinct regions in the viral genome, spanning both clade I and clade II variants of the virus.

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According to Siemens Healthcare Private Ltd, the testing kit promises to deliver accurate results in 40 minutes, significantly faster than traditional methods that take 1-2 hours.

Clinically validated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, the assay boasts an impressive 100 per cent sensitivity and specificity. IMDX Monkeypox RTPCR Assay kits adhere to Indian statutory guidelines and comply with the highest global standards, the MedTech company said.

The testing kit named IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay is a molecular diagnostic test that targets two distinct regions in the viral genome, spanning both clade I and clade II variants of the virus. ANI

It further said the testing kit will be manufactured at Vadodaras molecular diagnostics manufacturing unit, which has a manufacturing capacity of 1 million reactions per year. The factory is all set to make the kits available.

Hariharan Subramanian, Managing Director, Siemens Healthcare Private Limited said, By providing India with advanced assay kits tailored to combat monkeypox, we are taking a proactive stance in battling this disease and prioritising prompt and precise detection that can truly make a difference in saving lives.

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These kits are a testament to our focus on improving Access to Care and these assay kits are a significant step towards that goal, Subramanian added.

How India is preparing for mpox outbreak?

While mpox has created a frenzy all over the world, India has remained a safe zone so far.

The Indian government has issued health guidelines as well as directed airports, ports, and border authorities to stay vigilant in response as mpox spreads its wings across continents.

Earlier, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) in Tamil Nadu heightened alert levels. Airport Health Officers and Port Health Officers in the state were instructed to focus on passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African countries.

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According to reports, central hospitals in Delhi such as Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Lady Hardinge have also set up facilities for isolating suspected mpox cases. Additionally, Andhra Pradesh has also set up its first mpox isolation ward in Vijayawada with a capacity of six beds as a precaution.

The Centre has placed three hospitals in Delhi  Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge - as nodal centres for isolation, management and treatment of any patient with mpox. PTI

As of 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had reported 99,176 Mpox cases and 208 deaths in 116 countries. In India, a total of 30 cases had been detected since the 2022 declaration.

The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa but for the entire globe, Professor Dimie Ogoina, Chair of the IHR Emergency Committee was quoted as saying by The Indian Express,

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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, he added.

With input from agencies
Oral cancer, a sinister disease silently wreaking havoc within the oral cavity, is becoming an imminent threat worldwide. The situation is particularly alarming in India, where it is the most prevalent form of cancer among males. India also bears the highest burden of lip, oral cavity cancer worldwide.

Incidence of Lip and oral cavity cancers, highest among Indian males (15.6%)

Incidence of lip and oral cavity cancer in various countries

According to the latest data from GLOBOCAN 2022, in India, the incidence of oral cancer is 143,759, which is expected to double by 2050, raising concerns about the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The mortality rates due to oral cancer in India are also alarming, with predicted increases from 20359.7 deaths in 2022 to 147300 deaths by 2050. These statistics highlight the urgent need for action and support. The global incidence of oral cancer was 389,800 in 2022, which is also expected to double by 2025, emphasizing that this is a global challenge requiring collective action.

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Behind these statistics lie the heart-wrenching stories of individuals and families grappling with the devastating impact of this disease. The effects of oral cancer extend far beyond the physical suffering endured by patients. The emotional strain, financial burdens, and shattered dreams that accompany this disease are immeasurable. In a study conducted by Tata Memorial Hospital, it was estimated that premature oral cancer deaths cost India a staggering $5.6 billion in terms of productivity losses in 2022. One of the key findings stated that 91% of the fatalities or terminal stages were among patients with a median age of 41.5 years. The monetary value of the losses for men exceeded Rs 57 lakh and that for women Rs 71 lakh. This loss affects the economy and tears at the very fabric of families, pushing them into the depths of poverty.

Chronic tobacco consumption is the leading cause of oral cancer, responsible for 90% of cases. India suffers the most, with around 200,000 deaths annually from smokeless tobacco products. Shockingly, over 30% of Indians, including 14.6% of children, use tobacco. This could also be a contributing factor to the presentation of oral cancer in a younger population in our OPDs, some of whom are as young as in their 20s.

Under the aegis of Tata Cancer Care Foundation by Tata Trusts, Ranchi Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (RCHRC) emphasizes the importance of preventive measures through a school-based initiative. In line with the National Tobacco Control Programme, RCHRC educates school students about the hazards of tobacco and the laws under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). To date, RCHRC has sensitized over 28,000 young individuals about the dangers of tobacco use.

One of the challenges in combating oral cancer lies in its silent progression during its early stages, often without noticeable symptoms. It is imperative for individuals to seek medical attention if they have an ulcer that persists for more than two to three weeks. Additionally, white or red patches in the mouth, known as leukoplakia and erythroplakia, may indicate precancerous conditions that warrant immediate evaluation. Early detection through regular screenings, which can be as simple as a thorough examination under good lighting, can significantly improve prognosis and treatment outcomes.

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Several misconceptions and myths surrounding cancer, particularly regarding biopsies, impede prompt diagnosis and treatment. It is crucial to address these misconceptions head-on. Biopsies are safe and necessary for accurate diagnosis, contrary to the belief that they enhance the spread of cancer. A unified effort by government bodies and medical associations to dispel such misconceptions is vital in encouraging patients to seek necessary treatments. Although oral cancer can indeed be treated successfully, it is important to understand that no treatment can guarantee a 100% cure rate. Nevertheless, early-stage cancers have a promising prognosis of around 90%, highlighting the significance of awareness and early screening to save lives. The crucial step is to consult a specialist promptly and not get duped by those who give faux claims of a 100% cure.

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Cancer patients face more than just physical suffering; they bear the burden of social stigma as well. These patients are often judged by the community and neglected by their own. Most of the time, underprivileged patients cannot even afford an autorickshaw, let alone travel comfortably to distant cities for treatment, resulting in exorbitant expenses. While the establishment of cancer centres, like RCHRC in Ranchi, is commendable, there is a pressing need to expand such facilities in peripheral regions. By embracing new surgical techniques and treating cancer in its early stages, we can alleviate the fears of disfigurement and functional impairment that deter some patients from seeking treatment.

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Preventing oral cancer requires awareness, regulation of tobacco usage and educating children. Healthcare systems must prepare for the increase in cases by increasing capacity, while rehabilitation services need improvement. Comprehensive care is essential for patients quality of life. Collaboration between the government, medical professionals, and society is crucial in battling oral cancer. By fostering awareness, dispelling myths, promoting early detection, and supporting rehabilitation, and prevention, we can protect countless lives and families from the devastating effects of oral cancer in India.

Authored by Dr. Sachender Pal Singh  Consultant, Surgical Oncology Head & Neck Ranchi Cancer Hospital & Research Centre  Ranchi, Jharkhand
Geologists say that the sinking areas of Shimla city could be linked to a rising number of landslides and ground subsidence in the region read more

Scientists are warning that the sinking hills of Shimla may pose a serious challenge if left unaddressed. Geologists say that the sinking areas of Shimla city could be linked to a rising number of landslides and ground subsidence in the region. They emphasise the need to channel surface water efficiently to mitigate the risks associated with these sinking areas.

Last years floods in Shimla triggered a special survey and research led by Dr SS Randhawa, the Principal Scientist at the Centre for Climate Change in the Himachal Pradesh government, to examine the geological vulnerability of the hills. His team studied and reported on last years floods in Shimla, based on which Randhawa emphasises the need for a comprehensive plan to guide the citys future development.

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Heres what we know about Shimlas sinking hills:
Hours after she was granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Tuesday evening walked out of Tihar Jail read more

Hours after she was granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Tuesday evening walked out of Tihar Jail.

#WATCH | Delhi: BRS leader K Kavitha released from Tihar Jail after she was granted bail in the Delhi excise policy case by the Supreme Court today. pic.twitter.com/miMUkSSlm0  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

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BRS workers and supporters who had gathered outside the jail to welcome her played drums and burst crackers as she stepped out of the prison complex. Kavithas brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao was also present.

Kavitha (46) was released from Tihars jail number 6 where she was lodged for nearly five months.

Earlier today, a bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed to release K Kavitha immediately. The top court also imposed various conditions against Kavitha including not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses in the matter.

The top court also directed her to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both CBI and ED cases and asked her to surrender her passport.

Speaking to ANI news agency after her release, Kavitha said, All I have to say is that law will prevail, law will take its course. The whole country knows this was a faulty case

#WATCH | Delhi: BRS leader K Kavitha says "All I have to say is that law will prevail, law will take its course. The whole country knows this was a faulty case..." pic.twitter.com/ejPce0hLnm  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

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She later met her party leaders and workers at the party office in Delhis Vasant Vihar.

#WATCH | Delhi: BRS leader K Kavitha meets party leaders and workers at the party office in Delhi's Vasant Vihar.



She was granted bail in the Delhi excise policy case by the Supreme Court today.



(Source: BRS) pic.twitter.com/c9Yirrnrl0  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

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The top court noted that Kavitha is behind bars for five months and the trial will take a long time to complete as there are 493 witnesses and many documents.

The apex court noted that the reliance is on the statements of co-accused who have been granted pardon and made an approver.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Kavitha from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15 and the CBI had arrested her from Tihar jail on April 11.

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With inputs from agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he conveyed his insights from his Ukraine visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi said they discussed the Ukraine war and exchanged perspectives. Modi said he conveyed his insights from his Ukraine visit to Putin.

Modi said, Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

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Separately, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) in a readout said Modi called for talks between the stakeholders to resolve the conflict.

PM shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. He underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict, said the PMO.

There was no readout by the Kremlin or any remarks by Russian Foreign Ministry by the time the story was published.

The Modi-Putin call comes a day after Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden. In that call too, Modi had discussed the Ukraine conflict and had briefed Biden about his Ukraine visit.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability, said the readout by the PMO.
Around 1 pm, reports from ground zero stated that protestors had climbed over barricades and pulled some of them down. In some places, the police had used tear gas on the protesting individuals read more

Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata hung a banner in protest of the horrific rape & murder of a colleague. File Photo

Security has been heightened in Kolkata due to the Nabanna Abhijan rally on Tuesday (August 27), where students are now marching to the state secretariat, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College earlier this month.

Kolkata Police had deployed over 6,000 personnel starting at 8 am, readied water cannons, and set up 19 barricades across the city. Drones were set to be in use for surveillance during the rally, News18 reported.

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Around 1 pm, reports from ground zero stated that protestors had climbed over barricades and pulled some of them down. In some places, the police had used tear gas on the protesting individuals.

The police have stated that no permission was sought for the protest. State police have labelled the rallies as illegal and unauthorised. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS have been imposed near Nabanna, preventing the assembly of five or more people.

The march, called by the unregistered Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees, has sparked concerns over potential disruptions.

Despite this, Governor CV Ananda Bose, in a video message released Monday evening, urged the state government not to use force to prevent the students from organising the rally.

Several educational institutions will either conduct online classes or observe a holiday on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday (August 26) conducted a second round of polygraph tests on former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and five others as part of their investigation into the rape and murder of the doctor. The tests were conducted after Ghosh reportedly provided inconsistent answers during questioning over the past 10 days.

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The CBI had earlier conducted polygraph tests on Ghosh and others on Saturday, followed by a test on the arrested accused Sanjay Roy at the Presidency Correctional Home on Sunday (August 25).

Ghosh and former hospital official Sanjay Vashisth are also under investigation for alleged financial irregularities at the institution.

With inputs from PTI
Though no opinion poll has shown a massive difference between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, her current lead has fired up the once-dejected Democrats. But the Trump campaign has dubbed the Harris buoyancy as her honeymoon period read more

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump shakes hands with former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr during a rally in Glendale, Arizona. Reuters

Harry S Truman had the last laughliterally.

In the most memorable and iconic photo in American presidential elections, a broadly grinning Give Em Hell Harry was seen holding a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune with the front-page erroneous banner headline DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN at St Louis Union Station, Missouri, on November 3, 1948.

Truman celebrates comeback victory & Chicago Tribunes mistake, today 1948: #NARA pic.twitter.com/pHkcOGXEmu  Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) November 3, 2016

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The photo was clicked the day after the presidential election with Democrat incumbent Truman defeating his Republican challenger and New York governor Thomas E Dewey.

Harry gave opinion polls Hell indeed.

Opinion polls had sealed Trumans defeat on Election Day. In August/September, Gallup poll, famous for accurately predicting presidential election results, showed Dewey leading Truman by 48-46 per cent to 37-40 per cent and 50 to 45 per cent in October.

With a looming deadline and the absence of results on November 2, the Tribune assumed that Dewey would clobber Truman.

However, defying opinion polls and the media frenzy, Truman made a stunning comeback to win a second term. He won 49.55 per cent of the popular vote and Dewey 45.07 per cent. Gallup had underestimated Trumans percentage of the popular vote by +4.55 per cent.

Harris honeymoon period?

Seventy-six years later, opinion polls and the American media have gone into a similar overdrive around two months before the presidential election.

Though no opinion poll has shown a massive difference between vice-president (V-P) Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, her current lead in the seven battleground states, especially Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, and nationally has fired up the once-dejected Democrats.

Surveys by topline polling companies and media houses in August show Harris leading Trump by 3-5 per cent.

A Morning Consult poll of registered voters shows Harris leading Trump by 48 to 44 per cent. An Ipsos/ABC News/The Washington Post poll shows her leading by 49 to 45 per cent. A CBS News/YouGov poll Harris leading Trump by 51 to 48 per cent. She leads him by 50 to 46 per cent in an Emerson College poll.

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A RealClearPolitics polling average of 12 polls found Harris leading Trump by 48.2 to 46.7 per cent. FiveThirtyEights weighted average shows Harris ahead by 46.6 to 43.8 per cent.

The Trump campaign has dubbed the Harris buoyancy as her honeymoon period. In a confidential memorandum dated July 23, Republican pollster and strategist Tony wrote: . The Democrats and the MSM [mainstream media] will try and tout these polls as proof that the race has changed.

Even David Axelrod, Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Barack Obama, also feels that theres a lot of irrational exuberance on the Democratic side. This is going to be a hard fight for either side, he told CNN in early August.

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The most serious warning came from Future Forward, a super political action committee that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to back Harris. Our numbers are much less rosy than what youre seeing in the public, said Chauncey McLean at an event hosted by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics on August 19. We have it tight as a tick.

Opinion polls are inaccurate at times

Gallup polling was always accurate in predicting the outcome of presidential elections and the winners margin of victory except in 1948 (Truman vs Dewey), 1976 and 2004 and the popular vote in 2000.

In 1976, opinion polls showed Democrat challenger Jimmy Carter leading in the 51-54 per cent range to incumbent Gerald Fords 32-40 per cent in August-September. By October, his lead had reduced to one per cent.

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Carter won 50.08 per cent of the popular vote and Ford 48.01 per cent. The difference between the actual result and the final poll for Carter was +2.08 per cent.

The 2000 election was the only presidential election since the Truman upset in which the final pre-election polls incorrectly predicted the winner of the popular vote.

Opinion polls showed Republican George W Bush leading incumbent V-P Al Gore in the 40-56 per cent range in August, September and October. In November, Bush was still leading but by 2-4 per cent.

However, Gore won 48.38 per cent of the popular vote and Bush 47.87 per cent. The difference between the actual result and final poll was +2.38 for Gore.

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In 2004, Bush led his Democratic rival John Kerry in the 48-52 per cent range in August, September and October. But by October-end, they were tied at 49 per cent.

Bush won 50.73 per cent of the popular vote and Kerry 48.26 percent. The difference between the actual result and final poll for Bush was +1.73 per cent.

2016 election opinion polls

In 2016, all opinion polls, excluding the UPI/CVoter poll and the University of Southern California (USC)/Los Angeles Times, correctly predicted Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote but overestimated her lead size. Around 88 per cent of national polls overstated her support among voters.

On Election Day, BBC showed Clinton leading Trump by 48.0 to 44.0 percent, HuffPost Pollster 47.3 to 42.0 per cent, The New York Times 45.9 to 42.8 per cent, RealClearPolitics 46.8 to 43.6 per cent and TPM Polltracker 48.8 to 43.9 per cent. However, the results showed Clinton beating Trump by 48.2 to 46.1 per cent.

Why the opinion polls were wrong?

First, most polls, especially in the states, werent weighted by education. According to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), weighting is an attempt to ensure that the sample more accurately reflects the characteristics of the population from which it was drawn and to which an inference will be made.

Pollsters didnt properly account for white, non-college-educated voters. A conducted by Pew Research Center found that 64 per cent of white non-college voters44 per cent of the electoratevoted for Trump compared to only 28 per cent for Clinton.

An AAPOR report evaluating the 2016 polls found that several polls, especially at the state level, didnt adjust their weights to correct for the overrepresentation of college graduates in their surveys, and the result was overestimation of support for Clinton. Less-educated people are more unlikely to participate in surveys.

Besides, the frustration and anti-institutional feelings that drove the Trump campaign may also have aligned with an unwillingness to respond to polls. The result would be a strongly pro-Trump segment of the population that simply did not show up in the polls in proportion to their actual share of the population, the Pew survey stated.

Second, Trumps shy voters lied to pollsters thinking that admitting their support would be socially undesirable.

According to Robert C Cahaly, who founded the Atlanta-based Trafalgar Group, the only opinion polling company that correctly predicted Trumps victory, his supporters were called Deplorables and other unflattering names.

Most voting companies missed the shy Trump voter phenomenon in 2016, which resulted in a major loss in public confidence for polling flowing the election, he tweeted in September 2022.

In 2016 Trump supporters were called Deplorables and other unflattering names. This was a major contributor to the shy Trump voter phenomenon that most polling missed which resulted in a major loss in public confidence for polling flowing the election.  Robert C. Cahaly (@RobertCahaly) September 17, 2022

The phenomenon is somewhat similar to Bradley effect. Los Angeles African-American Democrat mayor Tom Bradley lost the California gubernatorial election to Republican George Deukmejian in 1982 despite polls showing him ahead. White voters lied to pollsters that they were going to vote for Bradley to avoid racial bias criticism.

Though Cahalys prediction about the shy voter phenomenon repeating itself in the 2020 election was wrong.

Third, polling companies developed models based on assumptions about who will vote. However, 4 in 10 Americans eligible to vote didnt turn out. Tens of millions of registered voters didnt vote with the share of who didnt like both Clinton and Trump or their campaign issues reaching a new high of 25 per cent, according to a .

Fourth, its tough to predict the way undecided voters will vote. According to FiveThirtyEight, 2016 had the fourth highest percentage of undecided voters (18.5) 100 days before Election Day and the third highest (12.5) on November 8 since the 1972 presidential election.

Undecided voters overwhelmingly voted for Trump, per exit polls54 per cent voted for Trump and 37 per cent for Clinton in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin 59 to 30 per cent, Michigan 50 to 39 per cent and Florida 55 to 38 percent, giving him 75 electoral votes. Even in 1980, this vote bank contributed to Ronald Reagans victory.

2020 election opinion polls

In 2020, 529 national presidential polls were conducted, including 66 by 38 pollsters between October 21 and November 3. Ninety-three per cent of national polls overstated Bidens support among voters, the largest polling error in more than 40 years, when support for Carter was overestimated by 6 per cent.

Among polls conducted in the last two weeks before the election, the average signed error on the vote margin was too favourable for Biden by 3.9 per cent in the national polls and 4.3 per cent in statewide presidential polls, according to an AAPOR report evaluating the 2020 polls.

Several reasons could have contributed to the polling error.

First, an unexpectedly large number of voters, including non-regular voters, cast ballots66 per cent of eligible voters voted, the highest rate for any national election since 1900. Nationwide, 22 million more certified votes were cast compared to 2016. Therefore, contrary to the expectations of pollsters, Trump added 10.1 million voters, including white blue-collar voters, undetected by opinion polls.

Second, Trump supporters were reluctant to participate in polling after he dubbed them fake. In June 2019, he tweeted: Only Fake Polls show us behind the Motley Crew. We are looking really good, but it is far too early to be focused on that. Much work to do! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Only Fake Polls show us behind the Motley Crew. We are looking really good, but it is far too early to be focused on that. Much work to do! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2019

Therefore, the final number of pro-Trump voters was more than the polls indicated. The greatest errors occurred where his support was largest, according to AAPOR.

Third, incorrect assumptions about who would vote could have caused errors. Pollsters routinely adjust their samples to account for those excluded from the sample, those unwilling to respond and likely voters, but these adjustments may have predicted an electorate that did not materialise, AAPOR stated. Perhaps, pollsters postulated an electorate that was too Democratic because of assumptions about age, race or even partisanship of the electorate.

Fourth, education weighting, unlike in 2016, didnt help either. Biden fared far better than Clinton among non-college white voters, state and national polls found. However, final national polls showed Trump leading by 58 to 37 per cent among non-college white voters.

Margin of error

The margin of error in a poll shows the range within which its figures would fluctuate if the poll was carried out repeatedly.

Josh Clinton, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee), who chaired the AAPOR special task force on evaluating the 2020 polls, said, People sometimes think that just because there is a number attached [margin of error] that it must be precise.

According to him, readers should double the margin of error, and if the difference between the two nominees is within the doubled margin of error, it is hard to conclude who is ahead.

An August 2020 Pew report also stated that the real margin of error is often double the one reported. The margin of error addresses only the fact that random samples are likely to differ a little from the population just by chance.

Nonresponse, coverage error and mismeasurementare the three other equally important sources of error not included in the margin of error. Several recent studies show that the average error in a poll estimate may be closer to 6 percentage points, not 3 implied by a typical margin of error. Therefore, this hidden error shows that opinion polling is not precise enough to call the winner in a close election.

A study conducted by Stanford University, Columbia University and Microsoft Research and examined by The New York Times in October 2016 found a margin of error ranging between 12 and 14 points in 4,221 late-campaign polls done for 608 state-level presidential, Senate and governors races between 1998 and 2014.

Tight 2024 race, media cherry-picking

In a closely divided electorate and a tight Harris-Trump contest, only a highly precise polling can predict results. It is too early to conclude anything if Harris is leading in some recent polls and Trump in others with around two months left to Election Day. Harris can win or lose; the same applies to Trump.

Harris leads Trump by 50 to 43 per cent nationally in the latest Fairleigh Dickinson University survey. She also leads him among independents 38 to 33 per cent.

According to famous American statistician and poker player Nate Silver, who predicted the results in 49 of the 50 states in the 2008 presidential election and was highly accurate in the 2012 and the 2020 White House races, Harris will continue to rise in the polls after the DNC. Thats what we call a convention bump or a convention bounce, the FiveThirtyEight founder added.

On the other hand, a new national head-to-head poll by the conservative-leaning Rasmussen Reports, which was among the closest firms to correctly predict the 2016 election result, found Trump leading Harris by 49 to 46 per cent.

A polling in swing states conducted by Navigator Research found Harris not leading in a single battleground state. She was tied with Trump in Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin and behind in Arizona and Pennsylvania. The race is tied at 45 per cent in the battleground states when third-party candidates are included.

In RealClearPolitics battleground state estimate, Trump wins every major battleground state except Wisconsin, securing 287 Electoral College votes to Harriss 251.

A few voters can change or affect the margin between candidatesand thats what the media fails to grasp.

A March 2021 Pew report considered a hypothetical poll of 1,000 adults. One version showed Biden prevailing over Trump by 12 per cent, the largest lead seen in a national poll released by The Washington Post and ABC News two weeks before Election Day. The other Pew version showed the actual 2020 election results nationally with Biden having an advantage of 4.4 per cent.

According to Pew, only 38 of the 1,000 adults were needed to vote for Trump to change Bidens margin from 12 to 4.4 points.

In 2016, the media relied too much on opinion polls with news reports feeding the sense that Clinton would win the election. Major media outlets failed to understand probabilities in the polling data.

In a March 2017 interview with The Harvard Gazette, Silver, then-editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight.com, said, that the mainstream media perpetuating the narrative that the polls got it wrong is pretty irresponsible.

Silver doesnt blame the 2016 opinion polls. If you go back and read The Times [NYT], they say point-blank, basically time and time again, This is a sure thing for Hillary Clinton. They dont attach a percentage to it, but thats extremely clear from their reporting. And then, the day after the election, they blame the polls and their data site. Thats pretty irresponsible, Silver said.

In the 11th and final article in the series The Real Story of 2016, which reviews news coverage of the 2016 election, Silver wrote on September 21, 2017: In recent elections, the media has often overestimated the precision of polling, cherry-picked data and portrayed elections as sure things when that conclusion very much wasnt supported by polls or other empirical evidence.

For example, an August 1-20 Gallup poll found that Harriss favourability rating increased from 37 per cent in June to 47 per cent in August. Trumps favourability was rating down from 46 to 41 in the same period.

Gallup also mentioned the percentage of Americans who dont favour Harris (49), Trump (55) and his running mate JD Vance (48).

However, most media reports carried only Harriss favourability rating. An average of 178 polls published by The Hill on August 24 showed that 50.8 per cent of Americans favour her and 45.0 per cent dont. FiveThirtyEights average of 11 polls published on August 23 showed that 47.1 per cent of Americans dont favour her and 45.2 per cent favour.

As Silver wrote: As Ive documented throughout this series, polls and other data did not support the exceptionally high degree of confidence that news organisations such as The New York Times regularly expressed about Hillary Clintons chances. So, if the polls called for caution rather than confidence, why was the media so sure that Clinton would win?

Highlighting the media bias, Silver wrote: Journalists just didnt believe that someone like Trump could become president  So, they cherry-picked their way through the data to support their belief, ignoring evidencesuch as Clintons poor standing in the Midwestthat didnt fit the narrative.

Moreover, the medias relatively poor grasp of probability and statistics also played a part: It led them to misinterpret polls and polling-based forecasts that could have served as a reality check against their overconfidence in Clinton.

Actually, both pollsters and the media should share the blame when results contradict polls.

For instance, the Truman-Dewey contest was very close but pollsters were too confident of the accuracy of their methods. They assumed that voting intentions would not shift in the last two weeks of the campaign. One in seven voters decided in the last two weeks and three out of four voted for Truman.

The media also failed to analyse and interpret a Gallup poll before Election Day showing Deweys lead tanking from 17 per cent in late September to 9 per cent in October and to a mere 5 per cent at month-end.

Political columnists in major magazines and newspapers wrote articles proclaiming Deweys victory in advance. The Life magazine published a large photo in its final edition before the election titled Our Next President Rides by Ferryboat over San Francisco Bay showing Dewey and his staff riding across the citys harbour. More than 500 newspapers endorsed Dewey compared to Trumans 182.

Of course, the Tribune scripted the most embarrassing chapter in its history.

The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The US Congress-funded National Endowment for Democracys role as an indirect extension of CIA activities promoting American interests abroad under the guise of democracy-building mirrors Cold War tactics of the past read more

Firefighters douse a fire engulfing a shopping center which was set on fire by protesters during a rally against Sheikh Hasina and her government, Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 4, 2024. File Photo- AP

The toppling of an elected government through violent street protests in Bangladesh evokes memories of Ukraines Maidan Square revolution in 2014 that removed President Viktor Yanukovych, who had been elected as head of state by the people of the country. That incident eventually led to a bloody armed conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, triggering deep global turmoil.

The common thread between these two eventsin Bangladesh and Ukraineis the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). NEDa US Congress-funded body with a larger ecosystem of foundations, NGOs, and human rights groupsapparently spearheaded efforts to thread a network of players and forces that would accomplish regime change in Bangladesh. The regime change in Bangladesh represents a mutation of Colour Revolutions that have affected other regions, including Caucasia, West Asia, and North Africa, during the so-called Arab Spring of 2011.

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Sandwiched between India and Southeast Asia, Bangladesh serves as a critical observation post to monitor China and India, which has resisted US pressure to dilute its strategic autonomy, causing the US Ambassador to India to express frustration with New Delhi publicly.

India supports a multipolar world order, an ideological stance that does not align with Washingtons refusal to accept it is no longer the sole superpower driving the global agenda. New Delhis friendly ties with Moscow and its insistence on distancing itself from the hostility towards Russia exhibited by the collective West have become major friction points between India and the US.

Recently, New Delhi called for Washingtons exit from its Indian Ocean military base in Diego Garcia, arguing that the broader Chagos archipelago, of which Diego Garcia is a part, belongs to Mauritius. Moreover, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, visited Chennai amid elections, raising concerns in New Delhis decision-making circles. Many viewed the US State Departments readout on Lus visit in May 2024, which claimed he was visiting the consular personnel at the Chennai mission to bolster bilateral engagement in southern India, as obnoxious advocacy for sub-nationalism.

Lu and the outgoing US ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Hass, have been mentioned in cyberspace as key architects of regime change in Dhaka. Indian observers note that Lu played a significant role in toppling former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who blamed Lu for instigating a foreign conspiracy against his government following his visit to Moscow the same year (2022).

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Donald Lu is a hated figure in India due to his interference in Indian democracy. Last year, he entertained Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi at the White House, Anant Bhagwat, Founder-President of the Global Strategic Policy Foundation Pune (GSPFP), a national security and foreign policy think tank, told Sputnik India. This added another layer of discomfort, which had already been rising, when New Delhi accused Washington of interfering in its general elections, bringing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a third term for the next five years.

Through its funding of the Journal of Democracy, NED has been instrumental in shaping international narratives about the state of democracy in India. This scrutiny has intensified over the years, raising concerns about the motivations behind such criticisms and their potential impact on Indias democratic fabric.

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In July 2023, the Journal of Democracya prominent publication funded by NEDpublished a series of articles critically examining Indias democratic trajectory under Prime Minister Modi. The articles accused Modis government of systematically dismantling democratic institutions and norms, suggesting that Indias democracy was declining. These pieces sparked a global debate about the health of Indian democracy, with some viewing the criticism as a necessary check on government power. In contrast, others saw it as a biased narrative driven by external interests.

By April 2024, the same Journal of Democracy escalated its rhetoric, publishing an article that argued the future of India as a pluralistic, secular democracy was at risk if Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a third consecutive term in the upcoming elections. The article painted a dire picture of Indias political landscape, raising alarms about the erosion of democratic values under Modis rule.

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Indias relationship with NED has been complicated, particularly given the organisations history of funding NGOs that are critical of the Indian government. In 2016, the Indian government placed NED on a watch list, citing violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which regulates foreign donations to Indian entities. NEDs funding of certain NGOs was found to be contravening these regulations. This move was necessary to protect the countrys sovereignty and prevent external interference in its domestic affairs.

The decision to scrutinise NEDs activities in India highlighted broader concerns about foreign influence on civil society and political discourse. The Indian governments actions aimed to ensure that external entities like NED do not unduly influence the countrys democratic processes or undermine its institutions.

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In light of these revelations, the Modi administration must be particularly cautious. The influence of NED in India is not to be underestimated. As a tool of American soft power, NED works to subtly influence political processes, shape public discourse, and, if necessary, destabilise governments that resist US hegemony. Therefore, the Modi government must be vigilant in identifying and neutralising NED assets operating within India.

NEDs historical role as an indirect extension of CIA activities, promoting US interests abroad under the guise of democracy-building, mirrors Cold War tactics when US intelligence agencies conducted similar operations. NED, its affiliated donor organisations, and their grant recipients have perfected the art of obscuring financial trails through a complex network of intermediaries, including regional NGOs, independent foundations, and philanthropic institutions.

This web of funding channels allows money to be routed in ways that hide its origins. When funds reach their final destination, any direct link to Washington or its geopolitical agenda is purposefully blurred, if not entirely severed from public perception.

This strategy is designed to deflect scrutiny and avoid accusations of foreign interference. Even when NED or another Western funder supports a project, the money is often funnelled into satellite initiatives operating under different names. This structure provides plausible deniability to both the recipients and the original funders, making it difficult for investigative journalists or critics to connect the dots to entities like the US government definitively.

However, the truth is hard to hide for long. Truth has an uncanny ability to leak itself out, particularly when it is suppressed. The appearance of NEDs pursuit of democracy and freedom is contradicted by the fact that it incites division and supports violence and false narratives. As more countries like India restrict NED, the hidden side of NED gradually comes to light.

China recently published a report on NED, listing its record of supporting separatist and violent activities in various countries and backing separatist forces such as the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and Hong Kong independent organisations to confront China.

In the United States, the two parties and the public have differing attitudes towards NED. The once right-wing NGO has gradually moved closer to the left, causing dissatisfaction among Republicans. Especially after Joe Biden came to power, he increased NEDs funding budget and excluded conservatives in the appointment of personnel.

In this regard, the Republican Party has criticised NED for its wokeness, accusing it of being a pawn of the military-industrial complex controlled by the deep state of the United States, wasting taxpayer money, and deviating from NEDs principles of democracy and freedom. Former President Donald Trump slashed the NED budget in 2019, and if re-elected in 2024, he may again cut Congress funding for NED. The US elections in November this year will determine the future of NED.

Selena Green is a feminist advocate and human rights activist with eight years of experience as a coordinator of various human rights organisations. Mahesh Ranjan Debata teaches at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost views.
The visit reinforced Indias stature on the global platform, showing its willingness to talk to both sides in the conflict while being strong enough to have its own understanding of issues and voice them with maturity read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Ukraine on August 23 was his 80th overseas visit and amongst his shortest, as he was there just for nine hours. He arrived in Kyiv by train from Poland and was accompanied by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikrim Misri.

The first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in modern Ukrainian history came at a volatile juncture at a time when Russia is making gains in Eastern Ukraine while the Ukrainian Army has carried out an incursion in Kursk, which marks the first time since World War II when a foreign army has entered Russia. Incidentally, he is the first international leader to visit Ukraine since the Kursk incursion.

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Before arriving in Ukraine, Modi visited Poland, where he urged diplomatic efforts to end the war and pledged Indias support, stating that no conflict can be solved on the battlefield.

The Optics

There were many who said that the visit has been forced upon the Prime Minister as it is perceived that India remains close to Russia, particularly after last months visit by the PM to Russia, where he was seen embracing President Vladimir Putin while on the same day a Russian missile hit a childrens hospital. Six weeks ago, President Zelensky had called that meeting a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.

There were other analysts who said that the visit was due to the fact that India was wanting to play the role of a peacemaker in ending the conflict. Before the visit, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, told Reuters it was significant because New Delhi really has a certain influence over Moscow. Its extremely important for us to effectively build relations with such countries, to explain to them what the correct end to the war isand that it is also in their interests," he said.

However, on August 23, it was President Zelensky who was now embraced by the Prime Minister, though he seemed uncomfortable as he had the sun shining in his eyes.

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The Prime Minister also issued renewed condolences over the missile strike on X in a post written in Ukrainian. Conflict is particularly devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of children who lost their lives, and I pray that they find the strength to endure their grief, the post said.

It was surely no coincidence that the first place Prime Minister Modi went to was Ukraines history museum, where he was invited to watch an exhibition remembering the 570 Ukrainian children reported to have been killed since February 2022.

Both leaders crouched down to place soft toys at a makeshift shrine, and the Prime Minister said his heart was filled with grief at the young people martyred in the war. At one point, he even put his arm around the Ukrainian Presidents shoulders.

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Indias Ties with Ukraine

Before the war in Ukraine, there were Indian students enrolled in Ukrainian universities. Following the Russian invasion, India, Ukraine, and Poland worked together to evacuate most of them during Operation Ganga.

The Prime Minister no doubt expressed his gratitude towards both the Polish and Ukrainian governments for their help in evacuating the students.

Defence and economic cooperation in agriculture goods such as sunflower oil and fertilisers are areas of convergence. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has reshaped not only global geopolitics but also posed challenges to Indias defence capabilities. The visit therefore presents an opportunity to explore strategic partnerships with Ukraine, particularly in the realm of defence manufacturing, which will benefit both countries.

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India needs marine engines for its warships and to upgrade its large air transport fleet. Ukraine knows that cooperation with India will bring in much-needed money for its defence companies, which have been severely impacted by the war with Russia.

The Indian Air Forces (IAF) large fleet of AN-32 aircraft, which was slated for an upgrade under a 2009 contract, has been particularly impacted. The contract involved upgrading 40 aircraft in Ukraine and another 65 in India under Ukrainian supervision. But the factories of key Ukrainian defence companies Antonov Serial Production Plant in Kyiv and the Zorya-Mashproekt complex in Mykolaiv have been bombed by Russia.

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The supply chain has also been disrupted. It is also reported that due to this, the last five of the 40 aircraft that were to be upgraded in Ukraine are reportedly stuck in Kyiv, and the local upgrade in India was stalled due to the departure of Ukrainian engineers and the shortage of spare parts.

The Zorya-Mashproekt complex in Mykolaiv, vital for the production of turbines used by navies worldwide, has had its operational capabilities severely crippled. The impact is significant for India, which relies on these turbines for its warships.

Given these disruptions, the Prime Ministers visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues of cooperation with Ukraine. One potential area of collaboration is the establishment of joint ventures in India, where Ukrainian technicians can work alongside Indian counterparts to set up manufacturing units. Bharat Forges recent acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in Zoryas India arm with an objective to create indigenous capabilities for design, manufacturing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul, including spare support for all types of gas turbines, could be the direction.

Peace Negotiations

India had sent a representative to the peace summit in Switzerland in June, to which Russia was not invited. But India did not join the nations that signed a communique at the end of the summit supporting three points of the Ukrainian plan, as India feels that negotiations need to involve both warring parties.

However, the resolution of the conflict is important for India, as continued isolation of Russia could push Russia into a tighter embrace with China. India has deep ties with Russia and has engagements at all levels, including defence, space, and nuclear energy. India has also been an importer of Russian crude oil.

Ukraines plan had ten points for negotiation, including payment of reparations for war damage and prosecutions of war crimes. But they were forced to scale back its framework to three points because most attendees would not sign on to a broader framework.

Ukraine needs support for its negotiating plan from the Global South and has pointed at the wars risks to grain exports from the Black Sea to prevent a spike in global food prices. Ukraine has also argued that any settlement shifting borders would set a precedent endangering stability in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Ukraines interests lie in winning diplomatic backing for its negotiating positions from as broad an international coalition as possible, as Ukrainian officials are preparing to organise a second Peace Summit this year, the reported venue under discussion being Saudi Arabia.

The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, told a news conference in Kyiv that the two leaders had a very back and forth discussion. India, he said, had conveyed an offer to assist in talks. We are willing to do whatever we can, he said, because we do think that the continuation of this conflict is terrible, obviously for Ukraine itself but for the world as well.

Ukraines Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, had said in an interview a day before the visit that Russias main narrative is this is a war of the West against the rest. Everything that has been happening over the course of the past months defies this argument. This is a strategic line that we have pursued from the very beginning.

As per Harsh V Pant, the visit has created a chance to talk about, in some ways, the impact this conflict has had on poorer nations.

The Substance

The Prime Minister visited the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Kyiv, underscoring the focus on peace, and said that India had never been neutral in the war. Right from the first day, our side was peace.

During the visit, the Prime Minister assured Ukraine that India is ready to play an active role in any efforts towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that; I want to assure you as a friend," he said. The road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy. And we should move in that direction without wasting any time. Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis.

PM Modi also pledged that India would provide humanitarian support for Ukraines conflict with Russia. India will always stand with you and will go above and beyond to support you, he said.

Both leaders also discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation and addressed not only the ongoing conflict but also explored ways to deepen industrial and defence ties. The issue of Indias energy trade with Russia was also discussed, and as per the External Affairs Minister, India explained, the energy market scenario, the fact that today many energy producers are sanctioned, making the market potentially very tight, and why it is in the interest of the international economy as a whole that oil prices remain reasonable and stable."

Prime Minister Modi also invited President Zelensky to visit India, and the Ukrainian leader said he would be happy to travel to India. This is a sign of a commitment to dialogue.

In a joint statement, the two leaders indicated they had raised their views on various topics with each other. President Zelensky had broached the issue of Indias purchases of Russian oil, which helps fund Moscows war effort, but reached no immediate agreements. PM Modi expressed support for a move towards conflict-settlement talks that involve Russia.

The Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, the statement said. It noted that Prime Minister Modi reiterated the need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Modis visit is the highest-profile wartime visit of a leader of a nation with a neutral stance on the conflict. Hence, it can be viewed as a positive sign for advancing negotiations.

Despite pressure from the West, India has refrained from condemning Russias invasion or voting against it in UN resolutions. It has avoided taking sides and urged Ukraine and Russia to resolve the conflict through dialogue.

As per Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, While Russia is a long-term traditional ally of India, Ukraine also has had very friendly relations with India. It is therefore a difficult task to balance this, especially since Ukraine has received strong support from the West, with which India also has good relations.

Speaking in the evening after the Prime Ministers visit during his regular address to the nation, President Zelensky said it is important to us that India remains committed to international law and supports our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Today, history was made, as per his post on X.

The White House also welcomed the visit, and John F Kirby, a National Security spokesman, said, If that can be helpful to getting us to an end to the conflict that comports with President Zelenskys vision for a just peace, well then, we think that would be helpful.

The visit no doubt reinforced Indias stature on the global platform and shows it is willing to talk to both sides in the conflict and is strong enough to have its own understanding of issues and voice them with maturity.

PM Modis visit clearly demonstrates Indias strategic autonomy, and it countered the perception regarding Indias relationship with Russia while revealing the balance in its foreign policy. There is no doubt that common interests will continue to guide international relations.

The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Wickremasinghe seeks coalition support, Rajapaksas favour clan, and Premadasa looks for a chance, but unless more alliances are formed, the chance of any of the candidates getting a majority in the first round is unlikely read more

Two years after Sri Lanka went through a serious political churn, as witnessed in Bangladesh now, it is readying for a presidential election on September 21, despite the protests in 2022 and the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Sri Lankan democratic system stood the test of time and continued after inducting Ranil Wickremasinghe of the minority UNP as the prime minister and then as president to serve out the rest of Gotabayas term.

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The elections are being held on schedule, which is indeed creditable and looked unlikely during the 2022 public protests. There are now 27 candidates who have registered for the presidential election. Most are independents, including the incumbent Ranil and the former army chief Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

Several parties, mostly in a state of flux, have fielded candidates. The main party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of the Rajapaksas, which backed Ranil as president, has finally decided to field Namal Rajapaksa, the son of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa is also a candidate. Candidates from the Nava Sama Samaj party, the Sri Lanka Labour Party, and the Ruhnu Janata Party are in the fray, as is the monk Ven Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, for the radical Janasetha Peramuna. Anura Kumara Dissanayake represents the National Peoples Power, the political party of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

The other candidates are either independent or representing small parties.

The main flux is around who the main candidates and parties will represent. Ranils own party, the UNP, is a rump and lacks organisational strength at the grassroots to run an election. Most of his cabinet is from the SLPP and from other parties too. Recently, 92 of the 225 MPs seem to have responded to his call. SLPP contests this.

Ranil is looking for parties to back him, declared himself an independent candidate, and sought formal SLPP support. Within the SLPP, there is cleavage. Ranil has functioned as president largely because of SLPP support. Some SLPP leaders said at a recent Politburo meeting that having backed Ranil to save the situation, it did not make sense now to oppose his candidature, and SLPP should support Ranil. Others insist SLPP should have its own candidate running under the Lotus Bud symbol.

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Some believe that Ranil should be offered the candidature, but most in the SLPP Politbureau nudged Mahinda Rajapaksa into seeking a separate candidate from the SLPP, and the offer went out to Dhammika Perera, a businessman and casino owner. However, shortly before the nominations, according to reports, Pereras family suffered illness and believed that the feng shui of his actions was wrong and withdrew from the contest. He was probably apprehensive about scrutiny of his business dealings if he contested. The SLPP seeking its own candidate now was in a jam and thus drafted in Namal Rajapaksa as a youthful candidate, in preference to their leaders like Dinesh Gunawardene and others.

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The problem with the SLPP is that it has large numbers of members and MPs, but not all of them are aligned to its outlook anymore. There are many who back Ranil, others who, technically members of the SLPP, are following an independent line in parliament, in the cabinet, and in the political dynamics. Therefore, the SLPP is not as comprehensively strong a party in reality as it is on paper, including former leaders like Professor G L Peiris and Dullas Allahapperuma.

Sajith Premadasa is another important candidate. He leads the SJB, which is those who moved out of the UNP to challenge Ranil and let Sajith strike out on his own. The SJB since 2020 is the largest opposition in Parliament and is now forming an alliance with groups who will back Sajiths candidacy.

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Agreement is reached with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the Democratic Peoples Front, and smaller groups like GL Periss Arjuna Ranatunga and Dullas Alahapperumas factions, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction of Dayasiri Jayasekara, General Mahesh Senanayake, and the Government Midwives Association, besides others. Sajith claims that former President Maithripala Sirisena, who is still within the SLFP, also backs him.

There are some Tamil groups, particularly from the upcountry, where the Indian Tamils have a sizable population, who could back the SJB. Tamils from the East are considering a common Tamilian candidate. Pakiyaselvam Ariyanethran, a former MP, is touted as such, but without open backing, they would see who to align with in their best interests.

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Another candidate is from the JVP-backed NPP, which is fielding Anura Kumar Dissanayake. JVP channelled discontent of the electorate in several districts and was among the main backers of the Aragalaya, or peoples struggle, which overthrew the Rajapaksa presidency in 2022. They have three MPs.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, the hero of the Civil War, is contesting as an independent. He is probably waiting for some group or party to back him. There are reports in Sri Lanka that before Ranil was drafted in as the interim president, Gotabaya had almost drafted Fonseka for that role. Then the Rajapaksa brothers concluded that it was better to have a political person in the role than an independent military man.

In hindsight, that seems to have been a good decision, because Ranil not only protected Sri Lanka, he also protected the political class, which was under severe attack. The wisdom of going behind Ranil and drafting him as a common candidate saved Sri Lankas democracy. Now, two years down the line, the Sri Lankan democracy comes back on the rails with the presidential elections, and it remains to be seen how deep this is and how the elections will play out.

Unless more coalitions are formed, the chances of any of these candidates getting a majority in the first round themselves are unlikely.

The author is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Although Chinese car brands are not yet widely seen in Canada, some, like BYD, are beginning to enter the market. Chinas dominance in the global EV market, as the worlds largest producer, means that these tariffs could have broader implications for the industry read more

The main concern is that Chinas government subsidies are giving its EV industry an advantage in the global market, making it difficult for other countries to compete on a level playing field. Image Credit: Reuters, Reuters

Canadians considering the purchase of a Chinese-made electric vehicle (EV) may need to make a decision soon. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that starting October 1, 2024, Canada will impose a 100 per cent tariff on EVs built in China.

This move comes after similar actions were taken earlier this year by the United States, which also applied a 100 per cent tariff, and the European Union, which introduced duties of up to 36.3 per cent on Chinese-made EVs.

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In addition to the EV tariff, Canada is planning to impose a 25 per cent duty on Chinese steel and aluminium, set to take effect on October 15. These measures are part of a broader strategy by Canada and its Western allies to counter what they view as unfair trade practices by China.

The main concern is that Chinas government subsidies are giving its EV industry an advantage in the global market, making it difficult for other countries to compete on a level playing field.

Prime Minister Trudeau emphasized that Canada is working to transform its automotive sector into a global leader in the production of next-generation vehicles. However, he noted that Chinas approach, which includes substantial government support for its EV industry, undermines fair competition. The tariffs are intended to protect and promote Canadas emerging role in the global EV industry.

China has responded by criticising the tariffs, describing them as trade protectionism and arguing that they violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

According to a statement from the Chinese embassy in Canada, the rapid growth of Chinas EV industry is due to technological innovation, efficient supply chains, and market competition, rather than government subsidies. China is Canadas second-largest trading partner, and the tariffs could strain the economic relationship between the two nations.

Tesla, which manufactures some of its vehicles in Shanghai, will be particularly affected by these new tariffs. The company is expected to lobby the Canadian government for exemptions, as it has done in Europe. If unsuccessful, Tesla may shift its Canadian imports to its factories in the United States or Europe. Canada is Teslas sixth-largest market, making it a significant concern for the company.

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Although Chinese car brands are not yet widely seen in Canada, some, like BYD, are beginning to enter the market. Chinas dominance in the global EV market, as the worlds largest producer, means that these tariffs could have broader implications for the industry.

At the same time, Canada is pursuing partnerships with major European automakers, securing deals worth billions of dollars. These efforts are part of Canadas strategy to position itself as a key player in the global EV industry, reducing its reliance on imports from countries like China. The upcoming tariffs signal a shift in Canadas approach to trade and industrial policy, aiming to strengthen its domestic automotive sector in the face of growing international competition.
Apples CEO, Tim Cook, has expressed full confidence in Parekhs ability to lead the companys financial strategy moving forward. Current CFO Luca Maestri, has also voiced his confidence in Parekhs capabilities read more

Parekh, who currently serves as the companys Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, will succeed Luca Maestri, and take over as CFO from Jan 1, 2025. Image Credit: File

Apple has announced a significant leadership change with the appointment of Kevan Parekh as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective January 1, 2025. Parekh, who currently serves as the companys Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, will succeed Luca Maestri, who has held the CFO position since 2014.

This transition marks a planned succession as Maestri shifts to oversee Corporate Services, including information systems and technology, information security, and real estate and development, continuing to report directly to CEO Tim Cook.

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Kevan Parekh at Apple

Parekhs elevation to the CFO role is the culmination of an 11-year tenure at Apple, where he has established himself as a critical member of the finance leadership team. His responsibilities have included leading Financial Planning and Analysis, G&A and Benefits Finance, Investor Relations, and Market Research.

Before his current role, Parekh headed finance for Apples Worldwide Sales, Retail, and Marketing, underscoring his deep understanding of the companys diverse business operations.

Before joining Apple, Parekh held several senior leadership positions at Thomson Reuters and General Motors. At Thomson Reuters, he served as Vice President of Finance and eventually became the Corporate Treasurer, shaping his strategic financial acumen.

His experience at General Motors included roles such as Director of Business Development in New York and Regional Treasurer in Zurich, where he honed his expertise in business development and financial management on an international scale.

Parekhs strong educational background has also played a crucial role in his rise within Apple. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago, one of the worlds top business schools.

This combination of technical and business education has equipped Parekh with a unique perspective that aligns with Apples innovative and forward-thinking approach.

Tim Cooks vote of confidence

Apples CEO, Tim Cook, has expressed full confidence in Parekhs ability to lead the companys financial strategy moving forward. Parekh has been described as an individual with a deep understanding of Apples operations, possessing the sharp intellect, wise judgment, and financial expertise necessary for the CFO role.

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Cooks endorsement signals the companys trust in Parekh to continue the financial stewardship that has been a hallmark of Apples success.

As Maestri transitions to his new role within the company, he has also voiced his confidence in Parekhs capabilities. This seamless leadership transition reflects Apples commitment to maintaining continuity and stability at the executive level while ensuring that its financial leadership remains in capable hands.

Parekhs appointment as CFO is seen as a significant step in Apples ongoing evolution, highlighting the companys dedication to fostering leadership from within and positioning itself for continued growth and innovation in the years ahead.
The Its Glowtime event is expected to showcase Apples latest innovations, with the spotlight on the new iPhone 16 series and AI. Like previous September keynotes, the event is anticipated to be packed with other announcements, including the new Apple Watch and AirPods read more

The invitation itself offers a few hints about what might be unveiled. Featuring a redesigned Apple logo with a Siri twist and a vibrant colour palette of blue, purple, orange, and pink, the design suggests that Apple might be introducing new colours for its devices or enhancements to display technology. Image credit: Apple

Apple has officially confirmed its much-anticipated September event, scheduled for September 9, 2024. The event, titled Its Glowtime, will kick off at 10:00 AM PT (10:30 PM IST) at Apple Park in Cupertino.

Invitations were sent out on Monday, and while not everyone can attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on Apples website and YouTube channel, ensuring that fans and tech enthusiasts worldwide can tune in.

The Its Glowtime event is expected to be a showcase for Apples latest innovations, with the spotlight on the new iPhone 16 series. As with previous September keynotes, the event is anticipated to be packed with product announcements, including updates to Apple Watches and AirPods.

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However, this years event is generating even more excitement due to expected advancements in Apples AI capabilities, which the company refers to as Apple Intelligence.

The invitation itself offers a few hints about what might be unveiled. Featuring a redesigned Apple logo with a Siri twist and a vibrant colour palette of blue, purple, orange, and pink, the design suggests that Apple might be introducing new colours for its devices or enhancements to display technology, such as brighter screens or improved low-light camera performance.

The tagline Its Glowtime also hints at these potential upgrades, perhaps alluding to a more immersive Siri experience that could transform how users interact with their devices.

Apple is also expected to reveal details about its next-generation operating systems, including iOS and iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18. These updates are likely to include new features that integrate more deeply with Apple Intelligence, further enhancing the user experience across all Apple devices.

In the lead-up to the event, speculation has been rife about the specifics of the iPhone 16 series. Rumours suggest that the new iPhones could feature significant improvements in AI integration.

Additionally, improvements in camera technology, display quality, and battery life are expected, continuing Apples tradition of pushing the boundaries of smartphone innovation.

The event will take place at the iconic Steve Jobs Theater within Apple Park, underscoring the significance of the announcements. For those unable to attend, Apples decision to live-stream the event ensures that a global audience can witness the latest developments from one of the worlds most influential technology companies.

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As excitement builds for the Its Glowtime event, all eyes will be on Apple to see how it continues to shape the future of technology with its latest products and innovations. The September 9 keynote promises to be a pivotal moment for the company, setting the stage for the year ahead and beyond.
Foxconn chairman Young Liu has emphasised that Foxconn is committed to offering more opportunities for women beyond the traditional assembly line positions. The company is keen to place highly educated female employees advance into more challenging and rewarding roles read more

Foxconn is also making significant investments in its operations in India. The company is building its second-largest mobile manufacturing plant outside of China in Karnataka, with an investment of Rs 25,000 crore. This new facility is expected to create around 40,000 jobs. Image Credit: Reuters

Foxconn, the manufacturing giant that makes the iPhone for Apple, is setting its sights on boosting the number of women in leadership roles in India, particularly within design and technology. This initiative comes in response to recent criticisms of its hiring policies concerning married women at some of its Indian facilities.

Chairman Young Liu has emphasised that Foxconn is committed to offering more opportunities for women beyond the traditional assembly line positions. According to a report by PTI, Liu noted that many of Foxconns female employees in India are highly educated. The company is keen to help these employees advance into more challenging and rewarding roles, including positions in design and technology.

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In India, Foxconn employs around 48,000 people, with women constituting 70 per cent of the workforce. Of these women, a notable 25 per cent are married.

Foxconn has also recently opened a new residential complex near Chennai for its female staff, which can accommodate over 18,000 workers. This step is part of the companys broader efforts to create a more supportive work environment.

Foxconn is also making significant investments in its operations in India. The company is building its second-largest mobile manufacturing plant outside of China in Karnataka, with an investment of Rs 25,000 crore. This new facility is expected to create around 40,000 jobs.

Beyond manufacturing, Foxconn is exploring new opportunities in India. The company is considering setting up a battery energy storage system unit in Tamil Nadu to support the electric vehicle industry. Additionally, Foxconn is planning to establish a semiconductor plant and begin electric vehicle production in the country.

Liu also highlighted that Foxconns information and communication technology segment is just starting to develop in India. The company is looking to advance its 3+3 strategy, which focuses on expanding in three key areas: electric vehicles, digital health, and robotics.

Foxconns move to promote more women into leadership roles and its expansion into new ventures underscores its commitment to growth and innovation in India. This approach reflects a broader trend within the tech industry, where diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly important.
The Its Glowtime event will also likely include announcements regarding the release dates for the public versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15 Sequoia, and updates to watchOS, tvOS, and the HomePod operating system read more

The iPhone 16 series is expected to be the highlight of the Glowtime event, with four models likely to be introduced: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Composite image.

Apple has officially announced its upcoming Glowtime event, scheduled for September 9. This event is expected to showcase the latest iPhone 16 models and several other new products. The event will be held at Apple Parks Steve Jobs Theater, and it will be streamed live on Apples website and YouTube channel.

The Its Glowtime event

On August 26, Apple sent out invitations to the media for an in-person gathering at its Cupertino campus, specifically at the Steve Jobs Theater. The event is set to begin at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on September 9. The events title, Its Glowtime, is believed to reference the glowing effect that appears on the edge of the iPhone display when Apples AI feature, Apple Intelligence, is activated. This subtle hint suggests that the event might focus heavily on the advancements and features of the upcoming iPhone 16.

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The timing of the event has raised some eyebrows, as it deviates from Apples usual schedule. Speculation had been building that the event would take place on September 10, a Tuesday, which aligns with Apples tradition of holding product launches on Tuesdays. However, the decision to hold the event a day earlier on a Monday is seen as a strategic move by Apple, possibly to avoid conflicting with other tech events or simply to generate more buzz by being unpredictable.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone has always been Apples flagship product, and this year is no different. The iPhone 16 series is expected to be the highlight of the Glowtime event, with four models likely to be introduced: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The non-Pro models are anticipated to feature screen sizes similar to those of the iPhone 15, with the standard model having a 6.1-inch display and the Plus version boasting a 6.7-inch display. However, the Pro models might see a slight increase in screen size, with the iPhone 16 Pro expected to have a 6.3-inch display and the Pro Max a 6.9-inch display.

Performance upgrades are also on the horizon, with the Pro models likely to be powered by the new A18 Pro chip, offering enhanced processing capabilities. The standard iPhone 16 models are expected to feature a chip similar to the current A17 Pro, with minor tweaks to improve performance. This upgrade will ensure that the entire iPhone 16 lineup can support the advanced AI functions that will be rolled out with Apple Intelligence.

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Changes in the camera setup are also anticipated, particularly for the non-Pro models. The camera arrangement might shift to a vertical alignment, reducing the overall camera bump. Additionally, there is speculation that more sensors will be upgraded to 48 megapixels, and the Tetraprism lens, currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, might be expanded to all Pro models.

Externally, other design changes might include the introduction of the Action button across all models and possibly the long-rumoured Capture button, enhancing the user experience by offering more intuitive control options.

Apple Watch Series 10

Another significant product that might be unveiled at the event is the Apple Watch Series 10. There has been a lot of speculation about this device, with rumours suggesting that it might be marketed as the Series X, signifying a major update. The Series 10 could feature a thinner and larger design, with case sizes possibly increasing to 45mm and 49mm. The display might also be slightly bigger than that of the Apple Watch Ultra, potentially reaching 50.8mm.

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However, these changes might not be backwards-compatible with older Apple Watch models. There have been whispers that the connectors used to attach bands to the watch could be redesigned, making older bands obsolete. This would be a significant change, as Apple has prided itself on maintaining compatibility across different generations of Apple Watches.

AirPods and AirPods Max

The event might also see the introduction of new AirPods models, in line with the updates to how AirPods will function in iOS 18. It is expected that two new versions of AirPods 4 could be unveiled, including a lower-cost model with an updated design and a USB-C charging case. A mid-tier model with active noise cancellation and built-in Find My functionality could also be introduced.

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The AirPods Max, which has not seen an update since its launch in December 2020, might finally receive a refresh. Given the recent price drops and increasing rumours, a new version of the AirPods Max seems likely.

Apple Intelligence and Software Updates

The September 9 event will likely provide more details about Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered features that will be available with iOS 18. This software update is expected to bring significant advancements in AI functionality to the iPhone 15 series and the upcoming iPhone 16 models. However, it is believed that the most advanced AI features will only be available on the iPhone 16 due to its more powerful hardware.

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Apple is reportedly focusing on privacy by ensuring that as much AI processing as possible is performed on the device itself, with any additional processing being done on encrypted, secure Apple servers. This approach contrasts with that of other tech companies, which often rely heavily on cloud-based AI processing.

Apple Intelligence is expected to offer features like suggested email responses, image creation, and the ability to text Siri with questions. Additionally, a partnership with OpenAI will allow some queries to be processed through ChatGPT, while still adhering to Apples strict privacy controls.

The event will also likely include announcements regarding the release dates for the public versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15 Sequoia, and updates to watchOS, tvOS, and the HomePod operating system. However, some features of Apple Intelligence might not be available until updates like iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 are released later in the year.
Pavel Durov, who created Telegram with his brother Nikolai, has positioned the platform as a haven for those who value privacy and freedom. During an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Durov emphasised that users are drawn to Telegram for these very reasons read more

Durov maintains that his mission with Telegram is not driven by financial gain. He has repeatedly emphasised that his primary goal is to promote freedom and provide a platform where users can express themselves without interference. Image Credit: Reuters, Pexels

Pavel Durovs Telegram has emerged as the go-to communication tool among right-wing libertarians, gaining popularity for its commitment to user privacy and freedom of expression. Founded in 2013, Telegram has grown significantly, now claiming 950 million users, a substantial increase from 550 million in 2022.

While it has stayed relatively under the radar in the West, Telegram has a vast global user base and has played a significant role in various geopolitical events, particularly in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

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Telegrams rise

Pavel Durov, who created Telegram with his brother Nikolai, has positioned the platform as a haven for those who value privacy and freedom. During an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Durov emphasised that users are drawn to Telegram for these very reasons.

Unlike major US tech companies such as Meta and Google, which have been criticised for monetizing user data, Telegram has prided itself on not selling or handing over user information.

Telegrams stance on privacy has made it especially appealing in regions like Russia and Ukraine, where some of its news channels have become more popular than traditional media outlets. However, this commitment to privacy has also attracted criticism.

The platform has faced backlash for its perceived failure to adequately moderate extreme content, raising concerns about the potential dangers of unchecked communication channels.

Despite these criticisms, Durov has remained steadfast in his belief that Telegram should not overly police its users, as long as they do not cross certain red lines. This approach aligns with his broader libertarian philosophy, which prioritises freedom of expression over strict regulation. However, with Telegrams team consisting of only a few dozen employees, experts have questioned whether the platform can truly maintain a secure and well-moderated environment.

From Russia to the world

Pavel Durov first gained recognition in 2006 with the launch of VKontakte (VK), a social network often referred to as Russias Facebook. VK quickly gained millions of users and caught the attention of the Kremlin, leading to increased pressure on Durov to comply with government demands. He resisted calls from Russian security services to provide information on opposition groups and later faced significant pressure to hand over data on pro-European activists in Ukraine.

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These experiences shaped Durovs decision to create Telegram, a platform designed to protect user privacy against government intrusion. In 2014, Durov sold his stake in VK and left Russia, eventually relocating to Dubai in 2017. By distancing himself from more stringent regulatory environments in the European Union and the United States, Durov has been able to maintain greater control over Telegrams operations.

Durovs global mobility is underscored by his multiple citizenships, including one from the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts and Nevis and another from France, which he acquired in 2021. His ability to navigate different legal and political environments has allowed Telegram to operate relatively freely, even as it faces challenges from various governments.

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A struggle-riddled past

Telegrams commitment to privacy and minimal content moderation has led to legal challenges in several countries. French prosecutors have accused the platform of failing to curb illegal activities, including fraud, drug trafficking, organised crime, and cyberbullying.

Similar accusations have been made by other nations, with Iran accusing Telegram of hosting violent opposition groups in 2018 and Russia blocking the platform after it refused to provide encryption keys. More recently, Brazil and Spain have taken action against Telegram for failing to comply with requests for data and addressing intellectual property violations, respectively.

Despite its widespread use, Telegram has struggled to turn a profit. The platform was initially funded entirely by Durov until 2018, when it raised $1.7 billion to launch its own cryptocurrency. However, the project collapsed after US regulators refused to approve it, leading to the company reimbursing most of the investment.

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Telegram began running ads in 2021, insisting that it would not use users private data for targeting and introduced a premium subscription model in 2022. Although the company is now generating hundreds of millions in revenue, it has yet to achieve profitability.

Durov, however, maintains that his mission with Telegram is not driven by financial gain. He has repeatedly emphasised that his primary goal is to promote freedom and provide a platform where users can express themselves without undue interference. As Telegram continues to grow, its commitment to these principles will likely remain at the core of its identity, even as it faces ongoing challenges in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The decision by IBM to downsize its operations in China is significant because it highlights the changing landscape of US-China business relations, especially in the tech industry. China has also increased efforts to reduce its reliance on Western technology read more

IBM has been facing increasing competition in China in recent years. The company plans to relocate its R&D operations to other overseas facilities, marking a strategic shift in its global operations. Image Credit: Reuters

IBM has become the latest American company to scale back its operations in China, reflecting growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

This move is part of a broader trend where US tech giants are reconsidering their presence in the Chinese market due to increased local competition and the Chinese governments push for self-sufficiency in the technology sector.

US-China tensions

The decision by IBM to downsize its operations in China is significant because it highlights the changing landscape of US-China business relations, especially in the tech industry. Chinas ongoing efforts to reduce its reliance on Western technology have intensified competition within the local market.

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As a result, American tech companies like IBM and Microsoft are beginning to explore other regions to house their operations, signalling a shift away from China as a primary base for research and development.

IBMs plan involves shutting down its research and development (R&D) department in China, a move that will affect approximately 1,000 jobs, according to multiple reports. This decision comes as the Chinese government continues to encourage domestic companies to surpass and eventually replace US tech dominance within the country.

Chinas push for self-sufficiency

Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that these efforts are part of Chinas broader strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in the technology sector, which has been a key focus of its economic policies.

IBM has been facing increasing competition in China in recent years, a challenge acknowledged by the companys executive, Jack Hergenrother, during a virtual meeting with employees. The company plans to relocate its R&D operations to other overseas facilities, marking a strategic shift in its global operations.

This move is likely a response to the declining revenue IBM has experienced in China, which saw a significant drop of 19.6% in 2022, according to the companys 2023 annual report.

Despite these changes, IBM has reassured its clients that the downsizing will not affect its ability to support customers across the Greater China region. An IBM spokesperson emphasized that the company adapts its operations as necessary to best serve its clients, suggesting that while the R&D presence in China may be reduced, IBM remains committed to its customer base in the region.

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The big picture

IBMs decision is part of a broader trend among American tech companies that are reducing their footprint in China due to rising geopolitical tensions and increasing competition from local firms.

In May, Microsoft also began to scale back its operations in China, asking hundreds of employees to consider relocating to other countries as it sought to reduce its cloud computing and AI research activities in the country. This move by Microsoft reflects a growing concern among US companies about the risks associated with maintaining a significant presence in China.

Additionally, US venture capital firms have started pulling back from investing in Chinese start-ups, indicating a broader withdrawal of American investment from the Chinese market.

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This trend suggests a re-evaluation of the risks and benefits of doing business in China, particularly in the tech sector, where the Chinese governments push for self-sufficiency poses a significant challenge to foreign companies.
Zuckerbergs letter outlined a troubling period in 2021 when Meta faced intense pressure from the Biden administration to moderate content on its platforms. This pressure was not limited to health-related misinformation but also included humour and satire about the pandemic read more

Zuckerberg also addressed the controversial decision to limit the spread of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Image Credit: AP

In a significant move, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has brought to light concerns over the pressure exerted by the Biden administration on Meta, the company behind Facebook, to censor specific content on its platforms.

In a letter addressed to the US House of Representatives, Zuckerberg detailed how senior officials from the Biden administration repeatedly pushed Meta to restrict certain content, particularly related to COVID-19, and expressed frustration when the company did not fully comply with their demands.

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Government influence on content moderation

Zuckerbergs letter outlined a troubling period in 2021 when Meta faced intense pressure from the Biden administration to moderate content on its platforms. This pressure was not limited to serious health-related misinformation but extended to content that included humour and satire about the pandemic. The White House, according to Zuckerberg, was persistent in its efforts, expressing significant frustration when Metas teams hesitated or refused to take down specific content.

Despite the external pressure, Zuckerberg made it clear that the ultimate decisions about content moderation were made by Meta. However, he expressed regret over some of these decisions, noting that with the benefit of hindsight, different choices might have been made. He also emphasized that government pressure of this nature is inappropriate and that Meta should have been more vocal in resisting it at the time.

The CEOs remarks indicate a firm stance against allowing government influence to dictate how social media platforms operate, particularly in terms of content moderation. Zuckerbergs letter suggests that Meta is prepared to push back against any future attempts by government officials to influence its policies.

Reflecting on past mistakes

Zuckerberg also addressed the controversial decision to limit the spread of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden ahead of the 2020 presidential election. At the time, the FBI had cautioned social media companies that the story might be part of a Russian disinformation campaign, leading Meta to demote the story and reduce its visibility on Facebook.

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In his letter, Zuckerberg acknowledged that this decision was a mistake. He pointed out that it has since been confirmed that the New York Posts reporting was not part of a disinformation effort. Reflecting on this, Zuckerberg admitted that Meta should not have taken steps to suppress the story, indicating that the companys actions were misguided.

This admission has added fuel to ongoing debates about the role of social media companies in shaping public discourse, especially during politically charged times. The decision to limit the spread of the Hunter Biden story has been particularly criticized by those who believe social media platforms have too much influence over the information available to the public.

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Frenzy ensues

Zuckerbergs letter has sparked varied reactions, particularly among political figures. Republicans, led by Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, have welcomed the letter as a victory for free speech. Jordan, who has been a strong critic of the Biden administrations influence over social media platforms, took to social media to celebrate Zuckerbergs admissions, viewing them as a validation of concerns that the government has unduly pressured tech companies to control the flow of information.

In contrast, the Biden administration defended its approach, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement from the White House emphasized that during a public health crisis, the administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety. The administration maintained that while it advocated for responsible behaviour from tech companies, the ultimate decisions on content moderation were made independently by those companies.

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Zuckerberg also touched on his role in the last presidential election cycle, where he made substantial financial contributions to support election infrastructure. Despite his intentions to be nonpartisan, these contributions were perceived by some as favouring one political party, leading to criticism. To avoid any appearance of bias, Zuckerberg stated that he does not plan to make similar contributions in the upcoming election cycle, aiming to remain neutral and avoid influencing the electoral process.
Indias Bharat Biotech said on Tuesday its oral cholera vaccine cleared a latestage trial and that it plans a global launch, aiming to make up to 200 million doses a year amid an expanding outbreak of the disease and treatment shortages. read more

A man rides his motorbike past a parked bus of India's biotechnology company Bharat Biotech outside its office in Hyderabad, India. Image courtesy: Reuters

Indias Bharat Biotech said on Tuesday its oral cholera vaccine cleared a late-stage trial and that it plans a global launch, aiming to make up to 200 million doses a year amid an expanding outbreak of the disease and treatment shortages.

Indias drug regulator has approved the vaccine, called Hillchol, and Bharat Biotech will apply for the World Health Organizations pre-qualification to supply to major buyers like the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF, the company said.

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Our intention is to first help the African continent where the situation is worse. And if any African country wants to procure the drug substance from us and do the final manufacturing there, were also open to it, the company told Reuters.

Bharat Biotech will start production from its Hyderabad facility with an annual capacity of 45 million doses, and is awaiting a key approval for another facility to ramp-up production to 200 million.

About $100 million was spent on the facilities which would be used to manufacture Hillchol, a source aware of the matter told Reuters. Bharat Biotech refused to disclose the investment.

The late-stage trial, which had around 3,600 participants from India, showed the vaccine was safe and non-inferior to existing oral vaccines, the company said, without disclosing further details.

The WHO said 249,793 cholera cases and 2,137 deaths were reported from 25 countries in the first six months of the year, compared to 166,442 cases and 69 deaths in the same period in 2023.

That, the WHO said, led to the request for 102 million doses of oral vaccines, double the 51 million produced.

Bharath Biotech in a release said there is a global shortage of 40 million doses per year, and it plans to bridge that with Hillchol, which can be administered to people above the age of one.

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The vaccine, developed under license from Singapores Hilleman Laboratories, would be administered in two doses  on day 0 and day 14.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
Japan condemned the incursion as a serious violation of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming increasingly active read more

China said Tuesday it was verifying claims by Japan of the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace

Japan condemned the incursion as a serious violation of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming increasingly active.

Japan, a close ally of Washington, said it had scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion from 11:29 am (0229 GMT) on Monday by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

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Asked about Tokyos claims, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the relevant Chinese departments are in the process of gathering information and verifying the situation.

The two sides have maintained communication through existing working channels, he added.

I would also like to emphasise here that China has no intention of intruding into the territorial airspace of any country, Lin said.
Between January 2022 and April 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) received reports of more than 97,000 mpox cases and 186 mpox-related deaths read more

A child with mpox during the 2022 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. File Image/Reuters

For the second time in two years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox as a global public health emergency.

While declaring it as a global health emergency on August 14, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that mpox was being reported in countries that had no previous history of the disease. However, the epicentre of the disease remains the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

By July 30, a total of 14,250 mpox cases and 456 deaths had been reported from 10 African Union (AU) member-states, according to Africa Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), which further said that this marked a 160 per cent year-on-year increase in cases and 19 per cent increase in deaths.

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This is the second such outbreak in two years. Here we see how alike or different the two outbreaks are and whether young men are more prone to mpox.

Is mpox a disease of young men?

Mpox is a disease caused by the virus of the same name. It belongs to the smallpox family of viruses.

Mpox spreads through close contact with an infected person, which also includes sexual contact but also other intimate contact like hugging or kissing. It can also spread from an infected animal to human through biting or scratching or consuming food contaminated by the infected animal.

In the 2022-23 outbreak, mpox primarily spread through sexual contact and mostly affected adult gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, according to the WHO.

This is how the disease came to be associated with young men  who were more likely to be sexually involved with men.

In 2022, a leading WHO advisor, Dr. David Heymann, told the Associated Press that the mpox outbreak was amplified by two gay rave parties.

We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission, said Heymann.

What does data say about mpox transmission?

During January 2022-April 2024, the WHO received reports of more than 97,000 mpox cases and 186 mpox-related deaths, according to the WHOs latest weekly epidemiological report.

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Of the infected and diseased, 96.4 per cent were male with average age of 34, according to the WHO report.

The situation in the ongoing outbreak in Africa, however, paints a more nuanced picture.

By July 30, a total of 14,250 mpox cases and 456 deaths were reported in 10 AU member-states, according to Africa CDC.

Of these infections and deaths, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounted for 96.3 per cent of all cases and 97 per cent of all deaths.

Of the deaths and infections in the DRC, around 75 per cent of the victims have been children up to the age of 10, said Dr Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole to BBC, who works in the mpox-affected area.

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In June, an update from the WHO said that up to 33 per cent of all those affected in the DRC were children under 15.
The cull will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday read more

Namibia plans to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, and to distribute the meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of a severe drought across southern Africa, the environment ministry said.

The cull will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday.

Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in decades, with Namibia having exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations. Nearly half of Namibias population is expected to experience high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

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With such a severe drought, human-wildlife conflicts are expected to increase if the authorities do not intervene, the environment ministry said.

To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, (and) meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme, it said.

The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland.

One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and companies contracted by the government, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.

This exercise in necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens, the environment ministry said.

More than 200,000 elephants are estimated to live in a conservation area spread over five southern African countries - Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia - making the region home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide.

Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year because of drought.
In a recent call, President Biden praised Prime Minister Modis peace efforts during his visit to Ukraine but conspicuously omitted any mention of the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh from the White House readout. PM Modi, however, highlighted the situation in Bangladesh in his own statement, stressing the safety of minorities read more

US President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.

The prime ministers visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.

During the visit, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an active role in restoring peace.

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In a post non X, Biden said, I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine. We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, said the US president.

This was the first call between the two leaders after Modis trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent developments in Bangladesh.

The White House, in a readout of the call, said the two leaders discussed Modis recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

The President commended the prime minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector, it said.

Biden and Modi affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, based on the UN Charter.

The leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, the White House said.

The White House readout of the call had no reference to Bangladesh, which was mentioned in an X post by PM Modi.

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Earlier, in a post on the micro-blogging site, PM Modi said that during the call with Biden, they had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability, the prime minister said.

Moreover, Modi said that he and Biden also discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for the early restoration of normalcy and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus.

Following the unfolding political developments in Bangladesh, India has been consistently pressing to ensure the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. PTI LKJ NSD NSD
Russias latest large-scale drone and missile assault on Ukraine targeted the countrys power grid and killed at least four people. The Russian defence ministry claimed the strikes were aimed at facilities aiding Ukraines military production read more

US President Joe Biden denounced an outrageous Russian assault on Ukraines power grid Monday, vowing Moscow would never succeed in its ongoing war and pledging continued support to Kyiv.

Russia fired hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine earlier Monday, killing at least four people and battering the countrys already weakened energy grid, officials there said.

I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russias continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness, Biden said.

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Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken.

Moscows largest attack in weeks on Ukraine triggered widespread blackouts and came after Kyiv claimed new advances in its incursion in Russias Kursk region.

Since invading in February 2022, Russia has launched repeated large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including punishing strikes on energy facilities.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed it hit energy facilities in a statement, claiming that they were being used to aid Ukraines military-production complex.

Ukrainian officials report that this outrageous attack resulted in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians and targeted more than two dozen critical energy sites, Biden said.

The attacks early on Monday also wounded over 20 people across the country, Ukrainian officials said.

Bidens comments followed an earlier condemnation by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby which denounced efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness as the fall sets upon us.
Chinas $15.3 billion spending on these exercises is equivalent to about 85 per cent of Taiwans 2023 defence budget. The Chinese state-backed Global Times has previously reported that the deployment of Chinese carrier groups is not just aimed at Taiwan but also at countering external forces read more

China allocated approximately $15.3 billion, or 7 per cent of its defence budget, to military exercises in the Western Pacific in 2023.

According to figures in an unpublished estimate compiled by Taiwans armed forces and reviewed by Reuters, Chinas military activities in the Western Pacific involved 1.7 million hours at sea and over 29,000 hours in the air.

This included more than 9,200 flights by Chinese aircraft and 70,000 naval sailings, encompassing a wide range of military assets such as J-10 fighter jets, H-6 bombers, drones, aircraft carriers, and destroyers. The report calculates the total cost at 110 billion yuan ($15.3 billion), factoring in expenses like fuel, maintenance, repairs, and personnel salaries.

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This is part of Chinas grey zone warfare strategy where its military, and often civilian research vessels carry out aggressive and sometimes hostile manouvres that fall below the threshold of conventional warfare. Grey zone warfare tactics aim to psychologically and financially exhaust the adversary by forcing them to remain in a constant state of high alert for an attack.

Areas of interest

The report, completed in May this year, is based on Taiwanese surveillance and intelligence on Chinese military operations across various strategic locations, including the Bohai Sea, the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific Ocean.

Reuters, citing the Taiwanese internal report, pointed out that roughly 40 per cent of naval journeys by Chinese vessels are concentrated in the South China Sea, 20 per cent in the East China Sea near Japan and South Korea, and nearly 15 per cent in the Taiwan Strait.

This reveals the logic of allocation of their resources, said a senior Taiwan official briefed on the research. They are spending a huge amount of resources trying to gain control of the west of the First Island Chain.

The First Island Chain is a collection of archipelagos running roughly from Indonesia in an arc northeast to Japan, encompassing the South China Sea and East China Sea, and including the contested Kuril Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, as well as northern Philippines.

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A big gap for Taiwan

The research was conducted to assist Taiwanese decision-makers in understanding how China distributes military resources across regions and to assess Taipeis perception of a gap between Beijings intentions and its capabilities. This information was shared by three officials who were briefed on the reports.

Experts noted that while the reports methodology is feasible, it inevitably includes some estimates and assumptions. However, they agreed that the data provides valuable insights into Chinas military spending and strategic priorities in the region.

Chinas $15.3 billion spending on these exercises is equivalent to about 85 per cent of Taiwans 2023 defence budget, Reuters calculations showed.

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China wary of external forces

Both Washington and Beijing have increased the frequency of military drills across Asia in recent years, though Chinas exercises are still considered to lag behind in scale and complexity compared to those conducted by the US and its allies.

The Chinese state-backed Global Times has previously reported that the deployment of Chinese carrier groups into the Western Pacific is part of a broader strategy, not just aimed at Taiwan but also at countering external forces.

Chinas carrier battle group is facing not only the Taiwan authorities, but also the interference of external forces, military expert Song Zhongping told the newspaper.

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With inputs from Reuters
The Vatican struck a landmark deal with the Beijing government in 2018, which was renewed in 2022, over the appointment of Catholic bishops in the country read more

The Vatican struck a landmark deal with the Beijing government in 2018, which was renewed in 2022, over the appointment of Catholic bishops in the country. File image/ AFP

Chinas government has recognized the authority of the Catholic bishop of Tianjin, Melchior Shi Hongzhen, the Vatican said on Tuesday, who had previously been placed under house arrest for refusing to join Chinas state-backed church structure.

This development is a positive fruit of the dialogue established in recent years between the Holy See and the Chinese Government, the Vatican said in a statement.

The Vatican struck a landmark deal with the Beijing government in 2018, which was renewed in 2022, over the appointment of Catholic bishops in the country.

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The agreement gives Chinese officials some input into who Pope Francis appoints as bishops in the country, and seeks to ease tensions in China between an underground Catholic flock loyal to the pope and the state-backed church.

Shi, 94, who has been bishop of Tianjin in northern China since 2019, was ordained as a Catholic bishop in 1982 and had refused to join the state church.

Shi took part in an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday as part of his official recognition by the government, the outlet AsiaNews reported. The ceremony took place in a hotel rather than a church, to stress that Shi had already been ordained a bishop decades ago, the report said.

The Vatican and Beijing are due to decide this autumn whether to renew their agreement over bishop appointments. The Vaticans chief diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, had said in May that the church hoped to renew it.
The terrorist attacks in Balochistan come as a top Chinese military official is visiting Pakistan for security assessment, especially of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is s being opposed by the Baloch militants and is under recurring attack read more

Militant tribemen, carry their weapons during routine training in the autonomous region of Kohlu in the southeast of Balochistan province. File photo/Reuters

China on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Pakistans restive Balochistan province in which 37 people were massacred and said it would continue to back Islamabads counter-terrorism operations.

Condemning the attack by Baloch gunmen, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and will continue to firmly support Pakistan in advancing counter-terrorism operations, maintaining social unity and stability and protecting peoples safety.

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China is willing to further strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace and security, Lin said.

The two attacks in Balochistan took place as a top Chinese military official is visiting Pakistan for security assessment, especially for the security of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The multi-project Corridor is being opposed by the Baloch militants and is under recurring attack, including on Chinese personnel working on various projects in Pakistan.

Heavily armed Baloch gunmen killed at least 37 people in separate attacks in Pakistans restive Balochistan province on Monday, as insurgent attacks spiked in the region bordering Afghanistan.

In the first incident, at least 23 people from Pakistans Punjab province were killed in a targeted attack in Balochistans Musakhel district after gunmen offloaded them from buses and checked their identities.

In another incident, 11 people, including six security personnel, were killed in Kalat, 150 km south of Quetta in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China General Li Qiaoming called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.

Sharif underscored that Pakistan and China are all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and trusted friends, Pakistans state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.

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Sharif said that the defence and strategic ties between Pakistan and China are vital for peace and stability in the region.

General Li, in his remarks, affirmed that China, as an iron brother, strategic partner, and reliable friend, places the highest priority on its relationship with Pakistan and expressed Chinas desire to elevate their bilateral friendship to new levels of cooperation and collaboration.

Recognising the role of Pakistans armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability and combating terrorism, General Li reiterated the PLAs commitment to further expanding its cooperation with Pakistan to enhance the capacity building of the two armed forces, the APP reported.

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The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistans Balochistan with Chinas Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments across the world.

However, the implementation of various projects has slowed in recent months following terror attacks on Chinese personnel working on the ventures such as the one in March in which five Chinese and one Pakistani national were killed in a terrorist attack on their vehicle of the Dasu Hydropower Project undertaken by a Chinese company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Indian students have been protesting outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island for over three months. Similar demonstrations have been taking place in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, according to a report read more

After Canada announced changes in the immigration policy, hundreds of India student graduates have been protesting against the Canadian government, fearing deportation from the country.

According to an NDTV report, the immigration policy tweaks have left the future of over 70,000 student graduates in uncertainty.

Indian students, who move to the North American country in the hope of building better lives, have been protesting outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island for over three months. Similar demonstrations have been taking place in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, added the report.

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The new policies seek to cut permanent residency nominations by 25% and restrict study permits. This change follows rapid population growth in Canada, with immigration accounting for about 97% of last years population increase, according to the report, citing federal data.

Representatives from the Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, have warned that graduates could face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of the year.

Facing a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is under pressure to cut the number of temporary residents, as Trudeau trails in polls ahead of next years election.

The Canadian government is also scaling back its temporary foreign worker program, reversing its 2022 expansion. This program, designed to address labor shortages, saw a significant 88% increase in permits from 2019, with 183,820 issued in 2023.

The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) criticized employers for using the program to avoid hiring Canadian talent. New changes will deny work permits in regions with unemployment rates at or above 6%, though agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare sectors are exempt.

Were looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure theres pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada, Trudeau told reporters on Monday.

The government has also promised more measures to reduce the temporary resident population to 5 per cent of Canadas total population in three years.

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The International Sikh Student Organization, an advocacy group, insisted that the prevailing employment and housing issues are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.

With inputs from agencies
The visit of US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan to China comes at a time of an escalating trade conflict and rising disagreements over global developments read more

Amid trade conflict and differences on a host of geopolitical issues, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has embarked on a three-day visit to China.

Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and will hold a series of meetings through Thursday with Chinese officials, which will also include meetings with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. While the two have frequently in recent years, the visit is a first by an American NSA to China in eight years.

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Sullivans visit comes as the United States and allies are locked in a trade conflict with China. The United States and China are also at odds in conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The United States is also concerned about the military tensions in the South China where China has become increasingly aggressive lately and frequently clashed with ally Philippines.

US President Joe Bidens top national security aide Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit as the worlds two largest economies seek to manage their rivalry through dialogue.



He was met by Yang Tao of Chinas Foreign Ministry and U.S. Amb. Nicholas Burns. pic.twitter.com/xCp52mle4K  Colum Murphy (@Colum_M) August 27, 2024

Whats the agenda of Sullivans visit?

Sullivan is slated to hold talks on Ukraine, Middle East, Taiwan, and fentanyl, according to Reuters.

In Ukraine, while the United States is the principal backer of Ukraine, China is the principal partner of Russia and has provided it with dual-use technology that can be used in manufacturing arms and ammunition. The United States and Western allies have dubbed China as the enabler of the Russian war on Ukraine.

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The two leaders will also discuss the issue of Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. In recent years, while the Biden administration has expressed increased support to Taiwan, China has ramped up aggression and has repeated calls of unification  even by force.

The United States also wants China to take more action to prevent the development of chemicals that can be made into fentanyl, a drug thats a leading cause of overdose deaths amongst Americans. The chemicals made in China made their way to the United States and fuel the fentanyl overdose epidemic.

Additionally, the United States and China also look forward to reaching an understanding about safety standards for artificial intelligence (AI), as per Reuters.

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China to raise issue of tariffs

On its part, China will raise the issue of tariffs that the United States and allies have imposed on Chinese goods, particularly electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy products, and metals. Just a day ahead of Sullivans visit, Canada announced tariffs on EVs and metals from China.

China has dubbed the tariffs as unreasonable.

China will focus on expressing serious concerns, clarifying its solemn position and making serious demands on the Taiwan issue, the right to development and Chinas strategic security. The U.S. has continuously taken unreasonable measures against China in terms of tariffs, export controls, investment reviews and unilateral sanctions, which have seriously undermined Chinas legitimate rights and interests, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry, as per Reuters.
There are fears that an Iranian attack on Israel and the subsequent retaliation could lead to an escalatory spiral that could plunge the Middle East into an all-out war read more

The top US general has said that the immediate risk of a full-scale war in the Middle East has declined  for now.

In an interview with Reuters at the end of a three-day visit to the Middle East, Air Force General CQ Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that two things were supposed to happen in the region and one of them has already happened, so the immediate risk of a regional war has declined.

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Brown was speaking following the biggest exchange of fire between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah on Sunday. Employing around 100 warplanes, Israel struck around 40 Hezbollah sites and the terrorist group also fired hundreds of rockets at Israel.

Brown said, You had two things you knew were going to happen. Ones already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play outHow Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not.

Brown was referring to the declarations by Hezbollah and Iran to avenge the assassinations of Faud Shukr and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh respectively. Both Hezbollah military chief Shukr and Hamas chief Haniyeh were killed within hours on July 30. While Shukr was killed in an airstrike in Beirut, Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

The Irans vow of revenge has led to fears that any attack and subsequent Israeli response could lead to an escalatory spiral that could plunge the Middle East into an all-out war.

Does Iran want war?

Even as Iran has vowed to avenge Haniyehs assassination and there have been reports that preparations for an attack have been made, Brown said it does not appear that Iran wants a broader war.

They want to do something that sends a message but they also, I think  dont want to do something thats going to create a broader conflict, said Brown to Reuters.

Calling Yemen-based Houthis as a wild card, Brown also said that, in addition to Iran and Hezbollah, other militant allies in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Yemen also pose a risk.

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As for the preparations against any attack, Brown said we are better postured after US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin ordered the maintenance of two aircraft carrier groups in the Middle East and deployed another squadron of F-22 warplanes.

We try to improve upon what we did in April, said Brown further, referring to the collective defence of Israel against the Iranian attack.

In April, Iran attacked Israel for the first time ever with hundreds of missiles, drones, and rockets. Israel was joined by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia in beating back the Iranian attack. Following the eruption of the ongoing round of tensions, the United States has sought to revive the coalition for a similar defensive operation in case of an Iranian attack.
Arab mediators in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations have been steadily engaging with Tehran, keeping them informed about key developments throughout the talks, according to a report, citing the sources in Cairo, Beirut and other regional capitals read more

A woman carries a portrait of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah past houses hit by Israeli air strikes, in Aita Al Shaab, a village on the border with Israel, on June 29. AP File

Despite the recent surge of rockets and drones over Israel and Lebanon, weeks of back-channel negotiations involving Iran have proved to be pivotal in avoiding a wider conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to The National, citing the sources in Cairo, Beirut and other regional capitals, Arab mediators in the Gaza ceasefire talks have been steadily engaging with Tehran, keeping them informed about key developments throughout the talks.

The killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh intensified these talks and led to a new proposal: limited retaliation, at least temporarily, in exchange for enhanced influence over the ceasefire, added the report.

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Egyptian and Qatari diplomacy played a big role, The National quoted a political source in Beirut.

Political understandings outside the military scope were reached. There was no written agreement, thats for sure, but there were agreed-upon actions that wouldnt drive the whole region to hell. Hezbollahs retaliation was calculated, aligning with these undeclared understandings, the source added.

In early August, Hezbollahs leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to make Israel weep following the killing of the groups senior military commander Fouad Shukr in late July. Israel responded with threats of massive retaliation, leading to canceled flights and a heightened risk of major conflict in the region.

Less than four weeks later, Hezbollah launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israeli targets, with Israel reporting thwarting the attack with no significant damage.

Nasrallah then announced that their response was complete, urged travelers to return, and assured that the conflict would not escalate further, at least for now.

Last month, Fouad Shukr and an Iranian military associate were killed in an Israeli strike on a densely populated area in Beirut. Soon after, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

These events marked a significant escalation with major repercussions for the Middle East and the Gaza ceasefire talks.

Despite the tensions and vows of retaliation, Israel, Iran, and Hamas have all expressed a desire to avoid a wider war. Ongoing efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to mediate the Gaza ceasefire aim to curb the violence that is spreading instability across the region from Yemen to Syria.

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Mediation intensified after assassinations

This mediation work, which also included phone calls between Egyptian, Qatari, Jordanian, Lebanese, Turkish and Iranian officials, intensified after the recent assassinations.

Since when do the Egyptians contact the Iranians directly regarding a matter related to the Palestinian cause and the Gaza Strip? It almost never happens. But it happened this time, despite the differences between the two countries, The National quoted another political source in Beirut as saying.

The Egyptians wanted more time after the failure of the round of talks in Doha. They wanted to ensure that the region is quiet to ease the pressure on the talks, and the Iranians seem to have listened but in return for a bigger role in the Palestinian file, added the source.

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According to the report, citing sources familiar with the recent negotiations, which ended in Cairo on Sunday without a breakthrough but continued this week, confirm that Egyptian and Qatari mediators have ramped up their discussions with Iran on the ceasefire talks.

Iran is a key behind-the-scenes player in the Gaza negotiations," a source was quoted as saying. It has become even more vital after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, because he was killed in Tehran, the source added.

Diplomatic efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire and a hostage and detainee swap between Hamas and Israel have been ongoing through indirect US-Iran contacts, facilitated by Oman.

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Egypt has urged Iran to restrict Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, which impact Suez Canal revenue.

Although Egypt-Iran relations have warmed recently, they remain below ambassadorial level.

On Monday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman visited Iran for talks, following a stalled ceasefire round in Cairo. While Qatar mediates for Hamas, Iran is not officially involved.

Hezbollahs attack took into account the prevailing regional political climate. The negotiations taking place in Cairo are under the control of the Egyptians and the US, and Hezbollah is aware of this, The National quoted a source close to the group as saying.

Hezbollah had claimed responsibility for attacking 11 Israeli military sites, including one near Tel Aviv, with over 320 Katyusha rockets and drones in retaliation for Shukrs assassination. This was preceded by Israeli pre-emptive strikes and followed by hits on sites in Lebanon, which Hezbollah had reportedly evacuated as a precaution.

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The attack mirrored Irans earlier actions when Tehran launched a significant drone and missile barrage against Israel in April, in response to an attack on its Damascus consulate. Most of these projectiles were intercepted by Israel, the US, and allied forces.

I dont think there was a back channel, but I think that the way Hezbollah planned the attack was a way that says to Israel, Im not looking for a full-scale war at the moment, The National quoted Amir Avivi, a former Israeli brigadier general, as saying.

He said many Israeli attacks aimed to destroy short-range launchers, and Hezbollahs use of UAVs to attack Gilot base suggests they anticipated Israeli defenses.

The way Hezbollah chose to attack Gilot base, north of Tel Aviv, was with UAVs. Now I think that Hezbollah knows if they send a UAV, and its not a small one like the ones are using along the border, which are very small and difficult to detect  a UAV that needs to fly all the way to Tel Aviv is pretty big  they know that Israel will most likely see the UAV and foil the attack, added Avivi.

Hezbollah-Iran coordination

Afifeh Abedi, a researcher on Irans foreign policy, said while Hezbollah likely coordinated with Iran, the timing and location of the attack were independently decided by Hezbollah.

Lebanons Hezbollah carried out the  operation in response to the assassination of Fouad Shukr, and probably had negotiations with Iran, but the time and location of the operation were determined independently and by the decision of the Lebanese resistance," Abedi added.

Political sources in Beirut told The National that Western envoys have offered incentives to Hezbollah and its allies to prevent the retaliation from escalating into a full-scale war. These incentives might include political concessions, such as resolving Lebanons presidential deadlock.

Lebanon has been sans a president for almost two years, and ongoing divisions have led to multiple failed attempts to elect a successor. Hezbollah supports Marada leader Suleiman Frangieh, while opponents back former minister Jihad Azour.

The last major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah was in 2006, resulting in significant casualties and destruction. Today, Hezbollah is believed to possess up to 150,000 rockets and missiles, while Israels air force has grown substantially.

The ongoing conflict, which began on October 8 in support of Hamas in Gaza, has displaced around 100,000 Lebanese. The war has also intensified internal pressure on Hezbollah, with many fleeing to areas within Lebanon due to the dire economic situation and the ongoing Syrian civil war.

In Beiruts southern suburbs, known as Dahieh, local residents have reported the area as largely empty following recent clashes.

A European diplomat noted that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has assured constituents that a larger war is unlikely, saying, Nasrallah does not want to fight on the internal front and a war with Israel at the same time.

With inputs from agencies
The recent incursion of Chinas Y-9 reconnaissance plane into Japanese airspace not only escalates regional tensions but also showcases the advanced electronic warfare capabilities of this state-of-the-art spy aircraft read more

Japan recently reported an incident involving a Chinese military intelligence-gathering aircraft, which entered its territorial airspace off the remote Danjo Islands in the East China Sea. According to the Japanese Defence Ministry, this marked the first time Tokyo has accused the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of an airspace violation.

The aircraft involved was identified as a Y-9 reconnaissance plane. The map released by Japan depicted the Y-9 flying in a rectangular circuit pattern off the eastern side of the Danjo Islands. It briefly veered westward, crossing into the islands territorial airspacewhich extends 12 nautical miles from the coastfor approximately two minutes. This incident adds a new layer of tension to the already strained relations between China and Japan highlighting the geopolitical sensitivity of the region.

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The Y-9 intelligence gathering plane is a crucial component of Chinas military aviation representing a significant advancement in the nations electronic reconnaissance and signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities. Developed as part of the Y-9 familyan evolution of the Y-8 transport aircraftthe Y-9 has been specifically tailored for sophisticated electronic warfare and intelligence-gathering missions.

Launch date and development

Initial development: The origins of the Y-9 programme trace back to the early 2000s, when China recognised the need to modernise its electronic reconnaissance fleet. The decision to develop the Y-9 stemmed from the limitations observed in the Y-8, which, although a robust platform, required significant enhancements to meet the demands of modern electronic warfare. The Y-8 itself is based on the Soviet An-12 transport aircraft, a testament to Chinas strategy of adapting and improving existing technologies to fit its specific needs. The development of the Y-9 was driven by the goal of creating an aircraft capable of advanced SIGINT missions, with the ability to intercept, analyse and exploit a wide array of electronic signals. This marked a critical step in Chinas broader military modernisation efforts, aimed at reducing the technological gap with Western powers.

First flight and evolution: The Y-9 intelligence gathering variant made its maiden flight in the mid-2000s, a milestone that signalled Chinas growing expertise in developing specialised military aircraft. The initial prototype underwent extensive testing and evaluation with engineers focusing on refining the aircrafts electronic systems, enhancing its sensors and improving its overall performance. Over time, the Y-9s capabilities evolved, incorporating cutting-edge technology that allowed it to perform complex electronic warfare tasks. The iterative development process ensured that the Y-9 could adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of electronic warfare, positioning it as a formidable asset in Chinas military arsenal.

Successes and failures

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Operational successes: The Y-9 has achieved significant success in its integration into the PLAAF and the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Its deployment in various strategic operations, particularly in maritime and border surveillance, has proven its value in Chinas intelligence-gathering efforts. The Y-9s advanced electronic systems and sensors have the ability to collect and analyse a vast array of electronic emissions from radar signals to communications. This capability has enhanced Chinas situational awareness allowing for more informed decision-making in critical regions. The aircrafts role in supporting Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea, monitoring activities around Taiwan and securing borders in Northern and Western China underscores its strategic importance.

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Technological and export challenges: Despite these operational successes, the Y-9 has faced notable challenges. One of the primary setbacks has been its limited success in the international export market. Unlike its Western counterparts, which have found buyers across the globe, the Y-9 has struggled to attract foreign customers. This is partly due to the competitive nature of the global defence market, where established Western systems are often preferred due to their proven track record and extensive support networks. Additionally, the Y-9 has encountered technological challenges, particularly in integrating new systems and maintaining reliability under operational conditions. These issues have raised concerns about the aircrafts long-term sustainability and its ability to keep pace with rapidly evolving electronic warfare technology. While the Y-9 has made significant strides, these challenges highlight the complexities involved in developing and sustaining advanced military platforms.

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Comparisons with similar aircraft

Boeing E-3 Sentry (AWACS) - USA: The Boeing E-3 Sentry, commonly known as an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, serves a different but complementary role to the Y-9. The E-3 is equipped with a large radar dish mounted on its fuselage, designed for wide-area surveillance and command and control. It can track multiple airborne targets simultaneously and provide critical early warning to military forces. In contrast, the Y-9 is more specialised in SIGINT, focussing on intercepting and analysing electronic signals rather than providing broad surveillance. While the E-3 excels in airspace management and early warning, the Y-9s strength lies in its ability to penetrate and exploit enemy electronic networks, making it a key player in electronic warfare.

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Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye - USA: The E-2 Hawkeye is another AWACS aircraft that, like the E-3, focuses on early warning, surveillance and battle management. It features a rotating radar dome and is designed for carrier-based operations making it a versatile asset for the US Navy. The E-2s capabilities include detecting and tracking both aerial and surface targets, providing comprehensive situational awareness for naval operations. The Y-9, while also capable of surveillance, is specifically tailored for electronic intelligence. Its role is more focused on SIGINT, allowing it to detect and analyse enemy communications and electronic signals, which complements the broader surveillance and control functions of the E-2.

Embraer E-99 - Brazil: The Embraer E-99 is a versatile aircraft that combines airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) with SIGINT capabilities. It is equipped with a radar system for surveillance and control as well as electronic warfare systems that allow it to intercept and analyse signals. The E-99s ability to perform both AEW&C and SIGINT functions makes it a valuable asset for Brazils military, offering a balance between broad surveillance and specialised intelligence gathering. While the Y-9 shares similar SIGINT capabilities, it is more narrowly focused on electronic reconnaissance, with less emphasis on the airborne early warning and control functions that characterise the E-99.

Airbus A330 MRTT - Various Countries: The Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is primarily known for its role as a tanker aircraft providing air-to-air refuelling for military jets. However, some variants of the A330 MRTT have been adapted for intelligence missions including SIGINT. The A330 MRTTs versatility allows it to serve multiple roles from refuelling to reconnaissance, making it a valuable asset for countries looking for a multi-role platform. In contrast, the Y-9 is specifically designed for intelligence gathering with a focus on electronic reconnaissance. While the A330 MRTTs adaptability is impressive, the Y-9s specialised design gives it an edge in electronic warfare where focused capabilities can be more effective.

Strategic deployment and operational use

The Y-9 intelligence gathering plane represents a significant advancement in Chinas electronic reconnaissance capabilities playing a crucial role in its military strategy. While it has achieved notable successes in enhancing Chinas strategic intelligence and surveillance, it faces challenges in the global export market and with technological integration. The Y-9s specialised role in SIGINT highlights its unique place in Chinas defence arsenal with its deployment across critical regions reflecting its importance in national security. From monitoring maritime and border areas to gathering intelligence in sensitive regions like the LAC, the Y-9 is a testament to Chinas commitment to maintaining a robust and responsive intelligence-gathering capability.
Pakistan saw one of the bloodiest terror attacks in its restive province Balochistan on Monday. Attacks drew global attention but the problem lies deeper, dating back to how Pakistan acquired Balochistan, an independent country in August 1947 read more

People look at a charred vehicle near a collapsed railway bridge the morning after a blast by separatist militants at Kolpur in Bolan district, Balochistan province. AFP

Not too many people in the Indian subcontinent pay attention to the historical fact that Balochistan was declared an independent country four days before India got its Independence from British rule and Pakistan was carved out as a separate nation in 1947. Even more ironic was the fact that Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the lawyer who pleaded the case for Balochistans ruler, Khan Mir Ahmed Yar Khan, also known as Khan of Kalat, before the British. However, Balochistan could remain an independent nation for only 227 days.

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The same Balochistan is experiencing upheaval now. It made global headlines on Monday with more than 70 people killed in separate terror attacks as Baloch militants targeted Pakistani Punjabis in an ethnic insurgency plot. Late Monday, Pakistani authorities said that security forces killed at least 21 Baloch militants after the government vowed to avenge the killings of citizens.

Not a sudden outburst, Balochistan simmering for a month

The terror attacks in Balochistan followed about a month of a new wave of political unrest. At least since July 27, Balochistan has been tense over a continued standoff between protesters led by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and the Pakistan government. Protest marches, rallies, demonstrations and sit-ins have been unabated despite heavy crackdowns by the government.

The stand-off began after the government blocked main highways in Balochistan in July ahead of a BYC gathering in Gwadar, which serves as Pakistans only deep sea port, practically controlled by China. The BYC had given a call for a Baloch Raji Machi or Baloch National Gathering. Baloch leaders for long have been seeking answers from the Pakistan government about the missing persons, suspected to have been abducted by security agencies.

The call for the gathering was met with a crackdown by security forces. Activists were arrested, baton-charged and fired upon to prevent them from marching toward Gwadar. At least four protesters were killed in the government actions and dozens others were injured.

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While the BYC maintains that it is a rights group advocating for civil, political and socio-economic rights, the Pakistan Army describes the group as a proxy of terrorist organisations and criminal mafias that aim to stall (Chinas) development projects in Balochistan.

However, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concerns over reports of violence against protesters in crackdowns by security agencies.

Amnesty International issued a statement on July 27, calling for an end to the brutal crackdown on the Baloch protests and the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right of peaceful assembly.

Human Rights Watch asked Pakistani authorities to exercise restraint in responding to demonstrations in Balochistan province, release all detained for peaceful protest, and restore internet access.

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The continued protests amid severe crackdowns has charged up the political atmosphere in Balochistan, which has a history of militancy and a close ethnic connection with the Sistan province of Iran.

What Balochistan means to Pakistan

Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan, accounting for about 44% of its geographical area. It is an arid region that is rich in natural resources  oil, gold, copper and other mines, explaining why China has shown special interest in the province. It is one of the primary sources of Pakistans revenue, but remains the least developed region.

The province takes its name from the Baloch tribe, who have lived in the region for centuries. The Baloch people have a distinct culture that sets them apart from the rest of Pakistan, and makes them closer to those living across the border in Irans Sistan province. The region got divided between Iran and modern-day Pakistan during British rule over India.

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Balochistan has a significant portion of the $68 billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), funded by China. This project is part of Chinas President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road initiative. Gwadar near the Gulf of Oman is seen as a critical site of the project.

China is also involved in mining projects in this area and in the construction of an international airport in Gwadar. Meanwhile, the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold holds a 50% stake in the Reko Diq mine in Balochistan, considered one of the worlds largest undeveloped sites for copper and gold.

While Pakistan banks a lot on its future development with foreign players working in Balochistan, these activities face staunch opposition from local population and extremist groups.

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How Pakistan acquired an independent country

Balochistans modern story begins with an 1876 treaty between the princely state of Kalat  part of the province  and the British India government. This granted Kalat internal autonomy  similar to ones that the British signed with Bhutan and Sikkim.

And when Independence dawned on the Indian subcontinent in 1947, Balochistan comprised four princely states  Kalat, Kharan, Las Bela, and Makaran. While the latter three were presented with the option of joining either India or Pakistan or declare their independence, Kalat was not required to join either of the two nations, according to the 1876 treaty.

In fact, when freedom became a definite possibility in 1946, Khan of Kalat roped in Jinnah as the state lawyer to argue its case before the British. At a crucial meeting held in Delhi in 1947, Jinnah argued for Kalat independence.

The meeting was attended by the last British viceroy Lord Mountbatten, Khan of Kalat, the chief minister of Kalat, Jinnah, and Jawaharlal Nehru. It was agreed that Kalat would remain independent. Jinnah insisted that Kharan, Las Bela and Makran merged with Kalat to form a complete Balochistan.

An agreement was signed on August 11, 1947, between Kalat and the Muslim League. Balochistan was to be independent along with India and Pakistan. Balochistans defence was to be ensured by Pakistan. The Khan of Kalat declared Balochistan independent on August 12.

Protests, revolutions and suppression

As India and Pakistan celebrated Independence, Kalat too hoisted its traditional red and white flag. A khutbah (public preaching from a mosque) was read declaring the Khan of Kalat an independent ruler.

The Khan waited for its territories to be consolidated but in September 1947, the British issued a notification saying that Kalat was not in a position to function as an independent country. The Khan of Kalat visited Pakistan in October 1947, possibly to get the issue resolved with the help of Jinnah, who had argued his case.

However, Jinnah advised him to merge his state with Pakistan. The Khan of Kalat refused the proposal, saying the decision would be taken by the Balochistan legislature, which rejected merger with Pakistan.

The pressure was building from Pakistan. Khan summoned his military general to seek support from Commonwealth countries but got no support, with the British intending to back Jinnah. In March 1948, Jinnah made his move, declaring separation of Kharan, Las Bela, and Mekran from Kalat and merger with Pakistan.

By March end, Jinnah sent the army into Balochistan, leaving Khan with no option but to accede his state to Pakistan. This forceful capture of Balochistan deepened a sense of betrayal by Jinnah. Khans brother Prince Karim Khan led Baloch nationalists, who had risen up in the first insurgency revolution in 1948 in a bid to preserve their autonomy and culture.

The 1948 uprising was crushed. All top leaders including Karim Khan were arrested. But insurgency kept finding new leaders and kept challenging Pakistans successive governments  in the 1950s, the 1960s and the 1970s. Every time the Pakistan military responded with stronger repression.

The last phase of insurgency began in the early 2000s, when Baloch leaders started questioning the governments policy of suppression. This time the Baloch agitation was led by Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who had earlier served as Pakistans defence minister and also as the provinces governor. He put out a charter of demands including control over natural resources of Balochistan.

Bugti was assassinated in 2006. The Baloch insurgents responded in anger, with an assassination attempt on then-military ruler General Pervez Musharraf only a few days later.

The China angle and recent wave of terrorism

While Baloch insurgents have always sought independence, they started getting wider support after Chinas rapid penetration in Balochistan with its development projects. The CPEC only aggravated the insurgency situation.

Inaugurated in 2016, the seaport in Gwadar is the flagship project of the CPEC. But this is also a major reason for the rising insurgency and unrest in the region. Locals have long accused the governments of exploiting Balochistans resources for profit while neglecting the development of the area.

Gwadar is being called a game-changer for Pakistan and China, so it was important to tell them and the international media that this land belongs to us, Sadia Baloch, a prominent Baloch rights activist, says.The crackdown shows Baloch are not allowed to enter Gwadar.

There is a strong feeling among the Baloch that the economic activities by China in their region have marginalised further and have been deliberately excluded from the economic benefits by the Pakistani government. Comments from Chinese officials exacerbate the matter further..

For example, as the Baloch protests were ongoing, the Chinese Consul General in Karachi Yang Yundong said We hope that all the political parties and social organisations take their overall national interest into account and to set aside that difference and focus on construction and economic development and to take the peoples interest as a top priority.

This also explains why Chinese personnel have been targeted in Balochistan over the past few years. While groups like Balochistan Liberation Front and Balochistan Liberation Army  which claimed responsibility for the latest attacks  have been a challenge to the Pakistani security agencies, they also have got support from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).

Pakistan has complained of joint attacks by BLA and TTP, which is fighting the government to establish a sharia-based rule in the country. The BLF, founded in Syria in 1964, has a reputation of targeting energy installations and foreign workers, particularly Chinese, unlike the BLA which is known for launching ethnic attacks.

For a long time, Pakistan has found it difficult to manage Balochistan, and has blamed outside forces including Iran for the insurgency. In January this year, Iran and Pakistan launched air strikes at one another over alleged support for Baloch groups inimical to the other side.
One Indian Navy ship and three Chinese naval ships are currently docking at Sri Lankan capital of Colombo read more

In a rare instance, Indian and Chinese warships are currently docked in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, according to reports.

Colombo is currently hosting Indias INS Mumbai and three Chinese ships. The Times of India reported that while the Indian guided missile destroyed has around 410 personnel onboard, the Chinese ships have a crew of around 1,500 personnel.

The newspaper further reported that Chinese ships include destroyer Hefei and amphibious ships Wuzhishan and Qilianshan.

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India sees the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as its turf and considers Chinese presence in the region as an irritant. Lately, China has been increasing the presence as well as operations in the IOR. Previously, the docking of Chinese ships and submarines has irked India. Last year, a spy ship of China had also docked in Sri Lanka.

A defence official told the newspaper that Chinese warships, including those part of anti-piracy escort forces, are now staying in the IOR for a much longer time.

The expanding Chinese naval presence in the IOR, along with Beijings hunt for additional logistical turnaround facilities in the region, has become a major challenge for India, said the official.

China has ramped up its military activities in the IOR. While it has been beefing up Pakistan naval presence for a while, it has recently entered into a defence agreement with the Maldives as well where the new government is deemed unfriendly to India. President Mohamed Muizzu has got the Indian military contingent from the country removed before entering into the pact.

Such a situation may arise in Sri Lanka as well as the country is headed to presidential election next month. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the rival of incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, is deemed pro-China.
The US public assessments have said that Iran may develop a bomb within months of getting the final go-ahead from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei read more

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, holds the final say in Iran on everything (Photo: Supreme Leader's website)

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, has approved talks over the regimes nuclear programme with the United States.

Iran is considered to be at the threshold of developing a nuclear weapon. The US public assessments have said that Iran may develop a bomb within months of getting the final go-ahead from Khamenei.

After former US President Donald Trump quit the 2015 Nuclear Deal, efforts to revive any deal have failed. Now, Khamenei has said that talks may be held with the United States but the enemy must not be trusted.

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We do not have to pin our hope to the enemy. For our plans, we should not wait for approval by the enemies. It is not contradictory to engage the same enemy in some places, theres no barrier, said Khamenei in a video message.

Following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran considers the United States its principal enemy and calls it the Great Satan'.

In 2018, former US President Donald Trump exited the 2015 nuclear deal Iran which capped the Iranian nuclear enrichment in lieu of lifting of sanctions. After quitting the deal, the Trump started the maximum pressure strategy under which he ramped up sanctions on Iran which in turn started more nuclear enrichment. Now, the conditions are such that Iran may now develop a bomb within months.

In April, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said that Iran is weeks rather than months away from having enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon. Once it has the enriched material, it may develop a bomb within months.

The Joe Biden administration of the United States held talks to revive the deal but the talks were not fruitful. Now, there may be another chance for talks as the current Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, had campaigned on a platforms that called for nuclear talks with the West. As Khamenei has greenlit the talks, it is to be seen whether Pezeshkian goes ahead with talks.
The Islamic Republic has some of the strictest internet controls in the world but its blocks on U.S.-based social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are routinely bypassed by tech-savvy Iranians using virtual private networks read more

Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has imposed some of the strictest controls on internet access in the world, said on Tuesday that cyberspace needed to be regulated, citing the arrest of messaging app Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France as an example of how other countries also imposed controls.

There need to be laws to regulate cyberspace. Everyone does it. Look at the French, they arrested this man and threatened him with 20 years in prison for breaching their laws, Khamenei said during a meeting with relatively moderate President Masoud Pezeshkian and his cabinet.

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The Islamic Republic has some of the strictest internet controls in the world but its blocks on U.S.-based social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are routinely bypassed by tech-savvy Iranians using virtual private networks (VPNs).

Russian-born Durov, also a citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates, was arrested in Paris as part of an investigation into crimes related to sexual abuse of children, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.

His platform is blocked in the Islamic Republic.

Iran regularly charges internet users based on posts they shared online.

Some do not understand or do not want to understand, but I have already said before that virtual space needs to be regulated in order to be turned into an opportunity and not a threat, Khamenei added.

During presidential debates, Pezeshkian criticised internet filtering, notably for its impact on the countrys economy as many small businesses depend on social media.

Iran ranked third globally in the number of times it shut down the internet in 2023, according to the digital rights group Access Now.

This included shutting down mobile networks, both nationally and in targeted areas, while also blocking access to Instagram and WhatsApp, the only two major platforms not already subject to outright bans, Access Now said.
In the 10 months of the Gaza war, Israeli forces have killed scores of Hamas fighters, and more than 40,000 people. The Palestinian armed group has been decimated. Yet, Netanyahu is not ready to declare an end to this war read more

The Cairo meeting held to seal a Gaza ceasefire deal failed to yield any concrete results. Hamas rejected it, reiterating its support for the previous (May-July) proposals to agree for a truce with Israel, which has maintained that it wont end the war until it has completely rooted out the Palestinian armed group. Good thing is that the talks will continue to explore new middle ground to have a ceasefire.

As another hope for a deal collapsed on Sunday, pressure is building on Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the rival and the families of people taken hostage by Hamas in October 7 raids blaming him for the failure to have a truce deal. Reports also emerged of Netanyahus growing differences with those negotiating on the behalf of his government in Cairo talks.

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No time to lose

Months-long talks at various locations across West Asia and north African country Egypt have not succeeded in halting Israels military campaign in Gaza or free people abducted by Hamas more than 10 months ago.

This has caused frustration among agencies working to arrive at a peaceful solution. UN peace envoy Tor Wennesland posted on social media, There is no time to lose.

He described the Cairo ceasefire/hostage release talks as crucial to saving civilian lives, reducing regional tensions and enabling the UN to accelerate efforts to address the pressing needs of Gazas long-suffering population.

The American leaders have said the Biden administration is working round the clock to end the crisis. The US sent its chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General CQ Brown, to West Asia over the weekend in an unannounced visit. He is said to have come on a specific task of discussing ways to avoid further escalation in tensions, particularly directly involving Iran.

However, Sunday saw sharp escalation in military engagement between Israel and Hezbollah, who exchanged hundreds of missiles throughout the day. The Lebanon-based and Iran-backed Hezbollah called its attack a response to the assassination of its commander Fuad Shukr in July in a Beirut suburb. Israel had announced Fuad Shukrs killing.

On Monday, Iran released a statement saying that its Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani over phone. The statement read, Iran does not seek to increase tensions. However, it is not afraid of it.

The statement, however, also said its response to the killing of the Hamas chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran would be definite and calculated. Iran blames Israel for the assassination of Haniyeh on July 31, which Araqchi described to Tajani as an unforgivable violation of Irans security and sovereignty. Unlike Shukrs killing, Israel has not claimed responsibility for the killing of Haniyeh, nor has it denied its role.

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Hezbollah says it will halt its attacks on Israel if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Iran has also indicated that if a ceasefire deal is struck for Gaza, it would reconsider its vow to attack Israel to avenge Haniyehs killing in its capital.

Is Netanyahu obstructing a deal?

Hamas has repeatedly blamed Netanyahu for the lack of progress during the talks. The accusation against Netanyahu is that whenever a deal seems in sight, he allegedly imposes new demands for a deal to happen. Some of his rivals inside Israel and critics outside have also accused him of not being serious enough about reaching a ceasefire agreement.

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Such allegations get credence of reports that Netanyahu has locked horns with Israeli ceasefire negotiators. Over the past few days, it emerged that Netanyahu insisted, without being in sync with Israeli negotiators, that he would not order his troops to pull out of the so-called Philadelphi Corridor in the south of the Gaza Strip.

The Philadelphi Corridor borders Egypt, and along with the Netzarim Corridor, cuts across the middle of the Gaza Strip. The two corridors have been the latest major sticking points in talks that were backed by Egypt, Qatar and the US.

Netanyahus argument has been that Hamas smuggles its weapons through the Philadelphi Corridor, and to keep the Palestinian group from rearming itself, Israel cant give up control of the corridor. He also argues that Hamas fighters use the Netzarim Corridor for secret movements between south and north parts of Gaza, making it difficult to track them. So, Netanyahu wants Israel-manned checkpoints on the corridor.

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Israeli media have reported that Netanyahu feels that the negotiating team led by the Mossad intelligence service chief David Barnea has made too many concessions in the truce talks. He reportedly insists that the truce will happen only when his concerns are addressed.

Additionally, the families of the Israeli hostages who are still in Hamass captivity in Gaza have been pressuring Netanyahu to seal a deal for their release. They have accused him of hindering the deal to boost his political image in domestic politics.

Israeli media has reported that these families have alleged that Netanyahu has systematically thwarted a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian factions.

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During a press conference on Saturday that the families held in front of Israels defence ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, they said, Since early July, a deal has been ready for signing, but Netanyahus new conditions, particularly the Philadelphi Route, are blocking it.

Its not the Philadelphi Route but a Philadelphi spin, one member said as the families appealed to US President Joe Biden to pressure Netanyahu to give his nod to the exchange deal.

What Netanyahu says about ending the war

Netanyahu has maintained that he would not order ending the war in Gaza until his troops have achieved a total victory against Hamas  even if a deal is reached. However, this position of Netanyahu does not have a wider support even within his cabinet.

The Israeli prime minister is under pressure from hardliners in his own cabinet to not yield to the pressure of reaching a peace deal. In domestic politics, the war is said to have boosted his image, with opinion polls indicating a pick-up in his ratings, which were disastrous at the start of the war.

But critics say that political image boost has come at a huge cost  more than 40,000 deaths in Gaza, 2.3 million people displaced due to the war, deaths of more than 50 hostages and a crisis starting to set in Israels economy due to war expense pressures.

Is Netanyahu looking for Yahya Sinwar?

While Netanyahu continues to insist on the eradication of Hamas, the fact is that the Palestinian group has been devastated, its military capability destroyed. It would take years before Hamas gets back to its pre-October raid strength, if at all. The Gaza population has suffered immensely and as a ruling dispensation, Hamas will have to focus on rebuilding their lives.

There is intense speculation that Netanyahu is looking for a high to announce the end of the Gaza war  pointing to an intense chase of Hamass new leader Yahya Sinwar by the Israeli and American intelligence agencies.

Sinwar, who is 61, was recruited in Hamas by its founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin in the 1980s. He climbed the leadership ladder quickly and took over a Hamas wing tasked with finding and punishing Palestinians the group suspected of collaborating with Israeli authorities. His wing was also responsible for punishing those committing blasphemy.

He became Hamass top political leader this month after Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. But Israeli and American spies were after him much before he became the official head of Hamas. His role was considered instrumental in the October 7 raids. Immediately after this, the USs Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), NYT reported, formed a special mission to assist Israel in finding Sinwar.

But Sinwar has evaded all electronic and human surveillance by Israel and the US. He is said to have stopped using electronic devices for communicating with his Hamas cadres  a strategy used efficiently by the likes of former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and former Taliban leader Mullah Omar in Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Unlike Haniyeh, Sinwar has lived in Gaza before he was captured by Israel in the 2000s and after being released in 2011. This explains his ability to move around in Gaza tunnels and control his cadre better than Haniyeh who lived in Doha, Qatar, or in Tehran, Iran.

Sinwar is definitely Hamass most important figure. His capture or killing by Israeli forces may be the statement that Netanyahu is looking to make that he has eradicated Hamas and broken its rank and file.
Even though no breakthrough was reached in last weeks top-level talks, the White House described them as constructive read more

The mediators the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have floated a new bridging proposal for a deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages (Representative Photo, Credit: Reuters)

Even as new Israeli demands have complicated Gaza peace talks, working group-level negotiations are continuing in Egyptian capital Cairo.

For four days last week, the Israeli negotiators led by Mossad chief David Barnea were in Cairo to hold indirect talks with Hamas mediate by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Even though the talks have been described as constructive, no breakthrough was reached.

Now, White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby has said that working-group level talks are going on to smoothen out specific issues, according to The Times of Israel.

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Kirby described the talks held last week at the top level as constructive, as per the newspaper.

Kirby further said, The talks actually progressed to a point where they felt like the next logical step was to have working groups at lower levels to sit down to hammer out these finer details. We expect that these working group discussions will at least take place over the next few days, but whether it goes longer, or could end sooner, I think really is going to be up to those in the room.

A deal for the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages remains elusive over demands inserted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into the original peace proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden in May. Among other demands, the most contentious are to remain in control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border and the east-west Netzarim Corridor running through Gaza.

What issues are working groups discussing?

Kirby said that one of the issues being tackled by the working groups is the prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.

Kirby said that details of how many hostages and what kind of hostages will be exchanged are being worked out along with the pace at which they would be exchanged.

Separately, Israeli outlet Channel 12 reported that the working groups are engaged on less thorny issues and not the hotly-contested issues like the Philadelphi and the Netzarim corridors.

The report further said US mediators are hopeful about reaching agreements on other less thorny matters first, such as Israels ability to veto the release of some prisoners and exile others and how many living hostages will be freed in the first six-week-long phase of the truce.
Malaysia has charged opposition leader and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin with sedition for allegedly insulting the countrys former king, his lawyer said on Tuesday. read more

Malaysian opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin waves as he leaves the Gua Musang Sessions Court in Gua Musang, Malaysia August 27, 2024. Image courtesy: Reuters

Malaysia has charged opposition leader and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin with sedition for allegedly insulting the countrys former king, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, was charged at a court in the northeastern state of Kelantan with sedition over remarks made in a political speech this month. He pleaded not guilty, his lawyer said.

Malaysia practices a unique form of monarchy, where the countrys nine sultans take turns to be king every five years. The monarchy plays a largely ceremonial role and is held in deep respect.

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Negative remarks about royalty can be prosecuted under a colonial-era Sedition Act.

In a political speech on Aug. 15, Muhyiddin had allegedly questioned the credibility of former King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah following Malaysias general election in 2022, which resulted in a hung parliament, according to local media reports.

In the speech, Muhyiddin said, according to the reports, that he had secured the backing of sufficient lawmakers to form a government after the election but questioned why Al-Sultan Abdullah had not invited him to be sworn in as the countrys premier, the reports said.

Al-Sultan Abdullah appointed Anwar Ibrahim prime minister in November 2022. Al-Sultan Abdullahs five-year reign as king ended in January.

Al-Sultan Abdullah has made no public comment on the reported remarks by Muhyiddin and his office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Muhyiddin, who leads Malaysias conservative, Malay-centric opposition bloc, faces up to three years in prison and a maximum penalty of 5,000 ringgit ($1,148) if found guilty, his lawyer said.

He has also been accused of corruption and money laundering in a separate case filed against him last year  charges he has deemed politically motivated.

Anwars government has denied targeting political rivals, saying the charges were part of an effort to tackle high-level corruption.

($1 = 4.3540 ringgit)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
The new strain of the mpox virus, clade Ib, is evolving faster than anticipated, raising global concern as it spreads from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Scientists warn that limited resources and equipment in Africa are hindering efforts to track the virus, complicating response strategies and urgent research needs read more

A child under treatment for Mpox, an infectious disease caused by the Mpox virus that causes a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever, at a health centre in Munigi, Nyiragongo territory, near Goma in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 19, 2024. Reuters

The new strain of the mpox virus, clade Ib, which has been rapidly spreading out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is evolving faster than expected. Scientists have pointed warned that limited resources and equipment are hampering efforts to properly track the virus.

The strain caught the worlds attention after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a new health emergency.

Global spotlight on mpox

The virus typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions and can be fatal.

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The virus, which has been a public health issue in parts of Africa since 1970, saw a resurgence in global concern in 2022, leading the WHO to declare, and later end, a global health emergency.

Now, clade Ib, a mutated version of the endemic clade I, is raising alarms as it spreads across Africa and into other countries.

Congo has reported over 18,000 suspected cases of clade I and clade Ib mpox and 615 deaths this year, according to the WHO.

In the last month, there have been 222 confirmed clade Ib cases in four African countries, as well as isolated cases in Sweden and Thailand linked to travel in Africa.

Limited information a concern

Reuters, citing scientists in Africa, Europe, and the United States, expressed concern over multiple unknowns surrounding the virus, including its severity and transmission dynamics.

Dr Dimie Ogoina, an infectious disease expert in Nigeria and chair of the WHOs mpox emergency committee, voiced concerns about the limited understanding of the outbreak. We dont understand our outbreak very well, Ogoina said.

If we dont understand our outbreak very well, we will have difficulty addressing the problem in terms of transmission dynamics, the severity of the disease, [and] risk factors.

New strain has fast-transmission

Ogoina noted that while it took clade IIb in Nigeria over five years to evolve enough to sustain human-to-human transmission, sparking the 2022 global outbreak, clade Ib has achieved similar capabilities in less than a year.

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Mpox, an orthopoxvirus related to smallpox, has traditionally been slow to mutate. However, genetic sequencing of clade Ib infections, which the WHO estimates emerged in mid-September 2023, revealed a mutation known as APOBEC3, indicative of the virus adapting to human hosts.

This mutation is driving faster viral evolution, said Dr Miguel Paredes from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. Paredes said that the response is complicated by several simultaneous mpox outbreaks.

Previously, mpox was primarily spread through human contact with infected animals, but the mutated versions, clade Ib and IIb, are now largely considered sexually transmitted diseases. The virus has also spread through close contact, contributing to clusters of infections among children in Burundi and in eastern Congos displacement camps, where crowded living conditions may exacerbate the spread.

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Need for further research

Further research is urgently needed, but African scientists say they are struggling to access essential chemicals and equipment for diagnostic tests. Planning an effective response, including vaccination strategies, is difficult without reliable data, they said.

Many African laboratories are facing shortages of necessary supplies, said Dr Emmanuel Nakoune of the Institut Pasteur in the Central African Republic, where clade Ia cases are also present. This is not a luxury, Nakoune stressed. It is necessary to track deadly outbreaks.

With inputs from Reuters
More than seven weeks after an inconclusive parliamentary election which cost his allies their relative majority, Macron has still not named a new prime minister to take over from the current caretaker administration read more

President Emmanuel Macron faced an uphill battle Tuesday seeking fresh talks over a new government in France, with the political left refusing to take part after he rejected their candidate for prime minister.

More than seven weeks after an inconclusive parliamentary election which cost his allies their relative majority, Macron has still not named a new prime minister to take over from the current caretaker administration.

Left-wing coalition the New Popular Front (NFP) emerged from the vote as the largest bloc, but well short of an absolute majority.

In the 577-seat National Assembly, the NFP has over 190 seats, followed by Macrons centrist alliance at around 160 and Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally at 140.

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The NFP have nevertheless demanded that the president pick their candidate Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist with a history of left-wing activism.

But late Monday, Macron ruled out naming a left-wing government, saying it would be a threat to institutional stability.

Instead, he called on all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility.

Macrons office said that it would be pointless to name a NFP government as it would immediately be rejected by a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The president called on the socialists, ecologists and communists in the leftist alliance to cooperate with other political forces, in an apparent attempt to lure the more moderate members of the coalition away from LFI.

But on Tuesday, Socialist party boss Oliver Faure refused Macrons overture, saying he would not be an accomplice to a parody of democracy.

Socialist deputies would back a no-confidence motion against any government that was not put forward by the NFP, he said, accusing the president of seeking to prolong Macronism despite losing the National Assembly election.

Annoyed, to say the least

French people will start to get annoyed, to say the least, Faure warned, saying he himself would take part in street protests, after Communist party leader Fabien Roussel  who also rejected new talks with Macron  called for a grand popular mobilisation.

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The left is being robbed of this election, said Green Party chief Marine Tondelier.

We wont be part of this mess anymore, she said.

Castets accused Macron of seeking to be president, prime minister and party leader all at the same time, adding that this was not respectful of French voters or of democracy.

LFI founder Jean-Luc Melenchon even threatened to start impeachment proceedings against Macron.

The far-right National Rally (RN) has not been invited to Tuesdays talks.

Meanwhile Francois Bayrou, a highly-respected veteran centrist, chided the president for getting bogged down in negotiations with political parties which he said was the wrong method.

Instead, he said, Macron should seek out a candidate with experience of high office.

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There are people who have held the office of president, he said, others who had high government positions or who have represented political movements and currents.

Macrons office has not given any indication about the presidents timetable for naming a prime minister  but the clock is running to October 1, the legal deadline by which a government must present a draft budget law for 2025.

Macron is also scheduled to open the Paris Paralympic Games on Wednesday, and is expected in Serbia on Thursday for an official visit.
Militants in Balochistan took control of a highway and shot dead 23 people, mostly labourers from neighbouring Punjab province, attacked the hotel and the railway bridge which connects Balochistan to the rest of Pakistan read more

A view shows a charred vehicle, after separatist militants conducted deadly attacks, according to officials, in Balochistan province, Pakistan, August 26, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a video. Reuters

In reaction to the recent outbreak of violence across Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday directed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti to take strong steps to achieve the complete elimination of terrorism.

Militants in Balochistan took control of a highway and shot dead 23 people, mostly labourers from neighbouring Punjab province, attacked the hotel and the railway bridge which connects Balochistan to the rest of Pakistan.

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Security forces have been battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence for decades in impoverished Balochistan, but the coordinated attacks that took place in several districts throughout the province were one of the worst in the regions history.

The sites hit were cordoned off Tuesday as the search for assailants went on.

But no arrests have been made so far, and no additional militants have been killed, provincial government spokesman Shahid Rind said.

Mondays death toll includes 34 civilians and 15 members of the security forces, while the military said troops killed 21 militants.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the attacks were deplorable.

In Balochistan, the doors for negotiation are always open to those who believe in Pakistan and accept its constitution and flag, he said Tuesday as he addressed a cabinet meeting.

In addition to discussing the security and law and order situation in the province, President Zardari was updated on the most recent terror occurrences during his meeting with the chief minister and interior minister today.

In a statement released by the Presidents Office, it was said that ideas for establishing peace and order in Balochistan were deliberated, and Zardari emphasised the necessity of taking decisive action to completely eliminate terrorists.

The president informed the two officials, All possible steps should be taken to improve the security situation in Balochistan.

                   



               



              



  pic.twitter.com/cx13a4iSK1  PPP (@MediaCellPPP) August 27, 2024

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The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the province which has previously targeted Chinese interests in the region, said it was responsible for the attacks.

Sharif said their sole aim is to halt Pakistans progress, sabotage the development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and create divisions between Pakistan and China.

The BLA is waging a war of independence against the state, which it accuses of unfair exploitation of resources by outsiders in the mineral-rich region.

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With inputs from agencies
Last week Ambassador Ken Salazar labeled the reform, which proposes that judges be elected by popular vote, a major risk to the functioning of Mexicos democracy read more

The Mexican government has paused its relationship with the U.S. embassy in the country, the nations president said on Tuesday, after the U.S. ambassador criticized a proposed judicial reform backed by the leader.

There is a pause, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a press conference, clarifying the freeze was just with the embassy and not with the United States as a whole.

Last week Ambassador Ken Salazar labeled the reform, which proposes that judges be elected by popular vote, a major risk to the functioning of Mexicos democracy.

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He also cautioned of the potential risk to the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship. The countries are each others largest trade partners.

Canadas ambassador to Mexico also warned of investment concerns.

The pause in relationship with the U.S. embassy is because (the ambassador) is looking to talk with us, Lopez Obrador said. Its not personal, weve had a good, constructive relationship.

Salazar had said he was open to speaking with Mexican government leaders to discuss different models for judicial representation.

Lopez Obrador in recent days has decried the critique as disrespectful and interventionist.
Disclosing the figure for the first time, Ukraines top general Oleksandr Syrskyi on Tuesday said they have captured nearly 600 Russian troops and taken control of 100 settlements during its three-week long incursion in the Kursk region read more

Rescuers at the site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine on Tuesday. Reuters

Disclosing the figure for the first time, Ukraines top general Oleksandr Syrskyi on Tuesday said that they have captured nearly 600 Russian troops and taken control of 100 settlements during its three-week long incursion in the Kursk region.

According to The Guardian report, Syrskyi said that Ukraine forces were repelling Moscows counterattack in the area after they were encircled by the enemy.

He said one of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from other areas, primarily away from Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

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The Kursk operation diverted a significant number of its forces, The Guardian quoted him as saying, noting that Russian troops had been drawn from Ukraines south.

As of now, we can say that around 30,000 servicemen have been sent to the Kursk front and this figure is growing, added Syrskyi.

In Pokrovsk, a coal mining city with key strategic value as a transport hub that Russia has recently targeted, Syrskyi said Russia is attempting to disrupt Ukraines supply lines to the front.

The situation on the Pokrovsk front is fairly difficult  the enemy is using its advantage in personnel, weapons and military equipment, it is actively using artillery and aviation, he said.

Meanwhile, after a second night of heavy strikes across the war-battered nation, Russia fired a wave of attack drones and missiles at Ukraine that killed at least five people, authorities said on Tuesday

Within hours of the barrage, Ukraine claimed fresh advances in its surprise assault on Russias Kursk border region.

Crimes against humanity cannot be committed with impunity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on social media, saying on Tuesday that four people had been killed and 16 wounded. One woman later died in hospital, authorities said.

Mondays attack was one of Moscows largest-ever on Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to push for allies permission to use Western-provided weapons to strike deep inside Russia.

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Zelensky said in Kyiv that Ukraine had used Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets to counter the Russian barrages and also announced that Ukraine had successfully tested a domestically-produced ballistic missile.

With inputs from agencies
The onslaught killed at least five people, destroying a hotel, homes and residential buildings as well as critical infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions read more

In this photo provided by the National Police of Ukraine on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, a residential house is seen on fire after Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. National Police of Ukraine via AP

Russia fired dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine for a second day on Tuesday, including some that Ukraines president said were shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets before they reached their targets.

The onslaught killed at least five people, destroying a hotel, homes and residential buildings as well as critical infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions. Kyiv and other cities had power outages in sweltering heat.

As it often does in statements after Russian bombing raids, Ukraines military listed the Russian regions and occupied territories where the weapons were launched. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials have called repeatedly for the U.S. to lift restrictions and let Ukraine strike deep inside Russia to hit military infrastructure responsible for the war.

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(The allies) try not to speak with me about it. But I keep raising this topic. Generally, thats it. The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong continues, Zelenskyy said.

In comments addressing the apparent first use by Ukraine of the F-16s to shoot down a missile, Zelenskyy thanked Ukraines supporters for them but said there were too few, and too few pilots trained to fly them.

Among the Russian regions listed as a source of Tuesdays attack was Kursk, where the head of the Ukrainian army said his troops have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) since their surprise incursion three weeks ago. Thats roughly the size of Los Angeles.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also said Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in the operation, which he said was intended to draw Russias military away from the fighting in Ukraine. His claims could not be independently confirmed.

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, has forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent the movements might be weakening Russias positions in Ukrainian territory.

Fighting in the region has raised concerns about dangers to the Kursk nuclear power plant, said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who visited it Tuesday. He said in a post on X the situation was serious and called any attack on a nuclear plant unacceptable.

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There is now a danger of a nuclear incident here, Grossi said. Today I was told about several cases of drone attacks on the territory, on the plants facilities. At the plant I saw traces of these attacks.

But the plant now is operating in a mode very close to normal, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry asserted Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk  some 6,600 troops killed or injured  and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armored vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

The head of the Ukrainian armys claim of territorial control came hours after the second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile attacks from Russia.

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Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which Zelenskyy said included 81 drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

In the Kyiv region, which struggled with blackouts after Mondays onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles but falling debris set off forest fires.

After Mondays barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists and urged Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

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President Joe Biden called Mondays Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had reprioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. He also said the U.S. was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraines military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

Russian officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region.
China has historically been willing to collaborate with US national security advisors, viewing them as key decision-makers close to the president who can negotiate without the media spotlight faced by the secretary of state or top leadership. read more

Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, is due in China Tuesday (August 27) to meet the countrys top diplomat Wang Yi.

During the trip, the first by a US national security advisor to Beijing since 2016, Sullivan is expected to discuss the contested and volatile South China Sea, the Taiwan issue, and Xis support to Russia. Sullivan and Wang have met four times over the last year and a half once in Washington and the other times in Vienna, Malta and Bangkok.

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China has historically been willing to collaborate with US national security advisors, viewing them as key decision-makers close to the president who can negotiate without the media spotlight faced by the secretary of state or top leadership.

ON THE AGENDA

1. Chinas aggression against Taiwan

AFP quoted a US official as saying that Washington would press Beijing on its mounting military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the island territory of Taiwan, which China has not ruled out unifying through force.

Since the inauguration Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te this year, China has launched punishment drills around Taiwan. The Chinese military had sent heavily armed warplanes and staged mock attacks shortly after Taiwan Lai, who Beijing sees a separatist, took office.

2. South China Sea: China, Japan, and the Philippines

The talks are expected to be tense, with China recently embroiled in security rows with some of Washingtons key allies in the Indo-Pacific region: Japan and the Philippines.

On Monday (August 26), Tokyo accused Beijing of a serious violation of its sovereignty after a Chinese military aircraft violated its airspace. Japan had scrambled fighter aircraft following the incident.

The next day, Philippine defence chief called Beijing the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia. That comment came after a week of confrontations between the two countries ships near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

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3. Chinas support for Russia

Sullivan is expected to reiterate Washingtons concerns about Beijings support for Moscow in its major expansion of its defence industry since the Ukraine invasion.

In the past, China has countered such criticism by pointing out that, unlike the US, it does not directly supply weapons to either side.

4. Tech and competition

We are committed to making the investments, strengthening our alliances, and taking the common steps on tech and national security that we need to take, AFP quoted the US official as saying. She was referring to wide-ranging restrictions on US technology transfers to China imposed under President Joe Biden.

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The meetings between Wang and Sullivan were sometimes announced only after they concluded and the two had spent long hours together behind closed doors.

5. Possible Xi-Biden meet

South China Morning Post, quoting Chinese observers reported that the odds are very high but expectations are low for a summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

With inputs from AFP
(File) Damaged riot gear of security forces is seen next to a burnt vehicle outside a police station, days after the resignation of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 8, 2024. Reuters

Bangladesh is no stranger to street protests, but the recent clashes involving members of the Bangladesh Ansar force, or Ansar Bahini, have captured the nations attention for all the wrong reasons. On Sunday night, what began as a demand for job security spiralled into violent confrontations near the Bangladesh Secretariat, leaving over 40 people injured, including students, Ansar personnel and even military personnel.

The fallout from these clashes has cast a spotlight on the internal challenges faced by the Ansar force, a key pillar in the countrys security architecture.

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New challenge for Bangladeshs interim government

The ongoing unrest presents a significant challenge for Bangladeshs interim government led by Mohammad Yunus as the protests by the Ansar force have added a layer of complexity to the governments already delicate situation. The government is under immense pressure to maintain stability and address the grievances of various sectors.

Mohammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate and former managing director of Grameen Bank, took the helm of the interim government after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina amid growing political tensions and economic challenges. The Ansar forces demands for job nationalisation and better working conditions have put the government in a precarious position as it seeks to balance the demands of various groups while maintaining law and order. The governments response to this crisis will likely have far-reaching implications, both politically and socially, as it navigates the complexities of governance during this transitional period.

What sparked the protests?

The discontent among the Ansar members had been brewing for years, but it reached a boiling point on the Wednesday before the clashes. The root of the unrest lies in the precarious working conditions faced by the Ansar personnel, particularly those who are part of the General Ansar division. Unlike the Battalion Ansar and the Village Defence Party (VDP), the General Ansar members are employed on a daily wage basis, earning a modest Tk 540 per day from the offices where they are deployed. This income is barely sufficient to make ends meet, especially given the rest tradition that mandates a six-month unpaid leave after every three years of service.

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For many, this regulation has meant long periods of financial hardship. The forces demands were straightforward: job nationalisation and the abolition of the rest tradition. However, these demands, which had been ignored for years, finally led to an eruption of anger and frustration. On Sunday, Ansar personnel gathered outside the National Press Club, a symbolic location for protests and began their march toward the Bangladesh Secretariat. What started as a peaceful rally quickly escalated into a confrontation, with the Ansar members attempting to storm the Secretariat and disrupt the functioning of the government.

Clashes and immediate fallout

The situation took a turn for the worse when the Ansar members were met with resistance from the authorities. Despite a meeting between Ansar representatives and the Home Adviser Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, where promises were made to abolish the rest tradition and review other demands, the protests did not cease. The tensions escalated as Ansar personnel blocked the Secretariat, trapping government officials inside and causing massive traffic jams across the capital Dhaka.

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Army troops and police were deployed to the scene to restore order. The armys involvement underscores the gravity of the situation as they had to fire 27 blank shots to disperse the crowd and regain control of the Secretariat.

The clashes were not just a battle between the Ansar force and the government; students from Dhaka University also became involved after hearing reports of the detention of key student leaders.

Governments response and legal actions

The governments response was swift and severe. By Monday afternoon, 109 Ansar members were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly, obstructing police duties and vandalism. A total of 352 members of the force involved in the protests were taken into police custody with more arrests expected as investigations continue. These actions have led to widespread debate about the governments handling of the situation with many questioning whether the heavy-handed approach was necessary or if it could exacerbate the underlying discontent within the force.

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The home ministry, meanwhile, has formed a seven-member committee to review the demands of the Ansar members. This committee is expected to submit its findings in the coming weeks, which will likely include recommendations on how to address the grievances that led to the protests. However, the effectiveness of this committee remains to be seen, as the underlying issuessuch as job insecurity, inadequate wages and the controversial rest traditionare deeply ingrained in the forces structure.

Role and importance of the Ansar force

Despite its significant contributions, the Ansar force has long struggled with issues of recognition and fair treatment. While the Battalion Ansar members have been included under the National Pay Scale since 2008, gaining entitlements such as family rations and combat uniforms, the General Ansar and VDP members continue to work under less favourable conditions. This disparity has created a sense of injustice among the ranks leading to the current unrest.

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The Ansar force came into existence on February 12, 1948, shortly after the partition of India. Originally created to maintain internal security in the then East Bengal, the force quickly became a key player in the regions security landscape. During the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Ansar members were deployed to defend Bangladeshs border posts, a role that was later mirrored during the 1971 Liberation War. Despite being disbanded by the Pakistani military rulers during the war, around 40,000 Ansar members joined the fight for independence with many paying the ultimate price.

In the post-independence period, the Ansar force was reconstituted and expanded, incorporating the DP and the Town Defence Party into its ranks. The force was officially recognised as a disciplined force under the Ansar Bahini Act, 1995 and the Battalion Ansars Act, 1995.

A wake-up call

The recent unrest within the Ansar force is a wake-up call for the government. The forces demands for job security and better working conditions are not just about wagesthey are about dignity and recognition for a group that has played a crucial role in maintaining Bangladeshs internal security for decades. As the government moves forward, it must address these demands with sincerity and urgency, ensuring that the Ansar force remains a strong and reliable pillar of the nations security apparatus. The stakes are high and the time for action is now.
Russias escalating efforts to seize the town of Pokrovsk is in itself a testament to its strategic importance in the broader conflict in eastern Ukraine. Situated in the Donetsk region, Pokrovsk is not just another town on the map, but a crucial logistics hub, economic engine and symbol of Ukrainian resistance. The towns strategic, economic and symbolic importance has made it a prime target for Russian forces whose recent advances suggest an intensification of their campaign to secure the area.

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Strategic and logistical significance

Pokrovsk occupies a central position in Ukraines defence strategy in the Donbas region. Its key railway station and the intersection of several vital roadways make it indispensable for the movement of troops, military supplies and the evacuation of wounded soldiers. The towns infrastructure is crucial for sustaining Ukraines frontline defences, particularly as the conflict in eastern Ukraine shows no signs of abating. Ukrainian forces rely heavily on the towns rail and road networks to maintain their defensive positions against Russian advances. The towns strategic location enables it to act as a gateway to other critical areas in the region making its control essential for either side.

For months, Russian forces have been attempting to capture Pokrovsk, recognising its importance as a logistical hub that supports Ukraines military efforts in the east. The Russian advance has gained momentum recently, with troops now reportedly less than 10 kilometres away from the town. According to military expert Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov as quoted by the BBC, the loss of Pokrovsk could lead to the collapse of the entire front line severely hampering Ukraines ability to reinforce its troops and evacuate the wounded. This would not only complicate military operations but also place other strategically important towns, such as Chasiv Yar, at greater risk. Chasiv Yar, located on higher ground, provides a commanding view over the surrounding area, making it a key defensive position. Analyst Pavlo Narozhny emphasised that if Russia succeeds in cutting off logistics to Pokrovsk, it would only be a matter of time before Ukrainian forces would be forced to withdraw from Chasiv Yar due to an inability to supply their fighters.

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Economic and industrial importance

Beyond its military significance, Pokrovsk is also an economic powerhouse in the Donetsk region. Before the war, the town was a thriving industrial centre, with a population of approximately 69,000 residents, many of whom were employed in coal mining, metallurgy and machine-building. Pokrovsk is home to Ukraines largest producer of coking coal, a critical resource for the countrys metallurgy industry. The towns industrial output has been a vital contributor to Ukraines economy, particularly in the heavily industrialised eastern regions. Metals, produced in part due to the resources extracted from the Pokrovsk area, were Ukraines main export product before the full-scale Russian invasion, accounting for 23 per cent of the countrys total goods exports. The capture of Pokrovsk would thus deliver a significant blow to Ukraines industrial capabilities further crippling an economy already ravaged by war.

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The towns industrial infrastructure has also been repurposed to support Ukraines defence efforts. The large number of industrial buildings in Pokrovsk and neighbouring towns such as Myrnohrad have provided Ukrainian forces with cover and fortified positions. As one Ukrainian soldier, identified as Ostap, told the BBCs Ukrainecast podcast, the industrialised nature of the area presents a considerable challenge to Russian forces.

Humanitarian impact

The conflict in Pokrovsk has had a devastating impact on the towns civilian population. As Russian forces continue their advance, thousands of residents have been forced to flee, leaving behind their homes, jobs and communities. The recent intensification of Russian military operations has prompted Ukrainian authorities to issue evacuation orders for families with children, adding to the already substantial humanitarian crisis. Organisations like Doctors Without Borders have stepped in to assist with the evacuation of vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly and those with reduced mobility. The situation in Pokrovsk is dire, with evacuation trains stopping in the city of Dnipro, where some displaced residents find temporary refuge with relatives, while others seek shelter in western Ukraine.

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The capture of Pokrovsk by Russian forces would exacerbate this humanitarian crisis, leading to further destruction, loss of life and suffering. Ukrainian soldiers stationed in the area have expressed grave concerns about the potential consequences of a Russian victory. According to a CNN report, the fall of Pokrovsk would result in the total destruction of the town and neighbouring cities like Myrnohrad, with many civilian casualties and widespread devastation. The psychological toll on the remaining residents would be immense, as they would witness the destruction of their homes and the unravelling of their communities.

Beyond the immediate humanitarian concerns, Pokrovsk also holds significant symbolic value in the broader context of the conflict. For Russia, capturing Pokrovsk would be a major propaganda victory, providing the Kremlin with a narrative to counterbalance the embarrassment of Ukraines recent gains in Russias Kursk region. The towns capture would be portrayed as a key step toward fulfilling Russias declared goal of occupying the entire Donetsk region, which Moscow claimed as part of its territory in September 2022. A Newsweek report said that this would further solidify Russias control over eastern Ukraine and serve as a powerful symbol of its military achievements despite the challenges it faces on other fronts.

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Tactical implications

The situation on the ground in Pokrovsk has become increasingly precarious in recent weeks. Russian forces have made significant progress, reportedly seizing nearby areas and advancing towards the town from multiple directions. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian troops have advanced in eastern Karlivka, southeast of Pokrovsk and northeast of Mykolaivka. They have also reportedly moved into the southeastern outskirts of Novohrodivka, capturing the Novohrodivka City Council and establishing positions in high-rise buildings. Securing the town would allow Russian forces to establish a more robust presence in the region enhancing their ability to launch further offensives into Ukrainian-held territory.

The Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kursk region, which was intended to divert Russian forces from their eastern advance, has not had the desired effect. Instead of pulling back, Russian forces have doubled down on their efforts to capture Pokrovsk, intensifying their offensive operations in the area. This has raised concerns that Ukraine may have overextended its forces, leaving gaps in its defences in the Donetsk region.

The battle for Pokrovsk is emblematic of the broader struggle for control in eastern Ukraine. For Russia, capturing the town would be a significant military and symbolic victory, furthering its goals of securing the Donetsk region and weakening Ukraines defensive capabilities. For Ukraine, the loss of Pokrovsk would represent a major setback, jeopardising its ability to sustain its frontline defences and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
The Ukrainian leader, addressing a news conference, said Kyivs three-week-old incursion into Russias Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts read more

Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

The Ukrainian leader, addressing a news conference, said Kyivs three-week-old incursion into Russias Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

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The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much - (that it would be) fair for Ukraine, he told reporters in Kyiv of the war launched by Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He did not elaborate further on the next steps, but said he would also discuss the plan with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and probably also with Republican Donald Trump, the two nominees for the U.S. presidential election

Zelenskyy said he hoped to go to the United States in September to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York and that he was preparing to meet Biden.

His remarks indicated that he sees the main potential forum for talks as a follow-up international summit on peace, at which Ukraine has said it wants Russia to have representatives.

The first summit to advance Kyivs vision of peace, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations, but not from China, the worlds second largest economy, despite Kyivs push to win over the global south.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Aug. 19 that talks were out of the question after Ukraine launched a major cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region on Aug. 6.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Kyiv last week, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and told him he supported an early and peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.

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No compromises with Putin

Zelenskyy has been adamant that Russia wants to dictate terms to Ukraine in any settlement of the war, something that Kyiv sees as unacceptable.

Putin has said any deal needs to start with Ukraines acceptance of realities on the ground, that would leave Russia with possession of substantial chunks of four Ukrainian regions as well as Crimea. Now Ukraine says it controls more than 1,200 square km (463 sq miles) of Russias Kursk region.

There can be no compromises with Putin, dialogue today is in principle empty and meaningless because he does not want to end the war diplomatically, Zelenskyy said at the news conference.

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He said the offensive into the Kursk region had reduced the number of governments around the world calling for Ukraine to make compromises with Russia to end the war and give up swathes of territory.

On the battlefield, Zelenskyy mocked Putin, who he said was prioritising the capture of Ukrainian land over the defence of Russias own territory.

He pointed to Kursk region where Ukraine has claimed the capture of 100 settlements, while Russian forces continue to inch forward in the eastern Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian leader also said that Kyiv was continuing to make progress on its domestic weapons production and that it had conducted its first test of a domestically-produced ballistic missile.
Lenovo has expanded its Legion ecosystem with new additions, including two advanced gaming monitors and several essential accessories for the Legion Go gaming handheld.

Lenovo Legion R27qc-30 and R32qc-30 Monitors

Lenovo has introduced the 27-inch Legion R27qc-30 and the 31.5-inch Legion R32qc-30 monitors. Both models feature 1500R curved displays, with a 180Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms (MPRT) response time.

The R27qc-30 covers 120% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3 color gamuts, while the R32qc-30 covers 112% sRGB. Each monitor includes two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, an audio out, and two 3W speakers.

Quick specifications: Lenovo Legion R32qc-30 Monitor

Quick specifications: Lenovo Legion R27qc-30 Monitor

Lenovo Legion Go Accessories

USB-C Dock: The USB-C dock serves as a base station for the Lenovo Legion Go, featuring a USB-C Power port (up to 100W), 1G RJ45 port, full-function Type-C port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and an HDMI 2.0 port supporting up to 4K at 60Hz. It also includes a 230mm Type-C cable.

Quick Specifications: Lenovo Legion Go USB-C Dock

Connectivity Ports: 1 x USB-C (Fully functional), USB-C Power (PD up to 100W), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x RJ45 (1G), 2 x USB-A 3.0

Power: All ports 100W max., 65W to the system

Cable: Integrated USB-C cable

Cable Length: 230 mm

Dimensions (W x D x H): 160 x 73.4 x 30.7 mm (6.30 x 2.89 x 1.21)

Warranty: 1 year

Charging Connector: The Charging Connector allows the detachable TrueStrike controllers of the Lenovo Legion Go to be charged as a single unit. Its onboard battery can fully charge both controllers and itself via a Type-C port.

Quick Specifications: Lenovo Legion Go Charging Connector

Battery Performance: 10.55 Wh

Battery Capacity: 2850 mAh

Input: USB-C

Output: Pogo Pins for Legion Go Detachable Left & Right Controllers

Dimensions (W x D x H): 128.5 x 94.7 x 14.3 mm

Weight: Starting at 152.5 g

Warranty: 1 year

Carry Case: The hard shell, dual-zip Carry Case protects the screen and includes an internal pocket for accessories such as USB cables or earphones. The power adapter and FPS Mode controller puck also fit inside.

Quick Specifications: Lenovo Legion Go Carry Case

Dimensions (W x D x H): 320.9 x 148.2 x 108.9 mm

Portable Handle: Yes

Double Zipper: Yes

Top Mesh Pocket: Yes

Screen Protection Compartment: Yes

Bottom Storage Compartment: Yes

Joystick and Joystick Caps: These accessories offer enhanced grip and comfort for racing or FPS games, improving control during intense gaming sessions.

Quick Specifications: Lenovo Legion Go Joystick and Joystick Caps

4 SKUs: Joystick Original, Joystick Cap Spherical, Joystick Cap Cylinder, Joystick Cap Concave

Each SKU includes:2 x Eclipse Black, 2 x Lenovo Red, 2 x Luna Grey, 2 x Glacier White

Multi-Device Bluetooth Mini Keyboard: This compact, 75% layout keyboard weighs 180g and is 5.6mm thick. It supports connections to three devices and is compatible with Windows, Android, and iPadOS.

Quick Specifications: Lenovo Multi-Device Bluetooth Mini Keyboard

Connection: Bluetooth / USB Type-C Cable

Connected Devices: Up to 3 Devices with Easy Switch

Travel Distance: 1.3 mm

Key Pitch: 18 mm

Battery Capacity: 300mAh (Typical)

Battery Life: Up to 62 Hours

Dimensions (W x H x T): Without Rubber Stand (mm): 255.8 x 105.9 x 5.6; With Rubber Stand (mm): 255.8 x 105.9 x 14.6

Weight: Starting at 177g

Color: Luna Grey

LED Light Indications: Silent, Caps Lock, USB-C Port Back

Supported Operating Systems: Windows 10 or later; Android 10 and Later; iPadOS 15.0 and Later

Warranty: 1 Year

Pricing and Availability

Legion R27qc-30: Available from October 2024, priced at 259 (USD 289 or Rs. 24,275 approx.)

Legion R32qc-30: Available from October 2024, priced at 349 (USD 389 or Rs. 32,710 approx.)

Legion Go USB-C Dock: Available from June 2024, priced at 64.99 (USD 72 or Rs. 6,090 approx.)

Legion Go Charging Connector: Available from October 2024, priced at 59.99 (USD 67 or Rs. 5,620 approx.)

Legion Go Carry Case: Available from January 2025, priced at 29.99 (USD 33 or Rs. 2,810 approx.)

Legion Go Joystick and Joystick Caps: Available from October 2024, priced at 9.99 (USD 11 or Rs. 935 approx.)

Multi-Device Bluetooth Mini Keyboard: Available from November 2024, priced at 39.99 (USD 44 or Rs. 3,750 approx.)

Source
This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on August 27, 2024 shows rescuers in action on a site of a heavily damaged hotel following an air attack in Kryvyi Rig
Idaho Guard Helicopter Battalion Deploying to Kosovo

By Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur, Idaho Army National Guard August 26, 2024

BOISE, Idaho -- Family, friends and coworkers gathered on Gowen Field Aug. 22 to say farewell to Soldiers from the Idaho Army National Guard's 1st of the 183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion as they left Idaho to prepare to deploy overseas in support of Operation Joint Guardian.

"I have complete confidence that you will carry out this mission successfully and return home safely," said Maj. Gen. Tim Donnellan, adjutant general of Idaho and commander of the Idaho National Guard. "You are among the finest Soldiers, and your commitment to duty and to each other will see you through. We will continue to support you from here, and we look forward to welcoming you back home with pride and honor."

Several UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and more than 100 personnel deployed to Texas for approximately 30 days of additional training before departing for Kosovo for an 11-month rotation in support of the NATO peacekeeping mission.

Operation Joint Guardian is a joint mission under the United States European Command. Soldiers will focus on training and supporting allied partners.

"The Soldiers of Task Force Sawtooth have been working and training diligently over the past 18 months for this deployment," said Lt. Col. Bryan C. Reid, 1st of the 183rd AHB commander. "Leadership is proud of what we have accomplished. We are focused on the mission ahead and we are ready to go."

It's the first time since 2003 that the unit has deployed to the region. The 1st of the 183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion deployed to Bosnia in 2002-2003 for a humanitarian relief mission and to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006-2007. Most recently, the unit built schools and medical facilities with the Guatemalan Armed Forces in 2019.

"I have confidence in your readiness," said Donnellan. "You've undergone extensive training and are equipped with the best tools and knowledge available. Your dedication to this mission is clear, and I know you will carry it out with the professionalism and excellence that defines the 1st of the 183rd AHB."

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Missouri River Crossing Showcases ND Guard Engineer Expertise

By Sgt. 1st Class Christy Van Drunen, National Guard Bureau August 26, 2024

KIMBALL BOTTOMS, N.D. -- As the early morning fog drifted across the rippling current of the Missouri River, the North Dakota Army National Guard conducted a wet gap crossing exercise at Kimball Bottoms Aug. 17.

The 957th Multi-Role Bridge Company led the "Operation Candyland" exercise, which included engineers, military police, air defense artillery and aviation units working together to secure the area, construct a temporary floating bridge, and move personnel and equipment safely across the river.

The exercise focused on providing expedient bridge infrastructure in austere environments during combat or while responding to large-scale emergencies.

"The specialty of the 957th Multi-Role Bridge Company is an improved ribbon bridge," said Sgt. Zachary Obrigewitch, a bridge crew member with the unit. "It is an assembled, basically floating raft that turns into a road when it is fully in place."

Once assembled and in place, vehicles, people and equipment can cross as if it were a permanent structure.

"It will become basically an acting road," said Obrigewitch. "The ability to cross water is extremely important, and we're excited to go through this exercise today."

The exercise began before dawn as unit members launched bridge erection boats into the river. Once all the boats were in, crews began dropping bridge sections, or bays, from trucks into the river for the boat teams to push together.

"The bay is just basically a floating bridge," said Sgt. LaShawn Pickstock, a bridge crew member with the 957th MRBC. "When we release it off the trucks, they land into the water and open up. It's kind of like a loaf of bread that's opening up."

Boat crews then marshal the bays together.

"Once we get enough of those, we can connect a ramp, which vehicles use to drive up on the bays, and then they'll be able to drive across the wet gap," said Pickstock.

Kimball Bottoms, located south of Bismarck, is historically significant for the 957th MRBC. The last time the unit placed a bridge from bank to bank on the Missouri River, or a "full closure," was about 15 years ago, said Lt. Col. Steve Bohl, the commander of the 164th Engineer Battalion, higher headquarters of the 957th MRBC.

"I was a support platoon leader. So, I was in charge of the fuel and the far and near bank emplacements," said Bohl, adding that his brother, along with the company's current first sergeant, also took part in the previous full closure.

For Bohl's brother, Lt. Col. Bob Bohl, executive officer of the 68th Troop Command, observing the exercise brought him back to his days as a lieutenant.

"Seeing this come together as one large event is personally historic," Bob Bohl said. "As my brother said, 15 years ago was the last time we actually witnessed it happening  way back when we were lieutenants, bridge platoon leaders, executing one of these mission sets."

There have been some changes in 15 years. A new bridge and bolt system has been fielded and the M30 Bridge Erection Boat has replaced the older MKII BEBs.

"We are continuing to modernize," Bob Bohl said of the equipment.

However, much of the basic mechanics of the operations are the same. As bridge crewmembers pushed the bays into position, Staff Sgt. Aiden Schuh, a raft commander with the 957th MRBC, took control.

"I'm communicating with everybody on launch and retrieve who is launching the boats and launching the bridge pieces so that we can put the bridge together," said Schuh, adding that safety and efficiency were key.

Before bridging the full width of the river, a security team is needed across the river. That mission fell to Soldiers with the 816th Military Police Company.

"What we do is we build a six-float," Schuh said. "Which is six pieces  two ramps and four bays  and we land on near shore, load up our security elements, and then raft them across the river or lake to the far shore to drop our first security elements so that we can do bridging operations safely as the security elements are on the far shore."

By 10:30 a.m., the entire bridge was fully assembled and secured, and Soldiers in Humvees crossed the river.

Bob Bohl said exercises like this also help build rapport across units that may not typically work together. That means greater integration and interoperability.

"We're building enduring relationships across the organization," he said.

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The Danish Government strengthens Danish engagement with African countries

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

26.8.2024

Denmark and the EU aim for greater attention to the wishes and priorities of the African countries. Equal partnerships with African countries is a central focus of the new strategy launched today by Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Lkke Rasmussen and Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jrgensen.

As part of the new strategy for Denmark's engagement with African countries, Denmark is opening embassies in Senegal, Tunisia, and Rwanda. The Danish Government has also laid plans to bolster diplomatic staff and resources at the embassies in Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. As a result of military coups that have severely limited the scope for action in the Sahel region, the embassies in Burkina Faso and Mali will be closed.

Africa's geopolitical relevance and importance in international politics has never been greater; their populations, economies, and assertiveness are growing. In 2050, one in every four people in the world will live in Africa. One in every three of the world's youth will be African. Given these developments, the EU must further its efforts to be the preferred partner of the African countries and ensure that it is able to deliver what is needed.

"One of this century's most important foreign policy questions is whether Africa will orient itself more towards the East or the West. We have a clear interest in the African countries looking towards us in Europe as they chart the course for their future. We must demonstrate that we offer an attractive alternative to the increasing Chinese and Russian influence on the continent. We will do this through increased investment in Africa and increased trade with African businesses, by cultivating mutual understanding, and by working to ensure that more Africans can come to study in Denmark," says Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Lkke Rasmussen.

Denmark's 60 years of development cooperation with the African countries provides a solid foundation to build on. Increasing Denmark's trade with and investment in African countries is a core element of the strategy.

As part of efforts to implement the strategy, Denmark will strengthen the Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), enabling these funds to provide even more support for Danish companies and investments in African countries, while contributing to significant economic growth in these countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark will also reduce its hourly rate for advising Danish companies in Africa.

"Over the past two years, I have travelled to 12 different African countries and spoken with African partners. They would like even stronger ties with Denmark. Closer political dialogue, more trade, increased investment. They often focus on the green sectors. For example, Denmark is a leader in water technology; Danish expertise in this field is in high demand among our African partner countries, and we would like bring it into play even more.

"Therefore, water is one of the sectors where we are ramping up our engagement, including in our partnerships with public authorities and efforts for increased trade," says Dan Jrgensen.

As part of the strategy, the Government is also increasing support for climate adaptation in African countries. The consequences of global warming - including increased drought and flooding - are already having a severe impact on many countries.

These climate impacts are putting increased pressure on water resources in many parts of Africa. Over the coming years, Denmark plans to give more than DKK 1 billion in development assistance to new bilateral water initiatives in Africa. In 2025 alone, an expected DKK 425 million in new bilateral water efforts will be launched in Africa. The Government is also following up on the strategy with initiatives in a range of other areas, including migration, security challenges, and cultural exchange.

See the list of initiatives in the fact sheet and read the full text of the strategy here: https://um.dk/en/foreign-policy/africas-century

About changes to Denmark's presence in Africa

Denmark will be opening embassies in Tunisia and Senegal, while the existing project office in Rwanda will be upgraded to an embassy. All three of these countries have a strong voice in their region and welcome international cooperation.

Tunisia is an important partner for Denmark in North Africa in respect to many agendas, and holds the potential for expanded partnership in areas such as climate and the green transition. In 2023, Tunisia was the primary country of departure for irregular migrants towards the EU on the central Mediterranean route.

Senegal is a leading country in West Africa and has a long democratic tradition in a geographical context shaped by military coups.

As a consequence of the severely limited scope for action in the Sahel region following a series of military coups in recent years, the embassies in Mali and Burkina Faso will be closed.

The four existing embassies in South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Nigeria will be upgraded to regional hubs, with greater coverage of developments in their respective regions.

Raising the status of an embassy to a regional hub entails strengthened cooperation with the countries for which the embassy is side-accredited. The new regional hubs are situated in countries that are leading nations in their respective geographic regions.

In addition to the regional hubs, measures will also be taken to strengthen the embassy in Ghana.

By 2026, Denmark will have 10 more posted diplomats on the African continent than today.

A Special Representative for the African Great Lakes and Sahel Region will be appointed to support continued Danish engagement in Sahel and strengthen Denmark's efforts in the African Great Lakes region - which, among other things, is important in relation to Denmark's membership of the UN Security Council.

Efforts will also be launched to explore opportunities for increased Danish presence in countries where Denmark does not have an established presence. For example, Denmark will explore the potential for posting Danish diplomats for shorter or longer periods at EU delegations.

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August 26, 2024

Release

DOD Convened Climate and Defense Summit of the Americas, Strengthening Regional Security Collaboration

Pentagon Spokesman Lt. Col Devin T. Robinson provided the following readout:

The U.S. Department of Defense hosted the Climate and Defense Summit of the Americas at the U.S. Naval Academy on August 22-23, 2024, with senior leaders from across the Western Hemisphere to address the defense and security challenges that climate change poses and to enhance regional collaboration.

Climate change is an existential threat to national security. Underscoring the Department of Defense's determination to supporting whole of government and allies' and partners' strategies, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said that "none of us can tackle the climate challenge alone. We have a better chance of tackling the threat when we find ways to confront it together."

The summit capped off a series of regional events held in partnership with defense and security agencies convening military leaders, civilian officials, scientists, emergency response experts, and representatives from non-governmental organizations that emphasized how climate change is increasingly impacting military readiness, operational capabilities, and infrastructure resilience  requiring immediate coordinated action across the region.

"Climate change is reshaping our strategic landscape, requiring dynamic responses and strengthened partnerships to ensure our forces are prepared for the challenges while fostering a resolute commitment to partnership across the Americas to strengthen readiness and regional response mechanisms," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Rebecca Zimmerman. Adding that our "commitment to enhancing climate adaptation and resilience extends by, with, and through international collaboration."

With a focus on integrating resilience into defense planning, resource allocation, operations, and security cooperation to ensure sustained readiness, discussions included strategies for building climate-resilient military forces, operations, and infrastructure, utilizing advanced data analytics for decision-making, and strengthening the critical role of defense forces in disaster preparedness and response.

These discussions will continue during the Climate and Environmental Challenges from a Defense Perspective Working Committee at the upcoming Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas ministerial, which Argentina is hosting in October 2024.

For more information: www.climate.mil and Spotlight: Tackling the Climate Crisis.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3884602/

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August 22, 2024

By Joseph Clark, DOD News

DOD Remains Postured to Support Israel's Defense, Deter Aggression

The Defense Department remains committed to deterring aggression in the Middle East and supporting Israel's defense, said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder today.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant twice over the weekend to discuss Israeli actions to defend against attacks by Lebanese Hezbollah after the Iran-backed militant group launched a drone and rocket attack against Israel on Saturday.

Israel responded to the attack with what it described as preemptive strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Those strikes were carried out without U.S. involvement, Ryder said.

"We provided some intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, [or] ISR, in terms of tracking incoming Lebanese Hezbollah attacks, but did not conduct any kinetic operations as they were not required," Ryder said.

Austin reiterated Israel's right to defend itself, in his calls with Gallant and underscored the United States' ironclad resolve to support Israel's defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies.

"We remain postured to support Israel's defense against any aggression from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah or other actors," Ryder said. "As we've been from the start, we remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region, while also remaining focused on securing a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza."

Last week, the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group arrived in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility after Austin ordered the Lincoln to accelerate its deployment to the region earlier this month. It joined the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group already on station there.

The plus-up is part of adjustments to U.S. military posture in the region to ensure U.S. force protection, increase support for the defense of Israel, and ensure the U.S. is prepared to respond to various contingencies, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said last week.

Over the weekend, Austin ordered both carrier strike groups to remain in the region. The additional ships complement other forces in the region, which include an Air Force F-22 Raptor squadron, and the USS Georgia an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine operating nearby.

"The additional forces in the theater send a very clear message to all actors in the region that we're serious when it comes to supporting the defense of Israel, as well as protecting our forces should they be attacked," Ryder said.

He added that the U.S. maintains the capability and capacity to respond to a wide variety of contingencies in the region.

"I can't emphasize enough that we are not seeking any type of escalation in the region," Ryder said. "The opposite, in fact. We're looking ... to de-escalate. We're looking to get a cease-fire signed and the hostages released and start lowering the temperature around the region."

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August 22, 2024

By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News

Climate Change Is Crisis for Entire Planet, Deputy Secretary Says

Climate change affects the entire planet, said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, and no one nation can solve the problem on its own  not even the United States.

During the "Climate and Defense Summit of the Americas," held August 22-23 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, civilian and military leaders, scientists, and emergency response experts from South America and North America  including Central America and the Caribbean  met to address the defense and security challenges that climate change poses and to enhance regional cooperation.

The summit, co-hosted by the Office of Arctic and Global Resilience and the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, brought together leaders from more than 26 nations to discuss the challenge of climate change.

"Climate change is a global security issue. It knows no borders, nor boundaries. It respects no sovereignty, and it can't be reasoned with," Hicks said during the summit, adding that the United States has co-hosted several events in the past several months, including in Barbados, Peru and Honduras, to discuss how to integrate resilience into defense strategies and to conduct security cooperation efforts that focus on developing climate resilience.

"One thing is clear," she said. "None of us can tackle the climate challenge alone. We have a better chance [of] tackling the threat when we find ways to confront it together."

Within the defense community, Hicks said, a top concern for officials has been securing national interests in the face of climate change effects such as heat waves, flooding and storms.

"The U.S. national security community has been clear-eyed about these challenges for decades," she said. "Earlier this year, the U.S. intelligence community released its annual assessment on the effects of climate change for our world, highlighting how it exacerbates risks in global health, deepens economic challenges, and could lead to global unrest. We have a responsibility to act on this knowledge, adapting with common purpose to the threat that climate change poses."

At the Defense Department, she said, the readiness of America's military is of primary concern.

"We've taken climate change into account in everything we do at every level," she said, pointing to the Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis, published in 2021, as an example of the department's efforts to assess the strategic risks of climate change.

"It describes how we will integrate climate considerations into our key processes, including strategy, planning and budget, and engagements with our allies and partners," she said.

With partners from across the Americas in attendance, Hicks said continued forums provide an opportunity to address Pan-American environmental problems and to develop Pan-American solutions.

"Through these regional convenings, we've confirmed that among the shared problems that our nations face, climate change is an existential threat for all of us," she said. "I know that each of you is concerned about climate resiliency, about building resilient forces, infrastructure and operations. You're concerned about disaster response and preparedness, and so are we. And we're committed to collaborating and finding common ground to address these issues with you."

As part of the summit, Rebecca Zimmerman, the acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, and Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, discussed how the two federal agencies work together when the nation is affected by disasters related to climate change. Both Zimmerman and Criswell praised the strong relationship between the two partner agencies, and Criswell highlighted the strong support FEMA gets from the U.S. military.

But Zimmerman also discussed how the department and partner nation militaries can be stretched thin when helping other government agencies during climate-related disasters, and what can be done to strengthen those agencies to make them more robust and independent.

During national emergencies that arise from climate-related crises, Zimmerman said, defense and security ministries such as the DOD, with their robust ability to develop strategy and to plan, are well-suited to step in and offer assistance to other federal agencies.

To meet that challenge, Zimmerman said, the DOD and partner nation ministries must work to ensure civilian partner agencies are more robust and able to handle larger crises on their own.

"I think a shared challenge is, how do we as communities make sure that ... [partner nation civilian agencies] have the funding they need and that they're able to build up the planning and operational capabilities that they need in order to be able to meet the response appropriately as civilians."

Another challenge, she said, involves ensuring that civilian institutions can grow and change to meet new environmental challenges. One example, she said, involves those agencies that maintain and manage critical infrastructure, such as water and power, which militaries depend on but don't always own or maintain for themselves.

"Our ability to stand sovereign and independent depends upon [critical infrastructure] being able to work when we need it," she said, adding that the challenge involves ensuring that critical infrastructure institutions are modernized, robust and able to keep water and power running so that militaries can continue to operate.

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Afghanistan: Statement of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on latest restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the people

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU

Press release

26 August 2024 15:40

The European Union is appalled by the decree recently issued by the Taliban, the so-called Law on Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The decree confirms and extends severe restrictions on the life of Afghans imposed by the Taliban, including imposed dress codes, notably ordering women to cover their bodies and faces in public. The decree also imposes that the voices of women must not be heard in public, which effectively deprives Afghan women of their fundamental right to freedom of expression.

The decree further extends the power of the so-called Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice beyond an advisory role as it is now being given a clear mandate to enforce the decree. This, together with the restrictions imposed, punishable under Taliban law, violates legal obligations and Treaties to which Afghanistan is a State Party, including by undermining Afghan people's right to due process.

This latest decision is another serious blow undermining the rights of Afghan women and girls, which we cannot tolerate. We urge the Taliban to put an end to these systematic and systemic abuses against Afghan women and girls, which may amount to gender persecution, which is a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which Afghanistan is a State Party.

The decree also creates yet another self-imposed obstacle to normalised relations and recognition by the international community, to which the Taliban publicly aspire. Such possible recognition, as stated in the UN's independent assessment, of which the UNSC Resolution 2721 (2023) took positive note, would require the Taliban to fully respect both their obligations towards the citizens of Afghanistan and Afghanistan's international obligations.

The EU continues to stand by the women and girls of Afghanistan, and by all those in Afghanistan threatened by the Taliban.

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Venezuela: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on recent post-election developments

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU

Press release

24 August 2024 16:30

The European Union remains extremely concerned about the deepening political crisis in Venezuela.

The EU welcomes the interim report of the UN Panel of Experts, invited by Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) to assess the overall conduct of the elections within the framework of the Barbados Agreement. This report has shed light on the electoral process and underscored the lack of substantiation for the results announced by Venezuelan authorities.

As of today, Venezuelan authorities have not provided the necessary public evidence to assess the electoral process according to the standards indicated by the UN panel of experts.

In light of the ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela (TSJ), it is worth recalling that the CNE is the body legally and constitutionally responsible for the transparent and detailed publication of official electoral results.

Only complete and independently verifiable results will be accepted and recognized to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people is respected.

The European Union continues to urge the CNE to publish and independently verify the official voting records ("actas") from all the polling stations. Furthermore, the European Union stresses that the UN Panel of Experts has confirmed that a sample of the reviewed 'actas' published by the opposition exhibit the security features of the original result protocols, thereby confirming their reliability. According to the publicly available copies of the 'actas,' Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia would appear to be the winner of the presidential election by a significant majority.

The Venezuelan people have to decide their own destiny. Their will must prevail. The European Union will continue to work with its regional partners to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people expressed at the ballot box is respected and to facilitate a Venezuelan-led dialogue that provides guarantees to both sides and leads to the restoration of democracy and to solve the current humanitarian and socio-economic crisis.

Venezuelan authorities must respect the right of all Venezuelans to peacefully demonstrate and freely express their political opinions without fear of reprisal. They must refrain from using excessive force, end the repression and harassment of the opposition and civil society, and release all political prisoners. Human rights violations must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable.

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The Rocket Launcher Used to Fire at Rishon LeTsiyon in Central Israel was Struck By the IAF

IDF Press Release

August 26, 2024

26.08.24

The Hamas terrorist organization launched a rocket approximately 25 meters from the area of a school in Khan Yunis toward Rishon LeTsiyon in central Israel. IDF troops identified the source of the launch and directed the IAF to precisely strike the launcher from which the rocket was fired, alongside additional terrorist infrastructure used by the terrorists in the area. Following the strike on the launcher, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of additional rockets.

Over the past day, IDF troops operating in the areas of Khan Yunis and the outskirts of Deir El Balah eliminated dozens of terrorists and located large quantities of weapons, including explosives, AK-47s and mortar shells. In one incident, IDF troops eliminated a terrorist who fired an anti-tank missile toward them. No injuries were reported.

Furthermore, over the past day in the area of Tel al-Sultan, IDF soldiers eliminated dozens of terrorists, dismantled terrorist infrastructure, and located weapons.

During IDF operational activity in the central Gaza, troops continued to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, eliminate terrorists, and locate underground terrorist infrastructure and weapons. In various incidents, the troops eliminated with tank fire numerous terrorist cells that operated in proximity to the troops and posed a threat to them

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Hezbollah destroys Israeli spy equipment in Ramya

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has targeted and destroyed Israeli spy equipment in Ramya in northern occupied territories.

In a statement on Monday, Hezbollah announced that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Israeli spy equipment at the Ramya occupation site using an assault glider, achieving direct hits, according to Lebanon's Al-Manar news network.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced early Sunday a preliminary response to the brutal Israeli aggression on the southern suburb of Beirut, which led to the martyrdom of the great jihadi leader, Sayyed Fuad Shokr, and a number of civilians, including women and children.

This phase involved targeting Israeli barracks and sites to facilitate the passage of assault drones toward their intended target deep within the entity, the statement mentioned, that the number of Katyusha rockets fired so far has exceeded 320 rockets aimed at enemy sites.

The statement also mentioned that the Israeli occupation sites that have been targeted so far included Meron Base, Neve Ziv Bunker, Ga'aton Base, Al-Zaoura Bunkers, Al-Sahl Base, Kela Barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan, Yoav Barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan, Nafah Base in the occupied Syrian Golan, Yarden Base in the occupied Syrian Golan, Ein Zeitim Base, and Ramot Naftali Barracks.

The Islamic Resistance affirmed that the first phase of the military response to Israeli aggression on Beirut's Dahiyeh was completed successfully.

According to Zionist media reports, the Israeli regime has declared a state of alert in the north of the occupied territories due to fears of Hezbollah missiles in the coming hours.

3266**2050

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'Operation Arbaeen Day great infiltration into Israeli intelligence system'

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Military and strategic affairs experts have termed Hezbollah's large-scale Sunday operation as a major infiltration into the Zionist regime's security, intelligence and technology system.

Al Binaa Lebanese daily newspaper, referring to Hezbollah's initial response to the assassination of Hezbollah's military commander "Fuad Shukr", said that according to military and strategic affairs experts, launching of hundreds of missiles and drones at all military bases in the north of occupied Palestine as well as the intelligence office in the suburbs of Tel Aviv and at the height of Israeli, US and Western alertness through satellites, as a major infiltration into the Israeli security, intelligence and technology system and is a great achievement to Hezbollah's security intelligence and military technology.

According to the experts, Operation Arbaeen Day showed that Hezbollah has the initiative, and the operation stabilized Hezbollah's deterrence equation, destroyed Israel's deterrence power, and increased the crisis of Netanyahu's cabinet and the strategic gap that has been created since 7 October 2023.

Operation Arbaeen Day also revealed the illusion of the Israeli cabinet about its ability to change the field equation in the south after Fuad Shukr's assassination, restore security to the north, and return the settlers to the northern settlements, according to these experts.

According to the secretary-general of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, Israel's military intelligence organization and its air force were involved in the assassination of Fuad Shukr, and Hezbollah targeted Unit 8200, a place that was associated with the assassination.

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Zionist army casualties mount to 702

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The death toll of the Zionist army in the Gaza Strip has increased to 702.

According to the Palestinian media, the Israeli army announced the death of 36-year-old Master Sergeant Shlomo Yehonatan Hazut in ground clashes in the center of the Gaza Strip. He was a reserve soldier from Ashdod.

The Zionist army announced that an Israeli officer was killed in an improvised explosive device explosion in a bus in the Bethlehem area.

The Israeli army announced that 338 of these soldiers have been killed in the ground attack on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.

Also, 4,387 Zionist soldiers have been injured, 2,254 of whom were killed in ground clashes in the Gaza Strip.

This is while the Israeli media have repeatedly accused the military of censoring the actual number of dead and wounded in the recent war in the Gaza Strip.

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Hezbollah missile attacks shatter Tel Aviv deterrence facade

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The first phase of Hezbollah's retaliation for Israel's assassination of senior commander of the Lebanese resistance movement Fuad Shukr has shattered the facade of the Zionist regime's deterrence.

Hezbollah's retaliatory measures targeted the Israeli regime's military bases deep within occupied Palestine. Despite media and political censorship, the impacts of the attacks were revealed, IRNA reported from a Lebanese media source on Monday.

Hezbollah's reaction came after Israel increased its brutal measures last month, according to the media.

Hezbollah just focused on military targets, it added.

Hezbollah's response to Israel's brutality is separate from Iran's possible retaliatory measure for the regime's July 31 assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political bureau chief of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, in Tehran.

Early on Sunday (August 25), Hezbollah launched attacks through 340 missiles and tens of drones against 11 military bases in occupied Palestine.

Following Hezbollah's knockout attacks, flights were called off in the occupied lands, ports were shut, tight restrictions were imposed, and an emergency situation was declared in the occupied territories for 48 hours.

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Drone enters occupied Palestinian airspace from Syria: Report

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- At least one drone has entered the occupied Palestinian airspace from the Syrian soil, media outlets have reported.

Israeli media on Monday reported that a drone had entered Hamat Ghadir which is located at the border triangle between occupied Palestine, Syria, and Jordan.

The source of this drone launch is being investigated, the news outlets added.

The Zionist army announced that its Air Force had intercepted and shot down a drone east of Lake Tiberias.

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has targeted important positions in north Tel Aviv in the first phase of a retaliatory response to Israel's assassination of Hezbollah's top commander Fuad Shukr.

Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander, was killed in what Israel had called a targeted strike on the southern suburb of Lebanon's capital Beirut on July 30.

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Israeli officer killed by IED in West Bank's Beit Lahm city

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- An Israeli officer has been reportedly killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) put on a bus in Beit Lahm city, also known as Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank.

The IED also injured another Israeli military force, Aljazeera reported late on Sunday.

Earlier, Hebrew-language media reported that a bus had exploded near Beit Lahm.

The Israeli media said three of the regime's military forces were injured by the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance forces.

One of the naval forces of Israel was killed and another was seriously wounded after a missile attack on the regime's ship near Akka in the north of the occupied Palestinian territories, according to the media.

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Yemen ready to inflict painful blows on Israel: Defense min.

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Yemen's Defense Minister Muhammad Nasser Al-Atefi has said that his country's armed forces are at the highest level of readiness to deliver painful blows to the depths of the occupying Zionist regime.

Al-Atefi stated that the United States would not be able to defend the Zionist regime with its military mobilization in the region, according to IRNA's Sunday night report citing Al-Masirah.

Israeli targets have been chosen with care and consideration, he said, adding that Yemen's missile, drone and naval units have the necessary power to carry out the operation accurately and forcefully.

Earlier, Yemen's Ansarullah, while congratulating the Lebanese Hezbollah movement for its response to the Israeli assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior resistance commander, emphasized that the reprisal of the Yemeni armed forces to the Zionist regime's aggression against the city of Hudaydah is also on its way.

"This strong and effective response in the depths of the occupying regime confirms the capability, strength and honesty of resistance", Ansarullah said in a statement. "We congratulate Hezbollah and its Secretary General for the great and brave operation against the Israeli enemy".

The statement was issued after Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it had completed the first phase of its response to the assassination of Shukr by targeting 11 military bases and positions of the Zionist regime.

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Baiba Braze and Gabrielius Landsbergis: Security of the EU's eastern border is critical - it is the first security line

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

26.08.2024

Security and defence, the results of the NATO summit and the next steps in the practical implementation of its decisions, the situation in Ukraine, further support for the combat capabilities of Ukraine and a strategy for containing Russia, current developments in the EU, including its enlargement process, bilateral, regional and international cooperation between the two countries in the EU, NATO, the UN, and other formats - those were key topics discussed by the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, and experts from the Foreign Services of both the countries at the seminar in Lithuania on 26 August 2024.

The two Foreign Ministers welcomed the close cooperation and support between Latvia and Lithuania in bilateral relations and multilateral formats alike, which are particularly important in the current geopolitical situation.

ForeignMinisterBaibaBraze: "Lithuania is our neighbour and friend and we will continue strengthening our cooperation towards an even more effective coordination of information sharing and an even more rapid response. Together with Lithuania, we are guarding not only the external border of our countries but also that of the EU and NATO, and we are now fighting common threats - including hybrid threats from Russia, the instrumentalisation of migration, intense sabotage cases, and circumvention of sanctions, aimed at destabilising EU countries. We had an in-depth discussion on issues and regional cooperation in the protection of the EU-NATO eastern border."

Baiba Braze also underlines: "Ukraine has been, and will remain our common priority, and we will continue through all possible channels and formats - the Baltic States and the Nordic countries (NB8), the EU, NATO, the UN and others - to advocate support for Ukraine until its victory on the battlefield. In parallel, work needs to be done on a strategy to contain Russia, which includes a coordinated EU-wide effort on the next rounds of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus and the alignment of sanctions, as well as the action by Member States to ensure an effective implementation of the existing sanctions and prevent them from being circumvented."

The officials agreed that the goods to be shipped should be subject to a stricter control at the national level of EU Member States, in the countries of their origin and declaration.

The Latvian and Lithuanian delegations also made a visit to the border control post at Lithuania's border with Belarus, Adutiskis, accompanied by the chiefs of the Lithuanian and Latvian border guard authorities. Lithuanian border guards introduced the Latvian Foreign Minister to the current situation at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. The staff of the national border guard authorities and the delegations of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs discussed the day-to-day challenges, mainly related to the control of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus.

Baiba Braze inspected the border and thanked the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service for their cooperation and support to the Latvian State Border Guard as they are protecting the Baltic, EU and NATO borders together. The Minister highlighted the huge contribution and intensive work of the responsible services of Latvia and Lithuania to effectively implement the sanctions imposed and prevent them from being circumvented through high-grade controls at the external border of the EU and NATO. She also informed those present about her two-day trip to the eastern border of Latvia, the EU and NATO, where she visited customs and border control posts of Terehova (on the route to Russia) and Paternieki (to Belarus).

Besides security- and defence-related topics, the Ministers agreed that another valuable example of bilateral cooperation was the annual Balts' Award - this year in autumn, it will be presented in Latvia. The first Balts' Award was presented in 2018, when Latvia and Lithuania celebrated the centenary of their states.

This year's seminar, organised by the Latvian and Lithuanian Ministries of Foreign Affairs for the eighth consecutive year, is taking place in Paliese, Lithuania. Its aim is to strengthen bilateral relations between Latvia and Lithuania through discussing international, regional and bilateral cooperation. In 2025, the seminar will be hosted by Latvia.

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US, Japan slam China's latest WPS attack: 'Unlawful, unacceptable'

Philippine News Agency

By Marita Moaje

August 26, 2024, 10:10 am Updated on August 26, 2024, 7:51 pm

MANILA -- The United States and Japan called out China's latest aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as "unlawful" and "unacceptable".

In a post on X (Twitter) on Sunday, US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson reiterated Washington DC's support for the Philippines with the hashtag #FriendsPartnersAllies.

"Unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive conduct by the PRC disrupted a legal Philippine mission, endangering lives  the latest in multiple dangerous actions by the PRC (People's Republic of China)," the post read.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya also posted on X that Tokyo opposes any action that increases tension in WPS and endangers people's lives.

"Another unacceptable development around Sabina Shoal. Any harassment and actions which increase tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are not tolerated. Upholding a rules-based international order and adhering to commitments must prevail," he said.

On Sunday, National Task Force for the WPS (NTF-WPS) spokesperson and National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said Manila remains steadfast in asserting its rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

This came after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002), encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight Chinese maritime vessels while operating from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Escoda Shoal.

The actions of China's vessels aimed to block the BFAR vessel's humanitarian mission to resupply Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies.

The BRP Datu Sanday was targeted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship 626 and multiple China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and attempted to encircle and block the humanitarian mission.

Hasa-Hasa (Half-Moon) Shoal is approximately 60 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan, while Escoda (Sabina) Shoal is about 110 nautical miles away.

Both islands, the NTF-WPS said, are well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

It added that these unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve.

However, in the face of said provocative maneuvers, the crew aboard the BFAR vessel maintains high morale and remains safe and unharmed.

The task force also dismissed claims that Filipinos fell overboard and were subsequently rescued by the CCG after the ramming incident.

It added this "fake news and misinformation" is a clear illustration of China's "willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image".

On Aug. 22, Chinese military aircraft also launched flares from their militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef, during a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Flight conducted by the BFAR.

The NTF-WPS noted that the Zamora Reef is within the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island.

In coordination with the PCG, the BFAR aircraft, Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, was tasked with monitoring and intercepting poachers encroaching upon the Philippines' EEZ and the territorial seas of the maritime features constituting the Kalayaan Island Group.

This same BFAR aircraft also faced harassment from the China People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Fighter Jet 63270 on Aug. 19 during an MDA flight near Bajo de Masinloc, which deployed flares multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters from the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft, jeopardizing the safety of the personnel onboard the BFAR aircraft.

Inhumane action

Senators condemned the CCG's "inhumane" action in the WPS, calling upon the government of China "to immediately cease and desist" from inflammatory actions that test the limit of the Philippines' goodwill.

"These inhumane and unjustifiable actions taken by the Chinese Coast Guard against BRP Datu Sanday on a lawful resupply mission on August 25 are clear acts of aggression that endanger the lives of our brave servicemen," Senator Nancy Binay said in a statement.

Binay said the CCG's unwarranted acts are not only a violation of international law but also a blatant disregard of the kindness and patience that the Philippine government has consistently shown in addressing maritime disputes in a peaceful manner.

"We will continue to stand firm in our commitment to securing our territorial rights and safeguarding the welfare of our people," Binay said.

"The Philippines, as a peace-loving nation, will continue to pursue diplomatic avenues to resolve these disputes, but let it be clear: Our resolve to defend our sovereignty and our people is unshakeable," she added.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said the perennial action of the CCG only shows their arrogance and total disrespect to a sovereign country and disregard of international maritime laws, noting that they no longer attacked Navy or Coast Guard but a BFAR ship on a humanitarian mission.

Zubiri said CCG's action is treacherous and reneged on China's word to refrain from attacks.

"You can't even trust them to show simple decency. We condemn this latest act of aggression displayed by China and protest their actions on Philippine territory," Zubiri said.

"We ask the national government to continue fighting for our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and uphold our territorial integrity and our right to our exclusive economic zone," he added.

Zubiri thanked the BFAR for courageously standing its ground against China's attacks. (Leonel Abasola/PNA)

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PH strengthening military to deter armed attacks - DND chief

Philippine News Agency

By Darryl John Esguerra

August 26, 2024, 12:23 pm Updated on August 26, 2024, 1:32 pm

MANILA -- The Philippines is focused on making its military strong enough to deter armed attacks, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Monday following another ramming of a Philippine vessel by Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Speaking to reporters following the National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, Teodoro said strengthening the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was among the priority thrusts of the government.

The defense chief made the pronouncement after Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships rammed and attacked using a water cannon the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3302) on Sunday while en route to Escoda Shoal, a coral reef formation just some 70 nautical miles off mainland Palawan and is deep within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

When asked whether the Philippines and its military ally the United States (US) should discuss whether an armed attack occurred in the latest incident, Teodoro said: "You know that is putting the cart before the horse. Let us deter an armed attack. That is the more important thing here."

"That is what I am focus(ing) on doing. Everybody is too focused on armed attack. Let us make ourselves strong enough so that doesn't happen," he added.

The Philippines and US have a seven-decade-old Mutual Defense Treaty, which dictates that both countries would support each other if either was to be attacked by an external party.

AFP chief leads FA-50PH flares test

In a separate media interview Monday, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. disclosed that he recently led the military in testing its flares in the WPS.

"Mayroon tayo, we have flares. In fact, noong Friday ako po ay sumakay sa FA 50 at nagpatrolya kami sa West Philippine Sea at tinesting natin 'yung mga flares natin (We have, we have flares. In fact, last Friday, I was on board an FA 50 jet and we patrolled the West Philippine Sea and tested the flares)," Brawner told reporters.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea confirmed on Saturday that China launched flares from its militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef while a BFAR plane was conducting a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight on Aug. 22.

The patrol, the task force said, was legitimate and conducted over the country's EEZ and the territorial seas of the maritime features constituting the Kalayaan Island Group.

The task force said the same aircraft was harassed by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) during a similar MDA flight near Scarborough Shoal on Aug. 19.

Alarming

At the House of Representatives, Speaker Ferdinand Romualdez expressed alarm over what he described as the "increasingly aggressive" actions of China.

"Again, we condemn in the strongest terms this newest reckless and dangerous maneuvers by the China Coast Guard on our vessels," he said.

He renewed his appeal for China to respect and follow international law, exercise restraint and stop all aggressive actions.

He said Beijing should pursue consultations and dialogue as a way to resolve conflict and not resort to confrontation and aggression.

AFP assets on alert

The AFP on Monday said it has alerted all appropriate air and surface assets to provide support to ensure the safety of Filipino personnel carrying out their duties in the country's maritime domain.

"In terms of what happened yesterday (Sunday), the BFAR, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard, are currently handling the situation. But for the side of the AFP, the AFP through our Western Command has already alerted all appropriate air and surface assets and for them to be ready to provide support and ensure the safety and security of Filipino personnel in our maritime domain," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a television interview.

Padilla said the AFP is committed to protecting the Philippines' maritime interests and ensure the safety of its territorial waters.

The AFP spokesperson declined to comment on whether the Philippine military is preparing for possible escalatory actions of China.

"We could not speculate on what they would be doing next but for the side of the AFP, we are currently of course reviewing our rules of engagement and our troops are duly informed of the rules of engagement in any eventuality," she said.

The military is also doing risk-based analysis and commanders on the ground would be the ones to decide for any eventualities that could occur, Padilla added.

"But rest assured that the AFP, we are doing everything to capacitate our troops in terms of upscaling them, doing more training and of course our modernization programs. Over and above that we are strengthening our alliances in terms of like-minded nations," she said. (With reports from Zaldy de Layola & Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)

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UN agency says Palestinians in Gaza lost absolutely everything

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 7:24 PM

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has called life for Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip a "never-ending tragedy".

In a post on X, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday that repeated evacuation orders by the Israeli regime forces had only fueled mass suffering for Palestinian families.

"Families across the Gaza Strip continue to be forced to flee, forced to leave their homes and belongings behind. All they can now do is try to stay alive," the UN agency said, reiterating its call for an immediate ceasefire.

UNRWA earlier said nine out of every 10 people across Gaza had been "forcibly displaced" during the Israeli onslaught on the besieged region.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently warned that Israel's frequent evacuation orders have led to waves of displacement, overcrowding, insecurity, and collapsing infrastructure.

OCHA has said 90 percent of Gazans had been displaced over the past months.

UN aid operations paused amid evacuation orders

In a separate development on Monday, media outlets, citing a senior UN official, reported that the United Nations' humanitarian aid operations in Gaza had been halted after the Israeli regime issued new evacuation orders for Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip late on Sunday.

The official said the UN had relocated its main command operations for Gaza and most UN personnel to Deir el-Balah after Israel ordered the evacuation of Rafah in the south of Gaza.

"We're unable to deliver today with the conditions that we're in," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We're not leaving [Gaza] because the people need us there. We're trying to balance the need of the population with the need for safety and security of the UN personnel."

"Where do we move now?" said the official, adding that UN staff had to be moved so quickly that equipment was left behind.

Humanitarian organizations say no safe place has been left for Palestinians in Gaza as Israel continues to widen its savage military campaign across the besieged territory.

More Palestinians have fallen victim to non-stop strikes in Gaza as the US-Israeli genocidal campaign rages on.

According to local authorities, the regime's forces have killed around 30 people within just 24 hours. This brings the total number of Gazans killed since last October up to 40,435, mostly women and children.

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Explainer: Which Israeli military sites did Hezbollah target in occupied territories?

Iran Press TV

By Ivan Kesic

Monday, 26 August 2024 5:56 PM

On Sunday, coinciding with Arba'een, the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah carried out a large-scale retaliatory military operation against the Israeli regime deep inside the occupied territories.

The operation, referred to as the first phase of retaliation for the assassination of top-ranking Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, involved multiple strategic strikes.

According to a statement issued by Hezbollah, the initial phase of the strategic operation deemed a complete success, targeted key Israeli military barracks and sites to facilitate the deployment of attack drones deep within the occupied territories.

The targets included six Israeli military bases, three barracks, and two artillery positions, all struck by over 320 Katyusha rockets, according to the movement.

The first target was the Meron Base, situated on Mount Meron (Jabal al-Jarmaq), the highest peak in the occupied Palestinian territories.

This base, strategically significant, houses air traffic control, radar, surveillance, communication, and jamming facilities, and serves as the primary military command center for aerial warfare and intelligence for the Israeli military on the northern front.

The Meron Base spans 1 km in length and 200 m in width, at an altitude of 1200 m. It is currently undergoing expansion in its western part and is identifiable by three large radomes (radar domes), which house powerful radar antennas.

These antennas, along with advanced cameras, surveillance devices, and topographical positioning systems, provide excellent signal interception and espionage capabilities over large areas of Lebanon and Syria.

The base is also used for electronic warfare, as evidenced during the first week following the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, when satellite-based location systems were entirely disrupted over southern Lebanon and northern occupied Palestine.

After precise monitoring of jamming signals that interfered with receivers' ability to detect satellite waves, the Meron Base was identified as the source of this interference, likely aimed at preventing the resistance in Lebanon from using precision-strike devices.

The Meron Base has been a frequent target of Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes due to its role in coordinating Israeli air operations and bombing raids on Lebanon and Syria.

In May 2006, after the assassination of Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Mahmoud al-Majzoub in Sidon, Hezbollah launched a precise rocket barrage against the base. It was targeted again months later, causing substantial damage.

Since the launch of the genocidal war on Gaza in October last year, the base was first targeted in early January, following the assassination of Hamas political bureau member Saleh al-Arouri, with 62 missiles.

It was targeted again in late April, mid-May, and early July with equally lethal rocket salvos, and most recently, two days before the latest mass attack, with an undisclosed number of missiles.

According to Israeli media reports, the damage was repaired after the first strike, and new equipment was installed, which was subsequently targeted in later strikes, leading to compounded damage.

This time, Katyusha rockets were primarily used to overwhelm the Israeli air defense system, while the radome antennas were hit by precision-guided ATGM missiles, with impact footage released by Hezbollah's military media.

In addition to the Meron Base, other targets included artillery positions at Neve Ziv and Zaoura, as well as the Kaila, Yoav, and Ramot Naftali barracks, and the Jaatoun, Sahel, Nafah, Yardena, and Ein Zeitim bases.

In his speech following the operation, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah explained that these positions were targeted to exhaust the Iron Dome interceptor missiles, paving the way for a successful drone strike deep within the occupied territories.

He noted that while the initial plan was to launch 300 Katyusha rockets, the final count reached 340, emphasizing that no advanced ballistic missiles were used in this phase.

Following the completion of the first phase, the second phase involved a swarm of drone attacks on the Glilot intelligence base between Tel Aviv and Herzliya, and the Ein Shemer Airbase between Hadera and Harish.

These targets, located 110 and 75 km from the Lebanese border respectively, were struck by drones that flew undetected over the Beqaa Valley.

The Glilot Base serves as the operational headquarters for the military intelligence unit 8200, where collected information is processed and forwarded to military strategists and other Israeli intelligence agencies, including Mossad.

As the most critical site of the Israeli military intelligence (Aman), the Glilot Base was previously identified in a Press TV website analysis as a likely target of a retaliatory strike.

The Ein Shemer Airbase, another target, is a crucial air defense site housing Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile systems and Great Pine Radars with a range of 1,000 km.

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Hamas warns against Israeli hawkish minister's plan to build temple at al-Aqsa Mosque

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 5:34 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned that the confirmation by Israeli extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of his intention to build a Jewish synagogue inside al-Aqsa Mosque is a dangerous declaration.

"What was revealed by the terrorist minister Ben Gvir this morning represents a dangerous declaration that reflects the true intentions of the occupation regime towards Al-Aqsa and its Arab and Islamic identity, as well as its criminal steps aimed at Judaizing it and tightening control over it," the resistance group said in a statement on Monday

The far-right Israeli minister earlier said that if he could, he would build a synagogue on the al-Asqa Mosque complex in occupied East al-Quds.

"If I could do what I wanted, a synagogue would also be established on the Temple Mount," Ben Gvir, who has a long record of making inflammatory statements, told Israel's Army Radio on Monday morning.

Hamas called on Palestinian youth to mobilize at the al-Aqsa compound to maintain a presence in its courtyards and to confront the plans of the occupying regime.

"We also call on our valiant resistance and our revolutionary youth in the occupied West Bank to escalate their clashes with the criminal enemy and its settler herds," the statement read.

Ben Gvir and several other Israeli politicians have long violated the delicate arrangement and facilitated raids on the holy site and performed rituals.

This is while the al-Aqsa Mosque  the third-holiest site in Islam  is forbidden to non-Muslim prayers and rituals based on decades-long international agreements.

The resistance group said the regime has given a free hand to its extremist ministers to implement their malicious plans in the occupied al-Quds.

"Desecrating, storming, and conducting provocative tours in it on a daily basisare policies that pour more fuel on the fire and will only be met with more resistance from our people to protect our sanctities."

Hamas also called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take "serious action to stop these systemic violations of the holy site".

"The Arab and Islamic nations must bear their responsibilities in protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque," it said.

"Islamic countries led by the OIC are called to stand up to their responsibilities, to take a firm stance against the occupation's plans and its blatant attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities, foremost of which is the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque," it added.

Elsewhere in the statement, Hamas said that the regime's plan is a part of unprecedented crimes being committed by the "fascist regime" in the besieged Gaza Strip and "extensive violations" in the occupied West Bank.

More Palestinians continue to fall victim to the US-Israeli genocide as relentless air and artillery strikes continue to pound the blockaded territory.

Since last October, the Israeli genocidal war killed at least 40,435 Palestinians and injured over 93,534 others.

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Muslims must pressure supporters of Israel to end genocide in Gaza: Iran president

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 4:28 PM

President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran says all Muslim nations as well as other countries must unite in pressuring the supporters of Israel to end the crimes of the regime and its campaign of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Pezeshkian made the remarks in a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran on Monday.

He hailed Qatar's efforts to establish ceasefire in Gaza and criticized those countries which claim to defend human right for keeping silent vis-a-vis Israel and its crimes against the people of Palestine.

Israel has massacred over 40,400 people in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian hailed the excellent level of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Doha but emphasized the importance of improving ties in other sectors.

The Qatari prime minister, for his part, slammed contradictory approaches of the international community and self-proclaimed defenders of human rights in Gaza.

Al Thani said Qatar will continue work on the establishment of ceasefire in Gaza and counts on the wise, constructive role of Iran in this regard.

He said Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attaches special importance to the expansion of cordial and strategic relations with Iran.

Earlier in the day, the Qatari prime minister met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and exchanged views about leading bilateral and regional issues.

This is the first official trip to Tehran by the top Qatari official since the new Iranian administration took office in July.

The visit comes as Iran has vowed to defend its absolute right to give a response to the Israeli regime's assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, in Tehran.

The top Qatari diplomat's trip to Tehran is also taking place at a time that the latest round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has ended without a deal, and tensions have escalated between Israel and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

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Iran: Israel on defensive as regime lost deterrence despite West's all-out support

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 11:26 AM

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman says the terrorist Israeli military has lost its effective aggressive power and deterrence, and has no option now but to defend against strategic strikes.

Nasser Kan'ani made the comments on Monday following a large drone and rocket attack by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement against Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, in an Israeli airstrike on a building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on July 30.

Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television news channel, citing reliable information, reported that Hezbollah's large drone and rocket strike against the occupied territories on Sunday was carried out "accurately and effectively."

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also called the retaliatory strikes "Arbaeen Operation."

The Iranian spokesman said the occupying Israeli regime has always pursued territorial development but it must now "defend itself within the occupied territories."

'Time is not on Israeli regime's side'

Despite the full support of the United States and its allies, the Israeli regime has even lost its deterrence capability to calculate the time and place of the resistance movement's attacks when it faces a limited and planned operation, he added.

"The passage of time is not in favor of the Zionist regime (Israel) and its supporters," the Iranian spokesman warned.

He emphasized that the Israeli regime is afraid of Hezbollah's military attacks, which are currently carried out deep inside the occupied territories.

Kan'ani said Israel may be able to distort or conceal certain realities regarding Hezbollah's retaliatory attacks "but it knows well that the existing facts will not be changed."

"Strategic equation has fundamentally changed to the detriment of the fake Israeli regime. The myth of an invincible Israeli army has long turned into an empty slogan," he stated.

Kan'ani also pointed to the reactions of the Palestinian and Yemeni resistance movements to Hezbollah's retaliatory attacks against Israel.

He said the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has praised Hezbollah's unprecedented attack on the Israeli regime's strategic targets and announced that the enemy's "terrorism and crimes against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples will not pass without a response."

He noted that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement also said that "these strikes have confirmed that the Zionist enemy understands only the language of force and is deterred only by the blows of the resistance and the fighters."

Yemeni armed forces also praised Hezbollah's drone and rocket attack and reiterated that their own attack against Israel in response to the regime's airstrikes against Yemen's strategic western province of Hudaydah in July is "inevitably coming."

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Israeli military confirms two more troopers killed by resistance fighters in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 10:12 AM

The Israeli military has announced the deaths of two more of its forces in the Gaza Strip as Palestinian resistance fighters press ahead with their retaliatory operations amid the months-long Israeli genocidal war.

The military reported the deaths on Sunday, identifying one fatality as a "staff sergeant" and the other as a "master sergeant."

The two died respectively in the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza and Gaza City as a result of detonation of explosive devices, it added.

The deaths brought to 702 the number of Israeli troopers confirmed dead, since the regime began its onslaught on the Palestinian territory in October 2023.

According to the military, the deaths took to 340 the total number of the Israeli forces who have been killed in the coastal sliver since the onset of the war that was launched in response to al-Aqsa Storm, a retaliatory operation staged by Gaza's resistance groups.

The regime's tallies also show that another 362 troopers died during the same period partly as a result of retaliatory operations by the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah against intensified Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.

Also on Sunday, funerals were held in the occupied Palestinian territories for six forces, who had died as a result of operations carried out by the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups, Israeli media outlets reported.

Observers, however, 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.

'A crushing blow'

Meanwhile, al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Gaza-based resistance movement Hamas, announced delivering a strong blow to Israeli forces during an ambush against them in the town of al-Qarara near Khan Yunis on Monday.

The brigade's fighters targeted a home occupied by forces with anti-fortification thermobaric grenade (TBG) and anti-personnel rocket, besides detonating the explosives planted at the entrance to a tunnel that was being approached by some other troops.

More than 40,400 Palestinians have been killed so far during the brutal Israeli military onslaught against Gaza.

The regime's aggression against Lebanon has also claimed the lives of more than 500 people.

Hell-bent on continuing the unabated aggression, Tel Aviv has been refusing to sign a truce deal that could end the onslaught on Gaza, while threatening to expand its attacks on Lebanon.

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EU's Borrell warns of 'full-blown war', says situation in West Asia at 'critical level'

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 8:06 AM

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has warned that the current "critical" situation in West Asia risks turning into a "full-blown war" amid renewed tensions between Lebanon and Israel.

He made the remarks in an X post on Sunday, after Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement avenged the July 30 assassination of its senior commander Fuad Shukr by conducting a massive rocket drone attack against 11 military installations in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, Israel claimed that it had waged a preemptive assault. Hezbollah, however, rejected the allegation, saying the regime had only carried out an air raid that failed to destroy the resistance group's rocket launchers.

"The situation in the Middle East has reached a critical level of dangerosity, for the region and beyond," Borrell said.

He added that he supports Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati's call for "the immediate application of UNSCR 1701, in addition to the much-needed ceasefire in Gaza, to conjure the risk of a full blown war."

UNSCR 1701 refers to a resolution that ended Israel's 2006 war on Lebanon and called for Israeli forces to withdraw behind the UN Blue Line, the de-facto border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In an emergency meeting of his cabinet on Sunday, Mikati said that "what is required is first to stop the Israeli aggression, and then to implement Resolution 1701."

He also emphasized Beirut's "support for international efforts that could lead to a ceasefire in Gaza."

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group.

In a televised speech on Sunday, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said his group's latest operation had been completed "as planned" and caused "great disruptions" inside the occupied lands, noting, "We achieved and surpassed our objectives."

The main target of the operation was the Glilot base, just north of Tel Aviv, which houses the Israeli Mossad spy agency and military intelligence agencies such as the Unit 8200.

Hezbollah has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the usurping regime continues its brutal Gaza onslaught, which has so far killed at least 40,405 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 93,468 others.

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Yemen says ready to strike 'painful blow' deep inside Israeli-occupied territories

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 8:02 AM

Yemen has vowed to carry out further attacks against targets lying deep across the occupied Palestinian territories in response to the Israeli regime's ongoing deadly atrocities against the Palestinian people and other regional nations.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces, in all their formations, are at the highest level of readiness to deliver painful strikes deep into the Zionist entity," Yemeni Defense Minister Major General Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi said on Sunday.

"The military decision-making process has studied all military determinants and carefully analyzed the weaknesses of the Zionist enemy," he added.

"The most important points in the Zionist target bank have been carefully and precisely identified, subjected to deep informational and intelligence analysis."

Since October 7, when the regime began a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, the Yemeni forces have been carrying out numerous pro-Palestinian strikes against the occupied territories.

They have also been targeting Israeli ships and vessels heading towards or away from the territories as means of trying to force the regime into stopping the military onslaught and a siege that it has been simultaneously imposing on Gaza.

Reaffirming the forces' preparedness, al-Atifi said they "possess the capabilities and means to execute accurate and precise strikes."

He also addressed the readiness that has been announced by the Yemeni forces and the other components of the regional Axis of Resistance to respond strongly to the regime's assassination of senior resistance figures. The targeted killing operations that took place late last month led to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas's former Political Bureau chief, and Fuad Shurk, a ranking commander of Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement.

"We assure everyone that the response from the Axis of Jihad and Resistance to the Zionist enemy's crimes is imminent and inevitable," as confirmed by the leader of Ansarullah movement (Abdul Malik al-Houthi), and it will be "a strategic and decisive response," he said.

The Yemeni defense chief, meanwhile, underlined that the country would make the regime "pay a heavy price" for the attacks that it has been carrying out against the Yemeni territory in response to the Armed Forces' pro-Palestinian strikes.

"The Zionist entity will only find strength and harshness from us," he said.

He finally downplayed the escalation in the American military presence that has taken place across the region in support of the regime, saying the buildup "means nothing, and it will be met with strength and will inevitably fail miserably."

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Aug 25: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 6:29 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 40,400 Palestinians so far, the majority of them children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Sunday, August 25, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Aug 25:

Targeted Tel Aviv with a Maqadma M90 rocket.

In a well-planned ambush in the southern area of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, detonated a pre-prepared minefield targeting an Israeli armored force.

Sniped an Israeli soldier in the vicinity of the University College south of Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades' operations on Aug 25:

In a joint operation with the Martyr Abdulqader Al-Husseini Brigades, targeted the "Zikim" military base with heavy mortar shells.

In a joint operation with the Mujahideen Brigades, targeted Israeli military gatherings east of Deir Al-Balah, east of Al-Bureij (Al-Maqboula Area), and the "Netzarim" military axis.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades operations' operations on Aug 25:

Targeted Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in the "Netzarim" front with heavy mortar shells.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Aug 25:

Targeted the Abu Mutibaq military site east of the Al-Maghazi camp with a number of mortar shells.

Detonated a pre-prepared powerful ground explosive device against a zionist military vehicle penetrating the vicinity of Al-Furqan School in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Aug 25:

In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, targeted a gathering of Israeli forces in the so-called "Netzarim Axis" with a barrage of rockets.

Targeted Israeli forces stationed at the so-called "Netzarim Axis" with two Haseb-111 rockets.

In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, targeted Israeli forces located east of Deir Al-Balah and east of Al-Bureij in the Al-Maqboula area with 107-type rockets.

Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on Aug 25:

Detonated a powerful explosive device on an Israeli military tank that had penetrated the vicinity of Al-Furqan School east of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southern Gaza City.

Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles that had penetrated the vicinity of the "Bahloul" building in the Brazil neighborhood in the city of Rafah with mortar shells.

Hezbollah's operations on Aug 25:

Targeted Meron base, artillery position in Neveh Ziv, Jaatoun base, artillery positions in Neveh Ziv, Sahel base, Keila barracks, Yoav barracks, Nafah base, Yarden base, Ein Zeitim base, and Ramot Naftali barracks with 340 Katyusha rockets as part of the first phase of Operation Day of Arabeen.

Ein Shemer air defense base and Glilot military intelligence base were targeted with also targeted with a barrage of drones.

The surveillance system at the Manara site was also targeted with a drone.

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Philippines, China clash near disputed shoal in South China Sea

Manila said its fishery vessel was on a humanitarian mission to Sabina Shoal when rammed by a Chinese ship.

By RFA Staff 2024.08.26 -- Chinese and Philippine officials have traded accusations over a clash between their ships near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

The Philippines said a ship belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - the BRP Datu Sanday - "encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight Chinese maritime forces" on Sunday while attempting to deliver diesel, food and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen operating near Escoda Shoal.

The shoal, known internationally as Sabina Shoal, lies entirely within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, where Manila holds rights to explore natural resources.

One of the Chinese coast guard ships deliberately rammed the BRP Datu Sanday while others deployed water cannons against it, leading to the failure of its engine failure and "forcing an early termination of the humanitarian operation," said the Philippine National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea - the name used by Manila for the part of the South China Sea within its EEZ.

"These unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve," the task force said in a statement.

Ambassadors of the United States, Australia, the European Union and Japan, quickly spoke in support of Manila and condemned China's "unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive conduct."

Beijing, meanwhile, provided a different account of the event.

Disputed shoal

Chinese media said the China Coast Guard "took restrictive measures against a Philippine vessel that had illegally trespassed into waters off China's Xianbin Jiao," referring to the shoal by its Chinese name. China draws a so-called nine-dash line on maps to claim most of the South China Sea and all the islands and reefs inside it.

Coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu was quoted as saying that the BRP Datu Sanday "ignored stern warnings from the Chinese side and intentionally rammed" into a Chinese ship.

"The Philippine side should take complete responsibility," Gan said.

Beijing said the vessel was attempting to send supplies to another Philippine ship that China accused of being "illegally anchored" at Sabina Shoal.

The Philippine Coast Guard Ship 9701, also known as the BRP Teresa Magbanua, has been at the location since April to monitor what the Philippines fears is China's plan to reclaim land at the shoal.

Coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela told Radio Free Asia this month that the ship was "intentionally deployed to maintain our presence and ensure the protection of this area."

Given our sovereign rights in these waters, the Philippine coast guard can remain there for as long as necessary," he said.

Sunday's incident took place just a week after two Philippine coast guard ships sustained "structural damage" after being hit by Chinese vessels, also near Sabina Shoal. The two Philippine ships were passing through the vicinity of the shoal at the time, according to a report by RFA affiliate BenarNews.

In the latest development, on Monday afternoon the Philippines "appeared to be attempting another resupply to BRP Teresa Magbanua at Sabina Shoal with two 44-meter coast guard vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engano," said Ray Powell, a South China Sea watcher at Stanford University in California.

No Chinese response was reported.

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.

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Vietnam's parliament appoints new ministers after To Lam takes top job

The National Assembly will elect a new state president in October, according to its secretary general.

By RFA Staff 2024.08.26 -- Vietnam has announced a shakeup of ministers as To Lam shores up power and continues his predecessor's anti-corruption campaign, following his elevation to general secretary of the Communist Party this month.

National Assembly members replaced two deputy prime ministers and appointed another - the country's fifth - at an extraordinary meeting in Hanoi attended by Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Nguyen Hoa Binh, 66, Finance Minister Ho Duc Phoc, 60, and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, 61, became deputy prime ministers.

The shakeup comes after Le Minh Khai was removed from his position as deputy prime minister by the Politburo on Aug. 3 to take responsibility for a land-use scandal in Lam Dong province.

The Politburo also announced this month it was moving Tran Luu Quang from a deputy prime ministerial role to head up the Central Economic Commission.

Parliament also appointed new justice and environment ministers in Monday's one-day session.

'Blazing furnace' continues

National Assembly Secretary General Bui Van Cuong said parliament would elect a new state president during its October session, Vietnamese media reported. Lam has held the post for three months.

Lam, a former public security minister was elected general secretary - the country's most powerful position - on Aug. 3, following the death two weeks earlier of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Trong had championed an anti-corruption drive known as the "blazing furnace" to tackle graft among party officials and business leaders.

The campaign claimed the jobs of several senior government members, including Vo Van Thuong, who was forced to step down as president in March after just one year in office.

Lam, 67, took over the presidency on May 22 and had already assumed the general secretary's role on an interim basis the day before Nguyen Phu Trong's death.

Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales Canberra, said it would be unusual for Lam to remain both party secretary general and president.

"Since reunification of Vietnam and the adoption of the 1992 constitution, Vietnam's party leaders have consistently rejected the idea of merging the office of party general secretary and state president," said Thayer.

He said if Lam was able to concentrate on a single role it would give him more time to oversee the selection of the next generation of leaders at the party congress scheduled for early 2026 and continue Trong's "blazing furnace" campaign.

"No doubt To Lam will be vigorous in opposing any potential candidate involved in corruption or who fails to meet party ethical standards," he added.

"But the process of vetting must be viewed as fair and balanced across the entire Vietnam Communist Party and not a particular faction or region."

Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

Updated to note election for state president will take place in October.

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.

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Cambodia announces fundraising effort for 'border infrastructure'

The unspecified projects would develop 4 provinces that are part of a 3-country economic cooperation deal.

By RFA Khmer 2024.08.26 -- Cambodians are being asked to pay for infrastructure projects in a remote border area where an economic cooperation agreement with Vietnam and Laos has recently sparked criticism and protests from opposition activists.

The projects would be aimed at developing four provinces in northeastern Cambodia that are part of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Development Area, or CLV.

Prime Minister Hun Manet's Cabinet announced the creation of a Foundation for Border Infrastructure Development on Monday in a statement that included the names of six banks where people could send money.

It was unclear what infrastructure projects would be funded by the foundation. The provinces - Kratie, Stung Treng, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri - are thinly populated.

Money raised under the initiative would help the government "in the spirit of national unity, peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity, [to] promote stronger and more sustainable border development," Hun Manet said.

"Cambodians of all backgrounds, both inside and outside the country" are encouraged to contribute, the prime minister said.

Several high-profile Cambodian businessmen have already posted messages on social media that showed their donation to the foundation.

The 1999 CLV agreement between the three countries was aimed at encouraging economic development and trade between the four northeastern provinces and neighboring provinces across the border.

But some activists recently began expressing concerns that the CLV could cause Cambodia to lose territory or control of its natural resources to Vietnam.

Overseas Cambodians held protests in South Korea, Japan, France, Canada and Australia on Aug. 11. Planned demonstrations in Cambodia on Aug. 18 were never held after the government deployed security forces and arrested more than 30 people.

The fundraising effort appears to be aimed at harnessing some of the nationalistic sentiment sparked by CLV critics, according to Oum Sam An, a former lawmaker for the former main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.

"This is demagogic politics to deceive the people," he told Radio Free Asia. "He is trying to show that his family is patriotic and didn't cede any land to Vietnam."

RFA was unable to reach a government spokesperson for comment on the new foundation.

Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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.

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Pacific leaders meet for 'pivotal' climate change, decolonization and security talks

The Pacific Island Forum's importance is growing as geopolitical competition heats up in the region.

By Harry Pearl for BenarNews 2024.08.25 -- Pacific island leaders and top diplomats from key partners including China and the United States have gathered in Tonga for a week of talks on decolonization of New Caledonia, climate change and regional security and cohesion.

The Pacific Island Forum's importance as the peak regional diplomatic body is growing as geopolitical competition heats up in the Pacific Islands. Nations are contending with creeping militarization and an unprecedented battle for influence as the U.S. and allies like Australia push back against China's inroads.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also participate in meetings of the 18-member PIF in Nuku'alofa, where he will amplify calls from Pacific leaders about the need to take faster and stronger action on climate change.

As leaders met, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the main island of Tongatapu at a depth of over 100 kilometers (62 miles) but no tsunami warning was issued for one of the most at-risk countries in the world for natural hazards.

A record number of attendees are registered for this year's forum, including the largest ever Chinese delegation, civil society groups and business lobbyists.

Speaking at the opening of the summit, Pacific Island Forum, or PIF, Secretary General Baron Waqa said it was a "pivotal time" in the region's history.

"We may be small island countries but we are a force to be reckoned with," he said in his speech. "We are at the center of geostrategic interest, we are at the forefront of a battle against climate change and its impacts."

Waqa said regional unity was essential to meet the challenges facing Pacific people.

"We need to remain vigilant on issues of regional security and we must, must ensure that these respond to national and regional needs," he said.

High on the agenda for leaders will be climate change, a regional policing initiative, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific, and the applications of U.S. territories Guam and American Samoa for associate member status.

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will also outline his vision for an "ocean of peace" to be declared in the region.

"We have to make sure our foreign affairs are conducted in a way that does not interfere with others," Rabuka told reporters after a church service on Sunday.

"We'd like to remove the issue of fear. If we are friends with China, [or] we are friends with America and some are not - that should not create any fear."

For Pacific island leaders, addressing the turmoil in the French territory of New Caledonia - which has full PIF membership - will be among the most pressing issues.

In mid-May, the French government's backing of electoral reforms that would have diluted the voting power of New Caledonia's indigenous Kanak people triggered weeks of violent riots in the capital Noumea.

The unrest resulted in the deaths of 11 people, more than two billion euros (US$2.24billion) in economic damage and the deployment of thousands of French police and special forces. The electoral changes were shelved ahead of French National Assembly elections in late June but tensions remain high.

A PIF fact-finding mission to New Caledonia, which was scheduled for last week, was deferred amid reports of disagreement between the territory's pro-independence governing coalition and France.

Some Pacific leaders are calling for a fresh referendum on independence in France's Pacific territory.

"We must honor the vision of our forefathers regarding self-determination, including in New Caledonia," Tongan Prime Minister Hu'akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni said in his opening address.

The forum, founded in 1971, comprises 18 members from across Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. It has said climate change is the region's single greatest concern, but geopolitics will cast a long shadow over proceedings.

Billions of dollars worth of aid is being pumped into the region annually and some 18 new embassies have opened since 2017.

"There is a real sense that heightened geopolitical interest means bigger delegations and more interested actors outside the immediate forum family," said Dr. Anna Powles, associate professor at the Center for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University in New Zealand.

"The forum will be safeguarding the agenda to ensure it doesn't become an opportunity to advance geopolitical interest, as has been the case in the past."

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.

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Iran Says Israel 'Lost Deterrent Power' After Hizballah Attack

By RFE/RL August 26, 2024

Israel has reportedly launched new strikes at Hizballah, which has been designated at terrorist organization by the United States, just inside Lebanon a day after a heavy exchange of missile and drone attacks between the two foes that Iran claimed showed a shift in the balance of power.

State media reported on August 26 that Israel targeted the border village of Tair Harfa and an area near Sidon in Lebanon a day after Hizballah launched scores of rockets and drones against targets in northern and central Israel in the early hours of August 25. The attack came shortly after Israel carried out what it described as preemptive strikes targeting Hizballah's rocket launchers.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from Israel's strikes on August 26.

Iran said on August 26 that the exchange of fire, which marked one of the largest clashes to hit the Middle East since war broke out in the Gaza Strip last October, showed Israel has lost not only its ability to anticipate small-scale attacks but also its deterrent power.

"Despite the full backing of its supporters, including the United States, Israel has lost its deterrent power and ability to predict the time and place of even a limited and calibrated attack," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani wrote on X, referring to the large-scale attack on Israel by Iran's Lebanese ally Hizballah a day earlier.

"The occupying regime has always sought territorial expansion, but now has to defend itself within the occupied territories," Kanani added. "Fear has been embedded in the homes of the residents of the occupied lands."

Israeli officials said the preemptive attack prevented the launch of "thousands" of rockets. Hizballah claimed to have launched more than 320 rockets and drones but Israel put the figure at around 150.

Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah alleged that the group's operation was calibrated to ensure it did not trigger a full-scale conflict.

Addressing Nasrallah and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's preemptive operation was "another step toward changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes."

Hizballah said its operation was "phase one" of its retaliation for the killing of Fuad Shukr, widely believe to be Hizballah's second-most powerful person. Shukr was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut on July 30.

Hours after Shukr's assassination, the political leader of the EU- and U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas was killed in Tehran. Iran vowed to avenge Ismail Haniyeh and accused Israel of killing him. Israel has neither denied nor claimed responsibility.

In his speech, Nasrallah said one reason why Hizballah took nearly a month to hit Israel was because it was discussing with Iran and other allies about whether to carry out a coordinated attack on Israel or attack separately.

Pressure has been growing on Iran to deliver on its promised attack against Israel to avenge Haniyeh.

During a phone call on August 25 with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araqchi insisted that a "measured and well-calculated" response will come.

"We do not fear escalation, yet do not seek it -- unlike Israel," Araqchi told his Italian counterpart.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-fear-escalation-israel- hizballah-hamas-deterrent-hizballah-hamas/33092640.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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3 Years Later, Afghans Still Reeling From Impact Of Devastating Kabul Airport Attack

By Abubakar Siddique and Satar Furogh August 26, 2024

The harrowing events of August 26, 2021, are seared into Shafiullah Samsor's memory.

Twenty-two years old at the time, Samsor was among the thousands of desperate Afghans who had amassed outside Kabul airport hoping to be airlifted from the country by the U.S. military.

Just days before, the Taliban had seized control of the Afghan capital, triggering panic among the city's 5 million inhabitants.

Amid the chaotic scenes outside the airport, which was still controlled by departing U.S. forces, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden vest among the crowd, unleashing a scene of horror.

"Suddenly, there was a loud explosion, which threw me to the ground," Samsor recalled. "There was shouting, and people began running everywhere. I remember the blood and dust around me before I fell unconscious."

The university student was rushed to hospital, where he remained in a coma for four days. When he woke up, the doctors informed him that his spine was fractured in four places. A piece of shrapnel had also pierced his throat.

Around 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. military personnel were killed in the bombing, one of the deadliest attacks of the entire 19-year U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. Hundreds more like Samsor were wounded.

The bombing claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) extremist group became a symbol of the chaotic and deadly U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan that was completed on August 31.

Three years on, survivors are still reeling from the psychological and physical effects of the attack.

Samsor never returned to university to complete his degree in English literature. He cannot work and can barely walk even with the help of crutches.

He and his five sisters and mother depend on remittances sent by his older brother, who works in neighboring Iran.

Samsor's family spent all their savings and sold off a plot of land and their car to fund his treatment.

"I hope that Allah will punish those responsible for devastating my life and the lives of so many others," he said.

Meisam Ahmadi lost his two brothers in the bombing.

Alireza Ahmadi, a journalist, and Mujtaba Ahmadi, a photojournalist, had joined the crowd outside Kabul Airport's Abbey Gate after a friend told them he had been allowed to enter the airport by U.S. forces. The friend, Meisam said, had promised to help the brothers get in.

"Unfortunately, there was an explosion there, and both of them were standing together, and they lost their lives," Meisam said.

'Badly Handled'

Survivors and the families of the victims of the bombing are still seeking answers about what happened.

Two investigations by the Pentagon concluded that all the victims were killed by a lone suicide bomber.

But a CNN investigation based on new video evidence and released in April this year suggested dozens of the victims may have been shot dead by U.S. soldiers.

Three days after the Abbey Gate bombing, the U.S. military carried out a drone strike targeting what it initially said was an IS-K compound in Kabul.

Instead, the U.S. drone strike killed an Afghan aid worker and nine people from his extended family in what the Pentagon called a "tragic mistake."

Michael Semple, an Afghanistan expert at Queen's University Belfast, said the horrific Kabul Airport attack embodied Washington's mishandling of the international military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"It was time for the U.S. to leave Afghanistan, but the scenes of disorder which we saw, and which were sort of epitomized by the carnage which happened at Abbey Gate, show that it was badly handled," Semple said.

In 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement for the phased withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.

But a lightening Taliban military offensive in the summer of 2021 led to the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government before all international forces had left the country.

U.S.-led forces kept control of Kabul Airport for two weeks after the Taliban takeover, evacuating tens of thousands of foreign nationals as well as at-risk Afghans.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-isk-kabul- airport-withdrawal/33090223.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Israeli National Security Minister Says He Would Build Synagogue on Temple Mount - Reports

Sputnik News

20240826

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has said that he would build a synagogue on the Temple Mount (also known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound) in Jerusalem to give equal rights to Jews and Muslims, media reported on Monday.

The minister spoke out after a video was posted showing a group of Jews praying on the Temple Mount, near the police, on Sunday, and the security forces did not take any action to prevent this. In July, Ben-Gvir already called upon the Jewish community to hold prayers at the Temple Mount, stating that "as a representative of the country's leadership", he gives his approval for such action.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Ben-Gvir's comments, stating that "there has been no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem."

The Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem is considered the third holiest site for Muslims. Until 1967, Jews had no right to go up to the holy site. Now, members of all religious denominations are allowed to visit, however, but only Muslims have the right to pray.

 Sputnik

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Guinea-Bissau Endorses the Proliferation Security Initiative

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

August 26, 2024

The Republic of Guinea-Bissau has conveyed to Morocco its endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) following its attendance at the PSI African Political Meeting and Outreach Event, co-hosted by Morocco and the United States January 31-February 2, 2024, in Marrakesh, Morocco. The United States welcomes Guinea-Bissau's endorsement and participation in the Initiative and looks forward to working with the Government of Guinea-Bissau to advance the counterproliferation goals of the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. Guinea-Bissau is the 114th state to endorse the PSI.

A highlight of the PSI African Political Meeting and Outreach Event was the release of the Marrakesh Declaration by Morocco and the United States. The Declaration underscored the importance of the Initiative in addressing the threats posed by trafficking in Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and related items within the African region and encouraged regional countries' PSI endorsements. Guinea-Bissau is the eighth country to endorse the PSI at or following the PSI African Political Meeting and Outreach Event, bringing the total number of African endorsers to 14.

Launched in Krakow, Poland, in 2003, the PSI celebrated its 20th Anniversary in May 2023. States become part of the PSI by publicly endorsing the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles, making voluntary political commitments to impede and stop shipments of illicit WMD, delivery systems, and related materials flowing to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. PSI-endorsing States also adopt streamlined procedures for rapid information exchange and strengthen relevant national and international laws and frameworks.

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United States Announces More Than $64 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

August 26, 2024

Today in Dakar, Senegal, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes announced more than $64 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance for Sub-Saharan Africa. This is just the latest demonstration of the U.S. commitment to Sub-Saharan Africa, with recent announcements by Under Secretary Uzra Zeya, Ambassador Jeffrey Prescott, and Ambassador Michael J. Adler, bringing the total U.S. humanitarian assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa to more than $3.8 billion so far in Fiscal Year 2024. The United States is proud to be the largest single humanitarian donor to Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa globally.

This assistance will enable U.S. humanitarian partners to meet urgent, lifesaving needs of refugees and other displaced and vulnerable populations across Sub-Saharan Africa. It will also build durable solutions, including voluntary return in safety and dignity, and local integration within host communities.

As the United States urges increased support, we also acknowledge the tremendous efforts the people of Senegal and other countries in the region have already made to welcome refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons in their communities. The Senegalese government's example of incorporating refugees into national social and health services has played a key role in enhancing stability in the region. The United States encourages other governments to follow Senegal's example of refugee inclusion and advancing sustainable solutions.

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Internally displaced families in Yemen need increased aid: UNHCR

26 August 2024 - A new update from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reveals that millions of internally displaced families across Yemen are in critical need of more humanitarian assistance.

The update highlights information from the first half of 2024 and reveals that 4.5 million people are displaced and 18.2 million overall require humanitarian aid.

The refugee agency based its update on 47,000 families who have already "endured years of conflict."

Critical challenges

Of the families surveyed, 84 per cent were documented as displaced, mainly from the Al Hudaydah, Taizz and Hajjah regions. It was noted that these families are often on the move due to "persistent instability."

The internationally recognized Yemeni Government has been battling Houthi rebels for control of the country for more than a decade, with the fighting fuelled by international supporters on both sides.

Tens of thousands have been killed and although a now-lapsed UN-brokered truce has largely prevailed, peace talks aimed at a long-term solution have yielded little progress.

The UNHCR update further reported about 85 per cent of the families battle with food security issues, hardly meeting their daily food needs.

UNHCR Representative in Yemen, Marin Kajdomcaj, said one father he met in Hudaydah explained that he often has to ration meals to ensure his children can eat every day.

"This is the harsh reality for countless families across Yemen," Mr. Kajdomcaj said.

Additionally, the update from the refugee agency said that every family has at least one vulnerable member or individual with a disability, increasing the need for protection in displaced communities.

Civil documentation

Another critical challenge these families currently face deals with civil documentation  an often overlooked crisis, according to UNHCR.

The update mentioned that just over half of the surveyed families have at least one child who does not have a birth certificate and over 70 per cent have family members who lack a national identity card.

This poses an issue since without these documents, there is limited access to key services, education and other rights, UNHCR said.

"Without them, families face significant barriers to receiving assistance and accessing opportunities, compounding the challenges they already face," the update noted.

The refugee agency is increasing cash assistance programmes in Yemen that will help civilians obtain ID's. This cash can also be used to cover essential needs.

UNHCR's efforts

UNHCR aims to ensure long-term stability for the displaced families in Yemen through "integrating essential services into community infrastructure."

This includes providing long-term shelter solutions including transitional shelter units, house rehabilitation and improving living conditions in host community facilities.

Yet, many families have reported they do not feel safe returning home, due to concerns about instability and lack of livelihood opportunities amidst other challenges.

UNHCR's Yemen representative, Mr. Kajdomcaj insisted that these families' needs are "urgent and immense."

"They are not just statistics; they are parents, children, and elders who deserve the chance to live with dignity and hope," he said.

The refugee agency calls for increased humanitarian aid focusing on helping families survive and rebuild their lives.

"The international community must continue to stand with them and provide the necessary support," Mr. Kajdomcaj said.

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SecAF Kendall visits 52nd Operations Group, Det. 1

Published Aug. 26, 2024

By Senior Airman Jessica Sanchez-Chen

52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ASK AIR BASE, Poland (AFNS) -- Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited the 52nd Operations Group, Detachment 1 at ask Air Base, Aug. 24, to gain a deeper understanding of the unit's mission and capabilities with the Polish air force.

During his visit, Kendall attended mission briefs led by command teams assigned to Det. 1 and the 495th Fighter Squadron, which is currently deployed to ask AB from RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. He also engaged with the Polish air force's 32nd Tactical Air Base leadership, received a tour of Det. 1's facilities and the 495th FS's F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft and interacted with U.S. Airmen assigned and deployed to Det 1.

Det. 1 is a geographically separated unit assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, charged with the coordination and support of rotational United States Air Force fighter, tanker and airlift aircraft to ask and Powidz ABs in Poland for bilateral and multinational joint theater security operation events. These events focus on increased interoperability between the Polish and U.S. air forces.

"Secretary Kendall's visit to Det. 1 serves as a powerful affirmation of the strategic importance of our mission," said Lt. Col. Peter Namyslowski, 52nd OG, Det. 1 commander. "By taking the time to personally recognize superior performers, the Secretary highlights the crucial role that our team, both assigned and deployed, plays in ensuring security on NATO's eastern flank and deterring aggression."

Kendall also held an all-call during his visit to recognize Det. 1 Airmen for their efforts in facilitating the first operational deployment for the 495th FS in support of U.S. European Command's no-fail Quick Reaction Alert mission.

"This recognition is a tremendous honor for our Airmen, who are away from home and family, and serves as a testament to the sacrifices they make in support of the broader goals of the Air Force," Namyslowski said. "Secretary Kendall's visit shines a strategic spotlight on our regional stability efforts in safeguarding NATO airspace and our allies, reinforcing the significance of Det 1's work in the larger context of security cooperation."

The visit marked Kendall's only stop at a permanently stationed U.S. Air Force unit as part of his larger trip throughout the USEUCOM area of responsibility to strengthen international partnerships.

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US-Africa military conference to discuss legal advisers' role in troop deployment

By Mqondisi Dube August 26, 2024

More than 30 African countries will be represented at a military law conference set to begin Tuesday in Lusaka, Zambia. Participants will discuss the role of legal advisers in the deployment of troops as conflicts threaten stability across Africa.

The four-day African Military Law Forum will be co-hosted by the Zambian Defense Force, the U.S.-Africa Command (AFRICOM), U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the North Carolina National Guard.

Participants, who will include military leaders and magistrates, will focus on legal advisers and their role in the deployment of troops to missions.

AFRICOM's deputy legal counsel, retired Colonel Max Maxwell, says it is critical to ensure the rule of law is followed when troops are deployed.

"Militaries deploy outside their borders to sometimes very remote places," Maxwell said. "We want them to follow and adhere to the rule of law. What I mean is, soldiers are held accountable, commanders have legal advisers and soldiers are inculcated in professionalism. In the end, we want armies that people run to and not run from."

Maxwell said promoting professional conduct is crucial for the successful execution of the troops' mission.

"When an army is held accountable and they are professional and the commanders have legal advisers, then the result is that the army is more likely to execute the mission successfully and it helps mitigate negative results," he said. "This standard of conduct promotes partnership and helps focus militaries on the rule of law, specifically professionalism. It is especially true in the face of increased challenges and more complex conflicts."

Brigadier General Dan Kuwali from Malawi said Zambia meeting participants would also discuss ways to help soldiers avoid human rights violations during deployments.

Malawi has deployed hundreds of soldiers in the conflict-torn eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the Southern African Development Community mission.

"We are here to build capacity as legal advisers in order to help our troops to avoid violations, but also to be able to ensure accountability for violations," Kuwali said. "We also want to promote professionalism, because if we comply with the law, we are regarded as a professional force."

The seventh African Military Law Forum is being held at a time when the United States is bolstering military and security ties with African partners.

Eswatini's legal counsel, Captain Portia Magongo, said it is imperative to involve legal advisers during deployments.

Legal advisers "are more in a strategic position when it comes to decision-makers, when it comes to commanders," Magongosaid. "Be it political, be it military policies that they have to decide on, legal advisers are always there on an advisory level. When it comes to deployment, those deployment decisions come after being advised."

Africa is battling increased instability, particularly in the Sahel region where a jihadi insurgency has ramped up attacks.

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Latest Israeli evacuation orders halt UN aid operation in Gaza

By Margaret Besheer August 26, 2024

The United Nations said Monday that the Israeli military's latest evacuation orders have halted their aid operations in the Gaza Strip.

"As of this morning, we are not operating in Gaza," a senior U.N. official told reporters, adding that they would not be leaving the beleaguered territory.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces issued new evacuation orders for parts of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where the U.N. had moved its core operations in May following orders to evacuate Rafah in southern Gaza. According to the United Nations, Sunday's evacuation order is the 16th this month.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the United Nations had only a few hours to move international and Palestinian staff, several hundred dependents and equipment to an area in Al-Mawasi that Israel has designated as a safe zone. Some staff are sleeping in a warehouse.

The U.N. had to leave so quickly that some equipment was left behind, the official said, and they were unable to go back for it Monday because the IDF had already moved into the area. The official said the U.N. is now looking for a safe place where they can "reset" their operations.

The U.N. estimates that about 86% of Gaza is under Israeli evacuation orders, pushing more than 2 million people into a sliver of land with few basic services.

Two officials with the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Monday from central Gaza that despite the latest evacuation order, their agency is continuing to offer some health care to communities.

UNRWA will also be a key player, along with the World Health Organization, and the U.N. International Children's Emergency Fund, or UNICEF, in a massive polio vaccination campaign due to begin Saturday that aims to reach 640,000 children in Gaza with double doses of the vaccine.

The virus was detected last month in environmental samples from Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah and at least one case has been confirmed in a 10-month-old baby  the first case in Gaza in 25 years.

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Statement by Vice President Harris on the Anniversary of the Terrorist Attack Outside Kabul Airport

August 26, 2024

Three years ago today, outside of Kabul Airport, an ISIS terrorist killed 13 American servicemembers and more than 100 innocent Afghans, and wounded many more. Thirteen American heroes were taken from us on that day: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover. Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo. Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee. Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez. Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page. Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui. Navy Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss.



Today and everyday, I mourn and honor them. My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss. These 13 devoted patriots represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe.



Today, I am also thinking about all our servicemembers who served in America's longest warincluding 2,461 who made the ultimate sacrifice and 20,744 who were wounded. Over the course of nearly two decades, they served selflessly and bravely to protect the American people and our homeland. I will never forget meeting many of them on a trip to Afghanistan as a U.S. Senator. These American servicemembers possessed extraordinary skill, discipline, and dedication. I had then, and will always have, immense pride in their service and in the strength, courage, and excellence of the U.S. military, the greatest fighting force the world has ever known.



I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families and I will always honor their service and sacrifice.



As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America's longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland.



On this solemn day, let us come together as one nation to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice three years ago on behalf of the United States and our cherished freedoms. Our grateful nation mourns and salutes them.



In their memory, let us re-dedicate ourselves to the cause they gave their lives for: to protect and defend the greatest democracy on Earth, the United States of America.

# # #

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Statement from President Joe Biden on the Anniversary of the Terrorist Attack Outside Kabul Airport

August 26, 2024

Three years ago, an ISIS suicide bomber launched an attack of deliberate evil at Abbey Gate outside of Kabul Airportkilling 13 American service members and more than 100 innocent Afghans. Today, and every day, we honor our fallen:

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui

Navy Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss

These 13 Americansand the many more that were woundedwere patriots in the highest sense. Some were born the year the war in Afghanistan started. Some were on their second or third tour. But all raised their hand to serve a cause greater than themselvesrisking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, Allies, and Afghan partners. They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill.

We also owe their brothers and sisters-in-armswho served and sacrificed for our freedom and future during America's longest war. 20,744 American service members were wounded. 2,461 made the ultimate sacrifice. They were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, spouses and friends. No matter how much time passes, the pain of their loss will remain real and raw. And so will the pride we feel in their service. From the deserts of Helmand, to the mountains of Kunduz, and everywhere in betweenthese women and men worked alongside our Afghan partners to protect our nation. And deployment after deployment, tour after tour, they dared all, risked all, and gave all to keep us safe.

Today, our longest war is over. But our commitment to preventing attacks on our homelandor our peoplenever will be. We will continue to disrupt terrorist activity, wherever we find it. We will continue to deliver justice to terrorists who plot against Americajust as we have over the last three years with the leader of al-Qaeda and the global leader of ISIS. And we will do so without deploying thousands of American troops to ground wars overseas.

Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistanincluding Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan. Because we must never forget the immense price that was paid for our freedom. We must never forget that each beloved service member we lost was a human being, who left behind entire families and communities. And together, we must never stop striving to be worthy of their ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we vow we never will. May God bless each of our fallen heroes. May God bless all those who served and sacrificed. And may He keep them and their families closetoday and always.

###

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On-the-Record Press Gaggle by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby

August 26, 2024

Via Teleconference

1:32 P.M. EDT

MODERATOR: Hey. Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for joining. I'll turn it over to John Kirby here at the top for some words, and then we'll take your questions.

MR. KIRBY: Good morning, everybody. I've got quite a few things to get through, so just hang on for me, if you will.

As you know, today marks three years since the devastating terrorist attack at Abbey Gate outside of Kabul International Airport, an attack that killed 13 American service members and more than 100 innocent Afghans. Of course, it wounded many more.

In statements released this morning, the President and the Vice President honored the 13 American heroes who were taken from us on that day. Their prayers and all of our prayers have been and will continue to be with the members' families and their loved ones and their colleagues in the military. And those prayers will stay with them every day and have stayed with them every day since that terrible attack.

As our statements said this morning, these 13 Americans and those who were wounded were patriots in every sense, in the highest sense. They embodied the very best of who we are as a country: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt that we'll never really be able to fully repay but that we can never stop trying to do so.

Today, our longest war is over, but our commitment to preventing attacks on the homeland and our people will never be. We'll continue to disrupt terrorist activity wherever we find it, continue to deliver justice to terrorists who plot against America, just as we have over the last three years with leaders from al Qaeda and ISIS. And we'll also be able to do all that without having to deploy thousands of American troops to ground wars overseas.

So, again, as we mark this solemn day, we also honor all those who served and sacrificed and for the families who likewise served and sacrificed.

Moving to Ukraine: Earlier today, Russia launched a massive aerial assault against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials report that this outrageous attack included more than 100 missiles and 100 Iranian-provided drones and that it resulted in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians and targeted more than two dozen critical energy sites.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness as the fall here sits upon us and as winter approaches.

As the President has said, Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken.

We're going to continue to lead that coalition of more than 50 countries in providing much-needed military equipment for Ukraine. That certainly includes air defense systems and interceptors, which proved so critical in helping defend Ukraine against these attacks. And they need them every day.

We're also surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair what Russia has damaged and to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy grid.

As President Biden told President Zelenskyy on Friday when they spoke, our support for Ukraine is unshakable, and the United States will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their homeland against Russian aggression.

Finally, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is on his way to Beijing as we speak  he's literally in transit  for meetings which will include meetings with the PRC Foreign Minister, Communist Party Politburo member, and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, Wang Yi. Those meetings will take place over the course of two days, the 27th through the 29th.

This trip marks the fifth meeting between Wang and Mr. Sullivan. The channel between the National Security Advisor and the Director has played an important role in responsibly managing the competition and the tension between our two countries.

Mr. Sullivan's trip to China was discussed by the two leaders, President Biden and President Xi, at the Woodside Summit last November. And a lot of planning and scheduling went in since then, and they're now executing it.

In Beijing, Mr. Sullivan will discuss key issues in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, including advancing counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, and AI safety and risk discussions  all outcomes of the Woodside Summit.

You can expect that he will also take the opportunity to talk to Mr. Wang about our concerns, from a security perspective, all throughout the Indo-Pacific  tensions rising in the South China Sea, tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and a range of other issues including unfair economic practices. All of that will be on the table.

And now we can start taking some questions.

MODERATOR: First up we'll go to the line of Aamer Madhani.

Q Hey. Thank you both. John, I just wanted to ask just about the ongoing talks in Cairo, just how they're working. Who's leading these working-level talks? How long are they expected to last? And can you offer any detail on the broad areas these technical talks will be focused on?

And then secondly, just with  over the weekend, with this fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, has that had any impact on the talks? And is there broadly a concern that the window for completing these negotiations will eventually  or will soon close? Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: Thanks, Aamer. So, the working groups are meeting now in Cairo. Brett McGurk stayed in Cairo an extra day to get them kicked off, and he's there now, but he'll probably depart relatively soon and leave the discussion and the work to the working group members. I don't have a list of names of all the people that are going to be represented there, but all parties will be represented, including Hamas, in those working group discussions.

And as for how long they'll take, I think that remains to be seen. We expect that these working group discussions will at least take place over the next few days. But whether it goes longer or, you know, could end sooner, I think really is going to be up to those in the room and what they're able to accomplish.

And then that gets to your other question about, well, what are they working on. I think it's safe to say that the issues they're going to be talking about are of a much more detailed, specific nature than we've typically been able to talk about.

For instance  and I want to be careful, obviously  but for instance, one issue that will be for the working groups to flesh out is the exchange of hostages and prisoners that Israel is holding. What that exchange looks like, how many, you know, some of the details of exactly who will be released on either side and at what pace, those kinds of things, that's a good example of some of the things that they're trying to flesh out now. I think it's best if I don't go into more detail than that, though, right now.

And on the attacks over the weekend: No, there was not an impact on the talks in Cairo, and we're certainly glad to see that. Obviously, as I said earlier, the working groups are now meeting and talking, and so there continues to be progress, and our team on the ground continues to describe the talks as constructive.

So, despite the rocket and drone attack by Hezbollah over the course of the weekend, which Israel did a terrific job defending against, it has not affected the actual work on the ground by the teams trying to get this ceasefire deal in place.

And then, so to your other question about whether the window is closing or not: Look, we've had a sense of urgency about this since the get-go. And the President announced this proposal way back in late May, and here we are, you and me, talking in late August. We would have obviously preferred to see this ceasefire in place months ago, right after the President laid forward that proposal that originated in Israel. And so, here we are, still having these talks.

I mean, we've never let go of that sense of urgency. We want to get it done as soon as possible. And I think we're all watching what's going on in the region writ large. Very, very closely monitoring the situation. Don't want to see an all-out war, and we're doing everything we can to try to prevent that.

As you probably heard from the Pentagon, you know, we're maintaining a pretty robust force posture there to be able to defend ourselves and defend Israel should it come to that. Hopefully it won't.

But we want to get this ceasefire deal as soon as possible, so we haven't let our  we haven't let our interest in doing that wane. We haven't taken our foot off the gas. The same sense of urgency exists now as it did months ago.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Jeff Mason.

Q Hi. Thanks very much. John, following up on Ukraine: Ukraine is calling now for the West, including the United States, to lift restrictions on its use of missiles. What, after the recent events, what response does the White House have to that? And is that something that President Biden is giving consideration to?

MR. KIRBY: Our response to what happened over the weekend is, as I said earlier, certainly condemning these attacks. This is a classic play out of the playbook for Vladimir Putin to go after energy infrastructure, particularly as he knows the weather is about to turn and people are going to need heat and power a lot more as things get colder in Ukraine. It's  again, it's been a classic move by Putin.

And what we're focused on, as I said in my opening statement, Jeff, is making sure that they have as robust an air defense capability as possible. Now, their air defense performed really well during these attacks. They didn't knock everything out of the sky  clearly, some things got through  but they knocked the majority out of the sky. And we got to make sure they can continue to do that.

So we're focused on looking at interceptors and air defense systems, not just from the United States, but from allies and partners. And I think, you know, as you probably saw back in the NATO Summit, we announced another five Patriot air defense systems.

And I also would point out, again, what I said in my opening statement about working with Ukraine to make sure they've got energy infrastructure that's more resilient. It can't just be about defending those sites, although that's a big part of it. You got to make sure that they've got resilience, they've got backup, they've got a supply chain to help keep their energy infrastructure operating, even as it may fall prey to attacks.

And as for our policies with respect to how U.S. weapons are used in Ukraine, I have no changes to those guidelines to speak to today.

Q Can you just respond, though, to President Zelenskyy's call for that?

MR. KIRBY: This is not a new desire by President Zelenskyy by any stretch. He's made his concerns known to us privately, and he certainly has made his concerns known to everybody publicly. And we understand why he's doing that; his country is under attack.

But as I've said many, many times, we'll keep the conversations with the Ukrainians going, but we're going to keep them private. And I have no changes to our policies with respect to U.S. weapons to speak to today or no guidelines to talk to.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Arlette Saenz.

Q Hi. Thank you for doing this. If I could start with the talks  the ceasefire and hostage talks. With the Hamas negotiating team leaving Cairo yesterday, does the U.S. have any sense yet if Sinwar has received a copy of the latest proposal?

And then, as it relates to the back-and-forth strikes between Israel and Hezbollah over the weekend, were you surprised that this did not escalate into a broader regional conflict immediately? And has the U.S. engaged with Iran in any back-channel communications in recent days to try to prevent this?

MR. KIRBY: I don't have any back-channel communications with Iran to speak to. As you know, we have many ways of delivering messages to Tehran, and we use them all appropriately. And throughout this entire process here, we've had that ability to do it. But I don't have anything more to add on that.

I would just say we're  we obviously monitored these attacks in real time. The President was kept informed by his national security team in real time. And they did not  to my answer to Aamer earlier, they did not have an impact on the ceasefire talks, which is a good thing, and we were glad to see that. Also very glad to see that there was minimal damage and effect on Israel, both in terms of casualties and infrastructure damage. That's important. And we're going to make sure that, going forward, Israel can continue to defend itself. We're prepared to help defend them if we have to.

And as for your first question on Hamas, what I would just tell you is that Hamas continues to be represented as these working group meetings are going on as we speak here and over the next few days.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Aurelia End.

Q Hi. Thanks so much for doing this and taking my questions. Do you expect other attacks by Hezbollah or other Iran proxies in the coming days or weeks against Israel?

MR. KIRBY: Don't know. All I can tell you is that we're ready. We don't want to see that, but I can't be perfectly predictive. We're watching it as closely as we can.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Yuna.

Q Hi. Thank you for this. So, also following up on the last question regarding the possibility of an Iranian direct attack on Israel, so what is the current assessment regarding the option that this might happen in the near future?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to get into intelligence assessments one way or the other. I can tell you that we have to assume that Iran remains postured and prepared should that be a decision that they make, which is why we continue to maintain a very robust force posture in the region. I think you saw from my colleagues at the Pentagon talking about maintaining that two-carrier presence in the region. We got to make sure we're postured and prepared, and we are. It's not something we take lightly. We look at it every day. If we have to make changes, we will. I'm not here to announce any of those changes, but it's a dynamic situation, and we have to treat it like that.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Alex Ward.

Q Yeah, thanks, John. Briefly, the attack that Hezbollah was preparing that, you know, was preemptively struck by the Israelis, was that the one you were warning about that could come in, you know, days at one point? Is that that specific one?

And I'm wondering, how much time did the Israelis  how much time was between when the Israelis gave you the heads-up that they were planning the preemptive attack to when they did it? Thanks.

MR. KIRBY: I'll just tell you we're in constant touch with our Israeli counterparts and we were throughout the weekend. And that muscle and sinew was in place. And I'd leave it at that.

On the attack itself, we long ago said  I mean, a couple weeks ago; I guess that's long ago  that we could see something at any time, not just from Iran, but from Iran's proxies. What Hezbollah launched, you know, into the early morning hours Sunday was certainly a sizable attack, different in scope than what we tend to see on a daily basis between Israel and Hezbollah. This was a sizable attack. You know, several hundred drones and rockets.

And again, without getting into the specific intelligence assessment, it's safe to say that that kind of an attack, that scope, that size, was the kind of thing that I was talking about when I said we could see an attack at any time.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Akayla Gardner.

Q Hey, guys. India put out a statement today saying that Modi spoke with Biden. Is there anything you can say about what they talked about? And also, does the U.S. sort of welcome India's sort of (inaudible) position here, backing Ukraine sovereignty?

MR. KIRBY: Yes, it's true, the President did speak with Prime Minister Modi today, and we'll have a readout for you. As you know, there's usually a good time lag between the call finishing and us getting you a readout, but that's on its way to you all.

I think it's safe to say they certainly talked about Ukraine and the Prime Minister's trip to Kyiv and the prospects for moving forward in accordance with President Zelenskyy's plan for a just peace.

And as I said, I think it was Friday when somebody asked me about this. We welcome any other country that wants to help President Zelenskyy work towards this just peace.

And any country that's willing to come at that discussion by starting with President Zelenskyy's perspective, by hearing him out, by signing on to that proposal  and I won't speak for India and what they're signing on to or not; that's for the Prime Minister and his team to talk to  but we certainly welcome any nation that is willing to be helpful and to start that conversation by ascribing to President Zelenskyy's just peace proposal and getting his perspectives.

And we'll  again, we'll have a readout a little bit later that may provide some additional context.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Marek.

Q Thank you so much. Hey, John. The government of Poland said that the Russian drone entered Polish airspace during the latest Russian attack on Ukraine and probably landed or crashed on Polish territory. I'm wondering if you're aware of that and what's your response.

And also, is the U.S. still against shooting down Russian missiles or drones over Ukraine's territory?

MR. KIRBY: As I said before when you've asked this question, we'll leave it to Polish authorities to speak to how they're going to act in their self-defense, which they certainly have  they certainly have the right to make those decisions.

I'm not tracking the report of a drone landing on Polish soil. So, Marek, what I can do is ask the team to go take a look at that and see if we have anything on it. But this is the first I'm hearing about it.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to James Rosen. James, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q All right. The great unmuting has occurred. Can you all hear me?

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, I got you, James.

Q Thank you both. I wanted to ask two questions: one about the Middle East and then one on a broader foreign policy subject.

The first question: Is it the view of the National Security Council that the conduct of large-scale military operations in Gaza by the Israeli Defense Forces has reached a point of diminishing returns?

MR. KIRBY: Well, we've kind of talked about this a little bit ago, with the caveat, of course, James, that I'm not going to speak for the Israeli Defense Forces or what their daily objectives and targets are. That's for them to speak to.

They still face a viable threat by a terrorist organization that has not changed its views about the existence of Israel. At the same time, there's no question that they have destroyed an incredible amount of Hamas's war-making ability. They've killed a high number of both senior, at the strategic level and operational and tactical, leaders from Hamas. No question they have diminished Hamas's ability to resource itself and to man its ranks.

But as I said, they can speak to what they're doing every day, but clearly, even as we are pursuing these ceasefire talks, I mean, they are still facing an enemy in Gaza that continues to want to destroy the State of Israel.

Q My second question, if you can still hear me 

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, I gotcha.

Q Thank you.

The President's public comportment and the paucity of events on his public schedule, as on this very day, have fostered a public perception that Mr. Biden is increasingly disengaged from the presidency. Time and again, the question I am hearing from members of the general public, and which I put to you here, Admiral, is: Who is running the country?

MR. KIRBY: President Joe Biden.

Q Is he a ceremonial figure in some sense at this point?

MR. KIRBY: James, now you know better than that. I mean, my goodness, he talked to Prime Minister Modi today. He had calls with leaders in the region and in Europe, President Zelenskyy, last week. He monitored in real time what was going on over the weekend. I mean, come on. The President is on vacation, but you can never unplug from a job like that, nor does he try to. He's very much in command of making sure we can continue to protect our national security interests here at home and certainly overseas.

MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Francesca Chambers.

Q Thanks, Kirby. Appreciate it. Two questions. First one on what's going on with Hezbollah in the Middle East. The President sent the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman there over the weekend on a surprise visit. What does he hope to accomplish with that visit? What does he hope to learn?

And then, secondarily, going back to your opening remarks on Afghanistan, why did the President and Vice President release separate statements today? And why did the White House feel that they did not need to host or attend public events in the way that former President Donald Trump did today? Thank you.

MR. KIRBY: Well, a couple of things here.

I mean, first, on the Chairman's trip, it's always useful when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has an opportunity to visit with and meet with and learn from his counterparts overseas. And obviously, with everything going on in the Middle East and the added force posture that we have contributed to the region, it makes a lot of sense at this particular time for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to go over there and have those conversations.

And I'm sure that  I won't speak for Chairman Brown, of course, but I'm sure he's learning a lot, and he's getting an opportunity to see firsthand what our military readiness looks like and getting a chance to thank the men and women that are deployed over there or serving over there. So, lots of good reasons at this particular time for the most senior military officer to go for a visit.

And then, on your second question, I would say there are many ways that we as a nation and our leaders can observe the third anniversary of Abbey Gate. And Mr. Trump was invited by at least one, I think maybe several, of the families to lay a wreath at Arlington, and that is certainly a way to recognize the sacrifice and the loss. But it was a personal invitation by families, and certainly I'll let him speak to that and his willingness to do it. But that was a way.

Another way is to continue to work, maybe not with a lot of fanfare, maybe not with a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work with might and main every single day to make sure that the families of those  of the fallen and of those who were injured and wounded, not just at Abbey Gate but over the course of the 20-some-odd years that we were in Afghanistan, have the support that they need.

And you don't have to look very far at the President and the First Lady's track record and the Vice President's track record over the last three and a half years to see how deeply devoted they are to the men and women of our military and to our veterans and to their families, everything from Joining Forces to the PACT Act and any number of other steps that this administration has taken to make sure that we are meeting, as the President describes, our one true, sacred obligation as a country. There's an awful lot that goes into that.

And the President, the Vice President, the First Lady, Second Gentleman, they take those responsibilities seriously. You may not see them every day. You may not get a headline on it every day. There may not be a press release. But it doesn't mean that that work isn't ongoing, and that the respect and the admiration that they have for everyone who is now or ever has served a uniform remains a paramount priority for them.

MODERATOR: We have time for one more question. We'll go to Mark Stone.

Q Thank you, Sean. Thank you, Admiral. I wonder if I could go back to Israel, if I can, and just try and get a clear understanding, to the extent that you can talk about it, about what went wrong, why the talks didn't progress and broke down yesterday, given that at the beginning of the week the President said that he didn't want to jinx it but he was optimistic. And then, Secretary Blinken said that he believed the Israelis and Netanyahu were completely on board.

So I just  as I say, to the extent that you're able to articulate it, just give us a sense of why it didn't progress.

MR. KIRBY: Mark, I got to tell you, bud, I kind of disagree with the question itself. There was no breakdown, buddy.

Q (Inaudible.)

MR. KIRBY: There was no breakdown, buddy. They made enough progress that they were willing to or needed to transition to a working group level. So you didn't need the mediators all there and the leadership there. The talks actually progressed to a point where they felt like the next logical step was to have working groups at lower levels sit down to hammer out these finer details. And I mentioned a couple of them here in an earlier question.

But there's no truth at all to the fact that they broke down  quite the contrary  as I said in my  I think I said in my opening statement. But the team on the ground, they reported to us this morning, even, that the talks are continuing and that they have been constructive.

Now, I can't be perfectly predictive, Mark. I can't tell you that, you know, tomorrow we're going to have a deal; that's certainly the desire. But they have been moving forward in such a way that it was now time to turn over the work to these working groups.

MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone. That's all the time we have for today. If we didn't get to your question, reach out to the team, and we'll get back to you. Thanks again.

2:03 P.M. EDT

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CCG blocks renewed Philippine intrusions at Xianbin Jiao

Global Times

Consecutive provocations in one week met with restrained Chinese measures

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Aug 27, 2024 12:52 AM

The Philippines on Monday once again sent ships to intrude waters off China's Xianbin Jiao in the South China Sea, but once again saw its provocation restricted by the China Coast Guard (CCG).

By making consecutive provocations at and around multiple Chinese islands and reefs from both sea and air over the past week or so, the Philippines is escalating tensions and harming peace and stability in the region, which the Chinese side's restrained countermeasures aim to safeguard, Chinese experts said.

Philippine Coast Guard Ship 4409 and Ship 4411 illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to China's Xianbin Jiao on Monday without authorization from the Chinese government, dangerously approaching the CCG ships normally sailing in the area, and hyped the incident, the CCG said in a press release on Monday.

The CCG took restrictive measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with law and regulations, it said.

Over the past week or so, the Philippines has made consecutive provocations near multiple Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

On August 19, the Philippine Coast Guard ships MRRV-4410 and MMRV-4411 illegally intruded waters adjacent to Xianbin Jiao, and after being dealt with by the CCG with legitimate restrictive measures, the MRRV-4410 again illegally intruded waters adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao, once again met with CCG's restrictive measures, according to the CCG.

On Sunday, Philippine Ship 3002 trespassed into waters off Xianbin Jiao and carried journalists to distort facts and hype the incident. The CCG conducted professional and legitimate moves to firmly block and drove away the Philippine vessel.

The Philippines made infringing provocations not only from the sea surface, but also in the air.

On August 19, a Philippine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft flew over China's Huangyan Dao, leading to a Chinese fighter jet to release flares in an apparent move to warn the Philippine aircraft away from the Chinese island, according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Most of the recent China-Philippines maritime encounters have taken place at sea surface when Philippine vessels attempted to trespass into waters adjacent to Chinese islands and reefs, but the Philippines is apparently ramping up the deployment of aircraft in its provocations, a move observers said has more risks of accidents.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that the Philippine government seems to have no intention to keep any consensuses reached by the two sides over the South China Sea, and its lack of good faith means any kind of temporary arrangements can only be "painkillers" that cannot resolve differences from the roots.

If the Ferdinand Marcos Jr administration insists on acting willfully, define China-Philippines relations only by the South China Sea issue and take on unilateral actions at and around Chinese islands and reefs in the region, it will only end up suffering the consequences of its own actions, Chen said. So far, China has exercised a considerable degree of restraint on this issue, and the measures taken by the CCG have remained relatively soft, but China's patience is not unlimited, observers said.

Cognitive warfare

Each time the Philippines proactively makes provocation and meets with restrained restrictive measures from China, it plays "victim" in moves to smear China in part of the Philippines' cognitive warfare, analysts said. It was the Philippine ships and aircraft that had come too close to the Chinese islands and reefs, or had already violated Chinese sovereignty in the first place, forcing the Chinese side to take countermeasures.

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that there is a well-documented history of provocative behavior by the Philippine vessels against the CCG in the South China Sea in the past two years, which includes dangerous maneuvers such as dangerous sailing, deliberate collision, and other forms of harassment that put Chinese vessels at risk.

The Philippine rhetoric ignores this pattern of behavior, and its narrative of "threats to safety and freedom of navigation" by Chinese vessels is part of a broader strategy to mislead international audiences and justify its provocative actions, Ding said. "By framing itself as the 'victim,' the Philippines attempts to obscure its violations of international law including the UN Charter and its continued violation of China's sovereignty," Ding noted.

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US says Israel remains under 'threat of attack' from Iran, cites need to de-escalate regional tensions

By VOA News August 27, 2024

The United States said Monday that Israel remains under the threat of attack from Iran and its proxies, days after Lebanon's Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of a senior Hezbollah commander.

"I would point you to some of the public comments that have been made by Iranian leaders and others. ... We continue to assess that there is a threat of attack, and we ... remain well-postured to be able to support Israel's defense, as well as to protect our forces should they be attacked," Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.

U.S. Joints Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown met Monday with Israeli Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant and Chief of General Staff Gen. Herzi Halevi in Tel Aviv, discussing both the Hezbollah situation and what is happening on the battlefield in the Gaza Strip.

"The leaders reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Israeli strategic partnership while also discussing the most recent engagement across the Israeli-Lebanese border and the need to de-escalate tensions to avoid a broader conflict," Joint Staff spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey said in a statement.

In addition to Hezbollah's promised response for the killing of one of its commanders, Iran has pledged to respond to the assassination of a senior Hamas official in Tehran.

Speaking to Reuters, Brown said Iran wants to "do something that sends a message but they also, I think ... don't want to do something that's going to create a broader conflict."

Asked if the risk of an immediate widening of the conflict in the region had declined, Brown said, "Somewhat, yes."

"You had two things you knew were going to happen. One's already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out," Brown said.

Earlier Monday, Iran's foreign ministry reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Italian counterpart that Iran's response "will be inevitable, precise and calculated," and that Iran does not seek to escalate tensions.

Iran has blamed Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, while Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

Gaza war

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday that Israel is "still facing an enemy in Gaza that continues to want to destroy the State of Israel."

Kirby said Hamas still poses a "viable threat," but that Israel has "destroyed an incredible amount of Hamas' war-marking ability."

"They've killed a high number of both senior, at the strategic level and operational and tactical, leaders from Hamas. No question they have diminished Hamas's ability to resource itself and to man its ranks," Kirby said.

The war in Gaza began with the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel during which the U.S.-designated terror group killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage.

The Israeli military campaign of airstrikes and ground fighting has killed more than 40,400 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count.

After several days of higher-level talks in Cairo to try to make progress in achieving a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, working groups are continuing this week to attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

Kirby said U.S. teams, which have worked along with Egyptian and Qatari officials to mediate the talks, continue to describe the discussions as "constructive."

He said one issue being worked on is the exchange of hostages still held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including the exact numbers of people on both sides and the timing of those exchanges under a potential agreement.

"We want to get it done as soon as possible," Kirby said.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Arizona National Guard Soldiers rescue 104 from floods

By Maj. Erin Hannigan, Arizona National Guard Public Affairs August 26, 2024

PHOENIX -- An Arizona Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew evacuated 104 Havasupai tribal community members and tourists from Supai village in a flood-response mission Aug. 23-24, 2024.

"State missions are what we are here for," said Staff Sgt. Louis Mirabelli, a flight medic and civilian firefighter. "They give us [Guardsmen] the opportunity to serve our communities and, for me and many of my medic buddies, the opportunity to utilize our civilian-trained skill set in bigger ways."

Mirabelli joined in 2017 after learning from his firefighter coworkers that his training could be put to greater use. Since joining, Mirabelli has done just that a serving on the state COVID response mission, fire response effort, and overseas, deploying to Kosovo.

On Aug. 23, Coconino County and the Havasupai tribe asked the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to begin evacuating those stuck in Grand Canyon National Park and Havasupai Falls.

"I got the call that we needed a crew to support," said Sgt. 1st Class Gabe Bofman, crew chief. "I was supposed to be on leave, but when there is a call for help, I couldn't turn that down."

Bofman was on paternity leave. "My wife is supportive and understands," he said. "I couldn't help my community without her support."

Aircrew staffing and flight plans were complete Aug. 23 when the mission came to an unexpected halt.

"That's the frustrating part of our job and for those expecting support," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Symmes, pilot in command. "There are so many moving pieces to an operation. There are times when we have to stop and make sure we are taking the right steps. The last thing we need is to put evacuees and our crew at risk."

After coordination with partners and the official go to begin, the aircrew arrived in Supai village for their first pick-up at about 7:30 p.m. They evacuated 44 people by the UH-60 in four aircraft lifts that night. Over 60 people remained in Supai village overnight.

"Crew rest had to be considered. We are trained and proficient in our night tasks, but rest is necessary to keep our skills sharp and everyone safe," said Maj. Neal Jelsma, copilot. "While we wish we could have continued, we couldn't risk our passengers' safety."

The next morning, evacuees stood eagerly awaiting their turn to depart. They cheered after Mirabelli's safety brief and throughout the morning as people were secured in their seats and again as they departed the aircraft.

By Saturday afternoon, the 60 additional people were evacuated from Supai village.

DEMA was just one of many players in the multi-agency rescue and evacuation effort. The teamwork and coordination reflect how local, tribal, state and federal resources strengthen crisis response.

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Cybersecurity in the supply chain

Swiss Government

Bern, 26.08.2024 - The increasing interconnectedness of systems along the supply chain provides cybercriminals with many different ways to attack an organisation. It is therefore important for companies and public authorities to understand their supply chains and be aware of the cyber risks they face. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has launched a pilot project together with Planzer Transport AG so that companies, authorities and organizations in Switzerland can easily implement their cyber security requirements in the supply chain. A simple cycle was designed to demonstrate protective measures against cyber attacks in the supply chain. The pilot project also provides specific tools that are published on the NCSC website. At the Online Brownbag Lunch on 5 September 2024, the NCSC and Planzer Transport AG will demonstrate how organizations can correctly assess cyber risks in their supply chains.

A software supply chain survey by Anchore shows that 62% of organisations worldwide were impacted by a cyberattack in 2022. Only 19% of these organisations actively work with their suppliers or subcontractors. Cyberattacks on suppliers or subcontractors can have a serious impact on the companies they work with. Understanding your organisation's supply chains and the risks they face is therefore essential.

Preventive measures and tools

With this in mind, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is currently running a pilot project with Planzer Transport AG to bring together industry and cyber security expertise and resources. The aim is to raise awareness of cyber risks along the supply chain and develop practical tools for organisations to use. The simple process and tools are available on the NCSC website. Feedback on this pilot project is also collected on an ongoing basis through a feedback form in order to improve and expand the tools.

Registration Online Brownbag Lunch "Cybersecurity in the supply chain"

The NCSC is hosting an online lunch meeting on 5 September with Simon Kuhn, IT Security Officer at Planzer Transport AG, and Sandra LAthi, NCSC Awareness and Prevention Expert, to discuss how organisations can properly assess cyber risks in their supply chains and the questions they should be asking themselves and their suppliers. The event is in German.

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Thailand confirms Asia's first known case of more contagious and deadlier version of mpox

Global Times

By Du Qiongfang Published: Aug 27, 2024 12:26 AM

Thailand has confirmed Asia's first known case of a more contagious and potentially deadlier version of the mpox virus with its transmission modes changed.

Experts noted that children are more likely to be infected in this outbreak due to their relatively weaker immune systems.

Thailand's Department of Disease Control confirmed on Thursday that a 66-year-old European patient who had travelled to Thailand from Africa was infected with the Clade Ib, a new, potentially deadlier strain of mpox, the first in Asia, and the second outside of Africa, according to the BBC News.

Sweden was the first place outside of the African continent to confirm a case of Clade Ib a week ago.

The infected man had also recently travelled to an unnamed African country, according to Sweden's public health ministry, as reported by BBC.

According to a doctor named Zhao Lei from Wuhan Union Hospital of China, the transmission of the mpox virus in the past was primarily through direct contact or sexual contact.

However, the variant of the Clade Ib that has been identified in Thailand is more contagious and threatening and can be transmitted by infected animals and passed from human to human through close physical contact, human secretions (such as respiratory droplets), rash or contaminated items.

The groups most affected by this mpox outbreak are women and children under 15 years old, as reported by People's Daily, quoting WHO figures.

According to Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, many children in Africa were not vaccinated with smallpox vaccine, and the administration of the vaccine is effective.

Besides, children, especially those in Africa, tend to have relatively weaker immune systems, and their nutrition is often poor, Lu told the Global Times on Monday.

Given the crowded living conditions of many African children, if a family member is infected, the risk of spreading the virus through close family contacts is high since they are highly likely to share the same room, Lu said.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, declared the surge of mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the second time for WHO to declare the mpox virus outbreak a PHEIC since 2022.

WHO launched the Global Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SRSP) that requires approximately $135 million to control the new mpox outbreak by implementing comprehensive surveillance and response strategies, as well as advancing research and equitable access to medical countermeasures against mpox, according to China Central Television.

As of July, a total of 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox, including 208 deaths, have been reported to the United Nations health agency from 116 countries in all WHO regions.

WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris urged manufacturers to scale up mpox vaccine production, according to a report from AFP on August 17.

The WHO also called for countries with monkeypox vaccine stockpiles to donate them to countries with ongoing outbreaks, saccording to the AFP.

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PLA to conduct live-fire drills on Chinese side of China-Myanmar border

Global Times

By Liu Xin Published: Aug 26, 2024 11:43 PM

According to its annual training plan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is set to conduct live-fire drills on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border from Tuesday to Thursday, according to a notice released by the government of Yunnan Province on Monday.

The drills cover regions of surrounding areas of Huyu and Wanding of Ruili city, Mengdui in Zhenkang township, and Mengding of Gengma Dai and Va Autonomous County.

The provincial government issued a reminder that vehicles and personnel entering these areas should abide by traffic control rules, according to the release.

Early on Monday, the PLA Southern Theater Command said in a statement that it organized army troops to conduct armed patrols and joint air-ground patrols at the border frontlines in Ruili, Zhenkang, and other areas.

The purpose was to test the rapid mobility, three-dimensional control, and joint strike capabilities of the theater troops, as well as to maintain security and stability in the border regions, the statement said.

The drills would also fully demonstrate the PLA's resolution and capability in safeguarding national sovereignty, border security and safety of people's lives and property, analysts said, addressing the complex situation in northern Myanmar.

A Beijing-based military expert, who asked for anonymity, told the Global Times that the stability of Myanmar, which is on China's southwestern border, is vital to China's regional economic and security interests. China often conducts preventive exercises to safeguard its national and border security.

In April, the PLA Southern Theater Command also conducted live-fire drills on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border.

Tian Junli, a spokesperson at the theater command, said in a statement that the command has been prepared at all times to respond to various emergencies and is committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and border stability.

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China failing to deliver jobs for its 'rotten-tail kids'

Bright young graduates are being forced into low-paid gig economy work, or moving back in with their parents.

By Jing Wei for RFA Mandarin, Lee Heung Yeung for RFA Cantonese 2024.08.26 -- On social media, they're calling them "rotten tail," or unfinished kids, a play on a metaphor for something that never comes to a clean end but just falls apart, leaving nothing substantial to grasp hold of.

It means that China's bright young things are finding that the future they worked so hard for, much like the welter of unfinished apartment buildings that dot Chinese cities these days, isn't delivering on its promises.

Instead, they're the ones doing the delivering - of food and parcels as part of the insecure gig economy, while some opt to move back in and be "full-time children," economically dependent on their aging parents.

Ruling Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping has vowed that finding jobs for young people is a top priority for his government, and has rolled out a slew of policies in a bid to encourage more hiring, including job fairs and incentives for employers.

Yet in July, as millions of fresh graduates poured into the labor market, unemployment rates reached 17.1% among 16-24 year-olds, according to the latest data from China's National Bureau of Statistics, ticking up again after a three-month decline.

The figures came amid a social media storm over the lone death of an unemployed graduate from one of China's elite universities, shining a spotlight on widespread unemployment among even highly qualified young people.

Amid the harsh economic climate, China's young people have coined the terms "political depression" and "lying flat" to refer to their sense of hopelessness, and who are increasingly rejecting traditional milestones like finding a job, marriage and children.

"Children from ordinary families used to expect to find a job after graduating from university, but nepotistic recruitment is becoming more and more blatant, and there are fewer and fewer jobs," human resources professional Yang Peng told RFA Mandarin in a recent interview.

"The poor economy also means fewer jobs, further shrinking opportunities for young people to find jobs and change their lives," he said.

And Yang has noticed a sharp fall in activity levels among his fellow professionals on social media, suggesting a sluggish labor market all round.

"I'm in a human resources group with about 350 members," he said. "A lot of human resources professionals have been laid off since the beginning of this year, and are looking for jobs themselves."

The social contract

U.S.-based financial commentator Wang Jian said that fewer and fewer young people in China are seeing any kind of return on the massive investment they and their families have made in their education.

"Society hasn't kept its promises," Wang said, adding that this will add up to greater political pressure on the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

"The legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party regime is based on power in return for protection and continuous improvements to people's lives," he said. "That's the social contract."

"For many Chinese college graduates, better job prospects, upward social mobility, a sunnier life outlook - all things once promised by a college degree - have increasingly become elusive," Reuters quoted Yun Zhou, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Michigan, as saying.

A recent survey cited by Big Data China found that overall attitudes have become more pessimistic in China in recent years, particularly regarding perceptions of inequality, with people far more likely to blame the economy for poverty than themselves in recent years.

In surveys conducted between 2004 and 2014, respondents identified "lack of ability," "lack of effort," and "low education" as the main factors that explained poverty in China.

By 2023, respondents were opting for "unequal opportunity" as the top reason for poverty, with "an unfair economic structure" ranking third, with "education" second, although the survey authors pointed out that "uneven access to education in China is in itself a source and a symptom of widespread and persistent inequality."

The number of respondents who disagreed with the statement, "Whether a person becomes rich or remains poor is their own responsibility," increased from 25% in 2004 to 48% in 2023, the survey found.

Meanwhile, those who agreed with the statement, "In our country, effort is always rewarded," dropped from 62% to 28% between 2004 and 2023, it said.

"[The] surveys show that people in China today have less confidence than in earlier decades that the country's economic system and institutions provide fair opportunities for members of society," Big Data China authors Ilaria Mazzocco and Scott Kennedy wrote in a July 9 article summarizing the research.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.

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.

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China objects to new sanctions on firms aiding Russia

By Rob Garver August 26, 2024

The Chinese government responded angrily to the news this weekend that 39 companies in China and Hong Kong had been added to a list of entities that face special export controls when doing business with U.S. firms.

The so-called Entity List, maintained by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), identifies companies, individuals and even places of business, to which U.S. firms cannot transfer goods without a license. This most recent addition to the list concerns entities that have been helping companies affiliated with the Russian military obtain U.S.-made goods that cannot legally be sold to them.

"BIS has taken aggressive actions, in concert with our allies and partners, to impose strict export controls in response to Russia's illegal, unprovoked, and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's action is an extension of this critical and ongoing work," Alan Estevez, undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, said in a statement.

"We will continue our multilateral approach to attack this problem from all sides and use every tool in our arsenal to prevent Russia from gaining access to the advanced U.S. technology needed for its weapons," he said.

Long-arm jurisdiction

According to the state-run Xinhua news service, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that Beijing "resolutely opposes" the addition of Chinese firms to the Entity List.

In an article that appeared to paraphrase remarks from a spokesperson that were not published elsewhere, Xinhua wrote, "The move is a typical act of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, said the spokesperson in an online statement. It undermines the international trade order and rules, impedes normal international economic and trade exchanges, and affects the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains."

The statement called on the U.S. to "immediately stop its wrong actions" and said, "China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises."

Technology firms

Among the items that the U.S. has been trying to prevent Russia from obtaining are sophisticated semiconductors and other technologies necessary to build high-tech modern weaponry, such as missile guidance systems.

One way that Russia has been avoiding those sanctions has been to pay companies outside of Russia to purchase the necessary materials from U.S. suppliers, claiming that they are intended for domestic use, or for non-military applications, and to transfer them to Russia after they have been delivered.

The list of Chinese companies named in the most recent Entity List addition includes a large number that appear to be in the computer technology distribution field. Among those named are AllChips Limited; Chipgoo Electronics Limited; Hong Kong Haiheng Electronics Co. Ltd.; Shenzhen Bailiansheng Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; and Superchip Limited.

In total, entities from 10 countries were added to the list in the most recent update. Other than Russia, which was home to approximately half of the new additions, China was home to the largest number.

While none of the Chinese companies added to the Entity List this weekend were household names, some high-profile entities within China are subject to its restrictions. For example, Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has been on the list since 2019. Harbin Institute of Technology, a major public university, is also on the list. In total, it includes more than 600 Chinese companies.

Impact of inclusion

After a company is placed on the Entity List, it becomes illegal for U.S. companies to transfer any goods to them that were made in the U.S., were ever present in the U.S., or were made in another country but contain U.S.-made components equal to 25% or more of the product's value.

Inclusion on the Entity List can be a devastating blow for companies, because not only are they cut off from U.S. suppliers, but they may also find themselves blacklisted by non-U.S. firms that refuse to do business with them for fear of running afoul of U.S. authorities, said Clif Burns, a senior counsel with the law firm Crowell & Moring.

"It can essentially shut them down, particularly if they are dependent upon U.S. goods in their supply chain," Burns told VOA. "Plus, as a practical matter, given the way most U.S., European and first-world countries handle screening, if you're on the Entity List, they just generally will not do any kind of business with you at all."

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North Korea unveils new 'suicide drones,' calls for more

Among two types of drones revealed, one resembles those used in Russia.

By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.08.25 -- North Korea unveiled new "suicide drones" with some of them looking in released photographs similar to those used by Russia, as the North's leader called for the development and production of more of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

Kim Jong Un visited the Drone Institute of North Korea's Academy of Defence Sciences on Saturday, and viewed a "successful test" of drones "correctly identifying and destroying designated targets after flying along different preset routes," said the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Kim called for the production of more such drones for crashing into targets to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, such as underwater attack drones, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones, KCNA added.

Photos carried by the the news agency in its report on Monday showed blurred images of two white drones attacking targets, including an image that showed one of the drones destroying what appeared to be mock-up of South Korea's main K-2 battle tank.

Two types of drone were shown in the photos: a triangular-winged drone that resembles the Israeli Harop, and a cross-winged drone that resembles the Russian Lancet-3.

Kim was reportedly given with five "suicide drones" during his visit to Russia in September last year.

Pointing to the growing importance of drones on the battlefield, Kim said that developing different types of the weapons and "steadily increasing their combat performance" were crucial "in preparing for a war."

"It is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones of various types to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones," the North Korean leader said.

Kim also called for more tests of the drones' combat application, to equip the North Korean military with them as early as possible, KCNA said.

At a year-end party meeting in December last year, Kim ordered the development of powerful unmanned combat equipment, such as spy and attack drones, and means for electronic warfare, in addition to ramped-up production of its nuclear bombs and powerful missiles.

In July 2023, the North unveiled two types of new reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones at an arms exhibition and military parade.

North Korea also sent five drones across the border with South Korea in December 2022, with one of them penetrating a no-fly zone close to South Korea's presidential office.

Edited by Mike Firn.

Updates to add quote marks around "suicide drones," add description.

Copyright 1998-2016, 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.

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Kim Jong Un Supervises Drone Testing, Orders to Expand Production

Sputnik News

20240826

SEOUL (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday supervised the testing of drones conducted by the Drone Research Institute of the DPRK National Defense Academy and ordered to actively develop and increase the production of various types of drones, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports.

According to the agency, the test took place on August 24. Kim Jong Un was accompanied on site by senior officials of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. The North Korean leader familiarized himself with the drones currently being developed and supervised the test.

The drones with different ranges are designed to hit any enemy targets on land and at sea, various drones flew along predetermined different routes, accurately recognized the specified targets and destroyed them, KCNA reported.

Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction with the tactical and technical characteristics of the new drones and stressed that it was necessary to "increase the intensity" of combat tests in order to put the drones into service as soon as possible.

He noted that, based on combat experience and military trends, the development of various types of drones and improving their characteristics occupy "an important share in preparing for war."

"We need to actively develop and increase the production of not only strategic reconnaissance drones and multi-purpose attack drones, but also various suicide drones for tactical infantry units and special forces," Kim Jong Un said.

He stressed that due to the country's geographical location on the peninsula, it is necessary to "tirelessly" develop not only underwater strategic weapons, including a nuclear torpedo, but also underwater kamikaze attack drones, and actively introduce artificial intelligence technologies into their development. The leader set tasks for the developers and outlined ways to implement them.

In January, KCNA reported that North Korea had tested the Haeil-5-23 underwater nuclear weapon system, which is currently under development, in protest of joint military exercises between South Korea, the United States and Japan. North Korea has already tested the Haeil and Haeil-2 systems last year. According to state media, the "secret weapon" is the Haeil (Tsunami) nuclear-powered underwater drone, which has been in development since 2012 and has undergone more than 50 tests in the past two years, 29 of which were personally supervised by Kim Jong Un.

A Sputnik

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French Polynesia warns France to 'change direction' on Pacific decolonization

Pacific leaders have expressed mounting frustration over how Paris has handled turmoil in New Caledonia.

By Harry Pearl and Stefan Armbruster for BenarNews 2024.08.26 -- French Polynesia's president has urged France to change its diplomatic approach towards territories in the Pacific amid growing frustration about the way it has handled months of turmoil in New Caledonia.

Moetai Brotherson on Monday said France has "always had a problem with decolonization" in the South Pacific, where it controls the territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna.

After a meeting of the sub-regional Polynesian Leaders Group in Tonga, Brotherson said they had been warning France for three years about the potential for unrest, but "they just wouldn't listen."

The president was speaking on the sidelines of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum, or PIF, where decolonization will feature prominently in discussions between the 18-member bloc. French Polynesia and New Caledonia were given full membership status of the inter-governmental organization in 2016 despite being territories.

"They have to change the way they consider territories in the Pacific," Brotherson said in the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa.

"They have to trust the voices of the Pacific about those issues more than their own diplomacy, because sometimes the feedback they get from their diplomacy is just biased or incorrect."

France's handling of pro-independence riots that engulfed the New Caledonian capital of Noumea in May has reinforced regional perceptions that it is an out-of-touch colonial power.

Control of New Caledonia and its surrounding islands gives the European nation a significant security and diplomatic role in the Pacific at a time when the U.S., Australia and other Western countries are pushing back against expanding Chinese influence in the region. New Caledonia also has valuable nickel deposits that are among the world's largest.

The unrest was triggered by the French government's backing of electoral reforms that would have diluted the voting power of New Caledonia's indigenous Kanak people.

Eleven people were killed, dozens were injured and businesses were torched in weeks of riots that also saw the deployment of thousands of French police and special forces.

Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said in his opening address to PIF that leaders "must honor the vision of our forefathers regarding self-determination, including in New Caledonia."

A PIF fact-finding mission to New Caledonia, which was scheduled for last week, was deferred amid reports of disagreement between the territory's pro-independence government and France.

French Polynesia was relisted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2013 as a territory that should be decolonized, but France has demanded the territory be removed again.

"We know that France has always had problems with decolonization and the road to self-determination, but we're not necessarily adopting the same strategy as New Caledonia," Brotherson, who was elected on a pro-independence platform last year, said.

"We have, I would say, a common colonizer, but we have different countries with different contexts. So we have to find our own way to self-determination."

France's Ambassador to the Pacific Veronique Roger-Lacan has aggressively prosecuted the European power's case for its territorial rights over New Caledonia, causing consternation among regional leaders.

In July she publicly rebuked New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters for suggesting the 2021 referendum on New Caledonia's independence - boycotted by indigenous Kanaks - was "within the letter of the law ... but it was not within the spirit of it."

When asked about the French diplomat's efforts, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka on Saturday said Paris had to make an effort to "understand the Pacific."

Roger-Lacan, who is attending the meeting in Tonga, told RFA affiliate BenarNews "the only diplomatic question there is the PIF mission."

"French diplomacy is here at the PIFLM53 [53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting] to reiterate, on behalf of President Macron, France's total and absolute availability for an information mission in New Caledonia in the context of the current crisis, whenever there is a consensus in the PIF on this perspective.

"Otherwise the voices that have to be heard by the Pacific leaders are all the voices mentioned in the NoumAa agreement of 1998, not only the independentists. There is no biased or incorrect feedback in those mere facts."

Senior Solomon Islands diplomat Collin Beck said leaders would be looking to work out the next steps for a New Caledonia mission this week.

"We'll hear more from the New Caledonia government and certainly I think we'll hear more from what the secretariat has received from the French government as well," said Beck, the country's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.

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.

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi speaks with Prime Minister of Australia Mr Anthony Albanese

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 26 AUG 2024 1:02PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today spoke with the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese. Both leaders took stock of progress in the bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad.

The Prime Minister posted on X:

"Delighted to speak to my friend Anthony Albanese. We took stock of progress in our bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad."

MJPS/TS



(Release ID: 2048874)

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Readout of President Joe Biden's Call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India

August 26, 2024

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to discuss the Prime Minister's recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September. The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector. The Leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter. The Leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

###

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Foreign ministers of Iran, Qatar discuss crucial regional issues in Tehran

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 1:30 PM

The foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues, particularly the ongoing Israeli-US genocidal war in Gaza, now in its 11th month.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is in Tehran on a key visit, met with Abbas Araqchi on Monday.

This is the first official trip to Tehran by the top Qatari official since the new Iranian administration took office in July.

Al Thani is also scheduled to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The visit comes as Iran has vowed to defend its absolute right to give a response to the Israeli regime's assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, in Tehran.

Haniyeh was assassinated on July 31, while he was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Pezeshkian.

The top Qatari diplomat's trip to Tehran is also taking place at a time that the latest round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has ended without a deal, and tensions have escalated between Israel and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

During the meeting, Araqchi hailed Qatar's positive attempts to stop Israel's barbaric campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes Qatar's efforts to swiftly stop the Zionists' war and crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people and to establish ceasefire in Gaza."

The Iranian minister also threw Tehran's weight behind any ceasefire agreement which is also accepted by the Palestinian resistance groups, notably Hamas.

Pointing to the great capacities of Tehran and Doha in commercial and economic sectors, Araqchi expressed his country's keenness to make a leap in relations through further coordination.

The Qatari foreign minister, for his part, briefed Araqchi on his country's latest diplomatic measures to put an end to establish ceasefire in Gaza. Al Thani called for the continuation of bilateral consultations to help promote stability and security in the region.

Hezbollah on Sunday conducted a large drone and rocket attack "accurately and effectively" against Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, in an Israeli airstrike on a building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on July 30.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also called the retaliatory strikes "Arbaeen Operation."

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FM: Iran's response to Israeli assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran 'definitive'

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 2:49 AM

Iran's foreign minister has described as "definitive" the country's response to Israel's assassination of senior Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh last month.

In a phone call with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani on Sunday, Abbas Araghchi said the response is "definitive" but it "will be measured and well calculated."

The top Iranian diplomat added that, unlike Israel, Iran is not seeking escalation but at the same time "we do not fear escalation."

Earlier, Araghchi also had a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to discuss bilateral and regional issues.

Both diplomats talked about the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and regional spillover.

They called for ramping up efforts to stop Israeli crimes in Gaza and supplying humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.

In a post on his X account on Sunday, Araqchi said that he held separate phone talks with his Egyptian, Turkish and Saudi Arabian counterparts over the past two days.

In another post, the Iranian foreign minister said he received phone calls from his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts in the past two days as they extended their congratulations to him over his appointment.

On Friday, Araghchi told the United Kingdom and France that it reserves the right to punish the Israeli regime for its "unforgivable" crime of assassinating Haniyeh.

Haniyeh, the Palestinian resistance movement's Political Bureau chief, was assassinated in a targeted killing operation in Tehran on July 31.

He was in the Iranian capital to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.



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U.S. Says Iran Nuclear Deal Remains 'Off The Table' As Tehran Calls For 'New Negotiations'

By Kian Sharifi August 26, 2024

Reviving the Iran nuclear deal remains off the agenda for the Biden administration, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on August 26, as Tehran called for "new negotiations" to update the agreement before it can be revived.

Iran's new foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said last week that the agreement "cannot be revived in its current form" due to sunset clauses that have expired and insisted that new talks are needed to resuscitate the agreement.

However, a State Department spokesperson told RFE/RL that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the 2015 nuclear accord is formally known, "is not on the table right now." The United States unilaterally exited the deal in 2018 under then-U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The United States will ensure one way or another that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and we are prepared to use all elements of national power to ensure that outcome," the spokesperson said.

Still, Washington views "diplomacy as the best way to achieve a sustainable, effective solution," the spokesperson said.

During a televised interview, Araqchi conceded that renegotiating the agreement would be challenging.

"This document definitely needs to be reopened and parts of it needs to be changed. That is no easy task because once you reopen a document, putting it back together will be challenging," he said in a live television interview.

Complicating matters further are the November presidential election in the United States and ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Araqchi said the Ukraine war had "deeply impacted how Europeans view security," while the Gaza conflict has "completely upended the situation in the region."

The minister, who was one of the architects of the deal between Iran and six major world powers, said the format of talks since 2021 to revive the agreement can no longer work.

"New negotiations are needed," Araqchi added.

The deal restricted Iran's nuclear program and capped uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent. In return, the United States lifted sanctions that had suffocated Iran's economy and energy sectors.

But Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms. Iran retaliated by gradually scaling back its commitments and is currently enriching uranium at 60 percent.

Araqchi, then a deputy foreign minister, led Iran's negotiating team when Tehran and Washington started indirect talks in April 2021 to restore the agreement. Negotiations paused when hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi came to power in Iran and a new team of negotiators entered the fray.

But talks were suspended in September 2022 in the wake of nationwide protests that rocked Iran for months. Hundreds were killed in the unrest as the authorities cracked down on demonstrations.

Iran's new president, Masud Pezeshkian, who succeeded Raisi after he died in a helicopter crash earlier this year, has vowed to engage the West.

But the ultimate decision-maker in Iran is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has praised efforts by conservatives to expand the country's nuclear program.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-nuclear- deal-off-table/33093049.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iraqi resistance groups agree to resume operations against American forces

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 11:01 AM

Iraqi anti-terror resistance groups have reached an agreement not to compromise with US occupation troops in the Arab country and to resume military operations against the bases accommodating the American forces, according to a report.

Lebanon's al-Akhbar newspaper quoted an unnamed source in the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee (IRCC) as saying that representatives from Iraqi resistance groups have lately held a meeting and decided to adopt a unified position regarding the current domestic and regional developments.

The source added that most of the leaders of the groups agreed to end a pause in attacks on US troops and resume their strikes.

"During the meeting, some leaders addressed the issue of field actions against the American occupiers and agreed on the resumption of large-scale attacks against American forces or the Zionist regime," he said.

The source added that the Baghdad government's agreements with the Americans and delay in the announcement of the results of negotiations on the withdrawal of US forces have failed to offer the Iraqi resistance any reasonable assurance.

"The Resistance will not respite as long as foreign forces continue to attack the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, and other Iraqi groups. The Resistance will press ahead with its operations as long as the US continues to support, inform, or protect Israel against our strikes," the source said.

"The Axis of Resistance in general and the Iraqi resistance, in particular, intend to carry out a strong military planning with the aim of carrying out scathing attacks against the occupiers in light of the Israeli enemy's uncertainty for a ceasefire in Gaza," the source added.

Iraqi resistance groups have been pressing for an end to the presence of foreign forces in Iraq more than two decades after a US-led coalition invaded the country in a blatant violation of international law based on false claims of it being in possession of weapons of mass destruction.

There are nearly 2,500 American troops in Iraq and some 900 in Syria as part of what Washington claims to be a fighting force against Daesh.

The US has maintained its presence, although the Arab countries and their allies defeated the Takfiri terrorist group in late 2017.

In 2020, the Iraqi parliament voted in favor of the expulsion of the foreign forces after a US drone strike assassinated Iran's top anti-terror commander, General Qassem Soleimani, and deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) counter-terrorism force, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, outside Baghdad International Airport.

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Netanyahu cabinet boycotted by Zionist settlers

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The far-right coalition cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been boycotted by the heads of local authorities in the northern occupied territories over the regime's military adventurism that has forced Zionist settlers to flee the region.

We have decided to boycott the Netanyahu cabinet until it comes out of a solution to return people to their homes, the heads of local authorities in the occupied territories announced, according to IRNA citing media reports on Monday morning.

On Saturday, the head of the opposition bloc also once again demanded the removal of Netanyahu from office for obstructing the path to reaching a Gaza ceasefire agreement and exchanging captives with the Hamas movement.

Yair Lapid criticized the regime for its insistence on continuing the war and disregarding the fate of the captives held in the Gaza Strip. "Netanyahu should go; he should resign on October 8".

Also, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak warned about Netanyahu's actions and said he should be removed immediately.

"The control of the Philadelphia axis (Gaza's border with Egypt) is not in our interest," Barak said with reference to Netanyahu's new condition for a ceasefire.

The former premier said that Netanyahu is not qualified to rule Israel and "has been taking us to hell".

4399

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US sends over 50,000 tons of weaponry to Israeli regime since Oct. 7

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 4:03 PM

The United States has sent 50,000 tons of arms and ammunition to Israel since October 7 when the regime launched its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.

Media reports said on Monday that the US had completed the air delivery of its 500th consignment of weapons and munitions to Israel since it launched its genocidal war on Gaza in early October.

In addition to the weapons and equipment airlifted to Israel since 7 October, Washington has sent Tel Aviv 107 shipments of military supplies by sea.

A statement released by the Israeli War Ministry said on Monday that the US shipments to Tel Aviv included "armored vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical equipment, which are crucial for sustaining ... [the regime forces] operational capabilities during the ongoing war."

Over the past ten months, the Israeli regime forces have used the arms and munitions supplied by the US for the onslaught of Palestinians in Gaza.

These shipments have been used by the Israeli regime forces to massacre over 40,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in the Gaza Strip, while making the land uninhabitable for the Palestinian residents.

White House officials, however, claim the US Democratic presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris has been "working tirelessly" for a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The Gaza ceasefire talks between Hamas and Tel Aviv -- mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar -- have failed till now.

The United States' provision of military supplies to the Israelis, coupled with Washington's diplomatic support for the zionist leaders are among the key obstacles to achieving a ceasefire to stop the mass killing of the Palestinian people and the destruction of the Gaza Strip, according to experts of regional and international affairs.

The Gaza Strip is under the "complete siege" of the Israeli regime forces where the zionist war machine started its genocidal war on October 7 after Hamas conducted Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity.

Since the start of the war, the Tel Aviv regime has been committing war crimes in Gaza, cutting off water and food, fuel, electricity, and medicine to the more than two million Palestinians living there, carrying out a systemic genocide of the Gazan people.



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Myanmar junta commits to staggered 2025 election

The junta's opponents say an election organized during military rule would be a sham and solve no problems.

By RFA Burmese 2024.08.26 -- Myanmar's junta has committed to holding a general election late next year, with voting to be staggered because of security concerns, said politicians who met the military's election committee on the weekend.

Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has made promises to hold an election ever since early 2021 when he overthrew a government led by then State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi's party won a late 2020 election in a landslide but the military complained of election fraud, staged a coup, locked up Suu Kyi and many others and declared a state of emergency.

The junta's Union Election Commission, or UEC, met political party representatives in the capital, Naypyidaw, on Saturday and urged them to prepare for the polls, said Tin Swe, vice chairman of the Democratic Party, one the parties at the meeting.

"They said they are prepared and that the election is a goal of the State Administration Council," he told Radio Free Asia, referring to the junta by its official name.

"It must hold the election and has committed to holding it," he said.

While the UEC had not officially announced the date of the election Tin Swe said he believed, given the discussions the parties held with the election organizer, that it would be held in November.

Military-run media also reported on the meeting and the preparations for the election, without reporting a date.

Radio Free Asia attempted to contact UEC member Khin Maung Oo for details about the plan for the election but he did not return calls by the time of publication.

The junta's opponents have dismissed the junta's plans for an election as meaningless.

Suu Kyi, Myanmar's most popular politician, remains in detention along with many of her party members and supporters. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which swept elections in 2016 and again in 2020, has been disbanded along with many other parties.

"I believe that the international community and the public will strongly oppose the sham election," said Sithu Maung, spokesperson for a group of NLD politicians elected in the 2020 vote.

"This election is a way of trying to bring about military rule with supposed civilian approval," Sithu Maung, who lives outside Myanmar, told RFA.

Elections organized by the military would resolve nothing, he said.

"We've said all along it's not practical to solve Myanmar's problems through elections. What Myanmar needs is not an election, it's to change the system," he said.

'Voting in stages'

Parties seen as representing the military and led by retired officers fared poorly in the 2016 and 2020 elections, even in constituencies where many military personnel and their families live.

The junta remains very unpopular, most Myanmar people say, and its forces have lost significant territory this year to various rebel groups fighting to end what they condemn as illegitimate army rule.

The election organizer told the parties on the weekend that voting would have to be staggered because of the security situation, said Myo Set Thway, general secretary of the People's Pioneer Party.

"The UEC chairman said that it's impossible to complete the election in one day in terms of security and other conditions. He said that the election will be held in stages," he said.

"For security, we will do it first in places where the situation is fine and stable," Myo Set Thway said, citing the UEC. "After that, elections will be held in areas that are moderately stable."

The junta extended a state of emergency for another six months on July 31, the sixth extension since the 2021 coup. The constitution mandates that elections must be held within six months after a state of emergency is lifted.

The junta is also planning to organize a census this October to prepare for the polls.

Neighbors, including China and India, will be hoping that an election can help to bring stability to resource-rich Myanmar. Thailand, China and India have discussed providing support for the census and the vote.

In January 2023, the UEC introduced an election law stipulating that parties wanting to participate in a general election must have at least 100,000 members and funds of at least 100 million kyats (US$50,000). Parties were required to re-register within 60 days, which many of them, in disarray with members in detention or exile, failed to do so and were disqualified.

Of the 49 parties that have been approved, only nine plan to campaign nationally. The other 40 will compete on a regional or state level.

Scores of parties with suspected ties to rebel groups, including any political or ideological links, have been barred from any election.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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.

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Myanmar: UN WFP pushes to reach flood-affected communities

26 August 2024 - In flood-hit Myanmar, UN humanitarians said on Monday that aid teams have begun distributing emergency relief to families affected by monsoon rains in the Ayeyarwady Delta. Some 500,000 people in the key rice-growing region could be affected.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that initial reports indicated that hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland have been inundated. In the hardest-hit areas, urgent needs include basic food, drinking water, and sanitation.

The emergency compounds the dire situation across vast areas of Myanmar more than three years since a military coup that has led to escalating fighting, surging displacement and extreme protection threats.

Initially, WFP plans to assist some 35,000 people now sheltering in evacuation centres in Ayeyarwady. Food packs include rice and fortified biscuits, along with nutrition support for mothers and children, to prevent acute malnutrition.

Sheela Matthew, WFP Representative in Myanmar, warned that the flooding "threatens to significantly reduce monsoon rice yields" and will likely "jeopardize the food security of smallholder farmers".

Vast challenges

She added that the impacts of the rising waters "are likely to be felt not just in Ayeyarwady but more broadly across Myanmar", hence WFP's response "to help mitigate potential food shortages".

According to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024, even before the flooding, 1.5 million people in Ayeyarwady required humanitarian assistance - one in four of the population.

The UN aid office OCHA which issued the grim country assessment last December noted that than 18.6 million people were estimated to be in humanitarian need. "Children are bearing the brunt of the crisis with six million children in need as a result of displacement, interrupted healthcare and education, food insecurity and malnutrition, and protection risks including forced recruitment and mental distress," it said.

Rare intervention

The WFP aid operation marks its first intervention in the delta in nine years; the UN agency last provided assistance in 2015 following widespread flooding.

It has also supported assistance so far to 130,000 people in flood-affected communities across Myanmar in Bago, Kachin, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, and Sagaing. "WFP is assessing the needs in Rakhine and stands ready to respond," it noted in a press release.

The UN agency's flood response includes areas that have been affected by conflict, except for Ayeyarwady and parts of Bago, which are among the only few regions in Myanmar where there is no fighting.



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Terrorists kill 39 in several 'coordinated' attacks in SW Pakistan

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 11:20 AM

Terrorists have killed at least 39 people in several attacks carried out in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan.

The fatalities were caused on Monday with the so-called Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most prominent of several terrorist groups in Balochistan, claiming responsibility.

"We have confirmed 39 people killed in several coordinated attacks carried out by the BLA terrorists," AFP reported, quoting Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government.

As many as 23 of the deaths were caused after dozens of gunmen stopped many vehicles on a highway connecting Balochistan with the neighboring province of Punjab, opening fire on the occupants, who were from Punjab, the agency added, citing another official, named as Najibullah Kakar.

"Vehicles traveling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot," he said.

Ten others were also killed in the province's Kalat district, including four paramilitary officers and one policeman, a provincial government spokesman noted.

The rest of the fatalities occurred during a reported railway bridge explosion in the province's Bolan district.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed "deep grief and condemnation over the terrorist attack" in a statement issued by his office.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks over the past two years.

It has accused neighboring Afghanistan, which is ruled by the Taliban, of failing to clamp down on, what Islamabad calls, terrorists who hole up in the border area to prepare for attacks on Pakistan.

Earlier this year, however, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid asserted that the group would not allow the Afghan soil to be used against other countries, including Pakistan.

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Militants Kill 37 People In Pakistan's Restive Balochistan Province

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal August 26, 2024

Pakistani officials say at least 37 people have been killed in several apparently coordinated attacks in the southwestern Balochistan Province, where security forces have long struggled against sectarian, separatist, and ethnic violence.

Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal on August 26 that "terrorists" had killed people in three separate attacks in the province. In addition to civilians, several soldiers, law enforcement officers, and militants were killed, officials said.

In the deadliest attack, dozens of gunmen killed 23 passengers traveling on a bus in the Musakhail district. Officials said the armed group blocked the road, forced passengers off the bus and fatally shot the victims -- all men -- after checking their identification documents. They set several vehicles on fire before fleeing the scene.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has been designated as a global terrorist organization by the United States, claimed in a statement sent to the AFP news agency that it had launched an operation "on highways across Balochistan," insisting that it had only targeted security personnel.

The Pakistani authorities have not explicitly accused a specific group of carrying out the attack.

Rind told Radio Mashaal that casualties included both civilians and security personnel, but did not provide the overall number of deaths.

However, the Public Relations Department of the Pakistani Army said in a statement on August 26 that 10 soldiers and four law enforcement officers were killed.

The army also claimed that it killed a total of 21 militants, but this number has not been independently confirmed.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the "terrorist attack" and vowed that the perpetrators would be found and punished.

Eight people were killed in another attack in the Kalat district and six others were shot dead in the Bolan district, Rind said.

Balochistan is a vast and resource-rich province but remains woefully underdeveloped and impoverished.

The BLA is the largest armed group operating in the province and it is allied with the Baloch Liberation Front, another major Baluch separatist group in the province.

Balochistan has been rocked by a slew of militant attacks since the start of the year, with first three months seeing 62 attacks. In 2023, Baluch militants carried out 110 attacks, according to the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-baloch- gunmen-kill-punjabi/33092700.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's comment on terrorist attacks in Pakistan

26 August 2024 18:53

1573-26-08-2024

We were deeply saddened to learn about the loss of several dozen lives in Pakistan in the wake of brutal militant attacks in the Balochistan Province on August 25 and 26.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.

Underscoring our solidarity with Islamabad in the face of the global threat of terrorism, we reiterate our commitment to enhancing constructive cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the counterterrorism efforts, both within multilateral formats, primarily the UN and the SCO, and on a bilateral level.

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Insurgents kill more than 40 people in southwest Pakistan

By Ayaz Gul August 26, 2024

Authorities in Pakistan reported Monday that insurgents had killed more than 40 civilians and security personnel in separate overnight attacks across the turbulent southwestern province of Baluchistan.

The violence started late Sunday, with armed men blocking an interprovincial highway in the Musakhail district and killing at least 23 passengers after forcing them off multiple buses and trucks, the authorities said.

Ayub Achakzai, a senior area police officer, told reporters that the victims mostly were from Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. He said the attackers inspected the passengers' identities before executing them and set fire to 10 vehicles before fleeing.

Separately, authorities reported that insurgents had also carried out hit-and-run raids against police and military targets elsewhere in the sparsely populated province Sunday night. At least 14 soldiers, four police officers, and five civilians, including a pro-government tribal elder, were killed, the Pakistani military and local officials reported.

An outlawed insurgent group, the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, took responsibility for the overnight violence, claiming it targeted those working for Pakistani security forces and reported a much higher casualty toll.

The separatist group often issues inflated claims and is notorious for launching deadly attacks on residents from other parts of Pakistan who come to work or travel through Baluchistan, which is rich in natural resources.

The military's media wing announced Monday afternoon that its forces, along with other local law enforcement agencies, retaliated and killed "21 terrorists in ensuing clearance operations."

However, the BLA confirmed the deaths of six fighters in clashes with Pakistani forces and described the slain insurgents as suicide bombers.

Neither claim could be verified by independent sources.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Sunday's terrorist attacks on passenger vehicles and in several other districts of Baluchistan, his office said.

The BLA claimed in its statement that its latest attacks are part of a new operation launched across Baluchistan and warned residents of the province to "stay away from the highways and cooperate with the Baloch fighters."

The separatist group, in a subsequent statement Monday, claimed that after having "achieved their objectives," BLA fighters had been ordered to end their road "blockades and vacate their positions."

The series of insurgent attacks marked the deadliest day Baluchistan had experienced in recent years.

BLA, listed as a global terrorist organization by the United States, and several other banned ethnic Baluch groups routinely conduct attacks in Baluchistan, claiming to be fighting for its independence from Pakistan.

The impoverished province shares the country's border with Iran and Afghanistan. It hosts major China-funded infrastructure projects, including the Chinese-operated deep-water port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.

BLA has warned Beijing repeatedly against investing in Baluchistan and allegedly taking away its natural resources. They have targeted Chinese nationals associated with these projects.

Pakistan and China reject insurgent allegations of exploitation and have pledged to combat the security threat jointly.

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Hungarian National Arrested on Charges of Conspiring to Export U.S. Military-Grade Radios to Russian Government End Users

Monday, August 26, 2024

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs



The Justice Department unsealed a criminal complaint charging Hungarian national Bence Horvath with violations of U.S. export controls targeting Russia, including by conspiring with others to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian government end users without a license. Horvath is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA). He was arrested on arrival at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on Aug. 23.

"As alleged, the defendant attempted to purchase military-grade radios for Russian entities using a multinational procurement chain to evade law enforcement," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. "The Justice Department remains committed to disrupting and holding accountable criminal networks that continue to fuel Russian aggression abroad and threaten our collective security."

"Targeting illicit global procurement networks that operate in the shadows to equip the Russian government is of the highest priority to BIS," said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). "As Horvath's arrest demonstrates, it doesn't matter where in the world you operate - when the United States believes your conduct violates our export laws, we take action."

"This defendant allegedly sought to skirt U.S. export controls put in place to protect our national security and to address Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine," said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. "We will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice the people who scheme to secure U.S. technology in violation of U.S. laws."

According to the court documents, Horvath and others managed a multinational procurement network that contracted directly with various entities in the Russian government and worked on large scale projects such as the construction of operational radio communications systems in Russia's Kursk region along the Russian/Ukrainian border. The complaint alleges that Horvath himself arranged to purchase U.S.-origin radio communications technology and smuggle such technology to Russian government end-users through a network of affiliates located in Spain, Serbia, Hungary, Latvia, and elsewhere.

Beginning at least around January 2023, Horvath and others in his network initiated discussions with a small U.S. radio distribution company about procuring and exporting to Russia U.S.-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories. Over the next several months, Horvath continued his efforts to secure those items, which he intended to transship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia.

As part of the conspiracy, Horvath purchased 200 of the military-grade radios and intended to export them to Russia, but he was not successful. U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained the shipment, preventing the radios from falling into the hands of prohibited Russian end users.

Homeland Security Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Department of Commerce are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski 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.

Today's actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments' Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is 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. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia's unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topic: National Security

Components: National Security Division (NSD)

Office of the Deputy Attorney General

USAO - District of Columbia

Press Release Number: 24-1059

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Explainer: The Dark Side Of Telegram

By Tony Wesolowsky August 26, 2024

When protests erupted in Belarus in 2020 after a rigged presidential election, activists turned to Telegram to coordinate action, evading the watch of the authorities in Alyaksandr Lukashenka's repressive society and highlighting the good the messaging app could do.

But others with far less worthy causes -- from drug dealers and pedophiles to the Russian military fighting in Ukraine and its propagandists spreading disinformation on social media -- have also gravitated to Telegram, attracted to its encryption features and lack of moderation.

The spotlight has fallen on Telegram after the arrest in Paris on August 24 of Pavel Durov, its co-founder. According to French media reports, this was done at the request of a special unit within France's Interior Ministry in charge of investigating crimes against minors.

Durov has not been formally charged. A statement by the Paris prosecutor's office was due later on August 26.

Telegram said in a statement on August 26 that Durov, a 39-year-old billionaire who also holds a French passport, had nothing to hide, adding it was absurd to hold an owner responsible for the abuse of the messaging and social media platform.

What Is Telegram?

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother in 2013 in the wake of the Russian government's crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow in 2011 and 2012.

One of its main advantages is the encryption of communications and the anonymity of users. In groups, the user's phone number is not visible.

Telegram has over 900 million users, Durov says, the majority of them in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics, and is the third largest communication platform worldwide after WhatsApp and Messenger.

Compared to other messaging platforms, Telegram is "less secure [and] more lax in terms of policy and detection of illegal content," said David Thiel, a Stanford University researcher, in comments to AP.

Tool Of The Oppressed

During the protests in Belarus in 2020, Telegram was key to organizing and sharing information. A Telegram channel, Nexta Live, which was posting live updates from the protests in Minsk and elsewhere, saw its number of followers jump to 2 million in the three days following the disputed August 9 poll. The creator of the channel, 22-year-old Stepan Putilo, was even declared a terrorist by the Belarusian government.

In Iran, Telegram has an estimated 40 million users and, in 2018, it was the main source of information as anti-government protests spread across the nation. Many Iranians used private Telegram groups to keep in touch with family and friends. They also subscribe to public channels to get news that is not available on state media. Iranian authorities eventually tried to block Telegram during the 2018 unrest.

Illicit Activities

Telegram's encryption feature has attracted those trading in images of child sexual abuse and stolen credit card numbers. A BBC investigation in 2019 found that secure messaging apps, including Telegram and Discord, had become popular following successful police operations against criminal markets operating on what is known as the dark web -- an Internet network that can only be accessed by using special tools.

The BBC investigation found evidence that pedophiles were using both Telegram and Discord to give people access to illegal material, and that links to Telegram groups were buried in the public comments section of YouTube videos.

Propaganda Tool

While hardly alone on social media, Telegram has proven to be a powerful tool in spreading disinformation.

Telegram is the largest platform for disinformation in Central and Eastern Europe, a 2023 investigative journalism report found, adding that German language channels play an "important role as an extreme opinion hub influencing the rest of Central and Eastern Europe."

That has run it afoul of authorities in Germany. In 2022, Germany issued fines of 5.1 million euros ($5 million) against the operators of Telegram for failing to comply with German law.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Telegram has increasingly been used by the Kremlin.

During the first months of the invasion, the Kremlin cracked down on Western social media platforms while "continuing to tolerate Telegram and utilize it for its own purposes," said a June report by the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), a disinformation analytical unit of the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank.

"Top channels experienced significant subscriber growth following the February 2022 invasion, but some of the most influential pro-war channels, such as Karaulny, Z SIL0VIKI, and WarGonzo, later experienced declines that have continued into the spring of 2024," the report said.

DFRLab also found Russian private military companies (PMCs) used Telegram, namely for fund-raising, recruiting, and information sharing. It noted that the Wagner mercenary group had at least 30 separate channels dedicated to regional recruitment offices. These, however, disappeared after Russian telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor cracked down on Wagner channels during the June 2023 Wagner mutiny against Russia's senior military leadership.

Calls To Delete Telegram Content

Given its key role as a communication and propaganda tool, Russian bloggers, officials, and others are watching warily as the Durov case unfolds in France.

Baza, a Telegram channel affiliated with Russia's security apparatus, said on August 25 that Defense Ministry staff, prominent businessmen, and officers at several security agencies had also been ordered to wipe work-related messages from the application.

"For Z-bloggers, for Z-propaganda, these events are truly terrifying because all of their activities are centered on Telegram, all anonymous and semi-anonymous channels," explained Kirill Martynov, chief editor of the Latvian-based Novaya Gazeta Europe newspaper, using the term "Z" to describe pro-Russian bloggers and disinformation.

"And it's not just a news source, but it's really an operational tool of sorts, sort of like a modern-day walkie-talkie where people discuss with each other the details of their combat operations," Martynov told Current Time, the Russian-language TV and digital network run by RFE/RL.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/durov-telegram- disinformation-explainer/33093136.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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French President Says Arrest Of Telegram CEO Was Not A Political Decision

By RFE/RL's Russian Service and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service August 26, 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron said on August 26 that the arrest of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born co-founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was not political.

"The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation," Macron said on X. "It is up to the judges to rule on the matter."

Durov was detained at the Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24 and was still being held for questioning on August 26. Telegram issued a statement on X on August 25 saying that Durov "has nothing to hide" and that Telegram is "awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation."

French media reported that France's OFMIN, an office tasked with preventing violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism.

"At the heart of this issue is the lack of moderation and cooperation of the platform (which has nearly 1 billion users), particularly in the fight against pedophilia," Jean-Michel Bernigaud, the head of OFMIN, confirmed in a LinkedIn post.

Dubai-based Telegram boasts more than 900 million users worldwide. In his first major interview in seven years, which he gave to U.S. conservative media figure Tucker Carlson on April 17, Durov vowed that Telegram aims to be a "neutral platform" and not a "player in geopolitics."

Critics in Ukraine, however, say it spreads misinformation and facilitates illegal actions. Some accuse Telegram of having ties to the Russian state and of contributing to its war effort.

Despite its critics, there is "no such decision [to close Telegram] being prepared by the National Security and Defense Council," according to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the opposition Holos party and the chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Speech in Ukraine's parliament.

Yurchyshyn told RFE/RL that Ukraine plans to monitor the situation for now and added that the blocking of Telegram in Ukraine is still possible.

"We understand that the French are considering accusations of promoting terrorism, and this has greatly worried the Russian authorities because communication [on Telegram] is not only about military operations in Ukraine," Yurchyshyn said.

He noted that communications about the Wagner Group's special operations in the Central African Republic or other African countries in which France has influence have also taken place on Telegram.

"That is, most likely, the French special services receive additional information that may be of interest to our special services," he said.

Access to Telegram was temporarily restricted by Russia in 2018. The decision was made after the messaging app allegedly refused to provide Russia's FSB security agency with encryption keys from users' correspondence, citing the secrecy of correspondence guaranteed by the Russian Constitution.

The decision to block was sharply criticized by many Russian public figures, as well as critics of the Russian government. A mass rally in defense of Telegram was held in Moscow, where then-opposition leader Aleksei Navalny spoke.

However, independent Russian media reports indicated that Telegram reached a compromise with the authorities and has been sharing some data with the security services for several years, although that has been denied by Telegram.

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-telegram-durov-france- detained-macron/33093310.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Macron Says Telegram CEO Arrest in France Not Political Decision

Sputnik News

20240826

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France is not a political decision, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

On Saturday, Russian-born Durov, who is a citizen of multiple countries, including France, was detained in France on charges linked to criminal uses of the Telegram app, including terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and fraud, which could land the 39-year-old billionaire in prison for up to 20 years.

"The detention... took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. This is by no means a political decision. The decision will be made by the judges," Macron said on X.

What are the Charges Against Durov?

Durov is charged with refusing to cooperate on cyber and financial crimes on Telegram, and is currently still in custody, while the investigation is underway, Reuters reported on Monday, citing police.

Reaction From OHCHR

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) told Sputnik on Monday that it is aware of the arrest of the founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, in France, but does not have enough information to comment on the issue.

"We are aware of the reports on the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France. At this stage of the investigation, we do not have enough information, and it would be too early for us to weigh in," the OHCHR said.

On Saturday, Russian-born Durov, who is a citizen of multiple countries, including France, was detained in France on charges linked to criminal uses of the Telegram app, including terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and fraud, which could land the 39-year-old billionaire in prison for up to 20 years. Later, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Durov's arrest was not a political decision, but a one made by judges.

Durov May Remain in Police Custody in France Until August 28 - Paris Prosecutor's Office

The founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, may remain in police custody in France until August 28, the Paris Prosecutor's Office told Sputnik on Monday.

"The custody period was extended until the 25th August 2024 by an investigative magistrate and can last up to 96 hours (that being the 28th August 2024) given the applicable procedure for organized crime offences, as referred to above," the statement read.

The case against Durov in France was opened on July 8, and the CEO has been charged with 12 crimes, the Paris Prosecutor's Office said.

"Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of instant messaging and platform Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport in the outskirts of Paris on Saturday, the 24th of August 2024, then taken into police custody at 8 p.m. This measure comes in the context of a judicial investigation opened the 8th of July 2024, following a preliminary inquiry initiated by Section J3 - JUNALCO (Fight against Cybercrime) of the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office," the statement said.

Durov is being interrogated as part of the investigation of numerous cybercrimes in the case against an unnamed person, the Paris Prosecutor's Office said, adding that the charges include, among others, fraud, illegal transactions, drug trafficking, distribution of pornography, money laundering, providing illegal cryptography services, as well as refusing to communicate at the request of competent authorities.

A Sputnik

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Assad: Respect for Syria sovereignty 'fundamental' for reconciliation with Turkey

Iran Press TV

Monday, 26 August 2024 4:03 PM

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says rapprochement with Turkey requires mutual respect for sovereignty and a true commitment to addressing the root causes of tensions in bilateral relations between Damascus and Ankara.

Despite high-level meetings mediated by Russia, Iran, and Iraq over the past five years, little progress has been made due to the absence of a clear framework and helpful guidelines, Assad said on Sunday as he was addressing the People's Assembly, Syria's legislative authority.

"For any normalization of relations to occur, Turkey must reverse the policies that have led to the current situation, including the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territory and the cessation of support for terrorist groups," he said.

Assad emphasized that such issues are not mere conditions but fundamental requirements for successful diplomacy.

The Syrian leader also called for a formal agreement between Damascus and Ankara, which would outline the principles for future negotiations and ensure that all steps are aligned with international law and the sovereignty of both countries.

Assad further noted that Syria must remain steadfast in defending its sovereignty and pursuing its national interests amid current global crises.

"Our capacity to influence events within our borders depends not just on military and economic power but on our collective will to resist external pressures," he said.

Assad added that Syria would continue to seek solutions that protect its territorial integrity and national dignity.

"We will not abandon any of our rights under any circumstances, nor will we ask others to relinquish theirs. This is a principle that guides our approach to all negotiations," he said.

The process of normalizing ties between Ankara and Damascus kicked off on December 28, 2022, when the Russian, Syrian and Turkish defense ministers met in Moscow, in what was the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the outbreak of the Syria conflict.

Since 2016, Turkey has conducted three major ground operations against US-backed militants based in northern Syria.

The Turkish government accuses the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militants of bearing ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group.

Syria considers the Turkish presence on its soil to be illegal, saying it reserves the right to defend its sovereignty against the occupying forces.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has tied rapprochement with Turkey to Ankara's ending occupation of the northern parts of the Arab country and its support for militant groups wreaking havoc and fighting against the Damascus government.

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Defense minister attends first day of Pingtung drills

ROC Central News Agency

08/26/2024 09:32 PM

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) Defense Minister Wellington Koo (ece) on Monday attended the first day of Taiwan's Tien Ma Exercises in Pingtung County, where he encouraged military personnel to familiarize themselves with new missile launchers before worrying about accuracy.

The two-day drills, taking place in coastal Fangshan Township, utilized two new pieces of U.S.-made military hardware for the first time to fire tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) 2A missiles, which are now considered an older-generation projectile.

The two new pieces of equipment are the M41A7 TOW improved target acquisition system (ITAS) and M1167 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, which are categorized as newer generation TOW 2B carriers.

"(The military) should get familiarized (with the new weaponry) and then aim for accuracy," Koo said of the military's performance on Monday, adding that Monday was practice before Tuesday's graded drills.

Other than Koo, local media was also invited to observe Monday's drills where military personnel fired 17 TOW 2A munitions amid sporadic rain.

An Army colonel explained that while military personnel normally can only use simulators to train for potential military threats, the annual Tien Ma Exercises serve as a platform for officers to gain practical experience.

On the difference between TOW 2A and 2B, an Army captain explained that TOW 2B launchers consolidate day and night-time tracking and aiming functions and are equipped with thermal imaging and active laser systems.

Other than the ability to achieve a visibility distance of 10 km on a clear day, operators can also use the track gate function to improve accuracy, he said.

The captain said new launchers are engineered with shield that can withstand attacks from 7.62 mm caliber and under ammunitions to protect its operators.

Moreover, all the TOW 2B missiles Taiwan purchased from the U.S. can carry out "top attacks," and are wireless in addition to having a range of at least 4,500 meters which make them ideal for targeting bunkers, armored vehicles and landing craft, according to the military.

The military added that while the M41A7 TOW ITAS and the M1167 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles from the U.S. have all arrived in Taiwan, the TOW 2B munitions will arrive by the end of the year.

(By Matt Yu and James Lo)

Enditem/AW

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DPP secretary-general to visit U.S. on behalf of party chair Lai

ROC Central News Agency

08/26/2024 08:43 PM

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang () will visit the United States on behalf of party chairman and Republic of China (Taiwan) President Lai Ching-te (), an anonymous source from the ruling party said on Monday.

Lin, tasked by Lai with the mission, is scheduled to leave for the 13-day visit to the U.S. on Aug. 31, during which he will visit five cities -- San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Washington, according to the source familiar with the matter.

While there, Lin will meet with Taiwanese expatriates and inspect DPP chapters in the western, eastern and southern U.S. to thank them for their firm support for Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (), it said.

In Washington, Lin will meet think tank members and U.S. political figures, but the itinerary will not be made public based on mutual consent, the source said.

(By Flor Wang and Sophia Yeh)

Enditem/AW



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Zelenskiy Pleads With Allies For 'Decisive Action' After Massive Russian Attack

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Current Time August 26, 2024

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukraine's global allies to take "decisive action" after Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Kyiv and other cities across the country that damaged vital utilities.

The Russian strikes targeted several Ukrainian cities early on August 26, killing at least seven people and wounding 47 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

Firefighters extinguished 22 fires as 740 rescuers and 176 pieces of equipment were deployed across the country to respond to the consequences of shelling, the Ukraine's Emergency Service said on Telegram.

Late on August 26, another strike hit the city of Kryviy Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region. A missile hit a hotel where many civilians were staying, according to Ukrainian media. Local politician Oleksandr Vilkul was quoted as saying "the news is bad."

Zelenskiy, in a video message posted on X, said the "vile" attacks, involving more than 100 missiles and around 100 drones, showed the West's restrictions keeping Ukraine from using long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory must be lifted.

"Ukraine cannot be constrained in its long-range capabilities when the terrorists face no such limitations," Zelenskiy said.

"Weakness and inadequate responses fuel terror.... Every leader, every one of our partners, knows the decisive actions required to end this war justly," he added, while calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "sick creature."

The United States also voiced outrage over the major Russian assault.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness as the fall sets upon us," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, calling the assault "outrageous."

NATO also strongly condemned attacks against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure, noting that Poland said an "object," most likely a drone, entered its airspace and possibly landed on Polish territory.

"Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian drone fragments and missiles have been found on allied territory on several occasions," NATO spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah said. "While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous."

The aerial attack was the largest in weeks from Moscow and comes as Ukrainian forces are advancing as they mount a major offensive into the Kursk region of Russia.

Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said water and power supplies in parts of the capital had been disrupted as Russia launched its large-scale attack during the morning rush hour.

Zelenskiy said there was "a lot of damage in the energy sector," and Ukraine's state-run energy authority Ukrenerho said that it was introducing emergency power outages.

One person was reportedly killed and a residential building was damaged in the northwestern city of Lutsk, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Polischuk.

Two people who were killed in the Zaporizhzhya and Dnipropetrovsk regions were among the seven killed, according to local authorities.

In the Poltava region, five people were wounded after an industrial facility was struck. Three explosions were reported in the Vinnytsia region.

Ukraine's Air Force Command had warned citizens not to ignore air raid alerts after it had detected 11 Russian Tu-95MS bombers taking off.

The Air Force Command added that it had detected drone movements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Mykolayiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschukv said Ukraine shot down 201 "air targets" -- 102 missiles and 99 attack drones. This was out of 236 missiles and drones fired. The assault included three Kinzhal missiles, six Iskander missiles, and 28 Kalibr cruise missiles launched from Russian ships in the Black Sea, Oleschukv said.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 20 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed overnight.

The governor of Russia's Saratov region, Roman Busargin, said drones had targeted the cities of Saratov and Engels and damaged two residential buildings.

He said the damage was caused by falling debris after air defenses shot down the drones.

Russian news agencies said four women were injured in Saratov, with one woman hospitalized. No casualties were reported in Engels.

Engels and Saratov are located on the opposite banks of the Volga River, with a strategic bomber military base located around 12 kilometers from where the drones were intercepted. Saratov is around 900 km from the Ukrainian border.

Quoting the airport's press office, news agencies said flights were restricted at the regional Saratov airport.

RFE/RL could not independently verify the reports.

Ukraine and Russia insist that they do not target civilians in their attacks but infrastructure critical to war efforts.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-massive-russian- attack-zelenskiy-power-water/33092504.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

26.08.2024

Today in the morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by long-range air- and sea-based precision weaponry, as well as Operational-Tactical Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, attack unmanned aerial vehicles at the critical power infrastructure of Ukrainian defence industry.

Strikes were delivered at power substations in Kiev, Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, Khmelnitsky, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Nikolayev, Kirovograd, and Odessa regions.

Compressor stations supporting operations of the Ukrainian gas transportation system were hit in Lvov, Ivano-Frankovsk, and Kharkov regions.

Moreover, strikes were delivered at the depots of aircraft armament supplied to Kiev regime by Western countries at airfield in Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk regions.

All the assigned targets have been destroyed resulting in power outages and disruption of railway transportation of arms and ammunition to the line of contact.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Russian Forces Hammer Ukrainian Defense Industry Facilities: What is Known so Far

Sputnik News

20240826

Russia has targeted defense industry facilities of the Kiev regime with a series of sweeping strikes, with an air raid alarm announced across the territory of Ukraine after 6 am Moscow time.

Ukrainian media has reported explosions in a number of regions: Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy, Poltava, Vinnitsa, Kirovograd, Dnepropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankovsk, Lvov, and Odessa.

As Russian forces hammered Ukraine's targets, a series of explosions resulted in power outages in Kiev. In total, about a dozen explosions were heard in the city, according to the local pro-Russian resistance.

An energy facility was hit in Odessa, Sergei Lebedev, coordinator of the pro-Russian Nikolayev underground, told Sputnik.

In the town of Stryi in the Lvov region, a major detonation occurred after a strike, and the power went out.

In Ivano-Frankovsk, a strike was carried out on a warehouse with military equipment, with the explosion occurring in an area where Ukrainian forces had also hid two F-16s, the pro-Russian underground told Sputnik. Strikes reportedly hit containers storing fuel and lubricants, with plumes of black smoke seen rising. Numerous ambulances were on the scene, with parts of Ivano-Frankovsk blocked by the military, Lebedev noted.

A precision strike targeted Ukrainian military personnel stationed In Volyn.

Moscow has repeatedly underscored that in targeting Ukrainian energy, defense industry, military command and communications facilities the Russian Armed Forces do not strike residential buildings or social infrastructure.

A Sputnik

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Four People Injured After Drone Attack on Russia's Saratov - Regional Health Ministry

Sputnik News

20240826

SARATOV (Sputnik) - Four people were injured after a drone attack on the Russian city of Saratov, including one woman who was hospitalized in serious condition, the regional health ministry told Sputnik.

"One woman was hospitalized in serious condition in one of the medical institutions of the city of Saratov. Three injured persons received assistance on the spot," it said.

Temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of aircraft were introduced at the Saratov international airport "Gagarin" after the drone attack on the region, the airport's press service told Sputnik.

Earlier, Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin said that debris from destroyed drones had hit residential buildings in Saratov and neighboring Engels, adding that one woman was hospitalized in serious condition.

Russia's air defense destroyed 20 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over Russia this night, including nine over the Saratov region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

A Sputnik

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Russia's efforts to erase Ukrainian identity and culture will fail: UK statement to the OSCE

Ambassador Holland marks Ukraine's Independence Day and condemns Russia's efforts to eradicate Ukrainian identity through its illegal war of aggression.

26 August 2024

Thank you, Madam Chair. Last Saturday we marked two milestones: 30 months since Russia launched its illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine and 33 years since the Ukrainian people chose independence. The contrast between these two events could not be greater.

President Putin's illegal war is a story of desperation and attempted subjugation, the latest chapter of which has been the massive barrage launched on Ukraine's cities and energy infrastructure last night. Ukraine's independence story, however, is one of values; of hope and freedom. Ukraine's Act of Declaration of Independence received overwhelming support across the country. It received broad international recognition, including from President Yeltsin. In contrast, Russia's war has resulted in sham referenda that received almost no international recognition. And because the Ukrainian people, and the majority of the world, stand united behind Ukraine's sovereignty, its independence will endure, while this illegal war will ultimately fail.

Madam Chair, following Russia's illegal full-scale invasion, which is a violation of the UN Charter and OSCE principles, Ukrainians are fighting for their land and their centuries-old identity. Russia has tried to erase Ukrainian identity and culture through a systematic effort of repression.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian attacks have damaged as many as 400 cultural sites, including religious sites, museums, and other cultural property. Russian forces are believed to have stolen more than 28,000 artworks and artefacts from the Kherson Regional Museum. In May, a Russian missile destroyed one of the largest printing houses in Europe, Factor Druk in Kharkiv, destroying 50,000 books.

These attacks on Ukraine's past and its present are abhorrent, but we are seeing evidence that Russia is also targeting Ukraine's future. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken from their families, forcibly deported from their homes and subjected to targeted re-education in an attempt to sever their link with their homeland. The independent OSCE Moscow Mechanism report on this issue concluded that Russia's actions constitute violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and, in some cases, war crimes.

Madam Chair, Ukraine's culture is important in its own right but also significant for what it represents. Now more so than ever, it stands as a symbol of resilience and resistance. Ukrainian national identity burns brightly despite Russia's efforts to steal artefacts, re-educate children and eliminate national traditions. And Ukraine's identity - forged in the face of adversity and hardship - will endure. For this reason, I look forward to 2025, when we will again celebrate Ukraine's independence, resilience and national identity, and I hope we can do so without needing to remark on another milestone in this senseless and illegal war.

Madam chair, before I conclude, we are deeply saddened by the news that a British national media worker has died following a Russian strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk. Our thoughts are with his family, and we join all those who are mourning their loved ones as a result of this war. Thank you.

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President Held a Meeting on Protecting the State's National Interests Under Martial Law

President of Ukraine

26 August 2024 - 20:47

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the heads of law enforcement agencies regarding the protection of the state's national interests under martial law.

Participants included: Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, Head of the State Border Guard Service Serhii Deineko, Director of NABU Semen Kryvonos, Deputy Prosecutor General and Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Oleksandr Klymenko, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation Oleksii Sukhachov, Head of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention Viktor Pavlushchyk, and Acting Director of the Economic Security Bureau Serhii Perkhun.

"First and foremost, we discussed countering traitors, collaborators, and those who justify Russian aggression in various sectors and assist the enemy. We also need to thoroughly discuss the mechanism for applying sanctions by our state and cooperation with partners to synchronize our sanction regimes," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk reported on counter-sabotage and counterintelligence activities in Ukraine, investigations into treason and collaboration, and the application of sanctions against traitors and collaborators.

Director of the State Bureau of Investigation Oleksii Sukhachov provided updates on investigations into illegal border crossings, particularly by individuals involved in criminal cases.

"More than enough structures and personnel are involved in guarding our state border, and they must prevent illegal crossings. Each instance of fleeing by individuals involved in criminal cases requires a clear response, conclusions, and accountability," noted the President.

Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko reported on strengthening border security to halt illegal channels for transporting Ukrainians.

The President also tasked the development of a plan to reinforce the border between Ukraine and Moldova along the section near the unrecognized Transnistria.

The parties also discussed the progress of implementing the Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2021-2025 and the State Anti-Corruption Program for 2023-2025.

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Each of These Strikes Repeatedly Brings Us Back to the Task of Long-Range Capabilities - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

26 August 2024 - 20:08

Dear Ukrainians!

The aftermath of the Russian strike is still being dealt with. In total, there were more than 120 missiles of various types and over a hundred Shahed drones. The missiles were launched from various locations, including the airspace over Kursk and Belgorod regions, other Russia's border areas, the Black Sea, and the territory of our occupied Crimea. Each of these strikes repeatedly brings us back to the task of long-range capabilities - the need to provide our Defense Forces with enough long-range weapons that can destroy terrorists exactly in the areas of their strikes. This is the optimal counter-terrorism tactic, one that every partner of ours has the right to and would undoubtedly use to protect themselves. And we expect decisions from them - decisions on our long-range capabilities. The physical presence of our Forces in the Kursk region and our active efforts to eliminate the Russian threat on its own territory are also a way to compensate for the deficit of long-range capabilities.

Today, I started the day with a separate long conversation with Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi - discussing in detail the repulsion of this missile attack, our response to Russia - we are preparing it, the use of F-16s, and the ongoing operation in the Kursk region. We continue our actions in the designated areas as needed for Ukraine. Over the past day, we've gained more control and once again added to our "exchange fund." The Commander-in-Chief also reported on the situation on the Donetsk front, both separately and at the Staff meeting, focusing on the Pokrovsk direction, which remains the most difficult with the heaviest Russian assaults, as well as the Vremivka, Toretsk, and Kurakhove directions. Decisions were made to strengthen our positions. I thank every soldier and commander, every unit that is doing everything to destroy as much enemy force as possible. At the Staff meeting today, all the necessary reports were provided on the energy sector - the current state of the system and its restoration capabilities. Work will continue around the clock. We also thoroughly reviewed the situation regarding protective structures at energy facilities, and several important decisions were made on this matter as well. Thank you to everyone who promptly fulfills these tasks for the sake of our state and our people!

And one more thing.

I held a meeting with the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, including the Prosecutor General and the Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Reports were presented on combating collaborators and on criminal cases against those who justify Russian aggression and contribute to this war against Ukraine. We also specifically addressed border issues and incidents of illegal crossings, with reports from Klymenko, Maliuk, and Sukhachov. Regarding the anti-corruption program and the status of all related measures, reports were given by the heads of NACP, NABU, and SAP. In two weeks, they have to develop and present a clear plan for solving problematic issues - all of them are absolutely clear. Action is needed.

Glory to Ukraine!

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There Should Be No Restrictions on the Range of Weapons for Ukraine, While Terrorists Have No Such Restrictions - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

26 August 2024 - 12:40

Dear Ukrainians!

Now, all over the country, efforts are underway to eliminate the consequences of the Russian strike.

It was one of the heaviest strikes - a combined one. More than a hundred missiles of various types and about a hundred "Shahed" drones. And like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure. Most of our regions - from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and our western regions.

Unfortunately, some people were killed. My condolences to all their families and friends. There are dozens of injured people, and all of them are receiving the necessary assistance.

There is a lot of damage in the energy sector. But wherever there is a power outage, restoration is already underway. Our repair crews will work around the clock. We will restore electricity. In all cities and communities that need it, the Points of Invincibility are about to open now.

And it is crucial that our partners implement everything we have agreed with them. Air defense systems, missiles for them. And also, we must finally come to a collective shooting down of Russian missiles and drones. Today, they targeted objects in the Volyn, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi regions, and our Ternopil region. In our various regions of Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors worked alongside our F-16s and alongside our air defense. If such unity has worked so obviously well in the Middle East, it should work in Europe as well. Life has the same value everywhere.

And one more thing.

Putin remains true to himself - it is a sick creature; this has long been clear to everyone. But it is also clear that he can only do what the world allows him to do. Weaknesses and lack of decisions in response feed terror. And every leader, every partner of ours knows what strong decisions are needed to end this war - and to end it justly. There should be no restrictions on the range of weapons for Ukraine, while terrorists have no such restrictions. Defenders of life should face no restrictions on weapons, while Russia uses all kinds of its own weapons, as well as "Shahed" drones and ballistic missiles from North Korea. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, and other partners have the power to help us stop terror. We need decisions.

Glory to Ukraine!

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Top UN aid official deplores latest wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine

26 August 2024 - The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine has condemned deadly Russian missile and drone strikes that began overnight and reportedly targeted 15 regions of the country.

"Like millions of people in Ukraine I spent hours in a shelter this morning because of the ongoing wave of attacks on Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces," Matthias Schmale said in a statement issued on Monday.

He added that civilians were reportedly killed and injured, while civilian infrastructure sustained heavy damage.

Young lives disrupted

Separately, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine wrote on the social media platform X that boys and girls "woke up today to sounds of air alarms and explosions".

The office also shared photos of children and families sheltering at metro stations in the capital, Kyiv.

Even wars have rules

The attacks came in the wake of Ukraine's recent incursion into the Kursk region in Russia and were among the most intense in weeks, according to media reports.

At least five people were killed in the strikes, which mainly targeted critical energy infrastructure, resulting in power outages and disruption to water supply.

Earlier this year, the UN and partners reported that Russia had stepped up attacks on Ukraine's energy grid, with the UN human rights office, OHCHR, recording 50 incidents in April alone.

Mr. Schmale concluded his statement by saying it was "unacceptable" that Ukrainian citizens were having to seek safety in metro stations and other shelters instead of getting on with their lives.

"Even in war there are rules," he said. "International humanitarian law must be respected. Civilians must be protected."

Appeal for urgent action

The Representative for the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA, in Ukraine also deplored the aerial assault in a post on X.

Massimo Diana said the attacks "tragically claimed lives" in the city of Lutsk and in the Zhytomyr region.

"We condemn these deadly assaults on critical infrastructure and call for urgent action to protect civilians," he said.

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Ukraine warns of fresh Russian aerial attacks after assault on energy infrastructure

By VOA News August 26, 2024

Ukraine's military issued air alerts Tuesday for regions across the country, warning of Russian missile and drone attacks a day after a large wave of attacks targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

The Monday attacks involved about 200 drones and missiles, which killed at least four people and knocked out power in several cities.

It was Russia's most intense aerial attack in weeks, and came 20 days after Ukraine surprised Moscow with a cross-border incursion into Russia's southern Kursk region.

U.S. President Joe Biden condemned Russia's Monday assault, calling it an attempt to "plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness."

Biden, in a statement, reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine's military and highlighted efforts to bolster Ukrainian air defenses and help repair Ukraine's energy grid.

"Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken," Biden said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his calls for more long-range attack capabilities for his forces, saying that is necessary to target the areas in Russian border regions that Russian forces are using to launch missiles and drones at Ukraine.

"This is the optimal anti-terrorist tactic that every one of our partners, from whom we expect decisions regarding our long-range capabilities, would rightfully employ and certainly use to protect themselves," Zelenskyy said late Monday.

Russia's defense ministry said its forces used high-precision weapons to strike important energy infrastructure in Ukraine that it said supported the military-industrial complex. It listed power substations, gas compressor stations and storage sites for aircraft weapons.

Poland said an "object" had entered its airspace and that it may have landed on Polish territory. A search for the object was underway.

"Most likely it was a drone, and we assume so, because the trajectory of the flight and the speed indicate that it was definitely not a missile," a spokesperson for the Polish army's operational command told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Russian forces have advanced in eastern Ukraine, closing in on the transport hub of Pokrovsk.

Russia's defense ministry said it shot down Ukrainian drones early Monday over the Bryansk and Yaroslavl regions.

Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev said one of the drones was downed as it tried to attack an oil refinery.

Russia's Saratov region was the main target of overnight Ukrainian drone attacks, with the Russian defense ministry reporting it destroyed nine of the drones. Officials in Saratov said falling debris damaged a residential complex and injured one person.

The governor of Russia's Belgorod region reported two injuries from a Ukrainian drone attack on a car.

Russian air defenses also shot down Ukrainian drones over the Kursk, Tula, Oryol and Ryazan regions, the defense ministry said.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Statement from President Biden on Russia's Aerial Assault on Ukraine's Energy Grid

August 26, 2024

Earlier today, Russia launched waves of missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials report that this outrageous attack resulted in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians and targeted more than two dozen critical energy sites. I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia's continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken.

The United States will continue to lead a coalition of more than 50 countries in support of Ukraine. This coalition is providing Ukraine with critically needed military equipment, including air defense systems and interceptors. As I announced at the NATO Summit in July, the United States and our allies have provided Ukraine with the equipment for five additional strategic air defense systems, and I have re-prioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. The United States also is surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy grid.



As I told President Zelenskyy on August 23, U.S. support for Ukraine is unshakable. Since February 2022, the people of Ukraine have courageously defended against Russia's invasion, retaking more than half the territory Russian forces seized in the initial days of the war. Ukraine remains a free, sovereign and independent nation, and Ukrainian forces are fighting every day to defend their homeland and their freedom. The United States will stand with the people of Ukraine until they prevail.

###

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union, also known as County Federal, is excited to announce that it will change its name to Mirastar Federal Credit Union in October 2024.



For nearly 75 years, County Federal has been dedicated to bringing better, more accessible banking to people in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties. While continuing to proudly support the banking needs of active and retired county employees (and their families), the credit union has grown into new markets and serves even more people today. The new Mirastar name better encompasses what has always been at the heart of the credit union  building communities and helping each member reach their fullest potential.

Since 1950, weve been lifting our members and communities up, providing greater, more equitable access to the financial tools, education, and opportunities our members and community need to get ahead, says Rebecca Reynolds Lytle, President & CEO of County Federal, soon to be Mirastar Federal Credit Union. While were very proud of our history, we found that County Federal no longer represents the full breadth of our membership. The new Mirastar brand creates a clear, unified vision where we can tell the powerful story of an organization committed to everyones rise.

As an important note, Mirastar is still made up of the same people members have come to know and trust but now represents a wider reach and bigger mission. The credit union is proud to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds can access affordable, quality financial products and services to help them achieve their financial goals. As peoples lives continue to evolve, the updated brand will help ensure the credit union can stay ahead of member needs and show up for them in helpful, relevant ways that help them realize their dreams.

The Mirastar name reflects our core belief that prosperity is in reach for everyone, says Simran Gyani, Chief Brand Officer for Mirastar Federal Credit Union. Were excited to widen our embrace and provide a sense of belonging to our greater community, so more can experience what its like to bank with a people-first organization whose mission is to create strong, vibrant communities and support inclusive prosperity for all.

The Mirastar name is full of meaning. On its own, Mira translates in multiple languages into words like wondrous and admirable, and in Spanish it means to look. When combined with star, Mirastar is loosely interpreted as look to the stars. Even more, Mira is the name of a real star in the night sky, so we can all point to as an aspirational symbol of the future.

Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union, a federally insured, member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative, has proudly served its members and community as a trusted provider of financial services since 1950 and currently serves over 47,000 members. County Federal is proud to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds can access affordable, quality financial products and services to help them achieve their financial goals and dreams. Its extensive community outreach program provides free financial education, volunteer hours and resources to various regional non-profit organizations.

The new Mirastar brand will launch in October 2024. For more information, visit www.sccfcu.org/coming-soon.

Teresa Caseras

VP Brand Marketing

408-769-8496

tcaseras@sccfcu.org
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paul Mueller Company (OTC: MUEL) broke ground today on a new building construction at its headquarters in Springfield, MO, investing $22 million and creating 133 new jobs. This first phase of the companys expansion includes the establishment of a new facility that will increase its capacity for the assembly of large production modules.



Paul Mueller Companys new facility is another example of the exciting growth happening across southwest Missouri, said Governor Mike Parson. Our investments to improve infrastructure and strengthen our workforce continue to produce results that are making a lasting difference for Missourians. Paul Mueller Company, as a world-class manufacturer that began right here in our state, is another quality employer were excited to see succeeding in the Springfield area.

Paul Mueller Companys new production facility will add more than 100,000 square feet of space, including 60,000 square feet of clear-span, climate-controlled production area. The companys expansion will also double its R&D square footage, enhancing its ability to innovate while adding new production capabilities and capacity for increased operational flexibility.

We are proud to break ground on this 100,000-square-foot facility in Springfield, Missouri, said David Moore, President and CEO of Paul Mueller Company. It will provide a column-free open manufacturing space where we can assemble and test larger systems for our pharmaceutical, food, beverage, and chemical customers. Our coworkers have made this possible by safely providing increased value to our customers, resulting in the largest backlog and highest profitability in our history. The facility will also expand product development and training capabilities to support our growth. We look forward to continuing to offer our customers the talents of our coworkers and the resources of Springfield when the facility opens next year.

Designed with energy efficiency in mind, Paul Mueller Companys new facility will also include enhanced amenities to ensure employee comfort in addition to advanced training opportunities that reinforce the companys commitment to excellence in manufacturing. The company held a groundbreaking event today near the corner of Phelps Street and LaFontaine Avenue in Springfield to commemorate its expansion.

Were proud to continue to support Paul Mueller Company as it furthers its legacy of helping Missourians prosper in Springfield, said Michelle Hataway, Director of the Department of Economic Development. This expansion is the latest chapter of the companys long history of contributions to southwest Missouri and its vibrant manufacturing industry. Were grateful for Paul Muellers ongoing commitment to our state and appreciate our partners who helped ensure its continued growth.

For this expansion, Paul Mueller Company will benefit from the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company is also receiving assistance from Missouri One Start, a division of the Department of Economic Development. Missouri One Start assists eligible businesses with their recruitment and training needs.

What others are saying

"We are excited to celebrate this significant milestone with the Paul Mueller Company," said Springfield Mayor Ken McClure. "We are so fortunate to have a global company with such a positive local impact right here in Springfield. Since 1940, the Paul Mueller Company has helped Springfield become known as one of the worlds leaders in stainless steel manufacturing. This expansion will help further that reputation."

"The Chamber is thrilled about this expansion," said Matt Morrow, President of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. "The growth of Paul Mueller has always had an incredible ripple effect on the local economy for over 80 years, and their reputation as a global leader in stainless steel manufacturing that started right here in Springfield is just one of the things that sets this community apart. Springfield grows its own, and Paul Mueller's continued investment and leading job creation is a great example of what we are capable of achieving."

"It is always a good thing to see manufacturers growing and expanding," said Michael Eaton, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Manufacturers. "Manufacturing is a vital part of the economy and important to a community, providing jobs and opportunities. Paul Mueller Company has been one of those flagship manufacturing companies here in Springfield, establishing southwest Missouri as the Stainless Steel Tank capital of the world - spanning other manufacturing operations in the region and supporting this community. This expansion demonstrates how critical manufacturing growth is to economic growth."

About Paul Mueller Company

Paul Mueller Company, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, has manufacturing and sales operations in Iowa, the Netherlands, and Vietnam. Paul Mueller Company employees build innovative processing equipment worldwide for dairy farms, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical facilities.

To learn more about Paul Mueller Company, visit paulmueller.com.

About the Missouri Department of Economic Development

The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) works to create an environment that encourages economic growth by supporting Missouris businesses and diverse industries, strengthening our communities, developing a talented and skilled workforce, and maintaining a high quality of life. As one team built around the customer and driven by data, DED aspires to be the best economic development department in the Midwest. Through its various initiatives, DED is helping create opportunities for Missourians to prosper.

For the latest updates on DEDs current or future programs and initiatives, visit DEDs website.

About the Missouri Works Program

As the states number one incentive tool for expansion and retention, the Missouri Works Program helps businesses access capital through withholdings or tax credits to embark on facility expansions and create jobs. This program can also help businesses purchase equipment to maintain its facility in Missouri.

About Missouri One Start

Missouri One Start is the states premier workforce recruitment and training division. It helps eligible businesses of all sizes stay competitive by providing customized recruitment assistance, along with resources to train and upskill new and existing employees. Its recruitment strategies and training programs are tailored to the specific workforce needs of the businesses it serves.

Press Contact: Ken Jeffries | Paul Mueller Company | Springfield, MO 65802

(417) 575-9346

kjeffries@paulmueller.com | www.paulmueller.com
These data, published in The Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), demonstrate that TG6050 induces tumor regression and profound remodeling of the tumor microenvironment

TG6050 has also shown to avoid toxicity associated with systemic administration of IL-12 and anti-CTLA-4

TG6050 is currently being evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial (Delivir) for non-small cell lung cancer

Strasbourg (France), August 27, 2024, 7:30 am CET  Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops virus-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, announces the publication in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) of a peer-reviewed article which illustrates that TG6050 induces profound immune remodeling of the tumor microenvironment in animal models. The paper highlights TG6050s potential to induce sustained intratumoral expression of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody at active concentrations without the toxicity observed with systemic administration.

TG6050 is an oncolytic virus derived from Transgenes invir.IO platform encoding interleukin-12 (IL-12) and an anti-CTLA4 antibody, with the potential to trigger a powerful localized antitumor immune response.

The JITC paper reports that in addition to consistent multiplication and propagation of TG6050 in tumor cells, functional transgenes are expressed in the tumor with a sustained intratumoral accumulation of IL-12 and anti-CTLA-4 antibody. The three components of TG6050 (oncolytic viral backbone, IL-12 and anti-CTLA-4 antibody transgenes) act together to induce tumor regression in numerous hot and cold murine tumor models investigated in these studies. This antitumoral activity was further amplified when TG6050 was combined with an anti-PD1.

Moreover, these studies show that TG6050 triggers a strong adaptive antitumoral immune response, accompanied by a profound modification of the tumor microenvironment based on infiltration of both innate and adaptive immune cells, altering it to a more inflamed state (from cold to hot).

TG6050 was also shown to be safe. Upon intravenous administration in non-human primates for toxicology evaluation, it did not induce any of the IL-12 related adverse effects that are associated with systemic administration. TG6050 has now progressed into Phase 1 clinical development (the Delivir trial) in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer ( NCT05788926 ).

These strong preclinical data demonstrate the ability of our invir.IO oncolytic virus platform to generate promising candidates for further development and support our decision to advance TG6050 into the clinic in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. We have thoroughly explored the mechanism of action of TG6050, with local delivery of functional IL-12 and anti-CTLA-4 resulting in strong antitumor activity. Moreover, in toxicology studies after repeated intravenous administrations in non-human primates, TG6050 did not display any observable adverse effects, commented Dr. Maud Brandely, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Transgene.

The JITC paper is titled TG6050, an oncolytic vaccinia virus encoding interleukin-12 and

anti-CTLA-4 antibody, favors tumor regression via profound immune remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and can be accessed here .

***

About TG6050

TG6050 is an oncolytic virus developed with Transgenes invir.IO platform for intravenous administration. invir.IO viruses are based on the patented large capacity Vaccinia virus Copenhagen strain genetically modified with the double deletion TK-RR- (VV COP TK-RR-). TG6050 has been engineered to encode human IL-12, a cytokine that triggers a powerful antitumor immune response and a full length anti-CTLA4 antibody. It has also been optimized with the deletion of the gene encoding for the M2L viral protein that targets CD80 and CD86, two ligands of CD28 [source: Kleinpeter et al., J Virol. 2019 Jun 1 ; 93(11) : e00207-19 ]. The use of an oncolytic virus to deliver these immunotherapies locally and selectively in the tumor microenvironment allows high intratumoral concentrations of both therapeutic proteins eliciting a stronger and more effective antitumor response. By reducing systemic exposure to a very low level, this local therapeutic activity furthermore allows an increase in the safety and tolerability profile of IL-12 and the anti-CTLA4 antibody.

TG6050 is being evaluated in the Deliver trial, a Phase I trial conducted in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

A short video detailing TG6050s mechanism of action can be found here .

About the Delivir trial (NCT: 05788926)

The Delivir trial is a multicenter, open label, dose-escalation Phase I trial evaluating TG6050 as a single agent. The trial will enroll up to 36 patients with metastatic/advanced NSCLC, who have failed standard therapeutic options including immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Patients will receive single and repeated escalating doses of TG6050 administered intravenously, to determine the recommended dose and best schedule of administration for subsequent clinical development.

About Transgene

Transgene (Euronext: TNG) is a biotechnology company focused on designing and developing targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Transgenes programs utilize viral vector technology with the goal of indirectly or directly killing cancer cells.

The Companys clinical-stage programs consist of a portfolio of therapeutic vaccines and oncolytic viruses: TG4050, the first individualized therapeutic vaccine based on the myvac platform, TG4001 for the treatment of HPV-positive cancers, as well as BT-001 and TG6050, two oncolytic viruses based on the invir.IO viral backbone. With Transgenes myvac platform, therapeutic vaccination enters the field of precision medicine with a novel immunotherapy that is fully tailored to each individual. The myvac approach allows the generation of a virus-based immunotherapy that encodes patient-specific mutations identified and selected by Artificial Intelligence capabilities provided by its partner NEC.

With its proprietary invir.IO platform, Transgene is building on its viral vector engineering expertise to design a new generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses.

Additional information about Transgene is available at: www.transgene.fr

Follow us on social media: X (formerly Twitter): @TransgeneSA  LinkedIn: @Transgene

Contacts

Transgene Contacts: Transgene Media Contact: Media: MEDiSTRAVA Caroline Tosch Frazer Hall/Sylvie Berrebi Corporate Communications Manager + 44 (0)203 928 6900 +33 (0)3 68 33 27 38 transgene@medistrava.com communication@transgene.fr Lucie Larguier Chief Financial Officer Nadege Bartoli IR Analyst and Financial Communications Officer +33 (0)3 88 27 91 00/03 investorrelations@transgene.fr

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The occurrence of any of these risks could have a significant negative outcome for the Companys activities, perspectives, financial situation, results, regulatory authorities agreement with development phases, and development. The Companys ability to commercialize its products depends on but is not limited to the following factors: positive pre-clinical data may not be predictive of human clinical results, the success of clinical studies, the ability to obtain financing and/or partnerships for product manufacturing, development and commercialization, and marketing approval by government regulatory authorities. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the Companys actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors (Facteurs de Risque) section of the Universal Registration Document, available on the AMF website (http://www.amf-france.org) or on Transgenes website (www.transgene.fr). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Transgene undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

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TALLINN, Estonia, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunly, a leading renewable energy producer, has raised 300 million in debt financing to accelerate the construction of 1.3 GW of solar, wind, storage, and hybrid parks across the Baltics and Poland. This financing is provided by Rivage Investment via REDI HR2, its second high yield infrastructure debt fund and its Fund for Infrastructure Climate Solutions, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) through its Green Credit Fund I, with additional participation from Norwegian largest pension company Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP) through funds managed by CIP. The amount raised reflects strong market confidence in Sunlys capacity to spearhead regional energy transformation.

As the EU actively works on reducing its dependance on Russian gas, it faces ongoing challenges. Despite efforts to decrease reliance, EU countries imported around 30% more natural gas from Russia in May 2024 compared to than in September 2022, reports Clean Energy Wire. In the Baltic states and Poland, Russia's significant influence in the regional energy market has historically exposed these areas to price fluctuations and supply disruptions associated with geopolitical tensions, often leading to higher energy costs for consumers than in other European nations. The upcoming desynchronization from the Russian and Belarusian electricity grid in February next year is intended to boost regional energy independence and security.

Priit Lepasepp, co-founder and CEO of Sunly, said: This investment enables us to improve our infrastructure with new grid connections and solar parks in the Baltics, which will support our onshore wind and storage pipeline expansion. To help reduce energy costs, our focus will be on two key areas: building a hybrid pipeline with storage capabilities and advancing the electrification of heating and mobility systems, thereby diminishing our reliance on imported fossil fuels and optimising the use of local renewable resources.

Sunly intends to develop integrated hybrid parks that combine wind, solar and energy storage batteries at single connection point and direct line to consumers. This method improves energy production stability in various weather conditions and optimises cost-efficiency by reducing grid connectivity charges  forecasted to account to more than half of the total energy cost. The approach is expected to significantly benefit consumers, particularly large industrial clients with high energy consumption, by enhancing regional energy security and operational efficiency.

Gaetane Tracz, Partner and Head of the Infrastructure Debt team at Rivage, said: We are delighted to support Sunlys strong leadership team through their ambitious growth trajectory and to help accelerate the construction of hybrid renewable energy parks across the Baltics and Poland. We share Sunlys mission of contributing to produce power with purpose, to contribute to EU energy security and to deliver investments with both attractive performance and ESG impact.

Jakob Groot, Partner at CIP and Co-Head of the CI Green Credit Fund I, said: We are very excited to start our partnership with Sunly, and their highly experienced management team. This financing package will contribute significantly to the development and construction of renewable energy projects, supporting the decarbonisation ambitions across the Baltics and Poland, and represents an attractive investment for our Green Credit Fund I.

Oliver Siem, Director, Investments and Operations at Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP), said: We are yet again pleased to be invited as a co-investor in a renewable energy project in Poland and the Baltics through our longstanding relationship with CIP. This is one of many steps in reaching our goal of being Paris aligned by 2050.

One of the first projects to benefit from this financing is the 244 MW Risti solar park in Estonia, which can cover the annual electricity consumption of 55,000 households. Currently intended as a hybrid park, Sunly already has expansion plans that include onshore wind turbines and battery storage in the future.

Construction will also immediately start on four solar parks in Latvia, with a combined capacity of 553 MW. These Latvian parks are also designed as hybrids, with eventual plans to integrate wind or battery storage, or a combination of both. The 1.3 GW portfolio also includes several large hybrid solar parks in Lithuania, as well as both small and large solar parks in Poland by end of 2026.

With this investment Sunlys expansion has been backed by a total of 765 million debt and equity capital from investors, including French fund Mirova, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and various banks. In 2023, Sunly successfully raised approximately 200 million from its existing investors, the Mirova, and EBRD to further develop and construct solar and wind parks across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

Notes to editor

Additional information:

Anna Lindpere

Sunly Head of Communications

anna.lindpere@sunly.ee

+37256463229

Sunly is a renewable energy producer, developing and operating renewable energy projects across Baltics and Poland and investing in startups in the electrification sector. Sunly's core activity  renewable energy production  plays a decisive role in achieving the climate, energy security, and energy affordability goals that lie ahead in the region. Currently Sunly has 230 MW operational and 126 MW under construction solar parks, as well as a 2 MWh storage integrated into one solar park. In addition to this debt financing, Sunly is pursuing project-based senior financing to fully fund the capital expenditures required for the Risti and Latvian projects. The new 1.3 GW ventures will increase Sunlys total renewable capacity to 1.6 GW, with an ambitious target to reach 4.6 GW of operational renewable projects by 2030.

Rivage Investment was founded in 2010, Rivage manages circa 7.7bn of assets through its complementary investment strategies across the risk-return credit spectrum, from investment grade (senior secured core infrastructure and lending to public entities) to high yield impact and growth debt focused on clean energy transition and wider decarbonisation. These strategies are underpinned by Rivages pioneering approach to ESG, which is embedded throughout the organisation, investment process and investment focus.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners was founded in 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (CIP) today is the worlds largest dedicated fund manager within greenfield renewable energy investments and a global leader in offshore wind. The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, storage, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X. CIP manages 12 funds and has to date raised approximately 28 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from more than 160 international institutional investors. CIP has approximately 500 employees and 12 offices around the world.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Green Credit Fund I (CI GCF I) launched in February 2022 and has commitments of 1 billion with a further 200 million managed as co-investments. CI GCF I is CIPs first debt fund and provides private project finance debt with subordinated risk characteristics supporting renewable energy projects globally.

Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP) is Norway's largest life-insurance company. KLP provides pensions, finance and insurance services to municipalities, county authorities, health enterprises and to businesses both in the public and the private sector, and to their employees. The KLP Group has total assets of over NOK 1.000 billion. KLP supports the Paris Agreement and the 1.5-degree target. Now, the board has adopted KLPs roadmap to net zero emissions by 2050. The roadmap describes how KLP will work towards and measure our contribution to the goals in the Paris Agreement.

Augusta acted as exclusive financial advisor to Sunly during the process. Ashurst, Gide and Ellex acted as the lenders legal counsels while White & Case, Sorainen and CMS represented Sunly.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/958408f1-b401-4305-bf2c-a0937eb4c510
Correction: The two metrics Earnings per share and Diluted earnings per share were incorrectly stated for 6M 2024 in the Q2 2024 interim financial report, company announcement 05/2024. The correct Earnings per share is DKK 1.41 and Diluted earnings per share is DKK 1.41 as of 30th June 2024. An updated version of the interim financial report is attached.

Q2 2024 key highlights

Financial performance continued to improve during the second quarter with organic growth at 11.0% meaning NNIT is capturing market share, specifically in Denmark and Europe. Growth was seen across all regions, with the exception of Region US, which continued to be negatively impacted by the temporary decline in the data migration business, despite gradual improvements.

Group operating profit margin excluding special items ended at 6.7%, which is an 0.8%-point increase compared with last year. The improvement in profitability was partly driven by leveraging the cost base due to the top line increase, and partly due to the tight cost control and efforts made in Region Asia during the first quarter.

Important steps on our transformative journey continued with the new global ERP and HR systems going live, on-track completion of the IT separation of the infrastructure business, and re-location of offices in Czech Republic and China and our headquarters in Denmark.

Confirming full-year financial outlook for organic revenue growth of around 10% and group operating profit margin excl. special items of between 8 to 9%.

In the second quarter, NNIT captured market share despite still being impacted by the macroeconomic headwind especially in Europe and China. Growth was mainly driven by NNIT continuing to expand its business within its existing customer portfolio whilst also bringing in new customers, and partly due to the timing of Easter.

During Q2 2024, NNIT delivered on several important milestones as part of the new strategic direction initiated last year. The more focused NNIT has also resulted in improved customer relationships being reflected by continued high customer satisfaction scores, and with NNIT also being recognized by Everest Group, an independent consultancy firm, in terms of highest value delivered.

NNIT expects the rest of the year to be back-end loaded in terms of revenue growth and profitability to gradually increase quarter over quarter. The backlog and pipeline are intact, leading to the full-year financial outlook being confirmed.

Par Fors, President and CEO of NNIT, comments We are pleased to see that our key strategic choice of becoming a pure-play IT consulting business is paying off. Significant wins in early Q3 underlines that we are on the right path. As a whole, the business continued to grow, and profitability increased whilst we continue to take important steps on the transformational journey, we initiated last year.

Financial overview  Selected key figures

NNIT A/S, DKK million Q2 2024 Q2 2023 6M 2024 6M 2023 FY 2023 Revenue 474.0 424.1 937.4 836.8 1,728 Revenue growth, % 11.8% 15.3% 12.0% 15.6% 15.2% Revenue growth, organic % 11.0% 10.9% 9.5% 11.5% 10.8% Group operating profit excl. special items 32.0 25.0 55.9 45.0 116 Group operating profit margin excl. special items, % 6.7% 5.9% 6.0% 5.4% 6.7% Special items 15.2 30.0 3.9 44.0 69 Group operating profit incl. special items 16.8 -5.0 52.0 1.0 47 Group operating profit margin incl. special items, % 3.5% -1.2% 5.5% 0.1% 2.7%

CONFERENCE CALL

August 27, 2024, at 9:30 AM CEST: Webcast link

Dial in information:

DK: +45 7876 8490

SE: +46 8 1241 0952

UK: +44 203 769 6819

US: +1 646-787-0157

Participant Access code: 472855

CONTACT

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations

Carsten Ringius

EVP & CFO

Tel: +45 3077 8888

carr@nnit.com

Media Relations

Tina Joanne Hindsbo

Media Relations Manager

Tel: +45 3077 9578

tnjh@nnit.com

ABOUT NNIT

NNIT is a leading provider of IT solutions to life sciences internationally, and to the public and private sectors in Denmark.

We focus on high complexity industries and thrive in environments where regulatory demands and complexity are high.

We advise on and build sustainable digital solutions that work for the patients, citizens, employees, end users or customers.

We strive to build unmatched excellence in the industries we serve, and we use our domain expertise to represent a business first approach  strongly supported by a selection of partner technologies, but always driven by business needs rather than technology.

NNIT consists of group company NNIT A/S and subsidiaries SCALES, Excellis Health Solutions and SL Controls. Together, these companies employ more than 1,700 people in Europe, Asia and USA. Read more at www.nnit.com.

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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Glucose Monitoring Devices - Global Strategic Business Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global market for Glucose Monitoring Devices is estimated at US$13.9 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$19.2 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2023 to 2030. This comprehensive report provides an in-depth analysis of market trends, drivers, and forecasts, helping you make informed business decisions.







Key market drivers and trends include technological leaps such as CGM systems, which provide real-time insights into glucose levels, and the integration of AI into glucose monitoring, AI is increasingly being incorporated into glucose monitoring systems to enhance the predictive accuracy of devices.

These systems can analyze data over time to predict future trends in glucose levels, enabling preemptive management of potential issues. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping many aspects of healthcare, including diabetes management Government policies promoting better screening and monitoring, alongside patient education emphasizing self-monitoring, further drive adoption. Wearable glucose monitors that seamlessly integrate with everyday life are gaining traction. These devices continuously track glucose levels and offer the convenience of not having to perform multiple daily finger-prick tests.



Key Insights:

Market Growth: Understand the significant growth trajectory of the Self-Monitoring Devices segment, which is expected to reach US$11.3 Billion by 2030 with a CAGR of a 3.8%. The Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices segment is also set to grow at 6.1% CAGR over the analysis period.

Regional Analysis: Gain insights into the U.S. market, estimated at $3.7 Billion in 2023, and China, forecasted to grow at an impressive 7.8% CAGR to reach $4.1 Billion by 2030. Discover growth trends in other key regions, including Japan, Canada, Germany, and the Asia-Pacific.

Report Features:

Comprehensive Market Data: Independent analysis of annual sales and market forecasts in US$ Million from 2023 to 2030.

In-Depth Regional Analysis: Detailed insights into key markets, including the U.S., China, Japan, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa.

Company Profiles: Coverage of major players such as Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc., ACON Laboratories, Inc., AgaMatrix, Inc., and more.

Complimentary Updates: Receive free report updates for one year to keep you informed of the latest market developments.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 268 Forecast Period 2023 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $13.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $19.2 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.7% Regions Covered Global



MARKET OVERVIEW

Influencer Market Insights

Global Economic Update

Glucose Monitoring Devices - Global Key Competitors Percentage Market Share in 2024 (E)

Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for Players Worldwide in 2024 (E)

MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Rising Incidence of Diabetes Globally Strengthens Business Case for Glucose Monitoring Devices

Growing Awareness of the Benefits of Regular Glucose Monitoring Drives Adoption Across Various Demographics

Growth in Home Healthcare Services Generates Demand for User-Friendly Glucose Monitoring Solutions

Innovations in Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring Technology Spurs Market Growth

Expansion of Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring Sustains Growth in Glucose Monitoring Devices Market

Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Glucose Monitoring Enhances Data Accuracy and Insights

Technological Developments in Smartphone-Connected Glucose Monitors Propel Market Expansion

Emphasis on Preventive Healthcare Drives Adoption of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Solutions

Adoption of Glucose Monitoring in Pediatric Care Expands Addressable Market Opportunity

Increasing Use of Glucose Monitoring in Fitness and Wellness Accelerates Demand for Multifunctional Devices

FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 32 Featured)

Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc.

ACON Laboratories, Inc.

AgaMatrix, Inc.

Alive Technologies Pty. Ltd.

ARKRAY, Inc.

Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG

B. Braun Melsungen AG

Beurer GmbH

Dexcom, Inc.

GlySens Inc.

LifeScan, Inc.

Medtronic plc

Nova Biomedical Corporation

Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Roche Diagnostics

Senseonics Holdings, Inc.

Terumo Corporation

Trividia Health, Inc.

Ypsomed Holding AG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xqqaul

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.

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Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Transparency Market Research Inc. -, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global acute intermittent porphyria market (   ) is estimated to surge at a CAGR of 3.9% from 2024 to 2034. Transparency Market Research projects that the overall sales revenue for acute intermittent porphyria is estimated to reach US$ 7.1 million by the end of 2034.

A key factor is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in enhancing disease management. AI-powered algorithms can analyze vast amounts of patient data, identify patterns, and predict disease progression, enabling personalized treatment strategies and improving clinical outcomes.

The integration of digital health technologies such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring is revolutionizing AIP care delivery. Virtual consultations, wearable devices, and mobile apps empower patients to actively participate in their treatment journey while enabling healthcare providers to monitor symptoms and intervene proactively, especially in remote or underserved areas.

For More Details, Request for a Sample of this Research Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/acute-intermittent-porphyria-market.html





The emergence of patient-centric drug development approaches, including patient-reported outcomes and real-world evidence, is shaping the AIP treatment landscape. By incorporating patient perspectives and experiences into clinical trials and regulatory decision-making, stakeholders can ensure that therapies address the unique needs and preferences of individuals living with AIP.

Key Findings of the Market Report

Blood tests lead the acute intermittent porphyria market for diagnosis, offering accurate detection of porphyry levels and enzyme activity.

Prophylactic hematin infusions lead the acute intermittent porphyria market, offering effective symptom management and reducing the frequency and severity of acute attacks.

Hospitals lead the acute intermittent porphyria market due to their role in diagnosis, treatment, and management of the condition.

Acute Intermittent Porphyria Market (   ) Growth Drivers & Trends

Advancements in genetic testing and diagnostic technologies improve early detection and management of Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP).

Increasing awareness and education initiatives drive early diagnosis and treatment initiation, reducing disease burden and improving patient outcomes.

Growing research investments and clinical trials focus on developing targeted therapies addressing underlying molecular mechanisms of AIP.

Regulatory incentives and orphan drug designations spur pharmaceutical innovation and market competitiveness in AIP treatment landscape.

Collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and pharmaceutical companies enhance patient care and drive research advancements in AIP management.

Global Acute Intermittent Porphyria Market: Regional Profile

In North America , robust healthcare infrastructure and a high prevalence of AIP contribute to market growth. Established pharmaceutical companies like Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Recordati Rare Diseases lead with their innovative therapies, catering to the region's healthcare needs.

, robust healthcare infrastructure and a high prevalence of AIP contribute to market growth. Established pharmaceutical companies like Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Recordati Rare Diseases lead with their innovative therapies, catering to the region's healthcare needs. Collaborations with research institutions and patient advocacy groups drive clinical advancements and awareness campaigns, further bolstering the market.

Europe stands as a significant market for AIP, supported by a strong focus on rare diseases research and healthcare access. Companies like Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals and Axcella Health lead the market with their pipeline therapies and patient support initiatives.

stands as a significant market for AIP, supported by a strong focus on rare diseases research and healthcare access. Companies like Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals and Axcella Health lead the market with their pipeline therapies and patient support initiatives. Regulatory incentives and orphan drug designations encourage investment in AIP research and development, enhancing treatment options for patients across the region.

Asia Pacific is witnessing rapid growth in the AIP market, driven by increasing healthcare expenditure and improving diagnostic capabilities. Emerging biotech firms and pharmaceutical companies are entering the market with innovative therapies, addressing the unmet medical needs of patients in the region.

is witnessing rapid growth in the AIP market, driven by increasing healthcare expenditure and improving diagnostic capabilities. Emerging biotech firms and pharmaceutical companies are entering the market with innovative therapies, addressing the unmet medical needs of patients in the region. Collaborations with local healthcare providers and regulatory authorities facilitate market penetration and patient access to advanced treatments, fostering growth opportunities in this dynamic region.

For Complete Report Details, Request Sample Copy from Here- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/acute-intermittent-porphyria-market.html

Acute Intermittent Porphyria Market: Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the acute intermittent porphyria market is evolving rapidly with several pharmaceutical companies investing in research and development. Established players like Recordati Rare Diseases and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals dominate with their innovative therapies addressing AIP symptoms and complications.

Emerging biotech firms such as Axcella Health and Dicerna Pharmaceuticals are advancing novel treatment approaches targeting underlying molecular mechanisms. Collaboration with academic institutions and patient advocacy groups further drives innovation.

As the understanding of AIP pathophysiology deepens, competition intensifies, fostering a dynamic environment aimed at improving patient outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with this rare genetic disorder. Some prominent players are as follows:

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Recordati

Quest Diagnostics

Invitae Corp.

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp)

ARUP Laboratories

Product Portfolio

Recordati is a leading pharmaceutical company offering a diverse portfolio of innovative medicines and treatments. With a focus on rare diseases and specialty areas, Recordati is committed to improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life globally through cutting-edge research and development.

is a leading pharmaceutical company offering a diverse portfolio of innovative medicines and treatments. With a focus on rare diseases and specialty areas, Recordati is committed to improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life globally through cutting-edge research and development. Quest Diagnostics is a trusted provider of diagnostic testing, information, and services. With a comprehensive portfolio of laboratory and diagnostic solutions, Quest empowers healthcare professionals and patients alike to make informed decisions and achieve better health outcomes through accurate and timely testing.

Acute Intermittent Porphyria Market: Key Segments

By Diagnosis

Blood Test

Urine Test

DNA Test

Serum Test

By Treatment

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogues

Prophylactic Hematin Infusions

By End User

Hospitals

Clinics

Research Centers

By Region

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

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MILLBRAE, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On August 26, Liberty Bank, N.A. celebrated the opening of its new Millbrae Branch in the Gateway @ Millbrae Station neighborhood after recently relocating from its South San Francisco Branch, which it owned and occupied since 1985.



As a full-service community bank, our new Millbrae Branch allows us to continue serving our San Francisco Bay Area customers by providing the financial solutions and banking expertise theyve come to know over the past 40 years, while also growing and attracting new clientele, said Don Griffith, Chairman and CEO. Were very excited to occupy this vibrant and easily accessible location in the Bay Area. Our staff is looking forward to welcoming customers to our beautiful new space.

Located in the brand new, multi-use residential and retail community that is anchored by a BART and Caltrain Station, the new Millbrae Branch at 105 North Rollins Road offers a unique banking experience that sets Liberty Bank apart from other banks. We provide true community banking with a shared commitment and understanding of our communitys banking and business landscape. Our approach involves modern banking with human expertise, fostering relationships, and delivering attentive service designed to meet the needs of our clients. We recognize that building strong relationships with our customers and investing in our local economic growth are central to providing specialized banking services.

About Liberty Bank, N.A.

Liberty Bank, N.A. is a $550 million OCC-chartered bank headquartered in Irvine, California supporting businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals in the Southern California markets of greater Orange and Los Angeles counties and the San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties. Liberty Bank serves a diverse set of industries while offering a wide array of products and services, from deposit accounts and cash management solutions to commercial real estate, construction, and business loans to meet the growing financial needs of our clients.

LBNA-503 (8/27/2024)

Contacts:

Deborah Marsten

949-255-5271

dmarsten@libertybk.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a9d0ae2-8c79-469d-9437-3ef675705634
Memphis, TN, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum is proud to announce open nominations for this year's prestigious Keeper of the Dream Award. Honoring outstanding students in grades 6-12 throughout the nation, the award recognizes young people who are committed to social justice, community service, and being the change they want to see in the world.

This commendation proudly acknowledges the exceptional dedication displayed by young leaders who exhibit extraordinary courage, compassion, leadership, and service. These remarkable students are forging paths to expand opportunities for their peers, activate others to address important issues, or make a difference in underserved communities.

"We know historically youth activism has been the bedrock of the Civil Rights Movement, and that remains true today. We want to encourage young people to get involved and know they can make a difference, said Dr. Russ Wigginton, Museum President. The students we honor each year are making a significant difference within their local communities and beyond. The Keeper of the Dream Award helps to empower students as global citizens to define and achieve greatness, he said.

The Keeper of the Dream Award presentation will be a highlight of the Freedom Award Student Forum on the morning October 17 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. The Student Forum, presented by FedEx, serves as the opening event for the much-anticipated National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award celebration to honor phenomenal global leaders for their contributions to civil and human rights. The event provides students and educators with an invaluable opportunity to engage with this years honorees Spike Lee, Sherrilyn Ifill, and Xernona Clayton.

The student award recipients will receive airfare courtesy of Southwest Airlines and hotel accommodations courtesy of Hyatt Centric along with a $500 grant and a Keeper of the Dream signature trophy. The Keeper of the Dream Award is in its 22nd year and will select students among two grade categories, 6-8 and 9-12.

Nominations for a deserving student must be submitted by the September 13, 2024, deadline. Self-nominations are also accepted. Eligibility details and the online application form can be found on the Freedom Award site.

About the National Civil Rights Museum

The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change.

A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today ; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.

 civilrightsmuseum.org 

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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Insomnia Drugs - Global Strategic Business Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global market for Insomnia Drugs was estimated at US$3.9 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$5.8 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2023 to 2030. This comprehensive report provides an in-depth analysis of market trends, drivers, and forecasts, helping you make informed business decisions.





The global insomnia drugs market is growing in importance as sleep disorders, particularly insomnia, become more prevalent in modern society. Insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, affects a significant portion of the population, driven by factors such as stress, anxiety, and lifestyle changes. As awareness of the health risks associated with chronic sleep deprivation increases, more individuals are seeking medical treatment to manage their sleep issues.

The growing recognition of insomnia as a serious health condition that can lead to various physical and mental health problems, including depression, cardiovascular disease, and impaired cognitive function, is driving the demand for effective treatments. The market is also influenced by the aging population, as older adults are more likely to experience sleep disorders, further contributing to the demand for insomnia drugs.



How Are Technological Advancements and Research Shaping the Insomnia Drugs Market?



Technological advancements and ongoing research are playing a crucial role in the development of new and more effective insomnia treatments. The market has seen significant innovation in recent years, with the introduction of novel drugs that target specific pathways involved in sleep regulation. These advancements are providing patients with more options for managing their insomnia, including medications that have fewer side effects and lower risk of dependence compared to traditional sleep aids.

Additionally, the growing interest in personalized medicine is influencing the insomnia drugs market, as researchers explore the potential of tailoring treatments to individual patients based on their genetic profiles and specific sleep patterns. These technological and research-driven innovations are not only improving the effectiveness of insomnia treatments but are also expanding the range of options available to patients, helping to address the diverse needs of those suffering from sleep disorders.



What Role Does Consumer Demand and Healthcare Policy Play in Shaping the Market?



Consumer demand and healthcare policy are significant factors shaping the insomnia drugs market. As more individuals seek treatment for sleep disorders, healthcare providers are under increasing pressure to offer safe and effective options for managing insomnia. This demand is driving the development of new drugs and treatment approaches, as pharmaceutical companies respond to the growing need for better sleep solutions.

At the same time, healthcare policy and regulatory environments are influencing the market, with agencies such as the FDA implementing stricter guidelines for the approval and use of insomnia medications. These regulations are designed to ensure the safety and efficacy of new treatments, while also addressing concerns about the potential for abuse and dependence associated with certain sleep aids. As a result, the market is evolving to meet the needs of patients while adhering to stringent safety standards, creating opportunities for innovation and growth.



What Are the Key Drivers Fueling the Growth of the Insomnia Drugs Market?



The growth in the insomnia drugs market is driven by several factors that are closely linked to consumer behavior, healthcare trends, and technological advancements. One of the primary drivers is the increasing prevalence of sleep disorders, particularly in urban populations where stress, long working hours, and digital device use are contributing to poor sleep quality. The growing awareness of the health risks associated with untreated insomnia is also driving demand for effective treatments, as patients and healthcare providers seek to mitigate the long-term effects of sleep deprivation.

Technological advancements in drug development are further fueling market growth, with new medications offering improved efficacy, fewer side effects, and a lower risk of dependence. Additionally, the aging population is contributing to the market's expansion, as older adults are more prone to sleep disorders and are increasingly seeking treatment. As these trends continue to evolve, the market for insomnia drugs is expected to see sustained growth, driven by the need for safe, effective, and accessible sleep treatments.



Key Insights:

Market Growth: Understand the significant growth trajectory of the Prescription Sleep Aids segment, which is expected to reach US$4.5 Billion by 2030 with a CAGR of a 5.3%. The Over the Counter (OTC) Sleep Aids segment is also set to grow at 7.6% CAGR over the analysis period.

Regional Analysis: Gain insights into the U.S. market, which was estimated at $1.0 Billion in 2023, and China, forecasted to grow at an impressive 8.7% CAGR to reach $1.3 Billion by 2030. Discover growth trends in other key regions, including Japan, Canada, Germany, and the Asia-Pacific.

Report Features:

Comprehensive Market Data: Independent analysis of annual sales and market forecasts in US$ Million from 2023 to 2030.

In-Depth Regional Analysis: Detailed insights into key markets, including the U.S., China, Japan, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa.

Company Profiles: Coverage of major players such as Astellas Pharma, Inc., Eisai Co., Ltd., Flynn Pharma Limited, and more.

Complimentary Updates: Receive free report updates for one year to keep you informed of the latest market developments.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 189 Forecast Period 2023 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $3.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $5.8 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.7% Regions Covered Global



Key Topics Covered:



MARKET OVERVIEW

Influencer Market Insights

World Market Trajectories

Insomnia Drugs - Global Key Competitors Percentage Market Share in 2024 (E)

Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for Players Worldwide in 2024 (E)

Global Economic Update

MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Rising Prevalence of Sleep Disorders Spurs Growth in Insomnia Drugs Market

Growing Awareness of the Health Impacts of Sleep Deprivation Expands Market for Insomnia Treatments

Shift Towards Non-Habit-Forming Drugs Drives Innovation in Insomnia Treatments

Increasing Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in Conjunction with Pharmacotherapy Expands Market

Focus on Enhancing Patient Compliance Strengthens Demand for User-Friendly Insomnia Medications

Rising Incidence of Stress and Anxiety Disorders Fuels Demand for Insomnia Drugs

Growing Preference for Personalized Medicine Expands Market for Targeted Insomnia Treatments

Focus on Reducing Side Effects and Dependency Drives Innovation in Insomnia Drug Development

Rising Aging Population Expands Demand for Safe and Effective Insomnia Treatments

FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 31 Featured)

Astellas Pharma, Inc.

Eisai Co., Ltd.

Flynn Pharma Limited

Johnson & Johnson

Meda AB

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pfizer, Inc.

Sanofi

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hwhbvv

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.

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Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The MIT Sloan School of Management is launching the schools second international office. Officially opening in October 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, the MIT Sloan Office for Southeast Asian Nations (MSAO) will provide broad opportunities to expand upon educational offerings, action learning, and convening in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.



The expanded presence of MIT Sloan in the ASEAN region is a great opportunity to have an impact both locally and globally, said Georgia Perakis, John C Head III Dean (Interim) of the MIT Sloan School of Management. Not only will the MIT Sloan Office for Southeast Asian Nations support ongoing action learning activity for our current students, but it will also allow us to broaden our focus on key areas including climate, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and the future of work.



MIT Sloans presence in the ASEAN region will provide additional opportunities for engagement and collaborations with faculty from local universities, companies, and government organizations. These connections will pave the way for seminars, lectures, and annual conferences in the ASEAN region. Some research projects currently underway focus on urbanization and resiliency, water and agricultural challenges, and vaccine availability and tracking.



MIT continues to grow in the ASEAN region with over 1,900 alumni. Additionally, our faculty and students continue to have many interests that draw them to the region. We are excited to bring together members of the MIT Sloan community across the region, said Kathryn Hawkes, senior associate dean, External Engagement, at MIT Sloan. This is an opportunity to benefit the future of the region and to build upon the important work already underway and being planned for future academic programming, research, and relationship building.



Since 2002, more than 700 students have participated in experiential learning opportunities through nearly 200 MIT Sloan action learning projects across five graduate-level lab courses, hosted by 96 companies across Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Through these programs, faculty and students convene around topics such as fintech, aging and the economy, and more.



This is an exciting time for us to open our second international office, following the MIT Sloan office in Santiago, Chile, which serves the entire Latin America region, said David Capodilupo, assistant dean, Global Programs, for MIT Sloan. As with our Latin America office, we are looking forward to building on existing collaborations with established business leaders and entrepreneurs in the region and engaging with our growing network of ASEAN MIT Sloan alumni and friends.



The new office will enable MIT Sloan to build on activities already established in the region through Global Programs initiatives such as MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program, Innovative Dynamic Education and Action for Sustainability, and the MIT Sloan Visiting Fellows Program. This suite of educational experiences will continue to have an impact by strengthening innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region and equipping leaders with the knowledge, skills, and frameworks to transform their collective leadership style.



The MSAO will also work closely with leading academic institutions in the region such as the Asia School of Business, a collaborator in Kuala Lumpur, established with support from Bank Negara Malaysia, and offering students MBA, Executive MBA, and a masters degree in Central Banking programs.



The MIT Sloan School of Management is uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the ASEAN region through its world-class faculty and programming, said Chartsiri Sophonpanich, SM 83, SM 84, president of Bangkok Bank. The bank is a donor that has been working with MIT Sloan in the region since 2014. We see the MSAO as a way to strengthen existing collaborations and build a network of new opportunities that will have an impact across the region.



In addition to Bangkok Bank, other donors  with a mix of gifts and endowed funds  included Indorama Ventures, MQDC, Saha Pathana Inter-Holding Public Company Limited, Siam Cement Group (SCG), and U-Tapao International Aviation Company Limited, among others.



MIT is engaged in groundbreaking research to address many of the challenges across all verticals of sustainability for the region, said Thammasak Sethaudom, president and CEO of SCG. We look forward to seeing the impact the new MIT Sloan Office for Southeast Asian Nations will have both here in Bangkok and throughout the ASEAN region.



We are eager for the opening of the new MIT Sloan Office for Southeast Asian Nations and welcome MIT Sloans engagement in our region, said Aloke Lohia, group CEO at Indorama Ventures. In addition to focusing on many of the regions most pressing challenges, MIT Sloans presence will help to stimulate significant economic impact.



In October, the new MSAO will host several events in Bangkok, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new office space, an alumni gathering, and an inaugural conference titled Beyond Years: The Future of Longevity that will feature discussions led by experts from MIT and across the ASEAN region on the impacts of extended longevity.

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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Antitrust Explainer: Legal Fundamentals Marketers Need to Know as Regulators Wage War Against Big Tech" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Over the past few years, antitrust enforcers have zeroed in on some of the biggest names in digital advertising. This report reviews key legal structures in antitrust regulation and explores challenges that have emerged with digitization.

Key Question: What is antitrust law, and who's in charge of enforcing it?

Key Stat: In 2024, nearly two-thirds of US digital ad dollars will go to Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. As they've amassed market share, these Big Tech platforms have attracted the attention of antitrust regulators around the world.

Here's what's in the full report

2 Exportable files for easy reading, analysis and sharing.

2 charts: Reliable data in simple displays for presentations and quick decision making.

1 Expert Perspective: Insights from industry and company leaders.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

The biggest digital platforms are facing more regulatory scrutiny than ever

What is antitrust?

Who are the key players in antitrust enforcement?

What does antitrust regulation mean for marketers?

Insider Intelligence Interviews

Sources

Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Big Tech Has More Than Doubled Its Share of the Digital Ad Market Since We Began Tracking It

Platforms Designated as Gatekeepers Under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA)

Interviewed for This Report

Ana Milicevic - Sparrow Advisors, Co-Founder and Principal

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/44ka4l

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.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, CERIS, a CorVel Company, has announced advancements to its current Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) solutions, including earlier detection capabilities and improved behavioral analytics. These new integrations and services will expand on CERIS current FWA offering for customers as they navigate a complex healthcare industry and work to better manage and mitigate prevalent fraud and risk issues in todays landscape. Through identity and behavioral analytics, scanners, dashboards, reporting, and FWA consulting, CERIS enhanced solutions are automating detection and errors in billing to aid payers in prevention and remediation.



The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA) estimates that financial losses for healthcare organizations are in the tens of billions of dollars each year. A leader in payment integrity, CERIS works closely with providers to overcome challenges and false payment methods through its FWA products. Todays enhancements will support the following:

Fraud Case Analytics - SIU and Suspicious Activity Lead Services : Case data analytics will utilize client and industry data for rapid analysis and reporting through machine learning capabilities

: Case data analytics will utilize client and industry data for rapid analysis and reporting through machine learning capabilities Fraud Scanners : A suite of data scanners will detect suspicious activity on pre- and post-pay claims offering clients lead detection for Fraud, Waste & Abuse

: A suite of data scanners will detect suspicious activity on pre- and post-pay claims offering clients lead detection for Fraud, Waste & Abuse Fraud Dashboard & Reporting : CERIS will offer flexible reporting options on client analysis and results through industry standard tools

: CERIS will offer flexible reporting options on client analysis and results through industry standard tools FWA Consulting: CERIS will bring its expertise in prevention, remediation, and operational efficiencies of payment processing in support of Fraud, Waste & Abuse management

With todays new advancements across FWA, CERIS is excited to support the entire enterprise, from workers compensation, government payments to group health, and beyond, said Mark Johnson, Senior Vice President, Product Development at CERIS. These enhancements will automate fraud, waste, and abuse detection within claims data through solutions that are completely customizable for CERIS customers. We are able to bring in disparate data sets  across medical claims and beyond for customers who are eager and committed to preventing fraud across their organization.

Over the past twelve months, CERIS analyzed over 1.1 billion claims, and from this set, 1.6 million of the claims were flagged as open to questioning, uncovering more than $700 million in suspicious medical billing via CERIS behavioral intelligence analytics solution. The results also showed that claims under $500 are a major source of fraud and often go undetected. More details can be found in CERIS recent case study. The study has also allowed CERIS to develop different categories of risk to help prioritize investigations for its clients.

At CERIS, we are committed to ensuring the proper practices are followed in the healthcare industry and that payers are aware of any suspicious actors deemed unethical. That is why we are proud to announce todays enhancements to our FWA offering, said Debra Hamer, Director of Product Management for Healthcare Fraud, Waste, and Abuse at CERIS. These improvements will allow our team to enable and foster responsibility for fraud protection across the healthcare industry.

About CERIS

CERIS, a leader in both prospective and retrospective claims review and repricing, combines clinical expertise and cost containment solutions to ensure accuracy and transparency in healthcare payments. Accuracy and validation services include itemization review, DRG validation, facility repricing, contract and policy applications, review of implants and devices, and primary payer cost avoidance. Its universal chargemaster contains billions of charge items from more than 97% of the nations hospitals, helping to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of each claim review.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

All statements included in this press release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Companys current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Company, managements beliefs, certain assumptions made by the Company, and events beyond the Companys control, all of which are subject to change. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Companys payment review services and the Companys continued investment in these and other innovative technologies, and statements relating to the Companys service offerings. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including the risk that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition is greater than our initial assessment.

The risks and uncertainties referred to above include but are not limited to factors described in this press release and the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2024, and the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended September 30, 2023, December 31, 2023 and June 30, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.

Contact: Melissa Storan

Phone: 949-851-1473

www.ceris.com


Highlights:



Filed the new National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report that defines the large and high-grade Mineral Resources at the Ferguson Lake Project (Table 1). 80% of the Indicated Mineral Resource is Open Pit, which provides a solid Mineral Resource base for the initial development of a potential large mine.

Planned geophysical programs for generating new exploration targets with significant resource upside potential along strike and down dip of the 15 km long main mineralized horizon and on additional zones including M-Zone, A51-Zone, West Zone Extension, West Zone South and South Discovery Zone (Figure 1).

Based on the new Technical Report, planned new metallurgical tests, community engagement programs and economic evaluation and infrastructure and environmental studies for low-carbon footprint mine development at the Ferguson Lake Project.

TORONTO, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian North Resources Inc. (Canadian North or the Company) (TSXV: CNRI; OTCQX: CNRSF; FSE: EO0 (E-O-zero)) is pleased to report its operational and financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Dr. Kaihui Yang, the President and CEO, commented: During this quarter, we filed the new National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report that demonstrates the Ferguson Lake project is one of the highest-grade and largest undeveloped copper, nickel, cobalt, palladium and platinum projects in North America (Refer to Independent Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ferguson Lake Project, Nunavut, Canada (the Technical Report), prepared by SRK Consulting and Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience Inc., effective March 19, 2024, filed by the Company to the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) through the Internet at https://www.sedarplus.ca/landingpage/ on May 3, 2024. The Technical Report has also been posted on the Companys website at www.cnresources.com).

The Technical Report indicates the definition of substantial Mineral Resources (Table 1) and 80% of the Indicated Mineral Resource is Open Pit (Figure 1), which provides a solid Mineral Resource base for the initial development of a potential large mine. We are conducting follow-up metallurgical testing, including new technologies such as bio-hydrometallurgy, and have started the Community Engagement programs, reconnaissance access, infrastructure and environmental studies for a low-carbon footprint mine development plan at the Ferguson Lake Project.

The Technical Report indicates high potential for resource expansion along the strike and down dip of the 15-main mineralized horizon and within a number of undefined mineralization zones and prospective areas. We have planned the geological and geophysical evaluation programs to identify targets along the confirmed the high-grade mineralized zones at the Ferguson Lake Project.





Figure 1, Geological map showing mineralization zones. The Mineral Resources incorporate West, Central and East Zones.



Table 1: Mineral Resource Statement*, Ferguson Lake Project, Nunavut, SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., March 19, 2024

Mineral Resource Statement, Ferguson Lake Project, Canada. SRK Consulting (Canada)., March 19, 2024 Mining

Method

Category

Tonnes

(Mt)

Grade Material Content NSR Cu Ni Co Pd Pt Cu Ni Co Pd Pt (US$/t) (%) (%) (%) g/t g/t (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) ('000oz) ('000oz) Open Pit

Indicated 52.7 149 0.65 0.43 0.05 0.97 0.17 755.7 497.2 57.7 1,647 295 Inferred 4.0 159 0.65 0.50 0.06 0.88 0.17 56.7 43.4 5.3 111 21 Underground

Indicated 13.5 243 1.13 0.61 0.07 1.60 0.29 336.8 181.0 21.6 692 124 Inferred 21.9 231 1.04 0.60 0.07 1.53 0.26 501.0 289.7 34.4 1,081 184 Total

Indicated 66.1 168 0.75 0.47 0.05 1.10 0.19 1,092.5 678.2 79.3 2,340 419 Inferred 25.9 220 0.98 0.58 0.07 1.43 0.25 557.8 333.1 39.6 1,192 205

Mineral Resource Estimation Notes

The Mineral Resource estimation work including construction of geological solids, grade estimation, associated sensitivity analyses, and Mineral Resource classification was completed by Joycelyn Smith, P.Geo. (PGO#2963), under supervision of Mr. Glen Cole, P.Geo. (PGO#1416), an appropriate independent Qualified Person as this term is defined in National Instrument 43-101.

The Mineral Resources have been estimated in conformity with generally accepted Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices Guidelines (November 2019) and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument (NI) 43-101.

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate.

A total of 18 massive sulphide and two low-sulphide platinum group element (LSPGE) domains were modeled within an overall host gabbroic intrusion to constrain the mineralization.

The Mineral Resources for the Ferguson Lake Project are estimated based 756 boreholes (approximately 226,167 metres) as of November 2, 2023, including 129 boreholes (approximately 35,775 meters) added to the deposit model out of the 39,270 metres completed since the previous Mineral Resource update as on June 13, 2022 (refer to Independent Technical Report, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate, Ferguson Lake Project, Nunavut, Canada, Prepared by Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience Inc. and Francis Minerals Ltd. filed by the Company to Sedar.com on July 13, 2022).

All composites have been capped where appropriate.

The Mineral Resources for the Ferguson Lake Project were estimated using Leapfrog Edge software. The estimation parameters consider 3 passes estimated by Ordinary Kriging with progressively relaxed criteria, including a requirement of 3-4 boreholes in the first pass, 2-3 boreholes in the second pass and at least 4 composites in the third pass. Massive sulphide domains were estimated with hard boundaries, and LSPGE domains were estimated with limited (10m) soft boundaries.

The block classification strategy considers drillhole spacing, geologic confidence and continuity of category. Indicated Mineral Resources were defined for blocks inside geological resource solids estimated within the first two passes and having a nominal drillholes spacing less than 150 metres. Classification results were smoothed to improve continuity.

Mineral Resources are reported in relation to a conceptual pit shell and underground mining shapes. Open pit Mineral Resources include all blocks inside the conceptual shell. Underground mineral resources include blocks not meeting open pit reporting requirements contained within conceptual mining shapes.

Open pit Mineral Resources are reported at a NSR cut-off value of US$33.00 and underground Mineral Resources are reported at a NSR cut-off value of US$96.00. Cut-off values are based on a price of US$4.00 per pound of copper, US$9.00 per pound of nickel, US$22.00 per pound of cobalt, US$1,250 per ounce of palladium, and US$1,150 per ounce of platinum, and recoveries of 95 percent for copper, 51 percent for nickel, 89 percent for cobalt, 76 percent for palladium and 60 percent for platinum for massive sulphide material, and 78 percent for copper, 29 percent for nickel, 48 percent for cobalt, 60 percent for palladium and 70 percent for platinum for LSPGE material, for open pit and underground resources.

The reported Mineral Resource is inclusive of East, Central and West zones along the 15km-long main mineralized horizon.



Quarter 2 of 2024 Highlights:

The Company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $3,775,557

The Company engaged in the following activities in the second quarter:

April 3, 2024, the Company provided an update for the metallurgical testing programs. Metallurgical flotation and gravity test results indicate the reasonable probability of producing three payable copper, nickel and PGM bearing concentrates from the various types of mineralized materials that comprise its National instrument 43-101 Mineral Resource of the Ferguson Lake Project, suggesting a potential low-capital cost option for the project development. Alternatively, hydrometallurgy is considered as an effective option albeit with higher capital and operating cost. The Company will focus on follow-up investigations using new technologies for metal extraction.

April 5, 2024, the Company announced that it has filed with the TSX Venture Exchange a Notice of Intention to Make a Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) which will commence on April 10, 2024 and terminate on April 9, 2025 or the earlier of the date all shares which are subject to the Normal Course Issuer Bid are purchased. In the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company, the market price of the Common Shares does not accurately reflect the value of those shares. As a result, the Company intends to repurchase CNRIs Common Shares that may become available for purchase at prices, which make them an appropriate use of funds of the Company. The Company intends to attempt to acquire up to an aggregate of 5,726,380 of its Common Shares over the next 12-month period, representing approximately 5% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of CNRI.

April 24, 2024, the Company filed the annual financial results and operational updates for 2023. During the year, the Company raised over $17 million for exploration, with cash and cash equivalents of $5,540,312 at the year end. The Company completed an aggressive exploration program with 21,126 meters drilled in 2023 for a cumulative total of 39,270 meters in 145 holes of new diamond drilling to the project database for the updated Mineral Resources estimation reported on March 19, 2024. The statement of the updated Mineral Resources demonstrates the Ferguson Lake project is one of the highest-grade and largest undeveloped critical mineral projects in North America. The Company plans to continue drilling to expand the mineral resources and to conduct follow-up metallurgical testing, commence economic evaluation, infrastructure and environmental studies for a low-carbon footprint mine development plan at the Ferguson Lake Project.

May 6, 2024, the Company filed the Independent Technical Report on the Mineral Resources Estimation for the Ferguson Lake project. The Technical Report supports the definition of the large and high-grade Mineral Resource at the Ferguson Lake Project, including 52.7Mt of high-grade open pit Indicated Mineral Resources at 0.65% Cu, 0.43% Ni, 0.05% Co, 0.97g/t Pd and 0.17% Pt, which provides a solid Mineral Resource base for the initial development of a potential large mine. Mineral Resources are estimated for West, Central and East Zones along the 15km-long main mineralized horizon. The Mineral Resource model indicates potential for continued Mineral Resource expansion along strike and at depth over the mineralized horizon. Significant resource upside potential outside the main mineralized zone is also anticipated when sufficient grid definition drilling is completed on additional zones including M-Zone, A51-Zone, A51 Zone Extension, West Zone South and South Discovery Zone.

May 27, the Company reported the financial results and operational update for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. During the quarter, the Company planned geological and geophysical programs and identified new targets with significant resource upside potential along strike and down dip of the 15 km long main mineralized horizon and on additional zones including M-Zone, A51-Zone, A51 Zone Extension, Small Island and Lake Zone, West Zone South and South Discovery Zone. The Company also planned new metallurgical tests, economic evaluation and infrastructure and environmental studies for low-carbon footprint mine development at the Ferguson Lake Project.

June 19, the Company announced the voting results for the election of its Board of Directors at its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 18, 2024.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2024, the Company reported a net loss and comprehensive loss of $1,227,973 or $0.01 per share.

For the quarter end Financial Statement and Managements Discussion and Analysis, please see the Company website at www.cnresources.com or on SEDAR.

Qualified Person:

Dr. Trevor Boyd, P.Geo. and Technical Advisor for Canadian North Resources, a qualified person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 standards, has reviewed the technical content of this news release and has approved its dissemination.

About Canadian North Resources Inc.

Canadian North Resources Inc. is an exploration and development company focusing on the critical metals for the clean-energy, electric vehicles, battery and high-tech industries. The company is advancing its 100% owned Ferguson Lake nickel, copper, cobalt, palladium, and platinum project in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, Canada.

The Ferguson Lake mining property contains a substantial National Instrument 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate announced on March 19 2024, which include Indicated Mineral Resources of 66.1 million tonnes (Mt) containing 1,093 million pounds (Mlb) copper at 0.75%, 678Mlb nickel at 0.47%, 79.3Mlb cobalt at 0.05%, 2.34 million ounces (Moz) palladium at 1.10gpt and 0.419Moz platinum at 0.19gpt; and Inferred Mineral Resources of 25.9Mt containing 558Mlb copper at 0.98%, 333Mlb nickel at 0.58%, 39.6Mlb cobalt at 0.07%, 1.192Moz palladium at 1.43gpt and 0.205Moz platinum at 0.25gpt. In particular, 80% of the Indicated Mineral Resources is Open Pit with 52.7Mt at 0.65% Cu, 0.43% Ni, 0.05% Co, 0.97g/t Pd and 0.17% Pt, which provides a solid Mineral Resource base for the initial development of a potential large mine. The Mineral Resource model indicates significant potential for resource expansion along strike and at depth over the 15 km long mineralized belt and a number of undefined mineralization zones and prospective areas. (Refer to Independent Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ferguson Lake Project, Nunavut, Canada (the Technical Report), prepared by SRK Consulting and Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience Inc., effective March 19, 2024, filed by the Company to the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) through the Internet at https://www.sedarplus.ca/landingpage/ on May 3, 2024. The Technical Report has also been posted on the Companys website at www.cnresources.com.)

For further information please visit the website at www.cnresources.com, or contact:

Dr. Kaihui Yang, President and CEO

Phone: 905-696-8288 (Canada) 1-888-688-8809 (Toll-Free)

Email: info@cnresources.com

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, estimates, or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect managements expectations regarding the Companys future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/062988b1-73df-44c4-8e99-57e6bfe2d378
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bipsync, a leading provider of research and workflow automation software, today announced its data integration partnership with Preqin, the global leader in alternative assets data, tools, and insights. The Bipsync platform includes access to the latest Preqin data relating to investors, private equity, venture capital, hedge fund data, and more. With this partnership, both Bipsync and Preqin clients can expect a comprehensive picture of their investment universe, in the context of bespoke decision workflows, within the Bipsync environment.

The Bipsync and Preqin partnership is set to benefit clients across all asset classes and strategies  from investors and asset allocators to fund managers. They can seamlessly overlay up-to-date Preqin data with their own proprietary investment research and documents within Bipsync's platform. This integration will create firm-wide efficiencies across fundraising, deal origination, investment screening, pipeline management, due diligence, and other pre- and post-investment workflows.

Benefits of the integration include:

Powering Bipsync capabilities with Preqin data related to investors, fund managers, funds, and contact details  reducing the need for manual input throughout the investment life cycle.

Optimizing complete and comprehensive proprietary research through easy importation of selected Preqin data points that allow for heightened analysis.

Ensuring decision accuracy with automated synchronization of up-to-date Preqin data within Bipsync.



Adding Preqin to the Bipsync ecosystem is great news for our clients, extending access to their preferred datasets in a way thats fully aligned to their unique investment research and diligence workflows, said Graeme Faulds, CEO at Bipsync. It plays to the core value of Bipsync as the single source of truth shared across an organization, combining market-leading external data sources with proprietary research, analysis, processes, and workflows.

Ken Napolitano, Chief Revenue Officer at Preqin said, We are delighted to announce this partnership, working closely with the Bipsync team to ensure financial professionals have access to best-in-class alternative data to allow them to make better decisions. For the past twenty years, Preqin has been working to increase transparency and access across the global alternatives market, and this partnership is very much aligned with this purpose.

To learn more about the Preqin and Bipsync integration, download our partnership info sheet.

About Bipsync

Bipsync is a leading provider of research and workflow management solutions purpose-built for investment management. We use modern technologies, agile processes, and user-centered design to drive speed, agility, quality, and efficiency into our clients' processes to drive better decisions, faster. Bipsync clients span the entire investment management industry across asset class, strategy and size. The worlds largest allocators right through to pre-launch fund managers rely on Bipsync as a single system of record and modern productivity environment to help them power their unique investment processes and drive operational excellence. Today, the firm is headquartered in New York with the product development based in Cardiff, Wales.

To learn more about Bipsync, please visit: www.bipsync.com.

About Preqin

Preqin, the Home of Alternatives, empowers financial professionals who invest in or allocate to alternatives with essential data and insight to make confident decisions. It supports them throughout the entire investment lifecycle with critical information and leading analytics solutions. The company has pioneered rigorous methods of collecting private data for almost 20 years, enabling more than 200,000 professionals globally to streamline how they raise capital, source deals and investments, understand performance, and stay informed. For more information visit www.preqin.com.



Media Contacts

Bipsync

Chau Mai

cmai@bipsync.com

Preqin

Mimi Celeste Taylor

mimiceleste.taylor@preqin.com
CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the summer season comes to an end, Portillos , the fast-casual restaurant concept known for its menu of unrivaled Chicago-style street food, is ready to spice things up and elevate its dessert lineup with the launch of the Salted Caramel Spice Cake. This marks the first new cake offering from Portillo's in over 20 years, joining the brands fan-favorite Chocolate Cake, Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Eclair Cake.



Starting August 27, the new decadent, seasonal treat joins menus nationwide for a limited time and can be enjoyed by the slice, as a whole cake or in Portillos famed Cake Shake. Featuring two layers of moist spice cake iced with salted caramel frosting, the Salted Caramel Spice Cake is the perfect combination of salty and sweet with a little spice to satisfy any craving and any mood.

From our famous chocolate cake to other fan-favorites such as the Strawberry Shortcake, its no secret that Portillos knows how to make delicious and crave-worthy cakes, and our new Salted Caramel Spice Cake is no exception, said Garret Kern, Portillos VP of Strategy and Culinary. As our first new cake in 20 years, we wanted to be sure it would be something guests would love. With the perfect balance of salty, sweet and spice, the Salted Caramel Spice Cake is sure to quickly become a Portillos favorite.

Additionally, for the month of September  or should we say Spice-tember  guests can get a $1 slice of Salted Caramel Spice Cake with the purchase of any entree when dining in or visiting the Portillos drive thru.*

To learn more about Portillos, please visit portillos.com , or follow Portillos on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and TikTok .

*For a limited time in the month of September, starting September 1, 2024, get one (1) $1 slice of Salted Caramel Spice Cake with the purchase of each full-priced entree, while daily supplies last. Limit (5) per ticket. Full cakes, cake shakes, and other cake slices and desserts excluded. Available only at participating restaurants in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin for orders for dine-in and drive-thru. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid on food truck, catering, shipping, or third-party website orders. No cash value. Tax not included. Limited time offer.

ABOUT PORTILLOs

In 1963, Dick Portillo invested $1,100 into a small trailer to open the first Portillos hot dog stand in Villa Park, Ill., which he called The Dog House. Years later, Portillos has grown to include more than 85 restaurants across 10 states. Portillos is best known for its Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, char-grilled burgers, fresh salads and famous chocolate cake. Portillos favorites are available through its fast-growing catering business. Portillos also ships food to all 50 states via Portillos.com .

CONTACT

PortillosPR@icrinc.com
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UnitedLex , a leading data and professional services company specializing in litigation, intellectual property, contracts, compliance, and legal operations, today announces the appointment of Steve Schley as Executive Vice President of Intellectual Property. Joe Dearing, who has led the IP business for the last six years, will continue to work alongside Schley with a focus on client relationships and service delivery.



In his new role, Schley serves on the Senior Leadership Team and leads the companys IP business with a focus on growing its comprehensive suite of tech-enabled patent and trademark services.

What attracted me to UnitedLex was the teams unique ability to support and bring expertise to all four corners of IP management: administrative, legal, strategic, and technical, said Schley. I look forward to building on the growth and successes to date under Joes leadership.

Schley brings a wealth of leadership experience and a proven track record in growing businesses within the IP, legal operations, and eDiscovery sectors across North America and Europe. His extensive background includes building technology and service solutions alongside Fortune 500 IP leaders in various client-facing roles at CPA Global and Clarivate. During this time, he led the European market expansion of Foundation IP, the industrys first cloud-based IP management platform. Schleys career in legal services also includes leadership roles at companies such as Kroll Ontrack and ContractPodAi.

Steve brings leadership and expertise related to both the economics and technical intricacies of IP management, said James Schellhase, CEO of UnitedLex. I am confident that he will make a quick and significant impact, developing and delivering new solutions to meet the evolving needs of our global IP client base.

On Sept. 5, Schley will attend LegalOps.coms Running Legal Like a Business conference in Las Vegas where he will speak on a panel discussing the growing role of ALSPs in IP operations.

In 16 years, UnitedLex has grown from five employees to more than 3,000 across nine offices in 26 global jurisdictions, including a well-established team of over 1,600 operating across two locations in India, Gurugram and Bengaluru.

To learn more about UnitedLex, visit www.unitedlex.com .

About UnitedLex

UnitedLex is a data and professional services company delivering outcomes that create value for high-performing law firms and corporate legal departments in the areas of digital litigation, intellectual property, contracts, compliance, and legal operations. Founded in 2006 with a mission to push the boundaries of legal innovation, we provide solutions that enable measurable performance improvement, risk mitigation, revenue gain, cost reduction, and digital business synergy. Our team of 3,000+ legal, data, and technology professionals supports our clients from operational centers around the world.

Media Inquiries

Susan Hammann

Director of Strategic Communications

press@unitedlex.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d229450-4efb-45f8-9e2d-2bf0e873f60f
Pune, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Industry Analysis:

As per the SNS Insider Research, The Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market size was valued at US$ 3.04 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$ 5.25 billion by 2032 and grow at a CAGR of 5.62% over the forecast period of 2024-2032.



Regulatory Pressures Drive 25% Increase in Remote Monitoring Systems driving the Oil & gas pipeline leak detection market.



Increasing regulatory pressures to prevent environmental contamination and ensure operational safety are driving the adoption of advanced leak detection technologies. Additionally, the rising cost of oil and gas has made pipeline leaks more economically burdensome, incentivizing companies to invest in leak detection solutions.



Furthermore, technological advancements in sensors, data analytics, and artificial intelligence are enabling more accurate and efficient leak detection. This is evidenced by 30% rise in the use of machine learning algorithms in the past year.

Acoustic Leak Detection Systems Offer 20% Accuracy Boost, Enhanced by the rising technological advancement.



There is a growing demand for advanced technologies, such as acoustic leak detection systems, which can improve detection accuracy compared to conventional methods. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms can enhance leak detection capabilities by analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying patterns indicative of leaks.

Moreover, there is a need for more efficient and cost-effective leak repair solutions, particularly for underground pipelines. Developing innovative repair techniques that minimize downtime and environmental impact can address a pressing industry challenge.





Get a Sample Report of Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market@ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/1200

Major Players Analysis Listed in this Report are:

Honeywell International, Inc.

Atmos International Inc.

Siemens AG

FLIR Systems Inc.

Schneider Electric SA

Bridger Photonics Inc.

ClampOn AS

Pentair PLC

Pure Technologies Ltd.

Ttk-Leak Detection System

Yokogawa Electric Corporation

Other Players

Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Report Scope:

Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2023 US$ 3.04 Billion Market Size by 2032 US$ 5.25 Billion CAGR CAGR 5.62% From 2024 to 2032 Base Year 2023 Forecast Period 2024-2032 Historical Data 2020-2022 Market Restraints  Financial challenges are constraining the implementation of advanced leak detection systems.

SNS Insider analysis of key segments and their market share:



Within the Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection market, the oil and condensate segment is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for energy resources. This segment accounts for 65% of the overall market share, driven by the growing number of oil and gas pipelines worldwide. However, advancements in acoustic and ultrasonic technologies are enabling more accurate and efficient detection of leaks in these pipelines.



The onshore segment of the oil and gas pipeline leak detection market currently holds a 65% share, driven by the extensive network of existing pipelines. However, the offshore segment is experiencing rapid growth, with a 25% increase in demand over the past year. This rise is attributed to increased exploration activities in deep-water regions and the stringent safety regulations imposed on offshore operations.

Do you have any queries or need any customization research on Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market, Make an Enquiry Now@ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/1200

Regional Dynamics: Metrics explaining key factors of growth and overall Oil & gas pipeline leak detection market study.



Middle East and Africa, driven by increased exploration and production activities, are experiencing a 25% rise in demand for advanced leak detection technologies. North America, while mature, is still investing in innovative solutions to enhance pipeline safety, with a 15% growth in the adoption of drone-based inspections. Asia-Pacific, particularly China and India, is witnessing a 20% increase in the deployment of remote monitoring systems due to rising energy demand and environmental concerns.



Political Trends and their impact on Oil & Gas Pipeline leak detection market



In recent years, there has been a significant increase in government initiatives and regulations aimed at preventing pipeline leaks and minimizing their environmental impact. For instance, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has implemented stricter regulations regarding pipeline integrity management plans and leak detection systems.



In Europe, the European Union has introduced directives to enhance pipeline safety and reduce the risk of accidents. These regulatory changes have driven a 25% increase in the adoption of advanced leak detection technologies within the industry.

Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Segmentation:

By Medium

Oil and condensate

Natural gas

By Technology

Acoustic/Ultrasonic

E-RTTM

Fiber Optic

Mass/Volume Balance

Thermal Imaging

Laser Absorption and LiDAR

Vapor Sensing

By Location

Onshore

Offshore

Competitive Scenarios: Analysis of Market Competition, Strategy:



Companies like Perceptron and Baker Hughes are investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve leak detection accuracy and efficiency. For instance, Perceptron's AI-powered leak detection system has shown a 25% reduction in false alarms compared to traditional methods.

Additionally, strategic collaborations between technology providers and pipeline operators are accelerating the adoption of new solutions. Baker Hughes has partnered with several major oil & gas companies to pilot innovative leak detection technologies, demonstrating a commitment to industry-wide advancement.

Regional Coverage

 North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

 Europe (Eastern Europe [Poland, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Rest of Eastern Europe] Western Europe] Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Rest of Western Europe])

 Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Rest of Asia Pacific)

 Middle East & Africa (Middle East [UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Rest of Middle East])

 Africa [Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of Africa]

 Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia Rest of Latin America)

Buy a Single-User PDF of Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Analysis & Outlook Report 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/1200

Key Takeaways:

The oil and gas pipeline leak detection market are experiencing a surge in demand, driven by increasing regulatory pressures and the need to mitigate environmental risks.





Growing emphasis on advanced technologies, such as drones and artificial intelligence, to enhance leak detection capabilities. Moreover, there's a shift towards real-time monitoring systems that enable immediate identification and response to leaks.





The Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market is witnessing a rise in the adoption of cloud-based solutions for data analysis and remote management.





There's a growing focus on predictive maintenance strategies, utilizing data analytics to anticipate potential leaks and proactively address them.

Table of Contents  Major Key Points

1. Introduction

2. Executive Summary

3. Research Methodology

4. Market Dynamics Impact Analysis

5. Statistical Insights and Trends Reporting

6. Competitive Landscape

7. Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Segmentation, by Medium

8. Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Segmentation, by Technology

9. Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Segmentation, by Location

10. Regional Analysis

11. Company Profiles

12. Use Cases and Best Practices

13. Conclusion

Access Complete Report Details of Oil & Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Market Analysis 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/oil-and-gas-pipeline-leak-detection-market-1200

[For more information or need any customization research mail us at info@snsinsider.com]

About Us:

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.
Johnstown, PA, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is honored to be included in U.S. Veterans Magazines Top Veteran-Friendly Employers list for 2024. This is the fourth year that CTC has made the list: U.S. Veterans Magazine Fall 2024.

Each year, U.S. Veterans Magazine and DiversityComm conduct select evaluations of the nations employers, supplier diversity programs, industry leaders, law enforcement & government agencies, and schools. The goal is not only to bring the latest information and guidance to their readers but to encourage active outreach and veteran policies among corporations and government agencies.

We are very honored by this recognition, especially considering selection for the list is based solely on the publications independent process and not from any input from the organizations themselves, said Edward J. Sheehan, Jr., CTC President and CEO. We thank U.S. Veterans Magazine for recognizing CTC and all veteran-friendly organizations. And we are grateful for our many active military and veteran employees, who take immense pride in the innovative solutions we develop to support our warfighters and bolster national security.

In addition to the Top Veteran-Friendly Employers recognition, CTC has been named a Military Times Best for Vets employer 12 times and has earned numerous awards from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense organization established to promote cooperation and understanding between Service members and their civilian employers. Further, CTC is a member of the Veteran Jobs Mission, a coalition of more than 315 companies committed to addressing the most pressing needs of veterans and military spouses in finding and keeping jobs.

Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization. CTC collaborates with its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corporation, to provide transformative, full lifecycle solutions through research, development, test, and evaluation work. To best serve our clients needs, we offer the complete ability to fully design, develop, test, prototype and build. We deliver robust, technical, and innovative solutions that safeguard our national security, retain U.S. technological advantage, and ensure the primacy of American manufacturing. For more information about CTC, visit www.ctc.com.

Attachment
Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Gaskets & Seals Market - Focused Insights 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global gaskets and seals market is expected to reach a value of $100.72 billion by 2029 from $72.03 billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 5.75%

The global gaskets and seals market report contains exclusive data on 40 vendors. The market's competitive landscape is fragmented, characterized by several major players and numerous regional and local manufacturers. A few major players dominate the market in terms of market share.

Some companies currently dominating the market are Dana, Datwyler, Dechengwang, ElringKlinger, Flowserve, Freudenberg Sealing Technology, SKF, Smiths Group, Tenneco, and Trelleborg. Key strategies include product innovation, mergers and acquisitions, and partnerships to enhance market presence, expand geographical reach, and collaborate with OEMs and other industry stakeholders to develop integrated solutions and improve market reach.

The APAC region dominates with the largest global gaskets and seals market share. The region's abundant raw materials and advanced technologies are key drivers for the gaskets and seals market, with China leading in steel and polymer resin production. Despite the impact of the US-China trade war, domestic demand has sustained the market.

China's push for electric and hybrid vehicles and favorable government policies in India, Japan, and South Korea have created opportunities for gaskets and seals manufacturers. The automotive parts industry is highly competitive, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and optimizing designs for better performance.

MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS



Increasing Demand for Gaskets and Seals In Electric Vehicles (EVs)



The rising demand for gaskets and seals in electric vehicles (EVs) is driven by several factors contributing to their critical role in EVs' performance, efficiency, and longevity. Gaskets and seals in EV batteries protect against dust, moisture, and heat. They maintain the integrity of the battery pack by preventing external contaminants from entering and internal fluids from leaking out. Gaskets and seals help maintain the battery's integrity by preventing electrolytes and other fluids from leaking outside the battery pack in case of a rupture. This containment is critical for both safety and environmental protection. Effective thermal management is vital for the optimal performance of EV batteries, electric motors, and power electronics.



Incorporating 3D Printing in Gasket and Seal Manufacturing



3D printing is an additive manufacturing technique that creates three-dimensional gasket and seal products by layering material according to predesigned models. Incorporating 3D printing in gasket and seal manufacturing is gaining momentum due to its numerous benefits and transformative potential. This trend reshapes the gaskets and seals market, enhancing production processes, product performance, and customization capabilities. 3D printing allows for the creation of highly customized gaskets and seals tailored to specific applications and requirements. This flexibility is particularly valuable in industries with unique or complex sealing needs.

In the automotive industry, 3D printing creates custom gaskets for specific engine models, improving performance and reducing the risk of leaks. The ability to produce gaskets and seals on demand significantly reduces lead times and production costs. 3D printing eliminates costly molds and tooling, allowing more efficient production processes. 3D printing facilitates the use of advanced materials such as fluoroelastomers, thermoplastics, and silicone with improved properties, enhancing the performance and durability of gaskets and seals.

Incorporating 3D printing in gasket and seal manufacturing transforms the industry by offering unprecedented customization, reducing lead times and costs, enabling material innovation, allowing for complex geometries and functional integration, supporting sustainability, and enhancing performance and durability.



Innovative Designs in the Manufacturing Sector



The adoption of innovative designs in the manufacturing sector is a significant driver for the market. These advancements boost market growth by improving gaskets and seals' functionality, efficiency, and sustainability. Adopting advanced design technologies, increased R&D spending, and shifting towards more efficient and flexible manufacturing processes contribute to this trend. Advanced design technologies like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) have revolutionized the production of gaskets and seals. CAD software allows manufacturers to create detailed three-dimensional models and visual prototypes of gaskets and seals.

This enables precise design specifications and thorough testing before physical production. Integrating CAM with CAD systems streamlines the transition from design to production, ensuring accuracy and consistency in manufacturing processes. Innovative design technologies significantly reduce the cost and time of developing new gaskets and seals. Traditional manufacturing methods often rely on molds, which can be costly and time-consuming. CAD designs eliminate the need for molds, speeding up the prototyping process.



INDUSTRY RESTRAINTS

Price Volatility of Raw Materials



Price volatility of raw materials is a significant challenge in the market, affecting manufacturing costs, pricing strategies, and overall market stability. This volatility stems from various factors, including fluctuations in supply and demand, geopolitical tensions, and economic conditions. The supply and demand for raw materials used in gaskets and seals, such as rubber, metal, and various polymers, can be highly unpredictable. Factors such as natural disasters, changes in production capacities, and shifts in global demand can cause sudden price changes. Manufacturers face higher production costs when raw material prices spike, squeezing profit margins. Volatile raw material costs make setting stable pricing for finished products challenging, potentially leading to frequent price adjustments and customer dissatisfaction.



SEGMENT INSIGHTS

INSIGHT BY PRODUCT TYPE



The seals segment holds the largest market share in 2023. Seals are essential to prevent leaks, maintain pressure, and protect against contaminants in industrial settings.

They operate in static, like bolt entry points, and dynamic scenarios, such as the interface between engine components, ensuring optimal machine performance and safety. The market for seals is expanding due to the increasing adoption of customized solutions across various industries, particularly for applications requiring leak-proof performance under high temperatures and pressures. Continuous improvements in mechanical performance also contribute significantly to market growth. Seals enhance efficiency and productivity by ensuring proper bearing system lubrication and preventing contamination.

INSIGHT BY MATERIAL TYPE



The global gaskets and seals market by material type is categorized into metallic and non-metallic. The non-metallic segment shows prominent growth, with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Non-metallic gaskets, often called soft gaskets, are flexible materials capable of compressing under reduced bolt load, ensuring effective sealing in various industrial applications. These gasket sheets encompass many materials, including rubber types, flexible graphite, non-asbestos products, high-temperature sheets, and PTFE. They are found to be extensively used in heat exchangers, pipe flanges, valve bonnets, and compressors suitable for medium- and high-pressure environments. Non-metallic seals are preferred in aerospace for their lightweight nature, which helps enhance fuel efficiency and payload capacity - a critical consideration in aviation. They also offer excellent chemical resistance, making them suitable for aggressive fluid and propellant applications.

INSIGHT BY END-USE



By end use, the OEMs market segment dominates with the largest global gaskets and seals market share. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) play a critical role in various industries by producing products and parts that are branded and sold by others. While gaskets and seals may seem small, they are indispensable components for OEMs across automotive, industrial machinery, electrical appliances, aerospace, and shipbuilding sectors. These industries are witnessing growth in production facilities and establishments, thus helping segmental growth.

INSIGHT BY APPLICATION



The industrial machinery application segment holds the largest global gaskets and seals market share in 2023. In industrial machinery, gaskets and seals are crucial across various sectors, such as packaging, construction, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, and food and beverages. These components are essential for ensuring the integrity of machinery and equipment, preventing leaks, and maintaining operational efficiency. Furthermore, across various industries globally, there is a notable adoption of new technologies and advancements in product design and efficiency. OEMs and aftermarket vendors in the machinery sector focus on delivering innovative solutions that surpass traditional performance standards.

KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

How big is the global gaskets and seals market?

Who are the major players in the global gaskets and seals market?

What is the growth rate of the global gaskets and seals market?

Which region dominates the global gaskets and seals market share?

What are the key drivers of the global gaskets and seals market?

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 152 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $72.03 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $100.72 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.7% Regions Covered Global



Key Vendors

Dana

Datwyler

Dechengwang

ElringKlinger

Flowserve Corporation

Freudenberg Sealing Technology

SKF

Smiths Group

Tenneco

Trelleborg

Other Prominent Vendors

Cooper Standard

Bruss

Enpro

Saint-Gobain

Dimer

KLINGER

SSP Manufacturing

W.L. Gore & Associates

Armacell

Parker Hannifin

Flexitallic

Advanced Seals & Gaskets

Erith

Lamons

A.J. Rubber & Sponge

The Rubber Company

N. K. Rubber Industries

AMG Sealing

IGP Engineers

Phelps

AccroSeal

Vicone

Seal & Design

Mechanicals Seals Germany

Polymax

DuPont

Kaman

Teadit

Frenzelit

Sanwa Packing Industry

By Application

Industrial Machinery

Automotive

Electricals & Electronics

Aerospace Industry

Marine & Rail

Others

By Material Type

Metallic

Non-metallic

By End Use

OEMs

After Market

By Product Type

Seals

Gaskets

By Seals

Shaft Seals

Molded Seals

Motor Vehicle Seals

Other Seals

By Gaskets

Jacketed Gaskets

Solid Gaskets

Spiral Wound Gaskets

Kammprofile Gaskets

Other Gaskets

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/domlhr

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.

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Dallas, TX, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is excited to announce the start of its 11th Annual Peanut Butter Drive as part of Hunger Action Month. Running through September, this initiative aims to collect $300,000 and 100,000 pounds of peanut butter to support local families and children in need.

This drive unites communities, businesses, and organizations across the region to gather jars of peanut butter, a nutritious, child-friendly, and shelf-stable food item. These donations will be distributed through NTFBs Food 4 Kids backpack program and a network of nearly 500 food pantries and partner organizations.

Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, highlighted the urgency of the need: The number of people struggling with hunger in our 13-county service area is staggeringequivalent to filling the American Airlines Center 39 times, with around 40% being children. Last year, we achieved a historic milestone by distributing 106 million meals across our service area. This drive is crucial in helping us bridge the hunger gap through the simple yet impactful donation of peanut butter.

For the second year in a row, the drive will encompass all 13 counties NTFB serves. Thanks to the efforts of local mayors and community leaders, the 2023 drive successfully collected $264,698 and 78,367 pounds of peanut butter.

Residents and businesses can contribute by participating in a virtual food drive or donating jars of peanut butter. Details for hosting and promoting a virtual drive with friends or colleagues are available at www.ntfb.org/peanutbutterdrive. Every dollar donated to the campaign helps NTFB purchase additional peanut butter for families in need.

Jars of any brand of 16-ounce plastic peanut or nut butter can be dropped off at the North Texas Food Banks Perot Family Campus, located at 3677 Mapleshade Lane in Plano. Additionally, State Fair of Texas attendees can support the drive by bringing two jars of peanut butter on opening day, September 27, to receive discounted admission.

For more information on how to get involved in the Annual Peanut Butter Drive, visit www.ntfb.org/peanutbutterdrive.

####

About the North Texas Food Bank

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 100 million nutritious meals annually to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.

Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. Additionally, we are honored to be ranked 89th on Forbes' 2023 Top 100 Charities in America. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit www.ntfb.org or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BC Hydro has begun the process of filling the reservoir behind the almost complete Site C dam, a major milestone in the projects development.



Even if the Site C dam were fully operational today, BC Hydro would still be relying on imported electricity to meet the province's current domestic energy needs, noted Barry Penner, Chair of the Energy Futures Institute. This underscores the significant challenges facing British Columbia's energy infrastructure as it copes with increasing demands driven in part by energy policies.

The provincial government has legislated that 90% of all new personal vehicle sales by the 2030 model year must be electric vehicles (EVs), rising to 100% by 2035. There is a $20,000 penalty per vehicle that exceeds the quota for non-EVs. A study authored by Jerome Gessaroli in April 2024 ( Report: A Road Too Far ) revealed if all passenger vehicles on our roads were EVs, it would require roughly the same amount of electricity as two more Site C dams. At the same time, the CleanBC policy calls for effectively phasing-out natural gas as a source of home and commercial heating across the province starting in 2030 for new construction, creating additional demand for electricity.

While the Site C dam is expected to generate 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity in a normal water year after it becomes fully operational next year, this 8% addition to BCs power supply is less than half of the amount of electricity imported by BC Hydro last year, noted Penner. Since then, electricity imports from the USA and Alberta have accelerated. The current drought highlights the downside of not diversifying sources of electricity, with more than 90% of British Columbias installed capacity dependent on adequate flows of water.

Last month, the Energy Futures Institute released 10 recommendations for a provincial energy plan to ensure reliable, affordable energy to support BCs continued economic growth and living standards: Report: Meeting B.C.s Energy Needs . The report calls for an increase and diversification of made-in-BC electricity supply, and for reversing current plans to wind down existing power generation facilities. It also recommends tempering policies which add strain and costs to the energy system, such as the 90% electric vehicle mandate by 2030 and restricting the use of natural gas for new residential and commercial buildings.

Media Contact:

Aanush Shah

aanush@resourceworks.com

c. 587 578-9935



Energy Futures Institutes 10 Recommendations

Undertake comprehensive cost/benefit analysis and economic impact assessments for all energy and climate policies. Promote greater transparency by implementing a real-time public dashboard showing electricity production, use, & imports/exports for British Columbia. Add reliability to the legislated energy objectives. By adding electricity reliability to the existing list of statutory priorities  affordability, rate stability, self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability  this important objective has a better chance of not being overlooked. In light of rapidly growing power needs, dramatically increase domestic electricity production by considering all available solutions and cancel current plans to decommission existing power generation facilities. Support First Nations reconciliation projects with flexible options for participation, and adequate transmission infrastructure & electricity supply. Upgrade the electricity grid to address infrastructure gaps. Expand natural gas transmission and hydrogen infrastructure to support domestic needs and energy exports. Adopt a global perspective on emissions  leverage LNG exports to support global emissions reduction and energy security for allied countries. Assert Provincial jurisdiction over energy policy  prevent municipalities from banning natural gas hookups for new construction and commit to not implementing a province-wide gas ban. Revisit electric vehicle sales quotas, replace with emission standards.

Background:



Barry Penner, KC

Barry Penner served as BCs Minister of Environment, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Attorney General during his four terms as a MLA. Penner represented Chilliwack in the BC Legislature from 1996 to 2012. During this time, he also served as both President and Vice President for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) and chaired a number of Legislative Committees. As Minister of Environment, Penner introduced BCs first climate action plan which included North Americas first revenue-neutral carbon tax.



Penner was named Chair for the Energy Futures Institute in December 2023.



Energy Futures Institute

The Energy Futures Institute is a Resource Works-led project bringing a fresh perspective to discussions surrounding the future of energy in British Columbia.

Energy Futures has been exploring some of the greatest challenges facing British Columbias energy security, affordability and independence, working to answer the big questions on how we meet BCs growing energy demand while protecting our environment, not just today but for the coming decades and century ahead.

Resource Works



Resource Works is a public-interest advocacy and communications not-for-profit organization based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their mission is to reignite the promise of Canada's economic future by leading respectful, inclusive and fact-based dialogue on natural resource development.

Resource Works helps show how resources have "worked" for citizens in the past and how they can continue to do so in a new era defined by environmental responsibility and reconciliation. We communicate the importance of resource sectors to personal well-being and opportunity, demonstrating how responsible development creates jobs and incomes, both directly and indirectly, while maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
Shelton, Connecticut, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With over 100 years of combined experience, Constitution Investment Advisory & Portfolio Management (CIAPM) has helped clients achieve their financial goals. This has extended to serving the investment needs of individuals and families spanning through two, three, and four generations. However, the true success of this company is due to the visionary founder Tony Bavedas.

The firms clientele includes multiple generations of families. At the core of CIAPM's investment philosophy is Tonys son, Greg Bavedas, saying, Clients should know what they own. Many investors hold many different mutual funds or structured products that obscure the true nature of their investments. People often pay high fees on these products in addition to the management fees for their portfolios,. Instead, CIAPM focuses on individual stocks, primarily in large, well-established U.S. companies that can weather economic storms better than smaller firms and provide significant international exposure through their global operations.

The firms personalized approach ensures that each client receives tailored advice and investment strategies that align with their specific goals. Greg carries a similar philosophy with a unique catchphrase eating our own cooking. The firms portfolio often mirrors what the Bavedas family themselves own. He says, There is often an 80% correlation between what we own and what our clients own.

What sets CIAPM apart from competitors is the selling of covered call options where there are many tax advantages. IRA account holders dont pay taxes on the money coming into their IRA from call option selling. Also, Tony says the call option money taken into an IRA account is very helpful to an elderly person who is required to take minimum distributions yearly.

In a taxable account, the money from call option selling is a short-term gain if the call option is not exercised. If it is exercised and the underlying stock has been held for a year and a day or longer, the sale of the stock, if at a profit, represents a long-term gain, and the call option money is treated as a long-term gain as well, no matter how long it was sold for. In addition, if an investor has a tax loss carry forward in his taxable account, that tax loss carry forward can be used to shelter or offset any gains from selling call options in subsequent years. However, Tony always recommends that investors check with their tax advisor.

Tony feels strongly that selling covered calls on large high-quality companies in a portfolio is one of the most conservative strategies used in stock market investing. He has said that a call option is a wasting asset, and therefore, if its underlying stock is not moving up in price enough to go above the exercise price of the call option by the call options expiration date, then the calls value will waste away to zero. He thinks selling far out of the money-covered call options on a good stock portfolio is a lot more conservative than just owning the portfolio and not selling calls.

In managing accounts, Tony will only sell covered call options for clients after they have been thoroughly educated about the possibility of an upside opportunity loss (if a stock moves up substantially above the exercise price of the option) and the bigger potential downside loss if a stock should fall in price. For clients to have a complete understanding, Tony also explains what motivates speculators to buy call options.

Tony thinks many more 501C3 non-profits should consider selling far out of the money-covered call options on the stocks in their portfolios. Many of them must distribute 5% of their assets each year, and therefore, the call option money would be helpful.

CIAPM is basically a portfolio management company but will sometimes write financial plans for clients, as Tony has been a Certified Financial Planner since 1979. He thinks how much money a person has at retirement time is most important. It is very difficult for someone with $500,000 to have as good of a retirement plan as someone with $5,000,000.

Tony Bavedas, founder of Constitution Investment Advisory & Portfolio Management (CIAPM), loved playing poker when he was in high school and college. At that time, he didnt know anything about stock market investing because his family basically lived week to week financially. In college, he was an Economics major and was required to take a course on investing. His professor invited a local stockbroker to speak to his class. Tony thought it sounded like a great poker game and decided he wanted to secure a job with a brokerage firm.

In the summer of 1967, firms werent interested in hiring a very young man with no experience or connections. After being turned down by nine firms, he was given an offer by the manager of the Merrill Lynch office in New Haven, Connecticut. The Merrill manager put him through a 2-year training program, where he did back-office jobs and worked as the sales assistant to the two most successful brokers in the office. In the fall of 1969, he attended the Merrill Lynch training school in New York.

He was finally a registered representative in January of 1970. As a result of working for Merrill Lynch in New Haven, Tony got to know some members of the Yale University community. He ended up having several Yale professors as clients, including four Department Chairmen. One Yale Medical School student started doing business with him in 1971 and is a retired doctor still doing business with him today.

Today, Tony has his own Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm called Constitution Investment Advisory & Portfolio Management (CIAPM). In managing portfolios for clients, his team is oriented toward the objectives of income and growth. Each account has a mixture of high-quality, low-beta value stocks, some U.S. Treasury Bills, and a few of the magnificent seven companies.

As CIAPM looks to the future, the firm is well-positioned to continue its legacy of excellence under the leadership of Tonys son, Greg Bavedas, Senior Vice President and Managing Director.



Media Contact:

Name: Tony Bavedas

Email : tony@constitutioncc.com


Chicago, IL and Pennsauken, NJ, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HAAS Alert, a company with the largest commercially deployed vehicle-to-everything (V2X) safety network powered by its Safety Cloud digital alerting platform, and Information Logistics (ILOG), offering IRIS LocateTMa new addition to its traveler communications platformsare thrilled to announce their collaboration on a strategic partnership that will significantly enhance road safety and efficiency.

This integration brings real-time information from ILOGs IRIS Locate platform into Safety Cloud. IRIS Locate is a text message-based system that allows roadside assistance to quickly pinpoint the location of travelers in distress through a simple link, accessible to any motorist without the need for apps.

By combining these innovative technologies, the partnership aims to create a more comprehensive and responsive communication network enhancing the ability to alert everyday drivers of emergency vehicles and locations of disabled vehicles. This solution will expedite assistance to those in need and encourage drivers to slow down and move over in a timely manner to protect disabled motorists and first responders.

Key Features of the New Solution:

Real-Time Alerts: Immediate notifications about nearby emergency vehicles, road hazards and locations of disabled vehicles are sent up to 30 seconds before drivers encounter them.

Immediate notifications about nearby emergency vehicles, road hazards and locations of disabled vehicles are sent up to 30 seconds before drivers encounter them. Enhanced Traffic Management: Integration with advanced traffic systems to reduce congestion and secondary crashes.

Integration with advanced traffic systems to reduce congestion and secondary crashes. Safety First: Prioritization of the safety of all road users by providing timely and accurate warning information.

We are delighted to partner with ILOG to provide disabled vehicle location warnings to Safety Cloud users, said Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert. These location-specific alert messages will appear on Stellantis in-vehicle infotainment systems and to smartphones enabled with leading navigation apps like Waze to allow drivers to safely slow down and move over.

ILOG is committed to leveraging technology to alert and warn drivers of road safety issues, added Beth Abruscato, CEO of Information Logistics. This collaboration with HAAS Alert represents a significant step forward in our mission to create safer and more efficient transportation roadway networks.

Both HAAS Alert and ILOG are confident that this cooperative effort will set a new standard for intelligent transportation systems and contribute to the development of safer, smarter roadways.

About HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert's mission is to build lifesaving mobility solutions that make vehicles and roads safer and smarter. Their vision is a connected, collision-free world where everyone gets home safely. HAAS Alert makes roads and communities safer by delivering digital alerts from emergency response, municipal and private fleets, work zones, and connected infrastructure to nearby drivers through its vehicle communication platform.

For more information, visit https://www.haasalert.com

CAbout Information Logistics

Information Logistics' (ILOG) mission is to alert travelers to problems on their journeys and keep them safe. Since 1997, ILOG has been a pioneer in traveler information systems, offering solutions including Highway Emergency Linked Platform (HELP) Alerts, 511 systems, the GeoTalker mobile app, wireless emergency alerts, and IRIS Locate. ILOG is known for its responsive customer service and skilled engineering teams, focused on delivering reliable and innovative traveler information technology solutions.

For more information, visit https://ilogcorp.com







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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2019-2029F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market was valued at USD 44.5 million in 2023 and is expected to reach at USD 75.7 Million in 2029 and project robust growth in the forecast period with a CAGR of 9.1% through 2029

The Saudi Arabia accounting software market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the country's accelerating digital transformation and evolving regulatory landscape. As Saudi Arabia continues to diversify its economy and move towards Vision 2030, businesses are increasingly adopting advanced accounting software to enhance financial management, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with stringent regulations. The implementation of VAT and other financial reporting requirements has further spurred demand for sophisticated accounting solutions that can handle complex transactions and provide accurate, real-time financial insights.

Additionally, the rise in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the push for improved financial transparency are fueling the adoption of modern accounting software. Leading vendors are responding with innovative solutions that offer features such as cloud-based access, automated reporting, and integration with other business systems. The market is characterized by a growing preference for scalable and flexible software solutions that cater to the diverse needs of businesses across various sectors. As technological advancements continue to reshape the financial landscape, the Saudi accounting software market is poised for continued expansion, offering significant opportunities for both local and international software providers.

Adoption of Cloud-Based Solutions



The shift towards cloud-based accounting solutions is a prominent trend in the Saudi Arabian market. Cloud computing offers significant advantages, including cost savings, scalability, and accessibility. For businesses in Saudi Arabia, adopting cloud-based accounting software means they can reduce IT infrastructure costs, as there is no need for on-premises servers or extensive hardware investments. Cloud solutions also provide the flexibility to scale resources according to business needs, which is particularly beneficial for growing enterprises.

Additionally, cloud-based systems offer remote access, allowing users to manage their accounting tasks from anywhere, which aligns with the increasing trend of remote and hybrid work environments. Enhanced data security measures and automatic updates further make cloud solutions attractive, as they ensure the latest features and compliance standards are consistently met without manual intervention. This shift is reflective of a broader global trend towards cloud adoption and is accelerating in Saudi Arabia as businesses seek more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective financial management solutions.



Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)



The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into accounting software is gaining momentum in Saudi Arabia. AI and ML technologies enhance the functionality of accounting software by automating complex tasks, such as data entry, reconciliation, and fraud detection. These technologies enable predictive analytics, providing businesses with valuable insights into financial trends and potential future scenarios.

For instance, AI-driven software can analyze vast amounts of financial data to identify anomalies or irregularities, thereby improving accuracy and reducing the risk of errors. Machine learning algorithms can also learn from historical data to forecast financial performance and optimize decision-making processes. This trend is part of a broader movement towards leveraging advanced technologies to enhance operational efficiency and gain a competitive edge. As Saudi businesses increasingly seek sophisticated solutions that offer deeper insights and automation, the incorporation of AI and ML into accounting software becomes a significant market trend.



Increased Focus on Regulatory Compliance Features



There is a growing emphasis on incorporating robust regulatory compliance features within accounting software in Saudi Arabia. With the implementation of VAT and other financial regulations, businesses face increased scrutiny and need for accurate reporting. Accounting software providers are responding by integrating comprehensive compliance tools that ensure adherence to local and international standards. These features include automated tax calculations, real-time reporting, and audit trails that facilitate transparency and reduce the risk of non-compliance.

As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, accounting software must offer dynamic updates and customization options to stay aligned with the latest rules. This focus on compliance is crucial for businesses seeking to avoid penalties and maintain a good standing with regulatory authorities. The trend towards enhanced compliance features underscores the importance of reliable and up-to-date accounting software in navigating the complex regulatory landscape in Saudi Arabia.



Rise of Customized and Industry-Specific Solutions



The demand for customized and industry-specific accounting software solutions is increasing in Saudi Arabia. Businesses across various sectors, including manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, require specialized features that cater to their unique operational needs and industry requirements. Customized solutions provide tailored functionalities that address specific challenges, such as inventory management in retail or cost tracking in manufacturing.

Vendors are responding to this trend by offering more adaptable software platforms that can be configured to meet the diverse needs of different industries. This shift towards industry-specific solutions allows businesses to benefit from software that is better aligned with their operational processes, improving efficiency and accuracy. As Saudi Arabia's economy diversifies and different sectors continue to grow, the demand for specialized accounting software that supports unique business models and compliance needs is expected to rise, driving innovation and customization in the market.



Enhanced Focus on User Experience and Usability



Improving user experience and usability is becoming a central focus in the Saudi Arabian accounting software market. As businesses seek to streamline financial operations, the ease of use of accounting software has become a crucial factor in decision-making. Providers are increasingly investing in intuitive user interfaces, simplified navigation, and customizable dashboards to enhance the overall user experience. This trend is driven by the need to reduce training time, minimize errors, and improve productivity.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 86 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $44.5 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $75.7 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.1% Regions Covered Saudi Arabia



Report Scope:

Key Market Players

Intuit Inc.

Sage Group plc

Oracle Corporation

SAP SE

Microsoft Corporation

Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd.

Epicor Software Corporation

Infor Inc.

Acumatica Inc.

Zeta Software LLC

Saudi Accounting Software Market, By Component:

Software

Services

Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market, By Enterprise Size:

Large Enterprises

Small And Medium Enterprises

Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market, By Type:

Spreadsheets

ERP

Custom Accounting Software

Tax Management

Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market, By End-Use Industry:

BFSI

IT & Telecommunication

Others

Saudi Arabia Accounting Software Market, By Region:

Riyadh

Makkah

Madinah

Jeddah

Tabuk

Eastern Province

Rest of Saudi Arabia

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fu5eof

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.

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Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LBMC Technology Solutions, a leader in providing cutting-edge technology solutions and support, is proud to announce the addition of Misty Palek, a seasoned construction industry expert, to head its Sage Intacct Construction practice. This strategic move underscores LBMC Techs commitment to expanding its footprint in the construction sector and continuing its legacy of delivering top-tier technology solutions.

Im thrilled to join the LBMC Technology Solutions team, providing innovative solutions to the unique challenges facing the construction, real estate and development organizations today, said Palek. I have the privilege of helping organizations with complex challenges leverage the right technology to grow and scale their business, allowing business owners and leaders to focus on what they do best  building bigger and better companies.

President Bryan Wilton highlighted the strategic importance of Mistys appointment, stating, The addition of Misty to our team marks a significant milestone in our growth journey within the construction and real estate sectors. As we embrace the advancements in technology, we are excited to empower our clients to revolutionize their back-office operations. The era of remote work initiated a wave of change in 2020, and we are poised to lead the charge into Digital Transformation 2.0, reshaping the finance department and beyond.

With a robust background in Sage Intacct Implementation, Accounting, and Construction, Palek is poised to enhance the companys service offerings. Her involvement with many construction focused groups, such as The User Group (TUG for CRE), highlights her dedication to community collaboration and user support.

Misty Paleks appointment is a testament to LBMC Techs dedication to innovation and excellence. The company looks forward to leveraging her extensive experience to enhance its service offerings and support the construction and real estate industrys evolving needs.

We are going to market with solutions specific to the construction industry. LBMC has simplified an often over engineered process for those contractors, specialty contractors and development companies that have a lot of moving parts that can overwhelm back-office teams. Our solutions accelerate implementation and adoption, allowing for a streamlined and virtually painless implementation, adoption, and acceleration process, said Wilton.

LBMC Technology Solutions offerings will include:

Sage Intacct Construction Essentials: Basic functionality for Core finance users: Primary back-office finance applications for construction companies, general contractors and specialty contractors.

Primary back-office finance applications for construction companies, general contractors and specialty contractors. Sage Intacct Construction + Sage Intacct Construction Management: Primary finance and accounting software for construction companies with project and job cost management. This suite of solutions streamlines construction cost management, billing and finance for growing organizations with multiple entities and locations.

Primary finance and accounting software for construction companies with project and job cost management. This suite of solutions streamlines construction cost management, billing and finance for growing organizations with multiple entities and locations. Sage Intacct Construction + Sage Intacct Construction Management + Sage Intacct Field Operations: A solution for companies with field services teams and complex billing needs including AIA billing, project and job costing and real-time reporting and compliance needs.

A solution for companies with field services teams and complex billing needs including AIA billing, project and job costing and real-time reporting and compliance needs. Sage Intacct Construction + Sage Intacct Real Estate: An ideal solution for companies who manage a portfolio of properties in addition to the construction and job management needs. Property management, marinas and storage companies face unique challenges when it comes to managing property and leases, especially if multi-entity or multi-state. LBMCs solution streamlines inefficiencies, standardizes process and adheres to every-changing tax and reporting regulations.

Palek has amassed a large following in the construction and real estate industries, leading user groups and regularly appearing in media and podcasts discussing top challenges facing construction management and finance teams today. Misty holds a BA in Business Administration from Simpson College and a BS in Computer Science from Southern New Hampshire University, with a minor in Agile Project Management. Her career includes impactful roles at Aprio, UHY, Palek Consulting, and Prairie Engineering, specializing in Sage Intacct Construction and Real-Estate for over 25 years.

In addition to its construction and real estate service offerings, LBMC Tech also specializes in technology sales, implementation and support for healthcare companies, nonprofit organizations and those companies in the tech sector. For more information about LBMC Technology Solutions and its services, please visit LBMCTech.com.

About LBMC Technology Solutions

LBMC Technology Solutions is a premier provider of technology support and services, specializing in cloud accounting, ERP solutions, Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity, and Intelligent Automation. With a rich history spanning over two decades and a commitment to client satisfaction, LBMC Tech continues to be recognized as a leader in the technology services industry. For more information, reach out to Nicole Brinson, Nicole.Brinson@LBMC.com.

About LBMC

LBMC is a 2024 USA Today Top Recommended Firm, one of the Southeasts largest accounting and business consulting firms, and an Accounting Today Top Firm in the Nation serving approximately 11,000 clients with diverse needs across a spectrum of industries. Primary client groups include privately-owned and private-equity-backed middle market companies in the healthcare, manufacturing/distribution, real estate, and technology spaces. At the forefront of innovation, LBMC leverages advanced business intelligence and AI technologies to drive growth, efficiency, and strategic insights for our clients. Founded in 1984 as a traditional accounting firm, LBMC today is an industry leader in audit, tax, advisory, technology, human resources, and wealth advisory services for businesses and individuals. LBMC has more than 900 team members, with offices in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; and Charlotte, North Carolina. A four-time national certified Great Place to Work, LBMC was also named a Best Workplace in Consulting & Professional Services. For more information on LBMCs experts and comprehensive services, visit our website or call 615.377.4600. LBMC is growing, and job opportunities can be found on our careers page.

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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Japan Diesel Genset Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2020-2030F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Japan Diesel Genset Market was valued at USD 1.22 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 1.69 Billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 5.42% during the forecast period.



The Japan diesel genset market is witnessing significant growth driven by a combination of industrial expansion, technological advancements, and increasing power reliability concerns. Japan, being one of the world's leading industrial and technological hubs, has a continuous demand for reliable power solutions to ensure the smooth operation of its diverse industries, including manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, and telecommunications.

Diesel generators, known for their robustness and reliability, play a crucial role in providing backup power during outages and in remote locations where grid connectivity may be less stable. One of the primary factors contributing to the growth of the diesel genset market in Japan is the country's frequent exposure to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and typhoons, which can disrupt the power supply

These events highlight the importance of having reliable backup power systems in place to mitigate the impact of power interruptions on both commercial and residential sectors. The Japanese government and businesses alike are increasingly investing in diesel generators to enhance their disaster preparedness and ensure operational continuity.



Additionally, the ongoing technological advancements in diesel generator efficiency and emissions control are propelling market growth. Modern diesel gensets are becoming more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, addressing the stringent environmental regulations in Japan. These improvements make diesel generators an attractive option for businesses looking to balance reliability with sustainability. The integration of smart technologies and remote monitoring systems also enhances the operational efficiency and maintenance of diesel gensets, providing added value to end-users.



The commercial sector in Japan is a significant driver of the diesel genset market. The expanding number of data centers, hospitals, retail outlets, and office buildings requires dependable power solutions to maintain uninterrupted operations. Data centers, in particular, demand high-capacity generators to ensure data integrity and prevent downtime. The healthcare sector, with its critical need for reliable power to support medical equipment and facilities, further underscores the importance of diesel gensets.



Moreover, the industrial sector's growth, particularly in manufacturing and construction, contributes to the demand for diesel generators. These sectors often operate in remote or off-grid locations where a stable power supply is essential for productivity and safety. The versatility of diesel gensets in providing both primary and backup power solutions makes them indispensable in such settings.

Increasing Demand for Backup Power in Data Centers



One of the prominent trends in the Japan diesel genset market is the increasing demand for backup power in data centers. Japan's data center industry is expanding rapidly due to the growing reliance on digital infrastructure, cloud computing, and data storage needs. Data centers require a reliable and uninterrupted power supply to ensure the integrity and availability of critical data. Any power outage can lead to significant financial losses and operational disruptions. Diesel generators are preferred as backup power solutions in data centers because of their reliability, quick start-up time, and ability to provide continuous power during prolonged outages. T

he rise in data center construction, especially in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka, is driving the demand for high-capacity diesel gensets. Additionally, the integration of advanced monitoring and control systems in modern diesel generators enhances their efficiency and reliability, making them a vital component of data center power infrastructure. As the digital economy continues to grow, the trend of increasing demand for backup power in data centers is expected to sustain the growth of the diesel genset market in Japan.



Adoption of Hybrid Power Solutions



Another significant trend in the Japan diesel genset market is the adoption of hybrid power solutions. Hybrid power systems, which combine diesel generators with renewable energy sources such as solar or wind, are gaining popularity due to their ability to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Japan's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable energy integration is driving the adoption of these hybrid systems. Hybrid power solutions offer several advantages, including lower fuel consumption, reduced operational costs, and decreased environmental impact.

In remote or off-grid areas, hybrid systems provide a reliable and sustainable power solution, combining the consistency of diesel generators with the environmental benefits of renewables. The development of advanced energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, further enhances the viability of hybrid power systems by storing excess energy generated from renewable sources for later use. This trend is expected to drive innovation in the diesel genset market, with manufacturers focusing on developing more efficient and environmentally friendly hybrid power solutions to meet the evolving energy needs of various sectors in Japan.



Technological Advancements in Emission Control



Technological advancements in emission control are a crucial trend shaping the Japan diesel genset market. As environmental regulations in Japan become increasingly stringent, there is a growing need for diesel generators that comply with these standards. Manufacturers are investing in research and development to enhance the efficiency and reduce the emissions of diesel gensets. Innovations such as advanced fuel injection systems, exhaust after-treatment technologies, and particulate filters are being integrated into modern diesel generators to minimize their environmental impact. These advancements not only help in meeting regulatory requirements but also improve the overall performance and lifespan of the generators.

Additionally, the development of smart and connected diesel gensets, equipped with remote monitoring and diagnostics capabilities, allows for real-time tracking of performance and emissions. This enables operators to optimize generator operation, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure compliance with environmental standards. As technological advancements continue to evolve, the trend towards more efficient and cleaner diesel generators is expected to drive the growth and competitiveness of the diesel genset market in Japan.



Rising Industrial and Infrastructural Development



Rising industrial and infrastructural development in Japan is another key trend driving the diesel genset market. The Japanese government's focus on revitalizing the economy through infrastructure projects, including the construction of new highways, railways, and urban development projects, is creating a significant demand for reliable power solutions. Diesel generators are essential in construction sites to power machinery, tools, and temporary facilities, ensuring uninterrupted progress.

Furthermore, the industrial sector, which includes manufacturing, mining, and agriculture, relies heavily on diesel gensets for both primary and backup power needs. The ability of diesel generators to provide consistent power in off-grid or remote locations makes them indispensable for industrial operations.

As Japan continues to invest in infrastructure and industrial growth, the demand for diesel gensets is expected to rise. Additionally, the focus on modernizing existing infrastructure and expanding renewable energy projects also contributes to the increased need for diesel generators as reliable backup power sources during transitions and upgrades.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 84 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.22 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $1.69 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.4% Regions Covered Japan



Report Scope:

Key Market Players

Caterpillar Inc.

Cummins Inc.

Rolls-Royce plc

Generac Holdings Inc.

Kohler Co.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Perkins Engines Company Limited

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.

Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited

Wartsila Corporation

Doosan Corporation

Deere & Company

Japan Diesel Genset Market, By Capacity:

0-100 kVA

101-350 kVA

351-1000 kVA

Above 1000 kVA

Japan Diesel Genset Market, By Application:

Standby Power

Prime Power

Peak Shaving

Cogeneration

Japan Diesel Genset Market, By End-User:

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Government

Japan Diesel Genset Market, By Fuel Type:

Biodiesel

Hybrid

Japan Diesel Genset Market, By Region:

Hokkaido

Tohoku

Kanto

Chubu

Kinki/Kansai

Chugoku

Shikoku

Kyushu

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ye3m4a

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.

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Jerome, I.D., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Idaho Milk Products, a global leader in milk proteins and sustainable milk processing, is announcing a significant broadening of its business. The plans unveiled today include the construction of a $200 million dual ice cream and powder blending facility at its Jerome, Idaho campus. The companys entry into the ice cream business comes with a focus on premium indulgent and functional recipes in both bulk and novelty formats, while blending capabilities will support the ice cream business and create capabilities to provide custom formulations to both existing and new customers.

John Murphy, VP of Operations at Idaho Milk Products, explained that construction of the custom designed 183,000 square foot plant will commence within the next two months and be substantially complete by early 2026 with full commercial production by May 2026. Commenting further on the companys commercial strategy, Kevin Quinn, VP of Sales & Marketing, said, We have the freshest, best quality cream in the market, and the project was initially born out of the conviction to add incremental value to a portion of that product stream. The inclusion of a blending facility in the new plant creates new ways to service our customers and add to the benefits of our vertically integrated model.

We work hard every day to maintain our position as a global leader in Milk Protein Concentrates (MPC) and Isolates (MPI), said Daragh Maccabee, CEO of Idaho Milk Products, emphasizing that our commitment to this core business remains. At the same time, we constantly seek out new ways to add value to our milk, always doing so in a way that is sustainable for the longer term. Our vision for this plant is to build on the strength of our existing business, leverage our Milk Innovation Center, the strength of our R&D team and the unique synergies that this business will create.

The team at Idaho Milk Products believes that this project builds on the companys purpose, is a natural extension of its existing model and has the potential to create one of the worlds most sustainable ice cream businesses. The production facility, located in the Dairy heartland of Idahos Magic Valley, has received support from the immensely collaborative leadership of the City of Jerome administration and the State of Idaho.

###

About Idaho Milk Products Idaho Milk Products is a privately held, vertically integrated international milk processing leader. It supplies Milk Protein Isolate (MPI), Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC), Milk Permeate Powder (MPP), and Fresh Cream to customers around the globe. Owned by local Idaho dairy farmers, Idaho Milk Products has a dedicated, consistent and sustainable milk supply, has significantly invested in its innovation capabilities and partners with its customers to provide customized and reliable quality dairy ingredients. For more information, visit idahomilkproducts.com.

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CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Britannica Education , a global leader in reliable, award-winning classroom solutions, today announced comprehensive redesigns across its two flagship platforms, Britannica School and Britannica Library. As schools resume, they can prepare for streamlined content, vibrant interactive media, and smoother navigation that collectively quicken access to a wealth of information and enhance learning experiences.

The redesigns aim to serve K-12 students and educators with:

Revamped Article Layouts : Articles now feature enhanced visuals, an OpenDyslexic font, and intuitive buttons, with information organized in bulleted lists and interspersed with fun facts for improved digestibility.

: Articles now feature enhanced visuals, an OpenDyslexic font, and intuitive buttons, with information organized in bulleted lists and interspersed with fun facts for improved digestibility. Enhanced Media Features : Articles begin with instant previews and easy access to all media, enhanced by integrated visuals that provide context and improve readability.

: Articles begin with instant previews and easy access to all media, enhanced by integrated visuals that provide context and improve readability. Interactive Content : Explore hundreds of rich, interactive media pieces designed to boost engagement and deepen understanding through active content exploration.

: Explore hundreds of rich, interactive media pieces designed to boost engagement and deepen understanding through active content exploration. Multilingual Support for Early Elementary: An easy toggle between English and Spanish boosts language acquisition and accessibility, seamlessly translating articles and all related media into native Spanish.

These redesigns reaffirm our dedication to enhancing educational experiences through continuous innovation and user-focused design, aimed at meeting the needs of today's diverse student population, said Joan Jacobsen, Chief Product Officer with Britannica Education. Trustworthy, reliable content delivered in the most optimal way has always been the hallmark of Britannica's educational solutions.

Jacobsen also highlighted the upcoming launch this fall of Teach Britannica, a dynamic hub of educator resources that leverages Britannica's trusted content. Seamlessly integrated within our platforms, it will be designed for diverse educational settings and offer free, advanced toolslesson minis, instructional strategies, and graphic organizersfor effective lesson planning.

During the 2023-24 school year, Britannica's platforms were among the most accessed EdTech solutions by students and educators across the United States. See if your state is among the nineteen benefiting from our partnerships, or discover how to access your Britannica School or Britannica Library subscriptions today by visiting our Access Information page.

About Britannica Education

Throughout our more than 250-year history, Britannica Education, a part of the Britannica Group, has become a global leader in digital educational technology and content. We partner with educators, school districts, libraries, ministries, and media companies worldwide to inspire student curiosity and provide trusted, comprehensive resources to meet evolving teaching and learning needs. Discover Britannica Education's innovative digital solutions and professional learning services at britannicaeducation.com .

# # #

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Dublin, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2019-2029F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market was valued at USD 173.06 Million in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 279.10 Million by 2029 with a CAGR of 8.13%



The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Diesel Genset market is characterized by robust growth, driven by the country's rapid industrialization, infrastructural development, and energy demands. Diesel generators are pivotal in the UAE, providing essential backup power solutions for various sectors, including commercial, industrial, and residential applications. The UAE's strategic location as a global business hub and its ambitious infrastructure projects, including skyscrapers, commercial complexes, and extensive transportation networks, create a continuous demand for reliable and high-capacity power solutions.





In recent years, the UAE has witnessed significant economic diversification, with sectors such as tourism, healthcare, and data centers expanding rapidly. These industries rely heavily on diesel gensets to ensure uninterrupted power supply, particularly in remote or developing areas where grid reliability may be a concern. The increasing focus on maintaining operational continuity and enhancing energy security has further propelled the demand for diesel generators across various applications.



The UAE's climate presents unique challenges, as extreme temperatures and humidity can strain power systems. Diesel gensets offer a reliable solution to address these challenges, providing consistent power during peak loads and emergencies. Moreover, the country's frequent power outages and the need for backup power systems in critical sectors like healthcare and data centers drive the adoption of diesel gensets.



Technological advancements in diesel genset design, such as improved fuel efficiency and emissions control, are reshaping the market. Modern gensets offer enhanced performance, reduced environmental impact, and lower operating costs, appealing to businesses seeking sustainable and cost-effective power solutions. Additionally, the UAE government's focus on sustainable development and green energy aligns with the evolving market trends, encouraging innovations in diesel generator technologies. The market is also influenced by the UAE's growing emphasis on smart city initiatives and infrastructure upgrades, which integrate advanced power solutions to support urban development. Companies providing diesel gensets are increasingly incorporating digital technologies for monitoring and control, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of their systems.



Market Competition and Pricing Pressures



The UAE Diesel Genset market is highly competitive, with numerous domestic and international players vying for market share. Intense competition puts pressure on pricing, forcing manufacturers and suppliers to continuously innovate while maintaining cost-effectiveness. This competitive landscape can lead to price wars, potentially eroding profit margins and making it challenging for companies to differentiate their products.

To succeed in this environment, businesses must focus on offering high-quality, reliable gensets with advanced features and superior service support. Strategic partnerships, technological innovations, and exceptional customer service can help companies gain a competitive edge and navigate the pricing pressures inherent in this market.



Growth in Industrial and Infrastructure Projects



The UAE Diesel Genset market is significantly influenced by the country's ambitious industrial and infrastructure projects. As the UAE continues to invest in large-scale developments such as new commercial buildings, transportation networks, and smart cities, the demand for reliable power solutions has increased. Diesel generators are crucial for these projects, offering dependable backup power during construction phases and operational support for newly built facilities.

Major projects, such as the expansion of airports, development of free zones, and construction of mega malls and hotels, all require robust power solutions to ensure continuous operations. The industrial sector's growth, driven by sectors such as manufacturing and logistics, further contributes to the increasing demand for high-capacity diesel gensets. This trend is expected to continue as the UAE's vision of becoming a global business hub progresses, driving sustained investment in infrastructure and industrial projects.



Technological Advancements and Efficiency Improvements



Technological advancements are a key trend in the UAE Diesel Genset market, with significant improvements in fuel efficiency, emissions control, and operational performance. Modern diesel gensets now feature advanced technologies such as electronic controls, high-efficiency engines, and integrated monitoring systems. These innovations enhance the reliability and environmental performance of diesel generators, addressing concerns related to fuel consumption and emissions.

The adoption of hybrid systems, combining diesel engines with renewable energy sources, further boosts efficiency and sustainability. As businesses and industries seek to reduce operational costs and meet stringent environmental regulations, the demand for technologically advanced diesel gensets is growing. The market is witnessing a shift towards generators that offer better performance, lower emissions, and reduced operational expenses, aligning with global trends in energy efficiency and sustainability.



Expansion in Remote and Underserved Areas



The expansion of remote and underserved areas in the UAE presents a significant opportunity for diesel gensets. As the country focuses on regional development and urbanization, diesel generators play a crucial role in providing reliable power to areas with limited grid access. Projects in remote regions, such as new residential communities, tourism developments, and industrial facilities, rely on diesel gensets to ensure a steady power supply.

The harsh climate and potential grid instability in these areas further increase the reliance on diesel generators for backup and primary power. The trend of developing infrastructure and services in previously underserved regions drives the demand for diesel gensets, making them an essential component of the UAE's regional development strategy.



Government Initiatives and Sustainability Goals



Government initiatives and sustainability goals are shaping the UAE Diesel Genset market. The UAE government's commitment to sustainable development and green energy is influencing market trends, with increasing emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of diesel generators. Initiatives such as the UAE Vision 2021 and the Green Growth Strategy aim to enhance energy efficiency and promote the use of cleaner technologies. In response, diesel genset manufacturers are investing in research and development to produce generators that comply with stringent environmental standards.

The integration of technologies such as waste heat recovery and advanced emissions control systems reflects the industry's alignment with national sustainability goals. Government incentives and regulations are driving the adoption of cleaner and more efficient diesel genset solutions, influencing market dynamics and encouraging innovation.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 82 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $173.06 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $279.1 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.1% Regions Covered United Arab Emirates

Report Scope:

Key Market Players

Caterpillar Inc.

Cummins Inc.

Rolls-Royce plc

Generac Holdings Inc.

Kohler Co.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Perkins Engines Company Limited

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.

Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited

Wartsila Corporation

Doosan Corporation

Deere & Company

United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By Capacity:

0-100 kVA

101-350 kVA

351-1000 kVA

Above 1000 kVA

United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By Application:

Standby Power

Prime Power

Peak Shaving

Cogeneration

United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By End-User:

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Government

United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By Fuel Type:

Biodiesel

Hybrid

United Arab Emirates Diesel Genset Market, By Region:

Abu Dhabi

Ajman

Dubai

Fujairah

Ras Al Khaimah

Sharjah

Umm Al Quwain

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/g4r618

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
Boussard & Gavaudan Holding Limited (the Company)

a closed-ended investment company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registration number 45582

Legal Entity Identifier: 5493002XNM3W9D6DF327

Notice of Annual General Meeting

In accordance with Listing Rule LR 9.6.1, the Company has submitted a notice (the Notice) of the Companys annual general meeting to be held on Wednesday, 25 September 2024 at 11.30 a.m. to the National Storage Mechanism and it will shortly be available for inspection at

https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstorag e mechanism .

The Notice, together with forms of proxy for use by shareholders to vote at the annual general meeting, is also available from the Shareholder Information section of the Companys website:

https://www.bgholdingltd.com .

For further information please contact:

Boussard & Gavaudan Investment Management, LLP

Emmanuel Gavaudan

+44 20 3751 5389

JTC Fund Solutions (Guernsey) Limited

Secretary

+44 (0) 1481 702400

27 August 2024

Website: www.bgholdingltd.com

The Company is established as a closed-ended investment company domiciled in Guernsey. The Company has been authorised by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission as an authorised closed-ended investment scheme. The Company is registered with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets as a collective investment scheme pursuant to article 2:73 in conjunction with 2:66 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht). The shares of the Company (the "Shares") are listed on Euronext Amsterdam. The Shares are also listed on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange plc's main market for listed securities.

This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to purchase any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of the securities referred to in this announcement in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

Neither the Company nor BG Master Fund ICAV have been, and neither will be, registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"). In addition the securities referenced in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Consequently any such securities may not be offered, sold or otherwise transferred within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, US persons except in accordance with the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom and under circumstances which will not require the issuer of such securities to register under the Investment Company Act. No public offering of any securities will be made in the United States.

You should always bear in mind that:

all investment is subject to risk;

results in the past are no guarantee of future results;

the investment performance of BGHL may go down as well as up. You may not get back all of your original investment; and

if you are in any doubt about the contents of this communication or if you consider making an investment decision, you are advised to seek expert financial advice.

This communication is for information purposes only and the information contained in this communication should not be relied upon as a substitute for financial or other professional advice.

END OF ANNOUNCEMENT

Attachments
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Priority Health, a nationally recognized nonprofit health plan serving more than 1.3 million members, and Curai Health, a leading virtual care provider, have announced a new partnership to offer free virtual visits to Michigan residents 18 and older who are without health coverage  an estimated 400,000 people .



The free virtual visits will be available through December 31, 2024.

This new initiative seeks to address delayed care and poor health outcomes that can result from the lack of health coverage, as well as actively promote access to care, steps to achieving health equity and cost savings for the uninsured population and the health care system.

Oftentimes people who are uninsured dont consider getting care and conditions go unchecked and get worse, said Praveen Thadani, president/CEO of Priority Health. By offering this first step  a free virtual visit option  we hope to remove some of the barriers that prevent people who are uninsured from getting the care they need and deserve. This service is one way we can help improve the health and well-being of our state.

Curai Health uses artificial intelligence to support patient care teams, which are led by dedicated, specially trained licensed clinicians. Curai Health empowers providers with information to deliver better health care, from streamlining information gathering and clinical documentation to providing up-to-date medical knowledge. The company also prioritizes safety and accuracy with a human-in-the-loop approach that provides clinical oversight and expertise, including making diagnoses and final treatment decisions.

Everyone should be able to access high-quality, convenient care, but far too often our health system isnt able to keep up with demand, said Neal Khosla, CEO and cofounder of Curai Health. With the power of AI, our clinicians can help serve more folks in need with virtual care at scale.

Users can connect with a virtual care provider from their phone or computer to address their health concerns. It starts with a visit to priorityhealth.com/freevirtual for a special access code. Once the code is received, users can visit Curai Healths website (CuraiHealth.com) or download the Curai Health app to start their virtual visit.

The virtual visits do not include the cost of prescribed prescriptions or recommended medical care outside Curai Healths virtual visit, or the cost of other services such as labs, specialist visits, surgeries or other medical care or incidentals.

For more information, visit priorityhealth.com/freevirtual .

Priority Health is committed to investing in communities across Michigan, addressing the social determinants of health and disparities in health care access. Examples include installing outdoor Fitness Courts across the state that offer free access to exercise, addressing mental health in children through its Priority Pups program , and awarding grants from the Priority Health Total Health Foundation to nonprofit organizations serving the needs of communities.

Learn more about how Priority Health is making an impact in the 2023 Community Impact Report .

About Priority Health:

With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering an extensive portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals , including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than 1.3 million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. Learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health.

About Curai Health:

Curai Health is a text-first virtual clinic on a mission to democratize access to high-quality, affordable care by leveraging AI. As the pioneer in deploying machine learning into clinical workflows, Curai Health enables its dedicated, specially trained clinicians to deliver primary care to more people at a fraction of the cost. Easy-to-use and convenient, Curai Health partners with insurers and health systems to keep patients engaged in their care over time, improving health outcomes and reducing costs. Backed by leading investors including Morningside Ventures, General Catalyst, and Khosla Ventures, Curai Health has been thoughtfully combining the expertise of clinicians with the efficiencies of artificial intelligence since its founding in 2017.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

SANDY, Utah, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mountain America Credit Union is once again offering educator grants for the 2024-2025 school year. Each year, Mountain America awards 10 grants of up to $2,000 each for K-12 classroom learning projects. Eligible schools must be located within the credit unions six-state footprint of Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico. Membership is not required to apply.

We are thrilled to launch the Mountain America Educator Grant program and warmly invite all educators to apply. We hope these grants will help bring creative learning to life in the upcoming academic year, said Sharlene Wells, senior vice president of public relations and organizational communications at Mountain America Credit Union. This initiative is a heartfelt testament to our dedication to supporting passionate educators who tirelessly shape the future of our communities.

Since 2016, Mountain America has awarded more than 70 grants to teachers and school leaders to support classroom learning. Grants awarded for the 2023-2024 school year funded a wide variety of projects, from hands-on integrated science supplies, handmade electric guitars, social skills curriculum resources, and more.

John Goodman from Bridger Elementary School in Logan, Utah, was among last years recipients. He used the grant to teach students that diversity can be a strength through weekly activities centered on the different countries and languages represented within his school. In Idaho, Mark Waterhouse of Gem State Adventist Academy in Caldwell, Idaho, was able to help students apply math skills to building their own electric guitars. Angelica Abbey, from Frye Elementary School in Chandler, Arizona, needed high interest, low level (hi-lo) books to help encourage reading among students with a wide range of reading abilities in her classroom. These are just a few examples of the wide variety of learning opportunities made possible by these grants.

Mountain America is accepting applications August 7 through September 16, 2024. The 2024-2025 grant recipients will be notified in October 2024. For additional details and to apply, visit macu.com/educator .

To learn more about Mountain America, visit macu.com .

About Mountain America Credit Union

With more than 1 million members and $19 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across six states; and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain Americaguiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com . Insured by NCUA.




27 August 2024 - Reference is made to press release dated 5 July 2024 where Prosafe announced the award of a Letter of Intent from Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited. Prosafe now advises that the contract has been signed, and that the Safe Caledonia will provide accommodation support for Ithaca Energy at the Captain field in the UK sector of the North Sea for a firm period of 6 months commencing June 2025 with up to 3 months of options.

The total value of the contract is approximately USD 26 million to USD 37 million depending on options.

Terje Askvig, CEO of Prosafe says: Prosafe is extremely pleased that we have formalised the LoI into contract and we very much look forward to working closely with Ithaca Energy deploying the Safe Caledonia at the Captain field in the UK. As the market continues to tighten, reactivation of the Safe Caledonia will provide optionality to our clients in the years to come.

For further information, please contact:

Terje Askvig, CEO Phone: +47 952 03 886

Reese McNeel, CFO Phone: +47 415 08 186

Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to https://www.prosafe.com

This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange announcement was published by Line Bliksmark, Marketing and Communications Manager, on August 27th, 2024, at 20:00 CEST.
OTTAWA, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teachers across Canada can now access free, virtual, nature-based workshops from the Canadian Museum of Nature.



Launched in March 2021, the workshops offer live and interactive sessions led by a museum educator where students can explore natural-science topics from the comfort of any Canadian classroom. All the content is adapted to meet the curricula in each province and territory.

Since its inception, the fee-based virtual school program has served 10,000 students in a total of 212 schools across the country.

"By now offering these workshops for free, we make natural science education more accessible to schools that may be facing budget constraints or other challenges, says Angeline Laffin, Vice-President, Experience and Engagement of the Canadian Museum of Nature. "We are striving to create inclusive experiences that inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world."

The three, free virtual workshops include:

Coastal Adventure: High-definition cameras and a microscope provide incredibly detailed views for students to observe live tide-pool creatures in real time. They will learn about the challenges of tide-pool habitats and the amazing adaptations of creatures such as sea stars, urchins, anemones, and more. For Grades 1 to 4, and Grade 6, depending on the province or territory, and for Elementary cycles 1 and 2 in Quebec.

Exploring Rocks and Minerals: This workshop engages students in a highly interactive introduction to geology. Students learn about the rock cycle, various rock types, the practical applications of minerals, as well as how to compare and identify mineral specimens. Like geologists, students will read the stories of rock formation and change. For Grades 3, 4, 5 and 7, depending on the province or territory, and for Elementary cycles 2 and 3, and Secondary cycle 1 in Quebec.

The Ravens Riddles: Students embark upon an avian adventure to solve a mystery in the museums Bird Gallery. Participants piece together evidence from footprints, feathers, food scraps, and audio recordings to uncover hidden truths about bird adaptations. For Grades 1 to 4, and Grade 6, depending on the province or territory, and for Elementary cycles 1 and 2 in Quebec.

The virtual workshops complement the Canadian Museum of Natures existing in-person offerings at the museum in centretown Ottawa. Both virtual and in-person workshops present a diverse selection of curriculum-based experiences.

Our workshops are designed to spark curiosity, foster critical thinking, and cultivate a deep appreciation for science and nature, says Dana Albright, the museums head of programming. We connect teachers with STEM topics using real museum science and specimens. Its an authentic educational program that students can access directly from the classroom.

For additional information and to register, visit nature.ca/workshops.

Thank you to the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for generously supporting school programming at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

The Raven's Riddles Virtual Workshop was developed and is delivered free of charge thanks to the generous support of the Jane Atkinson Smith Foundation.

NOTE: High-resolution images available upon request.

About the Canadian Museum of Nature:

The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada's national museum of natural history and natural sciences. The museum provides evidence-based insights, inspiring experiences, and meaningful engagement with nature's past, present, and future. It achieves this through scientific research, a 15-million-specimen collection, education programs, signature exhibitions, and a dynamic web site, nature.ca.

Media contacts:

Laura McEwen

Media Relations

Canadian Museum of Nature

613-698-7142

lmcewen@nature.ca



Dan Smythe

Media Relations

Canadian Museum of Nature

613-698-9253

dsmythe@nature.ca
Toronto, ON, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A recent survey conducted by Celiac Canada reveals that Canadian universities and colleges are not providing adequate gluten-free accommodations on campus. The survey, which collected responses from 200 students and parents on 61 different institutions, highlights significant challenges faced by individuals with celiac disease.

Key Findings:

70% of respondents reported difficulty accessing gluten-free food on campus.

The average rating for dining hall experiences was 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Only 12% of respondents felt that dining hall staff were knowledgeable about celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 1% of Canadians. Individuals with celiac disease must avoid glutena protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and regular oats. Improper management of food and ingredients can lead to cross-contamination, causing severe symptoms that can last from hours to days such as digestive issues, migraines, joint pain, and extreme fatigue. For people with celiac disease, even the smallest amount of gluten  just crumbs  can make them severely sick for hours up to days impacting participation in school and extra-curricular programs. Long-term gluten exposure can also increase the risk of complications like anemia, osteoporosis, neurological disorders, fertility issues, and certain cancers.

The experience of Sabrina, a student at the University of Waterloo, exemplifies these ongoing challenges. Despite assurances of safe gluten-free options, Sabrina frequently encountered gluten contamination, which led to severe health issues and affected her academic performance. Although her family has been reimbursed for Fall 2023 board fees, they are still seeking reimbursement for Winter 2024.

Additional personal experiences shared by respondents have illuminated the need for more inclusive food programs on campus:

I always had to plan ahead and bring safe food with me. The gluten-free options often ran out halfway through lunch, and cross-contamination was a major concern.

During my tour, I was assured of gluten-free accommodations, but on my first day, I was exposed to gluten.

Unfortunately, these stories of struggle are all too common. Access to safe food is a basic right, yet people with celiac disease are often dismissed, says Melissa Secord, National Executive Director of Celiac Canada. With increased education and awareness, we can improve these statistics and ensure safe access to gluten-free food.

Among the universities surveyed, the University of Guelph stood out for its effective strategies and support systems, creating a more inclusive environment for students with celiac disease. Other institutions making notable efforts include the University of Calgary, Queens University, and Western University.

Celiac Canada is calling on all post-secondary institutions to take immediate action to enhance gluten-free accommodations and create a safer, more inclusive environment for all students. To support students with celiac disease, Celiac Canada has partnered with Nairns to offer comprehensive back-to-school guides for both elementary and post-secondary students. These guides provide essential information on self-advocacy, understanding gluten-free options, and ensuring a safe, inclusive experience.

To access the guides and additional resources, visit Back to School  Celiac Canada

To learn more about Sabrinas story, click here
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitget Wallet, the leading global Web3 wallet with 30 million users, has introduced a pioneering feature that lets users create and access Web3 wallets using their Telegram accounts. This innovation offers a seamless entry into decentralized finance, allowing Telegram users to easily log into a keyless MPC wallet and explore the Web3 world. By eliminating the complexities of private key management, this feature greatly enhances security and user experience, making it simpler than ever to dive into Web3.



Bitget Wallet has consistently focused on driving mass adoption through thoughtful product design, including the launch of its keyless MPC wallet and full support for the Telegram and TON ecosystems. These efforts aim to lower the barriers to Web3, making it more accessible and understandable, especially for those with no technical background or experience with blockchain or crypto. As a key Web3 infrastructure, Bitget Wallet is positioned to bring a large number of Web2 users into the Web3 space via Telegram.

Since October 2023, Bitget Wallet has simplified the process of creating and owning a Web3 wallet. The introduction of the keyless MPC wallet, utilizing enterprise-grade MPC technology, allows users to create a wallet using an email, Google, Apple ID, and now, a Telegram accounteliminating the need to remember complex mnemonic phrases or private keys. This approach is designed to be more user-friendly, secure, and accessible to Web2 users. Bitget Wallet has continued to optimize the user experience across various chains, expanding its keyless MPC wallet support to include TON and Solana, in addition to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other EVM-compatible chains. It is now the first in the industry to offer a keyless MPC wallet solution supporting the TON mainnet.

Alvin Kan, Chief Operating Officer of Bitget Wallet, shared his perspective on the broader implications of this launch, saying, "As Web3 infrastructure continues to integrate with social platforms, we're not just simplifying user experience and access; we're also paving the way for a new era where lines between Web2 and Web3 identities become increasingly fluid. This convergence is leading to a future where social interactions and financial transactions seamlessly coexist on the same platforms, making Web3 a natural extension of our digital lives. As a pioneering innovator in Web3, Bitget Wallet will continue to roll out more features around Telegram and other platforms to drive user adoption." Alvin also announced the upcoming release of a Bitget Wallet Telegram trading bot this week, which will further enhance trading experience with Telegram. This bot will allow users to quickly create wallets, discover and trade tokens, and receive real-time market updates particularly on Smart Money movements, enabling users to capture market trends quicklya feature especially helpful for trading meme coins.

About Bitget Wallet

Bitget Wallet is Asia's largest and a leading global Web3 wallet with over 30 million users worldwide. It offers a comprehensive range of features, including asset management, intelligent market data, swap trading, launchpad, inscribing, NFT, DApp, and token earning center. Currently, it supports more than 100 major blockchains, hundreds of EVM-compatible chains, and over 250,000 cryptocurrencies. Bitget Wallet enhances liquidity by aggregating it across hundreds of top DEXs and cross-chain bridges, facilitating seamless trading on nearly 50 blockchains.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | Discord

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca502991-00c1-4ac2-821a-5bbccd6f6f7a
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

For immediate release

CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Recommended And Final* Cash And Share Acquisition

of

i3 Energy Plc ("i3 Energy")

by

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. ("Gran Tierra")

to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement

under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

27 August 2024

Update on Regulatory Conditions

On 19 August 2024, the boards of directors of i3 Energy and Gran Tierra announced pursuant to Rule 2.7 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "2.7 Announcement") that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended and final* cash and share offer by Gran Tierra for i3 Energy pursuant to which Gran Tierra will acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of i3 Energy (the "Acquisition"), intended to be effected by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement between i3 Energy and i3 Energy Shareholders under Part 26 of the Companies Act (the "Scheme").

Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the 2.7 Announcement, unless the context requires otherwise.

Gran Tierra and i3 Energy are pleased to announce that the advance ruling certificate in respect of the Acquisition under the Competition Act (Canada) has been obtained. As a result, Condition 3(e)(ii) as set out in Part A of Appendix 1 of the 2.7 Announcement has now been satisfied.

The Acquisition will remain subject to certain other Conditions, the approval of the Scheme by the i3 Energy Shareholders, the sanction of the Scheme by the Court, the satisfaction of the NSTA Condition, the Minority Shareholder Protection Condition and the approval of the TSX. The full terms and conditions of the Acquisition will be set out in the Scheme Document which, together with the Forms of Proxy and Forms of Election (and/or where required, Letters of Transmittal) in relation to the Mix and Match Facility, is expected to be published as soon as practicable and in any event within 28 days of the date of the Rule 2.7 Announcement (or such later date as may be agreed by Gran Tierra and i3 Energy with the consent of the Panel). A further announcement will be made as soon as an update is available on satisfaction of the remaining conditions.

Enquiries:

Gran Tierra

Gary Guidry

Ryan Ellson +1 (403) 265 3221 i3 Energy

Majid Shafiq (CEO) c/o Camarco

Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4980 Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Financial Adviser to Gran Tierra)

Callum Stewart

Simon Mensley +44 (0) 20 7710 7600 Eight Capital (Joint Financial Adviser to Gran Tierra)

Tony P. Loria

Matthew Halasz +1 (587) 893 6835 Zeus Capital Limited (Rule 3 Financial Adviser, Nomad and Joint Broker to i3 Energy)

James Joyce, Darshan Patel, Isaac Hooper +44 (0) 203 829 5000 Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities  Canada, ULC (Financial Adviser to i3 Energy)

Brendan Lines +1 403 705 7830



National Bank Financial Inc. (Financial Adviser to i3 Energy)

Tarek Brahim

Arun Chandrasekaran +1 403 410 7749 Camarco

Andrew Turner

Violet Wilson

Sam Morris +44 (0) 203 757 4980

No increase statement

The financial terms of the Acquisition will not be increased save that Gran Tierra reserves the right to revise the financial terms of the Acquisition in the event: (i) a third party, other than Gran Tierra, announces a firm intention to make an offer for i3 Energy on more favourable terms than Gran Tierras Acquisition; or (ii) the Panel otherwise provides its consent.

Important notices

This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to this announcement or otherwise. Any offer, if made, will be made solely by certain offer documentation which will contain the full terms and conditions of any offer, including details of how it may be accepted. The distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and the availability of any offer to shareholders of the Company who are not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of relevant jurisdictions. Therefore, any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom or shareholders of the Company who are not resident in the United Kingdom will need to inform themselves about, and observe any, applicable requirements.

Further Information

This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in relation to the Acquisition or the Scheme or otherwise, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation or solicitation is unlawful.

The Acquisition will be made solely by the Scheme Document, the Forms of Proxy and Forms of Election (and/or where required, Letters of Transmittal), which together contain the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how the Acquisition may be approved.

This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with the laws of England and Wales and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of England and Wales. Nothing in this announcement should be relied on for any other purpose.

This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus exempted document.

Overseas Shareholders

The availability of the Acquisition to i3 Energy Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are resident. Any person outside the United Kingdom or who are subject to the laws and/regulations of another jurisdiction should inform themselves of, and should observe, any applicable legal and/or regulatory requirements.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into or from jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.

Unless otherwise determined by Gran Tierra or required by the Code and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Acquisition by any such use, means, instrumentality or form (including, without limitation, facsimile, email or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) within any Restricted Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this document and all documents relating to the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must observe these restrictions and must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any purported vote in respect of the Acquisition.

Publication on Website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code a copy of this announcement will be available free of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on the investor relations section of Gran Tierra's website at https://www.grantierra.com/investor-relations/recommended-acquisition/ by no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on the business day immediately following this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.
Perth, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perth, Western Australia/August 28, 2024/African focused gold producer Perseus Mining Limited (ASX/TSX: PRU), has released its Annual Report for the financial year ending June 30, 2024 (FY24), which includes Perseuss Annual Financial Report, and its Sustainable Development Report.



highlights

financial performance

Revenue of US$1.026 1 billion (up 7%) 2 , Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$625.2 million (up 13%) 2 and Profit after tax of US$364.8 million (up 14%) 2





billion (up 7%) , Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$625.2 million (up 13%) and Profit after tax of US$364.8 million (up 14%) Basic earnings per share of US$0.236 cents per share (up 12%) 2 resulting in an earnings yield of 13.3% and a price: earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.5 4





resulting in an earnings yield of 13.3% and a price: earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.5 Net cash flow from operating activities of US$429.2 million (up 1%) 2 or US$0.313 3 cents per share resulting in a price: operating cashflow (P/OCF) ratio of 5.7 4





or US$0.313 cents per share resulting in a price: operating cashflow (P/OCF) ratio of 5.7 Net tangible assets of US$1.2 billion or US$0.89 per share per share





US$587.0 million of cash and bullion and zero debt





Final dividend of A$0.0375 per share for FY24 total dividend of A$0.05 per share or 2.1% yield 4





Up to A$100 million to be invested in an on-market share buy-back programme of Perseuss shares over a 12-month period





All references to $ and cents are US dollars unless noted otherwise % increases referenced against Financial Year end 30 June 23 (FY23) Operating cash flow per share is calculated as net cash inflows from operating activities divided by weighted average number of outstanding ordinary shares Dividend yield, as well as P/E and P/OCF ratios are based on Perseuss 20-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) at 30 June 24 of US$1.77 or A$2.376 per share

Sustainability performance

Total economic contribution of ~US$717 million to our host countries of Ghana and Cote dIvoire

Improved Group rolling 12-month Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) of 1.06

96% local employment and 89% local procurement

Zero significant environmental event and one significant community event recorded

Relatively stable emissions intensity at 0.53t CO 2 e per ounce of gold produced, compared to FY23





Perseuss Chairman and CEO Jeff Quartermaine said:

The record financial results that have been delivered by Perseus this financial year reflect the strong gold price environment in which we are currently operating as well as our continued strong, consistent and safe operating performance at all levels of our business throughout the year.

Since our maiden dividend distribution in August 2021, Perseus has returned A$168 million to its shareholders via dividends. Given the strong financial performance recorded this year, our Board has decided to increase the amount of dividends paid to shareholders by declaring a final dividend of A$0.0375 per share, bringing the full FY24 dividend to A$0.05 per share. Perseuss Board has also decided to return a further sum of up to A$100 million to shareholders, by way of an on-market share buy-back over the next 12 months.

In determining these capital returns, we have taken into account the very significant capital investment programme that potentially lies ahead for Perseus as we work to improve the quality of our asset portfolio by developing the Nyanzaga Gold Project in Tanzania, the CMA Underground Project in Cote dIvoire and potentially the Meyas Sand Gold Project in Sudan.

We are also mindful that in addition to investing material sums of money underwriting the future growth of our Company, we need to continue to invest significant sums of money into our social licence to operate by continuing to contribute significantly to the economies of our host countries and host communities and paying salaries and bonuses for good performance to our local and expatriate employees who have delivered these outstanding results.

In other words, Perseus is very focused on delivering on our corporate mission of generating material benefits for all of our stakeholders in fair and equitable proportions. We believe we have achieved this goal in FY24 and have done this in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner. We look forward to continuing to do this for many years to come.

fy24 financial performance

UNIT 30 JUNE 2024 30 JUNE 2023* % VARIANCE Key Financials Revenue US$000 1,025,799 960,447 7 % EBITDA5 US$000 625,240 553,000 13 % Depreciation and amortisation US$000 (142,382 ) (147,796 ) (4 %) Profit before tax US$000 467,103 382,953 22 % Profit after tax US$000 364,755 320,957 14 % Operating cash flow6 US$000 429,178 426,643 1 % Cash and bullion7 US$000 587,193 522,494 12 % Production Gold sold oz 508,669 537,564 (5 %) All-in site cost US$/oz 1,053 959 10 % Average gold price realised US$/oz 2,014 1,803 12 %

*The comparative statements have been restated to show the effect of the voluntary change in presentation currency.

Gross profit from operations before depreciation and amortisation

Net cash inflows from operating activities Including cash, $537 million and 21,570oz bullion on hand, valued at $50 million

Earnings and Cashflow  The Group recorded a net profit after tax of US$364.8 million for the year, compared to US$321.0 million in the previous financial year. The financial results are predominantly based on the following key items:





An increase in revenue resulting from higher gold prices, despite the slight decrease in gold production arising from lower production at Edikan and Yaoure;

A decrease in cost of sales due to the slight decrease in production, which was partially offset by an increase in the cash operating costs;

An income tax expense of $102.3 million compared to a $62.0 million expense in the prior year due to profits at Edikan, coupled with withholding taxes paid on intercompany dividends paid out of Cote d'Ivoire; Depreciation and amortisation expense of $142.4 million, which is a 4% decrease from the previous financial year;





A write down and impairment expense of $0.4 million was taken to account compared with $6.3 million in FY23. Most of the impairment in FY23 related to the conflict in Sudan which resulted in $5.1 million of assets being damaged and consequently impaired in June 2023; and Interest income earned on available cash balances of $11.5 million, which is a $5.5 million increase on FY23.



A total of $429.26 million of operating cashflow was generated during FY24 translating into 31.26 cents per share and $8448 per ounce.

Balance Sheet - At June 30, 2024, the Companys net tangible assets amounted to $1,217 million, or $0.89 per share. Cash and bullion balance at year-end of $5877 million, with no outstanding debt.

Final Dividend & Share Buyback - The Directors have declared a final unfranked dividend of 3.75 Australian cents per share (A$51.5 million or ~US$34.7 million). Together with the interim dividend of 1.25 Australian cents per share declared in February 2024, this brings the total dividend declared by Perseus in FY24 to 5.00 Australian cents per share, which equates to an annual dividend yield of 2.1%.

Shares will go ex-dividend on September 9, 2024 and the record date will be September 10, 2024. Dividends will be paid to shareholders on October 9, 2024 and are unfranked and declared as Conduit Foreign Income (CFI).

8. Operating cash flow per ounce is calculated as net cash inflows from operating activities divided by Gold Sold (oz)

Perseus also announces its intention to undertake an on-market share buy-back. Taking into account Perseuss future expected operating and cash flow requirements, the Board has unanimously approved an on-market share buy-back for up to A$100 million to commence on or about September 24, 2024 and be completed within 12 months.

In accordance with the ASX Listing Rules, the price paid for shares purchased under the buy-back will be no more than 5% above the volume weighted average price of Perseus shares over the five trading days prior to the purchase. However, the actual price paid is subject to prevailing share price and market conditions and will be executed at the Companys discretion.

The buy-back aligns with Perseuss disciplined capital allocation priorities, which include returning cash to shareholders, investing in both organic and M&A driven profitable growth and maintaining a strong balance sheet. The share buy-back will not affect the Company's dividend policy to return an annual dividend yield of at least 1% to its shareholders.

The on-market share buy-back will otherwise be undertaken in accordance with the terms specified in the Appendix 3C released to ASX today. The buy-back will be conducted in the ordinary course of trading over the next 12 months. The final amount of the buy-back and the exact timing of any trades made from time to time will depend on a number of factors including market conditions, Perseuss prevailing share price, its future capital requirements and any unforeseen developments or circumstances that may arise in the course of the buy-back.

Accordingly, there is no assurance that Perseus will buy back any or all of the up to A$100 million worth of shares contemplated. Perseus reserves the right to suspend or terminate the buy-back at any time (having regard to the previously mentioned factors and the best interests of Perseus).

The buy-back will fall within the 10/12 limit permitted under the Australian Corporations Act and does not require shareholder approval. The 10/12 limit for a company proposing a buy-back is 10% of the smallest number of votes attached to Perseus shares at any time during the past 12 months. Consistent with the requirements of the Corporations Act, the Company will immediately cancel any shares acquired by it under the buy-back.

The Directors will not offer any shares into the buy-back.

OUTLOOK for balance of 2024

Gold production and cost guidance for the December 2024 Half Year remain unchanged from that previously reported to the market, namely:

PARAMETER UNITS JUNE 2024 HALF YEAR

(ACTUAL) DECEMBER 2024 HALF YEAR

(FORECAST) 2024 CALENDAR YEAR

(FORECAST) Yaoure Gold Mine Production Ounces 116,478 108,000 to 124,000 224,478 to 240,478 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,103 1,175 to 1,275 1,140 to 1,186 Sissingue Gold Mine Production Ounces 35,489 30,000 to 38,000 65,489 to 73,489 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,578 1,500 to 1,600 1,538 to 1,588 Edikan Gold Mine Production Ounces 96,433 82,000 to 98,000 178,433 to 194,433 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 999 1,200 to 1,300 1,100 to 1,137 PERSEUS GROUP Production Ounces 248,400 220,000 to 260,000 468,400 to 508,400 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,130 1,230 to 1,330 1,182 to 1,223

At the mid-point of the September 2024 quarter, Perseus is on track to comfortably achieve guided gold production and All-in Site Cost ranges for the December 24 Half Year and 2024 Calendar Year.

fy24 sustainability performance

Through another year of excellent performance, Perseus improved the Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) by 12% on FY23. We remain dedicated to the health and safety of our employees and contractors, with a particular focus on creating a safety culture centred around critical control management, visible leadership, care and accountability, and meaningful safety interactions. This has been supported by our deployment of the Safely Home Every Day and the Fatality Risk Management programmes.

Perseus refreshed several policies including Human Rights, Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Environmental and Social Performance policies. Investment in our host communities has continued to deliver lasting and positive impact for the broader stakeholder community, with $3.6 million contributed to our communities in FY24.

In FY25, Perseus will continue to focus on health and safety with emphasis on fatal risks and contractor safety management. In environment, attention will be on establishing long-term water management strategies to minimise our withdrawal of water from bores and surface water bodies. In the social area, the focus will be on the execution of projects identified under our community development funds.

This announcement was approved for release by the Board of Perseus Mining Limited.

Competent Person Statement

All production targets referred to in this release are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code.

Edikan

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Edikan was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report  Edikan Gold Mine, Ghana dated 7 April 2022 continue to apply.

Sissingue, Fimbiasso and Bagoe

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at the Sissingue Gold Mine including Fimbiasso and Bagoe was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report  Sissingue Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 29 May 2015 continue to apply.

Yaoure

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Yaoure was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining announces Open Pit and Underground Ore Reserve update at Yaoure released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report  Yaoure Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 19 December 2023 continue to apply.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information:

This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Yaoure Gold Mine, the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the 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 of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Companys ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
VANCOUVER, Aug. 26, 2024 - Defense Metals Corp. ("Defense Metals" or the "Company"; (TSXV: DEFN) (OTCQB: DFMTF) (FSE: 35D) today announced the resignations of Craig Taylor as Chief Executive Officer and Director, and Len Clough, Director, effective immediately.

Guy de Selliers, Chairman of Defense Metals, commented:

"We are grateful for Craig's contributions to Defense Metals and are saddened to see him leave the company. Under his leadership, the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project has progressed to an advanced stage, with a detailed pre-feasibility study nearing completion and results expected by year-end. Craig has also been instrumental in establishing a strong relationship with the McLeod Lake Indian Band, which, along with the broader support from British Columbia provincial authorities, is vital to the company. On behalf of the Board, management team, and our shareholders, we extend our sincere thanks to Craig for his dedication and achievements at Defense Metals."

Craig Taylor, commented:

"It's time for me to leave Defense Metals to pursue other interests and step back from development of the Wicheeda Project, which I firmly believe is the best of its kind in North America. I take great pride in what we've accomplished and have full confidence that the senior management team, along with the exceptional group of engineers, scientists, and other experts that we've brought together, will do an outstanding job in bringing this project to production in the near future."

The Board of Directors has initiated the search for a new CEO. Pending the appointment of a new CEO, Executive Chairman Guy de Selliers will lead the company, working closely with the Board of Directors, President Luisa Moreno and Lead Independent Director Dale Wallster. In addition, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Interim CFO, Alex Heath, will play a key role in supporting the leadership team and guiding the Company through this transition.

In connection with this transition, the Company has agreed to issue Mr. Taylor an aggregate of 1,600,000 common shares of the Company as part of his severance. The issuance of the shares is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and will be subject to a four-month hold period.

The Company also announces that Len Clough has resigned as a director. Defense Metals extends its sincere gratitude for his contributions and wishes him continued success in his future endeavours.

About Defense Metals Corp. and its Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project

Defense Metals Corp. is focused on the development of its 100% owned, 8,301-hectare (~20,534-acre) Wicheeda REE Project that is located on the traditional territory of the McLeod Lake Indian Band in British Columbia, Canada.

The Wicheeda REE Project, approximately 80 kilometres (~50 miles) northeast of the city of Prince George, is readily accessible by a paved highway and all-weather gravel roads and is close to infrastructure, including hydro power transmission lines and gas pipelines. The nearby Canadian National Railway and major highways allow easy access to the port facilities at Prince Rupert, the closest major North American port to Asia.

Defense Metals is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit:

www.discoverygroup.ca.

For further information, please visit www.defensemetals.com or contact:

Alex Heath

Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Interim CFO

Tel: +1 604-354-2491

Email: alex@defensemetals.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 news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to advancing the Wicheeda REE Project, the expectations and plans for the Wicheeda REE Project, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project, goals and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration and metallurgical results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and development and cost estimates, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain or obtain community acceptance (including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of personnel, materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), risks relating to inaccurate geological, metallurgical, engineering and pricing assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, officers or directors, increase in costs, delayed results, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/defense-metals-announces-ceo-and-director-resignations-302230904.html

SOURCE Defense Metals Corp.
ENDEAVOUR ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH LILIUM

London, 27 August 2024 - Endeavour Mining Plc (LSE:EDV, TSX:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF) ("Endeavour", the "Group" or the "Company") and Lilium Gold ("Lilium") are pleased to announce that they have signed a settlement agreement (the "Agreement"), involving the State of Burkina Faso ("the State"), in respect of the divestment of the Boungou and Wahgnion mines (the "Divestment").

Pursuant to the Agreement, Lilium will transfer the ownership of the Boungou and Wahgnion mines to the State and Endeavour will receive:

A cash consideration of $60 million comprised of: $15 million upfront cash payment $15 million payable by the end of Q3-2024 $30 million payable by the end of Q4-2024

A 3% royalty on up to 400,000 ounces of gold sold from the Wahgnion mine





On this basis, Endeavour and Lilium have agreed to cease the current legal proceedings against each other. Both parties would like to thank the Government of Burkina Faso for its mediation efforts.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Jack Garman

Vice President, Investor Relations

+44 203 011 2723

jack.garman@endeavourmining.com Brunswick Group LLP in London

Carole Cable, Partner

+44 207 404 5959

ccable@brunswickgroup.com

ABOUT ENDEAVOUR MINING PLC

Endeavour Mining is one of the world's senior gold producers and the largest in West Africa, with operating assets across Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso and a strong portfolio of advanced development projects and exploration assets in the highly prospective Birimian Greenstone Belt across West Africa.

A member of the World Gold Council, Endeavour is committed to the principles of responsible mining and delivering sustainable value to its employees, stakeholders and the communities where it operates. Endeavour is listed on the London and Toronto Stock Exchanges, under the symbol EDV.

For more information, please visit www.endeavourmining.com.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements". Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts", and "anticipates".

Forward-looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, 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 the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to international operations; risks related to general economic conditions and credit availability, actual results of current exploration activities, unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; fluctuations in prices of metals including gold; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, increases in market prices of mining consumables, possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; 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; delays in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments in countries in which Endeavour operates. Although Endeavour has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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. Please refer to Endeavour's most recent Annual Information Form filed under its profile at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks affecting Endeavour and its business.

Attachment
Vancouver, August 27, 2024 - Bear Creek Mining Corp. (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") reports its interim condensed consolidated financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2024 ("Q2 2024").

This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements and management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, which are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.bearcreekmining.com). Monetary amounts in this news release are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated and all capitalized terms herein have the same meaning as defined in the Q2 2024 financial statements.

Highlights

Key milestones that occurred during and subsequent to the end of Q2 2024 include:

Produced 9,304 oz of gold and 40,893 oz of silver;

Appointed Mr. Donald Mc Iver to the position of Vice President, Exploration and Geology;

Continuing to make technical changes at Mercedes to improve operating performance;

Enhanced Mercedes' ground control management plan ("GCMP") to overcome historical geotechnical challenges and development deficits;

Completed the North lateral ramp at the Marianas deposit, which includes two important pivots into the north and central ore bodies planned for late 2024 and 2025 production

Completed infrastructure projects at the San Martin deposit, including the new ventilation raise. This will allow acceleration of development by adding additional faces for ore extraction;

Eric Caba, President & CEO, states "Our efforts to optimize fundamental mine processes at Mercedes continued to result in improved gold grades and development meters achieved during Q2 2024. Pivoting development at the Marianas deposit toward driving a new lateral ramp resulted in gold production during the quarter that was lower than the previous two quarters due to restricted available working faces. Operating costs per ounce of gold produced also increased in Q2 2024 despite the effect of improved cost control measures, as a result of higher labour costs accompanying new union agreements settled during the quarter and increased contractor costs. The new Marianas ramp is expected to allow better positioning for ongoing infill drilling and development into other Marianas orebodies in late 2024 that we anticipate will contribute to production in 2025. We also initiated a near-mine and district-wide exploration program that is combining traditional exploration techniques with Machine Learning tools to identify new exploration targets. This work has already generated several new near-mine targets under cover that we are actively investigating. We remain convinced of Mercedes' ability to generate consistent, reliable quarterly production results and steady free cash flow."

Selected Q2 2024 Financial and Production Results

Bear Creek's Mercedes gold mine, located in Sonora, Mexico, produced 9,304 ounces of gold and 40,893 ounces of silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024. During this period 9,155 ounces of gold were sold, of which 825 ounces of gold were delivered under streaming arrangements. Cash cost and all-in-sustaining cost ("AISC") per ounce of gold sold were $1,657 and $2,058, respectively. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures", below.

Mercedes Operating Highlights Q2 2024 Year to Date Gold ounces produced 9,304 21,532 Silver ounces produced 40,893 84,933 Gold ounces sold 9,155 21,834 Cash costs per gold ounce sold (1) $1,657 $1,382 AISC per gold ounce sold (1) $2,058 $1,785 Tonnes mined 93,093 199,458 Tonnes processed 95,727 205,007 Average gold grade mined (g/t) 3.30 3.58 Average gold grade processed (g/t) 3.23 3.48 Recovery rate gold 94% 94% Average realized gold price (2) $2,318 2,163 Development (meters) 2,569 5,349

Financial Results

(millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts) Three Months Ended

June 30, 2024

Revenue $22.1 Comprehensive earnings (loss) after taxes $(11.2) Comprehensive earnings (loss) per share (3) $(0.05) Adjusted earnings (loss) after taxes (1) $(8.6) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share (1)(3)(4) $(0.04) Cash generated from (used in) operating activities $4.8 Cash generated from (used in) investing activities $(5.4) Cash generated from (used in) financing activities $(0.1) Weighted average shares during period 227,594,741 Shares issued and outstanding at end of period 227,650,785

(1) Non-GAAP Measure. Please see "Non-GAAP Measures" below for further information.

(2) Inclusive of final settlement adjustments on sales for non-streamed ounces.

(3) Per share amounts are based on weighted average shares during the period.

(4) Adjusted earnings excludes non-cash items that are significant but not reflective of the underlying operational performance of the Company and are a useful metric as they are an important indicator of the strength of operations and the performance of the Company's core business. Additional information is provided in the Company's Q2 2024 MD&A.

Mercedes Mine, Mexico

The Mercedes mine is a fully mechanized, ramp-access operation that produces gold and silver. Eleven individual deposits have been mined or are in production. Seven additional deposits have been identified and are in the early exploration or drill definition stage. Additional mineralized zones proximal to existing workings have been identified and are at the exploration or drill definition stage.

Exploration

Greenfield exploration drilling continued during Q2 2024 Targets included the San Martin Displacement, Margarita East, Klondike Displacement, Rey de Oro Deep, Diluvio Northwest and Lagunas West targets. Expenditures on this limited program during Q2 2024 totaled $0.6 million. Delineation infill drilling focused on the Marianas, Diluvio West, Intermediate, GAP and Barrancas deposits. Data obtained from this infill drilling will assist in the estimation of new Mineral Resources and the conversion of Resources to Mineral Reserves.

Development

The Company's focus on improving mine development continued through Q2 2024 with 2,569 meters of development advancement achieved during the period. This is in line with the development meters achieved in Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, after steady quarterly improvements over the course of the past financial year, from 1,044 meters in Q1 2023. Development at the Rey de Oro deposit advanced during Q2 2024.

With the completion of the vent raise in San Martin, mining progress improved in Q2 2024 with significant advance in infrastructure development, adding additional operating faces to be mined through the remainder of the year. Bear Creek made the strategic decision in Q1 2024 to discontinue development of the central vertical ramp at the Marianas deposit and to drive a new lateral ramp, which development was completed during Q2 2024. The central vertical ramp was situated in the hanging wall of a significant shear zone, which caused poor round conditions contributing to rock stability issues, cost increases and lower production. The new lateral ramp allows for both development to the north ore body of Marianas and for reestablishment of a new central vertical ramp that is offset from the shear zone of the hanging wall. During Q2 2024, both the Marianas North ore body pivot and the new central ore body vertical ramp pivot were established within the lateral ramp.

Planning for a new tailings storage facility ("TSF3") continued during Q2 2024. A land use permit for TSF3 was issued during Q1 2024, however final permitting has been impacted by bureaucratic delays in the implementation of Mexico's new mining law announced in 2023. Contingency plans for the deposition of tailings are being developed.

Production

Mercedes' Q2 2024 production was comprised of contributions from three main deposit areas: San Martin, Diluvio and Lupita. Q2 2024 production totaled 93,093 tonnes of ore mined at an average mining grade of 3.30 g/t gold, with 95,727 tonnes of ore processed at an average grade of 3.23 g/t gold. The average gold grade of ore processed during Q2 2024 was largely in keeping with the last two quarters, continuing the improvement in grade in comparison to the 2023 average of 2.77 gpt.

The Mercedes Mine had two lost time incidents and no reportable environmental incidents during the three months ended June 30, 2024.

Outlook

San Martin is expected to continue to contribute meaningfully to Mercedes' gold production through the remainder of 2024. Additional contributions are expected from the Rey de Oro, Diluvio and Gap deposits, as well as ongoing production from Marianas.

Work on a new geological and block models continued to progress during Q2 2024 and are being prepared for review by external experts, which is expected to occur during Q4 2024. The continued focus on development as well as delineation and exploration drilling, combine to support the Company's plans for medium and long-term production. Updates to estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources are tentatively expected before year end, pending completion of the first phase of the exploration and infill drilling campaign and approval of the models described above

The Company has commenced a program to delineate new prospects, with the potential to lead to new mineral resources proximal to Mercedes' current operations, to be followed by a second phase of work aimed at expanding the existing interpretation of the remainder of the Mercedes concessions with a view to defining key mineralized systems and new mineralization models. This holistic program integrates Machine Learning tools, aeromagnetic survey data, ground-based geochemistry and geological observations with concomitant interpretations. Additionally, specialized geological consultants have been contracted to better understand the complex structural environment of precious metal deposition at Mercedes and more precisely guide ongoing exploration efforts. Several new possible mineralized structures have been identified including a possible parallel structure to the primary Mercedes vein.

As a result of anticipated variability in Mercedes' production rates for the remainder of 2024, Bear Creek is not providing 2024 production guidance for the Mercedes Mine.

Corani Project

Activities at the Corani Property during the three months ended June 30, 2024 focused primarily on community support initiatives and on progressing a geometallurgical test program. The Company maintains and continues excellent working relationships with local communities.

The Corani geometallurgical program, which commenced in 2023, involved drilling nine holes totaling approximately 1,231 meters, and logging, sampling and assaying the drill core. Assay results were substantially in line with the existing Corani block model. A selection of samples for metallurgical test work were shipped to Base Metallurgical Laboratory in Canada in late 2023 with additional samples sent subsequent to the end of Q2 2024. Final metallurgical results on all submitted samples are expected to be received in late Q3 2024. The purpose of the geometallurgical program is to establish updated data as the Company prepares to resume Corani project financing efforts.

Pending receipt of the results of the geometallurgical test program and if and as Peruvian investment conditions improve, the Company plans restart its efforts to seek the funding necessary to construct the proposed Corani mine. In the meantime, the Company is continuing to focus on maintaining the Corani permits and the project's strong social license.

Overview of Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company recorded revenue of $22.1 million from the sale of gold and silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to $19.9 million for the comparative period of 2023). The cost of goods sold was $15.8 million and depletion, amortization and depreciation amounted to $8.9 million during Q2 2024.

The Company recorded a gross loss from operations of $2.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to a gross loss of $2.8 million the same period a year earlier). Mercedes' Q2 2024 operating costs were negatively impacted by: strengthening of the Mexican peso against the US dollar; increases in labor costs (20% higher than Q2 2023) as a result of the biennial union agreement negotiations that took place during Q2 2024 as well as severance payments due to a reduction in staff; and increases in contractor costs (41% higher than Q2 2023) due to the engagement of additional operations contractor services focused on accelerating mine development and reducing dilution. These cost increases were partially offset by lower material costs, lower cement consumption and lower maintenance costs stemming from the Company's cost reduction efforts.

Spending on the Corani property totalled $1.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2024, a small decrease compared to the same period a year earlier (Q2 2023: $1.9 million) due to decreased consulting costs and higher cost recovery. The Corani expenditures comprise both direct project expenditures and corporate overhead costs. Exploration costs, including maintenance of the Company's Peruvian property interests and exploration at Mercedes, totaled $1.0 million during the quarter (Q2 2023: $0.3 million). This increase is due to increased exploration drilling at Mercedes.

During Q1 2024, the Company closed the Sandstorm Restructuring Agreement (see the Company's news release dated January 22, 2024 and its MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2024). As a part of the restructuring, the Company derecognized deferred revenue associated with Sandstorm Gold Purchase Agreement on January 22, 2024, and determined fair value of the Restructured Sandstorm Gold Stream. Fair value of the Restructured Silver Stream has also been determined as at January 22, 2024. The change in fair value of the Company's stream arrangements as at June 30, 2024 of $1.9 million (as compared with $0.6 million in Q2 2023) is primarily due to change in metals price, remaining deliveries and discount rates utilized.

The Company fair values the conversion feature of its convertible debentures, and call options granted as part of notes payable at each period end and recorded a loss of $2.1 million (Q2 2023: gain of $1.2 million) presented as a change in fair value of the derivatives embedded into the Equinox Note and Sandstorm Loan. The major factor impacting this loss was the change in share price of the Company during the quarter.

The Company fair values the warrant liability associated with financing in Q4 2023 and recorded a loss of $0.9 million (Q2 2023: nil) due to the fluctuations in the Company's share price.

After operating expenses, other income and expenses, tax expenses and recoveries the Company recorded a comprehensive net loss of $11.2 million ($0.05 per share) for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (Q2 2023: $7.6 million and $0.05 per share). The increased comprehensive loss of $3.6 million period over period is primarily due to the $5.5 million loss on the valuation of embedded derivatives, stream arrangements and warrant liabilities and a $1.7 reduction in tax recoveries, offset by foreign exchange gain of $3.9 million.

At June 30, 2024 the Company held cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $3.4 million, a decrease of $0.5 million from December 31, 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 the Company had a cash inflow from operating activities of $5.8 million (2023: inflow of $7.5 million); a cash outflow from investing activities of $5.4 million (2023: outflow of $3.4 million); and an outflow of $0.8 million from financing activities (2023: outflow of $2.6 million).

The Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 were prepared following accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes the Company will be able to continue operations for at least twelve months from June 30, 2024 and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the ordinary course of operations.

As at June 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital (current assets less current liabilities) deficiency of $92.8 million (December 31, 2023: $89.7 million), which was impacted by the amendments to IAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements, requiring reclassification of equity-settleable convertible notes and warrant liabilities totaling $56.1 million (December 31, 2023: $47.4 million) from non-current liabilities to current liabilities.

Non-GAAP Measures

This news release includes disclosure of certain financial measures or ratios, as such terms are used in National Instrument 52-112 - Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure, including Cash Cost, All-In Sustaining Cost ("AISC") and Adjusted Earnings. These Non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards ("IFRS") and might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company believes that these measures and ratios provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the prospects of the Company as they provide additional information related to operating performance and are widely used in the mining industry.

For further information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures including reconciliations of these measures to the applicable costs items as reported in the consolidated financial statements for the respective periods, please see the information under the heading "Cash Cost and All-in-Sustaining Cost ("AISC") for Mercedes" in the Company's MD&A for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2024, available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Eric Caba

President and CEO

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Unless otherwise indicated, scientific and technical information in this news release is based on work programs and initiatives conducted under the supervision of, and/or has been reviewed and approved by, Andrew Swarthout, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, a director of the Company who is a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101. Additional information related to the Mercedes Mine and the Corani Project, including the Quality Assurance and Quality Control measures applied to the Company's sampling and assaying practices, is available in its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, available on its website and on SEDAR+.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding: the ability of the Mercedes mine to generate free cash flow; expectations regarding the deployment of free cash flow if and when generated; the expected outcomes and benefits of increasing drill density at the Mercedes mine; completion of, and third party review of, a new geological model, revised reserve block model, mining methodology optimization and mine sequencing for the Mercedes mine; the potential for additional mineralization, yet undiscovered, within the Mercedes property; the Company's interpretation of geological evidence; ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of mining methodologies at various Mercedes workings; outcomes related to permit applications; contingency plans for the future disposal of tailings at the Mercedes mine; the timing and outcome of results from geometallurgical test work at the Corani property; plans to re-initiate Corani project financing discussions; and expectations regarding the maintenance of Corani permits and social license. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making these forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to: that the Company will be able to meet its debt and stream obligations; that unforeseen factors will not impede the anticipated performance of the Mercedes mine; that development work at Mercedes will continue as planned and result in contributions to production as anticipated; and that exploration drilling plans will transpire as and when predicted. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221180
Briatore denies responsibility for Renault engine axe

Flavio Briatore insists he was not behind the decision to end Renault's works Formula 1 engine program.

Pierre Gasly, Dutch GP 2024

 Alpine

Although staff claim the development of the all-new power unit for 2026 is progressing well, Renault CEO Luca de Meo has made the astonishing decision to end the F1 operations at the French marque's Viry-Chatillon factory.

Some believe de Meo was told by his new executive advisor Briatore, the title-winning former team boss from the Benetton and Renault days, that the fastest way to end Alpine's performance crisis was simply to use a customer Mercedes engine.

The 74-year-old denies it.

I am not always the bad guy, Briatore is quoted as saying by the Spanish broadcaster DAZN. They can blame me for everything else, but not for Viry.

Also rumoured is that the next big move will be layoffs at Alpine's chassis headquarters at Enstone.

I am not going to cut jobs, Briatore insists. I don't want to lay anyone off, but we need efficiency and people with a lot of experience.

As for the apparent plans to revert to engine customer status, the Italian said McLaren's current dominance with a Mercedes power unit is proof that it can work.

We need to solidify the structure that has undergone many changes at the top, Briatore said. The problem has been choosing the wrong men to lead.

When asked to summarise the next phase for Alpine, he answered: Cleaning up and tidying up the house, making sure everyone works together and is motivated.

(GMM)
Haas finally en route to Monza for Italian GP

Formula 1 team Haas is finally on its way to Monza.

Nico Hulkenberg, Dutch GP 2024

 Haas

The American outfit, and its owner Gene Haas, were barred by Dutch authorities from leaving Zandvoort until an overdue debt to axed Russian sponsor Uralkali hit the fertiliser company's bank account.

Uralkali, closely linked with former Haas driver Nikita Mazepin's father Dmitry, has now confirmed that the money - reportedly about 10 million euros - has been received in full .

We have also collected the race car owed to us under the terms of the sponsorship agreement, a spokeswoman added.

As such, Uralkali has notified Dutch authorities that they may release Haas' assets from arrest as an interim measure, and Haas is free to take them out of the Netherlands.

A spokesman for Haas, meanwhile, told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper: Uralkali has now confirmed that it has received the amount, and that is why our trucks have permission to leave the Netherlands and travel to Italy.

(GMM)
Schumacher deserves mid-season Williams seat says Vettel

Sebastian Vettel thinks Williams should snap up his friend and former Formula 1 rival, Mick Schumacher.

Mick Schumacher, Abu Dhabi GP 2022

 Haas

While some believe Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson is the frontrunner to replace the ailing Logan Sargeant as soon as this weekend at Monza, Schumacher's paddock allies are feverishly pushing the case for the 25-year-old German.

Of course I hope that Mick gets a second chance, because there is a lot that speaks in his favour, Vettel, a long-time mentor, told the German broadcaster RTL.

"He has two years of experience as an F1 driver and has matured a lot as a person since then. He has gained valuable insights from the different teams and has stayed race-fit in the WEC.

In terms of speed and the overall package, there's more to it than what some people want to remember, the retired quadruple world champion added. "He proved in F3 and F2 that he's capable of more.

He could get the most out of a Williams and he would deserve the seat.

RTL reports that Schumacher's mother Corinna, manager Sabine Kehm and uncle Ralf Schumacher are campaigning hard behind the scenes. Corinna and Kehm were notably present at Zandvoort last weekend.

But another option for Mick next year, according to RTL, is a move to Indycar with McLaren's team.

Vettel, however, thinks the mid-season opportunity at Williams for Schumacher would once again reignite his chances in Formula 1. If it was my decision, the 37-year-old told Bild newspaper, "I would tend towards Mick.

"I am a little biased because he is my friend, but in my eyes he is the best solution. He has a very broad technical insight through his current role, including the Mercedes engine, and he's just a good racing driver.

I am sure that he could convince Williams, Vettel added, especially as he knows Formula 1 and these tracks. That is a big advantage.

Another option for Williams is its own junior, Franco Colapinto, who already knows the Grove based team very well. The 21-year-old Argentinean even drove the 2024 car in Friday practice at Silverstone.

But Vettel thinks Schumacher is still the better option.

Mick has the right environment in his private life, but he didn't have that at Haas. Then it is difficult for every driver to get the most out of themselves and the car. But he could do that at Williams now, he said.

I hope he gets the chance and can show the world what he's capable of. Mick has been unfairly branded because of his two years at Haas. Yes he made mistakes, but the car wasn't competitive, so many people have the wrong image of him.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also hopes his F1 reserve driver gets the nod, suggesting he would appreciate it if his friend James Vowles made that choice.

I think he deserves a chance, said the Austrian. But it's James Vowles who will decide.

(GMM)
Golden HOF and NY Kimchi 16 W. 48th St., nr. Fifth Ave. Chefs Sam Yoo and Matt Mobilio in the space that will soon become Golden HOF and NY Kimchi. Photo: Jeremy Liebman

Welcome to Grub Streets 2024 fall restaurant preview. All week, were diving into the upcoming openings were most excited about.

When the chef Sam Yoo visited South Korea for the first time in 15 years, he was dismayed to see the countrys hofs  local affordable pubs  disappearing. The last time I went, they were everywhere, he says. Hed read that they were a dying thing but was still surprised to see them go. I love them the same way I love diners, he says. I didnt grow up in Korea, but we had hofs in Flushing and Bayside. These places are so egalitarian; anyone can come in.

Hes honoring their tradition with his own spot, Golden HOF, across the street from Rockefeller Center. The menu of anju, or drinking food, will include crispy chive-and-ikura pancakes, krudite with ssamjang aioli, spicy carbonara rice cakes, disco fries topped with the Korean army stew budae jjigae, and  of course  Korean fried chicken served four ways: sauceless, soy glazed, with cumin and Sichuan peppercorn, or General Sams, a garlicky nod to General Tsos.

He has also installed a hanok ceiling, taken from traditional Korean architecture. Yoo describes the look as lots of warm tones, beautiful benches and banquettes. Theres a chefs counter by the open kitchen, with seating for six, and a private dining room that can host parties of 12 to 20. Past those is a staircase that leads to the other half of this project: NY Kimchi, a subterranean Korean steakhouse.

The mood will be more serene and less cocktail-focused than the upstairs bar, but the Korean American sensibilities will come through in oysters Rockefeller with kimchee butter, a chopped salad with gochujang-marinated pork, and a house salad that takes its cues from takeout sushi: You know your ginger-carrot-miso dressing that everyone loves? Yoo asks. We make a banging-ass version of that.

Other dishes are more straightforwardly Korean, like the japchae (wok-fired noodles with mushrooms and vegetables) and soondubu. Several cuts of meat will be grilled KBBQ style, while others will come out of the kitchen, like a dry-aged T-bone with brown-butter doenjang. And Yoo will draw on the flavors of classic Korean dishes across a selection of crudo. Tuna tartare with pineapple and black-bean-dusted rice crackers is based on a typical Korean Chinese pairing: tangsuyuk, or sweet-and-sour pork, and jjajangmyeon, the noodle dish. Its a bit of a mindfuck, but its awesome, he says. Sujeonggwa  cinnamon punch  is the reference for his kampachi with charred persimmon, cinnamon, and pine nuts. Scallop comes with a vinaigrette based on the sauce for ojingeo bokkeum.

The menu is entirely new, but if the NY Kimchi name rings a bell, thats because it was, until recently, an all-you-can-eat KBBQ spot operated by Yoos parents at the same address  though there was never a long-standing plan for him to take over the family restaurant. Its just more a matter of circumstance, he says. From the start, he wanted to open more restaurants, but his plans had always been to do so in Chinatown. After Golden Diners success, Yoo hadnt necessarily planned on expanding uptown. But after a downtown lease fell through, he started spending some time in midtown, brainstorming ideas that could work in the area, and thought, Why not? I hope people understand that these are very Korean concepts, Yoo says, and that the innovation comes from the fact that theyre being viewed through a Korean American chefs lens.

Oysters Rockefeller are a must given the location. These are mounted with kimchee butter. In lieu of tteokbokki, there are spicy carbonara rice cakes. Some meats will be served KBBQ style; others will be fired in the kitchen. A seafood tower and an aerial construction platform. Photographs by Jeremy Liebman
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Three University of Guam engineering majors were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Guam chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). From left to right: Ann Marie Pelobello, NAWIC Guam chartering president-elect and scholarship chairwoman; Crystal Cruz, NAWIC Guam president; Andrew Shiroma, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Merry Remetira, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Anna Mallari, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, dean, UOG School of Engineering; Sharleen Santos-Bamba, senior vice president and provost; Gena Rojas, interim dean, Enrollment Management and Student Success; and Drina Pelobello, NAWIC Guam vice president.
During continued discussion Monday on the fiscal 2025 budget bill, senators voted to bypass debate on a section that included more than $100 million in appropriation amendments, despite only $27 million projected to be available from fiscal 2024 revenues in excess of adopted levels.

Sen. Chris Duenas successfully moved to delete chapter 11 of the budget bill which was for miscellaneous appropriations.

Mr. Chairman as far as Im concerned right now this is gonna be funny money that were attempting to appropriate, Duenas said.

Sen. Joanne Brown questioned whether the money senators were looking to appropriate even existed.

The amount of amendments, and they are substantial, and the price tags on some of them are even more substantial. ... I dont know how were going to squeeze $100 million in investments into $27 million, assuming the $27 million exists, she said.

With the passage of the Duenas motion, appropriations committee Chairman Sen. Joe S. San Agustin said that instead of including the appropriation amendments in the budget bill, he will draft a supplemental budget bill and hold a hearing on it in October, the first month of the new fiscal year.

Ill make that very clear right now, I will include all the amendments, San Agustin said.

Education Chairman Sen. Chris Barnett sought reassurance that his amendments for the Guam Department of Education would be included.

I dont know whats stopping us from giving the $10 million to GDOE from the first $27 million and putting the rest in the supplemental, he said.

Barnett added, I just worry that whoevers buddy buddy will get the priority and were gonna get stuck with the short end of the stick.

Sen. Telo Taitague said the plan was to entertain the amendments first come, first served.

We have to really watch what this supplemental budget is going to transpire into who is first. We want to be fair, she said.

Taitague and others said senators would also need to confirm how much actual cash was collected in excess of FY24 adopted revenues so they would know how much was available to appropriate.

Theres nothing that says the first in, first out of these appropriations is going to be the first to be funded. Youre passing an omnibus bill that is loaded with dreams, but short on reality, Duenas said.

Senators will continue discussing the budget at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
All gay bars do not fit one mold.

Ahead of this weekends Southern Decadence (New Orleans five-day-long festival celebrating LGBTQ+ culture), boozy businesses are preparing for an influx of crowds.

At The Page, a laidback Black-owned bar at the edge of the French Quarter, bartenders are well-seasoned on the ins and outs of New Orleans gay nightlife.

I stopped by before this weekends madness to get the low-down on the citys LGBTQ+ bar scene: from the low-key to the messy to the all-night-long.

Stanley Louis, a Louisiana native and longtime bartender, and Zeuss, a Page bar employee since 2017, imparted their words of wisdom.

Crossing

Where: 439 Dauphine St.

What: a steampunk-themed gay bar, friendly to the trans community.

Its one of the only bars geared towards the trans community, so that stands out to me, says Zeuss.

Their bartenders are also very attentive, he says. One of their bartenders was so good at his customer service skills, I had to turn around and re-evaluate myself. I almost tipped him my entire bag.

Corner Pocket

Where: 940 St. Louis St.

What: a French Quarter gay pub known for its dancers.

Corner Pocket is my thot bar, says Zeuss. Their strippers-

You mean go-go boys, interjects Louis.

Bitch, you call them what you want, Im gonna call them what they is, Zeuss says with a shrug.

Some of them are real cute, but some of them tend to be more, like, drugged-out boys that need a couple tips for their next fix, he continues. But their bar has a nice little bingo night.

For those looking to show off their moves, Wednesdays at Corner Pocket are Amateur Nights.

Phoenix Bar

Where: 941 Elysian Fields Ave.

What: a 24/7 dive catered towards the leather and bear community.

The upstairs part of Phoenix is a very dark-room sort of scene. It definitely gives leather scene, silver fox, daddy, says Zeuss.

Phoenix Bar never charges a cover, and offers a service discount to fellow New Orleans bartenders.

Phoenix Bar patrons and employees march in the New Orleans Pride Parade, in June 2024.Emily Topping

The Page

Where: 542 N Rampart St.

What: a laid-back Black-owned bar, inclusive of all.

Bartenders at The Page might be biased, but they say theyve got the cutest clientele.

A sad thing about it is, we kind of get overlooked because were the only Black bar. To me, the cutest guys do come here, says Zeuss.

Its open, a safe space, lots of friends. We welcome everybody and dont turn anyone away, says Louis.

The Page runs daily Happy Hour specials along with regular Wednesday night drag shows.

Cafe Lafitte in Exile

Where: 901 Bourbon St.

What: a 24/7 tavern with nightly events.

The oldest continuously-operating gay bar in the country hosts events like Underwear Pool Night, trash disco and karaoke.

When asked about his favorite drink, Louis began singing the praises of their world-famous purple Voodoo Daiquiri  before realizing the famous concoction actually belongs to the neighboring Lafittes Blacksmith Shop Bar, at 941 Bourbon St.

Still, he recommends popping over for the boozy lavender-colored slushy.

Man, it is so so good. But it will sneak up on you. Be careful, he says.

Cafe Laffite in Exile is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the country.Emily Topping

Good Friends

Where: 740 Dauphine St.

What: a casual pub for a chiller night.

Its a nice, mixed vibe. Whether theyre black, white or anything else. Gay or straight, Good Friends is a wonderful place to just hang out, says Zeuss.

Fellow Page bartender Gerald says his favorite drink there is the Separator, a creamy concoction of soft-serve ice cream and two types of rum, topped with whipped cream and cherries.

Bourbon Pub Parade

Where: 801 Bourbon St.

What: a dance club with nightly events and drag shows.

Known as The Pub, Bourbon Pub Parade is one of the most famous gay clubs in the city. This weekend, a $115 Southern Decadence Pass grants VIP admission and daily events.

The bartenders are always fun, and I love their drag shows, says Louis.

Oz New Orleans

Where: 801 Dauphine St.

What: dance club with nightly events and drag shows.

Next door to The Pub, Oz offers a similar experience with a bigger stage. This week, they are hosting several Southern Decadence events, as well as $75 weekend passes.

GrandPres

Where: 834 N Rampart St.

What: an relaxed spot to unwind, both indoors and out.

GrandPres is wonderful, they have a great outdoor space, says Zeuss. It is an all-white bar for the most part. But its a great spot to hang outside, smoke your cigarettes, and dont really have to be worried about too many people bothering you.

American Townhouse

Where: 1012 N Rampart St.

What: a classier hang-out spot with a lush patio.

Wonderful menu, fun mixed crowd, great slushy drinks, and their backyard is the best patio in the city, says Zeuss. The musical vibe is great there too.




Haiti - Religion : Zombies. Is Death is not an end





The exceptional exhibition "Zombies. Is Death Not an End ?" at the Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac (France), sheds light on the fantasies, beliefs and fears hidden behind the figure of the most famous "undead" in the world, questioning an anthropological reality between knowledge and fiction.



Zombies are first inherent to Haitian voodoo, the exhibition questions through objects and decorations linked to the voodoo ritual of zombification, an ancestral supernatural practice. These objects (paintings, sculptures, traditional costumes and Native American artifacts linked to Haitian voodoo) were selected among others by Erol Josue "Hougan" (spiritual leader of the voodoo religion) and Director General of the National Bureau of Ethnology (BNE), member of the Curatorship of this exhibition. Erol Josue, alongside other international experts, embodies the spirit of this exhibition... A significant portion of these objects come from the collections of the BNE and that of Erol Josue.



Beyond the simple presentation of precious and mystical objects, the exhibition is intended to be a cultural affirmation against prejudices and aims to rectify negative perceptions.



Forget everything you think you know about zombies Far from the contagious undead of cinema and pop culture, the exhibition offers you a nuanced perspective of Haitian culture, far from simplistic stereotypes.



In Haiti, the figure of the zombie takes shape on the fringes of voodoo culture, through the practices of its secret societies and in particular the bizango society, whose judicial role gives it the power of zombification. Judged and condemned, the zombie is in reality a criminal deprived of freedom, made a slave and kept in a state of stupor in the service of a master (bokor).



Between knowledge and fiction, the exhibition reveals the realities behind the fear of zombies.



From October 8, 2024 to February 16, 2025, the temporary exhibition located on the East Mezzanine of the museum explores this tradition linked to the Haitian voodoo religion.



HL/ PI/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Humanitarian : Lack of funding exacerbates hunger problems in Haiti





Following the escalation of the security situation in Port-au-Prince and Artibonite in February 2024, the number of displaced people fleeing gang attacks increased by 60% compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with nearly 600,000 people fleeing gang attacks, the UN agency responsible for emergency aid reports.



Insecurity has also left 1.5 million children without access to school.



The UN recently warned that lack of funding for humanitarian aid and growing needs are exposing millions of Haitians to chronic vulnerability.



To reverse the situation, the international community and donors need to increase funding for UN agencies and NGOs assistance operations, the Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, adding "The indiscriminate violence of armed groups and the near collapse of basic services have plunged Haiti into a humanitarian crisis not seen since 2010," OCHA noted, referring to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti 14 years ago that killed more than 300,000 people.



Half of the displaced people, desperately fleeing the capital in search of safety, have headed south, where the vast majority are staying with already economically vulnerable host families.



Basic social services, such as education, health and water, hygiene and sanitation, already insufficient to meet the needs of the local population, have been severely affected, OCHA said.



"This wave of violence continues to have humanitarian consequences for populations in affected neighborhoods and localities, but also in areas far from the capital that have become host to hundreds of thousands of people," OCHA said.



Some 300,000 cases of malnutrition have been recorded and five million people, or nearly 50 percent of the Haitian population, are facing acute food insecurity, according to a report published earlier this year by a global monitoring group.



According to OCHA, there are concerns that the epicentre of the current humanitarian crisis is gradually shifting to an increasing number of areas that were previously not subject to insecurity.



Additional financial resources are urgently needed to meet the growing needs of the Haitian population affected by this multidimensional crisis, OCHA stressed. Without additional funds, these crises will continue.



Concerns about continued food insecurity are widespread.



In addition, hundreds of thousands of out-of-school children are at risk of recruitment by armed groups and will grow up without the skills needed for their future and survival. It is also estimated that half a million vulnerable children and victims of protection incidents will be deprived of mental health services and psychosocial support.



Humanitarian assistance is only part of the solution



The UN Office maintained, however, that while humanitarian assistance is a lifeline for many, "it is only part of the solution."



"The Government and political and development actors must work together to find sustainable solutions to Haitis structural challenges," it stressed.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained emergency asset freezes against Jonathan Adam, a resident of Angleton, Texas, and his brother, Tanner Adam, a resident of Miami, Florida, and against their respective entities, GCZ Global LLC and Triten Financial Group LLC, to halt an alleged $60 million Ponzi scheme impacting more than 80 investors across the country.

The SECs complaint alleges that, from January 2023 to June 2024, the Adam brothers solicited and lured victims with the promise of up to 13.5 percent monthly investment returns. According to the complaint, the duo falsely told investors that Jonathan Adam had created a bot that operated on a crypto asset trading platform to identify arbitrage trading opportunities, and that investor funds would be used in a lending pool that would, through smart contracts, fund flash loans to complete these arbitrage trades. The Adam brothers allegedly told investors that, short of a global market meltdown, investor funds were safe. The SEC alleges that, in reality, the lending pool as described to investors did not exist, and the defendants instead used millions of dollars of investor funds to pay supposed returns to existing investors and to support their lavish lifestyles. For example, the complaint alleges that Tanner Adam used investor funds to make the down and installment payments to build a $30 million condominium in Miami and Jonathan Adam used at least $480,000 of investor funds to purchase cars, trucks, and recreational vehicles. The SECs complaint also alleges that Jonathan Adam misrepresented his background in order to gain the trust of investors and failed to tell investors that he had previously been convicted of three counts of securities fraud.

As we allege, the Adam brothers promised their investors high returns on a crypto investment that did not exist, and then used investor funds to make Ponzi-like payments and to purchase designer goods, recreational vehicles, and million-dollar homes, said Justin C. Jeffries, Associate Director of Enforcement in the SECs Atlanta Regional Office. The SEC will use all tools at its disposal to stop those who exploit the excitement around new technologies to defraud investors.

The SECs complaint, filed on August 26, 2024 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, charges Jonathan Adam, Tanner Adam, GCZ Global, LLC, and Triten Financial Group LLC with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. In addition to the emergency relief granted by the Court, which the defendants did not oppose, the SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against the defendants.
A group of environmental and human rights organisations argue in the suit that the government is violating the climate act because it is on track to fall short of both the carbon-neutrality target for 2035 and climate obligations imposed by the European Union.

THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has been hit with a lawsuit over its insufficient measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster carbon sinks, reports YLE.

The target and obligations are both enshrined in the climate act that was amended into its current form in July 2022.

Climate and environmental experts have long sounded the alarm that the country is on pace to fall short of its climate targets without significant additional measures. Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkanen (NCP) admitted as much at the release event of the annual climate report in June. Also the government programme acknowledges that the carbon sink of forests will fall short of the level required by the EU in 20212025.

The Finnish Climate Change Panel argued in a report published last week that the government's policy decisions will steer the country off track on transport emissions, violating a pledge made to the 27-country union.

Amnesty, Greenpeace, Climate Parents Finland, Finnish Sami Youth, the Finnish Nature Association and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL) argued in announcing their lawsuit that the government inaction not only inhibits the realisation of six provisions in the climate act, but also infringes on basic and human rights.

Were demanding that the government take sufficient action to reach its climate goals without delay, Hanna Aho, a climate expert at SLL, was quoted saying at a news conference on Thursday by YLE.

The measures laid out by the government, she added, reflect neither the obligations enshrined in the climate act nor the urgency of the climate crisis.

The national effort to achieve carbon neutrality and other climate targets has become undone largely by the erosion of forests ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a development that has been attributed to intensive logging and the age structure of forests.

The latest data indicate that the land use sector turned from a carbon sink into a source of emissions already in 2018. Although it returned narrowly into a sink in 2023, its ability to sequester emissions is far from sufficient to meet the climate targets.

Weve been waiting for the government to take action to save carbon sinks for more than two years already. There has been a lot of reports and statistics that couldve been used to make decisions on the additional measures needed to reach the targets. The decisions havent come, lamented Aho.

The collapse of the carbon sink of forests was observed at the end of the tenure of Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP). Aho stated, though, that the contraction began during the premiership of Jyrki Katainen (NCP) in 20112014 and was the subject of expert warnings under the premiership of Juha Sipila (Centre) in 20152019.

Yet, the government has neglected to update the climate plan for the land use sector.

The Orpo government is responsible for the sinks. There isnt any law of nature saying these goals couldnt be reached; they simply require large-scale measures, stressed Aho.

Greenpeace and SLL also sued Marins government for its insufficient climate measures. The Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (KHO), however, decided not to take on the suit on grounds that the climate act had been in effect for such a short time period.

Aho is confident that the current suit satisfies the criteria of the court. She also reminded that the previous suit had an impact on jurisprudence as the court expressed its readiness to entertain claims related to inaction  rather than an official decision  in circumstances where decision-makers continue sitting on their hands despite the imminent prospect of failing to reach targets laid out in the climate act.

The Finnish government has not only failed to seize numerous opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also overturned a variety of measures adopted to reduce transport emissions, according to Aho. She also estimated that it would be possible to step up regulatory efforts in regards to forests and carbon sinks to curb logging.

The government has shied away from such efforts by citing the property protection of private forest.

We do have forest-related regulation. We wouldnt be venturing into a domain we havent regulated before, she underscored

The environmental and human rights organisations have also expanded the foundation of the suit to basic and human rights, arguing that government inaction is tantamount to violating the rights to life, health and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Their argument refers to a ruling issued by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR in April ruled that the Swiss government has violated human rights by failing to take sufficient action to combat the climate crisis.

The Swiss Parliament in June decided that the ruling required no further action. According to the BBC, the Swiss government is expected to make its decision on the matter by the end of the month.

The ECHR ruling confirms the legal nexus between climate change and human rights, Kaisa Kosonen, a climate expert at Greenpeace, said on Thursday.

Failing to take climate action is probably the largest intergenerational human rights violation in the worlds history, echoed Elina Mikola, an expert in climate and environmental issues at Amnesty Finland.

Litigation has yielded wins for the climate also elsewhere. In Montana, the US, a district court ruled last year that a state law that had prohibited permit authorities from considering carbon dioxide emissions in weighing up, for example, fossil fuel projects is unconstitutional as it violates the constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.

An appeal against the ruling is presently pending.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
HHS Also Awards $118.5 Million to Enhance Maternal Mortality Research and Prevention Efforts

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced more than $558 million in funding to improve maternal health, building on the Biden-Harris Administrations commitment to reducing the nations high maternal mortality rate through the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of HHS, is awarding more than $440 million in funding to expand voluntary, evidence-based maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting services for eligible families across the country. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new investment of $118.5 million, over five years, to 46 states, six territories, and freely associated states to continue building the public health infrastructure to better identify and prevent pregnancy-related deaths.

In 2022, President Biden signed bipartisan legislation that doubles funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program over five years  the first expansion of the federal home visiting program in nearly 10 years. Through this program, local organizations can provide home visits from nurses, social workers, and other trained health workers who work with families on early and ongoing engagement in prenatal care and postpartum support. They provide support on breastfeeding, safe sleep for babies, learning and communications practices that promote early language development, developmental screening, getting children ready to succeed in school, and connecting with key services and resources in the community  like affordable childcare or job and educational opportunities. The awards announced today reflect the first opportunity for states and jurisdictions to receive federal matching funds in addition to their base grants. Every single state and U.S. territory has seen an increase in funding to their home visiting program since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration.

As someone who has spent my entire career fighting for the health and wellbeing of women and children, I am committed to addressing a maternal health crisis in which women across America are dying before, during, and after childbirth at higher rates than in any other developed nation. That is why I called on states to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage from two months to 12 months and announced the launch of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, an unprecedented whole-of-government strategy to improving maternal care, said Vice President Kamala Harris. Today, we are building on this lifesaving work by awarding more than $558 million to improve maternal health across America. This includes a critical $440 million to support pregnant women, new mothers, and their children through home visiting programs that will improve health outcomes, child development, and access to resources for years to come.

Bringing home a baby can be stressful. Many new parents face additional challenges such as housing, or income insecurity, which can make the whole situation even more daunting. But we know from decades of research that home visits work  from helping with school readiness and achievement for children to improving health for women, said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. President Biden and Vice President Harris know how important it is to support children in their most crucial years of development so they can grow up to be healthy, happy adults. We will continue to make resources and support available, and elevate maternal health issues so that more women and families know that help is available.

At the Health Resources and Services Administration, we are deeply committed to removing barriers to care for expectant and new moms and babies who face too many hurdles getting the support that they need, said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. Thats why  thanks to the leadership of the President and Vice President  we were able to work closely with bipartisan leaders in Congress to grow the home visiting program to give more moms and babies a trusted home visiting partner to help their families in ways large and small to be healthy, feel supported, access health care services, nurture their childs development, and give families every opportunity to thrive.

HRSA Administrator Johnson announced the awards in conjunction with HRSAs Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative convening at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan. The Initiative is bringing together moms and babies served by HRSA programs with maternal and infant health community leaders, health officials, HRSA-supported community providers, and others to advance the goals of the White House Blueprint to Address the Maternal Health Crisis.

The home visiting program funds states, jurisdictions, and tribal entities to develop and implement evidence-based, voluntary programs that best meet the needs of their communities. Families choose to participate in home visiting programs from pregnancy up to kindergarten and partner with health, social services, and child development professionals who provide resources, support, and skills to help families and children be physically, socially, and emotionally healthy. The program has demonstrated significant benefits, including improved school readiness and achievement of children, improved health for women, increased health insurance coverage, and prevented child injuries, abuse, and neglect.

For a complete list of Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program awardees, visit https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/programs/home-visiting/maternal-infant-early-childhood-home-visiting-miechv-program/fy24-awards.

The CDCs new $118.5 million five-year investment will continue building the public health infrastructure to better identify and prevent pregnancy-related deaths. This new investment expands support to Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) from 46 to 52 states and U.S. territories and freely associated states. MRCs are state- and territory-based multidisciplinary groups that review deaths that have occurred within 1 year of the end of a pregnancy, determine if those pregnancy-related deaths were preventable, and recommend ways to prevent them in the future. This new investment in the Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) program also advances progress on implementing the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. CDC began the ERASE MM program in 2019 to invest in MMRCs and to strengthen and standardize their efforts to review deaths.

Every pregnancy-related death is a tragedy for the family and the community, said Wanda Barfield, MD, MPH, director of CDCs Division of Reproductive Health. Thanks to MMRCs, we know more about the causes and circumstances around pregnancy-related deaths, and we have actionable recommendations to prevent future deaths. This investment will support more jurisdictions in their critical work to save mothers lives.

Together, these efforts build on both HHS and the broader Administrations efforts to implement the White House Blueprint to Address the Maternal Health Crisis as described in the following Fact Sheet: White House Blueprint to Address the Maternal Health Crisis: Two Years of Progress.
In October 2016, Cyril Almeida, assistant editor at Pakistans Dawn newspaper was tipped off by anonymous sources regarding the details of a national security meeting held between Nawaz Sharifs government and military officials at Prime Minister House in Islamabad. Despite the armys denial that such a meeting took place, Dawn went ahead with the story. Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks during a news conference at his home, May 18, 2023, in Lahore, Pakistan. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary, File)

In a blunt, orchestrated and unprecedented warning, the civilian government has informed the military leadership of a growing international isolation of Pakistan and sought consensus on several key actions by the state. The message: military-led intelligence agencies are not to interfere if law enforcement acts against militant groups that are banned or until now considered off-limits for civilian action, Almeida wrote in a front-page article.

256pp, 599; Penguin

Speculation quickly swirled around that a few members of Nawaz Sharifs government were responsible for the leak. Pakistans military top brass released a press statement that expressed concern at the dissemination of what they described as a fabricated account. They viewed this as a breach of national security and the incident marked the beginning of discord between the army and Nawaz Sharifs government. Frustration with dynastic politics and shambolic governance had reached a peak, and corruption was rampant. The army believed a reset was necessary. It was decided that Nawaz Sharif had to be removed. This is where the search for a new civilian leader, who possessed charisma, a clean reputation, and grand promises of reform, began. Imran Khan emerged as the ideal candidate and the concept of a hybrid model of governance was conceived. It was intended to last for the next decade until the country transitioned to a presidential system of governance.

In November 2016, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Lt General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief. In his inaugural address, Bajwa stated that the army had no role in running the government and must adhere to its constitutionally-defined responsibilities. However, in July of the following year, the Supreme Court delivered a significant blow to Nawaz Sharif in the wake of the Panama Papers leak, ordering his removal from office and the initiation of criminal proceedings against him and his family. While it appeared to many political observers that the army had moved past the Dawn Leaks issue, this was merely a tactical retreat. Strategically, Nawaz Sharif remained an obstacle. The Supreme Court judgement was exactly what the army needed.

In his gripping new book, Fallout: Power, Intrigue, and Political Upheaval in Pakistan, journalist Salman Masood weaves sharp wit and keen insights into a tale of political drama. The book chronicles the dramatic ouster of Nawaz Sharif, the blossoming alliance between Bajwa and Imran Khan in 2018, and their inevitable clash and spectacular falling out in 2022.

In July 2018, with the full support of the army, Imran Khans PTI secured the most seats in Pakistans National Assembly, though it did not get an outright majority. The party then formed a coalition government with several smaller parties, leading to Imran Khans appointment as the 22nd Prime Minister of the country in August that year. The armys hybrid project seemed to be assured for the next 10 years. Who could have known then that this carefully conceived experiment would crumble in less than five?

Expecting Imran Khans PTI, a first time entrant in the corridors of power, to pull off a miracle, was delusional. In the first 100 days, the administration faltered from one blunder to another, and ministers often seemed out of depth, responding to critics with hostility and sarcasm. The supporters, who had helped Khan become prime minister, watched this early mismanagement with growing concern, though they remained hopeful about their choice. A few weeks after taking office, Bajwa invited Khan to speak at the Defence and Martyrs Day ceremony at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. As Khan entered the venue, he was welcomed with a standing ovation and enthusiastic applause from the audience, mostly military families, who saw him as their favoured candidate.

A year into his tenure, Imran Khan launched a direct assault on his political opponents. He seemed fixated on past issues rather than on addressing the pressing challenges ahead. In his speeches, Khan insisted that the corruption of previous leaders was the root cause of the current economic crisis. This failed to neutralize the rising discontent on the streets and detractors of the government saw the ongoing difficulties and persistent missteps as signs of a slow but steady descent. This stalemate threatened the stability of the democratic system, with the risk of a political logjam potentially bringing the whole edifice down.

Tensions emerged between the government and the military over the appointment of the new intelligence chief, the Director-General of the ISI. The outgoing DG, Lt General Faiz Hameed, was known for his close ties with Imran Khan, while the newly-appointed Lt General Nadeem Anjum had a markedly different approach.

On March 27, 2022, in front of a fervent crowd in Islamabad, Imran Khan claimed that a foreign conspiracy was unfolding against his government. He brandished a letter and asserted that it provided evidence of a plot orchestrated by the United States to overthrow his administration. He had been denouncing the US in recent rallies and accusing his political rivals of being slaves of America. Anti-American rhetoric has long been a feature of Khans politics, with his supporters arguing that the country has been unjustly treated by the US. Khans visit to Moscow, timed just as Russian forces invaded Ukraine, heightened concerns in Washington DC. Official sources revealed that Khan had ignored advice from Jake Sullivan, President Bidens national security advisor, to avoid going to Moscow amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western nations. The army, on the other hand, seemed more receptive to a continued partnership with the US.

The growing rift between Imran Khan and General Bajwa over the following months set the stage for the formers dramatic fall from power, not through the courts like Nawaz Sharif in 2017 but via a No Confidence Motion. And so, the armys Imran Khan Experiment collapsed long before its anticipated end. Fallout: Power, Intrigue, and Political Upheaval in Pakistan, which presents this period of Pakistans recent political history, makes for an interesting read.

Saleem Rashid Shah is a researcher and a critic of non-fiction books. He lives in Kashmir.
Apples push for India, as the tech giant drifts away from China, may result in more than 600,000 jobs owing to the iPhone makers local ecosystem, Economic Times reported. As per the report, the tech giant may add around 200,000 direct jobs by the end of the current financial year, with women making up over 70 per cent of the workforce. The Apple logo is illuminated at a store in the city center in Munich, Germany.(AP)

Citing government projections, the report said that every direct job creates at least three indirect jobs, which could translate to 500,000 to 600,000 jobs overall.

This comes as Bloomberg News reported that Apple has begun training thousands of workers at its Tamil Nadu factory to produce the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max versions as close to the global debut as possible.

It was also reported that Apple plans to assemble the top-of-the-line Pro and Pro Max models of the upcoming iPhone 16 series in India for the first time through its partner Foxconn Technology Group.

Foxconn's Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu will soon start the new product introduction (NPI) process for the Pro models of iPhone 16 and enter the mass production stage, Moneycontrol earlier reported.

Apple has officially sent out invites for the launch of iPhone 16 series which comes with the tagline 'It's Glowtime'. The Apple event will be held on September 9 and the company is expected to unveil four models of iPhone 16.
Janmashtami festivities across the country led to a business surge, with transactions exceeding 25,000 crore, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Numbers of devotees at the ISKCON temple at ISKCON temple on Janmashtami, in Patna.(PTI)

These figure highlight the robust consumer spending during the festival driven by the vibrant celebrations of Janmashtami, marking one of the most commercially active periods of the year.

CAIT's National General Secretary and Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk, Praveen Khandelwal, stated that during this significant festival, large-scale sales were observed, particularly in flowers, fruits, sweets, deity costumes, decorative items, fasting sweets, milk, curd, butter, and dry fruits.

Khandelwal said that festivals like Janmashtami are an important part of the Sanatan economy, which strengthens the nation's economy.

CAIT's National President, BC Bhartia said that Janmashtami was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country, especially in North and West India, where the festival was celebrated with much joy.

Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated on August 26 this year across the country. Devotees traditionally fast and decorate temples and homes with flowers, diyas, and lights.

Temples were decorated attractively, and there were large crowds of people visiting them.

He highlighted that the special attractions of the Janmashtami festival included digital tableaux, selfie points with Lord Krishna, and many other delightful scenes.

In cities, there were numerous bhajans, religious dances, and discourses by saints and sages. Various social organizations also organized large-scale Janmashtami celebrations.

According to scriptures, Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada. It is the day Lord Krishna was born.

Earlier this month, the CAIT anticipated a festive trade of over 12,000 crore across the country during the Rakhi festival.

In 2022, the business during the Rakhi festival stood at around 7,000 crore, in 2021 it was 6,000 crore, in 2020 it was 5,000 crore, in 2019 it was 3,500 crore, and in 2018 it was 3,000 crore, as per Khandelwal.

The trade body said that the markets are witnessing a massive rush for shopping, and people are very enthusiastic about the festival.
Apple announced that its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Luca Maestri will transition from his current role on January 1, 2025. Following a planned succession, Kevan Parekh, Apples vice president of financial planning and analysis, will become Chief Financial Officer as well as join the executive team. Kevan Parekh has been at Apple for 11 years and currently leads Financial Planning and Analysis, G&A and Benefits Finance, Investor Relations, and Market Research.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said, For more than a decade, Kevan has been an indispensable member of Apples finance leadership team, and he understands the company inside and out. His sharp intellect, wise judgment, and financial brilliance make him the perfect choice to be Apples next CFO.

Luca Maestri was named Apple CFO in 2014 and during his tenure the company has more than doubled annual sales and net income and expanded its gross margin. Luca Maestri will continue to lead the Corporate Services teams, including information systems and technology, information security, and real estate and development.

Kevan Parekh joined Apple in finance and product marketing in 2013 after four years at Thomson Reuters. He previously worked at General Motors, including in overseas operations. He is an electrical engineer with a Bachelors of Science from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

At Apple, Kevan Parekh has been at Apple for 11 years and currently leads Financial Planning and Analysis, G&A and Benefits Finance, Investor Relations, and Market Research. Before this, he led Worldwide Sales, Retail, and Marketing Finance and the financial support of Apples Product Marketing, Internet Sales and Services, and Engineering teams.
Mark Zuckerberg alleged that Facebook was pressured by the US government to censor content related to Covid-19 during the global pandemic. The tech billionaire said that he regrets the companys decision to act on the demands. He said, In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire". Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., during an interview on "The Circuit with Emily Chang" at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024 Photographer: Jason Henry/Bloomberg(Bloomberg)

The remarks are part of a letter written by Mark Zuckerberg- the contents of which were posted to the Facebook page of the House Judiciary Committee and confirmed by Meta. He was writing in reference to contributions made in the last US presidential cycle to support electoral infrastructure.

Even though it was Metas decision to remove content, Mark Zuckerberg said that the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it.

At the time, Facebook drew flak from those who criticised lockdowns, vaccines and mask mandates as the platform removed certain posts, saying they contained misinformation related to the pandemic or went against its policies. Facebook took down more than 20 million pieces of content in just over a year.

Mark Zuckerberg also talked about the upcoming US elections and said, My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another  or to even appear to be playing a role."
Shares of Paytms parent company, One 97 Communications, were up 3.5% at 548.70 on the BSE today (August 27). This followed the companys clarification regarding the Sebi show-cause notice issued to founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and other former board members. Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma during an event in Mumbai, (PTI)

With reference to recent media reports, we would like to inform you that this is not a new development, as the Company had already made relevant disclosures on this matter in its financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024, as well as the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company is in regular communication with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and making necessary representations regarding this matter. Accordingly, there is no impact on the financial results for previous quarters ended June 30, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively, the company said in a filing to the exchanges.

Sebi issued a show-cause notice to Vijay Shekhar Sharma for an alleged violation of rules governing employee stock option plans. Paytm said that the company is in regular communication with Sebi and has made the necessary representations. The company noted that in 2021-22, it granted 21 million employee stock options (ESOPs) to Vijay Shekhar Sharma as its Chief Executive which was linked to achievement of specified milestones.

Over the past year, Paytm's shares have fallen 40%, with a 16.3% decline so far this year.
The Bengaluru Police have sought shifting of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, and rowdy elements from Parappana Agrahara jail here to other prisons, city Police Commissioner B Dayananda said on Tuesday. Bengaluru police seek shifting of actor Darshan to other prison after viral pics of murder accused

Also Read - Actor Darshan's viral pics: 7 Bengaluru central prison officials including jailers suspended

The city police's proposal comes in the wake of a photograph of Darshan hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, on the lawns of the jail emerging on social media on Sunday, sparking a row.

In the picture, the actor is seen in a relaxed mood, sitting on a chair and holding a cigarette and a coffee mug. Also, a purported video of Darshan speaking to a person over a video call from the prison too had surfaced on social media. Nine prison officials, including Chief Jail Superintendent, were suspended on Monday for allegedly giving special treatment to Darshan, who is currently in judicial custody, following an inquiry. S

peaking to reporters here, Dayananda said that three cases have been registered in connection with the incident at the prison. One of the cases will be investigated by an Assistant Commissioner of Police while two other cases by Inspectors. Talking about the cases, he said on matters concerning prisons, court's permission is required and police are in the process of getting it for a detailed investigation.

Also Read - Another Vande Bharat Express to be flagged off between Bengaluru and Chennai

The cases have been registered under the Prisons Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). "On Saturday, when a team of the Central Crime Branch had gone to check all the barracks of the prison, based on information that certain rowdies were involved in illegal activities, we did not find any incriminating materials or evidence then. Now, we have got information that certain things could have been shifted elsewhere before we reached there. Investigation is on regarding this," he said.

Dayananda said that a lot of rowdy elements are lodged in Parappana Agrahara jail following their arrest under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA). "As there are chances that they (rowdies) may get involved in illegal activities, we have requested them to be shifted elsewhere. Along with rowdy elements, those involved in the Renukaswamy murder case, who are in question now, we have also asked them to be shifted to another place," he added.
Bengaluru, The Bengaluru Police have sought shifting of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, and rowdy elements from Parappana Agrahara jail here to other prisons, city Police Commissioner B Dayananda said on Tuesday. The city police's proposal comes in the wake of a photograph of Darshan hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, on the lawns of the jail emerging on social media on Sunday, sparking a row. In the picture, the actor is seen in a relaxed mood, sitting on a chair and holding a cigarette and a coffee mug. Also, a purported video of Darshan speaking to a person over a video call from the prison too had surfaced on social media. Nine prison officials, including Chief Jail Superintendent, were suspended on Monday for allegedly giving special treatment to Darshan, who is currently in judicial custody, following an inquiry. Speaking to reporters here, Dayananda said that three cases have been registered in connection with the incident at the prison. One of the cases will be investigated by an Assistant Commissioner of Police while two other cases by Inspectors. Talking about the cases, he said on matters concerning prisons, court's permission is required and police are in the process of getting it for a detailed investigation. The cases have been registered under the Prisons Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita . "On Saturday, when a team of the Central Crime Branch had gone to check all the barracks of the prison, based on information that certain rowdies were involved in illegal activities, we did not find any incriminating materials or evidence then. Now, we have got information that certain things could have been shifted elsewhere before we reached there. Investigation is on regarding this," he said. Dayananda said that a lot of rowdy elements are lodged in Parappana Agrahara jail following their arrest under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act . "As there are chances that they may get involved in illegal activities, we have requested them to be shifted elsewhere. Along with rowdy elements, those involved in the Renukaswamy murder case, who are in question now, we have also asked them to be shifted to another place," he added.

HT Image
A Bengaluru man's post about his incredibly fast laptop delivery recently went viral, leading to a surprise gift from the e-commerce platform Flipkart. Sunny R Gupta, a software developer, posted about receiving his laptop just 13 minutes after ordering through Flipkart Minutes. His tweet generated significant online buzz, prompting Flipkart to send him a laptop bag as a thank you for the attention that his post attracted. The e-commerce giant responded with a thank-you gift, a laptop bag, for the buzz his post created.(X?@sunnykgupta)

Gupta took to social media site X to update and clarify that his viral post was not part of a marketing stunt or promotional effort. I wanted to take a moment to address the recent buzz around my posts about receiving a laptop delivery within 13 minutes from Flipkart. I want to clarify that this was not a marketing stunt or a planned promotion, he posted.

READ | Bengaluru army officer schools motorist for driving in the wrong direction on a busy road. Video

The story began when he decided to test out a new delivery feature on Flipkart. He runs a local meetup group called "Impromptu BLR Meetups". During a casual gathering at Starbucks, Gupta was browsing for a new Windows laptop. He came across a model on Flipkart that matched his budget and needs, and noticed an intriguing new feature promising delivery within 15 minutes. Curious about this rapid delivery option, Gupta placed an order, expecting it to be a more convenient alternative to the usual wait time.

Guptas laptop arrived in just 13 minutes, a feat he immediately shared on social media. His post, filled with genuine surprise and excitement, quickly went viral, amassing millions of views and drawing significant media attention.

READ | How Bengaluru celebrated Krishna Janmashtami 2024: Festive attire, ISKCON visits & more | Photos

"I want to emphasize that I had no incentive to create a viral moment or engaging in any marketing ploy," Gupta stated in the update post. He explained that his post was simply a reflection of his genuine amazement at the rapid delivery service.

The unexpected buzz around Guptas experience did not go unnoticed by Flipkart. In response to the viral nature of his post, the companys marketing team reached out with a gesture of appreciation, sending Gupta a laptop bag as a token of thanks for the attention his experience had generated.

READ | Bengaluru man orders laptop to Starbucks, gets it in 13 minutes through Flipkart

Gupta also expressed his enjoyment of the attention his post received and thanked his followers for their support and understanding.
Protesting a new directive from the principal of Lajpat Rai DAV College, Jagraon, the teaching and non-teaching faculty members of the college held a dharna on Tuesday, bandaging their mouths with black clothes. The teaching and non-teaching faculty members of LR DAV College, Jagraon, protesting on the college campus in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

The staff members, under the banner of United Employees Front, said they were asked by the college head to sit in their departments only rather than staff room, for which the circular has been issued twice.

The salary of teachers on self financed posts is pending for the past 10 months and even the grant-in-aid staff of our college has not been paid their arrears, as 25% of colleges own share is not disbursed to them. Over this, the principal and management has committed to host the Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival 2024 despite the acute financial crunch in the college. The staff, in two separate meetings with the principal, urged him to defer the festival hosting for just one year, as the zone size has remarkably increased and our college lacks infrastructure and necessary upfront funds, said one of the faculty members.

They added that the protest is a way to request the college head to consider the views of college staff. Raman Sharma, area secretary (Panjab University), Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), joined the protest and urged the principal to consider the general consensus of the staff and to ensure that staff is involved in decision making of the college.

I visited the college and was a part of the protest related to an advisory for the college staff to avoid sitting in the staff room along with a decision to host a youth festival this year. I was told by the principal that the circular would be reissued for the staff members clearing the objective and for the youth festival, apart from University and college funds, if there would be any extra expenditure, it would be arranged from some outside resource, he informed.

However, principal Anuj Kumar Sharma remarked, The circular was issued for the welfare of the students and quality measures. Staff members have been advised to sit in their departments and not restricted, so that it is convenient for the students to reach out in case of queries. This is only for the members who spend long hours sitting in the staff room, and the fund for salary is different, which cannot be used for youth fest preparations.

Raman said the staff members will hold a meeting with one of the management members and if the decision is taken unilaterally, without paying heed to the staff members, the union would take a call at the state level. The staff members added that in case the college still decides to host the fest, they would boycott participating in the same.
The second phase of a three-day English teachers training commenced at Government Model Senior Secondary School, PAU, on Tuesday to enhance teachers understanding and skills in key areas of English language teaching. Teachers from 38 schools during a training session at Government Model Senior Secondary School, PAU, in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Manish/HT Photo)

The activities held on the first day were focused on language as a system of communication, English language teaching and learner autonomy, second language acquisition and reflection.

The days sessions were conducted by resource person Amandeep Kaur, along with Anupreet and Harveer assisting with activities and ensuring smooth execution of the sessions. The training involved interactive activities designed to engage teachers actively and foster practical learning.

Deputy district education officer (Secondary) Jaswinder Singh, district coordinator Jasvir Singh and other officials from the DEO office visited the training and lauded the teachers for their enthusiasm and participation.

Amandeep, who is also an English teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, informed that 38 teachers from more than eight blocks in the district participated in the training, reinforcing the commitment to professional development in English language teaching.

The first phase concluded on August 24 where 37 teachers were equipped with the required skills to promote fun-based learning. There are 19 blocks in Ludhiana district and we covered the government school English teachers from eight and a half blocks in the first phase and remaining, in the second, she added.

Sharing insights about the activities and the motive, Amandeep said, The training here is under regional English language office (RELO), which is sponsored by US Embassy, purpose of which is to make the language fun and activity based for the students of government schools. We are aware that these students are not fluent when it comes to English, so this is a student-centric initiative where the old teaching methods are being given up to increase students interest in learning the language. On the first day, around eight activities were conducted, which will continue for two more days.
Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah will contest the September 25 assembly elections from Ganderbal in central Kashmir. Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah will contest the September 25 assembly elections from Ganderbal in central Kashmir. (HT file photo)

Ganderbal is the home turf of the Abdullahs for it has elected three generations of the family in the past four decades. This will be the third time Omar Abdullah will contest from the assembly segment. He lost the seat in 2002 but won it in 2008 and is now hoping to repeat the performance this time.

Omar has decided to contest from Ganderbal and party workers have been informed about his decision, said a senior NC leader privy to the details.

Earlier, Omar had said that he would not contest the assembly elections till statehood was restored. He seems to have softened his stance after the Election Commission announced the poll dates. After the announcement, the former CM told reporters in Srinagar: At a personal level, I dont want to fight the elections but there is a lot of pressure on my party. I will talk to my colleagues and will reach a final decision.

The leaders requested him to lead from the front and he agreed to contest the polls, said the former NC legislator, requesting anonymity.

Ganderbal assembly segment is a traditional bastion of the NC. In 2014, Sheikh Ishfaq contested on the NC ticket and was elected. He later resigned from the party and formed floated the Kashmir United Movement.

Omars grandfather Sheikh Abdullah won Ganderbal seat for the first time in 1977. His son, Farooq Abdullah, won the seat thrice in 1983, 1987 and 1996.

When contacted, NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said the political affairs committee (PAC) of the party will decide the seat Omar contests from. Let the PAC meet decide if, when and where from Omar will contest the assembly polls, he said.

Omar lost the Baramulla Lok Sabha elections in May to jailed Independent candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh, alias Engineer Rashid, by more than two lakh votes. The defeat was seen as a setback for the NC in north Kashmir.

So far, the NC has released the names of 32 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir. According to the seat-sharing agreement, the party will contest 51 of the 90 segments.

In the list, the NC has given tickets to several former ministers and legislators, including former finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, who will contest from Charar-i-Sharief, Ali Mohammad Sager from Khanyar, Mubarak Gul from Eidgah, Nasir Aslam Wani from Kupwara and Mir Saifullah from Tregham.

Elections are being held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1 in Jammu and Kashmir. The results will be declared on October 4.
The brother of cow slaughter suspect has claimed that his brother was physically assaulted and thrown into the pond of Madhopur village in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand Police, however, are yet to register a first information report (FIR) on his complaint. (Representative file photo)

The Uttarakhand Police had earlier claimed that the suspect drowned in a pond while trying to escape evading arrest in Haridwar.

Alauddin, a resident of Sohalpur Gada, in the complaint to Gangnagar police station on August 25, said his cousin Wasim (24) had gone to his sisters house in Madhopur.

When he was returning home (on scooty), sub-inspector Sharad Singh, Constable Sunil Saini, Praveen Saini and three other cops stopped him near a graveyard located in Madhopur village. They started beating him and threw him into the pond. They didnt allow him to come out despite his repeated attempts. Hearing his screams, Sufiyan, Sonu and others tried to save him, but the policemen threatened them to go away, else they would be shot. Action should be taken against the culprit police officials, he said in his complaint.

Uttarakhand Police, however, are yet to register a first information report (FIR) on his complaint.

Afzaal, the suspects cousin brother, further alleged that Wasims legs were tied when his body was taken out the pond and his face had injury marks.

He was beaten mercilessly. When he was about to die, he was thrown into the pond. He screamed for help. When villagers tried to save him, they were threatened that they would be shot if anybody tried to save him, he said.

Also Read: Assam man running slaughter house hurt in police firing; cops say he attacked first

Afzaal alleged that when Wasims body was taken out of the pond, his face had multiple fractures, injuries, and legs were tied with a rope.

The police have cooked up a story that he was smuggling cow meat to save their personnel. If he was smuggling cow meat, where is the cow meat? It should have been recovered by the police, he claimed in his complaint.

Denying the allegations, Uttarakhand Police said the suspect Wasim and his family members had faced cow slaughtering cases in the past.

In a statement released, Haridwar Police said the cow protection squad of the Gangnahar police station stopped a suspicious scooter rider in Madhopur village in the early hours of August 25 after the police received inputs of cow meat smuggling.

Police claimed that the rider then left the scooter and fled, and subsequently jumped into the village pond to escape police. The suspect drowned in the pond.

The police in the statement said the family of the suspect and other villagers surrounded them, held them hostage, and abused and assaulted police officials, accusing them of killing the suspect and throwing him into the pond.

The police also said the scooter and meat was stolen from the spot.

Three FIRs have been registered in connection with the case so far. These cases have been registered for allegedly smuggling cow meat, assaulting the police team and sharing posts online that might disturb communal harmony.

Haridwar superintendent of police (rural) Swapn Kishor said, The suspect and his family have a criminal history. He (Wasim), his brother, uncle and cousins are accused in cow slaughtering cases. In a case registered in 2020 under Uttarakhand Protection of Cow Progeny Act, in which Wasim and his father Nasim are accused. In 2017, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by some villagers against cow slaughtering by the suspect family. The PIL stated that some villagers are involved in cow slaughtering and blood runs through the drains.

On allegations of the suspects murder by the police, Kishor said, It is not right to comment on anything. The postmortem report, carried out by a panel of doctors and recorded on video will clear everything.

The police, however, are yet to find the suspected cow meat and scooter.

The SP said, The scooty and cow meat are yet to be recovered. They were taken away by villagers at the time of the incident. We are ascertaining the identities of people who have stolen away the meat and scooter, using videographic evidence. The video clearly shows that the sack was full of prohibited meat. It was also found in the scooty. It appeared to be over 50 kg.

Kishor said they were looking into the allegations of the family in the complaint to police and an FIR will be registered accordingly.
New Delhi: Three people sleeping on the central verge of a northeast Delhi road were killed, and two others were injured, after a truck ran over them early on Monday morning, police officers said. Police said the incident took place at Tarbooz Market, near the Shastri Park Metro station.

Police said the incident took place at Tarbooz Market, near the Shastri Park Metro station. After the incident, the truck driver abandoned his vehicle and fled, officers said, adding that they are trying to identify and nab him.

Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said the injured were identified as Mohammad Mustaq, 35, and Kamlesh (goes by single name), 36, adding that both are currently hospitalised.

Investigators shared the names of only one of the deceased  Mohd Jakir, 35. Local residents identified a second deceased as Prahlad Prasad, 43, though police did not confirm the same.

Giving details of the case, Tirkey said the Shastri Park police station received a call at around 5am about a road accident near the Tarbooz Market. A police team was dispatched to the spot, and learnt that a truck driving from Seelampur towards the Old Iron Bridge lost control, climbed onto the central verge, and ran over five people sleeping on the central verge.

The injured people were taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital, where three were declared brought dead. Their identities are being established. The other two injured men are undergoing treatment. The truck driver, whose identity is also not known, is absconding, the DCP said.

The two injured people were later shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital for better treatment.

Mustakim Pradhan, a resident of Kailash Nagar who witnessed the accident, said that around 4.30am, a speeding truck lost control and climbed onto the central verge, on which many labourers were sleeping.

After the truck driver realised that he had run over people, and saw passersby running towards his vehicle, he drove down the wrong carriageway towards the Metro station, abruptly stopped in the middle of the road, and entered the Metro stations parking lot. From there, he threw bricks at anyone who tried to catch him, and eventually escaped, said Pradhan.

Another eyewitness, Mohammad Irfan, said, Some people chased the truck and tried to catch the driver, but he managed to flee.

Police have seized the truck, and filed a first information report (FIR) against the yet-to-be-identified driver under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 106 (death caused by rash negligence acts), and 125A (rash or negligent act causing hurt, endangering life or personal safety of others) at the Shastri Park police station.

A police officer associated with the case, on condition of anonymity said, Whether the driver of the truck was drunk, or if he dozed off while driving will only be established once he is caught and interrogated. A mechanical inspection of the truck will also be done to ascertain if any fault in the brakes or its steering system led to the accident.
A 21 year-old Pakistani national, Jagsi Koli, entered India on Sunday to save himself from wrath of his girlfriends family after he was caught at their home in a village close to international border on Friday, the Border Security Force (BSF) officials, who interrogated him, said on Monday. Pakistani national Jagsi Koli. (Sourced photo)

Koli was caught by the BSF personnel on Sunday morning from Japda village in Barmer district, about 15 kms from the India-Pakistan border, and is being interrogated. On Monday, he was handed over to the local police by BSF.

An official aware of the development said that Koli was unaware that he had entered India and was caught when he was found asking locals about a bus that can take him to his village across the border.

A senior BSF officer, who had interrogated him, said that the man claimed that he entered India by mistake.

Koli told us that he was having an affair with a Pakistani girl. He mentioned that his village was about 35 km from the international border and his girlfriends village was about 8 km away, the officer said.

As her his claim, the officer said, Koli went to meet his girlfriend with an intention to elope with her. However, before they could execute their plan, he was caught by the girls family members.

He managed to escape from her house and began running. As it was dark at the time, he had no idea which direction he was running. Seeing a light, he ran towards it and crossed the fence and reached Japda village, the officer said.

The BSF official said the light he saw was probably a BSF floodlight installed on the Indian side of the border.

The officer said Koli was studying in Class XI and was able to speak and understand English. His girlfriend is an upper caste Hindu and around 17 years old, an apparent reason for her family opposing their relationship, the officer said.

The BSF officials have found nothing suspicious from him and said it was for the first time he had entered India. He has been handed over the police where he will be interrogated by representatives from various security agencies, the official said.

The Pakistani man was handed over to us by the BSF on Monday. We will now produce him before the joint interrogation committee and complete the necessary formalities, said Kritika Yadav, Circle Officer, Chohtan police station in Barmer district.

The incident is reminiscent of a 17-year-old boy Gemara Ram, from Kumharo Ka Tiba in Rajasthans Barmer district crossing the international border on the night of November 4, 2020, after he was caught with a girl. His family reported him missing on November 16 and later found that he has been caught by Pakistani Rangers.

A Pakistani court sentenced him to six months in prison, which he completed in January 2022. However, due to pending formalities between the two countries, he remained in a Pakistani jail until February 14, 2024, when he finally returned home.
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by two youths within the premises of the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jodhpur, police officials said on Tuesday. The incident happened on Sunday night, but the police were informed on Monday evening. For representational purposes only. (PTI File Photo)

According to Pratap Nagar assistant commissioner of police Anil Kumar, the teenager had left her home on Sunday evening after being reprimanded by her mother.

Her family frantically searched for her and when they couldnt find her, they filed a missing person report at the Soorasagar police station on Monday, Kumar said.

According to the police, the two men approached the girl after finding her alone in the hospital premises. They engaged in a conversation and led her to a secluded area behind the hospitals biomedical waste dumpyard where they allegedly committed the crime, the police said.

The police located the victim on Monday evening near the hospital and informed her family. The girl later disclosed the details of the assault to her parents and the police.

Kumar said a probe has been initiated after the minors medical examination. The officer said that a forensic team collected evidence from the crime scene within the hospital premises on Tuesday morning and teams have been formed to apprehend the suspects, whose identities have been preliminarily established.

Dr. Fatahsingh Bhati, superintendent of the hospital, said that while the police have not officially informed them about the suspects, internal inquiries have revealed that one of the accused was previously employed by the hospital on a contractual basis.

The hospital staff has been directed to check the lighting around the area where the incident took place and security measures, including additional lights, are being enhanced, he said.
Days after All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) called for the immediate withdrawal of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said the government was committed to safeguarding Waqf properties, and emphasised that the Bill aims to protect orphans, widows and the unemployed. Muslim scholars submit a memorandum to BJP MP Jagdambika Pal in Lucknow (Sourced)

Also Read | Number Theory: The landscape of 866,000 Waqf properties

Pal, the chairperson of a joint-parliamentary committee (JPC) formed to examine the Bill, met prominent Muslim scholars and intellectuals at Islamic Centre of India, Aishbagh Eidgah here on Monday evening.

During the meeting, a 20-point memorandum was presented to Pal, outlining the objections and concerns of the Muslim community. Pal said, The government is committed to safeguarding Waqf properties. The Bill aims to protect and benefit orphans, widows, and the unemployed. He highlighted the importance of ongoing consultations with major Muslim organisations, including AIMPLB, to ensure that the amendments were fair and just.

Meanwhile, the Muslim scholars at the meeting expressed strong concerns regarding certain provisions in the proposed amendments. They particularly objected to the increased powers granted to district collectors, the inclusion of non-Muslim zones in Waqf Boards, and the shift from elections to nominations for board members. The scholars argued that these changes were a violation of constitutional rights, particularly those that guarantee religious freedom and protection of minority rights.

Also Read | Purpose of Waqf bill is to dispossess Muslims of ancestral inheritance: JUH president

The meeting was attended by Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali (chairman of the Islamic Center of India), Maulana Jafar Masood Nadvi, Maulana Atique Ahmed Bastavi, Sheikh Saud Rashid Advocate, Amik Jamai, and Naimur Rehman Siddiqui.

Also, Pal separately met Maulana Saif Abbas Naqvi, a prominent Shia Muslim cleric, to discuss the proposed amendments. During this discussion, Pal informed Naqvi that a major consultation with various stakeholders would be organized in September to gather diverse viewpoints on the amendments.

Naqvi suggested that the government establish an email ID or online portal to facilitate the submission of views from Muslims across the country, and presented a three-page memorandum to Pal, outlining both objections and recommendations regarding the Waqf Bill.

Also Read | Waqf JPC meeting: Opposition, BJP lock horns over bills intention

One of the key proposals put forward by Maulana Naqvi was the strengthening of the Waqf Tribunal to better protect Waqf properties. He also criticized the proposal to create separate Waqf Boards for the Bohra and Aga Khani communities, calling it an arbitrary decision aimed at dividing the Muslim community. Maulana Naqvi asserted that the existing Waqf Act was sufficient for all Muslim sub-communities and that no legal justification existed for such segregation.

In response, Pal assured Naqvi that all proposals and objections would be carefully studied and considered in the legislative process, reflecting the governments intent to ensure that the final amendments are equitable and protective of Waqf interests.

Meanwhile, another JPC member, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, met Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali on Tuesday.
The Allahabad high court has ordered an inquiry against the state police department, office of the director of prosecution and office of government advocate over non-disclosure of material facts and evidence in a case involving a mahant accused of secretly filming women while they were taking a bath. Mahant Mukesh Giri was booked by Ghaziabad Police in May this year after a woman complained of the presence of a CCTV camera in the changing room at a ghat in Ghaziabads Muradnagar area. (For Representative)

Expressing concern over the prosecutions failure to present key evidence as sought by the court, Justice Vikram D Chauhan emphasised that non-disclosure of material particulars and evidence from the court amounted to an interference in the dispensation of justice.

As per the high courts order, the inquiry would be conducted by an officer not below the rank of a principal secretary to be nominated by the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh who would look into the role of police and prosecution in withholding vital information.

The court passed the order on August 23, 2024, while dealing with an anticipatory bail filed by mahant Mukesh Giri, who has been accused of recording a video of females while they were bathing. Earlier, at one stage, the court had on July 5, 2024 directed the state to file a counter affidavit (reply) disclosing the evidence found during the investigation against the applicant.

Pursuant to the courts order, the state through an additional government advocate filed a counter affidavit on July 15. However, as per court, no evidence was annexed to the said affidavit despite the courts specific order in this regard. The court in its order has directed to list this case on September 12, 2024 for the next hearing.

Mahant Mukesh Giri was booked by Ghaziabad Police in May this year after a woman complained of the presence of a CCTV camera in the changing room at a ghat in Ghaziabads Muradnagar area. As per the initial probe, the police had claimed that several inappropriate footage of a woman changing clothes was found on his mobile which had live feeds from the CCTV camera installed at the ghat.
Several houses in Rahim Nagar, Pant Nagar, and Abrar Nagar have been marked with red crosses, sparking apprehension among residents. The chief minister assured the panic-stricken residents that no demolition would take place and instructed the authorities to remove the marks immediately. However, either the authorities have not received the CMs order, more than a month after the incident, or, turned a blind eye to it. Red crosses on various houses of the Rahim Nagar and other areas in Lucknow. (Sourced)

After the demolition at Akbar Nagar, red cross marks and measurements indicating the distance of structures from the river was marked by a joint team of Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and irrigation department officials during a survey had created fear among the residents as they expected Akbar Nagar-like fate, forcing them to take to the streets in protest.

After days of peaceful protest by the residents of these areas, a delegation of residents from these areas met the CM with valid property documents. The CM had assured them that no houses would be demolished. In a press note issued by the government, the CM also asked that action be taken against those spreading rumours and even asked authorities to remove the markings and speak with the residents to debunk misinformation.

A month after the CMs directive, Rahim Nagar has not been visited by any authorities to speak with residents, locals said. The residents are demanding immediate intervention from the authorities to get the markings on their houses removed.

Rahim Nagar resident Rakesh Pandey said that neither has anyone visited the area nor have the marks been removed. Other residents, including Ram Lakhan Kushwaha, Faizi, JP Verma, Subodh Jha, MP Mishra, Santosh Shukla, and others, have also expressed their frustration, stating that the orders of the CM seem to have been ignored by the authorities.

LDA secretary Vivek Srivastava said that he was unaware about the marks being present on houses in Rahim Nagar, Pant Nagar, and Abrar Nagar.
MUMBAI: The 35 Somali pirates, who were captured by the Indian Navy in a 40-hour operation in March this year, had hijacked the Malta-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen and held its 17 crew members hostage to demand a ransom of $60 million USD ( 500 crore), revealed a 4,000-page chargesheet filed by the Yellow Gate police on Monday. HT Image

The pirates were brought to Naval Dockyard by the Navy personnel where the Yellow Gate police took them into custody. In addition to seizing two boats, three engines, 196 live cartridges, one magazine and a knife from the pirates, the chargesheet revealed that the police also defused a rocket launcher seized by the Navy from the pirates in the Naval Armament Depot in Karanja and then sent it to the forensic science laboratory for testing.

The police have recorded the statements of 70 people, including seven Bulgarian nationals, staff of INS Kolkata, and the crew of the hijacked ship, mentioned the chargesheet. The chargesheet also said that two foreign nationals were marked as wanted in the case.

The 4,000-page chargesheet was filed in 6 volumes. The 35 Somali pirates were brought to Mumbai aboard the warship INS Kolkata, days after they were captured by the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea. The pirates were arrested on March 24, after the Indian Navy handed them over to us, said a police officer.

We have applied stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Indian Arms Act and the Explosives Substances Act, 1908 in the case. We have also kept further provisions of the 173 (8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) power of the police to conduct further investigations open in the case, said the police officer.

The officer said on June 30, they filed a separate chargesheet in the other matter in which nine Somalian pirates were arrested from the Iranian fishing vessel Al Kambar by the Indian Navy after safely rescuing 23 Pakistani fishermen on March 29.

As UAPA was not applied, we did not get a 180-day period to file the chargesheet. We have filed a 1,500-page chargesheet against nine pirates. We could not record statements of victims of the Pakistani nationals as we, despite seeking help from the Pakistan government through the Ministry of Home Affairs, have not got any communication, said the police officer.

Iranian fishing vessel Al Kambar was hijacked by 9 Somali Pirates. Indian Navy Ship Sumedha intercepted the vessel approximately 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra and was reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates.

The police have maintained sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 383 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 342 (wrongful confinement for ten or more days), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022 and Indian Arms Act said the police officer.

In the first incident where 35 pirates were arrested as they had fired back at the Indian Navy UAPA was applied said the police.
A special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court in Kalyan on Monday remanded the 24-year-old cleaning staffer accused of sexually assaulting the two girls to 14 days judicial custody. The SIT appointed by the state government presented the accused in court and outlined its course of action, including plans to conduct an identification parade and efforts to identify additional victims if any. After the incident of sexual assault came to light, angry citizens of Badlapur staged a protest at the local railway station on August 20. (Pramod Tambe/ HT Photo)

Also Read: Badlapur assault lays bare the clout of Maharashtras education barons

Public prosecutor Ashwini Bhamrepatil informed the special judge V A Peravala that the team had collected all crucial technical evidence, seized the mobile phone of the accused and recorded the statements of the girls and their families. The victims lawyer, Priyesh Jadhav, said the police had added two more sectionsSections 6 and 21 of the POCSO Act, 2012to the case. Jadhav said the investigation team had given an assurance that the charge sheet would be filed in the next few days.

Also Read: State offers financial aid to families hit by Badlapur school sexual assault

Meanwhile, chief minister Eknath Shinde on Monday took review of the investigation at his Thane residence. Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre and other police officials attended the meeting.

Also Read: Opposition parties stage protests across Maharashtra following Badlapur assault

Asim Sarode, lawyer representing the victims said, Since August 5, the accused has committed continuous offences, which were not documented in the childs statement. The case involves aggravated sexual assault. Additionally, the resident medical officer of Central Hospital was absent during the medical examination, warranting a show-cause notice to be issued to them too.
Mumbai: In a bid to streamline educational administration across Maharashtra, school education minister Deepak Kesarkar has put forward a proposal to transfer the management of all schools to the school education department. Currently, various departments such as rural development, tribal development, and social justice oversee different educational institutions. State Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar. (HT FILE)

The proposal, which aims to centralise administration under one department, is expected to be presented in the state cabinet meeting in the near future. Kesarkar stated, "In a recent cabinet meeting we had a discussion on this, and we will move a formal proposal in front of the cabinet very soon."

A significant aspect of this initiative involves the integration of tribal ashram schools and other institutions currently under the purview of the Tribal Development Department. This move is anticipated to address longstanding issues of quality and planning deficiencies within these institutions.

Recent discussions between the principal secretaries of the tribal development and school education departments have brought these concerns to the forefront, leading to the current proposal. A high-level official from the school education department confirmed that this matter has reached an advanced stage of discussion within the cabinet.

At present, there are 497 government-run ashram schools in the state, serving 199,416 students. Additionally, 556 subsidised ashram schools cater to 241,548 students, while approximately 155 unaided schools enrol around 450,000 students.

The proposed merger of Adivasi Ashram Schools with the School Education Department has been under consideration for over a year. The Adivasi Department, grappling with the extensive management of these schools, has faced challenges in implementing other development schemes effectively.

Some officials have been advocating for this merger, citing concerns over quality and educational standards. However, the proposal has met with resistance from certain quarters due to potential impacts on their interests.

This consolidation effort represents a significant shift in Maharashtra's educational landscape, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of students across the state. As the proposal moves towards cabinet consideration, its implications for educational quality, administrative efficiency, and tribal welfare will likely be closely scrutinised.
The scene after dusk at more than two dozen villages under the Mahsi Tehsil area in U.Ps Bahraich district seems right out of a horror/ thriller. The men folk keep watch, holding iron rods, sticks and torches, shouting Jagte Raho (stay awake), while the women sleep tying the children of the family to their sarees. SP Vrinda Shukla while inquiring the villagers about wolf attack (HT Photo)

People in about 30 villages located in the Terai region of the Ghaghra Riverbed have been spending sleepless nights for the past one-and-half months to keep their children safe. Even during the day, children are being held back from venturing out of the house, due to which the attendance in schools has taken a hit.

The reason for this near terror is wolves, who have killed nine people, mostly children, between the age groups of 1 to 8 years, since March 2024. Out of the nine killings, seven took place in the past 40 days (July 17 to August 26). There are 50 others whom the wolves have attacked and injured under the Hardi and Khairighat PS areas, both falling under Mahsi Tehsil of Bahraich.

District Forest Officer (DFO) Bahraich, Ajit Singh, said on Tuesday that a pack of six wolves was seen in CCTV footage, out of which three wolves had been captured. Singh further said three wolves are still running free, out of which one is lame. The DFO said that though nine killings have been reported since March 2024, two killings seemed to be doubtful.

DM Monica Rani has asked the villagers not to sleep with their children outside the house. The DM said officials were asked to install solar lights at 40 locations besides 10 high-mast lights would also be installed at different locations in the affected villages.

SP Vrinda Shukla said that out of nine only two incidents are a little bit doubtful as classic signs of wolf attacks were not found in the cases clearly. She said a separate team has been formed to ascertain if there could be any foul play behind the incident.

She said the police were working on all possible angles. Talking about Rita Devi who was killed on Sunday night, the SP said nothing was consumed by the animal and 21 puncture wounds were found on the neck of the woman.

She said the wounds seem like a canine attack but they are not as deep as a normal wolf attack so we are exploring all possible angles in that case.

Similarly in another case of eight-year-old Khushboo, normally a wolf eats arms and legs but in that case the body seems too neat. Normally, animals eat unevenly and mostly face and neck were mauled but in that case very few injury marks were found on the neck.

She further said that a majority of incidents are common and of similar pattern so there is no doubt that there was an animal on the loose and we need to control it. But it cannot be denied that someone can take advantage of the atmosphere of panic and terror to fulfill their own agenda, Vrinda added.

We are inspecting all possible angles in those two doubtful cases, she said, adding that seven more teams have been formed in Khairighat and Hardi PS areas. The teams were asked for night patrolling in all affected areas to keep the animals at bay. She said the patrolling would be continued until the animals are caught.

BJP MLA from Mahsi, Sureshwar Singh, also camped in the village where wolf attacks were reported. Holding a rifle in hand the BJP MLA spear-headed a search operation in Kumharapurwa village for the wolves in the area along with other villagers on Sunday night. The BJP MLA also accused several police personnel of laxity.

Earlier, the attacks came only under Hardi PS area of the Mahsi Tehsil but due to intensified monitoring, the pack seemed to change their pattern and moved to Khairighat PS area.

On Monday night, a wolf attacked and took away one Ayansh, 5, while he was sleeping along with his mother, Roli, in his house in Deewanpurwa hamlet of Raipur village under Khairighat PS area. The mutilated body of the boy was found on Tuesday morning in a sugarcane field.

On the same night, three other children were attacked and injured in wolf attacks in Baruhi hamlet of Chhatarpur village. The injured children were identified as Hariyali, 6, Shivani, 9 and Vansh Kumar, 3. All of them were rushed to the Community Health Centre, Mahsi.

Prior to this, one Rita Devi, 41, a resident of Kumharanpurwa village, under the Hardi PS area, was said to be attacked and killed by a wolf, late on Sunday night. She was rushed to CHC Mahsi where she was declared dead.

In another incident, a wolf attacked one Kajal, 25, a resident of Loniyanpurwa under Khairighat PS area of the Mahsi Tehsil on Monday morning. Kajal was breastfeeding her child when a wolf attacked her baby. Kajal sustained injuries to her face in an attempt to save her baby.

The district administration has installed loudspeakers and focus lights to keep the animals at bay, and forest officials of five districts, Shrawasti, Gonda, Katarniaghat and Barabanki, have been deployed, yet the wolf attacks continue.

DFO Barabanki, Akash Deep Badhwan, who has been deployed as chairman of the wolf capturing committee by the chief wildlife conservator (CWC) Renu Singh, said that the three free wolves had been identified and were being tracked continuously.

He said we are planning to use elephant dung and urine to keep the pack of wolves at bay from residential areas. He said the elephant dung would be arranged from Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS). The burning of the dung cake would create an illusion of elephant presence in the area. He said wolves typically live in packs of 6 to 10 and avoid areas of big animals like elephants.

DFO Bahraich Ajit Pratap Singh said we are leaving no stone unturned to catch the pack of wolves.

Taking a serious note of the matter, district magistrate Monica Rani and superintendent of police Vrinda Shukla visited the affected villages over the last two days.

On Tuesday both the DM and SP reached Deewanpurwa hamlet of Raipur village and met with the family members of deceased boy Ayansh. Earlier, the duo visited Kumharapurwa village and met with the family members of Rita Devi. Both officials asked the villagers about the incidents and asked them to be vigilant during the night. SP Shukla also visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the injured.

DM holds meeting with villagers

The DM held a meeting with village heads, public distribution shop (PDS) dealers, panchayat secretaries and Rozgar Sewaks of Mahsi Tehsil area at Mahsi block headquarters on Tuesday.

She instructed the village heads and others to form patrol parties in their respective gram panchayats who would keep vigil in three to four hour shifts. She said villagers are to be made aware that they should not sleep in open places, especially in areas adjacent to the fields.

The DM urged the village heads to educate villagers that people should sleep on rooftops or in closed places where no predatory animal could reach.

The DM directed the village level employees, Anganwadi workers, Asha, ANM and sanitary workers to go door to door to make people aware and to hold meetings with women in houses located adjacent to fields and motivate them not to sleep in the open.

She also instructed block development officer (BDO) Shivpur, Rajendra Prasad, to hold a similar meeting with village heads and village level employees in his block to make people aware.

Chief development officer (CDO) Mukesh Chandra, SDM, Mahsi, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, District Panchayat Raj officer (DPRO) Raghvendra Diwedi, district supply officer (DSO) Narendra Tiwari, district programme officer (DPO), Raj Kapoor and other block level officials were present at the meeting.
Decks were cleared on Tuesday evening for the first human kidney transplant at Patnas All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), with Bihars health department granting its approval to the procedure on a resident of Jehanabad district, officials said. Patna AIIMS (HT file)

We granted the no-objection certificate (NOC) today for the kidney transplant at AIIMS to the donor and recipient from Jehanabad, said Dr Sunil Kumar Jha, director-in-chief, health services, who also heads the health departments authorisation committee, which grants NOC for human organ transplant.

Dr Jha had sought a days time when this reporter asked him on Monday, a government holiday on account of Janmashtami, about the delay in grant of NOC for the first kidney transplant at AIIMS.

There is nothing pending at our end now for grant of NOC regarding organ transplant, said Dr Jha on Tuesday. He superannuates on August 31.

The approval comes almost three years after the AIIMS had, on October 8, 2021, moved a request to the state health department for grant of certificate of registration for kidney transplant. Though the certificate was granted to AIIMS on July 9 this year, the NOC came through on Tuesday, after the health department received the request for donor NOC on August 16, said state health officials.

The work-up of the patient and the donor has been done... We will intimate soon about the transplant date, said Dr Gopal Krushna Pal, executive director of AIIMS, Patna.

A six-member committee of the health department, headed by the then director-in-chief, health services, Dr Rakesh Chandra Sahay Verma, had first inspected the AIIMS on October 10, 2022, a year after its request seeking approval to begin kidney transplant procedure. The panel had then pointed out several shortcomings. Among them were lack of availability of dedicated full-time nephrologist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, renal transplant coordinator, trained nurses and technicians to manage the surgical facility (operation theatre), intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency unit (HDU).

It also recommended that the AIIMS should have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a certified laboratory centre for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, and also another MoU with any kidney transplant centre for training its manpower and getting assistance in initiating kidney transplant as per the national organ transplant programme (NOTP).

It took the AIIMS almost 15 months to fill the gaps, after the health department communicated it the recommendations of the inspection committee on October 14, 2022. The institute wrote back to Pratyaya Amrit, additional chief secretary, health, on January 6, 2024, requesting for a re-inspection, saying it had addressed the deficiencies.

Subsequently, a five-member committee, headed by the then director-in-chief (administration), health services, Dr NN Ray was constituted on February 29 this year. The team inspected the AIIMS on April 4 and the certificate of registration for kidney transplant was granted on July 9.

The AIIMS will be the second in the government sector, after the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, to do kidney transplant procedure in Bihar.

Among the private sector hospitals, the Ruban, Medanta, Paras HMRI and the Apollo Spectra already have the permissions to carry out the procedure.
In a setback for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ahead of the assembly elections, former chief minister and its senior vice-president Champai Soren has decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, people aware of the development said on Tuesday, ending a week-long suspense about his next move. Speaking to reporters in the national Capital on Tuesday, Champai said he will be joining the BJP on August 30. (PTI file photo)

Speculations were rife since August 20, when he publicly criticised his party leadership saying he was removed disrespectfully as chief minister when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3 after a five-month stint in the top post.

The development comes following a meeting of Champai, who currently is a member of Hemant Soren cabinet, with union home minister Amit Shah at the latters residence in New Delhi late Monday night.

Besides Champais son Babulal Soren, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also BJPs assembly election co-incharge, was also present in the meeting.

The Assam chief minister posted a picture of the meeting saying Soren would be joining the BJP on Friday.

Speaking to reporters in the national Capital on Tuesday, Champai said he will be joining the BJP on August 30.

I am making a new beginning. Initially I thought of retiring from politics. However, after discussion with my supporters I decided to form a new party. But due to the time factor and the prevailing condition in Jharkhand, I have decided to join the BJP inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, said Soren.

Replying to a specific question if other JMM leaders would also be switching sides along with him, Soren said he would be joining the BJP with his son Babulal Soren.

Champai said he would be returning to Jharkhand on Wednesday. People close to the JMM leader said Champai is likely to resign from the party and the Hemant cabinet after his return.

Welcoming the development, BJP legislature party leader Amar Kumar Bauri said Champais entry would strengthen the BJP.

Champai Soren who is called Kolhan Tiger is a tall Adivasi leader. His entry would strengthen the party as Jharkhand was created by BJP under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Champai Soren fought for separate Jharkhand. We will work together for the state, he said.

People aware of the developments in the BJP said Soren would be joining the party at a special function in the state capital.

Suspended and disqualified JMM legislator Lobin Hembrom could also join the party along with Champai.

Party leader said Champai is likely to organise a grand event at his ancestral village Jillinggora in Saraikela, which could be attended by top BJP leaders.

Following the development, Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi, rushed to Delhi on Tuesday morning after he was summoned by the central leadership.

Party leaders aware of the development said Marandi has been summoned to discuss the future course of action.

Also Read:Want Champai Soren to join BJP: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Reacting to the developments, JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey urged the former chief minister to rethink his decision.

He is one of the senior-most leaders in the party. Guruji (Shibui Soren) and our leader Hemant Soren chose him as the chief minister. He has now decided to side with a political ideology against which he himself and our party have always been against. He should rethink his decision. We can make further comment only after August 30 (when he joins the BJP), said Pandey.

While the BJP leaders have welcomed the decision saying Champais arrival would strengthen the party, especially in the Kolhan division, the JMM leaders, who have been guarded till now in reaction to the development, underline that exit of the former chief minister wont make much of a difference.

Going by the history, we have a long list of several senior party leaders who joined another party or floated a new front could hardly make any impact. They either became inconsequential or returned to the party fold. The list begins from founder members AK Roy and Binod Bihari Mahto. As far as Champai Soren is concerned, he could have made some impact in immediate terms had he formed a new party. But now that he has joined the BJP, he would hardly make any impact. For the JMM supporters, what matters is Guruji (Shibu Soren and the party symbol), a senior JMM leader said.

Some of the key leaders who have quit the JMM in the past include former ministers Hemlal Murmu and Stephen Marandi, former parliamentarians Shailendra Mahto, Kirshna Mardi and Suraj Mandal.

While Stephen Marandi and Murmu are back in the party, the other three have gone into oblivion. Murmu, Mahto and Suraj Mandal had joined the BJP, but they hardly made any impact. Murmu could not win even a single election on BJP symbol. Mardi had defected from JMM along with nine MLAs, but today they are non-existent, said another JMM leader.

However, a few leaders like former chief minister Arjun Munda and the incumbent three-term MP from Jamsedhpur, Bidyut Baran Mahto, are exceptions, another JMM leader said.

Independent observer Sudhir Pal said Sorens departure could have hit the INDIA alliance more if he had formed his own front.

I dont think BJP has to gain much because of the visible lack of trust among the tribals for it. At best, Champai can win his own seat or help them in the other one or two seats. Had he formed his own party, he could have played the victim card and dent into INDIA bloc votes, which could prove crucial in a tight contest, said Pal.
In a setback for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ahead of assembly polls, former Jharkhand chief minister and its senior vice-president Champai Soren has decided to join the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, people aware of the development said on Tuesday, ending a week-long suspense about his next move. Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren with Amit Shah in New Delhi August 30. (ANI)

Speculations were rife since August 20, when he publicly criticised his party leadership saying he was removed disrespectfully as CM when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3 after a five-month stint in the top post.

The development comes following a meeting of Champai, who currently is a member of Hemant Soren cabinet, with Union home minister Amit Shah at the latters residence in New Delhi late Monday night. Besides Champais son Babulal Soren, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also his partys assembly election co-incharge, was present in the meeting.

The Assam CM posted a picture of the meeting saying Soren would be joining the BJP on Friday. Speaking to reporters in the national capital on Tuesday, Champai said he would be joining the saffron party on August 30.

I am making a new beginning. Initially I thought of retiring from politics. However, after discussion with my supporters I decided to form a new party. But due to the time factor and the prevailing condition in Jharkhand, I have decided to join the BJP inspired by the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, said Soren.

Replying to a specific question if other JMM leaders would also be switching sides along with him, Soren said he would be joining the BJP along with his son Babulal Soren. Champai said he would be returning to Jharkhand on Wednesday. People close to the JMM leader said Champai was likely to resign from the party and the Hemant cabinet after his return.

Welcoming the development, BJP legislature party leader Amar Kumar Bauri said Champais entry would strengthen the BJP.

Champai Soren, who is called Kolhan Tiger, is a tall Adivasi leader. His entry would strengthen the party as Jharkhand was created by BJP under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Champai Soren fought for separate Jharkhand. We will work together for the state, he said.

The BJP insiders said Soren would be joining the party at a special function in the state capital. Suspended and disqualified JMM legislator Lobin Hembrom could also join the party along with Champai. Sources said Champai was likely to organise a grand event at his ancestral village Jillinggora in Saraikela, which could be attended by top BJP leaders.

Following the development, Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi, rushed to Delhi Tuesday morning after he was summoned by the central leadership and later met PM Narendra Modi. Party said the two discussed about the political and organisational issues related to party and the state.

Reacting to the developments, JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey urged the former CM to rethink his decision. He is one of the seniormost leaders in the party. Guruji (Shibui Soren) and our leader Hemant Soren chose him as the chief minister. He has now decided to side with a political ideology against which he himself and our party have always been against. He should rethink his decision. We can make any further comment only after August 30 (when he joins the BJP), said Pandey.
The Institute of Chartered Accoutants of India has released ICAI CA Foundation Admit Card 2024. Candidates who will appear for the Foundation examination to be held in September can download the admit card through the official website of ICAI at icai.org or at eservices.icai.org. ICAI CA Foundation Admit Card 2024 out for September exam, heres how to download

The Chartered Accountants Foundation examination will be conducted on September 13, 15, 18 and 20, 2024. Paper I and 2 will be conducted from 2 pm to 5 pm and Paper 3 and 4 will be conducted from 2 pm to 4 pm on all days. In Paper 3 and 4 of Foundation Examination there will not be any advance reading time, whereas in all other papers / exams mentioned above, an advance reading time of 15 minutes will be given from 1.45 PM (IST) to 2 PM (IST).

ICAI CA Foundation Admit Card 2024: How to download

To download the admit card, candidates can follow the steps given below.

Visit the official website of ICAI at eservices.icai.org.

Click on ICAI CA Foundation Admit Card 2024 link available on the home page.

A new page will open where candidates will have to enter the login details.

Click on submit and your admit card will be displayed.

Check the admit card and download the page.

Keep a hard copy of the same for further need.

ICAI CA Foundation admit card for September 2024 exam released, direct link here

The Examination commencement timing at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat Centres will be 12.30 PM i.e., Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat local time corresponding / equivalent to 2 PM. (IST). The Examination commencement timing at Bahrain, Doha, and Kuwait Centre will be 11.30 AM i.e., Bahrain / Doha / Kuwait local time corresponding / equivalent to 2 PM (IST). The Examination commencement Timing at Kathmandu (Nepal) Centre will be 2.15 PM Nepal local time corresponding / equivalent to 2 PM (IST). The Examination commencement timing at Thimpu (Bhutan) Centre will be 2.30 PM Bhutan local time corresponding / equivalent to 2 PM (IST).For more related details candidates can check the official website of ICAI.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has released the NABARD Assistant Manager Prelims Admit Card 2024. Candidates who will appear for the Assistant Manager in Grade A posts an download the call letter through the official website of NABARD at nabard.org. NABARD Assistant Manager Prelims Admit Card 2024 out, download link here

The call letter will be available to candidates on the official website from August 26 to September 1, 2024.

UGC NET admit card for exams up to August 30 released on ugcnet.nta.ac.in, direct link here

The Phase 1 (preliminary) examination will be conducted on September 1, 2024. The prelims examination comprises of questions from these subjects- Test of reasoning, English language, computer knowledge, quantitative aptitude, decision making, general awareness, Eco & Soc. Issues (with focus on Rural India) and Agriculture & Rural Development with Emphasis on Rural India. The exam will have 200 marks questions and the time duration is 120 minutes. Shortlisting of the candidates for the Mains exam will be based on marks scored in the Merit section only.

NABARD Assistant Manager Prelims Admit Card 2024: How to download

To download the admit card, candidates can follow the steps given below.

Visit the official website of NABARD at nabard.org.

Click on NABARD Assistant Manager Prelims Admit Card 2024 link available on the home page.

Enter the login details and click on submit.

Once done, your admit card will be displayed on the screen.

Check the admit card and download the page.

Keep a hard copy of the same for further need.

Those candidates who will qualify the prelims examination will have to appear for the main examination. The dates and other details of main exam will be out after prelims results.

Also check: ICSI CS December 2024 Exam: Registration begins today at icsi.edu, heres how to check

The registration process was started on July 27 and ended on August 15, 2024. This recruitment drive will fill up 100 Assistant Manager posts and 2 AM (Rajbhasha) posts. For more related details candidates can check the official website of NABARD.
The world of international education is undergoing a significant transformation. Traditional powerhouses like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have recently implemented policy changes that are altering the landscape for international students. These shifts are impacting student mobility and paving the way for emerging destinations to gain prominence. Let's explore how policy adjustments in traditional powerhouses like UK, Canada, and Australia redirect students towards alternative options and reshape the global education market.(Shutterstock)

Let's explore how these policy adjustments redirect students towards alternative options and reshape the global education market.

United Kingdom: Adapting to New Realities

The United Kingdom has long been a favoured destination for international students. However, in recent years, policy changes have influenced student sentiment and mobility. In the year ending March 2024, the UK witnessed a 6.2% decrease in study visas granted to principal applicants, totalling over 446,000. This decline can be attributed to restrictions introduced in January 2024, which prevent most international students from bringing dependents with them.

Despite these challenges, the UK continues to offer attractive opportunities for international students.

The Graduate Route, allowing international students to work for two years post-graduation, remains a significant draw. Universities and policymakers are working to maintain the UK's appeal as a top destination for international education.

Canada: Balancing Growth and Sustainability

Canada, another popular destination for international students, has recently updated its International Student Program with significant changes. A temporary two-year cap on study permits for incoming international students has been implemented, excluding Master's, PhD, and K-12 students and current permit holders. The minimum financial requirement for study permit applications has also increased to C$20,635, reflecting rising living costs.

These policy shifts have impacted study permit processing, with approval rates dropping to 50% between January and April 2024. Despite these changes, Canada's labour market shows strong demand, particularly in healthcare and professional services. The country's job market is projected to grow by 15% by 2031, offering opportunities for international graduates in various sectors.

Australia: Refining International Education Strategies

Australia, traditionally a welcoming destination for international students, has also introduced policy changes to regulate student intake. In December 2023, the country unveiled its Migration Strategy, followed by the Genuine Student requirement in March 2024. These updates include new visa requirements, accepted English-language tests, and a proposed soft cap on international student numbers.

Adding to the changes, Australia increased its international student visa fee from A$710 to A$1,600 as of 1 July 2024, making it more expensive than competing countries. While it's too early to fully assess the impact of these changes, they reflect Australia's efforts to ensure the sustainability and quality of its international education sector.

Emerging Destinations: New Horizons in International Education

As traditional study abroad markets adjust their policies, a new wave of destinations is rising to meet the growing demand for international education. Countries in Asia and Europe are rapidly gaining traction among globally mobile students, offering a blend of quality education, cultural experiences, and often more affordable options.

In Asia, countries like Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia are making significant strides in attracting international students. The Japanese government has set a new goal to attract 400,000 international students by 2033. Furthermore, South Korea's government scholarship programs and drive to internationalise its campuses have made it an increasingly popular choice. With its multicultural environment and cost-effective education, Malaysia is positioning itself as a regional education hub.

European countries are also emerging as formidable alternatives. With its tuition-free public universities and strong economy, Germany has seen a surge in international enrollments. The Netherlands and Sweden, known for their high-quality English-taught programs and innovative approaches to education, are attracting students from around the globe. Countries like Poland and Hungary also gain attention, offering affordable options without compromising quality.

Moreover, some unexpected players are entering the scene. The United Arab Emirates, with its state-of-the-art campuses and strategic location, is becoming a crossroads for international education. Similarly, Singapore's reputation for academic excellence and its position as a global business hub make it an attractive option for students seeking a blend of Eastern and Western influences.

The Road Ahead: Adapting to a Changing Landscape

As the international education sector evolves, students and institutions must adapt to these changing dynamics. For students, this means carefully considering a more comprehensive range of destination options and focusing on programs that align closely with their career goals. It also requires a more thorough understanding of immigration policies and post-study work opportunities in potential host countries.

Educational institutions and policymakers face the challenge of balancing regulating student inflows and maintaining their country's attractiveness as an education destination. This may involve developing more targeted recruitment strategies, enhancing support services for international students, and fostering stronger links with industry to improve graduate employability.

(Author Gaurav Batra is CEO and Founder, Infinite Group. Views expressed are personal.)
The authorities of National Institute of Technology (NIT) are reconsidering if the students from Bangladesh, who allegedly posted anti-India remarks on social media, should be awarded their degrees. ASSAM: NIT Silchar to reconsider awarding degree to Bangladeshi students posting anti-India remarks

Some students from the neighbouring country, who have completed studies here, were found posting anti-India remarks during the student movements in their country recently.

Educational institutions reopened in Tripura after a week closure due to flood

At least 77 students from Bangladesh are studying here on scholarships under Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) of Ministry of External Affairs, India.

Director of NIT, Silchar, professor Dilip Kumar Baidya on Tuesday told HT that as per their knowledge, one student named Sadat Hossain Alphi, who has completed the academic activities recently, was allegedly seen posting anti-India slogans. However, he is yet to be awarded the final degree.

Check This: What is adaptive learning? How it helps in preparing for NEET, JEE exams which have vast syllabus & intense competition

"All the controversies are surrounding his alleged social media posts and we are also examining his posts. Since he is not in our campus anymore and the protests occurred outside our campus, we cannot take any decision instantly," he said.

It can be mentioned that several complaints were lodged before the police in Cachar district by different organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad against Bangladeshi students of NIT Silchar for their alleged anti-India remarks on social media.

Superintendent of police (SP), Cachar district, Numal Mahatta on Saturday night visited the NIT Silchar campus and ordered the cyber monitoring cell to investigate the matter.

Read More: Is God real? Is Satan real?: US high school assignment sparks outrage, furious mother shares questions

Additionally, the return of the final year student from Bangladesh's Dhaka, who was sent back home on Monday after she liked an anti-India post, is also uncertain because she will only be allowed here only if the Ministry of External Affairs permits it.

A former student of Assam University Silchar on Saturday alleged that a Bangladeshi student residing in NIT Silchar campus has reacted to one of the anti-India posts.

After her name surfaced on social media, she applied to the authorities to let her leave the campus and police on Sunday escorted her to the India-Bangladesh international border in Karimganj.

Professor Baidya on Tuesday said that the female student will not be able to return unless the Bangladesh government sends her after discussing the matter with the government of India.

"Since they are studying under ICCR, the female student needs permission from the concerned authorities to return here. Alphi has completed the academic studies but his degree is yet to be awarded. After investigation, we'll reconsider if it'll be awarded to him at all," he said.

According to the protesters, some other former students of NIT Silchar, who are presently in Bangladesh, were seen posting anti-India remarks and complaints would be lodged against them too.

Subhasish Choudhary from Hindu Rakkhi Dal said that they are protesting against the anti-India posts by the Bangladeshi students but they are not against everyone.

"Nearly 500 students from our area are studying in various parts of Bangladesh and we should think about their safety before posting anything on social media," he said.

Professor Baidya said that they have instructed their students to refrain from posting anything on social media on this controversy.

He also said that Sadat Hossain Alphi reached out to the authorities after the controversy and claimed that his facebook account was hacked and he didn't post anything against India.

"We'll investigate if his claims are true before taking the final decision," professor Baidya said.
A Bangladeshi student studying at the National Institute of Technology, Silchar in Assam was sent back to her country after she reacted with a 'love' emoji to an anti-India post on social media, police said on Tuesday. A total of 70 Bangladeshi students are presently studying at NIT Silchar as per the understanding of Indian and Bangladeshi governments. (File Photo)

Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta claimed that it was "not deportation" but was just sent back in consultation with Bangladesh authorities.

The SP said that Maisha Mahajabin, a student of fourth semester at Electronic and Communication department of NIT Silchar, was sent back to Bangladesh on Monday through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district.

"This is not a case of deportation... She reacted with a love symbol in one anti-India post on Facebook by her senior and NIT Silchar alumnus Sahadat Hussain Alfi, who left India around six months back after completing his course. He now lives in Bangladesh," Mahatta told PTI.

The SP claimed that many people expressed their anger to see such a post, where she reacted with a 'love' emoji.

Mahatta also stated that Mahajabin requested the NIT Silchar authorities to allow her to go to her country.

Asked if she will return to complete her course, the SP said: "She has not finished her course yet. Whether she will be back again to complete her study, nothing can be said about it now."

A total of 70 Bangladeshi students are presently studying at NIT Silchar as per the understanding of Indian and Bangladeshi governments.

Mahatta said that out of them, there are around 40 Hindu students from Bangladesh at NIT Silchar.

"I have personally met the students and requested them not to do any wrong work or indulge in any anti-India activities," he added.

Meanwhile, Hindu Rakkhi Dal Spokesperson Suvasish Choudhury told PTI that they noticed the anti-Indian post of the former student and informed the police to take necessary steps.

"We forwarded some anti-Indian posts, which originated from University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. She (Mahajabin) supported one such post with a love symbol," he added.
Nearly a week after all educational institutions were declared closed due to flood caused by incessant rainfall, the Tripura schools have been reopened on Tuesday except those schools where relief camps are still functioning. Educational institutions reopened in Tripura after a week closure due to flood

" All the Schools (Govt., Govt. Aided Schools, Privately Managed Schools, Schools under TTAADC, Madrasas etc.) were declared closed vide Memo No. F. 25(1-1)SE/VJ/2022(Part-1) dated 21/08/2024 and Memorandum of even No. dated 22/08/2024 due to unprecedented flood Situation across the state.

Maharashtra School education minister proposes transfer of management of all state schools to education department

Now, it has been decided by the Education (School) Department ghat all schools of the state will re-open from 27/08/2024 except the schools where relief camps are in operation", reads the notification signed by

Education (School) Department Director Nripendra Chandra Sharma recently.

Also Read: Seven students of Fatehpur Medical College expelled after freshers injuries

Tripura witnessed incessant rainfall since August 19 that resulted in severe flood and landslides. Till now, the flood claimed lives of 26 people, injured two and left one missing.

Check This: Bangladeshi student studying at NIT Silchar sent back after 'love' emoji on anti-India post

Currently, over 70,000 persons are sheltered at 471 relief camps in the state where they are being provided with food, drinking water, medical help by the administration.
To streamline educational administration across the state, the school education minister Deepak Kesarkar has proposed transferring the management of all schools, currently run by various departments such as rural development, tribal development, and social justice department to the school education department. Maharashtra: School Education dept proposes transfer of all schools to edu dept

The proposal, which seeks to centralise the administration under one department, is expected to be introduced in the state cabinet meeting soon.

Bangladeshi student studying at NIT Silchar sent back after 'love' emoji on anti-India post

Kesarkar said, In recent cabinet meeting we had a discussion on this, and we will move formal proposal in front of cabinet very soon.

As part of this initiative, tribal ashram schools and other institutions currently under the Tribal Development Department are also set to be integrated with the School Education Department. The integration of tribal ashram schools is expected to address longstanding issues of quality and planning deficiencies within these institutions. Recent discussions between the principal secretaries of the tribal development and school education departments have highlighted these concerns, leading to the current proposal. A high-level official from the school education department confirmed that this matter has reached an advanced stage of discussion within the cabinet.

Also Read: Mumbai student caught for tearing pages from passport to hide Thailand trip lands in trouble

There are currently 497 government-run ashram schools in the state, catering to 199,416 students. Additionally, 556 subsidized ashram schools serve 241,548 students, while around 155 unaided schools enroll approximately 450,000 students.

The proposed merger of Adivasi Ashram Schools with the School Education Department has been under consideration for over a year.

Read More: IIT Madras hosts 5-day International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement & Computing

The Adivasi Department, burdened by the extensive management of these schools, has faced challenges in implementing other development schemes effectively. Some officials have been advocating for this merger, citing quality and educational standards concerns. However, there has been resistance from certain quarters due to potential impacts on their interests.
Seven students from Fatehpur Medical College were expelled from the hostel on Tuesday following an incident where two freshmen ended up in the hospital with injuries. Seven Medical Students Expelled After Freshers Injuries

Principal RP Singh ordered the expulsion of six students: Satyam Barnwal, Sohrab Ali, Akshat Singh, Abhishek Tyagi, Parth Sen, Lakshya Bhaskar, and Akash Yadav. Singh cited gross indiscipline and disruption of the campus environment as reasons for the expulsion. He, however, described the incident as a brawl rather than ragging and the student would remain expelled till further orders.

Bangladeshi student studying at NIT Silchar sent back after 'love' emoji on anti-India post

The two freshmen, Akshat Kumar and Sanyam Kumar, who were admitted this year, are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. The students' complaint did not explicitly mention ragging but indicated they were assaulted. According to sources, the freshmen were attacked after they opposed ragging attempts by senior students.

Also Read: Australia caps foreign students to 270,000 in 2025 as part of a migration crackdown

Other students discovered the injured freshmen in the hostel and promptly transported them to the district hospital. Dr Rajesh Kumar, head of the trauma center at the hospital, confirmed that the two students were admitted with injuries on Monday night and are undergoing treatment.

Read more: Study abroad: How policies in popular countries are redirecting students toward alternative options

The injured students, however, have told reporters that the assault occurred as part of ragging activities. The expelled students will remain barred from the hostel until further notice.
Thrissur , Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Tuesday lashed out at the media, accusing it of misleading the public's perception about the film industry regarding the recent allegations of sexual harassment against actors and directors. Media misleading public perception of film industry: Suresh Gopi

The actor-politician termed the allegations as "food" for the media and said they were welcome to make money out of it.

The Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, however, said they should not try to destroy such a huge industry like cinema.

He was responding to reporters' queries over the recent allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against various directors and actors, including CPI MLA M Mukesh.

"This is all food for you, is what I understand. You can use it to make money. no problem with that. But these issues are before the court, and it has the intelligence and logic to arrive at a decision regarding them.

"You are not only making people fight each other for your own gains, you are also misleading public perception. The complaints are in the form of allegations at the moment. What are you telling people? Are you the court? You are not. The court will decide. Let the court decide," Gopi said.

His response came a day after the Yuva Morcha organised a march towards the residence of Mukesh in Kollam.

The publication of the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry has opened a can of worms with several female actors stepping forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.

Amid these allegations, the government announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe the allegations made in the wake of the Hema Committee report being published.

Following that more complaints surfaced against various actors and directors.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Urvashi Rautela's 'tiny' finger injury is grabbing attention on social media after the actor shared photos and videos of herself from hospital. She posed with a sea of 'luxury roses' at the hospital in the photos and said that these were sent to her by 'diehard fans'. A Reddit post on the actor's hospital photos, asking if she was trying to garner 'attention' with her 'publicity stunt' is getting a lot of traction. Also read | Urvashi Rautela interview: Trolls can't define my self-worth or potential Urvashi Rautela shared a glimpse of 'luxury roses' fans sent her as well as her injury.

What Urvashi Rautela posted

The actor recently shared pictures of herself from the hospital and wrote in her caption, '1 lakh, 100000 luxury roses from diehard fans wishing speedy recovery. I love you all." She also shared a hospital video recently as she underwent treatment and showed off her finger injury. With it, she wrote, "Pray for me."

Check out her posts on Instagram:

What Reddit is saying about her posts

A Redditor said, sharing the actor's latest photos, "What exactly happened to her? Or it's just a attention gaining game?" In reaction, a person wrote, "First youngest Indian actress to have diehard fans (others only have 'diesoft' fans)."

Another commented, "Luxury roses kya hote hain (What are they)? What else does my middle class a** not know? Are there luxury trees too? Jhaad (Branch) by Dior. Ganna (Sugercane) by Gucci..." Someone also said, '"She had to say they were 'luxury roses'."

'She is just in her delulu land'

A Redditor joked, "I counted, it's not 100000 roses, it's 420." Another said, "Indias youngest and highest-paid global superstar got a tiny cut on her finger, and her diehard fans all rushed to the same shop to buy 1,00,000 luxury roses." A person also commented, "Why does she act like this? Obsessed with herself?" A comment also read, "She is just in her delulu (delusional) land."

Urvashi's last film was Ghuspaithiya. She featured alongside Vineet Kumar Singh and Akshay Oberoi in the movie directed by Susi Ganeshan and backed by M Ramesh Reddy, Jyotika Shenoy and Manjari Susi Ganeshan.
Hollywood actor Channing Tatum has confessed to a quirky habit -- he can't stand doing laundry! In a recent revelation, the actor admitted to buying a year's worth of brand-new T-shirts just to avoid the chore. Also read: Zoe Kravitz and Channing Tatum are engaged after 2 years of dating, Batman actress spotted with a massive diamond ring Channing Tatum hates doing laundry.

Say no to laundry

Channing made the confession during GQs 10 Things Channing Tatum Cant Live Without video.

He admitted that his aversion to laundry day is so strong, that he is willing to go to great lengths (and expenses) to procrastinate.

I hate doing laundry. Like, I hate it more than I can possibly say. I had one year that I called 'the year of the fresh white T,' and I don't think I did laundry all year that year and I just wore white T-shirts that I just bought, he said.

The actor added, I'd (look at a shirt and) be like, 'I can get like two wears out of this a week. This is gonna be good.' HThe year of the fresh white T  '99 or 2000. It's a beautiful year."

When it comes to his forever wardrobe essentials, the Blink Twice star said a simple Hanes T-shirt or ribbed tank top remains to be his favourite. He explained that he has always gravitated to a tattered, old white shirt as it is a classic thing.

More about it

Channings views on pants are a bit different.. The actor told GQ that he has sported Dickies and Carhartts for decades, claiming he still owns one pair from when he was a teen. He feels one can wear them in a disaster situation or can wear them painting with ones daughter in the backyard.

From the past

Back in 2022, the actor told his 22 Jump Street co-star Jonah Hill that the simple look was a product of where he was raised.

He said he grew up in the South where one doesnt wear anything but white T-shirts and chains. The actor even admitted that he once had 'the year of the fresh white T.

However, for him, "dressing became a bit of a chore" after moving to Los Angeles. Now, he is comfortable with his fashion with his now-fiancee, Zoe Kravitz, encouraging him to just be authentic.
Matthew Perrys street dealer Erik Fleming, the former film director who pleaded guilty to two charges in the Friends actor death probe, managed an upscale rehabilitation facility where a patient died due to overdose. Matthew Perry and his drug dealer Erik Fleming

According to the Department of Justice, Fleming supplied multiple ketamine vials to the actor's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, in the days preceding his death in October 2023.

In an exclusive report, The Hollywood Reporter revealed Fleming worked as the sober living manager and program director of Red Door, a posh treatment facility in Bel-Air. In January 2021, the centre witnessed the death of William Cooney, a 36-year-old patient, due to an overdose.

Red Door attorney shares crucial details

While Fleming was employed by the clinic at the time of Cooney's demise, Red Door attorney Michael J. Plonsker told THR that he was not in the facility on the day of his death.

Plonsker, citing federal health confidentiality regulations, declined to speak further on Cooney's passing.

He, however, mentioned that the centre runs at the highest levels of client care and that Red Door and its founders bear no responsibility for his death.

In contrast to his statement, the staff members and former patients, who talked with THR for a previous probe into Red Door's carelessness and negligence, stated Cooney was able to get supply of the drugs that claimed his life because the medical facility wasn't adequately evaluating him or keeping an eye out for any potential relapses.

Also Read: Matthew Perrys master bedroom suite was a disaster after his death: Something very bad had happened and someone'

Actor Brooke Mueller's link with Cooney

Actor Brooke Mueller, who is reportedly assisting the investigation team with the probe into Perry's overdose, was seeing Cooney at the time of his demise. She is claimed to have known Fleming for a long time.

According to Sarah Morse, Cooney's ex-wife, his bond with Mueller was a crucial turning point in her ex-spouse's addiction.

She told THR, When I look back at when things truly began to unravel, it all started when he met Brooke Mueller, who also struggled with addiction.

Despite the fact that Red Door was known for its bad reputation, Mueller and her friend Fleming, insisted that Cooney enroll into the facility, Morse claimed.

According to people close to Cooney, relatives and close friends kept pressuring law enforcement to investigate Red Door and its affiliates after the Los Angeles Police Department wrapped up its investigation into his death.
Bengaluru, The restored version of legendary filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli's 'Ghatashraddha' will be showcased in the Venice Classics section of the 81st Venice International Film Festival to be held between August 28 and September 7. Kasaravalli's restored 'Ghatashraddha' to be showcased in Classics section of Venice film fest

Speaking to PTI, Kasaravalli said he is looking forward to seeing how relevant the audience find the film today.

"This was made in 1977. I have changed a lot since 'Ghatashraddha' , so I am curious to know what the audience think of it now," said the Bengaluru-based filmmaker who has won 14 National Awards.

Kasaravalli said he will be going to Venice for the festival.

"Also, I will be watching the film for the first time after it was restored by the Film Heritage Foundation. I do not own great prints of any of my films. The ones I have, have been exposed to a bit of wear and tear. Dust and scratches affect the quality of the print, after all. So, I am curious to see the restored version," he added.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, the founder-director of Film Heritage Foundation, had collaborated with Martin Scorsee's The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project to restore 'Ghatashraddha.' The restoration was done at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, considered one of the best restoration labs in the world.

According to a press statement issued by 81st Venice International Film Festival, in the classic section, 'Ghatashraddha' is among the 18 films that were restored over the past year, which will be premiered at the festival.

"It is possible that the name of Girish Kasaravalli is not very well known in Italy, even if he was one of the founders of the Parallel Cinema movement, inspired by the principles of Italian Neorealism. His debut film, 'Ghatashraddha,' earned him immediate renown and three of the most important awards in Indian cinema that year ," said Festival Artistic Director Alberto Barbera in a note introducing the films and the directors being featured in the classic section.

According to him, director and screenwriter Renato De Maria will chair the Jury of Film Students which  for the eleventh year  will award the Venice Classics prizes for the respective competitions for Best Restored Film and for the Best Documentary About Cinema.

The jury chaired will be composed of 24 students, each of them recommended by professors of film studies from various Italian universities, DAMS and from Ca' Foscari University in Venice, he added.

Venice Classics is the section that since 2012 has presented at the Venice Film Festival a selection of the best restorations of film classics.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Kanye Wests destroyed home in Malibu finally has an interested buyer. A crowdfunding firm called Belwood Investments has been turning around destroyed homes since 2018 and has shown interest in Wests gutted house. According to the report in Real Deal, the California-based firm is in contract to purchase that home. West destroyed the home and left it exposed to the elements. Kanye West's demolished house bags in new buyer. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)(Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

Also Read: Taylor Swift praises Charli XCX amid feud rumours over Sympathy is a Knife

Wests house ranges from $21 million

According to the press release released by the company early in August, the price range of the house falls somewhere in the $21 million range. The price range marks a significant decline from the amount the home was purchased for. West owned the house since 2021 and paid a whopping $57.25 million as per the record. The original estate price was $53 million in January, but the rapper lowered the prices to $39 million in April. The deal which is yet to be closed at $21 million mark accounts for a discount of 60% on the price initially asked.

The discount comes after the New Yorker displayed pictures and videos of Wests decaying house including rusted windows and railings of the house. According to the media outlet West told a labourer, This is going to be my bomb shelter. This is going to be my Batcave.

This was followed by Kanye now known as Ye instructing a complete demolition of the house after he purchased it in 2021. He instructed the crew to remove tubs, light fixtures, all traces of windows, heating and air conditioning, and wiring. The house currently has no HVAC, plumbing or electrical.

Belwood in their release mentioned investing $5 million to renovate the house and to restore the property to its original state, as reported by the New York Post.

Also Read: Taylor Swift praises Charli XCX amid feud rumours over Sympathy is a Knife

A rare Ando residence

The residence is designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, a Japanese architect known for his work using concrete. Wests house is also made out of 1200 tons of concrete and 200 tons of steel. The release read, Restoration will honour the unique materials and innovative design elements specified by Ando, many of which were imported from around the world. The renovation process is anticipated to take 12-16 months.

The house was marketed by Oppenheim Groups Jason Oppenheim and stretches across 4,000 square feet. Andos creation comprises four bedrooms and five bathrooms. It was originally built for financier and art collector Richard Sachs in 2013 with a Pacific view. The release mentioned, Richard Sachs, the original owner, aptly described it: This is not just a house; this is like a Picasso, a cubist painting, very important and very rare.'
British rock band Oasis said on Tuesday they would reunite after 15 years, with brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher planning a series of live shows in 2025. Oasis, whose debut album Definitely Maybe was released 30 years ago, split in 2009 when lead guitarist and main songwriter Noel said he could no longer work with frontman Liam. (Also Read  Music mania hits India: Top musical gigs to watch out for in upcoming months, from Bryan Adams to Dua Lipa) Oasis to reunite after 15 years

"This is it, this is happening," the band said on X, announcing tickets would go on sale on Saturday. The first show will be held in Cardiff, Wales on July 4 next year.

Oasis said they would play a total of 14 gigs in Cardiff, Manchester  where the band was formed in 1991  London, Edinburgh and Dublin, in the domestic leg of a world tour.

"The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised," the band said in a statement on their website.

Tuesday's announcement follows a weekend of speculation about a reunion, which music streaming platform Spotify said had prompted a 160% spike in streaming globally over a two-hour period on Monday compared with the previous week.

A tour in 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of Oasis' second album Morning Glory?, which included the singles Don't Look Back in Anger and Wonderwall.

The release of Roll with It from the album in August 1995 put Oasis head-to-head with rival Blur's Country House in a chart battle that was seized upon by the media. Blur won the coveted number one spot.

Morning Glory? went on to sell more than 22 million copies worldwide, becoming the bestselling album of the 1990s in Britain and the band's breakthrough in the United States.

The Gallagher brothers were often at loggerheads when the band toured in the 1990s and their hostility continued afterwards. "He thinks he's the man and I think I'm the man, do you know what I mean?" Liam said in 2017.
Actor Mohanlal resigned as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). As per reports, all the members of the executive committee submitted their joint resignation. The film body said that a new committee will be formed after an election in two months. (Also read: Mohanlal has lost his ability to respond: Malayalam actor Shammy Thilakan amid sexual misconduct allegations) Malayalam superstar Mohanlal was the head of AMMA.

Hema Committee report and aftermath

Heads began rolling in the Malayalam film world on Sunday in the aftermath of the Justice K Hema Committee's explosive findings of harassment and abuse of women professionals, leading to two high-profile resignations over allegations of sexual abuse.

Amid mounting pressure on the government to take action against alleged predators in the film industry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials and decided to establish a seven-member special team to investigate the atrocities faced by women actors.

More skeletons tumbled out of the closet with fresh accounts of harassment emerging on Sunday. Even an old one, involving actor-politician Mukesh, resurfaced.

Director Ranjith and actor Siddique stepped down from their leadership roles in a state-run film academy and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A), respectively.

Criticism for Mohanlal

Earlier, actor Shammy Thilakan spoke to the press, according to IE, and took a dig at Mohanlal for not speaking up. Shammy spoke to the press about recent events, stating that Mohanlal had lost his ability to respond. He also noted that whoever has done wrong will face consequences, saying, Those who eat salt will drink water, whoever it is, and adding, I live in fear too. The term power group was used by the Hema Committee, and their report contains evidence of its existence. We can identify who is part of that group based on this evidence.

An award-winning filmmaker, screen writer and actor, Ranjith was under fire after a Bengali female actor accused him of misbehaviour years ago, but the issue came to the limelight in the wake of the Hema Committee report becoming public.

Siddique too quit, as the general secretary of AMMA amid voices from within his fraternity seeking his resignation following a sexual assault complaint raised against him by a young actress.

Putting more pressure on the government, some other female actors also narrated their harrowing experiences in front of the media without naming their accused male colleagues later in the day.

Actor-turned MLA Mukesh also came up with an explanation when an harassment allegation raised by a woman professional against him years ago surfaced again in the wake of present developments.

The two-time legislator claimed he was targeted by a section of people as he was a ruling CPI (M) MLA and that the allegations were baseless.

Ranjith stepped down as the head of the government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday morning and informed his decision through an audio clip sent to a television channel.

He resigned amid an opposition clamour--from the Congress and BJP-- demanding he quit from the post.

BJP activists took out a protest march to Ranjith's residence in Kozhikode this morning demanding his resignation.

Ranjith said he doesn't want to continue in the position as it would adversely impact the reputation of the Left government in the state. He said he would fight the accusations against him legally.

"I have been targeted by a certain section of people since the day I took charge as the Chairman of the Academy. I need to prove before the society that the allegations are untrue. I have decided to move legally and bring out the truth," he was heard saying in the audio clip.

The Bengali actor had recently alleged that the award-winning filmmaker had behaved in an inappropriate manner when she came up for the shooting of a film which he had helmed. The filmmaker has rejected the actor's charge and said he was the "real victim" in the case.

However, the actor on Sunday made it clear she does not wish to go ahead with a police case.
New Delhi, Filmmaker Rima Das' "Village Rockstars 2", a sequel to her 2017 movie, has been selected in competition for the Kim Jiseok Award at the Busan International Film Festival 2024. Rima Das' 'Village Rockstars 2' to compete for Kim Jiseok Award at Busan International Film Festival

The film is the follow-up to the internationally acclaimed and National Award-winning feature "Village Rockstars", which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in 2017 and was India's official entry to the Academy Awards 2019.

According to a press release, "Village Rockstars 2" is the only Indian feature among eight films to be selected in the Jiseok Competition section at the 29th edition of the Busan International Film Festival, set to begin on October 2.

Das, who was invited to join the director's branch by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences earlier this year, said she is looking forward to the world premiere of "Village Rockstars 2" at BIFF.

"'Village Rockstars' will always hold a special place in my heart, and I cherish the love and recognition it received. I'm thrilled that 'Village Rockstars 2' is premiering at Busan," the multiple award-winning director said in a statement.

The first "Village Rockstars" followed the story of a 10-year-old girl called Dhunu who befriends a group of boys and dreams of becoming a rock star.

"While it's a sequel, this film stands on its own, delving into Dhunu's relationship with her mother, mother nature, and music. I dedicate this film to all the young people with talent and dreams but limited resources to achieve them. I am hopeful that just as audiences embraced 'Village Rockstars', they will embrace this film as well," she added.

The Kim Jiseok Award, established in 2017, commemorates the late Kim Jiseok, who dedicated his life to discovering and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. It is given to the two best films that reflect the contemporary standing of Asian cinema.

Last year, Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage's "Paradise" and "Bride Kidnapping" by Kyrgyz director Mirlan Abdykalykov won the Kim Jiseok Award last year.

BIFF will come to a close on October 11.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Malavika Mohanan recently commented on the social challenges experienced by women in society. She shared her thoughts on the women's safety post the rape-murder incident involving a trainee doctor in Kolkata. In an interview with India Today, Malavika highlighted the importance of addressing the mindset as a way to tackle the root causes of such incidents. (Also read: Nani says Hema Committee report is bothering him; he's scared to scroll online: Situation was much better 20 year ago) Malavika Mohanan reacted to growing violence against women.

Malavika Mohanan reacts to violence against women

Malavika, when asked about the incidents of violence and harassment against women, stated that, It broke my heart because I remember we were in the middle of promotions, and here I am talking about female empowerment and about having played a character who's standing up for herself, who's fighting for herself, and then this happened. I was so shaken because I'm just like, it's such a large conversation.

She also said, How do we get to the root of this and just stop it? It makes you feel helpless. It makes you feel like, 'how, where?' It happens all the time. It's the mindset. It's a patriarchal mindset. Actually, it's not just a patriarchal mindset; it's not just blaming men, it's blaming the mindset. A lot of women are privy to that mindset as well. So attacking that, getting to the root of that, and just... I have a lot to say. I could go on.

Malavika Mohanan's acting career

Malavika made her acting debut with the Malayalam romantic-drama Pattam Pole. Her first Bollywood film was Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds. The actor played the role of Ishaan Khatter's sister in the movie. She also worked in films such as Petta, Master, Maaran and Christy.

Thangalaan Hindi version release

Malavika's recent Tamil epic action-thriller Thangalaan is set to re-release in its Hindi dubbed version. The Pa Ranjith directorial features Vikram, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Pasupathy, Daniel Caltagirone, Hari Krishnan and Sampath Ram in pivotal characters. The Hindi version will release on September 6.
I am scared to scroll

Reacting to the alleged sexual harassment and exploitation of women and girls in the Malayalam film industry, and the status of women in the country at large, Nani said that current situation continues to disturb him. He said, "This has been bothering me starting with the Nirbhaya case (2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case). It never stops and it continuously keeps disturbing us. Actually, I am scared to scroll (through) Twitter or something... in scrolling suddenly some visuals or news can come, which can disturb me for the rest of the day. So, we are in this social media boom, everyone is on social media, doing so many things. I think that anything that goes to a peak will start coming down."

He added, "I genuinely feel now when I hear all this news, especially about how women are treated or how anybody can say or do anything and they think they can get away with it, I think we are in the worst possible (situation)... comparatively, 20 years earlier, the situation was much better. And 20 years before that it was better than that. I feel that we are at the worst (situation)... because of my profession or, in general, because I love kids, I meet kids and I interact with them a lot more. I have spoken to a lot of five and seven-year-olds in this generation... somehow this generation is extra smart... I feel the better (future) is coming. I believe the situation will be better than it is today. They will be much better than us."

More about the Hema Committee report

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals. The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.
The producer of the film clarified the news to News18 at the ongoing Moscow International Film Week.

Producer speaks up

Setting the record straight, the producer of the film, Dil Raju, said, The shoot is complete and were releasing the film during Christmas this year. Im definitely expecting this film to change the images of Shankar sir and Ram Charan. It touches upon an aspect of Indian politics and explores a social theme. Im hoping it will strike a chord with the audience and will be a big success.

He even teased about the upcoming film, calling it a proper commercial project.

Shankar sir has done this kind of a film earlier but after Robot, he changed his style of storytelling. But hes going back to what he was known for with Game Changer after a long time. Its a typical hero-villain film. It has five songs that will be a visual treat for the audience. Were confident that the film will get very good results, he added.

About the films release

Shankars mega Telugu project was originally slated for a Dussehra release. Now, it will release around Christmas, a weekend already booked by Aamir Khan for Sitare Zameen Par. Other big releases around the weekend include Hollywoods Mufasa: The Lion King, which brings back lion king in a thrilling new adventure, and Varun Dhawans Baby John in the pipeline.

What we know about Game Changer

Game Changer's story is penned by Karthik Subbaraj, and also stars SJ Suryah, Anjali, Jayaram, Naveen Chandra, Sunil, Srikanth, Samuthirakani and Nassar. The film is produced by Dil Raju and Sirish, marking Shankars first film in Telugu.

Ram has shot for the film in Hyderabad, Chennai and Vizag. When he and Kiara shot for the film in Vizag, pictures and videos of their look leaked online. It also became difficult for the production team to control the massive crowd that mobbed the actors as they shot outdoors.

It is expected to narrate the story of an honest IAS officer and his fight against a corrupt political system through impartial and fair elections.
Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 trailer: Netflix has unveiled the highly anticipated trailer for part 2 of season 4 of Emily in Paris, and it promises an exciting blend of romance, drama, and a dash of Italian charm. The clip released on the official social media handles of Netflix offers a tantalizing glimpse into what's next for Emily (Lily Collins) as she navigates both personal and professional challenges, culminating in a glamorous trip to Rome. (Also Read  Emily in Paris actor Lucien Laviscount on why Alfie keeps getting his heart broken: Theyre all figuring it out') Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 trailer: Lily Collins on a new adventure

What's in the trailer?

"Sometimes all you need is a new perspective," the trailer hints, as we see Emily mingling with familiar faces like Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Camille (Camille Razat) amidst the picturesque snowy landscapes of France.

New dynamics come into play with Sylvie's (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) latest hire, Genevieve (Thalia Besson), who adds a fresh American touch to the Savoir team. The tension between Emily and Gabriel intensifies, particularly as Camille is yet to reveal that she's not expecting a baby with her former fiance.

Meanwhile, Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) appears to be more than just a business associate for Emily. Initially in Paris for business ventures, Marcello's role may evolve as Sylvie, keen on expanding her network, ropes Emily into a high-stakes meeting in Rome.

Mindy Chen (Ashley Park), busy with Eurovision preparations and dealing with the aftermath of Nicolas' (Paul Forman) troubled family history, encourages Emily to embrace spontaneity. Even Sylvie sees the potential in Emily's blend of business and pleasure, drawing on past experiences to approve of a Roman adventure.

The trailer teases a pivotal moment when Marcello asks Emily to choose between Paris and Rome, setting the stage for a season full of intriguing developments.

Fans can expect to see familiar faces like Samuel Arnold (Julien), Bruno Gouery (Luc), William Abadie (Antoine Lambert), and Lucien Laviscount (Alfie) returning to stir up the drama.

Created by Darren Star, Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 will drop on Netflix on September 12.

Part 1 overview

Season 4 part 1 of Emily in Paris dropped earlier this month. The Hindustan Times review of that instalment stated, Five bite-sized episodes may not be sufficient to satiate you, but they do whet your appetite for the next course. Also, in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, actor Lucien Laviscount said, There are lots of things that go up and down, there are a lot of moving parts, but in part 2, there's a lot of change that happens in his (Alfie's) life.
New Delhi, Streaming service Netflix on Tuesday announced the second season of its critically-acclaimed crime thriller series "Kohrra". Netflix announces second season of crime thriller series 'Kohrra'

Actor Barun Sobti will return for the sophomore chapter with Mona Singh joining him in the Punjab-set police procedural show, which launched with its smash hit first season in July 2023.

The new season will be directed by showrunner, producer and co-creator Sudip Sharma along with Faisal Rahman. It will be produced by Act Three Productions and Film Squad Productions, Netflix said in a statement.

The second season will mark Sharmas debut as producer, through the banner Act Three Productions, and director.

"'Kohrra' has been more than just a show for us-its a piece of our hearts. Weve poured everything we have into this story, and seeing the love it has received is incredibly moving.

"Its inspired us to come back with something even more powerful. Were committed to telling stories that feel real, that reflect the lives of real people with rawness and authenticity, and thats exactly what youll see in the new season on Netflix," Sharma said.

The second season will dive into another murder mystery with family dynamics, interpersonal secrets and the background of fog filled Punjab at the helm.

Sobti will reprise his role of Garundi, a young police officer who investigated a murky crime while navigating his personal dreams and dilemmas in the first season.

The details of Singh's character have been kept under wraps.

"Kohrra" was immensely praised by the viewers as well as critics, who had particularly taken note of actor Suvinder Vicky's turn as the tormented sub-inspector Balbir Singh battling his personal demons while solving the murder of an NRI groom.

Gunjit Chopra and Diggi Sisodia are the co-creators of "Kohrra", which is also produced by Saurabh Malhotra, Manuj Mittra and Tina Tharwani.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Much has changed between August 19 and August 27. The former is the date when the contents of the Hema committee report were made public. This came right in the thick of the country still being caught in the waves of protests against the brutal rape and murder of a female Kolkata doctor. The report was originally submitted to the Kerala government 5 years back and highlighted the plethora of issues plaguing the Malayalam film industry, particularly its women. Though specific in nature, the unfortunate reality of the situation is that the takeaways are something most women can relate to. While Nani has expressed his take on the Hema committee report, others like Mohanlal and Mammootty continue to wield silence(Photos: Instagram)

On Friday, August 23, Malayalam actor Siddique, "welcomed" the report and its findings, urging the government to take speedy action on the recommendations. Two days later, on the morning of August 25, he resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). The day after his resignation, Siddique filed a counter-complaint against actor Revathy Sampath, who had accused him of sexual harassment.

Back on the same day when Siddique was affirming himself as an ally to those whose realities were reflected in the report, Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused celebrated Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith of misbehaviour during her audition for a 2009 film. Ranjith too put in his resignation from the post of chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Friday. An FIR was registered by the Kerala police against him the following day, regarding the same issue.

Siddique and Ranjith's resignations, given their respective mammoth legacies, feel like watershed moments, both having taken place in the same morning signaling the changing tides, however glacial they may be.

What is pressing however, is the silence still being wielded by country-renowned names like Mohanlal and Mammootty. Mammootty's position as the AMMA president, makes matter ever more complicated. Some, like veteran actor Revathi, may put the reason down to shock. Whatever may be the case, prolonged silence eventually treads the line of being complicitous.

In the same breath, it is worth mentioning that all notable names aren't shying away from addressing the elephant in the room. Actors such as Nani, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Vikram have voiced their opinions over the situation at hand. While earlier today, August 27, Nani reflected on how disturbed the findings have left him, Vikram stressed on the need to actively cultivate an environment which would allow a woman to walk the streets at 3 in the morning if need be, without fearing for her life. Yesterday, Prithviraj on the other hand was very direct in agreeing that there is in fact, a system of organised power at play in Mollywood which has been perpetuating the realities unearthed by the Hema committee report.

The Hema committee report: Major findings

Systemic abuse, literal or in essence, in some form or the other, is the glaring reality women grapple with as they reconfigure their lives around it. The Hema committee report and what it's findings are slowly achieving, is of course path breaking. But the impetus which set this ball rolling was the horrifying violation actor Bhavana Menon went through in February 2017, when she was assaulted by a group of men during a travel from Thrissur to Kochi. Malayalam heavyweight, actor Dileep, also her co-star across multiple projects was charged with criminal conspiracy, also being taken into custody. He soon got out on bail, still continuing with a thriving career as the case awaits resolution.

This is where the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) stepped in, petitioning the government, not just with regards to Bhavana's case, who for the sake of the cause waived off the anonymity granted to her by Indian law, but also requesting a probe into the larger web of atrocities being systematically perpetuated against women. A three-member panel was set up and what came of it was a 290-page report, disheartening and infuriating in equal measures.

"Unchecked, uncontrolled" sexual harassment and debilitating fear were among the key highlights. "Men in industry make open demands for sex without any qualms as if its their birthright. Women are left with very little options but to oblige  or reject at the cost of their long awaited dream of pursuing cinema as their profession", reads an excerpt. The fear harboured by women in the industry on the other hand, irrespective of if one was in front of the camera or behind it, traversed much beyond their physical bodies and mental agility. "In the beginning, we found their fear strange but as our study progressed we realised it was well-founded. We are concerned about their and their close relatives' safety...they were afraid they would lose their jobs".

The humanitarian concerns don't just end here. Dismal is an understatement when it comes to the working conditions for junior artistes. No toilets, no changing rooms and often no food and water, accommodation or travel arrangements coupled with pittance for pay emerged among other findings. The dehumanising disregard for women, their safety and their well-being comes to light with accounts of them having to hold their urine in and not change their sanitary napkins for long durations, resulting in spells of sickness often needing hospitalisation.

Despite the kind of information that this report carried, it has taken nearly 5 years for it to be made public owing to several rounds of legal complications.

Agency through association

For any news related to a film industry, the narrative usually gets pounded down to a unilateral view of the actors' perspectives. But there is a whole army of expertise that goes into breathing life into a film and the industry it belongs to, a significant demographic of which are women. The report carries the testaments of artists, producers, directors, scriptwriters, cinematographers, hairstylists, makeup artists and costume designers which legitimises the jarring similarity in experiences.

In a discussion with The New Indian Express, editor Bina Paul, one of the founding members of the WCC, rightly pointed out, "Its an attitudinal problem"  of both the unrelenting male gaze as well as the conscious relegation of and disregard for women.

In recent years however, women have banded together in sharing their experiences which has acted as an enabler for reclaiming agency. One doesn't really need to belong the Malayalam film industry to relate to the Hema committee's findings, and this is where the power of agency through association lies.

Retired Justice K Hema affirmed that the WCC had highlighted how the pressurised silence of women is what is paying to uphold the "prestige" of the Malayalam film industry. If this report has done anything, it has for the time being unmasked the systemic maze of abuse and exploitation favouring the whims of the elite patriarchal circle(s) which the industry thrives for.

But no matter the prestige, is an industry really thriving when its women have, for years on end been caught in the eye of a masked storm?
Sitarist Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan will perform in the city tomorrow to raise funds for the Wayanad landslide-affected people and other charitable endeavours. Featuring an evening of classical music, Khan will transport audiences on a soulful musical journey with a monsoon ambience, as they enjoy this concert with a mission. Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan

Talking about his performance and being part of the noble cause, the musician says, Music is an integral part of our lives and I am so happy that I got a chance to contribute towards such a noble cause.

He adds, The show has been organised to raise funds to help the Wayanad landslide surviours and I feel everyone must generously donate and stand by each other during these tough times.

CATCH IT LIVE

What: Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan performance

Where: National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point

When: August 29 (Tomorrow)

Timing: 6.30pm onwards
Actor Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) while its executive committee was dissolved on Tuesday in wake of sexual assault allegations against its members including actors Siddique and Baburaj who served as the general secretary and joint secretary respectively. The film body said that a new committee will be formed after an election in two months. (Facebook | Mohanlal)

The film body said that a new committee will be formed after an election in two months.

While Siddique had resigned as the general secretary on Sunday over allegations of sexual assault against him by a female actor, Baburaj, accused of sexual assault by a junior actor, continued to hold the post and denied the allegations.

AMMA, an influential actors body in Malayalam film industry, and its executive committee were under severe criticism for not acting on the findings of the Justice Hema committee report.

Also Read: Malayalam actor Siddique quits AMMA general secretary post over rape allegation

The committee had recently pointed to a systemic sexual abuse of women actors, presence of a power group that controlled the industry and poor treatment of junior actors.

Actor Siddique, before stepping down from his post, had last week denied there was a casting couch in the industry and pointed to a few isolated incidents of sexual harassment.

The mass resignations came a day after leading actor Prithviraj Sukumaran admitted that there were lapses on AMMAs part in handling the report.
Sindhudurg Police in Maharashtra have filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse of a 35-foot-tall Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue on Monday. The FIR, registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), includes charges related to negligence and structural failure. The statue, unveiled eight months ago on Navy Day, was dedicated to Sindhudurg's citizens. In response, the Indian Navy has promised to investigate the cause of the collapse. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and integrity of public monuments. Dig Deeper A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, erected by the Navy and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi collapsed (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Kolkata Police have deployed over 6,000 officers across the city on August 27 in response to the planned 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest. The rally, organized by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj,' aimed to march to the state secretariat in Howrah demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees resignation. This protest follows widespread outrage over the rape-murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The Kolkata Police, led by Additional Commissioner Supratim Sarkar, have rejected the group's application to hold the rally, escalating tensions in the city. Dig Deeper

The Latest News

Tejasvi Surya asks Bengaluru people for feedback to improvise metro travel, commuters bat for last mile connectivity Dig Deeper

Tamil actor Bijili Ramesh dies after prolonged illness; last wish was to act with Rajinikanth, his favourite superstar Dig Deeper

India News

Ratnagiri: Nursing student raped while returning from college in autorickshaw Dig Deeper

Kolkata doctor rape-murder: What 'pervert' Sanjay Roy did hours before the crime Dig Deeper

Global Matters

California's bill on loans for illegal immigrants sparks debate, Indian American confronts Elon Musk Dig Deeper

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle suffer blow as their Netflix deal gets messed up while Williams foundation thrives Dig Deeper

Lifestyle and Health

Janhvi Kapoor made a striking appearance in Mumbai yesterday, showcasing her versatility in ethnic wear with a chic, fuchsia pink suit. Known for her preference for glamorous bodycon dresses, the Uljah actor effortlessly embraced traditional fashion in this outing. Her outfit featured a cotton gauze kurta with a V-neckline, bell sleeves, and an uneven hemline, paired with scalloped palazzos highlighted with ecru thread borders. Janhvis stylish choice, shared on her vibrant Instagram feed, offers fresh fashion inspiration and highlights her ability to blend simplicity with elegance. Her latest look continues to captivate and inspire her fashion-conscious followers.Dig Deeper

It's Trending

A Bloomberg report reveals that Nvidia Corp employees, including those under CEO Jensen Huang, endure a high-stress and demanding work environment. A former technical support worker, who left in May, described the job as a "pressure cooker," citing expectations of seven-day workweeks and late nights extending to 1 or 2 a.m. Another former employee added that Nvidia meetings often saw heated arguments and shouting. Despite the high salaries offered by the graphics chip maker, the intense workload and frequent conflicts have led to significant stress among its workforce. Dig Deeper

(Thats all we have at this hour in our afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.)
New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Indian Medical Association president R V Asokan's unconditional apology published in a newspaper over his "damaging" statements in an interview to PTI was illegible and the font miniscule. Apology over 'damaging' statements: SC says excerpt filed by IMA prez illegible, font miniscule

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta directed senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for Asokan, to file file physical copies of 20 editions of The Hindu newspaper in which his apology has been published within one week.

"We will not budge until we see advertisements in physical form, show us the actual size...The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is miniscule. Counsel for IMA president is directed to file physical copies of 20 publications of The Hindu where the publication of apology has been done within one week," the bench said.

On July 9, Asokan had told the apex court that his unconditional apology to the apex court over his "damaging" statements in an interview to PTI, where he had answered queries about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd's misleading advertisements case, has been published in various publications.

During the hearing on May 14, the bench had posed some tough question to Asokan over his "damaging" statements against the court in an interview to PTI and said, "You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court."

The court had then made it clear that it will not accept his affidavit tendering apology at that stage.

Expressing displeasure over Asokan's comments a day before the top court was slated to the hear the matter, it had sought his response on an application filed by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, which had urged the court to take judicial notice of the statements made by him.

In an interaction with PTI editors on April 29 for its programme '@4 Parliament Street,' the IMA president had said it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court criticised the association and also some of the practices of private doctors.

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India has sought additional security for its visa centres in Bangladesh after a protest at a facility in Dhaka by hundreds of people, with Bangladesh Police officials saying on Tuesday that security measures had been tightened in the capital citys diplomatic zone. A video of visa applicants protesting at the visa centre in Dhaka went viral on social media and Facebook on Monday. (Reuters photo)

A number of people who applied for tourist visas staged a protest at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka on Monday. While there was no vandalism or violence, a large police contingent was rushed to the area to bring the situation under control, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

Following the protest, the Indian high commission sent a note verbale, or an unsigned diplomatic correspondence, to the Bangladesh foreign ministry seeking enhanced security for Indian visa centres across the country, the people cited above said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police head Mainul Hasan told HT on Tuesday that security measures were beefed up in the diplomatic zone in Dhaka. After yesterdays [Mondays] incident, security has been tightened, he said.

Also Read: Bangladeshi student studying at NIT Silchar sent back after love emoji on anti-India post

A video of visa applicants protesting at the visa centre in Dhaka went viral on social media and Facebook on Monday. The video featured protesters shouting anti-India slogans and demanding Indian visas.

The people said Mondays protest had heightened concerns about security for Indian facilities at a time when anti-India sentiments are being fanned by some political parties and student bodies.

They said the Indian mission in Dhaka has currently prioritised granting of visas only to Bangladeshi citizens wanting to travel to India for medical treatment or to students who have gained admission to courses in European countries whose diplomatic ties are handled by missions in New Delhi. The envoys of many European countries are concurrently accredited for India and Bangladesh.

The Indian side is not processing any other visas, including tourist visas, because of paucity of staff. New Delhi pulled out all non-essential staff and family members from the high commission in Dhaka during the violence that followed the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.

Indian authorities had informed visa applicants to collect their passports since visas are being issued only to students and those travelling for medical treatment. Despite the return of passports, applicants were informed that their applications would remain open and be processed at a later stage.

However, many people who applied for tourist visas began protesting at the visa centre in Dhaka on Monday. This is a serious concern for the staff, one of the people cited above said.

India has 16 Indian visa application centers across Bangladesh and most of them are not functioning. The visa centre at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka had resumed limited operations.

IVAC said in a statement said: Due to limited operations, the visa process may take longer. Therefore, we are returning passports now, and they will be re-processed once operations resume. Applicants will be notified via SMS to resubmit their passports.

Indias largest visa operation is in Bangladesh, and 1.6 million Bangladeshi citizens visited India in 2023. Of them, 60% visited for tourism, 30% for medical treatment and the remainder for other purposes.

At a meeting with interim government head Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on August 22, Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma had raised concerns about the security of the Indian high commission in Dhaka in light of some social media posts.
On Sunday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X said, The U in UPS stands for Modi Govts U turns! Post June 4, the power of the people has prevailed over the arrogance of power of the Prime Minister.  Rollback in the budget regarding Long Term Capital Gain / Indexation  Sending Waqf Bill to JPC  Rollback of Broadcast Bill  Rollback of Lateral Entry We will keep ensuring accountability and protect 140 Cr Indians from this despotic government! Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah (File Photo)

Also Read: Congress's U stands for Modi govt's U-turn' jab at Centre's Unified Pension Scheme

His reference was to the government announcing a Unified Pension Scheme as an alternative to the unpopular New Pension Scheme.

The BJP was quick to react. Former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the decisions were an illustration of Prime Minister Narendra Modis ear to the ground. He said the Congress which had initially backed the New Pension Scheme introduced during Atal Bihari Vajpayees premiership, should answer why the party has not implemented the old pension scheme in states where it is in power.

The Narendra Modi government takes decisions based on its own understanding... Prasad said.

To be sure, the NDA had already set up a committee to review the New Pension Scheme in 2023, but there have been some positions it has had to change and senior party leaders admit that these were not just in response to the opposition seizing issues with wider resonance and running with them , but in line with the partys oft repeated claims of ensuring gathbandan ki maryada or dignity of an alliance.

That is also a requisite now given the arithmetic in the Lok Sabha where the Bharatiya Janata Party is dependent on the support of allies for a majority.

Thus, the BJPs acceptance of the oppositions demand to send the Waqf Bill to a joint parliamentary committee is attributed to the nudge from its key allies, the Janata Dal United and the Telegu Desam Party that called for wider consultation on the issue. Pressure from allies such as the Lok Janshakti Party in Bihar is credited for the governments unambiguous stand against creamy layer within quotas for SC and STs and rolling back a scheme for lateral entry into the bureaucracy.

Also Read: Nitish Kumar's JDU joins key BJP allies in questioning Waqf (Amendment) Bill

On Sunday, the LJP upped the ante with its leader and union minister Chirag Paswan backing caste census, an issue that has been raised by the opposition INDIA bloc. Addressing the media, Paswan said a caste census would give the government information about the population of various castes so that it can ensure that the benefits of its schemes are universal.

Senior BJP leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity said there is no denying that the allies are being heard, but that the government is equally aware of the backlash from the masses.

The outcome of the 2024 polls was a lesson...we realised that the outreach towards SC and STs was undone by the oppositions fake narrative against us on the issue of reservation. While that itself was the biggest reason for the numbers shrinking, we got feedback on how policy decisions such as sticking to the new pension scheme alienated a significant group of people, said a senior party functionary.

His reference is to the narrative pushed by the Opposition that the BJP was seeking 400+ seats in the Lok Sabha so as to change the Constitution and deprive underprivileged sections of the benefits of reservation.

On the issue of ironing out differences with the allies, the functionary added, there is improved communication on key issues.

Party president JP Nadda has begun meeting the allies frequently; it will be a monthly or bi-monthly exercise in the coming days. In the last such meeting we exchanged views on issues such as One nation, One election and other subjects that will require the allies to be on the same page, said the functionary.

The BJP and the Prime Minister have been vocal about the need for simultaneous state and central elections, although the partys reduced numbers in the Lok Sabha will make the passage of the constitutional amendments required for this challenging.

Given their role in determining the longevity of the government, are the allies flexing muscle? A senior leader from JDU said while they do not intend to create problems for the government, their party will ensure their concerns are onboarded.

For instance, on the Waqf issue we were clear that the government should speak to those who are affected... by doing so we protect our constituency, but without being at loggerheads with the government, the leader said.

In the last decade, the BJP was accused of riding roughshod over the allies and slighting their concerns. A case in point being the fallout with its oldest ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal over the now repealed farm laws. The shrinking size of the NDA--it lost several allies including Shiva Sena, PDP and the AIADMK--itself was seen as BJP subsuming the identity of the smaller parties and not taking their views on board for crucial policy making.
BRS leader K Kavitha walked out of Tihar jail on Tuesday night, hours after the Supreme Court granted her bail in the Delhi excise policy case. Kavitha was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in March in a money laundering probe linked to the case. New Delhi: BRS leader K Kavitha walks out of Tihar Jail after the Supreme Court granted her bail in the excise policy case, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)(PTI)

BRS workers and supporters who had gathered outside the jail to welcome her played drums and burst crackers as she stepped out of the prison complex. Kavitha's brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao was also present.

Kavitha was arrested by the ED in March in relation with the excise policy case, and was lodged in Tihar's jail number 6 for the past five months. She was arrested from her Banjara Hill residence in Hyderabad by the ED, and then arrested inside Tihar Jail by the CBI in April this year.

Surrounded by a massive crowd of supporters and BRS workers, K Kavitha walked out of Tihar jail and said that her party will fight out these allegations legally.

The BRS leader said, "We are fighters, we will fight it out legally and politically. They have only made the BRS and KCR's team unbreakable." Maintaining that the allegations against her are false, she said, Entire country knows I was put in jail for political reason. I have done nothing wrong.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted bail to K Kavitha in the money laundering case, while questioning the central agencies over the fairness of their probe and asking if they were free to "pick and choose" an accused.

"The appellant (Kavitha) is directed to be released forthwith on bail  on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of 10 lakh in each of the cases," the bench said.

The apex court bench, consisting of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, questioned what material the ED and CBI had to prove that Kavitha was involved in the case. Additional solicitor general SV Raju, representing the central agencies, said that Kavitha had formatted her phone, and her behaviour amounted to tampering with evidence.

However, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for K Kavitha, sought bail for the BRS leader arguing that the probe against her was already complete. He also said that Manish Sisodia, jailed in the same case, was released on bail earlier this month.

(With inputs from agencies)
In a setback for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), its senior leader and former chief minister Champai Soren would soon be joining the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), people aware of the development said. Jharkhand ex-CM Champai Soren with Union home minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (Image courtesy: x.com/himantabiswa)

Champai met union home minister Amit Shah late Monday night in New Delhi along with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the saffron party's co-incharge of Jharkhand assembly elections, scheduled to be held in November-December.

Assam CM on Champai Soren joining BJP

Champai would officially join the BJP on August 30, Sarma said in a social media post.

"Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, @ChampaiSoren Ji met Honble Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the @BJP4India on 30th August in Ranchi (sic.)," Sarma said in a post on X.

Earlier, while giving enough hint of a political handshake, Sarma had too reporters in Ranchi on Monday that he wants Champai to join the BJP.

"I want Champai Soren to join BJP. Now that he is in Delhi ... Let's see ... Will try to talk to him. Anyway, I was having talks with him for the past 5-6 months but those were not political. I feel now time has come for having some political talks with him (Soren)," Sarma told the media at minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth's Ranchi residence on Monday.

Champai, currently serving as a minister in Hemant Soren cabinet, is yet to resign from both the JMM and the government.

Champai, who served as Jharkhand chief minister for five months between February 2 to July 3, had on August 20 expressed his dischantment with his party and leadership.

Soren had posted on social media his pain and humiliation by the way he was removed from the CM post without any prior information, how his pre-scheduled events were cancelled without informing him, etc on social media platforms.

He had returned to Seraikela from Delhi on August 23 and had been touring the assembly seats Kharsawan, Chaibasa and Seraikela in Kolhan division, accounting for 14 assembly seats Soren has considerable influence in.

Six-time MLA Champai Soren has been winning from Seraikela since 1991 when he had become an MLA for the first time as an Independent in 1995.
Sindhudurg Police in Maharashtra has filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for the collapse of the 35-foot-tall Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue on Monday. Police have filed an FIR against the contractor and structural consultant for the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg district on Monday (PTI Photo) (PTI)

"FIR has been registered by local police in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue incident against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5)," the Sindhudurg Police said.

Also Read: Shivaji Maharaj statue collapses in Maharashtra: Indian Navy reacts; Opposition asks who was the contractor?

The statue which was unveiled 8 months ago on Navy Day, was a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg. The Indian Navy released a statement on Monday promising to investigate the cause of the incident.

Also Read: Shivaji statue in Malvan unveiled in December collapses due to strong winds

"Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest," they said.

Also Read: 35-foot Shivaji statue collapses in Maharashtra; Opposition attacks Shinde govt

Chief minister Eknath Shinde said the statue fell due to damage caused by strong winds. He also vowed to find out exactly why the statue collapsed. Shinde added the Maharashtra government will find out the reasons behind this incident and reinstall the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the same place.

He said, The incident that happened is unfortunate. This statue was erected by the Navy. They had also designed it. But due to strong winds of around 45 km/h, it fell and got damaged.

Public works minister Ravindra Chavan visited the site as soon as incident occurred and will be investigating the causes of the statue's collapse under chief minister Shinde's orders.

The Indian Navy has also pledged their help to the state forces in restoring the statue and provide help with the probe into the statue's fall.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue was first unveiled by prime minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort, Sindhdurg, Maharashtra, on December 4, 2023.

Opposition parties have been asking for the contractor of the statue to be held responsible.

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule posted on X, saying that, "The work of erecting this statue was assigned to a contractor from Thane district... We demand that this person and their organisation be blacklisted by all departments... A thorough investigation is essential to determine why the quality of this statue's work was so poor and to address other related issues."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also took this opportunity to criticise prime minister Narendra Modi, saying, "The haste with which the statue was inaugurated, keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind, I feel that it was done in a very poor manner. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was insulted for elections and votes. The installation by Modi ji's hands shows that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did not want this."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding those involved in the rape and murder of a doctor inside the state-run RG Kar hospital in Kolkata and demanded that the CBI conduct a polygraph test on her. Mamata Banerjee takes part in a protest rally to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor in her state's capital, Kolkata.(AFP file photo)

Reacting to the lathi-charge on protestors in the state capital, the party called Banerjee a dictator and demanded her resignation.

The BJP also demanded the lie-detector test for Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goel. The party also condemned the police's use of force on protestors.

Whatever is happening in West Bengal is worrisome. Its akin to tearing the Constitution to shreds. Its clearly visible that if at all there is a doctor in the country, its Mamata Banerjee, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference in New Delhi.

Bhatia claimed the police commissioner had called the rape and murder a suicide. He said he should resign and face an investigation.

Truth must come out. The CBI is investigating the case. It should conduct a polygraph test on Mamata Banerjee and the police commissioner to ascertain the truth, he added.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari alleged the police resorted to "brutal repression" on peaceful participants of the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally. He threatened to stall West Bengal if the "brutalities" by state administration were not stopped.

"Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, burst tear gas shells on the students at Howrah Bridge, lathi-charged them at College Street. Please stop these brutalities immediately," the senior BJP leader told reporters.

"An alarming situation has been created by this administration. Scores of protestors have been injured. If the commissioner of police Vineet Goyal and the DGP don't stop such brutalities, we will not sit idle. I am going to Howrah station en route to Belur Math as I don't want to break the law. We are not joining the Chhatra Samaj movement as they had asked us not to come to the forefront but we are with them," he added.

The woman was raped and killed inside the seminar hall of the medical college and hospital on August 9. She had gone to the room to sleep amid her 36-hour-long sleep.

According to reports, the ex-principal of the hospital initially said it was the case of a suicide. The official, named Sandip Ghosh, is also the subject of the CBI probe into the murder. The agency is also probing allegations of financial irregularities against him.

The CBI subjected the main accused, Sanjay Roy, Dr Ghosh and others to the lie-detector test.

The woman's autopsy revealed she was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. 25 internal and external injuries were found on her body.

With inputs from PTI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday attacked West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the police action against protesters in Kolkata as they participated in the Nabanna Abhijan rally over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia.

The Constitution is being strangled. Dictator Mamata Banerjee is targeting students instead of criminals, yet the INDI Alliance remains silent, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said.

Bhatia blamed Banerjee of shielding the rape-murder accused, and called for the resignations of the CM and the city police commissioner.

Mamata Banerjee clearly takes a stand that she will protect the accused while failing to provide justice and safety to women. The Kolkata high court says the state machinery has failed and the law and order situation has collapsed, which is solely attributable to Mamata Banerjees anarchist leadership, he said.

On corruption cases in Karnataka

The Congress is synonymous with corruption, Bhatia said, pointing to the MUDA scam case, the Valmiki Development Corporation scandal case, and the alleged allotment of land in a high-tech defence aerospace park to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharges family members under the SC quota.

The BJP MP also called for the resignations of Kharge and his family members from public offices, asserting that they have no right to hold positions of power after such allegations.

If Mallikarjun Kharge has nothing to hide, why should he fear a CBI investigation? Bhatia asked.
Delhi health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday said that many hospitals are facing a 30 percent shortage of doctors and specialists, with no efforts made to fill these critical vacancies despite repeated appeals to the lieutenant governor. Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj(PTI)

He alleged the LG's office is citing excuses like the unavailability of the chief minister and the lack of an NCCSA meeting to delay appointments for these positions.

Bhardwaj made this statement during a press meet where he also outlined the measures taken by the Delhi government to combat the spread of dengue.

The minister said they have requested warnings and awareness announcements across metro stations, bus stations and other public transport hubs to inform people about dengue prevention.

Highlighting the necessity for government hospitals to be fully prepared for dengue cases, Bhardwaj claimed that he had instructed the health secretary to take several actions but was unsure if those measures had been carried out.

I have asked the health secretary to visit one government hospital each day to make sure all the needed dengue equipment is available. However, I am not sure if these visits have started. If they have not, I will visit the hospitals myself to ensure everything is in order, Bhardwaj said.

The minister added that he had a meeting with the health secretary and other officials on Friday, where he noted that his previous directions had still not been implemented.

He said that despite multiple letters sent to the Delhi LG highlighting the 30 percent vacancy of doctor and specialist positions, the LG's office has responded with excuses such as the unavailability of the chief minister and the lack of an NCCSA meeting.

The National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA), which is chaired by the Delhi chief minister and includes the chief secretary and principal secretary (home) as secretary was formed in May to handle service matters such as the transfer and posting of Group A officers and disciplinary actions against Delhi government officials.

With PTI inputs
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday issued and then quickly withdrew a list of 44 candidates for the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) assembly elections amid rumblings of discontent within the party over opportunities given to leaders with roots in other parties. Disquiet in BJP unit on J&K polls candidate list

The party later announced 16 candidates only for the first phase of the elections on September 18, when 24 of the 90 seats in the Union territory will go to the polls, but not before workers protested at the party office in Jammu.

The rescinded list  which included eight candidates from Kashmir and 36 from Jammu  featured six leaders who were earlier in other parties.

Prominent among them were former ministers Choudhary Zulfikar, who quit the Apni Party to join the BJP, Syed Mushtaq Bukhari, a former National Conference (NC) leader, and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Murtuza Khan.

In the rescinded list, Shyam Lal Shama, who defected from the Congress to the BJP, was given the ticket from Jammu West. Surjit Singh Salathia, a former NC leader, was named the candidate from Samba. Devender Singh Rana, who defected to BJP after quitting the NC in 2021, was fielded from Nagrota.

The new names  released in a batch of 15 candidates in one list, and then one more name in a second list  include eight from Jammu and eight from Kashmir. They include six leaders imported from other parties.

The first list had to be withdrawn because it created a lot of furore among the party loyalists and senior leaders of the BJP. They sulked over the selection of political turncoats at the expense of loyal and time-tested party leaders, said a BJP leader, requesting anonymity.

The first assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir in a decade will be held in three phases on September 18 (24 seats) and 25 (26 seats), and October 1 (40 seats). This is also the first assembly polls in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago and is likely to be the last step before the Union territorys statehood is restored. The drama came on the final day of filing nominations for the first phase of polls.

Soon after the list of 44 names was released, protests began at BJP offices.

I have been associated with the party for the last 18 years and have worked day and night to strengthen it but the mandate was given to a person who joined the party only a few days back, said BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha president Jagdish Bhagat, talking about Akhnoor (SC) seat.

But local BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina played down the protests. We work like a family and thousands of our workers are ready to make their contribution to the success of our candidatesOur mission is the victory of our party... there are many types of discussions and issues within a party, he added.

The rescinded list had 10 nominees for the second phase and 19 for the third phase  these were removed eventually when the BJP finally announced its candidates for the first phase. No second and third phase candidates were eventually announced.

The BJPs central election committee met on Sunday to finalise the candidates for the assembly polls. The party won 25 of the 87 seats when assembly elections were last held in J&K in 2014 and formed the government with the PDP, which bagged 28 seats. The NC got 15 seats while its ally Congress had 12.

The polls in J&K will be held months after the Union government in July widened the scope of J&K lieutenant governors powers from police and public order to postings and prosecution sanctions. Parties such as NC condemned the move, calling it the step to rendering the chief minister in J&K powerless and disempowering the regions people.

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the BJP withdrew support to the PDP-led coalition government. The region was under the governors rule before the Union government in August 2019 revoked Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave the region semi-autonomous status, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into the Union territories of J&K with an assembly and Ladakh without one.

In December last year, the Supreme Court upheld the revocation of Article 370 and directed the Election Commission of India to conduct polls for the 90-member J&K assembly by September 30, 2024. The court asked the Union government to restore statehood to the region as soon as possible.

In May 2022, a three-member delimitation commission redrew the electoral map of J&K, earmarking 43 seats to the Hindu-majority Jammu region and 47 to Muslim-majority Kashmir. Out of the seven new seats, six were allotted to Jammu and one to Kashmir. The regional parties rejected the panels decision, calling it an attempt to consolidate the BJPs vote bank.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP president JP Nadda will be among the partys star campaigners for the elections.

Those prominent in the new list are engineer Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi from Pampore, Arshid Bhat from Rajpora and Javed Ahmed Qadri from Shopian.

On being named as a candidate from Kishtwar assembly constituency, Shagun Parihar said: I am very grateful for this opportunity I am confident that the people of Kishtwar will accept this daughter of Kishtwar with an open heart. The BJP is a big party which takes care of all its members like their own.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah took a jibe at the banned Jamaat-e-Islami for deciding to field candidates in the upcoming assembly elections, pointing out their shift from what was once haram (prohibited) to now being considered halal (permissible).



Abhi tak to kaha ja raha tha ki election haram hai. Chalye dair aaye durust aaye. Ab election jo hai wo halal hai aur is mein har kisi ko ab shirkat karne ki baat ki ja rahi hai. Hume to pehle din se kehte aaye jenab, jo bhi hoga jhamoori tareqon se hoga. Ab 30-35 saal Jamaat-e-Islami ki jo siyasi soch jo rahi hai, us mein aur aaj ki soch mein badlaav aaya hai jo buri baat nahi hai. Hum to chahate thay unke upar jo ban laga wo ban uthe aur wo apni party aur symbol pe aayein, lekin badkismati se Dilli mein wo failsa hua nahi. Chalye symbol pe na sahi, azaad umeedwar ke tor pe he maidaan mein utre. (It was previously said that elections are prohibited. Well, better late than never. Now, elections are considered permissible and everyone is encouraged to participate. We have always said that whatever happens should be through democratic means. The change in Jamaat-e-Islamis political stance over the past 30-35 years is not a bad thing. We wanted the ban on them lifted so they could return with their party and symbol, but unfortunately Delhi did not take the decision. Even if not with their symbol, they have entered the field as independent candidates, Rising Kashmir quoted Omar Abdullah as saying while interacting with media persons. National Conference vice-president and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah (File)

Earlier on Tuesday, four candidates backed by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir filed their nominations to run as independents in the upcoming assembly elections.

Among them was Talat Majeed, the former member of Jamaat-e-Islami, who submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Pulwama constituency.

Majeed said that after reflecting on the shifting geopolitical landscape since 2008, he realised the need to move away from some of the past rigidities.

Despite the Union home ministry's ban preventing Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in elections, the group had shown interest in joining the Lok Sabha elections if the ban was lifted.

Jamaat-e-Islami has abstained from elections since 1987 and was linked to the separatist Hurriyat Conference, which promoted election boycotts from 1993 to 2003.

Why was Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir banned?

The Centre on February 27 extended the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir for five more years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).



Announcing the decision, Union home minister Amit Shah had said in a post on X, Pursuing Prime Minister Narendra Modi Jis policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and separatism the government has extended the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir for five years. The organisation is found continuing its activities against the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation. The outfit was first declared an Unlawful Association on 28 February 2019. Anyone threatening the security of the nation will face ruthless measures.

The last ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir or JeI was imposed on February 28, 2019, days after the Pulwama attack (February 14, 2019), in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed. Over 100 JeI, J&K members, including its chief Abdul Hameed Fayaz were arrested by the J&K Police at that time.

With PTI inputs
Days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a corruption case against Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, and others, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now launched a money laundering probe into the financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure. The ED sleuths, the officials said, have already gathered banking and medical procurement documents related to this hospital. (@dir_ed)

People familiar with the development said the financial crimes probe agency has taken cognisance of a CBI first information report (FIR) in the matter to file its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Since the FIR is taken from the CBI, the accused names including Ghosh are the same in ED probe as well.

The ED sleuths, the officials said, have already gathered banking and medical procurement documents related to this hospital and medical college from various sources and it may soon issue summons to the accused for questioning and recording of their statements.

Also Read: Conduct polygraph test on Mamata Banerjee: BJP on Kolkata rape-murder

A senior officer said, We will look into all financial transactions linked to Ghosh and his close aides.

In its FIR registered on the directions of the Calcutta high court, the CBI has booked Ghosh and three Kolkata-based private entities  Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jhorehat, Banipur, Howrah; Eshan Cafe of 4/1, Belgachia and Khama Louha under 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and section 7 (offence relating to public servant being bribed) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI had, on Sunday, raided the premises of Ghosh, ex-medical superintendent Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others in and around Kolkata in connection with this probe into alleged financial irregularities at the medical institute that is under scanner following alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee woman doctor on August 9.

When asked about the evidence in the probe, a CBI officer had told media persons after the raid - bahut kuch hai (There is a lot).

Ghosh has already undergone a polygraph test along with four other doctors, a civic volunteer and main accused Sanjay Roy.

The body of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and killed inside a seminar hall of the state-run hospital, was found on August 9. Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested in this connection.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Gujarat on Monday and predicted heavy to extremely heavy rain in the state in the next two-three days. Heavy rain in Gujarat has led to immense waterlogging in low lying areas, displacing hundreds of people (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)(AP)

Due to a deep depression moving from east Rajasthan towards the Saurashtra region, heavy rain is expected to continue in the state till August 29, with the IMD marking Gujarat as a flash flood risk zone.

Also Read: Dont let rain ruin your vision: Essential eye care tips for monsoon, to prevent infections

Rainfall since August 24 had already caused waterlogging in low lying areas, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) carrying out rescue operations due to people being displaced from homes due to the water inundation.

Also Read: IMD alerts of heavy rain in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa

The chief minister Bhupendra Patel's office release announced that currently Valsad, Tapi, Navsari, Surat, Narmada, and Panchmahal were the worst-hit districts.

Key details on situation in Gujarat amid heavy rainfall:

1. Chief minister Bhupendra Patel, on Monday held a high-level meeting at the State Emergency Operation Center in Gandhinagar with collectors, municipal commissioners and district officials to assess the impact of rains in the state. CM Patel emphasised the need to prevent loss of life and livestock, and said rescuing people was the top priority, news agency ANI reported.

2. According to a statement released by the chief minister's office, 17,827 people have been evacuated, and 1,653 people have been rescued in the state. 13 NDRF teams and 22 SDRF teams have been deployed in affected districts, carrying out relief and rescue operations.

Also Read: Capital set to see highest number of rainy days in a month this August

3. Due to intense waterlogging across districts, education minister Praful Pansheriya announced that all primary schools will remain closed in Gujarat on Tuesday.

4. Baroda has received the highest amount of rainfall in the state from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm on Monday, recording 26 cm of rainfall. Ahmedabad recorded 10 cm of rainfall in the same period as well. In the last 24 hours rainfall was recorded in 244 talukas across 33 districts in Gujarat, with an average of 63.36 mm of rain.

5. Seven people were swept away in a trolley tractor in Morbi district, Halvad taluka, due to the roads overflowing with water. The NDRF and SDRF have been trying to find them in a joint search operation but the seven individuals could not be traced even after 20 hours.

6. Around 280 people were shifted from low-lying areas in Gujarat's Bharuch city to safer places, after nearly 4 lakh cusecs of water was released into the Narmada river from Sardar Sarovar Dam. The large discharge of water and the incessant rains have led to the river floating the danger level mark of 24 feet near Bharuch.

7. Amid extreme waterlogging in Valsad, leading people to be stranded in low lying areas, the NDRF rescued a pregnant woman. Road connectivity in Valsad has also been severely affected. Authorities have urged people to remain indoors and not venture near water bodies.

8. Fishermen have been advised not to venture off the coast of Gujarat due to high speed winds, rough seas and incessant rains causing bad weather, by the IMD.

9. The IMD issued a red alert for Gujarat till August 30 and warned that traffic disruptions, damage to built structures, waterlogging, damage to crops etc. were likely to take place. They also asked all citizens to stay indoors as much as possible and to check weather alerts before venturing outside.

10. Union home minister Amit Shah, on Monday, spoke with chief minister Patel and Gujarat's home minister Harsh Sanghavi offered them any required assistance and aid from the central government.
The Supreme Court constituted National Task Force (NTF) tasked with formulating measures to make work environment safe for health care professionals held its first meeting on Tuesday, a government statement said. Suggestions of major stakeholders and those received on the portal will be collated by the Union health ministry. (Representative file photo)

As a key outcome of the meeting, Union ministry of health and family welfare created a national portalhttp://serviceonline.gov.in/directApply.do?serviceId=2987  to seek suggestions from individuals and different stakeholders across the country on the matter.

The portal has been made operational today (Tuesday). Suggestions of major stakeholders and those received on the portal will be collated by the Union health ministry for further consideration of NTF members, read the health ministry statement.

Cabinet secretary, Rajiv Gauba, chaired the meeting with home secretary, Govind Mohan, and health secretary, Apurva Chandra also present.

Also Read: Conduct polygraph test on Mamata Banerjee: BJP on Kolkata rape-murder

The members have decided to hold wider consultations with stakeholders to identify issues that need prioritisation and draft a framework to address them.

The first meeting of NTF was very constructive under the chairmanship of cabinet secretory. All the members gave their inputs and their recommendations from various stakeholders including FIMA, Association of Surgeons of India and Indian Medical Association were given by various members of the task force, said Dr Saumitra Rawat, chairman and head, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, who is also an NTF member.

The health ministry last week issued terms of reference for the functioning of NTF that in detail addressed how the work environment can be made safe for health care professionals, especially those working in the government sector.

According to the terms of reference, the task force will prepare an action plan categorised under two heads: a) prevention of violence against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions; b) providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals.

The 10-member task force was constituted after the apex court last week took suo motu cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a female resident doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata which triggered nationwide protests with resident doctors in most government-run hospitals going on strike.

There was elaborate and detailed discussion on various issues by the NTF members. The members also put forth their suggestions. The members informed that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions, read the health ministry statement.

During the meeting, the states were asked to provide information on the security measures available in medical institutions in the state. A meeting will be held tomorrow (28th August 2024) through VC to discuss short term measures regarding security of medical professionals with State Chief Secretaries and DGPs. It will be co-chaired by Union Home Secretary and Union Health Secretary, added the statement.
As assembly election preparations ramp up in Jammu and Kashmir, the relief and rehabilitation department has set up a helpdesk to assist eligible voters from the displaced Kashmiri community living across the country. The 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir are set to go to the polls in three phases starting September 18.(HT_PRINT)

The initiative aims to ensure smooth polling at special polling stations and through postal ballots. Officials said the department has intensified efforts to ensure free and fair elections for Kashmiri migrants, with the Election Commission setting up 24 special polling stations and a postal ballot scheme for displaced voters in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.

A helpdesk has been established in our office and across various zones. Several employees have been deployed to ensure seamless facilitation of migrant polling, PTI quoted relief and rehabilitation commissioner Arvind Karwani as saying.

Read: Former CM Omar Abdullah to contest from Ganderbal

He said the helpdesk is actively addressing issues faced by migrants to improve voter facilities ahead of the assembly elections starting September 18.

Kashmiri migrant voters opting to vote in person via electronic voting machines (EVMs) will have access to 24 polling stations, including 19 in Jammu, 1 in Udhampur, and 4 in Delhi, added Karwani.

Karwani, who is overseeing the control room for the helpdesk, assured that all necessary arrangements have been made at the polling stations in line with Election Commission of India guidelines.

The ECI issued a notification on August 22 detailing voting options for Kashmiri migrants, including both in-person voting at special polling stations and postal ballots.

Also read: Jammu and Kashmir assembly election: BJP retracts 1st list; supporters of dropped leaders protest

Special polling stations have been set up in Udhampur, Delhi, and Jammu. Alternatively, Kashmiri migrants can opt for postal ballots, he said.

Karwani said the updated electoral rolls, which include details of migrant electors in various zones of Jammu and Udhampur mapped to their respective special polling stations will be published soon.

The 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir are set to go to the polls in three phases starting September 18, with vote counting scheduled for October 4.

With PTI inputs
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah will contest from the Ganderbal constituency in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah (Fie)

Ganderbal is seen as a stronghold for the National Conference, having elected three generations of the Abdullah family. NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah won the seat in 1977, followed by his son Farooq Abdullah, who secured victories in 1983, 1987, and 1996. Omar Abdullah was later elected from the constituency in 2008.

In 2014, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar won the Ganderbal seat on a National Conference ticket. Prior to that, he had contested more than two elections unsuccessfully on a Congress ticket.

Upset over the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370, Omar Abdullah had declared on July 27, 2020, that he would not contest assembly elections until full statehood was restored.

Read: Jammu and Kashmir elections: BJP withdraws 1st list of candidates hours after release

However, he softened his stance after the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on August 16.

Omar Abdullah's name appeared in the second list of 32 candidates released by the National Conference on Tuesday. Both the National Conference and Congress finalised their seat-sharing agreement for all 90 assembly seats on Monday evening.

As per the seat-sharing pact, the National Conference will contest 51 seats and Congress 32, with a friendly contest on five seats. Two additional seats have been reserved for allies, CPI(M) and the National Panthers Party.

The alliance between the two parties was previously announced by Farooq Abdullah after he and his son, Omar Abdullah, met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Gupkar.

Congress leader KC Venugopal said that the alliance's main objective was to protect the essence of Jammu and Kashmir. While the BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir, the INDIA bloc aims to preserve it. We will stand united and form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Tuesday revealed why he decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).



In an X post, Soren said,"Last week (18th August) I had put forth my views in front of the people of the entire country including Jharkhand through a letter. After that, I kept meeting the people of Jharkhand and trying to know their opinion. The people of Kolhan region stood with me at every step, and they rejected the option of taking sanyaas." Jharkhand ex-CM Champai Soren with Union home minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.(X/Himanta Biswa Sarma)

There was no such forum/platform in the party where I could express my pain and leaders senior to me are away from politics due to health reasons, he added.



ALSO READ: JMM chapter closed, Champai Soren sets eye on organising people, new friends



Soren listed Bangladeshi infiltration as a big problem in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand, the state carved out of Bihar in 2000.



What can be more unfortunate than the fact that these infiltrators are occupying the lands of the descendants of those heroes who never accepted slavery of the foreign British in the fight for water, forest and land. Because of them, the dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters who consider brave women like Phool-Jhano as their ideal is in danger, Soren added.



ALSO READ: Champai Soren: Can the Kolhan Tiger still roar, and eat into the JMM votebank?

If these intruders, who are causing economic and social harm to the tribals and natives, are not stopped, the existence of our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger. In many areas including Pakur, Rajmahal, their number has become more than that of tribals. Apart from politics, we have to make this issue a social movement, only then the existence of tribals will be saved, the former chief minister further alleged.



Champai Soren, who will join the BJP on August 30, said that only the ruling party at the Centre is serious on the issue and other parties are ignoring for votes.



Therefore, in this struggle to save the identity and existence of the tribals, I have decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, expressing faith in the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Mr. @narendramodi and Home Minister Mr. @AmitShah ji, he added.



The 67-year-old leader had served as the chief minister of Jharkhand after Hemant Soren was forced to resign on January 31 before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

After helming the state for little over four months, Champai Soren had to step down for the JMM chief to be sworn in as CM again.

Shah accused Hemant Soren of land and love jihad

Champai Soren is not the only leader to have raised the issue of tribal population allegedly decreasing in Jharkhand.

On July 20, Union home minister Amit Shah alleged that thousands of illegal immigrants are marrying tribal women, obtaining certificates, and buying land in Jharkhand, which will reduce the population of tribals in the future.



If anywhere in the country the population of tribals is reducing, it is only in Jharkhand. If the people of Jharkhand vote the Bharatiya Janata Party to power, a white paper will be brought in to secure their land, population, and reservation, the minister had said.


New Delhi, The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union ended their hunger strike early Tuesday morning after 17 days of protest against the university administration to press their demands. JNUSU ends hunger strike after 17 days, claims administration has agreed to its key demands

According to the students' union, the hunger strike was called off after the JNU administration on Monday agreed to several of its key demands and provided verbal assurances on others.

"Due to the worsening health of the hunger strikers, JNUSU has decided to call off the hunger strike. However, our struggle is far from over. The mode of protest has changed but the fight for our demands continues with renewed determination," the JNUSU said in a statement.

The protest, which began on August 11 with 16 students sitting on an indefinite hunger strike, was concluded with only two participants remaining JNUSU President Dhananjay and Councillor Nitish Kumar after several students had to withdraw due to their deteriorating health conditions.

In a statement on Monday, the union stated, "Dhananjay has lost more than 5 kg and has a ketone level of 4 , which indicates severe pressure on his kidneys due to the hunger strike. He has also developed jaundice and a urinary tract infection . Nitish has lost around 7 kg and has become extremely weak, suffering from severe joint and muscle pain."

JNUSU's General Secretary Priyanshi Arya, who is affiliated with Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association , disassociated herself from the protest, alleging that the Left-affiliated members of the union ignored her consent regarding mobilisation.

The union claims the JNU administration has committed to increasing Merit-cum-Means scholarships once additional funds are secured, extending these scholarships to students of the School of Education and Management Studies.

The administration has also sent a letter to the UGC requesting an increase in funds for this purpose. Additionally, they promised to release category-wise data on students, faculty, and staff within 15 days and to hold scheduled caste and gender sensitisation programmes in early September, it said.

Reinstating the JNU Entrance Exam was a central agenda item in the union's Charter of Demands. The Rector-I has verbally assured that admissions will be conducted through JNUEE starting from the next academic session, the union said.

However, the varsity has said no assurance has been given on JNUEE to be implemented from next year.

The administration emphasised that the university does not have an officially recognised student body. "We engaged in dialogue with the protestors as students of the university, focusing on their welfare," a university representative said on Monday.

The union claimed that the university has also agreed to present the Nafey Committee report at the upcoming Academic Council meeting for approval, which recommends reducing the weightage of viva marks to 10-15 per cent in admissions.

The university has also agreed to open Parthasarathy Rocks Gate from 6 am to 10 pm daily, although the union is pushing for it to remain open 24/7, it said.

The administration has agreed to hold regular Student Faculty Committee elections according to the academic calendar, the union said in the statement.

Additionally, the administration has agreed to drop the inquiries initiated against students involved in a water protest outside the VC's residence and a sexual harassment case where the survivor staged a protest at the North Gate, blocking the main entrance for several days, it said.

They also agreed to extend the PhD fellowship continuation form submission from monthly to every three months, the students' union said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Money generated from the excise scam was spent according to the wishes of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a city court on Tuesday.



In its submission before special judge Kaveri Baweja, the central agency said in its submission,Money has been spent according to the wishes of Kejriwal...the entire money was sent in the funds of AAP."



He had promised 90 lakh to be given to each candidate of each constituency and there are 40 constituencies in Goa, PTI quoted the CBI as stating.



ALSO READ: CBI, BJP conspiring to keep Kejriwal in jail, alleges AAP



In its submission, the CBI alleged that former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communication in-charge Vijay Nair was appointed by the jailed CM to negotiate a deal with the South Group.



This group, dubbed by the agency as a cartel of businessmen and leaders who allegedly paid 100 crore kickbacks to AAP in return for liquor licenses, comprised Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, Arun Pillai, Raghav Magunta, Arun Pillai, Butchibabu Gorantla, P Sarath Reddy, Abhishek Boinpally and Benoy Babu.



ALSO READ: CBI backs Delhi CM Kejriwals arrest: Key to just conclusion of probe Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody has been extended till September 3.(PTI file)

As per the agency, AAP appointed MLA from Rajinder Nagar, Durgesh Pathak, as party in-charge for Goa elections. All the money received via kickbacks was spent on his instructions, the agency claimed. The CBI has alleged that all the transactions involving election expenses were made in cash.

Kejriwal's judicial custody extended

The Delhi court has extended Kejriwal's judicial custody till September 3 in the excise policy case. The AAP convenor has been in Tihar jail since being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21.



ALSO READ: Excise policy case: CBI gets Delhi court's sanction to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal

He had got bail from a trial court on June 20. However, the Delhi high court had struck down the bail order a day later. Kejriwal had moved the Supreme Court on June 22 against the HC court order but was arrested by the CBI on June 26.



On July 11, the top court granted him bail in the money laundering case filed by ED. Kejriwal's colleagues Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, who were also arrested by the central agencies, are out on bail.



(With PTI inputs)
The Kerala Police on Monday filed an FIR against filmmaker Ranjith, the first one amid several recent sexual harassment allegations made against male actors in Mollywood. The case was registered after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint against the filmmaker with the Kochi city police commissioner. Filmmaker Ranjith

The complaint, sent via an email to the police, alleged that Ranjith had touched the actress inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

According to Kochi Police commissioner S Syamsundar, a case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered, reported PTI.

Allegations against Ranjith

On Saturday, Sreelekha Mitra accused Ranjith of making advances and misbehaving with her while discussing a script years ago.

The person concerned (Ranjith) is a big name in the Malayalam film industry and a national award-winning director. I went to his residence to discuss an upcoming film project, and I did not like his behaviour. He made certain advances subtly, and I felt uncomfortable while we were discussing the script, PTI quoted her as saying.

The actor said following the misbehaviour, she refused to be a part of the project and returned to Kolkata.

I don't know if he has treated other female actors in the film industry in the same way. It is up to them to open up or not if they have faced a similar situation. Maybe his power and influence played a role for others to not speak out, she added.

Ranjith, however, rejected the actor's allegations, saying that he was the real victim in the case.

Following the allegations, Ranjit resigned as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. In an audio clip, Ranjith said he did not want to continue as the chairman as it would adversely impact the reputation of the Left government, reported PTI.

Sexual assault allegations in Mollywood

The fallout from the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry has intensified, with several female actors stepping forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their male counterparts.

Actor Revathy Sampath accused veteran Malayalam actor Siddique of mentally and physically assaulting her. In a media interaction, Revathy alleged that the incident took place when she was 21 years old. According to her, Siddique initially contacted her on Facebook, addressing her as Mole - a term often used in Kerala to refer to a young girl or daughter.

"After completing my Plus Two, I had a terrible experience. Siddique sent me messages on Facebook. I had come to discuss a film. There was abuse from Siddique's side. During the discussion, he sexually abused me. The face he shows now is not the one I saw back thenHe assaulted me, both physically and mentally. Siddique is a criminal. I went through severe mental trauma. It even affected my professional life. Siddique acted as if nothing had happened and stood before me like it was normal. Everyone responded as if it was a common occurrence. It felt like they all did it knowingly, she said.

Following the allegations, Siddique resigned from the post of general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), a prominent actors body in Kerala.

He also lodged a complaint with Kerala police against Revathy against the allegations levelled by her.

Another actress, Minu Muneer, levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, and small-time actor Idavela Babu.

In a Facebook post, Muneer said, I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industryIn 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable.

Meanwhile, another junior artist has also accused actor Baburaj, known for villain roles, of sexual assault. However, Baburaj rejected the allegations, claiming that it was an attempt by vested interests in the film industry to prevent him from becoming AMA general secretary - replacing Siddique.

Opposition slams Kerala govt, 7-member SIT formed

The opposition parties have slammed the Kerala government over the loads of sexual assault allegations against actors in the film industry and accused it of protecting the predators. Several opposition leaders also came forward to protest, demanding the resignations of Ranjith and Siddique.

Amid the increasing pressure on the Kerala government, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday formed a seven-member special investigation team to probe the sexual assault allegations against actors.

(With inputs from PTI)
The CBI will consult experts from the All India Institute of Medical Science on the DNA and forensic reports to rule out the possibility that more than one person was involved in the rape and murder of a doctor inside Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Students staging a protest against the sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital (ANI file photo)

The agency wants to make a watertight case, which is why it wants to seek the opinion of AIIMS Delhi.

These reports and the AIIMS review will help the CBI to ascertain if Sanjay Roy was the only accused who committed the crime, reported PTI.

So far the agency is working on leads that Roy was the only accused in the crime but involvement of others will only be ruled out after receiving the opinion of AIIMS experts, the officials said.

The woman was raped and killed inside the seminar hall of the hospital. She had been sleeping in the room amid her 36-hour-long shift in the hospital when Roy allegedly attacked her.

Her body with severe injuries was found on the morning of August 9.

The police arrested the civic volunteer named Sanjay Roy on August 10 after he was seen entering the seminar hall at 4.03 AM on August 9 in CCTV footage.

Roy was put through extensive interrogation and the police had also noticed "recent injuries" on his left cheek, abrasion in his left hand between his left and ring finger, and abrasion over the back of his left thigh, showing signs of struggle.

The CBI has also put him through a lie-detector test.

Also read: Kolkata rape-murder: After CBI, ED to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital

Sanjay Roy had initially admitted to the crime. However, recently, he told a local court that he was innocent.

The former principal of the medical college, Sandip Ghosh, four doctors who were on duty with the victim, and a civic volunteer also underwent polygraph tests.

The victim's family had alleged more than one person was involved in the crime. However, no leads have come forth about the possibility of gang rape.

With inputs from PTI
Hours before allegedly raping and murdering a trainee doctor inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, accused Sanjay Roy spent his time drinking with his friend. Roy reportedly admitted to the crime in CBI's lie-detector test. Sanjay Roy, the accused in Kolkata rape-murder case.

Upon being questioned about his movement on the night of the crime, Sanjay Roy told the agency that he visited two red light areas but didn't have sex, reported India Today, adding that he molested a woman in the street. He later talked with his girlfriend on the video call and asked her to send nude photos. HT can't independently verify claims made in the report.

The psychoanalytical profile of the accused, drawn by the CBI earlier this month, revealed that Sanjay Roy was a pervert and was addicted to pornography. An official told PTI that Roy had what he called an animal instinct.

The channel reported that Sanjay Roy came to the RG Kar hospital on August 8 evening to inquire about his friend's brother. At 11.15, they went to drink. They first went to the Sonagachi red light area. They later went to the Chetla red light area in South Kolkata, where they molested a girl, it reported.

While Sanjoy Roy's friend had sex in Chetla, Roy waited outside, talking to his girlfriend.

He later returned to the hospital and went to the trauma centre on the fourth floor of the hospital. At 4.03 am, he was seen in CCTV footage moving about the corridor of the seminar hall.

After allegedly committing the crime, Sanjay Roy went to the house of his friend and Kolkata police personnel, Anupam Dutta, the channel added.

On August 9, the woman had gone to rest in the seminar hall of the hospital when she was raped and murdered.

Her autopsy revealed 25 internal and external injuries to the body.

According to an HT report, Sanjay Roy made a U-turn after admitting to the crime and told a court he was innocent.

He also told the CBI that he was innocent and that the victim was already dead when he visited the seminar hall.

The authorities say he had been trying to mislead.

The police have subjected a host of people, including several of RG Kar's doctors, to the polygraph test.
Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Sanjay Roy, a Kolkata police civic volunteer who is accused of raping and murdering a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, had been using a motorcycle registered in the name of the police commissioner. Police produce R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case accused, Sanjoy Roy, at Sealdah Court in Kolkata.(ANI file photo)

The CBI, which is probing the case, has been looking into his connections in the Kolkata police.

Meanwhile, as the information emerged in media reports and social media, the Kolkata police issued a statement.

They admitted that the bike was registered in the name of the police commissioner. However, they said it was standard practice to register all government vehicles in the name of the police commissioner.

"The bike used by Sanjoy Roy -- principal accused in the RG Kar Hospital alleged sexual assault and murder case -- which was seized by Kolkata Police before being handed over to the CBI, was registered in the name of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. Some individuals on social media are attempting to create confusion around this. To clarify, all government vehicles belonging to Kolkata Police are officially registered under the Commissioner of Police before being assigned to various units," the police said in a statement on Tuesday.

The woman was found dead in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9. She had gone there to sleep during her 36-hour-long shift. Her autopsy revealed rape and 25 internal and external injuries.

Sanjay Roy was seen in the CCTV footage in the corridor at the time of the crime.

According to some reports, before allegedly committing the crime, Sanjay Roy molested another woman in the city's street. He had also visited two red-light areas in the city with his friend but didn't have sex.

The psychoanalytical profile of Sanjay Roy, drawn by the CBI sleuths, suggests he is a pervert and severely addicted to pornography.
Nabanna Abhijan LIVE updates: Police detain an activist as they march towards the state secretariat demanding the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of India's West Bengal state in Kolkata on August 27, 2024. (Photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP)

Nabanna Abhijan Highlights: Students' organisations had given call for a Nabanna Abhijan rally, marching till the West Bengal state secretariat today, August 27, to peacefully protest the RG Kar incident. 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally | Key points  The Trinamool Congress claimed that the event will be a chance for miscreants to incite violence, while the Kolkata Police has termed the rally illegal and the government has issued prohibitory orders in the Nabanna area....Read More

 The students are demanding chief minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation due to the mishandling of the case related to the RG Kar incident, where a trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered while on duty.

 The student have also announced that their march will not affect UGC-NET students as examinations would be held in two shifts.

 However, despite these assurances, several educational institutions have decided to either hold online classes on Tuesday or have declared a holiday.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation completed two rounds of polygraph tests on the former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh. Lie detection tests were also conducted on the prime accused Sanjoy Roy.

The Calcutta high court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation into RG Kar hospital and its financial irregularities' as well, which is to be presented on September 17.
Five new districts will be carved out in Ladakh, Union home minister Amit Shah announced on Monday, a move that will take the total number of districts to seven in the Union territory. The Union territory presently has only two districts  Leh and Kargil.

Shah said the new districts will be created with an aim to bolster governance in every nook and cranny. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the decision as a step towards better governance and prosperity.

The Union territory presently has two districts  Leh and Kargil.

In a post on X, Shah said: In pursuit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh, the ministry of home affairs has decided to create five new districts in the Union territory. The new districts, namely Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang, will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorsteps by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny.

He added: The Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh.

Congratulating the people of Ladakh, Modi said the creation of the new districts is a step towards better governance and prosperity. Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang will now receive more focused attention, bringing services and opportunities even closer to the people, he said on X.

On August 5, 2019, the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir was stripped of its special status with the abrogation of Article 370, and bifurcated into Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Ladakh comes under the direct administrative control of the home ministry. The first assembly elections for all 90 seats in J&K in a decade will be held in three phases on September 18 and 25, and October 1.

Explaining the reason behind carving out the new districts, the home ministry in a statement said: Ladakh is a very large Union territory in terms of area. At present, Ladakh has two districts  Leh and Kargil. It is one of the least populated areas of India. Being extremely difficult and inaccessible, at present the district administration was facing many difficulties in reaching the grassroots level.

After the formation of the new districts, all the public welfare schemes of the central government and Ladakh administration will be able to reach the people easily and more and more people will be able to take advantage of them, the statement said. This important decision of MHA will prove to be very useful in the all-round development of Ladakh, it added.

Besides giving in-principle approval for the formation of five new districts, the home ministry has directed the Ladakh administration to form a committee to assess various aspects such as headquarters, boundaries, structure and creation of posts, and submit a report in this regard within three months, the statement said.

Once the report is finalised, the Ladakh administration will send a final proposal on the creation of the new districts to the ministry for further action, the statement added. The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is fully committed to creating immense possibilities for the people of Ladakh, it said.

The Congress asked whether there will be elected Autonomous Hill Development Councils for each of the new districts and will they have a much more meaningful and relevant say in how budgets are spent.

The elected Autonomous Hill Development Council for Leh was established in 1995. The elected Autonomous Hill Development Council for Kargil was set up in 2003. Now five new districts have been formed in Ladakh in addition to Leh and Kargil. Will there be elected Autonomous Hill Development Councils for each of the five new districts as well? Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said.

Ladakh has seen protests seeking restoration of statehood with legislature and recognition as a tribal area under the Sixth Schedule, along with job reservations for local residents. While J&K has a legislature, Ladakh was declared a Union territory without one.

A place of geopolitical and strategic significance, Ladakh served as a buffer zone between India and two neighbours  China and Pakistan. The Indian Army has maintained a strong presence in Ladakh since the 2020 Galwan clashes, in which 20 soldiers were killed.
Amid raging agitation over the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, a 20-year-old nursing student was allegedly raped in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district. The survivor was found injured and is undergoing treatment. Students stage a protest against the alleged rape and murder of a Kolkata based trainee doctor.(PTI file photo)

The incident has triggered protests by the city's nursing community, with civilians and hospital staffers blocking traffic in several parts of Ratnagiri, reported India Today. The authorities have assured action against the culprit and urged the protestors to maintain calm.

The nursing student was returning from college by an auto-rickshaw when the driver offered her water spiked with sedatives. She lost consciousness after which the man took her to a secluded spot and allegedly raped her, reported News18.

After regaining consciousness, she called her family.

The police are looking for the driver of the vehicle and the survivor has been admitted to a local hospital for treatment.

This comes amid national outrage over the rape and murder of the doctor inside Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The doctor had gone to rest in the seminar hall of the hospital. The main accused, Sanjay Roy, who would frequent the hospital, went to the room and allegedly raped and murdered the woman.

Sanjay Roy was recently subjected to the lie-detector test where he reportedly confessed to the crime.

Per reports, hours before entering the hospital at 4.03 am, the accused had liquor with his friend. He also allegedly molested another woman in the street.

Sanjay Roy and his friend had also visited two red-light areas in Kolkata.

He also spoke to his girlfriend and demanded nude photos.

The CBI's psychoanalysis revealed that the man had been addicted to pornography and was a pervert. An officer also described him as a man with animal instinct.
The India-Maldives diplomatic relations have not been at the best of levels since the new government led by Mohamed Muizzu came to power last year. This had led to clarion calls by social media influencers to boycott Maldives, which had in the last few years become a popular spot for Indians with improved connectivity. While it took its own turn at diplomatic level, a visit to Lakshadweep by Prime Minister Modi in January this year, sent off another call to visit Lakshadweep instead of Maldives. As things settle on the diplomatic front, Maldives has fallen out of favour for Indians with Indian tourists visiting Maldives sliding drastically. Interestingly, the addition of more seats to Agatti, Lakshadweep has led to more passengers flying to Lakshadweep during the same time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a beach in Lakshadweep. (X/@narendramodi)

The April to June quarter, which is also the peak travel month in India, saw Agatti, the only airport in Lakshadweep handle 22,990 passengers as compared to 11,074 passengers in the same period last year, thus doubling the footfalls.

Data released by the ministry of tourism in Maldives shows that Indian tourists numbered only 28,604 in the April to June quarter this year, compared to 54,207 Indian tourists in the same period last year. This is a drop of nearly 50%. The data also shows that Muizzus call to China to send more tourists seems to have worked with China claiming the number one spot with 1.2 lakh tourists in the first six months of 2024. Indians on the other hand were only 63,450 - a drop of 42.5% and India became the sixth market for tourism in Maldives. Overall, tourist arrivals in Maldives increased 9.2% in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period last year and the Indian boycott seems to have had a large effect on the dwindling numbers.

Lakshadweep flights up

Agatti also saw an increase in flight count with an 88% increase. There were 786 movements in the April to June period, which was 418 in the previous year for the same period. Apart from the daily service of Alliance Air from Kochi, which was increased early this year, IndiGo and Fly91 also operate to Kochi. Alliance Air now operates eight times a week, while IndiGo operates daily from Kochi. IndiGo also operates a daily service from Bengaluru while Fly91 operates a daily service from Goa. This has nearly quadrapuled the seats available to Lakshadweep.

Lakshadweep also makes it on the cruise map these days with cruises making a day stop at the island. These tourists are over and above the ones which are flying into the island.

Maldives flights down

Data provided by Cirium - an aviation analytics company, exclusively for this article shows that the flights between India and Maldives remained nearly the same when compared to last year for this period. However, the outlook does not seem positive from the airlines perspective with IndiGo not reinstating its four times a week service from Delhi and thrice a week service from Hyderabad for the winter schedule, while Air India pulling out completely this winter.

Surprising as it may seem, but there were 59 weekly departures between India and Maldives In June 2022, bang in the middle of the pandemic while there were only 44 weekly departures in June 2024. Maldives had become an escape from the pandemic with the need to have RT-PCR pre-travel, giving a feeling of safety and ability to roam around the hotels and being confined to the resorts, which was better than being confined to homes in India. It also was one of the few countries where tourism had restarted.

Tail Note

The boycott trend has often been restricted to social media for many things in the past. Has it worked in the case of Maldives? It probably has. All the passengers have definitely not diverted to Lakshadweep. A plethora of destinations were available with direct flights over the last one year. From Denpasar, Bali to Jakarta and Baku to Tbilisi, Indian carriers have expanded rapidly. Either visa free or visa on arrival regimes for Indian passport holders have also meant travellers have options like never before. Travellers look at total cost amongst other things while planning a holiday.

Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia have come up as potential alternatives to Maldives where pristine beaches and added options to travel around will further put pressure on Maldives, apart from nationalism. Will the trends reverse or is Maldives happy to not have Indians as long as its overall numbers look positive?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday discussed regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine and Bangladesh, and pledged to strengthen multilateral cooperation, including in the Quad. US President Joe Biden with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington on 22 June 2023. (AP File Photo)

Modi, who received a phone call from Biden, briefed the American leader on his visit to Ukraine on August 23 and reiterates Indias full support for the early restoration of peace and stability, according to a readout from the Indian side.

This was the first conversation between the two leaders since Biden decided to drop out of the US presidential race in favour of vice president Kamala Harris. It was also Modis first conversation with a world leader since his hours-long visit to Kyiv, where he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold talks with Russia to help end the conflict.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, Modi briefed Biden on his visit to Kyiv and reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability, the readout said.

The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh, and emphasised the restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, the readout added.

The Indian side has raised with Bangladeshs interim government the issue of attacks on Hindus and other minorities in the wake of the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5. The Bangladeshi side has said it is committed to protecting the rights of all citizens, including minorities, and described the reporting in Indian media about attacks on Hindus as exaggerated.

Modi expressed his appreciation for Bidens deep commitment to the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership based on the shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

The leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations and said the India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity, according to the readout.

Biden and Modi reiterated their commitment to strengthen the cooperation in multilateral forums, including the Quad. They agreed to remain in touch.

Modi is set to visit the US in September to participate in the UN General Assembly and the Summit of the Future to be hosted by the United Nations.
Clashes erupted between police and protesters in various areas of Kolkata and Howrah on Tuesday as demonstrators tried to breach barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat during the Nabanna Abhijan rally. Police use water cannon in Nabanna March by Paschimbanga Chhatrasamaz at Howrah bridge in Kolkata on August 27. (HT Photo/Samir Jana)

The protesters aimed to reach the secretariat to call for chief minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation over the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.

The police intervention started when BJP supporters tried to force their way through barricades to reach Lalbazar.

Here are the key details of the Nabanna Abhijan rally:

The Nabanna Abhijan rally in Kolkata on Tuesday was organised by the new student body, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, protest against the Kolkata rape and murder case. They were supported by members of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, who are state government employees seeking to align their Dearness Allowance (DA) with that of Central government employees. The rally proceeded despite the state police calling it illegal and unauthorised due to concerns about potential violence and public disorder. Police used teargas and lathi-charge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters who marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar, demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose urged the state government to respect peaceful student protests and avoid suppressing them, citing the Supreme Court's stance on democratic freedoms. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar who led the march fell ill from teargas exposure and had to leave the scene. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra criticised the Nabanna Abhijan protest march, calling the protesters goons who provoked a police response. The BJP has warned the police commissioner to clarify the arrests and ensure the unconditional release of students detained during the march to Nabanna. Protesting against the police action against protesters, the BJP called for a general strike on Wednesday, August 28. The ruling Trinamool Congress has denounced the decision of the BJP, alleging it was aimed at creating chaos. Over 200 people were arrested by police in connection with the rally. Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road, Princep Ghat, Santragachi and Howrah Maidan left several protesters and 29 police personnel injured.



With PTI inputs
Nabanna Abhijan' updates: The Kolkata Police has reportedly deployed more than 6,000 personnel in the city on Tuesday, August 27, in the wake of a planned Nabanna Abhijan protest or march to Nabanna (state secretariate) in Howrah demanding resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee . Nurses take part in a protest over the alleged sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor, in Kolkata. (PTI file)

The planned protest against Mamata Banerjee comes amid huge outrage over the rape-murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

Additional commissioner of Kolkata Police Supratim Sarkar on Monday said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called Nabanna Abhijan on August 27.

He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details.

Ahead of the demonstration, the Kolkata Police deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and riot control force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads.

On Monday, the West Bengal Police called the Nabanna Abhijan Rally to reach the Nabanna or State Secretariat "illegal" and dubbed it an attempt to incite widespread unrest in Kolkata.

The 'Nabanna Abhijan Rally' is called by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other organisations which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata.

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student group, while Sangrami Joutha Mancha represents state government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance (DA) to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

Kolkata Police issues traffic advisory

The Kolkata Police has also issued a traffic advisory and made diversions for several routes connecting the city to various regions.

The vehicles coming from the Kolaghat side along NH 16, who intend to avail 2nd Hooghly Bridge, can avail of Nibedita Setu from Nibra for going towards Kolkata while the vehicles coming from the Dankuni side, who intend to avail of 2nd Hooghly Bridge, can avail Nibedita Setu for going towards Kolkata.

Howrah-bound vehicles coming from Kolkata who intend to avail 2nd Hooghly Bridge or Howrah Bridge can avail of Nibedita Setu while Kolkata-bound vehicles from Howrah Railway Station, who intend to avail of Howrah Bridge or 2nd Hooghly Bridge can move towards Kolkata through GT road and avail Nibedita Setu.

The vehicular movement is restricted on several routes including Kona Expressway between Nibra and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, Andul Road between Alampur and Lakshmi Narayantala More, GT Road between Mallick Fatak and Betaitala, between Mandirtala and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, between Kazipara and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, Foreshore Road - Kazipara to Ramkrishnapur Crossing.

It is also restricted on Howrah Railway Station to Grand Foreshore Road, H.M Bose Road/ RB Setu/ HIT Bridge to Howrah Bridge Kolkata side, HIT Bridge to RB Setu and M.B Road to N.S Road- Mallick Fatak.

Rape and murder of Kolkata trainee doctor

The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim.

The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. So far, prime accused Sanjay Roy has been arrested and is in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation which is probing the case.
The National Conference (NC) and the Congress on Monday sealed a seat-sharing pact for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, with the former agreeing to fight 51 out of the 90 seats and the latter contesting 32. The two parties will have a friendly contest on five other seats, and one seat each will be fought by allies Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Panthers Party. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal with National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah during a joint press conference of JKPCC and National Conference after a meeting, in Srinagar, on Monday. (PTI)

The announcement came after days of hectic negotiations and two back-to-back meetings at the residence of NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah.

Our alliance had been forged against those forces who want to divide country on communal lines. We completed our negotiations in a cordial atmosphere and Congress and the NC will jointly contest this election, he said at a joint press conference in Srinagar, flanked by senior Congress leaders.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that the idea of this alliance was to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. On one side, the BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu & Kashmir and main idea of the INDIA bloc is to save this soul of J&K. We will fight together and form government in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

The first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade will be held in three phases on September 18 and 25, and October 1. This is also the first assembly polls in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago and is likely to be the last step before the Union territorys statehood is restored.

There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies in the Union Territory, of which 74 are general, nine are reserved for scheduled tribes and seven for scheduled castes. The announcement comes against the backdrop of a major police reshuffle in J&K which has been convulsed by mounting terror attacks in the Jammu region over the last two years. A month ago, the Union government also widened the scope of the lieutenant governors (LG) powers, in what is likely to be a significant poll issue.

The NC-Congress alliance will be up against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also a member of the INDIA bloc, as well as the BJP and a host of local parties such as the Peoples Conference, the Apni Party and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party.

After the announcement, former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who had vowed not to participate in the assembly elections till the restoration of statehood, hinted that he might change his mind.

I am conscious of one thing which I had not thought over fully, which is my mistake. If I was not ready to contest election for an assembly, how can I get the people ready to vote for that assembly?How can I hope that my colleagues will seek votes for an assembly which I am not ready to accept or may be suggesting that I look down upon? It has put a pressure on me and I do not want to give a wrong signal to the people, he said.

On Monday morning, Venugopal and senior leader Salman Khurshid arrived in Srinagar and held two rounds of talks with the NC leadership at Abdullahs residence. After four hours of meeting, both parties reached an agreement.

We have agreed to hold friendly contest on five seats in very cordial and disciplined manner. We have left one seat for CPI(M) and one for the Panthers Party. We have stated numbers for each phase of polls for both Congress and the NC and will start issuing mandates from right now, said J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra.

Venugopal said that the alliance will form a government and will have common minimum programme.

The people of Kashmir have been cheated by the BJP. Here the state became UT, and it was done by the BJP. They cheated the people of J&K and we now want a BJP-free government in J&K, he said, adding that the unemployment problem in J&K was mounting by the day.

The NC and Congress formed a post-poll alliance in 2008, with Omar Abdullah leading the coalition government for the full term as the chief minister.

The two parties did not tie-up for the 2014 polls and contested all seats separately. The PDP emerged as the single-largest party with 28 seats and formed an alliance of ideological extremes with the BJP, which had 25 seats. But the coalition collapsed early in 2018 after the BJP withdrew support and governors rule was imposed in June. The NC won 15 seats in 2014, and the Congress 12.

On August 5, 2019, the Union government revoked Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile region. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but fixed a deadline of September 30 for assembly elections to be held in the region.

This is the first assembly polls in the Union territory since a controversial delimitation exercise earmarked 47 assembly seats for Kashmir and 43 for Jammu in its final order. The panel gave Jammu six additional seats and Kashmir one, sparking allegations from the Opposition that the balance was tilting in favour of Hindu-majority Jammu. The panel also reserved nine seats for scheduled tribes, a first, renamed some assembly constituencies, and redrew some others.

The polls are likely to revolve around issues of statehood, Kashmiri identity, the impact of Article 370s abrogation and the spike in terror in Jammu, as well as everyday developmental and civic issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin, days after he met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.



Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict, the prime minister posted on X.



The prime minister's telephone conversation comes days after he met Zelenskyy amid the raging war in Ukraine. During his meeting with the Ukrainian president, Modi had said that India is not neutral as it is always on the side of peace. Russian president Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.(AFP file)

We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war, the prime minister said.



I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed to respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity (of states) and it is of utmost importance to us, he added.



Last month, Modi had visited Moscow and met Putin, reiterating India's stand on the Ukraine-conflict. He had nudged the Russian president to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy, asserting that no solution can be found on the battlefield.

Russia-Ukraine conflict rages on

The Russia-Ukraine war is in its second year and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. On Monday, Russia carried out drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, killing two people and triggering fires on the outskirts of capital Kyiv, AP reported.

Two people died in a strike on a residential building in Kryvyi Rihstruck, a mining and industrial city in Ukraine's south, said Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city's military administration.

In the Kyiv region, which had struggled with blackouts after Monday's onslaught, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles that Russia fired, but that falling debris set off forest fires.



(With agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy and sincere and practical engagement with all stakeholders to find a peaceful solution to the conflict with Ukraine. The two leaders exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (HT file photo)

Modi spoke to Putin a day after his phone conversation with US President Joe Biden, which too had focused on the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conversations follow Modis visit to Ukraine on August 23, when he urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold talks with Russia to help end the conflict.

According to a readout from the Indian side on the Modi-Putin conversation, the two leaders exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Modi shared insights from his visit to Kyiv and underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict, the readout stated.

Modi added in a post on X: Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Also Read: Putin doesnt respect you: Zelensky flags India-Russia trade amid conflict

A statement from the Kremlin said Putin shared his principled assessment of the destructive policies of the Kiev authorities and their Western patrons, and highlighted Russias approaches to resolving this conflict. The statement didnt give details of the approaches Putin had referred to.

The Kremlins statement said Modi stressed his commitment to bringing about a settlement for Ukraine by political and diplomatic means.

The back-to-back phone calls triggered speculation in diplomatic circles about India playing a role in passing messages between the two warring countries.

People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that Ukraines recent offensive into Russias Kursk region had hardened Moscows position on any possible negotiations. On Tuesday, Moscow launched scores of missiles and drones at Ukrainian targets, killing at least five people, a day after Russias biggest aerial attacks of the war.

India has so far refrained from publicly censuring Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and has largely abstained from Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations.

India has also stepped up purchases of Russian oil, a move criticised by Zelensky, who accused India of supporting Russias war economy.

Zelensky has also called on India, as a leading player in the Global South, to take on a bigger role in Ukraines peace summit mechanism. While India attended the first peace summit hosted by Switzerland, it didnt sign on for the joint communique that emerged at the meeting.

During his phone conversation with Biden on Monday, Modi reiterated Indias position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy. Biden commended Modi for his message of peace and humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.

In the conversation with Putin, Modi recalled his visit to Moscow in July for the 22nd India-Russia Summit,

and the two leaders reviewed progress on a number of bilateral issues and discussed measures to strengthen the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership.

They also discussed several regional and global issues.

The Kremlins statement said the two leaders also discussed practical steps to implement trade and economic agreements finalised during Modis recent visit to Russia. They expressed satisfaction with the way the two countries have been working together within Brics and Modi reaffirmed his readiness to take part in Brics Summit to be hosted by Russia at Kazan in October.
Police used tear gas and water cannons on Tuesday to stop hundreds of people marching to the state secretariat Nabanna demanding West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees resignation over the rape and murder of a doctor and alleged failure to ensure the safety of women. Rapid Action Force deployed to stop the march to Nabanna. (PTI)

Banerjee was at her secretariat office when the agitators broke through police barricades and started throwing stones at the security personnel. We deployed a few hundred personnel and anti-riot vehicles because intelligence reports indicated that some miscreants might attack policemen, a police officer said. Barricades were set up on the Kona Expressway, Howrah Bridge, and every road and lane around Nabanna as a precautionary measure.

Police first used water cannons on the Howrah Bridge around 1 pm to disperse a crowd that tried to break through the barricade there. The agitators started throwing stones at police at Santragachhi around 1.20 pm, prompting the police to lob tear gas shells.

A policeman was beaten up with sticks at Howrah Maidan. Another policeperson suffered head injuries amid stone-throwing at Santragachhi.

Police superintendent Praveen Tripathi said they have not been able to find out how many police personnel were injured. We are requesting the agitators to clear the national highway. Police used batons to disperse a mob that broke through steel barricades at Burrabazar.

The protesters started arriving in small groups from Kolkata and Howrah around 12.30 pm although the government on Monday denied permission for the march calling it illegal. Police claimed the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, the march organiser, is linked to a political party without naming it.

Chhatra Samaj leader Sayan Lahiri claimed on Monday the protests were not linked to any party but admitted being a BJP member. I never denied that I am in the BJP, he said.

BJP leaders including former Lok Sabha member Arjun Singh joined the march on Tuesday saying he came as an individual. We will go as far as possible, said Singh. BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar also supported the march

On Monday, additional director general of police Supratim Sarkar said Chhatra Samaj, which calls itself a students organisation, called the march on the day the University Grants Commission was due to hold an examination. We are denying them permission as thousands of students appearing for the exam will face problems if roads are blocked. Agitations cannot be held around Nabanna because it is a protected area.

Sarkar said a Chhatra Samaj convenor, who regularly appears in the media, was seen entering the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kolkata on Sunday to secretly meet a leader of a political party. We have videos as evidence. People are free to meet each other but it is a strange coincidence that these people met secretly at a hotel 48 hours before the agitation, Sarkar said

The ruling Trinamool Congress has said the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of BJPs ideological found Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, organised the march.
New Delhi, The Supreme Court-appointed panel to formulate a protocol for the safety and security of healthcare professionals met for the first time on Tuesday and decided to hold wider consultations with stakeholders to identify issues that need prioritisation and draft a framework to address them. Safety of healthcare professionals: NTF meets for first time, to hold wider consultations

The 10-member National Task Force was constituted after the apex court last week took suo motu cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata which sparked nationwide protests.

The NTF members deliberated on some of the inputs and representations that it has received for improving the safety, security and working conditions of healthcare workers at medical establishments, sources said.

"It was decided that the NTF will interact further with stakeholders such as the IMA, resident doctors associations concerned because it is important to know their viewpoints and hear them out besides reading the representations. Also there is a limited timeline so the draft need to be readied as soon as possible," a source said.

"We have already deliberated on some of the inputs but we would expand those and hold deliberations further to make it more inclusive and comprehensive so that we have clarity on the issues that need prioritisation as well as implementation map and definite framework," the source added.

Besides, it was also decided that the Union Health Ministry will start a portal where all stakeholders can give their inputs and views on the issue.

The Union Health Ministry last Wednesday had issued an office memorandum mentioning the terms of reference for the NTF according to which it shall formulate effective recommendations to remedy the issues of concern pertaining to safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals and other related matters.

The apex court had asked the NTF to formulate an action plan under two sub-heads 'Preventing violence, including gender-based violence, against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions', and 'Prevention of sexual violence against medical professionals'.

Under the 'prevention of violence against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions' to ensure due security in medical establishments, there has to be training of departments and places within the hospital based on the degree of volatility and the possibility of violence, according to the terms of reference.

Areas such as the emergency rooms and the intensive care units are prone to a greater degree of violence and may possibly need additional security in place to deal with any untoward incident, it said.

The NTF will look into putting in place a baggage and person screening system at every entrance of a hospital to ensure that arms are not carried inside the medical establishment and also to prevent intoxicated persons from entering the premises of the medical establishment, unless they are patients.

As far as infrastructural development is concerned, there should be provision of separate resting rooms and duty rooms in each department for male and female doctors, and male and female nurses; and a gender-neutral common resting space.

The rooms must be well-ventilated, have sufficient bed spaces, and provide a facility for drinking water. Access to these rooms must be restricted through installation of security devices, the document said.

Besides, the NTF would also focus on adopting appropriate technological intervention to regulate access to critical and sensitive areas, including through use of biometric and facial recognition.

The terms of reference include ensuring adequate lighting at all places in a hospital and, if it is attached to a medical college, all places within the campus and installation of CCTV cameras at all the entrance and exit points of the hospital, and the corridors leading up to all patient rooms.

If the hostels or rooms of the medical professionals are away from the hospital, there should be provision of transport between 10 pm to 6 am to those who wish to travel to or from their place of stay to the hospital.

There should be employment of social workers trained in grief and crisis counselling at all medical establishments.

Under the other sub-head for the prevention of sexual violence against medical professionals, the document underlined that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 applies to hospitals and nursing homes . In terms of the provisions of the Act, an Internal Complaints Committee must be constituted in all hospitals and nursing homes.

The phrase 'medical professionals' encompasses every medical professional including doctors, medical students who are undergoing their compulsory rotating medical internship as a part of the MBBS course, resident doctors and senior resident doctors, and nurses , the document said.

The 10 members of the task force include Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General , Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, Dr M Srinivas, AIIMS-Delhi Director and Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) officer Satish Kumar has been appointed as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Railway Board, a government order said on Tuesday, making him the first ever member from a Scheduled Caste community selected for the boards top post. Satish Kumar who has been appointed as new chairperson and CEO of Railway Board. (PTI Photo)

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi says no Miss India, top media anchor from Dalit, tribal, OBC communities

Kumar, whose tenure is set to begin on September 1, will replace the current chairperson and CEO of the board, Jaya Varma Sinha, who is superannuating on August 31. When she took charge on September 1 last year, Sinha became the first woman to be appointed as the CEO of the board, the topmost post in the Indian Railways.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri Satish Kumar, Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS), Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Railway Board to the post of Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board, an order from the department of personnel & training (DoPT) said on Tuesday. It added the appointment is in the apex pay scale (pay level 17 as per the 7th central pay commission).

Also Read: The BJPs poll showing and Dalit anxiety on reservation

A 1986-batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer, Kumar has made significant contributions to railways throughout his career, spanning over 34 years. He served as the divisional railway manager (DRM) of the Lucknow division on Northern Railway from April 2017-2019. Before his appointment as the general manager of North Central Railway, Kumar also served as the senior deputy general manager and chief vigilance officer on North Western Railway in Jaipur.

In recognition of his vast experience and contributions to the Indian Railways, Kumar was recently appointed as the MTRS, a key position that oversees the critical aspects of traction and rolling stock across railways, a railways official said. Now, he will ascend to the highest level of Indian Railways as the Chairman of the Railway Board (CRB), where he will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the railway network in India.

Also Read: Dalits, OBCs faced atrocities during Congress regime, says Haryana CM Nayab Saini

The Union government, in an order on July 29, appointed current Railway Board chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha as an administrative member in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for continued heavy rainfall across Gujarat, prompting authorities to order the closure of schools on Tuesday even as 17,827 people were evacuated and 1,653 rescued from flood-hit areas after heavy rains on Monday. On Monday, 17,827 people were evacuated and 1,653 rescued from flood-hit areas. (AP)

Some areas on Monday recorded between 200 and 300 mm of rainfall, leading to waterlogging in places such as Vadodara and Ahmedabad. The downpour led to the closure of many submerged underpasses and caused major traffic disruptions in Ahmedabad.

A tractor carrying 17 people was swept away while crossing a bridge on Sunday at Dhavana. Nine people managed to swim to safety while eight remain missing. Five people in an auto-rickshaw were washed away in Ghanad. Four were rescued while the search for a missing woman was on until late Monday. A herdsman was swept away in Butvada village on Sunday evening.

The government has deployed 13 National Disaster Response Force and 22 State Disaster Response Force teams in the flood-hit districts for rescue and relief efforts.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, who held a meeting in Gandhinagar to assess the situation, visited the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). He spoke virtually with collectors, municipal commissioners, and other officials of the affected areas.

In a post on X, Patel said Union home minister Amit Shah telephoned him to discuss the rainfall situation in Gujarat. He added Shah assured him that necessary assistance, including additional central forces for rescue, relief, and disaster management, would be provided if required.

An SEOC official said they were compiling data and were yet to assess the death toll. The monsoon has been active across Gujarat, with the state receiving 91.88% of its average seasonal rainfall.

Gujarats 59 out of 206 reservoirs were at 100% capacity. A high alert has been issued for 72 reservoirs. Seven rivers in the state were overflowing. The Sardar Sarovar Dam was at 88.74% of its total storage capacity.

Officials said electricity has been restored in 6,977 of the 7,009 affected villages. As many as 523 roads were closed in paces such as Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Dang, and Chhota Udaipur.
Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday clarified that the statue of Maratha icon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which collapsed in Sindhudurg district a day ago, was not built by the state government. Malvan: A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, erected by the Navy and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, collapses at Rajkot Fort.(PTI)

He said it was constructed by the Indian Navy. He said his party's government in the state will erect a bigger statue of the warrior king.

The 35-foot-tall statue of the Maratha warrior king was unveiled on Navy Day last December. It collapsed on Monday afternoon.

Fadnavis said those responsible for the fabrication and the installation of the statue overlooked important local weather factors and the quality of the iron.

"The construction of the statue was not overseen by the state government but by the Navy. The individuals responsible for the fabrication and installation of the statue might have overlooked important local factors, such as high wind speed and the quality of the iron used. The statue might have become more prone to rust due to its exposure to ocean winds," he said.

He said the authorities were probing why the statue collapsed.

He also called the opposition's stand on the matter "distasteful".

"The collapse of the statue is painful, but the opposition parties' stand on it is distasteful. There is no need to politicise the issue as it would be seen as shallow," he added.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde claimed on Tuesday that it collapsed due to the wind speed of 45 km per hour.

State Public Works Department (PWD) minister Ravindra Chavan on Monday said that the PWD officials had found rust on the statue and wrote a letter to the Navy informing them.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the BJP of corruption.

"It is unimaginable that the statue of our deity, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would also be a subject of the BJP's corruption. Here too, a favoured contractor friend. Here too, the quality of work. Here too, is an inauguration keeping in mind the elections, not the sentiment. And then, the usual trolls and shameless politicians try to blame the Indian Navy," Thackeray said in a statement.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
The Indian Navy has expressed deep concern regarding the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg on Monday. It has also deputed a team to analyse the cause and initiate repair works. A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, erected by the Navy and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, collapses at Rajkot Fort, in Malvan, Monday.(PTI)

"Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg. Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore, and reinstate the statue at the earliest," news agency ANI reported citing an Indian Navy's statement.

Opposition continues to attack govt

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties continued to attack the Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the poor quality of work to build the statue.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi asked how much crores (khoke) of corruption was involved in the award of the contract to build the statue.

Who was the contractor? Is it correct that the work was given to a Thane-based contractor? What action will be taken against the contractor? How much khoke did the contractor pass on to the khoke Sarkar?" Priyanka Chaturvedi posted a list of questions on social media platform X.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident. The 35-feet Shivaji Statue inaugurated by @narendramodi collapsed today. Its a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality & secularism, his statues collapse is an example of @narendramodis lack of commitment to Shivajis vision, Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X.

Also read | Fresh infighting in Mahayuti as BJP leaders accuse minister Sattar of facilitating fake voters

What Maharashtra govt said

Senior officials of the police and district administration reached the site to take stock of the situation, and the damage is being examined. The exact cause of the collapse is yet to be ascertained, but a preliminary report suggests it was due to heavy rains and gusty winds over the past two days in the city.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde termed the statue collapse as unfortunate and said the government would establish the cause and re-install the statue at the same place.

Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said the PWD minister Ravindra Chavan has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter.

Sindhudurg police have registered an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5).

(With ANI inputs)
The authorities on Tuesday demolished a three-storied building of Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Haji Raza at Baqargunj in Uttar Pradeshs Fatehpur amid tight security with the deployment of personnel from 10 police stations. The earthmover or bulldozer has become a symbol of extrajudicial action. (PTI)

Sub-divisional Magistrate Pradeep Raman and circle officer Sushil Kumar Dubey oversaw the demolition with two bulldozers. Raman maintained the demolition was ordered as the construction was undertaken based on an incorrect map.

Raza was in the news in June after a local ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary filed a complaint against him for alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sultanpur following SP candidate Naresh Uttam Patels victory in Lok Sabha elections.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to review the assets of Raza and his associates two months back. Former lawmaker Vikram Singh had urged chief minister Yogi Adityanath to form the SIT to investigate Razas alleged criminal history and related allegations. Officials said Raza faces charges of corruption and involvement in criminal activities.

The demolition of Razas building was the latest in a series of such actions dubbed as bulldozer justice. The earthmover or bulldozer has become a symbol of extrajudicial action through the demolition of properties. The demolitions have acquired a political colour, especially in BJP-ruled states. They are perceived as a symbol of high-handedness towards Muslims.

The use of bulldozers to demolish property belonging to Muslims involved in protests earned Adityanath the moniker of bulldozer baba.

The house of Congress functionary Shahzad Ali was demolished in Madhya Pradeshs Chhatarpur district on Thursday last for his alleged involvement in a violent protest against priest Ramgiri Maharajs purported anti-Islam remarks.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the BJP of targeting minorities and using bulldozers to instil fear among citizens. He said demolishing someones home and rendering their family homeless is both inhumane and unjust. Kharge added the repeated targeting of minorities in BJP-ruled states is deeply troubling. Kharge said such actions have no place in a society governed by the rule of law.

In a post on X, Kharge said that anarchy cannot replace natural justice and that offences should be adjudicated in courts, not through state-sponsored coercion. He said the Congress strongly condemns the blatant disregard of the Constitution, using bulldozing as a tactic to instil fear among citizens.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to BRS MLC K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case. The court pulled up the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate over the nature of the probe being conducted in the case. K Kavitha being produced in a Delhi court. (ANI/File)

K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar, has been in custody since March 15.

What happened during the hearing?

During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan asked the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI to show what "material" they had to prove that K Kavitha was involved in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for K Kavitha, sought bail saying the probe against her had been completed by the two agencies.

He also referred to the apex court's verdict granting bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia, a co-accused.

Additional solicitor general SV Raju, appearing for the probe agencies, said K Kavitha had formatted her mobile phone. He alleged her behaviour amounted to tampering with evidence.

K Kavitha's lawyer called the allegation bogus.

Later, the bench asked the tough question to the agencies' lawyer.

"What is the material to show that she was involved in the crime," it asked Raju.

What is K Kavitha accused of?

On August 12, the Supreme Court had asked the agencies to file their responses to the politician's plea challenging the Delhi high court order denying her bail.

The high court had dismissed Kavitha's bail pleas in both cases, saying she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy.

The agencies have accused K Kavitha of being part of the so-called South Group  a group of businessmen and politicians who allegedly paid the Aam Aadmi Party kickbacks worth 100 crore in return for favouring them in the formulation and implementation of the policy.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh had been in jail over similar charges. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whom the agencies call the kingpin of the alleged scam, has been in jail since March 21.

With inputs from PTI
More than 72 people were killed in Balochistan province of Pakistan when separatist militants attacked police and federal paramilitary stations, railway lines and passenger buses in the most widespread attacks by ethnic militants, officials said on Monday. People walk past parked supply trucks alongside a road, after traffic was halted following an attack on a highway in Pakistan's restive province of Balochistan. (REUTERS)

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) armed militant group took responsibility for the operation they called Haruf or dark windy storm.

These attacks are a well thought-out plan to create anarchy in Pakistan, interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement about the Sunday and Monday attacks.

Pakistans military said 14 soldiers and police personnel, and 21 militants, were killed in fighting after the largest of the attacks, which targeted buses and trucks on a major highway.

Local officials said at least 23 people were killed in the highway attacks, in which armed men checked passengers IDs before shooting many of them and torching vehicles.

Rail traffic with Quetta was suspended following blasts on a rail bridge linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan. Militants also struck a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said.

Police said they had found six bodies near the site of the attack on the railway bridge.

The first of the attacks was on Sunday night, when armed men blocked a highway in Balochistan, marched passengers off vehicles, and shot them after checking their identity cards, said senior superintendent of police Ayub Achakzai.

They set afire 35 vehicles, including trucks, on the highway in the Musakhail area.

The armed men also not only killed passengers but also killed drivers of trucks carrying coal, said Hameed Zahir, deputy commissioner of the area.

Militants have targeted workers from Pakistans eastern province of Punjab whom they see as exploiting their resources.

In the past, they have also attacked Chinese interests and citizens in the province, where China runs the deepwater port of Gwadar, as well as a gold and copper mine in its west.

POLICE STATIONS TARGETED

Officials said militants also targeted police and security stations in Balochistan  Pakistans largest province by area but least populated  killing at least 10 people in one attack. These included six security personnel, three civilians and one tribal elder as armed militants stormed a station of the Balochistan Levies, a federal paramilitary, in the central district of Kalat, said police officer Dostain Khan Dashti.

Officials said police stations had also been attacked in two southern coastal towns, but the toll from these incidents was yet to be confirmed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed that security forces would retaliate and bring those responsible to justice.

General Li Qiaoming, commander of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Ground Forces and Pakistans army chief Asim Munir met on Monday, though a Pakistani military statement released after the meeting made no mention of the attacks.

European Commission spokesperson Nabila Massrali said on social media platform X that the EU condemned the attack, adding that violence threatens the foundation of democracy.

BLA CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

In a statement to journalists, BLA claimed they carried out more attacks, but these were not confirmed by authorities.

The attacks form part of a decades-long effort to win secession of the resource-rich southwestern province, home to major China-led projects such as a strategic port and a gold and copper mine.

The BLA is the biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups battling the central government, saying it unfairly exploits gas and mineral resources in the province, which suffers high levels of poverty. It wants the expulsion of China and independence for Balochistan.

The group said four suicide bombers, including a woman from the southern port district of Gwadar, had been involved in an attack on a major paramilitary base though Pakistani authorities have yet to confirm that attack.

Monday was the anniversary of the death of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti, who was killed by Pakistans security forces in 2006.
A political war erupted between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and opposition YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh over the issue of the new garbage tax rule in the state. TDP cadres piled garbage bags outside the mayor's office (Representational image)

The garbage wars between the two parties intensified after residents and workers from the ruling TDP piled up garbage bags outside the official residence of YSRCP mayor Suresh Babu.

The protests erupted after the mayor insisted that garbage would only be collected if the garbage tax was paid. Responding to the rule, MLA Medhavi Reddy urged all residents not to pay the tax. Residents and TDP cadres eventually resorted to throwing garbage bags outside the Kadapa residence of the mayor when authorities refused to collect the trash.

Local police eventually reached the spot to contain the situation.

However, the retaliation from the opposition party came quick as YSRCP workers and activists staged protests at the Chinna Chowk police station and demanded the arrest of TDP leaders including MLA Medhavi Reddy.

Reddy and Suresh Babu have been engaged in a war of words over the garbage tax issue over the last few days, blaming the other's party for the garbage pileup across the Kadapa.

The TDP leader, during a local press meet, accused YSRCP for indulging in dirty politics over the garbage collection issue, leading to extreme inconvenience for the residents. She also accused Suresh Babu of creating garbage collection hurdles to defame her and the ruling TDP. She warned that protestors will be forced to dump garbage on Babu's doorstep if the issue isn't resolved at the earliest.

Mayor Suresh Babu was quick to respond to the threat issued by the TDP MLA, levelling several accusations at Reddy and her party which enraged TDP workers and followers. The TDP workers and residents dumped trash outside Reddy's house on Tuesday morning.

The tensions remain heightened between TDP and YSRCP over the garbage tax issue, as the opposition is protesting against the police administration and demanding the arrest of Reddy and her followers for dumping garbage on the official residence of the Kadapa mayor.
Telegram, the popular messaging application, is facing mounting scrutiny in India as it emerges as a hub for a wide array of criminal activities. From the distribution of leaked exam papers and child pornography to stock price manipulation and extortion, the platform has become a preferred vector for illicit operations, drawing comparisons to the dark web, according to cyber experts, law enforcement officers and former government officials. The icon for the Telegram messenger application arranged in Hong Kong, China, on Monday. (Bloomberg)

The spotlight on Telegram intensified after its chief executive, Pavel Durov, was detained in France on Saturday over allegations of inadequate efforts to combat crime on the app, including the spread of child sexual abuse material. This incident has brought global attention to the unique challenges Telegram poses for law enforcement and digital content moderation.

The Paris prosecutor said in a statement on Monday that probe into Durov concerns crimes related to illicit transactions, child pornography, fraud and the refusal to communicate information to authorities.

The company, in reiterating a position it has held previously, said on Monday: It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

Durov, then living in Russia, launched the platform in 2013 with his brother Nikolai. Telegram now claims to have 950 million users -- up from 550 million in 2022.

Recent incidents underscore the platforms misuse across various sectors.

On July 24, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) disclosed a stock-price rigging racket operating via Telegram. The owner of a Telegram group was indicted for receiving 20 lakh in commission from individuals connected to a listed steel sheet manufacturing firm.

On May 3, two men from Bhopal were arrested for duping a local doctor of 38 lakh. They used Telegram to impersonate police officers and conduct a fake interrogation.

On June 19, 2023, the UGC-NET exam, with approximately 900,000 applicants, was cancelled a day after it was held due to a question paper leak on Telegram. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the issue, stating, We tallied the questions with the original UGC-NET questions and they matched All these activities took place on Telegram these days. It is a challenge to track the complex nature of Telegram without a high level investigation.

And on May 3, 2023, many NEET-UG applicants reportedly received copies of the medical entrance exam questions a day before the exam, according to complaints in what turned into one of the biggest exam controversies in the country, prompting protests, triggering a federal investigation, and eventually requiring the Supreme Courts intervention.

Law enforcement challenges

A senior police officer from the Delhi Police cybercrime unit spoke of the extent of criminal activities flourishing on Telegram. One of the most rampant scams on Telegram is investment fraud in which a user is added to a group and is suggested to invest their money in stocks on a fake application which mirrors a legitimate stock trading app, the officer explained. This scam is where most people are losing their money on Telegram.

The officer further elaborated on other illicit activities: Other illegitimate activities on Telegram include being able to buy fake sim cards and share your bank account details with cyber fraudsters operating from abroad. Those who provide account details get a commission from the fraudsters.

The anonymity features of Telegram create significant hurdles for investigations, the officer pointed out: One can hide their number and only show the username. This does not happen in WhatsApp. Its difficult for us to identify someone on Telegram because of this anonymity.

Cooperation from Telegram in investigations has been lacklustre, according to law enforcement sources. The Delhi Police officer said, Whenever we reach out to them, they respond with the last logins IP address which is often of little help.

Two government officials, who asked not to be named, said Telegram cooperates with Indian agencies in only about 20% of cases, making data retrieval a challenging task.

Rakesh Maheshwari, who headed the ministry of electronics and technologys cyber laws division until March 2023, shed light on Telegrams historical reluctance to comply with regulatory requirements. Telegram was, on occasions, reluctant to cooperate though it did appoint an India-based grievance officer, chief compliance officer and nodal contact person, and opened an office in India [Gurugram], following the notification of IT Rules 2021. They would generally comply with Section 69A blocking orders but in few other cases, where the Ministry would forward the grievances as received, they were unwilling to comply even if the content appeared to be potentially illegal and harmful, or led to such URLs, he said.

He identified two key areas where Telegram was particularly lacking in enforcement: obscenity and copyright. To my knowledge, the platform was being misused by some accounts for promoting obscenity and to violate copyright. Lack of proactive content moderation had per se been lacking, he explained.

Transparency has also been a significant issue. Despite the requirement under IT Rules 2021, Telegram does not officially publish a monthly transparency report. Attempts to obtain transparency reports for India from Telegrams @transparency bot were met with the response, No transparency report is available for your region.

In October 2023, the Indian IT ministry had issued a notice to social media platforms, including Telegram, X (formerly Twitter)), and YouTube, to remove CSAM from their platforms in India, and called for implementation of proactive measures to take down CSAM.

At the time, a spokesperson for Telegram, Remi Vaughn, in response to HTs questions had said that child abuse materials are explicitly forbidden by the platforms terms of service and that the platforms moderators actively patrol public parts of the platform to remove violative content.

Telegrams moderators actively patrol public parts of the platform and accept user reports in order to remove content that breaches our terms. In the case of child abuse content, we publish daily reports about our efforts here: t.me/stopca, the spokesperson had then said. According to the Telegram channel Vaughn had cited, 1,650 groups and channels related to child abuse were banned on August 25, bringing the total for August 2024 to 43,315.

Despite the requirement under IT Rules 2021, Telegram does not officially publish a monthly transparency report, making the t.me/stopca channel one of the very few ways in which such information can be determined.

Even within the government, according to conversations HT has had with at least three officials, there is a misconception that Telegram is E2EE by default and is thus unable to moderate content. But cryptographic experts have always questioned Telegrams claims of being end-to-end encrypted. I would not pass its E2EE algorithm in a security audit. It is not a question of whether it is secure, it is whether I will put my name to it? There are too many non-standard elements to it. Indicators suggest that it is secure-ish, Debayan Gupta, assistant professor of computer science at Ashoke University, said.

To be sure, Telegram only claims that its Secret Chats, that is specifically enabled conversations between two individuals, are E2EE. For everything else --- default one-to-one chats, group messages, channels, statuses ---, the platform only claims client-server encryption which means that on the server side, that is, Telegrams side, it has access to the content, much like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X) have access to all direct messages on their platforms.

As far as we can tell, their servers are not encrypted, Gupta said.

The problem, Gupta said, is that Telegram promotes itself like WhatsApp even as a huge case on the former is broadcast Channels, which were recently introduced by WhatsApp as well. On both platforms, Channels are not E2EE but on Telegram, they account for bulk of the communications unlike WhatsApp. [Here] one individual does all the posting and everyone else just listens, making it much more similar to Twitter., Gupta said.

Telegram, unlike WhatsApp, cannot claim that it cannot moderate content when it has access to it on its servers, Gupta said.

If there are broadcast channels where there is CSAM and that content is residing on my server in cleartext or in any accessible format, I have some responsibility. It depends on the history of the platform --- were they told that this is a problem and they still did not act despite being able to act? In this case, WhatsApp is a little more protected because everything is E2EE, he said.

Tailored for cybercriminals

Anand Venkatanarayanan, co-founder and CTO of DeepStrat, offered a scathing assessment of the platform. Telegram is social media for cyber criminals masquerading as messaging platform with absolutely no content moderation, he said, drawing a parallel to the infamous Silk Road dark web marketplace. It is largely a centralised chat service with absolutely no content moderation that has made design choices that were tailormade for cybercirminals.

Venkatanarayanan highlighted Telegrams role in mechanising crime through its bot functionality and API access. For instance, a bot can be used to get specific person identifying information from a breached database, he explained. For instance, in 2023 two men created a Telegram bot that revealed personal details of Covid-19 vaccine recipients in India, underscoring the platforms potential for privacy breaches.

The expert also pointed out Telegrams significance in the cybersecurity landscape. Its importance to cybercriminals is evidenced by the fact that most cybersecurity companies around the world trawl through Telegram to generate threat intelligence, Venkatanarayanan noted.
The birth of Krishna, celebrated last night with much joy across the country, is a sign that the Indian festive season has kicked into high gear. In Bengaluru, it also means that its time to pull out the silks after months of slopping about in jeans and dri-fits. The Government Cocoon Market in Ramanagara on the Bangalore-Mysore highway is Asias largest such market. (HT)

It is a bit of a shame that we dont wear silk more, given that a whopping 70% of Indias raw silk, and 43% of its mulberry raw silk (silk produced from the cocoons of silkworms fed on mulberry leaves) are produced in Karnataka. The Government Cocoon Market in Ramanagara on the Bangalore-Mysore highway is Asias largest such market.

Mulberry silk is the base of the famous Mysore Silk, which became the states first GI-tagged product in 2005.

Well before it received official recognition, however, silk from Mysore was known far and wide. Way back in 1791, British officer Robert Andrews reported meeting two men who had been employed in silkworm rearing in Srirangapatna under Hyder Ali. By then, Hyder had been dead eight years. His son and heir, Tipu Sultan, so the story goes, entranced by the quality and sheen of a length of fine silk gifted to him by an ambassador from China, became determined to produce it in his own kingdom. He sent off deputations not only to China but also closer home, to Bengal, which had had a thriving silk industry for centuries, to source the best silkworms and related knowhow. Both deputations returned, years apart, with mulberry cuttings, but only the Bengal one brought back Chinese silkworm eggs, of the yellow bivoltine race.

In south Indian climactic conditions, the worm stopped hibernating, tweaked its genetics, and diverged from every other race of silkworm to morph into the Pure Mysore race.

Tipus short reign (1784-1799), marked by the destructive Third and Fourth Anglo-Mysore wars, was not the best ecosystem for industry to flourish. After his death, Mysores silk production, while it continued to survive in pockets, saw a steep decline. Hopes of a resurrection in 1866, with the opening of the Silk Filature Company in Kengeri by an Italian entrepreneur  the Italians were the pioneers of filature (silk factory) technology  during the half century when Mysore was directly administered by the British (1831-1881), came to nought.

In 1893, Bombay industrialist Jamsetji Tata was on a visit to Japan, which dominated the world in silk production at the time. So impressed was he with how Japan had adapted global best practices  silk egg production from France, which used Louis Pasteurs game-changing anti-bacterial techniques to keep the eggs disease-free, and Italian filature technology  to create their own version of scientific sericulture that he wanted to try it in India as well.

Bangalores mild climate, and Mysores established end-to-end silk production ecosystem, saw Jamesetji take his proposal to Seshadri Iyer, the then Dewan of Mysore, in 1896. Iyer bit. By 1902, the cutting-edge, not-for-profit Tata Silk Farm and training centre had set up operations near Basavanagudi under Japanese experts, and ran successfully until well after independence.

In 1912, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, inspired by the flourishing silk trade in Europe, imported looms from Switzerland and set up a factory in Mysore to produce the finest silk for the use of the royal family. Post-independence, the factory was taken over by the Mysore State Sericulture Department. In 1980, it was handed over to a Govt of Karnataka enterprise called KSIC (Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation) Ltd.

If you are in the market for a Mysore Silk saree today, make sure you look for the KSIC hologram stamped on it, which guarantees that it is authentic  and very, very expensive.

(Roopa Pai is a writer who has carried on a longtime love affair with her hometown Bengaluru)
New Delhi: In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Bharat was the land of Buddha and war was not our path. He said that India does not pose a threat to the world and that Bharat never dragged the world to wars. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

While PM Modi said that India was also ready to confront challenges in the same speech, he has in the past said that Bharat has never even coveted an inch of foreign territory or had any imperial designs.

Ironically, none of this has stopped Indian adversaries like Pakistan and its handlers in the west, and China from creating fresh hurdles in the path of Bharats rise. While Pakistan has waged four wars to capture the Kashmir Valley since Independence, China foisted the 1962 war on India to teach Jawahar Lal Nehru a lesson for his immature Forward Policy. It has been nibbling Indian territory since that day and launched major transgressions over the LAC in East Ladakh in May 2020, designed to change the status quo on ground. Cross-border terrorism still continues in Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan and Islamabad backers in the west are trying to stoke political fires in India to destabilize the Modi government.

In this context, the larger question that arises is do Indias national security planners and politicians suffer from strategic confusion ? Has the pacifist doctrine of Buddha really helped India ?

This strategic ambiguity that fogs the minds of Indian planners has made Bharat vulnerable in the eyes of its adversaries. It is perhaps still perceived as a country that still does not have a clear cut global objective or does not know its right place on the global high table.

India today is a major military power with a functioning nuclear triad and a high survival second strike capability. It will be a four trillion US dollar economic power next year and possibly a third biggest economic power by 2029 if not early. It will soon have military theatre commands with a powerful sub-surface nuclear deterrent. The question is does India have the military doctrine or tactics for the heavy ticket platforms it has. After all, maritime diplomacy cannot be the doctrine for the Indian Navy and its two aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines.

While PM Modi has talked about decolonization of the Indian mind, the Indian national security planners are still to craft military tactics that cater to the topography and geography of Bharat. Instead, what we see is both the planners, diplomats, armed forces and intelligence in India regurgitating western think tank language and concepts. Indian planners have lost the way when it comes to new military tactics or strategic vision.

One has to go through Jadunath Sarkars seminal work Military History of India to understand that Bharat has lost wars to technology and unified strategic vision of the conquerors over the past centuries. Even today neither the Indian private sector nor the public sector has been able to come up with path breaking technology with the armed forces more than happy to purchase off the shelf western technology.

If India aspires to be Jagat Guru, then it has to create a military-industrial complex that challenges the world in dual use technology and has to craft military doctrines to suit its strategic interests. It cannot do so by ordering a caste census and causing a Hindu societal implosion for political power or throwing merit out of the window for the same. If craven politics was a sport in Olympics, India would definitely win a gold medal as national parties now want restoration of Article 370 as part of a regressive political mindset sweeping the country. Such is the political power grab that the two major national parties can not come to a strategic agreement on issues that are critical to Bharat survival.

The chalta hai concept that PM Modi talks about must be dumped and so should be this so-called pacifist mindset as it is causing confusion among the youngsters. Indias neighborhood is a cause of serious concern with Bangladesh virtually in the hands of Islamists and a weak western prop like Ashraf Ghani as a ruler, Sri Lanka is yet to stabilize and Maldives staring at an economic abyss. Pakistans policy towards India remains the same notwithstanding who is in power and the Modi government should be talking about Occupied Kashmir as the bottom line for dialogue if and when it happens with Islamabad. It is now more than four years since the Indian Army deployed against 100,000 Chinese troops in East Ladakh with no signs of any de-escalation from either side. Chinese naval activity has increased in the Indian Ocean. What to talk about in the Pacific Ocean. Unless Pacifist mindset is just a posture, one should remember that history has no time for losers.
A new student body Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj is leading the Nabanna Abhijan rally in Kolkata on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Follow LIVE updates Police personnel deployed at Howrah Bridge in view of 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally called by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, a students' organisation, to protest against the alleged sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor, in Kolkata, Tuesday. (PTI)

The unregistered outfit is holding the rally along with the members of Sangrami Joutha Mancha - who represent state government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance (DA) to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

The Nabanna Abhijan is being held despite the state police terming it as illegal and unauthorized, citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

What is Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj?

Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student group that claims to be an apolitical outfit. According to the spokesperson of the student body, Sayan Lahiri, the rally, which will start from several places and move towards Nabanna, is organised by an apolitical platform with no affiliations to the BJP, RSS, or ABVP. The protesting student bodies have three demands - justice for the victim, capital punishment for the culprit, and Mamata Banerjee's resignation. Speaking to the media, Lahiri said, We aim to raise our demands peacefully. If we are stopped, we will attempt to proceed to the secretariat gate in a non-violent manner to demand the CM's resignation due to her failure to prevent incidents like the RG Kar case which has shocked the nation. According to media reports, the rally is being organised by Prabir Das, a Master's student from Rabindra Bharati University, Subhankar Halder from Kalyani University, and Sayan Lahiri from Rabindra Mukta University.

Over 6,000 personnel deployed in Kolkata

In view of the Nabanna Abhijan rally, the Kolkata police have deployed more than 6,000 personnel in the city. The police have also issued a traffic advisory and made diversions for several routes connecting the city to various regions.

According to the advisory, the vehicles coming from the Kolaghat side along NH 16 who intend to avail 2nd Hooghly Bridge can avail of Nibedita Setu from Nibra for going towards Kolkata, while the vehicles coming from the Dankuni side who intend to avail of 2nd Hooghly Bridge, can avail Nibedita Setu for going towards Kolkata. Howrah-bound vehicles coming from Kolkata who intend to use the 2nd Hooghly Bridge or Howrah Bridge can use Nibedita Setu, while Kolkata-bound vehicles from Howrah Railway Station who intend to use the Howrah Bridge or 2nd Hooghly Bridge can move towards Kolkata through GT road and use Nibedita Setu, it said.

Meanwhile, the police have restricted vehicular movement on several routes such as - Kona Expressway between Nibra and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, Andul Road between Alampur and Lakshmi Narayantala More, GT Road between Mallick Fatak and Betaitala, between Mandirtala and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, between Kazipara and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, Foreshore Road - Kazipara to Ramkrishnapur Crossing, Howrah Railway Station to Grand Foreshore Road, H.M Bose Road/ RB Setu/ HIT Bridge to Howrah Bridge Kolkata side, HIT Bridge to RB Setu and M.B Road to N.S Road- Mallick Fatak.
West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for using excessive force during the Nabanna Abhijan rally in Kolkata. Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose speaks to the media during his visit at the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.(PTI)

He described the scenes on the streets as "ghastly" and said that the government ignored Supreme Court guidelines, which state that force should not be used against peaceful protesters.

Governor Bose expressed concern over the situation, saying, As Governor, I am watching, I have taken my own inference. Right at the moment, I have difficulties in making my decisions public. The gravity of the situation is such that all players in public life feel like coming together and challenging the irresponsible behaviour of the government, ANI reported.

He further said that the situation and the government's response are both "far from normal."

ALSO READ- Badlapur sexual assault: SIT to conduct identification parade of accused; prepare psychological profile

'Nabanna Abhiyaan' rally turned violent

The 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, which was held to demand justice for the victim of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital case, turned violent on Tuesday afternoon. Protesters clashed with police at several points as they attempted to reach the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna.

The violence, which lasted for nearly four hours, resulted in injuries on both sides, including senior police officers and women protesters. Over 200 people were arrested across the state, according to police.

ALSO READ- Would not let Bengali-speaking Muslims take over Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Suvendu Adhikari demands President's Rule

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari blamed the Mamata Banerjee-led government for the violence and called for her resignation. He also demanded the imposition of President's Rule in the state to restore law and order.

ALSO READ- Bengali actor accuses Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith of 'misbehaviour'; he denies allegations

Stop this murderous game: Governor Bose

Governor Bose stressed that people have a right to justice, and the government has a duty to ensure it.

"Stop this murderous game. Government has to take the initiative for this. People want justice. Today on the streets, the government has insulted the national flag, national sentiments, the nation and the people of Bengal," he said.
A 26-year-old woman has been arrested in Muzaffarpur for allegedly murdering her three-year-old daughter to pursue a relationship with her lover, police said on Monday. Woman arrested for allegedly murdering daughter to be with lover in Muzaffarpur.(Live Hindustan)

ALSO READ- Key ring, knife, nail cutters removed from 22-year-old Bihar man's stomach

Why Kajal killed her daughater?

Police allege that Kajal intended to leave her husband and marry her lover. However, she viewed her daughter as an obstacle.

The girl's father, Manoj Kumar, a fast food worker, and Kajal had been experiencing marital issues.

The woman, Kajal, allegedly inspired by a crime TV serial, is accused of slitting her daughter's throat. She then placed the body in a trolley bag, and abandoned it in a field near her rented home on August 23.



The father of the deceased said the mother and daughter did not return home and that he was unable to contact his wife as her mobile phone was out of reach. Today, his neighbours informed the police about a luggage bag hidden in the bushes near his home. When we prised it open, we found the body, Mithanpura police station's Station House Officer (SHO) Ram Iqbal told PTI.

The body was discovered on Saturday.

ALSO READ- Laughable when..: Prashant Kishor attacks Tejashwi Yadav over Bihar's development model

How police caught the woman?

The accused woman was apprehended at her lover's residence in Sitamarhi district. Bloodstained clothes were found in Kajals Muzaffarpur home.

According to Muzaffarpur SP Awadhesh Dixit, Kajals mobile location traced her to Sitamarhi. Her lover was also questioned but cleared of any involvement in the killing.

In a similar case, police in Maharashtra's Thane district have arrested a 25-year-old woman, Radha Balram Mishra, and her 23-year-old lover, Anubhav Ramprakash Pandey, for allegedly killing her husband and disposing of his body in a creek, an official reported on Friday.

ALSO READ- Mans body, eaten by dogs, found from govt hospital at Bettiah

The police said the victim, Balram, also known as Shekar Laxman Mishra (27), resided with his wife Radha at Durgesh Park in Bhiwandi. Radha was reportedly involved in a romantic relationship with Anubhav.

According to the police, the couple killed Balram with sharp weapons on August 7, placed his body in a bag, and discarded it in the Kasheli creek.

Bhiwandi police apprehended the suspects after gathering intelligence, technical evidence, and interviewing the victim's family.

(Inputs from Avinash Kumar)
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he would take sides, and won't let 'Miya' Muslims take over the the state. Himanta Biswa Sarma was speaking in the assembly on adjournment motions brought by the opposition parties to discuss the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon, news agency PTI reported. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo)

Replying to the motion, the Assam chief minister added that the crime rate has not increased if the population growth is taken into account.

When the Opposition charged him of being partisan, Himanta Sarma retorted, I will take sides. What can you do about it?

Why will people from Lower Assam go to Upper Assam? So that Miya Muslims can take over Assam? We won't let it happen, PTI quoted him as saying.

Amid the heated debate, members of both treasury and opposition benches stormed into the Well of the House, prompting Speaker Biswajit Daimary to adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes.

MLAs of Congress, AIUDF, and CPI(M), and lone Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi had moved four adjournment motions for discussion on the situation arising out of increasing crimes in the state, including crimes against women.

Opposition parties hold demonstrations in Guwahati

The opposition parties in Assam on held demonstrations in various parts of Guwahati, including the assembly complex, alleging the failure of the government to protect women and prevent crime against them.

Congress MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia marched from inside the assembly building to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi within the compound, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding the safety of women and condemning the targeting of a particular community for all crimes against women, PTI reported.

"The Dhing incident is not the only one. After that also, many such cases have taken place in different parts of the state," Saikia told reporters.

"The CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, is not at all serious and concerned about the situation. We discussed in the assembly about crimes against women with NCRB data and asked the government to take action," he said.

Saikia claimed that the Home Department has asked the Assam Police not to register "some cases" of such crimes.

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three persons while she was returning home from tuition at Dhing in Nagaon district on August 22.

Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi too protested inside the assembly complex, holding a banner that replicated the horrific episode from Mahabharat of Draupadi's 'vastraharan' with Sarma as Dhritarashtra.

Members of the AIUDF's youth wing had a scuffle with the police in front of its state headquarters at Hatigaon in Guwahati when they tried to move towards the secretariat as part of the 'Dispur Chalo' march.

Meanwhile, protests by women groups continued at Dhing demanding the arrest of the two culprits, who were absconding.

The prime accused, who was arrested on Friday, allegedly escaped from custody, jumped into a pond and died on Saturday morning, police said.

The other two accused are still on the run and searches are continuing with raids conducted at several places for them.

(With inputs from agencies)
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday vowed he would not let Miyas, a pejorative term for Bengali-speaking Muslims, take over the state even as around 30 organisations have issued an ultimatum asking the community to leave nine districts of Upper Assam within a week. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (ANI)

I will take sides. Why will Miyas go to Upper Assam? You mean to say that you will take over the entire Assam... would not let you do that...I would not let you take [districts of Upper Assam], Sarma said in the state assembly.

The Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), and Raijor Dal earlier moved adjournment motions seeking a discussion on the law-and-order situation and crimes against women.

The motions were moved days after the alleged gang rape of a 14-year-old girl last week in Dhing sparked protests. One of the three accused in the case, a Muslim, was arrested on Friday. The accused died the next morning after he allegedly jumped into a pond with cuffed hands while trying to escape police custody.

Sarma doubled down on taking sides when the Opposition accused him of being partisan. His comments triggered an uproar. Both Opposition and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers rushed to the Well of the House. Speaker Biswajit Daimary dismissed all four motions and adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes.

CPI(M)s Manoranjan Talukdar, who moved the adjournment motions, spoke about 24 bomb-like devices, including four in Guwahati, that banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) planted during Independence Day celebrations.

AIUDF lawmaker Rafiqul Islam asked the government to protect the people of lower Assam, where Bengali-speaking Muslims are concentrated, who live in upper Assam. He referred to ultimatums asking the Bengali-speaking Muslims to leave upper Assam. Islam added the members of the community living in upper Assam are Indian citizens and should have the freedom to go and work anywhere.

Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia said four rapes were reported on average daily in Assam when the Congress ruled the state from 2001 to 2016. He added it has increased to 5.52 rapes daily over the eight years the BJP has been in power.

Raijor Dal lawmaker Akhil Gogoi said the rape of a Class X student in Dhing has led to several law-and-order issues in the state and that the government has failed to prevent these incidents. He said Sarma, who handles the home department, has failed and police were indulging in extrajudicial killings of accused persons.

When the House reconvened after an adjournment, Sarma said the Constitution gives rights to every citizen to live or work anywhere. He added one needs to be careful about the sensitivities of people living in a particular area and not try to disturb the peace by forcefully residing or taking up employment there.

One issue is that of legal rights and another is about a system in place in a particular society. Indigenous people are living for thousands of years in some areas and the UN also speaks on their rights. If someone invites you [Bengali-speaking Muslims] to work there, you can go, but you should not say that you will force your way there, said Sarma.

He listed rapes and molestation cases reported in the state over one week and added the accused and victims were from different religious backgrounds. He added that cases of rape would come down if Muslim lawyers decide not to represent members of their community and Hindu lawyers adopt the same measure if the accused happens to be a Hindu.

Congress held a protest in the assembly complex accusing the ruling BJP of targeting a particular community as if it is responsible for most crimes. Members of AIUDFs youth wing scuffled with police while attempting to march from the partys headquarters to the capital Dispur.

Protests in Dhing continued for the fifth day on Tuesday over the polices failure in arresting two more men accused of raping the 14-year-old girl. Sarma maintained the number of crimes over eight years of BJP rule was less compared to those under the previous governments if the rise in population is considered.
Priyanka Chopra is back in town and turning heads with her style. Fresh off her brother Siddharth's wedding festivities, Priyanka made a stunning appearance at the trailer launch of the Marathi film Paani, which she's producing. She stepped out in a churidar salwar suit that oozed Y2K fashion vibes and sheer glamour. Accompanied by her mother, Madhu Chopra, and brother, Siddharth, Priyanka reminded us why she's the ultimate IT girl as she turned heads with her stunning look. Let's dive into her chic ensemble and pick up some style tips along the way! (Also read: Priyanka Chopras latest airport look featuring a stylish floral co-ord set is the monsoon fashion hit you need: Watch ) Priyanka Chopra wowed at the Paani trailer launch in a vibrant Sabyasachi churidar suit.(HT photo/VarinderChawla)

Priyanka Chopra stuns in Sabyasachi suit

For the event, Priyanka dazzled in a stunning Sabyasachi suit from his Fall 2023 collection. Her kurta, with its straight fit and sleeveless design, featured a sleek neckline and a knee-length hemline that hugged her frame perfectly. The kurta was adorned with striking floral detailing in vibrant hues of pinks, reds, greens, and whites, giving off a glamorous vibe. The sequin embellishments added an extra touch of sparkle, making the outfit a total showstopper. She paired it with a black netted dupatta featuring shimmering borders, which she draped gracefully around her arms. To complete her ethnic look, she wore matching churidar pants, effortlessly blending elegance with style.

She accessorised her look with diamond drop earrings, rings on her fingers, and a pair of silver high heels that added a touch of elegance. Her makeup was on point, featuring nude eyeshadow, mascara-coated lashes, defined brows, contoured cheekbones, blushed cheeks, and a subtle nude lipstick. With her luscious tresses left open in a sleek middle parting, Priyanka completed her glam look to perfection.

How fans reacted

Priyanka's pictures and videos from the event quickly went viral, racking up tons of likes and comments from her adoring fans who couldn't stop gushing over her look. One fan wrote, "She's so gorgeous," while another commented, "Stunning." Many others flooded the posts with fire and heart emojis, showing just how much they loved her style.
As schools reopen for another year, they are focused on improving student attendance. But back-to-school is hitting just as COVID-19 cases are increasing, raising the question: When is a child too sick for school? If a child has a fever, they should stay home, no matter the illness.(Unsplash)

School absences surged during the pandemic and have yet to recover. Nearly 1 in 4 students remains chronically absent, defined as missing 10% or more of the academic year, according to the latest data analyzed by The Associated Press.

One reason for continued high absences: After years of COVID-19 quarantines, parents are more cautious about sending children to school when they might be contagious with an illness.

When a child misses school, even for an excused absence like a sick day, it's harder for them to stay on track academically. So schools and health experts are trying to change the culture around sick days.

Here's what they want parents to know.

ALSO READ: Covid variant JN.1 spreading fast; preventive tips for children

COVID guidelines have changed

During the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged people who tested positive for COVID-19 to isolate at home for a set number of days and to quarantine after exposure to the coronavirus. In some settings, people with any mild illness were urged to remain home until symptoms were clear.

Those standards, and the caution behind them, remained for years after schools reopened to in-person instruction. That meant children often missed large portions of school after contracting or being exposed to COVID-19 or other illnesses.

This spring, COVID-19 guidance officially changed. Now, the CDC suggests people treat COVID-19 like other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu and RSV.

ALSO READ: Omicron: Useful health tips to manage Covid-19 in children and their caregivers

Fever-free for 24 hours

If a child has a fever, they should stay home, no matter the illness.

A child can return to school when their fever has been gone for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Other symptoms should be improving.

What about other symptoms?

If a child doesn't have a fever, it's OK to send them to class with some signs of illness, including a runny nose, headache or cough, according to schools and the American Academy of Pediatrics. If those symptoms aren't improving or are severe, such as a hacking cough, call your child's doctor.

The guidance around vomiting and diarrhea varies across school districts. Generally, students should remain home until symptoms stop, according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Older children may be able to manage mild diarrhea at school.

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 in Oakland, California.

Guidance from the Los Angeles Unified School District says students can attend school with mild symptoms such as a runny nose or cold, but should stay home if they have vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain or a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) or higher.

School districts across the U.S. have similar guidance, including in Texas, Illinois and New York.

ALSO READ: 'Covid kids': Should parents worry about pandemic impacts on small children?

When to wear a mask

The CDC says people should take additional precautions for five days after returning to school or other normal activities.

Masks and social distancing are no longer mandated but are encouraged to prevent disease spread. Experts also recommend plenty of handwashing and taking steps for cleaner air, such as opening a window or running an air purifier.

School districts say parents should keep up-to-date on all health examinations and immunizations for students so they don't miss additional days of school.
Hepatitis has become a growing public health concern in India, with prevalence more than HIV and mortality rate exceeding nine times that of tuberculosis. Viral hepatitis is a systemic illness, predominantly causing inflammation of the liver usually presenting with fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite and rarely, acute liver failure. Rising Hepatitis cases among Indian children more deadly than HIV and TB combined: What is causing it? (Photo by Shutterstock)

India's Hepatitis Crisis:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Prashant Kadam, Consultant - Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary and Liver Transplant at Fortis Hospital in Mulund, shared, The recent rise in Hepatitis cases among children in India can be attributed to many factors, including inadequate sanitation and hygiene practices, contamination of food and water supplies, suboptimal vaccination coverage, and increased exposure to hepatitis viruses within community and healthcare settings.

He revealed, Outbreaks of Hepatitis A and E are commonly associated with contamination of water sources, especially during the monsoon season when sewage overflows and contaminates drinking water supplies. Inadequate vaccine coverage against Hepatitis A also leaves many children vulnerable to infection. Additionally, poor sanitation and hygiene practices, including inadequate hand washing, can contribute to the spread of these viruses within communities.

Children at Risk:

Bringing her expertise to the same, Dr Drisya, Consultant Physician at Meditrina Hospital in Palakkkad, explained, The causative hepatitis virus is primarily divided into 5 types, A, B, C, D and E; of which except E, all are prevalent in India. These viruses can be broadly classified into blood borne or food borne; B, C and D being in the former category. India has one of the highest global prevalence of hepatitis B and C with almost 3.5 crore cases noted in 2022. These are transmitted through blood, bodily fluids, and infected syringes. Though they are less likely to cause acute infections or epidemics, they are prone to cause chronic liver inflammation, fibrosis and occasionally hepatocellular carcinoma. The high risk of vertical transmission of HBV from infected pregnant mother to baby is a cause of major concern.

She elaborated, On the other hand, hepatitis A and E cause acute, short-lasting infection and provide life-long immunity but are more prevalent. Historically, India used to be a high endemic zone and thus had relatively higher population immunity, resulting in mostly subclinical A/E infections. As we move to moderate endemicity, there has been a shift in the epidemiology with more severe infections and a higher median age. HAV is the most common causative agent and predominantly affects young children. Unhealthy food handling, lack of good sanitation practices, unhygienic personal habits outbreaks and lack of vaccination awareness contribute to hepatitis A outbreaks. Rains and post flood times commonly see drinking water contamination with sewerage, also giving rise to HAV/HEV infections. Rural areas or a denser population are highly prone to develop outbreaks.

Is India Facing a New Public Health Emergency?

The growing numbers are hardly surprising as despite causing more than 50-100 times more infections than HIV, the funding for hepatitis is less than its tenth. Dr Drisya highlighted, Poor diagnostic and screening facilities, social stigma, health fads, delayed health seeking behaviour, poor sanitation, high cost of treatment have led to continued high prevalence of hepatitis in India. National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), an Indian government initiative of 2018, targets at prevention and treatment of Hepatitis A, B, C and E by offering free screening, diagnosis, management and counselling.

She suggested, Promoting safe blood and blood products, preventive practices for those at imminent risk and safe injections would help in reducing blood borne hepatitis. The generic prevention to decrease the number of foodborne hepatitis outbreaks includes checking the water quality, chlorination of well water, improving food hygiene practices like compulsory hand washing. Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Association of Physicians in India (API) has suggested immunization for people above age 10 years who eat outside quite frequently and the food handlers. If stringent implementation of universal access and immunization is done, incidence can be reduced by 90% and mortality by 65 %.
CHANGCHUN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- As dawn light casts a glow over Changbai Mountain, Jia Xiang and his team begin another demanding day of fieldwork. They meticulously document each tree's growth and analyze the dynamic changes of the diverse plant life. "It is like monitoring the pulse of plants. Every piece of data is vital for understanding the health of the forest," said Jia, an engineer at the Changbai Mountain scientific research institute. Changbai Mountain, located in northeast China's Jilin Province, stands as one of the country's most intact natural ecosystems, featuring a rich diversity of climate types and biological communities. Established in 1960, the Changbai Mountain National Nature Reserve now hosts 2,639 wild plant species and 1,586 wild animal species. The mountain's pristine wilderness and impressive biodiversity have revealed vast potential for scientific discovery, attracting numerous researchers, including Jia. After graduating from the Institute of Applied Ecology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jia chose to build his career in Jilin, far from his hometown in north China's Shanxi Province. "The mysterious and vibrant Changbai Mountain, with its expansive and untouched forests, has always fascinated me," Jia explained. For eight years, Jia and his colleagues have dedicated themselves to monitoring plant resources and protecting and propagating rare and endangered species. "Mosquito bites have become routine, and we've learned to handle encounters with black bears and wild boars calmly," he said. Jia has seen significant advancements in their tools over the years. They are now equipped with calipers that measure growth rings to the millimeter and environmental sensors that provide real-time updates on temperature, humidity and light intensity every 30 minutes. "Changbai Mountain is like a living laboratory," he said. "Every day, it reveals something new about the delicate balance of nature." Zhao Lufu, Jia's partner on the field survey, was formerly a logger. When the province banned commercial logging in its major forests in 2015, Zhao transitioned to his new role as a field researcher. "It was a turning point," Zhao recalled. The mountain, once a source of timber, has since become a beacon of sustainable forestry and ecological conservation. According to a 2017 baseline survey by the research institute, forest coverage in the reserve had exceeded 95 percent. With the implementation of protection measures by the local government, seven hectares of Thuja koraiensis -- a species listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, have been successfully restored on the mountain. "We once scoured the entire mountain in search of this plant and found only 6,600 individuals. Now, there are more than 10,000," Jia said. In June this year, the Changbai Mountain global geopark was officially unveiled, drawing international attention to both the natural wonders and dedicated conservation efforts led by Jia's team. The protection work still faces ongoing challenges due to climate change and human activity, but Jia remains hopeful, believing that continued research and committed conservation efforts will better preserve the mountain's unique ecosystem for future generations. "We're fighting for the future," he concluded.
A pack of four-legged therapists got a break of their own on Monday when they were honored at the airport where they dutifully work to ease stress and calm travelers. The event at Philadelphia International Airport marked five years since the 23 members of the Wagging Tails Brigade began greeting people and serving as therapy dogs. Several of them were presented with birthday presents and a customized cake while passersby were invited to eat cupcakes and sign an oversized birthday card. A passenger pets a therapy dog, a member of the Wagging Tails Brigade. Members of the Wagging Tails Brigade and their volunteer handlers were honoured on Monday at Philadelphia International Airport. They have been doing their work the airport's corridors for five years greeting people and serving as therapy dogs to help conform travelers.(AP)

Members of the brigade and their volunteer human handlers are at the airport for at least two hours a week, impressing people with their tricks and doing what they can to raise the spirits of road-weary passengers. Dogs wear vests asking people to pet me. Alan Gurvitz, a volunteer with Hope, a Labrador retriever, said their goal is to make travel a bit more pleasant.

I like to refer to the airport as the land of cancellations and delays. So people tend to be very stressed out here, Gurvitz said. Jamie and Victoria Hill, on their way to their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, turned to pet Bella while trying to stay positive after their flight was delayed. It's reminded us of our dog back at home," Jamie Hill said. We miss him.

Back in June, Nancy Mittleman recalled, she was at the airport with her German shepherd Tarik while bad weather snarled air traffic. The two of them spent several hours entertaining stranded children and their parents. Soon enough, I had an entire crowd around me," Mittleman said. "There must have been 10 kids sitting around him and they were talking to each other. And the beauty of it was before that, there were a lot of stressed out parents and a lot of unhappy children.

Volunteers try to coordinate to have at least one brigade member at the airport to greet travelers, especially on days with significant delays or disruptions.
As per the Longitudinal Aging Survey in India, more than one out of four people attribute health-related expenses as the number one reason for indebtedness in urban areas. In rural areas, this was a close second after the purchase of agricultural land. These statistics highlight the crippling impact of health care costs for senior citizens who are particularly vulnerable to age-related health issues. From that perspective, the expansion of the Ayushman Bharat scheme to senior citizens 70 years and older marks a significant step towards alleviating the financial burden of health care on the elderly. However, to ensure sustainability, the expansion of the scheme must be complemented with a comprehensive primary health care system that is focused on prevention and health promotion at every age. This will allow people to arrive at an older age healthier and stay healthy longer. Elderly voters sit outside a polling booth waiting for their turn to vote in the seventh and last round of polling in India's national election in Dharamshala, India, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia) (AP)

The importance of this approach becomes even more critical when we consider demographic projections. By 2050, Indias elderly population is expected to double, reaching about 319 million. This would mean that one in every five Indians will be over the age of 60. Obviously, this will have a profound implication not only for our health care system, but for society at large. So, how do we adapt to this significant change? What are some of the challenges and opportunities? The World Health Organization recommends interventions under three pillars  health, social security, and participation  to support this transition.

On the health front, the expansion of the package of services under the National Health Mission at the primary level to include palliative care is a step in the right direction. This will need significant investments to transform the system and align it with the needs of an ageing population. That will require a larger share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dedicated to health than what has been currently offered in the budget.

Second, a social security system to create a safety net in a country, where nearly 80% of people work in the informal economy, is needed. The ministry of rural development has schemes for non-contributory financial assistance and food security for elders below the poverty line. However, the amount is meagre, and the schemes remain underutilised. Measures should be taken to facilitate uptake. Moreover, they must be re-examined to reflect present day realities in terms of the assistance provided. An example of a successful social security programme is Bolivias Renta Dignidad, a pension scheme for the elderly. Aside from its benefits for the recipient, the programme had a profound impact on child labour and school enrolment among families covered.

Third, investments to promote participation must focus on developing an age-friendly environment and opportunities to engage in paid or voluntary work. The elderly population is not homogenous. Many are in good health and can continue to work while others may engage in voluntary caregiving activities for grandchildren and other family members. This, among other things, allows women to participate in the workforce.

Studies have shown that elders bring with them unique problem-solving skills and social capital. And, as they age, there is an innate desire among them to contribute to society. These combined attributes bring value to individuals and communities. For example, in the United States (US), the Experience Corps is one such programme that engages trained elders to volunteer in schools to support vulnerable children with poor educational outcomes. Studies have shown that the programme benefited both children and elders. It improved learning outcomes for children and elders benefitted from better strength, mobility, and mental health. The programme has been implemented in nearly 23 US cities for over two decades.

While social participation has not been a focus of ageing discourse in India, some initiatives to address this gap have been taken. Under the ministry of social justice and empowerments Senior and Able Citizens for Reemployment in Dignity (SACRED) programme, there is an online platform for employment opportunities for the elderly in the private sector. Similarly, the National Education Policy 2020, has introduced the concept of professors of practice for appointing experts, including retired professionals, in higher education institutes. While these are promising initiatives, more needs to be done for these to take off. These programmes should be revisited and implemented either alone or through the engagement of relevant stakeholders. Last but not least, ageism, or stereotyping based on age is another factor that needs to be addressed. This will require sensitisation and awareness generation so that elders are seen as valuable members of society. Along with public programmes, the private sector can contribute by reskilling and upskilling elders to create a multigenerational workforce. They can also be incentivised to develop innovative technologies catering to an ageing population.

There is no doubt that tangible steps are also being taken to address ageing in the public sphere. During the 2024 general elections, for the first time, the option for voting from home was available to senior citizens over 85 years of age. The time has come to put the agenda of ageing up front and centre so that a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach can be taken to add life to the years. Evidence suggests that if appropriate investments are made, elders too can contribute to an Atmanirbhar Bharat based on the idea of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas.

Abha Jaiswal is a public health expert working with the Sankala Foundation.The views expressed are personal
A cherished romanticism of the Marxist political doctrine is the idea of peoples democracy. The Chinese party-State has resolved this inherent dialecticism/paradox of its polity through the adoption of the united front strategy wherein Chinas eight minor political parties co-exist under the absolute leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This concept of co-option or political participation, as envisaged in Chinas Marxist-Leninist system, is not limited to the minor political parties but also includes prominent groups such as business leaders and overseas Chinese, among others. The party institution overseeing this arrangement is the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Therefore, when this body begins to garner traction in Xi Jinpings anti-corruption campaign, it makes for an interesting development. A giant screen shows news footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Beijing, China July 18, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang (REUTERS)

All the eight minor parties within this system pre-date the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China, and no new political formation has been allowed to emerge since then. Interestingly, one such attempt was scuttled by the CCP as recently as 2013 in the form of the Zhi Xian Party. The Zhi Xian Party was established by the followers of disgraced Chinese leader, Bo Xilai, who allegedly attempted a coup against Xi Jinping. Crucially, army and police personnel are not allowed to join the minor political parties in order to avoid any potential threats to the CCPs dominance of the political system.

Although characterised as merely an advisory body, the CPPCC is headed by a member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC). At present, it is chaired by Wang Huning, who is the second party theoretician to serve on the PBSC after Chen Boda under Mao Tse Tung. This institutional structure is replicated across China, with each province having its own provincial CPPCC committee.

Since the 20th Party Congress, a total of 55 cadres serving at the vice-ministerial level have come under the anti-corruption net till May this year. This puts the number of high-ranking cadre or the tigers in the anti-corruption lexicon at one of the highest ever. Out of this, ten were serving as the vice-chairman of the provincial-level CPPCC, and six were former vice-chairmen. Furthermore, at least three fallen officials had connections with the National Committee of the CPPCC, including two former and one current member. Moreover, among the seven ministerial-level cadre against whom corruption proceedings have been initiated, four had association with the CPPCC.

Among these disgraced officials is the now former executive vice-chairman of the central committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self Government League (TDSL), Li Yuefeng. TDSL is one of the two Taiwan-focussed minor parties and is mainly composed of people of Taiwanese heritage who survived the February 28 incident. TDSL, along with the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, is engaged in cultivating ties with sections of the Taiwanese elite that support the CCPs unification agenda.

According to his official bio-data, Li is described as a native of the Zhongli district of Taiwan. He served on the 11th and 12th national committees of the CPPCC, and has been charged with serious duty-related violations. While these charges at best qualify as regular within the anti-corruption campaign parlance, targeting a high-ranking member of a minor party engaged in the CCPs Taiwan politics is noteworthy.

In addition to the anti-corruption campaign, the CPPCC has witnessed certain changes in its composition as well. Since last year, several of Chinas tech giants have stepped down from their delegate roles in the CPPCC. These include Robin Li Yanhong, co-founder and CEO of internet search and Artificial Intelligence platform Baidu, William Ding Lei, founder and CEO of video gaming firm NetEase, and Wang Xiaochuan, founder of search engine Sogou. Since the CPPCC delegates are decided by the CCP, the absence of Chinas leading business names from the consultative conference assumes significance.

Since its inception in 2012, the anti-corruption campaign has ensnared individuals or sectors that either had a direct bearing upon the political security of the CCP or could potentially undermine Xis political designs. These included the military and the domestic security apparatus among others. Since the CPPCC cannot be placed in this category, it is difficult at the moment to underscore the strategic significance of it becoming a target within the anti-corruption campaign. Moreover, it would be premature to link developments within this body to any major upheavals in Chinas domestic politics at this stage. However, the arcane nature of Communist regimes dictates that every institution is observed studiously in order to discern patterns that could provide clues to the strategic trajectories of their polities.

Shikha Aggarwal is a non-resident fellow with National Chengchi University.The views expressed are personal
Mumbai-headquartered fractional ownership platform hBits has applied for Small and Medium REITs (SM REITs) license with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the company said in a statement on August 27. Fractional ownership platform hBits applies for SM REITs license with Sebi; aims first listing by Q3 FY25 (Representational photo)(Pixabay)

hBits expects to receive the license in the next couple of months and plans to launch its inaugural SM REIT offering in the third quarter of the ongoing financial year, the statement said.

Fractional ownership permits individual investors to co-own commercial or residential assets as an alternative investment. Properties can be acquired through special purpose vehicles or through private limited companies.

Also Read: Fractional ownership platform Property Share receives first SEBI license for SM REIT

In March 2024, SEBI notified the SM REIT regulations to bring FOPs within the regulatory framework as a subclass within the REIT regulations for assets valued between 50 and 500 crores. Similar to REITs, SM REITs are fully regulated by SEBI with units of each of the schemes listed on the stock exchanges.

We are thrilled to announce our application for the SM REITs license, a significant step forward for hBits and our investors," said Shiv Parekh, founder and CEO of hBits.

"We believe in the tremendous potential that commercial real estate has to offer to Indians and through SM REITs we aim to provide our investors with diversified, lucrative and regulated investment opportunities," Parekh added.

Also Read: Small and medium REITs: Fractional ownership platforms start the process of registering under Sebi's new SM REIT rules

The introduction of SM REITs regulations by SEBI is expected to create a more structured and secure environment for fractional ownership investments.

Upon the launch of its first SM REITs, the platform will also subsequently migrate its existing properties into SM REITs over the next few quarters, hBits said.

Business plans

Earlier this month, hBits launched a 63-crore commercial space in Pune. The asset spans across a chargeable area of 40,000 square feet and has been leased for a period of five years to a US listed multinational giant.

Also Read: Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru account for almost 70% of SM REIT-worthy assets across top seven cities

Overall, the company aims to increase its total assets under management (AUM) to 10,000 crore over the next five years. Presently, hBits manages a portfolio of 14 properties across key cities, with an AUM of over 365 crore.

Founded in 2018, hBits enables investors to invest in high-yield, Grade-A commercial spaces at a ticket size as low as 30 lakh. The brand achieved a successful exit for its inaugural asset, 32 Der Deutsche Parkz, yielding a high IRR of 17.54%.
Kangana Ranaut, a BJP MP and Bollywood actor, has purchased an office space in Mumbai's Andheri area for 1.56 crore, according to property registration documents accessed by Propstack. Kangana Ranaut, a BJP MP and Bollywood actor, has purchased an office space in Mumbai's Andheri area for  1.56 crore. (HT Files)

The property spread across 407 sq ft is located on the 19th floor of a building named Arch One and was purchased at a per sq ft rate of 38,391 sq ft on carpet, according to the documents.

Kangana Ranaut has paid a stamp duty of 9.37 lakh and a registration fee of 30,000, the documents showed.

The transaction was registered on August 23, 2024.

The seller of the commercial office space is Chandra Gupta Estates Private Limited.

BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut, had in May 2024 declared assets worth over 91 crore, including 28.7 crore in movable assets and 62.9 crore in immovable assets.

An email query sent to the office of Kangana Ranaut and to the representative of Chandra Gupta Estate Private Limited did not get any response.

In an interview to a newspaper in 2023, the Bollywood star had said that she was bound to get compensation for the demolition at her lavish Mumbai home, but the process never moved ahead. She added that she now doesn't want any compensation because its taxpayers' money.

In September 2020, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had partially demolished her property in Pali Hill, Bandra. The demolition was carried out on the grounds of unauthorised construction.

Also Read: Like Alia Bhatt and Kangana Ranaut, you too can gift your property to your siblings

Why do Bollywood stars prefer investing in commercial real estate market?

Several Bollywood stars have been in the news in the last few months for either purchasing commercial properties in Mumbai or for leasing them out to earn high rental yields.

Bollywood personalities such as Karishma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn have invested in commercial real estate in Mumbai.

Also Read: 5 Bollywood celebs who own commercial office space in this building of Mumbai

Amitabh Bachchan has invested over 100 crore in properties over the last one year in the financial capital, Alibaug and the temple town of Ayodhya.

Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan has bought properties worth over 100 crore in last one year

According to CBRE India, commercial assets like offices, retail, and warehouses usually have gross yields (investment returns annually) in the range of 6-10% in metro cities of India. Grade-A office spaces in Mumbai offer an average yield in the range of 6-8%. Likewise, retail assets can offer yields of up to 9.5% prime locations in Mumbai.
In a world where Indian travellers are venturing abroad like never before, the complexities of visa regulations remain one of the biggest hurdles to truly global mobility. With over 27 million international departures from India in 2019, this number is expected to soar to 80 or even 90 million by 2040. Driving this rise is a booming middle class and a youthful population eager to explore the world. However, while travel numbers are on the rise, the challenges of securing visas for many countries, especially in Europe and North America, remain steep. This is where Leso, a tech startup in simplifying visa services, steps in. LeSo co-founders Vivek(L) and Abbas(R)

Founded by Abbas Abidi and Vivek Anandan, Leso is simplifying the visa application process for Indian travellers. We recognized the challenges that Indian travellers face when attempting to explore the world, said Abbas. Our vision for Leso is to take away the stress and uncertainty from the visa process so that people can focus on enjoying their travels. Leso is dedicated to developing a digital framework that modernises old systems while seamlessly adapting to the shifting regulations of the embassies.

A Changing Travel Landscape: India's Global Ascent

Indias economic growth has not only lifted millions out of poverty but has also created a burgeoning middle class with a strong desire to see the world. The number of Indian passport holders has nearly doubled over the last decade, increasing from 52 million to 93 million in 2023. This is coupled with the fact that Indians are among the youngest populations globally, with those between the ages of 25 and 34 driving much of the travel surge.

Countries close to India, such as Thailand, Malaysia, and the UAE, have capitalised on this opportunity by simplifying their visa processes. Thailand saw over a million Indian travellers in the first half of 2024 alone, said Vivek. Countries that recognize the potential of Indian travellers and ease their visa requirements will be the ones to truly benefit.

Leso fits perfectly into this ecosystem, offering a streamlined, digital-first visa solution that cuts through red tape. Its platform is designed to cater to a diverse set of travellers, from first-time tourists to seasoned business professionals. Our goal is to make travel accessible and enjoyable for everyone, added Vivek. Whether its helping with a complex visa application or providing real-time updates, we are here to ensure that nothing stands between travellers and their dream destinations.

Navigating the Visa Challenges for Indians

Although many Asian and Middle Eastern countries are removing or reducing visa requirements for Indian travellers, Western countries are lagging behind. The U.S., U.K., and Schengen countries remain some of the toughest to enter for Indian nationals, with lengthy processing times and rigid documentation requirements. The bureaucracy around Western visas can be daunting, said Abbas. We hear from customers all the time that they feel discouraged by the process, and thats where Leso comes in.

By 2047, the middle class in India is expected to double, and with it, the demand for international travel will continue to grow. Leso is positioning itself as the premier solution for handling the increasingly complex visa needs of this expanding consumer base. We are building a future where travel is no longer hindered by arbitrary borders and inefficient processes, said Vivek.

Redefining Travel Services: Beyond Just Visas

Lesos offerings extend beyond visa facilitation. Recognizing that travel involves more than just paperwork, the platform is also evolving to meet the holistic needs of travellers. Leso integrates travel insurance, forex services, and, soon, will offer curated travel experiences. We are focused on delivering an end-to-end solution that anticipates the needs of travellers, said Abbas. Travel isnt just about getting from point A to point Bits about ensuring that every aspect of the journey is seamless.

The companys dedication to innovation is also evident in its leadership team. Leso has brought together top talent from institutions like IIT Mandi and IIT Roorkee to build a robust technological infrastructure capable of processing high volumes of visa applications with precision and speed. Weve developed an AI-powered system that not only reduces errors but also ensures that applications are processed faster than ever before, said Vivek.

Co-Founders Of LeSo

Looking to the Future: Scaling Globally

Lesos vision is to become a global leader in visa and travel services. With the rise in Indian tourism, the company is poised for international expansion. As countries like Vietnam, Turkey, and Russia scramble to attract Indian travellers, Leso is at the forefront of ensuring that Indian tourists can easily access these destinations without the usual visa headaches.

We see a future where Indians are welcomed around the world, said Abbas. As more countries recognize the power of Indian tourists, Leso will be there to facilitate this growth. Whether its streamlining visa processes or offering additional services, we want to be the go-to platform for Indian travellers.

In an era where international departures are expected to reach new heights, Leso is not just following the trendit is leading the charge. Our mission is clear, concluded Vivek. We want to empower Indians to travel the world freely and confidently. The future of travel is bright, and Leso is ready to take it to the next level.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.
A tragic incident rocked a small town south of Salt Lake City after a 5-year-old boy accidentally shot himself to death with a gun he found in his parents bedroom. The harrowing incident has shocked people. The 5-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself to death was found with a 9 mm handgun. (Unsplash/davidleveque)

DailyMail posted a video about the incident. A Utah family left devastated after their 5-year-old boy shoots himself dead. Brooks Thomas Wilson was found with a 9 mm handgun on Thursday afternoon and a single gunshot wound to the head, police said, the outlet wrote.

The boys parents, and possibly one of his siblings, were inside the home when the shooting happened but were not with him in the room. The father went into the room as soon as he heard the gunshot and started CPR, but the boy died at the scene. Authorities do not suspect foul play, and charges against the parents are not currently being pursued, they added.

The post has gone viral and prompted people to share varied comments.

Heres how Instagram users reacted to the post:

Sorry, but the parents should be held accountable or take some responsibility for negligence. Their child should have absolutely no access to firearms, posted an Instagram user. If you keep a gun at home, make it inaccessible to children. Poor baby. How sad, added another.

The parents are super irresponsible. Totally to blame. That poor boy, commented a third. America has a lot to answer for. The parents should absolutely be held accountable, expressed a fourth. A fifth person wrote, I blame parents for their negligence on having a gun which was reachable to a small kid mom and dad needs to be interrogated thoroughly!

A statement by the family:

"Losing a cherished member who will be deeply missed. However, through our faith in Jesus Christ, we will get through this trial, as we feel his love so abundantly," the family issued a statement after the incident, reported People.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who responded and to the community for their overwhelming support and compassion," the family continued, adding, This heartbreaking incident has taught us difficult lessons, and we deeply regret that it unfolded this way.

"Our hearts are shattered, and we hope that our family's loss serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change," the family expressed while sharing that it is an unimaginable tragedy.

The incident also prompted a discussion on gun laws in the US. While most agree that the parents should be held responsible, others added that these kinds of situations could be reduced by limiting access to firearms to individuals.
Joy Alukkas, the chairman of jewellery group Joyalukkas, recently recalled the time he bought his first Rolls Royce and the incident that prompted him to acquire the luxury car. Alukkas, 67, is the 50th richest person in India with a net worth of $4.4 billion. A school dropout, Joy Alukkas went to the Middle East to open the family's first overseas store in 1987 in Abu Dhabi.(File)

It was the year 2000 when the Malayali businessman visited a Rolls Royce showroom in Dubai, UAE. A staff member at the glitzy showroom approached Alukkas and asked him what he wanted.

"I said I want to see the car, a Rolls Royce," Alukkas told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.

He then recalled being told by the showroom staff: "No, no, no. If you want to buy a car, you go to the Mitsubishi showroom, you will get a car there," the staff reportedly told Joy Alukkas whose jewellery chain is headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala.

"Then I thought... I felt ashamed with this type of behaviour I decided to buy a car...the same care. I purchased it," Alukkas said. After buying the Rolls Royce, he felt that he did not need the ultra luxury car and so, decided to gift the car to the winner of an annual raffle draw that his jewellery chain ran in the UAE.

In March this year, Joy Alukkas reportedly bought his latest luxury car, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, worth 6 crore.

(Also Read: Billionaire Nikhil Kamath's dinner at liquor baron's home in Delhi ends with Rolls Royce, Bentley)

Who is Joy Alukkas?

A school dropout, Alukkas went to the Middle East to open his family's first overseas store in 1987 in Abu Dhabi. Later, he broke off from his father's jewellery company to launch his own Joyalukkas brand, which now has 100 outlets spread across India and 60 overseas with over 9000 employees. The group also owns the world's largest gold jewellery retail outlet in Chennai.

His wealth has seen a steady rise in the last decade, shooting up from $2.8 billion in 2023 to $4.4 billion, according to Forbes. He is ranked at the 712th spot on Forbes Billionaires List 2024.

(Also Read: Indian businessman takes Range Rover with Kerala number plate to Dubai, parks it outside Burj Khalifa)
A passenger who was travelling on Tejas Express going from Mumbai Central to Ahmedabad junction claimed that the train got cancelled mid-way. He took to X to share about the incident and what followed after that. After the post went viral, the official X handle of Railway Seva also responded to it. The train stopped at the Vadodara station due to heavy rainfall. (Representative image)

The X user, who goes by the handle Prithwiraj Mukherjee, wrote, that the train stopped at Vadodara. No official intimation was given before the train stopped and the air condition was switched off. The train came to a half due to heavy rainfall in the city.

He also claimed, a Vande Bharat Express train, which was running parallel to Tejas Express and had the same destination reached Ahmedabad earlier.

We are left to our devices. Vadodara is flooded. There is nowhere to go. There are senior citizens and kids on this train. If the Vande Bharat can go from Vadodara to Ahmedabad, why cant other trains? Not sure what's going to happen, he wrote in the post. (Also Read: Live cockroach found in meal served on Vande Bharat Express train, passenger expresses frustration)

Further in his post he mentioned that after some passengers circled around a few officers, they then agreed to take them to Ahmedabad. However, by that time, people from other cancelled trains had jumped inside Tejas Express.

Prithwiraj Mukherjee also shared more updates where he informed that the train was at the Vadodara station till 6 am and eventually everyone was told to board another train.

Take a look at the post here:

This post was shared on August 27. Since being shared, it has gained more than three lakh views. The post also gained close to 3,000 likes. Many people took to the comments section of the post and shared their reactions.

The official account of Indian Railways support also took to the comments section and wrote, Water was flowing above the track ,Vande Bharat higher clearance and advanced prevention of water ingress into the the electrical equipment allows this train to run in deep water even more than 200 MM water above the track . Other Locomotives of trains (other than Vande Bharat ) don't have such clearance and can't be operated after water level above track is more than 150 mm.

They further wrote, We request you to please share the journey details (PNR/UTS No.) and Mobile No. with us preferably via DM. You may also raise your concern directly on http://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in or dial 139 for speedy redressal.

Heres how people reacted to it:

An individual wrote, Scary! It takes one day of heavy rain to bring out all our fault lines to the fore. Vadodara did experience almost unprecedented heavy rainfall today. But Railways is expected to be prepared for this situation. Frequent communication is essential to avoid panic in passengers."

Another X user, Salman, added, "I hope this painful journey ends on a good note and that you reach home safely."

Someone else said, "The design, maybe? There's a higher ground clearance & it has all the new tech & research experience from all the previous premium running trains. So they made sure it could float through the water."
After breaking into an apartment to steal, allegedly, a thief forgot his purpose all because of a book. The unidentified 38-year-old accused reportedly got into the apartment in the Italian capital via a balcony, but was instantly distracted when he discovered a book about Homer's Iliad on the bedside table. The alleged thief was caught reading was The Gods at Six O'Clock. (Unsplash)

The 71-year-old homeowner, who was present at the time of the break-in, discovered the suspect and questioned him. However, the thief was too distracted by the book to take notice, reported NBC15.

The news outlet also informed that the culprit apparently attempted to flee through the same balcony from which he had entered but was quickly apprehended.

The book which the thief was caught reading was The Gods at Six O'Clock by Giovanni Nucci. The author of the book was thrilled to learn that he had produced such a distraction. He told Italian publication Il Messaggero, "It's fantastic. I'd like to find the person caught red-handed and give him the book because he'll have been arrested halfway through reading it. I'd like him to be able to finish it." (Also Read: Thief leaves note for family after stealing cash, gold: 'Someone sick in my house...')

The thief allegedly said he was climbing the balcony to see his friend who lived in the same building.

Earlier, when a thief broke into the house of a doctor in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, he fell asleep in the comfort of an air conditioner and was ultimately caught by the police. (Also Read: Thieves high-five, celebrate after looting entire inventory of family jewellery store. Watch shocking video)

The robber entered the locked house, rummaged through the belongings, gathered the valuables, and then turned on the air conditioner to relax. However, the man passed out from acute intoxication. Meanwhile, the neighbours were suspicious when they discovered Pandey's door open in the morning. According to reports, they glanced in and found the house ransacked, with items strewn around. Later, the police were alerted.
Australians can now legally ignore unreasonable after-hours work calls and emails under new government legislation that came into effect on Monday, drawing criticism from business groups. A new Australian law of 'right to disconnect' will immediately apply to employees from medium and large enterprises. (Unsplash/firmbee)

Under the laws, employers face fines of up to A$93,000 ($63,000) for getting in touch with an employee for non-essential reasons outside of working hours.

Just as people dont get paid 24 hours a day, they dont have to work for 24 hours a day, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Monday, adding that he expected the changes to boost productivity.

For many Australians, I think theyre getting frustrated that theyre expected to be on their phones, their emails, all of that, for 24 hours a day, he said. Its a mental health issue, frankly.

Australia follows nations such as France, Spain and Belgium in introducing right to disconnect laws to protect workers from unreasonable contact outside of hours, while other governments around the world are considering similar measures.

Local business groups have already expressed concerns around the new laws. Andrew McKellar, chief executive officer of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the changes as a thought bubble and said business wasnt consulted on them.

Any disputes over attempts by employers to contact workers outside office hours could be escalated to Australias industrial relations umpire, the Fair Work Commission, for a final determination, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said Monday.

However he added that he hoped employers and employees would be able to resolve any disputes through discussions, without needing to escalate.

The right to disconnect will apply to employees from medium and large enterprises immediately, while small businesses will have 12 months before their workers are affected, according to the government.
A Reddit user, Individual-autonomy8, is seeking advice on which city, Goa or Mumbai, would be a safer home base for a year in India. She wants to know what daily life is like in both cities, as she is looking for a safe and comfortable place to settle. In her post, she mentioned that she is a 24-year-old female from the USA moving to India for a year. She will be working full-time remotely and has many hobbies. USA Reddit user seeks advice on the safer choice for a year in India.(Unsplash)

According to her post, she has heard that Mumbai is very populated and people there are respectful and warm. On the other hand, Goa is known for being super green and calmer but has a significant tourist presence.

The user is looking for a city where she can do activities like archery, Acro yoga, martial arts, dance, Pilates, aerial skills, hiking, ceramics, swimming, camping, and theater.

The Reddit post was shared with the caption, I am a 24F from the USA and moving to India for a year. I will be working full-time remotely. I have many hobbies and want to visit other parts of India during the year, but I would like to have a home base in one safe location. What is daily life like in Mumbai and Goa?.

I love to bring people together and host gatherings. How easy or difficult is it to naturally form friendships in Goa and Mumbai? How much culture remains in these areas? The safety seems to be the same in both locations. Is that true? she further adds.

Take a look at the post here:

Here's how people reacted to the post:

Reacting to the post a user, RayedBull, commented, "Have you been to India before? Indian cities are not easy. Takes a while to get used to their cause of pollution, traffic chaos, litter, etc I would say spend time in Goa. You will have a good mix of foreign tourists + young artsy Indians if you go to Arambol".

A second user, ShotAir1, commented, It completely depends on the kind of life you choose to live since you're shifting here both of them are gonna be tough but Mumbai is a very fast-paced city, at the same time goa is a slow life".

Another user, Airok6571, commented, Bombay is the city for you. It has everything activity-wise".

Reddit users are advising the 24-year-old female to carefully consider her options between Goa and Mumbai. As per the social media users, Goa offers a peaceful environment, while Mumbai is known for its dynamic atmosphere.
Pavel Durov, Telegram's CEO, was arrested at Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening. An arrest warrant in France targeted him as part of a preliminary police investigation. As per reports, after Durov's arrest, a "mysterious woman"- Juli Vavilova, is being targeted and questioned for her involvement with him. Juli Vavilova is being speculated as a "Mossad agent" since Pavel Durov's arrest.

Vavilova had been sighted with Pavel several times in the days leading up to his arrest. The two travelled to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan before arriving in France and being apprehended by law officers after landing at Le Bourget airport near Paris. But who is Juli Vavilova? (Also Read: Telegram's Pavel Durov arrested outside Paris, social media calls for his release: Time we fight back)

Here are 6 things you need to know:

1. According to her Instagram page, Juli Vavilova, 24, is a crypto instructor and social media star located in Dubai.

2. Most of Vavilova's content is based on travelling, gaming, exercing and crypto.

3. She has accounts on Telegram, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok and YouTube, where she posts different types of content.

4. She can speak in English, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.

5. Conspiracy theorists on social media claim that Juli Vavilova is a Mossad agent, however no official authorities have proven this. Her relation to Pavel Durov's detention remains unclear.

6. Her social media activities, which included images with Pavel Durov in Paris, raised concern in the crypto world that she may have accidentally or purposely led investigators to their location.

7. As per AFP, Juli Vavilova's said that they have not been able to get in touch with her since Durov's arrest.

More on Pavel Durov's arrest:

The French police's main focus of the investigation was Telegram's lack of moderators, and police believed this circumstance allowed illicit activity to continue on the app.

Durov has widely been seen as an individual advocating for free speech amid the evolving landscape of online regulations across the world. In fact, Elon Musk, NSA whistleblower, and online free speech advocate Edward Snowden have also shown solidarity with Durov. Many social media users also voiced their opinion on the matter and asked for his release.
A man was booked by Thane Police for allegedly filming a woman. The incident took place in a jewellery store where the accused was allegedly filming a female employee of the shop when she went to the dressing room. The incident of a man filming a woman took place in a jewellery store in the Chitalsar area. (Unsplash/saif71)

The woman went to change her clothes after finishing her duty at night on August 23. While changing, she suspected that someone was watching her. That is when she noticed that the man was filming her through a peephole in the dressing room, said an official. The outrageous incident took place in the Chitalsar area.

Instantly, the woman raised the alarm and rushed out of the room. At this point, the other staff were alerted. However, the accused, Pratik Mhatre, managed to run away. Presently, police are investigating if Mhatre was a staffer or a customer.

Charges against the man accused of filming a woman:

According to a police official, a case has been registered against the accused under sections 77(Voyeurism.) and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

In an earlier incident, a man was arrested in Mumbai for allegedly filming a 21-year-old woman without her consent. The incident took place in R City Mall in Ghatkopar.

The incident occurred when the woman visited the place with her family to watch a movie. While she was tying her shoelaces, the man started filming her. Initially, she warned him to stop, but he kept on using his mobile phone. The family reportedly apprehended the accused and handed him over to the police.

The accused has been identified as 23-year-old Irfan Ahmad Majid Ahmed, a resident of Ashok Nagar, Bhandup East.

(With PTI inp
Toronto: As the Canadian Government examines the countrys intake of permanent residence, that category of immigrants could be subject to real significant change. Those changes will be announced later this fall, when the Government sets its targets for immigration. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Bloomberg)

That indication came from Canadas Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller. In an interview on Monday to the outlet CTV News, he said, Now its time to take a look at them and put real options on the table for the Prime Minister and for other Cabinet ministers to look at, and not cosmetic changes simply to deal with public opinion. Real significant change.

Millers statement came hours after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an overhaul of the temporary foreign workers programme (TFWP), as he began a Cabinet retreat in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It came as the ruling Liberal Party Government has suffered politically due to a perception of presiding over an out-of-control immigration system, which has impacted shelter affordability and placed stress on health and transportation infrastructure, among other areas.

Newcomers have also suffered due to the growing anti-immigrant sentiment, verging on xenophobia, which has targeted the most visible of them, Indians, particularly Sikhs.

We are tightening the rules and restricting eligibility to reduce the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in Canada, with exceptions in certain industries like health care, construction and food security, Trudeau said while interacting with the media in Halifax.

The nodal agency, the Ministry of Employment and Social Development of Canada (ESDC), stated, in a release, that beginning September 26, the Government will refuse to process applications in the low-wage stream of the TFWP in census metropolitan areas where the unemployment rate is 6 per cent o higher.

Employers will also be only able to hire 10 per cent of their workforce through this stream, down from the current 20 per cent and the duration of employment for such workers is being cut from two years to one.

Canadas unemployment rate has risen to 6.4 per cent in May and June. There were 1.4 million unemployed persons as of June, up 42000 from May. According to Government data, the number of workers admitted under the low-wage TFWP has escalated from 15,817 in 2016 to 83,654 in 2023.

Its not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and its not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited, Trudeau said.

While no specifics were mentioned with regard to PRs, Trudeau said, Were making sure that the entire package makes as much sense as possible for the needs of Canadians and for the needs of our economy.
Beijing, China on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Pakistans restive Balochistan province in which 37 people were massacred and said it would continue to back Islamabads counter-terrorism operations. China strongly condemns Baloch gunmen attacks in Pakistan; Backs Pakistans counter-terrorism operations

Condemning the attack by Baloch gunmen, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and will continue to firmly support Pakistan in advancing counter-terrorism operations, maintaining social unity and stability and protecting people's safety.

China is willing to further strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace and security, Lin said.

The two attacks in Balochistan took place as a top Chinese military official is visiting Pakistan for security assessment, especially for the security of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor . The multi-project Corridor is being opposed by the Baloch militants and is under recurring attack, including on Chinese personnel working on various projects in Pakistan.

Heavily armed Baloch gunmen killed at least 37 people in separate attacks in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday, as insurgent attacks spiked in the region bordering Afghanistan.

In the first incident, at least 23 people from Pakistan's Punjab province were killed in a targeted attack in Balochistan's Musakhel district after gunmen offloaded them from buses and checked their identities.

In another incident, 11 people, including six security personnel, were killed in Kalat, 150 km south of Quetta in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Peoples Liberation Army of China General Li Qiaoming called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.

Sharif underscored that Pakistan and China are all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and trusted friends, Pakistans state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan said.

Sharif said that the defence and strategic ties between Pakistan and China are vital for peace and stability in the region.

General Li, in his remarks, affirmed that China, as an iron brother, strategic partner, and reliable friend, places the highest priority on its relationship with Pakistan and expressed Chinas desire to elevate their bilateral friendship to new levels of cooperation and collaboration.

Recognising the role of Pakistans armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability and combating terrorism, General Li reiterated the PLAs commitment to further expanding its cooperation with Pakistan to enhance the capacity building of the two armed forces, the P reported.

The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative . The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments across the world.

However, the implementation of various projects has slowed in recent months following terror attacks on Chinese personnel working on the ventures such as the one in March in which five Chinese and one Pakistani national were killed in a terrorist attack on their vehicle of the Dasu Hydropower Project undertaken by a Chinese company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

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Malaysia has charged opposition leader and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin with sedition for allegedly insulting the country's former king, his lawyer said on Tuesday. Malaysian opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin gestures as he arrives at the Gua Musang Sessions Court in Gua Musang, Malaysia August 27, 2024. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain(REUTERS)

Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, was charged at a court in the northeastern state of Kelantan with sedition over remarks made in a political speech this month. He pleaded not guilty, his lawyer said.

Also Read: Justin Trudeau says Canada reducing number of temporary foreign workers: Now is the time for our businesses to

Malaysia practices a unique form of monarchy, where the country's nine sultans take turns to be king every five years. The monarchy plays a largely ceremonial role and is held in deep respect.

Also Read: Prince Harry's memoir Spare to have no updates in paperback edition, is it an olive branch to royal family?

Negative remarks about royalty can be prosecuted under a colonial-era Sedition Act.

In a political speech on Aug. 15, Muhyiddin had allegedly questioned the credibility of former King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah following Malaysia's general election in 2022, which resulted in a hung parliament, according to local media reports.

Also Read: California's big bold bill to regulate AI sparks debate, Musk comes forward to support but Google & Meta differ

In the speech, Muhyiddin said, according to the reports, that he had secured the backing of sufficient lawmakers to form a government after the election but questioned why Al-Sultan Abdullah had not invited him to be sworn in as the country's premier, the reports said.

Al-Sultan Abdullah appointed Anwar Ibrahim prime minister in November 2022. Al-Sultan Abdullah's five-year reign as king ended in January.

Al-Sultan Abdullah has made no public comment on the reported remarks by Muhyiddin and his office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Muhyiddin, who leads Malaysia's conservative, Malay-centric opposition bloc, faces up to three years in prison and a maximum penalty of 5,000 ringgit ($1,148) if found guilty, his lawyer said.

He has also been accused of corruption and money laundering in a separate case filed against him last year - charges he has deemed politically motivated.

Anwar's government has denied targeting political rivals, saying the charges were part of an effort to tackle high-level corruption.
Sydney French police have arrested the founder of Telegram. What happens next could change the course of big tech

Sydney, When Pavel Durov arrived in France on his private jet last Saturday, he was greeted by police who promptly arrested him. As the founder of the direct messaging platform Telegram, he was accused of facilitating the widespread crimes committed on it.

The following day, a French judge extended Durovs initial period of detention, allowing police to detain him for up to 96 hours.

Telegram has rejected the allegations against Durov. In a statement, the company said:

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

The case may have far-reaching international implications, not just for Telegram but for other global technology giants as well.

Who is Pavel Durov?

Born in Russia in 1984, Pavel Durov also has French citizenship. This might explain why he felt free to travel despite his apps role in the Russia-Ukraine War and its widespread use by extremist groups and criminals more generally.

Durov started an earlier social media site, VKontakte, in 2006, which remains very popular in Russia. However, a dispute with how the new owners of the site were operating it led to him leaving the company in 2014.

It was shortly before this that Durov created Telegram. This platform provides both the means for communication and exchange as well as the protection of encryption that makes crimes harder to track and tackle than ever before. But that same protection also enables people to resist authoritarian governments that seek to prevent dissent or protest.

Durov also has connections with famed tech figures Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and enjoys broad support in the vocally libertarian tech community. But his platform is no stranger to legal challenges  even in his birth country.

An odd target

Pavel Durov is in some ways an odd target for French authorities.

Metas WhatsApp messenger app is also encrypted and boasts three times as many users, while Xs provocations for hate speech and other problematic content are unrepentantly public and increasingly widespread.

There is also no suggestion that Durov himself was engaged with making any illegal content. Instead, he is accused of indirectly facilitating illegal content by maintaining the app in the first place.

However, Durovs unique background might go some way to suggest why he was taken in.

Unlike other major tech players, he lacks US citizenship. He hails from a country with a chequered past of internet activity  and a diminished diplomatic standing globally thanks to its war against Ukraine.

His app is large enough to be a global presence. But simultaneously it is not large enough to have the limitless legal resources of major players such as Meta.

Combined, these factors make him a more accessible target to test the enforcement of expanding regulatory frameworks.

A question of moderation

Durovs arrest marks another act in the often confusing and contradictory negotiation of how much responsibility platforms shoulder for the content on their sites.

These platforms, which include direct messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp but also broader services such as those offered by Metas Facebook and Musks X, operate across the globe.

As such, they contend with a wide variety of legal environments.

This means any restriction put on a platform ultimately affects its services everywhere in the world  complicating and frequently preventing regulation.

On one side, there is a push to either hold the platforms responsible for illegal content or to provide details on the users that post it.

In Russia, Telegram itself was under pressure to provide names of protesters organising through its app to protest the war against Ukraine.

Conversely, freedom of speech advocates have fought against users being banned from platforms. Meanwhile political commentators cry foul of being censored for their political views.

These contradictions make regulation difficult to craft, while the platforms global nature make enforcement a daunting challenge. This challenge tends to play in platforms favour, as they can exercise a relatively strong sense of platform sovereignty in how they decide to operate and develop.

But these complications can obscure the ways platforms can operate directly as deliberate influencers of public opinion and even publishers of their own content.

To take one example, both Google and Facebook took advantage of their central place in the information economy to advertise politically orientated content to resist the development and implementation of Australias News Media Bargaining Code.

The platforms construction also directly influences what content can appear and what content is recommended  and hate speech can mark an opportunity for clicks and screen time.

Now, pressure is increasing to hold platforms responsible for how they moderate their users and content. In Europe, recent regulation such as the Media Freedom Act aims to prevent platforms from arbitrarily deleting or banning news producers and their content, while the Digital Services Act requires that these platforms provide mechanisms for removing illegal material.

Australia has its own Online Safety Act to prevent harms through platforms, though the recent case involving X reveals that its capacity may be quite limited. Future implications

Durov is currently only being detained, and it remains to be seen what, if anything, will happen to him in coming days.

But if he is charged and successfully prosecuted, it could lay the groundwork for France to take wider actions against not only tech platforms, but also their owners. It could also embolden nations around the world  in the West and beyond  to undertake their own investigations.

In turn, it may also make tech platforms think far more seriously about the criminal content they host. AMS

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Canadian police have warned an aide to a Sikh leader who was assassinated in British Columbia last year, of an increased threat to his life, a prominent Sikh separatist said on Tuesday. Pro-Khalistan activist Inderjeet Singh Gosal (Image courtesy: globalnews.ca)

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said police in the province of Ontario, working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, had issued a so-called "duty to warn" notice to Inderjeet Singh Gosal this week.

Gosal worked as an aide to Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in June 2023.

In September that year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited credible allegations of possible Indian government involvement in the murder and police have since charged four men with the killing. India denies any connection to the shooting.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation last week said it was investigating an Aug. 11 drive-by shooting that targeted a California activist with close ties to Nijjar.

New Delhi accuses Canada of harboring Sikh separatists who seek to create a homeland known as Khalistan by carving it out of the Indian region of Punjab.

"I've been informed by Canadian officials about the threats to my life," a statement from Pannun cited Gosal as saying. "However, my commitment to the liberation of Punjab from Indian occupation remains unwavering."

Neither the RCMP or the Ontario police were immediately available for comment. The office of Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has overall responsibility for law enforcement, declined to comment.

In June 2023, the FBI foiled an alleged assassination attempt against Pannun. Indian national Nikhil Gupta has been charged with trying to arrange the murder at the behest of an Indian intelligence official.
Dhaka, The recent student movement in Bangladesh, culminating in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, marks a watershed moment in the nation's political landscape, fuelled by a 70-year legacy of student activism from the 1952 Language Movement to the Liberation War and beyond. Hasina's ouster marks a watershed moment for student activism in Bangladesh: Political analysts

Political analysts and observers view the recent student protests, which many in Bangladesh have christened as the Bangla Spring  taking a cue from the Arab Spring  or the Monsoon Revolution, as a watershed moment in Bangladesh's political landscape, driven by the same spirit of activism that has characterised student movements in the country for over 70 years, even before its independence in 1971, when it was known as East Pakistan.

The latest movement, which began in July 2024, was sparked by the Court's decision to reinstate a controversial job quota system, a move that reignited long-standing frustrations among students and the general public.

The reinstatement of the job quota system, which had been abolished in 2018 due to student protests, sparked widespread demonstrations led by students that ultimately led to the collapse of the government led by long-time prime minister Hasina.

Over several weeks, the protests escalated, resulting in nearly 450 deaths and the detention of thousands, including hundreds of students.

Despite harsh government crackdowns, the persistent student-led movement forced Hasina to resign after 16 years in power, marking a historic victory for Bangladesh's youth and highlighting the enduring impact of student activism in the nations history.

The students' movement has always played a vital role in charting the course of Bangladesh's history and policies even before the Liberation War of 1971. But this time, the students' movement was different and on a scale that had never been witnessed before."

"The 'Monsoon Revolution,' as it is being called, marks a turning point in Bangladesh's history, driven by the same spirit of resistance that has characterised student movements for over 70 years, former Major General Muniruzzaman, the president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, a think tank, told PTI.

He pointed out that the recipe for the success of student movements in Bangladesh lies in the secular nature and ideology of the movement and the mass participation of people cutting across social, religious, and economic lines.

The students movement, be it the 1952 Language Movement or the recent Monsoon Revolution, would never have tasted success had they not been secular. Because if they had only catered to one community or creed, it would never have taken the shape of a mass movement, he pointed out.

Echoing similar sentiments, the chairman of the Jatiya Party, G M Quader, said the students movement, which is free from narrow politics, has over the years changed and at times dictated the countrys politics.

There is a trust factor that works in favour of the students. People believe in them and support them wholeheartedly. This time too, we have seen how common people have come down to the streets to support the students, he said.

Quaders elder brother, the founder of the Jatiya Party and former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, too had to step down in 1990 following a students protest.

The recent toppling of Sheikh Hasina's government is just the latest chapter in Bangladesh's long history of student activism, as seen through past movements. For over seven decades, students have been at the forefront of social and political change in Bangladesh and the erstwhile East Pakistan, beginning with the 1952 Language Movement.

In the early struggle for Bengali to be recognised as a state language, students in Dhaka faced a tragic climax on February 21, 1952, when police fired on demonstrators, killing several students and turning the event into a symbol of the fight for cultural and linguistic rights, now commemorated as International Mother Language Day.

The 1969 uprising against Pakistani rule, driven mainly by students, was a pivotal moment that helped mobilise the Bangladeshi people to fight for their independence in 1971.

During the Liberation War, students not only led protests but also joined the Liberation Army, and the brutal Pakistani military crackdown on Dhaka University on March 25, 1971, targeting students and intellectuals, remains one of the darkest chapters in Bangladeshs history.

Student activism continued to shape the political landscape of Bangladesh in the decades that followed.

The anti-dictatorship movement of 1990, which led to the fall of President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, was driven by student protests and demonstrations. This movement eventually forced Ershad to step down, paving the way for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.

The 2024 protests have their roots in the 2018 student movements against the job quota system, which began with demands for fairer government job access and were intensified by the tragic deaths of two students in Dhaka.

The 2018 movement succeeded in pressuring the government to abolish the quota system, but its reintroduction in June 2024 reopened old wounds and led to a resurgence of protests.

The Awami League, in the name of being the sole flag bearer of the legacy of the Liberation War, misused this quota system to fill up government services with Awami League activists and loyalists. Those students who were eligible were deprived because of this quota system. Secondly, those who are in their early twenties couldnt cast their vote as the Awami League didnt allow proper elections, Jayita Party co-chairman Golam Sarwar Milon told PTI.

Political observers note that the latest student movement reflects broader dissatisfaction with the ruling Awami League, which had been in power for 16 years. Senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury asserted that the scale of the protests indicates deep-seated public resentment toward the government.

The recent unrest has revealed significant opposition to the ruling party, which has been pursuing authoritarian practices and rigged elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024 to come to power. They did not allow free and fair elections and did not allow the people to cast their votes. So, this is the result you get when you try to throttle peoples voices, he said.

Prime Minister Hasina and her allies tried to suppress the protests by blaming opposition parties like the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami for exploiting the student movement, but the scale and persistence of the demonstrations eventually forced Hasina to resign.

Veteran politicians believe that the successful student movement could pave the way for a new generation of political leaders, challenging the dominance of traditional parties like the BNP, Awami League, and Jatiya Party, and possibly leading to the rise of a strong new party in Bangladesh.

This just may be the beginning of a new era of political transformation in Bangladesh, with students once again leading the way. The logical conclusion is that the students form a new political party. Although they have said they dont want to form any political party, you dont know whats in the future, Milon, the first president of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal  the student wing of BNP, said.

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By Yimou Lee, Fabian Hamacher, Ann Wang and Angie Teo Hunters, conservationists join forces to protect Formosan black bear

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - As the cage holding an endangered Formosan black bear swung open conservationists blasted gunshots and air horns to ensure the frightened young bear disappeared quickly into the mountains of central Taiwan, hopefully far from human contact.

Ziman, a one-and-a-half-year-old bear, had finally recovered from the amputation of a paw caused by a hunter's steel noose and now had a second chance in life.

"Please take care of him and help him find his parents safely," Pihao Payen, the leader of a nearby ethnic Atayal community, said in a prayer as Ziman disappeared from sight.

Wearing a traditional tribal tunic and headgear decorated with animal horns, the 74-year-old chief and an experienced hunter also prayed for his ancestors' help to keep Ziman away from traps.

Taiwanese hunters and conservationists are teaming up to protect the Formosan black bear, with only a few hundred estimated still in the wild, by designing new traps which will not amputate limbs if they are accidentally caught in a snare.

While bears are not a target for indigenous Taiwanese hunters, people in Pihao Payen's village accidentally caught bears twice in recent years when laying traps for prey such as deer and boars, a traditional practice in indigenous culture.

Since 2014, 18 bears have been captured in traps, with six found dead, according to the non-governmental organisation, the Taiwan Black Bear Conservation Association.

While most of the bears were released, some suffered major injuries caused by old-fashioned hunting tools such as metal snares, which can break bones or sever paws or toes as the bear struggles to break free.

"Steel snares bounce off from the ground and tighten up their limbs when triggered by animals," said Liu Li-wen, an animal caretaker who oversaw Ziman's recovery in a government-run bear shelter in the mountains of Taichung.

"The snares turned tighter and tighter as the animal struggled. When blood circulation stopped, his entire paw turned necrotic," she said, showing pictures of Ziman's swollen left paw. Vets had to cut most of the paw off to save the cub's life after two months of treatment.

"That's why we are seeing many bears with broken paws or toes in the wild. It's likely that they were entangled by traps, broke free by themselves and survived," she said.

NEW SNARES

Indigenous to sub-tropical Taiwan with an iconic V-shaped white mark on the chest, the Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity that champions its diverse culture and freedom. Democratic Taiwan was previously better known internationally as Formosa.

To reduce death or injuries of wildlife, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is now urging hunters and farmers to adopt a new type of animal snare designed to only trap smaller prey and which does not tighten to the point of amputation.

More than 5,600 such traps have been given to hunters and farmers for free across mountainous Taiwan that is 60% covered by forest, while monetary rewards are given to those who report cases of bears caught by traps.

"Because of its small size, and because the bear's palm is very wide, you see that it will not fall in completely when stepped on like this," explained Pan Wen-ming, an ethnic Amis hunter and guava farmer in central Taiwan, as he demonstrated how to set up the new trap to Reuters reporters.

"It tries to minimise while letting the elders and hunters of our tribe still hunt for prey," he said.

Chen Yen-long, chief of the Wushikeng Research Centre bear shelter in Taichung, said some hunters killed snared bears for fear of being prosecuted for trapping a protected animal.

Sadly, Ziman, the cub with the amputated paw, was found dead in the central mountains only weeks after his release, with authorities unable to determine cause of death.

"This is not the end of the story. We will not stop what we are doing," said Lai Chiao Ling, one of Ziman's caretakers. "At least there are still bears in the wild for us to save."

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KOLKATA, India  Police in India fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of a top elected official in the country's east, accusing her of mishandling an investigation into a rape and killing of a resident doctor earlier this month. Indian police fire tear gas and water cannons at rally against rape and killing of trainee doctor

The Aug. 9 killing of the 31-year-old physician while on duty at Kolkata citys R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital triggered protests across India, focusing on the chronic issue of violence against women in the country. Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal state.

The protesters say the assault highlights the vulnerability of health care workers in hospitals across India.

Protesters from Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party tried to break the police cordon and march to the office of Mamta Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress party rules the West Bengal state, and demanded her resignation.

Modi's party is the main opposition party in West Bengal. Police had banned its rally and blocked the roads.

Police officers wielding batons pushed back the demonstrators and fired tear gas and water cannons. Four student activists were arrested ahead of the rally, police said, accusing them of trying to orchestrate large-scale violence.

Indias top court last week set up a national task force of doctors to make recommendations on the safety of health care workers at the workplace. The Supreme Court said the panel would frame guidelines for the protection of medical professionals and health care workers nationwide.

An autopsy of the killed doctor later confirmed sexual assault, and a police volunteer was detained in connection with the crime. The family of the victim alleged it was a case of a gang rape and more were involved.

In the days since, mounting anger has boiled over into nationwide outrage and stirred protests over violence against women. The protests have also led thousands of doctors and paramedics to walk out of some public hospitals across India and demand a safer working environment. The walkouts have affected thousands of patients across India.

Women in India continue to face rising violence despite tough laws that were implemented following the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in Delhi in 2012.

That attack had inspired lawmakers to order harsher penalties for such crimes and set up fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases. The government also introduced the death penalty for repeat offenders.

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Justin Trudeau has announced that he is planning to reduce the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers and permanent residents being allowed into Canada. This comes as Canada is struggling to deal with a rapidly growing population that, according to some economists, has been putting pressure on housing and public services like healthcare. Justin Trudeau says Canada reducing number of temporary foreign workers (Photographer: Dean Casavechia/Bloomberg)(Bloomberg)

Justin Trudeau took to X to make the announcement. Were reducing the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in Canada, he wrote. The labour market has changed. Now is the time for our businesses to invest in Canadian workers and youth.

Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration

The federal statistics revealed that the majority of Canadas population growth last year, which was about 97%, was driven by immigration. Trudeau and his government have often been called out for increasing immigration without bolstering services or housing construction.

Justin Trudeau said at a press conference that changes to the labour market have prompted him to eye an overhaul to the temporary foreign workers programme. Its not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and its not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited, he said, according to BBC.

The Temporary Foreign Worker programme allows foreign nationals to be hired by employers in Canada to fill temporary jobs in the absence of qualified Canadians. Labour advocates have criticised the programme. Recently, the UN called it a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery in a report.

Meanwhile, Trudeau also said that his cabinet has been considering reductions to permanent resident streams. The Prime Minister has been behind in polls as Canadians say Canada is bringing in a huge number of immigrants.

"We're looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there's pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada," Trudeau told reporters, Reuters reported. He added that this fall, the government will come up with a broader plan on immigration levels.
President Emmanuel Macron faced an uphill battle Tuesday seeking fresh talks over a new government in France, with the political left refusing to take part after he rejected their candidate for prime minister. Macron struggles to launch fresh talks on French government

More than seven weeks after an inconclusive parliamentary election which cost his allies their relative majority, Macron has still not named a new prime minister to take over from the current caretaker administration.

Left-wing coalition the New Popular Front emerged from the vote as the largest bloc, but well short of an absolute majority.

In the 577-seat National Assembly, the NFP has over 190 seats, followed by Macron's centrist alliance at around 160 and Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally at 140.

The NFP have nevertheless demanded that the president pick their candidate Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist with a history of left-wing activism.

But late Monday, Macron ruled out naming a left-wing government, saying it would be a "threat to institutional stability".

Instead, he called on "all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility".

Macron's office said that it would be pointless to name a NFP government as it would immediately be rejected by a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The president called on the socialists, ecologists and communists in the leftist alliance to "cooperate with other political forces", in an apparent attempt to lure the more moderate members of the coalition away from LFI.

But on Tuesday, Socialist party boss Oliver Faure refused Macron's overture, saying he would "not be an accomplice to a parody of democracy".

Socialist deputies would back a no-confidence motion against any government that was not put forward by the NFP, he said, accusing the president of seeking to "prolong Macronism" despite losing the National Assembly election.

"French people will start to get annoyed, to say the least," Faure warned, saying he himself would take part in street protests, after Communist party leader Fabien Roussel who also rejected new talks with Macron called for a "grand popular mobilisation".

"The left is being robbed of this election," said Green Party chief Marine Tondelier.

"We won't be part of this mess anymore," she said.

Castets accused Macron of seeking to be "president, prime minister and party leader all at the same time", adding that this was "not respectful of French voters or of democracy".

LFI founder Jean-Luc Melenchon even threatened to start impeachment proceedings against Macron.

The far-right National Rally has not been invited to Tuesday's talks.

Meanwhile Francois Bayrou, a highly-respected veteran centrist, chided the president for getting bogged down in negotiations with political parties which he said was "the wrong method".

Instead, he said, Macron should seek out a candidate with experience of high office.

"There are people who have held the office of president," he said, "others who had high government positions" or "who have represented political movements and currents".

Macron's office has not given any indication about the president's timetable for naming a prime minister but the clock is running to October 1, the legal deadline by which a government must present a draft budget law for 2025.

Macron is also scheduled to open the Paris Paralympic Games on Wednesday, and is expected in Serbia on Thursday for an official visit.

burs/jh/tgb/rox

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KUALA LUMPUR - Major tech companies must comply with local laws to continue operating in Malaysia, a minister said on Tuesday, after an industry group urged the government to pause a plan to require social media platforms to apply for a regulatory license. Malaysia says tech firms must comply with its laws amid backlash over social media licensing

The Asia Internet Coalition - whose members include tech giants Google, Meta and X - had made the call in an open letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, citing a lack of clarity over the proposed regulations.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government was ready to discuss with the AIC and other industry groups on the proposed regulations but had no plans to delay their implementation, aimed at tackling rising cybercrime.

Under the plan, social media platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users will be required to obtain a license and can face legal action if they failed to do so by Jan. 1, 2025.

"Big tech companies are big but our laws are bigger. If they want to operate in Malaysia, they must respect and comply with our laws," Fahmi told reporters, adding earlier engagements with representatives of social media firms on the plan had been positive.

The AIC letter, originally dated Aug. 23, was taken down from its website late on Monday. Ride-hailing firm Grab, also a member of the group, said separately on the same day that it had not been consulted on the letter's contents.

A new version of the letter, dated Aug. 26, was later posted to AIC's website with several sentences removed, including a reference to the government's plan being "unworkable" for the industry.

The letter also removed a list of the AIC's member companies, which remain available on the group's website.

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Bangladeshs interim government head Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday called for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to boost economic cooperation in the neighbourhood. Yunus called for reviving SAARC for enhanced regional cooperation in an effort to boost economic cooperation. (AFP photo)

Yunus made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan high commissioner Syed Ahmed Maroof, who spoke of the need for reinvigorating trade and economic ties and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

Saarc has been largely moribund since India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan pulled out of a summit that was to be hosted by Pakistan in November 2016. Since then, India has stepped up cooperation through other regional mechanisms such as Bimstec.

Also Read:Muhammad Yunus says free and fair polls to be held after vital reforms in Bangladesh

Yunus called for reviving SAARC for enhanced regional cooperation in an effort to boost economic cooperation in the South Asian region, an official statement said.

Saarc, Yunus said, could be a model of relationships like the European Union. He added, We must work together for mutual benefits.

Maroof also emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation at multilateral platforms. He conveyed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concern at the devastation caused by floods in Bangladesh and said Pakistan stands ready to assist Bangladesh.

Maroof requested the Bangladeshi side to ease visa procedures for Pakistani citizens and called for direct flights between the two countries. He also highlighted the need for increased engagement through existing bilateral mechanisms.

Yunus held a separate meeting with Russian ambassador Aleksandr Mantytsky, who said Moscow will continue supporting Dhaka at international forums.

The two sides also the Rooppur nuclear power plant, which Bangladesh is building with technical and financial support from Russia, and increased cooperation on food security, energy exploration and science and technology. Mantytsky said the construction of the plant is in the final stage and it is expected to become operational next year.

Yunus recalled Russias role during Bangladeshs independence war in 1971, and its vital mine-clearing operations at Chattogram port.

He called on Russia to increase imports from Bangladesh, including products other than the readymade garments, which make up 90% of exports to Russia. We need to diversify our exports, Yunus said.

Mantytsky said Russia is a key economic partner of Bangladesh as it supplies vital food grains and fertiliser to the country. Last year, Russia exported more than 2.3 million tonnes of wheat to Bangladesh and the shipments during 2024 have crossed two million tonnes.

State-run Russian energy company Gazprom has expressed interest in exploring five gas wells on Bhola island and more wells inland. Mantytsky said Russia is also interested in exporting LNG to Bangladesh.
ISLAMABAD, - Attacks by separatist militants in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan aimed at stopping development projects that form part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor , Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday. Pakistan PM Sharif says militants want to stop co-operation with China

The assaults begun on Sunday, killing more than 70, were the most widespread in years by ethnic militants seeking to win secession of the resource-rich province, home to major China-led projects such as a strategic port and a gold and copper mine.

"The terrorists want to stop CPEC and development projects," Sharif said in a televised address to cabinet, adding that the purpose was also to drive a wedge between Islamabad and Beijing.

CPEC, said to have development commitments worth $65 billion, is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative.

Pakistan has not been able to fully build the infrastructure needed to tap mineral resources in poverty-stricken Balochistan, and has sought China's help in developing the province.

In Beijing, China condemned the attacks and vowed to keep up firm support for Pakistan in counter-terrorism efforts.

"China is ready to further strengthen counter-terrorism security co-operation with the Pakistani side in order to jointly maintain regional peace and security," Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular news briefing.

Beijing has previously flagged concerns about the security of its citizens working on projects in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. Six Chinese engineers working on a dam project were killed in March in the northwest.

Separatist militants have consistently targeted Balochistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, run by China.

A militant group, the Balochistan Liberation Army , took responsibility for this week's simultaneous attacks on police stations, railway lines and highways in the province, the largest but least developed of Pakistan's four.

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A journalist has claimed that Prince William and Princes Harrys rift will be difficult to mend amid reports that King Charles could try and make peace with his youngest son. It was reported that Charles has taken spiritual nourishment" from his discussions with religious leaders and might now be more open to reconciling with Harry. Prince William and Princes Harrys rift will be difficult to mend but devout King Charles thinks differently (Photo by Frazer Harrison / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP, AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool)

"Bear in mind that King Charles is very devout. He has been all his life like his mother, Nigel Nelson told GB News.

Nelson added, "Now, we don't know quite where the spiritual nourishment is coming from, if it's the church's spiritual nourishment. I think the advice basically from the Church of England, for instance, is big on forgiveness. Forgive Harry, just, bring him back the fold. It doesn't quite explain in this story where this spiritual advice is coming from."

That rift sounds like one that's going to be very difficult to mend

Nelson then went on to address Harry and Williams ongoing feud. That rift sounds like one that's going to be very difficult to mend, he said. "If it is medable who would be in a better position to mend it than their father?

"So if this was to actually happen, I mean, surely we'd all think it would be really great if Harry could come back and actually be part of that family again. Harry also has to get his act together, so it works both ways, he added.

A Sunday Times article recently revealed that William does not want to have Harry at his coronation. William will be crowned only after his father dies. However, one of Charles friends said that the King might want to reconcile with Harry, even if William does not.

But from the conversations Ive had with the King, I would never say their relationship is irreparable, the friend said. The Kings capacity to forgive his son is undimmed. There are other members of the royal family who are much more weighted against Harry, thats the problem.
QUETTA, Pakistan  A separatist group claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in southwestern Pakistan that killed more than 40 people but insisted it did not harm civilians, as authorities on Tuesday sent the bodies of 23 victims to their home districts for burial. Separatist group claims multiple attacks that killed over 40 people in southwestern Pakistan

The outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army group warned in a statement overnight into Tuesday of more attacks, saying that 800 of its well-trained fighters took part in the first phase of the shooting and bombing attacks that began late Sunday and ended on Monday.

It warned the second phase of the attacks would be even more intense and widespread.

Twenty-three people and 14 security officials were among the dozens killed by insurgents in multiple attacks in the restive southwest, the highest one-day death toll in recent violence in the area.

The attacks drew nationwide condemnation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday there would be no peace talks with insurgents who took up arms against the state, killed innocent people and attacked security forces in Baluchistan.

He said the latest attacks in Baluchistan seek to harm Chinese-funded development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which includes building and improving roads and rail systems to link western Chinas Xinjiang region to Pakistans southwestern Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.

In recent years, BLA and other militants have also attacked Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects.

Shafique Ullah, a local administration official, said 14 people from the eastern Punjab province and nine Baluch were among the 23 people killed by BLA after they were offloaded from their vehicles on a highway in Musakhail, a district in Baluchistan early Sunday.

The bodies were sent to their home districts on Monday, he said.

Funerals for the 14 security officials killed in the assaults were held in Baluchistan overnight.

The government has vowed to punish the attackers and their facilitators.

BLA has targeted security forces for years in small-scale attacks, but the latest violence indicated it was now much more organized.

Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Baluchistan, told reporters in Quetta on Monday that operations against the insurgents were still underway, adding that those who killed our innocent civilians and security with be dealt with a full force.

Baluchistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces. The separatists have been demanding independence from the central government.

Although Pakistan says it quelled the insurgency, violence has persisted in Baluchistan.

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The launch of Space's four-person Polaris Dawn mission was postponed by a day to Wednesday, August 28, due to a helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center, the Elon Musk-led company said, just hours before the scheduled lift-off. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon Resilience capsule sits on Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center ahead of the Polaris Dawn Mission (AFP)

Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Wednesday, August 28, SpaceX wrote in a post on X.

Details of Polaris Dawn mission

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in the Polaris program - a human spaceflight project funded and organised by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The mission features a spacewalk by civilians that has only been attempted by government astronauts.

Issacman will command the mission and will be joined aboard the mission's Crew Dragon capsule by three crewmates: pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, a former lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force, and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both SpaceX engineers.

During the mission, the Dragon spacecraft and the crew will endeavour to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA) by commercial astronauts wearing SpaceX-developed EVA suits, SpaceX said in a statement.

They will also conduct 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions designed to advance both human health on Earth and during long-duration spaceflight, and test Starlink laser-based communications in space, it added.

The highlight of the five-day mission is expected to come two days after launch, when the crew embarks on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles (700 km) from Earth, in history's first such private spacewalk.

Meanwhile, a live webcast of the mission will begin around three and a half hours prior to the liftoff.
BARCELONA, Spain  Spain's prime minister embarked on a three-day tour of West Africa on Tuesday as the European nation struggled to contain the number of people making the dangerous Atlantic voyage by boat to the Canary Islands. Spain's leader begins West Africa tour in Mauritania to tackle irregular migration to Canary Islands

The Spanish archipelago  located close to the African coast and used as a stepping stone for migrants and refugees trying to reach continental Europe  has seen more than 22,000 people disembark on its shores since January, according to Spain's Interior Ministry, more than double the number of irregular arrivals for the same period last year.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez begins his visit in Mauritania before continuing south to Gambia and Senegal. The three coastal nations have become the main departure points used by smugglers to launch overcrowded boats. Thousands of Malian refugees fleeing violence and instability are among those embarking on the perilous Atlantic route to the Canaries, as well as unemployed youth from Senegal, Mauritania and other West African nations who seek better job opportunities abroad.

There are also increasingly more teenagers and children traveling alone to the Canary Islands, which has overwhelmed the local government responsible for their care. Spanish authorities say they are bracing for even more arrivals this fall when sailing conditions in the deadly Atlantic Ocean between West Africa and the Spanish archipelago are more favorable.

To tackle the issue, Sanchez is expected to sign several bilateral agreements with his African counterparts and strengthen cooperation between Spanish and local security forces working together to combat people smuggling. Spain will also expand its circular migration program, which allows migrants to come and work in Spain temporarily in areas like agriculture. To address the root causes of migration, the Spanish government said that it would also announce longer-term investment and business partnerships in the areas of development, connectivity and education.

It's the second time that the Spanish leader visits Mauritania this year. In February, Sanchez traveled to the largely deserted and impoverished nation alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and announced 210 million euros to help the country curb migration. Seen as a beacon of stability in the volatile Sahel region, Mauritania hosts about 200,000 Malian refugees on its border.

Follow s coverage of global migration at /hub/migration.

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An American tourist has reportedly been deported from Colombia after his bizarre meltdown on missing his flight. The chaos ensued after the man reportedly showed up late to a LATAM airline flight that was supposed to fly from Bogota to Cartagena on August 23. The incident was caught on camera. American tourist in Colombia has bizarre meltdown after missing flight (aflyguytravels/Instagram)

When the unnamed passenger arrived at the gate after closing, he was denied entry by crew members. However, he refused to comply. The man bypassed the cordon and tried to board the plane.

This man had an aggressive demeanor that put both the staff and other travelers at risk, said Daniel Gallo of the Colombian Air Transport Workers Union, Jam Press reported.

When he couldnt get on the plane, he chose to breach flight security, Gallo added.

The man then found the aircraft door closed and began throwing a tantrum. A viral video, which was filmed by a passenger, shows the man desperately kicking the planes door. At one point, he is seen dropping to his knees and banging on the window, begging staffers to let him in. He even fiddles with the joystick on the boarding bridge.

The man was eventually apprehended by police and security personnel, who took him to the airport migration office. There, he reportedly assaulted an official. He was deported from the country within hours.

This makes me mad

Shocked Instagram users commented on the above video, with one saying, Even if it's possible to open the door for him to board , does he think that cabin crew or captain will allow such a crazy person to be onboard ? Easiest way to get on the no fly list, one user wrote, while another said, As an Aircraft Maintenance Technician, this makes me mad. Why take your anger out on the aircraft.

Yup....kicking the plane is really going to get you on board, one user joked, while another said, Where is Police? Security? At my airport this would have not been tolerated and he would have been out of the ramp in less than 10 seconds. I think that its necessary to have a security guard on every single boarding process! This passenger aggressive conduct is not the only one in the aviation industry, one said.
After receiving severe backlash for insulting Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz's son Gus Walz, controversial author Ann Coulter has some unsolicited advice for Donald Trump. American conservative media pundit and author Ann Coulter(File )

Conservation author and a staunch Trump supported posted on social media, ATTN DONALD TRUMP: The Harris campaign is demanding a rule change of NOT muting mics at the debates. Why?

Coulter paradropped in an ongoing face-off between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris over debate over whether microphones should be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak during the upcoming presidential debate

Trump has hinted at skipping the much anticipated debate calling the network and the moderators biased, who may give Kamala an advantage. Earlier Bidens campaign team had made microphone muting a condition to shield voters from hearing Trumps outbursts during the debate. The Harris campaign now wants microphones to be live all the time.

Also Read; Donald Trump signals he may skip the ABC News debate

Coulter rants, They're betting you won't STFU and will lose the debate - as you did with Biden.

1. DON'T AGREE TO THE RULE CHANGE. 2. Learn to STFU, she asserted.

Harris campaign feels Trump prefers the muted microphone because his supporters know he cannpt act presidential for 90 minutes on his own. Whereas Trump's spokesman Jason Miller retorted that the Republican nominee had accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate."

Last week, Coulter had gone viral for saying Governor Tim Walzs sons emotional response to his fathers DNC speech was weird.

Her since-deleted post elicited a deluge of trolling, with many people taking delight in the pundits social media clobbering.

Coulter later wrote on X, I took it down as soon as someone told me hes [autistic], but its Democrats who go around calling everyone weird thinking its hilariously funny. Gus has a non-verbal learning disorder.
Silicon Valley's epicentre California, has made the first bold move to regulate and rein in artificial intelligence with a new AI safety bill, SB 1047. The bill has been passed by the state Senate and is scheduled for a vote in the State Assembly by the end of this week. All about the AI safety bill, SB 1047 passed California Senate is scheduled for a vote in the State Assembly by the end of this week

This groundbreaking legislation aims to ensure that big AI developers take responsibility for their creations, especially those investing over $100 million in building AI models.

Even as it's attracted support California state Senator Scott Wiener, co-author of the bill has accused some opponents of fearmongering to try and stop the state legislation from being passed.

Whats AI safety bill, SB 1047 All About?

The AI safety bill, SB 1047, would put more responsibility on any developer spending more than $100 million to build an AI model. The requirements include: Safety Testing, where companies would need to thoroughly test their AI models to ensure they are safe. Developers would need to put in place safeguards to prevent their AI from causing harm. If an AI model causes severe harm, like mass casualties or damages exceeding $500 million, the state attorney general can take action against the developer.

Independent audits would be required to verify the safety and compliance of AI models and an AI systems must have a built-in kill switch to shut them down instantly if necessary. The bill will also protect individuals who report unsafe practices within AI companies.

Artificial Intelligence regulation sparks debate

As AI technology advances rapidly, concerns about its potential risks have grown. Supporters of SB 1047 argue that without proper regulations, AI could pose significant dangers to society. On the flip side, opponents, including major tech companies, worry that the bill could stifle innovation and make California a less attractive place for AI research and startups.

Whos Supporting the Bill?

Elon Musk, the owner of AI company xAI, has thrown his support behind SB 1047. This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill. he posted on X.

Emphasizing the need for AI regulation to protect the public he said, "for over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public."

Senator Scott Wiener, a key advocate for the bill, has garnered support from several notable figures in the AI community. At a virtual press conference, he was joined by AI experts like Yoshua Bengio and leaders from safety organizations such as Dan Hendrycks from the Center for AI Safety.

Whos Against AI regulation?

Not everyone is on board. Big names like Google, Meta, and OpenAI have voiced their concerns, arguing that the bills strict rules could hinder AI development and put California at a competitive disadvantage.

In a letter to Wiener, OpenAIs chief strategy officer Jason Kwon wrote that while his company supports some of the bill's provisions, AI regulations should be left for the federal government to decide on.

Dr. Fei-Fei Li from Stanford has warned that the bill could negatively impact smaller players in the AI field, including those in academia and the public sector. Additionally, some Democratic lawmakers, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have called for a veto, believing that AI regulation should be handled at the federal level.

AI regulation: Road Ahead

SB 1047 has already passed the state Senate and is headed to the State Assembly for a vote by the end of the week. After several amendments, it will return to the Senate for a final vote. If approved, the bill will go to Governor Gavin Newsom for signing. So far, Newsom hasnt indicated whether he will support the bill.
Elon Musk recently shared a post talking about how California is considering $150,000 home loans for illegal immigrants. In the caption, Musk pointed out how another bill passed by California in January provided free medical care to illegals. California's bill on loans for illegal immigrants sparks debate, Indian American confronts Elon Musk (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo)(REUTERS)

California also passed a bill providing free medical care to illegals that took effect n January this year, Musk wrote. Seems like half of Earth should move to California, given all the incentives to do so.

Musks post was reshared by X user Anurag Mairal, who wrote, addressing Musk, Ironically, I know of many Indian American professionals who lost significant proportion of their assets to cover the cost of care for their visiting parents who had a medical emergency (this, despite some travel insurance coverage). Disincentive for law-abiding visitors and immigrants?

Mairal's LinkedIn profile says he is an Adjunct Professor of Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also the Chairperson of the Board of EPPIC Global.

The bills Elon Musk highlighted

The post Musk shared details how lawmakers in California could consider making the state the first in the country to make undocumented immigrants eligible for up to $150,000 in state-supported home loans. The Democratic supermajority in the California state legislature could soon pass a measure that would make undocumented immigrants eligible for the "California Dream for All" loan program. This is a state-funded program that provides 20% in down payment assistance up to $150,000, Politico reported.

Those who would participate in the program would have to be first-time homebuyers. At least one is required to be a first-generation homebuyer, and income levels will have to be below certain limits depending on the country the recipient resides in.

A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom told Fox News Digital that while the Governor "doesn't typically comment on pending legislation, he will evaluate the bill on its merits if it reaches his desk. Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Politico that the bill is "fundamentally unfair but typical Democrat policy."

Democratic lawmakers in the state argued that the legislation would give undocumented state residents the same benefits everyone in the state gets. "It isnt given out willy nilly to just anybody," Democratic Assembly member Eloise Gomez Reyes reportedly said during a June hearing on the bill.

Meanwhile, the free medical care bill Musk referred to is a bill that said all undocumented immigrants in California would be offered health insurance. The bill said that from January 1 this year, all undocumented immigrants, no matter what their ages are, would qualify for Medi-Cal. This was the Golden States version of the federal Medicaid program for people with low incomes.

In California, we believe everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care coverage  regardless of income or immigration status, Gov. Newsoms office previously told ABC News. Through this expansion, were making sure families and communities across California are healthier, stronger, and able to get the care they need when they need it.
By Raphael Satter Chinese hackers exploited bug to compromise internet companies, cybersecurity firm says

WASHINGTON, - A Chinese hacking group exploited a software bug to compromise several internet companies in the U.S. and abroad, a cybersecurity firm said on Tuesday.

Researchers at the firm, Lumen Technologies, said in a blog post that the hackers took advantage of a previously unknown vulnerability in Versa Director - a software platform used to manage services for customers of Santa Clara, California-based Versa Networks. It said four U.S. victims and one Indian victim had been identified, although it declined to identify them.

Versa Networks issued an advisory on Monday acknowledging that the vulnerability had been exploited "in at least one known instance" by an advanced group of hackers, and urged customers to update their software to fix the bug.

Lumen's blog post said that its researchers assessed with "moderate confidence" that the hacking campaign, which kicked off as early as June 12, was carried out by an alleged Chinese government-backed group nicknamed "Volt Typhoon." Lumen researcher Ryan English said that the internet companies were targeted for the attackers to surveil their customers.

"They very rarely go in through the front door," he said.

Doug Britton, an executive with Virginia-based RunSafe Security, said the research appeared sound and that the access described by Lumen would allow a group like Volt Typhoon "the ability to do broad, silent surveillance."

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request seeking comment, although Beijing routinely denies allegations of its involvement in cyberespionage. On Friday, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency added the Versa vulnerability to its list of "known exploited vulnerabilities."

Brandon Wales, the recently departed executive director of CISA, was quoted by the Washington Post on Tuesday saying that China's hacking effort had "dramatically stepped up from where it used to be." Volt Typhoon has emerged as a group of particular concern to U.S. cybersecurity officials. In April, FBI Director Christopher Wray said China was developing the "ability to physically wreak havoc" on U.S. critical infrastructure.

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In a tragic incident, Delta Air Lines plane tire exploded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, killing two people and seriously injuring another. A Delta employee and a contractor were declared dead following the explosion at the airports maintenance area early Tuesday, according to local outlet WSB2. (Getty Images via AFP)

A Delta employee and a contractor were declared dead following the explosion at the airports maintenance area early Tuesday, according to local outlet WSB2. It informed that an airline worker suffered serious injuries.

Delta Air Lines issues statement

In a statement on Tuesday, Delta expressed its sympathies to the victims after the tragic incident at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3).

It said, the Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another. The airline further ensured full support to family members and colleagues.

Extending gratitude for quick action of first responders and medical teams on site, it said: We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.

The plane took off from Las Vegas and arrived in Atlanta on Sunday night. Initially, it was unclear what triggered the explosion.

Atlanta Mayor offers condolences kin's families

Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta offered his condolences to the family and loved ones to the deceased Delta employees. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery.

The mayor reported that airport, police, and fire departments are present on the site.
Building on the growing interplay between crypto and politics, Donald Trump is offering a fourth collection of nonfungible tokens that feature images ranging from the former president in a superhero costume to holding figurative Bitcoins while he seeks to return to the White House. In one of the cards, Donald Trump holds a ball with a Bitcoin logo in his hand, highlighting him as a crypto-friendly presidential candidate.(REUTERS)

The new collection features 50 NFTs selling for $99 each, with additional trading cards showing Trump as a boxer, dancing and even riding a motorcycle. In one of the cards, Trump holds a ball with a Bitcoin logo in his hand, highlighting him as a crypto-friendly presidential candidate.

Purchasers of 15 NFTs will get a physical card with a piece of the suit Trump wore to the presidential debate in June that is credited with prompting President Joe Biden to drop from the race. Trump noted in a video on his Trust Social platform that it was being called the knock-out suit. Those who purchase 75 NFTs will be invited to have dinner with Trump at his club in Jupiter, Florida.

Previous Trump NFT collections sold out within hours, according to Bill Zanker, who works with Trump on the collections. Trump has begun highlighting crypto as part of his platform soon after having dinner with buyers of his previously issued NFTs in May. Since then, crypto has become a part of the Republican party platform, and Trump has vowed to support Bitcoin mining in the US and to work against creating central bank digital currency in the country.

The NFT sale is happening while sales of nonfungible tokens continue to be weak. Even though NFT sales picked up at the beginning of the year, as Bitcoin hit an all-time high, they have slackened since June. That said, Trumps first NFT collection came out weeks after the collapse of the FTX crypto exchange, which triggered a cooling of the entire crypto market, and Trumps NFTs still sold out, Zanker said in a previous interview.

You know they call me the crypto president, Trump said in the video. I dont know if that is true or not, but a lot of people are saying that. So dont miss out.
Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard has officially endorsed Donald Trump in his presidential bid against Kamala Harris. The former Representative from Hawaii made the announcement during a National Guard Association conference in Detroit, where Trump was speaking. The 43-year-old, who ran an unsuccessful 2020 White House bid, expressed her confidence in the former president, urging Americans to stand together to ensure Trump's reelection. Former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard (R) waves after endorsing former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) at the National Guard Association conference in Detroit, Michigan, on August 26, 2024. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP)(AFP)

Tulsi Gabbard officially endorses Donald Trump

Gabbard, who has become a regular figure in conservative media, exited the Democratic Party in 2022, accusing its leadership of cowardly wokeness and anti-white racism in a scathing X (then-Twitter post). While addressing a gathering in Michigan on Monday, she declared, This [current] administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.

ALSO READ: Bradley Whitford slams Cheryl Hines over lunatic husband RFK Jr's Trump endorsement

This is one of the main reasons why Im committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander-in-chief, Gabbard went on, adding, Because I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war. Her endorsement came on the third anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 US service members following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

ALSO READ: Ann Coulter deletes tweet calling Tim Walz's son Gus weird for crying at DNC after severe backlash

The former Democrat continued, We as Americans must stand together to reject this anti-freedom culture of political retaliation and abuse of power. We can't allow our country to be destroyed by politicians who will put their own power ahead of the interests of the American people, our freedom, and our future. I am proud to stand here before you today, whether you're a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent, she added.

If you love our country, as I do, if you cherish peace and freedom as we do, I invite you to join me in doing all that we can to save our country and elect President Donald J. Trump and send him back to the White House to do the tough work of saving our country and serving the people, Gabbard said, concluding her endorsement speech, per Fox News.
WASHINGTON  The 2016 presidential campaign was entering its final months and seemingly all of Washington was abuzz with talk about how Russian hackers had penetrated the email accounts of Democrats, triggering the release of internal communications that seemed designed to boost Donald Trump's campaign and hurt Hillary Clinton's. How lessons learned from the 2016 campaign led US officials to be more open about Iran hack

Yet there was a notable exception: The officials investigating the hacks were silent.

When they finally issued a statement, one month before the election, it was just three paragraphs and did little more than confirm what had been publicly suspected  that there had been a brazen Russian effort to interfere in the vote.

This year, there was another foreign hack, but the response was decidedly different. U.S. security officials acted more swiftly to name the culprit, detailing their findings and blaming a foreign adversary  this time, Iran  just over a week after Trumps campaign revealed the attack.

They accused Iranian hackers of targeting the presidential campaigns of both major parties as part of a broader attempt to sow discord in the American political process.

The forthright response is part of a new effort to be more transparent about threats. It was a task made easier because the circumstances werent as politically volatile as in 2016, when a Democratic administration was investigating Russia's attempts to help the Republican candidate.

But it also likely reflects lessons learned from past years when officials tasked with protecting elections from foreign adversaries were criticized by some for holding onto sensitive information  and lambasted by others for wading into politics.

Suzanne Spaulding, a former official with the Department of Homeland Security, said agencies realize that releasing information can help thwart the efforts of U.S. adversaries.

This is certainly an example of that  getting out there quickly to say, Look, this is what Irans trying to do. Its an important way of building public resilience against this propaganda effort by Iran, said Spaulding, now a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Aug. 19 statement by security officials followed a Trump campaign announcement that it had been breached, reports from cybersecurity firms linking the intrusion to Iran and news articles disclosing that media organizations had been approached with apparently hacked materials.

But the officials suggested their response was independent of those developments.

The FBI, which made the Iran announcement along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said in a statement to The Associated Press that transparency is one of the most powerful tools we have to counteract foreign malign influence operations intended to undermine our elections and democratic institutions.

The FBI said the government had refined its policies to ensure that information is shared as it becomes available, "so the American people can better understand this threat, recognize the tactics, and protect their vote. A Wholesale Reorganization

A spokesperson for the ODNI also told that the governments assessment arose from a new process for notifying the public about election threats.

Created following the 2020 elections, the framework sets out a process for investigating and responding to cyber threats against campaigns, election offices or the public. When a threat is deemed sufficiently serious, it is nominated for additional action, including a private warning to the attack's target or a public announcement.

The Intelligence Community has been focused on collecting and analyzing intelligence regarding foreign malign influence activities, to include those of Iran, targeting U.S. elections, the agency said. For this notification, the IC had relevant intelligence that prompted a nomination.

The bureaucratic terminology obscures what for the intelligence community has been a wholesale reorganization of how the government tracks threats against elections since 2016, when Russian hacking underscored the foreign interference threat.

In 2016 we were completely caught off guard, said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. There were some indications, but nobody really understood the scale.

That summer, U.S. officials watched with alarm as Democratic emails stolen by Russian military hackers spilled out in piecemeal fashion on WikiLeaks. By the end of July, the FBI had opened an investigation into whether the Trump campaign was coordinating with Russia to tip the election. The probe ended without any finding that the two sides had criminally colluded with each other.

Inside the White House, officials debated how to inform the public of its assessment that Russia was behind the hack-and-leak. There was discussion about whether such a statement might have the unintended consequence of making voters distrustful of election results, thereby helping Russia achieve its goal of undermining faith in democracy.

Then-FBI Director James Comey wrote in his book, A Higher Loyalty, that he at one point proposed writing a newspaper opinion piece documenting Russia's activities. He described the Obama administration deliberations as extensive, thoughtful, and very slow," culminating in the pre-election statement followed by a longer intelligence community assessment in January 2017.

I know we did agonize over whether to say something and when to say it and that sort of thing because it appeared in the case of the Russians that they were favoring one candidate over the other, James Clapper, the then-director of national intelligence, said in an interview. A Bumpy Road

In 2018, Congress created CISA, the Department of Homeland Security's cyber arm, to defend against digital attacks. Four years later the Foreign and Malign Influence Center was established within the ODNI to track foreign government efforts to sway U.S. elections.

Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a Washington-based organization that analyzes foreign disinformation, said he's pleased that in its first election, the center doesn't seem to have been "hobbled by some of the partisanship that weve seen cripple other parts of the government that tried to do this work.

Still, there have been obstacles and controversies. Shortly after Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Trump fired the head of CISA, Christopher Krebs, for refuting his unsubstantiated claim of electoral fraud.

Also during the 2020 elections, The New York Post reported that it had obtained a hard drive from a laptop dropped off by Hunter Biden at a Delaware computer repair shop. Public confusion followed, as did claims by former intelligence officials that the emergence of the laptop bore the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign. Trump's national intelligence director, John Ratcliffe, soon after rebutted that assessment with a statement saying there were no signs of Russian involvement.

In 2022, the work of a new office called the Disinformation Governance Board was quickly suspended after Republicans raised questions about its relationship with social media companies and concerns that it could be used to monitor or censor Americans' online discourse.

Legal challenges over government restrictions on free speech have also complicated the government's ability to exchange information with social media companies, though Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a recent address that the government has resumed sharing details with the private sector.

Earlier this year, Warner said he worried the U.S. was more vulnerable than in 2020, in part because of diminished communication between government and tech companies. He said hes satisfied by the government's recent work, citing a greater number of public briefingsand warnings, but is concerned that the greatest test is likely still ahead.

The bad guys are not going to do most of this until October, Warner said. So we have to be vigilant.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Amidst the ongoing election campaigns of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) has claimed the US Vice President cannot become president as per the Constitution. Kamala Harris cannot become America's President as per the Constitution, states NFRA, citing controversial Dred Scott Supreme Court ruling from 1857.(REUTERS)

Citing the controversial Dred Scott Supreme Court ruling from 1857, which held that persons under slavery weren't citizens, the NFRA also contested the former US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, and American biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy's eligibility to be listed on Republican primary ballots.

The platform and policy document of the Republican group stated that the Constitution's requirements for presidential eligibility state that No person except a natural born Citizen, shall be eligible, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.

Attorney Andrew Fleischman first shared the document and the reference to the Dred Scott ruling on social media platform X.

Did the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) really unanimously adopt the position that Kamala Harris is ineligible to be President based on... the Dred Scott decision?! he asked.

Reacting to the post, one X user blasted the group for citing the Dred Scott decision, which is atrocious. They the latter cases *completely* wrong, like opposite-world wrong. An amazing display of racism and dishonesty.

Wow, this one takes the cake for the 'Did they really just do that?' award. Using the Dred Scott decision to argue about presidential eligibility in 2024 is like pulling out a flip phone and expecting it to connect to 5G, another wrote.

George Washington doesnt qualify either, by this reasoning, a third user added.

NFRA cites six cases: Natural-born citizen has to be born in the US to'

Last year in October, the NFRA adopted the document at their national convention. Referring to the opinions of Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, it argues that the document says a child must be born in the United States to the parents who are the citizens of the country at the time of birth.

An originalist and strict constructionist understanding of the Constitution in the Scalia and Thomas tradition, as well as precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court cases ... have found that a Natural Born Citizen is defined as a person born on American soil of parents who are both citizens of the United States at the time of the childs birth, according to the document.

The group further mentions six cases, one of which is Dred Scott v. Sandford. Before the beginning of the US Civil War in 1861 over the subject of slavery, a verdict in 1857 declared that those who served as slaves could not be citizens of the US, clarifying that they could not expect to be protected by the federal government or the courts. In addition, the decision held that Congress lacked the authority to outlaw slavery on government property.

According to the NFRA, a number of states, politicians, and significant political parties have disregarded this essential requirement for the presidency. It then mentions Haley, Ramaswamy, and Harris as their parents were not citizens of the United States at the time of their birth.

It is the will of this convention that only candidates who meet the natural born-citizenship standard, interpreted through an originalist and strict constructionist standard, be placed on the 2024 Republican presidential primary ballots, the group states in the document.

Also Read: Taylor Swift ready to endorse Kamala Harris within: She wants strong woman president

NFRA president calls Harris faux Democrat

The NFRA gave Trump their endorsement last October. In a statement to The Independent, group's president Alex Johnson, stated the media's insinuation that mentioning a court case in a lengthy paper means condoning every facet of the case is fundamentally deceptive and dishonest.

Calling Harris the faux Democrat, Johnson stated she should never be in public office for any of the numerous reasons that people choose to bring up, including her party's racial and class division strategies, which are similar to those that have proliferated into totalitarian regimes in countries like North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba.

In the past, these policies have brought about tremendous suffering, economic catastrophe, and the diminution of personal freedoms, Johnson stated, adding that the Democratic Party takes advantage of voters' ignorance.

A number of US presidents, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, would not have been able to continue in office as per the NFRA's interpretation of the Constitution.

Scott v. Sandford ruling overturned by 13th and 14th amendments

According to the US Archives, the Scott v. Sandford decision is regarded by many legal scholars as the worst ever rendered by the Supreme Court.

It further mentions that the 13th and 14th amendments overturned the ruling, which outlawed slavery and declared that all people born in the United States are citizens.
In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Mark Zuckerberg has alleged that the Biden-Harris administration "repeatedly pressured" Meta's teams to censor Covid-related posts. The Meta Chief Executive Officer also claimed that the platform had to make changes that "with the benefit of hindsight and new information," they would not make today. He added that he regrets that he was not "more outspoken" about it. Mark Zuckerberg alleges Biden-Harris administration pressured Meta to censor Covid-related posts (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)(AP)

What does the letter say?

"In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree. Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure," Zuckerberg said in the letter, according to ANI.

"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today. Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction and we're ready to push back if something like this happens again," he added.

The House Committee on the Judiciary, of the Republican Party, posted Zuckerbergs letter on X. "Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things: 1. Biden-Harris Admin "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. Big win for free speech, the caption read.

In the letter, Zuckerberg also recalled that the FBI warned Meta about a potential Russian disinformation operation about the Biden family and Burism before the 2020 election. Meta subsequently demoted a story on allegations of corruption involving the Biden family. However, Zuckerberg asserted that the story should not have been demoted as it was not Russian disinformation.

"That fall, when we saw a New York Post story reporting on corruption allegations involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's family, we sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply. It's since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldn't have demoted the story," Zuckerberg said.
Meghan Markle is disappointed with the reception of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, which launched in March. At the time, the Duchess of Sussex teased her fans with vague details about her new business venture. Initially, there was significant excitement among royal fans, but it soon fizzled out after the launch of the brand's first product, strawberry jam. According to a royal expert, Meghan's jam was widely mocked, which left her in tears. Meghan Markle was 'left in tears' after her lifestyle brand's new product was 'widely mocked', royal author Tom Quinn said(REUTERS)

Meghan Markle left upset over reception of her lifestyle brand's new product

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Meghan's brand, inspired by her life in Montecito, would sell tableware, drinkware including decanters, kitchen linens and edible treats such as jellies, jams, marmalade and spreads. However, the anticipation has died down as months went by without any further update. Speaking with Mirror, Tom Quinn said, The one fly in the ointment is Meghans new internet brand, America Riviera Orchard.

ALSO READ: Blake Lively's sister Robyn calls actress one of the best humans amid It Ends With Us drama

The royal author revealed that the Duchess of Sussex was reduced to tears when the brand launched, and her new jam was widely mocked for being expensive and nothing special. Back in March, she sent 50 jam jars to select individuals, including her close friends and influencers. Designer Tracy Robbins shared photos of a personalised hamper sent out by Meghan that included a jar of strawberry jam in a basket filled with lemons.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle reveals first product of her brand American Riviera Orchard

She has reached the point now where she thinks that anything and everything she does will be unfairly criticised. Like her husband, she feels that people are unfairly picking on hershe cannot understand why people dont admire her work, Quinn went on. She is especially sensitive about any criticism of her luxurious lifestyle in the US  from her point of view this is something to be admired not criticised, the expert added.
LONDON  Oasis, the Britpop band known for timeless hits like Wonderwall and Dont Look Back in Anger, is reuniting for a tour of the British Isles next summer, ending a 15-year hiatus and, presumably, the long-held feud between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. Oasis reunites for tour, ending a 15-year hiatus driven by Gallagher brothers' feud

The guitar band will play 14 dates in Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland next July and August, Oasis said on Tuesday.

This is it. This is happening, the band said.

Oasis split in 2009 after many years of infighting, with Noel Gallagher officially leaving the band just before a performance at a festival near Paris. Even before the dissolution, the brothers had long had an antagonistic relationship and reportedly did not speak to each other for years after the breakup.

People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer, Noel Gallagher, the band's guitarist and songwriter, wrote in a statement at the time.

While the Gallagher brothers havent performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs at their solo gigs. They've also each fired off criticisms of the other in the press.

Noel Gallagher accused his younger brother of having a hangover that forced them to cancel a 2009 concert. The frontman disputed the accusation and sued, later dropping the lawsuit.

But now the brothers are preparing to reunite, with the band saying fans would experience the spark and intensity that occurs only when they appear on stage together.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday. A presale will be held on Friday. Attempts at registering for the presale ballot required users to name the bands original drummer.

The tour will begin July 4 and 5 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Oasis will also perform at Heaton Park in Manchester, England, on July 11, 12, 19 and 20; Wembley Stadium in London on July 25 and 26 and Aug. 2 and 3; Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Aug. 8 and 9; and Croke Park in Dublin on Aug. 16 and 17.

There are plans for Oasis to perform in other continents outside of Europe later next year, the official tour announcement read.

Representatives did not immediately respond to The Associated Press requests for comment about future locations for the tour, as well as how the platform plans to handle demand for the shows.

The band also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement.

The guns have fallen silent, Oasis said. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.

In 2011, Noel Gallagher told the in an interview that he left the band after an incident where Liam Gallagher started wielding a guitar like an axe ... and hes swinging this guitar around and he kind of you know, he took my face off with it, you know?

In 2019, Liam Gallagher told the he was ready to reconcile.

The most important thing is about me and him being brothers, he said. He thinks Im desperate to get the band back together for money. But I didnt join the band to make money. I joined the band to have fun and to see the world.

I dont know what his problem is, he continued. I think he just wanted to go away and do his solo career, get all the coin and be surrounded by all the yes men you can fire and hire whenever he wants. You cant do that with me.

With the announcement, the Britpop progenitors ended a few days of fan speculation. A short video on the bands social media accounts Sunday night had revealed the date 27.08.24, and time 8 a.m., written in the same font as the well-known Oasis logo. The brothers shared the same to their individual accounts.

Of course, fans have long theorized a reunion might be on the horizon: In the wake of the 2017 bombing that killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in Oasis' hometown of Manchester, Liam Gallagher performed at a benefit concert that fueled speculation of a reunion. He criticized his brother's absence, but a spokesperson said Noel Gallagher couldn't attend because of a longstanding family trip. Benefit organizers said Noel Gallagher approved the use of Oasis' music and donated royalties from Dont Look Back In Anger to the British Red Cross One Love Manchester fund.

Later that year, Liam Gallagher tweeted at his brother, leading some to believe they made up: I wanna say Happy Xmas to team NG its been a great year thanks for everything looking forward to seeing you tomorrow AS YOU WERE LG x

Prior to Tuesday's announcement, Oasis was already teed up to release a new collection, Definitely Maybe - Deluxe 30th Anniversary Editions, celebrating the anniversary of their debut album.

Rumors of a potential reunion were amplified this past weekend when Liam Gallagher responded on social media to unconfirmed reports of the band playing London's Wembley Stadium and Manchesters Heaton Park. When one social media user criticized Heaton Park, the Manchester native wrote, See you down the front, calling the user a vulgarity. In another stand-alone post on X, he teased, I never did like that word FORMER.

You tell me man, Liam Gallagher replied. He also responded to several negative tweets about the potential reunion with Your attitude sucks and SHUTUP. Noel Gallagher, on the other hand, remained silent other than posting the teasers.

Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NEW YORK  Police in the suburbs of New York City made the first arrest under a new local law banning face masks, officials announced Tuesday. Police in a suburban New York county have made their first arrest under a new law banning face masks

Nassau County Police say officers on Sunday night responded to reports of a suspicious person on a street near the Levittown and Hicksville town line, about 30 miles east of Manhattan.

They found Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo wearing black clothing and a black ski mask that covered his face, except for his eyes.

The department said the 18-year-old resident displayed other suspicious behavior, including attempting to conceal a large bulge in his waistband and refusing to comply with the officers commands.

Officers say the bulge turned out to be a 14-inch knife. Ramirez Castillo was placed under arrest without further incident, police said.

He was arraigned Monday in Family Court in Westbury on misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of a weapon and obstructing governmental administration, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnellys office.

Lt. Scott Skrynecki, a police department spokesperson, said Ramirez Castillo will also be facing a misdemeanor violation of the face mask law in the coming days.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican who signed the mask ban into law earlier this month, said Sundays arrest showed the rule is working.

Our police officers were able to use the mask ban legislation as well as other factors to stop and interrogate an individual who was carrying a weapon with the intent to engage in a robbery, he said in an emailed statement. Passing this law gave police another tool to stop this dangerous criminal.

Keith Ross, a criminal justice professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, said police didnt necessarily need the new law to stop and question Ramirez Castillo, but it helped bolster their justification.

The law gives police, at the very least, reasonable suspicion to conduct a stop, the retired New York City police officer explained by phone. Under reasonable suspicion, police can forcibly stop a person in New York state if they are suspected of committing a felony or a penal law misdemeanor, which is where this new law falls.

But Scott Banks, attorney-in chief at the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, which is representing Ramirez Castillo, challenged that notion.

There is no basis to believe that wearing a face mask was intended to conceal identity or criminal behavior, and if that was the basis of the stop I believe there is a basis to conclude the stop was unlawful, he wrote in an email.

Skrynecki declined to comment, adding that police and county officials will discuss the incident at a news conference Wednesday.

The New York Civil Liberties Union, which has criticized the new law, repeated its warning that the mask ban is ripe for selective enforcement by a police department with a history of aggression and discrimination.

Disability Rights of New York, a group that advocates for people with disabilities, filed a legal challenge last week arguing that the mask law is unconstitutional and discriminates against people with disabilities.

The federal class action lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to immediately stop enforcement of the ban.

The Mask Transparency Act was approved by the countys Republican-controlled legislature in response to antisemitic incidents, often perpetrated by those in masks since the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

The law makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine for anyone in Nassau to wear a face covering to hide their identity in public. It exempts people who wear masks for health, safety, religious or cultural purposes, or for the peaceful celebration of a holiday or similar religious or cultural event for which masks or facial coverings are customarily worn.

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Department of Labor revised its 2023-2024 job figures on Wednesday, highlighting a much lower growth in the US economy than previously reported. The data revealed that the monthly payrolls overstated job growth by an astounding 818,000 in the past financial year. A group of Republican senators is now demanding answers from the Biden administration as it marked the agency's largest preliminary downward revision to US payroll figures since 2009. Republican senators are demanding answers after revised data from the Department of Labor revealed that the US economy added 818,000 fewer jobs than previously reported(Representational Image)

Republican senators demand answers after revised figures reveal much lower job growth

The group, led by Kansas junior Senator Roger Marshall, argued that the public deserves an investigation into the unusually large adjustment, per NY Post. The revised figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlight that the job growth during the 12 months ending in March was around 30% less than previously reported.

ALSO READ: Former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard endorses Donald Trump at National Guard Association conference, We as Americans must

Using taxpayer dollars to mislead the public for political gain is an outrageous betrayal of trust and one of the reasons Americans have lost all faith in this Administration, Marshall told the outlet. Manipulating the numbers to spin a false narrative while people are struggling to afford gas and groceries is not only dishonest  its insulting.

ALSO READ: Bradley Whitford slams Cheryl Hines over lunatic husband RFK Jr's Trump endorsement

While the outlet adds that it has not seen any evidence that indicates political foul play, Senators Ted Budd, Rick Scott, Markwayne Mullin, and Marsha Blackburn have joined Marshall, seeking insights into the lower job growth. These misleading numbers created a false impression for the public and cast doubt on the validity of the Bureaus accuracy and legitimacy, reads a letter co-signed by the group of GOP senators.

As we approach the presidential election in approximately 70 days, the state of the economy is one of the major issues on [Americans] minds. There should be no confusion when it comes to evaluating the health of our economy, the senators added in the letter.
A SWAT counter-sniper who was working at the Pennsylvania rally where Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt has agreed with lawmakers that an odd pattern of evidence-handling took place after the shooting. On Monday, August 26, Washington Regional SWAT counter-sniper Ben Shaffer said it was absolutely concerning that the roof of the AGR International building was scrubbed in a hurry and the suspects body was disposed of before an official autopsy report was released. Trump assassination attempt: Counter-sniper admits there was 'odd' pattern of evidence-handling after shooting (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)(AP)

The comments were made during a panel discussion at the conservative Heritage Foundation, hosted by five House Republicans  Reps. Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona, Matt Gaetz and Cory Mills of Florida, and Chip Roy of Texas. Shaffer and other witnesses were present.

It sounds like destruction of evidence

Do you find it odd that literally only days after the attempted assassination on President Donald J. Trump, while the roof was too sloped to place individuals for counter-sniper operations, that it wasnt too sloped of a roof for the FBI to go ahead and tamper, in my opinion, with evidence by washing the roof off that may have had significant evidence on it? Mills asked Shaffer, referencing the series of events that took place after the July 13 shooting.

Yes, I do, Shaffer answered, according to New York Post.

Do you also find it odd  that the body of Matthew Crooks had not only been released and cremated  but that the coroner whos responsible for releasing the body had no knowledge of it? Mills asked.

Yes, absolutely, Shaffer said.

It sounds like destruction of evidence, Erik Prince, a former US Navy SEAL who founded the private military contractor Blackwater, replied.

Mills also claimed there was a lack of transparency on the FBIs part concerning gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks purported online research into explosives and encrypted overseas messaging accounts. Shaffer earlier told Biggs that Crooks was seen walking the grounds of the Butler Farm Show with a rangefinder scope, which should have elevated him from a suspicious person to a person of interest in the eyes of law enforcement. That would warrant some type of either investigatory detention or stop and question, he said.

Crooks injured Trump and two others, and killed one attendee. He was subsequently killed by Secret Service snipers. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after facing massive criticism.
Donald Trump was hit by a new federal indictment on Tuesday in his bid to overturn his 2020 election defeat, with prosecutors narrowing their approach after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that former presidents have broad immunity form criminal prosecution. On August 27, prosecutors filed a revised indictment of Donald Trump on charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 US election after losing to Joe Biden. The superseding indictment retains the same four charges against Trump but takes into account the recent Supreme Court ruling that a former president has broad immunity from criminal prosecution. (Photo by Mandel NGAN and JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP)(AFP)

U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith's team obtained a new indictment in the Washington case.

The revised indictment lays out the same four charges it brought against the Republican former president last year focusing on Trump's role as a political candidate seeking reelection, rather than as the president at the time.

The Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that Trump cannot be prosecuted for actions that were within his constitutional powers as president.

Attorneys for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The revised indictment no longer includes allegations that Trump sought to pressure the U.S. Justice Department in his bid to overturn his election defeat, an apparent effort to keep the prosecution alive after the high court found that Trump could not be prosecuted for that conduct.

This indictment, like the initial one, accuses Trump of a multi-part conspiracy to block the certification of his election defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden.

Trump is again seeking election as the Republican candidate, this time in a race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. The election takes place on Nov. 5 this year.

The case was presented to a new grand jury, one that had not heard evidence from the original case, said a Justice Department spokesman.

The new version of the indictment hinges on key testimony and evidence from witnesses largely outside the federal government, such as former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, whom the indictment says was pressured by Trump and a co-conspirator to call a special session to hold a hearing based on bogus assertions of voter fraud.
A US Army private who bolted across the border into North Korea will plead guilty at a military court to charges including desertion and disobeying an officer, his lawyer said in a statement. Travis King will enter the plea at a general court martial, with a sentencing hearing set for Sept. 20, lawyer Franklin Rosenblatt said in a statement posted to social media.(AP)

Travis King will enter the plea at a general court martial, with a sentencing hearing set for Sept. 20, lawyer Franklin Rosenblatt said in a statement posted to social media. King, who is facing 14 offenses, will plead guilty to five of them, taking responsibility for his conduct, the lawyer said in the statement Monday.

There was no mention of what punishment King may face. Rosenblatt spoke to the Associated Press and declined to comment on a possible sentence.

King was a cavalry scout from Wisconsin whod been in the Army since January 2021 before dashing across the border within the Demilitarized Zone on July 18, 2023.

Leading up to the incident hed been jailed for nearly two months in South Korea for assault, and he was set to fly to Texas, where he faced expulsion from the military. Instead of boarding his plane, he left the airport and joined a civilian tour to the Joint Security Area in the Panmunjom truce village that straddles the border, where he broke away from the group and sprinted to North Koreas portion of the village.

He was expelled from North Korea about two months later and flown back to the US. No concessions were given to North Korea in order to secure Kings release, according to a US official.

Its unusual for North Korea to quickly expel a US service member seeking refuge there. The North Korean government has held such individuals in the past to extract concessions from the US. In some instances they were held for propaganda purposes, with a show trial and sometimes a confession likely designed by Pyongyangs propaganda apparatus to tarnish the image of the US.

North Koreas state media said King crossed into its territory because he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army. His release after about two months likely indicates that Pyongyang didnt see much value in keeping him.

King has been held in the Otero County Detention Center in New Mexico, which Fort Bliss, Texas, uses for its pre-trial detainees, according to the Military.com website.
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested in France over alleged offences in connection with the messaging app. Reacting to the detention of the Russian-born founder of Telegram, former advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin made a major claim against the United States. Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov is charged with failing to prevent the dissemination of illicit material on Telegram, a platform with close to a billion users globally.(REUTERS)

The French government announced on Monday that the 39-year-old billionaire was taken into custody on August 24 in France as a result of an investigation into offenses involving child pornographic content, trafficking in illicit drugs, and forged transactions on the platform.

He is charged with failing to prevent the dissemination of illicit material on Telegram, a platform with close to a billion users globally.

Here's what Russia's State Duma chairman has to say

Vyacheslav Volodin, the head of Russia's State Duma, which functions similarly to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, held the United States responsible over his arrest, alleging that the US tried to seize control of Telegram through France.

Telegram is one of the few and, at the same time, the largest Internet platforms over which the United States has no influence, Volodin wrote on social media, without providing any evidence.

On the eve of the US presidential election, it is important for President Joe Biden to take Telegram under control.

Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron's denial of any role and declared the French government had nothing to do with the Telegram founder's detention.

According to Macron, Durov was detained on French soil as a result of an ongoing judicial inquiry. This is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide, he stated.

Durov departed Russia in 2014 after losing control of his previous firm as a result of his refusal to give security forces. Despite being a resident of Dubai, he holds dual citizenship of France and UAE. His custody was prolonged by 48 hours on Monday, informed a Paris prosecutor's office official on Tuesday.

Also Read: Was Telegram CEO Pavel Durovs girlfriend the reason behind his arrest?

Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov speaks out on Moscow-Paris ties

According to Lavrov, the arrest of Durov has brought Moscow-Paris relations to an all-time low, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Russia refuted the allegations made by French authorities that it is attempting to destabilise the nation ahead of the Paris Olympics in retaliation for the country's more assertive position on the crisis in Ukraine.

Speaking top reporters on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia is prepared to offer Durov all the help he needs, stating that the charges are very serious indeed.

They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication, he added.
Toronto: Describing the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year as an assassination, Americas National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has said that the United States and Canada are cooperating at every level with regard to the killing. He also said that the US and Canada jointly take a firm line against such attempted or actualised assassinations. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (AFP)

Sullivan, who attended a Canadian Cabinet retreat in Halifax, Nova Scotia, made these remarks while responding to media queries there on Monday. Sullivan met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Cabinet Ministers while in Halifax.

The US and Canada have cooperated at every level: Law enforcement, intelligence, and diplomatic. And we will continue to do so because, as you know, and as we have said publicly, and briefed Congress on, we had an attempted assassination in the United States as well. It was a tragedy what happened in Canada, he said.

We have good cooperation and coordination on these issues and we take a very firm line on the question of attempted and actualized assassinations in our two countries. And it is our joint commitment along with other allies, to stand firmly against that, he added.

Nijjar was murdered in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year. Three months later, Trudeau stated in the House of Commons that there were credible allegations of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing. That statement caused a rupture in relations between the two countries as India described the charges as absurd and motivated.

Last year in November, an indictment in a Federal court in New York was unsealed revealing an unsuccessful plot to kill Nijjars close friend and SFJs general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun. The American documents pointed to an Indian official allegedly directing alleged gangster Nik Gupta to facilitate Pannuns killing but that plan went awry as the person he contacted was an undercover American operative.

But Nijjars killing was specifically mentioned in the indictment. Gupta was arrested in Czechia and subsequently extradited to the US, where he is in prison awaiting trial.

Four Indian nationals are currently in custody in connection with the Nijjar killing. Investigators have yet to substantiate the allegations of an Indian hand in the murder but have said that angle continues to be probed.

Late last year, India established an internal inquiry committee to look into the attempt on Pannuns life but that does not include the Nijjar matter.
OpenAI announced Tuesday a new collaboration with global mass media company Conde Nast, which will allow the artificial intelligence company's products to feature content from prominent publications.

The partnership will allow platforms like ChatGPT and SearchGPT to use content from Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, and Wired, thus enhancing the quality and reliability of information provided through OpenAI's AI-driven tools. The collaboration marks a significant step for OpenAI in combining its advanced conversational models with trusted sources of information, according to CNBC.

"With the introduction of our SearchGPT prototype, we're testing new search features that make finding information and reliable content sources faster and more intuitive," OpenAI said in a blog post.

"We're combining our conversational models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources."

The company also said that SearchGPT will provide direct links to news stories, and there are plans to incorporate these features into ChatGPT in the future.

The deal with Conde Nast is part of a broader trend where media outlets are partnering with AI companies to distribute their content in innovative ways.

In July, Perplexity AI launched a revenue-sharing model with publishers, responding to plagiarism concerns. Notable media outlets such as Fortune, Time, and The Texas Tribune joined Perplexity's "Publishers Program," which compensates content providers when their work is used by AI tools.

OpenAI has been particularly active in forming such partnerships. In June, the company struck a multi-year deal with Time magazine, granting OpenAI access to over a century of Time's archived articles. This content will be integrated into ChatGPT, providing users with historical and contemporary information.

Similarly, in May, OpenAI announced a partnership with News Corp., enabling access to articles from The Wall Street Journal and other News Corp. publications.

Despite these collaborations, the relationship between AI companies and media outlets remains contentious, with some news organizations taking legal action to protect their intellectual property.

In June, The Center for Investigative Reporting filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its primary backer, Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement.

This follows similar legal actions from major publications like The New York Times, which accused OpenAI and Microsoft of unlawfully using its content for AI training.
China said it took "control measures" on Monday against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that had entered waters near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.

The China Coast Guard accused Manila of sending two ships to "illegally barge into waters near Xianbin Jiao", using the Chinese name for the Sabina Shoal.

The ships "continued to dangerously approach normally sailing Chinese coast guard ships, inciting hype", it said in a statement.

"The Chinese coast guard took control measures against the Philippine ships in accordance with the law," it added.

The Philippine Coast Guard said it sent two vessels to deliver provisions to one of its ships at Sabina Shoal.

As the vessels neared the shoal, they were forced to abandon the resupply mission due to China's "excessive" deployment of ships and rough sea conditions, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesman for Manila's coast guard, told AFP.

Spotted in the area were six ships from the China Coast Guard, three from the Chinese navy as well as 31 other vessels, Tarriela said.

"We were boxed, we were surrounded and it was difficult for us to move forward," he said.

AFP correspondents were among several media outlets on board the Philippine Coast Guard vessels for the mission.

Beijing claims most of the strategic South China Sea and has been involved in maritime confrontations with Manila in recent months, sparking fears of armed conflict that could draw in the United States, a Filipino military ally.

Multiple confrontations have taken place in recent days around Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometres from Hainan island, China's nearest major landmass.

"The Philippine Government deplores the repeated aggressive, unprofessional and illegal actions displayed by Chinese maritime forces against Philippine vessels and aircraft over the past week," Manila's National Maritime Council said in a statement on Monday.

Both sides have in recent months stationed coast guard vessels near Sabina, where the Philippines fears China is about to build an artificial island.

On Sunday, Beijing said a Philippine vessel had collided with one of its ships near the disputed shoal.

The Philippines slammed China's claims as "completely unfounded".

In response to the clash, Beijing on Monday said fault "lies entirely with the Philippine side".

"The Philippine side has frequently dispatched coast guard, government, and other vessels to forcibly enter the waters near Xianbin Reef," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

He added that Manila has been "attempting to resupply the Philippine vessel that has been illegally stationed at the lagoon in the reef for an extended period, aiming to establish a long-term presence".

China deploys boats to patrol the busy South China Sea and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.

On Saturday, Manila accused China of recently firing flares at one of its aircraft as it patrolled over the South China Sea.

And in June, the Philippine military said one of its sailors lost a thumb in the confrontation in which Beijing's coast guard also confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment including guns.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday called last week's deadly knife attack an act "terrorism against us all" and pledged swift action to tighten weapons controls.

The violence Friday at a street festival in western Germany's Solingen, which killed three people and wounded eight, was allegedly carried out by a 26-year-old Syrian man with links to the Islamic State (IS) group.

The events have shaken Germany and fuelled a renewed debate about immigration ahead of key regional elections set for Sunday.

"This was terrorism, terrorism against us all," Scholz said at a press conference in Solingen.

The attack threatened "the way we live together", the chancellor said.

Flanked by regional political leaders, Scholz laid flowers at a makeshift memorial to the victims and spoke with emergency service responders.

"We will now have to tighten up the weapons regulations... in particular with regard to the use of knives," Scholz said, adding that "I'm sure this will happen very quickly".

Germany would also have to "do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and must not stay here in Germany are repatriated and deported," Scholz said.

The suspect in the attack, a 26-year-old Syrian man, gave himself up to authorities late Saturday after a day on the run and confessed, police said.

German anti-terrorism prosecutors have taken over the investigation and the man, named as Issa Al H., has been detained on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and belonging to a "terrorist group".

The Islamic State group said in a statement on Saturday that one of its members had carried out the attack in "revenge" for Muslims "in Palestine and everywhere".

"The perpetrator of the attack on a gathering of Christians in the city of Solingen in Germany yesterday was a soldier of the Islamic State," said a statement from the jihadists' Amaq news agency on the Telegram messaging app.

The claim could not be immediately verified.

According to the Bild and Spiegel news outlets, the suspect arrived in Germany in December 2022 and had a protected immigration status often given to those fleeing war-torn Syria.

He was meant to have been deported to Bulgaria, where he had first arrived in the European Union, but the operation failed after he went missing.

The suspect was not however known to German security services as a dangerous extremist, according to officials.

The attack has reignited a debate around immigration in the EU's most populous country ahead of regional elections next weekend in Saxony and Thuringia, two states in the former communist East Germany.

The far-right, anti-immigrant AfD party, which is aiming for gains in the state polls after recent electoral wins, has accused successive governments of having caused "chaos" by allowing in too many immigrants.

The co-leader of the AfD, Alice Weidel, on Monday called for a "stop to immigration, admission and naturalisation" for five years.

Meanwhile, Friedrich Merz, the head of the conservative CDU, Germany's main opposition party, urged the government to stop taking in refugees from Syria and Afghanistan.

A complete stop to asylum applications from those countries would not be in keeping with Germany's constitution, Scholz's spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said at a regular government press conference on Monday.

On the other side of the equation, Scholz's government was already under pressure to resume deportations to both countries, after a halt of several years.

Members of Scholz's ruling coalition had called for tougher deportation measures after a 25-year-old Afghan stabbed a policeman to death in Mannheim in May, in an attack that targeted an anti-Islam rally.

German security services have been on high alert for Islamist attacks since the Gaza war erupted on October 7 with the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Germany has been hit by several such attacks in recent years, with the most deadly being a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in 2016 that killed 12 people.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announces the opening of Hyatt Place Rouen, expanding the Hyatt Place brand's global footprint in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members. Combining style, innovation and 24/7 convenience, the new hotel features a modern design, casual atmosphere, and practical amenities, such as three meeting rooms, a restaurant with French regional cuisine, onsite spa with a heated pool and treatment rooms, and state-of-the-art fitness centre.

Hyatt Place Rouen is conveniently situated in the heart of Rouen, a pleasant stroll from iconic sites such as the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Rouen and the Gothic Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, and located within a former teacher training college dating back to 1886. Just a two-hour drive away from Paris, with unparalleled access to the charming countryside and historical sites of Normandy, Hyatt Place Rouen is an ideal choice for both work and relaxation, situated in the third most visited region in France.

The hotel offers panoramic views overlooking the city's skyline of "a hundred spires", and this outlook is reflected in the interior design with a steel blue palette evoking the Seine River and stormy Norman skies. This complements the muted yellow tones, in a nod to the region's renowned Calvados spirits and warmth of the local culture. Stripes feature throughout the property, as a reference to the half-timbering characteristic of the old town area. Within the "Jardins des Oeuvres", three striking sculptures add to the hotel's charm and character. Seamlessly blending contemporary style and comfort, Hyatt Place creates an easy to navigate experience for today's modern traveller.

Hotel website
A graceful tropical retreat neighbouring the traditional hillside village of Banjar Puhu in the north of Ubud, Anantara Ubud Bali Resort will become the second Anantara property to open on the Indonesian island when it welcomes its first guests on 1st October 2024.

A collection of 85 modern suites and pool villas as well as 15 branded residences cascading down a densely forested hill towards a mountain stream, the tranquil resort is situated close to the vibrant cultural life of Ubud yet feels blissfully remote. Contemporary 53-square-metre suites place guests into the thick of the jungle, with gently rustling tree branches and soothing sounds of the babbling stream providing a natural soundtrack. Meanwhile, one- and two-bedroom villas, all with infinity pools, are designed as calming oases perched among the treetops.

Culinary options range from signature venue AMERTA, where local dishes prepared in a wood-fired oven celebrate Bali's bounty; to local fare and nutritious breakfast at KIRANA; SULANG's misty valley views and smart cocktails; and afternoon tea and all-day coffee backed by a stunning Mount Agung's panorama at The Lobby Lounge. For special occasions, the signature Designer Dining experience is an opportunity to host a private picnic lunch by a waterfall or a formal dinner in a private pavilion.

The resort's leisure facilities include two heated swimming pools, adult-only and family, a jungle-clad yoga deck and a spacious gym. The youngest travellers will have their own space at the Kids' Club. Anantara Spa, where the lush forest and flowing stream immerse guests in nature, offers indigenous treatments and healing therapies alongside multi-day wellness experiences. Two state-of-the-art meeting rooms ensure productive stays in an energising, distraction-free setting.

When not exploring central Ubud's trendy eateries, fashion boutiques and art galleries, guests can join on-site arts and crafts workshops, hands-on cooking classes, as well as guided yoga and meditation. For natural immersion, the breathtaking beauty of the island's uplands awaits right on the doorstep, from emerald rice fields to Hindu temples and shrines.

The resort is located a scenic 2.5-hour drive from Denpasar International Airport. To celebrate the opening, Anantara Ubud Bali has launched a special stay package, Ubud Indulgence Awaits, valid until 31 March 2025. For more information, please visit www.anantara.com/en/ubud-bali.

Hotel website
In his new role, Ryan will oversee the execution of the country's commercial function including sales, marketing, and reservations.

A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Ryan's passion for hospitality began during his school years, working in various restaurants and hotels. He honed his skills at the Cape Town Hotel School before advancing into revenue management roles in both the UK and South Africa. He brings a wealth of experience to Hilton in the Seychelles and was most recently Commercial Director at a hotel company based in South Africa, where he strategically managed teams to maximize revenue across 23 properties.
WISCO Hotel Group has made a strategic leap forward in enhancing efficiency and maximizing event revenue by incorporating cutting-edge technology from SalesAndCatering.com. The prominent Wisconsin-based hospitality company has successfully transitioned to the STS Cloud platform, incorporating advanced e-signature capabilities, ProposalPath proposal tools, and Visrez 3D table diagramming to enhance event sales opportunities, giving them a competitive edge. The group, which manages a diverse portfolio of 14 hotels, including the Radisson Fond du Lac, has reported significant improvements in collaboration, performance, productivity, and user engagement since the implementation.

WISCO Hotel Groups decision to transition from its previous system to SalesAndCatering.coms suite of solutions underscores its commitment to operational excellence and guest satisfaction. The seamless migration process, which included importing data from the legacy system, has provided the group with a more robust and flexible platform, particularly in terms of remote access and contract management. Integrating e-signature functionality has streamlined the execution of Contracts, Event Orders, and PCI-compliant Credit Card Authorization forms, ensuring a secure and efficient process. The user-friendly interface and cloud-based accessibility empower staff to manage tasks more effectively, ultimately elevating the guest experience and supporting the hotel's long-term growth objectives.

In addition to adopting STS Cloud, two of WISCO Hotel Groups properties have integrated ProposalPath and Visrez into their operations. ProposalPath, the industry-leading proposal tool, has enabled these hotels to enhance their proposal creation and presentation, improving client engagement and conversion rates. The Visrez 3D table diagramming tool has further strengthened the groups event management capabilities, allowing for precise and visually compelling event setups that meet the exacting standards of their clients.

Heather Gritt-Wing, Vice President of Sales at WISCO Hotel Group, highlighted the smooth transition and the rapid adaptation of the groups staff to the new system. The transition to STS Cloud, along with ProposalPath and Visrez, has been seamless. Our team was highly engaged from the outset and quickly adapted to the new workflows. The system has provided us with the advanced capabilities we needed, and the uniformity across our varied portfolio has been particularly beneficial, said Gritt-Wing.

The Radisson Fond du Lac, WISCO Hotel Groups most significant property, which features complex meeting spaces, has particularly benefited from the new system. The STS Cloud platform, combined with ProposalPath and Visrez, has enhanced the hotels ability to manage its extensive event space efficiently, ensuring a smooth and consistent experience.

By centralizing sales, events, and catering operations, the system streamlines workflows, reduces errors, and accelerates processes, allowing staff to focus on strategic tasks. Seamless integration with other management systems enhances collaboration, while advanced analytics provide insights for optimizing revenue and decision-making. The integrated solution enhances client engagement through personalized proposals and ensures data security and compliance, with scalability to adapt to growth and market changes.

Ryan Hamilton, CEO of SalesAndCatering.com, welcomed the new partnership, noting that the groups decision-making process was driven by their need for a more flexible and user-friendly system. WISCO Hotel Groups move to STS Cloud, coupled with their use of ProposalPath and Visrez, reflects their forward-thinking approach to hospitality management. They recognized the need for a system that meets their current needs and positions them for future growth and success, said Hamilton.

SalesAndCatering.com remains committed to providing innovative products that meet the evolving event management needs of the hospitality industry. The successful engagement with WISCO Hotel Group exemplifies the impact of its easy-to-use, affordable, and full-featured technology in delivering exceptional end-to-end event experiences - driving productivity and supporting the growth and success of its clients.

For more information or to schedule a live demo, visit salesandcatering.com.

About Wisco Hotel Group

Wisco Hotel Group owns and operates 14 hotels in six Wisconsin cities. Our trusted Wisconsin lodging brands include the Holiday Inn, the Holiday Inn Express, Baymont Inn & Suites, Candlewood Suites, Radisson, Comfort Suites, Comfort Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites. You can currently find Wisco Hotel group locations in Appleton, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Madison, and Milwaukee. Find the Wisconsin lodging that's best for you, and rest easy thanks to our signature warm hospitality. http://www.wiscohotels.com/

Mike Pavicich

Director, Global Sales

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Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum  HTIF 2024, the most influential hospitality conference in Bulgaria and one of the most visited in Europe will cover a broad range of topics, including sustainable hospitality investments and operations, strategic management, digitalization, revenue management, and human resources.

HTIF 2024 highlights include:

Independent, managed or franchised hotel: Which model provides the best ROI for owners?

Hospitality investments in Bulgaria: Where are the niches?

View from the top: How do hotel investors and executives see current business challenges and opportunities?

Travel trends and inbound tourism: Where should Bulgaria look for growth opportunities?

Effective team management: How to attract and motivate promising staff?

Sustainability and innovations in hotel restaurant: how to unlock the hidden potential?

Advanced hospitality: How can dynamic pricing and revenue management boost profitability?

Service automation & robots: how to elevate guest experience in 2024?

Digital marketing and ORM for hotels: Major trends, case studies

and more.

At HTIF 2024, the delegates will receive firsthand information on the recent trends and opportunities in the hospitality business; hear from top investors and experts; and network with over 500 owners and executives of hotels and hotel groups. For industry vendors, the event provides excellent opportunities to boost their brand awareness, prearrange meetings, and mingle with people who matter.

Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum is co-organized by the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Executives (BAHE).

Photo summary of HTIF 2023: http://htif.eu/gallery

About BAHE

The Bulgarian Association of Hotel Executives (BAHE) is a professional organization that unites hotel and hotel group owners and executives. BAHE members manage more than 20,000 hotel rooms all over Bulgaria. The organization is instrumental in organizing the annual Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum (HTIF), which takes place every year in Sofia, as well as many other hospitality events.
Cash in Hand: Examining the Role Hotel PMS Plays in Digital Tipping and Employee Rewards - By Warren Dehan - Image Credit Maestro PMS



Hotel companies must consider the impact of digital tipping trends on employee satisfaction as we trend toward a cashless society

Tipping is an integral part of North American service culture, but it has always had challenges in hospitality. Travelers today carry fewer cash bills than ever, with a recent study showing that just 16 percent of all transactions today are handled using cash. More businesses are turning to digital tipping solutions to adapt to this shift in consumer behavior, but common barriers exist in the hotel tech stack that prevent some independent hoteliers from quickly offering digital tipping. Tipping is a significant way for operators to earn monetary rewards and judge the level of service they are offering, and hotels owe it to their staff to provide access to digital tips.

The first challenge many hotels encounter when adopting digital tipping is that managing tips is typically isolated to the hotel PMS for historical operational reasons. However, hotels must have a means to make tipping a standalone service they offer. This is important because consumers want to ensure the tip they leave goes directly to the provider giving them service. Often, travelers fear their tips will go into a general pool or not reach workers. These perceptions have fueled a negative opinion toward tipping across the general public, with a recent study showing just 33 percent of Americans have a favorable view of tipping.

Furthermore, tips today are high. A 2022 study found that 37 percent of Canadians tip between 15 and 19 percent for exceptional service. Often, in the hospitality industry, tips can be even higher. This only applies when consumers have confidence that the intended party is receiving the tip. Simple fixes exist today. Bar and QR code technology can be tied directly to the hotel staffs ID, making locating the specific individual one wants to tip easy. If tied to the PMS, a scanned QR code can deliver travelers to a custom page, allowing them to offer a gratuity to a staff member or a general pool of workers.

However, once the money is in a hotels system, they must make careful decisions about distributing tips among workers. Improper application can squander the goodwill of introducing the capability in the first place.

Real Money

On a surface level, managing cash tips is easycash in, cash out. But digital tips require a different delivery method if they are to reach the intended worker, especially if workers desire immediate access to their funds. Hotels have approached this challenge with many good ideas and a few that havent worked as well.

One well-intentioned approach to delivering digital tips to workers has been offering gift cards stocked with tips following a workers shift. However, while gift cards may solve this problem in the short term, they depend on how and where they can be used. Often, gift cards have limitations when reaching low balances and can cause workers to feel like they are missing out on the sum total of what theyve rightfully earned.

Instead, hotels with payment processing integrated into their PMS can offer Visa gift cards with balances that can be checked, controlled, and transferred. Visa cards help workers feel like they can benefit from digital tipping the same way they have with cash all these years. Often, these systems operate without cost to the hotel and only benefit operations by improving morale and making it easier for guests to reward operators when they feel theyve earned it.

Implementation

Digital tipping is growing in mainstream appeal across the service industry, mainly in response to us graduating into a cashless society in many respects. However, operators must be all in on the concept to use this technology. This is because digital tipping requires payment processing to be routed through the hotel PMS, and then it must interface with all areas of hotel operations to be feasible at all times.

Digital tipping also has positive security benefits and allows guests to consider tipping more significant amounts than they typically carry on hand. Operators can also leverage their PMS partners capabilities to design branded microsites to deliver digital tipping offerings across a branded platform. While your PMS provider supports the system, guests can remain digital with your hotels branding, reducing confusion at critical moments in the purchase process.

While it may sound daunting, hotels are used to adapting to this level of planning. Digital tipping requires a thoughtful approach that allows housekeepers and maintenance workers to be tipped as often as the front desk and bellhop. If hoteliers take the time to digest all the options and opportunities this technology provides, they will implement the most effective and reliable method of compensating today's staff. In fact, by the time you read this, digital tipping will likely already be mainstream.

About the Author





Warren Dehan is the President of Maestro, the preferred Web Browser based cloud and on-premises all-in-one PMS solution for independent hotels, luxury resorts, conference centers, vacation rentals, and multi-property groups. Maestros enterprise system offers embedded payments and 20+ integrated modules on a single database, including mobile and contact free apps to increase profitability, drive direct bookings, centralize operations, and enable operators to engage guests with a personalized and safe experience. Maestros Support Service provides unparalleled 24/7 North American based live support and education services.
255 Room Hotel in Malacca, Malaysia Listed for Sale - Image Credit JLL

Interested purchasers should seize the opportunity to invest in the purchase of the 255-room hotel in Malacca for several compelling reasons. Firstly, the hotel's prominent location in the heart of Malacca ensures a constant influx of tourists, guaranteeing a steady and profitable occupancy rate.

The presence of the largest stained-glass dome in Malaysia adds a touch of grandeur to the hotel, enhancing its appeal and setting it apart from other properties in the area. This distinct feature creates a captivating ambiance that guests will truly cherish during their stay.

Investing in this hotel also offers the advantage of being situated near Malacca's historic district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rich cultural heritage. This ensures that the hotel is well-positioned to cater to history enthusiasts and leisure travelers seeking an immersive cultural experience. The convenience of access to major shopping destinations and the picturesque Malacca River also adds to the overall allure of the property.

Ultimately, purchasing this hotel presents a lucrative investment opportunity. Its prime location, exceptional amenities, unique features, and cultural immersion make it an ideal choice for investors looking to capitalize on the thriving tourism industry in Malacca.

Investment highlights

Prime Location: The hotel is strategically located in the heart of Malacca, a popular tourist destination in Malaysia. Its proximity to major attractions, such as the River Cruise, Jonker Street, and A Famosa, ensures a high demand from tourists. Thriving Tourism Industry: Malacca is known for its rich cultural heritage and UNESCO World Heritage Site status, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. Investing in a hotel within such a vibrant tourism industry presents excellent potential for a profitable venture. Income Potential: An investment in the hotel presents a promising income potential through room occupancy, food and beverage services, and other revenue-generating facilities within the property.

For inquiries visit JLL.
Charting the Rise of Ambient Music

Some may think of ambient music as background noise, but the genre has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, and pioneers like Brian Eno and William Basinski have furthered it. We chart the rise of ambient music.

Charting the Rise of Ambient Music

by Sonia Chien from the Chartmetric Blog

In the busy times of the digital age, ambient music has emerged as the soundtrack of those seeking calm and focus. In recent years, the genre has seen higher levels of streaming than ever, which can be largely attributed to the rise of mood playlists, or playlists themed around a specific mood or taste. Due to its propensity to seamlessly fade into the background, ambient music has proven to be an ideal fit for placement on work, relaxation and sleep playlists and thus become an integral part of the growing background music industry, which was valued at 1.5 billion dollars in 2022. Revenue generated from editorial playlists has also become proportionally higher than any other source of income for ambient artists. Between 2016 and now, top ambient artists have seen notable growth in their inclusion on Spotify editorial playlists.

While it is hard to discount the financial value for ambient artists who are benefitting from an increase in regular listenership, perhaps it is also worth asking: if people are only listening to ambient music while working, in transit, or as the  save progress  sound while playing video games, to what extent are they engaging with the music? Unlike genres like hip-hop or rock which are relatively attention-commanding by nature, ambient is music that is as ignorable as it is interesting, in the words of ambient pioneer Brian Eno . Is it possible that as a result of modern listening habits, the ignorable elements of ambient are outweighing appreciation of the interesting ones?

Chartmetric spoke to ambient musician William Basinski , who noted his belief that many people use ambient music as an antidote to a common problem. So many people have all this stuff going around in their heads all the time, what I like to call feedback loops, oftentimes bad feedback loops. And they like to have something distracting them from that.

What is Ambient?

Its sort of a different kind of silence, described William to Chartmetric about his conception of ambient. Youre in another world. I call it the bubble of eternity .

Before its modern founding as a musical genre in the 1970s, the term ambient was first used more than one hundred years ago by biologist Jakob von Uexkull in order to describe the spatial adjacency of objects or organisms, or the way in which a living creature is reflected in its environment and vice versa. In the 1990s, French philosopher Gilles Deleuze and psychoanalyst Felix Guattari also explored ambient through the concept of immanence , referring to humanitys undivided relationship with the world and its objects. Ambient also has roots in visual arts and architecture , formats that strive to achieve a certain subtlety or seamlessness to the tone of the works environment.

The first appearance of ambient in music culture is often attributed to Erik Satie , whose concept of  furniture music,  or sounds designed as a part of an environment, led to the 1917 recording of  Tapisserie en fer forge  (wrought-iron tapestry).

Innovative classical composer John Cage has also been cited for his contributions to modern ambient, including in 1952 with the highly controversial  433 . 433 is a silent composition intended to highlight ambient sound , such as the sounds of a confused audience, as an experience also constituting music. It was deemed controversial due to the fact that many audience members felt cheated by the absence of composed sounds. Despite decades of fielding off critics, the track has seen a recent increase in popularity and has more than quintupled its Spotify streams over the past three years.

Contemporary artists have since continued to expand the ambient philosophy, such as Lawrence English in his manifesto-esque 12 Notes Towards A Future Ambient , which details prospects for ambient as a musical practice, including descriptors such as a music of lived moments, never only music for escapism, [but rather] a zone for participation and never finished, an experiential process of becoming.

In his corresponding essay on modern ambient, English, the composer behind recent album release Selene alongside pianist Akira Kosemura , also describes his belief that ambient as a genre has recently lost its way in its middle age, as it has in the past with its prior misassociation with New Age music . Genres, like human beings, can undergo periods where direction and clarity are lacking.

While a singular definition of ambient proves evasive, a collection of associations emerge: spatiality, subtlety, presence, personal power , environment, and connection. Perhaps one of the most distinctive descriptions of ambient music differentiating it from other genres comes from music journalist Simon Reynolds :

Ambient is un-rocknroll because its built up by layers, whereas rock is about jamming: instruments fit together like cogs, forming a rhythmic engine that kicks your ass. Ambient is kind to your ass. Its sofa rock, Erik Saties furniture music.

Regardless of a precise meaning, it is evident that ambient has more to offer than the blanket term of background music suggests.

The Influence of Music for Airports

Brian Eno, who was the first to coin the term ambient as a musical genre, famously arrived at the inspiration for Ambient 1: Music for Airports on a Sunday morning in the Cologne, Germany airport in 1977, while waiting for a flight. The light was beautiful, everything was beautiful, Eno told Smithsonian Magazine in 2012, except they were playing awful music. They spend hundreds of millions of poundson everything. Except the music. It was this that compelled him to begin composing music for public environments, which resulted in the groundbreaking album.

When Music for Airports was eventually installed in LaGuardia Airport in 1980 , it was met with its fair share of critics. It sounds like funeral music , one terminal worker said. Other early reviewers reported the album as  bland,  with Michael Bloom from Rolling Stone calling it unfocusedaesthetic white noise, and NMEs Lynden Barber suggesting that the white-tiled atmosphere and simply ignorable sound could have merited the title Music for Toilets.

It was not long however before Music for Airports found an audience of admirers, and other artists began to draw inspiration from the seminal album , even thirty years later. In 2010, influential English electronic group The Black Dog released Music for Real Airports , an album derived from 200 hours of field recordings from real airports captured on the bands smartphones. It was performed to a sold-out audience in the same year.

Airports promise travel, exploration and excitement but endlessly break that promise with their stale, tedious pressure, says the albums Bandcamp page about the project. This record is not necessarily a comfortable listen. But it captures the spectrum of emotions stirred by airports.

Despite warnings of potential discomfort from the band, the ambient album has made its way onto a fair share of playlists, with additions continuing even 14 years after its release.

Following Music for Airports, Eno released Ambient 4: On Land in 1982, which included a note on the back of the album which explained an alternative immersive listening method for those who were unable to afford a quad system setup (the precursor to surround sound). Eno suggested that listeners attach a third speaker behind them to form a triangle with two other standard speakers, in order to create the ideal ambient listening experience on a budget.

Small details like Enos speaker guide served to further engrain ambient as an intentional listening philosophy experience, beyond its classification as a musical genre.

A Conversation with William Basinski

Im a blue baby. I was born with the blue. I have a melancholic tendency, but thank god I have a sense of humor, William told Chartmetric.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8aC9G_ObJO/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7c27bc21-f255-4c6d-aa20-a01615c6e986

The influential ambient artist, known for his melancholic compositions and analog work with tape loops, has been active since the late seventies. His big break was in 2001 with The Disintegration Loops , a four-volume album, the first of which came to fruition whilst attempting to restore old tape loops to a digital format. During the process the tapes began to crumble, leaving behind a haunting recording, the release of which coincided with the fall of the Twin Towers. William dedicated the album to the victims of the attacks, and an image of the New York City skyline after the collapse was used as the cover artwork. In 2016, Pitchfork named the four volumes as the third-best ambient record of all time.

Disintegration Loops took off and gave the critics and everybody somewhere to go. So the destruction of my early work launched my career after 20 years, described William. Theres a lot more people interested in [ambient] now. What do they say  the rising tide raises all boats.

William has since released dozens more studio albums, as well as collaborated with many artists including Lawrence English, Richard Chartier , and Janek Schaefer . He is also a member of the electronic group SPARKLE DIVISION . Williams new record September 23 comes out later this year.

Three of Williams tracks can be found on Spotifys Ambient Essentials , an editorial playlist with over 203k followers. The track  dlp 1.1.3  has maintained a position within the top ten since it was added to the playlist in 2021.

When asked about the difference between the format of Disintegration Loops between Spotify and Bandcamp (on Bandcamp, the recordings are available by volume, with DLP 1.1 at about an hours length, whereas on Spotify they are segmented into individual tracks), William noted it was done by his record company in order to boost listenership. Spotify and YouTube dont pay much, and theyre trying to start paying less.

William also described his process during live performances, which involves working with tape loops in real time, which can be unpredictable. Some of them are 40 years old. You never know whats going to happen with tape loops. Youve got to be really careful, as you dont want them to get chewed up in the machine. And its [a different show] every time.

Each performance also includes a detail-oriented sound check, as many venues modern equipment is not ideal for the medium. A lot of places have big subwoofers. We just dont use subwoofersanything thats coming out [of them] is tape rumble and all kinds of horrible noise.

William is also known for his lively energy and talkative spirit on stage. I always talk when I get on stage. [I like to] let the audience know Im a human being, make everyone comfortable and know that were all here together, that were going to just chill out.

Ambient in the Age of Distraction

Considering ambients rich and varied history, maybe it is unsurprising that some of its accomplishments as a genre have faded into the woodwork. It could be argued that acceptance of the manner in which people choose to listen is in fact in alignment with the philosophy of the genre. However, in its tradition as a listening practice that stems from attunement with ones environment and appreciation of subtleties, what chance does it have in an attention economy that rewards the fast-paced, flashy, and distracting? Should the irony be addressed, that a musical form designed to connect us to the surrounding world is being used to disassociate from desk jobs and doing the dishes?

As Lawrence suggests , ambient is facing a sort of crossroads in the age of distraction. By embracing ambients roots in and sensitivity towards a radical and relational space, musicians and listeners alike can begin to reconnect with the genre. He models this well in his recent Instagram post concluding his recent tour: I watched lava spill from the mouth of a volcano while surrounded by 1000 singing frogs

https://www.instagram.com/p/C85WFbGyKTb/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f1721ff0-8a13-4bf9-9e9a-ef0ddd3ffc53

Others may consider engagement with the genre to be a matter of perspective. When asked about his thoughts on the modern condition of ambient, William mainly spoke about his appreciation of how his fans benefit from his music in their own unique ways.

They tell me about how it helped them during a very difficult period of their life, or when their mother was dying, these kinds of things. Or people studying in university or writing their thesis, and [my music has allowed them to] fall into a place where they can focus.

He also expressed his gratitude for his fans awareness around supporting creators financially.

[My fans] are some of the most smart, most beautiful people Ive ever met in the whole world. When they get out of school and get a job, they can go to Bandcamp and support the work. And they do.

Visualizations by Nicki Camberg and cover image by Crasianne Tirado. Data as of Aug. 23, 2024.

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Dalton Planners Need More Information on Tiny Home Taxing

DALTON, Mass.  There are too many questions that need to be answered before the Planning Board can vote on amending its accessory dwelling unit bylaw to include movable tiny homes.

Unanswered concerns surround the tax implications of changing the bylaw to include them as vehicles or as real estate.

Town Planner Janko Tomasic said he had contacted the town assessor for feedback but has not yet received a response.

Douglas Smith, the founder of Beechwood Tiny Homes in New Hampshire, attended the meeting last week to answer any questions the board may have had.

"I know on our planning board, we do not have anything to do with taxes. Why is that relevant to the planning board in Massachusetts? Is that something you folks are responsible for in your state," Smith asked.

Board member Don Davis clarified that he does not feel comfortable amending a bylaw that will cause issues for other departments in the future.

"It seems to me [referring to Davis off camera] I hear taxes, and I hear movable, so this is a typical [not in my back yard] response that we've come across in all the advocacy that I do," ADU subcommittee member Amy Turnbull said.

Davis emphasized several times throughout the discussion that he is not against tiny homes. He just wants to wait until he has the facts and information before making decisions.

He even pointed out that he helped a friend move their tiny house from North Carolina to Lake George, N.Y., and described it as "a beautiful tiny house."

Tensions were high during the Wednesday meeting due to confusion over a motion not to vote on amending the bylaw.

Board member Jarred Mongeon opened the discussion with an update that Great Barrington adopted language in its ADU bylaw to include moveable tiny homes as accessory dwellings. They allow ADUs by right in every zone.

"A movable, tiny home connected to electricity, water, sewer, and septic that has its chassis, wheels, and hitch concealed shall be considered an accessory dwelling," Mongeon said.

Mongeon also updated the board that on Aug. 6, the state updated its law to allow accessory dwelling units without local zoning approval if they meet certain requirements. This state law would not go into effect until February 2025.

"We find that there are certain parameters within the new state law that are different from ours, so we're going to have to address that because we cannot be more restrictive than the state one. We can be less restrictive, but we cannot be more restrictive," he said.

When opening up the discussion, Mongeon emphasized that he is not looking for a vote on amending the bylaw to include movable tiny homes. He just wanted to start the discussion.

"I don't want to go vote on nothing or talking about it myself unless I actually see the new rules and regulations that come out, so I make a motion to table this until we actually have the documents," Davis said.

Based on the discussion with the ADU subcommittee, Mongeon recommended that the board use Great Barrington as an example for its bylaw changes.

He said the subcommittee wanted to open discussions about adopting the language that Great Barrington did and including moveable tiny homes as an option for ADUs.

Davis again emphasized that he feels uncomfortable adopting "anybody's information" until he has read the new laws.

Mongeon noted that the state law has nothing to do with movable tiny homes but said he understands the objection and a decision does not need to be made today.

Turnbull said she is frustrated because this topic has been tabled for the last three monthly meetings.

"I had brought a presenter [Smith] here through the subcommittee, and you shut us down. I'm very, very embarrassed about that. Here's a gentleman who took time out of his day, and you shut him down," Turnbull said.

Board chair Vice Chair Zack McCain III pointed out that Smith did not give a presentation and attended the meeting to answer any of the boards questions.

During the meeting, Smith reiterated what had been explained during previous meetings  that tiny homes, even though they are on wheels, are not the same as mobile homes or recreational vehicles and are built to a similar standard as regular homes.

The tiny home industry is facing a lot of challenges due to the conflicting regulations with different agencies like the state Department of Housing and Urban Development and the American National Standards Institute, Smooth said.

There is a lot of "finger-pointing in the industry," and there is confusion about who is responsible for regulating tiny homes, he said.

"However, as a builder, I use a service from [ National Organization of Alternative Housing Inc .] and they do offer a dwelling standard. We, as builders, build those tiny homes as close as we possibly can to an actual home," Smith said.

Turnbull said she has already received an offer from NOAA to attend a future meeting if necessary.
Body of Missing Readsboro Man Found

READSBORO, Vt.  A missing Readsboro man was found inside his car, down an embankment in Whitingham.

Harold Lavanway, 73, was reported missing by family on Sunday. He was last seen on Friday at approximately 10 p.m. by a neighbor traveling south toward the Monroe Bridge area in Massachusetts.

His gray 2011 Honda Civic was discovered off Tunnel Street in Whitingham early Monday morning and State Police were notified. They confirmed that Lavanway was in the vehicle and deceased.

Initial investigation by VSP shows that Lavanway was northbound on Tunnel Street and navigated a lefthand curve in the roadway. As the roadway straightened, he veered off the northbound shoulder, coming to a position of rest about 10 feet down a steep embankment. The time of this crash is currently unknown.

Lavanway's body will be transported to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

Troopers ask that anyone with information about this incident call the Shaftsbury Barracks at 802-442-5421. This investigation is ongoing, and no further information is available at this time.
The Hoosac Valley School Committee discusses how to provide information on the school budget ahead of a districtwide vote Sept. 30.

Hoosac Valley School Officials Set Date, Place for District Budget Vote

CHESHIRE, Mass.  The Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee wants voters to understand what is at stake when the attend a districtwide meeting next month.

The committee voted unanimously Monday set a district vote on the fiscal 2025 budget and resolved its continuing support for the spending plan.

The district meeting is open to all registered voters in the towns of Adams and Cheshire and will be held on Monday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoosac Valley High auditorium.

The annual town meeting had passed the spending plan dependent on a Proposition 2 1/2 override to cover the $150,000 increase in Cheshire's assessment. But the override failed on the ballot vote and a special town meeting that followed voted to level fund the assessment.

School officials say reducing Cheshire's assessment by $150,000 will mean a total cut of $600,000 because Adams' assessment would have to be reduced proportionally. A reduction of that size coming in the fall would affect positions and winter and spring sports.

"What happens if we don't have a budget? No one's really clear on that," said committee member Michael Henault. "If that doesn't happen, I think the voters should know what would happen. ... I think it's important for the public to know what's at stake."

Superintendent Aaron Dean said the district would have to prioritize programming, review revenue sources and determine what is regulated by state laws and grant funding.

"It's going to be a combination of things ... it will probably result in larger class sizes for some cohorts of students. It will result in less access to interventions that aren't mandated, so things that we typically provide around social emotional learning and mental health services, those areas will probably be affected," he said. "There are things dictated by law, so we would have to put a number of things on the table and look at the least impactful combination of those. ...

"We don't have one source of revenue. There's about 15 different sources of revenue that go into running a school system, you know, and a lot of laws that we have to work to comply with."

Should the budget vote fail or be voted lower, the district would likely have to look at dipping into reserves, as well, he said.

"We're finally getting to a point where we're getting systems in place, and we're going to start seeing the results," Dean continued.

Committee member Fred Lora asked what the committee could do to get the word out but Vice Chair Erin Milne cautioned that members could run afoul of conflict of interest laws, and recommended anyone with concerns contact the state Ethics Commission hotline. The members can't advocate for or against a vote, but they can provide facts, though she noted this is a fine line.

"You can do things in your personal capacity that can't do in the school capacity, and you can do things

in school capacity that can't do it in your personal capacity," she said. "And that's just a little tricky. So I would recommend everybody brush up on that."

It also prompted Milne to motion to amend the resolution stating the committee's continued support of the budget to add that it would "communicate" its officials stance, which would cover something like a position paper.

Dean was charged with coming up with facts and figures that could be sent home with parents and posted on the district's website. It would also provide the committee members with the facts they could point to when asked about the budget and what might happen if it fails.

The district calls the vote but it is up to the towns to determine a moderator and the town clerks to check in voters. Should the budget be affirmed, Cheshire expects to hit its reserves to cover the $150,000 gap; if it fails, it would return to the School Committee for further action.

The district is currently operating on a month-by-month budget based on last year's spending plan. If it doesn't have an approved budget in place by Dec. 1, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will step in.

When asked if the state would reduce the fiscal 2025 budget, Dean responded that it is sensible and within the limits that DESE had recommended. He noted that while Cheshire's assessment went up  based on enrollment and its designation as a "wealthier" town  it was just over the minimum contribution.

"It's very likely DESE would approve the budget as it's presented," he said.

In other business, Milne updated the committee on the districtwide policy review. An outside auditor has started work on those documents and the subcommittee is updating the graduation requirements to align them with the new Pathways program.

 Dean said leaking in the middle school gym has been traced to a drain that will be patched. However, he cautioned that the roof is 25 years old and at the end of its life. The patching may buy some time but the district may be looking at replacing the roof in the next five years along with some other capital investments.

Henault asked if the administration could look into solar grants that would expand the high school's solar generation and possibly cover replacement of the roof.

The superintendent said problems with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning automation system is now working properly after replacing were sensors that weren't working.

 School transportation schedules went out on Monday and the Dean said the district is in good shape in terms of the buildings being ready for the school year to begin. There are currently three openings  a teaching position and two paras  but new hires had their orientation on Monday and, he said, "we have an excited group of people who are going to be a great addition to the district."

 The committee also signed a memorandum of agreement with the town of Cheshire for Officer David Tarjick to become to the school resource officer. He will have space near the front office and his duties will largely be as a mentor and role model. The committee asked for more discussion on protocols for the SRO and how the position will be evaluated.
Page Content

Montreal, 27 August 2024  Aiming to reshape global aviation through heightened performance and sustainability, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) opened the 14th Air Navigation Conference at its Montreal headquarters today.





Bringing together over 750 delegates from 93 countries, including government officials, industry leaders, and other aviation experts from around the world, this Conference will play a critical role in charting the course for improving global air navigation systems. It comes as ICAO commemorates its 80th anniversary through a series of events and initiatives designed to reimagine aviation in a context of unprecedented change and accelerating innovation.





Zero emissions, Zero fatalities

With global air traffic rebounding to pre-pandemic levels and expected to more than double in the next two decades, the President of the ICAO Council, Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, emphasized the importance and urgency of addressing environmental responsibilities and integrating rapid technological advancements.





The challenges facing international civil aviation today are immense, but we can draw inspiration from our past, said Mr. Sciacchitano in his opening remarks. This Conference will refocus our efforts on existing and new technical initiatives that align with ICAO's aspirational goals: zero fatalities in international aviation, net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and ensuring aviation serves as an integral part of a thriving, connected, and inclusive transport system.







Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar echoed these sentiments in his remarks, highlighting ICAO's ambitious vision for the future. Twelve billion passengers aboard emission-free flights, with zero fatalities connecting people everywhere, and ensuring aviation has preserved and expanded its role as a catalyst for sustainable development worldwide. Thats our ambition for 2050, he stated. This Conference will enable us to reach a global consensus on performance improvement initiatives that support this mission, addressing aviations environmental challenges and adapting to rapidly evolving technologies.





A packed agenda

Over the next two weeks, participants will review proposed updates to global aviation safety and air navigation plans. They will also address a wide range of critical topics, including the timely and safe use of new aviation technologies and the enhancement of air navigation efficiency. These discussions will contribute to meeting ICAO's environmental targets. The Conference will also focus on the safety implications of emerging threats, such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) radio frequency interference and cyber risks to highly connected air navigation systems.





As the Conference opened, Mr. Sciacchitano urged participants to make these discussions count as they embark on their deliberations. The decisions we make here will have far-reaching implications for the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of global air navigation. Let us forge a path forward with resolve and vision.







To ensure transparency and encourage broader engagement, the Conference proceedings will be broadcasted live on ICAO TV (https://www.icao.tv/an-conf). This platform will provide real-time access to all conference sessions, including specialized SkyTalks featuring insights from industry experts and ICAO representatives.





The outcomes of these deliberations will play a crucial role in shaping the future of international civil aviation, ensuring it remains safe, efficient, and sustainable for decades to come. They will also directly influence the direction of ICAOs work programme and set the stage for crucial decisions at the 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly which will take place in 2025. By making these discussions accessible to a global audience, ICAO aims to foster broader understanding and collaboration in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the aviation sector.





The 14th Air Navigation Conference will conclude on 6 September 2024.







Resources for Editors

14th Air Navigation Conference



About ICAO

A specialized agency of the United Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) leads the international alignment of technical standards and strategies, facilitating the safe, secure, and sustainable development of its 193 member states aviation sectors and air services.





General Contact

communications@icao.int

LinkedIn







Media Contact

William Raillant-Clark

Communications Officer

wraillantclark@icao.int






iciHaiti - Tourism North : Emergency meeting to strengthen security





At the initiative of the Departmental Directorate of the North of the Ministry of Tourism, an emergency meeting was held last week to address the crucial issue of strengthening security at the National Park. The Ministry of Tourism of Haiti aims to coordinate public sector efforts to better organize tourist guide services, thus ensuring the safety of visitors, whether local or foreign. This approach is part of the priorities of the Ministry, which seeks to improve the supply of public services in the tourism sector.



The meeting brought together several key stakeholders, including Marie-Lourdes Trott of the Ministry of Tourism, engineer Neat Achille of the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage (ISPAN), David Toussaint of the Ministry of Culture, and Desforges Phirosner of the Milot City Hall.



The discussions focused on several key points, including strengthening the police presence in strategic areas, organizing entry fees in collaboration with the authorities, establishing a management plan for the control and development of the park, and creating a residential area for local residents.



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Canada : Jeremiens reunion evening





The Embassy of Haiti in Canada was pleased to join the Jeremie reunion evening held at the RJ Kennedy Community Centre in Ottawa on August 24, 2024.



This event, which is intended to be an annual event, marks St-Louis, the patronal feast of the city of Jeremie. The Embassy took the opportunity to hold a kiosk where participants had access to information about the Mission's activities and received small souvenirs from Haiti.



During this evening, the organizers awarded plaques of honour and merit to Jeremie natives for their contribution to the community, in particular their commitment to education in Jeremie. In addition, the writer from Jeremie, Eddy Cave, who was signing, was recognized both for his career in Canada and for his work "De memoire d'un Jeremien". Former Consul General in Chicago (2004-2018), Lesly Conde, born in Great South, praised the kindness of the Jeremiens and the beauty of the Great South. At the sime time, he praised the work, insight and discretion of the current Ambassador of Haiti to Canada, Dr. Weibert Arthus, present in the room, whose mother is also from Jeremie.



This gathering which brought together several dozen Jeremiens was hosted by the legendary John Steve Brunache and the musical group Chillout.



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Dominican Rep. : The Consulate of Haiti in Santiago welcomed the author Kineberly Pierre Jules





As part of the International Youth Day last week, the Consulate General of Haiti in Santiago chose to welcome Ms. Pierre Jules, a young and passionate Haitian author who presented her novel "Two Men : An Angel, a Demon" an invitation to discover another facet of the Haitian woman living in the Dominican Republic.



Pierre Jules made an excellent presentation of his novel to the Consulate staff where quality moments were shared. The discussions, comments and questions animated this presentation.



Pierre Jules took the opportunity to sign a few books for the staff members



IH/ iciHaiti


















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American photographer David LaChapelle has provided context behind the severed hand detail in his Charli XCX cover shoot for New York Magazine, which some Taylor Swift fans have interpreted as obvious shade.

Charli, real name Charlotte Aitchison, appeared on the cover of the publications August issue, where she spoke about her recent Brat album, her viral kamala IS brat tweet and her rivalry with Swift in the music charts.

Featured alongside the interview was a series of photos taken by LaChapelle showing the British pop star, 32, in a variety of settings, including posing in front of a car in pink lingerie surrounded by paparazzi, submerged at the bottom of a fish tank holding a green apple and lying on a stretcher as an EMT holds open an ice box containing her severed hand with lime green friendship bracelets.

Speaking to New York Magazine about his intended message with the photo series, LaChapelle explained: Shes sort of trapped by fame and all the tabloid photographers are chasing her.

An animal trapped in the woods would bite off its own limb  she bites off her hand, he said. As she lies on the stretcher, you see people still taking photos of her, the paparazzi and the fans. People will watch the rise as much as theyll watch the fall. Then shes brought to the hospital and probably given some sort of painkiller. Shes hallucinating. Shes stuck in a dreamscape, but in the end, she frees herself.

Friendship bracelets have become synonymous with Swifts Eras Tour after her fans began making and trading them at her concerts. A number of people have therefore construed the detail in the photo to be a dig at Swift.

Im not even that hardcore about Taylor but isnt it kinda obvious that everybody correlates friendship bracelets to her like putting a severed hand with friendship bracelets feels very obvious shade to me, no? like theres no way that correlation didnt cross her brain? one person noted on X.

A second agreed, writing: Im sorry but the whole Charli XCX situation is very suspicious, I dont wanna suggest anything, but its all a bit weird, why else would she put friendship bracelets on a hand thats cut open????

Others found the seeming reference to be more insensitive as the photo shoot comes just weeks after Swift was forced to cancel three Vienna shows due to a foiled terror attack and nearly a month after three young girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

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How insensitive can Charli XCX be? one tweeted, while a second said: Tonedeaf to say the least.

Although friendship bracelets are not exclusive... after 3 little girls died after being stabbed in Southport, maybe, wait before you do something like this, another suggested.

In Charlis profile for Vulture, Swift herself put any beef rumors to bed: Ive been blown away by Charlis melodic sensibilities since I first heard Stay Away in 2011. Her writing is surreal and inventive, always.

She just takes a song to places you wouldnt expect it to go, and shes been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off.
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Lil Babys lawyers have said they are actively investigating the circumstances that led to the rappers arrest in Las Vegas this week.

The Yes Indeed star, real name Dominique Armani Jones, was taken to the Clark County Detention Center on August 26, where he was held on $5,000 bail for allegedly carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Jones has since been released, his lawyers confirmed.

In a joint statement shared with The Independent, attorneys Drew Findling and David Chesnoff said: To be clear, Dominique Jones has a valid Georgia Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW) Permit. On his behalf we are actively investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding his arrest in Las Vegas.

Jones was previously arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2019 for failure to signal, eluding police and reckless driving.

Videos circulated on social media showing the then-24-year-old rapper lying facedown on the street while being handcuffed by an officer.

A trooper observed an orange Chevrolet Corvette fail to signal when changing lanes. It increased its speed and began passing vehicles in a reckless manner in a high pedestrian area, Georgia State Patrol said in a statement. (Jones) began weaving between cars at a high rate of speed. As the trooper began to catch up, the Corvette got stuck in heavy traffic.  As the trooper got behind the vehicle, he attempted to accelerate and change lanes.

He was later released on bond.

open image in gallery Rapper Lil Baby has previously been arrested in Atlanta, Georgia and Paris, France ( Frazer Harrison/Getty Images )

Two years later, Jones was arrested in Paris on suspicion of transporting drugs and released the following morning after being handed a fine.

After his release, the rapper posted on Instagram Im Good and said that he was heading back to the US.

Jones rose to fame following the release of his 2017 mixtapes Harder than Hard and Too Hard. The following year, he cracked the Billboard Top 10 charts with his song Yes Indeed featuring Drake.

His second studio album, My Turn (2020), went quadruple platinum and became the best-selling album of that year. It included the George Floyd protest-inspired single The Bigger Picture, which he performed to acclaim at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
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Disgraced former Los Angeles celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi has been convicted of four counts of wire fraud for embezzling at least $15m of his clients money.

Girardi, 83, who once played a supporting role on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alongside his now-estranged wife Erika Jayne, was disbarred last summer for siphoning funds intended for clients. His firm Girardi Keese is bankrupt and hes said to be suffering from dementia and is under a court conservatorship.

Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a Champion of Justice, US Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement announcing Girardis conviction. In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from the needy to support of a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle.

The charges alleged he stole money from his clients over the course of a decade from October 2010 to late 2020, including $3m from family members of the victims of the 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 people.

He pled not guilty to the charges in Los Angeles last year. Girardi could get as much as 80 years in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled for December 6. A judge has allowed him to remain free until then.

Tyler Hatcher, special-agent-in-charge for the IRS criminal investigation unit, said that Girardi exploited his clients misfortunes on a grand scale.

open image in gallery Tom Girardi is scheduled to be sentenced in December after being found guilty of four counts of wire fraud ( Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

His clients sought his help in the wake of significant trauma and injury, yet he violated their trust to steal from them and fund his own lavish lifestyle, and he will now face the consequences of his actions, Hatcher said.

In one case described in the indictment, Girardi settled a case involving a man severely burned in a utility explosion for $53m. He told the client the settlement was for $7.25m.

More than half the settlement was then embezzled and used to pay expenses, firm liabilities and other clients whose funds had also been misappropriated. Payments to the burn victim, meanwhile, were delayed through a series of stall tactics.

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The federal public defender representing Girardi, Charles Snyder, argued that his clients cognitive impairment had worsened following diagnoses with dementia and late-onset Alzheimers disease. Snyder alleged members of Girardis now-closed Girardi Keese law firm were stealing funds hand over fist.

Snyder said Girardi was not paying close attention to the firms operations as he got old, got sick, and lost his mind.

Judge Josephine Staton, who oversaw the LA trial, ruled earlier this year that Girardi was competent to stand trial despite the dementia claims.

Girardi made his name, and his money, taking on powerful corporations and public institutions, including Hollywoods major movie studios, Lockheed, The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Pacific Gas and Electric in a case that inspired the 2000 Julia Roberts film Erin Brockovich, on which he served as an adviser.

He married Jayne in 2000. She became a member of the cast of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, on which he made several appearances. He spent considerable money funding an unsuccessful musical career for her.

Jayne filed for divorce in 2020.
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China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coast guard ship in a disputed shoal in the latest flare-up of their territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said Tuesday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation on Monday in Sabina Shoal, an uninhabited atoll both countries claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the sea passage that is a key global trade and security route.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The hostilities have particularly intensified between China and the Philippines since last year and Mondays confrontation was the sixth the two sides have reported in the high seas and in the air. The confrontations have sparked concerns of a larger conflict that could involve the United States, the longtime treaty ally of the Philippines.

The Philippine coastguard said the excessive force of Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, illegally obstructed the delivery of the food supplies, including an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes Day on Monday.

The Philippine coastguard said it remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold national interests and ensure the safety and security of our waters and urged the China coastguard to abide with the international law and stop deploying maritime forces that could undermine mutual respect, a universally recognized foundation for responsible and friendly relations among coast guards.

In Beijing, Chinas coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that intruded into waters near Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship. The Chinese coast guard did not say what control measures it took.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships have collided near Sabina, which Beijing calls Xianbin and Manila refers to as Escoda prior to Monday.

Sabina Shoal lies about 140 kilometers (85 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Sabina is near the Second Thomas Shoal, another flashpoint where China has hampered the Philippine delivery of supplies for Filipino forces aboard a long-grounded navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre. Last month, China and the Philippines reached an agreement to prevent increasingly hostile confrontations at the Second Thomas Shoal, allowing a Philippine vessel to deliver food supplies a week later without any hostilities.
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Protests brought an eastern Indian city to a standstill on Tuesday as police used teargas and water cannons to disperse thousands of people demanding the chief minister's resignation.

The protest march was the latest in a series of ongoing demonstrations in West Bengal following the rape and murder of a resident doctor at a state-run hospital in the states capital.

The doctor, 31, was found dead with visible marks of abuse in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata city on 9 August. An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.

Police arrested a civil volunteer associated with the citys police, Sanjay Roy, before the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, a federal agency, amid calls for an unbiased probe.

open image in gallery Police fire teargas to disperse people protesting against the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata ( AP )

In the course of Tuesday's demonstration, called by a student group, the protesters broke through barricades set up by police to stop their march to the state secretariat.

"We were protesting peacefully and, without provocation, police fired teargas canisters directly at us and used water cannons," Sayan Lahiri, one of the organisers, told The Independent.

Police had denied permission for the march and blocked the roads leading to chief minister Mamata Banerjee's office as her ruling Trinamool Congress party accused the opposition of stirring unrest.

The organisers claimed the protest was led by students despite supporters of prime minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party taking part in the rally.

The protesters said they were seeking justice for didi, referring to the victim as elder sister, and action against corruption and political killings in the state.

open image in gallery Police fire teargas at protesters in Kolkata ( AP )

One of India's iconic tourist attractions  the Howrah Bridge  turned into a battleground as police in riot gear pushed back the protesters, using batons and teargas.

There were no party flags. Some were carrying the national flag, which the police snatched and threw on the streets, Mr Lahiri, 30, said.

This movement will continue and grow till she steps down, he added, referring to the chief minister. People in the state are in distress. This cannot continue.

More than 6,000 police personnel were deployed in Kolkata and its neighbouring city, Howrah, turning the areas around the secretariat into a fortress.

Four student activists were arrested ahead of the rally, police said, accusing them of trying to orchestrate widespread violence.

"Police used unnecessary brute force against us today. The people of West Bengal will not take this lightly," said a 35-year-old proteste, who didn't want to be named.

Police officers suffered injuries as well.

In the days since the doctor's killing, public anger has boiled over into nationwide outrage and stirred protests.

Junior doctors have refused to see non-emergency patients in many parts of the country and launched protests demanding justice for the victim and greater safety for women at hospitals.

The Supreme Court of India has created a hospital safety task force and requested protesting doctors return to work, but some have refused to budge.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors Front claimed that Tuesdays protest did not involve protesting doctors in any way.

Mr Modis party has extended support to the protesting students, while senior state member Suvendu Adhikari claiming that Ms Banerjee's administration was trying to suppress the rape and murder incident  a charge the state government has denied.

The party has called a 12-hour statewide strike on Wednesday to protest police action against Tuesdays demonstration.
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A 55-year-old woman died, reportedly of a panic attack, after police raided her home in Bijnor in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to see if she was storing beef, which, it turned out, she wasnt.

Uttar Pradesh enforces strict laws against cow slaughter, with violations punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs500,000 (4,500). The states anti-cow slaughter law not only bans the animals killing, but even the sale and transport of beef.

Cow is considered sacred and worshipped by Hindus, the vast majority of Indias population.

Police reportedly sent four constables to Razias house in Khatai village of Bijnor after an informer reportedly said she was keeping beef. Police did not find any beef, however.

The family of Razia, identified by only her first name, alleged that she was scared when policemen stormed their home.

Police, however, claimed that she died of an asthma attack and that her death was unrelated to the raid for beef.

Razia was an asthma patient and was getting treatment for the same for the last few years, Jai Bhagwan Singh, a local police officer, claimed.

Bijnors police superintendent, Abhishek Jha, told The Indian Express an inquiry had been ordered and the role of the police informer will also be probed.

In the past, members of the Muslim minority have been lynched by Hindu mobs based solely on suspicion of cow slaughter.

open image in gallery A demonstration in support of a cow slaughter ban in the southern state of Karnataka in 2010 ( Getty )

Razias son, identified as Nasim in the media, alleged that his mother died of a panic attack as the policemen misbehaved with the women in their home.

They ransacked the house while we pleaded that we had not stored anything the government banned. My mother had a panic attack due to the polices behaviour. We rushed her to the local clinic, where the doctor pronounced her dead, he said.

Political leaders, including local legislator Manoj Kumar Paras, demanded action against local police.

open image in gallery A member of the Bharatiya Gau Kranti Manch group takes a selfie with a cow during a demonstration against the slaughter of cows and in favour of honouring them in Delhi in February 2016 ( AFP via Getty )

In the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, authorities bulldozed the homes of 11 people in June after allegedly finding beef in their refrigerators and cows in their backyards. Police, however, claimed that the homes were demolished for being illegally built, without providing any evidence.

Several Indian states have enacted laws against cow slaughter which critics have said disproportionately target Muslims, who have been victims of state and mob violence and property destruction.

Last year, four members of the right-wing group All India Hindu Mahasabha were arrested in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly slaughtering cows to falsely implicate Muslim men. The arrests were made after police uncovered the groups involvement in filing a false complaint against four Muslim men for alleged cow slaughter.
Ogiji Sunday Uko's enriching journey in China came to an end in June, when he graduated from China Foreign Affairs University. His experience not only broadened his understanding of international relations, but also provided him with insights into China's development model, which he believes offers valuable lessons for Nigeria and other developing nations. The Nigerian government executive learned about a training program two years ago that would let him study at the university, and he jumped at the opportunity, as it had been his dream to study in China. Uko, who studied in the master's program of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said his experience in China has very much enlightened him. "The infrastructural development of China is amazing," he said, adding that witnessing it firsthand has shaped his view of how infrastructure could transform society in his home country. "Studying in Beijing also helped me know more about the real image of China, more than what we are told by Western media," he said. Uko is among 40,000 people who finished training as part of the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, which aims to provide 100,000 training opportunities to other developing countries to support their economic and social development. Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged in July to offer an additional 100,000 training opportunities for Global South countries in the next five years. Following the philosophy that it is more helpful in the long term to teach people how to fish rather than just giving them fish, China has attached great importance to cooperation in human resources development, exemplifying China's evolving reform of foreign assistance. A resolution adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was held in July, pledged to open China's doors wider to the world's least-developed countries. The resolution called for further reforming institutions and mechanisms for foreign aid to realize full-chain management. Analysts said that foreign assistance is a systematic endeavor that requires a holistic approach, integrating the formulation and planning of foreign aid policies, project implementation and evaluation, in a bid to meet the needs of recipient countries as well as achieve China's diplomatic goals. The full-chain management approach helps streamline systems and mechanisms of foreign aid, reduces management and communication costs among relevant departments, and enhances the effectiveness of foreign assistance, they added. Challenges seen Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies, said that foreign aid bolsters China's political influence, its ability to shape international rules and its global reputation. The professor said that advancing foreign aid faces several challenges, as its necessity is sometimes questioned, which can affect decision-making and the implementation of relevant policies of various departments. "It is crucial to recognize the strategic importance of foreign aid," he said, adding that departments involved in the mission must better coordinate under the guidance of the China International Development Cooperation Agency. The agency, established in 2018, clarified the responsibilities of the foreign aid system, Wang said, adding that this reform aligns with international development practices and represents an achievement in the institutionalization of China's diplomatic efforts. He also said that China's foreign aid reform reflects its responsibility as a major country and its commitment to achieving the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Zhou Taidong, vice-president of the Center for International Knowledge on Development, said that deepening the reform of foreign aid systems and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of such assistance are essential for meeting the growing expectations of Global South countries, resolving global development challenges, and fulfilling the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Further efforts should be made to strengthen top-level design and tailor policies for different nations and regions, while multilateral, regional and bilateral channels should be integrated to foster a comprehensive aid approach, Zhou said. Emphasis should be put on evaluation of aid, as this plays a crucial role in measuring and showcasing the outcomes of China's international development cooperation, he said, adding that China should also promote third-party cooperation and multilateral coordination in a more active manner. Synergy with BRI International development aid has boosted connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, with a large number of flagship infrastructure projects built over the past 11 years. Among them is the China-assisted Eastbay Expressway of Gwadar Port in Pakistan, an early harvest project finished in 2022 as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. As a project initiated and managed by Pakistan and built by a Chinese enterprise, the host country has had decision-making authority throughout the process. This arrangement allowed the project to be built to meet the specific needs and conditions of Pakistan, said Liu Fangtao, who was the manager of the project for China Communications Construction Co. Despite numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, harsh climatic conditions and security risks due to terrorism, the expressway was completed in five years. The expressway, which serves as the only external link for Gwadar Port, solved the transportation problem and also facilitated trade and connectivity, Liu said. By establishing and promoting its standards, China, which is renowned for its infrastructure capabilities, can gain greater influence in international aid projects, he added. "Looking forward, there is a pressing need for China to clearly introduce its foreign aid policies and system to recipient countries, such as issuing an English version of its policies and procedures," he said. The resolution adopted at the third plenary session in July called for coordinated efforts to promote "small yet smart" public welfare projects under the BRI, while also advancing major flagship projects. Zhou, from the Center for International Knowledge on Development, said that the BRI has reshaped China's international development cooperation and greatly increased its global contribution to development. Though China has a key strength in large-scale signature aid projects, which address critical infrastructure gaps and the urgent needs of developing nations, "small yet smart" projects can deliver quick results that benefit people's livelihoods, he said. Wang, from Renmin University, said that for large-scale flagship projects as well as small-scale livelihood projects, the key lies in sustainable development, which involves ensuring debt sustainability. "Aid cannot increase the burden on recipient countries. It should enhance accessibility while laying a foundation for their long-term development," he said. zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn
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A lonely dolphin is believed to be behind a spate of attacks on beachgoers in central Japan, with experts warning that the animal is probably sexually frustrated.

Dolphin attacks have left more than 45 people injured in Wakasa Bay, nearly 200 miles (320km) west of Tokyo, since 2022, with most of the recent ones occurring near the towns of Echizen and Mihama.

After examining photos and videos of some of the attacks from 2022 and 2023, experts concluded that they involved the same male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin.

The same animal could be behind this years attacks, said Ryoichi Matsubara, director of the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium in Fukui, although he hasnt reviewed more recent footage yet, The New York Times reported.

The dolphin might be displaying mating behaviour, he said, noting that it was seen attempting to press his genitals against people in 2022 and 2023. He added, however, that many injuries occurred as beachgoers approached or tried to touch the dolphin.

Putu Mustika, a marine researcher at James Cook University in Australia, told the newspaper that dolphins, when they are mating, can be very wild.

She said that lunging on top of a human could be a sexual act and a sign that this was a horny, lonely dolphin.

Ms Mustika noted that the dolphin might naturally be aggressive and grow irritated when people try to touch it.

Tadamichi Morisaka, a cetology professor at Japans Mie University, told the BBC: It is reasonable to assume that its the same individual as the wounds on the tail fin are similar to those of the dolphins seen off the coast last year, and it is rare for dolphins, which normally move in groups, to be alone for such a long time.

A bottlenose dolphin named Moko gained fame in New Zealand in the 2000s for its playful behaviour with swimmers, although it occasionally acted in unsettling ways, like preventing a woman from getting back to shore. In 2018, a French town temporarily banned swimming after a male bottlenose dolphin named Zafar began displaying sexual behaviour by rubbing against swimmers and boats.

Japanese authorities have tried several measures to deter people from getting close to dolphins and to prevent dolphin attacks. They have installed underwater acoustic devices that emit high-frequency sounds to keep the dolphins away, and put up warning signs and distributed flyers cautioning beachgoers that dolphins can bite or drag swimmers into the sea.

They have also reduced swimming hours at some beaches and increased lifeguard patrols.

A few years ago, marine expert Tetsuya Matsuoka, who manages the Notojima Aquarium in Nanao, told Asahi Shimbun: People have this image of dolphins as cute creatures, but they are wild animals after all. You should not go near them or touch them because they have sharp teeth.
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Japan scrambled jets and raised a diplomatic protest with Beijing after a Chinese intelligence-gathering military plane violated its airspace for the first time.

On Monday, a Chinese military Y-9 aircraft was intercepted by the Japanese defence ministry off the coast of the Danjo Islands in the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki.

The incursion lasted two minutes from 11.29am to 11.31am as the jet circled above the waters southeast of the islands multiple times, the Japanese defence ministry said. The jet eventually headed towards China at around 1.15pm.

The Joint Staff said Japan scrambled fighter jets that warned the Chinese plane to exit the airspace. Chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said the airspace breach was not only a serious violation of Japans sovereignty but it also threatens our security.

He called the breach utterly unacceptable and summoned a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo to protest the violation.

Mr Hayashi said that the government continues to monitor increasing Chinese military activity near Japan and will be fully prepared for any airspace violation.

However, he declined to comment on the details of the diplomatic talks between Tokyo and Beijing.

The Japanese defence ministry released a photograph of the Y-9 plane and also an image of the flight path taken by the reconnaissance plane.

open image in gallery This photo provided by Japans Ministry of Defense shows a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane Monday ( AP )

open image in gallery A map provided by Japans Ministry of Defence shows the flight path of Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft. The red lines are the Chinese planes flight path and black lines are the Japans territorial waters ( Japans Ministry of Defense )

Japans Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) sent at least four fighter jets, consisting of F-2 and F-15 squadrons from the Western Air Defence Force, to send warnings to the Chinese plane in an unusually strong response, according to reports.

This was the first airspace violation by a Chinese military aircraft since the Japanese forces began taking measures against airspace breaches in 1958.

Tensions flared between the two countries after China was accused of repeated maritime provocations as it vied for influence against the US and its allies.

Last week, Japan intercepted a Chinese state-of-the-art amphibious assault ship in the western Pacific for the first time in over a year. The Type 075 vessel, along with a guided missile destroyer, was seen floating some 120km northeast of Japans Miyako Islands.

Tokyo has also confirmed two similar incidents involving a Chinese marine surveillance plane and a drone that had taken off from a China Coast Guard vessel in the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which is claimed by China as the Diaoyus.

Yee-Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, told AFP that said the Y-9 incursion was likely an attempt by China to probe Japans air defence network, collecting electronic intel such as Japans radar signals and coverage.

Japan has previously reported its airspace violation by non-military planes near the Senkaku Islands in 2012 and 2017. It claimed that a Y-12 propeller-powered plane and a small drone were involved in the two incidents.

The Y-9 is a medium-sized military transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The aircraft that reportedly violated Japanese airspace is thought to be a variant known as the Y-9JB, which is outfitted with radio interception and electronic warfare capabilities.

China has yet to comment on the allegations.
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The Talibans dystopian new laws that forbid women from speaking or showing any part of their bodies in public have sparked anger among human rights activists, who say they will worsen the gender apartheid enforced by the countrys hardline Islamist rulers.

Last week the Taliban introduced the countrys first set of official rules aimed at preventing vice and promoting virtue since their takeover of the country in 2021. The rules are presented in a 114-page, 35-article document.

The regulations, approved by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, require women to cover their bodies and faces fully with thick clothing in public.

Under the new rules, women are not allowed to let their voices be heard in public, even from within their own homes, including by singing or reading aloud. Women are also forbidden from looking directly at men who are not direct members of their family, and taxi drivers can be punished for transporting women without a male escort.

Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said on Sunday the laws provided a distressing vision for Afghanistans future.

It extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls, with even the sound of a female voice outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.

Penalties for violating these rules include advice, warnings of divine punishment, verbal threats, confiscation of property, detention for one hour to three days in public jails, and any other punishment deemed appropriate.

Heather Bar and Sahar Fetrat from Human Rights Watch wrote in Zan Times: This isnt a dystopian novel. This isnt a story from history, either. Its Afghanistan right now, and the Talibans crackdown on women and girls is steadily deepening.

The group has reintroduced punishments like flogging and stoning for adultery ( EPA )

Afghanistan is setting the bar for how bad  how dystopian  things can be for women and girls. Politicians around the world seem appalled by the Taliban, but not so much as to do something about it, they wrote.

A former journalist from Afghanistan, who goes by the name Elaha on Twitter/X, wrote: I will reach freedom again. We, the women and girls of Afghanistan, will fight for freedom against the Taliban as long as we live.

The Taliban has reacted dismissively to the global criticism of their new rules, claiming it displays arrogance.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Talibans government, said in a statement: We urge a thorough understanding of these laws and a respectful acknowledgement of Islamic values. To reject these laws without such understanding is, in our view, an expression of arrogance.

We must stress that the concerns raised by various parties will not sway the Islamic Emirate from its commitment to upholding and enforcing Islamic sharia law, Mr Mujahid added.

Ms Otunbayeva noted: After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one.

The Talibans rules, based on their interpretation of Islamic law, now include barring girls over 11 from education, restricting womens access to public spaces and jobs, and enforcing dress codes and male guardianship.

Women are excluded from almost all aspects of public life, and the group has reintroduced punishments like flogging and stoning for adultery. Women have also been barred from secondary education, employment, public parks, gyms, and beauty salons.

Women have also been barred from secondary education, employment, public parks, gyms, and beauty salons ( AFP via Getty )

Day by day, they are trying to erase women from society, an unnamed woman from Kabul was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Taliban government does not have any sort of legitimacy and these new edicts designed to further erase and suppress women are an indication of their hatred towards women, Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan human rights activist was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

When they say women cannot speak in public as they regard womens voices as a form of intimacy it is incredibly frightening yet the whole world acts like this is normal.

Elica Le Bon, an activist wrote on Twitter/X: ... The Taliban passed a law that bans women from showing their faces and having their voices heard in public. Their burqas must now entirely cover their faces and they are not permitted to speak in public or to look at any males that are not relatives.

Perhaps its been an emotional year, or maybe its because Im triggered, but I once again cried when I heard the news. Im still trying to piece myself together. Not even animals are treated with such cruelty, such dehumanisation, such indignity, and such little value for human life.

Her post was viewed by about 2.9 million people and garnered more than 30,000 likes.
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Efforts to find an Indian tourist who vanished after falling into a sinkhole in Malaysia continued for a fourth day on Monday, as firefighters searched through manholes in central Kuala Lumpur.

The search operation, concentrated around two manholes in the Jalan Masjid India neighbourhood, has been made more challenging by heavy rains and the large amount of debris in the sinkhole.

The search team is using high-pressure jets of water to cut through debris to find the victim, identified as Vijayalaksmi.

Todays focus was on manhole 5 by Agro Bank and manhole 6 at Jalan Kinabalu, said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, giving an update on the fire departments efforts.

The 48-year-old Indian tourist fell into the 8m deep sinkhole at 8.22am on 23 August, when the ground gave way while she was walking to a nearby temple.

Explaining the challenges they were facing, fire operation officer Alimaddia Bukri said that the rescuers have been diving deep into the sewer amid strong currents and zero visibility.

open image in gallery Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department officers inspect the site where a woman fell ( EPA )

The heavy rains have added to the difficulty, posing dangers to the lives of the divers themselves.

In that hole, there is a sewage drain and other drains; its really deep.

We have discussed and obtained advice from the relevant experts before making any decision in this operation, he was quoted as saying by the Strait Times.

open image in gallery Relatives of an Indian woman who fell into an eight-meter deep sinkhole wait for news near the accident site ( EPA )

The victims family, currently in Malaysia, is receiving support, including accommodation, food, and counseling, reported the Malay Mail. The authorities have pledged to continue the search until the woman is found.

Kuala Lumpurs mayor spoke up in defence of the citys safety, after a 2015 social media post went viral calling it the most unsafe place city in Malaysia with a possibility of a giant sinkhole opening at anytime.

open image in gallery Fire and Rescue department use crane to dig a deep sinkhole after receiving reports that a woman has fallen into the sinkhole after a section of the sidewalk caved in Kuala Lumpur, Friday, 23 August 2024 ( AP )

Advising residents to continue their daily routines as usual, the mayor said: "In my view, Kuala Lumpur remains safe.

We will only consider it unsafe if there are studies that provide evidence to the contrary, especially given the alarming media reports," she said.

Separately, a task force comprising of experts from various agencies has been set up to study the safety of structures around Jalan Masjid India.
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Rescuers in Thailand are racing against time to save three workers trapped in a tunnel that collapsed over the weekend at a high-speed rail construction site.

A portion of the tunnel, part of the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed rail project, collapsed in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Saturday night.

It caved about 1.6km from the entrance near Khlong Khanan Chit train station and the workers were trapped about 600m further inside, Bangkok Post reported.

open image in gallery Train tunnel collapses trapping three workers in Thailand ( EPA )

The State Railway of Thailand said a scanner and a sniffer dog detected body heat and heartbeats from inside the tunnel at about 4am on Monday, lifting hopes of rescuers.

The trapped workers were expected to be rescued by Tuesday evening, railway authorities said in a statement.

The workers were identified as a truck driver from Myanmar, a backhoe operator and an engineer from China. The truck driver was reportedly located three metres from where the tunnel collapsed while the two Chinese workers were 6-10 metres away from him.

Three vehicles  a backhoe, a truck and a car  were also inside the tunnel when it collapsed.

Thailand's transport ministry said rescue tubes were being pushed through the blocked part of the tunnel to reach the trapped men.

The tubes could be used to pump through air and send emergency supplies until the "opening is big enough for rescuers to reach the men", it added.

One of the rescue tubes was believed to have hit one of the vehicles left inside the tunnel at about 11.30pm on Monday, the authorities said on Tuesday morning.

The rescue work was being led by the State Railway of Thailand and supported by a team from Chinas Hunan Sunshine, which specialises in disaster response.
Q Fourteen of us (family and friends) hope to go on an all-inclusive holiday next August. We need a hotel with a beach, good food and accommodation, and reasonably priced. I know its a year away but suggestions will be welcome so we can have something to look forward to as the nights draw in.

Jim OG

A I shall start my answer on the reasonably priced requirement. For peak summer package holidays with all-inclusive meals and drinks, you will be hard-pressed to find anything under 850 per person for a week. The big tour operators have a few economy properties in the Balearics and Canaries but for the best value, I suggest you head for Bulgaria. The standards of accommodation and meals have increased sharply in recent years.

Sunny Beach is the main venue for all-inclusive holidays. Tui is offering the Meridian in Sunny Beach at 923 per person for departures from Manchester on 31 July; if your party is only adults, then I propose Tuis Suneo-branded property, the Perla, which will cost 864 per person including flights from London Gatwick on 8 August.

The location ticks all your boxes, I hope, and will also allow you to explore more of the Black Sea coast. Nearby Pomorie is perched prettily on a promontory, and the city of Bourgas (with around 200,000 people) gives a good sense of life in one of Europes less-developed nations.

But if collectively spending upwards of 12,000 for the 14 of you is daunting, then you may want to build your own DIY holiday. The budget nations to look at are Albania and Poland (where August is usually a fine month despite the northerly aspect). While all inclusive is not a familiar concept in either of those countries, prices are so low compared with the rest of Europe that you will be able to spend freely.

Albanias Adriatic coast is uncrowded and alluring, while the Polish resort of Sopot  close to Gdansk  has a certain style as well as a superb beach for families. Both the Albanian capital, Tirana, and Gdansk have plenty of budget flights from across the UK.

open image in gallery Budapest at night with lights reflected in the Danube ( iStock )

Q We booked a river voyage from Budapest, flying with Austrian Airlines firstly to Vienna with a connecting flight to Budapest. Unfortunately, we were caught up in a security incident at Heathrow, which delayed our flight to Vienna.

We were told we would be notified about where to go for the connection but this didnt happen. We missed the flight and had to wait six hours. We enquired if we would get a voucher for a meal and were told no. We were also told we were not entitled to any compensation as the airline calculated we should have been able to make the connection.

We finally arrived at 10.30pm in Budapest and fortunately, the cruise company had arranged a taxi for us and even a sandwich waiting for us on board. But our luggage was missing and did not reach us until two days before the end of the trip. Are we entitled to any compensation in your view?

Jennifer D

A This sorry saga provides an excellent example of why direct flights are far better than connections. I am afraid you cannot claim compensation for your late arrival as the cause was an airport security issue. But the staff who refused you a meal voucher were plain wrong: you did your best to make the connection.

The cause of the delay is irrelevant: the airline must provide a meal for you. If you have anything showing what you spent on food and drink at the airport, for example on a credit card statement, I suggest you claim from the airline. Normally an itemised receipt is necessary but since your reasonable initial request for a meal voucher was refused I dont think the airline can argue.

At the same time, you can claim a reasonable figure (perhaps around 200 for the two of you, on production of receipts) for stuff you had to buy along the way before your bag turned up. I am impressed that the cruise firm looked after you, and I hope the voyage  and the journey home  went well.

open image in gallery Berlin, an energetic and absorbing capital, will be a great starting point ( EPA )

Q We are thinking of doing a rail tour of central and/or southern Europe for a couple of weeks next summer with our two teenagers. Ideally we would like to see some major cities and end with a few days of rest and relaxation by the beach or pool. What do you recommend?

MEA

A I have devised what I hope is the optimum slice through central Europe for you. Even though you are on a rail tour, flying out to the start and back from the end will allow you to make the most of the trip. Start in Berlin, probably the most energetic capital in continental Europe and with flights from across Britain. Your teenagers will, I hope, find the Cold War division of the city intriguing. The former East Berlin is full of places to eat and drink that your teenagers may well describe as cool.

Next stop: Dresden, resurrected from the ashes of the Second World War and an excellent base for bike trips up or down the River Elbe. Spectacular scenery begins with the rail trip through beautiful gorges to Prague. The city is thronged with tourists year-round but has much metropolitan joy to deliver: from the Hogwarts-like castle to riverside restaurants.

For the next segment, choose between Salzburg or Vienna for your Austrian destination. Vienna has the imperial grandeur, but I find Salzburg much more fun  particularly if you want to explore some Sound of Music locations. Whichever city you choose, you are on for another scenic stretch of railway to Ljubljana (about four hours from Salzburg with a change of train, six hours from Vienna).

For a side trip to tranquil Lake Bled, hop off soon after you cross the border into Slovenia. Otherwise stay on to Ljubljana, the definitive middle European capital: hilltop castle, pretty medieval streets, atmospheric cafes. Finally, for that vital rest and relaxation, hop on the bus from Ljubljana to Piran. This is a port with a strong Venetian vibe.

Within easy walking distance, the resort of Portoroz has a decent beach. With a couple of days remaining you can explore the surroundings  again, bike is a good option  before taking a couple of buses to Trieste airport for the flight to London Stansted.

Dont be tempted to buy Interrail passes for the trip: it will be better value to organise advance rail tickets; and, for the bus to the Slovenian coast, just turn up and go.

Email your question to s@hols.tv or tweet @SimonCalder
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A 17-year-old girl who thought her tics had started due to a recent nasty cold suddenly had her life put on hold when she was left unable to walk or talk and suffering almost daily seizures.

Amy-Louise Beaumont, now 19, from Oswestry, in Shropshire, was a very healthy teenager, dreaming of university and a career as a human rights lawyer in October 2022, when she suddenly started experiencing tics and bodily twitches.

Just five days later, she was admitted to hospital unable to walk or talk and diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND)  a rare problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body  and functional hyperkinetic movement disorder (FHMD), which can cause abnormal involuntary movements.

open image in gallery Amy-Louise with her dog Bailey

Amy-Louises life completely changed as the conditions cause brain fog, muscle spasms, tics and tremors, as well as seizures almost every day  sometimes up to six per day and each varying from five to 20 minutes.

Amy-Louises mother Julie, a 55-year-old clinical nurse specialist, and sister Lucy, a 23-year-old nurse, said she requires 24/7 care and the use of a wheelchair as she cannot walk far, and though her speech has partially returned it is often slurred and similar to a stammer but this can vary hour to hour.

The family have spent around 7,000 to cover equipment costs, such as a wheelchair, and they have used a 40,000 council grant to pay for necessary adaptations at home  but Lucy has now launched an 18,000 online fundraiser for a wheelchair lift to change (her sisters) life.

open image in gallery Amy-Louises mother Julie

Speaking about the impact of the diagnoses, Julie said It has been absolutely life-changing.

As a mum, when your children are growing up, they have a fall and you can do something about that and when theyre feeling sick, you can give them Calpol, soothe them, and make them feel better.

But this one, I cant fix it, I cant make it better. Were having to adapt to these massive changes in our life, and all of these hopes, dreams, ideas, expectations and goalposts change completely.

She has seizures almost every day, so youre reliving that every day  and its a reminder that I cant make it better for her, I cant make it stop. We just have to ride that wave and thats really hard.

open image in gallery Lucy (right) said she and Amy-Louise have been close since they were little

Lucy added: If we can get Amy the lift, I think it would change her life and give her the life that she needs to have as a 19-year-old.

According to the charity FND Hope UK, an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 people in the UK have FND  and it said many healthcare professionals have not even heard of it.

Prior to Amy-Louises diagnoses, Julie described her daughter as a very healthy 17-year-old, who was doing three A-levels at college with a view to studying law at university.

One Friday evening in October 2022, Amy-Louise returned home from college and started experiencing sudden tics  but given she was recovering from a nasty cold, the family assumed she was just run down.

The movements, tics, and twitches became more pronounced and sustained over the weekend and started affecting her sleep and mobility, causing one of her legs to give way.

After visiting her GP twice, Amy-Louise was referred to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on the Wednesday  and after several scans and blood tests, she was diagnosed with FND and FHMD.

Her symptoms by then, her mobility, she wasnt able to walk, Julie said.

The movements, tics, shaking, and twitches were constant, so if she was trying to have a drink, her hand was going all over the place.

Her head was spasming and it was absolutely awful and exhausting for her.

During the 10-day stay at the hospital, Julie said Amy-Louise, who was vulnerable and frightened, started having her first seizures and she was given sedatives, antidepressants, and an anti-Parkinsons drug.

However, the family said it was apparent that knowledge of FND was lacking, as many questions were left unanswered, and they were discharged home with a commode and a physio appointment  and that was it.

They described the diagnoses as horrendous and said the lack of external support and knowledge from healthcare professionals has been eye-opening.

Lucy said: Weve basically had to grieve the life Amy would have had and Ive had to grieve my sister and because it happened so quickly, it was traumatic.

Given Amy-Louise did not have full function of her legs when she was discharged from hospital and her bedroom is on the third floor of the family home, Julie and Lucy knew she needed help.

open image in gallery Amy-Louise requires the use of a wheelchair as she cannot walk far

Julie bought a wheelchair for Amy-Louise, which cost around 2,000, and they converted their ground-floor dining room into her new bedroom to help make life functional for her.

The mother of six said it took six months to get an occupational therapy referral for an assessment, and during this time she had to give up work to focus on caring for Amy-Louise full-time.

By then, I was pretty much on my knees trying to work out how to get help, get the support, Julie said.

Since October last year, the family have been supported by a personal assistant called Dom, who they described as an angel  but they said they have struggled to get answers from medical professionals.

Every morning, Julie and Lucy said they will assess Amy-Louises mood and her capabilities depending on her pain levels, fatigue, and how slurred her speech is.

open image in gallery Amy-Louise Beaumont with her mother Julie at Christmas

She will often go straight into her wheelchair because she cannot walk far and has a foot drop  difficulty in lifting the front part of the foot  and her number of seizures and tics varies day to day.

The family said she desperately wants to go out and do normal 19-year-old activities, but there is no known cure and the only treatment is regular physiotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.

I dont think Ive ever heard Amy say, Why me? But she will say, Ive had enough, Im fed up with this, Julie said.

With her lifestyle limited by her conditions, the family have done their utmost to support and care for Amy-Louise, spending around 7,000 of their own money on basic adaptations and equipment.

open image in gallery Amy-Louise practising with a frame at home

They were able to secure a 39,987 Major Adaptation Grant from Shropshire Council, which covered the cost of the installation of a wet room downstairs and other adaptations, but now they are fundraising for 18,000 to purchase a through-floor wheelchair lift.

This would allow Amy-Louise to move around the house independently with dignity and ease and sleep upstairs next to her family again, so she no longer feels alone.

Amy-Louise has decided to share her story publicly to be that voice for those who might not feel brave enough and to help raise more awareness of FND.

Julie said: To have the lift and have that sense of normality  for Amy to have the opportunity to go to her bedroom when she chooses to and do that independently  it would be wonderful.

Amy-Louise, who shared a statement via her sister Lucy, added: I hope this will bring attention to FND so that people living with the condition do not feel so isolated and so that medical professionals can be more aware of the condition and have an opportunity to learn and understand FND.

I am thankful to everyone who has donated so far as it will enable me to have a better quality of life and gain more independence.

To find out more about the fundraiser, visit: gofundme.com/f/help-lift-amy-up.

Sheila Fryer, acting deputy chief operating officer at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), said: We are unable to comment on individual cases, but we are committed to providing the best possible care to our patients and are sorry if any patient has felt this has not happened.

We know the importance of effective communication to ensure patients feel understood and that their voices are heard and we are continuing to work with all teams to ensure this is embedded in everything we do.

We encourage the family to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), so we can offer support and look into the concerns raised.
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Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of defrauding multiple businesses of more than $1 million.

Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother, Janice Turner, entered the pleas during an arraignment hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra, the Sun Sentinel reported. Bond had already been set at $90,000 in a previous hearing, and Kollra did not make any changes, the newspaper said.

The performer and his mother pleaded not guilty to organized fraud and grand theft charges.

Kingston was originally arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May on a warrant issued by the Broward Sheriffs Office after a SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches.

Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership and a luxury microLED TV company since October 2023, arrest warrants said.

Kingston and his mother are expected back in court Oct. 11, the newspaper said. They are also facing related charges in federal court.

Kingston broke into the music scene at the age of 17 in 2007 with the hit Beautiful Girls, which laid his lyrics over the musical track of Stand By Me by Ben E. King.
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A New Hampshire resident has died after testing positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus.

The deceased was identified only as an adult from Hampstead, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Services said on Tuesday. The resident had been hospitalized with the severe central nervous system disease.

We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified, State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said.

The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors.

A Cattail mosquito is held up for inspection at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute in South Portland. New Hampshire saw its first case of the mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis this week. ( (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File) )

The last reported Eastern Equine Encephalitis infection in the state was ten years ago. The department identified three infections in 2014 which resulted in two deaths.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases have also been reported in neighboring Massachusetts and Vermont. A Massachusetts man in his eighties was hospitalized earlier this month after being exposed to the virus in Worcester County. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health declined to provide further details on the case due to patient privacy. In Vermont, a Chittenden County man in his forties was hospitalized on July 16. He left the hospital a week later.

This year, a total of four cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including in Wisconsin and New Jersey. That tally did not yet include the New Hampshire case.

Only a handful of cases are reported each year, and infection is very serious. Eastern Equine Encephalitis can lead to inflammation of the brain and membranes around the spinal cord.

Approximately 30 percent of those infected with the virus die, and those who survive, are often left with neurologic problems. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat or prevent the disease.

A mosquito sits on human skin. Infected mosquitoes pass the virus to humans, with severe consequences including death. ( (James Gathany/CDC via AP) )

These recent cases have resulted in insecticide treatments in Massachusetts towns and across New York City boroughs. New York has not reported any cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Health departments in both states said they would use an insecticide called Anvil 10+10. New York City is also using two others, Duet and MERUS 3.

The insecticide would be sprayed on the ground using trucks in both states. The Massachusetts Department of Health also warned residents that they would use small aircrafts to spray from the sky.

Massachusetts has implemented other measures aimed to protect residents, including a voluntary curfew in some towns, and closing parks and fields from dusk until dawn.
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Philip Morris International is set to invest $232 million to expand a Kentucky factory that makes nicotine pouches, part of the company's broader strategy toward what it calls a "smoke-free future."

The expansion at the Swedish Match plant in Owensboro is expected to add 450 jobs, boosting the factory's workforce by about 40% to help meet growing demand for smoke-free products, the company said. The factory in western Kentucky produces ZYN nicotine pouches, a brand that's part of a growing segment of nicotine-based alternatives for consumers switching from cigarettes or other tobacco products.

The pouches fit between a persons lip and gums to slowly release low levels of nicotine absorbed into the bloodstream. The contents dissolve and the pouch is then discarded.

We are accelerating our mission toward a smoke-free future, working with our U.S. affiliates to move adults away from cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products by providing better alternatives, Stacey Kennedy, CEO of PMIs U.S. business, said in a release.

The ZYN oral pouches contains nicotine powder and flavorings like mint, coffee and citrus. The pouches are the fastest-growing segment of the tobacco industry, which has struggled for decades to replace falling cigarette sales.

ZYN is marketed by Philip Morris International to adult tobacco users. Although it doesnt contain tobacco, U.S. regulators still treat it as a tobacco product. Because pouches generally dont contain tobacco, so users don't necessarily spit as they do with older products such as chew and snuff.

The Food and Drug Administration says no tobacco product is safe. Cigarettes are widely understood as the most harmful, increasing the likelihood of cancer, heart disease and lung problems. Chewing tobacco is linked to mouth cancer, gum disease and tooth loss.

But researchers and health regulators have begun to acknowledge different levels of harm among different tobacco products.

In 2019, the FDA said an oral tobacco product called snus contains lower cancer-causing chemicals than cigarettes and could benefit smokers who switch. Snus are similar to nicotine pouches like ZYN, except that they contain fermented tobacco.

Theres little research on the long-term effects of nicotine pouches, but many researchers expect they will show similarly low rates of carcinogens and other toxic components.

Still, that doesnt mean theyre safe. A study last year found ZYN and similar products contain low levels of harmful substances such as ammonia and formaldehyde. The Kentucky factory expansion will be handled through one of PMIs Swedish Match affiliates.

Construction is underway at the Owensboro facility, with completion expected by the second quarter of 2025, the company said. Building out the factory is expected to create nearly 2,800 jobs.

The expanded facility will ramp up production to an around-the-clock, seven-day-per-week work schedule, the company said. The facility now operates 24-hours a day, five days a week.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear thanked Philip Morris International for doubling down on its investment in the state.

The Owensboro location is 106 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Louisville, Kentucky.

In July, PMI announced it would invest $600 million over two years through its U.S. affiliate to open a nicotine pouch manufacturing plant in Aurora, Colorado. That new plant and the Owensboro expansion will provide the near- and midterm capacity needed to meeting growing U.S. demand for ZYN, it said.
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A man has been charged with the murder of a London bus driver earlier this month, after being spotted and arrested by Metropolitan Police officers at Notting Hill Carnival.

Derek Thomas, 53, was fatally stabbed in the chest near Stoke Newington Common on August 1.

After being arrested on Monday, 26 August, Kamar Williams, 33, was charged with murder and possession of a knife.

He is due to appear in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

A 30-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday, 3 August on suspicion of assisting an offender and taken into custody, but later released on bail.

Mr Thomas, from Stoke Newington, has been described by colleagues at Go-Ahead London as a true gentleman at work and always smiling.

Paying tribute to Mr Thomas, Tom Joyner, managing director for Go-London, spoke of his great sadness.

The entire team at Go-Ahead London is saddened by this incident and the tragic loss of one of their colleagues, and our thoughts are with the family of the colleague who has lost their life, he said.

We will ensure our teams and the family of our colleague receive any support required from Go-Ahead London during this difficult time. We are assisting the Police with their investigation into the incident.
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A gun was seized after police stopped a car that officers believe was travelling to Notting Hill Carnival, while another firearm was seized during a search at an entry point to the event.

Tens of thousands of people arrived in west London on Monday for the second day of the annual community celebration, flooding the streets with colour, costumes, dancing and music.

The event was marred by a small number of violent incidents, with one person stabbed and suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

A heavy police presence was visible after three people were stabbed on Sunday.

Some attendees were made to walk through metal-detecting knife arches as they arrived.

Officers made at least 145 arrests and seized more than 40 weapons on Monday.

A police officer takes a photo for party-goers at Notting Hill Carnival ( REUTERS )

In a statement, the force said: Officers were able to stop a car in Harrow, believed to be en route to Carnival, where a firearm was seized and two people arrested.

Later in the afternoon, officers carried out a search at one of the entry points, seizing a further firearm.

A man who was wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted and arrested following a successful stop.

Thousands of people thronged the area for Adults Day on Monday afternoon, billed as the culmination of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture and history.

After months of preparation, dancers showed off their flamboyant costumes and floats blasted music for spectators who blew whistles and horns.

Earlier on Monday, a senior Met officer said he was tired of saying the same words every year after a woman attending the carnival with her child was stabbed.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is in charge of the policing operation for the event, said his officers very narrowly avoided a fatality and are tired of seeing crime scenes at the street party.

Met Officers on duty at Notting Hill Carnival ( Getty Images )

The Met has called for anyone with information to come forward.

In a statement released on Monday, Mr Adelekan, who is in charge of the policing operation, said: Yesterday we saw the first day of Carnival marred by unacceptable violence. Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.

This was supposed to be family day  a celebration suitable for all ages. One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at Carnival with her young child.

We are tired of saying the same words every year. We are tired of telling families that their loved ones are seriously injured, or worse. We are tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival.

Carnival is a community event and the vast majority of people come to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy music and have a fantastic experience.

The 32-year-old woman remains in a critical condition in hospital, the force said.

A 29-year-old man who was also stabbed remains in hospital in a non-life-threatening condition, and a second man, aged 24, who was stabbed, discharged himself from hospital.

There were 104 arrests on Sunday and 18 officers were assaulted, Scotland Yard said.

The total number of arrests for the two days now stands at 249, the force added.

The carnival is billed by organisers as the greatest community-led event on the planet.

Around a million people were expected to attend over the bank holiday weekend with about 7,000 officers on duty.

The annual celebration has been running for more than 50 years.
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Eight people were stabbed over the course of the two-day Notting Hill Carnival, with three victims remaining in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

One of those victims includes a 32-year-old mother, who had attended the community festival with her child, who narrowly avoided death after being stabbed on Sunday.

The Metropolitan Police said 334 people were arrested over the weekend. Officers recovered three firearms on Monday - one during a vehicle stop in Harrow involving people travelling to the event, and two at the carnival itself.

Police also responded to two other incidents where victims had sustained slash wounds and another involving a corrosive substance.

On Monday, a man wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted and arrested, while a number of other arrests were made for drug and offensive weapon offences.

A senior Metropolitan Police officer has said he is tired of saying the same words every year after a woman attending the Notting Hill Carnival with her child was stabbed ( PA Wire )

Over the course of the weekend, 50 officers received injuries and are being supported by the force.

It came as thousands of revellers turned out for the final day of the carnival, flooding the streets with colour, costumes, dancing and music.

A heavy police presence was visible after three people were stabbed on Sunday.

Some attendees were made to walk through metal-detecting knife arches as they arrived at the west London event.

Officers standing in pairs were dotted along the streets, while a police helicopter hovered above throughout the day.

In a statement, the force said weapons had been seized throughout the day.

Police detain a man during the Notting Hill Carnival ( PA )

Thousands of people thronged the area for Adults Day on Monday afternoon, billed as the culmination of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture and history.

After months of preparation, dancers showed off their flamboyant costumes and floats blasted music for spectators who blew whistles and horns.

Earlier on Monday, a senior Met officer said he was tired of saying the same words every year after a woman attending the carnival with her child was stabbed.

Deputy assistant commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is in charge of the policing operation for the event, said a fatality was very narrowly avoided and officers are tired of seeing crime scenes at the street party.

Dancers prepare to take part in the Adults Parade ( PA Wire )

Calling for carnival-goers to report crime, Mr Adelekan said: Yesterday we saw the first day marred by unacceptable violence.

Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.

A 29-year-old man who was also stabbed remains in hospital in a non-life-threatening condition, and a second man, aged 24, who was stabbed discharged himself from hospital.

There were 104 arrests on Sunday and 18 officers were assaulted, Scotland Yard said, with the total number of arrests for the two days now standing at 334, the force added.

The carnival is billed by organisers as the greatest community-led event on the planet.

Around a million people were expected to attend over the bank holiday weekend with about 7,000 officers on duty.

The annual celebration has been running for more than 50 years.
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Three men have been arrested on Tuesday after a 32-year-old woman was stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival in front of her young child.

The Metropolitan Police said the woman remains in hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed just before 6pm on Sunday on Golborne Road.

Officers believe the woman was caught up in the most awful violence during a brawl between two groups of men. It is not clear if the woman is known to them, Scotland Yard said.

7,000 police officers were on duty over the bank holiday weekend for the huge event on the streets of Notting Hill ( PA )

A 20-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder, while a 22-year-old and 24-year old were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

Officers deployed in Golborne Road, W10, were made aware of a woman who had been stabbed shortly before 6pm on Sunday.

On Tuesday morning, the three men were detained in Hammersmith and Fulham at separate addresses, and currently remain in custody.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Mets Notting Hill Carnival spokesperson, said the woman came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

She said: Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones. She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

Notting Hill Carnival brings around one million people on to the streets of West London each year ( Reuters )

These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects.

We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival, Cmdr Brenyah added.

Eight stabbings were reported at this years carnival, which is two less than the 10 last year. On Monday 230 arrests were made, including 49 for possession of an offensive weapon, 37 for assault on an emergency worker and eight sexual offences, Sky News reported.

7,000 police officers were on duty for the bank holiday event, which drew around one million people to west London.
An investigation has been demanded into the role of flammable cladding in a terrifying fire at a London tower block, seven years after safety concerns were raised by the Grenfell disaster.

Residents described fleeing the burning building, in the Freshwater Road area of Dagenham, in the early hours of Monday.

Some said they were coughing up black soot after inhaling smoke and had lost their belongings in the blaze.

More than 80 people were evacuated and two were taken to hospital. All residents have been accounted for and an investigation into the fire has been launched, the London Fire Brigade said.

Brigade commissioner Andy Roe said there were fire safety issues present within the building.

The block, which was covered in scaffolding, was undergoing remedial work to remove and replace non-compliant cladding on the fifth and sixth floors, according to a planning application document. The role of cladding in the fire will form part of the fire services investigation.

Firefighters at the scene after a blaze at a block of flats on Freshwater Road, Dagenham, east London ( PA )

The incident comes just a week before the publication of the final report of the inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which saw the deaths of 72 people after a fridge fire spread rapidly due to flammable cladding on the exterior walls.

Local Labour MP Margaret Mullane said Mondays fire had resulted in minimal injuries thanks to the swift response of the emergency services.

She added: There needs to be a full investigation into the cause of this fire, and why, seven years on from Grenfell, unsafe cladding was still in the process of being removed.

However, my initial actions will be to help the victims of this terrible tragedy, all in absolute shock, as they are moved into temporary accommodation and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

Residents were despairing about losing their belongings to the fire ( PA )

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), praised firefighters for their response and added: Once again, a fire has erupted in a residential building wrapped in flammable cladding. There needs to be an urgent and swift investigation of how this has been allowed to happen.

Hundreds of thousands of people continue to live in buildings like it, with various failings in fire safety. This is a national scandal.

For decades, the FBU has warned of the risks of deregulation in the building sector. Politicians have put the interests of big business above human life. As we saw at Grenfell Tower, this can have horrific and tragic consequences.

We have highlighted significant building safety failings before and since the Grenfell Tower fire. It was already known that the Dagenham tower block was dangerous. Time and time again, these warnings have been ignored by public authorities and by central government. This must change immediately.

Smoke was still pouring from the building on Monday morning ( Getty Images )

A spokesperson for Grenfell United, which is made up of survivors and bereaved families from the west London tower fire, said: We wake up to the graphic images of the Dagenham fire, an incident that happened in the middle of the night over a bank holiday weekend when many residents would have been at home  a scenario we have warned about for seven years.

Although we do not have all the details, it seems work was underway to remove non-compliant cladding, and the building had a number of fire safety issues.

This highlights the painfully slow progress of remediation across the country, and a lack of urgency for building safety as a whole, including the implementation of personal evacuation plans for disabled residents which needs urgently addressing.

We are a week away from the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report. The fact that when a fire happens, and the best we can hope for at the moment is a near miss, speaks volumes of the progress made since 14 June 2017.

We expect the Labour government to take action to speed up remediation on unsafe buildings, where their predecessors failed.

Around 225 firefighters responded to the blaze in east London ( PA )

Sam Ogbeide, who lives on the fourth floor of the Dagenham tower said he opened his main door and saw smoke coming in from the window. He said the fire was very terrible, adding that it was busy in the buildings stairwell as people evacuated.

Some residents didnt bring anything when evacuating, with some still naked. Mr Ogbeide said: Ive never experienced something like this in my life. Everything is gone. I dont know what to do.

He added: Im not feeling OK. All my mouth is bitter because I feel the smoke in me. When I cough, you see the black.

He said he did not see any water sprinklers in the building, Spectrum House, but did hear a fire alarm.

An investigation will now take place into how the building caught fire ( Getty Images )

Irina Vasile, 46, a healthcare assistant who lives on the second floor, said the incident felt like a nightmare and said she was frightened to be on the street starting from zero. She said she was woken by her partner at around 3am telling her there was smoke.

Speaking outside the Beacontree Health Leisure Centre where the residents have been relocated, Ms Vasile said: [There was] such a dense smoke all over the apartment. When we wanted to open the window, another smoke hit our face, on the throat and the eyes.

Ms Vasile said she was spotted by firefighters after shouting for help and calling 999.

She said: We didnt grab nothing  we lost everything. The firemen bring us outside, and while I came outside, Ive seen a big fire come from the building on the ground floor, and when we went further, Ive seen another big fire on the top.

The resident said she did not hear a fire alarm go off during the evacuation, adding: My partner is devastated as well. We try to encourage one another because we lost everything.

Firefighters use a water hose to put out the flames ( Getty Images )

The blaze is now under control, and what was declared a major incident has been stood down, but the fire service said it was too early to tell what started it.

London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Patrick Goulbourne said: What I wouldnt want to do is pre-empt an investigation.

This was a very, very dynamic incident and clearly its going to require a very complex investigation, not only to get to its cause but to get to an understanding of the fire spread. So its too early at this time to be able to give any detail on that, but that will form part of our investigation in the coming days.

Just hours after an investigation was launched a second fire broke out in Blackwall, east London. Dramatic footage from New Providence Wharf showed thick smoke billowing from the 25th floor of the 45-storey building.

Up to 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines rushed to the scene to tackle the blaze after the London Fire Brigade was called at around 1.30pm. There were no injuries.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper thanked the firefighters and other emergency workers for their bravery and swift response.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said a rest centre had been set up in the area to help residents.

David Simmonds MP, shadow minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: Our thoughts are with those affected by the fire in Dagenham, and we thank the emergency services for their tireless work which has successfully brought the fire under control.

A government spokesperson said: We must establish the facts surrounding this horrific incident. That is why we are urgently working with the London Fire Brigade and local council to understand exactly what happened and ask if more needs to be done to keep people safe in their homes.
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Fish and chips has seen the biggest price increase out of the UKs favourite takeaways, costing an average of 10, new figures have shown.

Despite traditionally being an affordable staple of British cuisine, the average price for a portion of the deep fried delicacy has risen by more than 50 per cent in the five years to July.

Soaring costs of potatoes and fish due to bad harvests, climate change and the war in Ukraine have been blamed for the dramatic increase in price, which averaged at 6.48 in July 2019.

Potato farmers have also found it difficult to yield a good crop of native varities such as the maris piper due to years of miserable weather in the UK.

The price of fish and chips has jumped by more than 50 per cent in the last five years (Alamy/PA) ( PA )

Figures gathered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that restaurant and takeaway prices have risen across all sectors, with a spike occurring in 2022 after the cost of living crisis caused energy costs to increase.

The cost of a kebab rose by 44 per cent and pizza has risen by 30 per cent, while other British favourites such as an Indian or Chinese takeaway are up by 29 per cent each.

Weve had the perfect storm of events in terms of cost pressures, Jon Long, of Long Johns Fish and Chips in Dorset, told the BBC. Its not a cheap meal anymore. I think its still good value but it has become more expensive.

He added: Ive never known an onslaught of pressures in terms of costs going up.

Recent figures from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Agricultural Price Index (API) shows that prices paid to UK farmers for potatoes have risen in the last two years, due to the current economic climate.

On average, they are being paid three times what they were receiving in 2019, as a result of bad harvests with the cost of white potatoes rising by nine per cent per kilogram.

As well as collecting data on takeaways, the ONS has shown that a number of average hoursehold items have increased in price, with olive oil being the worst affected.

Other food items to up their prices include white sugar, baked beans and frozen beef burgers.
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A dance teacher who was stabbed while trying to protect children in the Southport knife attack has been discharged from hospital after being re-admitted as her condition deteriorated.

Former primary school teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, was critically injured after a knifeman launched an attack, which left three girls dead at Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.

She and a colleague are said to have helped shield up to 16 innocent children from the onslaught at a dance studio in the Merseyside seaside town.

Ms Lucas has now been discharged from hospital after having been readmitted earlier this month due to breathing problems, her friends have said.

Posting on a Southport community Facebook page, her friend Ester, who has been sharing information on behalf of Ms Lucass family wrote: Leanne has been discharged following further surgery and is now recovering with family and friends around her.

Leanne Lucas, 35, has been named locally as one of the heroic dance class teachers wounded while trying to protect children ( Supplied )

Please continue to support Leanne by sharing her GoFundMe page far and wide and donating where possible. We have had so many lovely messages wishing her well, so many gifts and hand made crafts.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for showing such kindness during this impossible difficult time.

The news comes weeks after Ms Lucas condition appeared to deteriorate as she underwent further surgery.

On 15 August, an update shared to a GoFundMe page set up to support the instructor revealed she had developed an infection and was struggling with her breathing.

Unfortunately this week Leanne was readmitted to hospital due to struggling with her breathing. She is waiting for an operation for another drain on her lung due to infection, the update read. Leanne had barely begun her road to recovery. Please keep her in your thoughts and continue supporting her as you have been by sharing the page & donating anything you can.

More than 36,000 has been donated to the fundraisers through 1,500 donations so far.

Left to right, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine (Merseyside Police/PA) ( PA Media )

Bebe King, six, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were stabbed to death at the class in July, while 10 others were injured.

Ms Lucas reportedly planned the two-hour dance and yoga session to coincide with the school holidays and taught the class alongside Heidi Barlow. Ms Barlow was also injured in the attack, but less seriously.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with the murder of the three girls in Merseyside.

He is also charged with the attempted murder of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as possession of a kitchen knife with a curved blade.

Soon after the attack, false claims of the suspects identity were spread online, with some posts speculating he was a Muslim migrant who had arrived in the UK by boat in 2023.

The misinformation helped spark far-right riots that engulfed the country. A total of 1,117 arrests and 677 charges have since been made in connection with the disorder.
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Fire Brigade Union general secretary Matt Wrack has described a blaze which destroyed a block of flats in Dagenham, east London, as a national scandal which should not be able to happen.

Mr Wrack spoke to The Independent after touring the site of the disaster in Freshwater Road, Dagenham, with deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The veteran union boss and former firefighter said he has been at the site of many fires before but described the burnt-out block of flats as one of the worst he had seen.

He said his warning to Ms Rayner was that the blaze was the consequence of years of deregulation on building regulations under the Tories and massive cuts to the council departments responsible for checking building standards.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU (Clive Gee/PA) ( PA Wire )

The fire happened seven years after the nation was shocked by the blaze which engulfed Grenfell Tower in Kensington, killing 70 people and leaving another 70 injured.

But despite an inquiry calling for a change in building regulations to remove dangerous cladding, little progress has been made.

Mr Wrack said: This is just a completely wrecked building by the fire. Shocking.

I've attended lots of fires and lots of place in my time, and normally the fire will be restricted to one or a couple of windows, and they're designed to operate like that. What you've got here completely destroyed a block of flats.

It's shocking, and it highlights the state of the building safety crisis we've got in this country that people have thought would end after Grenfell. It's very, very, you know, the remediation of those buildings is very, very slow, too slow.

He said ACM (aluminum composite material) cladding remains on buildings, adding: There are other forms of cladding, and there are other fire safety failures that have been identified, and the pace of removal and correction that is far too slow and a national disgrace.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited the scene on Tuesday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Wire )

Mr Wrack was involved in the aftermath of Grenfell as the FBU general secretary and was assured at the time by Theresa Mays government that the disaster would be a turning point in fire safety.

But he said: If you talk to the firefighters who attended this, they don't think there's been any turning points on building safety. Well, they turned up to a fire again, expected it would behave like they've been trained buildings will behave, and it hasn't done that. So it's only thanks to the professionalism, determination, bravery of firefighters that no lives were lost.

He added: They have performed the wonders, the first crew, crews from Dagenham and other local stations. So, yeah, that's to their credit.

Around 100 people escaped the fire in the early hours of Monday morning as the blaze took hold of the building, with some having to be warned by neighbours banging on the door because of a lack of fire and smoke alarms.

Addressing his conversation with Ms Rayner, who attended on a private visit with Mr Wrack and the fire commissioner for London, he said: You know, we've got the deputy prime minister here, to her credit  she's come along to see the site and to listen to people  but we hope to have a better dialogue with the government than we've had for the past seven years.

A firefighter at the scene in Dagenham, London, following a blaze at a block of flats (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Wire )

Laying out the issues which still need to be addressed, Mr Wrack said: I think it's a whole combination of issues. The scrapping of regulations, in our view, has had an impact on building safety. If you ask anyone that's in the street: Should you be able to put flammable cladding on the outside of a building? Everyone will say: No.

So how come it's been permitted to happen all over the country? That's an absolute national scandal. So the regulations should be stricter.

But then there's the question of how you enforce the regulations, the role of the fire service, the role of the local authority, building control, all of which have been cut to pieces.

If anyone recalls the building control officer who gave evidence that Grenfell and his team had been absolutely cut to pieces and they were not able to keep up with the workload. So it's not surprising that things are getting through that should not get through, but that's the fault... we've always said it's central government's responsibility.

They're making the decisions to reduce regulation. They're making the decisions to cut safety critical parts of public services, and that needs to be reversible.

Mr Wrack warned about the problems of the sticking plaster system of posting teams of people 24/7 outside buildings to wake them up if there is a fire  a system that is used in Barking and Dagenham but was not in place for the building caught in the bank holiday weekend fire.

The fundamental problem is you've got buildings now that clearly are being admitted, are not safe in the event of fire, he said.

There's a question, in some cases, of whether people should even be living in buildings in that situation. And then the solution, which in our view, is a very cheap sticking plaster, is to introduce what I call waking watches.

These are people who we have concerns about the level of training, whether they're trained to evacuate people, whether they're trained to evacuate people in the midst of a fire, which is a very scary, dangerous situation. We don't think that's the solution to the crisis that we've got in building safety.
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Liz Truss considered scrapping all cancer treatment on the NHS in a desperate bid to repair the damage caused by her disastrous economic policies, according to a new book.

The extraordinary claim is made in a new biography of Ms Truss by Sir Anthony Seldon.

Sir Anthony, who is Britains leading political biographer, also states that Ms Trusss allies feared her team could be targeted with a cocaine smear by unnamed figures at Tory HQ who wanted to stop her from becoming prime minister.

Liz Truss with chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng at the Tory party conference following the disastrous mini-Budget ( PA Archive )

Sir Anthonys book, Truss at 10: How Not to Be a Prime Minister, is deeply critical of Ms Truss, who was forced to resign in 2022 after she triggered an economic crisis by proposing the introduction of 45bn of unfunded tax cuts. She spent only 49 days in office.

The author claims that, in the immediate aftermath of the mini-Budget, Ms Truss and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, launched a desperate attempt to find spending cuts in an effort to restore stock-market confidence in their strategy.

Truss with her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng ( PA Archive )

Sir Anthony says a group of Ms Trusss Tory aides met to discuss the issue. One of her senior advisers, Alex Boyd, was told that Truss and Kwarteng were thinking they could still sort out the black hole with severe cuts: Weve been told that theyre looking at stopping cancer treatment on the NHS.

Mr Boyds response was to ask Is she being serious? writes Sir Anthony, while other aides said she had lost the plot.

Shes shouting at everyone that Weve got to find the money. When we tell her it cant be done, she shouts back: Its not true. The money is there. You go and find it, they told the author.

But a spokesperson for Ms Truss said it is completely untrue that she ever considered it.

Speaking to The Independent, Mr Kwarteng added: I wasnt involved in any conversations about restricting healthcare, but that doesnt mean the prime minister and her team didnt discuss this.

According to Sir Anthony, arch-Brexiteer (now Sir) Jacob Rees-Mogg tried to persuade Ms Truss to make him chancellor instead of Mr Kwarteng.

Sir Anthony mockingly compares Mr Rees-Moggs passionate attempt to woo Ms Truss into putting him in charge of the Treasury to the attempt by Malvolio, the pompous cross-gartered flunky in Shakespeares Twelfth Night, to seduce Lady Olivia.

The author says Mr Rees-Mogg urged Ms Truss to abolish inheritance tax, replace all tax rates with a 20p flat rate, and organise a stunt to promote nuclear power.

He writes that the then cabinet minister told Ms Truss: We should get a nuclear submarine to dock at Liverpool and plug it into the grid. That would show it is safe. Sir Anthony says cabinet secretary Simon Case dismissed the idea as a non-starter, adding that the subs are needed in operations.

He describes friction with other senior Conservatives, and says that Ms Truss referred to Michael Gove as a snake after he denounced her tax cuts.

Sir Anthony claims that Ms Truss suspected that a dirty tricks operation was being planned by unnamed figures in Tory HQ in an effort to stop her from becoming leader. He says her allies feared there would be an attempt to intimidate her with talk of a thick dossier of her indiscretions, her drinking, cocaine use by others among her team.

In the event, the dossier never materialised, says the author.

Truss at 10: How Not to Be a Prime Minister by Sir Anthony Seldon is out on 29 August
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Namibia plans to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, and to distribute the meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of a severe drought across southern Africa, the environment ministry said.

The cull will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday.

The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland.

Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in decades, with Namibia having exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations. Nearly half of Namibias population is expected to experience high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

With such a severe drought, human-wildlife conflicts are expected to increase if the authorities do not intervene, the environment ministry said.

To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, (and) meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme, it said.

One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and companies contracted by the government, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.

This exercise in necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens, the environment ministry said.

The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland ( AFP via Getty Images )

More than 200,000 elephants are estimated to live in a conservation area spread over five southern African countries - Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia - making the region home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide.

Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year because of drought.

Earlier this year Botswana threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany, escalating an ongoing row over the import of hunting trophies.

The dispute began when Germanys environment ministry, citing concerns about poaching, suggested imposing stricter limits on the import of hunting trophies. Germany is the EUs chief importer of African elephant trophies, according to a 2021 report by the Humane Society International.

Botswanas president Mokgweetsi Masisi told Bild that further restrictions on hunting would impoverish the African nation due to an explosion in the number of elephants.

Germans should live together with the animals, in the way you are trying to tell us to, he told the German daily.

This is not a joke, Mr Masisi added.
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A doctor in Woodland Hills, California was shot and killed outside of his medical clinic on Friday. Police believe the killing was targeted.

Dr Hamid Mirshojae, 61, left his clinic around 6:15pm and was walking to his car in the parking lot of the Woodland Hills Medical Clinic and Urgent Care  approximately 25 miles northwest of central Los Angeles  when he was approached and shot by an unknown suspect, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police reviewed surveillance footage that captured the incident, and said the suspect had been waiting for nearly an hour in the parking lot before the doctor exited. Once the doctor was near his car, the suspect ambushed him and began firing before leaving the area on foot.

Mirshojae died in the parking lot from his wounds. LA fire department paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

A makeshift memorial to the doctor has been growing outside the medical clinic, according to KTLA.

A former patient, Khedhar Quintero, told the broadcaster that the doctor was "full of love."

He doesnt care that youre just another number in his lobby, he cares about your future as well," the patient said.

Close friends told the broadcaster that the doctor's wife and six-month-old baby were in Turkey visiting family at the time of the shooting. Mirshojae also reportedly has three children from a previous marriage.

"It's just mind-blowing," Sarah Kay, a Woodland Hills resident, told ABC7. "You know of all people, why someone who wants to help others? It's really sad and my regards goes out to their family."

Another woman, who spoke to CBS News outside the clinic on Monday, said she was "devastated" because she lost not only her doctor, but "lost a friend."

Quintero said the doctor helped many patients who were fighting drug addiction, and speculated his work in that space could have motivated the shooting.

He helped a lot of people with detox, Quintero said. Who knows what they couldve been going through. He couldve changed something in their life. He couldve done something different that they didnt like, and someone wanted him removed from this world unfortunately.

Police are still trying to determine a motive in the attack. A description of the suspect has not been released at this time.

The LAPD has asked anyone with information about the shooting to call its Topanga station at 818-756-4800.
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An Indiana man who poisoned his wifes Coca-Cola with a cocktail of drugs in an attempt to kill her so he could run off with her daughter has been sentenced to prison.

Alfred W. Ruf, 71, admitted to spiking his wifes drinks at least a dozen times in 2021 as part of the twisted plot, according to court documents reviewed by WXIN.

He pleaded guilty in Wayne County Court on Monday to aggravated battery posing a risk of death and was sentenced to four years in prison and five years of probation.

Police were contacted in January 2022 by Rufs wife, who said she believed her husband was trying to kill her. Over several weeks, she had been hospitalized six times with unexplained headaches, drowsiness, and diarrhea.

The wife tested positive for multiple illegal drugs that she said she did not take, including cocaine, MDMA and benzodiazepines.

When the wife confronted Ruf, he admitted to drugging her so that he could sleep with the daughter from a previous marriage and the daughters friend, she said.

In an interview with police, Ruf admitted that his wifes daughter had given him the pill bottle with the white substance and allegedly told him to put it in her drink and wait for her to fall asleep. The daughter and her friend would then allegedly come to Rufs house and put on a show, he said to police.

Rufs wife had provided police with a pill bottle of an off-white powdery substance and a Coca-Cola can with an off-white residue, WXIN reported.

Ruf stated that the substance would then make [his wife] go to sleep for approximately 13 hours or so, court docs read. He stated that he would do this to eventually kill her.

The scheme was to get mom out of the picture and inherit the life insurance policy, and that Ruf and the daughter would get married after they took care of his wife, according to the court documents.

Ruf stated that he knew the substance would eventually kill his wife and that it was [their] ultimate goal to kill her, police wrote.

Ruf poisoned his wifes drink approximately 12 times from September 2021 to the end of December 2021, he confessed.

Two additional suspects are being investigated, but no arrests have been made.
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A New Jersey woman has been charged after clambering into the tiger enclosure at a local zoo on August 18, beckoning one of the big cats to come closer, authorities announced Monday.

Zyair J. Dennis, 24, pulled a similar stunt at the Cohanzick Zoos bear enclosure the same day, according to the Bridgeton, New Jersey Police Department.

The zoos two tigers weigh some 500 pounds each.

Dennis is now facing one count of defiant trespassing, and was issued summonses for violating two city ordinances covering general conduct of persons pertaining to climbing fences within the zoo, Chief of Police Michael Gaimari Sr. said in a statement.

The investigation got underway on August 20, when city officials contacted the Bridgeton PD with bystander footage they had received of Dennis dangerous antics, according to the statement.

The video and still photos show a person jumped over a fence and approached the caged enclosure of the tiger reaching into the cage before quickly pulling her hand out when the animal reacted aggressively, it said.

The tigers at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey ( Bridgeton Police Department )

In the clips, which Bridgeton police released to the public, Dennis can be seen enticing 7-year-old Mahesha, one of the zoos two Bengal tigers. Bridgeton police released video last week of the incident; zookeeper Avery Menear described the tigers behaviors during the extremely ill-advised encounter as predatory.

The Cohanzick Zoo received the tigers in 2017 as a donation from a North Carolina zoo, replacing a pair of white tigers that died two years earlier.

In memory of those two tigers, Ganesha and Shiva, the zoo chose names for the cubs to honor them, the zoo website says . Former zoo coordinator Kelly Shaw explained that Mahesha means great lord and is another way to say Shiva, and Rishi means poet in Hindu, which is a connection to Ganesha, the name of the Hindu god known as the patron of arts, letters, and writing.

Gaimari said the departments social media postings yielded instant responses that led directly to the suspects identification.

Last week, police posted on Facebook : Visitors are reminded as per city ordnance [sic] 247-C, climbing zoo fences is prohibited.

Dennis will appear in Bridgeton Municipal Court at an as-yet to be determined date.
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Six months after Sebastian Rogers vanished from his Tennessee home, the FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information about the missing teenager.

The 15-year-old, who is autistic, has been missing since February 26.

Sebastians mother, Katie Proudfoot, said that she last saw her son around 10p.m. the night before at the familys home in Hendersonville, but was gone when she went to wake him up the following day.

State and local authorities have searched for the teen using helicopters, drones, search-and-rescue dogs, and teams on foot. An Amber Alert was also issued but with no sign of Sebastian, law enforcement scaled back search efforts in March.

The search has generated hundreds of tips but nothing has led to the discovery of Sebastians whereabouts.

Sebastian Rogers was gone when his mother went to wake him up on February 26 ( TBI )

Now, the FBIs Memphis field office is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the location and return of Sebastian, or to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for his disappearance.

Sebastians mother and stepfather Chris Proudfoot spoke to the media about their sons disappearance for the first time eight days after he went missing.

The couple has received backlash for not speaking out earlier, to which they say they shouldnt be judged because no one knows what theyre going through.

Meanwhile, Seth Rogers, Sebastians biological father, has hired a private investigator to continue searching for his son, NewsNation reported.

The #FBI Nashville Resident Agency is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for info leading to the whereabouts of Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers. Info on how to report and additional details here: https://t.co/6f6IKCUDq7 @TBInvestigation pic.twitter.com/81uitDcAlx  FBI Memphis (@FBIMemphis) August 26, 2024

Rogers has said that he believes there are suspicious circumstances around his sons disappearance, including the fact that his phone and Nintendo Switch were left behind and his shoes were left near the door.

Police have said there is no evidence of criminal activity in the teens disappearance.

Sebastian was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and black, square-framed glasses.

Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Sebastian Rogers is asked to contact the Sumner County Sheriffs Office at 615-451-3838, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND or TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov, or the local FBI office. They may also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov or at the nearest American embassy or consulate.
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The parents of 20-year-old Thomas Crooks who shot Donald Trump last month have retained a lawyer as the FBI investigates the attempted assassination, according to a new report.

An unnamed family member told The Daily Mail that Crookss parents have sought the services of Pittsburgh-based law firm Quinn Logue. The move comes as the FBI continues to question how much Matthew and Mary Crooks knew about their sons plan to assassinate Trump, the Mail reports.

Matthew Crooks is interested in guns and has sold firearms to family members in the past, the source told the Mail. The FBI still very much has questions about how much they knew and how [Thomas Crooks] slipped through the net, the individual said.

Quinn Logue specializes in both criminal and civil law, including wrongful death and personal injury, according to its website.

Thomas Crooks, 20, attempted to assassinate Donald Trump last month, leaving the former president injured. Crooks parents have retained an attorney as the FBI questions how much they knew about their sons plan ahead of time ( AP )

Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. The 20-year-old, who shot Trump in the ear, also killed attendee Corey Comperatore and injured two others. Crooks was shot dead by a sniper at the scene.

The FBI is still investigating how Crooks was able to carry out the shooting from a rooftop near the rally stage. The FBI briefed Trump on their investigation earlier this month, revealing that they still dont have a clear motive, ABC News reported. However, Crooks may have targeted Trump just because he was the next big-name politician to come to Pennsylvania.

Crooks searched dates of Trump rallies and the Democratic National Convention before the shooting, according to The New York Times. The 20-year-old had also saved pictures of Joe Biden, Trump, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Catherine, the Princess of Wales onto his electronic devices, NPR reports.

FBI agents told Trump that Crooks paid his father $500 for a rifle months before the assassination attempt, ABC News reported. However, Crooks had to get the gun from his father before going to the rally site, FBI agents told the former president, according to ABC News.

The FBI declined to comment when contacted by The Independent.

In the weeks since the assassination attempt, the Secret Service has been heavily critized. Last week, five or six agents were placed on leave as disciplinary action, according to MSNBC.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told CBS News the mission assurance review is progressing, and we are examining the processes, procedures and factors that led to this operational failure.

Acting Secret Service Director and Senator Ted Cruz get in shouting match

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stepped down last month after calls from lawmakers for her resignation. Her replacement, Ronald Rowe, later admitted that the agency had failed on multiple levels.

That roofline shouldve been covered, he said earlier this month. We shouldve had more eyes on that.

Recently released body camera footage from Pennsylvania law enforcement also suggested that local officers warned Secret Service agents about the building that Crooks climbed on top of, and shot from.

I f****ing told them they need to post the f****** guys over here, an officer said in the video.

The Independent has contacted Matthew Crooks and Quinn Logue for comment.
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A water buffalo is on the loose in an Iowa town, and police are warning people that it is injured and aggressive.

Police in the Des Moines suburb of Pleasant Hill responded Saturday to a call about an animal in the road. It turned out to be a water buffalo, and the owner told police the animal was aggressive.

That proved to be the case when police and animal rescue and control groups began trying to contain the water buffalo and return it to the owner's property. Those efforts led the animal to show its aggressiveness toward Pleasant Hill officers which resulted in one round being fired from a shotgun, injuring the animal, police said in a Facebook posting on Monday.

Water buffaloes can weigh up to 2,650 pounds, according to the website for National Geographic, though the Iowa animal appears smaller in photos. Often domesticated, the water buffalo is the largest member of the Bovini tribe, which includes yak, bison, African buffalo, various species of wild cattle, and others, the website said.

Iowa Water Buffalo

The wounded water buffalo got away. Police used drones and ATVs to try and find it and brought in people with expertise in water buffaloes. As of Tuesday morning, the animal was still on the lam in the town of about 11,000 residents.

If anyone sees a Water Buffalo, DO NOT APPROACH IT, police said on Facebook.
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An inmate at a Los Angeles County jail was grazed by a bullet fired from a nearby FBI gun range, according to law enforcement officials.

The inmate, who has not been identified, was injured on August 9 while sitting on a porch outside of a jail housing barrack at Pitchess Detention Center South Facility in Castaic, about 35 miles northwest of LA, according to a statement from the LA County Sheriff's Department. After the inmate reported their injury to jail staff, workers at the facility found several cars had also been hit by bullets.

The severity of the inmate's injuries were not shared, according to the LA Times.

The complex where the jail is located is also the site of outdoor shooting ranges, including one used primarily by FBI agents. The sheriff determined that the bullet came from the FBI range.

Investigators learned that the errant bullets originated from the range utilized by the FBI, according to the department. Sheriffs personnel and the FBI debriefed the incident, and the range has been subsequently closed.

The FBI acknowledged the incident and issued a statement to the LA Times explaining that the bullets were fired during an agent's quarterly firearms training exercise.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies check a vehicle at the northern entrance to the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California. On August 9, an inmate at the facility was struck in the ear by a bullet fired during an FBI firearms training exercise at a gun range on the jail complex ( Google Maps )

One individual was unintentionally wounded and treated for a superficial injury, the statement said. The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously.

The FBI's Inspection Division has launched an investigation into the incident.

The Independent has sought comment from the LA Sheriffs Department and the FBI.

The sheriff closed the range after the incident, but an official told the newspaper that other ranges at the jail complex are still being used.

This isn't the first firing range-related incident in Castaic. In October, the LASD had to shut down its network of mobile range trailers  essentially 50ft trailers that serve as firing ranges  when one of them caught fire during a training exercise.

Firefighters responding to the scene said at the time that the fire was especially difficult to contain because there was live ammunition inside the burning trailer, according to the Associated Press.

Two deputies were injured in the fire. One of the deputies, Alfredo Flores, 51, suffered serious injuries and died six months after the incident, Fox 11 Los Angeles reports.
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A pastor has been fired from a Texas megachurch over a moral issue just months after its founder was publicly accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.

The Gateway Church, based in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, said executive pastor Kemtal Glasgow was fired because of a moral failure.

Church elder Tra Willbanks said in a statement: Kemtal Glasgow is no longer employed at Gateway. We were informed last week of a moral issue which we believe, as elders, disqualifies him from serving in the role that he had at Gateway.

Willbanks did not go into further details about the alleged moral failure, but told the congregation: We love this family, we love his wife and his kids, and we want to come alongside them during this difficult time and help them find restoration and healing that they need as a family.

The church confirmed Glasgows departure was not linked to the case involving Robert Morris, Donald Trumps former faith adviser. The church was founded by Morris in 2000 and has multiple locations in the area.

Morris resigned from the church in June after admitting to inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.

Robert Morris, a Texas pastor who founded Gateway Church, allegedly asked the woman accusing him of abuse how much it would take to buy her silence ( WFAA / YouTube )

His accuser, Cindy Clemishire, previously claimed that the pastor started abusing her on Christmas Day in 1982.

Clemishire, 52, said that Morris and his wife were staying at her familys home when he asked her to come into his room, where he told her to lay on his bed and began touching her inappropriately. She said the abuse continued until 1987 when she told her parents.

Twenty-five years after the incident, a lawyer for Morris  J Shelby Sharpe  reportedly claimed it was the child who was actually to blame.

It was your client, wrote Sharpe, in a letter obtained by NBC, 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 letter, sent in February 2007, was one in a series of exchanges that year between Sharpe and Gentner Drummond, a lawyer who represented Clemishire at the time.

Clemishire recently revealed she had been seeking $50,000 in restitution from Morris to cover the cost of counseling. Morris had allegedly offered to pay $25,000, but the talks fell apart because she was not willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement, Clemishire said.

Pastor Robert Morris applauds after President Donald Trump spoke at Gateway Church's Dallas campus on June 11, 2020 ( Alex Brandon/AP )

Sharpe told NBC News that he had no recollection of a $25,000 settlement offer or NDA demand and that he no longer represents Morris. He also denied to the outlet any knowledge that Clemishire had been a child at the time of the alleged incident.

In a statement put out before his resignation, Morris admitted the inappropriate sexual behavior but insisted that he had not had intercourse with the young girl.

When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong, he said.

The board previously said that they did not have all of the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse.

On June 18, Gateway Churchs board of elders announced theyd accepted the resignation from Morris and hired a law firm to conduct an independent review to make sure they have a complete understanding of the events from 1982 to 1987.

Morris, the founding pastor, has been politically active. He was among those on former Trumps evangelical advisory board. The Gateway Church hosted Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.
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An American soldier who was detained after fleeing to North Korea will plead guilty to five military charges.

Private Travis King was charged with 14 offences under the Uniform Code of Military Justice after his release from North Korea last September following lengthy negotiations.

Mr King will plead guilty to deserting and assaulting an officer as well as three counts of disobeying an officer, his lawyer Franklin D Rosenblatt said on Monday.

Nine charges, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be withdrawn and dismissed under the terms of the deal. "He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did," Mr Rosenblatt added.

Mr King, 24, was detained in North Korea after he ran across the border in July 2023 while on a guided tour of the demilitarised zone separating the country from South Korea. He became the first American to be detained in North Korea in five years amid its worsening relations with the US.

Washington declined to declare him a prisoner of war.

The 2nd Class Private's run into North Korea came soon after he was released from a South Korean jail where he had served nearly two months on assault charges.

Travis King, wearing a black shirt and black cap, is seen in this picture taken during a tour of the tightly controlled demilitarised zone ( Reuters )

About a week after his release from prison, Mr King was taken to an airport so he could return to the Fort Bliss military base in the US to face disciplinary action. He was escorted as far as customs but instead of getting on the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.

An anonymous Pentagon official told NPR last year that the soldier was dressed in civilian clothes when the incident took place.

His release followed weeks of negotiations that resulted in the Swedish government retrieving Mr King from North Korea and bringing him across the border into China for a handoff to the US envoy. He was flown to Texas on 28 September last year and detained.

"Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations," said Mr King's lawyer.

His guilty plea and sentencing hearing will be held on 20 September in Texas.
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Donald Trump faced criticism after giving the thumbs up and smiling while posing for photos at the graves of soldiers killed during the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery.

The former president was at the Virginia cemetery to lay a wreath on the third anniversary of the terror attack at the Abbey Gate at Kabul Airport, where 13 American servicemembers were killed.

Utahs Republican Governor Spencer Cox shared one image from the event on X, writing Monday that theres no greater sacrifice than giving ones life in defense of our country.

It was my solemn privilege to stand alongside the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover at Arlington National Cemetery today as we paid tribute to his legacy and the 12 others who lost their lives three years ago at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan, he added.

Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, quickly zeroed in on Trumps unusual pose in the snap.

Smiling thumbs up at the grave is unusual to say the least, he wrote on X. Never mind that Trump negotiated the deal and is the reason we left.

Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery ( Utah Governor Spencer Cox )

Donald Trump stands alongside Misty Fuoco, whose sister Sgt. Nicole Gee died in Abbey Gate Bombing, at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26 in Arlington, Virginia ( Getty Images )

Trump was surrounded by relatives of the soldier, some of whom also gave a thumbs up in the photo shared by Cox.

In another photo shared by the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project, Trump did the thumbs up and smiled as he stood at the grave of Nicole Gee, a sergeant. The group called it disgraceful.

Trump was joined for the event in Virginia by former Democratic Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, an Army Reserve officer, who endorsed the Republican nominee later on Monday.

Speaking at a National Guard Association meeting in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, Gabbard, who ran against Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary, slammed the Biden administration, claiming that it has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world, and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard speaks at the National Guard of the United States NGAUS General Conference in Detroit, Michigan U.S., August 26 ( REUTERS )

She added: This is one of the main reasons why I am committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander in chief.

While the Trump campaign has been trying to blame the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on the Biden administration, it was the Trump administration that struck a deal for the rapid withdrawal of all US troops. Trump was even planning on hosting the Taliban at Camp David to finalize the agreement in September 2019 before the meeting was called off.
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Donald Trump pledged on Monday to create a Space National Guard if he retakes the White House in Novembers presidential election.

The issue has been hotly debated by the Pentagon, congressional legislators, and state governors, turning it into what has been dubbed a political lightning rod.

At a campaign stop in Detroit Monday, Trump told members of the National Guard Association that one of his proudest achievements in office was the creation of the Space Force.

Its a big deal, the Republican presidential nominee told the attendees.

Trump, who is floundering as Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris surges in the polls, said the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the US Space Force.

He told the crowd that Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who Trump denigrated during the 2016 primaries as Little Marco, was a big supporter of a Space National Guard, supposedly telling the 45th president: I love this, I love it, I love it.

So, were going to do that, Trump went on. Space Force has been very important. Very, very important. When I did that, the, the people came in, they wanted to end it, and they were just hammered, because people realized how important we were getting, just, destroyed in space.

Donald Trump gestures towards the US Space Force flag in the Oval Office on May 15, 2020 ( REUTERS )

The existing National Guard presently has space-centric units in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York, and Ohio  and Guam.

The concept of a separate Space National Guard has been floating around since 2019, when Trump established the Space Force. National Guard leaders have come out in favor of such a plan. However, many experts have criticized any such initiative as one that would create unnecessary bureaucracy, complications, and costs.

Creating a Space National Guard would effectively tie the services hands in managing its personnel and create wasteful overhead and duplication that drain funding and leadership attention away from higher priorities, American Enterprise Institute defense analyst Todd Harrison wrote in May. Congress should keep the Space Force lean and agile and give it the authority it is requesting to manage its personnel as one unified component.

Last month, retiring National Guard Bureau boss Gen. Daniel Hokanson warned that transferring Air National Guard units into the Space Force could rob states of important resources and lead to unintended consequences if it were to come to pass.

Almost every governor is against the idea of transferring Air National Guard units to the Space Force, which has been proposed by the Biden administration instead of a fully separate Space National Guard. Others, like West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who in May left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent, have come out in favor of an independent Space National Guard.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, it would cost at least $120 million to stand up a Space National Guard consisting of 1,500 Guardians.
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The conventions are in the books. Former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are sniping at each other about their presumptive debate in September. Trump has reportedly tapped anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr to work on his transition team, while Harris recently announced that 200 former staffers for Mitt Romney, George W Bush and John McCain have endorsed her campaign (thats part of her larger effort to court McCain Republicans.)

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff has taken part in a number of campaign receptions, while Governor Tim Walz will speak to the International Association of Fire Fighters on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will trek through Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

But, of course, the presidency is only one race being decided in November. And some of the races down-ballot are just as bloody. They also might have a massive impact on the top of the ticket.

Here is a roundup of the most important non-presidential races that could make a huge difference.

Arizona Senate

One persistent problem for many Republicans, even before Joe Biden stepped aside, was that even as Trump beat Biden in numerous swing states, Senate candidates continued to underperform him. Nowhere is this problem more persistent than in Arizona.

Biden narrowly won Arizona in 2020 and the state has not elected a Republican to the Senate since John McCain won re-election in 2016. Now, Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran and Democrat who was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is running against Kari Lake, the news-anchor-turned election denier who lost her race for governor in 2022.

Democrats hope to hold the seat after Kyrsten Sinema, the mercurial Democrat-turned-Independent, announced she would not seek re-election.

But while Lake narrowly lost her race in 2022 (which she refuses to admit), polling shows Gallego firmly ahead of her. Indeed, Lake might even be a drag on Trump. During a recent rally in Arizona where she appeared alongside Trump, someone shot a photo of a teleprompter saying wrap asap and please get off stage as Lake delivered remarks.

On Monday, Gallego received another huge boon when the Arizona Police Association  the states police union that endorsed Trump, no less  endorsed Gallego. The move is a huge blow to Lake. It means that we should expect to see plenty of Trump-Gallego voters.

Montana Senate

Montanas Senate race is in many ways the opposite of Arizonas. After Democratic-turned-Independent Senator Joe Manchins retirement in West Virginia, its almost guaranteed his place will be taken by a Republican in a state where every county voted for Trump. That leaves Republicans with a majority in the Senate if they flip Montana. Democrats hope that Senator Jon Tester can pull off another miracle victory.

That will be tough. Trump won Montana by more than 16 points in 2020. Similarly, Testers fellow Montanan, Senator Steve Daines, is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has a vested interest in getting retired Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy elected.

So far, polling shows the race all over the place. One survey by the Montana GOP shows Sheehy up by seven while another showed Tester up by five. Trump campaigned for Sheehy and mocked Tester for having the biggest stomach I have ever seen.

Meanwhile, Tester skipped the DNC and instead hosted a concert with Pearl Jam in Montana (hes long-time friends with bassist Jeff Ament.)

North Carolina Governor

Polling shows Harris running just about even with Trump in North Carolina. Even before she moved to the top of the ticket, she visited North Carolina regularly and even considered the states governor, her good friend Roy Cooper, as a running mate before he bowed out.

Cooper is term-limited, and the race to replace him might just tip the state in Harriss favor.

Attorney General Josh Stein is a state legislator who is running against Lieutenant Mark Robinson, whom Trump has endorsed and repeatedly praised. But Robinson has come under fire for calling LGBTQ people filth. He also ardently opposes abortion and has regularly referred to women who terminate their pregnancies as murderers  despite the fact that he recently admitted he and his wife aborted a pregnancy in a campaign ad.

Robinsons history of inflammatory remarks have put him at a significant disadvantage. A High Point University/SurveyUSA poll showed Stein with a 14-point lead. The move just might be enough to tip the state toward Harris.

Florida Senate Race:

The former swing state of Florida has become the nerve center of the Republican Party. Nevertheless, Democrats believe they have a legitimate shot to topple Republican Senator Rick Scott.

Democrats have hammered Scott recently for running an ad saying he supports IVF, during which he talks about his own daughter going through the process, and then voting against legislation to protect IVF.

A poll earlier this month from Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research USA showed that Scott has a four-point lead against former Democratic congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell. But the state will soon have a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights after a six-week ban went into effect, and another ballot initiative to legalize marijuana. Democrats hope that both will give them a much-needed boost in Trumps new home state.
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Donald Trumps campaign says it had a license to play Foo Fighters hit track My Hero at a rally in which the former president received the endorsement of political rival-turned-backer Robert F Kennedy Jr, despite the band saying they did not grant permission.

The Independent has seen documents appearing to confirm that the campaign had indeed licensed the song from BMIs Songview service. We have a license to play the song, a campaign spokesperson said.

It is understood that BMI Songview confirms songs on the BMI Roster, however writers have the right to decline their usage for political purposes.

Kennedy, who suspended his campaign as an independent presidential candidate on Friday, joined Trump onstage in Arizona, as pyrotechnics blasted and the Foos song played.

In a statement shared with The Independent, a spokesperson for Foo Fighters said: Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it.

The spokesperson added that appropriate actions are being taken against the Trump campaign and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.

Donald Trump welcomes Robert F Kennedy Jr to the stage in Arizona on Friday while Foo Fighters hit song My Hero played ( AP )

Foo Fighters also issued a curt response on their official X account after being asked by a social media user if they had granted permission. Hey @foofighters did you let Trump use My Hero to welcome RFK Jr. on stage, they were asked.

No, the band replied, later reposting the interaction with the caption Let us be clear.

I dont think too many of you people have heard of him, hes very low-key, Trump said in Arizona, before the chorus of the 1997 track began. Hes a very low-key person, but hes highly respected. He is a great person. Ive known him for so long. For the past 16 months. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

He went on to praise RFK Jr., who he said brought together people from across the political spectrum grounded in the values of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, a great man, and his uncle John F. Kennedy.

He promised to create a commission to investigate presidential assassinations that would release any remaining classified information on the JFK assassination.

Foo Fighters say any royalties received as a result of Trumps use of their song will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign ( 2023 Invision )

However, despite the warm welcome from Trump and his supporters, the reception from the Kennedy family itself was much less enthusiastic.

A Friday statement from members of the Kennedy family called the endorsement a betrayal.

We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise, and national pride, the statement reads, adding that the alliance with Trump is a sad ending to a sad story.

The Independent has reached out to Foo Fighters management for comment.
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A race for US Senate in deep-blue Maryland remains in a dead heat thanks to the persistence of a well-known Republican candidate, complicating the electoral map for Democrats this fall.

Larry Hogans campaign for the states open Senate seat held by retiring Senator Ben Cardin is tied with his opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, according to an AARP poll of likely voters, with both candidates sitting at 46 percent in the race.

The hotly contested race comes as little surprise to Marylanders, who know Hogan from his two terms as governor where he enjoyed some of the highest popularity ratings of any state leader in the country. He was widely viewed as the only Republican with a serious chance of winning the seat before the governor announced his candidacy.

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, remains a relatively lower-profile politician for voters outside of Prince Georges County where she has served as executive. What she lacks in statewide recognition, however, she makes up with strong ties to the national Democratic Party as well the Maryland Democratic political machine. She has allies in not just Kamala Harris, the top of her partys ticket, but also incumbent Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who is popular in his own right and has been eyed as a possible national candidate too.

Aside from the hand-wringing it will inevitably cause at DNC headquarters, the poll lays out a picture of a race which is clearly winnable for either candidate, though they will have to pursue markedly different goals to do so. But it does mean one thing for sure: Democrats will have to spend money to protect a Senate seat they otherwise would have been able to write off as a safe hold.

Hogan, as a well-known former governor representing a party which has become deeply unpopular in the state, needs to continue making the case for voters to separate him from Donald Trump and MAGA Republicanism in their minds. He also needs to convince winnable Democrats who supported his two bids for the governors mansion that his presence in the Senate  which could shift control of the chamber into Republican hands  that a vote for him is a vote for a candidate who will stand up to that potential GOP majority.

Im going to be a guy thats willing to stand up to both parties and try to represent all the people in Maryland, he told The Independent in an interview earlier this month.

Larry Hogan greets attendees of Maryland Fiesta Latina in Timonium. Hes the only Republican running for Senate this year who has fully rejected the former president and the Maga wing of his party  and is running competitively in deep-blue Maryland because of it. ( John Bowden )

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, has ground to make up with Democrats as well, though for a different reason. Despite having an unfavorability rating lower than 20 percent, the Prince Georges county executive is only viewed favorably by four in ten voters  meaning that a sizable majority doesnt know her at all. Her work over the next few months is to introduce herself to as many voters as possible, while also linking her campaign closely to Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket as a whole.

Harris seems more than willing to help her do that. The vice president campaigned together with Alsobrooks in June, before Joe Biden stepped aside from the 2024 race. The Democrats Senate candidate will headline a virtual rally Tuesday evening for the Harris campaign; this comes after she delivered a speech to the DNC in Chicago last week.

Given that the state neighbors Washington DC, its highly likely that Harris will make another stop to boost her ally before November.

The Independent reached out to both the Alsobrooks and Hogan campaigns for comment on Tuesdays AARP poll results. Hogans campaign provided a statement from the governor in response, characterizing his campaign as having an underdog mentality while adding that the poll showed a palpable enthusiasm for the governors candidacy.

Alsobrookss speech to the DNC on Tuesday, August 20, was meant to boost her prominence both nationally and statewide ( AFP via Getty Images )

Ive been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race. People have always counted us out  and in this deep blue state, during this unprecedented and chaotic time in American politics, this uphill battle is a daunting climb, said the former governor. In spite of all of that, the palpable enthusiasm of Maryland voters for independent leadership has given our campaign real momentum, and the chance to defy the odds.

No one will outwork us. We have been to every corner of the state, reached almost 100 stops on our Strong Independent Leadership Tour, and contacted over 120,000 voters in the general election. Weve beaten the odds before, and with the grassroots support of Democrats, Independents and Republicans in every corner of the state, we are ready to do it again.

Alsobrooks campaign spokesperson, Gina Banks, told The Independent: The stakes of this race couldnt be higher. This race will determine whether Democrats defend our Senate Majority or whether Larry Hogan hands Republicans a Senate Majority and empowers Republicans to control the agenda for our country. Marylanders and Angela share a vision for the future for our state and country  thats why shes fighting to defend our freedoms and stand up for our working families.
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Special counsel Jack Smith is urging a federal appeals court to revive the classified documents case against Donald Trump, after a Trump-appointed judge dismissed the charges in a shock ruling that argued Smiths office was unlawfully created.

Mondays filing with a Florida appeals court cites several longstanding precedents and Supreme Court rulings that appear to contradict District Judge Aileen Cannons conclusion, which Smiths team calls nonsensical.

Prosecutors also warned that Judge Cannons rationale would jeopardize hundreds of similarly appointed offices.

The district courts contrary view conflicts with an otherwise unbroken course of decisions, including by the Supreme Court, that the Attorney General has such authority, and it is at odds with widespread and longstanding appointment practices in the Department of Justice and across the government, Smiths team argued. This Court should reverse.

Last month, Cannon argued that the prosecution of this action breaches two structural cornerstones of our constitutional scheme  the role of Congress in the appointment of constitutional officers and the role of Congress in authorizing expenditures by law.

Legal experts and prosecutors considered the theory far-fetched, and it wasnt adopted in court until right-wing legal groups began promoting it. Trumps lawyers did not make the same argument to try to dismiss the federal election interference case, despite the fact that Smith is also prosecuting that case exactly the same way.

Cannons ruling deviated from binding Supreme Court precedent, misconstrued the statutes that authorized the special counsels appointment, and took inadequate account of the longstanding history of Attorney General appointments of special counsels, according to Smiths team.

Prosecutors did not ask the court to recuse Cannon from the case  at least not yet.

Special counsel Jack Smith is urging a federal appeals court to revive the Mar-a-Lago case against Donald Trump ( AP )

The former president faced 40 separate charges stemming from allegations that he withheld hundreds of classified documents after leaving the White House for his private Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, then conspired to obstruct government attempts to retrieve them.

The 93-page order from Cannon  who was appointed to the bench by then-President Trump in 2020  did not speak to the facts of the case or any of the evidence against Trump.

In July, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas filed a wholly separate opinion in an unrelated landmark ruling on presidential immunity to cast doubt on the constitutionality of the special counsels office, which appeared to give Trump and Judge Cannon a legal pathway to dismissing the Florida case.

Days later, Trumps attorneys argued that Thomass opinion adds force to Trumps claim that Smiths appointment and funding raise grave separation-of-powers concerns.

Cannons decision to dismiss the case referenced Thomass opinion three times.

An undated image  released by the US District Court Southern District of Florida, and attached as evidence in the indictment against Donald Trump  shows stacks of boxes in a bathroom and shower at Mar-a-Lago, the former presidents private club ( US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/AFP via )

The Mar-a-Lago case marked the first federal indictment of a former president, and stemmed from law enforcements recovery of more than 13,000 documents  including 300 marked classified  at his Florida compound in 2022, after the National Archives and Records Administration had spent more than a year trying to get them back.

Following Trumps announcement of his 2024 presidential campaign in 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Smiths appointment as an independent prosecutor, in the hopes of insulating the agency and administration against the perception of political interference.

Still, Trump and his allies have baselessly accused President Joe Biden of conspiring against his Republican rival and leading politically motivated investigations in an attempt to derail his path to the White House.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene has blamed so-called commie Democrats for the arrest of a surfer over a $12 per day beach badge.

Liam Mahoney, 28, from Junction City, California, was arrested during a trip to a beach near Belmars 19th Avenue Beach in New Jersey last Tuesday.

Mahoney had been confronted by an officer who asked to see his beach badge  which allows access to the shore and its waters for $12 per day, according to the Belmars tourism website.

Video of the incident went viral with Mahoney seen being thrown to the ground and placed in a chokehold after he resisted arrest.

The Georgia representative took to X to vent her fury over the incident, reposting the bodycam footage along with a lengthy tirade blaming Democrats for what had happened.

Liam Mahoney was surfing near Belmars 19th avenue on August 20 when he was confronted by police about his lack of beach badge ( Belmar Police Department/Facebook )

This surfer was arrested in Belmar Beach, NJ for NOT HAVING A BEACH BADGE meanwhile American taxpayers are PAYING TO HOUSE, FEED, PROVIDE HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS!! she wrote on X on Sunday.

Beach badge??? What commie idiot made that law? Answer: Democrats.

In a separate post, Greene also said that this is not the polices fault.

The IDIOTIC policy of charging $12 per day to go on the beach is ABSURD, she continued.

Illegals storm our beaches in CA and FLA and get free cellphones, bus & airplane tickets, debit cards, and FREE housing. BUT Americans get arrested for no beach badge.

Taylor Greene, a staunch Donald Trump supporter who is well-known for peddling conspiracy theories, once again seems to been sharing unsubstantiated claims.

Belmar Police Department officers threw the 28-year-old to the floor and cuffed him after he resisted arrest ( Belmar Police Department/Facebook )

While Democrat Gerald Buccafusco has been the Belmar mayor since 2022, charging admission has occurred at beaches across the northern parts of the Jersey Shore since 1937.

In May 2019, Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy actually signed legislation protecting the public trust doctrine: a law that states that the public has some right to access coastal areas for navigation, commerce, and recreation.

Mahoney was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice over the Belmar beach incident.

A two-minute video of the incident was first posted to a witnesss Facebook page last week and went viral.

Belmar Police Department then released six minutes of bodycam footage of the incident on Thursday on its own Facebook page.

In the video, Mahoney is heard disagreeing with the officers about the need for a beach badge.

Youre allowed to access the water to surf or to fish, Mahoney tells the officer. You dont need a beach badge for that.

As Mahoney attempts to walk away, the police officer says: Youre not free to go.

Marjorie Taylor Greene called the beach badge policy idiotic and absurd ( REUTERS )

The officer is then seen trying to detain and arrest Mahoney, who refuses to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed.

Mahoneys surfboard is later pulled from his arms, before he is tossed to the sand and put into a headlock.

A witness is heard shouting let him go! and stop f***ing choking him!

Police have since said that Mahoney was not arrested for failing to carry a beach badge, but for his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement.

To be clear, Mr. Mahoney was not arrested for not having a beach badge. He was arrested because he obstructed the officers investigation by refusing to give his identification or pedigree information, Police Chief Scott said in the statement.

Mr. Mahoney was also advised he was not free to leave and continued to walk away during this encounter.

Scott said there are often misconceptions about what the law is with regard to beach access.

All municipalities bordering on the Atlantic Ocean have the right to charge reasonable fees for the purpose of maintaining the beach and bathing areas and for providing facilities and safeguards for people using such areas, she said.
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Mark Zuckerberg has now said that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to censor Covid-19 content back in 2021.

The CEO of Meta  Facebook and Instagrams parent company  wrote a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday where he acknowledged that senior officials in Joe Bidens administration repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humorous and satire.

In the letter, titled to House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, Zuckerberg admitted that he regretted not pushing back more on the administration.

I believe the government pressure was wrong and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it, he said.

I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today.

Covid-19 misinformation was rife on social media platforms during the pandemic, despite tech companies efforts to curtail it.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court backed the Biden administration when it ruled the government can ask social media companies to remove harmful misinformation from their platforms.

Mark Zuckerberg said in a letter that senior officials from the Biden administration repeatedly pressured Facebook to remove Covid-19 content in 2021 ( JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images )

In a 6-3 decision, justices threw out a lower court ruling that limited the governments ability to communicate with social media companies, saying that decision was incorrect because the challengers  two states and five social media users  failed to show they were the proper groups to bring the lawsuit.

Zuckerberg did not go into specific detail about the content Facebook felt pressured to remove, but warned: I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens again.

The billionaire tech entrepreneur also admitted Facebook was wrong to suppress a The New York Post story about Hunter Biden in the lead-up to the 2020 election.

In October 2020, the newspaper reported it had accessed the contents of Hunter Bidens laptop that he had left at a Delaware repair shop. This included a so-called smoking gun email where the now-presidents embattled son had offered to arrange for his father to meet an executive at Burisma  the Ukrainian energy company which Hunter sat on the board of.

News organizations, including others owned by News International boss Rupert Murdoch, initially passed on the story because the authenticity of the emails could not be verified.

In Mondays letter, Zuckerberg said the platform shouldnt have demoted the New York Post story detailing the corruption allegations while waiting for fact checkers to review it ahead of the 2020 election.

He revealed that Facebook has since changed its policies in the wake of the controversy.

The FBI warned us about a potential Russian disinformation operation about the Biden family and Burisma in the lead up to the 2020 election, Zuckerberg wrote.

Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story.

The letter was hailed as a big win for free speech by House Judiciary Republicans, who shared the letter on X.

Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things: 1. Biden-Harris Admin pressured Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. Big win for free speech, they said.

A White House spokesperson told The Independent the Biden administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety.

Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present, they said.
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Another bizarre, animal-related story has come to light about Robert F Kennedy Jr with his daughter revealing that he once beheaded a dead whale and tied its head to the roof of the familys minivan, before setting off on a five-hour drive.

Kathleen Alexandra Kick Kennedy made the claim in a 2012 interview with Town and Country, where she traced her own taste for the extreme back to her dads eccentric environmentalism.

The story resurfaced on Monday and prompted calls for the government to investigate RFK Jr for potentially violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.

It comes just weeks after the 70-year-old, who was running for president as an independent until he suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump on Friday, hit headlines for admitting that he dumped a bear cub in New Yorks Central Park 10 years ago.

In the resurfaced 2012 interview, Kick Kennedy recounted one day when she was six and the family learned a dead whale had washed up on the beach at Hyannis Port, southeast of Boston.

The actor-turned-philanthropist said that, on hearing the news, her dad headed down to the beach armed with a chainsaw to cut off the whales head.

Robert F Kennedy Jr announcing he would suspend his presidential campaign and endorse Donald Trump on August 23 in Phoenix, Arizona ( Getty Images )

He then strapped the grim body part to the roof of the familys minivan using bungee cords and then drove the family to Mount Kisco, New York  a drive around four to five hours long.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet, Kick recalled in the interview.

We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

After the story resurfaced, environmentalists from the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund called for government officials to launch an investigation into whether RFK Jr violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.

In a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the environmental agency said that it is illegal to possess any part of an animal, dead or alive, that is protected under either statute.

Continued possession of any whale skull represents a significant and ongoing violation of the law.

Earlier this month, RFK Jr released a video admitting that he dumped the carcass of a bear cub in Central Park back in 2014.

RFK is seen next to a dead bear cub. He revealed on August 3 he left the dead corpse of a bear in Central Park in 2014 ( Brian Stelter/Twiter )

In the video, featuring actor Roseanne Barr, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy recalls how he saw a car hit and kill the cub in upstate New York, and so picked up the carcass and put it in his car with plans to skin, butcher and keep the meat in his refrigerator.

He went on to say that, upon realizing he had to go to the airport so couldnt deal with the dead bear, he and his intoxicated friends decided to leave it in the Manhattan park.

The discovery of the dead cub in the park the next day made headlines and remained a mystery for the next decade.

Following RFK Jrs confession, authorities have said he will not face state charges over the matter.

This bizarre revelation came after it emerged that RFK Jr once said a parasitic worm ate part of his brain and then died inside his head.

According to The New York Times, RFK Jr told the wild story during his deposition for his divorce in 2012.

Trump welcomes RFK Jr on stage at his rally in Glendale, Arizona, after the independent dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed the former president ( AP )

He testified that he initially feared he had a brain tumour but learned after visiting doctors that there was a dead parasite inside his head.

I have cognitive problems, clearly. I have short-term memory loss, and I have longer-term memory loss that affects me, he said.

RFK Jrs eventful presidential campaign came to an end on Friday when he suspended his bid and endorsed Trump instead, just days after being struck from the presidential ballot in New York.

His support of Trump instantly drew backlash from members of his own family, with his sister Kerry Kennedy saying she is disgusted by her brothers obscene backing of the Republican candidate and claiming he had set fire to their father senator Robert F Kennedys memory.
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Donald Trump has asked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to join his presidential transition team should he be elected in November, the former independent presidential candidate told Tucker Carlson on Monday evening.

Kennedy, who suspended his long-shot presidential campaign on Friday, has rapidly shifted gears from drawing votes away from Trump to now avowing to fight and work to get him elected.

His dedication to the Trump campaign is apparently sincere enough that he has been given an important task.

Ive been asked to go onto the transition team to help pick the people who will be running the government and Im looking forward to that, Kennedy told Carlson.

The presidential transition team is a group of key advisers, tapped by a candidate, to create a smooth transition process from one administration to the next. Those key advisers help the incoming president select more than 4,000 appointees  thousands of whom need Senate confirmation, establish a clear policy agenda and evaluate how federal agencies can assist the presidents goals.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke to Tucker Carlson on his podcast and online show about his journey to endorsing Donald Trump ( Tucker Carlson Show / YouTube )

So far, Trump has tapped two of his largest donors to join the transition team. Additionally, his adult sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. as well as vice presidential candidate JD Vance will serve as honorary members.

Kennedys addition to the team means he will have an acknowledged opinion about who may join Trumps executive branch and how the administration shapes policy.

The former independent presidential candidate is passionate about combating chronic disease  which he blames on pharmaceutical companies. Famously, Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic and has espoused anti-vax policies that have had real consequences.

In 2017, Kennedy claimed that Trump tapped him to join his commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity after meeting with the then-incoming president. But the Trump camp stopped the rumors, saying it was only a conversation and that Trump and Kennedy explored the possibility of forming a committee on autism.

During his interview with Carlson, Kennedy unsubstantiated claimed the American medical system is purposefully making children sick to profit from them. He also questioned why autism diagnoses have risen in the United States over the past 60 years.

It is unclear how much of a role Kennedy will play in Trumps presidential transition team.

Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, confirmed in a statement that Kennedy would join the transition team but declined to comment on specifics of his role.

As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team. We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team was we work to restore Americas greatness, Hughes said.

But Kennedy also told Carlson that after Trump was shot during a rally, a Trump adviser coordinated a conversation between the two candidates  with the possibility of Kennedy taking on a vice presidential role.

Kennedy said he wasnt interested in the role but remained in contact with Trump who he described as deeply interested and well informed on the issues that matter to Kennedy.

For roughly an hour and a half, Kennedy spoke with Carlson about his journey from running as a Democrat, then as an independent and then to endorsing Trump, put down Kamala Harriss presidential campaign for refusing to coordinate a meeting between him and Harris and criticized his Secret Service detail being revoked.
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MAGAworld has gone into meltdown over a conspiracy theory involving Tim Walzs pet dog Scout.

Animal lover Walz regularly posts photos and videos with his beloved labrador on social media, with his very first foray into TikTok featuring the family pet.

But now, in the latest bizarre Republican attack on the Minnesota governor since he was tapped as Kamala Harriss running mate, the Democratic vice presidential nominee has been accused of faking Scouts identity.

Yes, this is Tim Walz tweeting about his dog Scout, Dustin Grage, a right-wing columnist wrote on X.

Only problem is that these are two completely different dogs.

Grage, whose X bio describes him as a Minnesota GOP hype man, posted two images of Walz side by side.

In one image, Walz is seen with Scout on June 16 2022, with the caption: Sending a special birthday shoutout to our favorite pup, Scout.

Dustin Grage, a right-wing columnist, posted the images of Walz with the dogs side by side ( X )

In the second image, Walz is seen with a different dog dated October 22 2022. Couldnt think of a better way to spend a beautiful fall day than at the dog park. I know Scout enjoyed it, Walz wrote.

Grages post had been viewed more than seven million times and shared more than 20,000 times as of Tuesday morning, according to X, as Donald Trumps supporters were quick to jump on and circulate the bizarre conspiracy theory.

Former Fox News host Kimberley Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr, said: Wait so Walz is even lying about his dog? Ruff stuff.

Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt heckled: Why would Tim Walz do this? Its Creepy and Weird.

Grage later added Scout Gate has exposed the lefts manufactured outrage.

He complained: They will happily make up a story about JD Vance but lose their minds over online trolls making fun of Tim Walzs trail of lies.

In reality, on the day that the second image was taken and posted online, Walz had shared a video on Instagram showing Scout and several other dogs at a dog park.

The Minnesota governor jokes in the video that Scout was getting jealous of the attention he was giving other dogs  one of them being the dog in the photo.

The photo on the left shows Tim Walz with his dog Scout, while the right is from a dogpark where he was pictured with another dog ( Tim Walz )

Elon Musks X has since added a community note to the original post, blowing the manufactured scandal out of the water.

The photo on the right is from a dog park that Tim Walz was at with Scout and many other dogs. In the video, Scout can be seen playing with these dogs, it reads.

Clara Severson, who claims to have taken the original photo of Walz at the dog park, also took to X to tell Grage to knock it off.

Hey Dusty, I took the photo of the Governor with the red heeler mix. Guess what? Scout was at the dog park with him that morning. Being purposefully obtuse is dumb, knock it off, she retorted.

Despite the fact it has been debunked, the post has still not been removed by Grage.

Its the latest in a growing list of slurs made against Walz by Republicans.

Since he was unveiled as Harriss VP pick, Republicans have accused Walz of stolen valor for allegedly overstating his military record and have claimed, without merit, that he purposely avoided deployment to Iraq.

Last week, a group of 50 Republican veterans wrote a letter accusing him of egregious misrepresentations when discussing his military service.

Before retiring and running for Congress, Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard.

Walz has also faced attacks over his past ties to China, with Republican Senator Ron Johnson baselessly claiming its a red flag that the radical leftist got married on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square.
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Early Monday morning, Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement commemorating the deaths of 13 US service members in Afghanistan. Those service members died in a terror attack during the US withdrawal from the country.

It was a clear pre-emptive strike against Republicans. During the RNC, Republicans made a point of highlighting those deaths. They even invited loved ones of the fallen onstage to publicly blame Biden.

I will never forget meeting many of them on a trip to Afghanistan as a US Senator, Harris said in her Monday statement, during which she also listed the names of the dead. These American service members possessed extraordinary skill, discipline, and dedication. I had then, and will always have, immense pride in their service and in the strength, courage, and excellence of the US military, the greatest fighting force the world has ever known.

Donald Trumps campaign is reportedly disagreeing with Kamala Harriss campaign over having muted microphones during the presidential debate ( Getty Images )

Former president Donald Trumps campaign released a video about the service members deaths. To this day, Kamala Harris has never mentioned these fallen soldiers' names, the video stated  an out-of-date proclamation, considering Harriss earlier words.

The video concluded on the message: President Trump will never forget them. The former president himself visited Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath on the graves of fallen service members later that morning.

At the same time, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Congress will posthumously award the 13 service members the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award Congress can bestow.

Certainly recognizing US service members who died while getting Americans and their allies out of a war zone as the Taliban took over is the least the US can do to honor their memories. But tellingly, Senator Steve Daines, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, passed the legislation in the Senate. Thats a sign they see this as a chance to exploit Democrats weaknesses and to tie Harris to one of the low points of the Biden administration, arguably one from which he never fully recovered.

In recent weeks, Harris has sought to burnish her credibility as a potential future commander-in-chief. During her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, she said she would ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world. Her selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a veteran of the National Guard, is also supposed to show that she takes national security seriously.

Admittedly, Harris lacks sufficient national security experience on the level that Biden had. Whereas Biden had served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was Barack Obamas chief emissary (given that Obama lacked foreign policy experience), Harris only spent a brief amount of time in the Senate.

It makes some amount of sense, then, that Republicans intend to attack her on national security as a large part of their electoral campaign tactics.

When Trump spoke to US National Guard officers on Tuesday, he accused her of being weak on terrorism as well.

Kamala Harris is letting terrorists come into our country at record numbers and letting jihadists pour into our homeland by the thousands and thousands and thousands, he said. Cant do that.

The conventions have now wrapped up and the final stretch of the election is here. Trump has found himself increasingly on defense against Harris. The Harris campaign wants to keep microphones on during their set debate on ABC News during September 10; Trump seems extremely unwilling to agree to that.

Why would I do the debate against Kamala Harris on that network? he said on Truth Social on Monday, implying that he may still pull out.

Were thinking about it, he later told reporters who asked whether that was a possibility. They also want to change the rules. You know, the deal was we keep the same rules. Now, all of a sudden they want to make a change in the rules because she cant answer questions.

For the past month, Trump has failed to define Harris as a candidate, despite the fact that she has been vice president for almost two years and she ran a presidential campaign in 2019 that didnt even make it to the primary contests.

Despite the fact that voters trust Trump more on immigration, he has not been able to capitalize on this strength, either. This new angle shows that they hope that Harris can be weakened on another front.
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Donald Trumps presidential campaign is reportedly planning to air advertisements in the Palm Beach area where the former presidents Mar-a-Lago residence lies  despite the area being historically Democratic in a Republican state.

The cable news ads, set to run this week, are not for strategy purposes but to keep Trump and donors happy, according to reporting from The Bulwark.

A campaign insider told the political newsletter that the Trump campaign spent roughly $48,000 to air 15-second-long ads on CNN, CNBC, Fox News and Fox Business. They said that was mostly to appeal to wealthy donors in the area.

This is more about keeping the donors happy than the principal. Theres a lot of donors in Palm Beach, the unnamed campaign insider said.

Palm Beach County is a historically Democratic area of Florida. In 2020, roughly 55 percent of residents voted for President Joe Biden. But given Florida is a safe Republican state, Trump doesnt have to worry too much about underperforming in the county where he resides.

Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida ( AP )

But the ads also keep the former president satisfied since he and his friends in Mar-a-Lago can see the ads.

If it makes the boss happy, too, then good, the campaign insider added.

Its unclear what the content of the ads is.

The former president has been in a sour mood lately posting frequently about Vice President Kamala Harris on Truth Social and going on angry rants during rallies and speeches. Its a tangible deviation from Trumps more lighthearted, less aggressive mood from earlier this summer.

Roughly one month ago when President Joe Biden was still the presumptive Democratic nominee, Trump was enjoying a boost in the polls thanks to Bidens disastrous debate performance.

But since Vice President Kamala Harris has replaced Biden, polling numbers are neck-and-neck with Harris leading in some national polls. Trump has angrily refused to concede that Harris is polling well or appealing to voters.

Its unclear what the content of the ads is but with more than $300m cash on hand, as of July, spending $47k on ads is hardly impactful.

The Trump campaign made a similar move during the 2020 election when they spent $400,000 to air cable news ads in Washington D.C., a Democratic stronghold, so Trump and his allies would see them.
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A die-hard Trumper in Florida says he was discriminated against by a right-wing political advocacy group, claiming he was called a slave during his 12 days with the organization before it fired him for complaining.

Carl Baxter, who is Black, is suing Americans for Prosperity, the nonprofit grassroots conservative operation established by Charles and David Koch, the billionaire siblings and hard-line climate change deniers.

Baxter serves as president of the Republican Club of North & East Fort Myers, and is not at all shy about his outsized affection for Donald Trump. He can be seen on social media at Trump appearances , waving a MAGA flag at a  Trump Truck Parade , at charity galas giving the camera a Trumpian thumbs-up, and donning a red MAGA hat and posing with, among others, a county tax collector who has come out as a vociferous opponent of critical race theory .

Carl Baxter is a dedicated Trump fan ( Supplied )

AFP, which has been around since 2004, gained prominence after Barack Obama was sworn in as president. It has traditionally focused on hollowing out workers rights, blocking Medicaid expansion, kneecapping green energy initiatives, and pushing down the minimum wage. Since 2010, some 42 percent of AFPs ads have been rated false by PolitiFact, the nonpartisan fact-checking website; none have been rated true. The group backed Trumps UN ambassador Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential race before the former South Carolina governor bowed out in March.

Trump chafed at AFPs support of Haley, posting last January to his flailing Twitter clone, Truth Social: Americans [sic] for No Prosperity, who made more money during the Trump years than at any other time, are stupid people who are backing Birdbrain as she goes down tubes. Bad timing Charles!

Donald Trump has picked numerous fights with Americans for Prosperity, a Koch brothers-backed political organization being sued by a Florida MAGA fan ( Donald J Trump/Truth Social )

Baxters lawsuit, which was filed Monday and obtained by The Independent, describes him as an African-American businessman who is active in local politics. It says he was brought on by AFP in June 2023 to work as a part-time grassroots associate. Baxters duties consisted of canvassing neighborhoods to talk with voters about AFP-selected policy issues and driving to and from those neighborhoods, according to the suit.

AFP agreed to pay Baxter $20 an hour for the door-knocking duties, plus an unspecified mileage reimbursement, the lawsuit states. He started on June 14, 2023, and his job performance, according to the suit, was exemplary.

However, the lawsuit says Baxter quickly became disenchanted with AFP.

Early in Plaintiffs tenure, AFPs Deputy Director [of] Grassroots met Plaintiff at the Oasis restaurant in downtown Ft. Myers and offered Plaintiff $500 in bribe money to provide dirt on Cape Coral councilmember, Patty Cummings, the suit alleges. Plaintiff declined. AFPs goal was to stop President Donald J. Trump from winning the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential primaries and, locally, to oppose politicians who support President Trump.

Baxter also felt AFP was not giving him credit for all the hours he worked and for all the doors that he knocked on, and shorting him on his pay, the lawsuit contends. So, 12 days into the job, the suit says he raised his concerns on a phone call with his supervisor, AFP Grassroots Engagement Director Roxanne Buckels.

Charles and late sibling David Koch, known as the Koch brothers, have poured countless dollars into right-wing political causes. ( Getty/Lincoln Center/ABC News )

Buckels, who is white, according to Baxters suit, then proceeded to call [him] a slave and demanded that he confirm he is a slave, stating as follows: I know you are doing the work and I can see the doors that you are hitting on my iPad on my side. At least you are working as a slave (sarcastically) but at least you are getting paid, many slaves today do get paid, many used to never get paid. Are you a slave?

Baxter was highly offended, and demanded to speak with Ms. Buckels immediate supervisor, the lawsuit goes on. Buckels then arranged a conference call with her boss, who is also white, according to the suit, to discuss Baxters concerns. A few minutes later, the supervisor called back, with AFPs state operations director on the line  a white woman, the lawsuit says  and terminated Plaintiffs employment without notice, effective immediately.

The lawsuit says Baxter still has not received the wages AFP owes him, nor has he been paid back for any of his mileage. By the same token, Baxter claims in his suit that AFP paid its white employees without issue. The suit accuses AFP of race discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft, and demands back pay and legal fees, as well as exemplary, punitive, and compensatory damages for Plaintiffs emotional pain and suffering.

An AFP spokesperson told The Independent, While we do not comment on current litigation, we take all allegations of violations of the law extremely seriously and will fully investigate those made in this complaint.

In an email, Baxters attorney, Jay Lechter, said, My client simply wants justice and to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else.

A source with direct knowledge of the situation noted that Baxter was technically working for AFP as a contractor, and said AFP was not in fact his direct employer.

Buckels did not respond to a request for comment.
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Donald Trumps latest attempt to pivot his campaign towards policy-oriented attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris saw him fall back into a familiar pattern of offering concessions to Vladimir Putin and Russia as he attempted to paint Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as pushing America towards a third world war.

The ex-president, who was speaking to members of the National Guard Association of the United States in in Detroit, appeared to take a stance against the recent Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory near Kursk.

The gaining of ground by Ukrainian troops, which analysts have said is meant to relieve pressure for Ukrainian troops elsewhere in the theater of war, Trump argued was actually another sign that World War 3 was closer than ever.

Donald Trump attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to honor thirteen service members killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he blamed on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris later in the day ( Getty Images )

Look at whats happening in Ukraine. Theyre surging into Russia. Youre going to have World War 3, he said.

Trump made his remarks just hours after he attended a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery for 13 US service members killed in a suicide bombing during the chaotic pullout of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

There, the ex-president linked Bidens management of that withdrawal  which Trump himself had initiated under a much-accelerated timeline  to the ongoing instability around the world.

The argument is one he has made in a less concise manner before, but he explained it again Monday before the members of the Guard.

Trump: Look at what's going on right now with Ukraine. They are surging into Russia. Ok? You are going to end up in world War III, pic.twitter.com/uCZQkJtobl  Acyn (@Acyn) August 26, 2024

Trump further argued that the messy Afghanistan withdrawal from Kabul and the Abbey Gate attack gave us Russia going into Ukraine. It gave us the October 7 attack in Israel.

The ex-presidents remarks targeted his opponent and Joe Biden over the ongoing conflicts in the world, and also led to him taking credit for starting no new major conflicts during his presidency.

He did not mention his provocative threat to engulf North Korea in fire and fury in a Twitter post, nor his administrations brush with direct conflict against Iran (including the targeted assassination of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard leader).

Mondays event, which was centered around presenting Trump as a pro-peace candidate, was aided by an appearance by Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and 2020 presidential contender.

Gabbard, who has made a career for herself since leaving Congress as a critic of Democrats who regularly appears on Fox News and in other right-wing media, famously clashed with Kamala Harris onstage in 2020 during a debate over Harriss record as a prosecutor.

The ex-congresswoman, who is a serving National Guard officer, appeared onstage to say that she would be endorsing and supporting Trump ahead of November. She added that shed do all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House."

Donald Trump welcomes Tulsi Gabbard to the stage during a speech in front of the National Guard Association in Detroit, Michigan.



"She's got great common sense, great spirit, and she loves our country." pic.twitter.com/sDRoFStQ4j  The American Conservative (@amconmag) August 26, 2024

Gabbards defection is one that Democrats have seen coming for a while. But the Trump campaigns sudden focus on presenting their candidate as the only one who will end global conflicts comes as the Harris campaign faces new criticism from the left after the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The DNCs multi-day speaker list included family members of hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza. It did not feature any Palestinian-American speakers  including several put forth by the Uncommitted movement ahead of and during the convention. Delegates and supporters of that movement held a protest outside of the convention hall last week and a number of Democratic electeds issued statements supporting their request for a speaking slot on the main convention stage.

Elsewhere on Monday, other members of the former presidents campaign were seeking to hammer home the same argument portraying Biden and Harris as unable to responsibly lead Americas armed forces.

JD Vance, on a Trump campaign press call, accused Harris and her boss in the White House of committing a betrayal by not calling for accountability and instituting changes after the withdrawal from Kabul and the Abbey Gate attack.

Why has nobody been fired? asked Vance on the call. Why has nobody suffered any consequences for doing what happened, and again, squandering our most precious resource in this country, the lives of the people who are willing to give it all for public service?

The fact that the Harris administration has stonewalled at every step of the way, the fact that no one has been fired, suggests that we have a real crisis of leadership in this country, the Ohio senator continued.

Donald Trump and JD Vance opened up a multi-pronged assault against Kamala Harris on foreign policy as America noted the third anniversary of the killing of thirteen servicemembers in Afghanistan ( Getty Images )

There are many factors of the Afghanistan pullout which have been targeted for criticism in the wake of the Talibans seizure of the country. Horrifiying scenes played out on the airstrip at Hamid Karzai International Airport as US forces failed to secure the runway and terrified Afghans tried to cling to massive cargo planes as they took off. Several died in the attempt.

The Abbey Gate attack itself was one of the largest single losses of US servicemembers in Afghanistan in years. It also led to the deaths and injuries of dozens of Afghan civilians who were hoping to enter the airstrip where planes were departing. A US strike in response, which sought to hit an Isis-aligned terrorist target, resulted instead in the deaths of an Afghan aid worker and nine members of his family, including seven children.

As Vice President Harris has said, it was the courageous and right decision to end Americas longest war and bring our brave servicemembers home. The Biden-Harris Administration inherited a mess from Donald Trump. Trump wants America to forget that he had four years to get out of Afghanistan, but failed to do it. All he did was continue our longest war, Harris campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa told The Independent on Monday when asked about their rivals latest criticisms. Trump cannot be trusted to keep us safe, but Vice President Harris is a proven leader on the world stage and will use her expertise to ensure Americas security, defeat our adversaries, and stand with our allies around the world.

Ryan Zinke, the Trump administrations former Interior secretary, was another Trumpworld figure who tied the mismanagement of Afghanistan to the Biden administrations larger foreign policy Monday on that press call.

Donald Trump attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to honor thirteen service members killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he blamed on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris later in the day. ( Getty Images )

You know, our country faces a very distinct change, or just a distinct choice, and that choice is weak leadership, globalist leadership that weve seen in Afghanistan to Ukraine, which has led to the Pacific, which has led to Venezuela. Were facing four major regional conflicts as a result of the Harris-Biden administration, argued Zinke.

Trump himself went on at his event Monday to echo a familiar claim: that he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine within months of being elected president. The Republican candidate has been accused by his Democratic opponents of planning to bully Ukraine into giving up territory to achieve that goal. He himself has not laid out a specific plan for ending the war or preventing it from spreading to NATO-aligned countries in Eastern Europe.

During his presidency, Trump met with Russias president, Vladimir Putin, at a major summit in 2018 between the two global powers. That summit ended with Trump publicly taking a stance against his own nations intelligence community regarding Russian hacking and interference efforts in the 2016 presidential election while Russias president stood beside him.
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Emmanuel Macron is facing a deepening crisis over the political deadlock France is facing  with calls for protests after the president refused to name a prime minister from the left-wing coalition despite it winning the most parliamentary seats in the snap election last month.

The countrys national assembly is split between three blocs, the left, Mr Macrons centrists and the far right, none of which have a majority of seats. The presidents decision not to choose the leftist the New Popular Fronts candidate, civil servant Lucie Castets, sparked anger.

The 37-year-old has said she is incredibly concerned at his decision and called for people to mobilise.

The French president has effectively shut the door on a potential leftist government  with the NFP comprising of the far-left France Unbowed (LFI), the Socialists, the Greens and the Communists  saying they would not win a confidence vote in parliament and that it was a threat to institutional stability. He convened more talks for Tuesday, but leftist parties were quick to dismiss them.

This election is being stolen from us, Green party chief Marine Tondelier told local radio. Were not going to continue these sham consultations with a president who doesnt listen anyway ... and is obsessed with keeping control. Hes not looking for a solution, hes trying to obstruct it, Ms Tondelier added.

Lucie Castets pictured in the centre ( Reuters )

Socialist Party president Olivier Faure told France 2 television he would not engage in what he called a parody of democracy now the prospect of a leftist-led government was off the table.

Under the French constitution, the prime minister is appointed by the president, who in theory is free to pick anyone for the post. Angered by the move, Ms Castets has accused Mr Macron of seeking to be president, prime minister and party leader all at the same time, adding that this was not respectful of French voters or democracy.

The NFP gained more than 190 seats in the elections, with Mr Macrons centrist Ensemble alliance gaining 160 and the far-right National Rally (RN) 140. All three have ruled out forming a coalition.

Mr Macrons office has not given any indication of a timetable for naming a leader but a legal deadline of 1 October, by which a government must present a draft budget law for 2025, is looming.

Lucie Castets "appelle les gens a se mobiliser". La haute-fonctionnaire, choisie par le Nouveau Front populaire pour etre candidate au poste de Premiere ministre denonce "un deni de democratie". Elle promet de continuer elle-meme "de mobiliser pour incarner l'union de la gauche". pic.twitter.com/m9IlrDVvdJ  France Inter (@franceinter) August 27, 2024

Mr Macron has urged the left to cooperate with other political forces. The NFP has indicated it will not return to the Elysee unless its to discuss the appointment of Ms Castets.

In a statement released by the Elysee, Mr Macron said: My responsibility is that the country is not blocked nor weakened. The Socialist Party, the Greens and the Communists have not yet proposed ways to cooperate with other political forces. It is now up to them to do so.

Communist leader Fabien Roussel told BFM TV Mr Macron was going to trigger a serious crisis in our country.

But outgoing interior minister Gerald Darmanin defended Mr Macron, saying on news channel BFMTV: The New Popular Front government has no chance of prospering for more than a day.
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It was a balmy summer night in 2020, shortly after the lifting of Germanys first COVID-19 lockdown, and Omar Diallo and two friends from his home country of Guinea wanted to celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice.

We were enjoying life, playing music, walking through the city at night  we just wanted to be together again and have a good time, Diallo, 22, told The Associated Press in Erfurt, in the eastern state of Thuringia.

He was not prepared for how the day would end. Suddenly Diallo and his friends were confronted by three black-clad white men.

They were shouting: What do you want here, f-- foreigners, get out! Diallo remembered.

First there were three, then five, seven  they were surrounding us from all sides. We couldnt run away, and then they started chasing us, he said.

At some point Diallo managed to call the police, and when the officers finally arrived, the attackers ran away. One of his friends was beaten up so badly that he had to be hospitalized.

I simply tried to survive, Diallo said. I hadnt done anything wrong. It all happened only because of my skin color.

Daniel Egbe, a chemist from Cameroon who moved to Thuringia in 1994 to study ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Being Black in Germany has always meant exposure to racism, from everyday humiliations to deadly attacks. In eastern Germany, the risk can be even greater.

After World War II, West Germany became a democratic, diverse society but in East Germany, which was run by a communist dictatorship until the end of 1989, residents barely had any contact with people of different ethnicities and were not allowed to travel freely abroad.

Experts say that specifically in Thuringia, radical far-right forces have created an environment thats hostile toward minorities, including Black people.

Now, with the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, Black Germans and African migrants like Diallo are growing increasingly concerned.

Thuringia, which has a population of 2.1 million,holds state elections on Sept. 1, and the fiercely anti-immigration AfD is leading the polls, on 30%.

In 2023, the NGO Ezra, which helps victims of far-right, racist and antisemitic violence, documented 85 racist attacks in Thuringia, down only slightly from 88 attacks in 2022, which Ezra described as an all-time high of right-wing and racist violence in the state.

In recent years, an extreme right-wing movement has formed in Thuringia, which has contributed to a noticeable ideological radicalization of its followers. Politically, the Alternative for Germany party is the main beneficiary, Ezra and a consortium of organizations tracking racism wrote in their annual report.

Daniel Egbe, a chemist from Cameroon who moved to Thuringia in 1994 to study, ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

AfDs Thuringia branch is particularly radical and was put under official surveillance by the domestic intelligence service four years ago as a proven right-wing extremist group.

Authoritarian and populist forces, which are becoming very strong here now, harbor a great danger in Thuringia, says Doreen Denstaedt, Thuringias minister for migration, justice and consumer protection.

Denstaedt, the daughter of a Black father from Tanzania and a white German mother, was born and grew up in Thuringia.

The 46-year-old member of the Green party said that growing up in Communist East Germany, she was always the only Black child. As a teenager, she was never allowed to go home on her own because of the risk of racist attacks, and she sometimes suffered racist slurs in her school.

I actually experienced myself that people called me a foreigner, which really confused me at first, because I was born in Saalfeld in Thuringia, Denstaedt said.

She fears that in the current political climate, racist narratives will become acceptable in the middle of society.

My biggest concern is that people do not question (these prejudices), especially if they are not affected themselves, she said.

Its not exactly clear how many Black people live in Germany nowadays, as different ethnicities are not documented in official statistics, but estimates put the number of people of African descent at 1.27 million. More than 70% were born in Germany, according to Mediendienst Integration, which tracks migration issues in the country.

Germanys history of racial discrimination begins long before the Nazis began excluding, deporting and ultimately murdering Black people in the 1930s and 1940s.

The German Empire held numerous colonies in Africa from 1884 until the end of World War I. These included territories in present-day Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Namibia, Cameroon, Togo and Ghana.

The German government has only recently started dealing with the injustices committed during that period. In 2021, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Germans to face the countrys cruel colonial past, and in 2023, he apologized for colonial-era killings in Tanzania over a century ago.

Doreen Denstaedt, German federal state Thuringias minister for migration, justice and consumer protection ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Daniel Egbe, a 58-year-old chemist from Cameroon who moved to Thuringia in 1994 to study, says hes shocked how little Germans know about their colonial history. He says this ignorance may also factor into the unequal treatment of Black people.

Ive been teaching classes in school, Egbe told the AP. I tell them a bit about myself and especially the fact that Cameroon was a German colony. Many students dont know anything about Africa or about the German past and it must be put on the map.

Egbe, who took German citizenship in 2003, founded AMAH, an organization that helps university students and migrants from Africa when they experience discrimination in the city of Jena, in eastern Thuringia.

Hes worried about the rise of the AfD but has no intention of leaving.

We wont leave, we will do our part to change this society, he said. People are mostly afraid of what and who they dont know. We have to change things through education.

As for Diallo, the Guinean who was attacked in Erfurt four years ago, he also vowed to help improve the situation for Black people in Germany.

Even though the attack traumatized him, it also empowered him to fight for justice, he said. A year ago, he enrolled in university in Munich to study law, but he still visits Erfurt frequently, where he supports Youth without Borders, a network of young migrants.

I dont exactly know yet how Im going to change Germany, but I know I will, he said.
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Icelandic police have called off rescue efforts after a glacier partially collapsed during a tourist outing on Sunday, killing one American and injuring another.

Rescuers responded to the incident at the Breiamerkurjokull glacier just after noon upon receiving reports that a hiking group in the area requested help. They found a male dead at the scene and a female was taken to hospital by a Coast Guard helicopter where they remained in stable condition,

The victims, who have not yet been named, are believed to be a couple.

Officials had believed 25 people were traveling in the area and that two remained missing, but on Monday realized that the numbers were inaccurate and that everyone was accounted for.

After the cave collapse authorities requested all available emergency personnel, about 200 people from the countrys southern and capital regions, respond to the scene, along with the Coast Guard helicopter squad, as officials worked to construct a rescue plan.

The terrain in the area complicated the search. Officers had to largely work by moving the ice by hand or using chainsaws and ice picks. One person who visited the cave shortly before the incident described it as being between three and five meters deep. Einar Runar Sigursson said he was one of the first emergency responders at the scene.

In a Facebook post, he said that the tons of ice that fell is overwhelming.

Rescue teams at the scene after an ice cave partially collapsed, at the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, in southeastern Iceland, Monday, Aug, 26, 2024. ( AP )

The police in the South would like to thank all the responders involved in the search and rescue operation, Icelands law enforcement agency said on social media. It shows and proves in projects like this that we have powerful and solution-oriented people to be in charge when there is danger.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The tour group included people of different nationalities who were exploring ice caves when the accident happened.

Breiamerkurjokull is one of the countrys most popular tourist attractions and is the largest glacier in Europe. Its known for its crystal blue ice caves formed from the sheet of the glacier.

In 2019, a similar incident took place when part of the glacier broke off, generating a large wave at Vatnajokull National Park near tourists. The excursion group was forced to run to higher ground for safety as the wave came toward them.
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The captain of a superyacht that sank during a storm off Sicily last week, killing seven people, decided not to respond to prosecutors questions on Tuesday, his lawyer has said.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealand national, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges and was questioned for the third time by the Termini Imerese prosecutors on Tuesday.

He just exercised his right to remain silent, probably prosecutors were expecting that, lawyer Aldo Mordiglia told The Associated Press, adding that the captains legal team has just been named and needs time to work on his defensive strategy.

Cutfield was among 15 survivors of the August 19 sinking that killed British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah and five others.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, whos heading the investigation, has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yachts manufacturer.

Mike Lynch and Hannah Lynch ( Tancredi )

The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht, went down near the Mediterranean island in southern Italy. Investigators are focusing on how a sailing vessel deemed unsinkable by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors said the event was extremely rapid and could have been a downburst  a localized, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

The crew was saved, except for the chef, while six passengers were trapped in the hull.

What we know about the sinking:

The Bayesian, a British flagged 56-metre (184-feet) superyacht, was anchored off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, when it sank in the pre-dawn dark amid a very severe and sudden weather event.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said on Saturday the event was most likely a downburst, a very strong downward wind that is an intense but relatively frequent event at sea, rather than a waterspout which involves rotating winds like a tornado.

The coast guard said that given the weather forecast, there was nothing wrong about the Bayesian being moored offshore rather than at sheltering at port. Another yacht anchored nearby emerged from the storm unharmed.

Captain Karsten Borner, who rescued the survivors after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Porticello ( Reuters )

Twenty-two people were on board, and 15 survived, including nine out of 10 crew members as well as Lynchs wife, whose company owned the Bayesian. They were found on a life raft. Six out of the 12 passengers died. Prosecutors, who have put the yachts captain James Cutfield under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck, said the ship would have to be pulled out of the water before the investigation could be concluded.

Stern went down first

The Bayesian sent its last signal before sinking via the tracking Automatic Identification System (AIS) at 0206 GMT, according to the MarineTraffic website.

Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said a red flare alerting rescue services about the emergency was fired into the sky at 0238 GMT, more than 30 minutes after the boat had gone down.

The head of Palermos Fire Brigade, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, said the boat sank from the stern and is lying on its starboard side at a depth of around 50 metres (164 feet).

In the yacht, the bodies of the dead were found in the cabins on the left-hand side of the boat, where the passengers may have tried to search for remaining bubbles of air, he added.

Prosecutor Cammarano said the passengers were all probably asleep at the time of the storm which was why they failed to escape.

Italian firefighter divers work at the site of a shipwreck, in Porticello, Sicily, southern Italy ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The sinking has puzzled seafarers and nautical engineers, who have said that it should have taken hours for the Bayesian to fill up with enough water to sink it, making its swift demise incomprehensible.

There have been suggestions that one or more portholes, windows or other openings may have been inadvertently left open by the crew, or broken or smashed by the storm, letting in water.

Experts also wondered if the yacht had been moored with its keel up, potentially compromising its stability. The keel is a fin-like stabilising structure under the hull, which can be partially lifted to reduce the depth of the boat in shallow waters or harbours.

Prosecutors have said it was too early to comment on either hypothesis. They also said crew members were not immediately tested for alcohol or drugs because they were in a state of shock when rescued.

Unsinkable

The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Perini Navi, an Italian luxury yacht maker. It featured the worlds tallest aluminium mast, measuring 72 metres, but early reports that the mast broke in the storm have so far proven unfounded.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini, said the yacht was one of the safest boats in the world and basically unsinkable.
 Close Final moments of seven who died in Bayesian tragedy revealed by fire service boss

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The captain of the Bayesian has insisted that he did everything possible to save those on board the superyacht, according to local reports.

Sources close to James Cutfield, 51, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that the 51-year-old New Zealander is currently living through the darkest days of his life as he is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

They reportedly said Mr Cutfield repeatedly insists that he did not abandon any of the 22 passengers and crew and that he did everything could could to save them.

However, there reached a point when he could do little as the vessel had taken on too much water, they added.

Since Wednesday, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yachts engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, are also under investigation for the same possible charges, their lawyer said on Friday.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm off the coast of Sicily.
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A Belgian couple were attacked by an 11-strong pod of killer whales while sailing near Spain in their yacht.

Wim Vandenhende, 43, and Dana Huens, 36, were travelling past Spain on their way home from Greece when a pod of orcas came out of nowhere to attack the boat.

Orca attacks off the Spanish coast have become increasingly common ( Getty/iStock )

Iberian orcas are gaining notoriety along the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal, as they begin to attack boats while they follow shoals of bluefin tuna from Gibraltar.

In May, two sailors had to be rescued by an oil tanker after a pod of orcas sank their sailing yacht. That month, researchers revealed that nearly 700 incidents of killer whales ramming into boats near the Iberian Peninsula had been documented.

Vandenhende and Huenss boat had to be towed ashore after damage by the orcas ( via REUTERS )

Mr Vandenhende and Ms Huens were in their yacht, the Amidala, sailing near the Galician coast near A Coruna on Sunday afternoon.

The couple were resting before their three-day Bay of Biscay crossing when the surprise attack came.

It happened very unexpectedly  the orcas came out of nowhere, Vandenhende said, reports the Times.

Suddenly we felt a heavy thud, as if we had hit something, Vandenhende added. When I looked over the side, I suddenly saw an orca surface next to our boat, close by. If I had stuck out my hand, I could have just touched it.

The couple tried to sail away but the yachts rudder was repeatedly rammed by the aggressive orca pod - forcing them to call a Spanish rescue boat for help.

We saw an orca who followed us the whole time and seemed to be keeping watch about 30 metres from our sailboat, Vandenhende said.

That was quite scary. We then tried to stay calm and focus on the things we could still do on board while waiting for the rescue services to arrive.

The rescue tugboat arrived to pull them in but it was just half an hour before the orcas returned.

Mr Vandenhende said the attack itself was actually not too bad, saying you get such an adrenaline rush and you are so focussed that you dont have time to be afraid.

He added: When the orcas came back later, it was less fun. But I think the real fear will only come when we have to leave here again with the boat.

The yacht was badly damaged and will be in a dry dock for repairs over the coming weeks.

Questions have been raised regarding the increase in orca attacks near the Spanish coast.

Marine biologist Alex Zerbini, chair of the scientific committee at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), told the Washington Post that there is nothing in the behaviour of the animals that suggests that theyre being aggressive.

As they play with the rudder, they dont understand that they can damage the rudder and that damaging the rudder will affect human beings. Its more playful than intentional, he added.

Small boats were warned to stick to the coastline around Spain and the Strait of Gibraltar to avoid the frightening interactions with killer whales.
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Residents are evacuating their homes as Russia closes in on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region.

There are fears the city will fall in the coming weeks.

Pokrovsk is a road and rail hub and a city with a pre-war population of 60,000 people, tens of thousands of whom remain even as many evacuate.

Ukraine servicemen walk among sunflowers, to their position outside the city of Pokrovsk, amid Russias attack on Ukraine ( REUTERS )

It lies on a key road used by the Ukrainian military to supply other embattled Ukrainian-held outposts, such as the towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region.

A coal mine that is Ukraines largest producer of coking coal, which is used in its steel industry and was vital for its pre-war economy, is only a 20-minute drive to the west.

Since 2014, when Ukraine lost control of the regional capital - the city of Donetsk - Pokrovsk has hosted an important technical university, the largest and oldest in the wider region.

A map of Pokrovsk:

Moscow says it has annexed Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, a claim Kyiv rejects as illegal, and sees taking control of Pokrovsk as an important stepping stone to incorporating the entire region into Russia.

Control of the city, which the Russian media call the gateway to Donetsk, would allow Moscow to severely disrupt Ukrainian supply lines along the eastern front and boost its campaign to capture the city of Chasiv Yar, which sits on higher ground offering potential control of a wider area.

Squeezing the Ukrainian militarys access to the road network in the vicinity would make it harder for Kyivs troops to hold pockets of territory either side of Pokrovsk, which could allow Russia to consolidate and advance the front line.

Ukrainian emergency service workers and police evacuate civilians from the village of Ukrainsk, close to the front line in the direction of Pokrovsk, in Ukrainsk, Ukraine on August 24 ( Anadolu via Getty Images )

How can Ukraine defence Pokrovsk?

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has warned the situation near Pokrovsk is difficult, said on August 26, after being briefed by the head of the army, that Ukraine had decided to further strengthen its forces in the Pokrovsk sector.

He said the sector was facing the heaviest wave of Russian assaults, but predicted Russia would have to sacrifice tens of thousands of troops to achieve its aims.

The area around Pokrovsk is home to various industrial facilities that are likely to be used by the Ukrainian army to dig in and defend the city, though Russia is likely to use devastating glide bombs against them.

Ukrainian servicemen gather around a pickup truck in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, as they prepare to move into battle, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, August 24, 2024 ( REUTERS )

Ukrainian forces are meanwhile trying to expand their control of territory they have taken in Russias western Kursk region after launching a surprise incursion there on Aug. 6. One of the stated aims of that operation was to try to force Russia to divert its own forces from the eastern front to ease pressure on places like Pokrovsk.

But Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines top commander, said on Aug. 27 that Moscow had understood Kyivs aim and had continued to focus its efforts on Pokrovsk, where he said Russias most capable units were concentrated.

Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces were engaged in active engineering work on defensive positions in the area.

Pokrovsk resident Alexandra bids farewell to her daughter Natalia as she leaves on an evacuation train to flee from Russian troop advances in Pokrovsk ( REUTERS )

What does Pokrovsk look like now?

The blue and yellow Ukrainian flag continues to fly over Pokrovsk and some residents continue to evacuate westwards by rail and road, while others try to go about their daily lives and are reluctant to leave.

During a visit to Pokrovsk on Aug. 23, Reuters reporters saw that many buildings had their windows boarded up, including the Donetsk National Technical University, whose steps were covered with rubble and debris after what officials said was a Russian missile strike earlier this year.

Ukraine servicemen walk among sunflowers, to their position outside the town of Pokrovsk, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine August 13, 2024 ( REUTERS )

Other buildings had their windows blown out and their roofs, balconies and facades badly damaged. The sound of occasional shelling was audible in the distance as female pensioners sold vegetables in the street and a food shop emptied its shelves ahead of closure.

Vadym Filashkin, the Donetsk regional governor, said that as of Aug. 19 some 4,000 children were among 53,000 people still living in the Pokrovsk area. He ordered the evacuation of children from Pokrovsk and its vicinity on the same day.

Residents say power and water has long been cut.
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A drought on the Italian island of Sicily has become so severe that many residents in one of its cities have been without running water for two months, leading to handsome profits for unauthorised sellers.

In a situation more readily associated with a developing country than an advanced European economy, thousands of Sicilians are getting their water from individuals and groups who distribute it from self-operated tanker trucks at inflated prices.

After four years of rainfall well below the historical average, the Italian government declared a state of emergency in May to try to better manage resources until the autumn rainy season, but since then things have only got worse.

Water is rationed in dozens of central Sicilian towns, leaving citizens to rely on supplies from tankers that can cost families and businesses an average of 300 euros ($333) per month.

A dried lake is seen at Azienda Agricola organic farm following a drought on the Italian island of Sicily, in Caltanissetta, Italy, August 25, ( REUTERS )

Every 15 or 20 days I have to call water trucks to fill the tanks I have at home, said Alberto Micciche, who lives in the Poggio Fiorito district on the outskirts of Caltanissetta.

The cost of an 8,000-litre truckload has doubled from a year ago to about 100 euros, Micciche said. He then has the additional cost of electricity to pump the water from the tanks to his kitchen or bathroom.

Just turning on a tap is expensive, he said.

In the rest of Caltanissetta the authorities ensure regular water supplies for just a few hours per week or every two weeks, depending on the neighbourhood.

A drone picture shows an animal drinking water at Fanaco Lake following a drought on the Italian island of Sicily, in Palermo, Italy ( REUTERS )

Chronic water shortages are nothing new to Sicilians, many of whom have storage tanks on their roofs or underground to face periods of scarcity, but these are proving insufficient as droughts become longer and more severe.

Businesses requiring a constant supply of drinking water, such as restaurants, are exasperated as demand outstrips supply and prices soar.

Many tanker owners know we are in trouble and are taking advantage of the situation, its like being blackmailed, said Michele Tornatore, who owns a restaurant called Sale e Pepe (salt and pepper) in Caltanissetta.

If the tankers can get water, then why is there no water? he said.

Officially, water is considered a public good and cannot be sold by individuals, who can have private wells strictly for personal use.

Salvatore Celauro fills a bottle with water from a fountain following a drought on the Italian island of Sicily, in Agrigento, Italy, August 25 ( REUTERS )

Only authorized private tankers can distribute water they have drawn from public sources, charging a transportation fee. To do so, they must themselves pay a tariff to the local official water company.

However, the rules are routinely flouted, with potential risks to public health. Many tankers are not registered and operate without oversight or regulation, delivering water from uncontrolled sources and uncertain quality.

Authorities in several Sicilian cities have fined people thousands of euros this year for unauthorised distribution and the selling of contaminated water.

Salvatore Cocina, the director of Sicilys civil protection department, said the island was seeking new water sources and repairing abandoned wells, but the situation was so critical that in exceptional cases city mayors should use their powers to temporarily seize private wells.

As in the case of the COVID-19 emergency, everyone will have to do their part, he told Reuters.

Oscar Aiello, a member of Caltanissettas city council, is using the carrot rather than the stick by trying to persuade well owners to share their precious water voluntarily. He posted on Facebook this month that their generosity would be rewarded
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Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested in Paris over the weekend over allegations that his platform is being used for illicit activity such as drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images.

Durov, who was born in Russia, spent much of his childhood in Italy and is a citizen of France, Russia, the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates. He was taken into custody at Paris-Le Bourget Airport in France on Saturday after landing from Azerbaijan.

In a statement posted to its platform, Telegram said it abides by EU laws and its content moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Durov, the company added, has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.

Here are some details on Telegram, the app at the center of Durov's arrest.

What is Telegram?

Telegram is an app that allows for one-on-one conversations, group chats and large channels that let people broadcast messages to subscribers. Unlike rivals such as Meta's WhatsApp, Telegram's group chats allow as many as 200,000 people, compared to a maximum of 1,024 for WhatsApp. Experts have raised concerns that misinformation spreads easily in group chats of this size.

Telegram offers encryption for their communications, but  contrary to a popular misconception  this feature is not on by default. Users have to switch on the option to encrypt their chats. It also doesn't work with group chats. That contrasts with rival Signal and Facebook Messenger, where chats are encrypted end-to-end by default.

Telegram says it has more than 950 million active users. It is widely used in France as a messaging tool, including by some officials in the presidential palace and in the ministry behind the investigation into Durov. But French investigators have also found the app has been used by Islamic extremists and drug traffickers.

Telegram was launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai. According to Telegram, Pavel Durov supports the app financially and ideologically while Nikolais input is technological."

Before Telegram, Durov founded VKontakte, Russia's largest social network. The company came under pressure amid the Russian governments crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012. Durov said government authorities demanded that the VKontakte take down the online communities of Russian opposition activists. It later asked the platform to hand over the personal data of users who took part in the 2013 uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president.

But Durov sold his stake in VKontakte after pressure from Russian authorities in 2014. He also left the country.

Why was Durov arrested?

French media has reported that Durov was detained on an arrest warrant alleging his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses. As of Monday afternoon, he had not been charged, and few details were available on the investigation.

On Sunday night, a French investigative judge extended Durovs detention order, French media reported on Monday. Under French law, Durov can remain in custody for questioning for up to four days. After that, judges must decide to either charge him or release him.

What has been the response?

In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports of Durovs arrest in France.

We still dont know what exactly Durov is being accused of, Peskov said Monday during his daily media conference call. We havent heard any official statements on that matter.

Lets wait until the charges are announced  if they are announced, Peskov said.

Russian government officials have expressed outrage at Durovs detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the Wests double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics: in 2018 Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

Elsewhere, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has called himself a  free speech absolutist, has been speaking out in support of Durov and posted #freePavel following the arrest.

In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, Telegrams post said. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.

Does Telegram moderate content?

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging platform for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

Compared to other messaging platforms, Telegram is less secure (and) more lax in terms of policy and detection of illegal content, said David Thiel, a Stanford University researcher, who has investigated the use of online platforms for child exploitation, at its Internet Observatory.

In addition, Telegram appears basically unresponsive to law enforcement," Thiel said, adding that messaging service WhatsApp submitted over 1.3 million CyberTipline reports in 2023 (and) Telegram submits none.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of 5.125 million euros ($5 million) against the operators of Telegram for failing to comply with German law. The Federal Office of Justice said that Telegram FZ-LLC hasnt established a lawful way for reporting illegal content or named an entity in Germany to receive official communication.

Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.

Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram over its failure to surrender data on neo-Nazi activity related to a police inquiry into school shootings in November.

Telegram said in response to the arrest that it abides by EU laws and its content moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.
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Russia has launched a major barrage of missiles and drones across Ukraine, killing four people, injuring more than a dozen and damaging energy facilities in what has been called its biggest attack of the war.

The bombardment, condemned as vile by Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, involved the firing of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones at more than half the country on Monday, with Ukraines air force commander describing it as Moscows biggest air assault of the war so far.

In attacks that began at around midnight and continued through daybreak, Ukraines air force said swarms of Russian drones fired at eastern, northern, southern and central regions were followed by volleys of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure, Mr Zelensky said, adding that most of the country was targeted, from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and the west.

Russian forces fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions, damaging a number of the areas, Ukraines prime minister Denys Shmyhal said.

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike in the Odesa region of Ukraine on Monday ( via Reuters )

The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists, he said, adding that Ukraines state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, was forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilise the system.

He also called on Ukraines allies to provide Kyiv with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia, vowing to make Russia pay.

In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched, Mr Shmyhal said. We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.

The commander of Ukraines air force said forces had downed 102 out of 127 missiles and 99 out of 109 drones. Mykola Oleshchuk called the combined strike the biggest air attack in a statement on Telegram.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv on Monday, and power and water supplies in the Ukrainian capital were disrupted by the attack, the citys mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Local residents embrace each other at the site of a Russian missile strike on Ukraine on Monday ( via Reuters )

At least four people were killed  one in the western city of Lutsk, one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, one in Zhytomyr in the countrys centre and one in the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, according to local officials.

Thirteen other people were wounded  one in the Kyiv region that surrounds the Ukrainian capital, five in Lutsk, three in the southern Mykolaiv region and four in the neighbouring Odesa region.

Blackouts and damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were reported across the country, from the region of Sumy in the east to the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions in the south, to the region of Rivne in the west.

In Sumy, a province in the east that borders Russia, local officials said 194 settlements had suffered a full power blackout, while 19 others had a partial blackout.

Civilians shelter at a Kyiv metro station on Monday during the air bombardment ( AFP/Getty )

Ukraines private energy company DTEK introduced emergency blackouts, saying in an online statement that energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians.

In the wake of the barrage and the power cuts, regional officials across Ukraine were ordered to open points of invincibility  shelter-type places where people can charge their devices and get refreshments during energy blackouts, Prime Minister Shmyhal said.

Such points were first opened in Ukraine in the autumn of 2022 when Russia targeted the countrys energy infrastructure with weekly barrages.

In neighbouring Poland, the military said Polish and Nato air defences were activated in the eastern part of the country as a result of the attack.

A man died in the central Dnipropetrovsk region during Russias bombardment of Ukraine on Monday ( Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine/Telegram )

Meanwhile, in Russia, officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack overnight and on Monday morning.

Four people were injured in the central region of Saratov, where drones hit residential buildings in two cities.

One drone crashed into a residential high-rise in the city of Saratov, and another hit a residential building in the city of Engels, home to a military airfield that had been attacked before, local officials said.

Russias Defence Ministry said that a total of 22 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight and in the morning over eight Russian regions, including the Saratov and Yaroslavl regions in central Russia.
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Ukraine claims to have taken control of 100 settlements in Russias Kursk region during its surprise cross-border assault  while facing massive airstrikes from Russian forces for the second day running.

Kyivs top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said his troops now control 1,294 sq km (500 sq m) of Russian territory in Kursk with up to 594 Russian prisoners of war taken.

Three weeks ago, Russia was caught by surprise in neighbouring Kursk region when thousands of Ukrainian soldiers punched through the border in an unprecedented move.

Colonel General Syrskyi said Kyivs objective of distracting Russian troops by pulling them back from eastern Ukrainian regions like the Donbas had been successful.

However, Col Gen Syrskyi also warned Moscow was building up its forces on the eastern frontline, around the important logistics hub of Pokrovsk, where Russian troops have been advancing.

In remarks broadcast on television, he said by video link that Russia was trying to disrupt Ukraines supply lines to the front near Pokrovsk.

The situation on the Pokrovsk front is fairly difficult. The enemy is using its advantage in personnel, weapons and military equipment; it is actively using artillery and aviation, he said.

Kyiv has claimed to have taken control of 100 Russian settlements as Ukraine faced a second day of Moscows massive air attacks ( Reuters )

It comes after at least five people were killed as Russia launched another major wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine just a day after Moscows biggest air attack since the war began.

Two people were killed when a hotel was wiped out in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and two others died in drone attacks on the city of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, officials said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to take revenge. We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished, Mr Zelensky said.

View more

Meanwhile, Moscows officials claimed Ukrainian troops had also attempted another cross-border attack into Belgorod, a region of Russia that borders Kursk.

Belgorods regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the situation on the border with Ukraine was difficult but under control after claiming hundreds of Ukrainian troops attacked at least one checkpoint.

The claim has not been independently verified and Kyiv has not commented. A Russian military blog said there had been no major attempts to pierce the border.

On Monday, Russia launched more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine with up to seven people killed across the country.

The Russian strikes were delivered via some 100 Iran-made Shahed drones and roughly the same number of cruise and hypersonic missiles, Mr Zelensky said.

At a news conference on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said that Russias invasion would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to US President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

Mr Zelensky said Kyivs three-week-old incursion into Russias Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much [for it to be] fair for Ukraine, he told reporters in Kyiv.

He did not elaborate further on the next steps, but said he would also discuss the plan with Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris and probably also with Republican Donald Trump, the two nominees for the US presidential election.

There can be no compromises with Putin, dialogue today is in principle empty and meaningless because he does not want to end the war diplomatically, Mr Zelensky said.

He said the offensive into the Kursk region had reduced the number of governments around the world calling for Ukraine to make compromises with Russia to end the war and give up swathes of territory.

Mr Zelensky also mocked Mr Putin, who he said was prioritising the capture of Ukrainian land over the defence of Russias own territory.

The Ukrainian leader also said that Kyiv was continuing to make progress on its domestic weapons production and that it had conducted its first test of a domestically produced ballistic missile.

Meanwhile, the head of the UNs nuclear agency warned of the risk of a serious accident at a Russian nuclear plant because of fighting nearby between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Rafael Grossi, director general at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spoke after visiting the plant in Kursk. The danger or possibility of a nuclear accident has emerged near here, Mr Grossi said.

We see the plant still operating, but at the same time, the fact that the plant is operating may get even more serious in terms of an eventual action against it, he added. When a plant is operating, the temperature is much higher, and if there was the case of an impact or something that could affect it, there would be serious consequences.

Reuters contributed to this report
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An Israeli hostage has been rescued in "a complex rescue operation" in the southern Gaza Strip, the military has said, more than 10 months after he was abducted by Hamas in the attack of 7 October.

It said 52 year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel, had been transferred to hospital and his medical condition was normal.

Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel but gave no details of the operation, citing the security of the remaining hostages and Israeli forces. "We will not rest until we complete our mission to bring all our hostages back," he told a briefing.

The rescue was hailed by Israeli leaders, desperate for good news almost a year into a grinding campaign that has seen pressure mounting on the government to do more to bring the hostages back home.

President Isaac Herzog said the rescue was "a moment of joy for the State of Israel and Israeli society as a whole".

Mr Alkadi was taken hostage in Kibbutz Magen, one of a string of communities around the Gaza Strip that were attacked on 7 October.

Israel's Channel 12 showed Mr Alkadi's family members sprinting through the hospital where he was brought after they received the news.

His brother, Hatem, told reporters they saw him disembark from a helicopter and walk to the ambulance that took him to a nearby hospital for medical checks

"We're so excited to hug him and see him and tell him that we're all here with him," a family member who gave his name as Faez told Channel 12. "I hope that every hostage will come home so the families can experience this happiness."

Some 250 people were abducted in the 7 October attack, dueing which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not differentiate between civilians and militants. It has displaced 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.

Israel believes there are still 108 hostages inside Gaza and that more than 40 of them are dead. Most of the rest were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel has rescued a total of eight hostages, including in two operations that killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

A mourner reacts during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Deir al-Balah ( Reuters )

In Gaza, Palestinians displaced by fighting crowded onto the seashore as Israeli forces continued to bombard central and southern areas.

Gaza's health officials reported that at least 22 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli military strikes across the territory.

As ceasefire talks were continuing in Cairo with little sign of a concrete breakthrough over key issues separating the sides,

In recent days, Israel has issued several evacuation orders across Gaza, the most since the beginning of the war, prompting an outcry from Palestinians, the United Nations, and relief officials over the absence of safe areas.

Residents and displaced families in the southern city of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, where most of the population is now concentrated, said they have been pushed to live in tents now packed on the beach.

"Maybe they should bring ships, so next time they order people to leave we can jump there, people are now on the beach near the seawater," said Aya, 30, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who now lives with her family in western Deir al-Balah.

"Every day they say talks are progressing, an agreement is close, then all falls like dust. Do negotiators know that every day more families get wiped out by Israeli bombardment? Does the world understand that every day more costs us more lives?" she told Reuters.

Palestinian health officials said Israeli strikes killed nine Palestinians in Bureij and Maghazi, two of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, while another strike killed five people in Khan Younis and a third killed three others in Rafah.

At the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, relatives of those killed in Maghazi camp arrived to say farewell to their loved ones before burials.

"Suddenly we heard them saying that they (Israel) struck the building, they struck the building, we started calling them on their mobile phone but no one was answering, then we called the neighbours and they told us that the building has been struck, the missile fell inside our son's house," said a Palestinian woman named Umm Mohamed Thabet.

She said her daughter and her daughter-in-law had been killed, along with her 12 and five-year old grandsons and a granddaughter, whose twin survived.

"Those who are inside the house, look who they are, women and children, these are their targets."

Later on Tuesday, an Israeli air strike killed five Palestinians, including three children, in Khan Younis, medics said.

On Monday, United Nations aid operations in Gaza ground to a halt after Israel issued new evacuation orders on Sunday for Deir al-Balah, where the UN operations centre was located, a senior UN official said.

The evacuation order came as the UN has been preparing a campaign to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children in Gaza against polio, after at least one case of the disease was identified.

Although there has been optimism from the United States, which is supporting ceasefire talks in Cairo along with Egypt and Qatar, Hamas and Israel have been trading blame for a lack of progress.

Among the main sticking points has been Israel's insistence on maintaining control over the so-called Philadelphi corridor on the border with Egypt, which Israel says has been used as one of the main routes for smuggling weapons into Gaza.

Israel has also insisted on checks on people moving from southern and central Gaza into northern areas across the Netzarim corridor, running across the centre of the Gaza Strip, saying it needs to ensure armed fighters cannot move north.

Reuters
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The arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris on Saturday related to an investigation into child sexual abuse, drug sales and other criminal activity on the messaging app, French prosecutors have said.

The Russian tech billionaire, who has lived in self-imposed exile from his home country since 2014, remains in custody on Tuesday after the public prosecutor granted extra time for police questioning.

An investigation into person unnamed began on 8 July, relating to charges of complicity, laundering, cryptology, refusal to communicate and criminal association with a view to committing a crime.

Listed among the complicity charges of the judicial investigation are: Web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in organised group; Possessing pornographic images of minors; Acquiring, transporting, possessing, offering or selling narcotic substances; Organised fraud.

The laundering charge refers to proceeds derived from organised groups offences and crimes, while the cryptology charges are in relation to tools that allegedly ensure authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.

The custody period of Mr Durov was extended until 28 August, after that authorities must decide whether to charge him or release him.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the allegations would require serious evidence to back them up, otherwise it would look like an attempt at censorship.

The charges are very serious indeed, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication.

Telegram, which has nearly a billion users worldwide, said in a statement on Sunday that Mr Durov has nothing to hide and that the messaging app abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. The firm added that its moderation is within industry standards.

It concluded: It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform.
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An Australian scientist claimed to have discovered the perfect hiding place for the MH370 passenger plane that disappeared without a trace a decade ago.

Vincent Lyne, an adjunct researcher at the University of Tasmania, believed that the Malaysian plane was deliberately plunged into a 20,000ft-deep "hole" in the Broken Ridge  an oceanic plateau in the south-eastern Indian Ocean.

The Malaysian Airlines plane carrying 239 people on board disappeared on 8 March 2014 as it flew over Vietnamese airspace during its flight to Beijing. Since its disappearance, it has become the biggest mystery in aviation history and theories of what happened to the passengers and crew have been extensively evaluated.

Satellite data analysis showed the plane likely crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean, off the coast of western Australia. However, two major searches failed to come up with any significant findings.

Mr Lyne said the deep hole in the Indian Ocean with underwater plateaus, volcanoes and deep ravines could be the perfect hiding spot for the missing flight, according to his LinkedIn post.

He said the pilot of the doomed flight, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, plunged the plane deliberately into that place, knowing the area.

"This work changes the narrative of MH370s disappearance from one of no-blame, fuel-starvation at the 7th arc, high-speed dive, to a mastermind pilot almost executing an incredible perfect disappearance in the Southern Indian Ocean."

open image in gallery Map shows location of Malaysia Airlines MH370 last radar location. The general search area for the plane and the site of a new detected signal that Cardiff researchers discovered ( The Independent )

"With narrow steep sides, surrounded by massive ridges and other deep holes, it is filled with fine sediments  a perfect hiding place."

He said the damage to the plane suggested that it was a case of controlled ditching.

This justifies beyond doubt the original claim, based on brilliant, skilled, and very careful debris-damage analyses, by decorated ex-Chief Canadian Air-crash Investigator Larry Vance, that MH370 had fuel and running engines when it underwent a masterful controlled ditching and not a high-speed fuel-starved crash.

He said the precise location of the missing MH-370 was known at the point where the longitude of Penang airport in Malaysia intersected with a flight path from the home simulator of the planes pilot-in-command.

This flight path was previously discovered but dismissed as irrelevant by the FBI and other officials investigating the disappearance, he said.

"That premeditated iconic location harbours a very deep, 6,000m hole at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge within a rugged and dangerous ocean environment renowned for its wild fisheries and new deep-water species."

open image in gallery Li Shuce, bottom right, whose son was onboard the missing Malaysian Airline MH370 ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Whether it will be searched or not is up to officials and search companies, but as far as science is concerned, we know why the previous searches failed and likewise science unmistakably points to where MH370 lies. In short, the MH370 mystery has been comprehensively solved in science! he said.

Researchers from Cardiff University also pointed out that the aircraft was in the southern Indian Ocean during the final stage of its journey and believe they identified a signal from a hydrophone (underwater microphone).

Dr Usama Kadri, a reader at Cardiff Universitys School of Mathematics, said: Our analysis shows clear pressure signals from previous aircraft crashes were detected on hydrophones, even at distances exceeding 3,000km.

In the case of MH370, official investigations concluded the aircraft must have crashed near the 7th arc  the point at which the last communication between the plane and INMARSAT [the satellite telecommunications company] occurred.

More than 30 pieces of suspected aircraft debris have been collected along the coast of Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean, but only three wing fragments were confirmed to be from MH370.

Most of the debris was used in drift pattern analysis in the hopes of narrowing down the aircrafts possible location. A 495-page report into MH370s disappearance, published in July 2018, said the Boeing 777s controls were likely deliberately manipulated to take it off course, but investigators could not determine who was responsible.

The report also highlighted mistakes made by the Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control centres and issued recommendations to avoid a repeat incident.

Shah is said to have used an elaborate home-made flight simulator to trial run paths out into the remote southern Indian Ocean before his plane vanished under very similar circumstances.

The confidential document was obtained by New York magazine, and is part of a Malaysian police investigation into the pilots final days.

It provides strong evidence to suggest the disappearance of MH370 was not an accident, but premeditated mass murder-suicide, the publication reported.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Qantas is offering refunds or business-class seats after hundreds of passengers were mistakenly sold first-class flights that were significantly reduced in price due to an apparent coding error.

The airline had flights between Australia and the US displayed on its website on Thursday, but instead of advertising the usual rate for these journeys, an error made the flights appear to be up to 85 per cent less than the usual first-class prices.

Around 300 people were able to book the return flights between Australia and the US while the unusually low prices were on display for around eight hours.

Many travellers believed they had found a golden opportunity to snap up a Qantas first-class ticket for less. These tickets include access to airport lounges, champagne recommended by a somelier, a large seat and bedding on the aircraft, a chance to peruse a pillow menu, and other amenities.

However, the cheap first class tickets ended up being a mistake. A spokesperson for the Australian airline said: Unfortunately, this is a case where the fare was actually too good to be true.

The airline cited a coding error, but it is unclear what the details were and what led to the mistake.

Qantas terms and conditions state on their website that if mistakes are made and incorrect fares are displayed that are reasonably obvious, they can cancel the booking, provide the customer with a refund or offer a new ticket at the correct fare price.

In this case, Qantas said they would give customers the option to still fly in a higher class, but just not at the first-class level they were hoping for.

"As a gesture of goodwill, were rebooking customers in business-class at no additional cost. Customers also have the option of a full refund," Qantas said in a statement.

The passengers who will now be flying business-class instead of the first-class tickets they thought they bagged would still be paying 65 per cent less than usual for their ticket, the airline said.

The mistake gained traction after a post started to circle on OzBargain, an online bargain-hunting community forum, which speculated it was likely an error but might be worth a try.

One customer, William Fowler, heard from a friend about the supposed deal and said he is happy that he managed to end up with a business-class flight for less.

Im excited. Its a great price for business; it would have been an unbelievable price for first class, he told news.com.au.

Qantas was this year forced to pay a penalty of AUD$100 million (52.7 mliion) to settle a legal battle with an Australian competition watchdog for selling thousands of tickets for flights they had already decided to cancel.

The airline was accused of advertising and selling more than 8,000 flight tickets that it had already cancelled in its internal system.

The airline apologised to its affected customers in May and said it was focused on making the remediation process as quick and seamless as possible for customers.

The airline also agreed to pay around AUD$20 million (10.5 million) in compensation to nearly the 87,000 victims of its so-called ghost flights policy.

The Independent has contacted Qantas for comment.

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As schoolchildren start mentally preparing to go back to the classroom, many will look back on a summer holiday spent earning money to help put themselves through university. The prime minister has previously indicated that he was keen to lower the voting age to 16  no taxation without representation, and all that  but that was before the wider public decided it was unconvinced by the prospect.

A recent University of Exeter study suggests that Labours plan to lower the voting age to 16 is strongly supported by only one in 10 voters, and strongly opposed by more than a third.

The proposal to lower the voting age was notably left unsaid in Keir Starmers first Kings Speech, despite his party having made it a manifesto pledge. Many would have sighed  but for 17-year-old me, it was a sigh of relief.

Not only does enfranchising non-adults undermine the significance of suffrage, but it is also logically incoherent with legal principle. Starmer seems to trust me to determine the government of the United Kingdom when I cant buy a drink, get married, or, God forbid, purchase a handheld sparkler.

At 18, I can do all those things and more, not least run for election myself. And, for the most part, it is right that I cannot at 16. Voting should not be a steadily encroaching, age-irrelevant right, but an active adult duty. But while many 16-year-olds are too immature, surely there should also be an age cap on older peoples reliability?

It is this perceived cap that pushed 81-year-old Joe Biden to give up fighting for another four years in office, despite believing that his record as president, [his] leadership in the world, [his] vision for Americas future, all merited a second term, as he stated last month when he withdrew from the White House race.

Having tilted at reform of the House of Lords in his Kings Speech, Starmer is reported to be looking to eject 80-year-old peers. If the prime minister does not trust elderly lawmakers to vote on legislation, he cannot justify the most elderly voters taking part in elections.

Time and time again, the young have had their futures marred by an electorate that does not have their interests at heart. I remember sitting at the kitchen table on the morning of 24 June 2016, watching the Brexit referendum results on my mums iPad. Even at the age of nine, my friends and I recognised the unmistakeable feeling of betrayal. It was the 3.2 million, significantly Leave-leaning over-80s who had tipped the scales towards Brexit. My opportunities in Europe had been squandered by many who would not even live to see the consequences of their actions.

Last month, The Independent reported that 1.4 million Tory voters will have died by 2029  17 per cent of the Conservatives vote share. The partys mandate as the official opposition to Labour is propped up by voters who will not experience a full term of Conservative opposition.

In a country where life expectancy exceeds 80 (for women, at least), the potential scale of cognitive decline is a problem not faced by any previous generation. For progressive, mandated government, we cannot sleepwalk into a gerontocracy. To prevent the tyranny of the elderly, Starmer needs to be bolder: to forget enfranchising us kids, and instead ban over-80s from voting.

As controversial as it may sound, the measure would balance the scales. The principle is not to punish the elderly, but to create a voting demographic that accurately reflects those who will face the long-term outcomes of todays political decisions.

The time for this conversation is now. Starmer, with his hulking majority, has the opportunity to lead a revolutionary change in suffrage, making it a more equitable and forward-looking process. Will he seize it?
An Taisce has told Dublin City Council that the building where James Joyces The Dead was set is of too great a cultural heritage importance for conversion to multiple apartments.

That is according to An Taisces Dublin city planning officer Kevin Duff as part of its objection concerning plans by Brimwood UC to convert the property at 15 Ushers Island, in Dublin 8, into 10 apartments.

In An Taisces submission, Mr Duff has told the council that the return of this nationally-important house to functioning use, and the arresting of any further deterioration in its fabric, is urgently needed.

But he says the current proposal, which would change the property from a dormant public/cultural use to an open-ended period of residential use as 10 private apartments, would be wholly inappropriate.

He said: Refusal is therefore recommended in order to find a way forward and secure the future of this key cultural building of Dublin, bearing in mind, for example, the successful and award-winning museum and cultural attraction developed by the city council at large Georgian townhouse, 14 Henrietta Street.

Mr Duff says: No 15 Ushers Island is one of the most significant townhouses to survive on the Dublin quays, both because of its location and context. It is like a Merrion Square-quality house on the quays, and is one of the few surviving quayside houses to retain its front-door and basement arrangement.

He said the proposal for conversion to a high number of apartments would be wholly inappropriate and destructive to its architectural and cultural character.

Mr Duff told the council that 15 Ushers Island is of international cultural significance because of its location as the setting of the James Joyce short story The Dead.

He said: The proposal is in serious conflict with established policy and provisions for the maintenance of the special character of protected structures.

A report lodged by planning consultant Kevin Hughes, for Brimwood, says use of the building as residential is more suited than as a tourist hostel, for which previous permission was granted.

The applicant and design team are aware of the significance of the building and have gone to great lengths to protect and improve the historic fabric of the building, he said.
A planning appeal has heard that if An Bord Pleanala was to refuse planning retention for Temple Bar superpub The Giddy Dolphin, it would lead to the closure of the premises and the loss of jobs.

Keywell DAC is appealing against Dublin City Councils planning refusal to retain The Giddy Dolphin as a licensed premises.

Since March of this year, Keywell is the new owner of the Clarence Hotel and Dollard House which houses The Giddy Dolphin, 2-5 Wellington Quay and 1-5 Essex Street East, Dublin 2.

There was a sitting tenant at Dollard House operating The Giddy Dolphin at the time of purchase, but the Council refused the retention application last month after concluding that the proposed retention of the licensed premises "would constitute a 'superpub' which is discouraged and would add to an over-concentration of licensed premises in the immediate area.

Keywell lodged plans to retain the change of use from retail (artisan delicatessen) to licensed premises with food service for The Giddy Dolphin ahead of preparation of a comprehensive planning application for the Clarence and Dollard House, in the interests of protecting existing contractual employment arrangements on site.

On behalf of Keywell, planning consultants Stephen Little & Associates states there is no definition of a superpub in the Dublin City Development Plan.

The appeal also contends that a planning retention refusal will result in the premises remaining vacant and inactive.

The appeal further states that Keywell would accept a condition that any planning permission would be temporary until such time as planning permission for Dollard House as a hotel in connection with the Clarence Hotel is secure.

The appeal states: In any event, no longer than a specified period of two to three years.

The appeal points out that no structural alterations or works to the premises, which is a protected structure, has been carried out.

Temple Bar resident Declan OBrien was the sole objector to the application and he told the council that the application will further erode the diversity of retail in the area.

He said: There is already an over-saturation of licensed premises in Temple Bar. Granting this expansion will further tip the balance away from the eclectic mix of business outlets that defines the area.
Finance Minister Jack Chambers has said he is planning to continue with the bank levy, which will be included in Budget 2025 when it is unveiled on October 1.

In a statement from the Department of Finance, the minister said the return generated by the levy would provide him with additional scope to ensure there is a substantial income tax package and options on further reducing the tax burden for families and workers.

The announcement, over a month before the Budget, came as a surprise as there was no expectation that the bank levy was about to be scrapped. It delivers about 200m a year to the Exchequer.

The levy must be paid by banks that received State assistance during the global financial crisis  including AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB and EBS.

Michael McGrath, Mr Chambers predecessor as finance minister, announced the introduction of a revised bank levy in Budget 2024. It replaced one in existence since 2014, which was based on a percentage of the Deposit Interest Retention Tax (Dirt) paid by the banks in a given year.

The revised levy is in the form of a stamp duty at a rate of 0.112pc of the total amount of money held on deposit by the banks at the end of December 2022.

In the statement Mr Chambers said: Banks in our country today are highly profitable and are benefiting from the stable and positive economic position we are in now. I think it is entirely appropriate that banks continue to make a contribution back to the State in this context.

The return generated by the levy will provide me with additional scope on ensuring there is a substantial income tax package and options on further reducing the tax burden for families and workers as part of Budget 2025. I am acutely aware that many people are still struggling with the cost of living and providing additional support is a key focus for me and for Government in the upcoming Budget.

Mr Chambers said he had examined the bank levy with officials in the Department of Finance and would be making a recommendation to Government to extend it.

There will be further consideration on the exact make-up and composition of the extension of the levy and this will be a decision for Cabinet as part of Budget 2025, but I will be very clear in my recommendation to Government colleagues to extend it again, he said.
Lack of investment in infrastructure projects poses risk to growth, says business group

Dublin Chamber has called on the Government to increase investment in major capital projects

Dublin Chamber has urged the Government to focus on the delivery of major infrastructure projects in the upcoming Budget as it warned that a lack of investment poses a risk to Dublins growth.

The lobbying group, which is Ireland's largest chamber of commerce, representing 1,000 companies, is calling for an increase in investment into public transport, water infrastructure, energy and housing.

It pointed to ongoing delays in existing infrastructure projects, including Metro, Dart+, BusConnects, Uisce Eireanns Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project and the Greater Dublin Drainage Scheme.

Dublin Chamber estimates that the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) will be without water within a decade as demand rises due to a growing population and ageing infrastructure.

It has called on the Government to provide Uisce Eireann with all necessary funding to begin the projects by January next year, with the aim of having both the extra water supply and drainage schemes completed by 2030.

"The population has exceeded all sorts of expectations and the idea of having an alternative water supply for Dublin has been around since the 1990s, Dublin Chamber director of public and international affairs Aebhric McGibney said.

The GDA is now excessively reliant on the Liffey, which supplies 85pc of current water requirements.

"Dublin has a risk that if any of those reservoirs face difficulty, there will be a water shortage and then with the continued growth in population, Dublin will not have enough water within the next 10 years, Mr McGibney said.

The chamber of commerce pointed to a need for a revision of the Housing for All target to a minimum of 53,000 units a year.

Dublin Chamber said that half of these should be built in the Greater Dublin Area where around one million jobs are based.

"The growth in Dublin has been driven by internal migration and migration from overseas, Mr McGibney said. You see people moving further and further away from where their job is in order to be able to afford somewhere to either rent or somewhere to buy.

He pointed to pent-up demand for those who would like to live closer to the city or in a commuter town but cannot afford it currently.

The Governments target for this year is 33,450 new homes.

Dublin Chamber chief executive Mary Rose Burke also called for a review of the Residential Zone Land Tax to boost the availability of land zoned and serviced for housing.

This must be reinforced with a commitment to servicing those areas with key infrastructure such as water, wastewater, public transport, energy and childcare as to not cause any delays in getting much needed housing on stream, she said.

The organisation is also urging the Government to cut the cost of childcare by increasing the universal subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme from 2.14 to 2.70 an hour, while also boosting the capacity of facilities.

Dublin Chamber is also seeking a simplification of the enterprise tax scheme in Budget 2025. It called on the Government to reduce Capital Gains Tax for investments in unquoted actively trading SMEs from 33pc to 20pc to provide a welcome funding stream for Irish small businesses.
The Irish Times has decided to wind down its training subsidiary, which has been offering courses in professional development for the last 50 years.

Deirdre Veldon, the group managing director, has told staff at the newspaper that the last few years had been very challenging for Irish Times Training due to rapid changes in technology, intense competition and changes in customer behaviour.

Following an extensive strategic assessment and a review of the business and its future viability, we have made the difficult decision to commence an orderly wind down of Irish Times Training, which will cease trading on November 30, she said.

Ms Veldon paid tribute to the excellent service which a dedicated team and community of trainers had provided to clients, and noted that since its establishment in 1974, tens of thousands of individual learners had done courses in personal or professional development.

According to the announcement, the company is working through a consultation process with the Irish Times Training team, with support bring provided by HR, and the options for staff will include redeployment to other roles in the group, where appropriate.

We are also fully aware of our commitments to existing learners, clients, the community of trainers and wider stakeholders, it said. We will be working to ensure we fulfil our commitments to them and to ensuring current and scheduled courses are fully serviced.

The decision reflects The Irish Times current corporate strategy of concentrating on the core parts of the newspaper business. Last March it sold a 75pc shareholding in Beat 102-103, a youth-oriented radio station based in Waterford, to Bauer Media. Announcing the deal The Irish Times said it was consistent with its strategy to prioritise and invest in our publishing titlesand to pursue new opportunities to develop our digital offering.

Last May, The Irish Times bought Rip.ie, a digital death-notice platform, with Ms Veldon saying at the time that the aim was to harness the sites reach and content to unlock new opportunities for audience engagement and digital growth.

According to the Irish Times Training website, among the courses it currently offers are telephone skills and receptionist skills as well as an MSc in Executive Leadership, which is delivered in partnership with the Ulster University Business School.

In a further indication of how much the professional training sector is under pressure post-pandemic, the Irish Management Institute (IMI) has endured a period of losses, and last year management issued a protective notice to staff. The IMI is currently considering a takeover bid after receiving an unsolicited, non-binding offer.

The most recent financial accounts showed that revenue at the IMI fell in 2023 and losses increased. Turnover for the 12 months to the end of September 2023 was 11.4m, down from 12.5m in 2022.

The annual deficit increased to 1.1m from 50,000 a year earlier, and the filed accounts included a warning that its business model faced significant challenges.

As well as The Irish Times newspaper, the publishing company owns the Irish Examiner and the Myhome.ie property website. It retains a 75pc majority stake in WLR, a Waterford radio station, which it originally acquired in 2017 when it bought the media interests of the Landmark group, which included the Irish Examiner.
Telegram founder and chief executive Pavel Durov was detained at an airport in Paris. Photo: PA

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France as part of an ongoing judicial investigation, and there was no political motive, French president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

Mr Macrons statement on X amounted to the first official confirmation of Mr Durovs arrest, nearly two days after he was detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris, shortly after landing on a private jet from Azerbaijan.
Irish actor suggested she had been treated like s**t, but didnt disclose film it happened on

Eve Hewson says she considered quitting acting following a bad experience on the set of a film she has not named.

The 33-year-old from Dublin explained that she still has a love-hate relationship with the job, which she feels most actors have.

She told Radio Times: I had a bad experience on a film and I thought, whats the point of this?

I dont want to put myself in a position where Im being constantly treated like s**t. I think most actors have moments like that.

Its a love-hate relationship with the job.

The actor did not reveal the title of the film project.

Eve Hewson says she has received good advice about handling fame from her dad, U2 singer Bono. Photo: PA

Hewson, who is the daughter of U2 frontman Bono, added that her father had given her very good advice about dealing with fame.

Ive gotten so much advice my whole life, its been wonderful, she said.

Someone once said to me that no matter who you are, if you get mega-famous, youre going to be very weird for about seven years.

Youll start to think everything you do is important and its something you have to watch out for.

However, she said she has not really hit that kind of stardom yet.

The Dublin actor is best known for Netflix supernatural thriller series Behind Her Eyes and the Apple TV+ dark comedy series Bad Sisters.

Hewson went on to say she became so giddy when her co-star Nicole Kidman arrived on set for the upcoming Netflix mystery drama series The Perfect Couple, which premieres on September 5.

She said: It was incredible. I had no idea she was even part of the show.

My agents kept talking about this Nicole person and I was like, Nicole who?.

When she came on to set, we all got so giddy.

Eve Hewson and Billy Howle in 'The Perfect Couple'. Photo: Netflix

Its amazing to watch someone like that work. Shes been doing it for so long, but shes constantly pushing herself.

Hewson said she did not find it daunting to work with the Oscar-winning actress, adding that the cast had such a good time dressing up and being awful.

The upcoming series, about a body being found on a beach, also stars Wicklow actor Jack Reynor, Ray Donovan actor Liev Schreiber and The Watchers actor Dakota Fanning. The full interview can be read in the latest edition of the Radio Times.
Oasis will reunite for a tour next year, including two Dublin dates, more than a decade after the band split at the height of a feud between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher.

The Britpop group abruptly disbanded in 2009 after years of tension between the pair, though fans never gave up their hope of a reunion.

One of the UKs best regarded bands will now make a return to the stage following news that the feud between the brothers, who have both toured separately in the years since, has thawed.

They will play two dates in Croke Park on August 16 and 17 next year, the end of a 14-date tour for which tickets will go on sale this Saturday 31 at 8am Irish time through Ticketmaster.

This is it, this is happening, the band said in an announcement this morning, sharing a video of the band through the years as they revealed they would come together for Oasis Live 25.

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They will also play dates in Cardiff, Manchester, London and Edinburgh, with the stretch of dates including four nights at Wembley.

"The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over, the band said. Come see. It will not be televised.

Plans are underway for the reunion tour, which will coincide with the 30th anniversary of (Whats The Story) Morning Glory?, to go to other continents later next year.

Formed in 1991, the Manchester band rose to fame with iconic hits like Wonderwall, Dont Look Back In Anger and Stop Crying Your Heart Out.

They became one of the biggest bands in British music history - spurred in part by their rivalry with Blur - before their ultimate break-up on August 28, 2009, when they split before taking to the stage at a Paris festival.

It was the culmination of years of infighting, with Noel later saying he quit the group after Liam smashed his guitar backstage in their final blowout as a band.The Guardian reported that the guitar was sold at auction for 385,500, or about $405,000, two years ago, after it had been restored and used by Noel throughout his performances with his solo band, the High Flying Birds.

In 2012, Noel told NPR: We were backstage waiting to go onstage to 30,000 people in Paris. The tour manager came in and said, 'Five minutes!' We broke up within that five minutes. I'm not proud of that, but all things come to an end."

Reunion rumours which had faded into hopeful whispers over the years escalated on Sunday evening after the pair shared the same video on social media, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement at 8am this morning.

It comes ahead of the release of tracks from the first recording session for Oasiss debut album Definitely Maybe on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock N Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans had been surprised to hear Noel pay Liam a string of compliments in an interview released last week with music journalist John Robb at Manchesters Sifters Records in honour of the albums 30th anniversary.

Reflecting on Liams performance on a number of their hits, Noel said: Its the delivery or the tone of his voice and the attitude. I dont have the same attitude as him.

He also jokingly compared Liams voice to 10 shots of tequila on a Friday night and his own as half a Guinness on a Tuesday.

The brothers went on to have successful separate careers, with Noel fronting the group Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds.

Liam has been touring the UK this summer on his Definitely Maybe tour to celebrate the 30 years since its release in 1994.
DII calls on EU Commission and Irish government to resolve the investigation

To Irelands relief, EU exports of milk powder are not subject to investigation. Stock image

Almost 45m (10pc) of Irish dairy exports to China have been named under a Chinese anti-subsidy investigation, according to new figures from Dairy Industry Ireland (DII).

Beijing is assessing whether EU dairy imports are benefiting from subsidies. The probe comes as the EU evaluates a plan to impose tariffs of up to 36.3pc on imported Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) subject to a vote in October.

According to Reuters, France stands to be worst affected as it exported over 200m worth of the targeted dairy products last year, mostly milk and cream.

Italy, Denmark, Netherlands and Spain are next worst affected, each selling approximately 50m worth of the targeted dairy products to China annually.

Paris has repeatedly voiced concerns about the surge in Chinese EVs into the European market and taken measures domestically to ensure that French subsidies for buying EVs do not benefit vehicles made in China.

To Irelands relief, EU exports of milk powder are not subject to investigation. The value of overall Irish dairy exports to China stood at 420 million in 2023. Total Irish agri-food exports to China are valued in excess of 700m annually.

DII has expressed disappointment at the subsidy investigation, with its director Conor Mulvihill calling on the EU Commission and the Irish government to resolve the investigation

The Irish dairy industry produces and exports in full compliance with EU and World Trade Organisation rules, he said.

While any threat of trade disruption is unwelcome, and China is an important market for both EU and Irish dairy, Irish dairy is well diversified in its product mix and destination countries.

At present, the Chinese complaint relates to a sub-sector of dairy products, such as cheeses, and most of our cheese exports are directed to the UK and EU markets.

China will examine 20 subsidy schemes from EU members Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Ireland, and Romania.

An anti-dumping investigation into imported European large-engine gasoline cars could be next on the cards, according to the state-owned Global Times, which first reported that Beijing was considering the probes.

According to Reuters, such an investigation would hit Germany hardest. Its exports of vehicles with engines of 2.5 litres or larger to China were worth $1.2 billion last year.
The first court order concerning the initial proceedings involving Joseph Scales and PJ Madigan was first made in June 2002. Since then, a further 11 court orders have been made.

An Bord Pleanala has refused planning permission to a north Clare farmer in a row between two households who have been engaged in a right of way dispute for more than two decades.
Glyn Egan: Dipping is vital  and all the better if you can get someone else to do it
Thousands of patients in need of surgery and medical investigations whose care has been cancelled for weeks in order to relieve overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) face increasing risk with no date for an end to the severe measure in sight, it emerged yesterday.

The University Limerick Hospitals Group was unable to say when the far-reaching virtual freeze on treating waiting list patients  which began nearly three weeks ago  will be lifted. It was sanctioned by HSE chief Bernard Gloster in order to ease the trolley crisis in UHL.

It comes after it emerged the chief executive of the hospital group Colette Cowan has stepped aside as a condition of a disciplinary process which is pending relating to the death in December 2022 of teenager Aoife Johnston.

Aoife (16) died from sepsis after waiting for more than 12 hours on a trolley in the hospital. Retired judge Frank Clarke, who was asked to examine the issue of alleged accountability, recently delivered his report. Two other senior figures in the hospital were also notified of disciplinary proceedings.

A spokeswoman for the HSE yesterday could not say who is now in direct charge of the day-to-day running of the hospital group.

Marie McMahon of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign said she is very concerned that patients whose surgery or procedures have been put on hold will deteriorate, but the danger to them is out of public view. I am also worried about delayed diagnosis of patients who were due medical investigations and scans and that something serious will not be picked up on time, she said.

Mr Gloster referred to these cancellations as a reset. But we strongly object to that term.

She said the term disguises the potentially serious knock-on effects of effectively pulling down the shutters on the care of so many patients for so long.

A spokesman for the hospital said yesterday that elective, day surgery and outpatient activity remains significantly curtailed across the hospital group.

However, management and healthcare teams have agreed a limited increase in the number of exemptions from the deferrals, in order to manage more cases of high clinical priority.

These adjustments include some outpatient activity, endoscopies and day cases. The impact of this careful recalibration is being closely monitored, and its impact on management of patient flow in UHL and across our sites continually assessed.
A cache of bullets has been recovered as part of a continued crackdown on the Hennessy organised crime gang

A cache of bullets has been recovered as part of a continued crackdown on the Hennessy organised crime gang

S Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 04:00







The Garda crackdown on the Hennessy organised crime gang continues, with officers and Defence Forces personnel mounting a search operation that led to a cache of bullets being recovered.
Vow of omerta taken by Sinn Fein over movement of child sex predator from party to charity, says Taoiseach
The British Army officer is believed to have been abducted by the Provisional IRA while on an undercover operation in a pub in south Armagh in 1977 and taken across the border to Flurry Bridge in County Louth where he was killed. Press conference with lead lead investigator of the ICLVR, Jon Hill.
Evangelical Christian who is addicted to litigation loses 41st case

Mark J Savage, from Swords, Dublin, complained that he was discriminated against on religious grounds for refusing to wear a mask in a clinic during Covid-19

Mark Savage took the case against a clinic

Alan Sherry Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 08:47

An evangelical Christian who has taken dozens of cases and previously admitted to being addicted to litigation has had his latest complaint dismissed.
Palestinians react at the site of an Israeli strike that destroyed several houses, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

Department of Transport is engaging with an airline at the centre of reports that multiple flights carrying ammunition and explosives to Israel had transited Irish airspace.

It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said any such passage would be subjected to clear consent protocols, adding that he had been consistently told there have been no requests to transport munitions to Israel across Irish airspace.

News platform The Ditch has reported that at least four civil flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Tel Aviv occurred this year.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Harris said: It is very important now that the facts are established.

The Department of Transport has confirmed today that it is now engaging with the carrier.

Once those facts are established, of course it could be for the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Defence to provide a further update on this and Ill certainly be keeping in contact with both of them.

Israel has killed more than 40,000 people, most of them civilians, in the Gaza Strip since Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in the attack launched on October 7.
CSO records show the population rising by 98,700 in the 12 months to last April. Stock image

Almost 150,000 people immigrated to Ireland in the 12 months leading up to the end of April, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

It marks a 17-year high, while the total figure of 149,200 immigrants includes 30,000 returning Irish citizens, 27,000 other EU citizens and 5,400 citizens of the UK.

The remaining 86,800 immigrants were citizens of other countries.

It marked the third successive 12-month increase where over 100,000 people immigrated to Ireland.

The CSO also recorded the largest 12-month increase in the population of the State since 2008, with the population rising by 98,700 people from April 2023 to April 2024.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 27th

Over 69,000 people departed the State in those 12 months, the highest emigration figure since 2015. It compares with 64,000 in the same period in 2023.

The number of emigrants consisted of 34,700 Irish citizens, 10,600 other EU citizens, 3,000 UK citizens, and 21,500 other citizens including Ukrainians.

Estimates show that 10,600 people left Ireland to live in Australia, up 126pc on last year when 4,700 people were estimated to have emigrated to Australia.

It marks the highest level of emigration to Australia since 2013.

Over one third of emigrants are aged between 15-24, with the CSO also estimating that 15,300 people left Ireland to live in the UK, a 4pc increase, while 20,500 people moved to Ireland from the UK, up 11pc from 2023.

Ireland's population was estimated to be 5.38 million, rising by 98,700 people in the year to April 2024. This was the largest 12-month population increase in 16 years since 2008 when the population rose by 109,200, Eva Leahy, a CSO statistician in population estimates and projections said.

The number of immigrants, or those entering the State, in the year to April 2024 was estimated to be 149,200, while the number of emigrants, or those leaving the State, over the same period was estimated at 69,900.

"These combined flows gave positive net migration (more people having arrived than left), of 79,300 in the year to April 2024, compared with 77,600 in the previous year.

The number of immigrants to the State in the year to April 2024 is estimated to have grown by just over 5pc when compared with 2023.

The arrival of a large number of Ukrainian citizens in this timeframe contributed significantly in this inflow in 2024, while there were also 30,000 returning Irish citizens.

Ms Leahy said there was also an increase in the population share of those aged 65 and over between 2018 and this year, representing 15.5pc of the total.

There were more than a million people living in Ireland between the ages of 0 and 14 in April, representing 18.8pc of the total population and marking a decrease of 4,100 in population share.

The proportion of the population living in Dublin has risen from 28.1pc of the total in 2018 to 28.5pc of the total this year and now stands at 1,534,900 people.
A MAN has been rushed to hospital after a stabbing in Cork.

The incident occurred shortly before 6pm on Tuesday evening in a commercial premises in the Cork harbour town of Cobh.

A man in his early 30s sustained a non-life threatening injury in an apparently unprovoked attack.

The assailant immediately fled the scene on foot.

A man in his 50s has been arrested in Cobh in connection with the assault.

Members of the public went to the aid of the injured man and emergency services were at the scene within minutes.

The injured man was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where he is being treated for a stab-type injury.

Gardai are investigating the matter and hope to speak to the injured party when he is deemed medically fit to be interviewed.

Detectives are speaking with people who were in the vicinity at the time and are also examining CCTV security camera footage from homes and commercial premises in the area.
The new traffic lay out at Bachelor's Walk and O'Connell St Photo: Frank McGrath

More private cars were spotted on Dublins Quays this morning than yesterday, but the new traffic restrictions aimed at curbing people driving through the city were still showing signs of success.

Bad weather, and the fact that more schools opened today and there were probably more workers on the move, could have contributed to an apparent increase in car numbers, but traffic was still flowing freely compared to before the restrictions were enforced on Sunday.

And while the vast majority of motorists adhered to the new rules which stops them driving from Bachelors Walk to Eden Quay, and from Burgh Quay to Aston Quay, there was still a number of drivers who cut in front of public transport and cyclists to carry-on up or down the Quays.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 27th

Staff from Dublin City Council were on hand to direct motorists, who may have been confused despite ample large signs and traffic cones, into the correct lane, but there were no gardai present to discourage drivers from ignoring the new rules.

A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said a period of familiarisation will be required and allowed as the travelling public get used to the traffic flow arrangements.

An Garda Siochana, along with other key stakeholders, have regular engagement with Dublin City Council on traffic management in Dublin City, and will continue to liaise with Dublin City Council on the implementation of the traffic management changes, they added.

The new restrictions are in force between 7am and 7pm and Dublin City Council has said the traffic management plan is working well.

Head of technical services for Dublin City Council, Brendan O'Brien, said there is definitely a reduction in private motorists using the Quays.

"People have taken notice and taken alternative routes, and the plan is to encourage people to travel at a different time or take a different route or journey if they are coming through the city," he said.

"It's still early days but our traffic monitoring didn't encounter any new pinch-points being flagged."

We will be keeping a close eye on the level of compliance and consulting with gardai on it over time," he added.
Initial findings from a study of patients with psoriasis show that of the 1,500 participants who have so far registered and completed an online screening tool, one in four showed evidence of possible arthritis.

The Hippocrates Prospective Observational Study involves a team of researchers at University College Dublin (UCD), in partnership with the University of Oxford, looking at how psoriatic arthritis (PsA)  arthritis related to having psoriasis  can be spotted and treated earlier.

Initial results among patients who completed screening show that two in five of those surveyed had experienced a swollen joint or joints. One in three said their finger or toenails had holes or pits. A similar percentage had heel pain and 28pc reported swollen fingers and toes.

Researchers are hoping to use the findings to develop diagnostic tests to better determine which psoriasis patients may develop psoriatic arthritis to prevent irreversible joint damage before it occurs, diagnose it earlier or predict disease progression.

They are asking more people to sign up in the hope of getting 25,000 participants across Europe, and it continues to be open to anyone over 18 years.

The skin condition affects at least 73,000 people across Ireland, causing flaky, scaly and itchy pink or red patches on the skin.

For one-third of patients, psoriasis can predispose them to developing the inflammatory disease, psoriatic arthritis.

Consultant rheumatologist and study co-lead, Professor Oliver Fitzgerald, said the research aims to find ways to identify which patients with psoriasis are likely to go on to develop psoriatic arthritis by developing a simple blood test that would catch the disease before there are any obvious symptoms.

In this way, we hope to be able to intervene at a much earlier stage to prevent the disease from actually occurring by modifying risk factors or by offering preventative therapies, he said.
Delays in hospitals submitting invoices are being blamed

Private health insurance companies are getting millions of euro they owe to hospitals for patient treatment written off, with the taxpayer picking up the bill.

Last year 3.5m due in payments from health insurers to cash-strapped public hospitals had to be written off, with 51m worth of claims outstanding and needing sign-off.

Delays in hospitals submitting invoices are being blamed for the write-offs and the risk of bad debt is most relevant to the claims of one private health insurer, according to a HSE report.

It means many people are paying private health insurance subscriptions and getting discharged from taxpayer-funded hospitals after treatment at no cost to the companies involved.

Asked how much the write-offs were worth, both VHI and Irish Life said it was confidential and commercially sensitive information. Laya Healthcare was more forthcoming. A spokeswoman for VHI said it has a memorandum of understanding in place with the HSE which addresses claims submissions and the terms are confidential.

Our preference is for claims to be submitted as soon as possible after the care has been provided to our members. This ensures that claims are processed in a timely manner, allowing payments to be issued to our healthcare partners and notification of the claim outcome issued to our members.

A spokesman for Irish Life said: The information requested is of a commercially sensitive nature, so its not information which can be shared. However, I can confirm that six years is considered the cut-off point for overdue invoices.

In its response, a spokeswoman for Laya Healthcare said there are clearly defined terms of payment and payment processes in place with the HSE and public and voluntary hospitals.

Typically, eligible in-patient claims are submitted within one to two years of the patient discharge date. Once received, Laya Healthcare processes the claims within its normal payment terms and conditions, with eligible claims paid typically within 28 working days of submission.

We will reimburse public and voluntary hospitals for the accommodation and treatment of private patients once the attending hospital consultant signs off on the overall claim.

This is part of the normal rules process which is managed directly by the hospital in which the hospital consultant has treated our member. In 2023, we received a small number of late submissions of claims from public and voluntary hospitals, amounting to less than 40,000 in value. In 2022, there were no late submissions of claims and none rejected as a result.

The payments to the hospital are separate to the fees claimed by the consultants who handle their own invoices.

However, sign-off by a consultant is needed to allow the hospital to get paid by the health insurer.

Asked what action was being taken to stem the wastage of public money, a HSE spokeswoman said the value of private health insurance invoices and claims outstanding which have yet to be submitted by primary consultants to private health insurers has reduced by 17.7pc from 2021 to last year, with a 24pc improvement in the number of days outstanding.

She added that while every effort is expended to ensure timely generation and submission of invoices following patient discharges, the complexity and wider process of private health insurance claims collation can vary significantly, depending on the nature of the patient episode of care, the length of stay and the level of detail in order to meet the requirements of each private insurer.

This requires input throughout the episode of care and post discharge.

Asked which insurer was referred to as being particularly strict around write-offs, the spokeswoman said that the information was commercially sensitive.

In its report, the HSE said it is providing monthly updates to hospitals on patients in debt and on claims at risk of being written off.

A recent HSE internal audit found University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park Hospital had not sent in the region of 12.2m to health insurance companies for payment after treating private patients. The deadline for sending off the claims was 15 days after patient discharge but the delays ranged from 30 days to six years in some cases. It was estimated that around 3,903 invoices were still not signed off on.

The health service is set to receive around 25.6bn as baseline funding in the October Budget for 2025 but it is still beset by inefficiencies and wastage of public money. There is also an issue with the collection of patient debt overall.

At the end of last year, around 50m in direct public patient charges for areas such as overnight and emergency department fees were outstanding.
Roe, from Drimnagh had been treated at St James Hospital for a blood disorder and sepsis and had been gravely ill for a number of days.

A number of his family members were beside his side when he passed away today and tributes to the cartel member have been posted online by family and friends.

Despite keeping a low profile in recent years Roe was considered one of the most senior members of the cartel based in Ireland.

He had not been in good health in recent times, according to sources.

A first cousin of brothers Liam and the murdered David Byrne, Bop as he was nicknamed was involved in organised crime for most of his adult life.

Liam Roe. Photo: RIP

A notice on RIP.ie said Roe died peacefully surrounded by his loving family and very close friends in the wonderful care of the staff at St. James Hospital.

The notice described him as the beloved son of Seamus and the late Ann.

"Liam will be sadly missed by his loving dad, his heartbroken partner Niamh, adored stepchildren Mia and Ashton, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Roes funeral will take place in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Mourne Road, Drimnagh on Friday morning, followed by burial in Bohernabreena Cemetery.

Roe was a prime target of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in its fight to seize some 1.4m worth of assets from the Byrne crime organisation.

He was Liam Byrne's constant companion and "an integral part of the crime gang" before Byrne fled the country and was jailed in the UK where he is facing firearms charges.

Roe previously claimed in a CAB case that he was unemployed, relying on his father's financial support and on friends for transport.

But he was once stopped at Dublin Airport with 60,000 in his check-in bag. When challenged, he produced a bank account which showed a balance of 294,000.

His lavish lifestyle was laid bare in court, including a number of holidays to luxury destinations.

He took six trips in one year to the UK, America and Spain, taking in Conor McGregor's fight with Chad Mendes in Las Vegas in July 2015.

As part of the CAB investigation the bureau seized an Audi A5 car and a Kawasaki motorbike worth a total of 38,000 from Roe.

Roe has also been targeted during the long-running Hutch/Kinahan feud, but survived after a gunman's handgun jammed.

He was standing outside having a cigarette when he was approached by a Hutch gang hitman. He survived when the gun jammed and failed to fire

The incident happened at the Red Cow Hotel in November 2015, and resulted in increased tensions between the feuding gangs three months before the Regency Hotel bloodbath.

Roe was present during the Regency shooting in February, 2016, and pictured outside the hotel with associates after his first cousin David Byrne was killed.

In August, 2016, Roe was arrested as part of a money laundering investigation into the cartel but was later released without charge.

Unlike many of his criminal associates, Roe never fled the country when the feud with the Hutch mob and associated garda crackdown began.

Roe was arrested in 2007 over allegations that he had threatened to kill a bouncer at a pub in Dame Street.

He was also fined 250 for obstructing a garda drugs search after an incident in 2009 .

In 2012, Roe was given a four-month jail sentence after gardai raided his apartment and found stolen designer handbags worth nearly 9,000.

In November, 2012, he failed in an attempt to get gardai to return two Rolex watches worth almost 50,000 which they seized in a search for firearms at a property in Crumlin in January, 2011.

Roe failed in his police property application after a judge ruled that he had lied in the witness box and described Roe's evidence at the Circuit Court hearing as false.

Last year Roe was involved in a campaign of intimidation against innocent Dublin families after a woman was assaulted at a house party.
TANAISTE Micheal Martin warned he strongly disagreed with calls for a more closed border policy in Ireland as he insisted the State must have "a firm and fair system" which honours international commitments.

Mr Martin was commenting as a recent opinion poll indicated that 63pc of respondents wanted a tighter border policy in Ireland amid concerns over the impact of migration on accommodation and services.

The Tanaiste - speaking on the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM - insisted Ireland was implementing a fair system which simply needed to work at a more expedited pace.

He also bluntly warned that people need only look at the UK and the Brexit issue to realise that claims about migration can be very misleading.

"I think we should have a firm and fair system and it should be speedier and more effective in terms of people who seek asylum. Many (applicants) turn out to not be really entitled to asylum," he said.

"The (Irish assessment) process has taken too long over the last number of years. It is improving significantly in terms of speed but it needs to improve even further and we also have designated more safe countries which allows for a speedier processing of people seeking asylum.

"If they are not entitled to it then they can be returned more quickly or leave the country. On a number of fronts we are endeavouring to make this a firmer, stronger and more effective system we have had."

The Tanaiste warned that Ireland, like many other EU and developed countries, was dealing with the aftermath of migration from the increasing number of global conflicts.

"I think the problem more generally is that there is too much war and conflict and horrible things happening all over the world," he said.

"I have witnessed that myself in parts of the world that I have visited more recently - (in) Africa with millions of people displaced in Sudan for example. That is driving migration."

Mr Martin warned that many of the claims being made about housing and pressure on services were misleading.

We built and delivered over 10,000 social homes for our population over the last year. The number of modular homes are very very small in that context," he added.

"The numbers of Ukrainians who have left the country has been very significant, actually.

"We are down to 40,000 in State accommodation for Ukrainians. There would be a further 20,000 provided by people voluntarily in the community. And that is because of the war that has been waged against Ukraine with twelve million people being displaced all over Europe.

"These are real life things that are happening that we havent witnessed in a long long time.

"But we are providing far more social housing now than we did before this Government was formed. It is a commitment I made. That is why we (Fianna Fail) took housing. To get more social housing delivered to Irish people on waiting lists and to get more houses built that would be more affordable for people."

The Fianna Fail leader said people should note the fact that housing construction has doubled since the current Coalition took office in 2020.

"We have gone from 20,000 houses being built a year at the start of this Government to close to 40,000 at the end of this year, he said.

"But we need to get to 60,000 a year in my view before we can put a dent in to the housing issue. It is the number one issue for me - parallel with the need to give young people access to housing be it rental at affordable levels."

Mr Martin said it was important to realise that Ireland was not alone in facing challenges from migration triggered by wars in eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"Migration is creating huge pressure on us. That is a reality. All across Europe that is happening. The bulk of the accommodation has been in Ireland hotels and other forms of residential building. There is very little modular (development) actually, Mr Martin said.

"Money is being found for other issues. We are spending unprecedented money on housing. We are spending about 4.5bn a year on housing. The State now is the biggest actor in the housing market at the moment either through joint ventures with private sector companies or though direct state building itself in terms of local authorities contracting builders to build social houses or affordable houses."

"The fundamental problem is the migration challenges which are fuelled by war and conflict and starvation and authoritarian Governments who are now using migration as a weapon to disrupt and undermine societies like our own. It is not just happening in Ireland. You see it in Germany. You see it in France. You see it across Europe. You see it in other locations. It is a real challenge to the world."

Mr Martin said he understood public concerns but urged people not to be misled by far right claims.

"I accept that people are very wary, people are very worried and very concerned about it, he said.

"There is no doubt about that and I am under no illusions about that. The Government has legal international obligations in respect of asylum (claims).

"I would argue that some of those international agreements are probably outdated. There is no doubt about that. Some of them date back to post World War II when the whole phenomenon of migration was much different and of a different nature and much less in numbers.

"Britain left the EU on the migration argument. Was that good for Britain that it allowed the migration issue to disrupt the economic model? I dont think it was. I think people gave false arguments on migration and people made promises that they could end it and stop the boats and do this. And if we have Brexit we wont have migration. Guess what they had Brexit and migration has gone through the roof."

Mr Martin insisted the Government was taking firm steps to crackdown on issues highlighted.

"(People arriving without documents) has been clamped down on very significantly. I was talking to somebody at the airport where they saw people being checked coming off a plane, he said.

"And we have put a lot of obligation on airlines and airlines have been fined if they dont have effective mechanisms in place to stop people going on board who dont have documentation.

"It will continue to be clamped down on."
Health

At least seven HSE workers have been sacked after receiving court sentences over the past 10 years
Palestinian premature babies are evacuated from Al-Aqsa Hospital following Israeli warnings of imminent attacks in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters

Doctors helping those injured in the wars in Gaza and Sudan will visit Ireland next week to outline the suffering of vulnerable civilians caught up in the fighting.

Staff from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF/Doctors Without Borders) will speak about the conflict that one admitted was the most brutal thing I have ever witnessed in my career.

The medics will speak about the suffering being inflicted on civilians, in a bid to increase public pressure for ceasefires and peace talks to permanently end the violence.

MSF staff, including Dr Chris Hook, Dr Jennifer Hulse and Jacob Burns, will speak about their experiences on the healthcare front lines in Gaza and Darfur in Sudan.

All three will also participate in question and answer sessions to highlight to the public what is happening in the conflicts  and the carnage being inflicted on the most vulnerable.

Dr Hook has worked on the healthcare front line in Gaza as medical staff were overwhelmed by the casualty numbers.

The situation in Gaza is brutal and what Gazan health workers are doing is one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed, Dr Hook said.

The violence needs to stop. We need improved humanitarian access, and more staff, medications and supplies. People need more food, water, blankets, shelter, everything.

They need to be able to return to and rebuild their homes.

The humanitarian situation is urgent and the medical consequences of this conflict will be felt for years to come.

What is happening now in Gaza is, without a doubt, the most brutal thing I have witnessed in my career. It must stop now.

Most of Gazas hospitals are out of service after being repeatedly attacked, besieged and raided following months of relentless bombardment and devastation.

Airstrikes and artillery attacks on hospitals have resulted in both patients and medical staff being killed.

MSF medical teams have been providing emergency surgeries, wound treatment, medical and maternity care in increasingly difficult circumstances in Gaza since last October 7, including in two of the main remaining hospitals, Nasser and Al-Aqsa hospitals.

Dr Hook worked in Nasser Hospital and was shocked by what he witnessed.

Many injured people in Gaza suffer from extreme burns, major fractures that wont heal properly and may go on to require amputations, he said.

Many of these patients, even if they can get back to something resembling normal life, will have severe chronic pain that will require substantial pain management as well.

It would be a huge burden even on the most functional healthcare system, let alone for a system under intense pressure like in Gaza.

Dr Hook added he was moved by the courage of healthcare workers in Gaza who ignored the risk to their own safety  and the suffering of their own families  to continue performing their jobs.

Sudan has also faced horrific levels of violence since the war there erupted in March of last year.

World will reflect on Gaza conflict as time of dark shame  Simon Harris

Widespread fighting has involved repeated attacks, abuse and exploitation of civilians. Just like in Gaza, there have been persistent attacks on health workers and medical facilities.

Dr Hulse worked with MSF in Nyala hospital in the state of South Darfur.

The hospital had been so badly damaged in the fighting before she arrived that it was left barely functional.

In terms of the sheer numbers, the war in Sudan is the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world right now, Dr Hulse said.

Many thousands of people have been killed or injured and over 12 million have been forced to flee their homes to escape the violence.

The economy and the healthcare system have collapsed, with prices spiralling and many people unable to afford the basics.

MSF doctors and staff will outline their experiences at a special event in the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork at 7pm on September 5.

Anyone interested in attending can obtain further details from MSF.ie.
LATEST | We have the skills and we have the ability  Investigator hopeful new dig will help find remains of British army captain Robert Nairac

Soldier was one of the Disappeared, whose remains have not been found since he was abducted from a pub in 1977

Robert Nairac

Andrew Madden Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 03:30

The man leading the search for the remains of murdered British army captain Robert Nairac has said his team are hopeful they will recover his body.
Kids around the country are starting or returning to school this week. Photo: Getty

And so we are here; the much anticipated back-to-school week.

This time of year stirs up a curious mix of conflicting feelings in most of us. Who doesnt experience a pang of dread when supermarkets and department stores start banging on about back to school offers mid-way through July.
Avoid the crowds and choose one of the following unique destinations for a blissful seaside getaway.

Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Alamy/PA

This is a photo of the Amrum Lighthouse which is located in the southern part of the German island of Amrum. See PA Feature TRAVEL Beaches. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA feature TRAVEL Beaches. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: Alamy/PA. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature TRAVEL Beaches.

The Baltic Sea and an empty beach in Estonia. Alamy/PA.

Fed up with wading through crowds and tiptoeing around towels to secure a sunbathing spot on a bustling beach?

Holiday hotspots like Spain and Greece are well known for their beautiful beaches. But Europe also has plenty of other hidden seaside gems to explore.

Enjoy uninterrupted, beautiful coastal views and some much-needed peace and quiet in one of the following destinations to end the summer holidays on a high...

1. Albania

Ksamil, Albania. Alamy/PA

Albania might be the ideal budget holiday destination for people looking to book a last-minute seaside break to soak up the final few rays of the summer. And this underrated Balkan country in Southeastern Europe offers stunning views of the simmering Adriatic and Ionian Seas and average summer temperatures of around 33C.

Orikum, Ksamil and Dhermi are firm favourites with locals and offer a mixture of pebbly and sand beaches, where you can hire a sun lounger for only a couple of pounds.

If you are feeling particular adventurous, take a ferry or speed boat to the gorgeous Karaburun Peninsula island to enjoy some of the best views Albania has to offer.

2. Wales

Three Cliffs Bay in the Gower, Wales. Alamy/PA

Wales often gets a bad rep for its grey skies and showers, but in reality, summers in Wales can be glorious and if you drive along the west coast on a sunny weekend, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the variety of beaches you encounter.

The Gower Peninsula, known for its pristine and untouched beaches and coves, is Wales' best kept secret. Beaches such as the Three Cliffs Bay, Rhossili and Oxwich are renowned for their excellent water quality, making them ideal for swimming and surfing too. You might even see a seal or dolphin bob its head out of the deep blue waves if you are lucky.

3. Estonia

The Baltic Sea and an empty beach in Estonia. Alamy/PA.

Estonians enjoy more than 3,700km of Baltic coastline, as well as hundreds of natural lakes and an array of unique beaches.

Some of the beaches, such as Parnu and Roosta, are long, empty expanses of sand, just perfect for hours of strolling. Meanwhile, others are rocky and feature historic lighthouses.

The moderate climate, averaging at around 20C in the summer, makes Estonia an ideal sea vacation for those who prefer to avoid scorching conditions.

4. Montenegro

A sandy beach in Montenegro. Alamy/PA

Nestled between Albania, Serbia and Bosnia is the magnificent, and often forgotten about, country of Montenegro.

This small country encompasses breath-taking fortified towns, magical coves and sparkly waters - with stunning beaches such as Budva Bay.

Its charming atmosphere and stunning scenery will make your trip to Montenegro the envy of all your Instagram followers.

5. Scotland

Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Alamy/PA

Scotland is arguably home to some of the most striking landscapes and coastal havens in the UK. And if off-grid holidays are right up your street, plan a road trip up north to scratch the surface of Scotland's 900 offshore islands.

Claigan Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye, for instance, is a perfect example of a tranquil Scottish beach, offering picturesque views and plenty of sea birds and seals. The Scottish coastline is a great destination for campervan lovers seeking a unique adventure, too.

6. Germany

Piratenschlucht beach on Rugen Island, Germany. Alamy/PA

Germany is known for its historic landmarks and cultural festivals, but the beauty of its northern coastline remains a mystery to most holidaymakers, who often see Germany as an autumn city-break destination. However, the country actually encompasses a surprising number of islands, such as Rugen and Amrum, with untouched tranquil beaches.

Sylt, Germany's northernmost island, has almost 25 miles of fine, sandy beaches to enjoy, and watching the sunset from the Rotes Kliff near Kampen is highly recommended by those in the know.

The temperature of Germany's north coast and tiny islands peaks at around 22C in the summer, so this is another great choice for travellers who thrive in slightly cooler temperatures.

So, what are you waiting for? Peaceful, unspoiled beaches await
Declan Power: Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon have been in situations like this before, and pulling out by ourselves is not an option
Coalition leaders have explicitly stated there will be no early election. Photo: Getty

Multiple media articles have speculated about a potential general election in November, despite the Governments insistence that the Coalition intends to serve its full term until March 2025.

This commitment has been echoed by the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, and numerous senior ministers, who have explicitly stated that there will be no early election.

It is profoundly ironic that if an early election does occur and the electorate is called upon to exercise their democratic right to vote in November, those same government parties  who may have misled the public about the timing  will be asking voters to trust them for another five years.

As the eminent philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche stated, Im not upset that you lied to me; Im upset that from now on I cant believe you.

Thomas OConnor, Crumlin, Dublin 12

Pubs are the heart of rural communities and not just a place to drink alcohol

Colm Redmonds words in Saturday edition of the Irish Independent struck a chord: Its only when the pub leaves the village  the show is over.

I couldnt agree more. Thats why I was so disheartened to read some of the recent negative comments about pubs.

Publicans have been demonised in some quarters for years, portrayed as being greedy and, in some cases, irresponsible.

Its easy to forget the role the local pub plays in rural life. The pub is not just a place to buy alcohol  if it was they would have closed years ago due to prices  its a place to meet and socialise, to interact and have a bit of craic.

How many pubs do you know, where there is a juke box in one corner, people playing pool at the back, men sitting at a counter conversing?

The pub is a hub for human interaction, not just drink.

Its easy to forget the involvement the local pub has in the community. Pubs support local clubs and groups, they offer employment and they support other businesses by purchasing stock or promoting their services. They support local music and and other entertainers. They support the local parade and community events  all of which would suffer if they were closed indefinitely.

Why are publicans labelled irresponsible or criticised for selling alcohol? Publicans are licensed, they follow rules and regulations.

The Government promised to revitalise rural Ireland, but businesses are still closing. Why? Rising costs and lack of public transport are to blame. There is no Luas in Co Laois or a 24-hour bus to bring people in  and getting people home safely is another story. In my home town, we badly need a taxi service and a more regular bus service  people in rural Ireland deserve good transport too.

So is the publican greedy for upping the price of a pint? No, I think not.

Julie Bennett, Mountrath, Co Laois

Gangs of violent youths in control of the capital, not the gardai or Government

I didnt think Id have to revisit this subject again so soon after my last letter about six months ago. But I had to walk from Fairview on the north side of Dublin to Leeson Street on the south side again last week, which took me an hour-and-a-half..

I didnt see one garda anywhere. I returned by bus, which took about 45 minutes due to heavy traffic. Again, not one garda anywhere to be seen.

Protests outside politicians homes will not be tolerated, protests outside facilities due to house refugees will not be tolerated, hate speech will not be tolerated, so say our Taoiseach Simon Harris and his Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

But they seem to be quite content to tolerate anti-social behaviour in Dublin city centre, where innocent passers-by are being viciously attacked on a regular basis. They tolerate shoplifting in Henry Street and Mary Street. They tolerate thuggery on Luas trams and Dart trains.

A lot of people are afraid to go into Dublin city centre after dark.

The Government will make any excuse to justify their non-action, such fixing this would cost an arm and a leg, yet they have no problem throwing unlimited amounts of taxpayers money at the new Childrens Hospital and the Metro North rail line, even before a sod has been turned.

Who is in charge here? Is it the Government or the gangs of youngsters running wild in the city centre?

Martin Heneghan, Fairview, Dublin 3

Israels war on Gaza has deadliest toll in modern history for journalists

Recently, another journalist was killed by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), while working near the Mustafa Hafez school. The school was the scene of a slaughter by the IDF in which 12 people were killed last week.

The journalist was Hamza Murtaja. This name was well known as he was the brother of Yaser Murtaja, the first journalist killed by Israeli forces during the Great March of Return in 2018. Yaser was shot by a sniper while covering the peaceful protests near the border with the occupied territories. He was shot in the abdomen while wearing a vest clearly marked Press.

The year 2018 was infamous for the sheer number of civilians killed and maimed by snipers during these demonstrations. As usual, there was little reaction to the killings by the Western powers supporting Israel.

With Hamzas death, the total number of journalists killed by Israeli forces since last October 7 has risen to 170, marking the deadliest toll in modern warfare for journalists. Hardly any Western media outlets have commented on such a large-scale death rate among fellow journalists.

Paul Doran, Monastery Walk, Dublin 22

Time to get back to basics and end discrimination in Leaving Cert grading

First, congratulations to all of the students who successfully completed the Leaving Certificate.

I was astounded to learn that the Department of Education made the asinine and non-educational decision to inflate basic scores in recent times. This results in erroneous information, and its all the more egregious when lower-performing students have their marks inflated by up to 12pc, while higher performers were limited to a 5pc increase.

Also, aside from misinforming students about their true merits, the departments adjustment was also discriminatory. Perhaps an asterisk should be placed next to the grades affected during the adjustment era.

Anyway, its high time to return to the basics of testing and let grades stand for what they truly should be, namely valid, reliable and objective measures of academic achievement.

Frank Brady, Yonkers, New York
With PJ Judge taken out, Marlo Hyland spent very little time waiting to establish himself as the new face of gangland in Ireland. But he planned on doing things differently. A more considered approach to drug trafficking, drawing in other criminals to work as a team. A tactic straight out of the Sicilian Mafia's playbook. The cash was rolling in, but a prolific murder of a young Dublin mother, would bring too much heat on Martin Marlo Hyland.

Slowly but surely, his empire was disintegrating around him. Crucially, a suspicion began to develop in the criminal underworld that he was a police informer. Fellow gangsters began to wonder why Marlo Hyland had avoided arrest or prosecution. It was clear to all that his time was running out.

Hyland then began staying in different houses every night to avoid his enemies. But as time wore on, he became a little more careless and less conscious of the deadly foes gathering around him. He was living on and off with his niece in Scribblestown Park in Finglas where ultimately his killers cornered him.

Today on The Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle speaks with Paul Williams, special correspondent with The Irish Independent, to discuss the terrifying and bloody reign of Martin "Marlo" Hyland, and the partner who would ultimately betray him. This episode was originally broadcast in March 2024.
AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company which has a manufacturing facility in Carrigtwohill recently celebrated its ninth annual Week of Possibilities.

The initiative is the companys signature community volunteering programme, empowering company employees to personally improve the localities where they live and work. 41 AbbVie employee volunteers spent more than 196 hours to create a dedicated outdoor classroom space for the teachers and primary school students of Scoil Bhride in Midleton.

They also transformed an old storage room into a calming nurture room in its Cuisle Centre for students with autistic spectrum disorder needs.

Colourful playground markings were also added to the schoolyard to encourage fun and active breaktimes. At each Week of Possibilities location, AbbVie selects projects that meet the greatest needs of local communities.

AbbVie partnered with the national volunteer development agency, Volunteer Ireland, on the design and implementation of the projects.

Speaking on behalf of the entire Scoil Bhride Midleton community, the principal Seamus OConnor said: I want to thank the entire AbbVie team for their diligence, humour and care throughout the course of working with our school. When the first AbbVie team members visited, they immediately bought into our school the theme of community vibrancy.

They embraced our pupils ideas and added a sprinkle of ingenious touches to complete three renovation projects which will encourage pupil participation and learning for years to come. Its been the most positive project Ive been involved with in my own 25 years in education. I cannot thank the AbbVie team enough, he added. AbbVie believes in making a strong commitment to local communities, particularly in education.

AbbVie Cork Site Head, Malcolm Garde said: The Week of Possibilities demonstrates our strong commitment to giving back. It shows what can be achieved when companies like AbbVie come together to work on projects that bring real value to the community. I want to sincerely thank our employees for their remarkable contributions during the week.
From September 1, 2024, all families in Cork North West and right across the country accessing registered early learning and childcare will receive a minimum hourly universal National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidy of 2.14 off their out-of-pocket costs, up from a current hourly rate of 1.40.

Cllr OShea said: Our goal is to support families in Cork North West by reducing the economic pressures of childcare. These updates to the National Childcare Scheme are a direct response to the needs voiced by parents across the county, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive in a supportive early learning environment.

Cllr OShea continued: As part of this commitment, families receiving the NCS universal subsidy will see a further 25% average reduction in the cost of using full time early learning and childcare services in Cork North West. This will mean up to 5,007 off their annual bill, this represents up to an additional 1,731 off the annual cost of early learning and childcare per child.

This initiative will ensure that more families in Cork North West can benefit from the valuable early learning opportunities that shape the foundational years of childrens lives. Additionally, starting in September 2024, families using childminders in Cork North West will be able to avail of the NCS for the first time, a move that broadens the scope of the scheme and acknowledges the diverse childcare needs of modern Irish families, he added.

We are making a strong investment in our childrens future, said Cllr OShea who has been selected to run in the Cork North West constituency in the next general election. This is coupled by 331m Core Funding provided directly to early learning and childcare services works to ensure that providers can continue in their work while providing fee management and financial transparency.

By reducing the burden of childcare and expanding access to quality services, we are making a strong investment in the economic wellbeing of families across Ireland, he added.
The dachshund was brought to shore by a team of firefighters in Dublin 24

The dachshund, named Ducky by its rescuers, gets a lift back to dry land thanks to Dublin Fire Brigade

The DSPCA is appealing for the owner of a nervous and exhausted dog to come forward, after the animal was rescued from a pond in Dublin.

Firefighters from Tallaght and Dolphins Barn fire stations were called to assist the DSPCA with the stranded pooch.

The dachshund, which has now been named Ducky, was saved by a team of firefighters and their canoe in the Dublin 24 area.

Water rescue trained officers with Dublin Fire Brigade were able to transport the dog off an island and into the care of DSPCA inspectors.

Heartwarming moment Dublin Fire Brigade rescue dog from lake

The DSPCA called it a big rescue for a little dog.

A huge effort went into rescuing a little dog today after we received a call about her in the water in a park in Dublin 24, they said.

Our inspectors arrived at the scene, saw the little dog, and tried to coax her in. She was very nervous and went further out and so we called on the help of DFB.

They didnt hesitate and arrived to help. It took some time before she was spotted again but, thankfully, she was safely lifted on board.

She was exhausted and enjoyed a front seat in the boat as she was brought back to dry land.

After the dog was brought to shore, it was discovered that she didnt have a microchip, meaning there is no way to contact her owner.

The dachshund was brought to shore by a team of firefighters in Dublin 24

Everyone onshore was glad to see that she was okay, apart from being soaked to the bone and tired. Ducky, as shes been named, was scanned for a microchip at the scene but unfortunately, she did not have one, so we have no way of contacting an owner, the DSPCA added.

She is now safe and tucked up for the night resting her tired little legs. If you own or recognise this dog, please email info@dspca.ie.

We want to thank the Dublin Fire Brigade and to the caller for contacting us when they saw a dog in need of help.
China delivers first MA60 firefighting airplanes to customer

Xinhua) 08:28, August 27, 2024

This photo taken on Aug. 26, 2024 shows a scene at the delivery ceremony of two MA60 firefighting aircraft in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Two MA60 firefighting aircraft were officially delivered to the Ministry of Emergency Management in Xi'an on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

XI'AN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of China's independently-developed MA60 firefighting airplanes was delivered to the Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said.

The two MA60 firefighting airplanes were delivered in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. They will play roles in the country's emergency air-rescue sector, according to the AVIC, the country's leading aircraft manufacturer.

The MA60 firefighting aircraft is a type of large and medium-sized fixed-wing plane that is tailored to serving aerial firefighting and other emergency rescue missions.

It integrates multiple functions such as water-dropping operations, fire monitoring, communications and command, personnel transportation and supply transportation, according to the AVIC.

This photo taken on Aug. 26, 2024 shows a delivered MA60 firefighting aircraft in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Two MA60 firefighting aircraft were officially delivered to the Ministry of Emergency Management in Xi'an on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

The aircraft has a maximum water-carrying capacity of six tonnes and a maximum cargo-transport weight of 3.7 tonnes. It can carry up to 28 people onboard, according to the developer.

MA60 firefighting aircraft belongs to the homegrown MA60 "Modern Ark" multipurpose aircraft family. It has obtained the supplemental type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, according to the AVIC.

The development of the MA60 firefighting airplane began in 2021 and the developers have made breakthroughs in a number of core technologies, according to Miao Zhimin, chief designer of the aircraft.

"Looking ahead, the MA60 firefighting aircraft will be critical force in aerial emergency response and play an important role in forest and grassland fire prevention and fighting and personnel and supply transportation," Miao said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Elliot Miller from the United States is shaping his vision for education in Yantai, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province.

Miller currently serves as the head of Yantai Huasheng International School. When discussing the school's educational philosophy, he emphasized that it is focused on cultivating lifelong learners, cultivating individuals that are going to learn how to lead in the future.

Miller has been living and working in Yantai for three years and is drawn to the local hospitable culture and pleasant environment, which influenced his choice of Yantai.

He said that the Yantai government provided strong support during the establishment of the international school, making the process significantly easier for him.

Miller added that Yantai has been actively promoting itself to attract people and businesses from outside the region. Check out the video to see more.
Kishoge Station to serve new communities being developed

Kishoge Station is the 146th station on the Iarnrod Eireann network

A new train station in south Dublin was officially opened today, 15 years after it was first developed.

The long-awaited Kishoge Station, located between Clondalkin Fonthill and Adamstown, is the 146th station on the Iarnrod Eireann network.

Commuter services on the Portlaoise to Heuston route, and on the Newbridge/Hazelhatch to Connolly/Grand Canal Dock route will serve the station.

It will also be served by 36 trains on Saturdays and 15 trains on Sundays, with further weekend expansion planned on the route in late 2025.

Journey times between Kishoge and Heuston will be as little as 14 minutes, and between Kishoge and Connolly will be from 28 minutes.

Kishoge was originally developed in 2009 but did not open as the planned adjacent housing developments were put on hold due to the economic crash.

South Dublin County Council has also developed a temporary car park with 60 spaces adjacent to the station.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, James Lawless, said the opening of the rail station demonstrates the commitment of this Government to investment in public transport.

As a rail commuter myself I understand the importance in providing frequent and reliable public transport services, he said.

I have no doubt that the opening of this station, along with the future delivery of Dart+ South West, will have a transformative impact for people in the area.

Kishoge Station is the 146th station on the Iarnrod Eireann network

The delivery of new stations such as this one provide concrete examples of how investment in sustainable transport infrastructure can help deliver safer, greener and better-connected communities.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan added: From the start of this Government we have prioritised the development of public transport. Four years in we are really beginning to see the impact of this focus, with public transport numbers across all forms at record high numbers.

What we are also beginning to see is the implementation of smart transport-led development. A few months ago, I announced the start of construction of Iarnrod Eireanns new Woodbrook Dart Station outside Shankill.

That is an area earmarked for major housing development to the south of the city. Similarly, here at Kishoge, there are major plans for housing and community development. Instead of building first and putting in infrastructure later, we are doing it the other way around.

Putting in the vital transport infrastructure that people need to get in and out of the city first. This is planning at its best, he added.

Mayor of South Dublin, Baby Pereppadan, added: South Dublin County Council is delighted to witness the opening of Kishoge Station, a new fast and frequent railway service.

This will further enhance the 90,000-home development of Clonburris in serving this brilliant community.

Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnrod Eireann said: We are delighted to open Kishoge Station, and to deliver to one of Irelands newest communities the type of public transport service which will ensure sustainability is at the heart of Kishoge and the Clonburris development.

Even with 96 daily services already available, we are also working on the next stage of service improvement through Dart+ South West: as this community grows, our rail service will be ready to grow with it.

This article was amended at 8am on 27/08/2024 to clarify that Kishoge Station is served by commuter trains and not the Dart
More than half of Galway workers did not take all their holidays last year, a number above national average according to a new research.

The FRS Recruitment Annual Leave Report showed that 53% of workers in Galway didnt take all their holidays in 2023. This is above the national average, with 42% of people around the country failing to use up all their leave last year.

According to the research, 1 in 8 people in Galway didnt take five days of annual leave or more, which in employment terms represents a weeks leave; 26% didnt take four days, 18% had three days which went unused, 18% also opted against using up two days of leave and 17% had one day of their holidays remaining.

The report also had a range of other findings about how people in Galway make use of their holiday entitlements and the various employment policies in place around the use of annual leave.

The majority of people (56%) in Galway used annual leave for foreign travel last year and 1 in 4 for domestic travel. A further 10% used it for family reasons, 7% for personal reasons and 6% due to illness.

For 29% of people in Galway, the longest period of annual leave they took last year was less than a week. While only 2% say they took a break for longer than two weeks.

Before taking annual leave, 40% of all Galway employees say they have to give their employer two weeks notice. Another 51% must provide one months notice and a further 6% in Galway only have to tell their work about their leave plans one week or less in advance.

1 in 4 Galway workers say unused annual leave is carried into the following year and 4 in 10 receive a payment in lieu. However 1 in every 5 Galway employees say their leave is lost if it is not used.

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More than 3 in 5 people in Galway (62%) would like their employer to introduce unlimited leave, while a majority (56%) in the county would also be in favour of a four-day work week, even if it impacted on their salary.

When it comes to other types of leave taken, 22% of workers in Galway say they took sick leave last year, 19% took care leave, 1 in 4 (24%) took maternity/ paternity leave, 2% took study leave and 3% took leave due to a bereavement.

A total of 1,886 people took part in the survey used to compile the FRS Annual Leave Report.
Palestinian artist Malak Mattar whose work is both affected by, and a response to, the Israeli occupation, is among the guests that will attend the Galway Cartoon Festival 2024 this autumn.

The Galway Cartoon Festival 2024 will run from Friday October 4 to Thursday October 9.

The programme for Galway Cartoon Festival 2024 will be launched by the Deputy Mayor of Galway City, Labour city councillor, Niall McNelis, on Thursday August 29 at 6pm in Charlie Byrnes Bookshop.

Now in its 9th year, the Galway Cartoon Festival is a celebration of creativity, storytelling, the power of satire, and the joy that cartoons bring to our lives.

This years themes will be Beasts, Women in Technology, and General Mayhem; there will be group exhibitions under the above three themes, as well as panel discussions, workshops, Irish language events and more.

One of this years special guests will be Malak Mattar, who has come to widespread attention for her astonishing grayscale painting, No Words  her deeply personal response to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the atrocities being ravaged upon Mattars fellow Palestinians, following the October 7 attacks.

Alongside Malak Mattar, the event will play host to some of the biggest names in cartooning: Dave Coverly, creator of the legendary single-panel cartoon Speed Bump; Lucie Arnoux, artist on the Enola Holmes comics; European Cartoon of the Year 2023 winner Ben Jennings; The New Yorkers Will McPhail.

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Each year, Galway Cartoon Festival showcases an artist who has made a significant contribution to cartooning in Ireland, so 2024s solo exhibition will feature Northern Irelands Dean Patterson, whose work appears in Private Eye, The Phoenix, The Idler, and others.

Also, a very special visitor to this years Festival will be Kerry cartoonist and illustrator Ciarraioch (aka Ciara Kenny), whose work draws on social justice, Feminism, nature, and Irish history and mythology.
At the launch of a new exhibition at Tech Amergin to mark the 140 year history of the Commercial Cable Company in Waterville. Photo by Ruary Rudd.

Friends of Waterville Cable Station are hosting a month-long exhibition to mark the 140 year history of the Commerical Cable Company in South Kerry. Pictured are one of the founders of the group Dorothy Rudd who grew up immersed in the station. Pictured with Amy Rudd. Photo by Rosemary Hill.

An old postcard of the Waterville Cable Station. There is a new exhibition to celebrate heritage week marking the 140 history of the Commercial Cable Company in Kerry.

While Valentia island is renowned for playing a pivotal role in global telecommunications as the place where the first ever transatlantic message was sent from, nearby Waterville has also played a key role in global communications.

140 years ago, the launch of Commercial cable companys transatlantic cables service between Waterville, and Hazel Hill, Canso Nova Scotia began a transformation of global telecommunications.

Commercial Cable Company, founded by John W. Mackay (an Irish American with a rags to riches story) and notorious publisher Gordon Bennett, played a pivotal role in the history of transatlantic communication by bringing about real competition to the market resulting in lower prices and driving new technology.

Waterville went on to became one of the largest transatlantic cable stations in the world with cables connecting Waterville to Hazel Hill, near Canso, Nova Scotia, with further connections to New York & Weston-Super-Mare, Le Havre and later the Azores.

To celebrate this anniversary Friends of Waterville Cable Station are hosting a month-long exhibition Coast to Coast Aboard the Faraday] in Tech Amergin Waterville. The theme of the exhibition is Connected People and Places.

Included in the Exhibition are drawings by Henry Ash from his voyage aboard the Faraday as it laid the first Commercial Cable Company cables over the course of 1884. The Faraday was a purpose-built cable ship built for Siemens Brothers. Siemens Brothers were contracted by Commercial Cable Company to manufacture and lay their 1884 transatlantic cable.

Another aspect of the exhibition is a section on past workers in Waterville cable station or for Commercial Cable Company including information from John O Sullivan one of the last surviving workers (age 96). The information that forms this part of the exhibition was largely supplied by relatives and records some of their memories of the cable station. Photos were also received from the Guysborough County Historical Society in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Dorothy Rudd is one of those who has memories of the cable station and she is one of the founders of the Friends of Waterville Cable Station  a local organised determined to keep this history alive.

With her father working as Superintendent and her brother later becoming the last Superintendent of the Station she was immersed in the life of the Cable Station. For over 2 decades she has highlighted the importance of Waterville's Cable Heritage and continues to do so today.

"We want to remember the history of the commercial cable company. It created a lot of employment in the area and was one of the largest cable stations in the world in Kerry. There was 300 on the workforce at one stage.

The Commercial Cable Station closed in 1962 but its role in South Kerry and Waterville lives on and will do so now more ever through the new exhibition.

A permanent exhibition highlights its history but this new addition is even more informative including many images from that era.

The exhibition officially opened this week and runs till September 20 at Tech Amergin Further Education & Training Centre, Waterville,
University of Limerick graduate now helping change lives after devastating car accident  When I woke up, I was told I would probably never walk again

When I woke up, I was told I would probably never walk again and to forget about driving or going back to college. The doctors didnt know how I was going to recover.

Kirsty OConnor from Tipperary graduated from UL this week with a postgraduate certificate in Posture, Seating and Wheelchair Mobility. Photo: Arthur Ellis

Jasmin Griffin Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 11:00

A life-changing car accident put a University of Limerick student on the path to a future career that is now helping to change lives.
The day of reckoning finally arrived this morning with students from across Wexford opening their Leaving Certificate results with bated breath.

Students Erika Soates Doyle and Katya Frel from Creagh College in Gorey were absolutely delighted with their results having surpassed their own expectations.

I was shocked but over the moon and absolutely delighted when I got my results. I got way more points than I needed, and got my first choice so Im very happy, said Katya.

Both students opened their results in the comfort of their own home at 10a.m. this morning and then arrived at the school later on to see their teachers and fellow students.

Erika says her initial reaction to her results was absolute shock as she did a lot better in certain subjects than she expected, particularly maths.

"I realised that I was nowhere near failing and got a lot higher grade in subjects that I wouldve struggled in but I did really well. I put in a lot of work and its all paid off, said Erika.

Katya plans to study Science in Maynooth University, while Erika is going to study English Secondary School teaching at Dublin City University (DCU) .

Gorey Community School (GCS) is the largest school in Ireland with over 1,600 students. GCS Leaving Certificate students were invited to the school at 11a.m. this morning to share their results.

Speaking at the school, Principal Michael Finn said a number of their students received top marks this year.

"Theres a huge amount of smiley faces, which is really important. Im delighted, he said.

The school experienced a slight blip with their technology on the morning of the results, but were able to download them soon after they were expected to be released at 10a.m.

"This morning as it turns out, they were available from about 9:30a.m. It still feels like a surreal experience for the students to receive the results at home alone, whether you do well or whether you dont do as well as you hoped, we always invite the students to come in with parents and thankfully the weather was good so theyre all in now, said Mr Finn.

A total of 60,839 candidates received Leaving Certificate results this year; 56,791 candidates followed the Leaving Certificate (Established) programme and 4,048 candidates followed the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.
Paddy McGuinness presented motoring programme Top Gear before it was rested by the BBC (Ian West/PA)

A social historian from Graiguenamanagh has had her BBC debut, helping comedian and TV presenter Paddy McGuinness trace his Irish roots all the way to Co Mayo on the hit Who Do You Think You Are? TV Programme.

St Patricks College, Carlow writing development tutor, Judy Bolger, from Graiguenamanagh, made her TV debut on the popular BBC One show, on Thursday night.

Bolger works in the Academic Resource Office of Carlow College as the Writing Development Tutor, a role which is grounded in her own research and approach to academic writing.

On the programme, she helped the former Top Gear host trace his roots to Ballina.

It was filmed in November in Ballina, said Judy, 36. He was lovely; his family story is really interesting so it was great to be able to tell him about the Irish side of his family.

Bolger is a historian specialising in Ireland in the 19th century, so she enlightened McGuinness about the social environment of the 1830s in which his ancestors lived. I sourced baptismal records and he also learned about what Ballina was like at the time. His great grandfather fought in the Boer War, so there are a lot of interesting stories about his English side of the family also in the programme.

Comedian and TV presenter Paddy McGuinness with Irish social historian, Judy Bolger.

Bolger is also a PhD researcher in the department of Modern Irish History at Trinity College, Dublin. Her PhD examines the social discourse surrounding impoverished mothers and womens experiences of maternity and motherhood in Irish workhouses during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.

This project undertaken by the Kilkenny woman is funded by the Trinity College Dublins 1252 Postgraduate Research Scholarship. She received a first-class M.Phil. degree in Modern Irish History from Trinity College, Dublin (2017) in which her thesis research examined the social history of Irish breastfeeding during the nineteenth century.

She also holds a first-class Honours B.A. degree in English and History from Carlow College, St Patricks (2016) where her under-graduate thesis researched reproductive insanity.
Paddy Berry pictured with his family at the dinner for the Paddy Berry Comhaltas Lifetime Achievement Award in Whites Hotel on Wednesday. (l to r)- Mick, Ciaran, Paddy, Aine and Paidi Berry. Pic: Jim Campbell

In the build-up to Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2024, there was a lot of talk around what the legacy of hosting would be for Wexford.

With Wexford having been enveloped with all of the craic, ceol and colour of the biggest celebration of Irish culture in the world, it was clear that the next generation of young musicians and dancers might just have been inspired.

As the host branch of Comhaltas, Craobh Loch Garman will be hoping to bolster their ranks as thousands of young peoples eyes were opened to the wonders of traditional Irish music and dancing. In the meantime though, theyve been reflecting on a very successful Fleadh.

"Were just starting to get back down to reality after the resounding success of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2024, Chairperson Barbara Walsh said.

"As hosts, we were very busy, but we also had lots of musicians, dancers and Gaeilgeoirs taking part in the many competitions that took place around town.

Among the group's notable successes was Sean Kavanagh, who became a two-time All-Ireland Champion after scooping first prize in the 12-15 mens English singing.

The group were proud to have two in a row All-Ireland champion Sean Kavanagh in their ranks, who scooped a first-prize medal in 12-15 Mens English singing. Sean also managed to come third in this years men's Irish singing, while his friend Padraic ODonoghue came second in 15-18 whistling.

Another major honour for Craobh Loch Garman was the presentation of a Comhaltas Lifetime Achievement Award to Branch President and an absolute legend of Irish traditional music Paddy Berry at a special ceremony in Clayton Whites Hotel.

The group was also delighted to see the new Gradam inclusion awards hosted at Wexford County Council headquarters for the first time, showing that Wexford was true to its slogan of a Fleadh for all.

It was also a great week for the new Fleadh orchestra Ceoltoiri na Slaine played the opening ceremony and who recorded a flash mob on Wexford Quay for RTE1s Fleadh programme. The whole branch also performed on the gig rig and at many street sessions.

Other proud achievements for the group during the Fleadh were achieving a Guinness World Record for the most people playing tin whistles (2,516), the mental health workshops and the presentation of the Clonroche Traveller GIrls singing project.

Craobh Loch Garman can certainly be proud of their efforts in what was truly a Fleadh for all and one of the most successful of all time and theyll be looking forward to doing it all again and building on it further in 2025.
Representatives from Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat station have taken part in a Connecting our Communities relay-style event as the charity continues to marking its 200th anniversary. The event sees a scroll, bearing the RNLI pledge, being passed through RNLI communities around the UK and Ireland and being signed by representatives at each location on its route.

The pledge reads: Whoever we are, wherever we are from, we are one crew, ready to save lives. Were powered by passion, talent and kindness, like generations of selfless lifesavers before us. This is our watch, we lead the way, valuing each other, trusting each other, depending on one another, volunteering to face the storm together. Knowing that, with courage, nothing is impossible. That is what has always driven us to save every one we can. It's what makes every one of us a lifesaver.

Beneath the pledge, printed in seven languages (English, Irish Gaelic, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Ulster Scots, Manx, and Cornish), it says: Signed in 2024 by representatives of the RNLIs lifesaving communities, on behalf of all who strive to save every one.

At Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat station the scroll was signed by Coxswain Eugene Kehoe, Shop Manager Johnny Moore, fundraiser Teresa Hinchy and Water Safety Officer Declan Roche

Over the course of seven months, the five-metre-long scroll will pass through 240 RNLI locations around the UK and Ireland before finishing its journey in October at Douglas on the Isle of Man, which was home to the RNLIs founder, Sir William Hillary. By this time it will carry around 700 signatures.

The wooden handle of the scroll was made by a carpenter from the RNLIs All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole, using wood from an old flagpole from Ramsey Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Man. Apprentices from the RNLIs Inshore Lifeboat Centre on the Isle of Wight made the protective fibreglass casing and set the scroll spindles and accessories into the case.

The scroll began its journey on Monday, March 4, at a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey to mark the charitys official 200th anniversary, where it was signed by RNLI President, HRH The Duke of Kent, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Dean of Westminster, the RNLIs Chair and the RNLIs Chief Executive.

Anjie Rook, RNLI Associate Director, who is overseeing the RNLIs 200th anniversary programmes, said, The Connecting our Communities relay is one of the most significant events of the RNLIs 200th anniversary year as its all about our people. For 200 years, it is people who have made the RNLI what it is  from our brave lifesavers who risk their lives to save others, to the committed fundraisers and generous donors who fund our lifesaving work.

We asked our communities to express interest in participating in this event and we have been overwhelmed by the response  were thrilled to have representation from our stations, lifeguard units and fundraising branches across the UK and Ireland.

Everything about the scroll  from the design and materials, to the wording printed on it and the locations its travelling to  reflects the communities we serve. By the end of the relay we will have an important document which will become part of the charitys history and a significant snapshot of the charity as it stands at 200 years old.

Ford are providing an All-Electric E-Transit van to transport the scroll on its journey. When the seven-month-long journey is complete, the scroll will be displayed in the RNLI College in Poole, where the charitys lifeboat crews and lifeguards are trained.

Founded on March 4, 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has been saving lives at sea for 200 years. Since the charity was founded, the charitys lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Throughout its 200th anniversary year, the charity is running events and activities to remember its important history and celebrate the modern lifesaving service it is today, while hoping to inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters.
Nkosana Sibana was killed when his car collided with a truck in Co Kildare last Monday

A fundraiser has been launched by the family of a Wicklow father-of-five who was tragically killed in a car crash in Kildare last Monday.

Nkosana Sibana was killed last Monday morning, August 19, when his car collided with a truck at Barnhill East in Castledermot in Co Kildare.

Mr Sibana was originally from Zimbabwe, but had been living with his family in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow for the last number of years.

He has left behind his devastated wife, Cingo, and his five heartbroken children, Maria, Priscilla, Michael, Malven, and Miracle.

As Mr Sibana has family still living in Zimbabwe, a Go Fund Me has been launched to help raise enough money to repatriate his remains home to Zimbabwe and his loved ones.

"As we come together to honour Nkosana's memory and the life he lived, we are also faced with unexpected burden of funeral expenses, explained Mr Sibanas brother, Mthandazo Sibanda.

"We are raising funds to assist the family to repatriate the body back to Zimbabwe for burial. We are appealing for any donation that can assist us to bury my brother.

"Your generosity will allow us to give Nkosana the dignified farewell he deserves, surrounded by the love of family and friends back home.

"Thank you for your support, prayers, and kind thoughts during this incredibly difficult time. Together, we can honour Nkosana's memory in a meaningful way, concluded Mthandazo.

Support has poured in for the family with donations currently sitting at over 8,200.

Local supports clubs have also rallied behind the family, with Baltinglass Town AFC donating to the fundraiser. Condolences to all the family from all at Baltinglass Town AFC, said a spokesperson from the club.

Meanwhile, Baltinglass GAA Club, who Mr Sibanas son Michael plays for, paid tribute to the family man. Baltinglass GAA would like to extend their deepest sympathy to the family of Nkosana Sibana. May he rest in peace.

One of Mr Sibanas former co-workers posted a tribute to him on the Baltinglass GAA Club Facebook page remembering him as someone who always had a smile on their face.

"RIP Nkosana. Condolences to your family at this sad time. Hope you get the best bed in heaven, it was a pleasure to work alongside you. You always had a great big smile every time I seen you. RIP my friend.

To donate to Funeral support for late Nkosana Sibanda please click here
Legendary actor Brendan Gleeson is encouraging people across Wicklow to get behind a 2.4million national fundraising drive for 24 hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers that make up Together For Hospice, The National Hospice Movement, including Wicklow Hospice at Magheramore.

This years Bewleys Big Coffee Morning for Hospice takes place in September, having raised 45.3million for frontline hospice care since 1992.

Already two Wicklow organisations have announced their coffee mornings, with the first due to take place on September 11 at the De La Salle Pastoral Centre in Wicklow town.

Hosted by the local gardai, it will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm, with a raffle also taking places that includes prizes like afternoon tea for two at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin, vouchers, hampers, and overnight stays.

On the official coffee morning day, Thursday, September 26, Greystones and District Cancer Support will hold their fundraiser from 10am to 12 noon at their headquarters at La Touche Place in Greystones.

All donations received at both these, and the many other events that will take place across Wicklow, will go straight to the hospice causes.

Speaking about why he is supporting the event, Brendan Gleeson explained that both his parents spent their final days at St Francis Hospice in Dublin.

Im aware that Im in the final chapters but youre just trying to keep the creaky bits moving as well as possible, said the Oscar-nominated actor as he officially launched the fundraiser in Bewleys Cafe, Dublin.

A great quote shared with me years ago was good health is a golden crown which only those who are ill can see, so the person who is sick is seeing how glorious it is.

I try to keep an eye on the crown and as long as Im motoring around alright, I appreciate life.

I am asking everyone in Wicklow on September 26, or whenever suits them, to organise, support or donate to a coffee morning, wherever it might be held.

Register to host a coffee morning on Thursday, September 26  or on a date that suits you  at hospicecoffeemorning.ie or call 0818 995 996.

You can make a donation at hospicecoffeemorning.ie/donate.
Five killed as Russia launches 200 missiles at Ukraine targeting power grid ahead of winter months

Drone likely entered Polish airspace as searches under way

Men carry the body of a local resident killed by a Russian missile strike in the Zaporizhzhia region. Photo: Reuters

Pavel Polityuk Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 03:30







Russia launched about 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine yesterday, killing five people and striking energy facilities nationwide, Kyiv said, while neighbouring Nato member Poland reported a drone had probably entered its airspace.
A member of the Reuters news agency was killed and two of its journalists were injured when a missile struck a hotel in eastern Ukraine where they were staying, Reuters said in a statement.
The patient read about the incident in the media before police contacted him in July to tell him that he was the victim. File photo: Getty
LATEST | We will evaluate it when it comes closer  Tanaiste responds to soldiers concerns they may not be able to come home at end of Lebanon tour
UN aid operations in Gaza ground to a halt yesterday after Israel issued new evacuation orders on Sunday for Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, where the organisations operations centre was located, a senior UN official said.

The evacuation order came as the UN prepares to begin a campaign on Saturday to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children in Gaza, where the World Health Organisation (WHO) said a 10-month-old baby had been paralysed by the type 2 polio virus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years.
Democrats team suggest ex-president cannot handle himself without mute button

Former US marine Sgt Tyler Vargas (left), former US marine Cpl Kelsee Lainhart and Donald Trump after placing wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in honour of 13 US service members killed in Afghanistan 2021. Photo: AP

Kamala Harriss campaign is reportedly in a dispute with Donald Trumps team over whether to keep the candidates microphones on throughout the entire US presidential debate on September 10  as the former president suggested on social media that he might not debate Ms Harris at all.
Kerry Kennedy has said she is disgusted by her brother Robert F Kennedy Jrs obscene backing of Donald Trump.

In a scathing rebuke of her brother, Ms Kennedy said by dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing Trump, RFK Jr has set fire to their fathers memory. Their father, the late senator Robert F Kennedy, who served as the former attorney general, was assassinated while running for president in 1968.
US soldier who fled to North Korea to plead guilty to desertion

Nine other offences, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be dismissed

A television screen shows a file image of Private Travis King during a news programme at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea (AP)

Eric Tucker and Lolita C Baldor Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 08:23







A US soldier who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said on Monday.
With rising inflation, you must invest money in pension plans to secure your post-retirement life. The earlier you start investing, the smoother your financial journey will be. However, when it comes to choosing the best pension plan for investment, you will find various types available in India. For instance, if you decide to invest in NPS, you must first understand what is Tier 1 and Tier 2 in NPS before choosing the right pension plan.

Here, we will explain the different types of pension plans available in India. Select the right plan that suits your requirements and risk appetite. You can invest in any of these through ICICI Bank.

What is a Pension Plan?

A pension plan lets investors save money during their earning years and grow wealth through interest accumulation. Upon retirement, it turns your corpus into a long-term regular income by providing a steady cash inflow. As a result, you get sufficient funds to meet expenses and handle emergencies after retirement.

Types of Pension Plans in India

With financial planning, there is no one-size-fits-all concept. You must research and choose a plan that meets your requirements and goals. Heres a look at the different types of pension plans in India:

The central government introduced the NPS scheme in 2004 to provide pensions to government employees. Now, any individual above 18 years can invest in the scheme. Regular contributions to the NPS account allow you to build a significant corpus and gain financial independence for your post-retirement years. However, it's crucial to understand what is Tier 1 and Tier 2 in NPS. You may use these two types of NPS accounts based on your financial goals and liquidity requirements. Lets look at the NPS Tier 1 and Tier 2 accounts in detail:

Tier 1 NPS Account: Tier 1 is a basic NPS account that any individual above 18 years can open. Every NPS subscriber gets this account by default. This long-term investment account delivers market-linked returns to facilitate retirement planning. Tier 2 NPS Account: NPS Tier 2 is a voluntary account that Tier 1 account holders can open. It is more flexible in terms of withdrawals. However, it offers lower tax benefits than a Tier 1 account.

The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority, or PFRDA, regulates the scheme to ensure compliance and security. When you invest in the account according to your financial convenience, the money grows through accumulating interest. You can withdraw 60% of the corpus in a lump sum upon retirement and invest the remaining 40% in an annuity. Tax benefits of up to Rs. 2 lakh under Sections 80C and 80CCD (1B) are the most attractive benefits of the Tier 1 NPS account.

Employee Provident Fund (EPF)

EPF is another government-backed pension plan regulated by the EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation). It is accessible to salaried employees. You must contribute 10-12% of your basic salary to the account, and your employer must match the same. Upon retirement, you receive the accumulated corpus with interest as a lump sum. A loan facility is also available for EPF account holders against their corpus.

Public Provident Fund (PPF)

PPF is another pension plan with investor-friendly features. It is a long-term savings plan and has a lock-in period of 15 years. Upon maturity, you can extend the fund in multiple five year blocks. You can deposit a lump sum or create up to twelve instalments in a year. The minimum deposit amount is Rs. 500, and the maximum is Rs. 1.5 Lakh.

Since it is a government-backed plan, it is a safe investment option for individuals with a low-risk appetite. The major attraction of PPF is its EEE status, which means the principal, interest, and maturity proceeds are tax-free. The plan also offers a loan facility from the 3rd to 6th year of opening the PPF account.

Annuity Plans

If you want guaranteed returns after retirement, opt for an annuity plan with a financial safety net for your family. Choose from a single premium annuity, joint annuity or annuity with returns based on your individual preferences. These plans also offer the flexibility of paying a single or a regular premium. You can choose to receive monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly income. The premium payments offer tax benefits under 80C, but the annuity income is taxable.

There are two types of annuity plans:

Deferred Annuity: A deferred annuity plan lets you accumulate a corpus through a single lump sum or regular premium payments. The pension starts upon the completion of the policy tenure. Immediate Annuity: In an immediate annuity plan, you start receiving the pension immediately after investing a lump sum amount. If the investor dies, the nominee gets the pension for the remaining policy tenure.

Pension Plans with Life Cover

Most pension plans offer life insurance coverage. If the policyholder dies, the beneficiary receives the entitled benefits. The primary purpose of the plan is to provide a pension to the subscriber. Moreover, the insurance cover offers financial safety to the investor's beneficiary in case of their early demise.

Steps to Choose the Best Pension Plan?

Follow these steps to choose the best pension plan:

Evaluate your financial goals, retirement age, and money you wish to receive post-retirement. Estimate the monthly expenses after retirement and find the total amount you will need in the future. Accordingly, you must decide how much you must invest to achieve your financial goals. Begin with a small amount and increase the investment as your income grows. Research various pension plans, check their benefits, and shortlist some that meet your goals. Read the terms and conditions carefully to understand the plan and start investing.

Retirement planning is essential for financial well-being during the golden years. You can choose any of these options to invest for your retirement from ICICI Bank. Remember, you will depend on your savings and investments during your post-retirement years to lead a comfortable life. So, choose your pension plan wisely and make arrangements to spend your retirement life peacefully. With technological advancements, finding information and investing in pension plans is a task of minutes. For instance, if you want to know what is Tier 1 and Tier 2 in NPS, you can quickly learn about them online and start investing almost immediately.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Kolkata: Rekha Jhunjhunwala, wife of late billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, is set to offload her stake in Baazar Style Retail Limited, which is scheduled to launch its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Friday.

Baazar Style Retail Limited, which is a value fashion retailer offering quality and affordable products under the apparel and general merchandise segments, through a chain of value retail stores, has fixed the price band of Rs 370/- to Rs 389/- per Equity Share of face value Rs 5/- each for its maiden initial public offer.

According to a Business Standard report Rekha Jhunjhunwala is likely to earn Rs 106 crore with the sale of her stake in the company.

The IPO will open on Friday, August 30, 2024, for subscription and close on Tuesday, September 03, 2024.

Investors can bid for a minimum of 38 Equity Shares and in multiples of 38 Equity Shares thereafter. A Discount of 35 per Equity Share is being offered to Eligible Employees

The IPO consists of a fresh issue of up to Rs 148 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 1,76,52,320 equity shares by Promoter Group Selling Shareholders and Investor Selling Shareholders.

Rekha Rakesh Jhunjhunwala owns 5,446,240 shares, equating to a 7.69 percent stake, in the company. She intends to sell up to 2,723,120 equity shares through the public offering.

According to the Red Herring Prospectus (RHP), her acquisition cost for these shares is zero. By selling them at the upper limit of the IPO price band, set at Rs 389, she stands to earn Rs 105.92 crore.

Another investor, Intensive Softshare, is selling 2,240,680 equity shares. At the upper end of the issue price, they are likely to generate approximately Rs 87.16 crore from the sale.

Other investors from the promoters' groupMadhu Surana is likely to earn Rs around Rs 37.53 crore at the upper end of the issue price following by offloading 964,858 equity shares with a face value of Rs 5 each; Sabita Agarwal can get Rs 36.64 crore by offloading 942,000 equity shares; Subroto Trading & Finance could get to get Rs 35.75 crore from 919,156 equity shares, Rekha Kedia could generate Rs 29.17 crore by offloading 750,000 equity shares, and Shakuntala Devi Rs 27.23 crore by offloading 700,000 equity shares via the IPO.

The proceeds from the fresh issue, to the extent of Rs 146 crore for prepayment or repayment of all or a portion of certain outstanding borrowings availed by the

In its RHP documents, the company clarified that it will not receive any proceeds from the Offer for Sale. The funds generated from the Offer for Sale will go directly to the selling shareholders and will not be included in the net proceeds. Each selling shareholder will receive their respective share of the proceeds after deducting their portion of the offer expenses and applicable taxes.

Baazar Style Retail plans to use the net proceeds for the prepayment or repayment of certain outstanding borrowings and for general corporate purposes. company; and general corporate purposes.

Earlier, this month, Baazar Style Retail Limited had undertaken a private placement of 9,56,072 equity shares to Volrado Ventures Partners Fund II at an issue price of Rs 387 per equity share (including a premium of Rs 382 per equity share) aggregating to Rs 37 crore. Accordingly, the fresh issue is reduced.

Incorporated in 2013, Style Baazar had a market share of 3.03% and 2.22%, respectively in organized value retail market in the states of West Bengal and Odisha, respectively as per The Technopak Report.

It has the largest retail footprint in Eastern India when compared to the Listed Value Retailers in Fiscal 2024. The Company was the fastest growing value retailer between 2017 to 2024, in terms of both store count and revenue from operations, when compared to V2 Retail Limited and V-Mart Retail Limited as per The Technopak Report.

A majority of its stores are operated under the brand name Style Bazaar. It has developed its brand Style Bazaar over the years, through a wide range of products, which it believes has resulted in strong customer loyalty and recognition.

As of March 31, 2024, its stores had an average size of 9,046 square feet with trained staff to enhance customer experience.

Baazar Style Retail's consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 972.88 crore in fiscal 2024 and Profit after tax stood at Rs 21.94 crore in fiscal 2024.

Axis Capital Limited, Intensive Fiscal Services Private Limited, and JM Financial Limited are the book running lead managers and Link Intime India Private Limited is the registrar to the offer. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE.

The offer is being made through the Book Building Process, wherein not less than 50% of the Net Offer shall be available for allocation to Qualified Institutional Buyers, not more than 15% of the offer shall be available for allocation to Non-Institutional Bidders and not more than 35% of the Offer shall be available for allocation to Retail Individual Bidders.
Mumbai: Telecom company Bharti Airtel will leave the music segment and close its Wynk Music app, media reports said.

Following the closure, all Wynk Music employees will be absorbed by the company.

"Airtel is planning to close Wynk Music in the next couple of months. It will absorb all the employees into the company," news agency PTI quoted a spokesperson as saying.

When contacted, an Airtel spokesperson confirmed the development.

The company has signed an agreement with Apple to offer special deals on Apple Music to its customers who use iPhones.
Photo Courtesy: PIB

New Delhi: Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that several manufacturers of commercial and passenger vehicles will provide discounts on new vehicles in exchange for scrapping older ones with a valid Certificate of Deposit.

Gadkari made this announcement during a productive session with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) CEO delegation meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where he addressed key issues facing the automobile industry.

Taking to X, Gadkari said, "I am pleased to report that, in response to my recommendation, several commercial and passenger vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer discounts for the purchase of new vehicles against the scrapping of older vehicles with a valid Certificate of Deposit. This initiative will significantly advance our Circular Economy efforts, ensuring that cleaner, safer, and more efficient vehicles are on our roads."

 ,  



Chaired a highly productive session of the SIAM CEOs Delegation Meeting at Bharat Mandapam today, where we addressed various critical issues facing the automobile industry.



I am pleased to report that, in response to my pic.twitter.com/9n4aUdgoby  Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 27, 2024

He then congratulated and thanked the automobile manufacturers who took the initiative to participate in the Vehicle Fleet Modernization Programme.

According to a report in The Times of India, major automakers are expected to offer discounts of 1.5-3.5 percent to buyers who trade in their old vehicles for new ones.

Some leading luxury car manufacturers have agreed to offer a discount of approximately Rs 25,000, while others are anticipated to set a maximum discount limit, the report added, citing sources.

SIAM President Vinod Aggarwal in July had said, "We are expecting that the government could do something more on the incentives for the scrapping of vehicles, because the scrappage policy is already in place but we have not seen much impact of that.

He further said, "And so therefore, to give further boost to the scrapping of old polluting vehicles, I think something needs to be done."

Aggarwal stated that the government should persist in implementing initiatives that are beneficial for the economy.
Workers of 12 major ports have threatened to go on strike starting Wednesday. (In image: Jawaharlal Nehru Port | Photo courtesy: wikipedia.org)

Mumbai: The shipping industry is on the brink of another disruption as Grade-III and IV employees at government-run ports prepare to launch an indefinite strike starting Wednesday morning.

Around 18,000 port workers, affiliated with various unions and employed at 12 major ports, have threatened to stop work from 06:00 IST on Wednesday, August 28, following unsuccessful negotiations between the employers, government, and unions regarding pay and pension reforms. These discussions have been ongoing for over three years.

The All-India Ports and Dock Workers Federation, which represents employees at Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), Mormugao, New Mangalore, Kochi, Ennore (Kamarajar), Chennai, VOC Tuticorin, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, V.O. Chidambaranar Port, and Kolkata (including Haldia) Port, is planning to initiate the indefinite strike.

The Indian Ports Association (IPA), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), has been in talks with port workers union representatives since Monday, August 26, in an attempt to avert the strike. However, these negotiations have yet to resolve the deadlock.

The MoPSW acknowledges five federations, including the All India Port and Dock Workers Federation, All India Port and Dock Workers Federation (Workers), Water Transport Workers Federation of India, Indian National Port and Dock Workers Federation, and Port, Dock and Waterfront Workers Federation of India.

The wage structure for 23,193 Grade-III and IV workers at major ports expired at the end of December 2021.

The strike stems from workers' frustration with the central government, which operates the ports and pays their salaries, for failing to sign a new five-year wage revision agreement after the previous agreement expired more than two and a half years ago.
Photo Courtesy: PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation Monday when they discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and the current condition of Bangladesh and its Hindu minority where political turmoil led to the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina.

During his conversation, Modi appreciated Bidens deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.



We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024

"The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to the country.

"He reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the statement said.

"The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh," the statement said.

The two leaders discussed the restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.

Narendra Modi recently made his maiden trip to Ukraine when he met President

During his meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi said India never took a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict with Russia but was always on the side of peace.

"However, we want to say that India was never neutral in its stance and from the very first day we were on the side of peace," he said during his discussion with the President.

Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, Modi said he discussed ways to boost cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, technology, pharma, among others.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified in recent days.

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky on Monday said Russia targeted his nation by launching more than 100 missiles and about 100 drones overnight.

"Currently, across the country, efforts are underway to eliminate the consequences of the Russian strike. This was one of the largest attacks  a combined strike, involving over a hundred missiles of various types and around a hundred Shaheds'," he wrote on X.

According to Russian media reports, Moscow has targeted defence industry facilities in Ukraine.

An energy facility was hit in Odessa, Sergei Lebedev, coordinator of the pro-Russian Nikolayev underground, told Sputnik.

A large number of Kyiv residents shifted to subways amid Russian attacks.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X post

Kolkata/IBNS: Security has been tightened across West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's office Nabanna where students under the banner 'Chhatra Samaj' have planned to reach in a rally on Tuesday afternoon protesting against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The students will surround Nabanna, which is located in Kolkata's neighbouring district Howrah, with the demand for Mamata's resignation over the incident.

The students are expected to gherao Mamata Banerjee's office at around 2:30 pm.

#Kolkata

Massive crowds gathered in front of Sealdah Station from different districts of West Bengal to join today's rally to Nabanna. pic.twitter.com/wjfZEYIaGQ  Hindu Voice (@HinduVoice_in) August 27, 2024

Police have claimed the students- under the banner Chhatra Samaj- haven't sought permission for the rally and just informed them.

#KolkataDoctorDeathCase | Nabanna Abhijan



The check gates behind Fort William in Hastings, Kolkata are being greased to prevent protesters from climbing the barricades.



#KolkataDoctorDeath | #KolkataDoctor | #NabannaAbhijan | #kolkatahorror pic.twitter.com/Ipt7wFbyda  DD News (@DDNewslive) August 27, 2024

The police claimed they have intelligence input that some miscreants will slip into the students' rally to create trouble.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Check gates at the backside of Fort William at Hastings, in Kolkata being greased by civic volunteers, in an attempt to likely thwart protesters from scaling the barricades.



A march to Nabanna has been called today, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital pic.twitter.com/nHGg9lyIRF  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

The students cleared they would march to Nabanna and demand Mamata's resignation but won't resort to any kind of violence.

To thwart the rally, police have erected long barricades, placed guardrails and containers at various roads leading to Nabanna anticipating students' massive gathering.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is facing massive public ire over the RG Kar incident, reached her office at around 10:50 am.

Kunal Ghosh, a leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress, accused the Opposition of holding the rally in disguise of students.

Listen to what LOP @SuvenduWB has to say on today's Nabanna March . pic.twitter.com/aH5azxcdvH  Syeda Shabana (@JournoShabana) August 27, 2024

"The rally is being conducted by the BJP and a section of CPI-M," said Ghosh, though the Left has said it has no participation in the march.

The BJP claimed the rally was called by the students to whom it has full support.

This is the main rally that is scheduled to march to #Bengal secretariat #Nabanna



College Square, #Kolkata pic.twitter.com/YehEJQQxLJ  Indrajit Kundu |  (@iindrojit) August 27, 2024

The 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 on the intervening night of August 8 and 9.

One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students as well as the victim's parents suspect more people are involved in the case.

In a tough question for the Bengal government, which is represented by advocate Kapil Sibal, the Supreme Court asked why a post-mortem was conducted before a First Information Report.

The state administration has been asked why a FIR was filed on "Unnatural Death" even when the autopsy report claims rape and murder.

In its observation, the top court said, "I have not come across a case like this in my last 30 years, Bengal not following criminal procedure code."
Photo Courtesy: PIB

Indian PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Modi spoke with Putin just days after he visited Ukraine and met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"The two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

Apart from discussing Ukraine conflict, the two leaders reviewed progress on a number of bilateral issues and discussed measures to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.

PM Modi recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation Monday when they discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine.

During his conversation, Modi appreciated Bidens deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

"The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to the country.

Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early,  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2024

"He reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the statement said.

During his meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi said India never took a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict with Russia but was always on the side of peace.

"However, we want to say that India was never neutral in its stance and from the very first day we were on the side of peace," he said during his discussion with the President.

Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, Modi said he discussed ways to boost cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, technology, pharma, among others.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified in recent days.

Russia launched fresh strikes on Ukraine in the past two days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said Kyiv would respond after the country was hit by a fresh round of Russian strikes overnight.

Zelenskyy said four people died in the fresh strikes.

The Ukrainian leader posted on X: " Rescue operations are ongoing at the sites of strikes and falling debris in the regions of Ukraine that were attacked by Russia last night. All services are on the ground, and the rubble is being cleared.
Photo Courtesy: IBNS

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday to protest against the alleged action of the police against students and other participants during their march to the state secretariat Nabanna.

The strike will be observed from 6 am to 6 pm.

"To protest against the barbaric attack on people today we will be observing a 12-hour general strike tomorrow," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters during a press conference.

"We are appealing to everyone to ensure this bandh is successful," he said.

"I am asking my partymen to request people to make this strike successful," he said.

LIVE: Press Conference by @DrSukantaBJP , State President, Union MoS for Education & DoNER at BJP HQ Kolkatahttps://t.co/DdquyVoAAL  BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) August 27, 2024

He announced a series of programmes till September 4 to protest against the rape and murder of the doctor in Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital which triggered countrywide agitations.

BJP President JP Nadda said police action during Tuesday's protest in West Bengal angered the nation.

"The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles," he posted on X.

The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles.



In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety.  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) August 27, 2024

"In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety," he said targeting West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Violent protests erupted in Kolkata and Howrah on Tuesday when students, under the banner of 'Chhatra Samaj', marched towards state secretariat Nabanna to demonstrate against the rape and murder incident.

Tension escalated after police and students clashed in various corners of the city.

Police used water canons and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse crowds.
Photo Courtesy: IBNS File

Two youths allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl within the premise of the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city, media reports said.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday night.

According to Pratap Nagar assistant commissioner of police Anil Kumar, the teenager had left her home on Sunday evening after being reprimanded by her mother, reported Hindustan Times.

Her family members filed a missing person report at the Soorasagar police station on Monday after they failed to find the girl.

According to the police, the two men approached the girl after finding her alone in the hospital premises, reported Hindustan Times.

After engaging her in a conversation, they took her to a secluded area behind the hospitals biomedical waste dumpyard where the crime was allegedly committed.

She was later recovered near the hospital.

Kumar told the newspaper that a probe has been initiated after the minors medical examination.

The officer said that a forensic team collected evidence from the crime scene within the hospital premises on Tuesday morning and teams have been formed to apprehend the suspects, whose identities have been preliminarily established.

Dr. Fatahsingh Bhati, superintendent of the hospital, said that while the police have not officially informed them about the suspects, internal inquiries have revealed that one of the accused was previously employed by the hospital on a contractual basis.

The hospital staff has been directed to check the lighting around the area where the incident took place and security measures, including additional lights, are being enhanced, he told Hindustan Times.

The incident came to light at a time when Kolkata is boiling over the rape and murder of the PG trainee doctor in the city's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Photos: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Kolkata/IBNS: A protest march to West Bengal state secretariat Nabanna against the RG Kar rape-murder of a trainee doctor turned Kolkata into a battleground on Tuesday as police and mobs of students and demonstrators faced off at multiple locations en route to the administrative building in Howrah that houses the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Police said as many as 220 people were arrested in the students' protest march to Nabanna which turned violent forcing the cops to lathicharge and fire water cannons and teargas shells in Kolkata and its neighbouring city Howrah.

The protest march turned violent in Satragachi in Howrah, in MG Road, Howrah Bridge approach and Bowbazar crossing in Kolkata as the mobs of protesters fought with the police who appealed for peaceful march while barricading all roads to Nabanna since last night.

West Bengal Police's ADG and IGP (South Bengal) Supratim Surkar said 94 agitators, who were staging protests at several locations in Howrah under state police's jurisdiction without approval from the authorities, had been arrested, while 11 policemen were injured during the skirmish with protesters.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police informed that 126 people, including 103 men and 23 women, were held during protests under their jurisdiction.

At least 15 policemen were reportedly injured in the clashes in Kolkata. The exact number of protesters injured in the agitation is unaccounted.

Earlier, tensions erupted at multiple locations in Kolkata and Howrah as protesters demanding resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and justice for the Kolkata doctor, who was brutally raped and murdered inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, took to the streets to march towards Nabanna.

Police said the protesters hurled bricks, stones and bottles aiming at cops, and policemen restored to lathicharge, lobbed tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse them.

Organizers of the protest, which was held by one unregistered organisation -- Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj- alleged that police had "attacked" their "peaceful" rallies without any provocation and several of their protesters were injured.

Police, however, had turned Nabanna into a fortress overnight and arranged an "unprecedented" security for the building sealing all the roads, even lanes, to the state secretariat with barricades and big containers at some locations.

Meanwhile, to protest police's "unprovoked" actions on the students' protest rally, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a 12-hour general shut down (bandh) on Friday (August 28).
K Kavitha speaking to the media outside jail/ courtesy: Videgrab from X

New Delhi/IBNS: Telengana's main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, arrested in March over an alleged corruption and money laundering charge in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case, was released from jail on Tuesday evening, hours after the Supreme Court granted her conditional bail.

Videos and images showed BRS workers and supporters playing drums and bursting crackers as she stepped out of the prison complex.

Emotional scenes outside Tihar Jail after the release of BRS MLC K Kavitha.



Ktr and other family members meet Kavitha. Meanwhile BRS leaders meet her.



Supreme court granted bail to Kavitha in Delhi Excise Policy case#KavithaBail #KavithaKalvakuntla pic.twitter.com/jNntyDnwZn  Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) August 27, 2024

Kavitha's brother and BRS working president KT Rama Rao was also present to receive her.

"We are fighters, we will fight it out legally and politically. They have only made the BRS and KCR's team unbreakable," K Kavitha said in her first comments after walking out of the jail.

#WATCH | Delhi: BRS leader K Kavitha says "We are fighters, we will fight it out legally and politically. They have only made the BRS and KCR's team unbreakable." pic.twitter.com/ODOIYZpeFw  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

Earlier in the day, the top court said the 46-year-old Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader's custody was no longer required as both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have completed their probe against her.

"The appellant (Kavitha) is directed to be released forthwith on bail ... on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of  10 lakh in each of the cases," the bench said, allowing her appeals against the July 1 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had denied her bail in the two cases.

In a significant observation, which could have a significant impact on future hearings in the alleged Delhi liquor policy case, the Supreme Court even questioned ED and the CBI's "fairness" in their probe against opposition politicians and others in this matter.

A two-judge bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed the federal agencies could not rely only on statements made by former accused persons who have turned 'approver', or become prosecution witnesses.

"You have to be fair... a person who incriminates himself has been made a witness? You cannot pick and choose... What is this fairness?" the court asked.

This came after the prosecution challenged the bail plea by Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, who was arrested by the ED in March in connection with the liquor policy case and the CBI the following month.

Arguing against Kavitha, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju had referred to "independent evidence" by former accused Bucchi Babu and Raghav Magunta Reddy, who transformed into government witnesses (and received pardons) in April last year and March this year, respectively.

However, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Kavitha, pointed out that many of the same statements, by the same individuals, had been cited as "evidence" in related cases, particularly that involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested in March, days after Kavitha.

"You say Kejriwal is kingpin... say (ex-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish) Sisodia is kingpin... then say I (K Kavitha) am kingpin! There is no evidence apart from the approvers' tainted statements!"

At this point the court stepped in, observing approvers' statements needed to be backed up by direct evidence. "What is the material to show she was involved in the crime?" Justice Gavai asked Raju.

The top court's observation has been critical in the liquor policy case context, much of which, it appears, depends on statements by former accused-turned-approvers.

Mention of approvers' statements featured heavily in bail pleas filed by Kejriwal and Sisodia before the Supreme Court. Sisodia was granted bail by the top court earlier this month.

The court then noted that he had spent nearly 18 months in jail and there was no prospect of a trial anytime soon. To keep him in prison would be a "travesty of justice", the court said.

Kejriwal, who has also contested charges against him by noting the material is based on approvers' statements, remains in jail. He was given bail in the ED case but not yet in the CBI case.
Indian students protesting in Canada/ courtesy: Videograb from X

New Delhi/IBNS: Hundreds of Indian graduate students are protesting against a new federal policy in Canada that puts them at risk of getting deported from the country.

Several international students, particularly those from India, who dream of moving to the North American country in hopes of building a better life, are in fear of deportation after the new immigration policy was announced with changes that have left the future of more than 70,000 graduate students at stake.

Thousands of Indians who entered Canada on fake student visas are protesting, demanding authorities to allow them to remain in the country



Thousands of Indians enter Western countries each year on real or fake student visas then overstay their visas.



Here are your hard working pic.twitter.com/8cBG1ZfH7X  Klaus Arminius (@Klaus_Arminius) May 17, 2024

Indian students have camped in front of the legislative assembly in Canada's Prince Edward Island province, protesting the sudden policy change for more than three months. Similar demonstrations were also seen in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.

The new policies are aimed at reducing the number of permanent residency nominations by 25 percent as well as limiting study permits.

The change comes as Canada saw rapid population growth over the last few years. Around 97 percent of last year's population increase in Canada was driven by immigration, according to Federal data.

Representatives from the student advocacy group Naujawan Support Network said the graduates are at risk of being deported when their work permits expire at the end of this year.

"I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada," Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing deportation, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

"For the past six years, I studied, I worked, I paid taxes, I earned enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points but the government has just taken advantage of us," Singh said.

Like many international students, Singh had spent his family's life savings on college tuition fees in the hopes of eventually gaining permanent residency.

Amid a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is under pressure to reduce the number of temporary residents, which has seen a staggering growth in recent years.

Trudeau has been trailing in polls ahead of an election expected next year.

The Canadian government is also reducing the number of temporary foreign workers it brings in, reversing its decision to expand the programme in 2022. The programme allows immigrants to work in the country on a short-term basis, meant to fill labour shortages.

According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were granted in 2023, a steep hike of 88 percent from 2019. The ESDC on Monday criticised employers for using the programme to "circumvent hiring talented workers in Canada".

Under the new changes, work permits will be denied in regions where the unemployment rate is at or above 6 percent. The changes will exempt sectors like agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare.

"We're looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there are pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada," Justin Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
Russia launches fresh strikes on Ukraine. Photo Courtesy: Screengrab from X page of Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said Kyiv would respond after the country was hit by a fresh round of Russian strikes overnight.

Zelenskyy said four people died in the fresh strikes.

The Ukrainian leader posted on X: " Rescue operations are ongoing at the sites of strikes and falling debris in the regions of Ukraine that were attacked by Russia last night. All services are on the ground, and the rubble is being cleared.

"Unfortunately, despite the effective work of our air defense, 4 people were killed and 16 were injured. My condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," he said.

He said: "In total, the enemy used over 90 aerial targets against civilians and infrastructure: 81 Shahed drones, as well as cruise, ballistic, and air-launched ballistics missiles."

Vowing his nation would respond, he said, "We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished."

Joe Biden condemns attack

US President Joe Biden has condemned the latest round of Russian strikes which he said will plunge people of the nation into darkness.

" Earlier today, Russia launched missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure," he said.

" I condemn  in the strongest possible terms  Russias continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness," Biden said.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine has condemned deadly Russian missile and drone strikes that began overnight and reportedly targeted 15 regions of the country.

Like millions of people in Ukraine I spent hours in a shelter this morning because of the ongoing wave of attacks on Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces, Matthias Schmale said in a statement issued on Monday.

He added that civilians were reportedly killed and injured, while civilian infrastructure sustained heavy damage.

--Separately, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine wrote on the social media platform X that boys and girls woke up today to sounds of air alarms and explosions.

The office also shared photos of children and families sheltering at metro stations in the capital, Kyiv.

The Representative for the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA, in Ukraine also deplored the aerial assault in a post on X.

Massimo Diana said the attacks tragically claimed lives in the city of Lutsk and in the Zhytomyr region.

We condemn these deadly assaults on critical infrastructure and call for urgent action to protect civilians, he said.
The recent surge in violence across Balochistan, where over 70 lives have been lost in just a few days, underscores a grim reality: the people of this resource-rich yet impoverished province in southwestern Pakistan are being pushed to the edge by a state that has failed them.

The attacks, carried out by Baloch insurgents, are a tragic manifestation of a rebellion that has simmered for decadesa rebellion born out of desperation, frustration, and a yearning for freedom from oppression.

Balochistans struggle is not new. For years, the province has been the stage for a low-intensity conflict, where various armed groups, most notably the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have fought against what they see as the colonization of their land by the Pakistani state.

These groups, although often condemned for their violent tactics, are driven by genuine grievances: political marginalization, economic exploitation, and a brutal security crackdown that has seen countless disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

The attacks on civilians, including the recent massacre of 23 people in Musakhel district, are abhorrent and must be condemned unequivocally. Violence, particularly against innocent people, can never be justified as a means to an end.

However, the rise in such incidents should serve as a wake-up call for the international community and for Pakistan itself. These violent outbursts are not the root of the problem; they are symptoms of a much deeper issuean issue that cannot be solved by military might alone.

Balochistan, despite its vast natural resources, remains one of the poorest regions in Pakistan. The wealth generated from its gas fields, minerals, and other resources largely flows out of the province, benefiting the central government and other regions while leaving Balochistan impoverished.

This economic exploitation is compounded by political marginalization. The Baloch people have long felt excluded from the corridors of power, with their voices drowned out by the larger, more dominant ethnic groups in the country.

The Pakistani states response to Balochistans calls for autonomy and justice has been heavy-handed.

The province has been subjected to a harsh military crackdown, with security forces accused of widespread human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Rights groups have documented these abuses extensively, yet there has been little accountability.

The recent wave of violence, including the targeted killings on highways and the destruction of vital infrastructure, is a clear indication that the situation is spiraling out of control.

The BLAs warning to civilians to avoid highways speaks to the level of desperation among insurgents, who see no other way to draw attention to their cause.

Pakistans Interior Ministry, in its condemnation of these attacks, has labeled the dead as innocent citizens, but this narrative ignores the complex reality on the groundone where the lines between militant and civilian, oppressor and oppressed, are increasingly blurred.

Internationally, there has been a deafening silence on the plight of the Baloch people. The global community has largely turned a blind eye to the human rights abuses occurring in Balochistan, focusing instead on Pakistans strategic importance in the region.

This silence is not just complicit; it is dangerous. It emboldens the Pakistani state to continue its oppressive policies in Balochistan, knowing there will be little to no repercussions from the international community.

The solution to Balochistans woes cannot be found in the barrel of a gun. Military operations and further repression will only breed more resentment, leading to more violence. What Balochistan needs is a political solutionone that addresses the genuine grievances of its people.

This includes meaningful autonomy, a fair share of the provinces natural resources, and an end to the brutal security operations that have terrorized the population.

For Pakistan, it is time to recognize that Balochistans rebellion is not just a security problem; it is a political one.

The state must engage in dialogue with Baloch leaders and insurgents, offering them a seat at the table where the future of Balochistan can be negotiated peacefully.

This process will not be easy, and it will require significant concessions from Islamabad, but it is the only way to achieve lasting peace in the province.

For the Baloch people, the struggle for freedom and justice is far from over. But violence is not the answer.

While it may draw attention to their plight, it also risks alienating potential allies and perpetuating the cycle of violence that has already claimed too many lives.

The Baloch must continue to resist oppression, but they must do so in a way that builds solidarity, not division.

Balochistans cry for freedom is a cry for justice, dignity, and self-determination. It is a cry that must be heardby Pakistan, by the region, and by the world. The time for silence is over. The time for action is now.

(Photo and text courtesy: Khalsavox.com)
OTT giant Netflix has set the OTT release date of an upcoming title called Caught in the Web: The Murders Behind Zona Divas. It aims to pull back the curtain on the dark side of social media celeb status. Caught in the Web: The Murders Behind Zona Divas which is a limited series will be released on Netflix on 5th September 2024. All those who are avid watchers of the crime genre, this could be the perfect pick for you.





Plot

This compelling series delves deeply into the terrifying true account of a group of social media influencers who were brutally killed, revealing the murky side of online threats, cyberstalking, and the often-overlooked challenges of becoming well-known on the internet.

As per Netflix, unaware that their involvement in an online escort network would lead to a string of femicides, women pursuing better lives in Mexico City's shadowy underbelly find themselves enmeshed in it.

Internet reacts to the trailer

Taking to the comment section of the trailer on Youtube, alot of people wrote about how there is so much to explore about what all happens in Mexico.

One wrote, Explore more about the dark world of exploitation, human trafficking, and the fight for justice in Mexico City.

Another added, Yes we need more stories from Mexico City! So much to dive into!.

A third went on to add, Very intriguing. Wish better for these girls.

Caught in the Web: The Murders Behind Zona Divas an amazing addition to the true crime genre and will appeal to followers of the genre.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Part 2 of Emily in Paris season 4 has finally got its OTT release date. Netflix has released the trailer for the anticipated part, and fans are already excited. The new part of season 4 will hit OTT platform Netflix on September 12. Wondering what will be the major update in the plot this time? Well, as per the trailer, tension will increase between Emily and the lover of her life, Gabriel, as his ex-girlfriend Camille (who was pregnant with his child) is still not out of his life. While Emily will be out on other business opportunities, the story will progress to a new twist. Here is the trailer clip for the show and other updates on the storyline and cast members:



Plot

As shown in the trailer for Emily in Paris, season 4, part 2, Emily will be in Rome, enjoying the winter not with the familiar love interests in her life but with a new mysterious guy. There will surely be a twist in Emily's love life. Gabriel, the love of Emily's life, will also be there, as shown in the trailer, but their love story will, as usual, experience a roller coaster.

In the earlier seasons and parts, the plot of the story was set in Paris, where Emily had come from Chicogo for a job. Earlier seasons showed audiences how Emily adjusted to the new culture of France and how she made friends in Paris.

Also Read: Emily In Paris Season 4 Part 1 OTT release date Netflix: When to watch Lily Collins' romantic comedy drama

According to the description shared by Netflix for the show this time, "all roads will lead to Rome."

Cast and crew

Part 2 of Emily in Paris season 4 will surely have familiar faces like actors Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, Lucien Laviscount, and William Abadie, among others.

The series was created by Darren Star, who is also the executive director on board. Other productin tea members include Lilly Burns and Tony Hernandez, among others.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Binge-watchers have been excited to watch IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack ever since it was announced. The eries is based on the real-life 1999 hijacking of an Indian aircraft by militants from Pakistan. Prior to the premiere of the show, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha revealed information about the horrifying incident.

In an interview with IndianExpress, According to Anubhav Sinha and his crew, there were some really fascinating aspects about the show. He disclosed that during the prolonged hijacking, passengers engaged in antakshari. He also added that the passengers and hijackers exchanged numbers and hugged each other too.





Anubhav told the media outlet, The captain himself told me that one of the terrorists, who was the nastiest of the lot and gave him a scar on his neck, came to the captain, hugged and apologized to him. 

The hijacker also went on to say Mai apke kisi kaam aa sakta hu toh batana ap.

The six-part thriller is based on the book "Flight Into Fear" written by Srinjoy Chowdhury and Devi Sharan, the captains of the aircraft.

IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack will release on Netflix on 29th August 2024. Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swami, Dia Mirza, Patralekhaa, Amrita Puri, and Kumud Mishra are among the cast members of the show.

Adrian Levy and Trishant wrote the story, which was directed by Sinha. Under the labels Matchbox Shots and Benaras Mediaworks, Sarita Patil and Sanjay Routray collaborated on its production.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


An upcoming K-drama The Judge From Hell has set its OTT release date. The protagonist of the drama is a demon by the name of Kang Bit-na, who assumes the role of an elite judge in order to carry out justice. The 14-episode Disney+ Hotstar series will debut every Friday and Saturday beginning September 21, 2024, at around 10:00 pm Korean Standard Time (KST), or 6:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST). It is going to air on SBS TV in South Korea.

The teaser introduces the world of hell, where the speaker declares that visitors must give up on their dreams.

Plot

Kang Bit-na, a demon, assumes the role of an elite judge in the drama, and she sets out to serve justice. She must damn the righteous offenders to hell. But when she meets a charming, gifted, and compassionate investigator who is harboring a lot of resentment, Kang Bit-na's life takes an unexpected turn.

What happens next is to be seen when the drama arrives on Hotstar.

Cast and crew

Park Jin Pyo is the one directing the Judge from Hell. The screenplay was written by Jo Yi Soo. Lee Joong-ok as Jae-hyun, Lee Mi-do as Seo Hwa-seon, Lee Kyu-han as Jung Tae-gyu, Han Sang-jin as Joo Hyung-seok, Kim Jae-young as Han Da-on, Kim In-kwon as Gu Man-do, Kim Hye-hwa as Kim So-young, and Park Shin-hye as Kang Bit-na are among the cast members of the K-drama. The drama series was produced by Studio S's Kwon Ryeong-ah, while Yoon Yoon-sun and Park Mi-kyung produced the series.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


It Ends With Us has stirred up headlines recently, not for its film content but for the drama surrounding its cast. During the New York and European premieres earlier this month, lead actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni notably avoided posing together, and soon after, the entire cast unfollowed Baldoni, who is also the films director, on social media.

Blake Lively and the controversies

Blake Livelys marketing approach for the film has also sparked controversy. Critics argue that her promotion has focused more on her personal ventureslike her haircare and soda brandsrather than the pressing issue the film is on, domestic violence. A viral TikTok video of Blake encouraging a night out with friends to see the movie was criticized for trivializing the films serious themes of domestic violence. This strategy has faced backlash, with accusations that Blake either misunderstands or disregards the films gravity for marketing gains.

This brings us to the fact that Blake's acting career spans over a decade, and she's now an entrepreneur in the beauty space. And, despite her recent drama, her net worth is pretty impressive. Let's take a look.

Her earnings

Blake Lively's career, which started in her childhood, saw a major boost with her role as Serena Van Der Woodsen on Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012, where she earned approximately $60,000 per episode. Beyond acting, Blake has made a significant impact as an entrepreneur. She launched her cocktail line, Betty Booze, and its sister brand, Betty Buzz. In 2024, she introduced her own haircare line, Blake Brown, featuring a range of shampoos, masks, and styling products.

Blake also earns substantially from brand endorsements, including major names like Gucci and LOreal Paris.

Plush properties

Blake Lively owns several luxurious properties:

Bedford Estate: Located just a short drive from New York City, this home was purchased for $2.3 million.

Pound Ridge Mansion: Their primary residence, this $5.7 million mansion spans 11 acres and includes a 9,000 square-foot main house with seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, plus an outdoor barn and guest room.

Tribeca Loft: They also own a chic loft in NYCs Tribeca, a celebrity-studded building featuring 53 condos, including 45 lofts and eight penthouses, home to other stars like Meg Ryan, Justin Timberlake, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Blake Livelys net worth is estimated at $30 million. This figure does not include her husband Ryan Reynolds's wealth, which is around $380 million.
Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor has established herself as a fashionista in the industry, especially in the past few months. With talented stylists at her disposal and a unique personal sense of style, the diva turns heads whenever she steps out. From glamorous ensembles at high-profile events to casual outfits when she's out and about in the city, Janhvi's style is a perfect blend of luxury and comfort. And her latest look is no exception! In fact, in her recent appearance, the diva styled a beautiful bag that costs a whopping Rs. 25 lakh. Take a look.

The viral video features Janhvi Kapoor who can be seen leaving Karan Johar's Dharma Productions' office along with actor Varun Dhawan after a work meeting. The duo are prepping for another collaboration after their movie Bawaal. The highly ambitious project is titled Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi Kumari, shooting for which reportedly began with a 'muhurat' pooja this date.

Janhvi Kapoor's Hermes bag

The 27-year-old actress rocked a basic all-black outfit which included a tank top and comfy linen pants. Rocking the 'work mode' look Janhvi was seen wearing a pair of glasses with a bare face and her hair in loose and open curls. What stood out from her comfy chic look was the luxurious handbag she carrying! After all, it was the elusive Hermes Togo Birkin 30 Craie Leather Women's Bag that costs upwards of Rs. 25,16,670. Currently, the bag is being retailed for Rs 27,26,600 at Prive Porter, a reputed luxury goods website.

Credit: priveporter.com | Janhvi Kapoor's Hermes bag

On the work front, Janhvi is celebrating the success of her recent release 'Ulajh' while also going all out for the promotions of her upcoming movie Devaraa: Part I. The movie also features Jr. NTR and Saif Ali Khan in prominent roles.



Also Read: Farhan Akhtar pens hilarious birthday post for wife Shibani Dandekar, calls her hat a 'sada dosa'

For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle.
Neha Dhupias birthday just got a major dose of cuteness thanks to Angad Bedis sweetest wish ever! His heartfelt message is overflowing with love and charm, making her special day even more memorable.

Angad Bedis birthday wish for Neha Dhupia

Bedi took to Instagram and wrote, "Happy birthday to my wonderwoman.. to the mother of our beautiful children.. to the home-maker.. to the one who keeps it all together!!! To the most beautiful woman in the universe.. i love you."

The couple is currently vacationing in Maldives with their two children and has been sharing glimpses of their stay at JW Marriott. Take a look at some of the highlights below:





With Angads adorable birthday shoutout, Nehas big day is all the more special and filled with joy!
Veteran actor Mohanlal shocked the Malayalam film industry on Tuesday by resigning from his position as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). The sudden decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, has left many in the industry stunned.

Along with Mohanlal, the entire 17-member executive committee of AMMA also tendered their resignations, marking a significant upheaval in the association.

The official statement from AMMA highlighted the reasons for this drastic step. AMMA has decided to disperse the executive committee on moral grounds in the light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee members. A new committee will be formed after an election within two months, the statement read.



This decision comes in the wake of the release of the Hema Committee report, which has brought to light various allegations of sexual misconduct within the Malayalam film industry.

The report, published on August 19, has triggered a wave of accusations from several female actors against prominent figures in the industry, leading to the current crisis within AMMA.

Background and significance of Justice Hema Committee

In 2017, the Malayalam film industry was rocked by a shocking incident in which an actress was sexually assaulted. In response, the Kerala government established a three-member commission to investigate the issues faced by women in the industry.

The commission was led by Justice K Hema (retired), with former bureaucrat KB Valsalakumari and veteran actress Sharada as the other members.

The Hema Committee was officially appointed by the Kerala government in 2019 with the specific task of investigating the harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment experienced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

The committee's report, submitted on December 31, 2019, remained under wraps until it was finally made public on August 19, 2024. The contents of the report have sent shockwaves through the industry, revealing the extent of the challenges faced by women in the sector and prompting a series of resignations and accusations.



Sexual misconduct allegations stir Malayalam film industry

Since the release of the Hema Committee report, several prominent actors and directors in the Malayalam film industry have been accused of sexual misconduct. The list of those named in these allegations includes actors Siddique, Mukesh, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Baburaj. Directors Ranjith, VK Prakash, and Thulasidas have also been implicated.

The controversy began when actor Siddique was accused of sexual misconduct by junior artiste Revathy Sampath. Siddique, who held the position of General Secretary of AMMA, has since stepped down. Another junior artiste has accused actor Baburaj, who served as the Joint Secretary of AMMA, of sexually abusing her at his residence in Kerala in 2019.

Among the most serious allegations are those made by actress Minu Muneer, who on Monday accused actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Edavela Babu of sexual harassment. Mukesh, a two-term MLA from Kollam representing the CPI(M), is one of the highest-profile figures named in the allegations. Additionally, actress Gayathri Vasha has come forward in support of Minu Muneer, accusing Maniyanpilla Raju of inappropriate behavior.



In the midst of these accusations, actress Sonia Malhar clarified that although she was sexually abused by an actor in 2013, she was not referring to actor Jayasurya, despite rumors to the contrary. The actress had initially refrained from naming the actor, but speculation arose due to her past work with Jayasurya in 2013.



As the situation escalated, AMMA postponed its scheduled Executive Committee Meeting, citing Mohanlal's unavailability. So far, most of the accused actors have remained silent on the matter, choosing not to comment on the allegations.



Prithviraj should take on the leadership role now considering his clarity of thought  havent seen or heard mohanlal or mammotty in this crisis moment .. pic.twitter.com/hTx1Eh7GrI  raga-learns-to-rock (@pnamblat) August 26, 2024

Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, however, addressed the issue on Monday, emphasizing the need for serious investigations into the allegations. He stated, "If allegations have been made, thorough investigations need to be followed up with, and if these investigations lead to the allegation being proven right, there have to be exemplary punishments handed out. On the other side, if the allegations are false, even then there should be exemplary punishments. Either way, these allegations need to be treated with utmost seriousness, and I hope this is the beginning of a process that will clear up everything in front of us."

Also Read: MeToo rocks Malayalam movie industry as more skeletons tumble out of closet after Hema Committee report

On the other hand, actor-turned-politician and Union Minister Suresh Gopi criticized the media's handling of the situation, accusing them of sensationalizing the issue for profit. He remarked, "This is all food for you, is what I understand. You can use it to make money. (There is) no problem with that. But these issues are before the court, and it has the intelligence and logic to arrive at a decision regarding them."



As the Malayalam film industry grapples with these developments, the focus remains on how the allegations will be addressed and what impact they will have on the future of AMMA and its leadership.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
One of the aviation world's most baffling mysteries centres around Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished over a decade ago on March 8, 2014, leaving the world in suspense as countless search efforts yielded no answers. Now, Australian scientist Vincent Lyne claims to have finally unravelled the enigmaand he's revealing his groundbreaking findings.



Where is MH370 now?

Vincent Lyne shared his groundbreaking research on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on LinkedIn, declaring, "This work changes the narrative of MH370's disappearance."

His study, titled "Final Two Communications from MH370 Suggests Controlled Eastward Descent," has been accepted by the Journal of Navigation (JN).

Lyne claims to have pinpointed the exact location of MH370where the longitude of Penang airport's runway intersects with a track from the pilot's home simulator, previously dismissed by the FBI as "irrelevant."

FILE IMAGE

This specific spot lies in a perilous 6,000-meter-deep hole at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge, a treacherous oceanic environment known for its rugged terrain and untapped deep-water species.



According to Lyne, this location is the perfect "hiding place" for the missing aircraft: "With narrow steep sides, surrounded by massive ridges and other deep holes, it is filled with fine sedimentsa perfect 'hiding' place."

He emphasises, "That location needs to be verified as a high priority. Whether it will be searched or not is up to officials and search companies, but as far as science is concerned, we know why the previous searches failed and likewise science unmistakably points to where MH370 lies. In short, the MH370 mystery has been comprehensively solved in science!"

How did Malaysian flight MH370 disappear?

Lyne disputes the prevailing theory that MH370 disappeared due to "no-blame, fuel-starvation at the 7th arc, high-speed dive."

Instead, he argues that the real cause was a "mastermind pilot almost executing an incredible perfect-disappearance in the Southern Indian Ocean."

FILE IMAGE | MH370 pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah

The pilot in question was Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who commanded the Boeing 777 with 227 passengers and 12 crew members aboard. MH370 vanished as it left the Malaysian airspace and proceeded to Vietnamese airspace en route to Beijing.



In his research, Lyne suggests the damage to MH370's wings, flaps, and flaperon resembles the "controlled ditching" famously performed by Captain Sully when he landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009 after a bird strike.

This contradicts earlier claims of a high-speed crash, and supports the idea of a deliberate, controlled landing.

These earlier claims stemmed from the work of decorated ex-Chief Canadian Air-crash Investigator Larry Vance, who analysed the debris and concluded that MH370 had fuel and running engines when it underwent a controlled ditching, not a fuel-starved dive.

Suspicion initially fell on Shah when it became clear that a Boeing 777 couldn't just vanish without the guidance of a seasoned pilot.

FILE IMAGE | MH370 Pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah

During the investigation, a hard drive recovered from his home revealed that Shah had practiced flying a path eerily similar to the one MH370 took on his flight simulator.



Authorities suspect Shah meticulously planned his operation using the simulator before executing it on March 8, 2014.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Apple's announcement of its highly anticipated iPhone 16 series launch, tagged with the slogan "It's Glowtime," has sparked a wave of excitement and scepticism online.

The tech giant confirmed that the new iPhone lineup will be unveiled at a special event on September 9 at 10:30 PM IST (10 AM PT/1 PM ET) at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The event will be live-streamed on Apple TV, the official Apple website, and YouTube.

iPhone 16 launch event: Mixed reactions flood internet

Apple enthusiasts were quick to share their reactions to the event announcement on social media, with many eagerly anticipating the unveiling of the iPhone 16 series, new Apple Watch models, and updated AirPods. Greg Joswiak, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, expressed his excitement on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Were glowing with excitement! Monday, September 9. #AppleEvent."



The announcement drew a mix of reactions from Apple fans. While some users expressed their enthusiasm, others voiced their concerns and expectations for the upcoming products. One user optimistically predicted, "Apple event this year would be different. AI is what will make it different." Another user commented, "Bring back the charm and excitement take 2 years but bring a leapfrog change."



Several fans shared their wishlists for the iPhone 16, with many hoping for significant upgrades to Siri, Apple's digital assistant. "Make Siri glorious so I don't have to use all those other chatbots out there," one user wrote, while another questioned, "So AI Siri themed?"

Others focused on specific hardware features, calling for "a MINI sized iPhone packed with PROMAX Camera," "a 60hz screen," and a "New logo animation." However, not all responses were positive. Some users expressed scepticism about the event, with one commenting, "Hope it wont be a dud," and another sarcastically noting, "Very excited to see new colours, buttons, sizes and last year processors branded as new ones :)))."

There was also a recurring sentiment of doubt regarding the innovation expected from the iPhone 16. "There will be no new features in the iPhone 16 that arent due to iOS 18. A slightly thinner bezel might be the biggest change," remarked one user. Another echoed this scepticism, writing, "Oh, Im on the edge of my seat! Cant wait for the announcement of the 2nd gen AirPods Maxbecause clearly, my life has been incomplete without a second set of super-expensive headphones!"



A particularly concerned user voiced their worries about the potential price increase, pleading, "TIM PLEASE DONT RAISE THE PRICE OF THE PRO MAX IM TRYING TO SAVE FOR ONE."



What to look forward to at the Apple event

At the event, Apple is expected to introduce four new iPhone models: the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to leaks, the iPhone 16 Pro Max may feature a larger 6.9-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro could come with a 6.3-inch screen.



One of the standout features of the new iPhone series is expected to be Apple Intelligence, though reports suggest these capabilities may be activated in a later software update. Additionally, the iPhone 16 series may include a new physical Capture button designed for instant photo and video capture, with support for features like exposure locking and zoom adjustments.

Besides the iPhones, Apple is rumoured to launch three new Apple Watch models: Watch Series 10, Watch Ultra 3, and a new budget-friendly Watch SE. Theres also speculation about the debut of the second-generation AirPods Max and new AirPods models. During the event, Apple is also likely to announce the release date for iOS 18 and other software updates.



Speculated iPhone 16 pricing details

Pricing for the iPhone 16 series has reportedly been leaked by Apple Hub. The base iPhone 16 model is expected to start at $799 in the US, which could translate to around 67,000 in India. The iPhone 16 Plus is rumoured to cost $899, or about 75,500 in India. For the higher-end models, the iPhone 16 Pro may start at $1,099 (around 92,300), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be priced from $1,199 (approximately 1,00,700).



Also Read: iPhone 16 series camera specs leak online, and Apple enthusiasts are already disappointed

Given the historical pricing trends, it's anticipated that the iPhones could be more expensive in India than in the US.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News
Nico Garcia, the USA-based CEO of OrganicContent.com, recently took to X to shine a spotlight on an extraordinary Indian businessman he dubs the "greatest philanthropist"a man who has earned numerous accolades yet remains remarkably humble. The person in question? Well, there can only be one: Mr. Ratan Tata.

In his post, Garcia highlights Tata's immense contributions, stating, "This 85-year-old built a $300B empire and discreetly donated over $100B to keep off the 'billionaire's list.'"

Adopted by his grandmother, @RNTata2000 Ratan Tatas educational journey is impressive.



- Born in 1937 in India, Ratan Tata's life took a turn when his parents divorced when he was just 10. His grandmother, Navajbai Tata, widow of Sir Ratan Tata, the founder of the Tata Trust, pic.twitter.com/r5Rnha2SPp  Nico Garcia (@nicogarcia) August 26, 2024

Garcia shares insights into Tata's life, including his modest upbringing after his parents divorced when he was 10 years old and being adopted by his grandmother, his decision to turn down IBM for his family's business, and his rise as CEO, leading Tata Group through major acquisitions like Jaguar Land Rover and Corus Steel.

Garcia also dwelled on Tata's life beyond business: passion for flying, his heroic mid-air landing during training, and his love for his dogs Tito and Tango.

Credit: X

Garcia also notes Tata's philanthropic legacy, from donating 65% of his wealth to supporting education and animal welfare, to earning prestigious awards such as the Padma Vibhushan and Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.



How did social media react?

In the comments, Indians flocked to shower admiration on "India's most loved billionaire."

One user praised, "The bigger gift is that he went back to India to develop it. The country was still poor, newly free, with huge challenges. He and so many others stayed in India to build it.."

Another added, "He is the man with golden heart and in India you can't say anything wrong about TATAs, this much of respect they achieved."

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance member Popi Tsapanidou will assume the seat of resigned state deputy for the Greek diaspora Othonas Iliopoulos, as she said in a post after meeting with the Greek parliament's presidium on Tuesday.

The resignation had led

to several days' media speculation on whether all runners up would give up the position so that main opposition party leader Stefanos Kasselakis could take a seat in parliament

Before being summoned officially by parliament, Tsapanidou met at SYRIZA headquarters with the director of Kasselakis' office, Manolis Kapnisakis.

In her post after the meetings, the former party spokesperson said, "Taking into account the fact that SYRIZA's state deputy ballot has been validated by the Greek people in two successive elections, I am assuming the supreme responsibility of responding to what the constitution and the Greek people command."

Tsapanidou will be sworn in as deputy on Friday.

   iefimerida.gr
Since 1972, when diplomatic relations between Greece and China were established, the two countries enjoy good relations. During the last decade Greece and China have increased their cooperation, especially in

The employment conditions in the PPA and the contribution to the Greek labor market -  
Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will defeat Benin Republic and Rwanda in their opening games of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The former Evertons player also said that the Mens national team are determined to secure a place at the next Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the encounter with the Cheetahs will be held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, September 7.

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The West Africans will then travel to Kigali to keep a date with Rwanda three days later.

The Super Eagles have won once in four outings since their final clash with hosts Cote dIvoire at the AFCON 2023 finals.

Meanwhile, Iwobi, while addressing newsmen, over the weekend, after scoring wining goal against Fulham in their 2-1 win over Leicester, said that Super Eagles will fight hard to win the upcoming games.

READ MORE: AFCON Fallout: Social Media Abuse Dont Move Me  Iwobi

He said: Theres still a lot to fight for; we have much to prove. We know the quality we have in this team, and we need to show it consistently for Nigeria, just like we do for our club sides.

The fans expect a lot from us, and we expect a lot from ourselves. Were ready to get the points we need to qualify.

We have a lot to prove. I always say we have a lot of quality in the team, and hopefully we can get the points we need to qualify because its something we want to achieve.
Operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have arrested a 24-year-old Aliyu Aliyu and one Abdulrahman Ibrahim, over their alleged involvement in robbery activities.

It was gathered that the suspects were apprehended by the Rapid Response Squad of the Command, in collaboration with a neighborhood security committee, commonly known as Yan Komiti, in Bauchi.

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The state police Spokesman, SP Ahmed Wakili, made this known in a press release made available to journalists on Tuesday.

He said: In the early hours of Monday, August 26, 2024, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Bauchi State Command, under the leadership of CSP Sani Mohammed, in collaboration with Yan Komiti, achieved a significant breakthrough by intercepting a tricycle carrying suspicious individuals in the Unguwan Jahun area of Bauchi metropolis.

READ MORE: Bauchi Police Apprehend Suspected Gun-Runner, Recover Firearms

Despite the suspects attempts to flee, two of them were successfully apprehended at the scene: Aliyu A. Aliyu, also known as Jagaba, 24 years old, and Abdulrahman Ibrahim, also known as Abdun Umma, 17 years old, both from the Jahun area of Bauchi metropolis.

Upon interrogation, the arrested suspects willingly confessed to their involvement in aiding armed robbery operations and admitted to being responsible for the theft of various valuable items from multiple homes.

The statement also highlighted that the recovery of stolen items, including five laptops, four mobile phones, five power banks, one router, six wristwatches, one jam box, and one clipper, represents a significant achievement.
An aide to former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has been remanded in a correctional facility over a Facebook post considered offensive to the current State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu.

The aide, identified as Shafiu Umar, allegedly sharing a video, mocking Governor Aliyus struggle to construct a sentence in English and also circulated the governors secondary school leaving certificate, claiming he failed English.

Umar also posted the state governors wife, Fatima, spreading money on the ground during her birthday celebration.

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These actions led to charges of circulating injurious falsehood and defamation under the Penal Code law.

On Monday, Magistrate Fatima Hassan ordered Umars remand and barred reporters from covering the court proceedings.

According to Premium Times, the polices First Information Report (FIR) indicated that the government charged Umar with circulating injurious falsehood and engraving matter known to be defamatory, offences, the government said contravened the Penal Code law.

FIR, the accused person committed the offences sometime in July by sharing videos of the governors wife, Fatima Aliyu, spreading money on ground during her birthday ceremony.

READ MORE: I Regret Backing Tambuwal To Become Speaker  Gbajabiamila

Umar was also allegedly accused of sharing a document that indicated that Governor Aliyu failed his Senior Secondary School Examination as he scored F9 in English and is not capable of speaking the language fluently.

The magistrate adjourned the ruling on Umars bail application until September 6, leaving him in custody until then.

Umars lawyer, Yusuf Abubakar, indicated that his client denied the charges and made an oral application for bail, which will be addressed during the next court session.

Earlier, the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, condemned the arrest of the suspect by authorities of Nigerian Police Force in Sokoto while calling for his immediate release.
Some yet to be identified gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a Director with the Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Aribibia John Fubara.

It was gathered that Fubara was said to have been whisked on Monday by the criminals. who reportedly came through the Okirika waterfront in a speedboat to the Marine Base area of Port Harcourt.

A source told Daily Post that the culprits fired sporadically into the air, carefully identified their target, and forcibly took him into a boat before speeding away.

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The younger younger brother of the victim, Emmanuel Fubara, who confirmed incident, said that the matter had been officially reported to the police.

READ MORE: Expose Oil Thieves In Your Communities  Fubara To Rivers Monarchs

Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that an investigation had commenced to rescue the victim.

She said: Yes, the command is aware of the incident.

The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered the deployment of all tactical units and alerted all area commanders to ensure he is rescued unhurt

Also, the CP has given them marching orders to ensure the suspects are apprehended and made to face the law.
Tosin Oke, also known as Old Soldier, a suspected kidnapper involved in the abduction of an oil magnate on Ado Road in Ajah, Lagos, has confessed to how he spent his share of the ransom.

Oke revealed that he used the money to cover his childrens education and other household expenses.

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The kidnapping incident, which occurred months ago, shocked the local community, and Okes confession sheds light on the financial motivations behind his participation in the criminal activity.

Speaking as seen in a video posted by Vanguard, Oke recounted, They gave me $1,700, and when I exchanged it at the Bureau De Change, I received N1.8 million. I used part of it for my childrens school fees, feeding, and saved the rest in my account. I regret getting involved in this; Im not even sure if I was bewitched into joining them. I dont understand how I became part of this.

The oil magnate was at his dredging site when an armed gang abducted him, taking him away in a speedboat to an undisclosed location via the waterways. The heavily armed kidnappers fired shots into the air to deter anyone from approaching them.

READ ALSO: Akwa Ibom Police Raid Hideout, Nab Six Suspected Cultists, Recover Bags Of Illicit Drugs

The victims family managed to raise N42 million, which they converted into $30,000 as demanded by the kidnappers, along with an additional N100,000 in cash.

The ransom was delivered to the gang, but three of the kidnappersAdelaja Ikuesan, 37, Tosin Oke, 40, and Oluwabunmi Yusuf, 39  were eventually apprehended in their hideout after dividing the ransom.

The suspects detailed the operation to newsmen, expressing remorse and promising never to engage in criminal activities again if given a second chance.

Oke, who had been involved in bunkering and kidnapping for a long time, admitted that he had used his share of the ransom to address his familys needs. He denied that the mansion he built in the Badagry area of Lagos was solely funded by his criminal activities, claiming that it was constructed with contributions from his family members.

Despite his actions, he expressed deep regret for his involvement in the crime.

I honestly regret getting myself involved in this, Oke said. Even my family members questioned my involvement because they knew I had never been involved in anything like this before. I used to work as an agent for the police in Zone 2. What could have driven me to participate in something like this?
Operatives of the Jigawa State police command have arrested a 40-year-old tea vendor, identified as Abdulrashibu Yau, over alleged beating of Hassan Garba to death in Dutse Local Government.

A resident, who told DAILY POST, said that the incident happened on Monday at about 05:00 pm in Sararai village of Dutse Local Government area.

He added that the tea seller locked up the boy and beat him up with a stick over an allegation of stealing his bread, milk, noodles and petrol.

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The source said: Neighbors heard the voice of the boy crying seeking help but could not access the house because the suspect had locked the door.

Upon receiving the report, the state police delegated a team to the scene and arrested the suspect, while the victim was rushed to Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, the commands Spokesman, said that during questioning at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Dutse, Yau admitted to the crime, stating that Garbas repeated thefts had infuriated him, and he had previously informed his parents, but no action was taken.

READ MORE: Depressed Jigawa Woman Sets Herself Ablaze Months After Divorce

Lawan said: Information from the village head of Sararai village, Jigawar Tsada town in Dutse local government council reported that a tea vendor by name Abdulrashibu Yau of Sararai village has seriously beaten up one Hassan Garba of the same address to death on the allegation of stealing his bread, milk, noodles and petrol.

Upon receiving the report, the patrol team promptly proceeded to the scene, arrested the suspect and conveyed the victim to Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital for immediate medical attention.

On their arrival, the medical doctor on duty certified him dead. The corpse was examined, photographed and later released to his relatives for burial according to Islamic rite.
Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command have repelled two attacks by gunmen, suspected to be bandits and rescued five kidnapped victims in Malumfashi Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday when two kidnappers were neutralized by police officers.

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In a statement released on Monday, by the commands spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, said that the bandits launched an attack on the village, during which five individuals were abducted.

According to Sadiq, the command received a distress call on Sunday about a bandit attack on Layin Minister Village, Malumfashi LGA of the state.

The statement reads: On August 25, 2024, at about 1000 hrs, a distress call was received at the Malumfashi Divisional Police Headquarters about a bandit attack on Layin Minister Village, Malumfashi LGA, kidnapping five (5) people.

Upon receipt of the report, operatives were quickly mobilised and dispatched to the scene. On noticing the presence of the police, the hoodlums opened fire on the operatives which they responded gallantly.

READ MORE: Katsina Police Raid Terrorists Hideout, Rescue 30 Victims, Recover Arms

On the same date, at about 1740 hrs, a distress call was received at Malumfashi Divisional Police Headquarters that some suspected armed bandits riding on twelve (12) motorcycles, wielding dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically, taking advantage of the downpour, attacked Marabar Kankara village, Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State.

On receipt of the information, DPO Malumfashi swiftly mobilized security operatives, who rushed to the scene and gallantly engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel and successfully foiled the attack.

In the course of scanning the scene, the bodies of two (2) neutralized suspected armed bandits were recovered, while efforts are being intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects as an investigation has commenced.

While commending the exceptional act of valour displayed by the operatives, the state police Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Musa, reiterated the Commands commitment towards ensuring a better-secured state.


Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, called for a new action that will transform Nigeria and Africa.

He also urged Nigerian lawyers to reject any notion of coup as a solution to Nigerias current challenges.

Akpabio made the call while speaking at the ongoing 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos.

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He noted that the collective power of the legal community, urging them to focus on transforming not just Nigeria, but West Africa and the entire world.

Nation-building is not the exclusive responsibility of the government; it requires the active participation of every Nigerian, he said.

Akpabio also stressed the need for a cultural shift in attitudes and mindsets, encouraging lawyers to lead by example in fostering integrity, courage, and a commitment to justice.

READ ALSO: Our Youths Are Angry, Cant Wait For Long-Promised Future  Obasanjo

The Senate President called for unity and collective effort in rebuilding the country, stating, We believe strongly that there is no stain in our country that we cannot erase if we stand together in brotherhood.

He said: As we gather, let us remember that our strength lies not only in our numbers but also in our uniform.

We are not merely a crowd. We are a very formidable force for positive change in Africa.

We must transform our minds, not only to transform Nigeria, not only to transform West Africa, but to transform the entire world.

Lawyers play a very important role in shaping the moral fabric of any society. So, as we contemplate the challenges ahead, economic instability, social injustice, and the quest for political stability, let us remember that within these challenges lies a continuity, where at a push-to-junction in our heads, a time that demands bold action and resolute determination, must rise above our challenges with a new hope.

Like the eagle, you should not shy away from the thought, but unless it wins, the wings of the thought will ascend to the highest heights, he added.
Panic has erupted in Ajiran community, located at the Agungi area of Lekki, Lagos state, following the gruesome murder of a man, identified as Demola, the first son of the Ojomu of Ajiran land, Tijani Akinloye.

According to a source who refused to disclose his identity, told PUNCH that the tragic incident occurred on Monday near Chevron Drive, close to Ebano Supermarket, according.

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The source also revealed that Demola was shot and butchered by unidentified gunmen, sparking fear and anxiety among community members.

Confirming the horrible incident in a statement released to the public by the management of the communitys estate, appealed to the residents to avoid the Chevron, Agungi, and Ajiran areas.

READ MORE: Anambra Businessman Excretes 68 Wraps Of Cocaine At Lagos Airport

The statement reads: This is to notify all residents that Ajiran (Agungi) kings son was assassinated today along Chevron Drive (close to Ebano Supermarket) this morning.

We therefore plead to our esteemed residents to avoid Chevron area, Agungi and Ajiran for now for their safety.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, said that he was not aware of the development.

He said: I am not aware, I will contact you once Im privy to the information.
The Nigeria Police Force has said that 97 members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shiites, has been detained following a clash in Abuja on Sunday.

Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had earlier reported that the collision resulted in the death of two policemen and three sustaining serious injuries.

It was also learnt that that three patrol vehicles were set ablaze by the Shiites during the clash.

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Reacting to the incident on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement released via his Facebook page, said that credible intelligence reports helped the police operatives to apprehend the detained suspects.

Muyiwa added that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokuns directive on the matter would be carried out to the latter.

The statement partly reads: The Nigeria Police Force has condemned, vehemently, an unprovoked attack by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly known as the Shiite group, on police personnel in Abuja on August 25, 2024.

READ MORE: Two Police Officers, Trader Killed As Shiites Protest In Abuja

The attackers, who were armed with machetes, improvised explosive devices, and knives, embarked on several violent attacks which left two police officers dead instantly and three unconscious, currently receiving treatment in hospital. Additionally, three police patrol vehicles were set ablaze during the attack.
Chester's downtown business district. The bankruptcy receiver is looking to water resources to help lift the city out of its financial predicament. Read more

For a city that has been drowning in debt, Chesters state-appointed bankruptcy receiver on Monday proposed what might be an ultimate economic water rescue.

In a motion filed Monday afternoon, receiver Michael Doweary asked a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge to approve a plan that would allow his office to pursue the sale of the water systems in the city, preferably to a public entity that would operate a new regional agency.

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The proposal  likely to encounter a tide of resistance from officials who operate the systems in question  is aimed at expediting the citys emergence from its nearly two-year-old bankruptcy.

The Citys goal is to secure guaranteed annual payments, the receivers office said in a news release, which did not disclose dollar amounts or possible upfront fees for the proposed sale.

 READ MORE: Chesters stunning economic decline: How it went from a factory boom town to bankruptcy

But after the filing, Vijay Kapoor, the receivers chief of staff said, Were potentially talking about a lot of money.

Three years ago, Aqua Pennsylvania agreed to pay the city $410 million for the Chester Water Authority, one of the entities that would be involved in any sale of Chesters water systems.

At the time, Doweary, the state receiver who has opposed any private takeover of the citys water resources  lest it lead to eventual spikes in rates  declined to permit the city to sign the agreement, and has insisted that they remain in public hands.

He said his plan would minimize the impact on ratepayers and provide a regional solution to stormwater management.

Delaware Countys only city, Chester has been in the states distressed status going on 30 years, in receivership since 2020, and in bankruptcy since November 2022  largely the result of a shrunken tax base and several years of missed pension payments.

It is among only about 30 municipalities nationwide that have declared bankruptcy since Congress offered the option in the 1930s.

Earlier this year, the state auditor generals office described the citys pension system as being in severe distress. The receivers office has been in ongoing negotiations with creditors and pension interests.

The citys $70.6 million 2024 budget expenditures represents about $2 million more than projected revenues.

With decades of lost jobs and population, Chesters tax base is eviscerated, with real estate and earned income taxes accounting for only about a third of the budget. The city counts on Harrahs Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack and an incinerator plant for about $13 million annually.

Chesters tax base cant support basic city services, the receivers office said in the news release.

Of the proposed sale of the citys water systems, Kapoor said Monday that weve got to move on this.

We have grants that are going away. Weve got potentially a fiscal cliff in 2026.

The cost of water in Chester

The receivers office said that one aim of the proposal would be to control water costs for residents and businesses.

Chester property owners currently pay bills to three separate entities  the Chester Water Authority, which supplies water to 34 municipalities in Delaware and Chester Counties; the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA), a wastewater treatment concern that serves multiple towns in the two counties; and the Stormwater Authority of Chester, which manages the stormwater in the city and levies the controversial so-called rain tax.

 READ MORE: A rain tax spurs a storm of controversy in the Philly region, and a court case with broad implications

On average, the three bills cost homeowners about $1,000 annually. By comparison, the average water cost in Philadelphia is about $895 in a city where median household incomes are about 40% higher than those in Chester.

Horace Strand, executive manager of the stormwater authority, said that his attorney was reviewing the receivers filing.

The receivers plan

The receivers office would seek requests for proposals for applicants to buy, manage, and operate the water and stormwater authorities and the citys stake in DELCORA with the requirement that it be publicly owned, the release stated.

If done properly, Doweary said in the release, the plan could not only help Chester address its financial situation, but provide a regional solution to stormwater management.

Mayor Stefan Roots, who was inaugurated in January, said he supported the plan, calling it our best opportunity to let Chester be Chester and to ensure we have the revenue needed to meet our obligations, and to improve and sustain the services that our residents need and deserve.

Said Kapoor: Were taking a very, very big step.

This isnt going to solve all of Chesters problems. This is a step. We think its an important step, and step we have to take.
PHILADELPHIA  A pack of four-legged therapists got a break of their own on Monday when they were honored at the airport where they dutifully work to ease stress and calm travelers.

The event at Philadelphia International Airport marked five years since the 23 members of the Wagging Tails Brigade began greeting people and serving as therapy dogs.

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 READ MORE: Regional Rail service will increase as SEPTA adds more trains

Several of them were presented with birthday presents and a customized cake while passersby were invited to eat cupcakes and sign an oversized birthday card.

Members of the brigade and their volunteer human handlers are at the airport for at least two hours a week, impressing people with their tricks and doing what they can to raise the spirits of road-weary passengers. Dogs wear vests asking people to pet me.

Alan Gurvitz, a volunteer with Hope, a Labrador retriever, said their goal is to make travel a bit more pleasant.

I like to refer to the airport as the land of cancellations and delays. So people tend to be very stressed out here, Gurvitz said.

Jamie and Victoria Hill, on their way to their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, turned to pet Bella while trying to stay positive after their flight was delayed.

It's reminded us of our dog back at home," Jamie Hill said. We miss him.

 READ MORE: Therapy dogs are helping kids become better readers at the Free Library

Back in June, Nancy Mittleman recalled, she was at the airport with her German shepherd Tarik while bad weather snarled air traffic. The two of them spent several hours entertaining stranded children and their parents.

Soon enough, I had an entire crowd around me," Mittleman said. "There must have been 10 kids sitting around him and they were talking to each other. And the beauty of it was before that, there were a lot of stressed out parents and a lot of unhappy children.

Volunteers try to coordinate to have at least one brigade member at the airport to greet travelers, especially on days with significant delays or disruptions.
Employer health-care costs have already increased more than 50% since 2017, according to the Business Group on Health. Read more

If you run a small business, brace yourself: The cost of providing health-care benefits to your employees is about to go up  again.

The average cost of employer-sponsored health-care coverage in the U.S. is expected to increase 9%, surpassing $16,000 per employee, in 2025, according to information collected by health-care consulting firm AON. Thats after employer health-care costs have already increased more than 50% since 2017, according to the Business Group on Health, a trade association that recently reported that further increases are expected to persist.

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Some large employers say that theyre absorbing these cost increases rather than passing them down to their employees. But for small businesses, that strategy isnt always affordable. So what can a small employer do to offer competitive health benefits at an affordable cost?

Here are five strategies to consider.

1. Multiple plans

For starters, its important to offer choice. Rather than offer one single plan that may provide benefits that workers are never using, employers of all sizes can offer various plans with different levels of coverage and deductibles so that employees can decide what best suits them. This minimizes the cost to both parties.

Were definitely seeing more employers offer choice, said Gregory Grimm, a vice president at employee benefits consulting firm Exude Inc., which is based in Center City. We have clients that may have 30 or 40 employees who offer three or four different plans.

Grimm says that many of his clients who do this establish a fixed dollar amount that theyll contribute to an employees health care and then leave it up to that employee to choose their plan.

Offering this choice helps alleviate some of the cost burden on the employer and says to the employee that we want to help, but we dont want to be the ones making decisions about your health-care coverage, Grimm said.

2. Health savings accounts (HSAs)

Health savings accounts are inexpensive to set up and relatively easy to administer. Once in place, an employee can contribute up to $4,150 for themselves or $8,300 for their family annually (employees who are 55 or older can contribute an additional $1,000 as a catch-up contribution). Employers can also contribute. Those funds can then be used for costs that are not fully covered by their health-care plan such as dental, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and certain medications. Any unused amounts roll over and can be invested.

Wendy Whitmoyer, who manages employee benefits at Carpenter Technology in Philadelphia, said that her company has been offering HSA accounts for years. Theyve been more popular with employees than flexible spending accounts (FSAs), which allow employees to put away money for health-care expenses but dont roll over unused funds to the next year.

With an HSA, you dont have to worry about losing unused funds and you can invest what you save, she said. Its like a 401(K) for their health care.

3. Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)

Health reimbursement arrangements can oftentimes be established in addition to  or in lieu of  your existing health plans. Under this arrangement, employers contribute pretax funds into an account, and the employee uses that money to get their own insurance, be it on a health-care exchange or through a health-care broker. Like an HSA, unused funds in many cases can roll over and be invested.

Depending on the company and the situation, we oftentimes find HRAs to be the most cost-conscious remedy, said Rob DeNinno, a principal at Precision Benefits Group in Philadelphia. Employers can be more in control of the health-care dollars they fund and get a tax deduction too. With the right fit, both employees and employers can save a significant amount of premium expenses.

4. Captive insurance programs

Self-insurance has primarily been an option for big corporations with deep pockets. But over the past few years, a number of captive insurance companies have emerged that bring together hundreds  even thousands  of smaller firms under one umbrella. The firms pool their resources and employee medical histories into one entity to spread the risk of loss.

Corey Stevens led the initiative to join a captive insurance program in 2023 at Compas, headquartered in Cherry Hill. Stevens, vice president of people operations at Compas sister company, CMI Media Group, said the impact has been significant.

There are additional administrative and compliance responsibilities under the program, but after we got past that piece, it ended up being a very smart decision, said Stevens.

Stevens says his captive insurance program is a conglomerate of different small businesses that come together with a similar interest around keeping benefits costs down, getting more competitive rates, and spreading the costs of premiums. It also provides them with more insights into their health-care expenditures.

Although theres more administrative work to manage the claims, were now able to see more about what expenses were incurring, which helps us make decisions around future benefits to determine which is most helpful and which benefits are being used, he said. That information alone has been a great help. Were in our second year and so far its working out for us.

5. Education

Ask anyone whos trying to choose the right health-care program for their family, and theyll tell you its complicated. Thats why smart employers invest the resources to provide training and education to help their employees make the best (and most affordable) decisions possible.

We devote a significant amount of time to help our employees understand how our different plans work, how the high deductibles of certain health plan would affect them, said Whitmoyer. By doing this we can help them choose the right health-care option, which oftentimes saves them  and us  money.
Inspira Health CEO Amy Mansue (left) and chief operating officer Warren Moore look toward an area outside where construction will soon begin on an expansion of their Inspira Medical Center in Mullica Hill. Read more

Inspira Health Networks hospital in Gloucester County is bustling. One day in June, the 220-bed facility was virtually full with 218 patients.

In neighboring Salem County, by contrast, two small community hospitals also owned by Inspira arent even half full, seeing fewer than 25 patients a day on average.

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That contrast illustrates how the nonprofit health system with four general hospitals in Southern New Jersey serves two vastly different markets.

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill, in Gloucester County, opened just five years ago and already needs a $220 million expansion to accommodate patient demand, Inspira officials said. We never had any concept that wed see this much growth this fast, said Amy Mansue, who became Inspiras CEO in August 2020. A second project, starting next spring, will expand maternity services.

Since entering Gloucester County though a 2012 acquisition, Inspira has benefited from the areas population growth, which has outpaced other southern New Jersey counties since 2010. Gloucester has southern New Jerseys second-highest median household income, which means more people have better-paying private health insurance.

Business conditions are far different than in Cumberland and Salem Counties, where Inspira has its historical roots. The two counties are among New Jerseys poorest, have little or no population growth, too few doctors, and poor health outcomes.

I did not anticipate the challenges that being in Cumberland and Salem Counties, and delivering services here, would have. Its humbling, the amount of poverty, the violence, the gang violence. Its a tough world, Mansue said.

In some parts of the country, large nonprofit health systems have faced criticism for closing facilities in poor communities and building new ones in wealthier areas. Inspira has stayed and even expanded its reach in its poorer areas.

Moodys Ratings recently assigned a strong A2 credit rating to an expected $256 million bond sale that will pay for Inspiras planned expansions, despite the systems high dependency on Medicare and Medicaid, which pay doctors less than private insurance.

In terms of capital planning and long-term strategy, they seem to be doing a good job of managing the different types of markets that they serve, said Moodys analyst Cassandra Golden in an interview.

A game-changing acquisition

Inspira traces its roots to Bridgeton Hospital, founded in 1899 in the Cumberland County seat. The health systems biggest hospital, the 276-bed Inspira Medical Center Vineland, opened there in 2004, replacing three older hospitals in Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland. In Salem County, Inspira had acquired Elmer Community Hospital in 1994.

TITLE Inspira Health Network in South Jersey Acute-care hospital Behavioral-health hospital 10-minute drive from acute-care hospital South Jersey Demographics Inspira Health Networks Mullica Hill hospital is in Gloucester County, which is generally wealthier and better-educated, as well as having higher population growth, than Salem and Cumberland Counties, where its other acute-care hospitals are located. Source: Esri John Duchneskie / Staff Artist

The system turned north with the 2012 acquisition of the 305-bed Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury, Gloucester County, gaining a foothold in a faster-growing and wealthier area. This ultimately helped Inspira continue serving its historic markets.

Inspira started working on plans to build a replacement hospital for the landlocked Underwood-Memorial soon after the acquisition. The new location was a 100-acre property in Harrison Township near the intersection of two busy highways, Routes 55 and 322.

We needed the opportunity to make it easier for people to get to us, Mansue said Being in this location is a game changer. It changes the entire profile of Inspira.

In Gloucester County, Inspira competes with Jefferson Washington Township Hospital, which is about six miles from Inspira Mullica Hill, and academic medical centers in Philadelphia. Moodys said it expects the new wing will help Inspira expand its reach in the market.

Inspiras overall hospital market share is 54% in its core markets of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, Moodys said. But the figures are likely far higher in Cumberland and Salem  where Inspira owns the only hospitals  than in Gloucester. A breakdown was not available.

Challenges in Salem and Cumberland Counties

When Inspira acquired Salem Medical Center in 2022, its motivation was not a growth opportunity like the push to acquire Underwood-Memorial a decade earlier.

Inspiras board leadership decided to acquire the Salem County hospital, now called Inspira Medical Center Mannington, because they thought the community needed it and would otherwise close.

They couldnt survive on their own. They needed to be part of a larger system, Mansue said of the Mannington Township facility. It really was our boards decision to say, this is whats best for the community.

The demographics are tough. Salem County is the least-densely populated county in New Jersey, according to state data. It has the most severe primary-care physician shortage and the highest rate of premature deaths in New Jersey, according County Health Rankings published annually by the University of Wisconsins Population Health Institute with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Despite the financial challenges in Salem County, it was important for Inspira to own the former Memorial Hospital of Salem County, Mansue said, so we can really look at, how do we spread the services through the county? That means the mix of services will likely change as the system tries to operate in a financially sustainable way, she said.

In addition to acquiring Salem Medical Center, Inspira is opening a primary-care office in Millville next month. The $5 million project will expand the office to 10,000 square feet from 2,000 square feet.

Paul DiLorenzo, executive director of the Salem Health & Wellness Foundation, acknowledged the difficulties Inspira faces in Salem County. The foundation was founded with proceeds from the 2002 sale of Memorial Hospital of Salem County to the for-profit Community Health Systems Inc.

They are trying to juggle, how you can provide medical care to people in Salem County when youre also trying to deal with the issues around insurance and reimbursements and the low number of patients, DiLorenzo said. Its a complex environment that Inspiras working in.

Inspiras growth

In Gloucester County, Inspiras challenge is keeping up with the demand for lucrative health-care services like stroke and cardiac care, and also for labor and delivery services.

When Inspira opened its $375 million Mullica Hill hospital in December 2019, management thought an expansion might be needed in a decade, Mansue said. The hospitals occupancy rate is in the range of 87% to 93%.

She attributed some of the faster-than-expected growth at the Gloucester County hospital to a 2021 change in New Jersey law that allowed more heart procedures to be done at the hospital and a joint venture in neurosciences with Cooper University Health Care. Inspira also collaborates with Cooper for heart care, and uses Cooper doctors to care for inpatients.

Separately, Inspira plans to reach a deal with an academic partner for cancer care in the next 18 to 24 months, Mansue said.

The 150,000 square-foot expansion, expected to open in early 2027 will add about 60 beds to Mullica Hill, said Warren Moore, Inspiras chief operating officer. Inspira needs neurointensive-care beds to support the Cooper program, he said. The five-story wing will also have space for imaging, interventional radiology, and education for Inspiras increasing number of medical residents.

Away from the hospitals, Inspira more than doubled its number of employed physicians to 260 from 120 in the last three years, according to Moore.

We bought a lot of small practices, ones and twos, Mansue said, referring to the numbers of doctors. You cant operate efficiently when youre buying those types of practices, so we need to bring them together, in larger groups.

Thats what Inspira did in the spring when it opened a $50 million, 80,000 square-foot outpatient center in a former Dicks Sporting Goods store in Deptford.

While Inspira has significant momentum, it has posted two consecutive years of operating losses largely due to higher expenses, such as for workers, that all health systems have been facing since the pandemic. We had to make a 20% increase in salaries just to keep us at where everybody else was, Mansue said.

Moore said he expects it to take five to eight years to get Inspira back to historic levels of profitability, as measured by operating cash flow. In the six years before the pandemic, that figure averaged 14%. In the last two years, it averaged 5%, financial records show.

The financial challenges in health care are expected to persist, but Inspira has no plans to slow down. Were going to see over the next four years, five years, that we will continue to make these investments, Mansue said.
West Nile virus has been identified in mosquitos throughout the Philadelphia region. Read more

Three people in Philadelphia have been diagnosed with severe West Nile virus with neurological complications as of last week.

Most people who are bit by an infected mosquito dont get sick or experience any symptoms, but in rare instances, the virus can cause severe illness that affects the central nervous system.

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The virus has been detected in mosquitos in Philadelphia and all of its surrounding Pennsylvania counties, as well as much of the state.

 READ MORE: Two Philadelphians have been diagnosed with West Nile virus, health department says

Philadelphia routinely tests mosquito pools and has found a higher positivity rate this year compared to years past. That means an increased risk of contracting West Nile.

Mosquitos are most active between May and October, but mosquito-borne illness remains a risk until the first frost.

Heres what you need to know about West Nile virus to protect yourself and your loved ones:

What is West Nile virus?

West Nile virus is a common mosquito-borne illness. It is spread when infected mosquitos bite people. There is no vaccine.

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?

Most people who are infected dont get sick and dont experience any symptoms. About 20% of people develop a fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other symptoms can include headache, fatigue, joint pain, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash.

How deadly is West Nile virus?

Serious illness from West Nile virus is rare. About 1 in every 150 people infected develop severe symptoms that affect the central nervous system, such as brain and spinal cord inflammation, according to the CDC.

About one in 10 people who develop severe illness affecting their central nervous system die. Most recover from severe illness in several months, though they may experience permanent effects.

Symptoms of severe illness from West Nile include high fever, headache, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness, vision loss, and numbness.

People over age 60 are at greater risk for severe illness.

Are symptoms of West Nile virus different for kids?

Kids experience similar symptoms to adults, and most do not get sick from West Nile virus.

Apply insect repellent to children by spraying it into your hands, then rubbing on their skin. Avoid their mouth, eyes, hands, and any cuts.

The Environmental Protection Agencys online search tool can help identify the best repellent for your family and offers guidance on how often to reapply.

 READ MORE: Avoiding summer bites: A look at West Nile virus and Lyme disease in the Philly area

Can dogs get West Nile virus?

Dogs and cats can contract West Nile virus but its unlikely, according to UC Davis Veterinary Medicine. Symptoms may include fever, muscle spasms, and weakness, and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian.

Do not apply human insect repellent to pets, as it can be poisonous to animals.

Is West Nile dangerous during pregnancy?

People who are pregnant are not at higher risk of illness from West Nile virus. It is possible for an infected person to pass on the virus to their baby, but highly unlikely. Only a few cases of a newborn with West Nile virus have been documented, according to the CDC.

Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirts and pants when possible, and use insect repellent to protect against mosquito bites during pregnancy.

What municipalities are spraying for mosquitos?

Philadelphia and the surrounding counties are routinely monitoring for West Nile virus and spraying to control mosquito populations. Check with your countys health department for more information about when spraying may be scheduled for your neighborhood.
Callalily Cousar (seated) greets guests during her 95th birthday party celebration in the Parkside section of Philadelphia on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Read more

Officially, Callalily Cousar retired as president of the East Parkside Residents Association in West Philadelphia nearly a year ago, in September 2023.

In reality, however, Every time I say Im retired, people just laugh, Cousar said in a recent telephone interview.

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They laugh because, while Cousar, who is 94, was talking with a reporter, she was simultaneously standing on the front porch of her home, handing out food to anyone who came by.

Mostly today I have blueberries and corn, peaches, apples, juices, kale, and peppers, she said.

The right mindset and the right heart

The East Parkside Residents Associations (EPRA) Facebook page announces the free food giveaway happening Every Friday 2:30 until Gone.

Cousar has been the face and power behind the East Parkside neighborhood group for 35 years. She also served as block captain of the 4100 block of Poplar Street for 34 years.

During that time, shes been a home-based hairdresser, school crossing guard, a union shop steward, and a short-term foster mother to 125 children.

As a community leader, she was part of the planning for the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia School Districts School of the Future coming to Parkside. Her organization also pushed to develop the North Star Playground on what had been two vacant lots at 41st and Poplar.

I try to do like my mother. If we had a bad bag of potatoes, she would say, Dont cook them all. Save a couple because somebody might need some. Callalily Cousar

Over the last couple of years, she and the EPRA have taken graduating high school seniors to New York to see The Lion King.

One year we took 20 students, this year we took 12, she said. It was the first time that most of them had ever been to New York, and it was definitely the first time any of them had seen a Broadway play.

Ruby Davis, the chaplain of EPRA, said the organization has not yet been able to agree on who should replace Cousar.

You have to have the right mindset and the right heart, Davis said at Cousars early birthday celebration on Aug. 24. You have to know how business gets done.

An early birthday celebration

The community gathered to honor her 95th birthday, which is actually on Sept. 25. The invitations also called Cousar Ms. Dit, after a family nickname that began when a younger brother couldnt pronounce her first name. He called me Cal-Ditty, she said.

The name, Callalily, has been in her North Carolina-rooted family for generations. Cousar said she was named after her mothers sister.

Last Saturday, about 200 people filled a banquet hall at the Philadelphia Business & Technology Center in West Parkside for the party. Cousar wore a deep-purple dress. Small, artificial, light-purple calla lily flower petals decorated the white tablecloths.

Family members traveled from North Carolina, where Cousars parents, John Henry and Rosa Norcum, lived before migrating to Philadelphia. Other relatives came from Alabama and Maryland.

One cousin who lives in West Oak Lane met Cousar and her children for the first time.

Are you a Littlejohn? Barbara Cousar, the honorees middle child, asked Dominic Littlejohn, a young man with hair in shoulder-length locks.

In addition to music and dancing, people at the party gave testimonies about Cousars community service. There were a number of citations from politicians. One, from Vice President Kamala Harris, was dated Aug. 24, two days after Harris accepted the Democratic Partys nomination to seek the presidency of the United States.

I was really surprised at that one, Cousar said.

A lifetime of service

Born in North Philadelphia, Cousar has spent a lifetime helping others. After graduating from Dobbins Vocational Technical High School in 1947, she was a hairdresser in her aunts salon before opening her own beauty salon in North Philadelphia.

In 1959, she married Robert Edward Cousar, a forklift operator at a plant on Westmoreland Street. They moved to East Parkside and were married for 37 years until Roberts death in 1996.

When they began having children, Cousar left her beauty salon and started working as a hairdresser from home.

They had three children: Glenda, a nurse now living in Maryland; Barbara, a social worker for a STEM project in Philadelphia; and Robert Jr., a business owner who lives in Alabama.

When Robert, her youngest, began kindergarten, Cousar took on another job: working as a school crossing guard for 16 years. She also served as block captain for more than 34 years.

She organized numerous block beautification projects, and her block won the City Clean Block contest twice, showcasing her ability to inspire collective action and pride among her neighbors, her daughter, Glenda Cousar, wrote about her mother.

Never an empty nest

When Cousars children began leaving for college, Cousar and her husband became foster parents.

I had the space. I had the time. I had the care, and I had the love, Cousar said. I grew up with a family like that.

She said her own parents often welcomed relatives, especially those coming from the South, to stay with them until they could find a place of their own.

I had never felt that kind of love before. Shelly Knox

Thats the way we grew up, she said. I try to do like my mother. If we had a bad bag of potatoes, she would say, Dont cook them all. Save a couple because somebody might need some.

Cousar began taking in foster children, from around 1975 through 1996. She paused that year when her husband became ill and died. As recently as about 10 years ago, however, she was called in to take in more children. She mostly took in teenagers on a short-term, temporary basis.

I had someone add it up, and I had 125 children stay with me, she said.

Around the time her husband became ill, Cousar was worried that she could no longer take care of the youngest child she had ever fostered. He came to their home at age 6 and stayed with Cousar until he was 9.

Cousar mentioned to her son that she was worried that she could no longer manage to keep the child.

His mother didnt ask, but Robert Jr. and his wife adopted the boy. He was part of our family by then, Robert Jr. said. That child is now in his 30s.

A car goes screech!; then a hello

Sometimes, her former foster children or children from the neighborhood come by to say hello.

I might be sitting on the porch, and one of them will drive by and suddenly, I hear the car go, Screech! Then they stop. and back up the car to give me a big hug, she said. They are surprised to see me, because sometimes, they may not have known if Im still living or dead. It tickles me.

On Saturday, Shelly Knox, one of her foster children, attended the party. Knox wrote a book, Silent Tears Ive Cried, about the abuse she suffered for much of her childhood.

Then, she went to stay with Mom Dit.

I was 13 when I went to stay with her, and Im 57 now, Knox said. I had never felt that kind of love before.
Visitors get a first look at the gallery at the opening of the Formerly Incarcerated Renaissance Museum (FIRM), a project by Why Not Prosper and Rev. Michelle Simmons to honor the artistic talent of formerly incarcerated people and display artifacts relevant to the experiences of people in prison. Read more

Museums and exhibits have long explored the experience of incarceration, from Eastern State Penitentiary to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But the people behind a new Philadelphia museum believe that they have opened the first that honors people for what theyve done since leaving prison.

On Friday morning, the East Germantown nonprofit Why Not Prosper hosted a ribbon-cutting event for the Formerly Incarcerated Renaissance Museum (FIRM). The museum, located in a separate building behind Why Not Prosper at 717 E. Chelten Ave., honors the experiences, artwork, and activism of people who have been imprisoned.

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The museum will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost of admission is a suggested $11 donation, though no one will be turned away if they cant pay.

We are not our mistakes. We are so powerful. The Rev. Michelle Simmons

The Rev. Michelle Simmons, the founder of Why Not Prosper, said that as her organization celebrates its 23rd anniversary this month, it was time to think about the legacy she and Why Not Prosper would leave. Simmons was formerly incarcerated herself and started the organization to empower other women as they transition from prison to become self-sufficient and contributing members of their communities.

She said she hopes that when people visit the FIRM, they come away with more awareness of what incarcerated people experience and new insight into how they can be valuable members of society if theyre given the chance. Featuring artwork and books by formerly incarcerated people, artifacts from prison life, and exhibits honoring activists fighting to improving life for current and formerly incarcerated people, the FIRM is designed to be unlike any traditional museum.

We are not our mistakes. We are so powerful. Were so inspirational. Were so knowledgeable, she said.

Feels like freedom

Simmons began her museum project by convening an arts council made up of formerly incarcerated women from across the country. They created a contest for current and formerly incarcerated people to submit artwork to be featured in the museum, and those people spread the information to their personal networks.

They received an overwhelming number of submissions, and more are still coming in. Now, the FIRM has artwork or exhibits representing people from 22 states, including visual art, books, clothing, and stories of business owners and award winners.

I have a khimar of a young lady, she says, this is the only piece of garment they couldnt strip from me, Simmons said. I have a crown from a young man who was sentenced to die at 15, and now hes home and he is the king of one of the villages in Ghana.

But with so many items coming in, they needed to be pieced together in a way that told the narrative of incarcerated people that Simmons had envisioned. In came Monica O. Montgomery  a museum leader, independent curator, and former University of the Arts professor  who works at the intersection of art, history, and social justice.

Montgomery read a call for submissions to the museum in the Germantown Info Hub and was inspired by the project. She reached out to Simmons and offered to help.

I feel very deeply connected to people who have been marginalized and oppressed. And Im never far from that, Montgomery said. Even though Im a professor and a curator and a consultant, I always want to represent for my people. I always want to do things to uplift the community and this is my way of giving back.

They decided to divide the museum into four sections. It begins with Foundation, a celebration of Simmons, the work she has done for over two decades, and the honors shes received. Next is Incarceration, giving insight to what being locked up is like and how it impacts a person. Then there is Inspiration, telling stories of what people have done after their release, and finishing with Revolution, which shows the arts and activism people have done to advocate for others currently and formerly incarcerated.

Some of Montgomerys favorite pieces in the museum include an array of awards Simmons has received over the years, exhibits highlighting the work of advocates in Boston and Oakland, Calif., and a large art piece called The Guardian by a currently incarcerated artist, James Green, which shows a Black woman flying through a blue sky.

It just feels like freedom, Montgomery said.

The museum building was once a storage space for Why Not Prosper until lead artist Michael OG Law TaBon transformed its exterior.

TaBon spent more than a decade in prison, and since his release in 2006, hes become an accomplished artist and activist committed to violence prevention and prison reform. He was featured in the 2020 film Concrete Cowboy opposite Idris Elba and uses interactive exhibits with shock value to convey his messages.

Some people just feel like when you do a crime, you dont serve second chances or dont believe that you can really make a positive effect on the world, he said.

TaBon also created a mural directly across from the FIRM with the help of other formerly incarcerated artists on the back of Why Not Prospers building. It shows a Black woman running along a winding golden road, carrying a torch thats been handed to her by Simmons. Even though the woman in the mural is now free, bars cover her path and she is still breaking out of her shackles.
Patient escorts wait outside of the Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center in Center City Philadelphia in July 2022 as an anti-abortion protester stands down the street. Read more

The U.S. Justice Department is suing an antiabortion provocateur who barricaded himself inside a restroom at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Center City three years ago, prompting the evacuation and temporary closure of the facility.

The lawsuit against Matthew Connolly  a 42-year-old activist from Minnesota and a member of the group Red Rose Rescue, which has been linked to protests at clinics across the country  is the latest salvo in an ongoing campaign by federal authorities to crack down on aggressive demonstrations seeking to interfere with patient access to reproductive care.

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But it quickly drew condemnation from the members of the antiabortion movement, who have accused the Justice Department of unfairly targeting them for their political views in the aftermath of the Supreme Courts 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Connolly engaged in conduct calculated to shut down [the] clinic for an entire day  obstructing access to reproductive health services, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in a statement. The Justice Department is committed to  ensur[ing] that providers can continue to deliver legal reproductive health services and that patients can obtain them.

Monica Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, an affiliate of Red Rose Rescue, shot back, accusing federal authorities in their suit of attempting to twist and stretch the language of the law.

This lawsuit against Matthew Connolly is another instance of a weaponized Department of Justice obsessed with persecuting nonviolent pro-lifers, she said.

The suit, filed Monday in federal court in Philadelphia, accuses Connolly of violating a 1994 law known as the FACE Act, which prohibits demonstrators from injuring, intimidating, or interfering with anyone seeking access to a reproductive health-care provider.

Its the same law federal prosecutors used in 2022 to charge Mark Houck, a prominent Bucks County Catholic activist, for a scuffle with a Planned Parenthood volunteer outside the organizations clinic on Locust Street in Philadelphia.

Houck took his case to trial and won. He is now suing the Justice Department for malicious prosecution. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in this years GOP primary with a campaign foregrounding his experience throughout his prosecution and trial.

Unlike Houcks criminal case, the suit against Connolly seeks only civil penalties  $5,000 in damages for each patient affected by his disruption and a fine of roughly $28,000.

In court papers, lawyers for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division say Connolly in August 2021 slipped past security at the Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center on Locust Street near 12th Street  the same facility where Houcks incident would occur a year later  and barricaded himself inside a restroom in the clinics secure patient area.

He remained locked inside for nearly three hours, refusing to come out, until a Philadelphia police SWAT team forcibly removed him on a stretcher.

After a psychological evaluation  in which Connolly, the government says, said hed do it again  police released him without charges.

Still, the incident prompted the closure of the clinic and forced facility staff to cancel more than 40 scheduled appointments that day, government lawyers said. Lawyers did not indicate what type of services had been scheduled.

Fearing for the safety of staff and patients, staff directed [them] to leave the facility and law enforcement ordered the building evacuated and the neighboring street and intersections shut down, the lawsuit states.

Connolly and Red Rose Rescue, the group with which he was demonstrating that day, are no strangers to disputes with authorities over their protest techniques.

Since its formation in 2017, it has staged several demonstrations aimed at disrupting operations at clinics across the country. Its members, including Connolly, have faced prosecution before.

Last year, the Justice Department charged eight members of the group with blockading the entrance to a clinic in Sterling Heights, Mich., in August 2020.

And during the same month as the incident at the Blackwell clinic, three other protesters affiliated with the group were arrested for refusing the leave the waiting room of a Planned Parenthood clinic in West Chester.

One of them  Christopher Fidelis Moscinski, a Franciscan friar  was sentenced to eight days to six months in jail after being convicted of felony trespass last year. The others were released on probation.

For his part, Connolly had been arrested at least eight times in four different states  and convicted four times  before the 2021 incident at the Center City clinic.

Most recently, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued him and several other members of the group last year, seeking to bar them from clinics in the state after multiple arrests for trespassing failed to deter their efforts.

That same year, Connolly was sentenced to three months in jail for an incident in which he and other demonstrators ignored requests to leave the waiting room of a Michigan clinic, prompting police there to forcibly remove them.

Connolly did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday on the Justice Department lawsuit in Philadelphia. It was not immediately clear from court dockets whether he had retained an attorney.

A judge has yet to schedule a hearing in the case.

Staff writer Sarah Gantz contributed to this article.
Vice President Kamala Harris will join President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh on Monday, marking the pairs first joint campaign event since Harris accepted the nomination to become the Democratic nominee for president.

The Pittsburgh visit will be a part of the Harris larger blitz of battleground states on Labor Day, as she seeks to mobilize union workers who have historically served as a key part of the Democratic coalition.

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This also marks Harris second visit to Pittsburgh in roughly two weeks, and third time in Pennsylvania since being endorsed by Biden after he withdrew his reelection bid on July 21.

Harris last visit to Pittsburgh was part of a tour of Western Pennsylvania, a day before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The campaign will participate in various activities on Monday, including community Labor Day parades and organizing events with local union members.

Unions have been a largely unwavering force of the Democratic base. Just days after stepping into the 2024 presidential race, Harris made one of her first speeches as a candidate in Houston in front of the American Federation of Teachers, the first union to endorse her before other unions followed suit.

Even as questions were raised about Bidens viability as a presidential candidate after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, several unions, including the prominent AFL-CIO, stuck by him until his withdrawal from the race. Biden has often touted himself as the most pro-union president in history.

With Biden no longer on the ballot in November, Republicans see an opening to reach white working-class voters in such areas as Scranton, where Biden spent his early years. But delegates from Scranton and the region as a whole reported strong momentum for Harris.
(From left) Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, Robin Reid, Eleanor Breslin, Ashley Ehasz, and Vera Cole pose for a photo after the Upper Bucks Rally for our Rights hosted by Pennridge Democrats in June. Ehasz is a candidate for Congress, while Cole is running for Pennsylvania House. Read more

Doris Brown has lived in Quakertown for decades and watched it turn from a quiet rural area to part of Philadelphias sprawling suburbs.

In the late 1960s, before Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, Brown had an extremely difficult pregnancy. Ultimately, Brown said, the child died and she had a procedure similar to that of a surgical abortion to remove the fetus.

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Luckily, in those days I could have the abortion I needed; now thats changing. Not in Pennsylvania, but its only a matter of time, the 89-year-old told Vera Cole, a Pennsylvania House candidate who stopped by her home this month in one of the more conservative parts of battleground Bucks County. Abortion was illegal in Pennsylvania before Roe v. Wade, but there were loopholes. The abortion ban wouldnt have affected Brown because the fetus had already died.

Cole, a Democrat, had identified her top issues as free and fair elections and protection of reproductive rights.

I dont like the way were being treated, Brown told Cole. I object to someone telling me what I can do with my body.

Brown, an unaffiliated voter, hasnt voted for a Republican for president since Sen. John McCain in 2008. But she said she would consider voting for incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, though she has voted against him before. She is exactly the sort of voter Democrats need to reach in order to win up and down the ballot in November.

The exchange between Brown and Cole mirrors conversations Democrats are having with women across Philadelphias suburbs ahead of Novembers election, the first presidential contest held since the Supreme Court struck down the federal right to abortion in 2022. Reproductive rights have been a central theme for Democratic candidates  whether theyre running for the statehouse or the White House.

Women in the collar counties are poised to play a potentially decisive role in determining the next president after helping power President Joe Biden to victory in 2020. They could potentially make Vice President Kamala Harris the first female president if they turn out for her in similar or greater numbers against former President Donald Trump.

Women are revved and ready to go this election season and they have been since their rights were taken away, said Delaware County Councilwoman Monica Taylor, a Democrat who is also co-chair of Black Women for Harris in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Taylor noted that women had been showing up in high numbers to volunteer and that some who were disengaged earlier in the cycle began showing up after Harris became the nominee.

That enthusiasm will be put to the test in November.

The Philadelphia suburbs will be crucially important for Democrats. Biden improved on 2016 nominee Hillary Clintons vote totals by tens of thousands in each of the collar counties on his way to winning the state. All four counties have more voting age women than men, and Delaware County is second only to Philadelphia in proportion of voting age women to men. That slight edge in female voters could matter.

Abortion is a key driver for suburban voters. A Philadelphia Inquirer/New York Times/Siena College poll of Pennsylvania voters in May found that about one in eight respondents in the collar counties cited abortion as the most important issue, making it second only to the economy in importance. It was the only issue on which Biden, then the presumptive Democratic nominee, was more trusted than Trump.

Even before she became the nominee, Harris was the Democratic tickets lead messenger on reproductive rights. In one of her first campaign visits to the Philadelphia suburbs this year, Harris spoke with Abbott Elementarys Sheryl Lee Ralph in Elkins Park about abortion rights.

That same focus on suburban women has been absent from Trumps campaign, which has centered the economy and immigration. While those issues are relevant to women and the campaign has activated female surrogates to help, theres little evidence that the campaign is working to reach women specifically  even as Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, fend off criticism for their records on abortion and their history of derogatory comments about women. In recent statements, Trump and Vance have said abortion policies should be up to the states.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign argued that Harris supports dangerously liberal policies that are harmful to women.

Women deserve a president who will secure our nations borders, remove violent criminals from our neighborhoods, and build an economy that helps our families thrive  and thats exactly what President Trump will do, Trump national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

How Republicans are messaging to women in the Philly suburbs

Republicans have sought to catch up on reproductive rights as they struggle for a message as states have cracked down on abortion rights following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling.

In an event earlier this month in Bucks County, Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick invited a woman who had endured several failed rounds of in vitro fertilization to the stage to discuss his proposal to create tax credits for the treatment, which was threatened in Alabama by a state court ruling there earlier this year.

Everybody focuses on abortion, and obviously this is a very polarizing issue in our country, McCormick said. ... But theres so much more about reproductive rights that I think we should be thinking about and talking about.

McCormick, who has been persistently attacked for his own anti-abortion statements in a previous run for office, reminded the crowd that he is a father to six daughters as he said policy makers should be thinking about access to contraceptives, adoption services, and affordability of fertility treatments.

Deb Mackey, a Bucks County voter who attended McCormicks event, said she was pleasantly surprised to learn about McCormicks policies around families. But she said she was thinking about other issues when deciding how to vote.

I think [Trump will] be better for the economy, better for my stocks, said Mackey, a Republican who opposes abortion. On the world stage. I dont think the players are afraid of Kamala. I think theyre very afraid of President Trump. I think his presidency will protect the nation.

Giana DePaul, the 21-year-old executive director of the Montgomery County GOP, said politicians have been incorrect to repeatedly push the abortion issue on women, especially young women.

Its detrimental to put women in a box and think that they only care for one thing because were as multifaceted as men are, DePaul said.

Were gonna need every woman

While reproductive rights are an important part of the message, Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder said women are also at the heart of the Democratic Partys messaging on such issues as the economy and education.

Were gonna need every woman regardless of where they fit in a certain demographic in Montgomery County to play a role in turning out the vote, said Winder, who hopes to hold an October rally of women supporting Harris in the suburbs.

Winder, who co-chairs Black Women for Harris in the Philly suburbs alongside Taylor, said shes also working to recruit volunteers to arrange small events in their homes in an effort to meet people in a more intimate setting.

Meanwhile, Republicans who oppose Trump are working to plan similar gatherings.

Women4US, an organization working to convince Republican women to vote against Trump, has narrowed in on the Philadelphia suburbs as a key area. Stephanie Sharp, one of the groups founders, said the chaos under Trumps first administration is something Republican women didnt want.

They gave him that chance and saw what could happen if that was extended, Sharp said.

Republicans are hoping Trump can gain back voters he lost in 2020 and persuade women with a policy-focused message.

If they stay on core policy messages around these pocketbook, kitchen table issues, and national security issues I think they could have some success, said Christian Nascimento, chair of the Montgomery County Republican Party.

But Democrats message around reproductive rights remains powerful.

Cole, the Pennsylvania House candidate who is running to unseat Republican incumbent State Rep. Craig Staats, said she is hearing about the issue at roughly a third of the doors she knocks on in Bucks County. Shes campaigning in a district that has been held by Republicans for decades, but she said people are quick to share personal stories.

Thats something I often hear at the doors  that people have their own view about abortion, but they draw the line at making decisions for other people, Cole said.

Brown, the 89-year-old voter, said she wasnt yet sure if she would vote for Cole. But she plans to support Harris, and reproductive rights weigh heavily as she considers her votes in every race.

Its a privacy issue, she said. Its a concern between a doctor, the father of the child, and the mother of the child. I just think laws and government and politicians should stay out of it.

Staff writer Aseem Shukla contributed to this article.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (rear) on Monday campaigned in Croydon for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey at a Bucks for Bob event at Neshaminy Creek Brewing. Read more

Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigned for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey in Lower Bucks County on Monday, telling supporters gathered at Neshaminy Brewing in Croydon that Casey understands what youre dealing with in your community.

The senator is always there for us to deliver a check, to make sure key legislation passes that helps Pennsylvanians, like capping insulin at 35 bucks for our seniors, Shapiro said. When you think about authenticity, when you think about someone whos like us, who shares our values, who gives a damn about us, who can go to those halls of power and not forget where he came from, that is Bob Casey.

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Casey, a third-term Democrat, is locked in a tough reelection fight against Republican Dave McCormick. Although Casey has led in the polls throughout the race, he has said he expects it to be a tight race by the time Election Day arrives on Nov. 5.

Casey on Monday largely stuck to his usual stump speech, saying in part that McCormick would vote with the GOP caucus against bills to expand abortion rights, improve voting access, and strengthen labor unions.

On all those issues, Im on one side. My opponents on the other, Casey said. He will never vote for any of those bills to protect voting rights, womens rights, and workers rights.

McCormick campaign spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory in turn sought to tie Casey to leaders of his party.

Bob Casey is a weak liberal career politician whose support for [President Joe] Biden and [Vice President Kamala] Harris radical agenda has driven record high cost of living as they seek to ban fracking, open borders as thousands of Pennsylvanians die of fentanyl overdose, and enable violent crime by undermining and underfunding law enforcement, Gregory said in a statement.

Gregory was referring to Harris in 2019 saying she supported banning fracking. Casey opposes fracking bans, and Harris has since changed her position.

Both Shapiro and Casey spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, but they had very different missions. Casey made his case for reelection and repeated his signature greedflation platform of investigating large corporations that rapidly raise prices for consumers despite high profit margins.

Shapiro, who is not on the ballot this year and was recently a finalist to be Harris running mate, used his prime-time slot to talk about the need to protect real freedoms  a signature slogan for the governor, who is widely expected to run for the White House himself one day  by electing Democrats this year.

With a mix of blue-collar towns in the south, rural areas in the north, and bedroom communities in between, Bucks County is well known for being a microcosm of the country and a bellwether in national elections. This year it could play a pivotal role in the presidential race, the Senate race, and the U.S. House race between Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic challenger Ashley Ehasz.

Its not only the swingiest of all swing counties in the swingiest of all swing states  I mean that only in the political sense  but its also the county that is going to determine who is in the leadership of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, Shapiro said.

Shapiro said he was eager to help Casey, who endorsed him during the Democratic primary for the 2016 attorney generals race. Shapiros victory was a key step in his rise from Montgomery County official to nationally known figure.

Sen. Casey put his neck out on the line for me when I was starting out in my political career, when very few people gave me a shot, Shapiro said. He was always there for me. Im always going to be there for him.
The question for insurance firms to consider, he suggested, is whether there are already AI tools available that can deal with the particular insurance problem they want to solve. Or does the firm need to make its own bespoke AI product?
Tim Hall (pictured), chief executive of Relation, had this to say about the swoop: Carolina Heritage has built an outstanding reputation in their community, and Relation is proud to welcome them aboard.
AIG recognized a loss of $4.7 billion as a result of Corebridge deconsolidation driven by a gain of $2.5 billion from Corebridge assets retained offset by the recognition of an accumulated other comprehensive loss (AOCL) of $7.2 billion, which represents the proportional recognition of the remaining 48.4% ownership stake of AOCL of Corebridge as of June 9, 2024 (deconsolidation date), AIG said in its statement.
The global insurance brokerage expects hundreds of millions of dollars in insured losses from the intense rains that battered the northeast US and southeast Canada in the middle of the month, according to an AM Best report.
According to FLOIRs data, residential property makes up the bulk of the claims, with 11,480 coming from this segment. Second in line is other lines of business, contributing 5,951 claims to the 18,098 total. The other claims are from commercial property (475), private flood (189), and business interruption (three).
This post is part of a series sponsored by IAT Insurance Group.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a warning about a sophisticated phishing scam targeting motor carriers. Fraudulent emails, posing as official communications from the FMCSA are being sent to registered entities with the intent of extracting sensitive information.

These emails are designed to appear legitimate, complete with the FMCSA logo and formatting that closely mimics genuine correspondence. However, the content and information requested are clear red flags for those in the know.

Example of phishing email

Scam details

The phishing emails in question ask carriers to complete an attached registration form. This form goes beyond the usual requests, asking for personal details such as the carriers social security number, USDOT personal identification number and RMIS ID. In some cases, carriers are even asked to upload copies of their certificate of insurance and drivers license, under the ironic pretense of fraud protection.

Do not complete this form!

Recognizing the red flags

The FMCSA has emphasized they would never request such sensitive information via email forms. Official communications from the FMCSA concerning information requests will either direct you to log in to your portal account or will come directly from an FMCSA-dedicated mailbox. Moreover, any legitimate email from the FMCSA will come from an official FMCSA email address and not from the dubious addresses currently being used for these fraudulent requests: safety@fmcsa.gov or filing@fmcsa.gov.

Also, use the official FMCSA website for biennial updates. Transportation companies must update their information every two years, based on the last digit of their DOT number. If you make any changes to your fleet size, whether it grows or shrinks, update your MCS-150 on the FMCSA website. Only download and fill out forms from the official .gov website. Failure to do so will impact your CSA scores and make you non-compliant.

Its crucial to remain vigilant and verify any suspicious email seemingly from the FMCSA or other agency. If you receive an email demanding personal details or threatening to cancel your USDOT number within 24 hours if you dont comply, its a scam. The FMCSA and other U.S. agencies do not operate in this manner.

5 tips to protect yourself from phishing scams

Here are five best practices to protect yourself and your business from falling victim to a phishing scam:

Verify the email source. Always check the senders true email address by hovering your cursor over it to reveal the full address. This practice will help you identify the email source and determine if its legitimate. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments. Likewise, if an email contains links, hover over them to see where they lead before clicking. If the URL looks suspicious, do NOT click it. Beware of urgency. Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency to prompt immediate action. Be cautious of any email that threatens drastic action if you do not respond within a short timeframe. Do not share personal information by email. Never provide personal or sensitive information via unsecured email communications. Remember, official agencies like the FMCSA will never request account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, USDOT PIN, credit card details, copies of invoices or other personal information via email forms or an unsolicited text, phone call or fax. If you receive such a request, its a scam. Report suspicious emails. If you receive a suspicious email, immediately report it to the FMCSA or your IT department. This helps prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.

Why now? New login requirements from the FMCSA site create confusion

In response to a presidential mandate for multi-factor authentication, the FMCSA began transitioning to Login.gov in 2024 to enhance online safety and security. This transition requires all users with credentials for any FMCSA system to use a Login.gov account to access FMCSA systems instead of using their DOT PIN.

As of January 1, www.login.gov is the sole method for accessing the FMCSA portal and the Unified Registration System; however, during this period of transition, the phishing scam is taking advantage of carriers who might be confused by the new system.

To log in, you must now use the federal portal via Login.gov. The FMCSA PIN is no longer valid for accessing the system. Make sure to request a new login from Login.gov, select who will be responsible for the login, and ensure you complete the verification process by hitting the GO button or the SMS button, depending on the system you are accessing.

ASK A LOSS CONTROL REPRESENTATIVE

Have a question on how to mitigate risk? Email losscontroldirect@iatinsurance.com for a chance to see your question answered in a future blog.

By Nancy Ross-Anderson

Topics Trucking
Pavel Durov, the chief executive officer of Telegram, has been detained in France over claims that the messaging service failed to properly fight crime on the app, including the spread of child sexual abuse material.

The 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire was stopped on Saturday at Le Bourget airport north of Paris, according to a statement from Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau. The following day, a judge running the case extended his detention from 24 to up to 96 hours.

Before that deadline lapses on Wednesday evening, the magistrate must decide whether to press charges against Durov or name him as a witness in the investigation and let him go free.

Durov is being interrogated as part of a case initiated by a cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutors office.

Investigative judges handling the case are looking into a wide range of allegations. They include refusing to help authorities run legal wiretaps on suspects, enabling the sale of child sexual abuse material and aiding and abetting drug trafficking.

Earlier on Monday, an official at a French agency set up last year to prevent violence against minors wrote on LinkedIn that the case centered on the lack of moderation and cooperation of the platform.

In a statement released on its platform on Sunday, the Dubai-based company asserted that Durov has nothing to hide and that Telegram abides by European laws.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, the statement declared. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.

Telegram was created by Durov and his brother Nikolai, a programmer and mathematician, and is one of the most popular messaging apps globally with 900 million active users. The companys relatively hands-off approach to content moderation has led to allegations that it is commonly used for criminal activity and disseminating extremist material.

Prior to launching Telegram, the Durov brothers made their fortune in 2006 by founding the social media network VKontakte. The platform quickly became popular in Russia, and Pavel Durov now has a net worth of over $9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

This success also made Durov a Kremlin target.In 2014, he fled the country and sold his stake in VKontakte.

Durov, who lives in Dubai, is a citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates, according to Telegrams website. He has not commented on whether he has renounced his Russian citizenship.

Following Durovs detention, the Russian embassy in Paris said it immediately asked the French authorities for an explanation of the reasons and demanded that they ensure the protection of his rights and provide consular access. It added that embassy officials have been in touch with Durovs lawyer.

French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X that Durovs arrest was in no way a political decision and that it would be up to the judges to decide on the case.

Its the judicial system that will independently enforce the law, Macron wrote.

Photograph: Pavel Durov, chief executive officer of Telegram; photo credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Fraud
Thunderstorm alerts are in place for a swath of Europe from the south of France to the Balkans.

There are orange warnings for Lombardy, Piedmont, Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, as the summer heat gives way to violent storms. Serbia faces similar alerts, while the French Riviera is under a yellow storm warning.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves, triggering extreme weather events from violent storms to wildfires. As the Mediterranean Sea warms  reaching a record average temperature this month  its turbo-charging storms across the region.

In Greece, Athens and the surrounding Attica region still face a high risk of wildfires, along with northeast Peloponnese, the island of Evia, the Cycladic islands, including Mykonos and Santorini, and the Sporadic islands. Firefighters, supported by planes and helicopters, are tackling a blaze near the village of Kalyvia Soxas in southern Peloponnese.

While its been the worst wildfire season in two decades in terms of outbreaks, there has been just one major blaze  on the outskirts of the capital two weeks ago  after the deployment of drones and cameras accelerated response times.

There were 52 wildfires in the 24 hours to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, but the risk is expected to ease on Tuesday as wind speeds drop.

Theres also a yellow warning for heavy rain across southern Scotland on Tuesday, although southern parts of the country will warm up over the coming days. London is forecast to climb to 28C (82F) on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.

Yellow weather warning issued

Heavy rain across parts of southwest Scotland

Tuesday 0300  1900

Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs

Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/Yuc27mIWsa

 Met Office (@metoffice) August 26, 2024

Photograph: Lightning striking over Nice, France, on Aug. 14, 2024. Photo credit: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Windstorm Europe
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced that a Wichita man has been sentenced to prison for securities fraud.

Jesse Wayne Harris, age 36, was sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court on August 20 to 30 months in prison for three level four felonies of securities fraud. He was taken into custody last week to begin his prison sentence.

Starting in 2016, Harris sold securities to raise investment funds for two schemes. Instead of using investor funds for the purposes Harris promised investors, Harris misappropriated the vast majority offunds, using them for his personal use and to pay other investors. Such activity is the hallmark of a Ponzi scheme- a fraudulent scheme where money taken from later investors is paid to earlier investors to create the false appearance that the scheme is generating returns.

In June 2018, the Securities Commissioner of Kansas was ordered to act as a receiver for Harris and his company, Harris Custom Projects LLC. The receivership has returned $500,000 in restitution back to investors.

Ponzi schemes like this one too often result in investors losing part  if not all  of their original investment, said Schmidt. In this case, investors who were defrauded have received a large portion oftheir money back, which is a testament to the diligent work of our Securities Division and the Office ofthe Attorney General.

The Securities Division of the Kansas Department of Insurance investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney Generals Office.

Source: Kansas Department of Insurance

Topics Fraud Kansas
Global specialty insurer Chaucer hired Alex Baker as class underwriter within its political violence and crisis management team. Baker will lead the delivery of their growth strategy and portfolio management in the US market.

Baker previously worked at AXA XL (Catlin) for 13 years, specializing in underwriting terrorism and political violence risks.

Chaucer recently partnered with Gabriel and Merrill Herzog to launch its active assailant product for the U.S. market. The product covers combined property damage, business interruption and liability cover following active assailant incidents at an insureds location or neighboring sites.

EagleView Hires Cooke for Enterprise Growth

EagleView, headquartered in Rochester, New York, hired Courtney Cooke as vice president of enterprise growth.

Cooke has spent over 20 years working across the P&C insurance industry with carriers and insurtech startups. EagleView said she will be leveraging that experience in working with carriers to address pain points with technology solutions. EagleView is a geospatial technology company.

She began her career as a specialized adjuster for the in-house managed repair program at State Farm Insurance in 2002 and joined the catastrophe response team in 2005. In 2018, Cooke transitioned to a vendor support role within the P&C industry as the vice president of business development for TheBestIRS, Insurance Recruiting Specialists. In 2021, she became executive vice president of sales and marketing at Bees360 Inc.

Topics AXA XL
Lowes Cos. is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the latest American company to end such initiatives following a series of activists attacks on firms that promote DEI.

The home-improvement retailer will no longer participate in surveys for LGBTQ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign, and will also combine its various business resource groups that represent diverse employees into one umbrella organization, it said in an internal note.

Itll also focus on sponsoring events related to safe and affordable housing, disaster relief and skilled trades education, and will not participate in community events outside of this remit, according to the note, which was seen by Bloomberg News and confirmed by a Lowes spokesman.

US corporations have been facing pressure to curtail programs they adopted following the murder of George Floyd by a White policeman in 2020 and an ensuing racial reckoning. A Supreme Court decision last year banning affirmative action at universities has emboldened opponents of DEI programs, invigorating legal activists including Edward Blum and former Donald Trump staffer Stephen Miller, whove filed lawsuits and issued complaints to the US government around corporate hiring that they say unfairly favors non-White workers.

Robby Starbuck, whose calls to boycott several firms that promote DEI have led to those companies cutting back or eliminating diversity programs, claims credit for the move by Lowes. The company changed its DEI policy after Starbuck reached out to the firm last week, he said on X.

Lowes spokesman Steve Salazar said Starbuck reached out after the company had already begun making changes to its DEI program.

Lowes had eight business resource groups as of 2021, according to its latest diversity report. They include groups for Black, Latino, Asia Pacific, LGBTQ and women associates. The report also said it was voted the best place to work for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign and saw an 11% increase in people of color among its domestic officers.

Tractor Supply Co., Deere & Co. and Harley-Davidson Inc. all said they would significantly curtail DEI activities after Starbuck began campaigning against them in recent months. Jack Daniels whiskey maker Brown-Forman Co. last week also told staff it was ending DEI programs. Starbuck said he had been preparing to go after the company.

Photo: Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Claims
The state-sponsored Chinese hacking campaign known as Volt Typhoon is exploiting a bug in a California-based startup to hack American and Indian internet companies, according to security researchers.

Volt Typhoon has breached four US firms, including internet service providers, and another in India through a vulnerability in a Versa Networks server product, according to Lumen Technologies Inc.s unit Black Lotus Labs. Their assessment, much of which was published in a blog post on Tuesday, found with moderate confidence that Volt Typhoon was behind the breaches of unpatched Versa systems and said exploitation was likely ongoing.

Versa, which makes software that manages network configurations and has attracted investment from Blackrock Inc. and Sequoia Capital, announced the bug last week and offered a patch and other mitigations.

The revelation will add to concerns over the susceptibility of US critical infrastructure to cyberattacks. The US this year accused Volt Typhoon of infiltrating networks that operate critical US services, including some of the countrys water facilities, power grid and communications sectors, in order to cause disruptions during a future crisis, such as an invasion of Taiwan.

Lumen shared its findings with Versa in late June, according to Lumen and supporting documentation shared with Bloomberg.

Versa, which is based in Santa Clara, California, said it issued an emergency patch for the bug at the end of June, but only began flagging the issue widely to customers in July once it was notified by one that claimed to have been breached. Versa said that customer, which it didnt identify, didnt follow previously published guidelines on how to protect its systems via firewall rules and other measures.

Dan Maier, Versas chief marketing officer, said in an email Monday that those 2015 guidelines include advising customers to close off internet access to a specific port, which the customer had failed to follow. Since last year, he said, Versa has now taken measures of its own to make the system secure by default, meaning customers will no longer be exposed to that risk even if they havent followed company guidelines.

The bug carries a high severity rating, according to the National Vulnerability Database. On Friday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, ordered federal agencies to patch Versa products or stop using them by Sept. 13.

The vulnerability has been exploited in at least one known instance by a sophisticated hacking group, Versa said in a blog post on Monday. The company didnt identify the group, and on Friday, Versa told Bloomberg it didnt know the identity.

Microsoft Corp. named and unveiled the Volt Typhoon campaign in May 2023. Since its discovery, US officials have urged companies and utilities to improve their logging to help search for and eradicate the hackers, who use vulnerabilities to get into systems and then can remain undetected for long stretches of time.

The Chinese government has dismissed US accusations, saying the hacking attacks attributed to Volt Typhoon are the work of cyber criminals.

CISA Director Jen Easterly told Congress in January about the malicious cyber activity, warning the US has discovered only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to victims and that Chinas aim is to be able to plunge the US into societal panic.

US agencies, including CISA, the National Security Agency and the FBI, said in February that Volt Typhoon activity dates back at least five years and has targeted communications, energy, transportation systems, water and wastewater systems.

Lumen first identified the malicious code in June, according to Lumen researcher Michael Horka. A malware sample uploaded from Singapore on June 7 bore the hallmarks of Volt Typhoon, he said in an interview.

Horka, a former FBI cyber investigator who joined Lumen in 2023 after working on Volt Typhoon cases for the federal government, said the code was a web shell that allowed hackers to gain access to a customers network via legitimate credentials and then behave as if they were bona fide users.

Photo: Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics USA Cyber InsurTech China
The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered the Southlake, Texas location of a national childcare provider to reinstate an employee and pay $43,295 in back wages and damages after the employer fired them for reporting concerns about unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the facilitys kitchen to Texas health officials.

An investigation by the departments Occupational Safety and Health Administration found LSP Operations LLC, operating as Little Sunshine Playhouse Operations, retaliated against the employee for engaging in actions protected by the Food Safety Modernization Act. The Southlake location is a subsidiary of the privately owned, Little Sunshines Enterprises Inc. in Springfield, Missouri.

Specifically, the employee alerted the company and the Texas Department of Health and Human Services in August 2023 that the facilitys kitchen was not being cleaned overnight, an unsanitary area was used for food preparation and food was stored at unsafe temperatures. The employee told investigators they suffered severe rashes caused by the kitchens conditions.

Our investigation found Little Sunshine Playhouse Operations punished an employee who reported unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the facilitys kitchen out of concerns for the health of infants, young children and staff, said OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin in Dallas. Every employee has the legally protected right to warn others about safety concerns and the right to do so without fear of an employers retaliation.

In addition to ordering Little Sunshine Playhouse to reinstate the worker and pay back wages and damages, OSHA directed the employer to pay $5,500 in attorneys fees.

Little Sunshines Enterprises Inc. operates 35 early learning centers for children ages six weeks through pre-kindergarten in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

Source: OSHA

Topics Texas
The saga of the Murdaugh family in South Carolina continues, now with a convenience store company suing its liability insurers for failing to defend it against a second lawsuit stemming from the sale of beer to an underage Paul Murdaugh on a fateful night in 2019.

The lawsuit in federal court in Georgia could add to the simmering debate over the high cost of liability insurance for establishments that sell alcohol in South Carolina, a cost that has driven a number of restaurants, bars and venues to close in the last two years.

In the complaint filed late last week, Parkers Corp. and its principal officers charge that Amerisure Insurance Co. and Utica Mutual Insurance breached the insurance contract by denying coverage for a lawsuit filed by the estate of a young woman killed in a boat crash  a boat allegedly driven by the underage and intoxicated son of Alex Murdaugh.

The elder Murdaugh is a former well-known South Carolina attorney who was convicted in 2023 of murdering his wife and his son, Paul, in 2021.

Insurers for Parkers, which owned the waterfront convenience store that sold alcohol to Paul Murdaugh before the fatal boat accident, last year agreed to pay some $15 million to settle the young womans familys initial suit against the store operators. That was known as the boating lawsuit.

In 2021, the estate of deceased Mallory Beach filed a second lawsuit, known as the outrage lawsuit, against Parkers, alleging that the store company had leaked videos, previously used in a related mediation, of some of the events that night, along with photographs of Mallorys body. The images were reportedly provided to a documentary filmmaker, the outrage suit contends.

The Outrage lawsuit also falsely contends that Parkers, Mr. Parker, Mr. Greco, and Mr. DCruz worked with private investigators to launch a social media campaign to inflict emotional distress on the Beach Family to diminish their resolve to prosecute their claims against Parkers in the Boating Lawsuit, Parkers complaint against its insurers explains.

The Parkers and the others named in the outrage suit have denied the allegations. But they say they still need Amerisure and Utica to defend them in the potentially costly litigation. Both commercial liability policies provided $1 million per occurrence and an aggregate limit of $2 million.

The insurers have not yet filed an answer to the Parker lawsuit. But the complaint notes that the carriers sent declination letters in 2022 denying the coverage: Amerisure argued that the mediation video was leaked before the policy period began and that the policy excludes coverage for claims regarding material that was provided illegally.

Parkers Corp. countered that the underlying outrage suit does not allege violations of the law, and that the date the video was leaked is only an allegation made by the Beach family.

The Appeals Are Just Beginning for Alex Murdaugh (AP)  The appeals are just beginning for disgraced former South Carolina attorney (AP)  The appeals are just beginning for disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh , who is almost three years into a life sentence without parole for killing his wife and son. The South Carolina Supreme Court has agreed to hear Murdaughs appeal of his murder convictions. His lawyers said they resulted from jury tampering by the clerk of court who watched over jurors during his six-week trial. And in federal court, Murdaugh is appealing the 40-year sentence he was given after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $11 million from clients and his law firm. Defense attorneys said that punishment  10 years longer than the maximum recommended by sentencing guidelines  is too harsh under the U.S. Constitution. Prosecutors said it is a backstop in case Murdaugh, now 56, ever manages to get his murder conviction overturned. His appeals will continue for years. Courts havent even begun hearing the meat of Murdaughs argument that the judge in his murder trial made mistakes, for example by allowing his money thefts into evidence . That was critical to the prosecutions argument that the killings were meant to buy sympathy and time to keep the thefts from being discovered. The defense said that evidence unfairly made jurors angry, when all they were supposed to consider was the killings.

Utica denied coverage and legal defense on the grounds that the outrage suit does not involve bodily injury, per the terms of the insurance policy. The policy also does not cover harm from publication of non-public information, and does not cover personal and advertising injury resulting from the publication of material that the insureds knew to be false, Utica said, according to the Parker complaint.

Furthermore, Utica is estopped from asserting any coverage defenses not expressly included in its January 27, 2022 denial letter because an insurer is not permitted in Georgia to deny coverage and at the same time to reserve its rights later to assert other bases for the coverage denial, the Parker suit argues.

The Parker Corp., which owns convenience stores in Georgia and South Carolina, is asking the U.S. District Court in Northern Georgia to declare that the insurance companies must defend the store company in the outrage lawsuit, and to award damages to Parkers for the insurers failure to defend.

The selling of the alcohol to Paul Murdaugh, who reportedly used his older brothers identification card, that night in 2019 and the subsequent insurance settlement have been cited as an example of how South Carolinas joint-and-several liability laws have caused insurance premiums to soar, putting multiple places out of business.

Critics have said the law does not allow apportionment of fault but lets juries pin most of the damages on defendants with the deepest pockets or best insurance coverage. Although several other establishments sold booze to Murdaugh and friends that night, Parkers store was facing the bulk of the damages.

The South Carolina General Assembly this year did not approve a number of bills, including ones that would have repealed the joint liability law and others that would have provided insurance pools to eating and drinking establishments.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers South Carolina
Hone passed south of Hawaii and weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Sunday, dumping so much rain that the National Weather Service called off its red flag warnings that strong winds could lead to wildfires on the drier sides of the islands.

Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific saw a new threat emerge as Tropical Storm Hector formed, packing top sustained winds of 45 mph. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect as Hector churned far out at sea, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hone (pronounced hoe-NEH) had top winds of 70 mph Sunday night as it swirled slowly past Hawaii about 180 miles southwest of Honolulu and 185 miles south of Lihue, according to an 11 p.m. advisory from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Jon Jelsema, a senior forecaster at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, said earlier Sunday that tropical storm force winds were blowing across the islands southeast-facing slopes, carrying up to a foot (or more of rain.

Floods closed Highway 11 between Kona and Hilo, and a higher-altitude alternative, the Cane Road, was closed by flooding as well, isolating properties like the Aikane Plantation Coffee Co. outside Pahala, where owner Phil Becker said his 10-inch rain gauge overflowed in the deluge.

Weve got quite a lot of flood damage, the gulches are running full speed ahead and theyre overflowing the bridges, so were trapped down here, we cant get in or out, Becker said Sunday.

Becker said his plantation is off the grid, powered with batteries charged by solar electricity, and his family is safe, so they have no reason to evacuate. The weather may even prove beneficial: Weve been in a drought situation so the coffee is probably loving all this rain, he said.

Hurricane Gilma, meanwhile, weakened to a still-major Category 3 hurricane Saturday night, but it was far east of Hawaii and forecast to weaken into a depression before it reaches the islands. Gilma was expected to remain a hurricane through Tuesday and at 11 p.m. Sunday was 1,260 miles east of Hilo with top winds of 100 mph.

Shelters were opened as Hurricane Hone blew in and beach parks on the eastern side of the Big Island were closed due to dangerously high surf, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said.

Jelsema offered a vivid metaphor for the rainfall: As the rain gets pushed up the mountain terrain it wrings it out, kind of like wringing out a wet towel, he said.

Its been really soaking those areas, theres been flooding of roads. Roads have been cut off by high flood waters there in the windward sections of the big island, and really thats the only portion of the state thats had much flooding concern at this point, he said.

Hone, whose name is Hawaiian for sweet and soft, poked at memories still fresh of last years deadly blazes on Maui, which were fueled by hurricane-force winds. Red flag alerts are issued when warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds combine to raise fire dangers. Most of the archipelago is already abnormally dry or in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The Aug. 8, 2023, blaze that torched the historic town of Lahaina was the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, with 102 dead. Dry, overgrown grasses and drought helped spread the fire.

Calvin Endo, a Waianae Coast neighborhood board member who lives in Makaha, a leeward Oahu neighborhood prone to wildfires, has worried for years about dry brush on private property behind his home. Hes taken matters into his own hands by clearing the brush himself, but hes concerned about nearby homes abutting overgrown vegetation.

All you need is fire and wind and well have another Lahaina, Endo said as the storm approached. I notice the wind started to kick up already.

The cause of the Lahaina blaze is still under investigation, but its possible it was ignited by bare electrical wire and leaning power poles toppled by the strong winds. The states two power companies, Hawaiian Electric and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, were prepared to shut off power if necessary to reduce the chance that live, damaged power lines could start fires, but they later said the safety measures would not be necessary as Hone blew past the islands.

Roth said a small blaze that started Friday night in Waikoloa, on the dry side of the Big Island, was brought under control without injuries or damage.

Walker reported from New York.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Windstorm Hawaii
The Caribbean is considered to be one of the world's top vacation destinations. With as many as 44 million residents and thousands of individual islands (territories, including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies), the Caribbean archipelago includes some very dynamic economies. In this article, we examine some of the major economies of the region in a little more depth.

Key Takeaways The Caribbean archipelago includes thousands of islands and some very dynamic economies.

Export revenues from oil and gas help drive the economy of Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaica is one of the worlds leading producers of bauxite.

The Cayman Islands is a well-known offshore tax haven for multinational corporations and billion-dollar financial service companies.

Remittance payments help boost the economy of the Dominican Republic.

Trinidad and Tobago

The twin island nations of Trinidad and Tobago have a relatively high gross domestic product (GDP)per capita compared to other territories in the region. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is considered to be a high-income economy by the World Bank. A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a nation with a gross national income per capita of $14,005 or more.

In 2011, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) removed Trinidad and Tobago from its list of developing countries.

According to the World Bank, Trinidad and Tobagos GDP, as of 2023, is $28.14 billion. Trinidad is highly dependent on petrochemical and liquefied natural gas exports as a result of its large oil and natural gas reserves, and the Republic has had a robust economy over the last decade (primarily because of rapid growth in its production of natural gas and the country's substantial exports of petrochemicals).

As a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), Trinidad benefits from trade alliances among other Caribbean states. CARICOM is a group of twenty developing countries that work together to shape policies for the region and encourages economic growth and trade.

Jamaica

For many years, Jamaica was mostly known for its reggae music and crystal-clear beaches. But, the islands financial industry made headlines, when Bloomberg reported that the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) was the worlds best-performing stock market for 2015. Thanks to foreign acquisitions and a recovering economy, the JSE index rose by 97% that yearthe same time the S&P 500 reported negative returns.

The main market in Jamaica ended with a decline of 1,515.67 points in the 2023 trading session. Trading remained firm over the year with no advancements or declines from the 68 stocks trading on the exchange.

The Jamaican economy is powered by export revenues from its agriculture and mining industries. In addition to being one of the largest producers of bauxite (a sedimentary rock that's the chief commercial ore of aluminum), Jamaica also exports alcoholic preps for beverages, cassava, raw sugar, and raw coffee beans. Jamaica is also a member of CARICOM, a common market in the Caribbean.

In recent years, the government of Jamaica has been working on economic reforms that have gained support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank.

There are more than 7,000 islands in the Caribbean and more than a dozen countries in the region.

Cayman Islands

Many people wish that they could avoid paying income taxes without getting into trouble with the lawthe residents of the Cayman Islands are afforded the luxury of doing so. Known as one of the worlds top tax havens, the Cayman Islands imposes a 0% tax rate on income earned by individuals.

There are also no corporate taxes, no capital gains, and no gift or property taxes in the Cayman Islands, although this may change. In 2021, there were proposed global reforms that would have impacted the statuses of all tax havens, including the Cayman Islands. (After years of negotiation, the G7 came to a dealwhich was presented to G20 countries in July 2021that would require companies to face a 20% tax on earnings, above a 10% margin, in countries where its products or services are consumed. Another part of the plan would set a minimum global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%.)

As a result of its tax-neutral status, the Cayman Islands has attracted many wealthy people and corporations to incorporate business entities in its jurisdiction. The primary source of the governments revenue comes from indirect taxes, such as customs duties. Like most tax havens, the majority of the law firms, accountants, and company managers in the Cayman Islands focus their efforts on serving the financial services industry.

The government of the Cayman Islands also makes a substantial amount of money from fees associated with registering and renewing offshore companies and hedge funds.

Unlike Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the Cayman Islands use a fixed exchange rate regime.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has one of the largest GDPs among the different Caribbean territories, but it's dependence on tourism negatively dropped the GDP in 2020 by 6.7%. Strong trading relationships and large remittance payments helped to contribute to the expansion of the island's economy. In fact, remittances serve as one of the islands largest sources of foreign exchange.

In addition to being one of the Caribbeans largest producers and exporters of sugarcane, the Dominican Republic exports cigars, sugar cane, refined petroleum, and bananas. Some of the islands key trading partners are the United States, China, and Haiti.

What Is the Total Gross Domestic Product of the Caribbean? The GDP for the Caribbean was estimated to be $135.73 billion in 2024, according to the IMF. The annual percentage change in real GDP growth is 9.7%.

Which Caribbean Country Has the Highest GDP? According to the IMF, the Dominican Republic has the highest GDP in current prices. The estimated 2024 figure was $127.36 billion.

How Much Does Tourism Contribute to the Caribbean Economy? Tourism is a huge driver for the Caribbean economy. According to Statista, the tourism industry contributed more than $62 billion to the region's GDP in 2022. The major contributor was the Dominican Republic, which saw $15 billion or roughly 24% of the region's GDP.

The Bottom Line

The Caribbean is much more than a holiday destination. It consists of small island economies that are major players in a wide range of global industries. While tourism is one of the main drivers of the region's growth, it is also home to other industries. These include oil, gas, and natural resources.
August 27, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Nvidia will beat previous results when the chipmaker publishes its earnings on Wednesday, predicts the CEO and Founder of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations.

The bullish prediction from Nigel Green of deVere Group comes ahead of what's dubbed the "single most important earnings report of the year."

Few companies have captured the market's imagination as Nvidia has in 2023. With a stock that has skyrocketed by 150% this year alone and an eye-popping 3,000% surge over the past five years, Nvidia's trajectory has been nothing short of phenomenal.

And while sceptics are waving caution flags, likening the company's extraordinary rise to the dot-com bubble of two decades ago, and flagging current shipment issues, there are compelling reasons to believe that Nvidia's best days are still ahead.

Nigel Green says: "The company has become the undisputed leader in artificial intelligence (AI) chips, a market segment that is poised to reshape industries across the globe. In a world increasingly dominated by AI-driven technologies, Nvidia stands head and shoulders above the competition.

"The company's cutting-edge GPUs, particularly its Hopper architecture, are driving massive demand, and there is no clear competitor in sight that can match its performance.

"The result? A stratospheric rise in Nvidia's stock and market cap that has far outpaced broader market gains."

This week's earnings report, coming after the close on Wednesday, could be a defining moment for the US markets.

"With Nvidia accounting for roughly a quarter of the S&P 500's 17% gain year-to-date, all eyes are on whether the AI darling can continue its impressive streak.

"We believe Nvidia will deliver stellar results, outperforming both earnings expectations and forward guidance," notes the deVere Group CEO.

The earnings season has been unforgiving to tech giants, with investors punishing companies whose results have failed to justify lofty valuations and extensive spending on AI.

However, Nvidia is uniquely positioned to buck this trend.

Recent signals from other companies in the tech ecosystem only bolster the bullish case for Nvidia.

Consider Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC), a critical supplier in the chip industry, which just cited strong AI demand in its latest earnings report. AMD, another major player in the semiconductor space, has raised its sales forecasts for data center chips three times in the past year, fueled by the same AI-driven demand that Nvidia is capitalizing on. Super Micro Computer (SMCI), which is a key player in data center hardware, has also reported robust demand for its liquid cooling solutions-technology crucial for running Nvidia's high-performance GPUs.

Furthermore, Nvidia's key customer, Meta Platforms (META), just raised its capital expenditures guidance by billions for the coming years, signaling confidence in the long-term demand for Nvidia's AI chips.

"This is a strong validation of Nvidia's dominance in the AI space and sets the stage for a blockbuster earnings report," affirms Nigel Green.

Yes, there are concerns.

Some bears argue that Nvidia's astronomical gains will inevitably cool, especially amid reported shipment delays for its new AI chip, Blackwell.

But, deVere believes these worries are overblown. Nvidia's leadership in AI chips isn't just about today's product lineup; it's about the company's unmatched ability to innovate and anticipate future needs in an AI-dominated world.

The deVere CEO concludes: "Nvidia's upcoming earnings report will be a crucial test for the broader market's AI-driven rally, but the signs point toward another strong showing.

"Expect Nvidia to not only meet but exceed expectations this week."

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Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said Boeing's new management "continue to disappoint" and deliveries were behind schedule.

The airline, one of Boeing's largest customers, said there was a risk it would take delivery of just 20-25 of the 737 Max aircraft ahead of next summer, rather than the 29 scheduled.

"Things are continuing to slip slightly, it's been disappointing," Mr O'Leary told Reuters in an interview.

"We're working closely with Stephanie Pope and the new team in Boeing, but they continue to disappoint us," he said, referring to the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, who was appointed in March.

Boeing last month named aerospace industry veteran Kelly Ortberg as its chief executive.

Boeing has pledged to grow output by the end of the year, after wrestling with supply chain snags and operating a slower assembly line since a January 5 in-flight blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 jet that heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Mr O'Leary said Ryanair had received five aircraft in July instead of the seven scheduled and it looked like it would get just five of 10 scheduled for August.

"Boeing have had significant production problems. We think they're getting to the end of that," he said.

Ryanair said in July Boeing had warned it some 737 Max deliveries due by next spring would be delayed until the peak summer months of 2025  a repeat of delays this year that forced a cut in its summer traffic volumes.

Ryanair, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, already has 150 firm orders for the Max 10, the largest jet in the 737 family, and options for 150 more, with the first deliveries due in 2027.

Mr O'Leary said the smaller Max 7 was supposed to be certified by the end of this year, but that looks like slipping into the first half of 2025.

He said it was "impossible to know" if certification of the Max 10 would be on time in the first half of 2025. "It's a day-by-day challenge with Boeing."

Meanwhile, the airline said it would cut 20% of its traffic at Berlin-Brandenburg airport, making good on threats to reduce its presence in the German capital due to some of the highest location charges in Europe.

The cuts, which will result in a loss of 750,000 seats from the start of the summer flight plan in April 2025, will see Ryanair's Berlin-based aircraft reduced to seven from nine, the airline said as it upgraded its summer air fare outlook.

Ryanair also said it would cut six routes serving Brussels, Krakow, Riga, Luxembourg, Kaunas in Lithuania and Chania on the Greek island of Crete.

The airline has repeatedly warned it would switch capacity to other EU countries if Germany did not meet its demands to reverse an aviation tax increase and reduce air traffic control charges.

The airport, the only one serving Germany's capital, said it regretted Ryanair's decision but it understood the criticism.

Reuters
The American rapper and actor Curtis James Jackson adopted the nickname 50 Cent as he saw it as a metaphor for change.

As I look at how dairy markets have rocketed upwards over the last few months, and especially over the last few weeks, a base price in excess of 50 cents now is easily achievable, could that be a metaphor for change? Absolutely, as dairy farmers have struggled so hard over the last 18 months.

We have fought to deal with policy changes, weak dairy markets and horrendous weather so the idea of a base price is a chance at survival for many. The GDT increased by 5.5% this week with butter, WMP, SMP, and Mozzarella all seeing good increases but watching how EU dairy markets have been increasing is even more important.

Butter has increased by 2,000 a tonne this year, in actual fact it is increasing in price so fast at the moment that fresh harvests of sunflower seeds have increased by $100 a tonne this week as no doubt demand for margarine will increase.

A dairy market cant rely solely on butter though and crucially SMP prices are also increasing with good demand for food and feed SMP. WMP has also shown great increases over the last few months. German prices for milk have lifted over 1 cent a week through August so any base price increases in Ireland during August are well outdated.

Now is the time for Irish processors to set the tone on price if they want to see milk throughout the winter whilst also giving spring-calving herds the confidence that they will start out 2025 on a brighter note.

China

As is usually typical of farming, the only thing that could throw a spanner in the works for dairy markets is policy, while our renowned EU leaders chose to look at slapping tariffs on the imports of Chinese electric vehicles, China is never a country to be intimidated and has finally fought the EU back by launching an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of EU dairy.

Should this latest probe by the Chinese impact EU dairy farmers, then it is up to those who represent us at EU level to ensure dairy farmers are compensated via the 36% tariffs imposed on Chinese EVs by the EU.

As with all trade wars, the person who usually pays the price is the consumer and ordinary hard-working person.

New life

New life has arrived in abundance on our farm over the last week, we hear the call of new baby calves as we walk down the farm yard every morning and it is always a breath of fresh air to see those calves wagging their tales as they drink milk and bounce around in a new bed of straw.

The freshly calved heifers are now accustomed to their new roles as milking cows. Unfortunately, one heifer got mastitis in a rear quarter.

We strip the fresh calvers on every milking and as soon as we noticed mastitis we tubed the quarter but also noticed within 20 minutes that she wasnt eating her evening feed, her temperature was up and after a quick phone call to Coolcower vets, Pat was in the yard within a half hour.

The heifer received two IV injections and as her rumination had also slowed it was decided to pump her stomach. We stripped the quarter a few more times late into the night and gave another mastitis tube before a few hours sleep.

That quick intervention and team effort delivered, as by the morning milking the heifer had milk back in the quarter and was eating as normal. We are blessed that our vets work as a team and later that day Patricia popped in to give the heifer a once-over after consulting with Pat.

Ireland's vets

The effort that they put in always highlights to me how crucial it is that Ireland has a second veterinary college to give more people with a passion for animals the opportunity to work in such a great career.

It is that passion for working with animals that makes our team of vets such a huge asset, they know all our show animals by name, know a lot of their big achievements in the show ring but often they are overworked due to the lack of qualified people coming through the education system.

Perhaps it is about time the agricultural sector threw all its weight behind the veterinary sector to ensure a second veterinary college is delivered in Ireland immediately.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has been toying around with this for long enough and needs to ensure it is delivered straight away for a country so heavily reliant on agriculture.

Shows and sales

Before Georgie heads back to school, there is one last outdoor agricultural show as we head to Limerick this weekend with a team of five which are all well used to the show ring now and will most likely be heading to the National Dairy show in October as well.

It will be a short week then as I head to the UK with her for the ABAB qualifier on Friday before a late night flight home so she can help at the Eedy sale which takes place on Saturday, August 31, in Clonakilty, the herd owned by Robert, Sylvia, Jason and Laura Helen.

There are 48 lots for sale on the day so Georgie will be busy helping walk a few in the sales ring and also leading heifers back and forward from the ring. Sales experience is always great for young handlers, constantly leading new heifers who are still just becoming accustomed to the big atmosphere.

The Helen family always offer some outstanding stock at the Eedy sale. We purchased Eedy Rubicon Acclaim at the sale two years ago and she has certainly hit the big time, both in the show ring and also in the milking parlour.

We also purchased Eedy Mystic Crush Adina at the same sale and she is just fresh now with her first calf and milking 27 litres a day even though she is only calved five days. No doubt auctioneer Michael Taffe will be as busy as ever on the rostrum at this year's sale.
Hollywood actress Demi Moore has said there did not seem to be a place for her in the industry when she was in her 40s.

The Ghost actress, 61, reflected on her role in horror film The Substance, in which she plays a fading Hollywood beauty who turns back time with a new drug.

In conversation with Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh for Interview magazine, Moore said the way Yeoh had described the movie and how it explores self-loathing and the inability to accept who you are is what moved her when she read the script.

Dennis Quaid and Demi Moore at the photocall for The Substance during the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes (Doug Peters/PA)

She said: It was such a unique way to be exploring this issue of aging, of societal conditioning, of what I also see as the pressure of the male-idealized woman that we as women have bought into.

At the core of it, what its really about is what we do to ourselves, and I loved that it was illustrated in such a physical way  showing that violence with what we do with our thoughts, how we attack ourselves and distort things.

Moore said Yeoh had reflected the idea of remembering that we can define where we want it to go and who we are in her Oscars speech.

When Yeoh, 62, won the lead actress award for Everything Everywhere All At Once in 2023, she told women to not let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime.

Moore added: To me, whats exciting is, in the film, Im representing a past ideal and not what my present is.

Asked if that is why the script resonated with her, she said: Oh, definitely. Whats interesting is I felt it more when I hit my forties.

Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Oscar for lead actress in 2023 (Doug Peters/PA)

I had done Charlies Angels, and there was a lot of conversation around this scene in a bikini, and it was all very heightened, a lot of talk about how I looked.

And then I found that there didnt seem to be a place for me. I didnt feel like I didnt belong.

Its more like I felt that feeling of, Im not 20, Im not 30, but I wasnt yet what they perceived as a mother.

Moore played Madison Lee in the 2003 action comedy film Charlies Angels: Full Throttle and she is also known for starring in GI Jane (1997) and Indecent Proposal (1993).

The actress also spoke about what it was like to film nude scenes for the movie and said the nudity was not about it being sexualized, but it was about being raw and exposed in those ways that we are when were alone and were not thinking that anybodys looking.

The Substance received a 13-minute ovation when it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and Moore said she was extremely humbled by this.
This time of year can be exciting and stressful for many families. In the space of a week, the Leaving Cert results are published, and the CAO offers places in third-level institutes to those who were successful. For many, it's a joyous time with lots of celebrations and exciting last-minute planning, but there can be deep disappointment for others who did not get the offers they hoped for.

While parents need to allow their adult children to feel disappointed, it is essential to encourage them to see other opportunities that may be open to them. I often use the sat nav metaphor in therapy with clients. The metaphor reminds us that just because we have missed a turn, our destination doesnt have to change, only the route. And sometimes, the scenic route can be more enjoyable.

Too many young people see success and failure as binary concepts instead of points on a spectrum. Just because you didnt achieve your optimal route to your destination does not mean that all is lost. Alternative options, such as a post Leaving Cert course or an associated programme, can help you continue working towards your goal. Also, dont underestimate the value of taking a year out. I have often seen how a gap year is invaluable to young people, allowing them to experience the world of work and return the following year with a fresh and informed perspective of their future goals.

However, if your child has been successful and is about to embark on heading off to third level, another suite of challenges is present. Given the housing and rental crisis, many students and parents have had to plan their third-level journey around what is possible. These issues mean young adults frequently have to endure cumbersome daily commutes to college, posing a huge challenge for parents.

Mixed feelings

Beyond the travel and accommodation challenges, families often experience emotional upheaval when a child starts college.

My mother once told me that one of her most challenging parenting experiences was watching me leave for a new life in Dublin when I was 17. Heading off for college is usually a time of loaded car boots with large blue Ikea bags and great excitement, but it can also be a time of great worry and sadness for parents. Validating this mix of feelings is essential.

It's natural to feel a mix of pride, anxiety, and even loss when a child is heading off on their first experience of living independently. Knowing these feelings are a normal and necessary part of the process can help.

Your child leaving home for college is an event that is ordinary and emotionally loaded. It has become a cultural moment, too. Celebrities like Rob Lowe, Heidi Klum, and Ulrika Jonsson have all described the pain they experienced during this process. TV presenter Ruth Langsford told Women & Home magazine that after her son left, For the next three days, I was sitting on his bed, sniffing his pillow. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay confessed to being so bereft that he wore his sons pants around the house for a while.

British family therapist and public speaker Ged Smith says that this transition can be especially difficult for some parents as a perfect storm of crises can be at play when a child moves out to go to college. The event can coincide with other things  youll probably be at an age when youre also questioning your relationship, job, career, and life. Thinking: What now? Is this it? Is this the job I want? Is this the person I want to stay with?

Part of learning who we are now is recalibrating relationships with our absent children after years of in-person parenting, and that course correction can be painful.

A team of researchers at the University of Hamburgs Department of Health Economics found that parents rates of depressive symptoms and loneliness increased when their children moved out, and that empty nesters may be more likely than those still living with children at home to report negative trends in their physical health, cognitive abilities, and psychological health.

Dr Colman Noctor: "Your newfound time and space do not need to represent a hole or a void. Perhaps now you can have time to exercise regularly, socialise with friends, or pursue personal interests."

Celebrate the milestone

So, how can parents navigate this swell of mixed emotions?

It is vital to celebrate the milestone and mark the occasion. I suggest a family gathering or simply acknowledging your child's achievement meaningfully. Some people opt not to do this for fear that it might be upsetting, but it is important to mark these transitions where possible. An occasion like a family meal provides a setting where you can all focus on the positives and the exciting opportunities ahead for your child rather than just the sense of loss.

You must also loosen your grip on control during the preparation process. While I would encourage parents to help their child with practical preparations, such as packing, moving, and setting up their new space, you also need them to take the lead in much of this process. The transition must give them a sense of involvement and control over the change, and parents need to know that over-involvement can disempower the young persons sense of agency, which they will most certainly need in the next chapter of their life.

It is also helpful for parents to plan for the inevitable change. Many describe an empty nest experience when a child moves away, so they could benefit from planning new activities or hobbies to fill the time previously devoted to their child.

Parents often struggle with how much to stay connected with their adult children after they leave the family home. While I would encourage them to maintain regular communication with their adult children through calls, messages, or video chats, they must also respect their growing independence. A good way of achieving balanced communication is to agree before they leave on some expectations for communication. For instance, mutually agreeing on a twice-weekly check-in can provide structure without feeling overbearing.

Renegotiating healthy boundaries is a significant challenge to managing the transition to third level. Parents must understand the importance of allowing adult children to navigate challenges independently and step back from micro-managing their lives. In doing so, parents can help their adult children build resilience and, in the longer term, help reduce their anxiety.

It might also be helpful to connect with parents in your community who are going through the same experience. While most will appear overjoyed at the prospect of their child heading off to the third level, I do not doubt that some of this is bravado and many are secretly struggling with similar worries, which might help you both feel less vulnerable.

The most important aspect of this transition is the successful redefinition of relationship roles. As the adult child becomes more independent, parents need to redefine their role from caretakers to mentors or supporters. This change can be challenging and take some practice, but it is an essential developmental step to negotiate.

That said, it is critical to keep a sense of perspective. Your child is not going to prison; they are going to an institution and an environment to nurture their learning, which will be a rewarding experience where they can learn to work, play, and love. While they have left your home, they have not left your life, so you can plan occasional visits to the college, which can help all parties stay connected.

Your newfound time and space do not need to represent a hole or a void. Perhaps now you can have time to exercise regularly, socialise with friends, or pursue personal interests.

Negotiating your child's transition to a third-level institute away from home involves successfully adjusting to your new role, maintaining a healthy relationship with your child, and finding new sources of fulfilment in your life.
Last week, I went to Center Parcs  fuelled by cynicism and fully certain I would end up vowing never to staycation again. Having attempted extended family holidays before, I would be lying if I didnt say I had a touch of trepidation about the trip because the reality is holidays can be hard. Ironically, the pressure for things to be perfect is what makes them anything but. In chasing perfection, we often forget that kids are generally happy with chicken goujons and a relaxed bedtime.

The thing about family holidays is that they rarely pan out like you expect or dare to hope they will. Holidays are intense, usually fraught with tensions and punctuated with bouts of dehydration and mild sunstroke. But this holiday was different, not just because it was the first time I had holidayed with my three cousins and their respective partners and kids, all hailing from camping strongholds like south Dublin and Sheffield. And, as much as it kills the Irish cynic in me to admit it, the weekend was fairly close to perfect. I dont think Ill ever be the same again.

My anxiety levels were high in the run-up to the trip, and not just because I had once again forgotten to do my bikini line in preparation for the pool. Arriving on a Friday, I was running considerably late  I'd forgotten about a radio interview about bringing kids to festivals. For the 10 minutes I was on air, I argued that festivals were legitimate places to bring children, which was nicely undermined by my parting shot when I confessed that I had decided to forego Electric Picnic for nights of lake, pine tree, and a comfortable mattress.

I'd heard rumours about on-site prices, so I decided to do a huge food shop en route to our destination, almost losing our eldest while dashing around the aisles (please see last weeks column for details). I blame my brief misplacement of Ted on the fact that I temporarily lost my mind and chose to purchase a ham and cheese jambon, a cottage pie, and a fish pie  nothing screams holidays like the smell of smoked cod through our shared accommodation.

The shop on-site in Center Parcs was virtually on par price-wise with regular supermarkets, so I was lugging packets of organic carrots up and down the country for nothing. While I envisaged landing in the wilds with only my scant scout skills to get the fire started, I instead landed in the equivalent of Kildare Village... but with more opportunity to wear togs.

The only real complaint was my attempt to enforce a healthy eating rule during our weekend break. Come Saturday morning, my fruit bowl was positively overflowing with oranges, bananas, and apples.

Im taking a photo of it now and again on Monday, just to see if anyone actually eats some fruit, joked my cousin.

Julie Jay: "I forgot my jambons," I said to another husband, whose look of visceral alarm told me that he had misheard jambons as tampons, making this a conversation we will never refer to again to spare us both the blushes. Picture: Domnick Walsh

I responded as if this was a direct challenge and started scoffing satsumas quicker than you can say, Scurvy who? Come Monday, I was utterly thrilled when my fruit mountain had disappeared and my vitamin C intake increased by more than 500%.

You could do a rake of things with the kids, but given mine are still so small, I chose to keep activities at a minimum. The pool was, of course, a highlight, despite the fact the inflatable ring I had purchased had arrived with an extra hole in it, a surprising perk given that Id only paid for the one with the valve. Thankfully, my cousins saved the day by purchasing a new one, due to the fact I had left my ATM card in the locker (note to self, I will be keeping my card in my swim cap next time round).

Before we knew it, the baby was back in business and the star of the show as his cousins took turns bringing him to the baby pool for splash attacks.

As we parted ways, a cousin and I commented on how this holiday had been like something we had never had before. Another cousins husband said "we have to do this every year now" and it solidified that I wasnt going crazy, that this had been Hallmark levels of idyllic. Trundling towards the carpark, one of the husbands said: "We will probably spend the rest of our lives trying to recreate just how special this weekend was, but well never get a repeat." And that is even more evidence  as if we needed it  that while the Irish are wistful romantics the English are grounded in pragmatism, if somewhat pessimistic.

"I forgot my jambons," I said to another husband, whose look of visceral alarm told me that he had misheard jambons as tampons, making this a conversation we will never refer to again to spare us both the blushes.

Usually, when I'm on holidays, no jambon gets left behind, but this one was so jam-packed with joy we didnt even need our delicious pastry and cheesy treat.

So, if you were lucky enough to open your Center Parcs freezer and discover some surprise jambon, you are welcome.

The night after our holiday, I asked Ted what his favourite part of his holiday was, presuming he would say the magical forest, the pool, or the boat trip.

My cousins, he said.

It was a reminder you dont need jambon to have a good time when you have good people. Still, its always good to have a stash in the shared holiday freezer, just in case.

It turns out that Longford is the Lanzarote of Ireland, only with less volcanoes, which is surely a good thing.

We can't wait to go back, but we might leave the fish pie at home next time.
Eilin Ni Mhurchu knows that being a good nurse isn't just about saving lives.

One of 14 liaison nurse managers with national charity, the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation, Eilins caseload numbers 40 families across Cork city and county.

Jack and Jill provides in-home nursing care and respite support to families caring for children, aged zero to six, with severe learning disability and complex medical needs. Typically, children may be tube-fed, oxygen-dependent, have sleep difficulties, suffer seizures, be heavily medicated and require around-the-clock care.

Another key Jack and Jill service is end-of-life-care for children up to age six, regardless of diagnosis, thereby empowering parents to take their child home to die.

Sitting with those who are dying is equally as important as curing people, says Eilin, who has a masters degree in palliative and complex care for children from Coventry University. Its a wonderful gift to give people a good death, a pain-free death."

Whether working with a family whose child has severe cognitive impairment and huge needs but otherwise is well, or with children who are frequent fliers into hospital (Ive lots of families where the childs really unwell), Eilin finds herself supporting in all sorts of ways. I advocate for them, listen to them  try to empower them to take on this hard road. We also put respite hours in their home.

The week before our chat, children from three of the families Eilin supports were in hospital: Thats just the way it is, this unpredictability in families lives. Its hard for them to make plans. It impacts on siblings. Parents have promised to go to the beach today but they cant because Johnnys sick. It brings challenges and stress to the house  parents are torn.

The day I call her, she has messaged two West Cork families, prior to visiting them next day. Ill be gone in the morning to the Beara Peninsula, to a bereaved family and also to a family who are in crisis. And Ill pop into another family, who are managing, to see how theyre getting on.

This morning I was in the city, catching up with a lone parent whose child was in hospital last week. She was having a vent about the system. A lot of the families do vent about that. With me, they feel theyve a safe space to do so, without fearing theyll compromise whatever services theyre getting.

At lunchtime Eilin got a call from a distressed mum, in despair about how unwell her child is, and feeling she couldnt ask questions of health professionals. She said they all come in together and I feel under pressure, facing this entourage. Of course this lovely mum is allowed to ask questions but she feels she has to just nod her head.

Some families feel like this. Theyve been thrown into this whole new world  a lot of these conditions are very rare without much information about them. The health service is working in a very litigious population and feel they almost have to over-treat  he might choke so well put in a tube. But how about if we dont put in a tube? He mightnt choke.I empower families to say thank you for that information  well have a think and get back to you."

With this mother, I recommended she ask for just the doctor on his own, along with one nurse, to be sent in  and to have her questions written down. And we went through the questions she wants answered. So you empower parents to find their voice, to advocate for their child.

Eilin Ni Mhurchu: "Parents are grieving the loss of the healthy child they had, or were hoping to have. Theyre grieving for the sick child, the milestones they wont meet. Theres the anticipatory grief of when the child will die. And then death comes, and theres grief again. Theres such loss in all this. Its life-changing for parents  theyll never be the same, but people are very resilient."

Eilin believes medics can shy away from difficult conversations around, for example, whether treating someone is actually in their best interests. Today, everybody wants everything fixed. Medics feel they cant say no, they have to offer something else  but just because a treatment can be offered doesnt mean its the right thing to do. I really respect no, I cant do anything to cure you  but I will make sure you live as good as you can for as long as youre going to be here."

For Eilin, it is about picking up on the questions people ask  the conversations theyre seeking to have. And then gathering courage to have these conversations, and being very honest.

"Families are trusting you to have the conversation that the answers are hard to listen to. Say you go into a house where the childs really unwell. The parent asks do you think I should bring him to hospital? Knowing therell already have been a big conversation along the way  a lot of children we look after have life-limiting conditions  you might say you can, but what are you expecting hospital to do?"

The parent naturally wants every opportunity for the child, but when the burden becomes greater than the benefit of the treatment, you have to ask why theyre looking for this  who are they doing it for? If its for the parent, we need to step back and think what does this mean for the child.

Describing herself as having a good gut, Eilin says her job requires intuitiveness. Parents might ask a question in a really subtle way, but theyre asking something they didnt feel anyone else would answer  or it has taken them until now to ask it. One mother asked, Do I have to bury him, or can I cremate him? We teased out why she wanted to cremate: she couldnt bear to visit her child in a grave.

Meeting families, she knows shes meeting layers of grief. Parents are grieving the loss of the healthy child they had, or were hoping to have. Theyre grieving for the sick child, the milestones they wont meet. Theres the anticipatory grief of when the child will die. And then death comes, and theres grief again. Theres such loss in all this. Its life-changing for parents  theyll never be the same, but people are very resilient. And none of this means we go moping into a familys home  pitys no good to anyone. I usually have a good old banter with families.

Brought up in an Irish-speaking home in Ballinlough (shes now based in Blackrock, Cork), Eilin was the only girl in a family of four siblings  which didnt make her a tomboy! Her brothers were big into GAA, she was a very good swimmer. She did a lot of babysitting in her teens, found children fun to engage with  unsurprisingly, childrens nursing was her first career choice. Trained in general as well as childrens nursing, she has always worked in paediatric care.

Her gorgeous husband, Sean Logue, she met in London one St Patricks Day. I rang him six months later, inviting him to a dress dance. We got engaged after 12 weeks and married a year to the day of our first date.

Her three children  all born in March  are aged in their mid to late 20s. I used to say I want spring babies  theyll be hardy for the winter!

Over her 40-year career in childrens nursing, Eilin has worked in London, Saudi Arabia (an 18-month stint to get together a deposit for a house), Dublin and Cork.

After spending hours with families experiencing overwhelming sadness, she decompresses on the drive home. I try not to bring my work home. I always ring one of my colleagues and have a bit of a rant. Theres a lot of black humour  if you didnt laugh youd cry."

Jack and Jill look after their nursing team very well. Weve great peer support. We go for clinical supervision once a month.

Some people speculate to Eilin  about her jobs tough elements  you get used to it. You dont, she says. Outside someones house, Im saying ok, Ill just take a deep breath and go in  because you dont know whats behind any door.

How does she survive in a job that demands vast emotional resources and so much resilience? I know I cant fix any of it, says Eilin, but I can try to make it a bit easier. I can try to lighten the load.

Last year, Jack and Jill supported 534 families across Ireland with in-home nursing care and respite support. Funding 2024 services will cost approximately 7.5m.

Check out https://www.jackandjill.ie/ to find out how you can help support local Jack and Jill families in your community today.
Some of the countrys biggest road projects could be delayed because of funding uncertainty over the coming years, the head of the States roads building agency has warned.

The ambitious M20 Cork to Limerick transport project  the countrys first multi-modal transport scheme and the largest single active travel project proposed in Ireland  and the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy motorway are among the schemes which could be hit with delays because of how funding is allocated annually to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), its chief executive warned.

Peter Walsh has called publicly for a multi-annual funding allocation that would give TII certainty for several years ahead, and allow it to better plan for projects that take years to advance.

He told the Irish Examiner while several large capital schemes were at various stages of development, TIIs pipeline for new road schemes was very lean, with just two projects with An Bord Pleanala for approval.

There is a difficulty with the [roads project] pipeline at the moment, he said. The second half of the National Development Plan from 2026 to 2030 has a very ambitious programme but currently our pipeline is very lean.

We have only two schemes with An Bord Pleanala  Galway city and Slane.

We would very much like to get more schemes into that pipeline but the current circumstances with funding constraints has resulted in a bit of a delay in the progression of that pipeline.

Cork to Ringaskiddy project

Advance works have been under way for two years on the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy project, with tenders for the scheme published earlier this month in the hope of contracts being signed later this year.

But Mr Walsh said the lack of confirmed funding for TII over the coming years has created a level of uncertainty about the progression of the scheme.

Route of the planned M28 motorway to Ringaskiddy, where advanced works have been under way for two years.

He also sought to dampen expectation about the delivery timeline for the massive M20 transport project between Cork and Limerick, where work to identify a preferred route is almost ready for public consultation.

A scheme of that scale is a difficult one to get through the planning process, to get all the documentation together, he said.

We have the preferred route almost identified but I dont want to raise too many expectations about how quickly we can get through the planning process.

'Torturous process'

It has been a torturous process over the last few years and we dont expect that to be an easy process."

But I think Limerick City and County Council have identified a very good mobility solution for connecting the two cities and we look forward to seeing it going through the planning process and onto construction.

He said securing funding certainty for several years ahead is vital for TII to be able to plan in line with the long-term delivery timeline for large capital projects.

We would like to have a confirmed multi-annual [funding] programme so that we can plan and share those plans with more certainty, he said.

The Department of Transport is very supportive of the portfolio of projects that we are trying to bring forward, but I suppose there is only so much to go around and priorities have to be made and at the moment the roads programme and particularly the major schemes in the pipeline have had to take a little bit of a back seat, but we would hope to be able to move on with that in the near future.

Earlier this year, Mr Walsh told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications it was important the State drives out delays to the delivery of transport infrastructure.

He said ensuring a reasonably stable supply of tendering opportunities for the civil engineering sector was vital for contractors to maintain and develop their capabilities, and said the Governments "windfall capital fund" would help avoid stop-start funding of infrastructure, especially during downturns.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is travelling to Paris today, Tuesday, to meet with French president Emmanuel Macron.

The meeting, which will take place at the Elysee Palace, comes ahead of the appointment of a new European Commission and the new European Parliament.

The two leaders will discuss issues on the EU Council agenda ahead of the autumn meetings as well as international issues such as the latest efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.

They will also focus on the EU's continued support for Ukraine.

As France is Ireland's closest EU neighbour, Mr Harris and Mr Macron will speak about bilateral matters including education and tourism as well as maritime connections and energy co-operation.

While in Paris, Mr Harris will host a reception for Team Ireland athletes ahead of the Paralympic Games which begin on August 28.

He will tour the athletes village which has been transformed since it closed its doors on August 13 after the conclusion of the Olympic Games.

The village had been built with inclusivity in mind from the start, but this final week was crucial for fine-tuning details to ensure that every aspect was perfectly suited to the para-athletes needs.
More than a fifth of farmers are considered at risk of dying by suicide and almost all know someone who has taken their own lives, experts have warned.

Separate analysis also found twice as many male farmers, aged over 65, died by probable suicide than men of the same age who were not in farming.

An unpublished survey of 457 farmers found 22.8% were considered "at risk of suicide", while of the 82% who knew someone who had taken their own lives, 13.8% were family members, spouses or partners, and 41.6% were friends.

The survey was run by University College Dublin, led by Mark Creegan and other members of the UCD Agri Mental Health Group.

Dr Alison Stapleton, who was a part of the research, said farmers frequently used the phrase land on the mind.

'Farmers feel they are not represented properly in the media, and a word they would use again and again is scapegoated. They feel scapegoated for climate change by the media.'

One of the farmers had said Land gets in the lads mind like, on his own all day and thinking about it, thinking about it, thinking about it hes just going to snap at some stage. Whether it's the snap on his own or kill someone else and kill himself afterwards, she said.

Comparing this with a similar survey the team carried out during the pandemic in 2022, Dr Stapleton said: We see no significant difference in the percentage of farmers considered at risk for suicide."

Weather biggest cause of stress

Unusual weather this year was the biggest cause of stress farmers reported, followed by Government policies designed to reduce climate change.

Farmers feel they are not represented properly in the media, and a word they would use again and again is scapegoated. They feel scapegoated for climate change by the media, she said.

It was clear farmers who see themselves as caretakers of the land now feel disenfranchised by climate policies, she said.

The other main stresses were market prices for crops or livestock, the future of the farm, seasonal variations in workload and outsiders not understanding the nature of farming.

The farmers included 339 men and 118 women aged between 18 and 77. Almost a third farmed between 50 and 100 hectares, with dairy and beef farming the most common work.

In June, the UCD Agri Mental Health Group, including Professor Louise McHugh and Dr Tomas Russell, separately published a pre-print paper with two researchers at the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP).

We found that twice as many male farmers and agricultural workers over 65 years of age died by probable suicide than men of the same age who were neither farmers nor agricultural workers, Dr Stapleton said.

We were working with NOSP colleagues and looking at probable suicide. So regardless of a coroners verdict, if the coroners report has an indication of suicide, that death was classed as a probable suicide, she said.

So I am quite confident in the accuracy of the figures we are reporting on. We go deeper than just looking at coroners' verdicts alone.

Dr Stapleton suggested their findings indicate farmers should be more included in policy decision-making, especially around sustainability.

Our research suggests that farmers may benefit from learning psychological skills to manage the daily demands of farming. We are exploring this further with the support of our funders, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and FBD Trust, she also said.

The Irish Farmers Association offers mental health supports: ifa.ie/mental-health/
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the RNLI, and long may it continue, said Kinsale lifeboat station manager Kevin Gould as unique fundraising effort made a quick pitstop in the seaside town.

English couple James and Belinda Richardson were in Kinsale as part of their RNLI-911 Challenge, which will see them drive clockwise across Britain and Ireland to all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations in just 911 hours.

The challenge will see the pair drive 8,500 miles in their car which has aptly been named 'splash', boarding 36 ferries and taking four flights to non-drivable stations.

The retired couple from London hope to raise enough money to fund a D-class inshore lifeboat  the workhorse of the RNLI  which costs in the region of 129,000.

They began the challenge at 9.11am on Friday, August 23, and aim to finish by 9.11am on September 30. The couple began at RNLI Morecambe Lifeboat Station, and hope to finish at RNLI Peel (Isle of Man), and to date have raised thousands of euro.

Mr Gould has been the Lifeboat Operations Manager at the Kinsale station since 2017, but the retired carpenter has been a volunteer since the station opened in 2003.

95% of the members of the RNLI are volunteers, and it has been like that for 200 years, Mr Gould said.

He added:

Only for that it wouldnt be sustainable and would not exist. Volunteers are the life blood of the RNLI and long may it continue.

The RNLI has more than 5,700 volunteer lifeboat crew members across Ireland and Britain, and is mostly funded via donations.

It is unconditional generosity. They might get their name on the side of the boat but that would be the most of it.

All of the money that is donated and raised is muchly appreciated and goes a long way, he added.

Darragh Keating has been the Kinsale station mechanic for 11 years. Its all volunteer based, and you wouldnt have anything without the volunteer crew, Mr Keating said.

It shows you what people can do when they get together. You dont need big money to get people together for the right cause to get the job done, he added.

Mr Gould says you must be a "special kind of person" to volunteer for a charity like the RNLI.

During my time here, Ive noticed the RNLI attracts selfless people who rather not be seen or heard.

Belinda and James Richardson stopping off at the Kinsale RNLI station. Picture: Dan Linehan

Its not for everybody to get up in the middle of the night, get in a lifeboat in the dark to save someone they dont know, and probably wont meet again.

It takes a special kind of person to do that, and they should be admired, he added.

Individuals and companies had the chance to sponsor a drive to one of the 238 RNLI stations for a donation of 238 (281) towards the RNLI-911 Challenge, and West Cork Distillers in Skibbereen sponsored the Union Hall station.

Co-founder of West Cork Distillers Ger McCarthy said the RNLI is "very close" to his heart and the company are proud to sponsor the station.

The former trawlerman said his dad used to fundraise for the lifeboat throughout his life.

My dad was a fisherman for 50 years. Everyone in Union Hall is very sensitive towards the lifeboat, he added.

Donations to the D-class lifeboat appeal can be made at rnli-911challenge.co.uk.
Going to Mass can protect older people from feeling like they want to die but loneliness is the biggest driver behind people feeling like this, the latest data shows.

The Irish data shows feeling lonely later in life  over 50 years of age  makes people more likely to wish for death than living alone or being socially isolated does.

One in 10 of the 8,000 people studied showed serious signs of depression and 4% had felt they would rather be dead during the month before being interviewed.

People have a wish to die when they are thinking about their death and feeling they would be better off dead. This can indicate the person will attempt suicide.

Loneliness and suicide among older adults have been increasing, warned Mark Ward.

He is the lead author on this paper and senior research fellow at Tilda (the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing).

Uniquely, we also show that attending religious services regularly can protect against death ideation among older adults in Ireland, he said.

Other studies have shown going to Mass means people socialise more as well as getting spiritual support, the authors said.

They also highlighted historic stigma against suicide under the Catholic Church.

This may mean older Catholics are less likely to think about suicide or less likely to report these thoughts.

"While it is not clear whether it is the spiritual or the social aspect of attending church that provides the mechanism, our finding of the strong protective role of religious attendance also suggests a potential coping strategy that may be amenable to older adults," the Tilda paper said.

Mr Ward said: "Our findings again highlight the importance of promoting social activities and networks to safeguard against loneliness and related psychological distress."

Attending religious services regularly can protect against death ideation among older adults in Ireland.

The paper also points to the value of therapies such as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) in reducing depression and anxiety.

Overall, the paper adds to growing evidence loneliness in later life is associated with an increased risk of individuals wishing for their own death", he said, adding this wish for death was often a precursor to suicidal thoughts or actions.

He pointed out, however, prosocial behaviours were found to protect people against having negative thoughts about their life.

These are communal activities such as volunteering, which help other people.

Important to stay connected

Robert Briggs, co-author and geriatrician at St Jamess Hospital, said it was important to stay connected and socially active later in life.

He said the wish to die is strongly liked with future suicide attempts.

An enhanced focus on improving access to mental healthcare and addressing social isolation in older people should therefore be a priority for policymakers, he advised.

Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny, geriatrician and principal investigator of Tilda, also warned loneliness and social isolation were rising among older people.

This issue was particularly acute during the pandemic but continues to persist post-pandemic as some older individuals remain fearful or have lost confidence, she said.

Loneliness is detrimental to health, accelerating biological ageing and disease. Addressing this problem is urgent.

Tilda is carried out by Trinity College Dublin collaborating with experts from institutions including University College Cork and South East Technological University.

This paper: Social disconnection correlates of a Wish to Die among a large community-dwelling cohort of older adults is published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.
Gardai are treating the killing of a Dublin man two weeks ago as a possible domestic incident.

Detectives arrested a woman on Tuesday on suspicion of his murder. It is understood that the couple have a child.

The man, aged in his 60s, was found outside a house in the Balbriggan area of north county Dublin in the early hours of August 10 last.

He had suffered a number of serious injuries. Despite the best efforts of medical staff he died the following day.

A statement issued by Garda HQ said: Gardai in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin are investigating all the circumstances in relation to the discovery of a man with serious injuries found on a residential road in the Balbriggan area in the early hours of Saturday, August 10.

The man was removed from the scene to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance and later died on Sunday, August 11.

The statement added: A post mortem was subsequently completed and the results of which are not being disclosed for operational reasons.

A woman aged in her 40s was arrested in Balbriggan this morning on suspicion of murder and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in North Dublin.

It is understood autopsy results and forensic analysis have led to the arrest. The woman can be held for a maximum of 24 hours, excluding rest breaks.

Senior officers will liaise with the Director of Public Prosecutions on whether or not to release the suspect or press charges.
Experts are concerned about the potential long-term impact on the EU's auto industry and broader trade relations with China brought by the tariffs. BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission's plan to impose tariffs of up to 36.3 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) has sparked concerns among industry experts and business insiders across Europe. Critics argue that the move may worsen the competitiveness issues of the European Union (EU), hinder the region's green transition and escalate trade tensions with China rather than protect the European auto industry as intended. STRONG OPPOSITION Michael Schumann, chairman of the Board of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, condemned the EU's proposal as "erroneous," emphasizing the association's strong opposition. "The Chinese EV industry has become, and will continue to be, a global innovation benchmark," Schumann said, adding that Chinese automakers have made significant strides in smart technology, enhanced their research and development (R&D) capabilities, and actively invested in Europe's auto industry, contributing to the sector's evolution. Tadas Povilauskas, an economist at SEB Bank in Lithuania, described the EU's investigations into Chinese auto industry subsidies as a "political move." He noted that the influx of Chinese EV imports will intensify competition for European automakers, driving them to seek ways to remain competitive. Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary's Szazadveg Institute, labeled the EU's plan as "shortsighted," noting that it comes as European manufacturers struggle with declining EV sales in their core market, Europe. Kiszelly argued that the root of Europe's competitiveness challenges lies within the EU rather than in China's subsidies. "The best course of action would be to encourage competition to drive down prices and push European car manufacturers to innovate further," Kiszelly said. "Improvement is better achieved through competition than through isolation and decoupling." Kiszelly pointed out that Western companies have benefited from their presence in China for decades and urged them to face competition from Chinese EV manufacturers rather than attempt to limit or ban them. HINDERING EUROPE'S GREEN TRANSITION Experts and officials also expressed concerns about the potential contradiction between the EU's green ambitions and its tariff policies. "The EU's temporary anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese EVs hinder mutually beneficial cooperation and obstruct the green and low-carbon transition," Schumann warned. Luigi Gambardella, president of the Brussels-based international digital association ChinaEU, criticized the EU's protectionist measures, stating that they "risk stifling future advancements in mobility technologies." He encouraged efforts to advance mutual investment, foster mutual growth and ensure that the benefits of EV technology are shared more widely. "EVs are crucial for Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy," Gambardella said, pointing out that high costs already pose a significant barrier to widespread EV adoption. He argued that the proposed tariffs could further slow consumer adoption of electric vehicles, undermining Europe's climate goals and delaying the shift away from fossil fuels. "We hope to see a greater variety of EV brands on the market, particularly cost-effective Chinese models, to accelerate Germany's green and low-carbon transition," Schumann said, highlighting China's role in the global green transformation of the transportation sector. Croatian political analyst Mladen Plese said that the Europeans are returning to classic outdated technologies in the auto industry because of the high prices of EVs. "If the prices of EVs continue to be high, this will certainly continue, and this will threaten the green transition in Europe." "THREAT TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS" Experts are concerned about the potential long-term impact on the EU's auto industry and broader trade relations with China brought by the tariffs. Triinu Prits, head of the foreign trade policy and international economic organizations' division at Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that while Estonia lacks an automotive industry, the EU's tariff measures would still affect the country's subcontractors, importers, car maintenance providers and consumers. "Tariffs could make the European market less attractive to Chinese firms looking to collaborate or enter the European market," Gambardella warned. He said that protectionist measures are clearly "a threat to current market conditions" and could have far-reaching consequences for the future of mobility in Europe. "Any political or economic measures, including potential countermeasures, could lead to unpredictable consequences," Prits said.
Gardai are investigating a suspected petrol bomb attack at a house in Cork City on Monday night.

The incident occurred in Aikenhead Place, Gurranabraher at around 10pm.

It is understood the device was thrown through a window of the house but failed to detonate.

Gardai said no injuries have been reported at this time.

A spokesperson for Cork Fire Brigade said little damage was caused to the house and two vehicles from Cork City Fire Department attended the scene.

"Enquiries are ongoing," a Garda spokesperson added.
Refusals by Israel to allow food aid into Gaza is unconscionable and shameful, the Taoiseach has said.

Simon Harris said there was now a catastrophic risk of polio and other diseases in Gaza, due to the ongoing cancellation of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

In a statement, he said: Ireland is deeply disturbed by the widespread disruption to aid operations in Gaza due to ongoing Israeli military evacuation orders.

Every minute of every hour counts in saving lives in Gaza and the fact the UN had to suspend all operations around its central hub of Deir al-Balah yesterday is inexcusable and indefensible.

Mr Harris said the crisis was no longer an issue of Palestinians being killed by missiles, but raised concerns about the spread of disease in Gaza.

 Polio has been detected and the United Nations last night confirmed 50,000 children born shortly before the war, or since, have not been immunised because of the collapse of the health system, Mr Harris said.

The UN has rushed more than 600,000 polio vaccines to Gaza and the fact that this life-saving chain would be disrupted with evacuation orders should not be contemplated.

The Taoiseach added the World Food Programme was reducing the contents of its food parcels, due to only half of the 24,000 metric tonnes of food aid reaching Gaza.

Taoiseach Simon Harris confirmed he was seeking information following reports Irish airspace was being used by Israeli aircraft to transport weapons from the US to Israel. Picture: Chani Anderson

Refusals of food and slow authorisation of passage, meaning fresh food perishes, is unconscionable and shameful, he added.

Mr Harris said Ireland supported all efforts internationally to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, over 10 months on from the invasion of Gaza.

He said until a ceasefire was reached, the troubling patter of a disruption of aid needed to be called out and stopped.

All sides must abide by the International Court of Justice order to allow unhindered access for aid, he added.

The statement by Mr Harris comes after he confirmed he was seeking information following reports Irish airspace was being used by Israeli aircraft to transport weapons from the US to Israel.

Mr Harris said following reports from the Ditch website, he understood no consent was sought by Israeli authorities to carry weapons through Irish airspace.
Im an old fashioned political campaigner. Ive never been as excited at the idea of a campaign as I am right now. In all my years Ive never even heard of the notion that Kamala Harris and her people have adopted. A campaign of joy  did you ever hear the like?

I dont know whether its deliberate or accidental. I first heard the expression when she introduced Tim Walz as her Vice-Presidential choice, and in thanking her, he said thank you for bringing back the joy. I think it was spontaneous, but it struck so deep a chord that from that moment on theyve been fashioning a movement based on joy.

Ive been involved in a lot of campaigns in my time. Ive even run a few. They are hard work  back in the day, I essentially lived on late-night takeaways and cigarettes. There were several campaigns when I moved a camp bed into my office  not for every night, but for those nights when you didnt finish until day was nearly breaking, and had to have a bit of shut-eye and a quick wash before the next day got under way.

Campaigning, if youre serious about it, involves eighteen hour days of endless thinking and talking. Knots in your stomach when you hear theres an opinion poll due. Constant juggling of the message youre trying to communicate. A constant need to keep you and your team motivated when youre all completely knackered.

The people with whom you are trying to communicate divide themselves into different camps, each requiring a different effort. The electorate, first and foremost. You have to try to really understand whats bothering them most. And although there are common factors always (its the economy stupid) different things rise to the top at different times.

The media  sometimes hostile, often cynical or sceptical, always hungry for new stories. The media cycle in an election campaign (and this was true even before social media) is much more frenetic than at any other time. And much less forgiving  one mistake in an election campaign does as much damage as forty in a normal period.

Your own activists require a special communications effort. When a campaign is heavily based on values, its activists tend to be more fragile. They dont just want a victory, they need a moral victory too. So when the going gets rough, they can lose heart very quickly

And then, of course, there are the candidates. Its a remarkable thing  Ive always called it candidatitis. Lovely, well-mannered decent men and women turn into coyotes and vultures during election campaigns. Nothing is ever right, everything is always your fault, you seem to exist only to destroy their chances. When its over, of course, win or lose, you kiss and make up (most of the time!).

Ive never totted it up, but Im guessing if I did I could count maybe thirty campaigns  national, local, European, Presidential, and of course referenda, that Ive been involved in, and many of them in a reasonably significant way.

No matter how I wrack my brains, I cannot ever remember the word joy being mentioned

The closest I ever got was the Equal Marriage campaign, whose leaders were determined from the start that they wanted to tell human stories about good and decent people. It was to be about love and marriage  imagine! I can remember arguing that their message would never get the necessary cut through. I wanted messages laced with injustice, exclusion, and ostracisation. They were right, I was wrong.

But I think I was formed by the earliest campaigns I fought. If you remember back to the causes we fought over in the 1980s and 90s, they all involved campaigns of fear and lies. You may be too young to remember slogans like Health cuts hurt the old, the sick and the handicapped  a Fianna Fail slogan from 1987 that may just have been the most cynical and dishonest campaign slogan ever written.

But my goodness was it effective, and was it hard to fight against. We all knew then that if it elected Fianna Fail back to government they would immediately introduce swingeing health cuts, which they did, and they would do untold damage, which they did. But we were powerless in the face of the big lie involved.

Earlier still, and well before your time, there was the referendum on abortion  an abject act of pandering by Charles Haughey and cowardice by Garret Fitzgerald  that inserted the infamous 8th Amendment into our constitution.

That campaign was the most bitter and divisive I can remember, and I still carry scars

And then there was the failure to remove the ban on divorce from the Constitution in the 1980s, and our supremely narrow victory on the same issue in the 90s.

So I guess Im like Donald Trump  I love to hate my opponents. Or maybe Im just fashioned by years of bitter experience to believe that all campaigns have to be about fighting. The best campaigners, Ive come to believe, are angry and bitter campaigners. The old Democratic strategist James Carville used to say that you have to grind your opponents neck into the dirt. Then, when youre sure hes completely beaten, you grind some more.

Exciting campaign

So when I stayed up all night watching speaker after speaker at the Democratic Convention (when they werent making fun of Trump) invoking the idea of joy and optimism and a different way forward, I admit I was stunned. The more I thought about it the more exciting and different (and natural) it seemed. And the more I read, the more I became convinced theyre on to something here.

For example, theres a columnist called LZ Granderson in the Los Angeles Times. Hes black, and he wrote: To envision Harris as the first black woman to be president, the first person of South Asian descent to be president and the first person in an interracial marriage to be president  that required voters to let go of what has always been and embrace what may be. The answer to the question of whether Americas ready for a president who isnt white or male has since been answered by the rallying cry of Were not going back.

Set against that, theres the conventional wisdom  all written by tired old hacks who sound like me on a bad day. Shes light on policy detail. She hasnt done interviews. She might slip up in a debate. She hasnt really been tested yet. (A black woman who has succeeded in a white mans world hasnt been tested?)

My advice to Kamala Harris, if she was listening, would be immediately to ignore all the conventional wisdom. Youre driving the bus now. You have only one job. Youve got to know where youre going, and youve got to concentrate on your driving. Thats it. You pick your own road map, and you go for it. Youre the boss, so you choose where to stop, where to get off, who to talk to.

And above all, enjoy the journey. Youve started something absolutely unique. It will end, the rest of this sad old world hopes, in the White House.
Plans for 24 student apartments in Ringaskiddy, Cork, have been rejected after a referral to An Bord Pleanala.

Cork County Council had initially blocked the development, which had been proposed by PByrne Partnership for a site at Rose Lodge Main Street in Ringaskiddy.

The proposal included plans for 24 student houses, comprising 192 study bedrooms and additional communal amenities.

The houses would be two-storey dormer-style houses, purpose-built for the student population of the area.

Ringaskiddy is home to MaREI, the energy, climate and marine research centre coordinated by UCC.

Cork County Council planners blocked the scheme, noting that it was not satisfied the development could be accommodated without "adversely affecting the ecological and biodiversity value of the site."

Protected bat species

Concerns were raised about the information provided in relation to bat activity in the area, and the habitats in the area.

PByrne Limited appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala which has now shot it down for several reasons, including concerns of its potential negative impact on a protected species of bat.

In its latest ruling, An Bord Pleanala said there were significant limitations in the information provided in the planning files about the extent of bat activity on the 1.1-hectare site near a former post office and the Ferry Boat Inn.

For that reason, the board said it could not be satisfied that the proposed development would not have a significant impact on such protected species.

The board also referred to its own inspector's report, which raised concerns about the scale, quality and design of the proposed development.

Elsewhere, planning has been granted for the change-of-use of a ground-floor deli to be used as a cafe in Ballincollig, Co Cork.

Micheal O Crualaoi has been approved for the development, which is located at O Crualaoi's butchers on the main street in Ballincollig.

The new cafe will also include a retractable awning and new signage.
China has called for more countries to endorse its peace plan for Ukraine after a round of diplomacy with Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa to support its proposal.

Envoy Li Hui called the three countries representative of the global south and important forces in promoting world peace who share similar positions with China.

Mr Li, Chinas special envoy for Eurasian affairs, said: They have maintained communication with both Russia and Ukraine, and stay committed to a political settlement to the crisis through dialogue and negotiation.

China and Brazil issued a joint peace plan earlier this year that calls for a peace conference with both Ukraine and Russia, and no expansion of the battlefield.

China and Russia were absent from a peace summit hosted in Switzerland in June. Russia was not invited while China chose not to attend.

All sides are worried that the West continues to relax conditions for Ukraine to strike the Russian territory with aided weapons

Initially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said China had pressured other countries to not attend the peace summit.

Since then, Ukraine has recognised Chinas role in a peace process, given its close relationship with Russia, with the Ukrainian foreign minister paying a visit to the country in July, the first since the war began.

While a diplomatic dialogue between Russia and Ukraine so far appears out of reach, the war has shifted.

In August, Ukraine opened a new front in the war by attacking the Russian oblast of Kursk in a surprise move that made clear Russia was also vulnerable.

Mr Zelenskyy has said the aim was to create a buffer zone to protect Ukraine from attacks.

Mr Li noted the incursion and criticised Western support for Ukraine.

He said: All sides are worried that the West continues to relax conditions for Ukraine to strike the Russian territory with aided weapons.

Recent developments on the battlefield confirmed these kind of worries.

The US and Nato have called China an enabler of Russia in the war.

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said China provides equipment, microelectronics and tools that are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircraft, to build the weapons they use to attack Ukraine.

Just last week, the US expanded sanctions to cover more Chinese firms that trade with Russia.
A Chinese military aircraft which briefly entered Japanese airspace was an absolutely unacceptable territorial violation and safety threat, government officials have said.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Tuesday that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japans south-western airspace on Monday, forcing its military to scramble fighter jets.

He added that it was the first time the Japanese Self Defence Force detected a Chinese military aircraft in its airspace.

Mr Hayashi said: The Chinese military aircrafts incursion into Japans airspace not only is a serious violation of our territorial rights but also a safety threat. We found it absolutely unacceptable.

The Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane circled above Danjo Island off the south-western coast of Japans main southern island of Kyushu for two minutes, the Joint Staff of the Japanese Self Defence Force said late on Monday, adding that officials were analysing the latest Chinese military activity.

Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi speaks during a press conference at the prime ministers office in Tokyo (Kyodo News via AP/PA)

The Joint Staff said Japan scrambled fighter jets and warned the Chinese plane to leave.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China has no intention to violate any countrys airspace, adding that the competent Chinese authorities are learning and verifying the situation.

Mr Hayashi stressed that Chinas military activity around Japan in recent years has become increasingly expanding and intensifying.

He said Japan will continue watching Chinese military activity and do its utmost to respond to possible anti-airspace violations.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that Japanese vice foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned acting Chinese ambassador Shi Yong to strongly protest the airspace violation.

Mr Okano also demanded that China take steps to avoid such incidents.

According to Japans military, it scrambled jets nearly 669 times between April 2023 and March 2024, about 70% of the time against Chinese military aircraft, though that did not include airspace violations.

Japanese defence officials are increasingly concerned about growing military co-operation between the Chinese and Russian air forces, and Chinas increasingly assertive activity around Japanese waters and airspace.

It led Tokyo to significantly reinforce defences of south-western Japan, including remote islands that are considered key to Japans defence strategy in the region.
The US military is open to the possibility of escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, depending on consultations under the allies 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty, officials have said.

Head of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparos remarks provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the US mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting US Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

Chinese coastguard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine coastguard and navy vessels during attempts to resupply Philippine sailors stationed on remote features claimed by both countries.

These clashes in the South China Sea have grown increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries among Filipino forces and damage to their ships.

Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defence, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our mutual defence treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us

The Philippine government has faced questions about whether it should consider invoking its treaty alliance with Washington.

Mr Paparo and Philippine armed forces chief General Romeo Brawner Jr spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organised by the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Military and defence officials and diplomats from the US and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

Asked if the US military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Mr Paparo replied: Certainly, within the context of consultations.

Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defence, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our mutual defence treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us.

Mr Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

He said: The attitude of the armed forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves.

We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the mission  in this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.

General Romeo Brawner Jr was cautious of the suggestion (Aaron Favila/AP/PA)

We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to the aid of the other if it comes under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Philippine defence secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the conference that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in south-east Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coastguard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China, blaming unspecified other actors for making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability.

Mr Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough.

The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Mr Teodoro said, adding that diplomats and defence officials should determine those stronger steps.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coastguard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll both countries claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.
Katie Price has arrived at a court building in London ahead of the latest hearing in relation to her bankruptcies.

The former glamour model is due to face questions from barristers over her finances in a specialist bankruptcy court.

After arriving in a black cab, Price, wearing all black and sunglasses and accompanied by another woman, did not speak to reporters as she entered the Rolls Building.

The hearing before Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs is due to start at 10.30am.

Katie Price was appearing before a judge at the Rolls Building in London (Aaron Chown/PA)

Price was first declared bankrupt in 2019 and was then made bankrupt a second time in March this year over a tax debt worth more than 750,000 (888,525).

The 46-year-old was arrested at Heathrow Airport earlier this month after a judge issued an arrest warrant for failing to attend a previous court date.

She appeared at court the next day and was told she must attend Tuesdays hearing with no ifs, no buts or face arrest again.

Under a separate court order, Price must pay 40% of her monthly income from the adult entertainment website OnlyFans and a host of other companies to the trustee of her bankruptcies until February 2027 as part of her efforts to pay off her debts.

She has also had her income from TikTok suspended as part of the dispute and has previously been ordered to deliver six of her vehicles to the trustee to help pay off money owed, including a pink Range Rover.
The Israeli military has rescued one of the scores of people abducted in Hamas October 7 attack.

The military said Qaid Farhan Alkadi was rescued in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip. It did not provide further details.

The 52-year-old is from Israels Arab Bedouin minority and was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities that were attacked on October 7. He has two wives and is the father of 11 children.

Israels Channel 12 showed Mr Alkadis family members sprinting through the hospital where he was brought after they received the news.

Hamas-led militants abducted some 250 people in the October 7 attack, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed in excess of 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters.

It has displaced 90% of Gazas 2.3 million people from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.

Hamas is still holding around 110 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel during a ceasefire last November.

Israel has rescued a total of eight hostages, including in two operations that killed scores of Palestinians.

Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli air strikes and failed rescue attempts.

The US, Egypt and Qatar have spent months trying to negotiate an agreement in which the remaining hostages would be freed in exchange for a lasting ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced intense criticism from families of the hostages and much of the Israeli public for not yet reaching a deal with Hamas to bring them home.
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A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
By Ian Parmeter, Australian National University | 

(The Conversation)  For weeks, Israel had been anticipating a major attack from Hezbollah in retaliation for its killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Lebanon at the end of July.

In the early hours of Sunday, that attack finally came  and Israel was apparently ready. The Israelis claim to have thwarted what could have been a large-scale Hezbollah assault. At the same time, Hezbollah also claimed success.

So, what can we make of the latest tit-for-tat between the two sides, and where does the region go from here?

How both sides are seeing things

Clearly, both Israel and Hezbollah have stepped back at this stage from any further action. Hezbollah has qualified this by saying this is only the first phase of its response to Shukrs assassination, and that it reserves the right to strike further after evaluating the success of Sundays operation.

Israel claimed to have seen preparations for perhaps a thousand rockets to be launched across the border, and it preemptively sent around 100 aircraft into southern Lebanon and hit 270 targets, including rocket launchers. Hezbollah is believed to be capable of launching 3,000 missiles a day if a full-scale war were to break out.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the operation as a success, but said its not the end of the story and Israel will strike further if need be.

Hezbollah denies Israels strikes did much damage, saying it merely fired into empty valleys.

At the same time, Hezbollah retaliated by sending a large number of Katyusha rockets into northern Israel. These are not the biggest rockets in its arsenal  they have a limited range of up to 40 kilometres  so they can only hit targets in northern Israel. Hezbollah said the rockets were meant to make way for a wave of drones to go into Israel. One Israeli Navy sailor was killed in the attack.

In his speech by video on Sunday, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, seemed to be apologising to the Lebanese people for putting them in this position. And thats possibly not surprising, because Hezbollah is both a political and military actor, and it needs to make sure it continues to win votes in the Lebanese political system.

But Nasrallah said Hezbollah had achieved its objectives and the group was encouraging Lebanese who had moved away from the border to go back. However, that may be a bit premature, because it is still unclear how this will all play out.

What is Iran thinking?

Most analysts had been assuming there might be a coordinated revenge attack for both the killing of Shukr in Beirut and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. This may have included missiles and rockets from Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and possibly also the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Shia militant groups in Syria and Iraq.

But that didnt happen. And that could mean a few things.

First, Iran at this stage is likely trying to work out the best way of responding to Haniyehs killing. In April, it sent over 300 missiles, drones and rockets into Israel in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus in which several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members were killed. But virtually all of them were shot down and there was no serious damage.

A repeat of that would indicate Iran really doesnt have the capacity to take serious action against Israel.



Airstrike, Digital, Midjourney, PS Express, Clip2Comic, 2024.

At the same time, Iran would also not want to launch a bigger retaliatory strike because that could spark a wider war. And Tehran doesnt want to give the Americans or Israelis an excuse to launch a concerted attack on its nuclear facilities.

So, Iran is likely trying to work out some mid-point between its April strike and a slightly stronger response. This is clearly taking time.

It may also indicate theres a debate going inside Iran between those around the newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who is known to be something of a moderate (in Iranian terms ), and the IRGC, which has been threatening a very hard-line response to Israel for some time.

Iran may have simply decided it will only respond to Israel through its proxies  limited attacks by Hezbollah and the Houthis are all it is willing to do at this stage. But this doesnt mean the danger is over because the scope for messages to be misunderstood between such hostile antagonists is always there.

Netanyahu under pressure

Netanyahu is also under continued pressure from the right wing of his cabinet, which has long advocated for taking out the Hezbollah threat on Israels northern border, even though this is a very difficult task. Israel tried it once before in 2006 and essentially failed.

In addition, about 60,000 Israelis have had to evacuate their homes in northern Israel and are living in temporary accommodation due to the Hezbollah threat. They want Netanyahu to make it safer for them to return.

Responding to military threats on two fronts is difficult for Israel to sustain. Israels military has now been been fighting Hamas in Gaza, and to some extent, protecting northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks for nearly 11 months.

The permanent Israeli army is also not that large. It only has about 169,000 regular troops, meaning it must rely on up to 300,000 reservists to meet its current needs.

And the problem with bringing reservists into service: this affects the economy because they leave their jobs. In just the last couple of weeks, the Fitch Ratings agency downgraded Israels rating from A to A minus, reflecting the fact the economy is not functioning as well as it should be, in addition to the heightened geopolitical risks. The country is on a perpetual war footing, and the military wants to have a break.

However, Netanyahu is wary of any sort of a pause in the fighting because that could upset his coalition and spark an election, which he would probably lose.

His entire strategy since the October 7 Hamas assault has been to reestablish his security credentials. He needs to be able to show he can counter any threat to Israel to restore the publics faith in him. To do that, he must re-establish the confidence of those who live in northern Israel and stop the attacks from Hezbollah.

It seems this could go on for quite some time, but Hezbollah has also said it will halt its attacks if theres a ceasefire in Gaza. So in that sense, were stuck in a loop thats not going to stop until theres a breakthrough in the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

And given the obstacles that remain on both sides, its hard to see that happening any time soon.

Ian Parmeter, Research Scholar, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Istanbul (Speciall to Informed Comment, Feature)  The Palestinian question has been a central topic for the Arab world for many decades now. Over the years, Arab leaders have used the Palestinian cause as one of their talking points to gain support from the populace. Over the last decade, however, the topic began to lose steam, especially thanks to the Abraham Accords that led to some Arab countries following Egypt and Jordan in normalising diplomatic relations with Israel.

Against opposing voices and detractors, to explain their new-found ties with Israel these nations provided the excuse of seeking peace and stability in the region and a peaceful way for securing a Palestinian state.

But the recent war on Gaza has reignited the importance of the Palestinian question and reinvigorated Arabs passion for this cause leading to many protests and demonstrations against their countries and against normalisation with Israel.

Over 40 Moroccan cities, including Fez, Marrakesh, Agadir and Tangier, saw regular demonstrations in favor of Palestine this summer. In early August, the Israeli assassination of the head of the civilian Hamas politburo provoked large crowds to come into the streets. Earlier, in Tangier, Morocco, thousands of protesters had filled the streets chanting Gaza is not alone in protest at an Israeli ship docking in Tangier. The Israeli newspaper Globes revealed that The new Israeli Navy landing ship INS Komemiyut docked at the port of Tangier, Morocco, for supplies while sailing from the United States to Israel,

Not long after, this incident escalated into a full-on demonstration in Tangier where Moroccan anti-normalisation activists condemned the governments silence and accused the countrys officials of being complicit in the genocide in Gaza.

The normalisation of diplomatic ties with Israel dates back to 2020 when Morocco officially established relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. The biggest incentive for the Moroccan Kingdom to sign this deal was to gain official recognition from the US for Moroccos sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory, a territory thats been under dispute for a long time. While an economic and diplomatic gain for Morocco, no doubt, this deal was not without its difficulties. Morocco and other countries that established relations with Israel had to stifle their own citizens by harassing, censoring and undermining any voices opposing the deal.

However, after the 7th of October and the current state of war in Gaza, Morocco alongside other Arab countries, had to show solidarity with Palestinians despite their involvement with Israel. In the case of Morocco, Rabat officially denounced the war and called Israeli actions flagrant violations of the provisions of international law. Yet, the absence of any talk about reversing the Abraham Accords revealed the truth that the leaders of Morocco are walking a tightrope trying to please both their enraged citizens and salvaging relations with The US and Israel. Despite the governments attempts to play both sides, the streets havent been quiet. Since the war on Gaza started, dozens of demonstrations in Morocco erupted in support of Palestine.

The Moroccan government has not been happy about these demonstrations. For instance, on May 15th during Nakba day Rabat local authorities stopped a Pro-Palestinian march from happening over logistical issues. Mr. Saied Hannaoui, a leading figure of the Moroccan opposition to normalisation, spoke out about this ban , calling it a backward authoritarian decision. It reflects the continued tyranny that imposes normalisation on the Moroccan people,

Video: A Moroccan doctor gives hope to 100 lives in Gaza

The crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests is nothing new to Morocco or the region. According to Amnesty International, in recent years, countries like Morocco with close ties to Israel have been wary of any dissent towards their deals with Israel. This led these countries to practice censorship, make arrests and institute a ban demonstrations and any anti-normalisation voices.

However, despite the governments attempts to restrain its people, Moroccans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the governments policies and their support for Palestine throughout the war in Gaza.

The major demonstration in Tangier earlier this summer provides an excellent case study of how volatile the situation is in Morocco and other Arab nations. The demonstration, which was organised by the Moroccan Front, saw leftist parties and Islamist movements come together in support of Gazas Palestinians and against the continuation of Moroccos ties with Israel. The choice of the coastal city of Tangier is relevant as reports claim that an Israeli ship coming from the US had docked at Tangier in June to restock. The fact that Morocco had agreed to have an Israeli ship dock at one of its ports escalated tensions between the people and the government. Allowing the Israeli warship to dock is, unfortunately, a participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people, and support to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, said Mohamed El-Ghafry, coordinator of the Moroccan Front Against Normalisation.

In a press release, the Front saw that turning a blind eye to the passage of such ships as a violation of the International Court of Justices decision following South Africas lawsuit against Israel and a compromise of our national sovereignty.

Despite the peoples attempts to sway the governments opinion on its diplomatic ties with Israel, Morocco seems to see benefits in having these ties with Israel. One anonymous source from the Moroccan foreign ministry insisted in March to Reuters that these ties hold benefits for furthering the cause of the Palestinian people. Whether these claims have merit or not, the people of Morocco do not seem to be swayed by this rhetoric and instead are pushing more and more for Morocco to cancel the Abraham Accords.

The Moroccan government, alongside other Arab countries, is attempting to be supportive of the Palestinian cause while at the same time remaining cordial or even more than cordial with Israel. In light of these recent developments in the countrys streets, is the governments way of handling this very delicate situation any longer sustainable?
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (West Red Lake Gold or WRLG or the Company) (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) is pleased to report drill results from its 100% owned Madsen Mine located in the Red Lake Gold District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

The drill results featured in this news release are focused on the high-grade Austin and McVeigh Zones. The Austin Zone currently contains an Indicated mineral resource of 914,200 ounces (oz) grading 6.9 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), with an additional Inferred resource of 104,900 oz grading 6.5 g/t Au. The McVeigh Zone currently contains an Indicated mineral resource of 79,800 oz grading 6.4 g/t Au, with an additional Inferred resource of 14,300 oz grading 6.9 g/t Au.

These results follow-up on the significant intercepts previously announced on August 12, 2024, where drilling returned 107.61 g/t Au over 2.5 meters (m) at Austin and 106.99 g/t Au over 2.35m at McVeigh.

The purpose of this drilling was definition within priority areas of Austin and McVeigh to continue building an inventory of high-confidence ounces to support the restart of production at the Madsen mine, which is expected to commence in H2 2025. The Company expects to complete a pre-feasibility study in support of that restart goal in the coming months.

MCVEIGH ZONE HIGHLIGHTS:

Hole MM24D-01-4081-025 Intersected 5.5m @ 17.77 g/t Au , from 44.5m to 50.0m, Including 2.2m @ 38.56 g/t Au , from 45.0m to 47.2m, Also Including 0.5m @ 19.15 g/t Au , from 49.5m to 50.0m.

Intersected , from 44.5m to 50.0m, Including , from 45.0m to 47.2m, Also Including , from 49.5m to 50.0m. Hole MM24D-01-4081-028 Intersected 2m @ 36.62 g/t Au , from 51.5m to 53.5m, Including 0.6m @ 100.44 g/t Au , from 52.4m to 53.0m.

Intersected , from 51.5m to 53.5m, Including , from 52.4m to 53.0m. Hole MM24D-01-4081-027 Intersected 5m @ 10.82 g/t Au , from 43m to 48m, Including 1m @ 11.44 g/t Au , from 44m to 45m, Also including 0.5m @ 64.71 g/t Au , from 46.6m to 47.1m.

Intersected , from 43m to 48m, Including , from 44m to 45m, Also including , from 46.6m to 47.1m. Hole MM24D-01-4081-039 Intersected 0.6m @ 89.93 g/t Au, from 50.0m to 50.6m.

AUSTIN ZONE HIGHLIGHTS:

Hole MM24D-09-4796-025 Intersected 12.12m @ 7.35 g/t Au , from 92.88m to 105.00m, Including 2.5m @ 19.39 g/t Au , from 93.5m to 96.0m.

Intersected , from 92.88m to 105.00m, Including , from 93.5m to 96.0m. Hole MM24D-09-4796-023 Intersected 7m @ 11.06 g/t Au , from 85.5m to 92.5m, Including 0.51m @ 15.72 g/t Au , from 87.09m to 87.60m, Also including 1.87m @ 28.14 g/t Au , from 90.63m to 92.50m.

Intersected , from 85.5m to 92.5m, Including , from 87.09m to 87.60m, Also including , from 90.63m to 92.50m. Hole MM24D-09-4796-029 Intersected 6.3m @ 6.04 g/t Au, from 77.0m to 83.3m, Including 0.67m @ 13.82 g/t Au, from 78.00m to 78.67m, Also including 1m @ 12.60 g/t Au, from 82.3m to 83.3m.

Shane Williams, President & CEO, stated, The exceptional drill results that continue to be produced from McVeigh are very encouraging and highlight the opportunity that remains in this shallow, high-grade, easily accessible portion of the Madsen deposit. The Austin zone also continues to impress with solid results that help to strengthen our view that the Madsen deposit has plenty of meat left on the bones while also offering significant upside as we continue to access deeper portions of the main deposit.

Plan maps and section for the Austin and McVeigh drilling outlined in this release are provided in Figures 1 through 13.

TABLE 1. Significant intercepts (>3 g/t Au) from drilling at Austin and McVeigh Zones.

Hole ID Target From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Au (g/t) MM24D-09-4796-019 Austin No Assays > 3 g/t Au MM24D-09-4796-020 Austin 60.50 64.00 3.50 3.57 MM24D-09-4796-021 Austin



79.00 82.49 3.49 5.25 Incl. 81.18 81.68 0.50 14.77 MM24D-09-4796-022 Austin No Assays > 3 g/t Au MM24D-09-4796-023 Austin







85.50 92.50 7.00 11.06 Incl. 87.09 87.60 0.51 15.72 Also Incl. 90.63 92.50 1.87 28.14 MM24D-09-4796-024 Austin 72.24 73.41 1.17 3.50 MM24D-09-4796-025 Austin 83.00 87.46 4.46 4.29 Incl. Austin 85.43 86.50 1.07 11.56 AND Austin



92.88 105.00 12.12 7.35 Incl. 93.50 96.00 2.50 19.39 MM24D-09-4796-026 Austin 94.00 99.50 5.50 3.56 MM24D-09-4796-027 Austin 94.00 98.43 4.43 3.26 AND Austin 102.00 102.75 0.75 3.76 AND Austin 104.13 105.00 0.87 6.82 MM24D-09-4796-028 Austin 64.96 65.84 0.88 5.26 AND Austin 68.35 70.55 2.20 3.01 AND Austin 99.50 102.30 2.80 3.43 MM24D-09-4796-029 Austin







77.00 83.30 6.30 6.04 Incl. 78.00 78.67 0.67 13.82 Also Incl. 82.30 83.30 1.00 12.60 AND Austin 94.00 95.42 1.42 3.16 MM24D-01-4081-020 McVeigh



34.00 39.00 5.00 3.48 Incl. 37.00 37.50 0.50 10.63 MM24D-01-4081-021 McVeigh 39.20 40.60 1.40 4.49 MM24D-01-4081-022 McVeigh



25.80 28.00 2.20 6.73 Incl. 25.80 26.30 0.50 26.09 AND McVeigh 32.00 33.00 1.00 6.78 AND McVeigh 35.50 36.00 0.50 3.59 AND McVeigh 37.00 37.50 0.50 3.00 MM24D-01-4081-023 McVeigh 19.85 22.10 2.25 5.89 AND McVeigh 38.50 41.35 2.85 6.15 MM24D-01-4081-024 McVeigh 40.00 43.10 3.10 3.01 AND McVeigh 54.00 55.00 1.00 6.69 MM24D-01-4081-025 McVeigh 20.60 23.60 3.00 3.25 AND McVeigh



36.50 41.50 5.00 4.15 Incl. 37.00 37.50 0.50 12.99 AND McVeigh







44.50 50.00 5.50 17.77 Incl. 45.00 47.20 2.20 38.56 Also Incl. 49.50 50.00 0.50 19.15 MM24D-01-4081-026 McVeigh 35.00 35.50 0.50 3.54 AND McVeigh 38.00 39.00 1.00 4.01 AND McVeigh



41.50 45.00 3.50 3.78 Incl. 43.50 44.00 0.50 16.06 MM24D-01-4081-027 McVeigh 20.00 21.50 1.50 3.47 AND McVeigh







43.00 48.00 5.00 10.82 Incl. 44.00 45.00 1.00 11.44 Also Incl. 46.60 47.10 0.50 64.71 MM24D-01-4081-028 McVeigh 28.85 31.00 2.15 3.03 AND McVeigh 40.00 40.50 0.50 4.42 AND McVeigh



51.50 53.50 2.00 36.62 Incl. 52.40 53.00 0.60 100.44 MM24D-01-4081-029 McVeigh 39.50 40.00 0.50 3.14 MM24D-01-4081-030 McVeigh







38.50 42.90 4.40 10.45 Incl. 39.50 40.50 1.00 30.17 Also Incl. 41.60 42.10 0.50 22.86 MM24D-01-4081-031 McVeigh



31.00 31.50 0.50 4.64 AND 33.00 34.00 1.00 3.98 AND McVeigh 49.50 50.50 1.00 10.66 MM24D-01-4081-032 McVeigh



25.50 30.50 5.00 7.43 Incl. 28.00 28.50 0.50 38.68 AND McVeigh



33.00 35.30 2.30 6.35 Incl. 33.00 33.95 0.95 14.65 MM24D-01-4081-033 McVeigh



26.50 29.50 3.00 15.61 Incl. 29.00 29.50 0.50 88.48 AND McVeigh



45.25 46.75 1.50 9.52 Incl. 45.25 46.00 0.75 10.66 MM24D-01-4081-034 McVeigh 31.27 33.00 1.73 3.68 MM24D-01-4081-035 McVeigh 27.13 32.00 4.87 3.22 MM24D-01-4081-036 McVeigh 29.00 30.00 1.00 4.77 AND McVeigh 54.45 55.25 0.80 6.67 MM24D-01-4081-037 McVeigh 29.50 30.50 1.00 4.23 AND McVeigh 34.00 34.50 0.50 3.26 MM24D-01-4081-038 McVeigh No Assays > 3 g/t Au MM24D-01-4081-039 McVeigh 43.00 43.50 0.50 3.04 AND McVeigh 50.00 50.60 0.60 89.93 AND McVeigh



61.00 63.50 2.50 8.84 Incl. 63.00 63.50 0.50 34.62 MM24D-01-4081-040 McVeigh 44.00 45.40 1.40 3.32 AND McVeigh 53.40 54.00 0.60 3.05 MM24D-01-4081-041 McVeigh 51.00 55.00 4.00 3.30 MM24D-01-4081-042 McVeigh 34.50 35.05 0.55 15.86 AND McVeigh



48.50 51.00 2.50 9.13 Incl. 48.50 49.42 0.92 24.19 AND McVeigh 55.00 56.00 1.00 4.56 MM24D-01-4081-043 McVeigh 49.00 50.00 1.00 3.97 MM24D-01-4081-044 McVeigh 34.00 36.50 2.50 3.25 AND McVeigh 53.00 54.00 1.00 5.01 MM24D-01-4081-045 McVeigh 37.50 38.00 0.50 3.43 AND McVeigh



58.00 60.00 2.00 21.61 Incl. 59.00 60.00 1.00 42.70 MM24D-01-4081-046 McVeigh 43.30 44.00 0.70 4.18 MM24D-01-4081-047 McVeigh 30.00 30.94 0.94 3.99 AND McVeigh 36.00 38.00 2.00 3.33 AND McVeigh



48.00 49.25 1.25 7.06 Incl. 48.50 49.25 0.75 10.43 MM24D-01-4081-048 McVeigh 33.50 35.10 1.60 3.28 AND McVeigh 53.00 55.00 2.00 3.70 MM24D-01-4081-049 McVeigh 48.50 50.00 1.50 14.19 MM24D-01-4081-050 McVeigh No Assays > 3 g/t Au MM24D-01-4081-051 McVeigh



49.90 51.00 1.10 11.11 Incl. 50.44 51.00 0.56 21.29

*The From-To intervals in Table 1 are denoting overall downhole length of the intercept. True thickness has not been calculated for these intercepts but is expected to be  70% of downhole thickness based on intercept angles observed in the drill core.

TABLE 2: Drill collar summary for holes reported in this News Release.

Hole ID Target Easting Northing Elev (m) Length (m) Azimuth Dip MM24D-09-4796-019 Austin 435855 5646651 -16 50.6 343 -4 MM24D-09-4796-020 Austin 435855 5646651 -17 83.0 345 15 MM24D-09-4796-021 Austin 435855 5646651 -17 88.8 348 9 MM24D-09-4796-022 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 81.0 349 -7 MM24D-09-4796-023 Austin 435855 5646652 -16 95.1 354 11 MM24D-09-4796-024 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 75.2 354 -2 MM24D-09-4796-025 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 111.0 356 5 MM24D-09-4796-026 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 100.3 359 10 MM24D-09-4796-027 Austin 435856 5646652 -17 105.0 2 4 MM24D-09-4796-028 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 102.3 2 0 MM24D-09-4796-029 Austin 435855 5646652 -17 111.0 2 -6 MM24D-01-4081-020 McVeigh 435208 5646247 355 81.0 114 -13 MM24D-01-4081-021 McVeigh 435208 5646247 355 90.0 114 -27 MM24D-01-4081-022 McVeigh 435208 5646247 356 75.0 121 0 MM24D-01-4081-023 McVeigh 435208 5646247 356 57.0 127 12 MM24D-01-4081-024 McVeigh 435208 5646247 355 66.0 130 -17 MM24D-01-4081-025 McVeigh 435208 5646246 356 60.0 130 -8 MM24D-01-4081-026 McVeigh 435208 5646247 355 90.0 130 -27 MM24D-01-4081-027 McVeigh 435208 5646246 356 63.0 140 6 MM24D-01-4081-028 McVeigh 435219 5646265 356 72.0 96 12 MM24D-01-4081-029 McVeigh 435219 5646265 356 78.0 96 -11 MM24D-01-4081-030 McVeigh 435219 5646265 355 84.0 96 -22 MM24D-01-4081-031 McVeigh 435219 5646265 356 66.0 107 0 MM24D-01-4081-032 McVeigh 435219 5646264 355 72.0 112 -11 MM24D-01-4081-033 McVeigh 435219 5646264 356 66.0 121 11 MM24D-01-4081-034 McVeigh 435219 5646264 356 63.0 120 0 MM24D-01-4081-035 McVeigh 435219 5646264 355 75.0 120 -22 MM24D-01-4081-036 McVeigh 435219 5646264 355 66.0 126 -11 MM24D-01-4081-037 McVeigh 435219 5646264 356 63.0 132 0 MM24D-01-4081-038 McVeigh 435230 5646283 356 75.0 76 0 MM24D-01-4081-039 McVeigh 435230 5646283 356 75.0 76 -8 MM24D-01-4081-040 McVeigh 435230 5646283 355 85.0 76 -20 MM24D-01-4081-041 McVeigh 435229 5646283 356 72.0 86 0 MM24D-01-4081-042 McVeigh 435229 5646282 357 66.0 99 11 MM24D-01-4081-043 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 69.0 100 2 MM24D-01-4081-044 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 63.0 100 -8 MM24D-01-4081-045 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 72.0 97 -19 MM24D-01-4081-046 McVeigh 435229 5646282 355 85.0 99 -31 MM24D-01-4081-047 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 63.0 109 0 MM24D-01-4081-048 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 75.0 109 -18 MM24D-01-4081-049 McVeigh 435229 5646282 356 63.0 120 0 MM24D-01-4081-050 McVeigh 435229 5646282 355 81.0 121 -31 MM24D-01-4081-051 McVeigh 435229 5646281 356 69.0 131 0

DISCUSSION

The Austin and McVeigh zones are both accessed through the Madsen Mine West Portal. Like the other mineralized domains that comprise the Madsen Mine, the Austin and McVeigh structures are hosted within broad, kilometer-scale planar alteration and deformation corridors that have been repeatedly reactivated during gold mineralization and subsequent deformation and metamorphism.

At the deposit scale the Austin, South Austin, North Austin, and McVeigh Zones are locally folded and structurally dismembered by transposition and rotation into the penetrative S2 Foliation. In addition to this intense deformation overprint, the mineralized veins and alteration have been subjected to the relatively high temperatures of amphibolite facies metamorphism, which led to extensive recrystallization and growth of the skarn-like replacement mineral assemblage of diopside-amphibole-quartz-biotite.

All significant gold mineralization on the mine property is demonstrably early relative to the most significant, penetrative deformation (D2) and metamorphic events. The North Austin Zone displays mine-style alteration and mineralization and consists of multiple mineralized domains defined over a strike length of 0.5km. Mineralization remains open at depth and along strike to the northeast.

In drill core, or at underground face exposures, gold-bearing zones at the Madsen Mine are best identified visually by fine (sub-millimetre) grains of free gold within strong alteration and veining. All high-grade intervals generally contain visible gold on drill core exteriors, although numerous examples exist of high-grade assays where visible gold was only identified within the interior (cut surface) of the core samples. Apart from the presence of free gold, pervasive silicification (locally accompanied by discrete quartz veining) and quartz-carbonate or diopside veining are the best indicators that a given interval is within a high-grade zone along/within the mineralized structure.

The current underground drilling program at the Madsen Mine is focused on further definition of near-term mining inventory, as well as growth of the current mineral resource. Drilling has been focused on the more continuous and higher-grade portions of the Austin, South Austin, North Austin and McVeigh Zones. This will continue to be the strategy through 2024.

High resolution versions of all the figures contained in this press release can be found at the following web address: https://westredlakegold.com/august-27th-news-release-maps/

FIGURE 1. Madsen Mine long section showing location of 01-4081 and 09-4796 Drill Bays in McVeigh and Austin Zones, respectively.[1]

FIGURE 2. Austin plan view drill section showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-09-4796-019 through -029.[1]

FIGURE 3. Austin section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-09-4796-019 through -022.[1] All holes shown on this section broke into historic stopes.

FIGURE 4. Austin section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-09-4796-023 through -025.[1] Holes -023 and -024 broke into historic stopes.

FIGURE 5. Austin section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-09-4796-026 through -029.[1] Holes -026 through -028 broke into historic stopes.

FIGURE 6. McVeigh plan view drill section showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-020 through -051.[1]

FIGURE 7. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-023 through -027.[1]

FIGURE 8. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-020 through -023.[1]

FIGURE 9. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-033 through -037.[1]

FIGURE 10. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-028 through -032.[1]

FIGURE 11. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-049 and -051.[1]

FIGURE 12. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-042 through -044 and -046 through -048.[1]

FIGURE 13. McVeigh section view showing assay highlights for Holes MM24D-01-4081-038 through -041.[1]

_______________

[1] Mineral resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.38 g/t Au and a gold price of US1,800/oz. Please refer to the technical report entitled Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada, prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and dated June 16, 2023, and amended April 24, 2024. A full copy of the SRK report is available on the Companys website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL

Drilling completed underground at the Madsen Mine consists of BQ-sized diamond drill core for definition drill programs and oriented NQ-sized diamond drill core for exploration focused drilling. All drill holes are systematically logged, photographed, and sampled by a trained geologist at the Madsen Mine core processing facility. Minimum allowable sample length is 0.5m. Maximum allowable sample length is 1.5m. Control samples (certified standards and uncertified blanks), along duplicates, are inserted at a target 5% insertion rate. Results are assessed for accuracy, precision, and contamination on an ongoing basis. The BQ-sized drill core is whole core sampled. The NQ-sized drill core is then cut lengthwise utilizing a diamond blade core saw along a line pre-selected by the geologist. To reduce sampling bias, the same side of drill core is sampled consistently utilizing the orientation line as reference. For those samples containing visible gold (VG), a trained geologist supervises the cutting/bagging of those samples, and ensures the core saw blade is cleaned with a dressing stone following the VG sample interval. Bagged samples are then sealed with zip ties and transported by Madsen Mine personnel directly to SGS Natural Resources Facility in Red Lake, Ontario for assay.

Samples are then prepped by SGS, which consists of drying at 105C and crushing to 75% passing 2mm. A riffle splitter is then utilized to produce a 500g course reject for archive. The remainder of the sample is then pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns from which 50g is analyzed by fire assay and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish (SGS Code GO-FAA50V10). Samples returning gold values > 100 g/t Au are reanalyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50g sample (SGS Code GO_FAG50V). Samples with visible gold are also analyzed via metallic screen analysis (SGS code: GO_FAS50M). For multi-element analysis, samples are sent to SGSs facility in Burnaby, British Columbia and analyzed via four-acid digest with an atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish for 33-element analysis on 0.25g sample pulps (SGS code: GE_ICP40Q12). SGS Natural Resources analytical laboratories operates under a Quality Management System that complies with ISO/IEC 17025.

The Madsen Mine deposit presently hosts a National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) Indicated resource of 1.65 million ounces (Moz) of gold grading 7.4 g/t Au and an Inferred resource of 0.37 Moz of gold grading 6.3 g/t Au. Mineral resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.38 g/t Au and a gold price of US1,800/oz. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to the technical report entitled Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada, prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and dated June 16, 2023, and amended April 24, 2024 (the Madsen Report). The Madsen Resource Estimate has an effective date of December 31, 2021 and excludes depletion of mining activity during the period from January 1, 2022 to the mine closure on October 24, 2022 as it has been deemed immaterial and not relevant for the purpose of the Madsen Report. A full copy of the Madsen Report is available on the Companys website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Will Robinson, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for West Red Lake Gold and the Qualified Person for exploration at the West Red Lake Project, as defined by NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral exploration company that is publicly traded and focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world's richest gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2 including three past producing gold mines - Rowan, Mount Jamie, and Red Summit.

ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES LTD.

Shane Williams

Shane Williams

President & Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Freddie Leigh

Tel: (604) 609-6132

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the Companys website at https://www.westredlakegold.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.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations of management; however, it is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to plans for the potential restart of mining operations at the Madsen Mine, the potential of the Madsen Mine; any untapped growth potential in the Madsen deposit or Rowan deposit; timing of pre-feasibility study and the Companys future objectives and plans. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; fluctuations in commodity prices; timing and results of the cleanup and recovery at the Madsen Mine; and changes in the Companys business plans. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the year ended November 30, 2023, and the Companys annual information form for the year ended November 30, 2023, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Companys continuous disclosure filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") reports its interim condensed consolidated financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2024 ("Q2 2024").

This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements and management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, which are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.bearcreekmining.com). Monetary amounts in this news release are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated and all capitalized terms herein have the same meaning as defined in the Q2 2024 financial statements.

Highlights

Key milestones that occurred during and subsequent to the end of Q2 2024 include:

Produced 9,304 oz of gold and 40,893 oz of silver;

Appointed Mr. Donald Mc Iver to the position of Vice President, Exploration and Geology;

Continuing to make technical changes at Mercedes to improve operating performance;

Enhanced Mercedes' ground control management plan ("GCMP") to overcome historical geotechnical challenges and development deficits;

Completed the North lateral ramp at the Marianas deposit, which includes two important pivots into the north and central ore bodies planned for late 2024 and 2025 production

Completed infrastructure projects at the San Martin deposit, including the new ventilation raise. This will allow acceleration of development by adding additional faces for ore extraction;

Eric Caba, President & CEO, states "Our efforts to optimize fundamental mine processes at Mercedes continued to result in improved gold grades and development meters achieved during Q2 2024. Pivoting development at the Marianas deposit toward driving a new lateral ramp resulted in gold production during the quarter that was lower than the previous two quarters due to restricted available working faces. Operating costs per ounce of gold produced also increased in Q2 2024 despite the effect of improved cost control measures, as a result of higher labour costs accompanying new union agreements settled during the quarter and increased contractor costs. The new Marianas ramp is expected to allow better positioning for ongoing infill drilling and development into other Marianas orebodies in late 2024 that we anticipate will contribute to production in 2025. We also initiated a near-mine and district-wide exploration program that is combining traditional exploration techniques with Machine Learning tools to identify new exploration targets. This work has already generated several new near-mine targets under cover that we are actively investigating. We remain convinced of Mercedes' ability to generate consistent, reliable quarterly production results and steady free cash flow."

Selected Q2 2024 Financial and Production Results

Bear Creek's Mercedes gold mine, located in Sonora, Mexico, produced 9,304 ounces of gold and 40,893 ounces of silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024. During this period 9,155 ounces of gold were sold, of which 825 ounces of gold were delivered under streaming arrangements. Cash cost and all-in-sustaining cost ("AISC") per ounce of gold sold were $1,657 and $2,058, respectively. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures", below.

Mercedes Operating Highlights Q2 2024 Year to Date Gold ounces produced 9,304 21,532 Silver ounces produced 40,893 84,933 Gold ounces sold 9,155 21,834 Cash costs per gold ounce sold (1) $1,657 $1,382 AISC per gold ounce sold (1) $2,058 $1,785 Tonnes mined 93,093 199,458 Tonnes processed 95,727 205,007 Average gold grade mined (g/t) 3.30 3.58 Average gold grade processed (g/t) 3.23 3.48 Recovery rate gold 94% 94% Average realized gold price (2) $2,318 2,163 Development (meters) 2,569 5,349

Financial Results

(millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts) Three Months Ended

June 30, 2024 Revenue $22.1 Comprehensive earnings (loss) after taxes $(11.2) Comprehensive earnings (loss) per share (3) $(0.05) Adjusted earnings (loss) after taxes (1) $(8.6) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share (1)(3)(4) $(0.04) Cash generated from (used in) operating activities $4.8 Cash generated from (used in) investing activities $(5.4) Cash generated from (used in) financing activities $(0.1) Weighted average shares during period 227,594,741 Shares issued and outstanding at end of period 227,650,785

(1) Non-GAAP Measure. Please see "Non-GAAP Measures" below for further information.

(2) Inclusive of final settlement adjustments on sales for non-streamed ounces.

(3) Per share amounts are based on weighted average shares during the period.

(4) Adjusted earnings excludes non-cash items that are significant but not reflective of the underlying operational performance of the Company and are a useful metric as they are an important indicator of the strength of operations and the performance of the Company's core business. Additional information is provided in the Company's Q2 2024 MD&A.

Mercedes Mine, Mexico

The Mercedes mine is a fully mechanized, ramp-access operation that produces gold and silver. Eleven individual deposits have been mined or are in production. Seven additional deposits have been identified and are in the early exploration or drill definition stage. Additional mineralized zones proximal to existing workings have been identified and are at the exploration or drill definition stage.

Exploration

Greenfield exploration drilling continued during Q2 2024 Targets included the San Martin Displacement, Margarita East, Klondike Displacement, Rey de Oro Deep, Diluvio Northwest and Lagunas West targets. Expenditures on this limited program during Q2 2024 totaled $0.6 million. Delineation infill drilling focused on the Marianas, Diluvio West, Intermediate, GAP and Barrancas deposits. Data obtained from this infill drilling will assist in the estimation of new Mineral Resources and the conversion of Resources to Mineral Reserves.

Development

The Company's focus on improving mine development continued through Q2 2024 with 2,569 meters of development advancement achieved during the period. This is in line with the development meters achieved in Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, after steady quarterly improvements over the course of the past financial year, from 1,044 meters in Q1 2023. Development at the Rey de Oro deposit advanced during Q2 2024.

With the completion of the vent raise in San Martin, mining progress improved in Q2 2024 with significant advance in infrastructure development, adding additional operating faces to be mined through the remainder of the year. Bear Creek made the strategic decision in Q1 2024 to discontinue development of the central vertical ramp at the Marianas deposit and to drive a new lateral ramp, which development was completed during Q2 2024. The central vertical ramp was situated in the hanging wall of a significant shear zone, which caused poor round conditions contributing to rock stability issues, cost increases and lower production. The new lateral ramp allows for both development to the north ore body of Marianas and for reestablishment of a new central vertical ramp that is offset from the shear zone of the hanging wall. During Q2 2024, both the Marianas North ore body pivot and the new central ore body vertical ramp pivot were established within the lateral ramp.

Planning for a new tailings storage facility ("TSF3") continued during Q2 2024. A land use permit for TSF3 was issued during Q1 2024, however final permitting has been impacted by bureaucratic delays in the implementation of Mexico's new mining law announced in 2023. Contingency plans for the deposition of tailings are being developed.

Production

Mercedes' Q2 2024 production was comprised of contributions from three main deposit areas: San Martin, Diluvio and Lupita. Q2 2024 production totaled 93,093 tonnes of ore mined at an average mining grade of 3.30 g/t gold, with 95,727 tonnes of ore processed at an average grade of 3.23 g/t gold. The average gold grade of ore processed during Q2 2024 was largely in keeping with the last two quarters, continuing the improvement in grade in comparison to the 2023 average of 2.77 gpt.

The Mercedes Mine had two lost time incidents and no reportable environmental incidents during the three months ended June 30, 2024.

Outlook

San Martin is expected to continue to contribute meaningfully to Mercedes' gold production through the remainder of 2024. Additional contributions are expected from the Rey de Oro, Diluvio and Gap deposits, as well as ongoing production from Marianas.

Work on a new geological and block models continued to progress during Q2 2024 and are being prepared for review by external experts, which is expected to occur during Q4 2024. The continued focus on development as well as delineation and exploration drilling, combine to support the Company's plans for medium and long-term production. Updates to estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources are tentatively expected before year end, pending completion of the first phase of the exploration and infill drilling campaign and approval of the models described above

The Company has commenced a program to delineate new prospects, with the potential to lead to new mineral resources proximal to Mercedes' current operations, to be followed by a second phase of work aimed at expanding the existing interpretation of the remainder of the Mercedes concessions with a view to defining key mineralized systems and new mineralization models. This holistic program integrates Machine Learning tools, aeromagnetic survey data, ground-based geochemistry and geological observations with concomitant interpretations. Additionally, specialized geological consultants have been contracted to better understand the complex structural environment of precious metal deposition at Mercedes and more precisely guide ongoing exploration efforts. Several new possible mineralized structures have been identified including a possible parallel structure to the primary Mercedes vein.

As a result of anticipated variability in Mercedes' production rates for the remainder of 2024, Bear Creek is not providing 2024 production guidance for the Mercedes Mine.

Corani Project

Activities at the Corani Property during the three months ended June 30, 2024 focused primarily on community support initiatives and on progressing a geometallurgical test program. The Company maintains and continues excellent working relationships with local communities.

The Corani geometallurgical program, which commenced in 2023, involved drilling nine holes totaling approximately 1,231 meters, and logging, sampling and assaying the drill core. Assay results were substantially in line with the existing Corani block model. A selection of samples for metallurgical test work were shipped to Base Metallurgical Laboratory in Canada in late 2023 with additional samples sent subsequent to the end of Q2 2024. Final metallurgical results on all submitted samples are expected to be received in late Q3 2024. The purpose of the geometallurgical program is to establish updated data as the Company prepares to resume Corani project financing efforts.

Pending receipt of the results of the geometallurgical test program and if and as Peruvian investment conditions improve, the Company plans restart its efforts to seek the funding necessary to construct the proposed Corani mine. In the meantime, the Company is continuing to focus on maintaining the Corani permits and the project's strong social license.

Overview of Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company recorded revenue of $22.1 million from the sale of gold and silver during the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to $19.9 million for the comparative period of 2023). The cost of goods sold was $15.8 million and depletion, amortization and depreciation amounted to $8.9 million during Q2 2024.

The Company recorded a gross loss from operations of $2.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (compared to a gross loss of $2.8 million the same period a year earlier). Mercedes' Q2 2024 operating costs were negatively impacted by: strengthening of the Mexican peso against the US dollar; increases in labor costs (20% higher than Q2 2023) as a result of the biennial union agreement negotiations that took place during Q2 2024 as well as severance payments due to a reduction in staff; and increases in contractor costs (41% higher than Q2 2023) due to the engagement of additional operations contractor services focused on accelerating mine development and reducing dilution. These cost increases were partially offset by lower material costs, lower cement consumption and lower maintenance costs stemming from the Company's cost reduction efforts.

Spending on the Corani property totalled $1.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2024, a small decrease compared to the same period a year earlier (Q2 2023: $1.9 million) due to decreased consulting costs and higher cost recovery. The Corani expenditures comprise both direct project expenditures and corporate overhead costs. Exploration costs, including maintenance of the Company's Peruvian property interests and exploration at Mercedes, totaled $1.0 million during the quarter (Q2 2023: $0.3 million). This increase is due to increased exploration drilling at Mercedes.

During Q1 2024, the Company closed the Sandstorm Restructuring Agreement (see the Company's news release dated January 22, 2024 and its MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2024). As a part of the restructuring, the Company derecognized deferred revenue associated with Sandstorm Gold Purchase Agreement on January 22, 2024, and determined fair value of the Restructured Sandstorm Gold Stream. Fair value of the Restructured Silver Stream has also been determined as at January 22, 2024. The change in fair value of the Company's stream arrangements as at June 30, 2024 of $1.9 million (as compared with $0.6 million in Q2 2023) is primarily due to change in metals price, remaining deliveries and discount rates utilized.

The Company fair values the conversion feature of its convertible debentures, and call options granted as part of notes payable at each period end and recorded a loss of $2.1 million (Q2 2023: gain of $1.2 million) presented as a change in fair value of the derivatives embedded into the Equinox Note and Sandstorm Loan. The major factor impacting this loss was the change in share price of the Company during the quarter.

The Company fair values the warrant liability associated with financing in Q4 2023 and recorded a loss of $0.9 million (Q2 2023: nil) due to the fluctuations in the Company's share price.

After operating expenses, other income and expenses, tax expenses and recoveries the Company recorded a comprehensive net loss of $11.2 million ($0.05 per share) for the three months ended June 30, 2024 (Q2 2023: $7.6 million and $0.05 per share). The increased comprehensive loss of $3.6 million period over period is primarily due to the $5.5 million loss on the valuation of embedded derivatives, stream arrangements and warrant liabilities and a $1.7 reduction in tax recoveries, offset by foreign exchange gain of $3.9 million.

At June 30, 2024 the Company held cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $3.4 million, a decrease of $0.5 million from December 31, 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 the Company had a cash inflow from operating activities of $5.8 million (2023: inflow of $7.5 million); a cash outflow from investing activities of $5.4 million (2023: outflow of $3.4 million); and an outflow of $0.8 million from financing activities (2023: outflow of $2.6 million).

The Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 were prepared following accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes the Company will be able to continue operations for at least twelve months from June 30, 2024 and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the ordinary course of operations.

As at June 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital (current assets less current liabilities) deficiency of $92.8 million (December 31, 2023: $89.7 million), which was impacted by the amendments to IAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements, requiring reclassification of equity-settleable convertible notes and warrant liabilities totaling $56.1 million (December 31, 2023: $47.4 million) from non-current liabilities to current liabilities.

Non-GAAP Measures

This news release includes disclosure of certain financial measures or ratios, as such terms are used in National Instrument 52-112 - Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure, including Cash Cost, All-In Sustaining Cost ("AISC") and Adjusted Earnings. These Non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards ("IFRS") and might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company believes that these measures and ratios provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the prospects of the Company as they provide additional information related to operating performance and are widely used in the mining industry.

For further information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures including reconciliations of these measures to the applicable costs items as reported in the consolidated financial statements for the respective periods, please see the information under the heading "Cash Cost and All-in-Sustaining Cost ("AISC") for Mercedes" in the Company's MD&A for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2024, available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Eric Caba

President and CEO

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Unless otherwise indicated, scientific and technical information in this news release is based on work programs and initiatives conducted under the supervision of, and/or has been reviewed and approved by, Andrew Swarthout, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, a director of the Company who is a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101. Additional information related to the Mercedes Mine and the Corani Project, including the Quality Assurance and Quality Control measures applied to the Company's sampling and assaying practices, is available in its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, available on its website and on SEDAR+.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding: the ability of the Mercedes mine to generate free cash flow; expectations regarding the deployment of free cash flow if and when generated; the expected outcomes and benefits of increasing drill density at the Mercedes mine; completion of, and third party review of, a new geological model, revised reserve block model, mining methodology optimization and mine sequencing for the Mercedes mine; the potential for additional mineralization, yet undiscovered, within the Mercedes property; the Company's interpretation of geological evidence; ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of mining methodologies at various Mercedes workings; outcomes related to permit applications; contingency plans for the future disposal of tailings at the Mercedes mine; the timing and outcome of results from geometallurgical test work at the Corani property; plans to re-initiate Corani project financing discussions; and expectations regarding the maintenance of Corani permits and social license. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making these forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to: that the Company will be able to meet its debt and stream obligations; that unforeseen factors will not impede the anticipated performance of the Mercedes mine; that development work at Mercedes will continue as planned and result in contributions to production as anticipated; and that exploration drilling plans will transpire as and when predicted. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - 1844 RESOURCES Inc. (TSXV: EFF) (the "Company" or "1844") is extremely pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Andre Gauthier to the board of directors effective immediately. [1]

Mr. Gauthier holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering and a M. Sc. in Mineral Exploration both obtained from the UQAC - Chicoutimi, (Quebec) and is an active member and leader of many mining and professional organizations (Canada, Peru, UAE, and China).

Mr. Sylvain Laberge, President and CEO of 1844 states "On behalf of our board of directors, I would like to welcome Mr. Gauthier. His impressive resume over the span of his career, along with his experience and knowledge of both company and resource development in Quebec further strengthens our already strong team."

Mr. Gauthier's career has spanned 50 years and projects in over 35 countries. He has held senior positions, including officer and directors' appointments in SOQUEM, Falconbridge, Noramco Mining, Cambior Inc., Maxy Gold Corp (China), Inca Pacific Resources, Lara Exploration Ltd., Vena Resources Inc., and Western Union Peru.

Additionally, Mr. Gauthier has been involved in many Gold and Copper discoveries and acquisitions, including Lac Shortt (Canada), La Arena (Peru), Anabi Minaspata (Peru), Luchun (China), Metates (Mexico), La Granja and La Virgen (Peru) and Pachon (Argentina).

Since 2020, Andre has been leading Eval Minerals, his private company involved in mineral investment and advisory. He is on the board of various companies involved in the exploration industry, both privately owned or listed on the Canadian Stock exchange. Since April 2024 Andre is also vice president of CAUR Technologies, a revolutionary Seismic technology which is part of Geophysics GPR International.

About 1844 Resources Inc:

1844 is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gaspe, Nunavik Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the expected closings of the Unit Offering and the Option Agreement and the receipt of regulatory approval, including approval by the Exchange. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on several assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; and Exchange approval.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include exploration or other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

[1] The Company's Articles allow for the increase in the size of the Company's board of directors by 1/3 between annual general meetings. Pursuant to the Company's Articles, the Company's board of directors was increased from five directors to six directors.
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR) (OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the last remaining (geotechnical) holes of the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") drilling program on its El Tigre Project in Sonora, Mexico. These new results are highlighting the near surface, consistent mineralization present.

Drill hole ET-23-513 intersected the Stockwork Zone with 126.6 metres grading 0.77 g/t gold equivalent or 57.5 g/t silver equivalent from 7.4 to 134.0 metres, consisting of 0.55 g/t gold and 16.6 g/t silver INCLUDING 19.6 metres grading 1.68 g/t gold equivalent or 126.2 g/t silver equivalent from 94.0 to 113.6 metres, consisting of 1.03 g/t gold and 48.8 g/t silver (Figure 1). This hole highlights the confirms the strong, near-surface mineralization footprint of the Stockwork Zone and expands the Footwall Zone by 50 metres to the east over the 2023 MRE.

Figure 1 : Stockwork Zone Cross Section 4325 N

Highlighted Intersections

New intersections through the Stockwork gold deposit, comprised of the Footwall, Hanging Wall and high-grade Keel Zones, are highlighted below, shown on Figure 2 and listed in Table 1.

Drill hole ET-23-531: 23.4 metres grading 1.30 g/t gold equivalent or 97.6 g/t silver equivalent from 121.4 to 144.8 metres, consisting of 0.29 g/t gold and 75.7 g/t silver INCLUDING 2.2 metres grading 11.75 g/t gold equivalent or 881.5 g/t silver equivalent from 140.0 to 142.2 metres consisting of 1.20 g/t gold and 791.4 g/t silver. The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade veins still present with the Stockwork Zone.

Drill hole ET-23-555: 69.1 metres grading 0.73 g/t gold equivalent or 54.8 g/t silver equivalent from 79.9 to 149.0 metres, consisting of 0.57 g/t gold and 12.2 g/t silver INCLUDING 7.0 metres grading2.13 g/t gold equivalent or 160.0 g/t silver equivalent from 82.0 to 89.0 metres consisting of 2.12 g/t gold and 0.7 g/t silver. The hole confirms Hanging Wall Zone mineralization 200 metres south of Starter Pit and expands mineralization profile 25 metres to the west.

Drill hole ET-23-562: 118.7 metres grading 0.51 g/t gold equivalent or 38.3 g/t silver equivalent from 55.9 to 174.6 metres, consisting of 0.46 g/t gold and 3.5 g/t silver INCLUDING 9.6 metres grading 1.18 g/t gold equivalent or 88.6 g/t silver equivalent from 165.0 to 174.6 metres consisting of 0.80 g/t gold and 28.3 g/t silver. The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade SK veins still present with the Stockwork Zone.

Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "As we progress to a PFS in September 2024, this release marks the last of the promising drill results from the PFS Drilling Program" Mr. Jessome further stated, "These results further de-risk the project and, coupled with the advantageous geotechnical and metallurgical results, increase the confidence and size of the El Tigre Project."

On May 20th, Silver Tiger has completed PFS Drilling, totalling 24,550 metres focused on expanding the Mineral Resource, upgrading the classification, completing metallurgical testwork and geotechnical studies as it progresses from an exploration to a development project. The value-added PFS progress is on schedule for publication in H2-2024.Figure 2: Stockwork

Zone - Plan View

Highlights from the concluded Pre-Feasibility Study Drilling Program include the following:

Expanding known mineralization by 10 to 15%, to the footwall and hanging wall zones, as well as the higher-grade Keel' at PEA pit bottom associated with the El Tigre and SK Veins;

Converting first two to three years of mineralized material in the potential Starter Stockwork Zone' from Indicated Mineral Resource to Measured;

Converting a significant portion of the 2 km strike length ultimate' PEA pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource to Indicated;

Completion of enhanced PFS Metallurgical Drilling and analysis; and

Completion of enhanced PFS Geotechnical Drilling and analysis

Mineral Resource Drilling

P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") of Brampton, Ontario completed the initial MRE in 2017. On Oct 27, 2023, P&E released an updated El Tigre Project NI 43-101 and NI 43-01 F1 compliant MRE technical report titled "Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate of the El Tigre Silver-Gold Project, Sonora, Mexico" authored by William Stone, Ph.D., P.Geo.,Yungang Wu, P.Geo., Fred H. Brown, P.Geo., Jarita Barry, P.Geo., David Burga, P.Geo., D. Grant Feasby, P.Eng., Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET and David Salari, P.Eng. The MRE has a pit-constrained Indicated Mineral Resource totaling 43.0 million tonnes containing 818 thousand ounces AuEq grading 0.59 g/t AuEq; and a pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 11.5 million tonnes containing 267 thousand ounces AuEq grading 0.72 g/t AuEq (see update MRE press release dated September 12th 2023).

PEA-level bench optimization of the pit-constrained Mineral Resource highlighted the higher-grade (~0.80 gpt AuEq), low strip ratio (~0.3) potential Starter Stockwork Zone (see PEA press release dated November 1st, 2023). Recommendations of the PEA-level study included increasing Mineral Resource confidence in potential Starter Stockwork Zone' and additional exploratory drilling to target the 1) Footwall, 2) Hanging Wall and 3) Keel' areas of the Stockwork Zone. P&E were again retained to lead the current El Tigre PFS-level study. Complete and final assay results are listed in Table 1.

Below, highlighted intersections are enumerated with reference to the three (3) zones targeted (Figure 2):

Drill hole ET-23-513: This hole highlights the confirms the strong, near-surface mineralization footprint of the Stockwork Zone some 200 metres north of the PEA Starter Pit';

Drill hole ET-23-531: The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade veins still present with the Stockwork Zone;

Drill hole ET-23-555: The hole confirms Hanging Wall Zone mineralization 200 metres south of Starter Pit and expands mineralization profile 25 metres to the west; and

Drill hole ET-23-562: The hole highlights the un-mined high-grade SK vein still present with the Stockwork Zone

Table 1-Geotechnical Drill Hole Results

AuEq Total (2) AgEq Total (2) Hole ID Comment From To Length(1) Gold Silver m m m g/t g/t g/t g/t ET-23-513 STOCKWORK ZONE 7.4 134.0 126.6 0.55 16.6 0.77 57.5 including 32.0 56.2 24.2 0.77 39.1 1.29 96.5 including 94.0 113.6 19.6 1.03 48.8 1.68 126.2 ET-23-522 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-531 STOCKWORK ZONE 35.0 53.5 18.5 0.47 0.9 0.48 36.1 STOCKWORK ZONE 101.0 102.5 1.5 6.10 8.9 6.22 466.3 STOCKWORK ZONE 121.4 144.8 23.4 0.29 75.7 1.30 97.6 including 140.0 142.2 2.2 1.20 791.4 11.75 881.5 STOCKWORK ZONE 187.9 189.5 1.6 3.47 28.7 3.85 288.8 STOCKWORK ZONE 200.0 201.7 1.7 1.59 8.2 1.70 127.5 ET-23-542 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-544 Margin - Stockwork 4.6 6.1 1.5 0.52 6.6 0.61 45.7 and 82.5 86.0 3.5 0.24 0.6 0.25 18.6 and 120.5 122.5 2.0 0.70 2.5 0.74 55.3 and 143.3 144.0 0.7 3.63 1.0 3.65 273.6 ET-23-546 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-549 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-551 Margin - Stockwork 105.5 108.0 2.5 0.63 1.1 0.64 48.4 and 119.0 122.0 3.0 0.41 0.5 0.41 30.9 ET-23-555 STOCKWORK ZONE 11.0 19.8 8.8 0.30 16.2 0.51 38.6 STOCKWORK ZONE 79.9 149.0 69.1 0.57 12.2 0.73 54.8 including 82.0 89.0 7.0 2.12 0.7 2.13 160.0 SK Vein 203.9 206.2 2.3 4.16 32.9 4.59 344.5 Mining VOID 208.2 211.8 3.6 * * * * and 211.8 213.1 1.3 0.09 7.0 0.18 13.4 Mining VOID 213.1 218.2 5.1 * * * * ET-23-556 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-559 STOCKWORK ZONE 2.4 29.5 27.1 0.31 30.7 0.72 54.1 including 13.9 16.9 3.0 1.49 239.3 4.68 351.2 Seitz Kelly Vein 74.7 79.0 4.3 0.29 21.1 0.57 42.7 ET-23-561 Margin - Stockwork No Significant Assays ET-23-562 STOCKWORK ZONE 25.3 31.0 5.7 0.59 0.5 0.60 44.8 STOCKWORK ZONE 55.9 174.6 118.7 0.46 3.5 0.51 38.3 Seitz Kelly Vein 165.0 174.6 9.6 0.80 28.3 1.18 88.6 Mining VOID 174.6 179.2 4.6 * * * *

The above holes were drilled to assess geotechnical characteristics of future pit walls, thus not all holes intercepted mineralization as they were drilled distal from the hanging wall or footwall.

Table 2-Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length ET-23-513 671,135.9 3,384,353.3 1993.3 110 -45 242.7 ET-23-522 671,195.8 3,384,569.2 2108.3 80 -60 141.0 ET-23-531 671,038.6 3,384,545.9 2097.9 90 -60 250.7 ET-23-542 671,037.5 3,384,545.6 2097.8 270 -65 200.0 ET-23-544 671,106.8 3,384,298.3 1968.7 200 -65 170.4 ET-23-546 670,949.4 3,384,942.5 1853.0 350 -65 151.9 ET-23-549 670,967.1 3,384,778.7 1953.7 240 -70 80.8 ET-23-551 671,172.0 3,383,656.6 2006.6 275 -70 216.1 ET-23-555 671,173.7 3,383,655.9 2006.6 45 -60 218.2 ET-23-556 671,229.8 3,384,255.6 2023.6 100 -65 160.3 ET-23-559 671,204.7 3,383,931.9 1893.4 20 -65 170.3 ET-23-561 671,316.4 3,383,618.1 2074.9 90 -60 230.7 ET-23-562 671,297.0 3,383,358.7 1954.5 120 -60 179.2



Figure 3: El Tigre - Conceptual Cross-Section Showing Mineralization Styles

Figure 4: El Tigre-Longitudinal Projection Showing Exploration Potential

About Silver Tiger and the El Tigre Historic Mine District

Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 25 years' experience discovering, financing and building large hydrothermal silver projects in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger.

The El Tigre historic mine district is located in Sonora, Mexico and lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre silver and gold belt which hosts many epithermal silver and gold deposits, including Dolores, Santa Elena and Las Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the Property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining silver veins in the area with production coming from 3 parallel veins the El Tigre Vein, the Seitz Kelley Vein and the Sooy Vein. Underground mining on the middle El Tigre Vein extended 1,450 metres along strike and was mined on 14 levels to a depth of approximately 450 metres. The Seitz Kelley Vein was mined along strike for 1 kilometre to a depth of approximately 200 metres. The Sooy Vein was only mined along strike for 250 metres to a depth of approximately 150 metres. Mining abruptly stopped on all three of these veins when the price of silver collapsed to less than US20 per ounce with the onset of the Great Depression. By the time the mine closed in 1930, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012). The average grade mined during this period was over 2 kilograms silver equivalent per ton.

The El Tigre silver and gold deposit is related to a series of epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad silver and gold mineralized prophylitic alteration zone developed in the El Tigre Formation that can be up to 150 metres wide. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 0.5 metre wide; however, locally can be up to 5 metres in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometres along strike in our brownfield exploration area. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.6-kilometre portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The under explored Caleigh, Benjamin, Protectora and the Fundadora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometres. Silver Tiger has delivered its updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate and PEA and is currently drilling to update its Mineral Resource Estimate and publish a PFS.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full drill core is sawn with a diamond blade drill core saw with one half of the drill core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the drill core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged drill core sample bags are transported to the Bureau Veritas facility in Hermosillo, Mexico. Bureau Veritas crushes the samples (Code PRP70-250) and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 200 mesh (Code PUL85). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 30-gram charge by fire assay (Code FA630) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code MA200 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified reference materials, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed Silver Tiger's QA/QC protocols.

Qualified Person

David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Corporation, is the Qualified Person for Silver Tiger as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn Jessome

President and CEO

902 492 0298

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, the ability to convert Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend Mineral Resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. & TORONTO / Aug 27, 2024 / Business Wire / Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU | OTCQX:ASCUF) (ASCU or the Company) today reports that, further to the press release dated AUG 7, 2024, announcing the Cactus Project NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), the technical report in respect of the PEA is now filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Company's issuer profile and is also available on the company website (www.arizonasonoran.com). The Cactus PEA envisages an average 86k short ton (172 million pound) per annum open pit copper heap leaching operation over a 31-year mine life (LoM). In total, 5.3 billion lbs or 2.7 million short tons of LME Grade A Copper Cathodes is detailed for production directly onsite via solvent extraction and electrowinning (SXEW) hydrometallurgical processing. The PEA supersedes the previously released Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) in all respects. All dollar amounts referenced herein in US dollars, and all references to tons are imperial or short tons, unless otherwise noted; 1 short ton equals approximately 0.91 metric tonnes.

Highlights from the PEA:

Key Performance Indicators at $3.90/lb Copper $2,032 million Net Present Value ( NPV ) (8% discount, after-tax) 24% Internal rate of return (IRR, after-tax) 4.9 years Payback Period $668 million development capital including contingency

Life of Mine (LoM) Gross Revenue of $20.8 billion

LoM Free Cash Flow ( FCF ) of $7,295 million (unlevered)

( ) (unlevered) Cash costs (C1) of $1.82 and All in Sustaining Costs (AISC) of $2.00 per pound of copper

per pound of copper Financial and operational executability now through transition to Open Pit operation 94% material from open pit mining (Cactus West and Parks/Salyer), 6% from the Stockpile and Cactus East underground

now through transition to Open Pit operation 232 million pounds (lbs) (116,052 short tons (st)) average annual copper cathode production over the first 20 years of operation and a total of 5,339 million lbs (2,669,342 st) of copper cathode produced over the 31-year operating mine life

production over the first 20 years of operation and a total of 5,339 million lbs (2,669,342 st) of copper cathode produced over the 31-year operating mine life Cactus Project is well positioned to add value in a variety of copper price environments

The PEA is preliminary in nature, and it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the project described in the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

TABLES 1 and 2 below summarize the key metrics within the PEA and the sensitivities to the copper price, as it relates to revenue, NPV and IRR.

TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF KEY METRICS

Valuation Metrics (Unlevered) Unit 2024 PEA $3.90/lb Cu Net Present Value @ 8% (pre-tax) $ millions 2,769 Net Present Value @ 8% (after-tax) $ millions 2,032 Internal Rate of Return (after-tax) % 24.0 Payback Period (after-tax) # years 4.9 Project Metrics (Imperial) Unit 2024 PEA $3.90/lb Cu Construction Period  SXEW plant # years 1.5 - 2 Life of Mine # years 31 Strip Ratio Waste : Feed 2.3 : 1 LoM Mineralized Material Mined ktons 889,004 LoM Copper Grade % CuT 0.46 LoM Avg Annual Contained Copper Production 000 tons millions lbs 86 172 LoM Annual Crusher Throughput millions tons 29 Annual Copper Production (years 1-20) 000 tons millions lbs 116 232 Recovery (years 1-20) %Cu TSol 83 LoM Recoveries (LOM) % Cu TSol 73 LoM Oxide % Cu TSol 92 LoM Enriched % Cu TSol 85 LoM Primary (conventional leaching) % CuT 25 LoM Recovered Copper Cathodes K pounds 5,338,683 Initial Capital (including contingency) $ millions 668 Sustaining Capital $ millions 1,169 Cash Cost (C1)* $/lb Cu 1.82 All in Sustaining Cost (AISC)* $/lb Cu 2.00 LoM Revenues $ millions 20,821 LoM EBITDA $ millions 11,292 LoM FCF (unlevered) after tax $ millions 7,295 Notes: *Project operating costs include mine operating, process plant operating, and general and administrative costs (G&A). Total production costs include royalty expense. The AISC additionally includes initial Capex, sustaining Capex, reclamation & closure.

TABLE 2: Report Sensitivities to the Copper Price

Revenue, NPV and IRR Sensitivity Based on Copper Price Metal Price Copper Price Revenue (US$000) NPV, before tax @ 8% (US$000) NPV, after tax @ 8% (US$000) IRR after Tax Base Case $3.90 $20,820,863 $2,769,280 $2,031,671 24% 20% $4.68 $24,985,035 $4,237,162 $3,196,838 32% 10% $4.29 $22,902,949 $3,503,221 $2,612,817 28% -10% $3.51 $18,738,777 $2,035,338 $1,450,505 20% -20% $3.12 $16,656,690 $1,301,397 $861,488 16%

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Procedures

Skyline Labs is accredited in accordance with the recognized International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Their quality management system has been certified as conforming to the requirements defined in the International Standard ISO 9001:2015. The standard operating procedure (SOP) used while processing the ASCU samples was to process samples in groups of 20. Each tray consisted of 18 samples with samples No. 1 and No. 10 repeated as duplicates. The results from each tray were analyzed and any variance in the duplicates of more than 3% would result in the entire tray being re-assayed.

The results of these analyses, including the QA/QC checks, were transmitted to a select set of individuals at ASCU and the qualified persons.

Qualified Persons

Each of the persons listed below are authors preparing the PEA and have reviewed and verified the contents of this news release as it relates to their area of responsibilities. By virtue of their education, experience and professional association membership, each of the below listed persons are considered qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.

Scientific and technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed and verified by these Qualified Persons listed below and Dan Johnson, ASCU Director of Projects, as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Project Management, M3 Engineering, John Woodson, PE, SME-RM

Metallurgy, M3 Engineering, Laurie Tahija, QP-MMSA

Mineral Resources, Allan L. Schappert, CPG, SME-RM, ALS Geo Resources LLC

Water and Environmental, R. Douglas Bartlett, CPG, PG. Clear Creek Associates, a subsidiary of Geo-Logic Associates

Mine Planning, Gordon Zurowski, P.Eng., AGP Mining Consultants Inc.

Links from the Press Release:

Link to August 7, 2024 News

SEDAR+: https://www.sedarplus.ca

About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (www.arizonasonoran.com | www.cactusmine.com)

ASCUs objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs and to develop the Cactus and Parks/Salyer Projects that could generate robust returns for investors and provide a long term sustainable and responsible operation for the community and all stakeholders. The Company's principal asset is a 100% interest in the Cactus Project (former ASARCO, Sacaton mine) which is situated on private land in an infrastructure-rich area of Arizona. Contiguous to the Cactus Project is the Companys 100%-owned Parks/Salyer deposit that could allow for a phased expansion of the Cactus Mine once it becomes a producing asset. The Company is led by an executive management team and Board which have a long-standing track record of successful project delivery in North America complemented by global capital markets expertise.

Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures

This news release contains certain non-IFRS measures, including sustaining capital, sustaining costs, EBITDA, C1 cash costs and AISC. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. 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 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.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expect, is expected, in order to, is focused on (a future event), estimates, intends, anticipates, believes or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or the negative connotation thereof. In particular, statements regarding ASCUs future operations, future exploration and development activities or other development plans constitute forward-looking statements. By their nature, statements referring to mineral reserves or mineral resources constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to statements with respect to the results (if any) of further exploration work to define and expand or upgrade mineral resources and reserves at ASCUs properties; the anticipated exploration, drilling, development, construction and other activities of ASCU and the result of such activities; the estimates and assumptions underlying the PEA; projected production; sensitivity of the Cactus Project to changes in copper prices; pre-tax and after-tax NPV; after-tax IRR; payback period; LOM estimates; free-cash flows estimates; AISC and cost estimates; expected revenues, EBITDA or recoveries; the ability of exploration work (including drilling) to accurately predict mineralization; the ability of management to understand the geology and potential of the Cactus Project; the focus of the current drilling program at the Cactus Project including the Parks/Salyer deposit and MainSpring property; the impact of transition to open pit operations; the ability to generate additional drill targets; the ability of ASCU to complete its exploration objectives in 2024 in the timing contemplated (if at all); the timing and scope of any future technical reports and studies conducted by ASCU; the ability to realize upon mineralization in a manner that is economic; the impact of bringing the MainSpring property into the mine plan; the ability and timing of ASCU to commence operations (if at all); the robust economics and opportunity represented by the Cactus Project; the expected impact of the Cactus Project on the local economy and stakeholders; and its operations and any other information herein that is not a historical fact.

ASCU considers its assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available but cautions the reader that their assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, may ultimately prove to be incorrect since they are subject to risks and uncertainties that affect ASCU, its properties and business. Such risks and uncertainties include, but not limited to, the global economic climate, developments in world commodity markets, changes in commodity prices (particularly prices of copper), risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar and other currencies relative to the US dollar, risks relating to capital market conditions and ASCUs ability to access capital on terms acceptable to ASCU for the contemplated exploration and development at the Companys properties, changes in exploration, development or mining plans due to exploration results and changing budget priorities of ASCU or its joint venture partners, the effects of competition in the markets in which ASCU operates, results of further exploration work, the ability to continue exploration and development at ASCUs properties, errors in geological modelling, changes in any of the assumptions underlying the PEA, the ability to expand operations or complete further exploration activities, the ability to obtain regulatory approvals, the impact of changes in the laws and regulations regulating mining exploration, development, closure, judicial or regulatory judgments and legal proceedings, operational and infrastructure risks and the additional risks described in ASCUs most recently filed Annual Information Form, annual and interim managements discussion and analysis, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under ASCUs issuer profile. ASCUs anticipation of and success in managing the foregoing risks could cause actual results to differ materially from what is anticipated in such forward-looking statements.

Although management considers the assumptions contained in forward-looking statements to be reasonable based on information currently available to it based on information available at the date of preparation, those assumptions may prove to be incorrect. There can be no assurance that these 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 and are urged to carefully consider the foregoing factors as well as other uncertainties and risks outlined in ASCUs public disclosure record.

ASCU disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law.
TORONTO / Aug 27, 2024 / Business Wire / Great Quest Gold Ltd. (TSX-V: GQ) (Great Quest or the Company) provides an update to its shareholders on the discovery of a major conductor below the K17 target of the Khorixas Project. Interpretation of new data suggests that an Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) mineral system is a preferred model as opposed to the previously proposed Orogenic Gold mineral system for the K17 target.

Highlights

Major conductor identified as potential source for K17 Cu/Au/Ag/U mineralization

Multiple shallow conductors identified immediately below surface mineralization at K17 target

A section line of 51km of deep penetrating Magnetotellurics complete through the Khorixas basin

A grid comprising 30 square kilometres of Magnetotellurics complete across the K17 target area

About the K17 Target

The recently discovered K17 target comprises a zone of 50 km2 situated in the southern portion of the Khorixas project area. Limited work, including rock chip and soil sampling, has identified extensive surface mineralization of copper, gold, silver and uranium. Individual rock chip samples hosted grades of 16.25% Cu, 21g/t Au, 37.8g/t Ag and 490ppm U (Fig. 1). Mineralization is located within the Kuiseb formation and is locally associated with highly bleached and silicified chlorite schists and is identified in the form of malachite, azurite, chalcocite and to a lesser extent, chalcopyrite. Magnetite is always evident in alteration zones in close proximity to the mineralization (Fig. 2).

Dr. Andreas Rompel, Great Quests President and VP Exploration, commented, We are excited about the discovery of a sizable conductor at depth which might explain the already known multi-element rock chip anomalies. This discovery, together with the anomalies, allow for many possible mineralization models but we believe it is likely the Fe Oxide Cu Au model (IOCG), with the presence of Au, Cu and U with magnetite in the mix, is more likely. This encourages us to continue to develop exploration programs to arrive at drill targets in the short-term.

Magnetotellurics

Great Quest has completed a two phase Magnetotelluric (MT) survey across the K17 target area. The first phase of the survey was aimed at carrying out a deep penetrating MT profile across the Khorixas basin, including the K17 target. A total of 19 ground stations were used during the survey with running times of 3 days each. Stations were positioned approximately 3km apart for a total section length of 51km. The purpose of the section line was to potentially identify a deeper source for the mineralization seen closer to surface. The second phase of the survey consisted of a grid of 22 ground stations with stations positioned approximately 1km apart. This survey was aimed at identifying conductors immediately beneath the surface mineralization at K17. Ground stations were run for 3 hours each and set for high-definition shallow penetration (Fig. 3).

MT Profile Results

Three-dimensional inversion of the deep penetrating MT survey across the Khorixas basin has revealed a significant conductive feature in the southern portion of the basin. The conductor is interpreted to be located within the mid to lower crust with an approximate depth between 15 and 30 km below surface. The least resistive (~1 m) part terminates at what is interpreted to be the brittle-ductile transition zone at ~15 km, directly beneath the rifted sedimentary basin. The least resistive zone is remarkably aligned with the K17 prospect and although the resolution of the section line is limited due to large spacing between ground stations, there is evidence of branching to surface. World-class magmatic ore systems, such as the Olympic Dam system, are often characterized by fluids/melts that are derived from the deep lithosphere, mostly located at the margins of ancient cratons. The Proterozoic Khorixas sedimentary basin is located on the southern boundary of the Congo craton and represents an ideal location for IOCG mineral systems.

MT K17 Grid Results

A grid comprising 22 MT ground stations positioned across the K17 target identified numerous near surface conductors. The conductors are interpreted to be branches from the large conductor identified during the deep penetrating survey. The most prominent of these conductors (C1 & C2) can be traced from 100m below surface to approximately 5000m below surface. These conductive zones will be the primary focus for immediate follow-up work. Due to the presence of near surface noise and the wide grid spacing, the identified conductors are not considered to be defined at drill target resolution and further work is required to better constrain the targets.

Future Work

The mineral assemblage, style of alteration and proximity of a major crustal conductor are all indicators of a possible IOCG mineralizing system and future work will be adjusted accordingly. Following up on the near surface conductors that have been identified through the MT program, Great Quest will shortly proceed with a drone-based Imaging and Magnetic survey, targeting structural and magnetite mapping. This will be followed by a ground IP survey shortly after targeting sulphides. Data-driven drill targeting is expected to commence after a successful IP survey.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Andreas Rompel, Pr.Sci.Nat. (400274/04), FSAIMM, the Companys qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Great Quest

Great Quest Gold Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of African gold projects in Namibia, Morocco and Mali. The Companys flagship asset is the Sanoukou Gold Project, encompassing 24 km2 located in the Kayes region to the West of Mali and developing the Tilemsi Phosphate Project a 1,206 km parcel in northeastern Mali, containing high quality phosphate resources amenable to use as direct application fertilizer. Great Quest is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GQ, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol GQM.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GREAT QUEST FERTILIZER LTD.

Jed Richardson

CEO and Executive Chairman

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the mineralization and prospectivity of the Khorixas project, exploration of the K17 target, the Companys exploration program and the Companys future plans. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

GQ on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@greatquestgold
CALGARY, Alberta, June 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratabound Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SB) (Stratabound or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has completed the consolidation of its common shares on the basis of 6 (six) old shares per 1 (one) new share that was approved by the Companys... Read More
Appearing in a navy blue suit with a red tie, Ugandas former Lords Resistance Army rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo alias Latoni, now 50, appeared tense in the dock surrounded by prison warders and a wardress, dressed in maroon uniform. In the afternoon court session of August 13 in the city of Gulu, Northern Uganda, Kwoyelo occasionally sipped on a bottled water, folded his hands across his chest and was stone faced as the judges introduced themselves, as well as his lawyers, the state and victims attorneys, in an elaborate process translated for him from English to his local Luo language by the two interpreters.

The in-person attendance for his final judgement was attended by one member of the diplomatic corps, NGOs and journalists due to limited seating, but it was broadcast live through Zoom, YouTube and Uganda judiciarys website.

Introducing the procedural history of a case that last more than 15 years, the lead judge Michael Elubu said it involved a combination of national and international laws. It all started when Kwoyelo was captured in March 2009 by the Ugandan military in the Garamba National Park at the border between the Central African Republic and South Sudan. After a brief detention by the military in 2010 Kwoyelo was referred to the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the Ugandan High Court, the first of its kind in the countrys legal system created out of the Juba Peace Agreement between the Ugandan government and the LRA rebels, for trial. However, Kwoyelo sought amnesty under the Ugandan domestic law giving pardon to the rebels who denounced armed rebellion. He lodged a constitutional appeal questioning why he was being prosecuted while senior rebel commanders were granted amnesty and pardoned. Eventually the constitutional court ruled that his case be returned to the ICD. On March 14, 2017, Kwoyelo was read the initial charges and on August 30, 2018, the ICD handed him 93 charges, among them, murder, abduction, rape, pillaging, inhuman treatment, destruction of settlements, violence and outrage among others. There were many more postponements and aborted hearings before the state prosecutor finally presented 53 witnesses while Kwoyelos defense provided 4 witnesses including the accused. On December 18, 2023, the court confirmed 78 counts out of the 93 that were charged. Defense lawyers argued there was no case to answer as the accused was abducted by the rebels while he was a minor, but that too was submitted in vain.

No sentencing yet

On the first count on the list, where Kwoyelo was accused of murdering one Albert Obwoya, while the assessors  the equivalent of a jury  found him guilty, the judges returned a case of no guilt, bringing a temporary relief to Kwoyelos face. Two other counts were dismissed but after the lengthy reading of the verdict on each count, Justice Elubu announced that Kwoyelo was found guilty of 44 offenses and hereby convicted. Among the offences Kwoyelo was convicted on was rape  which he carried out between 1996 and 2005 while he operated in parts of Uganda and South Sudan and had repeated forceful sexual intercourse with a witness identified as SN , torture, abduction, destruction of settlements of internally displaced persons in Northern Uganda, his home region, pillaging and outrage. All these charges received guilty verdicts from the assessors and the judges. The judges found there were 31 alternate counts where they could not convict the accused as it would amount to double jeopardy.

While hailing the judgment, William Byansi, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court they were to make a submission at a later stage to find the most appropriate sentence they would ask for. Byansi asked for more time to enable a detailed brief to this honorable court, he said.

One of Kwoyelos senior lawyers, Charles Dalton Opwonya, told Justice Info that he would also need time. We are waiting for the detailed judgement as promised by the Court and we shall make a written and detailed response to the judgment, he said. Kwoyelos lead lawyer, Caleb Alaka, confirmed the date for sentencing is not yet fixed but that he anticipated prosecution to make written submissions around October 6. The defense is due to respond thereafter.

Satisfaction and despair

We are happy that the judgment has finally been delivered after many years of waiting, Henry Komakech Kilama, one of the lawyers for the victims, told Justice Info. We however need to consult the victims on their expectations of the sentence now that he [Kwoyelo] has been brought to account for his actions. This is a reminder to all those behind human rights violations that one day they will be held responsible no matter how long it takes, he added though Kwoyelo is a unique case to date.

Moses Rackara, 27, is one of Kwoyelos sons. As family, we didnt expect justice for him, he told Justice Info after the ruling. From the time he was arrested, the years spent in prison and the delay to conclude his case, it made us loose hope. We knew from the start he wont be released. Rackara, currently doing farming in Kwoyelos home village in Pabbo, Amuru district, appealed to well-wishers to take up his fathers siblings and wives.

I spoke to Kwoyelo in prison and he was very remorseful. He had learnt his lessons and faced hardship and was ready for reintegration into the society but this conviction has taken us back as a family and [left us] devastated, Kwoyelos eldest brother, Pastor George Abedo, 62, told Justice Info.




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have started tracking lawyer, Morara Kebaso, who has been exposing how President William Ruto has been lying to Kenyans.

The lawyer cum activist has been highlighting projects where millions of shillings were allocated but left unfinished.

In a social media post on Monday, Kebaso reported that DCI sleuths have been closely monitoring him.

This surveillance, he claims, has heightened anxiety among his family members.

"My family is scared to death, especially when I seek out these fake projects and they realize I've turned off my phone or am not answering their calls," Kebaso stated.

He also alleged that just before the Nane Nane protests, he noticed a vehicle parked outside his gate.

According to him, he was being targeted by the sleuths.

Understanding the DCI's methods for tracking suspects, he devised a strategy to avoid being arrested and successfully attended the demonstrations.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024  President William Ruto is not off the hook yet even after enlisting the support of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as far as Gen Zs are concerned.

Gen Z activists plan to protest today, marking 14 years since the Constitution's promulgation to demand change.

The fresh street protest is set to reignite the wave of anti-government protests that started in June

The activists largely composed of youth decry the abductions and forced disappearances that have been rampant in the recent past.

The group, led by Kasmuel McOure, insisted that the peaceful protests are aimed at addressing a range of issues including injustice, corruption, and unemployment.

The protesters, who met yesterday, argued that Ruto has not yet addressed the demands of Kenyans making it necessary to continue the efforts to hold the country accountable through demos.

Later after convening their meeting, a number of them were arrested as they tried to hold a peaceful protest in Nairobis Central Business District (CBD) in what they termed as a warm-up for Katiba Day.

The protesters marched through the streets chanting anti-government protest songs while carrying placards.

The protestors have, therefore, vowed not to rest until Ruto is out of office and corrupt officials are tried and jailed for their crimes.

Activist Kasmuel Mcoure asked the public to join the call and take a moment to find out if our Constitution has been respected.

On her part, Wanjira Wanjiru, a fellow activist, condemned the government for continued abductions and called for action.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27,2024 - Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has confided in his friends about why he rejected William Ruto as his successor and chose to endorse former Prime Minister Raila Odinga instead.

One of his friends revealed that while in Boston, Massachusetts last week, Uhuru Kenyatta revealed that he rejected Ruto as his successor because he believed Ruto was not a man to be trusted.

He said he almost cried when he saw Kenyans and especially Mt Kenya residents voting for a man who has no respect for taxpayers' money and also has no respect for Kenyans' lives as witnessed during the Gen Z protests.

During the June and July Gen Z protests, over 60 Kenyan youths were killed and hundreds went missing especially in Githurai, the gateway to Mt Kenya region.

Ruto is silently abandoning the Mt Kenya region, which gave him 47% of the votes he received in the 2022 presidential election.

He is currently wooing Nyanza and coast regions to replace the Mt Kenya region electorate who are also running away from him after he formed a nusu mkate government.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Wiper Democratic Movement party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, has threatened to lead mass action to oppose the controversial university funding model introduced by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance regime.

Speaking in Githurai on Sunday, Kalonzo threatened to mobilise demonstrations in the country if President William Ruto's administration proceeds with implementing the new funding model.

The former vice president criticised the new funding model, calling it a 'corrupt higher education model' that Kenyans should reject.

We will mobilise this country to say No! to this corrupt higher education funding model.

"We have the experience, the determination and the prayers to stand in the gap and refuse to allow this country to go back into dictatorship.

"Zakayo has failed the people of Kenya, Kalonzo said.

Kalonzo accused the government of rolling out the controversial model without proper public participation and stakeholder engagement.

We give notice to the government, which appears clueless about managing this essential sector, If the plan is to make university education a privilege only for the affluent, then the marginalized will rise to reclaim their rightful access, he stated.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has warned Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to stop engaging in divisive tribal politics or else he will have himself to blame.

Taking to his X account yesterday, Caleb noted that Gachaguas actions could lead to his impeachment.

He highlighted the evolving political landscape in the Central region, where he believes voters are no longer focused on electing leaders based solely on tribal affiliations.

He emphasized that the Kikuyu community, which has historically held significant influence in Kenyan politics, is now more interested in supporting a president who will serve their interests, regardless of their ethnic background.

Our DP Rigathi Gachagua should realize that Kikuyus no longer care whether one of their own is a president. They have had many at the top.

They only care for a good president who can take care of their interests.

"In 2027, the Central region is ready and willing to support other communities for the presidency, even if it is not Ruto. But definitely, it shall not be Gachagua, Amisi stated.

The ODM MP further condemned the Deputy Presidents approach, labeling it as backward and out of touch with the aspirations of the new generation.

According to him, young Kenyans are increasingly rejecting tribal politics, seeing it as a hindrance to the countrys progress.

Tribal politics is backward, and the new generation will never accept it from now henceforth. It adds no value to the progress of this nation.

"If you continue this tribal narrative, members will have no choice but to impeach you, Amisi warned.

Gachagua has gone tribal in his bid to unite Mt. Kenya; something that has not gone down well with the majority of Kenyans.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Former Nigerian President General Olusegun Obasanjo has thrown his weight behind Raila Odingas African Union Commission chairmanship bid, saying he is the right man to lead the continent into prosperity.

Speaking during the launch of the 2024 Festival for Art and Culture (FESTAC), Obasanjo gave Raila his first assignment upon winning the AUC chair bid in February of next year.

He noted that the continents youth are restive and unemployed and that Raila as AUC chairman, should collaborate with African governments and act sooner rather than later to address the growing discontent among the young people of Africa.

According to the former Nigerian president, Raila can not only provide leadership that will liberate Africa economically, but also help in addressing the unemployment which has affected the youth.

We need a man like my brother Raila Odinga at the African Union to give us that reform, that leadership that will liberate us in Africa economically, for me as long as Im alive, I will continue to contribute to this goal, Obasanjo added.

Additionally, the former president noted that the African continent has to transition from poverty eradication to wealth creation if they should deserve a chance at the global table.

Unless we get there, we will not get the respect and appreciation from the rest of the world that we deserve, he urged.

Obasanjo equally tasked Raila with what he should do after winning the AUC chairman position in February 2025.

When you get there, do whatever you can do to liberate the continent of Africa economically, he stated.

We have everything to create wealth in the continent of Africa; nobody will do it for us, he added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has a strong international connection that will help him win the African Union Chairperson seat in February 2025, lawyer Steve Ogolla has said.

Ogolla said Raila Odinga has over the years developed deep international networks and he can win the seat without President William Ruto and the Kenya government's support.

"He has his own international appeal and deep networks across Africa and the globe.

"And I think he is capable of sustaining his campaign for the AUC chairmanship even without the support of the government.

"But because this must be a government-sponsored project, I think it is refreshing to see Kenyans uniting to push for his bid.

"I think it is a decent shot. Chances are may just win it. We just wish him the very best," Ogolla said.

Speaking with Citizen TV, Ogolla emphasized that Raila's role in post-election negotiations, known as "handshakes," has earned him international respect and is seen as a mark of statesmanship and African leadership.

The handshakes have a particular international appeal. they have lent him the kind of legitimacy he needs as he aims for the AUC chairmanship.

"Because in the region and the global south, political stability is an important imperative for good governance and the fact that fierce political leaders can build consensus quickly after an election, while locally we may protest, internationally, it is seen as an act of statesmanship and Africanism.

Raila also brings his deep political infrastructure across the region," he said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Former Prime Minister Raila Odingas Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has asked Deputy President William Ruto to stop 'uniting' the Mt Kenya region if he wants to survive an impeachment motion against him.

Gachagua has for the last six months been crisscrossing the vote-rich region calling for unity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Gachaguas call for unity in the Mt Kenya region seems to have angered President William Ruto and his newfound partner ODM.

In a statement on Monday, Saboti MP, Caleb Amisi, who is an influential ODM member, said Gachagua will be impeached for being tribal and divisive.

Amisi highlighted the evolving political landscape in the Mt Kenya region, where he believes voters are no longer focused on electing leaders based solely on tribal affiliations.

Our DP, @rigathi, should realize that Kikuyus no longer care whether one of their own is a president.

"They have had many at the top.

"They only care for a good president who can take care of their interests.

"In 2027, the central region is ready and willing to support other communities for the presidency, even if it is not #Ruto. But definitely, it shall not be Gachagua, Amisi stated.

The Saboti MP further condemned the Deputy Presidents approach, labeling it as backward and out of touch with the aspirations of the new generation.

According to Amisi, young Kenyans are increasingly rejecting tribal politics, seeing it as a hindrance to the countrys progress.

Tribal politics is backward, and the new generation will never accept it from now henceforth.

"It adds no value to the progress of this nation.

"If you continue this tribal narrative, members will have no choice but to impeach you, Amisi warned.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024  Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has promised to collaborate with all African leaders to reorganize the continent into a union or federation if elected the next African Union Commission (AUC) Chairman.

Speaking at the FESTAC Festival in Kisumu, Raila vowed to unite African leaders to curb economic hunger and unleash the continents potential.

He acknowledged the fight for liberation from colonial rule by our forefathers and challenged the current generations to fight to liberate themselves from their fears.

"The fear that makes it so hard for Africa to trade with itself. The fear that makes it so hard for an African to visit another African country.

"The fear that makes it so hard to fly from Nairobi to Lagos. The fear makes it impossible to travel across the continent by train," Raila said.

At the same time, Raila urged Africans to focus on their shared identity rather than their differences and should build on this shared identity and strengthen the African brand.

"Make no mistake. Africa may be poor and may have been colonised, but Africa is a very strong brand that can be made much stronger, he stated.

As the campaign for the AUC chairperson position intensifies, he noted that it is important that they return integration to the top of their priorities.

He also stressed the importance of developing Africas cultural and creative industries as a unifying force.

"We must also fully develop and deploy culture and creative industries to unite this continent. Mwalimu Nyerere said, and I agree, Unity will not make us rich, but it can make it difficult for Africa and the African peoples to be disregarded and humiliated.

"I hope that at the end of this festival, we will return home determined to pursue the objective of African unity with the vigour, commitment, and sincerity that it deserves," he stated.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - A lady claims that she got into a confrontation with Reverend Ruth Wamuyu after she accused her of trying to wreck her marriage.

Wamuyu alleged that the lady was trying to snatch her husband Bishop Theuri and almost got into a fight.

The dramatic incident happened within Ruth Wamuyus church premises in Nairobi Central Business District during lunch hour service.

Wamuyu allegedly hurled unprintable insults at her in the presence of her husband and even threatened to kill her.

Read her story below.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - President William Ruto has unveiled the strategy to propel Raila Odinga into the highest office at the African Union Commission (AUC), marking a significant shift in Kenya's diplomatic landscape.

This is after he appointed Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir SingOei, and Railas brother-in-law Elkana Odembo to head Babas bid for the AUC Chairperson position.

The campaign, which was officially launched at State House, Nairobi, will be steered by a team of five members, each representing a different region of the African continent.

This regional diversity is seen as a strategic approach to garner widespread support across Africa.

Apart from SingOei and Odembo, others in the Raila team include notable figures such as former Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim, Ambassador Anthony Okara, Professor Makau Mutua, and former Nyeri Deputy Governor Dr. Caroline Karugu.

Ruto emphasized the significance of the campaign, highlighting that Odingas candidacy transcends personal ambition.

Kenya endorses his candidacy unreservedly, and we commit wholeheartedly to supporting his candidature, his vision, and his leadership.

"He embodies the extensive experience and a deep understanding of both African affairs and global dynamics, which are crucial for leading the African Union further into the centre of global affairs and closer to the hearts of our people, Ruto stated.

The Presidents support signals a unified Kenyan front, which is crucial as the country seeks to increase its influence within the African Union.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Kisii County Governor Simba Arati has said the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party is ready to form a coalition with President William Rutos Kenya Kwanza Alliance and form the government in 2027.

Speaking on Monday, Arati who is currently ODM deputy party leader, said the Raila Odinga-led party was ready to partner with the president going forward, especially after he entrusted some of the Orange party's ranking lieutenants with Cabinet slots.

Arati observed that Ruto's resolution to include part of the opposition in the National Executive in his broad-based Executive approach was a step in the right direction toward national unity.

"ODM is a good party, and Mr. President, should the UDA party frustrate you, I will call you as ODM's deputy party leader I will invite you and assess if we can partner toward the 2027 campaign," Arati said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has vowed to utilise its enforcement powers to ensure that Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa complies with the recent summons.

This comes after Barasa publicly refused to honour the summons to appear before EACC for grilling over the suspicious money that was transferred to his bank account.

The EACC emphasized its statutory capability to enforce compliance from uncooperative suspects.

"EACC is vested with appropriate enforcement powers and mechanisms to compel the attendance of an uncooperative suspect who is required to appear before it," the commission stated.

"No suspect can purport to choose or pretend to enjoy the discretion of whether or not to honour summons by investigative agencies."

Barasa, in his response to the summons, dismissed the EACCs jurisdiction over the matter, labeling it a civil issue and stating his intention to resolve the dispute in civil court instead.

"Let the lady go to the civil court and I will meet her there. For your summons, I will not come. I will not show up," Barasa declared defiantly.

Barasa further argued that the commission was overstepping its mandate by delving into what he described as a personal financial matter.

He also provided some context to the transaction, claiming it was a soft loan from a fellow politician.

"I would like to bring to your attention that the deposit of Ksh2,000,000 to my bank account was a soft loan from the said politician who unsuccessfully ran for governor in a county in Kenya on 13th December 2023," Barasa explained.

He stressed that any contractual disputes arising from this transaction were his private concern and not within the EACC's scope.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Embattled former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Ms Geraldine Ssali Busulwa is expected to appear in court on Tuesday morning to face corruption-related charges.

Ssali will be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court to enter a plea on allegations of abuse of office, causing government financial loss, and conspiring with three MPs, a lawyer, and a ministry official to defraud the government of over Shs3.6 billion intended for war victim compensation.

Ssali is charged jointly with MPs Michael Mawanda, Ignatius Wamakuyu, Paul Akamba, lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankonko, and Leonard Kavundira, a principal cooperative officer in the trade ministry. They also face charges of diversion of public resources, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, stealing by agent, and receiving stolen property.

Prosecutors allege that Ssali, while serving as permanent secretary during the financial years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, irregularly included the Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Ltd in the list of cooperatives to receive compensation for war losses, even though it had not been included in the supplementary budget of August 2021.

Furthermore, Ssali is accused of making irregular payments totaling Shs3,868,714,611 to Kirya and Company Advocates, a law firm owned by co-suspect Julius Kirya Taitankonko, under the pretext of compensating war victims of the Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society. Prosecutors claim that Ssali knew these actions would cause financial loss to the government as they violated Treasury Instructions of 2017.
A section of lawmakers is urging President Museveni to apologize and revoke his decision on what they called forcing medical interns to self-fund their internships. This follows the Presidents proposal that medical students sponsors should also contribute to the costs of their one-year internships.

The Presidents suggestion came after nearly a year of controversy surrounding the non-deployment of medical interns, which led to strikes and protests. Deployed medical interns, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, were reportedly receiving a net monthly allowance of Shs 2.5 million to cover their food and lodging.

Buikwe South MP, Lulume Bayiga, and Nakaseke South MP, Lutamaguzi Ssemakula argue that the Presidents proposal is unfair, given that the country has sufficient resources to support all medical interns, as evidenced by other government expenditures on privately owned projects.

Lulume called for Parliament to recommend a reversal of the proposed presidential policy on medical interns. He emphasized the importance of government regulation on the number of students enrolled in medical training programs, particularly those offered by private universities, such as Kampala International University, which produces nearly three times the number of medical students from government=owned universities.

What was important was to ensure that we control the number of students who go for training. Those numbers were not necessary and they arise out of the private universities, particularly Kampala International University which produces almost three times of interns who come from government universities, he said.

Nakaseke South MP Luttamaguzi Ssemakula criticized the Presidents statement against the interns as uncalled for.
The Democratic Party (DP) has expressed support for the recent decision by Parliament to conduct regional sittings, starting with Northern Uganda. However, the party has raised concerns about the alleged exorbitant expenditures associated with the process.

According to DPs acting spokesperson, Ismael Kirya, spending Shs5 billion per sitting is excessive and will not effectively address the needs of the people in the regions. He argued that organizing policy barazas, where MPs can directly engage with community leaders, would be a more efficient and cost-effective way to gather input and address local concerns.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Kirya suggested that by conducting regional sittings across the country, MPs could compile citizen memoranda, highlighting key issues that can be addressed through targeted policies.

While the DP supports the boycott of the regional sittings due to the excessive spending, the party has criticized the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, for not considering the views of other party whips, suggesting that We are calling upon the current Leader of Opposition, Hon Joel Ssenyonyi to kindly try to copy the former Leaders of Opposition because we had some similar scenarios.
BY REUTERS

Telegram boss Pavel Durov could be held in police custody until Wednesday after French prosecutors said they had granted extra time for questioning, while a senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged Washington was behind his arrest.

Durov, a Russian-born billionaire, was arrested in France over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor said Durovs detention had been extended by up to 48 hours late on Monday.

The messaging platform, which analysts have described as a virtual battlefield, has been heavily used by both sides of the war in Ukraine and war-related news and propaganda channels around the globe.

Without providing evidence, Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of Russias State Duma, the lower house of parliament, said the United States, through France, was attempting to exert control over Telegram.

Telegram is one of the few and at the same time the largest Internet platform over which the United States has no influence, Volodin said in a post.

On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control.

The White House did not immediately comment on Durovs arrest.

With nearly 1 billion users, Telegram, which presents itself as a haven for free speech and political dissidents, is particularly prominent in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.

While millions of ordinary users like the app for its easy use and range of functions, it is also widely used by far-right, anti-vax and conspiracist movements.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is known to be an avid user of the app, has said that the arrest was in no way a political decision.

After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become the main source of unfiltered  and sometimes graphic and misleading  content from both sides about the war and the politics surrounding the conflict.
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A growing movement of concerned citizens is calling for the reinstatement of town councils across Ireland, in light of what they say are the detrimental effects following their abolition under the 2014 Local Government Reform Act.

A petition, initiated by local advocates, seeks the re-establishment of town councils and aims to influence the manifestos in the forthcoming elections. Kilkenny Borough Council was among those abolished despite widespread criticism, and public representatives have frequently lamented its loss and called for it to be reinstated.

The abolition of town councils, which once played a crucial role in local governance, has resulted in significant challenges for town centres nationwide. A 2023 report by the Council of Europe highlighted deficiencies in Irelands current local government system, describing it as one of the most inadequate in Europe. Supporters of the petition argue that the absence of town councils has contributed to the decline of town centres and a reduction in local civic engagement.

Town councils have historically been the tier of government closest to the people, said Cormac Corr, PC, of Kells, Meath, an organiser of the petition. They provided a platform for localised decision-making, allowing communities to address their specific needs directly. Without them, our towns have suffered.

The petition proposes the reconstitution of town councils in towns that previously had them, as well as the establishment of councils in all towns with populations exceeding 5,000. The petitioners urge the government and opposition to support this proposal as part of a commitment to local governance and community empowerment.

Reinstating town councils with proper funding and authority could address the challenges facing our urban centres and restore public confidence in our democratic institutions, added volunteer Ryan OBoyle. We believe this initiative will resonate with voters eager to see a revival of local governance.

The petition is gaining momentum, with many community activists, concerned residents, and local representatives across the country expressing their support. The organisers remain hopeful that this movement will influence upcoming election manifestos and ultimately lead to the restoration of town councils across Ireland.
Gardai in Kilkenny will carry out a review into the investigation of Dean Roche, who went missing in March, 2015.

A number of senior ranking gardai including the Deputy Garda Commissioner, Shauna Coxon, Assistant Commissioner of the Eastern Region, Paul Cleary, Superintendent at Kilkenny Garda Station, Sean OMeara met with friends and family of Dean Roche who was last seen alive in the Ballyfoyle area of Kilkenny on March 22, 2015.

Councillor Joe Malone, who is a friend of the Roche family also attended the meeting which took place at garda headquarters on the Hebron Road. Cllr Malone contacted Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris in June looking for the case to be re-examined.

It was a productive meeting and the gardai told us that they will carry out a review of the case and have appointed a senior investigating officer who will examine all aspects of the case and will meet with the family in six to eight weeks to update us if any evidence has come to light, said Cllr Malone.

A number of searches are also expected to take place in the Ballyfoyle area, close to where Dean disappeared over the coming weeks. Over 300 statements have been made to gardai in relation to the disappearance of Dean Roche and it is understood that these statements will be examined as part of the review into the case.

Someone, somewhere knows something and they have to come forward so that Deans family and friends can finally get closure, added Cllr Malone.

Gardai are continuing to appeal to anyone with information into the disappearance of Dean Roche to come forward.

We are appealing to anyone who knows anything to come forward, even the smallest piece of information could prove crucial, said a garda spokesperson.

Anyone with information on Dean Roche is asked to contact Kilkenny gardai on (056) 7775000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

Dean Roche from Hebron Park in Kilkenny City went missing on the night of March 22, 2015 when he went to the Ballyfoyle area to buy a car, A short time after purchasing the case it was found crashed down the road, Dean vanished that night and there have been no sightings of him since.
Many previously less-known European cities started to welcome a growing number of Chinese travelers this summer. BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- As Europe continues to attract Chinese tourists, this summer a growing number of Chinese travelers preferred less-touristy destinations and opted for slow and immersive travel. Croatia, located along the Adriatic Sea, has seen a significant increase in Chinese tourists. Kristina Mamic, director of corporate communications at the Croatian National Tourist Board, said that 96,700 Chinese tourists had visited Croatia by Aug. 21, surging 93 percent year-on-year. Dubrovnik, the prominent tourist destination in southern Croatia, the capital city of Zagreb and the second-largest city of Split have been particularly popular. Mamic noted that although the tourist number has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, the trend is encouraging. Albania is also gaining popularity among Chinese travelers. According to Albania's Ministry of Tourism, 13,000 Chinese visited the country between January and July this year, representing a 118.6 percent increase. Chen Shuo, a tour guide from Sky Tour Shpk in Tirana, attributed this rise to the country's rich cultural history and affordable travel options. Apart from changing their preferred destinations, Chinese tourists now favor slow and immersive travel over the previously fast-paced and intense style of tourism. In the Dutch village of Giethoorn, known as the "Venice of the North" for its serene waterways and picturesque landscape, Chinese tourists are increasingly favoring longer stays and cultural immersion. Gabriella Esselbrugge, a Dutch tourism promoter for Giethoorn, said most Chinese tourists opted for independent travel now, staying longer and more eager to immerse themselves in the local culture. Similarly, Belgium's Dinant, a scenic tiny town along the Meuse River and the birthplace of the saxophone, also attracts Chinese tourists. To cater to this growing market, European countries are adjusting their services. Dinant has introduced Chinese-language signage and increased its presence on popular Chinese travel platforms. Yang Junwei, owner of Restaurant China Town in Dinant, has said he noticed that the number of Chinese tourists visiting the town has significantly increased in recent years. The Czech Republic has seen a 125.7 percent rise in Chinese tourists this year, partly due to the resumption of direct flights between Beijing and Prague. Frantisek Reismuller, director of CzechTourism, the Czech tourism authority, has noted that tourism in the country has returned to pre-COVID levels. The CzechTourism has also invited Chinese influencers to showcase local culture and attractions to a wider audience, Reismuller added. In Finland, the Helsinki Airport has enhanced its services for Chinese travelers, offering Chinese-language signage and accepting payment methods like Alipay. Nelli Koskimaki, a media representative of Finavia, a state-owned company managing and operating 20 airports around the country, confirmed ongoing negotiations with Chinese airlines on Friday to expand flight connections, catering to increased demand. Lithuania, previously off the radar for most Chinese travelers, is emerging as a new destination. The capital city of Vilnius is known for its well-preserved medieval old town, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourist companies are considering adding Chinese-language services. Athens International Airport has also added Chinese-language signs and introduced two robots that provide services in Chinese to adapt to the growing influx of Chinese tourists.
A U.S. nuclear energy firm has filed an appeal with the Czech Republic to protest last month's decision to select a South Korean company as the preferred bidder to build two nuclear power units in the Central European country, it said Monday.

Westinghouse Electric Co. lodged the appeal with the Czech Anti-Monopoly Office against the decision to choose Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) for the construction project, the company said, reiterating its intellectual property protection argument.

The U.S. firm said that KHNP's APR1000 and APR1400 plant designs utilize Westinghouse-licensed Generation II System 80 technology, while stressing KHNP neither owns the underlying technology nor has the right to sublicense it to a third party without Westinghouse consent.

"Further, only Westinghouse has the legal right to obtain the required approval from the U.S. government to export its technology," it said in a release posted on its website.

A South Korean consortium, led by KHNP, was named as the preferred bidder for a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic last month, which is estimated at around 24 trillion won (US$18.04 billion).

Westinghouse warned that if South Korea's APR1000 reactor is introduced to the Czech Republic, it could lead to a loss of jobs for the U.S. and the European nation.

"In addition to unlawfully using U.S. technology, deploying the APR1000 over the AP1000 reactor would also export the creation of tens of thousands of Czech and U.S. clean energy jobs to Korea, including 15,000 jobs from Westinghouse's home state of Pennsylvania," the firm said.

"Westinghouse will continue to vigorously defend its intellectual property rights and compliance with U.S. export control laws via the ongoing international arbitration and U.S. litigation, respectively."

A decision in the ongoing arbitration case is not expected before the second half of 2025, the company said.

On Saturday, the South Korean presidential office said that it has been in close consultation with the U.S. government to resolve the dispute between KHNP and Westinghouse

In Korea, a debate has lingered over whether South Korea's export of reactors that its companies have domestically mastered with initial technological assistance from the U.S. firm should be subject to U.S. export control regulations. (Yonhap)
By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop phenomenon ZEROBASEONE (ZB1) has released its fourth mini album, "CINEMA PARADISE," Monday, making a quick return to the music scene in just three months after its previous release. The heart-stealing boy band is now bound to make new waves with tracks that promise to be another hit.

Formed last year through Mnet's survival audition show "Boys Planet," ZB1 consists of nine selected members  Kim Ji-woong, Zhang Hao, Sung Han-bin, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, Park Gun-wook and Han Yu-jin. The group's inception was entirely determined by global audiences' votes during the show.

Proving its global appeal, ZB1 became the first K-pop group to achieve million-seller status with each of its first three albums, all within a day of their release  an impressive feat for a rookie group.

Continuing the success streak, the group's newly released album, "CINEMA PARADISE," aims to captivate listeners more than ever before. To celebrate the release, ZB1 members gathered Monday at a press event at BlueSquare Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District.

"I'm happy to be able to return to ZEROSE (ZB1's official fandom) for the fourth time after a year together," Kim Gyu-vin said.

Teasing the album's contents, Kim Ji-woong added, "We've included ZB1's refreshing vibes as well as a movie-like storyline in this album, so please look forward to it."

The album's title track, "GOOD SO BAD," is an electronic synth-pop song that expresses ZB1's signature positive energy through lyrics about a love they don't want to miss. The song was written by global hitmaker KENZIE, known for megahits like Girls' Generation's debut single "Into the New World," RIIZE's "Memories" and aespa's "Supernova."

Reflecting on the collaboration with KENZIE, Kim Tae-rae said, "She also directed us and her attention to detail was incredible. She gave us practical advice on how we can grow in the future, which was really helpful."

Sung Han-bin, the group's leader, also found working with Kim helpful and rewarding.

"I was so eager to learn that I even wrote down every piece of her advice on a sticky note and stuck it on my desk. She said my voice matched the song well, which motivated me even more during the recording. It was such a fun process that I didn't feel tired at all. I hope we can continue this good relationship in the future," he said.

Accompanying the title track is a music video featuring actor Yoo Ji-tae  famous for his role in the classic 2003 Korean film "Oldboy"  in a special cameo as a scriptwriter.

"It was such an honor. I even met him on set and introduced myself. It was a very meaningful experience," Zhang Hao said of working with Yoo, expressing his admiration for the veteran actor.

"CINEMA PARADISE" includes a total of seven tracks, each boasting an emotional, cinematic narrative. Alongside the title track, the album features "KILL THE ROMEO," "The Sea (ZB1 Remake)," "Insomnia," "Road Movie," "Eternity" and the Korean version of the group's Japanese debut song "YURA YURA."

This album marks an important milestone for ZB1, as it is the first release following the group's first anniversary.

Reflecting on the group's rapid rise, Park said, "In the past year, we've been grateful to receive so much love from ZEROSE and K-pop fans, which allowed us to release our fourth mini album. I always remind myself not to lose our original mindset. With every comeback, we aim to show how we've grown, and I believe there's still a lot of room for growth. We're constantly striving to improve."

"Compared to a year ago, I think our greatest growth has been in our teamwork," Park added.

Looking ahead, Sung noted, "I hope we can continue to share great songs with our unique voices. We're also planning to continue with tours and other activities, and I hope all the members can stay healthy and avoid injuries. Please continue to support us."
The prosecution on Tuesday raided Woori Bank's headquarters and branch offices in connection with allegations of huge inappropriate loans extended to relatives of a former chief of its holding company.

Prosecutors and investigators from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office searched eight bank offices, including the head office in central Seoul and a southern Seoul branch, and four residences, which are all related to the allegations.

Woori Bank is suspected of having offered inappropriate loans worth 35 billion won ($26.3 million) to corporations and individual business owners related to the relatives of Son Tae-seung, former chairperson of the Woori Financial Group, from April 3, 2020, to Jan. 16 this year.

Prosecutors suspect the loan-related documents and collateral were improperly evaluated.

Son headed the group, which controls Woori Bank, from 2020 to 2023. (Yonhap)
Record R&D spending allocated, but SOC expenditure cut

By Yi Whan-woo

The government plans to increase the 2025 national budget by 3.2 percent to 677.4 trillion won ($509.17 billion), aiming to sustain a modest growth in expenditures while adhering to a belt-tightening policy.

Announced by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Tuesday, the 3.2 percent increase for 2025 is slightly higher than this year's 2.8 percent gain, which is the smallest year-on-year growth since fiscal statistics were revised in 2005.

Nevertheless, next year's increase of 3.2 percent is below the 4.2 percent rise that the government had previously projected for 2025 in its mid-term budget plan.

Correspondingly, the overall increase in government expenditures stands at 12.1 percent since President Yoon Suk Yeol began his five-year term in May 2022.

This rate marks the lowest increase in government expenditure for any administration in their third year since 2005.

The government will continue to tighten fiscal policy, ensuring that spending is directed toward essential areas while upholding its principle of fiscal soundness, Yoon said as he presided over a Cabinet meeting, Tuesday.

The president noted that national debt rose to over 1,000 trillion won under the previous Moon Jae-in administration's expansionary fiscal policy and remains above that level since then.

According to the government, this amount makes it challenging to slow the rapid increase in the debt-to-GDP ratio and keep it at 50.5 percent by 2028. The ratio is projected to reach 47.4 percent in 2024, up from 35.4 percent in 2017.

In a separate press briefing before the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok said the 2025 budget proposal "focuses on the essence of economic revitalization rather than merely increasing budget spending."

He also said, "The proposal is part of efforts to restore the sustainability of fiscal health, which was worsened during the pandemic era."

The Cabinet endorsed the proposal. The government will submit it to the National Assembly early next month for approval by December.

Salary hike for soldiers

Next year's budget plan is noteworthy for minimizing discretionary spending, which can be flexibly adjusted in fiscal policy, unlike mandatory spending such as pensions and government employee wages, according to the government.

The finance ministry plans to increase mandatory spending by 5.2 percent year-on-year to 365.6 trillion won. In contrast, discretionary spending will see only a 0.8 percent year-on-year rise, reaching 311.8 trillion won.

Spending on research and development (R&D) is set at 29.7 trillion won, marking an 11.8 percent increase from this year and setting a new record amount.

The increase rate for the 2024-25 period represents a turnaround from the 16.6 percent year-on-year decrease in 2024 R&D spending, which had raised concerns about intensified global competition in cutting-edge technologies.

Social infrastructure is the only area where spending will decrease next year, falling 3.6 percent year-on-year to 25.5 trillion won.

The government proposed a defense budget of 61.59 trillion won for 2025, representing a 3.6 percent increase from the previous year.

The amount includes a salary increase for conscripted soldiers, with sergeants seeing their monthly wage rise from 1.65 million won to 2.05 million won.

The proposal calls for a 3.7 percent year-on-year increase in expenditures on foreign affairs and inter-Korean unification issues.

The budget for the health, welfare, and labor sectors is planned to increase by 4.8 percent year-on-year, reaching 249 trillion won.

The spending is aimed at enhancing basic living assistance for the poor, creating more jobs for the elderly, and increasing allowances during parental leave, all in response to efforts to address a growth slowdown and demographic challenges.

The government allocates about 2 trillion won to address a shortage of doctors, particularly in essential medical fields and rural areas.

In addition, the government plans to provide a record 252,000 new public homes to stabilize the housing market.
By Jun Ji-hye

Kim Byoung-hwan, chief of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), vowed, Tuesday, to relax regulations to move toward the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and to ensure that the financial sector leads Koreas push to become one of the top three global leaders in AI.

The head of Koreas top financial regulator made the remarks in his welcome speech during the opening ceremony for Korea Fintech Week 2024 that kicked off for a three-day run at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul.

This years event is taking place under the theme, Beyond Boundaries: FinTech and AI Redefining Finance, bringing together participants from the countrys leading fintech firms, financial companies and universities as well as overseas governments and institutions.

AI is quickly becoming a game changer, transforming not just industries but society as a whole. Much like the early days of the internet revolution, how we harness AI will determine the competitiveness of individuals and businesses alike, Kim said.

The financial sector, in particular, holds great promise as a leader in the AI revolution as the industry possesses vast amounts of data that are often referred to as the food and fuel of AI.

Kim said AI can be broadly applied across investment, customer management, product development, credit analysis and risk management, all of which are closely connected to financial services.

Since taking office on July 31, Kim has already introduced a roadmap to ease regulations, which had obligated financial institutions to physically separate their internal networks from external networks. Introduced in 2013, the network separation regulations were designed to protect financial consumers from cyberthreats, but have been criticized for undermining the competitiveness of the financial sector.

Kim said the decision to relax these regulations was aimed at facilitating the smooth adoption of generative AI within the financial industry.

Moving forward, we will continue to streamline security regulations, focusing on principle-based approaches, and will relax restrictions on data usage by financial institutions, he said.

We will continue our policy efforts to ensure that the financial sector leads Korea's push to become a top 3 global leader in AI.

Earlier in the day, Kim met with Gintare Skaiste, finance minister of Lithuania, and shared information on their respective financial markets and industry trends. They also discussed ways to strengthen financial cooperation with a focus on the fintech sector.

The Lithuanian minister delivered a congratulatory address for the event, stating: Fintech, as a disruptive technology that can quickly respond to the changing needs of society, has massive potential to become the driving force in the financial sector that will ensure that financial resources are directed in ways that foster high environmental standards.
'The country no longer can support us'

By Lee Yeon-woo

Business consultant Choi Hui-ji, 26, aims to save 70 percent of her monthly wages. Of that, she invests about half in overseas exchange-traded funds through an individual savings account (ISA). Her goal is to own a home, a separate income-generating real estate and secure a monthly income of 5 million won ($3,756) by retirement.

"Saving just 100,000 won a month in your teens can grow to a much larger amount than saving 200,000 or 300,000 a month in your 30s. I believe starting early and saving consistently, even if it's a small amount, is one of the best ways to ease financial concerns in the future."

Like Choi, many young Koreans are turning their attention to investment, believing it is the only way to create an economic ladder. Recently, there has been a significant number of social media posts explaining how people saved 100 million won in their 20s, gaining widespread attention.

"I started thinking, 'Will I ever afford a home in Seoul if I only keep saving?' I realized that simply relying on regular income wouldn't be enough to achieve that goal. I needed to invest to accumulate wealth, and that's what prompted me to get started," said Lee Woo-jae, a 29-year-old working in the IT industry.

"Everyone is just trying to find a way to grow their small salaries somehow," said Yun, a 28-year-old office worker.

Traditionally, the primary participants in financial investments have been middle-aged and older adults, as the younger generation holds limited accumulated assets. The large-scale entry of younger people into the asset market is an unexpected and noteworthy trend, according to Han Young-sup, director of the Economic Care Research Institute.

Another factor driving this trend is their anxiety about the future.

"I'm less focused on becoming rich and more on preparing for retirement. With concerns about pensions running out, and knowing that I can't rely on earned income forever, I feel it's important to start investing while I'm still young and capable," Ji Hyeon-seong, a 29-year-old office worker, said.

The growing focus on investment among the generation is encouraging even those who were less interested to start investing.

"When I meet up with friends for a casual meal or drinks, our conversations have noticeably shifted," Ji added. "In the past, we used to talk about everyday things, but now the topics revolve around, 'I heard this stock is doing well' or 'People are investing in that.'"

The overall barrier to investing has also lowered. The government is actively rolling out measures to assist people with wealth management. They include tax benefits for ISAs and the launch of retail investor-exclusive treasury bonds.

This contrasts with the situation about 20 years ago, when Yang Seung-hee, a financial planner working for Seoul Young Tech, worked in the securities industry. "Back then, there weren't many tax-free investment options. Initial public offering subscriptions also had high minimum investment requirements, so only people with significant funds could take part."

Seoul Young Tech is a program by the Seoul Metropolitan Government that offers one-on-one financial counseling and group education to help young Seoulites build their assets systemically.

However, growing interest does not necessarily translate to sufficient financial knowledge. Many young Koreans contacted by The Korea Times and consulted by Yang admit they follow advice from YouTube or their peers.

"In the past, only certified experts like financial managers and stock specialists gave lectures. But now, even individuals without formal qualifications are sharing their experiences of making money through platforms like YouTube. Seeing everyday people succeed gives the impression, 'If they can do it, so can I,'" Yang said.

Nevertheless, the lack of experience and sufficient knowledge could lead to speculation, with many seeking high returns in the short term.

The Seoul Bankruptcy Court noted that "the percentage of personal rehabilitation filings by individuals in their 20s, whose economic activities have expanded into areas like cryptocurrency and stocks, has risen steadily from 10.3 percent in the first half of 2021 to 17 percent in the second half of 2023."

Han pointed out the clear divisions among young people: those who can invest extra money in assets, those who can't and those who feel stuck in between.

"When it comes to any investment, the most fundamental principle is understanding that there's always a risk. If you have a strong financial foundation, you can afford to take bold, aggressive moves. But for the majority of young people who can't, investments tend to end in failure because the ability to endure losses is key in investment. Without that financial buffer, they end up resorting to risky, short-term trading," Han said.

In a 2020 survey conducted by the Korean newspaper Kyunghyang Shinmun and the polling agency PMI on individuals aged 20 to 34, 64.9 percent of "active investors"  those who had invested in four or more of the 12 financial sectors  identified themselves as belonging to the "upper-middle" or "upper" class.

"Society has shifted toward a survival-of-the-fittest mentality. The country isn't like Northern Europe with a strong social security system. There's also a lot of debate around issues like the national pension's depletion. The older generation largely discusses these matters from their perspective, leaving young people with little voice in the conversation," Han added.

"Young people are doing their best within the limited means available to them."
Parents economic status, regionalism significantly impact children's college entrance

By Jun Ji-hye

The Bank of Korea (BOK) proposed on Tuesday that top universities, such as Seoul National University (SNU), should voluntarily allocate admissions quotas based on regional school-age population ratios.

The central bank said this measure can be a solution to address issues such as population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area and rising housing prices in the capital.

The bank made the suggestion in the report, which contains the analysis of new students of the top eight universities, including SNU, Yonsei University and Korea University, in 2011 as well as new students of SNU in 2019.

Among the various issues, the BOK particularly highlighted the inheritance of socioeconomic status. As private education costs have grown and institutions offering such education have been concentrated in certain areas, the amount and quality of education students can receive now depends heavily on their parents income level and where they live.

Last year, high-income parents, earning over 8 million won ($6,000) per month, spent an average of 970,000 won per month on private education for a single high school student. In contrast, families with monthly income of less than 2 million won spent 380,000 won per month, a difference of 2.6 times.

There were also significant regional disparities. Last year, the average monthly private education expenditure per high school student in Seoul was 1.8 times higher than that in rural areas.

The disparity in private education expenses and residential areas has led to differences in the rate of admission to top universities.

In 2011, the rate of admission to top universities for students from the highest 20 percent income bracket came to 5.9 percent. This was 5.4 times higher than the 1.1 percent admission rate for students from the lowest 20 percent income bracket.

Based on math scores of these students in the first year of middle school, the bank analyzed that only 25 percent of the difference in the admission rates could be attributed to differences in potential, while the remaining 75 percent was due to economic disparities among parents.

Additionally, the report estimated that 92 percent of the difference in the admission rates to SNU between Seoul and non-Seoul regions was attributable to where the students live.

The situation was similar in the case of SNU students admitted in 2019. According to the report, only 8 percent of the difference in the admission rates was attributed to differences in potential, while 92 percent was attributed to area of residence and parents economic status.

Against this backdrop, the bank said applying a regional proportional admission system could significantly narrow these gaps.

When asked why the central bank is making policy recommendations on university entrance system reforms, Jeong Jong-woo, the co-author of the report and head of the microeconomic systems research division at the BOK, said, Intensifying competition for college admissions is exacerbating structural social issues in this country, posing threats to social stability and growth potential. Addressing these challenges has become increasingly urgent.

He added, Reducing the gap in the admission rate to top universities between Seoul and non-Seoul areas would likely decrease the migration to Seoul. This could help mitigate the rise in education costs and housing prices in the capital.
By Lee Gyu-lee

JAKARTA, Indonesia  With the rise of Korean culture in Indonesia, the interest in its cuisine has also been growing with locals seeking to personally experience the food theyve seen in K-content. In the midst of this trend, Korean chef Kim Do-eun, founder and executive chef at DOEUN, a Korean restaurant in Jakarta, is dedicated to delivering an authentic, healthier and more accessible presentation of Korean food.

Opened last September, DOEUN, located in the upscale Menteng neighborhood of Jakarta, offers its guests a taste of Korea through an assorted menu, including its signature barbecue and jeon (Korean savory pancake), stew and traditional dishes such as japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) and bibimbap.

"Of our menu, less than 10 percent of the dishes directly contain sugar and salt. The first thing I realized when I came to this country was that the food tastes overly strong, salty and sweet, using too much artificial flavor enhancers. Even the Korean restaurants here were like that, which gave way less sophisticated images like street foods," Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times at the restaurant on Aug. 19.

"Not that it's bad, but as someone proud of Korean cuisine, (I regretted) that the locals who haven't visited Korea really can't know the more sophisticated side of our food. I wanted to change the simplistic view Indonesians here have of Korean food."

Kim, who has been living in Indonesia for 13 years, shared that she got into cooking by chance when she was spending time with her family in Shanghai after giving up her pilates career due to a serious injury.

(In Shanghai,) I got to know a fellow Korean who worked at Coca-Cola there, and he told me, You seem to have talent in food styling, and since there are few people who professionally do that in Shanghai, he suggested the profession to me, she said.

But personally, Im not the type to get my hands on something that I dont have a basis for. So I told him Ill go back to Korea and do some studying in the field.

Delving into a completely new area, she entered a culinary school and built her cooking career working at various Korean dining establishments upon graduation, including Chorok Baguni, which specialized in molecular gastronomy.

In 2011, she was offered a managerial position at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Indonesia, which set off her journey in the country.

I had the job interview at a cafe in Gangnam District (in southern Seoul), and on my way to the subway station, I got a call within 10 minutes after (the interview), asking me to join. And only about 10 days later, I moved here, she said.

Such a swift change in her life turned out long-term when one job led to other opportunities in the Southeast Asian country, from helping a local restauranteur open a new Korean restaurant to working as a general manager of a hotel.

About six years after she settled in Indonesia, she finally took a chance to open her own establishment, Doeun Kitchen, specializing in catering service and condiments, in 2017.

"At that time in Korea, boxed meal catering was really popular and you could buy homemade sauces for healthier options. But here, there was really nothing like that. So, at first, I decided to focus solely on boxed catering and sauces," she said.

"But I completely misjudged the target market. Indonesians prefer eating out and don't usually cook meals at home. So many of my customers asked me to offer cooking classes to show how to use those sauces."

She evolved her condiment business to include cooking classes and private catering. Even when COVID-19 hit in 2020, putting the country under a major lockdown, she managed to keep the business afloat with boxed meal catering, boosting her revenue three times higher than before.

Philosophy of DOEUN

But when the pandemic ended, the business went downhill, leading Kim to consider the option to open her own restaurant with partners. She shared that she had two purposes for her restaurant DOEUN  to offer healthier Korean food and to help Korean expats expanding their businesses in Indonesia.

At DOEUN, her secret is using naturally made "cheong," or Korean-style fruit preserve syrup, as a sweetener and avoiding artificial flavor enhancers to maintain the authenticity and healthiness of Korean food.

"If I'm going to sell something as a Korean, I want to do it in a proper Korean way, to the extent of my knowledge. But in reality, it's very difficult to source all the ingredients from Korea, so I looked for ways to do it more easily. And I came up with cheong, made with less sugar to make it healthier," she said.

"What I really wanted to do with DOEUN was that I wanted to support Korean entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Here, most Korean restaurants are either fairly cheap or very expensive fine dining, with little in between  With high-end fine dining, it doesn't mean anything if you are not familiar with how they are made. So when those people bring (their clients) who don't have much information on Korean cuisine, it's not so meaningful to have such a fancy meal for the meeting. I wanted (to provide) an appropriate channel to offer them a proper Korean cuisine."

Kim meticulously crafts each dish at DOEUN, creating sauces like "gochujang" (red chili paste) with minced beef and expanding the menu with fusion items such as fried octopus with seaweed puree. She also brews her own "makgeolli" (Korean rice wine) in four varieties, including omija-flavored, or magnolia berry-flavored, and sparkling options.

"Our menu might look similar to other Korean restaurants, but the preparation sets us apart," Kim explained. "For instance, one of our side dishes features gochujang that we ferment for over six months. We also offer dry-aged pork belly, applying a sauce that has been aged for three years."

The chef is also planning to expand DOEUN into a fine dining venue, offering a more sophisticated experience that reflects her vision of Korean cuisine.

After showing how to properly experience authentic Korean cuisine, not in the typical way the locals have experienced in the past, I plan to gradually elevate it to the fine dining experience and try new things, she said.

Her long-term goal is to grow her business into a major Korean food company in Indonesia to make Korean cuisine more accessible at more affordable prices.

The company will not just have the restaurant but also have a cafe and bakery. I want to make a company that produces healthier Korean condiments and dishes, she said. I don't want to change what Im currently doing, but I hope to expand to a larger capacity to produce more and offer the products to people at a lower price."
City's 2 hiking tourism centers draw over 14,000 visitors, provide cultural programs

By Jung Da-hyun

Hiking in the mountains of Seoul is becoming increasingly popular among foreign tourists, with the citys hiking tourism centers drawing over 6,600 international visitors out of 14,000 visitors as of Aug. 20 this year.

The Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) currently operates two Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers aimed at promoting and revitalizing hiking tourism in the city.

The first, established in 2022, is located near Mount Bukhan in northeastern Seoul's Gangbuk District. The second center, located near Mount Bugak in central Seoul's Samcheong-dong, began a trial run in November last year and officially opened in April.

According to the STO, the number of visitors to the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center near Mount Bugak exceeded 10,000 in just four months after its official opening.

As of Sunday, the Bugak center has recorded 10,552 visitors, including 5,274 international guests. The center saw 930 visitors during its initial two months after its trial run.

In addition, the first center near Mount Bukhan has welcomed 3,905 visitors this year, with 1,631 being foreign visitors.

The Bugak center owes much of its popularity to its excellent accessibility. Located just a five-minute walk from Cheong Wa Dae's Chunchugwan, the historic former presidential compound, the center is also situated in a popular tourist area known for Bukchon Hanok Village.

Serving as a hub for urban mountaineering, the two Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers not only guide hikers but also showcase various tourism resources in the city.

The two centers offer regular hiking programs, designed to provide visitors with an enjoyable urban mountain experience. Weekly hikes are organized for Mount Bukhan and Mount Bugak on Wednesdays and Fridays, respectively.

The Bugak center, in particular, offers a variety of rental items, including raincoats and arm sleeves, catering to the many tourists who visit the center before hiking. To enhance convenience, the center has expanded its rental offerings to include not only essential hiking gear like boots, jackets and trekking poles but also additional items such as picnic sets and sunscreen.

Furthermore, the center hosts a monthly special program aimed at foreign visitors in its Hanok Lounge, located on the second floor of the center.

Through activities such as calligraphy, soap-making with Mount Bugak designs and crafting makgeolli, Korea's traditional alcoholic beverage, the program offers a blend of hiking and cultural experiences.

"Seoul is an incredibly attractive city with mountains close to the city center and it is easy to rent hiking gear and enjoy cultural programs at the center," said Alessia Dal Cin, an Italian tourist who participated in the makgeolli-making program on Aug. 8.

The STO plans to open a third center near Mount Gwanak in southern Seoul in the second half of this year.

The new center will be equipped with specialized climbing gear, including crampons, to ensure safe hiking. Known for its challenging trails, the mountain is popular among experienced hikers.

"We will continue to diversify our services and offer various programs and events to showcase the appeal of K-climbing to international tourists," said Kil Ki-yon, head of the Seoul Tourism Organization.

Since July, the STO has been running a program dubbed the 2024 Seoul 10 Peaks Hiking Challenge, specifically for foreign visitors to explore the city's mountains.

Participants are challenged to hike 10 out of 23 designated peaks in the city, including Mount Nam, Gwanak, Acha, Bukhan, Bugak, Buram, Surak, Dobong, Cheonggye and Inwangsan. They can participate documenting their journey by posting selfies on Instagram with the required hashtags for each mountain. Those who complete the challenge will receive medals and souvenirs.

Individuals can sign up for the event through @seoulhikingtourism_official on Instagram. The challenge will continue through November.
A Pentagon spokesperson accused North Korea Monday of being "complicit" in Russia's war in Ukraine as he reiterated the United States' concerns over Pyongyang's provision of munitions and other military equipment to Moscow.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder made the accusation during a press briefing in response to a question of whether Pyongyang is able to secure enough missiles for 250 launchers that it has said would be deployed to front-line areas.

"I don't have any information to provide in terms of specifics of North Korea providing missiles or launchers to Russia other than to say that we know that Russia and North Korea have this burgeoning relationship, that they have provided capabilities, to include munitions, to Russia for employment in Ukraine, which, again, demonstrates the fact that North Korea is complicit in this illegal Russian invasion," he said.

"It's something that we're keeping a very close eye on," he added.

Asked to comment on North Korea's recent showcase of what it calls "suicide drones," Ryder said he does not have anything to offer.

Earlier this month, the North's state media reported that its leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony to mark the transfer of new tactical missile launchers to front-line units, describing them as "new pivotal attack" weapons.

On Monday (Korea time), South Korea's National Intelligence Service expressed skepticism over the North's ability to supply missiles for the hundreds of new front-line launchers, lawmakers said, noting that the North's military production system has been running to supply Russia with weapons. (Yonhap)
High-profile defector hopes his career trajectory will influence NK elite

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Tae Yong-ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain who defected to South Korea in 2016, recently took office as the secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a presidential advisory body responsible for developing a vision for peaceful unification based on national consensus.

His appointment was notably surprising, as it marks the first time a North Korean defector has been given a vice-ministerial position in South Korea. Tae, who also served as a lawmaker for the ruling People Power Party from 2020 to 2024, expressed hope that his career trajectory will make a significant impact on North Korea's elite.

North Korea's elite cannot help but become agitated by how well defectors, like me, are treated in the South. They will wonder if there is a place and future for them here as well. That is what North Korean leader Kim Jong-un fears the most, Tae said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday.

In recent years, a growing number of North Korea's elite, including high-level diplomats stationed abroad, have defected to the South. According to the Ministry of Unification, the number of North Korea's elite who defected under Kim Jong-un has more than doubled compared to those who fled under former leader Kim Jong-il. Between 2012 and June 2024, about 134 North Koreans identified as members of the elite defected to South Korea, while only 54 did so between July 1997 and December 2011.

Tae stressed that the reasons behind the so-called elite defections have shifted.

In the past, when I defected to the South, it was the parents who made the decision to flee the country for the sake of their children. But nowadays, children who were raised overseas and learn about South Korean culture through their friends, become disillusioned with the regime and ask their parents to escape, Tae said.

He explained that North Korean Millennials and Gen Z are driving these changes as they become increasingly exposed to the outside world.

North Korean Millennials and Gen Z believe there is no future back home. Adults born in the 1990s and 2000s are the generations that can shake up the North Korean regime, Tae said, adding that a North Korean resident and soldier who defected to the South in August were both in their 20s.

People born in the 60s and 70s have warm memories of a stable regime. They have nostalgia, so even if they watch smuggled copies of South Korean dramas and films, they just feel conflicted. But those born after the 90s have never actually experienced the good times. In addition, more young adults are becoming tech-savvy and gaining glimpses of the outside world, Tae said.

Tae explained how President Yoon Suk Yeols 8.15 Unification Doctrine charts a new path toward achieving unification compared to previous administrations by emphasizing change from below.

Yoons strategy is to communicate directly with North Korean residents and change their perception of the regime. This can pressure the North Korean government and create a new condition for unification. Tae said.

One way to stir up the minds of North Koreans is to share success stories of defectors who are earning more than the national average and living their dreams of a bright life in South Korea.

He said North Korea sending trash balloons indicates that the Norths ruling class have begun to understand that the power lies with the people in South Korea.

At first, North Korea warned the South Korean government to stop rights groups from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets. But the government refused to do so, saying that a law banning the sending of such leaflets into North Korea is unconstitutional. Now, theyve come to understand that the power lies with the people, not the leader or the administration. So they changed their tactic to sending trash balloons with an aim of disrupting the daily lives and safety of our citizens, Tae said.

Tae argued that Kim Jong-un would want former U.S. President Donald Trump to return to the White House. Trump has boasted about his personal ties with Kim, while Vice President Kamala Harris declared she wont cozy up to dictators like Kim Jong-un.

The only way to be recognized as a nuclear-armed state and get rid of sanctions is for Trump to be re-elected as the next president of the U.S., Tae said.

He predicted that the recent upswing in North Korea-Russia relations will expire after the war in Ukraine ends.

North Korea is benefitting from an arms deal with Russia, but I think that will continue for three to five more years. If Russia no longer needs artillery from North Korea after the war, it wont cozy up to North Korea like it does today, Tae said. That will leave Kim no other choice but to seek closer ties with China again.
The unification ministry said Tuesday it is trying to verify a report that 15 North Korean defectors seeking to flee to South Korea were arrested by Chinese police last week.

The defectors  13 women and two children  were arrested in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming on Aug. 21 in an ambush as they were preparing to board a ship to cross into a Southeast Asian country, U.S.-based media outlet Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday, citing a local civic group advocating North Korean human rights.

They were later transferred to the northeastern province of Jilin near the border with North Korea, RFA said, in a possible sign that China may send them back to North Korea against their will.

"We are communicating with the civic group and currently verifying the facts," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Last month, President Yoon Suk Yeol said that South Korea will "spare no diplomatic effort" to ensure North Korean defectors in a foreign country are not repatriated to North Korea against their will.

China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates those who are caught trying to defect to the North, where they can face harsh punishment. (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a test-fire of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a new guidance system, state media reported Wednesday, amid speculation that the new artillery system could be provided to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

Kim attended Tuesday's test of the multiple rocket launch system (MRLS) that is produced at defense industrial enterprises under the Second Economic Commission, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The weapon could put Seoul and its adjacent areas in target range.

"The MRLS, technically updated in its maneuverability and concentrated firing capability, was proved to be advantageous in all indices, including newly applied guiding system, controllability and destructive power," the KCNA said.

Kim "set forth an important policy to be pursued in producing new artillery pieces and equipping army units with them," it added, without providing further details.

In February, North Korea said it had newly developed "controllable" 240mm rocket launcher shells, a move that could boost its weapons capabilities with improvements in range and precision. In May, the country said it will deploy the weapon system to Korean People's Army units between 2024 and 2026.

Observers said North Korea appears to be showcasing the performance of the rocket launcher in a bid to supply it to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the test is likely intended to improve the North's aging 240mm MRLS built in the 1980s.

He also raised the possibility of the test-firing being a form of response to ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.

The test-firing came as South Korea and the United States have been conducting their annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which is set to conclude Thursday. North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint drills as preparations for an invasion against it.

When asked about the North's report, South Korea's military said it had detected and monitored the test-firing into the Yellow Sea.

"While maintaining a solid combined defense posture, our military will conduct the UFS exercise and combined field training exercises as normal, and is closely monitoring signs of North Korean provocations and military activities," a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. (Yonhap)
The United States takes threats from what North Korea called "suicide drones" "seriously," a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, reiterating Washington's commitment to cooperating with South Korea and other allies to ensure regional security.

The North's state media reported Monday that leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a performance test of various drones on Saturday, calling for the development and production of more suicide drones to bolster the country's war preparedness.

"We clearly want to take that threat seriously and it's something that we will keep an eye on," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told a press briefing.

"I will just conclude by saying that we will continue to consult closely with the ROK and Japan and other partners and allies in the region to ensure that our collective defense remains strong," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Ryder also said that he found it "interesting" to see Pyongyang describe what are known as "one-way attack drones" as suicide drones.

In response to a question about how the U.S. will deal with North Korea's "asymmetric" threats, Ryder stressed Washington's focus on defense.

"In terms of North Korea and its capabilities, look, they have a long history here of destabilizing rhetoric and activities," he said.

"Again our focus in the region is defensive in nature and we are working with allies and partners to promote regional security and stability and to be prepared for any threats that North Korea presents."

He also pointed out that the U.S. does not want conflict with North Korea.

"We continue to call for diplomatic communication but so far, they have not been willing to take that olive branch," he said.

The North's test of drones was organized by its Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Science, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In the test, the drones flew along various preset courses and correctly identified and destroyed the designated targets, as they have missions to attack enemy targets on the ground and at sea, KCNA said. (Yonhap)
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday urged nurses and medical workers nationwide to call off a strike planned for this week, saying the government is doing everything it can to improve their working conditions.

Han issued the appeal during a government meeting convened to address the strike planned for Thursday. The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, which has some 30,000 nurses and medical workers at 61 hospitals as members, voted in favor of the strike Saturday, demanding an improvement in working conditions amid serious strains caused by thousands of trainee doctors walking off their jobs since February to protest the government's medical reform plan.

"The government is well aware of your difficulties and thinks they should certainly be improved, but we cannot agree with extreme actions, such as a strike," Han said during the meeting held at the government complex in Seoul. "Should the union go ahead with the strike, the harm will be done wholly to the people and patients."

Han outlined measures the government has taken to improve nurses' working conditions, including by pushing for the enactment of a nursing bill that stipulates expanded roles for nurses.

In October, the government will carry out a survey to determine the working conditions of medical laborers and draw up measures to improve them, he said.

"Instead of taking collective action, such as a strike, I ask you to resolve problems through dialogue and compromise, and add your support for the completion of medical reforms aimed at improving our medical system's fundamental constitution," Han said.

"I earnestly request that you withdraw the decision to strike in consideration of the patients and their families who have been suffering from anxiety for a long time due to the departure of trainee doctors."

In the event the strike goes ahead, essential medical services, such as emergency care and the treatment of seriously ill patients, will continue under relevant laws, Han said.

He also promised to minimize confusion by promptly informing the public of hospitals participating in the strike. (Yonhap)
Korea publishes in-depth analysis on 1,099 suicides

By Jung Min-ho

More than 96 percent of people who take their own lives had shown some types of warning signs before their deaths, according to an in-depth analysis released on Tuesday.

The report, compiled based on the results of the investigations into 1,099 suicide cases and interviews with 1,262 bereaved family members, shows that 96.6 percent of the people who killed themselves had displayed unusual behavioral patterns. But only 23.8 percent of them were recognized as serious warning signs by their friends or families, it added.

The publication of the report comes at a time when the government is stepping up efforts to lower the countrys rate of suicide, the leading cause of death among Korean teenagers and those in their 20s and 30s.

One of the most commonly observed warning signs was a change in things they talk about prior to their deaths, with 63.3 percent talking about wanting to die or other death-related topics more frequently than before, and about half of them displaying other verbal patterns such as constant self-deprecating expressions or more frequent complaints about their physical challenges.

Other common signs include a change in routine regarding when and how to sleep or what to eat, as well as becoming indifferent to their appearances, harming themselves with drug abuse or other means and suddenly attempting to put their personal affairs in order by, for example, fixing broken relationships.

The report shows nearly 65 percent of those who died by suicide were men. On average, they were 44.2 years old. One-person households accounted for 19.2 percent of the total. It appears that the level of their incomes was one of the major factors that led them to the tragedy, given that people who earned less than 1 million won ($750) a month accounted for 46.5 percent.

Generally, people living alone are at greater risk of suicide as they have a higher poverty rate than multi-person households, the report shows. Single-person households average stress level, estimated at 15.3 percent, was also higher than multi-person households 8.7 percent.

Importantly, the report also highlighted the fact that the tragedies caused by suicide almost always spread to other family members they leave behind.

A poll in the report shows 98.9 percent of bereaved family members went through physical or psychological changes after the suicide of their loved ones, with more than half saying it caused them to contemplate their own suicide.

"Learning about those warning signs is part of the suicide prevention education that became a mandatory program in July," Lee Hyung-hoon, director of the ministry's mental health department, said. "Families, friends and colleagues need to be aware of these warning signs from suicidal people."

Last month, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the Cabinet approval of its new rule mandating students as well as workers at state-run institutions and hospitals to undergo training in self-harm prevention.

Under the rule, administrators of these organizations have to create a training program for self-harm prevention and offer it at least once a year to students and employees, either in person or online.

All this is part of the government's expanded efforts to lower the country's suicide rate from 25.2 per 100,000 people to the OECD average of 10.6 within the next 10 years.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, contact Korea's Suicide Crisis hotline at 109. For foreign language assistance to connect with mental health professionals, call Danuri Portal's helpline at 1577-1366.
The ruling and opposition parties were set to hold a parliamentary subcommittee meeting Tuesday to bridge their differences on a bill that calls for greater roles for nurses ahead of a plenary session this week.

A subcommittee of the health and welfare committee will convene a meeting at 7 p.m. at the National Assembly and attempt to reach a last-minute agreement on the nursing bill, Assembly officials said.

The subcommittee aims to put the bill up for a vote during the plenary session scheduled for Wednesday.

The proposal of the bill comes as the government seeks to have physician assistant nurses take on greater roles amid a protracted walkout by trainee doctors in protest of a hike in the country's medical school admission quota.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, which has some 30,000 nurses and medical workers, earlier warned it would stage strikes at 61 hospitals across the country on Thursday. (Yonhap)
The decadeslong alliance between South Korea and the United States is expected to remain "very solid" regardless of the outcome of the American presidential election in November, the vice president of the conservative Washington think tank Heritage Foundation said Tuesday.

"In many ways, it will stay very, very solid, and there will be a continuity," Derrick Morgan, executive vice president of the foundation, said in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul when asked of any possible changes in bilateral relations after the U.S. election.

He added, "It's on a very strong footing now and was, for particularly the second half of President Trump's first term. And that carried over into the Biden administration, where the importance of South Korea, Japan the U.S. all working together has been a huge step forward for the alliance."

Morgan, who previously worked at the White House under U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney during the George W. Bush administration, was visiting South Korea at the invitation of the Korea International Trade Association.

"I think the biggest question mark is probably how trade policy unwinds, or how it advances," Morgan assessed, adding, "It's just a matter of how President Trump wants to be more aggressive in competing with China (if elected)."

On economic ties between the two countries, Morgan said there was "huge growth" in the U.S. market for Korean products.

"I think, particularly as you look at Kia, Hyundai and Genesis, they're just exploding in their market penetration (in the U.S.)," Morgan said.

He highlighted that South Korea's strong investments in the U.S. manufacturing infrastructure in particular is helping American consumers feel even better about Korean products, as they know that Korean brands, such as Hyundai Motor Group vehicles, are actually manufactured in America.

Morgan expected Trump, if elected, to likely use negotiation tactics involving "bluster around tariffs" to try to get some individual trade deals with other nations. "The Trump administration might be more active on getting free trade agreements. He (Trump) likes to make deals."

When asked whether North Korea would be high on the policy agenda of a supposed second U.S. Trump administration, Morgan suggested the former president would likely be more preoccupied with China.

"They (the Trump campaign) are really focused on winning the election, and that issue (of North Korea) probably doesn't sway many or any voters," he said.

Morgan also said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol "deserves a lot of credit" for setting up the groundwork for trilateral cooperation involving Japan despite the troubled and complex history between Seoul and Tokyo in the past.

When asked whether the Heritage Foundation sees the need for Seoul to increase its burden in the defense cost-sharing arrangement with Washington, Morgan said, "The conservative movement (in the U.S.) as a whole understands that there needs to be more burden sharing generally" among partner nations.

"We often hold up South Korea as a shining example of doing a good job carrying the burden. It has an extremely capable military. Spends well over 2 percent of gross domestic product," Morgan said.

He added, "Could they (Seoul) be doing more? Probably. Could we (Washington) be doing more? Probably. We have a very big challenge ahead of us and we have to be strong to deter any kind of hostile action."

When asked whether he could potentially serve in a key position in a supposed second Trump administration, Morgan said, "You always take it seriously if a president, vice president, a chief of staff or a Cabinet secretary designate calls and asks you to serve your country."

"I was fortunate to serve for four years for Vice President Cheney under the Bush administration. I admire both of those men (Bush and Cheney), and so you never say never," Morgan said, but added that such thought was not at the forefront of his mind. (Yonhap)
'Significant potential to go beyond traditional fields of cooperation'

By Kim Hyun-bin

Azerbaijan is seeking increased support from Korea in its ongoing demining efforts, which have become critical since the end of the conflict with Armenia. The conflict, which ended a ceasefire in November 2020, left large portions of Azerbaijan's territory heavily contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance, according to Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani president's special envoy.

"Another big area where we expect Korea to assist us is the issue of demining because the areas, which were affected by the conflict  and we are talking about 12 percent of our territory, have been heavily contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance," Amirbayov said in an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Seoul on Aug. 26.

Despite the cease-fire being in place for nearly four years, Azerbaijan has managed to clear only 13 percent of the contaminated areas, leaving 87 percent still posing a danger.

"We have to deal with 1.5 million landmines which were planted by Armenians throughout these years. They refuse to provide us with mine maps or correct mine maps, so we don't know where those mines are concentrated, which brings us an ever-increasing human toll," Amirbayov said.

"After the ceasefire, the number of mine victims has reached 377 up until today, and I think the 378th person got wounded today because he stepped on a mine. Out of those, 69 have died," Amirbayov said.

He stressed that this issue is both a "human security issue and a big humanitarian issue" as the government aims to return 800,000 internally displaced persons to their homes in the affected areas.

"So far, we have only been able to bring back roughly 8,000 people because the territories are heavily mined. You cannot bring people back unless you are sure that the land is safe," Amirbayov said.

Amirbayov expressed disappointment that Korea has not yet been a leading donor in Azerbaijan's demining efforts, despite its strong track record of supporting similar initiatives in other countries, such as Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

"Korea has not been very active in this area for us, although we believe that you have a very good record of assisting other countries who suffer. We hope that the Korean government can continue providing more robust support to us because it's about helping post-conflict peacebuilding efforts," he said.

Regarding the type of support Azerbaijan is seeking, Amirbayov explained that financial support for capacity building and equipment is crucial.

"We have enough people who are mobilized, but what we lack is the human capacity of trained people. That is also something important, but also technologies in the demining area are developing so fast. Now we have special equipment like drones which can detect mines from a distance," he said, highlighting the need for advanced technologies and training.

He also mentioned the importance of discussing regional security issues with Korea, especially as the country begins its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

"We thought it would be interesting for our Korean partners and colleagues to get the Azerbaijani perspective on the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establish channels of communication on this issue between our capitals," he said.

When asked about Korea's role on the UN Security Council regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, Amirbayov clarified that both countries have opted for a bilateral negotiation format.

"We do not expect any international organization or third party to play a direct role, except in supporting the two nations on their journey towards peace," he said.

"We are very close with Armenia to finalizing a peace agreement, but we need to ensure this peace is sustainable. The remaining obstacle is Armenia's constitutional territorial claim on (the) part of Azerbaijan. Once that is resolved, we can move forward."

Economic cooperation

Amirbayov highlighted the strategic importance of Korea-Azerbaijan relations, emphasizing the potential for expanded cooperation in energy, trade and regional security.

"First, this is a good opportunity to continue the political dialogue between our two countries. We consider the Republic of Korea a key partner in this region, and there is significant potential to go beyond traditional fields of cooperation, such as energy, and explore new areas."

"Azerbaijan is exporting various fossil fuels, including oil products and LNG, to Korea. But even in energy, there is untapped potential for cooperation in renewable energies," he said. He highlighted Azerbaijan's resources in wind, solar and hydropower, noting the country's transition from fossil fuels to green energy.

Expanding on the economic ties, he mentioned the geo-economic significance of Azerbaijan, which lies on critical trade routes between Asia and Europe.

"In the current geopolitical context, with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine affecting traditional routes, the Middle Corridor  replicating the ancient Silk Road  has gained importance. We see this as a significant area for potential cooperation with Korean logistics companies," he said.

Regarding trade, Amirbayov revealed that bilateral trade in the first half of 2024 had reached over $200 million, but emphasized the potential for much more.

"With the new geopolitical realities, there's room for enhanced cooperation. We hope to see more Korean investments, especially in the liberated areas of Azerbaijan, which offer opportunities in green energy and reconstruction."

This is Amirbayov's first visit to Korea, which gives him the opportunity to engage with the country on a new level.

He said, "It's a good opportunity to get an impression of your country and explore ways we can work together more closely."
By Jon Dunbar

Tattooing is still illegal in Korea, but that hasn't prevented it from being part of hallyu, or the wave of Korean popular culture sweeping the world.

Korea's medical law, which defines tattooing as a surgical procedure, bars anyone but licensed medical doctors from inking art on the skin. This has resulted in a substantial tattoo industry operating without regulatory oversight. Korean tattoo artists work in the shadows in their home country and are increasingly traveling abroad to promote their work, finding that they are welcomed like rock stars in countries where tattooing is legal.

Ryu Ji-hwan, who works at SHARP Ink in western Seoul, estimates he has visited at least 10 countries as a guest artist.

"Many people overseas are already aware that tattooing is still illegal in South Korea. They often see talented Korean tattoo artists on social media and say, 'Why is it still illegal?'" Ryu told The Korea Times, before boarding a plane to head off for another tattoo world tour that will take him through three undisclosed European countries over two weeks.

Ryu has been a longtime member of Korea's underground extreme music scene, best known as the frontman of D-beat noise punk band Scumraid founded in 2011. It was this environment that led him to his life of "crime."

"In Korean society, where tattoos have been taboo, young punks who wanted to rebel against the older generation often got tattoos to express their beliefs or tell a unique story," he said. "Growing up with those punks, I was exposed to many tattoos, which always served as a great inspiration for me. Historically, tattoos have also been a symbol of rebellion, sharing similarities with punk, and I found that intriguing. This connection gave me the motivation to learn tattooing."

As he honed his musical talents, fronting what has widely been called Seoul's loudest band, he also cultivated his artistic skills, designing show posters, album liner notes and band logos.

His career as a tattoo artist got its first start during a drinking session in 2016 with Ryu Jin-suk, frontman of ska-punk band Skasucks and owner of Club SHARP as well as SHARP Ink, when they discussed an apprenticeship.

Ryu emphasized that there were complex reasons behind his decision to accept the offer.

"It wasn't an easy decision," he said. "I knew that many creative fields I've been interested in or experienced require a deep commitment, and approaching them lightly often leads to leaving them just as easily. Becoming a tattoo artist comes with the heavy burden of having to study and hone the craft for a very long time, so I needed time to make up my mind."

After a few days of deliberation, he decided to go for it, and he's been working there ever since.

Over the years, Ryu has developed his own unique, distinctly Korean style of tattoo, inspired by traditional Korean arts and folklore as well as religious iconography.

"My artwork isn't strictly religious, but it is influenced by religious art, connecting those lingering images in my mind with various themes," he said. "I grew up in a religious household. On my father's side, we were part of a large family in the countryside that followed traditional shamanistic beliefs and Buddhism. As a young child growing up in that rural environment, I was deeply influenced by the shamanistic and Buddhist imagery that was intertwined with the natural world where I played freely. These vivid images left a strong impression on me, and now I try to express those powerful visuals through my art."

His interest in Korean folk art, or "minhwa," influences his coloring, as well as his use of animals, especially tigers, dragons, serpents and birds, which feature in much of his work.

His extensive travels have also influenced his work.

"I've traveled to many traditional tattoo shops around the world, forming meaningful connections and engaging in artistic exchanges," he said. "I've learned about their sincere approach to tattooing, which has influenced my own style  not just in my drawings, but also in my mindset. I came to understand that the world of tattoos is more profound and deeply connected than I initially thought. I'm deeply grateful to each and every client who recognizes my work and chooses to come to me for their tattoos."

The continued lack of a legal basis for his work in Korea hasn't hindered him that much. He compares Korea's current situation to the state of New York, where tattooing was illegal from 1961 to 1997.

"Despite this, many underground tattoo artists continued to develop their craft in the shadows," he said. "After tattooing became legal in New York, the legacy they left behind served as a great inspiration for modern tattoo artists and provided the foundation for continuing both traditional and new businesses. I feel that the current situation in Korea is similar to this, and I am determined to continue creating my artwork steadily."

In the time since he began tattooing, he has seen public attitudes toward tattooing come around significantly.

"I used to have a negative view on this," he admitted. "The tattoo culture I knew was hidden and had to be unique to be considered cool. However, I eventually realized that you can't stop the flow of culture. Everything evolves and gets absorbed, so I believe that the tattoo business will naturally evolve as well."

Now, he thinks it's only a matter of time before Korea legalizes his profession.

"The fact that it's illegal means that some people are uncomfortable with it," he said, "but since this cultural trend can't be forcibly stopped, I believe that, eventually, the majority will agree with it, and it will become legal."

Follow @fuzzzzzzyy on Instagram to see Ryu's artwork.
The Navy's Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit (SSU) began three-day training Tuesday to bolster readiness for underwater rescue operations in the event of potential provocations, officials said.

Some 250 troops joined the training led by the special unit, which will run through Thursday in waters off Geoje, 331 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in conjunction with the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, the Navy said.

The drills, organized to enhance readiness in the event of possible maritime accidents during a national crisis situation, is also aimed at strengthening interoperability for joint rescue operations with the Air Force, it added.

The Navy's ROKS Cheonghaejin submarine rescue ship, ROKS Tongyeong salvage and rescue ship as well as the Air Force's UH-60 helicopter were set to take part in the three-day training.

The SSU was launched in 1950 as one of the Navy's special forces. (Yonhap)
The head of a company's financial department has been indicted after he was arrested while trying to buy a luxury item just three hours after stealing 8.1 billion won ($6 million) in company funds.

The suspect, surnamed Kim in his 30s, who worked at Bifido, a KOSDAQ-listed health functional food company, allegedly withdrew the money from the company's account and put it into his account and fled on June 26.

After receiving a report from the company, police immediately placed a travel ban on Kim and froze his account. Kim was ultimately caught just three hours later while purchasing a luxury watch at a department store in Seoul with the stolen money.

The man has admitted to the crime during questioning, officials said.

The Seoul Gangnam Police Station referred the suspect to prosecutors under physical detention last month, and the prosecution recently indicted him. (Yonhap)
Severe temperatures predicted from 2030

By KTimes

As global temperatures continue to rise, the idea of a comfortable summer may soon become a relic of the past.

The Korean Peninsula could enter an era of "new normal" summers, where extreme heat will become an annual occurrence from 2030, according to Yoon Jin-ho, a professor of climate studies at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology.

This alarming forecast stems from a joint study conducted with Utah State University, which predicts that summer temperatures on the Korean Peninsula will consistently exceed historical averages, driven by the accelerating impacts of global warming.

In an interview with the Hankook Ilbo, Yoon said, "Typically, summer temperatures have fluctuated year by year, showing a general upward trend due to global warming. While the 2018 heatwave broke records set in 1994, it still fell within expected trends."

However, a recent study indicates that from the 2030s, the increase in summer temperatures will be so pronounced that the previous pattern of fluctuations will no longer exist, leading to consistently hotter summers.

End of cooler-than-average summers

The research suggests that the likelihood of having a cooler-than-average summer will drop to near zero, with hot summers becoming the norm.

Traditionally, the probability of summer temperatures being higher, lower or about the same as the historical average would each be around 33 percent. However, the chance of a cooler summer is expected to diminish drastically.

While official data for this year's heat wave is still pending, some indicators, such as Seoul's record-breaking tropical nights, exceeding the 26 days recorded in 2018, suggest that this summer may rival the extreme heat of 2018.

The number of reported heat-related illnesses has already surpassed 3,000, breaking the previous record of 2,818 set in 2023.

Treating heatwaves as disasters

Given the increasing severity of heat waves, experts are calling for a more proactive approach to treating extreme heat as a disaster, with corresponding policy measures to address the "new normal" of recurring heat waves.

Although comprehensive heat wave response plans have been developed annually since the 2018 heatwave under the Framework Act on the Management of Disaster and Safety, the response has not yet reached the level of urgency seen with typhoons or heavy rainfall. Current measures still largely rely on individual efforts rather than administrative action.

Experts emphasize the need to refine heat wave forecasts and responses to account for the disproportionate impact on certain communities and sectors.

Professor Hwang Seung-sik of Seoul National University highlighted the increased vulnerability of outdoor workers, particularly those in the gig economy, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The government must introduce stronger measures to protect these workers, even if it inconveniences companies," Hwang said.

Yoon also noted the vulnerabilities faced by certain regions, such as Gwangju, where heat-related fatalities among older adults and livestock losses in rural areas with large farming operations were particularly pronounced.

He stressed the importance of providing tailored forecasts and solutions to mitigate these localized impacts.

Additionally, a growing consensus is that urban and rural areas require differentiated strategies, with long-term plans to mitigate the "urban heat island" effect in cities.

Urban heat waves are exacerbated not only by rising summer temperatures but also by factors like heat emissions from concrete surfaces, air conditioning, and vehicles.

Jo Chun-ho, former National Institute of Meteorological Sciences director, said, "Korea suffers from severe heat waves due to both global warming and urbanization. Expanding green spaces could significantly reduce the impact of heat waves."

He also called for integrating climate considerations into the planning stages of urban development and building design rather than focusing solely on maximizing profits.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
By Kim Hyun-bin

Anand Kumar, a celebrated Indian mathematician and educator known for his groundbreaking Super 30 program, has been named an honorary ambassador for the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). His appointment ceremony took place last Friday.

Kumar, widely recognized for his dedication to providing free education to underprivileged students in India, founded Super 30 in 2002.

Each year, the program selects 30 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and offers them free lodging and education. Since its inception, Super 30 has helped over 400 students secure admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology.

In his new role as an honorary ambassador, Kumar is set to explore Korea's educational and cultural landscape. His visit includes tours of key educational institutions, such as Seoul National University and the Samsung Innovation Museum, as well as prominent tourist sites like Cheong Wa Dae and the Demilitarized Zone. The trip also aligns with the KTO's "Korea Super 30" campaign, which brought 30 Indian students to Korea, including three from Kumar's own Super 30 program.

The KTO's New Delhi office, which launched the Korea Super 30 initiative in July, sees the visit as an opportunity to collaborate with Indian travel agencies to develop educational travel packages to Korea.

"India's favorable view of Korea is growing, with 84.5 percent (of respondents in a survey reporting positive sentiment toward Korea), making it the second-highest among 26 countries surveyed in the 2024 Overseas Hallyu Study," said an official from the KTO's international tourism office. "With the younger generation in India showing increasing interest in Korean culture, we plan to work closely with Anand Kumar to engage this audience through various promotional activities."








By KTimes

Hwang Seong-hyun, 44, a boat owner, let out a deep sigh in a small fishing village in the southeastern coastal city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday.

Hwang, who started a business three years ago taking fishing guests out to sea, said, "Tourism has dropped significantly, and sales have plummeted by nearly 90 percent compared to before."

When asked why, he replied, "Even though people say there's no problem with Japan's contaminated water, the impact seems inevitable. I'm seriously feeling the livelihood threats I was worried about before the release last year."

True to his words, Hwang had not received a single customer in four days, leaving his boat docked at the city's Seonchon Harbor and his business at a standstill.

As of Saturday, a year has passed since Japan began releasing contaminated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

While the fear has somewhat subsided compared to a year ago, thanks to the government's assurances of no radiation impact, the anxiety over consuming seafood remains strong. Academic debates over the safety of the released water also continue.

Quiet seafood markets

Fishers who have depended on the waters off Tongyeong for decades unanimously agree that the demand for seafood has dropped.

"Prices for abalone, sea cucumber and turban shell have been cut in half compared to last year in severe cases," said Lee Nam-kwon, 75, who has been diving for more than 30 years. While it's true that fish catches decrease as water temperatures rise, the drop in prices must be due to the decrease in demand."

A woman diver, Son, 58, added, "The economic downturn and lingering concerns about contaminated water likely caused a decline in consumption."

Ji Wook-chul, the head of Seonchon Village, said, "Compared to last year, the consumer sentiment toward seafood has shrunk. Not only fishers but also residents involved in leisure and accommodation businesses have been affected."

Tongyeong Central Traditional Market's seafood alley, which would typically be bustling with customers in the evening, was noticeably quiet.

Jeong Mi-hye, 56, a third-generation vendor, said, "Sales have dropped by half compared to last year. Although the number of customers worried about contaminated water has decreased since the initial release, there are still those who turn away as soon as they hear something is from Japan."

Even consumers visiting the market admitted they couldn't completely shake their worries while purchasing seafood.

Lee Soo-hyun, 43, who came to buy squid, said, "In the early days of the release, I avoided eating seafood altogether, fearing it might be harmful to my health. Now I mainly consume domestic seafood, since no radiation has been detected."

Controversy over contaminated water persists

To alleviate these concerns, the government has been conducting consistent radiation tests over the past year. As of Aug. 19, a total of 49,633 radiation tests have been conducted at 165 domestic sites and 18 sites in international waters, with no instances of exceeding safety standards in domestic waters or seafood.

However, civic groups continue to argue that the risks posed by the contaminated water are far from over.

The Fukushima Issue Citizen Science group, composed of experts in medicine, environmental health and marine science, held a press conference on Thursday to point out limitations in the government's testing methods.

Baek Do-myung, a former Seoul National University public health professor, said, "Rather than randomly sampling for testing, we should be tracing the food chain where tritium and radiation can be transferred."

Experts stress that since the discharge of wastewater will continue for decades, the South Korean government and people must remain vigilant over Japan's actions.

As of Sunday, 62,490 tons of contaminated water have been released into the sea, with 1.3 million tons yet to be discharged.

"The removal of highly radioactive nuclear fuel debris hasn't even started, and the water being released now is just a diluted solution," said Seo Kyun-ryeol, a professor emeritus of nuclear engineering at Seoul National University. "By 2027, highly concentrated radioactive materials are expected to be released, and the government must take action to prevent this from happening."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
The price cap for meals for public servants and select other professions was raised to 50,000 won ($38) from 30,000 won under a revised enforcement ordinance Tuesday.

The revised enforcement ordinance to the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran law, was approved by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission last month amid calls to raise the price ceiling to reflect current prices.

Since the anti-graft law took effect in 2016, public officials and individuals in specific roles, such as journalists and private school teachers, had not been allowed to be treated to meals worth more than 30,000 won per person. (Yonhap)
South Korea has increased funding for North Korean defectors to support their early settlement as part of its budget proposal for next year, in line with its new unification blueprint.

The unification ministry's budget proposal, which was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, came to 1.55 trillion won ($1.16 billion), down 3.7 percent from this year.

Despite the overall decrease, the ministry has boosted the basic settlement grant for North Korean defectors by 50 percent, raising it from 10 million won to 15 million won. The ministry's budget proposal is subject to parliamentary approval.

"Next year's budget proposal reflects the government's commitment to sound fiscal management while ensuring that the seven key initiatives outlined by President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 'Aug. 15 unification doctrine' are implemented without disruption," a ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

During his Liberation Day speech on Aug. 15, Yoon presented a vision for unification, which includes increased support for North Korean defectors in South Korea.

South Korea has a longstanding policy of accepting any North Korean defectors who wish to live in the South. Currently, South Korea is home to more than 34,000 North Korean defectors. The flow of defectors continues amid chronic food shortages and harsh political oppression in North Korea.

The basic settlement grant is the initial financial aid provided to North Korean defectors to assist them with their early settlement in South Korea. Additional allowances are provided to vulnerable groups, such as those with disabilities.

The grant was set at 8 million won until 2022 before increasing to 9 million won last year and 10 million won this year.

If the budget proposal passes through the parliament, the settlement grant will have increased by 88 percent in just three years under the Yoon administration.

Additionally, the budget for humanitarian aid to North Korea through a fund intended to boost cooperation with North Korea has been increased by 15.92 billion won, and the budget for livelihood support has been increased by 5.7 billion won.

"The government reaffirms that humanitarian aid to ensure the survival of North Korean residents will proceed regardless of the political and military situation," the official added.

North Korea has not yet responded to South Korea's proposal to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea for the damage caused by recent downpours in its northern border areas.

South Korea's last direct aid to North Korea occurred in 2010, consisting of 5,000 tons of rice and 300,000 cups of instant noodles for flood relief. South Korea also provided food worth 19 billion won to North Korea through the World Food Program in 2017, marking Seoul's last indirect aid to the North.

The budget for enhancing unification education in schools is also set to increase, with plans to expand the number of leading universities offering unification education from eight this year to 12 next year.

In contrast, the ministry has proposed a 21.3 percent on-year reduction in spending for inter-Korean economic projects, including support for the now-defunct Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North's border city of the same name.

Since taking office, Yoon has adopted a hard-line stance against North Korea's provocative actions and emphasized the importance of raising international awareness about the dire human rights situation in the North. (Yonhap)
Police looking into last week's deadly hotel fire raided the hotel in Bucheon, west of Seoul, and the home of its owner Tuesday, officials said.

Investigators from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police also raided the home of the hotel's manager and the office of a company in charge of the hotel's fire inspection.

Police also booked the hotel manager who was involved in the initial response to the fire on charges of professional negligence leading to death or injuries. Police had earlier booked the hotel's owner and its nominal head.

The fire at the nine-story hotel claimed the lives of seven people and injured a dozen. Officials said the fire led to a large number of casualties as the hotel was not equipped with sprinkler systems and smoke spread quickly through narrow corridors.

Many died of smoke inhalation, but two victims fell to their deaths after jumping onto a safety air mattress that firefighters installed on the ground. Video footage showed the mattress overturning after one of the two landed on a corner of it.

Police have questioned 24 people as witnesses so far, including the survivors of the fire and hotel employees. They plan to investigate how the fire started, and what made it spread so fast as soon as they analyze the confiscated evidence from the raid.

Meanwhile, the company that provides fire inspection services to the hotel reportedly found no issues in the latest fire inspection conducted in April, raising suspicions that the checkup was poorly done. (Yonhap)
By Jung Da-hyun

North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Jeju has announced the outstanding achievements of its Class of 2024, with students securing places at many of the worlds top universities following their achievements in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Out of 108 IB Diploma Program candidates, the school achieved a 99 percent pass rate, significantly outperforming the global average of 80 percent. The students' average score of 36.2 also exceeded the worldwide average of 30.3, with two students achieving a perfect score of 45 points.

Following these exceptional performances, these graduates are set to begin their studies at some many of the worlds top universities.

A total of 64 percent of the graduates will study in the United States, including five students gaining admission to Ivy League schools. Additionally, 19 percent of students will continue their studies in the United Kingdom, with four who will attend Oxford or Cambridge and 10 who secured places at Londons top institutions, such as Imperial College, University College London, London School of Economics and Political Science and Kings College.

Outside the U.S. and U.K., 10 percent of the graduates will study at other global destinations, such as Australia, Canada, Malta, Hong Kong and Japan. The remaining 7 percent are awaiting final decisions from Korean universities, with announcements expected later this year.

All seven students who applied to medical schools in the U.K. received multiple offers from prestigious institutions, such as Imperial College, Kings College and the University of Edinburgh.

The graduating class also boasts three students who were awarded the highly coveted Presidential Science Scholarship by the Korea Student Aid Foundation, recognizing them as among the top science and technology students globally.

James Monaghan, NLCS Jejus new principal, praised the students' hard work and the schools rigorous academic program for these outstanding achievements.

"This is a testament to the high-quality teaching and ambitious academic program at the school," he said.

UGC Counsellor Kim Bo-young also highlighted the critical role of passion in the university application process, attributing the students success to their dedication and the schools supportive environment.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that crimes involving deepfake pornographic material should be tackled to the same degree as drug crimes.

Han made the remark during a meeting with reporters following the discovery of numerous chat rooms suspected of creating and distributing pornographic content using doctored photos of ordinary women and teenagers.

"I think the state should begin by cracking down on them almost to the same degree as drugs," he said during the meeting held at his official residence.

"Where legislation is needed, we should push for legislation in consultation with the National Assembly. On issues like these, education should also go hand in hand with punishment," he said.

Han also confirmed reports that ruling People Power Party (PPP) chief Han Dong-hoon proposed deferring the medical school quota increase for 2026 during a meeting of senior government and ruling party officials on Sunday.

"Chairman Han told me that he thinks if we defer the increase for 2026, the problem will be solved more easily," the prime minister said, referring to an ongoing standoff between the government and the medical community over the state's medical reform plans. "I told him since that is something that requires the consideration of many issues, we would think about it. Then I told relevant agencies to review it."

The PPP chief's proposal was reviewed by the presidential office, the prime minister said, but "the government decided that would be a little difficult."

The current government plan is to increase the medical school admission quota by 2,000 seats every year for the next five years to address a shortage of doctors, though the number was adjusted to 1,509 for next year amid fierce protest from doctors' groups.

Thousands of trainee doctors have remained off the job since February in protest of the government's plan, while a nationwide union of nurses and medical workers has threatened to launch a strike Thursday to demand better working conditions amid serious strains caused by the prolonged standoff.

Prime Minister Han reiterated the government's position that it is open to discussing the 2026 quota should the medical community come up with a "scientific and unified opinion." (Yonhap)
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Tuesday urged the labor minister nominee to step down voluntarily, a day after he said that Koreans during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule were regarded as Japanese nationals.

During Monday's confirmation hearing, nominee Kim Moon-soo said that the nationality of Koreans during the colonial rule was Japanese, sticking to a controversial remark he made years ago that critics say denies the view that the country was founded in 1919 with the establishment of a provisional government.

"Our country was destroyed during the Japanese colonial period, how could there be such a thing as (Korean) nationality?" Kim said during the hearing. "Our country was completely taken over and forcibly incorporated into Japan."

On Tuesday, DPK floor leader Park Chan-dae denounced Kim's views, calling him the "worst anti-state figure under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration beyond redemption."

"Kim should step down voluntarily today if he wants to preserve any shred of honor as a former labor activist who fought during the harshest of times," he said.

Delivering a lecture at a church in 2018, Kim said he cannot agree to the view that the country was founded in 1919, questioning why there was an independence movement had there been a country during the colonial period.

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 colonial rule.

Korea achieved independence on Aug. 15, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War II.

During Monday's hearing, Kim also said former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment was "wrong and will be reevaluated historically." (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged on Tuesday to uphold fiscal soundness in the 2025 budget proposal while prioritizing the welfare of vulnerable groups and fostering economic growth.

Yoon presided over a Cabinet meeting to approve the government's budget proposal of 677.4 trillion won ($509.5 billion) for 2025, a 3.2 percent hike from this year.

"The proposal cut 24 trillion won in government spending by reevaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of all fiscal projects," Yoon said. "The savings will be allocated to essential national tasks."

Yoon said that the national debt had surged by over 500 trillion won during the previous Moon Jae-in administration's 2017-2022 term to 1,076 trillion won, creating significant fiscal challenges for his government.

"Given the challenges ahead, particularly with the rising costs of health insurance and pensions due to an aging population, we must tighten our belts, boldly reduce inefficiencies and ensure that budget is spent effectively on necessary areas," Yoon said. "Sound fiscal management is the fundamental principle our government has adhered to in the budgets in the last three years."

The government has adopted a fiscally conservative approach in response to declining tax revenues and economic uncertainties after years of expansionary budgeting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yoon said the government will effectively allocate its budget to actively address the demographic challenges amid a low birth rate and the aging population.

"To reverse the declining birth rate, we will completely shift our financial support approach," Yoon said. "Instead of simply providing cash handouts, we will focus on the three key areas that are most needed in parenting: work-life balance, child-rearing and housing."

To foster new growth drivers, the budget calls for increased investment in research and development for cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum technologies, as well as financial support for semiconductor clusters.

It also includes provisions to support mid- and small-sized businesses and boost health care funding to improve essential medical services and reduce regional disparities.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to submit the budget proposal to the National Assembly early next month for approval. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol called for stronger cybersecurity measures Tuesday to protect national security against increasingly sophisticated state-sponsored hacking attacks.

Yoon highlighted cyber threats posed by state-sponsored organizations in an apparent reference to North Korea during an address to the International Symposium on Cybercrime Response hosted by the Korean National Police Agency.

"With the rapid development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, combating cyber crimes has become more difficult," Yoon said. "State-sponsored hacking organizations are launching cyberattacks, threatening not only individuals and companies but also national security."

In February, the presidential office unveiled the national cybersecurity strategy outlining a "proactive and preemptive response" against cyber threats by hostile forces amid rising security concerns over Pyongyang's alleged cryptocurrency theft to fund its missile and nuclear programs.

Yoon stressed the need to train elite personnel and develop cybersecurity technologies to better deal with hacking attacks in partnership with the international community.

During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Yoon urged authorities to beef up efforts to crack down on digital sex crimes to combat AI-generated deepfake content fast spreading through social media.

"Deepfake videos may be dismissed as mere pranks, but they are clearly criminal acts that exploit technology under the shield of anonymity," Yoon said. "Anyone can be a victim of such digital sex crimes."

Numerous chat rooms suspected of creating and distributing deepfake pornographic material with doctored photos of ordinary women have been discovered recently, with many of the victims and perpetrators identified as teenagers. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol will give a press conference Thursday to announce a set of major reform measures in the pension, health care, education and labor sectors, his office said.

Yoon will first explain the comprehensive reform plan and take questions from reporters on a range of issues, according to the office.

A major focus will be the long-overdue pension reform, as Korea faces the challenge of its pension fund depleting faster than anticipated due to an aging population and declining birthrate.

Yoon is also expected to outline strategies to battle the nation's record-low birthrate. (Yonhap)
The plan to integrate the southeastern city of Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province has failed, the mayor of Daegu, Hong Joon-pyo, declared Tuesday.

Hong said in a social media posting that "it would be hard to expect consent from the provincial assembly of North Gyeongsang Province" for the proposed integration of the local governments.

The Daegu mayor had set a Wednesday deadline for his latest proposal, which calls for the establishment of unified provincial government offices in Daegu, Andong and Pohang.

Members of North Gyeongsang provincial assembly reportedly called for the establishment of such offices only in Daegu and Andong, while strongly criticizing the leaders of Daegu and the province for what they called a "hasty" decision to unify the two without public approval.

Hong made his initial proposal for integration in May, about three years after the latest attempt to integrate the two local governments, launched in 2019, ended in 2021.

Hong and North Gyeongsang Province Gov. Lee Cheol-woo had agreed in June to form a unified government by July 2026 after securing approval from the city council of Daegu and the provincial assembly. (Yonhap)
Committee of outside experts can add more clarity to case

The outgoing Prosecutor General Lee One-seok has called for a review committee to examine the case involving First Lady Kim Keon Hee and her acceptance of a luxury handbag. Opposition political parties, along with Korean American pastor Choi Jae-young, who gifted the 3 million won ($2,255) handbag to the first lady, have protested the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation results, which concluded that there were no violations of the anti-graft law. In other words, they found that accepting the bag had no direct connection to President Yoon Suk Yeol's official duties.

The review committee system, first adopted in 2018, has been used in similar cases before. When convened, the committee typically reviews whether an investigation should continue or whether to make an indictment, especially in politically sensitive matters. The 15 committee members are randomly selected from a pool of experts. This system is designed to assess whether prosecutorial powers have been used excessively. So far, review committees have convened 15 times, and the prosecution has accepted the committee's recommendations in 11 of those instances.

The prosecutor general, while affirming that the prosecutors' office conducted a thorough investigation in terms of evidence evaluation and legal interpretation, emphasized the need for a review committee due to the high level of public interest. The luxury bag controversy, brought to light by a video recording from the pastor, has dominated the political landscape for much of the first half of this year and continued to be a key issue leading into the April general elections. Early opinion polls this year showed that around 70 percent of the public wanted a thorough explanation of the matter.

One notable aspect is that, in addition to the graft charges, the prosecutor-general has requested the committee to also investigate potential disputes related to influence peddling and violations of the Attorney-at-Law Act. This would significantly broaden the scope of the investigation beyond the initial probe, which faced criticism for narrowly focusing on whether the Dior bag and other presents from the pastor two years ago were simply gifts or given in exchange for favors. The prosecutors had concluded that the bag was given "simply out of gratitude" and not in return for any favors. However, the investigation has been criticized for its limited judicial scope, as it primarily focused on determining whether the luxury bag was exchanged for favors.

The investigation faced procedural issues, as it called the first lady for questioning at a third location after receiving written questionnaires, all without the prior knowledge of the chief prosecutor.

The committee, expected to convene Sept. 6, should seize this opportunity to conduct a thorough legal examination of the luxury bag case. Their findings must fully address the public's questions. In case the committee's conclusions align with the prosecution's investigation results, criticism regarding potential bias may persist. Without credible answers, the possibility of a special counsel investigation, as advocated by the large opposition bloc in the National Assembly, cannot be ruled out. Additionally, regardless of the review committee's outcome, the first lady would be wise to issue an apology that resonates with public sentiment.

The chief prosecutor has said that the review's outcome is most likely to arrive before his tenure ends in several weeks. Undoubtedly, it was a difficult but necessary step for the chief prosecutor, who has emphasized the principle of investigations without bias. Now, it's time for the prosecution to reassess how this investigation has been handled.








By Casey Lartigue Jr.

Reactions were swift, fierce and cynical after it was reported that an all-men speaker lineup had been organized for a conference on North Korean issues. Experts, journalists, North Korean refugees and online commentators criticized the 18-man lineup scheduled for the 2024 Korea Global Forum (KGF) on Sept. 3.

One online commentator awarded the forum the "Manel of the Year" award. "Manel" refers to a panel consisting only of men. Some encouraged the speakers to boycott the conference and tagged associated organizations. Criticism expanded to include broader complaints about the nearly $600,000 budget, the lack of young people among the speakers, the gender wage gap in Korea and gender diversity in the president's administration.

South Korea's Ministry of Unification, the event sponsor, explained, "[D]ue to various reasons, including attendance at academic conferences, teaching commitments and personal circumstances, many women experts informed us of their inability to attend." The Ministry pledged to ensure gender balance at an upcoming conference.

I've encountered these kinds of complaints before and can't help but wonder if some people are more focused on targeting "manels" than recommending women speakers and commentators. It's easier to criticize than to be a catalyst.

To be clear, I'm not always against "Manel Monitors." In 2014, I was invited to speak at a conference in China and I suggested they also invite my then-podcast co-host, North Korean refugee Park Yeon-mi. While her status was pending, a promotional flyer was circulated that featured only men, including me. When the expected criticism came, I used it to repeatedly remind organizers about my recommendation. Yeon-mi was added to the conference, featured prominently in marketing materials and became the event's star.

I have learned that most "Manel Monitors" are not interested in such empowerment. In June 2018, Manel Monitors criticized a photo I posted from a roundtable discussion one of my columns had inspired. I informed them their complaints were misdirected  I had already recommended several women to the newspaper, and the editorial page's editor approved them all. However, only one followed through, and she stopped writing shortly after. Hearing this story, one woman promised to spread the word to Asian American journalists to encourage them to become columnists, while another criticized me, claiming she would recommend many women. Despite their strong responses, they never recommended anyone.

In December 2018, I hosted a TEDx event that featured five women from four different Asian countries. I chose two speakers, one each from North and South Korea. In hindsight, we should have booked a men-dominated lineup. It would have drawn more attention based on what is happening to the KGF. It may not have been intended, but many people are probably monitoring the KGF website to see if any women have been added to the conference.

In March 2019, after being added to a Google spreadsheet of women experts on Korea and Japan, I suggested to the document's owner that we organize an event featuring some of them. I also proposed the idea to a South Korean colleague and offered to assist behind the scenes.

In 2022, I co-authored the memoir of a North Korean refugee. Hello, Manel Monitors? It's OK to be a catalyst and proactively raise the profile of a refugee who nearly starved to death in North Korea and almost died during her escape to freedom. Perhaps they would have sprung into action if I had put my name on the book cover before hers.

Talk is cheap, and complaints are easy. How could Manel Monitors become catalysts instead of critics or use their criticism to make a difference?

First, apply to the Ministry of Unification for funding to organize a conference with women experts. If that's beyond their reach, contact me and join me, so I won't be accused of displacing women leaders. The Ministry funds numerous events annually featuring women speakers both domestically and internationally.

Second, compile a public list of women experts on North Korean issues and share it with organizations. The directory I was added to years ago isn't publicly accessible and seems to have been set up as a resource for media.

Third, partner with and support events organized by my organization to expand our reach. Seventy-five percent of the North Korean refugees at Freedom Speakers International are women. Despite a minuscule budget, we've educated about 450 refugee women in English, public speaking and career development. Your investment can help cultivate future leaders in a unified Korea, not just conference speakers.

People have the right to be critical, to scour the internet for problems to hashtag about and to criticize what imperfect people and organizations are doing. For those interested in doing freedom and becoming catalysts for the empowerment of North Korean refugees, my email address is below.

Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is the co-founder of Freedom Speakers International with Ms. Lee Eun-koo and co-author with Ms. Han Song-mi of her memoir "Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughters Search for Her Mother and Herself.
By Rushan Ziatdinov

"Jjimjilbang" are bathhouses in Korea that gained popularity in the early 20th century. By the late 1990s, many jjimjilbang had evolved into recreational complexes, and going to a jjimjilbang became a part of Korean social life. The jjimjilbang are still as important for socializing as they are for spa experience.

I first landed in the Land of Morning Calm in the summer of 2010, and jjimjilbang became one of the most enjoyable places for me to improve my health in preparation for the workweek ahead. Since 2010, I've visited many public bathhouses, mostly traditional and a few very modern ones, in various Korean cities, and I've really enjoyed each of them.

Since my first visit to a public bathhouse, I also began observing different bathhouses' environments. They have many things in common, and I would like to focus on these to provide some ideas for the development and modernization of traditional Korean public bathhouses.

Entrance and facilities

Upon entry, guests are given a uniform. But often there are no larger sizes, especially for tall people. Also, both shirts and pants could have more comfortable pockets for cash, coins, a cell phone and a charger. Sometimes, they give towels, which I personally find small. Can't towels be a little bigger?

Guests also put their shoes in a small box with a lock. The door of a locker sometimes has a small window, which I think is not necessary. Instead, these lockers could have a smart system that dries shoes and could probably be used for antibacterial cleaning. It is also possible to implement touchscreen lockers for easy access and security. There is also a need to install self-washing shoe machines that visitors can use.

Visitors then place their clothes in larger boxes. These boxes can also have self-cleaning or heating systems. Since there are many customers, this can help prevent the spread of viruses, bacteria and unpleasant odors. Once in Japan, I visited a public bathhouse that had a special room for washing and drying machines so that I could wash my clothes. Unfortunately, I have never seen washing and drying machines in traditional Korean public bathhouses.

Bathhouse employees often wear the same colored uniforms as other customers, but it would be better if their uniforms were different and easily distinguishable so that visitors can ask for help if needed.

Bathing areas

Unfortunately, I've only experienced seawater baths in a bathhouse in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, but never in other cities, which is strange for a country surrounded by seas. Another option is to install an ice bath.

Currently, baths have a fixed temperature that cannot be changed. In the future, smart bathhouse technologies such as advanced temperature control systems for sauna and bathing areas that allow users to set their preferred temperatures can be implemented. It would also be wonderful to have special baths designed for children, with safer surfaces, cleaner water, toys and other child-friendly features.

Some dirt is often found on the surface of the water, which autonomous robotic cleaners can help get rid of. Such robots are already being used in swimming pools and are available online. Robot cleaners can also be used for floors with a lot of foot traffic. There are even cleaning robots for toilets these days.

Unfortunately, I have never seen foot-washing or disinfecting pools or baths here, which can be useful in preventing the spread of fungal infections.

Sauna rooms

New and more efficient types of saunas can be introduced to offer visitors a variety of novel experiences. These include herbal saunas infused with the aroma of medicinal herbs like eucalyptus, lavender or ginseng; infrared saunas that provide deep tissue heating at lower temperatures for muscle pain relief, detoxification and improved circulation; and forest saunas that create a calming, nature-connected experience.

Other options include sound therapy saunas for relaxation through auditory stimulation, vitamin C saunas that use vitamin C-infused steam for skin care and thermal stone saunas that offer consistent, soothing heat for enhanced relaxation and detoxification.

Additionally, themed saunas can enhance the experience in unique ways. Ocean saunas might feature marine themes with blue lighting, wave sounds and mist machines to simulate ocean spray. Futuristic space saunas could offer a space-themed environment, while Russian saunas might incorporate traditional bath brooms. Each of these concepts can provide a distinct and enjoyable sauna experience for visitors.

From time to time, sauna rooms can be cleaned with specialized purifiers to eliminate viruses, bacteria and unpleasant odors.

Common rooms and sleeping quarters

More stylish designs for mattresses and pillows, such as bamboo mattresses, special pillows made of stones or wooden cubes and more items made of natural wood, would also help modernize Korean bathhouses.

Gender-separate sleeping quarters are often dark, so installing night lights and more USB ports for cell phone chargers would be nice.

In addition, having a small library inside the bathhouse would give people space to read books or manga quietly without disturbing others.

I've heard much positive feedback about how wonderful Korean bathhouses are. Only one professor told me in the past that Chinese bathhouses are even better and can occupy larger spaces than those in Korea. In my childhood, I visited wonderful sanatoriums in the Soviet Union, which are similar to a spa, but with medical services, including peloid therapy, which I never saw in Korea.

There is also a need for all public bathhouses to design and use a new emblem or symbol that is different from the traditional Japanese symbol for hot springs, which will help people easily identify public bathhouses.

We sometimes just have to open our eyes and look around us to find ways to improve what's already there. I believe traditional Korean bathhouses can become better in the near future and help promote Korean culture worldwide.

Rushan Ziatdinov (www.ziatdinov-lab.com) is a professor of industrial engineering at Keimyung University/
A federal agency plans to reassess its environmental permit for Hyundai's $7.6 billion electric vehicle plant in Georgia after a conservation group complained that regulators failed to properly examine the sprawling factory's potential impacts on the area's water supply.

The Army Corps of Engineers said in a letter Friday that state and local economic development agencies that applied for the project's 2022 permit never mentioned Hyundai wanted to withdraw up to 6.6 million gallons (25 million liters) per day from the underground aquifer that's a major regional source of drinking water.

Details of the plant's needs came out earlier this year as the Georgia Environmental Protection Division considered a proposal for four new wells to supply water to the auto factory. As a result, the Army Corps said it will revisit its finding that the project would have negligible impacts."

The Army Corps sent a similar letter to the Ogeechee Riverkeeper conservation group, which gave notice in June that it planned to sue if the agency refused to revisit the permit issued for the Hyundai project in October 2022.

The concentration of that pumping in one area is going to have some impacts locally, such as on domestic and agricultural wells, said Ben Kirsch, the Riverkeeper group's legal director. The big question we've had throughout all this is what impact will it have on other resources  natural springs in the area, wetlands, tributaries, and streams.

The Army Corps' decision comes as Hyundai pushes to start production before the end of the year at its 2,900-acre (1,170-hectare) plant in Bryan County west of Savannah. The site will produce EVs and the batteries that power them. The South Korean automaker plans to employee 8,000 workers at the plant, making it the largest economic development project Georgia has ever tackled.

The Army Corps ordered no delays or disruptions to construction at the plant site as a result of its permit reassessment.

At this time the permit is still valid and we have not requested that the permittee stop work, Cheri Dragos-Pritchard, a spokesperson for the Army Corps' Savannah District, said by email Monday. She said it wasn't known how long the additional review might take.

Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, the automakers name for its Georgia factory, said in a statement Monday that it will assist as needed to ensure the Army Corps gets the information it needs.

Hyundai has worked tirelessly with the relevant authorities to ensure we are good neighbors to those in the region and that our operations do not negatively impact the communitys water resources, the companys statement said.

The extra scrutiny by the federal government is unlikely to impact or delay a final decision by Georgia regulators on whether to permit wells for the Hyundai project, said Sara Lips, a spokesperson for the state Environmental Protection Division.

The Army Corps permit obtained by state and local economic developers authorized the filling or dredging of 221 acres (89 hectares) of wetlands at the plant site just a few months after Hyundai announced plans to build its EV factory in May 2022.

The Army Corps concluded then that the project would have negligible impacts on municipal and private water supplies." Its Friday letter said the agency relied on information provided by economic developers.

We never purposefully withheld anything, said Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Area Economic Development Authority, one of the local agencies that worked with state officials to bring Hyundai to Georgia.

Tollison said he expected the updated information requested by the Army Corps to be submitted within 10 days. The federal agency would typically complete its review within a month, he said, adding that he's confident the reevaluation won't hold up the project.

Theres enough water for everyone, Tollison said. We feel really good about where we are.

Georgia's environmental agency issued draft permits in July for the four wells to supply Hyundai. It's now evaluating public comments before reaching a final decision. The wells would be drilled in neighboring Bulloch County, where some farmers and rural residents have said they worry the auto plant will siphon water away from their crops and homes.

State regulators concluded that water withdrawals by the Hyundai plant would lower water levels in the aquifer up to 19 feet (5.8 meters) for private wells within 5 miles (8 kilometers). They said most wells won't see any impacts because they reach deeper into the ground.

The state agency has also said that nearby rivers and streams won't be affected because dense layers of rock seal off the aquifer from water at the surface.

Kirsch with the Ogeechee Riverkeeper said he hopes a second look by the Army Corps will provide more details on how state regulators reached those conclusions.

We definitely want to see the Corps independently evaluate this," Kirsch said. This should have been all considered before the wetlands were filled and buildings went up. (AP)
By Park Jae-hyuk

POSCO Groups labor and management are at odds as the nations fifth-largest business group prepares to restructure unprofitable and non-core assets to secure cash for shareholder returns and investments in its core businesses.

On Tuesday, a group of unionized workers at POSCO Groups five affiliates issued a statement expressing their concerns over the managements plan to reform 120 non-core assets.

This came a day after POSCO Future M, the groups battery materials unit, decided to sell its 51 percent stake in P&O Chemical to OCI, a polysilicon maker that owns the remaining 49 percent of the joint venture.

The restructuring plan announced on July 15 has been causing concerns over workforce reduction and job insecurity following the introduction of artificial intelligence and automation technologies, said the unions of POSCO, POSCO DX, SNNC, POSCO M-Tech and POSCO Mobility Solution, which are under the Federation of Korean Trade Unions.

Although we understand the need to focus on core businesses and improve profitability, there is the risk of low morale and anxiety deteriorating productivity.

Last month, POSCO Group announced that it would restructure its 120 unprofitable and non-core assets, which are not important for the groups business strategies.

The business group said at that time that it would secure 2.6 trillion won ($2 billion) in cash by 2026 for shareholder returns and investments in its core businesses.

The plan is believed to primarily enable the groups steelmaking unit to raise substantial funds to implement hydrogen reduction ironmaking technology across all of its furnaces by 2050, aiming for carbon neutrality.

The unions emphasized that POSCO Groups workers have always gone all out to rescue their company from crises, pointing out the restoration of the steelmaker's main steel mill in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, after Typhoon Hinnamnor flooded the factory in 2022.

The voices of workers must be heard during the ongoing restructuring, the unions said.

They particularly proposed the establishment of a task force for labor participation, a transparent disclosure of information and the independent management of each affiliate.

Labor and management should work together for POSCO Group to become the leading company in the global market, the unions said.
Gov't dismisses concerns, highlights Seoul-Washington ties

By Ko Dong-hwan

A U.S. nuclear energy firm's objection to the Czech Republic's choice of Korea as the preferred bidder for building two nuclear power units in the Central European country is feared to disrupt the project.

Last month, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) secured a 24 trillion won ($18 billion) deal to build nuclear reactors in Dukovany, surpassing France's EDF. However, the U.S. firm Westinghouse has been protesting the decision, citing concerns over intellectual property (IP) issues.

Westinghouse said, Monday, it filed an appeal with the Czech Anti-Monopoly Office to challenge the decision by Czech state-owned energy company CEZ, arguing that the Korean firm is not qualified for the job.

KHNPs APR1000 and APR1400 plant designs utilize Westinghouse-licensed Generation II System 80 technology. KHNP neither owns the underlying technology nor has the right to sublicense it to a third party without Westinghouse consent, it said in a statement.

Further, only Westinghouse has the legal right to obtain the required approval from the U.S. government to export its technology.

The protest stems from an IP issue related to the APR1000, a 1,000-megawatt nuclear plant type that KHNP is attempting to export to the Czech Republic. While Korea developed the APR1000 alongside the APR1400, its foundational technologies belong to Westinghouse, which has used its IP rights to challenge the decision.

Westinghouse initially helped Korea develop its nuclear capabilities by constructing Kori Nuclear Reactor No. 1 in 1969. This reactor served as a model for subsequent nuclear plants in Korea. Out of the 28 reactors built in Korea to date, 18 were based on the Kori reactor design, as well as those Korea has exported.

Due to historical agreements and regulations set by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, an international organization Korea joined in 1995, Seoul must obtain approval from the U.S. Department of Energy to export nuclear power plants and technology. Westinghouse holds the rights to submit such Korean bids to U.S. authorities.

Westinghouse filed a lawsuit against KHNP in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in October 2022, arguing that the Korean firm's export bid to the Czech Republic was improper. In September of last year, the court dismissed the case, stating that nuclear power technology export controls fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government, not the American firm. Westinghouse appealed the decision the following month.

In November 2022, KHNP directly applied to the U.S. Department of Energy for approval of its export bid to the Czech Republic. However, in January 2023, the U.S. authority declined the application, stating that it must be submitted by an American entity.

Seoul-Washington ties

But Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun dismissed concerns that the legal issue could affect KHNPs planned export to the Czech Republic. He said the ministry is negotiating with the U.S. Department of Energy to resolve the conflict between Westinghouse and KHNP.

I assure you that KHNPs export to the Czech Republic will proceed, Ahn told reporters in Sejong, Monday. We have communicated with the U.S. government about our position. Both parties have agreed to work toward resolving the conflict between KHNP and Westinghouse.

Lee Ho-hyeon, deputy minister for energy policy, said Seoul and Washington share common beliefs in the global nuclear industry, suggesting that the ongoing bilateral negotiations are expected to satisfy both countries.

Korea is one of the few countries that shares the values of democracy and human rights with the U.S. and also has globally competent nuclear technologies. They also share a view that nuclear technologies shouldnt be exported to certain nations where they might lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other global threats, Lee said, implying that Korea is an ideal nuclear partner for the U.S. For two nations like that, nuclear cooperation is an essential (diplomatic) condition.

KHNP is actively defending its export bid, acknowledging that Westinghouse initially played a crucial role in developing Koreas nuclear industry. However, KHNP asserts that Korea now possesses its own advanced technologies that exceed those previously provided by the American firm. The company also emphasizes Koreas superior construction experience compared to the U.S., pointing out that many planned nuclear plant projects in the U.S. were canceled following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979.

It appears that resolving the KHNP-Westinghouse dispute relies more on the outcome of the negotiations between the two governments than on how the companies themselves handle it, a KHNP official said. Were now supporting the ministrys diplomatic initiative and acting as one team.

KHNP President & CEO Whang Joo-ho visited the U.S. earlier this month with Ahn and Korea Electric Power Corp. CEO Kim Dong-cheol to meet Westinghouse officials. However, they returned without achieving significant results, according to the government, Friday. The following day, the presidential office said that it has been in close consultation with the U.S. government to resolve the dispute.

President Yoon Suk Yeol is slated to visit Prague next month with the heads of major Korean conglomerates, including Samsung, Hyundai Motor, LG and SK. There is speculation that this visit could be critical in the finalization of KHNPs export deal with CEZ, with the signing expected in March.
By Jhoo Dong-chan

The Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA), a government authority overseeing the welfare and interests of Koreans living abroad, will host an export conference to connect local cosmetics companies with potential overseas buyers.

The conference, co-hosted with Incheon Metropolitan City, will take place at Songdo Convensia in the port city, Thursday, as part of the 2024 World Korean Business Forum.

OKA Commissioner Lee Sang-deok and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok will deliver congratulatory speeches, with L&K Cosmetics Chairman Kwon Yong-soo opening the conference with a keynote address on the expansion of K-beauty and strategies for the growth of Korean business networks.

Following the keynote address, National Federation of Beauty Supplies Chairman Cho Won-hyeong is expected to discuss the current state and future prospects of Korean cosmetics in the U.S. market. Aju Cosmetic CEO Hwang In-seok will then address export strategies for small and medium-sized cosmetics companies.

In the conferences discussion session, Kyungin Womens College professor Ko Sung-hyun will emphasize the critical role of human resources and business-academia cooperation. Small and Medium Business Distribution Center official Um Dong-ki will present the governments initiatives to help local cosmetics companies expand overseas, while Exprive CEO Baek Seung-min will discuss the impact of foreign social media influencers on the cosmetics industry.

Around 20 buyers from 14 countries are expected to attend the conferences afternoon session, where they will meet with local cosmetics manufacturers to explore potential partnerships.

We believe there are chances especially for small and medium-sized companies in the cosmetics industry. We hope to see some tangible results through the conference, an OKA official said.




2 out of 3 Singaporeans positive about Korea: Son Heung-min tops BTS in popularity
Russia battered much of Ukraine on Monday, firing scores of missiles and drones that killed four people, injured more than a dozen and damaged energy facilities in attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as vile.

The barrage of over 100 missiles and a similar number of drones began around midnight and continued through daybreak in what appeared to be Russias biggest onslaught in weeks.

Ukraines air force said swarms of Russian drones fired at eastern, northern, southern, and central regions were followed by volleys of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said, adding that most of the country was targeted  from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and the west.

Explosions were heard in the capital of Kyiv. Power and water supplies in the city were disrupted by the attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions  more than half the country.

The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists," Shmyhal said, adding that the state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilize the system.

He urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched," Shmyhal said. "We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.

U.S. President Joe Biden called the Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had re-prioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. He also said the U.S. was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraines military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

At least four people were killed  one in the western city of Lutsk, one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, one in Zhytomyr in the country's center, and one in the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, local officials said. Thirteen others were wounded  one in the Kyiv region that surrounds the capital, five in Lutsk, three in the southern Mykolaiv region and four in the neighboring Odesa region.

Blackouts and damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were reported from the region of Sumy in the east, to the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions in the south, to the region of Rivne in the west.

In Sumy, a province in the east that borders Russia, local administration said that 194 settlements lost power, while 19 others had a partial blackout.

The private energy company DTEK introduced emergency blackouts, saying in a statement that energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians.

In the wake of the barrage and the power cuts, officials across Ukraine were ordered to open points of invincibility  shelter-type places where people can charge their phones and other devices and get refreshments during blackouts, Shmyhal said. Such points were first opened in the fall of 2022, when Russia targeted Ukraines energy infrastructure with weekly barrages.

In neighboring Poland, the military said Polish and NATO air defenses were activated in the eastern part of the country as a result of the attack.

In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack overnight.

Four people were injured in the central region of Saratov, where drones hit residential buildings in two cities. One drone struck a residential high-rise in the city of Saratov, and another hit a residential building in the city of Engels, home to a military airfield that had been attacked before, local officials said.

Russias Defense Ministry said a total of 22 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight and in the morning over eight provinces, including the Saratov and Yaroslavl regions in central Russia.

Russia also said its troops had fended off Ukrainian attempts to advance on half a dozen settlements in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion on Aug. 6 that caught Russia off-guard.

The fighting in the region has raised concerns about the nuclear power plant there. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said he would visit the plant Tuesday. (AP)
The campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are arguing in advance of their high-stakes Sept. 10 debate over whether microphones should be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.

While it's common for campaigns to quibble beforehand over debate mechanics, both Harris and Trump are under pressure to deliver a strong performance next month in Philadelphia. The first debate during this campaign led to President Joe Biden's departure from the race.

Trump on Sunday night raised the possibility that he might not show up on ABC, posting on his Truth Social network that he had watched the network's Sunday show with a so-called Panel of Trump Haters and posited, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network? and urging followers to Stay tuned!!

The current dispute centers on the muting of microphones when a candidate isn't speaking, a condition both Biden and Trump accepted for their June debate hosted by CNN. Both sides are accusing the other of gaming the system to protect their candidate.

Bidens campaign team made microphone muting a condition of its decision to accept any debates this year, and some aides now regret the decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trumps outbursts during the debate. That move likely would not have helped the incumbent Democrats disastrous performance.

The Harris campaign now wants microphones to be live all the time, according to Harris spokesman Brian Fallon, who issued a statement needling Trump.

Trumps handlers prefer the muted microphone because they dont think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own, Fallon said. Harris is ready to deal with Trumps constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller retorted that the Republican nominee had accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate." He alleged Harris representatives sought a seated debate, with notes, and opening statements.

Miller then took a shot at Harris not sitting for an interview or holding a news conference since Biden ended his reelection and endorsed her, arguing her campaign now wants to give her a cheat sheet for the debate.

The Harris campaign denied Miller's claim that she wanted notes or to be seated during the debate.

Id rather have it probably on, Trump said Monday during a stop in the Washington area, when asked if he wanted microphones muted. I didn't like it the last time, but it worked out fine, he added, in terms of the policy during his debate with Biden.

We agreed to the same rules  same rules, same specifications, Trump noted, for his Sept. 10 debate with Harris. "And I think thats probably what it should be.

Asked how he was preparing for the debate, Trump responded, Im not. ... I think my whole life Ive been preparing for a debate.

Complicating the negotiations this year is that debates are being orchestrated on an ad hoc basis by host networks, as opposed to the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, through which debate rules were negotiated privately.

Microphones have been unmuted for both candidates for most of televised presidential debate history. The debate commission announced that its October 2020 debate would have microphones muted when candidates were not recognized to speak after the first Biden-Trump contest descended into a shouting match. The second 2020 debate with the microphone muting rules was widely celebrated for being more substantive than the earlier matchup. (AP)
The near-term risk of a broader war in the Middle East has eased somewhat after Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah exchanged fire without further escalation, but Iran still poses a significant danger as it weighs a strike on Israel, America's top general said on Monday.

Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to Reuters after emerging from a three-day trip to the Middle East that saw him fly into Israel just hours after Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, and Israel's military struck Lebanon to thwart a larger attack.

It was one of the biggest clashes in more than 10 months of border warfare, but it also ended with limited damage in Israel and without immediate threats of more retaliation from either side.

Brown noted Hezbollah's strike was just one of two major threatened attacks against Israel that emerged in recent weeks. Iran is also threatening an attack over the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran last month.

Asked if the immediate risk of a regional war had declined, Brown said: "Somewhat, yes."

"You had two things you knew were going to happen. One's already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out," Brown said while flying out of Israel.

"How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not."

Brown also cautioned that there was also the risk posed by Iran's militant allies in places such as Iraq, Syria and Jordan who have attacked U.S. troops as well as Yemen's Houthis, who have targeted Red Sea shipping and even fired drones at Israel.

"And do these others actually go off and do things on their own because they're not satisfied  the Houthis in particular," Brown said, calling the Shia group the "wild card."

Iran has vowed a severe response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which took place as he visited Tehran late last month and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement.

Brown said the U.S. military was better positioned to aid in the defense of Israel, and its own forces in the Middle East, than it was on April 13, when Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, unleashing hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

Still, Israel, the U.S. and other allies managed to destroy almost all of the weapons before they reached their targets.

"We're better postured," Brown said. He noted Sunday's decision to maintain two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East, as well as extra squadron of F-22 fighter jets.

"We try to improve upon what we did in April."

Brown said whatever plans Iran's military might have, it would be up to Iran's political leaders to make a decision.

"They want to do something that sends a message but they also, I think ... don't want to do something that's going to create a broader conflict."

Struggling with Gaza fallout

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been seeking to limit the fallout from the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, now in its 11th month. The conflict has leveled huge swathes of Gaza, triggered border clashes between Israel and Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement and drawn in Yemen's Houthis.

Brown traveled on Monday to the Israeli military's Northern Command, where he was briefed on the threats along Israel's borders with Lebanon and Syria. In Tel Aviv, he met Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and its Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi.

Asked about Lebanese Hezbollah's military might, particularly after the strikes by Israel, Brown cautioned "they still have capability."

The current war in the Gaza Strip began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel's military campaign has driven nearly all of the Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing at least 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. (Reuters)
U.S. President Joe Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan is embarking on several days of talks with top Chinese officials in Beijing this week aimed at quieting tensions between the two superpowers ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Sullivan, China's top diplomat Wang Yi and others meet for the Aug. 27-29 talks as the two countries are at odds over the Middle East and Ukraine, Chinese territorial claims from Taiwan to the South China Sea, and trade.

Biden, who is in the final months of his presidency, has pushed direct diplomacy to influence Chinese President Xi Jinping and keep those tensions at bay; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in November's election, would likely pursue a similar strategy.

However many analysts aligned with Republican former President Donald Trump see that approach too soft given China's increasingly assertive foreign policy.

Sullivan, who landed in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon, wants to expand military-to-military talks down to the theater command level, a step that Washington hopes could prevent conflict in specific areas like the Taiwan strait.

The U.S. also wants China to take more action at home to prevent the development of chemicals that can be made into fentanyl, the leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses, and reach an understanding about safety standards for artificial intelligence.

Beijing plans to express its disapproval over U.S. tariffs on a range of manufactured goods and export controls targeting Chinese chip makers, and talk about its claims of sovereignty over the democratically ruled island of Taiwan.

"China will focus on expressing serious concerns, clarifying its solemn position and making serious demands on the Taiwan issue, the right to development and China's strategic security," the Chinese foreign affairs ministry said.

"The U.S. has continuously taken unreasonable measures against China in terms of tariffs, export controls, investment reviews and unilateral sanctions, which have seriously undermined China's legitimate rights and interests."

Both sides are also warily watching the prospect that the Gaza war could spiral into a broader regional conflict.

Sullivan's trip is the first by a U.S. national security advisor since 2016. He has held regular talks with Wang with an eye to managing competition between the superpowers, and they last met in January in Bangkok.

In Beijing, the two officials could also set the path towards a final meeting between Biden and Xi. Peru hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summit and Brazil hosts the Group of 20 summit, both in November, where the two could meet.

Harris vs. Trump?

When Harris accepted the Democratic nomination last week she said she would ensure that "America  not China  wins the competition for the 21st Century."

As vice president, she has spent significant time traveling to and bolstering U.S. relationships with China's neighbors, including Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

Trump has vowed across-the-board tariffs, with special emphasis on goods from China. His allies have pledged support to China's neighbors, including Japan and South Korea, under a new Republican administration.

U.S. intelligence suggests that China has no preference in the upcoming election contest, according to people familiar with the matter.

The U.S. and China have sought to stabilize rocky ties since they sank to a historic low after the U.S. downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.

Biden and Xi agreed at a summit in November last year to have their teams speak on military matters, artificial intelligence and curbing illicit fentanyl production.

Yet issues persist. Self-ruled Taiwan faces ramped up pressure from China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. The United States is Taiwan's most important backer and arms supplier.

The U.S.-allied Philippines and China clashed again in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Sunday in the latest in a series of sea and air confrontations in the strategic waterway.

On trade, Biden has added tariffs on Chinese goods deemed a threat to U.S. manufacturing and national security, and just last week his administration added 105 Russian and Chinese firms to a trade restriction list over their alleged support of the Russian military, a move China condemned.

China has vowed retaliation and Foreign Minister Wang has said they showed that some in the U.S. may be "losing their minds." (Reuters)
A senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Washington was behind the French arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and the CEO of the Telegram messaging platform that plays a key role communicating the war in Ukraine.

Durov, the Russian-born entrepreneur, was arrested in France over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.

Without providing evidence, Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament, said that the United States, through France, attempted to exert control over Telegram.

"Telegram is one of the few and at the same time the largest Internet platforms over which the United States has no influence," Volodin said in a post.

"On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control."

The White House has not commented on Durov's arrest. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the arrest was "in no way a political decision."

The Kremlin on Monday said it had yet to see any official French accusations against Durov.

The encrypted Telegram app, based in Dubai, has close to 1 billion users and is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.

After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become the main source of unfiltered  and sometimes graphic and misleading  content from both sides about the war and the politics surrounding the conflict.

The platform has become what some analysts call "a virtual battlefield" for the war, used heavily by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy and his officials, as well as the Russian government. (Reuters)
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China's commerce ministry on Tuesday expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition against the Canadian government's announcement of imposing additional import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

The remarks came after the Canadian government said Monday that it will take restrictive measures including new tariffs on EVs as well as steel and aluminum products imported from China.

Commenting on this move, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said that the Canadian government disregarded the facts and World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, ignored China's repeated solemn representations and acted unilaterally.

The development of China's EV and other industries is based on their own comparative advantages and a result of open competition, the spokesperson said.

"Chinese EVs are welcomed by users around the world, including Canadian consumers. They have also made great contributions to the global response to climate change and green transition efforts," the spokesperson added.

The Canadian government claims to support free trade and the multilateral trading system based on the WTO rules but has blatantly violated WTO rules, blindly followed certain countries and taken unilateral tariff measures against Chinese products, the spokesperson said, describing such practices as "typical trade protectionism."

The spokesperson warned that the move will destabilize global industrial and supply chains, seriously undermine the global economic system and economic and trade rules, and severely impact China-Canada economic and trade relations.

It will also harm the interests of enterprises in both countries, affect Canadian consumers, and risk undercutting Canada's green transition efforts and the global response to climate change, the spokesperson noted.

The Canadian side should correct its wrong practices immediately, the spokesperson said, adding that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises.

Zarazeno ut 27.08.2024 16:08:00 Zdroj scio.gov.cn Original english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-08/27/content_117390648.htm lang en
Recently, employees of State Grid Yangzhou Power Supply Company conducted inspections on the country's first 110 kV transmission phase shifter at 220 kV Ping'an Substation to ensure the reliable operation of the equipment. It is reported that thanks to the adjustment of power flow in the power grid by this transmission phase shifter, the maximum load of the No 2 main transformer of 220 kV Anyi Substation in Baoying, Yangzhou has dropped to 44,700 kilowatts, which is less than half of the historical highest level. This effectively alleviates the pressure on Anyi Substation to supply power to the load center of Baoying urban area and guarantees the high-quality and efficient power supply of Yangzhou power grid in summer. The Baoying area of Yangzhou is rich in wind and solar resources, and the development of new energy has been rapid in recent years. As of the end of July, the installed capacity of new energy in the whole county has reached 1,492,200 kilowatts, and the annual power generation is 2.511 billion kilowatt-hours. However, 92 percent of the new energy in this area is concentrated in the eastern suburbs, and 55 percent of the power consumption load is distributed in the western central urban area. The reverse distribution of new energy generation and power consumption load makes the load of power facilities in the east and west of this area unbalanced, affecting the power supply safety and economic operation of the power grid. For this reason, State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Co Ltd selected the Baoying area as a pilot and took the lead in carrying out the construction of a scientific and technological demonstration project of transmission phase shifters. By installing a transmission phase shifter on the 110 kV connection line between Anyi Substation and Ping'an Substation, two 220 kV substations in the main urban area of Baoying, intelligent and efficient flow of electric energy is realized. Li Qun, vice-president of State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Research Institute, said: "The transmission phase shifter is equivalent to adding an 'intelligent valve' to the power grid in Baoying, Yangzhou. By intelligently and accurately adjusting the power flow between Anyi Substation and Ping'an Substation, the load distribution between the two substations is balanced, and the power is allocated on demand." Through the transmission phase shifter, up to 100,000 kilowatts of new energy power can be accurately transmitted to the urban center, equivalent to 15.9 percent of the total power consumption load in Baoying area. This greatly alleviates the power supply pressure at the load center; effectively reduces the frequency of overweight and overload of power facilities; and ensures the safe, stable and economic operation of the power grid. It is reported that the application of this equipment fills the gap in the application of economic and compact power flow control technology in China. In the past year of operation, a total of 260 million kilowatt-hours of new energy power has been adjusted to the power consumption load center. The maximum load of the main transformers of the two connected substations has dropped by about 50 percent, and the average load difference between the main transformers has also dropped by about 40 percent. At the same time, the new energy consumption capacity of Ping'an Substation has been increased by about 100,000 kilowatts.
On 24 August the governor of Brazils Sao Paulo state,, decreed a 180-day emergency in 45 municipalities affected by forest fires in recent weeks.

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On 26 August Venezuelas opposition candidate in the disputed 28 July presidential election,, was summoned to testify to prosecutors.

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Lehigh Valley Democrats gathered at the U.S. Steelworkers of Americas union hall in Bethlehem on Monday evening for what they called a Rally for Democracy.

They aimed to unite different Democratic political groups to get Democrats elected and stave off Project 2025, which they claim is a plan to dismantle federal agencies and tailor the government to a vision closer to the liking of Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.

Trump says Project 2025 is not related to his campaign and has denied knowing about its author, the Heritage Foundation, which is overseeing its own transition effort with the help of dozens of his allies and former aides. Democrats have for months tried to pin Trump to Project 2025s most sweeping proposals.

Democrats at their national convention last week in Chicago officially nominated Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate versus Trump. President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid in July. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week suspended his own campaign, announcing his support for Trump.

The vice presidential candidates are U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, on the Republican ticket and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Election Day is Nov. 5.

Democratic Party groups from Northampton County, Lehigh County and Bethlehem were slated to be joined during Mondays rally by the Pennsylvania Democratic Black Caucus, Nazareth Area Pride and Lehigh Valley For All. Lawmakers U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat representing the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District, and state Rep. Joshua Siegel, D-Lehigh, were among those who spoke. Wild faces a challenge this year from state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh.

Scroll through the photos below for a flavor of Mondays event.

20 1 / 20 Rally for Democracy in Bethlehem

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
A Government Minister welcomed the refusal of a planned Laois wind farm telling the developers to pack their bags.

Minister Sean Fleming said it appeared An Bord Pleanala were now giving more weight to County Development Plans.

An Bord Pleanala rejected plans for the 13 turbine proposed Coolglass Wind Farm near Timahoe. The 180 metre high turbines are six times taller than the nearby Timahoe Round Tower.

The turbines were planned in a number located in areas in contravention of the Laois County Development Plan.

Developer Statkraft Ireland, through Coolglass Wind Farm Limited, had bypassed Laois County Councils planning department and applied directly to An Bord Pleanala as the project was deemed a Strategic Infrastructure Development.

Last October, Laoiss former Chief Executive John Mulholland gave details of the councils report to An Bord Pleanala in relation to the wind farm. The report set out the councils objection to the construction of wind turbines in areas deemed unsuitable for wind energy in the County Development Plan.

Minister Fleming said he was pleased with An Bord Pleanalas decision to reject the plan. He said a meeting had recently been held in The Swan to discuss the decision.

Minister Fleming welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanala to reject the planning application by Coolglass Wind Farm Ltd.

This is an area not suitable for wind farms, as set out in the Laois County Development Plan as an area not open for consideration.

The independent Planning Regulator and the Minister both agreed with this decision in the Laois County Development Plan. In my opinion, this left An Bord Pleanala with no other option but to reject this application, deeming the area not an appropriate location for a wind farm, said Minister Fleming.

This is good news for the local communities in the area and I would ask the developers to pack up their bags, go away and not contest this decision or reapply.

I support renewable energy, but this must be located in suitable areas. For instance, I supported the Gortahile Wind Farm in Laois some years ago, as it was in a proper location. It is good to see this wind farm producing renewable energy for many years now, he remarked.

The proposed Coolglass Wind Farm would have been located in the townlands of Fossy Upper, Aghoney, Gorreelagh, Knocklead, Scotland, Brennanshill, Monamantry, Coolglass, Crissard and Kylenabehy.
People First Credit Union is delighted to announce the second year of the 'Community Champions Award', a prestigious 10,000 award aimed at recognising and supporting the extraordinary efforts of local volunteer groups within our common bond area.

This initiative, which debuted last year, was first awarded to the deserving winners, Portlaoise Tidy Towns, for their outstanding biodiversity project.



With deep appreciation for the exceptional contributions of volunteers, People First Credit Union continues its commitment to fostering community development and well-being through this significant award. The 10,000 award is designed to empower a local volunteer group within our common bond, with a vision to generate sustainable benefits for both the group and the wider community.



Carol Murphy, Marketing Manager for People First Credit Union, highlighted the importance of volunteerism "Our credit union is powered by the spirit of volunteerism, It is with great pride that we continue the 'Community Champions Award' for a second year, building on the success of last years winner, Portlaoise Tidy Towns, and their remarkable biodiversity project.



The application process for the 'Community Champions Award' remains simple and accessible. Application forms are available on our website at www.peoplefirstcu.ie/community/community-champions-award. The deadline for all applications is Friday, 27th September 2024, at 1 pm.



The three finalists will be announced at the Community and Voluntary Awards on 8th November 2024, with the winner being revealed at our AGM in January 2025.



People First Credit Union extends its gratitude to Laois County Council, Laois Public Participation Network, and their voluntary Community Funding Committee for their unwavering support and collaboration on this significant initiative.



Voluntary groups interested in applying for the 'Community Champions Award' are encouraged to visit the People First Credit Union website for further details and assistance.
The death has occurred of John Bolger

Templeogue, D6W, Dublin / Celbridge, Kildare.

August 24, 2024.

Peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, in the wonderful care of the staff in Tallaght University Hospital.

Predeceased by his brother Paddy and sister Una.

Beloved husband and best friend to Teresa, loving father to Fiona, Karina and John.

John will be forever loved and sadly missed by his family, wife, children his adored grandchildren, Leanne, Aaron, Jason, Sophia, Daniel and Liam, great grandson Charlie, brother Joe, sisters Anna, Carmel, nieces, nephews, extended family relatives and friends.

May Johns gentle soul Rest in Peace.

Removal on Thursday morning, August 29, to the Church of the Holy Spirit, Greenhills, D12 YY0X arriving for Requiem Mass at 10am, with cremation thereafter in the Victorian Chapel, Mt Jerome Crematorium, Harolds Cross D6W HY98 at 12.15 pm.

To view Johns Requiem Mass please click here.

To view Johns cremation service please click here.

Family Flowers only.

To leave a message of sympathy for the family please click here.

All further enquiries to Massey Bros Templeogue Village. Phone: 01 490 7601.

The death has occurred of Mary Cassidy (nee Rapple)

34 Pacelli Road, Naas, Kildare / Athgarvan, Kildare.

August 25, 2024, in her 95th year, surrounded by her loving family in the devoted care of the staff at Craddock House Nursing Home, Naas.

Adored wife of the late Paddy, mother of eight children, Patrick (deceased), Esther, Emmanuel, Joe, Martina, Chris, Fran and Steve and her sons in law and daughters in law.

Grandmother (Nana) to her adored 22 grandchildren, great-grandmother to 15 great-grandchildren.

She will be forever missed by her immediate and extended family and her wide group of neighbours and friends.

Reposing Tuesday (August 27) at her home at 34 Pacelli Road, Naas, County Kildare from 5pm to 8pm with prayers at 7.30pm.

Removal to the Church of Our Lady and St David, Naas on Wednesday (August 28), arriving for 10am Funeral Mass, followed by burial at St Corbans Cemetery, Dublin Road, Naas.

May Mary Rest In Peace.

You will forever be loved.

Funeral Service: https://www.naasparish.ie/our-parish/naas-webcam/

The death has occurred of Patrick Howard

Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Kildare / Ballingaddy, Kilmallock, Limerick.

August 26, 2024, peacefully at Ryevale Nursing Home, Leixlip, surrounded by his loving family.

Predeceased by his sister Josephine (Jo), deeply regretted by his loving wife Marie and daughters Sinead and Eimir, son-in-law Niall, grandchildren Jack, Shannon and Izabelle, extended family and a large circle of friends.

Rest In Peace.

Reposing at Oliver Reilly's Funeral Home, Leinster Street, Maynooth (W23 V99E) on Wednesday from 4pm to 7pm with evening prayers at 6:30pm.

Removal from his residence on Thursday at approx. 10.30am to arrive at the Church of Our Lady's Nativity, Leixlip for 11am Funeral Mass, followed by cremation in Newlands Cross Crematorium.

The family would like to thank all the staff in The Ryevale Nursing Home for their professionalism and care for Patrick.

House Strictly Private.

Crematorium Strictly Private.

Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, to the Irish Heart Foundation which can be made by clicking on the following link: Irish Heart Donate to The Irish Heart Foundation

The Funeral Mass can be viewed live here: http://oln.ie/oln/live-webcam/

Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues.

The death has occurred of William Treacy

4 Millstream Avenue, Monasterevin, Kildare / Rathmore, Ballybrophy, Laois.

Sadly missed by his loving partner Ann.

Fondly remembered by his stepsons and his children.

Sadly missed by his loving family; daughter in law Chloe, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, extended family, relatives and friends.

May William's gentle soul Rest In Peace.

Reposing at his home, 4 Millstream Avenue, on Tuesday, August 27, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, with Rosary Recital at 7.30pm.

Requiem mass at 11am in St Peter and Paul's Church, Monasterevin on Wednesday, August 28.

Interment afterwards in St Evins Cemetery, Monasterevin.

House private on Wednesday morning please.

Requiem Mass can be viewed on the following link: Webcam - Monasterevin Parish

For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors on (045) 868 230.
Twenty dynamic and exciting Irish fiction authors feature in a new initiative from the An Post Irish Book Awards called New Voices 20 Best New Irish Writers.

Focused on showcasing a new generation of incredible Irish writers who are reshaping the literary landscape with their fresh perspectives and captivating storytelling, the list was curated through nominations from publishers, booksellers and librarians nationwide.

This new wave of Irish writers is infusing the literary landscape with vibrant voices that blend tradition with modernity. Their sharp, insightful prose has garnered much acclaim, resonating with both Irish and global audiences. This new literary talent is not only preserving Ireland's rich storytelling heritage, but also pushing its boundaries, making contemporary Irish literature even more dynamic and globally relevant than ever before.

The nominated authors could be working in any genre of fiction, must have had no more than two books published over the past decade, and be Irish by birth, citizenship or long-term residence. A panel of literary experts then selected the 20 authors, highlighting some of the most exciting new talents in contemporary literature.

The list, of which there is no overall winner, will also be promoted nationwide in bookshops and libraries during September to celebrate the 20 authors ahead of the An Post Irish Book Awards 2024 campaign.

The 20 authors featured in this collection are:

Claire Coughlan

Claire Coughlan is from Kildare and has worked as a journalist in Ireland for many years. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD and lives in Co Kildare with her husband and daughter. Where They Lie is her debut novel.

Louise Nealon

Louise Nealon studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin, and then completed a masters in creative writing at Queens University Belfast in 2016. She lives on her family farm in County Kildare. Snowflake is her first novel and was the biggest-selling debut in Ireland, winning Newcomer of the Year at the 2021 An Post Irish Book Awards.

Fiona Scarlett

Fiona Scarlett is from Dublin but now lives in Co. Kildare with her husband and two children. She holds an MLitt in creative writing from the University of Glasgow as well as a masters in early childhood education. She works full time as a primary school teacher and Boys Dont Cry is her debut novel.

Aingeala Flannery

Aingeala Flannery is a writer and broadcaster. Her critically acclaimed debut novel The Amusements was published by Penguin Sandycove in 2022. She is also the current writer-in-residence at Dublin City University.

Alan Murrin

Alan Murrin is an Irish fiction writer based in Berlin. In 2021 he was the winner of the Bournemouth Writing Prize for his short story The Wake, which was later shortlisted for Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. He is a graduate of the prose fiction masters at the University of East Anglia and also writes for the Irish Times, Times Literary Supplement and Spectator.

Cathy Sweeney

Cathy Sweeney is a writer living in Ireland. Her short fiction has been published in the Stinging Fly, the Dublin Review, Egress, Winter Papers, Banshee and the Tangerine, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Her debut short story collection, Modern Times, was published in 2020.

Catriona Lally

Caitriona Lally is the recipient of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature (2018) and a Lannan Fellowship for Fiction (2019). In October 2021, she was announced as the inaugural Rooney Writer Fellow at Trinity Long Room Hub. Her first novel, Eggshells, was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2015. Wunderland, her second novel, was published by New Island Books in 2021.

Colin Walsh

Colin Walsh's short stories have won several awards including the RTE Francis MacManus Short Story Prize and the Hennessy Literary Award. In 2019 he was named Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year. Kala is his first novel and was a number one bestseller. He is from Galway and lives in Belgium.

Disha Bose

Disha Bose was born and raised in India, and has lived in Calcutta, London, and Dublin. She worked in the tech industry before joining the Masters in creative writing programme at University College Dublin. She now lives in Cork, Ireland. Dirty Laundry is her debut novel.

Ferdia Lennon

Ferdia Lennon was born in Dublin to an Irish mother and Libyan father. He holds a BA in History and Classics from University College Dublin and an MA in Prose Fiction from the University of East Anglia. In 2019 and 2021, he received a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. After spending many years in Paris, he now lives in Norwich with his wife and son.

Louise Kennedy

Louise Kennedy grew up a few miles from Belfast. She is the author of the Women's Prize Longlisted novel, Trespasses, and the acclaimed short story collection, The End of the World is a Cul de Sac, and is the only woman to have been shortlisted twice for the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award (2019 and 2020). Before starting her writing career, she spent nearly thirty years working as a chef. She now lives in Sligo.

Megan Nolan

Megan Nolan was born in Waterford, Ireland and is currently based in New York. For her debut novel, Acts of Desperation, Nolan was the recipient of a Betty Trask Award, shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Ordinary Human Failings was longlisted for the Womens Prize for Fiction.

Michael Magee

Michael Magee is the fiction editor of the Tangerine and a graduate of the creative writing PhD programme at Queens University, Belfast. Close to Home is his first novel and won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 2023.

Michelle Gallen

Michelle Gallen grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a few miles from the border. She studied English Literature at Trinity College Dublin and Publishing at Stirling University. Her debut novel, Big Girl, Small Town was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. Her critically acclaimed second novel, Factory Girls, won the Comedy Women in Print award and was shortlisted for the RSL Encore Award. Both books are being adapted for TV.

Naoise Dolan

Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Her debut novel Exciting Times was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for TV. She won the 2021 Hawthornden Prize and has been shortlisted and longlisted for several other prizes. She now lives in Berlin.

Niamh Campbell

Niamh Campbells debut novel This Happy was nominated for the An Post Irish Book Awards, the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, the John McGahern Book Prize and the Kate OBrien Award. In 2020 she also won the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award for Love Many. In 2021, Campbell won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. She lives and works in Dublin.

Nicole Flattery

Nicole Flattery is the author of the story collection Show Them a Good Time. She is the winner of the An Post Irish Book Award, the Kate OBrien Prize, the London Magazine Prize for Debut Fiction, and the White Review Short Story Prize. A graduate of the masters program in creative writing at Trinity College, she lives in Dublin, Ireland.

Noel ORegan

Noel ORegan is from Tralee, Co. Kerry. A recipient of an Arts Council Next Generation Artist Award, his debut novel, Though the Bodies Fall (Granta Books, 2023), was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, the John McGahern Book Prize and Newcomer of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

Sheila Armstrong

Sheila Armstrong is a writer and editor from the north-west of Ireland. How to Gut a Fish, her first collection of short stories, was shortlisted for the Kate OBrien Award and longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. Falling Animals, her debut novel, was chosen for BBC2s Between The Covers Book Club and shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize.

Una Mannion

Una Mannion is based in County Sligo Ireland. Her debut novel A Crooked Tree made the Irish bestsellers list, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and the Dalkey Emerging Writer Award and won the Kate OBrien Prize. Her second novel Tell Me What I Am was shortlisted for the Encore Awards and was the winner of the prestigious Gold Dagger at the CWA Dagger Awards. In September 2024, Una joins the Oscar Wilde Centre and English Department at Trinity College Dublin teaching creative writing.

The judging panel consisted of:

Maria Dickenson, Chairperson of the judging panel and Irish Book Awards board member

Angus Laverty, Public Affairs Manager at An Post

Breda Brown, Chair of the Irish Writers Centre

Dawn Behan, President of the Irish Booksellers Association

Eileen Morrissey, President of the Library Association of Ireland

Madeleine Keane, Literary Editor of the Sunday Independent

Sinead Mac Aodha, Executive Director at Literature Ireland

Maria Dickenson, Chairperson of the judging panel and an Irish Book Awards board member, says: We are delighted to continue supporting Irish writers, and, this year, to present 20 of the most promising names in Irish literature through the New Voices initiative. As a nation of storytellers, Ireland has an incredible level of writing talent which was showcased through the vast range of amazing authors submitted for this initiative.

Irish writing is in great hands with this new generation of authors selected for New Voices. We look forward to celebrating them in the weeks to come, and at our awards ceremony this November.

David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, says I have always loved the connection between the writers we champion and the community of publishers, booksellers and readers that has grown up around the An Post Irish Book Awards. Now we are taking it a stage further and saying Just take a look at whats next.

Heres to the next wave of writers meeting readers, the magic continues.

Now in its 19th year, the An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible. The initiative brings together a vast community passionate about books  readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians  to recognise the very best of new and established Irish writing talent and 2024 will be no different.

Categories in the An Post Irish Book Awards include Novel of the Year, Childrens (Junior and Senior), Cookery, Crime Fiction, Popular Fiction, Non-fiction, Sports, Short Story, Poetry, Teen and Young Adult and Irish Language.

The shortlist for this years An Post Irish Book Awards will be announced in late October, with the awards ceremony taking place on November 27th. A television programme will be broadcast on RTE One television in December, culminating in one of the 2024 winning titles being announced as the An Post Irish Book of the Year 2024.
Properties have been seized in three different counties as the Criminal Assets Bureau investigated the activities of a Longford-based Organised Crime Group (OCG) involved in the sale and supply of drugs, and serious feud related activity in Ireland.

On foot of High Court applications under the Proceeds of Crime Acts, CAB has taken possession of a range of assets in counties Kildare, Longford and Leitrim, as part of its work to dismantle the Longford crime group.

During their investigation, CAB established that these properties and other assets were funded by the proceeds of crime.

A property at Ardnacassa, Longford was seized and at this address, CAB also took possession of 25,325 in three bank accounts, 17,815 cash, a 191 Ford Focus, a double axel Tuffmac trailer and a trailer dolly.

A Louis Vuitton Popincourt tote and matching wallet, a Louis Vuitton Alma BB Vernis handbag and a pair of Christian Louboutin Decollette nude heels were also seized.

A quantity surveyor appointed by the Bureau, provided the High Court with independent expert evidence which proved that the works completed at the property following its purchase in October 2015, would have been in the region of 337,499.

The money used to build the refurbish and renovate the property are determined to have derived from criminality.

Substantial land and several outbuildings were seized by CAB at three locations in Co Leitrim.

READ ALSO: 'The world is that bit worse off without him' - Tributes paid as Hardy Bucks star found dead at home

CAB also took possession of a property at Ellistown, Co. Kildare where 10,150 cash and gold bars to the value of 5,600, also deemed to be the proceeds of crime, were seized.

In the expert opinion of a court appointed Quantity Surveyor, the total cost of the subsequent renovation of the property purchased in 2014, would have been in the region of 64,364 plus VAT.

The money used to renovate the property are determined to have derived from the criminal conduct.

The properties seized will eventually be sold by private treaty or public auction and the money returned to the taxpayer through the Central Fund along with all other cash and money generated from the sale of the goods seized.

In the past twelve months, CAB has sold 24 properties, the highest number since the bureau was established in 1996.
Parking fines in Leitrim increased by 13 in 2023 compared to the year previous in 2022.

14 fines were handed out last year, with just one in 2022. The only town in Leitrim where paid parking is in Carrick-on-Shannon, which contributes to the low number of fines.

Paid parking was reintroduced in Carrick-on-Shannon in October of 2022 after bye-laws were passed by the Council. Paid parking is on all on-street areas. Free parking has remained at the fire station, the Quay and town centre car park.

Nationwide, the number of fines issued to motorists rose by over 15 percent, with more than 351,000 tickets issued in 2023, compared to over 304,000 in 2022.

The fines for motorists range from 40 to 150. Failing to display a parking ticket costs 40, non-display of a valid tax disc is 60, parking on footpaths and bus/cycle lanes attracts 80 and illegally parking in a designated space for disabled costs 150.

Across the 31 local authorities in Ireland, they are likely to have received at least 14 million in parking fines last year.

Leitrims neighbouring counties varied on their parking fines. Sligos parking fines decreased by approximately 29.5% on the previous year, and Cavan saw a decrease of approximately 43.5%. County Donegal saw a dramatic increase of 5,126 fines in the previous year and Longford saw an increase of 13.

Roscommon has no paid parking or traffic wardens in the county.
Shauna Murtagh from Carrick-on-Shannon took the stage on August 19 in Tralee to represent County Leitrim in the International Rose of Tralee Festival.

Shauna has been winding down after her extremely busy few weeks, and she recently graduated from University of Galway on August 23.

She has been reflecting on her incredible experience as part of the Rose tour and appearing on national television.

It was never something I imagined myself doing. It was never on the plans for me.

We started off in Kildare and stayed in Barberstown for a few nights and everyone was so welcoming, from the Rose of Tralee staff to the hotel staff and all the girls.

Every day I would think it cant get much better than this and then they somehow managed to top it off! Shauna enthused.

After staying in Kildare for a few days, the tour travelled to Dublin for a press day and photoshoot with RTE presenters Daithi O Se and Kathryn Thomas.

While in Dublin, Shauna and the 31 Roses paid a visit to some children in Temple Street Childrens Hospital.

It started off with the tour and we were in Kildare for a few days before travelling to Dublin for a press day and photoshoot with Daithi and Kathryn.

I had no idea we got to visit there and it was incredible, Shauna explained.

I was in the emergency department and it was so nice to see the kids and give them a little bit of a lift up.

Shaunas performance on the first night of the Rose of Tralee was more than memorable. The 23-year-old is an avid rower and sportswoman, and she was put to the test on stage and competed in a rowing competition alongside Kathryn Thomas.

I initially had no performance, and then on the Saturday before, RTE asked if I would do the rowing challenge against Kathryn and I wasnt sure if it would work with the dress! she recounted.

Shaunas dress was designed by Leitrim based fashion designer Joanne McGowan, which took five weeks to create.

Shauna reminisced about that night, recalling how surreal it felt.

It didnt feel real. Im still shocked that it happened, I havent watched it back, she explained.

Shauna gained unforgettable friendships and built up her confidence during her time as Leitrim Rose.

We were such a lovely bunch and all 31 of the girls were incredible. They all had their own stories and personalities, everyone had their own thing to add.

The Rose of Tralee team really got us out of our shells. By the end of it, I really found that my confidence grew, Shauna explained.

Although taking part in the competition was never on the cards for Shauna, she has absolutely no regrets and says she would recommend it to anyone.

It really has been a crazy few weeks, she concluded.
Hotel prices across Dublin are soaring following the announcement that Mancunian legends Oasis are reuniting for two massive shows at Croke Park, their first in 15 years.

The band have sent fans into a frenzy as they announced they are set to reunite for the first time since 2009 with a brand new tour. Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher confirmed their Oasis reunion this morning, with 14 dates across the UK and Ireland next year.

The legendary duo will perform with the band in Ireland next summer, taking to the stage in Dublin's Croke Park for two shows on August 16 and 17. Tickets go on sale later this week and they are sure to quickly sell out.

With thousands from across Ireland and even those 'half a world away' expected to descend on Croke Park for the gigs, Dublin will experience another busy weekend, expected to rival the days surrounding the Taylor Swift and Coldplay concerts this year.

Since the massive news, Dublin hotels have seemingly acted fast to capitalise on the opportunity, raising fares to an outrageous degree across Ireland's capital city for the nights of the concerts.

Irish fans of Oasis were quick to call out the practice by the hotels, with one screenshot revealing that prices had seemingly doubled across the city for the weekend next August.

Screenshot of prices of Dublin Hotels on the 17th August 2025



One taken last night before the Oasis announcement and one this morning #oasis2025 pic.twitter.com/pJYrTHdQxR  Damien Sreenan (@damiensreenan) August 27, 2024

There are no no 4 star hotels available in Dublin City Centre for under 300 for August 16th 2025 on the Booking.com app.

Others pointed to the fact that some hotels and accommodation were reportedly cancelling previous bookings made for the dates, presumably to cash in for the big Croke Park concerts.

One fan voiced her concerns online, saying that "people who had hotels booked in Dublin for the dates Oasis are here are being cancelled and up online for triple the price, shameful".

Another added that the price increase "should be illegal", adding that they stayed in Dublin last weekend and experienced a price hike first-hand. "I had to stay over in Dublin on Saturday night after my flight was cancelled. Cheapest I could get was 493 at a Travelodge because that American game was on. Same hotel was 140 the following night. Scandalous."

READ NEXT - Oasis Croke Park Ticketmaster update - How and when to nab tickets for 2025 comeback
Roblox to Present Live Webcast of RDC keynotes on Friday, Sept. 6





Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) today announced that it will live broadcast the keynote addresses from its annual Roblox Developers Conference ("RDC"). RDC brings together Roblox's global community of creators, developers, influencers and brand partners to connect, collaborate and learn more about Roblox's latest innovations and product announcements to empower its vibrant community.

The conference will begin on Friday, Sept. 6, at 10 am PT with opening remarks from Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki, who will be joined onstage by various Roblox leaders discussing key new product initiatives and strategies. This will be followed by the Creator Keynote.

The schedule is as follows:

10:00 am - 12:00 noon PT: David Baszucki, founder and CEO, opening remarks and onstage with leaders across the company and creator community

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm PT: Creator Keynote featuring Nick Tornow, VP of Creator and Engine Engineering and Tian Lim, VP of Creator and Engine Product

*There will be a break between 12 noon and 1 pm PT

Live Broadcast

Roblox will be live broadcasting from its YouTube channel and also available on its investor relations website at ir.roblox.com. An online replay will be available on the investor relations website shortly following the live broadcast and will remain available for at least 12 months.

About Roblox

Roblox is an immersive platform for connection and communication. Every day, millions of people come to Roblox to create, play, work, learn, and connect with each other in experiences built by our global community of creators. Our vision is to reimagine the way people come together ? in a world that's safe, civil, and optimistic. To achieve this vision, we are building an innovative company that, together with the Roblox community, has the ability to strengthen our social fabric and support economic growth for people around the world. For more about Roblox, please visit corp.roblox.com.

ROBLOX and the Roblox logo are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Roblox Corporation in the United States and other countries.  2024 Roblox Corporation. All rights reserved.

26 august 2024 at 16:10

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BlackRock Canada Announces Final August Cash Distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF





TORONTO, Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited ("BlackRock Canada"), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final August 2024 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on August 27, 2024 will receive cash distributions payable on August 30, 2024.



Details regarding the final "per unit" distribution amounts are as follows:

Fund Name Fund

Ticker Cash

Distribution

Per Unit ($) iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR 0.198



Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca .

About BlackRock

BlackRock's purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate | Twitter: @BlackRockCA

About iShares ETFs

iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1400+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$3.86 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.

iShares ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Contact for Media:

Reem Jazar

Email: [email protected]

26 august 2024 at 18:15

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Ouster's Blue City Achieves NEMA TS2 Certification for Safe Traffic Control





Ouster, Inc. (NYSE: OUST) ("Ouster" or the "Company"), a leading global provider of high-performance lidar sensors and software solutions for the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries, announced today that its Blue City traffic management solution successfully passed the requirements of NEMA TS2 as a detection system for traffic actuation.

With NEMA TS2 certification, the Ouster Blue City solution delivers reliable multi-modal traffic actuation and safety analytics within a single system. Blue City combines Ouster's 3D lidar sensors with edge AI to capture traffic data for active traffic actuation, improving safety and efficiency while protecting the community's privacy. Blue City's cloud-based analytics platform provides monitoring and visualization in real time, delivering instant insights for traffic management.

"We are excited to announce that Blue City is the first NEMA TS2 certified solution with Buy America(n) certified lidar. This is a testament to the quality and reliability of Ouster's products," said Asad Lesani, Ouster's VP for Smart Infrastructure Products. "Smart traffic solutions offer an immense opportunity to improve roadway efficiency, carbon emissions, and safety for all road users. Ouster's software-attached sales have continued to grow, and the NEMA TS2 certification will only further accelerate Blue City's adoption in cities across North America."

Multiple cities around the world are evaluating and installing Ouster's lidar-powered traffic management system. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded two million dollar SMART Grants to the Nashville Department of Transportation and the City of Chattanooga to make Tennessee streets safer using Blue City. Blue City is currently deployed at over 250 intersections with more underway as municipalities take steps to modernize their traffic infrastructure.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) TS2 is a standard for traffic control assemblies, such as traffic lights and walk signs. The standard is designed to ensure high network reliability in intelligent transportation systems.

To learn more, contact the Blue City team at https://ouster.com/talk-to-sales.

About Ouster

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) is a leading global provider of lidar sensors and software solutions for the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries. Ouster is on a mission to build a safer and more sustainable future by offering affordable, high-performance sensors that drive mass adoption across a wide variety of applications. Ouster is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information, visit www.ouster.com, or connect with us on X or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations of management that are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates and expectations will be achieved. Words such as "anticipate," "expect," "project," "intend," "believe," "may," "will," "should," "plan," "could," "offer," "continue," "target," "contemplate," "estimate," "forecast," "guidance," "predict," "possible," "potential," "pursue," "demonstrate," "likely," and the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. All statements, other than historical facts, including statements regarding the benefits of Ouster's software offerings and software-attached offerings, impacts on other revenue streams, industry and business trends, Ouster's business objectives, plans, market growth and Ouster's competitive position, all constitute forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected, including, but not limited to, risks related to important factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as may be further updated from time to time in the Company's other filings with the SEC. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully and in the totality of the circumstances when evaluating these forward-looking statements, and not to place undue reliance on any of them. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's reasonable estimates and beliefs as of the date of this press release. While Ouster may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, other than as may be required by law, even if subsequent events cause its views to change.

27 august 2024 at 08:05

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BrowserStack Acquires Bird Eats Bug, Launches Bug Capture to Accelerate Its Test Platform Vision





DUBLIN, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BrowserStack, the world's leading software testing platform valued at $4 billion, today announced the acquisition of Bird Eats Bug, an advanced bug reporting tool. This strategic move brings Bird Eats Bug's powerful capabilities into BrowserStack's ecosystem, culminating in the launch of Bug Capture, a game-changing solution for manual testing.

BrowserStack, profitable since its inception, has rapidly expanded its product portfolio to include over 15 products, with 10 launched in the last 18 months alone. This acquisition not only aligns with BrowserStack's vision of creating a comprehensive developer-first end-to-end test platform but also underscores its urgent need to resolve gaps in bug-reporting processes and eliminate fragmented toolchains in testing.

"This acquisition marks a significant step towards our goal of providing developer and QA teams with a unified, seamless testing experience," said Ritesh Arora, CEO and co-founder of BrowserStack. "By integrating Bug Capture's innovative approach to bug reporting into our platform, we're not just streamlining workflows; we're boosting development teams' productivity so they can focus more on building great products and less on managing the intricacies of the testing process."

Current software development suffers from inefficiencies in bug-reporting processes. Bug Capture allows teams to debug issues 30% faster on average. The key features include instant replays, screen recording, and comprehensive auto-captured technical logs, such as console and network logs, system details, and steps to reproduce?all consolidated into one clean bug report.

These features work in harmony to eliminate the need for extensive back-and-forth between testers, product managers, developers, support teams, and customers. BrowserStack's best-in-class internal software engineering team, comprising over 500 developers, will continue to innovate and integrate Bug Capture into its expanding test platform.

"We're truly excited about our joint future with BrowserStack," said Dan Makarov, Co-founder and CEO of Bird Eats Bug. "It's hard to think of two products that would be a better fit. My co-founder, Jacky Chung, and I have been highly impressed by the quality of the team and their ambitious vision for Bird."

Bird Eats Bug marks BrowserStack's fifth acquisition since Percy, a visual testing platform, in 2020. With its frictionless bug-filling experience and unique IP, Bird Eats Bug is a highly matured product that has garnered significant developer love, boasting over 30,000 users. BrowserStack is committed to accelerating its growth by actively pursuing strategic acquisitions that broaden its product portfolio beyond testing.

Discover how Bug Capture can streamline your bug-reporting process and boost your team's productivity here.

About BrowserStack

BrowserStack is the world's leading software testing platform powering over two million tests every day across 19 global data centers. BrowserStack helps Amazon, NVIDIA, MongoDB, Microsoft, X and over 50,000 customers deliver quality software at speed by moving testing to its cloud. BrowserStack's platform provides instant access to 20,000+ real mobile devices on a highly reliable cloud infrastructure that effortlessly scales as testing needs grow. With BrowserStack, Dev and QA teams can move fast while delivering an amazing experience for every customer.

Founded in 2011, BrowserStack is a privately held company backed by Accel, Bond, and Insight Partners. For more information, visit https://www.browserstack.com.

About Bird Eats Bug

Bird Eats Bug is an innovative bug reporting tool designed to streamline the process of capturing and communicating software issues. By automatically collecting crucial information such as visual proof, console logs, and system details, Bird Eats Bug has helped thousands of teams improve their bug reporting workflows and accelerate their development processes.

Media Contact

[email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490455/BrowserStack_Logo.jpg

27 august 2024 at 08:30

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Vercara Data: 186% Increase in DDoS Attacks in First Half of 2024





Vercara, a leading provider of cloud-based services that secure the online experience, announced today that it has launched the first editions of two biannual reports: The Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Analysis, and The Domain Name System (DNS) Traffic and Analysis. The report data was sourced from Vercara's UltraDDos Protect and UltraDNS solutions, drawing on the company's expansive network capacity and billions of daily queries to uncover several notable trends from the first half of 2024.

Key findings from the reports include:

Hacktivist-led DDoS is on the Rise: From January to June, Vercara's UltraDDoS Protect saw a 186% increase in DDoS attacks compared to the same period in 2023. This rise was largely driven by hacktivism?a type of attack intended to spread an ideology?sparked by regional conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

From January to June, Vercara's UltraDDoS Protect saw a 186% increase in DDoS attacks compared to the same period in 2023. This rise was largely driven by hacktivism?a type of attack intended to spread an ideology?sparked by regional conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East. 2024 is the Year of the Carpet Bomb : Over 75% of all Vercara-detected DDoS attacks were carpet bomb attacks, or hard-to-mitigate attacks that spread malicious traffic across many IP addresses at once. June recorded the company's single largest carpet bomb attack, consisting of over 8,200 waves and lasting over three hours. Attackers may find this tactic particularly attractive because it can be easier to impact the intended target by attacking adjacent infrastructure, evade traditional defenses, and cause greater damage via attacks on multiple endpoints.

: Over 75% of all Vercara-detected DDoS attacks were carpet bomb attacks, or hard-to-mitigate attacks that spread malicious traffic across many IP addresses at once. June recorded the company's single largest carpet bomb attack, consisting of over 8,200 waves and lasting over three hours. Attackers may find this tactic particularly attractive because it can be easier to impact the intended target by attacking adjacent infrastructure, evade traditional defenses, and cause greater damage via attacks on multiple endpoints. What's Old is New Again : The once popular DNS Amplification attack saw a 4,446% resurgence, with over 26% of attacks utilizing this vector. This type of DDoS attack exploits the DNS protocol and seeks to consume as much network and routing resources as possible to interfere with legitimate internet traffic. As the number of internet-connected devices grows and as internet speeds increase, the potential for these attacks to disrupt traffic is also magnified.

: The once popular DNS Amplification attack saw a 4,446% resurgence, with over 26% of attacks utilizing this vector. This type of DDoS attack exploits the DNS protocol and seeks to consume as much network and routing resources as possible to interfere with legitimate internet traffic. As the number of internet-connected devices grows and as internet speeds increase, the potential for these attacks to disrupt traffic is also magnified. Financial Services is a Primary Target: The surge in attacks against the financial services sector that began in 2023 has continued into 2024 with steady month-over-month increases. It was the second most targeted industry (29%) after Communication Service Providers (38%) and is increasingly being seen as an attractive target to tarnish institutions' reputation amid rising geopolitical tensions.

"DDoS attacks are more common than IT and security teams might realize, and our new report data reinforces that notion," said Richard Wallace, Cyber Security Threat Analyst at Vercara. "The sharp rise in attacks means organizations must remain vigilant to prevent and respond to threats, especially as attackers increasingly use DDoS in conjunction with other methods. At a minimum, organizations must enforce regular testing of response procedures to ensure teams are familiar with protocol and know how to act should an incident arise."

During a DDoS attack, the overwhelming amount of traffic can crash networks and servers, leading to extended periods of downtime that negatively impact business operations and revenue. Vercara offers white-glove service and dedicated scrubbing to provide organizations with around-the-clock protection from threats. In fact, The Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Analysis found that more than 34,000 hours of downtime were prevented by Vercara.

"The prolific use of DDoS attacks in 2024 has also extended to DNS interference. Our DNS Traffic and Analysis data found an increase in DDoS attacks against Vercara's UltraDNS platform, showcasing how bad actors are trying to keep legitimate users from accessing the vital DNS records needed to properly navigate the internet. This reinforces how critical it is for organizations to couple DNS management with protective DDoS solutions to ensure seamless and secure management of their digital infrastructure," continued Wallace.

Vercara's DDoS mitigation service, UltraDDoS Protect, provides high-performance, flexible, and automated protection across 15 Points of Presence (PoPs) and >15Tbps of DDoS mitigation capacity to enable customer availability and performance during the largest and most complex DDoS attacks. The company's managed DNS services, including UltraDNS, offer a variety of traffic management and steering options, enabling customers to manage and maintain a reliable global resolution for their digital properties, backed by two fully redundant networks for seamless delivery. The DDoS Analysis and the DNS Traffic and Analysis reports summarize usage trends and attacks received and mitigated by UltraDDoS Protect and UltraDNS for the first half of 2024.

In addition to the newly launched biannual DDoS and DNS analysis reports, which will publish mid-year and end-of-year, Vercara releases monthly DDoS, DNS, and WAF reports. To view these reports and more, please visit: https://vercara.com/resources/reports.

About Vercara

Vercara is a purpose-built, global, cloud-based security platform that provides layers of protection to safeguard businesses' online presence, no matter where attacks originate or where they are aimed. Delivering the industry's highest-performing solutions and supported by unparalleled 24/7 human expertise and hands-on guidance, top global brands depend on Vercara to protect their networks and applications against threats and downtime. Vercara's suite of cloud-based services is secure, reliable, and available, delivering peace of mind and ensuring that businesses and their customers experience exceptional interactions all day, every day. Pressure-tested in the world's most tightly regulated and high-traffic verticals, Vercara's mission-critical security portfolio provides best-in-class DNS and application and network security (including DDoS and WAF) services to its Global 5000 customers and beyond. For more information, visit vercara.com.

27 august 2024 at 09:05

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Q2 Celebrates 20 Years of Transforming the Banking Industry





Q2 Holdings, Inc., (NYSE: QTWO), a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for financial services, today announced the celebration of the company's 20th anniversary. This milestone marks two decades of innovation and commitment to empowering financial institutions and strengthening their communities. Q2 also celebrates its 10th anniversary as a public company.

Q2 was founded in 2004 in Austin, TX, by R.H. "Hank" Seale III, who set out to transform the banking industry through technology-driven innovation. In 2014, Q2 became a publicly traded company on the NYSE under the symbol QTWO. Today, Q2 has approximately 1,400 customers, and 58 of the 100 banks recognized on Forbes' America's Best Banks list are customers of Q2. As of December 31, 2023, Q2 had more than 2,300 employees across the globe. Q2 is the only platform ranked as a digital banking leader across Consumer Banking, small-to-medium-sized business (SMB), and Commercial Banking by IDC, Javelin, and Datos Insights (formerly Aite Novarica), respectively.

"Celebrating 20 years of business and 10 years as a publicly-traded company is a testament to our people and the value of the products and services we provide to our customers," said Matt Flake, chairman and chief executive officer at Q2. "Throughout our long history, we have continued to focus on our customers and our mission, and our guiding principles have helped us adapt to industry changes and challenges. It is a privilege to work with so many talented people who've helped Q2 grow and achieve great success."

Since its founding, Q2 has remained at the forefront of digital banking innovation and has also expanded its capabilities by acquiring innovative companies to better serve its customers' evolving needs, including Centrix (fraud and risk management), Social Money (Banking as a Service), Unbill (bill payment), Cloud Lending (lending and leasing platform), Gro (consumer account opening), PrecisionLender (commercial relationship pricing and profitability), ClickSWITCH (digital account switching), and Sensibill (spend management). Q2 has also launched emerging businesses such as Q2 Innovation Studio and Helix.

"I've watched as we've grown from a small start-up with less than 20 employees to a publicly traded global organization," said Adam Blue, chief technology officer at Q2. "The growth is amazing, but what's more incredible is that we have stayed true to our mission to create strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions. Our focus on our customers, our culture and our commitment to innovation are three key areas that have distinguished Q2 in the market."

Q2's mission-driven organization has fostered a culture of community service, philanthropy, and belonging and inclusion. Q2 Spark, its corporate social responsibility program, gives team members the opportunity to serve through volunteer efforts. In 2023, Q2 employees volunteered more than 10,300 hours and, in combination with the company, donated more than $1.3 million to philanthropic organizations. To celebrate its 20-year legacy, Q2 employees have committed to volunteering 20,000 hours in 2024. Q2's Philanthropy Fund awards grants to nonprofits across the globe. The company also partners with Austin FC to serve the community through programs such as Q-mmunity Gives grant, which help the advancement of underrepresented communities, and the Dream Starter competition, which supports Austin entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups to accelerate their entrepreneurial venture.

Q2 has been awarded numerous awards for its culture, including Energage's Top Workplaces, CNBC's Top 250 Fintech Companies, and U.S. News & World Report's Best Companies to Work For in the South.

To learn more about Q2, please visit https://www.q2.com/.

About Q2 Holdings, Inc.

Q2 is a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for financial services, serving banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies, and fintechs in the U.S. and internationally. Q2 enables its financial institution and fintech customers to provide comprehensive, data-driven digital engagement solutions for consumers, small businesses and corporate clients. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices worldwide and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. To learn more, please visit Q2.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and X to stay up to date.

27 august 2024 at 10:05

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Action Against Hunger Sounds the Alarm on Emergency for Children in Mali





Acute Malnutrition Rates Reach New High

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /Action Against Hunger is sounding the alarm around a growing nutritional emergency after the latest Survey Monitoring and Assessment of Malnutrition (SMART) revealed the prevalence of child malnutrition in Mali far exceeds critical thresholds set by the World Health Organization (WHO). In camps for people displaced by the conflict in Gao, in the north-east of the country, 30.1% of children aged 6-59 months are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition, twice the rate considered "severe" by the WHO. The national rate of severe acute malnutrition, which is the deadliest form of hunger, rose from 4.2% last year to 11% today (Rapid SMART June 2024), the highest level in a decade.

"We haven't seen such severe data on the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children since famine was declared in Somalia in 2011," said Action Against Hunger's Africa Operations Manager, Paloma Martin de Miguel. "The conflicts unfolding in Mali since 2012 have unleashed a chain of food and nutrition crises with devastating consequences for the population, forcing people to flee affected areas, leaving behind their homes and all their resources without being able to meet their most basic needs."

UN data suggests nearly 1.5 million children were acutely malnourished nationally between June 2023 and May 2024.

Conflict, food insecurity, lack of access to health services, poverty and forced displacement, coupled with a lack of knowledge about good nutritional practices, contribute to persistently high levels of malnutrition. This is further exacerbated by the lean season, the period between planting and harvesting crops, when food stocks are at their lowest. This time is particularly hard on vulnerable households which, without assistance, have no means of securing their food supply.

"The nutrition emergency in Mali is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires concerted action by the international community," said Action Against Hunger's Country Director in Mali, Mamadou Diop. "This crisis requires a comprehensive response that addresses both immediate and structural needs, including improving food security, strengthening health systems, access to water and promoting hygiene and nutrition practices."

Action Against Hunger, present in Mali since 1996, is responding to this crisis with a multi-sectoral approach. Darsalam, a camp for people internally displaced by the conflict in Menaka, is home to more than 4, 000 people who have fled the fighting in the region. In this camp, Action Against Hunger teams are screening for moderate and severe acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months and in pregnant and lactating women. The nonprofit is treating this health emergency through a community-based approach combined with mobile clinics, while providing food aid to vulnerable households. There are also plans to rehabilitate and construct water, hygiene and sanitation infrastructure in the camps, and support the distribution of hygiene and livelihood kits to households in need. Unclean water is a significant risk for malnourished children who are vulnerable to diarrheal diseases.

In the face of this emergency situation, Action Against Hunger and more than 40 other NGOs are calling for immediate action to prevent an increase in malnutrition rates in the most affected areas, as well as urgent mobilization of funds to cover the urgent nutritional needs of 517,695 people in high priority areas during the lean season.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Acute malnutrition rates in Mali are surpassing critical thresholds. // Photo by Alfons Rodriguez

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Action Against Hunger on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Action Against Hunger

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/action-against-hunger

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Action Against Hunger

27 august 2024 at 15:40

View the original press release on accesswire.comNews published onand distributed by:
Insured losses from Jasper wildfire surpass $880 million





Alberta's insurers on the ground helping residents beginning the recovery process

EDMONTON, AB, Aug. 27, 2024 /CNW/ - This summer's devastating wildfire in the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park resulted in over $880 million in insured damage, according to initial estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). The sudden and intense wildfire, which began on July 22, damaged or destroyed a third of the community, making it the second most expensive wildfire in Alberta's history in insured losses.

"For thousands of residents in Jasper, this has been a time of hardship and heartbreak ? homes and businesses lost, lives uprooted and an iconic community forever changed," said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). "Alberta's insurers have been on the ground assisting customers with financial support and beginning the recovery process. Rebuilding will take time, and our industry will support the community every step of the way."

Given Jasper's unique location in a federal park, multiple levels of government are overseeing recovery efforts. IBC is calling on all orders of government to adopt an expedited and coordinated approach to decision-making to ensure reconstruction efforts can begin as quickly as possible.

"In an era in which flooding, heatwaves and wildfires are increasingly common and severe, we have learned the importance of safely returning people to their homes and communities as soon as possible after disaster strikes," said Craig Stewart, Vice-President, Climate Change and Federal Issues, IBC. "In the coming months, as rebuilding efforts get underway, it will be important that all orders of government work together to establish a clear, effective and efficient decision-making process to ensure consistent progress. Every resident of Jasper must clearly understand the plan to rebuild or repair their homes and businesses as soon as possible. This will ensure the successful renewal of a community that has a special place in the hearts of people across our country and around the world."

The Jasper Wildfire Complex was one of several major catastrophic events that occurred across the country during a six-week period this summer. Canada's insurers have also been supporting customers affected by the Calgary hailstorm on August 5, as well as those who experienced major flooding in Ontario and Quebec in July and August. These events have placed immense pressure on insurance adjusters, who are critical following natural catastrophes, as they ensure the industry can support consumers as quickly as possible. IBC and its members are working with governments and regulators to address adjuster capacity across the country, and to help communities adopt strategies to build resilience and mitigate damage from future wildfires.

"Following the devastating wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, in 2016, the municipality did an excellent job undertaking important fire resiliency efforts, with a particular emphasis on reducing home vulnerability through programs such as FireSmart," added Stewart. "Governments must invest in disaster mitigation, including rolling out similar programs to help communities fire- and flood-proof homes. These investments are critical in helping Canadians prepare for and recover from the impacts of wildfires and other natural catastrophes. As Canada embarks on one of the most ambitious housing plans in Canadian history, we must remember that the most expensive house is the one you have to build twice."

Wildfire damage is covered by all home and business property insurance policies. Residents who have been affected by the Jasper wildfire or who have questions about their coverage should call their insurance representatives, who are able to support consumers with recovery and reconstruction efforts. Anyone with general insurance questions can contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC.

The amount of insured damage is an estimate provided by CatIQ (www.CatIQ.com) under licence to IBC.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada

Established in 1964, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of Canada's highly competitive property and casualty (P&C) insurance market.

As the leading advocate for Canada's private P&C insurers, IBC collaborates with governments, regulators and stakeholders to support a competitive environment for the P&C insurance industry to continue to help protect Canadians from the risks of today and tomorrow.

IBC believes that Canadians value and deserve a responsive and resilient private P&C insurance industry that provides insurance solutions to both individuals and businesses.

For media releases, IN Focus articles, or to book an interview with an IBC representative, visit ibc.ca. Follow us on LinkedIn, X and Instagram , and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. We're here to help.

SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada

27 august 2024 at 17:39

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PERSEUS DELIVERS RECORD FINANCIAL RESULTS & CAPITAL RETURNS





Perth, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perth, Western Australia/August 28, 2024/African focused gold producer Perseus Mining Limited (ASX/TSX: PRU), has released its Annual Report for the financial year ending June 30, 2024 (FY24), which includes Perseus's Annual Financial Report, and its Sustainable Development Report.



highlights

financial performance

Revenue of US$1.026 1 billion (up 7%) 2 , Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$625.2 million (up 13%) 2 and Profit after tax of US$364.8 million (up 14%) 2





billion (up 7%) , Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$625.2 million (up 13%) and Profit after tax of US$364.8 million (up 14%) Basic earnings per share of US$0.236 cents per share (up 12%) 2 resulting in an earnings yield of 13.3% and a price: earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.5 4





resulting in an earnings yield of 13.3% and a price: earnings (P/E) ratio of 7.5 Net cash flow from operating activities of US$429.2 million (up 1%) 2 or US$0.313 3 cents per share resulting in a price: operating cashflow (P/OCF) ratio of 5.7 4





or US$0.313 cents per share resulting in a price: operating cashflow (P/OCF) ratio of 5.7 Net tangible assets of US$1.2 billion or US$0.89 per share per share





US$587.0 million of cash and bullion and zero debt





Final dividend of A$0.0375 per share for FY24 total dividend of A$0.05 per share or 2.1% yield 4





Up to A$100 million to be invested in an on-market share buy-back programme of Perseus's shares over a 12-month period





All references to $ and cents are US dollars unless noted otherwise % increases referenced against Financial Year end 30 June 23 (FY23) Operating cash flow per share is calculated as net cash inflows from operating activities divided by weighted average number of outstanding ordinary shares Dividend yield, as well as P/E and P/OCF ratios are based on Perseus's 20-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) at 30 June 24 of US$1.77 or A$2.376 per share

Sustainability performance

Total economic contribution of ~US$717 million to our host countries?of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire

Improved Group rolling 12-month Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) of 1.06

96% local employment and 89% local procurement

Zero significant environmental event and one significant community event recorded

Relatively stable emissions intensity at 0.53t CO 2 e per ounce of gold produced, compared to FY23





Perseus's Chairman and CEO Jeff Quartermaine said:

"The record financial results that have been delivered by Perseus this financial year reflect the strong gold price environment in which we are currently operating as well as our continued strong, consistent and safe operating performance at all levels of our business throughout the year.

Since our maiden dividend distribution in August 2021, Perseus has returned A$168 million to its shareholders via dividends. Given the strong financial performance recorded this year, our Board has decided to increase the amount of dividends paid to shareholders by declaring a final dividend of A$0.0375 per share, bringing the full FY24 dividend to A$0.05 per share. Perseus's Board has also decided to return a further sum of up to A$100 million to shareholders, by way of an on-market share buy-back over the next 12 months.

In determining these capital returns, we have taken into account the very significant capital investment programme that potentially lies ahead for Perseus as we work to improve the quality of our asset portfolio by developing the Nyanzaga Gold Project in Tanzania, the CMA Underground Project in Cote d'Ivoire and potentially the Meyas Sand Gold Project in Sudan.

We are also mindful that in addition to investing material sums of money underwriting the future growth of our Company, we need to continue to invest significant sums of money into our ?social licence to operate' by continuing to contribute significantly to the economies of our host countries and host communities and paying salaries and bonuses for good performance to our local and expatriate employees who have delivered these outstanding results.

In other words, Perseus is very focused on delivering on our corporate mission of generating material benefits for all of our stakeholders in fair and equitable proportions. We believe we have achieved this goal in FY24 and have done this in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner. We look forward to continuing to do this for many years to come."

fy24 financial performance

UNIT 30 JUNE 2024 30 JUNE 2023* % VARIANCE Key Financials Revenue US$'000 1,025,799 960,447 7 % EBITDA5 US$'000 625,240 553,000 13 % Depreciation and amortisation US$'000 (142,382 ) (147,796 ) (4 %) Profit before tax US$'000 467,103 382,953 22 % Profit after tax US$'000 364,755 320,957 14 % Operating cash flow6 US$'000 429,178 426,643 1 % Cash and bullion7 US$'000 587,193 522,494 12 % Production Gold sold oz 508,669 537,564 (5 %) All-in site cost US$/oz 1,053 959 10 % Average gold price realised US$/oz 2,014 1,803 12 %

*The comparative statements have been restated to show the effect of the voluntary change in presentation currency.

Gross profit from operations before depreciation and amortisation

Net cash inflows from operating activities Including cash, $537 million and 21,570oz bullion on hand, valued at $50 million

Earnings and Cashflow ? The Group recorded a net profit after tax of US$364.8 million for the year, compared to US$321.0 million in the previous financial year. The financial results are predominantly based on the following key items:





An increase in revenue resulting from higher gold prices, despite the slight decrease in gold production arising from lower production at Edikan and Yaoure;

A decrease in cost of sales due to the slight decrease in production, which was partially offset by an increase in the cash operating costs;

An income tax expense of $102.3 million compared to a $62.0 million expense in the prior year due to profits at Edikan, coupled with withholding taxes paid on intercompany dividends paid out of Cote d'Ivoire; Depreciation and amortisation expense of $142.4 million, which is a 4% decrease from the previous financial year;





A write down and impairment expense of $0.4 million was taken to account compared with $6.3 million in FY23. Most of the impairment in FY23 related to the conflict in Sudan which resulted in $5.1 million of assets being damaged and consequently impaired in June 2023; and Interest income earned on available cash balances of $11.5 million, which is a $5.5 million increase on FY23.



A total of $429.26 million of operating cashflow was generated during FY24 translating into 31.26 cents per share and $8448 per ounce.

Balance Sheet - At June 30, 2024, the Company's net tangible assets amounted to $1,217 million, or $0.89 per share. Cash and bullion balance at year-end of $5877 million, with no outstanding debt.

Final Dividend & Share Buyback - The Directors have declared a final unfranked dividend of 3.75 Australian cents per share (A$51.5 million or ~US$34.7 million). Together with the interim dividend of 1.25 Australian cents per share declared in February 2024, this brings the total dividend declared by Perseus in FY24 to 5.00 Australian cents per share, which equates to an annual dividend yield of 2.1%.

Shares will go ex-dividend on September 9, 2024 and the record date will be September 10, 2024. Dividends will be paid to shareholders on October 9, 2024 and are unfranked and declared as Conduit Foreign Income (CFI).

8. Operating cash flow per ounce is calculated as net cash inflows from operating activities divided by Gold Sold (oz)

Perseus also announces its intention to undertake an on-market share buy-back. Taking into account Perseus's future expected operating and cash flow requirements, the Board has unanimously approved an on-market share buy-back for up to A$100 million to commence on or about September 24, 2024 and be completed within 12 months.

In accordance with the ASX Listing Rules, the price paid for shares purchased under the buy-back will be no more than 5% above the volume weighted average price of Perseus shares over the five trading days prior to the purchase. However, the actual price paid is subject to prevailing share price and market conditions and will be executed at the Company's discretion.

The buy-back aligns with Perseus's disciplined capital allocation priorities, which include returning cash to shareholders, investing in both organic and M&A driven profitable growth and maintaining a strong balance sheet. The share buy-back will not affect the Company's dividend policy to return an annual dividend yield of at least 1% to its shareholders.

The on-market share buy-back will otherwise be undertaken in accordance with the terms specified in the Appendix 3C released to ASX today. The buy-back will be conducted in the ordinary course of trading over the next 12 months. The final amount of the buy-back and the exact timing of any trades made from time to time will depend on a number of factors including market conditions, Perseus's prevailing share price, its future capital requirements and any unforeseen developments or circumstances that may arise in the course of the buy-back.

Accordingly, there is no assurance that Perseus will buy back any or all of the up to A$100 million worth of shares contemplated. Perseus reserves the right to suspend or terminate the buy-back at any time (having regard to the previously mentioned factors and the best interests of Perseus).

The buy-back will fall within the "10/12" limit permitted under the Australian Corporations Act and does not require shareholder approval. The "10/12" limit for a company proposing a buy-back is 10% of the smallest number of votes attached to Perseus shares at any time during the past 12 months. Consistent with the requirements of the Corporations Act, the Company will immediately cancel any shares acquired by it under the buy-back.

The Directors will not offer any shares into the buy-back.

OUTLOOK for balance of 2024

Gold production and cost guidance for the December 2024 Half Year remain unchanged from that previously reported to the market, namely:

PARAMETER UNITS JUNE 2024 HALF YEAR

(ACTUAL) DECEMBER 2024 HALF YEAR

(FORECAST) 2024 CALENDAR YEAR

(FORECAST) Yaoure Gold Mine Production Ounces 116,478 108,000 to 124,000 224,478 to 240,478 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,103 1,175 to 1,275 1,140 to 1,186 Sissingue Gold Mine Production Ounces 35,489 30,000 to 38,000 65,489 to 73,489 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,578 1,500 to 1,600 1,538 to 1,588 Edikan Gold Mine Production Ounces 96,433 82,000 to 98,000 178,433 to 194,433 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 999 1,200 to 1,300 1,100 to 1,137 PERSEUS GROUP Production Ounces 248,400 220,000 to 260,000 468,400 to 508,400 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,130 1,230 to 1,330 1,182 to 1,223

At the mid-point of the September 2024 quarter, Perseus is on track to comfortably achieve guided gold production and All-in Site Cost ranges for the December 24 Half Year and 2024 Calendar Year.

fy24 sustainability performance

Through another year of excellent performance, Perseus improved the Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) by 12% on FY23. We remain dedicated to the health and safety of our employees and contractors, with a particular focus on creating a safety culture centred around critical control management, visible leadership, care and accountability, and meaningful safety interactions. This has been supported by our deployment of the "Safely Home Every Day" and the Fatality Risk Management programmes.

Perseus refreshed several policies including Human Rights, Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Environmental and Social Performance policies. Investment in our host communities has continued to deliver lasting and positive impact for the broader stakeholder community, with $3.6 million contributed to our communities in FY24.

In FY25, Perseus will continue to focus on health and safety with emphasis on fatal risks and contractor safety management. In environment, attention will be on establishing long-term water management strategies to minimise our withdrawal of water from bores and surface water bodies. In the social area, the focus will be on the execution of projects identified under our community development funds.

This announcement was approved for release by the Board of Perseus Mining Limited.

Competent Person Statement

All production targets referred to in this release are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code.

Edikan

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Edikan was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report ? Edikan Gold Mine, Ghana" dated 7 April 2022 continue to apply.

Sissingue, Fimbiasso and Bagoe

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at the Sissingue Gold Mine including Fimbiasso and Bagoe was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report ? Sissingue Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire" dated 29 May 2015 continue to apply.

Yaoure

The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Yaoure was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining announces Open Pit and Underground Ore Reserve update at Yaoure" released on 21 August 2024. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report ? Yaoure Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire" dated 19 December 2023 continue to apply.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information:

This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Yaoure Gold Mine, the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the 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 of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

ASX/TSX CODE: PRU CAPITAL STRUCTURE: Ordinary shares: 1,375,724,780 Performance rights: 7,568,145 REGISTERED OFFICE: Level 2 437 Roberts Road Subiaco WA 6008 Telephone: +61 8 6144 1700 www.perseusmining.com DIRECTORS: Mr Jeff Quartermaine Chairman & CEO Ms Amber Banfield Non-Executive Director Ms Elissa Cornelius Non-Executive Director Mr Dan Lougher Non-Executive Director Mr John McGloin Non-Executive Director Mr Rick Menell Non-Executive Director CONTACTS: Jeff Quartermaine Chairman & CEO [email protected] Stephen Forman Investor Relations +61 484 036 681 [email protected] Nathan Ryan Corporate Relations +61 420 582 887 [email protected]

27 august 2024 at 18:40

News published onand distributed by:
NATIONAL Cinema Day is returning to Limerick this weekend, with tickets reduced to 5 in all participating cinemas.

Over 99% of cinemas across the country will be participating in the initiative, which will take place this Saturday, August 31. This is the highest number in the events history.

All three Limerick cinemas are participating in the event; Odeon Cinema in Castletroy, Omniplex Cinema in the Crescent Shopping Centre, and Vue Cinema, Ennis Road.

All tickets are reduced to 5 for the day, including premium seats and 3D screenings.

The initiative, supported by Fis Eireann / Screen Ireland, is designed to celebrate the experience of cinema-going.

Last years National Cinema Day was a huge success, with over 217,000 admissions in a day, making it the biggest cinema-going day of the year.

READ MORE: Roadshow aims to help stamp out Limerick city gum litter

Colm Bairead, director of Oscar nominated An Cailin Ciuin, said Its great to be asked to help celebrate the return of National Cinema Day this year. I've loved going to the cinema since I was a child. Its a magical place to immerse ourselves in stories that entertain or enlighten, stories that move us and remind us of our shared humanity. Whats truly wonderful about it, is that its something we do together, a shared experience without distraction.

Screen Ireland has been hugely supportive of National Cinema Day and of course also An Cailin Ciuin, which will be back for special one-off screenings in some select cinemas on National Cinema Day. All of the cinema community in Ireland encourage you to go and enjoy the day! he concluded.

Some Irish titles are included in the movies showing, such as horror Oddity, directed by Damian McCarthy, along with Kneecap, and documentaries Mrs. Robinson and Notes From Sheepland.

Popular titles will also continue to screen on the day, including Deadpool & Wolverine, It Ends With Us, Alien: Romulus, Trap, Blink Twice, Cuckoo, Twisters, A Quiet Place: Day One, The Crow, Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4.

Tickets for showings on National Cinema Day can be purchased as normal through participating cinemas.

Audiences can also visit www.cinemaday.ie as a central online location to check out what movies are screening at cinemas across the country.
SCHOOL leavers should consider the broad range of local Further Education and Training (FET) courses that are on offer at Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (ETB) after receiving their Leaving Certificate results on Friday last

Further Education and Training options offer an opportunity for students to leave the points race behind them and provide a pathway for students to build a career that suits them, thats according to SOLAS, the state agency responsible for FET in Ireland.

FET courses for school leavers, at levels 5 and 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), open up routes to university and prepare students for successful careers in countless cutting-edge industries.

SOLAS, together with the 16 ETBs across Ireland, is leading transformation across the sector with FET now considered a valuable and recognised post-secondary learning pathway, outside of the points system. School leavers continue to be drawn to the wealth of smart choices available in every county that are well positioned to lead Leaving Certificate students on to a world of exciting careers.

Commenting on the expansive range of local Further Education and Training opportunities available for school leavers in Limerick and Clare, Director of FET at Limerick and Clare ETB, Paul Patton, said:

There have never been more routes available to prepare those receiving their Leaving Certificate results for the career they want after school. This year, school leavers in our region can find an endless range of FET courses outside of the points system at our multi-campus College of FET. We deliver courses in the local communities of Limerick and Clare that offer clear pathways for learners to study at degree level or to direct employment in an array of exciting careers. Our FET courses can also provide school leavers with that extra time to develop their confidence and take stock of what kind of career they really want, all while gaining a recognised qualification.

READ MORE: Roadshow aims to help stamp out Limerick city gum litter

Speaking on the growth of demand for Further Education and Training across the country, Executive Director for Transformation at SOLAS, Nessa White, said:

Leaving Certificate students can find a range of exciting opportunities through FET, with software development, beauty therapy, cyber security and engineering just a sample of the courses that are on offer to school leavers who received their Leaving Certificate results on Friday. There are so many options to explore, with many courses remaining open for application until the end of the summer.

SOLAS has seen unprecedented growth and demand for Further Education and Training (FET) in 2023, where the learner base growing by around 17.2% from 2022 to 2023. Last year alone, one in ten adults in Ireland, over 400,000 people were engaged in FET and apprenticeship activity last year. FET is also becoming a prime destination for school leavers, with increasing numbers of learners choosing this pathway to achieve the careers of their choice.

Commenting on the endless Further Education and Training courses available nationwide, Education and Training Board (ETB) network, General Secretary at Education and Training Boards Ireland, Paddy Lavelle, concluded:

"We encourage school leavers to explore the vast variety of opportunities that FET has to offer in every county across Ireland. Local provision through 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country provides school leavers with the choice to stay close to home while they take that next step on their learning journey.

In addition to the great variety of FET courses on offer outside of the points system, as a sector we have strengthened Further Education to Higher Education Pathways with an expanded number of Tertiary Degrees on offer by the National Tertiary Office providing accessible pathways from Further Education to university. For anyone who is still unsure about their next steps after school, I welcome them to discover FET courses available through their local ETB today.

School leavers can explore local FET courses on offer at collegeofFET.ie
Ireland and France have agreed to put in place an action plan on areas such as energy, education and research, the Taoiseach said.

Simon Harris held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday, where the two leaders discussed issues on the EU Council agenda ahead of their autumn meetings.

The meeting at the Elysee Palace came ahead of the appointment of a new European Commission and the term of the new European Parliament.

Thank you @EmmanuelMacron for the warm welcome and an excellent meeting. Un grand merci @EmmanuelMacron pour un acceuil chaleureux ainsi quune excellente rencontre. pic.twitter.com/kPkDQbNlRx  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) August 27, 2024

Mr Harris said he had a long and substantial conversation with the French leader on bilateral matters.

He said: We have both agreed that we want to see a new action plan between Ireland and France put in place for next year.

Weve asked our teams to now begin working on areas where Ireland and France could work and collaborate.

I think theres a number of obvious areas, the area around energy issues, around education, student mobility, research, so well ask our teams now to intensively engage on that.

Mr Harris told reporters that he discussed the blocs competitiveness with Mr Macron, noting that there were real risks of Europe getting complacent.

He said: I want to keep investment here in Europe so that we can better fund services in Ireland and across the European Union.

While in France, Mr Harris also met the Irish Paralympic team, saying: What theyre going to do, I think, to inspire the next generation, its hard to find words and I want to wish them all the very best.

Thrilled to join #TeamIreland in Paris this morning ahead of the 2024 @Paralympics. Wishing our 35 phenomenal athletes who will compete across 9 sports the very best of luck  the whole country is behind you! #Paris2024 #TheNextLevel pic.twitter.com/JrXUC7YYap  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) August 27, 2024

He said the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games gave hope and positivity to the world at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, adding that he had discussed support for Ukraine and the war in Gaza with Mr Macron.

The Taoiseach added: We of course discussed the situation in the Middle East, which its really hard to find words to fully capture the scale of the humanitarian crisis there.

He and I share a view that there needs to be an immediate ceasefire.

I reiterated my view that there is an onus on the European Union and the United States to use every lever at their disposal to maximise the pressure to bring about a ceasefire and I know that President Macron is working intensively and wishes to work intensively with European partners to try and bring about a ceasefire as well.

Mr Harris added: The only way forward in the Middle East is obviously a two-state solution, an end to the violence, the release of all the hostages, and a major ability for aid to flow freely.

The Irish and French leaders also discussed staying in close contact over the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.
Stock Market News

UK Markets - Europe markets rise as investors weigh economic, geopolitical outlook; UK markets reopen 27-08-2024 01:37



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Mumbai- Fleet Management Limited (FLEET) announces the promotion of Ms. Deepti Singh to the rank of Master (addressed as Captain). Captain Singh is the first woman seafarer at FLEET to achieve a promotion to the post of Master, the highest rank onboard a ship, demonstrating an important step forward in FLEETs efforts to increase gender representation. Gender equality is a crucial focus for the third-party ship management company as it grows and develops its 27,000-strong workforce of seafarers.

We are immensely proud of Captain Singh, her promotion was earned on strong merit, and it demonstrates the pathways available to excellent seafarers from all backgrounds, said Captain Soma Nair, Director, Fleet Personnel Department. Captain Singhs promotion strengthens the diversity we have at the helm of Fleets ships and signals that the maritime industry is making important progress in gender representation.

Captain Singh was attracted to a career in the maritime industry at an early age, inspired by her father, a (retired) Indian Naval officer. He encouraged her to break the mould of traditional gender stereotypes and to pursue a career at sea. Graduating from the Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies (GEIMS), Captain Singh was motivated by the growing cohort of trailblazing women leaders in the sector, whose achievements she continues to emulate.

Captain Deepti Singh said, Women often encounter stereotypes, biases, and misconceptions in the industry, but none of them are difficult to overcome. The key is to remain resolute and focus on your goals.

Industry bodies in India have been working hard to increase the number of women seafarers. Initiatives such as the Maritime Union of Indias (MUI) recent Women in Maritime event are galvanising efforts to attract and train more women.

I encourage women seafarers who are entering the industry to focus on sharing knowledge with your colleagues on board, achieving results together, and always have belief in yourself, said Captain Singh.

FLEET: Captain Deepti Singh

FLEET is committed to fostering a culture that nurtures talent and helps individuals develop their full potential, recognising that improvedgender diversity, equity and inclusionhelps to strengthen both organisations and communities. The company has set a target to increase its intake of women seafarers by 10% every year, and continues to invest in career development, safety and wellbeing. FLEET has received industry recognition for initiatives such as its dedicated mental health programmes and specially designed Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for female seafarers.

FLEETs commitment to DEI onboard and onshore is covered in the Working Together Section of our latest Responsibility Report, available for download here.

About Fleet Management Limited and The Caravel Group Fleet Management Limited (FLEET), part of The Caravel Group, is one of the worlds largest ship management companies with 27,000+ seafarers and 1,200+ onshore maritime professionals, serving more than 120 world-class shipowners. FLEET manages a range of vessels, including bulk carriers, containers, car carriers, oil tankers, gas carriers and chemical tankers from 600 to 320,000 DWT in size.
Rustomjee Group, an esteemed real estate developer in Mumbai, announces the launch of Verdant Vistas, a luxury residential project located in the prime location of Thane, in partnership with Keppel. This premium property intends to redefine luxury living by integrating Thanes natural beauty with modern amenities. Rustomjee Group is expecting a positive response for this project similar to its premium projects at other upscale locations like Bandra, Prabhadevi, Juhu amongst others across Mumbai which will further strengthen its position as a real estate leader, inviting homebuyers to embrace a new standard of elegant living. This launch marks Rustomjees introduction of its luxury portfolio in Thane, completing its portfolio range in the region. With offerings ranging from Urbania for affordable homes, La Vie and La Familia for aspirational buyers, Rustomjee is now setting a new benchmark in the region with Verdant Vistas. Verdant Vistas is inclusive of two buildings, Tower A with 176 flats and Tower B with 264 units ensuring a sense of community amidst natural beauty. Notably, the project addresses a gap in the market by offering spacious 4BHK apartments, seldom available in this region. The 3BHK units range from 1100 to 1300 sq. ft., while the 4BHK units range from 1750 to 2250 sq. ft., ensuring ample living space for residents. Each residence boasts expansive decks offering forever creek views along with providing additional outdoor living space. The project is equipped with 25+ luxurious amenities spread across 3 floors, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, amphitheatre, kids play area, club house, and senior citizen area, designed to enrich community interaction. 'Verdant Vistas' is designed to blend in with Thane's natural terrain, utilizing the hills, valleys, and its distinctive characteristics to create a serene living environment. The residential phase includes these natural components into the design of the homes whereas the commercial and multi-sports phases offer Ullas Creek, a dynamic water feature that enhances the surroundings. This thoughtful layout incorporates water as a connecting feature, symbolizing development and transformation throughout the environment intending to provide a peaceful and comfortable lifestyle.

Coen, a renowned landscape consultant from Singapore, has meticulously crafted the landscaping for 'Verdant Vistas'. Coen's philosophy aligns perfectly with Rustomjee's commitment to authenticity and thoughtfulness, ensuring that the project enhances its natural surroundings while offering residents a serene living environment through landscape architecture. Additionally, MOD architects offers idea-driven architecture and design expertise and Architect Hafeez Contractor, known for unique design concepts and bold execution, enriches the project with an added layer of luxury and comfort, further enhancing the living experience.



Located strategically in Thane, this projectprovides families with a perfect living space as it provides easy access to Mumbai's major social infrastructure. Residents of this sprawling 127-acre township enjoy close proximity to schools, retail areas, and community amenities, all of which are meant to improve convenience and quality of life. The project's location assures seamless connectivity to public transportation networks, making commuting easier for residents. Furthermore, the adjoining spiritual center enriches the community's cultural experience, increasing the project's appeal. By incorporating these aspects, this projecthopes to create a peaceful and fulfilling environment that fosters family well-being and a harmonious lifestyle.



As part of the launch of Verdant Vistas, Rustomjee is pleased to introduce its state-of-the-art Customer Experience Center in Thane. This facility offers prospective buyers an immersive preview of the Verdant Vistas projects distinctive features and amenities. With personalized tours and expert guidance, visitors will have the opportunity to experience Rustomjee's commitment to excellence and innovation.



Mr. Boman Irani, Chairman & MD, Rustomjee Group said,We are excited to announce the launch of our newest cluster, Verdant Vistas, at Rustomjee Uptown Urbania. This project offers the luxury of space with larger apartments, large sundecks and verdant green views along with every conceivable amenity.



At Rustomjee, we believe in creating luxurious lifestyles centred around you. We use cutting-edge technology, innovative construction methods, and the finest materials to meet your needs. We are also committed to sustainability, ensuring that our development minimizes its carbon footprint through energy-efficient systems, high-performance windows, water conservation, use of eco-friendly & non-toxic materials wherever possible, strategies to minimize construction waste, waste management, and the incorporation of ample green spaces. These are just some of the many efforts we are undertaking in our ongoing commitment to sustainability.



Partnering with award-winning international experts, we create spaces that are not only innovative and inspiring but also enrich lives. Verdant Vistas is a testament to our dedication to enhancing lifestyles, fostering well-being, and enriching the community through thoughtfully crafted residences.



Mr. Ho Kiam Kheong, President (India) of Keppels Real Estate Division, said,We are pleased to build on our partnership with the Rustomjee Group, following our earlier successful projects in Thane. Our latest project, Verdant Vistas, will set new benchmarks in luxury for Uptown Urbania and Thane. With our extensive real estate experience across Asia, combined with Rustomjees deep market insights, we look forward to bringing new benchmarks of quality in urban living to residents and the greater community."



Thane boasts exceptional connectivity with its strategic location bridging Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, complemented by its proximity to major highways and the upcoming metro lines. The enhancement of its transport infrastructure, including the Thane-Diva-Kalyan metro extension and the proposed Thane-Borivali corridor, is set to further elevate its accessibility and integration within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
New Delhi: Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Ltd on Monday launched oral cholera vaccine (OCV) Hillchol, made in collaboration with Hilleman Laboratories, the University of Gothenburg and Gotovax AB.

The company's facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar with a capacity of 200 million doses will manufacture Hillchol, a novel single-strain OCV. Global demand for OCVs is over 100 million doses a year, and given that only one manufacturer supplies them, there is a deficit of approximately 40 million doses every year.

Bharat Biotech said a multi-stage clinical evaluation process ending in a Phase III study confirmed the vaccine's safety, immunogenicity and non-inferiority to existing OCVs, establishing its potential for widespread public health use.

Dr. Krishna Ella, executive chairman of Bharat Biotech, said, Vaccines provide the best intervention to prevent, limit and control cholera outbreaks. Hillchol is an excellent success story of partnership leading to public health solutions. Our new large-scale cGMP production facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar will significantly enhance our production and supply capabilities for this oral cholera vaccine, advancing our efforts to combat cholera globally.

Hillchol's safety and efficacy have been rigorously tested in pre-clinical and Phase I and Phase II clinical studies, the company said in a statement.

While cholera is preventable and treatable, global cases and deaths have risen steadily since 2021. From early 2023 to March this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported in 31 countries.

Also read | Bharat Biotech recalls several vials of rabies vaccines due to theft
Bengaluru: Minimalist, a skincare startup, failed to raise capital from investors including Verlinvest and Premji Invest after seeking a fourfold jump in valuation, three people familiar with the matter told Mint .

The startup sought a valuation of more than $300 million compared with about $76 million in the previous round, the people said.

Minimalist also approached L Catterton, but the US-based private equity firm did not proceed with the discussions," one person said.

Minimalist, Verlinvest and L Catterton did not respond to Mints request for comments. A spokesperson for Premji Invest declined to comment on the matter.

While the company justifies its high valuation by being profitable every year since its inception, these investors are not willing to give in to the high ask under the current market conditions," a second person said. However, some of them, including Premji, may reconsider some time down the line if the company reaches a more suitable number, given that it is still a profitable company."

Minimalists revenue grew to 188 crore in FY23 from 112 crore a year earlier. Net profit narrowed to 5.2 crore from 15.9 crore in FY22, according to data provided by Tracxn. In 2021, the company raised $15 million in its Series A funding round from investors including Peak XV Partners. Its other institutional investors include Unilever Ventures and Twenty Nine Capital Partners.

Profitability path

Many startups in the beauty and personal care segment have been in talks or have raised funds lately. Purplle raised 1,000 crore in a round led by an arm of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in July. D2C brand Wow Skin Science has been looking to raise $65-75 million in primary capital from both new and existing investors, while Sugar Cosmetics has been vying for a $100 million funding round, Mint reported exclusively.

Some companies have commanded a much higher valuation between two successive rounds. Fintech startup Dhan is in talks to raise $100 million at a valuation of $1.2-1.5 billion compared with its previous valuation of $150 million, Moneycontrol reported last month.

However, there have been fewer such deals as investors put in money only in companies with a sustainable path to growth and profitability and a product market fit in a large addressable market. As a result, many startups in recent times have raised capital at a lower or little changed valuation from their previous rounds.

Mint reported earlier this month that logistics startup Shiprocket is looking to raise $120 million from investors including the Koch Group and Tribe at a flat valuation of $1.1-1.2 billion.

Founded by siblings Mohit and Rahul Yadav in 2020, Minimalist is a science-backed D2C company that offers about 50 products in categories from skin and body care, hair care and lip care to its recently launched baby care.

Based in Jaipur, the 572-employee-strong companys projected revenue for 2024 is 350 crore. Since inception, the companys revenue has grown significantly as self-care became a priority for people during the pandemic. Within eight months of launch, the company reported 21 crore in revenue in 2021.

Minimalist has a presence overseas including in the UAE, the US, the UK, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. With affordability as a guiding pillar for a price-sensitive market like India, their products are available in the range of 279 to 1,899. The company competes with Dr. Sheths, The Derma Co., Dot & Key and Deconstruct.
Adani Power Limited incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Adani Power Middle East Ltd. on Monday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the company informed the exchanges.

The objective of the subsidiary will be to invest in power, infrastructure, and related fields, the company added in the exchange filing.

Also Read | Adani Power share price Today Live Updates : Adani Power Shares Surge Amid Positive Trading Session

The authorised capital of Adani Power Middle East is USD 27,000 shares of USD 1 each, as per the statement.

Adani Power owns 100 per cent of the shares in the new Incorporated Company, Adani Power Middle East Ltd.

With a power generation capacity of 15, 250 MW Adani Power Limited (APL) is the largest private thermal power producer in India.

APL has thermal power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand, and a 40 MW solar power project in Gujarat.

The company claims to be the world's first company to set up a coal-based Supercritical thermal power project registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol.

Also Read | Power Grid share price Today Live Updates : Power Grid Stock Sees Positive Momentum Today

Adani Power Limited (APL) and its subsidiary Mahan Energen Limited (MEL) have recently signed a contract with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) of 11,000 crore, where BHEL will develop three supercritical thermal power projects for the company.

Also Read | Adani Power share price Today Live Updates : Adani Power Shares Surge Amid Positive Trading Session

The contract, signed on Sunday (August 25), encompasses the supply of critical equipment and the supervision of the erection and commissioning processes for three major power projects.

Each project will feature a capacity of 2x800 MW and will be based on advanced Supercritical Technology.
Mumbai: The Hinduja Group-owned IndusInd International Holdings Ltd clarified before the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal on Tuesday that Reliance Capital will be rebranded under the IndusInd name after the takeover of the insolvent company.

The Hindujas have no desire whatsoever to carry on business under the brand Reliance. We are anxious that the transition should be done as quickly as possible... because we want to leave this baggage of using the Reliance brand behind," Venkatesh Dhond, senior counsel appearing for the Hindujas said.

"However, the implementation process will take time. In case ADAVLs (Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Ventures Ltd) concern is that we (Hindujas) will run the company under the Reliance brand, it is factually misconceived, Dhond added.

A bench led by Justice Virendrasingh G. Bisht and Prabhat Kumar was hearing a plea filed by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group seeking to restrain IIHL from using the brand Reliance.

The bench gave the parties two days to file written submissions and posted the matter for hearing on 3 September.

The dispute arises from a brand licensing agreement of April 2014, that was signed between ADAVL and Reliance Capital for ten years. However, the agreement ended in April 2024 this year.

ADAVL is seeking a recall of a portion of the NCLTs 27 February order that allowed IndusInd International Holdings to take over Reliance Capital for a bid worth 9,861 crore. The portion pertains to Reliance Capital's use of the Reliance brand. Under the resolution plan, NCLT has said IIHL can use the brand for three years until it is implemented.

To make a transition from Reliance Insurance, since there are various other financial services companies under Reliance Capital, millions of policyholders, and galore of permissions required, every single product requires IRDAI approval. This transition will have to be across the board, which will require time. So, the mark or the brand that will be used will only be for the ongoing transition that is taking place, Dhond added.

Counsel for ADAVL argued that the implementation could go on for three years and doesn't mean they can be allowed to use the brand for free.
LG Electronics Inc. is considering an initial public offering for its India business, tapping a booming stock market to help hit a target of $75 billion in electronics revenue by 2030.

Chief Executive Officer William Cho said an Indian market debut is one of several options its weighing to revitalize a decades-old consumer electronics business. Its the first time the South Korean company, which competes head-on with larger rival Samsung Electronics Co., has spoken publicly about an Indian debut, the subject of persistent market and media speculation.

Cho  who ascended to the top post in 2021 after more than three decades with the flagship of the family-owned LG Group  has set a goal of growing the electronics business to an annual revenue of 100 trillion won ($75 billion) by 2030. Thats versus overall company revenue of about $65 billion in 2023. It aims to get there in part by earning more from enterprise clients  targeting about 45% of sales from other companies by the end of the decade, versus 35% now.

It is one of many options we can consider, Cho told Bloomberg Television. I understand theres increased interest among global investors, he said, referring to a potential IPO in India. As of now, nothing is confirmed.

In India, LG seeks to sustain rapid growth. In the first six months of this year, revenue at LGs unit within the Asian country rose 14% to a record 2.87 trillion won, while net income climbed 27% to 198.2 billion won.

Any IPO would coincide with a boom in Indias capital markets. Some 189 companies aim to sell shares to raise $5.6 billion this year, making it one of the busiest markets in this space. At least 30 IPOs joined the pipeline as demand powered by domestic money pushes companies to explore listings. Korean peer Hyundai Motor Co. is preparing to raise as much as $3.5 billion in an Indian IPO, Bloomberg News reported this month.

We have been watching carefully whats going on in the Indian market in terms of IPOs and following similar industry and similar IPO cases, Cho said. LG hasnt yet calculated possible valuations for its Indian unit, he added.

Cho, 61, plans to nurture new businesses that can each bring in more than 1 trillion won of annual revenue. Among them is heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, for which the company has 11 production sites globally. Chillers  large air conditioners for buildings  have become key for artificial intelligence data centers, which are sprouting up across the world as companies pursue generative AI. Over the past three years, overseas sales of LGs chillers have grown 40% annually, on average.

LG is also expanding its subscription service for home appliances. In Korea, consumers can rent products such as washing machines and laptops ranging from three to six years by paying a monthly fee. In theory, that improves affordability and convenience: Some 35% of consumers are now opting for subscriptions, Cho said. The company recently began offering subscriptions in Malaysia and plans to roll that model out to customers in Thailand, Taiwan and India starting this year, and potentially the US and Europe in the future. LG expects revenue from the subscription business to grow 60% to about $1.3 billion in 2024.

The companys also planning to expand its free ad-supported streaming services. Cho said LG will invest 1 trillion won by 2027 to grow its webOS-based advertising and content business.
Telegram, the widely-used messaging app, is under intense scrutiny in India due to its alleged role in a range of criminal activities. The platform has emerged as a prominent channel for distributing leaked exam papers, child pornography, stock price manipulation, and extortion. Cyber experts, law enforcement officials, and former government officials have compared Telegram to the dark web for its alleged involvement in such illicit operations.

The scrutiny comes after Telegrams CEO, Pavel Durov, was detained in France on August 24. The French authorities are investigating Durov for failing to adequately address criminal activities on the platform, including the spread of child sexual abuse material. This incident has drawn global attention to the challenges Telegram presents for law enforcement and digital content moderation.

Also Read | Billionaire Telegram Founders Rebel Streak Puts Freedom at Risk

The Paris prosecutor announced on August 26 that the investigation into Durov involves allegations of illicit transactions, child pornography, fraud, and failure to provide information to authorities. In response, Telegram reiterated its stance, It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform."

Telegram was launched in 2013 by Pavel and Nikolai Durov. The platform now boasts 950 million users, an increase from 550 million in 2022.

How did Telegram become a hub for scams and fraud in India? On July 24, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) uncovered a stock price manipulation scheme operating through the Telegram app. The administrator of a Telegram group was charged with receiving 20 lakh in commission for manipulating the stock prices of a steel sheet manufacturing firm.

On May 3, two men from Bhopal were arrested for defrauding a local doctor of 38 lakh. They used Telegram to impersonate police officers and conduct a fake interrogation.

On June 19, 2023, the UGC-NET exam, which had about 900,000 applicants, was cancelled the day after it was held due to a question paper leak on Telegram. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated, We tallied the questions with the original UGC-NET questions and they matched All these activities took place on Telegram these days. It is a challenge to track the complex nature of Telegram without a high-level investigation, Hindustan Times reported.

On May 3, 2023, many NEET-UG applicants reportedly received advance copies of the exam questions, sparking one of the largest exam controversies in India and prompting a federal investigation and Supreme Court intervention.

Also Read | Telegram CEO arrested: Tech titans raise alarm over free speech in Europe
Religare Enterprises Ltd chief financial officer Nitin Aggarwal resigned about two weeks ago, though the company is yet to report the development to the stock exchanges, two people with knowledge of the matter told Mint .

Aggarwal did not respond to requests for comment on his resignation. Religare did not respond to queries on Tuesday on whether it would inform the stock exchanges about Aggarwal's resignation.

A company representative earlier denied that Aggarwal had stepped down.

No one has resigned," a public relations representative of Religare Enterprises said on Sunday.

Typically, listed companies are expected to disclose resignations of key management personnel within a day.

"As per LODR (listing obligations and disclosure requirements) regulations, resignation of a KMP (which includes CFO) is required to be disclosed within 24 hours, with the letter of resignation along with detailed reasons for the resignation as given by the key managerial personnel to be disclosed within seven days from the date that such resignation comes into effect, " said Manendra Singh, a partner at Economic Laws Practice.

Aggarwal joined Religare in 2015 as CFO of the capital markets and wealth management business, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was appointed CFO of Religares broking business in 2017. In May 2023, he was appointed as group CFO of Religare Enterprises.

Aggarwals resignation comes as the management of Religare led by chairperson Rashmi Saluja battles a takeover bid through an open offer by the Burman family and a postponement of the companys annual general meeting. Saluja was up for reappointment at the AGM, initially scheduled for September, and now delayed by three months, much to the consternation of investors.

Also Read: Religare upsets investors by delaying AGM

According to Section 152 (6) of the Companies Act, one-third of the directors of a company, excluding independent directors, need to retire at each AGM. Saluja is the only non-independent director on the Religare board, and her retirement comes up at each AGM. The vote to reappoint her will now take place in December, after the company secured approval to defer the AGM by three months.

Takeover turmoil

The Burmans are promoters of consumer goods company Dabur India Ltd and hold a 25.18% stake in Religare, which gives them veto rights on any special resolution.

Religare told the stock exchanges on Monday that the AGM had been delayed because of pending regulatory approvals with respect to the ongoing open offer. Religare has been at an impasse since 25 September, when the Burman family signalled its intent to acquire a controlling stake in Religare Enterprises.

Soon after the takeover announcement, the current management turned hostile to the takeover and argued that the Burman family was not fit and proper to run the company. However, the Saluja-led Religare boards resistance to the takeover has caught regulatory attention in recent months.

On 19 June, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) pulled up the Religare management for its failure to file the necessary approvals and asked the company to submit them promptly. Sebi also issued a show-cause notice to the companys board asking why it should not act against them. The company and the board have appealed this decision.
Janmashtami celebrations across India have led to a significant uptick in business, with transactions surpassing 25,000 crore, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). This surge underscores the robust consumer spending during the festival, marking one of the year's most commercially active periods, ANI reported.

Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT's National General Secretary and Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk told ANI, During this significant festival, large-scale sales were observed, particularly in flowers, fruits, sweets, deity costumes, decorative items, fasting sweets, milk, curd, butter, and dry fruits."

He emphasized that festivals like Janmashtami play a crucial role in the Sanatan economy, bolstering the nation's economic health.

CAIT's National President, BC Bhartia, remarked that Janmashtami was observed with great enthusiasm across the nation, with North and West India particularly vibrant in their celebrations. This year, Krishna Janmashtami was observed on August 26, with devotees fasting and adorning temples and homes with flowers, diyas, and lights.

Temples were elaborately decorated, attracting large crowds. Special features of the festival included digital tableaux, selfie points with Lord Krishna, and various other festive attractions. Cities were alive with bhajans, religious dances, and discourses by saints and sages, while numerous social organizations hosted grand Janmashtami events, as per the ANI report.

According to scriptures, Janmashtami falls on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada, commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna.

CAIT projected festive trade to exceed 12,000 crore earlier in the month during Rakhi. In contrast, business during the Rakhi festival was 7,000 crore in 2022, 6,000 crore in 2021, 5,000 crore in 2020, 3,500 crore in 2019, and 3,000 crore in 2018, as per the report.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi extended wishes on Janmashtami. On X, PM Modi wrote, Wishing you all a very Happy Janmashtami. Jai Shri Krishna!

Rahul Gandhi posted, "Hearty wishes and congratulations to everyone on Shri Krishna Janmashtami. I hope that this festival of joy and happiness fills the life of all of you with new enthusiasm and excitement."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released a third list of 29 candidates for the second and third phase of Jammu and Kashmir polls.

The party's latest list has 10 candidates for the second phase of polls and 19 for the third phase.

So far, the BJP has announced the names of 45 candidates in three lists.

The elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases -- September 18, September 25 and October 1.

In the last assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, when it was a full-fledged state, the BJP had won 25 seats.

Meanwhile, exuding confidence of the BJP forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the pre-poll alliance between the Congress and National Conference for the upcoming assembly elections will have no bearing on his party.

Singh was in Doda district, which is part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency, to accompany former minister Shakti Raj Parihar and Gajay Singh Rana who filed their nomination papers from the Doda-West and Doda assembly constituencies, respectively.

The Congress has announced a list of nine candidates who will contest in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. The announcement came after Congress clinched a seat-sharing deal with ally National Conference (NC).

Earlier on Monday, the National Conference announced a list of 18 candidates who have been nominated as candidates from the party for the upcoming Assembly elections.

The National Conference will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32, according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties. The two parties will also have a "friendly contest" on five seats.

The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.
The U.S. farm belt is headed for a bumper crop. Few farmers are celebrating, though.

Grain prices, under pressure since the Covid commodity boom crested, have fallen further in 2024. Rainfall has been ample across farm country for the first time in years, staving off the drought that has plagued the central U.S. and putting Midwestern corn and soybean harvests on track to set records.

That is intensifying what was already shaping up as a dismal year financially on the farm. Budgets drawn up in the spring are no longer viable. Persistently high costs for farm essentials such as seeds and fertilizer are gobbling up revenue.

It is a return to leaner prepandemic times for many farmers. Prices for corn and soybeans were rangebound in the second half of the 2010s, weighing on farm returns. The record-high prices in 2021 and 2022 gave farmers a boost, but momentum has once again turned against them.

Now, some farmers are being forced to consider actions they would rather avoid. That can mean using less fungicide and fertilizerand accepting more issues with pests and lower crop yieldsor delaying capital investments that would boost productivity and profits over time.

The way the market is now, I think most people are pretty nervous," said Steve Nightingale, who farms 1,700 acres of corn and soybeans in Henry County, Ill.

Corn and soybeans are both trading at levels last seen in 2020. The producer-price index for corn, reflecting the change in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, has halved since hitting a recent high two years ago, thanks in part to strong production in Brazil.

Nightingale is in the process of selling leftover crops from last year to make room for what he expects to be a bountiful harvest. But at his local grain elevator, he recently got $3.69 a bushel for last years corn14% below the $4.30 he needs to break even.

He isnt alone. The sharp decline in crop prices is the chief reason that budgets drawn up by farmers at the start of the spring planting season are now blown, with lower commodity prices no longer offsetting higher production expenses.

Fertilizer prices soared to record highs in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, following a big uptick in prices for natural gas. Other costs include hiring workers, purchasing seeds and paying for fuel.

Were using up the reserves we have," said Mat Muirheid, who farms 1,600 acres of corn and soybeans in Macon County, Ill. Muirheid said that he plans on tightly budgeting for planting next year, limiting the supplies he purchases and planting more soybeans than corn because they are less fertilizer-intensive.

Hes also delaying buying new machinery. Muirheid said that he will continue to use his 15-year-old combine and his 20-year-old planter. Deere & Co.this month reported that third-quarter equipment sales in its production and precision agriculture division fell 25% from a year earlier.

The cost to rent land to farm on has also climbed in recent years, becoming a bigger portion of farm expenses. Rent has gone up every year for a long time," said Muirheid.

In February, the USDA forecast that net farm incomes would drop by a quarter this year. Economists at the University of Illinois say farmers in the state are likely to lose as much as $118 per acre of corn and $81 an acre for soybeans. The pain could be even worse if prices dont rebound.

To be sure, weather is unpredictable, and any major event could reset what the economics look like for farmers. Any geopolitical volatility affecting the U.S. or a major trading partner such as Chinathat increasingly appears to be decoupling from reliance on U.S. agricultural exportscould spark a surge in grain prices.

But that aside, the growing presence of Brazil on the world agricultural market and the steady output of Russia are expected to keep pressure on prices and on U.S. farmers.

Between Brazil and Russia, theyre producing grain at a rate that is more than the world will ever need," said Rob Fox, lead economist with agricultural lender CoBanks research department. The long-term picture looks not great."

The pain facing farmers is ironic because few have seen such perfect growing conditions in an age that is coming to be synonymous with extreme weather events and other disasters.

Scouts on Pro Farmers Midwest Crop Tour this week also reported mostly healthy-looking crops across seven statesSouth Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio.

Ive been here 42 years, and Ive never had a year with a crop with no stress," said Kim Craig, a merchandiser with the Danvers Farmers Elevator Co. in Deer Creek, Ill., which operates grain elevators in four locations in rural Illinois.

Write to Kirk Maltais at kirk.maltais@wsj.com
Shriram Finance, one of India's biggest non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), plans to raise up to $1.5 billion from foreign investors in the financial year 2024-25 to diversify its borrowings, news agency Reuters reported, quoting the company's Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director YS Chakravarti.

We are targeting to raise anywhere between $1.25 billion to $1.5 billion (in fiscal year 2024-25), through a mix of loans and bonds, Chakravarti told the news agency on Tuesday, August 27.

Shriram Finance shares closed up 2.35 per cent at 3,234.85 after Tuesday's market session, compared to 3,160.55 on Monday. The agency reported the news after trading hours.

Shriram Finance has raised $300 million out of the $1.5 billion needed this financial year and plans to raise another $300 million to $350 million in the coming months, as per the report.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in November 2023 asked all lending entities to set aside more capital on loans given to NBFCs like Shriram Finance. This made fund raising from local banks more costly, according to the report.

The news agency quoted analysts stating that non-banking lenders with high reliance on domestic banks are facing funding constraints after the RBI order.

Also Read | Shriram Properties aims to double sales to 5,000 crore by FY27

Chakravarti said Shriram Finance, which provides loans to buy commercial vehicles and lends to small and medium-sized companies, has not seen any funding pressure due to the firm's higher credit rating and multiple-source borrowings.

It's the smaller players and the companies that are rated below AA which are getting squeezed. For us, it's not too much of a concern because my entire bank borrowing in my total liability portfolio is about 24%-25%, the report quoted Chakravarti as saying.

Also Read | Shriram Finance working to convert personal loans to small business loans

Shriram Finance's loans from banks were 24.8 per cent of its total borrowings; the borrowings through foreign currency loans and bonds made up 8.3 per cent and 5.8 per cent, respectively, as per the report.
Bisleri Internationals chief executive Angelo George on Tuesday emphasized the urgent need for water credits as a solution to Indias growing water scarcity. Speaking at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2024, he proposed a cap-and-trade mechanism to incentivize water conservation and ensure regulatory compliance, aiming to curb the over-exploitation of this critical resource.

The markets, obviously, are not established for water credits but the carbon credits market that is already established and working well gives you a framework to adopt, George said. A cap-and-trade mechanism possibly might be a useful thing in this sector and define the monetary value of a water credit. If it kind of motivates people to save water, because then they can possibly trade that savings like carbon credits.

Read this | Saving water is an alarm call we must heed every day

Bisleri is actively engaging with the government to facilitate discussions and develop a framework for water credits specifically tailored for the beverage industry. This initiative is designed to hold beverage manufacturers more accountable for their water usage.

George highlighted that while India has one of the worlds largest populations, it possesses only 4% of global groundwater resources. The per capita availability of groundwater has sharply declined over the past 70 years, reducing by almost a quarter.

Population growth, rapid urbanisation and poor conservation efforts have put severe stress on Indias water tables.

But George believes that despite a 25% depletion of the groundwater in the last 70 years, the trend can be reversed to achieve a surplus in the next 70 years.

He pointed out that agriculture accounts for 85% of groundwater extraction, urging a shift towards water-prudent crops and more efficient cultivation methods.

Organizations need to be accountable beyond their immediate operations, as water consumption within the production facility accounts for only about 9% of the total water footprint, George emphasized.

If I am using a particular packaging material for selling Bisleri, the water that goes into that packaging material and the production of that and the transportation to my plants and the final transportation to the consumer needs to be factored as a water footprint to my business,

And this | Much of rural India now has taps, but running water largely remains a pipe dream

George also noted the lack of a uniform national water policy, with water rights and regulations varying widely across states. He stressed the importance of a monetizing mechanism to measure and reward water savings effectively.

Saving water in a monsoon-rich Kerala vs saving water in a Rajasthan needs to be rewarded differently and thats a challenge we tried to understand. So, both carbon credits and water credits ideally should reward and provide economic incentives for people to conserve things that are critical for the environment, he explained.

Countries like China, Kenya, and Morocco have already made strides in developing water credits, George added.

Bisleri has partnered TERI School of Advanced Studies to conduct a study that will set benchmarks for the beverage industrys commitment to water conservation. This initiative is particularly significant as several major beverage companies have faced criticism for extracting water from water-stressed regions, prompting them to report initiatives to replenish the water used in their manufacturing processes.
Several investors took to social media to express concern over reports claiming market regulators have stopped allowing family offices to set up investment funds in Gujarat International Finance-Tec (GIFT) City, fearing tax evasion. Mint explains:

What does this report say?

As per a Bloomberg report on 20 August, GIFT City regulator International Financial Services Centres Authority has halted approvals for family office funds after feedback from the Reserve Bank of India, which is worried that loosening capital controls for such instruments could result in loopholes that may be used for money laundering. The resultant move could stymie GIFT Citys ambitions to be a centre used by wealthy Indians for investments abroad. The development comes after the financial hub granted its first in-principle approval to billionaire Azim Premji to set up a family investment fund in January.

What were the norms earlier?

India, known to have strict controls on moving capital, capped overseas investments at $250,000 for residents. Limited to buying property, shares and securities, and setting up joint ventures and subsidiaries, these investments are made through instruments offered by HSBC Holdings, 360 One WAM and Nuvama Wealth Management in GIFT City. The latest move aims to curb family offices from moving more than the permitted capital abroad. N.R. Narayana Murthys Catamaran Ventures was also among family offices looking for approvals, but the lack of clear regulation has pushed many to open up in London and Singapore.

How has the industry reacted to the move?

Venture capitalist Mohandas Pai tagged Prime Minister Modi on X, asking him to intervene. The move was against efforts to build a more developed India, he said. Navam Capitals Rajeev Mantri said on X, Indian financial investors cannot buy and acquire critical technologies, leaving the field open to American, European, Japanese and even Chinese buyers."

How have regulators responded?

Business Standard cited officials in the government as saying the regulator has not made such a move. Indian residents, subject to eligibility, are permitted to make overseas direct investments under the automatic route, meaning they can invest without prior RBI approval. Indian entities can invest 400% of their net worth, and individuals can move up to $250,000 in a financial year. Indian alternative investment funds and venture capital funds can make overseas investments as overseas portfolio investments.

Are there any other concerns for GIFT city?

Despite approval challenges, GIFT Citys fund registrations have tripled from September 2022 to March this year. However, many global funds, despite obtaining a licence, remain inactive due to operational hurdles. Firms also struggle to attract talent, especially in fund administration roles. Funds face delays in obtaining office spaces as GIFT City is still developing, with limited infrastructure. Additionally, the IFSCA requirement for substantial presence and active business engagement may deter players.

Read more: India Inc is in a sweet spot but risks loom too
The Union government is studying whether to extend the deadline for restricting imports of laptops, desktops and tablet computers, given that local production of some of these items has picked up, but hardly enough to substitute imports.

A year ago, India abruptly banned imports of select IT hardware products, but the order was overturned after demands from industry representatives, the US Trade Representative and global manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo. In October, the government proposed to introduce a system to licence such imports within a year.

Were analysing data of imports, of local production. Theres still time, we will take a call based on the findings," said a senior official, asking not to be named.

According to data from Counterpoint Research, 11.8 million laptops were sold in India in 2023, of which local production was only 30-35%. It expects the market to have grown to about 13 million, with local production crossing 40% levels.

After India introduced a production-linked incentives (PLI) scheme for laptops, tablets and other IT hardware, some global companies began expanding their existing local production footprint, but most of them will begin production only next year, industry executives said.

Also read | Common smartphone chargers from next year; laptops to be covered from 2026

The government is aware that investments have been committed and that manufacturing will take place; so, while theyre reviewing the data and the timeline, they have also assured that the industry is moving in the right direction and production will pick up," an executive at one of the laptop makers involved in consultations with the government said on the condition of anonymity.

Analysis of data on cards

S. Krishnan, secretary at the ministry of electronics and information technology, told Mint in an interview last month that the government would begin analysing import data of laptops, servers and other IT hardware products on a quarterly basis, before deciding on implementing the import management system. The government will focus on so-called trusted sources while it takes a final decision in this matter, Krishnan had said, referring to the countries that export goods to India.

The government has been working to raise local manufacturing of consumer gadgets, viewing many items made in China as a national security concern. India imported about $3.8 billion worth of laptops and PCs from China in FY24, making up 77.7% of Indias imports in this sector, as per data from Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) issued last week.

Asus, HP, Dell have all started local manufacturing. Lenovo and Acer too are doing it now. But whether it is at a pace to substitute imports, definitely no. Vendors aren't scaling up fast enough as yet and local assembly is still 6-8% more expensive compared to imports. May be the government again puts pressure in October as renewal timeline of important agreements comes up," said Navkendar Singh, associate vice president with IDC India, a technology researcher.

Falling import volume

Laptop imports fell 5-8% by volume in last few quarters, Singh added, largely because Lenovo and Acer increased local assembly for entry-level laptops targeting SMEs, government and public education. Other vendors are still importing big volumes. They assemble locally order-to-order basis as of now, per requirement as per tender," Singh added.

Also read | Macs give Apple a bigger bite of India pie

With the push from Indian government on increasing local manufacturing, laptop-PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasing their local manufacturing operations in India, either with expansion of in-house facilities or deepening partnerships with contract manufacturers," said Prachir Singh, a research analyst at Counterpoint Research.

According to Counterpoint data, imports of completely built laptops during the first five months of 2024 fell by 4% compared to the same period in 2023. Laptop imports rose 42% in July-December 2023, compared to the six-month period before that, while a 29% decline was seen in the January-May period of 2024, compared to the six-month period before that.

Local in telecom

The government has already ensured that products used in telecom infrastructure should be made locally, and imports allowed only from trusted sources. In this context, supplies from Chinese vendors have been blocked. The government feels that local production of IT hardware should take off on the back of successful mobile phone manufacturing, where now 96% of the 146-million-plus smartphones used every year in India are made in the country. The PLI scheme for mobile phones has seen investments of 8,282 crore till June 2024, with all major brands including Apple, Google, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and others making their devices in India.

The government introduced the first PLI scheme for IT hardware products, which did not take off, but the PLI 2.0 that was introduced in May 2023 has managed to attract 464.66 crore in investments by 27 companies, as per data from ministry of electronics and IT in July this year.
The Union government is working with the industry to create a new manufacturing mission that will focus on specific sectors, two officials with direct knowledge of the discussions said.

After multiple presentations over the last two months, officials from several ministries met industry executives last week to chart the mission's direction, the people cited above said. The new mission called RapidResearch, Analysis, Programme Implementation and Data Intelligencewill work to increase local value addition in manufacturing, and incentivize research and development in the private sector.

Attention to key sectors

Key sectors like automobile, electronics and electronic components, medical devices, drones, defence aerospace and space will receive special attention under the Rapid programme," said one of the two officials, requesting anonymity.

The new mission comes at a time when the share of manufacturing in the Indian economy remains at 17%, an improvement from 14.4% in FY21, but far from the country's target to increase it to 25% by 2025. India sees a massive shift from small agriculture-related work to manufacturing and exports as critical to increase wages and grow its economy.

Three-tiered goals

The mission will have three tiered goalsincluding two-year short-term objectives, five-year mid-term objectives, and a decadal strategy with elaborate targets. Specifics are currently under discussion, and more meetings are likely soon, the officials said.

A proposal for an R&D scheme under Rapid has already received approvals from key government departments, and discussions are currently ongoing with various ministries that will be collaboratively involved in it," the second official added.

The Rapid programme is housed under Indias existing Steering Committee for Advanced Local value-add and Exports committee, or SCALE, which is chaired by Pawan Goenka, former chief executive of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, and current chairman of Indias nodal space body, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (In-Space). According to the officials cited above, the Rapid programme, currently being discussed at various levels in the government, will aim to establish an innovation and design-led manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

To establish Rapid, a sector development and selection framework will be presented to various central ministries, along with suggestions to implement policy reforms and incentives for stakeholders. Following this, new focus sectors will be identified by SCALE, and a National Action Plan will be established to advance the chosen sectors.

No blanket boost

Its important to note that Rapid will not look to offer a blanket manufacturing incentive boost. The idea behind Rapid is to bring Indias private sector to invest in local R&D, for only then will there be progress on actual value addition in Indias manufacturing goals. This will be key for us to reach closer to our developed economy goals for 2047," a third official with direct knowledge of the plans said.

Emails sent to the ministries of electronics and IT, commerce and civil aviation remained unanswered till press time.

Also read | Drugs licence approval only if you show good manufacturing practices: DCGI

The government believes that a massive scaling of manufacturing is necessary to grow the Indian economy to $5 trillion by FY28, and hit $2 trillion in exports in the next six to seven years.

Industry veterans expressed optimism about the new mission.

Prashant Kumar Singhal, partner and leader for tech, media and telecom (TMT) at consultancy firm EY Global said that the core objective of a programme such as Rapid would be to create local intellectual property (IP) in tech, telecom and other sectors, that would then be licenced for the world."

Core IPs outside India

The biggest challenge right now isnt R&Dmany companies are operating their own captive centres of engineering in India, which are engaged in research and innovation projects. However, most of the core IPs in both hardware and software reside outside of India. We thus need a programme that headquarters an engineering operation in India across the entire gamut of development. This will also need a framework that looks at taxation and multiple other factors in order to facilitate local development," Singhal further added.

Also read | India may want more EV parts to be made locally. It may not be entirely feasible

Ashok Chandak, president of industry body India Electronics and Semiconductor Association, said that a broader boost is essential" for India to see substantial growth in local manufacturing. On behalf of the industry, we have made multiple presentations to the Centre on how to boost domestic value addition in manufacturing. Some of the key areas will include increasing semiconductor ecosystem localization in order to add value of over 30% to industries such as automobiles. Smart metering in the electronics ecosystem is yet another key area that India can capitalize on, along with its recent push for the domestic space ecosystem. There are many areas," Chandak said.

Born in India

Back in the 1990s, there were a number of brands in the electronics domain that were built and born out of India. Barring a few industries such as washing machines and air-conditioners, most Indian brands have not fared well. Investing in innovation and R&D will be essential to create brands that are not only of excellence in India, but also can be exported to key markets around the world," Chandak said.

Also read | Focus on three pillars to attain the developed economy goal

While the Economic Survey highlighted that the manufacturing GVA (gross value added) shrugged off a disappointing FY23 and grew by 9.9%in FY24, it also raised concerns on Indias manufacturing competitiveness  something that the country wants to achieve through Rapid.

...the slow pace of investment in M&E and IP products will delay Indias quest to raise the manufacturing share of GDP, delay the improvement in Indias manufacturing competitiveness, and create only a smaller number of higher-quality formal jobs than otherwise," the Economic Survey noted.
New Delhi: India's rapidly growing corporate sector complies with regulations to combat climate change and boost investments, but small businesses in the world's fastest-growing economy are having a tough time adjusting, according to a panel of experts at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2024 in the national capital on Tuesday.

Tackling questions of whether corporates are doing enough to make sustainability the norm, the panel, comprising industry representatives from major Indian companies as well as top consultants, said businesses are looking for opportunities to enhance profitability within policies aimed at combating climate change.

Ashwin Jacob, partner and energy resources & industrials industry leader, Deloitte India, said, "The Indian regulator brought out BRSR (businss rsponsibility and sustainability rporting) and said the top 1,000 companies companies must comply with the higher reporting standard, which very board recognises is the minimum that needs to go in. But boards also want to know what opportunities exist for companies, depending on the industry.

"They see this in a couple of different ways  in terms of diversification opportunities that exist for them to seize, and the risks to their existing core businesses. They are recognising the fact that India is a growth market."

Policy shift The corporate sector has made make major changes to internal policies to comply with new regulations, those on the panel said. Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T), one of the country's biggest infrastructure companies, is phasing out 400 old equipment and has sensorised 14000 equipment for performance optimization, productivity improvement and reducing energy consumption, said Anup Sahay, head of corporate strategy and special initiatives, L&T.

"Five years ago, we created a separate vertical which built expertise in the execution of solar power plants," Sahay said, adding that L&T has completed around 6GW of such projects, and is working on 16GW more.

The shift in corporate strategy towards sustainability is due to the robust flow of investments into sustainable businesses, and including a sustainability strategy in their business plans can help companies grow, said Smitha Shetty, regional director, APAC, Achilles Information Ltd.

More than two-thirds of all investors would back out if a company's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures didn't inspire confidence, Shetty said. "If you take that, it justifies why a business should look (at complying with sustainability norms) from an opportunity perspective," she added.

A company that can showcase its ESG journey, even in its early stages, with the intention to being transparent has an upper hand over a business that does not want to declare anything, Shetty said.

Sustainability equals profits? Major corporates in the hotel industry are also moving towards sustainability owing to increasing returns. In the past, the "sustainable" tag was costly, but now, sustainable practices "are not only saving the environment, they are also saving the company's bottom line," said HC Vinayak, VP-technical, EHS & sustainability, ITC Hotels. Vinayak highlighted that practices pertaining to sustainable buildings had given the hotel company positive returns. Converting all ITC hotel buildings into green buildings made for a business case with positive returns, he said.

Sustainable real estate development is a safety net from risks as sustainably built buildings have become the norm, said Anurag Mathur, CEO, Savills India. "We are adding 50 million square feet of commercial real estate every year, and five of our major cities are among the top 10 growth cities of the world. So that's how much we are building. A vast majority of what we are building  about 60%  are green buildings. There is a lot of demand. A very large number of occupiers would go for a green building," said Mathur.

He added that there is a growing perception that green buildings command a premium, but it is the other way around. A non-green building offers a discount, Mathur said.

Small business stuck in the middle The cost of complying with ESG regulations such as Sebi's BRSR may be too much for smaller businesses for now, the panel said. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) face a critical threat, according to Shetty of Achilles Information Ltd. These companies have difficulties in financing the high cost of being sustainable, and simultaneously stand to lose business if they do not do so, she said.
The way to solve water crises in India is to deploy ways of using water efficiently and not the well-publicised concept of conservation, said Anuj Kanwal, commissioner (command area development & water management & bureau of water use efficiency), department of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, Jal Shakti Ministry.

We are talking about using water properly and not overusing it, Kanwal said at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2024 on Tuesday. Water stress is going to affect around 60 crore Indians, he added.

According to a report, the river basins of the Brahmaputra and Godavari are only ones that are in good shape among the 20 in India, Kanwal said.

He also said it's important to find ways to use water efficiently in farming as irrigation uses the most water. He added that farmers are taking more water out of the ground than they need. If this water is used more efficiently, I can be diverted to other places, he added. The government is thinking of introducing "smart irrigation, to ensure this, he said.

More industrial use needed Kanwal added that India uses more water than other nations for agriculture, and that share of water used for industrial development will have to increase if India is to become a developed country. We are striving to have chief manufacturing factories in India and that is very water-intensive, Kanwal said. Even mobile screen display manufacturing, for which were striving to create manufacturing in India, consumes a lot of water.

To use water more efficiently, we have to start by looking at the source, Kanwal said. One farmer is taking 1 lakh litres in a day but for 1 hectare of gehu (wheat) farming, a maximum of 40,000 litres is required in a day, he said. We should not push for the benefit of just one sector; we see all the sectors as a whole.

Kanwal said that Saudi Arabia was the world's largest wheat exporter until 2000, but when they realised that it would affect their groundwater levels, they changed their policy and stopped exporting it. Now Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of wheat and India has become the biggest exporter.
Delhi-based Ecos India Mobility & Hospitality, a chauffeur-driven car rental service provider, secured 180.36 crore through its anchor book on August 27. This fundraising, which is part of its IPO, took place a day before the issue opens on August 28.

The New Delhi-based company announced in its exchange filing that it has completed the allocation of 5.4 million equity shares to anchor investors at a price of 334 per share.

Ecos (India) Mobility & Hospitality Limited raises 180.36 crore from 19 Anchor Investor at the upper price band of 334 per equity share (including share premium of 332 per equity share) with face value of 2 per share, the company said in an exchange filing.

Some of the marquee investors include, Whiteoak Capital fund, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, Aditya Birla Sunlife Mutual Fund, Nomura India, Nippon Life India Mutual Fund, Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund, Tata Mutual Fund, Franklin India Mutual Fund, Edelweiss Mutual Fund and Bandhan Mutual Fund.

Out of the total allocation of 54,00,000 Equity shares to the anchor investors 35,13,500 Equity shares ( i.e. 65.06% of the total allocation to Anchor investors) were allotted to 10 domestic mutual funds who have allied through a total of 15 schemes), the company added.

Eco Mobility IPO details The 601 crore initial public offering (IPO) will be open for subscription from August 28 to August 30, with a price range of 318 to 334 per share. The IPO is entirely an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 1.8 crore equity shares by the existing shareholders, with no new shares being issued.

The price band for ECOS Mobility's IPO has been set between 318 and 334 per equity share, with each share having a face value of 2.

The ECOS Mobility IPO has a lot size of 44 equity shares, with additional purchases required to be in multiples of 44 shares.
Domestic brokerage firm ICICI Securities has downgraded its rating on Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL) from hold to reduce, citing concerns over peak cycle multiples and potentially lower-than-expected earnings growth on a high base, making the risk-reward ratio unfavourable.

Despite this downgrade, the brokerage has revised its target price for CDSL upward to 1,320 per share, up from the previous target of 1,118. However, this revised target still reflects a 14.23 percent downside from the current market price of 1,539 per share.

The report highlights detailed historical instances where CDSL has experienced flat or lower revenue growth, along with declining margins, leading to stock price corrections. Between FY20 and FY22, CDSL's stock price surged 6x, outperforming asset management companies, registrars, transfer agents, brokers, and wealth managers.

The company also delivered an 88 percent return in FY24 and approximately 70 percent in FY25 to date, as quarterly EBITDA increased to around 1.5 billion in Q4 FY24 and Q1 FY25 from an average of 800 million in FY23.

However, the brokerage notes that periods of consolidation and upcycle multiples, such as those observed now, often do not sustain over time.

Elevated multiples According to the brokerage, the stock is trading at 59 times its 1-year forward core EPS and 53 times its 1-year forward EPS on FY26 estimates, nearly double the historical averages. It points to periods of flat or declining revenue growth, as seen in FY1820 and FY23, and declining EBITDA margins due to higher costs and lower revenue growth in FY19 and FY20.

Additionally, the brokerage has noted that the price cuts, as seen in Q1FY25, indicate a possible passing of the benefits of operating leverage to consumers, which will likely limit margin expansion.

Also Read | Amid FII selling, retail investors again prop up Indian market

The brokerage also points out that if markets expect a significant increase in cash volumes due to restrictions on options, the impact will likely be more pronounced in the intraday segment rather than delivery, where CDSL primarily benefits. The brokerage underscored that the trend shows that delivery as a percentage of total cash trades has declined from 26 percent in FY18 to 21 percent in FY24.

ICICI Securities has projected a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26 percent for revenue, 29 percent for EBITDA, and 28 percent for PAT from FY24 to FY26. Based on these estimates, CDSLs core EPS is forecast to be 22.9 for FY25 and 27.9 for FY26.

Additionally, the valuation includes free cash investments of 63 per share. The upward revision in the target price reflects anticipated strong growth in capital markets, the permanent impact of increased demat accounts, potential higher cash volumes following restrictions on options, reduced regulatory risk in capital market plays, expected operating leverage, and growth opportunities in the insurance depository business.

Since August 23, the companys shares have been trading ex-bonus at a 1:1 ratio. Over the past 17 months, the stock has surged by 232%, driven by strong participation from Indian retail investors and a steady increase in demat accounts.

For the quarter ended June 2024, CDSL reported an 82% increase in net profit, reaching 134.20 crore, up from 73.57 crore in the same period last year. Revenue for Q1 rose 72% to 257.38 crore, compared to 149.68 crore in the previous years corresponding quarter. As of June 2024, CDSL held a 77% market share in the number of demat accounts.

Established in 1999, Central Depository Services was set up to address the challenges of paper-based trade settlements and to facilitate more efficient securities trading in India.
Shares of Medi Assist Healthcare, a leading health-tech and insurance-tech company, surged 14% in early morning trading on Tuesday, reaching a new all-time high of 639 per share, which is the biggest intraday jump in eight months.

This rise followed the companys announcement on Monday that its wholly owned subsidiary, Medi Assist Insurance TPA Private Limited, had signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Paramount Health Services & Insurance TPA Pvt. Ltd.

Paramount Health, a major player in the third-party administration (TPA) sector, is owned by Fairfax Asia and the Shah family. As the fourth-largest TPA by total revenue and the second largest in the group segment by premiums in India (as of FY24), Paramount manages 34 billion in group segment premiums, 4.5 billion in retail segment premiums, and administers benefits for various government health schemes, including MJPJAY (Maharashtra).

Also Read | Multibagger GPT Infraprojects share price rises 5%: To raise funds through QIP

According to the company's exchange filing, in FY24, Paramount held a market share of 6.3% in the group segment and 4% of the total health insurance industry by premiums.

Market share to jump With this acquisition, Medi Assist's TPA market share is expected to grow 36.6% in the group segment and 23.6% in the overall health insurance industry by premiums managed.

This strategic acquisition is expected to enhance Medi Assists technology, automation capabilities (AI/ML), and provider networks, positioning the combined business as a key long-term partner to insurers across general, standalone health, and life segments. The acquisition, one of the largest TPA deals in India, is valued at an enterprise value of 311.8 crore, with the equity value expected to exceed 400 crore, pending regulatory approval from IRDAI.

Paramount TPA's 28 years of leadership in the TPA industry stand as a testament to its success. Our COO, Atman Shahs leadership, has been instrumental in the growth of the business. The coming together of two leading TPAs will go a long way in delivering on the promise of insurance for all by 2047, said Dr Nayan Shah, MD, Paramount TP.

This strategic move strengthens our market leadership and aligns with our long-term vision of making quality healthcare accessible and efficient. I welcome the Paramount team to the Medi Assist family and to achieving greater milestones, said Satish Gidugu, CEO of Medi Assist.

Trades 45% above IPO price The company's shares debuted on the Indian stock exchanges in January at 464 per share, compared to the listing price of 418 per share. Currently, the stock is trading 45.2% above its IPO price.

Medi Assist provides TPA services to insurance companies through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Medi Assist TPA. As a health benefits administrator, the company offers services to employers, self-funded plans, and insurers across a global network of healthcare providers. Additionally, through its subsidiary Mayfair We Care, the company delivers TPA services to International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) in 148 countries.

For the quarter ending in June, the company reported total revenue from operations of 168 crore, up from 141 crore in the same period last year. Net profit slightly increased to 19 crore from 18 crore in Q1 FY24.
One Point One Solutions has emerged as a standout performer, transitioning from a penny stock to a significant success story, delivering impressive returns for investors. This journey highlights the potential of penny stocks to create substantial value, albeit with associated risks.

Over the last four years, One Point One's stock price has skyrocketed by an astonishing 4,328 percent, rising from 1.75 in August 2020 to 77.5 currently. This incredible growth showcases the stock's consistent value appreciation, establishing it as a lucrative opportunity in the penny stock segment.

In August 2021, the stock traded at 5.08, and since then, it has surged by 1,425.5 percent, reflecting the company's ability to generate significant returns over the long term.

Also Read | Penny stock jumps as Minerva Ventures Fund buys stake in small-cap share

Even in the short term, One Point One has continued to impress. Over the past year, the stock has gained 161 percent, with a 53 percent increase in 2024 year-to-date, despite experiencing losses in three out of eight months.

August was a strong month for the stock, with an over 7 percent surge, building on a 16.7 percent gain in July and 10.4 percent in June. Despite shedding over 2.4 percent in May, the stock rose 4.7 percent in April. Before that as well, it corrected, down 13 percent in March, following a 3 percent drop in February. Earlier in the year, January saw a significant rally of over 24 percent.

In intra-day deals today, August 27, 2024, the mutlibagger stock reached an all-time high of 77.5, marking a 178 percent rise from its 52-week low of 27.85 in September 2023. This performance underscores One Point One's ability to deliver substantial returns and maintain investor confidence despite market fluctuations.

About the Firm One Point One Solutions Limited, based in Navi Mumbai, specializes in customer life cycle management, business process management, and technology services in India. The company offers customer care, debt management, sales, lead generation, back-office support, and social media management. It also provides business solutions like workflow management, speech analytics, and IT infrastructure services. Serving sectors like banking, telecom, insurance, and e-commerce, One Point One Solutions supports clients with services including KYC, fraud verification, and technical help desk operations. The company was founded in 2008.

Earnings In the June quarter (Q1FY25), One Point One Solutions reported a net profit of 22.37 crore, up multifold from 4.3 crore in the same period last year. Meanwhile, the company posted a total revenue of 166 crore for the quarter under review, surging over 312 percent as against 40.23 crore in the year-ago period.

Brokerage Views ICICI Direct highlights key strengths of One Point One Solutions, noting that the stock meets the majority of the CANSLIM investment criteria. Among its strengths, the company demonstrates strong momentum, with its stock price trading above short, medium, and long-term moving averages. Additionally, One Point One Solutions boasts high trailing twelve-month (TTM) EPS growth, further solidifying its investment appeal.

However, the brokerage also notes several weaknesses: - Promoters increased pledged shares QoQ

- Promoter holding decreased by more than -2 percent QoQ

- Declining Net Cash Flow: The company has not been able to generate net cash

Also Read | Multibagger GPT Infraprojects share price rises 5%: To raise funds through QIP

Investing in penny stocks like One Point One can be appealing due to the potential for high returns with a modest initial investment. However, this segment carries significant risks.

To navigate the volatile world of penny stocks, it's essential for investors to conduct thorough research and implement robust risk management strategies. Key steps include understanding the company's fundamentals, assessing its market position, and examining its financial health. By maintaining a disciplined investment approach and setting realistic expectations, investors can manage potential losses while still seizing opportunities, all while protecting their investments from excessive risk.
The allotment for the Resourceful Automobile IPO, which has been in the headlines due to its whopping subscription rate, is scheduled to be finalised today. Investors can check their allotment status via the registrar, Cameo Corporate Services, or the BSE website.

The IPO, which ran from August 22 to August 24, saw a strong response from all sections of investors. The IPO price was set at 117 per share.

Due to the oversubscription in the retail category, shares will be allocated to retail individual investors (RIIs) on a proportional basis. Resourceful Automobile will start the refund process for the application money on August 28, 2024, for those who do not receive an allotment.

Allotted shares will be credited to investors' demat accounts on the same day as the refund process. Resourceful Automobile is an SME IPO, with shares scheduled to be listed on the BSE SME platform tentatively on August 29, 2024.

Resourceful Automobile IPO Allotment Status Step 1: Visit the IPO registrar website at this link: https://ipo.cameoindia.com/

Step 2: Choose Resourceful Automobile from the Select Company drop-down menu

Step 3: Select among DP-ID, Application No, or PAN in the Type selection box.

Step 4: Enter the details as per option selected

Step 5: Enter the Captcha code and click on Submit

Your Resourceful Automobile IPO allotment status will be displayed on the screen.

Steps to check the IPO allotment on the BSE website Step 1: Visit the allotment page on BSE's official website: https://www.bseindia.com/investors/appli_check.aspx

Step 2: Under Issue Type, select Equity

Step 3: Choose the IPO from the drop-down option under Issue Name.

Step 4: Enter the PAN or application number.

Step 5: Click I am not a robot to confirm your identity, then hit the Submit button.

The allotment status will appear on your screen.

GMP signals bumper listing Today, the GMP for Resourceful Automobile IPO is 90 per share, indicating that the shares are expected to list at 90 above their issue price. Based on this GMP and the IPO price, the estimated listing price of the shares is 207, representing a 77 percent premium over the issue price of 117 per share.

The grey market premium is the difference between an IPOs issue price and its expected listing price in the unofficial market, reflecting investor sentiment and demand before the stock officially begins trading.

It is important to note that GMP is only a preliminary indicator of the listing price and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions.

Stellar response The SME IPO received total bids for 40,76,48,400 shares, compared to the 10,24,800 shares on offer, resulting in a massive subscription of 397.8 times. The retail investor segment had been subscribed to 496.22 times, receiving bids for 24,14,62,800 shares against 4,86,600 offered, according to Chittorgarh.com.

The company intends to use the net proceeds of the issue to expand its business by opening new showrooms in Delhi/NCR. It will also use some parts of the proceeds to repay its debt, meet working capital requirements, and for general corporate purposes.

Also Read | Resourceful Automobile IPO subscribed nearly 400 times on day 3; check GMP

About the company The company operates under the showroom name Sawhney Automobiles and specialises in the dealership of Yamaha two-wheelers. Sawhney Automobiles caters to a wide range of customer needs by offering a comprehensive selection of two-wheelers, including commuter bikes, sport bikes, cruisers, and scooters from reputable manufacturers.

As an authorised Yamaha dealership, the company ensures customers access to the latest models and genuine spare parts. In addition to sales, the dealership provides expert guidance to help customers choose the right bike, arranges test rides, and offers financing options to enhance accessibility, according to the company's DRHP report.

The company currently operates two concept-driven showrooms, each with an integrated workshop. The Blue Square outlet, located in Dwarka, New Delhi, showcases Yamahas entire range of two-wheelers, along with apparel and accessories.

The other showroom on Palam Road, New Delhi, offers a wide selection of premium and distinctive two-wheelers. This location features the latest models from Yamaha India, as well as a diverse collection of motorbikes.
Penny stock 10: Shares of Rama Steel Tubes Ltd witnessed strong buying during morning deals on Tuesday after the outbreak of stock market news about FIIs buying a fresh stake in the company. Rama Steel's share price today opened with an upside gap at 10.18 apiece on the NSE and touched an intraday high of 10.44 apiece, recording an intraday rise of nearly 3.50 per cent during morning deals.

According to the information on the Indian stock market exchange, the US-based Minerva Ventures Fund and Ebisu Global Opportunities Fund have bought fresh stakes in the small-cap stock. The US-based FII bought 1.50 crore Rama Steel shares, paying 10 apiece, whereas Ebisu Global Opportunities Fund bought three crore company shares at 10 apiece. So, both the FIIs together pumped 45 crore into this small-cap penny stock.

Photo: Courtesy NSE

FIIs invest  45 crore As per bulk deal data available on NSE, Ebisu Global Opportunities Fund Ltd and Minerva Ventures Fund have picked up stakes in Rama Steel Tubes Ltd. Both funds hold stakes in other notable companies. The US-based Minerva Ventures Fund has bought 1.50 crore company shares, paying 10 apiece. This means the US-based FII invested 15 crore (1.50 crore x 10) in this penny stock.

Likewise, Ebisu Global Opportunities Fund bought three crore company shares, paying 10 apiece. This means the FII invested 30 crore ( 10 x 3 crore).

So, the FIIs invested 45 crore in this penny stock together.

Recently, the company announced that its board approved the Incorporation of a defence-related wholly-owned subsidiary with the proposed name "Rama Defence Pvt. Ltd." The proposed wholly-owned subsidiary to be incorporated in India shall carry out business in the Defence Sector.

Earlier, the company had announced that it is strategically well-positioned to leverage strong domestic steel demand by increasing its Manufacturing Capacity ~ AT ANANTAPUR, ANDHRA PRADESH, through its Wholly Owned Subsidiary "Lepakshi Tubes Private Limited". The company is strategically well-positioned to leverage strong domestic steel demand from key steel-consuming sectors such as real estate, infrastructure and automobiles. The increased domestic market and softer material prices are expected to boost the industry positively.
Stock market today: Pradhin share price has been on an uptrend for the last few months. The BSE-listed stock has been touching the upper circuit for the last four sessions despite giving its shareholders over 50 per cent return. Pradhin's share price today opened with an upside gap at 60.95 apiece and touched a 5 per cent upper circuit immediately after the opening bell.

The micro-cap stock with a market cap of 22 crore has been hitting the upper circuit since Thursday last week. The stock was under the radar of Dalal Street observers as the iron and steel products company informed the Indian stock market bourses about the ongoing discussion about the significant 100 crore order from Reliance Industries Ltd.

Reliance Industries news Pritika informed the BSE about the discussion for a 100 order from Reliance Industries, saying, "We are pleased to inform our esteemed shareholders and the general public that Pradhin Ltd. ("the Company") has strategically diversified its business operations by venturing into the Steel and Real Estate sectors. This move aligns with our long-term vision of expanding our footprint in high-growth industries and capitalizing on emerging market opportunities. As part of this new venture, the Company is in advanced discussions with Reliance Industries Ltd., one of India's largest conglomerates, to secure a significant order. The order, estimated to be worth up to INR 1 Billion ( 100 Crores), involves the supply of Fe 600 grade TMT Bars and Beams to Reliance Industries' Jamnagar facility."

Pradhin share price history Pradhin share price has remained an ideal buy-on-dips stock after ushering in August 2024. The micro-cap stock bottomed out at 38.60 apiece at the end of July 2024, and today, it climbed to a new 52-week high of 60.95 apiece on the BSE. While climbing to this new 52-week peak, the small-cap stock surged more than 50 per cent in one month.

The small-cap stock is available for trade on the BSE only. Its current trade volume on the BSE is more than 3.92 lakh, and around three hours of trade are still left on Tuesday. The market cap of this small-cap stock is 22 crore. Its 52-week high is 60.95, which it climbed today, while its 52-week low is 33.03 per share.
Heres a quick look at stocks likely to be in focus in today's trade. Bondada Engineering: Bondada Engineering has secured a significant project valued at 575.74 crore. The project was awarded by Lumina Clean Energy, Purelight Energy, and VVKR Photovoltaics Energy, which are special purpose vehicles established by Paradigm IT Technologies and Metalcraft Forming Industries.

UltraTech Cement: UltraTech Cement has successfully raised $500 million through a sustainability-linked loan, with participation from six banks, underscoring its commitment to sustainable practices.

AU Small Finance Bank: DSP Mutual Fund acquired a 1.39 percent stake in AU Small Finance Bank at an average price of 630 per share, while Fincare Business Services offloaded a 1.7 percent stake at the same price.

Vedanta: Vedanta, under the leadership of Anil Agarwal, has amassed a 30,000 crore fund through a qualified institutional placement (QIP), offer for sale (OFS), and dividends. This war chest is intended for deleveraging, capital structure improvement, and growth opportunities. In Q1, Vedantas profit after tax surged 54 percent year-on-year to 5,095 crore. The company also achieved its highest-ever alumina production at Lanjigarh and reduced production costs by 20 percent year-on-year. As of June 30, Vedanta's debt stood at 6,130 crore.

Medi Assist Healthcare Services: Medi Assist Healthcare's subsidiary, Medi Assist Insurance TPA, has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100 percent of Paramount Health Services & Insurance TPA from Fairfax Asia and the Shah family. This acquisition is set to increase Medi Assist's market share to 36.6 percent in the group segment and 23.6 percent of the health insurance industry by premiums managed.

Medplus Health Services: Lavender Rose Investment has exited Medplus Health Services, selling its entire 11.35 percent stake at an average price of 616.48 per share. ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund acquired a 4.3 percent stake at an average price of 616 per share, while the Government of Singapore purchased a 0.97 percent stake at 616.2 per share.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals: Alembic Pharmaceuticals has received USFDA approval for its generic Betamethasone Valerate Foam, used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis of the scalp. The approval is for a formulation therapeutically equivalent to Luxiq Foam (0.12%) by Norvium Bioscience.

Paytm: Paytm has clarified recent media reports regarding a SEBI notice, stating that this is not a new development and had already been disclosed in its financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024, and the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Also Read | Indian stock market: 7 key things that changed for market overnight

PI Industries: PI Industries' Board of Directors has appointed Sanjay Agarwal as the Group Chief Financial Officer, effective August 26, following the retirement of the previous CFO, Manikantan Viswanathan.

HCL Technologies: HCL Technologies has announced an extension of its strategic partnership with Xerox, focusing on AI-driven engineering services and digital process operations. HCLTech will support the newly formed Xerox Global Business Services organization in driving key business metrics.

Repro India: Investor Ashish Kacholia sold a 1.22 percent stake in Repro India at an average price of 625 per share, while JVS Joyrass Holdings acquired a 0.7 percent stake at the same price.

Lemon Tree Hotels: Lemon Tree Hotels has signed an agreement for a new property, Lemon Tree Hotel, Civil Lines, Ayodhya. The 80-room hotel is expected to open in FY28 and will be managed by its subsidiary, Carnation Hotels.

Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy

UCAL: UCAL, an automotive component manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blaer Motors to collaborate on the design and development of electronic components, including motor controllers ranging from 500 watts to 2 kilowatts.

KPI Green Energy: KPI Green Energy's wholly-owned subsidiary, Sun Drops Energia Private Ltd, has received letters of intent to execute solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 13.30 MW. The orders were awarded by Sumicot, Ekta Prints Private, Radhika Fabrics, and Sanjopin Industries.

GPT Infraprojects: GPT Infraprojects has launched its qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue on August 26, with a floor price set at 183.83 per share.

Brightcom Group: Brightcom Group reported a net loss of 24.2 crore for the quarter ending December 30, 2023, with revenue declining by 85 percent year-on-year to 453.2 crore. The company attributed its poor performance to various challenges, including the war in Israel, the departure of its CEO and CFO, negative media coverage following a SEBI order, and concerns flagged by auditors regarding interim financial statements and shareholding disclosures. Brightcom Group shares remain suspended from trading, and the company has yet to declare results for the March and June quarters.

Also Read | From HCL to Ind Hotels - Chandan Taparia suggests these stocks to buy on Aug 27
Several countries, including the US, offer "investor visa" programme that provide a pathway to residency in exchange for significant financial investments. The US investor visa programme, known as the EB-5, allows individuals to obtain a green card, granting them the right to live indefinitely in the US.

This programme entails an investment in a US project, generally in real estate, that generates at least 10 jobs. To participate, investors must work with asset managers called "regional centers" (RCs) that are recognized by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Some of these RCs have offices or representatives in India, making the process accessible to Indian investors.

The RCs offer developers in the U.S. access to low-cost funding, which is a win-win for the Indian investor and the developer. One can also directly invest in a project that qualifies for the EB-5 programme, but direct investment is highly risky. It is best avoided, according to immigration experts that Mint spoke to.

Generally, parents invest in EB-5 for their children either studying in the US or have just graduated. More importantly, it is a very well-defined path to US residency (Green Card) for individuals who intend to build a career in the US post college," said Arindam Sengupta of Edufund.

Students in US colleges get to do optional practical training or OPT for one to three years after graduation, depending on the type of degree programme. Essentially, they can work for a few years. However, after that they must get an H1B visa to keep working and the H1B system is a lottery with a limited chance of getting a visa even if you find an employer. This is why many HNI parents in India opt for the EB-5 route," added Sengupta, who runs a wealth management business focused on education and also does EB-5 consultancy.

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The EB-5 programme has seen backlogs, particularly for applications submitted under the old version of the programme, with some applications dating back to 2021. However, the new version of the programme, launched in 2022, is not backlogged, especially for "rural projects" in areas of the US with a population below 20,000.

The US issues 10,000 EB-5 visas annually, with a maximum of 7% allocated to each country. This means that Indian passport holders can receive up to 700 visas per year. While the quota for applicants from China is often oversubscribed, the new EB-5 quota for India remains available but may fill up in the coming months.

How the finances work

The cost of participating in the EB-5 programme is $800,000, an increase from the previous $500,000 under the revamped 2022 programme. Under the RBIs Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), individuals can remit up to $250,000 per year. A married couple can combine their remittances to reach $1 million by making transfers in March and April, taking advantage of two financial years in a period of two months. The funds can be transferred to a childs account in the US as a gift, allowing the child to invest in an EB-5 project.

Before you invest, do ensure that your source of funds has been vetted by a competent US EB-5 specialist immigration attorney," said Shilpa Menon, senior director at LCR Capital Partners, a US-based private investment and advisory services firm that manages EB-5 funds under the regional centre programme.

The immigration attorney should be independent and not affiliated with any Regional Center or registered agent. After you select and invest in a project, your attorney will file the I-526E (EB 5 petition) along with your source of funds documents, project documents and proof of investment. Typically, the USCIS takes 12-18 months to approve the petition, depending on the type of project you invest in," Menon added.

Upon approval, the investor can apply for a conditional green card using Form I-485 if the child is already in the US, or DS-260 if outside the country. While waiting for the I-526E approval, the child may be eligible for a temporary work and travel permit, which can be obtained within two-three months.

If the project generates at least 10 jobs, an application for an unconditional green card can be submitted within two years using Form I-289. After you get it, the investment can be redeemed, subject to the lock-in period imposed by the regional centre.

Also Read: Beyond borders: Essential finance tips to ease path of Indians moving abroad

A list of approved regional centers is available on the USCIS website. It is advisable to consult a wealth manager or specialized immigration lawyer in the US who has connections in India. Including various legal fees, the total cost of the EB-5 programme may increase by an additional $50,000 to $100,000. Additionally, investors must pay a 20% tax collected at source (TCS) on the remitted funds, which can be adjusted against their tax liability or claimed as a refund when filing their income tax return. Including the TCS, the total upfront cost for the EB-5 program amounts to approximately 9 crore or $1.1 million.

What to watch out for

Families considering the EB-5 programme should be prepared for thorough checks and due diligence, an investment advisor who declined to be named told Mint. The regional centre will suggest US-licensed immigration lawyers who will check the source of funds, requiring a paper trail that confirms the legitimacy of the the funds. Background checks, including a review of criminal history, are also part of the vetting process, which can take two to three months.

It is important to ensure that the agent involved is registered with USCIS and that the regional center is large and well-established. This increases the likelihood of getting the initial I-526E approval and the conditional visa. Otherwise, you may not be able to show youve generated at least 10 jobs, and you may not get your money back. Sometimes, the project might fail, but you will get your money back. The best outcome is getting your visa and money back.

Once the conditional green card is obtained, the applicant must travel to the US and cannot stay outside the country for more than 180 days at a stretch. This requirement can be met by making multiple trips per year. The green card is granted to the child, spouse, and children, but not to parents unless they apply separately.

Also Read: Investing in India from abroad: Navigating financial hurdles for NRIs
(Bloomberg) -- Canadas Flair Airlines Ltd. is in talks to raise funds that would help ease the debt burden at the budget carrier beset by aircraft repossessions, back taxes and a financial backer accused of fraud.

Interim Chief Executive Officer Maciej Wilk is in discussions with financial institutions that are not shy of taking a slightly higher-risk investment to participate in an ongoing recapitalization of the low-cost carrier, he said in a phone interview. New lenders or equity funding would help the airline address its significant debt load, which he wouldnt quantify.

In order really to give us breathing space and comfort to continue a restructuring of the company, I think we would be very happy if we received like a hundred million Canadian dollars, Wilk said by phone. Just to be clear, its not like this is something that we desperately need right now.

Flair ran into financial trouble after higher costs upset its efforts to rapidly scale up as the pandemic eased. Lessors repossessed four Boeing Co. 737 aircraft in March 2023  stranding passengers headed for spring break  and its former lead investor, 777 Partners LLC, has faced accusations of fraud in court. Another 777-backed carrier, Australias Bonza, entered liquidation last month.

Flair still owes the Canadian government tens of millions in back taxes, the Canadian Press reported in January, prompting them to arrange a payment plan with the Canada Revenue Agency. A court dispute over the planes, which Flair alleges were unlawfully seized by Airborne Capital Ltd., is ongoing.

777 is still a lender to Flair, Wilk said, but its stake has fallen to less than 10% from about 25%, and it no longer has board seats. Advantage Capital Holdings LLC, a New York-based insurance company which held senior rights to collateral associated with 777, has provided support, Wilk said, declining to provide details.

Representatives for 777 and Advantage Capital, known as A-Cap, didnt respond to requests for comment.

If it can secure its finances, theres an opportunity for Flair to take advantage of its position as last man standing in Canada, since competition has eased, Wilk said. In recent months Lynx Air and Canada Jetlines Operations Ltd. filed for creditor protection, while the countrys second-biggest carrier, WestJet Airlines Ltd., axed low-fare brand Swoop last year.

Wilk, a veteran of LOT Polish Airlines, joined Flair last year as chief operating officer and became interim CEO in June. He said the Edmonton-based carriers fleet ownership has been restructured, and the company has new lessors including SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd., BOC Aviation Ltd. and Jackson Square Aviation LLC.

Wilk wants to expand to at least 24 jets after next summer, up from 20 today, he said. He added that the existing structure could handle as many as 35 planes, including older Boeing 737-800s.

The competitive environment has changed dramatically for Flair, he said. Now the business case for any investor to consider Flair as an investment target is much more compelling.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last December, collapsed on Monday. After the incident, local police registered an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil.

They have been charged under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to Sindhudurg Police. "An FIR has been registered by local police in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue incident against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5)," ANI quoted Sindhudurg Police officials as saying.

The development comes just months after the statue at Rajkot Fort was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Navy Day on December 4, 2023. After the collapse of the statue dedicated to the citizens of Sindhudurg, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said it was "unfortunate." The CM further noted that PWD and the Navy officials would visit the site and investigate the reasons behind this incident.

While suggesting that the statue collapsed due to strong winds, the Chief Minister said that he would reinstall the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the same place. The incident that happened is unfortunate. This statue was erected by the Navy. They had also designed it. But due to strong winds of around 45 km/h, it fell and got damaged. ANI quoted Eknath Shinde as saying.

He added, Tomorrow, officials from PWD and the Navy will visit the site and investigate the cause. I sent Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan to the site as soon as I heard about the incident.

Expressing concern over the damage the Indian Navy said, "Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest," reported ANI.

Also Read | Maharashtra becomes first state to adopt Unified Pension Scheme for employees

Demanding action against the contractor who built the statue, Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MP Supriya Sule said that the contractor and his organisation should be blacklisted by all departments, and a thorough investigation is needed to probe the quality of this statue's work.

Indian Navy Statement Following the collapse of the statue, Indian Navy issued a statement. It reads, Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on 04 Dec 2023 as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg.

The statement added, Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest.
A few unidentified assailants vandalised the idol of the goddess in Bhoolaxmi temple located in the Rakshapuram area in Santosh Nagar police station limits of Hyderabad on Monday night. Two suspects have been arrested by the police in the case.

A huge crowd gathered at the temple and raised slogans against the attack.

Police officials reached the spot and tried to take the situation under control.

DCP South East Kanti Lal Patil said, "This incident occurred on Monday between 11.30 pm and 12 pm in the night under the Santosh Nagar police station limits. Police took immediate action and took two people into custody after police had done the tracking through CCTV. Out of that one person is the main responsible. The investigation is in progress."

He further said that in preliminary investigation names of two people have emerged.

He further added, "All those responsible for the vandalism will be nabbed. Two people who are responsible directly have been held. At present there is no evidence of political motive behind the attack."

BJP Bhagya Nagar district president Samreddy Surender Reddy said that this incident happened at Chandrayanagutta Assembly Constituency Riyasat Nagar division, Rakshapuram colony in Bhoolaxmi temple.

He further said, "The idol of the Bhoolaxmi goddess was vandalised. The local corporator and his people have done this act. This is not the first time this incident has occurred. This has been happening for the last 5 years. This temple has been attacked 5 times. This time the idol of the goddess has been destroyed. Two years ago this same thing happened at Vinayak mandap. They tried to disturb the law and order."

He further said that this temple is just 50 square Yards away from the police station.
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said in a social media post on the platform X on Tuesday, August 27, that several commercial and passenger vehicle makers have agreed to offer discounts on the purchase of new vehicles against the scrapping of older vehicles with a valid certificate of deposit.

Nitin Gadkari chaired the panel at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) CEO's Delegation Meeting, which was held on Tuesday at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, where the executives addressed the various critical issues in the automobile industry.

I am pleased to report that, in response to my recommendation, several commercial and passenger vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer discounts for the purchase of new vehicles against the scrapping of older vehicles with a valid Certificate of Deposit, said Gadkari in his post on platform X.

The passenger and commercial vehicle makers have agreed to offer 1.5 to 3 per cent discounts on new vehicle purchases against the scrappage of old vehicles, PTI reported after the SIAM meeting.

The minister also highlighted the importance of this initiative, which is to advance India's circular economy efforts to ensure that cleaner, safer and more efficient vehicles are on Indian roads.

This initiative will significantly advance our Circular Economy efforts, ensuring that cleaner, safer, and more efficient vehicles are on our roads, said Gadkari in his post on platform X.

Gadkari also congratulated the automakers that have taken up the initiative to participate in the Vehicle Fleet Modernization Programme and said he believes that other manufacturers will soon follow the lead and join in the mission.
The special investigation team (SIT) of the Badlapur minors' sexual assault case will be doing an identification parade where the victims will identify the accused, SIT team said. Executive magistrate will be present during the parade.

Following that, SIT is also planning to prepare a psychological profile of the accused in this case which will help them further in the case, SIT team added.

Two four-year-old girls were reportedly sexually abused by a school attendant in Badlapur, leading to widespread protests. The state government has promised strict action against the perpetrator.

Bombay HC says Badlapur police demonstrated greater sensitivity The Bombay High Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the initial investigation by the Badlapur police, emphasizing that they should have demonstrated greater sensitivity in handling the case.

The bench noted, "One of the victim girls and her family were asked to come to the police station to record their statement. The Badlapur police did not even attempt to record the statement at their house. There has been a serious lapse in the investigation by the Badlapur police."

The court also noted thar state education department could step in to ensure children are taught in school about gender equality and gender sensitisation from the pre-primary level itself.

"Male dominance and male chauvinism are still there. Until we teach our children at home about equality, nothing will happen. Till then, all these laws like Nirbhaya and all will not work," the bench said.

"We always speak about girls. Why don't we tell boys what is right and wrong? We need to change the mindset of boys when they are young. Teach them to respect women," it added.

The court said proper awareness is required and lamented the overuse of social media among children.
The Rohini Court in Delhi has adjourned the BBC documentary controversy until December 18, 2024.

Earlier in April, the court issued a new summons to the BBC at its UK address.

This matter concerns the ban on the documentary India: the Modi Question.

What is controversial about India: the Modi Question? The central government has banned the BBC documentary focused on the 2002 riots in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. The film explores the sectarian violence in Gujarat during Modi's tenure as chief minister, detailing the large-scale killing of Muslims following the attack and burning of a train carrying Hindu pilgrims by a Muslim mob.

Human rights groups have accused Modi of failing to curb the violence, though India's Supreme Court has rejected these allegations.

Moreover, the documentary features former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who stated that the British governments inquiry found that Modis administration had created "a climate of impunity" for the rioters.

The Centre has blocked the controversial documentary across all social media platforms. Any attempts to screen the film will be a violation of Intellectual Property Rights, the Ministry of External Affairs said earlier in January.

Additionally, press freedom in India has deteriorated in recent years, with India dropping eight places to 150 out of 180 countries in the latest Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.

Earlier this year, Derek O'Brien claimed that Twitter had deleted his tweet about the BBC documentary that "exposed" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attitude against minorities. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker referred to it as censorship and released an image of a Twitter correspondence in which it was said that his message had been taken down because it had violated Indian law.
The union government has unveiled new guidelines aimed at improving the handling of public grievances. These guidelines are designed to empower citizens and bring greater efficiency to the grievance redressal processes, ANI reported.

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions announced that these guidelines, part of the 2024 Policy Guidelines, reaffirm the government's dedication to addressing public concerns effectively. They also showcased recent technological advancements in the grievance handling system, the report added.

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A key feature of the new system is an integrated platform for filing grievances. The statement noted, An integrated user-friendly grievance filing platform with CPGRAMS being the common open platform on which grievances can be registered by citizens will operate as a single window experience, ANI reported.

Under the new guidelines, the timeline for resolving grievances has been shortened from 30 to 21 days. In cases where resolution may take longer, citizens will be informed through an interim reply.

The government plans to appoint dedicated nodal officers in all ministries and departments to handle grievances efficiently.

"The Role of the Nodal Officer is effective categorisation, monitoring pendency, examine the feedback for process and policy improvements, undertaking root cause analysis, collation of monthly data sets and supervisory oversight of the Grievance Redressal Officers of the Ministry/ Department, as quoted by ANI.

To enhance the system's effectiveness, the government will employ AI-powered analytical tools to analyze citizen feedback. Regular reviews of the redressal process will be conducted in senior officer meetings, and a monthly 'grievance redressal assessment index' will rank various ministries and departments, as per ANI report.

The statement also highlighted the success of the CPGRAMS portal, which has addressed nearly 60 lakh public grievances between 2022 and 2024. The system now includes over 1.01 lakh Grievance Redressal officers across various government levels, as per ANI.
Food safety regulator FSSAI on Monday withdrew its recent advisory wherein food businesses were directed to remove claims of 'A1' and 'A2' types of milk and milk products from packaging.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the advisory has been withdrawn to carry out further consultations with stakeholders. It would imply that food business operators (FBOs) can continue to sell and market their products with claims of 'A1' and "A2' types of milk.

A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies based on cow breed.

In a fresh advisory issued on Monday, the regulator said, "the advisory dated August 21, 2024...stands withdrawn for further consultation and engagement with the stakeholders".

The FSSAI, in its advisory dated August 21, had asked FBOs to remove claims of 'A1 and A2 from their products. E-commerce platforms were also told to remove these claims from products and websites immediately.

The regulator had said that the claims of 'A1' and 'A2' types of milk and milk products do not conform with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

After examination, the FSSAI had found that A1 and A2 differentiation is linked to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk. However, current FSSAI regulations do not recognise this differentiation.

In the August 21 advisory, FBOs were also asked to exhaust pre-printed labels within six months, with no further extensions to be granted.

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Indias wait for liquified natural gas (LNG) supplies from the marquee $20 billion Mozambique project has lengthened, with any progress expected only after a new government is formed in the East African country after its presidential elections on 9 October, two people aware of the development said.

Rovuma Offshore Area 1 project, once tipped as the panacea for Indias growing clean fuel needs, has been a disappointment so far. The long-delayed project in which an ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL)-led Indian consortium has a 30% stake has been beset with difficulties, with the suspension of operations following attacks by Islamic State terrorists in April 2021, after which force majeure was declared.

Big stake

At stake is around $8 billion investment made by OVL, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltds Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) and Oil India Ltd (OIL), including around $5.185 billion for buying stakes in the largest gas discovery in offshore East Africa. While OVL and OIL jointly bought 10% stake from Videocon Mauritius Energy Ltd for $2.47 billion, OVL bought US-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp.s 10% stake for $2.64 billion. Also, BPRL bought 10% stake from Anadarko Petroleum for $75 million. Apart from this, additional investments were made to develop the project.

Apart from what was paid at the time of acquisition of the stakes by Indian state-run firms, there have also been cash calls that have been met, thereby upping the overall investment in the gas project. There are concerns around the project," said one of the two people cited above, requesting anonymity.

OVL, BPRL and OIL hold 16%, 10% and 4% stake respectively in the project, operated by France's TotalEnergies with a 26.5% stake. The other partners are Japans Mitsui & Co. (20%), Mozambique state-run Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos or ENH (15%) and Thailands PTT Exploration and Production Plc. or PTTEP (8.5%). With the production from Rovuma basin originally slated to start in 2018, India was to get its first LNG consignment from Mozambique by 2019.

Force majeure in place

TotalEnergies is the operator for Rovuma Area-1 Offshore Mozambique (Area-1) block, where force majeure is in place. Once the force majeure is lifted, the production can start immediately. This is no problem with the asset quality per se. This asset has seen the biggest gas discovery in the recent past," said an Indian government official, requesting anonymity.

Also read | Mozambique gas field restart is win for India

The importance of the Mozambique project in Indias energy security stratagem can be gauged from the fact that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar visited the African country in April last year, becoming the first Indian foreign minister to visit it since 2010. This was followed by a visit of Indias petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri in October last year, when he met Mozambiques minister of mineral resources and energy Carlos Zacarias.

A Mitsui & Co spokesperson in an emailed response said, We are not in the position to answer to your inquiries. Please ask TotalEnergies, the operator or Indian companies."

Presidential elections flagged

TotalEnergies has also flagged the impending Presidential elections in Mozambique and its importance for the LNG project, as articulated by its chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne in a July investor call.

A TotalEnergies spokesperson in an emailed response said, "The project is still under force majeure," and added, But for more details, please refer to our CEO last call with investors end of July: On Mozambique, I can tell you that everything has been settled with the contractors. So we are clear: we know where we are. In fact, it was more a matter, to be honest, of the cost of the frozen period, which was to be absorbed and discussed, because between 2020 to 2024, we have frozen some works. We have some equipment which was kept in different locations. All that has been discussed, all that is settled with them. And so, we are on the way to move forward. As soon as we can update you, we will do it. But the progress has been done in many directions, including on security."

Also read | ONGC backs its net zero goal with  2 tn

"Now, we try to regroup all the financers around the project. As you know as well, there are some presidential elections in Mozambique coming soon. And so of course, for us, its important to have the confirmation that the new President will follow the same policy regarding these large projects. Thats where we are. So say, by end of the year, we should clarify how we should be able to move forward," the TotalEnergies spokesperson added.

An OVL spokesperson declined comment.

Net importer of gas

India is a net importer of natural gas, and imports about 55% of its total gas requirement. According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), Indias LNG imports increased 17.5% year-on-year in FY24 in terms of volumes to 23.5 mmtpa.

Queries emailed to the spokespersons of BPCL, OIL, ENH, PTTEP, Mozambique High Commission in New Delhi, and Indias ministries of petroleum and natural gas; and external affairs on Tuesday late night remained unanswered till press time.

Mint earlier reported about TotalEnergies making efforts to resume operations at the plant. In February, CEO Pouyanne visited Mozambique's Cabo Delgado to review the security and humanitarian situation in the country.

Also read | India ships cycles to world bicycle capital, exports surge

India has been aggressively scouting for long-term LNG contracts after the gas market witnessed volatility in 2022 following the Russia-Ukraine war, which led to the failure of Russian government-owned Gazprom, the worlds largest explorer of natural gas, to honour the terms of a deal to supply LNG to state-run GAIL (India) Ltd.

As part of this new playbook, India is in talks with Equinor for securing long-term LNG deals from its portfolio in the US and Qatar, as reported by Mint earlier. Also, state run Indian Oil Corp. earlier signed a long-term LNG contract with TotalEnergies for supply of 1 mmtpa of LNG to IOCL for a period of around 10 years, with plans in the work to sign a long-term LNG deal to buy one million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) of clean fuel from state run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc). Petronet LNG also extended its contract with QatarEnergy LNG by signing a long-term deal for buying 7.5 million tonnes of LNG per annum.

Also read | EAM Jaishankar wraps up visit to Uganda, Mozambique
A case was registered by the Kerala Police on Monday against Malayalam movie director Ranjith following the complaint of sexual abuse by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra.

IGP & Commissioner of Police S Syamsundar told ANI, Received a complaint from the victim in the abuse case regarding director Ranjith. A crime in the north police station has been registered under section 354, and the investigation will be as per the mandate to be decided by the special investigation team constituted by the government for the same.

On Monday, Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint with the Kochi City Police against Ranjith, a day after he resigned as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy.

The complaint follows allegations of sexual misconduct that Mitra made public recently.

In an e-mail sent to the Kochi City Police Commissioner, Mitra detailed an incident from 2009 when she was in Kochi for discussions about a role in the movie Palerimanikkam, which Ranjith was directing.

Mitra claimed that during the discussion, Ranjith clutched her hand and attempted to touch other parts of her body with sexual intent.

I was invited to act in a film 'Palerimanikkam' directed by Ranjith. As part of the discussion, I was called to the flat in which Sri Ranjith was staying at Kaloor Kadavanthra, Kochi. During the course of the discussions, he clutched my hand and later on attempted to spread his hand to other parts of my body with sexual intention. Realising that his intentions were not regarding the film and with sexual intent, I had to escape from the flat and return to the hotel where I was staying. My bitter experience was shared with scriptwriter Sri Joshy Joseph the next day. As I was not given the travelling ticket for my return journey, I was compelled to seek the help of Sri Joshy Joseph, the actress wrote in her complaint.

Mitra also mentioned that she initially did not pursue legal action because she was from Kolkata and unfamiliar with the local legal process, but she has now decided to come forward.

"As a person hailing from Kolkata, West Bengal, I was unable to pursue this matter any further to prosecute Sri Ranjith for the offence attracting sections 354 & 354 B of the Indian Penal Code at the time of the commission of the crime."

Mitra also requested the Kochi Police to treat her e-mail as a formal complaint and to take appropriate legal action against Ranjith.

Certain comments from the public functionaries also were brought to my notice, and the response would show that a written complaint is necessary to register a crime. As the conduct of Sri Ranjith constitutes the commission of a cognisable offence, a written complaint is not a prerequisite, as I am told, following the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. In view of the public stand taken by the public functionaries in the State of Kerala that a written complaint is a prerequisite, I am lodging this complaint by way of an e-mail addressed to your good self as the offence has been committed within your territorial limits at DD Flats, Kadavanthra, Kochi. This may be treated as a complaint and set the law in motion, as insisted by the State functionaries to initiate criminal action against an offender, she added in her complaint.

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry was released. The 235-page document revealed disturbing accounts of harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of female professionals.

The report, which omits the names of witnesses and accused individuals, highlighted that the industry was largely controlled by approximately 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who exerted significant influence and control.

The report, compiled by a three-member panel led by a former Kerala High Court judge and established by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government in December 2019 but was only made public this month.

In response, the Kerala government announced on Sunday that it would form a special investigation team, led by a senior police officer, to probe the allegations of sexual abuse within the Malayalam film industry.

In light of recent interviews and statements from several women in the Malayalam film industry detailing the hardships they have faced, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a meeting with senior police officials here on Sunday, said an official release from the Chief Minister's Office.
Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and his son and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge have found themselves under fire, as the BJP alleged a scam in the land allotted to a trust run by the Kharge family in Karnataka. The BJP demanded a CBI probe into the matter and the dismissal of Priyank Kharge as Karnataka cabinet minister.

KIADB land-allotment allegations BJP leader Lahar Singh Siroya, also a Rajya Sabha member, had on Sunday questioned the alleged allocation of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land to a trust run by Mallikarjun Kharge's family and asked when did they become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for the land.

He also wanted to know whether the case involved misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest.

Alleging "nepotism", Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy claimed that it is a case of criminal breach of trust from the Kharges towards fellow Schedule Caste entrepreneurs.

Also Read | Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge takes jibe at Modi govt over UPS scheme

KIADB land-allotment: What BJP alleged? At a press conference held at the BJP headquarters, national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called for the resignation of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Priyank Kharge, who serves as a minister in the Karnataka government. Bhatia also demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Bhatia accused the Congress of pervasive corruption, stating, There is a consistency in the Congress acts of corruption. Their new slogan seems to be 'wherever we go, we will do corruption.' Its not an exaggeration to say that the Congress has become synonymous with corruption.

He highlighted the recent controversy involving the allocation of five acres of land to the trust managed by Mallikarjun Kharge and his family. This land allocation occurred under Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs watch, and it was granted by bypassing established rules, Bhatia alleged. The trust includes Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, his son-in-law Radhakrishna, and his sons Priyank and Rahul Kharge.

Bhatia further claimed that other companies and organisations had applied for the land, but it was awarded to the Kharge family trust in violation of procedural norms. He concluded by urging Kharge and Priyank Kharge to resign from their respective positions immediately.

KIADB land-allotment: What Congress replied? Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the land allotment and said it has been done in accordance with law.

Priyank Kharge, the Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in the Congress government, asserted that there was no illegality, and accused the BJP of trying to indulge in politics by complaining to the Governor.

The BJP can say what they want. But they have to tell the people how is it illegal and what is illegal. It is a CA (Civic Amenity) site. It is not an industrial plot. It's an educational thing. The trust has been there for more than 2 decades and has been running educational institutions, Priyank Kharge said.
Nabanna Abhiyan Rally: As protesters clashed with Kolkata Police on Tuesday, the BJP demanded a polygraph test for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP alleged that the TMC leader was shielding those involved in the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case.

BJP on Tuesday called Mamata Banerjee a dictator and demanded her resignation to ensure a fair probe into the matter. Whatever is happening in West Bengal is worrisome. Its akin to tearing the Constitution to shreds. Its clearly visible that if at all there is a dictator in the country, its Mamata Banerjee, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference in New Delhi, according to PTI.

The BJP also demanded that a polygraph be conducted on Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. BJP alleged that the Kolkata Police Commissioner had termed the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder a suicide.

The parents of the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital have refuted the suicide narrative surrounding her death. They reported receiving a call from someone identifying as the "Superintendent," initially informing them that their daughter was ill, later they were told she had "died by suicide."

These conflicting accounts have cast suspicion on Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Hospital. The CBI, which is now investigating the case, is conducting a comprehensive probe to uncover Ghosh's possible involvement in the premature classification of the doctor's death as suicide.

The woman's autopsy revealed she was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. 25 internal and external injuries were found on her body.

The BJP, meanwhile, condemned the incident of lathi charge by the West Bengal Police on the students, who had taken out a rally in Kolkata demanding justice for the victim and the chief minister's resignation.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari alleged the police resorted to "brutal repression" on peaceful participants of the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally. He threatened to stall West Bengal if the "brutalities" by state administration were not stopped.

Also Read | ED files money laundering case in RG Kar hospital corruption probe

"Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, burst tear gas shells on the students at Howrah Bridge, lathi-charged them at College Street. Please stop these brutalities immediately," the senior BJP leader told reporters.
The Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case on Tuesday as the CBI continued its RG Kar Hospital corruption probe. The development came even as thousands led a protest march towards the state secretariat on Tuesday afternoon.

According to a PTI report, the central agency has gathered banking and medical procurement documents related to this hospital and medical college from various sources. The news agency quoted sources to add that the accused  the same individuals named in the CBI case  may be summoned soon for questioning and the recording of statements.

The ED probe centers around alleged financial irregularities at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during the tenure of former principal Sandip Ghosh and some others.

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has come under the scanner following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee woman doctor on August 9. Details of an FIR registered on the directions of the Calcutta High Court indicate that the CBI has booked former principal Sandip Ghosh and and three Kolkata-based private entities -- Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jhorehat, Banipur, Howrah; Eshan Cafe of 4/1, Belgachia and Khama Louha.

Earlier on Sunday, the CBI raided the premises of Ghosh, ex-medical superintendent Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others in and around Kolkata in connection with the probe.

Meanwhile the Nabanna Abhijaan protest turned violent on Tuesday afternoon with a policeman injured in the ensuing clash. Police lathi-charged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protestors who threw stones and bricks at the security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

The protestors were attempting to reach the state secretariat, Nabanna, to demand the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College. Police said they began lathicharging and tear gassing after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and attacked security personnel.
Taking a swipe at Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over police's alleged highhandedness in handling protestors, BJP president J P Nadda said, in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued.

Nadda said on X, "The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety,"

The protesters were attempting to reach Nabanna to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here.

Also Read | ED files money laundering case in RG Kar hospital corruption probe

Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as policemen were injured.

"We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course," a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said.

BJP calls for 12 hour strike in Kolkata The BJP has announced a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal, from 6 am to 6 pm, in protest against the police action during the march to the state secretariat, 'Nabanna,' on Tuesday.

The party is also demanding that the CBI conduct a polygraph test on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Police Commissioner Vineet Goel, whom the BJP claims initially stated that the victim's death was a suicide.

Whatever is happening in West Bengal is worrisome. Its akin to tearing the Constitution to shreds. Its clearly visible that if at all there is a dictator in the country, its Mamata Banerjee, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference at the party headquarters here.

TMC assures normal life will remain unaffected The West Bengal government, meanwhile, urged people not to participate in BJPs strike on tomorrow, and said that the administration will ensure normal life is not affected.
A girl aged 11 years was allegedly sexually abused by a 67-year-old man at Khadakwasla in Pune.

The incident took place at around 11 am on August 23 in a village about 15 kilometres from Pune city.

According to the police, the incident was revealed on Saturday during a good touch, bad touch workshop, organised by the school for the safety of young girls.

The girl, a student of Class 5, told her teacher that she was sexually harassed on Friday.

The girl student said that the man lured her by offering her sweets, after which he sexually assaulted her.

The 67-year-old accused has been arrested by the police.

Later, the matter was informed to the principal, following which the minor girls parents were also informed.

Also Read | Fake NCC camp sexual assault: Prime suspect in case dies by suicide

A complaint against the accused was filed at the Haveli police station after the principal discussed the matter with the girls parents and members of the teachers union.

The girl is currently undergoing counselling and receiving medical support.

Badlapur sexual assault case In another development, a court in Kalyan in Maharashtra on Monday sent the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case to judicial custody for 14 days.

The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Badlapur has sparked outrage.

On August 17, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls.

On August 23, the special investigation team (SIT) set up to probe the Badlapur sexual assault against minors registered an FIR against the school authorities for not complying with the provisions of Section 19 of the POCSO Act, which mandates that every authority, when they come to know about any such kind of sexual assault against minors, are obligated to report this to police authorities for further action.

Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said that the CCTV footage of the last 15 days is missing from the school in Badlapur.
Police in Bihar's Muzaffarpur have arrested a woman for allegedly killing her three-year-old daughter in the Minapur area of the city. The woman's motive, according to police, was to start a new life with her paramour.

Earlier on Saturday (August 24), the body of a girl was found in a suitcase in the Minapur area of Muzaffarpur. The recovery of the child's body shook the locality, and they informed the cops about the girls body. The city police rushed to the spot and started investigating the incident.

Muzaffarpur police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killing. Soon, the probe led the police to the mother of the deceased girl, who, during interrogation, accepted that she had killed her daughter.

The woman told the police that she slit her daughter's throat with a knife, then stuffed the body in a red trolley bag and dumped it in the bushes next to their home.

A forensic team was called in, and while scanning the family's home, they found traces of blood on the floor, in the sink and also on the terrace.

During the investigation, the accused woman told police that she was in a relationship with a man and wanted to leave her husband. However, her boyfriend refused to accept her daughter and asked her to come alone. Inspired by the popular TV crime show 'Crime Patrol,' she conspired to get rid of her daughter. She slit the child's throat, stuffed the body in a red trolley suitcase and threw it into a bush near the residential neighbourhood in Muzaffarpur's Minapur area.

"She wanted to take her daughter along, but the boyfriend did not want this. The woman was confused. Eventually, she slit her daughter's throat with a knife. She then stuffed the body in a red trolley bag and dumped it in the bushes next to their home," NDTV quoted Muzaffarpur police chief Awadhesh Dixit as saying.

The police said the woman had tried to clean up the blood spots in the room and terrace, but the forensic team still managed to find traces of blood. The murder weapon has also been recovered.
Mumbai Dahi Handi celebrations: Over 100 Govindas, participants in the formation of multi-storeyed human pyramids, were injured during Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai and were taken to nearby government and private hospitals for treatment, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said on Tuesday.

It is important to note that to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, multi-tiered human pyramids are formed, especially inMaharashtra, to break the ' Dahi Handi', suspended in mid-air. It is believed Bal Krishna loved curd and butter. Therefore, devotees re-enact his childhood days through the Dahi-Handi celebration. The ' Dahi Handi' celebration also symbolizes Bal Krishna's playfulness and innocence.

The BMC officials informed that 15 Govindas were admitted to different nearby hospitals during attempts to form human pyramids, 17 were receiving treatment at outpatient departments (OPDs), and 74 others were treated and discharged.

According to the BMC officials, the Govindas admitted in Mumbai hospitals include:

J.J Hospital: 02- Discharged

St. George Hospital: 04. 02 Admitted ,01 Discharge ,01 treatment is in process at OPD

GT Hospital: 01- Discharged

Poddar Hospital: 16. All are treated and discharged.

KEM Hospital: 19- 05 Admitted and other 14 treatment is in process at OPD basis.

Nair Hospital: 08- 01 Admitted, 07Discharged .

Sion Hospital: 11- treatment is in process at OPD.

Rajawadi Hospital: 08- 03 Admitted,05 Discharged.

Veer Savarkar Hospital: 03 Discharged.

MT Agrawal Hosp: 01-Admitted.

Kurla Bhabha Hospital: 02  01 Admitted ,01 Discharged.

Shatabdi Govandi Hospital: 06 Discharged.

Bandra Bhabha Hospital: 03- Discharged.

Trauma Care Hospital: 05- 01 Admitted, 04 Discharged.

V N Desai Hospital: 04- treatment is in process at OPD.

MW Desai Hospital: 01 Discharged

Cooper Hospital: 01 -Discharged

BDBA Hospital: 10- Discharged

Leelavati Hospital: 01 Admitted.

The BMC officials further said efforts are being made to provide the necessary medical care to all injured Govindas and others affected during Dahi-Handi celebrations.

Meanwhile, Mumbai and its suburbs have been witnessing intermittent light to moderate showers since morning, bringing the temperatures down. Several prominent Govinda groups tried to form a nine-tier human pyramid at several locations in the city. Dressed in colourful attires, Govindas are seen criss-crossing parts of the metropolis in trucks, tempos, buses and two-wheelers to break the Dahi-Handis.

Mumbai Police have beefed up security in the metropolis for the Dahi-Handi celebrations. Police personnel have been deployed in large numbers across the city for the festival to maintain law and order.
In response to the Nabanna Abhijan Rally scheduled for Tuesday to protest the rape-murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the West Bengal police have reinforced security around the state secretariat, "Nabanna."

Ahead of the protest, police have deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and Riot Control Force in the area, and have used containers to block roads.

On Monday, the West Bengal Police declared the Nabanna Abhijan Rally, which aims to reach the state secretariat, as illegal and labelled it an attempt to provoke widespread unrest in Kolkata.

The 'Nabanna Abhijan Rally,' organized by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other groups, is set to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata.

In anticipation of the rally, the Kolkata Police have issued a traffic advisory and implemented diversions on several routes connecting the city to surrounding areas.

What does the traffic advisory say? As per the traffic advisory, the vehicles coming from the Kolaghat side along NH 16, who intend to avail 2nd Hooghly Bridge, can avail of Nibedita Setu from Nibra for going towards Kolkata, while the vehicles coming from the Dankuni side, who intend to avail of 2nd Hooghly Bridge, can avail Nibedita Setu for going towards Kolkata.

Moreover, barricades on Howrah Bridge being welded together as a security measure.

Howrah-bound vehicles from Kolkata intending to use the 2nd Hooghly Bridge or Howrah Bridge should use Nibedita Setu, while Kolkata-bound vehicles from Howrah Railway Station aiming for the same bridges can take GT Road and use Nibedita Setu.

Traffic restrictions are in place on several routes, including:

Kona Expressway between Nibra and 2nd Hooghly Bridge

Andul Road between Alampur and Lakshmi Narayantala More

GT Road between Mallick Fatak and Betaitala, Mandirtala and 2nd Hooghly Bridge, and Kazipara and 2nd Hooghly Bridge

Foreshore Road from Kazipara to Ramkrishnapur Crossing

Restrictions also apply to:

Howrah Railway Station to Grand Foreshore Road

H.M. Bose Road/RB Setu/HIT Bridge to Howrah Bridge (Kolkata side)

HIT Bridge to RB Setu

M.B. Road to N.S. Road-Mallick Fatak

Governor urges state not to use power Meanwhile, the West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday urged the state government not to use power to stop the "peaceful protesting students."

He further reminded the state government of the Supreme Court's verdict and said that democracy cannot silence the majority.

In a video message, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said, In the context of the peaceful protest, announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppressions of the protest by certain instructions of the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India, let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on the peaceful protestors. Democracy cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority! Remember that.

The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim.

The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.
West Bengal: The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march has started with protesters assembling at Santragachi in Howrah demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those involved in the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Meanwhile, protestors drag away Police barricades. Police resort to opening lathi charges and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.

With at least 25 DCP-ranked officers managing security within Kolkata Police jurisdiction, and four IGs, numerous DIGs, and SP-ranked officers leading security forces in Howrah, the city is preparing for a significant confrontation. The authorities are taking measures to prevent the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rallies from approaching the state secretariat on Tuesday.

Student organization 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the dissident group 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' are scheduled to hold their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday afternoon, despite the administration's declaration of the event as illegal and unauthorized.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said that Mamata Banerjee is not Didi but is behaving like Idi Ameen. Mamata Banerjee's government has protected the rapists, destroyed evidence, and suppressed the voice of truth, for which the Supreme Court and the High Court reprimanded. Now once again when the students, doctors, and common citizens' are taking out Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan' to demand justice for the daughter, Mamata Banerjee's government is blocking the roads, added Poonawalla.

As reported by PTI, Bengal police have confirmed the preventive arrest of four students on grounds of hatching a "conspiracy of murder and attempted murder".

Police have set up aluminium guard walls reinforced by wooden barricades in at least five locations in Kolkata's approach ways to the Howrah Bridge, including at the foot of the bridge at the Kolkata end to stop the rally from proceeding any further, officials said.

In Howrah, barricades reinforced with iron and steel bolted to the ground have been set up at four places on Kona Expressway and other approach roads to the secretariat, they added.

A massive deployment of armed police, RAF, and special combat forces has been set up on both sides of the Hooghly River to manage potential violence. Security measures include drone surveillance, tear gas shells, and five water cannons.

In an unprecedented move, cargo ship containers and 10-foot-high iron guard walls have been used to block roads, particularly on AJC Bose Road and Vidyasagar Setu approach roads, effectively turning the city and its outskirts into a virtual fortress.

In Howrah, over 2,000 police personnel would be dotting various approach points to Nabanna who would be led by four ADGs, 13 DIGs and 15 SP-ranked officers. Four water cannon trucks have also been deployed.

Traffic movement at both Kolkata and Howrah ends has been severely restricted by the police since this morning.
From the launch of SpaceXs Polaris Dawn mission to high-stakes diplomatic talks between the US and China, the day is packed with key news developments. Closer home, India is grappling with domestic issues such as student protests against the rape and murder of a junior doctor in West Bengal and more.

Premier Energies IPO The Premier Energies IPO is scheduled to be open for subscription from Tuesday, August 27, through Thursday, August 29.

The IPO includes a fresh issuance of 2.87 crore shares, amounting to 1,291.40 crore, along with an offer for sale of 3.42 crore shares, valued at 1,539.00 crore. In total, the IPO is expected to raise 2,830.40 crore.

The price band for the shares is set between 427 and 450, with a face value of 1 per share. Investors can apply for the IPO in lots, with the minimum lot size being 33 shares, requiring a minimum investment of 14,850 for retail investors.

High-stakes diplomatic talks: Jake Sullivan to visit China White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will begin a two-day visit to Beijing today, where he will engage in crucial discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The talks, expected to cover topics including Taiwan, bilateral military relations, and the ongoing US fentanyl crisis, are set against the backdrop of rising tensions over China's support for Russia and disputes in the South China Sea.

Nabanna Abhiyan march planned in West Bengal In West Bengal, a student group has announced plans for a 'Nabanna Abhiyan' (march to the Secretariat) today, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the tragic RG Kar case. The march, called by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, is gaining traction across the state, with calls for widespread participation from political figures.

India-Brazil 9th Joint Commission meeting Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will co-chair the 9th India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi today. The discussions are expected to focus on advancing G20 outcomes and strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.

Supreme Court hearings on key cases The Supreme Court of India is set to hear several significant cases today. These include the West Bengal governments appeal against a High Court ruling on the OBC quota and bail pleas linked to the Delhi excise policy scam involving BRS leader K. Kavitha and former AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair.

Maha Vikas Aghadi seat-sharing talks continue In Maharashtra, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance will hold further discussions today on seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming elections. The alliance aims to finalise seat allocations for Maharashtras 288 constituencies, following substantial progress in talks over Mumbais 36 seats.

Also Read | Govt to digitize land acquisition process for coal mines as Net Zero looms

Deadline for J&K election nominations The deadline for filing nomination papers for the first phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir ends today. The three-phase election, scheduled to begin on September 18, will be the first in the Union Territory in a decade. Candidates have until August 30 to withdraw their nominations.

Also Read | Govt to digitize land acquisition process for coal mines as Net Zero looms
Minister of State of Home Affairs and BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday congratulated the Congress and its advocates for securing bail for Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha in now repealed Delhi Excise Policy case, while allegedly trying to link the bail to the Rajya Sabha entry of a "Congressman."

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Union Minister posted, Congratulations to the Congress party and its advocates for securing bail for BRS MLC in the infamous liquor Scam. Your untiring efforts finally yielded fruits.

This bail is a win for both BRS and Congress the BRS leader is out on bail & the Congressman gets to Rajya Sabha.

Remarkable political acumen by KCR in supporting the candidate, who initially argued for the bail, to be nominated to Rajya Sabha unopposed by the ruling Congress.

Congratulations to the partners in crime who wine & dine.

Calling the grand old party and BRS "partners in crime" who "wine and dine", the BJP leader said former Telangana Chief Minister KCR showed "remarkable political acumen" in supporting the Congress candidate, who initially argued for the bail, to the Rajya Sabha unopposed.

KTR Reaction The Union minister's jab did not go down well with BRS, party's working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) hit back requesting the Supreme Court to initiate contempt case the minister.

Youre a union minister incharge of Home Affairs & casting aspersions on Supreme Court !! Highly unbecoming of your position. I respectfully urge the Honble Chief Justice of India & the respected Supreme Court to take cognisance of these comments and initiate contempt proceedings, KTR posted on X.
New Delhi: The health ministry has created a national portal to seek suggestions on the safety, working conditions and well-being of medical professionals in medical colleges and hospitals.

The suggestions will be collated for consideration of the National Task Force (NTF) which was set up on 20 August on the directions of the Supreme Court in view of Kolkata doctor rape and murder case. The incident sparked huge outrage in the medical community who have demanded security at the workplace.

The first meeting of the NTF held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Cabinet secretary.

There was elaborate and detailed discussion on various issues by the NTF members. The members also put forth their suggestions. The members informed that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions. A national portal has been created by the health ministry for seeking suggestions from individuals and different stakeholders across the country. It is operational as of today, said the health ministry in a statement.

Also read | Health ministry preparing new Mpox advisory as a deadlier strain spreads

A second round of meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss short-term measures for the security of medical professionals working with state governments. The meeting will be co-chaired by the Union home secretary and health secretary.

The ministry has directed state governments to provide information on the security measures available in medical institutions.

The NTF must submit an interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.

The Supreme Court, highlighting poor safety standards in medical establishments in an order last week, said that medical professionals who are posted for night-duty are not provided adequate resting spaces.

More often, doctors rest in the patients room or in available public spaces. Duty rooms are scant. Separate duty rooms for male and female medical professionals are conspicuous by their absence in most health care establishments.

Also read | Health ministry orders enhanced security in central hospitals after Kolkata tragedy
Chatra Samaj, a newly-formed students' organisation, has organised a march to the state secretariat, known as the 'Nabanna Abhijan,' to demand justice for the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar hospital. In addition to seeking justice for the victim, the group has also called for the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, holding her accountable for what they view as the government's failure to protect citizens and ensure justice.

Here are 10 points you need to know 1. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Kolkata police have labeled the proposed 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally as "illegal," describing it as an attempt to provoke widespread unrest in the state.

2. Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar, stated that the application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold the rally was rejected due to the group's failure to seek formal permission and provide adequate details. "They had announced through social media and the press that they will be undertaking a program called Nabanno Abhiyaan on 27th August, but they did not seek permission, which is a mandatory requirement as far as the High Court directives," he said as quoted by ANI.

3. On this, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said, What right does the police have to call it legal or illegal? In a democratic country, anyone can protest. The Supreme Court has also said that if a peaceful protest or march is taken out the police cannot hinder it...

Also Read | CBI raids 15 sites linked to ex-RG Kar hospital principal in corruption case

4. In light of the potential disruption to normal life due to the protest march, several educational institutions have opted to either conduct online classes today or declare a holiday, as reported by PTI.

5. While speaking to reporters at Nabanna, ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma disclosed that the police have obtained reliable intelligence indicating that miscreants may try to infiltrate the protestors with the intention of provoking widespread violence and disorder during the rally. In response, the government has already enforced prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS around Nabanna, restricting the gathering of five or more people, PTI has reported.

Also Read | Kolkata doctor rape case: SIT submits RG Kar financial documents to CBI

6. Over 6,000 police officers will be assigned to ensure law and order, with 19 locations designated for barricades, according to a senior official speaking to NDTV. Additionally, approximately 26 Deputy Commissioners of Police will be stationed at different points.

7. TMC on the other hand has called the rally a conspiracy to cause chaos on the streets, the party also released a couple of purported videos of BJP leaders from Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district planning to incite violence at the rally. The party also alleged that no student body would jeopardise the future of students by staging a protest on the very day they are scheduled to appear for an examination. Under the banner of 'Chhatro Samaj,' BJP hijacked 'Nabanna Abhiyan,' filling it with anti-social elements to incite violence.

8. Chatra Samaj has assured that their planned march to the state secretariat will not disrupt UGC-NET candidates, as the exam is scheduled in two shifts. The UGC-NET will be conducted in two sessions i.e. from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

9. Chatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri said, "Our non-violent democratic protest will not affect the candidates. Since the exams will be held in two sessions, the candidates will hopefully not face any difficulty if they appear in the first session," as quoted by PTI.

10. In a post on X, the Kolkata Police said, We have ensured adequate police presence on the roads so that no UGC-NET candidate has difficulty reaching their examination centre. In case of any emergency, candidates are requested to seek help from the nearest police personnel, or contact the nearest police station.
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesias election commission issued new rules that effectively end any remaining chance for President Joko Widodos youngest son to run in Novembers regional elections, the prospect of which contributed to widespread protests last week.

The regulations, published late Sunday, are in line with an Aug. 20 Constitutional Court ruling that rejected a petition to ease a rule that candidates be aged at least 30 at the time of nomination. They also ensure smaller parties can run in the regional election.

Jakarta and other major cities were rocked by protests last Thursday after lawmakers tried to overturn the Constitutional Court ruling, in an apparent bid to let Jokowis youngest son seek office this year. Legislators retreated after tens of thousands of people took to the streets, but there were smaller demonstrations outside the election commission on Friday and Sunday.

The protests showed Indonesians are becoming uncomfortable with the revival of political dynasties. Jokowis oldest son will become vice president in November thanks to a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling, overseen by the presidents brother-in-law, that eased age requirements and allowed him to be President-elect Prabowo Subiantos running mate.

Prabowo, who was himself the son-in-law of former dictator Suharto, on Saturday denounced politicians with an endless thirst for power, the Jakarta Post reported, citing a speech in Jakarta.

The president-elect didnt name anyone, and also guaranteed he would not intervene in the regional elections.

Sundays rules, announced after the commission secured approval from parliament, effectively block Kaesang Pangarep, Jokowis youngest son, from joining the regional election when candidate registration begins on Tuesday. He had been expected to run for deputy governor of Central Java, one of the countrys most populous provinces.

The rules potentially also allow Anies Baswedan, a prominent critic of the president, to seek the governorship of Jakarta. Some critics argued that parliaments move to revise election laws last week were also aimed at preventing Anies, the citys former governor and a front-runner in opinion polls, from running.

(Corrects spelling of Jokowis name in the seventh paragraph)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Adds details from prepared remarks in paragraph 3 - 7)

By Savyata Mishra

Aug 27 (Reuters) - Nordstrom posted a second-quarter profit that topped estimates on Tuesday, with sales propped up by its crucial Anniversary Sale event, sending its shares up nearly 6% after the bell.

The upmarket department store chain also slightly revised its annual comparable sales forecast, raising the lower end to a range of flat to 2% growth, up from its previous projection of a 1% decline to 2% growth.

The Seattle, Washington-based company is attempting to revitalize its business by focusing on high-demand categories like women's apparel to counteract a slowdown in demand and boost its margins.

"Anniversary Sales were driven by newness and fall fashion... including our Nordstrom private brands," President Pete Nordstrom said.

The event, which ran from July 15 through Aug. 4 this year, saw strong demand for sportswear apparel brands including On Holding, New Balance, and Vuori.

Nordstrom said it saw solid demand at the Rack, its off-price brand and will launch 12 additional Rack locations in the country before the holiday shopping season begins.

Affluent shoppers continue to spend, albeit at a slower pace, benefiting apparel chains such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap.

In contrast, rival Macy's

lowered

its annual net sales forecast last week, blaming higher promotions and weaker demand.

Nordstrom's shares have declined approximately 3% over the past month. Analysts cited muted demand during the sale period, with Placer.ai foot traffic data suggesting July was the quarter's weakest month.

The stock is up about 16% this year compared with a roughly 18% rise in the broader S&P 500 index.

Total revenue at the company rose 3.2% to $3.89 billion in the quarter ended Aug. 3, from $3.77 billion a year earlier, almost in line with analysts' average expectation of $3.90 billion, according to LSEG data.
Bengaluru news: A post by a Bengaluru resident about the swift delivery of his laptop has recently gone viral on social media, resulting in an unexpected reward from the e-commerce company Flipkart. Sunny R Gupta shared on X that he received his laptop just 13 minutes after placing the order through Flipkart Minutes. The remarkable speed of the delivery captured widespread attention, Flipkart to surprise him with a special gift (a laptop bag) as a gesture of appreciation for the viral buzz surrounding his post.

On August 25, in a follow-up post, he added that the posts were a genuine reflection of his surprise and excitement, not part of a marketing scheme.

He wrote, I want to emphasise that I had no incentive to create a viral moment or engaging in any marketing ploy. The posts were purely my personal experience, shared out of genuine surprise and excitement"

He also wrote, I wanted to take a moment to address the recent buzz around my posts about receiving a laptop delivery within 13 minutes from Flipkart. I want to clarify that this was not a marketing stunt or a planned promotion. "

"As some of you know, I run a small meetup group called "Impromptu BLR Meetups" here in Bengaluru. During one of our gatherings at Starbucks, I was browsing for a new Windows laptop on Amazon and Flipkart. I stumbled upon a model on Flipkart that fit my budget and requirements, and I noticed a new feature offering delivery within 15 minutes. Intrigued by this option, I decided to try it out, thinking it would be more convenient than waiting a day for a traditional delivery.

Also Read | Meghan Markle will never return to UK and stay with Prince Harrys relatives
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want to reconcile with the Royal Family, according to an insider who spoke to the Mail Online. The couple left their Royal duties in 2020. After that, they spoke out against the Royals in interviews and Harry's book Spare.

An insider who previously worked for the Royals says the couple appears eager to mend their relationship and resolve their differences. It seems quite clear that they are desperate to start healing the rift, the source said.

The source suggests that recent articles in People magazine, a publication often associated with the Sussexes, indicate tension within the Royal Family. These stories mention Harry's distress over his father not taking his calls and imply that his conflict with Prince William might still be fixable.

Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together, Harry told the media after King Charles cancer diagnosis.

Also Read | Meghan Markle will never return to UK and stay with Prince Harrys relatives

At the same time, Harry thinks that Britain poses safety concerns for his family now that the government has stopped providing them with security funded by taxpayers. He still wants to challenge the High Court's decision on this issue.

King ready to forgive According to an insider who spoke to The Sunday Times, several members of the Royal Family are hesitant to have a conversation with Prince Harry.

They fear the Duke might share the conversations in a potential follow-up autobiography, Spare 2. The fear of private discussions being revealed in a future book makes them cautious.
A British royal family reconciliation might be in the works with King Charles mulling a truce with his younger son. The monarch has faith that Prince Harry  who stepped down from duties in 2020 and resides in the US with his family  will make a return. According to reports, King Charles has also sought advice from multiple religious leaders about their tense relationship.

Charles misses his son. He still loves Harry and wants him back for personal reasons  regardless that he and Meghan do not [want to] return to royal life. Harry will always be Charles's much-loved son. He has faith that Harry could return. He misses the bond they once had, and the door will always remain open to him and his family. He does not want years of discord and disharmony clouding his reign, a source told the Daily Mail.

Meanwhile the 75-year-old monarch broke from tradition to offer his "deepest" sympathies to the victims of a devastating knife attack on Tuesday. An attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport had left three young girls dead and ten people injured. The incident also sparked nationwide anti-immigration riots.

The 75-year-old monarch inspected a vast sea of floral tributes laid outside Southport town hall in memory of the victims and met with their families and police liaison officers working with them. Buckingham Palace said he also wanted to thank "frontline emergency staff for their ongoing work serving local people".

Also Read | Prince William, Kate Middleton offer condolences after tragic UK mass stabbing

Charles had earlier been criticised by some for not issuing a public statement on the riots. The monarch traditionally does not comment on anything that could cause political controversy. But in calls with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and police chiefs, the king later said he had been "greatly encouraged" by the reaction "that countered the aggression and criminality from a few with the compassion and resilience of the many".

Also Read | Like Harry, Meghan feels people are unfairly picking on her
Meghan Markle became quite emotional due to the criticism surrounding her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, The Mirror reported. The Duchess of Sussex introduced this venture in March but initially kept the specifics under wraps, leaving fans curious about what it would offer.

In a video filmed at their Montecito mansion, Meghan Markle was shown in the kitchen and around their luxurious property. Reports reveal that she plans to introduce a range of products, including kitchen items, homeware, oils, nut butters, jams, preserves, fragrances and furnishings.

Also Read | Meghan Markle will never return to UK and stay with Prince Harrys relatives

The publication added that Meghans initial excitement around her new brand quickly faded. With no further updates on when American Riviera Orchard would launch, Meghan had to plan a major PR campaign to boost her reputation.

Royal commentator Tom Quinn thinks Meghan likely felt deeply disappointed by the lukewarm response to her brand and the negative feedback about her new jam.

"The one fly in the ointment is Meghans new internet brand, America Riviera Orchard. Meghan was in tears when the brand launched and her new jam was widely mocked for being expensive and nothing special," Quinn said.

"She has reached the point now where she thinks that anything and everything she does will be unfairly criticised. Like her husband, she feels that people are unfairly picking on her - she cannot understand why people dont admire her work," he added.

According to Quinn, Meghan wasn't ready to handle criticism over American Riviera Orchard. Meghan is particularly sensitive about her lavish lifestyle in the US, believing it should be praised rather than judged, the Royal Family commentator said.

Meghan Markle's major publicity campaign Reports suggest that Prince Harrys wife is gearing up for a major publicity campaign ahead of the launch of American Riviera Orchard.

The Duchess plans to boost her brand's visibility by appearing on various talk shows, podcasts and interviews with chosen journalists.
Thousands joined a protest march on Tuesday demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amid furore over the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor. Members of the ruling TMC however insisted that the Nabanna Abhiyan was a BJP-engineered fiasco to destabilise the state.

Make no mistake, this isn't a protest for justice, it's chaos orchestrated by BJP  hired goons running amok, smashing barricades and attacking on-duty police officers. This is a deliberate plot to incite unrest and destabilise Bengal! read an X post on the TMC handle.

The brutal truth about Nabanna Abhiyan? Its a BJP-engineered fiasco designed to exploit tragedy for political gain. BJP's goons, who admitted to creating unrest with dead bodies, are now attacking on-duty police officers. This isnt a protest; its ANARCHY! added MLA and actor Bratya Basu.

Visuals shared by the party

The Trinamool Congress also released videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district planning to provoke violence. The individuals shown in the videos have since been detained for questioning.

The agitation came a day after Supratim Sarkar  the Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata  said they have rejected an application by the Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj for such an event. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. The state police have termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

The unregistered student group however opted to move ahead with its rally on Tuesday. The protest is also helmed by the Sangrami Joutha Mancha  which represents state government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

Governor CV Ananda Bose had urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.
Amid heavy rains in Gujarat, a man from Mumbai who had boarded the Tejas Express to Ahmedabad has shared his horrific experience during his journey. In a post on X, a user named with the username peeleraja boarded Tejas Express train no 82901 from Mumbai Central and said that the train was expected to reach Ahmedabad Junction by 10:15 pm, but it was unexpectedly canceled without any official communication at Vadodara.

Also Read | Gujarat rains: Western Railway cancels 12 trains following waterlogging

Dear all. I am on the Tejas Express 82901. Got on at Mumbai Central at 1545 and should have reached Ahmedabad Junction at 2215. Due to rain, the train has been canceled at Vadodara. No official intimation. Just AC switched off. While rain has affected service, the Vande Bharat, which ran parallel to us, has reached Ahmedabad. We are left to our devices. Vadodara is flooded. There is nowhere to go. There are senior citizens and kids on this train. If the Vande Bharat can go from Vadodara to Ahmedabad, why cant other trains?

He further added the situation worsened when the air conditioning was abruptly turned off, leaving passengers, including senior citizens and children, in uncomfortable conditions. In his post, he also expressed his frustration, noting that while the Tejas Express was stranded, the Vande Bharat train, which was running parallel, managed to reach Ahmedabad without issue.

No official has come to address us. They have just switched off the ac and left, hoping we crawl out in suffocation. Some people have managed to open the auto closing door and block it open so we can breathe. Some passengers gheraoed some officers and they agreed to take us to Ahmedabad. People are back and ACs on but people of other canceled trains have also boarded. Right now i just hope we reach Ahmedabad. We hear reports of preferential treatment to Vande Bharat at the exoense if other trains, but I saw it first hand today. Posting this to let you know how the railways and IRCTC work, the passenger wrote.

The passenger added that it is understood that technical faults can occur, but he added that the way they were treated by the railway authorities angered them.

Faults can happen. My biggest anger was the way we were treated. They literally tried to smoke us out of the compartment by turning off the air source (AC). Also if the fault was so severe, how did the Vande Bharat reach Ahmedabad? Are other passengers lesser humans than Vande Bharat passengers? PS. As of now our train is full and AC is on but not yet moved out of Vadodara Junction.

In his last post, he wrote, 0612. Everyone was suddenly told to board another train to Ahmedabad. Mad rush. Boarded. Lets see now.

His post went viral on social media and many user commented. One said, Vande Bharat is a lightweight train with latest technology, so light that even cows can damage it. Being lightweight, it can float in water, other trains cannot. So book Vande Bharat during rainy season next time.
Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his relationship with US Ambassador Ken Salazar is on pause after criticism of his planned judicial overhaul, although he wont ask the official to leave the country.

Salazar warned last week that Lopez Obradors efforts to pass a reform plan that would require popular election of federal judges posed a major risk to Mexicos democracy and would make it easier for drug cartels to infiltrate the judiciary.

The relationship is good, but it is on pause since he stated that, Lopez Obrador said Tuesday during his daily news conference.

AMLO, as the president is known, said his relationship with Canadas ambassador is also on pause, after the official raised investor concerns about the reform plan last week.

He later clarified that the pause is in his relationship with both embassies and does not apply to the US and Canadian governments as a whole.

The president has characterized his reform plan, which advanced out of a key committee in Mexicos Congress on Monday, as a way to root out corruption in the judiciary. But the opposition and investors have raised concerns that it will undermine judicial independence and erode checks on the ruling partys power.

A spokesperson for AMLO did not immediately respond to a request for comment about what the pause meant for overall relations between the governments. The US and Canadian embassies declined to comment.

AMLO, who had previously called Salazar disrespectful, said he hoped the US government would issue a statement rectifying his comments about the planned overhaul.

The US and Canada, he said, have to learn to respect Mexicos sovereignty.

With assistance from Maya Averbuch.
Billionaires with an eye on their legacy rarely do things on a small scale.

Take Australias fifth-richest person, Mike Cannon-Brookes. The Atlassian Corp. co-founder wants to spend A$30 billion building the worlds largest renewable energy export project, SunCable. Those plans moved a step closer to realization last week, when Canberra gave environmental approvals for the 4 gigawatt solar farm in the remote Northern Territory.

You cant fault the scale of Cannon-Brookess ambitions. SunCable could generate about four times more electricity than the Northern Territory currently consumes. Excess power would flow 4,300 kilometers through the worlds longest and deepest undersea power cable, to provide about 15% of Singapores electricity.

Still, there are better ways to tackle the problems of Asias fossil-fuel dependency  and $700 million spent in the right place could achieve far more. Heres how.

As weve written, the engineering challenges involved in laying SunCables undersea cable will likely mean it never gets built. Whats more, in the time it has been in development, Singapore has switched from being a laggard on renewables to a serious mover, with ambitions to import its own 4.2GW from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, significantly more than the 1.75GW SunCable is offering.

At the same time, the biggest energy export project underway in Australias far north right now doesnt involve solar power, but liquefied natural gas: Woodside Energy Group Ltd.s $12.5 billion offshore Scarborough project, 2,000 kilometers to the west. Its unlikely that would be going ahead without demand from Japan, which buys about a third of Australias gas exports.

Billionaires with a taste for green-tinged investments should be spying an opportunity. One reason for Japans ongoing fossil fuel demand is that its monopolistic regional power companies are institutionally hostile to renewables.

State and utility cash is being wasted on ammonia co-firing, a boondoggle that will prolong the lives of coal plants at considerable expense and little environmental benefit. Most hopes for Japans decarbonization hinge on population decline and crossing fingers that 13 years of institutional roadblocks to restarting nuclear power will suddenly disappear. The energy security risks of being dependent on daily fuel shipments through a potential flashpoint for a great power naval war are forgotten. At a time when installations are booming almost everywhere else, clean power developments are grinding to a halt.

One way to break this hidebound status quo would be for activist shareholders to change the market from the inside. Cannon-Brookes has form here: In 2022, he took a 10% stake in Australias biggest polluter, utility AGL Energy Ltd., and pushed it toward a more rapid decarbonization plan. That shake-up succeeded, and his investment is now worth about 29% more than he paid for it.

Such campaigns, once a rarity in Japan, have boomed in recent years, with investors demanding change at such storied names as Sumitomo Corp., SoftBank Group Corp., Sony Corp., and Seven & i Holdings Ltd.

What could such a bid look like? For $703 million  only a little more than the roughly $600 million value of Cannon-Brookess dividends from AGL, plus the stake itself  he could buy 5% each of Electric Power Development Co., or J-Power; Kyushu Electric Power Co.; Hokkaido Electric Power Co.; and Tohoku Electric Power Co. That would give him a say in the utilities that cover Japans renewables-rich, low-population density north and south, plus J-Powers transmissions infrastructure, which can deliver electricity to the urbanized center of the country.

The biggest risk of such a campaign is getting stymied by the institutional inertia it is meant to shake up. The government, plus the larger utilities in the Tokyo, Chubu and Kansai regions, might quite reasonably see it as an attempt to force a change in their policies.

A law passed in 2020 tightened oversight of foreign investment in key infrastructure. Though it appears to have mainly been targeted at Chinese state-owned companies, its scope is broad enough that it could be used as a poison pill. The law wasnt invoked, however, to block Palliser Capitals recent attempt to make the owner of the Narita airport express reduce its indirect stake in Tokyo Disneyland. Cannon-Brookes might hope for a similarly laissez-faire attitude.

Even a failed activist campaign might make sense as a financial investment. All four companies can be bought at a discount to book value, have ample interest coverage, and boast free cashflow yields and returns on equity sufficient to make any shareholder salivate. Cannon-Brookes could cash out 12 months hence, and plow the money back into other decarbonization projects, glad to have at least stirred up Japans energy debate in the meantime.

That would make far more sense than dropping more money on SunCables undersea transmission line. Because of its far greater size, reducing Japans carbon footprint by 10% would have a similar effect, in climate terms, to cutting Singapores carbon pollution in half. For a billionaire with a mission to prevent climate change, Greened the energy policy of the worlds fourth-biggest economy would make a hell of an epitaph.

More from Bloomberg Opinion:

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

David Fickling is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering climate change and energy. Previously, he worked for Bloomberg News, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

/opinion
By Karen Braun

NERVILLE, Illinois, - Record yields are already predicted for U.S. corn and soybean crops, but some of the estimates, particularly for soybeans, are becoming rather lofty.

Last weeks Pro Farmer Crop Tour confirmed massive pod populations in the soybean fields, though overall corn yields were not the best ever measured.

The annual tour sampled more than 1,600 corn and 1,600 soybean fields this year across seven major U.S. producing states, accounting for 70% of corn production and 63% of soybeans.

Scouts count the number of soybean pods in a three-by-three-foot plot and estimate a rough corn yield in each field.

Interestingly, the tours overall average corn yield was not better than in 2021 when all samples are weighted and combined, and this holds true whether weighting by harvested area, average production levels or number of tour samples.

But average soybean pod counts were up between 4% and 11% over the last four tours after applying weightings.

The 2024 tour corn yield falling short of 2021 may not rule out a record result. August 2021 featured the hottest average Midwestern temperatures for the month since 2010, though this August could be the coolest in several years. Lower August temperatures can help corn kernels grow fatter, increasing yields.

Each year post-tour, Pro Farmer issues production forecasts which incorporate tour data and other factors such as weather.

Pro Farmer on Friday placed U.S. corn yield at 181.1 bushels per acre, below the U.S. Department of Agricultures 183.1 bpa and last years record 177.3.

The advisory firm pegged soybean yield at 54.9 bpa, above USDAs 53.2, last years 50.6, and 2016s record of 51.9 bpa.

The tour results would appear to validate Pro Farmers giant soy yield, but the forecast may not. Last week was dry across the Corn Belt and that trend may continue another week or two, potentially limiting seed size.

KEY OBSERVATIONS

Tour findings supported the huge crop narrative in the I-states, where USDA projects record corn yields and record soy yields for Illinois and Indiana, but not Iowa. The biggest discrepancies were in Minnesota and Ohio.

Minnesota corn yields were the tours worst since 2012, down 9% from last year, though USDA sees yield unchanged on the year. Almost every single corn field in southwestern and south-central Minnesota showed visible wounds from excessive June moisture.

Tour results also clashed with USDA in Ohio, where average corn yield samples were slightly off from last years tour despite USDA pegging yield down 5%.

The tour samples the highest-producing portions of each state but not the whole state, and the non-tour portion of Ohio is struggling. Some 12.5% of the state is in extreme D3 drought per the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly record in data back to 2000.

In Minnesota, the tour results suggest the upper two-thirds of the state, where yields are generally lower, must have earth-shattering results to achieve a state corn yield anywhere close to last year.

The tour soybean results were less controversial versus USDA, though pod counts in Ohio were down 2% on the year while USDA sees the states soy yield rising 2% to a new high. Pod counts were up just 1% on the year in Nebraska, though USDA has yield rebounding 15%.

Scouts found soil moisture in the western states at the best levels in a few years, which could help the soybeans better cling to yield potential amid the dry summer finish.

PRO FARMER VERSUS USDA

Pro Farmer estimating a lower U.S. corn yield than USDA is hardly a surprise as the advisory firm has done so in all but four of the last 20 Augusts .

That is statistically the safer bet since final U.S. corn yield has been lower than USDAs August forecast in 12 of the last 19 years, though record yielding years are often the ones to buck this trend.

Soybeans offer a very interesting scenario. The last five times Pro Farmers August soy yield was equal to or above USDAs , final yield ended at or above whatever USDA had said in August.

Additionally, USDAs September yields came in higher versus August in each of those five years.

The government still has a slight edge on Pro Farmer. USDAs August corn and soybean yields were closer than Pro Farmer to the finals in six of the last 10 years, but not necessarily the same years for each crop. Karen Braun is a market analyst for Reuters. Views expressed above are her own.
The top law enforcement officials in 24 states warned Brown University of financial penalties if the schools trustees vote in favor of a proposal calling for divestment from companies with close ties to Israel.

Some states have begun reviewing pension investment and contracts to determine if Brown has already violated state law by agreeing to allow the October vote, the attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Texas and other states told the universitys trustees in a letter Monday. Approving the measure would have immediate and profound legal consequences, they said.

Adopting that proposal may require our states  and others  to terminate any existing relationships with Brown and those associated with it, divest from any university debt held by state pension plans and other investment vehicles, and otherwise refrain from engaging with Brown, said the group of attorneys general, which was led by Tim Griffin of Arkansas.

The warning underscores the stakes for the Ivy League school, which agreed to consider the demands of pro-Palestinian student activists as part of a deal to clear a protest encampment earlier this year. While school leadership has opposed politicizing the management of Browns more than $6 billion endowment, the university said it would weigh the proposal after a committee makes a recommendation by the end of September.

Brown didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

Colleges across the US have been roiled since Hamass deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the Jewish states retaliation in Gaza. Three Ivy League presidents have resigned and universities have faced allegations of tolerating antisemitism. Several have also been accused of suppressing the speech of pro-Palestinian students and criticized for sending in police to clear protesters.

The vote at Brown is scheduled for an October meeting of the 54-member board of trustees, which is led by Brian Moynihan, chief executive officer of Bank of America Corp.

History Curriculum

One potential point of leverage for state officials is Browns Choices Program, a curriculum about history and current events, which according to the school has a presence in all 50 states and 1 million students worldwide.

An initiative of Browns history department, the program is sold to school districts and for use with professional development workshops. A contract between the university and the Milwaukee public school system, for example, shows a rate of almost $3,000 per month. The Choices program is scheduled to present its curriculum in October at a conference in Georgia, one of the states that signed the letter.

Many university administrators and lawmakers have for years rejected the so-called Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, or BDS, movement against Israel, viewing it as antisemitic because it calls into question the legitimacy of the Jewish state and singles out the policies of one country.

States across the US have passed laws that prohibit discrimination against Israel. In Arkansas, for example, the state cant enter contracts valued at more than $1,000 with a company unless the contract includes a written certification that the person or company isnt engaged with a boycott of Israel  a law that was upheld by a federal appeals court.

Rhode Island, where Brown is based, has its own anti-BDS law on the books. But it wouldnt apply to Brown since its a private university and doesnt receive enough public money to be impactful, said Mia Ackerman, a state lawmaker who introduced the legislation. She said she planned to research legislation that would encompass private entities.

With assistance from Bill Haubert.
Xpeng Inc. is looking for a manufacturing site in Europe, making it the latest Chinese electric-vehicle maker seeking to mitigate the impact of import tariffs by building its cars in the region.

Volkswagen AGs Chinese partner is in the initial stages of selecting a site in the European Union as part of its future plan to localize production, Chief Executive Officer He Xiaopeng said in an interview with Bloomberg in its headquarters in Guangzhou, China, on Thursday.

The company expects to build capacity in areas with relatively low labor risks, He said, adding that Xpeng also plans to set up a large-scale data center in Europe as efficient software collection becomes paramount for cars intelligent driving features.

Xpengs broad plan of going global isnt going to be impacted by higher levies, He maintained, although he noted that some profits from European countries will be reduced after the tariff increase.

Establishing a manufacturing footprint in Europe would see Xpeng join the growing ranks of Chinese EV makers, including BYD Co., Chery Automobile Co. and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.s Zeekr, looking to build out production in the region to minimize the impact of the European Unions decision to increase duties on China-made EVs to as much as 36.3%. Xpeng is set to face an additional tariff of 21.3%. [CHECK!]

Added European levies are just one aspect of a wider global trade dispute. The US has imposed tariffs on Chinese EV imports that can top 100%, as the worlds two biggest economies spar over an industry thats grown rapidly thanks partly to Beijings subsidies.

The trade actions have only added to the challenges facing the 10-year-old company in recent years. Xpeng has also struggled with tepid domestic sales, product planning disputes, and a prolonged price war in the Chinese market. Its share price has more than halved since January.

The carmaker delivered around 50,000 vehicles in the first half, only about one-fifth of BYD Co.s monthly sales. Though its delivery outlook for the current quarter exceeded analysts estimates, its projected revenue fell well short of expectations, according to its latest quarterly report.

One bright spot for Xpeng is its year-old partnership with VW. Hundreds of the German carmakers staff are now working at its headquarters in Guangzhou. Vice president-level managers from both sides meet at least once a week, He said, noting the company is making every effort to ensure the partnership works well.

One example of how the collaboration is benefiting the Chinese company lies in managing complex supply chains. With Volkswagens help, Xpengs gross margin in the second quarter climbed to 14% from negative 3.9% a year ago.

AI Advantage

Xpeng also sees its expertise in artificial intelligence and advanced assisted driving features as helping it make inroads into Europe. Thats one reason why it will have to set up a large-scale data center there before it can introduce those features in the region, He said.

US-listed Xpeng has also invested heavily in AI-related research and development, including its own chips, He said, noting semiconductors will play more of a critical role in intelligent vehicles than battery cells.

Selling a million AI-powered cars per year will be a prerequisite for the companies that finally emerge as the winners in the next 10 years, in which the human driver will maybe touch the steering wheel less than once per day on average on their daily commute, He said. We are going to see companies rolling out such products from 2025, and Xpeng will be among them.
X owner Elon Musk has reaffirmed his commitment to freedom of speech, stating that the social media giant should support all viewpoints within the law of the land, even those with which he disagrees. In a rather unusual appeal, however, Musk said that if freedom of speech isn't upheld on X, people should start yelling at him (ideally on his own platform).

In a post on X on Tuesday, Musk wrote, Just want to reiterate that this platform really is meant to support all viewpoints within the bounds of the laws of countries, even those of people with whom I vehemently disagree and personally dislike. If that doesnt seem to be happening, please yell at me (ideally on ).

Also Read | Telegram CEO arrested: Tech titans raise alarm over free speech in Europe

Musk supports Mark Zuckerberg's claims on censorship: Meanwhile, Elon Musk also recently responded to a claim by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that the current US administration, led by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, had "repeatedly pressured" his company to censor posts related to COVID-19, even those related to humour and satire.

Replying to the allegations made by Zuckerberg, Musk wrote, Sounds like a First Amendment violation. On being prompted by a user on whether Zuckerberg was inspired by Musk, the billionaire wrote, Whatever the reason, its a step in the right direction.

Notably, Zuckerberg and Musk have had a vicious rivalry going especially in the last year or so with Meta launching its Twitter/X rival service called Threads. Meanwhile, Musk threatened to sue Meta for unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property by hiring former Twitter employeeswho had access to company's "trade secrets and other highly confidential information."
A political maverick now serving as Japans minister for digital transformation became the third lawmaker to enter the race for the next prime minister, calling for fiscal restraint and highlighting his experience in various cabinet roles.

Kono Taro, who has also served as foreign minister and defense minister, made the announcement Monday. He joins Shigeru Ishiba, another former defense minister, and Takayuki Kobayashi, a former minister for economic security, as officially declaring their candidacy to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

More announcements are expected this week in what is set to be one of the largest fields of candidates for an LDP presidential election, which is set for Sept. 27. Official campaigning begins Sept. 12. The leader of the LDP is all but assured of becoming prime minister because of the partys dominance in parliament.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida surprised many by saying on Aug. 14 he wouldnt run in the election, ending his term after nearly three years as premier.

Heres a look at some of the contenders to replace Kishida.

Kono Taro, 61

A fluent English speaker who has long been popular with the public and the LDP at large, Kono lost to Kishida in the last party presidential election due to a lack of backing from his parliamentary peers. Yet the fact he is seen as an outsider could prompt the party to turn to him to refurbish its image, which was tarnished by a political fund-raising scandal. Kono has softened his opposition to nuclear power in recent years. He also asks that his name be written in the Japanese style, with family name first.

Key policies:

Shigeru Ishiba, 67

A former defense minister who has made unsuccessful runs for the leadership role before, Ishiba regularly tops the list of politicians voters would like to see as the next premier. But in his last four tries at the top job, he has struggled to garner enough support from his fellow lawmakers to win the leadership race. Declaring his candidacy on Saturday at a shrine in his hometown of Yazu, Tottori prefecture, Ishiba said the upcoming election would be his final battle.

In recent weeks, Ishiba has expressed support for the Bank of Japans normalization of monetary policy. In a book he published in August, he said that if he ever becomes prime minister, that would probably be at a juncture when the LDP and Japan are at an impasse.

Key policies:

Takayuki Kobayashi, 49

Kobayashi is considered part of the younger generation of potential leaders. He is a bit of a long shot to take over in 2024 but by running now he is letting LDP members and voters know he has his eyes set on eventually becoming premier.

The former minister for economic security was a backer of deregulation when he was in the cabinet. He also said Japan must seek a balance between allowing companies and research institutions to work together as needed across borders, while mitigating any side-effects in terms of national security.

Key policies:

Toshimitsu Motegi, 68

A party heavyweight who recently said the BOJ should more clearly show its intention to normalize monetary policy, Motegi is currently the secretary-general of the LDP. A former foreign minister, hes also a Harvard graduate and has a tough guy image within the party. Political analysts say Motegi might be able to replicate the personal relationship formed by late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with Donald Trump if Trump wins the US presidential election in November.

Key policies:

Shinjiro Koizumi, 43

The son of former premier, Shinjiro Koizumi attracted attention in September for surfing off Fukushima in a bid to soothe concerns over safety following the release of treated wastewater from the wrecked nuclear plant nearby. A former environment minister and proponent of renewable energy who attacked government support for coal generation, he made headlines for marrying a well-known TV newscaster and becoming the first serving cabinet minister to take paternity leave. He has largely kept a low profile since telling a 2019 news conference he wanted to make the fight against climate change sexy  a remark seen by many in Japan as a gaffe.

Key policies

Sanae Takaichi, 63

A former heavy metal drummer turned hard-line conservative, Takaichi has cited UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as an inspiration. Though currently serving as minister for economic security, she set up her own study group in November, which raised eyebrows because its seen as a means of gathering support for a leadership challenge. Selecting Takaichi, a frequent visitor to Yasukuni Shrine, which is regarded across the region as a symbol of Japans past militarism, would endanger the countrys recent rapprochement with South Korea and could further sour ties with China. She has advocated more reliance on nuclear power and expressed concerns about environmental damage caused by solar panels.

Key policies:

Katsunobu Kato, 68

The former health minister and chief cabinet secretary is the type of person who could emerge as a compromise candidate. The seven-term lawmaker helped guide Japan through the Covid-19 pandemic, when the country fared better than most of its Group of Seven peers. Kato has not ruffled a lot of feathers in the ruling party, which could work in his favor, while playing key roles under the last three premiers. He worked at the Ministry of Finance before entering politics.

Key policies:

Yoko Kamikawa, 71

Kamikawa, is a Harvard graduate who ran her own consulting firm before going into politics. She said last week she is looking to run, seeking to become Japans first female premier. She is known for her efforts to promote women candidates, which is an uphill battle given that only about 12% of LDP lawmakers are female. Kamikawa has also come under fire from activists for signing off on as many as sixteen executions, including six members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, while serving as the justice minister. Kamikawa is an English speaker.

Key Policies:

Other names listed as possible candidates include current Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, lawmaker Seiko Noda, who previously came up short on her bid to become the countrys first female premier, and Ken Saito, the minister of economy, trade and industry.

With assistance from Isabel Reynolds, Yuki Hagiwara and Brian Fowler.
Namibia has announced plans to cull hundreds of wild animals amid a severe drought across southern Africa. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has earmarked 723 animals  including 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 100 elands, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest and 300 zebras  currently residing in drought-stricken national parks for the grisly project. The meat will be used to feed vulnerable communities.

This will assist in managing the current grazing pressure and water availability by reducing wildlife numbers in some parks where we feel numbers exceed available grazing and water, while also providing much-needed food to vulnerable communities, Bloomberg quoted a statement from the Ministry as explaining last week.

Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in decades, with Namibia having exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations. Nearly half of Namibia's population is expected to experience high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

Also Read | As drought breeds hunger in Guatemala, farming program aims to help

Namibia is currently facing severe drought conditions, straining agriculture and conservation. The semi-arid nation declared a state of emergency in May with nearly half of its 3 million people facing severe food insecurity.

The environmental ministry expects human-wildlife conflicts to increase amid such a severe drought if authorities do not intervene. One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and companies contracted by the government, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.

The sparsely-populated nation will take animals from the Namib Naukluft Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park and Nkasa Rupara National Park.

Also Read | India calls for united African stance on WTO reforms and key global issues

More than 200,000 elephants are estimated to live in a conservation area spread over five southern African countries - Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia - making the region home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide. Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year because of drought.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Russian President Putin and shared his inputs from his recent visit to Ukraine and said that India is committed to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict with Ukraine. The phone call came after Modi paid a high-profile visit to Kyiv last week during which he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace.

Later taking to X (previously Twitter), PM Modi said, Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Meanwhile, Kremlin without providing immediate details also said Putin had a phone call on Tuesday with PM Modi.

Modi speaks to Biden Modi had on Monday briefed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Ukraine and conveyed India's full support for the early return of peace to the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

A statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Modi briefed Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. "While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine," it said.

"Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability," Modi later said on X.

The prime minister's visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.
Russia battered much of Ukraine on Monday, firing scores of missiles and drones that killed four people, injured more than a dozen and damaged energy facilities in attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as vile.

The barrage of over 100 missiles and a similar number of drones began around midnight and continued through daybreak in what appeared to be Russias biggest onslaught in weeks.

Ukraines air force said swarms of Russian drones fired at eastern, northern, southern, and central regions were followed by volleys of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Also Read: Missile barrage on Ukraine prompts calls to lift curbs on striking inside Russia

Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said, adding that most of the country was targeted  from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and the west.

Explosions were heard in the capital of Kyiv. Power and water supplies in the city were disrupted by the attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions  more than half the country.

The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists," Shmyhal said, adding that the state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilize the system.

He urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched," Shmyhal said. "We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.

U.S. President Joe Biden called the Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had re-prioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. He also said the U.S. was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraines military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

At least four people were killed  one in the western city of Lutsk, one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, one in Zhytomyr in the country's center, and one in the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, local officials said. Thirteen others were wounded  one in the Kyiv region that surrounds the capital, five in Lutsk, three in the southern Mykolaiv region and four in the neighboring Odesa region.

Blackouts and damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were reported from the region of Sumy in the east, to the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions in the south, to the region of Rivne in the west.

In Sumy, a province in the east that borders Russia, local administration said that 194 settlements lost power, while 19 others had a partial blackout.

The private energy company DTEK introduced emergency blackouts, saying in a statement that energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians.

In the wake of the barrage and the power cuts, officials across Ukraine were ordered to open points of invincibility  shelter-type places where people can charge their phones and other devices and get refreshments during blackouts, Shmyhal said. Such points were first opened in the fall of 2022, when Russia targeted Ukraines energy infrastructure with weekly barrages.

In neighbouring Poland, the military said Polish and NATO air defences were activated in the eastern part of the country as a result of the attack.

In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack overnight.

Four people were injured in the central region of Saratov, where drones hit residential buildings in two cities. One drone struck a residential high-rise in the city of Saratov, and another hit a residential building in the city of Engels, home to a military airfield that had been attacked before, local officials said.

Russias Defense Ministry said a total of 22 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight and in the morning over eight provinces, including the Saratov and Yaroslavl regions in central Russia.

Russia also said its troops had fended off Ukrainian attempts to advance on half a dozen settlements in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion on Aug. 6 that caught Russia off-guard.
The US special counsel investigating Donald Trump is pressing ahead with prosecuting the former president on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election after facing a recent setback from the US Supreme Court.

Special Counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday filed an updated indictment that removes several pages of allegations following the high courts blockbuster decision finding Trump at least partially immune from prosecution related to his official acts as president. Smith has decided against pursuing a major court hearing to present evidence before the Nov. 5 election.

The new indictment cuts certain claims related to Trumps communications with government officials  including the section alleging he tried to involve the Justice Department  but features the same four charges accusing him of conspiring to reverse his election loss to President Joe Biden.

The action by a new federal grand jury in Washington comes less than three months before the presidential election, as Trump makes another run for the White House. The move from Smiths office is expected to kick off a fresh round of legal wrangling between prosecutors and Trumps lawyers over whether the updated indictment can survive under the Supreme Courts more expansive definition of presidential immunity from criminal charges.

It wasnt immediately clear how quickly US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who has been overseeing the election case, would move to the next phase of the proceedings. In a notice filed with Chutkan on Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said the revised indictment reflects the governments efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings.

A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The parties are set to file a report with Chutkan later this week with proposals for next steps in the case.

Trump will have to be arraigned again on the new indictment, but prosecutors said they wouldnt oppose him not appearing in person to do so.

Clark, Pence

The updated indictment removes one of the six unindicted co-conspirators who wasnt named, but whose description matched former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark. It also has a new line noting that the remaining five co-conspirators were not government officials and were acting in a private capacity. An attorney for Clark did not immediately return a request for comment.

The indictment still includes an allegation about efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to intervene on his behalf and stop or delay Congress from certifying Bidens win. The justices had suggested Trump might have immunity from that allegation.

Other changes were more subtle. Smith attempts to shift the focus away from Trumps role as president at the time. The original indictment began by describing Trump as the forty-fifth President of the United States and a candidate for reelection in 2020. The new indictment moves down the reference to his position, describing him first only as a candidate for office at the time. A later paragraph has new language calling him a candidate and a citizen.

The updated indictment also cut paragraphs that referenced high-ranking government officials and White House lawyers who repeatedly told Trump that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

To prove that Trump knew the fraud claims were false, prosecutors kept in references to statements made by his campaign staff and state officials and rulings from dozens of state and federal courts rejecting challenges to the vote counts in swing states.

The indictment also still features allegations related to the slates of pro-Trump electors in swing states who signed certifications falsely certifying him as the winner and what prosecutors described as Trumps efforts to exploit the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.

As Smith presses ahead with the case in Washington, his team is separately fighting to revive a separate indictment in federal court in Florida accusing Trump of illegally keeping classified documents and obstruction. Trump is also facing state charges in Georgia related to the 2020 election, but that case has been on hold amid a controversy over the district attorneys conduct.

Meanwhile, Trump is due to be sentenced Sept. 18 in Manhattan in his hush money criminal case. Justice Juan Merchan is expected to rule soon on a last-ditch request by Trump to delay sentencing until after the election, in part because he wants more time to press his argument that the trial was tainted by testimony and other evidence that wouldnt have been allowed under the Supreme Courts new immunity standard.

With assistance from Erik Larson and Stephanie Lai.
Protests against sexual violence have taken place across India to demand more protection for women, helping raise much-needed awareness about an epidemic of rape.

But to tackle the pervasive culture of misogyny in a society thats still fiercely patriarchal, reform needs to start with the top echelons of institutions, such as the courts and police force.

It wont be easy to address norms that have been in place for centuries. While education and better policies can help, more women need to be elected and appointed to top jobs, both in politics and the corporate world (scores for womens representation in ministerial positions at 6.9% and in parliament at 17.2% remain relatively low, according to the WEFs Global Gender Gap report for 2024).

Instituting change from within these largely male bastions of power will help to improve Indias reputation at a time when foreign investors are looking closely at the economic powerhouse.

The brutal act that prompted the protest marches was the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor on 9 August at a government hospital in Kolkata.

It was reminiscent of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a New Delhi bus. Back then, massive demonstrations occurred across the nation and a commission was set up to reconsider laws on sexual crimes.

The government passed tougher laws on rape, including the death penalty for repeat offenders. The legislation also provided for jail terms for police officers who fail to record an initial complaint lodged by an assaulted woman.

The policy changes were an improvement and recognize that lawmakers must act. But it didnt stop violence against women. In fact, its getting worse.

In 2022, 445,256 cases of crime against women were registered, around 32,000 of them rapes, up from about 28,000 in 2020. In 2011, a woman was raped every 20 minutes, according to government data. That rose to about every 16 minutes by 2021.

India is not the only country with a patriarchal culture that favours men. However, it is one where it seems that those in power have been turning a blind eye to violence against women for too long.

A report from the National Crime Records Bureau has categories including Murder With Rape/Gang Rape, Dowry Deaths, Abetment to Suicide of Women, Acid Attack and Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives.

Despite economic advances, the picture for women isnt improving. India ranked 129 out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index 2024. Nine-in-10 Indians agree with the notion that a wife must always obey her husband, including nearly two-thirds who completely agree with this sentiment, according to a 2022 survey by Pew Research Center.

It all starts at home. Families tend to place a higher value on sons than daughters, because of a perception that they can help to financially support parents in old age, although many working women do this too. Then theres the matter of dowries for brides. Despite being outlawed since 1961, they are still prevalent, even among the educated middle class.

Passing new laws wont address these issues because of inherent flaws within the system. Law enforcement personnel are misogynistic and overburdenedthey neither have the will nor the capacity to help women," Poulami Roychowdhury, associate professor of sociology at Brown University, told me.

Policymakers need to implement police reforms and add judges to the benches, and make public spaces like hospitals, schools and other institutions where women are at risk, safer."

The judicial system is notoriously backlogged. For many women, this adds to the stigma of reporting a sexual assault, because of the long delay they face in getting any form of justice.

The largely male police force must also changewomen make up just under 11%. In 2022, the India Justice Report said itd take 24 years to reach the police target of 33% female representation.

Given a society that has long adhered to deeply ingrained views on the roles of men and women, it is not surprising that men are disproportionately represented in government and corporate positions of power.

That makes it an uphill battle and a missed opportunity to acknowledge the value that women contribute to business. India could increase GDP by $770 billion by 2025 if it gets more women to work and boost equality, McKinsey Global Institute estimated. The female contribution to GDP is 18%, one of the worlds lowest, reflecting the fact that women make up only 25% of the labour force.

People power has brought attention to the plight of women in India, but for meaningful change, policymakers need to reform the institutions that can directly improve the lives of half the population. Women in the worlds largest democracy deserve that. bloomberg
We are witnessing the birth of a remarkable new discipline called synthetic biology, a brand new field of study that leverages advances in genetic engineering and bio-computing to develop new biological systems that have been designed to perform specific functions.

According to Boston Consulting Group, synthetic biology will, by the end of the decade, account for more than a third of global outputnearly $30 trillion in value.

This will force businesses in sectors as diverse as health and beauty, fashion and textiles, food and agriculture, and mining and construction to come to terms with such significant disruption that it could upend the ways in which they have traditionally functioned.

There are a number of different applications to which synthetic biology is being put. In the fashion industry, it has allowed us to experiment with a wide range of new fabrics and materials.

Also read: How biodiversity management can help in conserving environment

Fashion brands like Hermes have already started using mycelium (the root structures of mushrooms) to create pliable new substances to substitute the leather that is usually used to make bags.

Others have genetically engineered yeast to produce modified forms of collagen that produce new fabrics with improved strength, stretchability and durability and which can be designed with specific requirements, such as tear resistance or thickness, in mind.

In a previous article, I wrote about how we should soon be able to produce artificial meat at scale, significantly reducing the environmental impact of our current industrial approach to animal husbandry.

We can similarly engineer microbial products to directly convert nitrogen from the air. This means all we need to do is introduce these microbes into the soil and we will be able to significantly reduce our dependence on artificial fertilizers.

In the mining industry, advances in synthetic biology now offer more environment-friendly ways to extract valuable metals like copper, uranium and gold from the ore mined from the ground.

Instead of using chemicals like cyanide to extract the required metals from their ores (generating toxic effluents and vast quantities of waste), by deploying genetically engineered micro-organisms to bio-leach the ore, we could significantly lower the operating costs of mining and also improve the sectors yields.

Despite the progress we have witnessed so far, the continued growth of synthetic biology will be highly dependent on the availability of data. So as to design new biological pathways, researchers need access to data on protein structures and their interactions, as well as computational models of biological pathways and genetic regulation, but above all, access to bioinformatic resources that will allow them to advance their research.

Much of this data resides in the biological resources of 17 mega-diverse countries, those with exceptional biodiversity: high levels of endemism and diversity of species and ecosystems, i.e., plus significant ecological processes and functions.

Since almost all mega-diverse countries have in the past suffered the depredations of colonial aggrandisement, they consider their genetic resources to be national assets whose benefits must be adequately secured, so that they can be utilized for their own benefit.

This has given rise to the notion of genetic sovereigntythat local populations should have the sole right to determine how the commercial and scientific value of their unique genetic profiles should be realized.

These fears are not unfounded. It is likely that wealthy nations and corporations that currently control almost all cutting edge research in the field will stand to benefit the most from progress in this field, while its environmental and economic risks will likely impact vulnerable populations disproportionately.

We must address these concerns even as we find ways to unlock the potential of all that synthetic biology has to offer. Progress must be made in an equitable way that benefits all.

To that end, we should put in place measures that will ensure clear communication on the scope of synthetic biology activities, so that the public is kept well informed of possible outcomes, both positive and negative.

We need to ensure accountability so that all organizations involved in the fields research and development (R&D) can be held responsible for the societal and environmental outcomes of their activities.

Above all, we need to ensure effective engagement across a broad range of stakeholders so that decisions made in this field can be informed through a plurality of viewpoints and contexts.

The Convention on Biological Diversity and subsequent Nagoya Protocol have already put in place legal frameworks around which benefits arising from non-human genetic resources could be shared.

In response, several countries have established access- and benefit-sharing agreements so that the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge can serve common purposes.

Others have adopted measures that value their genetic heritage and traditional knowledge appropriately in order to make way for their future use.

Given that India is one of the worlds 17 mega-diverse countries, it is critical that we actively engage with developments in the sector so that we can ensure that our rich biodiversity resources are harnessed for the global good. But above all, we need to encourage R&D investments in this sector so that we can benefit from the diversity we have been blessed with.
WASHINGTONMeta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told a House panel that he decided to stop contributions to help local governments administer elections in an effort to avoid claims of political bias, after such spending in the 2020 election set off alarms among Republicans.

Zuckerberg also said he wished the company had been more vocal about pushing back against pressure from the Biden administration to restrict some Covid-19 related content.

The billionaire Facebook founder and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated more than $400 million to nonprofits to help conduct elections during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

While many localities said the money was a lifeline helping them register voters, set up socially-distanced voting booths and provide equipment to sort mail-in ballots, among other uses, Republicans said that the money, which they dubbed Zuckerbucks," unfairly benefited Democratic areas. More than two dozen mostly Republican-leaning states have now banned, limited or regulated the use of private funds to manage elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Despite the analysis Ive seen showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefited one party over the other," Zuckerberg wrote in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal. My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or anotheror to even appear to be playing a role. So I dont plan on making a similar contribution this cycle."

Jordan has been targeting tech giants in general and Zuckerberg in particular over what he alleges is censoring of conservative views. Last year, he threatened a vote on holding Zuckerberg in contempt over failing to turn over internal company documents. That document request was connected to decisions by Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, over when and whether to ban accounts or suppress posts.

Republicans had alleged that the companys content-moderation decisions effectively censored information that was meaningful to Republicans. Many Democrats see social-media companies as too lax in fighting what they view as hate speech and other harmful content.

In his letter to Jordan, Zuckerberg said that Meta shouldnt have demoted" a New York Post story about President Bidens son Hunter Biden ahead of the 2020 election. The Post said at the time that its reporting was based on email exchanges between the two Bidens that were provided by allies of President Donald Trump, who in turn said they received them from a computer-repair person who found them on a laptop. At the time, dozens of former intelligence officials signed a letter that then-candidate Biden cited in a presidential debate saying that the release of the emails had all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."

Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story," Zuckerberg wrote.

Zuckerberg also said that in 2021, senior officials from the Biden administration, including from the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain Covid-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree." At the time, Facebooks publicly stated goal was to push millions of people toward Covid-19 vaccines. In his letter, Zuckerberg didnt indicate whether he had changed his mind about that goal or whether he simply felt that the Biden administration had gone too far.

The Supreme Court in June rejected a lawsuit filed by two GOP-led states alleging that Biden administration officials unlawfully pressured social-media platforms to remove content flagged as disinformation. The court ruled that neither the states, nor the several individuals who also sued, could show that restriction of their speech online was a result of pressure from government officials on social-media companies.

Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including Covid-19 related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of all of this pressure," Zuckerberg wrote. I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it," he said.

At the time, Democrats were concerned that social-media companies were serving as platforms for misinformation about the vaccine.

Mariah Timms contributed to this article.

Write to Siobhan Hughes at Siobhan.hughes@wsj.com
Since the time Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014, there have been many theories to what must have happned with the plane. The Malaysia Airlines jet vanished on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 people -- mostly from China -- en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. No trace of the plane was found in the 120,000-square-kilometre (46,000-square-mile) search area of the Indian Ocean, leading to the suspension of the Australian-led searchthe largest in aviation historyin January 2017.

Also Read | Flood of fake science forces multiple journal closures

Now, a Scientist from Australia's Tasmania has said that he believes he has figured out where the plane is. In a post, titled, Mystery of MH370 Solved by Science, the scientist from University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies believed MH370 to be located where the longitude of Penang airport intersects with a flight path from the Pilot-in-Command's home simulator. He claimed that this track was previously dismissed as "irrelevant" by the FBI and other officials.

This site is situated in a deep 6,000-meter trench at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge in the Southern Indian Ocean, an area characterised by its rugged and difficult underwater landscape," he said.

In his post, he added, That location needs to be verified as a high priority. Whether it will be searched or not is up to officials and search companies, but as far as science is concerned, we know why the previous searches failed and likewise science unmistakably points to where MH370 lies. In short, the MH370 mystery has been comprehensively solved in science!
The woolly mammoths of Wrangel island were survivors. Trapped on a hunk of rock in the Arctic Ocean after rising sea levels cut them off from present-day Siberia, they were the last of their species to go extinct. Palaeontology textbooks have explained their eventual demise around 4,000 years ago as a classic case of extinction through inbreeding, in which severely damaging genetic mutations spread through an isolated population and kill it off. New work published in Cell , a journal, on June 27th reveals that the textbooks are wrong.

Genetic diversity can be thought of as an insurance policy for a species. If there are enough unrelated individuals in a population, there is a good chance that one will possess a heritable trait capable of protecting it from a novel threat. So long as that individual is capable of passing that trait on to its offspring, the species can avoid extinction. When small isolated populations are forced to breed with one another over multiple generations, however, harmful mutations become inescapably concentrated. Known as mutational meltdown, this phenomenon has the power to wipe out entire populations.

Love Dalen and Marianne Dehasqueat at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Sweden were curious to know if the Wrangel island mammoths experienced mutational meltdown. Since Wrangel island is dry and bitterly cold for most of the year, the remains of woolly mammoths excavated there have often been very well preserved. Even DNA, which degrades quickly in warm climates, can be collected from these specimens. This made it possible for Dr Dalens team to study the genetics of 14 mammoths that had become trapped on the island. They then compared the genetics of these animals with those of seven individuals that were alive in the region before sea levels rose and cut the population off.

Some mammoths from the isolated population died as recently as 4,333 years ago. Others perished 9,219 years ago, about 800 years after Wrangel island became isolated. Similarities in their DNA led the researchers to conclude that approximately eight individual mammoths founded the population. This probably corresponds to a single herd. Moreover, just as textbooks suggest, the mammoths did face severe genetic challenges early on. But, remarkably, the most harmful mutations did not overwhelm the population. Instead, individuals with severely damaging mutations either died or failed to reproduce, leaving the rest of the population healthy. (Whether this was simply natural selection at work, or the result of mammoths choosing not to mate with sick individuals, remains to be seen.) For 6,000 years, a population of 200 to 300 mammoths lived in this relative stability. They did not have much genetic diversity. Very harmful mutations were still making some individuals ill and mildly harmful ones were building up, but the mammoths were not wasting away from mutational meltdown.

Then, quite suddenly, they went extinct. Archaeologists have found no evidence of people being present on the island at the time, so human hunting seems an unlikely explanation (even though humans are thought to have hunted mammoths in places like North America). A tundra fire or a few seasons of poor weather could have done them in too, but disease seems more probable. One part of the Wrangel island mammoth genome that was hit hard by isolation was the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). This is a key part of the immune system that gathers materials from pathogens and trains attack cells to recognise them. The researchers calculate that the MHC of island mammoths lost 49.2% of its genetic diversity compared with that of the mammoths that were not isolated. Paired with the build-up of mildly harmful mutations, that dramatic decline in genetic diversity probably made the mammoths vulnerable to infection.

This work has practical implications for conservation efforts. A great many species, like the California condor and the scimitar-horned oryx, have come perilously close to extinction. The efforts made to save their remaining populations from mutational meltdown through selective breeding programmes are certainly to be lauded, but Dr Dalens work suggests that this is only the first challenge. Maintaining a species genetic insurance policy over the longer term is equally important. But it is not clear that conservationists can do that for species that are threatened by a dramatic loss of genetic diversity.

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Online schools in India are playing a transformative role in expanding education accessibility, especially in regions where traditional education systems face significant challenges. By leveraging technology and innovative learning methods, these digital platforms are breaking down barriers that have long hindered educational progress, particularly in remote and rural areas.

Challenges in Traditional Education India's traditional education system is marred by several challenges, especially in rural areas. Access to quality education is often limited, with many students having to travel long distances to attend school. The journey itself can be a deterrent, particularly for girls and younger children, leading to high dropout rates. Even when students do reach school, they often face overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teaching staff, and a lack of essential resources like textbooks, laboratories, and extracurricular facilities. This gap between urban and rural education creates significant disparities in learning outcomes, with students in rural areas often lagging behind their urban counterparts.

The Rise of Online Schools The advent of online schools has been a game-changer in addressing these disparities. With the increasing penetration of the internet and the growing adoption of smartphones, more students across India are gaining access to digital learning platforms. Online schools offer a level of flexibility that traditional schools cannot match, allowing students to learn at their own pace and in their own time. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for students who may have to juggle their studies with work or family responsibilities.

Moreover, online schools provide access to a wide range of learning resources, from interactive lessons and virtual laboratories to recorded lectures and real-time feedback from teachers. This variety of resources helps cater to different learning styles, making education more personalized and effective. Despite the ongoing challenges of digital connectivity and limited digital literacy in some areas, the appeal of online education continues to grow, with more students and parents recognizing its potential.

Government Initiatives and Support The Indian government's role in promoting online education cannot be overstated. Initiatives such as the Digital India campaign are pivotal in improving the country's internet infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. This initiative aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to every village, thus bridging the digital divide between urban and rural regions. Additionally, the government has introduced programs like SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), which offers free online courses and resources for students across the country.

These efforts are complemented by state-level initiatives, where local governments collaborate with educational institutions and tech companies to develop region-specific digital content. For example, some states have introduced digital classrooms in government schools and are training teachers to effectively use technology in their teaching methods. Such initiatives are crucial in ensuring that students in underserved areas can fully benefit from the online education revolution.

Impact on Students and Communities The impact of Online schools extends far beyond individual learning. In rural areas, where educational resources have traditionally been scarce, online education provides a lifeline to quality learning. By making educational content available in multiple languages and adapting it to the cultural context of different regions, online schools are ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds can access education that resonates with them.

Furthermore, online education is playing a significant role in improving literacy rates and educational outcomes in rural areas. Students who previously had limited access to quality education are now performing better in exams and are more likely to pursue higher education. This, in turn, leads to positive social and economic changes within communities. Educated individuals are more likely to contribute to their local economy, engage in informed decision-making, and advocate for improvements in their communitys infrastructure and services.

Conclusion Online schools are revolutionizing the educational landscape in India, making quality education more accessible to children in even the most remote areas. Their impact is not limited to individual students; by fostering educational equity, online schools are contributing to the broader development of communities across the country. As online education continues to evolve, it holds the potential to bridge the gap between urban and rural education, creating a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all.
In North Georgia, a community is mourning the deaths of four young men murdered in a Whitfield County park Saturday.

The Sheriff's office released the names and ages of those killed.

The suspect's name, a 16-year-old, has not been released yet.

The day after the murders, the community built a memorial in the place where they died.

The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office has identified the men killed as:

19-year-old Joshua Pedro Pelico-Pelico

21-year-old David Antonio Delgadillo

17-year-old Daniel Segura-Cruz

18-year-old Robert Valencia

New evidence shows Delgadillo and Pelico drove from Rome, GA to Pleasant Grove Park to meet Cruz and Valencia.

Investigators with the Sheriff's Office have evidence that supports the four men were meeting to exchange drugs.

They say they also have proof all of them had firearms before they arrived.

Sheriff Scott Chitwood went over the details of the case at a press conference Sunday.

"We feel like two were there possibly under the pretense of robbery, and then two that were there. Of course, we have four deceased... possibly for some type of contraband it was maybe pre-planned," he said.

A white car and multiple shell casings were found around the scene.

The Sheriff says they've charged a 16-year-old from Rom with four counts of felony murder.

He says they do believe more people are involved.

They are looking for an SUV and a dark-colored car with a hatchback. They say the vehicles most likely have bullet holes in them.

"This is a very, very complicated case," Sheriff Chitwood stated. "There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle that we're putting together still."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at (706)-278-1233 or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) at (800)-597-8477.
Lakeland Dairies has commenced a campaign of engagement with Irish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) by meeting with Midlands Northwest MEP Ciaran Mullooly.

The latest campaign by the Cavan-headquartered co-operative follows on from meetings with An Taoiseach Simon Harris TD, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Rural Development Heather Humphreys as well as other TDs and Senators.

Lakeland Dairies Chairperson Niall Matthews, Group CEO Colin Kelly and Group Head of Sustainability Rory Farrell met with Ciaran Mullooly on Monday 26th August. Shared concerns including protecting the Nitrates Derogation, animal welfare, generational renewal and the role of the European Parliament were all discussed.

Lakeland Dairies will meet with other MEPs in the coming weeks in Ireland and Brussels on these topics.

Speaking after the meeting, Lakeland Dairies Chairperson Niall Matthews said:

We are pleased to welcome newly-elected Ciaran Mullooly to Lakeland Dairies to discuss topics of mutual concern and we wish him well in his role. The future of Irish dairy farming rests in Ireland and in Brussels, therefore, it is important to engage meaningfully with those elected to the Parliament to ensure they are aware of the issues affecting their constituents. We are at a major crossroads in agriculture with a huge volume of uncertainties ahead of us.

It is imperative that our MEPs show leadership and realise that the future of Irelands dairy industry and thousands of people in the rural economy across the country is in their hands. They must do everything possible to ensure that our industry can be viable and flourish into the future. Farmers voted for our MEPs on that basis and expect to see strong representation on the issues that are of most concern for our sector.
Longford members of the Fine Gael party were out in force at the Beal na Blath Commemoration Ceremony that took place last Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Taoiseach Simon Harris led the ceremony marking the anniversary of Michael Collins death.

A large crowd assembled at Beal na Blath in Cork to mark the 102nd anniversary of Irish patriot and revolutionary Michael Collins.

The commander in chief of the National Army was just 31 when he was ambushed and killed, during the Irish Civil War.

Simon Harris is just the third serving Taoiseach to speak at the commemoration ceremony, giving an oration at 3 o'clock this afternoon.

Larry Bannon, Sorcha NicDhonnacha, An Taoiseach Simon Harris T.D., Sean Farrell, Mary Rose McNally, Cllr Paul Ross, Minister Peter Burke TD Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Longford Westmeath TD, Peter Burk, spoke of the importance of the commemoration: I was delighted to attend the 102nd Commemoration of the death of Michael Collins following the ambush in Beal na Blath, Co Cork.

A momentous occasion for the Collins family and the wider Fine Gael gathering and a testament to democracy and the path to freedom our nation has taken in that time thanks to the massive sacrifices our founding fathers made, commented Minister Burke.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: August 27 2024

Arlin Aguilera was intoxicated and speeding when he struck an Audi Q5 and killed a 15-year-old passenger.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a West Hempstead man was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges yesterday for a December 2021 crash on Peninsula Boulevard in Woodmere that killed a teenage passenger and seriously injured the victim driver.

Arlin Aguilera, 37, was convicted Wednesday after a jury trial by Judge Robert A. Schwartz of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony); Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony); two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (a D felony); two counts of Assault in the Third Degree (an A misdemeanor); and two counts of Driving While Intoxicated (an Unclassified Misdemeanor).

The trial started on August 12, 2024, and the jury deliberated for less than one hour before delivering their verdict. The defendant is due back in court for sentencing on October 4, 2024, and faces up to 25 years in prison.

Fifteen-year-old Liel Namdar was a typical teenager, enjoying a long-awaited reunion with her friends from summer camp on that December night. The girls had planned a sleepover and were being driven to one of their homes to continue the fun when they were broadsided by a drunk and speeding Arlin Aguilera. The crash killed Liel, seriously injured the driver, and forever altered the lives of the surviving teenage girls who endured this tragedy, said DA Donnelly. Every day we place our trust in our fellow drivers when we get behind the wheel of a car or clip our children into the backseat. This defendant betrayed that trust with fatal and irreparable consequences. Our thoughts remain with Liels family as they mourn her tragic loss, and we will continue to hold drunk drivers accountable for their irresponsible actions that endanger our roadways.

DA Donnelly said that on December 11, 2021, at approximately 10:54 p.m., the defendant was driving while intoxicated and at a high rate of speed in a 2014 RAM 1500 pickup truck northbound on Peninsula Boulevard.

Aguilera then crashed into an Audi Q5 as it made a turn in front of the defendants vehicle from Edward Avenue into the southbound lanes of Peninsula Boulevard.

Fifteen-year-old Liel Namdar suffered severe head trauma and was killed in the collision. The victim driver was seriously injured, suffering a severe traumatic brain injury, clavicle fracture and jaw fracture.

Three additional teenage passengers in the Audi also sustained various injuries.

The defendant was arrested in Woodmere on December 12, 2021, by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: August 27 2024

Detective Diller's legacy is marked by his unwavering commitment to public service, his compassionate approach to law enforcement, and his efforts to foster strong community ties.

Detective Jonathan Diller, who grew up in Franklin Square and served in the New York City Police Department, was honored today with a special bench dedication at John Street School. This meaningful tribute, organized by the Franklin Square Union Free School District, reflects the deep connection Detective Diller had with the community where he spent his formative years and which he continued to serve with dedication until his tragic death in the line of duty.

Detective Diller's legacy is marked by his unwavering commitment to public service, his compassionate approach to law enforcement, and his efforts to foster strong community ties. Having grown up in Franklin Square, Detective Diller was more than just an officerhe was a friend, mentor, and a cherished member of the community. The dedication of this bench ensures that his memory and the values he embodied will continue to inspire future generations.

"We are deeply grateful to the Franklin Square Union Free School District for this heartfelt gesture," said Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages. "This bench serves as a lasting reminder of Detective Diller's contributions to our community and his enduring spirit of service."

The bench, now a permanent fixture at John Street School, is intended to be a place where students, staff, and community members can reflect on the values that Detective Diller embodieddedication, integrity, and compassion.
Rescued Israeli hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi meeting with the commanding officer of the 162nd Division, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, moments after Alkadis rescue on August 27. (IDF photo)

On August 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rescued Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a hostage who had been held in Gaza by Hamas for 326 days since Hamass October 7 attack. It is the latest hostage rescue since the IDF rescued four hostages on June 8 in the central Gaza town of Nuseirat. Alkadi was brought by helicopter to a hospital in Israel, where he met with his family the same day.

Alkadi worked as a security guard at a factory near Kibbutz Magen on the border with Gaza. He is the father of 11 and is from the large Bedouin city of Rahat. A number of members of Israels Bedouin community, who are Muslim Arabs, were working in areas near the Gaza border on October 7, and six were kidnapped during Hamass attack. Two of these hostages, children who were with their family members the morning of the attack, were released in November during the first hostage deal with Hamas. Another Israeli Bedouin, Hisham al-Sayed, has been held captive by Hamas since 2014.

Israeli media reported that Alkadi was found in a tunnel in southern Gaza, where it appeared the terrorists who were holding him abandoned him. Alkadi was rescued by Shayetet 13, the 401st Brigade, Yahalom, and ISA forces under the command of the 162nd Division in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF said.

The ISA is the Israel Security Agency, also known as the Shin Bet, Israels internal security and intelligence service. The Shin Bet has played a major role in the war on Hamas, including the search for hostages. The 162nd Division currently operates Rafah and adjoining neighborhoods in southern Gaza near the Egyptian border. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recently said the division had defeated Hamas Rafah Brigade in the area.

During a complex rescue mission, Qaid Farhan Alkadi from the Bedouin community of Rahat, who was kidnapped from Israel by Hamas terrorists during their massacre on October 7th, has been rescued. He is alive. He is back home in Israel, the IDF said in a statement.

The announcement came as Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi completed a situational assessment with the commander of Israels Southern Command and other high-ranking officers involved with operations in Gaza. We are doing everything we can to save all of the hostages. The IDF and ISA show bravery, determination and initiative in complex operations in the battlefield, Halevi said.

Photos and footage from the rescue operation show Alkadi meeting with Brigadier General Itzhik Cohen, the commander of the IDFs 162nd Division. Images also show the commander of the elite Shayetet naval commando unit meeting with the freed hostage. Alkadi was taken to an armored personnel carrier and then a helicopter that flew him to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba in southern Israel. Numerous members of his family ran to greet him as he arrived at the hospital.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the former hostages medical condition was stable and he would undergo further examinations. Hagari vowed that the IDF will not rest until we fulfill our mission to bring all our hostages back home. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Alkadi by phone after the rescue. I want you to know that we are not forgetting anyone, just like we did not forget you. We are committed to returning everyone, without exception, Netanyahu said.

Alkadis rescue is the fourth successful operation that has saved living hostages in Gaza since the war began. The IDF rescued Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv on June 8 in Nuseirat, a town in central Gaza. On February 12, the IDF rescued two hostages in Rafah in a raid. Ori Megedish, an IDF observer kidnapped by Hamas, was rescued on October 30, during the first days of the ground offensive in Gaza.

The IDF has also recovered the bodies of a number of hostages since the war began. On August 20, the bodies of six hostages were recovered from Khan Younis. There are 104 hostages still held in Gaza, and Israel believes 34 of them have been killed.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).
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Lycoming College congratulates fifteen first-year students for being named to some of the institutions most prestigious, merit-based scholarship programs. Each scholarship recipient receives a merit award of $25,000-36,000, as well as a $5,000 stipend to support the completion of an enhanced academic experience of their choosing, such as an internship, faculty-led research, study abroad, or a field experience. These scholar programs provide stipends to empower students to pursue high quality learning and professional experiences that will launch them into meaningful careers and lives following their graduation from Lycoming College.

Lycoming recognizes the fundamental need to augment classroom learning with real world experiences and established several scholar programs to help ensure that students are equipped for the workforce, graduate school, or another life path, said Richard Chip Hinton, associate vice president for enrollment management. These Scholar programs come with cash awards to safeguard students against financial obstacles that often interfere with critical learning that extends beyond our campus.

"Lycoming recognizes the fundamental need to augment classroom learning with real world experiences and established several scholar programs to help ensure that students are equipped for the workforce, graduate school, or another life path."

Past students have utilized these scholar awards to support enhanced academic experiences such as study abroad and internships. The scholarships have even been used by education students completing their student teaching requirement on the Alaskan tundra as part of Rural Alaska Student Teaching Program. Carter Branigan 24 participated in the American Association of Immunologists Advanced Course in Immunology, using his award to pay for travel related expenses to Boston, saying, My Skeath scholarship made the entire experience possible  something that would not have been feasible otherwise. As one of the only undergraduate students in the course, I met graduate students, post-docs, and professors who were eager to share their experiences with me. Their advice was invaluable, and as a result, I have decided to pursue the MD-PhD route after I receive my bachelors degree.

Following is an overview of Lycoming Colleges scholar initiatives and this years recipients:

Frances Knights Skeath STEM Scholars Program

During the past several years, Lycoming has deepened its long-standing commitment to STEM programs and facilities to help ensure our nations youth are prepared to research, analyze, and solve some of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. The Frances Knights Skeath STEM Scholars Program advances these ideals by awarding merit-based scholarships to select students planning to major in a STEM field. Skeath Scholars are awarded a stipend of up to $5,000 in support of a STEM-based enhanced academic experience; housing in the first-year STEM Residential Community; enhanced career advising; and mentors. The following first-year students were named Frances Knights Skeath STEM Scholars:

Mia Benedetto

Taylor Botterbusch

Savannah Brooks

Nathan Druschel

Jordyn Keffer

Finnegan Peterson

Lewis Rainey

Tyler Wetzel

Elizabeth Zellers

Wertz Scholars Program

Named for D. Frederick Wertz, who served as Lycoming College president from 1955-1968, the Wertz Scholars Program supports students who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class. The program includes a stipend of up to $5,000 to be used toward an enhanced academic experience  including support for internships, faculty-led research, or global education  during their time at Lycoming. Students also receive the option to reside in the Wertz Scholars First-Year Residential Community, to participate in the Wertz mentor program, and periodic dinners with College administrators in support of career planning. The following first-year students were named Wertz Scholars:

Joshua Evans

Madelyn Jones

Jocelyn McCracken

Sara VanReymersdal

Angelina Youmans

Entrepreneurship Scholars Program

Added to the curriculum in 2018 as a minor course of study, Lycomings entrepreneurship program is designed to complement every students major by enhancing their ability to start their own venture or to begin entrepreneurial careers within established companies. The Entrepreneurship Scholars Program recognizes students intending to minor in entrepreneurship who have the passion to find and create value in the world. Entrepreneurship Scholars receive up to $5,000 to be used toward a start-up or other entrepreneurial experience. Students are also invited to special programming and industry events, and receive enhanced faculty and career advising. The following first-year student was named an Entrepreneurship Scholar:
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On the morning of Thursday 22 August, upon learning that parliament planned to change an election law to the benefit of President Jokowis youngest son, tens of thousands of youths took to the streets and stormed parliament.

The demonstrations spread like wildfire. Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Medan, Semarang, Makassar, Lampung, Banda Aceh: in one city after another, regional parliament buildings and city halls were breached and ransacked by the students.

The upsurge caught the government off guard, and it was forced to beat a retreat. In an effort to calm the masses, the plan to revise the election law was cancelled by the deputy speaker. But this might be too little too late. The masses have now gathered their courage and have begun to move everywhere. The movement so far has shown no signs of receding.

At the same time, the authorities are ramping up their repression. Already, hundreds have been arrested and many more injured. In Jakarta alone, 300 demonstrators were picked up by the police. Plain-clothes police and intelligence officers are posted everywhere to identify and weed out whoever they consider to be provocateurs.

This is a classic carrot-and-stick tactic, of dangling a carrot with one hand while violently swinging their stick with another hand. But the masses no longer fear police repression. They are becoming more radical with each baton swing.

We are truly living in a world of sharp turns and sudden changes. Just a few weeks ago, Hasina's regime in Bangladesh was overthrown. Now, the gates of Indonesian parliament have been torn down, unable to contain the anger of the youth and working people.

Revolution, revolution, revolution! shouted some of the student demonstrators. We are not in a revolution yet, but a revolutionary spirit has begun to rise amongst the youth, who are furious at the decay of democracy.

Inflammable material

Everything seemed to be calm and stable after the controversial presidential election earlier this year. The ruling class was brimming with confidence that the government transition from Jokowi to Prabowo in October would go smoothly.

In the midst of the deepest crisis of capitalism, opinion polls and election results are a poor reflection of the consciousness of the people / Image: Nafisathallah, Wikimedia Commons

How could it not? Just three days ago PKS (The Prosperous Justice Party)  the main opposition party to Jokowi and Prabowo during the presidential election earlier this year  declared that it was joining the Prabowo-Jokowi coalition (KIM), thus securing a super majority for the upcoming government. KIM now controls more than 75 percent of the seats. Ironically, only PDI-P (The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle), the party responsible for putting Jokowi in power and consolidating his position, stands outside this coalition.

In the most recent survey, Jokowi is still the most popular president, despite controversies over his interference in the presidential election and his son running as the vice-president to Prabowo. In June, according to Litbang Kompas, Jokowi had a 75 percent approval rating, the highest for any president in recent memory.

But in the midst of the deepest crisis of capitalism, opinion polls and election results are a poor reflection of the consciousness of the people. The cost-of-living crisis and the soaring prices of basic necessities; the huge wave of layoffs, particularly in the garment industry; the shameless corruption and nepotism of the ruling class; the widening inequality; all these have built up a colossal amount of disappointment and anger among the masses, which is not captured by quantitative indicators such as polls and ballot boxes. Now these have all spilled out onto the streets after the DPR arbitrarily changed the election law.

The spark

The spark for the movement came from the undemocratic manoeuvers of the ruling clique. On Wednesday 21 August, the Constitutional Court ruled to keep the minimum age for candidates at 30, and that parties with under 20 percent of seats in the assembly could field a candidate in the upcoming regional elections.

Within 24 hours, the KIM-controlled Parliament tabled an emergency motion to reverse this. This reversal would have allowed President Jokowis youngest son, 29 year old Kaesang, to run for governor of Central Java, and for Prabowo-Jokowis coalition (KIM) to effectively run unopposed for the post of Jakarta governor.

The Constitutional Court had attempted to block this because it was concerned about the move undermining any semblance of democracy. At the same time, it fears the widespread negative perception of Jokowi's dynasty-building. Using his position as president, Jokowi has ensured that many of his children and relatives occupy important political positions.

It is possible that the issue of the electoral law could also spark something bigger / Image: Hariadhi, Wikimedia Commons

In the recent presidential election just six months ago, his oldest son Gibran was able to run and eventually be elected as the vice president due to a controversial decision by the Constitutional Court that changed the presidential age limit. At that time, the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court was none other than Gibrans uncle, the husband of Jokowis sister, who was put in that position by Jokowi.

This scandal rocked the nation, and thus it would be a further travesty if the election law is again flouted by Jokowis coalition to advance his youngest son.

The Jokowi coalition, which feels that it has a very firm footing, clearly only cares about their narrow and short-term interests, even if this threatens the long-term interest of the entire system. The court on the other hand  under the pressure from a section of the ruling class  seeks to restore the illusion of democracy and a rules-based order, an illusion that is already wearing very thin in the eyes of the masses.

However, whether with the parliaments or the courts version of the election law wins out, whether there are one, two, or ten candidates, the working class will have no real choice at all. All the candidates represent the interests of the capitalist class.

The Constitutional Court is no impartial arbiter of democracy. Its decision to lower the threshold requirement to 10 percent clearly favours PDI-P, who was previously barred from running a gubernatorial candidate in Jakarta because it didnt meet the 20 percent seat threshold. Therefore, it is not impossible that there was pressure from this big party on the Constitutional Court.

Of course, this movement is not only about the election law. The controversy is a lightning rod that has concentrated the peoples anger.

As Hegel said, necessity expresses itself through accident, and a society as full of contradictions as Indonesia has no shortage of such accidents. Let us remember that last month, the protests against the Hasina regime initially arose against rigged public job quotas, an issue that seemed to affect only newly graduating students.

But the quota issue became an expression of all that was wrong with Hasinas capitalist regime, and the movement soon turned into a revolution that mobilised all layers of working people. It is possible that the issue of the electoral law could also spark something bigger.

Youth in revolt

As in Bangladesh, students and young people stand at the forefront of the movement. The youth has always been the most sensitive barometer of the mood of society. The youth, including the sons and daughters of the working class, carry not only the anxieties of their generation about their bleak future under capitalism, but also the grievances of their mothers and fathers who are crushed by the same system. They fear nothing and have little respect for the existing order.

When the demonstrations showed no sign of abating even after heavy police repression, and instead became increasingly militant and began to attract widespread popular sympathy, the ruling class attempted to quell them through negotiation. PDI-P politicians, as the official opposition, were sent to discuss with the students.

In front of the torn-down gate of parliament, Masinton Pasaribu met the students to assure them that the PDI-P fraction would fight with them against the revision of the election law. Unexpectedly, they were immediately shouted down by the students, who defiantly responded What is your guarantee? What is your guarantee?.

The students were right. Not a single word from these politicians can be used as a guarantee. Not even the lousiest pawnbroker would accept their words as a collateral. The only guarantee is the power of the youth and workers on the streets. Only the language of mass action is understood by the ruling class.

The student representatives also emphasised their independence from and disgust towards the existing bourgeois parties. We will keep fighting without any association with any political parties, they told Masinton. This is the right attitude. Indeed, the dispute between the Constitutional Court and the Parliament is part of the struggle between political elites for the upcoming regional elections.

PDI-P complicit

The PDI-P this time presents itself as the opposition, as the defender of democracy against Jokowis political dynasty. But this hypocrisy cannot fool the students. The birth of Jokowi this time is also because of PDI-P, one of the student representatives shouted at Masinton, and was immediately greeted with cheers.

The working class have seen no fundamental change in their lives after the 1998 Reformasi that promised so much / Image: YayasanLBHIndonesia, Twitter

This is the nature of bourgeois democracy, where opponents become friends, friends become opponents, and so on and so forth. Since the Reformasi movement of 1998, dozens of parties have emerged. But all of them have represented the same rotten bourgeois politics, which now provoke nothing but disgust from the masses. The working class have seen no fundamental change in their lives after the 1998 Reformasi that promised so much.

It was this fact that underpinned Jokowi's popularity ten years ago. He came onto the political scene as a figure seemingly standing outside all the rotten political parties. These bourgeois parties, especially the PDI-P at the time, had no choice but to give more power to Jokowi. The entire legitimacy of the system rested on the people's illusion that he was a Messiah who would bring about change.

Raised from a carpenter to the King of Java, a Little Bonaparte concentrated power into his hands and balanced between various interests. Even Prabowo and Gerindra, his long-time enemies, bowed to him.

Jokowi also raised himself to be the great patron, doling out positions and privileges to his clients, giving out favours like Don Corleone. He had been very well trained in this art by his previous patron, Megawati, who herself is part of a long-standing political dynasty.

The liberals who are now viciously criticising Jokowi are the same people who were previously so enamoured by him. We have not forgotten how these liberals lavished endless praise on him, strengthening people's illusions in him, helping him to centralise power.

The same liberals are now pinning their hopes on the former governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, to run again in the name of democracy. In the previous election in 2017, these liberals strongly condemned Anies for mobilising reactionary Islamic forces to support his campaign, and relying upon bigoted attacks against his minority Chinese Christian opponent Ahok. Now Anies is the lesser evil.

In the current movement, the liberals are promoting the slogan save democracy. But democracy for who? For which class and in whose interest? This is, they fail to say. For them, democracy would be saved if PDI-P  the party that has been repeatedly implicated in corruption cases, that is responsible for creating the hated King of Java, that passed the Omnibus Law and other anti-workers policies, that betrayed the 1998 Reformasi  could compete in the election and become the opposition. This is democracy for the liberals: bourgeois democracy.

Guard the Constitutional Court's decision, our liberals urge, because its decision is final and binding. In reality, the Constitutional Court is not a democratic institution. It is composed of judges appointed by the ruling class to represent the interests of the rich. Where was the Constitutional Court when there were so many anti-worker laws in favour of investors?

The Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, parliament, the president, the police, the army: all of them are equally rotten ruling class institutions.Working people must not put their trust in any of them. The current student movement must draw a clear line of demarcation from these impotent liberals.

Ultimately, the arbitrary trampling of democracy by parliament is not an aberration. The anti-democratic policies of the ruling class are inevitable under capitalism.

To ensure a genuine democracy for the working people, we must fight for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism. There is no other way. More and more young people are beginning to reach this conclusion, not because revolutionaries have explained it to them, but because of their own experience of the rottenness of existing democracy.

After being confronted with explosive mass action, the parliament was forced to cancel the revision of the election law. This is proof of the real power of mass action. The ruling parties may have hoped that this concession would defuse the movement, but the masses have tasted the fruits of victory. They are not returning to their old routine any time soon. More demonstrations are being prepared. The youth are not letting up the pressure. Workers too have begun to mobilise to join the movement. In East Java, workers have planned to take to the streets this week.

This first round has been won by the masses. But there will be further rounds as the crisis of capitalism leaves no room for stability. What the ruling class has conceded it will snatch back as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

Last week's victory has not answered all the anxieties of the youth and working people. But it has given them a glimmer of hope and confidence that, organised and mobilised, they can win.

Shattered are the Prabowo regime's hopes that they can smoothly transition to power and that their fat coalition can do whatever it wants. At the end of the day, their election result is just a piece of paper. It can be annulled by mass action, which represents the real power of democracy.
The Scorpions, a hard rock band known for hits like Rock You Like a Hurricane and Winds of Change, canceled five upcoming European shows after the bands guitarist got injured.

The Scorpions are forced to cancel all upcoming German tour dates in September 2024 due to an injury sustained by Matthias Jabs, the band wrote in a statement on their website. Matthias Jabs injury requires surgery and subsequent rehabilitation.

There was no further information on the website about the extent of Jabs injury.

The shows were scheduled from Sept. 7-20 in Nuremberg, Hamburg, Leipzig, Cologne and Frankfurt.

The shows were part of Scorpions final stretch of their Love At First Sting world tour.

We deeply regret, especially Matthias Jabs, that due to the accident of our friend and Scorpions lead guitarist, the five concerts on our German tour cannot take place in September as planned and we will work closely with the tour organizer to announce new information as soon as possible, the band said in a joint statement. We kindly ask for your understanding from all our fans, all the Rock Believers in Germany who were looking forward to the shows with us.

The band said ticket holders should receive information about refunds directly from their point of purchase.
Tome Biosciences, Inc., a Watertown-based biotech company, will lay off 131 employees beginning Nov. 1, state filings show.

The biotech company, which was founded in 2021, focuses on delivering cures to patients through cell and genome engineering," according to its website.

The layoff news comes less than a year after the company raised $213 million in private funds to support the final chapter in genomic medicines, Statnews.com reported.

The outlet reported that a person with knowledge of the situation told STAT that Tome is winding down operations and seeking a buyer by Nov. 1, while other sources told the outlet there are still options to keep the biotech running.

In an emailed statement, Tome Biosciences, Inc. CEO Rahul Kakkar told BioPharma Dive on Friday the company had scaled back operations and was in ongoing confidential conversations with multiple parties.

Kakkar previously told Endpoint News the companys staff comprised about 130 employees.

The Aug. 22 filing shows 131 employees will be affected by layoffs  suggesting a majority, if not all, of its staff may be affected by the cuts.

Despite our clear scientific progress, investor sentiment has shifted dramatically across the gene editing space, particularly for preclinical companies, Kakkar said in Fridays statement to BioPharma Dive.

Tome Biosciences, Inc. is not the only Massachusetts biotech company facing restructuring and budget cuts.

In July, Massachusetts largest biotech company, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., announced plans to lay off more than 10% of its Massachusetts-based workforce  861 employees in total  citing a reallocation of its resources to promising projects as a deciding factor.

Ben Bradford, the Massachusetts Biotechnology Councils Head of External Affairs, previously told MassLive biotech is a hard industry to start off in, while pointing out that getting a drug to market takes 10 to 15 years with no revenue.

Jeffrey Quillen, partner with Boston law firm Foley Hoag, who works with new biotech companies until they get to the initial public offering (IPO) stage, told MassLive earlier this year there were a lot of announced layoffs last year.

The bigger layoffs were announced, but private companies that are doing smaller layoffs dont have to announce them, Quillen said. Its different from Takeda  the amount of layoff activity is greater than you know.

He said most of the downsizing is happening at private companies and smaller biotechs that are running out of cash.

According to an employment outlook from the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, this trend continued into the first quarter of this year.
Boston police are looking for a person who they say vandalized the citys Holocaust memorial Friday night.

The vandalism at 90 Union St. occurred around 8:50 p.m. on Friday, Boston Police said in a brief statement. Officers found one of the memorials glass panels covered in graffiti in black ink of an unknown writing, according to a police report provided to MassLive.

The department is asking for the publics help in identifying a person they believe was involved in the vandalism. The person police are looking for was wearing a white, sleeveless shirt and has tattoos on their left arm.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the departments Civil Rights unit at 617-343-4527.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to police by calling 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word TIP to CRIME (27463).

The vandalism in Boston came just days after a Jewish cemetery in Melrose was vandalized, according to police.
A Chatham man was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 6 in Brewster on Monday, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The man, identified as Edward Footer, 57, was driving a 2006 Toyota Tundra headed east on Route 6 when a 2020 Isuzu truck being driven in the opposite direction by a 24-year-old man hit his car after crossing into the eastbound lanes. The Isuzu truck also hit a 1997 GMC Safari being driven by a 40-year-old Yarmouth man.

Police responded to the crash near Exit 85 on Route 6 around 3:15 p.m. on Monday, Trooper Luis Blanco, a spokesman for State Police, wrote in an email. Troopers found Footer with life-threatening injuries, which he died of at the scene.

The driver of the Isuzu, a resident of Yarmouth, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the GMC was not hurt, Blanco wrote in an email.

The crash remains under investigation.
Plans to spray 13 Massachusetts communities, including five Worcester County towns, that have seen an increased risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE, are on track to commence this week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced.

Oxford, Dudley, Douglas, Sutton and Uxbridge will see trucks spray to minimize the transmission of EEE from mosquitoes to people, the department said in a statement released Saturday. Spraying plans are expected to happen the week of Aug. 26, with exact timing to be released.

Spraying is also expected to take place at night, beginning after dusk and ending in the early morning, the statement read. The schedule is weather-dependent and could change.
The name of a Roxbury man killed in a shooting on Saturday has been released, Boston police announced.

Jashun Cooley, 38, was found by police in the area of 159 Washington St. at around 9:58 p.m., the police department said in a statement on Monday.

Cooley was found with gunshot wounds and was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries before he was pronounced dead, police said.

The shooting continues to be under investigation by the Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470.

Those who want to help the investigation can do so anonymously by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word TIP to CRIME (27463).
Police in Marblehead are asking residents of the North Shore town to report any sightings of coyotes after one of the animals bit a jogger on Monday evening.

The jogger was on Brown Street in the Marblehead Neck area, and reported being bitten by a dog, police wrote in a Facebook post. Officials subsequently determined the animal was a coyote. The joggers injuries were not considered life-threatening.

We are asking the residents on the Neck to be aware and to report any sightings of coyotes they may see during daylight hours for the next couple of days, police wrote.

Police are asking residents to report any sightings to determine if the biting animal was rabid, saying that if it was, its health would decline rapidly in the next few days. Although rabies is rare, the department said it wanted to take extra precautions to ensure residents safety.

The coyote attack could have been an isolated incident and brought on by the animal being startled by the jogger, police said.

Local police and animal control along with Environmental Police are aware of the situation and will monitor the area.
While awaiting trail on a charge of assault and battery, a 38-year-old Massachusetts man was released. Now, hes the suspect in a fatal stabbing.

David Adams, of Dorchester, is accused of stabbing David Abrain, 52, of Roxbury, on Dorchester Avenue around 10 p.m. on Friday, according to Boston Police. Adams was arraigned on the murder charge in Boston Municipal Court in Dorchester on Monday, where a judge revoked his bail in the assault and battery case.

A plea of not guilty was entered on Adams behalf, court records show. A motion filed by Adams attorney seeking a medical expert was allowed.

In April, Adams was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery on a household member. Following his arraignment on that charge, he was released on his personal recognizance, records show.

A jury trial on that charge was scheduled for September, according to court filings. Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Haydens office did not immediately respond to a request for information on that case.

Adams will return to court for a probable cause hearing on the murder charge on Sept. 26.
Melrose police are asking the public for help in their investigation into an apparent vandalism at a Jewish cemetery that was discovered last week.

Police began investigating the vandalism at Workmens Circle Cemetery on Broadway after it was reported to police on Aug. 20, Melrose police said in a press release. Officers responded to the cemetery and found that the cemeterys fence had been knocked over and charred from a fire and that a headstone had also been toppled and blackened.

Melrose police are investigating an apparent vandalism at a Jewish cemetery that happened last week.Melrose Police Department

Investigators believe the vandalism happened sometime after the groundskeeper left Sunday evening, police said. The cemetery is owned and managed by the Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts.

Melrose police are investigating an apparent vandalism at a Jewish cemetery that happened last week.Melrose Police Department

Police are investigating the apparent vandalism. Anyone with information about the incident or who may have seen something suspicious in the area is asked to contact Melrose police at 781-979-4213.
A Rhode Island police officer was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct Saturday evening after he urinated on a woman while attending the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium, according to court documents.

Cranston Police Officer Shane Lynch, 30, paid $100 in restitution to have the charge dropped during his arraignment Monday in Wrentham District Court, court documents indicate. Cranston police did not respond to a request for comment on Lynchs arrest by Tuesday afternoon.

In an interview with police, the victim  a 47-year-old Taunton woman  told officers that she was standing in the pit area of the stadium when she felt a warm liquid hit the back of her legs, according to a report from Foxborough police.
With August nearing its end and September just around the corner, many people may find themselves wondering when is it time to turn the clocks back and fall back?

Twice a year, people throughout the country adjust their clocks, first springing forward to cherish an extra hour of daylight during the summer months before falling back to standard time for winter.

Daylight saving lasts for 238 days  about 65% of the year, according to National Institute of Standards and Technology.

This year, daylight saving time kicked off March 10 and will end Sunday, Nov. 3. It will start up again on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Read more: Medway family reveals new details on escape from war zone in Gaza

Every year on the second Sunday of March, clocks are set ahead one hour at 2 a.m.  becoming 3 a.m.  marking the start of daylight saving.

In the United States, this has the effect of creating more sunlit hours in the evening during months when the weather is the warmest, NIST reported.

How popular is changing the clocks twice a year?

Changing the clocks is fairly unpopular.

In a 2023 YouGov poll of 1,000 Americans, 62% of participants said they no longer want to change their clocks twice a year.

Of those sampled, 50% said they preferred daylight saving time all year round while 31% wanted standard time all year. Only 12% voted they did not have a preference while 7% said they were not sure where they stood on the matter.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are many states that are trying to stop from having the clocks switch.

In 2023, there were three bills to establish permanent standard time in Massachusetts, but none was enacted.

All told last year, there were 75 pieces of legislation filed in 29 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. None of those bills became law that year, however.

There are 19 states that are ready to switch to permanent daylight saving time  Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming  but congressional approval is required first.

As of 2024, at least 30 states have considered or are considering legislation related to daylight saving. This year alone, 28 bills have been introduced and 36 have been carried over from the last session, NCSL reports.

Bills to transition to standard time failed in Maine and Virginia earlier this year.

Indiana is currently considering a resolution petitioning the entire state move to share a universal time zone as the northwest and southwest corners are in the central time zone while the rest of the state is in the eastern time zone.

How did daylight saving time start?

Germany and Austria were the first countries to use daylight saving time in 1916 in an effort to conserve energy, according to National Geographic.

However, portions of regions of Canada have been credited for starting the tradition even earlier.

Some reports say residents of Ontario created the first daylight saving time zone by turning their clocks an hour forward between July and September in 1908, according to timeanddate.com.

A clock change called Fast Time was introduced in 1918 but was ended less than a year later, though cities such as Boston, New York and Pittsburgh continued to use it.

Daylight saving time was reintroduced by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, under the term War Time, which held through 1945.

Between 1945 and 1966, no uniform rules for changing clocks existed until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed, which provided a framework for a nationwide daylight saving time schedule.

Is standard time better than daylight saving?

There is some disagreement about which is better  standard time or daylight saving time.

For sleep medicine doctor Karin Johnson at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, the research points to standard time.

She said her research completed with colleagues on sleep cycles shows that permanent standard time can improve brain functionality, mood, focus, and help reduce car crashes and the risk of developing long-term health conditions.

Timezones were designed to have the sun as close to being overhead at noon as possible, Johnson said in 2022. Daylight savings time shifts the clock an hour so we get later sunrises and sunsets. But unfortunately, our bodies dont go by the clock time, they go by the sun time.

A Baystate Medical Center spokesperson at the time clarified in a statement that the medical center does not promote Johnsons views.

Dr. Johnsons comments were not a reflection of Baystate Health but her own personal position on the subject as a physician and involvement with the organization promoting it, the statement read.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has pulled ahead of Republican Donald Trump in a public poll released in the wake of last weeks Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The nationwide poll, released Tuesday by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research, shows Harris leading the former president 47%-43% among all voters, and 49%-45% among a separate sample of likely voters.

Thats a reversal since the same poll last month, which showed Trump leading Harris 49%-44% among likely voters, and 47%-43% among all voters.

Still, taking into account the polls 3.2% margin of error, it is a closely fought contest.

That poll was released two days after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, and named his vice president as his preferred replacement atop the Democrats 2024 presidential ticket.

The poll of 929 voters, conducted between Aug. 23 and Aug. 25, also showed Harris gaining ground over Trump in some of the voting blocs that hold the keys to the White House.

More than half of all women (53%) favor Harris over Trump; while 45% of male voters also support her, according to the poll. Trumps base remains mostly male, 47-41%/

Harris also holds an advantage among Black voters (73%), Hispanic voters (51%), and white college-educated voters (57%). Trumps support among white voters without a college degree remains strong, with 59% favoring him, according to the poll.

Since her elevation to the top of the ticket, Vice President Harris has effectively appealed to women voters, and the gender gap has become more pronounced, Luzmarina Garcia, an assistant professor of political science at FAU, said.

Harris has also re-established the Democratic Partys advantage with minority voters, Garcia said.

Trump and Biden each courted Black and Latino voters heavily in the days before the Democratic presidents exit from the race.

A majority of both blocs voted for Biden in his 2020 contest against Trump, according to ABC News, citing Pew Research Center data.

The new poll also showed Harris making gains among independents, taking 48% support, compared to Trumps 35%. That same voting bloc split, 45%-43%, for Harris and Trump in the same poll last month.

Trump is losing support from Independents compared to July, which could be a result of the Democratic Party convention and remains to be watched, Dukhong Kim, an associate professor of political science at FAU, said in a statement. If this pattern persists, it will be difficult for Trump to maintain an advantage in the election.
When Gov. Maura Healey signed a long-awaited suite of reforms to the Bay States already restrictive gun laws last month, she expanded a provision that many believe is critical to keeping people safe.

Namely, adding to the ranks of those who can petition a judge to temporarily take firearms away from people who are believed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

While the law often is used to head off the kinds of mass shootings that have rocked communities across the country over the last decade, its also been employed to prevent the most personal and devastating tragedies:

Deaths by suicide.

But now, the law is under threat by gun-rights advocates, who are both suing in federal court and mounting an effort to get it overturned on the statewide ballot as soon as 2026.

Its not about crime. Its not about accidents. Its not about suicides, Jim Wallace, the executive director of the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League, said.

Instead, the law is a bigoted act against 10% of the states population, Wallace told The Associated Press, referring to gun owners.

Massachusetts first authorized such extreme risk protection orders, or ERPOs, in 2018. The statutes are popularly referred to as red flag laws.

Under its language, a local police department or a broadly defined family or household member could make such a request to a judge.

Under the newly approved revisions, which also take on so-called ghost guns and expand the states existing assault weapons ban, school administrators and licensed health care providers also would be allowed to go to court.

The Massachusetts lawsuit comes amid a broader, nationwide effort to overturn red flag laws, according to an investigation by The Trace, a news site that focuses on gun violence, and Rolling Stone magazine.

The Bay State bill is the most significant gun safety reform package that Massachusetts has seen in a decade, state House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, said in a statement last month after Healey signed the legislation into law.

And there are some encouraging numbers to back up the rhetoric.

Recently released data suggest that ERPOs, while not a cure-all, do help to reduce suicide deaths involving firearms.

The study, published this month by The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, examined risk orders for 4,583 people in California, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington.

Researchers found that between 17 and 23 ERPOs [were] needed to prevent one suicide. That number shrunk to between 13 and 18 ERPOs for a subset of 2,850 people with a documented suicide concern, according to the study.

Clearly, ERPOs alone are not a panacea for preventing firearm injury and mortality in the United States, but they are an important piece in the puzzle of gun violence prevention, and this study adds to the evidence suggesting they have saved lives, the studys authors wrote.

Some 800,000 people have died by suicide nationwide over the last two decades  more than half of those deaths were the result of self-inflicted firearms injuries, researchers wrote.

Statewide, 453 people died by suicide in Massachusetts in 2021, state data show, a rate of 13.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, those deaths were prompted by a current mental health problem) (59.8% among men; 79% among women).

Firearms were the second most common method among men, accounting for 27.4% of deaths, behind hanging at 45.5%, that same data showed.

Firearms accounted for 6.3% of suicide deaths among women in 2021, the state data show. Hanging (43.4%) and poisoning (38.5%) were the most common methods among women.

The Massachusetts Medical Society has described gun violence as a public health emergency, and has urged evidence-based interventions to reduce the number of injuries and deaths.

In an email, a Healey administration spokesperson told MassLive that the Democratic governor knows that Massachusetts strong gun laws save lives  especially our Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) statute.

Healey was proud to sign the states most significant gun safety legislation in a decade, which takes additional steps to strengthen the ERPO statute and prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands, the spokesperson said.

In the face of continuing suicides by firearms, interventions that can effectively keep guns out of the hands of people at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others should be a key component of an effective public health effort to reduce the number of these preventable tragedies, the studys authors wrote.

If you need help

If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis dial 988 to talk to mental health counselors/providers. For more information about suicide prevention and how you can help, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Massachusetts Republicans have called on the Democratic Healey administration to more fully explain how its spent some $1 billion in public money on the states ongoing migrant crisis.

Republicans said Tuesday that theyd fired off open records requests to a half-dozen executive branch offices and agencies that have jurisdiction over the spending, services, and housing provided to thousands of migrant arrivals housed in hotels and shelters across the state.

The state GOP also said its seeking detailed information on the 600 incidents involving police, fire, and medical emergencies in state-funded emergency housing.

Investigations by news organizations across the state have revealed that Gov. Maura Healeys administration has paid millions of dollars to catering companies, hotels, and other vendors with little oversight of how that money is being spent.

In the case of one contract for shelter services at a former college in Quincy, the state defended its decision to use no-bid contracts saying they were needed to speedily deploy such critical services as food, health care, and job-training.

The state said it intended to replace those no-bid services through its regular procurement process, according to The Boston Herald.

Overall, the states spending has been "shrouded ... in secrecy, which has [left] Massachusetts residents in the dark, state Republican Party Chairperson Amy Carnevale said in a statement.

"Blocking journalists at every turn, the administration has obstructed the flow of information to the public, Carnevale continued.

Republicans particularly highlighted emergency service calls involving public safety agencies.

The Boston Herald reported in July that more than 300 serious incident reports had been recorded at migrant-family shelter program sites this year. The state withheld some information related to the newspapers public records request.

The state party said it sent its requests to the Executive Office for Administration & Finance; the Office of the Governor, Legal Counsel; the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance; the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development.

Republican legislative leaders proposed amendments to the state budget, enacted last month, that would have required competitive bidding for all services provided to the states shelter system.

Those amendments failed in the majority-Democrat state House and Senate and were not included in the final spending plan.

"The public deserves transparency. Release the details on the vendors profiting from this crisis and the public safety issues affecting our communities, Carnevale said.

The Healey administration could not immediately be reached for comment about the GOPs records request.
BOSTON  A large contingent of Blue Jays fans here at Fenway Park cheered loud and often during the fifth inning.

Lets go Blue Jays, when Boston was down to its final out in the ninth inning.

Red Sox fans in attendance, meanwhile, booed their team.

Brad Keller gave up a five spot in the top of the fifth and the Red Sox lost 7-3 to Toronto on Monday.

The Blue Jays won both games of the doubleheader. Boston lost 4-1 in Game 1, a suspended game from June 26 that resumed earlier Monday.

The Red Sox made four errors, including two errors in the top of the ninth inning that allowed Toronto to score twice after Jarren Durans 422-foot homer cut the deficit to 5-3.

Boston has lost all five games so far on this homestand. It all began when the Diamondbacks swept a three-game series here over the weekend.

The Red Sox dropped to 29-37 at home and 14-22 during the second half. They are 67-64 overall.

Keller was selected onto the 40-man roster from Triple-A Worcester before the first game. Boston designated lefty Joely Rodriguez for assignment to clear Kellers roster spot.

Keller was expected to work as the bulk reliever in Game 2 following opener Zack Kelly.

Kelly tossed 3 scoreless and hitless innings. Justin Slaten, who was activated from the 15-day IL (elbow inflammation) between games, pitched a scoreless fourth.

But the Blue Jays crushed Keller in the fifth. The righty allowed a walk, two singles, two doubles and a three-run homer to George Springer.

Wilyer Abreu was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the third inning.

Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios tossed 7  strong innings. He allowed an RBI single to Triston Casas in the third that made it 1-0 Red Sox but then didnt give up any more runs until the eighth inning.

Durans eighth inning homer (108.2) gave the Red Sox some life. Duran connected on a 93 mph fastball from Berrios and sent it into the center field seats.

But the Blue Jays added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth thanks to some bad Boston defense.
SPRINGFIELD  Facing a nationwide spike in COVID-19 infections, the citys Department of Health and Human Services will give free testing kits to residents this week.

The kits will be distributed starting Tuesday and will only be available to Springfield residents. People who live in other communities should check with their own health department or Board of Health, said Helen Caulton Harris, health and human services commissioner.

The kits will be handed out between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays at the following locations until supplies run out: The Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center, 1476 Roosevelt Ave.; South End Community Center, 99 Marble St.; Indian Orchard Community Center at Myrtle Street Park; and the New North Citizens Council, 2455 Main St.
SPRINGFIELD  Superintendent Sonia Dinnall walked into the John J. Duggan Academy, greeting educators and students alike with Happy New Year.

While the official holiday might be five months away, for Dinnall and more than 23,000 students in preschool through grade 12, it is truly the start of the new year at the schools.
WARE  A member of the Ware Selectboard is facing accusations that he harassed the former chair of the board and that he no longer resides in the town he represents.

Selectboard member Josh Kusnierz recently filed a complaint with the Ware Board of Registrars against his colleague on the board, Terrance Smith, questioning whether he is eligible to serve as an elected official. In an interview, Kusnierz said because Smith no longer lives in Ware, Smith should not serve on the five-person Selectboard.
Depuis le lancement de sa plateforme  custody  en 2017, Bank One a connu un succes remarquable, avec une augmentation significative des actifs sous gestion. La Banque a egalement elargi son reseau en integrant constamment de nouvelles institutions financieres dans la region sub-saharienne et a etabli de nouveaux partenariats avec des institutions financieres et des gestionnaires dactifs.

Guillaume Passebecq, Head of Private Banking & Wealth Management declare :

 Cette recompense reflete la vision strategique de la Banque et notre engagement a fournir des services de conservation innovants et de haute qualite. Cest une reconnaissance de lexcellence operationnelle et du devouement de nos equipes .

Khalid Mahamodally, Head of Securities Services and Deputy Head of Private Banking ajoute:

 Recevoir cette distinction pour la deuxieme annee consecutive confirme lefficacite de notre approche et la solidite des relations avec nos clients. Nous continuons a ameliorer nos services pour repondre aux besoins des clients avec le plus grand soin. 

Bank One poursuit le developpement de ses services de conservation en mettant laccent sur linnovation technologique et la satisfaction des clients, renforcant ainsi sa position dans le secteur.


The people of Mayo are being urged to get behind the fifth annual Alzheimers Memory Walk.

The fundraising walk will take place nationwide next month on Sunday, September 22 at Lough Lannagh in Castlebar from 12pm.

Set to be the largest Memory Walk to date, Mary Rowland from The Alzheimer Society of Ireland's Mayo Centre is urging the people of Mayo to register as soon as possible.

Speaking ahead of Alzheimers Memory Walk, Ms Rowland commented: It is an occasion to reconnect with people and walk the scenic Lough Lannagh while also remembering persons with Dementia all over Mayo. We have the unique privilege on this day to inform and remind people of our Services here in Mayo which include Castlebar Daycare Service, weekly Dementia inclusive Social club and Daycare in the home.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is encouraging everyone to get behind this years walk, which is supported by Payzone, to help raise awareness and funds to help those living with dementia.

In 2023, 3,500 walkers participated in Memory Walk and raised over 120,000 which helped fund vital services for people with dementia, including Daycare, Daycare at Home, Family Carer Training, Social Clubs, Cafes, and a National Helpline. Upon registration, participants will receive an Alzheimers Memory Walk Participant Pack, including a t-shirt and a special pack of Forget Me Not flower seeds to sow at home to help create an annual memory each time the flowers bloom.

Adult registration costs 20 and a childs pack is 5.

For more information or to register for a Memory Walk near you, see the Memory Walk website.
A Charlestown pub owner whose tavern has been frequented by Noel and Liam Gallagher on several occasions has said he hopes the newly reunited musicians will visit him next year.

JJ Finan, owner of John Finans hardware store and pub on The Square, said he is delighted to see Oasis announce their reformation for a highly-anticipated reunion tour.

The legendary Britpop band are due to play a fourteen-gig tour of the UK and Ireland next year, starting with a concert in Cardiff and ending with two gigs in Croke Park on August 16/17.

Born and raised in Manchester to Irish parents, the brothers have always maintained strong links with their mother Peggys native Charlestown.

The Gallaghers often visited the East Mayo town as children, where they holidayed with late grandmother, Maggie Sweeney.

The pair continued to visit the area during the height of their fame, with Liam treating some locals to a couple of tunes in Finans back in 2015.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Mr Finan said he had memorable nights any time either brother would call.

They were two nice lads to me. They were very sociable types of lads, we had good craic, he said, describing the famous brothers as gentlemen.

We had memorable nights in the pub and the grandmother was there for years and she came in and did her shopping there. Thats how I got to know through them, through the grandmother.

Liam and Noel visited several local establishments during their visits, including James Caseys.

Its gone now - James sold it - but they called into me after that, explained Mr Finan.

Liam liked a game of pool and they called to me afterwards but he called several times. Its years now since he called. They are nice lads, good sociable types of lads and good character and nice to talk to.

Earlier today, Charlestown GAA shared a photo of Liam Gallagher launching the clubs website before extending an invitation to the Gallaghers to their spiritual home at Fr OHara Park.

For the day thats in it!



Throwback to 2015 when Liam Gallagher helped John Casey launch our website.



We look forward to welcoming the lads to Fr.OHara Park next summer when they visit their spiritual home. pic.twitter.com/3n6Qs7SOz4  Charlestown GAA (@CharlestownGAA) August 27, 2024

I hope they do, Mr Finan said when asked if he would like to see the brothers visit their ancestral home.

Id be delighted to have the two of them play again or come in for a cup of tea or a drink or something like that, Id be delighted to have them. They are very nice lads and they are good friends of mine, they have been good friends of mine. They have complimented my pub a few times in the paper and stuff like that. As far as Im concerned Im delighted to see them back.

In 2015, Liam, the younger of the brothers, was pictured with a Keep calm and Mayo for Sam t-shirt at Ireland Westport Airport Knock.

It wont be the Gallaghers first time playing in Croke Park, however. The experienced songwriter played GAA HQ as a support act to Garth Brooks last summer. In 1982, he played an exhibition match in the famous venue against Kilmacud Crokes with Oisin GAA from Manchester.

The brothers have not performed together since Noel quit the band before a gig in Paris in 2009.

The pair subsequently enjoyed successful solo careers, recording a number of albums and touring extensively.

Tickets for Oasis' comeback tour go on sale this Saturday.
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, August 27, 2024

MAC Cosmetics has hired Emily Bromfield, an exec whose experience includes Charlotte Tilbury and Lancome, as senior vice president, global marketing.

Most recently, she had been the chief marketing officer and managing director at Dr. Barbara Sturm, a beauty brand acquired by Puig, the Spanish beauty conglomerate, earlier this year. MAC says it hopes shell bring her disruptor mindset to the 40-year-old cosmetic brand.

She reports to Aida Moudachirou-Rebois, MACs senior vice president, global general manager. "Emily's proven track record of building brands and driving breakthrough consumer-led marketing strategies will be invaluable to our team, says Moudachirou-Rebois in the announcement. With her extensive experience and innovative mindset, we are confident that together, we will achieve remarkable milestones for MAC."

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The announcement comes days after Estee Lauder reported results for fiscal 2024, with sales slumping 2% to $15.61 billion, down from $15.91 billion in the prior year. And with efforts to turn the company around stalling, it also said longtime chief executive officer Fabrizio Freda will retire, and that a search is underway for his successor.

Skincare sales, its largest segment, fell 3%, while makeup brands dipped 1%, including declines at MAC.

While the beauty giants sales and profits beat expectations, even in what it called a difficult and volatile year, industry observers were disappointed with its less optimistic outlook for the year ahead, now calling for sales in the range of a 1% decline to 2% gain, primarily due to softening market demand in North America, persistent weakness in mainland China, and resurfaced inventory imbalances, writes Steve Powers, an analyst who covers the company for Deutsche Bank.

In the first quarter, it expects sales declines of between 3% to 5%. While Powers describes the companys turnaround as nominally on track, he also sees potential risks amidst management transition. He currently rates the companys stock as a hold.
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Assessing Artificial Intelligence-Generated Responses to Urology Patient In-Basket Messages



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ChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool, a chatbot, which can create content without copying the source. The last three letters in the name ChatGPT represent Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT), a model, to understand and generate human-like text. #ChatGPT #chatbot #medindia

ChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool, a chatbot, which can create content without copying the source. The last three letters in the name ChatGPT represent Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT), a model, to understand and generate human-like text. #ChatGPT #chatbot #medindia

Assessment of Urology-Related Responses Generated by ChatGPT

ChatGPT Responses Show the Potential to Improve Clinical Efficiency in Patient Communication

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Assessing Artificial Intelligence-Generated Responses to Urology Patient In-Basket Messages - (https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/UPJ.0000000000000637)

A study indicates that the ChatGPT chatbot may serve as an effective tool to save time by addressing patient inquiries directed to the urologist's office. This study was featured in the September edition of, the Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is part of the Lippincott portfolio published by Wolters Kluwer ().The artificial intelligence (AI) tool produced "acceptable" responses to approximately fifty percent of a sample size of actual patient inquiries. This finding was according to research conducted recently by Michael Scott, MD, a urologist at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Generative AI technologies may play a valuable role in providing prompt, accurate responses to routine patient questions  potentially alleviating patients' concerns while freeing up clinic time and resources to address other complex tasks," Dr. Scott comments.ChatGPT is an innovative large language model (LLM) that has sparked interest across a wide range of settings, including health and medicine. In some recent studies, ChatGPT has performed well in responding to various types of medical questions, although its performance in urology is less evaluated.Modern electronic health record (EHR) systems enable patients to send medical questions directly to their doctors. "This shift has been associated with an increased time burden of EHR use for physicians with a large portion of this attributed to patient in-basket messages," the researchers write. One study estimates that each message in a physician's inbox adds more than two minutes spent on the EHR.Dr. Scott and colleagues collected 100 electronic patient messages requesting medical advice from a urologist at a men's health clinic. The messages were categorized based on the type of content and difficulty and then entered into ChatGPT. Five experienced urologists graded each AI-generated response in context to accuracy, completeness, helpfulness, and intelligibility. Raters also indicated whether they would send each response to a patient.The ChatGPT-generated responses were judged to be accurate, with an average score of 4.0 on a five-point scale; and an intelligible, average score of 4.7. Ratings of completeness and helpfulness were lower but with little or no potential for harm. Scores were comparable for different types of question content (symptoms, postoperative concerns, etc)."Overall, 47% of responses were deemed acceptable to send to patients," the researchers write. Questions rated as "easy" had a higher rate of acceptable responses: 56%, compared to 34% for "difficult" questions."These results show promise for the utilization of generative AI technology to help improve clinical efficiency," Dr. Scott and coauthors write. The findings "suggest the feasibility of integrating this new technology into clinical care to improve efficiency while maintaining quality of patient communication."The researchers note some potential drawbacks of ChatGPT-generated responses to patient questions: "ChatGPT's model is trained on information from the Internet in general, as opposed to validated medical sources," with a "risk of generating inaccurate or misleading responses." The authors also highlight the need for safeguards to ensure patient privacy."While our study provides an interesting starting point, more research will be needed to validate the use of LLMs to respond to patient questions, in urology as well as other specialties," Dr. Scott comments. "This will be a potentially valuable healthcare application, particularly with continued advances in AI technology."Source-Eurekalert
From Research to Reality: Crafting an Image of the Current State of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies for Substance Use Disorders

1 in 5 Americans report using psychedelics at least once in their lifetime, with usage rising steadily in recent years. #psychedelics #addiction 


#Mpox is highly contagious and can be transmitted through close human contact, especially during intimacy or through body fluids. #monkeypox #contagious #medindia

Monkeypox Effect on Brain

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Mpox



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Facts About Mpox

Mpox- (https:my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22371-monkeypox)

The fatal new strain of Mpox, often known as monkeypox, initially emerged in Central Africa and has since spread across the continent and beyond, posing a severe threat to global public health.The virus, which was previously confined to remote locations of the African continent, is now making its way towards India as Pakistan has reported the first case of monkeypox. Can India withstand one more deadly pandemic? The question that remains unanswered.Mpox is highly contagious and can be transmitted through close human contact, especially during intimacy or through body fluids. This includes physical acts such as touching, kissing, hugging, or even sharing utensils or clothes with an infected individual.Healthcare providers warn that the virus can spread through contact with contaminated objects such as towels, beds, or surfaces. It is important to be cautious around infected individuals or anyone who has recently traveled, particularly to African countries.World Health Organization (WHO) announced a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of malaria in 13 African nations, including the Congo, where there have been documented cases of 14,000 and 524 deaths.Mpox can impact brain functions, and headaches are just one symptom of this. The virus can cause inflammation in brain tissues, potentially leading to more severe conditions such as encephalitis . Monitoring patients closely, especially those showing neurological symptoms, is crucial to ensure timely intervention().The neurological impact of Mpox highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to managing the disease. Experts recommend a multi-faceted strategy to prevent the spread of Mpox in India, including public awareness campaigns, vaccination drives, and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.Early detection and isolation of cases are crucial, and WHO recommends contact tracing and quarantine measures.Public awareness campaigns and preparedness are essential to prevent Mpox from becoming a widespread epidemic. Thepandemic lessons should serve as a wake-up call for India.Previously referred to as monkeypox, Mpox is an infectious disease brought on by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus.This virus belongs to two genetic clades: Clade I and II. The illness mainly spreads through contact with infected people, animals, or contaminated objects. Symptoms include severe rashes, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes.The virus was originally discovered in 1958 in Danish research monkeys and the first case of humans was documented in Congo in 1970. Following smallpoxs elimination in 1980, Mpox started to emerge in Central, Eastern and Western Africa.Source-Medindia
Highlights: Married men are twice as likely to age optimally

Unmarried women age better than those widowed or divorced

Social support and healthy habits drive optimal aging

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The association between trajectories of marital status and successful aging varies by sex: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)



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Married men are twice as likely to age optimally compared to their single peers. #healthyaging #marriagematters #medindia

Married men are twice as likely to age optimally compared to their single peers. #healthyaging #marriagematters #medindia

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What is Optimal Aging

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Marriage Benefits Men More Than Women

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Social Connections and Healthy Lifestyle Key to Aging Well

The association between trajectories of marital status and successful aging varies by sex: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) - (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00208728241267791)

Marriage may be the secret to a long and healthy life for men. A new study published in thejournal has found that marriage significantly contributes to optimal aging in men. Conducted by researchers from the University of Torontos Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, the study tracked over 7,000 Canadian men and women, middle-aged and older, for approximately three years to explore the relationship between marital status and successful aging ).Optimal aging was defined by the study as the absence of serious physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional conditions that could hinder daily activities. Additionally, it included high levels of self-reported happiness, good physical health, and mental well-being. The findings revealed that married men or those who became married during the study were twice as likely to age optimally compared to their never-married counterparts.Interestingly, the study noted a gender disparity in the benefits of marriage. While marriage was strongly linked to optimal aging in men, it did not have the same significant impact on women. In fact, older women who had never been married were significantly more likely to age optimally than those who became widowed or divorced after marriage, highlighting a complex relationship between marital status and aging in women."Our findings suggest that marriage can provide men with significant benefits for their health and well-being as they age," said Dr. Mabel Ho, the studys lead author. "These benefits may be due to factors such as social support, emotional connection, and shared healthy behaviors."Spouses can provide emotional support, encouragement, and companionship. Older adults who maintained regular contact with relatives, friends, and neighbors were more likely to age optimally than those who were socially isolated.Couples often encourage each other to adopt healthier behaviors like maintaining a healthy body weight, staying physically active, avoiding insomnia , and quitting smoking Marriage can provide financial security, reducing stress and improving overall well-being."This study underscores the importance of understanding sex-specific differences in aging and the potential benefits of marriage for men," said Dr. Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging. "Our findings can inform the development of programs and services to support older adults, particularly those who were never married or experienced widowhood, separation, and divorce in later life."The studys results suggest that marital status, particularly for men, should be considered in public health strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging. As the population ages, understanding the social and emotional factors that contribute to successful aging will be increasingly important. Programs that encourage social connections, healthy behaviors, and support for those facing aging alone could play a critical role in enhancing the quality of life for older adults.Source-Medindia
Highlights: A 15-minute daily exercise challenge led to a 12-minute increase in daily physical activity among participants

The challenge improved fitness, energy, sleep quality, and mood

Gamification and teamwork were key motivators for sustained engagement

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Evaluation of the "15 Minute Challenge": A Workplace Health and Wellbeing Program



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Just 15 minutes of daily exercise can lead to significant health benefits, including improved mood and energy! #medindia #workplacewellness #health

Just 15 minutes of daily exercise can lead to significant health benefits, including improved mood and energy! #medindia #workplacewellness #health

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The Power of 15 Minutes

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How to do the 15 Min Challenge

Find a team or create your own

Be active for at least 15 minutes a day and record your progress on the online platform

The team that exercises for the most days during the challenge wins

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Meeting Global Health Standards

The Role of Gamification in Success

Evaluation of the "15 Minute Challenge": A Workplace Health and Wellbeing Program - (https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/13/1255)

In todays fast-paced work environment, wellness initiatives like lunchtime yoga, walking meetings, or even company-wide fitness challenges are becoming common. But if you think these require a significant time commitment, think again. New research from thereveals that just 15 minutes of daily physical activity, combined with a touch of gamification, can significantly boost your health ().The research, which evaluated 11,575 participants across 73 companies in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, focused on a gamified workplace wellness program known as the 15 Minute Challenge. The results were impressive, with 95% of participants either meeting (36%) or exceeding (59%) the recommended physical activity levels.On average, participants increased their daily physical activity by 12 minutes, which equates to an additional 85 minutes per week. Throughout the six-week program, the median daily exercise duration for participants was 45 minutes.But the benefits went beyond just physical activity. Participants also reported notable improvements in fitness (14%), energy levels (12%), overall health (8%), sleep quality (8%), and mood (7.1%).The 15 Minute Challenge is a six-week corporate wellness program that encourages participants to get at least 15 minutes of exercise each day. The program is designed to be easy to fit into busy schedules and encourages people to develop regular exercise habits.Heres how to do it:The challenge is a great way to improve your health and fitness, reduce stress , and boost your mood.Therecommends that adults aged 18-64 engage in at least 150300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. However, in Australia, only 37% of adults and 17% of teenagers meet these guidelines. The 15 Minute Challenge offers a practical solution for integrating more physical activity into daily life, especially for those who spend most of their time working.Dr. Ben Singh, the lead researcher at UniSA, emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity for both physical and mental well-being. He notes that physical activity is crucial in preventing and managing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, as well as reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety . Despite these benefits, approximately half of Australian adults fail to meet the recommended activity levels.Dr. Singh points out that the 15 Minute Challenge is particularly effective because it provides an easy entry point for those who are less active. The programs simplicity encourages participants to start with just 15 minutes of exercise, which often leads to more significant physical activity. For many, the 15-minute target becomes a catalyst for adopting a more active lifestyle, helping them move closer to or even exceed national health recommendations.Professor Carol Maher, a co-researcher on the project, attributes part of the programs success to its gamified elements. The challenge promotes teamwork, friendly competition, and accountability, which motivates participants to stay engaged and committed. The app used in the program tracks rankings, celebrates achievements, and fosters a sense of camaraderie among team members.Maher emphasizes that combating inactivity is a collective responsibility. When employers provide effective, enjoyable, and cost-efficient ways to support employee wellness, everyone benefits. Physically active employees are not only healthier but also more productive, satisfied, and resilient to stress. Initiatives like the 15 Minute Challenge offer a scalable solution that can significantly improve employee health and well-being.The 15 Minute Challenge demonstrates that small, consistent efforts can lead to substantial health benefits. As workplaces continue to evolve, integrating simple yet effective wellness programs should be a priority for employers aiming to enhance the overall well-being of their teams.A small step today can lead to a giant leap in your health tomorrow.Source-Medindia
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Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits



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50% of teens report experiencing a traumatic event online, such as cyberbullying or exposure to violent content. #screentime #socialmedia 

Time to Reclaim Your Life

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Breaking Free from the Screen

Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits - (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781032617251/managing-gaming-social-media-habits-catherine-knibbs)

Theres a growing sense that people or their children are wasting hours on screens, from gaming to endless social media scrolling ().However, according to Catherine Knibbs, a psychotherapist who specializes in cybertrauma and online harms, there are tangible steps we can all take to wrestle back control from the hands of technology corporations.In her new book, Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits: From Science to Solutions, part of the new Ask The Experts in Psychology series in partnership with the British Psychological Society, Knibbs argues thatRather, it depends on how it is used, and who it is used by.For some people social media and gaming offer a lifesaving space, says Knibbs. Games provide a space for people to connect, and to combat other feelings that exist in their lives such as loneliness , anxiety, depression .For example, Knibbs points to the role that technology played in allowing us to connect with others during the COVID pandemic when we couldnt socialize physically.Cyberspace connections result in people being connected, and young people and adults tell me that the communities they are part of online help them feel like they are with people who understand them, see them, and have the same interests. This can help them when they feel alone and in need of support.However problems can arise if a person spends so much time engaging with technology that they stop paying attention to full bladder signs, or no longer want to participate in the real world, Knibbs explains.Eventually, it can lead to a situation where children skip school, or adults dont go to work.The key, she suggests, is toAccording to Knibbs, the first step in this process is to understand the tricks that technology companies use to get you addicted to their apps and devices in the first place.Technology companies create products that deliberately tap into our innermost desires and needs to keep our attention on those products, says Knibbs.These innate needs include our desire to be recognized, seen, valued, loved, and needed, Knibbs explains.For example, video games offer users visibility of experience points (XP), prestige status and trophies, skins, and other visible attributes that show how good a player is.There is also our fear of missing out: We are born ready to socialize and in doing so we have a primary need to get others to take care of us to prevent us from being rejected, abandoned, and causing us to die, says Knibbs.That avoidance of rejection and abandonment underpins most of what you do daily. Especially on social media.Technology also taps into our desire for novelty, excitement, and reward, Knibbs explains. To grab our attention and keep it, apps send out a constant stream of prompts, pings and pushes, nudges, and rewards.So what can we do about this? Knibbs recommends starting with writing a diary of technology use and thinking critically about the situations in which you use it, and what needs you are trying to meet when you reach for your smartphone You might notice what you did, where you were, and what time it was when you first noticed the urge to open the phone, laptop, computer, console, etc for the first time on this day of the week, says Knibbs.The aim is to recognize when your use of technology is helpful and purposeful, and when it is not, Knibbs explains, and to try to engage with social media more mindfully and purposefully so that users feel more in control.She encourages people to try to notice the kinds of things they seek out online, engage with, scroll past, or hover on when in the spaces of social media.Other tips include turning the background colors to black and white, removing notifications from the app or home screen, or installing time blockers to tell users when they have spent a certain amount of time online.When we engage with social media or gaming we disconnect from our bodies and being present, and spend that time interacting with the media for what can seem like hours, says Knibbs.This is one of the reasons why we get caught up in the scrolling. Being able to avoid these traps requires us to become skilled at noticing. Mindful meditation practices can help, and with continuous practice, you should be able to switch to a state where you can engage with technology more intentionally when you have the capacity to do so.Source-Eurekalert
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Iran's supreme leader opened the door Tuesday to renewed negotiations with the United States over his country's rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling its civilian government there was no harm" in engaging with its enemy.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks set clear red lines for any talks taking place under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and renewed his warnings that Washington wasn't to be trusted.

But his comments mirror those around the time of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran's nuclear program greatly curtailed in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Yet it remains unclear just how much room Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, particularly as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and as the U.S. prepares for a presidential election in November.

This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations, Khamenei said, according to a transcript on his official website. "There is no harm in that, but do not place your hopes in them.

Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, also warned Pezeshkian's Cabinet, Do not trust the enemy.

Khamenei, 85, has occasionally urged talks or dismissed them with Washington after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

There have been indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States' Middle East interlocutors when it comes to Iran. Khamenei's remarks came a day after Qatar's prime minister visited the country.

Asked for comment, the U.S. State Department told The Associated Press: We will judge Irans leadership by their actions, not their words.

We have long said that we ultimately view diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective, sustainable solution with regard to Irans nuclear program, it said. However, we are far away from anything like that right now given Irans escalations across the board, including its nuclear escalations and its failure to cooperate" with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

If Iran wants to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, they should stop nuclear escalations and start meaningfully cooperating with the IAEA, it said.

Since the deal's collapse, Iran has abandoned all limits that the deal put on its program, and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity  near weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agencys most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials also have increasingly threatened that they could pursue atomic weapons.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Tehran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel in April after years of a shadow war between the two countries reached a climax with Israels apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.

The assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh also prompted Iran to threaten to retaliate against Israel.

Pezeshkian, a former lawmaker who won the presidency after a May helicopter crash killed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, campaigned in part on a promise to reengage the West with negotiations. Khamenei's remarks as Iran's paramount leader could provide him with the political cover to do so. Pezeshkian's new foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, was deeply involved in negotiations on the 2015 deal.

After doing everything we can, a tactical retreat might sometimes be necessary, but we should not abandon our goals or opinions at the first sign of difficulty, Khameini also said Tuesday, the second time in recent days he's referred to a tactical retreat amid the tensions.

However, it's not just Iran that's facing a new presidency. The U.S. will hold a presidential election on Nov. 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump as the leading candidates. Iran has been concerned about Trumps return to power.

While the U.S. engaged in indirect talks with Iran under President Joe Biden, it remains unclear how that would carry over to a possible Harris administration. Harris, in a speech to the Democratic National Convention last week, said: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.

The RANE Network, a risk-intelligence firm, said if Harris wins, the likelihood of a deal will rise as the Israel-Hamas war winds down.

Once negotiations begin, Iran will likely demand more protections regarding a potential U.S. withdrawal from a new deal after the United States walked away from the previous deal in 2018, RANE said in an analysis Tuesday.

Because of concerns about the sustainability of any new deal, Iran is also less likely to offer as many nuclear concessions, like the dismantling of more advanced centrifuges, since Iran would want to be able to spin up its nuclear program as fast as possible in the event of another U.S. exit from the new deal.

Tuesday's meeting between Khamenei and Pezeshkian's Cabinet included an appearance by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped Iran reach the 2015 deal. After the meeting, Zarif said in an online message that he would continue to serve as a vice president in Pezeshkian's administration after earlier publicly resigning over the makeup of the Cabinet.

___

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi contributed to this report from Tehran, Iran.
A relative of a crew member who survived a B-1B Lancer crash in South Dakota earlier this year said the official accident investigation report into the mishap wrongly criticized the airman's weight and unfairly put blame on Ellsworth Air Force Base personnel.

Joni Smith, the mother-in-law of the instructor pilot of the aircraft, told Military.com she had submitted letters raising concerns about the incident to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, as well as members of the state's delegation in Washington, D.C. One criticism was that Smith said the report inaccurately highlighted the airman's alleged weight as being "nearly 260" pounds, which the report stated was over the 245-pound maximum, something the investigator said "further highlights the unit's degradation of culture and discipline."

Smith detailed in her letter and in an interview with Military.com that her son-in-law never officially weighed more than 245 pounds, was never disqualified from flying, and passed his last physical fitness test just six weeks before the crash. She said that his alleged weight mentioned in the report was taken in a hospital bed, which she called an inaccurate and unfair way to gather that data, especially as he was bandaged up and swollen from the crash.

Read Next: Marine Corps Cammie Items Are Back in Stock After Shortages Due to Pandemic-Related Supply Disruptions

"A medical professional at Monument Health stated that hospital bed weights are not accurate body measurements," Smith wrote. "The weight was taken after the crash with a neck brace, boot brace, pelvic binder, legs binder, blanket, layers of bedding and pads, a remote for pain med, multiple IVs, multiple probes and cords, bandaging on three wounds, hospital gown, and blood pressure strap."

Even as her son-in-law is still healing from serious back injuries as a result of ejecting from the B-1B Lancer, Smith said it's possible that he could face disciplinary action due to his alleged weight.

The crash that Smith's son-in-law was injured in happened Jan. 4 at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. The B-1B Lancer, valued at $450 million, was on a training exercise with four crew members aboard. The bomber crashed roughly 100 feet short of the runway, skidded more than 5,000 feet down the tarmac, and then caught on fire.

All four crew members safely ejected; Smith's son-in-law suffered multiple fractures and severely injured his spine.

Col. Erick Lord, the Accident Investigation Board president, issued a scathing report that was publicized late last month. The report pointed to a "failure to perform standard crew resource management," along with adverse weather conditions, ineffective flying operations supervision, lack of awareness, and "an unhealthy organizational culture that permitted degradation of airmanship skills" as contributing factors in the crash, Military.com first reported.

Lord also singled out the instructor pilot's weight, saying "in a review of the post-mishap medical treatment records, there is evidence the weight of the [instructor pilot] exceeded the maximum weight limit of the ACES II ejection seat (211 lbs.) and Air Force-adjusted maximum weight limit (245 lbs.) for safe and effective use."

The report claims the instructor pilot was just under the 245-pound weight limit before the mishap and states that the post-mishap report of nearly 260 pounds weight "likely contributed to the severity of the injuries noted from the mishap."

Air Force Global Strike Command did not respond to many of the specific claims in Smith's letter that Military.com detailed, but said the organization was taking actions as a result of the report's findings.

"The AIB report details the cause of the mishap, crew landing short of the runway and additional factors that contributed to the accident," Air Force Global Strike Command spokesman Lt. Col. John Severns told Military.com. "The 28th Bomb Wing has been working to address those factors, plus taking appropriate administrative actions. The Air Force does not discuss the results of those types of action as they are protected by the Privacy Act."

Roughly a week after the findings became public, the commander of the 28th Operations Group was fired from his role "due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command, based on the findings of an Accident Investigation Board report into the Jan. 4 crash of a B-1B bomber at Ellsworth," Air Force Global Strike Command said in a statement.

Lord took aim at the 28th Operational Support Squadron and the 34th Bomb Squadron, both of which are under the 28th Operations Group commander's leadership, in the report, saying "the lack of effective flying operations supervision" and the "failure to communicate airfield and weather capabilities and conditions all speak to culture and leadership issues."

The incident marked the first time in more than a decade that a B-1B Lancer had crashed. The previous crash occurred in August 2013, when a bomber flying out of Ellsworth went down near Broadus, Montana, causing fire damage to private property and destroying the aircraft.

Smith explained that the recent crash was already a lot for the crew to grapple with, but the subsequent report by Lord caused even more stress and worries for the airmen and others at the base.

The mother-in-law of the crew member also took aim at other specifics in the report, claiming that icing and wind shear played larger roles in the crash than stated in the findings, and she said that Lord's "comments are seething with hatred and disrespect to the outstanding aviators of the 34th Bomb Squadron."

Aviators and crew members who have served at Ellsworth, who spoke to Military.com under condition of anonymity to discuss base culture, said the report harmed morale and made them feel like they weren't dedicated to their jobs, especially when members of the B-1B Lancer community say they're already doing more with fewer people, airplanes and resources compared to other airframes.

"Anytime a hit like this comes in, it does real damage to morale," a former aviator said. "It really gave the impression that one mistake occurs and you're going to get hung out to dry, and the root cause for that mistake being made wasn't a culture of wanton disregard for regulation, it was incredibly inexperienced people being pushed too hard and too fast."

Another former Ellsworth crew member told Military.com that the airman whose weight was criticized in the report is physically fit and regularly lifts weights. The airman said critiques like the one in Lord's report harm members of the B-1B community not just in South Dakota, but also at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, which also flies the bomber.

"I think it's unfair," the former crew member said. "I think they never got to the root cause of the problem. ... We don't have enough manning anymore in order for the squadrons to be manned at whatever the full rate is now."

Just months before the crash, in November, the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth was awarded the Fairchild Trophy for winning the Global Strike Challenge -- a competition showcasing the wing's maintenance and operational skills.

Lord's criticism of the B-1B Lancer unit at Ellsworth comes as the Air Force plans to eventually phase out the aging bomber, which was first introduced in the 1980s, for the new B-21 Raider.

The Department of Defense has said it plans to acquire somewhere around 100 B-21s, more than the Air Force's current B-2 and B-1B Lancer fleets combined. Each new bomber costs an estimated $700 million, according to a service fact sheet.

Air Force Global Strike Command said in a statement to Military.com that there is a proposal to temporarily relocate 17 B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth to Grand Forks Air Force Base in nearby North Dakota between February and November 2025, roughly 10 months, to work on runway repairs preparing for the future arrival of the B-21.

Additionally, around 800 personnel from Ellsworth would transfer to Grand Forks to support the B-1B operations.

Related: Commander at Ellsworth Air Force Base Fired Following Scathing Accident Report into B-1B Lancer Crash
MANILA, Philippines  The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.

Adm. Samuel Paparos remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. As these clashes grow increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking a treaty alliance with Washington.

Paparo and Brawner spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at which Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. Military and defense officials and diplomats from the U.S. and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

Asked if the U.S. military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Paparo replied, Certainly, within the context of consultations."

"Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us, Paparo said without elaborating.

Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

The attitude of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves, Brawner said. We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the missionin this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.

"We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves, Brawner said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to each other's aid if they come under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the conference that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coast guard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China, blaming unspecified other actors for making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability.

Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough."

"The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Teodoro said, adding that a U.N. Security Council resolution would be a strong step, but unlikely given China's security council veto.

He also called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do more. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other, as well as Chinas and Taiwans.

"ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea, Teodoro said.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coast guard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll claimed by both countries that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The Philippine coast guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, obstructed the delivery, which included an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes Day on Monday.

In Beijing, Chinas coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that intruded into waters near the Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Japans government separately protested to Beijing on Tuesday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.

___

Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.
I hear a lot of feedback that the military doesn't do enough to teach service members about personal finance. I'm always kind of baffled by this. The Department of Defense has so many resources for service members and families, from the advice and resources provided by the Office of Financial Readiness, to installation-level financial counselors, to the professionals at Military OneSource.

In addition to the general availability of information and resources, a schedule dictates when certain financial readiness training is supposed to happen. This schedule refers to career and life transitions as "touchpoints."

Taking full advantage of financial touchpoint training can be one of the smartest moves service members make to build a financially secure future. But for many, completing the training becomes a "check in the block," and they miss out on the opportunity to make real progress.

What is financial touchpoint training?

By federal law, service members are supposed to receive specialized financial education at 12 touchpoints:

First duty station

Permanent changes of station

Promotion

Vesting in the Thrift Savings Plan

Entitlement to continuation pay

Marriage

Welcoming first child

Preparing for divorce

Disabling sickness or condition

Leadership training

Pre-deployment preparation

Post-deployment



These touchpoints are meant to help military families build financial stability, prepare for significant life events and ensure long-term financial security. Every branch implements financial touchpoint training a little differently, and not everyone gets the full benefit of the entire touchpoint curriculum. But even if it's not required by your branch or command, you can use these touchpoints as a reminder of the resources available to you.

Whether you're just starting your career or nearing retirement, here are five reasons why making the most of financial touchpoint training will improve your financial future.

1. It's Military Specific

Financial touchpoint training isn't just generic personal finance advice -- it's tailored specifically to the needs of service members and military families. Your civilian friends don't need to figure out PCS moves and the government match to Thrift Savings Plan contributions for Blended Retirement System members. The training covers all these military-specific topics, ensuring that service members understand their benefits and can use them to their advantage.

By engaging fully with touchpoint training, service members can learn how to maximize their military pay and benefits and adjust as their situation changes.

2. It's the Right Information at the Right Time

Military life is filled with transitions, and each one brings different financial challenges. For example, a new service member just starting basic training may not have considered how to create a budget, save for emergencies or plan for long-term financial goals such as homeownership or retirement. Similarly, those preparing to transition out of the military must navigate different financial questions, such as how to use their benefits wisely, budget on civilian pay and manage health-care expenses.

Touchpoint training offers valuable education and support when service members need it most. It encourages them to plan ahead, helping to establish sound financial practices before they face life's most expensive and often stressful decisions.

3. It Improves Quality of Life

Financial problems can have a serious impact on both personal well-being and mission readiness. Service members who are stressed about money may be distracted, unable to focus fully on their duties and more likely to experience personal and family problems. In extreme cases, financial concerns can even lead to security clearance issues, which can jeopardize a service member's career.

By getting smarter with financial touchpoints, service members can prevent many of the problems that come from financial insecurity. Learning to budget, save and invest wisely can provide peace of mind and allow service members to focus on their work and their families. This improved quality of life leads to better performance, both on the job and at home.

4. It Builds Financial Resilience

Financial resilience means you are prepared for the unexpected. And goodness knows, military life can be unpredictable! PCS moves, deployments, child-care challenges and spousal unemployment can all create financial stress.

Financial touchpoint training should help build financial resilience, including having emergency funds and paying down debt. But being financially resilient means more than just having money in the bank. It means having plans in place for unexpected events. That might include having renter's insurance, buying a car that you can afford even if you PCS or making the right decision between renting or buying a home.

5. It Smooths the Transition to Civilian Life

One of the most significant transitions service members will face is the move from military to civilian life. This transition comes with many financial challenges, from understanding how military benefits translate into civilian terms to figuring out health-care, employment and retirement planning. Financial touchpoint training includes guidance on how to navigate these changes, helping service members make a smooth transition without financial hardship.

Military service comes with unique financial opportunities and challenges. Financial touchpoint training is designed to help service members navigate these successfully. Whether you're just starting your military career, looking ahead to the next duty station or transitioning to civilian life, this training provides critical financial education and resources tailored to your needs. By taking full advantage of the touchpoint program, you can build financial resilience, secure your future and improve your quality of life, both now and in the years to come.

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It's not hard to understand why so many Americans join the military during a time of crisis. By the end of December 1941, the U.S. military was 2.2 million strong after men joined by the thousands in the wake of the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, more than 250,000 enlisted in either active duty or reserve components. Those crises inspired a sense of duty in Americans while activating a deeply held national patriotism. Yet many Americans at the outset of the Civil War just didn't share that same kind of national sentiment.

In his latest book, "'Tis Not Our War: Avoiding Military Service in the Civil War North," author Paul Taylor describes the public view of the Civil War as the war progressed, the cultural mindset of Americans in the 1860s, and why, instead of enlisting, the vast majority chose to avoid fighting the war -- some even by deserting or dodging the draft entirely.

"'Tis Not Our War: Avoiding Military Service in the Civil War North" by Paul Taylor is on bookshelves now. (Stackpole Books)

Taylor has written or edited eight books about specific areas of American life during the Civil War, covering everything from the politics of the day to the often-overlooked war in Florida. "'Tis Not Our War" discusses why some were willing to serve, but focuses on why the rest of white citizens between ages 18 and 45, were unwilling, either becoming totally apathetic or outright hostile toward the idea.

President Abraham Lincoln and his administration saw military service during a time of national emergency as a civic duty, but it was a view at odds with the traditional American sense of rugged individualism. Many citizens believed that a faraway federal government in Washington had no authority over how a citizen lived or died and strongly resisted Lincoln's attempts to compel them to fight the war for the Union.

Many American men did answer the president's call to arms, of course. After the Siege of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to serve in Union militias for three-month enlistments. By the end of 1861, the Union Army boasted more than 640,000 men in uniform. Taylor calls it the largest mobilization of American military power in history, estimating that 33%-40% of white, military-age men in the North volunteered to fight for the Union in 1861.On top of patriotism, they joined to preserve the Union and (eventually) end slavery in the United States.

It's a romantic notion, one that Taylor cuts through by reminding readers that preserving the Union and freeing those in bondage is an equally romantic memory of a bygone era. In truth, many joined the Union Army for the regular pay, because they were bored at home, or because they were drafted. The romance of fighting for the cause was, for many, an idea concocted in the stories they told years after they survived the war, Taylor argues.

Lincoln's call for volunteers was, of course, not enough, and Congress would enact legislation to address the Union Army's needs. The Militia Act of 1862 gave individual states the power to institute a draft when a state could not meet its quota for volunteers. In 1863, Congress passed the Enrollment Act, the United States' first-ever national conscription law, requiring every male citizen and immigrant who applied for citizenship between ages 20 and 45 to enroll to be drafted. Provisions of the law, such as the ability to procure a substitute draftee or to pay a fee to avoid the draft, led to rioting in the streets of New York City. It was wholly unpopular in the rest of the country, as well.

A Harper's Weekly rendering of the 1863 New York City Draft Riot. (Library of Congress)

There were men who didn't serve because they were simply unfit or in poor health. Farmers were needed to grow food, and manufacturers needed to produce war materiel, both of which were every bit as important and patriotic as marching on the enemy, says Taylor. But the author also points out that others who did not fight were labeled "poltroons," cowards of the era, for shirking their duty when the country called. He also discusses why that just isn't the truth.

When the war began, many felt it would be a brief conflict, the South would be taught a lesson, and everyone would return home. There were men who felt that by the time they got to the front, the war would be over and their lives irreversibly disrupted. Men with families in 1861 had to support those families and didn't see a way that enlisting could help them do that. Those kinds of men included the then-president of a St. Louis streetcar company, William T. Sherman -- a man whose dedication could never be doubted.

Many who enlisted in the Union Army found themselves poorly provisioned, poorly dressed and using antiquated weapons. Camp diseases took its toll on the Union recruits early on. The federal government even struggled to pay its troops. If seeing the plight of these militias had the power to dispel romantic notions of the Union cause, it wouldn't have affected most northern college students and professors simply because they never saw it. The further the university was from the war's front lines, the less of an impact it seemed to have on their lives.

Parents refused to grant permission to sons, wives harried their husbands and schools instituted martial drill programs, all in an effort to keep their military-age men from going off to war. As time wore on, those who went off to war without the personal sense of duty or patriotism began an "epidemic" of desertion. By 1864, an average of more than 7,300 troops deserted every month. When those deserters returned home, their woeful stories of Army life hampered further recruiting efforts. Some 200,000 men left their units during the Civil War, and the threat of execution or being literally branded as a deserter had little bearing on their decisions.

"The Death of Johnson - Fryday [sic] Dec. 13, 1861" by Alfred Wordsworth Thompson

With the exception of its current recruiting issues, the U.S. military today has no problem filling its ranks (and keeping them full), especially during a time of crisis. It's a reflection of America's post-World War II military ethos. Taylor's "'Tis Not Our War" is a fascinating look at the way everyday Americans saw their duty toward the country and its government, even at a time when its very existence was at stake. It's neither a celebration nor a shaming of those who didn't serve. Instead, it's an empathetic look at the country, its people and the cultural forces that shaped how a people really felt about fighting a war against themselves.

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Former All-Star third baseman Don Wert passed away at age 86, the Tigers announced this afternoon. Wert played all but 20 games of his MLB career with Detroit.

Wert signed with the Tigers at age 19 out of Pennsylvanias Franklin & Marshall College. The right-handed hitting infielder spent five years in the minors, including two full seasons at Triple-A. He earned his first big league call in 1963 and established himself as Detroits starting third baseman the next year.

After playing in 148 games during his first full MLB season, Wert started all 162 contests in 1965. He hit .261 with 12 homers and more walks than strikeouts in nearly 700 plate appearances. Wert was charged with only 12 errors despite logging more than 1400 innings at the hot corner. Award voters rewarded his durability and solid all-around game with a 10th-place finish in AL MVP balloting.

Wert was a reliable and consistent presence in the Detroit infield for the remainder of the decade. He made an All-Star team in 1968, although his .200/.258/.299 slash line that year was one of his least productive showings. A June hit-by-pitch that broke his helmet and required a stint in the hospital surely contributed to his offensive downturn. Wert remained a valuable defensive player and appeared in 150 games on a Tigers team that won 103 games to claim the AL pennant.

Detroit knocked off the Cardinals in a seven-game World Series. Wert played in six of those contests. He went 2-17 but drew six walks and drove in a pair of runs. The latter RBI came with two outs in the top of the ninth in the deciding game. He singled off Bob Gibson to push Detroits lead to 4-0; they held on to win by a 4-1 margin.

After the 1970 season, the Tigers traded Wert to the Washington Senators as part of an eight-player deal that also shipped out two-time Cy Young winner Denny McLain. Wert spent a couple months with Washington before being released in June, ending his playing career. He retired with a .242/.314/.343 line in more than 1100 games over parts of nine seasons. Wert played nearly 9000 innings at third base, where he had a .968 fielding percentage. MLBTR sends our condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.
4:50pm: The Sox have also placed right-hander Luis Garcia on the injured list, with righty Josh Winckowski recalled in a corresponding move. Chris Cotillo of MassLive was among those to relay that swap on X.

3:42pm: The Red Sox have designated right-hander Brad Keller for assignment and placed righty Lucas Sims on the 15-day injured list due to a right lat strain, per a team announcement. Kellers DFA paves the way for lefty Rich Hill to be selected from Triple-A Worcester  a move that was originally reported earlier this morning. Right-hander Greg Weissert is up from Worcester to take Sims spot in the bullpen.

Keller, 29, has been up and down with the Red Sox several times this season. The longtime Royals hurler originally inked a minor league deal with the White Sox over the winter but latched on with Boston after being quickly cut loose in Chicago. Keller was summoned to the majors for a third stint with the Red Sox earlier this week and allowed three runs in four innings of long relief during yesterdays doubleheader. Hes posted a 5.84 ERA with the Red Sox and an overall 5.44 mark in 41 1/3 innings between Chicago and Boston this year.

Its been a rough decline for Keller, who from 2018-20 was a regular in the Kansas City rotation. He pitched 360 1/3 innings of 3.50 ERA ball for the Royals and looked to be settling in as a solid mid-rotation arm. His production dwindled in 2021-22, however, and in 2023 he walked 45 batters in 45 1/3 innings of work. That alarming deterioration of his command led to an IL trip, and imaging/testing eventually revealed symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. Keller underwent surgery last summer, and while hes pitched well in Triple-A recently, hes yet to rediscover his form at the big league level.

The Red Sox will place Keller on release waivers or outright waivers shortly. Hes already cleared a couple of times this season and figures to do so again. Once he clears, he can become a free agent and sign with any team, although last time he was in that spot, he simply re-signed with the Red Sox on a new minor league pact. A similar series of events this time around would come as little surprise.

Sims, 30, was a trade deadline pickup for the Sox but has been torched for nine runs in 10 innings since coming over from the Reds. Thats a far cry from the 3.57 mark he notched in 35 1/3 innings prior to the swap, which sent minor leaguer Ovis Portes to Cincinnati. Whether his rocky performance was due to injury or a change in pitch selection  Boston significantly scaled back the usage of his four-seamer in favor of a cutter  isnt clear. Most lat strains require an absence of some note, however, and if Sims is out for any substantial period of time, that could spell the end of his time in Boston entirely. Hes slated to become a free agent at seasons end.
HAMLIN TOWNSHIP, MI - Michigans most popular state park will close after Labor Day for construction and remain closed into next summer.

The planned 10-month closure at Ludington State Park is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3, to July 1. However, areas south of the entry booth will remain open.

The closure affects the main areas of the park, including all three campgrounds, the main beach area, the Hamlin day-use areas, the Big Sable Light, trails and other amenities north of the entry booth. Visitors will not be allowed north of the Big Sable River. The dam, footbridge and highway bridge will be closed.

Areas south of the river, including the Lake Michigan beach and dune trail along M-116 and Piney Ridge Road, will be open.

RELATED: Busy Lake Michigan lighthouse adds extra bus days ahead of state park closure

There are $3.2 million in upgrades planned, including repaving the parks main road, repaving the Hamlin Lake day-use area parking lot, expanding the parking areas at the Lake Michigan beach and warming shelter, and enhancing traffic and pedestrian flow at the park entrance.

The park is known for its miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, hundreds of campsites, miles of trails, and the Big Sable Light. Its bordered on the west by Lake Michigan and by Hamlin Lake on the east while the Big Sable River runs through it.

Check Ludington State Parks Facebook page for updates.

RELATED: Michigan has the No. 1 historic bed and breakfast in America, Newsweek readers say

The upcoming projects are part of $250 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan, or ARPA, that was made available to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2022 to help address a long list of needs at state parks. These federal COVID-19 relief funds are part of a $4.8 billion infrastructure package outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmers Building Michigan Together Plan.
ALLEN PARK -- Former Detroit Lions cornerback Mike Ford has been cut by the Houston Texans, according to multiple reports. Ford was just months into a two-year contract he signed with the club this offseason.

Ford is a former undrafted rookie who played his way onto the Lions roster in 2018. He went on to play 31 games for the previous regime and started seven games, although his biggest contributions came on special teams. He did not return to Detroit when the current regime took over in 2021 and immediately began retooling the secondary.

In his post-Lions days, Ford had one-year stints in Denver, Atlanta and Cleveland before signing a multi-year deal with Houston. Now hes back on the move for the fifth time in four seasons since leaving Detroit.
MASON COUNTY, MI  A Michigan woman will serve decades in prison for setting a house fire that killed a man and his two dogs in 2021.

Jeffery Grant, of Fountain, and his dogs died in the fire on Nov. 22, 2021.

Hope Snyder, 43, of Kincheloe, was sentenced today in Mason County court to 35 to 60 years in prison, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.

A lengthy prison sentence will never erase the pain or loss Mr. Grants family is experiencing, but it is a just measure of accountability for the heinous, violent actions that took his life, Nessel said.

On Nov. 22, 2021, Snyder set Grants home on fire while he slept, resulting in his death and the deaths of his dogs.

Text and Facebook messages revealed that an argument occurred between Grant and Snyder earlier that night.

Snyder also messaged friends about her plan to steal Grants truck and money and burn down his house. After setting the fire, she fled in Grants truck and was arrested at Detroit Metro Airport.

Earlier this month, Snyder pleaded no contest to reduced charges of second-degree murder, first-degree arson, and two counts of second-degree killing/torturing animals. She was initially charged with first-degree murder, which carries a life sentence.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Owners of a historic farmstead are continuing a court battle over a zoning violation and an order to remove livestock from their rural Webster Township property, about 10 miles from Ann Arbor.

Inshal Chenet, a Cottonwood farm resident and member of Morningstar Ventures LLC, which has owned the property on Farrell Road since 2019, said farm animals remain there for now because of an appeal pending in Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit Court.

Right now, we have a milk cow, several sheep. We have pigs, a bunch of meat chickens, and egg-laying chickens, Chenet said.

The property is occupied by a group of Catholic families living together on the historic farmstead.

Read more: Judge sides with township in case over livestock at historic Washtenaw County farmstead

In 2021, the township received complaints from officials and inspected the property, finding violations related to setbacks, trash, and keeping animals on a lot smaller than the township allows, according to a court brief filed Aug. 19 by township attorney Matthew Kuschel.

The township argues some animals had been slipping off the property, including a cow that was in the middle of the road.

In August 2022, the townships zoning board of appeals upheld the violation after MorningStar tried to fight it.

In January this year, 14A-3 District Court Judge Anna Frushour found the owners of the property in violation of township rules requiring a five acre-minimum to keep the farm animals.

Throughout court proceedings and in their appeal, MorningStar has argued the farm, slightly less than five acres, should be protected by the Michigan Right to Farm Act as a commercial farm because they have sold farm products, including eggs, dairy, produce and livestock shares. They have also argued the townships ordinance is vague.

I believe were well covered by the Michigan Right to Farm Act, Chenet said. The zoning board of appeals decided were not commercial. It seems ludicrous.

Attorneys for the township did not respond to requests for comment.

In a court brief, the township argues MorningStar didnt provide sufficient evidence of commercial activity and isnt protected by the Michigan Right to Farm Act.

The townships zoning ordinance  which township planners are working on revising  currently states residents can only keep livestock on non-commercial land if their property is five net acres or larger.

The Cottonwood farm property is about 4.8 net acres, which does not include acreage in a right-of-way that puts the property at roughly 5.2 gross acres.

While MorningStar presented statements from people saying they purchased farm goods from them, it wasnt enough to convince the township zoning board or the court.

MorningStar proved Cottonwood Farms commercial production throughout multiple filings, according to a brief submitted July 19 by its attorney Michelle Halley.

MorningStar argues the district court judge erred in granting the townships request for a summary disposition, denied them the opportunity to present evidence, and rejected evidence of the commercial nature of the farm.

The township argues causal sales arent protected by the Michigan Right to Farm Act.

The defendants community is not the type of activity that (the Michigan Right to Farm Act) was intended to protect, the township argues in its Aug. 19 brief.

Before the District Court, MorningStar submitted the same evidence as it did to the (zoning board of appeals), according to the townships brief. It is again relying on the same evidence in this appellate proceeding. As explained above, nothing shows a concrete volume of sales. Nothing shows the expected  let alone the actual  income from its activity. Instead, defendant admits that its purpose is not profit but community.

READ MORE: Room enough for chickens and goats? Rural township considers amending livestock rules

Meanwhile, the Webster Township Planning Commission has been working on a draft amendment to township rules governing the keeping of animals.

If adopted, the amendment would allow certain types and numbers of farm animals for non-commercial purposes on smaller properties  ranging from one to 4.99 net acres  zoned for agriculture, agri-business or rural residential. A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 18.

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.
FLINT, MI -- Attorney General Dana Nessel and top former Flint water prosecutors cant be shielded from a lawsuit filed by a former top aide to ex-Gov. Rick Snyder, his attorneys say in a new federal court filing.

Attorneys for Richard Baird, Snyders former transformation manager, said in the motion filed Thursday, Aug. 22, in U.S. District Court that neither Nessel nor prosecutors Fadwa Hammoud and Kym Worthy are protected by prosecutorial or qualified immunity claims.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Multiple schools in West Michigan have closed or have half-days on Tuesday, Aug. 27, because of extreme high temperatures.

Schools have announced closings or half-days in Kent, Ottawa, Kalamazoo, Allegan, Ionia and Montcalm counties.

RELATED: Heat index to soar: Where the hottest spots will be in Michigan

The heat index is expected to hit 105 degrees or higher in the southern part of the state.

Among districts closed Tuesday are West Michigans largest district, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Greenville Public Schools and Ionia Public Schools, while districts such as Hudsonville are having half-days. In Kalamazoo County, Portage Public Schools has a half-day in facilities without air conditioning and Comstock schools has a have day.

Godfrey-Lee Elementary School in Wyoming is also closed. A few private and charter schools in Kent County also closed including, Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, Immaculate Heart of Mary and New Branches Charter Academy.

RELATED: Extreme heat forces Grand Rapids Public Schools to cancel classes Tuesday

Dear Parents, Due to the anticipated heat index of 100 (degrees) or higher (Tuesday) and our limited air conditioning in buildings and buses, Hudsonville Public Schools will operate on a half-day schedule on August 27, 2024, Ottawa Countys largest district said.

Others with half days include Ionia County Career Center and districts in Martin in Allegan County and Pennfield in Calhoun County.

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids said temperatures are expected to be 88 to 95 degrees, with the heat index over 100 degrees in the afternoon.

For a list of closings, go here.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Aug. 27, due to extreme heat forecasted.

The temperature is expected to be in the low 90s, but extreme humidity will make it feel like up to 96 degrees.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A Greenville-based company that makes refrigerators received a $1.3 million state grant Tuesday as part of an expansion that will see the company add up to 200 new jobs and make a $21.4 million capital investment.

Northland Corporation was approved for the grant by the Michigan Strategic Fund, the public funding arm of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
RICHLAND, MI  Gull Lake Country Club will pay $440,312.50 to resolve a federal district course civil case related to allegations the organization obtained a COVID-19 pandemic-related loan despite its status as an ineligible nonprofit, U.S. Department of Justice officials said.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten in a statement Monday, Aug. 26, said the country clubs payment will resolve a civil case relating to the club obtaining a loan in 2020 from the Paycheck Protection Program, a U.S. Department of Treasury-based initiative more commonly referenced as the PPP program.

The Paycheck Protection Program provided important financial relief to eligible small businesses and other entities, Totten said in a statement. Todays resolution demonstrates our continued commitment to protect taxpayer dollars and investigate allegations of fraud on critical government programs.

The PPP program was part of the CARES Act  approved in March 2020 by federal lawmakers  aimed at helping organizations recover from economic woes that resulted from the pandemic.

Totten said, under the rules applicable at the time Gull Lake Country Club officials pursued the funds, certain nonprofit organizations were not eligible to receive a PPP loan.

Gull Lake Country Club, located about 15 miles northeast of Kalamazoo, was an ineligible nonprofit at the time, Totten said.
KALAMAZOO, MI - After a year of renovations, Woods Lake: A Magnet School for the Arts is back open.

Air conditioning was installed, new flooring and lockers were added and the parking lot was expanded among other changes in the building at 3215 Oakland Drive.
GREEN TOWNSHIP, MI  Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance blasted a planned $2.36 billion battery parts plant in mid-Michigan for its ties to China, speaking near the factorys site in a campaign rally on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Vance, the running mate of former President Donald Trump, was joined by Michigan GOP lawmakers at a farm near Big Rapids where they stirred up criticism linking Chinese battery maker Gotion Inc. to the Chinese Communist Party, calling the Gotion plant a threat to Americas national security.

The vice presidential candidate claimed Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, have funded Chinese companies like Gotion that undercut Michigans auto industry. Gotion plans to make components for electric vehicle batteries in Green Township on the outskirts of Big Rapids, which is about an hour north of Grand Rapids.

Kamala Harris not only wants to allow the Chinese Communist Party to build factories on American soil, she wants to pay them to do it with our tax money, Vance told a crowd of nearly 2,000 attendees at Majestic Friesians Horse Farms.

Vance was joined on stage by Republican lawmakers including former gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon, former U.S. Rep Mike Rogers, who is running for Michigans open U.S. Senate seat this fall, and Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra.

Dixon echoed concerns about the Gotion plant, questioning the safety standards of the battery parts factory and its effect on Michigans waterways.

We dont even know exactly what chemicals theyre using, but we do know that theyll be taking more than 700,000 gallons of our water every single day, she said. My concern with Gotion is not only, where does it come from, but where does it go after its contaminated?

The environmental impact could be catastrophic, and its coming from the Chinese Communist Party.

Trump has recently expressed opposition to the Gotion plant, calling the plant bad for Michigan workers and the auto industry.

A few weeks ago, the Chinese Electric Vehicle battery company that Michigan Democrats support, Gotion, claimed that I support its EV battery plant planned for Northern Michigan, he wrote on Truth Social. That is not true. The Gotion plant would be very bad for the State and our Country. It would put Michiganders under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. I AM 100% OPPOSED!

The Harris campaign, however, told MLive that Trump oversaw the loss of over 280,000 jobs in Michigan during his presidency, 30,000 of which were in manufacturing. The Harris campaign said Harris wants to keep Michigan at the forefront of car manufacturing by ensuring union auto jobs end up in America. According to the Harris campaign, Trumps policies like ending tax credits for electric vehicles will cede the future of the automobile industry to China.

The Gotion project has been met with opposition from many Green Township residents. Last fall, voters in Mecosta County ousted the township board over its support of the controversial electric vehicle battery plant. Some attendees at the rally Tuesday wore buttons and carried signs reading No to Gotion.

RELATED: Michigan township board recalled for backing Gotion battery plant

Lori Brock, the owner of Friesian Majestic Horse, said the Gotion battery plant has turned Green Township from a quiet and peaceful place to live to a political battleground.

It all changed the day that the Communist Party showed up in our town with the Gotion battery plant, she told the crowd on Tuesday.

Brock urged attendees to support the Trump-Vance ticket, which she said will will stop the sellout of our national security, our environment, and protect our way of life.

President Trump and Sen. Vance know that the Chinese Communist Party is the biggest national security threat that our country has faced in decades, and the fact that our governor is handing over millions of our tax dollars to a company controlled by these same people who fly spy balloons over our military baseless is reckless and absurd, she said.

In addition to blasting the Gotion project, Vance used Tuesdays campaign rally to criticize the current U.S. economic conditions, including high gas prices, housing costs and grocery prices.

Vance called Harris the candidate of American decline, blaming the vice president for the high cost of living that many Americans are facing.

On her watch, gas prices are up 50%, he said. Housing costs have doubled. You talk to a young person today, young people cannot afford to buy a home in their own country. Were turning a generation of 20- and 30-year-olds into permanent debtors. Donald Trump and I believe young people ought to own a stake in their own country, be able to build a life and start a family. Thats what were fighting for.

Vance contrasted Harriss policies with Trumps proposed actions if reelected as president, including closing the southern border, cutting taxes for American workers and businesses, and raising tariffs on companies that are shipping jobs overseas.

Tuesday was the fourth time Vance has campaigned in Michigan since he was announced as Trumps running mate on July 15.

His first stop was in Grand Rapids that month for a rally with Trump at Van Andel Arena. Vance returned to Michigan without Trump three weeks later for remarks outside a police station in Macomb County.

RELATED: I took a bullet for democracy, Trump tells Michigan crowd week after deadly rally

Most recently, Vance visited rural Kent County on Aug. 14 where he blamed Harris for higher food and energy prices, jobs lost to immigrants and foreign countries, and more crime and overdoses.

Harris has also visited the key battleground state of Michigan in recent weeks, hitting the Kalamazoo area on July 17 to talk up reproductive rights, criticize political violence, and blast Vance as Trumps running mate.

Michigan has been seen as a key state for both campaigns to win to secure the presidency this fall. The latest polling averages as of Aug. 27 show Harris at a 3% lead over Trump in the state, with Harris at 49% and Trump at 46%, according to the New York Times.

Nearly 2,000 people attended Vances speech, which lasted just under 25 minutes, despite high temperatures surpassing 90 degrees across Michigan on Tuesday.
DETROIT, MI  Vice President Kamala Harris plans to return here for her second campaign stop to Detroit in less than one month.

The 2024 Democratic nominee for president will travel to Detroit on Monday, Sept. 2, as part of what her campaign described as a Labor Day blitz.

The blitz will involve Harris surrogates spending the holiday campaigning for the vice president in swing states across the nation.

Harris plans to visit Michigan on Monday before joining President Joe Biden during a Harris campaign event scheduled later that day in Pittsburgh, campaign officials said.

Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, meanwhile, will campaign on Labor Day in Milwaukee, officials said.

Campaign officials have not released details yet about what venue and what time Harris will visit Detroit.

She last campaigned in the region on Aug. 7-8, when she and Walz hosted a rally at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and then met with United Auto Workers members the following day.

Her stop at the airport later came under additional national focus when her Republican opponent in the November election, former President Donald Trump, falsely claimed images of the crowd at Harris rally were generated by artificial intelligence.

The vice presidents return to Detroit will come after a week of densely-scheduled presidential election campaign events in Michigan.

Trump campaigned here Monday, Aug. 26, when he delivered remarks at the National Guard Association of the United States 146th General Conference in Detroit. Later, he visited supporters in nearby Roseville.

Trumps running mate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, of Ohio, campaigned Tuesday, Aug. 27, at a horse farm in Big Rapids, about 60 miles north of Grand Rapids.

And Trump plans to campaign Thursday, Aug. 29, at a steel manufacturing facility in Potterville, about 15 miles southwest of Lansing.

On that same day, in Grand Rapids, Doug Emhoff plans to campaign for his wife, Harris. Campaign officials have not provided further details on Emhoffs visit.
HASTINGS, MI -- In the criminal justice system, prosecutors usually work on the same side as police.

But on Tuesday, Aug. 27, Barry County Prosecutor Julie A. Nakfoor Pratt spent nearly 20 minutes chastising Sheriff Dar Leaf over his decision to leak documents that potentially boosted his chances of winning reelection earlier this month.

Leaf, who essentially won his sixth term with a landslide victory in the Aug. 6 Republican primary, is under fire for releasing damaging notes from an incomplete investigation into Sgt. Richelle Spencer, Leafs opponent.

This is what has nagged me from the very beginning ...  Pratt told the county commission during its weekly board meeting. The sheriff has always considered himself the chief law enforcement officer in this county. Throwing his own employee and two others under the bus for reasons that he knows and I can guess, without gathering all available facts, is not what an honorable chief law enforcement officer would do.

His employees and our community deserve better.

Barry County Commission Chair David W. Jackson said the content of Pratts presentation and a memo she provided was very disappointing, but other commissioners did not make any comment.

A representative for the state Attorney Generals Office previously confirmed the office is reviewing multiple complaints related to the leak and said a course of action will be determined based on each individual complaint.

Related: Michigan sheriff under fire for releasing damning allegations about opponent days before primary

Leaf was not at the commission meeting Tuesday but said his administrative assistant recapped the prosecutors statements.

If our prosecutor cares so much about privacy, Im not sure why shes going to a public meeting, Leaf said. It sounds more political to me than anything else. Were more than likely going to disagree on the FOIA request itself.

The notes in question were taken while law enforcement officials were looking into claims that Spencer made repeated and unwanted attempts to contact the spouse of one of her campaign workers around January 2023.

The photocopied notes were originally handwritten on notebook paper by Undersheriff Jason Sixberry and include a notation that read: misconduct in office, stalking via election and stalking a married woman. Dates in the margin indicate the notes were written in late May.

When she spoke with an MLive reporter, Spencer denied any claims that she acted inappropriately and said she is considering a lawsuit.

Barry County Sheriff candidate Joel Ibbotson puts together one of his campaign signs in a farm field in Barry County in May of 2024. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Joel Ibbotson, who was also a candidate in the sheriffs race, confirmed with MLive that he received the notes from Leaf on Saturday, Aug. 3, in a Goodwill parking lot.

Ibbotson never filed a FOIA request but said he collected the records on behalf of another resident who had.

Pratt said another resident, who published the notes to social media, received them from Leaf on or about Aug. 3. However, Leaf denies that happened, insisting he only gave the records to Ibbotson.

Leaf claims he released the notes in response to a Freedom of Information Act records request because, in his determination, it was a public document.

It did not have any impact on the election, he previously told MLive. But we cant make decisions based on whether or not thats going to affect an election, we make a decision on what the law tells us to do.

The prosecutor, who also asked to review similar records request, disagreed.

Although it is not required that different departments agree on whether information is exempt under the Freedom of Information or FOIA statute, coordination is critical to protect the citizens of our county and the integrity of our documents, Pratt said. I am also concerned that Sheriff Leaf seems to operate by his own set of rules, which can have serious consequences for the county if not addressed.

Related: Extremist or hero? Meet Michigans freedom-loving constitutional sheriff

Leaf is a board member of the national, right-wing Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, which espouses a philosophy that county sheriffs are the top law enforcement officers within their jurisdiction and not beholden to state or federal laws.

Leaf said his office has directly received more than 150 FOIA requests per month in June and July and agreed that there is some inconsistency with the countys handling of FOIA requests.

I think we need to sit down and see how we can handle it and get it done cleaner, Leaf said.

Barry County Sheriff candidate Richelle Spencer poses for a portrait during a campaign event at the Barry Expo Center in Hastings, Mich. on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Spencer started working for the sheriff department in 2001. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Pratt said she received records related to the Spencer investigation from Leaf on July 1.

Sheriff Leaf wanted me to ask for a police investigation regarding some allegations in the notes, the prosecutor said, but I declined.

Leaf said he also requested outside investigation by state police, who denied ever receiving a request, and the Michigan Sheriffs Association, which denied the request based, in part, on the political implications.

Pratt said she received notice that FOIA requests had been filed for the notes into the claims about Spencer by one resident on July 15 and two others on July 23.

The prosecutor said she reached out to all three of the requestors on Aug. 1 to let them know she was still working on a response.

On Sunday, Aug. 4, Pratt learned that two Barry County residents had obtained the notes and they were splashed all over social media.

She ultimately denied the requests on Aug. 5, citing that release of the records could potentially interfere with an internal investigation that she believed was ongoing and would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

I learned that Sgt. Spencer had not been asked whether she wanted to make a statement about the information in the notes, Pratt told the commissioners. Therefore, I considered the matter private until it was deemed otherwise.

So I will ask again: What did the public really have a right to know? That theres a potential conflict between three people back in 2023? Were the three individuals that were about to be affected asked in advance how they felt about having their names flung out into the public as if they were inconsequential, and for what?

Pratt said the release likely caused a lot of anguish for Spencer, her family and others.

Commissioners didnt ask any questions after Pratt completed her statement to the board.

I am not going to use the next four years of my public service that I have worked so hard for in this county to go by a second set of rules, Pratt concluded. And Im not saying that against the county or anybody, or the coordinator, Im saying that against the sheriff ...

I dont have all the answers to what the solution is, except I can only do what I do .... I am going to be calling these out. Im not going to stand for it.
UPDATE - Tuesday, August 27 2:23 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Watch covers large area in Lower Michigan for 70-mph gusts, 1.5 inch hail, isolated tornadoes

We have a good picture of what should happen this afternoon, and its big storms for some of us.

A line of severe thunderstorms has already developed in eastern Wisconsin. This line is heading toward Lower Michigan. You can track the storms in this always updated radar loop of the past hour.

We often rely on weather computer models for a radar forecast. We dont really need to do that for this afternoons forecast. A line of severe storms as of 12:30 p.m. is in eastern Wisconsin and moving east. So the line of storms will be in western Lower Michigan by mid-afternoon and move into eastern Lower Michigan in the second half of the afternoon and early evening.

Given the hot, humid weather and the prime time for the strongest storms in late afternoon and early evening, the line of thunderstorms in Michigan should be severe. These storms will have some segments of brief high wind gusts over 60 mph, small strips of large hail and possibly even an isolated tornado or two.

The main threat will be the five-minute strong wind gust that occurs at the beginning of a thunderstorm.

The Storm Prediction Center earlier just broad brushed a large area of Lower Michigan for severe weather. We will probably see a slight upgrade in the severe chance and strength now that we know where the storms originated in Wisconsin and where they are heading into Michigan.

Severe wind gust and large hail chance pegged at 15 percent to 29 percent for Tuesday afternoon and evening, August 27NOAA

Just based on extrapolation of already developed storms, Id expect a corridor of a severe line of storms bounded on the north by Frankfort, Traverse City, Houghton Lake and Tawas City. The southern end of the severe line of storms will be Kalamazoo, Jackson, Ann Arbor and Detroit. So a large section of central and southern Lower Michigan is in the path of a half-hour severe thunderstorm.

These storms probably hit Frankfort, Traverse City, Big Rapids, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo sometime between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The line of storms then moves through Bay City, Saginaw, Midland, Flint, Lansing, Jackson, Ann Arbor and Detroit between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Its a real commonsense severe weather forecast for this afternoon and evening. Everything points toward a line of severe thunderstorms. The storms will hit in the heat of the day, with lots of humidity and moisture to work with. I see no reason why the current storms shouldnt build in intensity.

Keep your eye to the western sky.

Be ready to move to a sturdy building for safety for a half hour to hour at some point this afternoon or evening, depending on where you are located.

Keep updated by going to the MLive Weather page.
Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp decreased its position in The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL  Free Report) by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 4,155 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 450 shares during the quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corps holdings in Allstate were worth $663,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Allstate in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Allstate in the first quarter valued at about $26,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Allstate in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Allstate during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in Allstate by 70.9% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 188 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.47% of the companys stock.

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Allstate Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of ALL opened at $180.51 on Friday. The Allstate Co. has a fifty-two week low of $104.70 and a fifty-two week high of $184.30. The companys fifty day moving average is $168.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $166.31. The firm has a market cap of $47.64 billion, a PE ratio of 39.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49.

Allstate Dividend Announcement

Allstate ( NYSE:ALL Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The insurance provider reported $1.61 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.33 by $1.28. The firm had revenue of $15.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.04 billion. Allstate had a return on equity of 24.05% and a net margin of 5.03%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($4.42) earnings per share. Analysts forecast that The Allstate Co. will post 13.64 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.92 per share. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Allstates payout ratio is currently 81.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Allstate news, CEO Thomas J. Wilson sold 90,000 shares of Allstate stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.34, for a total transaction of $16,140,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 88,552 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,880,915.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, EVP Robert Toohey sold 16,682 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.17, for a total value of $3,005,595.94. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 4,873 shares of the companys stock, valued at $877,968.41. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Thomas J. Wilson sold 90,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.34, for a total value of $16,140,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 88,552 shares in the company, valued at $15,880,915.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 201,938 shares of company stock valued at $36,122,740. 1.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ALL. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Allstate from $177.00 to $175.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 16th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Allstate from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Allstate from $191.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on shares of Allstate from $199.00 to $208.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their price objective on shares of Allstate from $188.00 to $196.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Allstate currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $191.94.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ALL

Allstate Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Allstate Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. It operates in five segments: Allstate Protection; Protection Services; Allstate Health and Benefits; Run-off Property-Liability; and Corporate and Other segments.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ALL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Allstate Co. (NYSE:ALL  Free Report).

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Access Financial Services Inc. reduced its position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO  Free Report) by 23.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,886 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 2,981 shares during the quarter. Access Financial Services Inc.s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $1,550,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. EdgeRock Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the second quarter worth about $27,000. Lynx Investment Advisory acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter valued at $29,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the first quarter valued at $33,000. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, First Foundation Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the first quarter worth about $37,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Valero Energy Trading Up 1.7 %

VLO stock traded up $2.44 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $145.87. 1,523,954 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,482,840. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $151.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of $155.58. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Valero Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $119.88 and a 12-month high of $184.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.22, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.42.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

Valero Energy ( NYSE:VLO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas company reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.11. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 21.01% and a net margin of 4.25%. The company had revenue of $34.49 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $32.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.40 EPS. Valero Energys revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Valero Energy Co. will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.07 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 1st. This represents a $4.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.93%. Valero Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.20%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently issued reports on VLO. Barclays decreased their target price on Valero Energy from $171.00 to $165.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $156.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Argus cut Valero Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Valero Energy from $187.00 to $169.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, June 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $174.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on VLO

Valero Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.

Further Reading

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AKITA Drilling Ltd. (OTCMKTS:AKTAF  Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,200 shares, a decline of 88.9% from the July 31st total of 19,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 9,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.2 days.

AKITA Drilling Price Performance

Shares of AKITA Drilling stock traded up $0.04 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $1.07. 1,500 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,920. The business has a 50-day moving average of $1.01 and a 200 day moving average of $1.08. AKITA Drilling has a fifty-two week low of $0.93 and a fifty-two week high of $1.45.

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AKITA Drilling Company Profile

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Further Reading

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.

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Alpha Omega Wealth Management LLC lessened its position in McDonalds Co. (NYSE:MCD  Free Report) by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,614 shares of the fast-food giants stock after selling 140 shares during the quarter. Alpha Omega Wealth Management LLCs holdings in McDonalds were worth $3,469,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new position in McDonalds during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in McDonalds during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Clear Investment Research LLC acquired a new position in McDonalds during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in McDonalds during the 4th quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Accent Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in McDonalds during the 4th quarter worth $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on MCD. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on McDonalds from $312.00 to $300.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on McDonalds from $320.00 to $310.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on McDonalds from $290.00 to $270.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on McDonalds from $305.00 to $300.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price objective on McDonalds from $300.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $303.71.

McDonalds Price Performance

Shares of MCD stock traded down $0.84 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $288.68. 2,016,647 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,545,131. The company has a market cap of $208.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 0.71. The companys 50 day moving average is $262.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $270.77. McDonalds Co. has a 1 year low of $243.53 and a 1 year high of $302.39.

McDonalds (NYSE:MCD  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, July 29th. The fast-food giant reported $2.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.07 by ($0.10). The business had revenue of $6.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.62 billion. McDonalds had a negative return on equity of 178.92% and a net margin of 32.25%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.17 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that McDonalds Co. will post 11.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonalds Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a $1.67 dividend. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. McDonaldss payout ratio is currently 56.71%.

Insider Activity at McDonalds

In related news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 1,098 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.00, for a total value of $285,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 14,780 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,842,800. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 1,098 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.00, for a total value of $285,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 14,780 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,842,800. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 1,498 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.26, for a total value of $371,893.48. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 1,560 shares in the company, valued at approximately $387,285.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 4,793 shares of company stock valued at $1,260,106 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock.

McDonalds Profile

(Free Report)

McDonald's Corporation operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald's brand in the United States and internationally. It offers food and beverages, including hamburgers and cheeseburgers, various chicken sandwiches, fries, shakes, desserts, sundaes, cookies, pies, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages; and full or limited breakfast, as well as sells various other products during limited-time promotions.

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AlphaStar Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Entergy Co. (NYSE:ETR  Free Report) by 20.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,572 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 443 shares during the quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLCs holdings in Entergy were worth $275,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. CWM LLC increased its holdings in shares of Entergy by 15.6% during the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 14,747 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,492,000 after buying an additional 1,989 shares during the last quarter. Duality Advisers LP purchased a new position in shares of Entergy in the 4th quarter worth about $316,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Entergy by 211.5% in the 4th quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. now owns 7,230 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $732,000 after purchasing an additional 4,909 shares in the last quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Entergy by 14.8% in the 4th quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 5,415 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $548,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Truist Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Entergy by 312.3% during the 4th quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 573,023 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $57,984,000 after purchasing an additional 434,046 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.07% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ETR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Entergy from $115.00 to $119.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Entergy from $124.00 to $131.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Entergy from $116.00 to $115.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Entergy from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Mizuho upped their target price on Entergy from $107.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, May 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Entergy presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $120.88.

Entergy Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of ETR stock traded down $0.63 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $118.87. 231,879 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,521,605. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.94. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $111.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $107.83. The company has a market capitalization of $25.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.71. Entergy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $87.10 and a fifty-two week high of $123.61.

Entergy (NYSE:ETR  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.16. Entergy had a return on equity of 10.10% and a net margin of 14.75%. The company had revenue of $2.95 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.98 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.84 EPS. Research analysts predict that Entergy Co. will post 7.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Entergy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 13th. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.80%. Entergys payout ratio is 45.34%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Andrew S. Marsh sold 3,200 shares of Entergy stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.46, for a total value of $388,672.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 150,731 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,307,787.26. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, CEO Andrew S. Marsh sold 3,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.46, for a total transaction of $388,672.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 150,731 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,307,787.26. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Peter S. Norgeot, Jr. sold 11,472 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.16, for a total value of $1,321,115.52. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 37,888 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,363,182.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.39% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Entergy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and retail distribution of electricity in the United States. It generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas.

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AMG National Trust Bank grew its holdings in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 27.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,753 shares of the insurance providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,032 shares during the quarter. AMG National Trust Banks holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $966,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Travelers Companies by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,693,069 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $4,132,313,000 after acquiring an additional 148,012 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Travelers Companies by 36.8% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 11,743,236 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $2,702,588,000 after purchasing an additional 3,158,979 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Travelers Companies by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,124,066 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $595,075,000 after purchasing an additional 154,886 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 4th quarter worth $282,593,000. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Travelers Companies by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,435,924 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $273,529,000 after buying an additional 40,114 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.45% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,000 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.44, for a total value of $2,114,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,798 shares in the company, valued at $4,820,409.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.33% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Travelers Companies Stock Up 1.8 %

TRV traded up $3.96 during trading on Friday, reaching $221.82. The company had a trading volume of 1,142,811 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,347,290. The company has a market cap of $50.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.48, a PEG ratio of 1.12 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. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $210.85 and its 200 day moving average price is $215.49.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 19th. The insurance provider reported $2.51 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.23 by ($0.72). The company had revenue of $11.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.35 billion. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 8.37% and a return on equity of 15.90%. The companys revenue was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.06 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.23 EPS for the current year.

Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement

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 given a dividend of $1.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 10th. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.89%. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio is currently 31.20%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on TRV. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $225.00 price target on shares of Travelers Companies in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $210.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $221.00 to $234.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com raised shares of Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $242.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $223.78.

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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

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Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited (OTCMKTS:AHCHY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,800 shares, a drop of 74.0% from the July 31st total of 14,600 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 33,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Anhui Conch Cement Stock Performance

Anhui Conch Cement stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $10.96. The companys stock had a trading volume of 16,927 shares, compared to its average volume of 38,973. Anhui Conch Cement has a fifty-two week low of $9.82 and a fifty-two week high of $14.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.62 billion, a PE ratio of 6.54 and a beta of 0.33. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $12.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $11.58.

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Anhui Conch Cement Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Read More

Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, sells, and trades in clinker and cement products. The company operates through five segments: Eastern China, Central China, Southern China, Western China, and Overseas. It provides construction and installation services for industrial purposes; logistic services; and mining and related services.

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Bailard Inc. decreased its position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 21,007 shares of the banks stock after selling 351 shares during the quarter. Bailard Inc.s holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $1,258,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon during the 4th quarter worth approximately $7,754,000. Syon Capital LLC bought a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the 4th quarter valued at $233,000. Truist Financial Corp boosted its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 33.2% in the 4th quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 1,297,698 shares of the banks stock worth $67,545,000 after purchasing an additional 323,343 shares during the period. PGGM Investments increased its holdings in Bank of New York Mellon by 37.6% during the 4th quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 130,022 shares of the banks stock worth $6,768,000 after purchasing an additional 35,497 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fiduciary Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon in the 4th quarter valued at about $217,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.31% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on BK shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and set a $75.00 price objective (up from $70.00) on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a report on Monday, July 15th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $61.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $63.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, Citigroup lowered shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $65.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Bank of New York Mellon has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $66.14.

Bank of New York Mellon Stock Performance

BK traded up $0.60 on Monday, reaching $67.00. The company had a trading volume of 2,440,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,823,412. The stock has a market cap of $50.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.70. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a fifty-two week low of $39.66 and a fifty-two week high of $67.32. The companys fifty day moving average is $62.67 and its 200 day moving average is $58.93.

Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The bank reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.43 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $4.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.53 billion. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 11.87% and a net margin of 9.40%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.38 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bank of New York Mellon Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 22nd were given a $0.47 dividend. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.81%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 22nd. This is a boost from Bank of New York Mellons previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is presently 43.52%.

Insider Activity at Bank of New York Mellon

In other Bank of New York Mellon news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.11, for a total transaction of $961,650.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 173,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,150,652.30. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Bank of New York Mellon Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Calamos Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA  Free Report) by 1.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 125,472 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 1,881 shares during the period. Calamos Wealth Management LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $9,828,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Howe & Rusling Inc. increased its position 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 purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Arjuna Capital purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC increased its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC now owns 346 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. 79.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Stock Up 1.8 %

NYSEARCA:EFA traded up $1.49 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $82.82. 10,779,000 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,792,271. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a twelve month low of $65.68 and a twelve month high of $82.87. The business has a 50-day moving average of $79.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $78.90.

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.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. decreased its position in First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index (NYSEARCA:FDL  Free Report) by 7.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 671,391 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 57,751 shares during the quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. owned 0.64% of First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index worth $25,466,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of FDL. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new position in First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index in the 4th quarter worth $43,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new stake in First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index during the 4th quarter worth about $47,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC bought a new stake in First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index during the first quarter worth about $62,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $79,000. Finally, Palisade Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index in the first quarter valued at $81,000.

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First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Stock Performance

FDL traded down $0.16 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $41.12. The companys stock had a trading volume of 329,755 shares, compared to its average volume of 658,280. The firm has a market cap of $4.29 billion, a PE ratio of 12.51 and a beta of 0.73. First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index has a 52 week low of $31.47 and a 52 week high of $41.45. The companys 50-day moving average is $39.31 and its 200-day moving average is $38.19.

First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Company Profile

First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index (the Index). The Fund will invest at least 90% of its net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in common stocks that comprise the Index.

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Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB.PD  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as C$27.39 and last traded at C$26.80, with a volume of 6004 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$26.99.

Canadian Western Bank Stock Down 0.7 %

The company has a market capitalization of C$2.38 billion, a PE ratio of 7.07 and a beta of 1.39. The firms 50-day moving average is C$26.08 and its 200-day moving average is C$25.56.

About Canadian Western Bank

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Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services primarily in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, cash management, US dollar, senior, chequing, youth, and student accounts, as well as specialized accounts, including corporate and commercial, organization, strata solution/condo, general trust, and trust fund investment accounts.

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CCL Industries Inc. (TSE:CCL.B  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$77.98 and last traded at C$77.95, with a volume of 99280 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$77.60.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CCL.B has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. TD Securities increased their target price on CCL Industries from C$90.00 to C$92.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. National Bankshares lifted their target price on CCL Industries from C$84.00 to C$87.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Raymond James upped their price target on shares of CCL Industries from C$84.00 to C$87.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of CCL Industries from C$83.00 to C$84.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Scotiabank increased 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 report on Monday, August 12th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, CCL Industries has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$84.78.

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CCL Industries Trading Down 0.2 %

Insider Buying and Selling at CCL Industries

The firms 50-day moving average is C$73.27 and its 200 day moving average is C$70.79. The firm has a market capitalization of C$12.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.64, a P/E/G ratio of 0.26 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.08.

In related news, insider CCL Industries Inc. purchased 230,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 27th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of C$72.48 per share, with a total value of C$16,705,718.00. In other CCL Industries news, Director Geoffrey Martin sold 6,000 shares of CCL Industries stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$77.62, for a total transaction of C$465,702.00. Also, insider CCL Industries Inc. acquired 230,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of C$72.48 per share, with a total value of C$16,705,718.00. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 82,690 shares of company stock valued at $6,209,033. 11.16% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

CCL Industries Company Profile

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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.

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Clear Creek Financial Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (NYSEARCA:SPMO  Free Report) by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 55,135 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,308 shares during the quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLCs holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF were worth $4,822,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SPMO. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $46,012,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF by 141.5% in the first quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 475,857 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,137,000 after purchasing an additional 278,798 shares during the last quarter. Advance Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF in the first quarter worth about $37,208,000. Family Investment Center Inc. boosted its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF by 4.1% in the second quarter. Family Investment Center Inc. now owns 289,029 shares of the companys stock worth $25,278,000 after acquiring an additional 11,333 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers acquired a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF in the first quarter worth about $18,739,000.

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Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF stock traded up $0.85 on Friday, reaching $89.61. 502,316 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 536,574. Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF has a twelve month low of $55.32 and a twelve month high of $91.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.66 and a beta of 1.00. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $87.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $81.89.

About Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF

The Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500 Momentum (US Dollar) index. The fund tracks an index of 100 S&P 500 components with the strongest volatility-adjusted momentum. SPMO was launched on Oct 9, 2015 and is managed by Invesco.

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Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Limited (ASX:DBI  Get Free Report) declared a interim dividend on Tuesday, August 27th, MarketIndexAU reports. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of 0.054 per share on Monday, September 16th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.71%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 28th.

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 226.53, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.53.

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Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Company Profile

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Further Reading

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Limited owns the lease of and right to operate the Dalrymple Bay terminal, a coal export metallurgical coal facility in Bowen Basin in Queensland, Australia. The company provides terminal infrastructure and services for producers and consumers of Australian coal exports. Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Limited was incorporated in 2020 and is based in Brisbane, Australia.

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Dingdong (Cayman) Limited (NYSE:DDL  Get Free Report)s share price traded up 6.9% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $2.18 and last traded at $2.17. 469,914 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 15% from the average session volume of 409,479 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.03.

Dingdong (Cayman) Stock Performance

The businesss 50 day moving average is $1.93 and its 200-day moving average is $1.64. The stock has a market cap of $501.98 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -72.33 and a beta of 0.25.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dingdong (Cayman)

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DDL. Platinum Investment Management Ltd. boosted its stake in Dingdong (Cayman) by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Platinum Investment Management Ltd. now owns 9,308,945 shares of the companys stock worth $13,963,000 after purchasing an additional 166,736 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,849,609 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,917,000 after acquiring an additional 17,900 shares during the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 1st quarter valued at about $54,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 2nd quarter valued at about $86,000. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) by 63.4% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 690,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,373,000 after acquiring an additional 267,700 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 24.66% of the companys stock.

Dingdong (Cayman) Company Profile

Dingdong (Cayman) Limited operates an e-commerce company in China. The company offers fresh groceries, including vegetables, meat and eggs, fruits, and seafood; prepared food, and other food products, such as baked goods, dairy, seasonings, beverages, instant food, oil, and snacks. It offers its products through traditional offline, as well as online channels through Dingdong Fresh app, mini-programs, and third-party platforms.

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Eastmain Resources Inc. (ER.TO) (TSE:ER  Get Free Report) shot up 10% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as C$0.28 and last traded at C$0.28. 21,055 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 96% from the average session volume of 486,551 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.25.

Eastmain Resources Inc. (ER.TO) Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The businesss 50 day moving average price is C$0.28. The company has a market cap of C$79.92 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.66.

About Eastmain Resources Inc. (ER.TO)

(Get Free Report)

Eastmain Resources Inc, together with its subsidiary, Eastmain Mines Inc, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, nickel, platinum, and copper deposits. Its flagship project is the Clearwater project, which hosts the Eau Claire gold deposit covering an area of 201 square kilometers located in the central portion of the Eastmain River Greenstone Belt within the James Bay Mining District of QuAbec.

Further Reading

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Solstein Capital LLC cut its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,549 shares of the companys stock after selling 74 shares during the period. Solstein Capital LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,402,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lynx Investment Advisory purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 188.2% during the 4th quarter. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 49 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Activest Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Tidemark LLC acquired a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Unique Wealth Strategies LLC acquired a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $45,000. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

In related 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 sale, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company 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 transaction of $197,362,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Johna Norton sold 7,056 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.38, for a total value of $5,781,545.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,428 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,835,194.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 1,120,089 shares of company stock valued at $990,278,343. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LLY has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $885.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Bank of America boosted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $884.00 to $1,030.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $961.76.

View Our Latest Report on Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

LLY stock traded up $11.69 on Tuesday, reaching $962.22. The company had a trading volume of 1,389,156 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,080,392. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $516.57 and a 1 year high of $972.53. 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 companys fifty day moving average is $887.63 and its 200 day moving average is $816.72. The company has a market cap of $914.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 141.82, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys 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.

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EnLink Midstream (NYSE:ENLC  Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from $15.00 to $16.00 in a report released on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an overweight rating on the pipeline companys stock. Morgan Stanleys price objective would suggest a potential upside of 18.69% from the companys current price.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on ENLC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of EnLink Midstream from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of EnLink Midstream from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $13.00 to $17.00 in a research report on Monday, July 8th. StockNews.com raised shares of EnLink Midstream from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. raised shares of EnLink Midstream from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $15.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Finally, Tudor Pickering raised shares of EnLink Midstream to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned 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 Moderate Buy and an average price target of $15.38.

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EnLink Midstream Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of ENLC stock traded up $0.02 on Tuesday, hitting $13.48. 149,881 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,002,038. The firms 50-day moving average price is $13.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.72, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.08 billion, a PE ratio of 38.54 and a beta of 2.43. EnLink Midstream has a twelve month low of $11.44 and a twelve month high of $14.38.

EnLink Midstream (NYSE:ENLC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The pipeline company reported $0.07 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.13 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $1.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.90 billion. EnLink Midstream had a net margin of 2.15% and a return on equity of 8.22%. The companys revenue was up 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.12 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that EnLink Midstream will post 0.6 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On EnLink Midstream

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of EnLink Midstream during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of EnLink Midstream during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. JNBA Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of EnLink Midstream during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its position in shares of EnLink Midstream by 24.2% during the 1st quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 6,885 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $94,000 after purchasing an additional 1,343 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of EnLink Midstream during the 1st quarter worth $105,000. 45.87% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About EnLink Midstream

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EnLink Midstream, LLC provides midstream energy services in the United States. The company operates through Permian, Louisiana, Oklahoma, North Texas, and Corporate segments. It is involved in gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, storing, and selling natural gas; fractionating, transporting, storing, and selling natural gas liquids; and gathering, transporting, stabilizing, storing, trans-loading, and selling crude oil and condensate, as well as providing brine disposal services.

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General Electric (NYSE:GE  Get Free Report)s share price traded down 0.4% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $169.61 and last traded at $170.58. 959,355 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 86% from the average session volume of 6,798,320 shares. The stock had previously closed at $171.22.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of General Electric from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on General Electric from $192.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Barclays boosted their price objective on General Electric from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of General Electric from $148.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, May 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of General Electric from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, General Electric currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $190.38.

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General Electric Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of $164.39 and a two-hundred day moving average of $161.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $187.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 56.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.14.

General Electric (NYSE:GE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.21. General Electric had a net margin of 7.66% and a return on equity of 16.07%. The business had revenue of $9.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.44 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. General Electrics quarterly revenue was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that General Electric will post 4.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

General Electric Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 11th were given a dividend of $0.28 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 11th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.65%. General Electrics payout ratio is presently 36.72%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On General Electric

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Studio Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of General Electric by 97.5% during the 2nd quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 158 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of General Electric in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of General Electric during the 1st quarter worth $34,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of General Electric during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd acquired a new stake in General Electric in the first quarter valued at about $37,000. 74.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About General Electric

(Get Free Report)

General Electric Company, doing business as GE Aerospace, designs and produces commercial and defense aircraft engines, integrated engine components, electric power, and mechanical aircraft systems. It also offers aftermarket services to support its products. The company operates in the United States, Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa.

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Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (CBOE:AAAU  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $24.91 and last traded at $24.91, with a volume of 2610084 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $24.84.

Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF Stock Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $23.77 and a 200-day moving average of $22.76.

Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF Company Profile

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The Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the LBMA Gold Price index. The fund tracks the gold spot price, less expenses and liabilities, using gold bars held in a vault in Perth, Australia. Investors can redeem their shares for gold coins and small bars. AAAU was launched on Jul 26, 2018 and is managed by Goldman Sachs.

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AlphaStar Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII  Free Report) by 16.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,778 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 362 shares during the period. AlphaStar Capital Management LLCs holdings in Huntington Ingalls Industries were worth $438,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of HII. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 32.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 160,008 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $39,415,000 after buying an additional 39,530 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 8.5% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 521,426 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $128,443,000 after purchasing an additional 40,942 shares in the last quarter. AMG National Trust Bank grew its position in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 7.8% in the second quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 6,436 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,585,000 after purchasing an additional 467 shares during the period. Independence Bank of Kentucky increased its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 760.0% during the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 645 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $159,000 after purchasing an additional 570 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ceredex Value Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 21.1% during the 2nd quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 48,765 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $12,012,000 after purchasing an additional 8,500 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.46% of the companys stock.

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Huntington Ingalls Industries Price Performance

HII stock traded down $0.17 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $276.67. The companys stock had a trading volume of 32,274 shares, compared to its average volume of 296,877. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The companys 50 day moving average is $259.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $267.75. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $199.11 and a fifty-two week high of $299.50. The stock has a market cap of $10.91 billion, a PE ratio of 15.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.53.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Announces Dividend

Huntington Ingalls Industries ( NYSE:HII Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The aerospace company reported $4.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.61 by $0.77. Huntington Ingalls Industries had a return on equity of 18.55% and a net margin of 6.35%. The business had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.27 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. will post 16.32 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.88%. Huntington Ingalls Industriess dividend payout ratio is presently 29.31%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on HII shares. StockNews.com cut Huntington Ingalls Industries from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Citigroup initiated coverage on Huntington Ingalls Industries in a research note on Monday, May 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $310.00 price target on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $278.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Huntington Ingalls Industries

Huntington Ingalls Industries Profile

(Free Report)

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc designs, builds, overhauls, and repairs military ships in the United States. It operates through three segments: Ingalls, Newport News, and Mission Technologies. The company is involved in the design and construction of non-nuclear ships comprising amphibious assault ships; expeditionary warfare ships; surface combatants; and national security cutters for the U.S.

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Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its holdings in shares of Oracle Co. (NYSE:ORCL  Free Report) by 60.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 17,612 shares of the enterprise software providers stock after acquiring an additional 6,633 shares during the period. Oracle comprises 0.7% of Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings, making the stock its 28th largest holding. Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings in Oracle were worth $2,487,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ORCL. Werlinich Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Oracle by 3.1% during the second quarter. Werlinich Asset Management LLC now owns 2,325 shares of the enterprise software providers stock valued at $326,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. RFP Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Oracle by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. RFP Financial Group LLC now owns 2,869 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $405,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. ERn Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Oracle by 0.6% in the second quarter. ERn Financial LLC now owns 12,911 shares of the enterprise software providers stock worth $1,823,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Oracle by 18.0% during the first quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 530 shares of the enterprise software providers stock valued at $67,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hoxton Planning & Management LLC raised its position in Oracle by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. Hoxton Planning & Management LLC now owns 3,278 shares of the enterprise software providers stock valued at $463,000 after buying an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 42.44% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on ORCL. Morgan Stanley reiterated an equal weight rating and issued a $125.00 target price on shares of Oracle in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Oracle from $120.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Oracle from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Argus lifted their price target on shares of Oracle from $145.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an overweight rating and set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Oracle in a report on Friday, July 12th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $145.83.

Oracle Trading Up 0.8 %

ORCL stock traded up $1.11 on Friday, reaching $139.19. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,544,571 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,163,030. The firm has a market cap of $383.59 billion, a PE ratio of 37.52, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.02. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $138.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $126.63. Oracle Co. has a 12-month low of $99.26 and a 12-month high of $146.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.25, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.71.

Oracle (NYSE:ORCL  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, June 11th. The enterprise software provider reported $1.63 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.65 by ($0.02). Oracle had a return on equity of 223.01% and a net margin of 19.76%. The company had revenue of $14.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.57 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.35 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Oracle Co. will post 5.02 EPS for the current year.

Oracle Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 25th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 11th were paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 11th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.15%. Oracles payout ratio is 43.13%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Edward Screven sold 235,918 shares of Oracle stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.30, for a total transaction of $34,042,967.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 2,626,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $379,042,045.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Oracle news, Director Leon E. Panetta sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.89, for a total transaction of $2,068,350.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 58,090 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,010,030.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Edward Screven sold 235,918 shares of Oracle stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.30, for a total transaction of $34,042,967.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 2,626,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at $379,042,045.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 1,862,500 shares of company stock worth $266,776,624. 42.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Oracle

(Free Report)

Oracle Corporation offers products and services that address enterprise information technology environments worldwide. Its Oracle cloud software as a service offering include various cloud software applications, including Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP), Oracle Fusion cloud enterprise performance management, Oracle Fusion cloud supply chain and manufacturing management, Oracle Fusion cloud human capital management, Oracle Cerner healthcare, Oracle Advertising, and NetSuite applications suite, as well as Oracle Fusion Sales, Service, and Marketing.

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Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT  Get Free Report) VP Kurt W. Loring sold 3,366 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $209.02, for a total value of $703,561.32. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 19,315 shares in the company, valued at $4,037,221.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

Applied Industrial Technologies Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of AIT traded down $2.87 on Tuesday, hitting $204.45. 158,431 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 302,158. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $149.59 and a 1 year high of $223.15. The stocks 50 day moving average is $198.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $193.27. The company has a quick ratio of 2.70, a current ratio of 3.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.06.

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Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 15th. The industrial products company reported $2.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.19 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 23.69% and a net margin of 8.36%. The companys revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.35 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Applied Industrial Technologies Announces Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.72%. Applied Industrial Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.51%.

A number of research firms recently issued reports on AIT. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday. Loop Capital increased their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Northcoast Research assumed coverage on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Monday, July 1st. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. Finally, KeyCorp lifted their price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Applied Industrial Technologies has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $226.67.

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Institutional Trading of Applied Industrial Technologies

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of AIT. EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Quarry LP bought a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.52% of the companys stock.

About Applied Industrial Technologies

(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.

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Clear Creek Financial Management LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 17.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 80,194 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 11,820 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF accounts for approximately 1.0% of Clear Creek Financial Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC owned 0.07% of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF worth $8,204,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of EFG. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 8,384,800 shares of the companys stock valued at $812,068,000 after buying an additional 137,178 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 60.9% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 3,742,137 shares of the companys stock valued at $382,821,000 after purchasing an additional 1,416,067 shares during the period. SageView Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 56,912.3% during the 1st quarter. SageView Advisory Group LLC now owns 2,788,471 shares of the companys stock valued at $273,103,000 after purchasing an additional 2,783,580 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 54.3% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,767,095 shares of the companys stock valued at $283,074,000 after purchasing an additional 973,742 shares during the period. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 56.9% during the 2nd quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 2,661,636 shares of the companys stock valued at $272,285,000 after purchasing an additional 965,407 shares during the period.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Trading Up 1.7 %

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF stock traded up $1.84 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $107.36. 286,531 shares of the stock traded hands. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $102.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $102.33. The firm has a market cap of $12.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.36 and a beta of 0.97. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $67.58 and a fifty-two week high of $85.81.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Shares of iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (BATS:EZU  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $51.30 and last traded at $51.13, with a volume of 1839943 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $51.29.

iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $7.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.73 and a beta of 0.94. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $49.37 and its 200 day simple moving average is $49.95.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of EZU. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF by 4.6% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 38,191,412 shares of the companys stock worth $1,864,752,000 after acquiring an additional 1,675,952 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF by 1,302.9% during the 4th quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,615,802 shares of the companys stock worth $76,654,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500,630 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF by 3,439.7% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 814,123 shares of the companys stock worth $41,569,000 after acquiring an additional 791,123 shares during the last quarter. Polianta Ltd purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $13,548,000. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF during the 1st quarter worth $10,095,000.

iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EMU ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EMU Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the European Monetary Union (EMU) markets, as measured by the MSCI EMU Index (the Index).

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Jumia Technologies AG (NYSE:JMIA  Get Free Report) fell 4.1% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $5.09 and last traded at $5.09. 277,974 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 94% from the average session volume of 4,403,219 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.31.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Benchmark cut their price target on Jumia Technologies from $14.00 to $11.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 7th.

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Jumia Technologies Stock Down 7.7 %

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The firms 50-day simple moving average is $8.71 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in Jumia Technologies by 393.4% during the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 372,920 shares of the companys stock worth $2,618,000 after purchasing an additional 297,333 shares in the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Jumia Technologies in the first quarter valued at $705,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in Jumia Technologies during the second quarter valued at about $931,000. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC acquired a new position in Jumia Technologies during the first quarter worth about $528,000. Finally, Capstone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Jumia Technologies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $466,000. Institutional investors own 16.50% of the companys stock.

Jumia Technologies Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Jumia Technologies AG operates an e-commerce platform in West Africa, North Africa, East and South Africa, Europe, the United Arab Emirates, and internationally. The company's platform consists of marketplace that connects sellers with customers; logistics service, which enables the shipment and delivery of packages from sellers to consumers; and payment service, which facilitates transactions to participants active on the company's platform in selected markets under the JumiaPay name.

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Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. lessened its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW  Free Report) by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 17,677 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 300 shares during the period. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V.s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $15,949,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. LRI Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 1,122.2% during the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 110 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $100,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the period. Family Firm Inc. bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the second quarter worth approximately $103,000. TrueWealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 58.5% in the second quarter. TrueWealth Advisors LLC now owns 382 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $345,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in shares of W.W. Grainger by 22.2% during the 2nd quarter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC now owns 594 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $536,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, &PARTNERS lifted its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 981.5% during the 2nd quarter. &PARTNERS now owns 4,975 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $4,491,000 after buying an additional 4,515 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.70% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Stephens upgraded W.W. Grainger from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the stock from $1,000.00 to $1,250.00 in a research note on Monday, April 29th. Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a research report on Friday, June 14th. Robert W. Baird cut W.W. Grainger from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $1,000.00 to $975.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Baird R W lowered shares of W.W. Grainger from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $978.00 to $972.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, W.W. Grainger has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $1,017.13.

W.W. Grainger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GWW traded up $5.08 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $982.23. 131,187 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 244,234. The companys 50 day moving average is $941.69 and its 200 day moving average is $952.40. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a one year low of $674.41 and a one year high of $1,034.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $48.20 billion, a PE ratio of 27.12, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.30 and a quick ratio of 1.33.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.76 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.58 by $0.18. W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.86% and a return on equity of 53.25%. The business had revenue of $4.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.35 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $9.28 earnings per share. W.W. Graingers quarterly revenue was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 39.1 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 12th will be paid a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 12th. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.83%. W.W. Graingers payout ratio is currently 22.64%.

Insider Buying and Selling at W.W. Grainger

In other news, SVP Matt Fortin sold 511 shares of W.W. Grainger stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.20, for a total value of $467,667.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 1,848 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,691,289.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 9.50% of the companys stock.

W.W. Grainger Profile

(Free Report)

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.

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Compass Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI  Free Report) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 160,274 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after selling 6,962 shares during the quarter. Motorola Solutions comprises approximately 4.1% of Compass Capital Management Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Compass Capital Management Inc. owned about 0.10% of Motorola Solutions worth $61,874,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Beacon Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Motorola Solutions by 71.8% in the second quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 67 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC increased its holdings in Motorola Solutions by 871.4% in the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 68 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Crewe Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Motorola Solutions during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Private Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 84.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 690 shares of Motorola Solutions stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $373.11, for a total value of $257,445.90. Following the sale, the director now owns 8,141 shares in the company, valued at $3,037,488.51. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Motorola Solutions news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 690 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $373.11, for a total transaction of $257,445.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 8,141 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,037,488.51. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Rajan Naik sold 5,274 shares of Motorola Solutions stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $373.81, for a total value of $1,971,473.94. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 8,939 shares in the company, valued at $3,341,487.59. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 29,949 shares of company stock worth $12,002,807 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $372.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on Motorola Solutions from $385.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Motorola Solutions from $370.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Motorola Solutions from $436.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Motorola Solutions currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $437.40.

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Motorola Solutions Price Performance

Shares of Motorola Solutions stock traded up $5.94 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $430.40. The stock had a trading volume of 680,885 shares, compared to its average volume of 664,934. The stocks 50 day moving average is $398.30 and its 200 day moving average is $365.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.16. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a twelve month low of $269.64 and a twelve month high of $430.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.79 billion, a PE ratio of 53.20, a PEG ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 0.94.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The communications equipment provider reported $3.24 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.23. Motorola Solutions had a return on equity of 378.15% and a net margin of 14.04%. The company had revenue of $2.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.41 EPS. Motorola Solutionss quarterly revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 12.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Motorola Solutions Company Profile

(Free Report)

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.

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Pan African Resources PLC (OTCMKTS:PAFRF  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant drop in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 200 shares, a drop of 99.0% from the July 31st total of 20,500 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.0 days.

Pan African Resources Stock Performance

Shares of PAFRF stock remained flat at $0.41 during trading hours on Tuesday. Pan African Resources has a 1 year low of $0.17 and a 1 year high of $0.41. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $0.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $0.30.

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Pan African Resources Company Profile

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Pan African Resources PLC engages in the mining, extraction, production, and sale of gold in South Africa. The companys flagship projects include the Barberton Mines that consists of three underground mines, including Fairview, Sheba, and Consort located in the Barberton Greenstone Belt; and Elikhulu tailings retreatment plant in Southern Africa.

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Saxony Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG  Free Report) by 1.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,016 shares of the companys stock after selling 108 shares during the quarter. Procter & Gamble makes up approximately 1.1% of Saxony Capital Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Saxony Capital Management LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $992,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Alera Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Alera Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,007 shares of the companys stock valued at $812,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC raised its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 2.8% during the second quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 2,261 shares of the companys stock valued at $371,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares during the period. LCM Capital Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 1.1% in the first quarter. LCM Capital Management Inc now owns 5,701 shares of the companys stock valued at $925,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee boosted its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 0.3% in the second quarter. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee now owns 23,318 shares of the companys stock worth $3,846,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. Finally, Prentice Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Procter & Gamble by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,059 shares of the companys stock valued at $669,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. 65.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Procter & Gamble Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of PG traded down $0.84 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $169.51. The stock had a trading volume of 1,274,149 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,567,764. The stocks 50 day moving average is $167.35 and its 200 day moving average is $163.77. The firm has a market cap of $400.07 billion, a PE ratio of 27.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $141.45 and a 1 year high of $171.89.

Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement

Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.03. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 17.71% and a return on equity of 33.46%. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.69 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.37 EPS. The firms revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 19th were given a dividend of $1.0065 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 19th. This represents a $4.03 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.38%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.69%.

Insider Activity

In other Procter & Gamble news, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.90, for a total value of $1,458,045.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,902,451.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 450 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.22, for a total value of $76,149.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 13,072 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,212,043.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.90, for a total transaction of $1,458,045.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,902,451.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 338,313 shares of company stock valued at $57,539,677. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on PG shares. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $181.00 to $179.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $171.00 to $176.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays reduced their target price on Procter & Gamble from $174.00 to $163.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, BNP Paribas initiated coverage on Procter & Gamble in a research note on Monday, June 24th. They set an outperform rating and a $187.00 price target for the company. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $173.95.

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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.

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BZAM Ltd. (OTCMKTS:BZAMF  Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a drop of 97.7% from the July 31st total of 4,300 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 17,500 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

BZAM Stock Performance

Shares of BZAM stock traded up $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $0.03. The companys stock had a trading volume of 12,752 shares, compared to its average volume of 175,056. BZAM has a one year low of $0.00 and a one year high of $0.15. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $0.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $0.03. The firm has a market cap of $4.52 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.05 and a beta of 2.37.

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BZAM Company Profile

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BZAM Ltd. operates as a cannabis producer with a focus on branded consumer goods. Its brands include the BZAM, TGOD, ness, Highly Dutch Organic, and TABLE TOP, as well as Dunn Cannabis, FRESH, and Wyld partner brands. The company operate facilities in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, as well as retail stores in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Regina, Saskatchewan.

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Sigma Investment Counselors Inc. raised its holdings in TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG  Free Report) by 7.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 3,470 shares of the aerospace companys stock after buying an additional 239 shares during the quarter. Sigma Investment Counselors Inc.s holdings in TransDigm Group were worth $4,433,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in TDG. Vivid Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in TransDigm Group by 204.6% in the second quarter. Vivid Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,383 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,767,000 after buying an additional 929 shares in the last quarter. TrueWealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of TransDigm Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $250,000. Everhart Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of TransDigm Group by 13.1% in the 2nd quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 519 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $663,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the period. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of TransDigm Group by 3.1% during the second quarter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC now owns 497 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $635,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Catalina Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in TransDigm Group in the second quarter worth $222,000. 95.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on TDG. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of TransDigm Group from $1,625.00 to $1,515.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on TransDigm Group from $1,435.00 to $1,524.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, June 20th. TD Cowen boosted their target price on TransDigm Group from $1,300.00 to $1,400.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. KeyCorp increased their target price on TransDigm Group from $1,325.00 to $1,440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on TransDigm Group from $1,300.00 to $1,325.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, June 7th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, TransDigm Group presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,422.94.

Insider Transactions at TransDigm Group

In other TransDigm Group news, insider Jessica L. Warren sold 925 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,339.34, for a total value of $1,238,889.50. Following the sale, the insider now owns 50 shares in the company, valued at approximately $66,967. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Jessica L. Warren sold 925 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,339.34, for a total value of $1,238,889.50. Following the sale, the insider now owns 50 shares in the company, valued at $66,967. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Robert J. Small sold 30,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,323.86, for a total transaction of $39,715,800.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 112,381 shares in the company, valued at approximately $148,776,710.66. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 102,708 shares of company stock valued at $133,146,005. 4.96% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

TransDigm Group Stock Up 1.7 %

NYSE:TDG traded up $22.30 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $1,326.68. 273,198 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 225,556. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $1,271.82 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,249.31. TransDigm Group Incorporated has a one year low of $802.46 and a one year high of $1,369.57. The firm has a market cap of $74.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.38.

TransDigm Group (NYSE:TDG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The aerospace company reported $9.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.77 by $1.23. TransDigm Group had a net margin of 21.83% and a negative return on equity of 66.70%. The firm had revenue of $2.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.01 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $6.55 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 17.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that TransDigm Group Incorporated will post 30.58 EPS for the current year.

TransDigm Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

TransDigm Group Incorporated designs, produces, and supplies aircraft components in the United States and internationally. The Power & Control segment offers mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, specialized pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, specialized AC/DC electric motors and generators, batteries and chargers, databus and power controls, sensor products, switches and relay panels, hoists, winches and lifting devices, and cargo loading and handling systems.

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Sigma Investment Counselors Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 45.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 37,544 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 31,702 shares during the period. Sigma Investment Counselors Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,559,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Tempus Wealth Planning LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 36.2% during the 2nd quarter. Tempus Wealth Planning LLC now owns 15,413 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $640,000 after purchasing an additional 4,095 shares in the last quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 7.4% in the second quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC now owns 16,770 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $696,000 after acquiring an additional 1,149 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 26.1% in the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 13,311 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $553,000 after acquiring an additional 2,755 shares in the last quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 102.9% in the second quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC now owns 12,355 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $519,000 after acquiring an additional 6,265 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Shelter Ins Retirement Plan bought a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,234,000. 76.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BMY has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Barclays upped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $41.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $45.00 to $53.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $53.00 to $45.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. StockNews.com upgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $54.93.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance

Shares of BMY traded up $0.49 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $48.11. 8,328,407 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 15,685,546. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12 month low of $39.35 and a 12 month high of $63.41. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86. The stock has a market cap of $97.52 billion, a PE ratio of -15.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 12.51 and a beta of 0.44. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $44.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.58.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 26th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.07 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.43. The business had revenue of $12.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.54 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a negative net margin of 14.06% and a positive return on equity of 12.51%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.75 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 0.77 EPS for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 5th were paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 5th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently -77.42%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 200 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $31,000.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Collective Family Office LLC raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 1.5% during the first quarter. Collective Family Office LLC now owns 4,040 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $690,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 4.7% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,327 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $227,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the period. Covenant Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Covenant Asset Management LLC now owns 14,659 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $2,502,000 after buying an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Rovin Capital UT ADV raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 3.5% during the first quarter. Rovin Capital UT ADV now owns 1,968 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $336,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aua Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 3.1% during the first quarter. Aua Capital Management LLC now owns 2,261 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $386,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the companys stock.

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Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of VLO stock traded down $2.00 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $141.09. The stock had a trading volume of 685,832 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,980,490. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Valero Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $119.88 and a 12-month high of $184.79. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $150.85 and a 200 day simple moving average of $155.69. The company has a market cap of $46.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.42.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

Valero Energy ( NYSE:VLO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas company reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $34.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $32.97 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 21.01% and a net margin of 4.25%. The firms revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.40 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Co. will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 1st will be given a dividend of $1.07 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 1st. This represents a $4.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.03%. Valero Energys payout ratio is 21.20%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on VLO. Barclays reduced their target price on Valero Energy from $171.00 to $165.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. They issued an outperform rating and a $177.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Valero Energy from $156.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Scotiabank increased their price target on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $173.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $174.00.

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About Valero Energy

(Free Report)

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.

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Suruga Bank Ltd. (OTCMKTS:SUGBY  Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $72.20 and last traded at $72.20, with a volume of 0 shares. The stock had previously closed at $72.20.

Suruga Bank Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $1.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.78 and a beta of -0.07. The businesss 50-day moving average is $68.08 and its 200-day moving average is $62.31.

About Suruga Bank

(Get Free Report)

Suruga Bank Ltd. provides various banking and financial products and services to individuals and corporate customers in Japan. The company offers deposit products, such as time, ordinary, savings, foreign currency, and other deposits, as well as current and general accounts; card, housing, second house, startup, and business up term loans, as well as loans by purpose; credit and debit cards; overdrafts; and other financing products.

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Tnf LLC cut its stake in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (BATS:VLUE  Free Report) by 4.4% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,799 shares of the companys stock after selling 268 shares during the period. Tnf LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF were worth $615,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF by 10,433.3% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 316 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 313 shares in the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $47,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $54,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF by 140.2% during the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 538 shares of the companys stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 314 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF by 464.0% in the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 784 shares of the companys stock valued at $85,000 after buying an additional 645 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF Price Performance

VLUE traded up $1.86 during trading on Friday, reaching $106.87. The company had a trading volume of 153,720 shares. iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF has a 12 month low of $71.21 and a 12 month high of $89.40. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $104.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $103.82. The company has a market cap of $7.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.26 and a beta of 0.87.

About iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF

The iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Enhanced Value index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap US equities. Stocks are selected and weighted using fundamental metrics (earnings, revenue, book value and cash earnings), aiming for exposure to undervalued stocks in each sector.

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Highland Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 6.9% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 137,024 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 10,233 shares during the period. Highland Capital Management LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $8,138,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. John W. Brooker & Co. CPAs raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 2.5% in the second quarter. John W. Brooker & Co. CPAs now owns 7,075 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $420,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the period. McAdam LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 3.3% in the second quarter. McAdam LLC now owns 5,609 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $333,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the period. Prentice Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% in the second quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,426 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $560,000 after acquiring an additional 184 shares during the period. Clearstead Trust LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 13.0% in the first quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 1,617 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $94,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the period. Finally, Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 3.4% in the second quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 5,897 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $350,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the period. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wells Fargo & Company Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock traded up $0.74 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $56.70. The stock had a trading volume of 17,074,409 shares, compared to its average volume of 18,010,037. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $57.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $57.48. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $38.38 and a 12-month high of $62.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The firm has a market cap of $197.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.17.

Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The financial services provider reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.04. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 15.17% and a return on equity of 12.30%. The business had revenue of $20.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.29 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.25 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current year.

The business 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. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.82%. This is a boost from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WFC has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $59.00 to $61.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $61.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 15th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Company to a hold rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $62.00 to $59.00 in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $59.63.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on WFC

Wells Fargo & 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.

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Reporter

Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post.
House Speaker Mike Johnson View Photo

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) recently wrote about the importance of ensuring that only American citizens vote in our federal election.

Johnson was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Johnsons op-ed was written for and published on FoxNews.com/Fox News Digital. Here are his words:

There are few things more important to our country than ensuring the integrity of our elections. The people rightfully demand it, and Congress has a duty to act.

Yet, when given the opportunity to eliminate one of the most glaring threats to fair elections, 198 House Democrats voted instead to keep the door open to fraud.

The threat is very real. In nearly all 50 states today  including every major electoral battleground state  a noncitizen can walk into a DMV or welfare office, fill out a federal voter registration form, claim they are a U.S. citizen, and be registered to vote. That noncitizen can then cast a ballot and help decide the direction of America.

This is not a hypothetical problem. I was recently in San Diego, CA to tour the new epicenter of the Biden-Harris border catastrophe where brave, overworked Customs and Border Protection agents have encountered millions of illegals. The agents told me the Biden-Harris Executive Order isnt working the way the administration says it is. In some ways, its made the crisis worse.

Instead of carrying out their mission of protecting our borders, they have become processing agents, forced by the administration to send illegals throughout the country with little paperwork or record of their location. Many of them end up at local DMVs.

While it is illegal and clearly wrong for a noncitizen to vote in a federal election, and thus engage in foreign election interference, a current loophole in the National Voter Registration Act actually prevents states from requesting proof of citizenship when the registration form is signed.

To close that dangerous loophole and help ensure that only Americans decide American elections, House Republicans drafted and passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

Our legislation makes several critically important reforms. It requires state election officials to request proof of citizenship for every person registering to vote and gives the state officials easy access to federal databases so they can confirm citizenship status.

The SAVE Act also requires those state officials to clean up their voter rolls and directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to determine whether to conduct removal proceedings of any illegal alien who has registered unlawfully.

To ensure actual citizens can continue to easily register to vote, the bill allows state officials to accept a wide variety of documents for registrants to prove citizenship and requires states to establish an alternative process for Americans who have misplaced their documentation.

Finally, the SAVE Act requires DHS to notify a state chief election official whenever an individual has been naturalized to ensure our newest citizens can exercise their right to vote.

These commonsense provisions are not only right, but they are also in high demand. Polling has shown that 89% of Americans believe only Americans should decide elections  including 82% of Democrats, 80% of Black voters, and 78% of Hispanic voters.

In light of all this, one would expect overwhelmingly bipartisan support for the SAVE Act in Congress. But Democrat leaders put on a full-court press to discourage their members from supporting our bill, and the White House issued a veto threat.

The Democrats opposition to this simple election integrity bill is indefensible and exposes their intention to allow illegal aliens to vote.

Earlier this year, most of these same Democrats voted to count illegal aliens in the 2030 Census. They also voted to let noncitizens vote in local elections in Washington, D.C. Some may also remember, how, in 2019, then-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris relied on a study that touted the electoral implications of widespread amnesty, including sizable contributions to the margin of victory in swing states. Perhaps thats why Border Czar Harris has done such a pitiful job securing the border.

Those who have illegally entered our country have no regard for our laws and have no right to interfere in our lawful election processes. Virtually all Americans agree  except for the Biden-Harris administration and congressional Democrats, who are so desperate to hang on to power that they will sacrifice the integrity of our election system.

In a study of the 2008 election, researchers estimated that 6.4% of noncitizens in the U.S. had voted in the general election. If a similar portion of the 7.2 million illegal aliens Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have welcomed into the country were to vote this year, those 460,800 votes would be more than enough to change the election outcome in a few key battleground states.

In an era of divided government where every single ballot matters immensely, we must have zero tolerance for fraud. One of our Republican colleagues won her first race in 2020 by only six votes. And for many weeks during this Congress, our majority in the House was held by just a one vote margin.

As the sanctity of our elections now hangs in the balance, the SAVE Act is urgently needed. It is smart policy and overwhelmingly supported by the American people. Everyone who shares this common concern should insist that Senator Schumer bring this bill forward to pass in the Senate, and that President Biden then sign it into law. The stakes could not be any higher.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Calaveras County Seal View Photo

Calaveras, CA The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors is seeking qualified applicants to fill three vacancies on the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB), a body responsible for resolving property tax disputes between the County Assessor and taxpayers.

The AAB functions as a quasi-judicial panel, reviewing cases where taxpayers contest the assessed value of their property as determined by the County Assessor. These assessments, governed by Californias Proposition 13, are typically established when property changes ownership or is newly constructed. Taxpayers who disagree with their propertys assessed value and cannot reach an agreement with the Assessors office have the right to appeal to the AAB.

The board meets quarterly, with public hearings lasting approximately five hours, though the schedule may adjust based on the number of appeals filed. Applicants must be registered voters and full-time residents of Calaveras County. They must also have at least five years of professional experience in California as a certified public accountant, licensed real estate broker, attorney, or accredited property appraiser. Members receive a $65 stipend for each meeting attended. Interested candidates should contact the Clerk of the Board at (209) 754-6370 or bosclerk@calaverascounty.gov for more information.
Sacramento, CA  Making its first drop near McClellan Airtanker Base outside of Sacramento on Monday, CAL Fire officially activated the first of eventually seven C 130 Hercules Airtankers that will help battle wildfires across the state.

It is capable of flying 800 miles and carrying 4,000 gallons of fire retardant and has the greatest speed and range of CAL Fires airborne fleet.

California secured initial approval back in 2018 to become the first state to acquire the C 130H former military aircraft from the US Coast Guard. Following delays, five years later, in December of 2023, the US Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act, allowing the transfer of aircraft from the federal government and allowing CAL Fire to complete the aircrafts retrofitting.

CAL Fire Chief Joe Tyler says, As wildfire frequency and severity increase across California, the introduction of this aircraft will undoubtedly play a crucial role in helping us achieve our initial attack goals, particularly in our efforts to keep 95% of fires at 10 acres or less.

The United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard played an important role in maintaining the aircraft during the transition period, including the replacement of the inner and outer wing boxes and providing spare parts. Once at CAL FIREs Aviation Management Unit, the aircraft underwent significant modifications, including the installation of a 4,000-gallon tank and a specialized retardant delivery system (RDS).

CAL Fire has 14 air tanker bases across the state, including in Columbia.

The state agency reports, These new C-130Hs will be strategically located throughout the state at CAL FIRE bases to mobilize when needed, adding to the helicopters, other aircraft, and firefighters ready to protect Californians.

The plane was first utilized by the Coast Guard in 1985 and was built by Lockheed Martin.

It is not immediately clear when the six other C130 H air tankers will be activated.

Click on the video to watch the first drop.
Zimbabweans can breathe a collective sigh of relief as ZESA Holdings has announced a raft of measures aimed at ending the crippling load-shedding that has plagued the nation for months.

The news comes as a beacon of hope for a nation weary of power cuts that have disrupted daily life, crippled businesses, and threatened national security.

The immediate cause of the power crisis, a technical fault at Hwange Power Station Unit 8, has been resolved, according to ZESA Holdings executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata. The unit is now awaiting synchronisation, and is expected to be back online soon.

These are normal technical hitches that happen during infancy of any new plants and I am glad to notify you that our engineers have resolved this and we expect to synchronise the unit to be back online soon, Gata assured the nation during a press conference.

However, the technical fault at Hwange was not the only culprit behind the relentless power cuts. Hydrological challenges at Kariba Dam, a key source of power generation, have also contributed significantly to the energy crisis.

To address these challenges, ZESA has unveiled a comprehensive plan that includes both short-term and long-term solutions. In the short term, ZESA will be installing a utility-scale battery energy storage system, capable of providing three hours of 600 megawatts during peak periods.

The system will provide three hours of 600 Mhw during morning and evening peaks. This will substantially reduce load-shedding, besides providing some benefits to system operations, explained Gata.

The project is already in the procurement phase, with the energy to charge the batteries being sourced off-peak. This innovative solution is expected to significantly alleviate the burden of load-shedding, particularly during peak hours.

In addition to the battery storage system, ZESA is also importing electricity to supplement local generation, particularly as water levels at Kariba Dam remain low due to the ongoing drought.

The Zambezi River Authority, responsible for managing the Kariba Dam, has reported that water levels are around 12.8 percent in early June 2024, compared to 29.1 percent in early June 2023. This decline is attributed to the ongoing drought affecting the region, with water levels unlikely to increase in the coming weeks.

While these immediate measures will offer some relief, ZESA is also focusing on long-term solutions to ensure a stable and reliable power supply for the nation. The company is finalising an agreement with Jindal of India to repower Hwange units 1-6, which is expected to increase output from 485MW to 840MW.

Jindal will invest in four new units at Hwange, adding 1 200MW of new capacity, Gata announced.

Furthermore, ZESA has partnered with ferrochrome companies to generate 300MW of thermal power, with the first 100MW expected by mid-2025.

ZESA Holdings is mobilising financing for the installation of about 150 MW of solar power at productive farms. This will ease the demand from farming load on the system, and at the same time allow farmers to feed excess energy to the grid, Gata explained.

ZESA is also preparing several sites for deployment of its solar power generation, with 400MW already developed. These projects will be developed through partnerships and other strategies.

ZESA is implementing measures to increase power supply with additional imports to augment local supply and interventions to restore capacity at Hwange Power Station Units 1 and 2 that have been out due to forced outages, Gata said.

Hwange Power Stations ongoing Repowering Programme is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the stations reliability and output. With this investment (US$800 million), the project is set to upgrade Units 1 to 6, ensuring increased capacity, and reliability, and extending the operational life of the units by 15 to 20 years.

While these ambitious plans offer a glimmer of hope for the future, ZESA is facing significant challenges, including a negative cash flow variance, despite a cost-reflective tariff approved by the government in December 2023.

The utility is struggling to meet its critical obligations, including loan repayments for the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project, Afreximbank loan obligations, and essential expenses such as water, coal, fuel, and spares for generation, transmission, and distribution, said Gata.

Despite these challenges, ZESA is committed to ensuring that every household in Zimbabwe has access to electricity by 2030. The companys ambitious plans, coupled with the resolve to overcome the current challenges, offer a promising future for Zimbabwes energy sector.

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A horrifying incident of armed robbery and rape has left a Ruwa family traumatised and shaken, highlighting the growing fear of crime in Zimbabwe. The attack, which occurred on Saturday night, saw a 30-year-old woman brutally assaulted in the presence of her husband and nine-year-old daughter.

The family was watching television in their lounge when five armed robbers, one wielding a pistol and the others brandishing knives, forced their way into the house. The assailants, who are believed to have been motivated by robbery, immediately terrorised the family, tying the husbands hands with a rope and demanding cash.

The accused persons tied the complainants hands with a rope demanding cash from the complainants who told them that they had none, said Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, Harare provincial police spokesperson.

Despite the presence of the young daughter, the robbers proceeded to ransack the house, making off with a haul of valuables including two solar panels, two cellphones, blankets, shoes, and clothes, all estimated to be worth over US$300.

However, the ordeal did not end there. One of the robbers, emboldened by the familys helplessness, proceeded to rape the woman in front of her husband and daughter, adding another layer of horror to the already traumatic experience.

The daughter was ordered to lie down and she later untied her parents after the robbers went away with goods worth more than US$300, said Inspector Chakanza.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, raising serious concerns about the safety and security of residents, particularly women and children. Many are left wondering what measures can be taken to prevent such horrific crimes from occurring again.

Police are investigating an armed robbery and rape cases in Ruwa, said Inspector Chakanza, confirming the polices commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice.

This comes just a week after a similar incident occurred in Epworth when a man was left traumatized and his wife in need of medical attention after she was brutally raped by a stranger.

The incident occurred on a dusty road near Stopover Shopping Centre in Epworth.

The couple, who were returning home from the shopping centre around 10pm, encountered a man who began making false claims that he was walking with the wife. The wife immediately denied knowing the man and became violent, attempting to defend herself.

The husband, desperate to protect his wife, tried to intervene but was met with a chilling threat. The attacker, wielding a knife, warned the husband to leave or face dire consequences. Terrified for his own life, the husband was forced to flee the scene, leaving his wife at the mercy of the attacker.

The attacker, unfazed by the husbands absence, proceeded to rape the woman twice, without any protection. After the horrific ordeal, the woman was left alone and unable to locate her husband. She sought refuge at a nearby house and later received medical attention at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

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Forgive me for trying to dig into a story, of the exchange of strikes by Israel and Hezbollah a few days ago. Like far too many conflict-related accounts, the initial accounts depicted the attacks as a major escalation, possibly presaging a wider war, then dialed that back, way back, to the degree that one wonders if at least some press outlets were trying to memory hole the events. Confirming this perhaps unduly cynical view was that the Financial Times did not mention these attacks on the landing page of the Financial Times mere hours after they occurred. By contrast, the Wall Street Journal did make it their leading piece, with the title Israel, Hezbollah Signal De-Escalation After Predawn Bombardments. Well discuss it

Recall that Israel and its allies, the US, France, and the UK, have been waiting to see what if anything Iran and Hezbollah will do in the way of retaliation after Israel killed senior Hezbollah military official Fuad Shukr in Beirut and the lead negotiator from the Hamas side in the not-going-anywhere Gaza ceasefire talks, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran when he was a guest attending the inauguration of incoming president Masoud Pezeshkian. The assassination of Haniyeh is particularly significant since he was from the political, not military, wing and was widely depicted as one of the most moderate voices in Hamas. He has been replaced in the negotiations by military leader Yaha Sinwar.

With Iran, the Anglosphere press has been faithfully repeating the spin that stern words have cowed Iran into inaction. But a sharp letter from some EU states along those lines elicited a tart response:

Iran has sharply criticized a joint letter from France, Germany and the UK that urged it to show restraint and not retaliate for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran. Iran said the letter ignored Israeli "crimes and terrorism." https://t.co/JGvh7YmCDq  DW News (@dwnews) August 13, 2024

Iranian commentators like Professor Sayed Mirandi also stress that Iran most assuredly will retaliate, but at a time of its choosing.

Even though it is difficult to be sure what exactly happened in the mutual attacks on Sunday, the more complete-seeming accounts indicate that both Iran and Hezbollah intend to control the escalation and will not be provoked into rash moves. Their strategy has been and continues to be a war of attrition, wearing down not just Israeli and US capabilities, but Israels will. The Axis of Resistance has studied Israel over a very long period, and has taken stock of the fact that Israel and the US are set up to wage short, airpower heavy conflicts. Thus it should come as no surprise that even the Western media is chronicling how Israel has failed to make much of a dent in Hamas after nearly 11 months of engagement (see Simplicius for lots of detail).

The psychological toll is even greater since the premise of Israel was that it was a place where Jews could be safe. Larry Wilkerson in a recent interview with Nima emphasized that Israel and the US need to restore the image of Israel as the fiercest and most formidable force in the region, even though one wonders how that can be done. Slaughtering Palestinian women and children does not rate.

A remarkable confirmation of that view came in a op-ed in Haaretz last week, Israel Will Collapse Within a Year if the War of Attrition Against Hamas and Hezbollah Continues by former IDF General Yitzhak Brik. Key sections:

I assume that Defense Minister Gallant already understands that the war has lost its purpose. Israel is sinking deeper into the Gazan mud, losing more and more soldiers as they get killed or wounded, without any chance of achieving the wars main goal: bringing down Hamas. The country really is galloping towards the edge of an abyss. If the war of attrition against Hamas and Hezbollah continues, Israel will collapse within no more than a year. Terror attacks are intensifying in the West Bank and inside the country, the reservist army is voting with its feet following recurring mobilizations of combat soldiers, and the economy is crashing. Israel has also become a pariah state, prompting economic boycotts and an embargo on arms shipments. We are also losing our social resilience, as the growing hatred between different parts of the nation threatens to ignite and bring to its destruction from within.

Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah understand Israels dire situation. What Israel could have achieved earlier with a hostage/cease-fire agreement has become impossible due to the new conditions that Netanyahu introduced into the proposed deal In light of the new situation, a threat by Iran and Hezbollah to attack Israel in response to the killing of the two senior officials is materializing in the region. The use of assassinations is a step threatening to ignite the entire Middle East, decided upon by the three pyromaniacs, Netanyahu, Gallant and Chief of Staff Halevi, without thinking about the significance of their irresponsible decisions.

So Israelis have been waiting for what the Axis of Resistance will do. That anxiety is wearing. Thats confirmed in the Journal story we mentioned earlier, which holds back on the details on the strikes till the end. And even then they are a bit thin. From the Journal:

After a heavy exchange of fire early Sunday between Israel and Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah, the regional military powers signaled a desire to avoid a spiral that could lead to a wider Mideast conflict.

Lets stop here. That seems to be US de-escalatory messaging coloring the Journals account. See by contrast:

Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into northern Israel, calling it the first phase of its retaliation for the assassination of top commander Fuad Shukr, in Beirut in July. Earlier, Israel launched what it called pre-emptive strikes on southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/4klEdqR9KD  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 25, 2024

Mind you, both Hezbollah and Iran do want to avoid a wider war, but continued retaliation, which Hezbollah has said is coming, risks that. The Journal argues that the two sides might settle back into tit for tat exchanges. From much later in the Journal account:

Sundays fighting got under way before dawn, when Israels military hit dozens of targets in Lebanon in what it called a pre-emptive strike. The U.S. and Israel had recently obtained intelligence that Hezbollah planned to attack early Sunday, U.S. officials said. Israel briefed the U.S. on its plans before going ahead. Israel knocked out about two-thirds of the projectiles that Hezbollah planned to launch Sunday morning, a senior Israeli official said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said all of the drones launched at a strategic target in the center of the country were intercepted. One Israeli sailor was killed by shrapnel from an Israeli rocket interceptor that exploded over his boat, a military spokesman said. Hezbollah said two of its members were killed. Nasrallah said the attack had two phasesa barrage of 340 rockets at northern Israel and a launch of attack drones farther into the country. Among the targets was the headquarters of Israels spy agency, Mossad, just north of Tel Aviv, Nasrallah and a person familiar with the matter said. Nasrallah said Hezbollah also targeted a Tel Aviv-area base of the Israeli militarys Unit 8200, which is responsible for signals intelligence and cyber.

One notices that Israel says that it shot down most but not all of Hezbollah rockets and drones, but the story is silent on whether the attack on the Mossad HQ and Unit 8200 outpost had any success. Note that much earlier, the Journal quoted Hezbollah leader Nasrallah:

We said this was a preliminary response, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in an address Sunday. If we assess that the impact of the preliminary response was not satisfactory, we will act accordingly. For now we consider that the response is over, and the country can take a breath.

One has to think whether Nasrallah deemed the attack to be satisfactory or not would depend on the harm done to the Mossad and Unit 8200 operations. The Times of Israel quote Nasrallah stating that the Glilot military base, which houses the 8200 intelligence group, was the main target

Hezbollah published footage supporting the idea that they did damage the Unit 8200 facility:

#Hezbollah :: published a much more detailed infographic with more understandable graphics of the Gillot base in the suburbs of #Tel_Aviv, the base where the main headquarters of the #Zionist intelligence command known as Amman is located and was targeted today  pic.twitter.com/Z8Clv5WzPE  ALI Yasser (@AaisackAli) August 26, 2024

Even though other targets were secondary, it appears Hezbollah inflicted additional damage (there was much ridicule on Twitter that Hezbollah torched a chicken coop but the fires went beyond that):

Lebanon targeted Israel's north. the north is burning  Hezbollah Tel Aviv

pic.twitter.com/NPwRNJ7Ep2  Volkan Albistan (@valbistan) August 26, 2024

The Times of Israel reported We dont count: Northern leaders complain military only acts when Tel Aviv is targeted, noting that the mayors of three communities vowed to cut off contact with the government. I am not sure why that amounts to a threat.

The Journal is also curiously silent on what the Israel pre-emptive strikes amounted to. It gets credit for not dignifying claims like this:

Israel is not carpet bombing Lebanon. Israel launched a preemptive strike on Hezbollah's precision-missile launch sites preparing to attack targets in Tel Aviv. Hundreds of fighter jets got to thousands of Hezbollah rockets first. Learn to tell the truth you primitive barbarian. https://t.co/rVElsgsaP3  Daniel (@FortifyCulture) August 25, 2024

Well unpack soon what was wrong about this claim. A less excitable version of the Israel attack from the Financial Times:

Israel began its attack shortly before 5am local time, deploying 100 jets to bomb about 40 sites in Lebanon after identifying what it said were preparations by Hizbollah to fire missiles and rockets.

The presentation on Monday by Alastair Crooke on Judge Napolitano fills in some key gaps in these accounts. Starting at 3:10:

Whatever youve read is almost certainly wrong. Its a narrative..First of all, it all happened at around 4 oclock in the morning on Sunday. The Israelis started to see people moving in Lebanon and moving towards platforms. Hezbollah was planning the operation to fire drones and rockets at 5:15 on Sunday morning. And Israel started to, an attack, a direct attack. It involved I think about a hundred aircraft. But contrary to what the Israeli propagandists at the IDF are saying, and I know this not from Hezbollah but I know this from inside Lebanon, people who are on the ground there, it was chaotic twenty minutes. Israel just bombed various valleys where they imagined the ballistic missiles were. But theyd been cleared out of there some time ago. There were no ballistic missiles. You can check that, there are people on the ground who know whats happened. There are no missiles. So when they said they destroyed thousands of missile launchers, this is a complete lie. Because first of all, there are no missiles, no ballistic missiles, no large missiles south of the Litani River. What you have is drones and small rockets. And none of these have launchers. And they destroyed none of them. It was just a show, a show of force and it only lasted about twenty minutes.. [6:40] What we have seen is the war fragmenting in different ways. First of all, it fragmented with the killing of Fuad Shukr in Beirut just before Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. And for that reason, the actual operations of the Resistance changed. Because as far as Hezbollah was concerned, the killing of Fuad crossed all red lines, all the understandings, the careful balances were broken by that. And they opened a separate account, quite separate to what was happening in Gaza. And they opened a separate account. And so what happened in this weekend was about settling that account with Israel. And it stuck very carefully to the equation, the war equations, that they had between Israel and Hezbollah. The didnt go out of the equations. So if you like they attacked in Tel Aviv the Mossad headquarters and the headquarters of 8200, equivalent roughly to NSA in the US, if you like, its the communications intercept. Because that was the decision-making if you like structure that led Fuad Shukrs killing in Beirut. And they did in Tel Aviv because they killed him in Beirut. There was a complete equivalence if you like in that. And one phase was three hundred and twenty rockets. Of course, its been played down. I cant tell you exactly how many were shot down or didnt land properly. But they were targeted not on people or civilians, they were targeted on military bases and very precisely on air defense systems. You can see that. And then immediately, 4 oclock, the Israelis came in bombing, pretty randomly, in the areas where they thought Hezbollah would have their ballistic missiles but as I said there were none, they were north of the Litani [River]. They were sending a message to Hezbollah by not going beyond the Litani, that the equation with the war with Israel was still holding. And thats an important point. The Israelis were signaling, OK, you hit Tel Aviv for Shukr but we are not going to hit Beirut.

Note that the precision-guided in the tweet we flagged earlier as dubious = ballistic missiles.

Crooke shortly thereafter report that the reason the Western press has no reports of damage in Israel was that the government put out a complete ban on that information, confirmed independently by the Palestine Chronicle.

Given the news blackout, its impossible to confirm claims like this, but they cant be ruled out either:

The truth is out, Hassan Nasrallahs hit has been confirmed, Commander of Israeli 8200 intelligence unit, the most sophisticated intelligence unit on earth is dead! #HIZBULLAH #Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/PwSUFHRLrk    1.0 (@LOC_bbk) August 27, 2024

And Nasrallah seems exceptionally pleased with himself.

Nasrallah couldnt hide his satisfaction at Israels failure to thwart Hezbollahs attack. He almost laughed: This is no longer the weak Lebanon you could invade with a marching band. Now, it might happen that we invade you with a musical band! pic.twitter.com/xspV39wEs8  taseenb (@taseenb) August 26, 2024

If the IDF actually thought there were ballistic missiles in those valleys south of the Litani, that also points to a pretty big Israel intelligence failure.

Needless to say, this somewhat long-winded account illustrates what an informational hall of mirrors we live in, and why its hard to take any reports from Team US at face value.
Yves here. Get a cup of coffee. This is a very meaty interview with Nathan Knopp and Brian Knopp of System Failure on Hudsons favorite themes of debt forgiveness and jubilees, and the evolution away from them (which were significantly to keep populations from becoming indentured servants/debtcroppers and available to serve in levees), with Christ a comparatively late opponent of the rise of creditor oligarchs in the Greco-Roman era.Their description:

System Failure is a weekly newsletter and podcast. It explores the forgotten histories of finance and faith that have delivered us to the brink of the most exciting moment in human history. The team consists of Nathan, the essay author with a background in accounting and history, and Brian, the podcast producer with experience in insurance and audio engineering.

From their overview of this talk:

In the episode, the boys interview legendary economist Dr. Michael Hudson. Their discussion includes the importance of distinguishing between earned versus unearned income, and the age-old dichotomy between (1) writing down debts to the actual ability repay versus (2) allowing the mass foreclosure that ultimately ruins societies. According to Dr. Hudson, this dichotomy was the main preoccupation of the ministry of Jesus, but has since been covered up by powerful oligarchies.

By Nathan and Brian Knopp. Originally published at System Failure

Brian: All right, Nate, weve done it. This is the System Failure Podcast number 50, and its an exciting one.

Nathan: Yes, number 50. Yes, thats impressive, Brian. That means weve been at this for more or less a year now, which is pretty exciting. And I love the idea that for episode number 50, we are all bringing you the specialist of special guests. Thats going to be Dr. Michael Hudson, who issomething of an academic hero of mine, as youll hear when we get him on the line. He is a titan among heterodox economists, professor of economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Former Wall Street analyst. His latest book is Temples of Enterprise, Creating Economic Order in the Bronze Age Near East. Its a collection of articles tracing familiar economic conventions like money and markets all the way back to Bronze Age Mesopotamia. Dr. Hudson also has a number of articles included in the new Dictionary of MMT that has just been published. Thats Modern Monetary Theory. And as mentioned, a number of Professor Hudsons articles appear in that volume on the origins of money and coinage in antiquity and the balance of payments dimension of foreign debt. Additionally, you can also find Dr. Hudson, if youd like to support his work, on Patreon by simply searching for his name, spelled conventionally, Michael Hudson on Patreon. Quite a resume, eh, Brian?

Brian: Well, to put it briefly, hes super interested in the history of debt and debt forgiveness, right?

Nathan: Yes. Dr. Hudson is the one who is the origin of this idea that Christianity has a financial dimension to it. And that is to say that the sin and the salvation, and the armageddon of Christianity all are perfectly intelligible from a financial perspective, but that financial perspective has subsequently been hidden from us by worthies such as St. Augustine of Hippo, who did favors for the Roman oligarchy by rejiggering Christianity in a way that was beneficial to the balance sheets of the rich instead of detrimental in the way that debt forgiveness is. So thats his main hook. And so we are really excited to bring Dr. Hudson to you today.

Brian: Yes. I can hardly wait.

Nathan: All right. Well, without further ado, lets get to the interview.

Brian: All right.

Nathan: And were here with noted heterodox economist Dr. Michael Hudson. Dr. Hudson, how are you today?

Dr. Hudson: Im pretty good. Thank you.

Nathan: We are electrified to have you on the podcast today. Your ideas are some of the foundation thoughts that go into the constellation of ideas we like to call System Failure. So we are delighted to have you, sir. And I suppose I should give you just a little. Well, I just wanted to give you a little bit of a brief anecdote about how your work has impacted my life. And the reality for me is Im one of these student loan sob stories. I started my first job out of college, and my net salary every month was $2,200. And my student loan payment was $1,200. And I spent about 10 years in that cul-de-sac just going round and round and round. And that really was deleterious to my mental state. The depression that comes with being a debt peon is really, until you experience it, it is something else. And then around 2017, I think it was 17, because you, Dr. Hudson, were making the rounds on YouTube promoting your book And Forgive Them Their Debts. And so, of course, I ordered it on Amazon and I was blown away. The way that you describe debt and the way that Western society thinks about debt with respect to the Bronze Age, the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, in the aftermath of the agricultural revolution, and the way that Greco-Roman society and Christianity dealt with those ideas was, well, it was earth-shattering for me, and it really pulled me out of a place of hopelessness and depression. It made sense of what was happening to me in a way that, well, it just hadnt made any sense before, as you can probably imagine. So that was a great experience. I just loved And Forgive Them Their Debts. And then, of course, when Collapse of Antiquity came out last year, I mean, at this point, your books are an instant buy on Amazon for me. And Im happy to report that Ive worn out the binding of Collapse of Antiquity to where Ive had to tape it back together. Ive been through that volume quite a bit. Ill have to order another copy from the good folks over at Islet. So thats where Im coming from personally, and thats been the preoccupation of System Failure.

Dr. Hudson: Okay

Nathan: Now, Dr. Hudson, the way that you rolled out the ideas in And Forgive Them Their Debts was pretty stimulating. But since COVID, we in Portland, Maine here, Portland, Maine has really become a poster child for some of your older ideas that you articulated in your 2015 book, Killing the Host. Like here in Portland after COVID, we have watched the rents explode. Portland, every time one of these magazines does a top 10 destinations to move to, Portland, Maine is always in that top 10 list somewhere as an ideal location for those who want to get away from the humdrum of city life and escape to somewhere that has a little bit more of a bucolic feeling. The working waterfront and lighthouses of Portland are always a great example. And as a result of that, everyone moved here during COVID, and they havent left, and the rents here have just exploded. And as a result of that, we have seen in the aftermath of COVID a mass closure of bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. Proprietors cant seem to offer workers enough money to report to work. And the public sentiment thats in circulation is that nobody wants to work anymore. But your theory that the FIRE sector is actually cannibalizing the real economy makes much more sense than just no one wants to work anymore. Could you lay that theory out for us?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the finance, insurance, and real estate sector, landlords and bankers, extracts land rent and interest, and that forces up the cost of living and also the cost of doing business to pay workers. So labor income and business profits are squeezed as a result of that. The problem today is for labor to get jobs that enable them to break even without going into debt or being exposed to COVID as a condition of their employment. I think COVID and other diseases are like crop failures. Theyre global, but theyre external developments from outside the internal dynamics of the economic and social system. And by contrast, economic rent has become part of societys economic structure. Its evolved through different political alliances and has taken different forms over time. Credit relations and land tenure are built into any economic system as part of it. But todays banking system and absentee land ownership are different from anything that has gone before. Society recognizes the need to protect itself against COVID, but the Western societies no longer feel a need to protect themselves from rising land rent, housing prices, monopoly rent, or debt and credit charges and late fees. So just as disease tends to spread at an exponential rate of growth, so does the debt overhead and the interest-bearing debt. It expands by compound interest. And both rent and disease pandemics may lead to depopulation. They have that in common. COVID has increased death rates and its shortened lifespans, which I guess is why workers dont want to have to work and get exposed to it. Interest, land rent, and monopoly rent stifle growth in living standards and investments and that leads to economic collapse. Russias population plunge with Western neoliberalism in the 1990s exemplifies this common denominator. Birth rates are falling throughout the West, so thats what they have in common, but theyre quite different in character.

Nathan: Thats such a great point. I love this idea that we jump in response to external threats like COVID, but we are sanguine and unguarded when it comes to internal threats. And I loved the way you tied in depopulation there, Dr. Hudson. The connection between economics and population growth or degrowth, well, Im living that out. Im 40 years old. My fiance is 37. And we are trying desperately to get the finances together to have kids. And it is not easy in todays economic environment. So its easy for us to see how depopulation could happen. Thats great.

Dr. Hudson: Well, I want to say one thing about that. You mentioned that you were getting, I think, $2,200 a month. When I went to work in 1961, my salary was $100 a month. And yet I didnt have any problem buying a house on that salary because you could get a mortgage that absorbed up to 25% of your income. And so everyone, even on low salaries, could afford to buy a house at that time. Thats the difference. Its not how much you make. Its the ratio of the housing prices and the mortgage interest compared to what you make.

Nathan: Yes, thats a great point. Well have to make sure to tie some of the questions we intend to ask you. Were going to factor in the explosion in asset prices thats been the result of the way that we do business here in America. This whole business, Dr. Hudson, of the finance, insurance, and real estate sector cannibalizing or gobbling up the rest of the productive economy where people actually provide goods and services to each other. This all fits into your 2015 book, Killing the Host. And so I have another question on that front here. It seems to me that the main theme to Killing the Host was this distinction between earned and unearned income. And so my question for you, sir, is what is the distinction between earned and unearned income emphasized by classical economists such as Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and John Stuart Mill?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the common denominator among all the classical economists was their value theory. And the purpose of distinguishing value from price was to define rent as the excess of price over intrinsic cost value. And the political content of this contrast was to free markets from land rent and from monopoly rent, including unproductive financial overhead. For Adam Smith, land rent and monopoly rent were levies permitted by legal privilege. That is private law, not by any contribution to production that was made by Britains hereditary landlord class. They just collected rent. Owners of monopolies had bought their privilege in return for lending money to governments, mainly to wage war. So Adam Smith opposed wars and projects of empire as the cause of public debts and their interest overhead. For Ricardo, rent was the excess of price over intrinsic cost value. And ultimately, he reduced all this to the labor costs. No labor was provided by landlords or monopolists, apart from insider dealing enforced by themselves or by their ancestors to obtain land and other property by conquering it in the first place. And Ricardo said this rent was increasing as a result of population growth. He thought it was a result of access to less fertile soils. And this increased food prices and hence landlord rents, diverting income away from the industrial employers who had to pay their labor higher wages to buy more expensive food. And he said this was going to be the Armageddon of industrial capitalism, that a point would be reached where rent was so high that employers could not make a profit anymore by employing labor to produce manufactured goods. Mill described rent as what landlords made in their sleep, that is, without any productive effort of their own. So in the absence of such effort, there was no justification for rentiers to claim to earn their rents. But rents increased and interest grew by the purely mathematical laws of compound interest without any reference to the economys ability to pay or to any productive effort made by landlords or monopolists or bankers to be part of the production process.

Nathan: Thats a hell of a perspective. I love that. I remember sitting in my barbers chair a couple, three weeks ago, getting my hair cut. And I was trying to explain, my barber always wants to know whats going on with System Failure, and I tried it. For small business owners, depending on your audience, you try to tailor your message a little bit. And so I thought, whats the best way Im going to be able to make this man understand your point here, Dr. Hudson. And it does feel like, correct me if Im engaging in a reckless hyperbole here but it seems to me that the heart of the earned versus unearned income discussion is that a lack of distinction between those two was going to allow us to unwind the capitalist revolution against the medieval and feudal landlords of the Middle Ages where Im imagining guys that own factories in Manchesterso someone like Engelstheir whole goal was to drive down the salary they would have to pay their workers by clearing away the overhead claimed by landlords. The rent charged by landlords, of course, is unnecessary to the productive capacity of the factory. And so the idea is to clear away all of that non-productive overhead to create a more effective capitalist economy. Have I got that more or less right, Dr. Hudson?

Dr. Hudson: Yes. They didnt want to drive down the living standards of labor because they assumed that the wages were basically the cost of living. But they wanted to drive down the cost of living that was pushing wages up. At that time, it was the cost of food that was the major cost. Today, its the cost of paying [monopoly prices for food and other necessities and interest] on the debts that one needs in order to get a home and just break even.

Nathan: Another example might be if you had a business where there was a lot of commercial shipping, like trucks. Trucks have to pay tolls on highways, and thats going to be a part of your cost of doing business. But the tolls themselves dont help you do business. Theyre just there because theres only one road, and some government authority has set up a toll booth on that road. And so you would classify the tolls you have to pay as unearned or unproductive income.

Dr. Hudson: Its mainly the financial sector that has promoted this. The financial sector extended loans to the state of Indiana to build its notorious road. And the money that was demanded by the bankers was so high that more and more drivers are simply avoiding the toll road and taking the back roads.

Nathan: So the FIRE sector, the finance sector, as you just mentioned, benefits from public confusion about this distinction between earned and unearned income that the foundation thinkers of capitalism were so careful to articulate. And so before we get too conspiratorial, I just wondered, what is your sober view, sir, on the elimination of that distinction between earned and unearned income? Are we talking about a concerted, top-down conspiracy? Or are we just talking about a bunch of independent actors who are similarly incentivized but uncoordinated in making this happen? I know youve mentioned the economist Bates in your previous interviews. Is someone like Bates, is someone cutting them a check directly to destroy, to obfuscate or confound the difference between earned and unearned income? What are we dealing with here?

Dr. Hudson: Well, theres no conspiracy. Its right out in the open. And it had to be out in the open because the whole purpose of denying the distinction between earned and unearned income was to convince the population at large to think that way. Academic economists had to work for universities and universities have come more and more under the domination of their donors so you couldnt get a university job without teaching a kind of economics that was friendly to the donors. So I think you had societys landlords and creditors in the late 19th century wanting to replace the value theory and the definitions of classical economics. Above all, the definition of rent is unearned income that weve just discussed. And there were two major lines of attack. In the United States, John Bates Clarke, claimed that all income was earned, indirectly if not directly. There was no distinction between value and price. And British utilitarian price theory redefined the idea of value as whatever the market decided to pay, reflecting the payers utility for the good or service that was being obtained. So there no longer was any distinction between value and price, and hence there was no concept of economic rent in this. For the anti-socialist Austrian school, the interest was simply a payment for time. So it couldnt be avoided because it was just how society was organized, and profits were made for the time that it took to produce commodities by roundabout production, as Bohm-Bawerk stated. Consumers chose to pay interest because they were impatient. Choosing to consume in the present instead of waiting and investing their money to be able to consume more later. This approach led Marx to quip that the Rothschild family must be the most abstinent family in Europe if it were refraining from consumption in order to make money. Obviously, that pointed to the inherent nonsense of Austrian theory. There was no concept of economic need forcing debtors to borrow simply to survive. And ever since economics has become this sort of junk economics with no value or rent theory, and without that distinction between price and value and economic rent as unearned income, you cant explain whats wrong with todays economy.

Nathan: It does feel like all of this happened just prior to the advent of mass media to where you could make such a fundamental economic change and no one would find it odd that these new schools of economics are so different from their predecessors. On this topic, Dr. Hudson, could you describe to us how failure to distinguish between earned and unearned income, as you mentioned, basically, according to the economists of the late 19th century, most notably the Austrians, if theres money in my bank account, I must have earned it. The destruction of the distinction between earned and unearned income distorts Gross Domestic Product. Ive heard you use, for example, in the past, if the Chinese saddled their university students with student loan debt and then added it to their GDP as if this was reflective of the productive capacity of their country. Could you speak to that for us?

Dr. Hudson: Well, GDP analysis of a Gross Domestic Product is really Gross Domestic Cost. And productivity is defined as whatever anyone earns. No, I shouldnt say earn. Whatever income someone receives is counted as the cost of doing business and producing the product. So the head of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, claimed that his firms partners were the most productive workers in the United States, as proved by their income and bonuses. Well, indeed, the U.S. national income and product accounts include such payments as the cost of producing GDP. So rent and interest and monopoly rent are not treated as transfer payments to rentiers, but as an intrinsic cost of production. So not only is interest counted as part of GDP, but late fees on credit cards and other debts are counted in GDP as providing economic services. So the result is to overstate the real production by whatever all of these external costs, and basically economic rent is external to society. Its socially and technologically unnecessary, but its become built into todays economy because the finance, insurance, and real estate sector have pretty much taken over the tax rules and the whole intellectual picture of the economy. And its these overhead costs that are deindustrializing the United States and other neoliberalized economies in North America and Europe. And this is a byproduct of our failure to understand the difference between earned and unearned income. And what we can cut back as unnecessary in order to devote societys resources to actual production, to raise living standards and other means of living, instead of just transferring income to a rentier class.

Nathan: I see. Dr. Hudson, could I just ask you to buttress that point by explaining how imputed rent works with respect to gross domestic product?

Dr. Hudson: Well, for instance, GDP, you can look at it, interest is considered a serviceand monopoly rents. Theres no distinction between monopoly rents and the actual cost of production. So if companies raise the price of food recently or the price of products because theyre monopolies, thats all included as if this payment of higher prices to include rent were actually all a product, instead of only a part of the actual cost of production. The value is whats important. But if you say theres no such thing as value and price and value are the same thing, then you dont have any theoretical basis for distinguishing whats a necessary cost of production and what is merely a transfer payment to the privilege of owning land or being able to create credit if youre a bank and charge interest on it. Charging interest is considered a cost of doing business because businesses borrow money in order to produce. Well, you have a lot of money being borrowed that has nothing to do with production. It could be borrowed to take over companies by private capital and deindustrialize them. So the expenses of deindustrializing the economy are counted as the cost of production. Thats the nonsense that you get from not accepting the classical distinctions between value, price and rent.

Nathan: That is so well said. I love the point you just made about making no distinction between value and price leaves us unable to distinguish between unnecessary, unproductive costs or the payments for things that are necessary versus unnecessary. It leaves you no way to compare cost and value since youve defined them as the same thing. Thats great. I think, Dr. Hudson, weve already touched on this a little bit, but what do you foresee? We already touched on this with respect to the fate of the city of Portland, Maine here, but I wonder what you foresee will be the ultimate consequences of failure to make this crucial distinction between earned and unearned income. What is your prophecy for the next five, ten years?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the reason why the classical political economists developed their distinction between earned and unearned income, and between value and price, was to form a logic to quantify and tax away land rent, which exists simply as a result of favorable location, not any productive act by the landlord. And the idea was to situate, take natural monopolies and their choke points, such as communication, transportation, healthcare, education, into the public domain as basic needs. And the idea was for these basic needs, instead of being made private monopolies, the government would produce them as a kind of infrastructure that Simon Patten said was a fourth factor of production. Its job wasnt to make a profit like industrial capital. It was government capital, but the idea was to lower the cost of doing business by providing education, health care, either at subsidized rates or freely as public health care. And doing that, getting rid of the monopolies, would enable society to operate at a much lower cost instead of forcing employees into debt in order to pay for their education, pay for their health care contributions, leaving less and less money to pay for consumption. And ultimately, the more debt they took on, the less they were able to consume, and the more money was provided to the financial sector. The financiers did not use their money to buy goods and services. They used it for making more loans or loans to take over companies and essentially turn the industrial corporate society into a rent extraction opportunity, a monopoly. And so the whole purpose of classical economics was to prevent this, and if you can quantify how much of the landlord income is actually the payment for the buildings, what it costs to make a building, as opposed to the increase in the land valuation. And the land valuation goes up as a result of public expenditure for parks and schools especially. And just as people make more money, they tend to spend it on the first need, housing. And as banks lend more and more money for housing, they increase the cost of housing, obliging house buyers to go further and further into debt. And the homeowners think, oh, were getting rich. The housing prices are going up and creating a middle class. But new entrants have to pay much more. And, of course, thats what has created the racist divide in American society. Until about 2005, it was almost impossible for black people to get mortgages. They were excluded from early banking after World War II, and for over 50 years, white people were able to get mortgages and buy homes by paying only 25% of their income as mortgages, because that was the limit that banks would lend on. Now the limit is raised to 43%, and prices are so much higher that the home ownership among black people [has fallen], especially since the mass evictions under President Obama after 2008, when he bailed out the banks for their junk mortgages and tried to make the hapless borrowers pay, 8 million families were thrown out, and youve had homeownership rates in America fall from about 59% of the country to below 50%, and much of that has been borne by the racial minorities here. So thats part of the whole result of not calculating how much of this increase in housing prices is done not by the cost of building and construction, but just the banks lending enough money to homebuyers and the price of a house is whatever a bank is going to lend. And banks have lent more and more money relative to the house value. So if you look at the price for all the real homes in the United States, the homeowners now own less than 50%, less than half of the value of their homes. Most of it is owned by the banks, and that means that the money that theyre paying for housing is paid as interest. The banks end up with much more money than the sellers of the homes, over the duration of the mortgage. And if that were taxed away, if you would have a land tax, then the land rent would not be capitalized into the price of a house. It would be taxed away, and the price of housing would fall by between 50% and 60% or 75%. So its the failure to tax away land rent, which is what Adam Smith, Ricardo, and Mill urged. This failure has caused the increase in housing prices thats priced American and Western labor out of the market.

Nathan: Your point, Dr. Hudson, about redlining, in which African-American families were prevented from accessing mortgage instruments, you said until 2005, but I think the Sally Maes and the Freddie Macs were not open to African-American families until at least the late 70s. Now, in full interest of full disclosure here, both myself and my brother are whiter than a loaf of Wonder Bread. But once you miss getting on the bottom rung of that real estate ladder, youre stuck and youre locked out of participation in society. And thats just how Ive been feeling. So in terms of redlining, I feel personally that Im getting a taste of what its like to be a minority in America all these centuries, even though neither of us are minorities. So that was a great point.

Dr. Hudson: Im not a minority either, although Im part Indian. However, in 1980 when I tried to take out more of a mortgage on my house on the Lower East Side, East 2nd Street between A and B, the bank sent an assessor over. He kept running outside to see if there were a lot of Puerto Ricans in the neighborhood. Is somebody stealing his hubcaps? And then he told me only a (I wont say the word he said) but only a so-and-so would live in this neighborhood. And so because of the minorities in my neighborhood, I as a white person could not get a higher mortgage. I ended up selling, and Id paid $45,000 for the house. I ended up selling it for $210,000, and they threw in a $500,000 co-op loft as part of the deal. So the banks were not willing to sell anywhere near the normal white persons price because there were non-whites in my neighborhood.

Nathan: That is so crazy.

Dr. Hudson: I made a complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Commission. Nothing was ever done to follow that up. So Chase Manhattan was a vicious, rotten, racist mortgage lender.

Nathan: Its so hard to believe that thats real. Obviously, were a little bit younger than you are, sir, and that just seemsI just cannot believe that that was the real state of affairs on the ground here in the United States. That is something else. With respect to failing to make a distinction between earned and unearned income, is the forecast then just a debt deflation until we reach levels of economic dysfunction that will mean the end of the American empire? Will it be the case that the FIRE sector will just keep consuming a greater and greater percentage of our overall economic pie until the entire thing lapses into chaos. Is there any reason to hope that that might not be the case, Dr. Hudson?

Dr. Hudson: It would have to take a shift in tax policy and of economic understanding of the very principles that you and I have been discussing for the last half hour. If they understand that economic rent, landlord rent, and interest are not earned, and that this should be public in characterif you tax away rentyou wouldnt have to tax personal income and profits. And youd have much more income available for raising living standards and corporate investment than you do now. Ricardo, already in 1819, was explaining why rent would rise so far that a point would be reached where industrialists could not make a profit in England anymore. He was talking about land rent, but today the rent thats expanding exponentially is credit. Interest is financial rent. Because it stems from the privilege of privatizing banking and not treating banking and credit as a public utility. Well, China is doing that, and thats saved China from all of the kind of overhead costs that you have here, and almost all civilizations apart from Western civilization have followed all of this.

Nathan: Thats a great point. When I think of the Soviet Union, I always want to think of the things that the Soviet Union did well alongside the things that went catastrophically for them. But one thing thats obvious about the Soviet Union is they went through an entire industrial revolution in virtually a single generation. So its interesting to hear concrete examples like the one you just related, Dr. Hudson, where running banks instead of for-profit entities, running them as public utilities instead. That gives you a clear advantage in terms of economic competitiveness. So thats a great example. So were going to pivot here, were talking about the 19th and 20th centuries, Dr. Hudson, and I want to get into your 2018 book And Forgive Them Their Debts. And by way of a transition, I have this last question: is there a relationship between earned and unearned income and the concept of debt forgiveness, which were about to flesh out here? Is there any overlap at all between these two concepts, or would you describe them as totally separate and distinct?

Dr. Hudson: They didnt have a value and price theory. It was purely pragmatic, the reason that debts were forgiven. They were only personal debts denominated in grain. They were the debts of cultivators that were forgiven. Business debts were not forgiven. They were denominated in silver. So there was no problem there. But the Bronze Age and early classical antiquity was an era of labor shortage. If cultivators or any of the population found themselves threatened with debt bondage, theyd run away. So if the Sumerian and the Babylonian kings and their Middle Eastern neighbors did not cancel consumer debts owed by cultivators, the debtors would have been obliged to work off their debts by bondage to their creditors. And that would have prevented debtors from working on public works infrastructure during the off-season. All societies this went way down through medieval Europecorvee labor was needed to build city walls or temples. Even the pyramids were built by corvee labor. And the cultivators were obliged to serve in the army. They were the infantry. And if rulers had permitted a large portion of their cultivators to fall into bondage, they couldnt have served in the army. They wouldnt have been available for public infrastructure construction, and they would have run away, or they would have supported invaders and said, well go over to your side if you cancel our debts. Or they would have simply overthrown the rulers. And the Bronze Age rulers saw that if they let a wealthy creditor class emerge, the creditors were called big men, absorbing the land of their debtors. If rulers would have let that happen, they would have done what oligarchies did in classical Greece and Rome. They would have used their money to take their labor that was working for them and overthrown the kings and made themselves rulers in their own interest. They would have polarized their economies, much as led to the decline and fall of Rome.

Nathan: I see. So just to recap, youre saying that the Bronze Age kings of Mesopotamia were heavily incentivized to enact periodic debt forgivenesses, and it wasnt because they were nice guys, and it certainly wasnt because theyd been studying their Adam Smith. It was because they wanted to prevent anyone from becoming powerful enough to challenge their lineage for power. Have I got that more or less right?

Dr. Hudson: Thats right, but even behind that, there was a concept of economic order. The rulers are very conservative. They said, you know, we have an economy where cultivators are producing crops. This is not a money economy primarily. This is a credit economy. During the year, the cultivators would run up debts. For instance, if theyd go to the local beer hall, the ale woman would write up what they owed on the tab, just like modern workers will often run up a tab to be settled at payday. Well, the payday in antiquity was harvest time. And at harvest time, all of the debts that had been run up in the year, including there were debts to priests for performing marriage ceremonies or burials, would finally be paid on the threshing floor in grain. Well, the problem is what happened if there was a flood or something and people couldnt pay. Hammurabis laws said that if the storm god, Adad, caused a flood, the debts wouldnt have to be paid. Well, that meant that the workers wouldnt have to pay the ale woman. And the ale woman wouldnt have to pay the palace or temples for the beer and ale that theyd been supplying all during the year. And you wipe out the disorder, this interference with a normal society in balance where everybody could afford their living, their liberty, and nobody fell into bondage. So the key was just how do we avoid disorder? How do we prevent this well-ordered society from changing? And they all thought that the root of this disorder was personal greed, and you had to reverse the results of personal greed, especially by creditors taking over the land and the liberty of their debtors.

Nathan: Outstanding. It makes so much sense when you put it that way. But I could imagine, Dr. Hudson, that someone who is hearing this for the first timethis is a really foreign concept to those of us growing up in a context of the 21st century heresomeone who is hearing this for the first time might object that debt forgiveness as a legit economic institution would discourage lending and investment. How would you respond to someone who leveled that disagreement?

Dr. Hudson: No investment was canceled. Businesses debts were not canceled because if a businessman loses his business to another businessman, he still had his rights as a citizen to his own self-support land. Every citizen had their own means of support. So what were canceled were only the consumer debts of cultivators. And they were canceled because if cultivators couldnt pay, it was because of some disturbance. It could be a flood. It could be a drought. It could be military activity. When there was a military activity, the rulers wanted to return everything to the mother condition, as they put it, the original condition, the way a society was supposed to be organized. They didnt let the kind of debt overhead develop that Western societies developed. And in terms of who would lend the money, most of these debts were not the result of borrowing money. Very few cultivators borrowed money. They ran up debts during the year, and most of the debts they ran up were debts to the palace, if not for taxes, then for the advance of agricultural inputs and other needs they had during the year. And as I said, these were paid at harvest time to settle obligations during the crop year. The same was the case all the way into, say, 12th century England. Money was only used as a means of denominating the debts that were to be paid out of the harvest at that time. So were not talking about lenders losing the money. The idea was that money itself was only a means of denominating obligations that had mounted up. And the idea was that if obligations mounted up that couldnt be paid, then they shouldnt be mounted up. And they were a source of disorder and so they were simply wiped out. They were not the result of loans. They were arrears, and thats what is left out of account. Islamic law had a similar practice. All non-Western societies had that practice. In Muslim India, the rental population was kept solvent by canceling the debts when there was a weather problem. But when the British came in, they insisted on the sanctity of credit instead of the sanctity of debt cancellation, and they insisted that debts be paid without any reference to the ability to be paid under normal circumstances, and so many Indians lost their land to the creditors. Thats been going on for the last few centuries, and you have vast wealth created by creditors foreclosing and taking over the land.

Nathan: Youre making me think now of David Graebers Myth of Barter. The mythology that weve evolved over time is that we started with a hunting and gathering situation and you would have to wait for a double coincidence of wants. Like suppose, Brian, you make arrows and I make clothes out of animal hides, but I need arrows and you need clothes and we have to wait until we both need an equivalent amount of each others product, and then we can make a trade. And the idea was that money was the intermediary that facilitated the trade there. But Graeber pointed out that, obviously, if you borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor, thats just going to go into your overall social debt. You just know you borrowed sugar from your neighbor, and so youll be happy to give him a cup of sugar when he next comes to visit you. But the point is that they didnt need money. You could just keep track of everyones relative debts in a social fashion there. And so thats what makes the idea that debt forgiveness would discourage lending and investment nonsensical because were talking about debts that are justif youre a farmer, you get paid once a year. So it makes sense that you would just run up debts until that once a year rolls around and you make your payment, as you mentioned, Dr. Hudson, on the threshing floor.

Dr. Hudson: Also, David, as an anthropologist, was talking about an epoch of mutual aid. And a neighbor thats lending sugar is not going to insist that you become a bond servant. There was a different mentality.

Nathan: Yes, thats a great point. I mean, I had the experience of reading David Graebers book, finishing it, putting it down, and then going on the internet to find out that he hadnt survived the COVID era, which was just crushing. I mean, talk about a mind we could use in the current time. Its just tragic that the man has gone too early.

Dr. Hudson: It wasnt only COVID. He had another minor condition, and they went to the doctor. From the way his widow tells me, it was that the doctor was incompetent and didnt give him a test that he needed. And the COVID simply exacerbated this condition. And David wasnt the kind of guy who simply would wear a mask anyway. He tended to melt into crowds wherever he was. But it was medical malpractice by the awful British medical system that caused this problem, according to his widow.

Nathan: Well, the sense of tragedy is compounded by that revelation. That is terrible. Well, I really regret we havent got Davids voice in 2024. Unbearable. All right, Im going to shake that off and move on to the next question here. My next question, Dr. Hudson, is this whole concept of debt forgiveness is formalized in Hammurabis Code; in any number of places in Mesopotamian Bronze Age society. It eventually found its way into the Jewish tradition, the Jewish literature that now we think of as the Old Testament or the Pentateuch. Could you describe how this Mesopotamian institution of debt forgiveness made its way into the Jewish tradition?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the Babylonian word for the clean slate, debt cancellation, was andurarum, meaning free flow, as in bond servants being free to go back to their family. And that was a cognate to the Hebrew word deror. Andurarum, deror. It seems that when the exiled jewish families returned to Israel under the Persian permission they incorporated the Jubilee Year into the core of Mosaic law in Leviticus 25. Recently theres been [found] whole archives of the Jewish population in Babylonia and they assimilated to the Babylonians. We have their wills and their marriage agreements. They picked up all of the Babylonian rules for andurarum. And the wording of Leviticus 25 was almost word for word from Hammurabis laws. In the first place, the personal debts were annulled. And secondly, the bond servants who had been pledged to creditors, usually the daughters or wives, were liberated and free to return to their homes. And house slaves also were returned to their former owners who had pledged them to their creditors. And in the third place, land tenure rights that had been forfeited to creditors or sold under economic duress were returned to their families. And similar acts of these were found throughout the 3rd millennium, 2nd millennium, and early 1st millennium throughout the Middle East, even in the Assyrian Empire. So there was a general broad recognition of the fact that the natural tendencies of economies was to polarize if they were not checked by royal fiat, to restore a well-ordered economy. And thats what makes the economics of the third millennium, second millennium of the Bronze Age so much superior to modern economics. We have the mathematical training of scribes. Theyve all been preserved, and theyre more sophisticated than anything used by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Or anything that I was taught in my PhD at NYU. On the one hand, you had the Babylonians calculate the growth of herds, and they were an S-curve tapering off. And they also had to calculate how long does it take a debt to double and redouble and quadruple, and that was by compound interest. And they showed that the [growth] rate of compound interest of debt was much higher than the ability to pay out of the growth of herds or the increase in grain production that had remained fairly stable or more slowly growing. And that concept of the distinction between the debt overhead and the economys ability to pay without losing their land, without having lower living standards, without losing their property and falling into bondage. Thats completely missing from the economic models talked about today. So theres no way of understanding why the Western economies are deindustrializing. In biblical times, certainly at the time that the Bible was edited, after the return from exile, they all understood this.

Nathan: So it was the episode of the Babylonian Captivity in which the Jewswho had been captured by Nebuchadnezzar and brought back as prizes to Babylonlearned about all this. I love your statement, Dr. Hudson, how Babylonian economics are more sophisticated than anything out of the [National Bureau of Economic Research] today. But that really is eye-opening, and it really illustrates the story well. So just a point of order here. Were talking about debt cancellation and debt forgiveness. I think the real dichotomy were discussing here, and youll have to confirm for us, sir, is were talking about writing down debts to the actual ability of debtors to repay versus foreclosure, with foreclosure being the option that ends in disaster reliably. Have I got that more or less right?

Dr. Hudson: Yes

Nathan: And additionally, you were referencing the 25th chapter of Leviticus there. Just an interesting note that Ive learned from you is that that is the text thats stenciled onto the Liberty Bell as it hangs in Philadelphia. Let freedom ring throughout the land.

Dr. Hudson: Yes, but freedom is not liberty. Liberty is freedom from bondage. Liberty was the freedom to go wherever you wanted and to return to the family. Now freedom is something general. Theyve taken the economic concept out of freedom. Now President Biden says freedom is democracy, like what we have in Ukraine or what we have in Israel. They are the two main democratic free countries, according to Biden. So the concept of freedom is completely divorced from what liberty meant in antiquity. So the Liberty Bill should be changed: we want freedom just like Ukraine and Israel.

Nathan: I just pulled up the full text from Leviticus Chapter 25, verse 10: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you (with reference to the Jewish word for the periodic debt forgivenesses). And then the last line, you shall return every man unto his possession, and you shall return every man unto his family. So thats interesting. So with the mention of Leviticus Chapter 25this is really the part of your whole rap, sir, that I just find to be absolutely electrifyingcould you describe to us how Jesus fits into this situation as the culmination of Jewish prophecy, as a product of Jewish tradition, and describe Jesus role in all this, as described in Luke Chapter 4?

Dr. Hudson: Well, it wasnt simply Jesus role to begin with. We know now from the Dead Sea Scrolls that there was a large movement among the Jews to make sort of midrashes, quotations from all of the different parts of the Bible, including the prophets that mentioned debt cancellation. But in terms of Jesus, Luke describes him as going back to the temple in his native city, and he unrolled the scroll of Isaiah, proclaiming the Year of the Lord. That is the good news. The word gospel meant good news, and wherever it was used, it was always used in conjunction with debt cancellation. And that meant it was time for the Jubilee Year to be proclaimed. Now, the problem was that by Jesus time, it was quite different from what it was five centuries earlier. The powerful financial oligarchy had emerged among the Pharisees, for instance, whom Luke claimed loved money. And the well-to-do classes resisted Jesus, but demands for debt cancellations were very widespread. And since the return from exile, these wealthy families had emerged and created basically a rabbinical school. One of the leaders was Hillel, who introduced the Prosbul, which was a clause in loan contracts where the debtor signed agreeing not to avail himself of his rights under the Jubilee Year. Well, similar clauses had been drawn up almost 2,000 years earlier by Babylonian creditors in the second millennium, but they were all nullified in court proceedings. But the rabbis basically overthrew the whole core of Judaism, and that left the traditional Jews to become Christians. And it was not only Jesus, it was others at the time, just as throughout antiquity for 500 years in Greece and Rome, thered been debt revolts. But Jesus became the center of what was reported in the Bible, because at that time, the writing in Judea and other Western countries was not on clay tablets, and so we just dont have the letters that they wrote anymore.

Nathan: I see. Rabbi Hillel, I think he lived out his life in the 2nd century BC, if Ive got my history more or less in order here. Could I just ask you, Dr. Hudson, Im just noticing that theres a rise of this philosophy or way of thinking among the Pharisees and other leaders in Roman Judea at the same time that the Roman Empire itself is being consumed and enlarged by an oligarchy class during the Roman Republican period. Is there any connection between the two that you know of? Are the local Jewish worthies in occupied Palestine copying the Roman oligarchy to whom they owe obligations? Why are both things happening at the same time? Or just a giant coincidence?

Dr. Hudson: Gradually, you had a rise in economic prosperity. Economies were becoming productive and rich enough to afford the emergence of a wealthy oligarchy independent of the kings. There was a whole break in Near Eastern civilization around 1200 B.C. There was bad weather. Apparently there was a drought. And you had in Mycenaean Greece, for instance, the palaces disappeared. And so you had very early on, when interest-bearing debt was brought to the Mediterranean, to Greece and Rome around the 700s BC, you didnt have any kings in the West. These were Near Eastern. There was no central authority able to cancel the debts. There was always human greed as a constant. But wherever this had emerged in primitive indigenous communities, communities had always taken moves to keep this greed in check. But Western civilization didnt have any of these checks and balances. And when debt was brought to Greece and Italy, you had basically mafia-type aristocracies controlling the land. These had to be overthrown by the Greek tyrants in order to sort of free their societies. There was a social revolution in the 7th and 6th centuries that overthrew the mafia-type aristocracies, and the tyrants were the reformers who paved the way for democracy taking place. So were talking about a universal phenomenon. Nobody was copying anyone else. They didnt have to copy. You had essentially credit becoming privatized in the West as opposed to being a public function in Near East and Asiatic societies. Only the West had privatized the land and money and credit in the way that its done to the extreme case that no earlier society was rich enough to have been able to afford.

Nathan: I see. Well, thats a great segue into my next question. I do want to just rewind the clock a few centuries and go back to the foundation of the Roman Republic and the ouster of Tarquin in 509 BC. A couple weeks ago, I was at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and I was staring at Sandro Botticellis The Story of Lucretia, which is the story of the rape of Lucretia, the daughter of one of the Roman oligarchs in 509 BC under the king. And the story is set up to show how Tarquin had to be ousted and the Senate had to be founded and the Republic had to be founded.

Dr. Hudson: This is a propaganda story. The rapists were the oligarchs. Not the people. This is propaganda inverting reality. Creditors were able to abuse the debtors all throughout Babylonian and biblical law. You had rules for what happens when the debt servant becomes pregnant. Well, obviously, shed become pregnant by the owner, just as American slaves were impregnated by their owners. So when the kings were overthrown, it was the oligarchs that were egoistic and domineering, not the oppressed people. And so a whole different meme was suggested. We oligarchs are the generous, gentle people. Its you peoplethat were enslaving and taking your landthat are the greedy people. And this was made by the oligarchs into the founding myth of Rome as a complete overthrow of the kings. And you have to realize what the kings were doing. Rome was founded at a time when there was a great labor shortage in Italy as elsewhere. Rome was founded by offering immigrantsrunaways, basicallyyou can leave the country youre in (your local oppressive oligarchy whos trying to reduce you to bondage). Youre going to run away to us; were going to give you land. And the early kings of Rome, as Livy describes, were protecting the population from an oligarch. But basically, by the late 500s, you had not only runaways coming to Rome, but you had wealthy oligarchs coming to Rome, taking their money from cities that wouldnt let them rule, sort of like the Cuban Batista supporters moving to Florida. And they became even more right-wing than the local Roman oligarchs, and they conspired to overthrow the king and make Rome just as rotten as the Etruscan and the other neighboring Italian autocracies had become.

Nathan: Yes, well, it was a lovely piece of propaganda showing the rape of Lucretia. But one thing I picked up from your book, Collapse of Antiquity, which came out last year, was this great piece in Livy who describes Tarquin as cutting down tall poppies prior to being ousted in 509 BC. And that recalls an older story about the tyrant Periander of Corinth in his conversation he had with Thrasybulus. And I got that from your book here. The idea, in other words, of taking a scythe and cutting poppies or grass such that theyre all the same length instead of all different lengths stands in as a metaphor for debt forgiveness. Have I got that mostly right?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the idea was to cut everyone down to scale, down to size, to promote economic equality and to prevent an unequal oligarchy from emerging and monopolizing the land. And as I said, Periander and the other so-called tyrants were the reformers, and their idea was: were going to redistribute the land and cancel the debts. Thats what the tyrants did. Solon of Athens only canceled the personal debts. He didnt redistribute the land, and that made the Athenian population so resentful that Solon decided to go on a set of travels. The whole idea was to prevent an oligarchy from developing and taking over the government and making the laws in their own favor and making it possible for society to do whatever it wanted, to impose pro-creditor rules instead of pro-debtor rules.

Nathan: Outstanding. Okay, great. I think youve already given quite a good hearing to how the Roman oligarchy developed and how they got away with not enacting debt forgiveness policies. So Id like to move on and ask you, Dr. Hudson, could you describe for us some of the dysfunction that went on in Rome, specifically the dysfunction that led adherents to the brand new Christian faith to believe they were living through the end times. Could you describe the Fall of Rome in these terms and how it was related to the abuses of the oligarchical class?

Dr. Hudson: Well, by the 3rd and 4th century, you had throughout the whole ancient world a revulsion against luxury. You had a whole movement for austerity in the religions of Persia. And in Rome itself, on the one hand, you had basically the wives of the oligarchs joining in this revulsion against the oligarchy. And the oligarchs themselves were fighting amongst themselves for power and to try to become the emperors themselves. Some of the leaders hired Germanic and other warlords to fight against rivals. At a point, these warlords gained power, and Romans themselves were joining the wives.

Nathan: So Christianity was born into this world of revulsion against the oligarchy and into internecine fighting amongst the oligarchy. So that is the lens or the filter through which Christianity was formalized. Have we got that right, Dr. Hudson?

Dr. Hudson: Yes.

Nathan: And the notion of debt forgiveness, or writing down debt to the actual ability of debtors to repay, is something that could have saved Roman society from their collapse, even though the Christian philosophy may have arrived very late. So there must be some connection between the contemplation of the twilight of Roman society, which these people were living through, and the way that the New Testament is structured.

Dr. Hudson: Well, remember, when Constantine converted to Christianity, he moved the center of the Empire to Constantinople. That became the new Rome, and the result was that Christianity became Orthodox Eastern Christianity, and Constantinople was the center. But there were also four other patriarchs. There was Antioch, there was Alexandria, there was Jerusalem, and Rome was left as a completely decadent patriarchate. There was a Roman pope, but it was controlled by local families in control of Rome. Vatican history refers to the 10th century popes as the pornography. It was rule by the concubines that was utterly corrupting Christianity. What you had in the East was not what you had in Rome in the West.

Nathan: I see. Fascinating. And then the next chapter in the story is Augustine of Hippo, who was a 4th century African bishop who arrived on the scene toI guess his contribution, and youll have to give us the details here, Dr. Hudsonhis contribution was chiefly to invert the idea of sin and forgiveness to refer to personal sexual license. St. Augustine grew up as something of a rake, right? He enjoyed wine, women, and song in his early days, and he felt remorseful or apologetic about that history. And so he wove that into his theologythis idea that forgiveness is more about personal sexual sins and less about falling into hopeless and irrecoverable debt or debt bondage. Does that all track?

Dr. Hudson: He was also an opportunist and a power-mad himself. The problem Augustine faced was to obtain Roman support against the real Christians. In his North African area, these were the Donatists. The Roman landowners were creditors, so the new reversal of Christianity could not accept the Lords Prayer calling for debt cancellation. Augustine called in the Roman troops to fight against Christians. His problem was, how do we get rid of Christianity and call it Christianity? His biographer, Peter Brown, calls him the real founder of the Inquisition. He was the disaster that made Western Christianity what it was: anti-Christian and absolutely antagonistic to the Christianity that survived in Constantinople in the East. Well, Augustine said what Jesus meant wasnt to cancel the debts at all, but what needed to be forgiven was sin, mainly of a sexual or other egoistic character. And that forgiveness was only available from the Church. It was deemed egoistic to undertake, for instance, good works by oneself. Or to cancel debtsthat was condemned as being egoistic. Only by turning money over to the church, which meant the poor (the clergy who were acting as proxies for the poor)that was the only hope for redemption from sin and egotism that was inborn with Adam. Well, the creditors making loans were not Adam. But if you said well, no, the sin has nothing to do with making loans at all. It has nothing to do with debt forgiveness. Its only inborn from Adam and its that you all want sex. I think he was describing his own class. And those advocating debt forgiveness were attacked militarily and [fought] against the sort of anti-Christian Romans who really had turned religion into the doctrine of landowners and creditors. They inverted Christianity. This had already begun under Cyril of Alexandria earlier, but that was the point at which Christianity in the West stopped being Christian.

Nathan: Listening to your description of Original Sin as being connected to pulling the wool over the eyes or a financial scamits like layers of calcified brainwashing being washed away all at once. Thats quite a story, Dr. Hudson. You had mentioned in the question prior to this one the five patriarchates of early Christianity, and thats a great segue into your latest work, which has yet to come out. Which I believe the trilogy youre calling Tyranny of Debt, and that this new volume about the Crusades is yet unnamed? Or maybe you have a working title already?

Dr. Hudson: Ive retitled it as The Political Alignment of Creditors: From the Crusades to World War I.

Nathan: All the way to World War I? Okay.

Dr. Hudson: And after that, I have Super Imperialism and my other books. So once I finish this book, Ive already written about modern society. But these first three books are how the whole situation was set up for the world to change for the worst after World War I.

Nathan: Just as a sneak preview into this new work of yours, could you describe how the Crusades were actually a consolidation of power by Rome, one of the five aforementioned patriarchates?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the papal dictates of 1075 laid out a plan for an imperial papacy to demand obedience by secular kings. And the Pope said, first of all, we want the power of investiture. That is, we want to enable popes to appoint the bishops in every kingdom. And church land was typically the largest land in any kingdom. It was larger than the royal domain. And control of its revenues gave power, basically, to Rome by saying, send all your money to us. Dont use it for domestic development. And already in around 1054, the Christians had broken from Eastern Christianity and said we want to take over all of the other churches with war. And so they said, well, how are we going to take it over? We dont have an army. So the popes recruited Norman warlords, like Robert Guiscard in southern Italy and Sicily who made a deal with the pope saying they would make him king if he agreed to make his kingdom a fiefdom of the papacy and pledge fealty to the pope in exchange for kingship and giving regular support to the pope. And William the Conqueror, another warlord, Norman, made a similar pledge to make England a fiefdom of Rome in 1066 and pay Peters pence. Armies needed financing, and the papacy arranged the financing by reversing Christianitys long standing opposition to usury.

Nathan: I always thought it odd, the business of the Crusades. The Crusades were purportedly about liberating the Holy Land from Muslim forces. But that had been 500 years prior. I think it was the 7th century when Jerusalem was first taken over by Islam. And then the other odd thing about the Crusades is that the Crusaders laid siege to both Constantinople and Antioch, which were Christian cities. It just makes no sense at all. The propagandistic excuse for the Crusades makes no sense at all when you consider what actually went down during that time.

Dr. Hudson: Well, the Crusades were against Christians, not against Constantinople until the end. The Crusades were against neighboring Christian countries like Germany that resisted the takeover of Rome. They wanted to reform the papacy and make it less utterly corrupt and greedy, and so they were attacked. Another crusade was against the Cathars in France that had the idea that the papacy and the existing order was devilish and evil, not sacred. So you had Rome attack the Cathars, and they were attacking parts of what is now Yugoslavia that followed Eastern Orthodoxy and Constantinople instead. So the first task of the Romans was, how do we get rid of all the Christians and take over the Christian areas and make them basically our own colonies? And at the very end, of course, they did attack Constantinople and loot it, and that basically paved the way for the Ottoman Empire to replace Christianity there. The Roman destruction of Christianity became self-destructive throughout the West, opening it up to invasions further east. But the essence of the Crusades was a fight against Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox churches, who were the main Christians. So it wasnt a fight against Islam. Every fight they made against Islam, they lost. They only conquered other Christian countries, and thats the real story of the Crusades.

Nathan: Obviously, the Roman Church failed to unify Christianity all under Roman Catholicism, because the Eastern Orthodox Church is still a major influence in Christianity. Could you just briefly describe how the Eastern Orthodox Church managed to avoid getting folded into the Church of Rome?

Dr. Hudson: Well, the patriarch of Constantinople, after the Crusades, met in a general Christian council and was actually willing to reunite the church, given the Roman control. But his own clergy and the population at large was resentful at the Crusaders looting of Constantinople and the papacys domineering barbarism, as well as its idiosyncratic theology of the Trinity and Mariolatry. None of this was in Jesus Christianity at all. They said, we want to maintain the Christianity of Jesus, not the people, not the Roman popes who seem to hate everything that Jesus said. So, of course, we cant be a part because were Christians and youre not. That summarizes what happened at the Council.

Nathan: Could you tell us, Dr. Hudson, how closely are the Crusades related to interest-bearing debt becoming acceptable again to European society? I understand that interest-bearing debt got a bad name after the collapse of Roman society in the 3rd and 4th centuries. So how did interest-bearing debt become acceptable again to European society in the aftermath of the Crusades?

Dr. Hudson: Well, as I mentioned, the way that the popes were able to conquer other non-Roman Christian areas was to recruit warlords to take over. But even William the Conqueror and his successors in England, they all needed financing for the wars against the Germans and the Cathars, as I said. And so the popes took the lead in recruiting bankers to make loans to finance the wars against other Christians. And there was local opposition [to kings incurring such debts and raising taxes to pay them]. For instance, the English barons wanted to draw up the great charter, the Magna Carta, and King John asked the Pope to excommunicate supporters, which the Pope did. And then his son, Edward III, wanted to raise taxes to finance, to go deeply into debt to the Italian bankers to finance the papacys war against the Germans in southern Italy. And there was a civil war, and the new pope excommunicated the opposition to taking on debt. So what became un-Christian, subject to excommunication, was the opposition to interest-bearing debt, not the support of it. And by the 12th and 13th centuries, the Schoolmen (the intellectuals class) drew a superficial distinction between usury and interest. They said that if usury was paid for a loan that served the church, such as going to war against other Christians who resisted Roman domination, or if a bank paid interest to depositors to re-lend the money to the poor, then interest was permitted. And all that was finally ruled [permissible] by Leo X, the Medici Pope, in 1515. So it was [Roman] Christianity that introduced not only the banking families to Europe, but ended the whole Christian opposition to debt. For instance, one permitted charge under the Churchmen was for late payment. And in principle, that was supposed to compensate the lender for not being able to use this money to make commercial trading profits for himself. But in reality, the due date of the loan to the English kings was almost immediate, and so the penalty fees began mounting up almost immediately. As Mathew Paris, the great chronicler of the 13th century, described, legitimate costs of doing business were included, such as enabling creditors to create fictitious travel costs and other expenses. All of this was called pragmatic. And so you had the whole ending of Christian opposition to credit. The Medicis and other bankers, took over the papacy for themselves and made [the popes] tools of the financial class that was emerging as a cosmopolitan class that in time replaced the church as the power over all of the states of Europe, the supranational power that took over and has survived down to the present world.

Nathan: Yes, obviously, the Medici of Florence being one of the most famous banking families of all time, the most famous banking family of all time, once they sit their own on the throne of St. Peter, then they can really make some changes. And I am also given to understand that the Fuggers of Germany, themselves devout Catholics, but on the other side of the battle lines in the Protestant Reformation, they were involved in getting guys like John Calvin to allow the taking of interest for the rising Protestant powers of the era?

Dr. Hudson: Well, Protestantism was created by the financial interests. Here was the problem that bankers had. If they lent money to the Catholic kings, the Catholic kings were so oppressive that they kept going bankrupt. They couldnt raise the money to pay for the wars, and they kept defaulting. And what the banks wanted was the modern national state. They wanted states that had a parliament that, instead of opposing debts, as they did under the kings, parliaments would be willing to borrow money to wage wars to defend themselves against the Catholics who were attacking them, by pledging all of the revenue of the whole population. And the modern states, [with] the power to tax and pledge public debts, were essentially created with constitutions to satisfy the banking interests, enough to be able to raise credit. And the modern states, ever since the Protestant Reformation, have become basically agents of the international financial class.

Nathan: Dr. Hudson, reading your work really has made me view compound interest as this device that has all manner of constructive potential, but also has the potential for serious destruction. It has to be carefully managed, and this nature of debt is something that the upper classes often want to sweep under the rug or hide from us. But the management of debt is something, since it has such destructive potential, a narrative here emerges about Jewish tradition in the years since the Flavians arrived and totally genocided Imperial Judea and spread the Jewish community to the winds. The beginning of the Diaspora, I think, usually is traced to about that time. And then during the entirety of the Middle Ages, when debt has a bad name, thanks to the collapse of Rome, when the crowned heads of Christendom need to borrow some money, of course, they turn to the Jewish community.

Dr. Hudson: No. It was the Italian bankers, not really the Jewish community at all. They confiscated the wealth of the Jewish community. The kings did not borrow from the Jews. Many of the local landlords and individuals had borrowed, but not the royal debts. Were not talking about Jewish creditors or international bankers. They were not the international bankers. These were the Italians and the Transalpine Cahorsins, not the Jews. Thats very important to avoid that kind of anti-Semitic crap.

Nathan: Well, thats why we ask the questions. It does seem as though a great deal of the pogroms that went on during the Middle Ages, particularly in England or in the Ukraine, were just a matter of anti-Semitism and not a matter of the fact that Jewish communities loaned money and Christian communities didnt?

Dr. Hudson: Not all Jews were creditors. They were brought in. Their role was to be merchants, and they had, across the spectrum, an array of mercantile activity. The First Crusade initially was led by Peter the Hermit. Even before the official First Crusade went to Constantinople, Peter the Hermit led a whole populist group across Germany and spent all their time killing the Jews. That was really the first mass murder of Jews. That was the Crusades from the beginning. And he said were killing them for Christ, because if were going to have one Christian church running every country with the same rules we cant have any other group with its own rules. We have to have only Christian rules. They were trying to get an autocracy, a dictatorship under one rule. It wasnt specifically against Jews. It was against other Christians just as much. But on their march towards Constantinople, they killed entire Jewish populations of German cities. And finally, because they were so disorganized, they tried to fight against Islamic groups. Unfortunately, they were all killed or enslaved. And you had the rest of the official Christians who had been invited to Constantinople to help protect it against the eastern invaders. These were the knights and the aristocracy and other people who had gone. They came later [after Peters army] and ended up double-crossing the eastern emperor and trying to seize all of his lands. They were shown to be just land-grabbers and barbarians. And that was why the East looked at Roman Christianity as basically a neo-barbarian move that had nothing to do with their view of Christianity.

Nathan: I see. Okay, well, my final question for you, Dr. Hudson, is this: given the insane history of anti-Semitism, of which youve just given us a partial history, how do we make sense of the current goings-on with respect to Palestine and Israel in 2024? If you could comment on that, we would be much appreciated.

Dr. Hudson: Well, I dont think you can say that NetanyahuIsraels run by the right-wing Likud party, no longer by the Labor Party that was earlier, but the whole idea of Israel as an apartheid state from the beginning was utterly different from the sort of first wave of Jewish immigration to the United States that was largely educated, middle-class, German population that was assimilated. And when I grew up, basically in Hyde Park in Chicago, basically a Jewish neighborhood, my friends, everybody I knew who was Jewish was thoroughly assimilated. And by the 1960s, when I went into banking, it had become passe to be anti-Semitic. And I didnt hear of any anti-Semitism. All this occurred later on, and I knew many of the people who became Zionists, and they all had experienced anti-Semitism in the United States or in other countries. And the whole root of anti-Semitism really started in western Ukraine, in Galicia. And so Leon Trotsky, in his autobiography, describes growing up in Odessa and the pogroms that were done at that time. So you had two different strands of Judaism. The one strand was a reaction against the anti-Semitism of Europe, saying we need to be safe in having our own land. And that led wealthy Jewish funders like the Rothschilds to press for a Jewish state. And many of the English supporters were all for that, as was Hitler. He said, well, that will get them out of Europe. Of course there should be a Jewish state. Let them just leave. And in England, it was pretty much the same. And Netanyahu and the right-wingers said, well, its a people without a land and a land without the people. And the policy of the Likud party was to make Israel a land without people, meaning a land without a non-Jewish population. And Netanyahu has said that the great enemy of the Zionists were the American and the European liberal Jews, the assimilated Jews, who did not want to be separate. Who did not want to say that non-Jews are a different race, basically. And so you have this split in Judaism today with, I think, what youve seen in Israel under the Likud Party and its policies today are antithetical to all of the assimilationist Jewish groups that I grew up with as a teenager.

Nathan: Thats quite a breakdown. Well, Dr. Hudson, thats about all I can think to pick your brain about today. We sincerely appreciate your appearance on the System Failure podcast. Absolutely outstanding. So thank you very much for your time and attention, sir.

Dr. Hudson: Thank you, and I look forward to reading the transcript.

Nathan: Absolutely. All right. Well, there he goes, folks, Dr. Michael Hudson. All right, folks. Well, that was a great episode of System Failure. If you wish to send us an email about the contents of that interview, please do so. Wed love to hear from you. You can drop us a line at knopp@substack.com. And if you want to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, then you can do that at knopp.substack.com. We hope to see you all online, and we shall see you on the next episode. Take care, everyone!
Yves here. It is sobering to see what the Democratic party propaganda machine is cooking up and will probably succeed in selling. The messaging boils down to War is love. And that means you can expect a Kamala administration to be all in on the strategy of more military spending at the expense of social safety nets and domestic infrastructure.

Needless to say, this approach looks awfully late stage USSR, when the Soviets were faced with having to contend with both the US and China as hostile interests/strategic competitors. Except then, the US successfully cultivated China while the USSR failed to try to dial down China border tensions, while here, we worked hard to and prevailed at driving Russia and China into pretty tight mutual support on both the economic and military front.

By Peter Bloom, a Professor at the University of Essex in the UK. His books include Authoritarian Capitalism in the Age of Globalization (2016), The CEO Society, and most recently Guerrilla Democracy: Mobile Power and Revolution in the 21st Century. Originally published at Common Dreams

The Democratic Partys attempt to associate militaristic policies with a campaign centered on hope and joy represents a dangerous conflation of progress and military power.

In an already historic presidential campaign featuring the rising threat of Christian nationalism, assassination attempts, and the sudden switch of a presidential nominee, one of the most under-the-radar but worrying developments has been how the Democratic Party has increasingly sought to associate its militaristic policies with a campaign centered on hope and joy. This strategic move, while politically savvy, raises profound questions about the nature of progress, the role of military power in shaping global politics, and the future of American democracy. As the United States grapples with the genuine threat of far-right extremism and the specter of Trumpism, it becomes crucial to critically examine the Democrats approach to national security and foreign policy.

The Democratic Partys emphasis on hope and joy in their political messaging is not new. Barack Obamas 2008 campaign, with its iconic Hope poster and message of change, set a precedent for this approach. In the face of growing authoritarianism and global instability, the Democrats have doubled down on this strategy, presenting themselves as the guardians of democracy and harbingers of a brighter future.

However, this narrative of hope and progress is increasingly intertwined with a commitment to maintaining and even expanding American military dominance. Nowhere was this more evident than in Vice President Kamala Harris acceptance speech, where she seamlessly blended aspirational rhetoric about preserving democracy and promoting economic opportunity with a promise to ensure that the United States remains  the strong, most lethal fighting force in the world .

This juxtaposition of hope and militarism creates a troubling paradox. On one hand, the Democrats present themselves as champions of peace, multilateralism, and global cooperation. On the other, they continue to advocate for policies that perpetuate a cycle of global conflict and divert resources from pressing domestic needs.

The Democratic Partys deep ties to the military-industrial complex cannot be ignored when examining their policy positions. Despite rhetoric about creating an  opportunity economy  and investing in social programs, the reality is that trillions of dollars continue to flow into military spending. This massive allocation of resources not only prevents real investment in creating a more equitable and sustainable society but also fuels global conflicts and instability.

The growing marketplace for surveillance technology globally further complicates this picture. As the United States seeks to maintain its technological edge in military and intelligence capabilities, it simultaneously exports these technologies to allies and partners around the world. This proliferation of surveillance tools raises serious concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the potential for authoritarian abuse.

The Dangerous Conflation of Militarism with Progress and Democracy

One of the most concerning aspects of the Democrats approach is the attempt to link militarism with concepts of multilateralism and global cooperation. This rhetoric, championed by President Biden and his predecessors, suggests that a strong military is essential for maintaining international order and promoting democratic values abroad.

However, this conflation ignores the complex realities of global politics and the often counterproductive effects of military intervention, where even legitimate support for regimes can turn into a profitable opportunity for weapons makers. By framing military power as a tool for promoting democracy and human rights, the Democrats risk legitimizing interventions that may ultimately undermine these very values.

The focus on maintaining military supremacy comes at a steep cost, both domestically and globally. At home, the massive defense budget diverts resources from critical investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and environmental protection. This misallocation of funds perpetuates economic inequality and hinders efforts to address pressing social issues. Globally, the United States military-first approach to foreign policy has often led to unintended consequences. From the destabilization of entire regions to the creation of power vacuums that give rise to extremist groups, the track record of American military interventions is far from unambiguously positive.

Perhaps most troubling is the way in which militarism is being normalized and even celebrated within ostensibly progressive political discourse. By linking military power to concepts of hope, progress, and global cooperation, the Democrats are fundamentally reshaping the way Americans think about the role of force in international relations. This normalization process makes it increasingly difficult to question or challenge militaristic policies. When criticism of military spending or interventions is framed as opposition to hope or progress, it becomes easier to marginalize voices calling for a more peaceful and just foreign policy.

The US embrace of surveillance technology as a tool for local and national security raises serious questions about the compatibility of these practices with democratic values. While presented as necessary for protecting citizens from threats both foreign and domestic, the expansion of surveillance capabilities poses significant risks to civil liberties and privacy rights. Moreover, the export of surveillance technologies to other countries, including those with questionable human rights records, undermines the Democrats claims to be champions of democracy and freedom. This contradiction between rhetoric and action further erodes trust in the political system and reinforces cynicism about the true motives behind foreign policy decisions.

The Rising Threat of Hopeful Militarism

The Democratic Partys approach to militarism presents a unique danger in American politics, one that diverges significantly from the overt hawkishness often associated with their Republican counterparts. While figures like Trump and the far-Right occasionally denounce endless wars  even as they continue to support the military-industrial complex  the Democrats have crafted a narrative that intertwines militarism with a vision of global progress and democratic idealism.

This rhetorical strategy embodies a distinct form of hypocrisy. By framing military interventions and the maintenance of global military supremacy as essential components of preserving and spreading democracy worldwide, the Democrats have effectively weaponized hope. They present militarism not as a necessary evil, but as an integral part of an optimistic, forward-looking vision for both domestic and international progress.

The risk lies in how this framing normalizes and even glorifies military action. When couched in the language of hope, democracy, and global cooperation, policies that perpetuate conflict and divert resources from crucial social needs become more palatable to a progressive audience. This rhetorical sleight of hand allows the Democrats to pursue interventionist policies while maintaining the moral high ground in the eyes of their supporters.

Furthermore, this hopeful militarism creates a false dichotomy: either support military action or abandon the cause of global democracy. By conflating military might with democratic values, the Democrats make it challenging to envision alternative approaches to international relations and conflict resolution. This narrative effectively silences critics, painting them as pessimists or isolationists who lack faith in American ideals.

The integration of militaristic policies into a discourse of democratic progress also serves to obscure the real-world consequences of these actions. When military interventions are framed as necessary steps towards a more peaceful and democratic world, it becomes easier to overlook the immediate human cost and long-term destabilizing effects of such interventions. The rhetoric of hope acts as a veil, concealing the harsh realities of war and occupation behind a facade of noble intentions.

This approach also shores up support for the military-industrial complex among those who might otherwise be its critics. By aligning military spending with progressive values, the Democrats create a cognitive dissonance that allows their supporters to reconcile their desire for social progress with continued investment in weapons and warfare. This effectively broadens the base of support for militaristic policies, making substantive changes to Americas foreign policy approach even more challenging.

The Democrats hopeful justification of militarism represents a sophisticated form of propaganda. It coopts the language of progress and democracy to serve the interests of the military-industrial complex, all while presenting itself as a force for global good. This approach not only perpetuates harmful policies but also corrupts the very ideals it claims to uphold, turning concepts like hope, democracy, and progress into tools for justifying military dominance.

Recognizing and confronting this rhetorical strategy is crucial for anyone seeking to challenge the prevailing paradigm of American militarism. It requires a willingness to question even those narratives that align with our values and to critically examine the gap between hopeful rhetoric and the often harsh realities of military action. Only by disentangling our aspirations for a more just and democratic world from the machinery of war can we begin to forge a truly progressive approach to global affairs.

Reimagining Security and Reclaiming Hope

As we confront the challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to global inequality, it is crucial to reimagine our approach to security and progress. True hope for the future lies not in maintaining military dominance but in addressing the root causes of conflict and instability.

Investing in diplomacy, international development, and conflict resolution could yield far greater returns in terms of global security than continued military buildup. Similarly, redirecting resources towards education, healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure could create genuine economic opportunities and improve the lives of millions of Americans.

Challenging the dominant narrative of militarism as progress will require concerted effort from civil society organizations, grassroots movements, and engaged citizens. By highlighting the true costs of militarism and presenting alternative visions for national security and global cooperation, these groups can help shift the public discourse.

The Democratic Partys attempt to associate militaristic policies with a campaign centered on hope and joy represents a dangerous conflation of progress and military power. While the threats posed by far-right extremism and global authoritarianism are real, the answer does not lie in perpetuating a cycle of militarism and conflict.

True hope for the future lies in reimagining our approach to national security, global cooperation, and economic progress. One where movements social movements around the world can unite to support one another in resisting and replacing economic and political oligarchs locally and globally. By challenging the normalization of militarism within progressive discourse and presenting alternative visions for a more peaceful and just world, we can reclaim the concept of hope from those who would use it to justify endless war and surveillance.
Mexicos President AMLO responds by putting relations with US and Canadian ambassadors on hold while giving the Mexican people a history lesson on US interference in Latin America.

Well, that was quick.

Just a week ago, we wagered that the US and Canadian embassies would soon begin piling pressure on Mexico as the outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (aka AMLO) seeks to pass sweeping constitutional reforms to its mining laws, energy laws and judicial system, among other things, in his last month in office. Just two days later, the US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, sent a communique warning that the proposed judicial reforms could have serious consequences for the US trade relations with its biggest trade partner:

Based on my lifelong experience supporting the rule of law, I believe popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexicos democracy. Any judicial reform should have the right kinds of safeguards that will ensure the judicial branch will be strengthened and not subject to the corruption of politics. I also think that the debate over the direct election of judges in these times, as well as the fierce politics if the elections for judges in 2025 and 2027 were to be approved, will threaten the historic trade relationship we have built, which relies on investors confidence in Mexicos legal framework. Direct elections would also make it easier for cartels and other bad actors to take advantage of politically motivated and inexperienced judges We understand the importance of Mexicos fight against judicial corruption. But direct political election of judges, in my view, would not address judicial corruption nor would it strengthen the judicial branch of government. It would also weaken the efforts to make North American economic integration a reality and would create turbulence as the debate over direct election will continue over the next several years.

Canada Joins the Scrum

It didnt take long for the Canadian Ambassador, Graham C Clark, to join the scrum, warning that Canadian investors  primarily, of course, the mining companies that dominate Mexicos mining sector and which now face tougher regulations following Mexicos mining reforms last year  had also expressed concerns about Mexicos judicial reform.

I heard these concerns this morning. So, the only thing Im doing is listening to what our investors are saying about it and theres concern, Clark said, adding that the proposed judicial reforms may affect the bond of trust between investors and the Government of Mexico. From Forbes Mexico:

An investment is a sign of confidence. Im going to invest in your country, Im going to, I dont know, build a factory or invest in a Mexican company, the diplomat added. However, the ambassador clarified that his interest is to convey the concerns of the Canadian private sector without intervening in Mexicos affairs. As a diplomat, I am very sensitive to any comment that could be seen as interference in Mexicos affairs and it is certainly not my goal, Clark said.

Yet interfering in Mexicos affairs is exactly what Clark and Salazar are doing. And AMLO is acutely aware of this, as, it seems, are many Mexicans. After all, this is not the first time Salazar has meddled directly in Mexicos domestic affairs. In 2022, Salazar  a long-serving oil and gas lobbyist with close ties to the Clintons  lectured Mexico on renewable energy as the AMLO government sought to pass an energy reform package aimed at restoring a strong role for the state in Mexicos energy and electricity sectors.

AMLOs Plan C

The AMLO governments Plan-C judicial reform proposals seek to radically reconfigure the way Mexicos justice system works. Most controversially, judges and magistrates at all levels of the system will no longer be appointed but instead be elected by local citizens. Those elections will be taking place in 2025 and 2027, and sitting judges will have to win the peoples vote if they want to continue working. New institutions will be created to regulate procedures as well as combat the widespread corruption that has plagued Mexican justice for many decades.

This, insists the AMLO government, is all necessary because two of the main structural causes of corruption, impunity and lack of justice in Mexico are: a) the absence of true judicial independence of the institutions charged with delivering justice; and b) the ever widening gap between Mexican society and the judicial authorities that oversee the legal processes at all levels of the system, from the local and district courts to Mexicos Supreme Court.

There is some truth to this. And making judges electorally accountable may go some way to remedying these problems, but it also poses a threat to judicial independence and impartiality, of which there is already scant supply. As some critics have argued, with AMLOs Morena party already dominating both the executive and the legislative, there is a danger that it will end up taking control of all three branches of government  just like the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years (1929-2000).

While these risks may exist, it is also true that the AMLO government has every right to pursue these reforms, has the support of roughly two-thirds of the Mexican public in doing so, and is following established legal procedures. Put simply, it is doing nothing outside of the law. It is also true that, whatever the Washington Post may claim, Mexicos judicial reforms are a strictly domestic issue and should be of no business to the US or Canadian governments.

Imperial mindsets never rest. Per the @WashingtonPost, Mexico's judicial reform is not an internal affair but one the US has every right to comment on. Thus, Mexican ambassador Esteban Moctezuma has the same right to comment on Biden's judicial reform. How would that go over? pic.twitter.com/GzZTJlIOGg  Kurt Hackbarth  (@KurtHackbarth) August 26, 2024

In response to Salazars latest provocation, the AMLO government sent a strongly worded note to the White House [and is preparing to send a similar one to Ottawa]. In his Friday morning press conference, AMLO read out excerpts from the note to Washington:

The Mexican government is committed to a Judicial Branch that enjoys true independence, autonomy, and legitimacy, thus strengthening the rule of law and improving access to justice for all. Therefore, the statement by the Ambassador of the United States of America expressing a position on this strictly domestic matter of the Mexican State represents unacceptable interference, contravenes the sovereignty of the United Mexican States, and does not reflect the degree of mutual respect that characterizes the relations between our governments.

AMLO also divulged another way in which the US government has been meddling in Mexicos internal affairs over the past six years  namely by giving money to organizations that claim to defend human rights but in reality are dedicated to undermining Mexicos democratically elected government.

Mexicos Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) recently revealed that the NGO Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) had received 96.7 million pesos ($4.95 million) from the US Embassy. CIA cut-outs the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) have also been giving generously to MCCI, as we reported in 2021.

Founded in late 2015 by Claudio X. Gonzalez Jr, the son of the long-serving president of Kimberley Clark Mexico, with the ostensible purpose of investigating the causes and effects of corruption and impunity, MCCI has become a major political actor. In recent years, it has helped build a coalition of opposition parties against the AMLO government. Tellingly, it didnt start receiving donations from the US government until 2018, the year AMLO won the presidency and his party, Morena, secured a majority in Mexicos legislative chambers.

In 2021, AMLO described the US governments funding of MCCI as a form of golpismo, or coup promotion, and likened it to the participation of US ambassador Henry Wilson in the overthrow of President Francisco Madero during the Mexican Revolution. Its an act of interventionism that violates our sovereignty  Our Constitution forbids it. You cant receive money from another country for political ends.

Historical Background

In his speech on Friday, AMLO also provided some historical background to US meddling in Mexican and Latin American affairs. Like Vladimir Putin, AMLO has a penchant for delving deep into the past to explain current realities:

For many years the United States has applied an interventionist policy throughout America, ever since it established the Monroe Doctrine For a long time Washington set the political agenda of countries on this continent. They imposed and removed presidents at their whim, they invaded countries, created new countries and new protectorates We were invaded twice The first time was the War of Intervention of 1847-8, which robbed us of half of our territory. Nine states of the American Union belonged to Mexico. It was very sad. Imagine: on September 15, the [US troops] took Mexico City and hung the stars and stripes from here, the National Palace. Then, in 1914, they invaded us again, this time in Veracruz. For seven months they occupied our territory. [T]hen they created a different strategy that was more subtle but highly effective. They began opening up US universities to young, ambitious Mexicans to educate them there We have evidence of this: [T]hen-President Wilson was told by his secretary of state [Robert Lansing] that it was no longer necessary to invade Mexico or shoot a single bullet; it was just a question of indoctrinating young ambitious Mexicans at US universities. And the strategy worked for a long time. At least three (Mexican) presidents during the neoliberal period were educated in the US [T]he [US] not only dominated politics here but also imposed the economic agenda. They were the ones who defined the so-called structural reforms, they touted the privatisations that transferred the nations assets from the hands of the Mexican people into the hands of private individuals and foreign companies. So, this neoliberal, anti-people, interventionist policy led us into a terrible crisis, a prolonged economic decline  and the people of Mexico, who are fiercely protective of their traditions and are prepared to fight for justice, for freedom, for independence, and sovereignty, said basta [enough] and this new transformation began.

Flagrant US Hypocrisy

The US governments flagrant hypocrisy is once again on full display in this latest diplomatic spat. As Mexicos former Foreign Minister (and incoming Economy Minister) Marcelo Ebrard pointed out a few days ago, in 42 out of the US 50 states at least some, if not all, of the judges are elected:

Dear Ken: what are you talking about? [said in English]. Of all our partners, the US is the country that elects the most judges. In the US, judges are elected in 42 states of the American Union, and this has been going on for more than a century and a half. Mexico never said: oops, democracy is in danger in the United States. No one said that, on the contrary, [the election of judges] strengthened it.

What Ebrard doesnt mention is that all federal judges in the US, including the supreme court judges, are appointed. By contrast, Mexico is proposing to make all judge and magistrate positions subject to vote. In the case of the Supreme Court, which is the highest judicial authority of the land as well as the ultimate interpreter of the constitution, the concerns are understandable.

There are, of course, other elements of US hypocrisy on display here  for example, the fact that over the past year-and-a-half the outgoing Biden administration has tried just about every lawfare trick in the book to get Trump behind bars, or at least disqualified from the ballot, to no avail.

The Biden Administration is now trying to fast track its own reforms of the US Supreme Court, including the imposition of term limits for SC judges as well as a constitutional amendment to make clear there is no immunity for crimes a former president committed while in office. As the Supreme Court blog notes, the fact that constitutional amendments in the US require a two-thirds vote of both houses, followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states renders passage of such an amendment extremely unlikely, if not all but impossible, at this time.

Also, it goes without saying the US government is in no place to pass judgment on other countries political or judicial systems, given it is essentially facilitating and financing the worst war crime of the 21st century: Israels ongoing genocide in Gaza. As AMLO himself said, imagine our ambassador in the United States writing a document questioning why the US sells or donates weapons for wars being fought in Ukraine or Gaza that are causing the deaths of many innocent people. Why do they have to meddle in our affairs?

This was a point even Salazar himself was willing to concede  until recently. On June 13, the US ambassador cautioned against interfering in the Mexican governments reform agenda (translated from Spanish):

The way this is done is up to the Mexicans. We cannot impose our opinions .

Yet that is exactly what the US is now trying to do.

Why the Change of Tune?

On August 16, just six days before the big U-turn, Salazar even praised the idea of electing judges, pointing out that there are different models [for judicial systems]: I, in my time as a lawyer, a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, was an advisor to the governor and was in charge of the election of judges in Colorado. Experts, he said, gave three proposals to the governor and the governor chose among those three. By contrast, Salazar pointed out, there are states like Texas, where judges do go out to campaign, seek the vote.

Its impossible to know with any certainty why this sudden change of tune, but there is a coincidence worth mentioning: on Aug 22, the same day Salazar issued his communique, the highly influential Council of Global Enterprises issued a statement expressing their grave concerns about the dampening effect the reforms could have on investment. The lobbying groups members include Walmart, AT&T, Cargill, General Motors, Pepsico, VISA, Exxon Mobil, Bayer and Fedex.

The current reform project contains some critical aspects that must be adjusted to ensure legal certainty and avoid discouraging investments, the statement said. According to Forbes Mexico, the Council of Global Enterprises believe key aspects of the judicial reforms must be adjusted to preserve legal certainty and avoid discouraging investments, especially as the nearshoring trend continues to accelerate. In other words, US, Canadian and other global corporations, mainly from Europe, are determined to ensure that nothing is done to upset their apple cart.

As AMLO explained in his speech, the proposed judicial reforms are necessary because the current judicial system is plagued by corruption and serves a rapacious minority. It protects white-collar criminals, both domestic and foreign, and is controlled by heads of criminal organizations.

The corporations, both domestic and foreign, seem to want to keep it that way. And they can count on the support not only of the US government but also large US banks and ratings agencies, which are warning about the possible risks of Mexicos judicial reforms. In their report, ominously titled The Next 90 Days Could Shape the Next Decade for Mexico: Staying on the Defensive, Bank of America analysts warn that President Lopez Obradors goal is to disappear more than 7,000 active judges, as well as the 11 Supreme Court judges.

With pressure coming from both Wall Street and Washington, the peso is likely to continue its current slide, which began just before President elect Claudia Sheinbaum and Morena won by a landslide on June 2. But both AMLO and Sheinbaum are refusing to change course. After 12 hours of debates, the Commission on Constitutional Points of the Chamber of Deputies passed the reform, which now heads to the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, where it will be debated and voted on in the first days of September.

Yesterday (Aug 26), Ken Salazar said he was willing to engage in dialogue with AMLO about the election of judges and other aspects of the judicial reforms  an invitation that AMLO politely rejected, before announcing today that relations with the US and Canadian ambassadors are on hold until further notice:

There must always be dialogue. The problem is that issues concerning Mexico are our exclusive ambit. No foreigners or foreign government can have a say on matters that pertain only to Mexicans. It is a basic principle of independence, of sovereignty.

But how independent or sovereign can Mexico be if it shares the most-traversed land border on the planet with the worlds fading empire of lies, with which it has signed not one, but two trade deals in the past 30 years  deals whose ultimate goal, as Salazar candidly admits, is the economic integration of North America. But according to AMLO, having a trade agreement with the US does not mean Washington gets to interfere in its internal affairs:

The treaty is not for us to cede our sovereignty, the treaty is about trade, about forging good economic and commercial ties that suit both nations. But that doesnt mean Mexico must become an appendix, a colony, or a protectorate [of the US].

AMLO does not appear to have heard of Dani Rodriks policy trilemma, which we have periodically discussed here on Naked Capitalism. The trilemma holds that democracy, national sovereignty and global economic integration are mutually incompatible: we can combine any two of the three, but never have all three simultaneously and in full. In this case, of course, it is regional, not global, economic integration that is on the table. The question is: which of the three will Mexico decide to give up?
Liberal governor says J.D. Vance should have to go through pregnancy after rape

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is under fire for hateful comments he made suggesting he wants former President Donald Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, to have to deal with a pregnancy caused by rape.

Beshear, who has been conducting interviews in support of Vice President Kamala Harriss bid for the presidency, made the comments while appearing on MSNBC, where he accused Vance of not having respect for womens reproductive freedoms.

He told "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski: J.D. Vance calls pregnancy resulting from rape inconvenient. Inconvenience is traffic! Make him go through this!

Vance was quick to call him out for his disgusting comment on X, formerly Twitter, writing: What the hell is this? Why is [Andy Beshear] wishing that a member of my family would get raped?!?

Vances communications director, William Martin, called Beshears comments vile and disgusting, saying: We call on Kamala Harris to immediately repudiate Governor Beshears comments and demonstrate that regardless of partisan disagreements, this kind of violent rhetoric has no place in our public discourse.

However, a defiant Beshear only doubled down on his comments when he appeared on MSNBC again later the same day, when he told Andrea Mitchell: Hes trying to make himself the victim. As a man, J.D. Vance will never have to face any of this personally. But its sad that he lacks the empathy to be able to put himself in a different position.

His attack stems from an interview in 2021 in which Vance shared his views on abortion exceptions for cases of rape. When Democrats accused him of calling rape inconvenient based on these remarks during his Senate run a year later, even fact-checkers had to admit that he never said rape was inconvenient, instead saying that society should not think of pregnancies caused by rape as inconvenient.

DNC focusing on abortion rights with Planned Parenthood "carnival" outside convention center

Abortion rights have played a central role in the Democratic National Convention, with three women talking about their traumatic pregnancy experiences at the DNC on Monday night and President Joe Biden warning Americans that Trump will do everything to ban abortion nationwide should he win the election  despite the fact that Trump has stated he would return the issue to each state to decide, in accordance with the Supreme Courts 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Planned Parenthood has parked a bus just outside of the convention center in Chicago, where they are offering free abortions and vasectomies to those who want them; they claim they have so many takers that they are fully booked all week. They are also handing out prescriptions for abortion pills, and patients can take them home with them or take them at the site.

The bus is set up inside a fenced parking lot and guarded by several security officers. Pro-life groups are protesting, and some have even set up a van of their own that offers ultrasounds and medications to reverse abortion pills.

Americans United for Life CEO John Mize criticized the carnival nature of the Planned Parenthood setup, telling Fox News: "It's being diminished, and it's being disrespected, the fact that this is a very complicated, very complex decision that these women are making, and, unfortunately, it's a carnival. They have blow-ups. They have food trucks. It's a bit of a show, unfortunately, and it diminishes the severity and significance of vulnerable women."

This is clearly a party that does not value human life and is proud of it, and its very unlikely that Harris or anyone else is going to renounce Beshears hateful comments.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

FoxNews.com
Kamala Harris campaign colluded with Google to manipulate headlines, shadow ban Trump on search results

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) is demanding that Big Tech company Google provide some answers after it was reported that Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign has been manipulating past headlines in news articles from different outlets to use them as search ads.

In a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Gooden said this is allowing the Harris campaign to buy ads that "mislead readers by linking to news stories with altered headlines that appear favorable to the vice president."

He called out Google's actions, saying that this is "yet another disturbing example of election interference by the world's largest search engine." He sees the manipulation of news headlines as "a deliberate attempt to mislead voters by falsely suggesting endorsements from major news publications."

An analysis released earlier this week showed that the campaign of Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz changed headlines from different news outlets to generate more favorable results in searches and reposted them as advertisements, labeled as 'sponsored' in Google search results.

Gooden accused the search engine firm of a disturbing track record of implicit bias and election interference that overwhelmingly benefits one political party and warned that if "Google is unable or unwilling to take basic steps to safeguard the integrity of our elections, I will work with my colleagues to use every tool at our disposal to ensure accountability."

The Texas representative also highlighted the tech giant's bias against former President Donald Trump, citing its many attempts to obstruct Trump's ongoing presidential campaign and censor stories about the July 13 assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.

He noted examples of the manipulated Google search results, including keywords "President Trump," which returned favorable stories on Harris first and searches for "President Donald" failing to show "Trump" in Autocomplete. (Related: Google executive ADMITS to rigging search results.)

"Google interfered in the 2020 election through the censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop story," Gooden posted on X. "Now they appear to be interfering through shadow banning Trump-related searches and allowing Kamala Harris to manipulate article headlines."

In a separate social media entry, he said Google must protect the integrity of the upcoming election by implementing clear guidelines to prohibit political campaigns, like the Kamala Harris campaign, from intentionally manipulating results on the platform to mislead voters.

Earlier this month, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia found that Google's business practices illegally inhibited competition and violated federal antitrust laws while its anticompetitive practices also resulted in a multi-million-dollar settlement back in December 2023.

Trump warns "Google will pay a big price"

As a reaction to the allegations that the internet giant allowed altered headlines to be used in paid Google ads by the Harris-Walz campaign, Trump has claimed Google will "pay a big price."

In a post on his Truth Social website, the Republican presidential nominee said: "Google is a Crooked, Election Interference Machine. Totally Illegal, they will pay a big price for what they are doing!"

Trump included a link to an article from conservative news outlet Townhall, which claimed the Harris-Walz campaign had been editing headlines and descriptions in paid Google adverts.

The controversy began when several X users posted screenshots showing that typing "assassination attempt on" into Google did not produce auto-complete results for the recent attempt on Trump's life. Instead, the suggestions show names like "Ronald Reagan" and "Bob Marley."

Fortune and Yahoo News reported earlier that when typing "assassination attempt on Trump" in Chrome's incognito mode, no auto-complete suggestions appeared. When "Enter" was pressed, it did bring up news articles about the incident but that could be because of the keywords.

The former president's elder son, Donald Trump Jr. also voiced his concerns on X, stating: "Big Tech is trying to interfere in the election AGAIN to help Kamala Harris. We all know this is intentional election interference from Google. Truly despicable."

Google denied taking "manual action" on the auto-complete predictions and mentioned that they are "working on improvements" to their auto-complete feature. Addressing the queries about the assassination attempt on Trump, a Google spokesperson explained that their systems have "protections against autocomplete predictions associated with political violence," which were functioning as intended.

"We're looking into these anomalies and working on improvements, which we hope to roll out soon," the spokesperson said. "Our auto-complete systems are dynamic, so predictions will change based on common and trending queries."

Follow TechGiants.news for more stories about Google's election interference efforts.

Watch the video below where Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) accuses Google of not wanting to portray Trump as a hero.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Dr. Robert Epstein: Google and other Big Tech firms can shift MILLIONS OF VOTES without people even knowing.

Report: Google "accidentally" collected and leaked user data, including CHILDREN's voice data.

Google censors all AI that generates supposed "hate speech" in Google Play Store.

Sources include:

JustTheNews.com

Newsweek.com

Brighteon.com
HHS bankrolls AI tool to combat supposed MISINFORMATION about HPV injections

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is reportedly bankrolling an initiative involving the use of artificial intelligence (AI) against so-called "misinformation" about vaccines.

The Defender reported that HHS has earmarked $4 million for the "Inoculate for HPV Vaccine" randomized clinical trial (RCT), citing grant documents obtained by Children's Health Defense (CHD) through a Freedom of Information Act request. The National Cancer Institute, part of the HHS, is facilitating funding for the RCT  which runs from April 2022 through March 2027. Funding for its third year was released in April, the Defender added.

University of Pennsylvania associate professor of nursing Melanie Kornides leads the RCT, where she is joined by experts in digital health communication and machine learning, software and program designers and social media analysts. They will help her run the study on 2,500 parents of children aged eight to 12.

Kornides' team is collecting user data from YouTube, X, Facebook and Instagram  with their focus being on spaces where people talk about the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are also using natural language processing to train an AI tool to identify "HPV misinformation" or posts critical of vaccination, regardless of whether the information in them is true or false. (Related: HHS deploys AI robots to inoculate social media users against HPV vaccine "misinformation.")

The AI tool will then be exposed to subjects in three study arms, making use of different types of messaging. The control group will get no particular messaging, while two experimental groups will be exposed either to messaging designed to inoculate viewers against content critical of HPV vaccines or content critical of anti-vaccine arguments. The experimental groups will get "booster" doses of messaging at three and six months after their first exposure.

According to the researchers, this approach against so-called "misinformation" can be used in "wide-scale social media campaigns" addressing pandemics, childhood vaccination and other health issues if it ends up being successful. They also wrote that misinformation about the HPV vaccine is a major cause of "vaccine hesitancy." While such messages circulate widely among well-meaning people, these often come from "anti-vaccine organizations."

"Misinformation" being cited as an excuse for medical censorship

According to the Defender, the researchers found that the AI tool deemed several posts on X with valid points as "misinformation." These posts often centered on vaccine effectiveness and safety, adverse events related to these injections and their lack of safety monitoring. Posts with claims about Big Pharma profiteering and the government being in cahoots with it were also deemed as such.

Moreover, two posts on X verified by mainstream media outlets as legitimate were also dismissed as false. The first post involved Dr. Diane Harper, one of the lead researchers for the Gardasil HPV injection, criticizing her creation. The second post involved a 16-year-old Chicago teen being given the HPV injection without the knowledge or consent of her parents.

But for CHD President and General Counsel Mary Holland, the RCT led by Kornides appears to be "a sign of weakness." She continued: "This just proves yet again that anything that deviates from the orthodoxy in public health is considered misinformation."

"When you are censoring information, labeling it misinformation and smearing us, this is a sign that they've lost the science and are now in a verbal food right. It's just a sign that they are going to lose."

Watch Dr. Sheri Tenpenny elaborating on the various side effects of the HPV vaccine below.

This video is from The Truth About Cancer channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

DOUBLE STANDARD: MSM misinformation stays up on YouTube indefinitely while truth media is labeled "disinformation" and gets censored, even when true.

Anti-misinfo AI tapped by Washington secretary of state is FLAGGING real news stories as fakes.

CHD responds to accusation of spreading "misinformation" on Facebook.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Brighteon.com
REPORT: IDF KILLED multiple Israeli hostages while retrieving them from Gaza, says they were suffocated to death by Israels own weapons

People who support Israel at all costs often claim that Israel is fully justified in using excessive force against the Palestinians in Gaza because of all the hostages still in need of a rescue. One problem with this argument is that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are killing Israeli hostages themselves

An investigation by Hebrew-language news outlet Ynet found that of the six Israeli captives whose deceased bodies were returned to Israel following a recent army operation, five of them were killed by IDF forces inside the tunnels where Hamas was holding them.

What apparently happened is that the IDF soldiers attacked the Hamas tunnel for the purpose of retrieving the hostages, only to kill most of them in the process by suffocating them. Only one of the six Israeli hostages retrieved apparently died at the hands of Hamas  Israel killed all the rest.

"Apart from him, the main assessment regarding the circumstances of their deaths in captivity of the other five abductees whose bodies were recovered tonight [between Monday and Tuesday] from Khan Younis is that they were killed by suffocation in the tunnel where they were held  as an incidental result of an IDF attack," Ynet confirmed.

(Related: According to Kim Dotcom, Nazis and Zionists are behind everything going on right now to destroy humanity and take over the world.)

Israel shoots now and asks questions later

Whenever Israel responds to claims that the IDF is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, the regime of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that Israel's military almost never kills civilians due to its advanced "precision" technology. Israel also pridefully claims that its military is the "most moral in the world."

Tell that to the families of the five out of six hostages whose lives were ended by Israeli troops who were there to "rescue" them. This more than 83 percent hostage kill rate by Israel tells a much different story than the one coming from Israel's political propagandists.

We are told that the reason the IDF bombed the tunnel where these hostages were being held captive was because there was a "Hamas target" near the tunnel that had to be destroyed. A fire broke out following the attack that released carbon dioxide into the tunnel, depriving them of oxygen and ultimately asphyxiating them.

According to Ynet, the incident occurred around six months ago during "the operation of the 98th Division," and is only just now coming to light following an investigation.

"The hostages' captors, Hamas terrorists carrying Kalashnikovs, were also located in the tunnel  lifeless," the Hebrew media outlet claims.

On Aug. 20, the same day that Ynet published its report about the hostage killings by the IDF, military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari issued the following statement:

"The circumstances of their deaths are being investigated. When we summarize the findings, we will present them to the families and then to the public. We know that the abductees were killed while our forces were in Khan Younis  we will investigate and give answers."

Many of the families of the deceased hostages are speaking out against the Netanyahu regime. One of them accused Netanyahu of "sacrificing" the prisoners as part of his war agenda.

After Hamas agreed several months back to a ceasefire agreement, Israel reportedly rejected the agreement. Netanyahu continues to stonewall the peace process by insisting that he will not agree to any ceasefire than involves ending the war, meaning many more people are going to die at his hands in the coming days.

Hamas has said it will not agree to a new U.S.-backed "bridging" proposal that allows Netanyahu more leeway to keep the war going indefinitely. Israel, meanwhile, continues to kill its own hostages as reports claim that IDF troops have killed many more than just the five hostages killed in the 98th Division mission.

The latest news about all things Israel can be found at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheCradle.co

Ynet.co.il

NaturalNews.com
Demons in uniform: IDF soldiers rape, torture Palestinian detainees

Reports and pieces of evidence have surfaced proving that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been routinely sexually assaulting and torturing Palestinian detainees

According to reports, nine soldiers from prison unit Force 100, which is tasked with guarding the Sde Teiman facility, were arrested for gang-raping a Palestinian inmate with a sharp object before the end of July. (Related: EVIL: Leaked video footage shows IDF soldier RAPING unarmed Palestinian male  tearing his rectum, rupturing his bowels and PARALYZING him.)

Military prosecutors released three of the arrested soldiers on Aug. 4, adding to the two previously released by investigators following a military court hearing in Kfar Yona on July 30, at which protesters gathered in support of the soldiers.

At least 53 prisoners died in Israeli detention presumably because of torture or following the denial of access to medical care. Worse, no investigations have been carried out by Israel and no arrests have been made.

Moreover, the United Nations published a report on July 31 into the conditions in which some 9,400 captive Palestinians have been held since October 2023. The report stated that "appalling acts" of torture and abuse are taking place at all of Israel's detention centers, including sexual violence, waterboarding and attacks with dogs.

It noted that there were "forced nudity of both men and women; beatings while naked; electrocution of the genitals and anus; repeated humiliating strip searches; widespread sexual slurs and threats of rape; and inappropriate touching of women by both male and female soldiers."

Additionally, there were reports of Israeli security forces "inserting objects into detainees' anuses."

Israeli officials defend IDF soldiers' actions

Israeli officials, including cabinet members, have defended the accused, saying that everything is "legitimate." Israel's Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir, who is responsible for the prison service, told the local media on the day of the reservists' arrest that it was "shameful" for Israel to arrest "our best heroes"

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also published a video message saying that "IDF soldiers deserve respect" and must not be treated as "criminals." In fact, far-right mobs, some of which included government ministers, stormed the facility at Sde Teiman, calling for the arrested soldiers' release.

Critics could not help but lament this inhumane ideology. LifeSiteNews' Jonathan Cook pointed out that the IDF does not deserve the "redemption" it is getting.

"It is the same military that since October has laid waste to all of Gaza's hospitals, as well as destroying almost all of its schools and 70 percent of its homes. It is the same military that is known to have killed over that period at least 40,000 Palestinians, with a further 21,000 children missing," Cook wrote in an Aug. 21 article. "It is the same military currently on trial for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court in the world."

However, the Israeli army has been systematically using physical and sexual torture against Palestinians since at least 1967, as human rights groups revealed years ago. Indeed, sadism has been characteristic of the Zionist colonists' treatment of Palestinians since the 1880s. This sadism and the sexual torture that often accompanies it are rooted not only in European colonial hubris but also in Orientalist views that Arabs only "understand force" and are allegedly more susceptible to sexual torture than white Europeans.

The U.S. Department of State, presumably appalled by such torture, described a video reportedly showing the alleged rape as "horrific" and insisted that "there ought to be zero tolerance for sexual abuse, rape of any detainee, period... If there are detainees who have been sexually assaulted or raped, the government of Israel, the IDF [Israeli army] need to fully investigate those actions and hold anyone responsible accountable to the full extent of the law."

The White House also found reports of Israeli sexual torture "deeply concerning." Moreover, the European Union mirrored the sentiment and claimed to be "gravely concerned."

Check out IsraelCollapse.com for stories related to Israel's brutal treatment of Palestinians.

Watch the video below where Bezalel Smotrich says it is "moral" to starve Palestinians.

This video is from the alltheworldsastage channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

IDF soldier accused of raping a Palestinian prisoner says interrogators "applauded us."

State Department refusing to call IDF's gang rape of an illegally detained Palestinian a WAR CRIME incident.

Israel sodomizes and kills Palestinian detainees, Candace Owens calls out silent Christians.

Candace Owens urges Christian podcasters and politicians to condemn Israeli abuse of Palestinian detainees.

Erdogan says Turkey could ENTER ISRAEL to defend Palestinians against IDF aggression.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

AlJazeera.com

MiddleEastEye.net

Brighteon.com
Four ISIS inmates killed in Russian penal colony uprising

Russian security forces successfully neutralized four ISIS inmates who staged a violent mutiny at the IK-19 maximum-security penal colony in the Volgograd region on Saturday, Aug. 23.

The inmates, who had taken hostages, were shot by snipers from the Russian National Guard's special forces. All hostages have been safely freed, according to the state-run TASS news agency.

The mutiny began at the IK-19 penal colony, located in the Surovikinsky district, approximately 150 km from Volgograd. The attackers, who identified themselves as ISIS members, initiated the uprising during a disciplinary commission meeting, leading to a chaotic and deadly confrontation.

During the attack, at least three prison guards were killed and seven others sustained serious injuries. (Related: Canada: ISIS terrorist slashes victims throat; leaders whitewash Islam, media pushes 'mental illness.')

The mutineers had taken eight prison employees and four inmates hostage. Reports confirmed that four prison employees were stabbed; three died at the scene and one later succumbed to injuries. The four inmates who were taken hostage also sustained injuries.

The rebels initially demanded $2 million and a helicopter for their escape to Georgia. However, the ISIS militants later denied making any such demands.

The hostage-takers were identified as Ramzidin Toshev, Rustamchon Navruzi, Nazirchon Toshov and Temur Khusinov. Two of the attackers were from Uzbekistan and two were from Tajikistan.

In response to the crisis, a state of emergency was declared at the penal colony. Security forces, including snipers and negotiators, were deployed to the scene. A group from the central office of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (FSIN) was sent to conduct an inspection and manage the situation. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case related to the hostage-taking incident.

The FSIN assured that no officers involved in the rescue operation were harmed.

Incident likely to fuel xenophobic reactions in Russia

In another video, an inmate claims the prison guards "violated Muslims' rights," stating: "We killed those who humiliated and tortured Muslims. They took away books and prayer rugs, so we did the same to them. No mercy."

This incident is likely to intensify xenophobic reactions in Russia. The March 22 Crocus City Hall attack left 145 dead, with 10 Tajiks arrested in connection to the assault claimed by ISIS.

The Baza Telegram channel, known for its law enforcement connections, reported that prison warden Andrei Devyatov was injured and hospitalized after he and four other hostages, including an inmate, managed to escape.

In another video, an inmate demanded that Russian President Vladimir Putin address the hostage-takers' requests and mentioned needing medical assistance. Putin has stated that he is being updated on the situation by the head of the FSIN.

One video also features the inmates chanting "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is great!") next to a black banner with an Arabic inscription while one holds a uniformed man.

This is the second hostage crisis in a Russian prison this summer. In June, inmates took hostages at a detention center in Rostov-on-Don, with five hostage-takers killed and two hostages injured. Additionally, a recent attack in Daghestan resulted in at least 20 deaths from shootings in two cities.

Follow Terrorism.news for more news about terrorist groups around the world.

Watch ISIS-K claim responsibility for the Iran bombing.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

ISIS sympathizers threaten terrorist attack during India-Pakistan cricket match in New York.

ISIS-linked migrant was living in the U.S. for more than two years before his arrest.

ISIS gearing up for blood-soaked comeback amid Gaza conflict.

Sources include:

NBCNews.com

Express.co.uk

EFE.com
Former Israeli ombudsman warns of IMMINENT COLLAPSE if conflict with Palestinian and Lebanese groups continues

Former Israeli Ministry of Defense ombudsman Reserve Gen. Itzhak Brik has warned that Israel " faces collapse in less than a year " if the ongoing conflict with Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups continues at its current pace.

In an opinion piece published by Haaretz on Aug. 21, Brik asserts that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has begun to "sober up," noting Gallant's recent criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus promises of "total victory" in Gaza, which Gallant dismissed as "gibberish."

Brik suggests that Gallant is coming to terms with the reality that the war has lost its purpose.

"We are sinking into the mud, losing fighters who are killed and wounded, with no chance of achieving the main goal," Brik writes. He warns that if the war of attrition against Hamas and Hezbollah persists, Israel could face collapse within a year.

Brik outlines several critical threats facing Israel ten months into its campaign in Gaza, including escalating attacks within Israeli territory, a manpower crisis in the military due to high casualties, a deteriorating economy exacerbated by global calls for boycotts, potential embargoes on arms shipments, and growing internal divisions and hatred that could destabilize the country. (Related: Israel is on the verge of economic and mental health collapse as corporations shutter operations and new projects are cancelled)

"All paths of political and military leadership lead Israel towards a precipice  Israel is in an existential spiral, and it may soon reach a point of no return," Brik concludes.

Brik's dire warning comes amid revelations from Israeli political sources that Prime Minister Netanyahu has not altered his stance on the terms for a Gaza ceasefire following a recent conversation with President Joe Biden.

Ceasefire negotiations are expected to resume in Cairo in the coming days, but Hamas will be absent from the talks.

The Palestinian group has rejected a new American-backed proposal and remains firm in its demand for Israel to adhere to the terms of an earlier agreement made on July 2. Hamas argues that the revised proposal would grant Israel "more time to continue its war of genocide against our people."

Israel continues cross-border conflict with Hezbollah

The Israel-Lebanon border situation remains tense, marked by frequent exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Despite fears of a major conflict following the Oct. 7 attacks, both sides have mostly engaged in low-intensity skirmishes, though the risk of severe escalation and mass casualties remains high.

Over 400 people have been killed in Lebanon and 30 in Israel, with about 150,000 displaced. This ongoing conflict, which began in earnest after Hezbollah's 1982 formation, saw its most intense moment during the 2006 war triggered by Hezbollahs kidnapping of Israeli soldiers.

The war caused significant damage and cost Lebanon over $10 billion in reconstruction, largely funded by Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Today, the geopolitical landscape makes future reconstruction even more challenging.

In northern Israel, residents fear Hezbollah attacks, while those in southern Lebanon suffer from IDF strikes, exacerbating Lebanons fragile socioeconomic situation.

Hezbollahs arsenal, supplied by Iran and Russia, includes over a million rockets and advanced weaponry.

Despite Israel's superior missile capabilities, it faces internal and external pressures, highlighted by Benny Gantz's resignation from the war cabinet and growing international criticism over its Gaza operations.

The West Bank adds to Israels security challenges, with rising violence and criticism of its handling of the Gaza conflict. International support for Israel is waning as global discontent grows. Hezbollahs controversial role and its ties with Iran further complicate the regions stability.

The situation remains precarious, with no strong desire for further escalation amid significant regional and international pressures.

Learn the latest news coming out of Israel at IsraelCollapse.com.

Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how Israel justifies the atrocities it commits against Palestinians.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Israel about to escalate war with Lebanon because they politically need to keep the war going.

Israeli tourism industry in collapse as 10% of the countrys hotels at risk of shutting down.

Members of Israeli negotiating team accuse Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging ceasefire deal.

Sources include:

TheCradle.co

TheConversation.com

Brighteon.com
Jack Daniels axes woke training ahead of next Robby Starbuck expose about corporate DEI indoctrination

One by one, America's woke corporations are abandoning their anti-white crusades now that commentator and filmmaker Robby Starbuck is exposing all of them as part of what some media outlets are describing as "an anti-woke crusade."

The latest United States-based corporation to shut down its diversity, inclusion and equity (DIE) division  also known as DEI for diversity, equity and inclusion in popular media  is Jack Daniel's, which decided to end its anti-white agenda ahead of Starbuck's planned expose on the whisky manufacturer.

After Starbuck announced on X that Jack Daniel's was his next target, Brown-Forman Corp., the parent company of Jack Daniel's, took action by:

1) Ending all participation in the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) so-called Corporate Equality Index social credit system

2) Issuing all executive and employee bonuses and goals based on business performance rather than DEI compliance

3) Ending all "quantitative workforce and supplier diversity ambitions"

4) Ceasing all woke training seminars for employees

"They must have been tipped off by us going through employee LinkedIn pages," Starbuck commented about this preliminary move by Jack Daniel's to cut all the woke DEI nonsense ahead of Starbuck's expose, which would have generated a whole lot of additional bad press for the company.

Big news: The next company we were set to expose was @JackDaniels_US. They must have been tipped off by us going through employee LinkedIn pages. They just preemptively announced that theyll be making these changes:  Ending participation in the @HRCs Corporate Equality pic.twitter.com/0O1DkkIKrO  Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 22, 2024

(Related: The entire anti-DEI industry is collapsing as woke America runs out of political and social steam.)

Woke DEI losing its luster, popularity

Starbuck shared an email from Jack Daniel's company executives to their employees notifying them of the "evolving" situation surrounding its DEI and woke protocols.

After launching DEI and woke protocols back in 2019, Brown-Forman has decided that there are "new dynamics at play" that require the company to shift gears or else face business losses.

"With these new dynamics at play, we must adjust our work to ensure it continues to drive business results while appropriately recognizing the current environment in which we find ourselves," the email reads in part.

The purpose behind Starbuck's exposes is to drive increased boycotts against companies that engage in anti-white DEI and woke programming against their employees. The expose series has been such a success that other companies like Harley-Davidson Inc., Tractor Supply Co., and Deere & Co. have all reversed or abolished their anti-white programs as well.

"The goal of DEI is equity, which is essentially a rebranding of socialism," says mathematician turned culture critic and author James Lindsay.

"Diversity is the means of installing political officers to enforce equity. Inclusion and belonging are the tools by which political officers will be concentrated, and the means by which opponents and dissidents will be removed."

In the comments, people are ecstatic about what Starbuck is accomplishing and hoping it will continue.

"Robby is the Woke Terminator!" one said. "Godspeed!"

Another compared what Robby is doing to what AIPAC does as it "threatens politicians that criticize Israel."

"Except that this is a force for good," this person emphasized about how Robby is doing something good while AIPAC is doing something bad. "Once you take down a handful, the rest fall in line. Keep up the good work."

There are still a whole lot more companies that need to abolish their DEI woke programming, warned another, including major names like 3M Co., Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., AT&T Inc., BASF Corp., Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc., BlackRock, Boeing Co., Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., Coca-Cola Co., and many others.

As they say: go woke, get broke. Learn more at Wokies.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
TRULY CLUELESS: Kamala Harris still has no policies on website after Democratic Convention

Vice President Kamala Harris still has no policies on her website, five weeks after joining the presidential race and a week after the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, as the presidential race heads into the final weeks.

(Article by Joel B. Pollak republished from Breitbart.com)

Harriss website includes a brief biography of the candidate, plus one of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. It includes a take action tab that lets supporters add their name to a list, a store with campaign merchandise, and donate button.

But there are no policies. Last week, during the convention, former President Donald Trumps campaign unveiled a parody website, kamala2024policies.com, that lists Harriss policies is based on her past radical policy statements.

Her past policies include support for Medicare for All, and ending private health insurance; the Green New Deal, and banning fracking; an open border, and decriminalizing illegal migration; defunding or cutting funding to police; support for medical treatments for transgender kids, regardless of parental rights; pushing a ceasefire in Gaza, even if that means leaving Hamas in power; and abortion on demand, until birth. These are deeply unpopular positions.

Harriss policies can be presumed to include the Democratic Party platform, which the convention passed last week, unanimously and without any amendments, even though it still refers to President Joe Biden as the partys candidate and does not include the word Kamala once. The platform incorporates existing Biden administration policies.

Harriss only policy statements thus far have included price controls that have been universally panned; massive tax hikes  up to $5 trillion worth; and spending proposals that would provide $25,000 in down payments for first-time home buyers, including illegal aliens.

Harris has provided few other specifics, and does not answer press questions.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
Mystery surrounding alien mummies in Peru continues to grow with more specimens being discovered

The mystery surrounding Peru's so-called "alien mummies" continues to grow with new footage revealing three additional figures, including a severed "alien skull," reportedly discovered by Peruvian tomb raiders. These tomb raiders are believed to have uncovered most of the dozen or so strange specimens now causing a stir.

The video shows two bodies, each about five feet tall and with features that are not human, including what appears to be a large, elongated skull. Both mummies are covered in a white substance, identified as fossilized algae, which is consistent with previously discovered specimens over the past year. These new finds are adding to the growing collection of unusual artifacts.

The unsteady footage apparently shot with a handheld phone, comes as lawmakers in the United States have finally committed to investigating these Peruvian oddities to uncover their origins. Forensic experts from the U.S., who examined a collection of these "alien mummies" back in April, are now urging the Peruvian government to allow the bodies to be transported to America for further study in U.S. laboratories.

Joshua McDowell, a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor who obtained the new video, has helped assemble a team of senior forensic specialists to uncover the truth behind what has become known as Peru's "Nazca tridactyl mummies."

One of the team members, Joshua's father, Dr. John McDowell, discussed the numerous diplomatic, legal and scientific challenges that need to be addressed to properly analyze these mummies in the United States.

In an exclusive interview, Dr. McDowell outlined the key procedures that could ultimately determine whether these bodies are part of a sophisticated hoax. He also expressed amazement at the sheer number of these Nazca tridactyl specimens  named for their three-toed feet and three-fingered hands  seen in the new video. (Related: "Mermaid" mummy in Japan could be a terrifying monkey-fish hoax, researchers say.)

Referring to six of the 10 mummies he examined during his April visit to Peru, Dr. McDowell noted that he had seen bodies with extra fingers or toes, or missing digits due to genetic factors, but never a large group like this  all tridactyl organisms.

Dr. McDowell, a forensic odontologist who previously assisted law enforcement with dental identifications, said he had never encountered anything like the Nazca mummies. The group he saw in April number between six and 10 and the recent video shows two more beings with long, slender, claw-like toes.

Critics remain skeptical of mummies' alleged extraterrestrial origins

Latin American historian at Penn State Christopher Heaney remains unconvinced that the remains are anything other than human. He cited two key historical factors that support his doubts about the so-called "alien" bodies.

First, Heaney pointed to the ancient Andean practice of "head binding," which has been well documented by both Spanish colonists and local communities in Peru. This practice involved reshaping the skulls to create elongated heads, similar to the ones seen in the purported "alien" mummies. However, there is no evidence linking this custom to indigenous legends or myths about beings from the sky or stars.

Heaney believes there's no "mystery" if one considers the accounts from 16th-century Spaniards and Andean people, who documented that head binding was common practice. Heaney explained that various groups in the Andes had engaged in this practice for over two millennia  binding children's skulls with bandages or other materials to achieve a shape that was culturally valued.

According to Heaney, it is highly unlikely that the locals adopted this practice due to contact with extraterrestrial beings, as no such stories exist in the region's folklore. One of the most comprehensive studies of this practice was conducted by Cornell University anthropologist Matthew Velasco and was published in 2018.

Second, Heaney highlighted the long history of black market trafficking, careless reburial of both real and fake Peruvian antiquities and tomb raiding. This chaotic history has created significant confusion around the authenticity of many historical artifacts in the region.

Heaney noted that this situation is part of a broader issue  emphasizing the need to investigate and understand the past more thoroughly.

The extensive history of tomb raiding in the region further amplifies Heaney's doubts about the authenticity of the "alien mummies." Heaney, who authored "Empires of the Dead," a book on Peru's Inca mummies, explained in a recent interview that tomb raiding and looting have been prevalent since the Spanish invasion of Peru in 1532. The Spanish quickly learned that Andean lords and Inca royalty were buried with significant wealth. As long as looters reported their finds to the colonial authorities and shared a portion of the treasures, including gold and silver, such activities were considered "legal."

This centuries-long exploitation of Peru's archaeological sites has led to a confusing mix of genuine ancient artifacts and hastily made items intended to attract buyers in the antiquities market.

Watch this video about an alien mummy being found.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Best archaeological discoveries of 2022.

Examination of Japanese mermaid mummy yields surprising results.

Why are so many extremely bizarre "mystery creatures" starting to appear all over the planet?

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk 1

NYPost.com

Community.UbiquityUniversity.org

DailyMail.co.uk 2

AS.Cornell.edu

Brighteon.com
Experts warn Oct. 7 attack would look like a picnic compared to when Hezbollah launches major assault on Israel

Experts have issued grave warnings that Hezbollah may be poised to launch a major assault on Israel following a decade of meticulous planning and the development of an extensive tunnel network.

Analysts monitoring Hezbollah's activities in southern Lebanon have suggested that the scale of a potential attack could dwarf the October 7 incident, turning it into a relatively minor event in comparison.

Hezbollah's tunnel network serves various functions, including facilitating military operations, smuggling and storing weapons. Recent footage released by the group has provided unsettling glimpses into this subterranean infrastructure, showing missile launch sites within the tunnels. (Related: Hezbollah launches 200 rockets, drones toward Israel following killing of senior commander.)

Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi, a former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence analyst with decades of experience studying Hezbollah, has expressed concerns about the unprecedented risk posed by the group.

She highlighted that Hezbollahs firepower is roughly ten times greater than that of Hamas, with a total military force of around 50,000 personnel, including up to 5,000 elite troops ready to cross into Israel.

The group's tunnel network is extensive, with some tunnels large enough to accommodate trucks, complete with electricity and air conditioning.

Hezbollah's arsenal includes over 200,000 rockets, guided missiles and drones, which may be sufficient to overwhelm Israel's Iron Dome and David's Sling air defense systems.

Zehavi warned that once an attack begins, it could continue for months and might involve coordinated actions from Iran, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank, suggesting a broad, multi-front campaign against Israel.

Her extensive research, including the analysis of distressing footage, indicates that Hezbollah has been preparing for an October 7-style assault in the north for years.

The plans include detailed strategies for hostage-taking, terrorizing civilians and seizing and holding territory, particularly in the northern Galilee region.

The Radwan Force, Hezbollahs most elite unit, is expected to spearhead any invasion.

Formed after Hezbollahs last conflict with Israel in 2006 and trained by Iran, the Radwan Force is highly specialized. Its members have undergone rigorous training in hand-to-hand combat, sniper shooting, anti-tank warfare, bomb-making and drone operations.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards' "Sabeerin" commando unit instructors have also played a significant role in their training.

Recent events heighten fears of larger regional conflict

The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas leader and subsequent retaliatory actions by Hezbollah have heightened fears of a larger regional conflict.

On August 3, Hezbollah fired approximately 30 rockets from Lebanon toward northern Israels Galilee region. Israels Iron Dome Defense system intercepted most of the missiles and no casualties were reported.

Hezbollah has recently showcased its hidden terror tunnel network in a chilling video, revealing vast underground corridors capable of housing large weapons shipments.

The footage features heavily armed militants navigating the tunnels, with trucks transporting enormous missiles. The video also shows the tunnel network's extensive layout, including military technology and computer systems.

The narrator ominously declares that the resistance now has precision-guided and non-guided missiles ready, implying that any war with Hezbollah will be far more severe than anticipated.

In response, the U.K., the U.S. and France have advised their citizens to evacuate Lebanon as fears of a broader regional conflict continue to mount.

Hezbollah's capabilities and plans pose a significant challenge to Israeli security, with the potential for a devastating conflict extending across the region.

Read more news about the conflict in Israel at IsraelCollapse.com.

Watch this report from Al Jazeera discussing Hezbollah's recent missile barrage involving over 200 rockets aimed at military installations in Israel.

This video is from the channel Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Hezbollah unveils vast tunnel network capable of launching missiles.

Hezbollah unveils SECRET MISSILE BUNKER in Southern Lebanon amid rising tensions with Israel.

Iran accused of supplying Hezbollah with EMP WEAPONS that can disable Israeli military tech almost instantly.

Sources include:

The-sun.com
MORE LOOT: Ukraines globalist backers eyeing TREASURES from now-banned Orthodox denomination

Ukraine's globalist backers are eyeing treasures from the now-banned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the country's largest Orthodox denomination.

Ekaterina Blinova of Sputnik News reported that the government in Kyiv inked an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last year about the removal of Orthodox Christian treasures from the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra site. The location is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is deemed one of the most sacred sites by the UOC. According to Blinova, the agreement was signed amid ongoing acts of repression against Orthodox priests in Ukraine over their alleged ties to Russia.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) noted that the agreement involves the aforementioned treasures  including holy relics  from the site. These would be transferred to museums in Italy, France, Germany and the Vatican ostensibly to "save them from Russian missile strikes."

The Wall Street Journal revealed in a January report that 16 of the rarest Orthodox Christian icons had been removed from the Khanenko National Museum of Arts in Kyiv. These were then secretly transferred to France via Poland and Germany in May. Some of these were even put on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, the outlet added.

Blinova's report came days after the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, approved a law banning the UOC. Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak confirmed the law's passage on Aug. 20. According to Russia Today, 256 lawmakers voted in favor of the proposal, 29 voted against it and four abstained. (Related: Ukrainian parliament approves law BANNING the country's biggest Orthodox church.)

The proposal officially banned the UOC in the country, alongside the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and all religious institutions affiliated with it. However, the UOC had earlier declared full autonomy from the ROC several weeks after the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.

Globalist linked to Soros and neocons involved in the plunder of UOC's treasures

According to the SVR, the transfer of the icons from Kyiv to Paris was arranged by the International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones (ALIPH). American business leader Thomas Kaplan, who served as ALIPH's chairman at the time, oversaw the transfer. The art collector is a private donor to the foundation and also sits on its board.

Blinova wrote in her piece for Sputnik News that Kaplan boasts a prominent collection of paintings by Dutch painter Rembrandt. But aside from this, he also appears to be heavily involved in politics. Moreover, Kaplan has also received substantial amounts from more prominent globalists.

Kaplan rose to prominence as a natural resources investor who received financial backing from Hungarian globalist billionaire George Soros. The $10 million "seed money" provided by Soros enabled Kaplan to establish Apex Silver Mines in the 1990s. While it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009, it emerged from that rut under the new name of Golden Minerals.

In 2010, Soros and American billionaire John Paulson invested a combined $175 million in Canadian mining firm NovaGold Resources. The move to invest in NovaGold  which had almost zero revenues  followed the lead of Kaplan.

Kaplan and French public intellectual Bernard-Henri Levy established in 2018 the nonprofit Justice for Kurds, which ostensibly challenged the interests of Tehran and Ankara under the guise of fighting for the Kurdish people. But according to Sputnik News, Levy appears to be cut from the same cloth as Soros and other globalists.

Levy gained fame for his support of the Maidan Uprising, which destabilized the government of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and led to his 2014 ouster. He also backed other "color revolutions" and supported the bombings of Yugoslavia and Libya.

Meanwhile, the globalist Kaplan is a top donor to the neoconservative United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). The nonprofit founded in 2008 seeks to prevent Iran from becoming a regional nuclear power through tough sanctions. Tehran announced in 2019 that it would designate UANI as a terrorist group.

Kaplan contributed a whopping $843,000 to UANI in 2013 alone. This donation did pay off as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) quashed a civil lawsuit against Kaplan and UANI that year over claims that it could undermine national security. Observers at the time called the DOJ's move "unprecedented."

Visit UkraineWitness.com for similar stories.

Watch this video about Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine's Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich planning to ban the UOC.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukraine bans main opposition party, seizes all its assets.

"Reconstruction bank" set up by globalist financiers to help Ukraine secure more than $411bn needed to rebuild.

War on CHRISTIANITY: West is mum on Ukraine's proposed legislation to ban Ukrainian Orthodox Church over alleged Russian ties.

Sources include:

SputnikGlobe.com

RT.com

Brighteon.com
TWISTED: British child rapist spared from prison because jails are overcrowded with anti-immigration protesters

A child rapist in England got away with no jail time simply because the prison is overcrowded with the recently arrested anti-mass immigration protesters.

Sexual predator Ross Newman of Newport was convicted of raping a child under 14 back in December 2023. He was able to dodge imprisonment after his defense lawyer urged the judge to consider the impact on prison overcrowding. The decision of the sentencing judge read: "The only reason you have escaped immediate custody today is because of the prison overcrowding crisis."

Newman was convicted again last week of violating the terms of his suspended sentence. However, he was again spared prison because facilities were still full to overflowing.

The reason why U.K. prisons are overcrowded is because of the anti-mass migration protesters that have been arrested recently. Both Labor and their Conservative predecessors have starved prison infrastructure of funding while lavishing billions on foreign aid and hotels for illegal immigrants. Now, as uprisings against the nation's weak immigration policies are mounted, draconian measures are being implemented for "petty crimes" committed by the rallyists. Offenses such as chanting "Who the f**k is Allah?" at demonstrations and sharing "grossly offensive" social media posts are considered unlawful.

More than 1,000 people have already been arrested in connection with "violent disorder" following the riots in England and Northern Ireland earlier this month, according to the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC). The riots erupted following the spread of misinformation online after three girls were killed in Southport. (Related: U.K. authorities have arrested more anti-mass migration protesters than human traffickers.)

U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has already announced emergency measures this month to release around 5,500 prisoners, many of whom could be violent criminals. Among those reportedly set for early release is Lawson Natty, convicted of manslaughter for his role in the killing of a 14-year-old in November 2022. Starmer blamed the emergency measures on "a basic failure" of his predecessor Rishi Sunak's government. "[These decisions are] having to be taken for one reason and one reason only and that is the terrible inheritance on prisons that we had as an incoming government from the previous government," he said.

Last Monday, the system known as "Operation Early Dawn" was activated. Prisons Minister Lord Timpson has said the emergency measures will help "manage the pressure felt in some parts of the country."

But the vice president of the Prison Governors' Association, Mark Icke, said he was "not sure" how much the measures will help as the prison system has been "lurching from crisis to crisis for some time."

Under the said project, defendants will only be summoned to a magistrates' court when a space in prison is ready for them. This means court cases could be delayed, with people kept in police cells or released on bail while they await trial. The Ministry of Justice said that anyone who "poses a risk to the public" will not be bailed and the police's ability to arrest criminals will not be affected.

Meanwhile, the police will continue to arrest anyone that they need to to keep the public safe, including policing protests and events and ensuring that people are arrested as expected, Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp of the NPCC said.

Survey: Reform U.K. voters believe rioters are treated too harshly

A YouGov survey conducted at the height of the unrest on Aug. 5 to 6 revealed that Conservatives (48 percent) and Labor and Lib Dem voters (57-58 percent) think that protesters' sentences were just about right. However, Reform U.K. voters are most likely to feel that the courts have been too harsh to the rallyists with half (51 percent) saying so, while only three in ten (29 percent) feel that they have received appropriate sentences.

Looking at the specific sentences, a few continue to feel that the sentences handed down have been too harsh but the public becomes significantly more likely to think those involved are getting off lightly.

According to the internet-based market research and data analytics firm, six in ten Britons (60 percent) feel that a certain individual who received a one-year sentence for charging a police officer was too light a punishment and warranted a longer sentence. Meanwhile, only five percent of the public felt the courts were too harsh.

Similarly, six percent believe that the legal system went too far with the four years and eight months for a selection of crimes like those committed in this case for criminal damage, burglary and violent disorder, including throwing missiles at police. The public, on the other hand, is more evenly split between the 44 percent of Britons who feel this was a fair sentence and the 44 percent who believe it didn't go far enough.

There's similarly eight to nine percent support among the British public on the idea that a six-year sentence and another of more than three years, for a cluster of violent disorder offenses are disproportionate. Nearly half of Britons 47 to 48 percent feel both sentences were appropriate, with 37 percent feeling both should have been harsher.

Meanwhile, the British public is not convinced the riots were being handled well, with only three in ten Britons (31 percent) feeling Starmer was doing a good job, against half (49 percent) who felt he was handling them badly. There was also skepticism that the courts would mete out justice, with just a third of the public (34 percent) feeling the courts would sentence the rioters effectively.

Visit Revolt.news to read more stories on civil uprisings, revolts and resistance to government tyranny.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

BBC.com

YouGov.co.uk
Iraqi Kurdish migrant convicted of attempted murder after pushing man onto train tracks in London

An Iraqi Kurdish migrant in the United Kingdom with a history of criminal offenses has been found guilty of attempted murder after pushing a 61-year-old postman in front of a London Underground train

In February, Brwa Shorsh, 24, who had been living on the streets of London since arriving in the U.K. in 2019, pushed postman Tadeusz Potoczek onto the tracks of an oncoming southbound Victoria Line train at Oxford Circus station. Shorsh accused Potoczek of giving him a "dirty look" and being "disrespectful" after three women allegedly laughed at him for being homeless.

Fortunately, the near-tragic incident was averted at the last second when train driver Robert Walk immediately hit the emergency brake, and commuter Oliver Matthews quickly pulled Potoczek back onto the platform. (Related: Illegal immigrant ARRESTED for sexually assaulting 13-year-old girl in Michigan.)

Shorsh fled the scene but was arrested hours later at Warren Street station after an officer recognized him from CCTV footage.

During Shorsh's trial on July 31, he admitted to losing his temper at the time and pushing Potoczek onto the tracks out of a desire for "revenge." Shorsh further described his actions as "scary," but denied realizing a train was approaching and insisted that he did not mean to take Potoczek's life.

However, the jury dismissed these justifications. Prosecutors argued that the attack was a "random piece of violence" against a man who had done nothing to provoke it.

In turn, the jury at Inner London Crown Court found him guilty of attempted murder after only 32 minutes of deliberation.

Judge Benedict Kelleher, who presided over the trial, even noted Shorsh's apparent lack of remorse throughout the proceedings, during which he was even seen at times smiling.

Shorsh has long history of criminal behavior in the U.K.

The trial has exposed that Shorsh has a long history of criminal behavior in the U.K., including convictions for assault, indecent acts and other offenses.

Based on the court hearings, Shorsh had 12 convictions for 21 offenses, including assaults, anti-social behavior and outraging public decency since arriving in the U.K. in 2019. The Home Office had initiated deportation proceedings against him due to a "pattern of regular serious offending."

However, Shorsh still delayed his deportation by filing an appeal with the Immigration Tribunal. His appeal was still in progress at the time of the attack on Potoczek.

Under the U.K. law, the Home Secretary is legally obligated to deport non-British and non-Irish criminals, particularly those sentenced to at least 12 months of imprisonment. There are also exceptions and ministerial discretion that allow for deportation if it is "conducive to the public good."

Shorsh is set to be sentenced on Sept. 26, where he is expected to face a lengthy prison term for his actions and his past record. If the Immigration Tribunal rules in favor of deportation, Shorsh could be sent back to the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq, his presumed country of origin, if the region is deemed safe enough by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Head over to Migrants.news for more stories about migrant criminals all over the world.

Watch Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb warning that "people who don't love America" are blending in with the gotaways that authorities fail to catch in the clip below.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Rep. Grothman: DHS monitoring over 600,000 illegals with CRIMINAL RECORDS.

Venezuela emptying prisons, CRIMINALS blending in with migrants trying to cross US border.

British court BLOCKS deportation of convicted migrant child rapist because "it would harm his mental health."

Illegal alien Tennessee soccer coach accused of drugging, raping little boys while FILMING pedophilic crimes.

Ecuadorian illegal assaults 13-year-old girl in broad daylight in New York park.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Yahoo.com

Brighteon.com
Sen. Rand Paul questions TSA for using terror watchlist to surveil Americans

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, questioned the recent screening procedures of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as it appears to be using terrorist watchlists as a way of surveilling Americans based on their political opinions.

In a letter addressed to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, Paul requested information in connection to whistleblowers' recent revelations, which raised concerns that the TSA's "Quiet Skies" program may have been improperly employed to target individuals based on their views and participation in constitutionally protected activities, rather than for legitimate security threats.

"Among the troubling allegations is the claim that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was subjected to heightened surveillance after she was added to the Quiet Skies list following her public criticism of the current administration," he said in the letter.

Gabbard was seemingly added to the watchlist after a Fox News interview during which she criticized the "Deep State." Now, she is suing the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over the matter.

Another case cited in the letter was that of the wife of a Federal Air Marshal Service officer being labeled a "domestic terrorist" and subjected to special mission coverage after attending a political rally in Washington, D.C. As per the source, TSA inaccurately recorded his wife, who has a documented mobility disability, as having unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Worse, with her physical limitations and with no criminal charges against her, TSA still kept her on a watchlist for more than three years, even assigning a federal air marshal to monitor her on a flight, even though she was traveling with her husband, who is also a federal air marshal.

"Taken together, these incidents seem to be part of a broader pattern in which TSA has repurposed Quiet Skies to surveil individuals based on their political activities, even when there is no evidence of wrongdoing," Paul said.

The senator has requested unredacted copies of all documents, guidelines, data and internal communications related to managing watchlists and screening procedures in the program.

Meanwhile, the Air Marshal National Council (AMNC) and the nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization Empower Oversight supported Paul's inquiry.

"AMNC strongly supports Ranking Member Rand Paul's aggressive oversight and letter demanding answers from TSA Administrator Pekoske," said Sonya LaBosco, AMNC executive director. "The Quiet Skies surveillance program must end. Quiet Skies is ineffective, wasteful and does nothing to make us safer."

"Whistleblowers are key to spotting and reporting abuses in government and the Quiet Skies surveillance of Tulsi Gabbard and others appear to be a gross waste of funds and abuse of authority. It's time for Congress and the Inspector General to get to the bottom of whether political retaliation played any role in adding Gabbard to the Quiet Skies list and ensure these abuses don't happen again," Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt said. (Related: 95% of bombs, guns and knives get past airport security while TSA agents grope Americans.)

TSA readies surveillance system for the record-breaking 17 million Labor Day travelers

Analysts are warning holidaymakers as Labor Day approaches, marking the unofficial end of summer, that they will be spied and surveilled by the TSA.

Airports, highways, beaches and popular tourist destinations are expected to be packed as Americans hit the road and take to the skies in droves.

Being the busiest travel period in the United States, rivaling other major holidays like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas travel, TSA anticipates screening more than 17 million passengers. The agency's busiest day is expected to be Friday, with 2.86 million travelers passing through security.

"People are traveling more than ever this summer and TSA along with our airline and airport partners stand ready to close the busiest summer travel period on record during this upcoming Labor Day weekend," said Pekoske. "I commend our vigilant workforce, from our TSOs on the front lines at airport security checkpoints across the country to those behind the scenes, working hard to keep the transportation system secure, especially as we continue to roll out new checkpoint technology that improves security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience."

The system TSA has in place, critics argue, has more "spying power." The agency is staffed to meet its 10-minute wait time standards and under in TSA PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes and under in standard screening lanes.

TSA recommends airline passengers travel with ease by enrolling in the TSA "PreCheck Trusted Traveler Program," where members do not need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, food items and light jackets at the checkpoint.

Meanwhile, airlines are increasing their flight schedules to accommodate the surge and AAA Travel reports that domestic travel bookings are up nine percent compared to last year.

American Airlines, for example, is planning its largest Labor Day weekend operation ever, with a 14 percent increase in passengers compared to last year. The carrier has scheduled 6,400 flights on Thursday and Friday, followed by 6,300 flights on Labor Day. These numbers underscore the importance of planning and preparing for potential delays and disruptions.

Surveillance.news has more stories like this.

Watch the video below that talks about TSA and DOJ's response to why Americans were added to the terror watchlist.

This video is from MyPodcastDropped2320 channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

FAA reauthorization bill approves use of digital IDs at airports.

ABSURD: Migrants allowed to travel without showing proper identification at U.S. airports.

Homeland Security agent posing as Secret Service spotted during J.D. Vance rally in Detroit.

Sources include:

Modernity.news

HSGAC.Senate.gov [PDF]

TravelAndTourworld.com

Brighteon.com
Sermon 18: Mike Adams discusses the POMEGRANATE fruit as natural medicine and miracle from God

The Health Ranger Mike Adams discussed the pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum) as both a natural medicine and a "miracle from God and Mother Nature" during his 18th sermon on the "Health Ranger Report," part of his 100 Sermons series.

According to Adams, the miracles of creation help purify a person's blood, body and brain. Physically cleansing the body from toxins, cancer cells, parasites and others is the appropriate way to do this. One way to achieve this purification is through pomegranates, which have been associated with being close to God and higher spiritual acuity.

"In other words, the pathway to get closer to God is to first purify your body," Adams said. "And it is these fruits like pomegranate and other superfoods that allow us to do that."

The Natural News and Brighteon.com founder noted that P. granatum contains "powerful anti-cancer nutrients and anti-parasitic nutrients." These nutrients called polyphenols include betulinic acid, ursolic acid and gallic acid. These three are all recognized as experimental anti-tumor agents, with gallic acid being known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Adams stressed that while the sweet and crunchy pomegranate seeds contain antioxidants, the fruit's bitter parts  particularly the inner rind  contain its cancer-fighting compounds. (Related: Pomegranate juice has DRAMATIC effects in slowing the development of prostate cancer.)

Moreover, the Health Ranger cited James Duke's 2007 work "Herbs of the Bible" for other ailments that pomegranate addresses. Such health issues include infertility, estrogen deficiency, inflammation of the eyelid, bronchitis, painful menstruation, mouth sores and sore throat.

Pomegranate's bitter parts can be used against PARASITES

According to Adams, the pomegranate's rich color  caused by the various tannins that are synthesized in the plant  makes it very useful for tanning leather and dyeing textiles. It is even made into wine and added to salads.

P. granatum, which is known as an astringent and an aphrodisiac, has also been used across multiple cultures. In the Philippines, its leaves are used for oral aliments while its flowers were used in ancient Persia to relieve painful gums.

India's Ayurvedic medicine tradition also lauds the pomegranate, Adams continued. Pomegranate rind is used to treat worms and parasites, diarrhea and dysentery. Meanwhile, pomegranate bark and seeds are used to treat bronchitis.

Just like in Ayurveda, the pomegranate's real benefits come with the use of the rind. The bitter compounds in the rind kill the parasites already in a person's digestive tract. Moreover, Adams also mentioned that pomegranate leaves contain nutrients that inhibit viruses.

"We have an antiviral drug, so to speak. We have textile dyes, we have anti-cancer nutrients, we have nutrients that treat fertility. Now, pomegranates are especially known for helping to prevent prostate cancer. No wonder God sees pomegranates as a blessing onto humanity," he said.

"If there's one fruit that most closely indicates the message from God of the abundance of food and medicine in a bright, beautiful package that technically needs no pesticides or herbicides  that's already sort of pest resistant because of the hard outer shell  pomegranates fit the bill. And this is why I think pomegranates have long been associated with abundance."

Follow Superfoods.news for more stories about the pomegranate fruit.

Listen to the 18th sermon from the Health Ranger Mike Adams where he discusses pomegranate as a natural medicine and a miracle from God.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Pomegranates can be difficult to crack open, but they offer a lot of health benefits.

Pomegranates are a powerful nutritional preventive for inflammation-related diseases.

Bioactive compounds in pomegranate peel can protect against bacterial infection, says study.

Survival medicine: Are you familiar with the medicinal uses of pomegranates?

4 Health benefits of pomegranate, an ancient superfood.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Health.com

Ayurveda.AlandiAshram.org
Solar panels installed in Europe vulnerable to CYBERATTACKS, ethical hacker reveals

An ethical hacker from the Netherlands has warned that solar panels installed in Europe are vulnerable to cyberattacks from hostile nations

According to Euractiv, the Dutch white hat hacker inadvertently revealed this weakness that could grant control of millions of smart solar panel systems to adversaries. Investigative outlet Follow The Money further disclosed that the hacker managed to gain access to these systems using a backdoor.

The hacker's discovery bolstered the findings of a 2023 study by the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) warning that many solar panel converters (SPCs) did not meet cybersecurity requirements. SPCs ensure that the sunlight captured by solar panels can be converted into electricity.

The RDI, which is tasked with maintaining and safeguarding Dutch digital infrastructure, analyzed nine SPC for the 2023 study. Five of these showed signs of risk, leading the agency to issue advice to the makers of these converters. The RDI told these companies to improve their security to meet legal requirements, which will apply from Aug. 1 onward.

"Many converters cause interference and are cyber insecure. This causes wireless devices nearby, for example, to fail or malfunction and solar panel installations can be hacked," the study reads. It also found that not one of the analyzed solar panel converters met the requirements for cybersecurity, as they are "easily hacked, remotely disabled or used for DDoS [distributed denial of service] attacks."

John Derksen, equipment director at the RDI, said attacks against Dutch solar panel infrastructure have become more realistic "given our current geopolitical situation" since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

"If you launch an organized action on that, turning off all the converters at once and turning them on again, you will get spikes in your power grid. That can topple the power grid. Then the whole Netherlands could run out of power," he warned.

Hacker's discovery highlights need to SECURE the power grid

Euractiv noted that in 2022, solar energy provided roughly 14 percent of the Netherlands' energy supply. The share of solar power in the European grid has surged from one percent in 2010 to nine percent last year. But alongside this rise, the disruptive potential of a cyberattack on solar panels has also grown.

Given this, European Union industry association SolarPower Europe reiterated in a statement that the continent "needs more robust cybersecurity rules for distributed energy sources." SolarPower Europe's Deputy CEO Dries Acke also stressed following the Dutch hacker's discovery: "Devices that can be centrally coordinated or managed  for example, aggregated rooftop solar installations  must be subject to an EU or nationally authorized layer of monitoring."

A July 24 report by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) found that the union is ill-prepared for a coordinated attack on its energy infrastructure, whether by a foreign state or by malicious entities within. The ENISA report noted that with electricity being so essential, any attack on Europe "attracts considerable pre-positioning activity by advanced threat actors" in the power sector should they aim at "executing a destructive attack."

Even the Solar Energy Technologies Office, which is under the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, warned of such dangers. According to the office, solar energy technologies such as inverters and control devices designed to help manage the electric power grid are at risk of being targeted by cyberattacks. Such devices are at higher risk of being impacted when connected to the internet, it added.

Check out SolarPanels.news for similar stories.

Watch this clip for homeowners about protecting solar panels ahead of an EMP attack.

This video is from the OneHouseOffTheGrid.com channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Solar panels from China are made in slave labor camps, but Democrats see no problem with that because human rights abuses reflect their own left-wing values.

Solar panels made with the heavy metal lead may soon be able to use green element BISMUTH instead.

Bidens tariffs to drive up prices of canned goods, solar panels as Bidenflation intensifies.

Green energy isnt: New analysis tears down lies about renewables, reveals solar panels to be carbon-intensive.

Canadian wildfire smoke blocking sun, causing solar panels to produce 50% less energy.

Sources include:

ClimateDepot.com

Euractiv.com 1

Euractiv.com 2

Energy.gov

Brighteon.com
Trump advocates stronger immigration policies and border security

Former President Donald Trump has visited the United States' southern border with Mexico to advocate stronger immigration policies and border security

The event, part of a nationwide tour titled "Make America Safe Again," was held in Sierra Vista, Arizona the same day Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Aug. 22.

During the visit, Trump, who reiterated his stance on the importance of strong border security, met with the sheriff of Cochise County, Border Patrol officials, local law enforcement and families who lost loved ones to crimes committed by immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally since President Joe Biden took office in 2021.

"What Biden and Kamala have done to the families here with me and so many others, thousands and thousands of others, not only killed but also really badly hurt, badly hurt to a point where theyll never lead a normal life again. Its shameful, and its evil You need strong borders and strong elections, and we have neither," Trump told the crowd, claiming that the Biden administration has weakened national security.

In line with this, Trump pledged to initiate the largest deportation effort in U.S. history if reelected in November. He called for stringent penalties for "illegal immigrant criminals," including a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence for human smugglers, life imprisonment for convicted child traffickers and death penalty for sex traffickers or major drug offensives. Additionally, Trump proposed the death penalty for any illegal immigrant convicted of killing a law enforcement official. (Related: Trump vows to implement the largest domestic deportation operation in American history if re-elected as president in 2024.)

Trump: Kamala supports open borders

Moreover, Trump accused Harris of supporting "open borders" and allowing a "nation-wrecking border invasion" as 20 million illegal immigrants from 158 countries entered the U.S. during Harris' tenure as vice president. He then warned the crowd that Harris' support for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the closure of detention facilities and free health care to undocumented immigrants could lead to "mass amnesty" and further strain on Social Security and Medicare.

The former president stressed that his immigration and border policies contradict those of Harris. He said the focus under his leadership would be on deporting criminals rather than offering them amnesty. "The choice is simple: Kamala's mass amnesty of criminals or President Trump's deportation of criminals," Trump said.

This Arizona visit came a day after Democrats criticized Trump at the DNC for his border policies.

Democratic officials at the convention argued that they are providing the true leadership needed on border issues and not Trump.

"When it comes to the border, hear me when I say, 'You know nothing, Donald Trump,'" said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), who represents the border city of El Paso. "He and his Republican imitators see the border and immigration as a political opportunity to exploit instead of an issue to address."

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat, also accused Trump of failing to support local law enforcement in border towns. He even dismissed the former presidents border visits as a self-serving photo opportunity.

"When Donald Trump comes down to Texas, stands next to officers in uniforms just like mine, he's not there to help us. Don't think that for a second. He is a self-serving man," Salazar said.

Visit Trump.news for more stories about the former president's 2024 campaign.

Watch Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies discussing the prospect of America accepting Palestinian refugees below.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

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Trump campaign launches initiative encouraging Republicans to embrace early voting and mail-in, absentee ballot options.

Trump campaign raises $400M following hush money trial guilty verdict.

Sources include:

NTD.com

TV20Detroit.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
U.K. nurses plan to deny healthcare to anyone opposing unlimited illegal immigration

A registered trade union for those in the profession of nursing in the U.K. has just issued new guidelines on situations where they can refuse to treat and withdraw care from patients and this includes clients who would oppose illegal migration because they deem them "racists."

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) indicated in the Aug. 6 updated guidelines that some situations may justify refusing treatment, withdrawing care or finding an alternative.

"In response to comments made by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, we've updated our guidance on when and how members can refuse to treat a patient in their care. We recognize that every patient interaction is unique and this will be the most difficult decision for RCN members," RCN said in a statement on its website.

According to RCN, the new set of rules is related to the ongoing racist attacks. It claimed that most of them have targeted nursing staff. The health secretary reportedly expressed commitment to dealing with the "racist abuse of all health workers" and decided that this is grounds for turning away patients.

"I am demanding the government ensures anybody targeting our members pays a very heavy price. Hearing that nurses going to work in Sunderland came under attack is unforgivable," Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN general secretary and chief executive said. "Migrant nursing staff are precious members of our communities, hardwired into the very DNA of our health and care services. Our international colleagues are welcome, valued and owed a debt of gratitude."

RCN said that "racism has no place in our society" and as an anti-racist organization, it will take a lead part in tackling this hatred.

The guidelines indicate that nurses can decline and stop treating patients in the following circumstances:

"Where there exists, or there is fear of, physical violence; where there is discriminatory behavior, including racism; where there are health and safety hazards e.g. lack of appropriate equipment; where the care required is outside the scope of competence or training; where there is a conscientious objection, where the client/patient is known to you in a personal capacity and where you are asked to do something unlawful or in breach of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code."

For healthcare entrepreneur Jonathan Engler, this professional body essentially acting as a social justice organization, "represents an egregious abandonment of longstanding ethical principles"  especially when this particular organization is "simply parroting the government position that anyone who expresses any concern whatsoever about unfettered immigration must automatically be a racist."

Engler pointed out the particular entry that determines the discriminatory behavior of the patients. "Who is to judge what is racist? Are 95-year-olds who don't keep up with the latest approved language and use outmoded words such as 'colored' to be refused treatment because they are "racist?'"

"The whole point of sacrosanct ethical principles (and inalienable rights for that matter) is that they don't depend on the prevailing circumstances, since the consideration of such leaves far too much room for post-hoc justification of leaving patients frighteningly vulnerable to the ideological whims of their careers," he argued. (Related: Dying man refused right to try ivermectin, put on ventilator in a hospital that REFUSES to administer treatments that work.)

SRA supports totalitarianism and suppression of speech

Meanwhile, the Solicitor's Regulatory Authority (SRA), the body responsible for regulating the professional conduct of more than 125,000 solicitors and other authorized individuals at more than 11,000 firms, as well as those working in-house at private and public sector organizations in England and Wales, is also following a totalitarian ideology mirrored in the new RCN guidelines.

Solicitor Lois Bayliss has been accused by the SRA of acting "against mainstream science" because she sent out anti-vaccine letters. The SRA alleged that for less than three weeks in February 2022, she sent letters to up to 450 individuals at up to 237 schools and general practitioner surgeries threatening that recipients would face criminal and civil liability.

Bayliss applied to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to be allowed to adduce expert statements on medicine and ethics when her case is heard in September. Dr. Peter Fields said the solicitor had a right to use this evidence to defend herself in light of assumptions being made in the SRA's case. But the tribunal rejected the application, urging both parties to focus on the nature of the allegations rather than enter into wider discussions about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. SRA ruled that she needed to be able to bring experts who would provide an alternative view.

What happened with the SRA case is "consistent with the complete lack of debate permitted anywhere by any major government around the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and this appears to be an example of a supposedly independent institution doing the government's dirty work in suppressing debate," Expose's Rhoda Wilson commented.

Head over to MedicalTyranny.com to read more stories similar to this.

Sources for this article include:

Expose-News.com

RCN.org.uk 1

RCN.org.uk 2

SanityUnleashed.Substack.com

LawGazette.co.uk
Ultra-vaccinated Dr. FAUCI suffers THIRD case of COVID which somehow devolved into West Nile infection

The ultra-vaccinated, routinely-masked Dr. Anthony Fauci recently suffered from a reported THIRD case of COVID in August. That COVID eventually devolved into an extremely rare West Nile infection that required further hospitalization and isolation.

Stupidity of The Science on full display

Right now, the Science himself is reeling from serious immune failure that was imparted by the biological weapons (COVID-19 vaccines) that he locked Americans down for and mandated for the financial benefit of NIAID scientists such as himself. Despite avoiding crowds, routinely choking on his own carbon dioxide and not attending his own daughters wedding, his third case of COVID and subsequent West Nile infection has led to severe illness and hospitalization.

After being hospitalized for six days, the 83-year-old former director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) is now at home trying to recuperate. According to the definition of West Nile virus, his symptoms have included body aches, diarrhea, fever and rash. Since the COVID scandal began, these symptoms have, at one time or another, been labeled COVID, but in this case, doctors are calling Faucis severe illness West Nile.

"Tony Fauci has been hospitalized with a case of West Nile virus. He is now home and is recovering. A full recovery is expected," said a spokesperson for the beleaguered public health servant.

Heavily-vaccinated Fauci is still getting sick and hospitalized, despite vaccine narratives

Since 2021, Fauci has reportedly taken the initial two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, along with an additional six booster shots. He is also routinely jabbed for flu strains, year after year. Fauci, who has recently warned about respiratory syncytial virus, is most likely vaccinated with the newest RSV vaccines, too - according to federal guidelines for adults older than 60.

Interestingly, Fauci has no idea where these body aches, diarrhea, fever and rash came from or how he got this West Nile diagnosis. West Nile is a vector borne disease and requires contact with mosquitoes. For the most part, the man lives in a bubble and is not in contact with things like mosquitoes. Even if he did have contact with mosquitoes, West Nile is extremely rare. According to the CDC, there have only been 216 human cases of West Nile reported across 33 states this year.

The strange West Nile hospitalization comes at a time when Fauci was struggling with his third COVID infection. One of the narratives throughout the covid-19 scandal claims that the vaccinated experience a mild infection, are not hospitalized, and do not suffer severe infection. While Fauci was hospitalized for a week, having a West Nile diagnosis helps cover up the original COVID diagnosis, protecting the vaccines-prevent-hospitalization narrative. Regardless, he is sick and hospitalized and should receive our sympathy. Isnt it strange, he isnt getting sympathy this time around because of the lies he has told and the way he has abused his role.

In 2021, Fauci infamously declared with certainty: "If you get vaccinated, you are protected," and "When people get vaccinated, they can feel safe that they are not gonna get infected." He has been wrong, time and time again, and has been exposed lying about everything related to infectious disease.

Either way, the man continues to suffer from his own advice, contracting the very disease that should have been prevented years ago with his persistent social distancing, lockdowns, avoidance of people and routine vaccinations and boosters. The germaphobia, vaccination model of immunization continues to be proven fraudulent, and Dr. Fauci, along with other government leaders who pushed vaccines, are in the spotlight proving that none of it works, with their immune systems and cognitive function failing.

Sources include:

Zerohedge.com

NaturalNews.com

Dailymail.co.uk.

X.com

TheHill.com

Amazon.com
New complaint filed alleging that U.S. Postal Service (USPS) committed electoral fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election

A new development that merits attention. A complaint was filed on Friday before the U.S. District Court in Maryland presenting evidence that the USPS acted illegally in shipping at least one million mail-in ballots from a facility in Bethpage, New York to Pennsylvania on October 21, 2020. The suit was brought by attorney Brian Della Rocca, but the critical evidence was collected by two friends of mine  John Moynihan and Larry Doyle. Full disclosure, I have known John since 1998 and we were partners in BERG Associates, LLC. John, in my opinion, is one of the best financial and forensic investigators in the world. Hands down.

(Article by Larry Johnson republished from Sonar21.com)

Here is the bottom-line  the truck driver, Jesse Morgan, picked up a container filled with 20 Gaylord boxes. There were mail-in ballots in each of the Gaylords. A Gaylord can hold from 50,000 up to 100,000 ballots. Do the math  Mr. Morgan was transporting at least one million mail-in ballots (already filled in with signatures on the envelopes). So, what you say? The mail-in ballots are First Class mail. Every piece of First Class mail is supposed to be imaged per USPS regulations. The facility where Morgan picked up the load of ballots is ONLY certified for handling packages and Express Mail. There is no legal justification to account for those ballots to have passed through that warehouse.

Let me give you the highlights of the complaint and Johns affidavit.

As a result, allegations of problems with the delivery of mail-in ballots by the USPS were rampant and continue, to this day, to be challenged. As time passes, the allegations are not being disproven but, in fact, many of the allegations have turned out to be true. These allegations include, but are not limited to, lost mail-in ballots (which were subsequently found after the elections), late delivery of mail-in ballots, improperly post-marked mail-in ballots that were still allowed to proceed to their destination despite post-marks being provided on valid mail-in ballots, and fraudulent mail-in ballots being sent via USPS.

Johns affidavit gets to the heart of the matter:

On November 21, 2020, Doyle and I participated in a phone call with a contact (NC) who notified us of allegations that the United States Postal Service (USPS) experienced certain failures involving mail-in ballots during the 2020 Presidential Election and wondered if we would assist with the investigation. On November 24, 2020, Doyle and I met with NC and others in Arlington, VA to discuss the investigation and learn about the whistleblower, Jesse Richard Morgan, a truck driver employed by a contractor for the USPS who alleged he carried mail-in ballots among USPS facilities in Bethpage, NY, Harrisburg, PA, and Lancaster, PA (Affiant Morgan). On November 25, 2020, Doyle and I began our investigation in earnest and identified a few companies of interest and, within those companies, employees who may have information. As a result of Affiant Morgan, Doyle and I focused our investigation on the USPS facility on Grumman Road in Bethpage, NY (Grumman Road Facility). On November 27, 2020, I enlisted the assistance of former colleagues from the DEA who are retired and live near the Grumman Road Facility. On November 30, 2020, after learning the identities of several USPS employees within the Grumman Road Facility with whom Affiant Morgan had contact, Doyle and I conducted an interview with one such USPS employee (CI-1). CI-1 stated the following facts: a. CI-1 is involved with loading trucks at the Grumman Road Facility  known as an expeditor. b. CI-1 told us that the Grumman Road Facility has never processed firstclass mail and still does not process mail because the facility does not have the proper equipment to do so (allegedly known as an Oregon Machine). c. CI-1 stated that mail-in ballots were in the gaylords with signatures on the outside envelope at the facility on numerous occasions and asked a supervisor about what to do with them. d. CI-1 was told to just get them loaded onto the trailers for delivery and to get them to their destination. e. CI-1 told us that the Grumman Road Facility is only equipped to process packages and express mail, not first-class mail. f. Doyle and I asked a few more times if CI-1 was sure that ballots were seen at the Grumman Road Facility and CI-1 confirmed each time. On December 2, 2020, after having spoken with a Postal Inspector with knowledge of the Grumman Road Facility (CI-2), I asked if the Grumman Road Facility would receive and process first-class mail. CI-2 told me the following: a. The Grumman Road Facility only handles parcel post. b. Mail-in ballots should not have been delivered to the Grumman Road Facility because the facility does not have the processing machines (the Oregon Machine) required to handle the processing of first-class mail or bulk mail.

The goal of this lawsuit is to prevent the USPS from interfering in the upcoming election. It is important to note that the shipment picked up by Mr. Morgan was not the only one. It is the only one where John Moynihan and Larry Doyle obtained corroborating evidence.

The lawsuit seeks the following remedies:

Declaring that Marylands reliance on the United States Postal Service to deliver the ballots of its citizens is unconstitutional in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and a violation of the Maryland Constitution; Enjoining Defendants Lee and Summers and their respective agents, officers, employees, and successors, and all persons acting in concert with them, from allowing no-excuse mail-in voting until it can be shown that the United States Postal Service can adequately delivers all mail-in ballots to the boards of elections around the state; Enjoining Defendant USPS from participating in the collection and delivery of mail-in ballots;

It has taken four years for this to come to light. There was fraud in the 2020 Presidential election and the USPS played a critical role in making that happen. We will see where this goes.

You can find the complaint here  Case 1:24-cv-02442-ADC Document 1 Filed 08/22/24 Page 1 of 21. I will post a link once I find one.

Read more at: Sonar21.com
This partnership between Coforge and Salesforce is a significant move in the right direction, said Abhishek Gupta, CIO at DishTV, a leading Indian satellite TV broadcaster. The ENZO platform appears to address all the necessary requirements for businesses aiming to meet their sustainability goals.

As per the partnership statement, Coforge ENZO will address the entire spectrum of sustainability requirements, from capturing source data to fulfilling industry-mandated sustainability reporting.

Global push for net zero

The commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 is a crucial part of the global effort to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This goal, endorsed by 195 countries under the Paris Agreement, aims to balance the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere with the amount removed, effectively reducing humanitys net carbon footprint to zero.

As climate-related risks become more prominent, both regulatory bodies and consumers are increasingly demanding greater transparency and accountability from businesses regarding their environmental impacts.

The global pledge by 195 countries to achieve net zero by 2050 can only be realized if businesses operate in a mission-driven mode, added Gupta. This endeavor demands real-time tracking and reporting against clearly defined milestones.

Technology plays a pivotal role in helping organizations achieve their sustainability and net-zero goals. With advancements in data analytics, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, businesses can now more accurately measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprints.
PM Modi speaks to Biden, discusses Ukraine, Bangladesh

P

rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the situation in war-torn Ukraine and volatile Bangladesh with US President Joe Biden.

"Spoke to @POTUS@JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability," PM Modi said in a post on X.

The PM also briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and underscored India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy.

Both the leaders also expressed concern at the situation in Bangladesh, where protests led to the resignation and flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and an interim arrangement, headed by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, has taken charge.

"We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh", he added.

PM Modi conveyed his appreciation for President Biden's deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that the India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad, and agreed to remain in touch.

PM Modi also talked to another Quad fellow member, his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, earlier on Monday and both leaders took stock of progress in bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad.

"Delighted to speak to my friend Anthony Albanese. We took stock of progress in our bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad", he posted on X.

 PM Modi speaks to Biden, discusses Ukraine, Bangladesh

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Indonesia records 88 monkeypox cases since 2022

I

ndonesia has recorded 88 cases of monkeypox (mpox) since it was first detected in August 2022, according to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

In 2024 alone, the number of mpox cases has reached 14, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The cases in Indonesia are still under control, with a higher prevalence of the Clade IIB variant, which is recoverable and has a low fatality rate. All those who were sick have recovered," Sadikin told reporters on Monday in Jakarta.

Jakarta has reported the highest number of mpox cases at 59, followed by West Java with 13, Banten with nine, East Java and Yogyakarta each with three cases, and Riau with one case.

The government is readying 4,450 vaccine doses for 2,225 individuals, with each person slated to receive two doses to curb further spread. In 2023, 495 individuals were vaccinated.

Yudhi Pramono, the interim director general of disease control and prevention at the Health Ministry, said most of the mpox cases were detected between 2022 and 2024, with the greatest number reported in October 2023.

"Between 2022 and today, the fatality rate has been low and the majority of transmissions occurred through sexual contact," Yudhi said on Monday, as quoted by state media.

Last week, the World Health Organisation declared the mpox outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), sounding its highest possible alarm over the worsening situation.

The United Nations health agency also convened a meeting of experts to study the outbreak over concerns about the rise in cases in Congo and the virus's spread to nearby countries.

 Indonesia records 88 monkeypox cases since 2022

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Biden, PM Modi back UN charter-based end to Ukraine conflict, says White House

U

S President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi have affirmed their support for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war "in accordance with international law and on the basis of the UN charter," the White House said on Monday in a statement of their phone conversation earlier in the day.

The phrase "international law and UN charter" was used in order to stress the importance of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, which has been threatened by the Russian invasion that has been underway with fluctuating fortunes for the two sides since February 2022.

Prime Minister Modi had said earlier on Monday in a post on X, "Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability."

POTUS is short for President of the US and @POTUS is this official X account.

"We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh," the Prime Minister wrote further.

The White House said in the statement hours later, "The Leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter."

President Biden also commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi "for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector".

The White House added: "The Leaders also emphasised their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific."

Although the White House also said that the two leaders discussed the upcoming annual meetings of the UN General Assembly, it did not say if they will meet on the sidelines.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend the meeting and address the UN General Assembly.

 Biden, PM Modi back UN charter-based end to Ukraine conflict, says White House

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US Open: Defending champion Gauff, Keys advance to second round

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ew York, Aug 27 ( IANS) Defending champion Coco Gauff got off to a winning start at the US Open with a 6-2, 6-0 win over France's Varvara Gracheva on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The victory marks Gauff's eighth straight match-win at the US Open. Last year, Gauff made history by winning her first Grand Slam title at the Flushing Meadows, becoming the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 1999.

Gauff will face German veteran Tatjana Maria in the second round. The 37-year-old Maria, who was a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2022, defeated Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra 6-2, 6-3 in her opener.

The 20-year-old Gauff has now won 15 main-draw matches in her US Open career. She is the youngest woman to collect that many main-draw singles victories at the US Open since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010, according to WTA.

Gauff's fellow Americans Madison Keys, Taylor Townsend, and Peyton Stearns joined the defending champion in the second round.

No.14 seed Keys dispatched Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-1 in just 64 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

World No.48 Townsend clinched her second-round spot with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Italy's Martina Trevisan. Townsend came back from 5-3 down in the second set, reeling off the last four games to oust former Top 20 player Trevisan.

And World No.47 Stearns moved into the second round with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over 2018 US Open quarterfinalist Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.

 US Open: Defending champion Gauff, Keys advance to second round

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PM Modi dials Russian President Putin, shares 'insights' from recent Ukraine visit

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rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his landmark visit to Ukraine, last week.

"Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," PM Modi posted on X after the phone call.

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Modi had dialled US President Joe Biden, discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and underscoring India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.

"While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a late night statement following the phone call between the two leaders.

Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister had spoken with Australian PM Anthony Albanese as both leaders not only discussed bilateral relations but also cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad grouping which also includes the United States and Japan.

Following PM Modi's visit to Kyiv last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that India supports his country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Today, history was made. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made his first visit to Ukraine since our country's independence, on the eve of our Independence Day. Today, we reached an agreement on four documents between Ukraine and India, covering the medical field, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture," said Zelensky after the end of diplomatic engagements with PM Modi.

During his talks with Zelensky, PM Modi reaffirmed India's principled position and commitment to a peaceful settlement to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. He also reiterated India's readiness to contribute in "all possible ways" to facilitate the speedy return of peace in the region.

"My visit to Ukraine was historic. I came to this great nation with the aim of deepening India-Ukraine friendship. I had productive talks with President Zelensky. India firmly believes that peace must always prevail. I thank the Government and people of Ukraine for their hospitality," said PM Modi after the bilateral discussions in Kyiv.

Last month, during his visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Modi had held extensive discussions with the Russian President to find a solution to end the conflict in Ukraine.

While mentioning the long-standing friendship and good relations between the two countries, Putin also acknowledged PM Modi's initiative on ending the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

"We had the opportunity to discuss practically all issues in an informal setting. I am grateful to you for the attention you are paying to the most pressing issues, including trying to find some ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, and of course, first and foremost, peacefully," said Putin on July 9.

 PM Modi dials Russian President Putin, shares 'insights' from recent Ukraine visit

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Gave assessment of Ukraine's destructive line: Russian President Putin after phone call with PM Modi

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rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his last week's landmark visit to Ukraine.

"Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," PM Modi posted on X after the phone call.

The Kremlin said that the Indian PM informed Putin about his recent visit to Kyiv, emphasising his interest in contributing to a possible political and diplomatic settlement of the situation around Ukraine.

"For his part, Vladimir Putin gave a fundamental assessment of the destructive line of the Kyiv authorities and their Western patrons, outlining the key Russian approaches to ways to resolve the conflict," said the Russian President's office.

It also mentioned that "issues of practical implementation of agreements" in the trade and economic sphere reached following PM Modi's Russia visit in July were also discussed.

"Satisfaction was expressed with the level of interaction between the two countries in BRICS. Narendra Modi confirmed his readiness to take part in the association's summit held under the Russian chairmanship in Kazan in October 2024. It was agreed to continue bilateral contacts at various levels," detailed the statement issued by the Kremlin.

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Modi had dialled US President Joe Biden, discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and underscoring India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.

"While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in late night statement following the phone call between the two leaders.

Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister had spoken with Australian PM Anthony Albanese as both leaders not only discussed bilateral relations but also cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad grouping which also includes the United States and Japan.

Following PM Modi's visit to Kyiv last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that India supports his country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Today, history was made. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made his first visit to Ukraine since our country's independence, on the eve of our Independence Day. Today, we reached an agreement on four documents between Ukraine and India, covering the medical field, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture," said Zelensky after the end of diplomatic engagements with PM Modi.

During his talks with Zelensky, PM Modi reaffirmed India's principled position and commitment to a peaceful settlement to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. He also reiterated India's readiness to contribute in "all possible ways" to facilitate the speedy return of peace in the region.

"My visit to Ukraine was historic. I came to this great nation with the aim of deepening India-Ukraine friendship. I had productive talks with President Zelensky. India firmly believes that peace must always prevail. I thank the Government and people of Ukraine for their hospitality," said PM Modi after the bilateral discussions in Kyiv.

Last month, during his visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Modi had held extensive discussions with the Russian President to find a solution to end the conflict in Ukraine.

While mentioning the long-standing friendship and good relations between the two countries, Putin also acknowledged PM Modi's initiative on ending the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

"We had the opportunity to discuss practically all issues in an informal setting. I am grateful to you for the attention you are paying to the most pressing issues, including trying to find some ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, and of course, first and foremost, peacefully," said Putin on July 9.

 Gave assessment of Ukraine's destructive line: Russian President Putin after phone call with PM Modi

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Zeenat Aman's Goa photo dump includes her 'tools of trade', 'quote of the day'

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eteran actress Zeenat Aman on Tuesday shared a photo dump from her 'busy morning in Goa', revealing her 'tools of trade', 'quote of the day', and about her bedside book.

The beauty pageant holder, Zeenat, is an ardent social media user and has 764K followers on Instagram.

She has shared a string of pictures from her outing in Goa, leaving fans amazed by her photo dump.

The first snap shows the ''Hare Rama Hare Krishna' fame actress wearing an off white outfit, and is relaxing on a couch. She has rounded off the look with sunglasses and brown shoes.

The second picture is that of a quote by Louise Gluck, which reads as: "whatever returns from oblivion returns to find a voice". Then there is a snap of her cuppa of espresso, and pearl accessories.

There is also a picture of the novel 'Everybody Knows' by Jordan Harper.

We can see Zeenat's beauty tools-- her makeup brushes, lipsticks, bronzer, highlighter, blush, and face creams.

The last picture in the collection shows Zeenat walking in the hallway wearing a red floral outfit, with her back towards the camera.

The post is captioned as: "Six snapshots from a busy morning in Goa: relaxing on the chaise lounge after today's discussion on my Instagram journey for @meta moderated by @sandhya_devanathan... my quote of the day, by the Noble Laureate Louise Gluck - 'whatever returns from oblivion returns to find a voice' How apt is that? ... a post session pick-me-up! A shot of espresso with a side of pearls... the book that's on my bedside table this month. .... the tools of my trade! I absolutely do my own hair and makeup for events, and I'm not too bad at it either... walking down the hallway, back in my aunty attire. Now tell me, which of these images is your favourite? Or better yet, leave me your personal favourite quote in the comments!"

A fan wrote in the comment section: "Class apart! There can never be another Zeenat Aman".

On the work front, she was last seen in a cameo appearance in the 2019 epic war drama film 'Panipat' directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar.

 Zeenat Aman's Goa photo dump includes her 'tools of trade', 'quote of the day'

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UGC introduces framework for universities to conduct exams for SWAYAM courses

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niversity Grant Commission (UGC) introduced a framework on Tuesday for universities to conduct examinations for Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) courses. This initiative has been taken to enhance flexibility in earning academic credits and make higher education more accessible.

SWAYAM is an online platform where students can take admission to different courses from leading institutions of higher education.

UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar told IANS: "This initiative came after a series of state-level awareness meetings held between October-November 2023 and April-May 2024, along with online discussions with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)."

These meetings reflected the increasing interest of universities in adopting SWAYAM courses for credit transfer and the need for a more flexible examination process. Currently, end-term proctored examinations for SWAYAM courses are conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). Under the new framework, students who have completed courses on SWAYAM will now have the option to take their SWAYAM exams at their own university, Kumar added.

The framework also includes provisions for re-examinations, allowing students who did not pass or were unable to appear in SWAYAM exams to retake them in subsequent semesters.

Universities that have adopted the UGC Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM can now allow their students to take SWAYAM exams at their own institutions. This will make it easier for students to combine online learning with their regular academic programmes.

This is in addition to the existing exam facilities provided by NTA and NPTEL. The credits earned can be transferred to the transcripts of the students. UGC invited all HEIs to adopt SWAYAM courses and make use of the framework to conduct examinations for better learner-friendliness.

Kumar informed that the UGC had earlier announced the Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM Regulations, 2021. This framework governs the adoption of SWAYAM courses, including the accumulation and transfer of credits. The new framework allows universities to conduct SWAYAM examination, that have already adopted the regulations.

The UGC is providing two additional documents, the 'Steps for Adopting SWAYAM MOOC Courses' and the 'University Dashboard User Guide' to assist universities in registering on SWAYAM and integrating the courses into the academic records of students. Universities must appoint a Nodal Officer to manage registration, examination, and credit transfer processes for SWAYAM courses. In addition to the flexibility, the new initiative is expected to increase the number of students enrolling in SWAYAM courses, he added.

 UGC introduces framework for universities to conduct exams for SWAYAM courses

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Telangana to study France model for issuing digital health cards

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he government of Telangana will study the policy of France to issue digital health cards to citizens.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday asked the officials of the Department of Medical and Health to study the France model.

During a review meeting, the Chief Minister said that during his recent foreign visit, he was told that France adopted the best policy for issuing digital health cards.

The government decided to conduct another round of the 'Praja Palana' programme from September 17 to issue new ration cards and health cards to all eligible citizens.

The ration cards and health cards will be issued separately as the government has decided to delink them.

Henceforth, the health cards to be issued by the state government will only be considered for providing medical treatment under Rajiv Arogyasri and also the assistance extended from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF).

The Chief Minister ordered the officials to collect the details of every family during the 10-day programme and make necessary arrangements to organise the praja palana in all villages and wards across the state.

The review meeting was attended by state Health Minister Damodara Raja Narsimha, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Principal Secretary of Health Department Dr. Christina Chongtoo, Principal Secretary of Municipal Department Dana Kishore and Principal Secretary to CM Seshadri.

The Chief Minister asked the officials of the Medical and Health Department to make decisions on the procedures required to issue health digital cards, and medical tests to record the health profile of everyone, conduct health checkup camps in the villages and seek the help of laboratories in the state.

Revanth Reddy directed the health officials to be vigilant in view of increasing cases of seasonal diseases and expressed concern over rising Dengue, Chikungunya and other viral fever cases in the state. The officials have been asked to take appropriate preventive measures before the spread of diseases.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to intensify fogging and spraying to eradicate the mosquito menace in all towns and villages along with Greater Hyderabad. He warned that the employees who are indifferent to protecting public health will be suspended from the services.

He also ordered the officials under the GHMC jurisdiction, Medical and Health officials and the district collector to work in tandem to curb seasonal diseases. He asked them to seek the help of police, voluntary organisations and media to educate people about seasonal diseases.

Collectors and Panchayat Raj officials in all districts were directed to take up a special drive to prevent the spread of seasonal diseases immediately. Collectors are advised to make field visits in all villages and towns to ascertain the situation from time to time.

 Telangana to study France model for issuing digital health cards

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Dines Machine and Manufacturing will be moving from Garfield Park in Danville. The business says it's been trusted source for steel fabrication services since 1983. Services include welding and repairing machinery.
Acute kidney injury is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and others.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), a sudden deterioration in kidney function, is relatively common in older people and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have suggested a potential link between AKI and brain injury.

The current study examined the association between AKI and different types of dementia. The researchers analyzed data from more than 300,000 individuals over 65 years of age from the Stockholm CREAtinine Measurement (SCREAM) project in Sweden. About one out of four participants experienced at least one AKI episode during an average follow-up of 12 years, and 16 percent were diagnosed with dementia.

Those who suffered acute kidney injury had a 49 percent higher risk of developing any form of dementia. When each type of dementia was analyzed separately, the risk increase was 88 percent for Lewy body dementia or dementia caused by Parkinson's disease, 47 percent for vascular dementia and 31 percent for Alzheimer's disease. The risk increase was higher in people with severe kidney damage requiring hospitalization or inpatient care.

"Our findings suggest that AKI is not just an isolated event affecting kidney function but may have broader implications, particularly for brain health," says Hong Xu, assistant professor at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and first author of the paper.

Identifying acute kidney injury as a risk factor for dementia can lead to earlier intervention, preventive treatment and better patient care." Juan Jesus Carrero, professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Karolinska Institutet and last author of the paper

The next phase of the research aims to explore the biological mechanisms linking AKI to dementia. The researchers will also evaluate whether different medicines, lifestyle changes and monitoring procedures after acute kidney injury can reduce the risk of developing dementia.

The study was financed by StratNeuro, CIMED, KI foundations, and the Swedish Research Council. The corresponding author Yang Xu, researcher at Peking University Health Science Center and Karolinska Institutet, received funding from the Young Scientists Fund and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The authors have declared no conflicts of interest related to this study.
With tick-borne viruses such as Powassan virus increasing in Canada, clinicians should consider these infections in patients with encephalitis, as a case study shows in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240227.

Although rare, Powassan virus is serious, with a death rate of 10%15% in people with encephalitis, and it can cause lingering health effects after infection. The virus can transmit within 15 minutes of tick attachment, and symptoms can develop 15 weeks later.

In this case study, a 9-year-old child with up-to-date vaccinations was admitted to hospital after a visit to an emergency department for fever, neck stiffness, and headache that developed 1 week after a camping trip in northern Ontario.

Physicians conducted extensive testing for a range of illnesses including EpsteinBarr virus, Lyme disease, bacterial meningitis, and more. They also sent serology samples for testing at the Public Health Ontario laboratory, but the results were not available for several weeks. The eventual diagnosis, confirmed after the child was discharged, was Powassan virus.

Cases of encephalitis from Powassan virus and other tick-borne illnesses have been increasing in the last 20 years, and the authors emphasize that the consideration of these is important. Recent travel to an endemic region, outdoor activity such as hiking and camping, and possible exposure to animals or ticks are important in helping diagnose.

"Given the nonspecific clinical features, laboratory investigations, neuroimaging findings of encephalitis, as well as the effects of climate change on tick-borne infection rates, broad arbovirus serology testing should be considered for patients presenting with encephalitis, particularly in the summer and fall," writes Dr. Zachary Blatman, a senior pediatric resident physician at CHEO, Ottawa, Ontario, with coauthors.
A team of scientists from The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute and Case Western Reserve University has created the largest reported collection of stem cell models from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and used them to identify unique ways in which glia  integral support cells in the brain  contribute to the disease.

The study, published today in Cell Stem Cell, is the first to report that glial cells from MS patients have intrinsic hallmarks of disease, independent of immune system influences, which points to the power of stem cells for revealing new disease biology and to the need for new types of MS therapies.

The hidden roles of glia in MS

MS is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the protective myelin sheaths that surround the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in significant neurological disability.

"Most research and therapeutic strategies have so far focused on blocking the overactive immune system, but how cells in the brain itself, especially glia, contribute to the initiation and progression of MS remained a mystery," explained Valentina Fossati, PhD, NYSCF Senior Research Investigator who led the study.

The team leveraged the power of NYSCF's automation platforms to create induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from skin biopsies of individuals with MS, resulting in the largest collection of MS patient stem cell lines to date, spanning diverse clinical subtypes. They then converted the iPSCs into glial cells  which include oligodendrocytes and astrocytes  to investigate their role in the disease.

By generating glia-enriched cultures from stem cells, we have been able to study their role in MS independently of the complex environment in the body, which is constantly altered by the presence of immune cells and inflammatory signals." Dr. Valentina Fossati, PhD, NYSCF Senior Research Investigator

Using single-cell gene expression profiling, the scientists found that stem cell-derived glia cultures from people with primary progressive MS (a particularly severe form of the disease) contained fewer oligodendrocytes. Oligodendrocytes are responsible for producing myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that is lost in MS.

"This observation challenges the conventional understanding of MS as being purely driven by immune system dysfunction, suggesting that the disease may also be fueled by processes originating within the brain itself," noted Paul Tesar, PhD, the Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Therapeutics and director of the Institute for Glial Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and NYSCF  Robertson Stem Cell Investigator Alumnus, who co-led the study.

The team also observed that a set of genes associated with immune and inflammatory functions were particularly active in stem cell-derived glia cultures from MS patients, matching what they see in brain samples from deceased individuals with MS. Moreover, NYSCF scientists leveraged their latest advances in artificial intelligence to detect differences in astrocytes that are not easily seen by the human eye.

"The fact that glia created from stem cells show similar features to glia in MS patient brains shows us that stem cell models provide a pretty accurate reflection of what happens in the brains of living patients, and that we can use them to gain important insights into this disease," added Dr. Fossati.

A new target for therapeutic intervention

Because of the autoimmune activity in MS, many current therapies target the immune system. These drugs help reduce the frequency of immune attacks, but they unfortunately fall short at preventing the neurodegeneration that drives disease progression.

The study's findings open up new possibilities for treating MS. By identifying specific glial cell behaviors that contribute to the disease, researchers can now explore potential therapies that target these cells directly. This could lead to more effective treatments that go beyond simply suppressing the immune system and offer new hope for patients.

"Our findings represent a significant leap forward in our understanding of MS and underscore the vast potential in glia as a target for therapeutic intervention that could transform the treatment landscape for many patients," remarked Dr. Tesar.

Breakthroughs enabled by team science

This study was made possible by the powerful combination of NYSCF's unique capabilities for large-scale stem cell-based disease modeling and the Tesar lab's expertise in studying glia in neurological disease and developing new medicines. Patients were recruited at the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis through a collaboration with Ilana Katz Sand, MD, Associate Director of the CGD Center for MS, and Patrizia Casaccia, MD, PhD, now Director of the Neuroscience Initiative of the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center.

"This study is a remarkable example of team science," said Jennifer J. Raab, NYSCF's President and CEO. "It is through unique collaborations like these that we can move even faster towards new treatments for the major diseases of our time that patients urgently need."

The experiments were led by co-first authors Benjamin Clayton, PhD, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society career transition fellow and newly appointed Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, and Lilianne Barbar, a former trainee in the Tesar and Fossati labs who is now an MD/PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis.

This work was supported by grants from the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP), award number DOD W81xWH-15-1-0448 (P.C.); the New York State Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM), award number C32586GG (V.F.); the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Career Transition Award TA-2105-37619 (B.L.L.C.); the National Institutes of Health, R35NS116842 (P.J.T.), R35NS111604 (P.C.), and sTF5 Care (P.J.T.); and by the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute.
Dementia Australia welcomes the decision by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to approve Lecanemab for use in the UK.

Lecanemab is currently being evaluated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for use in Australia. It has also been approved for use in the USA, Japan, China, South Korea and Israel.

Professor Christopher Rowe, the director of the Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT), agreed it was a welcome move by the UK medicines regulatory authority.

While this is not a cure it is an exciting and historic first step towards reducing the huge impact that Alzheimer's disease has across communities, not only those with the disease but also their families, carers and health and aged care services, Professor Rowe said.

ADNeT looks forward to this and other promising treatments under development that together may make a substantial positive change.

Lecanemab is a drug, produced by Eisai, which slows the progression of symptoms of early Alzheimers disease by removing amyloid plaques from the brain. Amyloid plaques play a key role in Alzheimer's disease and their removal slows decline on measures of cognition and daily function.

While the UK medicines regulator approved Lecanemab, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence released draft guidance recommending it not be provided through the UKs National Health Service.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said Dementia Australia looks forward to Lecanemab being approved for use in Australia.

Although this treatment will not be appropriate for everyone, this is a step forward in the treatment of Alzheimers disease and represents a new hope for people impacted by dementia. We look forward to Australians being offered the choice to access Lecanemab if clinically appropriate, Professor Buchanan said.
Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University report that they were able to successfully put tadpoles of Xenopus laevis frogs into a hibernation-like torpor state using donepezil (DNP), a drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimers.

This diagram shows an overview of the experiments the scientists conducted. They used a drug prediction algorithm to predict that donepezil had a significant likelihood of inducing torpor-like effects, then tested free and encapsulated versions of the drug. The encapsulated drug caused three major torpor indicators with lower toxicity than the free drug. Image Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

The team had previously used another drug, SNC80, to achieve similar results in tadpoles and enhance the survival of whole mammalian hearts for transplants, but SNC80 is not approved for clinical use in humans because it can cause seizures. By contrast, DNP is already being used in the clinic, meaning it potentially could be rapidly repurposed for use in emergency situations to prevent irreversible organ injury while a person is being transported to a hospital.

Cooling a patients body down to slow its metabolic processes has long been used in medical settings to reduce injuries and long-term problems from severe conditions, but it can only currently be done in a well-resourced hospital, said co-author Michael Super, Ph.D., Director of Immuno-Materials at the Wyss Institute.

Achieving a similar state of biostasis with an easily administered drug like DNP could potentially save millions of lives every year. Michael Super, Ph.D., Director of Immuno-Materials, Wyss Institute

This research, published today in ACS Nano, was supported as part of the DARPA Biostasis Program, which funds projects that aim to extend the time for lifesaving medical treatment, often referred to as the Golden Hour, following traumatic injury or acute infection. The Wyss Institute has been a participant in the Biostasis Program since 2018, and has achieved several important milestones over the last few years.

Using a combination of predictive machine learning algorithms and animal models, the Wyss Biostasis team previously identified and tested existing drug compounds that had the potential to put living tissues into a state of suspended animation. Their first successful candidate, SNC80, significantly reduced oxygen consumption (a proxy for metabolism) in both a beating pig heart and in human organ chips, but has a known side effect of causing seizures when injected systemically.

In the new study, they once again turned to their algorithm, NeMoCad, to identify other compounds whose structures are similar to SNC80. Their top candidate was DNP, which has been approved since 1996 to treat Alzheimers.

Interestingly, clinical overdoses of DNP in patients suffering from Alzheimers disease have been associated with drowsiness and a reduced heart rate - symptoms that are torpor-like. However, this is the first study, to our knowledge, that focuses on leveraging those effects as the main clinical response, and not as side effects, said the studys first author Maria Plaza Oliver, Ph.D., who was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute when the work was conducted.

The team used X. laevis tadpoles to evaluate DNPs effects on a whole living organism, and found that it did successfully induce a torpor-like state that could be reversed when the drug was removed. The drug, however, did seem to cause some toxicity, and accumulated in all of the animals tissues. To solve that problem, the researchers encapsulated DNP inside lipid nanocarriers, and found that this both reduced toxicity and caused the drug to accumulate in the animals brain tissue. This is a promising result, as the central nervous system is known to mediate hibernation and torpor in other animals as well.

Although DNP has been shown to protect neurons from metabolic stress in models of Alzheimers disease, the team cautions that more work is needed to understand exactly how it torpor, as well as scale up production of the encapsulated DNP for use in larger animals and, potentially, humans.

Donepezil has been used worldwide by patients for decades, so its properties and manufacturing methods are well-established. Lipid nanocarriers similar to the ones we used are also now approved for clinical use in other applications. This study demonstrates that an encapsulated version of the drug could potentially be used in the future to buy patients critical time to survive devastating injuries and diseases, and it could be easily formulated and produced at scale on a much shorter time scale than a new drug, said senior author Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D. Ingber is the Founding Director of the Wyss Institute, the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at Harvard Medical School and Boston Childrens Hospital, and the Hansjorg Wyss Professor of Bioinspired Engineering at Harvards John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Additional authors of the paper include former Wyss members Erica Gardner, Takako Takeda, Shruti Kaushal, Vaskar Gnyawali, and Richard Novak; current Wyss members Tiffany Lin, Katherine Sheehan, Megan Sperry, Shanda Lightbown, Ramses Martinez, Daniela del Campo, Haleh Fotowat, Michael Lewandowski, and Alexander Pauer; and Maria V. Lozano and Manuel J. Santander Ortega from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.

This research was supported by DARPA under Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-19-2-0027, the Margarita Salas postdoctoral grant co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Universities, and the University of Castilla-La Mancha (NextGeneration EU UNI/551/2021).
Eating well, exercising and attending regular doctor appointments can support a long healthy life, but a new study identified one possible factor beyond our control: whether you had a grandparent who went to college. The study, from researchers at Drexel University and colleagues from the University of California and the University of North Carolina, was recently published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.

Studying data across three generations  education of parents and grandparents, and health data from parents and their children  the group found a statistically significant association between grandparents' education level and their grandchildren's epigenetic-based "real" age (short definition of what is meant by "real" (how old an individual is based on their health profile and cells).

The study's finding that grandchildren of college-educated grandparents showed slower biological aging (i.e., younger biological age relative to chronological age) than those whose grandparents did not graduate from college is based on five different epigenetic-based aging clocks. These clocks use a saliva swab to examine a biological process known as DNA methylation  which changes as the body ages  to predict an individual's age based on their health profile at the cellular level.

"The research community has established a link between how social factors, socioeconomic factors, and childhood adversity can contribute to health trajectories," said lead author Agus Surachman, PhD, an assistant professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health, who completed his research for the study during his time as a postdoctoral scholar at University of California, San Francisco.

We know from animal studies that health is transmitted across several generations, from grandparents to grandchildren. But we now have robust human data that shows that not only do parents' socioeconomic factors play a role in their children's health, but that influence goes back an extra generation as well." Agus Surachman, Assistant Professor, Dornsife School of Public Health

Previous human studies in this area found that exposure to traumatic experiences, such as the Holocaust and Tutsi genocide, can influence the methylation of genes among survivors and their children. The data in this study fills an important gap by examining a general population, and a common crude index of social stress exposures -- level of education. The authors say parents' education level is a useful metric for children's early life socioeconomic status and exposure to social stressors.

"Parental early life socioeconomic advantages may be associated with better health profile of their offspring through epigenetic mechanisms, especially through the maternal line," said Surachman. "This understanding about the intergenerational nature of transmission of social advantages and health should make us re-think our values. I'd like to see more resources invested in education and health, a factor which shapes offspring health before we are even born."

Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for estimating length of life, and can offer insights about the risk for chronic disease and other health outcomes. Tests can cost consumers hundreds of dollars, but experts say the cost may go down as the technology improves.

Mothers were recruited to the NHLBI Growth and Health Study (NGHS 1) when they were 9-10 years old, and then re-recruited three decades later for the National Growth and Health Study (NGHS 2), to gather health and education information and the health information to determine their youngest child's (ages 2-17) epigenetic aging, or biological age.

The researchers controlled for other factors that may influence child health, such as age of the grandchildren, sex, children's body-mass index (BMI), and characteristics of the mother  the mother's childhood family structure, mother's health profile and the mother's marital status.

The team also wanted to understand what could help explain the intergenerational transmission -- if the health of the mother might help explain the transmission effect between grandparent education and grandchild biological age. They used mother's childhood and adult health data, measuring factors like BMI, cardiovascular health and adult c-reactive protein to measure body inflammation and found that the health of the mother explained a small amount of the link between grandparents' education and epigenetic age of their grandchildren (14.5% to be exact).

"The link between a grandparent's socioeconomic status and a grandchild's epigenetic age is a remarkable finding, across generations," said senior author Elissa Epel, PhD, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. "This opens up a myriad of possible explanations and will need to be replicated. For now, we know that the mother's poorer metabolic health is a partial mediator of this relationship."

The authors are following this cohort to examine grandparent and parent predictors of the offspring as they reach adulthood. They are also looking at social and psychological factors of accelerated epigenetic aging in samples with chronic conditions, including breast cancer survivors and chronic kidney disease. However, more research is needed to examine the myriad of factors that influence health trajectories of youth, the authors caution.

"In the United States, we tend to over-emphasize individual responsibility when it comes to health -;and there's a lot of blaming people for their poor health," said Surachman. "But the reality is that health is much more complex than that. Some factors are simply beyond our control, such as the genetics and the inherited epigenetics we are born with. I hope this helps us give more grace and compassion to ourselves and our communities."

In addition to Surachman and Epel, other authors on the paper include Elissa Hamlat of the University of California San Francisco, Anthony S. Zannas of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Steve Horvath of University of California Los Angeles and Barbara Laraia of the University of California Berkeley.
Synthetic immunology, an innovative field of research which could lead to fundamentally new approaches and methods in the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer, is the topic of an article in the "Perspectives" section of the journal "Nature Nanotechnology". Herein, Heidelberg researchers Prof. Dr. Kerstin Gopfrich, Prof. Dr. Michael Platten, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Frischknecht, and Prof. Dr. Oliver T. Fackler describe a so-called bottom-up approach that uses the toolbox of nanotechnology and synthetic biology to construct systems from molecular building blocks and specifically equip them with immune functions. The experts in the fields of synthetic biology, neuroimmunology, parasitology, and virology conduct research at Heidelberg University, the Heidelberg and Mannheim University Hospitals, the German Cancer Research Center, and the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.



In the new bottom-up approach in synthetic immunology, complex immune functions are no longer created by modifying existing cells or molecules, but rather originate from molecular building blocks like nanoscale components or artificial cells assembled into complex systems. The process is based on technologies and techniques from synthetic biology such as the design of proteins and peptides, polymer synthesis as well as DNA/RNA modification and DNA/RNA origami - the three-dimensional "folds" of DNA or RNA strands - to produce functional nanostructures.



As the authors discuss in their article in the "Perspectives" section of "Nature Nanotechnology", the new bottom-up approach in synthetic immunology is expected to allow for unparalleled precision and control in shaping immune functions. By manufacturing immune components from the ground up, immune responses can be custom-engineered with great specificity and efficiency. This opens up groundbreaking approaches in the development of new therapies and vaccines that circumvent the constraints of traditional approaches, like unwanted side effects or time-limited efficacy.



The Heidelberg researchers believe that the bottom-up approach not only promises improved therapeutic approaches and methods but can also push the future boundaries of what is possible in the treatment of complex illnesses. The further development of this research field could lead to the development of completely synthetic immune effectors that, according to the vision, could then prevent and treat diseases.

We are facing a turning point in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and cancer. The synergies between synthetic biology and immunology open up a number of possibilities that could one day create a completely new basis for how we deal with disease." Dr. Kerstin Gopfrich, Professor, Heidelberg University

Molecular biologist Kerstin Gopfrich, who was appointed as a professor to Ruperto Carola in 2022, heads the "Biophysical Engineering of Life" research group at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH); it is also based at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research. Michael Platten is the Medical Director of the Neurological Department of University Hospital Mannheim and Director of the Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience at the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, where he has been a professor since 2016. At the German Cancer Research Center, he heads the Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology. Parasitologist Friedrich Frischknecht and virologist Oliver T. Fackler conduct research at the Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID) located at the Department for Infectious Diseases of Heidelberg University Hospital. Prof. Frischknecht has been a professor of integrative parasitology since 2014; Prof. Fackler, likewise a professor at the Medical Faculty Heidelberg of Heidelberg University, has led the integrative virology research area since 2007.
Study: Self-reported anticipated harm from drinking water across 141 countries. Image Credit: luchschenF / Shutterstock

Over half of adults in 141 countries fear harm from drinking water within the next two years, with perceptions influenced by gender, urbanization, financial hardship, education, and trust in public governance.

In a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers used survey data from the World Risk Poll to investigate perceptions of drinking water safety across 141 countries.

Their findings indicate that over half of the global population anticipates serious harm from drinking water within the next two years, highlighting the need for improved trust in water safety and governance to ensure sustainable water resource management.

Background

Water crises are a widespread issue that negatively impacts agriculture, the economy, regional stability, and human health. However, the effects of water quality on society and health are less understood.

Global organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have identified this gap as a worldwide barrier to assessing water safety. Most decisions about water use are based on personal perceptions and experiences, as objective data on water safety is often lacking.

Even when water is considered "safely managed," it can still be contaminated during transportation or storage. Current global water indicators do not fully capture all risks, meaning people's perceptions of water safety can be just as important as the quality.

These perceptions influence behaviors like avoiding tap water and opting for bottled water, which can negatively affect health and sustainability. Understanding and measuring how people perceive water safety could help improve water management and ensure safer water for everyone.

About the study

The study aimed to understand the occurrence and drivers of perceived risks associated with drinking globally using data from a worldwide poll, including responses from over 154,000 participants.

Participants were asked whether they had experienced or anticipated harm from drinking water. The data was collected through phone and face-to-face interviews, ensuring representation across different regions. Ethical protocols were followed, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.

The study explored various factors influencing these perceptions, including country-level indicators like water quality, national income, and corruption levels and individual-level characteristics like gender, education, and household location.

Statistical models were used to assess the relationships between these factors and perceived drinking water risks. The researchers applied weights to the data to ensure national representativeness and conducted several analyses to identify the most significant predictors of perceived water safety concerns.

The study used robust statistical techniques to account for uncertainties and variations across countries, providing insights into how different factors influence people's perceptions of drinking water risks globally.

Findings

The study analyzed data from 141 countries to understand people's experiences and fears regarding drinking water safety.

Around 14.3% of respondents reported having experienced or knowing someone who experienced adverse effects after drinking water over the previous two years, with rates varying widely by country. Additionally, over half of the respondents (52.3%) anticipated that they would be harmed by drinking water over the following two years.

The study found that these concerns were not directly linked to the physical availability of water or its contamination levels but were influenced by other factors.

Key predictors of anticipated harm included past experiences of harm, the percentage of deaths attributed to unsafe water, national economic status, and the level of corruption in public governance. Higher perceived corruption was strongly associated with a greater fear of future harm due to drinking water.

Individual factors such as gender, income, education level, and urban versus rural residence also played a role, with women, urban residents, those struggling financially, and more educated individuals generally reporting higher concerns about water safety.

These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors that influence public perceptions of water safety globally.

Conclusions

The study found that over half of the global population anticipates harm associated with drinking water over the next two years, revealing a widespread concern that does not always align with actual water quality or income levels.

Past experiences, public sector corruption, and trust in government institutions influence these perceptions. The study highlights the importance of addressing these concerns to improve public trust in water safety.

The study's strength lies in its large, diverse sample, offering insights into global water-related anxieties. However, the reliance on self-reported data and the inability to capture long-term trends are significant limitations. Additionally, perceptions of harm may be influenced by factors unrelated to water, such as air pollution.

Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to track changes in perceptions and investigate the influence of private sector corruption on water safety concerns.

Tailored interventions addressing specific demographic needs, such as improving transparency, ensuring equitable access to safe water, and building trust in water services, are essential for promoting global water security.
The conversation wasn't sounding good for Kensington residents on June 20.

The Philadelphia neighborhood is a critical center of the nation's opioid crisis, and the city had decided to spend $7.5 million in opioid settlement money to improve the quality of life there. But on that day, a Pennsylvania oversight board was about to vote on whether to reject the city's decision.

It was a thorny issue with major implications  both for Kensington residents and people across the state, as the decision could set a precedent for what kind of spending the board would allow for years to come.

But a lot of people were shut out of the discussion.

Pennsylvanias board doesnt allow members of the public to speak at its meetings, a rule that sets it apart from about two dozen similar opioid councils nationwide.

"It's another moment where folks not connected to this community are making decisions for this community, and I think thats inappropriate," said Bill McKinney, a Kensington resident whose nonprofit is involved in some of the city's settlement-funded initiatives. "Those that are sort of most affected are not at the table."

It's one example of how the public, including people who have lost loved ones to the opioid crisis or are dealing with it daily, are routinely shut out of having a meaningful say in how this windfall can be best used to address the damage. They are eager to suggest solutions for dollars that many of them consider blood money. But a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by KFF Health News and Spotlight PA found that, in many places, their voices are systematically dismissed.

In at least 39 states and Washington, D.C., councils consisting of government officials, clinicians, law enforcement officers, and others guide decisions about how to spend settlement dollars. These powerful groups are influencing addiction policy and funding at a time when more than 100,000 Americans are dying of overdoses annually.

At least 14 of these councils  including Pennsylvania's  routinely block members of the public from speaking at their meetings. Four of those typically conduct their meetings in secret, barring the public from even attending or observing.

The survey also found:

The majority of councils do not make video recordings of their meetings readily available online for those who cannot attend live. Although some councils said recordings can be accessed through public records requests, at least one  Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council  deletes its recordings after using them to create meeting minutes. (Minnesota law does not require the council to record its open meetings or post recordings online.)

At least five states have used committees or work groups that meet in private, or have a policy for allowing such private meetings. In Pennsylvania, such work groups have become a point of contention, with victims, advocates, and even one member of the council questioning their legality. (The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust's administrative director said the work groups' meetings are not required to be public. They make recommendations that the full council decides on.)

Practices that close the public out of settlement spending discussions are "unconscionable," said Stephen Loyd, chair of Tennessee's Opioid Abatement Council, which regularly allows public attendance and comment at its meetings. "This is the population we're there to serve. They have to have a voice in this process."

Different stances on public comment

People directly affected by the issue are a staple of the Tennessee council's meetings. This year, commenters have included several parents holding photos of their deceased children and choking back tears, and at least one frustrated community member.

At the June meeting in Memphis, Peter Hossler, an associate professor at Rhodes College, said he was "very angry" about how the council's recent grant awards of $81 million seemed to shortchange the western part of the state.

Loyd called such critique "invaluable," comparing it to the feedback he received from loved ones during his recovery journey.

"We have to be held accountable," he told KFF Health News and Spotlight PA. "And then we have to fix it." Hossler's comments are changing the council's conversation about its next round of grants, Loyd added.

Loyd believes people who have been failed by the current system know what needs to be improved "better than anybody."

"I want to talk to the people who had medication stopped in jail and laid there and withdrew," he said. "I want to talk to the people who got out of jail with no money, a couple of felonies hanging over their heads, three meetings they had to make that week or they're going to be in violation of their probation, and they ain't got a car or driver's license."

States cited a variety of reasons for limiting public involvement. In some, state law does not require councils to take public comment at meetings. Several officials said they've sought feedback in other ways. An official in New Jersey said its council held public listening sessions, but that its monthly meetings are not public.

Some officials may worry that public comment would add to meetings that already run multiple hours, but several states manage that by limiting each person's comment to a few minutes.

For communities of color, being shut out of opioid settlement discussions can compound the negative effects not just from today's overdose crisis but from the earlier crack cocaine epidemic. Many people considered the government's response at that time to be ineffective and harmful.

If settlement money is used only to "build on what's already in place, you've already failed," said Philip Rutherford, an expert on substance use disorder at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

At a July 2023 meeting of Illinois' settlement council, Fanya Burford-Berry said the current system doesn't work for women of color with substance use disorder  they can risk losing custody of their children. Burford-Berry, director of the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force in Chicago, hopes comments like hers will prompt the council to support solutions tailored to women of color, including bringing together more organizations that already work in those communities.

"When you allow more people to be involved, and then they have an idea, and they get excited about it, then they get more people involved and the circle of healing can become larger," she said.

'A retraumatizing moment'

In Pennsylvania, the state's 13-member opioid settlement board has the power to withhold future funding if it decides local governments spent their money inappropriately. At its June meeting, the board  which includes a state senator representing part of Kensington  voted to disapprove of Philadelphia's use of $7.5 million for park improvements, home repairs, rent relief, and other initiatives in Kensington. (Philadelphia later appealed the rejection; the issue is pending.)

McKinney, the Kensington resident and executive director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, called the board's decision "a retraumatizing moment" for residents and criticized the way they were silenced.

"I think it's unfortunate that things were chosen to be done that way," McKinney said.

Others have also been frustrated by Pennsylvania's settlement council.

Gail Groves Scott, a public health policy advocate who has a child in sustained recovery from an opioid use disorder, attended a board meeting in person last year. Not allowing the public to comment at meetings, she said, prevents them from offering feedback at critical times, such as when the board is considering county spending plans or contracts for its operations.

"We could be questioning those decisions or adding information they may not be aware of," Groves Scott said. "It's disappointing that, despite pushback from multiple people, they have not changed."

Some advocates say the closed sessions of work groups, which make recommendations about which programs to approve, obscure why the full board takes certain action.

Pennsylvania trust officials have defended their practices.

Briana Anderson, the trust's administrative director, downplayed the group's role, saying it does not make specific spending decisions on settlement money but reviews choices made by local governments. State law doesn't require the trust to offer public comment at its meetings but the public is encouraged to participate at the local level, Anderson added.

Pennsylvania's practices contrast sharply with the way councils operate in places like Illinois, Kentucky, and Oregon, which routinely allow public comment at both full council and smaller committee meetings. In Kentucky, the open process has allowed members of the public to weigh in on a fierce debate over funding research into ibogaine, a psychedelic drug that has shown potential to treat addiction. At least eight people spoke in favor of the drug at the council's January meeting.

Back in Tennessee, council chair Loyd said he hopes to increase public participation by creating an advisory panel that consists primarily of people who have personally experienced addiction or their loved ones.

He also encouraged other settlement councils to embrace opportunities to hear from people in their states.

"You'll make better decisions as a result. I can't be convinced otherwise," he said.

Methodology

In June and July, reporters from KFF Health News and Spotlight PA surveyed opioid settlement councils in 39 states and Washington, D.C., to assess their general and standard practices for engaging with the public. The team also reviewed council websites, meeting minutes, agendas, and, in some cases, hours of meeting recordings. These councils have various roles, including directly deciding how to spend the money, making recommendations, or providing oversight. Although they go by different names, including advisory councils, boards, committees, and commissions, we refer to them as councils as a broad, encompassing term.

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania.
DNA methylation, a process by which methyl groups are added to DNA molecules, is essential for the maintenance of DNA and the overall health of an organism. Disruptions in the standard DNA methylation patterns can lead to immunodeficiency and diseases such as cancer. Helicase lymphoid-specific (HELLS) is an enzyme that facilitates DNA methylation by remodeling the nucleosome - the tightly packed structure of DNA wound around histone proteins. The absence of HELLS or its activator, cell division cycle associated 7 (CDCA7) is known to be a factor that leads to the disruption of DNA methylation. Mutations in the genes that code for HELLS and CDCA7 cause rare disorder immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, and facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome.

Understanding why CDCA7-HELLS is crucial for maintaining DNA methylation is vital for gaining insights into the mechanism of disorders such as ICF syndrome. In a recent study published in Science Advances on August 23 2024, researchers have found that CDCA7 can recognize hemimethylation of DNA-;a state where one strand of the DNA's double helix is methylated but not the other-;and recruit HELLS to complete methylation of the DNA. The researchers found that the hemimethylation-sensing zinc finger (HMZF) of CDCA7, which has been conserved throughout evolution, is key to its ability to perform maintenance DNA methylation. "We found that the CDCA7 gene, known as the causative gene of ICF syndrome, promotes DNA methylation by controlling the ubiquitination of histone H3 through specific binding to hemimethylated DNA on nucleosomes," explains Associate Professor Atsuya Nishiyama from the Division of Cancer Cell Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, one of the lead researchers of the study.

Dr. Nishiyama, together with Professor Hironori Funabiki and Dr. Isabel Wassing at The Rockefeller University, Professor Kyohei Arita from Yokohama City University and Professor Makoto Nakanishi from The University of Tokyo, examined the structure of the complex formed by CDCA7 and the nucleosome using single particle cryo-electron microscopy. They found that CDCA7, unlike other DNA methylation activators, uniquely identifies hemimethylated DNA in the outward-facing major groove of the nucleosome core particle (NCP). This discovery explains why mutations in CDCA7 associated with ICF syndrome led to a defective DNA maintenance methylation mechanism.

"Our findings suggest that CDCA7 and HELLS promote DNA methylation in a mechanism distinct from de novo DNA methylation, which is now consolidated by our demonstration that the CDCA7 HMZF domain specifically recognizes hemimethylated CpG, the substrate of the maintenance DNA methyltransferase DNMT1. ICF disease-associated mutations in the CDCA7 gene abolish its hemimethylated DNA binding, supporting the functional importance of hemimethylation detection by the CDCA7 gene," Dr. Nishiyama notes.

These pioneering findings not only advance potential therapies for ICF syndrome but also open new frontiers in cancer prevention and anti-aging. Disruptions in DNA methylation is linked to cancer, while inefficient methylation is a hallmark of cellular aging. "Our study lays the groundwork for the development of new DNA methylation inhibitors and therapeutic drugs for ICF syndrome. Therapies that artificially regulate CDCA7-dependent DNA methylation may also prevent cancer and aging and help extend healthy lifespan," Dr. Nishiyama concludes.
In a recent study published in the Frontiers of Cellular and Infection Microbiology, a group of researchers investigated the association of high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR) human papillomavirus (HPV) (a common sexually transmitted virus that can cause genital warts and cancer) infections with sperm quality, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the male urogenital tract.

Study: Impact of high-risk and low-risk human papillomavirus infections on the male genital tract: effects on semen inflammation and sperm quality. Image Credit: wutzkohphoto/Shutterstock.com

Background

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection linked to cervical cancer in women. HPV types are classified as HR-HPV or LR-HPV based on their association with malignancies or benign genital warts, respectively.

While HPV in men has been less studied, recent research highlights its prevalence and potential effects on male reproductive health. HPV Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) has been detected in various male genital specimens, but its impact on sperm quality and semen inflammation remains unclear.

Further research is needed to clarify the inconsistent findings on HPV's impact on male reproductive health and better understand its role in sperm quality and semen inflammation.

About the study

The present cross-sectional study enrolled 205 adult males attending a urology and andrology clinic between 2018 and 2021. Participants were males aged 18 years or older, undergoing semen analysis either as part of an initial fertility assessment due to lower urinary tract symptoms or as a routine control without infertility complaints.

Exclusion criteria included prior HPV vaccination, vasectomy ( a surgical procedure for male sterilization by cutting the vas deferens), azoospermia (a condition where a man has no sperm in his semen), significant varicocele (an enlargement of veins within the scrotum that can affect fertility), exposure to environmental pollutants, alcohol, drug, or marijuana use, recent fever, or antibiotic treatment.

The study adhered to the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant Argentinian legislation. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Subjects were divided into three groups: controls (negative for uropathogens and without leukocytopenia (the presence of a high number of white blood cells in semen, indicating inflammation or infection)), LR-HPV patients (positive for low oncogenic risk HPV genotypes), and HR-HPV patients (positive for high oncogenic risk HPV genotypes).

Semen samples were collected following specific hygiene instructions and analyzed within an hour of collection. HPV and other uropathogens were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with HPV genotyping performed through PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP).

Semen quality was assessed according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and sperm apoptosis/necrosis, cytokine levels, leukocyte subsets, and reactive oxygen species production were measured using flow cytometry and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses were conducted using GraphPad Prism and SPSS, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Study results

In the study, 205 male participants with a median age of 35 years were enrolled, and out of these, 19% were found to be HPV-positive, indicating a high prevalence of the infection.

HPV genotyping was successful in 27 of the 39 positive cases, revealing that single HPV genotype infections were predominant, with multiple infections detected in only a small percentage of cases. Among the identified genotypes, HR-HPV types were the most common, particularly HPV-16, which was found in 59.2% of cases. LR-HPV genotypes were also present but less frequently.

To assess the potential impact of HR-HPV and LR-HPV on male fertility, the study analyzed sperm quality and apoptosis/necrosis in infected patients compared to controls. Routine sperm parameters showed no significant differences between controls and those infected with either HR-HPV or LR-HPV.

However, HR-HPV infections were associated with higher levels of sperm necrosis and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), suggesting oxidative stress in these patients.

Interestingly, HR-HPV infections also led to reduced leukocyte counts and lower levels of inflammatory cytokines like interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 in semen, contrary to expectations.

The study further examined the role of co-infections with other uropathogens in HR-HPV-positive patients. While co-infections did not significantly alter conventional sperm quality parameters, they did exacerbate sperm necrosis and ROS production. Despite these effects, semen inflammation remained minimal, with reduced levels of Cluster of Differentiation (CD)45+ leukocytes observed in co-infected individuals.

Conclusions

To summarize, this study examined HPV infections in men attending a urology clinic, highlighting the significant prevalence of HR-HPV genotypes, particularly HPV-16.

While routine semen parameters were unaffected, HR-HPV was linked to increased sperm necrosis, elevated ROS, and reduced inflammatory cytokines, indicating a local immunosuppressive environment.

These findings suggest that identifying HPV genotypes in men is crucial, as HR-HPV can disrupt immune responses and impact reproductive health, potentially facilitating viral persistence and transmission.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project reached a significant milestone with the launch of a 100-metre-long steel bridge in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The bridge, equivalent in height to a four-storey building, was meticulously transported from Trichy in Tamil Nadu, to Mumbai before being positioned at its new location.

The bridge, which weighs 1,464 metric tonnes and stands 14.6 metres tall and 14.3 metres wide, is a key component of the 508-kilometre high-speed rail project. The construction also included an 84-metre-long temporary launching nose, weighing 600 metric tonnes, to aid in the installation process.

The steel bridge, manufactured using Japanese technology and proudly marked as Make in India, was launched amid palpable anticipation from railway staff and onlookers.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) is overseeing the development of Indias first high-speed rail corridor, which will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad, spanning nine districts in Gujarat and three in Maharashtra. The project includes 12 stations along the route, with the bullet train expected to travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h, reaching Ahmedabad from Mumbai in just two hours.

Looking ahead, plans are underway to extend the bullet train network with proposed routes including Delhi-Amritsar, Howrah-Varanasi-Patna, Delhi-Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi, Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Nashik-Nagpur, and Mumbai-Hyderabad corridors.
In November 2016, the government announced a demonetisation scheme, which involved withdrawing Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes from circulation. As part of the demonetisation process, the government introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 banknotes to replace the withdrawn notes.

The current Rs 500 notes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series are different in colour, size, theme, location of security features and design elements.

500 Rupee Note Features

The Rs 500 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series bear the signature of the Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The note has the motif of Red Fort on the reverse, depicting the countrys cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is stone grey. The note has other designs and geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both the obverse and reverse.

The size of the note is 66mm x 150 mm.

Check the features of the original Rs 500 note in India; Refer to the above image for the serial number.

Obverse;

1. See through register with denominational numeral 500

2. Latent image with denominational numeral 500

3. Denominational numeral  in Devnagari

4. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre

5. Micro letters  and India

6. Colour shift windowed security thread with inscriptions , and RBI. Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is titled.

7. Guarantee clause, Governors signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhis portrait.

8. Mahatma Gandhis Portrait and electrotype (500) watermarks

9. Number panel with numerals in ascending font on the top left side and bottom right side

10. Denominational numeral with Rupee Symbol in (500) in colour changing ink (green to blue) on the bottom right

11. The Ashoka pillar emblem on the right

12. (Some features for visually impaired)

Intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi portrait (4), Ashoka pillar emblem (11), circular identification mark with micro text Rs 500 on the right, five angular bleed lines on both the left and right sides.

Reverse;

13. Year of printing of the note on the left

14. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan

15. Language panel

16. Motif of Red Fort

17. Denominational numeral  in devnagari

What To Do If You Get Fake Note?

If you suspect that you have received a fake Rs 500 note, immediately report the incident to the nearest police station or bank branch. Provide them with as much detail as possible about the situation, including the time, place, and appearance of the person who gave you the note.

Inform your bank about the incident. They may be able to help you further, especially if the note was received from an ATM.
There are several crimes that take place everyday using various social media platforms and messaging applications. This has become a very common issue today. According to reports, the popular messaging app Telegram is likely to face increased scrutiny. The Government of India has currently started an investigation to find out about the criminal activities that are reportedly done through the application. A government official mentioned in a media report that the most common cases are extortion and gambling cases. According to the official, if these activities are confirmed in the probe, the government might ban the messaging app. This issue has come to light after the arrest of the applications 39-year-old founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, in Paris on August 24. He was reportedly detained due to Telegrams moderation policies, especially for failing to prevent criminal activities on the platform.

A government official mentioned in an interview with a news website, The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Home Ministry are investigating P2P communications on Telegram. They are particularly focusing on criminal activities like extortion and gambling. He also mentioned that the application might get banned depending on the findings of the probe.

The application has also commented on the arrest of its CEO. Writing on X (formerly Twitter) the company mentioned, Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act  its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegrams CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform.

The billionaire was reportedly arrested at the Bourget airport in Paris on August 24. Pavel Durov was flying on his private jet from Azerbaijan when the French official arrested him as a part of a preliminary police investigation, according to media reports.

Telegram, based in Dubai, was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov. According to Forbes, his net worth is 15.5 Billion dollars (approximately over Rs 1.2 lakh crore). He left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with the governments demands to close down the communities that were run by the opposition wing on the platform.
Paytm shares rose 3 per cent after the fintech company issued a clarification on the media news saying Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm directors face Sebi show-cause notices over IPO breaches.

With reference to recent media reports, we would like to inform you that this is not a new development, as the Company had already made relevant disclosures on this matter in its financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024, as well as the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company is in regular communication with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and making necessary representations regarding this matter. Accordingly, there is no impact on the financial results for previous quarters ended June 30, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively, the company said in a filing to the exchanges.

Additionally, according to sources close to the development, Sharma has sought to settle a securities law violation case with the market regulator.

The regulator issued a show-cause notice to Sharma for an alleged violation of employee stock option plan rules. Entities have 60 days from receiving a show-cause notice to file for settlement.

In response to an exchange query, Paytm stated on Monday that the company is in regular communication with Sebi and has made the necessary representations. The company noted that in 2021-22, it granted 21 million employee stock options (ESOPs) to Sharma as its Chief Executive, contingent on the achievement of specified milestones.

Media reports stated that Vijay Shekhar Sharma and other board members faced show-cause notices from the SEBI for alleged misrepresentation of facts. The notices were concerning Sharmas alleged ineligibility as the promoter.
Stocks To Watch On August 27: Domestic markets kicked off the week on a positive note, driven by a dovish stance from the US Fed. In todays trade, shares of Ultratech, Paytm, HCL Tech, Gland Pharma, and GPT Infra will be in focus due to various news developments.

UltraTech Cement: The company raised $500 million through a sustainability-linked loan with participation from six banks.

Bondada Engineering: The company received a Letter of Award for a project worth 575.74 crore from Lumina Clean Energy, Purelight Energy, and VVKR Photovoltaics Energy, special purpose vehicles formed by Paradigm IT Technologies and Metalcraft Forming Industries.

Medi Assist Healthcare Services: The companys subsidiary Medi Assist Insurance TPA signed definitive documents for the 100% acquisition of Paramount Health Services & Insurance TPA from Fairfax Asia and the Shah family. This acquisition will grow Medi Assists TPA market share to 36.6% for the group segment and 23.6% of the health insurance industry by premiums managed.

PI Industries: The company appointed Sanjay Agarwal as Group Chief Financial Officer, effective August 26, following the retirement of Manikantan Viswanathan.

Paytm: The company Issued a clarification regarding recent media reports about a notice from SEBI. The company stated this is not a new development and had previously disclosed the matter in its financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024, and the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders: Sanjeev Singhal, Director (Finance), has been entrusted with the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) for five months, effective August 1.

Repro India: Ashish Kacholia sold a 1.22% stake in Repro India at an average price of Rs 625 per share. JVS Joyrass Holdings bought a 0.7% stake at the same price.

Gland Pharma: One of the board of directors members, Qiyu Chen has not received security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and will cease to continue as a Director, effective August 30.

AU Small Finance Bank: DSP Mutual Fund bought a 1.39% stake in the company at an average price of Rs 630 per share. Fincare Business Services sold a 1.7% stake at the same price.

Medplus Health Services: Lavender Rose Investment exited Medplus by selling its entire shareholding of 11.35% at an average price of Rs 616.48 per share. ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund picked up a 4.3% stake at an average price of Rs 616 per share, and the Government of Singapore bought a 0.97% stake at an average price of Rs 616.2 per share.

GPT Infraprojects: The company launched its qualified institutions placement (QIP) issue on August 26, with the floor price fixed at 183.83 per share.

HCL Technologies: The company extended its strategic AI-driven engineering services and digital process operations (DPO) partnership with Xerox. HCLTech will support the newly formed Xerox Global Business Services organization (GBS) in driving key business metrics.

Lemon Tree Hotels: The company signed a new property, Lemon Tree Hotel, Civil Lines, Ayodhya. The 80-room hotel is expected to open in FY28 and will be managed by its subsidiary, Carnation Hotels.

MEP Infrastructure Developers: Elara India Opportunities Fund and Polus Global Fund exited MEP by selling a 1.09% stake each at an average price of 8.43 per share. Vani Agencies bought a 2.66% stake at the same price.

KPI Green Energy: The companys wholly-owned subsidiary, Sun Drops Energia Private Ltd, received letters of intent to execute solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 13.30 MW under the captive power producer segment. Orders awarded by Sumicot, Ekta Prints Private, Radhika Fabrics, and Sanjopin Industries.

Vedanta: The company, led by Anil Agarwal, has prepared a Rs 30,000 crore war chest through recent funds raised via a qualified institutional placement (QIP), offer for sale (OFS), and dividend. The funds will be used for deleveraging, improving capital structure, and pursuing growth opportunities. Vedantas Q1 profit after tax grew 54% YoY to Rs 5,095 crore. The company also recorded its highest-ever alumina production at Lanjigarh and reduced production costs by 20% YoY. The mining majors debt stood at Rs 6,130 crore as of June 302.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals: The company received USFDA approval for its generic Betamethasone Valerate Foam, used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis of the scalp. The approved ANDA is therapeutically equivalent to Luxiq Foam (0.12%) by Norvium Bioscience3.

Godfrey Phillips: US-based proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis advised shareholders of Godfrey Phillips to vote against the reappointment of Bina Modi as Managing Director at the AGM on September 6. The firm cited concerns over her remuneration and lack of defined performance conditions. The company is currently experiencing a boardroom and succession battle between Bina Modi and her son, Samir Modi3.

TCS: Suresh Muthuswami, head of TCSs $15 billion North American business, resigned in early August. Amit Bajaj, the president of the North American region, will take over his responsibilities. Under Muthuswamis leadership, TCSs North American business generated 51.1% of the companys $29.1 billion revenue for FY243.

YES Bank: The bank appointed Sumit Bali as the country head of debt management and retail assets. Bali will drive the growth and profitability of the banks retail and rural assets and debt management businesses. He previously held leadership roles at Axis Bank, India Infoline Group, and Kotak Mahindra Bank3.

Brightcom Group: The company reported a net loss of Rs 24.2 crore for the quarter ending December 30, 2023, with revenue declining by 85% year-on-year to Rs 453.2 crore. The company attributed the poor performance to the war in Israel, the departure of its CEO and CFO, negative media coverage post-SEBI order, and multiple challenges faced by the board. The auditors flagged concerns over the interim financial statements and shareholding disclosures. Brightcom Group shares remain suspended for trading, and the company has yet to declare results for the March and June quarters.
As increasing numbers of Indian students seek educational opportunities overseas, Australia remains a popular destination. However, recent developments may impact their plans. Australia has taken a bold step by announcing that it would only accept 270,000 overseas students by the year 2025. This decision is part of the governments attempt to control the countrys record migration rates, which have led to soaring housing rental costs.

Theres about 10% more international students in our universities today than before the pandemic and about 50% more in our private vocational and training providers, Education Minister Jason Clare was quoted by The Times of India as highlighting the present situation. He underlined that the goal of the recent changes is to build a more equal and long-lasting international student market.

The limit is the latest in a slew of steps implemented by Australia since last year to reverse Covid-era benefits for international students as well as workers. Prior to the implementation of stringent border restrictions that barred foreign workers from entering the nation, these concessions had permitted enterprises to hire domestically.

According to TOI, the rate of migration has increased significantly, with net immigration in Australia reaching an all-time high of 548,800 by September 30, 2023. With sa$36.4 billion ($24.7 billion) in revenue in the 20222023 fiscal year, Australias foreign education industry makes significant economic contributions. However, popular opinion is altering. Voters have voiced alarm about the big influx of international students and workers, saying it will put undue pressure on the property market. This problem is expected to become a hot topic in the 2018 election, which is less than a year away.

In another effort to curb migration and address rising housing costs, Australia recently implemented a significant increase in visa fees for international students. As of July 1, the fee for an international student visa has surged to A$1,600 ($1,068), up from the previous A$710. Additionally, new restrictions have been imposed, preventing visitor visa holders and students with temporary graduate visas from applying for a student visa while onshore
Nowadays, several people are going abroad for study and job opportunities in search of better salaries and a higher quality of education. As a reason, the number of Indians in developed countries is gradually increasing. Due to a lack of skilled workforce and an insufficient number of human resources in other countries, the demand for other workforce is also increasing. Not only from India, many people are migrating from other developing and poor countries.

Studying abroad has become a popular trend among students as it increases their chances of finding a suitable job and settling in foreign countries. But the question arises: which is the best country to work in? So, here we have curated a list of countries that have become the favourite choice of people.

South Korea:

Known for its unique culture, South Korea has recently emerged as one of the leading job markets in the world. People from all over the world come here in search of employment. The work culture in the country is good and the company here also provides accommodation to employees.

The Netherlands:

The Netherlands is one of the most popular countries to encourage workers from other countries. Most people here speak English and it is a safe country for employees. It offers a wide variety of career opportunities in IT, fashion, media and AI sectors. One of the richest countries in Europe, the Netherlands tops the list of happiest countries in the world. Most people think it is a great place to live and work.

Denmark:

The cost of living in Denmark is high due to high insurance. People who live in the country get higher salaries. Most jobs available here are in engineering, life sciences and research fields. Most of the people think that it is a good place for employment.

Germany:

Germany has always been at the forefront of the tech, IT and automobile sectors. The country is renowned for its beautiful forests, lakes, mountains and rivers and attracts many people to work and settle there. It is also at the top in terms of education. Students from other countries are more interested in studying in universities here.

Cambodia:

Currently, Cambodia is gradually developing. Job opportunities are increasing in education, health, social services, etc. The cost of living in this Southeast Asian country is low. The number of foreigners coming here for employment is increasing.
Swift parrots face extinction and protesters argue trees that surround its breeding site shouldn't be felled. But loggers maintain their operations are legal.

A 58-hectare coupe is being partially harvested at Snow Hill, 33km west of Bicheno. Source: Bob Brown Foundation.

A battle is underway to protect a towering forest adjacent to a nesting site used by one of Australias rarest birds, the swift parrot.

A logging management company owned by Tasmanias state government had planned to allow the felling trees that are estimated to be just 500 metres from where the birds bred last year. But conservationists worked to disrupt their efforts and drew attention to the conflict, resulting in police being called.

Estimates suggest between 300 and 750 swift parrots remain in the wild. The birds migrate to Victoria and NSW every year to forage and then return to breed in Tasmania in August.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) told Yahoo News the protests at its Eastern Tiers site, north of Hobart, were particularly concerning and reckless because they redirected resources of emergency responders.

Comprehensive operational planning has been implemented to manage potential swift parrot nesting and foraging habitat within and adjacent to the harvesting area, its general manager of land management Suzette Weeding said.

Related: Rediscovery of forgotten Tasmanian tiger photos spark excitement

Conservationists fear the swift parrot could soon be extinct in the wild. Source: Getty

Conservationists urge premier to abandon logging plan

Although swift parrots are federally protected, the Commonwealth is currently unable to interfere with state logging operations. Environmentalists have urged Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to urgently reform nature protection laws and widen its jurisdiction.

STT maintains its harvesting operations at the 58 hectare site are perfectly legal and not occurring within the actual declared breeding ground.

"[STT] remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency and integrity in all its operations and the responsible management of Tasmanias public production forests," it claimed.

Prior to the harvest commencing, conservationists from the Bob Brown Foundation had urged the state government to place the area under secure protection, in line with a 2015 recommendation from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a global organisation that monitors the remaining populations of threatened species.

On Tuesday, the Bob Brown Foundation lamented that swift parrots would return to breed, and discover some of their last remaining habitat was being destroyed. It pleaded with the states premier Jeremy Rockcliff to halt the operation.

Ignoring conservation advice to protect all swift parrot habitat on public lands, Premier Rockliff oversees the flattening of breeding habitat and flowering feed trees of this critically endangered species. It must stop, the Bob Brown Foundations Jenny Weber said.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) faces a mammoth task in Jammu and Kashmir where it not only has to ensure peaceful assembly polls but also make sure that voters take part in the process in large numbers for an improved turnout.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir saw significantly higher voter turnout, at about 59 per cent, when compared to the past few elections. For the assembly polls, the ECI is taking this as a base and aims for a higher voter turnout.

To ensure that the maximum number of voters are covered, the ECI is allowing new voters to register even after publishing the final roll. If any voters fail to register, they can do it before the nomination process starts, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said earlier this month while announcing the poll dates.

The Union Territory has witnessed home voting facility in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls for those who are over 85 years and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with 40 per cent benchmark disability. It is for the first time that the option will be given in assembly elections too. If any elderly or PwD voters need transport facility or assistance for polling stations, the poll body will ensure that for them.

For easing the process for voters, Voter Helpline App will be available to download and apply forms online, check names in voter lists and to view the details of polling booths. Further, voters can connect with the Booth Level Officer or the Electoral Registration Officer with the help of the app.

The ECI has also ensured that polling stations should be set up within two kilometres of voters residence.

The commission will deploy IAS officers as General Observers in the UT in adequate numbers to ensure smooth conduct of election. These observers  General, Police and Expenditure  will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. The poll body last week conducted a session with these observers who will be deployed in J&K and Haryana. They have been directed to remain accessible to parties, candidates and voters for timely grievance redressal.

These Central Observers not only help the commission in fulfilling its constitutional mandate of conducting free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections but also enhance voter awareness and participation in elections, the ECI said in a statement.

Further, the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs)/ District Election Officer (DEOs) have been directed to identify low voter turnout seats and take focused initiatives to address specific issues.

To fight urban apathy, the polling is scheduled on weekdays and not around weekends. The voting in Jammu and Kashmir will be done on September 18, September 25 (both Wednesdays) and October 1 (Tuesday).

Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation

Under SVEEP, the poll body is already running a number of campaigns in the region, ranging from door-to-door campaigns to various activities involving the common man.

Electoral Awareness & Community Outreach conducted by students of Govt Girls Hr. Sec. School, Kothibagh, Srinagar. A Door to Door campaign was run to ensure maximum participation in the electoral process#BeResponsible #BeAVoter #MyVoteMyPride @ECISVEEP @diprjk @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/o7qdL71U1n  CEO UT OF J&K (@ceo_UTJK) August 21, 2024

Under the guidance of DEO Reasi @vishesh_jk, a kite-flying event under SVEEP held at Bhimgarh Fort,Reasi to promote voter awareness. DEO urges Participants to prefix 'Voter' with their name, symbolizing their commitment to democracy.#MeinVoterHoon.@ECISVEEP@Ceo_UTJK@diprjk pic.twitter.com/UOYwjZYDEg Deputy Commissioner Reasi (@DMReasi) August 24, 2024

A SVEEP activity along an adventurous trek to Bhaderwah Kailash Kund, Dodas highest peak!Climb new heights, cast your vote! Let's resolve to cast our vote in the J&K #AssemblyElections2024.#Ready2Vote #JammuKashmirElections#Elections2024DEO Doda @dcdodaofficial pic.twitter.com/JNFwM3wCq1  Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) August 25, 2024

Basic minimum facilities at all booths

The poll body has said it will ensure all the basic facilities at polling stations, starting from water, toilets, signage, ramps to wheelchair and shed for voters.

There will be separate queues for men and women apart from separate arrangements for the elderly and disabled.

There will be 11,838 polling stations in the UT with average 735 voters per station. At least 90 stations each will be managed by women and PwDs while 360 will be model PS.

There are more than 87 lakh voters, including 20 lakh young and almost four lakh first-timers. The counting of votes will be held on October 4.
Banned outfit Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has fielded three of its former members as Independent candidates to contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, set to be held in three phases from September 18 to October 1.

On Tuesday, Talaat Majeed, an Independent Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Pulwama constituency, filed his nomination papers.

On Monday, Sajad Gani Lone, the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) referred to members of the Jamaat-e-Islamis (JeI) as victims and said they have been to jail and have shared cells with his father, Abdul Ghani Lone, who was assassinated in Srinagar on May 21, 2002.

Lone also said they (affiliates of the Jamaat-e-Islami) have experienced imprisonment, torture, and the most harrowing of times. They know what pain is and are therefore in a better position to understand the suffering of others.

The mainstream space has been dominated by those who were victorsthose who jailed, killed, and tortured people during the worst times of violence in the post-1989 era, Lone wrote in an X post.

These VICTORS, being in the majority, would band together and pretend to be victims. They have become experts in the art of VICTIMHOOD. And whenever a genuine victim enters the mainstream space, these VICTORS gang up to unleash a slanderous campaign, Lone tweeted.

The greatest insult to victims is when victors pretend to represent them. Those resting in graves cannot rise to protest when the very victors who violently sent them there pretend to speak for them, he said.

I am extremely pleased if the news that some individuals affiliated with Jamaat Islamia are contesting elections is true. I sincerely hope it is.

J&K Peoples Conference and Jamaat have coexisted in the mainstream political space prior to 1989. We rarely agreed politically and often fought each other bitterly in elections. Ideologically there was never an overlap. Many of their prominent leaders spent years in jail, often sharing cells with my late father, Lone tweeted.

Today, we will be contesting against them on the ground once again. But despite our political differences, I am glad that a party which has truly struggled will be participating in the elections. They have experienced imprisonment, torture, and the most harrowing of times. They know what pain is and are therefore in a better position to understand the suffering of others, he added.

Once again, a very warm welcome from me and my party. We will fight each other on the ground, but with my hand on my heart, I am glad that a group among the victims will contest, Lones X post read.

I am extremely pleased if the news that some individuals affiliated with Jamaat Islamia are contesting elections is true. I sincerely hope it is.@JKPCOfficial and Jamaat have coexisted in the mainstream political space prior to 1989. We rarely agreed politically and often Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) August 26, 2024

Media reports had suggested many former militants and separatists have come together to form a political group to contest the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

The group includes former members of the JeI, it suggested.

The group has been named Tahreek-e-Awam, the report stated.

MEHBOOBA MUFTI SAYS BAN ON JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI SHOULD BE REVOKED

On Sunday (August 25), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief, Mehbooba Mufti, said the banned outfits willingness to contest the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is a good step. She also said the ban on JeI should be revoked.

It is a good thing. I want the Government of India to revoke ban on the JeI because if you are not banning communal organisations which are spreading venom in this country, I do not want to name them, those who take out rallies, pelt stones on mosques, lynch Muslims, then why is there a ban on the JeI which has contributed a lot in the education sector, helped people in floods of 2014 and Covid? Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.

She claimed the people in north Kashmir voted for plebiscite sentiment in the Lok Sabha polls by electing incarcerated Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid.

Rashid, a two-time MLA from the erstwhile seat of Langate in north Kahsmirs Kupwara, supported a plebiscite for Jammu and Kashmir.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI

Jamaat is an Islamist and pro-Pakistan organisation that has been linked to violence against Hindus in the past.

Since former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas ouster, the nation has been enveloped in a wave of violence against Hindus and other ethnic minorities.

Jamaat had led a wave of similar violence in 2001 as well when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat alliance won the countrys elections and their cadres unleashed a wave of violence upon the nations minority. Hundreds of women were reportedly attacked and raped.
The rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9 has led to grouse among the people, who have been demanding death penalty for the accused, Sanjay Roy.

The Justice JS Verma Committee, which recommended changes to criminal laws in 2013, explicitly stated that it was not inclined to recommend death penalty for rape even for the rarest of rare cases.

seeking of [the] death penalty would be a regressive step in the field of sentencing and reformation, the committee pointed out.

The panel was set up in the wake of the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi on December 16, 2012. It was headed by former Chief Justice of India JS Verma. The other members of the three-member committee were former Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice Leila Seth and former Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam.

What Did Justice Verma Committee Recommend?

The Justice Verma Committee recommended that rapists who cause the death of a victim or inflict serious injuries be punished with not less than 20 years of imprisonment. The committee has raised the bar for punishment for a wide range of existing and proposed sexual offences.

Whoever commits an offence punishable under Section 376(1) or Section 376(2) and in the course of such commission inflicts an injury which causes the death of the person or causes the person to be in a persistent vegetative state, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but may be for life, which shall mean the rest of that persons natural life, it noted.

It is also noted that there is considerable evidence that the deterrent effect of death penalty on serious crimes is actually a myth. According to the Working Group on Human Rights, the murder rate has declined consistently in India over the last 20 years despite the slowdown in the execution of death sentences since 1980. Hence we do take note of the argument that introduction of death penalty for rape may not have a deterrent effect.

The committee has also proposed introducing new criminal offences such as stalking, disrobing a woman, trafficking, voyeurism and marital rape. It recommended that these offences along with threatening sexual behaviour through words or gestures, could result in imprisonment for three to five years.

The committee also determined that existing anti-rape laws were adequate if enforced correctly and opposed the suggestion to lower the age of juveniles from 18 to 16.

What Does It Say on Marital Rape?

It said that the exception to marital rape be removed, pointing out that a marital or other relationship between the perpetrator or victim is not a valid defence against the crimes of rape or sexual violation.

Referring to the judgment of the European Commission of Human Rights in CR vs UK, the Verma Committee endorsed that a rapist remains a rapist regardless of his relationship with the victim.

Our view is supported by the judgment of the European Commission of Human Rights in CR v UK, which endorsed the conclusion that a rapist remains a rapist regardless of his relationship with the victim. Importantly, it acknowledged that this change in the common law was in accordance with the fundamental objectives of the Convention on Human Rights, the very essence of which is respect for human rights, dignity and freedom. This was given statutory recognition in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, it said.

The Union government did not go by this recommendation and refused to criminalise marital rape. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, exception 2 of Section 63 states that sexual intercourse or acts by a man with his wife, the wife not being under 18 years of age, is not rape.
Justice Hema Committee report has opened the Pandora box of the Malayalam film industry with horrid tales of work culture, discrimination and sexual harassment against female actors largely, and deplorable and unethical work conditions.

The report of the three-member Justice Hema Committee, formed in 2017, was released on August 19, 2024. It was earlier submitted to the Kerala government in December 2019 and released with limited redactions.

The Hema Committee, comprising retired High Court Justice K Hema, former actor Sharada, and retired IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari was formed in 2017 after Kerala-based Women in Cinema Collectives (WCC) petition, to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam film industry.

Who are Involved & What are the Allegations?

A junior artiste has accused actor and director Baburaj of rape after the committee report was released. In a report by NDTV, the young woman, on condition of anonymity, said she was lured by Baburaj to his home in Aluva in Keralas Ernakulam on the pretext of discussions, with other directors, for a possible role in a film. She accused Baburaj of verbally abusing and sexually assaulting her. Baburaj, the Joint Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) has denied the charges and will initiate legal action against his accuser, as per media reports.

Another actor has alleged that senior Malayalam actor Siddique had allegedly raped her at a young age. Siddique resigned as the general secretary of AMMA on Sunday. The actor, who had raised the allegations against Siddique, said she was ready for legal action provided the government gives her an assurance that she would be protected. She also went onto accuse another professional in the industry, saying that he, too, had approached her seeking sexual favours.

Actor Minu Muneer alleged she had faced sexual misconduct from various actors, including a two-time CPI(M) legislator in the Kerala Assembly. Muneer has named actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Edavela Babu, a prominent leader of the AMMA. While Mukesh, Jayasurya, and Babu did not respond to Muneers claims, Raju said he welcomes a probe into the allegations. The actor said she was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai due to the experiences".

On Sunday, the revelations of Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra and a Malayalam actress led to the resignation of film director Ranjith from the position of chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and actor Siddique as general secretary of the AMMA. Mitra revealed that Ranjith had misbehaved with her when she came to Kerala for an audition for Ranjith-directed movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

Vichu Mukesh, CPI-M MLA from Kollam, is facing another assault charge from casting director Tess Joseph. Joseph has accused Mukesh of inappropriate behaviour during an event some years back.

Actress Geetha Vijayan told the media that she had a bad experience with director Thulasidas in 1991, during the shoot of his film Chanchattan. She said he inappropriately behaved with her during the filming of the movie.

Another actress Sreevedika also came out with some serious allegations against Thulasidas. She said he had misbehaved with her on the sets of the 2006 movie, Avan Chandiiyute Makan.

Why was the Hema Committee Formed?

The Malayalam films, which are often praised for being progressive, have a dark underbelly. In February 2017, a popular Malayalam woman actor had come forward alleging abduction and sexual assault on her in Kochi.

A prominent actor would later be implicated in the case which caused a shake-up in the industry, and brought under the scanner the discriminatory treatment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), comprising women actors, producers, directors and technicians, was formed in response to this incident. On May 18, 2017 the WCC submitted a petition to the Kerala Chief Minister demanding an inquiry into the incident, and larger gender issues plaguing the states film industry.

In July, 2017, the Kerala government formed a committee to look into the issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The committee submitted a 295-page report to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019.

What Does the Report Highlight?

The committee identified at least 17 forms of exploitation experienced by women working in 30 different categories within the industry. These include sexual demands made to women seeking entry into the industry, sexual harassment, and various forms of abuse and assault.

 The report highlights persistence of practices like the casting couch, where women are often pressured into offering sexual favours to secure roles or avoid being blacklisted.

 The committee found that the women face discrimination in terms of remuneration and basic workplace safeguards such as internal complaints committee (ICC), which does not exist in practice. Women fear retaliation and are often coerced into not filing complaints.

 The report states that the Malayalam film industry is under control of certain producers, directors and actors  all male  and dominate other persons working in cinema".

 Women working in the industry often face a lack of safety and security, both in their accommodation and during transportation.

 The report revealed that online harassment and cyber-attacks against women are prevalent in the industry. It also highlighted that some male artistes were also banned for a longer period of time due to conflicts with power lobbies.

Why was the Report Released Now?

Five Right To Information activists approached the Kerala State Information Commission (KSIC) for more details on the report.

The KSIC decided on July 6, 2024 a controlled release of the report to the petitioners. Sixty-three pages of the report were redacted before its scheduled release on August 14.

The Kerala High Court stayed release of the report following a petition by film producer Saji Parayil, who argued that its publication would violate the right to privacy of individuals (including himself), and possibly expose them to retaliation and harassment. His petition was eventually dismissed.

An actress deposed before the committee, which further delayed the report. In her plea, she said she has the legal right to know how her statement was recorded in the report.

Why was the Report Delayed?

The report, which was submitted to the CM in 2019, was kept under wraps for five years, and certain portions were redacted during its release this month to protect individual privacy.

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan accused Pinarayi Vijayan of committing an offence for not initiating any legal action against the perpetrators mentioned in the report.

On August 20, CM Vijayan stated that the Hema Committee report had not been released earlier because Justice Hema had written to the government on February 19, 2020, requesting that the report not be made public due to its references that could affect the privacy of many individuals.
A recent study has highlighted the disappearance of Y chromosome  an important factor in determining male sex  with a possibility of only female offspring born in the world.

But a 2022 study published in peer review journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science reveals that the spiny rat has successfully evolved a new male-determining gene, offering hope for humanitys future.

Let us understand how Y chromosome is activated, its disappearance and the evolution of new sex-determining systems.

How Y Chromosome Determines Human Sex

In most mammals, including humans, females possess two X chromosomes while males have one X and a much smaller Y chromosome. Despite its size, the Y chromosome carries the all-important SRY gene, which triggers the development of male characteristics in embryos.

Around 12 weeks after conception, the SRY activates a genetic pathway that leads to the formation of the testes, which produce the male hormone testosterone, ensuring the baby develops as male.

The SRY gene was discovered in 1990 and was found to trigger SOX9, a gene crucial for male determination across all vertebrates. SOX9 doesnt reside on the sex chromosomes, but it activated by the SRY gene, making it essential for male development.

Why Y Chromosome Is Disappearing

Over the 166 million years since humans and platypuses diverged, the Y chromosome has lost a significant number of active genes, shrinking from 900 to just 55. Thats a loss of about five genes per million years. If this trend continues, the Y chromosome could vanish entirely within the next 11 million years.

The X chromosome contains approximately 900 genes with multiple functions, whereas the Y has approximately 55 genes with only 27 of them being male-specific.

Most of the Y is made of repetitive junk DNA.' With such an unstable composition, the Y chromosome is at risk of completely disappearing over the course of multiple generations, as per a report by The Week.

The early proto-Y chromosome was originally the same size as the X chromosome and contained all the same genes, The Conversation said. However, because males only have one copy of the chromosome, it does not have the opportunity to go through genetic recombination, which is the shuffling of genes that occurs in each generation which helps to eliminate damaging gene mutations.

The Y chromosome has degenerated rapidly, leaving females with two perfectly normal X chromosomes, but males with an X and a shriveled Y, The Conversation report highlighted.

Professor Jenny Graves, an expert in genetics, explains that the Y chromosomes size reduction is not a new phenomenon. She points out that in the platypus, the XY chromosome pair appears as ordinary chromosomes with equal members. This suggests the mammal X and Y were an ordinary pair of chromosomes not that long ago, Graves noted.

In the two rodent lineagesthe mole voles of eastern Europe and the spiny rats of JapanY chromosome was already lost. In these species, the X chromosome remains in both males and females, but the Y chromosome and SRY gene have disappeared.

So, a research team led by Asato Kuroiwa from Hokkaido University discovered that in spiny rats, most genes from the Y chromosome had been relocated to other chromosomes. However, the SRY gene was missing.

What Does This Mean for the Future of Men?

The evolution of a new sex-determining gene comes with risks, said Professor Graves. She highlighted the potential for multiple sex-determining systems to evolve in different parts of the world, leading to the emergence of separate human species.

This also means that the disappearance of the Y chromosome could fundamentally change human reproduction and lead to significant evolutionary departments.

Some lizards and snakes are female-only species and can make eggs out of their own genes via whats known as parthenogenesis. But this cannot happen in humans or other mammals because human have at least 30 crucial imprinted genes that work only if they come from the father via sperm, according to a report by The Conversation.

Therefore, to reproduce, humans need sperm and men, and the end of Y chromosome could mean the extinction of the human race.

However, some experts firmly believe that the Y chromosome will not disappear at all, claiming that it has several defense mechanisms in place. A 2017 study published in the journal PLOS Genetics said the chromosomes evolution of palindromes  DNA sequences that read the same forward as backward  and repetitive copies of genes could keep it from degrading faster by allowing damaged genes to be repaired using an undamaged back-up copy as a template.

Scientists continue to investigate the disappearance of the Y chromosome and how it could lead to the evolution of new sex-determining systems.
The unusual delay in the release of the cheetahs that were air-lifted from their home in Africa in 2022 has wildlife experts worried. The felines, currently in Madhya Pradeshs Kuno National Park, were hastily re-captured when three of them died unexpectedly due to a mysterious infection in the monsoons last year.

Desperate to increase their chances of survival, the wild cats have been hauled up in large enclosures since July 2023 where they have been captive-bred  contrary to the Cheetah Action Plan which aimed at establishing a free-ranging cheetah population that reproduces in the wild. The fenced predator-proof enclosures are large, but not large-enough for the worlds fastest land animal which can sprint more than 110 km/hour in just three seconds.

By far, the animals have spent more time in captivity than in the wild since their historic translocation.

Promises, assurances and more announcements. In August 2023, we were told that the captured cheetahs would be released by October-November 2023. Some were released in December 2023 but almost all of them were re-captured within days or weeks. Now we are told that once the monsoon withdraws fully, the cats will be released. Based on global experience and Namibian laws and policies, it is not a good idea to release these cheetahs because of their extremely long period of captivity, especially the captive-born cubs, says senior wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Ravi Chellam.

IS IT A ZOO OR A CONSERVATION EXERCISE?

The Cheetah Steering Committee formed by the government assures that the felines have been hunting on their own. However, the prey population ie cheetal has been timely supplemented by forest staff. The felines are largely protected from leopards, which will be their biggest enemies in the wild. Over the course of last year, they have also been captive-bred  producing 12 cubs which are yet to hone their hunting skills.

Have we brought these cheetahs to keep them captive? Is that the goal of the re-introduction exercise? Dr MK Ranjitsinh, veteran wildlife conservationist who also played a crucial role in cheetah reintroduction earlier, asked News18. Several wildlife experts and scientists across India have continued to express their dismay over the worlds biggest wildlife experiment, comparing their current conditions to almost like a Zoo.

The longer the animals remain in captivity, the more debilitated they will become. The forest department has remained too cautious after seven of the 20 cheetahs died within the first year. It was unnecessary to keep them confined for so long. The mortality was expected. We had to be bold, says a senior wildlife scientist, pointing out that the Cheetah Action Plan had already expected 50 per cent mortality.

EYES ON THE WORLDS BIGGEST WILDLIFE EXPERIMENT

The authorities were unwilling to take any chances after seven cheetahs died within the first year, including three in the monsoons alone. But now their impending release has raised more worries.

Studies in Africa show that the release of captive-bred/captive-raised large carnivores can be difficult and challenging as the animals show poor survival post-release due to their lack of the full suite of natural behaviours.

We have to release the cheetahs after rains. The weather is not as hot and humid as it was. We will consult the weather department and after the monsoons end, the cheetahs will be freed. They are fully vaccinated and will also be radio-collared before release, said Rajesh Gopal, chairman of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee which has given its go-ahead for the much-awaited freedom of the captive animals.

Madhya Pradesh Forest department officials confirmed that the final timeline for release is yet to be worked out, and is still in the discussion stage. The female cheetahs and their cubs will not be released, as the cubs are still less than a year old.

The animals were pitched to be an emblem of wildlife conservation in India and help improve livelihood opportunities for local communities in the remote land of Kuno, but 24 months and counting, it seems we are still clueless on what to do with the imported cheetahs.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered earlier this month.

The central agency registered the case based on the Central Bureau of Investigations initial probe and FIR, which named ex-Principal Dr Sandip Ghosh for corruption.

CBI SLAPS NON-BAILABLE CHARGES

The CBI slapped Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 420 IPC (cheating and dishonesty) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) which covers unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant against Ghosh in its FIR.

The cases read together account for cognisable offences and are non-bailable in nature, a senior Calcutta High Court lawyer said.

Besides Ghosh, the CBI has also registered cases against one M/s Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jorehat, Banipur, Howrah, M/s Eshan Cafe of 4/1, H/1, JK Ghosh Road, Belgachhia, Kolkata and one M/s Khama Louha.

The FIR was lodged on the basis of a written complaint lodged by Debal Kumar Ghosh, special secretary to the state health department.

The FIR was lodged on Saturday after the CBI took over the probe from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) following directions of the Calcutta High Court which the West Bengal government had initially formed following the rape and murder of a woman medic on August 9.

RG KAR CORRUPTION

The order was issued on a petition by former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Hospital, Akhtar Ali, who requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the institution.

Ali had moved the high court after fervent speculations in the public domain on whether the alleged rampant corruption at the institution was in any way connected to the medics death with possibilities of the victim remaining privy to those and threatening exposure.

Ali had also alleged that his complaints before the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau filed a year ago against Ghosh yielded little results and, instead, led to his own transfer from the institution.

In his plea before the high court, Ali accused Ghosh of illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking of biomedical waste and passing tenders against the commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers.

Ali also alleged that students were pressured to pay amounts ranging between Rs 5 and 8 lakh to pass exams.

Ghosh served as principal of RG Kar Hospital from February 2021 to September 2023. He was transferred from the medical establishment in October that year but inexplicably returned to that position within a month. He held his position at the hospital till the day the doctor was found murdered.

Ghosh, who was removed from his chair at RG Kar Hospital after the crime came to light and reinstated in the same position at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital within hours by the Mamata Banerjee government, has subsequently been asked to go on an indefinite leave in the wake of massive resistance from CNMC students and pending the corruption inquiry.

The CBI on Sunday conducted a day-long search operation at Ghoshs Beliaghata residence in Kolkata in connection with the corruption cases.

Ghosh has also been examined by the agency for 10 days at a stretch and it was conducting a polygraph test on him on Monday in connection with the rape and murder probe.

The CBI also summoned the hospitals former superintendent Sanjay Vashisth and its forensic demonstrator Debasish Som at the agencys Nizam Palace office for questioning in connection with the corruption allegations.

(With PTI inputs)
Following the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort, the Malvan Police has filed a First Information Report (FIR), naming the owner of the firm responsible for the upkeep, Jaideep Apte, and the structural consultant, Chetan Patil. The men are expected to be arrested soon.

The FIR has been filed based on a complaint lodged by the Assistant Engineer of the Public Works Sub-Division in Malvan, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, 2023, including sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3 (5) of the Public Property Damage Prevention Act, 1984.

ALSO READ | Video: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs Statue, Unveiled Last Year, Collapses In Maharashtra; FIR Filed

According to the state government, the maintenance and upkeep of the statue were the responsibility of the Navy. The Navy had contracted Aptes Messrs Artistry, while Patil served as the structural consultant.

COLLAPSE WITHIN 8 MONTHS OF INAUGURATION

The statue, a 35-foot installation, was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, during the Navy Day celebrations. However, the collapse within eight months has raised concerns about the quality of the construction.

Reports indicate that the statue had begun to rust just days before it collapsed. On noticing this, the Public Works Department (PWD) promptly informed the Navy in writing. However, despite the warning, adequate measures were not taken.

The opposition has criticised both the state and central governments for their alleged negligence.

NO INVOLVEMENT WITH STATUE: PATIL

Patil has denied all allegations. Speaking to a local news outlet, he clarified that he was not responsible for the entire structural design of the statue.

I was only involved in designing the pedestal for the statue," Patil said. He further explained that the actual construction of the statue was carried out by a company based in Thane. I had no involvement with the statue itself," he said.

Despite multiple attempts by News18 to speak to Apte, who is also the sculptor of the statue, he remained unavailable.

VIDEO | We have our emotions attached to him (Shivaji Maharaj). We worship him like God. The statue collapsed due to the high wind. Its unfortunate. Our Minister has gone there and is inspecting the situation," says Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde (@mieknathshinde) on the Shivaji pic.twitter.com/VpGAzUQOVv Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 26, 2024

WAR OF WORDS

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said the statue was made by the Indian Navy and they had only finalised the design. When I spoke to the collector, he said the statue was damaged due to gusty winds at a speed of 44-50km. We will erect the statue there again."

Congress leader and former Mos Home Satej Patil told News18: The collapse of the Chhatrapati Maharajs statue at Malvan is a matter of practical and symbolic importance. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj holds a revered place in Indian history, and any monument in his honour should be constructed with utmost care and respect. The governments handling of this incident raises serious questions about project management, transparency, and the respect afforded to both historical figures and national institutions. We strongly oppose the Mahayuti governments apparent attempt to save face by casting aspersions on the Indian Navy. This approach not only demonstrates a lack of accountability for a significant failure but also shows disrespect to an institution that has long served as a pillar of national security and pride."

Satej added: The Navy has distinguished itself through numerous successful projects, including INS Vikrant, INS Kattabomman, INS Kadamba, etc. These achievements have cemented the Navys reputation as a benchmark for engineering excellence across various industries. Indeed, the Indian Armed Forces as a whole are respected nationwide for their exemplary quality of service in all aspects of their operations."

               !                    .   pic.twitter.com/gHPJFgCliY  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 26, 2024

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

The incident has sparked widespread outrage and debate over accountability and the quality of public projects.

Some questions still remain unanswered:

What role did the Navy have in the construction, supervision or contractor selection?

Who was responsible for vetting and selecting the contractor?

What criteria were used in this selection process, especially considering reports of the contractors limited experience with large-scale monuments?

How was a project of this magnitude completed in just six months, when industry standards suggest a much longer timeframe?

Were proper quality control measures implemented, and if so, by whom?

Were all required regulatory steps followed during the construction process?

Sindhudurg, Maharashtra: The full-sized statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has collapsed. More details are awaited pic.twitter.com/hYK3opSS7M IANS (@ians_india) August 26, 2024

POLL TOLL?

The issue may pose trouble to the Mahayuti government, which is facing a hard time tackling the Maratha reservation and has already seen its impact during the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs statue, ahead of the Assembly elections, has not gone down well within the people of Maharashtra and especially the Maratha community.
An elderly man, who braved water cannons while protesting against the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government with tricolour in his hand on Tuesday in connection with the rape and murder of Kolkata doctor, is going viral on social media. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed his courage as the spirit of defiance, TMC questioned the presence of the man in the students protest.

The man came into the spotlight after several BJP leaders shared visuals of him facing water cannons against the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation.

End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMCs tyranny.With the Tiranga in hand amid blasting water cannons, this man is defining his steadfast determination to against the oppression of @MamataOfficial.I stand by him, the people of the state stand by him and the pic.twitter.com/EvHFvHQu6H Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) August 27, 2024

In a viral video clip, the man could be heard telling cameras capturing the moment that Kolkata Police should wear bangles.

A large crowd on Tuesday gathered around College Square in Kolkata to be a part of the Nabanna Abhiyan protest march on Tuesday. However, soon after the rally began tense visuals appeared from the state as the police launched lathi-charge, water cannons and tear gas during the protest to disperse the protestors. However, the police said that the action was taken after the protesters in Kolkata broke barricades and pelted stones.

Symbol of Defiance: BJP Shares Visuals Of Man Facing Water Cannons

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to his official handle to share the video of a man holding the national flag as the police used water canon to disperse the protestors. The man, waving a national flag, on the iconic Howrah bridge, amidst blazing water cannon, is the ultimate symbol of defiance against an oppressive Mamata Banerjee regime, Malviya wrote.

The man, waving a national flag, on the iconic Howrah bridge, amidst blazing water cannon, is the ultimate symbol of defiance against an oppressive Mamata Banerjee regime pic.twitter.com/gSh6STk45s Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 27, 2024

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee also shared the visuals of the protest where the old man wearing saffron-coloured clothes was seen facing water cannons while waving the national flag. Saffron has always stood tall against injustice, and this marks the beginning of the TMC governments downfall. Arrogance, lawlessness, and unchecked egos will soon face their consequences. This video captures the spirit of defiance and the demand for accountability, she said in a tweet.

End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMCs tyranny. With the Tiranga in hand amid blasting water cannons, this man is defining his steadfast determination against the oppression of Mamata Banerjee. I stand by him, the people of the state stand by him and the entire country is standing by him.

End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMCs tyranny.With the Tiranga in hand amid blasting water cannons, this man is defining his steadfast determination to against the oppression of @MamataOfficial.I stand by him, the people of the state stand by him and the pic.twitter.com/EvHFvHQu6H Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) August 27, 2024

TMC Hits Back

While the BJP hailed the man for his courage for standing up against the ruling regime, the Trinamool Congress pointed out that the man is not a student and termed him as one of the BJP hooligans.

TMC leader Riju Datta took to X and shared pictures of several protestors stating that they are not protesting students. These are not students. These are Hooligans of BJP.

They wanted Dead Bodies, they wanted to create Anarchy like Bangladesh in Bengal. They pelted stones at police, broke barricades, destroyed police vehicles, set fire to motorcycles, multiple police badly injured, IC Chanditala head split wide open This will NOT BE TOLERATED! I, want to sincerely thank Bengal Police for keeping their composure even under attack and restoring Law & Order! he added.

Let me be very clearThese are NOT StudentsThese are Hooligans of BJP They wanted Dead Bodies, they wanted to create a Anarchy like Bangladesh in Bengal. They pelted stones at police, broke barricades, destroyed police vehicles, set fire to motorcycles, multiple pic.twitter.com/TvncMkhhm2  (@DrRijuDutta_TMC) August 27, 2024

Another TMC leader Gautam Deb brought in the reference of popular web series Panchayats dialogue and wrote, Kijiye Studying Studying, Kheliye Studying Studying, Karte Rahiye Studying Studying. Fresh young students of BJP were found bunking their classes during todays vandalism.

Kijiye Studying Studying, Kheliye Studying Studying, Karte Rahiye Studying Studying. Fresh young students of BJP were found bunking their classes during todays vandalism. pic.twitter.com/B2nasnuxyE Gautam Deb (@gautamdebaitc) August 27, 2024

Netizens React

Apart from the BJP vs TMC tussle over the protest and police action, several social media users shared the mans video saying, Hats off to his courage.

Touching visual from the protest in Kolkata  this old gentleman is facing water cannos alone holding the tiranga.Two students come with their flag and shield him.Mamta totally out of sync with the sentiment on the ground. pic.twitter.com/5U5ogaQbpl Advaita Kala (@AdvaitaKala) August 27, 2024

Have you ever not seen like an elderly saffron monk stood tall, facing them head-on with the holding Tiranga in hand. When water cannons unleashed.This is a powerful symbol against the tyrannyAnd showing true essence.#RGKarProtest #NabannaAbhijan #KolkataDoctorDeathCase pic.twitter.com/zPxuGvkcNY  SALONEE (@abhisaloni_29) August 27, 2024

While several social media users hailed the man for his courage, there was a section of social media who questioned the presence of the elderly man in the students protest. Taking a jibe at the man, one user write, Student Dadu. According to ABP Ananda and BJP IT cell, this man with a white beard, asking police to wear bangles is a STUDENT. He has hit the streets of Kolkata as a student to protest against the RG Kar incident.

Student DaduAccording to ABP Ananda and BJP IT cell, this man with a white beard, asking police to wear bangles is a STUDENT. He has hit the streets of Kolkata as a student to protest against the RG Kar incident.#Bengal #Kolkata #BJPScams #KolkataDoctorDeathCase pic.twitter.com/OjPsceSzVU  Anindita (@hatefreeworldX) August 27, 2024

The whole incident flared up after water cannons were fired upon protesters for raising banners and slogans, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old Kolkata doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Notably, todays rally was organised by the student platform Chhatrasamaj and Sangrami Joutha Mancha of state government employees.
The Supreme Court has said that despite formal classification, temporary employees cannot be denied pensionary benefits if the employment bears substantial hallmarks of regular government service.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta directed the Union government to grant the benefits of the 6th Central Pay Commission, including pensionary benefits under the Revised Pay Scale Rules, 2008, to a group of employees who worked for over three decades upon being appointed on temporary basis to manage the Compulsory Saving Scheme Deposits Fund of the Special Frontier Force in various positions.

The court held that the denial of pensionary benefits to these employees was not tenable or justifiable in the eyes of law as the same was arbitrary and violated the fundamental rights as guaranteed by Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

The denial of pensionary benefits solely on the basis of their temporary status, without due consideration of these factors, appears to be an oversimplification of their employment relationship with the government. This approach runs the risk of creating a class of employees who, despite serving the government for decades in a manner indistinguishable from regular employees, are deprived of the benefits and protections typically accorded to government servants, the bench said.

After hearing advocate Neha Rathi for the employees/appellants Rajkaran Singh and others and Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj for the Union government, the bench noted that the provisions of leave and other benefits, including grant of Assured Career Progression (ACP), reinforced the similarity between the appellants employment conditions and those of regular government employees.

These benefits are typically associated with formalised, long-term employment relationships within the government sector, it pointed out.

Indisputably, the appellants have served SFF HQ for over three decades. While the duration of service alone may not be determinative, it is a significant factor when considered in conjunction with the other aspects of their employment. Such long-term service suggests a level of permanence and integration into the governmental structure that belies their classification as temporary employees, the bench said.

The court also noted that the appellants performed duties similar to those of regular employees in the accounts section of SFF HQ.

This similarity in job functions further blurs the line between the appellants status and that of regular government employees, suggesting that the distinction may be more formal than substantive. The extension of significant elements from the 4th and 5th CPC to the appellants further cements their plea of being employed in governmental functions, the bench said.

The court also found the argument that the recruitment, selection, and promotion processes for SSD Fund employees did not follow the procedures used for regular employees as untenable as it failed to account for the substantive nature of the appellants employment over an extended period running into three decades.

Making a reference to Vinod Kumar and Others Vs Union of India (2024), the bench pointed out, This court had said the essence of employment and the rights thereof cannot be merely determined by the initial terms of appointment when the actual course of employment has evolved significantly over time.

To a question whether an entity can be considered an instrumentality or agency of the government, and thus an authority under Article 12 of the Constitution, the bench said the tests included but are not limited to; extent of financial support from the government; deep and pervasive control of the government; functions performed of public importance and closely related to governmental functions; entity enjoys monopoly status conferred or protected by the State; and the government department has been transferred to the entity.

Neither all the tests are required to be answered in positive nor a positive answer to one or two tests would suffice. It will depend upon a combination of one or more of the relevant factors depending upon the essentiality and overwhelming nature of such factors in identifying the real source of governing power, if need be by removing the mask or piercing the veil disguising the entity concerned, the bench said.

On this issue, the court further referred to Ajay Hasia Vs Khalid Mujib Sehravardi (1981) and Pradeep Kumar Biswas Vs Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (2002).

In the instant case, court also said that since the appellants batch seemed to be the last in their genre of SSD Fund temporary employees and thus, manifestly, the direction to extend the benefits of the 6th CPC and the RP Rules to the appellants should not form a precedent so as to have a detrimental effect on the financial health of the SSD Fund.

Accordingly, the apex court set aside the Delhi High Courts judgment, which denied the benefits to the appellants by holding that it was unsustainable in the eyes of law.
The tourists' attempt to drive through water when visiting the popular K'gari in Queensland had them in stitches, but it was no laughing matter.

The tourists filmed themselves plunging their 4WD into a creek on K'gari hours before they had to be towed. Source: Facebook

A group of tourists had to be rescued after their over-enthusiasm on a popular Aussie island left their four-wheel drive with an electrical issue, forcing them to rely on expensive towing services in the remote location.

The group of men were assisted by Fraser Island Towing over the weekend after their vehicle failed to start on K'gari in Queensland. They were unable to turn to insurance since they had none and, once services towed the men to their destination, the tourists admitted they knew exactly what caused the issue  presenting a video of themselves only a few hours earlier plunging their 4WD into a creek and driving through its depths, giggling throughout the process.

Tourists warned roadside assistance can be 'costly' on K'gari

The large sand island is a popular spot for tourists to explore with its many 4WD tracks and freshwater lakes. However, due to its vastly untouched landscapes and remote location, many "roadside assistance companies won't operate on the island"  meaning any traveller who requires help often need to dig deep into their pockets to receive it.

"It can prove costly to get some help," Kayden from Fraser Island Towing told Yahoo News.

The local company offers assistance packages but says most of the time misguided drivers need to be simply towed off the island.

"It's mostly small things like tyre changes and jump starts... where people do get stuck, its going to be impossible most of the time to get proper roadside assistance  you've got to fight the tides, you've got to get back off the island," he explained. "It's usually just easier to get them off the island and get them to a mechanic."

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When it rains, the impact on agriculture is either positive or negative. Crops either flourish with the much-needed water or suffer from overwatering due to heavy downpours. Theres a unique phenomenon that occurs in a particular region. Here, the rainfall doesnt just nourish crops; it also brings forth diamonds worth lakhs of rupees. This phenomenon is especially true in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. While rain is generally expected to help crops grow or fail, in the Jonnagiri area, it transforms the lives of some farmers by bringing them incredible fortune.

In Jonnagiri, farmers who head to their fields with bullock carts to engage in their daily farming activities are often surprised to find diamonds. This extraordinary occurrence has not gone unnoticed. The news has spread far and wide, prompting people from other districts and regions to travel to Jonnagiri in Kurnool district, all hoping to test their luck and perhaps discover diamonds themselves. While it may sound like a tale out of a storybook, this event is very real. Whenever it rains in Kurnool, its not just the local residents who are drawn to the area; people from all corners of the state flock here in large numbers, driven by the hope of finding valuable diamonds.

The impact of the rain is particularly notable in Jonnagiri, a region within the Pattikonda constituency. While heavy rains in the district can cause streams and rivers to swell, overflowing and disrupting travel and daily life, Jonnagiri is where the rains blessings are most profoundly felt. In a recent instance, a farmer from Jonnagiri experienced a stroke of incredible luck. After a bout of rainfall, this farmer, while engaged in fieldwork, discovered a diamond valued at 1.5 million rupees. The news of this discovery spread quickly, and it was reported that a trader purchased the diamond for a sum of Rs 1,200,000 in cash, along with 5 tolas of gold jewellery.
Nabanna March LIVE Updates: The Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj has called for a major protest march on Tuesday  Nabanno Abhiyaan (march to Secretariat), against the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at the RG Kar College and Hospital in Kolkata. The protest is expected to see thousands of students and activists marching from College Square to the state secretariat.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday concluded a second round of polygraph tests on former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) principal Sandip Ghosh as part of their investigation into the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the institution.

Earlier, CBI officials conducted a polygraph test on the arrested accused, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the incident. The anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation also conducted searches on August 25 at multiple locations in connection with the financial irregularities at the RG Kar Hospital.
An auto-rickshaw driver allegedly drugged and raped a 19-year-old nursing student on her way home from college in Maharashtras Ratnagiri, police said. The driver offered spiked water to the girl and as she lost consciousness, he took her to a secluded place and raped her.

According to police officials, the nursing student booked an auto from her college to go home when the driver assaulted her. The survivor called her family after she regained consciousness.

19-year-old nursing student raped in Maharashtras Ratnagiri.The incident happened while she boarded an auto rickshaw to reach home. She was offered water laced with sedatives, by the auto driver. He thereafter took her to a secluded place, raped her, and fled the scene. pic.twitter.com/VHKMxlVIcn  Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 27, 2024

The girls family lodged a police complaint on Monday. The incident sparked massive protests in Ratnagiri and people blocked roads demanding justice.

Police are looking for the diver with the help of CCTV videos. The survivor has been admitted to a local hospital for treatment.

An 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident. The SIT will be led by a senior female officer.

The incident comes to light at a time when the nation is witnessing widespread protests seeking justice for a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkatas state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Healthcare professionals have been demanding laws for their security due to shifts at odd hours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. He also reiterated Indias stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

The prime minister recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit. The two leaders reviewed progress on several bilateral issues and discussed measures to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Prime Minister shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. He underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict. The duo agreed to remain in touch.

He wrote on X, Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding, and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2024

PM Modi, who is being looked up to as a harbinger of peace between the war-torn countries, recently visited Russia and Ukraine.

Biden Commends Modi for His Message of Peace

On Monday, US President Joe Biden spoke to PM Modi over the phone and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.

The prime ministers visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.

During the visit, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an active role in restoring peace.

In a post non X, Biden said, I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine. We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, said the US president.

This was the first call between the two leaders after Modis trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent developments in Bangladesh.

What Zelenskyy After Modis Ukraine Visit

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he looked forward to visiting India as it can be a key in the global diplomatic efforts to end the war between his country and Russia.

The Ukrainian president was addressing the Indian media persons after the bilateral meeting when he also said, Modis visit was historic, and added: I very much need your country on our side, not balancing between US and Russia. Modis nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July in Moscow.

During the bilateral talks, Modi had earlier told Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to find ways to end the ongoing war and that India had been on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022.

PM Modis Russia Visit

Prime Minister Modi on July 8 began a high-profile visit to Russia to hold the 22nd India-Russia annual summit with President Vladimir Putin, in his first trip since the start of Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukraine conflict also came up during Modis talks with Putin. Modi told Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and that peace talks do not succeed amidst bombs, guns and bullets. President Putin thanked Prime Minister Modi for trying to help find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis.
In a clear indication that Narendra Modi will visit USA in September, US President Joe Biden and the prime minister discussed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings to be held in New York next month.

This will be an important visit after PM Modis recent visits to Russia and Ukraine, and ahead of the US Presidential elections slated for this November. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to discuss the Prime Ministers recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September, the readout of the meeting by the White House said.

PM Modi is expected to attend the UN General Assembly High-Level Week that starts with Summit of the Future on September 22-23 this year. As per the provisional list of speakers, the prime minister is expected to address the UNGA as part of the General Debate on September 26. This will be Bidens last address as the US President at the UN. A big Indian community event by PM Modi in New York is also slated for September 22.

What Modi-Biden Spoke About

As per an Indian statement, the two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh, the statement from India said.

The US readout, however, made no mention of Bangladesh.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability, the Indian statement said.

The US readout said Biden commended the PM for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian PM in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.

The Indian statement said PM Modi conveyed his appreciation for President Bidens deep commitment the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

The two leaders had a detailed exchange of views on a number of regional and global issues.

The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad, and agreed to remain in touch, the Indian statement said.
Amid the growing concerns over the deteriorating condition of the Mumbai-Goa Highway, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde conducted a detailed inspection of the ongoing repair work in Raigad district on Monday.

During his visit, which comes a week ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Shinde was accompanied by a team of officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and Public Works Department (PWD). The inspection followed pointed criticism by Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, who recently described PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan as useless given the highways poor condition.

Shinde addressed the media at the site, reaffirming his governments commitment to ensuring the road is safe. We have implemented four advanced technologies specifically designed to repair potholes and other damaged sections of the highway, Shinde announced. This initiative aims to reduce the inconvenience for those travelling to their villages in the coastal districts for Ganesh Chaturthi.

The inspection revealed that while significant progress has been made in certain areas, particularly from Ratnagiri to Goa where the road is now fully operational, several stretches in Raigad remain a cause for concern. The CM assured that the teams have conducted a comprehensive study of these issues and developed effective solutions, which are currently being implemented.

He emphasised that contractors responsible for substandard road repairs would face stringent action. Any contractor found delivering poor quality work will be held accountable. We cannot compromise on the safety of our people, Shinde added.

Several Mumbai residents who plan to travel to their ancestral homes in the Konkan region for Ganesh Chaturthi expressed frustration over the ongoing road work. A Dapoli resident said: The festival is just around the corner, yet the road is far from satisfactory. Year after year, we see minimal improvement, and its the common people who suffer the most.

Bus operators on the Mumbai-Goa route have also raised an alarm about the potential risk of accidents and delays posed by the incomplete stretches, particularly during the festival season when traffic volumes surge.
Abhishek Bachchan has once again ignited rumours surrounding his marriage with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after being seen at Mumbai airport with his mother, Jaya Bachchan, and sister, Shweta Bachchan Nanda. The trio arrived around the same time but exited the airport separately, which only fuelled the ongoing speculation about Abhishek and Aishwaryas relationship.

In the images from their airport appearance, Abhishek was dressed casually in a grey hoodie, black pants, and white sneakers, with his head slightly bowed, avoiding the cameras. Jaya Bachchan, in contrast, opted for a dark, patterned overcoat and matching pants, carrying a bag as she briskly walked past the photographers with a stoic expression. Shweta Bachchan Nanda, dressed in a beige jacket over a black tee and dark pants, managed to flash a polite smile at the paparazzi.

This sighting has caused concern among fans, who were quick to notice Aishwarya Rai Bachchans absence. A comment on a video of the trios arrival, shared by paparazzo Viral Bhayani on Instagram, read, Where is Aishwarya? Another user added, The Bachchan family is incomplete without Aishwarya and Aaradhya.

Abhisheks recent solo appearances, especially at the Paris 2024 Olympics, have only intensified the chatter. Photos from the event showed Abhishek in an orange shirt over a white tee, paired with light blue jeans and his signature yellow-rimmed glasses. While he appeared to be in high spirits, enthusiastically cheering on the athletes, fans couldnt help but notice Aishwaryas absence. The couple, whos often seen together at public events, has been making individual appearances more frequently, prompting further speculation.

The speculation reached a peak when Abhishek liked a social media post discussing Silver Splitters, a term for couples who divorce later in life. This action did not go unnoticed, with fans and media outlets questioning the status of his marriage.

Adding fuel to the fire, Aishwarya was spotted at Mumbai airport days earlier, returning from New York with their daughter Aaradhya. She seemed unfazed by the rumours, even pausing to thank the paparazzi before leaving in her car.

As neither Abhishek nor Aishwarya has addressed these rumours publicly, fans are left to speculate about the state of their relationship, with their separate appearances continuing to raise eyebrows.
Citing the Hema Commission report unravelling the casting couch factor in the Malayalam film industry, Bengali actor Ritabhari Chakraborty alleged that many such reports have similarities with her own experiences here.

Chakraborty in her post on Facebook on Monday night also tagged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to initiate a similar investigation on the lines of the Hema Commission in Kerala.

The Hema Commission report exposing the sexual assaults in the Malayalam film industry has left me thinking why is Bengali film industry not taking similar steps? So many reports that came up are similar to experiences I had or some actress I know did, she said.

Do we have no responsibility towards the young actresses that come to the business with dreams and are made to believe this is nothing but a sugar-coated brothel, she said.

Tagging the CM, she said, @mamataofficial we want a similar investigation, report and reform. Without specifying, Ritabhari accused a section of people in the industry of indulging in abusive behaviour and called for unmasking them.

The hero/producer/directors with such filthy mind and behaviour continue to work without facing any consequences of their actions and even seen holding candles for the RG Kar victim as if they think of women as anything better than flesh, she added.

Giving a call to expose these people, she said Lets unmask these predators. I am calling my fellow actresses to stand against these monsters. I know you are scared of losing your part or never been cast as most of these men are influential. But how long do we stay quiet? she asked.

Making an impassioned plea to the CM; she said @mamataofficial didi  We need a similar investigation in our industry right away. No, we dont want another case of rape or assault before we are finally taken seriously. Being in show business does not give the right to any man to look at us as commodity or their targets to satisfy their thirst for power or sex, she said.

A known name in tinsel town in Bengal, Ritabhari has acted in films like Chotushkone (2014), Once Upon a Time in Kolkata (2014), Bawal (2015), Fatafati (2022) to name a few.

Senior Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra had recently levelled allegations of making improper advances against a renowned Malayalam director.

To another query, Mitra had told PTI there are allegations of sexual misconduct against some directors in Bengali as well though she had not faced it herself in Tollygunge industry.

I would urge the actresses who faced any such situation to open up and not bear silently. Dont be afraid of the power and influence of such a person. If a wrong has been committed on you, muster the courage to protest, Mitra had said.
The confusion over similar names in Bollywood hasnt ended yet, nor has there been any major solution to it. Those with similar names continue to become the centre of attention for no reason whatsoever. Recently, veteran actor Rajit Kapur opened up about the same, sharing his own experience of people often confusing him with actor-filmmaker Rajat Kapoor. In an interview with Unfiltered by Samdish, Rajit went all out as he shared the funny story behind the name confusion and also recalled some hilarious anecdotes.

Upon being asked why his date of birth shows 1960 instead of 1968 on Google, Rajit claimed that none of the information is verified on the internet. Somebody has posted some pictures. It is all my pictures with Rajat Kapoors birthday date and films. This happens a lot. Sometimes its my photo and his details, and then his photo and my details, the veteran actor said.

Sharing one such hilarious incident, Rajit recalled once receiving Rajat Kapoors cheque for a certain work. I called him and asked, Did you work for his company? He said, Yes, yes. I added, But I have the money now,' bursting into laughter.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Unfiltered By Samdish (@unfiltered_bysamdish)

Sharing another incident, Rajit shared how he mistakenly received a big thank-you cake from Navneet Nishant, who worked in one of Rajat Kapoors films.

The cake company was in my office building. Navneet might have told them to send it to Rajat Kapoor, and they thought it was me. I called her, and she wasnt able to first say that it was a mistake. She was like, No. I was missing you, so I thought of sending it to you. She was embarrassed and tried to cover it up. But then I realised that Rajat was so generous. I think he paid the actors more than what was promised. As everybody got an extra amount paid, to thank him, she wanted to send him a cake, and it came to my address, he said.

Besides these light-hearted conversations, the Raazi actor also spoke at length about the struggles that actors face, especially those who are underpaid, unpaid or working for free for opportunities. There is exploitation. Even if you deserve Rs 20,000, they will bring it down to Rs 10,000. It happens till date, he said.
After ingesting Prozac, male fish had lower sperm counts and seemed more interested in relaxing than taking risks.

Australia has one of the highest antidepressant prescription rates in the world. And while drugs like Prozac can be essential to the happiness of many humans, theyre messing with our fish.

Small amounts of pharmaceuticals are inadvertently discharged into streams, rivers and oceans in wastewater flushed from our toilets, and theyre now considered to be a pervasive issue around the globe. So a team of biologists led by Monash University decided to investigate how they were affecting marine life.

They examined how fluoxetine, commonly marketed as the brand Prozac, impacted the lives of some of the worlds most widely distributed tropical fish  guppies. Concerning is how Dr Upama Aich from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences described the impact of the drug on the fish.

We saw how exposure to Prozac often can lead the fish to move a little less, and be more relaxed. And this isnt always good, she told Yahoo News.

In general, fish appeared to be more consistent in their behaviour, and not inclined to do anything risky. The lack of these traits can be a problem when it comes to survival in the wild.

Less flexibility in their behaviour can be bad because if the fish runs into a predator, and it displays a similar behaviour it will be seen as an easy catch, Aich said.

Related: Toxic chemicals in packaging of common household products all around us

Dr Upama Aich and her colleagues examined how Prozac impacts the behaviour of guppies. Source: Monash University

Prozac impacts sex lives of male guppies

Aich and her colleague, Professor Giovanni Polverino from the University of Tuscia in Italy, examined 12 independent laboratory populations of male guppies. As well as behavioural changes they also noticed the Prozac exposed fish were looking worse for wear.

When they were under low Prozac exposure their body condition declined. And this also affected their reproduction in the sense that their sperm had a slower swimming speed compared to other fish, she said.

If your sperm is swimming less youre probably not going to have as many babies.

The team is now working through the results of a subsequent study that will examine the impact of Prozac on females. They will also be examining whether the impacts translate to the next generation of fish if theyre not exposed to the drug.

The researchers discovered changes in behaviour and body condition. Source: Hung Tan/Monash University

Concern Australia's native fish impacted by Prozac

Guppies are an invasive species, and outcompete native fish in waters where they have been introduced.

Generally considered to be a hardy species, Aich said its quite worrying theyre being impacted by Prozac.

That means native fish are probably not doing great either. People in my lab are not looking at how native and non-native species are being affected, she said.

The research was published on Tuesday in the Journal of Animal Ecology.

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It has been a long time since Dragon Ball Super went on a hiatus, leaving manga fans wondering about the future of the series. The late Akira Toriyama, along with Toei Animation, first brought Dragon Ball Super to fans in 2015, keeping them hooked across a glorious three-year journey. The show has been on an indefinite halt since Chapter 103, which came out in March 2024. The demise of Toriyama flipped the franchise on its head, with all eyes on the question: Will the manga return? Well, fans can finally put their doubts to rest, as there seems to be a confirmation from the makers end.

Artist Toyotarou, who has been famously illustrating the manga since its debut in 2015, has teased about some exciting battles as he confirmed the series return. In a special video shared by Dragon Balls official channel, Toyotarou sat down for a conversation with Weekly Dragon Ball News anchor Victory Uchida to reveal the result of the Gokus Best Bout" poll.

Toyotarou, who was the mastermind behind the iconic Goku vs Moro battle, thanked everyone for the poll results, further hinting, Thank you. With the Moro fight included and all, I was delighted to see the poll results. But I wont stop there! I plan to keep on coming up with lots of exciting battles for fans to enjoy, so I hope you all will continue following my work! Thank you!"

In this context, it is almost clear that he is not yet done with Dragon Ball. While details about the next chapter are yet to be announced, elated fans have taken to social media platforms to express their happiness and excitement.

Toyotaro confirmed in a recent interview that "DRAGON BALL SUPER" manga will return soon. pic.twitter.com/7hCkmLMUUc Anime News And Facts (@AniNewsAndFacts) August 26, 2024

DRAGON BALL SUPER manga will return soonConfirmed by Toyotaro in a recent interview pic.twitter.com/XXGUdFJenT  Anime Craze (@crazedanime_) August 26, 2024

Toyotarou confirms 'Dragon Ball Super' manga will resume soon.I am very excited and wish him all the best! pic.twitter.com/dKosUBF60O  ABD (@AnimeBallsDeep) August 26, 2024

Dragon Ball Super On A Hiatus

Earlier this year, Dragon Ball Super went on a hiatus with Chapter 103, posted not long after the news of Toriyamas death. To this date, no return date has been announced, while fans are hoping the makers will resume work on the series.

So far, fans have seen Goku and Gohan in the middle of a rigorous sparring season. While Gohan was able to retain his best form and increase his powers, the sudden surge only led him to lose control. On the other hand, Broly joins the fight, only to add fire to the chaos.
Following his successful stint in the 2023 Netflix hit Queen of Tears, South Korean star Kim Soo Hyun is ready to return to the screen with another exciting project. On Monday, August 26, Disney Plus Hotstar announced the broadcast plan and confirmed the casting of Kim Soo Hyun opposite Cho Boah in the lead role for Knock Off. Directed by Park Hyun Sun, the show will be a crime drama set against the backdrop of the Asian Financial Crisis, exploring the shady world of counterfeit goods, states a Soompi report.

The announcement has already started making headlines as one of the highly anticipated K-dramas. While fans are eagerly waiting for the K-drama powerhouse to return, it is scheduled to premiere in 2025. Knock Off is written by Han Jung Hoon, known for penning the script for Song of the Bandits, Bad Guys and 38 Squad.

Fake it till you make it. Catch Kim Soohyun and Cho Boah in #KnockOff, a thrilling new drama series exploring the shady world of counterfeit goods. Coming exclusively to #DisneyPlusSG in 2025. pic.twitter.com/PjKEJ4RV5S Disney+ Singapore (@DisneyPlusSG) August 26, 2024

The exact release date is yet to be revealed. The QOT star recently spoke about his upcoming drama at the Newsis Hallyu Expo. Right now, Im filming a new drama called Knock Off. It has a different vibe from Queen of Tears, and I will meet many fans again with this new project. Please look forward to it. Thank you, he said.

[ENG] #KimSooHyun Newsis Expo 2024 post-interview after receiving the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award pic.twitter.com/uBWrf7zRsQ Hallyu (@hallyudotcom) August 26, 2024

More About Knock Offs Plot

The Disney Plus crime drama will have Kim Soo Hyun taking on the role of Kim Sung Joon, the king of the counterfeit world. After losing his job during the IMF crisis in Korea, Joon steps into the world of counterfeits and emerges as the leading figure in the Saemmool Market. Jo Bo Ah will play his ex-girlfriend, Song Hye Jung, a special judicial police officer who has taken charge of cracking down on counterfeit goods.

Set for a fresh pairing, the duo are expected to form a tense relationship as they clash over counterfeit activities. Knock Off is a story about a man whose life is completely turned upside down by the 1997 Asian financial crisis (also known in Korea as the IMF crisis), transforming from an ordinary office worker to the king of the global counterfeit market, the plotline follows.
Malayalam actress Anjali Ameer has accused Suraj Venjaramoodu of making her feel uncomfortable. Anjali is a transwoman who worked with Suraj in the Tamil film Peranbu. Released in 2018, the film also starred Mammootty in the lead.

In a recent interview with Mathrubhumi, Anjali Ameer claimed that Suraj Venjaramoodu asked her uncomfortable questions about pleasure during the shoot of the film. She mentioned that she warned the actor and even reported the incident to Mammootty.

I had not faced any traumatic experiences until Suraj Venjaramoodu asked me if transgender people feel the same pleasure as women. I am a strong person, but this question made me angry. I warned him and reported it to Mammootty and the director. Venjaramoodu then apologised and has never spoken to me in that manner again, which I appreciate, she said.

Since Anjalis comments come in the wake of the Hema Committee report, the actress also clarified that not everyone in the film industry is disrespectful. Let me tell you, there are good people in the industry, but that doesnt mean there are no such people who ask for compromises or favours, there are people like that too, she shared.

What Is Hema Committee Report?

Revelations by Justice Hema Committee report have left the entire nation shocked. In 2017, a Malayalam actress actress was sexually assaulted following which the government formed a three-member commission. While it was headed by Justice K Hema (retired), former bureaucrat KB Valsalakumari and veteran actress Sharada were the other two team members.

The report, which was submitted to the government in 2019, was made available to the public earlier this week. The report investigates several aspects of the Malayalam film industry including sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities like womens toilets and changing rooms, pay disparity and discrimination on the basis of gender.

Who Said What About Hema Committee Report?

Several actors have reacted to the shocking findings of the Hema Committee report. While Chiyaan Vikram has called the findings disgusting, Tovino Thomas also called for strict punishment. If someone has done such a terrible thing to anyone, be it a man or a woman, they should get the deserved punishment. They shouldnt be spared, thats the basic thing to do. They should not just be punished but we must ensure that this doesnt happen again. That awareness, that education system must be there so that (the workspace is safer for women), the latter said.

Recently, Prithviraj Sukumaran also addressed the report and criticised the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for not properly handling complaints from survivors, specifically pointing to the organisations lack of response to a complaint by his Avan Chandiyude Makan co-star Sridevika against director Thulasidas. Stronger intervention and actions are needed from AMMA, he said.
Mohanlal discussed resigning as the President of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) with his fellow actor Mammootty before he shared the news with the press, a new report has claimed. On Tuesday, Mohanlal left the Malayalam film industry in shock after he decided to quit as AMMAs President. His 17-member executive committee also followed his lead and resigned their positions in the association. Hours after the news broke, a report has hinted that Mammootty was aware of the shocking move.

Popular Malayalam news publication, Manorama, claimed that Mohanlal held a private consultation with Mammootty. The report also claimed that Mammootty supported his decision. Mammootty allegedly agreed that it was the best course of action. The report also claimed that there were attempts made to urge Mohanlal to reconsider his decision but the actor was unwilling to budge. News18 couldnt verify the claims at the time of reporting.

On Tuesday, Mohanlal issued a statement to press that he was stepping down as the President of AMMA. AMMA has decided to disperse the executive committee on moral grounds in the light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee members. A new committee will be formed after an election within two months, the statement read.

The association informed that within two months the general body meeting of the association will be called to select the new governing body. We hope that a leadership that is capable of revamping and strengthening the association will take over soon. Thankful to everyone for pointing out our errors, it added.

Mohanlals decision came amid the ongoing sexual harassment allegations in the Malayalam film industry. For the unversed, a report by the Justice Hema Committee detailed in on a sexual assault incidents in the Malayalam film industry. The report has rocked the industry, with several stars expressing their shock via social media and interviews.

Prithviraj Sukumaran also addressed the report and criticised the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for not properly handling complaints from survivors.
Kerala Minister and actor KB Ganesh Kumar has expressed deep disappointment following the resignation of veteran actor Mohanlal from the executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). The executive committee, which Mohanlal led as president, was dissolved on August 27, 2024, amid growing allegations of sexual assault and misbehaviour against several of its members.

The decision to disband the committee came after an emergency online meeting where all 17 members, including Mohanlal, submitted their resignations. The move follows the release of the Hema Committee report, which highlighted the sexual misconduct allegations within the association. Despite being newly elected in June 2024 with a tenure extending to 2027, the committee members chose to step down, acknowledging their moral responsibility.

In a statement, KB Ganesh Kumar, who has been a longstanding member of AMMA, voiced his concerns. Its very sad. We cannot afford this. Mohanlal was a good man, a strong president. Dont spoil this association. Its my request to the media and public. This association is very helpful to the poor people in the film industry. They are not even in a condition to buy medicines. Dont do this, he pleaded.

Kumars comments reflect the sentiment of many within the Malayalam film industry, who view AMMA as a crucial support system for struggling artists. He emphasised that while the allegations against the governing body members are serious and need to be addressed, the association itself remains vital for the welfare of its members.

The executive committee, in its statement to the media, echoed Kumars sentiments, acknowledging the need for accountability while also emphasising the importance of continuity. Following the release of the Hema Committee report and the subsequent sexual allegations faced by certain office bearers within the executive committee of AMMA, the current executive committee of AMMA, taking into consideration its moral responsibility, is stepping down, the statement read.

The general body of AMMA is expected to convene in two months to elect a new governing body. Until then, the existing leadership will continue on an ad-hoc basis to ensure the distribution of welfare measures to members and the coordination of office matters. The statement concluded with a call for renewal and strength, expressing hope that the new leadership would guide AMMA towards a better future.
Telugu star Nani has reacted to the shocking findings of the Hema Committee report. In a recent interview, the actor expressed concern about the misconduct of women in the Malayalam film industry and called it scary. He opined that the situation in the showbiz world was much better before and added that we are in the worst situation now.

This has been bothering me since the Nirbhaya case. It never stops and it continuously keeps disturbing me. Actually, I am very scared of scrolling through my phone. We are in the midst of a social media boom, everyone is on social media, and so many things are happening on it. I believe that anything that reaches its peak will eventually start to decline, Nani told NDTV.

Nani continued to explain, Whenever I hear about all this news, especially about how women are treated or how anyone can say or do anything and think they can get away with it, I believe that the situation was much better 20 years ago. And that it was better than that 20 years before that. I feel that we are in the worst situation now.

What Is Hema Committee Report?

Revelations by Justice Hema Committee report have left the entire nation shocked. In 2017, a Malayalam actress actress was sexually assaulted following which the government formed a three-member commission. While it was headed by Justice K Hema (retired), former bureaucrat KB Valsalakumari and veteran actress Sharada were the other two team members.

The report, which was submitted to the government in 2019, was made available to the public earlier this week. The report investigates several aspects of the Malayalam film industry including sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities like womens toilets and changing rooms, pay disparity and discrimination on the basis of gender.

Who Said What About Hema Committee Report?

Several actors have reacted to the shocking findings of the Hema Committee report. While Chiyaan Vikram has called the findings disgusting, Tovino Thomas also called for strict punishment. If someone has done such a terrible thing to anyone, be it a man or a woman, they should get the deserved punishment. They shouldnt be spared, thats the basic thing to do. They should not just be punished but we must ensure that this doesnt happen again. That awareness, that education system must be there so that (the workspace is safer for women), the latter said.

Recently, Prithviraj Sukumaran also addressed the report and criticised the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for not properly handling complaints from survivors, specifically pointing to the organisations lack of response to a complaint by his Avan Chandiyude Makan co-star Sridevika against director Thulasidas. Stronger intervention and actions are needed from AMMA, he said.
Patralekhaa has had a very busy 2024 with two major releases and other projects that are yet to be released. The actor made a strong impression with her performance in Wild Wild Punjab and is now gearing up for the release of Anubhav Sinhas IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack. Patralekhaa, who plays the role of an air hostess, Indrani, has much to share about her experience shooting for the limited series. However, there are a few things that Patralekhaa says will stay with her for a long time.

Talking to News18 in an exclusive interview, Patralekhaa said, [What will remain with me] is just how claustrophobic I felt inside the aircraft. There were about 100 of us plus the crew. And it was very claustrophobic. The air conditioning also had to be switched off because of the sound. I did feel a certain way after my shoot was over. It took me over a week to really come out of it. I fell ill, [Anubhav] sir had a fever. Nonetheless, after some point, your mind is just there. That process was tough. Hopefully, I will never be in a hijack situation, but this felt eerily real.

Action sequences are never easy for any actor. Whether playing a negative character or a positive role, both can be challenging, with the risk of getting hit or hurt. Elaborating on one such incident that occurred while filming this series, Patralekhaa said, I also got one tight slap. Sir had already told me that Taapsee got hit 15 times in Thappad, so I was like, come on, lets go for it. I was like, just slap. But she also acknowledged that it is not easy when you are the co-actor who has to slap someone. Its not about the person who is getting slapped; its about the person who is giving the slap, she shared.

Patralekhaa will be seen in Anubhav Sinhas IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack alongside Vijay Varma, Dia Mirza, Kumud Mishra, and Naseeruddin Shah, to name a few. The six-episode saga is slated to release on August 29, 2024, on Netflix.
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, last seen in The Goat Life, has reacted to the Hema Committee report, which highlights issues like sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities, gender bias, and pay disparities in the Malayalam film industry. Veteran actors Mohanlal and Mammootty have stayed silent about the report and the sexual assault allegations against several actors and filmmakers.

Prithviraj mentioned that he was among the first to give a statement to the Justice Hema Committee. He also said that he hopes action will be taken against any offenders identified. Prithviraj further criticised the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for not properly handling complaints from survivors, specifically pointing to the organisations lack of response to a complaint by his Avan Chandiyude Makan co-star Sridevika against director Thulasidas. He said, Stronger intervention and actions are needed from AMMA.

When asked about the impact on the film industry, Prithviraj said there should be a strong response. Just because I havent faced any issues from a so-called influential group doesnt mean it doesnt exist. I havent experienced it, but if anyone in Malayalam cinema has been affected by such a group, their grievances must be heard. If such a body exists, it should be dismantled, he added.

Meanwhile, the Justice Hema Committee report has sent ripples across the Malayalam film industry. Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra accused him of misconduct. Meanwhile, veteran Malayalam actor Siddique, who is also the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), has also resigned from his post, after being accused of sexual abuse. He has also filed a police complaint against actress Revathy Sampath who alleged she was assaulted by him.

The Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) responded to the Justice Hema Committee report on working conditions and sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry last week. AMMA welcomed the report but denied the presence of powerful groups and dismissed the casting couch claims.
After the success of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino announced that The Movie Critic would be his final film. Since then, updates have been scarce, fueling speculation that Tarantino might have shelved the project. However, this isnt entirely accurate. In a recent interview on Bill Mahers Club Random podcast, Tarantino addressed these rumours. While he didnt confirm or deny if the film is on hold, he did clarify the false casting reports. Despite rumours suggesting actors like Tom Cruise and Paul Walter Hauser were being considered for the lead role, Tarantino stated that these claims are incorrect. He also pointed out that the media often circulates inaccurate information.

The filmmaker said, If youre some sort of a transient celebrity reporter of kind, if you hear, Quinton is going to make a Star Trek movie or Quinton is going to do a movie called The Movie Critic or Quinton is going to do anything. The thing is they can say anything, Oh, Quinton is going to cast Tom Cruise, its for sure, Quinton is going to cast Tom Cruise as The Movie Critic or Quinton is going to cast Tom Cruise as Captain Kirk. The thing was kind of funny about The Movie Critic was they started saying that I was going to cast that actor Paul Walter Hauser, but the thing was funny about it, they just think he looks like a critic so thats what they picked up."

Quentin Tarantino noted that once a piece of information is published, it tends to spread rapidly and is picked up by numerous sources. Since he doesnt always address or correct these stories, they often get reported as fact, even if theyre incomplete or inaccurate. Despite this, Tarantino expressed his appreciation for the interest in his work and the volume of articles that were published about his projects.

In the same interview, Quentin Tarantino also shed light on the rumours about him directing a Star Trek movie. Putting rest to the speculation, he said, Its never going to happen. Theres been so much misinformation about what it was going to be, I mean nothing but misinformation."

The director further revealed that he has been focusing on writing for the theatre and hinted that it might be a comedy. When Bill Maher asked why he isnt making a movie instead, Tarantino mentioned that if the play is successful, he could turn that into a film. Seems like fans who are eager to watch his final film might need to wait a bit longer.
The Tamil film industry was struck with gloom and shock as noted actor Bijili Ramesh passed away today in the early hours at the age of 46. He was suffering from a prolonged illness believed to have been caused by alcoholism. A few days back, his family appealed for financial help from the film community to get him through the treatment. His final rites will take place near MGR Nagar, Chennai, at around 5 pm today.

Bijili Ramesh gained widespread recognition after appearing in prank videos by a sketch group on YouTube. The videos went viral, making him a pop culture icon in 2018.

That same year, he was cast in a special promotional song for Nayanthara and director Nelson Dilipkumars film Kolamaavu Kokila. This marked his entry into Tamil cinema, where he appeared in films such as Hip Hop Adhis Natpe Thunai, Amala Pauls Aadai, Jyotikas Ponmagal Vandhal, and Jayam Ravis Comali, among others.

Bijili Ramesh also participated in Vijay Televisions cooking reality show, Cooku With Comali. A devoted Rajinikanth fan, Bijili Ramesh mostly took on comedic roles throughout his career. Unfortunately, he had been bedridden for several months due to illness. In multiple interviews, Bijili Ramesh admitted to struggling with alcoholism, which he attributed to the difficulties in his life. He urged others to avoid alcohol addiction and prioritise their health.

Bijili Ramesh, who was widely recognised for his struggles with alcoholism, ultimately faced severe health challenges directly related to his addiction. His persistent alcohol abuse led to significant deterioration in his physical health, compelling him to seek medical attention and resulting in his hospitalisation. During his time in the hospital, Ramesh battled a multitude of health complications, including liver cirrhosis, kidney dysfunction, and heart problems. Before his hospitalisation, he had been paralysed, rendering him unable to stand or walk.

In one of his final interviews with media outlets, Ramesh openly admitted that his alcohol consumption had devastated his health and life. He confessed, I cant stand in one place anymore. I kept making mistakes and indulged in many wrong things before my marriage, which led me to become an alcoholic. I want my fans and others to learn from my exampleavoid alcohol and any other harmful habits that destroy your health.

He also expressed his deep disappointment over the lack of support he received in his time of need. Bijili Ramesh recalled that there were once at least 40 people, friends and acquaintances, surrounding him when he was active in the film industry. But in his final days, as he struggled with illness, not one of them had come to visit him.
Sven-Goran Eriksson, the hugely successful soccer coach who took charge of the England national team for five years, died on Monday at the age of 76 following a battle with terminal pancreatic cancer.

His death came just days after a documentary about his life was released on Prime Video and features a goodbye message at the end that has touched the hearts of fans.

"I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is. Hopefully at the end people will say, yeah, he was a good man, but everyone will not say that," the Swede said.

"I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do.

"Don't be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it's been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it. Bye."

Viewers say the final scene brought them to tears and many hailed Eriksson for his stoic response to his diagnosis.

Watch the clip below.
Anupam Tripathi, widely recognised for his work in the South Korean film industry, is all set to make his debut in the Indian film industry with IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The series, directed by Anubhav Sinha and streaming on Netflix, revolves around the infamous hijacking of an Indian aircraft, which remained under custody for a week. Anupam plays a pivotal role as a crucial catalyst in the story, alongside a stellar cast that includes Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Dia Mirza, and Arvind Swami, among others.

In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, Anupam shared insights into his audition process for the role. He revealed that he auditioned at the end of March 2023 and received confirmation about his casting within just one day. My audition happened on March 31, 2023. I got a call from Mukesh Chhabras office asking if I could audition for a role. I spent the entire night preparing, and around 3 or 4 am, I sent in the audition recording. The next day, I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra saying, We are locking you in for the career-defining role. I met him personally as well; hes a very beautiful human being, Anupam shared. After the audition was cleared, I was relieved to have crossed the first hurdle. The second step was to get the script, read it, and prepare for the role, he added.

The actor, who rose to fame following the success of Squid Game, recalled being in school when the hijacking occurred. Raised in New Delhi, Anupam said, When you read the script of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, you get nostalgic and go back to the events of December 24, 1999. I was in sixth or seventh grade when the hijack happened. I remember it being a major topic of discussion on DD News, in newspapers, at school, and even among neighbours. I remember wondering when the passengers would be released and praying for their safety. While reading the script, those memories came rushing back.

Discussing his character and preparation for the series, Anupam said, I wanted to portray this kind of character  someone with a dual personality, where what you see is not what it really is. He noted that he didnt need to do extensive research on his character or the events because the script and the filmmakers had already done thorough groundwork. It was a well-researched script; I didnt have to look for additional references. Our director, Anubhav Sinha, guided us through everything. Hes a fun and heartwarming person. The first time I met him, he said, Welcome. And right after, he asked, Khana khaya? Hes such a nice person, Anupam shared. The actor also credited the hairstylists and costume department for helping bring his character to life.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack features some of the biggest names in Indian cinema, with veterans like Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur reuniting after a long hiatus. For cinephiles, the cast is indeed impressive, and for Anupam, it was surreal to share the same space with such legends. I met the gurus of Indian cinema who have inspired and motivated actors like me, not just from India but all over the world, to pursue this craft and focus on its nuances. When they were all in front of me, it was an indescribable experience. It was a beautiful moment  being introduced to Naseeruddin Shah, receiving blessings from Pankaj Kapur, discussing topics with Manoj Pahwa, and talking to actors like Kumud Mishra, Aditya Srivastava, and Arvind Swami. The best of actors were there, and you just observe and learn, he said.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack will be available for streaming on Netflix starting August 29.
Anupam Tripathi may be making his Bollywood debut this month, but he already has a connection with one of the biggest stars in the industry, Salman Khan. Anupam began his acting career in 2016, and one of his first credited roles was in the South Korean film An Ode to My Father. Coincidentally, this film was remade in Hindi as Bharat in 2019, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles. In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, we asked Anupam if he had watched the remake. The IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack star confirmed he had and shared his thoughts on the film.

I watched Bharat, and Ode to My Father is the original. Bharat has its own beauty; it was made in an Indianised way, and one should watch it with that perspective. It was interesting to watch, Anupam told us. He added that he would love to work with Salman Khan someday and mentioned that he would be open to starring in a film in the comedy genre, similar to Kick or Ready.

Besides discussing Bharat, Anupam also spoke with us about Shah Rukh Khan. He revealed that he shares his birthday with SRK. We share the same birthday. Theres so much to learn from himabout life, acting, and work. If you listen to his speeches and apply them to your life, you can improve so much. Hes a person who urges you to dream, Anupam said.

Talking about IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, Anupam shared that he received a call to audition for a role in the series back in March 2023, and it took the team only one day to confirm his casting. My audition happened on March 31, 2023. I got a call from Mukesh Chhabras office asking if I could audition for a role. I spent the whole night preparing, and around 3 or 4 am, I sent the audition recording. The next day, I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra saying, We are locking you in for the career-defining role. I met him personally as wellhes a very beautiful human being, Anupam shared. After the audition was cleared, I was relieved that I had crossed the first hurdle. The next step was to get the script, read it, and prepare for the role, he added.

Set to release on Netflix this month, the series is based on the harrowing events surrounding the hijacking of the IC 814 aircraft, which took off from Kathmandu and was headed to New Delhi. The flight was hijacked, and the passengers were held under the control of the hijackers for seven days. The plane traveled through multiple airbases before it was stationed in Kandahar, where Indian officials negotiated for the passengers release. Anupam plays a vital role in the series.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack will stream on Netflix starting August 29.
When you think of Chris Hemsworth, you probably picture the mighty Thor, swinging a hammer and saving the universe. But what if we told you the God of Thunder has a hidden talent that involves, not hammers but drumsticks? Yes, you read that right! Hemsworth made a surprise appearance at Ed Sheerans concert in Bucharest, Romania, and lets just say, he didnt need Mjolnir to bring down the house this time just a good old drum kit. On Saturday night, Hemsworth joined Ed Sheeran on stage at the National Arena in Bucharest, where around 70,000 fans got the surprise of a lifetime.

It turns out, the actor was in town filming an episode for the upcoming second season of his National Geographic/Disney+ series, Limitless With Chris Hemsworth. He played the drum part for Sheerans hit song Thinking Out Loud in front of an audience that could rival the population of a small country.

Got (Chris Hemsworth) to learn to play drums for my stadium show, Sheeran announced in an Instagram post shortly after the concert.

Basically whats happening is Chris emailed me last December saying hes doing a documentary on cognitive health and the benefits of learning an instrument, Sheeran explained in a video shared on Instagram. And he came to visit me, and he has learned drums and hes coming on stage in front of 70,000 (people).

Watch It Here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

As for the show Hemsworth is working on, Limitless With Chris Hemsworth Season 2 is set to dig even deeper into the big issues we all face things like pain, fear and cognitive decline. Hemsworth will be travelling to the remote parts of the world to explore cutting-edge science and uncover the worlds best-kept secrets for living a healthier life, as per a report in Variety.

Meanwhile, Sheerans += Tour (Mathematics Tour) continues to roll across the globe, with upcoming stops in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Brazil in 2024, along with even more international dates planned for next year. But after this Romanian surprise, fans might start showing up wondering who else Sheeran will pull out of his hat. Thor one day, maybe Iron Man the next? Anythings possible when Ed Sheerans involved.
Neha Dhupia is celebrating her birthday on August 27. The former Miss India, who married Angad Bedi in 2018 and now has two kids, shocked everyone with her sudden gurudwara wedding. In an old interview with Film Companion, Neha spilled the beans about her messy wedding. She revealed that she and Angad never dated before tying the knot and that the whole thing was so last-minute their parents had to quickly book a gurudwara for the Anand Karaj ceremony.

She had said, We didnt date for a single day of our lives. I swear! I am saying this on record: we did not date for a single day of our lives. Weve been friends, and weve seen each other through different relationships. Hes all heart, and then, right before I left Roadies, I was like, hes not bad, hes amazing. I love him. He always had a piece of my heart, but not like that.

Neha shared that after the decision was made, their parents quickly met in New Delhi, and suddenly, a wedding date was set. She mentioned that she had to call designer Anita Dongre at the last minute to rent the pink lehenga she wore.

Meanwhile, Neha Dhupia has flown to the Maldives to celebrate her 44th birthday. She is joined by her husband, Angad Bedi, their children Mehr and Guriq, and her parents, Babli and Pradeep Dhupia. The trip is filled with happy moments, which Neha has been sharing with her fans on Instagram. Recently, she posted a photo on Stories with the family. Neha looked stunning in casual attire with white pants and a pink shirt, while Angad wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt.

Neha Dhupia also uploaded a picture with her mother, Babli Dhupia. The mother-daughter duo can be seen relaxing on a couch and enjoying the Maldivian sun. Neha captioned the photo, We here.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths advice to Hindus, Batenge toh Katenge (divided we shall perish), is unapologetically blunt. Made in the backdrop of diplomatic tensions owing to the pogrom against Hindus in Bangladesh, it is unfiltered too. But those who have heard him speak before will know that he is not one for diplomatic niceties. In Dhaka, his words will push the authorities to withdraw to a sheepish silence. Especially as the UP CMs remarks exactly coincide with the release of an Islamist extremist in Bangladesh who is, to put it mildly, balefully disposed towards India and Hindus.

But here in India too, Yogis remarks have triggered a right royal rumpus. The Opposition, that prides itself on a self-professed secular-liberalism, has reacted predictably. Its big guns have accused Yogi Adityanath of polarisation, of using his office to spell out a divisive message aimed at heightening Hindu anxieties, and of painting Muslims as aggressors for no other reason than to consolidate the Hindu vote.

The Opposition is dead right. UP CM Adityanaths remarks are a well-thought out political provocation. Yogi has only a few weeks before 10 assembly by-polls are conducted in his state to consolidate the Hindu vote that has noticeably fractured there. An unabashed invocation of well-worn Hindutva tropes, he hopes, will win back all the subordinate castes that have drifted away from the BJP. It is estimated that because of this drift, the BJP lost at least 20 parliamentary seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

The CMs utterances have a fair chance of affecting counter-polarisation as where they lack in subtlety they make up in substance. Hindus are only too well aware of their vulnerability when diced up into narrower identities.

History informs Hindus that when their unity has plummeted they have been fair game.

Pre-independence, the British exploited and reinforced existing caste, linguistic and religious fissures, creating new categories and sub-categories to fragment the Hindu population. Isolated and walled off by their own prejudices and suspicions, the majority community succumbed to the British.

It took Mahatma Gandhi to unite Indians, Hindus in particular, by promising a Ram Rajya. This was the first time that Hindu religious iconography was woven into the tapestry of the Freedom movement. The British, ever alert to the opportunity, played on Muslim anxieties. The Muslim communitys self-appointed guardian, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, fell for it and warned Muslims of the alleged down side of living in a Hindu India. He would go onto promise Muslims of the sub-continent, an exclusive preserve where their interests would never be subsumed by the majority. His Noahs Ark would eventually be called Pakistan  the Land of the Pure.

That seminal event would arguably sow the seeds of Muslim separatism in the sub-continent.

The full implications are still playing out. In Kashmir, for one, in the late 80s, the Muslim majority in pursuit of their own version of the Land of the Pure turned on the Hindu minority with devastating consequences for inter-faith relations.

That the xenophobia never became a talking point underlines Yogi Adityanaths point.

The Hindus of the time were so distracted and divided by Mandal politics that no one among them of any significance spoke up for justice.

In fact, some political observers have posited that even when they felt the need to speak up, the Centre-Left political leaders did not oblige the Kashmiri-Hindu. These parties after all had considerable Muslim votebanks.

All the BJP had to do in the late 80s and 90s was to step in and appeal to a nascent sense of siege among some Hindus. And it did. And very successfully too.

This prompted the non-BJP parties to politically oppose the saffron partys attempts at mobilising the Hindu vote.

One distinct stratagem, among the many, was to fan the flames of anti-Hindu majoritarian ire. This ploy continues unabated till this day. The upper caste base of the BJP has been singled out as the cause of all social prejudices afflicting the polity. For a while, the BJP was able to overcome the Oppositions counter-mobilisation strategy and benefit from Hindu consolidation. But as the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections demonstrate, the BJPs tactics may have maxed out and the Opposition appears to have fashioned an effective riposte.

Can Hindu Hriday Samrat Yogi Adityanath step in and reverse BJPs loss of influence over its grand Hindu social coalition? Will his polarising remarks once again allow the BJP to reap the whirl wind of the Centre-Lefts anti-Hindu majoritarian ire?

As they say, watch this space.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Ruchi Ghanashyam, an accomplished Indian diplomat, who retired from the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 2020, has recently published an excellent and insightful account of her time in Islamabad from 1997-2000. Her husband, AR Ghanashyam, and she were posted as Counsellors in the Indian High Commission in the Pakistani capital. Ruchi was the first lady IFS officer to serve in Indias Islamabad Mission, though an IFS couple had served in the Indian Consulate-General in Karachi in the 1980s. Ruchis new book, An Indian Woman in Islamabad, about her stint evoked a host of memories in me, for I was head of the Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan (IPA) Division, as Joint Secretary, in the Ministry of External Affairs from August 1995 to August 2001.

In that capacity I had to contribute to the management of Indias ties with a neighbour which has always considered this country to be its permanent threat. And, to meet that imaginary threat, it has, from the time of its creation, chosen the path of confrontation and aggression. Indian diplomats and staff who serve in Pakistan have to bear the brunt of the Pakistani officialdom, especially its intelligence agencies, intrusive, boorish and sometimes violent conduct. The Pakistani approach to Indian diplomats is contrary to the Vienna convention; it is part of its general aggressiveness towards India. Indeed, one Pakistani senior diplomat posted in Delhi, in a moment of candour, admitted to me that his colleagues had a far easier time in India than their Indian counterparts in Pakistan. Ruchi mentions many incidents of the ungracious behaviour she had to encounter during her Islamabad assignment.

All countries maintain surveillance over foreign diplomats. It is more so on those who are believed to be undercover intelligence officers posted in Missions and Posts. As part of this surveillance, diplomats phones are tapped, their mail is opened (except of course that which is through diplomatic bags) and they are sometimes followed. In almost all cases this process is conducted discreetly in order to let careless and lax diplomats reveal what they should not.

However, Pakistan pursues a different approach altogether. As Ruchi reveals and this has been a routine feature at all times, Pakistani surveillance is in the face. Its object is to intimidate not only Indian diplomats but also their own nationals from having any interaction with the Indian Mission. Only a trusted few are permitted by the Pakistani agencies to meet Indian diplomats. They are expected to brief the officials on any information they may pick up. Also, there are some persons in Pakistan who are so highly placed, socially, politically and financially, that they do not care about officialdom. But these are only a handful.

It is not only Indian diplomats who are the targets of Pakistani intelligence operatives. An Indian scholar who is obviously well-regarded in Pakistan and has had, in the past, unprecedented access, told this writer that he was having a drink in his Islamabad hotel room with a former Pakistani senior diplomat who had served in India. A couple of intelligence officials called him from the hotel lobby asking to meet him. He told them that we would do so after a while in the lobby. However, within a few minutes they barged into his room.

The Pakistani former diplomat objected to their behaviour and revealed his identity too. This had no impact on them at all. They simply ignored him and continued with their interrogation of the scholar. This was so despite the fact that he held very senior positions in the Pakistani establishment. It was obviously both a signal to the Indian scholar and his Pakistani guest that such interaction was not kosher. It is simply inconceivable that Indian intelligence persons would behave so when a senior retired official is meeting with a visiting foreigner, even a Pakistani.

The basic duty of a receiving state is to provide security to foreign accredited diplomats. Naturally, if a state does not do so there is a tendency in the sending state to derive appropriate conclusions. This leads generally to the imposition of reciprocal measures. In fact, reciprocity is a basic norm of international diplomatic life. Sometimes a state like India because of its civilizational values finds it difficult to respond in kind. This writer had such experiences during the time he was professionally dealing with Pakistan.

Once, a particularly horrendous episode had taken place some 28 years ago. An Indian official who was living with his wife and teenage daughter was dragged out of this house by 8 to 10 Pakistani officials in broad daylight. His daughter and wife clung to him and were injured. This writer was naturally angry but was asked by his superiors if he wanted to have similar action taken against a Pakistani officials family in Delhi? I think this writers expression said it all. Part of the problem lay in the fact that Pakistani staff all lived in a single compound while Indian staff lived separately in individual dwellings. This problem has now been addressed because a large complex housing the Mission staff and officers has been constructed in Islamabad. This will immeasurably add to the security and safety of our diplomats and Mission staff.

This writer recalls an interesting episode. Along with a colleague he had to visit Karachi in the mid-1990s. The two of us at first visited our High Commission in Islamabad and thereafter proceeded to Karachi accompanied by an Indian diplomat posted in the Pakistani capital. He had made arrangements in a leading Karachi hotel. We three were made to wait for more than an hour before we could check into our rooms even though we had arrived well after checking-in time and the hotel was expecting us. The next day the hotel owner, a leading member of Karachi society, arranged a sumptuous high-tea for us to apologise for the delay in our checking-in the day earlier. He told us that his managers dreaded the stay of Indian High Commission diplomats. This was because he had to take care of the food and even provide some accommodation to a multitude of intelligence personnel. Worse, after the diplomats had checked out sometimes even the toilets were dismantled just in case the diplomats had chosen to flush out some papers which could be retrieved! The three of us had a hearty laugh. This was naturally the height of paranoia. While more than two and a half decades have passed it is doubtful if the basic approach of the Pakistani agencies has changed.

There is a lot more in Ruchi Ghanshyams book than the travails of Indian diplomats because of the crudity of the Pakistani intelligence agencies against Indian diplomats. There are interesting social episodes, friendships that even the agencies could not impede and the counterproductive policies of the Pakistani government. There are also accounts from the perspective of a diplomat based in Islamabad of the hijacking of IC 814, the Kargil war and Atal Bihari Vajpayees visit to Lahore in February 1999.

Ruchi also gives an account of how the army has been ripping off the Pakistani people. That process continues.

The writer is a former Indian diplomat who served as Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and as secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Two days after BJP leader Lahar Singh Siroya questioned the alleged allocation of land under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board to a trust run by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharges family, the saffron party has fired a fresh salvo posing seven questions on what it is calling the Kharge land scam.

Another land scam in Karnataka after MUDA scam where Siddharamiah (Siddaramaiah) family had to answer now Kharge family? It has come to light from a news report backed by documents that a trust (Siddhartha Vihara Trust) run by Mr Mallikarjun Kharges family has been allocated 05 acres of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land (out of the total 45.94 acres) meant for civic amenities under the SC quota. The 5 acres allotted is in the Hitech Defence Aerospace Park near Bangalore. The trustees include Mr Kharge himself, his wife, Mrs Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and Gulbarga MP, Mr Radhakrishna, another son and minister in the Karnataka Government, Mr Priyank Kharge and yet another son Mr Rahul Kharge among others, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a post on X.

The Congress-led government in Karnataka, however, denied the allegations and said the land allotted to Kharges son, Rahul Kharge, is as per the rules. State minister MB Patil slammed Siroya for making such claims and said Rahul Kharge has applied for a research and development centre at the site.

In his posts on social media on August 25, Siroya questioned how the Kharge family had become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for the land, which he said was meant for civic amenities in the Hitech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru. Now, the BJP is saying this is another land scam in Karnataka after the MUDA scam allegedly involved chief minister Siddaramaiah and his family.

Another land scam in KarnatakaAfter MUDA scam where Siddharamiah family had to answer now Kharge family ?It has come to light from a news report backed by documents that a trust (Siddhartha Vihara Trust) run by Mr. Mallikarjun Kharges family has been allocated 05 acres of pic.twitter.com/ghJPvq2W10  Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) August 27, 2024

Here are the seven questions posed by the BJP, included in Poonawallas lengthy social media post:

Is this about misuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest? How did the industries minister consent to this allocation in March 2024? When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? Is this not injustice to ordinary SC entrepreneurs and the youth? Should they have not got the benefit? After the MUDA scam, one more khatakhat loot? Is this not about misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest? Will Rahul Gandhi, who is himself accused in the NH (national highway) scam, say a word on this? Or will he remain silent as he has on the MUDA scam, Valmiki scam and other scams? Has this entire expose been done by a faction of the Congress because Siddaramaiah was facing heat on MUDA scam  so have they exposed Kharge too?

Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya further brought attention to the news report, alleging that Kharge and his family were embroiled in a land scam in Karnataka. He, too, posed similar questions as Poonawalla and said the case is about misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest.

After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, now Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and family are embroiled in a land scam in KarnatakaIt has come to light from a news report, backed by documents that a trust (Siddhartha Vihara Trust) run by Mallikarjun Kharge's family, has been https://t.co/SbhMjcQ8pC  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 27, 2024

After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, now Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and family are embroiled in a land scam in Karnataka he wrote in a post on X.

How did the Industries Minister, Mr MB Patil, consent to this allocation in March 2024? When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? The matter of this alleged illegal allocation has also reached the Honble Goverors (governors) office through an RTI activist, he said, reposting Siroyas thoughts on the matter.

Malviya asked for answers from Kharge and asked if he will eventually give up this land like Siddaramaiah did in the MUDA case, and further sought to know if this allocation will be probed.

Rahul Kharges trust allotted plot as per norms

Patil On Monday (August 26) clarified that the educational trust run by Rahul Kharge was allotted a civic amenity (CA) plot at aerospace park at a prescribed price, as per the norms. In a statement, he dismissed allegations made by Siroya and insisted that no rules were violated in the process.

Rahul Kharge is an IIT graduate who has expressed his intention to establish a Research and Development (R&D) Centre on the allotted land. His family has a longstanding involvement in various educational activities. Under KIADB norms, CA plots can be used for setting up R&D centres, centres of excellence, technical institutes, skill development centres, government offices, banks, hospitals, hotels, petrol stations, canteens, and residential facilities, he said.

He explained that any interested and eligible person can apply for a CA plot and allotments will be made after recommendations from the state-level single window committee. He said Rahul Kharge has not been allotted an industrial plot at aerospace park but a CA plot for establishing an R&D centre at a prescribed price, with no discounts given.

The minister further stressed that since he took office, a more transparent system has been implemented where CA plots are allotted only after state-level single window committee approval. Additionally, for the first time, we have introduced a 24.10 per cent reservation for scheduled castes in the allotment of CA plots, he added.

He also took a dig at the opposition parties and said when the BJP was in power it had allotted 116 acres of land to Chanakya University in an industrial area for a mere Rs 50 crore, resulting in a Rs 137 crore loss to the state exchequer.

(With PTI inputs)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on August 28 to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to the state secretariat Nabbana on Tuesday. The saffron camps action came after the Kolkata Police used batons, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd who proceeded to Nabanna.

In response to the BJPs Bengal bandh call, the Trinamool Congress leaders slammed the saffron party saying that the party wont sit silent and will hit back with full force. However, the BJP came out in support of its Bengal unit bandh call and stated that the protestors fighting against the Mamata Banerjee governments oppression is an ultimate symbol of defiance.

Meanwhile, responding to the incident, ADG South Bengal Supratim Sarkar said that the police had input that the protestors will create a problem during the protests and that is why the action was taken against them. As we were apprehending there might be trouble during the protests, we arrested four people who were conspiring. They had a gun with them.

BJP Calls For Bengal Bandh, Demands Mamatas Resignation

BJP called for a 12-hour strike in West Bengal on August 28 to protest against the police action. The party also demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor in a state-run hospital earlier this month.

We are forced to give the call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjees police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.

Standing in support of the bandh call, BJP national president, JP Nadda took to X and wrote, The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didis West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but its a crime to speak for womens safety.

The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles.In Didis West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but its a crime to speak for womens safety.  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) August 27, 2024

In addition to this, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya shared a video of a man holding the national flag as the police used water canon to disperse the protestors. The man, waving a national flag, on the iconic Howrah bridge, amidst blazing water cannon, is the ultimate symbol of defiance against an oppressive Mamata Banerjee regime, Malviya wrote.

The man, waving a national flag, on the iconic Howrah bridge, amidst blazing water cannon, is the ultimate symbol of defiance against an oppressive Mamata Banerjee regime pic.twitter.com/gSh6STk45s Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 27, 2024

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee also reacted saying, End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMCs tyranny. With the Tiranga in hand amid blasting water cannons, this man is defining his steadfast determination to against the oppression of Mamata Banerjee . I stand by him, the people of the state stand by him and the entire country is standing by him.

TMC Hits Back

Following BJPs bandh call, TMC leader Mahua Moitra hit back at the saffron party and said, Police gets bricks thrown at them by #WeDontNeedNoEducation Chhatras, SHOs head split. Many policemen hurt. And BJP Bengal calls bandh to protest police atrocities. Same old playbook.

Police gets bricks thrown at them by #WeDontNeedNoEducation Chhatras, SHOs head split. Many policemen hurt. And @BJP4Bengal calls bandh to protest police atrocities. Same old playbook. Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 27, 2024

Another TMC leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that the BJP goons broke the barricades and attacked the Kolkata Police. They are the ones who are calling the bandh for the deadlock. Fail this closure. Keep public life normal, he said.
Amid clashes between police and protesters at the Nabanna Abhijan rally demanding the resignation of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, an already-charged BJP once again accused Kolkatas top cop and state government of attempting to cover up the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Calling it a massive revelation, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya alleged that a motorcycle used by the main accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, was registered in the name of the Kolkata police commissioner and this needed serious investigation. The Kolkata Police, however, was quick to respond to this allegation saying all such vehicles used by the force are registered under the police commissioners post before being assigned to different units.

Sanjoy Roy, accused in the RG Kar MCH rape and murder case, as per Kolkata Police and the TMC, on the fateful night, was riding a bike registered in the name of Kolkata Police Commissioner. The same Commissioner, who called it a suicide, without even a proper investigation. Mamata Banerjee was constantly in touch with him all through out, Malviya wrote in a post on social media platform X.

This is a massive revelation.Sanjoy Roy, accused in the RG Kar MCH rape and murder case, as per Kolkata Police and the TMC, on the fateful night, was riding a bike registered in the name of Kolkata Police Commissioner. The same Commissioner, who called it a suicide, without  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 27, 2024

He called for the chief minister and the police commissioner to step down so as to enable a free and fair probe. The CBI took over the investigation into the woman doctors death on August 13, after some harsh observations into the probe by the city police.

The Kolkata Police, in its clarification, said the bike was seized and handed over to the CBI and some individuals on social media are trying to create confusion. The police said while it was registered in the name of the police commissioner, all vehicles in the force have the same registration under the post before being assigned to different units.

Did deceased discover something about spurious drugs syndicate

Alleging there is a conspiracy behind the woman doctors death, Malviya further said the CBI should take Banerjee and Goyal in custody and subject them to a lie-detection test as well as scrutinise their phone records.

He pointed towards a drugs syndicate in the chest medicine department of the RG Kar hospital, which he said was being alleged by the larger medical fraternity. Alleging there are many layers to it, he sought to know if original drugs were illegally being sent to neighbouring countries and being replaced with diluted or contaminated samples.

The senior BJP leader said the trainee doctor was a pulmonologist and could have stumbled upon spurious activities as large consignments of tuberculosis drugs are procured using taxpayers money.

Did the deceased discover something about the spurious drugs syndicate in the Chest Medicine Department, as is being alleged by those in the medical fraternity? She was a Pulmonologist and large consignments of TB drugs, for instance, is procured using tax payers money. Is there a syndicate, which was exporting original drugs to neighbouring countries and replacing them with diluted/contaminated samples? he asked.

He added: There are so many layers to it. The CBI has a tough job on hand, since Kolkata Police and Mamata Banerjee have done everything possible to eliminate all evidences and protect those involved.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Tuesday announced that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the state assembly elections.

The 67-year-old tribal leader expressed faith in the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Sorens announcement came a day after he met Shah and confirmed Assam Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He had earlier hinted that he might float a new political party in the run-up to the state assembly elections.

The former CM, who was associated the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for over two decades, said there was no such forum/platform in the JMM where he could express his pain.

 ,  (18 )                 ,        ,                  ,         Champai Soren (@ChampaiSoren) August 27, 2024

What led Champais exit from JMM?

The JMM leader was anointed to the top post after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. Champai stepped down from the post on July 3 after Hemant Soren was granted bail by Jharkhand High Court.

He was unhappy with the way he was unceremoniously removed from the Chief Ministers post to make way for Hemant Soren to become CM again.

He complained in close quarters that he felt insulted by the way he was removed, say sources. He is a tribal leader who had always been a perpetual chief minister-in-waiting. He is an Adivasi by birth and a loyalist of the Soren family.

WHO IS CHAMPAI SOREN?

Champai has earned the sobriquet Jharkhands Tiger for his contribution to the long fight for the creation of a separate state in the 1990s. Jharkhand was created from the southern part of Bihar in 2000.

A matriculate from a government school, he started his political career by getting elected as an independent MLA through a by-election from the Saraikela seat in undivided Bihar in 1991.

He served as a cabinet minister in the BJP government headed by Arjun Munda between September 2010 to January 2013.

When Hemant Soren formed his second government in the state in 2019, Champai Soren became the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and Transport.
This is one of the two rediscovered images showing a recently deceased Tasmanian tiger. Source: Australian Museum Photograph Albums, AMS421/3/5, Courtesy Australian Museum

Tasmanian tiger researchers are excited after rediscovering two photographs of the long-extinct animal in an overlooked museum archive.

While the Australian Museum quietly published one similar image on its blog, members of the Tasmanian Tiger Archives, which collates records of the creature, had never seen the other two before. Its members are only aware of 119 other photographs showing the species, which is also referred to as the thylacine.

Sadly, little is known about the animal in the pictures, so now enthusiasts are trying to piece together more about its history. Its possible they were taken in 1902 in Melbourne because three individuals died that year at the citys zoo. Because its body was soft enough to be posed in three different positions, it's thought to have died just moments before the images were taken.

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Do you have a picture of a thylacine in your collection? Email michael.dahlstrom@yahooinc.com

It's believed this recently deceased Tasmanian tiger may have been photographed in Melbourne. Source: Australian Museum Photograph Albums, AMS421/3/5, Courtesy Australian Museum

More stories on the Tasmanian tiger

Where was the Tasmanian tiger photographed?

The tiger was unlikely to be an animal held captive in Tasmania as the famous Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart didnt house the animals until 1907. Its also unlikely to have been shot in the wild as its ears havent been marked, as was customary with scalpers.

This image sparked excitement after it was quietly published on the museum's blog, prompting a request to produce similar images. Source: Australian Museum Photograph Albums, AMS421/3/5, Courtesy Australian Museum

Tasmanian Tiger Archives researcher Branden Holmes told Yahoo News he's very grateful to the Australian Museum for supplying his team with high resolution copies of the images. He said their rediscovery has sparked hope many more pictures could be sitting long forgotten in collections.

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These ones have gone relatively unnoticed for years in a public collection. But theres also potential for images to be in private collections as well, he said.

There were dozens of thylacines held in captivity at various zoos around the world  including London, the Bronx, Antwerp, Scotland and Berlin  and zoo visitors may have photographed them. Now they could be just sitting in a dusty old box.

The images were sold to the Australian Museum by the University of Sydney and clearly show a thylacine. But Holmes believes its possible there could be photos in private collections with thylacines in the background.

While any new photo is exciting for researchers, no one is yet to produce whats considered to be the holy grail of tiger photos  one in real colour.

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Amid the ongoing buzz over no mention of the ongoing Bangladesh crisis in the readout released by the United States, the Congress party on Tuesday decided to escalate the issue. On finding differences in the Indian and US readouts regarding the discussion on the Bangladesh crisis, Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned, Why does the press release from the White House not mention Bangladesh while our press note does?

Intensifying his attack on PM Modi, the Congress leader in another tweet wrote, If our Prime Minister did raise the issue of safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus in Bangladesh, why did Joe Biden not think it was important enough to mention in his press note?

If our Prime Minister did raise the issue of safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus in Bangladesh, why did @JoeBiden not think it was important enough to mention in his press note? https://t.co/xiIZRkLySx Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) August 27, 2024

The Congress jibe came after the press release by the Ministry of External Affairs mentioned that PM Modi and Biden expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh, while the White House readout remained silent on the issue and had no mention of the crisis-hit country. In fact, the US focused only on the Ukraine-Russia war.

Kheras questions regarding the absence of the Bangladesh crisis in the US readout drew a response from Senior Advisor of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Kanchan Gupta, who termed Kheras comments as misplaced.

Earlier, PM Modi while congratulating the Chief Adviser of the new interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, reiterated his call for safety and security of the Hindus and all other minority communities in Bangladesh.

Misplaced: Govts Advisor Reacts

Mentioning Kheras comments, government advisor Kanchan Gupta took to X and wrote, Congress media head Pawan Kheras comments regarding Government of Indias press release on Prime Minister Narendra Modis tele-conversation with President Biden on Monday are completely misplaced. Its reiterated that all issues mentioned in the GoI press release, including the situation in Bangladesh, were discussed. The GoI statement is an accurate reflection of the conversation.

Clarifying why there was a different in the readouts of both countries, Gupta replied, It is a common practice for separate press releases to be issued following conversations, which may or may not reflect all issues discussed. It is only when there is a Joint Press Release or Joint Statement that both sides issue similar press releases.

Congress media head @Pawankhera s comments regarding Government of Indias press release on Prime Minister Narendra Modis tele-conversation with President Biden on Monday are completely misplaced.Its reiterated that all issues mentioned in the GoI press release, including https://t.co/DW7xU9o8aY  Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) August 27, 2024

Experts Weigh In

As the US skipping a mention of Bangladesh escalated the political debate in the country, strategic thinker Brahma Chellaney highlighted the possible reason behind the US move. The US sought to prevent the birth of Bangladesh. But even today, it is not on the same page with India regarding Bangladesh. It has welcomed the recent regime change there and been silent on ongoing human-rights abuses, including attacks on minorities, arbitrary arrests, forced resignations and physical assaults on political detainees, he said.

When Biden called Modi last evening, they discussed Bangladesh and shared concerns about the situation there, as the Indian readout pointed out. But the White House readout, tellingly, does not disclose the Bangladesh-related discussion. Shared interests in the Indo-Pacific or US support for Indian engagement with Ukraine cannot obscure the fact that, in Indias own neighborhood extending from Myanmar to the Pakistan-Afghanistan belt, American interests do not align with core Indian interests, Chellaney added.

The US sought to prevent the birth of Bangladesh. But even today, it is not on the same page with India regarding Bangladesh. It has welcomed the recent regime change there and been silent on ongoing human-rights abuses, including attacks on minorities, arbitrary arrests, forced pic.twitter.com/YAF2hYrmNx Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) August 27, 2024

In addition to this, another expert Michael Kugelman stated that the reason behind the US not mentioning the Bangladesh crisis can be that the country wanted to discuss Modis Ukraine visit, which happened just a few days ago. The US likely didnt feel a need to highlight the Bangladesh part of the discussion in the way that India wanted to, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week visited Ukraine and marked a rare war-time visit. The Prime Ministers Ukraine visit came nearly six weeks after he visited Russia to discuss the conflict-ridden situation amid Russia Ukraine. This was also the first visit by an Indian PM to Ukraine.
Apple has confirmed the inevitable iPhone 16 launch event which is going to happen at its usual schedule. Apple is hosting its big Glowtime event on September 9 where we expect to see the iPhone 16 series announced and also get a closer look at the Apple Intelligence features coming to iPhones later this year. Thats not all, we might see the new AirPods 4 and the Watch Series 10 at the same event, it adds.

Apple Glowtime Launch Event Details: Date, Time And Where To Watch

Apple iPhone 16 launch event is on Monday, September 9 and you can tune into the big keynote with Tim Cook and Co. from 10:30 PM IST for those watching in India. Apple will be livestreaming the event on the YouTube channel and Events page. The company is hosting an in-person event where the announcements will be broadcasted.

iPhone 16 Launch Event: What To Expect

The glowtime teaser in the invite is a clear indication that Apple Intelligence (AI) will be a big part of the event hosted by Tim Cook and Co. We did see Siri activate from the edge of the screen with a glow and the AI features could be presented in that fashion.

Siri will also be getting an AI boost, which isnt expected before early 2025. Having said that, iOS 18 will bring native integration of ChatGPT for iPhone users thanks to Apples deal with OpenAI which was announced at the WWDC 2024 earlier this year.

Coming to the iPhone 16 lineup, rumours suggest the regular model could get a design rejig, especially at the back with the camera module. However, the Pros will mostly pack the new A-series hardware that will also bring AI features to the regular variants, something that the iPhone 15 users will miss out on.

The iPhone 16 series will be Apples flagship rival to the new Pixel 9 series and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold models in the market. All three of them have a special focus on AI and that is likely to be Apples pitch as well, albeit at a later date, as suggested by earlier reports.

The iPhone 16 Pros should be offered with better sensors and a new colour variant called Desert Titanium is also being tipped to be part of the series this year. Well be also seeing the bigger Apple Watch Series 10 model along with the Watch Ultra 3 likely to be introduced. The AirPods 4 will be an interesting addition and we are hoping Apple gives them some notable upgrades.
If you have trouble writing difficult emails, Google just made it a lot easier for you. The company recently rolled out a new feature for Gmail powered by its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.

With the new help me write and polish features, Gmail users can generate complete formal email drafts based on rough notes. They can also edit and change the tone of their email with just a single click. It is worth noting that these features are accessible only to the paid subscribers of Gemini AI.

In a Google Workspace blog post, the company announced that the new tools will be made available on web, Android, and iOS devices. Additionally, the tech giant is also adding a shortcut for the Refine feature in Help Me Write for Android and iOS devices.

With the Help Me Write feature, Gemini-powered Gmail has the option to formalize, elaborate, and shorten a draft, or it can write a new draft altogether, enhancing the tonality or the length of the draft.

The second feature, called Polish, is a new addition to Refine. In the blog post, Google said, If you enter rough notes into a draft, Gemini can turn the content into a completely formal draft, ready for you to review in one click.

However, it is to be noted that this feature only works when there are at least 12 words written in the text field. Once a user has typed 12 words or more, a Refine my draft option will pop up underneath the text on smartphones.

Users can access the new Gemini edit options by swiping right. Moreover, there is another option dubbed Write a draft that can use the typed words as a prompt and continue the email from there.

These features are only available to Google Workspace users who have subscribed to the Enterprise add-on and Gemini Business, the Gemini Education and Education Premium add-on, or the Google One AI Premium plan.

Meanwhile, the tech giant has begun rolling out the Summarise This Email option on its Gmail app, which brings advanced AI capabilities. It is available on Android and iOS devices for paid users, summarises long conversations and presents recaps and highlights to the users to save time. This move comes after the Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) model was added to Google Drive, Google Sheets, Slides, and Google Docs.
SAN FRANCISCO: ChatGPT developer OpenAI is supporting a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content, which can range from harmless memes to deepfakes aimed at spreading misinformation about political candidates.

The bill, called AB 3211, has so far been overshadowed by attention on another California state artificial intelligence (AI) bill, SB 1047, which mandates that AI developers conduct safety testing on some of their own models.

That bill has faced a backlash from the tech industry, including OpenAI, which has Microsoft as a backer.

California state lawmakers attempted to introduce 65 bills touching on AI this legislative season, according to the states legislative database, including measures to ensure all algorithmic decisions are proven unbiased and protect the intellectual property of deceased individuals from exploitation by AI companies. Many of the bills are already dead.

San Francisco-based OpenAI believes that for AI-generated content, transparency and requirements around provenance such as watermarking are important, especially in an election year, according to a letter sent to California State Assembly member Buffy Wicks, who authored the bill.

With countries representing a third of the world's population having polls this year, experts are concerned about the role AI-generated content will play, and it has already been prominent in some elections, such as in Indonesia.

"New technology and standards can help people understand the origin of content they find online, and avoid confusion between human-generated and photorealistic AI-generated content," OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon wrote in the letter, which was reviewed by Reuters.

AB 3211 has already passed the state Assembly by a 62-0 vote. Earlier this month it passed the senate appropriations committee, setting it up for a vote by the full state Senate. If it passes by the end of the legislative session on Aug. 31, it would advance to Governor Gavin Newsom to sign or veto by Sept. 30.
Krishna Janmashtami was joyfully celebrated across India on Monday, August 26 and the festivities were marked by various Dahi Handi events and other traditional rituals. One of the most awaited traditions for Hindu devotees on the auspicious day is dressing up their children as Lord Krishna and Radha. One can easily spot baby boys dressed as Lord Krishna and little girls dressed as Radha on the day.

However, while they all look adorable and beautiful, dressed as deities, one particular video of a little boy dressed as Krishna has captured everyones attention online. The now-viral video is that of a Muslim boy dressed as Lord Krishna to honour the Hindu festival, which has touched the hearts of many on social media.

This heartwarming gesture is from Ludhiana, Punjab, where a Muslim family followed the cherished Indian tradition of dressing up their child as Lord Krishna for Janmashtami. The video shows the family leaving their home, riding a two-wheeler, with their child dressed as Krishna.

A Muslim family dresses up their kid as Krishna for Janmashtami, reads the caption.

Look at it here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Punjab Locals (@punjablocals)

Since being posted, the video has gained more than 6.5 million likes, with social media users pouring love and well wishes in with comments. One comment read, Heart Touching, while another user added, I saw the cutest Radha yesterday and she was Muslim.

This is the kind of India we dream and aspire for, wrote a viewer. This is how united we are in our culture, pointed out another one. This is the best video on the internet today, wrote a viewer.

This wasnt the first time such an event occurred and people praised the sense of unity in India. A similar video went viral during Janmashtami celebrations a couple of years ago.

In the clip, a young boy, Faiz, was seen posing for photos in a traditional outfit at the request of a stranger. He wore a yellow embroidered kurta over yellow dhoti pants, complemented by gold accessories, to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami 2022. Accompanied by his mother on the way to school, the video was shared by X (formerly Twitter) user, who captioned it, Our country (heart emoji).

Watch the video here:

Many in the comments section reacted with blessings and love for the little boy and showed respect and affection for the gesture.
A passenger travelling on a Mumbai-Ahmedabad bound train allegedly had a harrowing experience after the train got cancelled midway due to heavy rain across Gujarat. Associate Professor Prithwiraj Mukherjee shared his ordeal on X detailing how he and other passengers on Tejas Express were stranded at Vadodara junction for several hours without any official intimation. The post was shared today, August 27, and social media users have flooded the comments section with varied reactions.

Dear all. I am on the Tejas Express 82901. Got on at Mumbai Central at 1545 and should have reached Ahmedabad Junction at 2215. Due to rain, the train has been canceled at Vadodara.No official intimation. Just AC switched off. While rain has affected service, the Vande Bharat,  peeleraja (@peeleraja) August 26, 2024

In a thread, Prithwiraj mentioned, I am on the Tejas Express 82901. Due to rain, the train has been cancelled at Vadodara. No official intimation. Just the AC switched off. While rain has affected service, the Vande Bharat, which ran parallel to us, has reached Ahmedabad. We are left to our devices. Vadodara is flooded. There is nowhere to go. There are senior citizens and kids on this train.

The passenger also alleged preferential treatment to Vande Bharat train. He shared that a Vande Bharat Express train, which was running parallel to Tejas Express, had reached Ahmedabad earlier, questioning, If the Vande Bharat can go from Vadodara to Ahmedabad, why cant other trains?

Elaborating further, the X user described the situation onboard and wrote, No official has come to address us. They have just switched off the ac and left, hoping we crawl out in suffocation. Some people have managed to open the auto-closing door and block it open so we can breathe.

He went on to inform that the situation escalated when some passengers circled around a few officers, who then agreed to help them reach Ahmedabad. By that time, ACs were switched but people from other canceled trains jumped inside Tejas Express, creating a chaotic environment.

Raging on the railways, the associate professor added, Faults can happen. My biggest anger was the way we were treated. They literally tried to smoke us out of the compartment by turning off the AC. Also, if the fault was so severe, how did the Vande Bharat reach Ahmedabad? Are other passengers lesser humans than Vande Bharat passengers?

Faults can happen. My biggest anger was the way we were treated. They literally tried to smoke us out of the compartment by turning off the air source (AC).Also if the fault was so severe, how did the Vande Bharat reach Ahmedabad? Are other passengers lesser humans than Vande  peeleraja (@peeleraja) August 26, 2024

The passenger provided real-time updates, slamming the railways for lack of clarity and poor management. In another post, he informed that the train was at the Vadodara station till 6 am, and eventually everyone was told to board another train. He wrote, 0612. Everyone was suddenly told to board another train to Ahmedabad. Mad rush. Boarded.

0612. Everyone was suddenly told to board another train to Ahmedabad. Mad rush. Boarded. Lets see now. peeleraja (@peeleraja) August 27, 2024

The viral post even reached the official account of Railway Seva who issued a clarification. Water was flowing above the track, Vande Bharat higher clearance and advanced prevention of water ingress into the electrical equipment allowed this train to run in deep water, even more than 200 MM water above the track. Other locomotives of trains (other than Vande Bharat) dont have such clearance and cant be operated after the water level above track is more than 150 mm, railways noted.

1. Water was flowing above the track ,Vande Bharat higher clearance and advanced prevention of water ingress into the the electrical equipment allows this train to run in deep water even more than 200 MM water above the track . RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) August 27, 2024

We request you to please share the journey details (PNR/UTS No.) and mobile no. with us, preferably via DM. You may also raise your concern directly on railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in or dial 139 for speedy redressal, they added.

The post saw hundreds of comments by X users expressing concerns. Scary! It takes one day of heavy rain to bring all our fault lines to the fore. Vadodara did experience almost unprecedented heavy rainfall today. But Railways is expected to be prepared for this situation. Frequent communication is essential to avoid panic in passengers, said a person.

Another concerned user added, I hope this painful journey ends on a good note and you reach home safely. Sorry for your ordeal. Hope you reached Ahd. Take care, said an individual.
Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most influential people in the history of Indian cinema. The actor is known as the King of Bollywood and enjoys a loyal fanbase in India as well as across the world. Recently, a Russian influencer, Mariia Chugurova, took to Instagram to share her experience of visiting Shah Rukh Khans home Mannat for the first time.

The video opens to show, Ms Chugurova, dressed in traditional attire, posing outside Shah Rukh Khans home Mannat. The video captures the sweet interaction between Mariia and other SRK fans. As the video progresses, the influencer can be seen asking the locals about their favourite Shah Rukh Khan movie. The locals recongnise her and pose with her for some pictures. Mariia Chugurova shared a video on her Instagram account @mariechug. Sharing the video, she wrote, Russian kudi visited Shah Rukh Khans house. Namaste dosto. So, I just swung by Shah Rukh Khans house in Mumbai like it was a normal Tuesday! I may have casually knocked on the door, hoping hed invite me in for some biryani and a Bollywood dance-off. SRK, if you ever need someone to help with house tours or give acting tips (I mean, why not?), you know who to call!

Also Read: Indian Woman Surprises Boyfriend On IndiGo Flight, Mid-air Proposal Captured in Viral Video

Watch the viral video:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mariia Chugurova (@mariechug)

Also Read: Watch: Two Women Struggle To Navigate Escalator, Internet Says Absolutely Normal

The viral video was shared a few days ago. Since being shared, the video has accumulated thousands of likes and views. The numbers are still increasing. The clip has sparked a range of reactions online. Marie Om Shanti Om is my favourite too, wrote a user with a red heart emoticon. Beautiful, commented a second. Several netizens reacted with heart and fire emoticons in the comments section of the post.
In a bizarre incident, a thief apparently forgot his mission after breaking into a flat. All thanks to a book. Yes, you read that right! The unidentified 38-year-old accused allegedly entered an apartment in the Prati district of Rome via a balcony. However, his attention was immediately diverted when he spotted a book about Homers Iliad on the bedside table. The homeowner, 71, was present during the break-in and confronted the perpetrator. However, according to NBC15, the thief was so preoccupied with the book that he was oblivious to his surroundings. The news outlet further stated that the offender was apprehended shortly after attempting to escape by the same balcony he had used to enter.

Meanwhile, the book that caught the thiefs attention was Giovanni Nuccis The Gods at Six OClock. When the news made headlines, the author of the book was delighted to find that his book had caused such a distraction. Its fantastic. Id like to find the person caught red-handed and give him the book because hell have been arrested halfway through reading it. Id like him to be able to finish it, Nucci told the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

The burglar supposedly claimed to the police that he had climbed up the balcony to visit a friend who resided in the same building. I thought I had ended up in a B&B, saw the book, and started to read it, the thief said as quoted by BBC. The thief was also allegedly found with a bag containing pricey clothing that had been stolen from another property earlier that evening, BBC reported.

In June, a thief fell asleep while attempting to rob a house in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. As per reports, the robber entered the premises severely intoxicated. After scrambling through the premises and accomplishing his crime, he turned on the air conditioner to take a break. He had no idea that he would fall asleep only to be woken up by the cops the next morning. The incident took place in Lucknows Indiranagar Sector 20.

According to India Today, Dr Sunil Pandey owned the locked residence. He is posted in Varanasi and was not present during the incident.
A viral video has captured the internets attention, showcasing an incredible transformation of a man who hadnt cut his hair for two years. The clip begins with the man visiting a salon, where Thai Nguyen, a renowned barber from Richmond, Virginia, who is known for his life-changing haircuts, takes on the challenge. As the barber removes the mans hair cap, he is visibly surprised by the length of his clients hair and beard. Curious, Thai asks how long it had been since his last haircut and the man admits that it had been two years. He also shares that his wife was disappointed with his unkempt look.

The man further explains that he avoided cutting his hair because he noticed his hairline was receding. This realisation made him self-conscious, leading him to let his hair grow out in an attempt to hide the hair loss. Thai assures him that he has a solution to address the issue and make him look younger. Without a clear idea of what style he wants, the man leaves it to Thai to work his magic.

As the haircut progresses, it becomes clear that Thai is delivering a remarkable transformation. The mans long, unruly hair is expertly trimmed into a buzz cut, with extra length left at the top for a stylish, messy look. His beard is also carefully groomed, resulting in a clean, neat appearance.

The final result is astonishing. The man looks years younger and more handsome, leaving viewers in awe. The video, posted on Instagram by @nguyensteadycutting with the caption, Wifey gon be happy, has since garnered 16.5 million views. The comments section is filled with users expressing their shock and admiration for the transformation. Some joked that the barber had saved his marriage, while others noted that the man was unrecognizable after the makeover. One user quipped, From 50-year-old discord moderator to 30-year-old gentleman, perfectly capturing the essence of the dramatic change.
Australian scientist Vincent Lyne claimed that he has discovered the perfect hiding place for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared over a decade ago.

The Malaysia Airlines flight disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers and crew. Satellite data had indicated the plane veered off course and eventually crashed into the Southern Indian Ocean.

In a LinkedIn post, shared on August 19, Vincent Lyne, a researcher at the University of Tasmanias Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, shared details from his research paper titled, Final Two Communications from MH370 Suggest Controlled Eastward Descent. The paper has been accepted by the Journal of Navigation.

Lyne said that the planes disappearance was not due to a fuel-starvation crash but was a deliberate act by the pilot to execute a perfect-disappearance in the Southern Indian Ocean.

This work changes the narrative of MH370s disappearance from one of no-blame, fuel-starvation at the 7th arc, high-speed dive, to a mastermind pilot almost executing an incredible perfect-disappearance in the Southern Indian, Lyne wrote in his post.

Lyne noted that the plane almost succeeded in vanishing without a trace, except for an incident where MH370s right wing struck a wave. In fact, it would have worked were it not for MH370 ploughing its right wing through a wave, and the discovery of the regular interrogation satellite communications by Inmarsata brilliant discovery also announced in the Journal of Navigation, he added.

According to Lyne, the damage to the planes wings and flaps was similar to the controlled ditching maneuver performed by US Airways Flight 1549 in 2009. He supported the view that MH370 had fuel and functioning engines during its final moments, aligning with the analysis of decorated ex-Chief Canadian Air-crash Investigator Larry Vance.

This justifies beyond doubt the original claim, based on brilliant, skilled, and very careful debris-damage analyses, by decorated ex-Chief Canadian Air-crash Investigator Larry Vance, that MH370 had fuel and running engines when it underwent a masterful controlled ditching and not a high-speed fuel-starved crash, he stated.

The Australian research scientist suggested that MH370 may be located where the longitude of Penang Airport intersects with a pilots home simulator track, which was previously dismissed by officials.

That pre-meditated iconic location harbors a very deep 6000 m hole at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge within a very rugged and dangerous ocean environment renowned for its wild fisheries and new deep-water species. With narrow steep sides, surrounded by massive ridges and other deep holes, it is filled with fine sedimentsa perfect hiding place, he said.
Size does matter when it comes to survival, a new research paper has determined.

Larger insect species like this brown rhinoceros beetle are more likely to be described than their smaller cousins. Source: Getty

Four million species are at a higher risk of extinction because of the evolutionary path their ancestors took. And a team of Aussie scientists has discovered when it comes to survival, size does matter.

The Griffith University experts examined 107 bark beetle species across Queenslands wet tropics. While its difficult to find new types of reptile or mammal, rare and unknown insects are all around us and unsurprisingly 58 of the species they collected were yet to be described by science.

After analysing the specimens they concluded those which havent been described are generally significantly smaller, less abundant and less widespread. And thats a problem for those unknown creatures, because conservationists cant protect lifeforms that they dont know exist.

Related: Aussie plan to genetically engineer new super species of wild animals

Australia is famous for having the worst mammalian extinction rate in the world, but whats less known is lesser-known species are frequently vanishing before they can be researched. And thats more likely to be impacting smaller insects and spiders with restricted home ranges.

How many of the world's five million insects have been described?

Griffith Universitys Emeritus Professor Nigel Stork, who led the study into the bark beetles, estimates there are five million species of insect on the planet. So Stork and his colleague, Professor Roger Kitching, wondered why so few had been described.

Since only one million of these species have been named and described so far in the past 240 years of Linnaean taxonomy, the puzzling question is: Where are the other four million species that have yet to be found and named?, Stork asked.

What are they like, what is the likelihood of their discovery and description, and are they more vulnerable to extinction? Our studies reveal that they are smaller, rarer and more difficult to find as well as being more extinction prone"

Because insects are vanishing around the world at an alarming rate, traditional methods of describing them are thought to be too slow, so the authors of the study are urging scientists to embrace new technologies to speed up the process, including artificial intelligence and DNA analysis.

Their study has been published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity.

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US President Joe Biden on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praising him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.

In a post on X, Biden expressed his appreciation for PMs efforts, highlighting their discussion about Modis recent visit to Poland and Ukraine. I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, Biden wrote.

I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.We also affirmed our commitment to work together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.  President Biden (@POTUS) August 26, 2024

US President further added: We also affirmed our commitment to work together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister Modis recent visit to Kyiv on August 23 has been viewed as a diplomatic balancing act, particularly following his trip to Russia last month, which had attracted criticism from the Biden administration and concern from several Western capitals.

Modi had urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in direct talks with Russia to end the war and offered Indias readiness to play an active role in restoring peace.

White House highlights upcoming UNGA meetings in September

In addition to Bidens announcement on X about his conversation with PM Modi, the White House released a readout of the call. It detailed discussions about Modis recent visits to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

The White House praised Modis visits, noting they were the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.

Modi and Biden affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter, the White House said.

However, the White House readout of the call did not reference Bangladesh, even though it was mentioned in a post by PM Modi on X.

Discussed Bangladesh situation with Biden: PM Modi

In his post, PM Modi noted that he and Biden discussed a range of regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine and Bangladesh.

We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Modi wrote.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024

In the immediate aftermath of Sheikh Hasinas fall, attacks on Hindus across Muslim-majority Bangladesh were reported. India has been consistently pressing to ensure the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. The security situation has since far improved.

(With inputs from agencies)
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused the Biden administration of repeatedly pressuring the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to censor certain Covid-19 content during the pandemic.

In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, he wrote in his letter to US House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan on Monday.

Zuckerberg further noted that when Facebook did not comply with the censorship requests, the Biden administration expressed frustration.

Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure, he said.

Meta founder expressed regret for not being more vocal about the government pressure to remove Covid-19-related content. I believe the government pressure was wrong and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it.

Ready to push back

He further stated that Meta should not compromise its content standards due to any administrations pressure and affirmed the companys readiness to resist such pressure in the future.

Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards to pressure from any Administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens, he wrote.

Reflecting on past decisions, he said, I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today.

In his letter, Zuckerberg also admitted that Meta should not have demoted a New York Post story about corruption allegations involving President Joe Bidens family ahead of the 2020 presidential election while waiting for fact-checkers.

We sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply. Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story, he added.
Two workers were killed and another injured after a tyre on a plane exploded at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near the Atlanta airport in the US state of Georgia early Tuesday, according to multiple media reports.

WSB-TV reported that a tyre on a plane exploded, killing one Delta employee and a contract worker.

Several Atlanta fire units and police responded to the maintenance hangar near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after 5 a.m., The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility, Delta said in a statement. We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

Delta thanked first responders and medical teams.

We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened, the Atlanta-based airline said.

The facility where the accident happened is part of Delta TechOps, which performs maintenance, repair and overhaul work for Delta and more than 150 aviation and airline customers around the world.

The president of TechOps, Delta Executive Vice President John Laughter, said in a note to staff that the airline will make counselors available to talk to employees.

Were all in this together, and well get through this by supporting each other, he said.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens posted on X to offer his condolences to relatives of the victims.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which is trying to organize 20,000 ground workers at largely nonunion Delta, called on the airline and authorities to quickly launch a thorough investigation into how this happened.

(With inputs from agencies)
The young P-plater had a poor excuse for police as to why he was driving at 119km/h over the speed limit.

Officers were taken aback by the teenager's excuse for being clocked at nearly 200km/h. Source: Getty/NSW Police

A P-plater has seen his driver's licence "immediately" revoked and will face court after highway patrol officers clocked him travelling more than double the speed limit heading into the weekend.

The 17-year-old was detected travelling at 199km/h on the Princes Highway at Loftus in southern Sydney  119 over the 80km/h speed limit. His excuse? He simply wanted to get home.

"The driver was stopped and asked why he was travelling at that speed. He stated, 'I just want to get home'," NSW Police revealed on social media.

"His drivers licence was immediately suspended until his court appearance."

The driver did not own the car he was travelling in, so therefore no vehicle or number plate sanctions could be enforced.

However online many Aussies expressed dismay, believing that "regardless of who owns the car it should be confiscated".

"It has to come to some type of more severe consequences for this utter stupidity," one person wrote, while another agreed the "law should change".

P-plater risked licence and thousands in fines

The driver was charged with driving at a speed dangerous to the public. He can face imprisonment, disqualification of his licence and a maximum fine of $2,200. He was also charged with P1 driver exceeded speed by 45km/h. For unrestricted licence drivers, speeding more than 45 km/h incurs a maximum fine of $3,300  and in most cases, provisional drivers face higher penalties.

There has been a major crackdown on speeding in NSW after a rise in the death toll. In the last 12-month period, 357 people have lost their lives on NSW roads, compared to 315 in the previous 12 months.

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Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, and 14 others are scheduled to go on trial on Jan. 5, charged with conspiring to overturn the official results of Arizona's 2020 presidential election that Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden. Arizona Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen set the date Monday, CNN reports, though he conceded that the start date is a "moving target." Cohen was holding a hearing Monday in which Giuliani, once Trump's personal lawyer, and other defendants were trying to have the charges against them thrown out. His lawyer argued that Giuliani, who's accused of spreading false claims of election fraud, did nothing criminal and was only exercising his free speech rights, per CBS News.
The Army Corps of Engineers will reassess an environmental permit granted in 2022 to Hyundai for its $7.6 billion electric vehicle plant in Georgia. This decision follows complaints from the Ogeechee Riverkeeper conservation group, which raised concerns about potential impacts on the region's water supply. The Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that the application from state and local economic development agencies did not include Hyundai's plan to withdraw 6.6 million gallons per day from a key underground aquifer.

Details of Hyundai's water requirements emerged earlier this year as the Georgia Environmental Protection Division reviewed a proposal for four new wells to provide the factory with water. These developments prompted the Army Corps to revisit its initial finding of "negligible impacts" from the project. Despite this, construction at the 2,900-acre plant remains on schedule, with Hyundai aiming to commence production by the year's end and employ 8,000 workers.

State regulators noted the Army Corps' scrutiny is "unlikely to impact or delay" the permit decision on the new wells. However, local farmers express concerns that the auto plant could deplete their water sources. But state regulators found the water used by the Hyundai plant would reduce water levels in the aquifer by a maximum of 19 feet for private wells within 5 miles; most wells reach deep enough and won't be meaningfully impacted, the regulators say. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A witness has described the moment they heard 'screaming' before spotting the two children near a dangerous stretch of road in South Australia.

Two young children escaped the Blair Athol Childcare Centre in Adelaide after finding a gap in a damaged fence in the playground. Source: 9News

Shocking footage has emerged of two young children wandering within metres of a major city road after escaping a daycare centre unsupervised.

The children had reportedly stumbled upon a gap in a damaged fence on the perimeter of their play area on Monday and exited Blair Athol Childcare Centre in Adelaide. They wandered towards Main North Road  an arterial route between the city centre and the northern suburbs. Many cars were spotted whizzing past the children before others quickly slowed.

Carers rushed to rescue children at 'very bad intersection'

It is understood three carers were supervising nine children at the time and staff had carried out a safety check of the area before the children went out to play, however the damaged area was shielded by bamboo trees.

The carers were quick to realise the children were missing and used the same gap in the fence (left) to rescue the youngsters. Source: 9News

The carers quickly realised the children were missing and dashed to their rescue, pulling them off the road.

"We did hear some screaming coming from across the road, probably one of the carers calling for them to come back, maybe trying to get them to stop from running onto the road," witness George Mavromatis told 9News.

The section of the road is known to be "a very bad intersection", he explained. "We've seen multiple car accidents, it's pretty lucky to come out that lightly."

The parents of the children were reportedly notified as soon as the children were safe, however the incident is now the subject of multiple investigations.

"I've got a two-year-old and a four-year-old and yeah, just wow. I'm going to go home and hug them as soon as I get home from work," Mavromatis said.

Yahoo News has reached out to Blair Athol Childcare Centre for comment.

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Real estate agent Mary Macaluso says she had an appointment to meet a family about the sale of a home in the Long Island hamlet of Syosset on Sundaybut when she got there, they were all dead. Police say 59-year-old Joseph DeLucia, upset over his mother's death and the possibility he would be forced to leave the home he had shared with her, killed his three siblings and a niece before "shouting incoherently" and killing himself on the home's front lawn, NBC News reports. His mother, 95-year-old Theresa DeLucia, died last Monday. Her funeral was on Friday, two days before the murder-suicide.

"The gunman's perception was that he was being cut out of the will and that he would be displaced with nowhere to go," Nassau County Police Detective Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick told reporters on Monday. He said that in one of most horrific scenes he has ever seen, DeLucia killed his relatives with 12 blasts from a shotgun in a rear room of the home. The victims were identified as siblings Joanne Kearns, 69; Frank DeLucia, 71; Tina Hammond, 64; and Hammond's 30-year-old daughter, Victoria Hammond. Fitzpatrick said that DeLucia, a mechanic, had hoarding tendencies and that the house was full of tools.

Macaluso tells Newsday that one of the siblings had asked them to "meet with them to give an idea of what they should do with the house before they list it" while two siblings who had traveled from out of state for the funeral were in town. Fitzpatrick said that according to surviving relatives, DeLucia wasn't being cut out of the willhe "was being taken care of but he would have to relocate." He said police are looking into reports that DeLucia had mental health issues and neighbors feared he might harm himself or somebody else, the AP reports. "We're not saying this incident could have been averted," he said. "But maybe it could have." (More Long Island stories.)
Highlighting seas that are rising at an accelerating rate, especially in Pacific island nations, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued another climate SOS to the world. This time he said those initials stand for "save our seas." The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization on Monday issued reports on worsening sea level rise, turbocharged by a warming Earth and melting ice sheets and glaciers, the AP reports. They highlight how the Southwestern Pacific is not only hurt by the rising oceans, but by other climate change effects of ocean acidification and marine heat waves.

Guterres toured Samoa and Tonga and made his climate plea from Tonga's capital of Nuku'alofa on Tuesday at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, whose member countries are among those most imperiled by climate change. Next month, the UN General Assembly holds a special session to discuss rising seas. "This is a crazy situation," Guterres said, adding: "A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril. The ocean is overflowing." A report that Guterres' office commissioned found that sea level lapping against Nuku'alofa had risen 8.3 inches between 1990 and 2020, twice the global average. Apia, Samoa, has seen a foot of rising seas, while Suva-B, Fiji, has had 11.4 inches.

While Guterres met in Nuku'alofa on Tuesday with Pacific nations on the environment, a hundred local high school students and activists from across the Pacific marched for climate justice a few blocks away. One marcher was Itinterunga Rae of the Barnaban Human Rights Defenders Network, whose people had to relocate generations ago to Fiji from their Kiribati island home due to environmental degradation. Rae said abandoning Pacific islands should not be seen as a solution to rising seas. "We promote climate mobility as a solution to be safe from your island that's been destroyed by climate change, but it's not the safest option," he said. Barnabans have been cut off from the source of their culture and heritage, he said. An American expert agreed about the seriousness of the threat. "The alarm is justified," said S. Jeffress Williams, a retired US Geological Survey sea level scientist.

(More ocean levels stories.)
A New Hampshire state lawmaker is about to be out $200,000 after a defamation settlement with two drag queens was reached. In a suit filed in April 2022 by Robert Champion and Michael McMahon, the two said that GOP Rep. David Love of Derry had accused Champion of being a sex offender, and McMahon of "rubbing butts" with kids during a 2021 drag story hour, per the Manchester Ink Link . In a confidential court settlement last week, however, Love has now agreed to retract his previous statements, and to pay $100,000 each to Champion, a gay dad and artist who performs as Monique Toosoon, and McMahon, a gay artist who performs under the stage name Clara Divine.

In a statement, Love now says he made those allegations, including in front of his state's Legislature and at a Derry Council meeting, after being "provided with inaccurate information, information that I failed to verify." Per the Washington Post, Love started making his defamatory statements in February 2022 as he tried to introduce a bill to mandate that people applying to work or volunteer at libraries undergo background checks. Champion, who isn't on any sex offender registries, said people started protesting him after Love's remarks, and that he also started receiving death threats afterward. He says he never previously faced such accusations.

Love, for his part, had told reporters in the past that he'd seen an article about Champion's sex offender status, though he couldn't recall where he'd seen it. Now, he's apologizing to the two performers. "My emotions got the better of me and I made these mistakes," he says in a statement, per NBC Boston. McMahon says he hopes their suit serves as a "message" to others not to throw such allegations around without proof and asserts, "We as drag queens ... need to stand up for ourselves." Champion, meanwhile, hopes to get voters motivated to get Love kicked out of the state's House of Representatives. "We plan on sticking with our guns until this election is over, trying to do everything we can to make sure he doesn't get reelected," he says, per the Post. (More drag queens stories.)
In June, the banana conglomerate Chiquita lost a civil case in Florida and was ordered to pay nearly $40 million to the families of eight men murdered by a Colombian paramilitary group. More cases are pending, both in the US and Colombia, and it's long overdue, writes Ignacio Gomez G. in a New York Times essay. "The world has known something was amiss in the banana business for a while," writes the Colombian journalist. In the essay, he explains the long and tangled ties between Chiquita and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). The company, which plans to appeal the Florida ruling, admits financing the group but says it did so only for protection and under the threat of violence.
Germany's newest panda twins are flourishing at Berlin Zooduring a critical period. Panda cub mortality is highest within the first two weeks due to their undeveloped immune systems. But so far so good for the cubs, who were born to 11-year-old mother Meng Meng last Thursday and have spent their initial days cuddling and feeding.

The zoo, with assistance from experts from China's Chengdu Research Base, is cautiously optimistic. Normally, only one twin survives without human intervention, but Berlin Zoo has provided extensive care, including time in an incubator for one cub while the other stays with the mother. Zoo director Andreas Knieriem stated, "Without protective measures, the giant panda would most likely already be extinct," emphasizing the importance of each healthy cub.

Originally arriving in Berlin from China in 2017, Meng Meng and 14-year-old Jiao Qing are again parents following their 2019 birth of twins Pit and Paule, who now reside in China. The father does not partake in rearing the new twins, whose sex remains undetermined. The newborns, now 180 and 145 grams, have regained and surpassed their birth weights. As they grow, they will develop the iconic black-and-white markings characteristic of giant pandas. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
Two workers were killed and a third was seriously injured early Tuesday after a tire exploded in a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Officials say the plane tire exploded while it was being changed, USA Today reports. Sources tell WSB-TV that a Delta employee and a contractor were killed and a second Delta employee was hospitalized with major injuries. Airport operations were not affected by the accident, which happened around 5am.

The facility where the accident happened is part of Delta TechOps, which performs maintenance and repair work for Delta and more than 150 other customers, the AP reports. "The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3)," the airline said in a statement. The tire was on an aircraft that arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas Sunday night, according to WSB-TV.

Delta TechOps Chief of Operations and President John Laughter told employees the accident happened in the facility's wheel and brake shop. "We are extending our full support to their families at this difficult time and conducting an investigation to determine what happened," he said in a message to staff seen by USA Today. "This news is heartbreaking for all of us." (More Delta Air Lines stories.)
Philip Morris International is injecting $232 million into its Kentucky facility to ramp up production of nicotine pouches, a move made as it transitions toward a "smoke-free future." The expansion at the Owensboro's Swedish Match plant will generate 450 jobs, increasing the workforce by around 40% to cater to the surging demand for smoke-free products such as ZYN nicotine pouches.

ZYN, a tobacco-free nicotine pouch product, is marketed to adult tobacco users and is rapidly becoming the most dynamic segment within the tobacco industry's portfolio. The pouches, which contain nicotine powder and are inserted between the lip and gums and discarded once its contents dissolve, avoid many of the harmful components of cigarettes and chewing tobacco. But US regulators still categorize them as tobacco products.

Construction at the Owensboro facility, which is located 106 miles southwest of Louisville, is slated for completion by mid-2025. The expansion project promises nearly 2,800 construction jobs and will see the facility transition to a 24/7 operational schedule from its current 24-hours, five days a week schedule. The Owensboro site and a new $600 million facility in Aurora, Colorado, announced in July aim to meet rising demand for ZYN pouches in the US. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear commended PMI for its significant reinvestment in the state. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A judge has denied bail to Duane "Keffe D" Davis, the man who stands accused of killing Tupac Shakur in 1996, citing suspicions of a cover-up related to his bond sources. Clark District Court Judge Carli Kierny questioned the legitimacy of financial documents supplied by Davis' attorney, particularly those from music executive Cash "Wack 100" Jones, who had offered to cover Davis' $750,000 bail. "I have a sense that things are trying to be covered up," Kierny commented, pointing out that two identical letters supposedly from the company Jones said wired him the money have different signatures. Kierny also questioned whether the men hoped to profit by selling Davis' life story.
The Israeli hostage brought back from Gaza alive on Tuesday is the first to be rescued from Hamas' extensive tunnel network under the territoryand he was apparently freed without a fight. The Times of Israel reports that Israeli special forces found 52-year-old Farhan Alkadi alone, with no Hamas fighters or other hostages nearby.

Found "by chance." The New York Times, citing senior Israeli officials speaking on condition of anonymity, reports that Alkadi was found by chance in a room 25 yards underground as special forces searched the tunnel network for Hamas fighters. It's not clear why he had apparently been abandoned by his captors.
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Ruthie Ellis moved her family from Scotland to Australia after being offered a visa, but they returned home. Four years later, they are back again.

Ruthie and John Ellis moved to Australia with their children from Dunbar, Scotland before moving back 20 months later. Now they've returned for a second time. Source: Supplied

It's often said 'there's no place like home', and while that might be the case for many expats who make the move to another country, those deciding to settle in Australia are often torn between their homeland and their new love for the land Down Under.

Such was the case for Ruthie Ellis and her family from Dunbar, Scotland who've just moved to Australia for a second time to give life in the sunburnt country another crack. The couple, with their three children, called Australia home temporarily in 2020 before calling it quits and returning to Scotland. Now, four years later, they are back again.

The 37-year-old refers to herself as a "Ping Pong Pom"  the name given to UK citizens who move back and forth between Australia and the UK. And there's a reason why.

Picturesque beaches and quality of life are some of Australia's biggest drawcards. Others have spoken of the laid-back culture and high-paying jobs. For the Ellis family "it has so much to offer" compared to their hometown in Scotland, Ruthie told Yahoo News Australia two days after arriving.

"Australia is wonderful because its just so beautiful and theres lots to see and definitely way more to do than in our little town in Scotland," she said. "But Australia is so far away from other places as well."

"When in Scotland we can nip to France or Spain, its a lot more accessible and we have our family there," she added. "But there's just so much of Australia to see and were really excited to be able to have the opportunity to show our kids. At the moment were definitely here for the foreseeable future."

1.2 million UK expats currently living in Australia

Those born in the UK make up the largest migrant community in Australia, equivalent to 14.9 per cent of Australia's overseas-born population and 4.4 per cent of Australia's total population, according to the Department of Home Affairs. In 2024, there are thought to be over 1.2 million UK expats living in Australia.

Do you have a story about moving to or living in Australia? Wed love to hear about it! Carly.bass@yahooinc.com

Ruthie and John's love affair with Australia began way back in 2005 when they spent time backpacking around the country. Since then, John's been "absolutely desperate to come back" having fallen in love with our vast landscapes and the "amazing weather". They were given the chance when Ruthie was offered a skilled visa to work as a midwife, granting her and her family permanent residency.

The family had set up a home in Coffs Harbour, NSW but difficult circumstances made them return to Scotland. Source: Supplied.

It was September 2019 but at 30 weeks pregnant with their third, she was "too pregnant to fly" so their plans were delayed by three months. By January, 2020 they'd sold their house, packed up their lives and flew into Sydney.

But it proved to be a false start as the family didn't last.

'Pretty horrendous' trip to Australia forced family back to Scotland

Their first stint in Australia "was pretty horrendous," the mum explained. Not because they didn't love the adventure they'd set upon, but because they'd moved during Australia's Black Summer bushfires, and merely weeks before the Covid pandemic shut down the world.

"When we flew over, we thought oh God, what have we done," she explained. "When we got to Sydney, the whole sky was black and we thought that was going to be our biggest issue.

"It was fine for four weeks then we saw how bad Covid was on the telly. It was a worldwide pandemic and the whole world shut down. It was awful.

"People thought I was nuts for moving continents with a newborn," she continued. "I was like no itll be fine. Im pretty resilient. But then all flights out of Australia were cancelled.

"We couldnt leave the house. My mental health took a real toll very quickly and I thought I think were going to have to move back ... but we couldnt."

They ultimately spent 20 months in Australia before being able to move home, with the family divided over how they felt. "It was a sense of relief for me. It was like heaven to be home. But for my husband, not so much. He was really devastated for a long time," said Ruthie.

At the time, Scotland was experiencing a housing crisis preventing them from finding a suitable home. They didnt have money and found themselves living with relatives for nine months. During this time, their eldest daughter became "very unwell" and was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Family backflips on move home, returns to Australia

The tough start back in Scotland made them crave "a fresh start" and to John's surprise, Ruthie suggested they move back to Australia  even after purchasing a house in Scotland.

"There's loads of Australia that we still have not managed to see because our last experience was totally wiped out by Covid. We did very minimal travelling around," she explained. The west coast is high on their list of places to travel. So too is New Zealand.

Ruthie had just had a baby when they moved to Australia the first time. Now the kids are aged 16, 11 and 4. Source: Supplied

The kids, now aged 16, 11 and 4, were "pretty positive" about the change, despite having to once again pack up the lives they knew. Unlike the first time, when there was very minimal organisation", a relocation agent helped set up the family with a rental home before arriving and both Ruthie and John had also lined up jobs.

The family arrived this time at Brisbane airport this week with plans to live on the Gold Coast. They'd settled in Coffs Harbour, on the NSW north coast, the first time in 2020. "We travelled there [Gold Coast] a lot before the borders closed last time. We really loved it and we wanted to do something different."

"Last time we moved all our stuff over in a shipping container, and then moved it all back," Ruthie explained. "This time we bought five suitcases and that was it".

'Absolutely go for it'

Offering advice for anyone too concerned about moving across the world more than once, she said, "life's for living, and you've got to take these opportunities while you can".

"Absolutely go for it, because I always say, if it's an itch, then you need to scratch it because it's better an 'oops' than a 'what if'. If it doesn't work, you can always go back".

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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) has announced the signing of two agreements with Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, aimed at supporting the training of Bahrainis as pilots and aviation engineers. This comes as a continuation of the ongoing collaboration between the two organizations over the past years, to strengthen national capabilities in aviation by providing specialized training and creating promising and sustainable job opportunities.

The support includes training 50 Bahrainis as second officers and 24 Bahrainis in aviation engineering, both specialized fields requiring a high level of technical expertise, and creating high-quality jobs in the aviation sector. This comes as a continuation of Tamkeens training support to 110 pilots at the company.

Commenting on this initiative, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of Tamkeen, emphasized Tamkeen's commitment to supporting Bahraini talent to excel in various sectors and specialties, to make Bahrainis the preferred choice for employment. She stated: "We take pride in this partnership with Gulf Air and the promising opportunities it provides for Bahrainis in the aviation sector, which offers high-income jobs and diverse growth and development opportunities both locally and internationally. This partnership aligns with our ongoing efforts on providing training opportunities that refine national talent according to the highest global standards, preparing Bahrainis to enter and succeed in the aviation sector, which is a vital industry in the Kingdom."

For his part, Mr. Jeffrey Goh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air Group, noted that this partnership with the Labor Fund "Tamkeen" stems from Gulf Air's commitment to preparing qualified and trained national talent in the aviation sector, which is one of the most prominent sectors offering rewarding job opportunities. He added: "We have always been keen on developing the skills of Gulf Air's workforce according to the highest global standards. Through this partnership, we can expand the training of a larger number of Bahrainis as pilots and flight attendants, and create professional development opportunities in the aviation sector, thereby increasing our reliance on a highly competent and skilled national workforce."

Tamkeens support for the private sector in Bahrain is aligned with its 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through employment opportunities for new market entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity through the adoption of technology.
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 27, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians love to travel outside of Canada, and many live around the world. To help Canadians plan for safe visits and enjoy their time abroad, the Government of Canada offers advice on safe travel.

The Travel Advice and Advisories (TAAs) are official Government of Canada information and advice on safety and security conditions abroad to help travellers make informed and responsible decisions about their travel.

Photo by Fabio Comparelli on Unsplash (CNW Group/Global Affairs Canada) The legend shows the four risk levels used by Global Affairs Canada for its destination-specific travel advice and advisories. (CNW Group/Global Affairs Canada)

TAAs give travellers accurate and up-to-date information on situations that may affect their safety and well-being when they are travelling or living outside of Canada. This information may relate to health, safety or security considerations, local laws and culture, exit and entry requirements or climate and natural disasters.

The Government of Canada closely monitors safety and security conditions in foreign countries, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Based on reliable information, the TAAs are updated to respond to events that may affect the personal safety and security of Canadians abroad.

TAAs include risk levels. There are 4 risk levels, and they are colour-coded to help you identify them:

Green : Exercise normal security precautionslike you would while in Canada

: Exercise normal security precautionslike you would while in Yellow : Exercise a high degree of cautionthere are reasons to be more careful in this area

: Exercise a high degree of cautionthere are reasons to be more careful in this area Orange : Avoid non-essential travelyou should think seriously about whether you need to travel there

: Avoid non-essential travelyou should think seriously about whether you need to travel there Red: Avoid all travelhigh-risk area; we recommend not going there at all

When new information on a destination becomes available, the risk level is reassessed to determine if a travel advisory should be issued, upgraded, downgraded or removed. Global Affairs Canada makes the decision to update TAAs in consultation with the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for the foreign destination.

Canadians should know that if a Travel Advisory is issued for their destination, it may affect their travel insurance. You should carefully read the terms and conditions of your insurance policy.

As one of the government's consular officers explains, "Before going abroad, there are a few key things that Canadians should do to avoid difficult situations. Canadians should have a good travel insurance policy, a financial situation that guarantees they have enough money to pay for a flight back home or to retain the services of a lawyer, as well as a good understanding of the laws that could impact them, including dual citizenship and import and export laws."

Canadians are responsible for their decisions to travel to specific destinations. Following the Government of Canada's official travel advice can help you make better-informed decisions in relation to your personal safety and security.

Additional information:

SOURCE Global Affairs Canada
Boeing Starliner is designed to operate autonomously and previously completed two uncrewed flights. NASA and Boeing will work together to adjust end-of-mission planning and Starliners systems to set up for the uncrewed return in the coming weeks. Starliner must return to Earth before the Crew-9 mission launches to ensure a docking port is available on station.

NASAs Commercial Crew Program requires spacecraft fly a crewed test flight to prove the system is ready for regular flights to and from the space station. Following Starliners return, the agency will review all mission-related data to inform what additional actions are required to meet NASAs certification requirements.

NASA and SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally slated with four crew members, will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24. The agency will share more information about the Crew-9 complement when details are finalized.

NASA and SpaceX currently are working several items before launch, including reconfiguring seats on the Crew-9 Dragon, and adjusting the manifest to carry additional cargo, personal effects, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. In addition, NASA and SpaceX now will use new facilities at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to launch Crew-9, which provides increased operational flexibility around NASAs planned Europa Clipper launch.
With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Leapmotor denies plans to spin off intelligent technology team

Recent rumors suggested that Leapmotor is planning to spin off its intelligent technology team by the end of this year, affecting key departments such as intelligent driving and smart cockpits. However, on August 27, Leapmotor issued a statement denying such plans to separate its intelligent technology arm. The company clarified that, in fact, it is enhancing its capabilities in the intelligent technology sector. Earlier this year, Leapmotor consolidated and upgraded relevant departments into an "Intelligent Technology Research Institute" to bolster R&D efficiency. The company also emphasized its ongoing investment in talent and financial resources in this area, aiming to strengthen its long-term competitiveness in intelligent driving and smart cockpit technologies.

All-new C11; photo credit: Leapmotor

ZTE, CICV to co-advance scale application of vehicle-road-cloud integration solution

On August 23, ZTE Corporation signed an agreement to deepen its strategic partnership with the National Innovation Center of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles ("CICV") and its high-tech subsidiaries, including Automotive Intelligence and Control of China, Intelligent and Connected Vehicle Device of China, and Tsingcloud, aiming to jointly advance the large-scale implementation of the "Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" solution in China.

Geely Galaxy delivers 10,000 E5 vehicles within 20 days upon model's market launch

On August 27, Geely Auto's new energy vehicle range Galaxy announced that as of August 26, its Galaxy E5 model has achieved over 12,000-unit deliveries within just 20 days after the model hitting the market.

Baolong Automotive, INGEEK to build joint venture for auto connection system manufacturing

On August 26, Baolong Automotive and INGEEK formally signed a joint venture agreement in Shanghai. The joint venture will involve Baolong Automotive and INGEEK's subsidiary, Jinhua Shangkun, investing together to establish a platform for the production of automotive connection systems. This platform will emphasize efficiency, lean processes, flexibility, and intelligence, targeting comprehensive upgrades in production efficiency, product quality, cost control, and supply chain management.

China's Ministry of Public Security so far issues 16,000 autonomous vehicle testing licenses

On August 27, Wang Qiang, Director of the Traffic Management Bureau of China's Ministry of Public Security, announced at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that Chinese authorities have so far issued 16,000 autonomous vehicle testing licenses and opened 32,000 kilometers of public roads for autonomous vehicle testing. These efforts significantly support the country's validation and iterative improvement of autonomous driving technology.

BYD FANGCHENGBAO's vehicles to adopt by Huawei's smart driving tech

BYD's FANGCHENGBAO brand and the ICT giant Huawei jointly announced on Aug. 27 that they had recently signed a strategic agreement in Shenzhen to collaborate on intelligent driving technology. The first cooperative product under this collaboration will be the soon-to-be-launched BAO 8 model, which will feature Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0 intelligent driving system, marking the creation of the world's first intelligent driving solution dedicated to rugged off-road vehicles.

Solid-state battery firm Talent New Energy closes Series B strategic financing round

Chongqing Talent New Energy Co., Ltd. (Talent New Energy) recently completed its Series B strategic financing round with hundreds of millions of yuan raised, the company announced on August 26 via its WeChat account.

Autoliv's new PSS production line in Changzhou city starts operation

Autoliv recently launched its first China-built fully automated PSS (Pyro Safety Switches) production line at its Jintan plant in Changzhou city, marking a significant step in enhancing product localization, accelerating technological innovation, and advancing industrial upgrades, the company announced on Aug. 27 via its WeChat account. This development is also a crucial milestone in Autoliv's strategy to respond to local market demands and intensify its localization efforts in China.

BAIC BluePark posts semi-annual revenue of 3.714 billion yuan in H1 2024

On August 26, BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (BAIC BluePark) released its financial report for the first half of 2024 (H1 2024), showing a revenue of 3.714 billion yuan, marking a 35.16% year-on-year decline.

VOYAH's first global model 'Zhiyin' rolls off production line

On August 26, VOYAH, Dongfeng Motor's premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, celebrated its first globally-oriented model, the VOYAH Zhiyin, rolling off the production line.

Leapmotor, BWI International partner on brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire technology R&D

On August 26, BeijingWest Industries International Limited (BWI International) officially announced the signing of a long-term strategic partnership agreement with Chinese new energy vehicle maker Leapmotor. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies for the global market.
A Bergen County councilwoman has resigned from her elected position after she was arrested in Connecticut Thursday under suspicion of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a nonprofit she helped lead that aimed to helping families whove lost children.

Abby Lundy, 60, of Hillsdale, surrendered to police in New Cannan, Connecticut after being charged with first-degree larceny and second and third-degree forgery.

Hillsdale mayor Michael Sheinfield said Tuesday that Lundy resigned Friday. The investigation into accusations of financial misconduct began in July.

Authorities accused Lundy of a long-running embezzlement scheme that fraudulently steered $85,873.32 away from the New Cannan-based nonprofit First Candle to herself, according to a report from the Stamford Advocate citing the arrest warrant for Lundy.

First Candle is a nonprofit that aims to eliminate Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS, and unexpected deaths of infants due to suffocation.

According to the Stamford Advocate, Lundy was the CFO of the organization and an investigation by police began after the nonprofits CEO discovered the organization had lost its nonprofit status with the IRS in 2023 for allegedly failing to withhold payroll taxes since 2020.

The Stamford Advocate reported that police wrote in the warrant for Lundys arrest that the IRS assumed the nonprofit had closed. Police said in the arrest warrant that Allison Jacobson, the nonprofits CEO asked Lundy to meet with the IRS to correct the nonprofits status prior to going to police, according to reports.

Investigators said Lundy told Jacobson in March that she had met with IRS officials, but Jacobson later determined the meeting never happened and in looking deeper into the nonprofits finances, discovered that Lundy had not filed payroll taxes for the organization since 2020 and had not filed tax returns since 2019, the Stamford Advocate reported.

When confronted with the financial irregularities, Lundy told Jacobson that she took the money, but that she did not do it maliciously and that things had gotten out of control, according to reports.

Jacobson, the CEO for First Candle declined to comment on the charges Tuesday based on legal advice for the nonprofit. Jacobson clarified that the 501(c)3 nonprofit status of First Candle has been reinstated and is in good standing.

Upon learning more about the allegations against Lundy, Sheinfield said the full governing body immediately initiated an audit of the boroughs finances on Monday.

We respect her right to due process, and privacy and have no comment on anything related to her personal life, Sheinfeld said Tuesday.

Lundy was taken remains in custody on a $75,000 bond. An attorney for her was not listed in Connecticut court records Tuesday. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 23.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
Onscreen, Princetons Christopher Reeve was the Man of Steel.

When he became paralyzed after a horse-riding accident, he took on a new role: activist for disability rights.

Reeves journey comes into focus in Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, a documentary headed to theaters in September.

The film, directed by Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui (McQueen, Rising Phoenix), follows Reeves life and career, from his rise to prominence in the Superman movies to the 1995 accident that caused him to suffer a spinal cord injury and be paralyzed from the neck down and his work with the Christopher Reeve Foundation  later renamed the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, after his wife (and Teaneck native) Danas 2006 death from lung cancer at 44.

Reeve died in 2004, when he was 52. But his voice can be heard throughout the Warner Bros. film  a co-production of DC, HBO and CNN  and the trailer for the documentary, released Monday.

What is a hero? Reeve says in the film. My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. Now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

His children, Matthew Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens and Will Reeve, were interviewed for the documentary, as were actors Glenn Close and Susan Sarandon. The film also covers Reeves friendship with Robin Williams, his roommate and fellow student at The Juilliard School.

The fact that Superman was in a wheelchair and was willing to go public with it was huge, Close says in the trailer of Reeve, whose work with Dana Reeve at the Short Hills-based foundation was dedicated to spinal cord injury treatment and research.

Our dad is our hero, and were touched to know millions of people across generations around the world see him the same way, Reeves children said in a statement.

We are proud and thrilled to share Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story with fans who loved the Superman films, or who were inspired by his courage after his spinal cord injury, or who were moved by his enduring love story with our mom/stepmom, Dana, or anyone who could use a hero right now. This documentary is a story of perseverance, commitment, love, family, bravery, tragedy, triumph, hope, and so much more. Above all it is a story of humanity, embodied by an ordinary man who found the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story will be in theaters Saturday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday, Sept. 25, for Reeves birthday. For ticket information, visit Fathom Events; fathomevents.com/events/super-man-the-christopher-reeve-story

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
Daily fines are piling up as Jersey City officials await a decision on delaying rulings that ordered the city to reinstate two police officers wrongly fired for cannabis use while off-duty.

Attorney Michael Rubas, who represents police officers Norhan Mansour and Omar Polanco, confirmed the two officers have not been reinstated by the city, which was given an Aug. 25 deadline or face $100-a-day fines related to both police officers.

The city instead has filed nearly identical motions for stays in both cases and notices of appeal with the state appellate court division.
A Florida man has been charged with attempting to stab another patron at a restaurant in Rumson on Thursday.

David Gulley, 75, of Palm Beach Shores, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and simple assault, police said.

Gulley lunged at a man at the Red Horse by David Burke restaurant during an argument over wine being spilled on the victims wife, police said. The man suffered a cut finger and refused medical treatment at the scene. Police said they witnessed Gulley punch a manager.

Restaurant staff told NJ Advance Media they would not comment on the incident.

In a video posted on Reddit, a woman believed to be the general manager of the restaurant, tries to deescalate the argument. (Warning: the video contains graphic language).

An unidentified man in white says to patrons at the table next to him to slow down on the old spirits people. Hes then told it was an accident by another woman at the nearby table.

The man in white says, an accident is why theres spilled wine all over her back before asking Gulley, who was at the table next to him, if you got a knife in your hand?

Gulley lunges at the man as a woman screams No! David before a fight emerges. The fight is broken up by restaurant employees.

Gulley was released pending a court appearance, police said.

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Deion Johnson may be reached at djohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Instagram at @DeionRJohnson or X @DeionRJohhnson
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 26, Baolong Automotive and INGEEK formally signed a joint venture agreement in Shanghai, signaling a significant step toward deeper integration and innovative collaboration in the automotive technology sector.

Photo credit: Baolong Automotive

The partnership aims to combine their strengths in manufacturing, hardware development, smart entry systems, and ecosystem services to provide cutting-edge automotive intelligence solutions and pioneering mobility technologies to car manufacturers in China and around the world.

The joint venture will involve Baolong Automotive and INGEEK's subsidiary, Jinhua Shangkun, investing together to establish a platform for the production of automotive connection systems. This platform will emphasize efficiency, lean processes, flexibility, and intelligence, targeting comprehensive upgrades in production efficiency, product quality, cost control, and supply chain management.

This strategic decision is rooted in both companies' long-term commitment to understanding industry transformation trends and closely analyzing market needs. Baolong Automotive has built a solid foundation over 27 years, supplying high-quality smart and lightweight automotive products to manufacturers worldwide. INGEEK, known for its focus on automotive innovation, brings robust technical capabilities in digital key technology, intelligent connection systems (ICS series solutions), and smart vehicle infrastructure, facilitating seamless integration and communication between vehicles, users, and the broader mobility ecosystem.

In response to the growing wave of automotive digitalization, Baolong Automotive and INGEEK are looking to the future with a focus on digital key technology as a core entry point. The partnership will enhance collaboration in hardware development, innovation, and manufacturing, aiming to create more efficient and advanced solutions for automotive electronic intelligent manufacturing.
Opponents of New Jersey Turnpike Authoritys plans to build twin $6.2 billion bridges to replace the existing Newark Bay bridge criticized the agency for spending $142 million on the project that hasnt received a key federal approval.

Authority commissioners voted 5-0 to approve a $142 million design contract Tuesday despite hearing from a dozen people who urged the board to delay until the U.S. Coast Guard decides whether to grant a permit for the new $6.2 billion bridges across the bay.

The contract is with Micheal Baker International Inc., of Newark, for work to design the connections between the new twin bridges and the Turnpikes mainline in Newark.
A bomb threat Monday evening at Community Medical Center in Toms River prompted a large response from police and the temporary movement of some patients, authorities said.

The Toms River Police Department received a report of an item which appeared to be a bomb at the hospital and officers began evacuation efforts as the Ocean County Sheriffs Department K-9 unit and New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad Unit were called to assist.

It was unclear if anyone was actually evacuated from the hospital but a spokeswoman fro RWJ Barnabas Health said a dozen or so patients were temporarily moved out of an abundance of caution and were then safely returned as of 7:20 p.m., following an all clear from the bomb squad unit.

As of 8 p.m., no further information was released and no arrests were announced.

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In New Jersey, local police are banned from joining federal immigration raids, and for good reason. To protect public safety, police need undocumented residents to report crimes and serve as witnesses, and they wont do that if speaking up can lead to their deportation.

Thats why many big city police chiefs support the policy. They need help to maintain order.

But releasing criminal migrants from jail is another matter entirely. When migrants commit serious crimes, they must be punished like anyone else, and then deported. They blew their chance. These are not the law-abiding undocumented folks who help police maintain order in cities like Newark and Jersey City, as citizens do. These are criminals, and we owe them nothing.

New York City doesnt seem to get that distinction. The city recently released a 24-year-old migrant from Nicaragua who had been charged with rape, without telling federal authorities. Two days later, he was charged with another rape. That is the kind of official negligence that is both infuriating and inexcusable.

The migrant, Daniel Davon-Bonilla, had spent 15 months at Rikers Island after police charged him with raping a transgender woman in a migrant shelter. The case fell apart when the victim refused to testify, so prosecutors offered him a deal. In return for pleading guilty to felony assault, he would be released immediately. He took the deal, of course.

And he was set free that day, on June 24 of this year, pending a sentencing hearing in August. Even though the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency had notified the city that they hoped to deport Davon-Bonilla, neither the city nor the Brooklyn prosecutors bothered to notify ICE before releasing him.

He skipped his Aug. 9 court date, and two days later, police say, he raped a 46-year-old homeless woman under the Coney Island boardwalk at knifepoint, while an accomplice beat off her boyfriend with a metal pipe. It happens to women every day, and we never get justice, and we end up dead, the rape victim told the New York Times.

Now, of course, the politicians are angling for advantage. Donald Trump jumped in, blaming Kamala Harris and painting New York City as violent and lawless, thanks to the infusion of migrants. Thats pure fiction. Study after study shows that migrants are less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes, despite the distortions of right-wing media like Fox News and the NY Post.

New York City absorbed a half million unauthorized immigrants between the early 1980s and 2019, a period that saw crime rates drop dramatically. And despite the surge of migrants arriving since 2022, the felony crime rate has remained flat, and has dropped in recent months. Facts mean nothing to Trump, who himself was found by a jury to have raped a woman.

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Mayor Eric Adams blamed the citys sanctuary laws, which is ridiculous, since the law explicitly allows the city to inform ICE about noncitizens who have been convicted of serious crimes, including rape and felony assault. A spokesman for Brooklyn District Attorney said ICE could have tracked the case itself, so it didnt need its help.

The status of criminal cases is public record and any person or entity can easily monitor their statuses and outcomes online, the spokesman said.

When it comes to immigration, Harris is vulnerable. She was never assigned to control border security and was named border czar only in sloppy media accounts, not in any official White House document. But she was part of an administration that allowed the border to spin out of control, and polls show that voters trust Trump more on this issue.

She has a good defense, though. She supports the tough border security bill that Republicans killed in February at Trumps urging, one that allocated more than $20 billion to fortify security at the border, expand detention centers, and reduce the backlog that allows migrants to remain within the country for years while their cases are pending. Trump has concluded that chaos at the border serves him better.

Shes undermined, though, when Democrats in blue states make boneheaded decisions, as they did in the Davon-Bonilla case. Compassion for decent people who happen to be migrants is one thing. Indulging violent criminals is quite another.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or (973) 986-6951. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. backed Donald Trump for president on Friday. And then three days later, Kenndy filed to run for president in Kentucky.

So whats going on here?

Kennedy didnt technically end his longshot campaign when he endorsed Trump. Instead, he suspended it and told supporters he would remain on the ballot in non-competitive states. People in those states where he made the ballot will still see his name and can vote for him in a show of support without harming or helping President Trump or Vice President Harris.

Kennedy added: (But) in about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, Im going to remove my name, and Ive already started the process.

RFK Jr. dropped out Friday and filed for the ballot on Monday in Kentucky. https://t.co/vDTn2Eg77c  Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) August 27, 2024

Kennedy said his internal polls had shown that his presence in the race would hurt Trump and help Kamala Harris.

Kennedy took steps last week to withdraw his candidacy in at least two states  Arizona and Pennsylvania. But election officials in the battlegrounds of Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin said it would be too late for him to take his name off the ballot even if he wants to do so.

Kennedy said his actions followed conversations with Trump over the past few weeks. He cast their alliance as a unity party, an arrangement that would allow us to disagree publicly and privately and seriously. Kennedy suggested Trump offered him a job if he returns to the White House, but neither he nor Trump offered details.

Kennedys running mate, Nicole Shanahan, entertained the idea that Kennedy could join Trumps administration as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Five of Kennedys family members issued a statement Friday calling his support for Trump a sad ending to a sad story and reiterating their support for Harris.

Our brother Bobbys decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear, read the statement, which his sister Kerry Kennedy posted on X.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
Polling showed Democrats chances of winning the White House this fall increased dramatically after Joe Biden bowed out of the race and Kamala Harris became the partys nominee.

The race is a statistical tie in battleground states with Donald Trump at the head of the Republican ticket, and that has some never-Trumpers making the case for staying nervous between now and November. Especially because of the so-called white man boomerang.

The Bulwarks A.B. Stoddard writes, Yet while she has gained with women, as well as non-white voters and young voters, Harris is not polling as well with seniors as Biden did. And there may be a bit of a white man boomerang underway. In New York Times polling, white men 65 and older moved to Trump by 6 points after Harris became the candidate.

Latest in the blue wall states:



In MI and WI, Harris is maybe up a point or two, PA she may be down a couple points, the sources I spoke to said.



Shes doing better than Biden was  tho in PA she has lost ground with white men. https://t.co/TCQ1rMvs1A  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 26, 2024

She added: All this suggests that while Harris has opened a path through some of the Sun Belt states (Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia) that had closed for Biden, she will be challenged in the Blue Wall states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania where the voters are older and whiter than the rest of the nation. And the Electoral College decides electionsand favors Trump.

Harris toured Pennsylvania earlier this month with her running mate, Tim Walz, and spoke of her uphill climb in the state.

I very much consider us the underdogs, Harris said at a stop in the township of Moon. We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people. Thats why were on this bus tour today, and were going to be traveling this country as weve been and talking with folks, listening to folks, and hopefully earning their votes over the next 79 days.

Southwestern Pennsylvania is a critical part of a key battleground state that has long commanded the attention of presidential candidates. The state voted for Trump in 2016 and for Biden in 2020. Both Harris and Trump are vying to see who can put Pennsylvania in their column on Nov. 5.

Trump, who is counting on strong turnout from his base of white, working-class voters, is not conceding the area. The counties around Pittsburgh have shifted from Democratic to Republican in recent presidential contests, delivering for Trump in both of his earlier runs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Over its 52 years, Southern Decadence has grown from a group of friends having a house party in Treme to a queer mega-celebration of indulgence that brings out hundreds of thousands of people in New Orleans over Labor Day weekend.

Along the way, the scene has shifted time and time again. In the 1980s and early 90s, the costume and drag parade was at the heart of the celebrations. The rise of the internet then brought a tourism boom, and more bars and venues seized the opportunity to participate as the scantily clad crowds swelled.

Today, there are pop-up parties galore, talent from around the country, and queer events at major downtown venues and clubs around the city. And although Decadence still primarily attracts gay men, there are a few women- and femme-centered events in the mix.

In many ways, the changes in Decadence mirror the changes in how different parts of the LGBTQ community interact with each other.

It just got bigger and more fun when everybody started being included, says drag queen Vanessa Carr-Kennedy, a grand marshal of this years Decadence parade.

The party has rebounded since the pandemic, which wiped out in-person drag performances for awhile  though some performers haven't gotten back on stage since.

Add some event producer drama into the mix, and its almost a completely different scene in some regards, says Quinn Bishop, owner of New Orleans Queer Underground Tours, which has tours available Decadence weekend.

For example, according to Bishop, the New Orleans drag community before the pandemic was more fragmented between French Quarter and Bywater performers as well as between more traditional performers and those experimenting with new forms of drag.

Now, theres much more crossover at bars and venues.

I think our entire community, a lot of things that used to seem really significant in terms of that kind of stuff just really has faded away, Bishop says. Everyone here is just happy to see each other again.

Pop-up parties increasingly popular

Decadence has expanded well beyond the Lavender Line, the nickname given to the stretch of gay bars at St. Ann and Bourbon streets, and the surrounding gay bars.

While the parade, bar events and block parties in the area are still central to Decadence, pop-up parties at different venues have become increasingly popular over the last decade or so.

Jenna Ard, founder of lesbian pop-up GrrlSpot, says when she moved to New Orleans in 1999, there wasnt much to do besides go to Bourbon and St. Ann, but now it's kind of all over the place in different venues.

Ard has been producing a GrrlSpot Decadence party, more focused on queer women and femmes, since 2011. The parties now average around 500 people, Ard says.

This years event will take place at Toulouse Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 31, and features Northshore-turned-Los Angeles-based DJ Cristy Lawrence, local DJ Shan Li, burlesque and go-go dancers and a projectionist.

Theres also Bearracudas Friday night party at the Joy Theater, catering to the bear community characterized by burliness and facial and body hair, and London-born Horse Meat Discos rave at The Fillmore Saturday night, which first came to Decadence in 2009. Also on Saturday is Furball, a furry dance party at Santos.

Hit It is throwing parties both Friday and Saturday nights, with dark rooms and a clothes check. Fornication, a Sunday night play party, is already sold out.

For the girls

Traditionally, Decadence has largely attracted gay men, but a few events have emerged specifically for queer women and femmes.

Obviously, there are a lot more women that come now than there were before, I think because we just started creating things for women to do, Ard says. I think it's one of those, If you build it, they will come.

In addition to Ards GrrlSpot, Kelly Boyett helped start Her Haus Events with Amanda Yesso and Brooke Barrios during Decadence in 2022 to create more women- and femme- centered events.

We wanted to create a destination event for people, Boyett says. We looked at the whole picture. We were like, we live in New Orleans, it should be a destination for women who want to feel safe.

This year, Her Haus is hosting Decadence For the Girls, marketed as the Southern Decadence weekend event for queer femmes. On Saturday evening, Liz Owen is DJing at Bourbon Pub & Parade, and on Sunday, Her Haus hosts a parade after party at Bourbon Heat.

"We welcome anyone, its all-inclusive, Boyett says. We just say, femmes to the front.

Sandy Sachs, owner of Bourbon Pub & Parade, put on lesbian events for thousands of people in L.A. for decades. Shes been working with Her Haus, which hosts monthly events at her bar, and says shes excited about the events theyre producing.

They remind me of me 30 years ago, she says.

While Ard understands the tendency to appeal to gay men, who spend a lot of money during Decadence, she believes womens events are often underestimated. After all, GrrlSpot parties run up a hefty bar tab, according to Ard.

I think the way to go would be to have more eyes on women's events, what they're doing, more attention and more recognition that those events are as valuable as the men's events, Ard says.

Southern hospitality

Some venues also are ramping up for the long weekend of debauchery by bringing in talent from out of state.

Tony Award-winning performer Billy Porter is making an appearance at Bourbon Pub & Parade on Saturday, and there are several events with RuPauls Drag Race stars.

The AllWays Lounge and Cabaret, meanwhile, is hosting a slate of Texas-based drag performers, including Brigitte Bandit, the self-titled Texas drag queen Republicans love to hate for the venues Chaotic Erotic show on Thursday.

Producer and co-host Stanley Roy says they have been texting him all week about how excited they are. Theyre like, lets just quit our jobs and go to New Orleans now, he says with a laugh.

Roy says the show will be darker, more comedic and edgier than typical drag shows. Theyre very weird and wild, and twisted, he says.

Roy himself is performing in a show called Lust Filth on Thursday and Friday, which he says embraces depravity with depictions of obscene and perverted acts.

AllWays also hosts a more tongue-in-cheek event called the Church of Daddy, a Saturday night variety show with local drag artists. Of course, its basically the inverse of your grandmothers Sunday morning church, though it will feature an opening prayer and the opportunity for spectators to take communion which may or may not involve glitter.

Mississippi also will be solidly represented at this years Decadence.

Vanessa Carr-Kennedy says there have been two gay bars in Mississippi, Sipps and The Just Us Lounge, that have been like sister bars to the New Orleans clubs.

Parade organizers have hosted fundraisers at these two venues and have bussed people in from New Orleans to attend those events. The owner of Sipps, Jeffrey Mayeux, was even named as a parade grand marshal this year.

Its increased the footprint (of Decadence)," Carr-Kennedy says. A lot of the entertainers come back and forth.

More than just a big, sexy party

All year long, parade organizers throw fundraising events to help pay for putting on the Sunday parade, which is getting increasingly expensive.

Between permits, trash pickup, security and insurance, Carr-Kennedy estimates the parade costs $18,000-$20,000 to put on, and the organizers held more than 20 fundraisers to come up with the money.

The money also goes to various charities. This year theyre focusing their efforts on the New Orleans Advocates for LGBTQ + Elders, aka NOAGE, a nonprofit that helps elders in the community access health care and resources as they age, along with hosting coffee meet-ups, potlucks and book clubs.

Parade organizers also are raising money to replace the plaque remembering the victims of the 1973 Up Stairs Lounge fire, an arson attack on a gay bar that killed 32 people. The plaque on Iberville Street was stolen earlier this year.

There are also other charitable Decadence events, like Allies Against Cancer on Thursday, which raises money to lower cancer rates among LGBTQ people. This will be the events third year, bringing drag performers like Drag Races Jujubee and local queens like Debbie with a D and Laveau Contraire to Generations Hall.

Its not just us flailing around naked on the streets and frolicking, Carr-Kennedy says. We raise a good bit of money that goes to charities.

Decadence, which brings more than a quarter of a million people to the area, is also a life saver for the LGBTQ bars, performers and service industry workers who often struggle to stay afloat in the tough summer months when tourism slows. In fact, its a big boost for the broader tourism and hospitality industry as a whole.

In the service industry, summer is kind of hell, Bishop says. Especially for August, you have to kind of hang on with nothing until we get to Decadence.

Bishop says shes hoping to book up her tours that weekend.

I know that I and most of my friends are depending on Southern Decadence to make sure that we pay our rent, Bishop says.

Oasis of acceptance

Though Decadence continues to evolve, the heart of it remains the same. Its still an over-the-top, only-in-New-Orleans event where queer people can be unabashedly themselves.

Were not softening or taking parts of ourselves away just because it makes other people uncomfortable, Roy says. "Decadence is inclusive, for all types of bodies, all types of experiences, all types of fetishes, all the things  a pu pu platter, if you will.

As Louisiana lawmakers keep passing anti-LGBTQ legislation and the state often makes national headlines for its far-right policies, Bishop says its important for the rest of the country to see such an unapologetic and unique celebration of queer people in the South. She considers New Orleans to be a separate, beautiful oasis of acceptance.

I find it to be one of the least homophobic and transphobic cities in the country, Bishop says, just because there's always somebody weirder than you.
Chinese EV maker BYD has expanded rapidly in recent years, entering new markets and building factories across the globe. NurPhoto/Getty Images

Canada has announced it will impose a 100% import tax on EVs from China.

It's following in the footsteps of the US and Europe, which have implemented their own trade barriers.

Western nations are trying to stop Chinese carmakers like BYD from upending their auto industries.

Canada has become the latest country to crack down on Chinese EVs.

The Canadian government announced Monday that it will impose a 100% tax on all China-made EVs from October after the US and EU unveiled their own trade barriers earlier this year.

The tariffs, which also include a 25% tax on steel and aluminum products from China, will apply in addition to an existing 6.1% tax on China-made EVs.

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Western countries are cracking down on China's EV giants over fears that a wave of cheap Chinese vehicles could soon upend their automotive industries.

Chinese automakers such as BYD, which sells cars from around $10,000 in China, have expanded rapidly in recent years and are setting up factories around the world.

Canada's new trade barriers could prove problematic for both Tesla and BYD, which have been locked in a global battle for EV dominance.

A Canadian official confirmed to Reuters that the 100% tariff will apply to cars made by Tesla in China.

While its not clear how many EVs Tesla exports from China to Canada, the new tariffs could force the automaker to shift production to markets with friendlier trade agreements with Canada, such as the US.

BYD, meanwhile, has been considering entering the Canadian market, according to a regulatory filing reported by Reuters.

The carmaker launched a hybrid pickup truck called the Shark in Mexico earlier this year as it continues to expand into North America, but the new round of tariffs could complicate any attempt to sell its electric vehicles in the US' northern neighbor.

Canada's crackdown on Chinese EVs follows in the footsteps of the US and the EU, which have both imposed sweeping new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in recent months.

Story continues

President Joe Biden announced a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs back in May, while the EU has imposed tariffs of up to 36.3% on Chinese manufacturers.

Tesla and BYD did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

It turns out that more technology in cars isnt necessarily something customers want, and its not really improving their driving experience. We know my thoughts on the matter, but Ill do my best to stay impartial on this latest survey from JD Power that shows most customers dont appreciate technology in cars unless they can see a clear benefit to them.

JD Powers 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study evaluated over 81,000 drivers experience with advanced vehicle technologies in 2024 model year vehicles after 90 days of ownership, It turned out to be a pretty mixed bag when it came to what people liked using. There are a number of tech features that customers like using because they feels that it answers their needs, but at the same time there is a whole lot that dont get used very often or are continually annoying, according to the survey.

Heres a rundown of some of the findings of JD Powers survey, according to Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at the company:

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New Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based technologies, like smart climate control, have quickly won popularity with those owners who have used it, yet recognition technologies such as facial recognition, fingerprint reader and interior gesture controls fall out of favor as they unsuccessfully try to solve a problem that owners didnt know they had. For example, not only do owners say that interior gesture controls can be problematic (43.4 problems per 100 vehicles), but 21% of these owners also say this technology lacks functionality, according to newly added diagnostic questions in this years study. These performance metrics, including a lack of perceived usefulness, result in this technology being considered a lost value for any automaker that has invested millions of dollars to bring it to market. [...] Despite the increasing availability of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), many owners remain indifferent to their value. Most owners appreciate features that directly address specific concerns, such as visual blind spots while backing up. However, other ADAS features often fall short, with owners feeling capable of handling tasks without them. This is particularly evident with active driving assistance, as the hands-on-the-wheel version ranks among the lowest-rated ADAS technologies with a low perceived usefulness score (7.61 on a 10-point scale). The hands-free, more advanced version of this tech does not significantly change the user experience as indicated by a usefulness score of 7.98, which can be attributed to the feature not solving a known problem.

Story continues

One thing I was pretty shocked to learn was that drivers dont generally like really, really good hand-free driving systems like GMs Super Cruise and Fords BlueCruise. Both of those systems work really well, but JD Power says folks may not think theyre necessary because they dont solve known issues. It would seem people are more than OK with just driving down the highway themselves.

Theyre also really not into passenger screens, and thats something I definitely get.

Automakers are expanding their offering of vehicles containing a passenger display screen despite the feature being classified as not necessary by vehicle owners. The tech is negatively reviewed by many owners who point to usability issues. Perhaps the technology would be viewed more favorably if the front passenger seat was used more frequently, but only 10% of vehicles carry front-seat passengers daily. Furthermore, the addition of a second screen adds to the complexity of the vehicle delivery process as it is difficult for dealers to teach new owners how to use the primary infotainment screen, let alone a second one.

This survey also took a look at which brands had the best tech experience, according to drivers. For the fourth consecutive year, Genesis took home the top honors with a score of 584 out of 1,000. Lexus, BMW, Hyundai and Kia rounded out the top five. Mazda, Nissan, Ford, Mini and Dodge were at the very bottom. EV-only makers like Tesla, Rivian and Polestar scored 786, 666 and 578, respectively, but JD Power excluded them since their buyers tend to be more accepting of technology in general.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Pavel Durov speaks during the Digital Life Design conference (DLD) at HVB Forum in Munich on Jan. 24, 2012. (Nadine Rupp/Getty Images)

French leadership is hitting back at claims that its arrest of messaging app Telegrams top officer over the weekend is politically motivated.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 26 that the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Saturday stemmed from an independent investigation and is not politically motivated.

Macron posted Frances first official statement on social media platform X, saying that France is deeply committed to freedom of expression but that freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

Macron also denounced accusations of political motivation as false, adding that the arrest is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.

The Paris prosecutors office also issued its first statement on the arrest on Monday, revealing that Durov was brought into custody due to a judicial inquiry opened in July involving a dozen different alleged crimes.

The prosecutors office said that Durovs alleged crimes include complicity in the sale of child pornography and illicit drugs, fraud, abetting organized crime transactions, and refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law to do so.

Durovs detention was extended late Sunday into Monday night and can be prolonged until Wednesday evening before authorities must either release or charge him.

In a statement, Telegram said it abides by European Union laws and that its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

Telegrams CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, the company said.

Some Western governments have criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which they allege opens up the messaging platform for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking, and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of $5 million against Telegrams operators for failing to establish a lawful way to report illegal content or to name an entity in Germany to receive official communication. Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms. Likewise, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram last year over its failure to surrender data on alleged neo-Nazi activity related to a police inquiry into school shootings.

Russian authorities also tried to block Telegram but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

Durov is a French citizen and also holds citizenship in Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Durov co-founded Telegram with his brother after his previous company, which also provided a messaging service, was condemned by Russian authorities.

That app, VKontakte, was launched in 2006, but Durov sold his stake in the company after the Russian government demanded it reveal the personal information of users who took part in a popular uprising in Ukraine in 2013 and 2014 that resulted in the ouster of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Russia used the events as a justification for its subsequent annexation of Crimea and its support of Russian-speaking separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Durov previously said that he refused the Russian governments demands and left Russia.

Telegram has since grown into a popular source of information in Ukraine and Russia, where media outlets and governments alike use it to share messaging on the ongoing war, and deliver live alerts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
Elon Musk is firmly against work-from-home. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called work-from-home "morally wrong."

Musk says he works seven days a week and just takes two to three days off a year.

He imposed a strict in-office policy at Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter, but there have been exceptions.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called working from home "morally wrong." Here's a look at why he's no fan of remote work.

Elon Musk has been very critical of work-from-home and starting in summer 2022, told executive staff that they needed to return to Tesla headquarters and offices or resign.

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That same summer, Tesla layoffs impacted about 10% of the company.

The billionaire said exceptions to the new policy could be made in the case of "particularly exceptional contributors," but he would have to approve it himself.

Tesla has, indeed, made exceptions. As of August 2024, Tesla's careers page has advertised for at least one remote job: a senior project engineer. The position required a bachelor's degree in an engineering field  or equivalent experience  as well as five to 10 years of relevant experience as an electrical or project engineer.

The listed salary for the job ranged from $79,200 to $270,000, depending on factors like experience and skills.

Still, the vast majority of the hundreds of jobs listed on Tesla's website are for in-person positions  many of them in Tesla's Gigafactories in Fremont, California; Sparks, Nevada; or Austin, Texas. Musk has emphasized the importance of factory workers  who have been required to come into work throughout the pandemic  being able to see senior staff working alongside them.

"It's like really, you're going to work from home and you're going to make everyone else who made your car come in [to] the factory?" Musk said in a May 2023 interview. "The people who make your food that gets delivered, they can't work from home? The people that fix your house, they can't work from home?"

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Musk said remote work was a "moral issue" as much as it was a productivity one.

The Tesla WFH challenge

Nick Gallimore, director of innovation at Advanced People Management, said Musk would need "something of a miracle if he expects people to even stick with him ... let alone be more productive."

"Musk's comments  that remote work simply can't be as effective or as productive as working from a physical location  put him in a small minority of business owners who are betting the future of their organizations on the organization design principles of the past," he said.

Gallimore, who consults on HR issues, added: "The odds are stacked against him: with many different pieces of research suggesting that as few as 10% of people actually want to work from the office full-time."

Nicole Penn, president of an advertising and marketing agency called EGC Group, told Insider: "Every employee has environments that either increase or decrease their productivity. If Tesla's culture is built on collaboration and ideas born on the factory floor, it's not possible for a remote team member to plug into that efficiently."

Penn believes the inflexibility of working in the office full-time is "antiquated" and ruling out any remote or hybrid workers excludes potential high-performing candidates. "You have to wonder if Elon will retain top talent that needs and appreciates more flexibility," she added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
VALPARAISO  A Sept. 30 trial has been confirmed for a 20-year-old Gary man accused of shooting and killing Darion Anderson, 20, on April 29 at a home in Portage, records show.

Montrel McLaurin is charged with murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, according to court documents.

Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer recently confirmed the trial date.

Mom left urine-covered child in store with intoxicated friend, Portage police say "She (witness) stated Sandra had barely been able to hold on to the baby and was almost dropping the child while walking around the store," police said.

Portage police said they were called out at 12:35 a.m. on April 29 to a duplex in the 5300 block of Aspen Avenue and provided care to shooting victim Anderson, of Hammond, but he was declared dead at the scene.

Witnesses told officers they were in a bedroom when they heard commotion in the living room, police said. They then heard up to 10 gunshots and one witness walked out to see a man point a gun at her and say, "Don't (expletive) move," according to police.

The man then fled the house, police said.

Police said surveillance video footage and a license plate recognition system helped lead them to McLaurin.

Jury awards Valpo couple $25.8 million over neglected test results, attorney say "Before trial, an independent medical review panel, required under Indiana law, found that St. Mary Medical Center had failed to comply with the appropriate standard of care," attorney Kenneth J. Allen said.

Police determined McLaurin, who was known on the night in question as "weed man," had been called to the residence to sell marijuana.

He stuck around after the drug deal while a marijuana cigarette was being rolled, police said. He then pointed an AK-style rifle at the Anderson, which sent Anderson into "fight or flight mode," according to police.

Anderson lunged at another man and during the struggle, McLaurin shot Anderson before fleeing, police said.

Also charged is Timothy Sandifer IV, 20, who is accused of calling McLaurin to the house to sell marijuana.

Sandifer is charged with counts of aiding in a murder in perpetration of a robbery and aiding in an attempted robbery, records show.

He has a trial set for Oct. 7.
In the cheese shop, no one can hear you scream.

The Roaming Wedge mobile cheese shop, local filmmakers and some of their friends in Northwest Indiana are filming a low-budget horror film about a killer wheel of cheese that will feature some big names in the cheese world. It's what would be called a Brie, err, B Movie.

Food truck owner Nick Hoehn, screenwriter Joe Eccles and director Ben-David Armstrong are shooting "Unholy Cheese" at settings around Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs, including the recently closed Windmill Brewing in Dyer. They're planning to stage a cheese festival where the public will get a chance to be extras who largely get killed off in a massacre scene in the movie.

It's a cheesy horror film in the vein of "Rubber," a campy cult classic about a killer tire. The plot will sound familiar to anyone who's seen any of the Chucky movies about the killer children's doll  only in this case the Muenster is a possessed cheese wheel that goes on to shred hapless victims who end up meeting a bloody feta.

"It's a cheese-themed horror movie that will blow your socks off," Hoehn said. "The principal idea is a cheesemaker finds out another cheesemaker is a serial killer and he pushes him into a vat of cheese. He decides to make the cheese regardless. But the soul of the serial killer is trapped inside the cheese. Anyone who eats the cheese goes around killing people or killing themselves, causing chaos."

Eccles, an actor, writer and producer who has worked on films like "Get Pony Boy," "Snafu," and "Why Not?", is writing the script. The hero of the story is a nun who's also a private detective who's tasked with solving the mystery of the evil wheel of cheese.

"It's wacky, a low-budget gore fest," Hoehn said. "We're having fun with it. It's a wacky movie about killer cheese."

Eccles made a short horror film "Morning Deliveries (Milkman No. 1)" based on the Stephen King short story from the book "Skeleton Crew" as part of King's now-defunct $1 adaptation program in which he let indie filmmakers buy the movie rights to his work for just $1.

"We wanted to do another horror film afterward," Eccles said. "That was more kid-friendly. This is going to be more of a 1980s horror-comedy. Hopefully it's like 'The Toxic Avenger' where it still lives on 40 years later. We had the vague idea of making a horror film about cheese, spit-balled ideas and are now making it happen. We're just getting started."

The movie will feature cameos by some big names in the cheese world, including "Cheese Sex Death: A Bible for the Cheese Obsessed" author Erika Kubick and Tenaya Darlington, who writes the Madame Fromage blog and authored the "Madame Fromage's Adventures in Cheese" book.

"Both are accomplished cheese authors and figureheads for the industry," Hoehn said. "Kubick has more than 250,000 followers on Instagram and is one of the coolest people I know. She said she would absolutely do it so long as she gets to die on screen. Darlington also is a big name with a huge following on Instagram who writes the Madame Fromage blog about her cheese journeys."

Other members of the cast are Hoehn's friends, including colleges at the Schererville Whole Foods where he works as a cheesemonger when not driving The Roaming Wedge around to sell artisan cheeses from Wisconsin, Vermont and Europe at different farmers' markets, festivals, craft breweries and coffee roasteries around the Calumet Region.

They started out trying to make a short film but people get excited about the concept so now they're looking to make a longer film.

They have filmed a few scenes already and hope to have a movie trailer before October. They have invested thousands of dollars of their own money into making the movie but are looking to raise more, including through an Indiegogo campaign.

"The more we can raise the bigger we can make it, Hoehn said. "We probably went through 10 gallons on fake blood in one seen. Do you know how much fake blood costs?"

The principal fundraiser will be at a beer and cheese festival they are planning. People will be able to buy a ticket to the festival, enjoy cheese and beer and participate in the movie as extras.

"About 90% of the murders in the movie are going to happen at the festival," he said. "We plan to go through 100 gallons of fake blood. It's going to get messy with body parts everywhere. It will be like an old 1980s gore fest. 'Evil Dead' has got nothing on us."

They hope to distribute the film at festivals and on streaming platforms. They for instance plan to submit it to the Fantastic Fest, where "Terrifier 3" will be screened.

"We would love to be shown with something with that level of cult following," he said. "It's like 'The Toxic Avenger,' that level of goofy over-the-top gore and horror. They made a movie, 'Rubber,' about a tire killing people. It's going to be like a classic 1980s horror film like Peter Jackson's 'Dead Alive,' one of the bloodiest horror films ever made. It's going to be fun, not like modern horror where people's eyeballs get ripped out. It will be gross, campy, fun horror like 'Dead Alive' or 'Return of the Living Dead,'"

Hoehn is looking for more extras to be in "Unholy Cheese."

"We're looking for anybody who wants to get killed or do the killing. The more people who are in it, the bigger it can be," he said.

For more information, find the Roaming Wedge on Facebook and Instagram or email roamingwedge@yahoo.com or follow Unholy Cheese on Instagram.
VALPARAISO  A person was injured after a fall Monday at Pratt Industries in Valparaiso, according to Valparaiso fire.

Battalion Chief Robert Schulte said the fire department was dispatched in the afternoon after an injured person fell from a ladder between 6 and 10 feet off the ground at the facility.

"When the fall becomes higher than the person's height, it is typically a serious incident," he said.

The patient was ultimately flown out of Northwest Health to get care for a head injury, Schulte said.

The fire department assisted Northwest Health on the call.

Pratt Industries did not respond to a request for information Monday evening.
Jerry Davich Metro columnist Follow Jerry Davich Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Region residents have spoken, the results are in, and here are the findings.

For the record, the Region is Hammond, Gary, East Chicago, Whiting, Griffith, Highland, Munster, Hobart and probably Merrillville. Nothing else, a reader told me. There is no debate.

I asked, is it spreading across Northwest Indiana like urban sprawl, or will it forever be the same geographical spot on any map?

The region grows as public corruption spreads to south Lake County and now Portage, Jim H. wrote to me.

Other readers outlined three acceptable zones within a regional hierarchy: Region Prime, north of Interstate 94 and west of Interstate 65; Zone Two, north of U.S. 30 and west of Indiana 49; and Zone Three, north of Route 2 and west of Route 421.

Anyone who is outside these areas doesn't count, and any Colts fan  regardless of their zone  is at the bottom of the hierarchy, Jack F. said.

How about Michigan City? Dyer? Chesterton? Valparaiso? Lowell? Crown Point? The list goes on. Perception is reality for most outsiders.

I have given this topic a lot of thought over the years, Gary B. wrote. The Region is not Porter County. And who in their right mind could claim Michigan City, Chesterton and Valpo are part of the Region? Delusional. While all of these communities now have many residents who left the Region for greener pastures, once you leave, you are out of the club. Same for south Lake County.

Do you agree?

When I attended Purdue in West Lafayette in 78, from Valparaiso, I was labeled a Region Rat, Ray Oznola said. If the rest of Indiana knew the answer to this question 45 years ago, I dont see why I would be excluded today, still living in Valparaiso.

I proudly took back the title in 78 and for the last 45-plus years, he said. I aint giving it back to a bunch of people who think they are elite now that its cool.

Is it cool to live in Northwest Indiana? I dont often hear this descriptor from other Hoosiers or Chicago residents or, well, anyone. But I love living here. In my younger years, I dreamed of escaping to anywhere outside of The Region.

The older I get, the more I view it as the friendly confines, sort of like Wrigley Field and its fabled history. But that ballpark has historically rigid boundaries compared to the ever-evolving geographical demographics of the Region.

Taking a hard-line approach, its the original four industrial cities of North and Calumet townships: Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, Tom N. commented.

Robert D. strongly disagreed.

Thats the most Lake County thing Ive seen anyone say, he wrote. Burns Harbor and Michigan Citys industrial areas dont count? Or the thousands who work there and live in Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties?

For many longtime residents, the Region consists of a patchwork of both rural and industrial areas. And its excluded from the rest of Indiana and the greater metropolitan area of Chicago.

To me, the Region is a place of friendly people, but with a chip on their shoulder and deep blue-collar roots, said Robert D., a third-generation Region Rat.

His great-grandfather came to Gary from Mexico to open a tailor shop on Broadway. The original boundaries between the six counties in this corner of the state were more defined back then. Today, those boundaries have been expanded  and cemented  when unions prospered and turned the workforce from subordinates and indentured servants to crafts people and skilled laborers, he explained.

I didnt expect so many readers to have such staunchly different definitions of where we live. Its been described as a melting pot, thanks to its steel industry foundation, but I view it more as a salad bowl of flavorful items forced to coexist despite their unsavory differences.

This is the beauty and the beast of our Region, regardless how we define its boundaries.

'I am wiling to be tested'

A handful of readers, and a colleague at this newspaper, have already reached out to possibly share one of their kidneys with Carl Summerhill, who I profiled last week. Imagine that. Not only donating a few bucks or basket of food or unwanted clothes, but a body organ. Incredible, I say.

"I am willing to be tested as a potential donor," Greg W. wrote to me. "My blood type is A-, which I am sure is important. I received a second chance previously myself, and I can give someone else who has a lot to live for another chance. Carl has been through hell."

Thanks to everyone who contacted me or Summerhill. This kind of attitude and generosity also define "the Region."

GALLERY: The Times Photos of the Week
Firefighters drenching what remains of the delivery truck. - Photo: National Park Service

A soft-drink delivery truck burst into flames two weeks ago on California State Route 190 within Death Valley National Park, becoming the fourth vehicle in a month to burn to ashes in the park. While Death Valley is infamous for averaging a high temperature of over 100 degrees during the summer, driving across the inhospitable landscape should be a mundane experience. However, the heat resiliency of vehicles is seemingly falling behind as climate change is worsening Death Valleys already extreme conditions.



The burnt-out stake-bed truck waiting to be cleared from the roadway. - Photo: National Park Service

The firefighters at the scene believe that overheating brakes caused the delivery truck fire, according to the National Park Service. The driver escaped unscathed while the truck was reduced to charred and warped scrap metal. Brake fires have become common in Death Valley.

The trailer is unrecognizable after its fire. - Photo: National Park Service

Another blaze over the month-long span was a brake fire on a vehicle descending Towne Pass. On July 15, a stake-bed truck caught fire while the air temperature was 120 degrees. On August 11, a fifth-wheel trailer being towed by a pickup truck caught fire while also descending the same pass. However, the pickups driver believed that a propane issue inside the trailer started the fire. Death Valley National Park spokesperson told SFGate:

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Most vehicle fires here happen because brakes overheat going down steep grades. This is part of why nearly every car manufacturer comes to Death Valley National Park to test their new vehicles in the summer.

This SUV literally burst into flames at Dantes View. - Photo: National Park Service

The fourth fire in this group was the strangest of them all. An SUV just burst into flames on July 21 while parked at Dantes View. Officials believe an electrical issue sparked the fire. It should be mentioned that another driver died of heat exhaustion during this span of crashes. A hiker visibly experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion climbed into his car and drove off a 20-foot drop.

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A 26-year-old California man was arrested last week on arson charges in connection with the Thompson fire in July, which destroyed 13 homes, burned over 3,700 acres and forced the evacuation of 26,000 people, according to the law enforcement agencies.

The man, Spencer Grant Anderson, who was taken into custody on Aug. 22, was arraigned on Monday and is being held without bail in Butte County Jail.

The Thompson fire began on July 2 when Mr. Anderson threw a flaming object out the window of a car he was driving just north of Oroville, where he lives, according to a news release issued Monday by the Butte County District Attorneys Office.

On the day the fire began, investigators with Cal Fire, the states firefighting agency, pinpointed where the fire had originated and learned from 911 callers and witnesses that a Toyota sedan had been spotted there at the time, the prosecutors office said.
This year, Angela Alsobrooks, the county executive of Prince Georges County, Md., and a Democrat, sought support for her U.S. Senate bid from an elected official she had known for years.

She said to me, Im so sorry. I want to be really blunt with you, Angela, Alsobrooks, who is Black, said, recalling that the official, a fellow Democrat whom she did not name, said she thought Alsobrooks could not win. We are not ready to elect a Black woman in the state of Maryland, Alsobrooks recounted the official as saying.

It turned out that Maryland Democrats were ready to do just that.

Alsobrooks beat a white man in her Senate primary by more than 10 percentage points. Public polling has shown her leading another, former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, whom she will face in November.

But the exchange, which Alsobrooks described in an interview last week during the Democratic National Convention, underscores the way a party that is trying to elect the first Black female president is still battling anxieties about the idea of electability  and preparing to confront them.
More than 200 people who previously worked for President George W. Bush and Senators Mitt Romney and John McCain have signed a letter endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.

Many of the more prominent signatories, including a chief of staff, a legislative director and a deputy campaign manager for Mr. McCain, had signed a letter supporting President Biden in the 2020 election. Others work for organizations like The Bulwark and the Lincoln Project that oppose former President Donald J. Trumps leadership of the Republican Party.

But the former Republican officials renewed support of the Democratic ticket reflects how Mr. Trump has transformed the Republican Party under his leadership, as well as deep and persistent opposition to his candidacy from those who served Republican presidential candidates.

Mr. Romney, Mr. Bush and other high-profile Republicans skipped the Republican nominating convention last month, while the Harris campaign made significant efforts to highlight the support of anti-Trump Republicans  as well as former members of Mr. Trumps staff who no longer support him  with speaking slots at the Democratic convention last week.
Two people were found shot dead in a dorm room at Rice University in Houston, the university president said on Monday, in what appeared to be a murder-suicide.

One was a female student who had lived in the dorm room in the Jones College residential hall, Reginald DesRoches, the university president, said at a news conference. The other was a man who was not a university student and who had a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he said.

The university identified the student as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior.

She appeared to have been in a romantic relationship with the man, said the university police chief, Clemente Rodriguez.

The two were discovered on Monday afternoon during a welfare check by the Rice University police, after a family member reported not being able to get in contact with Ms. Rodriguez Avila, Mr. Rodriguez said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. It appeared that Ms. Rodriguez Avila let the man into the residential building, he added.
Monkey love is totally different than the way that you have love for your child, Tonia Haddix, an exotic animal broker, says at the beginning of Chimp Crazy, the documentary HBO series investigating the world of chimpanzee ownership. If its your natural born child, its just natural because you actually gave birth to that kid. But when you adopt a monkey, the bond is much, much deeper.

Chimp Crazy arrives in a summer of cultural and political obsession about the place of animals in our family lives. When JD Vance became the Republican vice-presidential nominee, his 2021 comment about childless cat ladies resurfaced, positioning them as adversaries of the traditional family. New York magazine published a special issue questioning the ethics of pet ownership, featuring a polarizing essay from an anonymous mother who neglected her cat once her human baby arrived. In the background of these stories, you can hear the echoes of an internet-wide argument that pits companion animals against human children, pet and tot forced into a psychic battle for adult recognition.

These dynamics feel supercharged since 2020, the year when American family life  that insular institution that is expected to provide for all human care needs  became positively airtight. The coronavirus pandemic exaggerated a wider trend toward domestic isolation: pet owners spending more time with their animals, parents more time with their children, everyone less time with one another  except perhaps online, where our domestic scenes collide in a theater of grievance and stress.

When a cat, a dog or certainly a chimp scampers through a family story, it knocks it off-kilter, revealing its hypocrisies and its harms. In Chimp Crazy, Haddix emerges as the avatar for all the contradictions of the domestic ideal of private home care: She loves her chimp babies with such obsession that she traps them (and herself) in a miserable diorama of family life.
The pianist Jayson Gillham was performing Beethovens Waldstein sonata and Ligetis etudes at a concert hall in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this month when the concert took an unexpected turn.

When Gillham, 38, returned to the stage after intermission, he announced that he would depart from the printed program and play a world premiere: a piece called Witness by his friend, the composer Connor DNetto, dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza.

Speaking to the audience, Gillham blamed Israel for the deaths of more than 100 Palestinian journalists over the past 10 months, and said that 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.

The next day, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, which had presented Gillhams solo recital, informed him it was removing him from a planned concert with the orchestra a few days later, replacing his Mozart piano concerto with a Beethoven symphony. The ensemble said in a letter to audience members that Gillham had made unauthorized statements that represented an intrusion of personal political views on a piano recital.
Cadenzas are a concerto soloists time to shine: the moments when the rest of the orchestra dramatically drops out and a single musician gets the chance to command the stage.

For about half of Mozarts piano concertos, cadenzas he wrote have been preserved, and those are what you usually hear in concerts and on recordings. Other composers later filled in the gaps with cadenzas that have also become traditional. Some performers write their own.

But 250 years ago, when Mozart was a star pianist, he wouldnt have performed prewritten cadenzas  even ones he had composed.

When Mozart wrote his concertos, they were a vehicle for his skills, the pianist and scholar Robert Levin said by telephone from Salzburg, Austria  Mozarts hometown  where he teaches at the Mozarteum University. He was respected as a composer and lionized as a performer, but it was as an improviser that he was on top of the heap.
Federal prosecutors today issued a new version of their indictment accusing Donald Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The revised document stripped out some charges in order to help it survive the Supreme Courts recent ruling granting former presidents broad immunity for official acts in office.

The filing from Jack Smith, the special counsel, came just days before he and Trumps lawyers were scheduled to provide the judge overseeing the case with proposals for how to assess the Supreme Court ruling. It is not yet clear how todays charges will affect those proceedings.

In the new filing, Smiths team removed all the allegations regarding Trumps attempts to strong-arm the Justice Department into supporting his false claims that the election had been rigged against him. Those efforts could be considered official acts under the Supreme Courts ruling.

But much of the old indictment, which was filed last year, remained untouched. Trump is accused of overlapping conspiracies to defraud the U.S., obstruct the certification of the election at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and deprive millions of Americans of their rights to have their votes counted.
Russia pounds Ukraine with hundreds of missiles

Moscow launched more than 200 missiles and drones across a wide swath of Ukraine yesterday, in what Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, described as one of the largest strikes of the 30-month-old war. Officials said four people had been killed and more than 30 others had been injured.

The strikes damaged energy facilities and sent residents into basements and subways to seek shelter. The attacks occurred against the backdrop of Ukraines cross-border incursion into southern Russia  the first invasion on Russian soil since World War II.

That offensive has slowed in recent days, but Zelensky said on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had advanced slightly and taken control of two more settlements. It was not possible to verify the claim independently. Russian troops have simultaneously been attacking relentlessly along the front line inside Ukraine.

Quotable: Like most previous Russian strikes, this one is just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure, Zelensky said on social media. There is a lot of damage in the energy sector, he said, adding that crews were repairing the damage.
For Shanghais lonely and retired, love is elusive. Divorced or widowed residents gather in a dating corner in Peoples Park every weekend looking for a chat. They mill about an Ikea canteen on Tuesdays in search of some fun.

They arrive dressed a little nicer than usual, ready to talk about their virtues, their past lives and the future.

Im simple. I dont smoke cigarettes or play mahjong, said Xu Xiaoduo, 70, a twice-divorced former primary-school teacher who volunteers details about his pension (around $1,250 a month) and his dancing abilities (very good).

But, he added with a sigh, I cant find true love. Others share his frustrations, but downplay any yearning to find love. More than a few say they have lost hope.
LOS ANGELESAylo, the parent company of tube site Pornhub, is fighting off yet another lawsuit in a California federal district court. This time, Aylo is accused in a class action lawsuit of unlawfully sharing users' data, like video viewing history, with Google to help targeted advertising.

Aylo's subsidiaries in the U.S., Cyprus and Canada, including Aylo Freesites which manages Pornhub, were all named as defendants.

Co-counsel from three law firmsPhillips, Erlewine, Given & Carlin LLP; Clarkson Law Firm; and Glancy Prongay & Murray LLPsay that a class of plaintiffs led by a "Jane Doe" were the targets of unlawful data sharing and violations of federal laws like the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA).

VPPA was adopted by Congress during the administration of President Ronald Reagan to prohibit video rental businesses from sharing their customer data with third parties without the consent of their customers.

Present-day litigation features the law's protections being applied to online video streaming services used by millions of daily users (e.g., Netflix).

Pornhub, as a tube site, would qualify as an online video streaming service, counsel for the plaintiffs argue. In the initial complaint filed before U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi of the Central District of California, the plaintiffs allege damages from non-consensual data sharing.

"[Pornhub] harvests and monetizes vast amounts of user data that it shares with advertisers and other companies," reads the complaint. These other companies include Google, the search engine and technology giant owned by Alphabet. While Google or its affiliates weren't named in the complaint, the plaintiffs call into question the legal intricacies of data harvesting and privacy rights for users in the United States and abroad.

According to the complaint, Pornhub acted improperly by suggesting that data collected from its users is anonymized when it is shared with Google Analytics, a browser-based online analytics service used by thousands of online platforms in the adult and mainstream industries.

It is the argument of the plaintiffs that Pornhub falsely says that user data is anonymized when transferred to the Google Analytics instance used by the Pornhub digital marketing and web traffic teams. A review of Pornhub's terms and conditions and its various disclosures to consumers indicates what the company does with user data, including the use of third-party software that helps with managing the popular adult platform.

Google Analytics offers the ability to anonymize data such as an IP address. When the setting is enabled, the last eight characters of a particular IP address are anonymized and the software will not store a full IP address.

"Google will use the information only to provide Google Analytics services to us and will not use this information for other purposes," reads the third-party cookies disclaimer on Pornhub.com. In that disclosure, the tube site also confirms that anonymization is enabled for its users.

"This case seeks to ensure that well-established privacy principles are not undercut by Aylos conduct, explained attorney Glenn A. Danas via Law.com's coverage of the class action complaint. Danas is a Clarkson Law Firm partner out of its Malibu office.

The complaint goes on to allege: "Pornhub discloses that it shares data with Google in the same document that seeks to obtain user consent to other data collection." This "data collection" is a standard digital marketing practice in the United States digital space.

Additionally, the terms and conditions formulated for acceptable use on Pornhub serve as an agreement between the user and the platform. Part of those terms also institutes a waiver of rights for U.S.-based users as it relates to arbitration for supposed disputes of the terms and services.

"Users located in the United States of America will resolve any disputes between us through binding and final arbitration instead of through court proceedings," states Pornhub's terms of service. This arbitration for U.S.-based users must be with the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

"Jane Doe" initiated an arbitration through the AAA in June 2023, according to the complaint.

The complaint additionally alleges, "Aylo has waived its right to arbitrate in accordance with its terms of service for Pornhub." The plaintiffs point to Aylo's supposed failure to pay the arbitration fees as required under the terms and services of the platform.

A spokesperson for Aylo declined to comment on this case citing that the company doesn't comment on ongoing litigation. "We look forward to the facts being fully and fairly aired in that forum," the spokesperson told AVN.

Adult industry attorney Corey Silverstein, managing partner of Silverstein Legal, believes this class action complaint will fail in federal court.

"The United States judicial system is far from perfect and anyone can file a lawsuit against anybody they wish," Silverstein told AVN. "In reviewing the allegations in the complaint, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Defendants filing an immediate motion to dismiss."

Aylo is also fighting data privacy litigation in the European Union. Alessandro Polidoro, an Italian attorney, filed complaints with data regulators at the European Commission and with member states.

Per AVN's reporting on the matter, Polidoro said complaints have been filed against Pornhub, the sites ownership group, and other entities tied to the mega tube site through its European base in Cyprus.
Pavel Durov, the Russian-born entrepreneur who founded the Telegram messaging platform, was charged on Wednesday by the French authorities with a wide range of crimes related to illicit activity on the app.

Since Mr. Durov was arrested over the weekend, some supporters of Telegram have denounced the case as an example of government censorship. The platforms growth has been fueled partly by its hands-off approach to content moderation, making it an important means of communication but also a haven for harmful content.

Heres what we know about Mr. Durovs arrest.

The charges against Pavel Durov are wide ranging.

Mr. Durov was placed under formal investigation on a range of charges, including complicity in managing an online platform to enable illegal transactions and a refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ms. Beccuau said Mr. Durov had been ordered to pay bail of 5 million euros, or about $5.5 million, and was released but must check in at a police station twice a week. He is barred from leaving the country.
Former President Donald J. Trump blames the global trading system for inflicting a long list of ills on the American economy including lost jobs, closed foreign markets and an overvalued dollar.

The remedy, he insists, is simple: tariffs. Mr. Trump, the Republican nominee for president, has repeatedly said he would raise tariffs if elected. China, a geopolitical and economic rival, would face an additional 50 or 60 percent tariff on its exports to the United States. He has also floated the idea of a 10 to 20 percent surcharge on exports from the rest of the world.

Although smaller than the percentage proposed for Chinese exports, an across-the-board tariff has the potential to deliver a much more devastating jolt to world trade, many economists warn.

Such a surcharge would not distinguish between rivals and allies, critical necessities and nonessentials, ailing industries and superstars, or countries adhering to trade treaties and those violating them. (Democrats have also embraced tariffs as a policy tool, but Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has criticized Mr. Trumps universal approach as inflationary.)
When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Donald J. Trump last week, he recounted speaking with the former president about the issues that bind us together, including having safe food and ending the chronic disease epidemic.

Mr. Kennedy, a onetime environmental lawyer and longtime vaccine critic, insisted that a second Trump administration would lead to the elimination of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals in Americas food and water supply.

We will make Americans healthy again, Mr. Kennedy said.

Dont you want healthy children? he asked. And dont you want the chemicals out of our food? And dont you want the regulatory agencies to be free from corporate corruption? And thats what President Trump told me that he wanted.

As president, though, Mr. Trump ended more than 100 environmental policies, including bans on toxic chemicals known to pose serious health threats. He installed industry lobbyists in top jobs, where they took actions that helped the companies they once represented and worked to gut most federal health and safety agencies.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

There is a significant gender gap in the political preferences of Gen Z voters in the United States, as evidenced by New York Times and Siena College polls conducted this month in six swing states.

Young women  those ages 18 to 29  favored Vice President Kamala Harris for president by 38 points. And men the same age favored former President Donald J. Trump by 13 points. That is a whopping 51-point divide along gender lines, larger than in any other generation.

Claire Cain Miller, a Times reporter who covers gender, wanted to better understand those numbers. And she was especially curious about a specific group:

I really wanted to hear from young men who were voting for Trump, she said in an interview on Monday.

Ms. Miller recently published a pair of companion pieces for The Upshot, a Times section that focuses on explanatory and analytical journalism. For one of the articles, Ms. Miller talked to eight young women who said they planned to vote for Ms. Harris; for the other, she spoke with eight young men who support Mr. Trump.
Flip-flops have remained one of the most reviled mens-wear items. Tom Ford regularly inveighs against them, and fashion magazines make special mention of their ghastliness. But in Orange County, where Im from, flip-flops function in a way thats only suggested elsewhere: They complete a tableau of carefree, sand-speckled revelry  an endless, almost utopian vision of joblessness and idle bliss. Even the PacSun and Hollister ads, set in an idealized Orange County, are too charged with a manufactured spring-break debauchery to accurately capture the mellow SoCal lassitude. In the O.C., flip-flops were flimsy foot skis meant to help people reach a secluded surf spot  for hopping in cars or treading lightly atop sand dunes.

Wearers bore them with pride as the sandals bent and warped  like a well-patinaed Barbour jacket or distressed pair of Levis 501s  indicating a life well lived. Southern Californians would proudly display their decades-old Rainbow sandals, worn into Paleolithic grooves. There were other, more short-term options: Reefs or Roxys cut in thin black slices of foam for ambling through dingy malls; glossy rubber Havaianas for cruising slightly nicer malls.

Flip-flops were the norm at my SoCal college. On particularly sunny days, campus looked like one giant longboard. When I left for graduate school in New York City, I packed my Havaianas. My mental image of the metropolitan flip-flopper was something vaguely from the early-2000s SamRon-and-Lindsay Lohan era  a certain off-the-rack, louche, bohemian look. Lines from Rufus Wainwrights song Poses came to mind: Now Im drunk and wearing flip-flops on Fifth Avenue/Once youve fallen from classical virtue/Wont have a soul for to wake up and hold you.

Yet, especially once my graduate courses started, I realized I had made a grievous sartorial error. Well-manicured but broke humanities Ph.D. students, often opting for thrifted Issey Miyake or Comme des Garcons, underwent a mini-glitch when viewing my footwear. Even quasi-crust punk philosophy grad students, favoring the urban camouflage of distressed workwear and soiled white tees, seemed to regard them with skepticism. The unwritten rule, I learned, was that the inevitable splash and slime of the city, distributed unpredictably across ones garments, was fine, to be expected. Having ones unprotected toes a millimeter from the sidewalk: not so much. In flip-flops, the Southern Californian in New York feels like a waylaid patron of Club Med washed up in a world of impossibly chic, black-clad cosmopolitans.
If you wonder why it took 36 years for Beetlejuice to spawn a sequel, consider how complicated it was simply to reunite its busy principals for a video call last month.

The director Tim Burton joined from the south of France, where he was editing the second season of the Netflix series Wednesday, while Winona Ryder signed on from Atlanta, on a brief break from filming the final season of Stranger Things. Michael Keaton spent the call roaming a cabin hed built in rural Montana  Im reheating coffee, if you want some, he told the group  while Catherine OHara, the last to sign on, did so from her cottage in Ontario, Canada.

Still, even on a video call that catered to a torturous number of time zones, the quartets comic chemistry remained strong. Ryder said revisiting their decades-old bond was the best part of making Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which opens the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday before its theatrical release Sept. 6.
The Democratic National Convention is over. Kamala Harris has accepted her partys ringing nomination. President Biden has been relegated to the wings, a lame duck before his time. What role should he play between now and January?

An answer is offered by Abraham Lincoln. One hundred sixty years ago, the fate of the nation hung on a presidential election, as it does now, and Lincoln, like Mr. Biden, was a lame duck  or at least he assumed he was. His most trusted advisers (including Henry J. Raymond, the editor of The Times) told him that his rival, the Democratic candidate George B. McClellan, was going to win. The Union armies had suffered staggering fatalities and scored no recent major victory.

Democratic operatives had spread rumors that the Confederate president, Jefferson Davis, was ready to negotiate for a restoration of the Union. Lincoln knew that Davis would never back down, but the propaganda worked. Many Northern voters were deceived into thinking that Lincolns insistence on Black freedom was the only thing keeping the war alive.

In response, on Aug. 23, 1864, Lincoln drafted the Blind Memorandum  a document from which Mr. Biden might take his cue. The memo stated that if Lincoln lost the election, he would cooperate with the president elect, as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration. Then Lincoln distributed it to his cabinet secretaries with the text hidden (hence it was blind) and told them to sign it even though they could not read it.
Although several El Espectador journalists were killed in the 1980s and 90s, many young reporters aspired to being on the staff of the storied Colombian newspaper at the end of the 20th century. I loved working there, despite the risks. After the Medellin cartel bombed our headquarters, my colleagues and I rescued from the rubble the desk on which Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote his first stories for the paper.

We dreamed that an invisible Mr. Garcia Marquez, from that empty desk, urged us to pursue stories that would expose injustice in Colombia. In 1998, when The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the American banana company Chiquita Brands had bribed Colombian officials to obtain a license for the use of a port loading facility in Turbo, Uraba, a city on Colombias coast, I began investigating the firm as if Mr. Garcia Marquez himself had handed me the assignment.

Chiquita denied the allegations of the 1998 Enquirer story. The paper later publicly apologized and renounced the investigation after it was revealed that a reporter lied about sourcing and illegally obtained voice mail records. But at El Espectador we felt that The Enquirer was on to something. We published the allegations, noting that the paper had retracted the article and that the storys reporter was being investigated by the police in Ohio. And for years  even when I left El Espectador for Noticias Uno, a nightly news program  I continued to look into the company. In 2002, after speaking with Nicaraguan police and military officials as well as the police in Panama, I reported that 3,000 weapons for the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a right-wing paramilitary group known as the AUC, had landed in the Uraba port from Nicaragua and that Chiquita appeared to have been aware the militants were using its facilities to receive weapons.

Now, I like to think that Mr. Garcia Marquez would have smiled at the outcome of a Florida lawsuit against Chiquita. In June, a jury found Chiquita liable for the deaths of eight men killed by the AUC, which Chiquita helped finance. (Seventeen years earlier, the Department of Justice found that Chiquita paid the group over $1.7 million between 1997 and 2004.) The firm was ordered to pay $38.3 million in damages to the mens families. It was the first time that Chiquita was found liable for its actions in Latin America. A representative for Chiquita, responding to questions about this essay, said that the companys payments to the AUC were made under duress and that it is appealing the verdict.
Of all the worlds injustices, perhaps the saddest is that so many of them are simply ignored.

Protesters the world over loudly demand a cease-fire in Gaza; a dwindling number of people still take note of Russian atrocities against Ukraine. Otherwise, theres a vast blanket of silence, under which some of the worlds worst abusers proceed largely unnoticed and unhindered.

Lets try to change that. For this weeks column, here are some alternative focal points for outrage and protest, particularly for morally energetic college students from Columbia to Berkeley.

Venezuela. Last months election was stolen in broad daylight by the socialist regime of Nicolas Maduro. He has enforced this theft by using his security services to round up and jail around 2,000 people suspected of dissent, promising maximum punishment and no forgiveness. This is from a regime that has already caused starvation and the desperate exodus of millions of poor Venezuelans. As of last year, more than 10,000 of them were living in New York City shelters.

If ever there was a case of Think globally, act locally, to adopt the old slogan, this is it. Especially since the usual forces of social protest have something to atone for when it comes to Venezuela: The regime that Maduro inherited in 2013 from Hugo Chavez, his authoritarian mentor, had no bigger cheerleaders in the West than left-wing magazines like The Nation and political leaders like Jeremy Corbyn of Britain. Contrition is a virtue: Now would be a good time for these (hopefully former) comrades to show it.
Have you looked for a recipe online? If so, you probably found yourself on a blinking hellscape of a web page that was as long as an epic poem, but without any of the insight. First, you get the hokey story about the recipes origin. Then there are the videos. The irrelevant ads. The photos of each ingredient. The thousands of words are divided up into sections with headlines like, Chia Seed Pudding Troubleshooting.

If you graduated from college anytime before 2010, you may remember a time when websites provided relevant information, and did so swiftly. The reason so many businesses have tortured their web pages into a pulsing, ad-cluttered, endless scroll is because that is what it takes to check all the boxes needed to rank highly in Google search results. The result succeeds in its goal  getting the website to land at the top of Google results  but does little to get you to your goal. And you have little alternative but to wade through the morass.

A federal judge recently told us what we already knew: that Google is a monopolist in the web search market. In his scathing 277-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta noted that Google has an 89.2 percent share of the overall search market and a 94.9 percent share of searches conducted on mobile devices.

Fixing the problem is trickier. Next month, the judge will start deliberations on how to fix an industry that is so thoroughly dominated by one player. It is not going to be easy to jump-start competition in a market where Google has spent decades and billions of dollars quashing rivals.
For years, L.G.B.T.Q. people planning a trip to Florida could turn to the official website for Visit Florida, the states tourism marketing organization, for resources on where to go, what to eat and where to stay. While there are other resources for queer travelers, the site offered information about L.G.B.T.Q.-owned businesses that visitors could patronize as well as activities appealing to a gay community looking for a sense of belonging and acceptance, a page on the site once read.

But sometime in the past few months, Visit Florida  a private-public, nonprofit partnership created by the Florida Legislature in 1996  quietly took down pages with information for L.G.B.T.Q. travelers. Although no one has been able to pinpoint exactly when the pages were removed, NBC first reported on their removal on Aug. 19 and said it had happened sometime this summer. Some residents, activists and people in the local tourism industry said that erasing the pages sends the message that L.G.B.T.Q. travelers arent welcome in the state.

Visit Florida and the office of Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, did not respond to numerous requests for comment.

At a news conference on Wednesday, a day after this article was published online, Mr. DeSantis said he only learned about the removal of the L.G.B.T.Q. travel pages after they had been taken down. Our view as a state is we are the best place to visit, were welcome to all, but were not going to be segregating people by these different characteristics, he said. Thats not how weve done business in any of the things that weve done.

And Dana Young, Visit Floridas chief executive and president, told ABC that the pages were taken down to better reflect the states policies. Its fairly simple, she said. Visit Florida is a taxpayer funded organization, and added that the organizations marketing strategy, our materials and our content must align with the state.

Nadine Smith, the executive director of Equality Florida, an L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group said, Theres a reason these pages existed in the first place. Their purpose is to roll out the welcome mat and say, Hey, you know what? Your family is going to be safe and comfortable here, So if you take away that welcome mat, the only message that you can deliver is We do not want you to feel safe and welcome you.

Ms. Smith is one of many who feel that the removal of the pages is a continuation of the hostile policies facing L.G.B.T.Q. people in the state in recent years. It comes two years after Mr. DeSantis signed what opponents called Dont Say Gay legislation, limiting what teachers can say about gender and sexuality.

Like many destination marketing organizations across the country, Visit Florida receives state funding, which the governor signs off on. (Mr. DeSantis granted Visit Florida $80 million for its 2024-25 fiscal year, which the organization uses for marketing.)

The thing thats most interesting about this is that it was done quietly, Ms. Smith said.

In April 2023, Ms. Smiths organization, along with the L.G.B.T.Q.-focused Human Rights Campaign and the N.A.A.C.P., warned travelers to reconsider going to Florida because they felt that Mr. DeSantiss policies were hostile toward L.G.B.T.Q. people, immigrants and people of color.

Colin Lienhard, a gay architect and designer who lives in Miami, said that he had felt a shift in peoples openness toward gay people, even in liberal Miami, and so he wasnt surprised by the removal of the pages. The effort to hide information that could be helpful feels like a continuation of what he feels has become normal in Florida: asking L.G.B.T.Q. people to be silent. Its another example of them trying to erase that we are here, he said.
The police suspect that a dog breeder found dead at his home in central Colorado last week was killed, and they are tracking down his missing Doberman puppies to help their investigation into his death, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriffs office.

The breeder, Paul Peavey, 57, was last heard from on the evening of Aug. 19 and reported missing two days later. His body was discovered on his property in Idaho Springs, Colo., on Saturday by a search party made up of concerned community members.

The police are investigating the death as a possible homicide and are tracking down as many as 10 missing puppies, which may have been taken and sold through social media or by other means, according to a Facebook post from the police. Mr. Peaveys cause of death has not been determined yet. His autopsy will be completed on Wednesday, according to Jenny Fulton, the public information officer for the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office.

The police said in the post that they do not believe the public is in imminent danger.

Several community members, including some of those in the search party, informed the police that puppies were missing. The police confirmed this was true during their investigation. Some of those 10 puppies may have been bought already through Mr. Peaveys business, but he was not able to deliver them to their owners before his death.
The mans death came on the same day that park officials found the body of Chenoa Nickerson, a 33-year-old hiker from Arizona who had been reported missing after a flash flood struck Havasu Canyon on Aug. 22. And it was the latest in a spate of fatalities in the canyon this summer.

In a span of seven days that ended on Aug. 6, officials recovered the body of a 20-year-old woman from New Mexico about 150 feet below the rim of the canyon after a multiday search; found the body of a man who tried to BASE jump from the South Rim of the park; and recovered the body of a North Carolina man 400 feet below the canyons rim after he had accidentally fallen from the edge.

In July, park officials reported three deaths in less than a month, including one that had occurred during an intense heat wave.

Grand Canyon National Park usually records around 17 deaths a year. The most common cause is cardiac arrest, according to data from the last decade.

One of the dangers that hikers face in the park is extreme summer heat. On Tuesday, temperatures in the Inner Canyon were expected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Park officials recommended that people avoid hiking into the canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to reduce heat risk.
The Klamath River was once so flush with fish that local tribes ate salmon at every meal: flame-roasted filets on redwood skewers, stews flavored with fish tails, strips of smoky, dried salmon. In the language of the Yurok, who live on the river among Californias towering redwoods, the word for salmon translates to that which we eat.

But when hydropower dams were built on the Klamath, which wends from southern Oregon into far northwest California, the rivers ecosystem was upended and salmon were cut off from 420 miles of cooler tributaries and streams where they had once laid their eggs. For decades, there has been little salmon for the tribes to cook, sell or use in religious ceremonies. The Yuroks 60th annual Salmon Festival this summer served none of its namesake fish.

But tribal members hope the situation is about to dramatically change.

Four giant dams on the Klamath are being razed as part of the largest dam removal project in U.S. history, a victory for the tribes who have led a decades-long campaign to restore the river. This week, as the final pieces are demolished, a 240-mile stretch of the Klamath will flow freely for the first time in more than a century  and salmon will get their best shot at long-term survival in the river.
One person has died in New Hampshire after being infected with the mosquito-borne virus Eastern equine encephalitis, and four others have contracted the rare disease caused by the virus this summer.

Health officials in the Northeast said that there was an elevated risk for the virus and urged residents to take precautions between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

What is E.E.E.?

The disease, like West Nile virus, is transmitted by mosquitoes, but E.E.E. has a higher death rate and is more rare. It is not contagious from person to person.

Most people who get the virus do not get the disease. But for those who do, there is no treatment, and about 30 percent die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people who survive the illness have continuing neurological problems.
A former employee of a Mississippi jail has been charged with helping in the escape of an inmate who was later found barricaded last week inside a Chicago restaurant less than a mile from the Democratic National Convention, officials said.

The former employee, Ronnie Hunt, 32, who worked for the DeSoto County Sheriffs Office, was charged with escape of prisoners and conveying articles useful for the escape of prisoners, said Bailey Martin, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. He said that additional charges are possible.

Mr. Martin did not explain how the authorities believe Mr. Hunt, who was arrested on Saturday, aided in the escape of the inmate, Joshua Zimmerman, and he declined to comment further on the matter.

Surveillance video from the Mississippi courthouse that Mr. Zimmerman had escaped from showed him wearing plain clothes and walking out of a door with no handcuffs or shackles.
Follow along with the latest election updates as Harris and Trump hit the campaign trail.

For two years, a rural town in the middle of Michigan has been embroiled in a civil war over plans by a Chinese-owned electric vehicle battery company to build a $2.4 billion factory.

On Tuesday, the local furor collided with presidential politics as the Trump campaign sought to leverage anti-China sentiment and concerns over the future of the electric vehicle industry in Michigan for political gain.

The fight over the E.V. battery facility has turned Green Charter Township, which is about 60 miles north of Grand Rapids, into the latest battleground over Chinese investment in the United States. Residents have expressed various concerns about the factory, including that it will be used by China to spy on Americans and will pollute the local environment.

The debate over the intentions of the Chinese company, Gotion, has led to angry town hall meetings, the ousting of the townships board in an election last November and litigation over the future of the project.
Students were braced for a stalemate. There was an Ultimate Frisbee team without money to compete, an airport shuttle whose cost to students almost doubled without a campus subsidy, and a ballroom dance team unable to rent rehearsal space.

At the University of Michigan, many student activities are usually funded or subsidized by the Central Student Government, known as C.S.G., an elected undergraduate and graduate council that decides how to dole out roughly $1.3 million annually to about 400 groups.

But last spring, pro-Palestinian activists, running under the Shut It Down party, won control over the student government. They immediately moved to withhold funding for all activities, until the university committed to divest from companies that profit from Israels war in Gaza.

University regents, though, have consistently said that divestment is off the table. And as students returned to school, the campus seemed to be at a virtual standstill.
For months, tensions have been building in Mexico over the presidents sweeping plans to overhaul the judiciary, shaking the countrys political system and straining diplomatic ties with the United States.

This week, those tensions exploded into the open.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico said on Tuesday that his government was pausing relations with the United States Embassy in response to criticism by the U.S. ambassador over the presidents push in the final weeks of his six-year term to make changes to the judiciary, potentially forcing thousands of judges from their jobs.

Hopefully there will be a statement from them that they are going to be respectful of the independence of Mexico, Mr. Lopez Obrador said of the United States during his daily news conference. As long as that doesnt happen and they continue with that policy, then there is a pause with the embassy.

Pause means that we are going to take a break, he added, saying it would also extend to the U.S. State Department. But Mr. Lopez Obrador said that overall relations would not be affected, seeking to allay concerns over a potential effect on trade. Mexico is the United States top trading partner, and there are growing concerns and warnings about the effect of the judicial reforms on business confidence and the economy.
Typhoon Shanshan was churning toward southwestern Japan on Tuesday, bringing torrential rain and strong winds, forcing some flight cancellations and disrupting the countrys high-speed rail network.

The powerful storm had sustained wind gusts of up to 120 miles per hour on Tuesday, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane, according to the U.S. Navys Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.

As the typhoon slowly approaches the Amami Islands, an archipelago southwest of Japans mainland, it is expected to dump up to 16 inches of rain on the islands from midday Tuesday to midday Wednesday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said. Later in the week, parts of western Japan may receive nearly two feet of rain within 24 hours. The agency warned of the potential for widespread floods and landslides.
SHI YU/CHINA DAILY



Japan's seafood industry continues to suffer one year after China suspended all aquatic product imports from its neighboring country over food safety concerns due to Tokyo's move to dump nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea, while seafood products from other countries have gained a significant share in the Chinese market, industry experts said on Sunday.

While Japan has been calling for the removal of the ban, Chinese officials and experts stressed that the move is to protect food safety, and they urged Tokyo to address serious concerns over its dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea. Industry experts said that Japan will continue to miss out on the continuously growing Chinese seafood market.

On August 24, 2023, China banned imports of all aquatic products from Japan after Japan, disregarding serious concerns from China and the broader international community, started dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.

Following the move, Japan's seafood exports to China, one of the biggest importers of seafood, plunged, and the Japanese seafood industry suffered. While claiming that Japan's scallop industry has overcome the crisis triggered by the ban, the Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, reported on Sunday that inventories of frozen scallops have piled up and warehousing costs have increased losses.

Overall, Japan's exports of aquatic products to China, including pearls and coral, plunged from 87.1 billion yen ($592 million) in 2022 to 61 billion yen in 2023 and 3.5 billion yen in the first half of 2024, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Fan Xubing, chairman of Seabridge Marketing, a China-based international company in the fishing sector, and also an aquatic industry insider and analyst, said that China's suspension of imports of Japanese aquatic products has inflicted major losses on the Japanese seafood industry.

"The restriction did not have a major impact on the Chinese market because China did not rely too much on Japanese imports," Fan told the Global Times on Sunday. "However, losing the Chinese market has had a major impact on relevant Japanese industries."

While Japan's seafood industry is suffering, seafood exports from other countries, including Russia, have grown significantly. For example, Russia's exports of seafood to China reached 1.29 million tons at the end of 2023, an all-time high, Russian news agency TASS reported on July 10.

Fan said that China's seafood market will continue to grow amid a consumption upgrade among Chinese consumers. "This created a huge opportunity for overseas seafood companies," he said, noting that Japan's seafood industry will continue to miss out.

Zhou Yongsheng, a deputy director of the Japanese Studies Center at the China Foreign Affairs University, said that Japan is responsible for the losses of relevant Japanese industries, as it has been ignoring serious concerns and has been dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea.

"Japan's aquatic industry will be able to find new markets such as the EU and the US to make up for some of the losses, but losing the Chinese market will be a huge loss for Japan's fishery industry," Zhou told the Global Times on Sunday.

Amid mounting losses, Japan has been calling for the removal of the ban. However, Chinese officials insisted that the move is to protect food safety and urged Tokyo to address serious concerns over its dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea.

"The precautionary measures taken by China and some other countries in response to Japan's move are aimed at protecting food safety and people's health. These measures are entirely legitimate, reasonable, and necessary," Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press briefing on Friday, in response to Japan's call for lifting the ban.

Mao urged Japan to seriously respond to international and domestic concerns, fulfill its responsibilities and obligations, and offer full cooperation in setting up an independent international monitoring arrangement that remains effective in the long haul and has the substantive participation of Japan's neighboring countries and other stakeholders.

Global Times
Making another heavy push to work with China in the waning months of the Biden administration, Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks aimed at showing that the United States and China can manage their differences.

The U.S. national security adviser began his fifth meeting in less than 18 months with Chinas top foreign policy official, Wang Yi, as the Biden administration seeks to reinforce its strategy on China despite uncertainty over the future of American foreign policy.

There is much to talk about  but probably little on which they will agree.

Mr. Sullivan plans to discuss working with China on limiting the spread of fentanyl and expanding high-level military contacts. He will also stress the United States position on Taiwan and its concerns about Chinas support of Russia.

China indicated it would raise its own objections during the talks  including over Americas support for Taiwan, the island democracy Beijing claims, and U.S. controls on exports of technology to China.
Two days after a deadly knife attack in the German city of Solingen, the youth wing of the far-right AfD party put out a call for supporters to stage a protest demanding the government do more to deport migrants denied asylum.

The authorities had identified the suspect in the stabbing spree that killed three people and wounded eight others as a Syrian man who was in the country despite having been denied asylum and who prosecutors suspected had joined the Islamic State. The attack tore at the fabric of the ethnically diverse, working-class city in the countrys west.

But even before the right-wing protests had begun on Sunday, scores of counterprotesters had gathered in front of the group home that housed the suspect and other refugees. They carried banners that read, Welcome to refugees and Fascism is not an opinion, but a crime, and railed against those who would use the attack to further inflame an already fraught national debate over immigration and refugees.

The dueling protests  not unlike those recently in Britain  are emblematic of Germanys longstanding tug of war over how to deal with a large influx of asylum seekers in recent years. The country needs immigration to bolster its work force, but the government often finds itself on the defensive against an increasingly powerful AfD.
The orcas have struck again  this time ramming a sailboat off Spains northwest coast, rescue workers said on Tuesday.

A pod of orcas damaged the rudder of a sailboat, leaving its two-person crew stranded in the waters off Cape Finisterre Sunday, according to an emailed statement from the rescue workers. It is the latest in a string of attacks by pods of orcas swimming around the Iberian Peninsula.

While the sailboat, the Amidala, did not sink, pods of orcas have sunk several vessels in recent years. Researchers still do not know whether the attacks are playful or malicious, but a new theory based on studying the troublesome pods of orcas suggests that they could be using the boats as practice targets for new hunting techniques. Other competing theories still exist.

Regardless of the orcas intentions, the behavior is enough to worry sailors journeying in the highly trafficked waters around North Africa, Spain and Portugal.
Israels far-right national security minister has drawn outrage for agreeing that he would like to build a synagogue at a disputed holy site in Jerusalem that has long been a flashpoint between Jews and Muslims.

In an interview on Monday on Israeli Army Radio, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, was asked if he would build a temple at a site sacred for both Jews and Muslims, known as the Aqsa Mosque complex by Muslims and the Temple Mount by Jews. Yes, yes, yes! Mr. Ben-Gvir replied.

The affirmation by Mr. Ben-Gvir, who has a long history of incendiary comments and actions, came amid heightened tensions in the region, with the war between Israel and Hamas expected to grind on with no end in sight. Four days of cease-fire talks in Cairo between senior Israeli and Hamas officials concluded on Sunday with no breakthrough.

Almost immediately after the interview, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said in a statement that there was no change to the status quo at the site, where two ancient Jewish temples once stood. Senior rabbis generally oppose Jews even walking on top of the Temple Mount, but some religious Jews want to build a third Jewish temple, a move seen as offensive to Muslims.
Farhan al-Qadi, the hostage rescued from southern Gaza on Tuesday, is a member of the Bedouin, an Arab community marginalized by Israel that suffered painful losses in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack.

During the attack, at least 17 Bedouin were killed, including by Hamas rocket fire, and eight others were abducted. But little attention has been focused on their plight  a reflection of their peripheral status in Israel.

Tens of thousands of Bedouin live in unrecognized villages in the Negev desert, an upended triangle of arid land that borders Gaza and extends through southern Israel. The villages have long suffered from a lack of basic services, including running water and electricity. When Hamas fires rockets into southern Israel, Jewish communities largely can take cover in nearby bomb shelters, while dozens of these villages lack them.

Mr. al-Qadis address is in Rahat, a township established by Israel, but his home is actually in an unrecognized village, according to Fayez Abu Suheiban, a relative and the former mayor of Rahat. When he was abducted, Mr. al-Qadi was working as an unarmed guard at a kibbutz in southern Israel, Mr. Abu Suheiban said.
Hezbollah and Israel appeared to de-escalate after a major confrontation over the weekend, tempering fears of an all-out conflict in the Middle East. But for people across the region, any feelings of relief were undercut by a deeper sense of deadlock.

After over 10 months of war in Gaza, roughly 150,000 displaced Israelis and Lebanese are still waiting to return to their homes along the countries border, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, were trading airstrikes and rocket fire long before Sundays escalation.

The violence there is intertwined with the 10-month war in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and nearly the entire population displaced. Many there are still waiting for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, as they huddle into makeshift shelters and streets torn up by Israeli bombardment. The families of the dozens of hostages still held by Hamas and its allies hope for a deal, too, to free their loved ones.

The mission needs to be to get us home, said Giora Zaltz, the head of a regional council in northern Israel whose kibbutz, Lehavot HaBashan, saw some residents leave after Hezbollah began firing at Israel last October.
Farhan al-Qadi, the hostage rescued by Israeli troops in an underground tunnel in Gaza on Tuesday, told his friends and relatives that he had been held in the dark for a long time, often alone save for his guards.

He spoke about the darkness, not being able to see, said Fayez al-Sana, a cousin who spoke with Mr. al-Qadi as he was recovering at Soroka Medical Center, in southern Israel. But, thank God, hes back with us, alive  it made us all rejoice.

Mr. al-Qadi had lost a lot of weight but had a strong personality that kept him afloat in captivity, Mr. al-Sana said. He has a lot of resilience, and his faith in God was strong  those two things helped him carry it all, he said.

Clusters of Bedouin Arab friends, relatives and well-wishers lingered in the corridors of Soroka in the southern city of Beersheba, occasionally entering and exiting the closed-off ward in which Mr. al-Qadi was recuperating.
The rescue of a hostage on Tuesday from southern Gaza brought to eight the number of captives the Israeli military has freed out of the approximately 250 abducted in the Hamas-led attacks last Oct. 7.

Several other hostages bodies have been recovered in military operations, and scores of women and children were released during a weeklong cease-fire with Hamas last November. More than 100 captives still remain in Gaza, at least 30 of whom are believed to be dead.

The operations to free hostages by force have often resulted in high death tolls in Gaza. Israeli military officials have said that only a cease-fire agreement with Hamas will allow for most of those still being held to return home.
A crude-oil tanker burning in the Red Sea may lead to environmental disaster, Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, said in a statement on Monday. He added that the tanker threatened to spill a million barrels of oil, or about four times as much oil as that released in the Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska in 1989, and that the United States was gravely concerned. The crew of the Greek-flagged ship targeted last week was rescued, but the ship has been aflame ever since. Mr. Miller called on the Yemen-based Houthis to stop the attacks. The militia group backed by Iran has been striking commercial ships in the Red Sea in allegiance with Hamas in Gaza.
Israelis on Tuesday celebrated the rescue of Farhan al-Qadi, who was taken hostage during Hamass attacks on Oct. 7. But none more so than his family, who raced through the hallways of the hospital complex where he was being treated to greet him as quickly as they could.

I cant explain these feelings, Mr. al-Qadis brother said in a video shared by Israels official account on X, taken before he saw him again. Its better than being born again.

The 52-year-old, a Muslim and member of Israels Bedouin community, is from a village near Rahat, in southern Israel. He was working as an unarmed guard in a small Israeli kibbutz, according to a member of his extended family, when he was abducted.

Israeli officials identified him variously as Qaid Farhan al-Qadi and Farhan al-Qadi; his family said his name is Farhan al-Qadi.
Indonesian institution, Chinese tech giant host competition to strengthen cybersecurity

Xinhua) 09:10, August 27, 2024

JAKARTA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's National Cyber and Crypto Polytechnic (Poltek SSN), an institution under the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and Chinese tech giant Huawei successfully hosted the WRECK IT 5.0 cybersecurity competition to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities in the country by developing the skills of digital talents.

The event gathered a diverse group of participants, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professionals, lecturers, students, with the aim of enhancing community cybersecurity awareness. By fostering early detection of risks and proactive measures against cyber threats, the competition contributed to improving the nation's cyber defenses.

The competition was officiated by Poltek SSN Director First Marshal TNI R. Tjahjo Khurniawan and Huawei Indonesia's Cyber Security and Privacy Officer Syarbeni. It attracted 239 teams in the general category and 74 teams in the junior category. The final round, held at the Huawei Innovation Center in Jakarta, featured 15 teams competing in a challenging Capture the Flag (CTF) event.

"Strengthening the competence of digital talents is one of the key aspects in building digital trust," said Syarbeni. "This competition is expected to solidify trust in Indonesia's digital ecosystem, with skilled talents driving the nation's progress. Huawei is committed to providing full support for these initiatives."

Khurniawan echoed this sentiment, expressing gratitude for Huawei's partnership. "We appreciate Huawei's support and contribution to this competition. As a means of cultivating digital talents, we hope this activity can create a positive impact on the future of the digital ecosystem," he said.

In parallel with the competition, a cybersecurity workshop and seminar were held to further foster the development of digital skills and strengthen Indonesia's cybersecurity posture.

The WRECK IT 5.0 cybersecurity competition is part of the broader BSSN-Huawei partnership, which focuses on ensuring cybersecurity in Indonesia through the development of digital talent and enhanced collaboration.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Haverstraw, a town of about 40K people in New Yorks Rockland County, wants to hire a firm to develop a brand that reflects its history, culture, assets, and vision.

The goal of the branding work is to attract visitors, new residents and businesses to what was once called the brickmaking capital of the world.

The selected firm also will create wayfaring elements to assist people in navigating Haverstraws downtown, and support the development of infrastructure for an array of digital marketing tools.

The branding project is expected to be completed in about a year.

Interested firms are encouraged to attend a site visit on September 12 and meet with Haverstraws staff.

Proposals are due September 23. They go to:

Isabel Gonzalez-Soto, Village Clerk

Village of Haverstraw

40 New Main St.

Haverstraw, NY 10927

A PDF of the proposal also must be emailed to [email protected] by September 30.

Read the RFP (PDF).
Uproar PR signs on as AOR for Yarbo, creator of a modular intelligent yard robot that can take of multiple, year-round lawn care needs. Uproar will be working with Uproar on the launch of its new line of robotic yard products. Yarbo previously participated in Uproars CES 2024 Media Showcase in Las Vegas, where the companys robotic snow blower debuted, resulting in coverage in outlets including Good Morning America, WIRED, CNET and Fast Company. We are seeking partners like Uproar PR who understand our potential and are capable of communicating our values to customers through their proven results, said Yarbo co-founder Ken Kohlmann. We saw what Uproar PR could accomplish at CES 2024, and were looking forward to whats to come.

FeastPR, which specializes in food, wine and spirits clients, is named US agency of record for Montaraz, a producer of Jamon Iberico. FeastPR will leverage its expertise in brand-building campaigns and industry insights to elevate Montaraz's presence in the US market. The agencys efforts will focus on increasing brand adoption among trade, elevating media coverage and deepening consumer awareness of Montaraz. Known in Spain for its dedication to ancestral methods and exacting standards, Montaraz operates curing facilities in Salamanca and Olivenza. "Partnering with FeastPR allows us to elevate our presence and serve as ambassadors of Spanish gastronomy, said Montaraz director of USA operations Saul Sola.

Tegan Digital is named AOR for The Dallas Jewish Historical Society. Tegan will amplify DJHSs community connection through a digital experience designed to increase awareness around its initiatives and offerings for the community. The agency will also provide enhanced social media content, targeted email marketing and comprehensive event support. DJHSs archive contains documents, photographs and objects from early Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues and families. "Protecting the legacy of our community in the metroplex is of utmost importance," says Dallas Jewish Historical Society executive director Beri Schwitzer. "With Tegan's help, we are confident we can further our work across the Dallas Jewish community.


MI State Wants to Tout Economic Impact Thu., Oct. 3, 2024 Michigan State University wants bids from PR and communications firms to promote its University Research Corridor alliance with the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
Oasis fans and music enthusiasts are invited to celebrate with founder member Tony McCarroll with the unveiling of a Commemorative Plaque on Saturday, August 31 from 6pm at Kinnitty Parish Hall, in Kinnitty, County Offaly.

Tony is being honoured at this location as he had his first pre-Oasis public performance in Kinnitty Parish Hall, in the early 1980s. Tony, a founder member of Oasis, played drums on their debut album Definitely Maybe selling over eight million albums worldwide, the singles Whatever and on the bands first number one song Some Might Say.

When Tony was approached about the Commemorative Plaque he said, its a huge privilege for me, my family and Oasis to be honoured in this way. Im really looking forward to the event.

John McFadden, co-organiser and a lifelong friend approached Tony about the idea in 2019 added, Tony certainly influenced me to get involved in the music industry, from seeing his first performance in Kinnitty Parish Hall with Seamus Bradley to being on Top of the Pops.

John added, Im not exactly sure how the idea came about, I think John (Clendennen) and myself were talking about honouring notable people from Kinnitty, and Tony was definitely first to my mind.

Co-organiser, Cllr John Clendennen said, Kinnitty is a unique village enjoying a number of successful local residents and diaspora that have achieved notoriety at a national and international level over the years. It is great to see the community come together to recognize Tonys contribution to the music industry, and in particular his success with Oasis and the Definitely Maybe album 30 years ago. This event is very much a celebration, and with so many family members living locally, nobody can dispute Tonys roots and connection to Kinnitty. It has been a pleasure to be involved in organising the event with John McFadden, and I want to acknowledge the support of Offaly County Council with this Blue Plaque initiative and I hope we can continue with the concept in future years.

The plaque unveiling coincides with the Definitely Maybes 30th year anniversary, which is being re-released the day before on Friday, August 30.

To mark the event, Tony McCarroll will join John McFadden on stage in Kinnitty Community Centre at 7pm for an In Conversation event that will be followed by a Q & A section from the audience. Tony will then hold a Meet n Greet with the opportunity for Oasis fans to have their picture taken at Kinnitty Community Centre. After which a night of Oasis music will take place in Giltraps, Kinnitty.

Attendance at the plaque unveiling are free of charge. Tickets for the In Conversation, Q & A and Meet n Greet with Tony are available here at https://willwego.com/tony-mccarroll-and-john-mcfadden/ priced at 20.

Part of the proceeds from the event are being donated to Kinnitty Parish Hall and Kinnitty Community Centre.

Event Schedule  Saturday, August 31

Plaque Unveiling:

Location: Kinnitty Parish Hall, behind Saint Flannans Church at 6pm

In Conversation with Tony McCarroll

Location: Kinnitty Community Centre, Tony will be joined by lifelong friend and Music Industry Lecturer John McFadden from 7pm. Tony will share insights and stories from his time in Oasis, followed by a Q & A session from the audience.

Meet n Greet

Location: Kinnitty Community Centre immediately after the Q & A.

Night of Oasis Music

Location: Giltraps, Kinnitty from 9.30pm
Below is a message I sent exactly four years ago titled "Nothing new under the sun". It is poignant and its truths are even more relevant four years later and a year into the accelerated genocide ongoing in the Gaza Strip and now spreading to the West Bank. Below it I update you and answer the question of why the genocide continues but more importantly why this will bankrupt the USA!!!

======Begin 2020 message=====

The side-lining and even destruction of democratic forces in the so called democratic party started with appointing Joe "I am a Zionist" Biden against the clear primary winner (Bernie Sanders) and ended with the appointment of Kamala "I helped Israel" Harris as Vice President. President Donald Trump and his Zionist team announced normalization between the UAE regime (dictator Mohammad Bin Zayed) and colonial apartheid Israel. The more you feed monsters the hungrier they get. The trashing of international law and human rights accelerated with the Trump administration support of Israel's illegal actions in annexing the Golan Heights (Syrian territory) and Jerusalem (Palestinian) and telling Israeli leaders they can keep the Israeli colonies in the West Bank (illegal under International law). But please do not think as a result of the upcoming elections between Biden/Harris or Trump/Pense will bring a "new era". They are two faces of the same coin as CNN and Fox News both are Zionist flavors. The betrayal of Palestinians has been ongoing for over a century and that is why we have 7.5 million Palestinian refugees. We should recall the Faisal-Weizman agreement and King Saud's letter in support of Zionism (both in the first decade of the last century). We should remember the British Balfour and French Cambon declaration in support of Zionist colonization of 1917 (both approved by the US then). We should remember the fraud of 1948 when supposedly Arab leaders sent token soldiers to Palestine and instructed them not to fight. There is nothing new under the sun. We should remember the 1996 US Zionists document sent to then (as now) Israeli prime minister Netanyahu titled "Securing the Realm '' which talked about propping friendly dictators in the Arab world and destroying opposition from justice seeking countries. We should remember the (Zionist) neocons"Project for the New American Century" founded in 1997 which talked about toppling regimes in Iraq (happened in 2003) and in Syria, Iran (being pushed now) and any others. The "Abraham deal" like "deal of the century", "road map to peace" and hundreds of other schemes before them intend to liquidate the native Palestinian rights. But it is not just Palestinians who they want to sacrifice but also others. We note for example, the Zionist training of US Police Forces (supported by Kamala Harris) intends to sacrifice black lives and end movements for social and economic justice to benefit the ruling elites (Zionists and their stooges and friends in the billionaire class). All colonials and their lackeys do this. But we shall return, we shall live in freedom and the future of traitors and oppressors will be in the dustbin of history. Stay tuned.

US Senator Joe Biden on Israel. His handlers' choice Kamala Harris groveling and lying speech at AIPAC

===END OF MY 2020 message====

Yet, the craziness continues and now we have Trump vs Harris version 2.0 of deluding the US public that there is a choice of lesser of two evils. Both serving their handlers who push for racist genocidal wars with US Taxpayer money. Thus, Israeli ministry of defense report showed that since 7 October 2023, 50,000 tons of military equipment and bombs were received from the USA (tax payers' funded). These were transported through a supply chain that included 500 air cargos, and 107 ships. This is not including the recent approval of additional $20 Billion in military support approved recently which include 100 F-15I advanced fighter jets valued at $18.82 billion ($188.2 million per fighter jet). Meanwhile US public debt is $35 TRILLION or $104,000 per US Citizen. Much of this is due to wars done for Zionism ($3 trillion just for the war on the people of Iraq). Private and corporate debt are even higher. The US is operating on the easy printing of as much currency as the private/lobby controlled Federal Reserve decides and hoping the world continues to buy US debt and continues to trade in US $. China and Japan which hold 2 trillion of the US debt have actually cut their holdings by 15 and 17% from january 2022 to January 2023. Thus, the move away from the $ is ongoing and the end of US economic and military power is coming? Why and why the genocide continues? Much of the answer lies in the fact that there are literally hundreds of Zionist groups making money from it especially in the USA. Here are examples from hundreds (a myriad of entities not just APIAC, but WINEP and hundreds of others) Watch the film the Israel lobby didn't want you to see - The Electronic Intifada. Censored BDS and lobby reports exposed and nearly a million watched them Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein were spies who used underage sex to blackmail politicians, ex-handler claims Jeffrey Epstein And billionaire Les Wexner (of Limited Brands and Victoria's Secret): connexions to power and influence for personal gain and to serve their Zionist masters [why is US mainstream media all over these cases/where is investigative journalism?]

A relevant article I wrote two decades ago

Stay Human and keep Palestine alive

Mazin Qumsiyeh

A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home

Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History

Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine

facebook pages Personal Institute

French
Several thousand Fred Meyer workers in the Portland area walked off the job early Wednesday, striking over alleged breaches of labor relations laws and amid contentious contract negotiations.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday that the strike would begin at 6 a.m. Wednesday and continue nearly a week, until 8 a.m. next Tuesday.

It includes virtually all of Fred Meyers grocery and food workers, including cashiers, baggers, stockers, meat and bakery department workers and online order pickers  roughly 4,500 in all across the Portland area. It excludes workers in departments like pharmacy, apparel, electronics and general merchandise, who work under a different contract.

In a statement, Fred Meyer president Todd Kammeyer said the grocer and its parent company, Kroger, respect our associates right to collectively bargain.

Fred Meyer spokesperson Tiffany Sanders said all stores were open Wednesday.

Some area Fred Meyer stores had displayed signs in recent days to hire temporary clerks as a precautionary measure due to a potential labor dispute with the union.

Stores affected range geographically from Hillsboro east to Gresham and as far south as Wilsonville. Clark County stores are not part of the walkout.

The strike, which could continue through Labor Day, comes as national attention is trained on the Portland retailer and its parent company.

Kroger is defending its proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of rival supermarket chain Albertsons in a Portland federal courtroom.

Labor relations are expected to be a key issue in the trial. The Federal Trade Commission, seeking to block the merger, has argued it will violate antitrust laws by reducing competition for union workers, undermining their leverage in contract negotiations.

Dan Clay, president of UFCW Local 555, was expected to testify in court on Wednesday.

The union is in the middle of negotiating a new contract with Fred Meyer, but its filed a series of charges against Fred Meyer with the National Labor Relations Board and, earlier this month, a lawsuit in federal court.

It has accused the chain of failing to address grievances brought by employees as well as failing to provide union negotiators with data to be used for bargaining.

UFCW Local 555 members authorized the strike earlier this month. The union also this month retracted its previous support for the proposed Albertsons acquisition.

Our members are united in demanding fair treatment, which can only be reached if Fred Meyer actually stands behind its public statements and is willing to fulfill all their obligations and legal requirements, Clay said in a statement.

The union also alleged Fred Meyer has misled employees about bargaining, telling them it has offered additional pension plan funding without presenting such a proposal to union negotiators.

Contract talks between Fred Meyer and the union were scheduled to continue Thursday and Friday.

Fred Meyer on Tuesday said that its latest offer, presented to the union on Aug. 23, included paying out ratification bonuses of between $1,000 and $4,000 depending on how long an associate had been with the grocer. Among the other provisions of its offer: The company would continue to fund pension benefits and increase hourly wages by $3.50 over three years.

The last time UFCW Local 555 workers walked off the job at Fred Meyer was in 2021 in a strike that was scheduled to last a week but ended after a day when the two sides reached an agreement.

Also Tuesday, the New Seasons Labor Union said it would strike for one day Sunday at 10 New Seasons Market locations in the Portland area. The union, which says it represents 1,100 workers, alleged New Seasons had not bargained in good faith over the two years since the first of 11 locations voted to unionize.

-- Kristine de Leon covers the retail industry, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com .

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A 64-year-old Oregon City man died in a two-vehicle collision that closed all lanes of Oregon 18 east of McMinnville for hours on Friday, authorities said Tuesday.

Jeffrey Tapp was the passenger in a pickup that was traveling east when it crossed the center lane into oncoming traffic, McMinnville police said, based on witness statements and evidence at the scene. The pickup crashed into a westbound pickup, resulting in Tapps death.

The driver of the eastbound pickup was identified by police as Richard McAdams of Oregon City. McAdams was taken by ambulance to the hospital with what police said were serious injuries.
T.J. Harvey Bennett was more than halfway through a 17-month prison sentence when he walked away from a work crew on Monday.

The Oregon Department of Corrections said in a statement that Bennett escaped from the work crew around 3 p.m. in Salem at the intersection of Southeast 46th Place and Red Cherry Court.
In a settlement reached with the family of a 37-year-old Black man shot and killed by Olympia police in 2022, the city will pay $600,000 and has agreed to ban officers from the "personalization" of their equipment, effectively bringing to an end the display of polarizing symbols like the "thin blue line" flag. (Dreamstime/TNS)TNS

In a settlement reached with the family of a 37-year-old Black man shot and killed by Olympia police in 2022, the city will pay $600,000 and has agreed to ban officers from the personalization of their equipment, effectively bringing to an end the display of polarizing symbols like the thin blue line flag.

Details of the unusual settlement of a wrongful death tort claim filed by the family of Timothy Green were announced by lawyers on Monday.

The agreement also requires that Olympia police Chief Rich Allen, his deputy and assistant chiefs and the four officers involved in Greens death complete state training on the historical intersection between race and policing. Furthermore, the city agreed to demands that all Olympia police officers receive more training on crisis intervention.

As part of the settlement, the police department is required to update its policy within one year to broadly prohibit officers from decorating their equipment, no matter the subject matter, rather than banning any particular symbols. During the fatal encounter with Green, officers had displayed Blue Lives Matter emblems and a sticker reminiscent of the Dont Tread on Me flag.

The training requirements and policy changes were required by Greens family members, who were prepared to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city if their demands werent met, the lawyers said.

The settlement requires the Olympia Police Department to take steps addressing the use of force, crisis intervention, and police culture, said Olympia civil rights attorney Leslie Cushman, who, along with Seattle attorney Gabe Galanda, represented the family and fashioned the settlement.

We have been forever impacted by the death of a son, a brother, a father, and uncle, the family said in a statement. Tim did not deserve to die this way. And we do not want this to happen to anyone else.

Data from the Olympia Police Departments auditor shows that, while overall use of force by officers is down 24% since 2022, the vast majority of those cases  83%  involved people in crisis.

Using force against people in crisis is a bad practice and will inevitably result in more injuries and deaths in Olympia, Cushman said in a statement.

The family is also asking the Thurston County Prosecutors Office to reopen a criminal investigation into the shooting. The prosecutor found the shooting justified and lawful in December 2023.

Cushman was the author of Initiative 940, which overhauled the states deadly force laws and put in place new requirements for police to focus on de-escalation. She pointed out the recent conviction for second-degree murder of Auburn police Officer Jeff Nelson under I-940s provisions should prompt a second look at Greens death.

The family has also filed complaints against the four involved officers with the Criminal Justice Training Commission, seeking to have their law enforcement certification revoked.

According to reports obtained by the family, Olympia police knew Green and had responded to calls about his erratic behavior at least four times in the months leading up to the shooting.

Two of the officers who responded to the call that led to Greens death  Sgt. Joseph Bellamy and Joseph Anderson  had responded to Greens house just two days earlier. According to the tort claim, they knew he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had been off his medications.

It was Anderson who fired the three bullets that ended Greens life.

On Aug. 22, 2022, Anderson, Bellamy and two other officers  Brenda Anderson and Caleb Shaffer  responded to a report of a disturbance at a Starbucks at 4131 Martin Way in Olympia. Callers reported a man screaming and banging around inside the store.

Green, obviously in crisis and acting out, was overheard saying he wanted to kill everyone in the town and said, Call the cops.

When Joseph Anderson arrived just after 10:20 a.m., Green was punching the ground by the side of the store. As other officers arrived, he walked away into traffic. The dispatchers noted that Green was known to be mentally ill, and Anderson acknowledged that he was the same person from the previous call two days earlier and appeared very hostile.

Bellamy, a supervisor, showed up at about 10:30 a.m. and determined that cause existed to arrest Green for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and pedestrian interference. Bellamy returned to his patrol car to get a 40-mm less-lethal projectile launcher, while the other three officers moved to surround Green near the Starbucks drive-thru, according to reports.

The claim alleges Green became frightened and poured the contents of a backpack on the ground, retrieving a softcover Bible and a folding knife. Witnesses said Green held the Bible to his head and appear to be praying at one point. According to the claim, officers Brenda Anderson and Shaffer both Tased him, but failed to incapacitate him. Thats when Anderson shot him three times, according to the claim.

The claim said the family was offended because evidence showed Anderson, after shooting Green, began lifesaving measures while wearing tactical gloves adorned with Blue Lives Matter insignia.

And Bellamy, the sergeant, removed a department-issued laptop from his car just minutes after the shooting that was decorated with a thin blue-and-red line flag  representing law enforcement and firefighters  and a badge depicting a cartoonish coiled snake with the words Dont Step on Snek below. Cushman points out that Olympia Police Department policy requires that all aspects of a crime scene be preserved.

The coiled-snake symbol became popular during Donald Trumps presidency as a sign of defiance against the invading left wing, according to documents cited by Cushman.

Cushman said the snake sticker is known to be a reiteration of the colonial Dont Tread on Me flag that has been co-opted by right-wing, anti-government ideologies.

The Blue Lives Matter symbol carries similar baggage, Cushman said. The phrase gained prominence in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests against police violence after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020. Critics consider it a racist identity ideology that signals opposition to the racial justice movement and has been used as a symbol of white supremacy.

The No Step on Snek rattlesnake exhibits anti-government ideology within OPD, Cushman wrote. The Blue Lives Matter flags and symbols exhibit anti-Black ideology within OPD.

___

2024 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Utah mother of three who published a childrens book about grief after her husbands death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him will stand trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Utah state Judge Richard Mrazik ruled on the second day of Kouri Richins preliminary hearing that prosecutors had presented enough evidence against her to proceed with a jury trial.

She faces a slew of felony charges for allegedly killing her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl in March 2022 at their home in a small mountain town near Park City. Prosecutors say Kouri Richins, 34, slipped five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid into a Moscow mule cocktail that Eric Richins, 39, drank.

Kouri Richins appeared stoic as the judge delivered the news that a jury would soon decide her fate. She has been adamant in maintaining she is innocent and entered pleas of not guilty to all 11 counts on Tuesday. Her trial is set to begin on April 28.

The second day of her preliminary hearing centered around an additional attempted murder charge filed earlier this year that accused her of slipping fentanyl into her husbands sandwich on Valentines Day 2022, causing a severe but nonfatal reaction.

Summit County Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth defended the charge by describing how he thinks Kouri Richins learned lessons during the first unsuccessful attempt on her husbands life that helped her carry out the killing 17 days later.

One bite of his favorite sandwich  left with a note in the front seat of his truck on Valentines Day  made Eric Richins break out in hives and black out, prosecutors allege. His wife had bought the sandwich from a local diner in the city of Kamas two days after she purchased fentanyl pills from the familys housekeeper, according to witness statements and deleted text messages that were recovered by police.

Text messages and location data indicate Kouri Richins may have brought the sandwich home, then left to spend Valentines Day with another man with whom she was having an affair, Bloodworth said. A day after Valentines Day, she texted her lover, If he could just go away ... life would be so perfect.

In written testimony, two friends of Eric Richins recounted phone conversations from the day prosecutors say he was first poisoned by his wife of nine years. After injecting himself with his sons EpiPen and chugging a bottle of Benadryl, he awoke from a deep sleep and told a friend, I think my wife tried to poison me, charging documents allege.

Housekeeper Carmen Lauber told police that Kouri Richins subsequently asked her to procure stronger fentanyl, Detective Jeff ODriscoll said on the first day of the hearing Monday.

She learned that putting it in a sandwich, where Eric Richins could take a bite, feel the effects and set the sandwich down, was not the proper way to administer it, Bloodworth told the judge. She learned that it takes a truckload of fentanyl to kill him.

Days later, Kouri Richins called 911 in the middle of the night to report that she had found her husband cold to the touch at the foot of their bed, according to a police report. He was pronounced dead, and a medical examiner later found five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in his system.

Defense attorneys Kathy Nester and Wendy Lewis argued that because police never found fentanyl in the Richins home, detectives could not be certain that the drugs Kouri Richins bought from the housekeeper matched those found in Eric Richins system.

These are great trial arguments, Mrazik responded, but he wondered aloud whether any of their arguments were strong enough to make the case that there wasnt probable cause for the charges.

Mrazik recently appointed the pair of attorneys to represent Kouri Richins after he determined she was unable to continue paying for private lawyers. Prosecutors say she mistakenly believed she would inherit her husbands estate under the terms of their prenuptial agreement and had taken out life insurance policies on him without his knowledge that totaled nearly $2 million.

In the months before her arrest in May 2023, the Utah mother self-published the childrens book Are You with Me? about a father with angel wings watching over his young son after passing away. The book could eventually play a key role for prosecutors in framing Eric Richins death as a calculated killing with an elaborate cover-up attempt.

The judge scheduled a pretrial conference on Sept. 23 for the prosecution and defense to discuss jury selection.
Killer Burger, the 14-year-old Portland burger chain, will make a major push into the South Puget Sound, opening six locations over the next five years for the companys first toehold in the greater Seattle area, according to a press release.

The expansion comes after Killer Burger inked a second multi-unit deal with Cascade Dining, the franchisee that opened Salems Killer Burger and recently purchased the companys Gresham location.
Another scary movie with Oregon connections is making an impact on the 2024 summer movie season, with the thriller, Strange Darling, drawing praise from critics, viewers and even Stephen King, author of such chilling classics as Carrie, The Shining and Pet Sematary.

This summers earlier hit Longlegs was set in Oregon, but not filmed here. Strange Darling, on the other hand, is set in Oregon and also filmed in the state.

The movie, which opened Aug. 23, begins with an ominous claim: This is a dramatization of the true story of the final known killings of the most prolific and unique American serial killer of the 21st century.

But, as reviewers have pointed out, that claim is bogus, as the movie, written and directed by JT Mollner (Outlaws and Angels), tells a fictional story, one that unfolds in unconventional fashion, in six non-chronological chapters.

The film stars Willa Fitzgerald as a character known only as The Lady, and Kyle Gallner as a character known as The Demon. Probably the best-known cast members are Ed Begley Jr. (Better Call Saul) and Barbara Hershey (Beaches), who, as The Washington Post review notes, leave an outsize impression as a couple of kooky, mountain-dwelling hippies with an affinity for puzzles and decadent Sunday breakfasts.

Strange Darling has also drawn attention because Giovanni Ribisi, better known as an actor in such projects as the Avatar movie franchise and the TV series Sneaky Pete, is the movies cinematographer.

The plot has to do with the Lady and the Demon meeting at a bar in Hood River, and then going to a motel for what seems to be a one-night stand. But things take a wild turn after that, with blood, violence, drugs and more.

In a scriptmag.com interview, Mollner talked about his familys seasonal business, of presenting haunted houses, and recalled seeing a David Lynch movie in Portland with Strange Darling production designer Priscilla Elliott.

When I got to work with the production designer, Priscilla, the first thing we did when I got to Oregon, and I met Priscilla in person, because I had been introduced to Priscilla through a mutual friend of ours, Mollner said. I flew into Oregon and we went to see Lost Highway. It was playing at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, and we got out of Lost Highway, and I was like, How do they do that, Priscilla? They really stick to their guns.

As most of the reviews and viewer comments advise, its best to go into Strange Darling not knowing much about it, as the plot twists and surprises will keep viewers guessing.

While not every reviewer has been impressed, plenty of critics have praised the movie, some calling it one of the years best. The Washington Post review, for example, finds comparisons with films made by the likes of David Lynch, the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino.

The pseudo-surrealist serial killer tale unfolds against the Cascadian woodlands in decidedly Lynchian fashion, the Post review says, in part. Opening text claiming this fictional yarn is a true-crime dramatization comes straight out of the Coen brothers playbook. The remixed chronology and exploitation aesthetic scream of Tarantino idolization.

But reducing such taut and twisty genre fare to auteur pastiche would sell short the qualities that, whatever writer-director JT Mollners influences, make it one of the years most original films, a cat-and-mouse game that ensnares you in its opening moments and tightens its grip with every stylistic swing and subversive swerve. Its unsettling and entrancing and altogether audacious. Amid a crowded summer of elevated horror, Strange Darling rises above.

The Detroit News review notes that Strange Darling is a contemporary thriller, though many of its details  including the fact that it was shot on 35mm film, which is proudly declared in an opening title card  give it a throwback 70s feel. That helps add to its mood, and to the way it makes viewers feel displaced in the moment. While Strange Darling is best left as a surprise, heres one thing worth spoiling: Its one of the years best movies.

The IndieWire review is equally glowing, saying, in part, Electric and unforgettable, Strange Darling lives up to its maddening moniker. In a summer movie season thats been middling at best, this is a must-see  a feat of filmmaking so extraordinary youll wonder if it could ever truly be spoiled.

 Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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Interest is growing in energy-saving incentives for Oregon homeowners, renters and vehicle owners who want to cut their fuel costs. People can learn about community solar, how to get a home energy assessment and test drive e-bikes and EV cars at two free events: ElectrifyPortland! Home Electrification Fair in Southeast Portland on Sunday, Sept. 15, and the Lake Oswego Electric Home and Vehicle Fair on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Many exhibitors will set up booths at both family-friendly events to answer questions about the wide range of benefits of using products ranging from induction cooking to electric landscaping equipment. Discover how IRA Electrification Incentives, local rebates and on-bill financing can significantly offset the costs to electrify and weatherize a home.
Two national nonprofits that sent out millions of mailers encouraging Americans to register to vote in 2020 are preparing to send out more than 20,000 mailers in five of Oregons largest counties, according to the Oregon Secretary of States office.

The linked nonpartisan organizations, the Voter Participation Center and the Center for Voter Information, informed the Secretary of States Elections Division of their plans to encourage voter registration in Oregon ahead of their effort.
HP Inc. has landed up to $50 million in federal CHIPS Act money to modernize its campus in Corvallis, aiming to more tightly integrate its research and manufacturing on the site.

The company says it expects to add 100 factory jobs in Corvallis and expects the project will temporarily employ 150 construction workers. HP indicated the project might eventually make way for a larger production line in Corvallis.
Some schools in the United States are now being forced to close and return to a remote learning model as COVID-19 cases see a sudden spike.

Two schools in Alabama and Tennessee were temporarily shut down just days into the new school year after reporting an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Officials for both states said they had to close the schools for a deep cleaning, as first reported by the Daily Mail. At one of the schools that closed, children had to revert to remote learning for two days.

There are concerns that other schools may follow suit, specifically those in New York, New Jersey, and Michigan, especially as more students return from Labor Day weekend.

US Schools Close as COVID-19 Spikes

In Alabama, school officials at the Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school switched to remote learning after 15 faculty members tested positive for COVID-19. It is unclear how many of the school's students were infected with the virus. The school was closed for four days beginning August 14 while officials conducted a deep clean. The school has since re-opened, but officials have yet to make the wearing of face masks have yet to be made mandatory.

In Tennessee, Strigall Elementary closed for one day, specifically on August 13, as their school was cleaned. The closure affected nearly 250 students through first grade. It was unclear how many staff members or students were infected with COVID-19. Much like at JAB High School, masks have not been made mandatory at Strigall Elementary. However, school officials now require teachers to wipe down desks every time their students move to another class.

Rising COVID-19 Cases in the US

In the week ending August 17, the COVID-19 positivity rate in the US was 18%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's wastewater surveillance program also noted that COVID-19 activity in wastewater in the south was nearing levels reported in January.

Experts believe the recent spike in cases is caused by Omicron's FLiRT variants, which make up the majority of infections recorded in the country.


The remains of Dee Ann Warner, a 52-year-old mother of four from Tecumseh, Michigan, have been found on a property owned by her husband, Dale Warner, more than three years after she vanished. The Michigan State Police (MSP) confirmed the discovery on Wednesday, August 21.

Human Remains Identified as Dee Warner

"Today further investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Medical Examiners Office on the human remains that were found on Dale Warner's property," a statement shared on the MSP First District X account read. "The Jackson County Medical Examiner has positively identified the remains as Dee Warner."

The human remains were found inside a weather-worn, secluded barn off Paragon Road. The tank usually contains anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer. However, the tank was reportedly sealed shut, and a "do not use" sign was placed on it. However, the chemical was not seen inside the tank when the remains were found.

The MSP stated that investigators will continue to gather evidence and work with the Lenawee County Prosecutor's Office to ensure a conviction. Dale Warner's attorney, Mary Chartier, said that the latest update from the police is a "tragic turn of events" but does not change her client's position.

Background of the Case

Dee Warner was reported missing on April 25, 2021, from her home on Munger Road in Franklin Township, Lenawee County. Her family members had long suspected that Dale Warner was involved in her disappearance. In November 2023, Dale Warner was arrested and charged with open murder and tampering with evidence.

Key Developments in the Case:

November 2023: Dale Warner arrested and charged with open murder and tampering with evidence

June 2024: Judge rules that there is enough evidence for Dale Warner to stand trial for his wife's murder

August 16, 2024: Search warrant was issued to search Dale Warner's property

August 18, 2024: Human remains found in a propane tank on Dale Warner's property

August 21, 2024: Remains positively identified as Dee Warner

Reaction from the Family

The missing woman's family members had previously stated that they believed the remains found on Dale Warner's property were Dee's. They expressed relief that the search for Dee has finally come to an end but also sadness and anger at the tragic circumstances of her death.

The MSP will continue investigating the case and working with the Lenawee County Prosecutor's Office to bring Dale Warner to justice. The trial is expected to take place in the coming months.
No disrespect to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, but voice control still has its quirks and sometimes its easier to control your various smart home devices using your PC instead.

But the degree to which you can adjust lighting, view security camera feeds, or set your thermostat will depend on which particular devices and ecosystems youre tied to.

Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ]

Lets walk through some of the different ways you can control smart home systems from a Windows PC, without having to grab your phone or yell out to your nearest voice assistant.

The Alexa app for Windows

Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry

Although it doesnt show up in Microsoft Store search results and has seemingly been deprecated, you can still install Amazons Alexa app for Windows 10 and above if you have the direct store link.

Once installed, you can control Alexa-enabled smart devices through the Smart Home tab. While you cant set up new Alexa devices using the Windows app  thats still done on your phone  any established devices should appear here for you to control.

The Windows app also supports voice control, either with Alexa wake word detection (which you can disable) or with a keyboard shortcut (which is Ctrl + Shift + A by default). To change the shortcut, head to Settings and look in the Alexa on PC tab.

The Google Home web dashboard

Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry

Google Homes web dashboard is less functional than the mobile app, but it still lets you view live Nest camera feeds and execute automation routines from your PC. Youll find it by heading to home.google.com and signing into your account.

While you cant control individual devices per se, you can work around that by setting up Automations on your phone, then triggering them through the Google Home web dashboard.

The Google Home web dashboard also offers a script editor, letting you create more advanced routines than whats possible in the Google Home mobile app. (Youll need to be familiar with the YAML scripting language, and make sure you check out Googles documentation before diving in.)

To join the public preview of the Google Home script editor, click Add New > Request to Join > Join Public Preview.

The Home Remote app

Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry

Home Remote is a $3 smart home control app for Windows thats available through the Microsoft Store. Once installed, you can connect various smart home platforms and control your devices through one app.

The integration with Chromecast and Sonos speakers is especially helpful, letting you pause playback, skip tracks, or adjust the volume of any speaker thats playing throughout the home.

The downside? It has some notable gaps in compatibility, lacking support for Ring, Wyze, and Nest devices in particular. Check the compatibility list before buying this app to make sure it works with your gear!

Your smart home devices web portal

Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry

Some individual smart home device makers offer web apps, so you can view camera feeds or control devices through any web browser. For instance, you have access to web-based dashboards for Ring, Wyze, Ecobee, SmartThings, and more.

When in doubt, try signing into your device makers website and see if they offer a web dashboard for controlling your device(s). If so, keep it bookmarked in your browser for quick access.

The Phone Link app

Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry Jared Newman / Foundry

Microsofts Phone Link app (formerly called Your Phone) is a handy tool for managing calls, texts, and phone photos from your PC. But if you have a Samsung phone, you can also mirror Android apps on your PC screen  including those that may not offer a Windows app or website.

Once youve set up the Phone Link app, click the Apps tab, then click on any app to open it in a pop-up window. You can also right-click the app and either add it to your favorites list in the Phone Link app or create an entry in the Windows Start menu.

One caveat: Android apps will only open on Windows when your phone is unlocked, so youll need to keep it handy.

HomeBridge for Apple HomeKit devices

HomeBridge HomeBridge HomeBridge

Apple doesnt offer its Home app for Windows, and as of now there are no third-party HomeKit controller apps with Windows support either.

If you want to control all of your HomeKit devices through a single dashboard on a Windows PC, the only option is HomeBridge, a free server application that links HomeKit to other smart home ecosystems.

You can set up HomeBridge on Windows, macOS, or Linux, though the developers recommend that Windows users set up a Linux virtual machine instead of running it directly on Windows.

If you make it through the setup process unscathed, youll be able to load the HomeBridge interface over your Wi-Fi network on port 8581, for instance by visiting http://localhost:8581 in your PCs web browser.

But its probably easier to just grab your iPhone instead.

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Never before has it been easier to clone a human voice. New AI tools can take a voice sample, process it, copy it, and say anything in the voice of the original. Its been a thing since as early as 2018, but modern tools can do it faster, more accurately, and with greater ease.

Dont believe it? OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT, presented a project this year that showed how its possible to clone a voice with nothing more than a 15-second recording.

Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ]

OpenAIs tool isnt yet publicly available and its said to have security measures in place to prevent misuse. However, Eleven Labs offers a similar service  you can clone a voice from a one-minute audio sample for just $6  and this one is available to everyone.

You can see how this might be abused. Scammers and fraudsters can use phone calls and videos uploaded to social media to obtain voice samples from almost anyone, then clone those voices for use in scams.

Eleven Labs offers to clone a voice for just $6. The result isnt perfect, but its good enough to trick people. Eleven Labs offers to clone a voice for just $6. The result isnt perfect, but its good enough to trick people. IDG Eleven Labs offers to clone a voice for just $6. The result isnt perfect, but its good enough to trick people. IDG IDG

One rampant example is the grandparent scam: a scammer calls an elderly person and pretends to be their grandchild via voice cloning, urgently requesting money for some important reason.

Maybe theyve been in an accident or theyve been arrested. Theyll usually ask you to keep quiet and not tell anyone  especially their parents  about this phone call. After all, that could expose the call as fraudulent when you realize your actual grandchild is fine.

Anyone who isnt aware that voice cloning is a thing could easily fall for such a scam. But even if you are aware, you could still be fooled if you arent paying careful attention. And even if you do suspect that something is off, would you want to be the one accusing your grandchild of being an imposter? Theyd just deny it, anyway.

Thats the trouble with this scam, and plenty of people are falling for it every day. As AI-powered voice cloning grows more widespread, you can expect this scam to explode in popularity.

Heres how you protect yourself: Have a family meeting and agree on a code word to be used in emergencies. Then, if you ever get a call from a family member who desperately needs money, have them confirm the code word. If they cant, then theyre probably a scammer.
Microsofts Xbox controller (and its souped-up Xbox Elite variant) is considered the de facto standard for PC gaming. But after nearly 30 years, its not surprising that some prefer the PlayStation pad.

And for those that do, heres some good news: the newest version of the PlayStation Accessories app offers far better support for the DualSense Edge, Sonys $200 pro controller for the PlayStation 5. You can download the new app here.

Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ]

The app was previously called Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller and was limited to that function  and if youre using a standard DualSense PS5 controller, its still limited to regular firmware updates. But if youre using the upgraded Edge controller, the app now offers all the usual customization options youd expect.

Sony Sony Sony

These customization options include fully remapping all buttons, adjusting analog stick sensitivity and the neutral dead zone, ditto for the analog triggers, and adjusting the intensity of the controllers vibration and haptic trigger feedback. (All of these options are already customizable when the controller is connected to a PlayStation 5.)

If youre upset that the standard DualSense doesnt get any of these options  its pretty pricey itself at $70 retail  then maybe you should dig into Steams controller settings. Its probably the fastest way to customize controller inputs in any supported game, and it has pre-set settings and a customized user interface for the DualSense.

Sony has been pushing hard to make itself a presence on the PC for the last couple of years, porting some of the biggest PS4 and PS5 exclusive games (with a couple of notable exceptions) and even releasing a few titles on both platforms at the same time.

Its latest party-based shooter Concord is a bit of a flop, but theres no denying that the company is trying to expand into more spaces  and PC gaming offers the largest potential market right now.
Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, the embattled founder of Groupe Nduom, has intensified his battle with the state, claiming a staggering GH7.1 billion debt, including accrued interest.



This latest development follows a long-standing dispute between Nduom and the government, which dates back to 2019 when the Bank of Ghana (BoG) revoked the license of GN Bank, citing regulatory breaches.



At a press briefing in Accra, Nduom revealed plans to temporarily halt his Bring Back GN Bank campaign in September to embark on a nationwide tour of the banks 300 branches.



His move aims to mobilize support from petitioners advocating for the reinstatement of GN Banks license.

Revocation of Kwesi Nduoms bsnk was self inflicted as he was engaged several regulatory breaches including money laundry, according to Bank of Ghana report.



However, the BoG maintains its stance, defending its decision to revoke GN Banks license due to significant regulatory breaches.



The Central Bank argued that GN Banks failure to meet critical financial regulations and banking standards jeopardized its operational stability, leaving it with no choice but to revoke the license.



Despite this setback, Nduom remains resolute in his quest to revive GN Bank, vowing to resume his campaign in November after a period of strategic reflection and planning.







Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Founder of the All People's Party (APC), Hassan Ayariga, has blamed Ghanaians of empowering the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to engage in more corrupt activities.



According to him, the attitude of vote buying is causing more harm than good, as the right people will not be given the chance to lead if they do not succumb to the 'no money, no vote' policy.



In a yet-to-be-aired interview on GhanaWeb TV's Election Desk, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Hassan Ayariga entreated Ghanaians to refrain from corruption and its related activities by the NPP and NDC ahead of the December polls.



"Now, we are saying we understand your pain, we understand the hardship, we understand the difficulties but if I have to pay for you to vote for me, I am equally going to be like NDC, NPP and I dont want to be corrupt.



"You ask them, where did they get the money to pay you? Where are they getting the money to pay you? Why will you want me to give you a job and you have to pay me for me to give you the job? That is corruption in the highest order.



"And we the citizens, we are encouraging the corruption that the NDC and NPP are doing because we do not ask them hard questions. When you want to buy a mobile phone, you examine the phone before we buy. Do we do same when we are voting for either NDC or NPP?" Hassan Ayariga quizzed.







Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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More than 100 people will be laid off at a manufacturing plant in Northampton County.

Stuffed Puffs has filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice informing the state that it will close its plant at 3910 Stuffed Puffs Place in Hanover Township near Bethlehem and 106 people will be laid off.

The first layoffs are expected to take place on Oct. 26 with all separations from the company expected to be completed by Nov. 9.

Stuffed Puffs, which makes marshmallow products filled with milk chocolate and other ingredients, was launched by Michael Tierney in 2019.

The plant closure announcement comes in the same week that a Texas company has announced that it has acquired Stuffed Puffs.

Mount Franklin Foods, a manufacturer of branded, contract and private label confectionary, nuts, snacks, and foodservice products, announced on Tuesday, that it had acquired the assets from Stuffed Puffs.

The acquisition is effective immediately. Terms of the agreement werent disclosed.

As we continue to evolve our business, the acquisition of Stuffed Puffs represents a significant step in broadening our confectionery portfolio, Enrique Grajeda, CEO of Mount Franklin Foods, said in a news release. We are excited to wed our strengths with those of Stuffed Puffs to deliver even more value and innovation to our customers.

Mount Franklin Foods manufactures a variety of candy, mint and nuts under brands such as Azar Nut, Sunrise Confections and Hospitality Mints. In addition, Mount Franklin Foods has a large co-manufacturing and private label business.

With a shared vision for the future of Stuffed Puffs, our strategic alignment with Mount Franklin Foods, together with its scale and resources, will be a major unlock for us to accelerate our growth trajectory and innovation pipeline, Michael Tierney, founder and CEO of Stuffed Puffs, said in the news release.

The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. The WARN notice was dated Aug. 26.
Multiple people were shot in an exchange of gunfire that led to shots fired by police Sunday evening in Allentown, close to a community festival, authorities said.

One person has been arrested, a 21-year-old Bethlehem man, according to Allentown police.

Police responded about 6:45 p.m. after hearing multiple gunshots in a parking lot immediately west of the 100 block of North Seventh Street, according to a news release Monday from the Allentown Police Department.

When the officers arrived in the area, they observed several people actively shooting at each other, the release from Capt. Thomas Anderson states. Subsequently, the officers engaged the shooters.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihans office confirmed the reference in the release to police engaging the shooters means police fired shots.

It was not immediately known if any of the police gunfire struck the victims.

Multiple people sustained gunshot wounds, the police department release on the incident continues. Allentown EMS responded and transported the victims to local hospitals and are all expected to survive their injuries.

The shooting occurred as Sundays Dominican Festival Allentown was ongoing in the same area of this incident, police wrote in court records in support of the arrest of suspect Yunior Peralta-Quintana.

Offices responding to the initial gunfire observed a perpetrator later identified as Peralta-Quintana actively shooting at a group of people, the court records state.

As a result of Yunior discharging a firearm at the group of people eight people were struck by gunfire, all requiring medical attention, investigators wrote in the affidavit of probable cause to charge him. One of the victims required emergency life-saving surgery for the gunshot wound they sustained from the shooting.

Peralta-Quintana was arraigned Monday morning on felony charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault (two counts), in addition to misdemeanor simple assault and reckless endangerment. He was sent to Lehigh County Jail with bail denied.

He faces a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for Sept. 3 to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the charges toward trial in the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas. He is being represented by a county public defender. The police departments news release lists Peralta-Quintana as being from Bethlehem, while court records say he is from Allentowns 300 block of East Union Street.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk condemned the gun violence that authorities said occurred less than two blocks from the festival. There was no ongoing threat to the public, the mayor posted on social media.

Im incredibly disappointed that people are making bad choices in Allentown, Tuerk stated. Our neighbors have no patience for those that would make our streets unsafe. This behavior is unacceptable and we will continue to take the necessary steps to protect everyone from harm.

The festival started at noon Sunday and was set to continue until 9 p.m. in the area of Seventh and Hamilton streets.

Organizers of the Dominican Festival posted Monday in an open message to Allentown residents via social media that the unfortunate shooting ... did not take place within the festival.

The festival was carried out in an organized and safe manner, and all scheduled activities proceeded without interruption, read the festival organizers statement in Spanish, translated via Google Translate.

We thank all attendees for their exemplary behavior and their collaboration with the authorities.

Our priority has always been and will continue to be the safety and well-being of all members of our community. We also thank the law enforcement agencies for their quick and effective intervention.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
A Perry County man will serve at least four-and-a-half years in state prison for sexually assaulting a drunken co-worker last year.

Jordan Lee Rhoads, 32, of Shermans Dale, was convicted during a jury trial in May of forcing the co-worker to perform oral sex on him while Rhoads was getting driven home from a Carlisle bar where he and some friends from work had spent several hours drinking.
By Jack Panyard, LNP, Lancaster, Pa. (TNS)

A Bucks County man will spend up to two years in prison for attacking his 6-month-old kitten while high on methamphetamine.

Richard Swangler, 57, of Bristol, pled guilty and was sentenced Monday in Lancaster County Court.

He told West Hempfield police he attacked the kitten in March, believing it to be a jaguar.

Swangler, brought into court by sheriffs deputies pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated cruelty to animals before Judge Jeffrey Wright.

Swanglers public defender, Rian Thompson, told Wright that his client attacked the cat while going through psychosis and that Swangler had owned up to the crime as soon as he realized what he had done. He said Swanglers meth addiction is his clients biggest challenge.

Unfortunately, that is something he has struggled with over the years, Thompson said. I believe if he stays clean and sober, we wont be seeing him back.

Swangler has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression and is working on getting sober, according to Thompson. He has been accepted to The Potters House, an Ephrata-based rehab program, that will take him as soon as he is on parole, Thompson said.

Wright accepted Swanglers guilty plea and ordered that he be credited with the nearly six months he has been in Lancaster County Prison since the crime.

Swangler will serve five years of probation after release and is prohibited from owning any animals for that time. PSPCA and dog warden agents will randomly check in on him to ensure he does not have pets at home, Wright said.

Swangler initially called police from the 100 block of W. Broad Street in Salunga on March 3, reporting a jaguar was in his room. When police arrived, Swangler was pointing at the kitten.

An officer asked Swangler if he had taken any drugs and Swangler admitted to smoking meth earlier that day. The kittens jaw had been detached from the muscle inside its mouth and had a bloody nose. The officer said it looked like it was in pain.

The kitten had emergency surgery, and the clinic was able to reattach the jaw and has recovered. The Organization for Responsible Care of Animals, who coordinated medical care for the cat, did not respond to requests for information on where it is now.

(c)2024 LNP (Lancaster, Pa.)

Visit LNP (Lancaster, Pa.) at lancasteronline.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Bradley Dez Fafara of the nu-metal band, Coal Chamber, recently announced that the tour is being postponed until next year.

The Fiend for the Fans tour will now start in March 2025 instead of this week.

Concerts in Pa. will be held on March 29 at HMAC in Harrisburg and on April 4 at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks. Tickets for the original dates of Sept. 13, 2024, in Harrisburg and Sept. 14, 2024, in McKees Rocks will be honored for the new dates.

Fafara said he experienced a medical emergency and has been advised to rest until doctors can determine the issue.

With a heavy heart, let me tell you a story about life taking a turn, Im writing to you from my bed.

Ive been running 6 miles daily, Ive been rehearsing two hours daily in my home studio and excited to hit the road, Im excited to get on a bus with my brothers and sister and my crew. I d never felt better and as you all know, I fought back hard after long haul Covid tried to kill me.

Saturday morning I woke up and I was coming up my stairs. I saw flashes in my eyes. I passed out and my wife revived me. My vitals were through the roof, and I was sheet white and vomiting, and the whole world was spinning. Anahstasia called 911. I ended up in the back of an ambulance and did nine hours in the ER testing all my vitals including taking X-rays of my heart and lungs. My doctor has advised me to get a CAT scan, and until further testing, I am on bedrest and must postpone the tour, he wrote.

Both Pa. concerts also include Fear Factory, Twiztid and Black Satellite.

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - Harrisburg

Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 on the day of the show.

Friday, April 4, 2025 - McKees Rocks

Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the show. Also available on Stubhub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek.

New tour dates are:

March 5 - Denver, Colorado

March 7 - Las Vegas, Nevada

March 8 - Anaheim, California

March 9 - Tempe, Arizona

March 11 - San Antonio, Texas

March 12 - Houston, Texas

March 14 - Dallas, Texas

March 15 - Fort Worth, Texas

March 19 - Orlando, Florida

March 22 - Newport, Kentucky

March 23 - Columbus, Ohio

March 25 - Norfolk, Virginia

March 27 - New York, New York

March 28 - Sayreville, New Jersey

March 30 - Boston, Massachusetts

April 5 - Cleveland, Ohio

April 9 - Fort Wayne, Indiana

April 11 - Flint, Michigan

April 12 - Flint, Michigan

April 13 - Chicago, Illinois

April 15 - Sauget, Illinois

April 16 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

April 18 - Maplewood, Minnesota
By Rob Gillies, The Associated Press

TORONTO  Canada announced Monday it is launching a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, matching U.S. tariffs imposed over what Western governments say are Chinas subsidies that give its industry an unfair advantage.

The announcement came after encouragement by U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Cabinet ministers Sunday. Sullivan is making his first visit to Beijing on Tuesday.

Trudeau said Canada also will impose a 25% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum Actors like China have chosen to give themselves an unfair advantage in the global marketplace, he said.

There was no immediate response from China.

The only Chinese-made EVs currently imported into Canada are from Tesla, made at the companys Shanghai factory, though the U.S. company could avoid the tariff by switching to supplying Canada from factories in the U.S. or Germany.

Chinese brands are not yet a player in Canada. However, Chinese EV giant BYD established a Canadian corporate entity last spring and has indicated it intends to try and enter the Canadian market as early as next year.

Chinese officials are likely to raise concerns about the American tariffs with Sullivan as Beijing continues to repair its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. President Joe Biden in May slapped major new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment.

The U.S. does believe that a united front, a coordinated approach on these issues benefits all of us, Sullivan told reporters on Sunday.

Biden has said Chinese government subsidies for EVs and other consumer goods ensure that Chinese companies dont have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade.

Chinese firms can sell EVs for as little as $12,000. Chinas solar cell plants and steel and aluminum mills have enough capacity to meet much of the worlds demand. Chinese officials argue their production keeps prices low and would aid a transition to the green economy.

Were doing it in alignment, in parallel, with other economies around the world that recognize that this is a challenge that we are all facing, Trudeau said of the new tariffs. Unless we all want to get to a race to the bottom, we have to stand up.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada also will launch a 30-day consultation about possible tariffs on Chinese batteries, battery parts, semiconductors, critical minerals, metals and solar panels.

China has an intentional state-directed policy of overcapacity and oversupply designed to cripple our own industry, Freeland said. We simply will not allow that to happen to our EV sector, which has shown such promise.

FILE - Visitors look at the Chinese made BYD ATTO 3 at the IAA motor show in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)AP

The only Chinese-made EVs currently imported into Canada are from Tesla, made at the companys Shanghai factory.

Canada had to go with the U.S. position, when you think about the economic integration that we have with the U.S. More than 75% of our exports go to the U.S., said a former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques.

Saint-Jacques said Canada can expect retaliation from China in other industries, adding that barley and pork are candidates because the Chinese can get it from other countries.

China will want to send a message, he said.
By Hayes Gardner, The Baltimore Sun (TNS)

BALTIMORE  Whether or not the replacement Francis Scott Key Bridge will be fully federally funded  or if the state of Maryland will need to chip in 10% of it  remains to be seen, but one sizable payment that will cover a portion of the rebuild has already landed. The Maryland Transportation Authority received a $350 million insurance payout this month from Chubb, the Key Bridges insurer.

The transportation authority, which owns the bridge, said the money will go toward funding the completed clean-up, as well as rebuilding the new span, projected to open to traffic in October 2028 and cost roughly $1.7 billion.

The bulk of those insurance funds are expected to ultimately go to the federal government, but the transportation authority and the Federal Highway Administration did not provide details as to when that money might change hands.

FHWA is coordinating with Maryland to determine a course of action that follows Federal regulations for the recovery of damages or insurance proceeds but also affords Maryland maximum flexibility and efficiency to begin the reconstruction of this critical structure, the FHWA said Monday in a statement to The Baltimore Sun.

The policy  a property and business interruption policy, per the authority  is the only one held by the transportation authority related to the Key Bridge, which was knocked down by a container ship that had lost power on March 26. The disaster killed six construction workers, sent 50,000 tons of debris into the Patapsco River and temporarily stalled shipping commerce into the Port of Baltimore.

In the immediate aftermath, Democratic President Joe Biden pledged that the federal government would pay for 100% of the new bridge  which the federal government has done in other disaster situations  but that has not yet been coded into law. When a federal highway is built, as will be the case when the bridge carrying Interstate 695 is constructed, the default is for the federal government to pay 90%; if thats the case, it would leave Maryland to pay the remaining 10%, approximately $170 million.

Whether or not the federal government fully funds the new bridge could impact how much state tolls are increase in the coming years, the transportation authority said.
Trader Joes is recalling around 653,000 mango-tangerine-scented candles for a fire hazard, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The grocery store chain issued a recall on Aug. 15 after discovering that the candle flame could spread from the wick to the wax, and in turn, cause a larger-than-expected flame, the CPSC reports.

The scented candles, with SKU number 56879 on the bottom of the tin container, were sold in June 2024, the CPSC said.

The CPSC noted there have been 14 reports of incidents involving high flames with the candles. Of those reports, three included minor property damage and two involved minor burns.

Customers who purchased the recalled candles are urged to immediately stop use of the product and return the candle for a full cash refund of $4, as stated by the CPSC.

If you do not visit a physical store location, you can complete the Product Feedback Form online at https://www.traderjoes.com/home/contact-us/product-feedback to receive a $4 Trader Joes gift card by mail. According to the CPSC, customer relations will respond requesting a receipt or a photo of the product.
By Seth Borenstein and Charlotte Graham-McLay, The Associated Press

NUKUALOFA, Tonga  Highlighting seas that are rising at an accelerating rate, especially in the far more vulnerable Pacific island nations, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued yet another climate SOS to the world. This time he said those initials stand for save our seas.

The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization Monday issued reports on worsening sea level rise, turbocharged by a warming Earth and melting ice sheets and glaciers. They highlight how the Southwestern Pacific is not only hurt by the rising oceans, but by other climate change effects of ocean acidification and marine heat waves.

Guterres toured Samoa and Tonga and made his climate plea from Tongas capital on Tuesday at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, whose member countries are among those most imperiled by climate change. Next month the United Nations General Assembly holds a special session to discuss rising seas.

This is a crazy situation, Guterres said. Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanitys making. A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.

A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril, he said. The ocean is overflowing.

A report that Guterres office commissioned found that sea level lapping against Tongas capital Nukualofa had risen 21 centimeters (8.3 inches) between 1990 and 2020, twice the global average of 10 centimeters (3.9 inches). Apia, Samoa, has seen 31 centimeters (1 foot) of rising seas, while Suva-B, Fiji has had 29 centimeters (11.4 inches).

This puts Pacific Island nations in grave danger, Guterres said. About 90% of the regions people live within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the rising oceans, he said.

Since 1980, coastal flooding in Guam has jumped from twice a year to 22 times a year. Its gone from five times a year to 43 times a year in the Cook Islands. In Pago Pago, American Samoa, coastal flooding went from zero to 102 times a year, according to the WMO State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2023 report.

High school students march for climate justice as Pacific leaders meet in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)AP

While the western edges of the Pacific are seeing sea level rise about twice the global average, the central Pacific is closer to the global average, the WMO said.

Sea levels are rising faster in the western tropical Pacific because of where the melting ice from western Antarctica heads, warmer waters and ocean currents, UN officials said.

Guterres said he can see changes since the last time he was in the region in May 2019.

While he met in Nukualofa on Tuesday with Pacific nations on the environment at their leaders annual summit, a hundred local high school students and activists from across the Pacific marched for climate justice a few blocks away.

One of the marchers was Itinterunga Rae of the Barnaban Human Rights Defenders Network, whose people were forced generations ago to relocate to Fiji from their Kiribati island home due to environmental degradation. Rae said abandoning Pacific islands should not be seen as a solution to rising seas.

We promote climate mobility as a solution to be safe from your island thats been destroyed by climate change, but its not the safest option, he said. Barnabans have been cut off from the source of their culture and heritage, he said.

The alarm is justified, said S. Jeffress Williams, a retired U.S. Geological Survey sea level scientist. He said its especially bad for the Pacific islands because most of the islands are at low elevations, so people are more likely to get hurt. Three outside experts said the sea level reports accurately reflect whats happening.

The Pacific is getting hit hard despite only producing 0.2% of heat-trapping gases causing climate change and expanding oceans, the UN said. The largest chunk of the sea rise is from melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. Melting land glaciers add to that, and warmer water also expands based on the laws of physics.

FILE - Tourists watch the sun set along a popular beach in Tamuning, Guam, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)AP

Antarctic and Greenland melting has greatly accelerated over the past three to four decades due to high rate of warming at the poles, Williams, who was not part of the reports, said in an email.

About 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases goes into the oceans, the UN said.

Globally, sea level rise has been accelerating, the UN report said, echoing peer-reviewed studies. The rate is now the fastest it has been in 3,000 years, Guterres said.

Between 1901 and 1971, the global average sea rise was 1.3 centimeters a decade, according to the UN report. Between 1971 and 2006 it jumped to 1.9 centimeters per decade, then between 2006 and 2018 it was up to 3.7 centimeters a decade. The last decade, seas have risen 4.8 centimeters (1.9 inches).

The UN report also highlighted cities in the richest 20 nations, which account for 80% of the heat-trapping gases, where rising seas are lapping at large population centers. Those cities where sea level rise in the past 30 years has been at least 50% higher than the global average include Shanghai; Perth, Australia; London; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Boston; Miami; and New Orleans.

New Orleans topped the list with 10.2 inches (26 centimeters) of sea level rise between 1990 and 2020. UN officials highlighted the flooding in New York City during 2012s Superstorm Sandy as worsened by rising seas. A 2021 study said climate-driven sea level rise added $8 billion to the storms costs.

Guterres is amping up his rhetoric on what he calls climate chaos and urged richer nations to step up efforts to reduce carbon emissions, end fossil fuel use and help poorer nations. Yet countries energy plans show them producing double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than the amount that would limit warming to internationally agreed upon levels, a 2023 UN report found.

Borenstein reported from Kensington, Maryland.

Follow Seth Borenstein and Charlotte Graham-McLay on X at @borenbears and @CGrahamMcLay

Read more of APs climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment

The Associated Press climate and environmental 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.
Hundreds of elderly and disabled residents at a Harrisburg high-rise apartment building were trapped inside their homes, forced to use the stairway, or stuck outdoors after a second elevator stopped working Monday.

Issues began after the other elevator stopped working at the Linden Terrace apartments at 1201 N. Front St. on Friday, forcing a majority of the tenants who use wheelchairs and walkers to use the other elevator.
Central Dauphin School District has announced an early dismissal for several of its elementary schools because of temperatures forecast to exceed 90 degrees the next two days.

Per a Facebook post, the forecast for excessive heat and heat indexes prompted district plans to dismiss the following schools at noon on Tuesday and Wednesday:

Chambers Hill Elementary

E.H. Phillips Elementary

Linglestown Elementary

Mountain View Elementary

North Side Elementary

Paxtonia Elementary

Before dismissal, students will be rotated through designated cool zones as appropriate, the post said, adding that lunch will be served before students are dismissed.

Students who attend kindergarten in the morning will ride the regular elementary buses at dismissal. Afternoon kindergarten is canceled for both days.

The district is working on a plan to address the HVAC in all six buildings and more information will be shared when a plan is completed, Superintendent Eric Turman said in the post.
Press Release

August 27, 2024 Senate okays August 1 as Bacoor Day The Senate on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2690 or the Bacoor Assembly of 1898 Act. The bill declared August 1 of every year as a special working holiday to be known as the "Araw ng Paglalathala at Pagtatanyag ng Kasarinlan ng Pilipinas." "This is in recognition and commemoration of the promulgation of the declaration of Philippine Independence during the Bacoor Assembly in Bacoor, Cavite on August 1, 1898 which was subsequently ratified by the Malolos Congress as Acta Agosto Uno," it stated. Sen. Loren Legarda, sponsor of the bill, said the Bacoor Assembly that transpired on August 1, 1898 "was erroneously dubbed by previous historians as the ratification of independence. But the truth is, the Bacoor Assembly was convened to publish and to let our independence be known to the world." ' She said it was Apolinario Mabini who wrote and prepared the Acta de Independencia, signed by around 200 elected local officials representing 16 provinces. Then President Emilio Aguinaldo approved the said Act of Independence which was eventually disseminated worldwide. The Malolos Congress ratified such an important document on September 29, 1898. "With the passage of this bill, we will be able to properly commemorate this significant event in our history as an equally important event during our campaign for independence," Legarda said. Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., principal author of the bill, thanked Legarda for shepherding the bill. "Our recognition of the First day of August every year as a special working holiday is a symbol of turning the pages of our rich history. This is the result of studying and researching our experiences. And our sole purpose is to acknowledge the role played by the Bacoor Assembly of 1898 in liberating the people held captive by foreigners," Revilla said in Filipino. Under the approved bill, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts is mandated to promote the historical significance of August 1 and the events surrounding the Bacoor Assembly of 1898. The Department of Education shall develop and implement lesson plans that highlight the importance of this day, ensuring that students are educated about its relevance and importance.
A University at Buffalo researcher was recently awarded a nearly $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop new, powerful antibiotics to fight bacteria that have developed resistance to more traditional antibiotic drugs.

Dr. Yanan Nancy Zhao, who joined UBs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in March, is working on creating a novel antibiotic that can attack gram-negative bacteria, which cause serious infections such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis.

Gram-negative bacteria are the leading cause of more than a million infections and more than 100,000 deaths within health care facilities in the United States each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Infections from these bacteria are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to antimicrobial resistance. The $3.9 million, five-year grant will help Zhao and her co-investigator, Dr. Liang Chen, develop a novel antibiotic within the class called biamyxins, which bind tightly to a part of the bacterial outer membrane, allowing them to effectively kill the bacteria.

The grant is one the largest NIH grants awarded to the pharmacy school, said Brian Tsuji, UB professor and associate dean for clinical and translational sciences.

Zhao and Chen were both recruited by UB from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in New Jersey, and brought their high-level research with them this past spring.

UB is on a quest to recruit more researchers who can attract large federal grants as part of its goal to reach $1 billion in research funding, among the measures of a Top 25 public research university, by 2030.

The recruitment of Dr. Chen and Dr. Zhao serves as a major catalyst to create a dream team of world-leading, NIH-funded investigators in translational therapeutics to combat the worlds most pressing problems in infectious disease and save countless lives, said Gary Pollock, dean of the UB pharmacy school.

So far, Zhaos and Chens antibiotic research has proven effective in mice and rats.

We are very enthusiastic that we will create a novel drug candidate that meets the criteria to enter the investigational new drug enabling stage, which is a cornerstone of the drug development process, Zhao said. It helps researchers predict safety concerns and estimate safe and efficacious starting doses for clinical trials.

At the same time, another UB pharmacy researcher has received a federal grant to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria with bacteriophages  viruses that attack bacteria  as an alternative to antibiotic treatment.

Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-Buffalo, announced earlier this month that Nicholas Smith, assistant professor of pharmacy practice at UB, will receive $714,053 from U.S. Health and Human Services National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

Bacteriophage therapy was discovered in the early 1900s, but is still considered experimental treatment due to the reliance on antibiotic use in recent history. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics have contributed to resistance, while the development of novel antibiotics over the last decade has been sparse, UB said.

Smith will work with leading clinical pharmacologists, phage biologists, bacterial geneticists and chemists at UB and San Diego State University to identify the best strategy to combine multiple bacteriophages into an effective cocktail to fight antibiotic-resistant infections,

As we face the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, discovering new ways to combat drug-resistant infections is essential, Pollack said. Dr. Smith and his teams work in developing effective phage-based therapies plays a vital role in reducing the impact of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and addressing a critical public health challenge.

UB Dental diversity program recognized

For the third year in a row, the UB School of Dental Medicines Destination Dental School summer gateway program has received the Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

UB will be featured in the September issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine, along with 82 other schools that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter STEM fields.

It is extremely rewarding to receive national recognition for this distinctive pathway program, says Dr. Marcelo W.B. Araujo, dean of the School of Dental Medicine.

Making STEM fields, including dentistry, available to students from all backgrounds is more important than ever," Araujo said. "The kind of turnout Destination Dental School enjoys, combined with the feedback we receive from participants, demonstrates that it fulfills a real need. I am proud of our faculty, staff and dental students for making the program such a success.

DDS is an intensive gateway experience for undergraduate students and bachelor degree recipients interested in careers in dentistry. The program prepares people who have been historically underrepresented in the profession to successfully apply to dental school.

THE LATEST

Rachel's Mediterranean Grill went on an expansion kick. It didn't turn out well.

Odoo has big plans for its Buffalo office.

A Rochester developer is planning a town center for an aging Olean mall site.

Hiring has slowed to a crawl across the Buffalo Niagara region.

A big housing project could be coming to the Pilgrim Village site.

The redevelopment of the Northland Corridor got a boost from a pair of grants from National Grid.

Fisher-Price is launching another line of Buffalo Bills-themed Little People.

A local startup wrapped up a round of fundraising.

Here's how the local unemployment rate changed during July.

An Abbott Road funeral home could be torn down to make way for a new building with apartments and commercial space.

Developer Scott Croce is planning a project to bring commercial space and apartments to downtown Ellicottville.

Batavia manufacturer Graham Inc. is building a big addition to its factory.

ICYMI

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. Orchard Park officials hope proposed zoning law changes will spur development around the new Buffalo Bills stadium.

2. The new Buffalo Bills stadium will be protected by Florian, an AI-enabled incident command platform from Buffalo tech startup 3AM Innovation.

3. Ever wonder what it's like to go on a three-minute shopping spree? It takes hours of preparation, and get ready to run.

4. Orchard Park officials are working on plans to capitalize on development opportunities around the new Buffalo Bills stadium.

5. Canisius University is making progress in its push to adapt to the changing college landscape.

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.
Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden will make their first appearance together since she became the Democratic presidential nominee in Pennsylvania this Labor Day.

The Harris-Walz campaign and the White House only said that Harris and Biden would appear at a campaign event on Monday, which will also be when Pittsburghs famous Labor Day parade is held.

Harris and vice president running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will lead a campaign blitz across battleground states on Monday with Harris starting the day in Detroit before joining Biden in Pittsburgh.

Walz and his wife will spend Labor Day in Milwaukee, while campaign surrogates will be attending events in North Carolina, Nevada and Georgia.

Harris was just in the Pittsburgh area Aug. 18 as she and Walz kicked off a bus tour at Pittsburgh International Airport that took them through Beaver and Allegheny counties before they flew to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Biden has made Pittsburgh a regular Labor Day stop in the past, including walking the parade route and speaking to union workers.

An unabashed union supporter, Biden last came to Pittsburgh in April when he spoke to a crowd gathered at the United Steelworkers International headquarters.

At that time, Darrin Kelly, the president of the Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council, told PennLive that Biden was the most worker-friendly president in the history of our great country.

Poll aggregator RealClearPolitics.com says the average Pennsylvania poll now has Trump over Harris by 0.2 percentage points, making it a statistical tie.
The Houston Texans are releasing veteran wide receiver Noah Brown, who has dealt with a shoulder injury all preseason, and he will hit the market. As a vested veteran, Brown does not have to clear waivers, and the fit with the Steelers seems rather perfect.

Brown, a big-bodied blocking receiver that also played for the Dallas Cowboys, had over 500 receiving yards in 2023 as the WR3 on the Texans team down the stretch. He is a high-level blocker and has been a gunner in the past, all characteristics that the Steelers would love in the wide receiver they add to the team.

Brown will likely have multiple suitors around the NFL, though. The Steelers were one of the teams that called the Texans about their wide receiver situation, which includes Brown, and they are interested in the wide receiver. Brown and Tim Patrick profile as the two likeliest candidates to help fill the Steelers wide receiver void, while former Steelers wide receiver Miles Boykin is a player who could check all the boxes as a special teamer.

Either way, the Steelers will consider the seventh-round pick out of Ohio State a potential big-play receiver who can block at a high level and add special teams value. The New Jersey native was a free agent this past offseason and signed with the Texans on a one-year deal.
The warning was for Eastern Montgomery and Lower Bucks as well as Delaware and Philadelphia counties.

"The threat has ended," states the National Weather Service.

Mastering the heat: Weather service Guidelines for staying safe in high temperatures

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids.

Find cool shelter: Stay in an air-conditioned room.

Avoid sun exposure: Avoid direct sun exposure, protect yourself and check on vulnerable relatives and neighbors.

Child and pet safety: Do not leave young children and pets unattended in vehicles when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

Caution outdoors: If you work or spend time outside, be sure to take additional safety measures.

Select the ideal time: If possible, move strenuous activities to early morning or evening for more favorable conditions.

Recognize heat-related issues: Learn to identify the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Dress comfortably: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to stay comfortable.

Additional tips for outdoor workers:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for outdoor workers.

If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.

In emergency situations, dial 911 for immediate assistance.

These NWS heat safety recommendations are vital for your well-being during periods of high temperatures. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others from the heat's potentially dangerous effects.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
In this 2016 file photo by the Victoria Times Colonist, Seamus McAlonan, 4, checks out a thermal-imaging camera with firefighter Josh Montgomery after the Victoria Fire Department put out a fire at the boys house.
WATCH: Three Team 888poker Players Return For Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link

888poker has released the fifth and final episode of its exciting World Series of Poker (WSOP) docuseries on its YouTube channel. The video series followed Team 888poker's progress in the 2024 WSOP Main Event.

Episode 4 ended with only three team members still searching for the $10 million top prize. Jack "JaackMaate" Dean, Vivian Saliba, and Aaron Barone headed into Day 3 of the $10,000 Main Event hoping to reach the money bubble, survive it, and remain in contention to become poker's world champion.

Although he managed to turn 30,000 chips into 150,500 on Day 2, the third day was Dean's last in the Main Event. Having lost a large pot with king-queen against an opponent's dominating ace-king, Dean committed the rest of his stack with jack-ten only for the same opponent to look him up with ace-jack.

Barone didn't fare much better, although he got to play with the legendary Phil Ivey. Having moved tables, Barone found himself with the 11-time bracelet winner a few seats to his left. Finding himself down to 18 big blinds, Barone three-bet shoved with pocket fives over an Ivey opening raise. Barone wanted to double up or bust at Ivey's hands, but it was not meant to be. Another player re-jammed with ace-king, and won the flip against Barone.

The eliminations of Dean and Barone left Saliba as the sole representative of 888poker. The Brazilian sensation made it to the end of Day 3 with 675,000 chips, or a shade over 84 big blinds going into Day 4.

The money bubble was expected to burst on Day 3, but the curtain came down on proceedings only seven players short of the money places.

WSOP Main Event Bubble

Saliba returned for Day 4 and sailed through the money bubble, locking in at least a min-cash for her efforts. Although Saliba managed to win a few pots during the bubble period, she endured a dreadful level where she lost almost every pot she was involved in, leaving her with 11 big blinds after the scheduled dinner break.

There was no miraculous spin-up for Saliba because she found herself all-in with ace-ten against her opponent's pocket sevens, and those sevens improved to a set on the flop, and an unnecessary full house on the river. Saliba banked $27,500 for a 722nd place finish. Good game.

Although Saliba was the only 888poker team member to cash in the 2024 WSOP Main Event, you can bet your bottom dollar that each member will jet off to Las Vegas in the summer of 2025 and take another shot at becoming poker's world champion, doing so under the watchful eyes of the 888poker videographer team.

Keep your browsers locked to PokerNews and the 888poker YouTube channel if you want to catch the episodes of Team 888poker in Las Vegas.

Keep Tabs on 888poker MTTs with the PokerNews Online Tournament Calendar

The PokerNews Online Tournament Calendar is a free-to-use tool built into the PokerNews website that enables you to find upcoming and in-play multi-tables tournaments on poker sites like 888poker, PartyPoker, and PokerStars. By using the intuitive filters, you can narrow down your search and find the perfect 888poker tournament for you, your bankroll, and your needs.

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Maxime Jutras Conquers the $300 Colossus at WSOP Circuit Playground

Alek Gillies Live Reporter Copy link

I knew at that moment I was winning, an elated Maxime Jutras shared with PokerNews referencing a text exchange he had with his brother going into the final table of the 2024 World Series of Poker Circuit $300 Colossus. And, after nearly 11 hours of play, Jutras did just that as he reigned supreme at Playground, last defeating Amireza-Jaberi in heads-up play to take home the top prize of 85,000 CAD and his first piece of WSOP hardware.

Im feeling pretty good, an understandably excited Jutras shared with PokerNews after being asked how he felt about this victory. He texted his brother that he was going to get the first position to which his brother replied lets do it.

When asked about his strategy for the final table, Jutras said, I changed my play to be more aggressive. When only two people left, I could apply pressure, and I think that won me the tournament.

I was thinking about going to the Main Event in Vegas, Jutras explained when asked about plans with the money. Im not sure, though Ill think about it, Jutras added before celebrating his victory with friends.

WSOPC Playground $300 Colossus Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (CAD) 1 Maxime Jutras Canada $85,000 2 Amireza Jaberi Canada $52,000 3 Ruoxiao Shi United States $34,070 4 Stefano Di Salvo Canada $26,000 5 Christopher Blair United States $21,000 6 Mohammad Saadeghvaziri United States $17,000 7 Bryan Lin Canada $14,000 8 Ysrael-Masliah Moryoussef Canada $11,000 9 Pascal Gregoire Canada $8,000

Final Day Action

The Colossus, the first of 2024 World Series of Poker Circuit $300 Colossus[/B]"]15 WSOP-C ring events during this series, was a massive success for Playground. It attracted 2,402 entrants and created a 564,470 CAD prize pool, surpassing the 500,000 CAD guarantee.

Jutras began the day as a shorter stack of the field with 212,000 chips at the start of Day 2. Despite facing an uphill battle, Jutras fought tooth and nail through ladder after ladder. He was able to best early chip leaders such as Bibek Karki to soar to the final table.

Bibek Karki

Jacob Dugal and Mohammad Saadeghvaziri started the day as chip leaders and continued to apply pressure to add to their stacks. Both players made deep runs, finishing sixth and 11th, respectively.

Ruoxiao Shi began the final table with the chip lead and used patience to choose optimal spots against his opponents. Jutras picked up chips early on and implemented a style of aggression.

Ruoxiao Shi

As play became shorter-handed, Jutras stepped on the gas to apply pressure to the smaller stacks at the table. At times, it looked like this strategy would backfire as he got it in an overwhelming underdog against Shi. However, he found a dream river to eliminate Shi to take the chip lead.

Heads up play was short lived as Jutras moved all in and was called by Jaberi. Jutras Big Slick held to secure him the victory and his most significant tournament cash to date.

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A Waiting Hand No More: Yvan Gravel Wins His First Ring in Event #2 $400 Monster Stack

Alek Gillies Live Reporter Copy link

Ive been waiting for that ring for a long time, shared an ecstatic Yvan Gravel with PokerNews. After eleven hours of play, a winner has emerged in Event #2: $400 Monster Stack here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Montreal at Playground. Gravel bested Michael Malouin to take home $40,000 and his first WSOPC circuit ring.

Winners Interview

I feel great Im very happy right now. The joy was noticeable as Gravel showed his excitement after winning his first WSOPC ring.

When asked if there was a turning point for his tournament, Gravel replied Only in the second half of the final table believe it or not. I started getting cards and it worked out.

As for his future plans with the money, Gravel explained that he was definitely going to Vegas. I go every winter. Its too hot in the summer.

Yvan Gravel

Final Table Results

Place Player Hometown Prize (CAD) 1 Yvan Gravel Cornwall $40,000* 2 Michael Malouin Montreal $27,210* 3 Kevin Lussier Acton Vale $18,000* 4 Carla Sabini Pointe-Claire $14,000* 5 Etienne Leduc Sainte-Anne de la Perade $11,000* 6 Christian Benoit Laval $8,500 7 Anthony Comand Laval $6,500 8 Paul Duval Bath $5,000 9 Sylviane Michee-Blanc Montreal $3,800

*Denotes a five-way deal

Final Day Action

The second circuit event of the series attracted 707 entrants, generating a prize pool of CAD 233,310 to clear the $200,000 guarantee.

Rohit Kaul enjoyed the chip lead for most of the first half of the day scoring multiple eliminations early on.. Although Micheal Hales overtook the lead when his queens held up against big slick, Kaul took this momentum all the way to a 17th place finish. Hales finished a little further, making it to 11th place.

Carla Sabini was under the radar for most of the day until she gained the chip lead at the two-table redraw with 4,450,000 chips. From that point, she bulldozed her way to the final table. Eliminations were rapid with an exceptionally brutal cooler happening against Kauls aces. Shortly after, the unofficial final table was set with Christian Benoit leading the pack (6,640,000).

WSOPC Playground Monster Stack final table

Sabini found the first elimination, sending Ryan Leeming to the rail. Sylviane Michee-Blanc and the short-stacked Paul Duval fell shortly after. The previous winner of this event in the prior series Anthony Comand was unable to win back-to-back Monster Stacks as he fell in seventh place. Finally, Benoit was sent home as his two pair was outmatched by a turned straight.

The remaining five players agreed to an ICM chop, leaving $11,030 and the WSOPC Ring for the winner. Play seemed to slow, but Etienne Leduc was the next to be sent home. Shortly after, Sabinis run came to a halt when her two pair was bested by a flopped set.

After doubling up through Kevin Lussier, Gravel sent Lussier home with a podium finish. Gravel seized the chip lead and fought hard to whittle Malouin down to a short stack. Eventually, Malouin was forced to move all in and was sent home in 2nd place.

Heads Up

That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event, but stay tuned as we continue to bring you all the action for the rest of the World Series of Poker Circuit events here at Playground.

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The 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona got off to a hot start today, with Day 1a of the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) Main Event drawing 338 entrants by the time late registration ended. Following nearly 17 levels of play, just 51 managed to find a bag and secure their seat into Day 2.

Leading the way by a large margin is Mexican poker pro Jose Nadal, who managed to bag up a staggering 882,000 by the time the final hand was completed. His next closest competitor is Valentino Konakchiev, who ended with 512,000. Rounding out the top three is Brian Battistone, who also cleared the half-million mark with 510,000 here at Casino Barcelona.

Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chip Count 1 Jose Nadal Mexico 882,000 2 Valentino Konakchiev Bulgaria 512,000 3 Brian Battistone United States 510,000 4 Tero Laurila Finland 505,000 5 Borja Martinez Spain 478,000 6 Tudor Zapsa Moldova 441,000 7 Jose Gonzalez Sanchez Spain 394,000 8 Bogdan Petrascu Romania 370,000 9 Sergiy Antonov Ukraine 347,000 10 Kevin Kent United States 333,000

Barny Boatman

Day 1a Action

Day 1a began with 86 players taking their seats and it didn't take long for the chips to start flying. EPT Paris Main Event Winner and PokerStars Ambassador Barny Boatman got off to an eventful start after doubling up with a runner-runner flush early on. Boatman had a bit of a roller coaster day, finding himself amongst the chip leaders at various points before slipping to a below-average stack late in the day. Boatman ultimately ended with a respectable 300,000 after doubling up through fellow PokerStars Ambassador Maria Konnikova during the last level with pocket queens.

Nadal was responsible for several eliminations throughout the day en route to emerging as the chip leader and, despite taking a big hit to his stack late in the day after running pocket jacks into Konachiev's cowboys, Nadal wouldn't be denied.

Nadal added massively to his stack during the Day-2 bubble after forcing a tough laydown from Anton Gililov and fading a lot of outs to eliminate Sean Jazayeri on the stone bubble to end play for the night.

Other notables who made it into Day 2 include "Hollywood" Dave Stann (38,000), Konnikova (75,000), Vladas Tamasauskas (146,000), Archibald Seaton (202,000), and 2024 Irish Open Main Event Champion Tero Laurila (505,000).

All players who earned a Day-2 berth have already made the money, although the exact amount of a min-cash won't be calculated until after all starting flights have been played to completion.

Among the less fortunate who entered but fell short of Day 2 include Fabian Rolli, Nicholas Palma, PokerStars Ambassador Parker Talbot, Shiina Okamoto, and Jari Mahonen, who lost a race with queens against Borja Martinez's big slick late in the day.

All players who failed to make it to Day 2 still have several chances left as the event has six more starting flights. Day 1c is the next flight, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 27 at 11 a.m. local time. Day 2 will take place on Friday, August 30 at 11 a.m.

Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the action as the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event is just getting warmed up!
The $10,200 Mystery Bounty event, running at Casino Barcelona as part of the PokerStars European Poker Tour, has now concluded and a new champion has been crowned.

That champion is Boris Angelov, a player who has been on more than a bit of a heater as of late. Angelov finished second in the 2024 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event for 620,500 and then went on to finish fourth in the WSOP Main Event for a lifechanging score of $2,500,000.

Although his win in the Mystery Bounty might not quite hit those figures, Angelov has now locked up a much deserved PokerStars trophy and a first place finish that cements his name among the greats.

As well as the trophy, Angelov walked away with 110,400 for first place, along with 75,000 in bounties, for a total of 185,400.

$10,200 Mystery Bounty Final Table Results

Rank Player Country Prize Bounties Total Prize 1 Boris Angelov Bulgaria  110,400  75,000  185,400 2 Ren Lin China  71,200  37,500  108,700 3 Sondre Svanevik Norway  50,800  10,000  60,800 4 Sam Greenwood Canada  39,100  55,000  94,100 5 Cristian David Romania  31,300  0  31,300 6 Thomas Lee Australia  25,000  15,000  40,000 7 Erik Seidel USA  20,000  7,500  27,500 8 Thomas Haverstad Norway  16,000  7,500  23,500

Final Day Recap

The 10,200 Mystery Bounty event attracted 88 entries, which made for a total prize pool of 413,600. By the end of Day 1, 39 players bagged and tagged, while and a further 12 jumped in before the end of late registration for a field of 51 players at the start of Day 2.

That field was quickly reduced as players dropped left, right and center. Among the early bustouts was Nacho Barbero, as well as PokerStars ambassadors Sam Grafton and Elias Gutierrez.

By the mid-point of the day, Angelov had had already started to accumulate a decent stack. He came into Day 2 fifth in chips and scored an early double knockout and other soon-to-be final tablists gained chips too, including Sam Greenwood and Paul Lagan.

Lagan doubled up right on the bubble as Albert Martinez hit the rail, the final player to bust before the money.

It wasn't long after the bubble had burst that the field was reduced to nine and the unofficial final table was set.

Final Table Set - Lagan Pulls Bounties

Paul Lagan

With the final table set and the bounty chest open for business, Lagan headed to exchange his tokens during the break and ended up pulling out one of only two top prizes of 50,000.

He sat back down at the table and soon after was involved in a hand against Angelov. The action escalated and by the river Angelov had moved all in. Lagan called and Angelov turned over top set with a pair of kings. Lagan threw his pocket fours on the table having flopped a lower set and then took his leave from the table.

On his way out though, it was time for one more trip to the bounty chest. Lagan pulled a 10,000 envelope and then exchanged his second token. On his final pull, he let out a cheer as he drew the second and last 50,000 bounty from the box.

He may have finished ninth for a humble prize of 12,800 but, with bounties added, Lagan's total for the tournament stood at 130,300, the second biggest haul of anyone in the event.

Ren Lin Mounts Comeback

Ren Lin

By this point, Angelov had a significant lead on the final table, eliminating Hall of Famer Erik Seidel in seventh place along the way. It looked like the tourney was his all his. But Ren Lin was about to mount a comeback.

Lin had been nursing a short stack for a while, even falling to around six big blinds before doubling and then tripling up his stack. Lin knocked out Greenwood in fourth place and Sondre Svanevik in third to take the Mystery Bounty to heads-up.

Angelov Overcomes Lin in Heads-Up Battle

Chip stacks were pretty much even as Angelov and Lin returned from a break to take their seat in the heads-up match, the trophy on the table anyone's for the taking. Lin soon managed to take and then extend his lead, winning a couple of showdowns and all ins to reduce Angelov's stack down to shoving size.

It could all have been over when Angelov shoved the button and Lin called with the better hand, but Angelov got the double up and started to fight back.

Moments later, Angelov made a flush to regain the momentum and the pair went back and forth until the inevitable confrontation happened. Both players paired their hands to make two pair on the board and the money went in the middle over the course of three streets. Angelov had the higher pair to win the pot, the tournament, and the trophy.

That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the 10,200 Mystery Bounty. There's still loads more to come at the EPT Barcelona, so check out the coverage hub for more action.
238 people who worked for John McCain, George W. Bush, and Mitt Romney have endorsed Kamala Harris.

The letter reads:

Four years ago, President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain, and then-Gov. Mitt Romney alumni came together to warn fellow Republicans that re-electing President Trump would be a disaster for our nation. In those declarations we stated the plain truth, each predicting that another four years of a Trump presidency would irreparably damage our beloved democracy.

We made those announcements months before lies about a stolen election became everyday talking points and six months before Trump incited an insurrection, cheering on a mob of sore losers and sycophants as they tried to use force to overturn the will of the American public.

We reunite today, joined by new George H.W. Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements and, for the first time, jointly declare that were voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz this November.

Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz. Thats to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable.

At home, another four years of Donald Trumps chaotic leadership, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions.

Abroad, democratic movements will be irreparably jeopardized as Trump and his acolyte JD Vance kowtow to dictators like Vladimir Putin while turning their backs on our allies.

We cant let that happen.

We know now, thanks to exit polling and voter data, that it was moderate Republicans and conservative independents in key swing states that ultimately delivered the presidency to Joe Biden honest, hardworking Americans in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and beyond that put country far before party. Were heartfully calling on these friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family members to take a brave stand once more, to vote for leaders that will strive for consensus, not chaos; that will work to unite, not divide; that will make our country and our children proud.

Those leaders are Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz.

The stakes in this election are bigger than partisan politics. Republicans and conservatives who care about democracy and love their country are stepping up because the threat posed by Trump is more important than any policy disagreement.

Trump has been trying to sell the false notion that he is the leader of a mass movement when he is leading a democracy death cult.

The large majority are those who oppose Donald Trump and what he stands for, and if this majority stays together, Donald Trump and MAGA will not only lose an election but will be banished from American politics.
Gov. Brian Kemp is asking the attorney general if he has the authority to remove MAGA members from the Georgia election board.

Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal Constitution posted, Update: Kemps office is asking the AG for guidance on whether he has the authority to remove members of the State Election Board. Voting rights groups, Democrats and even some Republicans have raised alarms about the rightwing majoritys recent votes.

Update: Kemps office is asking the AG for guidance on whether he has the authority to remove members of the State Election Board. Voting rights groups, Democrats and even some Republicans have raised alarms about the rightwing majoritys recent votes. #gapol https://t.co/XcMfdAzkbR pic.twitter.com/SSuacGTs0d  Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) August 26, 2024

Three Republican members who allies of Trump have had ethics complaints filed against them as they are passing rules

that would delay the certification of the 2024 election results in the state and cause chaos.

Gov. Brian Kemp is about as Republican as Republican can be, but he is not an election denier, and became an enemy in Trumps mind after he refused to go along with the ex-presidents plot to overturn the 2020 election.

It appears that Kemp is investigating if he has the legal authority to remove the three MAGAs from the election board and likely replace them with non-election denies. Trump supporters are already going ballistic over the idea that Kemp may take this action, but democracy should come ahead of any party or candidate, and if Kemp can do it, he is likely going to stop Trump trying to steal an election in Georgia.
Special Counsel Jack Smith revised his indictment of former President Trump to comply with the conservative Supreme Court majoritys ruling on presidential immunity.

According to The New York Times:

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday issued a revised version of an indictment accusing former President Donald J. Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, stripping out some charges in order to help it survive the Supreme Courts recent ruling granting former presidents broad immunity for official acts in office.



Perhaps the most significant change between the 36-page superseding indictment and the original 45-page indictment was that Mr. Smiths deputies removed all the allegations concerning Mr. Trumps attempts to strong-arm the Justice Department into supporting his false claims that the election had been rigged against him.

The four counts that Trump is facing remained the same. The only adjustment made was to account for the Supreme Courts immunity ruling when it came to pressuring the DOJ. The issues related to Trumps pressuring of Mike Pence will be up to the court to decide.

Donald Trump has played his Supreme Court card, and the 1/6 charges are still in tact.

Trump will not be able to rely on the Supreme Court to make this case go away, and after Smith likely wins his appeal, the classified documents case will be back as well.

The ex-presidents only hope is to win back the White House and make the 1/6 case disappear because otherwise, Jack Smith has made his indictment comply with the Supreme Court.
Trump and his campaign were warned more than a week in advance that the Butler rally site was dangerous and would be a disaster, but the warnings were ignored.

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), a Trump ally who is leading the congressional task force investigating the assassination attempt, said that he warned the campaign about the dangers of the Butler site.

NOTUS reported:

I made a statement [to the campaign] when they first told me that, I said, You cant do it there. Its too small. The idea was that they had already made a decision, but its not the right place. The answer came back, Well, weve already made a decision. I said, Well, then, who did the site visit? And the answer back was, Congressman, we told you weve already made a decision, Kelly said. That answer told me that nobodys been here.

I said to them, You guys made the wrong decision. This is going to be very dangerous. And they said, Well, weve already made the decision. So from that point on, I was concerned, Kelly said.

As someone who grew up down the road from the Butler site, I can tell you that it was a terrible place to hold a campaign rally. It is rural and virtually impossible to secure effectively, as Rep. Kelly noted, the rampant road construction throughout Western Pennsylvania this summer made the venue even less safe.

None of this excuses the Secret Service, but as Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) who is also serving on the task force investigating the assassination attempt told CNNs Jim Acosta, the Secret Service is not allowed to veto campaign location choices.

Video of Moskowitz:

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) tells @Acosta that Congress is looking at whether the site of the Trump assassination attempt was too dangerous and should not have been picked. "We're looking at whether or not this site should have been picked at all." pic.twitter.com/CCGWJWDDck  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 27, 2024

There were clear security failures, but the Trump campaign was at a place that they shouldnt have been at because they needed to book a smaller venue, because Trump is having trouble drawing big crowds, and he doesnt have the money to book bigger sites, the the large Butler County venue that he used in 2020.

There were a number of failures that led to the assassination attempt, but the situation could have been avoided if Trump and his campaign would have heeded warnings about their choice of venue.
Santee Cooper is proposing to meet some of the growing demand on its electric grid by investing $470 million to add a turbine that creates power from steam at its Rainey Generating Station in Anderson County.

The state-owned utility's management on Aug. 27 asked for authorization to begin the environmental permitting process for the project with the S.C. Public Service Commission. The board unanimously approved the request at its meeting in Pinopolis.

The goal is to begin construction near the town of Iva next year and complete the expansion by early 2028.

The new turbine would be driven by high-pressure steam created by heat from two of the existing natural gas units at the Rainey plant, said John Dills, Santee Cooper's director of new generation.

It will deliver an additional 178 megawatts of electricity for the Moncks Corner-based utility, or about enough to serve 89,000 homes.

The retrofitting project won't create any new air pollution, though the volume of emissions will increase because the gas units will need to run more frequently.

"The plant is going to be more efficient because the heat rate will come down," added Mike Finissi, chief operations officer at Santee Cooper.

"We do need capacity," he added.

Rainey was completed in January 2002 at a cost of nearly $400 million. Last year, Santee Cooper identified the Upstate plant in its long-term energy forecasting plan as one of the sites that could be expanded to offset the loss of coal-fired units that are being retired.

Repurposing the waste heat that is already being produced ... will help ensure reliable power to a growing population across the Santee Cooper system, CEO Jimmy Staton said in a written statement.
Go to a fundraiser at Hobcaw Brewing, see the Plain White T's and other concerts, laugh at a comedy show, enjoy an art exhibit or Charleston Fashion Week, slam at a poetry meet, listen to director Spike Lee's discussion and more fall events in the Lowcountry. Read moreScene Calendar: Charleston area events Oct. 10-16
Social Security Administration policy updates that expand access to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in line with the law go into effect today. The agency no longer includes food in In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) calculations, has expanded its rental subsidy policy exception, and h Read moreSSI expands access and continues removing barriers
SPARTANBURG  A 95-unit townhome apartment project is close to coming to an underutilized part of Spartanburgs Northside as part of a $22 million development.

Spartanburg City Council members approved the first reading of a development agreement with VanRock Holdings, the projects developer, via a city ordinance that council members passed unanimously Aug. 26. Second and final reading approval is still required to cement the agreement.

Dubbed the Village Grove Townhomes, the project at 1017 Florida Ave. is set to begin construction in 2025. The townhome units will average 1,550 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to the city.

City Manager Chris Story said the city hopes the project will revitalize private investment in an area that lacks development.

Thats an area that we believe has the potential to see some positive redevelopment over the next several years, and we think this project is conducive for that, Story said.

The project will include 10 units only for tenants whose incomes are at or below 80 percent of the area median household income. That limit is $42,150 for an individual and $60,150 for a family of four in Spartanburg in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Spartanburg is also growing slightly as part of the deal. The city will annex the projects site into the city.

VanRock Holdings initially proposed 86 townhomes and a restaurant for the site in July 2023.

Part of the deal between the developer and the city is a 10-year fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreement, or FILOT, which would allow the developer to avoid paying property taxes and instead pay annual flat fees to the city.

The payments would start at around $256,000 once the development was finished and rise annually to over $617,000 in the projects 10th year. After Year 10, the property taxes would resume.
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A Global Approach for All Primary and Revision CasesNEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Contrary to some surgeons' views of traditional closed or endonasal approaches, the limited incision closed rhinoplasty technique can be reliably employed for all rhinoplasty cases regardless of their complexity. With a resurgence of interest from the public in scarless and preservation nose surgery, Albert Plastic Surgery's innovative closed rhinoplasty approach has quickly become a sought-after solution for patients in NYC and beyond.Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty procedure in NYC, by Dr. Albert, will ensure your comfort by administering general anesthesia. He will address the specific aspects of your nose that you've discussed, such as its size, shape, and appearance. Dr. Albert's approach comes with a wealth of benefitsLimited incision rhinoplasty has many advantages for both the patient and the surgeon. It is one of the most reliable techniques available and has a low rate of complications and revision requests. The technique minimizes soft tissue damage and preserves blood supply, enhancing safety while reducing downtime and optimizing results. External scarring is completely avoided.It is an easier technique for surgeons to master, allowing for widespread adoption, especially among novice plastic surgeons. With conventional closed rhinoplasty, there are multiple endonasal incisions to master. Dr. Albert's version of closed rhinoplasty at Albert Plastic Surgery simplifies the procedure by requiring surgeons to learn just a single incision, making the technique easier to understand, absorb, and replicate.Additionally, the endonasal approach allows surgeons to place cartilage grafts more precisely without suture fixation. The surgical team can make real-time aesthetic evaluations, as the nasal skin envelope remains intact throughout the procedure. This helps surgeons meet their patients' cosmetic expectations more accurately and reliably, resulting in higher patient satisfaction.Dr. Albert - Surgical pioneer and innovatorDr. Albert comes from a family of NYC-based physicians, which deepened his commitment to his craft. From early on, he viewed the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery as the arena where he could positively impact people's lives. He strives to remain ahead of the curve as a surgeon, incorporating the latest progressive techniques to perfect outcomes, reduce downtime, and minimize postoperative scarring.Dr. Albert is devoted to producing natural-looking improvements that align with each patient's unique vision for a more attractive, inviting appearance. He completed elite Fellowship training in aesthetic surgery at among the world's most prestigious training institutions - the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. In 2017, he was chosen as the director of this renowned fellowship program, where he continues to advance his innovative surgical techniques.Dr. Albert spent six years as a resident and chief resident in Plastic Surgery at the University of Massachusetts. A clinical editor and Aesthetic Society Board Member, he's renowned for his expertise in closed limited incision rhinoplasty, a technique he's mastered and shared globally through a recent publication in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.Learn more about Dr. Albert and his innovative closed rhinoplasty technique.Contact Information Mark AlbertMD, FACScindy@ albertplasticsurgery.com 332-239-2255SOURCE: Albert Plastic SurgeryView the original press release on newswire.com
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The 21st Annual Prestigious Bubble Cap Award Recognizes Pioneering Florida DistillerySAINT AUGUSTINE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / The American Distilling Institute (ADI) honored St. Augustine Distillery with its highest accolade, the Bubble Cap Award for Distillery of the Year, on August 27, 2024, during its annual conference in Baltimore, MD. The award was presented by ADI President Erik Owens to the distillery's founders and VP of Production, Philip McDaniel, Mike Diaz and Ric deMontmollin.The Bubble Cap Award, introduced in 2010, recognizes the top distillery globally for excellence in spirits quality, innovation, transparency, authenticity, growth and community involvement. Criteria for the award include producing fewer than 100,000 proof gallons annually, being independently owned and distilling its own products.Owens praised St. Augustine Distillery's achievements, particularly noting their impressive tourism draw of 175,000 visitors each year. "In 2014, Phil McDaniel had a dream to make whiskey and share it with the world. That passion drove him to make connections in his community and overcome every obstacle," Owens remarked. He also highlighted the distillery's significant contributions to the craft spirits community and legislative progress. St. Augustine Distillery has played a crucial role in expanding the distilling sector in Florida and advocating on a national level for the craft spirits industry.Based in the nation's oldest city, St. Augustine Distillery is renowned for its artisanal spirits, including award-winning bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka. Their commitment to quality and innovation is reflected in their numerous awards and acclaimed visitor experience, which has been named the "#1 Whiskey Tour in North America" by the Drammie Awards.The distillery operates from the Historic FP&L Ice Plant, a building originally constructed in 1907. This once-silent structure was meticulously restored by the distillery's founders, earning the 2014 Award for Excellence for Reuse and Repurpose from the Urban Land Institute of North Florida.Co-founder and CEO Philip McDaniel is a passionate advocate for the craft distilling industry. His efforts have advanced not only St. Augustine Distillery but the broader craft distilling community through legislative initiatives and industry advocacy. "We are deeply honored to receive The Bubble Cap award from the American Distilling Institute," McDaniel stated. "Since our founding in 2012, our mission has been to create an immersive and educational experience for our guests and to craft some of the finest bourbon in the world. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and the invaluable guidance from industry experts. We are thrilled to be in the company of so many amazing distilleries previously honored with this award. We remain committed to promoting craft distilling and its benefits for our community, the state of Florida and the industry nationwide." As St. Augustine Distillery continues to grow and innovate, its dedication to quality and community remains unwavering. Being named ADI's 2024 Distillery of the Year is a testament to its passion, advocacy, and the exceptional quality of its spirits.Contact InformationAmanda OliveroMarketing Directoramanda@ staugustinedistillery.com 407-414-9976SOURCE: St. Augustine DistilleryView the original press release on newswire.com
News / National

by Staff reporter

Vice-President Kembo Mohadi emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between Zimbabwe and Malawi to ensure the effective implementation of bilateral trade agreements.Following a meeting with Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, VP Mohadi noted that both nations need to enhance their trade relations and address areas of concern.He highlighted the need to implement the nine memorandums of understanding signed during the 11th Joint Permanent Commission on Co-operation (JPCC) session, as the 12th session approaches.VP Mohadi's visit to Malawi included discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues, with a focus on strengthening ties between the two nations.He conveyed a special message from President Chakwera to President Mnangagwa, expressing support for Zimbabwe's resilience under sanctions.The two leaders also agreed on mutual support for candidates seeking roles in international organizations, including the African Union Commission.During his visit, VP Mohadi attended the centenary celebrations of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, toured tourism sites, and met with Malawi's Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, to discuss enhancing cooperation in the tourism sector.The VP concluded his trip with a positive outlook on the future of Zimbabwe-Malawi relations.
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / August 26, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilSeptember 30, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. ("ABR" or the "Company") (NYSE:ABR), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 7, 2021 and July 11, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of ABR and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-abr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court bySeptember 30, 2024 .About the LawsuitArbor Realty and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On March 14, 2023, NINGI Research reported that "ABR has been hiding a toxic real estate portfolio of mobile homes with a complex web of real and fake holdings companies for more than a decade." On this news, the price of ABR shares fell from $12.99 per share on March 13, 2023, to $12.12 per share on March 14, 2023, and then $11.53 per share on March 15, 2023. Then, on July 12, 2024, Bloomberg reported that the Company was the subject of a probe by federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York that were "inquiring about lending practices and the company's claims about the performance of their loan book." On this news, the price of ABR shares fell from $15.53 per share on July 11, 2024, to $12.89 per share on July 12, 2024.The case is Martin v. Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., No. 24-cv-05347.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /Avant Brands Inc. (TSX:AVNT)(OTCQX:AVTBF)(FRA:1BU0) ("Avant" or the "Company"), a leading producer of innovative and award-winning cannabis products, announces that it will consolidate its outstanding common shares on the basis of thirty (30) existing common shares for one (1) new common share of the Company (the "Consolidation"). In accordance with the articles of the Company, the Consolidation has been approved by the board of directors (the "Board") of the Company, and shareholder approval is not required. The effective date for the Consolidation is Friday, August 30, 2024 (the "Effective Date").As of the date of this news release, the Company has 316,342,373 common shares issued and outstanding. Following completion of the Consolidation, the Company is expected to have approximately 10,544,745 common shares issued and outstanding, subject to rounding.No fractional post-Consolidation common shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. The holdings of any shareholder who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the Consolidation shall be rounded up to the next higher whole number if the fraction is 0.5 or greater, and rounded down to the next lower whole number if the fraction is less than 0.5.Registered shareholders of the Company holding their shares in certificate form will receive a letter of transmittal from the Company's transfer agent with instructions for exchanging their pre-Consolidation shares for post-Consolidation shares. Registered shareholders of the Company holding their shares in DRS advice form will receive their post-Consolidation shares automatically within three (3) business days after the Effective Date with no requirement to complete the letter of transmittal. Shareholders who hold their common shares through a broker or other intermediary will not need to complete a letter of transmittal.The Company's outstanding warrants, options and other convertible securities will be adjusted on the same basis as the Consolidation with respect to the underlying common shares exercisable pursuant to the warrants, options and other convertible securities, with proportionate adjustments being made to applicable exercise or conversion prices, as applicable.The Consolidation is subject to obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"). It is expected the common shares will commence trading on the TSX on a consolidated basis at the opening of trading on the Effective Date under the new ISIN CA05353D2023 and new CUSIP 05353D202.Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.About Avant Brands Inc.Avant is an innovative, market-leading premium cannabis company. Avant has multiple operational production facilities across Canada, which produce high-quality, handcrafted cannabis products based on unique and exceptional cultivars.Avant offers a comprehensive product portfolio catering to recreational, medical, and export markets. Our renowned consumer brands, including BLK MKT, Tenzo, Cognoscente, flowr and Treehugger, are available in key recreational markets across Canada. Avant's products are distributed globally to Australia, Israel and Germany, with its flagship brand BLK MKT currently being sold in Israel. Additionally, Avant's medical cannabis brand, GreenTec, serves qualified patients nationwide through its GreenTec Medical portal and trusted medical cannabis partners.Avant is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AVNT) and accessible to international investors through the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX:AVTBF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA: 1BU0). Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Avant operates in strategic locations including British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.For more information about Avant, including access to investor presentations and details about its consumer brands, please visit www.avantbrands.ca For further inquiries, please contact:Investor Relations at Avant Brands Inc.1-800-351-6358 ir@ avantbrands.ca CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to raise capital, and the overall performance of the cannabis industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. 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, except as required by law. Investors are urged to carefully consider the risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings with securities regulatory authorities, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca SOURCE: Avant Brands Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC and KIBBUTZ YIFAT, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE:BOIL) (OTCQB:BEOLF) ("Beyond Oil" or the "Company"), a food-tech innovation company reducing health risks, extending the life of frying oil, reducing costs and waste, and contributing to the environment, is pleased to announce that it has been featured in a television broadcast on August 22, 2024, on Israel's National Public Broadcast Network ("Kan 11").Nov Reuveni, the health reporter for Kan 11, noted that the public is generally aware deep fried food is not healthy, but they are not aware that the oil itself is the culprit: "What seemed until recently to be impossible, now becomes very simple. And it seems that it is only a matter of time until a cleaner and much less harmful oil becomes the standard." Founder and President Michael Pinhas Or demonstrates the filtration capabilities of Beyond Oil's product Michael Pinhas Or, President of Beyond Oil, comments, "We are so pleased to be featured by Israel's National Public Broadcast Network as we continue to work tirelessly to demonstrate Beyond Oil's benefits to global health, environmental stewardship, and cost savings. Fried food in refrying oil remains popular all across the world, and in the United States alone, as many as one in three Americans eat fast food at least once per day. Our team will continue to strive to help reduce certain health ailments for children and adults alike in the coming years by removing toxins from the frying oil." About Beyond Oil Ltd. Beyond Oil is a health food-tech company specializing in the health sector. Over the course of 15 years, it has developed a formula comprised of food additives that create an innovative filter powder, protected by a patent. This formula effectively absorbs degradation components from fried oil, slows down the rate of deterioration reactions, and, through a straightforward filtration process, enables the oil to be reused while preserving its quality. Beyond Oil's solution represents a significant global advancement in safeguarding the health of diners and kitchen workers in factories or restaurants that reuse the same oil over an extended period. The integration of Beyond Oil technology in restaurants, hotels, caterers, and factory operations not only enhances public health, social responsibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness but also represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the food industry. By mitigating pollution, conserving resources, and promoting responsible practices, Beyond Oil strives for environmental stewardship within the culinary landscape. For more information, visit our website at: www.beyondoil.co Contacts Jonathan OrCEO and Co-founder info@ beyondoil.co Caroline SawamotoInvestor Relations1-647-691-9801 ir@ beyondoil.co  Mayo Clinic Website: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-why-eating-too-many-fried-foods-could-lead-to-early-death/ Forward-Looking Statement and Information"The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the 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. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon management's current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. In addition, we cannot assure that any patent will be issued as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will be issued in a form that will be advantageous to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company's reports filed from time to time at sedarplus.ca . Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. The Company is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.SOURCE: Beyond Oil Ltd.
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The targeted acquisitions are estimated to have a business value of approximately $14 millionSCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / CBD Life Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK:CBDL), a leading innovator in the CBD industry, is pleased to announce that the company is in advanced discussions to acquire a strategic minority interest in two state-licensed cannabis dispensaries located in Upstate New York and Long Island.This acquisition represents a significant growth milestone for CBD Life Sciences, Inc. as the company continues to expand its presence in the rapidly growing cannabis market. The dispensary in Upstate New York is projected to open its doors by November 1, 2024, with the Long Island location expected to follow in early 2025.Strategic Expansion for Increased Market Penetration With the legal cannabis market in New York expected to exceed $4.2 billion by 2027, this strategic acquisition positions CBD Life Sciences, Inc. to capture a substantial share of this lucrative market. The company's investment in these dispensaries is anticipated to generate significant revenue growth, with projections indicating a potential increase of 20% in annual revenue by the end of the first year of operations.Strengthening Investor Confidence CBD Life Sciences, Inc. has consistently demonstrated its commitment to delivering value to its shareholders. The acquisition aligns with the company's growth strategy, which focuses on expanding its footprint in key markets, increasing revenue streams, and enhancing profitability. With an anticipated 15% increase in EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) following the dispensary openings, the company is well positioned to deliver sustainable returns to its investors.Leadership's Vision "Our expansion into the New York cannabis market marks a pivotal moment for CBD Life Sciences, Inc.," said Lisa Nelson, President, and CEO of CBDL. "We are excited about the potential these dispensaries bring, not only in terms of revenue growth but also in solidifying our position as a key player in the cannabis industry. Our commitment to our investors remains our top priority, and we believe this acquisition will drive significant value in the coming years." About CBD Life Sciences, Inc. The CBD Vault Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBD Life Sciences Inc. The CBD Vault has developed and is retailing/wholesale a full line of cannabidiol based & organic products including, Delta 8 & 10 Gummy's, Full Spectrum Tinctures & Gummy's, Pain Cream, Roll-on's, Salve, Full Pet Line, Pre-Rolls, Full Line of Spa Products, Sleep & Anxiety Edibles. The CBD Vault's products can be viewed and purchased on the Company's website www.thecbdvault.com Follow our social media for the latest updates!X: https://www.x.com/CBDL_StockOTC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbd.vault IR Contact: cbdvaultaz@ gmail.com Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties. See CBD Life Sciences, Inc's, Inc.'s filings with OTC Markets, which may identify specific factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.Safe Harbor Statement This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflects management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include: general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions, sector changes and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services; changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, including codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.Contact Information Lisa Nelson CEOcbdvaultaz@ gmail.com 4802091720Related ImagesSOURCE: CBD Life Sciences Inc.
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HILLSBORO, OR / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Compassion Center, in collaboration with the Institute for Suicide & Homicide Prevention (ISHP) and CIFR, presented groundbreaking sessions on integrative healthcare and mental health at the 2024 VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference. Their participation highlighted innovative approaches to suicide and homicide prevention, fostering dialogue among global experts. The event culminated in a hospitality suite, featuring unique mental health tools like Eddie Deen's Backwards Bicycle,' aimed at bridging critical care gaps.VA DOD Suicide Prevention Conference 2024 Opening Ceremony Image of Opening Ceremony for VA DOD Suicide Prevention Conference 2024Compassion Center, a leader in integrative healthcare, mental health solutions, advocacy, and research, expresses deep gratitude to the Veterans' Administration (VA) ( https://www.va.gov/) and the Department of Defense (DoD) ( https://www.defense.gov/) for the honor of participating in and lecturing at the 2024 VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference. Held from July 16th to 18th at the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) in Portland, Oregon, this prestigious event featured over 250 presentations, including two delivered by Compassion Center and its Institute for Suicide & Homicide Prevention (ISHP).The conference brought together global experts, including representatives from Compassion Center, the Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR), and ISHP, to discuss critical issues such as integrative healthcare modalities, mental health, suicide and homicide prevention, and homelessness. The VA and DoD reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing the mental health and well-being of Veterans and active-duty military personnel-an effort strongly supported by Compassion Center and CIFR through their expanding community-based initiatives.On July 17, 2024, Compassion Center's leadership presented two groundbreaking sessions that showcased innovative approaches to improving mental health outcomes, reducing suicide and homicide risks, and enhancing activities of daily living (ADL). Compassion Center's James Creel and Julie Monteiro, RN, BSK lectured on integrative medicine, while Dr. Drina Fried of the ISHP spoke on the subjects of suicide and homicide prevention. The positive feedback from lecturers and attendees further motivates Compassion Center's leadership to collaborate with the VA and DoD officials to advance these critical initiatives.That evening, Compassion Center hosted a Hospitality Suite in partnership with the Integrative Providers Association (IPA) to honor the VA, DoD, Veterans, and Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). The evening event featured legendary BBQ brisket garnished with neurological insights by Eddie Deen, along with roundtable discussions with Dr. Drina Fried (ISHP), James Garvey (SIDHE Institute), Alyssa Vidal (CIFR's Creative Arts Institute), James "J.B." Creel (Compassion Center/CIFR), and Nurse Julie Monteiro (IPA/Glocal Cannabis Nursing Institute). This gathering facilitated discussions on the current states of integrative healthcare and mental health, trends, barriers to reintegration and other opportunities within the fields of integrative and mental health.Roundtable discussions brought together local stakeholders, leadership, and experts to explore a wide range of topics, fostering dialogue and charting a more effective path for collaboration. These conversations revealed significant gaps in the VA and DoD's continuums of care and identified deficiencies in accredited interprofessional education that need urgent attention. The discussions raised the critical question of why these gaps persist, despite their potential for resolution by State-funded universities or federal initiatives.Case studies from CIFR, ISHP, SIDHE, CAI, and Eddie Deen's Internal Freedom Services, Inc. were highlighted, including Eddie Deen's innovative brisket classes, consciousness meter, and his disruptive "Backwards Bicycle" concept. These tools were demonstrated as effective and otherwise underutilized methods for mental health professionals to help patients bridge the "800 Millisecond Gap" and regain control of their sense of agency. Conference attendees also had an opportunity to interact with-and even ride if they so dared-Eddie Deen's "Backwards Bicycle" at the Compassion Center-IPA hospitality suite.Further discussions during the conference covered topics such as Ayurveda, Iboga, plant-based medicines, psychedelics, hallucinogens and entheogens, focusing on their contraindications and safety concerns, and re-integration into educational frameworks for Veterans and active-duty military personnel. Roundtable participants explored innovative strategies that bridge the "800 Millisecond Gap" in clinical practice and discussed how neurological perceptions of a backwards bicycle can significantly differ from that of traditional ones, illustrating our brain's adaptability and the potential for alternative teaching methods.These sessions also addressed critical issues like mental illness, homelessness, PTSD-related behaviors, over-medication, addiction, and opioid dependency. Emphasis was placed on one's balancing of nutrition and the responsible use of psychedelics and plant-based medicines to promote holistic healing, reflecting Hippocrates' philosophy: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." The discussions highlighted the need to overcome procedural, policy, and administrative barriers that prevent effective care for Veterans and active-duty personnel using all-natural, traditional and alternative integrative treatment modalities. To continue this vital dialogue, CIFR is sponsoring a monthly videoconference and invites Veterans' participation via Zoom by emailing cifr@ compassion-center.org with "Veterans Roundtable" in the subject line.Leadership from the Compassion Center, CIFR, ISHP, SIDHE, and CAI also introduced several new disruptive programs, retreats, and workshops designed to support Veterans and active-duty military personnel in reintegration and coping efforts. For more information on these programs, please visit Compassion Center's Veterans and Active-Duty Military Programs.Building on the Compassion Center's legacy of integrating holistic, traditional and other plant- based medicines into the continuum of care-including, but not limited to, yoga, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, medical cannabis, hemp and psilocybin mushrooms-these initiatives are designed to enhance biophysical wellness, mental health, and emotional well-being of Veterans and active-duty military personnel. By focusing on clinical advancements, comprehensive health improvements and inte
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 05:35:21

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PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / August 26, 2024 / Proving its worthiness of love, the prestigious companion brand GAC Motor accompanied the highly anticipated 2024 China-France Tour. The M8 was a steadfast presence throughout the journey, roaring like a mighty lion as it retraced the century-old Peking-to-Paris rally route. With the confidence of the Chinese people, it proudly showcased China's automotive culture.Now, the Chinese team has triumphantly returned, and the event organizer, Autohome, held a grand closing ceremony in Tianjin to welcome them back. High-ranking leaders from various sectors gathered to review the event's map, reflecting on the milestones of China's automotive industry and looking forward to the promising future of Chinese automobiles.GAC Motor, a pioneering leader in the automotive industry, has courageously forged new paths and broken through technological barriers. The M8, which embodies the ancient charm of Chinese landscapes alongside the modern aesthetics of industrial technology, has significantly enhanced the vehicle's recognition as it traverses six countries, capturing the attention of Europeans. Its exceptional noise control, whether during high-speed driving or urban cruising, effortlessly achieves a state of comprehensive tranquility.Throughout the 11,700-kilometer journey, the M8 not only showcased its exceptional long-range endurance but also provided first-class comfort with features such as one-touch SPA activation. Equipped with SDC electromagnetic suspension, it effortlessly navigated the challenging Nurburgring and the winding roads of the Alps, ensuring smooth handling and precise cornering. The vehicle offered stable support throughout the China-France Tour, tracing back to the "Automobile City" of Stuttgart and visiting the "Olympic Capital" of Lausanne.In the Paris Olympics, China made history by winning 40 gold medals, setting a new record for the most golds earned at an overseas Olympic Games. GAC Motor honors the legends and heroes cherish heroes. M8, a leader in the Chinese luxury MPV market, paid tribute to the trailblazers of every era who have made history with a spectacular Paris Grand Show.While the 2024 China-France event has concluded, GAC Motor's journey continues unabated. The brand remains dedicated to enhancing its products with high quality, exceptional value, and advanced technology, establishing a benchmark for Chinese brand excellence. Together with the future, they will allow the flower of China-France friendship to bloom vibrantly and collaboratively write a new chapter of brilliance in the automotive industry.Name: Wang MingshuoEmail: wangms@ gacmotor.com Phone: +86 15726679318SOURCE: GAC MOTOR
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 14:00:57

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CUPERTINO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Infinx Healthcare, a leading provider of AI-driven patient access and revenue cycle solutions for healthcare providers, has been recognized as a Sample Vendor for a third year in a row for Intelligent Prior Authorization in the Gartner Hype Cycle for US Healthcare Payers in 2024.Gartner Hype Cycle methodology gives a view of how a technology or application will evolve over time, providing a sound source of insight to manage its deployment within the context of an organization's specific business goals. This Hype Cycle provides critical input for strategic planning by tracking the maturity level and adoption rate of payer technologies and deployment approaches.Intelligent Prior Authorization Received Transformational Benefit RatingIntelligent Prior Authorization received a benefit rating as Transformational in this year's report.According to Gartner, "Prior authorizations (PAs) are often manual and rarely transparent, resulting in communication and efficiency challenges for payers, providers and their consumers. Intelligent prior authorization (iPA) applies NLP, machine learning (ML) and AI to the PA process and uses API-enabled workflow automation and clinical data exchanges to request and verify service authorization with medical necessity determinations at the point of service. These tools reduce reliance on fax and phone calls and improve the consumer and provider experience." Infinx Healthcare Named As a Sample Vendor For Intelligent Prior AuthorizationJaideep Tandon, CEO, Infinx, said, "Being recognized again this year in the Gartner Hype Cycle highlights the growing importance of using AI, automation, and advanced analytics to transform revenue cycle management. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, these technologies are not just optional-they are essential for driving efficiency and ensuring financial sustainability." "Today's healthcare leaders are faced with an overwhelming array of technology choices," Tandon added. "It's crucial for CIOs and decision-makers to identify solutions that offer both immediate and long-term value. We're honored that Gartner continues to recognize Infinx, validating our commitment to delivering impactful and innovative solutions." Enhancing Efficiency in Prior Authorizations with Infinx's AI-Powered Patient Access Plus PlatformHealthcare organizations rely on Infinx's AI-powered Patient Access Plus platform for end-to-end prior authorization workflows that are optimized with payer and EHR integrations, AI, automation, intelligent workflow management, and support from in-house clinical specialists. With this technology-enabled solution, clients have reduced repetitive work by 70-90%, accelerating the authorization process and resulting in a 50% faster turnaround time for approvals. This efficiency allows healthcare providers to shift their focus from administrative tasks to delivering quality care and improving patient engagement.Schedule a demo on www.infinx.com/request-a-demo to learn more today.Gartner, Hype Cycle for U.S. Healthcare Payers, 2024, 29 July 2024. Gartner and Hype Cycle are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.About InfinxFounded in 2012, Infinx provides scalable, AI-driven solutions to optimize the financial lifecycle of healthcare providers across all functions of patient access and revenue cycle management. Our cloud-based software, powered by AI and automation, is supported by experienced consultants and billing specialists across the U.S., India, and the Philippines. We help clients capture more revenue, stay ahead of changing regulations and payer guidelines, and focus on patient care. For more information, visit www.infinx.com Contact InformationErin Wabol AVP, Communicationserin.wabol@infinx.com SOURCE: InfinxView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 13:46:14

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of Globus Medical, Inc. ("Globus Medical, Inc.") (NYSE:GMED) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 13, 2024, 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 this news, Globus's stock price fell over 7% the same day. 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: 2024-08-27 19:01:24

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PEMBROKE PINES, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. (OTCPK:GRLF), a Florida-based emerging growth company engaged in the marketing and distribution of handmade premium cigars, is pleased to announce significant progress in its ongoing efforts to reduce corporate debt, thereby enhancing its financial position and creating stronger shareholder value.In alignment with the Company's strategic goals, Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. has successfully reduced the majority of one of its outstanding notes, demonstrating its commitment to improving the company's financial health. Furthermore, the Company is actively working to eliminate an additional $88,000 in outstanding notes in the coming weeks. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to clean up the balance sheet, reducing the burden of debt and paving the way for sustainable growth.CEO Roberto Mederos remarked, "Our focus remains on strengthening our financial foundation to ensure the long-term success of Green Leaf Innovations. By reducing our debt, we are not only cleaning up our balance sheet but also positioning ourselves to take advantage of new opportunities that will drive shareholder value." In addition to the ongoing efforts to eliminate $88,000 in outstanding notes, the Company is currently negotiating the removal of several hundred thousand dollars more in debt. These actions reflect Green Leaf Innovations' commitment to minimizing financial liabilities, enhancing liquidity, and ultimately delivering greater returns to shareholders.This month alone, Green Leaf Innovations took a bold step by reducing its authorized and issued shares by 5 billion, a clear testament to its dedication to optimizing its capital structure. By decreasing the number of shares, the Company aims to increase the value of each remaining share, providing shareholders with greater equity in a financially stronger company.These strategic initiatives underscore Green Leaf Innovations, Inc.'s commitment to its shareholders and its vision for sustainable growth. As the Company continues to execute its debt reduction strategy, it remains focused on building a robust foundation that supports long-term value creation.About Green Leaf Innovations, Inc.Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., a Florida corporation, is an emerging growth company engaged in the Marketing and Distribution of handmade premium cigars. The company strategically imports and exclusively distributes some of the best known premium cigar brands in the Market created by the Mederos family a Third generation Cigar maker with Robert Mederos at the helm who has owned and operated handmade cigar operation in Nicaragua and the US for over 20 years with a rich family history in the craft dating back to the 1800s Cuba, brands such as CUBANACAN, MEDEROS and TABACALERA SERRANO. In addition to it the company also distributes packaged whole leaf Tobacco to cigar lounges, smoke shops, C-stores and vape shops across the United States and soon International Markets.Additional information can be found on our websites http://www.greenleafinnovation.com or follow us on Twitter @otcgrlf.For more information, press only:Phone number: (800) 303-6268Email: info@ greenleafinnovation.com Safe Harbor Statement:The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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 marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, and various other factors beyond the Company's control. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.Contact InformationRYAN MEDICOMARKETING MANAGERinfo@ greenleafinnovation.com 8003036268SOURCE: Green Leaf Innovation,Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 15:01:27

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Partnership delivers comprehensive property risk management tools for owners and insurers to accurately manage building and sustainability related riskVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Hyperview, the leading cloud-based data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platform, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Novem Digital, an innovative digital risk management and IoT company. This collaboration aims to leverage the Hyperview platform to help property owners manage building and sustainability related risks using data insights to streamline operations, reduce operational costs, and enhance asset sustainability through predictive capabilities.Hyperview Digital Infrastructure Platform Novem Digital is developing an add-on feature to the Hyperview platform to deliver property risk assessment tools for the built environment.For insurers, this partnership provides transparency in risk assessment and enables accurate price alignment with risk profiles. The partnership also delivers a software platform that fosters collaborative customer relations, providing data that empowers informed insurance decisions for real estate and construction value outcomes, including better capital planning.Hyperview and Novem are in the process of developing a software add-on named Property Risk Management by Novem. This add-on will enhance the existing Hyperview platform with a suite of features specifically designed for the built environment. Key functionalities will include risk management, capital planning, and predictive analytics."We're excited to partner with Novem Digital to enhance our SaaS offering," said Jad Jebara, President and CEO of Hyperview. "Our goal has always been to create a versatile digital infrastructure management platform. After successfully focusing on data centers, we're now ready to expand our proven technology to the broader real estate and insurance sectors." "Our partnership with Hyperview is a major step in enhancing risk management for the built environment," said Clint Undseth, CEO of Novem Digital. "This collaboration offers boards and executives critical insights into strategic and operational risks. Integrating Hyperview's platform with Novem's expertise in harmonizing real-time and historical building data is a game changer that enhances our customers' operations and asset value." Scott Ewing, Risk Consulting Head of the Americas for AXA XL, emphasizes the increasing concerns surrounding natural catastrophes, cyber threats, and system failures in the insurance industry. "Incidents like electrical arc flashes and water damage are rising sharply," Mr. Ewing noted. "This innovative platform enhances risk assessment and helps our clients identify cost savings and sustainability opportunities. By leveraging data-driven insights, we can offer 24/7 virtual risk engineering services." The partnership represents a significant opportunity for the insurance industry to enhance collaboration with customers, moving away from the conventional twelve-month transaction cycle and towards cultivating long-term relationships. Key benefits of the Property Risk Management add-on include:Cost Reduction: By streamlining operations and utilizing data insights, stakeholders can identify areas for cost savings, leading to more efficient asset management and reduced operational expenses.Capital Planning: Leverage true predictive operational data and correlate to historical fault data to enable better capital planning and asset lifecycle management.Informed Decision-Making: Access to predictive analytics empowers real estate and insurance professionals to make data-driven decisions, ensuring accurate alignment between pricing and risk profiles.Enhanced Risk Management: The integration of Hyperview's platform with Novem's data analytics capabilities provides comprehensive risk assessment tools, improving transparency and accuracy in identifying property and climate related risks.Improved Sustainability: The partnership fosters sustainability by offering tools and strategies that help enhance the environmental performance of buildings, promoting eco-friendly practices among property owners and insurers.About Hyperview Hyperview is the leading cloud-based data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platform that empowers enterprises to optimize capacity, reduce power and energy consumption, lower costs, and avoid outages. The powerful and easy-to-use platform includes Asset Management, Energy Management, Power and Environmental Monitoring, Capacity Planning, and 3D Visualization. Learn more at www.hyperviewhq.com About Novem Digital Novem Digital stands at the forefront of digital risk management and IoT innovation, empowering property owners and insurers to effectively manage building and sustainability risks. Integrated with the Hyperview digital infrastructure platform, Novem Digital's add-on software suite offers robust property risk management tools tailored for the built environment. Key features include Risk Management, Capital Planning, and Predictive Analytics. Learn more at www.novemdigital.com Contact InformationRajan SodhiChief Marketing Officerrajan.sodhi@hyperviewhq.com 1-866-612-3637 ext. 105David CrawfordChief Financial Officerdcrawford@ novemdigital.com 1-778-938-6152Related Fileshyperview-logo-black-1000pxFichier 3@2x-8SOURCE: HyperviewView the original press release on newswire.com
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Police in Bulawayo are set to launch a crackdown on drug barons in several identified hotspots, including Hillside, Famona, Bradfield, Nkulumane, Thorngrove, Pumula South, Makokoba, and Hope Fountain. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi announced that the operation aims to address drug abuse and trafficking, targeting the root causes of these issues.The police have been monitoring these areas and are prepared to act against drug cartels and their distribution networks. The initiative is part of a broader effort to protect public health and safety by eradicating drug nests and preventing the spread of illicit substances.Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activities to assist in the fight against drug-related crimes. Recent police efforts include naming and shaming 46 drug dealers, with eight from Bulawayo, ranging in age from 19 to 64.The government has allocated $500 million for drug and substance abuse mitigation and has established an inter-ministerial taskforce to tackle the issue, with support from the World Health Organisation. In Bulawayo, the most commonly abused drug is dagga, while in Harare, Crystal Meth is prevalent.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 13:31:07

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / In early July 2024, Meta Force released a pilot of the superhero comic and announced ambitious plans to create its own Cinematic Universe (or Extended Universe, or in this case MFEU).Meta Force is a company developing its blockchain-based metaverse Neo Dao. The implementation of a creative project may have seemed like a marketing move, but Lado Okhotnikov, CEO of Meta Force announced plans to release a comic series and create a large-scale MFEU.Lado Okhotnikov presents the comic: Heroes of the New GenerationCurrently, there is a very well-established idea of what a superhero should be. Marvel, DC, and Japanese manga dominate the media, forming "right" character images.The heroes proposed by Meta Force depart from traditions and stereotypes, they operate in a new world where metaverses become part of our lives. And this is no longer the assumption nor a creative idea of the writers, but reality.The superhero of the Neo Dao metaverse largely transmits the ideas and beliefs of Lado Okhotnikov himself, and the comic book, among others, becomes manifest. Moreover, the pilot is partly autobiographical, similar events happened in the life of the founder of Meta Force, and many heroes have real prototypes.All this is well described by the Meta Force's slogan: "Virtuality meets reality".The first pilot gives a general idea of the new hero. He receives superpowers not by chance, not as a gift of fate, but as a result of work and self-improvement.Evil also appears not in the form of traditional villains, but as something mysterious and existential, secretly governing our civilization. The main character's mission is not so much to defeat enemies physically, but to maintain the balance of the Universe.The main character, Mr. Dao, is philosophical, and charismatic, and has a unique style, in the story, action is successfully combined with reflections.MFEUThe basic initial element of modern cineverses was a comic book, around it new formats were built such as cartoons, series, and feature films. That's how Marvel and DC started.Lado Okhotnikov emphasizes that the comic is the first step in creating its own MFEU. The release dates of the comic continuation and new formats are not specified, it is claimed that this will be soon.About CompanyMeta Force is the company that created the DeFi platform and developer of Neo Dao metaverse. In two years of operation, the number of users exceeded two million. Lado Okhotnikov is the founder and CEO of Meta Force.Based on Dan Michael's materialsThe head of the Meta Force Press Center press@ meta-force.spacemeta-force.space SOURCE: Meta Force
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 18:16:20

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 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: 2024-08-27 17:58:20

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A disruptive new note-taker and meeting aide is driving the AI assistant space forward with unique digital avatars that simplify routine tasks, unburden professional workloads, and invite users to monetize their expertise.TALLINN, ESTONIA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /MinutesLink - a new AI note taker for online calls - launches today with the goal of building a future where every user has a personal digital avatar. Starting with advanced meeting management, this AI tool automatically joins scheduled Google Meet calls to record, transcribe, and deliver accurate meeting minutes.MinutesLink - AI note taker for online calls A disruptive new note-taker and meeting aide is driving the AI assistant space forward with unique digital avatars.Over time, MinutesLink will use collected data to create a personalized neural network, or AI clone, capable of handling everyday tasks and managing conversations independently. This digital avatar will not only lighten the load of daily routines but also allow users to monetize their expertise by offering access to their avatar's knowledge base via a subscription model.MinutesLink features an intuitive, easy-to-use interface that integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar, requiring just a few clicks to get started. It automatically joins every Google Meet call, recording and transcribing discussions to generate accurate meeting minutes. Even if a professional misses a call, they can effectively be in multiple places at once by using MinutesLink to capture key details. To stay updated on agendas and action items, MinutesLink users can review meeting minutes at any time. This time saving functionality, however, is just a foundation for more advanced technology set to be deployed soon."Our vision for MinutesLink extends far beyond providing just a helpful assistant for everyday tasks," said Artem Vasilev, CEO of MinutesLink. "The goal is to enable companies and individuals to store and leverage their unique expertise through a personal digital avatar, while also sharing this knowledge for mutual benefit." According to Vasilev, the technology will include features to differentiate between confidential and public information, allowing organizations and professionals to monetize their expertise through AI clones without compromising data security, personal privacy, or intellectual property.MinutesLink will use data from virtual meetings to build a personalized neural network that mirrors an individual's speech style, decision-making process, and overall business approach. This AI clone can manage repetitive tasks, offering valuable insights and a comprehensive understanding of past decisions and discussions. Using MinutesLink more frequently will enable it to model behavior more accurately, enhancing task management and efficiency.Depending on usage patterns, it's possible to train multiple cognitive digital avatars to handle various aspects of both personal and professional life. These AI clones will act on behalf of individuals in diverse contexts, adapting to specific habits and preferences. MinutesLink enables professionals to offload routine tasks, freeing them up to focus on more critical responsibilities.MinutesLink aims to boost productivity and efficiency for both individuals and businesses by creating digital copies of entire teams and offices. Trained on virtual meeting data from employees, these AI clones will develop a comprehensive knowledge base, streamline repetitive tasks, and enhance collaboration across departments. Storing data securely and ensuring its accessibility at all times helps companies reduce departmental friction, speed up onboarding for new hires, and maintain a valuable knowledge base that preserves the expertise of every team.MinutesLink aims to deliver more than just an advanced AI note-taking app with an easy-to-use interface. It is working towards a future where users can effortlessly manage routine tasks and seamlessly monetize knowledge.Join the technological revolution today - start with MinutesLink for free at minuteslink.com Please visit our media kit.Contact InformationElise GersPR manager, MinutesLinkpmm@ minuteslink.com +995591069493Related FilesLogin screenshotMinutes screenshotSOURCE: MinutesLinkView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 16:02:40

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Move Up ABA Redefines Autism Care in Maryland with Groundbreaking In-Home Therapy ServicesBALTIMORE, MD / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Move Up ABA, a leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, is transforming autism care in Maryland by offering highly personalized, in-home ABA therapy services for children and young adults aged 1-21. With a commitment to clinical excellence and a no-waitlist policy, Move Up ABA is setting new standards in autism support and care.aba therapy maryland a dedicated therapist is gently interacting with a young child with autism. The therapist is holding colorful toys and engaging the child in a playful and therapeutic activity Move Up ABA Pioneers Customized Home-Based ABA Therapy for Maryland FamiliesMove Up ABA is transforming autism support across Maryland through its pioneering in-home Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. Specializing in tailored services for individuals aged 1-21, the company brings expert care directly to families, fostering growth in familiar environments.At the heart of Move Up ABA's approach is a commitment to personalized, high-quality care. A company spokesperson elaborated on their methodology: "We strive for excellence - planning, monitoring, and assessing each client's care plan continuously so that real progress happens. Our team personalizes therapy for each child, accommodating family schedules and targeting goals that are important to the family." Comprehensive ABA Therapy ServicesTo support children with autism and their families, Move Up ABA Maryland offers a range of services, including:Personalized in-home ABA therapyParent/caregiver trainingSchool CollaborationCare coordination with other therapistsBenefits for Families and ChildrenWith Move Up ABA's expert therapy services, families can expect:Improved social skills and communicationEnhanced behavior managementDevelopment of daily life skillsIncreased independence and confidenceFlexible scheduling to suit family needsAbout Move Up ABAMove Up ABA is a leading provider of in-home ABA therapy services in Maryland. With a team of experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), the Move Up ABA team has successfully supported hundreds of children with autism and their families over the last 15 years. The company's commitment to clinical excellence, authenticity, collaboration, and dedication ensures that every child receives the highest-quality care tailored to their individual needs.Learn more about Move Up ABA and its in-home ABA therapy services at https://moveupaba.com or contact:Contact Information:Kelly McGuireChief Operating Officerinfo@ moveupaba.com +1 (410) 618-5123400 E Pratt St, Floor 8, Baltimore, MD 21202Contact InformationNathaniel BarzCEO & Foundernbarz@ moveupaba.com +1 (954) 304-9702SOURCE: Move Up ABA Maryland, LLCView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 18:01:19

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Nova Storage, in collaboration with The Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its newest expansion to the Nova Storage network. The event was held at 3305 E. Palmdale Blvd. on Thursday, August 22, 2024.PALMDALE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Nova Storage, in collaboration with The Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its newest expansion to the Nova Storage network. The event was held at 3305 E. Palmdale Blvd. on Thursday, August 22, 2024.Palmdale Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Palmdale Ribbon Cutting CeremonyThe new Palmdale location expands Nova Storage's footprint, adding to its impressive portfolio of 10 facilities, totaling 1000,000 rentable square feet across Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino Counties. The community was invited to explore the state-of-the-art facility, engage with the management team, and connect with the owners.Dignitaries from the City of Palmdale, the State Senate, and the State Assembly were present to commemorate the occasion. Nova Storage's commitment to community support was evident as they announced donations and sponsorships to several local organizations, including Palmdale Aerospace Academy, Meals In Motion, Los Angeles Career Center, You Are Enough Foundation, and Friends of The Palmdale Library.The expanded Nova Storage Palmdale facility is now open and ready to serve the community. To reserve a safe, clean, well-lit, and secure storage unit, visit NovaStorage.com or call (661) 266-1200.About Nova StorageHeadquartered in Mission Hills, California, Nova Storage has been providing safe, clean, well-lit, and secure self-storage solutions since 1982. Serving over 8,500 tenants, Nova Storage is a locally owned and operated company with 10 locations across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties.For more information, please visit NovaStorage.com Contact InformationEmanuel ColindresBusiness Development Managermcolindres@ novadevco.com 3234474408SOURCE: Nova StorageView the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / August 26, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilAugust 30, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Seritage Growth Properties ("Seritage" or the "Company") (NYSE:SRG), if they purchased the Company's securities between July 7, 2022 and May 10, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Seritage and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-srg/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byAugust 30, 2024 .About the LawsuitSeritage and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On August 14, 2023, the Company disclosed a "material weakness" in its internal control over financial reporting "due to a deficiency in the design of our control over the identification of impairment indicators for investments in real estate and documentation of evidence of review" related "to the failure to identify potential indicators of impairment related to development projects in a timely manner." On this news, the price of Seritage's shares fell $0.86, or 9.67%, to close at $8.03 per share on August 15, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.Then, on May 10, 2024, the Company released its 1Q2024 financial results, disclosing that it was "adjusting [its] pricing projections for some of [its] assets" resulting in the gross value of the Company's portfolio of assets being reduced by at least $325 million. On this news, the price of Seritage's shares fell $2.54, or 27.3%, to close at $6.78 per share on May 13, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume.The case is He v. Seritage Growth Properties, et al., No. 1:24-cv-05007.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Carleigh and Rachel Gewirtz, two sisters with a shared passion for fashion and a deep connection to their Irish American roots, are proud to announce the launch of their new swimwear and intimates brand, Oisri. Based in New York City, Oisri brings a fresh and enchanting perspective to the fashion industry, blending high-quality garments with intricate details and one-of-a-kind attachable body jewelry.Born and raised in New Jersey, Carleigh and Rachel have always been inspired by the world of fashion. Their journey began as children sharing a closet filled with memories, including a treasured "That's So Raven Bikini" from 2005. This early love for fashion set the stage for their future careers and the creation of Oisri.Carleigh pursued her passion for fashion merchandising and marketing at Marist College, later earning a master's degree in fashion business management from Parsons the New School. Rachel, equally dedicated to the industry, studied fashion design with a specialization in intimate apparel at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), where she was honored with the critic award for her senior thesis design.After years of working in the fashion industry, the sisters realized they had the perfect combination of skills, experience, and vision to create a brand that would resonate with women everywhere. Oisri was born out of their desire to design high-quality, finely detailed garments and accessories that make women feel soft, sexy, confident, and strong.The brand's name, "Oisri," is Gaelic for "oyster," a symbol deeply rooted in their Irish heritage. Oysters, often associated with the goddess Aphrodite, symbolize love, beauty, and transformation. This symbolism is woven into the fabric of Oisri, reflecting the brand's belief that everyone has the potential to transform into something extraordinary with persistence and self-love.Oisri's collections embody a divine feminine theme, blending the sisters' childhood nostalgia of summers spent at the Jersey Shore with the vibrant energy of their lives in New York City. The brand pays homage to their Irish ancestry while embracing the modern, inspiring fashion scene of the city."Our mantra, 'The world is your (Oyster) Oisri,' speaks to the limitless possibilities life offers," says Carleigh and Rachel. "We want every woman who wears our designs to feel empowered and beautiful, knowing that her life is what she makes of it." Oisri is more than just a brand; it's a celebration of femininity, heritage, and the transformative power of fashion. With their unique designs and dedication to quality, Carleigh and Rachel are poised to make a significant impact on the fashion industry.About Oisri:Oisri is a New York City-based swimwear and intimates brand founded by sisters Carleigh and Rachel. The brand offers high-quality garments, finely detailed designs, and unique attachable body jewelry that empowers women to feel soft, sexy, confident, and strong. Inspired by their Irish American heritage and love for fashion, Oisri combines childhood nostalgia with modern elegance to create collections that celebrate the divine feminine.For more information about Oisri and to explore their latest collections, visit www.oisriofficial.com Media Contact:Carleigh & Rachel GewirtzCo-Founders, OisriEmail: love@ oisriofficial.comWebsite:www.oisriofficial.comInstagram:@oisriofficial SOURCE: DuJour Select
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-27 14:01:32

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Assays Confirm Mineralization Across Entire 79 m trench, Including 4 m Averaging 4.52g/t AuVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / South Pacific Metals Corp.(TSXV:SPMC)(FSE:6J00) ("SPMC" or the "Company"), an emerging gold-copper exploration company operating in the heart of Papua New Guinea's proven production corridors, is pleased to announce initial assay results from its Osena Gold-Copper Project surface exploration program, completed September 2023 at the Ontenu Prospect and surrounding areas.Highlights:Trench 1 returned significant results including a peak trench rock sample value of 8.82 g/t Au, 13.8 g/t Ag, 0.25% Cu, 580 ppm Mo, 0.93% Zn.79 m averaging 0.75 g/t Au, 981 ppm Cu, 1.73 g/t Ag, 1877 ppm Zn, including:16 m averaging 1.25 g/t Au, 0.15% Cu, 0.18% Zn; and4 m averaging 4.52 g/t Au, 0.13% Cu, 0.23% Zn.Trench 1 mineralization occurs across the entire 79 m trench and is expected to extend to the east and west over more than 200 m width.Regional rock samples returned up to 2.69 g/t Au, 71.3 g/t Ag, 0.26% Cu, 5.3% Zn.The Ontenu Prospect is part of an interpreted multi-intrusive, large-scale gold-copper porphyry system spanning an area of at least 2.5 km by 1 km. Metal signatures (Au-Te-Bi) in assayed soils and rocks suggest a later metal-bearing event overprinting an earlier porphyry Cu-Au-Mo event, similar to that observed at other major deposits such as at the Kainantu and Porgera Mines."We are thrilled to see Ontenu results as high as 8.82 g/t gold within a broad alteration halo, confirming the significance of this prospect that remains open in all directions," commented Cathy Fitzgerald, President and Chief Geologist. "We are also highly encouraged by the continuity of gold mineralization found in Trench 1 assays, demonstrating excellent gold endowment potential that bodes well for future exploration efforts. These results, along with Ontenu's location at the southwestern end of the Kainantu Transfer Zone, make this a high-priority prospect for the Company. A comprehensive review of all historical and modern data for the Ontenu Prospect and broader area is underway, with the aim to fully characterize the scale and size of this mineralized system, identify additional targets and inform further exploration." Ontenu Prospect Exploration ProgramFrom July to September 2023, the Company (then operating as Kainantu Resources Ltd. under previous management), conducted surface sampling and detailed geological, alteration and structural mapping over the core area of the Ontenu Prospect. A total of 118 reconnaissance rock samples, 150 trench samples from five trenches and 116 soil samples were collected and secured in storage until being sent for assay this year (see news release dated July 3, 2024). These samples have now been assayed by Intertek Laboratory, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with preliminary results discussed in this news release.Initial Surface Trenching ResultsThe Company interprets that the Ontenu Prospect at surface is the upper part of a significant gold-copper porphyry system.Trench 1 is a 79 m long, east-west oriented channel excavated to a depth of 1 to 1.5 metres (see Figure 1). This trench targeted an area associated with high tenor gold in soils (between 80-360 ppb Au) over a line-length of 260 m. The exposed rocks in the trench revealed weathered gossanous material and was mapped as a combination of microdiorite, diorite porphyry and diorite breccia. The trench was oriented E-W and is proximal to mapped silica ledges and feldspar-hornblende porphyries intruding the sampled microdiorite. Stockwork veins and gossanous material (iron oxides from weathering of sulphide material) were mapped in the trench. The area has not been previously drilled, and based on regional interpretation, may link along a WNW-ESE striking structural corridor to a gold-in-soil anomaly (80 to 210ppb Au) located 300m to the ESE. The area to the north (and northwest) of Trench 1 has not yet been soil sampled by the Company. Further, many rock samples peripheral to Ontenu's core area returned high grade results that warrant following: Regional rock samples returned up to 2.69 g/t Au, 71.3 g/t Ag, 0.26 %Cu, and 5.3 %Zn.Soil sampling was designed to complement two soil lines previously collected by the Company in 2022 (see news release dated March 23, 2023). Soils were collected at a nominal 50 m spacing along E-W lines with 100 metres spacing between lines. Nearly the entire area sampled, over 1 km by 800 m has highly anomalous gold in soils. The peak soil assay result returned was 1,560 ppb Au (1.56 g/t Au). As evidenced by high tenor gold in soils on the last lines of the soil survey, the soil anomaly is likely to continue farther to the west, north and south of the current area sampled.The Company anticipates reporting full results, including review and interpretation of all assays and historical data in September 2024.Figure 1: Ontenu Porphyry Prospect Geology and Recent Soil and Rock ResultsFigure 2: Ontenu Porphyry Prospect Trench 1 Gold Assay ResultsAbout the Osena ProjectCovering 626 km of strategic ground, the Osena Project is located southwest of and adjacent to K92's tenements that host the Kainantu Gold Mine. Priority prospects include Ontenu, a porphyry copper-gold and epigenetic gold prospect with exposed porphyritic diorite intrusive phases hosting supergene copper minerals, and overprinted by a later gold mineralized event associated. The Ontenu Prospect is one of many occurring within a highly mineralized corridor that extends more than 40 km northeast across the Kainantu District.Figure 3: Osena Project Location in the Kainantu Gold DistrictQuality Assurance and Quality ControlAll Ontenu samples were collected under previous management, with the samples securely stored in the Kainantu office of the Company for the past year, prior to being sent to the laboratory for assaying.Trenching and Rock SamplingTrench samples are collected from a hand-excavated trench to a depth of approximately 1 m. The trench wall and floor is mapped and a representative sample is collected each metre along the length of the trench. Rock samples are collected from in-situ outcrops during reconnaissance work.Trench and rock samples were sent to the ITS (PNG) Ltd (Intertek) Laboratory in Port Moresby. Gold assays were conducted using 30 g charge Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption Spectra finish (Intertek Code FA25/OES), with a detection limit of 0.01ppm. Samples >1 ppm (1 g/t) Au were re-assayed as a check with no significant difference noted.Multi-element assays were determined using 4-acid digestion with Induced Coupled Mass-Spectrometry (ICPMS) (Intertek code 4A/MS4
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / August 26, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilOctober 15, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 15, 2024 to July 24, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Stellantis and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-stla/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byOctober 15, 2024 .About the LawsuitStellantis and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On July 25, 2024, the Company announced its first half 2024 financial results, disclosing disappointing news, including "[n]et revenues of 85.0 billion, down 14% compared to H1 2023, primarily due to the decline in volume and mix; net profit of 5.6 billion, down 48% compared to H1 2023, primarily due to lower volume and mix, headwinds from foreign exchange and restructuring costs; adjusted operating income of 8.5 billion, down 5.7 billion compared to H1 2023, primarily due to decreases in North America." On this news, the price of Stellantis' shares fell from a closing price of $19.60 per share on July 24, 2024 to $17.66 per share on July 26, 2024.The case is Long v. Stellantis N.V., et al., No. 24-cv-06196.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 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. www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm
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Chief Mbusi Dakamela of Nkayi has urged the government to provide stockfeed to support livestock during the ongoing El Nino-induced drought. The drought has led to severe shortages of pastures and water, threatening the livelihoods of local communities reliant on livestock.Chief Dakamela expressed frustration that while the government has offered food aid through social welfare programs, there has been no equivalent support for stockfeed. He highlighted the prohibitive cost of stockfeed, making it difficult for rural communities to afford it, and noted that the value of livestock has decreased as a result.Efforts from organizations like Amalima Loko and Hefo Community have focused on providing food and drilling boreholes for water, but stockfeed remains a critical need. The chief warned of a potential return to the devastating conditions of 2019, when many cattle were lost.In response, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Anxious Masuka announced that the government has secured 15,000 metric tonnes of silage, molasses, and 8,800 metric tonnes of maize unfit for human consumption as part of its drought response. Additionally, the government plans to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these measures through a new drought mitigation tracking tool. President Emmerson Mnangagwa had previously declared the drought a state of national disaster, aiming to mobilize $3 billion in assistance.
Ayodele Oritsejafor, a famous Nigerian pastor and founder of Word of Life Bible Church (WLBC) headquartered in Warri, Delta State, has narrated how he survived cancer.

Mr Oritsejafor, a former National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), recounted his experience with his congregation during one of his churchs programmes and posted the video on his official Instagram page on Monday.

However, the former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) didnt disclose the type of cancer he battled; he said it was aggressive cancer.

The author of Walking in Unity said, How do you face cancer and still stand like this? But I havent told youwhen I was going to America, full of cancer, you didnt know. I didnt tell you. I look normal because this is my way of life.

Close acquaintance

Furthermore, Mr Oritsejafor revealed that an acquaintance of his died of the same disease he survived.

Mr Oritsejafor added that on the day he departed for the UK to seek medical care, an acquaintance of his, whom he did not name, also travelled to the UK for treatment of the same cancer.

When I was leaving for America, somebody I know was leaving for the UK with the same kind of cancer. Its an aggressive cancer. I went to the US; he went to the UK. The day I boarded the flight, coming back to Nigeria, he was in a casket, coming back to Nigeria. You hear me? I was with my two feet. I walked onto the plane, but he wasnt.

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Im not better than him. But God remembered me. He remembered my heart. I have always had a heart for God. I told God, if you save me from this, I will double my service. I will serve you twice more. And he saved me and brought me home. I will sing of the goodness of God, he added.

Mr Oritsejafor founded his church, WLBC, on 15 November 1987, after he gave his life to God at the Church of God Mission, Benin City, under Archbishop Benson Idahosa.

In March, Mr Oritsejafor expressed concerns about the current state of Christianity and individuals entering ministry nowadays.

More so, he advised young people to refrain from falsely claiming that God called them when He didnt.

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Its been four months since Nollywood star Junior Pope died in a boat mishap while shooting The Other Side of Life, the ill-fated movie by burgeoning filmmaker Adanma Luke.

Expectedly, Ms Luke has experienced a series of life-altering incidents since the unfortunate incident, which claimed the lives of five persons on her movie set.

First, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) suspended her for breaching safety protocols. The police also launched an investigation while filmmakers and actors boycotted her productions.

Before the incident, the 34-year-old producer was known for producing movies such as Iga (Love in Chain) (2020), Narrow Affection (2023), and School Trouble (2014).

Ms Lukes suspension, which was recently lifted, did little to ease the public outcry and grief. Things got heated on Monday when Ms Luke revealed that she was becoming mentally unstable and sought forgiveness from Nigerians

In an emotional Instagram live video on Monday, the Nollywood producer shared that she could no longer put on a brave face for those still mourning and appealed to Nigerians to consider her side of the situation.

I dont have much to say; Im just here to say Im sorry, she said, visibly distressed. Im sorry, Nigerians. Im sorry I took away your loved ones from what people are saying.

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Im very sad. As much as I try to be strong, I still dont see myself being strong. Im so sad that this had to happen on my set. Im so sad they had to work for me at that time. Im not God.

Destined to happen

The 34-year-old producer expressed her regret over the tragedy, explaining that the location had been frequently used for filming without any prior incidents.

It has been destined to happen. It is meant to happen, but then why me? I never liked the internet or drama, but this puts me out there. A lot of people, a lot of people, have been dragging me. A lot of people have been calling that Adanma dont talk, let this die down, dont talk, but I go through a lot. I go through so much. Im trying to heal, but its not coming back. We all love JP (Junior Pope). We all love other people who also lost their lives, my crew members.

I didnt do it on purpose. I have been filming at that location, that particular place, for a very long time. Why it had to happen to me is what I dont know. Every morning, I see myself on the prayer altar asking God, why me? Why me? Why me? Please, Nigerians, Im sorrythe whole world. We all love JP. We all love JP. Im sorry.

Boat plight

The Anambra-born actress recounted her experience on the set, noting that specific issues were overlooked despite her efforts to ensure safety.

She said: I havent visited Asaba in the past two years until that incident. When I wanted to shoot that job, I asked for a better location, and they took me there. The first time I went there, I wondered what was up. Why are they not providing life jackets for us? We had to see the place before we went to the principal shooting.

Then my PM (Production Manager) told me that that is how they do it there and that a lot of people have been crossing, that nothing has happened, that theyve been shooting there. I wasnt the first person to shoot a movie there. They shoot there all the time. I wasnt even filming in the water. It was a means of transportation to the place. Its not like I did it on purpose. It wasnt my duty, but Im taking all the blame. Im carrying all the crosses. But please, Nigerians, Im sorry. It has happened.

No vacation

Adding to the pressure, the embattled producer has had to defend herself against rumours suggesting she went on vacation after the tragedy.

This newspapers checks on Ms Lukes Instagram posts from around the time of the incident reveal a series of comments from trolls discouraging her from moving forward with her life.

Despite not posting for a while after the incident, many have used the platform to blame her, demanding that she remain burdened by guilt over the tragedy.

Addressing the backlash, the Slayers Wears CEO said: People are even saying I went on vacation. Im here for business. I travel to help myself. Ive been indoors, doing nothing, and yet still catering for the families that lost their loved ones.

Where do you expect me to get all this money from? I need to work. I need to make money. My baby was not even up to three months when this thing happened. You all cant even imagine what I went through. But please, Nigerians, forgive me. Forgive me. I know I cant bring back the dead, butIm sorry, please.

Despite offers from friends to take her on a break to regain her sanity, the producer admitted shes unable to find peace. She said: My friends are even telling me to come. Just come. Lets take you on a vacation. Lets go. But I couldnt. I couldnt because they wanted me to get my sanity back. They want me to be okay, but its not coming. I do not see myself doing all that.

Ive been doing this. I didnt even know what depression was until this whole incident happened. Im gradually losing my life. Im regretting a lot of things. I dont even know how to call people for a job. Please, Nigerians, forgive me. Forgive me for employing people for a job. I dont know what to say, but Im sorry. Im sorry. Im losing my life.

Ive done a lot that is not even there on the ground. Ive done a lot that people dont come out to say on social media. But once it comes to Ada, Ada did this. Theyll want to kill me. I believe that if anything happens to me now, everybody will now rest.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the tragic boat accident claimed Actor Junior Pope alongside four other crew members in the Anam River in Anambra on 10 April. Before Junior Popes death, he expressed concerns about the lack of life jackets during river crossing.

A preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on 25 May revealed that the drivers distraction caused the accident and that the boat was not certified by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

In response to the incident, the Actors Guild halted movie shoots nationwide on 11 April and launched an investigation. The guild also introduced new safety standards in bylaws and lifted the temporary ban on riverine filming in July.

On 13 April, Adanma Luke said she was traumatised over the incident, revealing that she narrowly avoided being on the ill-fated boat due to a last-minute change in plans. She confirmed that while life jackets were available, Junior Pope refused to wear one because it was dirty.

Junior Pope was buried in his hometown of Ukehe, Enugu State, on 17 May, while other victims, including sound engineer Precious Ofurum and makeup artist Abigail Fredrick, were interred in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, respectively.

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Lords Resistance Army (LRA) Commander Thomas Kwoyelo was convicted in Uganda on 13 August for international crimes committed between 1992 and 2005 as part of a rebellion against the government.

Mr Kwoyelos was the first domestic trial for such crimes in Uganda. He sat stone-faced as Judge Michael Elubu of the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court read out the long-awaited unanimous decision.

Outside the courtroom in Gulu (the epicentre of the LRA rebellion from 1987 to 2008), across Uganda and globally, reactions were mixed. There was relief for many who have long advocated for his trial and conviction, including victims of the LRAs violence.

Those who regard Mr Kwoyelo as a victim of circumstance-turned-perpetrator were angry. Many believed he should have been granted amnesty, like over 13,500 others from the LRA. There was also a measure of uncertainty from those wondering what comes next, including Mr Kwoyelo himself, who spent 15 years in custody. His sentence is still to be handed down.

While Mr Kwoyelos was the first international crimes trial run by Uganda, it was the second conviction of a Ugandan for LRA crimes. The first was Dominic Ongwen, convicted in 2021 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on similar charges. Both men were children when they were conscripted by the LRA, and spent much of their lives in the violent group. Both rose to become commanders and once arrested, convicting them took many years.

Mr Kwoyelo was arrested in 2009, but only in December 2023 did the ICD confirm 78 of the 93 charges against him. There were many stops and starts in his prosecution due to his amnesty application, constitutional challenges, amendments of charges and appeals to the Supreme Court challenging the trial.

He was found guilty of 44 charges, including murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction and destruction of settlements for internally displaced people. These crimes were committed when he was commander of operations, director of military intelligence and commander in charge of sick bays.

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Mr Kwoyelo was abducted by the LRA when he was 12  one of around 97,000 children and youth, and one of the few who became commanders. The LRA rebellion saw over 100,000 people killed and 1.9 million displaced in a reign of terror that spread from Uganda to the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

When he ended his testimony in May 2024, Mr Kwoyelo pleaded with the court to see him as a victim. [Right] from the time I was abducted, I have never enjoyed freedom, never enjoyed peace; it has been a tough kind of life for me, he said.

Sharon Nakandha, an Open Society Foundations Programme Manager, regards the judgment as bittersweet. While the ICD has finally held  Kwoyelo accountable for several international crimes and, through this, achieved justice for the victims, one cannot help but reflect on the unconscionable duration of this trial, she said.

Ms Nakandha, then with Avocats Sans Frontieres, was in the courtroom in 2011 when Mr Kwoyelos trial was meant to start. After closely monitoring the case, she believes it offers an opportunity for collective reflection on the need to build strong and responsive national and regional accountability mechanisms.

Building such mechanisms requires more than simply enacting good laws. It needs true commitment to well-equipped justice systems anchored in fairness and equity for all parties. The ICD was established hurriedly, with a mandate to try international crimes (war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide) along with terrorism, human trafficking, piracy and other serious cases. It had teething problems, including securing permanent judges.

Human Rights Watchs Oryem Nyeko has argued that Uganda should compensate Mr Kwoyelo for the lengthy pre-trial detention and court process. Considering that victims also seek compensation, it will be interesting to see how the ICD addresses this. Mr Kwoyelo has no documented assets, so victims will probably only receive reparations if the court compels Ugandas government to compensate them in line with United Nations guidelines.

Mr Kwoyelos role in the LRA was significant, but he wasnt the most responsible. The groups infamous founder and leader, Joseph Kony, is still at large. Once believed dead, he is rumoured to be hiding in either the CAR or South Sudan. In 2017, African and American forces ended the hunt for Mr Kony after they deemed the LRA no longer a threat to Uganda.

Mr Kony is wanted by the ICC for rape, slavery, mutilation, murder  and forcibly recruiting child soldiers. In March 2024, the ICC decided it would start proceedings in absentia, with the confirmation of charges against Mr Kony scheduled for this October. However, in order to proceed to trial, Mr Kony must be arrested and transferred to The Hague, as the ICC explicitly prohibits trials in absentia. This is unlikely.

Even if Mr Kony is eventually prosecuted at the international level, domestic trials of other LRA perpetrators are vital. However, the length of the legal process in Mr Kwoyelos case suggests that Ugandas justice system lacks the commitment and capacity to handle these matters.

Mr Kwoyelos prosecution was no doubt a test for Uganda. It took almost 20 years to get here, which for Irene Anying, Avocats Sans Frontieres Uganda Director, negates the convictions impact. Justice delayed is justice denied. When you put someone on trial for over a decade, whatever the outcome  it doesnt [have] meaning.

For the prosecution and victims, justice (however partial) has finally been served. Efforts to ensure accountability without long delays are now key. Future domestic prosecutions for gross human rights violations  in Uganda or elsewhere  should heed lessons from this case and remember that justice is best served when swift.

Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Head of Special Projects, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Pretoria

(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).

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As we approached the YarAdua Centre, my companion, who had just returned to Abuja from Abia after over a decade, caught sight of the leading public hospitals in Abuja and exclaimed: May I never enter that place.

His words were striking. When I asked why, he responded with a chilling remark: Those who enter dont come back alive.

This captures the growing fear and mistrust among Nigerians towards the nations healthcare system. Misdiagnoses and wrong prescriptions have become regular.

Many patients have met their Waterloo through misdiagnosis and the wrong drug prescription.

This has left tongues wagging and created fear in many who crave solutions to their ailments at hospitals.

These medical errors have left on their trail devastating outcomes, leaving patients and their families to grapple with the consequences of a healthcare system riddled with quacks and an exodus of experienced hands.

Chineye Benjamin was initially diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy was prescribed.

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Pushed to seek a second opinion from a medical practitioner, and after going to two or more hospitals, it was found to be untrue. The diagnosis was wrong.

Similarly, Okodue Peace, who underwent a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer, was reassured by doctors that her organs were unaffected.

However, the truth was far more sinister. The cancer had spread throughout her body. It was fatal.

The doctors chose not to disclose this but continued to prescribe medication that failed to address the core issue.

On 19 July, Peace passed away after a brave and candid doctor revealed to her family that the cancer had spread throughout her brain and had eaten deep into her body.

These stories, and countless others like them, highlight a disturbing trend in which critical information is withheld from patients.

This practice has compromised the trust in the healthcare system, prompting those who can afford it to seek treatment abroad.

Hospitals like the National Hospital have been accused of prioritising profit over patient care, as in Peaces case, where stronger drugs were prescribed without addressing the core issue, cancer,

Such negligence has resulted in fatal consequences, leading to a public outcry for urgent reforms to restore public confidence in the healthcare sector.

Anita Sunday said her friend suffered a similar fate after being diagnosed with appendicitis in one of the public hospitals in Abuja.

Such stories highlight the systemic failures within the healthcare system in the country.

Mrs Sunday said that many patients have often been advised to seek medical treatment abroad if they can afford it.

This is because Nigeria appears to have left its healthcare in the hands of those who care less about human life.

Oke Azubike recounted her own brush with medical negligence at a Federal Medical Centre, where a failure to conduct a standard full blood count before a biopsy led to severe bleeding.

Experts say biopsy is a procedure in which a piece of tissue or a sample of cells is removed from the body to be tested in a laboratory.

It was only when she was transferred to the National Hospital and her identity as a journalist was recognised that her case received the attention it warranted.

I was bleeding profusely; the doctor was going to do a biopsy, and he didnt follow the standard procedure of doing a full blood count before the procedure.

If he had, he would have known my platelets were low and I wouldnt have started bleeding uncontrollably after the biopsy.

The doctor knew he had committed a serious blunder; later, one of my doctor friends who was treating me told me he had called some of them to tell them the situation.

That was when they discovered it was me the doctor was talking about the following morning.

That doctor cant forget me because, God forbid, if anything happened to me, he and FMC would have been in serious trouble. It was pure negligence on his part.

I remember some years ago when he saw me, he told one of his colleagues that this was the lady I forgot to do an FBC on before the biopsy, she said.

The situation is further compounded by the stories of families, like that of Simon Oladipo, who lost a loved one at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) due to a series of bureaucratic hurdles and unethical practices.

The hurdles seemed to have been designed to extract more money from grieving families.

These tragic tales underscore the urgent need for a complete overhaul of Nigerias healthcare system.

Without significant reform and accountability, the cycle of fear, mistrust, and preventable deaths will continue to haunt the nations hospitals, leaving citizens to suffer in silence.

Mr Oladipo said: I have insisted that the solution to Nigerias situation does not lie in prayers.

No. As long as you have people running around government institutions like this, no matter how fervently people pray for Nigeria, it will remain an irredeemable country, he said.

The federal government recently introduced new policies aimed at curbing the Japa syndrome, particularly among medical practitioners.

This mass exodus has created significant challenges for Nigerias healthcare system, including a shortage of skilled personnel, which in turn has contributed to issues like misdiagnosis and wrong prescriptions.

Observers say that by retaining more quality medical practitioners and improving their working conditions, the government can address the root causes of misdiagnosis and wrong prescriptions.

A Lagos-based medical practitioner, Bayo Sekumade, was recently quoted by the media as expressing concern about misdiagnosis, saying that the growing distrust in laboratory findings has serious implications for patient care and the overall healthcare system.

We frequently encounter lab results that just dont add up with clinical observations. This discrepancy forces us to question their validity, often delaying crucial treatments, the media quoted him as saying.

He, however, blamed the situation on the fact that many laboratories were poorly equipped while most machines were outdated and poorly maintained.

Felix Akande, a public affairs analyst, said that these errors often occur due to overworked and undertrained doctors, a situation exacerbated by the Japa syndrome.

According to him, a more stable and well-supported healthcare workforce will better enable doctors and other health sector professionals to do their jobs.

He also said that by introducing the policy, the government aimed to enhance the working conditions of medical practitioners in Nigeria.

This, he said, is done by increasing salaries, improving the infrastructure of healthcare facilities, and ensuring that necessary medical equipment and drugs are readily available.

These improvements, according to him, are expected to reduce the motivation for doctors and other medical professionals to leave the country.

He said the policy aims to not only keep more medical practitioners in Nigeria but also to ensure that they have the right equipment to perform.

READ ALSO: Diabetic patients appeal to Nigerian govt to subsidise cost of medication

The Coordinating Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, said the federal government was determined to remove all obstacles that hinder effective health care delivery in the country.

He spoke at the 6th meeting of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund ministerial oversight function in Abuja.

Recognising the need for a more robust governance structure and clearer guidelines, the Ministry and its development partners are committed to making healthcare services accessible to Nigerian women, children and for all citizens, he said.

If the government would match words with actions, it would go a long way in restoring public confidence in the nations healthcare system.

(NANFeatures)

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The National Association of Persons Living with Diabetes has appealed to the federal government to subsidise the cost of essential medication and foodstuffs.

The groups National Coordinator, Bernard Enyia, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Tuesday.

Mr Enyia said that diabetic patients were facing dire situations, due to the rising cost of essential medications and foodstuffs.

He regretted that the present economic challenges worsened their plight and resulted in preventable deaths among the patients.

Mr Enyia, who doubles as the Vice President II of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria and Co-Chairman of the National Action on Sugar Reduction Coalition, further disclosed that many diabetic patients were resorting to traditional medicine.

He described the herbal option as risking severe health consequences due to the unaffordability of conventional treatments.

The cost of foodstuffs and essential commodities, including life-saving drugs, has skyrocketed.

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This has made it extremely difficult for diabetic patients to afford their daily medications, Mr Enyia said.

He highlighted the limitations of President Bola Tinubus recent Executive Order aimed at easing the importation of food and pharmaceutical materials for local production.

He said that the measure did not significantly alleviate their plight.

Diabetes medications are not produced in Nigeria, and the machines used for blood sugar testing are also imported.

As a result, prices have reached an all-time high, Mr Enyia said.

He cited an instance with insulin injection which, he said, cost N4,000 in 2022 but now goes for between N19,000 and N24,000.

He said the injection lasts for only one week, creating an overwhelming financial burden on the patients.

He further said that the price of syringes used for administering insulin has soared from N50 to N600, with patients requiring two syringes daily.

This translates to a monthly expense of N36,000 just for syringes, not including the cost of insulin and other necessary medications.

My monthly expenditure on diabetic care exceeds N100,000, with patients experiencing complications facing even higher costs, Mr Enyia said.

He said the groups alarm was intended to raise awareness about the financial hardships faced by patients.

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterised by high blood sugar levels, either due to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or the bodys inability to respond effectively to insulin.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian government has received a donation of 10,000 doses of Jynneos, an anti-Mpox vaccine, from the United States government.

The US governments Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine to prevent smallpox and Mpox 18-year-olds and older who are at risk of the infections.

On Tuesday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, handed over the vaccine donation to Muyi Aina, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).

At the event, which took place at the NPHCDA headquarters in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachillom, representing the minister, Muhammad Pate, expressed gratitude to the US government for the donation.

Ms Kachillom reiterated the federal governments commitment to enhancing the well-being of Nigerians.

This is a spirit of cooperation and collaboration through the years, and this vaccine will be of great help to us. The Federal Ministry of Health understands the importance of having a healthy nation, so all the policies that we implement and the collaborations are focused on ensuring our citizens health, he said.

He also hailed the developmental partners, including USAID, PEPFAR, WHO, and UNICEF, for their relentless efforts in fighting the outbreak.

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We all recognise the size of our population, and we must ensure that we address every disease, especially those that pose public health concerns.

On this note, I would like to extend our gratitude, he said.

Mpox, formerly monkeypox, is a rare infectious disease spread through contact with infected animals or people. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a rash. It is usually self-limiting but can lead to severe complications.

Nigeria has recorded 40 confirmed and 830 suspected Mpox cases across 33 states, including the FCT.

No death from Mpox has been recorded in Nigeria.

Nigeria to prioritise high-risk groups

Mr Aina said the distribution plan for the vaccine doses received from the US government would prioritise high-risk individuals, including frontline health workers and residents of states with the highest number of cases, primarily in the southern region.

We believe our frontline health workers are at particular risk. We are also going to prioritise states that have had the highest number of cases. Many of them are in the south.

But of course, we are going to have to work with the states to develop state-specific plans, you know, to make sure that the vaccine is appropriately deployed, he said.

NPHCDA head confirmed that the vaccination programme would commence immediately, with micro-planning and implementation engagement with states.

Reasons for vaccine donation

Mr Mills emphasised the significance of health as a key priority for the US embassy in Nigeria.

He said the vaccines would bolster Nigerias efforts to combat the Mpox outbreak, which has been designated a global health emergency by the

He said the US government recognises that a public health threat anywhere is a threat to global health, which is why it prioritised support for global health security, especially in vulnerable countries.

Additionally, he commended the Nigerian government for developing a national Mpox vaccination strategy and plan, demonstrating its commitment to strengthening global health security.

He said the US remains a dedicated partner to Nigeria, working to enhance healthcare systems and effectively prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.

He said the collaboration would strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers and disseminate accurate health information to Nigerian communities.

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A coalition of Civil Society Organisations has criticised the World Health Organisations declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

Edet Williams, a member of the coalition under the aegis of Equity International Initiative, spoke on Monday during a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos. The press conference was themed The WHO Declaration of MPOX as a Global Health Crisis: A Civil Society Response.

Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic infectious disease most prevalent in Africa.

Nigeria has recorded 40 confirmed and 830 suspected Mpox cases across 33 states, including the FCT.

No death from Mpox, formerly called Monkeypox, has been recorded in Nigeria.

Across Africa, over 18,000 cases have been recorded in 12 countries, and over 3,000 have been confirmed. Over 500 deaths have been recorded.

On 14 August, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said that the upsurge in Mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).

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Mr Ghebreyesus declaration came on the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts who met earlier in the day to review data presented by experts from WHO and affected countries.

The committee considered the upsurge of Mpox cases to be a PHEIC, with the potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent.

Also, Mpox was declared PHEIC in May 2020.

Low mortality rate

All through 2023, we had a total of 98 confirmed cases of monkeypox  with two deaths in a country of 200 million people, Mr Williams, a director at the Elite Medical Team, said.

He added, Monkeypox is not new. We have two cladesone of Clade II is self-limiting (this means that you have it on Monday; if you do nothing until next Tuesday, its gone), and the most you get are rashes, fever, and headaches. Recently, we have had clade I and (subclade) Ib, which is now the concern and even in the clade, that is potentially fatal for those who have it.

We have it in DRC, which is the most endemic. The maximum fatality rate you have is 3.5 per cent.

Globally, we have about 3.2 per cent mortality rate. Its a bit difficult to understand why this has become a major emergency that we need to look into.

Meanwhile, according to WHO, Africa has recorded 5,940 cases of Mpox, with a total of 48 deaths between January 2022 and 18 August. Globally, there have been 102,997 reported cases with 223 fatalities from 1 January 2022 to 31 July.

Conditions for declaring public health emergency

According to WHO standards, Mr Williams said certain conditions must be met before Mpox can be declared a public emergency of international concern.

Is the public health impact serious? In terms of the seriousness to morbidity and mortality, is the event unusual or unexpected? he queried.

He noted that there is a need to review the present response mechanism.

He said that, in the past, public health education and surveillance were used to combat the outbreak of Mpox successfully.

So, why are we out here now choosing another route that is going to cost us a whole lot more in a country that is bleeding for finance?

Obielumani Ideh from Doctors Health Initiative also reiterated that Mpox does not meet the criteria of being declared PHEIC.

For it to be categorised as PHEIC, it has to be serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected; carry implications for public health beyond the affected states national border, and may require immediate international action.

She said before introducing vaccine treatment, Mpox was being tackled locally through public awareness, avoiding close contact with infected people or contaminated materials, and using gloves and other personal protective clothing while caring for the sick.

Ms Ideh also noted that Mpox is less serious than smallpox.

She added that of the two variants of clade I and II of Mpox, only the clade I virus is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She said the clade II variant is mostly found in West Africa.

Other members of the group include Segun Adebayo; Deputy Director Center for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, Patrick Ijewere, and Gold Boms.

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The Nigerian dairy market is dominated by fat-lled milk powder (FFMP), which is produced by blending skimmed milk powder with vegetable fat after removing some or all of the original milk fat.

In supermarkets, the products are neatly arranged on shelves. They are also sold in large, open market spaces throughout the country. In the city suburbs, they are sold in makeshift grocery shops by the roadside and hawked by street vendors at dawn as condiments for tea, making them a staple for many homes.

What is unknown to the vast section of Nigerian consumers is that in Europe, where most of these products are manufactured, they are not classied as milk. Same in Nigeria where the regulator said FFMP products are not categorised as milk in the same way as whole milk powder or skimmed milk powder.

An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES showed that for years, West Africa has been a commercial hub for cheap milk substitutes from the EU. We found continuous export of FFMP from Ireland into the region, with Nigeria as one of its largest markets.

This investigation has also shown that the fat-lled powder is advertised and sold as milk to Nigerians who are unaware of the difference between real milk and this alternative.

PREMIUM TIMES also found widespread misinformation about FFMP among traders of dairy products in major markets across the country, particularly in Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Lagos states where we surveyed.

One such Nigerian is Chisom Odirichukwu, 35, who is shocked to learn and unwilling to accept that the sachets of milk powder in his store at Wuse Market, Abuja, are not milk.

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Based on his years of owning a shop mainly for dairy products, he is certain that the difference between FFMP and other kinds of powder, such as whole milk, hinges on taste, not quality.

Some of his customers prefer whole cream milk, while some would always request fat-lled milk products, he said, pointing at the packs of Milksi and Kerrygold lined on one part of the shelf in the store.

Misinformation on fat-filled powder

Milksi and Kerrygold Avantage are among the most common FFMP products sold in supermarkets, malls, and open markets in Nigeria.

At Wuse Market, one of Abujas largest markets, they are stacked on the shelves in many grocery stores and are regarded by traders as among the most accepted products. They are quick to leave the shelves because they are in high demand and are consumed by people of every age group, excluding infants.

Other widely consumed FFMPs are Dano, Cowbell, and Three Crown. But they are not Irish products.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that FFMP sold in Nigeria is labelled as Instant-lled milk powder, WMP is labelled as full cream powder, and Skimmed Milk Powder is labelled as skimmed milk powder.

Mr Odirichukwu said that people who say FFMP is not real milk know nothing about dairy products.

It is best for people trying to stop weight gain, he said as he reached for a rag to dust out dirt on some of the milk packs.

It just depends on preference, he insisted.

Interviews with many traders, wholesalers and retailers across the country revealed that FFMP is considered to be good for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. With a prevalence of 27.6 per cent among women and 14.5 per cent among men, obesity is a concern for a signicant number of Nigerias population. Dairy traders who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said this is partly why FFMP is always in high demand aside from its cost.

Some of the traders believe that FFMP, unlike Whole Milk Powder (WMP), has zero fat content. Some others said FFMP was originally meant for children but became accepted and consumed by adults as the cost of dairy products skyrocketed due to the countrys ination.

But the fat content claim is not true.

The Codex Standard for Milk Powder and Cream Powder, states that whole milk contains a minimum of 26 per cent of milk fat. Similarly, FFMP in Nigeria contains at least 28 per cent of vegetable fat sourced from palm oil or coconut oil.

Why FFMP is not milk

The EU Common Market Organizations (CMO) regulation denes milk as the white liquid produced by mammals, typically cows, and collected during the milking process. It dictates that milk should be pure, with nothing added or extracted.

In Ireland and other EU countries, where the dairy sector is developed and production corresponds adequately with demand, fresh milk is consumed.

However, the majority of Nigerian consumers have never had a glass of fresh milk. Most of the milk consumed by Nigerians is imported.

Usually, fresh milk is pasteurised and spray-dried into powder before export to allow for a longer shelf life. Hence, what is available is powdered or liquid milk reconstituted from imported powdered milk.

The EU regulation recognises certain kinds of powdered milk, including the WMP, because they contain all the original nutrients in fresh milk. Skimmed milk, which contains all the nutrients but with reduced milk fat, is also included.

However, FFMP, the product that dominates the Nigerian market space, is not classied as milk as it violates the CMO regulation, which prohibits the extraction of raw milk nutrients. In FFMP, the milk fat, an essential content of milk, has been completely extracted and replaced with vegetable oil.

The EU Commission Press Officer for Agriculture spokesperson services, Therese Lerebours, told PREMIUM TIMES that FFMP is referred to as fat-lled powder in the EU, excluding the M, because it lacks the essential milk compositions and as such cannot be described as one.

We refer to them as FFP (Fat Filled Powders), without including the M in the middle (or the word milk), Lerebours said.

Unlike in Nigeria, FFMP in Ireland is sold only to business owners to produce food items such as yoghurt and ice cream.

For this investigation, we examined the nutritional information on FFMP as listed on their packs, compared them to whole milk, and found that FFMP contained less protein. For instance, the label on a 320g Milksi states that the powder contains 10 grammes of protein per 100 grammes of powder. On the other hand, a Peak milk pack of the same quantity, which is WMP, was labelled to contain 28g of protein per 100g of powder.

Milksi label showing its nutritional value.

To make cheaper products, expensive ingredients like protein and fat are replaced with cheaper ones in the food industry, said Abiola Olaniran, a food scientist and lecturer at Landmark University, Kwara in Nigeria.

She told us that even within the country, food producers often replace expensive ingredients with cheaper ones like sugar.

Nigerias dependence on import

The local dairy industry is highly underdeveloped and underfunded, a sharp contrast to what occurs in the EU, where dairy farmers and companies are supported and subsidised through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Even local dairy companies rely on imported powdered milk. They either import and repackage powdered milk or reconstitute imported powdered milk into liquid milk.

Most of the dairy multinational companies with a huge presence in Nigeria are from Europe. Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Ireland are some of the top exporters to Nigeria.

CAP was developed in Brussels. In its early years, the goal was to ensure food security and a stable agricultural market; then, it evolved to help European agriculture compete globally.

There are long-standing accusations that poor countries are paying the price for the policy. But the spokesperson for the EU Commission for Trade and Agriculture, Gill Olof, said that FFMP exported to West Africa is not subject to tariff reduction.

He said recent exports from the EU to West Africa have been dominated by fat-filled powder because it is stable in warm climates and more affordable than whole milk powder.

According to research by a confederation of 21 non-prots in the EU, the aid provided through the CAP allows producers to export their surplus outside the EU at prices below the cost of production, making it difficult for local producers in developing countries like Nigeria to compete.

This, combined with low milk yield from the indigenous cows, poor funding, and many other challenges, continues to limit local production.

Nigeria relies heavily on milk imports, which cost $1.5 billion per annum, to meet its 1.45 billion litres of domestic demand.

Local farmers produce around 530,000 tonnes of raw milk, a far cry from Irelands production of about eight to nine million tonnes. The country is an important contributor to EU milk production, producing 94 times more milk than Nigeria.

Local production has remained low in Nigeria despite multiple government initiatives in the dairy sector.

The major issue is the neglect of the sector. We have enough cows to meet the milk demand but the government is unwilling to maximise the resources, Muhammadu Abubakar, the president of the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), said.

Nigeria has the fth largest cattle population in Africa, following Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, and Tanzania. But Lai Solarin, the director of Animal Husbandry at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said the indigenous cattle breeds cannot produce enough milk to meet demand.

She said out of 10 breeds, only two are for milk production. These two are called Sokoto Gudali and White Fulani.

Under the best conditions, she said, they can only produce ve litres of milk per day. This is very low when compared to breeds in other countries that can produce 40 to 50 litres.

FFMP importation

For this investigation, PREMIUM TIMES examined export data from Ireland to Nigeria obtained from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Ireland.

We found that Nigeria has been a big market for FFMP from the EU country. Overall, FFMP, valued at hundreds of billions of Naira, was exported to Nigeria from Ireland within four years.

Official data showed that Ireland exported fat-lled powder valued at N686 billion to Nigeria between 2020 and 2023. The export to Nigeria in the rst quarter of 2024 alone was worth N25 billion.

This raised the sum of powder exported to Nigeria to N712 billion. We found that export value rose from N115 billion in 2020 to more than N200 billion in 2021 and 2022. It, however, fell to N81 billion in 2023.

The CODORAN executive director, Dianabasi Akpainyang, told PREMIUM TIMES that the fall in 2023 is partly due to the increased ination and economic crisis that hit the country following the introduction of the twin policies  fuel subsidy removal and the unication of the exchange rates.

Our investigation also revealed that Irish dairy producers have a strong market presence not only in Nigeria but across the West African region.

We found that Irish dairy producers exported FFMP to 16 West African countries. Large quantities were exported to Senegal, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Cote dIvoire, and many others.

Export to the region more than doubled within the last three years, rising from N447 billion in 2020 to N977 billion in 2023. Between 2020 and the rst quarter of 2024, the Irish total FFMP export into the region is worth N2 trillion.

There is no data on the consumption of fat-lled powder in West Africa.

The Landmark University lecturer, Mrs Olaniyan, linked the large export to Nigeria to the large population and the high demand for cheap products.

She also attributed it to the countrys dairy product regulation, which permits the importation and free sale of FFMP to any willing buyer.

A survey of FFMP market prices

According to Euromonitor, a global business intelligence provider, Kerrygold is among the top ve brands leading milk powder sales in Nigeria.

A research consultant with Euromonitor, Anje Du Plessis, said Kerrygold follows FrieslandCampina, which is the leading brand, followed by Promasidor Nigeria and Nestle Nigeria.

Kerrygold Avantage is produced by Ornua Limited, a multinational dairy company in Ireland. Milksi was initially produced by an Irish food scientist, Mark Cribbin. However, both products are packaged and distributed by Nigerian subsidiary companies.

PREMIUM TIMES reviewed the market price of Kerrygold and Milksi fat-lled powder compared to the average cost of whole milk in Nigeria.

For this review, we visited supermarkets and major market spaces in Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Lagos.

We found that FFMP is sold at much cheaper prices.

A 32kg pouch of whole milk powder is sold at prices ranging from N200 to N250, while Milksi is sold at N80 to N100. A 320-350g pouch of WMP is N1000-N2000 higher than the cost of fat-lled powder.

At a shopping mall in Abuja, an 800g pouch of whole milk is sold for N8,500 while Kerrygold Avantage powder of the same quantity costs N6300. Also, a 900g pouch of WMP costs at least N11,000 while FFMP is about N8000  N9000

Some other brands of FFMP are sold at a lower price.

In Nigeria, Kerrygold is packaged by Eagles Industries International Concept, a packaging plant for Kerrygold established by Fareast Mercantile Co. Limited in partnership with Ornua, our investigation showed.

Fareast Mercantile Co. Limited also serves as the products distributor in Nigeria.

Milksi is packaged by Promasidor Nigeria, a subsidiary of South Africa-based Promasidor Holdings.

During this investigation, PREMIUM TIMES wrote to the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), requesting data on the quantity of FFMP shipped directly to these companies. However, the agency has yet to respond to this request.

PREMIUM TIMES also contacted Promasidor Nigeria Limited and Fareast Mercantile Co. Limited, the companies responsible for the sale of Kerrygold Avantage and Milksi in Nigeria.

Our reporter called the contacts listed on their websites and emailed both companies. However, as of the time of this report, neither company had responded.

We also wrote to Ornua regarding the marketing of FFMP products in Nigeria.

We sought clarification on why Ornua continues to use the term fat-filled milk powder in its branding despite the European Commissions ban on the term Milk for FFMP products.

However, Ornuas response said it would not provide any comments or answers to the inquiries.

NAFDAC regulation

Nigerias food regulator, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said its regulation prohibits the advertisement of FFMP as a product in the same category as WMP and skimmed milk.

The NAFDAC DG, Moji Adeyeye, told PREMIUM TIMES that FFMP is not considered milk but as milk alternatives or milk products.

FFMP products are not categorised as milk in the same way as whole milk powder or skimmed milk powder, she said.

However, our investigation found no FFMP pouch or tin labelled as milk alternatives or milk products. They were labelled milk.

With the poor implementation of regulations, widespread consumption would persist and at the detriment of local dairy farmers who seek to produce fresh milk at large but lack funding and aid for this.

Farmers who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said the imports of cheaper milk powder into the region would continue to hamper local production.

According to Daniyan Abimbola, the CEO of Abimbola Dairy Farms Integrated, the cost of dairy farming in Nigeria does not correspond to prot, which continues to discourage people from doing it.

Local producers cannot compete with multinational companies in the dairy industry and the prot margin is wide. This is why some dairy farms are forced to shut down less than ve years after they are established, said Mr Abimbola.

But he keeps faith, he said. He hopes that the National Dairy Policy adopted in 2024 will change the industry under the new Ministry of Livestock Development to be established by the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu.

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In a bold move to recover outstanding debts of nearly N5 trillion, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has announced plans to engage international asset tracers to locate and recover assets hidden by recalcitrant debtors offshore including those hidden under Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).

This decision was revealed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of AMCON, Gbenga Alade, on Monday.

Mr Alade stated that since the new management took over about five months ago, it has successfully collected approximately N100 billion from several high-profile debtors and revised the sale of some assets.

He emphasised that the organisation has been receiving strong support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Central Bank Governor, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the National Assembly in their efforts to recover debts transferred by banks to AMCON during the different phases of Eligible Bank Asset (EBA) acquisition.

Furthermore, the AMCON boss mentioned that the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance has pledged to name and shame obligors who have yet to repay their debts at a major stakeholders conference that would hold before the end of the year. He revealed plans to organise a conference where senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), relevant ministries, banks, and the judiciary will be invited to discuss the challenges posed by non-performing loans in the country.

Mr Alade highlighted four key sectors that the new management has chosen to focus on, including oil and gas, power, telecommunications, and aviation.

He expressed confidence that resolving issues surrounding assets in the oil and gas sector will boost production, generate more foreign exchange, and create employment opportunities for citizens. The CEO noted that they have achieved remarkable results in two of these assets in less than five months.

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In the power sector, he said AMCON has made significant progress in one of the biggest distribution companies and an abandoned power project in Kaduna.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed, and operations are expected to commence within the next six months. The corporation is also working on other assets in the power sector, particularly in Aba, as reliable power supply has become a major concern for small, medium, and large-scale enterprises.

Mr Alade emphasised the potential impact of addressing power challenges in Nigeria, stating that some banks with approximately 400 branches across the country spend as much as N500 billion annually on diesel for their generators. He believes that tackling the power sector will significantly improve the overall business environment.

AMCON is also working on assets in the telecommunications sector, he said, aiming to revive dormant assets and bring them back into operation.

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News / National

by Staff reporter

A Zimbabwean woman and her friend were allegedly killed and their remains fed to pigs by a farmer in Limpopo province, South Africa, last week.The Zimbabwean woman, identified as 35-year-old Locadia Ndlovhu, and her South African friend, Maria Makgato (45), were scavenging for discarded food at a farm dumpsite when they met their tragic end. Ndlovhu's husband, Mabutho Ncube, survived the attack with severe injuries and provided details of the incident, which occurred at Onvervaght Farm in Sebayeng, near Polokwane.The farm owner, Zachariah Olivier (60), and his employees, Adriaan de Wet (19) and Zimbabwean William Musoro (45), have appeared in the Mankweng Magistrates Court. They face charges including murder, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice. Musoro is also charged with violating the Immigration Act.The case was postponed to August 30 for a formal bail application. According to Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the arrests followed the discovery of two decomposed women's bodies in a pigsty on August 20. The investigation began after the two women went missing on August 17 and were found to have sustained gunshot wounds. A 47-year-old foreign national who was with them was also shot and hospitalized.Olivier, De Wet, and Musoro have been charged with murder with actual intent. The incident has shocked the local community, prompting calls for justice. Capricorn District Municipality Executive Mayor Mamedupi Teffo expressed outrage, emphasizing the disturbing nature of the crime and the community's intent to ensure the accused are not granted bail.
The police in Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria have arrested six suspected drug dealers and cultists in the state.

Timfon John, the police spokesperson in the state disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Monday.

Ms John, an assistant superintendent of police, gave the suspects names as Kufre Okon, Uko Edet, Cyril Michael, Gabriel Effiong, Joseph Okon, and Udofia Udofia.

The police said the suspects were arrested during a raid on a criminal hideout in Afaha Offiong, a community in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

The raid was carried out by the Commands operatives who acted following directives of the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom, Waheed Ayilara, upon an intelligence report available at the Commands disposal about nefarious activities in a section of the community.

Operatives also recovered two bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, substances suspected to be cocaine and some cocktail concoctions, the police said.

The police in Akwa Ibom State have stepped up the fight against crime with several suspects arrested.

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The latest arrest came about a month after the police arrested a man for allegedly raping a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the state.

The suspect, identified as Paul Edu, raped the victim at Ukana Iba community in Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

The police had also announced the arrest of a child trafficking suspect for running a baby factory at World Bank Estate in Owerri, Imo State, South-east Nigeria.

The suspect, Eunice Eze, 56, specialises in stealing babies and pregnant women from Akwa Ibom through an agent. Ten pregnant women were rescued.

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Gunmen have abducted a top revenue official of the Rivers State Government.

Aribibia Fubara, a director in the Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue Service, was abducted by gunmen, who came in through Okrika Waterfront to the Marine Base axis of the state capital, Port Harcourt, according to Punch newspaper.

The newspaper did not, however, state when the government official was abducted.

The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko told the newspaper that the command was aware and had commenced investigation into the incident.

Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the commissioner of police in the state has ordered the deployment of all tactical units and has directed all area commanders to ensure that the victim is released unhurt.

Also, the commissioner of police has given them an order to ensure the suspects are apprehended and made to face the law, the police said.

The gunmen, about six in number, reportedly stormed the area in a commando style and fired sporadic shots into the air.

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They whisked their target away into their waiting boat and zoomed off.

The gunmen are yet to establish contact with the victims family as of Monday, Punch reported.

Kidnap-for-ransom has been on the rise in the oil-rich Rivers State.

PREMIUM TIMES, in April, reported how Joshua Rogers, a reporter with Channels Television, was abducted at his residence in Port Harcourt. He was freed the next day.

READ ALSO: PDP governors back Fubara over Wike in Rivers crisis

Punch newspaper, two months ago, reported the abduction of a police orderly and a driver to a traditional ruler in the state.

The duo were abducted by gunmen who stormed the residence of Cornwell Ihunwo, the paramount ruler of Rumu-Elechi, Nkpolu Orowurokwu in the state.

According to the newspaper, the gunmen kidnapped the police guard and driver when they could not find the paramount ruler, who was their target.

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On Monday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, inaugurated the construction of a state-of-the-art bus and taxi terminal in Abujas Central Business District.

The project, a key element in the FCT Administrations broader strategy to revamp the capitals infrastructure, is expected to ease traffic congestion, enhance public transportation, and bolster security in the city.

The terminal, part of a series of infrastructure projects initiated by the FCTA, will include amenities such as restaurants and relaxation areas designed to offer commuters both convenience and comfort. It will be fully integrated with Abujas expanding road network, ensuring seamless connections across the city.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr Wike underscored the administrations commitment to transforming Abujas transport system with the backing of President Bola Tinubu.

This terminal is not just about transportation; its about creating a safer and more efficient city.

With modern facilities and strict management, we aim to reduce traffic, improve the travel experience, and significantly cut down on crimes like one chance robberies that have troubled residents for too long, he said.

Mr Wike said the FCTA had already begun work on two other bus terminals in Mabushi and Kugbo, marking the administrations ongoing efforts to enhance the citys transportation framework.

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Abuja is a growing metropolis, and we must ensure that our infrastructure keeps pace with that growth. This terminal will serve as a transportation hub and a symbol of our commitment to creating a world-class capital city, he added.

The minister said the new terminals design includes advanced security features, such as CCTV surveillance, to address persistent safety concerns.

He noted that the terminal will be managed to ensure that all vehicles and drivers are registered and easily identifiable, a measure aimed at curbing criminal activities within the transport sector.

On her part, the Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, lauded Mr Wikes leadership and vision, crediting his commitment to the progress made in the territorys infrastructure development.

This terminal is more than just a building; its a testament to the FCT Administrations dedication to improving public services and enhancing the quality of life for Abujas residents, she remarked.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara, expressed the National Assemblys support for the project, describing it as a crucial step towards modernising the capitals infrastructure.

Similarly, Abdulrahman Ajiya, representing Abuja South Federal Constituency, praised the strategic importance of the terminals location and assured continued legislative backing for the FCTAs initiatives.

Also, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Transport Secretariat, Chinedum Elechi, emphasised the terminals expected impact on reducing road congestion, a growing issue in the city.

This project will significantly cut travel times and make commuting in Abuja more efficient, Mr Elechi noted.

The project contractor, Biodun Otunola, promised the terminal would be an iconic addition to Abujas landscape.

We are committed to delivering a facility that meets the highest standards, with modern features like elevators, retail shops, and ATM points, Mr Otunola assured.

Background

In May, Mr Wike announced plans to construct three bus terminals for intracity services within eight months.

He made the announcement during a ministerial press briefing held as part of activities to mark the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubus administration.

Mr Wike emphasised that the new terminals would be instrumental in curbing the prevalence of one-chance robberies and other criminal activities linked to public transportation in Abuja.

Despite its long-standing status as the nations capital, he expressed concerns over Abujas absence of organised bus terminals.

He highlighted the risks residents face when they lack clear, designated areas to board buses or taxis, which has increased criminal incidents.

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The police in Jigawa have detained a tea vendor for allegedly beating a 20-year-old man to death for stealing bread, milk and noodles in Dutse.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the detention of the suspect in a statement in Dutse, on Tuesday.

He said the suspect will be arraigned in court after investigations are completed.

The police patrol team apprehended the suspect after receiving information about the report of torture, and murder of the teenager.

On Aug. 19, the 40-year-old suspect, who resides in Sararai Village, Dutse, tied up and tortured the victim to death for stealing bread, milk, noodles, and petrol from him.

Upon receiving the report, a patrol team promptly proceeded to the scene and arrested the suspect and conveyed the victim to the Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital for immediate medical attention, he said.

The PPRO added that the victim was certified dead by a medical Ddctor on duty.

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He said the teenagers remains were handed over to his family for burial.

The police said that when interrogated, the suspect said the deceased provoked him by stealing from him and that he had reported the matter to the deceaseds parents.

The suspect admitted during questioning at the State Criminal Investigation Department Dutse, that the deceased upset him by stealing from him.

So when he got opportunity, he made the decision to tie up the teenager and beat him up, the PPRO added.

(NAN)

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The Police in Lagos on Tuesday arraigned a 42-year-old woman, Gift Yahaya, at an Ogudu Magistrates Court, for allegedly stabbing a fellow woman.

Ms Yahaya had stabbed her neighbour, Kehinde Adesanya, after accusing her of having an affair with her husband.

The defendant, who resides at Oyebanjo Street, Alapere, in the Ketu area of Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and assault.

The prosecutor, Insp Sunday Bassey, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on July 26, at Oyebanjo Junction off Elebuju Street, Ketu, Lagos.

Bassey said the defendant assaulted the complainant, by slapping and hitting her several times.

She, thereafter, stabbed the complainant on her left hand with a broken bottle.

The complaint sustained a deep injury on her hand.

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The defendant had accused the complainant of having an affair with her husband, Bassey said.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Section 173 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Bassey said.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 173 provides three years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of unlawful assault on another.

In a bench ruling, the Chief Magistrate, O.A Daodu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

READ ALSO: Police detain tea vendor for allegedly beating teenager to death

The sureties must be gainfully employed and must provide proof of tax payments.

Their addresses must be verified and one of the sureties must be a blood relative to the defendant, she said.

Ms Daodu adjourned the case until 5 September for mention. (NAN)

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Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has requested the establishment of an army battalion in the state to assist in tackling security challenges, particularly kidnappings, in the coastal areas of the state.

We would like to request that you consider within your limit of approval to help situate another battalion in the Oron axis of the state, Mr Eno told the Nigerian Army delegation led by the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja in Government House Uyo on Monday.

Mr Lagbaja, a lieutenant-general, and the Nigerian Army are in Akwa Ibom for the combined second and third quarters Chief of Army Staff Conference.

Mr Eno, who welcomed the top echelon of the Nigerian Army, thanked them for choosing the state for the conference and pledged the state governments continuous support for the army.

The video of the visit is posted on Facebook by the African Independent Television.

Speaking further, the governor decried the insecurity challenges in the Oron axis in the state and sought the approval of the army chief to site a new battalion in that axis.

Most kidnappings happen and they go through the waters. So, we would be able to work with you if you give us the approval to site another battalion around Oron axis, it would do us a great favour, the governor said.

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Insecurity in Oron axis

The Oron axis as used by Mr Eno, referred to the five local government areas of Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko and Urue Offong/ Uruko.

Mainly coastal, the five local governments have become a hotbed for kidnappers in the recent past, which is why Mr Eno seeking an army battalion to tackle it.

Mr Enos request came about six months after the House of Representatives mandated Mr Taoreed to establish a military formation in Oron to tackle the soaring kidnappings and killings in the area.

The House gave the directive following a motion by Martins Esin, the federal lawmaker representing Oron Federal Constituency.

Mr Esin, who is the chairperson of the House Committee on Youth Development, blamed kidnappings, sea piracy, armed robbery and wanton killings in the area on the lack of adequate armed security agencies in the area, Punch newspaper reported.

Oron and other parts of the constituency are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, which provides a gateway to the Republic of Cameroon, but the porosity of the national border has paved the way for hardened criminals operating from the high sea to carry out unabated violence in the towns and its neighbouring areas, the lawmaker said.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported the high-profile abductions in the Oron axis of the state since Mr Eno became governor.

Last month, gunmen abducted eight people, including a naval operative at Classic Point Hotel, a relaxation spot in Ibaka, Mbo local government area of the state.

About three months ago, gunmen abducted Okon Abang, the paramount ruler of Mbo Local Government Area. The gunmen invaded the royal fathers palace at Ebughu in the night and abducted him.

A week before the traditional ruler was abducted, the wife of Asuquo Okon, a prominent politician in the area was abducted in Oron LocalGovernment Area.

Also, in the same area, John Esu, a medical doctor, was abducted, prompting the Nigeria Medical Association in the state to direct its members to withdraw its services from both private and public hospitals in the state.

Last December, a High Court judge, Joy Unwana, was kidnapped and her security guard shot dead, while they were returning to Uyo from Oron where she had a court session.

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Amongst the many revelations in the blockbuster documentary Daniel vs Ekweremadu from the studio, Chude Jideonwo presents, is the news that the London Metropolitan Police is currently investigating a case linked to that of former Nigerian deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, who was sentence to 10 years in a British jail for human trafikcing last year.

Part 1 of the two-part docu-series was released on Friday, 23 August. It is written and directed by award winning filmmaker and TV host, Chude Jideonwo.

In an email from a spokesperson to the police, Alexandra Meek to the producers as shown in the documentary, she said: With regards to the live investigation, which is linked  On Tuesday, 8 November 2022 detectives from the Mets Specialist Crime arrested a woman on suspicion of conspiracy to exploit for the purposes of organ harvesting. The woman, who is in her 50s, has been released under investigation. Enquiries remain ongoing.

Ms Meek, who is senior communication manager for the MET Police, gave this as a reason for the polices inability to participate in the documentary at this time.

Daniel is the name given by a journalist and adopted by the documentary filmmakers for the victim-survivor of the first conviction under the UKs Modern Slavery Law  under which Ekweremadu became the first to be sentenced to jail alongside his wife, Beatrice and a doctor-friend, Obinna Obeta. It follows a directive from the judge of the case for the real name to remain undisclosed.

Daniel vs Ekweremadu tells the story of Senator Ekweremadus fall from Nigerian deputy senate president to British jailbird upon his conviction for organ harvesting.

Shot in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the series includes exclusive access to British prosecutors, police, the family of the survivor-victim amongst others in this first-of-its-kind thriller-style documentary from a West African independent studio.

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The two-part series is available exclusively on the streaming platform withChude.com. It is produced by the factual film and series studio, Chude Jideonwo Presents.

Link to the official trailer

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Residents of Chikaji in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have appealed for help after a flood washed away a cemetery, houses and properties in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the flood ravaged the area on Monday as a result of a torrential rainfall that lasted seven hours from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Zaria, the village head of Chikaji, Auwal Sani-Dambaba, said the flood affected over 200 houses in the area.

He added that the flood washed away parts of the LEA Primary School and desecrated a substantial part of the Ojo Cemetery.

Currently, the victims took shelter in the neighbourhood but no loss of life during the incident. However, many graves were left open, the village head confirmed.

While lamenting the tragic incident, the village head said a day and hours after the flood, there was no support or assistance from the government at the national or sub-national levels.

In a move to address the immediate challenges of the cemetery, the Chief Imam of Chikaji Central Mosque, Suleiman Liman, said the community had summoned an emergency meeting of wealthy individuals in the area.

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Mr Liman said the emergency meeting would also look into the plights of the flood victims.

Ibrahim Ahmed, who was seen standing in the rubble of his 2-bedroom flat, said they were grateful to God that the flooding occurred during the day.

He said members of his family were evacuating water in the house when a section of the house collapsed, adding, I didnt remove anything from the house, because I was busy protecting my kids from the rubble of the building.

Mr Ahmed appealed for support and quick interventions from the government, wealthy individuals and others to cushion the effect of the flood.

Gafai Katsina, a community leader in the area, said most of the victims of the flood were now squatting with some less affected residents, adding that some married women had returned to their parents pending the stability of the situation.

He listed the worst-hit areas along the water canal to include Yan-awaki (around Randa Kano), Chikaji down and Shika Dam.

NAN recalls that the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives, on Tuesday, bemoaned the flood in Sabon Gari and sought intervention for the victims.

In a statement, Mr Tajuddeen sympathised with the victims of the flood, lamenting that such an unfortunate incident happened at a time when people were struggling to make ends meet.

He called for an urgent intervention to provide succour to the victims and urged them to stay calm as the government was taking measures to address their plights.

Specifically, the Speaker called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently come to the aid of the victims.

The Speaker urged residents of the affected areas and adjoining places to take precautionary measures and heed the advice from relevant authorities on flood.

(NAN)

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The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for the appropriation and enforcement of stiffer laws and punishment for perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.

She made the call at the 1st gender and Social Norms Summit organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with her office.

The first lady noted that the summit provides a common platform especially for stakeholders, including wives of state governors, to create awareness, exchange lessons learned and promote effective strategies for preventing and responding to GBV and other harmful practices.

We must also develop state-specific action plans and promote the allocation of adequate resources in government budgets to support gender equality initiatives and GBV prevention programmes. Each state has its unique cultural, social, and economic contexts, and our plans must reflect this diversity.

There must be improved legislation to give and enforce appropriate punishment to perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence, who are dangerous and not deserving of roaming the streets. We have to speak not only firm and tough but act accordingly.

She decried the increased spate of rape cases and gender-based violence, which she described as alarming.

Every single day, we hear about rape cases, even our babies are violated. Do we allow this trend to continue or do we look the other way?

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That is why I am calling on the law enforcement agencies, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chairman of the National Assembly, who is the Senate President, to appropriate and enforce stiffer laws and punishment to perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence. No guilty party should be allowed to go free and start roaming the streets looking for the next victim.

In their remarks, the Ministers for Education, Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Women Affairs and Youth were all in support of ramping up awareness and ensuring that perpetrators do not go unpunished.

They noted that with improved education on the part of the girl child, youth improvement and women empowerment, amongst others, there would be a significant reduction, if not total eradication of these harmful practices.

The UNFPA Gender/FGM Analyst Karima Bungudu, while presenting the works of the UNFPA in Nigeria based on situational analysis, pointed out that nearly one in three Nigerian women have experienced some form of gender-based violence including women with disabilities who are the more susceptible and vulnerable ones. The prevalence of harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and child marriage, which, in some cases, leads to Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) and other forms of violence against girls and women, remain unacceptably high.

The highlight of the event which had in attendance wives of state governors, state commissioners of women affairs and health, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, was the signing of the Compact of Commitment by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu and wives of state governors reaffirming their determination to end GBV and other harmful practices in their states.

Signed

Busola Kukoyi

SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

27th August, 2024

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News / National

by Staff reporter

Allies of President Emmerson Mnangagwa are spearheading efforts to amend the Zimbabwean Constitution to allow him to extend his presidency beyond the two-term limit, which currently ends in 2028.Despite Mnangagwas declaration that he plans to leave office after his second term, the ruling Zanu-PF party aims to propose a constitutional amendment at its annual conference in October. The initiative has gained momentum, with Harare province recently passing a resolution advocating for the change. Other provinces are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa confirmed the push, stating, "The immediate need is to amend the Constitution to enable Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond 2028. The current law restricts the President to two five-year terms. We are considering options such as extending each term, increasing the term limit to three terms, or removing the limit entirely."With Zanu-PF holding a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the party could potentially amend the Constitution, though a provision preventing amendments that benefit the current president could be a hurdle. Masimirembwa indicated that this clause might be repealed to allow Mnangagwa to benefit from any proposed changes.Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa acknowledged the resolutions made by some provinces but emphasized that they do not represent the official party stance, as the politburo has not yet addressed the issue.Political analyst Pardon Taodzera criticized the move, warning that extending Mnangagwas term would undermine democratic norms and set a troubling precedent. "Such attempts to bypass constitutional limits for personal gain will deepen political instability and undermine the country's progress," he said.Legal expert Aaron Hamauswa echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of upholding constitutional limits to preserve democratic principles.The Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) suggested that while civilian allies may push for constitutional changes, the military's role will be crucial in the final decision-making process. "The militarys involvement in Zanu-PFs succession plans will become more apparent as the process unfolds," ZDI noted.The move to extend Mnangagwas presidency has also created internal divisions within Zanu-PF, with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga reportedly eyeing the presidency in 2028, though he has not publicly declared his ambitions.
The Anambra State Government on Tuesday announced the immediate closure of Upcoming Star International School at Ifite Road, Awka, over the alleged bullying of a seven-year-old pupil.

The state Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, announced in Awka that the government responded to a report that the pupils classmate allegedly broke her leg.

Ms Chuma-Udeh, a professor, said when the schools proprietor was invited for questioning, it was discovered the school was not approved to operate.

The pupil was bullied by her classmate, which caused her to break her leg, and the matter was reported to the ministry.

The school proprietor, Mr Uchechukwu Onyeachonam, was invited for questioning and he admitted that the offence was committed in his school; it was also discovered the school was not approved by the government.

Governor Charles Soludo, however, directed that the school be sealed before 2 p.m. today.

This is because the continued existence of such illegal schools has been causing mayhem to children in the state, the commissioner said.

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Ms Chuma-Udeh warned that proprietors of illegal schools would be handed over to law enforcement agents for contravening the laws of the state.

She urged parents to desist from sending their children and wards to unapproved schools.

(NAN)

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The police have confirmed the brutal murder of Demola Akinloye, a 50-year-old son of Tijani Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiran land of Lagos State.

According to the spokesperson for the police in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, the deceased was driving near Bourdilon Court Estate gate around 12:30 p.m. on Monday when four armed men shot and stabbed him.

Mr Hundeyin said in a statement that the body of the late monarchs son has been deposited at a morgue in Ajah as the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) investigates the incident.

The statement read: Today being 26/08/2024 at about 1230hrs, a distress call was received at the station that a man later identified as Demola Akinloye m aged 50 years was attacked along Chevron Drive Lekki while driving in his black Toyota corolla near Bourdillon court estate gate by four armed men driving in white minibus, the attackers shot and stabbed him to death.

The scene had been visited, one expended cartridge was recovered while the corpse had been moved to a morgue, Ajah, Lagos state for preservation and autopsy,

The case will be transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba for further investigation.

The Punch had reported tension in Ajiran in Agungi Area, Lekki, following the murder of the monarchs son.

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The PUNCH newspaper further reported that the management of an estate in the Ajiran community urged residents to prioritise their safety and avoid the vicinity.

This is to notify all residents that Ajiran (Agungi) kings son was assassinated today along Chevron Drive (close to Ebano Supermarket) this morning.

We therefore plead to our esteemed residents to avoid Chevron area, Agungi, and Ajiran for now for their safety, the statement read.

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The police have confirmed the killing of Demola, the first son of Tijani Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiran land in Lekki, Lagos State.

The police said Demola, 50, was killed in the Lekki area of the state by suspected gunmen driving a minibus.

The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

Mr Hundeyin said the incident happened on Monday at 12.30 p.m., along Chevron Drive, Lekki, while the victim was driving his Toyota Corolla near Bourdillon Court Estate gate.

He said a distress call was received at the police station that a man, later identified as Demola, was allegedly shot and stabbed to death.

The scene had been visited, one expended cartridge was recovered, while the corpse has been moved to a morgue in Ajah for preservation and autopsy.

The case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID, Panti-Yaba, for further investigation, he said.

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Punch Newspaper reported that the killing caused panic in the community/

It quoted the management of an estate in the Ajiran community urging residents to prioritise their safety and steer clear of the vicinity.

This is to notify all residents that Ajiran (Agungi) kings son was assassinated today along Chevron Drive (close to Ebano Supermarket) this morning.

We therefore plead to our esteemed residents to avoid Chevron area, Agungi and Ajiran for now for their safety, the statement read.

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A former member of the House of Representatives, Lanre Laoshe, has repaid the student loan he owed as a student in the 1970s, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) announced on Tuesday.

Mr Laoshe, who represented Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, received N1,200 as a student loan from the defunct federal government student loan scheme between 1976 and 1979.

NELFUND spokesperson Nasir Ayitogo said in a statement that Mr Lasoshe obtained a table of average annual exchange rates from 1972 to 1985 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to calculate what he owed the government.

After the calculations, the former lawmaker issued a bank draft for N3.1 million to NELFUND as the equivalent of the original N1,200 loan.

How new loan value was arrived at

The table indicated that in 1979, the exchange rate was $1.00 to N0.596, meaning that the sum of N1,200 was equivalent to $2,013.42 at the time, Mr Ayitogo said.

Using the current exchange rate of $1.00 to N1,583.98, Hon. Laoshe calculated that the equivalent amount today would be N3,189,217.00.

NELFUND said Mr Laoshes act was a demonstration of goodwill and integrity.

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It added that his gesture inspiringly highlights the importance of honouring ones commitments.

Defunct student loan scheme

In the 1970s, the Federal Military Government promulgated the Nigerian Students Loans Board Decree to provide funding to students based on loans repayable 20 years after graduation. However, the scheme collapsed after a while due to massive indebtedness and corruption.

When the board folded up, it published the names of debtors, most of whom provided fake addresses and the names of non-existent guarantors to the board when they were students in their respective institutions of higher learning in the country.

When President Bola Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Law to provide loans to Nigerian undergraduates, Nigerians expressed concerns about its sustainability, given that a similar scheme failed in the 1970s.

The law establishes NELFUND to handle all requests, disbursements and recovery of student loan applications.

According to the new law, the beneficiaries must repay the loan two years after graduation.

The sources of funding for the scheme include one per cent of all profits accruing to the federal government from oil and other minerals.

Other sources are one per cent of taxes, levies, and duties accruing to the federal government from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), as well as education bonds and education endowment fund schemes.

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The Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is developing a Continental Response Plan to guide the response to the Mpox outbreak in African countries.

The Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya, disclosed this during an online media briefing on Tuesday.

According to him, the plan is being worked on, and a draft of the document should be submitted to relevant groups, such as the Emergency Response Consultancy Group, for their input by Wednesday.

Mr Kaseye said that the plan has two major components. One is the individual response plan of African countries affected by the outbreak of the zoonotic disease, and the other centres on the response plan obtained from partners providing technical support.

He said these partners play a crucial role in responding to the outbreak of Mpox in the country.

This is not just about Africa CDC. It is also about other partners within and outside the continent who have joined the effort to curb the outbreak.

Mpox is not an African disease. This is wrong. It is a public health concern that is affecting countries around the world, he said.

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According to Mr Kaseye, some of these partners are Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the World Food Program (WFP), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Countries response plan

Mr Kaseye also noted the Continental Response Plan will combine the response plans developed by the 13 countries with suspected and confirmed cases of Mpox.

He said the continental plan will also provide an avenue for the public agency to review the quality of the response plan developed by each country and support the development of a better plan.

This will help us identify the needs of each country and the quality of the plan developed by each country, he said.

The continental plan includes the plan of all 13 countries.

By tomorrow (Wednesday), we are finalising the first draft and sharing it with relevant authorities for their input. Once we get their input, the plan will be presented during the governing board meeting of Africa CDC to validate the plan, Mr Kaseye.

Africa CDC is calling for the committee of heads of state in the second week of September. The committee will also involve some key partners at the highest level. It will be an opportunity for our head of state to endorse the Continental Response Plan.

The DG pointed out that this plan is the first continent action to be developed in Africa as a response to an outbreak while noting that it will also help build capacity for vaccine production on the continent.

Mpox vaccine

Mr Kaseye also said the Africa CDC has secured 215,000 IMVANEX vaccine doses from Bavarian Nordic.

He also said the public health agency expects an additional 100,000 vaccine doses from France.

This means we have moved from 215,000 doses to 315,000 doses.

On top of that, we have 55,000 doses coming from the US. We also have another 15,000 coming from GAVI, while Germany is also expected to donate vaccines to Africa as well, he said.

He noted that the Africa CDC has at least 380,000 doses of vaccines that will be distributed amongst affected African countries.

While declaring that countries will also be expected to pledge to fund the collective effort to curtail the outbreak, Mr Kaseye noted that the agency plans to use the $10.4 million grant provided by the Africa Union Committee to distribute and administer the Mpox vaccine across the continent.

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The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, met Mike Igini, a former INEC commissioner, for the first time after Mr Igin superintended over the 2019 elections in which Mr Akpabio failed to return to the Senate for a second term.

The duo met at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos.

Earlier today (Monday), I attended the 2024 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Lagos. At the annual conference, I met, for the first time, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Igini.

Mr Igini presided over the 2019 general elections in the state when I ran for the Senate, Mr Akpabio wrote on his Facebook page.

The Senate president uploaded photos of himself with Mr Igini. In one photo, both men have a firm handshake while they grin at each other.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, secured an overwhelming victory at the 2015 poll to represent Akwa Ibom North-West District in the Senate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Despite being a first-timer then, he was elected the minority leader of the All Progressives Party (APC)-controlled Senate.

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Mr Akpabio, in 2018, defected to the ruling APC, a platform he sought a second term in the Senate in 2019, but was defeated by the PDP candidate, Christopher Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom.

Not only did Mr Akpabio lose the election, but the INEC ad-hoc returning officer in Akpabios district was convicted and sentenced to three years for falsifying election results in favour of Mr Akpabio.

At the time, Mr Igini, the INEC resident electoral commissioner in Akwa Ibom, superintendented over the conduct of the election, during which Mr Akpabio suffered a humiliating defeat.

Also, under Mr Iginis watch, INEC secured the conviction of the ad-hoc official, a professor named Peter Ogban, in court.

Mr Akpabios supporters in Akwa Ibom hated Mr Igini, whom they falsely accused of robbing Mr Akpabio of victory. Meanwhile, the election official was being praised nationwide for his transparency and firmness.

Many in Akwa Ibom regarded Mr Igini as Senator Akpabios albatross in the states politics.

Akpabio and the 2023 senatorial election

Mr Akpabio, in 2023, got the APC ticket for the Akwa Ibom North-West District election under controversial circumstances after he initially contested the APC presidential primary and later stepped down for Bola Tinubu, who won the primary election and later the general election.

However, INEC did not recognise Mr Akpabio. It insisted that it was unaware of the primary election Mr Akpabio claimed he won.

The election commission had insisted on Udom Ekpoudom, a retired deputy inspector general of police, as the APC candidate for the district because it (INEC) monitored the primary, in which Mr Ekpoudom emerged as the winner.

The legal battle that ensued between Messrs Akpabio and Ekpoudom was finally decided in favour of Mr Akpabio by the Supreme Court in January 2023, about a month after the election.

I came to count votes, not money  Igini

In his valedictory media briefing in Uyo in August 2022, Mr Igini said his challenge in Akwa Ibom was that the people were used to election-rigging and writing results.

I came (here) to count votes, not money, Mr Igini, nicknamed the Son of Man, told reporters who had thronged INEC headquarters in Uyo to bid him farewell.

Mr Igini retired after serving in Akwa Ibom for five years. He was transferred to Akwa Ibom from Cross River State.

He served in INEC for ten years before his retirement.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, Mr Igini said during his last official outing in Uyo, quoting a remark from a Biblical figure, Apostle Paul.

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The Anambra State Government has sealed the state office of a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Awka, Anambra State.

Edozie Njoku leads the APGA faction.

Sly Ezeokenwa is the national chairperson of another APGA faction backed by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.

The building in Udoka Housing Estate also houses the campaign office of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Sealing of the offices

On Tuesday, some officials of the Anambra State arrived at the complex in the company of soldiers and police operatives and sealed the offices, Vanguard newspaper reported.

The South-east National Vice-Chairperson of APGA, Tony Uche Ezekwelu, told reporters that the state government must have felt threatened by the partys growing popularity since Mr Njoku became the factional national chairperson of the party.

We came to the office this morning to monitor the sale of expression of interest forms for the councillorship and chairmanship for the September 28 local government election.

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As I was coming, I saw some of our party officials struggling with officials of the state government who were accompanied by the police and the army, and they said they came to seal our party office following an order from above, Mr Ezekwelu narrated.

Continuing, he said: Their reason was that the area was initially mapped out as a residential area and not for commercial activities.

Our concern was that there was no previous notice. This is our new party office since we came into office two months ago.

There are many commercial offices in this area, including Nonye Soludos Healthy Living. Over the years, political parties have always used this area as their campaign office, but nobody has sealed it.

The national vice chairperson said that in addition to Mr Obis campaign office, past governorship and presidential candidates had offices within the building.

What happened here is unfortunate, and we know it is all politics. If there was any default, we ought to have been written instead of swooping into our office as if terrorists were occupying the place.

They should know that this is the official state office of APGA and the only one for that matter as recognised by the law. Maybe theyre worried that APGA members have been trooping into the place, and that rattled them, he said.

APGA, Anambra govt mum

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday night, the National Publicity Secretary of the Governor Soludo-backed APGA, Opara Ejimofor, said he was unaware of the incident.

I dont have that information, said Mr Ejimofor, the new media aide to the governor.

Similarly, the governors spokesperson, Christian Aburime, told this newspaper that the offices sealing must have been in response to a violation of state law.

Mr Aburime said Governor Soludo has no hand in sealing the building.

Any property that was sealed off means that the owners must have infringed on the law, and there is an agency that implements such laws.

It was not sealed up by the Anambra State Government. It was not sealed up by Governor Soludo, he said.

Leadership crisis

There has been a leadership crisis in APGA, which has split the party into two factionsone led by Mr Ezeokenwa and the other led by Mr Njoku.

In July, Mahmood Yakubu, the chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recognised Mr Njoku as the authentic national chairperson of the APGA.

The recognition followed a ruling in November 2023 by Justice Mohammed Madugu of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, directing INEC to accord Mr Njoku recognition as APGAs National Chairperson.

However, days after, Mr Ezeokenwa, another factional APGA chairperson, obtained an interim injunction that retrained INEC from recognising Mr Njoku as the party chairperson.

Justice J.K. Omotoso of the Federal High Court, Federal Capital Territory Division, granted the injunction.

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The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, said on Tuesday that the female passenger raped and robbed around the campus was not a student.

The female passenger boarded a motorcycle around the OAU campus some days ago on her way to Moro, a nearby town. But the motorcyclist raped and robbed her of her belongings.

The Osun State Police Command said it has arrested the motorcyclist, 29-year-old Damilare Jacob. The police commands spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, claimed that the suspect has confessed to the crime. The suspect could not be reached to comment on the police claim.

Media reports had described the lady as a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University.

But the university spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, said in a statement that the university has done its due diligence and found that the lady is not a student of the university.

He said though the female passenger engaged the services of the motorcyclist in front of the university main gate, she does not have any affiliation with the university.

We have done our due diligence, and the outcome of our painstaking investigation revealed that no OAU student, within or outside the campus, was involved in any form of rape or robbery, he wrote.

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He said the university is not in session and all our students, with a few exceptions, have been on holiday for almost a month now.

We, hereby, appeal to our colleagues in the media who are partners in progress to always verify the authenticity of their stories, particularly when Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is involved, he added.

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Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has proudly joined the people of the state in celebrating the 33rd anniversary of its creation. The historic occasion stands as a testament to the collective resilience, progress, and unity that have defined Jigawa State since its creation.

On 27 August, 1991, under the leadership of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Jigawa State was carved out of the old Kano State, embarking on a journey of self-determination and development. Over the past 33 years, the state has been blessed with leaders who, whether under military or democratic government, have laid the foundation for the progress and development that it enjoys today.

Congratulating the people of the state, the governor expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation for the contributions of past and present leaders, traditional rulers, civil servants, and the people. Each administration has contributed its quota towards putting Jigawa on the map as a dynamic and promising state today, Governor Namadi stated.

Reflecting on his administrations goals, Mr Namadi reaffirmed his commitment to the 12-Point Agenda for Greater Jigawa, which focuses on agriculture, education, health, information and communication technology (ICT), infrastructural development, environmental management, youth employment, economic empowerment, and poverty alleviation.

My administrations focus is on ensuring that our people get everything they need regardless of their social status, he emphasised.

Mr Namadi also highlighted the states prudent fiscal management of resources, noting that Jigawa remains the least indebted state in Nigeria.

This is not a mere coincidence but the outcome of our careful management of resources and a clear determination for sustainable growth, he said, reassuring the people that his administration would maintain this fiscal discipline to ensure that every naira spent positively impacts the lives of Jigawas citizens.

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The governor acknowledged the challenges posed by recent heavy rainfall, which has led to devastating floods in various parts of the state. The government is doing everything possible to manage the situation. All available resources have been deployed to provide shelter, food, and health services to those affected by the floods. In this way, nobody shall be left behind during such a time when help is most needed, Governor Namadi stated.

Looking ahead, Mr Namadi expressed confidence in the states future, urging the people of Jigawa to continue their prayers and support. Our state has great prospects ahead; together, we shall create a Jigawa that we are all proud of, he declared.

As the state celebrates this milestone, the governor prayed for continued peace, progress, and prosperity in the state.

He prayed, May Allah continue to bless Jigawa State with peace, progress, and prosperity. Happy 33rd anniversary to all the people of Jigawa State!

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Dufil Prima Foods, manufacturers of Indomie Instant Noodles continue to impact communities positively, demonstrating that leadership in the business world goes hand in hand with responsibility towards the welfare of society. As Nigerias leading noodle brand, Indomie Instant Noodles continues to show commitment to social responsibility by consistently contributing to the well-being of communities around Nigeria. This dedication was recently exemplified on August 23, 2024, when Dufil Prima Foods, the parent company of Indomie Noodles, made a significant donation of medical supplies and equipment to the Rauf Aregbesola Primary Health Care Centre in Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos.

The donation is part of the brands ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts to support public health facilities countrywide. The initiative aligns with the brands long-standing reputation for supporting communities through various programs focused on education, food distribution, and empowerment.

To ensure their contribution would have the maximum impact, Indomie Noodles conducted a thorough needs assessment of the Rauf Aregbesola Primary Health Care Centre to identify the most pressing needs of the facility, ensuring that the donated items directly addressed gaps in their existing resources.

Temitope Ashiwaju, Group Corporate Communications and Events Manager at Dufil Prima Foods, highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating,

We believe that corporate entities like ours have a duty to support government efforts, especially in areas where the government alone might not be able to cover all needs. This donation is part of our commitment to give back to society and make a positive impact on peoples lives. He added, Our need assessment process ensured that the medical equipment provided today is exactly what the facility was in dire need of, enhancing its ability to serve the community effectively.

The medical officer of the Rauf Aregbesola PHCC, Dr Abiola Bolaji, expressed deep appreciation for Indomie Noodles generous gesture.

The timing of this donation couldnt be better, Dr Bolaji said. As we expand our services, these resources will significantly enhance our ability to provide quality care to our patients. We are hopeful that this support will encourage more people to seek medical help and inspire our staff to continue their commendable work.

In addition to the medical equipment, the Indomie Noodles mobile kitchen was present at the event, providing freshly cooked noodles to patients, hospital staff, and members of the community. Many residents of the community present at this occasion, also received packs of noodles.

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Mrs Abiola, extended her gratitude, noting, We are incredibly grateful to Indomie for this timely support. These donations will help us integrate more comprehensive services, and of course, everyone will enjoy the delicious noodles that Indomie has so kindly provided.

The ongoing medical CSR donations show Indomie Instant Noodles mission to be more than just a food brand but a valuable partner in societal development. With more projects lined up across various states, like Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Kano, and so on, Indomie Noodles is steadfast in its journey to uplift communities and provide support where it is most needed.

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The Government of Georgia has announced the dismissal of several key diplomats, including ambassadors and representatives in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, NATO, and the United Nations offices in Geneva. The government has submitted relevant proposals to the President and published the corresponding decrees.The following diplomatic positions are affected:- Ramaz Lominadze, Ambassador to Switzerland, will leave his post on October 1, 2024.- Aleksandre Maisuradze, Permanent Representative to the UN offices in Geneva and other international organizations, will also step down on October 1, 2024.- Sofia Katsarava, Ambassador to the United Kingdom, will have her authority terminated on October 15, 2024.- Viktor Dolidze, Representative to NATO, will leave his position on September 21, 2024.All four diplomats were appointed in 2020. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that their dismissals are due to the expiration of their rotation periods.Additionally, on August 20, the government requested the dismissal of Zurab Pataradze, the Ambassador to Azerbaijan since 2018, also citing the end of his rotation period.Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi party, responded to recent claims by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) that the United States is preparing a "color revolution" in Georgia. While addressing the SVR's statement, Kaladze claimed that the Georgian opposition itself has been openly promoting revolutionary ideas, questioning the need for Russian intelligence to make such statements."Why does this need a statement from Russian intelligence? The oppositionists came out and directly preached revolution," Kaladze remarked, claiming that opposition figures have been openly discussing and instructing on how to carry out a revolution in the country. He added, "Why are you so attached to the statements of the Russian special services? This also raises many questions regarding you and the opposition in general."Kaladze further criticized the involvement of foreign governments in Georgia's internal affairs, specifically pointing to the Danish government. He accused Denmark of financing opposition activities, including their visits to regions and their direct involvement in the election campaign. "Neither Russia, America, nor the West can interfere in Georgia's affairs. An attempt to do this is funded by non-governmental organizations. The Danish government, which finances the trips of the opposition spectrum to the regions and is directly involved in the election campaign, is this normal?" Kaladze said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe has selected 100 women for training through the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a program aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth.The initiative is part of the U.S. Strategy on Global Women's Economic Security, designed to empower women and girls worldwide to contribute meaningfully to economic development.During the programs launch, U.S. Ambassador Pamela Tremont praised the participants for their bravery in pursuing entrepreneurship despite the challenges."Starting a business is daunting, but you have shown great courage," she said. Tremont expressed confidence in the participants' potential and encouraged them to make the most of the opportunity.The AWE program will provide participants with mentorship, site visits, and talks from both U.S. and local business experts. Key supporters include the U.S. African Development Foundation, CABS, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.Ambassador Tremont reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to enhancing investment opportunities in Zimbabwe and highlighted the importance of supporting women in business. She concluded with a quote from First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, emphasizing the positive impact of empowering women on families and communities.The program reflects the embassy's ongoing efforts to improve the U.S.-Zimbabwe investment climate and support innovative entrepreneurs in the region.
The Adamawa State Government has advised residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground to avoid flooding that may result in loss of lives and property.

The Executive Secretary of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), Celine Laori, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Tuesday.

She said the recent flooding in the three local government areas of Madagali, Demsa, and Numan was devastating and served as a lesson for residents in low-lying areas prone to flooding.

Ms Laori stated that the flood affected 21 communities across the three local government areas, resulted in six fatalities, and displaced more than 12,961 people.

The flood was devastating, affecting peoples livelihoods, destroying bridges, houses, shops, healthcare facilities, schools, and farmlands, among others.

In Madagali alone, the flood affected over 10,264 individuals across 11 communities, with victims currently taking shelter in nine different camps.

In Numan, it affected about 1,113 people and displaced 206 people across five communities, with the displaced persons in two different camps. In Demsa, it affected 1,584 people in five communities.

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Ms Laori further stated that the government had immediately provided the victims with relief items, including food and non-food items such as rice, maize, vegetable oil, mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits, and clothing for both adults and children.

She called on traditional leaders to complement government efforts in sensitising their subjects to save lives and property.

Ms Laori also appealed to Non-Governmental Organisations and wealthy individuals to support government efforts in aiding flood victims.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has explained why South-east was not included in the recent loan disbursements to tertiary institutions in the country.

NELFUND is the body created by the Higher Education Act 2023 to grant loans to indigent or low-income Nigerians to facilitate the payment of their tuition fees in Nigerian institutions.

The claim

There has been a claim that the agency excluded the tertiary institutions in the South-east from the list of schools to benefit from its loan disbursements.

A pro-democracy group, Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), made claim.

In a statement on Monday, the groups Executive Director, Nelson Nwafor, described the alleged exclusion as worrisome. It slammed the education committees of the National Assembly over their silence on the alleged exclusion of the South-east.

NELFUND speaks

Reacting, the spokesperson of the NELFUND, Nasir Ayitogo, refuted the claims when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

Mr Ayitogo said geopolitical zones are not a factor in the disbursement process.

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The spokesperson explained that tertiary institutions in the South-east were not included in the recent loan disbursements because their management did not respond to verification requests forwarded to them.

NELFUND sent a verification list to every institution eligible for disbursement for them to confirm that, indeed, those on the list are their students.

Unfortunately, we have not yet received any response from some institutions and coincidentally, the eligible institutions in the South-east for disbursement are part of those yet to respond to NELFUND, he said.

Mr Ayitogo said payments were being made to only institutions that responded to NELFUNDs verification request.

He said the agency is urging all institutions to complete the verification process in order for their students to benefit from the scheme.

Connecting the Dots

NELFUND, in July, released a list of 36 institutions to benefit from the scheme.

The list included two South-east institutions, the Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Imo and the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo.

The agency, on 14 August, released a fresh statement, indicating that they had cleared additional state-owned institutions for the loan application.

In the updated list which had a total of nearly 100 institutions, the number of South-east institutions on the list jumped from two to nine.

The universities from the South-east which were part of updated list were Abia State University, Uturu, College of Education, Nsugbe (Anambra State), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and University of Medical and Applied Sciences Enugu State.

Others were Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University (Imo State), Benjamin Uwajumogu State College of Education Ihitte-Uboma and Imo State Polytechnic Omuma (Imo).

NELFUND disbursed loans to a total of 19 of the selected institutions, covering a total of 27,667 students and to the tune of N2.94 billion.

None of the selected South-east institutions, however, benefitted in the disbursement.

The development prompted the South-east caucus of the National Assembly, last Sunday, to urge tertiary institutions in the region to comply with the verification request of the NELFUND for disbursement of loans to students.

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Three men were arraigned on Tuesday before an Ikorodu Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing an electricity transformer valued at N50 million.

Kehinde Akinkugbe, Tope Salisu, and Isiaka Amusa, whose addresses were not given, are being charged with conspiracy, stealing and malicious damage.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, Aminu Isaac, told the court that Messrs Akinkugbe, Salisu, and Amusa committed the offences at about 2.30 a.m. on 22 August at Ajeri Street, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Mr Isaac also said the defendants maliciously damaged an electricity transformer belonging to the Federal Government.

The prosecutor said that the defendants were apprehended by residents of the area, who later reported the matter to the police.

He said the offences contravened Sections 411, 287 and 339 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

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READ ALSO: Police detain tea vendor for allegedly beating teenager to death

The Chief Magistrate, A.B. Olagbegi-Adelabu, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each, with two sureties in like sum.

Mr Olagbegi-Adelabu ordered that one of the sureties must own a landed property and present evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The Magistrate adjourned the case until 10 October for mention. (NAN)

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Ajisen Ramen has been awarded the prestigious certification of World's No.1 Brand of noodle restaurant, measured in terms of the number of directly operated stores by Euromonitor, affirming the brand's superior quality and broad international presence.

50+ Years of Making Pork Bone Soup: Ajisen Ramen's Global Appeal Soars in 120 Cities

In the 1960s, Takaharu Shigemitsu opened the first Ajisen Ramen store with the aim of bringing authentic Japanese tonkotsu (pork bone) broth ramen to food enthusiasts worldwide. The brand incorporates "sen" (thousand) in its name, a testament to its ambitious goal of establishing 1,000 outlets globally.

In 1990, Ajisen Ramen became one of the representatives of Kyushu tonkotsu ramen in Japan and began to expand globally. Today, Ajisen Ramen is present in 15 countries across 5 continents, with restaurants in over 120 cities. Meanwhile, Marugame primarily adopts a direct-operated model to ensure consistent quality.

Over 50 years, Ajisen Ramen has been using premium pork bones to simmer the soup base, employing advanced Japanese soup-making techniques through seven meticulous processes. Each batch of bone broth undergoes a painstaking 12-hour process, demonstrating Ajisen Ramen's commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship while fostering innovation.

Ajisen Ramen follows stringent ingredient selection criteria, sourcing top-tier, premium ingredients globally through robust supply chains. This includes Danish Crown pork cartilage, Ecuadorian white shrimp, Australian beef, and Russian snow crab.

Five Facilities Established in China, with an Unwavering Commitment to Quality Craftsmanship

In 1996, Ms. Pan Wei introduced Ajisen Ramen to mainland China. Since then, Ajisen Ramen has established deep roots and flourished in the market, emerging as a leading player in China's chain restaurant sector.

As early as 2012, Ajisen China began pioneering the establishment of central kitchens. Currently, Ajisen China operates five facilities in Shanghai, Dongguan, Tianjin, Chengdu, and Wuhan. These facilities have also introduced advanced Japanese technological standards. Some of them have obtained ISO22000 certification. Over 15 years, all five major factories have ensured food quality and safety. Additionally, Ajisen Ramen has established a robust food safety management system, ensuring that every step complies with the strictly food safety standards, giving every diner peace of mind.

Ajisen Ramen's signature secret ingredient, senmi-oil (thousand flavors oil), is crafted through a 2-hour simmering process and 1,800 seconds of continuous grinding. Paired with the carefully selected European-sourced, juicy and flavorful pork cartilage, these unique offerings enhance the exceptional taste of Ajisen Ramen.

Collaborating with Michelin-starred Chefs, Ajisen Unveils Its New Offerings

During this year, Ajisen will collaborate with international Michelin-starred chefs to develop three new dishes, set to debut exclusively in mainland China and deliver a whole new culinary experience to the country's diners. Looking ahead, Ajisen Ramen remains committed to upholding the spirit of craftsmanship and accomplishing its mission of "offering a delicious bowl of ramen to patrons worldwide". The brand will continue to explore and innovate, bringing more delicious, healthy, and unique dining experiences to food enthusiasts everywhere.

SOURCE Ajisen Ramen
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alphyn Biologics, Inc., a clinical-stage dermatology company developing first-in-class Multi-Target Therapeutics, announced today that data from its Phase 2a human clinical trial of Zabalafin Hydrogel (AB-101a) in atopic dermatitis (AD) will be presented at the upcoming European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2024 in Amsterdam, September 25-28, 2024. Zabalafin Hydrogel is being developed as the first therapeutic for AD to directly treat AD's itch and directly treat bacteria that are increasingly thought to cause AD's inflammation and flares. It also directly treats infected AD skin and directly treats AD's inflammation.

The first-in-human Phase 2a study was designed to assess the most important treatment considerations for AD - itch and quality of life improvement, as well as the safety and efficacy of Zabalafin Hydrogel. AD is a chronic disease and the most common type of eczema, reported to be the largest dermatology problem in the world, according to Global Atopic Dermatitis Atlas (GADA). Zabalafin Hydrogel's strong clinical results point to its potential to become the "drug of choice" to treat AD.

The poster, titled "Itch Reduction and Quality of Life Improvement in AD for First Human Use of Zabalafin," is authored by Lynda Spelman, MD1, Stephen Shumack, MD2, Michael Benson, MD3, Bevin Bhoyrul, MD4, Jessie Lee, MD5, Ebrahim AK Abdulla, MD6, Neal Koller7, and Gary Pekoe, PhD7

Zabalafin Hydrogel is a novel, first-in-class complex single-source botanical drug with multiple bioactive compounds that provide multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-pruritic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity. The topical is derived from the company's Zabalafin Platform.

1 Veracity Clinical Research, Woolloongabba, QLD, AU, 2 St. George Dermatology, Kogarah NSW, 3 Captain Stirling Medical Centre, Nedlands WA, AU, AU, 4 Sinclair Dermatology, East Melbourne VIC, AU, 5 Holdsworth House Medical Practice, Darlinghurst NSW, AU, 6 The Skin Hospital, Westmead NSW, AU, 7 Alphyn Biologics, Cincinnati, OH, USA

ABOUT ALPHYN BIOLOGICS

Alphyn Biologics, Inc. is a clinical-stage dermatology company developing first-in-class Multi-Target Therapeutics for severe and prevalent skin diseases based on its Zabalafin Platform. Its lead product candidate, Zabalafin Hydrogel, is being developed as a topical treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), the most common form of eczema.

Zabalafin Hydrogel has demonstrated efficacy in Phase 2a clinical trials, and the company believes it will be the first therapeutic for AD to directly treat AD's itch and directly treat bacteria that are increasingly thought to cause AD's inflammation and flares. It also directly treats infected AD skin and directly treats AD's inflammation. Clinical trial results of Zabalafin Hydrogel suggest it has the potential to be the first AD treatment that is worry-free for long-term, continuous use.

Alphyn's Zabalafin Platform has multiple bioactive compounds and, therefore, multiple mechanisms of action to support a robust pipeline of dermatologic therapeutics that have potential safety, side effect, patient tolerability, efficacy, and regulatory marketing authorization advantages. Alphyn is based in Annapolis, Maryland, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and has wholly-owned subsidiaries in Australia and Austria. The company became operational in 2020 and has raised approximately $16 million.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1899346/Alphyn_Biologics__LLC__Logo_Hi_Res_Transparent_Bckgrd_Logov1.jpg
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show) announced a series of exciting additions to the AutoMobility LA 2024 (AMLA 2024) program. AMLA 2024 will take place on Thursday, November 21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and features a new, expanded agenda for this year. The premier annual industry and media day is a must-attend event for the entire automotive ecosystem, and will host thousands of automotive executives, credentialed journalists and media representatives, government officials, policymakers, technologists, designers, dealers, industry analysts, investors, thought-leaders, content creators and influencers.

Just Added: More Exhibitors in the Fleet Mobility Showcase

As previously announced, AutoMobility LA 2024 will present its inaugural Fleet Mobility Showcase, an exhibition of the latest vehicle, technology, and product innovations in the fleet sector, featuring everything from passenger cars to Class 8 heavy duty trucks. In addition to Ford Pro, Nikola, and Isuzu Trucks of America, the LA Auto Show is proud to announce the addition of the following exhibitors:

A wide range of EVs, HFCEVs, and ICE products will be on display in the showcase. Attendees can interact with OEMs, explore their latest product offerings, and enjoy ride and drive experiences in many of the vehicles onsite.

Just Added: More Speakers Taking the AMLA Main Stage

AMLA's main stage and 2024 content program will feature leading minds in automotive and technology. These experts will explore the most pressing industry issues in a series of real-world case studies, presentations, and panel discussions. New additions to the speaker lineup include:

More speakers and the full AMLA 2024 program will be announced in the coming weeks.

Registration is Open Now

Registration for AMLA 2024 is open and complimentary for accredited and approved media. Industry attendees can take advantage of an "early bird" registration fee of $149 through October 31. From November 1, the full registration fee of $249 will apply to all approved industry registrants. Register now at https://automobilityla-2024.reg.buzz/.

Following AMLA 2024, the LA Auto Show will be open to the public from November 22, 2024 to December 1, 2024.

Stay up to date with the latest show news, updates, and information, follow the LA Auto Show on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and sign up for alerts at laautoshow.com.

About the Los Angeles Auto Show & AutoMobility LA

Founded in 1907, the Los Angeles Auto Show is recognized as one of the world's most influential automotive events. The show celebrates the enduring love that Angelenos have for their cars and offers a global platform for industry debuts, technology, and innovation.

Doors open to the public November 22  December 1 and the show runs for 10 full days, including Thanksgiving Day. It is a must-attend event for prospective car buyers, industry executives, influencers, car enthusiasts, and for families wanting to enjoy an unforgettable day out during the holiday season. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the LA Auto Show contributes several hundred million dollars to the city's economy, stimulates the local job market, and is the number one revenue generator for the Center.

On November 21, AutoMobility LA, the show's media and industry day, will include a range of groundbreaking debuts and announcements, and a conference program featuring the leading minds in automotive and technology. These experts will explore the most pressing industry issues in a series of presentations and panel discussions from AutoMobility LA's main stage.

Media Contacts

Kat Kirsch

[email protected]

Tania Weinkle

[email protected]

Dan Sampson

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Los Angeles Auto Show & AutoMobility LA

[email protected]

SOURCE Los Angeles Auto Show and AutoMobility LA
WESTPORT, Conn., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Balance Point Capital Advisors, LLC ("Balance Point"), in conjunction with its affiliated funds, Balance Point Capital Partners IV, L.P. and Balance Point Capital Partners V, L.P., is pleased to announce its investment in SPS PoolCare ("SPS", or the "Company"), a portfolio company of Storr Group ("Storr"), a Texasheadquartered private equity firm focused on building platforms within fragmented sectors. Balance Point provided debt capital to support SPS's current acquisition pipeline and extended significant available capital for future M&A activity.

Headquartered in Austin, TX, SPS PoolCare provides residential pool services including maintenance, repair, and renovation services to thousands of customers across Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. Since its inception in 2021, the Company has been highly acquisitive, bringing 80+ brands under its ownership. SPS's technology-first approach to service delivery has enabled the seamless integration of these brands and gained the Company the title of #1 pool service company in the United States by Pool and Spa News.

"Balance Point is excited to partner with SPS and Storr as they continue to establish themselves as leaders in the residential pool service industry," said Seth Alvord, Managing Partner at Balance Point. "SPS's impressive application of technology to streamline operations and facilitate acquisition integration is evident across the organization. We look forward to continuing to support SPS on their exciting journey ahead."

"We are pleased to welcome Balance Point as our first debt capital partner," remarked Lance Martin, President and COO of SPS. "Their service industry expertise, collaborative approach, and robust capital base will be crucial as we continue to expand while maintaining best-in-class pool maintenance and repair services throughout the Sun Belt."

Fraser Ramseyer, Chairman and CEO at Storr, said, "From the outset, Balance Point recognized our vision for SPS and designed a tailored financing structure that aligns with our mission to consolidate the fragmented pool services industry. We are thrilled to have Balance Point as a capital partner at SPS and look forward to collaborating with them again in the future."

About Balance Point

Balance Point is an alternative investment manager focused on the lower middle market. With approximately $2.1 billion in assets under management, Balance Point invests debt and equity capital in select lower middle market companies across a variety of investment vehicles. Balance Point takes a long-term, partnership approach to investing and is committed to building lasting relationships with its partners, management teams and intermediaries.

Balance Point is a registered investment advisor. Further information is available at www.balancepointcapital.com.

About SPS PoolCare

As the #1 swimming pool services company in the United States ranked by Pool and Spa News, SPS PoolCare is on pace to perform one million weekly pool services per year and employs more than 500 staff across four states. Backed by Storr Group, the company is focused on growing its family of brands across the Sun Belt, as it continues to make owning a pool a joy. SPS PoolCare is committed to creating a world-class service experience for its customers and being an employer-of-choice for its team members.

For more information, visit www.spspoolcare.com

About Storr Group

Storr Group is a leading operationally focused private equity firm headquartered in Austin, Texas. Storr builds and scales best-in-class platforms across the United States, elevating industries for consumers, employees, and key stakeholders. The firm predominantly operates within fragmented, high-margin sectors  creating value through consolidation and its methodical Storr Business Systems playbook that drives operational excellence, industry-leading growth, and technology transformation. Storr Group is actively operating multiple scaled platforms and has executed nearly 100 investments across its platforms. For more, visit www.storrgroup.com.

Media Contact:

Adam H. Sauerteig

Office: 203-652-8555

[email protected]

SOURCE Balance Point Capital
News / National

by Staff reporter

Jessie Majome, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), has emphasized the need for greater public education on human rights to enhance their appreciation and impact on improving livelihoods.Majome, who began her role in March, observed that the "over-politicization" of human rights issues - where political parties are seen as either victims or violators - hinders efforts to foster a culture of respect for these rights.In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Majome highlighted that human rights should transcend partisan politics and be recognized as universal and essential for everyone's well-being.She criticized the tendency to use human rights as political leverage and stressed that they should unite rather than divide.Majome also addressed recent incidents such as the arbitrary arrest of Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) Senator Jameson Timba and others, suggesting that political showmanship often distorts the true nature of such events.She emphasized the importance of allowing peaceful demonstrations and criticized Western nations for their own human rights issues while criticizing Zimbabwe.Highlighting Zimbabwe's rich cultural heritage of Ubuntu/Hunhu, Majome underscored that human rights are deeply embedded in the nation's values and were central to the liberation struggle.She called for a renewed commitment to these rights and announced that the ZHRC is actively working to educate communities about their rights through grassroots initiatives.
Annual study ranks the 300 largest public banks.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank Director, the leading information resource for directors and officers of financial institutions nationwide, released its 2024 RankingBanking study, sponsored by Crowe LLP. Each year, Bank Director's RankingBanking study examines the performance of the 300 largest publicly traded banks. This year, many of the top performers were community banks, proving that the community bank model is far from dead. In this study, find out why some banks fill the top ranks year over year while others tend to fall short.

Emily McCormick, Bank Director's Vice President of Editorial & Research, analyzed why smaller banks tend to dominate the top 25 ranking. When discussing this recurring trend with Kara Baldwin, a partner who leads the financial services audit group at Crowe LLP, Kara shared that some of that performance has to do with a loyal customer base. "When something goes wrong, you can have a discussion with someone who actually knows you personally," she says. "You're not getting sent to a call center far off. And for a lot of these commercial deposits, that's what they want."

RankingBanking uses four metrics to gauge the performance of public commercial and savings banks. The metrics are core return on average assets and core return on average equity, tangible common equity to tangible assets, and nonperforming assets to loans and other real estate owned. Each bank is ranked on each metric, and the sum of the rankings produces a final score.

Below are the 25 Top-Ranked Banks Overall:

Westamerica Bancorp. (WABC), San Rafael, CA Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB), Lodi, CA Macatawa Bank Corp. (MCBC), Holland, MI Mercantile Bank Corp. (MBWM), Wyoming, MI East West Bancorp (EWBC), Pasadena, CA Commerce Bancshares (CBSH), Kansas City, MO Cashmere Valley Bank (CSHX), Cashmere, WA City Holding Co. (CHCO), Charleston, WV The Bancorp (TBBK), Wilmington, DE Private Bancorp of America (PBAM), La Jolla, CA ACNB Corp. (ACNB), Gettysburg, PA Lakeland Financial Corp. (LKFN), Warsaw, IN Central Bancompany (CBCY.B), Jefferson City, MO River City Bank (RCBC), Sacramento, CA Community Trust Bancorp. (CTBI), Louisville, KY Bank OZK (OZK), Little Rock, AR ServisFirst Bancshares (SFBS), Birmingham, AL Five Star Bancorp (FSBC), Roseville, CA Southern States Bancshares (SSBK), Anniston, AL MainStreet Bancshares (MNSB), Fairfax, VA HBT Financial (HBT), Bloomington, IL Parke Bancorp (PKBK), Sewell, NJ Great Southern Bancorp (GSBC), Springfield, MO 1st Source Corp. (SRCE), South Bend, IN International Bancshares Corp. (IBOC), Laredo, TX

To access the full list of top performing U.S. publicly traded banks, along with the top banks broken out by asset size, click here.

"Our deep dive into the inner workings of top performing banks such as Bank OZK and Five Star Bancorp show some unique strategies,'' says Naomi Snyder, editor-in-chief for Bank Director. "But overall, the banks that did better tended to be small banks that dominated their markets and niches, with low-cost deposits and strong balance sheet management."

Takeaways from RankingBanking:

Conservative banks with low cost deposits such as Farmers & Merchants dominate the top performers.

Asset quality declined a bit for the top performing banks but remained generally pristine.

The top 25 banks had a median ROAA for 2023 of 1.54% and ROAE of 16.71%, in contrast to 1.03% and 10.53%, respectively, for the 300 largest public banks.

East West Bancorp was the only bank above $50 billion in assets that made it to the top 25 overall list.

in assets that made it to the top 25 overall list. Banks with strong balance sheets, low cost deposits and highly profitable business lines did better than others.

To review the full results of Bank Director's RankingBanking study, along with previous RankingBanking reports, please visit BankDirector.com.

About Bank Director

Bank Director reaches the leaders of the institutions that comprise America's banking industry. Since 1991, Bank Director has provided board-level research, peer insights and in-depth executive and board services. Built for banks, Bank Director extends into and beyond the boardroom by providing timely and relevant information through Bank Director magazine, board training services and the financial industry's premier event, Acquire or Be Acquired. For more information, please visit www.BankDirector.com.

About Crowe LLP

Crowe LLP is a public accounting, consulting and technology firm with offices around the world. Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities. The firm and its subsidiaries also help clients make smart decisions that lead to lasting value with its tax, advisory and consulting services. Crowe is recognized by many organizations as one of the best places to work in the U.S. As an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world, Crowe serves clients worldwide. The network consists of more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 130 countries around the world. For more information about Crowe financial industry services www.crowe.com/fs.

Source:

For more information, please contact Bank Director's Director of Marketing, Deahna Welcher at [email protected].

SOURCE Bank Director
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Caddo Mountain Spring Water, LLC, (CMSW) a premium spring, artesian & mineral bottled water start-up, announced today that it has filed a formal complaint with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) against Environmental Works, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri for violations of State of Arkansas Water Well Construction Rules and Regulations. The Water Well Construction Rules and Regulations were established by the Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission now under the ANRC. The State of Arkansas Rules and Regulations violations are associated with Environmental Works, Inc. construction activities on the company's bottled water project in Montgomery County, AR.

The formal complaint to the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission in Little Rock, Arkansas states that Environmental Works, Inc.'s well construction activities violated at least eleven (11) Sections of the Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission Rules and Regulations. The construction violations (as outlined in the complaint) resulted in irreversible contamination and damage to CMSW and its property. Furthermore, per the complaint, Environmental Works, Inc. violations and actions lacked the standard of care needed to perform their work. Finally, after knowledge of their botched well construction job, they acted in bad faith, with full and complete knowledge of the damages that would be incurred by Caddo Mountain Spring Water as a result of its actions. In conclusion of the complaint, Caddo Mountain Spring Water asked the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to suspend Environmental Works, Inc. State license and forfeiture of their licensing surety bond. Barry Davidson, CEO/Founder of CMSW, stated, "These people operate in our State and can and or will be Bad water well construction actors again unless the ANRC steps in to enforce our State's Construction Rules and Regulations."

CMSW chose the law firm of WRIGHT, LINDSEY & JENNINGS LLP to represent them in a lawsuit they filed earlier against Environmental Works, Inc. over this botched well construction incident. "We chose WRIGHT, LINDSEY & JENNINGS LLP based on their ability and rich Arkansas heritage as one of the best law firms in Arkansas" said Barry Davidson. "We believe our team of highly skilled and experienced legal professionals led by attorney Patrick Wilson will prevail in our case against Environmental works, Inc."

CONTACT: Barry Davidson, CEO\Managing Member

[email protected] or www.CaddoMountainSpringWater.com

SOURCE Caddo Mountain Spring Water, LLC
Supports development of new renewable energy generation, making solar available to residential and business subscribers unable to install rooftop systems.

Reduces carbon emissions, provides savings on energy bills, supports biodiversity, and augments Maryland's growing reputation as a renewable leader.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chaberton Energy today announced construction has started on a new 2.9 megawatts (MWdc) community solar project located in Fulton, Howard County, Md. The Lime Kiln solar project was developed by Chaberton, a leading community solar developer, and is owned and operated by Pivot Energy, a national renewable energy independent power producer.

One of Chaberton Energy's completed community solar projects.

The Lime Kiln community solar project will be part of the Maryland Community Solar program, enabling area residents and businesses to subscribe to it. When completed, it will provide lower-cost electricity to residents across all incomes who want to gain access to clean energy but may not be able to install solar panels on their own property.

The project will produce more than 4.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, which is enough energy to power approximately 400 homes. The environmental impact of this clean energy project is equivalent to removing nearly 800 gas-powered cars off the road.

"The Lime Kiln solar project will bring additional clean energy to our community and offer Howard County residents greater access to lower electric bills," said Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin B. Ball. "The project also helps to advance our Howard County Climate Forward plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2045. We are delighted to have this new solar array in our community as we continue to lead on energy independence."

There were many steps and significant cross-collaboration with county and state officials to get the project approved so it can be built to provide clean energy, support the community and add to the biodiversity of the area.

"This is another big win for clean energy and for equitable access to renewable energy in our home state of Maryland," said Mike Doniger, Chaberton Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. "This is a great example of how community solar can work for local residents, and I can't wait to see this project power up."

Project Lime Kiln is expected to be operational in the first half of 2025.

"Pivot Energy is excited to build and operate the Lime Kiln energy project, to further engage in the Howard community, while providing clean, affordable energy to the people who live here," said Brit Gibson, Chief Operating Officer of Pivot. "Pivot provides more than just clean energy to the local communities that host our solar projects. We are accelerating an equitable shift to clean energy in communities throughout the nation by developing, financing and servicing renewable energy projects."

Chaberton and Pivot, which have collaborated on other projects in Howard County, also have made contributions to community charitable organizations such as Brightminds, the Community Ecology Institute and POWER52.

Chaberton was recently named the 34th fastest-growing private company in America on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. The company is a leading Maryland-based community solar developer with more than 200 megawatts of community solar projects in the state in operations, construction or active development. In July, Chaberton was the first company to receive a favorable recommendation from the state's Power Plant Research Program (PPRP) for a community solar project through the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity process.

The Lime Kiln project will use 15 acres on a 57-acre tract of land and will include local pollinators such as:

Milkweed, a Monarch butterfly favorite;

Black-eyed Susans, the Maryland state flower; and

state flower; and Asters and mountain mint, to name just a few.

These carefully selected native plants will attract insects, butterflies and birds, helping support the surrounding area's biodiversity and agriculture.

About Chaberton Energy

Headquartered in Maryland, Chaberton Energy is a public benefit corporation focused on developing sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy projects. Our work ranges from site conception to full operations, emphasizing distributed energy, community solar, and commercial and industrial initiatives.

We deeply value the communities we serve including employees, landowners, neighbors, customers, regulators, development partners and investors. Rooted in creativity, excellence, and humanity, our team is dedicated to creating sustainable renewable energy solutions. These projects support the transition to clean energy and reduce pollution, as well as benefit residents and businesses economically.

About Pivot Energy

Pivot Energy is a renewable energy provider and independent power producer that develops, finances, builds, owns, and manages solar and energy storage projects. Pivot leverages its renewable expertise to provide a range of unique offerings that accelerate the clean energy transition by helping companies and communities attain impactful decarbonization. Pivot is a US-based Certified B-Corporation that proudly follows a corporate strategy aimed at providing a positive impact on society as measured by Environmental stewardship, Social leadership, and responsible Governance factors. Pivot Energy is an ECP portfolio company. Learn more at pivotenergy.net.

Chaberton Media Contact

Erica Brinker

412.715.3652

[email protected]

Pivot Media Contact

Marci Grossman

[email protected]

847.257.5649

SOURCE Chaberton Energy
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)'s San Francisco Estuary Partnership partnered with 11 community partners working in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Bay Area and the California Indian Environmental Alliance along with Simple Lab, an environmental testing service, specializing in laboratory logistics and sampling, to test tap water for its newly released Tap Water Testing Report.

The Estuary Partnership's San Francisco Bay Area Tap Water Testing Program marks the biggest community-driven tap water quality testing initiative effort in this region. It was funded through California's Integrated Regional Water Management program, established by a voter-approved ballot measure in 2014.

"The Tap Water Testing Program empowered us to assist 50 community members in addressing immediate concerns about their drinking water," said Jennifer Adams, Senior Program Manager at Nuestra Casa. "While the water meets the US EPA's Safe Drinking Water standards, residents expressed significant concerns about its quality and affordability. In response, we launched the Community Water Task Force to amplify community voices, engage with water utility companies and government agencies, and tackle the underlying issues contributing to the mistrust of our drinking water."

The Estuary Partnership and its outreach partners developed the community-driven Tap Water Testing Program, which operated from 2019 to 2022, after results from the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Needs Assessment report revealed widespread distrust of tap water by underserved Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Rather than disregard these concerns, the Estuary Partnership collaborated with participating outreach partners to define program parameters and testing solutions.

The Estuary Partnership conducted research on tap water quality testing, engaged utilities, and worked with water quality experts to standardize program components required to ensure the data was informative and scientifically defensible. Afterward, each outreach partner led the development of the specific tap water quality testing effort in their community or Tribe. Participants were recruited by each outreach partner and were often the same individuals or households who participated in the Regional Needs Assessment.

The Tap Water Testing program  including data collection, analysis and interpretation  was formed directly from the Disadvantaged Community and Tribal Involvement Program's San Francisco Bay Regional Water Needs Assessment findings and by subsequent requests from Tribes and disadvantaged communities to investigate their concerns about their tap water quality.

To ensure independently verified and scientifically robust results, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and its outreach partners teamed with SimpleLab, which connects individuals and groups with certified laboratories to conduct rigorous environmental testing. Each community and Tribal partner worked directly with SimpleLab, with support from the project team, to collect and submit water samples for a point-in-time analysis. Each community selected from a menu of testing panels based on local environmental concerns, existing water quality data, and specific tap water quality concerns collected in the Regional Needs Assessment.

"The Tap Water Testing program was the largest urban, CBO co-implemented, non-lead tap testing program I am aware of, and certainly the biggest I have been a part of. It was a privilege to work on such a novel and collaborative effort," observed Gregory Pierce, UCLA Urban Planning Professor. "The results of the work have already led to some improvement in infrastructure in the Bay Area and have implications for further advocacy and investment in the region. This project also underscores how regulators need to do more to account for the factors in drinking water quality which often lead to mistrust, but are obscured in premise plumbing."

In addition to working with SimpleLab, extensive consultation also was undertaken with local utilities, regulators and other groups to ensure transparency and communication with key partners across the process, allowing the goal of the testing to stay focused on this program serving as a data collection effort envisioned and led by the participating communities and Tribes, and a testing and reporting effort carried out by an independent third party.

"EBMUD supports water quality testing and is proud to say that EBMUD water meets or surpasses all state and federal water quality standards," says David Briggs, Director of Water Operations for the East Bay Municipal Utilities District. "We also encourage our customers to test their water quality, to make sure the plumbing inside their home or building unit is safe. Visit ebmud.com/lead to request a voucher for a free lead test if you are concerned, and our annual water quality report is available at ebmud.com/waterquality."

In a broader sense, the Tap Water Testing program connects with the work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which last year announced a ruling that will go into effect in 2027 making annual drinking water quality reports more understandable and accessible to the public.

A summary of the Tap Water Testing Program results provided below:

555 samples were taken and tested for contaminants. These samples resulted in 34,296 test results.

Approximately 0.08% of test results exceeded primary regulatory standards where they existed (10 out of 12,895). Eight of the 10 samples represented unique locations, two were retests.

Exceedances of much stricter Public Health Goal standards were found to occur in about 5% of all tests where they existed (640 out of 12,946), with a consistent range of 3-6% by community.

About 2% of all tests with relevant secondary (aesthetic) standards exceeded those standards (89 out of 4,565).

70 samples were taken and tested for 14 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as a forever chemical). None exceeded any health-related response or even notification level.

"This has been an amazing opportunity to collaborate with communities and Tribes to identify and address their concerns through a data collection effort that meets the needs of various vested parties. We hope this process will be modeled in other communities, as it's a pathway toward democratizing water quality data, expanding community trust and making all our communities stronger," said James Muller, the Estuary Partnership's Principal Environmental Planner.

"While more work is ahead for communities that identified water needs," Muller continued, "the Tap Water Testing Program Report successfully provided a snapshot of water quality for its partners and met broader goals by generating better regional data on tap water quality and perception. This report is a positive step forward in moving the state towards safe and affordable water for all."

The San Francisco Estuary is named in the federal Clean Water Act as one of 28 "estuaries of national significance." Millions of people, hundreds of communities, and many industries rely on the San Francisco Estuary for fresh water, recreation, agriculture and more. Additionally, thousands of wildlife species rely on the estuary for habitat. For over 30 years, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership has worked together with local communities and federal and state agencies to improve the health of California's most urbanized estuary.

For more information about the San Franciso Estuary Partnership's Tap Water Testing Report or the Tap Water Testing Report Appendix please visit: https://www.sfestuary.org/tap-water-testing-report/. An executive summary of the report is provided in both Spanish and Traditional Chinese.

SOURCE San Francisco Estuary Partnership
BEIJING, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

China's traditional culture has contributed greatly to the country's modernization. Yet it is not the only factor that has advanced Chinese modernization. The process of modernization has factors such as industrialization and greater equality brought about by socialism, which have been provided by the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

JIN DING/CHINA DAILY

The factors of China's traditional culture that contribute to Chinese modernization include its emphasis on education, the tendency and ability to progress as a community rather than as individuals, and the focus on social harmony. To a large extent, these are derived from Confucianism, the secular ideology most associated with Chinese tradition.

The focus on education was reflected in the examination system, which for centuries had been producing Chinese bureaucrats. The system, however, had many drawbacks. For one, it was closed to women and involved a type of education that required too much rote learning and too little understanding. But it did mean the rulers of China were educated men whose ideology was secular. This was in contrast to countries where those with primary power and influence were hereditary aristocrats or clerics. Thus the focus on education is an enormous contribution to modernization.

It is often said that the Chinese people put emphasis on "community", not individuals. Chinese history is replete with disagreements and conflicts. But compared with other civilizations, China has more examples of people working together, not against one another. A major illustrative example comes from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). After the Han Dynasty collapsed in disorder, China came together again and has mostly stayed unified. In contrast, when Ancient Rome fell in 476, signaling the end of the Western Roman Empire, Europe did not come together again, despite several major attempts at reunification, till the establishment of the European Union.

The Confucian philosophy's emphasis on social harmony also helps focus on living and working together with comparatively little conflict. There are plenty of exceptions, though. I have seen people pushing and shoving in crowds, where good manners might suggest standing back for others. But I have also seen people looking well together in crowded conditions that could lead toward strife in other contexts.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo noted that the Chinese were "friendly toward each other, and persons who inhabit the same street . appear like one family". Was he a bit uncritical? Maybe, but I believe that in general the Chinese people make the best of crowded conditions and live in harmony.

Yet we know that China is a latecomer to modernization. Its pre-1949 attempts to achieve modernization were mostly dismal failures. Socialism brought equality, which in turn contributed to the country's efforts to advance Chinese modernization. For example, the 1950s saw China implementing a hitherto unknown concept of gender equality, including providing education for girls along with boys. Over the decades women have contributed more and more to the formal economy. In fact, giving play to women's capabilities, skills and high education levels is one of the main reasons why the process of Chinese modernization has been so successful.

In fact, modernization was the central theme of the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee held in December 1978. The plenum paved the way for "four modernizations", those of industry, agriculture, science and technology and national defense. China's progress since then has been phenomenal.

Some Americans claim credit for China's modernization. They say the visit of then US president Richard Nixon to China in 1972 foreshadowed essential assistance to China, and exaggerate the United States' contribution to China's modernization. The real reasons helping the country advance Chinese modernization are its advanced traditional culture, the hard work of the Chinese people and the effective leadership of the Party. No doubt, the West helped in certain fields, but it is certainly not the main reason for China's success.

As someone who has been visiting and teaching in China since 1964, I have witnessed the enormous strides the country has taken toward achieving modernization. More than six decades ago, infrastructure in China was terrible. But now China has developed the largest and best high-speed train network in the world. Trains are punctual and comfortable, run smoothly, and are extremely fast.

Poor and backward in the 1960s, China now dominates world trade, and its economy has grown rapidly since the modernization policy was introduced. Measured in PPP (purchasing power parity) terms, China is now the world's largest economy. In terms of standard of living, it has improved to an almost unbelievable extent. The World Bank estimates China's GDP per capita was only $164 in 1962. By the end of 2023, it had increased to $12,174.

As for the science and technology sector, Cambridge scholar Joseph Needham has praised China's brilliant scientific tradition in his monumental work, Science and Civilisation in China. The scientific revolution took place in Europe, paving the way to modernization. In the 21st century, the tide has turned, and China is catching up.

China's modern and contemporary culture has helped advance Chinese modernization. But China's traditional culture has also helped advance modernization in multiple ways, an important one being the emphasis on education.

The author Colin Mackerras is a Sinologist and an emeritus professor at Griffith University in Australia. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn
Demonstrations Come Shortly After Labor Board Rules for Workers

LANSING, Mich., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of Teamsters Locals 243, 247, 332, 337, 406, and 1038 picketed and leafleted outside of Chipotle restaurants in Lansing and Detroit on Monday to demand a fair contract from the fast casual behemoth. Chipotle workers at one of the chain's Lansing restaurants are represented by Local 243.

"These hardworking Teamsters aren't going to back down from a fight for fair wages, increased safety standards, a fair process for scheduling, and protection from retaliation," said Scott Quenneville, President of Local 243. "Chipotle is a multibillion-dollar enterprise. They can easily afford our demands."

The workers, who held signs that said, "Our Labor Costs Extra," and "Union Busting is Disgusting  Solidarity is Delicious," are the only unionized Chipotle employees in the country. The demonstrations come only a few days after a National Labor Relations Board prosecutor charged the corporate giant with unlawfully withholding raises as a way to punish the workers for unionizing.

"The NLRB is doing the right thing by bringing charges against this company," Quenneville said. "Chipotle's management is trying every nasty tactic they can think of to stop workers from getting a fair contract. It's not working."

"Instead of listening to us and addressing our concerns, this company is trying to bury its head in the sand," said Atulyah Dora-Laskey, a Chipotle Teamster in Lansing and member of the union's negotiating committee. "They have tried intimidating the messenger into silence by retaliating against unionized crew members. We feel vindicated by the recent NLRB ruling. This retaliation has only cemented for us why it's so important that Chipotle crew unionize. Our union support is higher than ever as we fight to wrap up this contract."

While the company has denied its workers raises for unionizing, it has no problem handing out bonuses to its C-Suite. The company recently handed out retention awards to executives, including an $8 million bonus to Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung.

"Instead of paying Chipotle frontline workers enough money to make ends meet, the leadership of this company is congratulating itself with million-dollar bonuses for not quitting," said Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division. "This is an egregious slap in the face to the people who make this company successful. Chipotle leadership needs to stop wasting money, stop wasting time, and give our members the contract that they have earned."

Teamsters Local 243, with union halls in Lansing and Plymouth Township, proudly represents more than 4,000 workers across Michigan. For more information, go to teamsters243.org/.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 243
AMERSFOORT, Netherlands, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CLEVR today announced the appointment of Tim Claes as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1st, 2024. Tim will replace Jeroen Hanekamp, who will be appointed to the Supervisory Board to ensure an effective transition of leadership and continue supporting CLEVR's growth ambitions as a leading digital transformation partner in manufacturing optimization and digitalization.

Tim brings tremendous experience, having spent more than 25 years in the ICT sector.

CLEVR, a digital transformation leader blending PLM, MOM/MES and Low-Code technology expertise, announced the appointment of Tim Claes as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1st, 2024. Tim will replace Jeroen Hanekamp, who will be appointed to the Supervisory Board to ensure an effective transition of leadership and continue supporting CLEVRs growth ambitions as a leading digital transformation partner in manufacturing optimization and digitalization.

He has held various senior management positions  both in sales and in operations.

For the last 4 years, Tim was Chief Commercial Officer at 9altitudes, a leading European system integrator, present in 9 countries, specialized in the full end-2-end digital thread including solutions from Microsoft (such as ERP, CRM, BI, Low-Code) and PTC (such as CAD, PLM, IOT and VR). He spearheaded the company's growth resulting into a strong footprint in the European manufacturing, wholesales & distribution and technical services industries.

"Technology is changing the world faster than ever, but in the end, it is all about people! I feel blessed I had the opportunity to work with so many different people across different regions. I can't wait to get acquainted with the people from CLEVR. Together, we will continue to build a better tomorrow."  Tim Claes

Tim started his career as entrepreneur within Axias, and later joined Realdolmen as Business Strategy Manager. In that function he was responsible for sales and strategy within the Enterprise Solutions division. During 2012-2013 he joined Astadia for almost

2 years, where he was first active in the UK as VP EMEA, and later as COO for their American operations. In November 2013 he rejoined Realdolmen as Managing Director for the Business Solutions division, and later was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer, overseeing sales, marketing and internal communications.

Tim has published several management books, sharing his valuable insights on leadership and digital transformation. Tim understands as no other that a successful digital transformation is much more than only digitalisation. He holds his own digital transformation community, under the umbrella name of Trends Applied.

CLEVR's Chairman Robert Pijselman said: "We are delighted to welcome Tim as our new Chief Executive Officer. Tim is a dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a strong commercial accumen and an excellent track record of delivering digital transformation solutions to mid-market and enterprise customers across Europe and Americas. He has exceptional leadership capabilities, proven go-to-market effectiveness, and strong experience in building organizations that help customers optimise and automate their business processes. The Board looks forward to Tim realising the full potential of CLEVR as a winning digital transformation business which delivers long-term growth and value for all its stakeholders."

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Jeroen for his leadership of CLEVR. The changes he has made to the company's strategy, structure and organisation leave CLEVR far better positioned for success. Jeroen will continue to support CLEVR by joining the Supervisory Board and being a voice of expertise and knowledge amongst our partners, such as Siemens and Mendix."

Tim said: "I am delighted to join CLEVR. CLEVR is a leading expert in digital transformation that is uniquely positioned in the Siemens and Mendix ecosystem to serve its customers in manufacturing optimization and Low-Code digitalization. We have a talented and ambitious team that is very customer focused and makes a true difference every day. In the time I have spent getting to know the business and its customers, I have only become more convinced by the strength of CLEVR's fundamentals and of its clear growth potential. The team and I are fully committed to proof that we are the trusted advisor of our customers when it comes to enabling their digital transformation. We have an exciting journey ahead of us.''

About CLEVR

CLEVR delivers digital transformation at scale by implementing Siemens and Mendix solutions to serve industries like manufacturing, retail, energy, and more. We leverage PLM, MOM/MES, and Low-Code technologies for manufacturing optimization and business process automation while ensuring seamless integration with other core systems like SAP, IBM and Salesforce. CLEVR brings together technology and industry expertise to provide strategic solutions that streamline operations, drive efficiency, and enable digitalization to fit market demands.

For more information about CLEVR, please visit www.clevr.com and follow CLEVR on LinkedIn

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2488528/CLEVR.jpg

SOURCE CLEVR
DALLAS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) announced it will participate in the 2024 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Comerica Incorporated also provided details for its third quarter 2024 earnings call on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024.

Interested parties may access additional information through the following details:

Barclays Global Financial Services Conference

DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024



TIME: 8 a.m. CT / 9 a.m. ET



PARTICIPATING: Curt Farmer, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer James Herzog, Chief Financial Officer Peter Sefzik, Chief Banking Officer Kelly Gage, Director of Investor Relations



WEBCAST/PRESENTATION: The live audio webcast and presentation slides will be available on the Investor Relations Presentations and Events page on www.comerica.com. Comerica's presentation may include forward looking statements.



REPLAY INFORMATION: A replay (accessible for at least 10 days) of the call is expected to be available approximately one hour after the live webcast on the Investor Relations Presentations and Events page on www.comerica.com.

Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call

DATE: Friday, Oct. 18, 2024



TIME: 7 a.m. CT / 8 a.m. ET



PARTICIPANT DIAL-IN: (877) 484-6065 OR (201) 689-8846



WEBCAST/PRESENTATION: The live audio webcast and presentation slides will be available on the Investor Relations Presentations and Events page on www.comerica.com. Comerica's presentation may include forward looking statements.



REPLAY INFORMATION: A replay (accessible for at least 10 days) of the call is expected to be available approximately one hour after the live webcast on the Investor Relations Presentations and Events page on www.comerica.com.

In addition, the conference presentation, financial results and earnings presentation will be furnished on Form 8-K filings that will be available on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at www.sec.gov. On each webcast, Comerica may discuss or disclose material business, financial or other information not contained in the conference presentation, financial results, earnings presentation, or in other prior disclosure.

This year, Comerica Bank celebrates its 175th anniversary. A subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA), Comerica Bank is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and is strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank and Wealth Management. Comerica, one of the 25 largest commercial U.S. financial holding companies, focuses on building relationships and helping people and businesses be successful, providing 380 banking centers across the country with locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas. Founded on Aug. 17, 1849, in Detroit, Michigan, Comerica continues to expand into new regions, most recently in the Southeast, including North Carolina and Mountain West Market in Colorado. Comerica has offices in 17 states and services 14 of the 15 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, as well as Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $79.6 billion at June 30, 2024. Learn more about how Comerica is raising expectations of what a bank can be by visiting www.comerica.com, and follow us on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Comerica Incorporated
Initially, Copperweld CCS was used to strengthen ground rods while improving corrosion resistance. Because of these advantages, Copperweld CCS quickly became a popular grounding and structural solution in some of the most unforgiving environments on the planet. Today, with over 100 years of service in the field, Copperweld CCS grounding conductors  now known as Copperweld Century  are legendary for their ability to stand strong against the elements, endure decades of wear, and deter copper thieves.

Copperweld Century Applications:

Substation Grounding





Transmission and Distribution Grounding





Wind and Solar Grounding





Structural Support / Suspension

Up to 1.5x Stronger

Copperweld Century conductors are widely known for their superior break-load performance. Century is frequently installed in situations that require increased strength, such as high-moisture substation ground grids and long-span aerial applications.

Learn more about Copperweld's Engineered Conductors.

Corrosion Resistance

Copperweld CCS has been used in buried grounding applications for over a century. Several top-tier utilities recently examined CCS in their substation ground grids and discovered that Copperweld CCS products resisted corrosion enough to meet ASTM B910 construction specifications, even after decades of service in buried applications. In 2017, a buried sample of Century 7 No. 5 was unearthed after 50 years of service, showing no evidence of compromising corrosion.

Improved Fatigue Endurance

Grounding conductors are susceptible to stresses which can cause conductors to fatigue and break over time. Copperweld Century products provide up to 5x the fatigue-resistance of alternative copper conductors.

Read this article related to CCS flex fatigue performance.

Reduced Theft Incentives

CCS's steel core makes it extremely difficult to cut with standard tools; thieves immediately know they aren't dealing with copper wire. And, unlike copper, Century CCS grounding conductors have very little scrap value to a recycler, reducing incentives for copper thieves.

Watch this video to see thieves leave after learning a fence is grounded with CCS.

Made in the USA

Copperweld Century products have been made in the USA for over 100 years using high-quality steel and oxygen-free copper to provide superior reliability.

Copperweld Century Product Offering:

Century products are available in over 100 standard sizes and configurations that are engineered to balance strength, electrical performance, and flexibility. Below is a lineup of Copperweld's most popular Century products and their copper equivalent based on ground fault performance. Each of these Century products provides superior break-load strength.

Product range: AWG #6  500 kcmil (MCM)





AWG #6  500 kcmil (MCM) Voltage range: 800 kV (high voltage)  1 kV (medium voltage)





800 kV (high voltage)  1 kV (medium voltage) Constructions: 1, 3, 7, or 19 Strands of CCS





1, 3, 7, or 19 Strands of CCS Customization: Century products can also be engineered to fit your specifications

Key Century Products:

Century Finish Options:

Bare





Camo





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Other ways to harden your power grid

In addition to Century products, Copperweld also offers ArcAngel high-performance CCS grounding conductors and Stingray CCS transformer riser wire.

ArcAngel is a superior CCS grounding conductor for substation grounding applications where electrical performance is critical and flexibility is needed, while still offering all the benefits of Century products.

Stingray is a an easy-to-install, covered, flexible, high-voltage CCS transformer riser wire, designed for animal protection and wildfire mitigation resulting from incidental contact.

Link to full article.

Learn more about Copperweld Century.

Learn how Copperweld can help you harden your power grid: About Copperweld.

Copperweld is the world leader in bimetallic wire and cable specializing in power, grounding, and signal conductors for building construction, power grid, utilities, communications, and transportation. For over 100 years, their mission has been to make the most reliable, sustainable, and innovative wire and cable products on the market. Copperweld's metallurgical expertise and engineered solutions result in bimetallic products that enhance performance, extend service life, conserve copper, improve energy efficiency, and reduce incentives for theft. Their American-made products are manufactured in the heart of the USA, and the culture of excellence and innovation that inspired them over a century ago still drives them today.

SOURCE Copperweld
Local 174 Costco Drivers in Washington Demand Fair Contract

SUMNER, Wash., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 150 Costco fleet drivers have voted by an overwhelming 97 percent margin to authorize a strike. The strike vote is a result of Costco management's refusal to bargain in good faith. The group of drivers, who became the first-ever Costco distribution center workers to organize with the Teamsters, voted to join Local 174 in April.

"With the finish line in sight, Costco management slammed the brakes, giving us no choice but to take this vote," said Rick Hicks, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 174. "I don't know what management is waiting for, but this vote showed that our members are not willing to wait any longer. They're strong, they're motivated, and they're ready to fight."

Local 174's strike authorization vote comes after Costco Teamsters were forced to suspend negotiations for a new National Master Agreement that covers over 18,000 workers at the company. Despite claiming to be pro-union, the wholesale giant refused to accept a card check neutrality agreement that would make it easier for nonunion Costco workers to join the Teamsters. The strike vote taken by Local 174 is another recent example of the company's failure to live up to its supposedly "pro-worker" image.

"A strike is always a last resort, but the company can eliminate that possibility," Hicks said. "We are hopeful this strike authorization vote will motivate management to return to the bargaining table and reward its employees with a contract that recognizes the value of their contributions to this company's bottom line. As of today, Costco's net worth is nearly $400 billion, making it the 23rd richest company in the world. The ball is in their court."

Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,400 working men and women in the Seattle area. "Like" us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.

Contact:

Jamie Fleming

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 174
News / National

by Staff reporter

Unilever, one of the world's leading consumer goods companies, is pulling out of Zimbabwe after 80 years of operation.The company, which had reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country in 2018 by opening a new Royco plant, is now shifting its strategy. The move is part of Unilever's broader plan to scale back its operations in certain African markets, a decision that highlights the growing challenges faced by investors in Zimbabwe's unstable economic environment.Back in 2018, Unilever's Africa Vice President, Bruno Witvoet, had expressed strong confidence in Zimbabwe's future, stating, "We have been in Zimbabwe for the last 75 years and believe in the country's future. Our confidence is very high." However, Unilever's recent decision signals a significant change in outlook.The company announced that it will transition to a new business model in Zimbabwe, relying on local distributors rather than maintaining its own operations."Unilever will move to a new model that serves Zimbabwean consumers through a network of Zimbabwean distribution firms rather than through Unilever-owned operations by the end of the year," Unilever stated in an internal memo. The company believes this approach will be more efficient and will stimulate business growth, create jobs in sales, logistics, and merchandising, and better serve Zimbabwean consumers with popular Unilever brands.This strategic shift will result in the closure of Unilever Zimbabwe's operations, marking the end of decades of direct involvement in the country's economy. While Unilever assures that its brands will remain available during the transition, the company plans to reassess its long-term strategy for Zimbabwe, aiming to align with national efforts to empower local businesses and contribute to economic development.Unilever's exit from Zimbabwe has been anticipated for some time, as the company has steadily reduced local production since the early 2000s. Currently, Unilever relies on Distributed Group Africa (DGA), a subsidiary of Axia Corporation, to distribute products manufactured outside the country. DGA also handles distribution for other major brands like Colgate Palmolive, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, and Tiger Brands.The challenges facing formal retailers in Zimbabwe, exacerbated by government policies and weak consumer spending, have put additional pressure on companies like Unilever. Last year, DGA reported losses due to the crisis in the formal retail sector, where shoppers have increasingly turned to the informal market. As a result, DGA has shifted its focus toward supplying informal traders, bypassing traditional supermarkets, which were once key customers for Unilever.Unilever's decision to exit Zimbabwe follows a broader trend among multinational companies scaling back operations in Africa. In 2023, Unilever ceased the production of home-care and skin-cleansing products in Nigeria, opting to import these items instead to maintain profitability. Similarly, Nestle has been reducing its operations in Kenya, downgrading its factory to focus on packaging imported goods rather than local production.Unilever's departure from Zimbabwe marks the end of an era for the country's formal retail sector and raises questions about the future of multinational investments in the region. As the company navigates its strategic shift, Zimbabwe's economy will need to adjust to the changing landscape of consumer goods distribution.
DALLAS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dallas Jewish Historical Society is partnering with local marketing agency Tegan Digital to revamp their online presence. As their Agency of Record, Tegan will enhance DJHS' existing digital platform to better represent the rich significance of the organization's mission.

"Protecting the legacy of our community in the metroplex is of utmost importance," says Beri Schwitzer, Executive Director of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society. "With Tegan's help, we are confident we can further our work across the Dallas Jewish community."

For over 50 years, the Dallas Jewish Historical Society has worked to preserve and provide education on Dallas Jewish history. The organization's archive boasts an impressive collection of documents, photographs, and objects from early Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues and families, all vital to the contribution of the city's Jewish community. The DJHS proudly serves as a repository for Dallas' most beloved Jewish institutions, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and the Jewish Community Center.

The Tegan team will revamp DJHS's visual identity to ensure it aligns with the institution's core values and mission. Tegan will amplify their community connection through a brand new digital experience designed to enhance the overall user experience for website visitors. The website redesign will increase awareness around the organization's initiatives and offerings for the community.

Additionally, our team will provide continuous support of DJHS' message and historical storytelling through enhanced social media content, targeted email marketing, and comprehensive event support.

Through these improvements, the updated branding and website will facilitate better communication, foster deeper community engagement, and drive greater participation in DJHS' programs and services.

We've had the unique pleasure of working with some of the most respected Jewish leaders in the metroplex, including the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Levine Academy, The Legacy Senior Communities, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas" says John Herrington, partner at Tegan. "We are thrilled to partner with yet another institution in the Jewish community."

About Tegan Digital

Tegan Digital is a digital-first, full-service marketing and advertising agency based in Dallas, Texas. For the last 13 years, Tegan has partnered with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies to build digital experiences that matter. Some of these partners include Safe Harbor Marinas, Dallas Museum of Art, Tolleson Wealth Management, and Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. Tegan was named on Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Private Companies for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. For more information, visit tegan.io.

About Dallas Jewish Historical Society

For 50 years, The Dallas Jewish Historical Society has housed a rich collection of documents, photographs, and objects from early Jewish businesses, synagogues, families, and individuals integral to Dallas history. With a climate-controlled vault for research, DJHS maintains the highest archival standards. For decades, DJHS has been a key repository for the Dallas Jewish community, working with the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and the JCC. As the only agency dedicated to preserving the history of the entire Greater Dallas Jewish community, DJHS is continuously expanding its collection.

Media Contact:

John Herrington

Partner

214-938-1611

[email protected]

SOURCE Tegan Digital
Clare DeBoef will lead DGR Systems Operations through Growth Cycle

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DGR Systems, a leading systems integrator, and certified Women-Owned Business, is pleased to announce that Clare DeBoef has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer.

As COO, DeBoef will lead internal company operations with a focus on enabling DGR Systems through its next growth period by aligning processes and systems to streamline operations, optimize company resources, and enhance the company's focus on customer satisfaction. DeBoef will also oversee the implementation of the company's strategic plan and vision ensuring alignment with its core values and mission. DeBoef brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the technology industry, having successfully led several transformational initiatives and growth strategies in his previous roles.

"We are excited to have DeBoef join DGR," said Amanda Dugger, CEO of DGR Systems. "He compliments our high-performance culture, and we believe his reputation for execution and achieving results makes him the perfect choice to lead operations as we continue our growth forward."

Prior to joining DGR Systems, DeBoef helped lead AgileThought over a period of sixteen years with executive focus around general management, services delivery, strategic planning, and operations excellence as the firm grew from a local software technology development company into a global digital transformation firm serving diverse markets and industries. Prior to his role at AgileThought, DeBoef gained valuable leadership experience from roles within the healthcare industry, as well as nearly a decade of consulting experience with Arthur Anderson.

DeBoef resides in the Tampa Bay area with his wife and has three grown children. He has previously served on the board of directors for Tampa Bay Tech.

About DGR Systems

Since 2009, DGR Systems (DGR), a Florida-based, certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE), has helped countless organizations securely deploy technology solutions to meet the demands of their organization. As an established systems integrator with expertise in consulting, deployment, and procurement services, DGR is focused on providing solutions to meet Modern Security and Identity, Endpoint, Cloud, Network, Infrastructure, Automation, and AI needs. DGR helps public sector, enterprise, and commercial mid-market customers achieve their most challenging digital transformations. At DGR Systems, our culture is built around one simple principle: Excellence is our Baseline  and we deliver that standard to every client, every day. Learn more at www.dgrsystems.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE DGR Systems
- Redefining prestige tequila, this radiantly smooth experience delivers an impressively rare taste for tequila drinkers -

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Leon Y Sol announced the official market wide launch of its line of luxury tequilas. This premium tequila brand had an extremely successful pre-order stage, selling out 100% of the inventory. To step into the market launch, Leon Y Sol has partnered with Reserve Bar, the destination for today's modern, convenience-driven and elevated shopper, delivering the most curated offerings across the United States. Available now, consumers can find Tequila Blanco and Tequila Reposado at leonysol.com.

Leon Y Sol Premium Tequila Leon Y Sol Premium Tequila

EMPIRE, the largest privately held vertically integrated independent record label, publisher, and distributor in the U.S., has a multi-year strategic partnership with Leon Y Sol Tequila. In the spirit of celebration and commitment culture, this partnership is a game changer that offers elevated experiences to suit every community from The Bay to the corners of the globe.

"The name Leon Y Sol means lion and the sun; this symbol continues to inspire timeless stories of bold adventure and warm gatherings. From the agave selection to the distillation and aging, we created a tequila naturally sweet and balanced," said Bobby Marhamat, CEO of Leon Y Sol. "We cut no corners and put in the time and attention to create this pinnacle of perfection. We are excited to partner with Reserve Bar and Empire to help bring our product to people for extraordinary moments of celebration. We're set to ignite a revolution in the tequila world."

With its smooth taste and elegant packaging, Leon Y Sol represents the new wave of luxury tequila brands. Leon Y Sol Tequilas were created at the hands of third-generation Maestro Tequilero Jose Aceves using ancient techniques and the incredible impact of the terroir of Los Altos de Jalisco. The agave grows on slopes and mountainsides, making it heartier than the agave in lowland regions. The cold nights cause the plant's sugar to "rush," producing a sweeter, fruitier alcohol. The result is a perfectly sweet and balanced additive-free, gluten-free, non-GMO tequila.

Bars and restaurants across the state of California will be featuring signature Leon Y Sol cocktails such as The Guavarita and The Paloma Picante.

ABOUT LEON Y SOL:

Founded on the principles of tradition and innovation, Leon Y Sol Tequila brings the vibrant spirit of Mexico to the world. Each bottle encapsulates the rich history and culture of tequila-making, blending time-honored techniques with modern craftsmanship. Our premium tequila is distilled from the finest blue agave, nurtured in the sun-drenched fields of Jalisco, and meticulously crafted to deliver a smooth, distinctive flavor that is both complex and refined.

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in every aspect of our process, from the careful selection of agave plants to the artisanal distillation methods employed by our master distillers. The result is a range of tequilas that are perfect for any occasion, whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail.

Media Contact:

Lisa Perez

908-461-0560

[email protected]

SOURCE Leon Y Sol, Inc.
BEIJING, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Beijing Review:

In 1776, Scottish philosopher and economist Adam Smith published An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. In it, he put forward the idea that allowing individuals to pursue their own self-interest in commerce promoted economic prosperity.

In China, Smith is best known for his concept of the invisible hand, a metaphor for the unseen forces that deliver this prosperity. Since China decided to bid farewell to its planned economy in 1978, remarkable transformation has taken place. With the unleashing of market forces, China has turned itself into the world's second largest economy and brought more than 700 million people out of extreme poverty. In China's view, however, the market is only one side of the economic coin. The country also attaches importance to the "visible hand," or the role of the government in regulating economic activity.

A resolution adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in July has reaffirmed this approach. Focusing on the pivotal issue of balancing the relationship between the government and the market, the resolution makes arrangements for economic structural reform in the next five years.

"We will see that the market plays the decisive role in resource allocation and that the government better fulfills its role," the resolution reads. It calls for leveling the playing field to make economic operations more efficient. At the same time, it underlines the need to ensure effective regulation and maintain order in the marketplace.

The adoption of the resolution is the most important outcome of the third plenum, Tang Fangyu, deputy head of the CPC Central Committee Policy Research Office, said at a press conference held to introduce the guiding principles from the plenum on July 19.

The resolution, with economic structural reform as the spearhead, provides comprehensive plans for reforms in multiple fields, Tang said, adding that it puts forward more than 300 major reform measures, all of which involve reforms on the levels of systems, mechanisms and institutions.

The resolution states that "we will lift restrictions on the market while ensuring effective regulation, striving to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures. By doing so, we will ensure smooth flows in the national economy and unleash the internal driving forces and creativity of our society as a whole."

"We need to correctly understand the terms 'lifting restrictions' and 'effective regulation.' It's a challenging issue in the governance of any country," Dong Yu, Executive Vice President of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, told Beijing Review, adding that it is not a simple matter of "wanting both," and the key is to "grasp the balance point of the lever in economic work and, according to the characteristics and requirements of different areas and stages, grasp the rhythm and intensity of the two in a targeted manner."

The resolution, adopted by senior Party officials at the session, codifies the governing party's vision for further deepening of reform. Drafted based on extensive research and consultation, it represents consensus across a wide spectrum of Chinese society. It will therefore be internalized in Chinese decision making at all levels.

Western countries have often championed free market capitalism as a hallmark of the freedoms that set them apart from other societies and forms of government. However, in recent decades, this economic system has struggled to deliver the same level of benefits as before. Instead, it has contributed to growing economic and societal challenges, exemplified by increasing inequality.

Market dysfunction has long prompted economists to explore a more nuanced approach, characterized by a combination of the visible and invisible hands. China's exploration of a socialist market economy gives these economists food for thought.

SOURCE Beijing Review
Edge One Capital Voices Concerns About BuzzFeed's Governance

After Meeting with Jonah Peretti

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Edge One Capital disclosed its concerns about BuzzFeed's governance in two letters to BuzzFeed's management and board of directors. The first letter highlighted the need for BuzzFeed to address financial discipline, shareholder capitalism, and content creation. Edge One Capital believes these issues stem from lapses in corporate governance and the supervoting shares that privileged shareholders receive.

The second letter came after a meeting between CEO and Chairman Jonah Peretti and Varun Gupta, Founder and Managing Partner of Edge One Capital. Gupta found the meeting troubling. He said, "Although some progress is being made to improve the company's financial performance, BuzzFeed's governance remains a concern. BuzzFeed lacks the proper oversight to prevent future mishaps with strategy and capital allocation, such as poor investments, an ineffective strategy, and excessive dilution to shareholders. A deterioration in shareholder value can repeat itself, similar to past shareholder value declines."

The second letter focused on BuzzFeed's governance concerns. "Shareholders like myself do not have the voice and vote to which a shareholder is entitled," added Gupta. BuzzFeed is both a controlled company and has a classified board. Class B shareholders receive a voting power of 50 votes for every share they own. Class B shares are mainly held by Jonah Peretti. These concerns must be addressed immediately, as both the management and board of directors have a fiduciary duty to protect the interests of all shareholders.

To view the First Letter, click here.

To view the Second Letter, click here.

About Edge One Capital: Edge One Capital is an investment firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with an emphasis on deep long-term value for all of its investments. For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.edgeonecapital.com

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Edge One Capital
WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EG America raised more than $645,000 for the American Cancer Society during its nationwide in-store fundraiser in July.

Throughout the month, guests at EG America's Certified Oil, Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop, Loaf 'N Jug, Minit Mart, Quik Stop, Sprint Food Stores, Tom Thumb, and Turkey Hill stores were able to donate $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing to the American Cancer Society. EG America then matched the amounts raised by the top stores to increase the donation total.

Front L to R: Sara McMullen, Exec. Dir. of Development, Greater Boston, American Cancer Society (ACS); John Carey, President & CEO, EG America (EGA); Craig Callahan, Dir. of Corporate Relations, ACS; Brian Duphily, ESG & Sustainability Mgr., EGA; Michelle Wolf, Sr. Program Mgr., Corporate Account Operations, ACS. Back: Sandra Tierney, SVP & CHRO, EGA; Brian Ferguson, CMO, EGA; David Masuret, SVP, Petroleum Supply & Operations, EGA; Nick Unkovic, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer, EGA

"We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the American Cancer Society in its fight against cancer," said John Carey, EG America's President and CEO. "Thanks to the compassion and generosity of our guests, and the dedication of our store team members, we're doing our part to help individuals and families impacted by this disease."

The American Cancer Society improves the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.

"The American Cancer Society is thankful for EG America and its guests for making this fundraiser such a success," said Tammy Ahles, Chief of Staff, Northeast Region, American Cancer Society. "The funds raised will allow us to invest greater resources into our life-saving programs, research, and services, and directly supports our vision of ending cancer as we know it."

About EG America

With more than 1,500 retail locations and 18,000 team members across the U.S., EG America is one of the fastest-growing convenience store retailers in the country. As the operator of Certified Oil, Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop, Loaf N' Jug, Minit Mart, Quik Stop, Sprint Food Stores, Tom Thumb, and Turkey Hill stores, we are committed to becoming America's preferred 'one-stop' destination by focusing on superior guest experience, high-quality grocery and fuel products, and supporting the communities in which we live and work. EG America is owned by EG Group, a UK-based fuel station and convenience store retailer with more than 50,000 team members across the UK & Ireland, Europe, Australia, and the US. For more information about EG America, visit us at eg-america.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE EG America
CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Elks National Foundation is proud to announce the start of the 2025 Elks Most Valuable Student scholarship contest. The MVS scholarship is available to high school seniors who are United States citizens. Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks. The judging criteria is based on academics, leadership, service, and financial need.

The online application must be submitted by the November 12, 2024, deadline. The 500 national winners will be announced in April 2025. The top 20 national finalists will participate in a Leadership Weekend in Chicago and receive $30,000 scholarships. The remaining 480 runners-up will receive $4,000 scholarships.

Elks National Foundation offers 500 scholarships worth between $4,000-30,000 to high school seniors. Post this

This year, the Elks National Foundation is investing $5 million in college scholarships. MVS scholarsall of whom demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and a commitment to serviceare graduating from college at a rate of 90 percent, nearly 30 percent higher than the national average.

Since 1931, the Elks National Foundation has awarded life-changing scholarships to thousands of students like Rohil Agarwal, a 2024 top winner. Agarwal's scholarship will help him attend the University of California, Berkeley.

"The Most Valuable Student scholarship provides the financial support to pursue a college education, and the Leadership Weekend helped me meet like-minded students," says Agarwal. "This scholarship isn't just financial aid: It's the key to turning my ideas into reality."

Applications for the 2025 contest are available on the Elks National Foundation's website. For complete Most Valuable Student scholarship contest details, including the application, visit enf.elks.org/MVS.

Contact: Elks National Foundation

Abbey Knupp | Communications Manager

2750 N. Lakeview Ave. | Chicago, IL 60614-2256 773/755-4864 | [email protected]

Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities

With more than 750,000 members and 1,800 Lodges nationwide, Elks are providing charitable services that help build stronger communities across the United States. The Elks National Foundation, the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. To learn more, visit elks.org/enf.

SOURCE ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.
This strategic move will help the company further strengthen its relationship with partners and clients and tap into the region's thriving talent ecosystem.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Encora, a leading digital engineering services company, today announced the relocation of its headquarters to Santa Clara, California, from Scottsdale, Arizona, in a strategic shift aimed at strengthening its footprint in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area.

The San Francisco Bay Area continues to be a hub for tech talent and innovation. The region continues to lead through the presence of some of the world's most innovative tech firms across high tech, fintech, healthtech, and retail tech markets. Cloud, Data and AI tech leaders also continue to maintain their business and engineering talent in the area. Encora has been a strategic engineering partner to some of the best known digital native companies in SF Bay Area and around the world.

Encora's move to open new headquarters in Santa Clara underscores the organization's commitment to continuing at the forefront of innovation while staying close to its clients and partners in the dynamic tech industry.

Speaking on the topic, Anand Birje, Chief Executive Officer, Encora said, "Moving our headquarters to Santa Clara is a natural step for Encora as we align ourselves more closely with the thriving tech ecosystem of the SF Bay Area. We believe the Bay Area will continue to play a key role in the future of tech innovation, with Santa Clara serving as a nucleus for many groundbreaking advancements. This relocation positions us strategically to better serve our clients, collaborate more effectively with partners, and attract top talent in the industry to scale innovation."

Encora's new Santa Clara office will function as a centralized hub for our executive leadership, global practice and engineering leaders, and client engagement teams. Encora also plans to launch its Cloud, Data and AI engineering labs at this location to enable collaborative ideation and proof of concept engineering between customers and ecosystem partners, accommodating professionals focused on client engagement, innovation, and business development.

With proximity to leading tech giants and startups, Encora will continue its mission to cultivate stronger partnerships and deliver transformative digital solutions that cater to the evolving needs of global enterprises.

This physical presence in Santa Clara will facilitate more frequent and higher-quality interactions with strategic partners and clients, opening doors to new collaborations. The move will also enable the company to engage more deeply with local tech communities, participate in industry events, and collaborate on cutting-edge projects that redefine technological possibilities, continuing its journey of enabling digital-led transformation for its clients.

About Encora

Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, and backed by renowned private equity firms Advent International and Warburg Pincus, Encora is the preferred technology modernization and innovation partner to some of the world's leading enterprise companies. It provides award-winning digital engineering services including Product Engineering & Development, Cloud Services, Quality Engineering, DevSecOps, Data & Analytics, Digital Experience, Cybersecurity, and AI & LLM Engineering. Encora's deep cluster vertical capabilities extend across diverse industries, including HiTech, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Retail & CPG, Energy & Utilities, Banking Financial Services & Insurance, Travel, Hospitality & Logistics, Telecom & Media, Automotive, and other specialized industries.

With over 9,000 associates in 47+ offices and delivery centers across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, India, and Southeast Asia, Encora delivers nearshore agility to clients anywhere in the world, coupled with expertise at scale from India. Encora's Cloud-first, Data-first, AI-first approach enables clients to create differentiated enterprise value through technology. For more information, please visit encora.com.

Media contact -

Chanda Malviya

Gutenberg

+91 9878253712

[email protected]

SOURCE Encora
SMITHFIELD, Va., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether its ordered well-done or just lightly crisped, Smithfield Culinary knows International Bacon Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate America's love for bacon. According to the new Guest Check survey from Smithfield Culinary, a leading producer of premium proteins, diners' passion for bacon is undeniable, presenting significant opportunities for foodservice operators to capitalize on this enthusiasm.

The new Guest Check survey from Smithfield Culinary reveals diners passion for bacon is undeniable, presenting significant opportunities for foodservice operators to capitalize on this enthusiasm.

In celebration of International Bacon Day on August 31, Smithfield Culinary is unveiling insights into Americans' bacon preferences when dining away-from-home. While bacon has always been a staple on many menus  from casual eateries to campus cafeterias  this survey highlights several "bacon bits", or fascinating statistics that prove diners crave bacon.

Key Insights on Bacon:

For diners, bacon is much more than just a protein  it's an obsession-worthy, craveable component that can elevate a meal from ordinary to extraordinary. In fact, men appreciate bacon so much that it might be the key to winning their hearts.

Everything Tastes Better with Bacon: More than 2 in 3 (71%) diners say that "everything tastes better with bacon."





More than 2 in 3 (71%) diners say that "everything tastes better with bacon." The Beckon for Bacon: 57% of diners declare they'd eat bacon every day if they could.





57% of diners declare they'd eat bacon every day if they could. Irresistible Appetite: Over half (55%) of diners express they can't resist the temptation of bacon when dining out.





For the Love of Bacon: 43% of male diners reveal the quickest way to their heart is with bacon.

Bacon is a fundamental ingredient in the eyes of today's diner. Not only does it enhance nearly any dish with its savory, umami flavor, but it's an indispensable side dish that perfectly complements their breakfast orders.

Perfect Side Dish: Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) diners consider bacon a side dish that pairs well with other food.





Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) diners consider bacon a side dish that pairs well with other food. Breakfast Essential: Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) diners believe breakfast is incomplete without bacon.





Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) diners believe breakfast is incomplete without bacon. Key Ingredient: 56% of diners deem bacon a key ingredient in other dishes.

According to Datassential's "The World of Bacon Report", in 2024 nearly 69% of menus offer bacon. However, operators can maximize their offerings by providing diners with numerous opportunities to customize their bacon, experiment with it in creative ways, and even serve it as its own dish.

Culinary Curiosity Among Millennials: Millennials are the most adventurous with bacon, with 66% willing to try a unique bacon-infused menu item, such as a bacon milkshake, bacon donut or bacon cake.

Crispy Preference: More than half of diners (52%) prefer their bacon "crispy."





More than half of diners (52%) prefer their bacon "crispy." Bowl of Bacon, Anyone?: More than 1 in 3 (34%) diners view bacon as a standalone dish.

"Bacon is one of those foods that has a cult-like following, but this new data gives operators valuable insights to innovate their menus and enhance their communication with customers about their food preferences," said Edward Wayda, marketing director at Smithfield Culinary. "At Smithfield, we simplify the process for operators to meet customer cravings by offering a diverse selection of bacon products, ranging from fully cooked strips, chips and bits to ready-to-cook solutions. With a variety of options, bacon lovers will keep coming back for more."

For more information on the Guest Check survey, please contact [email protected]. To learn more about Smithfield Culinary, including products, recipe inspiration and more, visit www.smithfieldculinary.com.

Survey Methodology

Smithfield Culinary commissioned a third-party to conduct an online survey of 2,005 U.S. adults who eat at or order in/take out from restaurants or other away-from-home eating places at least 2-3 times per month and eat pork or products that contain pork at least every few months. The margin of error for the overall sample is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork was conducted between May 15-20, 2024.

About Smithfield Culinary

With a dedication to culinary arts, innovation, and industry-leading sustainability, Smithfield Culinary leverages passionate chefs, culinary partners, and R&D to produce high-quality products that inspire chefs and consumers alike. Foodservice brands within the Smithfield Culinary portfolio feature Smithfield and Margherita and Smoke'NFast. Smithfield Culinary is the foodservice business unit of Smithfield Foods, Inc. For more information, visit www.SmithfieldCulinary.com.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is a U.S. food company that employs more than 54,000 people in seven countries and partners with thousands of American farmers. As one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies, we are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." to feed a growing world population. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs in all 50 U.S. states. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich, Gwaltney and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads.

SOURCE Smithfield Culinary
A Novel System for Monitoring Intracranial Pressure in Hydrocephalus Patients

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aesculap, Inc. (Aesculap), in partnership with Christoph Miethke GmbH & Co. KG (MIETHKE), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Device Designation for the M.scio System. This unique, non-invasive, telemetric pressure measurement system is designed to provide continuous access to long-term, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the management of hydrocephalus via a permanent, fully implantable sensor.

The Breakthrough Device Program is a voluntary program designed to expedite the development and review of medical devices that may provide more effective treatment or diagnosis of a life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating disease. Receiving this designation is a testament to the joint commitment of Aesculap and MIETHKE to improve the lives of patients living with hydrocephalus.

"The Breakthrough Device Designation is an important step forward toward recognizing the need for equipping neurosurgeons with an innovative technology to improve care for hydrocephalus patients in the U.S.," said Bob Sowinski, Corporate Vice President, Aesculap. "The current approach to ICP monitoring has limitations that the M.scio System is designed to overcome. Receiving this designation from the FDA is an acknowledgement from the agency that the device has the potential to provide a more effective treatment than existing options."

Hydrocephalus is a condition characterized by a buildup of fluid in the brain that affects mostly babies, but it can affect people at any age. It is estimated that two out of every 1,000 babies are born with hydrocephalus. If left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences, including learning or physical disabilities and even death.1

"Advances in shunt technology, particularly adjustable gravitational valves, have significantly improved patient outcomes," said Christoph Miethke, CEO and founder of MIETHKE. "However, adjusting valves without knowing the ICP values based on a patient's body position can lead to incorrect valve adjustments. The M.scio System is designed to provide an alternative treatment option to the currently available ICP monitoring modalities. In this way, the M.scio System is designed to guide both surgical as well as medical treatment and optimize patient management. MIETHKE strives to develop technologies that enable all hydrocephalus patients worldwide to live a normal life. That's what matters and what drives us to innovate and challenge the status quo."

About Aesculap, Inc.

Aesculap, Inc., a B. Braun company, is part of a 180-year-old global organization focused on meeting the needs of an ever-changing healthcare community. Through close collaboration with its customers, Aesculap provides advanced technologies for neurosurgery, general surgery and sterilization technologies. Aesculap continues a proud heritage of leadership and responsiveness as we strive to deliver products and services that improve the quality of patients' lives. For more information, call 800-282-9000 or visit aesculapusa.com.

About Christoph Miethke GmbH & Co. KG

Since 1992, MIETHKE has been developing and manufacturing neurosurgical implants, especially for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Our vision is to develop technologies that enable all hydrocephalus patients worldwide to live a normal life. Every step in this direction is the right one and drives us to continue with further research, to make products even better and to question solutions again and again. We listen carefully to our partners, neurosurgeons and patients as well as to each other in order to learn and allow room for ideas. We are aware of the importance of our work for patients' lives and share this responsibility. For more information, call +49 331 620830 or visit miethke.com.

Reference:

Hydrocephalus | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. www.ninds.nih.gov.

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/hydrocephalus#:~:text=Hydrocephalus%20is%20a%20neurological%20disorder%20caused%20by%20an,may%20result%20over%20time%20from%20damage%20or%20injury.

SOURCE Aesculap, Inc.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Time Bank of Zimbabwe has proposed a US$35 billion syndicated loan to the government to address compensation obligations for various groups, including previous farm owners and foreign lenders, as part of a broader strategy to improve the country's business environment.The loan aims to resolve Zimbabwe's debt crisis and pay compensations, including US$20.4 billion to foreign lenders, US$7 billion to indigenous Zimbabweans for land improvements before 1980, and US$3.5 billion to white former commercial farmers for land improvements after 1980.Time Bank's proposal includes compensation for other groups such as ex-farm workers, depositors, pensioners, and insurance policyholders affected by past economic challenges.The initiative is part of the bank's strategy following its reopening in 2022 after an 18-year closure, with plans to resume full banking services by the end of 2024.Managing Director Chris Takura Tande emphasized that the loan is a homegrown solution, intended to be phased and scalable, and aimed at improving Zimbabwe's economic environment.The bank plans to begin with a pilot scheme to demonstrate the viability of its proposal, with subsequent phases raising additional funds.Time Bank is awaiting government approval for the loan, which is designed to avoid macroeconomic instability and align with international standards.
Margaret Hoover examines how votes are cast and how ballots are counted across the U.S. Post this

"Voting is foundational to our democracy," Margaret Hoover, host of FIRING LINE said. "But our democracy is compromised, as is the very act of voting, if voters doubt the integrity of voting systems. In this special, I set out to uncover what practices can genuinely help to restore trust in how we cast and count our ballots."

COUNTING THE VOTE begins by revisiting the contentious Bush v Gore election of 2000, which was effectively decided by the Supreme Court after a 5-4 decision halted the recount. Hoover speaks to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush about the subsequent bipartisan election reforms that made the state a model for the rest of the nation.

"Rather than do what now sadly happens more often than not in politics, which is we yap at each other and yell at each other and blame the other team, we reformed it in Florida in a bipartisan way, and I'm really proud of that," Bush says in the special.

Hoover then explores key 2020 battleground states that will be critical again in 2024, assessing what has changedand what has notsince former President Donald Trump and his supporters rejected the election results four years ago.

"In 2020, it was not really a close election, so that is categorically different in all major ways from what happened in 2000," says longtime Republican election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, who testified to the Jan. 6th Committee. "There was no credible evidence of fraud produced by the Trump campaign or his supporters."

Among the findings in COUNTING THE VOTE: 100 percent of the battleground states will use paper ballots and offer vote-by-mail options, but processing times will vary significantly depending in large part on whether states allow preprocessing of absentee ballots.

"The vote count in November is expected to undergo unprecedented scrutiny," says Alyssa Litoff, the film's director and executive producer. "Election officials provided us with an inside look at their processes before the vote count, believing that transparency is the best way to counter disinformation."

"PBS is proud to present this program as part of our commitment to extensive, thoughtful, and all-encompassing looks at the 2024 election," said Margaret Ebrahim, Senior Director, Programming & Development, General Audience Programming at PBS. "This powerful film carries on the PBS tradition of thoughtful storytelling, in this case looking closer at the core civic function of voting. We are excited to share this with audiences as viewers are actively thinking about elections in their local communities and the national stage."

Hoover speaks with elected officials on both sides of the aisle, as well as experts, who affirm the integrity of elections, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and COO Gabriel Sterling, both Republicans.

"Our elections are the most secure in the world," says Sterling, a comment that has already generated heated debate on X and been viewed more than 180,000 times. "But people who don't necessarily want to believe it can be easily exploited by those who can gain from it financially and politically."

Hoover also speaks with voters and officials who raise doubts about processes, including Arizona congressional candidate Abraham Hamadeh and Norm Shinkle, a former member of the Michigan Board of Canvassers.

Shinkle nearly created a crisis in Michigan in 2020 when he abstained from the vote to certify Biden's win because he wanted more time to investigate.

"Generally speaking, my gut feeling is that there was fraud, but we can't prove it," he tells Hoover.

COUNTING THE VOTE also visits North Carolina and returns to Florida, where Republican legislatures have passed restrictive new measures despite a successful and secure 2020 election.

"The irony is that there are people wanting to restrict absentee ballot access," says Bush of the changes in Florida, noting the Republican Party in the state grew after no-excuse absentee voting was implemented in 2001. "We dominated absentee ballot because we were better organized."

A bipartisan consensus remains among many voices featured in the documentary that the vote count this fall will be accurateregardless of the outcome.

"It doesn't matter to me who people vote for, where they vote, how early they vote," says Scott Krug, a Republican in the Wisconsin State Assembly. "I just want them to know that it's free, fair, and safe."

David Becker, founder and executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, adds, "I'm very confident that the legitimate winner of the election will have their hand on the Bible on January 20th, 2025. What I am worried about is the period of time between November 5th and January 20th, where lies about the election could incite supporters of the loser, who've been told time and time again that the winner is a threat to democracy, on either side, and that could lead to violence in that two and a half month period."

COUNTING THE VOTE is produced by The Documentary Group. Margaret Hoover, Alyssa Litoff, and Tom Yellin serve as executive producers. Margaret Ebrahim is the executive in charge for PBS.

COUNTING THE VOTE was made possible by Robert Granieri, The WNET Group's Preserving Democracy initiative, and PBS viewers.

About Margaret Hoover

Margaret Hoover is the host of PBS' Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, a revival of the television series hosted by William F. Buckley Jr. for 33 years. Hoover is a bestselling author, strategist and political commentator whose experience includes serving on the White House staff of President George W. Bush, on Capitol Hill and on two presidential campaigns. She is the President of American Unity Fund, a political organization focused on achieving full freedom and equality for LGBT Americans.

About PBS

PBS , with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 53 million viewers on YouTube, and 60 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV  including a PBS KIDS channel  and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app , games on the PBS KIDS Games app , and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org , one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook , Instagram , or through our apps for mobile and connected devices . Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X .

MEDIA CONTACT: Jason Phelps, [email protected]

SOURCE Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The much-anticipated Flavorcon, produced by Allured Business Media, is set to make its grand return to Atlantic City, New Jersey, this October 8-9, 2024, at Harrah's Resort & Casino. This premier event is a must-attend for flavorists, product developers, and professionals in the food and beverage industry looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving market.

This year's conference will feature an impressive lineup of presentations, interactive educational talks, and panel discussions. Attendees will have the chance to hear from industry leaders such as ADM, Givaudan, IFF, Kalsec, Sensient, and Takasago. Notable flavorists from consumer packaged goods (CPG) giants like PepsiCo and NotCo will also share their expertise. Key topics include:

Artificial Intelligence

Supply Chain Disruptions in Citrus & Vanillin Sectors

Beer Category

Market Trends in Taste

The 'Swicy' Phenomenon

Biotechnology & Fermentation

Taste & Smell Dysfunction Research

The Flavorcon Expo Hall is where innovation comes to life. Immerse yourself in a sensory experience filled with flavors, ingredients, and cutting-edge technologies. Engage with industry leaders, sample the latest offerings, and discover new suppliers, partners, and service providers. This is your chance to stay ahead of the curve and bring fresh ideas back to your team.

Register Today

Don't miss your chance to be part of Flavorcon 2024. Whether you're looking to gain new knowledge, network with industry leaders, or explore the latest trends in flavors and ingredients, Flavorcon has something for everyone. Register now at www.flavorcon.com using code FLAVORSAVOR for major savings for all categories. If you're nearby, consider a one-day expo hall pass to pop in and explore all the event has to offer.

About Flavorcon

Flavorcon is the premier event for flavorists and product developers in the food and beverage industry. Each year, Flavorcon brings together leading experts, suppliers, and innovators to explore the latest trends, advancements, and technologies in flavor development. From in-depth conference sessions to a dynamic expo hall, Flavorcon is the place where flavor innovation thrives.

Contact:

Jenna Troyli

Conference Director

Perfumer & Flavorist+

[email protected]

SOURCE Allured Business Media
DENVER, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gates Industrial Corporation plc (NYSE: GTES), a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions, today announced that the Company will participate in Morgan Stanley's 12th Annual Laguna Conference in Dana Point, California, on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. Brooks Mallard, Chief Financial Officer, will present at 9:55 am Pacific time.

To access a webcast of the presentation, please visit the Events & Presentations section of the Gates Investor Relations website at investors.gates.com and click on the event webcast link.

About Gates Industrial Corporation plc:

Gates Industrial Corporation plc is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions. Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers, and to original equipment ("first-fit") manufacturers as specified components. Gates participates in many sectors of the industrial and consumer markets. Our products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries to everyday consumer applications including virtually every form of transportation. Our products are sold in more than 130 countries across our four commercial regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East & Africa; Greater China; and East Asia & India.

SOURCE Gates Industrial Corporation plc
RICHFIELD, Ohio, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A Texas federal judge recently struck down the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) proposed nationwide ban on non-compete agreements, which was set to take effect in early September. This ruling means that employers can continue to enforce non-compete clauses according to their state laws. However, with ongoing legal challenges and the evolving regulatory landscape, it's crucial for employers to stay informed and prepared for potential changes.

What Does This Mean For Employers?

GMS headquarters

Hear from GMS' Chief Legal Officer, Tom Amato, on why non-compete agreements are legally essential for companies:

"In today's highly competitive business environment, it's crucial for companies to safeguard their human capital and proprietary information to maintain a competitive edge. Non-compete agreements serve as an essential tool for protecting these vital assets, ensuring that businesses remain compliant with legal standards while mitigating risks. By having well-drafted non-compete agreements, companies can better secure their valuable resources, ultimately preserving their market position and long-term growth."

Stay informed, stay compliant, and let GMS be your partner in navigating the complexities of employment law.

What Sets GMS Apart?

1. Local expertise, national reach

Headquartered in Richfield, Ohio, GMS has been a trusted partner for over 3,500 companies, managing more than 50,000 worksite employees. Now, with 25 offices, GMS combines local expertise with a broad national perspective.

2. Comprehensive services

At GMS, we understand that running a business involves juggling multiple responsibilities. That's why we offer a comprehensive suite of services:

Payroll: Streamlined, accurate, and compliant payroll processing and payroll tax management.

Streamlined, accurate, and compliant payroll processing and payroll tax management. Human resources: Expert guidance on HR policies, audits, and employee relations.

Expert guidance on HR policies, audits, and employee relations. Risk management: Mitigating risks and safeguarding your business. Minimize workers' compensation insurance rates and protect your business from costly claims.

Mitigating risks and safeguarding your business. Minimize workers' compensation insurance rates and protect your business from costly claims. Benefits administration: Navigating the complex world of employee benefits.

SOURCE Group Management Services, Inc.
Nineteen-Story Multifamily High-Rise Expands Company's Music City Portfolio

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton Zanze , a leading San Francisco-based multifamily real estate investment firm, today announced it has sponsored the purchase of The Morris , a 19-story, 344-unit Class A apartment community in Nashville, Tenn. The acquisition closed on Aug. 16.

The Morris in Nashville, Tenn., features a rooftop pool with glass overlook, professional-quality music studio, rooftop performance venue, a 19th-floor sky lounge, fitness center and a private yoga studio.

Hamilton Zanze sponsored the transaction through HZ Capital Partners Fund I, its discretionary fund that targets the acquisition of multifamily properties, alongside joint venture partner Lionstone Investments. Mission Rock Residential, an affiliate of Hamilton Zanze, has assumed management of the property, which is in the heart of Nashville's historic Music Row and immediately proximate to Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Hospital.

"We are pleased to sponsor the acquisition of this exceptional multifamily asset," said David Nelson, President and Chief Investment Officer at Hamilton Zanze. "This is a transaction in which our relationships and persistence produced a generational piece of real estate at a time of dislocation in core, infill multifamily. The Morris is well-positioned to capture future growth as supply slows down over the next 18 to 24 months."

Located at 818 19th Ave. South, The Morris was built in 2017 and offers studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. Units range in size from 557 to 1,104 square feet. The homes feature designer finishes, stainless steel appliances, private terraces, 10- to 16-foot ceilings, full-size washers and dryers, hardwood-inspired flooring, floating bathroom counters and plush carpets in the bedrooms. Select homes contain smart-home technology, deluxe wine chillers and exposed concrete ceilings, columns and walls.

"Lionstone's research led us to this location, which scores prominently in our proprietary rating system," said Trisha Mantri, Vice President of Acquisitions at Lionstone Investments. "This investment represents the opportunity to purchase the asset at an attractive basis below replacement cost in a high-growth market."

Community amenities include a rooftop pool with glass overlook, professional-quality music studio, rooftop performance venue, a 19th-floor sky lounge, fitness center, private yoga studio, concierge services, EV-charging stations, pet spa, internet cafe, coffee bar and indoor bike racks.

Located just outside of Downtown Nashville, The Morris offers residents walkable access to the abundant nightlife, restaurants and shopping destinations found in the Music Row and Midtown areas. The community also is notable for its proximity to The Gulch, an urban development on the edge of the Central Business District that features boutique hotels, live music venues, breweries and a diverse array of restaurants.

The Morris sits on the site of country music icon Dale Morris' former office. Morris has represented such major artists as Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Alabama and Jake Owen.

This transaction represents Hamilton Zanze's fifth sponsored acquisition of 2024.

About Hamilton Zanze

Hamilton Zanze is a private, San Francisco-based real estate investment company that invests with the highest standards. Since its founding in 2001, Hamilton Zanze has sponsored the acquisition of over $6.9 billion in multifamily assets primarily in the Western, Southwestern and Eastern U.S. The company's portfolio currently comprises 124 properties (21,865 units) across 28 markets. For additional information, visit www.hamiltonzanze.com .

SOURCE Hamilton Zanze & Company
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As a follow up to previous successful real estate auctions conducted by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), the agency will be conducting its next online auction sale of 100 Residential vacant lots located throughout New Orleans. Properties are subject to a minimum bid price of $4,000 per property. Bidding for this online auction event will commence at 8:00 a.m. (CT) Tuesday, September 17, 2024, and conclude between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. The auctioneer is Hilco Real Estate, LLC, in conjunction with licensed Louisiana broker and auctioneer Paul A. Lynn, CCIM.

"As with our past auctions, we are continuing to receive hundreds of inquiries. We are excited to make this next pool of properties available through this online auction," said Brenda Breaux, NORA's executive director. "During the previous auctions, home buyers and developers were able to establish their own purchase price through the competitive bidding process. Buyers felt they were able to obtain properties in various neighborhoods throughout New Orleans at fair prices," stated Fernando Palacios, a strategic consultant with Hilco Real Estate Sales.

The properties are being sold on an "as-is, where-is" basis. Winning bidders are required to complete rehabilitation or construction on the properties within 18 months of closing. The buyers are required to keep such properties code compliant immediately after closing through completion of the rehabilitation or construction. Bidders for the sites may use the property for green space if their property is directly adjacent to the property acquired at the auction. There is one (1) structure that will be open before the auction for inspection on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 11:00 a.m.  3:00 p.m.

Closing is required within 30 calendar days after the auction and financing will not be a contingency so buyers will need to know they can close on their purchase within the required timeframe and have available pre-approval for their own personal financing. Buyers must obtain and maintain flood insurance for any structures as a condition of closing. There will be a virtual "Buyers' Seminar" on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. (CT).

For more information, including registration requirements, about this NORA auction, please contact Fernando Palacios at (504) 500-1891 or visit hilcorealestatesales.com/NORA.

The terms and conditions set forth herein are for informational purposes only and shall not be deemed to be and are not intended to be a comprehensive or complete listing of the applicable terms and conditions. All potential buyers should read carefully the terms and conditions of the auction and sale set forth at hilcorealestatesales.com/NORA. The terms and conditions set forth at hilcorealestatesales.com/NORA shall govern and shall supersede any terms and conditions set forth herein.

For further information on the properties, sale process and terms, please visit HilcoRealEstateSales.com or call (855) 755-2300.

About Hilco Real Estate Sales

Successfully positioning the real estate holdings within a company's portfolio is a material component of establishing and maintaining a strong financial foundation for long-term success. At Hilco Real Estate Sales (HRE), a Hilco Global company (HilcoGlobal.com), we advise and execute strategies to assist clients seeking to optimize their real estate assets, improve cash flow, maximize asset value and minimize liabilities and portfolio risk. We help clients traverse complex transactions and transitions, coordinating with internal and external networks and constituents to navigate ever-challenging market environments.

The trusted, full-service HRE team has secured billions in value for hundreds of clients over 20+ years. We are deeply experienced in complex transactions including artful lease renegotiation, multi-faceted sales structures, strategic asset management and capital optimization. We understand the legal, financial and real estate components of the process, all of which are vital to a successful outcome. HRE can help identify the most viable options and direction for a company and its real estate portfolio, delivering impressive results in every situation.

SOURCE Hilco Real Estate
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot 8 Yoga, California's premier hot yoga studio known for its notoriously hot and intense yoga and workout experience, is excited to announce its new studio in Brooklyn Heights is officially open and ready to welcome you! This marks the 13th studio in Hot 8 Yoga's expanding network and promises to deliver the same luxury and community-focused experience that has become the brand's hallmark.

Get 7 days of unlimited hot yoga for $40 - the price of one class!

To celebrate, Hot 8 Yoga Brooklyn Heights is offering limited time promotions . The studio will kick off with a seasonal 30-Day Challenge on September 8th, aimed at helping members build consistency and reach their mental, physical, and spiritual goals.

Located at 57 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, Hot 8 Yoga Brooklyn Heights is more than a yoga studioit's a sanctuary where yoga, community, movement, and luxury converge. Alongside dynamic classes, the studio will offer Yoga Teacher Trainings for those eager to deepen their practice.

Hot 8 Yoga Brooklyn Heights upholds the studio's three defining pillars:

Hottest : Advanced heating system reaching up to 110F degrees, carefully monitoring temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels to ensure an invigorating and comfortable environment.

: Advanced heating system reaching up to 110F degrees, carefully monitoring temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels to ensure an invigorating and comfortable environment. Cleanest : UV-C lights eliminate 99.98% of harmful airborne microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses.

: UV-C lights eliminate 99.98% of harmful airborne microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. Community: A vibrant, supportive space where members connect, grow, and thrive together.

Charlotte Scott, Hot 8 Yoga Brooklyn Heights Studio Manager and Yoga Instructor, shared her enthusiasm: "We are so excited to share Hot 8 with Brooklyn Heights! Bringing the hottest, cleanest and most connected community to the east coast has been a dream. We can't wait for New York to come experience the fun and practice all 6 styles of hot 8 together."

For more information on Hot 8 Yoga Brooklyn Heights and to stay updated on the latest events, visit hot8yoga.com , email [email protected] , or follow @hot8yoga on social media.

About Hot 8 Yoga:

Hot 8 Yoga is known as the premier hot yoga destination, offering a full range of hot classes to fulfill everyone's yoga and fitness needs. Whether individuals are looking for a high-intensity Yoga Sculpt, a more traditional 26 & 2, or even a relaxing Yin class  Hot 8 Yoga has a class for them. The studio is acclaimed for its intense heat, with temperatures ranging from 105F to 110F degrees, ensuring a vigorous workout! After class, chilled eucalyptus-infused face towels are available to provide a refreshing cool down experience. Members can prepare for the rest of their day in Hot 8's spa-like locker rooms, equipped with high-pressure showers, eco-friendly products, and a range of complimentary amenities.

SOURCE Hot 8 Yoga
Bootstrapped Dog Care Startup Recognized for Reaching 10,000 Lifetime Orders, Reflecting Its Growing Impact in the Pet Care Industry.

CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Houndsy, the innovative pet brand dedicated to providing stylish and functional dog feeding solutions, is proud to announce that it has been honored with the prestigious 10k Orders Milestone Award from Shopify. This achievement recognizes Houndsy's success in reaching 10,000 lifetime orders, a significant milestone that underscores the brand's growing impact in the pet care industry.

Houndsy Kibble Dispenser in Walnut with Complimentary Water Bowls Houndsy Kibble Dispenser in Walnut with Complimentary Water Bowl

Founded with a mission to enhance dog care through convenient and beautiful feeding solutions, Houndsy has quickly gained recognition for its unique approach to functional pet furniture. The brand's kibble dispensers, featuring a sleek mid-century modern design, have become a favorite among dog owners looking for both style and functionality. Available in standard and elevated versions, these dispensers cater to dogs of all sizes, offering ergonomic feeding positions while also preventing overfeeding with user-friendly mechanisms.

"Our journey with Shopify has been incredible, and reaching 10,000 lifetime orders is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and moreso, to our dedicated customers," said Pavan Bapu, Co-Founder of Houndsy. "At Houndsy, we are committed to providing dog owners with products that simplify the dog feeding experience and make it beautiful too. This milestone motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation in dog care."

"We wouldn't have been able to achieve this milestone without the help of our partners," says Bapu. "Our R&D firm (Informal), 3PL (Red Stag Fulfillment), web development partner (Foxbox Digital) and brand protection agency (MarqVision)."

Houndsy's success is built on a foundation of quality and safety, with all products made from BPA-free materials and designed with the utmost care for the dogs' well-being. The company's dedication to customer satisfaction is evident in its comprehensive support and commitment to continuous improvement based on customer feedback.

As Houndsy celebrates this milestone, the brand remains focused on its mission to combine stylish design with practical functionality, making dog care more manageable and enjoyable for dog owners everywhere.

For more information about Houndsy and its award-winning products, visit www.houndsy.com.

About Houndsy

Houndsy is a leading brand in the dog care industry, offering innovative feeding solutions that blend style and functionality. With a commitment to quality, safety, and customer satisfaction, Houndsy's products are designed to enhance the lives of dogs and their owners alike. From its patented kibble dispensers to its focus on modern design, Houndsy is dedicated to setting new standards in dog care.

Media Contact:

Nicole Zimmerman

201-394-4000

[email protected]

SOURCE Houndsy
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global hydraulic hose and fittings market size is estimated to grow by USD 518.8 million from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 4.36% during the forecast period. Mechanization of agriculture and growth in agriculture machinery industry is driving market growth, with a trend towards growth in unconventional exploration and production projects. However, fluctuations in raw material prices of hydraulic hoses and fittings poses a challenge. Key market players include AB Volvo, Bailey International LLC, Bridgestone Corp., Caterpillar Inc., Continental AG, Dyna Flex Inc, Eaton Corp. Plc, Emerson Electric Co., Enerpac Tool Group Corp., Gates Industrial Corp. Plc, Komatsu Ltd., Kurt Manufacturing Co, Manuli Hydraulics Group, Nitta Industries Europe GmbH, NRP Jones, Parker Hannifin Corp., RYCO Hydraulics Pty Ltd., Transfer Oil Spa, Wipro Ltd., and Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global hydraulic hose and fittings market 2024-2028

Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report

Hydraulic Hose And Fittings Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.36% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 518.8 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 4.11 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 42% Key countries US, China, Germany, Japan, and UK Key companies profiled AB Volvo, Bailey International LLC, Bridgestone Corp., Caterpillar Inc., Continental AG, Dyna Flex Inc, Eaton Corp. Plc, Emerson Electric Co., Enerpac Tool Group Corp., Gates Industrial Corp. Plc, Komatsu Ltd., Kurt Manufacturing Co, Manuli Hydraulics Group, Nitta Industries Europe GmbH, NRP Jones, Parker Hannifin Corp., RYCO Hydraulics Pty Ltd., Transfer Oil Spa, Wipro Ltd., and Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.

Market Driver

The global hydraulic hose and fittings market is poised for growth due to the increasing number of drilling projects, particularly in regions with large unconventional oil and gas reserves. Regions such as Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico are seeing a rise in offshore projects, while Europe and North America face uncertainties. The exploration and production (E and P) of tight oil, shale gas, coalbed methane, and underground coal gasification require advanced drilling techniques and the use of hydraulic hoses and fittings. Unconventional resources like gas hydrates, found in deep waters, lakes, and permafrost, offer significant potential due to their large methane reserves. Hydraulic fracturing, a major activity in shale gas extraction, is driving market growth as E and P companies invest in this complex process to release trapped oil and gas.

The Hydraulic Hose and Fittings market is thriving, driven by the demand for robust components in various industries. Hydraulic hoses, fittings, tubes, and pipes are essential for powering machinery in heavy construction, material handling, defense, agriculture, and more. Hydraulic systems transfer energy from hydraulic fluids to machinery under high-pressure conditions. Key players like Danfoss, Ouya Hose, and others innovate to meet industry needs. Hydraulic hoses and fittings offer strength, versatility, and reliability, making them indispensable in green infrastructure projects, buildings, and renewable energy sectors like solar and wind projects. With temperature resistance, pressure ratings, and compatibility, these components ensure business success. New materials and technical improvements ensure durability and flexibility, enhancing the effectiveness of hydraulic systems. Metal prices impact the market, but the market's growth is steady, driven by the demand for power transfer in various industries.

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Market Challenges

The hydraulic hose and fittings market relies heavily on rubber and steel as primary raw materials for production. However, the market is vulnerable to price fluctuations in these materials. The global rubber market experiences demand-supply imbalances, leading to significant price volatility. This instability negatively impacts vendors' profit margins and market growth, as production costs become unpredictable. Similarly, steel prices are influenced by fluctuating raw material prices and excess production. Additionally, a decline in oil prices affects steel prices. Steelmakers face challenges in estimating raw material prices due to constant fluctuations, ultimately hindering the growth of the hydraulic hose and fittings market.

The Hydraulic Hose and Fittings Market face unique challenges due to the complexity and performance requirements of hydraulic systems. Downtime caused by hose failure can be costly for businesses in industries like agriculture, industrialization, automobiles, construction work, mining activities, and coal mining. Economic and social factors also impact the market, with financial statements showing increasing demand for cost-effective, adaptable solutions. Leading players in the market, such as Active, Cutting Edge, and Innovator, focus on product strategy and scalability to meet these challenges. They offer a range of hydraulic hoses made from rubber and thermoplastic materials, designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, abrasion, and exposure to oil and chemicals. Core construction industries, like infrastructure, also rely on hydraulic machinery, making operational efficiency a key consideration. The Ace matrix, a tool for evaluating business strategies, highlights the importance of meeting unique industry needs while maintaining high performance.

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Segment Overview

This hydraulic hose and fittings market report extensively covers market segmentation by

End-user

1.1 Construction machinery

1.2 Agricultural machinery

1.3 Material handling machinery

1.4 Others

Distribution Channel

2.1 Offline

2.2 Online

Geography

3.1 APAC

3.2 North America

3.3 Europe

3.4 Middle East and Africa

and 3.5 South America

1.1 Construction machinery- The hydraulic hose and fittings market caters to the demand for components in various industries, including construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. These products transport hydraulic fluids under high pressure between the pump and the actuator. Key players in this market focus on innovation and quality to meet customer requirements, ensuring reliable performance and longevity. Market growth is driven by increasing industrialization and infrastructure development worldwide.

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Research Analysis

The Hydraulic Hose and Fittings market caters to the demand for flexible tubing solutions in various industries, including energy, heavy construction, material handling, hydraulic systems, aerospace, automotive, agricultural, and mining activities. Hydraulic hoses and fittings are essential components of hydraulic systems that transport hydraulic fluid under high-pressure conditions. These components are available in rubber and thermoplastic materials, suitable for diverse applications. Hydraulic hoses and fittings are used in power machinery, machinery manufacturing, and oil and chemical industries, among others. They are exposed to harsh conditions such as weather, abrasion, and oil contamination, necessitating the use of robust materials and advanced designs. Hydraulic hoses and fittings are crucial in Sacramento's hydraulic machinery industry, ensuring efficient and reliable operations.

Market Research Overview

The Hydraulic Hose and Fittings market encompasses the production and distribution of hydraulic hoses, fittings, tubes, and pipes used in various industries. These components are essential for hydraulic systems, which transfer power and control energy-intensive machinery under high-pressure conditions. Industries such as heavy construction, material handling, defense machines, agriculture, and renewable energy (solar and wind projects) rely on hydraulic systems for their strength, versatility, and reliability. Hydraulic hoses and fittings come in various temperature resistances, pressure ratings, and compatibility with different hydraulic fluids to ensure effectiveness in unique requirements. New materials, technical improvements, and innovation drive business success in this market. The market is influenced by economic and social factors, including metal prices, automation, smart connections, efficiency, predictive maintenance, recyclability, and environmental laws. Companies focus on scalability, product strategy, and business strategy to cater to complex performance needs and minimize downtime. Hydraulic rubber hoses are widely used in agriculture, industrialization, automobiles, construction work, and mining activities. The market is continually evolving with trends like eco-friendly materials, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things, offering customized solutions to meet unique requirements.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

End-user

Construction Machinery



Agricultural Machinery



Material Handling Machinery



Others

Distribution Channel

Offline



Online

Geography

APAC



North America



Europe



Middle East And Africa



South America

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

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Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Technavio
Wireless IOP-Connect Provides Direct Path to the First Dynamic Look at IOP from Inside the Eye Without Patient Intervention

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Injectsense, a sensor-enabled digital health company, today announced the successful completion of the first human implant and wireless intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using its FDA breakthrough-designated, ultraminiature implantable sensor.

The Injectsense iOP-Connect intra-ocular pressure sensor (yellow), for glaucoma, loaded on tip of injector tool with clear cover removed. The sensor is gently delivered to the pars plana region of the eye in a self-anchoring, suture-less procedure in the doctor's office. Next step: integration of a solid state micro battery (thin film) that provides 24/7 IOP measurement over decades. The first human implantation in Santiago, Chile, by Dr. Juan Mura was successful.

The IOP-Connect system study is led by Dr. Juan Mura of the Centro de la Vision in Santiago, Chile. Dr. Mura performed the implant procedure, demonstrating the feasibility of the minimally invasive, suture-less delivery. The team collected IOP data using an external reader. Following the successful first implant, the trial is continuing with a target enrollment of 20 subjects.

"From a physician's perspective, this is a major step toward understanding IOP fluctuations and providing more effective glaucoma treatment," said Dr. Juan Mura, MD, Centro de La Vision. "It's extremely exciting to have a direct path to an implantable sensor that will provide autonomous measurement 24/7."

"Although safety is the primary focus of this study, we are also informing our product design to meet the expectations of ophthalmologists across the globe," said Ariel Cao, President/CEO of Injectsense Inc. "We expect these sensors to be easily delivered in the doctor's office."

The next steps for the company include fine tuning of the delivery tool and incorporating the Injectpower SAS solid-state microbattery into the sensor for autonomous and continuous measurement of IOP from inside the eye. The final product platform will use "smart glasses" worn by patients for a few minutes each week that will wirelessly recharge the sensor and securely upload sensor-stored data to a smart phone and the cloud.

ABOUT INJECTSENSE

Injectsense is a sensor-enabled digital health company that enables tracking of progressive disease indicators and assessment of therapy effectiveness. The company's Silicon Valley product team combines cutting-edge advances in microelectronics with best-in-class medical device development and expertise. Its systems provide continuous, clinically actionable information through an implantable ultra-miniature sensor coupled with a secure digital health platform. Injectsense received Series B funding in April 2019 and is expecting to close a Series C round in 2024. Injectsense currently has development revenue from a major non-ophthalmic device company. It has established a supply chain with the capacity for hundreds of thousands of devices per month. The device is currently for clinical investigation only and is not commercially available. For more information visit injectsense.com.

For more information contact

Tom Breunig

Director, Corporate Communications

Injectsense Inc.

(510) 847-1637

[email protected]

SOURCE Injectsense
News / National

by Staff reporter

The man who survived the deadly Limpopo shooting, where two women lost their lives at a farm, has recounted the harrowing experience when he escaped and left his wife gasping for life."The first shot was fired into the air. The second bullet hit me, third bullet hit the other woman who was with us (Mariah Makgato) and the fourth bullet hit my wife. I went down, and after a while, I went to check on my wife to see if she was alive," Mabutho Ndlovu spoke to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika after being discharged from hospital.Ndlovu said he tried to lift and assist his wife, Kudzai, but he could not do much as he had been shot as well.The injured man struggled to get to the main road to seek assistance and he was later assisted by an associate, who took him to the police station.At the police station, an ambulance was called and Ndlovu was taken to hospital. He said while travelling to hospital, he noticed that his intestines where flowing from his stomach."When I was in the ambulance going to the hospital, they took off the T-shirt I was wearing. I had blood flowing out of my stomach and when I checked, it was flesh flowing from my abdomen. At hospital, they said they were taking me to theatre," he said.While in hospital, he heard that police and emergency services had visited the farm but they did not get the shot women."After four to five days, while I was still in hospital, I then heard that the two women's bodies had been found in the pigsty. I did not expect that to happen. All this time, I thought my wife was in the women's ward in the hospital. That hurt me so much," said Ndlovu.He said after the shooting, he noticed that Makgato was not moving and her body looked lifeless.Earlier this week, IOL reported that Limpopo pig farmer, Zachariah Johannes Olivier, farm supervisor Andrian Rudolph de Wet, and a farm employee William Musora were remanded in custody after they were arrested for the murder of two Limpopo women.Mariah Makgato, 47, and 34-year-old Zimbabwean national, Kudzai Ndlovu went to the Limpopo farm, accompanied by Ndlovu's husband where they were shot at. Only the husband, Ndlovu, survived the incident.Ndlovu said members of the community often go the farm to collect the dumped foodstuffs.The three accused men were charged with two counts premeditated murder, one count of attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice.Musora faces an additional charge of being in South Africa illegally, according to Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, Limpopo spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)."It is alleged that on August 17, 2024, at a farm Onvervaght under Sebayeng policing area, after a Clover truck had dumped alleged expired or soon to expired goods, the two deceased and a surviving victim trespassed into the farm to collect the above goods," said Malabi-Dzhangi.The NPA said Olivier and De Wet had planned to shoot any member of the community who trespasses into the farm."The accused proceeded to fire several shots at the members of community, killing two women and wounding the surviving male witness. The witness then crawled to the main road, received assistance and was then transported to the hospital," said Malabi-Dzhangi."The following day, accused number 3 (Musora), who is an employee at the farm, arrived at the farm and discovered the bodies of the deceased. He proceeded to report his discovery to accused one (Olivier) and accused two (De Wet)."Subsequently, the three men allegedly proceeded to remove the two deceased bodies from where they had died and dumped them into pig stalls."The pigs then started consuming one of the deceased's body on the upper part. It is alleged that accused one (Olivier) cut the firearm used in the murder and disposed of it along the R80 road. The accused did not report the incident until the August 20," said Malabi-Dzhangi.In the aftermath, police received information about the murder and attempted murder incident at the farm and the three accused men were arrested on Wednesday last week.When the trio appeared in court on Friday, their matter was postponed to August 30 for profiling, while the three accused remain in custody.
The industry veteran will work closely with former CIO Steve Meyer to ensure a smooth transition.

CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JVM Realty ("JVM"), a leading vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment and property management firm, announced today that it has hired Adam Short as the company's chief investment officer.

In his new position, Short will be responsible for managing all aspects related to JVM's capital needs and structure, including debt and equity. He will also direct the firm's transaction team in identifying multifamily opportunities that align with JVM's investment criteria. Additionally, Short will oversee the strategy and administration of JVM's investment vehicles for its Midwest multifamily portfolio.

"We are thrilled to welcome Adam as our new chief investment officer," said Jay Madary, president and CEO of JVM Realty. "His impressive track record, deep relationships across the Midwest, and comprehensive understanding of the real estate market match perfectly with JVM's goals and investment strategy. We are confident that he will be instrumental in driving our continued growth and success."

An industry veteran with nearly two decades of experience, Short brings extensive expertise in value-add and opportunistic strategies, along with a robust network of industry relationships and capital sources. Before joining JVM, Short served as chief investment officer at Golub & Company in Chicago, a vertically integrated developer, operator, and investor of multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial properties. During his 18 years at Golub & Company, Short built his real estate career, working his way up from his initial position as vice president of acquisitions to chief investment officer.

"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as JVM's chief investment officer," Short said. "The company's vision, culture, and strategic approach to multifamily investment resonate deeply with my own experience and values. I am eager to apply my skills and experience to help JVM continue to generate exceptional results for the company and its stakeholders."

Short will succeed Steve Meyer as JVM's chief investment officer, while Meyer transitions into the role of senior advisor at JVM. Short and Meyer will collaborate closely to ensure a seamless transition for JVM and its valued stakeholders.

About JVM Realty

JVM Realty Corporation is a respected name in the Midwest as a leader in multifamily real estate investment and property management. Since 1975, JVM has been committed to excellence and integrity and strives to be the preferred choice for its investors, residents, and associates. Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, JVM operates a $1.6 billion multifamily portfolio in the greater Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. For more information, please visit www.jvmrealty.com.

Contact: Kadi Mancuso Rice

JVM Realty

630-242-1024

[email protected]

SOURCE JVM Realty
CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that the firm donated nearly 150 backpacks to students at Chicago Public Schools' Jose de Diego Community Academy, home of the award-winning Katten Legal Clinic.

"We are proud to donate dozens of backpacks to students to help ensure they have a great start to the school year. Katten supports the communities in which our attorneys and business professionals live and work and is committed to giving back and fostering a culture of service," said Jennifer I. Wolfe, Managing Partner of Katten's Chicago office.

"We are proud to donate dozens of backpacks to students to help ensure they have a great start to the school year." Post this Jose de Diego Community Academy special education classroom assistants handed out backpacks donated by Katten to students at the schools Back to School BBQ on August 23, 2024.

The backpacks were distributed on August 23 at the elementary school's Back to School BBQ before students returned to the classroom for the new year. Katten Paralegal Matthew Doran coordinated the donation.

The academy houses the Katten Legal Clinic, one of the nation's first school-based legal aid clinics, an initiative recognized with an American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award. Last year, Katten celebrated the 10th anniversary of the legal clinic, which is operated in partnership with Legal Aid Chicago. Since its launch, the walk-in clinic has served more than 1,200 clients on various legal issues, including family law, public benefits, landlord-tenant disputes, immigration, consumer matters and expungement of criminal records.

"Our backpack donation not only reinforces our longstanding partnership with Chicago's Wicker Park and Humboldt Park communities but also highlights our ongoing commitment to supporting them beyond our pro bono legal services provided at the clinic," said Jonathan K. Baum, Katten's Director of Pro Bono Services.

The Chicago Bar Association also recently recognized Katten with a Civic Education Appreciation Award for the firm's participation in the Lawyers In the Classroom program, led by Associate Kristen Froese, at Jose de Diego Community Academy. The program pairs attorneys with teachers to provide students with interactive learning opportunities that enhance critical thinking, collaboration and civil discourse skills.

Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com

SOURCE Katten
The beloved Irish dairy brand known for pure Irish grass-fed butter is making the flavor go that much further, one stick at a time.

EVANSTON, Ill., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kerrygold, an international brand of Ornua, introduces a new format of pure Irish grass-fed butter: Salted and Unsalted 1LB Butter Sticks. Rolling onto store shelves across the U.S. now with four 4 oz. sticks per 16 oz. box, Kerrygold 1LB Butter Sticks are an all-purpose, all-natural butter, perfect for baking, cooking, or serving tableside with every meal. It's the same butter consumers know and love, now available in a larger format. Because when it comes to butter, more is always better.

Kerrygold's new 1LB Butter Sticks are No. 1 category innovation this year Post this Kerrygold 1LB Salted Butter Sticks Kerrygold 1LB Unsalted Butter Sticks

The brand's rich and creamy line of butters are made with milk from Irish grass-fed cows and slow churned for a smooth finish. Free from artificial flavors or preservatives, the new 1LB butter sticks are made with milk rich in naturally occurring beta carotene, which is present in the lush green Irish grass that Kerrygold cows enjoy year-round. That gives Kerrygold butter its robust, natural, golden color and creamy texture.

"We're doubling-down on the love our fans have for Kerrygold butter by doubling the number of sticks in these packs," said Lauren Arffa, head of Innovation, Ornua Foods North America. "We know consumers have been craving a 16oz size butter from Kerrygold, and we're thrilled to provide a solution for them with our 1LB sticks  the No. 1 category innovation this past year."

The 1LB Salted and Unsalted Butter Sticks stay true to the Kerrygold tradition of producing flavorful, creamy, and all-natural dairy products, hailing straight from 14,000 small Irish family farms that provide premium-quality milk for Kerrygold products. Kerrygold farmers are members of local milk cooperatives, owned by the farmers themselves, and these co-ops help preserve family farming traditions that have been passed on for generations.

Visit kerrygoldusa.com/store-locator to find Kerrygold 1LB Butter Sticks near you. For a full list of Kerrygold products and more information, please visit kerrygoldusa.com.

About Kerrygold USA

Kerrygold was established in 1962 as a premium brand, befitting the rich quality of grass-fed Irish milk. Kerrygold initially launched as a single product brand and is now regarded as Ireland's most successful food brand, reaching 1 billion in annual sales in 2019. Since its creation, Kerrygold has been synonymous with quality, and today, Kerrygold has a special place in the hearts of consumers all over the world.

Kerrygold dairy farmers are committed to the co-operative ideal; working together to produce only the very best grass-fed dairy products. Kerrygold cows graze freely on the fields of 14,000 small family farms; each one using unique dairy farming traditions passed down through generations of family. It is this grass-fed milk that delivers the rich tasting, higher quality dairy products that Kerrygold is famous for.

Today, consumers all over the world enjoy the unique taste of Irish grass-fed dairy. Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is the number two butter brand in the USA and Kerrygold Dubliner Irish Cheese is the number one specialty cheese.

CONTACT:

Laura Mays

[email protected]

SOURCE Kerrygold
ADA, Mich., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Let's face it: life's been nuttier than a squirrel's lunch lately, and people are feeling like they've been kicked in the beans more times than they can count. One online retailer is doing something about itwith humor, community, and a whole lot of caffeine. Introducing Kettle Coffee's new mission: 'let's get through the cray cray together!'

Fresh Brews & Fun Vibes :-)

Kettle Coffee has fun with their product images Hazelnut Haven is a Kettle Coffee bestseller

This new vision is embodied in the company's new tagline, "Fresh Brews & Fun Vibes :-)." Whether people are dealing with endless emails or just trying to keep it all together, Kettle Coffee has their customers' backs with fresh, delicious coffee and a community focused on lifting each other up through humor and positivity.

"We've been successful as a coffee company, but something was missing," says Joe Capp, Co-owner of Kettle Coffee. "One day, it hit mewhat we really need is to help people overcome the insanity of the world we live in. Coffee is great, but laughter? Laughter is essential. That's why we're building a community that's not just about drinking great coffee but also about supporting each other with humor."

Humor, Community & Connection

The company has infused its brand with humor and fun. Here's how:

 Hilarious Product Pics & Images: Kettle Coffee has revamped its product pics with descriptions like 'The Secret Love Child of Java and Chocolate' for their Velvet Mocha coffee and 'Brew So Cold, You'll Freeze Your Beans Off' for their Arctic Breeze cold brew. And that's just the startthey've got 30 brews ready to make people laugh and sip like never before.

 Perk Up! Their Community Forum: Kettle Coffee's "Perk Up!" discussion forum is filled with topics like 'hilarious coffee memes' and 'funny stories from the daily grind.' Ideally, they'd like their customers to come for the coffee and stay for the laughs.

 Chuckles: Their Laugh-inducing Blog: For those who like to read while enjoying their coffee, Kettle Coffee offers "Chuckles," a blog with gems like '10 Ways to Look Busy at Work' and 'Never Trust a Person Who Doesn't Drink Coffee.' With article topics like these, Kettle Coffee ensures people's days start with a smile.

"Perk Up!" and "Chuckles" are accessible under the "Community & Connect" link on Kettle Coffee's site menu. While they hope you'll buy coffee, it's not necessary to be a Kettle Coffee customer to view their hilarious product cards, participate in the discussion forums, or read their blog articles.

About Kettle Coffee

Kettle Coffee, based in Ada, Michigan, is dedicated to delivering the freshest, most flavorful coffee to customers across the country. But they're more than just a coffee companythey are on a mission to help people navigate the chaos of daily life with a smile.

For more information, visit www.kettlecoffee.store

Media Contact:

Joe Capp

Co-OwnerKettle Coffee

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 623-419-3772

SOURCE Kettle Coffee
Rock Island Auction Company sold an extraordinary and historic 400-year-old wheellock from King Louis XIII's Cabinet d'Armes in its August Premier Auction

BEDFORD, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An exceptionally rare and historic wheellock from the renowned Cabinet d'Armes of King Louis XIII sold for nearly $1 million during the second day of Rock Island Auction Company's (RIAC) August Premier Auction, which ran from Friday, August 23  Sunday, August 25. The royal sporting arm had a pre-auction estimate of $250,000 - $425,000, but instead set a new world record for a wheellock firearm at auction by realizing $951,750 after auction fees, tax, and all associated costs.

"We've been in this business for over 30 years and this is the finest firearm we've had the privilege to catalog," says Kevin Hogan, President of Rock Island Auction Company. "It goes so far beyond fine arms collecting. It's artistry, it's French history, it's the beginning of the Baroque period, and it's still extraordinary after 400 years. It's an immense responsibility to bring such a piece to market and we are very pleased with the result."

The Cabinet d'Armes of King Louis XIII is unparalleled in 17th-century firearms and beyond. Often hailed as the most important arms collection in history, it boasts an impressive array of hundreds of firearms collected by the king for their intricate ornamentation, technological advances, and those with previous royal or noble owners. The remarkable sporting arm is marked #24 on the underside of the stock and is one of the original inventoried firearms in the Cabinet d'Armes, dating back to the 1620s and the early years of King Louis XIII's reign.

The lock, which is signed "F.P.," is attributed to the renowned Parisian gunmaker Francois Poumerol.

King Louis XIII's reign was marked by a revolutionary period in firearms technology, transitioning from matchlocks and wheellocks to the more advanced flintlocks. This striking example is a prime illustration of the artistry and technological advancements of the period, reflecting the royal patronage and craftsmanship of one of history's most significant arms collections.

For more information on Rock Island Auction Company and other highlights from their August Premier Auction, visit www.rockislandauction.com.

About Rock Island Auction Company:



Rock Island Auction Company is the world's no. 1 auction company for firearms, bladed weapons and militaria. Founded in 1993 by its current CEO Patrick Hogan, RIAC continues to lead the industry with record sales numbers and its extensive and well-crafted marketing efforts. The company's 150,000 square-foot Illinois campus consists of two buildings and serves as the company's hub for catalog and content production. The 90,000 square-foot Bedford facility opened in December 2023 and will host six of the company's 18+ auctions each year. RIAC actively seeks consignments, be it a single weapon or a collection of hundreds, an item valued at $1,000 or $1 million.

Media Contact:

Mattie Van Gundy

(713) 409-1835

[email protected]

SOURCE Rock Island Auction Company
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI- The global language services market size is estimated to grow by USD 24.21 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period. Technology adoption to enhance language translation process efficiency is driving market growth, with a trend towards increased emphasis on transcreation. However, shortage of skilled professionals poses a challenge. Key market players include Acolad Group, APPEN Ltd., Centific Global Solutions Inc., Cyracom International Inc., Dubbing Brothers SAS, Honyaku Center Inc., IMAGICA GROUP Inc., Iyuno, Keywords Studios Plc, Lionbridge Technologies LLC, President Translation Service Group International, Questel, RWS Holdings PLC, STAR AG, Teleperformance SE, thebigword Group Ltd., TransPerfect Global Inc., United Language Group, Voice and Script International Ltd., and Welocalize Inc..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global language services market 2024-2028

Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report

Language Services Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.1% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 24212.4 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 6.5 Regional analysis Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 32% Key countries US, UK, Germany, China, and India Key companies profiled Acolad Group, APPEN Ltd., Centific Global Solutions Inc., Cyracom International Inc., Dubbing Brothers SAS, Honyaku Center Inc., IMAGICA GROUP Inc., Iyuno, Keywords Studios Plc, Lionbridge Technologies LLC, President Translation Service Group International, Questel, RWS Holdings PLC, STAR AG, Teleperformance SE, thebigword Group Ltd., TransPerfect Global Inc., United Language Group, Voice and Script International Ltd., and Welocalize Inc.

Market Driver

Businesses are expanding internationally, leading to an increased demand for transcreation services. Transcreation goes beyond direct translations by adapting content and imagery for target markets. This approach helps marketers connect effectively with their audience. Transcreation involves both translation and copywriting. Major players like Ampere Nordic Translations and Zeitgeist offer end-to-end transcreation solutions. Zeitgeist caters to technology-based companies, providing campaign planning to multilingual marketing material delivery. Transcreation's popularity is growing, especially in the food and beverage sector, with brands like Coca-Cola and Red Bull customizing their websites and product designs for specific markets. The market for language services, including transcreation, is poised for growth due to this trend.

Language services are in high demand as businesses expand globally, bridging linguistic gaps between cultures. Translation, transliteration, interpretation, and localization services are key offerings. Social media, online content, and international students require translation for effective communication. Immigrants and IT and telecommunications industries also benefit. BFSI sector relies on accurate language services for customer engagement. AI and machine learning drive an AI-driven approach to translation services. E-commerce companies need product descriptions and user interfaces localized for various regions and audiences. Video and audio content require translation and transcreation. Language policies and training are essential for businesses. AI and collaborative platforms offer cloud-based solutions for efficient communication. Internet usage, content marketing, PPC advertising, and social media marketing all require language services. Automotive industry also utilizes interpretation services.

Explore a 360 Analysis of the Market: Unveil the Impact of AI. For complete insights- Request Sample!

Market Challenges

The language services market depends on a large pool of skilled professionals, including linguists, translators, and interpreters, to deliver precise and trustworthy translations. However, the scarcity of competent professionals poses a major hurdle to the market's growth and expansion. This shortage can lead to project delays, negatively impacting client satisfaction. Inexperienced professionals may be hired to fill the gap, potentially affecting the quality of language services. Service providers might increase costs to offset the shortage, potentially losing business to more affordable competitors. Furthermore, obtaining skilled professionals in specific industries like medicine, law, and finance may be challenging, reducing business opportunities. Subpar quality from vendors can lead to dissatisfied clients and negative feedback, potentially hindering the growth of the global language services market.

Businesses expanding globally face language challenges in written and spoken forms. Cultures and regions bring unique linguistic needs. Linguistic consulting, localization, transcreation, and translation services help bridge these gaps. Written materials, videos, audio, and user interfaces require translation. Language policies ensure consistency. E-commerce companies need accurate product descriptions and customer engagement. Automotive industry relies on localized content for markets. Collaborative platforms and cloud-based solutions demand multilingual support. Internet usage, content marketing, PPC advertising, and social media marketing require language services. AI-driven approach using machine learning and AI translators streamline processes. Cultural consulting and language training are essential for effective communication. Webinars and mobile translators offer flexibility.

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Segment Overview

This language services market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Service

1.1 Translation

1.2 Interpretation

1.3 Others

End-user

2.1 Healthcare

2.2 ICT

2.3 BFSI

2.4 Government

2.5 Others

Geography

3.1 Europe

3.2 North America

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Translation- The language services market is experiencing growth due to several factors, including the rise of remote work and virtual events during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the healthcare industry, accurate translation of medical records and reports is essential for effective treatment of COVID-19 patients with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Language translation services offer solutions in various forms, such as interpretation, video interpreting, and remote interpreting, catering to industries like healthcare, legal, financial, and technical domains. Document translation, website translation, software localization, and other options are available. Translation services enhance customer satisfaction by enabling clear communication in industries like healthcare, IT, and BFSI. Specialized translators can accurately translate complex and specialized subjects, such as technical documents, scientific reports, or legal materials. The language services market enables industries to expand operations globally, maintain data in understandable formats, and improve patient care. Translation technology also plays a crucial role in enhancing patient care. The increasing demand for translation services from end-user industries like healthcare and BFSI is expected to drive the growth of the global language services market.

For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2017-2021) - Download a Sample Report

Research Analysis

Language services encompass a range of professional offerings designed to bridge linguistic gaps and facilitate effective communication between businesses, individuals, and cultures. These services include Translation (written language conversion), Transliteration (conversion of written text from one script to another), Interpretation (spoken language conversion), and Localization (adapting content to specific cultures and regions). In today's globalized world, Social media, Online content, International students, and Immigrants increasingly rely on language services to navigate the digital landscape. Localization services are crucial for Product descriptions, User interfaces, and Customer engagement, ensuring seamless experiences for users in various markets. Industries like Automotive, Collaborative platforms, and Cloud-based solutions leverage language services to expand their reach and engage customers effectively. With the rise of Internet usage, Content marketing, PPC advertising, and Social media marketing, the demand for high-quality language services continues to grow. Linguistic consulting is also an essential part of the language services market, providing expert advice on language and cultural matters.

Market Research Overview

Language services encompass a range of professional offerings designed to bridge linguistic gaps and facilitate effective communication between businesses, individuals, and cultures. These services include Translation (written language conversion), Transliteration (conversion of written text from one script to another), Interpretation (spoken language conversion), and Localization (adapting content to specific regions and audiences). In today's globalized world, demand for language services is on the rise, driven by factors such as Social media, Online content, International students, Immigrants, and IT and telecommunications. Industries like BFSI, Artificial intelligence (AI), E commerce companies, and Automotive increasingly rely on language services for Product descriptions, User interfaces, Customer engagement, and more. AI-driven approaches using Machine learning and Transcreation (adapting content for specific cultural contexts) are also gaining popularity. Language training, Cultural consulting, and Linguistic consulting are additional professional offerings in this field. Regions and audiences continue to expand, driving demand for services in Video, Audio, Written materials, and Collaborative platforms. Language policies and Cloud-based solutions are essential for effective implementation of these services. Language services are crucial for businesses looking to expand globally, bridging gaps in communication and ensuring customer engagement through multilingual offerings on Social media marketing, PPC advertising, Social networking sites, and Webinars. Mobile translators offer on-the-go solutions for individuals and businesses alike.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Service

Translation



Interpretation



Others

End-user

Healthcare



ICT



BFSI



Government



Others

Geography

Europe



North America



APAC



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
Company continues to grow with new business leveraging regional success in the southeast

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marpai, Inc. ("Marpai" or the "Company") (OTCQX: MRAI), a technology platform company, operates as a national Third-Party Administrator (TPA) through its subsidiaries. We're transforming the $22 billion TPA market by offering affordable, intelligent, healthcare solutions to self-funded employer health plans. The Company announced that it has closed a new contract with a client which is set to begin on September 1st.

Marpai once again is strengthening its client base in the southeast this time with a partner based in Florida, bringing nearly 1,500 employee lives with an innovative self-funding solution offering the ease of level funding.

John Powers, Marpai President commented, "The vast majority of new clients come on January 1st, so it's always nice to pick up a new client "off-cycle". Our sales team continues to gain momentum by offering our Marpai Saves program driving value-oriented solutions with top notch customer service. It's also been a big plus with our focus on businesses based in the southeastern United States that are looking to save money but not quality. We have definitely hit the radar of numerous self-funded employers and the brokers that represent them."

About Marpai, Inc.

Marpai, Inc. (OTCQX: MRAI) is a technology platform company which operates subsidiaries that provide TPA and value-oriented health plan services to employers that directly pay for employee health benefits. Primarily competing in the $22 billion TPA sector serving self-funded employer health plans representing over $1 trillion in annual claims. Through its Marpai Saves initiative, the Company works to deliver the healthiest member population for the health plan budget. Operating nationwide, Marpai offers access to leading provider networks including Aetna and Cigna and all TPA services. For more information, visit www.marpaihealth.com, the content of which is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Investors are invited to visit https://www.ir.marpaihealth.com. Investor Relations contact: Steve Johnson [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified through the use of words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "guidance," "may," "can," "could", "will", "potential", "should," "goal" and variations of these words or similar expressions. For example, the Company is using forward looking statements when it discusses new business and future opportunities. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect Marpai's current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from Marpai's current expectations depending upon a number of factors. These factors include, among others, adverse changes in general economic and market conditions, competitive factors including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions, uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and market changes, risks associated with managing the growth of the business. Except as required by law, Marpai does not undertake any responsibility to revise or update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

More detailed information about Marpai and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in Marpai's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Marpai
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Maverick Trading, a leading proprietary trading firm, announces the results of a groundbreaking year-long trading experiment conducted publicly on YouTube through their "Flat Earth Trading Society" channel. The experiment focused on the importance of position management over entry strategies, showing that traders can achieve consistent profitability by prioritizing how they manage their positions.

A Trading Experiment Unlike Any Other

Launched on August 1st, 2023, the Flat Earth Trading Society experiment was designed to challenge a common misconception in the trading community. "The biggest conspiracy theory in trading is that all the focus is on entry strategies, while position management is often neglected," explained Robb Reinhold, Head Trader at Maverick Trading. "We wanted to prove that position management is the most critical component for trading success."

Over the year, Maverick Trading executed 100 trades using random selection methodslike Scrabble tiles and Ouija boardsto pick stocks. The experiment relied on a robust position management strategy, using a trailing stop methodology to cut losses and let winners run. The results were impressive: a total gain of $15,000.26, a win/loss percentage of 40%, and a profit factor of 1.38.

Public Reaction and Key Takeaways

The public response was overwhelmingly positive. Thousands of viewers watched all 100 trades, experiencing the real-life ups and downs of trading. Many expressed gratitude for the experiment's transparency and educational value. One viewer commented, "This experiment not only proved the point about risk management but also provided a methodology to set up a logical system."

Another viewer added, "I applied parts of your algorithm to my forex trading and saw an 18% return since April. The focus on strict position sizing and money management was key."

Lessons from Real-Life Trading

The experiment highlighted the natural ebbs and flows of trading. The biggest gains came in early December 2023, followed by an 11-trade losing streak and the largest drawdown. Yet, immediately after, the experiment yielded its largest gain on stock PIO, showing the importance of consistency and sticking to a strategy.

"These results demonstrate that a disciplined approach to position management can make all the difference," noted Reinhold. "This experiment shows the power of adhering to your strategy, even during tough times."

Learn More and Explore the Full Journey

For those interested in diving deeper into the findings, visit the Flat Earth Trading Society YouTube channel to watch the entire journey and see how effective position management made all the difference. For a summary of the results, check out our detailed video.

For a comprehensive look at all trades made, view our public trading journal on TraderSync. This journal provides further insights and transparency into every trade executed.

Implications for the Trading Community

Maverick Trading has begun incorporating the lessons from the experiment into its training programs, emphasizing the importance of position management. Early signs show improved performance among traders, validating the experiment's findings.

To enhance your trading skills, Maverick Trading offers educational resources on advanced strategies and risk management. Visit our Continuing Education page to learn more.

About Maverick Trading

Maverick Trading is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in equities, options, and forex. The firm offers a unique environment that supports learning and innovation, evidenced by the Flat Earth Trading Society experiment, which challenges conventional wisdom and promotes positive change in trading.

Conclusion

The Flat Earth Trading Society's experiment proves that successful trading relies on effective position management. Maverick Trading encourages traders to apply these lessons to their strategies.

Read the full details of the experiment here.

We're Hiring!

Maverick Trading is looking for experienced traders. We have two divisions: Maverick Trading for stock and options traders and Maverick Currencies for futures, forex, and crypto traders. Apply now to join our dynamic community:

For stock and options trading, apply here.

For futures, forex, and crypto trading, apply here.

Contact:

Robb Reinhold

Maverick Trading

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (940) 217-5826

SOURCE Maverick Trading
Mr. Schelkoph to oversee growth and operations for firm's Minnesota location

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, today announced that Jon Schelkoph, P.E. has been promoted to Office Executive for the firm's Minneapolis, Minnesota, office. In this role, Mr. Schelkoph will oversee and manage the growth of Michael Baker's portfolio of business in Minneapolis, St. Paul and throughout Minnesota. In addition to engaging with prospective and current clients, he will provide operational management, staff management and production/project oversight for the office. The firm also announced that Kevin Anderson, P.E., DBIA, will step into a new role as Program Manager  Alternative Delivery, overseeing design-build projects and pursuits and partnering closely with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

"Jon is known as a trusted partner, leader and collaborative problem-solver who leads and coordinates large teams to mitigate risk and deliver successful projects. In our Minneapolis location, he has played a significant and active role in the growth and development of the team," said Paul Gluck, P.E., PMP, DBIA, Great Lakes Regional Director at Michael Baker International. "I am confident that under Jon's leadership, we will continue to deepen our client roster and project portfolio in the Twin Cities and throughout the Great Lakes Region."

Mr. Schelkoph brings 23 years of public and private experience to his new leadership role, including the last four years with Michael Baker, where he most recently served as Department Manager  Highway. Previously, he held the positions of Roadway Design Manager at AECOM, Professional Engineer at Scott County, Project Manager/Business Development at Progressive Consulting Engineers, Inc. and Director of Business Development at Rehder and Associates, Inc., among others.

Mr. Schelkoph earned a Master of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota.

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations  like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

The company has more than 4,500 employees across more than 85 office locations. Michael Baker's Wolf Pack is committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while evolving its business to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm.

To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Contact: Julia Covelli

[email protected]

(866) 293-4609

SOURCE Michael Baker International
EL PASO, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mount Franklin Foods, LLC, a leading manufacturer of high-quality branded, contract and private label confectionary, nuts, snacks, and foodservice products, announces it has acquired the assets from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Stuffed Puffs, LLC. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, is effective immediately.

Stuffed Puffs, LLC, known for its innovative and proprietary technology for producing high-quality marshmallow products filled with milk chocolate and other ingredients, has garnered significant consumer attention and has been the leading driver of growth in its category since its launch in 2019. Founded by Michael Tierney, who has been the driving force behind the brand's success, Stuffed Puffs also benefited from celebrity investors like Grammy-nominated artist Marshmello and his manager Moe Shalizi. Their reach and collaboration were pivotal in connecting the brand with a wide audience and helping to drive the brand's success.

"As we continue to evolve our business, the acquisition of Stuffed Puffs represents a significant step in broadening our confectionery portfolio," said Enrique Grajeda, CEO of Mount Franklin Foods. "We are excited to wed our strengths with those of Stuffed Puffs to deliver even more value and innovation to our customers."

"We are thrilled to join the Mount Franklin Foods family," said Michael Tierney, Founder & CEO of Stuffed Puffs. "With a shared vision for the future of Stuffed Puffs, our strategic alignment with Mount Franklin Foods, together with its scale and resources, will be a major unlock for us to accelerate our growth trajectory and innovation pipeline."

Mount Franklin Foods serves the retail and foodservice industries, manufacturing a variety of high-quality candy, mint and nut products including gummies, jellies, mints, fruit snacks, nut, and snack mixes under well-recognized brands such as Azar Nut, Sunrise Confections and Hospitality Mints. In addition, Mount Franklin Foods has a large co-manufacturing and private label business supporting brands and retailers across the country. The acquisition aligns with Mount Franklin Foods' strategic goal to diversify and expand its product offerings.

About Mount Franklin Foods

Mount Franklin Foods, LLC is a leading North American manufacturer of high-quality confections, nut products, mints, culinary plant-based proteins, bake mixes, powdered beverages and ingredients headquartered in El Paso, Texas. The company proudly serves major retailers, wholesalers, co-manufacturing customers, and foodservice distributors through its various divisions and affiliate companies, including Sunrise Confections, Azar Nut, Hospitality Mints and Element Food Solutions. For more information, please visit www.mountfranklinfoods.com.

SOURCE Mount Franklin Foods, LLC
News / National

by Staff reporter

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda led a group of legislators to the State House yesterday to "congratulate" President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his recent appointment as the rotational chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) for the next year.However, it is important to note that Sadc did not revise or overturn its election observer mission report, which dismissed Mnangagwa's re-election and his party, Zanu-PF's victory, as deeply flawed and irregular. The report specifically stated that the election process was inconsistent with the Zimbabwean constitution and the Sadc principles and guidelines for democratic elections in the region.Officially, Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF's disputed victory remains rejected by Sadc, despite the issue being sidestepped during its recent summit in Harare.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) CEO Jessica Brooks-Woods issued the following statement regarding the recent decision by some health plans to discontinue Medicare prescription drug (Part D) compensation to health insurance agents:

"These decisions by health plans threaten not only the livelihoods of Medicare agents but also the communities they serve and the seniors who rely on their expert guidance to navigate the complex Medicare system.

"We have reached out to WellCare/Centene senior leadership as they are setting a precedent. We invite the leaders to talk about how these decisions will affect Medicare beneficiaries and their families. We are asking important questions and looking at all possible options to make sure our seniors and their trusted partners are protected. NABIP will not stand by while these changes put the services that many Americans rely on at risk. We are ready to take strong action to protect our members and the communities they serve.

"Medicare Part D plans are increasingly complex, requiring agents to stay current with ongoing training. These agents invest significant time in educating their clients, ensuring that seniors and vulnerable populations receive the personalized guidance they need to make informed healthcare decisions. Their work goes beyond enrollment, helping clients set up affordable medication options and resolving claim issues. For less than $4.60 a month per client, these agents are far from being money-driven; they are dedicated professionals committed to their clients' well-being.

"We invite the leaders responsible for these decisions to join us at the table for solution-driven dialogue. It is essential that we work together to find a solution that leaves no senior or family behind. By collaborating, we can ensure that the support agents provide to our most vulnerable populations continues without disruption.

"In light of these ongoing challenges, NABIP reinforces its commitment to our Healthcare Bill of Rights which reflects our broader mission to promote a healthcare system that prioritizes affordability, accessibility, quality, equity, and dignity for every individual."

NABIP is the preeminent organization for health insurance and employee benefits professionals, working diligently to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and related benefits. NABIP represents and provides professional development opportunities for more than 100,000 licensed health insurance agents, brokers, general agents, consultants, and benefit professionals through more than 200 chapters across America.

Press Contact:

Kelly Loussedes, SVP of Public Relations

202.595.3074 or [email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals
DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nakheel, a member of Dubai Holding's pioneering real estate arm, Dubai Holding Real Estate, has awarded an AED 810 million contract for marine works on Palm Jebel Ali to Jan De Nul Dredging LTD.

Palm Jebel Ali render Palm Jebel Ali groundbreaking ceremony

The company will be responsible for dredging, land reclamation, beach profiling and sand placement, directly supporting the construction of villas across all fronds and will complete the marine works in just over two years. The first eight fronds of the project are expected to be site-ready by Q1 2025, allowing for the commencement of villa infrastructure and civil works.

Following Nakheel's recent award of two major infrastructure contracts, works have also commenced on the construction of a new public access road and to roadway and lighting enhancements from the mainland to Palm Jebel Ali.

Revealed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Palm Jebel Ali will offer an exceptional breadth of luxury lifestyle amenities for residents, families and visitors. Supporting the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the project also marks the beginning of a new growth corridor in the Jebel Ali area, underlining the expansion of the emirate.

Khalid Al Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding Real Estate, said: "Partnering with Jan De Nul Dredging reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. As Nakheel intensifies its development activity under Dubai Holding, the expertise of Jan De Nul Dredging in marine, civil construction and environmental projects is pivotal as we accelerate progress on this transformational development. Aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan vision, Palm Jebel Ali is set to become a global destination that will offer residents the opportunity to experience a luxurious waterfront lifestyle with access to sweeping beachfronts and pristine waters, while setting new standards in quality living and sustainability."

Last year, Palm Jebel Ali launched over 700 units of its Phase 1 frond villas, featuring eight unique styles, blending indoor and outdoor living in a serene coastal setting. Progress on infrastructure and marine works directly supports the delivery of these homes, scheduled for handover late 2026. The island will span 13.4 kilometres, featuring 16 fronds and 91 kilometres of beachfront, aligning with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan's goal of expanding public beach access. Video

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490394/Palm_Jebel_Ali_render.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490395/Palm_Jebel_Ali_groundbreaking_ceremony.jpg

SOURCE Dubai Holding Real Estate
CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One key aspect of this transformation is the ability to access and analyze reliable data in real-time, enabling quicker decision-making and collaboration across teams. If your company is still using SAP ECC 6.0 and has yet to plan for an upgrade, you may be headed for rough waters. SAP will end official support for ECC in 2027. While migrating to S/4 HANA is the likely choice for most companies, there may be exceptions.

What if S/4 HANA is the right choice?

One of the first decisions you will make after selecting S/4 HANA will be which field approach to use. The traditional methods of Brownfield and Greenfield still apply. However, a new, somewhat marketing-jargon approach called Bluefield falls between Green and Brown.

After selecting S/4 HANA, you must decide on the approach to take. The traditional Brownfield and Greenfield methods still apply, but there's a new "Bluefield" approach that falls between the two.

Greenfield, Brownfield or Bluefield

In a Greenfield approach, a company starts over with a clean install of SAP. Consider this approach for upgrading to S/4 HANA if your ECC environment is heavily customized and causing issues. Customization can lead to inflated support costs, long training cycles, and difficult upgrades.

When upgrading from SAP ECC to S/4 HANA, the brownfield approach involves keeping most existing data, configuration, and customizations intact. SAP provides tools to identify potential issues, which can be addressed through data changes, ABAP code, new configuration settings, or other approaches. Testing is required and the upgrade process typically takes several months. This approach is cost-effective and efficient for companies satisfied with their current ECC environment.

Bluefield is a middle-ground approach for S/4 HANA upgrades, offering a balance between Brownfield and Greenfield. It involves creating a copy of your current SAP ECC environment and selectively transferring configurations and customizations to the new environment. This approach allows you to keep the useful aspects of your previous system while taking advantage of the latest features offered by S/4 HANA.

Are you ready for an ERP transformation? Liberty Advisor Group can help.

Liberty Advisor Group has experience operating under all three of these potential scenarios. While each has pros and cons, we can help your company assess and determine the best fit for your business needs. There is no universal answer, but there is one that works best for your company.

Read the full article here: https://libertyadvisorgroup.com/insight/what-erp-migration-path-is-best-for-your-company/

Liberty Advisor Group is a business and technology consulting firm specializing in Delivery Assurance, Complex Program Management, and ERP Transformation. Learn more on LinkedIn and Twitter .

SOURCE Liberty Advisor Group
Robert Oh to pioneer the company's digital transformation

LISLE, Ill., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace and Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) embarks on its digital transformation, the company today announces a new appointment to its executive leadership team, effective September 16.

Robert Oh to pioneer the companys digital transformation

Robert Oh joins the company as Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) to lead the enterprise digital and information technology (IT) department. In this role, Oh will enable the company to accelerate innovation and growth through the execution of a transformational digital roadmap, while modernizing and optimizing systems to ensure a safe and resilient digital ecosystem.

"The introduction of a CDIO to our organization is a pivotal moment as we align our digital transformation initiatives with the importance of a secure, efficient, and connected IT infrastructure," said Mathias Carlbaum, president and CEO. "Robert's depth of technical knowledge is impressive, and his eagerness to act as a change agent is inspiring as we embrace innovation and continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers."

Oh is responsible for maintaining and improving Navistar's IT processes to maximize efficiency and deliver differentiated digital solutions to dealer partners and customers. He's also tasked with ensuring that the technological functionality supports the company's overall strategic vision, maintaining a productive work environment, keeping the company current on industry best practices, and protecting company systems from external threats.

Oh has extensive experience leading information technology, digital transformation, enterprise business process, and global P&L management efforts for Fortune 500 multinational companies. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Digital and Chief Operating Officer of the Digital Innovation Business Unit at Doosan Group, a South Korean conglomerate focused on sustainable energy, smart machines, and advanced materials.

"From my perspective, it's both a privilege and a challenge to join this esteemed company with such rich history," said Oh. "I am looking forward to leading our digital transformation efforts, leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive innovation, resiliency, and efficiency. Together, we will build on our legacy and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future for the commercial transportation industry."

To learn more about Navistar's governance and executive management, visit www.navistar.com/about-us/governance.

About Navistar

Navistar, Inc. ("Navistar") is a commercial transportation solutions provider with a vision to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility. Based in Lisle, Illinois, Navistar and its subsidiaries and affiliates produce International commercial trucks and powertrains, IC Bus school and commercial buses, OnCommand Connection advanced connectivity services, Fleetrite aftermarket parts, and captive financing through Navistar Financial. With a history of innovation dating back to 1831, Navistar has ~15,300 employees worldwide and is a subsidiary of TRATON SE, the parent and holding company of the TRATON GROUP and one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. Learn more at www.Navistar.com.

Website: Navistar.com/News

SOURCE NAVISTAR INTERNATIONAL CORP
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Netsurit, a leading managed service provider (MSP) in New York, has announced its recently closed debt financing transaction with Sunflower Bank. This financing collaboration strengthens Netsurit's position to support its acquisitive growth strategy. Q Advisors, a leading global TMT investment banking boutique, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Netsurit in this transaction.

Netsurit has completed seven acquisitions since 2021, with each offering strong synergies, expansion into new US markets, and technical expertise. This newly completed debt package with Sunflower will allow Netsurit to explore additional acquisitions in the managed services space.

Netsurit provides comprehensive IT solutions, including cloud migration, cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery, and innovative digital transformation services. Netsurit has offices in the US and South Africa and has been recognized as one of the world's top-performing MSPs by Channel Futures and CRN.

Sunflower Bank is a regional bank that offers a full range of financial products and services for personal, business, and commercial customers. The bank executes a national technology-focused sector strategy backed by a full-service suite of traditional banking and risk management products.

About Netsurit

With headquarters in New York, Netsurit is a global leader in IT solutions, providing comprehensive managed services, cybersecurity, AI capabilities, and strategic insights for organizations of all sizes. For 27 years, Netsurit has helped more than 600 businesses navigate the complexities of the modern workplace by ensuring critical applications and infrastructure are always on, secure, and resilient.

About Sunflower Bank

A regional bank with a commercial focus, Sunflower Bank delivers highly personalized financial services to businesses and entrepreneurs. With $8.0 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, locations across five states, and headquarters in Dallas, TX, Sunflower Bank provides a full range of banking services including personal, small business, commercial, wealth management, credit cards, home loans, and more to the communities it serves. More information is available at SunflowerBank.com.

The Netsurit client relationship is managed by the Sunflower Bank Technology, Media & Telecommunications lending group headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Sunflower Bank manages and executes on full banking relationships for national middle market technology, media and telecommunications companies. More information at www.sunflowerbank.com.

About Q Advisors

Q Advisors was formed in 2001 as a leading global investment bank serving public and private companies, PE firms, entrepreneurs and large multinationals in the telecom, media, and technology (TMT) sectors. Our team of 30 professionals, located in Denver and Munich, possess an extensive global reach, while also providing the personalized service of a boutique advisory firm. We are uniquely suited as a long-term partner in navigating a path to dynamic financial and strategic growth as we work to bring our clients best-in-class, independent advice by combining a level of commitment, operational understanding, and industry knowledge that is unmatched in the investment banking industry. More information at www.qllc.com.

Media Contact:

Jolandi Marais

[email protected]

SOURCE Netsurit
The interactive online interior design service for those that share a passion for design.

DALLAS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Now anyone can have access to custom designs and curated collections usually reserved for to-the-trade interior designers at the new interactive website Focal Fabrics.

Focal Fabrics

The company offers four different fabric design solutions straight to consumers. Click on the Collections tab for a series of fabrics chosen to coordinate with each other. They arrive at your door in elegant Sample Boxes so you can touch and feel your choices before making your final selections. In the Fabrics window, there are over 160 hand-curated selections, normally available only to design professionals, priced at $50-$800/yard. Click on the Pillows page so you can order pillows that match our collections delivered directly to your home. Or, if you prefer some advice or confirmation of your choices, personalized attention is available in Designers.

Focal Fabrics founded by renowned interior designer, Eleanor Bond, who has collaborated with clients from Washington, D.C. to Texas. She recognizes the needs of those who want to flex their design muscles with high-quality fabrics but who also do not want to make expensive mistakes. Prompts and guidelines on the site help you create one-of-a-kind designs that you will cherish for years.

"A successful home provides one with joy, a sense of peace, and a space that represents your personal vision."

~Eleanor Bond, founder, Focal Fabrics

With over two dozen collections, Focal Fabrics' clients can browse a variety of styles: modern, edgy, traditional, and contemporary. The client can also view videos of the fabrics' movement and drape, to get a better feel for suitability.

As a single mother of two children, Bond understands the hard work that goes into being a full-time parent. She sees it as her mission to provide job opportunities to single mothers, offering flexible hours that accommodate their needs.

Bond has extensive experience in the interior design industry, both with large firms and with her private practice in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Louisiana, and now Texas. She holds a master's degree in interior design from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Website: www.focalfabrics.com

Facebook: focal fabrics

Instagram: focal fabrics

Contact [email protected] -or- call/text (214)356-5350 / (214)399-8017 to set up an interview and request high-res images.

SOURCE Focal Fabrics LLC
The inaugural Noble Profitability Essentials class will be held on Sept. 24-25, 2024, in Stillwater, Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Research Institute, working with farmers and ranchers since 1945, will offer its latest educational program, Noble Profitability Essentials, beginning in September 2024. The course curriculum will empower farmers and ranchers to evaluate their financial decisions and investments to maximize their operation's long-term profitability and resiliency.

The Noble Profitability Essentials program will kick off in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Sept. 24-25, 2024. Post this Noble Profitability Essentials course facilitator Kacie Scherler leads attendees in a large group analysis activity during the beta class held on Noble Research Institute's Ardmore, Okla. campus Aug. 15-16, 2024. (Photo by Rob Mattson/Noble Research Institute)

The Noble Profitability Essentials program will kick off in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Sept. 24-25, 2024, at The Atherton Hotel, H103 Student Union OSU, Stillwater, OK, 74778. More information is available on the registration page here.

Through the two-day in-person Noble Profitability Essentials course, producers will gain resources to quickly analyze the performance of current and potential enterprises to understand how they contribute to their operation. This analysis can also reveal how changes can be made to increase their overall profitability.

Registration for all 2024 dates and locations for Noble Profitability Essentials is now open for:

"Noble Profitability Essentials provides producers tools to analyze their various enterprises to increase their profit, whether improving their gross margin, increasing turnover or decreasing overhead to improve their bottom line," said Kacie Scherler, regenerative ranching advisor at Noble Research Institute. "As a fifth-generation rancher, I've learned first-hand how important it is to understand how our financial decisions impact our operation, and this course sets the foundation for that."

Noble Profitability Essentials was developed in partnership with Ranch Management Consultants and incorporates content from their successful Ranching for Profit curriculum. Under this collaboration, Noble is furthering its goal of providing educational programming to guide and advance agricultural producers toward greater economic resiliency for their operations.

This is the fourth addition to Noble's suite of ranch management programs, which includes Noble Land Essentials, Noble Grazing Essentials and Business of Grazing.

To learn more about Noble Research Institute and its educational courses, please visit www.noble.org.

About Noble Research Institute

Noble Research Institute is the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to farm and ranch management education, serving as a trusted guide in land stewardship through education and mentorship of ranchers and farmers. Demonstrating our ongoing commitment to regenerating our nation's grazing lands, Noble actively manages 13,500 acres of working ranch lands to provide real-world insights and applications for farmers and ranchers.

To learn more about Noble Research Institute, visit www.noble.org .

SOURCE Noble Research Institute LLC
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A turn signal was recently added at an intersection after a 4-year-old child was struck and killed while crossing the street legally with her mother in 2019. The death occurred in Koreatown, Los Angeles, California, on the way to school.

Law firm and Advocate Capital client Paoli and Purdy, PC helped the family sue the City of Los Angeles in 2020, arguing that officials knew that the intersection was unsafe well before their daughter's death.

William Paoli and Court Purdy of Paoli and Purdy, PC

The family's attorney, Court Purdy, told the LA Times, "They had the knowledge back in 2013 to have prevented [the child's] 2019 death." The case was settled in December 2023, and the protected left turn signal was added at the intersection in 2024. Despite multiple documented reports on the dangers pedestrians faced in the neighborhood and around the school she attended, it took over four years after her death for the city to install safer traffic signals at the intersection. This tragic incident underscores the broader issues of delayed action and systemic failures in addressing pedestrian safety in Los Angeles.

The family's lawsuit against the city brought to light the negligence and delays that contributed to their beloved daughter's death. The city settled the case for $9.5 million, a reminder of the financial costs associated with inaction, especially considering the new signals only cost $530,000 to install. However, the human cost is immeasurable. The child's family continues to struggle with the loss of their daughter, reflecting on what could have been if timely measures had been taken. Her mother drives her other children to school every day, never returning to the five-minute walk she and her late daughter had made so many times before the crash.

This case exemplifies the need for a more proactive and equitable approach to traffic safety, particularly in low-income, minority neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by traffic violence.

Advocate Capital commends Paoli and Purdy, PC, for their dedication to representing those affected by traffic violence in LA. They are proud to support law firms that make a difference in their communities.

Advocate Capital, Inc. is passionate about helping plaintiff attorneys get even better results for their clients, mainly through their AdvoTrac Case Expense Funding Service. For more information, visit www.AdvocateCapital.com or call 1.877.894.9724.

CONTACT:

Rachel Minyard

Vice President of Marketing

Advocate Capital

SOURCE Advocate Capital, Inc.
With a New School Year Kicking Off, P.F. Chang's Says, "Lettuce Comfort You" with their New Lettuce Wrap Dorm Blanket and Special Back-to-School Deals

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, P.F. Chang's transforms their famous lettuce wraps into a cozy dorm room essential with the launch of their limited-edition "Lettuce Wrap." This twin-sized blanket, designed to mimic the look of P.F. Chang's iconic Lettuce Wraps, brings the warmth and comfort of their beloved dish into homes and dorms. The blanket is now available for a limited time for $24.99 on LettuceWraps.com. As the back-to-school season kicks off, P.F. Chang's is here to announce a series of new offerings crafted to provide comfort, value, convenience, and delicious meals for students, families, and educators alike.

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps are a signature dish that has been a fan-favorite for years. This iconic menu item is a secret family recipe featuring crisp lettuce leaves that serve as the crunchy, delicious base for a savory mix of chicken or tofu. With ~4M orders every year, it's one of the most popular and cherished dishes on the menu.

P.F. Chang's is known for being the go-to spot for celebrating life's milestones like birthdays, proms, and graduations. While heading off to college can be both exciting and daunting, P.F. Chang's knows students could use a little comfort to help adjust. Each blanket comes with the option to add a $25 gift card to the restaurant, so college students can cuddle up and enjoy their favorite P.F. Chang's dishes right from their dorm room.

"At P.F. Chang's, we get that back-to-school season is all about bringing comfort and those feel-good vibes," says Candice Barnett, SVP of Brand & Experience at P.F. Chang's. "Our 'Lettuce Wrap' and special offers are designed to bring a bit of home and joy to our guests during this transitional time of year."

In addition to the cozy blanket, P.F. Chang's is here to alleviate some back-to-school stress with a series of special offers and new menu items designed for students, families, and educators.

Back-to-School Bundle: The Back-to-School Bundle is a 3-course family-style meal featuring a selection of P.F. Chang's most popular dishes, perfect for a family dinner out or a convenient meal at home. The bundle includes a choice of soup or salad, an appetizer to share, and entrees for each guest, starting at just $20 per person*.

The Back-to-School Bundle is a 3-course family-style meal featuring a selection of P.F. Chang's most popular dishes, perfect for a family dinner out or a convenient meal at home. The bundle includes a choice of soup or salad, an appetizer to share, and entrees for each guest, starting at just per person*. NEW Value Menu Items: P.F. Chang's just added two new dishes to its value menu, ideal for students and families seeking delicious, budget-friendly options. Teriyaki Chicken or Beef: Fresh pineapple, broccoli, onion, bell pepper, sesame seeds, and a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. Firecracker Shrimp: Tossed with charred peppers and onion, finished in a sweet chili butter.

P.F. Chang's just added two new dishes to its value menu, ideal for students and families seeking delicious, budget-friendly options. Chang's Ca$h: Fuel your back-to-school season with Chang's and save even more when you sign up for P.F. Chang's Rewards! P.F. Chang's has revamped its Rewards program with the introduction of Chang's Ca$h. Rewards members will earn 15% back in Chang's Ca$h on all eligible purchases of $60 or more to use towards their next visit**. New Rewards members receive $15 in Chang's Ca$h upon sign-up: https://www.pfchangs.com/rewards

Fuel your back-to-school season with Chang's and save even more when you sign up for P.F. Chang's Rewards! P.F. Chang's has revamped its Rewards program with the introduction of Chang's Ca$h. Rewards members will earn 15% back in Chang's Ca$h on all eligible purchases of or more to use towards their next visit**. New Rewards members receive in Chang's Ca$h upon sign-up: https://www.pfchangs.com/rewards Kids Free Treat: Kids under 12 receive free ice cream with any purchase, making it the perfect after-school family outing.

Kids under 12 receive free ice cream with any purchase, making it the perfect after-school family outing. $5 Happy Hour: P.F. Chang's launched an All Day Every Day Happy Hour*** menu featuring select $5 beer, wine, and cocktails including the Zen Margarita and the Pink Lotus Cosmo making it an affordable way for college students and teachers to unwind with friends.

For more information, please visit PFChangs.com .

*Minimum two people. Pricing varies by location. Please contact your local P.F. Chang's for more details.

**How to Earn Chang's Ca$h: P.F. Chang's Rewards Members automatically receive 15% Chang's Ca$h back on all eligible purchases, excluding alcoholic beverages, gift card purchases, taxes, or gratuities. Guests can view Chang's Ca$h balance by signing in P.F. Chang's Rewards account through pfchangs.com or mobile app. No cash value. This offer is subject to change. Void where prohibited by law.

*** Happy Hour alcohol specials offered only to guests 21 and older. Offer is available at the bar & patio only, at participating locations. Void where prohibited by law. Hours and availability vary by location. Please contact your local P.F. Chang's for more details.

About P.F. Chang's

Founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, P.F. Chang's is the first internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand to honor and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking as the center of the guest experience. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today's menu at P.F. Chang's spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each item offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it's a handcrafted cocktail, wok-fired lunch bowl, or celebratory Chef's Feast 3-course dinner. Worldwide, P.F. Chang's has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airport locations. For more P.F. Chang's news, visit pfchangs.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram , and TikTok @pfchangs.

Press Contact

ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS

[email protected]

SOURCE P.F. Chang's
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on How AI is Driving Market Transformation- The global real estate software market size is estimated to grow by USD 7.20 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10.22% during the forecast period. Growing middle-class population is driving market growth, with a trend towards use of blockchain technology in real estate management software. However, threat of open-source real estate management software poses a challenge. Key market players include Altus Group Ltd., AppFolio Inc., Autodesk Inc., Bentley Systems Inc., CDK Global Inc., CoStar Group Inc., CREATIO EMEA Ltd., Dassault Systemes SE, Fiserv Inc., Fortive Corp., IFCA MSC Berhad, International Business Machines Corp., LanTrax Inc., MRI Software LLC, Oracle Corp., Planon Shared Services BV, RealPage Inc., SAP SE, Trimble Inc., and Yardi Systems Inc..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global real estate software market 2024-2028

Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies - Click for the snapshot of this report

Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered Deployment (Cloud-based and On-premises), Application (Residential and Commercial), and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Region Covered North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Key companies profiled Altus Group Ltd., AppFolio Inc., Autodesk Inc., Bentley Systems Inc., CDK Global Inc., CoStar Group Inc., CREATIO EMEA Ltd., Dassault Systemes SE, Fiserv Inc., Fortive Corp., IFCA MSC Berhad, International Business Machines Corp., LanTrax Inc., MRI Software LLC, Oracle Corp., Planon Shared Services BV, RealPage Inc., SAP SE, Trimble Inc., and Yardi Systems Inc.

Key Market Trends Fueling Growth

The global real estate software market is witnessing significant advancements, with blockchain technology emerging as a potential game-changer. This technology offers transparency, security, and efficiency by encrypting every record and making ledgers impenetrable to hackers. Transactions are irreversible, reducing fraud and transaction duplication. Blockchain also enables prompt and secure payments, even outside business hours, and eliminates the need for intermediaries. However, regulatory compliance and data transfer from authorities to general ledgers pose challenges. Lantmateriet, Sweden's mapping, cadastral, and land registration authority, is leading the way with a pilot project for land registration using blockchain. The advantages of blockchain in real estate transactions are expected to drive a shift from traditional methods, contributing to market growth.

The Real Estate Software Market is thriving with trends that streamline transactions for sellers and buyers. Transactions are managed efficiently with appointment scheduling, reminders, and property management components. Building sites and housing initiatives benefit from on-premise and cloud-based access on mobile devices. Real estate executives oversee the real estate lifecycle with software technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. Property management, real estate accounting, lease administrators, and transaction managers are essential components. Cloud-based solutions offer easy access to customer data, smart solutions, and data management strategies. Sensitive data protection is crucial, with virtualization, virtual reality, and user engagement enhancing the customer experience. Social media and online advertising boost marketing efforts, while websites provide a central hub for information. Construction activities are optimized with software tools, and virtual reality offers immersive property tours. Overall, the Real Estate Software Market is transforming the industry with innovative solutions.

Discover a Comprehensive 360 Market Analysis: Understand the Impact of AI. For detailed information- Request Sample!

Market Challenges

The global real estate software market is experiencing significant competition from open-source real estate management software and pirated software. Open-source software, which is freely available on the Internet, offers cost benefits and scalability to end-users. Popular options include EspoCRM, Vtiger CRM, and Bitrix CRM. Users appreciate the transparency of open-source software, as they have access to the source code, enabling them to modify and eliminate defects before implementation. However, the market also faces a threat from pirated software, particularly in developing and underdeveloped economies where purchasing power is lower. Vendors in these regions often opt for pirated versions of software due to the lack of stringent regulatory laws. This results in a loss of sales for real estate software developers, posing a challenge to the market's growth during the forecast period.

The Real Estate Software Market is experiencing significant growth as the industry embraces digital applications to streamline operations and enhance workplace experience. Challenges such as workflow automation, sales and marketing, finance, project management, and data privacy regulations require advanced solutions. Blockchain technology and smart contracts offer secure, transparent, and efficient ways to handle sales deals, inspections, and financial data. Online platforms facilitate communication between real estate agents, brokers, investors, agencies, property managers, architects, and engineers. Construction, renting, and managing buildings, structures, utility systems, roads, and lands also benefit from these digital tools. However, cyber security threats and cybercrimes pose risks to data privacy and financial information, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures. Real estate companies must adapt to these trends to remain competitive in the commercial and residential markets.

For more insights on driver and challenges - Download a Sample Report

Segment Overview

This real estate software market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Deployment

1.1 Cloud-based

1.2 On-premises

Application

2.1 Residential

2.2 Commercial

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Cloud-based- Cloud-based real estate software deployment offers several advantages to businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. These benefits include low initial investments, quick implementation, easy accessibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Cloud-based deployment eliminates the need for purchasing servers and allows buyers to subscribe to the software on a monthly or annual basis. The infrastructure is already in place, and electronic devices are sufficient for access. Post-implementation, buyers can easily switch to different providers, reducing the need for extensive trials. IBM's TRIRIGA and Bentley Systems are dominant vendors in cloud-based real estate software management. Remotely located servers in a cloud-based deployment help increase scalability, allowing buyers to opt for more bandwidth and storage space as needed. Construction companies can change subscriptions according to ongoing projects. However, concerns over security, limited customization, and the requirement of the internet hinder adoption. Real estate companies manage confidential financial data, increasing apprehension over data security. Despite these challenges, the advantages of cloud-based real estate software, such as dynamic space planning using AI-driven insights, will drive demand during the forecast period.

For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) - Download a Sample Report

Research Analysis

The Real Estate Software Market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies in construction activities. Smart solutions are transforming the way real estate professionals manage customer data, utility systems, and building structures. Software technologies, including cloud, artificial intelligence, social media, online advertising, and digital applications, are revolutionizing the real estate industry. Construction projects, renting properties, and housing initiatives are all benefiting from these innovations. Real estate agents can manage transactions, appointments, and reminders more efficiently, while clients and sellers have access to valuable information and tools to make informed decisions. Building sites and utility systems can be monitored in real-time, ensuring optimal performance and reducing maintenance costs. Data management is a critical component of real estate software, enabling real estate professionals to analyze trends and gain insights into market conditions. With the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, software can provide personalized recommendations and automate routine tasks, freeing up time for more strategic activities. Overall, the real estate software market is poised for continued growth as technology continues to transform the industry.

Market Research Overview

The Real Estate Software Market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing adoption of digital applications in the real estate industry. Construction activities are being streamlined with smart solutions that leverage software technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Customer data is being effectively managed and protected with advanced data management strategies and sensitive data protection measures. Virtualization, virtual reality, and automation are transforming the workplace experience for real estate professionals. Real estate sector players are embracing online platforms for sales and marketing, transactions, and project management. Finance and accounting functions are being automated with contract software, dashboard solutions, and financial data management tools. Building management, property management, and real estate companies are leveraging blockchain technology, smart contracts, and automation to enhance efficiency and security. Social media and online advertising are essential tools for real estate agents, brokers, investors, agencies, property managers, and commercial centers to reach clients and sell properties. Data privacy regulations are driving the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information from cybercrimes and cybersecurity threats. The real estate industry is undergoing a digital transformation, with digital applications being used for residential and commercial buildings, utility systems, roads, and land management. Real estate executives, lease administrators, transaction managers, and real estate lifecycle managers are using mobile devices and cloud-based access to manage appointments, reminders, and building sites. Housing initiatives and government agencies are also adopting digital solutions to streamline their operations. Overall, the Real Estate Software Market offers a wide range of components, including project management software, real estate accounting, and lease administration tools, to cater to the diverse needs of the real estate sector.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Deployment

Cloud-based



On-premises

Application

Residential



Commercial

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



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
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

SOME war veterans who were trained but could not go to fight at the front when a ceasefire was declared in 1980 have complained over the ruling Zanu PF government degrading their status to that of mere collaborators.Indications are that there are several war veterans who were trained locally by the liberation war fighters who were operating at the front and on the vetting process, there are reports that most of them have been vetted as war collaborators much to their concerns.A liberation war fighter, Max Nkandla has said he has conversed with a number of such former liberation war fighters who are concerned over their relegation to the mere collaborators when they also embarked in the combat fighting having trained inside the country."Our comrades who were trained within the country and when ceasefire was announced they went to assembly points together with the liberation fighters who were trained outside and even got integrated into national army are fuming that in the vetting process, they are now being regarded as collaborators," he said.,"Government must intervene and correct this anomaly as this is unfair to such people who contributed to the liberation of the country as fighters. There are some women who are still having children of the war fighters who abused women at the time and those children became the burden of those women. The comrade who impregnated these women must go and look for their children wherever they left them."He said the government must also look into these issues because they are real and this has affected quite a number of people in various parts of the country when children were born from that war period but do not know their fathers."The minister must also know between a locally trained freedom fighter and the collaborator. A collaborator never entered the assembly point when the cease-fire was signed at Lancaster House, while a locally trained cadre was in the bush. Of these locally trained, some of them were demobilised whereas some were integrated into the army," Mkandla said.He said it is important that those who deserve the war vet status are accorded the same.Mkandla said the United Nations at the time of war had labeled all the liberation fighters as terrorists including those who were locally trained and those who were still training in camps outside the country.He said it is unfair and wrong to call such people collaborators."Those people were being bombed by the white regime as terrorists. And now when it is time for eating, you call them collaborators, it's very wrong," he said.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Resecurity, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, is proud to announce its partnership with Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII), a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating human trafficking and child exploitation worldwide. This collaboration aims to leverage Resecurity's advanced technology and expertise in cybersecurity to enhance efforts in disrupting human trafficking networks.

Resecurity

The partnership between Resecurity and ATII marks a significant step in the fight against modern slavery. By combining Resecurity's capabilities in financial intelligence data analysis and cybersecurity solutions with ATII's comprehensive approach to prevention, detection, and investigation, the collaboration aims to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable populations globally.

Pioneering Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts

ATII is at the forefront of combating modern slavery through innovative approaches such as corporate social responsibility initiatives, targeted data collection, and technology integration. The organization focuses on educating various sectors about the signs of human trafficking, raising awareness among policymakers, industry leaders, and the public, and forging strategic partnerships to strengthen the fight against traffickers.

"We are thrilled to partner with ATII to apply our cybersecurity expertise to combat human trafficking," said Gene Yoo, CEO of Resecurity. "By analyzing financial transactions and leveraging advanced data analytics, we aim to disrupt the financial infrastructure that supports human trafficking networks. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to using technology for social good and protecting vulnerable communities."

Strategic Collaboration for Impact

Aaron Kahler, Founder and CEO of ATII, emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships in combating human trafficking: "Human trafficking is a complex global issue that requires a multifaceted approach. Partnering with Resecurity allows us to enhance our capabilities in data-driven intelligence and cybersecurity, which are critical components in disrupting modern slavery."

The collaboration between Resecurity and ATII underscores their shared commitment to minimizing risks, maximizing reputations, and promoting security in the global fight against human trafficking and exploitation.

About Resecurity

Resecurity is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence. Known for providing best-of-breed data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity's services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognized as one of the world's most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organizations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, Resecurity was named as one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California by Inc. Magazine. An Official Partner of the Cybercrime Atlas by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Member of InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), AFCEA, NDIA, SIA, FS-ISAC and the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia (AmChamKSA), Singapore (AmChamSG), Korea (AmChamKorea), Mexico (AmChamMX), Thailand (AmChamThailand), and UAE (AmChamDubai). To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com.

About Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII)

Based in the United States, Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 2019, is committed to combatting human trafficking, child exploitation, and related crimes through a multifaceted approach of prevention, detection, investigation, and advocacy. Founded with a mission to follow the money and fight slavery, ATII employs rigorous data-driven methodologies to disrupt and dismantle human trafficking networks globally.

ATII's efforts are centered on leveraging advanced data analytics and financial intelligence to uncover patterns in illicit financial transactions that facilitate human trafficking and modern slavery. By identifying suspicious activities and tracing the flow of funds across borders, ATII provides crucial intelligence to law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and governmental bodies, enabling more effective interventions and prosecutions against traffickers. To learn more about ATII, visit https://followmoneyfightslavery.org/

SOURCE Resecurity Inc.
LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RiverMeadow Software Inc., a leader in Workload Mobility Automation and Services, announced today that it has signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This agreement strengthens RiverMeadow's relationship with AWS and will help RiverMeadow drive mass migration of existing workloads on AWS.

"This SCA with AWS enables RiverMeadow to further invest in our collaboration with AWS by offering customers and partners market-leading and differentiated capabilities," said Jim Jordan, President and CEO of RiverMeadow. "RiverMeadow's Workload Mobility Platform allows customers and partners to Lift and Optimize workloads at speed and scale as they migrate off of VMware."

RiverMeadow's Workload Mobility Platform (WMP) provides customers and partners the flexibility and use case addressability they need to ensure successful migration outcomes. Customers can begin migrating in under an hour, with the ability to support P2V, V2V, V2C, C2C, and C2V sources at scale. RiverMeadow's ability to Lift and Optimize workloads at scale means greater value as you transition on AWS.

Enhancing Your Cloud Migration Projects with RiverMeadow

Optimization Capabilities Include:

Modernize Windows, MSSQL, and Linux Workloads: Modernize existing Windows, MSSQL, and Linux workloads at scale with no risk during AWS migration. Ensure your applications run on the latest, most secure versions, enhancing performance and security while avoiding extended support payments. Modernize Legacy Linux Workloads to Amazon Linux: Migrate and modernize Red Hat Enterprise, CentOS, Oracle Enterprise Linux 6.x or 7.x onto Amazon Linux 2 at speed and scale. Compute and Storage Rightsizing: RiverMeadow's automated Storage Optimization capability offers a clear-cut solution to reduce cloud operating costs and boost efficiency. OS Hardening: RiverMeadow automates hardening by translating Group Policy Objects to Local Security Policy using approved CIS Benchmarks.

This SCA between RiverMeadow and AWS is designed to streamline the migration of workloads from on-premises environments and other cloud platforms to AWS. By enhancing RiverMeadow's Platform, the collaboration will enable customers to transition more seamlessly to AWS, leveraging RiverMeadow's market-leading capabilities in workload mobility.

For more information, please visit RiverMeadow's AWS Marketplace listing.

About RiverMeadow Software Inc.: RiverMeadow offers a market-leading Workload Mobility Platform and Services that allow businesses to Migrate and Optimize workloads with unprecedented scale, speed, and certainty. Talk to a RiverMeadow Expert today and let us help you move your Workloads in minutes, not days, weeks, or even years.

Media Contact:

Jill Hourani

[email protected]

650-269-3782

SOURCE RiverMeadow Software Inc.
BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryan & Wetmore, P.C., a leading accounting and advisory firm serving the Greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan area is proud to announce its recognition as one of the top 500 accounting firms in the United States by Inside Public Accounting (IPA) for 2024. This marks the second consecutive year that Ryan & Wetmore has achieved this prestigious national ranking. Additionally, the firm has been recognized as one of the top 50 accounting firms by the Washington Business Journal for the 10th consecutive year.

Ryan & Wetmore was named one of the top 500 accounting firms by Inside Public Accounting in 2024.

The annual Top IPA 500 list ranks the largest accounting firms in the country based on net revenue and other performance metrics, showcasing firms that have demonstrated outstanding growth and impact. This acknowledgement highlights Ryan & Wetmore's unwavering commitment to excellence in the accounting industry and reflects Ryan & Wetmore's strategic expansion and dedication to driving client success.

Ryan & Wetmore's growth and success are rooted in the personalized and proactive service model established by co-founders Pete Ryan and Michael Wetmore. Their leadership, along with the strategic direction of partners Traci Getz and Jason Dudas, has allowed the firm to excel across key industries such as government contracting, construction, medical practices, technology, and more. Ryan & Wetmore has continued to expand its resources and service offerings, equipping clients with the tools and expertise needed to navigate complex financial landscapes and achieve sustainable growth. The firm's commitment to technology, innovation, and client-focused solutions continues to drive its upward trajectory in the accounting profession.

Significant Growth

The firm has experienced significant growth in recent years, achieving 50% organic expansion. This success is largely attributed to Ryan & Wetmore's strong presence as a trusted advisor for government contractors, construction companies, medical practices, and other key industries across the DMV. In the government contracting sector, Ryan & Wetmore specializes in developing indirect rate and forward pricing models, providing compliance and audit support, and assisting with transaction advisory services. For construction, architecture, and engineering clients, the firm offers strategic financial planning, tax optimization, cash flow support, and other consulting services tailored to the challenges within this sector. For medical providers, Ryan & Wetmore advises on revenue cycle and profitability analysis, tax planning and optimization, and billing and reimbursement evaluation.

About Ryan & Wetmore:

Over three decades ago, Ryan & Wetmore emerged with a mission to assist businesses and individuals with the burdens of accounting, tax planning, and financial decision making. With a workforce of over 45 professionals spread across the Greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, Ryan & Wetmore aims to provide highly tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of its clients across various industries. Ryan & Wetmore is an independent member of BDO Alliance USA, one the largest associations for accounting and professional service firms in the nation. Being an alliance member gives Ryan & Wetmore the resources to serve the evolving needs of their clients no matter the complexity, size, or location. Visit their website at: https://www.ryanandwetmore.com

About Inside Public Accounting (IPA):

Inside Public Accounting (IPA) is a preeminent provider of practice management resources catering to the unique needs of the public accounting profession. With over three decades of experience, IPA has been a trusted partner in empowering accounting firms across North America to thrive and prosper.

SOURCE Ryan & Wetmore
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia is set to host the fourth edition of the world's leading platform on minerals, the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), from January 14 - 16, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The FMF, convened by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, is a unique government-led platform and an inclusive multi-stakeholder conference where the world's top decision-makers come together to drive action on tough challenges, where minerals are placed at the top of the global agenda as key to development, global prosperity, and the energy transition.

Since 2022, FMF has focused on fostering collaboration amongst minerals-producing nations, promoting sustainability initiatives to build trust, and creating a resilient supply chain of critical minerals that the world needs. Building on these successes, FMF 2025 will focus on "Delivering Impact," the theme of the fourth edition.

The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, His Excellency Bandar Alkhorayef, disclosed that next year's FMF is focused on creating and driving investment opportunities in the mining and mineral sector.

Alkhorayef stated that FMF has become a prominent global forum for all stakeholders in the mineral sector, from governments to mining companies, financial institutions, service companies, research centers, and academic institutions.

FMF will kick off on January 14, 2025, with the government-led Ministerial Roundtable, and will be followed by the Conference and Exhibition (15-16 of January), where participants will be privileged to learn from experts who will take turns speaking on important topics. The conference will also feature exhibitions of the latest mineral innovations and applications.

While preparations are in top gear for FMF 2025, some notable figures in the mining, mineral and industrial sectors have already been confirmed to speak at the forum. They include Tom Palmer, CEO of Newmont Corporation; Jonathan Price, President and CEO of Teck Resources; Dominic Barton, Chairman of Rio Tinto; Mark Cutifani Chairman of Vale Base Metals; Robert Friedland, Founder and Co-CEO of Ivanhoe Mines; Bob Wilt, CEO of Ma'aden; Jeremy Weir, Chairman and CEO of Trafigura; and Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American among other distinguished personalities.

For more information and registration, please visit https://www.futuremineralsforum.com.

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SOURCE Future Minerals Forum
SAIC to conduct feasibility study on implementing renewable energy technology

CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), a global leader in art and design education, has been awarded a $50,000 climate grant from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. The School will use the funds to commission a study to evaluate the feasibility of implementing renewable clean heating and cooling technology in two historic campus buildings on Michigan Avenue. SAIC has long been committed to sustainability through a variety of efforts, including energy conservation and waste diversion. Improving the energy efficiency of campus buildings plays a critical part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"We currently use carbon by way of natural gas to heat our buildings," said SAIC Vice President for Campus Operations Tom Buechele. "The grant will help us see if it's possible to update our system to use geothermal heating and cooling. Geothermal technology is much better for the environment; it would lower our carbon footprint and ultimately be less expensive for us to operate."

Geothermal technology is known as the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly HVAC and water-heating system available. Such systems are proven to reduce energy costs by up to 50 percent and produce zero direct emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change. However, the technology has never before been implemented in buildings in downtown Chicago.

"Installing a geothermal system requires drilling down to the geothermal energy source," Buechele said. "Drilling in a park or other open spaceas Chicago has done elsewhere in the cityis easy. But it hasn't been done in such a densely developed area like the Loop where we don't have the option of drilling in an open space. Instead, we would be drilling below 100+-year-old buildings. So, we're eager to know if it's possible, and environmental experts will obviously be interested in the results of our study as well, to see if this can work elsewhere."

The study will focus on the feasibility of implementing geothermal heating/cooling technology in two SAIC-owned buildings: the Lakeview Building at 116 S. Michigan and the MacLean Building at 112 S. Michigan. (The adjacent buildings are connected by a 14th floor walkway.) Located directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago museum, the buildings are a central hub for the SAIC community, which serves more than 3,500 students each year. Over the years, both buildings have undergone numerous expansions, and each now rises to an impressive height of approximately 17 stories, collectively encompassing a vast 327,000 square feet. Depending on study results, the cost savings and environmental benefits of installing a geothermal heating/cooling system in the buildings could be substantial. It would also be a model first-of-its-kind project for the city of Chicago.

The SAIC climate grant is part of the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation's gift of $3.3 million to 69 visual arts organizations across the US to help them make energy-efficient upgrades, from adding solar panels and changing the lighting in their buildings to auditing their overall energy use and creating plans for achieving carbon neutrality.

About the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

For more than 155 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world's most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago, with a fine arts graduate program ranked number two in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC's undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world, and adults, teens and kids in our Continuing Studies classes have the opportunity to explore their creative sides, build portfolios and advance their skills. Notable alumni and faculty include Georgia O'Keeffe, Nick Cave, David Sedaris, Cynthia Rowley, Michelle Grabner, Richard Hunt, Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Jeff Koons.

About the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation:

The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation supports the artist's legacy through a variety of initiatives, including exhibitions, loans of artworks, research and publications, conservation, grants, educational programs for the public and the scholarly community and the publishing of a catalogue raisonne. It is dedicated to promoting greater public interest in and understanding of the visual arts. Established and endowed by the artist during her lifetime (1928-2011), the Foundation became active in 2013, on the closing of Frankenthaler's estate. As the principal beneficiary of Frankenthaler's estate, the Foundation maintains an extensive collection of her work in a variety of mediums, as well as her collection of works by other artists and original papers and materials pertaining to her life and work.

Media Contact:

Laura Bissett

myWHY Agency

[email protected]

434-566-9093

SOURCE School of the Art Institute of Chicago
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Endava plc ("Endava" or the "Company") (NYSE: DAVA). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

The class action concerns whether Endava and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until October 25, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Endava securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 29, 2024, Endava announced its financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Among other items, Endava stated that it was running behind its recent revenue trajectory by approximately 70 million, or nearly 9% below prior projections at the midpoint. The Company further stated that certain of its clients had delayed their orders due to economic uncertainty.

On this news, Endava's American depositary share ("ADS") price fell $26.65 per ADS, or 41.76%, to close at $37.17 per ADS on February 29, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Endava plc ("Endava" or the "Company") (NYSE: DAVA). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Endava 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 February 29, 2024, Endava announced its financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Among other items, Endava stated that it was running behind its recent revenue trajectory by approximately 70 million, or nearly 9% below prior projections at the midpoint.

On this news, Endava's American depositary share ("ADS") price fell $26.65 per ADS, or 41.76%, to close at $37.17 per ADS on February 29, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of The Chemours Company ("Chemours" or the "Company") (NYSE: CC). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Chemours 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 1, 2024, Chemours issued a press release 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.

On this news, Chemours's stock price fell $2.77 per share, or 11.88%, to close at $20.54 per share on August 2, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
Browse in-depth TOC on "Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Market"

120  Tables

40  Figures

200  Pages

Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 631 million Estimated Value by 2029 $ 1,068 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 11.1% Market Size Available for 20202029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Camera, Lenses, Spectral Imaging, Security & Surveillance, Monitoring & Inspection, Technology, Vertical and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Fundamental limits of FOV (Field of Vision) Key Market Opportunities Use in disaster management and response Key Market Drivers Enhanced vision and 3D sensing by SWIR in automotive vertical

Restraints such as temperature influence on image quality hinder market growth. Growth of SWIR cameras is driven by technological advances that reduced their cost and made them more accessible. It is used in various industries, much beyond defense and agriculture. Growing concerns about the environment and closer monitoring of unwanted contaminants in food safety or waste management are some of the many other ways in which this market seeks to expand. Better demand for improved imaging even in low-light conditions and more and more industrial processes getting automated-combined with AI use-are only adding to this increment. However, factors such as expansion in emerging markets such as consumer electronics will provide lucrative opportunities for market players in the coming years.

Spectral imaging by imaging type to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Spectral imaging is projected to have highest CAGR because of its growing applications in various industries. Spectral imaging has the ability to get detailed information and materials and their composition. The industries include medical research, food & beverage, automotive among others. Additionally, technological advancements are making the technology more affordable for industries to adopt. With increasing industries looking for accurate and non-invasive methods of analysis, the demand for spectral imaging is likely to rise. In addition, advancements in AI and machine learning can better the capability of spectral imaging, thereby fuelling adoption and growth.

SWIR market for monitoring & inspection by use case to hold high market share during the forecast period.

Monitoring & inspection is expected to have a high market share due to rising demand of safety, efficiency, quality control, adherence to safety standards and security. As industries seek to prevent hazards, monitoring & inspection becomes necessary. Technologies like SWIR which offer detailed analysis have become more crucial for industries to adopt. SWIR imaging can reveal details invisible to normal cameras, such as moisture content, material composition, or surface defects in applications important to the work of manufacturing, agriculture, and food processing, thus leading to very precise inspection of quality and safety.

Modules by offering in SWIR market to exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Modules offer advanced imaging capabilities with better performance in low light and in challenging environments. They can be easily integrated into various industries' systems, from security to industrial inspection. Technological advancements and demand for high-resolution imaging solutions are expected to boost the module market in the forecast period. These modules combine SWIR sensors with integrated optics and processing into compact, ready-to-use modules that reduce the burden for original equipment manufacturers when integrating SWIR technology into many types of devices and applications. As such, it finds use across various visions, ranging from defense and security to industrial automation and environmental monitoring.

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Based on region SWIR industry for North America is expected to hold the highest market share during the forecast period.

North America has an established and expanding manufacturing sector, especially in the automotive and semiconductor industries. The region has shown investments in research and developments while increasing the adoption of advanced technologies, thereby boosting demand for SWIR systems. The region's established industries, such as medical research and automotive, also boost the demand for SWIR technologies. North America leads in the adoption of AI and automation in industrial processes; SWIR imaging in this case provides high accuracy and efficiency. Most manufacturers and suppliers of SWIR technologies are located in North America, which ensures a stronghold of the market, allowing it to grow in this region.

Key Players

The SWIR companies includes major Tier I and II players like Teledyne FLIR LLC (US), Allied Vision Technologies GmbH (Germany), Collins Aerospace (US), Corning Incorporated (US), and Leonardo DRS (US), and others. These players have a strong market presence in advanced packaging across various countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW).

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Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting

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Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market Size, Share, Trends & Industry Growth Analysis Report by Offering (Cameras, System Integrator, Service Provider), Technology (Pushbroom, Snapshot, Tunable Filter, Imaging FTIR, Whiskbroom), Wavelength and Region - Global Forecast to 2029

Infrared Imaging Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report by Technology (Cooled & Uncooled Infrared Imaging), Wavelength (Near, Shortwave, Mid-wave, & Long-wave Infrared), Application (Security & Surveillance, Monitoring & Inspection, Detection), Vertical - Global Forecast to 2028

Thermal Imaging Market Size, Share & Industry Growth Analysis Report by Product Type (Modules, Cameras, Scopes), Type (Handheld and Standstill), Technology (Cooled, Uncooled), Application, Wavelength(SWIR, MWIR, LWIR), Vertical, and Region - Global Growth Driver and Industry Forecast to 2026

Infrared Detector Market by Type (Mercury Cadmium Telluride, INGaas, Pyroelectric, Thermopile, Microbolometer), Technology (Cooled and Uncooled), Wavelength (NIR & SWIR, MWIR, LWIR), Application, Vertical and Region - Global Forecast to 2028

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About MarketsandMarkets

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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.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The judiciaries of Singapore and India discussed the impact of environmental, social and governance issues on the liability of companies and their directors, and the issues arising from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-generated material at the Second Annual India-Singapore Judicial Roundtable held on 23 August 2024 in New Delhi, India.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justice See Kee Oon at the second annual India-Singapore Judicial Roundtable held in New Delhi, India

The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon led the delegation from the Supreme Court of Singapore to New Delhi, India. The inaugural Roundtable was hosted by Singapore on 9 September 2023 and serves as a platform for the exchange of knowledge, discussion of mutual areas of interest, and advancement of cooperation and collaboration between the two judiciaries annually.

Justice M. M. Sundresh from the Indian judiciary presented insights on the environmental, social and governance issues that have emerged because of climate change, and how these have impacted the liability of companies and their directors, in the context of insolvency and restructuring. Singapore's response was articulated by Justice See Kee Oon.

The second topic of the Roundtable was led by the Singapore judiciary which covered the attribution of legal responsibility for harms caused by AI and the legal status of AI-generated material. Singapore's paper was presented by Justice Philip Jeyaretnam, with Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque offering a response from the Indian judiciary.

Chief Justice Menon said at the opening of the Roundtable, "The annual Roundtable afforded us a valuable platform for discussions on topics of mutual interest, in particular, issues relating to AI and climate change. These are important and timely topics which represent some of the most critical challenges that impact all of humanity today, and which have already given rise to new and often complex legal issues that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. The event underscores the ongoing commitment of both Singapore and India to deepen our judicial cooperation and to strengthen the rule of law in an increasingly interconnected world. I look forward to many more of such collaborations between our two judiciaries and I extend my deepest appreciation to Chief Justice Chandrachud for graciously hosting this second roundtable."

For more details of the Roundtable, visit News and speeches (judiciary.gov.sg)

SOURCE Supreme Court of Singapore
News / National

by Staff reporter

China has partnered with the Zimbabwean Government to enhance the country's agricultural sector and improve food security.This collaboration includes embedding seven Chinese agricultural experts in Zimbabwe's Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development to provide technical support.Additionally, Zimbabwean agricultural officials will undertake 12-day tours of China to learn from its agricultural advancements.This initiative is part of a three-year technical assistance program under a cooperation agreement between China and Zimbabwe.The program aims to share advanced agricultural practices and technologies to help Zimbabwe achieve food self-sufficiency and strengthen its agricultural infrastructure.The Chinese experts are involved in policy development and technical assistance, including establishing Agricultural Demonstration Villages to introduce innovative techniques to local farmers.They are also focused on capacity building, training local agricultural professionals to ensure sustainable knowledge transfer.This partnership underscores the potential of international collaboration in advancing agricultural development and fostering sustainable growth.
Travelers can enter for a chance to win a pair of round-trip flights with the perks of the new Go Big or Go Comfy experience at spirit.com/flyaway

DANIA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit Airlines' (NYSE: SAVE) newly enhanced Guest experience officially launches today, and the airline is celebrating by inviting travelers to enter for a chance to win big and Go Big or Go Comfy with its new "More Fly Fly-Away." Two lucky winners and their guest will experience Spirit's new travel options, Go Big and Go Comfy, and enjoy the enhanced comfort, flexibility, and value of the carrier's transformed Guest experience. The giveaway, inspired by the elevated options that make travel "More Fly," is open for U.S. residents to enter now through Sept. 23, 2024, at spirit.com/flyaway .*

"The transformation of Spirit's Guest experience is a significant milestone for us that brings exceptional value to travelers, and we're excited to include our Guests in the celebration with this new flight giveaway," said Rana Ghosh, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Spirit Airlines. "The winners will have a chance to experience the benefits of our new premium offerings that provide more comfort and value than ever before."

The grand prize winner will take off in style with a pair of round-trip flights and enjoy the elevated comfort of Go Big. The new Go Big travel option includes a Big Front Seat, one checked and one carry-on bag, priority check-in and boarding, snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, and access to fast streaming Wi-Fi. The second prize winner will enjoy two round-trip flights with Go Comfy, which includes the choice of an aisle or window seat with a guaranteed blocked middle seat, one checked and one carry-on bag, priority boarding, and a snack and non-alcoholic beverage during each service.

Guests can now experience every aspect of the airline's transformation, including a new priority check-in experience that launches today at more than 20 airports for Guests who opt to Go Big or are Free Spirit Gold members or Free Spirit World Elite Mastercard holders.

Airports with New Priority Check-In Experience Atlanta (ATL) Charlotte (CLT) Houston (IAH) Nashville (BNA) Philadelphia (PHL) Atlantic City (ACY) Chicago (ORD) Las Vegas (LAS) New Orleans (MSY) San Juan (SJU) Baltimore (BWI) Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Los Angeles (LAX) New York (LGA) Tampa (TPA) Boston (BOS) Detroit (DTW) Miami (MIA) Newark (EWR)

Cancun (CUN) Fort Lauderdale (FLL) Myrtle Beach (MYR) Orlando (MCO)



Additionally, Guests benefit from a more seamless journey beginning today with Spirit's new boarding process featuring five groups that aim to reduce boarding time and enhance operational performance. Also launching today is Go Comfy, a brand-new seating option that offers increased comfort and space with a guaranteed blocked middle seat. Furthermore, the complimentary snacks and drinks included with the Go Big experience start today.

The four new travel options all include the flexibility of no change or cancel fees and are available now:

Go Big to get enhanced comfort with a Big Front Seat  , one checked and one carry-on bag, priority check-in and boarding, snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, and streaming access to fast Wi-Fi.

to get enhanced comfort with a Big Front Seat , one checked and one carry-on bag, priority check-in and boarding, snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, and streaming access to fast Wi-Fi. Go Comfy to choose an aisle or window seat with a guaranteed blocked middle seat, one checked and one carry-on bag, priority boarding, a snack and non-alcoholic beverage during each service.

to choose an aisle or window seat with a guaranteed blocked middle seat, one checked and one carry-on bag, priority boarding, a snack and non-alcoholic beverage during each service. Go Savvy to get a standard seat selection and a choice of one checked or one carry-on bag.

to get a standard seat selection and a choice of one checked or one carry-on bag. Go to keep it simple with the greatest affordability. Standard seat selection, a checked bag and other options can be purchased separately.

To learn more about Spirit's transformed Guest experience, visit spirit.com/s/info .

* Enter the More Fly Fly-Away Giveaway between 8/27/2024 and 9/23/24 for a chance to win. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your chances of winning. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. The full list of official rules is available at spirit.com/flyaway.

About Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) is a leading low-fare carrier committed to delivering the best value in the sky by offering an enhanced travel experience with flexible, affordable options. Spirit serves destinations throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean with its Fit Fleet, one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the U.S. Spirit is committed to inspiring positive change in the communities it serves through the Spirit Charitable Foundation. Discover elevated travel options with exceptional value at spirit.com.

SOURCE Spirit Airlines
ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sensible Solutions and Technologies, Inc. (SSATI), a custom software development and system integration leader in the U.S. national security community, announced today the successful acquisition of Data Sync Technologies, Inc. (DataSync), a leader in knowledge management and data analysis.

This strategic acquisition expands SSATI's footprint within the intelligence community to new government agency customers and provides DataSync employees greater opportunity for career advancement. "Together, our combined team is ready to solve the challenges our customers face," said Brian Jordan, President of SSATI.

"We are excited to welcome the DataSync team to the SSATI family," said Don Brinkley, Executive Vice President of SSATI. "Our two organizations will greatly benefit from each other's strengths and synergies. SSATI strives to ensure we have a rock solid support structure for our technical workforce to be able to support our government customers, and we're thrilled to extend it to supporting the DataSync team, too."

"We're excited for the possibilities that joining forces with SSATI means for the DataSync team," said Matt Rice, President of DataSync. "SSATI's leadership fully understands what it means to support its customers and employees and has built an organization to do that. Coming together makes total sense in terms of strengthening our support for the mission and the DataSync employees. Together, we are positioned to accomplish great things."

SSATI's acquisition of DataSync is the latest step taken by its leadership to ensure SSATI is set to support its customers' mission while ensuring continued opportunities for its technical workforce. With the expansion into multiple new government agencies and growth of its existing government agency contracts, SSATI is well positioned to continue tackling the technical challenges of its customers.

Chesapeake Corporate Advisors and FVC Bank acted as financial advisors to SSATI on this transaction and Offit Kurman provided legal counsel.

Learn more about SSATI at: www.ssati.com.

About SSATI

SSATI is an information technology service provider specializing in contract work with the federal government and defense agencies. We offer our customers the very best: our team of dedicated, knowledgeable information technology professionals are passionate about staying at the top of their industry. Our mission-critical experience and skills make us an in-demand partner for customers looking for excellence.

SSATI was founded in 2003 by intelligence industry engineers who knew they wanted to work for a different kind of company. Today, our corporate culture remains employee-focused as we support our customers' mission. We're consistently rated one of the best places to work by local publications, and our growth comes as much from our own employees recommending and referring their colleagues as it does from our respected recruiting team. Learn more at www.ssati.com.

Contact:

Donald Brinkley, SSATI

***@ssati.com

Photo(s):

https://www.prlog.org/13035422

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE SSATI
Tampa General and University of South Florida Announce Agreement to Strengthen Affiliation, with Greater Investments in Talent, GME Programs, Academics and Research.

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (USF Health) at the University of South Florida (USF) announced today a historic investment in academic medicine, strengthening integration across the two organizations and deepening their commitment to excellence in quality health care. Tampa General will direct more than $162 million in 2025 to USF Health, roughly $100 million more than what TGH invested in its university affiliate just over 5 years ago. The extraordinary investment supports a shared vision between the two affiliated organizations to increase integration, recruit best-in-class providers and advance research initiatives while continuing to grow the region's economy and create jobs.

"Through our collaborative efforts at Tampa General and USF Health, we are transforming the health care landscape. Together, we have expanded our world-class teams, launched new cutting-edge initiatives, adopted innovative technologies and disrupted old care delivery models," said John Couris, president and CEO and Tampa General Hospital. "We're setting the standard for the future of health care, and now is the time to strengthen our investments and integrations across the academic health system so that we can have an even more meaningful impact on our patients and the health care industry across our state and the country."

"The University of South Florida's long-standing partnership with Tampa General Hospital has provided significant benefits to our students and our region, and today's approval propels us even further along in our collaboration," said USF President Rhea Law. "At the core of this agreement lies our commitment to delivering world-class patient care, expanding our state's health care workforce and advancing research  three goals that play a vital role in the future of our university and our communities."

"This agreement is evidence of what we've long known to be true  that USF Health and Tampa General are stronger together than we could ever be apart," said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. "Our expanded union will certainly advance both of our institutions but, more importantly, it will also benefit our patients and the greater community as we advance quality health care."

The commitment comes in the form of a revised affiliation agreement, which was approved by the board of directors at Tampa General on August 6 and approved today by the Governance Committee acting on behalf of the USF Board of Trustees. The agreement is effective October 1.

"As we continue to deepen our relationship with USF Health, together we are fundamentally transforming the health care landscape in Florida. We're attracting new talent, expanding our health care workforce, discovering new treatments and therapies and saving more lives," said Drew Graham, chair of the board of directors at Tampa General. "With this increased investment and enhanced integration, we are building the academic health system of the future to promote health and wellness for families, and provide world-class care to the patients we serve."

"This is an exciting time at USF and for the entire Tampa Bay area, with tremendous growth and opportunity," said Will Weatherford, chair of the USF Board of Trustees and chair of the BOT Governance Committee. "Our expanded connection to Tampa General adds incredible value to that continued progress and we certainly look forward to seeing the expanded affiliation further elevate our region."

Tampa General Hospital and USF Health form one of the nation's leading academic health systems. Tampa General and USF Health combine clinical care, teaching and research to deliver the best possible outcomes and support patients, including those with the most severe illnesses and complex health conditions.

Tampa General has been affiliated with USF Health since the medical school was established more than five decades ago. Over the years, the partnership has evolved, enabling both organizations to work more collaboratively to advance patient care, improve outcomes and propel breakthroughs. Leveraging their collective assets and expertise, the system has impacted the lives of millions of patients, as well as attracted some of the world's most sought-after specialists, deployed next generation technology and advanced cutting-edge research.

Through the joint Office of Clinical Research and the Center of Research Excellence, the system fosters research and development with support for administrative services, clinical trials and journal submissions. By collaborating on joint clinical trials and translational studies, the system takes discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside, bringing the most sophisticated level of care to the community and beyond.

The academic health system is educating and training the next generation of health care providers and workforce to expand access to the exceptional care provided at Tampa General. Several hundred USF Health medical students conduct clinical rotations each year at Tampa General, along with 726 residents and fellows who also train there. Tampa General funds programs that support 344 of these USF residents, as well as more than 70 training programs. On average, every month, there are nearly 200 undergrad USF nursing students and 315 ancillary USF students gaining hands-on experience at Tampa General Hospital.

Working together, Tampa General and USF Health have earned national recognition in research and quality of care. The academic health system climbed to the second highest ranked hospital in Florida this year, according to U.S. News and World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, and Tampa General is recognized as one of the nation's top 50 hospitals in eight medical specialties and ranks among the top 10% in three additional medical specialties. In 2023, USF joined the nation's leading research institutions as a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, in part because of the university's commitment to research and innovation in health care.

The growing prominence of the academic health system has attracted new investments and talent to the area, developing Tampa's growing reputation as a global destination for exceptional care, advanced research and emerging biotechnology. The academic, research, science and technology organizations reside within the Tampa Medical and Research District, which is anchored by TGH and USF Health. Looking ahead, Tampa General and USF Health are on a journey to transform the health care landscape by pursuing innovative ways to disrupt the traditional delivery models and lead to better patient outcomes.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, with two medical specialties ranking among the top 20 in the nation and eight medical specialties ranking among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings  in the top 100 nationally in the 2024 America's Best Large Employers, the top 50 in Florida in the 2024 America's Best Employer's by State and the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women, Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2022, provided a net community benefit of approximately $240.3 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes TGH North which is comprised of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Outpatient Center, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

ABOUT USF HEALTH

USF Health's mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF Health's multispecialty physicians' group. The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.

Media Contact: USF Health Media Contact: Sarah Worth Amanda Bevis Director of Communications (202) 680-9262 (cell) (813) 928-0861 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With back-to-school season underway, many educators, parents and students are concerned about the potential impact of cell phone policies in their respective school districts. A recent survey conducted by Study.com highlights improvements across student engagement, safety and classroom behavior, according to teachers, when strict cell phone policies are in place at the middle and high school levels.

Results from Study.coms Cell Phone Policy Survey, showing differences between teachers with flexible policies and those with strict policies in place.

Nationwide, 68 percent of teachers report that strict cell phone policies had improved classroom behavior, with a nearly 20 percent drop in how much time spent on phone management in the classroom each day.

"At Study.com, we're focused on supporting educators at all levels by providing them with technology that saves them time so they can focus on strengthening their teacher-student relationship," explained Dana Bryson, Senior Vice President of Social Impact at Study.com. "It's not surprising then that when teachers can focus their time and attention on direct student interaction  when and where it's needed most  engagement and behavior improve."

Additionally, 76 percent of teachers believe strict cell phone policies have improved overall student engagement, an ongoing post-pandemic challenge. That number is even higher in certain states including Illinois at 80 percent, and Florida and Texas reporting 78 percent each.

While parents express concern about not being able to reach their children and with safety issues (among the top three reasons against cell phone policies), 70 percent of teachers in districts with strict policies report an improvement in student safety, particularly as it relates to bullying. Further, 69 percent of teachers believe their own safety has increased with the adoption of strict policies.

At a state-specific level, teachers in five states indicated student safety had increased more than the national average, following strict cell phone policy adoption:

New Jersey and New York at 78 percent each

and at 78 percent each Florida and Pennsylvania at 75 percent each

and at 75 percent each Texas at 71 percent

Teachers in California, New Jersey and New York also reported higher-than-average improvements in classroom management as a result of strict cell phone policies.

Study.com surveyed more than 1,103 middle and high school teachers to gauge how cell phone policies (whether strict or flexible) impacted student engagement, classroom behavior, teacher stress and workload, and overall student and teacher safety. This survey was conducted online between July 24 - August 6, 2024. Most respondents (approximately 71 percent) identified as White, nearly 14 percent identified as Black, about 6 percent as Hispanic or Latine, and around 5 percent as Asian. Survey results also found statistically significant data from several states, including New York, California, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

For more information and to see the full survey visit: https://teachinglicense.study.com/featured-insights/mobile-bans-increase-engagement-and-learning-time.html

Study.com opens the door to the life-changing impact of education for more than 34 million learners and educators a month through its award-winning online learning platform for K12 curriculum, college courses and test preparation. With learners and educators in more than 11,000 school districts nationwide, Study.com is recognized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for meeting Level IV evidence standards. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Study.com has been honored as one of the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company and included in the GSV150, celebrating the world's most transformative private companies in education, for the last two consecutive years. The company has donated $29 million across social impact programs committed to increasing educational equity. These programs include Working Scholars, an accelerated pathway for working adults to earn a debt-free bachelor's degree, and Keys to the Classroom, which seeks to help aspiring educators prepare for and pass their teacher certification exams.

SOURCE Study.com
The limited-edition bottle celebrates Mexican culture and heritage through the world's first Anejo Cristalino tequila ahead of Dia de Muertos

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bonded over their love of creativity, innovation and exceptional tequila, Tequila Don Julio, the original luxury tequila of choice in Mexico, and Mexican-American fashion designer, Willy Chavarria, are continuing their longstanding partnership this season to celebrate modern Mexico and its beloved traditions with the release of the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle. Inspired by his upbringing in the San Joaquin Valley of California and love for art and luxury design, the artist edition showcases Chavarria's creative vision and depictions of one of the most respected Mexican holidays  Dia de Muertos.

Tequila Don Julio, the original luxury tequila of choice in Mexico, and Mexican-American fashion designer, Willy Chavarria, are continuing their longstanding partnership this season to celebrate the release of the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle. Tequila Don Julio and Willy Chavarria collaborate to release the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9285151-tequila-don-julio-70-cristalino-artist-edition-bottle-willy-chavarria/

Chavarria brings his unique vision to the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle with meticulously crafted designs that showcase his signature style with roses paired with interpretations of classic Mexican iconography from the Dia de Muertos holiday. Inspired by the people who live Por Amor (for love), the bottle embodies the vibrant spirit of Mexico.

"I am deeply inspired by my Mexican heritage which I strive to represent through my art and design," says Willy Chavarria. "The Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle along with my recent collection is a heartfelt illustration of the synergy between time-honored tradition and Mexico's modernism."

Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino originally launched in 2012 in celebration of the 70th anniversary of when Don Julio Gonzalez first revolutionized the tequila category. Aged to perfection for 18 months in American white oak barrels, Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino offers the rich complexities of a traditional Anejo with a modern twist. This special liquid embodies the essence of innovation as it was the first Anejo Cristalino Tequila to implement a charcoal filtration process that imparts a pure crystal hue and brings out the crisp agave flavor typically found in a Blanco marking an evolution in luxury tequila.

"Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino is a symbol of our leadership and love for tequila craft," says Karen Harris, Vice President of Tequila Don Julio, DIAGEO NA. "We are proud to partner with Willy Chavarria to bring his designs to life through a collaboration that celebrates the interaction of the tradition and modernity of Mexico."

This fall, Tequila Don Julio is releasing the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle with celebrations that will roll out across the nation, starting with Willy Chavarria's Spring/Summer 2025 runway show in New York City that will debut an exclusive capsule collection inspired by Tequila Don Julio and continuing with Mexican Independence Day in Chicago and Dia de Muertos in Los Angeles. Follow @DonJulioTequila and @WillyChavarriaNewYork to get a first look of the exclusive capsule collection and learn more about how you can join in on the celebrations this fall.

The Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle designed by Willy Chavarria is sold for an SRP of $69.99 for a standard 750ml bottle at select retailers nationwide and online at DonJulio.WillyChavarria.com as well as TheBar.com, ReserveBar, Caskers and more while supplies last.

Tequila Don Julio encourages consumers of legal drinking age to celebrate responsibly.

ABOUT TEQUILA DON JULIO

Founded on the pioneering agricultural principles of Don Julio Gonzalez and his personal pursuit of perfection, Tequila Don Julio revolutionized the tequila industry and set the standard for ultra-premium tequila. The original luxury tequila of choice in Mexico, Tequila Don Julio uses only the highest caliber, fully matured, and ripened Blue Agave that has been hand-selected from the rich, clay soils of the Los Altos region of the state of Jalisco. The Tequila Don Julio portfolio includes Tequila Don Julio Blanco, Tequila Don Julio Reposado, Tequila Don Julio Anejo, Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino, Tequila Don Julio Rosado, Tequila Don Julio 1942, Tequila Don Julio Alma Miel and Tequila Don Julio Ultima Reserva. For more information on Tequila Don Julio, please visit www.DonJulio.com.

ABOUT WILLY CHAVARRIA

The Willy Chavarria mission is to uplift the underrepresented through the transformative power of art and design. The brand's collections embody a sensitive and cinematic approach, seamlessly blending the emotional depth of art with contemporary political themes, telling a compelling story of the human spirit. Willy strives to be a voice for the voiceless, often collaborating with organizations to advocate for social justice. His inspiration is drawn from biographical elements, including nods to his Mexican-American heritage, the beauty found in the streets, and the surrounding culture.

ABOUT DIAGEO NA

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

SOURCE Tequila Don Julio
In September 2024, a selected group of Canadian journalists will take an exclusive trip to Bordeaux visiting 12 of the region's wineries.

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- " The Charming Taste of Europe " continues to support its initiatives promoting Wines of Bordeaux to discover the best white wines that Bordeaux has to offer. A selected group of trade professionals will travel to Bordeaux and stay from September 22nd to September 27th.

The initiative, organized by the Bordeaux White Wines consortium as part of the 'Charming Taste of Europe' campaign, is also being promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo from Italy in collaboration with their newest partner, the Association of Agricultural Cooperatives of Imathia, the eight largest Fruit Producer Organization in Greece, with their primary fruit being kiwi. The program, co-financed by the European Union, aims to increase awareness of high-quality agricultural products in the Canadian market.

Participants will arrive in Bordeaux on September 22nd for dinner at the hotel, and then visit 12 wineries from the 23rd to the 25th.

They will have the chance to visit several wineries and discover the wines. Some historical visits will be organized.

This trip will provide the opportunity for participants to discover the beauty behind the region of Bordeaux and witness firsthand the dedication of the winemakers who craft these exceptional white wines.

The Bordeaux region offers the perfect conditions for producing exceptional white wines, thanks to its variety of well-drained soils and favorable microclimates. These conditions are enhanced by the proximity of the ocean and the influence of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. The slopes of the Garonne Valley offer perfect conditions for the production of Bordeaux's famous sweet white wines. In the fall, morning fog and afternoon sun encourage the growth of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), which concentrates the aromas of the grapes and gives these exceptional wines their characteristic candied fruit notes.

This region has 8 appellations and covers 1,800 hectares of vines on both sides of the Garonne River (2% of Bordeaux's total surface area). With more than 350 estates, Bordeaux produces 9 million bottles of white wine annually, of which 38% is exported. The principal varieties are: Sauvignon Blanc known for its strong aromatic profile with notes of boxwood, citrus, and tropical fruits. Semillon which adds smoothness to the wine with aromas of almond, hazelnut and white peach. Muscadelle with delicate floral aromas reminiscent of muscat grape.

Sweet Bordeaux wines offer a refined and adaptable option for any occasion, enhancing both casual gatherings and formal meals. Their sweet, fruity profile adds a layer of extravagance to any dish, from a classic farm reared chicken in Sweet Bordeaux and morel sauce that highlights the depth of the terroir, to spicy Chinese noodles with marinated shrimp, where the wine's complex notes harmonize beautifully with bold, aromatic flavors. For a unique twist, try a glass of Sweet Bordeaux with Savory 3 Cheese Macaronsfilled with Gorgonzola, Basque Tomme, and Roquefort.

Sweet Bordeaux wines add a touch of elegance to both simple and gourmet dishes.

About The Charming Taste of Europe

Europe, a place with timeless charm, is the birthplace of some of the highest-quality products in the world. The Charming Taste of Europe is a special project that introduces exquisite specialties to the United States and Canada, such as Italian and French wines, and fresh kiwis from Greece, that showcase Europe's charm, beauty, culture, history, art, heritage and unmistakable tastes.

The mission of the Charming Taste of Europe, co-funded by the European Union, is to increase awareness of the merits and quality standards of select European wines and fresh fruits with promotional activities in the competitive markets of the U.S. and Canada. The Charming Taste of Europe is promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo, the Association of Imathia's Agricultural Cooperatives and the Union of Sweet Bordeaux Wines. These European agricultural products, famous around the world for their outstanding qualities, will continue to be promoted with initiatives and events for consumers, journalists and trade professionals. For more information visit charmingtasteofeurope.eu

To Follow The Charming Taste of Europe Campaign:

Website: charmingtasteofeurope.eu

Facebook: @CharmingTasteofEU

Instagram: @charmeu_usa

YouTube: The Charming Taste of Europe

Hashtags: #thecharmingtasteofeu and #charmeu

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European union or the European research executive agency (Rea). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

SOURCE The Charming Taste of Europe
Designed By New York Fashion Week's Youngest Designer, Kheris Rogers, this Absurdly Good Backpack Drops for Free Tomorrow, August 28, at 7pm ET / 4pm PT

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PLEZi Nutrition , the Public Benefit Company co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama, today announced the PLEZi Sugar Pack, a first-of-its-kind backpack made from sugarcane fabric. Inspired by the brand's drinks, which have 70% less sugar*, PLEZi is reimagining a better use for unused sugar this back-to-school season. Designed by New York Fashion Week's youngest designer, Kheris Rogers , the PLEZi Sugar Pack will drop for free on Wednesday, August 28th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT exclusively at PLEZi.com while supplies last.

Designed By New York Fashion Weeks Youngest Designer, Kheris Rogers, this Absurdly Good Backpack Drops for Free Tomorrow, August 28, at 7pm ET / 4pm PT

The United States is facing a nutrition-related health crisis, with kids consuming an average of 53 pounds of added sugar annually, much of which comes from sugary drinks. PLEZi Nutrition is on a mission to change this trend, and the PLEZi Sugar Pack is an absurdly good way to highlight the benefits of the reduced sugar in PLEZi drinks, while getting kids excited about making healthier choices.

"Designing the PLEZi Sugar Pack has been an incredible experience," said Kheris Rogers. "When I first heard the concept, I knew I had to be part of it, and I really wanted to create something that not only looked good but also made a statement. For many of us, a backpack is a way to express ourselves, and I can't wait for students to start the school year with these backpacks. I know I'm excited to bring mine to campus this fall!"

The PLEZi Sugar Pack is made from sugarcane fabric and features 18 limited edition patches designed by Rogers, including two unique designs that pay tribute to Stephen and Ayesha Curry, who recently joined PLEZi Nutrition as investors and brand partners . With ample storage space for school supplies, the PLEZi Sugar Pack includes a main compartment, a sleek front pocket, and two side pocketsone perfectly sized for a water bottle and a can of PLEZi FiZZ, the must-have drink for this back-to-school season.

The anticipation for Wednesday's free drop continues to grow following an initial teaser video released by Stephen on his Instagram Monday morning. Available in limited quantities, the backpack's exceptionally strong sugarcane fabric was thoughtfully manufactured by industry leader Carnegie Fabrics, and is stain resistant, antibacterial and non-absorbent, and free of heavy metals and toxic dyes.

"At PLEZi Nutrition, we're always looking for ways to innovate, inspire, and get young people thinking about their wellbeing," said former First Lady Michelle Obama, Co-Founder and Strategic Partner of PLEZi Nutrition. "We believe style should be sweet  not our food and drinks. The same way PLEZi makes drinks that are tasty and healthier for you, this sweet backpack serves as a reminder to kids and parents alike that healthy choices don't have to be a bore  they can be fun and practical, too."

To make this back-to-school season even sweeter, for every email entered to receive a backpack, PLEZi Nutrition will donate $10 to its ongoing nonprofit partner FoodCorps. Through their Nourishing Futures initiative, FoodCorps is working to ensure all 50 million students across the country have access to nutrition education and free school meals by 2030.

PLEZi Nutrition's products, including the new PLEZi FiZZ and the original PLEZi fruit drink , are crafted to provide great taste without added sugar, helping to adjust kids' palates to crave less sweetness while adding in more of the nutrients that matter. PLEZi FiZZ contains just 8g of sugar per 8.4 oz can70% less than leading soft drinks, and PLEZi, the original fruit drink, includes only 5g of sugar per 6.75 oz serving75% less than average leading fruit juices*. Both drinks contain 2g of fiber and nutrients like vitamin C and are available on Amazon. The original PLEZi fruit drink is also available at major retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Albertsons, Target, Safeway, Albertsons, select Kroger banners, and more.

For more information on the absurdly good backpack, visit www.plezi.com and be ready to grab your PLEZi Sugar Pack while supplies last. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 50 US + DC. 13+. Void where prohibited. While supplies last or until 10/25/2024. Visit PLEZi.com for full Terms and Conditions, including how to participate and parental consent.

About PLEZi Nutrition

PLEZi Nutrition is a Public Benefit Company co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama with a mission to create higher standards for how the U.S. makes and markets food and beverages for kids, leading with nutrition, taste, and truth. The company aims to give parents a helping hand by offering healthier, great-tasting products, including PLEZi FiZZ and PLEZi, that parents can feel good about giving their kids and that kids actually want. More than an effort to create better products, PLEZi Nutrition serves as an educational platform to engage with families on nutrition topics and what's best for kids' health. PLEZi Nutrition is part of Juggernaut Capital's portfolio of companies. For more information, visit www.plezi.com .

* 70% LESS SUGAR THAN THE LEADING SOFT DRINKS AND FRUIT JUICES. PLEZI CONTAINS 1G SUGAR OR LESS PER OZ FROM FRUIT JUICES VS 3 OR MORE GRAMS OF SUGAR PER OZ FOR LEADING SOFT DRINKS AND FRUIT JUICES.

SOURCE PLEZi Nutrition
The sale reinforces TIFIN's strategy to focus on applications that drive the verticalizing of AI for Wealth.

BOULDER, Colo. and NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TIFIN , the leading AI for wealth platform, has announced the sale of its stake in Paralel Technologies to SLCT Holdings, an existing investor of Paralel. Paralel was initially founded under TIFIN in 2020 and has achieved significant milestones, reaching profitability and servicing more than $15 billion in assets across open-end fund, closed-end fund and ETF clients. Since its inception, TIFIN has been dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge technology to revolutionize wealth and asset management. This transaction aligns with TIFIN's strategic focus on advancing its AI applications and furthering its approach to verticalizing AI for Wealth.

TIFIN has been dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge technology to revolutionize wealth and asset management. Post this Paralel

The sale of TIFIN's stake in Paralel Technologies has yielded substantial returns, with TIFIN realizing more than 30 times its initial capital investment. This exponential growth underscores the strength of TIFIN's investment strategy and its ability to identify and nurture promising new ventures in the financial services industry. The transaction adds to TIFIN's track record of scaling and exiting successful firms, including its sale of 55ip to J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Dec 2020.

"We are proud to have helped build a modern tech-native and full-service fund administrator with Jeremy from day one," said TIFIN Founder and CEO Dr. Vinay Nair. "We are confident that Paralel will scale to great heights in the future."

"I have deep gratitude to TIFIN for their unwavering support since our launch," added Paralel CEO Jeremy May. "The investment, resources, and invaluable mentorship provided by Dr. Vinay Nair and the TIFIN team has been instrumental in our journey, allowing us to reach the scale we enjoy today."

For more information about TIFIN and its AI-powered fintech platform, please visit www.tifin.com or follow us on Linkedin.

About TIFIN

TIFIN is an AI and innovation platform for better wealth outcomes. Founded by Dr. Vinay Nair, TIFIN creates and operates new companies that apply data science, AI, and technology to address frictions in wealth and asset management. TIFIN's companies have included 55ip (sold to J.P. Morgan Asset Management), Paralel (sold to SLCT Holdings) and currently include Magnifi , TIFIN Wealth , TIFIN Give , TIFIN AG , TIFIN AMP , Sage , Helix , and TIFIN @Work . TIFIN has been backed by JP Morgan, Morningstar, Hamilton Lane, Franklin Templeton, SEI, Motive Partners, and Broadridge among others.

About Paralel Technologies

Paralel is the premier trusted partner for asset managers and their funds, innovating with technology and serving with compassion. Based in Denver, Colorado, the company provides comprehensive fund administration, fund accounting, tax, transfer agency, and distribution services. Discover more at Paralel .

Media Contacts

Michael Walsh

[email protected]

Tanya Bhasin

[email protected]

The information contained herein should in no way be construed or interpreted as a solicitation to sell or offer to sell advisory services. All content is for informational purposes only.

SOURCE The TIFIN Group
Also co-authoring a new book on revolutionary web design and SEO strategies

TEANECK, N.J., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wedding industry educator, author, and website consultant Brian Lawrence now offers solutions for companies looking to improve website accessibility for disabled users. This new service also helps protect businesses from discrimination lawsuits from failing to comply with the American Disabilities Act.

Accessibility Enhanced Badges that are displayed on websites with BrianLawrence.com accessibility plug-in Wedding Industry Markerting Expert Brian Lawrence

Lawrence developed this latest service for his web design and SEO agency out of a personal desire to make businesses more aware of disabled communities and their website needs. He started with his website, BrianLawrence.com. Through rigorous research, design, and testing, Lawrence and his team have recreated his website to be fully accessible to WCAG 2.2 AA standards, which comply with the American Disabilities Act requirements.

Learning and advocating for website disability access

"Being an advocate for accessibility resonated with me as my dad and a close cousin both had disabilities, and I was their caretaker at different stages of my life for many years," remembers Lawrence. As Lawrence watched the wedding industry evolve to embrace the goal of inclusivity, he became acutely aware of how disabled communities were often overlooked when it came to website accessibility.

Lawrence believes accessibility in digital spaces often gets overlooked from a lack of awareness. "People with disabilities can face unintentional barriers that make navigating websites difficult, from shopping online to learning about services like those provided by wedding vendors," offers Lawrence. "This gap in accommodation can lead to a subpar experience and, in some cases, legal repercussions for businesses."

Understanding website disability access

To offer accessibility solutions to his clients, Lawrence became a "student of disability" by conducting extensive research, plug-in testing, and working with several accessibility experts who also had a disability. "I discovered," says Lawrence, "some conflicting information and claims from companies that offered accessible solutions actual feedback from disabled users. Ideally, accessible sites are designed to make the user experience as good as possible for individuals with sight impairment, hearing impairment, dyslexia, epilepsy, or ADHD."

Lawrence found a plug-in he was comfortable working with and began testing it on his site and the sites of clients who came to him regarding ADA compliance. A user himself, once he received feedback about the plug-in's limitations to full accessibility, he proceeded to make his company's website totally accessible, enlisting the assistance and guidance of well-known accessibility expert Sol Escobar. A case study on the Brian Lawrence website transition is available here.

Finding solutions for true accessibility

In testing accessibility improvements for his website, Lawrence found a complex and labor-intensive processparticularly for an existing website. "It seems that in some cases, creating a new site from scratch is more feasible than retrofitting an old one to meet accessibility standards," notes Lawrence. "To verify compliance, rigorous testing needs to be conducted against standards set through the American Disabilities Act. These tests simulate the actual user experience of a website from the vantage point of different disabilities."

Now that his company's website has been thoroughly tested, meets ADA standards, and provides a quality experience for those with disabilities, he will continue to train his designers in accessibility and offer extensive site design services. In the interim, he will continue to offer the plug-in to prospective businesses as a positive first step towards accessibility, understanding that the path to full accessibility is an ongoing process.

About Brian Lawrence

In addition to owning a boutique web design and SEO agency, Lawrence is a respected speaker. He frequently appears on industry-related podcasts and at Wedding MBA. His blog is an authoritative resource on topics such as website design, technology, SEO, and website accessibility for disabled communities.

Brian Lawrence is in collaboration with well-known wedding industry consultant, author, and speaker Alan Berg on a comprehensive book that covers all aspects of website design, SEO, and user experience. It will also include insights on the importance of disability access and website design. Their publication will be released at the November 2024 Wedding MBA Conference in Las Vegas.

To learn more about improving website disability access, call/text (201) 244-5969 or email [email protected].

SOURCE BrianLawrence.com
For the first time, Solution Partners can leverage an open, no-code platform for supply chain orchestration.

BOSTON, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TraceLink Inc., the only no-code platform for intelligent orchestration of end-to-end supply chains, has announced the second generation and expansion of its ecosystem partner program, Opus PartnerLink. This enhanced program offers Solution, Technology, and Service Partners unique business opportunities to enable their clients to unlock tens of billions of dollars in digitalization value which has been inaccessible due to the extreme cost and technology integration barriers that have historically prevented the digitalization of 100% of trading partner relationships. For the first time, Solution Partners can leverage an open, no-code supply chain digitalization platform to independently develop end-to-end solutions that orchestrate all multi-enterprise processes with all supply chain partners.

The Opus Platform suite features revolutionary multi-enterprise and no-code capabilities not found anywhere else in supply chain management, including:

A single integration platform featuring universal support for all modes of integration

No-code solution designer for multi-enterprise solution configuration

Next-gen B2B transaction exchange and first end-to-end digital orchestration engine

Configurable reports and dashboards for sharing process visibility with supply chain partners

A generative AI co-pilot for accelerating supply chain digitalization

An open partner ecosystem and marketplace of pre-built enterprise system integrations

Through the use of Opus Platform capabilities, Solution Partners can rapidly catapult the digitalization aspirations of their clients into real-world projects for use cases like:

Direct supply orchestration to improve lead time predictability via procure-to-pay digitalization

Contract manufacturing orchestration to optimize working capital through production tracking digitalization

Logistics orchestration to provide inventory visibility and increased service levels via order-to-cash orchestration

Transportation orchestration to reduce costs through shipment tracking visibility

Commerce orchestration to increase demand visibility new channel digitalization

Clinical supply orchestration to enable clinical kit track visibility and cell-and-gene therapy programs

"With the expansion of the Opus PartnerLink program, we are committed to building an even more robust and collaborative ecosystem with world-class Solution, Technology, and Services partners," said Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO of TraceLink. "Ecosystem partners were vital participants in TraceLink's journey to become the leading global track-and-trace orchestration and digital network provider. Today, TraceLink and our partners serve more than 1,600 customers in more than 50 countries, and those customers do business with trading partners from more than 8 different supply chain segments in more than 120 countries. Moving forward with Opus, TraceLink aims to arm our ecosystem partners with a cutting-edge, no-code supply chain digitalization platform to build on this existing digital network foundation and meet the needs of our mutual customers across countless supply chain business processes."

Key Features and Benefits of the Opus PartnerLink Program

Opus Platform and Solution Access : Access to new platform, solution, and network integration technologies in early development and pre-release stages will ensure partners' awareness and knowledge.

: Access to new platform, solution, and network integration technologies in early development and pre-release stages will ensure partners' awareness and knowledge. Personalized Training : Enhanced expertise through tailored training, enablement, and certification programs will equip ecosystem partners with the skills and knowledge to thrive in driving end-to-end supply chain digitalization and orchestration projects.

: Enhanced expertise through tailored training, enablement, and certification programs will equip ecosystem partners with the skills and knowledge to thrive in driving end-to-end supply chain digitalization and orchestration projects. Demand Generation : Partners can engage in high-impact go-to-market activities to expand brand awareness and generate new leads for solution and services projects among 1,600+ TraceLink customers and 291,000+ verified network entities.

: Partners can engage in high-impact go-to-market activities to expand brand awareness and generate new leads for solution and services projects among 1,600+ TraceLink customers and 291,000+ verified network entities. Business Development and Revenue Generation: Partners have new revenue growth opportunities by participating in and leading strategic supply chain digitalization projects for leading companies worldwide.

Solution Partner Feedback

"NNIT-EHS has been proud to serve as TraceLink's first and most significant services partner in North America," said Greg Cathcart, Senior Vice President, Head of NNIT Region US, CEO of Excellis Health Solutions (an NNIT Group Company). "Over several years, our collaboration has enabled us to leverage TraceLink's solutions to enhance our service offerings, drive compliance, and deliver value to our clients. Our strong partnership has been pivotal in our ability to support the evolving needs of the life sciences industry. We look forward to providing enhanced customer value with new TraceLink solutions in the new enhanced Partner Program."

"Since 2017, LifeBee has enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with TraceLink, supporting over 50 of our customers in preparing for EU FMD and various global track and trace regulations," said Teresa Minero, Founder & CEO, LifeBee, now a Product Life Group Company."TraceLink's expanded Partner Program aligns perfectly with our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge solutions and industry knowledge to drive supply chain innovation and regulatory compliance in the life science sector. As part of the Product Life Group, we are excited about the new opportunities this program offers for growth and collaboration in Europe and globally."

Upcoming Opus PartnerLink Events

Webinar : Join us for an exclusive webinar for Solution, Technology, and Services partners to dive deeply into the details of the expanded Opus Partner Ecosystem on Thursday, September 12, 2024 , at 11 a.m. ET / 5 p.m. CEST . Register now.





: Join us for an exclusive webinar for Solution, Technology, and Services partners to dive deeply into the details of the expanded Opus Partner Ecosystem on , at / . FutureLink Barcelona: We invite all ecosystem partners to join us at FutureLink in Barcelona from October 2-4, 2024 , for the release of our Opus Magnum solution. Learn more.

For more information about the expanded Partner Program and to join us at FutureLink, please visit our TraceLink Ecosystem Partner page.

About TraceLink

TraceLink is the only no-code platform for intelligent orchestration of the end-to-end supply chain. TraceLink's multi-enterprise digital network platform enables customers to seamlessly integrate, collaborate, and orchestrate supply chain processes across all systems and external partners.

SOURCE Tracelink, Inc.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) has criticised Zanu-PF's efforts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule, asserting that Zimbabwe needs to move beyond the current leadership due to its role in the nation's ongoing economic difficulties.ZCP General Secretary Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena made these remarks in response to recent calls from Zanu-PF's Harare Province for constitutional amendments that would allow President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028 when his current term is set to end.Speaking against the proposed amendments, Mabhena questioned the logic of extending Mnangagwa's presidency."While any constitution can be amended, we don't see the need to amend the Zimbabwean Constitution to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in office. There is no basis," he told CITE.Zanu-PF's Harare Province, led by Chairman Godwills Masimirembwa, recently resolved at a provincial inter-district conference to push for constitutional changes. These could include extending the number of years per term, increasing the term limit from two terms to three, or eliminating term limits entirely.Masimirembwa suggested that any such amendments should specifically benefit Mnangagwa, enabling him to continue his leadership.However, Mabhena sharply criticised these proposals, particularly questioning the credibility of Zanu-PF's much-touted Vision 2030."What projects is Zanu-PF talking about? The so-called Vision 2030 doesn't exist. What is the vision? It is not there," Mabhena said.The general secretary argued that Mnangagwa's administration has failed in critical areas such as economic restructuring, job creation, and boosting production."You cannot say you want a person who has failed in restructuring the economy, failed to create jobs, failed to ensure there is production, and then your main priority is that this same person should continue in office to see through this vision. What vision?" Mabhena questioned, expressing deep scepticism about the government's goals.Mabhena further lamented the state of the economy, highlighting high unemployment, the exodus of people to neighbouring countries in search of better opportunities, and the instability of the local currency."There's massive unemployment, young people are leaving in droves for neighbouring countries. So the 2030 vision only exists in the minds of Zanu-PF members," he said, accusing the party of using the vision as a cover for looting state resources."In fact, it is a vision of looting resources so they want Mnangagwa to stay in office so that they can continue looting. Our currency is unstable, there's no organized production, unemployment is at its highest, and our economy is informal. What vision are they talking about?"He also pointed to deteriorating infrastructure as evidence of the government's failure."You can't drive from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls; look at the roads across the country. There is no railway network. What vision are they talking about? The vision does not exist," Mabhena said.For the ZCP, Mabhena also stated that the issue of failed leadership extends beyond Mnangagwa to Zanu-PF as a whole."It's not only about Mnangagwa, it's about Zanu-PF as a political institution. The party has no clue on how to organize production. We must organise an election enabling a new government to take over because Zanu-PF has failed. It has failed to rebuild the economy of Zimbabwe," he declared.As Zanu-PF prepares for its 21st Annual People's Conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Grounds in Bulawayo from October 22 to 27, 2024, Mabhena noted that the focus should be on the need for new leadership rather than extending Mnangagwa's tenure."President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF should not be given another term in the name of Vision 2030. We must have elections in 2028 and let the people of Zimbabwe elect a government of their choice," he insisted.The general secretary also questioned Zanu-PF's reliance on Mnangagwa for their "so-called" Vision 2030, asking if the ruling party was facing a leadership crisis."Even if Zanu-PF claims to be a strong institution, why do they place the implementation of their Vision 2030 on one personMnangagwa? Are they telling us they have no one else capable of leading them and carrying through their vision? If so, then Zanu-PF is admitting they have a leadership crisis," he said.According to reports, the proposed resolutions made by Zanu-PF's Harare Province will be presented to the party leadership at the upcoming annual conference, where discussions about the proposed constitutional amendments are expected to take centre stage.However, Mabhena urged Zimbabweans to continue resisting such plans so that "Zanu-PF gets the message that people are tired of them."
Provided mobile power for the tactical operations center supporting land navigation courses during cadet field training at Camp Buckner

BUFFALO, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viridi Parente, Inc. (Viridi), a leader in developing the first and only fail-safe battery energy storage system that provides on-demand and affordable power for use in industrial, medical, commercial, municipal, and residential building applications, today announced successful deployment of its state-of-the art fail-safe battery at West Point to support the military with safe, reliable renewable energy.

Viridi Provided Mobile Power for the Tactical Operations Center Supporting Land Navigation Courses During Cadet Field Training at Camp Buckner

Viridi's RPS150 energy storage system (ESS) provided mobile power for the tactical operations center supporting land navigation courses during cadet field training (CFT) at Camp Buckner this summer.

"We are truly grateful to West Point and the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department for the opportunity to support these exciting projects," said Jon M. Williams, CEO of Viridi. "The Army's commitment to innovation and sustainability inspires us all, and we are honored to contribute to your mission of excellence."

The ESS mobile deployed unit was connected to a diesel generator set in a micro-grid configuration and programmed to recharge automatically after use. The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department (EECS) metered the system during the training as a preliminary demonstration site to assess the feasibility of ESS performance in field operations.

A second parallel project will identify how to integrate the RPS150 ESS with the Army's TMS protocol for microgrids. This project will be a cadet-led, yearlong capstone project focused on integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems into Tactical Microgrid Standards.

"We are excited to work with Viridi using cutting edge energy storage systems to implement and evaluate laboratory research in support of training and operations. The ESS allowed us to provide quiet and reliable electrical power in austere locations while reducing our fuel consumption and emissions." LTC Nicholas Barry, Assistant Professor, USMA EECS.

The integration of energy storage systems into tactical military operations promises a reduction in fuel consumption and corresponding reduction in logistical support requirements. It also enables the efficient integration and/or renewable and fuel free electrical generators to support ever increasing energy requirements.

For more information about Viridi and its BESS technology, visit: Viridiparente.com .

For more information about the United States Military Academy at West Point, visit: United States Military Academy West Point

About Viridi Parente

Viridi Parente, Inc. (Viridi), based in Buffalo, New York, specializes in point-of-use lithium-ion battery technology. Viridi is pioneering fail-safe distributed energy storage, offering affordable, on-demand power with unmatched safety and scalability. Their unique design is the only one on the market safe for installation and operation in occupied spaces and around critical equipment in virtually any environment. Committed to a zero-carbon energy revolution, Viridi is shaping a sustainable future for all.

Learn more at: www.viridiparente.com, and follow Viridi on LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Alexandra Pony

[email protected]

250.858.0656

SOURCE Viridi Parente
CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- VirtuAlly, a leading virtual care company on a mission to reimagine, redefine and reinvigorate the virtual care industry, announces its 1-year anniversary of providing telesitting service solutions to five hospitals in the Orlando Health System.

Last July, VirtuAlly, in collaboration with technology partner, Andor Heath, onboarded and integrated its virtual-sitting solutions into four Orlando Health Systems hospitals over a span of 30 days. These hospitals included Health Central Hospital, South Seminole Hospital, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, as well as Orlando Health Systems largest hospital, Orlando Regional Medical Center. Later in the year, VirtuAlly also onboarded the system's fifth hospital, South Lake Hospital.

"We are honored to partner with VirtuAlly who is a pioneer in the virtual caring space. As the healthcare industry adapts to challenges, remote monitoring services have become increasingly important to the system. VirtuAlly's solutions offer transformational nursing and care delivery, increasing peace of mind for our staff, patients and their family members" said Candace McNight, Senior Director of Workforce Optimization Orlando Health System.

"Orlando Heath is the ideal partner because like us, the company is striving to transform healthcare as an industry leader. Our team applauds their forward-thinking, and we know our work with Orlando Health will only lead to more partnerships in the future," said VirtuAlly CEO Joseph Wechsler. "At VirtuAlly, customer and patient well-being is our focus. By leveraging a human-centered approach with technology to support the delivery of care to the most vulnerable of patients, we transform the original approach to healthcare and elevate quality of care at every point of need."

Virtual sitting has helped revolutionize the healthcare system. VirtuAlly's services have helped to reduce patient fall rates by 50-70%, lower annual expenses per unit by an average of nearly $150,000, and increase employee retention and morale. By interacting with patients remotely, VirtuAlly's staff can spend intentional time with each patient, increasing quality of care and safety as a result.

Telehealth capabilities provide a solution to nurse burnout amidst an aging nation. As the baby boom population reaches retirement, the healthcare system expects an influx of patients, especially in the Southeastern Florida area. This need, combined with the growing trend of nurse burnout, calls for 275,000 more nurses by 2023 as reported by The US Bureau of Labor Statistics. VirtuAlly's services provide a needed layer of support to health systems, such as Orlando Health, relieving some of challenges that come with 24/7 care in this changing healthcare environment. This helps reduce staff burnout and shortages, enabling hospital staff to focus on direct patient care and critical tasks.

The concept and implementation of telehealth services skyrocketed during the pandemic but has continued to be an effective method for providing quality care and minimizing costs. VirtuAlly, a Charleston, SC-based company, is at the forefront of reimagining healthcare delivery by marrying industry innovation and human caring.

About VirtuAlly

VirtuAlly is a leading virtual care company that is on a mission to reimagine, redefine and reinvigorate the virtual care industry. They bring the best of human empathy and professional healthcare expertise in areas like virtual nursing and virtual sitting, and partner with leading technology teams to deliver flexible and comprehensive solutions. The VirtuAlly team helps patients feel known and cared for while allowing its customers to optimize bedside delivery. The Company serves as a steadfast ally of its customers, helping an array of health providers confidently transform their patient care outcomes and experience. By delivering world class, scalable and personalized virtual caring solutions, VirtuAlly strategically elevates care and outcomes at every point of need. For more information: virtually.io

Media Contact

Grace Sueflohn

Inspire Agency on behalf of VirtuAlly

[email protected]

262-613-7636

SOURCE VirtuAlly
News / National

by Staff reporter

Tendy Three Investment Private Limited (TTI) has begun installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on various roads in Bulawayo's Central Business District (CBD) as part of its mandate to implement a smart parking system.TTI was awarded a tender by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in 2022 to develop the US$2.2 million parking system through a public-private partnership.The new parking system includes software designed to count vehicles, increase visibility, and enhance security across the city.According to BCC Corporate Communications Manager Nesisa Mpofu, the first phase of camera installation covers the area from Fife Street to Robert Mugabe Way.The cameras are intended to monitor parking marshals and enforcement teams as they carry out their duties, as well as to track movements within the parking areas."In line with the parking management contract, Tendy Three Investments Parking Solutions has initiated the installation of street cameras on various roads in the city," Mpofu stated."These cameras will primarily be used to oversee the parking management project, ensuring the proper execution of duties by marshals and enforcement teams. The first phase of installation covers Fife Street to Robert Mugabe Way, with plans to eventually cover the entire Central Business District."However, some activists have previously raised concerns that the cameras could be misused by law enforcement agencies to monitor citizens under the guise of crime prevention.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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Washington, Aug 27 : US President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi have affirmed their support for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war "in accordance with international law and on the basis of the UN charter," the White House said on Monday in a statement of their phone conversation earlier in the day.

The phrase "international law and UN charter" was used in order to stress the importance of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, which has been threatened by the Russian invasion that has been underway with fluctuating fortunes for the two sides since February 2022.

Prime Minister Modi had said earlier on Monday in a post on X, "Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability."

POTUS is short for President of the US and @POTUS is this official X account.

"We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh," the Prime Minister wrote further.

The White House said in the statement hours later, "The Leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter."

President Biden also commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi "for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector".

The White House added: "The Leaders also emphasised their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific."

Although the White House also said that the two leaders discussed the upcoming annual meetings of the UN General Assembly, it did not say if they will meet on the sidelines.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend the meeting and address the UN General Assembly.
Nazrin Abdul

During the event "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New Perspectives of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation," organized jointly by the Center for the Analysis of International Relations (ICAR) and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, emphasized that industrial cooperation is a key focus of the bilateral relationship, Azernews reports.

In his speech, Ashrafkhanov highlighted the historic document signed during President Ilham Aliyevs state visit to Uzbekistan, which marked the establishment of a strategic alliance between the two nations. He noted that the countries have fostered 11 sister city partnerships, exemplifying their close ties.

Ashrafkhanov also underscored Azerbaijans role as a bridge to Europe for Uzbekistan, while Uzbekistan serves as a gateway to Asia for Azerbaijan. He announced that 2025 will be designated as "the year of Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan economic cooperation," signaling a new era of strengthened economic ties.
Opinion / Columnist

Nelson Chamisa and company were hell-bent on participating in the flawed and illegal elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the sake of a few gravy train seats reward. The folly of participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed is a well known and established historic fact. MDC/CCC leaders like Tendai Biti and David Coltart have acknowledged this."Look, you can't keep on participating in flawed electoral processes that serve to give big benefits to dictators such as Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has perfected the art of winning elections."So it will be very foolish for the opposition to continue legitimising these sham elections which don't deliver. This country will go through a serious economic crisis in 2020 caused by Zanu PF. And yet, this is the only country where a government doesn't perform, it is encouraged by a super majority in parliament," said Tendai Biti in an interview with Isaac Mugabi far back in 2015."So you can't continue subjecting Zimbabweans to processes where their hopes just get crushed."Biti was trying to talk his fellow opposition friends to stop participating in flawed elections but when he realised they were not listening he too joined in the scramble for the gravy train seats. David Coltart was more explicit as to why opposition leaders "continued to subject Zimbabweans to processes where their hopes just get crushed". Greed!"The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility," confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.Freeman Chari and his Team Pachedu friends had done an excellent job to show that Zimbabwe's voters roll was in shambles providing Zanu PF many golden opportunities to rig the elections. The Electoral Law stipulated that ZEC must produce a verified voters roll at least one calendar month before nomination day. The 2023 elections went ahead with no verified voters' roll. None!Nelson Chamisa lied to the people of Zimbabwe that he had "plugged all the vote rigging loop holes. #Godisinit !" to con people to participate in the flawed and illegal elections. It was damn lie! There was no way Chamisa or anyone could plug all the opportunities to rig the elections presented by the failure to produce a verified voters' roll alone."We reject this sham result and flawed process based on the disputed figures," declared Nelson Chamisa when ZEC announced that Mnangagwa had won the 2023 presidential race."We have our V11s. I have asked our teams to bring those V11s. I'm not so sure if they are here so that you can see them. We have brought V11s from across the whole country. And those V11s are going to be the basis of our assertion. We have won this election."This was nothing new, the whole world has heard Chamisa repeated this lie "We have won! And have the V11 forms, to prove it!" Only for him to fail to produce the evidence.It is honourable that Freeman Chari and his Team Pachedu friends have decide to come out in the open and announce that on the basis of the V11 they were able to collect, Emmerson Mnangagwa won the 2023 presidential rat race."The data from Freeman Chari, while coming out inexplicably late and incomplete, is neither surprising nor new," Professor Jonathan Moyo stated on social media."Tellingly, it vindicates ZEC and explains why Nelson Chamisa did not make public the V11s he claimed he had, which allegedly proved he won the 2023 presidential election."This is just nonsense! All the election observers worth a spit including the AU and SADC condemned Zimbabwe's whole electoral process as contrast to those focusing on the handling the V11 forms alone."Conclusion 13.3The SEOM (SADC Election Observer Mission) noted that, as detailed in sections 6 and 7 of this report, some aspects of the Harmonised Elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)," stated the SEOM report.ZEC failed to produce verified voters' roll, failed to get ballot papers to many urban Polling Stations timeously (opposition strongholds) but hard no such problems in rural areas (Zanu PF strongholds), etc., etc. Nothing will vindicate ZEC for all these treasonous betrayals.The 2023 election process was flawed and illegal, as SEOM report made abundantly clear and so Emmerson Mnangagwa is, per se illegitimate.Team Pachedu's belated report does not confer legitimacy on Mnangagwa but rather confirms the folly of participating in flawed and illegal elections to give vote rigging Zanu PF some modicum of legitimacy. Chari and company should have warned the nation of the sheer folly of participating in flawed and illegal elections and stuck to their guns! One only hopes that this was a lesson learned.
Michigan, Aug 27 : Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022, officially announced her endorsement of former President Donald Trump on Monday in the upcoming presidential polls in November, media reported.

Gabbard, who has become a regular presence in conservative media, announced a National Guard Association gathering in Michigan where Trump was also speaking, The Hill reported.

"This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world, and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before," Gabbard said.

"This is one of the main reasons why I am committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our Commander-in-Chief," she added.

"She's a special person," Trump praised Gabbard, 43, by way of introduction.

"She's got great common sense, great spirit. She loves our country and she loves the people in this room."

On Monday, Gabbard said that Trump "understands the grave responsibility that a President and Commander-in-Chief bears for every single one of our lives, whether you're a soldier, you're an airman, a Marine sailor or a Coastie, he keeps us in his heart, in the decisions that he makes."

"We saw this through his first term in the presidency, when he not only didn't start any new wars, he took action to de-escalate and prevent wars. He exercised the courage that we expect from our Commander-in-Chief in exhausting all measures of diplomacy, having the courage to meet with adversaries, dictators, allies and partners alike in the pursuit of peace, seeing war as a last resort," Gabbard added.

Both Trump and Gabbard appeared at the National Guard Association of the US on the third anniversary of the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghans, The Hill reported.

Gabbard accompanied Trump earlier on Monday to Arlington National Cemetery, when the former President laid wreaths in honour of three of the slain service members a" Sergeant Nicole Gee, Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover and Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss.

Notably, Gabbard ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in the Democratic primary in 2020. After ending her bid, she exited Congress, left the Democratic Party and appeared at events like the Conservative Political Action Conference, The Hill reported.

The former Congresswoman has huddled with Trump in recent weeks as part of preparations for next month's scheduled debate between Trump and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Arguably the most notable moment of Gabbard's unsuccessful 2020 White House bid was when she attacked Vice President Harris on the debate stage over her record as a prosecutor.

Gabbard's endorsement comes days after Robert F Kennedy Jr suspended his independent White House bid and backed Trump, which the former President's campaign touted as a significant development in battleground states.

This comes days after the New York Times reported that Trump has brought in Tulsi Gabbard to help sharpen his attacks in the debate against Kamala Harris.

Gabbard reportedly joined Trump's practice session at the latter's private club and home, Mar-a-Lago.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are set to face off in the ABC News debate on September 10.

Notably, Gabbard brings some key qualities to Trump's role: She's a woman, at a moment when Trump is for a second time facing a woman as his general election rival; she's a former House member, giving her policy experience; and, perhaps most importantly for Trump, she has been on a debate stage with Harris and delivered a stinging attack against her record as a prosecutor, New York Times reported.
Balochistan : , August 27 (IANS) More than 70 people have been killed in multiple cases of terror attacks in the Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, media reported, quoting military and police officials.

The country's military said that 14 soldiers and police were killed as well as 21 terrorists were also killed in fighting in a major attack that targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district, Al Jazeera reported.

In a separate attack in Musakhel district, local officials said at least 23 civilians were killed after attackers reportedly stopped their convoy, checked their IDs and determined they were from Punjab, with 35 vehicles also set ablaze.

Ten people -- five police and five civilians -- were reportedly killed in Kalat in an attack on a police post and a highway.

On Monday, rail traffic with Quetta was also suspended following blasts on a rail bridge in the town of Bolan, linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan, as well as on a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said.

Six unidentified bodies have been found by the police so far, near the attack site on the railway bridge.

Balochistan province has had a simmering rebellion for years, with several armed groups present.

Rights groups have denounced Pakistan's response to the movement, which they document as including enforced disappearances and other forms of state repression, Al Jazeera reported.

The attacks, along the highway that connects to the province of Punjab, came shortly after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) warned people to stay away from highways in the province.

In a statement, the group claimed its fighters targeted military personnel travelling in civilian clothes, who were shot once they were identified. Pakistan's Interior Ministry, however, said the killed people were innocent citizens.

The injured were moved to a hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan, the nearest large medical facility.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements called the Musakhail attack "barbaric" and pledged that the attackers would not get away with it.

Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, denounced the assaults as "a matter of grave concern" and called on the Balochistan provincial government to "step up efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists".

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also promised that the attackers would be brought to justice.

According to local media, 12 rebel fighters were killed by security forces throughout the province in the past 24 hours.

Similar attacks in Balochistan in the past, have been claimed by the BLA, such as the killing of seven barbers in Gwadar in May, or the April killings of several people abducted from a highway.

Armed groups like the BLA in the resource-rich but impoverished province have secessionist aims, often targeting labourers from Punjab coming to the area to work.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Indian Navy has ordered an investigation into the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg that was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Navy Day last year.

In a late-night statement, the Navy said on Monday that it had deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of the "unfortunate accident" and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest.

The 35-foot statue at the Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg district collapsed around 1 p.m. on Monday.

"The Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg," the Navy said.

"Along with the state government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest," it added.

As the collapse of the statue caused an embarrassment to the state government, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde vowed to rebuild the structure.

"The statue was erected by the Indian Navy and not by the state government. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our idol and his statue is our identity. The design of the statue was also prepared by the Navy itself. After hearing the news that the statue had collapsed, I contacted the District Collector who told me that when the incident took place, a gusty wind with a speed of 45 kmph was blowing in that area, which damaged the statue," he said.

The Chief Minister further said: "I want to assure everyone that Navy officials will go there on Tuesday. Sindhudurg district Guardian Minister Ravindra Chavan, who is state public work minister, will also be reaching the spot. Naval officers, and state government officials will inspect the memorial tomorrow. The work of rebuilding the full-length statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be started from tomorrow itself... once again, you will see Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue standing resplendent and strong in the same place."

Earlier, Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) blamed the state government for the collapse of the statue which they claimed was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in haste.

NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil held the state government responsible, saying that it paid little attention to the quality of work.

"It only focused on conducting an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to unveil the statue. The Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly," he said.
Patna, Aug 27 : Heavy rush of devotees at the ISKCON temple in Patna on the occasion of the Janmashtami festival created a stampede-like situation on Monday evening, a police officer said, adding that no casualties were reported.

A few devotees might have suffered minor injuries, while the police brought the situation under control quickly, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra told the media.

Video clips that went viral on social media showed security personnel trying to control the rushing devotees at the temple. A few of them fell on the ground and they were helped by the security personnel.

"A huge number of devotees thronged the ISKCON temple on the occasion of Janmashtami festival in in the evening. An adequate number of security personnel had already been deployed there. We engaged more personnel when the situation turned chaotic as the devotees tried to outpace one another. It was a tough time for the security personnel. The situation was, however, immediately brought under control. It was not a full-blown stampede," Mishra said.

"The situation is completely under control. Our top priority is to manage the rush of devotees first. Women security personnel have also been deployed in large numbers," the SSP added.

To a question, he said, "Some of the devotees might have suffered minor injuries."

Patna district administration also issued a statement on the incident.

"There was no stampede at the ISKCON temple. Mild force was used to check those devotees who tried to enter temple premises by breaking police barricades. The situation is completely under control."

At least seven people were killed and 16 others injured in a stampede at Baba Siddheshwar Nath Temple in Bihar's Jehanabad district earlier this month.
Beirut, Aug 27 : Hezbollah has claimed that it targeted Israeli "spy equipment" at the Ramyah site in northern Israel with a suicide drone, achieving a direct hit.

"In support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and their resistance, our fighters targeted the spy equipment at the Ramyah site with a suicide drone, hitting it directly," the Shia group said on Monday evening.

Military sources in Lebanon, speaking anonymously, told Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes carried out 12 airstrikes on border towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Monday.

The strikes targeted a car and two motorcycles, causing only material damage, Xinhua news agency reported.

They added that an Israeli drone fired two air-to-ground missiles at a vehicle travelling on the main road in the Abra area, setting the car on fire. The driver, reportedly a leader of a Palestinian faction, survived the attack.

Israeli artillery shelled 16 border towns in southern Lebanon, destroying 11 homes and damaging around 24 others, with no casualties reported.

Since early Sunday morning, Israeli and Hezbollah forces have engaged in extensive exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border, marking a significant escalation in their conflict.

Hezbollah has announced it launched hundreds of missiles into Israel in retaliation for the killing of its commander, Fouad Shokor, in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut last month.

In response, Israel reported conducting numerous pre-emptive airstrikes targeting Hezbollah's rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have intensified since October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7.
Ramallah, Aug 27 : Five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli bombing of the Nur Shams camp near Tulkarm in the northern West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Ministry reported on Monday that the bodies were brought to Tulkarm Governmental Hospital following the attack.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that an Israeli aircraft targeted "an operations room" in the Nur Shams area, Xinhua news agency reported.

As tensions persist in the Gaza Strip, violence between the Israeli army and Palestinians in the West Bank has intensified.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Wednesday that Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank had resulted in an average of one Palestinian death per day in August.

Since the onset of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7, 2023, at least 128 Palestinians, including 26 children, have been killed in airstrikes in the West Bank, according to the UN.

At least 19 Israelis have also died in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

The Nur Shams camp near Tulkarm has been the target of multiple Israeli army attacks.

Fourteen people were killed in one two-day Israeli raid on Nur Shams in April, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

In July, Israeli forces bulldozed the main street in Nur Shams during a raid that lasted 15 hours.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Riding on robust local production as iPhone manufacturing plants in India continue to create new export records each month, Apple is all set to create 5-6 lakh jobs (direct and indirect) in the coming 1-2 years.

As iPhone exports continue to clock around $1 billion each month thanks to the governmentas production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, the tech giant employs about 2 lakh people, dominated by women employees, across its supply chain that includes vendors and component suppliers, according to industry sources.

Tata Electronics, which runs two plants for Apple, is the biggest job creator in the Apple ecosystem, along with Foxconn and Pegatron.

Mobile manufacturing has been a leading force in job creation in the last 10 years, as the government aims to make India a global manufacturing hub.

According to the government, in the ecosystem of Apple alone, more than 2 lakh people have got employment and there is good amount of growth.

iPhone factories in the country are set to hire more than 10,000 people directly in the peak festival period. Apple is doubling down on investing in India and is reportedly in advanced talks with Tata Group's Titan Company and Murugappa Group to assemble sub-components for phone camera modules.

Apple aims to manufacture more than 50 million iPhones in India per year, as it aims to shift some of the production out from China.

The iPhone exports from India surged sharply to $12.1 billion in 2023-24 from $6.27 billion in 2022-23. Overall, the companyas India operations reached 23.5 billion dollars in value in the last fiscal (FY24), further cementing the countryas position as a viable alternative to China and Vietnam when it comes to electronics manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Tata Group is geared up for a new iPhone assembly plant in the country that is likely to become operational in the festive quarter. The iPhone unit by Tata is being built in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The iPhone facility is expected to employ over 50,000 workers, mostly women.

Apple has already begun to train thousands of workers at its factory in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu (operated by Foxconn) for launching latest iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models in the country post the global debut this fall.

The company is set to make its aMake in Indiaa iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models available in the country right after the global launch.
Brasilia, Aug 27 : Brasilia's environment institute, which monitors air quality in the Brazilian capital, issued an alert, warning of a "delicate situation."

For the second day in a row, Brasilia was affected by heavy smoke from wildfires in the states of Sao Paulo and Goias, as it grapples with seasonal drought in the central-west Cerrado region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Data collected on Sunday indicated a "poor" air quality index for particulate matter, including dust, smoke, and soot. Overnight, the index worsened to "very bad" and continued until 3.00 a.m. local time on Monday, the agency said in a press release.

"The latest measurements from the station show there has been a slight improvement in the index, but the air quality is still very bad," the press release said.

Residents in the capital may experience symptoms such as dry cough, fatigue, burning eyes, nose and throat, and difficulty breathing, according to the agency.

A record number of wildfires have broken out in Brazil this year in regions such as the Amazon, the Pantanal, and the southeastern part of the country.
Tehran, Aug 27 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani exchanged views on bilateral ties and the situation in Gaza.

During their meeting on Monday, the two sides reviewed joint efforts to expand bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing and accelerating the implementation of previously signed agreements, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

They also discussed the developments of the Israeli "crimes" in Gaza, reports Xinhua news agency, citing the ministry statement.

Noting that the Israeli approach "escalated tension and expanded the conflict in the region," Araghchi voiced Iran's support for any ceasefire agreement Hamas would accept.

"The two sides paid tribute to the martyred Iranian President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian and reviewed the efforts made to develop relations," the ministry statement read.

Both leaders also stressed their special commitment to pursue and implement the agreements reached between the two nations.

The Qatari Foreign Minister, who arrived in Tehran on Monday, called for continued consultation with Iran to help ensure stability and security in the West Asia region and to support the Palestinian people.
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Kannada star Rishab Shetty, who broke out on the pan-India canvas with his film 'Kantara', has shared glimpses of his Janmashtami celebrations with his wife and kids.

The actor and his wife Pragathi Shetty took to Instagram and shared a joint post as they dropped an array of pictures of their kids, Ranvir Shetty and Raadya Shetty, celebrating the festival dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha.

The caption read: "Krishna Janmashtami celebration at our house. Happy Krishna Janmashtami to all. #krishnajanmashtami #krishnajanmashtami."

Although the 'Kantara' star is busy with his work, he never leaves a chance to celebrate quality time with family.

Rishab is currently working on 'Kantara Chapter 1'. Additionally, he is in talks with Bollywood director Ashutosh Gowariker for a potential collaboration.

The actor recently bagged the prestigious National Award for Best Actor for his work in 'Kantara' which itself won the National Award for Best Film. While the actor is making waves with his talent, he is also a dedicated family man who never misses a chance to cherish moments with his loved ones.

'Kantara', which was produced by Vijay Kiragandur, under Hombale Films, starred Rishab Shetty in dual roles as a Kambala champion who is at loggerheads with an upright forest officer.

The film is set and filmed in Keradi region in coastal Karnataka. The film was released on September 30, 2022, to critical acclaim with praise for its cast performances (particularly those of Shetty and Kishore), direction, soundtrack, and the portrayal of Bhuta Kola.

It was a major commercial success and emerged as the second highest-grossing Kannada film of all time after the Yash-starrer 'K.G.F: Chapter 2'. It was also 2022's fourth highest-grossing film in India. 'Kantara Chapter 1' serves as a prequel to 'Kantara'.
Opinion / Columnist

No to third term. Zimbabwe's political landscape has long been dominated by fear and violence. For decades, the ruling party, ZANU-PF, has maintained its grip on power by instilling fear through a well-documented history of brutality. Comparable to the reign of the Zulu Kingdom under Shaka, where the threat of death was used to consolidate control, ZANU-PF's strategy has consistently involved violence, intimidation, and coercion to suppress dissent and maintain authority. As a result, many Zimbabweans have been conditioned into submission, believing that challenging the regime inevitably leads to suffering or death.However, in 2016, Evan Mawarire, a pastor from Harare, introduced a form of resistance that defied this cycle of violence. His strategy was simple: do nothing. Through the #ThisFlag movement, he called for a "stay-away" protest where citizens simply stayed at home, refusing to go to work or engage in public activities. It was a powerful demonstration of passive resistance, and it caught the government off guard. Remarkably, this peaceful protest resulted in no deaths, no shootings, and no violent clashes a stark contrast to the brutal crackdowns that had characterized past demonstrations. This article explores how Mawarire's strategy of nonviolent protest offers a path for Zimbabweans to break free from the chains of fear and challenge a regime that thrives on violence.ZANU-PF's history is steeped in the use of violence as a political tool. From the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, which saw thousands of civilians in Matabeleland killed, to the brutal repression of opposition supporters during election periods, the party has consistently relied on terror to maintain its dominance. The threat of violence - whether explicit or implicit - has been a key tactic in silencing dissent and discouraging public participation in protests or political movements. In this environment, many Zimbabweans have grown accustomed to suffering in silence, believing that resistance is futile and only leads to bloodshed.The parallels between ZANU-PF and the Zulu Kingdom under Shaka Zulu are clear. Shaka ruled through fear, employing a fearsome army to enforce his will and crush any opposition. His reign was characterised by constant warfare, where disobedience was met with swift and lethal consequences. Similarly, ZANU-PF's rule has been marked by a readiness to unleash violence on those who dare to challenge its authority. The party's survival strategy hinges on perpetuating a culture of fear, where people are conditioned to expect death or suffering if they stand up against the regime.In the face of such a formidable system of repression, Evan Mawarire's #ThisFlag movement was revolutionary. Instead of calling for marches, rallies, or confrontations with the police, Mawarire proposed something radically different: inaction. By simply staying at home, Zimbabweans could register their protest without exposing themselves to the usual risks of state-sponsored violence. This approach took away the government's ability to use force as a deterrent, because there was no visible crowd to disperse, no gathering to break up, and no leaders to arrest at the scene.The beauty of Mawarire's strategy lay in its simplicity and effectiveness. The stay-away protest did not require elaborate planning or resources. It was accessible to everyone, regardless of age, location, or physical ability. All that was needed was a collective decision to disengage from the normal activities of daily life. By staying at home, Zimbabweans sent a powerful message: the people have the power to cripple the country's economy and paralyze normal life without resorting to violence.This strategy caught the ZANU-PF government off guard. Used to quelling protests with batons, bullets, and tear gas, the authorities found themselves powerless in the face of an invisible protest. There was no one to arrest, no crowds to intimidate, and no obvious targets for their usual tactics of repression. For once, Zimbabweans could voice their discontent without fear of violent reprisals.Mawarire's approach did more than just avoid violence it challenged the psychological grip that ZANU-PF has held over Zimbabweans for decades. By showing that it is possible to resist without suffering or dying, the #ThisFlag movement began to chip away at the fear that has kept so many Zimbabweans silent and compliant. The protest was a reminder that ZANU-PF's power lies in its ability to make people afraid, and that this fear is the foundation of its control. When that fear is removed, the party's ability to maintain its stranglehold weakens.The success of the stay-away protest demonstrated that ZANU-PF's control is not as absolute as it appears. It revealed that the regime's power is, in many ways, an illusion sustained by the belief that it cannot be challenged without violence and suffering. Mawarire's strategy offered a way to shatter this illusion, showing that nonviolent resistance can be just as powerful - if not more so - than the force the government relies on.In the years since the #ThisFlag movement, Zimbabwe's political and economic situation has deteriorated further. The government continues to use violence to crush opposition, and many Zimbabweans still live in fear of retribution if they speak out. Yet, Mawarire's strategy remains as relevant as ever. The lessons from the 2016 protest should not be forgotten; they offer a blueprint for how Zimbabweans can reclaim their agency and push for change without resorting to violence.Mawarire's protest worked because it involved collective action. The power of the stay-away protest lay in the fact that it was widely supported, demonstrating that when people come together, they can make a significant impact. Moving forward, Zimbabweans need to rekindle this sense of solidarity. Collective nonviolent resistance requires unity and coordination, where people recognize that their strength lies in acting together.Nonviolent protests need to be sustained over time to build momentum and exert continuous pressure on the government. Single events, while impactful, can be easily dismissed or suppressed. However, a sustained campaign of stay-aways, boycotts, and civil disobedience can gradually weaken the government's position and create openings for meaningful dialogue and reform.One of the strengths of Mawarire's strategy was its decentralised nature. Because the protest did not rely on large public gatherings, it was difficult for the government to target specific leaders or organisers. This decentralization made the movement more resilient and harder to suppress. Future nonviolent protests should adopt a similar approach, ensuring that there is no single point of failure and that the movement can continue even if some activists are arrested or silenced.The greatest challenge in organizing nonviolent resistance is overcoming the fear that has been ingrained in Zimbabwean society. People need to be reminded that they hold the power, and that ZANU-PF's control is largely dependent on their fear. By gradually engaging in small acts of resistance, such as participating in stay-aways or boycotting government-endorsed events, Zimbabweans can unchain themselves from their ruthless government.Evan Mawarire's stay-away protest was a landmark moment in Zimbabwe's history. It showed that nonviolent resistance could be a powerful tool for challenging a regime that thrives on fear and violence. ZANU-PF, like the Zulu kingdom under Shaka, has relied on the threat of death to keep its citizens subdued. However, Mawarire's strategy demonstrated that this fear can be overcome through unity, collective action, and nonviolent resistance.As Zimbabwe continues to face political repression and economic hardship, it is time for citizens to rediscover the power of Mawarire's approach. The chains of fear that have kept Zimbabweans in a state of helplessness can be broken, but it requires a willingness to embrace new forms of resistance forms that do not involve bloodshed or confrontation, but rather the simple, yet powerful, act of doing nothing. By staying at home, Zimbabweans can send a clear message to the regime, the people hold the power, and they are no longer afraid.
Patna, Aug 27 : The flood situation in Bihar's Begusarai District has worsened, with more than five panchayats, including Mirnaipur, Bahadurpur, and Gopalpur in the Balia block, completely cut off from the mainland due to the rising water levels of the Ganga River.

Approximately 22,000 people in these affected areas are waiting for assistance from the district administration.

Residents like Mohammad Safi from Mirnaipur village have expressed frustration over the lack of preventive measures and infrastructure, such as a road bridge, which they believe could provide relief during the monsoon season.

"Flooding is not new in the Balia block of Begusarai district. Still, the officials are not paying attention and taking preventive measures. We have a longstanding demand for the construction of a road bridge to provide some relief to the villagers in the monsoon season but the authorities are not paying attention," Safi said.

He also highlighted the risk of relying on boats for transportation, as the strong currents and high water levels of the Ganga River make travel dangerous.

In Bhagalpur district's Naugachia area, a tense situation arose when district police attempted to open the gates of about 15 culverts in Saidpur village to relieve pressure on the embankment caused by the rising water levels of the Ganga River.

The action was met with resistance from the villagers, who feared that their homes would be flooded.

The disagreement escalated into violence, with villagers pelting stones at the police, resulting in damage to a police vehicle at Parbatta police station on Monday evening.

Adding to the distress, the meteorological department has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall in over 10 districts of Bihar, including Patna, Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Rohtas, Kaimur, and others, in the next 48 hours.

Authorities have warned farmers to stay out of agricultural fields due to the increased risk of lightning strikes.

The situation remains critical, and the affected communities are in urgent need of support and resources from local authorities to mitigate the impact of the floods.
Hyderabad, Aug 27 : Police have seized 83.4 kg ganja (cannabis) valued at Rs 33.50 lakh in Telangana's Sangareddy district on Tuesday.

According to police, ganja was seized from a car at Kankol checkpost during vehicle checking.

The contraband was being transported from the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) area to Maharashtra. The person transporting the drug in the car was arrested.

Accused Ashok is a resident of the Chittoor district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Prohibition and Excise Enforcement personnel seized the vehicle with the Madhya Pradesh registration number. The seizure was made during the checking of vehicles at the checkpost. A police officer said the ganja was concealed in a special box created under the rear seat.

Police took up further investigation in the case.

Several such cases of transportation of ganja from the AOB area to other states through Telangana were detected in recent months.

Hyderabad police on Monday seized 10 kg of the contraband and arrested five inter-state drug peddlers including two women.

The sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force, South West Team along with Mangalhat Police seized the dry Ganja at Aramghar colony, Dhoolpet and arrested five accused including a couple from Odisha.

Bharath Alyana and his wife Padma Thula Alyana were earlier arrested by Khammam police in the Ganja case. The police had then seized 32 Kg of ganja from their possession.

Authorities in Telangana are conducting an intensive drive to root out the menace of drugs. The state government recently allocated Rs 200 crore for the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau to strengthen the measures for eliminating the drug menace.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Sunday that his government is working to root out the menace of drugs and make Telangana a drug-free state.

He said the state government constituted the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau to eradicate the drug menace.

The Chief Minister voiced concern that youth are destroying their lives by becoming drug addicts.
Jammu, Aug 27 : After noticing suspicious movement, the members of the village defence committee (VDC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district fired precautionary gunshots, said officials on Tuesday.

The incident took place late Monday evening. The officials said the suspicious movement was observed in the Meira village of the district, and the VDC members resorted to aerial firing.

"The VDC members fired precautionary gunshots after which the security forces launched a CASO (Cordon & Search Operation) in the area. Till last reports came in, no contact (exchange of gunfire) with the suspected terrorists was established," the officials said.

After reports of a group of 40 to 50 hardcore foreign terrorists managing to sneak in, the J&K Police have strengthened the VDCs in the Jammu division with the DGP R.R.Swain saying that the VDCs would be provided automatic weapons to protect their villages against the terrorists.

The Army also revised its counter-terrorism strategy by deploying over 4,000 specially trained soldiers, including the elite Para commandos and those trained in mountain warfare in the hilly districts of Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi districts.

These soldiers have been deployed inside the densely forested areas of these districts with the objective of depriving the terrorists from carrying out ambush attacks against the Army, security forces and civilians.

Terrorists had been carrying ambush attacks in the hilly areas of the Jammu division and then disappearing into the forests.

The revised strategy by the Army and the security forces is aimed at depriving the terrorists of using the element of surprise during their attacks on the security forces.

The VDCs were formed in early 2000 in the Jammu division of J&K to combat militancy with civilian support. In remote areas of the districts of the Jammu division, VDCs helped guard villagers and their families from the militants who were believed to be entering houses and forced the inmates to give them shelter and food at gunpoint.

The fact that the VDCs were not properly trained and that they were given First World War vintage 303 rifles made them ineffectual before the modern automatic weapons wielded by the militants. It is exactly to address this shortcoming of the VDCs that the J&K Police has decided to provide better weapon handling training and automatic rifles to the VDCs.
Sindhudurg : , Aug 27 (IANS) The Public Works Department (PWD) Assistant Engineer Malvan Division had shot off a warning letter to the Indian Navy's Area Coastal Security Officer Commander Abhishek Karbhari on the precarious condition of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue which crashed on August 26 in the Fort Rajkot at Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, officials said on Tuesday.

Besides PWD, the 13th direct descendent of the legendary Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Yuvraj Chhatrapati had also red-flagged the statue's design, and how it was erected in 'haste' for the unveiling by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023.

A PWD letter (August 20, 2024) forewarned that the nuts-bolts that were used to join the pieces in the metal statue - designed and created by Kalyan (Thane) sculptor Jaydeep Apte  had rusted and corroded due to the twin effects of the monsoon and the salty air from the Arabian Sea.

As a result of these, the Chhatrapati's statue was looking ugly, attracting criticism from the locals, public representatives and hordes of tourists trooping there.

The PWD urged Navy Commander Karbhari to take up the matter at his level with the sculptor to work out a permanent solution to the problems on top priority, but the cautionary went unheeded.

The missive added that in June  barely six months after the statue was unveiled  Apte had gone there and carried out certain repair works on the structure.

Locals had also frowned at the quality of the statue as the work order for the CSM statue was issued on September 8, 2023 and it was unveiled after barely 85 days.

Speaking to a local Marathi publication last year, sculptor Apte indicated that normally such a statue would have taken three years to make, but he managed to complete it in barely six months.

An official of the Sindhudurg Collectorate said that the main Chhatrapati statue made of bronze is 28 feet tall, erected on a 10-feet high pedestal which is situated more than 12-15 feet above the ground level, and shows the Maratha warrior-king in a classic attack pose, wearing an angry countenance with his sword held high in the right hand.

"Apparently, owing to its total height from the road level, standing on an open pedestal, the gusty winds blowing during monsoon, the salt-laden moist air attacking it all through the year and normal wear-and-tear, took its toll and it may have collapsed," the official said requesting anonymity.

Sindhudurg Collector Kishor Tawade informed that the state PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan visited the site late on Monday evening, and held discussions with all concerned.

"The causes of the crash shall be probed and then a decision will be taken on the next measures to be taken to restore the statue to its original position and glory," Tawade told IANS.

In a terse statement late on Monday, the Navy said that it had sent a team to immediately investigate the cause of the unfortunate accident, initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest.

The Chief Minister Shinde government was at a loss for words at the huge embarrassment as it attempted a damage control and fend off a brutal attack by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress, NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), the Chhatrapati's descendants as also Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil, with the Maharashtra Assembly elections looming on the horizon.

Sensing the government's mood, Yuvraj Chhatrapati has called for scientifically rebuilding the statue at the same spot, while sounding a warning that "in the zeal to build it before the elections, we should not make any trouble again".

Taking a jibe at the ruling Mahayuti regime, NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar cited several examples of statues standing tall for decades while the one built barely a year ago fell, and said, "This is our contribution of 70 years."

Commenting on the debacle in the Saamana Group of publications, the SS(UBT) vowed that the MVA would 'bury' those who brought down the statue of the state's revered icon due to blatant corruption and inefficiency.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Kabul, Aug 27 : Showcasing significant improvements in national security and public order, Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior Affairs, on Tuesday, claimed that there has been a 30 per cent drop in crime rate across the country.

Deputy Minister of Interior Mohammad Nabi Omari, while presenting the Annual Performance Report in Kabul on Tuesday, highlighted that it is for the first time in four decades that citizens of the country are able to live safely and travel freely between provinces due to enhanced security measures.

Omari said that the ministry's activities are now systematically regulated and managed according to a strategic plan guided by the decrees of Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada and court verdicts.

"The 30 per cent nationwide decrease in crime rate is a testament to the relentless efforts put in by the national forces. To further strengthen security, the ministry has taken steps to professionalise and equip national police training centres, ensuring the police are now fully capable of countering any threats," the minister said.

Going into details, Omari said that 34 kidnappers have been killed and 76 arrested in 250 operations carried out by the security forces to solve kidnapping incidents.

The minister also mentioned that efforts have been intensified to combat the menace of narcotics, leading to the destruction of poppy fields, the treatment of addicts, and stringent legal actions against those involved in the drug trade.

"Over the past year, authorities seized 3,643 tonnes of narcotics, dismantled 790 drug production and processing facilities, and arrested 10,564 suspects. Additionally, 27,891 addicts were referred to treatment centres, and 17,651 hectares of land were cleared of poppy cultivation," the minister informed.

"A large amount of foreign currency - including $1.95 million, a845,000, 4.83 million Saudi Riyals, and 100,000 Dirhams - has also been seized from various airports, and people trying to smuggle it have been put behind bars," the ministry mentioned.

"The authorities also seized 344 kilograms of narcotics and over a kilogram of gold, leading to the arrest of 591 individuals during the last 12 months," said Omari.

In addition to security, the minister emphasised that the ruling regime has made strides in securing economic and developmental projects, facilitating investment opportunities, securing national borders, enhancing public service delivery, and promoting balanced national development.

Advancements were also made in providing public services, including the issuance of passports and traffic documents, responding to natural disaster victims, reducing crime, and regulating the carrying of weapons and vehicles.
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : The Karnataka government on Tuesday sought a report on management of all prisons in the state in the wake of the preferential treatment given to jailed Kannada superstar Darshan in Bengaluru Central Prison coming to light recently.

Home Minister G Parameshwara stated on Tuesday, "We are not just investigating the incident that occurred in Parappana Agrahara involving Darshan. We will review what is happening in all jails across the state and examine the current prison management system."

Speaking to reporters near his residence in Bengaluru, HM Parameshwara said, a committee led by an IPS officer would be formed to submit a report in this regard.

During a visit to Hindalga Jail in Belagavi, several flaws were found, and action was taken, he asserted.

"We will also review the prisons in Shivamogga, Mangaluru, and other places," HM Parameshwara said.

"It was discovered during a visit on Monday that history-sheeter Wilson Naga was allowed to move from one barrack to another. This incident has also been captured on CCTVs. In this context, we have been able to take action," he said.

HM Parameshwara added, "We have already suspended nine officers, including the Chief Superintendent and the Superintendent of the prison. Other officials will be appointed to these positions. Those who assisted Darshan in the prison have been suspended. The investigation is still ongoing. A senior IPS officer will be appointed for further investigation. Permanent action will be taken based on the report they provide."

The government will not decide on transferring Darshan, who is in judicial custody in Parappana Agrahara in connection with a murder case, and other accused to another jail, HM Parameshwara stated and added that the prison authority would transfer the accused based on the court's direction.

Since he is an undertrial prisoner, the transfer has to be done according to specific rules.

"The transfer might happen in the next two days," he said.

"The internal administration of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison may be changed for security reasons. However, it is not possible to divide it into three parts. There are Block 1, Block 2, and Block 3, along with other barracks. Changes can be made to accommodate the prisoners, but no divisions will be made," HM Parameshwara clarified while answering a question.

He added that Law Minister HK Patil, who was previously the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, had submitted a report in 2020 on prison reforms.

"It was brought to our attention on Monday. We will review it," he mentioned.

"During Dr Manmohan Singh's tenure as Prime Minister, a report on police and prison reforms was submitted at the national level. We will bring that report and make improvements to the existing system," HM Parameshwara said.

Responding to the BJP's allegation that photos were being leaked to intimidate witnesses, he said, "There is no need to intimidate witnesses. We will act justly within the framework of the law. There is no need to seek political advantage in this."
Shimla, Aug 27 : The onset of the monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the main opposition BJP over the purported remarks of BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, about the farmers' agitation and deteriorating law and order in the state.

Immediately after the obituary references, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur demanded a discussion on the issue of law and order through an adjournment motion under rule 67.

Citing incidents, he quoted a clash between two groups in Baddi town on Monday in which one died on the spot and two were critically injured. One of them is battling for life at the PGI Chandigarh.

He also mentioned an incident in Palampur where a woman was assaulted. He accused the Congress government led by Suhvinder Singh Sukhu of mismanagement, saying several Indian Police Service (IPS) officers were being kept in reserve rather than deployed in the field to maintain public safety.

Amid the pandemonium, the Opposition members staged a walkout after raising slogans.

Countering the motion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan moved a resolution condemning the remarks by Kangana.

"The remarks by Kangana are an insult to the farmers of the entire country. The Opposition has left the House but we wanted to know the stand of the BJP on the issue," he said.

"It was unfortunate to call farmers rapists and terrorists," Chauhan said.

"The House must hold a debate on this and condemn these kind of objectionable remarks against farmers," he said.

He sought the stand of the BJP on Kangana's remarks after the Opposition returned to the House post the walkout.

Leader of Opposition Thakur said, "Our party has already condemned the issue so it should not be raised in the House. It should not be politicised."

As BJP MLAs objected to the issue, the ruling party legislators too were on their feet with Speaker Kuldeep Pathania trying to pacify both sides.

The Speaker said the House is condemning the objectionable remarks by the Mandi MP.

"They (opposition) are also part of the BJP leadership so they agree with their stand," he said.

Supporting the resolution, first-time legislator Kuldeep Rathore said 700 farmers had lost their lives in the agitation. "The reaction of the Opposition shows they too support Kanganaas remarks. The entire state is watching the irresponsible conduct of the opposition," he added.

This angered the opposition members, after which they staged a walkout raising slogans.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi sought an FIR against Kangana for her "inflammatory" comments.

Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh told the media the statement made by the MP of Mandi "shows her intellectual bankruptcy".

The BJP's central leadership has distanced itself from Kangana's remarks about the farmers' agitation and asked her to refrain from making such statements in the future.

Kangana stoked a controversy when she said that the farmers' protest could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation in the country had the top leadership not acted strongly.
Bangkok, Aug 27 : Thailand's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a "situation alert" for its citizens travelling to Israel and Lebanon following escalating tensions in the West Asian region.

"Thais are advised to delay travel to Israel/Lebanon and monitor embassy alerts, while embassies are to be ready to help if needed," the office of Thailand's Prime Minister posted on X quoting the country's foreign ministry.

The fresh alert, it said, was issued in wake of Israel's air strikes on Hezbollah, resulting in over 320 missiles being fired back on August 25.

In retaliation, Hezbollah launched extensive drone attacks, targetting 11 Israeli military sites.

The attacks primarily occurred in northern Israel with Hezbollah vowing further retaliation.

Following the strikes, Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency, asserting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are closely monitoring the situation.

"What happened today is not the end of the verse. Hezbollah tried to attack the State of Israel with rockets and drones early in the morning. We instructed the IDF to carry out a powerful pre-emptive strike to remove the threat. The IDF destroyed thousands of short-range rockets, and they were all intended to harm our citizens and our forces in the Galilee. In addition, the IDF intercepted all the UAVs that Hezbollah launched for a strategic purpose in the centre of the country," Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

The latest escalation came just before the Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo.

Israeli Defense Force's spokesperson Daniel Hagari had earlier warned about Hezbollah's plans to attack Israeli civilians.

"We have detected preparations by the militant organisation Hezbollah to launch missiles and rockets at the State of Israel, we are attacking proactively to remove the threat," he said.

"In a self-defence act to remove these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon, from which Hezbollah was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians," said Hagari.
Kolkata, Aug 27 : Amid chaos on the streets of Kolkata and Howrah on Tuesday after the police clashed with the agitators taking out the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Bengal Secretariat) over the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, threatened to paralyse the state unless the police immediately stop their crack down on the "peaceful protesters".

Kolkata, Aug 27 (IANS) Amid chaos on the streets of Kolkata and Howrah on Tuesday after the police clashed with the agitators taking out the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Bengal Secretariat) over the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, threatened to paralyse the state unless the police immediately stop their crack down on the "peaceful protesters".

"Reports of unprovoked police attacks on the peaceful protesters are coming from several places. I request the Kolkata Police and the West Bengal Police to immediately stop action on the peaceful protesters. Otherwise we will paralyse the entire state on Wednesday," Adhikari said.

The BJP leadership in West Bengal are also claiming that they are providing moral support to the protest -- apparently called by the student community of the state -- and that their supporters are not directly involved in the rally.

The students' wings of the Left Parties have already distanced themselves from the march, claiming the event is being organised by 'camouflaged' BJP and RSS leaders.

Located in the Mandirtala area of Howrah district adjacent to Kolkata, Nabanna is the state Secretariat from where the Government of West Bengal operates. It houses the offices of the Chief Minister and other top ministers and officials.

As per sources, no permission was given for the protest march while the ruling Trinamool Congress alleged on Monday that a conspiracy was being hatched to create unrest during the rally.

In the very first hour of the march, tension gripped Santragachi in Howrah where protesters tried to break through the barricades erected by the police to prevent the agitators from marching towards Nabanna. The riot police had to resort to lathi-charge and firing of teargas shells to disperse the crowd. Many protesters were seen carrying the Tricolour amid slogan-shouting.

There was also chaos on the Howrah Bridge where the protesters tried to jump over the guard-wall erected by the police in order to move forward. Besides lathi-charge and firing of teargas shells, the police also used water-cannons to disperse the mob.

Some policemen received injuries after being hit by stones pelted by a section of the protesters. A jawan of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) had to be hospitalised.

However, the main rally that started from College Square in Central Kolkata with maximum turnout of people has been peaceful so far.

The participants were heard raising slogans -- 'Dofa Ek, Dabi Ek, Mamata Banerjeer Padotyag' (There's only demand -- Mamata Banerjee's resignation), and 'Justice for RG Kar'.

Meanwhile, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh has claimed this cannot be the nature of an apolitical protest.

"Some of the organisers have already admitted their association with the RSS," Ghosh claimed.

A total of 6,000 policemen have been deployed for the Nabanna Abhijan, of which 2,000 are posted in and around the state Secretariat.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Chief Secretary to decide within two weeks a representation by BJP MLA Abhay Verma accusing the Delhi government of bias in installation of CCTVs in the national Capital.

In his petition, the legislator from Delhi's Laxmi Nagar alleged that the Public Works Department (PWD) was following a "pick and choose policy" and CCTVs were only installed in the constituencies of AAP leaders.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela though refused to judicially examine the plea but ordered the Chief Secretary and PWD to decide the representation moved by the BJP MLA within two weeks.

Verma, in the writ petition instituted before the Delhi HC, stated that he had requested the Chief Secretary to look into the issue, however, no reply was received on his representation.

The petition added that non-installation of CCTVs was negatively impacting the law-and-order situation of Laxmi Nagar, putting the safety and security of the residents at high risk.

It said, "The Aam Aadmi Party councillor, Ms. Shweta Nigam, who was elected as the councillor in Lalita Park-201 ward of the Laxmi Nagar Assembly Constituency, wrote a letter requesting sanction of installation of 1,000 cameras for her ward which was surprisingly acceded and the PWD, GNCTD granted a sanction for 1,011 cameras in the constituency."

The plea added that "Laxmi Nagar was deliberately left out" and as per the survey report of the Bharat Electronics Limited, a total of 2,066 CCTV cameras were required for the whole Laxmi Nagar Assembly constituency.

The Delhi government proposed installation of 1,40,000 CCTV cameras in the national Capital for the safety of Delhiites and the objective was to install 2,000 cameras per Vidhan Sabha and the cameras were to be installed in all the 70 Assembly constituencies.
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)  Bulgarias president on Tuesday called early parliamentary elections for October, in another effort to overcome the political impasse and economic woes plaguing the European Union and NATO member.

President Rumen Radev called the snap balloting for Oct. 27  Bulgarias seventh election in three years. He also reappointed Dimitar Glavchev to lead the interim government until the vote. The interim Cabinet, largely the same as the incumbent one, took the oath in Parliament.

The political crisis is not over, Radev said ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, adding that there will be a solution only when there is a sustainable majority in Parliament that elects an effective government.

Bulgaria, a country of 6.7 million, has been gripped by political instability since 2020, when mass protests erupted against corrupt politicians that had allowed oligarchs to take control of state institutions.

But out of six past snap elections, only two produced an elected government. Both times, however, the government collapsed after reform-oriented politicians attempted to take on graft and cut off the countrys energy and security reliance on Russia.

The last election, in June, failed to produce a clear winner. Instead, a fragmented legislature of seven parties were unable to cobble together a viable coalition. The center-right GERB party of three-times Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won 68 seats, the most of any party but well short of a majority in the 240-seat Parliament and could not find coalition partners.

The crisis is expected to slow down Bulgaria's plans to swiftly join the euro zone and spur reforms necessary to unlock EU funds for recovery.

The flurry of snap elections has also dampened interest in politics, resulting in growing voter apathy and a declining turnout, exacerbated by a campaign filled with propaganda and personal attacks.

Voters are clearly tired  turnout went from 50% in the April 2021 vote to 33% in June, the lowest since the end of communist rule in 1989.

The Associated Press
Srinagar, Aug 27 : A US diplomatic delegation, which is in Kashmir meeting various political leaders, on Tuesday met Sajad Gani Lone, president of the People's Conference.

Srinagar, Aug 27 (IANS) A US diplomatic delegation, which is in Kashmir meeting various political leaders, on Tuesday met Sajad Gani Lone, president of the Peopleas Conference.

The US diplomatic delegation led by minister-counsellor political affairs, Graham Mayer, first secretary Gary Applegarth and political counsellor Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, called on Lone at his Srinagar residence.

Sources in the PC said a wide range of issues were discussed during the meeting. The party spokesman, Ashraf Mir was also present during the meeting.

On Monday, the US diplomatic delegation met former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar Residence here.

During his meeting with the diplomats, Omar Abdullah called for a relook at travel advisories and easing restrictions on the visits to J&K. Lok Sabha member Syed Ruhullah Mehdi was also present during the delegationas meeting with Omar Abdullah.

The delegation also met Junaid Azim Mattu, the former Srinagar Mayor. Mattu has met the diplomats many times before, including last August.

According to Junaid, the delegation discussed aSrinagaras transformation, prospects of tourism growth and opportunities for investmenta.

Graham Mayer last visited the Valley in August 2023 and had called on Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar then.

Sources said the visit is part of a diplomatic outreach to meet all parties and get a chance to assess the situation ahead of the Assembly elections in J&K.

It also comes days after the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

On July 23, the US issued a level 2 advisory for J&K and Manipur. In its statement, the US asked its nationals not to travel to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border, and parts of central and eastern parts of the country where Naxalites are active.

The US diplomats have been visiting J&K in the past as well. During the heyday of separatist violence in Kashmir, US diplomats would meet separatist leaders as well.
Tokyo, Aug 27 : Japan on Tuesday slammed China for an unprecedented violation of its airspace by a Chinese military intelligence aircraft, calling it a "totally unacceptable breach of sovereignty and safety".

"On Monday, August 26, 2024, it was confirmed that a Chinese military Y-9 intelligence gathering aircraft violated the airspace over Japanese territorial waters off the coast of the Oshima Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture between approximately 11:29 (Japan time) and 11:31," the Japanese Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"In response, the Self-Defense Forces scrambled fighter jets from the Western Air Defense Force and took other measures, including issuing notifications and warnings," it added.

Addressing a news conference on the issue, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi severely condemned the Chinese military aircraft's first-ever incursion into Japanese airspace, calling it "utterly unacceptable".

"The violation of Japan's airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our country's sovereignty, but also a threat to our safety, and we consider it utterly unacceptable," said the Chief Cabinet Secretary.

The government spokesperson also disclosed that Tokyo has lodged an "extremely serious protest" with Beijing, urging the country to prevent any future violations.

"Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Okano Masataka summoned Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, Shi Ying, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a very strong protest and strongly request that this not be repeated. Japan is determined to resolutely defend Japan's territory, territorial waters, and airspace, and will continue to respond calmly and resolutely, while making claims that should be made," Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko said during a media briefing in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The Japanese authorities maintain that, while Chinese non-military aircraft have violated Japanese airspace in the past near the Senkaku Islands, it was the first instance of a confirmed intrusion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace.

"Although we refrain from giving a definitive answer as to the intent and purpose of the Chinese military aircraft's actions, its military activities in recent years near Japan have tended to grow and are becoming increasingly active. The government will continue to watch China's military activities with keen interest, and will take all possible measures to ensure vigilant surveillance and prevent airspace violations," the Chief Cabinet Secretary was quoted as saying by the country's leading daily, Japan Times.

Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara also expressed Tokyo's firm stance on the issue.

"Japan is firmly determined to protect our land, sea, and airspace and to stand up to say what we need to say," Kyodo News reported the Japanese Defence Minister as saying on Tuesday.

Tensions between the two countries increased recently following Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean in August 2023, which prompted China to impose a blanket ban on Japanese seafood.
New Delhi/Moscow, April 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his landmark visit to Ukraine, last week.

"Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," PM Modi posted on X after the phone call.

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Modi had dialled US President Joe Biden, discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and underscoring India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.

"While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM Modi briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a late night statement following the phone call between the two leaders.

Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister had spoken with Australian PM Anthony Albanese as both leaders not only discussed bilateral relations but also cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad grouping which also includes the United States and Japan.

Following PM Modi's visit to Kyiv last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that India supports his country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Today, history was made. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made his first visit to Ukraine since our country's independence, on the eve of our Independence Day. Today, we reached an agreement on four documents between Ukraine and India, covering the medical field, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture," said Zelensky after the end of diplomatic engagements with PM Modi.

During his talks with Zelensky, PM Modi reaffirmed India's principled position and commitment to a peaceful settlement to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. He also reiterated India's readiness to contribute in "all possible ways" to facilitate the speedy return of peace in the region.

"My visit to Ukraine was historic. I came to this great nation with the aim of deepening India-Ukraine friendship. I had productive talks with President Zelensky. India firmly believes that peace must always prevail. I thank the Government and people of Ukraine for their hospitality," said PM Modi after the bilateral discussions in Kyiv.

Last month, during his visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Modi had held extensive discussions with the Russian President to find a solution to end the conflict in Ukraine.

While mentioning the long-standing friendship and good relations between the two countries, Putin also acknowledged PM Modi's initiative on ending the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

"We had the opportunity to discuss practically all issues in an informal setting. I am grateful to you for the attention you are paying to the most pressing issues, including trying to find some ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, and of course, first and foremost, peacefully," said Putin on July 9.
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Actor Aarya Babbar is returning to the screen, and will be seen essaying the role of an antagonist, Kalikant Thakur in the television show 'Jagriti - Ek Nayi Subah'.

Mumbai, Aug 27 (IANS) Actor Aarya Babbar is returning to the screen, and will be seen essaying the role of an antagonist, Kalikant Thakur in the television show 'Jagriti a" Ek Nayi Subah'.

The show is set in the fictional town of Mokshgarh in the Jamtara district of Jharkhand, and explores the systemic injustice where the people of the 'Chitta' community are branded as criminals at birth, denied education, relegated to professions like hunting and exploited by feudal lords.

Aarya's character is the richest and most powerful man of the village, and bribes the local police and forest officials to run his illegal businesses smoothly. He is an authoritarian, patriarchal, and a deeply misogynistic person, who is cruel towards the people of the Chitta community.

Talking about his part, Aarya Babbar said, aI am very excited to return to television after 8 years with an interesting show like aJagritia. This is the very first time I have had an opportunity to work with Zee TV. I spent some time with the creative team at the promo shoot working on my dialect, body language for Kalikant and I think weare really getting into the groove. I isolated myself right before my take to get into the zone of my cruel character".

He further mentioned, "I have played various negative roles in the past, but the character of Kalikant stands out as one of the most complex roles I've ever taken on. I canat wait for the audience to see the powerful narrative we're trying to create".

Produced by Guroudev Bhalla, aJagriti- Ek Nayi Subaha is set to premiere on September 16 on Zee TV.
Ahmedabad, Aug 27 : The Ahmedabad Crime Branch conducted a raid in Sarkhej village on Tuesday, arrested five people and seized cash and valuables amounting to over Rs 5.15 lakh.

Officials from the Crime Branch informed that the raid took place behind the Union Office in Sarkhej village, where the aaccused were caught red-handed engaging in illegal gambling.

The five people arrested have been identified as Biren Kanu Parmar, Gulam Kader Rehman Mithani, Mahesh Suresh Thakor, Dhamendra Chandrakant Devalekar, and Suyashkant Ramesh Parmar.

During the raid, the Crime Branch recovered Rs 25,170 in cash, five mobile phones valued at Rs 50,000, nine vehicles worth Rs 4,40,000, and various gambling paraphernalia. The total value of the seized items amounts to Rs 5,15,170.

Biren Parmar, 30, is a resident of Gayatrinagar in Sarkhej village, Ahmedabad, and hails originally from Ghuma village in Ahmedabad District. Gulam Kader, 37, resides in Gebansha Society, near Geetanagar in Jasdan, Rajkot District. Mahesh Thakor, 29, lives near the Moti Water Tank in Redo Vas, Sarkhej, Ahmedabad. Dhamendra Chandrakant Devalekar, 45, resides near Datta Mandir in Sarkhej, Suyashkant Parmar, 33, is a resident of Gayatrinagar.

"Several suspects managed to flee the scene, abandoning their vehicles. The vehicles left behind include an Ather electric scooter (GJ-01-AS-5120), a Honda Shine bike (GJ-01-AS-3475), a Bajaj Discover bike (GJ-01-MJ-0635), and an Activa scooter (GJ-01-ASL-0137). The identities of these individuals are currently unknown, and investigations are ongoing. A case has been registered under Section 12 of the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act at the DCB Police Station," officials added.

They said that investigations revealed that some of the accused have a history of crime. Gulam Kader was previously arrested in two gambling cases by the Jasdan Police. Mahesh Thakor was arrested in 2016 in connection with a double murder while Suyashkant Parmar has a prior arrest for gambling.
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : The countdown for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation has begun, stated BY Vijayendra, the BJP state President and MLA on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Vijayendra claimed, "Governance in Karnataka has completely collapsed over the last two months. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah could resign from his position at any moment."

"Ministers have lost confidence. They are not even attending the Vidhana Soudha. They are anxious, wondering when the Chief Minister will resign and when they will need to go to New Delhi to support Siddaramaiah," he professed.

"Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently visited Vaishno Devi in Jammu. It seems like he went to seek blessings, which is another matter," he stated indirectly hinting that the leader had gone to seek blessings to become the CM.

"Thousands of people enthusiastically participated in the BJP-JD(S) padyatra. Unfortunately, Congress leaders, out of fear, launched a public movement before our padyatra reached them. Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah himself was in Mysuru, preparing for a public movement. The Chief Minister has lost the trust of the people of the state, and even Congress MLAs are losing confidence in him," he professed.

"The CM should resign tomorrow, if not today. After the High Court verdict, he will have to resign," Vijayendra expressed confidence.

He further stated that those 14 sites allotted by MUDA, will soon be taken over and distributed to the poor.

"Since this Congress government came to power, it has been mired in corruption. Development works have not even begun. The Congress government under CM Siddaramaiah's leadership has not implemented any new projects," he alleged.

He said that as a result of the government's guarantees the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) was owed Rs 4,500 crore.

"If this continues for another three or four months, KSRTC will have to shut down. There is no money even to pay salaries. On the other hand, they had promised to increase the honorarium for Anganwadi workers. The state's financial situation has completely deteriorated, and despite having an experienced Chief Minister who has presented 14 budgets, the government has failed to increase the honorarium for Anganwadi workers; in fact, they haven't paid their honorarium for three months," he alleged.

He also claimed that rape cases against women in Karnataka have increased and that law and order situation has deteriorated.

"The government is wasting time. The Chief Minister has admitted to a Rs 87 crore scam in the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Corporation. Similarly, it would be wise for him to admit to the mistakes made regarding the MUDA sites, and resign immediately without waiting for the court order," he advised.

"I have met with the BJP National President, JP Nadda and shared information about the success of the padyatra. The National President expressed his appreciation for the success of the padyatra," he explained.

"In Karnataka, we registered 1.05 crore members last time. This time, we will focus on registering even more members," he noted.

"Why was there a need to form an SIT (Special Investigation Team) and issue a clean chit regarding the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Corporation scam? Is this how the government cares for Dalits," Vijayendra questioned pointing out at the charge sheet not mentioning names of former minister B Nagendra and Congress MLA Basanagouda Saddal.

"CM Siddaramaiah is doing injustice to the AHINDA (Minorities, Backward Classes, and Dalits) communities," he objected.

Some state leaders have suggested fighting against CM Siddaramaiah at the national level, and we will discuss and decide on that, he responded to a question.

"The BJP leadership has appointed me the state party President. I was not made the state party President to complain about BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal or anyone else in New Delhi; I was made the state President to strengthen the organisation and to secure a clear majority for the BJP. I have not mentioned MLA Yatnal here; I have no need to," he answered in response to a question.

Yatnal is targeting Vijayendra and questioning his leadership.

"If it supports the growth of the party and if the national leaders agree, we might undertake another padyatra," he responded to another question. He added that he would take everyone into confidence and strengthen the BJP.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak came out in defence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Batenge toh katenge' remarks on Tuesday and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments as well as party leaders have been working to unite people and instil a spirit of national unity.

The Deputy CM, when questioned about the furore over Yogi's remarks, said that he didn't see anything wrong with it and rather turned the tables on Opposition parties. He cited the BJP's 'nation first' policy and accused the Opposition parties of running a divisive and motivated agenda for its "ulterior motives."

"We have been working to bring development to the state and the country but the Opposition has only one agenda -- to promote fear and animosity," Brajesh Pathak told media persons.

Notably, UP CM Yogi Adityanath's message of "united we stand, divided we fall" on August 26, invited criticism from the Opposition, as the latter accused him of instigating communal divide by making "polarising" statements. BJP rubbished the objections, saying that it was a mere call to unite the community in the wake of geopolitical crisis in the neighbourhood, but the Opposition had only one intention of finding hatred in the CM's speech.

CM Yogi Adityanath, speaking at an event in Agra on Monday, said: "Nation can become powerful only when we stay united. Then only, we can remain safe. If we allow division among us, we will be destroyed. See the example of Bangladesh. That mistake shouldn't be repeated here."

"Batenge toh katenge, ek rahenge toh nek rahenge (If we get divided, we will be shredded. If we stay together, we will be safe)," he further said at the public meeting.

Notably, Bangladesh has been under intense turmoil as violent students protest over past few months have resulted in many casualties. The violent stir ended up forcing Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to quit the chair and flee the country to save her life.
Kolkata, Aug 27 : West Bengal unit of BJP has convened a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday condemning police action on the protesters participating in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Bengal Secretariat) rally condemning the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Addressing a press conference here, West Bengal BJP chief and the Union Minister of State for Education and DoNER Sukanta Majumdar said the police action on the protesters demonstrating peacefully needs to be condemned, and hence the party has decided to convene the 12-hour strike.

"I call upon the people of the state to spontaneously support the strike in solidarity with the protesting students. I know that strikes create inconvenience for common people. But still, we request people to participate in the strike," he said.

He also said that the state unit of BJP has also decided to provide legal aid to those against whom police will initiate action for participating in the protest march and medical aid for those injured in police action.

He also said that a helpline number would be opened for that purpose.

On the Kolkata side, there were fresh reports of clashes between the cops and the protesters at Hastings, where the policemen resorted to lathicharge and firing of teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

On the Howrah side, a group of protesters reached Nabanna, the state secretariat at Mandirtala in the district. However, the police managed to apprehend them at the last moment and dispersed them.

Earlier, the riot police used teargas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd in some parts of Howrah district, including on the Howrah Bridge, where many protesters were seen carrying the Tricolour amid slogan-shouting.

A circle inspector of state police was severely injured, allegedly after protesters pelted stones at him.

Many women protestors leading the march near the Police Training School (PTS) close to the Vidyasagar Setu were reportedly injured due to the police action, even as the agitators sat on the street raising slogans.

Tension was also reported from the Mahatma Gandhi Road in central Kolkata following clashes between the protesters and the cops who resorted to lathi-charge and firing of teargas shells.
Ahmedabad, August 27 : Incessant rain has thrown life out of gear in many parts of Gujarat which received significant downpour from Monday through Tuesday.

In the past 24 hours, the state received an average of 94.20 mm of rainfall, with several talukas witnessing significant downpour.

As a result of the substantial rainfall, several major reservoirs across the state are being carefully managed. The Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River currently holds 86.97 per cent of its total capacity, with an inflow of 338,401 cusecs and an outflow of 385,269 cusecs.

Other dams, including Ukai (80.16 per cent full) and Kadana (87.43 per cent full), are also witnessing significant inflows and discharge water to maintain the safety levels.

The heavy rainfall has led to a series of incidents across the state.

In Gandhinagar's Kalol area, a building collapse resulting in two fatalities. In Anand, incidents of drowning were reported from Tarapur and Borsad, leading to three deaths.

Additionally, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has been actively engaged in rescue operations, relocating residents from the low-lying areas threatened by flooding.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings to fishermen, advising them against venturing into the sea till August 30, due to predicted rough weather conditions.

Power supply disruptions have been reported from 1,018 villages, where restoration efforts are underway.

A total of 142,35 feeders and 954 transformer centres have been impacted, of which 899 feeders and 238 transformers are pending rectification.

In response to the ongoing heavy rainfall and the forecast for more to come, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued advisories to ensure public safety.

The AMC has urged residents, particularly those living in the low-lying areas, to take all necessary precautions. Citizens have been advised to avoid going outdoors unless necessary, as these areas are at a higher risk of flooding.

The AMC has also cautioned drivers to reduce their speed and be mindful of slippery roads, as the monsoon conditions have made many roads treacherous.

In addition, the AMC has advised residents living in raw or semi-permanent structures to move to safer locations immediately as these types of homes are more susceptible to damage during heavy rainfall.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam, the largest in Gujarat, released over 4 lakh cusecs of water as of Tuesday morning. The inflow to the dam is approximately 3.2 lakh cusecs, prompting the authorities to open 23 gates by 2.2 metres to manage the water levels and prevent overflowing.

Other significant dams in the state are also managing large inflows and discharges. For instance, the Ukai Dam, the second-largest in the state, is releasing around 2.4 lakh cusecs of water, matching its current inflow.

The Kadana Dam, holding 87.43 per cent of its capacity, is discharging 1.25 lakh cusecs downstream.

Similarly, the Damanganga Dam in southern Gujarat is handling an inflow of 52,000 cusecs and releasing 69,000 cusecs with 10 of its gates open.
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Actor Rajesh Kumar, who is seen in the family drama, 'Yeh Meri Family' has recited a heartfelt poetry during a recent open mic, appealing to the younger generation to revive the lost art of family bonding.

With heartfelt emotion, Rajesh shared a poignant poem, highlighting the preciousness of time with loved ones and the profound connection he shares with his mother.

Talking about the same, Rajesh said in a statement: "Portraying Sanjay in 'Yeh Meri Family' has been a profoundly personal journey, one that resonated deeply with my own experiences and emotions. This show has touched my heart in ways I never thought possible."

"As someone who is extremely close to my mother, I've always believed that family is the anchor that holds us together, the source of unconditional love, and the foundation of our identity. This show has reaffirmed that belief, and I'm honoured to have been a part of it. This poetry is my heartfelt tribute to the show's spirit - celebrating family as a feeling that transcends words, a bond that shapes us, and a connection that lasts a lifetime. It's a testament to the power of love and closely knit bonds, and I'm grateful to have been a part of this journey," he added.

Rajesh, who is best known for 'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai' yearns for the new generation to rediscover the tender embrace of family, to revive the dying art of human connection, and to rekindle the warmth of love that once flowed like a river.

'Yeh Meri Family 4' also stars Juhi Parmar, Anngad Raaj, and Hetal Gada in pivotal roles.

It is streaming on Amazon miniTV.

On the work front, Rajesh will be next seen in historical drama 'Freedom at Midnight'. With Nikkhil Advani as showrunner, the series delves into the partition of India and Pakistan. It will soon release on Sony LIV.
Kolkata, Aug 27 : The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday said that it assisted an injured mariner on board an Indonesian merchant vessel which was waiting to enter the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) in West Bengal.

"The seafarer, with a severe head injury, was stabilised by ICG medics on board the container ship before being shifted to a hospital," an IGC official said.

He said that the ICG district headquarters at Haldia received an email from the marine office of HDC, regarding a medical emergency on board MSC Tiger F.

"The merchant vessel was then near the anchorage at the Sandheads, about 130 km from Haldia. The ICG immediately deployed the fast patrol vessel ICGS Anmol with the district medical officer and a medical assistant," the official said.

It added that on boarding the container vessel, it came to be known that the 3rd officer was working on the deck when he met with an accident.

"Apart from hurting a finger on his right hand, the seafarer of Indonesian origin also suffered a head injury and lost consciousness," an ICG official said.

He added that the ICG medical team provided necessary assistance to the 3rd officer, adding that the seafarer was in a stable condition when shifted to a hospital in Haldia.

The MSC Tiger F, which entered HDC early on Tuesday, is a Panama-flagged container vessel that departed Colombo on August 22. She is 154.51 metres long and 25 metres wide.

Meanwhile, the ICG is continuing its search for the three missing crew members of ITT Puma, the general cargo carrier that capsized about 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island on Sunday.

Eleven members of the crew were already rescued by the Coast Guard in an air-sea coordinated operation throughout the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Among those missing is the captain of the ITT Puma.

The ICG's Dornier aircraft are concentrating in the area where debris and flotsam from the wreck was detected on Monday.
Sofia, Aug 27 : Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Tuesday signed a decree to hold parliamentary elections on October 27, his press office said in a statement.

The statement said Radev also appointed a caretaker government led by current caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev for the interim period, Xinhua news agency reported.

Glavchev, 61, was head of the Bulgarian National Audit Office when he was appointed caretaker Prime Minister for the first time in April this year. In 2017, he briefly served as President of the National Assembly, the country's Parliament.

The elections and the appointment of a caretaker government became compulsory after the Parliament failed to elect a regular Cabinet in June this year.

The elections will be Bulgaria's seventh in three-and-a-half years due to an inability to reach a simple majority in the Parliament.

The European nation with a population of around 6.7 million, political instability has gripped Bulgaria since 2020 when mass protests broke out against 'corrupt politicians' who reportedly allowed oligarchs to take control of the state institutions.

However, only two out of the six previous snap polls resulted in an elected government. An on both occasions, the government fell down after reform-oriented politicians attempted to cut off the country's energy and security reliance on Russia.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Women going through the menopause transition period are likely to experience changes that can be detrimental to their cardiovascular health, according to research on Tuesday.

Despite the myth that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a "man's disease," it accounts for 40 per cent of all deaths in women, making it the leading cause of mortality for women.

Although women typically get CVD 10 years later than males, they are more at risk for developing heart disease following menopause.

"There is an increase in 'bad' low-density type lipoprotein (LDL) particles and a decrease in 'good' high-density lipoprotein particles (HDL) that takes place during and after the menopause transition," said study author Dr Stephanie Moreno, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, US.

"Taken together, these changes suggest that menopause is associated with a transition to a higher-risk lipoprotein profile that could be more likely to cause cardiovascular disease, such as coronary artery disease," she added.

The study analysed changes in lipoprotein particles during the menopause transition in 1,246 participants. They measured common lipoproteins associated with CVD, including atherogenic LDL-P and small dense LDL.

The researchers compared longitudinal changes in lipoprotein measures between pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women and men as well using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology.

The results showed that all three female groups had an increase in LDL-P, with the greatest percent change between the peri and post groups.

Compared to men, whose percent change was 213 per cent, small-dense LDL had a higher percent change in the peri-group. Compared to both pre- and post-menopausal populations, this percent change is approximately 15 per cent higher.

"We found that menopause is associated with adverse changes in lipoprotein profiles, with the most pronounced changes found to be in increases in 'bad' LDL-particles and subfractions observed for peri-menopausal women," Moreno said.

The findings may help explain the rise of heart disease in post-menopausal women and help determine if earlier interventions are warranted, said the team calling for more studies.

The findings will be presented in the forthcoming meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2024 from August 30 to September 2 in the UK.
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Amid a raging controversy over the collapse of the 28-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday took a swipe at the Opposition saying that no one should play politics on the issue.

"The collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a sad incident. No one should play politics. The sculptor must not have been able to understand the wind flow at Rajkot Fort while erecting the statue. Now we will erect a new statue at the same place with the help of the Navy.

"After this incident, some photos of the statue in a broken state went viral. The real mavala of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will not take such photos," he said.

Mavala soldiers were the backbone of Shivaji's power.

Dy CM Fadnavis also said, "No matter how many tendencies like Afzal Khana continue, we will get rid of them democratically."

Fadnavis was responding to scathing criticism by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government blaming the Mahayuti government for the poor quality of work while demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and sacking of Ravindra Chavan as the Public Works Minister.

Another minister Deepak Kesarkar reiterated that the statue was erected by the Indian Navy and not by the state government.

"The collapse of the statue is unfortunate, but some good things can come out of it. The height of this statue was 28 foot. But the people there have expressed their desire to have a 100-foot statue. If a 100-foot statue is erected here, it will be a matter of pride for all. I will visit and inspect Rajkot Fort at Malvan.

"I will hold discussions with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers. We have an estimate ready for the large statue. The government is erecting a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar. So, it is not that big, but we will definitely erect a statue here that is big enough to fit in the Rajkot Fort. Personally I found the statue, which collapsed on Monday, small. So now a big statue should be erected", demanded Kesarkar.

Meanwhile, police sources said that they along with the forensic experts conducted a Panchangam on Tuesday morning at the site. Forensic experts told reporters that they have collected the remains of the statue from the spot, based on which, a comprehensive report would be prepared.
Chandigarh, Aug 27 : Four-time legislator and Congress rebel Kiran Choudhry was on Tuesday elected unopposed for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana as a BJP nominee.

On Kiran being elected, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said she would emerge as a strong voice for Haryana's interests in the Upper House. "I am confident that your decades of political experience will benefit the state and the country," he wrote on X.

On the day of filing nomination papers, she had said she had given 45 years to the Congress and now "till her last breath would advocate for the policies of the BJP".

She won the seat unopposed as the main opposition Congress had declared that it would not be fielding a candidate. Tuesday was the last day for the candidates to withdraw their nominations.

The bypoll was necessitated after Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak in June. The term of this seat ends on April 9, 2026.

kiran switched sides two months ago after quitting the Congress.

Talking to the media after filing her papers, she had said, "It's my luck that I got the opportunity to join the BJP to serve the country and my state. Our family has old ties with the BJP. Chaudhary Bansi Lal formed the government in the state with the BJP."

Kiran Choudhry is the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, who is known as the 'architect' of modern-day Haryana. She was upset with the Congress as her daughter Shruti was denied a ticket to contest the last Lok Sabha polls from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh.

She is the wife of the late Surender Singh.

Kiran Choudhry, who often described former Chief Minister and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar as her "bade bhai" (elder brother), thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Saini and Khattar for giving her the opportunity to serve the party. "Influenced by policies of PM Modi and former (Haryana) CM Manohar Lal, I have joined the BJP."

Kiran Choudhry was elected as MLA of the Congress from Tosham in Bhiwani in 2019. She resigned from the primary membership of the Congress, saying the state unit of the party was being run as a "personal fiefdom", indirectly referring to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda.
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Navya Naveli Nanda, the granddaughter of veteran Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, is celebrating the legacy of her great grandfather H.P. Nanda.

On Tuesday, Navya took to her Instagram and shared several pictures from the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Indian multinational conglomerate, Escorts Kubota Limited.

H.P. Nanda was the founder of Escorts Kubota Limited which manufactures tractors, automotive components, railway equipment, and construction and material handling equipment.

Navya also penned a long note in the caption, as she wrote: "Celebrating 80 years of Escorts Kubota! What began in 1944 as a vision to serve India & bring farm mechanisation into the nation, by our founder Mr H.P Nanda, is a reality. Today, a global company with our partners Kubota Corporation Japan, we are still committed to that mission & vision."

She further mentioned: "A proud and emotional day for our family who has seen four generations serve this company with a clear goal - to bring the best of the world to India, and offer India's best to the world. To all our customers, dealers, channel partners, our entire Escorts Kubota family, thank you for joining us on this journey and looking forward to the next chapter of our growth! @farmtractractors @powertracescorts @kubota_india."

Escorts Limited was originally founded as Escorts Agents Ltd. in 1944 by Har Prasad Nanda and his brother Yudi Nanda. They started a family-owned business, Nanda Bus Company, in Lahore.

The motorcycle division of Escorts Group used to manufacture motorcycles under the brand name Rajdoot from the early 1960s until 2005. In the early 1980s, Escorts started making Yamaha motorcycles in India. The Rajdoot 350 was launched in 1983, which was later followed by the Yamaha RX 100 in 1985.

The company is currently headed by Navya's father Nikhil Nanda.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : With the Paris Olympics with their tales of talent, endeavour, and heartbreak long over, France's attention is back to an entirely new game - ensuring a new government after the fractured mandate thrown up by the July elections to the National Assembly, but any breakthrough seems unlikely.

President Emmanuel Macron, whose gambit to call snap elections after his party's humiliation in the European Parliament elections ended up in a polarised situation with three irreconcilable blocs emerging in the Assembly, had set the process in motion last week as he began consultations with all three formations.

He had, on Friday, met a delegation of left coalition New Popular Front (NFP, as per its French name), which holds the most seats (182) in the 577-member house and pitched 37-year-old civil servant Lucie Castets for the Prime Minister's position, and then, his own centrist Ensemble alliance, which has 168 members. Finally, on Monday, he met Marine Le Pen and PM hopeful Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally, which ended up third, with 143, despite its stellar first-round performance.

However, Macron, whose aim, as per aides, was a regime with a large and stable majority that wouldn't fall with the first censure motion, eventually dashed the NFP hopes by refusing to agree to a government led by it, contending that it could not win a confidence vote in parliament. The Ensemble and the National Rally have already said that they would vote against any NFP government.

"My responsibility is that the country is not blocked nor weakened," he said in a statement on Monday.

"The Socialist Party, the Greens and the Communists have not yet proposed ways to cooperate with other political forces. It is now up to them to do so," he added, leaving out key constituent, the hard-left France Unbowed movement (LFI).

The President said he would start new consultations with party leaders on Tuesday.

His statement drew an angry response from the NFP, which called for street protests and Macron's impeachment.

LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard termed the President's decision as an "unacceptable anti-democratic coup", while

Communist leader Fabien Roussel accused Macron of triggering a "serious crisis in our country", and Green leader Marine Tondelier, in a post on X, contended that three-quarters of the French people wanted a "political break with Macronism".

However, it is hard to see how any of the three politically disparate forces, which account for almost 500 members, can cooperate, given that there is no other formation with enough strength to take either of them beyond the simple majority mark.

Any alliance between any of the three major blocs seems inconceivable due to their radically divergent ideologies and policies.

After the first round where the National Rally surged, the NPF and the Ensemble entered into a marriage of convenience to deny it the projected majority, as they tactically withdrew the weaker candidates to set up a one-to-one contest.

However, this tacit understanding soon collapsed as Macron's party enabled the re-election of National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet over NFP challenger, communist Andre Chassaigne, with the help of the Republicans, or rather, a faction of the rightwing party not allied to the National Rally.

The further slight to the NFP is adding fuel to the flame, but even if both blocs manage to put all this bad blood behind by some miracle or forbearance, it is unlikely to see how far they can cohabit. NFP's Castets has already spoken of rolling back Macron's decision to raise the pension age to 64, and of a major rise in public spending.

National Rally and Ensemble? Another unlikely combination given how much the Le Pen's party resents the Ensemble-Left coordination that denied the majority they were projected to bag.

The National Rally and the New Popular Front? Opposites may attract but a combination of the far-right and a wide section of left is a pipedream, despite their common opposition to Macron.

There may be a legislative marriage of convenience if one of the existing bloc fractures but this is also a remote possibility.

There are faultlines, though. The NFP does comprise four parties straddling the left spectrum, and there is another section of unaffiliated left with a dozen-odd Deputies. Then, there is a new prospective contender. Socialist Karim Bouamrane, who has been the Mayor of Saint-Ouen since 2020, came to public notice due to the Olympics as the Parisian suburb hosted several events. After international media attention, the influential Le Figaro Magazine recently profiled him as "the face of the other left," and quoted him pleading for a "coalition" and criticising the LFI.

Does this portend realignments? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, the approaching deadline for preparing the budget necessitates expediting the government's formation. Will Macron manage?

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 27 : JD(U) leader and former Rajya Sabha member K.C. Tyagi said on Tuesday that if Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's son Rahul Kharge received land out of turn in the Aerospace Colony near Bengaluru at a subsidised rate under the SC/ST quota, the matter should be probed thoroughly.

In the backdrop of the ongoing MUDA land row in Karnataka, a fresh controversy has erupted over land allotment in the southern state with the BJP questioning granting of a Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) site to a trust run by Congress chief Khargeas family and headed by his son Rahul Kharge.

Speaking to IANS, Tyagi said if Rahul Kharge was allotted the land illegally, the matter should be investigated thoroughly.

He added that if the land was allocated to the Congress chief's son out of turn, it indicates corruption.

"Itas important to investigate such matters as influential people, particularly those related to the ruling party (of a state), often take advantage of such loot," Tyagi told IANS.

The issue of land allotment to Rahul Kharge was raised by RTI activist Kalhalli, who complained to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot that the land was allotted to the Congress chief's son in violation of the laid down rules and protocols.

On the aNabanna Abhiyana or 'March to Secretariat' call given in West Bengal on Tuesday in protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Tyagi said the situation in Bengal has created distrust among the people towards the Trinamool Congress government.

"Womenas safety is under threat there, and if protests are being suppressed, it is an undemocratic move," Tyagi said amid reports of chaotic scenes on the streets of Kolkata where the police resorted to lathi-charge and firing of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

Commenting on senior American diplomats visiting poll-bound J&K and meeting various political leaders, including National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, Tyagi said leaders from different political parties occasionally interact with foreign dignitaries.

"Unless thereas a threat to national security, I do not oppose such meetings," he said.
Gandhinagar, Aug 27 : The Gujarat Congress has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for immediate and decisive action to alleviate the suffering of the state's residents.

The letter, penned by senior Congress leader and Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Shaktisinh Gohil, outlines the dire situation across several regions, including Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Morbi and Kutch, where heavy rains have led to widespread flooding and devastation.

The Central government has deployed six Army columns to assist in relief and disaster management efforts across Gujarat, focusing on areas most severely impacted by the heavy rains. These army units will support the local administrations of Devbhoomi Dwarka, Anand, Vadodara, Kheda, Morbi and Rajkot.

The letter highlights the "critical need for more National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to be deployed in the affected areas, as many cities and villages face extreme hardship. Despite the state's efforts, complaints about the slow and inadequate delivery of relief have been widespread. Overflowing sewage in urban areas poses a severe health risk, with the potential for disease outbreaks."

Heavy rains have significantly disrupted railway services, especially in the Vadodara division of Western Railway. On Tuesday alone, 56 trains were cancelled due to severe waterlogging at key locations such as Bajwa and Ranoli.

Additionally, the letter emphasizes the "significant financial losses suffered by farmers, who are facing unprecedented damage to their crops."The Congress also pointed out the "need for immediate disbursement of cash relief to those affected, which has reportedly been delayed. The situation in Kutch is particularly concerning, with ongoing rescue operations to locate individuals swept away by floodwaters, including Bhupendra Rathod, who remains missing."

The Congress has also called for the "urgent distribution of fodder for livestock, currently stored in forest department godowns, to support the many farmers whose animals are at risk. The restoration of electricity in villages and reopening critical roads, such as the route connecting Morbi and Kutch, are highlighted as immediate priorities."

Furthermore, the letter addresses "issues of corruption in drainage projects, which have exacerbated the difficulties residents face in urban areas". The Congress has stressed the need for special assistance for farmers and support for small businesses that have been severely affected by the monsoon.

The letter concludes with a plea to Prime Minister Modi to take swift and generous action to aid in the rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. It reminds him of his "roots in Gujarat and the critical need to support the people of the state during this challenging time."
New Delhi Aug 27 : Patiala House Court on Tuesday ordered the release of senior Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in the money laundering case connected to terror funding.

Additional sessions judge, Dheeraj Mor of Patiala House court passed an order for Shahas release after noting that he has undergone the maximum sentence of seven years prescribed for the offence under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The judge noted that Shah has been in continuous custody for more than seven years and he should, therefore, be released.

Shabir Shah was born in the Kadipora area of Anantnag on June 14, 1953. He is the founder and president of the Democratic Freedom Party which stands for the right of self-determination for the people of J&K.

He was arrested in 2017 and has been in custody since then.

He is one of the most prominent separatist leaders of Kashmir although he is personally not known to have picked up the gun.

Despite his proclaimed peaceful anti-India exterior, Shabir Shah has been an ideologue of many youths in Kashmir who resorted to violence by wielding guns.
Dhaka, Aug 27 : The security outside the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka has been enhanced following Monday's threatening demonstration by hundreds of visa aspirants, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Indian High Commission had requested for extensive security deployment after a massive mob held a sudden protest at the centre operating from Jamuna Future Park in the capital.

The situation almost went out of control with people raising anti-India slogans after being denied a visa.

"The staff and personnel of the Indian Visa Application Centre were also harassed and felt threatened which prevented them from effectively discharging their duties in view of the threat to their safety," reported the Daily Star.

The Indian authorities had taken up the matter with the foreign ministry of Bangladesh via a 'note verbale', seeking enhanced security and assurance that the situation will not be repeated again in future.

The Bangladesh daily quoted an official as saying that the protests broke out when passports were being returned to people.

"The Indian official said that, due to the unruly behaviour by the crowd, they will not be in a position to have a smooth functioning, even at a limited scale, as it becomes a very difficult situation," the Daily Star reported.

However, the IVAC was kept open and remains operational to handle emergency and medical cases with the Indian High Commission reportedly having already cleared pending medical visas.

"Given the current situation, the IVAC centres are operational only for limited operations. Currently, we are returning the passports of all those who have already applied for visas. Once the IVAC returns to normal operations after the security situation normalises, those whose applications have not been processed, their applications will be processed and details for re-submission of your passports will be notified via SMS if your visa application is approved. Seeking your full support," states an advisory issued by IVAC Bangladesh.

While all visa applications submission has been suspended, the IVAC centres in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Jashore, Khulna, Satkhira, Mymensingh and Rajshahi have resumed limited operations, but only for delivery of passports.

The High Commission of India in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna have been assisting the return of Indian nationals home following the recent developments in Bangladesh.
Jodhpur, Aug 27 : Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence in Jophpur Central Jail following his conviction in a rape case, left for Pune for medical treatment on Tuesday after being granted seven-day parole by the Rajasthan High Court.

Asaram, who walked out of jail after 11 years, will undergo ayurveda treatment at the Madhavbaug Hospital in the Khopoli area on the outskirts of Pune, officials said.

Asaram was granted seven-day parole by the Rajasthan High Court on August 13. His parole will be counted from the time when he is admitted to the hospital.

The ambulance carrying Asaram entered the airport through a special gate after which he was taken to Mumbai on an IndiGo flight at 2:20 p.m., accompanied by Jodhpur police personnel and two attendants.

The high court has given clear instructions that Asaram will not be able to meet anyone during the course of his treatment.

The private room where Asaram will stay will be guarded by the police 24x7. Also, he will bear the entire cost incurred for his treatment and travel.

Asaram has been serving life imprisonment in the Jodhpur prison following his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other offences by a trial court in 2018 for raping a minor girl.

He was earlier allowed to undergo treatment at a private ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur under police custody. However, as his health condition deteriorated, he was admitted to Jodhpur AIIMS.

In March this year, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence on medical grounds.

A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had allowed the petitioner to file a fresh application before the Rajasthan High Court seeking to undergo treatment at the Pune facility under police custody.

To recall, on January 11, the Rajasthan High Court had rejected the fourth application filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence or bail on the ground that law and order problems may arise if he is not allowed to receive medical treatment of his choice.

On April 25, 2018, Asaram was convicted of raping a minor by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur which sentenced him to life imprisonment.

He has been in jail since September 2, 2013.

In January 2023, a court in Gujarat had convicted the self-styled godman in a decade-old sexual assault case involving a woman disciple, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The victim had accused Asaram of repeatedly raping her at his ashram in 2013.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), one of the most successful schemes of the Modi government, launched a decade ago on August 28, 2014, kick-started the 'connection' of every citizen with the mainstream banking and set the stage for financial inclusion, a dream that looked impossible earlier.

Today, the nation is celebrating not just ten momentous years of its successful implementation but also the whopping success of the scheme. PMJDY, the world's largest successful mission has already crossed the 53 crore beneficiaries mark as per official estimates and the figure is growing on a daily basis.

The PMJDY scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28, 2014, with a vision for financial inclusion of every citizen and also providing them with financial literacy to get benefits, out of their small savings.

The scheme turned out to be a runaway success, soon after its launch, particularly in rural areas. On the day of its launch alone, 15 million bank accounts were opened.

The scheme primarily benefits low-income families and groups as they have been extended the facility to open zero-balance accounts and draw government welfare benefits, directly into their accounts. PMJDY bank account holders are also provided with a RuPay Debit card which can be used for Payment and purchase.

The astounding success of the Modi government's flagship scheme has also been acknowledged by The Guinness Book of World Records.

Recognising the achievement, it noted: "The Most bank accounts opened in one week as a part of the financial inclusion campaign 1,80,96,130 was achieved by the Government of India from August 23 to 28, 2014."

Notably, the scheme has been a game-changer in facilitating Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Today, the beneficiaries are drawing benefits of government schemes directly in their accounts, thus plugging the leakages and eliminating the middlemen from 'usurping' their shares.

The slogan of PMJDY is "Mera Khaata, Bhagya Vidhata". PMJDY is being run by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

What beneficiaries get under PMJDY

One Savings bank account for an unbanked person

No requirement for maintaining a minimum balance in PMJDY accounts

Interest is accrued on whatever deposits in PMJDY accounts

Accident Insurance Cover of Rs 1 lakh (enhanced to Rs 2 lakh for PMJDY accounts opened after 28/8/2018). This is available with RuPay cards, a facility extended to PMJDY account holders.

Beneficiaries can get an overdraft (OD) facility up to Rs 10,000

Can avail benefits of multiple schemes via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). They include Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA) scheme

What's needed to open a PMJDY account

For opening a basic savings bank account under PMJDY (with zero balance), you require the following:

You need to be an Indian citizen

You must be more than 10 years old

You mustn't have an existing account

You will have access to a RuPay card, which will enable you to access insurance benefits

Can also avail credit facility on your account
Jakarta, Aug 27 : The Indonesian government is likely to consider relocating residents living in dangerous zones in North Maluku province after flash floods and landslides recently struck the area, killing 19 people, a government minister said on Tuesday.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy emphasised that areas affected by the disaster, particularly in Ternate city, have long been vulnerable as water routes and volcanic material paths from Mount Gamalama. He explained that such conditions have existed for hundreds of years, making relocating residents from these areas necessary to prevent further disasters.

Effendy made these remarks during a visit to Ternate, the city hardest hit by the flash floods and landslides on Sunday. The disaster left eight people injured and caused significant destruction to homes and infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported.

"To avoid a recurrence, these areas must be designated as non-residential zones," Effendy said in a statement issued by the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency (BNPB). He added that even those currently unaffected but living in danger zones may need to be relocated for their safety.

During the same visit, BNPB head Suharyanto announced that the government would provide financial assistance to residents whose homes were destroyed by the disaster.

Mount Gamalama, a 1,715-metre-high active volcano in North Maluku province, continues to pose risks to nearby residents.
Jerusalem, Aug 27 : Israeli forces said Tuesday they have rescued a 52-year-old hostage from the Gaza Strip.

The hostage, identified as Qaid Farhan Alkadi, is a Bedouin resident of Rahat city in southern Israel who was abducted in Hamas's attack in October last year, said the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet domestic security agency in a joint statement.

The man was released in a "complex" operation in southern Gaza, according to the statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

"He is in a stable medical condition and is being transferred for medical checks at a hospital," said the statement, adding that the man's family has been updated on his release.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.
Khartoum, Aug 27 : The Sudanese government on Tuesday denied any food gap in Sudan and called previous reports of famine in the country "exaggerated."

"There is no food gap, and there is no famine in Khartoum State or other states," Khartoum State's Acting Minister of Agriculture Mohamed Siral-Khatim said in a statement.

"Maybe there is a shortage of food supplies in the areas controlled by the (paramilitary) Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia," he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Siral-Khatim said he has inspected some agricultural and animal production projects in the northern part of Omdurman, a city north of Sudan's capital Khartoum, and found that those projects "produce enough food for all the safe areas" in northern Omdurman.

"If a safe road is found, the production can suffice other areas," he added.

Khartoum State's government is seeking to overcome the obstacles facing farmers, working to provide them with fuel, improved seeds, and fertilizers, Siral-Khatim said.

Stressing that the determination of famine relies on several indicators issued by the United Nations and its Food and Agriculture Organization, Siral-Khatim said those indicators do not exist in Sudan.

"There is an abundance of food products, and we are working to sustain them," he said.

Earlier in August, the United Nations published a report saying that famine is prevalent in some areas of war-torn Sudan and will continue through the next two months.

A recent report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) showed that about 25.6 million people - more than half of the population of Sudan -- face acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the brink of famine.

The risk of famine is particularly severe in 14 areas across the country, including some hotspots in Khartoum, the OCHA report showed.

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, resulting in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to the latest UN data.
Bhubaneswar, Aug 27 : BJP leader Mamata Mohanta was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha on Tuesday following the withdrawal of nomination by the party's 'back-up' candidate Jagannath Pradhan who filed his papers as an Independent nominee.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi greeted Mohanta after she was reelected to the Upper House of the parliament.

Opposition parties Biju Janata Dal and Congress didn't field any candidate, paving the way for Mohanta's unopposed election.

Notably, the by-election for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Odisha was scheduled to be held on September 3.

Senior BJP leader Pradhan earlier in the day withdrew his nomination filed on August 21. He had filed nomination as an Independent candidate just a few hours after Mohanta filed her papers for the Rajya Sabha seat.

While speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, senior BJP leader Pradhan said, "As a disciplined worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I have successfully discharged the responsibility which the party had assigned to me. I would like to thank my party leaders for giving me the responsibility."

Pradhan had contested the recent Assembly elections from the Bhubaneswar Central seat, but lost to Biju Janata Dal's Ananta Narayan Jena by a slender margin of 37 votes.

On the other hand, Mohanta on July 31 tendered her resignation from the Upper House as well as the primary membership of the BJD. She resigned from the Rajya Sabha two years before the completion of her tenure.

The former BJD leader joined the BJP in New Delhi the next day.

The BJP announced her candidature for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha on August 20.

Mohanta, a well-known social activist and leader of the Kudumi community, belongs to Mayurbhanj district in Odisha.

She was also a former member of the Zilla Parishad in Mayurbhanj district from 2012 to 2017.
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Tuesday ordered to shift jailed Kannada superstar Darshan, an accused in the kidnap and murder case, from the Bengaluru Central Prison to Bellary Central jail.

The submission was made to the court by the Chief Superintendent in the wake of a photograph of Darshan hanging out with three others, including a rowdy sheeter, on the lawns of the jail emerging on social media on Sunday, triggering a row.

His partner and prime accused in the kidnap and murder case Pavithra Gowda will remain in the Bengaluru Central Prison.

The other associates of Darshan in the case, Pavan, Raghavendra and Nandeesh will be shifted to Mysuru prison, Jagadish and Laxmana will be sent to Shivamogga jail, Dhanraj to Dharwad jail, Vinay to Vijayapura jail, Nagaraj to Kalaburagi jail, Pradoosh to Belagavi jail. Anukumar and Deepak will remain in the Bengaluru Central Prison.

Four accused, Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil and Keshava Murthy were shifted to Tumakuru prison earlier.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda stated on Tuesday that the city police had sought shifting of Darshan and other accused to other prisons in the state from the Bengaluru Central Prison. He stated that in prison-related matters, the court's permission is required.

"On Saturday, when a team of special branch CCB had raided the prison no incriminating evidence was found. We have the information on shifting materials outside before we reach there. The probe is underway. Many rowdies were arrested under the Karnataka Control of Organized Crime Act (KCOCA). As there are chances that Darshan and his associates join with them, a request was made to shift them to other jails," the Police Commissioner said.

Commenting on the shifting of Darshan and his associates to other prisons, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Police Department will decide on transferring actor Darshan, who is in jail on murder charges, to Bellary jail.

"Nine people have already been suspended in connection with the allegations of special privileges allegedly being provided to actor Darshan in jail. An investigation is underway regarding the matter, and based on the report, more officials found guilty will be suspended," he added.
Tehran, Aug 27 : A fortnight after his sudden resignation as Deputy President for Strategic Affairs to new President Masoud Pezeshkian, former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Tuesday announced his return to the post.

In a post in Persian on his X handle, he said that he will continue to serve in the post, IRNA reported.

Zarif, who had previously expressed discontent at a list of ministers proposed by Pezeshkian for a vote of confidence in the parliament. said he was happy that almost 70 per cent of the ministers and deputy presidents were people nominated by the Steering Council he headed for the selection of candidates after Pezeshkian won the runoff election in July.

In his post, he noted that "the highest presence of women, ethnic groups and religions in the government delegation" to meet Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "showed the honesty and courage of the honourable President in fulfilling his election promises..."

He apologised for coming late to the meeting - the first of all the new ministers with the Supreme Leader.

In his post, Zarif, who was Foreign Minister under President Hasan Rouhani, said: "My colleagues and I in the Steering Council and committees are proud that nearly 70 per cent of the Ministers and Vice Presidents and many of the vice ministers and organisations were the result of the expert suggestions of this transparent and participatory process. God willing, by removing the shortcomings, this method will be institutionalised".

The Parliament had, on August 21, confirmed all 19 ministers proposed by Pezeshkian - a first since 2001.

"After careful follow-ups and consultations with the Honorable President and with his written order, I will continue to perform my duties as the strategic deputy of the President, trusting in God and hoping for the companionship and guidance of the honourable people," he added.

Zarif, who was appointed to the post on August 1, had announced on August 11 that he was quitting - the same day that President Pezeshkian submitted a list of his ministerial picks to the Parliament.

While Zarif, who had campaigned extensively for Pezeshkian ahead of the presidential elections and was seen as one who brought out the reformist vote for him, had claimed he had quit due to "some forces" using him to put pressure on Pezeshkian, there were rumours that he was not happy at the final choice of ministers.

Zarif, while announcing his resignation, had said 10 of the 19 ministerial nominees were from the lists presented to Pezeshkian by the steering committee, though only three were first choices.
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : Jailed Kannada superstar Darshan's partner, the prime accused in the sensational fan Renukaswamy kidnap and murder case Pavithra Gowda has pleaded the court to grant bail, considering that she is a woman.

Bengaluru, Aug 27 (IANS) Jailed Kannada superstar Darshanas partner, the prime accused in the sensational fan Renukaswamy kidnap and murder case Pavithra Gowda has pleaded the court to grant bail, considering that she is a woman.

The court has adjourned the matter to August 28 (Wednesday). Darshan is the second accused in the case.

The City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru heard Pavithra Gowdaas bail application on Tuesday. Senior lawyer Tommy Sebastian, representing Pavithra Gowda has submitted to the court that it has to take the fact that the petitioner is a woman and grant her bail.

The senior counsel also quoted the Supreme Court judgment in this regard.

He argued that while Pavithra is accused of striking Renuka Swamy on the head and slapping him, she cannot be said to be part of the murder conspiracy.

The case is largely based on the voluntary statements of the accused, and no eyewitness testimony has been recorded. It still needs to be determined whether it was a murder conspiracy or an accidental death. The investigation has been completed, and the lawyer requested bail, considering that she is a woman.

Considering the evidence and witnesses in the investigation, the investigating officers have made Pavithra Gowda as the accused number one in the case. The remand applications submitted by the police to the court objecting to the granting of bail for the accused in the case state that her role is proved in the case.

Police stated that the fan Renukaswamy was brutally tortured and hacked to death after he had sent obscene and derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda.

After Darshan came to know about it, he got Renukaswamy kidnapped by the fan club president, kept him in the shed, and inhumanly tortured him to death.

Police claim that Pavithra Gowda was part of the conspiracy and present at the crime scene.

The gruesome murder of Renukaswamy took place on June 8 in Bengaluru. He was kidnapped from his hometown, Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and tortured to death.

After the murder, his body was thrown into a canal. The incident came to light after the security personnel of a private apartment building saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs.

The police are in the final stage of submitting the charge sheet in the case to the court.
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New Delhi, Aug 27 : A molecule developed in India by Professor D.S. Rawat and his team for the treatment of Parkinson's disease has cleared Phase I of human clinical trials.

The drug discovery is the most challenging process as it requires a lot of money and is time-consuming. Professor Rawat started this research while he was at Delhi University. Now he is serving as Vice Chancellor of Kumaun University, Nainital.

Rawat told IANS, "As per data available when a medicinal chemist synthesizes over 10,000 compounds and five compounds clear clinical trials and finally one comes to the market as a drug and it takes over 16-17 years with average cost of 450 million US dollars."

Last year a report was published disclosing the entry of Phase 1 clinical trials of a molecule (ATH 399A) originally synthesized by a team of researchers led by Rawat. This collaborative work started in 2012, when Prof Kwang-Soo Kim from McLean Hospital of America contacted Prof Rawat for possible collaboration to develop a molecule for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Since then both the teams worked tirelessly and screened more than 700 new compounds made by the team of researchers from Delhi University.

Rawat informed that Parkinson's is one of the diseases for which there is no treatment available till date. Presently, medication initially slows down the progress of the disease but as the disease progresses this treatment becomes useless. So scientists across the world are trying to develop a drug which can cure Parkinson's disease.

With this aim, a MoU was signed between Delhi University and McLean Hospital in 2012 and they tested over 700 new compounds for potential as a drug for Parkinson's treatment. In 2021, Delhi University and McLean Hospital transferred this technology to NurrOn pharmaceuticals to develop this molecule as a drug for Parkinson's treatment. Later HanAll Biopharma, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical joined hands with NurrOn Pharmaceuticals and last year started dosing the first human healthy participant in this Phase-1 clinical trial.

The Phase-1 study is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and food effect of ATH399A when orally administered to healthy participants aged 18 to 80 years.

The study encompasses both a single ascending dose (SAD) and multiple ascending dose (MAD) cohorts. The initial results from the Phase 1 clinical trial have now been made available and it has cleared the Phase I trials, making it a perfect molecule to treat Parkinson's disease. Next year the Phase II trials will begin where the Parkinson's disease patient will be treated with this molecule.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research supports the Phase 1 clinical trial of ATH399A.

In animal model studies this molecule showed that it activates the crucial Nurr1 enzyme to stop the death of the dopamine neuron and it also stops the aggregation of I-Synuclein protein, so it has two distinct mechanisms. This work was published by Nature Communications last year. This discovery is considered to be one of the most important in recent times for the treatment of an incurable disease, Rawat added.

Rawat said that the progress of this project has slowed as we can't get new PhD students as per a rule of Delhi University.
Hyderabad, Aug 27 : The government of Telangana will study the policy of France to issue digital health cards to citizens.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday asked the officials of the Department of Medical and Health to study the France model.

During a review meeting, the Chief Minister said that during his recent foreign visit, he was told that France adopted the best policy for issuing digital health cards.

The government decided to conduct another round of the aPraja Palanaa programme from September 17 to issue new ration cards and health cards to all eligible citizens.

The ration cards and health cards will be issued separately as the government has decided to delink them.

Henceforth, the health cards to be issued by the state government will only be considered for providing medical treatment under Rajiv Arogyasri and also the assistance extended from the Chief Ministeras Relief Fund (CMRF).

The Chief Minister ordered the officials to collect the details of every family during the 10-day programme and make necessary arrangements to organise the praja palana in all villages and wards across the state.

The review meeting was attended by state Health Minister Damodara Raja Narsimha, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Principal Secretary of Health Department Dr. Christina Chongtoo, Principal Secretary of Municipal Department Dana Kishore and Principal Secretary to CM Seshadri.

The Chief Minister asked the officials of the Medical and Health Department to make decisions on the procedures required to issue health digital cards, and medical tests to record the health profile of everyone, conduct health checkup camps in the villages and seek the help of laboratories in the state.

Revanth Reddy directed the health officials to be vigilant in view of increasing cases of seasonal diseases and expressed concern over rising Dengue, Chikungunya and other viral fever cases in the state. The officials have been asked to take appropriate preventive measures before the spread of diseases.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to intensify fogging and spraying to eradicate the mosquito menace in all towns and villages along with Greater Hyderabad. He warned that the employees who are indifferent to protecting public health will be suspended from the services.

He also ordered the officials under the GHMC jurisdiction, Medical and Health officials and the district collector to work in tandem to curb seasonal diseases. He asked them to seek the help of police, voluntary organisations and media to educate people about seasonal diseases.

Collectors and Panchayat Raj officials in all districts were directed to take up a special drive to prevent the spread of seasonal diseases immediately. Collectors are advised to make field visits in all villages and towns to ascertain the situation from time to time.
Manila, Aug 27 : At least 10 people went missing after two motorboats sank off the coast of Romblon province in the central Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.

Coast Guard Lieutenant Junior Grade John Laurence Banzuela, station commander of PCG in Aklan province, told Xinhua news agency by phone that the two boats departed Boracay island, a world-famous beach resort in Malay town in Aklan province, at around 4 a.m. Monday.

He said the boats were heading west to their hometown in Caluya, an island town in Antique province, when powerful waves sank the boats off San Jose, an island town in Romblon.

Banzuela said one of the boats carried 14 people while the other carried six. He said 10 people have so far been rescued.

Banzuela said the boats' passengers, all residents of Caluya town, spent the weekend on Boracay island.

"The search and rescue operations continue to find the missing persons," Banzuela added.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month has triggered widespread outrage across the city as well as the country.

In response to the horrific incident, the BJP has accused the Bengal government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding the perpetrators.

BJP leader Gourav Vallabh has now shared his thoughts on the case, and on a range of other issues, in an exclusive interview with IANS.

Excerpts:

IANS: There is significant public outrage over the rape and murder of the female doctor in Kolkata. The Chief Minister is organising rallies demanding death penalty for the accused. What is your take on this?

Gourav Vallabh: After such a heinous crime, who all were involved in destroying evidence? According to CBI sources, destruction of evidence is a serious concern in this case. Mamata Banerjee is shedding crocodile tears over this incident.

Is the Congress silent because they fear their alliance might fall apart? Some issues should transcend politics, and this is surely one of them. This is not a political event but a grave violation against women. Regardless of where such an incident occurs, it shames the entire nation.

Bengal was once the model for empowering women, but now the female Chief Minister is merely shedding crocodile tears. The Congress and Trinamool MPs, who used to disrupt the Parliament, are now conspicuously absent. There is a comment circulating on social media suggesting that aMamata Banerjee is opposing herselfa. The rallies she is organising are actually against herself.

If Mamata Banerjee has even a shred of empathy left, she should resign immediately. The law and order situation in the state is in complete disarray.

IANS: The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are claiming they will form the government in Haryana. What are your thoughts on this?

Gourav Vallabh: Just a few months ago, Congress and AAP were campaigning together. AAP's CM (Arvind Kejriwal) was jailed in a liquor scam, and the Congress leadership was staging protests in his support.

Now, these parties are set to contest against each other (in Haryana). The INDI Alliance's agenda is solely to remove PM Narendra Modi, not taking the country forward. They have no vision for national progress but are focused only on ousting PM Modi, who is working towards advancing the country.

In Haryana, Congress contested nine out of 10 seats (in the Lok Sabha polls), while AAP contested one. Their focus is not on the people of Haryana or the nation. There are several contenders for the Chief Minister's posit within the Congress, and some may even leave the party.

IANS: If Congress and AAP form an alliance and contest the Haryana polls, will it benefit or harm the BJP?

Gourav Vallabh: The BJP is contesting the elections on the basis of governance. We are presenting our achievements over the past 10 years and our plans for the next five years. Whether others form alliances or not does not concern us. We campaign on a positive agenda and performance. We do not focus on caste-based votes, Miss Universe's caste, or Olympic athletes' caste. We emphasise the agenda of collective progress and governance.

The people of Haryana have trusted the BJP for 10 years, and they will continue to support us. The third consecutive BJP government in Haryana is likely, as the people are tired of political manoeuvring.

IANS: Dushyant Chautala's Jananayak Janata Party (JJP) and the Azad Samaj Party led by Chandra Shekhar Azad are forming an alliance and contesting the elections in Haryana. Will this benefit or harm the BJP?

Gourav Vallabh: Our election agenda is based on 10 years of governance and plans for the next five years. These parties are seeking political advantage through alliances. The people of Haryana have trusted the BJP for 10 years, and this trust will lead to another BJP government. The electorate is weary of such political calculations and alliances.

IANS: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren is joining the BJP. How do you view this development?

Gourav Vallabh: For those who claim to champion tribal interests, 'tribal' seems to mean their own family.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leaders treat 'tribals' as synonymous with Hemanth Soren's family. When he was jailed, there was an attempt to make his wife the Chief Minister which didnat work out, so Champai Soren was appointed to the post.

But as soon as Hemant Soren was released on bail, Champai Soren was removed within four hours. Is Champai Soren not a tribal? Hemant Soren benefits from using the tribal label but he does not genuinely advance tribal interests.

He has only promoted his own family. The tribal community is closely observing this, and the deception of JMM is becoming clear. Champai Sorenas faith in the party has been shattered after he dedicated his entire life to the tribal cause. The tribal community will surely seek retribution in the upcoming Jharkhand elections by pressing the lotus button on the EVM.
Guwahati, Aug 27 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday claimed that there has not been a single riot in the state during BJP tenure while the Hindu-Muslim conflicts took place only during the Congress rule in the state.

Sarma, while speaking on the floors of Assam assembly said: "I have checked records. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ruled Assam for 10 years and the BJP has been in power for the last eight years. However, there has not been a single instance of communal riots during the tenure of these two parties. The Hindu-Muslim riots occurred only and only in the state when Congress was in power."

He claimed that it was the Congress which failed to provide adequate security to the Muslim community.

"Congress always runs behind Muslim votes, but the opposition party failed in giving security to the minority community. That is why I believe that the party which has wrong pasts should not speak on Hindu-Muslim conflicts," Sarma said.

He has also asserted that population imbalance is a big problem in Assam and this must be dealt with properly for the safety and security of the people of the state.

The Chief Minister said that the systematic decline of the Hindu population in the state is the most prominent aspect and it should be thoroughly discussed.

He claimed that Barpeta - the land of Srimanta Sankardev now has a meagre population of the Assamese community.

"In Barpeta, there are only 40 houses of Assamese people and MLA Sherman Ali mentioned that he would give them safety and security. This is disgraceful," Sarma said.

The Chief Minister further added: "Do you know why the issue of Hindu-Muslim is becoming a big problem in Assam? 40 houses of the minority in a place related to Satra culture are proud to say that they are given maintenance by an opposition MLA from the special community."

He said that the Hindu-Muslim population dynamics is the biggest issue in Assam because a Muslim Congress MLA in a Hindu country is proudly saying that 40 Hindu families in his region are safe because of his generosity.

Sarma asked Sherman Ali how he could say that he was giving shelter to the Assamese Hindu community.

Moreover, he also asserted that the Congress has been involved in tendering support to Bengali-origin Muslims to take over the state; however, this would not happen.

Sarma said: "Today MLA Rafikul Islam and opposition leader Debabrata Saikia mentioned that people from lower Assam will move towards the upper Assam. I ask why this should happen. The opposition wants Assam to be captured by Miya Muslims. They can try to do it but I will not let this happen in Assam. The Miya Muslims can never take charge of the state."

He also mentioned that the rights of the Indigenous people of Assam should be always safeguarded and the state has been going through economic and external aggression.

"The concept of economic and external aggression in Assam is not my observation. SC stated these things in a case earlier filed by Sarbananda Sonowal. Even the first Chief Minister of Assam Gopinath Bordoloi mentioned outside aggression. The opposition members can easily check my statement based on facts," Sarma added.
New Delhi/Santiago, Aug 27 : Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren will arrive in New Delhi late Tuesday on a two-day visit as India looks at enhancing cooperation with its key partner in Latin America.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Jaishankar and Klaveren will jointly chair the 2nd India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday before the visiting Foreign Minister and Esteban Valenzuela, the Agriculture Minister of Chile, participate in Chile-India Business (Agriculture) Summit.

The Chilean delegation will then proceed to Mumbai as it participates in various events to position the country in the Indian market.

"The forthcoming visit of Minister Klaveren will provide both sides an opportunity to review the progress in bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation, further strengthening bilateral ties," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.

Klaveren arrives in India from Vietnam where he held talks with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren and also met with Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son on Tuesday.

Before leaving for Asia, Klaveren met Abhilasha Joshi, the Indian ambassador to Chile, last Wednesday to discuss various aspects of his visit.

The minister emphasised that Chile is seeking new opportunities in the Asian sector and also strengthening ties with India in areas such as commercial cooperation and initiatives that facilitate the exchange of goods and services.

"India is a strategic market for the diversification of Chilean exports. Advantages are projected for the national industry of wines, meats, nuts, fruits, among others. In addition, this opportunity will allow us to continue consolidating a rich bilateral relationship with one of the most important economic powers in the world," the Chilean Foreign Ministry said after Foreign Minister's meeting with the Indian Ambassador.

According to the MEA, India's export to Chile, which continue to grow, are diversified and constitute motor vehicles/cars, drug formulations, chemicals, products of iron and steel, man-made yarn, fabrics, cotton fabrics, made-ups, RMG Cotton including accessories, auto components, electric machinery and equipment, leather goods, rubber products, bulk drugs, drug intermediates, footwear of leather, iron and steel, aluminium & its product, ceramics & allied products, RMG man-made fibres etc.

"As far as Indian investment in Chile is concerned, based on the information given by various companies, it amounts to about US$620 million. Indian companies have entered the Chilean market by acquiring Chilean companies or setting up joint ventures. Chilean investment in India amounts to US$ 118 million (source: DIPP). In addition, Chilean Financial Institutions have invested more than US$ 3.2 bn in the Indian Financial sector," the MEA states.
Srinagar, Aug 27 : Election Commission (EC) said that for the first phase of J&K Assembly polls, 279 candidates have filed their nomination papers till Tuesday, the last date of filing papers for the first phase in which voting is scheduled for September 18.

EC statement said 72 candidates have filed their nomination papers in Anantnag district, followed by 55 in Pulwama district, 41 in Doda district, 32 in Kishtwar district, 28 in Shopian district, 28 in Kulgam district, while 23 candidates have filed nominations in Ramban district.

In Jammu division, for the three assembly constituencies in Kishtwar district, a total of 13 candidates have filed nomination papers.

From Inderwal, 11 candidates have filed nominations, while eight candidates have filed nominations from the Padder-Nagseni constituency.

In the three constituencies in the Doda district, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Bhadarwah, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Doda, and nine candidates have filed nominations from Doda West.

For the two constituencies in Ramban district, a total of 13 candidates have filed nominations from Ramban while 10 candidates have filed nominations from Banihal.

In the Kashmir division, for the four constituencies in the Pulwama district, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Pampore, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Tral, 14 candidates have filed nominations from Pulwama and 12 candidates have filed nominations from Rajpora.

A total of 15 candidates have filed nominations from Zainapora while 13 candidates have filed nominations from the Shopian constituency in the Shopian district.

In the three constituencies in the Kulgam district, six candidates have filed nominations from DH Pora, 11 candidates have filed nominations from Kulgam and 11 candidates have filed nominations from Devsar.

For the seven constituencies in Anantnag district, a total of 12 candidates have filed nominations from Dooru, 11 candidates have filed nominations from Kokernag (ST), 14 candidates have filed nominations from Anantnag West, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Anantnag, three candidates have filed nomination from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Shangus-Anantnag East and six candidates have filed nomination from Pahalgam.

It may be mentioned that more than 23.27 lakh voters which include 11.76 lakh male voters and 11.51 lakh female voters and 60 third-gender electors are eligible to exercise their electoral franchise during the Phase-I of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election, scheduled to be held on September 18, 2024.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised by the respective Returning Officers on 28 August while the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by or before 30 August up to 3 pm in the office of Returning Officer.

--IANS

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Jaipur, Aug 27 : The Rajasthan government on Tuesday suspended Sub Inspector Aashutosh and put Additional SP Jagdish Vyas and Additional Commissioner of Police Anil Sharma on Awaited Postal Order (APO) status in the head constable suicide case.

"The SIT will be formed under the ADG Crime Dinesh MN," an official said.

An official said that a consensus has been built on seven demands raised by the family of the deceased which included giving service benefits and pension to his wife, a job on compassionate grounds for his kid and securing the future of his younger daughter among others.

Announcing service benefits, Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa said that Rs 55 lakh will be released soon as service benefits for Babulal Bairwa, and pension will be arranged for his wife.

The state also announced that the deceased's son Tanuj Gothwal will be given an immediate compassionate job, while the elder daughter Sakshi Gothwal will get a contractual job.

The deceased younger daughter will be adopted by the police family and all expenses from her education to marriage will be borne by the police.

Head constable Babulal Bairwa committed suicide on August 20 and shared a suicide note in the WhatsApp group of police officials groups.

The six-page suicide note was found in his possession in which he held ASP Vyas, ACP Anil Sharma, SI Aashutosh and journalist Kamal Degda responsible for his death, also alleged torturing him.

Meanwhile, his family members have been sitting in a protest for the last six days demanding a SIT probe and job for a family member and decent compensation.

On Tuesday, a meeting was held in the secretariat in the presence of ACS Home, DGP and other officials where Babulal Bairwa's wife, his son and other family members of the society participated.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and prominent Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren is poised to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30.

Amid this significant political switch, BJP leader Gourav Vallabh has sharply criticised the JMM's approach to 'tribal representation'.

Vallabh has accused the JMM of reducing the concept of "tribal" to merely a designation for Hemant Soren's family, rather than the wider tribal community.

He also argued that the JMM, under Hemant Soren's leadership, has failed to extend its focus beyond the Chief Minister's immediate relatives.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS on Tuesday, Vallabh said that for JMM leaders, a tribal is essentially just Hemant Soren's family.

He also highlighted that when Hemant Soren was jailed, there was an initial attempt to make his wife the Chief Minister.

"When that plan failed, Champai Soren was given the role," he said.

"However, within just four hours of Hemant Soren's release from jail on bail, Champai Soren was removed from his position," he said.

Vallabh also questioned whether Hemant Soren is the only representative of the tribal identity, and if Champai Soren is not considered a tribal.

Vallabh accused Hemant Soren of exploiting the tribal identity for personal gain, while failing to extend opportunities to other tribals. He also claimed that Soren's agenda is not to advance the broader tribal community, but rather to keep power within his family.

Talking to IANS, Vallabh asserted that the tribal society is closely observing these developments which have left it disillusioned.

He also expressed confidence that the tribal community will respond during the Jharkhand elections scheduled later this year by voting for the BJP.

The announcement of Champai Soren's move to join the BJP came after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Monday evening.

Assam Chief Minister and BJP co-in-charge for Jharkhand elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma, played a crucial role in facilitating this transition.

Sarma also shared a picture of the meeting with Shah and Champai Soren on social media, confirming that Soren will officially join the BJP in Ranchi on August 30.
Bhopal, Aug 27 : India's ambitious 'Project Cheetah' received yet another setback on Tuesday as one more feline Pawan died at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the forest official said.

Pawan (Indian name) was among eight cheetahs brought from Namibia on September 1, 2022, and they all were released at Kuno National Park (KNP) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of his birthday.

The male cheetah, Pawan, was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30 AM on Tuesday, as per a statement issued by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (APCCF) and Director of Lion Project, Uttam Sharma.

"No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body. The exact reason for the death of Cheetah Pawan would be known after the autopsy, which is being conducted by a group of veterinarians, is done," he added.

Sources told IANS that Pawan was found lying in a drain located in Morena district. Wildlife Activist Ajay Dube, who posted the news of Pawan's death on his social media account, claimed that "Cheetah Pawan was found dead in a drain earlier in the day; however, KNP did not disclose it for the next few hours."

He further said the death of the 'strongest' cheetah - Pawan - has raised many questions about the KNP and has also raised concern about the safety of other felines living there.

"Pawan was the strongest and fittest among other cheetahs. This was the reason he was set in an open forest to venture. It's a big setback for the project, which is part of the investigation," Dube added.

There have been several stances when the forest officials had to struggle with his location as he used to move out beyond the enclosure set for the cheetahs at KNP.

Importantly, this setback came at the time when some of the cheetahs, especially those that had adopted the KNP's enclosure, were set to be released into open forest.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which is the nodal agency for the 'Project Cheetah' recently held a meeting with top wildlife and forest officials associated with Kuno National Park in New Delhi.

The fitness of cheetah Pawan and his successful venturing into open forest areas was one of the main reasons the NTCA was planning to release some more big cats into open forests.

Pawan is the eight adult cheetah that died since 20 cheetahs were transported from Namibia and South Africa in two different phases between September 2022 and February 2023. Now, there are 24 cheetahs at Kuno - 12 adults and 12 cubs, born at the national park.

Under the translocation project, 20 cheetahs were brought to India in two batches - eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa last February - of which seven have died until this January. The adult cheetahs gave birth to 17 cubs, of which 12 survived.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : As India commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on August 28, beneficiaries of one of the ambitious initiatives of the Narendra Modi government are all praise for it.

Launched on August 28, 2014, the scheme has successfully integrated the poor and marginalised sections of the country into the banking system. It has also facilitated the direct transfer of social security benefits through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries.

Millions of people have benefited from the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, and many beneficiaries have expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Modi. In conversations with IANS on Tuesday, they shared their experiences and the positive impact of the scheme.

Neetu Yadav from Bhopal mentioned that opening an account under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana brought significant convenience. Before having a bank account, they used to keep money at home, which posed risks of theft and loss.

With the Jan Dhan account, they now enjoy better security and receive government benefits directly, such as the Ladli Behna Yojana and gas subsidy, in their bank accounts.

Beneficiary Mamta recalled the difficulties she faced when trying to open a bank account before the scheme. She had to make several trips to the bank, and seeing others with accounts made her wish for one as well. With the PMJDY, she has saved a considerable amount of money and is now able to plan better for the future.

Another female beneficiary highlighted that she opened her account eight years ago through the Jan Dhan scheme. She expressed her surprise at the benefits she received, including the Ladli Behna Yojana. Before the scheme, getting a bank account required multiple visits to banks. She is thankful that government funds are now deposited directly into her account without any deductions.

Shailendra Kumar from Bihar shared that he opened his account under the scheme in 2015. Previously, opening a bank account was fraught with difficulties, but the zero-balance feature of the Jan Dhan account made it possible for him to have a bank account.

Student Narottam Singh opened his account under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana upon turning 18, as his school required it for a scholarship. The schemeas zero-balance requirement made it easy for him to open an account and receive his scholarship funds.

Beneficiary Sheela Yadav mentioned that before the PMJDY, opening a bank account required money. However, with the scheme, she was able to open an account with zero balance.

Usha Devi also recounted her experience of opening an account under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana ten years ago. Previously, banks demanded a deposit of Rs. 5,000 to open an account, but the scheme allowed her to open an account with zero balance.

Himanshu Nagpal, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Varanasi, reported that in Prime Minister Modias constituency of Varanasi, 1,866,621 accounts have been opened as of now under the PMJDY.

The scheme benefits every family, and pensions and subsidies are directly deposited into accounts without intermediaries. Camps are set up in villages to open accounts with zero balance for new residents.

Satyavati Devi from Mathura shared that having an account under the PMJDY has been extremely beneficial. Subsidy payments are now directly credited to her account, which has been a great help.

Panchi Devi mentioned that pension and gas subsidies are directly deposited into her Jan Dhan account, which aids in managing her expenses.

The objective of the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, introduced by the Modi government, was to empower the economically weaker sections and integrate them into the banking sector. It provides banking services to those previously without access.

The scheme requires no initial deposit and no minimum balance. Each account holder is issued a free RuPay debit card. According to data from the Ministry of Finance, over 500 million Jan Dhan accounts have been opened under this scheme.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Hours after the apex court granted her bail and the trial court accepted her bail bonds, BRS lawmaker K. Kavitha on Tuesday walked out of the Tihar Jail here.

Emotional scenes were witnessed as brother and BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao and other family members greeted her on her release.

Kavitha also addressed her supporters outside. According to a post on the BRS handle, she said that struggle is not new for her and she has seen many ups and downs in her 18 in politics.

Thanking the BRS and party chief and father K. Chandrashekar Rao for supporting her and and her family, she vowed that they will definitely pay back, with interest, those who created problems for the BRS and their family.

She also thanked all those who had supported their family in this difficult time.

Kavitha was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate from her Hyderabad home on March 15 and brought to Delhi. She was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11 when she was in Tihar Jail.

Earlier in the day, the top court allowed her bail pleas in both the CBI as well as the ED cases.

A bench, headed over by Justice B.R. Gavai, directed Kavitha to regularly attend the trial proceedings and cooperate with the expeditious disposal of the trial.

"The appellant is directed to be forthwith released on bail in both (CBI and ED) cases on furnishing bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each. She shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses. The appellant shall deposit her passport with the trial court," it ordered.

The bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, clarified that it made no observations on merits while releasing Kavitha on bail and such observations will not prejudice the conduct of trial.

Subsequently, the bail bonds were posted in the Rouse Avenue Court and it issued an order to release her from Tihar Jail.

She moved the Supreme Court after she was denied bail by the special court and the Delhi High Court and the apex court on August 12, agreed to examine her pleas and asked the CBI and the ED to file their reply. At that stage, it had declined to pass any interim relief without hearing the side of investigative agencies.
Moscow, Aug 27 : Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Region was a high-stake gambit aimed at forcing it to divert troops from a key sector of the front line in the Donbas area, but has failed to meet its objective, Ukraine's top army commander admitted on Tuesday.

"One of the tasks of conducting an offensive operation in the Kursk direction was to divert significant enemy forces from other directions, first and foremost the Pokrovsk and Kurakhovsk directions," Colonel General Aleksandr Syrsky said at a press conference in the Ukrainian capital, RT reported.

"Of course, the enemy understands this, so it continues to focus its main efforts on the Pokrovsk direction, where its most combat-ready units are concentrated. The enemy is trying to withdraw units from other directions, while in the Pokrovsk direction, on the contrary, it is increasing its efforts," he said, describing the situation in Pokrovsk and Kurakhovsk as "quite difficult" for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As per RT, Pokrovsk and Kurakhovsk in the western part of the Donetsk People's Republic sit on key supply roads linking Donetsk with Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye. Pokrovsk is a major logistics hub for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which have heavily fortified the city since 2014.

Russian forces have been conducting heavy attacks on Pokrovsk in recent weeks, with American officials acknowledging on Monday that the Russians have been making "incremental gains" toward the city.

Ukrainian forces invaded Russia's Kursk Region on August 6, in the largest attack on internationally recognised Russian territory since the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022. The advance was quickly halted by the Russian military, but fighting in the region continues, and Ukrainian troops still hold a number of settlements in the border area.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the incursion has cost Ukraine more than 3,400 service members and around 400 armoured vehicles.

The Economist recently reported that Syrsk planned and ordered the attack on Russia's Kursk Region in a last-ditch attempt to avoid being fired. Citing sources familiar with the planning for Ukraine's largest cross-border incursion to date, Syrsky was on the verge of being sacked just weeks before the operation began because of the crumbling front in Donbas.

The Ukrainians also reportedly did not inform their Western backers about its Kursk plans, for fear that they would order the operation to be scrapped, or that the details would be leaked.
United Nations, Aug 27 : Failing to adopt measures for Security Council reforms at its current session, the UN General Assembly on Tuesday decided unanimously to push the negotiations to the next, a move India decried as risking the process's legitimacy.

The negotiation process, known as the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN), "risks losing legitimacy if it continues indefinitely" without producing a tangible result, Yojana Patel, India's Deputy Permanent Representative, told the Assembly after it voted the rollover to the session that begins next month.

Calling the IGN's failure to adopt a negotiating text to meaningfully move the discussions forward "untenable", she said: "It is clear that progress in this process continues to be incremental at best, and far from what most delegations aim for given the importance and urgency of this issue."

Year after year since the start of the IGN process in 2009, the Assembly has kept pushing the negotiations to the next session. It could not start formal negotiations because of opposition from some countries to the adoption of a formal negotiating text, which India has demanded. This is mainly because a group of 12 countries calling themselves Uniting for Consensus led by Italy and including Pakistan and Canada have used procedural gambits to block it from adopting a negotiating text.

"This ongoing exercise aimed at expanding convergences appears to have run its course, and in contributing to any meaningful progress, urgent text-based negotiations are the need of the hour," Patel said. She also questioned the acceptability of the text about the Council reforms contributed by the IGN co-chairs for inclusion in the Pact of the Future to be adopted at the Summit of the Future (SOTF) next month to chart the UN's course as it turns 80 next year.

"Finalised without due negotiations", it "does not accurately reflect the sentiment of the member states", she said.

Patel also criticised the "Elements Paper" prepared by IGN co-chairs, Permanent Representatives Tareq Albanai of Kuwait and Alexander Marschik of Austria, summarising the progress of the negotiations in the current session and to be the basis for continuing it. She said it was a "subjective summary", riddled with contradictions and "inaccurate and misleading" because, for example, it gives the impression that there is convergence among regional groups while also admitting in a footnote that there was no consensus.

Speaking on behalf of the G4 - India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan which together push for reform and mutually support their permanent memberships in a reformed Council  Brazil's Permanent Representative Sergio Danese warned that if the negotiations fail to move forward," it might be inevitable to conclude that the IGN framework is irreversibly unfit, or worse, that it is an impediment to reform".

"In this case", he said, "the member states will demand for novel ways and strategies".

But he added a note of optimism saying: "It is promising to see a growing consensus within the United Nations on the need for urgent reform".

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "very much hopes that member states, in their wisdom, will bring the process of Security Council reform to a result", his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said after the vote. Guterres "has been extremely vocal, especially lately, on the need for reform, notably on the need to find a [permanent] seat for an African country on the Security Council," he added,

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Agartala, Aug 27 : Five Bangladeshi nationals, who after illegally entering India were working at a construction site in West Tripura, were arrested on Tuesday while neighbouring country currency was also recovered from them, police said.

Police said that an Indian tout Isha Ali, a resident of Murshidabad in West Bengal, was also arrested along with the Bangladeshi citizens.

A police official said that after getting information, police of the New Capital Complex police station conducted a raid at Nandannagar on the outskirts of Agartala and arrested the Bangladeshi nationals, aged between 20 to 30 years old.

All the arrested Bangladeshi citizens and the Indian tout were produced in a local court, which sent them in police custody.

Police said that an investigation is underway in the case.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) arrested another Bangladeshi national in West Tripura.

A BSF spokesman said that border guarding troops deployed in the area of Border Out Post Nischintpur apprehended the Bangladesh citizen when he was trying to negotiate border fencing to enter into India illegally.

Over the last three months, around 300 Bangladeshi nationals and 32 Rohingyas were arrested by the BSF, Government Railway Police and Tripura Police from the Agartala railway station and various other places in Tripura after they illegally entered India.

After the troubles and violence began in the neighbouring country in June security along the India-Bangladesh frontiers was further tightened and a close vigil has been maintained.

The BSF spokesman said that during the past two months, the force has foiled several infiltration bids in different bordering areas of the northeastern states and also arrested some Indian touts and human traffickers.

In view of ongoing unrest and political crisis in Bangladesh, the BSF has stepped up its vigilance along the India-Bangladesh border with northeastern states and maintained close coordination with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at various levels, he said.

To heighten the security along the border, the BSF has also introduced a multi-pronged strategy to prevent trans-border crime and illegal infiltration, with state-of-the-art hand-held thermal imagers and drones have been inducted.

BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary, Additional Director General, BSF, Eastern Command Ravi Gandhi, and Inspector Generals of BSFas four frontiers in the northeastern region are regularly visiting the border areas and closely reviewing the preparedness of the troopers.

Gandhi is also heading a committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to monitor the current situation on the India-Bangladesh border, which spans 1,880 km with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km).
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Emotional scenes were witnessed outside Tihar Jail on Tuesday night as BRS MLC K. Kavitha walked out after spending more than five months behind bars in the Delhi excise policy case.

Kavitha, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court earlier in the day, turned emotional on meeting her family members.

Soon after coming out, she hugged her husband D. Anil Kumar and son and kissed the hand of her brother and party Working President K.T. Rama Rao.

Kavitha, daughter of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, raised the slogan of 'Jai Telangana' after stepping out of the jail.

"I want to thank all of you. I became emotional after meeting my son, brother and husband today after almost 5 months. Only politics is responsible for this situation. The country knows that I was put in jail only because of politics, I did not make any mistake I will fight," she told media persons.

"We are fighters. We will fight it out legally. We will fight it out politically. We always fought. By sending us to jail illegally, they only made the BRS and KCR team unbreakable," Kavitha added.

BRS leader and Kavitha's cousin T. Harish Rao and several other party leaders were present outside the jail to welcome Kavitha.

Kavitha later met the BRS leader at the party office in Vasant Vihar. She was seen offering sweets to her brother. The BRS MLC will stay in Delhi on Tuesday night. She is expected to reach Hyderabad on Wednesday evening.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday morning granted bail to Kavitha in connection with the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. Kavitha, a member of Telangana Legislative Council, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate at her Hyderabad home on March 15. The same day she was shifted to the national capital and since then, she was in custody. She was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11 when she was in Tihar Jail.

Earlier in the day, the top court allowed her bail pleas in both the CBI as well as the ED cases.

A bench, headed over by Justice B.R. Gavai, directed Kavitha to regularly attend the trial proceedings and cooperate with the expeditious disposal of the trial.

"The appellant is directed to be forthwith released on bail in both (CBI and ED) cases on furnishing bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each. She shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses. The appellant shall deposit her passport with the trial court," it ordered.

The bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, clarified that it made no observations on merits while releasing Kavitha on bail and such observations will not prejudice the conduct of trial.

Subsequently, the bail bonds were posted in the Rouse Avenue Court and it issued an order to release her from Tihar Jail.

Kavitha had moved the Supreme Court after she was denied bail by the special court and the Delhi High Court and the apex court, on August 12, agreed to examine her pleas and asked the CBI and the ED to file their reply. At that stage, it had declined to pass any interim relief without hearing the side of investigative agencies.
Agartala, Aug 28 : Prohibitory orders, imposed in West Tripura's Jirania subdivision on Monday after violence in the area over the defacing of the idol at a Kali temple, have been extended, an official statement said.

A large contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force, the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and state police have been deployed at Koitorabari in West Tripura district after the unidentified assailants torched at least 16 houses, and burnt several vehicles in nearby areas late on Sunday night, leaving four persons injured in wake of the vandalism.

Director General of Police, Intelligence, Anurag Dhankar, West Tripura District Superintendent of Police, Kiran Kumar K, and District Magistrate Vishal Kumar have visited the tension-ridden areas, 12 km from here and senior police officials are camping in the area.

An official said on Tuesday night that the West Tripura district administration has extended the prohibitory order in the trouble-torn Jirania subdivision under Section 163 of the BNSS.

"a..as per information received from the Superintendent of Police, West Tripura, there is still an apprehension of breach of peace and tranquillity, danger to human life and property, obstruction and injury to persons under Jirania subdivision. I am satisfied that there are sufficient grounds for imposing further restrictions on movement of people to prevent any untoward incident and to prevent a breach of public peace and tranquillity and imposition of prohibitory order under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023 is urgently required in the entire Jirania subdivision till August 31," the DM's order read.

Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, who is the local MLA, visited the affected areas and urged the people to maintain calm and communal harmony.

As opposition Congress and CPI-M accused the ruling BJP of exploiting communal tensions for political gains over the incident, BJPas state General Secretary, Amit Rakshit, urged the opposition parties to refrain from politicising such sensitive issues, especially when the state is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating flood that has affected a large section of the population.
Ankara, Aug 28 : Turkish Police detained 336 suspects for manufacturing and trafficking drugs in operations across the country, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

The police seized more than 2.4 tonnes of narcotics and 888,923 narcotic pills in raids across 49 provinces, Yerlikaya wrote on social media platform X on Tuesday, without specifying the time of the operations.

The "Narkocelik-35" operations, conducted across 49 provinces, involved 832 teams, 2,081 personnel, 10 aerial vehicles, and 39 narcotic detector dogs, according to Yerlikaya as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"We are determined to rid our country of poison dealers and street vendors," he added.

Minister Yerlikaya said on his social media account that operations were conducted in 49 provinces, including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Antalya, targeting local criminal organisations and drug manufacturers.

Regarding the operations, the Minister said, "I want our dear nation to know that we are determined to rid our country of drug dealers and street vendors."

Turkey, often used by illegal drug dealers as a transit hub to European markets, has ramped up its crackdown on drug smuggling since 2023.
Moscow/Kyiv, Aug 28 : Ukraine's state-run energy company Ukrenergo has said that it has implemented nationwide power cuts following Russia's largest-ever airstrike on the country.

Ukrenergo said that electricity restrictions would be in place in all Ukrainian regions from 6 to 11 a.m. local time, and from 3 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, as more than 500 settlements across Ukraine remain without power, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia on Monday launched 127 missiles and 109 combat drones, targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram, claiming "the most massive air attack".

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that it had carried out a group strike with long-range airborne precision weapons on critical Ukrainian airfield infrastructure, saying "all designated targets were hit".

The efforts to repair damaged power infrastructure are underway, said Ukrenergo.

Russia fired dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine for a second day on Tuesday, including some that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said were shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets before they reached their targets.

The onslaught killed at least five people, destroying a hotel, homes and residential buildings as well as critical infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions. Kyiv and other cities had power outages in sweltering heat.

As it often does in statements after Russian bombing raids, Ukraine's military listed the Russian regions and occupied territories where the weapons were launched. President Zelensky and other top officials have called repeatedly for the US to lift restrictions and let Ukraine strike deep inside Russia to hit military infrastructure responsible for the war.

"(The allies) try not to speak with me about it. But I keep raising this topic. Generally, that's it. The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong continues," the Ukrainian President said.

In comments addressing the apparent first use by Ukraine of the F-16s to shoot down a missile, Zelensky thanked Ukraine's supporters for them but said there were too few, and too few pilots trained to fly them.

Among the Russian regions listed as a source of Tuesday's attack was Kursk, where the head of the Ukrainian army said his troops have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) since their surprise incursion three weeks ago. That's roughly the size of Los Angeles.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi also said Ukraine had captured 594 Russian prisoners in the operation, which he said was intended to draw Russia's military away from the fighting in Ukraine. His claims could not be independently confirmed.

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, has forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent the movements might be weakening Russia's positions in Ukrainian territory.

Fighting in the region has raised concerns about dangers to the Kursk nuclear power plant, said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who visited it on Tuesday. He said in a post on X the situation was "serious" and called any attack on a nuclear plant unacceptable.

"There is now a danger of a nuclear incident here," Grossi said.

"Today I was told about several cases of drone attacks on the territory, on the plant's facilities. At the plant I saw traces of these attacks."

But the plant now is operating "in a mode very close to normal," he added.

The Russian Defence Ministry asserted on Tuesday that Ukraine had suffered heavy casualties in Kursk -- some 6,600 troops killed or injured -- and that more than 70 tanks had been destroyed along with scores of armoured vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

The head of the Ukrainian army's claim of territorial control came hours after the second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile attacks from Russia.

Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which Zelensky said included 81 drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

In the Kyiv region, which struggled with blackouts after Monday's onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defences destroyed all the drones and missiles but falling debris set off forest fires.

After Monday's barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said "the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists" and urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

US President Joe Biden called Monday's Russian attack on energy infrastructure "outrageous" and said he had "reprioritised US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first".

He also said the US was "surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy grid".

Russian officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region.
Mad Cave Studios, now celebrating 10 years, continues to expand its wide-ranging library of graphic novels and comics. Nakama Press is a new imprint focused on manga and other international offshoots of the art form, including manhwa, manfra, and manhua. Allison Pond, director of marketing for Mad Cave, spoke with PW about how Nakama taps into the growing popularity of manga worldwide while honoring the form's traditions and supporting emerging artists.

What made you decide to launch Nakama Press?

As we looked at the landscape of graphic storytelling, we noticed a growing appetite for manga and manga-inspired content in the American market. At Mad Cave, weve always been committed to delivering compelling stories and pushing the boundaries of the medium. Nakama Press was born out of a desire to extend that mission of translating the world of manga, manhwa, manfra, and manhua from East to West. We see endless possibilities for storytelling, innovation, and reaching new audiences. Nakama, which means "friends" or "comrades" in Japanese, represents the community and shared passion we want to build around this imprint, publishing stories that resonate globally.

How is Mad Cave reaching out to discover new manga artists?

Were taking a multifaceted approach to discovering new talent. Mark Irwin, our president, dedicated significant portions of the past few years to traveling extensively in order to connect with creators and partners for the start of Nakama Press. We've established strong connections with artists and creators both domestically and internationally and are actively engaging with creative communities online and in person. We're also partnering with existing licensed partners from some of our other imprints and have been in discussions with new partners that were positive readers will be excited about as theyre revealed. Our goal is to create a space where talented storytellers can thrive and have a platform to bring unique stories and perspectives to readers.

Is there a growing audience for manga, manhwa, manfra, and manhua in America?

Absolutely. The audience for manga and its related forms is not only growing but diversifying. Were seeing more readers from different backgrounds and age groups, all eager to explore the richness of these art forms. Digital platforms and the increased availability of translated works have played a significant role in expanding access, and we believe this trend will continue as more people discover the depth and variety that manga, manhwa, manfra, and manhua offer.

Is Nakama offering entirely original content, or are you publishing new chapters in previously established series?

Nakama Press is focusing on a mix of both. Were incredibly excited to bring new, original stories to life, showcasing fresh talent and narratives that havent been seen before. At the same time, were honored to work with established properties, like the upcoming releases with Tatsunoko Productions *INFINI-T FORCE* next year, among others, to introduce these beloved series to new audiences or bring them to the next stage of their journey. This balance allows us to celebrate the past while innovating for the future.

Manga has an amazingly rich history. How do you plan to both celebrate the art form's legacy while also inviting innovation?

We deeply respect the traditions and history that have made manga what it is today. Nakama Press aims to honor this legacy by ensuring that every story we publish reflects the high standards and creative spirit that have defined manga for decades. At the same time, were committed to pushing boundaries by exploring new genres, narrative styles, and artistic approaches. Our goal is to create a dialogue between the past and the future, where timeless storytelling techniques meet cutting-edge innovation.

Are we in a new manga golden age?

It certainly feels like it. With the surge in mangas popularity across the globe and the incredible diversity of content being produced, theres a renewed energy in the industry thats reminiscent of past golden ages. Whats different now is the level of accessibilitymore people than ever are reading manga, thanks to digital platforms and international licensing. This global reach is fueling a creative renaissance, and Nakama Press is thrilled to be part of this vibrant era.

What can you share about your new partnerships with studios like Tatsunoko Production and Rainbow Group?

Were incredibly excited about our partnerships with these iconic studios. Collaborating with Tatsunoko Production, for example, on *INFINI-T FORCE* is a dream come true. Their legacy in the industry is unparalleled, and were honored to bring their stories to an English-speaking audience through Nakama Press. These partnerships allow us to offer a blend of classic and contemporary content, providing our readers with a rich tapestry of stories that span generations. Were committed to maintaining the integrity of these beloved franchises while also exploring new ways to engage with fans.

From your perspective, what makes manga and other graphic storytelling so powerful and enduring?

Manga and graphic storytelling, in general, have a unique ability to convey complex emotions, ideas, and narratives in a way that is both accessible and profound. The combination of visual art and written word allows for a depth of storytelling that can be both immersive and intimate. Whether its a high-energy battle scene or a quiet moment of introspection, these stories resonate on a deeply human level. Theyre also incredibly versatile, capable of exploring any genre, theme, or idea. This flexibility, combined with the universal appeal of visual storytelling, is what makes manga so powerful and enduring. Its a medium that constantly evolves while staying true to its core of engaging and moving its audience.
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Adani group is on track to surpass a combined Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) of Rs 1 trillion in the ongoing financial year (FY25) as it prepares for a $2 billion (over Rs 16,700 crore) share sale by its flagship entity Adani Enterprises next month, according to a source close to the matter.

Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

For the financial year ending March 2024, the group reported a combined Ebitda of Rs 82,917 crore, according to a presentation made to the bankers.

This significant increase is anticipated due to the growth in its core infrastructure sectors, bolstered by recent acquisitions of Penna Cement and Sanghi Cement.

Adani group is on track to surpass a combined Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) of Rs 1 trillion in the ongoing financial year (FY25) as it prepares for a $2 billion (over Rs 16,700 crore) share sale by its flagship entity Adani Enterprises next month, according to a source close to the matter.

The groups cement, power, and green energy businesses are expected to contribute 86 per cent to this years Ebitda.

Across its 10 listed companies, the Adani group is investing nearly $15 billion (Rs 1.2 trillion) in the current financial year, raising equity funds to support these initiatives.

Over the next decade, the conglomerate plans to invest an additional $100 billion (Rs 8.3 trillion) in various infrastructure projects, with a detailed funding strategy already in place, according to senior company executives.

To attract investors, the group is conducting road shows globally. Last week, the promoter family sold a minority stake in Ambuja Cements as part of their portfolio rebalancing efforts and may consider selling an additional 3 per cent in Adani Power.

In terms of debt exposure, data reveals that Indian lenders have increased their exposure to the Adani group over the past year.

Prominent public sector banks, including State Bank of India, REC, PFC, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, and Canara Bank, as well as private banks like Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank, have extended funds for various projects.

The groups net debt decreased to Rs 1.81 trillion in the financial year ending March 2024, down from Rs 1.86 trillion in FY23.

Among its companies, Adani Power is actively acquiring major electricity generation projects.

It has emerged as the highest bidder for KSK Mahanadi, a bankrupt power firm, with an offer of Rs 27,000 crore.

Additionally, it is in the process of acquiring Lanco Amarkantak for Rs 4,100 crore, and is negotiating the purchase of Vidarbha Power.

Shares of Adani Enterprises closed at Rs 3,068 a share on Monday, up by 7.7 per cent since January this year.

The benchmark BSE Sensex is up 26 per cent this year since January.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) distributors' association has written to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, expressing its apprehensions that the unchecked expansion of quick commerce platforms was leading to severe disruptions in the retail ecosystem.

Photograph: Courtesy, Zepto

India Consumer Products Distributors Federation on Thursday shot an email to the government, saying that significant challenges were posed by the rapid growth of quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart to the traditional retail sector and the FMCG distribution network in the country.

"While we acknowledge the role of innovation and technology in shaping the future of commerce, the unchecked expansion of these quick commerce platforms is leading to severe disruptions in the retail ecosystem, the letter said India's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regulations.

The FDI rules clearly prohibit e-commerce entities operating under the marketplace model from holding inventory or exercising control over inventory sold on their platforms.

"However, it appears that these quick commerce platforms may be engaging in practices that blur the lines between a marketplace and an inventory-based model, potentially violating FDI norms, it said.

It added that it is not only creating an uneven playing field but also threatening the livelihoods of millions of small retailers and distributors who have been the backbone of Indias retail sector.

The FMCG distributors association asked the government to initiate an investigation into the operational models of these quick commerce platforms so that they ensure compliance with FDI norms, implement measures for small retailers and traditional distributors to safeguard their interests and prevent monopolistic practices and facilitate a dialogue between all stakeholders from the retail sector, FMCG companies and quick commerce platforms.

It comes days after the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the e-commerce sectors rapid growth is a cause for concern and not pride, warning that it could lead to job losses in traditional retail.

He argued that e-commerce platforms are taking business away from small retailers by offering high-margin products, such as consumer electronics and apparel, at discounted rates.

While acknowledging the importance of e-commerce, Goyal stressed the need to carefully consider its role in a more organised manner, weighing both its benefits and potential drawbacks.

The minister later softened his stance, clarifying the government is not opposed to e-commerce but is focused on ensuring fair competition between online and offline businesses.
Had you invested Rs 10,000 each in JSW Steel, Titan Company and Bajaj Finance 20 years ago, when they were just penny stocks (trading below Rs 10), you would be a millionaire by now.

Penny stocks to buy: Investing in the stock markets needs skill, foresight and a lot of patience.

While timing the markets to catch the falling knife is not easy, one truly needs foresight to evaluate a company, its business model and the potential.

Had you invested Rs 10,000 each in JSW Steel, Titan Company and Bajaj Finance 20 years ago, when they were just penny stocks (trading below Rs 10), you would have become a millionaire by now.

JSW Steel stock that traded at Rs 1.02 levels back in August 2004 is now hovering around Rs 940 levels, translating into a huge 923 times (x) return in the last 20 years.

Rs 10,000 invested in this stock back in August 2004 is worth Rs 92.3 lakh now.

Similarly, Bajaj Finance and Titan Company stocks have seen a massive surge of 868x and 520x respectively during the last 20 years, ACE Equity data shows.

Rs 10,000 invested in these counters is now worth Rs 86.8 lakh and Rs 52 lakh, respectively.

That said, it should be noted that the 2004 prices are adjusted for bonus issues and stock splits announced by some of these companies.

For instance, Titan had announced a stock split in April 2011, wherein investors got 10 shares of Re 1 face value each for every share of face value of Rs 10 held.

Later in June 2011, it announced a one-for-one bonus shares. So effectively, an investor holding 100 shares in April 2011 would end up 2,000 shares post the stock split and bonus issue.

Similarly, Bajaj Finance has also made a five-for-one stock split in July 2016 followed by a one-for-one bonus issue in September 2016, while JSW Steel made a ten-for-one stock split in October 2016.

These three stocks top the 20-year return chart amongst the counters that comprise the Nifty 50 index now.

Eicher Motors, Asian Paints, Adani Enterprises, Divi s Laboratories, Britannia Industries and Apollo Hospitals are some of the other stocks that comprise the Nifty 50 index now, and have given a phenomenal return during the last 20 years, ACE Equity data shows.

By comparison, the Nifty 50 index has gained 1,455 per cent during this period.

So, what fuelled this massive surge in JSW Steel, Titan Company and Bajaj Finance over these years?

A common thread in the last 20 years, analysts said, is that they were consistent growth stories of their time and were more focused on India rather than foreign markets for this growth.

"India grew at a brisk pace in the last 20 years at around 6 to 7 per cent and these companies were well-positioned to capitalize on this," said G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research.

"JSW Steel, for instance, focused on its India operations, built capacity at the right time and ended up a winner," Chokkalingam added.

"Similarly, Titan Company and Bajaj Finance are solid growth stories that were more focused on building India operations in the last 20 years," explained Chokkalingam.

From a manufacturer of steel 20 years ago, JSW now also focuses on cement, energy, infrastructure and paints.

Bajaj Finance, on the other hand, is one of the largest players in the Indian consumer finance space. It also has substantial business penetration in SME, commercial and rural lending.

Titan Company a joint venture between the Tata Group and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) is the fifth largest integrated own brand watch manufacturer in the world, reports suggest.

It is widely known for transforming the watch and jewellery industry in India in the last decade, and also has a presence in the eyewear segment.

"Focus on manufacturing, rise in demand that was met by volume growth worked well for JSW Steel," said Gaurang Shah, head investment strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

"What worked well for Titan was expansion into other business segments besides watches, such as jewellery and eye care and acquisitions like Caratlane," Shah added.

"Bajaj Finance's success story shows the demand for credit in a booming economy, and the rural penetration that the company built over the years. We have a buy rating on all these stocks even at the current levels," Shah said.

While the last 20 years have seen phenomenal growth in these companies and its stocks, analysts caution that replicating this story in the next 10 years can be an uphill task.

"It will be difficult for these companies to replicate this pace of growth of the last 9 to 10 years in the next 10 (years. Stocks of these companies also benefited from expansion in price-earnings (PE) multiple as well," Chokkalingam said.

"There is not much room for further expansion in valuation multiples.

"The base of the business has also grown a lot in the last 10 years, which may be difficult to expand going ahead, but not impossible," Chokkalingam added.

METEORIC RISE

Company Name Closing price (Rs) * Latest PE (x) Closing price (Rs) ^^ PE (x) # Change (%) JSW Steel 941.05 30.52 1.02 NA 92159.8 Bajaj Finance 6735.85 31.91 7.76 3.5 86702.2 Titan Company 3570 89.63 6.87 51.95 51865.1 Eicher Motors 4898.1 34.21 18.48 7.78 26404.9 Shriram Finance 3126.55 15.68 25.48 3.38 12170.6 NIFTY 50 24823.15 23.06 1595.7 13.34 1455.6 *Price on NSE as on Aug 23, 2024; ^^Price as on Aug 25, 2004; # PE as on Aug 23, 2004; Data source: ACE Equity

Bonus History

Company Name Year / Month Ratio Titan Company Jun-2011 1:1 Bajaj Finance Sep-2016 1:1

Stock Split History

Company Name Date FV Before Split FV After Split Eicher Motors Jun- 2020 10 1 Titan Company Apr- 2011 10 1 Bajaj Finance Jul- 2016 10 2 JSW Steel Oct- 2016 10 1

FV: face value

Source: Capitaline

Compiled by BS Research Bureau

Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients.

Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
'...but subjecting our heritage to rigorous evidence-based understanding.'

Kindly note that this image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Parth Sanyal/Reuters

Members of the All India People's Science Network (AIPSN), consisting of 40-odd organisations across the country working on science and society-related issues, in an online public petition have urged higher education institutions (HEIs) to oppose the teaching of 'pseudoscientific topics like astrology and reincarnation'.

In a statement to the media, AIPSN said, 'We urge all HEIs to use only well-researched scientific sources for their Indian knowledge system (IKS) courses and weed out pseudoscientific claims. They should stay true to the diversity that is inherent in the IKS.'

'We also call out all academics who are doing disservice to education in general but knowledge systems in particular by inclusion of the pseudoscientific claims in their courses,' the AIPSN statement added.

"Isaac Newton was a great physicist, but today's physicists know much more that what Newton did. Do we take everything what Isaac Newton said as scripture? The answer is no. We respect Isaac Newton as a good physicist and we do respect in the same way Susruta and Charak Samhita," AIPSN President Satyajit Rath tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

IIT Mandi has launched a course 'Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications', which talks of reincarnation and near-death and out of body experiences. Does this come as a surprise?

The issue of decolonisation of education, which everybody agrees with, is the approach being used to push irrational and non-evidence based claims to knowledge. I will not even call this as knowledge. IIT Mandi is an example of what you are talking about.

In fact, the head of IIT Mandi was in the news last year for linking meat eating to landslides.

I will give you another example of thw IIT Kharagpur calendar which is full of errors. All the claims in the calendar are either evidence-free or based on misreading of evidence or filling in gaps where evidence does not exist by wishful thinking. It was all irrational and inappropriate.

(Note: After a controversy erupted, IIT Kharagpur denied it had published the calendar.)

All of this is done to support the idea of past history of the subcontinent which was far more homogeneous, Sanskrit, Brahmanical and far less diverse, which it really had been.

The decolonisation must be done by looking into scholarships without being affected by colonial prejudices.

It is equally important not to be coloured by Hindutva prejudice.

It is fundamentally important to take evidence (for research).

Scientists and former IIT alumni are speaking up against the NCERT textbooks and the National Democratic Alliance government's education policy. Has there been any change in the government's attitude?

I don't know as this is a bit counterfactual, as we don't know what would have been the case if there was no pressure.

But if you look at the textbooks which have come out, like that of 6th standard NCERT textbook (external link), which is on their Web site, you will find that it is not chauvinistic as the social science text books are.

This is a welcome step, but then, whether it is due to our pressure or if our pressure was not there what would have been printed in the textbook, it is impossible to say.

Do you fear that the government is poorly conceiving the new courses which can lead to problems for future generations?

Textbooks are not about courses alone but how the resource material are organised and presented to students. Omissions matter as much as what is included in the textbooks.

Obviously in history and social sciences many of our colleagues other than scientists have pointed out the problem.

In science terms, we do not think the courses are poorly conceived but centralising all educational resources is itself a problem.

Different parts of the country have different needs and different situations. The best possible resource development can be done locally and not much through one source.

The government, however, will point out that there are state level SCERTs (State Council for Education Research and Training).

While this is true, the overall thrust of the New Education Policy is about centralisation, both in terms of resources, evaluation and curriculum. This is like one book fits all, one pattern is fine, one size fits all approach is an error for a diverse and large country like India.

The Union government defends itself by stating that mythology and philosophy put forward ideas that lead to innovation and research. How do you counter that?

There is nothing to counter this because it is completely ridiculous. When you talk about evidence or fact-free set of claims it is the situation of emperor's new clothes.

Everybody knows there are no new clothes the emperor is wearing but the difference is that there are those who will willfully insist the emperor has new clothes. And for the rest of us like me and you, we can see the emperor has no new clothes.

In one of your lectures you stated that before Yuri Gagarin travelled to space there has been no proof of any human leaving Earth to travel to space but ironically, all cultures and religions around the world have literary references of their gods flying about in the sky.

So what will you tell children, even if their textbooks are saying the fact about Yuri Gagarin, because religion is ingrained in us?

In all cultural communities across the world humanity has wished for impossible things. Mungerilal ke haseen sapney sirf Hindustan mein nahin dekhe jaatey (Daydreaming is not done only in India). It has happened across different cultures of the world.

The belief system of children gets imbibed from their home, isn't it?

For belief system, the All India People's Science Network does not insist on atheism or agnosticism. Our position is that all of us have our own beliefs. We need to make a distinction when our belief system is useful to us to give us solace and comfort. That is why we turn to belief system.

In what way has ancient India contributed to our modern sciences?

Ancient India made major contribution in maths, philosophy, anatomy, physiology, crop diversification and technology development. It has made contributions to the abilities of humankind to live better in very material terms.

Why then don't you believe in planes flying in ancient India as some claim?

I believe in evidence.

I will give you the example of Ayurveda. People ask me what is my problem with Ayurveda. I say I do not have any problem with Ayurveda. It was the medical science of its time. We should be incorporating whatever we can from that provided evidence holds it up in learning and the practice of our medicines.

But to treat Ayurvedic texts as scriptures and say that they cannot be changed as they are imbued with special wisdom of the time is simply irrational that flies in the face of evidence.

Isaac Newton was a great physicist, but today's physicists know much more that what Newton did. Do we take everything what Isaac Newton said as scripture? The answer is no. We respect Isaac Newton as a good physicist and we do respect in the same way Susruta and Charak Samhita. They were great people in their time.

This is not about rejecting our heritage but subjecting our heritage to rigorous evidence-based understanding, so that's what will happen if we use their treatment on today's patient.

Why have we come to a situation where we feel proud of hamarey poorvaj kuch thay rather than coming to facts on scientific temper and spirit of inquiry which the Constitution mentions under Article 51A(h)?

This is because we consider ourselves powerless and tell ourselves, 'hamari koi haisiyat hi nahi hai (we do not have any standing).' Our respect as human beings today cannot be on the basis of 'hamarey ancestors kuch thay (our ancestors were great). Yeh kya baat hui?'

We are worthy of respect for each other and civility simply because we are human beings and not because some of us are descended from someone.

What do you do to inculcate scientific temper in students if the government is against it?

You support countervailing efforts and it is possible.

In Madhya Pradesh the NGO Eklavya has been struggling and we are trying to inculcate curiosity which fosters learning and evidence-based understanding.

Another example is the All India People's Science Network brought out a calendar to counter IIT Kharagpur's calendar.

These are the ways we push back and only such kind of understanding which is rational and based on evidence will help us in future.

How are the students responding?

There is a great deal of response, but the attitude of the government is a worry among institutions and leadership in those organisations.

The leaders in those organisations feel if they give importance to us, what will the government say? What action will be taken against them?

Often the government does not do anything, but there is fear and worry. This leads to a problem in our outreach.
Glimpses from the floods which have disrupted lives in Bangladesh.

IMAGE: People wade through water as they carry relief supplies amid severe flooding in Feni, south east Bangladesh. All photographs: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

IMAGE: A boy moves through water on a makeshift raft on a street in Feni.

IMAGE: Women with a child cross a flooded street in the Lalpol area in Feni.

IMAGE: A boy sits on a table inside a local restaurant after a severe flood hits the Lalpol area in Feni.

IMAGE: Women with a newborn baby weep after being unable to go home from the hospital due to a severe flood in the Lalpol area in Feni].

IMAGE: People cross a flooded street after a severe flood in the Lalpol area in Feni.

IMAGE: A rescue worker pulls a boat loaded with relief supplies to distribute among flood-affected people in Feni.

IMAGE: Saiful Islam cries after meeting his daughter Sadia Akter after four days as a severe flood hits the Lalpol area in Feni.

IMAGE: People on a cart move through flood water on the street in Feni.

IMAGE: People move on a rickshaw through a flooded street in Feni.

IMAGE: People pull an ill woman in a wheelchair to get her to a hospital for treatment amid severe flooding in Feni.

IMAGE: A member of the Bangladesh army directs trucks carrying relief supplies for flood-affected people in Feni.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff.com
A Bangladeshi student studying at the National Institute of Technology, Silchar in Assam was sent back to her country after she reacted with a 'love' emoji to an anti-India post on social media, police said on Tuesday.

IMAGE: Supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party attend a rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 7, 2024. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta claimed that it was "not deportation" but was just sent back in consultation with Bangladesh authorities.

The SP said that Maisha Mahajabin, a student of fourth semester at Electronic and Communication department of NIT Silchar, was sent back to Bangladesh on Monday through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district.

"This is not a case of deportation... She reacted with a love symbol in one anti-India post on Facebook by her senior and NIT Silchar alumnus Sahadat Hussain Alfi, who left India around six months back after completing his course. He now lives in Bangladesh," Mahatta told PTI.

The SP claimed that many people expressed their anger to see such a post, where she reacted with a 'love' emoji.

Mahatta also stated that Mahajabin requested the NIT Silchar authorities to allow her to go to her country.

Asked if she will return to complete her course, the SP said: "She has not finished her course yet. Whether she will be back again to complete her study, nothing can be said about it now."

A total of 70 Bangladeshi students are presently studying at NIT Silchar as per the understanding of Indian and Bangladeshi governments.

Mahatta said that out of them, there are around 40 Hindu students from Bangladesh at NIT Silchar.

"I have personally met the students and requested them not to do any wrong work or indulge in any anti-India activities," he added.

Meanwhile, Hindu Rakkhi Dal Spokesperson Suvasish Choudhury told PTI that they noticed the anti-Indian post of the former student and informed the police to take necessary steps.

"We forwarded some anti-Indian posts, which originated from University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. She (Mahajabin) supported one such post with a love symbol," he added.
United States President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and commended him for his "message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support" for Ukraine.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the United States President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi on September 8, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The prime minister's visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.

During the visit, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an "active role" in restoring peace.

In a post non 'X', Biden said, "I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine."

"We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," said the US president.

This was the first call between the two leaders after Modi's trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent developments in Bangladesh.

The White House, in a readout of the call, said the two leaders discussed Modi's recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

"The President commended the prime minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector," it said.

Biden and Modi affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, based on the UN Charter.

"The leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The White House readout of the call had no reference to Bangladesh, which was mentioned in an 'X' post by PM Modi.

Earlier, in a post on the micro-blogging site, PM Modi said that during the call with Biden, they had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. "I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability," the prime minister said.

Moreover, Modi said that he and Biden also discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for the early restoration of normalcy and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus.

Following the unfolding political developments in Bangladesh, India has been consistently pressing to ensure the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
Hours after the Supreme Court granted her bail in Delhi excise policy cases, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha walked out of Tihar Jail in New Delhi late Tuesday evening to a rousing welcome by her party members and vowed to fight back to prove her innocence.

IMAGE: BRS working president KT Rama Rao consoles his sister and party leader K Kavitha as she gets released from Tihar Jail, in New Delhi, August 27, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

A combative Kavitha, who spent five months in jail, alleged that she was arrested only for political reasons and promised to "return it with interest" to those who had put her and her family through the ordeal.

The 46-year-old leader was visibly emotional as she was reunited with her husband, children and her brother and BRS working president KT Rama Rao.

BRS workers and supporters, who had gathered outside the jail, celebrated to the beats of drums and burst crackers. Party MLAs, MPs and former ministers from Telangana were also present.

Addressing party workers and supporters outside the prison, Kavitha said that the entire country knows that she has done "nothing wrong". She asserted that the "unjust" imprisonment had strengthened her party's resolve and the BRS and KCR team is "unbreakable".

"We will fight and prove ourselves innocent ...we were always tough. We are fighters. We will fight it out legally. We will fight it out politically. By sending us to jail illegally, they have only made the BRS and KCR team unbreakable," Kavitha said.

Later addressing the media at the BRS party office here, Kavitha said, "I will return it with interest to those who put me and my family through this ordeal. Our time will come."

The BRS leader insisted on her innocence and said her arrest was politically motivated.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested her from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15 and the CBI had arrested her from Tihar jail on April 11.

Kavitha has been accused of being part of the 'South Group', a cartel of businessmen and politicians, which allegedly paid kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party in return for liquor licences. She has denied all allegations

"Only because of politics, I was put behind bars. I made no mistake. I will fight and prove I'm innocent," Kavitha told reporters.

"I am Telangana's daughter, KCR's daughter. I cannot commit a mistake. I am stubborn and good," she added.

Kavitha acknowledged the personal toll of her incarceration, stating, "Being separated from my family and children for five-and-a-half months as a mother was particularly trying."

"We will fight this battle on both legal and political fronts. By unjustly imprisoning me, they have only strengthened the BRS party and KCR's resolve," Kavitha said.

BRS founder and Kavitha's father K Chandrashekar Rao, popularly called KCR, had alleged that she was arrested due to BJP's vendetta.

"Thank You Supreme Court. Relieved. Justice prevailed," K T Rama Rao said on X after his sister was granted bail.

BRS leaders distributed sweets at the party's headquarters in Hyderabad.

Kavitha will leave for Hyderabad on Wednesday afternoon.

While granting bail on Tuesday, an apex court bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan noted that Kavitha had been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was complete in these cases.

The court allowed Kavitha's appeals against the July 1 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had denied her bail in the two cases.

While quashing the high court verdict, the apex court said Kavitha shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses and shall deposit her passport with the trial judge.

It said she shall regularly attend the trial court proceedings and cooperate to ensure expeditious disposal of the trial.

The two federal agencies came in for some sharp criticism over their "fairness" in dealing with the matter, with the apex court observing: "Sorry to see this state of affairs".

"You will pick and choose anyone?" it asked while referring to one of the witnesses whose statements were read out in the court during the arguments.

"The prosecution has to be fair. You can't pick and choose anyone. What is this fairness? A person who incriminates himself has been made a witness," the bench said, adding, "Tomorrow you will pick up anyone as you choose and leave anyone as you choose as an accused? Very fair and reasonable discretion!"

When Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the probe agencies, referred to some witnesses who have claimed Kavitha's involvement in the alleged scam, the court told him it would be compelled to "observe everything" if he tried to pull it into the details.

"We will have to observe about the fairness and impartiality of the investigating agencies," it said, adding, "If you want those observations, you argue more".
In a relief to Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted her bail in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, while questioning the central agencies over the fairness of their probe and asking if they were free to "pick and choose" an accused.

IMAGE: BRS leader K Kavitha exchanges sweets with her son after coming out of Tihar Jail, at the party office in New Delhi, August 27, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The apex court said Kavitha's custody was no longer required as both the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have completed their probe against her. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi lawmaker from Telangana has been in jail for over five months.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan noted since 493 witnesses were to be examined and 50,000 pages of documents were to be considered in the two cases, there was no likelihood of the trial being concluded in the near future.

"The appellant (Kavitha) is directed to be released forthwith on bail  on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs 10 lakh in each of the cases," the bench said, while allowing her appeals against the July 1 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had denied her bail in the two cases.

Later in the day, a Delhi court issued release warrants for Kavitha, paving the way for her release from jail.

While quashing the high court verdict, the apex court said Kavitha shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses and shall deposit her passport with the trial judge.

It said she shall regularly attend the trial court proceedings and cooperate to ensure expeditious disposal of the trial.

The two federal agencies came in for some sharp criticism over the "fairness" of their investigation, with the apex court observing "Sorry to see this state of affairs".

"You will pick and choose anyone?" it asked, while referring to one of the witnesses whose statements were read out in the court during the arguments.

"The prosecution has to be fair. You can't pick and choose anyone. What is this fairness? A person who incriminates himself has been made a witness," the bench said, adding, "Tomorrow you will pick up anyone as you choose and leave anyone as you choose as an accused? Very fair and reasonable discretion!"

When Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the probe agencies, referred to some witnesses who have claimed Kavitha's involvement in the alleged scam, the court told him it would be compelled to "observe everything" if he tried to pull it into the details.

"We will have to observe about the fairness and impartiality of the investigating agencies," it said, adding, "If you want those observations, you argue more".

The bench also dealt with the observations made by the high court on whether Kavitha was entitled to benefit from the proviso to section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act being a woman.

Section 45 of the PMLA provides for the twin conditions which are required to be satisfied before granting bail to an accused under the anti-money laundering law. The twin conditions are that the judge should be prima facie satisfied that the accused has not committed the offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.

The high court had noted in its verdict that the proviso provides the exception to the general rule if the accused is a woman.

The bench said day in and day out, it was argued before the court by the prosecution that all accused should be treated equally irrespective of whether they are a chief minister or a lawmaker.

"However, the single judge (of the high court) in the present case, while denying the benefit of proviso to section 45 (1) comes to a heartening conclusion that the appellant (Kavitha) is a highly qualified and well-accomplished person, having made significant contributions to politics and social work," the bench noted.

It said the high court proceeded to observe that Kavitha can't be equated to a "vulnerable woman".

The bench, which referred to an earlier judgement delivered by the top court, said the high court had "totally misdirected" itself while denying the benefit of the proviso to Kavitha.

It noted that in the earlier verdict, the apex court had not said that merely because a woman was highly educated, sophisticated or a lawmaker, she should be denied the benefit of the proviso.

During the hearing, the bench said it would set aside these observations of the high court as it would at least apply to all courts in the jurisdiction of Delhi and might mean that no educated woman can get bail.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Kavitha, argued that the probe against her was complete and the charge sheet and prosecution complaint have already been filed.

He also referred to the August 9 apex court verdict granting bail to co-accused and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the two cases.

Raju claimed that Kavitha had destroyed/formatted her mobile phone and her conduct amounted to tampering with evidence.

Rohatgi, who termed the allegation as "bogus", said Kavitha had given some of her old phones to her staff as she upgraded her equipment.

The ED had arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15 and the CBI arrested her from Tihar jail on April 11.

Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has been accused of being part of the 'South Group', a cartel of businessmen and politicians, which allegedly paid kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to Delhi's ruling AAP in return for liquor licences.

She has denied all allegations.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Tuesday lashed out at the media, accusing it of misleading the public's perception about the film industry regarding the recent allegations of sexual harassment against actors and directors.

IMAGE: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi . Photograph: ANI Photo

The actor-politician termed the allegations as "food" for the media and said they were welcome to make money out of it.

The Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, however, said they should not try to destroy such a huge industry like cinema.

He was responding to reporters' queries over the recent allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against various directors and actors, including Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA M Mukesh.

"This is all food for you, is what I understand. You can use it to make money. (There is) no problem with that. But these issues are before the court, and it has the intelligence and logic to arrive at a decision regarding them.

"You (media) are not only making people fight each other for your own gains, you are also misleading public perception. The complaints are in the form of allegations at the moment. What are you telling people? Are you the court? You are not. The court will decide. Let the court decide," Gopi said.

His response came a day after the Yuva Morcha organised a march towards the residence of Mukesh in Kollam.

The publication of the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry has opened a can of worms with several female actors stepping forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.

Amid these allegations, the government announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe the allegations made in the wake of the Hema Committee report being published.

Following that more complaints surfaced against various actors and directors.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.
Nazrin Abdul

Azerbaijan's digital development and transport minister Rashad Nabiyev met with Ukraine's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Yuri Gusev, Azernews reports that the ambassador wrote about this on X.

"We discussed bilateral cooperation in the field of transport and digitization, agreed on cooperation and next steps," the diplomat noted.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to accept the unconditional apology published by Indian Medical Association chief RV Asokan in a newspaper over his "damaging" comments about the apex court in an interview with news agency PTI, saying the excerpt of the apology filed before it was "illegible" as the font was "minuscule".

IMAGE: The Supreme Court of India. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Asokan had made the remarks while answering queries about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd's misleading advertisements case which was published in various publications.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta directed senior advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for Asokan, to file physical copies of 20 editions of The Hindu newspaper, where his apology was published, within one week.

"We will not budge until we see advertisements in physical form, show us the actual size. No arguments till we see the advertisements...The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is minuscule. Counsel for IMA president is directed to file physical copies of 20 publications of The Hindu where the publication of apology has been done within one week," the bench said.

As the hearing commenced, Patwalia submitted a list of publications where the apology has been published.

"What is the size? Who can read this? It is less than 0.10 cm," the bench said.

Patwalia said the IMA president was apologetic about the statement he made during the interview.

"He is not obliging anyone by tendering the apology," the bench shot back.

After the apex court issued the direction, Patwalia requested it to pass an order that would settle the matter against the IMA President as Justice Kohli is set to retire on September 1, 2024.

"Appropriate bench will pass an order, not today. It doesn't matter which court it is. If you comply with the order, you will be getting the appropriate relief," the bench told Patwalia.

A new bench will be constituted by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud after Justice Kohli retires.

The IMA's counsel had on July 9 told the bench that Asokan's unconditional apology has been published in the association's monthly publication, on the IMA's website, as also by PTI.

During the hearing on May 14, the bench had posed some tough questions to Asokan over his "damaging" statements against the court in an interview to PTI and said, "You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court."

The court had then made it clear that it will not accept his affidavit tendering an apology at that stage.

Expressing displeasure over Asokan's comments made a day before it was slated to the hear the matter, the apex court had sought his response on an application filed by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd which urged the court to take judicial notice of the statements made by him.

In an interaction with PTI editors on April 29 for its programme '@4 Parliament Street,' the IMA president had said it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court criticised the association and also some of the practices of private doctors.

Asokan was replying to a query about the Supreme Court's observations during a hearing on April 23, when it had said while it was pointing one finger at Patanjali, the remaining four fingers were pointed towards the IMA.

The top court is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine
The Kolkata Police on Tuesday lathi-charged, used water cannons and tear gas to disperse agitators at Howrah Bridge's Kolkata end and near Santragachhi Railway station on Kona Expressway as protestors attempted to break through police barricades in an effort to reach the state secretariat, Nabanna.

At Santragachhi, agitators threw bricks at police, injuring several officers, while protestors claimed that police action also injured several students.

The protestors were attempting to reach the state secretariat to demand the removal of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

Police said they began lathicharging and tear gassing after the agitators managed to breach the barricades at some locations and attacked the security personnel.

Trouble escalated when the student organisation, 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj', and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' began their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally from various points.

The state police has termed the rally "illegal" and "unauthorized," citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma indicated that there is credible intelligence suggesting attempts by miscreants to incite violence and chaos during the protest.

The Trinamool Congress has denounced the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, releasing videos that purportedly show BJP leaders from Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur district, planning to provoke violence. The persons shown in the videos have been detained for questioning.

In response to the anticipated disruptions, several educational institutions have opted to conduct online classes or declared a holiday for Tuesday.

Governor CV Ananda Bose has urged the state government to refrain from using force to prevent the rally, advocating for the students' right to protest.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un monitored a performance test of indigenously developed suicide drones at the Drone Institute of North Korea's Academy of Defence Sciences at an undisclosed location in North Korea.

IMAGE: A target tank explodes during a performance test of the suicide drones. All photographs: KCNA/Reuters

IMAGE: Kim Jong Un oversees the performance test, here and below.

IMAGE: Kim visits construction sites at the Drone Institute, here and below.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Several former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday filed nomination papers to contest the assembly polls in the Union Territory as independent candidates.

Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: A US diplomatic delegation led by Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer calls on Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone (second from right), at his residence, in Srinagar, August 27, 2024.

Sugra Barkati, daughter of jailed separatist worker Sarjan Barkati, also filed nomination papers on behalf of her father.

While Jamaat cannot take part in the elections due to the ban imposed on it by the Union home ministry, it had shown interest in participating in the polls during the Lok Sabha elections if the ban were removed.

Jamaat has not taken part in any elections after 1987 and had been a part of the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, which advocated for poll boycotts, from 1993 to 2003.

Talat Majeed, former ameer (chief) of Jamaat, filed his nomination papers from Pulwama constituency as an independent candidate.

Majeed said that after pondering over the changing geo-political scenario since 2008, he felt the need to shun some of the past "rigidities".

"In view of the prevalent geo-political scenario, I felt that time had come for us to take part in the political process. I have been expressing my views since 2014 very openly and I am taking that agenda forward even today," he said.

Majeed said organisations like Jamaat and Hurriyat Conference have a role to play in the current political scenario.

"We cannot ignore the situation globally when we talk about the situation in Kashmir. As Kashmiris, we should live in the present and look towards a (better) future," he added.

Sayar Ahmad Reshi, another former Jamaat leader, is also contesting the elections from the Kulgam Assembly seat.

Reshi appealed to the people to vote according to their conscience.

"It is up to Allah to bless or disgrace a person... but I will appeal to people to vote as per their conscience," he said, adding "we will launch a historic movement for reforms".

Reshi, while admitting that the youth have been weaned away from violence by introducing them to sports, said the youngsters need jobs.

"There is no doubt that the youth have been given bats but it will not fill their stomach. There is unemployment and killings are going on. Elderly people have to run from pillar to post just for a meagre old age pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. We will work for social justice," he added.

Sarjan Barkati, who shot to prominence during the turmoil which erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016, will be contesting from the Shopian district.

His daughter -- Sugra Barkati -- filed the nomination papers on behalf of her father, who is in jail on terror charges.

Assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The polls --? the first in 10 years --? will be held in three phases with the first phase of polling on September 18, followed by September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be done on October 4.
A Texas court has put a temporary pause on President Biden's ambitious plan to fast-track permanent residency for illegal migrants married to American citizens, a move that could hamper the hopes of approximately half a million such spouses, including several thousands Indian-Americans.

IMAGE: US President Joe Biden. Photograph: Courtesy @WhiteHouse/X

In June, President Joe Biden issued a massive immigration relief to non-citizens offering a path to citizenship to the non-citizen spouses and children of American nationals.

Biden had directed the department of homeland security to take action to ensure that US citizens with non-citizen spouses and children can keep their families together.

This new process will help certain non-citizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residence - a status that they are already eligible for - without leaving the country, the White House said.

On Monday, US District Judge J Campbell Barker issued the two-week-long administrative stay on the same day the department of homeland security began accepting applications for the so-called Parole in Place programme, which would grant work authorisation, permanent residency and eventually citizenship to spouses and stepchildren of US citizens who have been in the country for at least 10 years.

The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date, Barker wrote in his nine-page order, which followed a lawsuit filed by 16 Republican-led states arguing that the programme would incentivise illegal immigration and will irreparably harm the states, the New York Post reported.

The lawsuit, filed on Friday, further contended that the Biden-Harris Administration  dissatisfied with the system Congress created, and for blatant political purposes  has yet again attempted to create its own immigration system.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who noted in the complaint that the Lone Star State has had to pay tens of millions of dollars annually to cover the costs of illegal migrants living in Texas, called the ruling just the first step in what may be a lengthy court battle.

Biden's unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our country's laws  and incentivised countless more, Paxton wrote on X.

This is just the first step, he added. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey celebrated the pause, calling it a HUGE win for the rule of law.

President Biden announced the Parole in Place programme in June, as part of a sweeping set of executive actions on immigration.

It was expected that about 5,00,000 spouses of US citizens, and 50,000 non-citizen children, would benefit from the now paused programme.

Without Parole in Place, non-citizen spouses would typically have needed to spend a years-long wait outside of the US before qualifying for the same benefits.

An order like this is an extreme measure that  by law  should only be taken in the most urgent of situations, said Karen Tumlin, founder and Director of Justice Action Center, which supports the Biden administration plan, said in a statement.

More than 1.1 million undocumented spouses married to US citizens, thousands of whom are Indian-Americans, have lived in the US on average for 16 years, and many have been married to their US-citizen spouses for at least a decade.

Justice Action Center noted that applications for Parole in Place can still be accepted while the administrative stay is in place, the Post reported.

To be eligible for the programme, applicants must have lived continuously in the US for at least a decade, not be deemed a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history and married as of June 17  one day before Biden unveiled the programme.

A $580 application fee, documents proving spouses have been living in the US and an explanation for why humanitarian parole is necessary is also required.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and numerous other Republican lawmakers described Biden's plan at the time as amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens.
Asserting that he would take sides, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he would not let 'Miya' Muslims "take over" Assam.

IMAGE: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma speaks in the assembly. Photograph: @himantabiswa/X

Sarma was speaking in the assembly on the admissibility of adjournment motions moved by the Opposition parties to discuss the law and order situation in the state in the wake of the gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon.

He said the crime rate had not increased in the state as was being alleged by the opposition if the population growth was taken into account.

"Not a single case of rape is acceptable. Still, if population increase is taken into consideration along with the number of rape cases in recent years, the crime rate has come down. There has been much improvement in the last 10 years," he said.

On members of the Marwari community members kneeling down and apologising in Sivasagar for the alleged assault of a 17-year-old arm-wrestler, Sarma claimed it was a "voluntary" gesture.

"Our cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu was sent to ensure there is no misunderstanding. The Marwari community showed magnanimity and the matter was done with. No one forced them to kneel," he claimed, refuting the charge made by Leader of Opposition Debabarata Saikia while speaking on the admissibility of the motion."

Saikia hit back stating that the matter would not have come to such a passe had the police promptly arrested those involved in the assault.

Sarma claimed social media posts by members of the minority community against the Marwaris had fuelled tensions, to which the Congress and AIUDF alleged that he was playing "dirty politics" over the issue.

As the opposition MLAs raised their voices, the CM questioned, "Why are you angry when we talk about minorities? Has the Congress declared that it does not need the majority community?"

"You are in competition for minority votes, I am not in it," he said, targeting the Congress and AIUDF MLAs.

When the opposition charged him with being partisan, Sarma retorted, "I will take sides. What can you do about it?"

Amid the heated exchange, AIUDF MLA Rafikul Islam asserted that people from Lower Assam would go to Upper Assam districts as it was their right, referring to a diktat by some organisations asking them to leave immediately.

Responding to him, Sarma said, "Why will people from Lower Assam go to Upper Assam? So that Miya Muslims can take over Assam? We won't let it happen."

The CM's statement further added to the ruckus with MLAs of the treasury and opposition benches storming into the Well of the House.

Rejecting the motions moved by the Opposition, Speaker Biswajit Daimary adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes.

'Miya' was used as a pejorative term for Bengali-speaking Muslims initially, and the non-Bengali-speaking people generally identify them as Bangladeshi immigrants. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting this term as a gesture of defiance.

MLAs of Congress, AIUDF, and CPI(M), and lone Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi had moved four adjournment motions for discussion on the situation arising out of "increasing" crimes in the state, including crimes against women.

When the House re-assembled, the CM continued on the same issue, claiming that Islam's statement would "vitiate" the atmosphere as it had an "aggressive tone" in it.

He said that while it was the constitutional right of a person to go and settle or work in any place, they must desist from doing so if they were not welcomed.

"Till the rights of the indigenous people are protected, they can do as they please. But if anyone tries to dominate the locals, it won't be good," he said.

Referring to fish traders of Nagaon deciding not to send supplies to Upper Assam in response to the threats, Sarma maintained that this was the first sign of a "new economic blockade" that would be pursued by this section of Muslims.

He said the 'Miya' Muslims and the opposition MLAs speaking on their behalf have to prove through their actions that there was no danger to the Hindus in any form.

"If a Hindu family is a victim of a crime in a Muslim-majority area, the Muslims of that area must assuage their apprehensions and ensure that they do not leave the place," he added.

Meanwhile, Akhil Gogoi was suspended by the speaker for the last part of the CM's statement for disrupting the proceedings.
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Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions and their relationships with the Western Balkans and Europe's Eastern neighborhoods.

I'm RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, and this week I'm drilling down on one big issue: What to expect from the EU this autumn.

The Briefing: A Busy Brussels Autumn

The Brussels autumn normally kicks into gear by mid-September, when the president of the European Commission delivers the State of the European Union address (referred to as SOTEU by EU types) to the European Parliament. The speech, which tends to last about an hour, outlines policy priorities the EU executive aims to launch or complete in the coming months.

But this is no normal Brussels autumn, since the EU is in the middle of a changing of the guard. In June, EU leaders decided that former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa would replace Charles Michel as president of the European Council on December 1. Weeks later, the European Parliament approved a decision by EU leaders to give Germanys Ursula von der Leyen another five years at the helm of the European Commission. But instead of delivering another SOTEU in September, von der Leyen will be busy composing her new team of 26 commissioners, one from each of the other EU member states. Some capitals have already presented their respective commission candidates ahead of the August 30 deadline. Once von der Leyen has interviewed them all, she will earmark a policy portfolio for each one.

Calling Kallas And Axing Oliver?

So far, we know just one name and portfolio: Alongside the Costa and von der Leyen appointments in June, EU leaders decided that Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas should follow outgoing Spaniard Josep Borrell as the EU's next foreign policy chief. That is not a done deal, however. Like each of the other 25 commission candidates, Kallas will face grueling hearings among the relevant committees in the European Parliament. In Kallass case, that is the Foreign Affairs Committee, whose members also will sink their teeth into the next EU enlargement commissioner, whoever that may be.

Ive heard from EU diplomats that the Kallas hearing is slated for September 29. In fact, the Brussels news cycle in the latter half of September and early October will be dominated by these hearings. They offer the European Parliament the opportunity to flex its muscles by rejecting a handful of commission candidates who it believes fared poorly under questioning. (Last time, in 2019, MEPs rejected three candidates, after which it was up to their sponsor states to quickly propose new individuals for new hearings.)

One who is almost certainly in MEPs crosshairs is Hungarian candidate commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. He has been nominated by Budapest for a new term following a controversial five years as the blocs enlargement supremo. Accused by many diplomats of putting Budapests interests ahead of Brussels -- with a soft spot for Serbia and Georgia but not so much for Ukraine -- he was caught in a hot-mic incident at a plenary session calling MEPs idiots.

While Varhelyi is unlikely to be offered the enlargement portfolio again, he is sure to face a tough task convincing lawmakers that he is the right person for any portfolio that von der Leyen might entrust him with. The hope in some quarters is that each commissioner and the new European Commission as a whole will get a pass by the European Parliament so they can start working on December 1, but dont rule out the possibility that it drags out longer than that.

Not So Hawkish After All

None of the EU officials Ive spoken to expects the Kallas approval to be in any real danger. But it will still be interesting to hear what she and any incoming enlargement commissioner say on Ukraine, Russia, the Western Balkans, and the prospect of adding more members to the bloc. I dont expect any radical changes on this front. EU policy is rather set on full support for Ukraine and a renewed push for enlargement once the bloc has reformed and candidate countries are fulfilling all preconditions. But the emphasis and how these messages are delivered will be of the essence.

Kallas comes in with a reputation as a Russia hawk -- arguably the first EU foreign policy chief with such a strong position vis-a-vis Moscow. It should, of course, be noted that the entire bloc has moved closer to the Baltic states view on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 2 1/2 years ago, but doubts remained when her name first popped up that she was too outspoken to be the EUs top diplomat.

So expect her to tone it down slightly when she faces MEPs and for her to talk about much more than just Russia and Ukraine. In fact, it wouldnt be surprising if she spoke at equal length about the war in Gaza, relations with countries on the southern rim of the Mediterranean, and the need for stronger relations with other big powers of the so-called Global South, including Brazil and India. And dont rule out that the first foreign trip in her presumptive new post might be to visit EU hopefuls in the Western Balkans, rather than Ukraine, simply to emphasize the importance of those countries.

I also hear from Brussels diplomats that they expect that she is ready to tackle head on the thorny EU-initiated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Current EU foreign policy chief Borrell enlisted former Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in 2020 to serve as special EU representative for the dialogue, but there has been little real progress, and it appears that function might be scrapped altogether with Kallas in charge.

Enlarging The EU?

It will also be fascinating to see who von der Leyen opts for as enlargement commissioner. With EU expansion once again a hot topic -- with Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine most recently invited to join the bloc and the latter two seen as making real progress -- more EU member states are interested in securing that portfolio, unlike back in 2019 when only Budapest truly pushed for it and got it. Since Estonia, which is regarded as an eastern member state in Brussels, got the foreign policy position, it would be a real surprise if another easterner got the commissions enlargement portfolio. My guess is that von der Leyen will look to the south or west to ensure geographical balance -- and avoid accusations that the blocs sole focus is Ukraine. The thing to look out for with the enlargement commissioner is, of course, any reference to dates when the next EU expansion might happen.

It is almost impossible to guess exactly when any country might be added to the bloc, but the latest high-level attempt to promote a time frame came from outgoing European Council President Michel when last year he challenged the EU to be ready for expansion by 2030. That is not his call, of course, and hell be out of office soon anyway; but the truth is that even that date looks ambitious, since no candidate country seems particularly close to joining. But the bigger emphasis both in the hearings and in the years ahead will likely be on the reforms the EU itself must undergo in order to accept new members.

Discussions have already started; but if Brussels is serious, those changes will have to be made rather soon. Will the EU budget be increased? (The current candidate countries all are poorer than the EU average.) And what political reforms are necessary for an EU that might go from 27 to well over 30 members in the coming years? Fewer veto opportunities for national capitals is a common refrain, but achieving that without anyone vetoing such a move in the first place is a formidable challenge. You wont hear it this autumn, but there are persistent fears that its the EU itself that isnt ready to grow bigger.

Positive Reports For (Some) Western Balkan States?

Separately, the outgoing European Commission will most likely issue its annual enlargement report outlining progress (or lack thereof) among EU hopefuls. The tone will be positive on Moldova and Ukraine, but dont expect those countries to open any EU accession chapters this year. The screening for both -- in which the EU considers national legislation and highlights how they need to adopt it to EU rules and laws in various policy fields -- should conclude in the first half of 2025, if all goes well; only then could negotiations commence in earnest.

For Georgia, which has increasingly been at odds with Brussels for years, the report will be less pleasant: No real progress is expected, and the EU is also likely to take into account how free and fair the parliamentary elections on October 26 are before deciding on any further action. The EU has already paused high-level visits and military aid to Georgia over the recently enacted foreign influence law, and further sanctions loom if the situation deteriorates further.

On the other hand, genuine progress toward the EU could be in store for some Western Balkans countries this autumn. Dont rule out Montenegro closing some negotiation chapters, something it hasnt managed do to since 2017. This would signal that Podgorica, after years of standing still on EU membership, is once again proceeding, at least slowly. Montenegro remains the presumptive front-runner among candidate countries, with all 33 accession chapters open and some finally even starting to get closed.

There is also an expectation that Albania will start de facto accession talks this autumn, finally decoupling from North Macedonia as Skopje still hasnt changed its constitution to reflect demands imposed by member state Bulgaria. Few expect North Macedonia to manage the feat this year. Meanwhile, although some countries are pushing for Serbia to open accession chapters, that may still be a bridge too far for EU member states rattled by Belgrades close relations with Moscow.

Battling With Budapest

Some political decisions might land this autumn as well. More money will have to be generated to support Ukraine, and frozen Russian assets can now be used. Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, has kept Brussels on its toes over the summer. The EU seems unlikely to help Budapest secure the Russian oil imports that Budapest has requested, and the issue of Hungary easing working visas for Russian and Belarusian citizens will continue to reverberate, even if its hard to see the bloc doing anything concrete about it.

Expect both issues to arise once the blocs foreign ministers assemble in Brussels on August 29. That meeting, which is informal, was supposed to take place in Budapest before Borrell decided to move it to the EU capital after several member states vowed to boycott any meeting in Hungary following Prime Minister Viktor Orbans surprise trips to Moscow and Beijing in early July.

Two other Hungary-related issues that will also be worth following this autumn: First, theres Budapests refusal to greenlight the eighth tranche of the European Peace Facility (EPF) for Ukraine, worth 500 million euros of military aid. The tranche has been blocked for nearly 18 months, and few believe the Hungarians will budge during their EU Presidency, despite member states mounting pushes for it in the upcoming months.

Then there are further sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The bloc passed its 14th round of restrictive measures against Moscow and a separate spate of sanctions against Minsk just before the Hungarian Presidency began on July 1. The common line from most EU diplomats Ive spoken to is that no new sanctions packages will be proposed because Hungary, which has on numerous occasions questioned their effectiveness, wont entertain the idea of new sanctions during its six-month presidency. The question is whether the European Commission, which normally initiates new sanctions proposals, is willing to test that resolve, especially in the event of an escalation of Russian attacks on Ukraines civilian population or infrastructure this autumn.

Looking Ahead

On August 30-September 1, the biggest think-tank event in Central Europe, the Globsec Forum, will take place in Prague. Political leaders and experts will discuss security and defense, EU and NATO enlargement, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, among other things. Ill be there for all three days and will share my impressions in the next edition of this newsletter on September 3.

That's all for this week. Feel free to reach out to me on any of these issues on Twitter @RikardJozwiak, or on e-mail at jozwiakr@rferl.org.

Until next time,

Rikard Jozwiak

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Israel has claimed that the successor to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has likely been "eliminated," while U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called Tehran the greatest adversary of the United States.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on October 8 said that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, was an "organization without a head."

"Nasrallah was eliminated -- his replacement was probably also eliminated," Gallant told officers at the military's northern command center without providing details.

"There's no one to make decisions, no one to act," he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later echoed those comments, saying, "We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities."

"We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," Netanyahu said.

Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollahs political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.

Hashem Safieddine, a top Hezbollah official and a cousin of Nasrallah, was widely expected to be named to the group's top position, but his whereabouts and condition are a mystery since an Israeli strike hit a suspected Hezbollah leadership meeting on October 2.

Hezbollah has not commented on Safieddine's fate, although unidentified members have told various media that the group had lost contact with him since the attack.

Safieddine has been declared a global terrorist by the United States.

Meanwhile, Harris told CBS TV's 60 Minutes program in an interview that she considered Iran to be the greatest adversary of the United States.

"Iran has American blood on their hands," she said. "And what we saw in terms of just this attack on Israel, 200 ballistic missiles, what we need to do to ensure that Iran never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power -- that is one of my highest priorities."

Harris -- the Democratic presidential nominee who will face Republican Donald Trump in the November 5 election -- declined to speculate on whether the United States would take military action itself should proof be uncovered that Iran is building a nuclear weapon.

Tehran has denied it is building such weapons and says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

The comments came as the battered and bloodied leadership of Hezbollah suggested it might be ready to negotiate a cease-fire with Israel

Deputy leader Naim Qassem, in a televised speech, for the first time did not suggest that ending the war in Gaza was a precondition to reaching a truce with Israel in Lebanon.

Qassem said the group backed an effort by Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, to reach a deal to halt the fighting.

Late on October 8, the Syrian government said that seven civilians were killed in an Israeli air strike in Damascus. A war monitor said the strike targeted a building used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah.

Israel did not immediately comment and the reports could not be verified.



The Israeli military said earlier on October 8 that it had killed another senior Hezbollah commander, a day after marking the somber anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people.

Suhail Husseini, who was responsible for overseeing the logistics, budget, and management of Hezbollah, was killed in a targeted attack on October 7, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

"Husseini played a crucial role in weapon transfers between Iran and Hezbollah," the statement said, adding that he was also in charge of distributing advanced weapons to the group's members and for its "most sensitive projects" that included operations against Israel.

The IDF said Husseini was also a member of the Jihad Council, the supreme military body of Hezbollah.

There was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah.

The Israeli announcement came after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a barrage of rockets on October 7 into Israel, where President Isaac Herzog led a national moment of silence to mark the start of last year's Hamas attack, which started at Kibbutz Reim in the south of the country.

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.

In Washington on October 7, President Joe Biden condemned Hamas on the anniversary, while also stating again the U.S. administration's commitment to reaching cease-fire agreements to end fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon.

"On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7 attacks but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day," Biden said in a statement.

In Jerusalem, relatives of the some 100 hostages still in Hamas captivity, out of a total of 250, gathered outside Netanyahu's residence and stood in silence as a siren wailed in a gesture of protest against what relatives say is the failure of the government to secure their loved ones' release.

The conflict in Gaza is still raging while Israel is now fighting on a second front in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah.



Following the October 7 attack, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas. Some 90 percent of the population of Gaza has been displaced and large areas have been destroyed by Israeli bombardments.



The Israeli military said on October 7 that over the past year it has bombed more than 40,000 targets in Gaza, found 4,700 tunnel shafts and destroyed 1,000 rocket launcher sites.

Israel in recent weeks has been carrying out air strikes across Lebanon, including Beirut, and has staged a ground invasion into south Lebanon in its drive to wipe out Hezbollah's capabilities and leadership.

In the attacks, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and dozens of other leaders of the group.

On October 6, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters that Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force -- the overseas arm of the IRGC -- had also not been heard from in recent days since traveling to Lebanon.

Tel Avivs campaign against Hezbollah prompted Iran to respond by attacking Israel with a large wave of rockets that were largely shot down by Israeli air defenses without causing substantial damage, but the attack renewed fears of a larger regional conflict.

Gallant on October 6 threatened Iran that it might eventually find itself looking like Beirut or Gaza -- which has also been battered over the past year -- if Tehran attempts to further harm Israel.

With reporting by CBS and AP
One year ago, Hamas -- the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip -- carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, the deadliest in the countrys history.

In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas and rescue the 251 hostages taken by the group.

Israel has expanded its war in recent weeks by invading Lebanon and launching air strikes targeting Hezbollah, the armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.

RFE/RL spoke to Lior Yohanani, manager of quantitative research at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based independent research center, which on October 7 released a wide-ranging survey of Israeli public opinion after one year of war.

RFE/RL: Can you explain what your study found as to how Israelis view the past year since Hamas's October 7 attack?



Lior Yohanani: Well, I think Israelis still don't see October 7 as an event that's over. Sure, the actual horrific events of that day ended, but Israelis are still living with the consequences.

There are two main aspects to this. First, since October 7, Israel has been in this multifront war that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. And then, of course, there is the issue of the hostages still being held in Gaza. So, we're seeing a sharp drop in people's sense of personal security. Almost three quarters of the public feel less safe compared to before October 7, and that's despite a year of war and some significant military achievements. On the flip side, we're also seeing that most people say their lives have returned to normal when it comes to things like work, media consumption, and family and social gatherings.

Another thing we're noticing is that the Israeli public is giving pretty low marks to all the political and military leaders for the performance since October 7. For example, almost two-thirds of Israelis are rating Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu's performance since then as poor or not good.

RFE/RL: How has Israel's involvement in a two-front conflict, in both Gaza and Lebanon, as well as a confrontation with Iran affected public opinion among Israelis?



Yohanani: It's tough to answer that question, because we're at the point where things could go in a few different directions. In the last few weeks, we've seen a major escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and just last week, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which Israel is expected to respond to. In a survey we just did recently, we asked whether Israeli society and the military could handle fighting on two or more fronts for an extended period of time, and the results were pretty striking. Over 70 percent believe that yes, both Israeli society and the military can handle that kind of prolonged fighting. So, while the situation is complex and evolving, there seems to be a strong sense of resilience and capability among Israelis, even in the face of these multiple threats. But of course, public opinion could shift depending on how events unfold in the coming weeks or months.



RFE/RL: Is there support for Netanyahus response to October 7? Is there debate in Israeli society, as well as political circles, over Netanyahus strategic choices?



Yohanani: First of all, it's important to say that the Israeli public has largely supported significant military operation against Hamas in Gaza. That said, the Israeli discourse around the October 7 events, the ongoing war, and especially toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, is very polarized between right-wing supporters on the one hand and left and center supporters on the other.

People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term."

So, on the left and the center, there is a high level of distrust and suspicion toward Netanyahu and his government. For instance, Netanyahu's apparent reluctance to pursue a deal for returning the hostages in exchange for ending the fighting in Gaza is seen by large parts of the public, even on the right, as resulting from Netanyahu's dependence on far-right, ultranationalist members of his government who refuse any compromise or ceasefire.

Now for a long time, Netanyahu and his ministers argued that only significant military force would lead Hamas to compromise and release the hostages. Now, with military attention and resources shifting to the north, people are asking, where is this massive military force that was supposed to bring the hostages home?

One question we have asked several times since October 7 in our polls is what should be the main goal in Gaza: Dismantling Hamas or bringing back the hostages? And as time goes on, public opinion is increasingly supporting the return of hostages. In our current survey, 62 percent saw bringing the bringing back the hostages as Israel's main goal, while only 29 percent pointed to dismantling Hamas as the primary objective.

RFE/RL: How do ordinary Israelis see the question of the remaining hostages amid the continued protests by the hostages' families?



Yohanani: As I mentioned before, most of the public supports a deal to release the hostages, even if it means ending the war and withdrawing the military forces from Gaza. There's this widespread feeling that we've left the hostages behind, and that's really hitting at our sense of solidarity, which is a deep and fundamental value, I think, in Jewish history in general and in Israel society in particular.

At the same time, the campaign run by the Hostages And Missing Families Forum has become very politicized. Many right-wing supporters see it as weakening Israel. As time goes on, we're seeing more and more harassment of protesters who support bringing the hostages back. There are cases of passersby cursing, even hitting and throwing eggs, at hostages' families. In our latest survey, we asked about the effectiveness of the protests and actions taken by the hostages' families.

Despite most of the public feeling empathetic toward the hostage issue, only less than a third think these actions are actually helping to advance a deal for the hostages' release, while almost 40 percent think they're actually hurting the cause. So, you've got this complex situation where people want the hostages back, but there is disagreement and some backlash about how to make that happen.

RFE/RL: Can you explain the reasons behind the apparent contradiction in views regarding prioritizing a negotiated return of the hostages, or destroying Hamas?

Yohanani: You're right to point out that apparent contradiction. Let me break it down a bit. As I mentioned earlier, a clear majority of the public sees a deal to release the hostages as the main goal. But there is a big gap between political camps on this issue. In the center and left, about 80 percent support the deal for the hostages' release, while the opinions on the right are evenly split. So, for most of the left and center, the fighting in Gaza has run its course. They feel most military objectives have been achieved, and Hamas's military power has been significantly weakened. From their perspective, continuing the fight now only puts the hostages at greater risk.

It's important to know that about half of the right-wing also shares this view of prioritizing the hostages' release, but the other half of those on the far-right thinks dismantling Hamas is more important.

Why? For a couple of reasons.

First, there's a security stance that Hamas must be wiped out and not allowed to recover. There is also a very strong sentiment of revenge, with minimal consideration for the cost, whether it's the lives of the hostages, soldiers, let alone innocent civilians in Gaza. Another significant component openly discussed in religious nationalist circles is the return of Jewish settlement to the Gaza Strip after Israel evacuated Jewish settlements from there in 2005.

RFE/RL: Is there public confidence that Israel will ultimately be able to remove the threat of Hamas and Hezbollah and come out of this conflict with greater prospects for a peaceful and stable near-term future?



Yohanani: Right now, the Israeli public isn't showing a lot of optimism. In our current survey, when we asked people if they're optimistic or pessimistic about Israel's future, we found more pessimists, 48 percent, than optimists, 45 percent.

I also think it's important to note that a peaceful future, as you put it, or peace in general, isn't really a common concept in the current Israeli discourse. I would say the hope of Israelis is that the military actions against Hezbollah and Iran will lead to a situation where Israel's existence isn't in question, and that Israeli military superiority will prevent events like October 7 from happening again. So, it's less about peace in the traditional sense, and more about security and deterrence. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term.
PIL Filed in High Court to Halt Release of Kangana Ranaut's Film 'Emergency'

'Emergency', which has generated significant controversy, focuses on the Emergency period.

Kangana Ranaut Film Emergency Controversy: In a major development, a petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking to stop the release of Kangana Ranaut's upcoming film 'Emergency'. The petition was submitted by Advocate Iman Singh Khara, who has raised concerns over the portrayal of Sikhs in the movie.

Khara claimed that the film presented Sikhs in a negative way which has sparked concerns within the community. The petition is expected to be heard in the coming days. Notably, Khara is also the lawyer representing jailed MP Amritpal Singh, who is currently detained in Dibrugarh jail, Assam.

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In addition to the legal action, protests have erupted outside a theater in Bathinda, where Sikhs have been demanding a ban on the film. This comes after actress Kangana Ranaut was reportedly threatened by Vicky Thomas Masih.

'Emergency', which has generated significant controversy, focuses on the Emergency period declared during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film is set to release on September 6.

The controversy surrounding the film began when Punjab's independent MP, Sarbjit Singh Khalsa, objected to the trailer's depiction of Sikhs. He accused the film of portraying Sikhs in a derogatory manner and has called on the central government to prevent its release.

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Khalsa expressed his concerns, stating, "There are reports that Sikhs are shown in a negative light in the film 'Emergency', which could potentially disrupt peace and law and order in society."

I
Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Land Possession Latest News Today

The letter highlights two specific stretches that require immediate attention: 1.34 km stretch in Malerkotla, 1.25 km stretch in Kapurthala

Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Land Possession in Malerkotla, Kapurthala Latest News Today: In a major development, the Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab, recently wrote a letter to the Director General of Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, seeking cooperation for the land Possession for Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.

The notification, issued by Anurag Verma, IAS, Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab, addresses a crucial matter concerning the progress of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. As per the letter, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a PRAGATI meeting on August 28, 2024, during which the expressway's progress will be reviewed.

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The letter highlights two specific stretches of the expressway that require immediate attention: a 1.34 km stretch in Malerkotla and a 1.25 km stretch in Kapurthala. It was observed during a review with Deputy Commissioners that possession of these small yet critical sections can be secured by August 27, 2024, provided that sufficient police force is deployed.

In this regard, the notification requests Sh. Gaurav Yadav, IPS, Director General of Police, Punjab, to ensure that the required police force is provided to the Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of Malerkotla and Kapurthala. The objective is to clear these stretches before the PRAGATI meeting to facilitate the progress of the expressway project.

This letter underscores the importance of coordination between law enforcement and government bodies to meet project deadlines and ensure the smooth development of infrastructure critical to national connectivity and development.

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(For more news apart from Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Land Possession Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Measures against the effects of drought

In over 600 localities in Romania, the water supply is restricted due to the drought.

(photo: Tumisu/ pixabay.com)

Roxana Vasile, 27.08.2024, 14:00

The heat wave that has been affecting Romania since June will gradually decrease in most of the country. People will be able to recover from the high temperatures, the increased thermal discomfort and the tropical nights that marked almost the entire summer. However, the weather is expected to be warmer than normal, with very few showers.

Meteorologist Iris Raducanu: On Wednesday, the heatwave will continue to be felt in the western regions, alongside high thermal discomfort. Maximum temperatures will be up to 35 degrees Celsius. In the south of the territory, the weather will be generally unstable and there will be showers, electrical discharges and wind intensifications.

Instability will also be present in the southeast, locally in the east, in the mountains and in smaller areas in the center and north. After three hot and dry months, what will September be like? Iris Raducanu: The next four weeks will be with higher temperatures than those specific to the period, especially through the western and southern regions, while rains will be scarce.

The flow of the Danube at the entrance to Romania is slightly more than half of the multi-year average, and in 42 sectors out of the 120 monitored, it is below the minimum necessary to satisfy water demand, according to the Romanian Water Administration.

As for the inland rivers, due to the heatwave and the lack of precipitation, two watercourses in the south have completely dried up. In over 600 localities in the country, especially in the east, the water supply is restricted. In almost 300 others, not connected to centralized systems, the wells have dried up. Vegetation fires add to this picture in the counties of Valcea (south) and Vaslui (east). In fact, in Vaslui alone, approximately 270 hectares of dry vegetation burned in the last few days, with military firefighters intervening to extinguish 25 outbreaks.

Authorities have called on the population to be aware that fire in hot periods and with advanced dryness, out of control or in strong wind conditions, can endanger the health and even the lives of people and animals and cause significant material damage. In agriculture, farmers are preparing for a new agricultural year, but this summers drought has caused them significant damage. Moreover, the extent of the damage in Romania could have an impact on the entire European continent, according to analysts cited by Reuters. They believe that, for example, Romania, which competes with France for the title of the largest producer of corn in the EU, due to the numerous waves of drought and heat wave, could have a 30% lower production this year. Its a challenge to grow corn in an oven. It is one of the most difficult seasons that Romanian farmers have faced  says one of the analysts. The Ministry of Agriculture in Bucharest announced that among the measures considered, in addition to compensation, is the suspension of bank installments for farmers from September 1.
China's industrial profits increased at a faster pace in the January to July period, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Tuesday.

Industrial profits posted an increase of 3.6 percent in the first seven months of 2024. This was slightly faster than the 3.5 percent growth registered in the January to June period.

The annual growth was largely driven by the profits at high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing companies.

In the month of July, industrial profits advanced 4.1 percent from the same period last year. Nonetheless, the pace was weaker than June's 3.6 percent increase.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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The German contracted, as initially estimated, in the second quarter due to weak household consumption and investment, official data revealed Tuesday.

Gross domestic product fell 0.1 percent sequentially, in line with the flash estimate, following a 0.2 percent rise in the first quarter, final results from Destatis showed.

After the slight increase in the previous quarter, the German economy cooled down again in the spring, said Destatis President Ruth Brand.

Calendar-adjusted GDP stagnated on a yearly basis in the second quarter, in contrast to the 0.1 percent decline estimated initially. This follows a 0.1 percent drop in the first quarter.

Price-adjusted GDP advanced 0.3 percent, reversing the 0.8 percent decline in the first quarter.

On the expenditure-side, private consumption slid 0.2 percent following a revised 0.3 percent rise a quarter ago. On the other hand, government spending rebounded 1.0 percent.

Investment in equipment fell more sharply by 4.1 percent and that in buildings decreased 2.0 percent.

There was no positive contribution from foreign trade in the second quarter as exports decreased 0.2 percent, while imports remained flat.

ING economist Carsten Brzeski said the German economy is stuck in stagnation. The economist said, "It is still too early to give up hope, even if the outlook is not very bright."

Hopes of a consumer-driven recovery in the second half of the year got another hit this morning with consumer confidence dropping.

A monthly survey data from the market research group Gfk today showed that the forward-looking consumer confidence index fell to -22.0 from revised -18.6 in August.



Income and economic expectations of consumers suffered noticeable losses in August. The propensity to buy also deteriorated somewhat.

Gain the edge with RTTNews Economic Calendar. Updated in real-time, explore RTTNews Economic Calendar today

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
The United States has promised to surge the supply of energy equipment to help Ukraine repair its energy infrastructure that was damaged in Russian airstrikes.

Monday, Russia launched a massive aerial assault against Ukrainian cities targeting more than two dozen critical energy sites.

Ukrainian officials stated that more than 100 missiles and 100 Iranian-provided drones launched by Russian forces resulted in the deaths of 7 civilians and power outages in many cities.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said its forces shot down most of the missiles and attack drones in what he described as Russia's "most massive air attack" since the war began.

President Joe Biden strongly condemned these attacks saying, "Russia's efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness as the winter approaches."

He said Washington will continue to lead a coalition of more than 50 countries in providing much-needed military equipment for Ukraine, including air defense systems and interceptors, which proved critical in helping defend Ukraine against Russian attacks.

Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken, he said in a statement.

Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky has vowed to retaliate against the attack.

In an address to the nation Monday night, he appealed to Western allies to lift restrictions on using weapons that the coalition provided for carrying out long-range attacks targeting Russian forces' missile and drone launching centers.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Hong Kong's foreign trade deficit decreased in July from a year ago as exports grew faster than imports, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed on Tuesday.

The trade deficit narrowed to HK$21.84 billion in July from HK$29.98 billion in the same month last year. The trade shortfall also declined markedly from HK$55.74 billion in June.

The visible trade deficit of HK$21.84 billion was equivalent to 5.3 percent of the value of imports.

The annual increase in exports was 13.1 percent in July, versus a 10.7 percent surge in June.

Exports to the Mainland of China alone expanded by 23.0 percent from last year.

Total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 15.7 percent. Within this, shipments to Malaysia advanced the most, by 39.2 percent. This was followed by Vietnam, with a 21.7 percent jump in exports.

Apart from destinations in Asia, outflows to the Netherlands rose sharply, by 79.8 percent, and those to the United States were 19.7 percent higher.

Imports logged an annual increase of 9.9 percent in July, faster than the 9.0 percent gain in the prior month.

"Hong Kong's exports should sustain a positive performance if external demand holds up, though geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts will present risks," a government spokesman said.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will visit China to discuss key issues in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship.

During his three-day tour, beginning Tuesday, Sullivan will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, Wang Yi.

This trip marks the fifth meeting between Wang and Sullivan.

Announcing this, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said the channel between the National Security Advisor and the Director has played an important role in responsibly managing the competition and the tension between the two countries.

Sullivan's visit is a follow up to U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting at the Woodside Summit in November last year.

His discussions in Beijing will mainly focus on the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, including advancing counter narcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, and AI safety and risk discussions  all outcomes of the Woodside Summit.

Sullivan will also talk to Wang about U.S. concerns, "from a security perspective, all throughout the Indo-Pacific  tensions rising in the South China Sea, tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and a range of other issues including unfair economic practices," Kirby told reporters.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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The United States has offered a reward of up to $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Belarusian hacker Volodymyr Kadariya, who has been behind a decade-long global computer hacking operation.

Kadaria, 38, is wanted in the United States for his key role in a major malware organization.

Kadariya was charged in New Jersey with cybercrime offenses linked to an alleged scheme to transmit the Angler Exploit Kit (AEK), other malware, and online scams to the computers of millions of Internet users through online advertisements called "malvertising" and other means from October 2013 through March 2022.

AEK was a leading vehicle through which cybercriminals delivered malware onto compromised electronic devices.

Kadariya and his co-conspirators also allegedly enabled the delivery of "scareware" ads that displayed false messages claiming to have identified a virus or other issue with a victim Internet user's device, according to United States Secret Service. The messages then attempted to deceive the victim into buying or downloading dangerous software, providing remote access to the device, or disclosing personal identifying or financial information.

Kadariya and his associates used multiple strategies to profit from their widespread hacking and wire fraud scheme. They used accounts on predominantly Russian cybercrime forums to sell to cybercriminals access to the compromised devices of victim Internet users, as well as information stolen from victims and recorded in "logs," such as banking information and login credentials, to enable further efforts to defraud the victim Internet users or deliver additional malware to their devices.

The reward was offered by the Department of State under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
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Bajaj Auto has shown off a 14.16% YoY growth in July 2024 with the Pulsar range commanding a 61.89% share

Bajaj two wheelers has seen outstanding year-on-year (YoY) growth in July 2024 with sales at 1,54,771 units. This was a 14.16% growth over 1,35,570 units sold in July 2024 relating to a volume growth of 19,201 units.

Bajaj Sales Breakup July 2024  YoY Comparison

While it was the Pulsar range that showed off the highest demand, it was the Bajaj Chetak that displayed the highest YoY growth. Demand for the Platina, CT, Avenger and Dominar declined considerably while deliveries of the new Freedom, the worlds first CNG motorcycle, got off to a flying start.

Once again it was the Bajaj Pulsar that saw highest sales in July 2024 scaling well over the other models in the company lineup by significant numbers. Sales grew by 8.90% to 95,789 units over 87,958 units sold in July 2023 to command a 61.89% share in the company portfolio. Bajaj Pulsar was also the 4th best-selling two wheeler in July 2024.

In the Pulsar range, it was the 125cc model that commanded the most attention with 55,711 units sold last month followed by the 150cc and 200 of which 19,758 units and 11,974 units were sold respectively. Bajaj Pulsar 250cc and 400cc sales stood at 5,006 units and 3,340 units respectively. Pulsar 400 was also the best-selling bike in the Bajaj 400cc family.

Platina sales dipped 13.80% YoY in July 2024 to 28,927 units, down from 33,557 units sold in July 2023 while commanding an 18.69% share. High demand was seen for the Bajaj Chetak, the only electric scooter in the company lineup. Sales escalated 344.21% YoY to 20,114 units whereas there had been just 4,528 units sold in the same month last year.

Recently Chetak received limited edition 3201 and 2901 variants. Sales are set gather even further momentum with the company set to introduce a larger battery pack variant. Bajaj Chetak was also at No. 8 on the list of top 10 scooters sold in India in July 2024, ahead of the Suzuki Burgman and Yamaha RayZR.

Bajaj CT, Avenger, Dominar Sales Show YoY Decline

Sales of Bajaj CT, Avenger and Dominar displayed YoY decline in sales. CT sales dipped by 19.21% to 5,476 units whereas there had been 6,778 units sold in July 2023 to command a 3.54% share on this list.

The recently launched Freedom added 1,933 units to total sales with a 1.25% share while Bajaj Avenger suffered an 11.88% decline in sales to 1,424 units as against 1,616 units sold in the sale month last year. Sales of Bajaj Dominar also dipped to 1,108 units, down 2.21% over 1,133 units sold in July 2023.
In a paper published today in the Astronomical Journal, astronomers analyzed the evolution of massive galaxies at redshifts of 4-8 selected from the JWST Cosmic Evolution Early Release Survey (CEERS).

We are still seeing more galaxies than predicted, although none of them are so massive that they break the Universe, said University of Texas at Austin graduate student Katherine Chworowsky.

According to the new study, the galaxies that appeared overly massive likely host black holes rapidly consuming gas.

Friction in the fast-moving gas emits heat and light, making these galaxies much brighter than they would be if that light emanated just from stars.

This extra light can make it appear that the galaxies contain many more stars, and hence are more massive, than we would otherwise estimate.

When scientists remove these galaxies, dubbed little red dots, from the analysis, the remaining early galaxies are not too massive to fit within predictions of the Standard Model.

So, the bottom line is there is no crisis in terms of the Standard Model of cosmology, said Steven Finkelsteins Professor Steven Finkelstein.

Any time you have a theory that has stood the test of time for so long, you have to have overwhelming evidence to really throw it out. And thats simply not the case.

Although theyve settled the main dilemma, a less thorny problem remains: there are still roughly twice as many massive galaxies in the Webb data of the early Universe than expected from the Standard Model.

One possible reason might be that stars formed more quickly in the early universe than they do today.

Maybe in the early Universe, galaxies were better at turning gas into stars, Chworowsky said.

Star formation happens when hot gas cools enough to succumb to gravity and condense into one or more stars.

But as the gas contracts, it heats up, generating outward pressure.

In our region of the Universe, the balance of these opposing forces tends to make the star formation process very slow.

But perhaps, according to some theories, because the early Universe was denser than today, it was harder to blow gas out during star formation, allowing the process to go faster.

Concurrently, astronomers have been analyzing the spectra of little red dots discovered with Webb, with researchers in both the CEERS team and others finding evidence of fast-moving hydrogen gas, a signature of black hole accretion disks.

This supports the idea that at least some of the light coming from these compact, red objects comes from gas swirling around black holes, rather than stars  reinforcing Chworowsky and colleagues conclusion that they are probably not as massive as astronomers initially thought.

However, further observations of these intriguing objects are incoming, and should help solve the puzzle about how much light comes from stars versus gas around black holes.

Often in science, when you answer one question, that leads to new questions.

While the authors have shown that the Standard Model of cosmology likely isnt broken, their work points to the need for new ideas in star formation.

And so there is still that sense of intrigue. Not everything is fully understood. Thats what makes doing this kind of science fun, because itd be a terribly boring field if one paper figured everything out, or there were no more questions to answer, Chworowsky said.

_____

Katherine Chworowsky et al. 2024. Evidence for a Shallow Evolution in the Volume Densities of Massive Galaxies at z = 4-8 from CEERS. AJ 168, 113; doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad57c1
Astronomers using the Murchison Widefield Array in Western Australia have searched for alien signals at a 10 kHz spectral resolution originating from a population of about 2,800 galaxies toward the Vela supernova remnant.

When we consider the search for intelligent life beyond Earth, we often consider the age and advancement of technology that may produce a signal detectable by our telescopes, said Dr. Chenoa Tremblay from the SETI Institute and Professor Steven Tingay from Curtin University.

In popular culture, advanced civilizations are portrayed as having interstellar spacecraft and communications.

In the 1960s, the astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev proposed the scale to quantify the degree of technological advancement of intelligent life beyond Earth.

The Kardashev scale has three levels: Type I civilizations are capable of accessing all the energy available on their planet (upward of 1016 W); Type II civilizations can directly consume a stars energy (upwards of 1026 W); and Type III civilizations can capture all the energy emitted by their galaxy (upward of 1036 W).

Civilizations on the upper end of the Kardashev scale could produce large quantities of electromagnetic radiation detectable at galactic distances.

Some of the ideas explored in the past involve harnessing their galaxies starlight, colonizing their solar system, or using pulsars as communication networks.

The ability for radio waves to permeate space over long distances and through planetary atmospheres made them a practical method for searching for interstellar communication.

The authors used the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) to search for signs of alien technology in galaxies beyond the Milky Way focusing on low radio frequencies (100 MHz).

They covered about 2,800 galaxies in one observation, of which 1,300 they know the distance to.

This work represents a significant step forward in our efforts to detect signals from advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, Dr. Tremblay said.

The large field of view and low-frequency range of the MWA makes it an ideal tool for this kind of research, and the limits we set will guide future studies.

The work appears in the Astrophysical Journal.

_____

C.D. Tremblay & S.J. Tingay. 2024. An Extragalactic Widefield Search for Technosignatures with the Murchison Widefield Array. ApJ 972, 76; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad6b11
Do you dream of starting your own business in Charlottesville? There's a free class to help you do just that.

Since 2019, the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority has put on GO Start-Up, a free, four-week course designed to educate participants on what it takes to turn business ideas into business realities. This years course, which begins in September and meets every Wednesday at CitySpace on the Downtown Mall, is being taught by Keith Groomes, known widely as the owner of the Pie Guy food cart and catering company but also an entrepreneurship specialist with the economic development office.

This is an 'intro to entrepreneurship,' not 'walk away with a business plan and youre set to go,' Groomes told The Daily Progress. This is designed for individuals to understand, What does it take to become an entrepreneur? The mindset and, of course, the fundamentals, and lastly, it ends on creating a plan for taking advantage of the resources available to you, how to build upon them and create your product.

Since startup challenges tend to be specific to each business, the course gives participants the opportunity to directly engage with local entrepreneurs and emerging businesses.

While the ideal class size is eight to 10 participants, Groomes said the class is not limited to those numbers. He said he hopes that most participants come from minority and underserved communities that have long struggled to get businesses off the ground. So far, there are five participants in this upcoming course, four of them women of varying ages. Their business proposals include a cleaning service and an editing firm specializing in college texts.

Theres a nice mixture. We accept entrepreneurs from all walks of life. The plan of action for each participant varies, Groomes said. Some may decide to further their entrepreneurial training as they continue to develop their concept. Others may go directly into networking and establishing their brand or identity in the entrepreneurial space.

Groomes said Charlottesville officials have been working to make the city an incubator for good business ideas.

I believe Charlottesville intentionally invests in growing the entrepreneur ecosystem," Groomes said. "There are many resources to connect aspiring entrepreneurs to for education, access to capital and networking opportunities."

He should know. Groomes has been a product of that ecosystem himself.

While he owns the Pie Guy today, Groomes is not the original "pie guy." He started working with the original, Justin Bagley, in 2015. After the business found success selling savory meat and sweet hand pies at Charlottesville farmers markets and festivals, Bagley sold the business to cattleman Rob Harrison, who then made Groomes a partner. In 2018, Groomes bought out Harrison's share of the company.

Groomes was also exposed to the entrepreneurial spirit early in life. While growing up, he had a front-row seat to what it takes to run a business.

My entrepreneurial journey started as a child, helping my mother with her many businesses. I learned early on to take action and be aware, consistent and flexible. Since returning from college in 2010, I have been involved in more than 10 startups. I believe Charlottesville is a great, supportive, competitive community for people to establish and grow as businesses," he said.

Groomes' course is broken down into a different set of topics that builds upon the prior week, he said:

"The first week will cover introductory elements, such as the mentality of the entrepreneur, curating the vision, setting the foundation for the business culture. Week 2 explains the importance of administrative duties, financial statements and finishes with product analysis. The third week delves into customer discovery, marketing and sales strategy. Week 4 concludes with procedural information on how to start a business in Virginia and the city of Charlottesville."

There is homework.

Each week will include interactive exercises as well as work to be completed at home by participants, some of which will be presented during the following session, Groomes said.

He describes the course as similar to learning to ride on a Strider Bike.

You see little kids on bikes that have no pedals or training wheels, they keep their feet on the ground and they learn how to balance. Thats this class," Groomes said. "You still get the enjoyment of being on a bike, but if you fall, you should be able to get back up. Its not like training wheels or a motorbike, such as other courses that are developed in town, for example, theres SPBCs [Central Virginia Small Business Development Center] business assistant training, which is an eight-week course, or your CIC [Community Investment Collaborative], which is a 16-week course and more intensive. This class is more leading you into those. You learn to take advantage of resources and network that you can build over time to be a successful entrepreneur.

By the end of the course, he said, "we hope that each participant, regardless of the next step they choose, has a better understanding of what entrepreneurship truly entails, the importance of having a business plan and an idea of the various resources available to them.

This will be the first time Groomes will teach the course, which took a hiatus in 2022 due to staffing issues. However, the pause allowed for an opportunity to align the structure of GO Start-Up with a fresh strategic plan.

It also provided an opportunity to revise the course in a way that best positions it among the other courses offered by the entrepreneur services organization in the community, Groomes said.

There are three businesses now operating in and around Charlottesville that went through GO Start-Up: Shadie Gilliam's apparel retailer SVN7VII, Casandra Rodriguez's Vegan Comfort Soul Food and Merrick Whitmore's Merrick Adventures tourism and transportation service.

We enjoy seeing the various ways in which our community gains from having the opportunity to encourage entrepreneurs, Groomes said.

When asked if Central Virginians outside the city could take the course, Groomes said he would love to help people from other localities: If they come, they come. But his main motivation is to promote and grow entrepreneurship in the city. This is a Charlottesville thing, he said with a chuckle.

Applications are still being accepted for the upcoming course. Those who are interested in learning more about the program and the application process can visit www.charlottesville.gov/1759/GO-Training-Programs or email Groomes directly at groomesk@charlottesville.gov.
Nazrin Abdul

Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, and designated President of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, met with New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, Azernews reports citing the official "X account" of COP29.

During the meeting, the parties discussed strengthening joint efforts to build resilience in communities affected by climate change.

It should be noted that COP29, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is an international climate summit where countries gather to discuss and negotiate actions to address global climate change. Scheduled for 2024, COP29 will focus on advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate impacts, and mobilizing climate finance. The conference will bring together world leaders, environmental organizations, and experts to forge agreements and strategies aimed at mitigating climate change and enhancing global sustainability efforts.
The University of Virginia is rolling out a new safety app available to anyone with a UVa email address as well as members of the general public.

The new app, UVa Ready, replaces the existing Rave Guarding app and gives users quick access to school community alerts, safety protocols and a map of emergency blue-light phones that dot Grounds and connect directly to UVa police.

We want anyone who might be on or around Grounds to have access to urgent safety information so that they can be prepared for possible emergencies and crises, UVa Police Chief Tim Longo said in a statement announcing the new app. This app is a one-stop shop for anyone in our community to feel safer and more informed.

That announcement also included news that the UVa Police Department has a new name: the UVa Police Division. The name change better aligns the existing law enforcement agency with the schools Department of Safety and Security, the school said. UVa community alerts will also now be called safety advisories in the future.

With both UVA Alerts and Community Alerts being sent occasionally throughout the year, we realized that there could be confusion about the difference between, and urgency of, each type of alert, Longo said. Changing the name to Safety Advisories reinforces that those messages are simply for awareness, rather than immediate calls to action that are prompted by UVA Alerts.

UVa Ready is available now for download on iOS and Android mobile devices.
The deployment of a helicopter shaved hours off the mission to rescue a hiker Saturday who injured herself jumping into the St. Marys River in Augusta County, according to officials.

Just retrieving the hiker would have taken some three hours on foot, not including transportation to the hospital, Lt. Kenneth Brown with Augusta County Fire-Rescue told The News Virginian Tuesday.

It is 2 to 2 1/2 miles. It is uphill and rocky, Brown said of the hike from where emergency personnel were parked to the accident scene where the hiker lay waiting.

Instead of taking on the terrain, Virginia State Police dispatched its Med Flight-1 team from Chesterfield County around 5 p.m., arriving at the scene roughly two hours later. The flight from the accident scene to University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville took less than half an hour, Brown said.

The hiker, a 20-year-old woman whose identity has not been released to the public, was traveling the St. Marys Falls Trail near the community of Vesuvius Saturday afternoon when she jumped from a cliff into the water below.

The trail is popular among hikers, and cliff diving is not uncommon.

It is like a swimming hole at the base of the falls, Brown said of the scene.

He said the hiker had a rough landing and felt something pop in her back.

Others at the scene contacted 911.

When the call came in, Brown said, he immediately requested a helicopter crew.

I requested a helicopter with hoisting capabilities, Brown said.

The crew that eventually arrived included a Virginia State Police trooper-pilot and four Chesterfield County Fire and EMS flight paramedics, according to state police.

Twenty additional emergency responders from Augusta County, Waynesboro, Raphine and the Riverheads Volunteer Fire Department assisted in the operation.

State police said the flight crew, with the assistance of Augusta County Fire-Rescue, was able to secure the hiker and hoist her 175 feet into the air and safely inside the helicopter.

Authorities did not immediately respond to a News Virginian inquiry into the hikers condition Tuesday.

Brown said that in spite of her injuries, the rescue mission was very successful.
Jimena Loveluck

Matthew Budd

MMR vaccine
Budget carrier Ryanair said on Tuesday that it no longer sees a risk of average fares falling by double-digit percentages and that a more moderate 5% fall "looks reasonably accurate" for the all-important three months ending September.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary warned in July that a downward trend in airfares could exceed 10% in the quarter but has since told Reuters that the risk now "looks like it has disappeared".

"While fares were kind of softening during April, May and June, that has levelled out," he said.

Elsewhere, Ryanair announced it will slash 20% of its traffic at Berlin's Brandenburg airport, resulting in a loss of 750,000 seats, after the German government and airport refused to meet the Irish airline's demands, including reversing an aviation tax increase and lowering air traffic control charges.

Ryanair's Berlin-based aircraft will be cut to seven from nine as six routes will be trimmed.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
The human population of the Earth passed 8 billion in 2022, up from 7 billion in 2011 and less than 2 billion just a century ago. The United Nations projects that by 2050 the world will hit 9.7 billion people and continue rising to 10.9 billion in 2100. The average number of children women have in their lifetimes remains above the replacement rate of 2.1.

So why is there so much hand-wringing about a population bust?

It is true that population trends are uneven across the world, and some European and East Asian countries are struggling to address a decline in numbers. This is not the case in the U.S., however. Although our birth rate has been below the replacement rate for years, the Census projects our population increasing by another 33 million before it peaks in 2080. By 2100, the Census expects there will still be almost 10% more people in the U.S. than there are today.

Frankly, its more than a little odd to worry about something that wont happen for at least three quarters of a century, while ignoring that, in the meantime, an ever-growing population using too many resources is pushing the planet to the brink of ecological collapse. You would think we could worry about that now, and save the hysterics over population decline for the next century.

Yet conservatives see the sky falling. The fear is most palpable among White supremacists spouting replacement theory, the notion that pale-skinned people, who are having fewer children, will be swamped by Brown people, who are having more. They are pretty sure this is, in fact, a nefarious plan concocted by Jewish people, who apparently dont count as White, with a goal of destroying Western civilization and all the great things that America stands for  by which they definitely do not mean democracy and civil rights.

Even some liberal Americans say theyre worried about the birth rate and argue we need child tax credits, mandatory parental leave and publicly subsidized day care to reverse the decline. Of course, progressives support these policies anyway, so its hard to know how sincere their concern over birth rates really is.

Im not sure about the sincerity on the right, either. Most of the people who express alarm about a declining birth rate are red-state Republicans who celebrate rural living and the small-town lifestyle. They hate traffic and the plethora of rules necessary to make life tolerable in crowded communities.

Meanwhile, I guarantee you no one in New York or L.A. looks around and says, You know what would make this place better? More people!

Of course, the pro-population-growth crowd absolutely rejects the one sure way to increase the US population: allowing more immigrants in.

They say its not racism. Theirs is just a preference for people who look like them, sound like them and do things the way they do them.

Yet immigration does all the things that the population alarmists say we need. It fills schools with children, bolsters the workforce and keeps contributions flowing to Social Security and Medicare, extending the solvency of these programs.

Vastly more would-be immigrants are knocking at our doors than we are willing to allow in, and the numbers will only increase as climate change and the collapse of ecosystems spark further conflict and make it harder to eke out a living in more parts of the world. Countries that are able and willing to absorb the outflow of migrants from devastated areas will not be challenged by depopulation.

The U.S. is home to more migrants than any other country. Clearly many Americans, themselves descended from immigrants, are ready to shut the door behind them, but economists agree immigration is the secret sauce of our economic strength. That doesnt mean the doors need to be wide open, with no one managing the flow, or that we shouldnt try to help solve the crises that drive people to leave their home countries in the first place. And we still urgently need to work on transforming our consumption-based economy into a sustainable one.

But it does mean we neednt fear a population bust in our lifetimes. While other advanced countries are figuring out how to retool their economies for a shrinking population, we will always have the numbers we desire, so long as we remain a society committed to equal opportunity, democracy and the striving for justice.

Obviously, this is not what the nativist right wants. But what they want  more American-born babies and limitless population growth, achieved by controlling womens bodies rather than by strengthening the welfare state  is a fantasy served up with a helping of bad policy.

This column was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent visit to Poland marks a significant milestone, as he becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the European nation in 45 years. This visit follows that of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who last visited Poland in 1979. Modis arrival comes at a pivotal time for Poland, as the country continues to bolster its defense capabilities in response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and escalating regional tensions.

Poland has been vigorously strengthening its national security, recently placing a significant purchase order close to $24 billion for advanced weaponry. This major investment highlights Warsaws dedication to bolstering its defense infrastructure in response to the intensifying conflict in Ukraine and broader regional security challenges, especially with Belarus aligning closely with Moscow.

Polands unwavering support for Kyiv in its resistance against Russian aggression has intensified the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe. In this context, Polands increasing defense requirements have turned India, a burgeoning global defense exporter, into a potential strategic ally.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold high-level discussions with Polish leaders aimed at enhancing bilateral defense cooperation. India has put forward a selection of indigenously developed weapon systems to Poland, emphasizing the country's growing influence as a global defense player.

India's defense offerings to Poland include a range of advanced military systems tailored to enhance Poland's defense capabilities. Among these are loitering munitions, often referred to as "kamikaze drones," designed for precision targeting and destruction, proving to be a critical asset in modern military operations. Additionally, India provides NATO-grade ammunition, which meets stringent NATO standards, offering a strategic advantage to Poland, a NATO member. India's state-of-the-art armored vehicles aim to enhance mobility and protection for ground forces, a key component of Poland's defense strategy.

Furthermore, India's medium-range air defense systems offer robust protection by detecting and neutralizing aerial threats, crucial for addressing regional security challenges. Lastly, India's observation drones, equipped with real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, provide essential support for modern warfare and border security operations.
The International Conference Convergence 2024 held at Jagannath International Management School (JIMS) in New Delhi marked a significant gathering of influential leaders, academics, and students from around the globe. Organized by the International Council for Education, Research, and Training (ICERT), India and USA, this prestigious event focused on emerging issues in management, information technology, sciences, and social sciences, providing a vital platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Visionary Leadership and Strategic Direction

The conference was graced by the presence of two prominent cabinet ministers from the Government of India, who highlighted the importance of such platforms in shaping national and global policies. Shri Kailash Gahlot, Cabinet Minister for the Government of NCT of Delhi, and Shri Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, brought their unique perspectives on how education and research can drive social and technological advancements. Their participation underscored the Indian governments commitment to fostering academic excellence and integrating it with national development strategies.

Shri Kailash Gahlot spoke on the pivotal role that management education plays in governance and public administration, emphasizing the need for innovative leadership in the public sector. Shri Ramdas Athawale, known for his advocacy of social justice, highlighted how research in social sciences can contribute to creating a more equitable society. Their insights were invaluable, setting the tone for the discussions that followed.

Recognizing Academic Excellence: Dr. Sanju Purohits Contributions

A cornerstone of the conference was the keynote address delivered by Dr. Sanju Purohit, Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental/Ecological Studies and Sustainability, Akamai University, USA. As both a Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker, Dr. Purohit shared her extensive research on "Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Practices." Her address was particularly impactful, as she discussed innovative strategies for environmental management, grounded in her years of research in environmental geography, land degradation, and water resource management.

Dr. Purohits address not only provided a deep dive into sustainable environmental practices but also served as a source of inspiration for the young researchers and students present. She shared anecdotes from her academic journey, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, curiosity, and interdisciplinary approaches in research. Her talk motivated many attendees to pursue research that not only advances academic knowledge but also contributes to solving real-world problems.

Empowering Young Researchers: The Importance of Expert Talks

Conferences like Convergence 2024 play a crucial role in the academic and professional development of students and early-career researchers. The presence of esteemed experts like Dr. Purohit, Gauri Dwivedi (Executive editor, NDTV) and Mr Raveenthiran from Colombo open university, provided students with invaluable insights into the latest trends and methodologies in their fields. These interactions help bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, which is essential for fostering a research-oriented mindset among the youth in India.

Dr. Purohits engagement with the students was particularly noteworthy. Through her interactions, she demonstrated the real-world impact of research in environmental sustainability, encouraging students to think critically and innovatively about the challenges facing the world today. Her ability to connect with the audience and share her experiences made her sessions one of the highlights of the conference.

Strategic Guidance by Dr. Sandeep Kumar

Another key figure who played a pivotal role in the success of the conference was Dr. Sandeep Kumar, General Secretary of ICERT. Dr. Kumars strategic guidance and organizational skills were instrumental in ensuring the smooth execution of the event. His emphasis on the importance of research in shaping the future of education and technology resonated with many participants.

Dr. Kumars contributions extended beyond the administrative aspects; he also participated actively in discussions, providing insights into how collaborative efforts between academia and industry can lead to innovative solutions for societal challenges. His leadership helped create an environment that encouraged the sharing of ideas and fostered partnerships that will likely continue to influence the research landscape in India.

A Collaborative Platform for Academic Growth

The conference also featured Mr. Naresh Kumar, Professor in the CSE Department at Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology, New Delhi. His contributions, particularly in the area of information technology, were instrumental in shaping the discussions around the integration of IT solutions in education and management practices. Mr. Kumar emphasized the need for leveraging technology to enhance educational outcomes and streamline management processes, which resonated with many of the conferences themes.

The variety of perspectives presented by such distinguished speakers enriched the discussions, making Convergence 2024 a truly interdisciplinary event. It provided a unique platform where ideas from different domains could converge, leading to innovative solutions to complex global challenges.

Shaping the Future of Research in India

The International Conference Convergence 2024 is a testament to the growing culture of research and innovation in India. By bringing together government leaders, academic experts, and young researchers, the conference played a pivotal role in fostering a research-focused mindset in the country. The discussions and insights gained from the event are expected to inspire ongoing and future research initiatives, both in India and globally.

As the conference concluded, it was evident that the event had laid a solid foundation for future collaborations and research partnerships. The emphasis on interdisciplinary research and the involvement of both national and international experts highlighted the importance of holistic approaches in addressing global issues.

Looking Forward

The Convergence 2024 conference not only addressed the challenges of today but also set the stage for future academic and professional endeavors. The interactions, discussions, and networks established during the event will continue to influence the research landscape, driving innovation and progress across various disciplines.

For more detailed information on the conference proceedings and updates on upcoming initiatives, please visit www.jimsindia.org.
KPI Green Energy's shares surged by up to 3.86 percent, reaching an intraday high of Rs 943 per share. This increase in share price followed the company's announcement that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sun Drops Energia Private Limited, has secured a 13.30 MW solar power plant project.

In an exchange filing, KPI Green Energy said, We are pleased to announce that M/s. Sun Drops Energia Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of KPI Green Energy Limited, has received Letters of Intent for executing solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 13.30 MW under the Captive Power Producer (CPP) business segment of the company.

The projects are set to be completed in the financial year 2024-25, in multiple phases according to the order's terms, according to the company. KPI Green's profit for the June quarter of financial year 2025 (Q1FY25) increased by 98 percent year-on-year, reaching Rs 66 crore, up from Rs 33 crore in the June quarter of financial year 2024 (Q1FY24).

The revenue from operations, or topline, rose 84 percent Y-o-Y to Rs 348 crore in the June quarter of FY25, from Rs 189.3 crore in the June quarter of FY24. At the operating front, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), climbed 91 percent annually to Rs 131.7 crore in Q1FY25, from Rs 69 crore in Q1FY24.

As a result, the EBITDA margin increased by 150 basis points to 38 percent in Q1FY25, compared to 36.5 percent in Q1FY24. Additionally, the company announced its first interim dividend of Rs 0.20 per share for FY25. Founded in 2008, KPI Green Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of KP Group, specializes in renewable energy and manages the entire lifecycle of solar and wind-solar hybrid power projects.

It functions both as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) and service provider for Captive Power Producers (CPPs) under its Solarism brand, offering development, construction, ownership, management, and maintenance services for renewable power facilities.
Stocks to Watch Today, Tuesday, August 27: Indian benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 are anticipated to start on a muted note, with GIFT Nifty futures trading about 10 points lower than Nifty futures. As of 7:40 AM, GIFT Nifty futures stood at 25,030, compared to Nifty futures at 25,043. In international markets, Japans Nikkei 225 declined by 0.35 percent, while the broad-based Topix remained flat. South Koreas Kospi dropped by 0.42 percent, and the small-cap Kosdaq experienced a more significant decline of 1.14 percent.

UltraTech Cement: UltraTech Cement has successfully raised $500 million through a sustainability-linked loan, with participation from six banks, underscoring its commitment to sustainable practices.

AU Small Finance Bank: DSP Mutual Fund has acquired a 1.39 percent stake in AU Small Finance Bank at an average price of Rs 630 per share. Meanwhile, Fincare Business Services has sold a 1.7 percent stake at the same price.

Vedanta: Under Anil Agarwal's leadership, Vedanta has raised Rs 30,000 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP), offer for sale (OFS), and dividends. This substantial fund is aimed at reducing debt, enhancing capital structure, and seizing growth opportunities. In the first quarter, Vedanta's profit after tax soared 54% year-on-year to Rs 5,095 crore. The company also achieved record alumina production at Lanjigarh and cut production costs by 20% year-on-year. As of June 30, Vedanta's debt was Rs 6,130 crore.

Medi Assist Healthcare Services: Medi Assist Healthcare Services has announced that its subsidiary, Medi Assist Insurance TPA, has finalized agreements to acquire 100% of Paramount Health Services & Insurance TPA from Fairfax Asia and the Shah family. This acquisition will boost Medi Assist's market share to 36.6% in the group segment and 23.6% in the health insurance industry based on premiums managed.

Medplus Health Services: Lavender Rose Investment has divested its entire 11.35 percent stake in Medplus Health Services, selling shares at an average price of Rs 616.48 each. ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund acquired a 4.3 percent stake at an average price of Rs 616 per share, and the Government of Singapore purchased a 0.97 percent stake at Rs 616.20 per share.

Bondada Engineering: Bondada Engineering has been awarded a major project worth Rs 575.74 crore. This project was granted by Lumina Clean Energy, Purelight Energy, and VVKR Photovoltaics Energyspecial purpose vehicles created by Paradigm IT Technologies and Metalcraft Forming Industries.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals: Alembic Pharmaceuticals has secured approval from the USFDA for its generic version of Betamethasone Valerate Foam, a treatment for moderate-to-severe psoriasis of the scalp. This approval covers a formulation that is therapeutically equivalent to Norvium Bioscience's Luxiq Foam (0.12%).

Paytm: Paytm has addressed recent media reports concerning a SEBI notice, clarifying that this issue is not new and had already been disclosed in their financial results for the quarter and year ending March 31, 2024, as well as for the quarter ending June 30, 2024.

PI Industries: PI Industries' Board of Directors has appointed Sanjay Agarwal as the Group Chief Financial Officer, effective August 26, following the retirement of the previous CFO, Manikantan Viswanathan.

HCL Technologies: HCL Technologies has expanded its strategic partnership with Xerox, emphasizing AI-powered engineering services and digital process operations. Under this extended collaboration, HCLTech will assist the newly established Xerox Global Business Services organization in achieving critical business objectives.

Repro India: Investor Ashish Kacholia sold a 1.22 percent stake in Repro India at an average price of Rs 625 per share, while JVS Joyrass Holdings acquired a 0.7 percent stake at the same price.

Lemon Tree Hotels: Lemon Tree Hotels has announced a new property, Lemon Tree Hotel, Civil Lines, Ayodhya, under an agreement. The 80-room hotel is slated to open in FY28 and will be managed by its subsidiary, Carnation Hotels.

UCAL: UCAL, a leading automotive component manufacturer, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blaer Motors to jointly design and develop electronic components. This collaboration will focus on creating motor controllers with power ranges from 500 watts to 2 kilowatts.

KPI Green Energy: KPI Green Energy's fully-owned subsidiary, Sun Drops Energia Private Ltd, has secured letters of intent to undertake KPI Green Energy's fully-owned subsidiary, Sun Drops Energia Private Ltd, has secured letters of intent to undertake solar power projects totaling a combined capacity of 13.30 MW. These projects have been awarded by Sumicot, Ekta Prints Private, Radhika Fabrics, and Sanjopin Industries.

Brightcom Group: Brightcom Group posted a net loss of Rs 24.2 crore for the quarter ending December 30, 2023. Revenue fell sharply by 85 percent year-on-year to Rs 453.2 crore. The company cited several issues for its poor performance, including the ongoing conflict in Israel, the resignation of its CEO and CFO, unfavorable media coverage due to a SEBI order, and auditors' concerns about interim financial statements and shareholding disclosures. As a result, Brightcom Group's shares are currently suspended from trading, and the company has not yet reported results for the March and June quarters.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Three months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and shuttering dozens of restaurants across the United States, Red Lobster has announced that it will close another 23 locations this week, bringing the total number of shuttered eateries to 106.

According to court documents filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Florida, the embattled seafood chain, which abruptly closed nearly 50 U.S. locations in May, before shuttering another 30 locations in June, will terminate the leases of almost two dozen more restaurants on Aug. 31.

The brand, which currently operates more than 530 restaurants across the United States and Canada, and employs approximately 36,000, admitted to having more than $1 billion in debt before its bankruptcy filing.

Known for its relatively affordable seafood prices, and dishes such as Creamy Lobster Alfredo, Wood-Grilled Sea Scallops and Garlic Shrimp Scampi, the chain is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Red Lobster had once planned a location on Staten Island at The Boulevard shopping center, but announced in 2021 it had pulled out of the deal.

Heres a list of the Red Lobster locations slated to close this week, as reported in court filings:

Arizona

1521 S. Yuma Palms Parkway, Yuma

Arkansas

8407 W. Markham Street, Little Rock

California

8703 Murray Drive, La Mesa

Colorado

4925 N Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs

Florida

8909 US Highway 19, Port Richey

326 Miracle Strip Pkwy S.W., Fort Walton Beach

5110 N 9th Ave, Pensacola

Georgia

6550 Tara Blvd, Jonesboro

Illinois

4625 N Sterling Ave, Peoria

902 Commons Drive, Geneva

1604 N State Road Route 50, Bourbonnais

Indiana

4353 Franklin Street, Michigan City

Minnesota

12515 Elm Creek Blvd., N., Maple Grove

8900 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley

Missouri

2381 Maplewood Commons Drive, Maplewood

New York

750 Upper Glen Street, Queensbury

925 Hunts Point Ave, Bronx

North Carolina

304 A Western Blvd., Jacksonville

Ohio

17227 Southpark Center, Strongsville

South Carolina

1270 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce

Virginia

4415 S. Laburnum Ave, Richmond

709 Independence Blvd., Virginia Beach

555 S. Van Dorn Street, Alexandria
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Police allege that a 32-year-old woman was under the influence of methamphetamine when she drove the wrong way on the Southern State Parkway Thursday, leading to an accident that killed her 9-year-old son, who had family ties to Staten Island.

According to a statement from authorities, on Thursday, August 22, troopers and Suffolk County sheriffs office deputies responded to the eastbound Southern State Parkway, near exit 42, in the town of Islip, Suffolk County, at around 2:15 a.m. for a wrong-way driver.

The driver, identified as Kerri Bedrick, 32, of Centerport, New York, was driving a 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SUV when she allegedly caused a four-car fatal collision.

The 9-year-old boy, identified as Eli Henrys, was wearing a seatbelt in the rear seat of the vehicle. An attempt at performing CPR on the boy was unsuccessful and he succumbed to his injuries, police said. Two of the other drivers involved were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, while a fourth individual was uninjured in the crash, police said.

Cops allegedly found more than four grams of pills in Bedricks vehicle that tested positive for meth. She admitted taking it before driving with the boy in the back seat, the New York Post is reporting.

Prosecutors said Bedricks license had been suspended at least 56 times and that she was driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident.

Family members told the outlet that the boys father, Dean Henrys, a Staten Island resident, has been engaged in a longstanding custody battle with Bedrick and that the family hasnt seen Eli in at least four years, the report said.

Elis half-sister, Aniya Henrys, 20, said Eli was happy, goofy child. My favorite memory of him was that he had this cardboard rocket ship,' she said. He would have this imagination.

Romeo Henrys, 18, told the Post hed play in the pool with his younger brother, besides having games of catch and tag. He was just a sweet kid, he said.

Bedrick has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $1 million cash. She faces felony charges of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, aggravated DWI with a child-passenger less than 16, criminal possession of a stimulant, and misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

She is expected to return to court later this week.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Public officials gathered on Monday at the Sunnyside intersection where a 62-year-old man was beaten by a group of teens to condemn the attack and call for legislative changes that would allow prosecutors to hold the assailants accountable.

The offices of Borough President Vito Fossella, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), and state Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Mid Island) coordinated the press conference at Clove Road and Howard Avenue.

Fossella said the victim was innocently minding his business while on his daily walk on July 15 when he was chased by a group and ultimately attacked.

The NYPD charged two teens in connection with the attack.

It shouldnt happen to anybody, it could have been anybodys grandparent; anyones child, he said. We dont know if there is going to be a consequence because the trend in this country has been to treat young people as if, Well theyre just kids, let them go  no consequence.

Well these kids are doing adult things; theyre doing evil things; they are doing harmful things that guy could have been killed running across Clove Road, Fossella added, referencing the victims attempted dash across the busy street for safety.

Fossella said he hopes the 62-year-old victim gets justice, but acknowledged that no one will ever know if he did thanks to the strict Raise the Age laws.

This case has already been sent to Family Court. When it goes to Family Court, the judges, from my understanding, is that they dont know the history of the people theyve been assigned, explained Fossella. These kids could have been doing this every day  five times, 10 times  theyre not provided with the history of these individuals.

And then what would happen, apparently, is if there is a consequence or a penalty then ultimately their record will be expunged, he added.

The unidentified victim has decided to move away from his longtime condo in the neighborhood as a result of the attack, according to Fossella.

The current Raise the Age law in New York State has had negative consequences that are hurting our youth, not helping them, said state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. (Staten Island Advance/Shaina McLawrence)Shaina McLawrence

Scarcella-Spanton said she drafted a bill inspired by this incident and other acts of youth violence.

The current Raise the Age law in New York State has had negative consequences that are hurting our youth, not helping them, she said. Our district attorney should be able to keep cases of violent crime such as gang assault that happened in this situation.

Letting kids off the hook without any meaningful consequence or intervention is not going to help the situation, she said.

I have legislation that would expand the definition of extraordinary circumstances which would allow our D.A. to keep and prosecute more cases, said Scarcella-Spanton. We need to take violent crime more seriously no matter who the perpetrators are.

Scarcella-Spantons proposed legislation, New York Senate Bill 8710, relates to the courts ability to remove violent adolescent offenders from Family Court.

I will do everything I can to push this bill though next session, she pledged.

According to James Clinton, the press secretary and community liaison for the district attorneys office, although the victim did everything right, when police apprehend youth offenders, the D.A.s office rarely sees the case due to strict Raise the Age laws. (Staten Island Advance/Shaina McLawrence)Shaina McLawrence

According to James Clinton, the press secretary and community liaison for the district attorneys office, although the victim did everything right, when police apprehend youth offenders, the D.A.s office rarely sees the case due to strict Raise the Age laws.

Our detectives working in conjunction with the NYPD found video camera footage of damn near the whole incident  our prosecutors would call that an open-shut case, Clinton said. But because of New York States Raise the Age laws, these two defendants will not be prosecuted by the Richmond County District Attorneys Office  theyll be sent to Family Court under Corporation Council.

Clinton candidly said the outcome of the case and the level of accountability that the youth offenders will receive for this act is shrouded in mystery due to those laws, which seal cases against minors.

Some solutions to come out of the press conference with elected and community officials on youth violence Monday included investing in youth programs, mentoring children, and scrapping Raise the Age in addition to bail reform laws.

Its unfortunate that we have to have this meeting; it is my belief that all victims deserve justice  the age of the perpetrator is really irrelevant. What happened here was a disaster, state Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo said. (Staten Island Advance/Shaina McLawrence)Shaina McLawrence

Its unfortunate that we have to have this meeting; it is my belief that all victims deserve justice  the age of the perpetrator is really irrelevant. What happened here was a disaster, Pirozzolo said. You have children who feel as if they have the right to do whatever it is and why is that? We talk about legislation as if we can legislate our way out of this  I dont really think that we can.

According to Pirozzolo, what we are seeing is a breakdown of families, schools and social media.

The trend is lets go do something outrageous so that we can become popular from it, said Pirozzolo.

Pirozzolo called for the scrapping of both bail reform and Raise the Age laws by putting things back the way they were before and creating exceptions for certain situations instead.

If we do want to talk about legislation, how about legislation to hold parents accountable for their children when they do something like that, Pirozzolo proposed. How shocking would that be? As I said before, because of the majority in New York City that is highly unlikely to happen, because zero accountability seems to be the way the majority wants to go.

A representative for Malliotakis pointed out that in every civilized society youths are taught to respect their elders.

This was instilled in me and my generation at a very young age and I am deeply disturbed by the rise of incidents in which young teenagers are committing crimes and attacking their fellow citizens  especially their elders, Malliotakis said in a statement. At its core this is a breakdown of society and we must ask, What led to this?

Malliotakis like Pirozzolo pointed to social media as a potential cause of the spike in youth violence.

When young people see on social media and in the news that adults get away with assaults, robberies and other crimes, it sets a terrible example and they too believe that they can get away with such crimes, according to the congresswoman.

For the vociferous defenders of Raise the Age, Clinton asked, What if this was your grandfather? Your family member? Would you feel like the New York criminal justice system is working? Would you feel like your family member received justice?

Of course not, he concluded.

Raise the Age

The Raise the Age law effectively changed the age a child can be prosecuted as an adult to 18 years old. Prior to that, New York was one of two states that previously held 16-year-olds criminally responsible. The law, which transfers teens to Family Court for most cases, went into effect for 16-year-olds on Oct. 1, 2018 and 17-year-olds on Oct. 1, 2019.

This year has seen dozens of car thefts and gun toting incidents by youth offenders.

In May, McMahon, Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (D-North Shore), and the Center for Justice Innovation leadership announced a wide variety of programs intended to help combat rising youth crime.

The programs include restorative justice measures; a new youth committee to provide a safe space; revitalize areas of past violence; and pilot new creative programs, such as music, technology, and entrepreneurship.

During 2023, the Advance/SILive.com published a series examining the state of youth violence on Staten Island. Elected officials from different levels of government suggested six ideas to combat violence among Staten Islands youth.

The ideas ranged at the time from additional mental health resources for kids to help from homegrown celebrity influencers.
The Benton County Women, Infants and Children Program will celebrate 50 years of Oregons WIC special supplemental nutrition program from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at the Corvallis Community Center.

Clients and families served by the program, community partners and the public are all invited to attend the free event.

The celebration coincides with World Breastfeeding Day and National Breastfeeding Month, both aimed at raising awareness about breast/chestfeeding inequalities, promoting and supporting feeding babies human milk, and uplifting those who breast/chestfeed, according to a news release.

Breast/chestfeeding support is one of the four pillars of services that WIC provides, according to the release. WIC offers health and nutrition support through participant-centered counseling and group education.

If there are special needs or considerations for a client regarding their nutrition during pregnancy or for their baby/child, our staff go the extra mile to find the most up-to-date information to ensure the client receives the best possible service, Benton County WIC Program Manager Barbara Christianson said in a statement.

Oregon WIC opened in April 1974. In its first year of services, Oregon WIC supported 2,500 women, infants and children within five pilot programs. Last year, more than 114,000 participants were served in 36 Oregon counties, according to the news release.

Attendees can meet the staff, and enjoy free food, music, prizes and a resource fair. For more information about the Benton County WIC program, visit its website, or call or text 541-766-6812.
The son of the drummer for the legendary band Creedence Clearwater Revival has been charged with murder in Nevada and is a person of interest in a second death, according to multiple media reports.

Authorities allege that Brent Clifford, 55, son of iconic CCR drummer Doug Clifford, 79, killed his girlfriend and left her body by the roadside.

The remains, believed to be those of 48-year-old Patricia Portella-Wright, were discovered near Mt. Rose Highway in Washoe County, Nevada.

He appeared in court to face the charges on Friday.

According to FOX News, the younger Clifford was taken into custody on Thursday.

Clifford is also under investigation for another death that occurred in Reno, the shooting death of his friend William F. Andrews, 68, according to KPLCTV.

There is apparent foul play involved, Placer County Sgt. David Smith told the news outlet. Investigators have worked tirelessly over the last week to bring closure to Patricias family and locate Patricias body.

According to the Reno Police Department, Clifford is a person of interest in a Reno homicide. The male victim in that homicide was discovered on the morning of Sunday, August 11th, the Placer County Sheriffs Office said.

Andrews was found shot to death at a home on Keystone Avenue in Reno on Aug. 11, with the authorities ruling it a homicide.

Following Andrews death, Portella-Wright was also reported missing after she didnt show up for work.

Portella-Wright was dating Brent Clifford, according to the Reno Police Department. She was last seen on Aug. 4 and was reported missing Aug. 9.

Following a search, her body was found on Aug. 15 at the bottom of an embankment off Mt. Rose Highway in Nevada, the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiners Office confirmed.

ABOUT CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

Creedence Clearwater Revival was a popular rock band in late 1960s and early 1970s, known for its blend of rock and roll and Southern blues.

Band members were: John Fogerty (lead vocals, lead guitar, primary songwriter); Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitar, back-up vocals); Stu Cook (bass guitar); and Doug Clifford (drums).

Formed in 1967 in El Cerrito, California, they originally were part of a band called The Blue Velvets, later becoming The Golliwogs before adopting the name Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The band attained its most successful period between 1969 and 1971, when they produced 14 consecutive top 10 singles and five consecutive Top 10 albums, two of which  Green River (1969) and Cosmos Factory (1970)  topped the Billboard 200 chart.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  If youve ever wanted to meet George Clooney in person, heres your chance to meet the Academy Award/Golden Globe winning actor/director. Hes dubbed one of the most influential people in the world.

And itll cost you as little as a $10 donation.

Charitybuzz and Prizeo, two fundraisers, are offering fans the chance meet Clooney and walk the red carpet at the premiere of his new movie, Wolfs, Sept. 18.

The prize includes round-trip airfare to Los Angeles for two, and two nights hotel accommodations.

Youll get the full star-studded Hollywood experience and even walk the red carpet! Clooney noted.

By entering for a chance to win, youll also be supporting the Clooney Foundation for Justice and our Waging Justice for Women initiative, he said. This program is dedicated to fighting for gender equality and ensuring justice for women worldwide. Your donation will help us create a world where human rights are protected, and everyone is treated equally.

You can donate as little as $10 to help and enter for a chance to win.

To enter, visit https://www.prizeo.com/campaigns/l/george-clooney/george-clooney-wolfs-2024
A man was hospitalized Sunday after he may have been bitten by a shark while swimming in Atlantic County, authorities said.

The man, who is in his 30s, was injured while swimming around 9:30 a.m. at Surrey Avenue Beach in Ventnor, according to Stanley Bergman, chief of the Ventnor Beach Patrol.

This was not a confirmed shark bite because no one ever saw a shark, not even the victim, Bergman told NJ Advance Media on Monday. No one confirmed they saw a shark.

The incident occurred as lifeguards were preparing to open the beach to the public, Bergman said.

It was before we were on duty, Bergman said, adding that he did not know if the victim was from New Jersey.

Bergman said the mans suffered a laceration from a possible bite to his hand and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. His condition was not immediately available early Monday, but he was expected to recover.

The beach opened to the public in the morning, with bathers permitted no further in than knee-deep water. The water was opened up for swimming in the afternoon, the chief said.
Salisbury, N.Y.  A town judge in Herkimer County faces removal after several incidents of misconduct, including displaying a statue depicting the Confederate flag on his desk.

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Monday Salisbury Town Court Justice Thomas F. Rathburn, who is not an attorney, should be removed from his office.

The commission listed several concerning issues with Rathburn. In addition to displaying the Confederate symbol, Rathburn made comments on social media that showed support for the Confederacy, disparaged President Abraham Lincoln and failed to complete some of his duties as a town justice.

Rathburn also posted an image on social media that read, in part, I am proud to be white.

The wide range of misconduct committed by Judge Rathbun, plus his failure to respond to the Commissions inquiries or answer the formal disciplinary charges against him, demonstrate a disregard for his ethical responsibilities and compel his removal from judicial office, Robert Tembeckjian, a commission administrator, said.

Rathburn has served as a town justice since 2002, which is an elected position. His current term was set to expire Dec. 31, 2025.

The Confederate statue displayed on his desk could be seen from the courtroom if his office door was open, according to a news release from the commission. The statue has been on display in his office since 2005, according to the formal written complaint.

Rathburn also made inappropriate political commentary on his public Facebook between 2012 and 2023. Some of the posts demonstrated apparent support for the Confederacy, according to the commission.

One post stated that if people supported the banning of the Confederate flag for its connotations to slavery, then they should support the banning of the American flag as well.

Another post stated that Gen. Robert E. Lee was defending the Nation of Virginia from invasion and President Abraham Lincoln was the greatest mass murderer America has ever seen, according to the written complaint. The posts also included demeaning political memes including images mocking President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The commission also said that Rathburn failed to complete some of his duties as a judge.

In 2022, he did not complete mandatory Continuing Judicial Education credits required for all non-lawyers, according to a written complaint. His cases had to be reassigned to another judge, according to the commission. He has been prohibited from performing judicial duties since March of 2023.

Rathburn did not file mandatory monthly reports in early 2023 with the state comptroller resulting in his salary being stopped, the commission said. He also did not adjudicate an eviction proceeding for 11 months.

Rathburn is the second Upstate New York judge to be recommended for removal in the last month.

If he doesnt appeal, he will be removed from office.

Erin P. Gall  a judge for the Fifth Judicial District based in Oneida County  is suspended as she awaits the Court of Appeals to review the commissions determination in favor of her removal.

Gall was stationed as a result of an inappropriate interaction with civilians and police at a family friends graduation party in New Hartford. Gall admitted the interaction could result in the appearance of racial bias and bias in favor of police.

Related Article: Watch videos that break down a Central NY judges racially offensive rants: Ill shoot them

In 46 years, the commission has issued 184 determinations of removal. The state Court of Appeals has reduced 10 determinations of removal to either a censure or an admonition, but has never dismissed a sanction that began as a request for removal.
Vice President Kamala Harris is riding high after accepting the nomination for president during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week.

But one analyst on liberal MSNBC warned that Harris is playing into former GOP President Donald Trumps hands on one crucial issue.

Mediaite reported that Basil Smikle said that by putting off a sit-down interview with the press, Harris is feeding Trumps attack line that the veep is not smart enough and that shes ducking the issues.

Harris three weeks ago said that she planned to do an interview by the end of this month. But no interview has been scheduled yet.

Trump has slammed Harris for not giving an interview in the 37 days since she was tabbed as President Joe Bidens White House successor when Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

MSNBC host Jose Diaz-Balart on Anna Cabrera Reports said that Harris has taken questions from the press, just not in a lengthy televised sit-down.

Diaz-Balart asked Smikle if the lack of a formal interview mattered to anybody other than journalists.

I do think it matters to some voters, but Vice President Harris has to be very intentional about what she does do, Smikle said. The biggest task at hand for her in this next 70 days is maintaining the momentum, get voters to trust her. Shes got to maintain that. Shes got to do this with a tremendous amount of intentionality.

He said, But I also acknowledge that this line of attack from Donald Trump with respect to her not having thus far done this sit-down debate is part of this larger strategy of seeding the ground with doubt.

If you think about the press conference where he talked about the debate, he also said that Vice President Kamala Harris didnt want to debate him and that she wasnt smart, Smikle continued. So all of this is sort of feeding into this larger line of attack where he would say, and Republicans would say, that shes not good at this, shes not smart enough, thats why shes ducking the issues and ducking him. Thats clearly not the case, but its part of this larger strategy of his, to see the ground with that type of doubt and attack against her.
A 91-year-old Corvallis resident crashed through the front doors of the Oregon State Credit Union on Northwest Ninth Street.

Corvallis police and firefighters responded to the crash around 2:20 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, finding the building entrance smashed by a gold Toyota RAV4, according to Lt. Ben Harvey with the Corvallis Police Department.

Officers learned that Marilyn Victor was attempting to park in the handicapped spot in front of the credit union and mistook the gas pedal for the brakes, accelerating over the curb, through the doors and into the buildings lobby, Harvey said.

No injuries were reported from the crash and Victor was not criminally charged or cited. The Toyota was significantly damaged, as was the building entrance.

A witness to the crash, Joel Geier said a young man heading to a 12-hour millwright shift was near the credit unions ATM when he heard tires as the car hopped the curb and he jumped behind a concrete pillar to protect himself.

The millwright had the presence of mind to go grab leather gloves from his vehicle, since there was broken glass everywhere, then helped the driver get out of the car, Geier said via email.

The people inside the credit union were pretty much in shock, just gathered around and looking, Geier added.

In May, another Corvallis driver had a similar experience at the First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op. Police said 75-year-old Christian Feuillet confused the gas and brake pedals in a Chevy Bolt and drove into the building from a parking space out front, causing considerable damage. No charges were filed.

Related story:

Car crashes through Corvallis storefront Right now, were just trying to assess the damage to the building and see what our next steps will be, a co-op spokesperson said.
If you wangle front-row seats at writer and performer Mish Grigors show Class Act, high tea will be served.

Youll enjoy glasses of sparkling wine. There will be printed menu cards and three-tiered porcelain trays of odd but edible hors doeuvres, presented on linen-draped tables.

Your view of the show  a deconstructed, closer-to-home retelling of My Fair Lady, exploring the myth of Australia as a classless society  will be unobscured.

But this is only for 12 lucky audience members.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has rejected as nonsense a gold miners claims that its project in the NSW Central West has been delayed by up to a decade due to her decision to veto a tailings dam at the headwaters of the Belubula River on Indigenous heritage grounds.

The miner, Regis Resources, said on Tuesday it stood by its chief executive Jim Beyers estimate it would take five to 10 years to develop plans and gain approval to relocate the tailings dam. NSW Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos met Beyer on Tuesday afternoon and said he had committed to continue to look for options for the mine to proceed.

The Western Australia-based company claims Pliberseks decision has risked the future of the McPhillamys gold project and its potential to create 200 jobs and about $200 million in royalties for NSW.

Daniel Sutton at his home in Kings Plains, with the mine site in the background. Credit: Wolter Peeters

Plibersek told this masthead on Tuesday: Thats nonsense. This is a small variation, but the big part of the project is approved. She said the protected area was 400 out of 2500 hectares, and the company had the opportunity to find a new site.
The Corvallis School board approved a revised contract for the Muddy Creek Charter School at a special meeting last week.

That contract, following the boards decision this spring to renew the school for a further five years and after negotiations over the summer  and Muddy Creeks own board approval  includes updated language on the roles and responsibilities of the charter school and district relating to special education services.

A Place to Sleep, episode 3: Corvallis Do unhoused people know where to go in Corvallis? Well, the city has outlined where they shouldn't be: near creeks, rivers, wetlands, sidewalks or within 20 feet of trees.

Those language changes come after a state investigation last year found the district failed to meet federal education rules in 2022. Issues largely centered around how the school suspended students who may have had disabilities, and the district not meeting the requirements of individualized education programs, or IEPS, which outline specific learning goals for students.

According to Muddy Creeks principal, Sarah Danforth, who assumed that role in 2023, as well as parents who spoke in February in support of the schools renewal, the school has come a long way in the last year.

Were looking forward to a higher level of mutual accountability, she said.

Muddy Creek, located just over 10 miles south of Corvallis on Bellfountain Road and first authorized in 2007, is billed as a place-based education program, focusing on the community itself as an educational resource, that serves kindergartners through fifth graders.

The school has been reauthorized four times, in 2011, 2014, 2019, and most recently this year following the recommendations of the Oregon School Boards Association.

That same recommendation, however, also came with the call for the district to do more for students who require special education services at Muddy Creek.

Thats in light of a report by the Oregon Department of Education last year  spurred by a parental complaint, which looked at the schools practices from December 2021 to December 2022  that found the district violated the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act by failing to meet regulations around disciplinary removals for three Muddy Creek students.

Among the findings, one student whom the district may have known had a disability, according to the report, was suspended beyond the 10-day limit, and that almost all exclusions werent recorded as suspensions and that parents werent notified as required.

Among the changes in Muddy Creeks contract this go-around: a section saying the charter school must report immediately to the district that a student suspected or identified with a disability is suspended for 10 days.

The updated document also notes the district must follow the federal Individual with Disabilities Act, and if the charter school doesnt follow a students IEP, the district may issue a letter of correction. Further failure to meet those requirements, the contract notes, could lead to the district revoking Muddy Creeks charter.

Beyond the topic of special education, a report to the Corvallis school board on the contract also said the charter school sought an increase in funding from the school district.

District officials, citing their budget challenges, said they would look at the question again in 2025, following the next legislative session when lawmakers approve education funding for the next biennium.

Related story:
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has walked back on appearing before the Brisbane CFMEU rally, saying he does not agree with signs depicting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a nazi.

Yesterday, Chandler-Mather spoke at the CFMEU rally in Brisbane where there were signs comparing Albanese to Adolf Hitler.

The CFMEU rally in Melbourne drew an estimated 50,000 to the city streets. Credit: Jason South

In a statement, Chandler-Mather defended speaking up at the rally but added he did not agree with the signs.

I spoke at the rally in support of the tens of thousands of construction workers, 99.9 per cent of whom have faced no allegations of wrongdoing, and yet they have all been deprived of their basic right to a democratic, independent union and natural justice, he said.

Of course I dont agree with those signs, theyre offensive. However, its ridiculous to expect a speaker to audit every sign that appears at a rally with thousands of people in attendance.

Earlier this morning, Workplace Minister Murray Watt accused Chandler-Mather of endorsing a union racked with allegations of violence and misogyny, which the Greens member hit back against.

Watt is saying that because hes led the most anti-union attack in decades, gleefully boasting about working with the Liberals on union busting legislation that may as well be written by Margaret Thatcher, Chandler-Mather said.

Senator Watt is desperate to focus on a game of gotcha to distract from the fact that his government is flagrantly disregarding the rule of law and separation of powers and to avoid genuinely engaging with the critique of his government.
As Darren Greenfields lawyer fronted up to court on Tuesday morning to plead for more time for his bribery charges to be tested, the man himself was flexing for another battle.

It was 9.30am. City workers stepping out for their morning coffee might have noticed a larger than usual number of people in hi-vis t-shirts, heading towards Macquarie Street.

Darren Greenfield addresses union members on Macquarie Street. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

In the Downing Centre Local Court, the former CFMEU boss barrister Jill Caldwell told Magistrate Greg Grogin that the media firestorm that had engulfed her clients in recent weeks meant they were no longer placed to proceed to a hearing next month.

Greenfield, 56, and his son, Michael, 36, have been charged with soliciting and accepting payments in exchange for preferential treatment for a building company, which they deny.
Last week, mod-Mexican diner Comedor was the new darling of Sydneys restaurant scene, given a chefs hat and declared a summer hotspot by the Heralds Good Food team.

On a recent Thursday night, reviewer Callan Boys reported: The place was pumping with a whos who of the inner west: brewers, designers, musicians and artists. Butchers, bakers and at least one candlestick maker.

The patch of dirt and grass in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park where Comedor restaurant would like to operate an outdoor deck. Credit: Michael Koziol

It would be even better, he predicted, when the restaurant opened a small deck and eight chairs on an adjoining patch of the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Newtown. But fast-forward a few days and those plans have been scotched after complaints from neighbours and a number of councillors.

They argue the deck  which would take up no more than 30 square metres of mostly dirt on the parks edge  would privatise public space and contribute to the gentrification of the inner west suburb.
Authorities are warning Victorians to avoid parking under trees and to secure loose objects around their homes as the strongest cold front this winter bears down on the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning with winds up to 130km/h forecast for alpine regions overnight, followed by pummelling surf and high tides in low-lying areas on Wednesday.

State Emergency Service units across Victoria have been put on standby anticipating extreme weather.

The bureaus senior meteorologist, Kevin Parkyn, said winds might be destructive in alpine regions while Melbourne and surrounding communities could be hit by winds of up to 90km/h overnight.
Perth man Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, who coerced 286 victims  including 180 children  into performing sexually explicit acts on camera or video, has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment.

Perths District Court today sentenced the 29-year-old, who posed as a teenage influencer, after he pleaded guilty in December 2023 to 119 charges, covering more than 550 incidents across 11 months.

Investigators found he used multiple social media accounts to contact young females with visible friend lists, and would try to befriend them, then manipulate them into providing explicit content. He would then blackmail them into providing increasingly sexual and degrading videos by threatening to send earlier explicit content to their family and friends.

When determining the sentence, the Judge also took into account another three charges capturing 108 incidents.

One Canada-based victim told police she was just 13 when someone she thought was a 15-year-old social media celebrity contacted her online. It was in fact the Perth man, who asked her a series of explicit questions before sending edited screenshots of the conversation that depicted the victim liking his sexual fantasies.

The offender then threatened to send these doctored images to her friends and family unless she complied with his demands for sexually explicit videos.

Sextortion can escalate in a matter of minutes. We encourage parents and carers to speak to their children regularly about their online activities, so they feel comfortable about asking for help if needed.

On some occasions, the man forced victims to perform sexual acts on camera for the viewing of himself and other unknown individuals; in one instance as many as 98 other people. He also conversed online with other child sex offenders, swapping strategies and details of susceptible children.

AFP Assistant Commissioner David McLean said this was one of the worst sextortion cases in history.

The investigation has involved WA Police, the Australian Federal Police, United States Homeland Security Investigations and Interpol.

Police first searched his Parkwood home in September 2019 and seized a phone, hard drives and USBs.

He was charged by various forces in 2019, 2020 and 2021 as the AFP, with assistance from Commonwealth prosecutors, have excavated the scale of the abuse, sifting through thousands of pages of jumbled text conversations from multiple accounts.

This type of online exploitation and abuse is devastating and causes lifelong trauma, Assistant Commissioner McLean said.

The predator, through his facade  manipulated and exploited 286 children and young adults for his own sadistic pleasure  in their own homes, a place where they should feel safe.

Sextortion can escalate in a matter of minutes. We encourage parents and carers to speak to their children regularly about their online activities, so they feel comfortable about asking for help if needed. We also want to remind people to never share personal information with people they have only met online.

I want to acknowledge the dedication of the investigators who worked tirelessly to bring this man to justice and prevent him from harming anyone else.

The man exploited and abused victims from 20 countries: Australia, The United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Guam, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Namibia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, South Africa, Spain and Netherlands.

The man was sentenced to a non-parole period of nine years.
It was physical out there. I have a tendency to sometimes drag these matches on, and have some real long battles, but I just tried to stay focused, stay the course and play every point. Ive had a couple  a lot  of losses when Ive been in winning positions, so that one is all relief and mental [strength], so Im super excited. I missed a lot of my career through the middle period, so Im just trying to make up for whatever I have left and just keep hustling, and well see how we go. De Minaur survived a series of hairy moments in the fourth set  including saving break points in his opening two service games  to score a gutsy 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory over American Marcos Giron. It was de Minaurs first appearance since he withdrew before his Wimbledon quarter-final against Novak Djokovic with a cartilage tear in his right hip.

The rust showed, with the 25-year-old, who was ranked at a career-high No.6 before being sidelined, making only 41 per cent of his first serves and sending down an uncharacteristic 12 double faults, while his flushed face showed the strain of the extreme heat. Giron appeared to be on top until he crumbled in the ninth game of the fourth set, double-faulting to drop serve to love before de Minaur completed his escape act, after which he let out a guttural roar laced with relief. An elated Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates his four-set upset of Stefanos Tsitsipas at the US Open. Credit: Getty Images Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen is the next hurdle for Australias No.1 player. Purcell advanced, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3, over Aleks Vukic in an all-Australian affair; Thompson breezed past Frenchman Constant Lestienne 6-1, 6-3, 6-2; and Schoolkate recovered from a two-set hole to claim his maiden grand slam win in a 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 success over Japans Taro Daniel.

I started on my own and when I turned 18 and was playing in the junior events, I had to do the GoFundMe page just to help pay for things, Schoolkate said. My family doesnt come from a lot of money and I never made anything in juniors. Obviously, coming into the pros, this is by far the biggest cheque ($AU207,000) Ive received. OConnell, who withdrew with injury from the French Open and Paris Olympics and played under duress at Wimbledon, made it 10 Australian winners on the first two days when he upset Chilean 26th seed Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Daria Saville, wildcard Taylah Preston, James Duckworth and qualifiers Destanee Aiava and Arina Rodionova exited the US Open on day two.

Saville destroyed her racquet after coughing up a 2-0 lead in the final set to lose 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6) to 217th-ranked Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara, while Russian 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova blitzed 18-year-old Preston 6-2, 6-0. Loading Fourth-seeded Kazakh Elena Rybakina ousted Aiava 6-1, 7-6 (7-1); Chinas Wang Xinyu downed Rodionova 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; and Italian 31st seed Flavio Cobolli beat Duckworth 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. World No.86 Kokkinakis, who reached the US Open junior final against Borna Coric 11 years ago, has not fully realised his immense potential for various reasons, including injuries, illness and a self-admission of complacency at times. There are signs this year that the talented South Australian could yet make his mark.

The Tsitsipas triumph comes hot on the heels of his five-set thriller against Canadas Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opening round of Wimbledon last month, before another knee injury in a mid-match slip saw him withdraw in his next contest. Kokkinakis also pushed top-10 Pole Hubert Hurkacz to three sets in the round of 32 at the Montreal Masters, so he is in good form ahead of a second-round US Open date with Portugals Nuno Borges. I have the ultimate belief in my game. I felt like my body was holding me back for a long period of time, Kokkinakis said. Jordan Thompson is into the second round at the US Open. Credit: Getty Images Everyone is so good here, from top to bottom  so Im not taking it for granted. Im just trying to go as well as I can and put as much effort into this sport as I can. Ive maybe taken it a bit for granted in the past, when I was a bit younger, so Im just giving it a go.

This is why you play  to play on big stadiums in massive cities, so its an incredible feeling. Its a bit embarrassing doing it [celebrating] after a first round, but Ill take it. Every match means a lot. Loading Kokkinakis staved off three separate break points in the third game of the third set, then another four games later, in what proved a critical juncture in the match. With the momentum seemingly in Tsitsipas favour, the Greek 11th seed stumbled from 40-0 up at 3-4 to concede serve. There was a sloppy forehand then a double fault before Kokkinakis hammered a superb down-the-line backhand winner to get back to deuce. Kokkinakis enjoyed some fortune when his defensive backhand lob landed on the baseline on the next point to help him bring up break point. That was when he took matters into his own hands.
Oxford, UK: There is a wedding photograph dating from 2014 that has recently and understandably gone viral. On the left is the former independent presidential candidate-turned-new Donald Trump supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who is grinning with the joys of newfound nuptial happiness, his ill-fated tilt at the presidency not even a remote gleam in his eye.

In the middle stands his new bride, Cheryl Hines, an actress best known for her role in Curb Your Enthusiasm as Cheryl, Larry Davids long-suffering wife, who is smiling widely but also somewhat nervously into the camera. And on the right sits David himself, whose expression of wry bemusement seems to suggest that Hines real-life union will be just as doomed as the one in his sitcom.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, then US independent presidential candidate, and his wife actress Cheryl Hines during a campaign event in Oakland, California, in March. Credit: Bloomberg

A decade later, RFK Jr  as he likes to be known  is still married to Hines, but their marriage has come under severe strain, to say nothing of public scrutiny, ever since the Kennedy scion first announced that he would run for the presidency in 2023. Although his often eccentric campaign was widely ridiculed, not least for his public pronouncements that part of his brain had been eaten by a worm and that he had once dumped the corpse of a bear cub in a New York park after photographing himself with it, it still came as a surprise that he endorsed Trump.

He had described the former president as a terrible human being, probably a sociopath and a discredit to democracy, and declared that under no circumstances would he ever join a Trump presidential campaign, given the divergence in their politics; as recently as 2016, he had endorsed Hillary Clinton over the eventually victorious Trump.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs has requested that the president of the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS), Richard Doornbosch, amend the controversial billboard promoting the new Caribbean Guilder, which is strategically placed at the Salt Pickers roundabout, to reflect a more accurate map of the island.

It has been brought to my attention that the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) has a billboard placed strategically at the Salt Pickers Roundabout at the entrance of the road leading to the University of St. Martin and the Government Administration Building, Minister Marinka Gumbs stated in her letter dated Monday, August 26, 2024, to Doornbosch.

Said billboard, she continued, is apparently part of the media promotional blitz for the new Caribbean Guilder. However, the billboard shows a map of St. Martin in which the northern half of the island has been deliberately erased. This has caused quite some outcry on our island, especially on social media platforms.

Noting that similar images that appeared on social media platforms have been digitally corrected to show the full map of the island while highlighting the southern half that falls under the jurisdiction of the CBCS, the Minister added: The question being asked is why has CBCS not done the same with the billboard?

I would like to think that this may have been an oversight on your part, Minister Gumbs further stated in her letter, adding: However, whatever the reason may be, it would be most appreciated if, at least, out of respect for local sensitivity, you cause the billboard under reference to be amended without delay in order to show the map of St. Martin accurately and in full. The island is not just a geographical unit, and it is also historically and culturally a nation of one people who see their destiny intertwined.

I am sure you will agree with me that symbols and representation matter. That is why any attempt to slice off one part of the island from the other, intentionally or not, is usually met with resistance. It would be most unfortunate if this situation is allowed to fester and consequently detract from the message of the new Caribbean Guilder, Minister Marinka Gumbs concluded.
PHILIPSBURG:--- To support Sunrise Nursing Agency's mission of providing healthcare within the community, CIBC Caribbean, trading as FirstCaribbean in the Dutch Caribbean, recently sponsored its senior hygiene kits program.



During its daily home visits, Sunrise Nursing found that many seniors had no essential personal care products.



Catering to the basic needs of some of our community's most vulnerable, Xiomara Philips of the nursing agency believes the kits will not only boost and maintain the dignity of its members but also help protect seniors and slow the spread of illnesses. In turn, it provides relief to families and relieves the strain on healthcare services. Sunrise Nursing Agency officially opened its doors to the public this month.
BONAIRE:--- The Baku Initiative Group (BIG), a renowned non-governmental organization focused on decolonization and human rights, has officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bonaire Human Rights Organization and the Bonaire Movement for Change. This partnership aims to enhance collaborative efforts in addressing colonialism and neo-colonialism on both national and international levels.

The MOU recognizes BIG's established international reputation and its alignment with organizations such as the United Nations and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. Together, the Parties will engage in multilateral initiatives, including demonstrations, events, and conferences, to raise global awareness about decolonization and related social challenges.

By sharing a common mission, the Parties commit to improving their effectiveness through cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.

Key aspects of the agreement include the establishment of regular reciprocal exchanges and delegation visits, promoting joint events such as conferences and round tables that align with shared goals. The parties emphasized the importance of practical cooperation and information dissemination during international events, allowing for better alignment of strategies.

Furthermore, the Memorandum encourages the coordination of positions within international forums, facilitating mutual support in building connections with other like-minded organizations.

This partnership aims to fortify the ties between Azerbaijan and Bonaire, setting the groundwork for future collaborative programs based on mutual consent. The parties expressed optimism about the potential outcomes of this cooperation, which promises to enhance their global standing and effectiveness in addressing shared challenges.

The document was signed by Mr. Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, Mr.James Finies, Founder of the Bonaire Movement for Change, and Mrs Davika Bissessar-Shaw, President of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization.

This historic moment was witnessed by the Bonaire delegation to Baku and international speakers; Ambassador Dr June Soomer, Chair of UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, UN Ambassador for Belize Mr Fuller, Mr Matai Zamuel BHRO International Youth Representative from Suriname, Professor Richard Byron-Cox Special Envoy of St Vincent and Grenadines and Mr Jorge Garcia of COPPPAL Secretary General from Mexico and numerous media houses.

The signing of this agreement is a testament to our shared commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Bonaire "Together, we are stronger.

Bonaire Human Rights Organization
As a cost savings, Corvallis leaders discussed releasing its legal counsel from their obligation to attend each City Council meeting.

Conversation around how to make this happen occurred at the council's work session on Thursday, Aug. 22, during a six-month check-in with the attorneys who regularly represent the city.

In February, the council unanimously voted to move forward with Portland-based law firm Beery, Elsner & Hammond LLP. The firm represents or has represented more than 100 city and county governments across the Pacific Northwest. Josh Soper and Emily Matasar lead as the city attorneys for Corvallis and one of them attends the meetings remotely.

A different billing system

Previous City Attorney Jim Brewer and his deputy David Coulombe were paid in advance on a retainer, but the new city attorneys are paid by the hour.

This has impeded the councilors ability to rely on their attorneys as they used to  at any time and often, as Councilor Hyatt Lytle put it, or in a manner that Councilor Tracy Yee referred to as an all-you-can-eat buffet.

In approving the contract earlier this year, councilors did raise eyebrows at the cost and a method to contain them; per the contract, communications between the lawyers and the councilors must be authorized by the city manager.

While evaluating how the transition to the new firm was going last week, many councilors discussed no longer requiring a city attorneys presence at regular meetings. The idea was to create more time to utilize them elsewhere.

Mayor Maughan agreed: I forget that anybodys listening in on the council meetings at all, sometimes, he said of the attorneys online presence. In contrast, Brewer regularly attended meetings in-person.

One way to make this work, councilors said, is to have city officials look at the agenda in advance of a meeting to determine if an item necessitates a lawyers presence.

When an attorney is needed

Councilor Jan Napack pointed to certain kinds of public hearings as examples. She also acknowledged that following this years upcoming election, some councilors will not be familiar with procedure, and an attorney could prevent fatal errors.

Maughan agreed that there would be instances during council meetings when an attorney would be more than necessary.

I like to know that theres a resource available when and if I need it, he said.

Most of us have the experience  I feel pretty confident in my role as mayor  to be able to conduct meetings efficiently and legally, he said. But every once in a while, theres hiccups.

Asked for input, Soper said that most of his and Matasars clients had them attending meetings on an as-needed basis, similar to what Corvallis was proposing.

That model seems to work for most of our cities, he said.

What's typical?

Cities across Oregon take different approaches to their need for attorneys at council meetings.

"Each city in Oregon has a unique relationship with its city attorney," Robin Klein, assistant general counsel for the League of Oregon Cities, said by email. The organization serves as a lobbyist for Oregon cities in Salem and recommends best practices for municipalities.

Requirements of public meeting attendance are therefore dependent on the city of Corvalliss charter and its contract with the law firm, Klein wrote.

Corvallis' charter does not specify job requirements for its city attorney, only that the position is filled by the council, not the city manager who fills other posts.

How to determine what defines an as-needed basis remains up to the City Council, Soper said, though Matasar added that legal counsel can also review agendas in advance of meetings.

Soper suggested a two-week lead time for notification that an attorney's presence would be be helpful.

But Maughan said this would take some rethinking of how to conduct agenda-setting meetings. Agendas typically are formed and publicized a week or less before the meetings.

It is often feasible to provide coverage when something pops up at the last minute, Soper added. In instances where the City Council has a legal question and cant get an answer during the meeting because attorneys are unavailable, Maughan said, that issue can be tabled.

The catch in that, Napack pointed out, is it's predicated on knowing when something is amiss" and needs legal consultation.

Further discussion with leadership will likely occur to hammer out details, as well as determine which topics would trigger a need for attorney presence, Maughan said.

Time limits for councilors

Other topics discussed during the transition check-in included the one-hour limit on direct contact between mayor or councilors and their legal counsel.

Soper wondered if the time limit is dissuading councilors from making contact at all, as only two councilors have done so at this point, and most months the 60 minutes are not used.

Maughan said council is in the dark about the status of the time limit.

We dont know where we are in that 60 minutes, he said. We dont know what contacts happened.

Council proposed a system in which the council president  currently Paul Shaffer  keeps track of minutes to better manage that time and balance remaining.

Soper added that the limit does not apply to the city manager. Therefore, City Manager Mark Shepard can bring questions from the council to the attorneys himself without fear of running down the clock.

And, Maughan said, with the city saving on billable hours during meetings, councilors could get more direct contact time with the attorneys.

Related story:
Iraq fire tears through fuel tankers, kills one driver



Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2024



A fire that engulfed around fifteen fuel tankers in northern Iraq's Kurdistan region killed one driver and injured seven others on Monday, local authorities said.

The exact cause of the fire, which broke out in a parking area for the Parviz Khan border crossing that connects the autonomous Kurdistan region with Iran, was still under investigation.

"Firefighters have brought the fire at the Parviz Khan border crossing under control," the Garmiyan regional municipality, home to the crossing, said in a statement.

"One person was killed and seven others injured," it said, adding that the victims were all taken to hospital.

"The fire broke out around 1900 (1600 GMT) in a parking area reserved for fuel tankers and lasted around two hours," the municipal spokesman Shoman Ahmed told AFP.

The fire destroyed 15 tankers carrying petroleum derivatives, he said, adding that a lorry driver died while firefighters were among the injured.

An investigative committee has been appointed to establish the cause of the fire, but initial reports suggest that a driver had taken out a gas stove to prepare a meal, Ahmed said.

Fires are a frequent occurrence in Iraq, where safety rules are often not followed, especially in the construction and transportation sectors.

With summer temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius, the country has experienced several fires in recent months including in shopping centres, warehouses and even hospitals.
Israel announces air strike in West Bank, Palestinian Authority says 5 dead



Jerusalem, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2024



Israel said on Monday it carried out an air strike on the occupied West Bank, while the Palestinian Authority reported five killed in the incident.

"A short while ago, an aircraft struck an operational centre in the area of Nur Shams," an Israeli military spokesperson said, without providing a casualty count or specifying who was targeted.

"Five citizens were killed and others were injured," the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

Violence in the West Bank has surged alongside the war in Gaza, with more than 640 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops and settlers since Hamas's October 7 attack, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.

At least 19 Israelis have also died in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

A correspondent for Wafa reported hearing four loud explosions and said Monday's strike targeted a house in the Nur Shams refugee camp.

The camp near Tulkarem has been the target of multiple Israeli army operations.

Fourteen people died in one two-day Israeli operation in Nur Shams in April, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

And in July Israeli forces bulldozed the main street in Nur Shams during a raid that lasted 15 hours.
Palestinian Authority says 5 killed in Israeli air strike on West Bank



Jerusalem, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2024



Israel said it carried out an air strike Monday on the occupied West Bank that the Palestinian Authority reported killed five people.

"A short while ago, an aircraft struck an operational centre in the area of Nur Shams," said an Israeli military statement, without specifying who was targeted or giving a casualty figure.

"Five citizens were killed and others were injured," the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

The Times of Israel newspaper said a drone strike was carried out but the military did not say how the attack was staged.

A correspondent for Wafa reported hearing four loud explosions and said the strike targeted a house in the Nur Shams refugee camp.

Violence in the West Bank has surged alongside the war in Gaza, with more than 640 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops and settlers since Hamas's October 7 attack, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.

At least 19 Israelis have also died in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

The Nur Shams camp near Tulkarem has been the target of multiple Israeli army operations.

Fourteen people died in one two-day Israeli operation in Nur Shams in April, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

In July Israeli forces bulldozed the main street in Nur Shams during a raid that lasted 15 hours.
Trump hits Harris on US Afghan withdrawal 'calamity'



Washington, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2024



Donald Trump on Monday tied Vice President Kamala Harris to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan as he paid tribute to 13 troops killed in a suicide attack on the third anniversary of their deaths.

It was Trump who, as president in 2020, struck a deal with the Taliban for the United States to withdraw from the country.

But it was President Joe Biden who, after delaying it by a few months, finally implemented the retreat in 2021, one of the administration's lowest points.

Trump regularly slams Biden over it, but has pivoted to blaming Harris for White House policy decisions since she replaced the 81-year-old Democrat as his rival for the White House.

In Detroit to address the National Guard Association of the United States, the Republican ex-president, 78, argued that the "humiliation" of the withdrawal destroyed US credibility and was "caused by Kamala Harris (and) Joe Biden."

"Now, the voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on November 5, we hope, and when I take office... I will get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity to be on my desk at noon on inauguration day," he said.

Taliban forces seized the Afghan capital Kabul on August 15, 2021, after the US-backed government collapsed days ahead of the planned withdrawal date and its leaders fled into exile.

A suicide bomb attack killed 13 US troops and 170 Afghans on August 26 at the crowded perimeter of Kabul's international airport, where an unprecedented military airlift operation got more than 120,000 people out of the country in a matter of days.

Before US troops were able to secure the whole airport, the world witnessed tragic scenes of panicked Afghan civilians mobbing airliners and even falling to their deaths as they attempted to cling onto departing planes.



- Trump's Taliban deal -



Ahead of Trump's speech, his campaign pointed to previous Harris statements that she was the last person in the room before Biden made the call to withdraw from Afghanistan.

"By her own admission, Kamala Harris was a key player in the disastrous withdrawal," it said in statement.

"She bragged about being the last person in the room for the fateful decision, was 'front and center' for the security briefings, and even laughed as a reporter asked her about the American citizens still trapped in Afghanistan."

The White House released a classified review of the withdrawal in April last year, acknowledging intelligence failures but blaming Trump for creating the conditions leading to the rout.

In a declassified summary, the administration said the February 2020 deal between Trump and the Taliban had placed the incoming Biden government in an impossible position by agreeing a date for withdrawal, but providing no plan for executing it.

Harris released a statement offering prayers for "13 devoted patriots" and the loved ones they left behind. "My heart breaks for their pain and their loss," she said.

Earlier Monday, Trump took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia for the slain service members.

The former president has been hammered repeatedly over inflammatory public comments and alleged private remarks about veterans.

Earlier this month he said the country's top civilian award was "much better" than the elite military honor, because the service members who receive their medal are "in very bad shape" or "dead."
Japan says Chinese aircraft incursion 'serious violation'



Tokyo, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Japan slammed on Tuesday what it called the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying it was part of a pattern by Beijing.

"The violation of our airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our sovereignty but also a threat to our security and is totally unacceptable," chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said a day after the incident over the East China Sea.

Japan said it scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion from 11:29 am (0229 GMT) on Monday by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture.

"We understand that this is the first confirmed and announced airspace incursion by a Chinese military aircraft since we started the anti-airspace incursion measures," Hayashi told reporters.

"We refrain from giving a definite answer as to the intended purpose of the Chinese aircraft's action. However, China's recent military activities near Japan have a tendency to expand and become increasingly active," he said.

"The government will continue to pay close attention to China's military activities and will take all possible measures to ensure vigilant surveillance and airspace violation measures."

Deputy foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned China's acting ambassador late Monday to lodge a "firm protest" and call for measures to prevent a recurrence, the foreign ministry said.

The Chinese diplomat said in response that the matter would be reported to Beijing, according to the ministry. Nearly 24 hours after the incident, there was no official comment from Beijing.

China's growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and its assertiveness in territorial disputes -- in particular Taiwan -- has alarmed the United States and its allies.

Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire "counter-strike" capabilities and easing rules on arms exports.

Tokyo is also providing funding and equipment such as patrol vessels to countries across the region and agreed in July on a deal with the Philippines allowing troop deployments on each other's soil.

Japan and South Korea have also moved to bury the historical hatchet. Tokyo is also part of the Quad alliance with the United States, Australia and India, a grouping seen as a bulwark against Beijing.

Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said the Y-9 in Monday's incident "was likely probing Japan's air defence network, collecting electronic intel such as Japan's radar signals and coverage".
Japan says Chinese aircraft incursion a 'serious violation'



Tokyo, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Japan slammed on Tuesday what it called the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming "increasingly active".

China's growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and its assertiveness in territorial disputes -- most recently with the Philippines -- has rattled the United States and its allies, and Monday's incident represents a further heightening of tensions.

Japan, Washington's closest ally in the region, said it scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion from 11:29 am (0229 GMT) on Monday by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

More than 24 hours later China is yet to comment, with US National Security advisor Jake Sullivan due in Bejing later Tuesday for talks with top diplomat Wang Yi that will include the South China Sea.

Analysts said China was possibly probing Japan's air defence network, seeking to obtain intelligence and putting pressure on Tokyo as it expands defence cooperation with the United States and other countries in the region alarmed by Beijing's behaviour.

"The violation of our airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our sovereignty but also a threat to our security and is totally unacceptable," Japan's chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

"We refrain from giving a definite answer as to the intended purpose of the Chinese aircraft's action. However, China's recent military activities near Japan have a tendency to expand and become increasingly active," he told a regular briefing.



- Confrontations -



The uninhabited Danjo Islands are a group of small islets also located in the East China Sea off Japan's southern Nagasaki region, and are not disputed territory.

Japanese and Chinese vessels have been involved in tense incidents in other areas, in particular the remote Senkaku islands in the East China Sea claimed by Beijing, which calls them the Diaoyus.

Tokyo has reported the presence of Chinese coastguard vessels, a naval ship and even a nuclear-powered submarine, in the area, and there have been a series of confrontations between Japanese coastguard vessels and Chinese fishing boats.

Two non-military aircraft from China -- a propeller-powered plane and a small drone -- forayed into airspace near the Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.



- 'Counter-strike' -



Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire counter-strike capabilities and easing rules on arms exports.

Tokyo is also providing funding and equipment such as patrol vessels to countries across the region, and agreed in July on a deal with the Philippines allowing troop deployments on each other's soil.

Manila and Beijing have been involved in a series of confrontations, most recently in waters near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea only 140 kilometres (90 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.

Beijing claims the South China Sea -- through which trillions of dollars of trade passes annually -- almost in its entirety despite an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

China deploys boats to patrol the busy South China Sea and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.

The Philippines defence chief Gilberto Teodoro on Tuesday called China the "biggest disruptor" of peace in Southeast Asia.

Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said the Y-9 in Monday's incident "was likely probing Japan's air defence network, collecting electronic intel such as Japan's radar signals and coverage".

Naoko Aoki, a political scientist at the RAND think tank, said China may be seeking "to pressure Japan as Japan continues to try to both hedge against and engage with China to balance its security concerns with economic interests".

"The area this happened could be of significance. China claims control over a large area of the continental shelf in the East China Sea, and China may be making a point, challenging Japan's delineation method," she told AFP.

burs-nf-kh-stu/fox
US soldier who fled to N. Korea to plead guilty to desertion: lawyer



Washington, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



A US soldier who fled to North Korea last year will plead guilty to desertion at a court martial as part of a plea deal, his lawyer said.

Private Second Class Travis King ran across the border from South Korea into the North in July last year while on a sightseeing tour of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea expelled King in September and the US Army later charged him with desertion and a raft of other crimes.

King's lawyer Frank Rosenblatt said Monday the US Army had charged the soldier with 14 offenses and that he would plead guilty to five of them.

"He will plead guilty to five of those, including desertion, 3 counts of disobeying an officer, and assault on a noncommissioned officer," Rosenblatt said in a statement.

"He will plead not guilty to the remaining offenses, which the Army will withdraw and dismiss."

King's guilty plea and sentencing hearing would take place on September 20 at a court martial in Fort Bliss, Texas, the lawyer said.

"There, he will explain what he did, answer a military judge's questions about why he is pleading guilty, and be sentenced," Rosenblatt said.

Desertion carries a jail sentence of up to five years.

"Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all those outside of his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations," his lawyer said.

At the time of the incident, King had been stationed in South Korea and after a drunken bar fight and a stay in South Korean jail, he was meant to fly back to Texas to face disciplinary hearings.

Instead of traveling to Fort Bliss, he walked out of the Seoul-area airport, joined a DMZ sightseeing trip and slipped over the fortified border where he was detained by the communist North's authorities.

Pyongyang had said that King had defected to North Korea to escape "mistreatment and racial discrimination in the US Army."

But after completing its investigation, North Korea "decided to expel" King in September for illegally intruding into its territory.

King's border crossing occurred with relations between the two Koreas at a low point, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapons development, including tactical nuclear warheads.
China says 'verifying' Japan's claims PLA aircraft violated its airspace



Beijing, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



China said Tuesday it was "verifying" claims by Japan of the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace.

Japan condemned the incursion as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming "increasingly active".

Japan, a close ally of Washington, said it had scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion from 11:29 am (0229 GMT) on Monday by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

Asked about Tokyo's claims, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said "the relevant Chinese departments are in the process of gathering information and verifying the situation".

"The two sides have maintained communication through existing working channels," he added.

"I would also like to emphasise here that China has no intention of intruding into the territorial airspace of any country," Lin said.
China says 'no intention' of violating foreign airspace after Japan claim



Beijing, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



China said on Tuesday it has "no intention" of violating foreign airspace after Japan accused a Chinese military aircraft of entering its skies.

Japan condemned Monday's incursion as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming "increasingly active".

Washington's closest ally in the region, Japan said it scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft on Monday off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

Asked about Japan's claims, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said "the relevant Chinese departments are in the process of gathering information and verifying the situation".

"The two sides have maintained communication through existing working channels," he said.

"I would also like to emphasise here that China has no intention of intruding into the territorial airspace of any country," Lin said.

The uninhabited Danjo Islands are a group of small islets located in the East China Sea off Japan's southern Nagasaki region and are not disputed territory.

Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire counter-strike capabilities and easing rules on arms exports.
Japan says Chinese aircraft incursion a 'serious violation'



Tokyo, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Japan slammed on Tuesday what it called the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming "increasingly active".

China's growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and its assertiveness in territorial disputes, most recently with the Philippines, has rattled the United States and its allies. Monday's incident represents a further heightening of tensions.

Japan, Washington's closest ally in the region, said it scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion on Monday morning by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

Asked about the claims, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing was "gathering information and verifying the situation" while communicating with Japan.

"I would also like to emphasise here that China has no intention of intruding into the territorial airspace of any country," Lin told a regular briefing.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks with top diplomat Wang Yi that will include the South China Sea.

Analysts said China was possibly probing Japan's air defence network, seeking to obtain intelligence and putting pressure on Tokyo as it expands defence cooperation with the United States and other countries in the region alarmed by Beijing's behaviour.

"The violation of our airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our sovereignty but also a threat to our security and is totally unacceptable," Japan's chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

"We refrain from giving a definite answer as to the intended purpose of the Chinese aircraft's action. However, China's recent military activities near Japan have a tendency to expand and become increasingly active," he told a regular briefing.



- Confrontations -



The uninhabited Danjo Islands are a group of small islets located in the East China Sea off Japan's southern Nagasaki region and are not disputed territory.

Japanese and Chinese vessels have been involved in tense incidents in other areas, in particular the remote Senkaku islands in the East China Sea claimed by Beijing, which calls them the Diaoyus.

Tokyo has reported the presence of Chinese coastguard vessels, a naval ship and even a nuclear-powered submarine in the area, and there have been a series of confrontations between Japanese coastguard vessels and Chinese fishing boats.

Two non-military aircraft from China -- a propeller-powered plane and a small drone -- forayed into airspace near the Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.



- 'Counter-strike' -



Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire counter-strike capabilities and easing rules on arms exports.

Tokyo is also providing funding and equipment such as patrol vessels to countries across the region and agreed in July on a deal with the Philippines allowing troop deployments on each other's soil.

Manila and Beijing have been involved in a series of confrontations, most recently near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea only 140 kilometres (90 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.

Beijing claims the South China Sea -- through which trillions of dollars of trade passes annually -- almost in its entirety despite an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

China deploys boats to patrol the busy South China Sea and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.

Philippines defence chief Gilberto Teodoro called China the "biggest disruptor" of peace in Southeast Asia on Tuesday.

Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said the Y-9 in Monday's incident "was likely probing Japan's air defence network, collecting electronic intel such as Japan's radar signals and coverage".

Naoko Aoki, a political scientist at the RAND think tank, said China may be seeking "to pressure Japan as Japan continues to try to both hedge against and engage with China to balance its security concerns with economic interests".

"The area this happened could be of significance. China claims control over a large area of the continental shelf in the East China Sea, and China may be making a point, challenging Japan's delineation method," she told AFP.

burs-oho/je/pbt
Chinese military stages live-fire drills by Myanmar border



Beijing, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



China's army and air force began live-fire exercises Tuesday next to its border with Myanmar, local authorities said, following recent bilateral talks on security in the area.

Myanmar's northern Shan state has been the site of repeated clashes since late June after ethnic rebel groups renewed an offensive against the military along a vital trade highway to China.

Beijing is a major ally and arms supplier to Myanmar's junta, but analysts say it also maintains ties with ethnic armed groups that hold territory near its border.

Earlier this month Myanmar's embattled junta chief hosted China's foreign minister in Naypyidaw for talks on the "stability of the border regions".

Shan state borders China's Yunnan province and is a vital piece of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.

Local authorities in Yunnan said the drills, held according to an "annual training plan", would last until Thursday.

The exercises "aim to test the command's reconnaissance, early warning, multi-dimensional control and strike capabilities", according to a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army, quoted by state news agency Xinhua.

Troops involved "are prepared to handle various emergencies and are committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people's lives and property", the report said.
Japan says Chinese aircraft incursion a 'serious violation'



Tokyo, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Japan slammed what it called on Tuesday the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace as a "serious violation" of its sovereignty, saying Beijing was becoming "increasingly active".

China's growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and its assertiveness in territorial disputes, most recently with the Philippines, has rattled the United States and its allies. Monday's incident represents a further heightening of tensions.

Japan, Washington's closest ally in the region, said it scrambled fighter jets after the two-minute incursion on Monday morning by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing was "gathering information and verifying the situation" and that China "has no intention of intruding into the territorial airspace of any country".

However, Japan's chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said: "The violation of our airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our sovereignty but also a threat to our security and is totally unacceptable."

"We refrain from giving a definite answer as to the intended purpose of the Chinese aircraft's action. However, China's recent military activities near Japan have a tendency to expand and become increasingly active," he told reporters at a regular briefing.



- Confrontations -



Analysts said China was possibly probing Japan's air defence network, seeking to obtain intelligence and putting pressure on Tokyo as it expands defence cooperation with the United States and other countries alarmed by Beijing's behaviour.

Naoko Aoki, a political scientist at the RAND think tank, said China may be seeking "to pressure Japan as Japan continues to try to both hedge against and engage with China to balance its security concerns with economic interests".

"The area this happened could be of significance. China claims control over a large area of the continental shelf in the East China Sea, and China may be making a point, challenging Japan's delineation method," she told AFP.

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun daily cited an unidentified source linked to the Chinese Communist Party as saying that the incursion was in part a "retaliation" for a Japanese destroyer entering Chinese territorial waters off Zhejiang province in July.

The uninhabited Danjo Islands are a group of small islets located in the East China Sea off Japan's southern Nagasaki region and are not disputed territory.

Japanese and Chinese vessels have been involved in tense incidents in other areas, in particular the remote Senkaku islands in the East China Sea claimed by Beijing, which calls them the Diaoyus.

Tokyo has reported the presence of Chinese coastguard vessels, a naval ship and even a nuclear-powered submarine in the area, and there have been a series of confrontations between Japanese coastguard vessels and Chinese fishing boats.

Two non-military aircraft from China -- a propeller-powered plane and a small drone -- forayed into airspace near the Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.



- 'Counter-strike' -



Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire counter-strike capabilities and easing rules on arms exports.

Tokyo is also providing funding and equipment such as patrol vessels to countries across the region and agreed a deal with the Philippines in July allowing troop deployments on each other's soil.

Manila and Beijing have been involved in a series of confrontations, most recently near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea only 140 kilometres (90 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.

Beijing claims the South China Sea -- through which trillions of dollars of trade passes annually -- almost in its entirety despite an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with top diplomat Wang Yi that will include the waterway.

Japan said late on Tuesday it "opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea, including obstruction of freedom of navigation and over flight".

"Japan has consistently advocated upholding the rule of law at sea and will continue to cooperate with the international community... to protect the free and open international order based on the rule of law," a foreign ministry statement said.

burs-oho-stu/pbt
EDF, Westinghouse protest S.Korean rival's Czech nuclear deal



Prague, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



France's EDF and the US's Westinghouse have appealed the Czech Republic's decision to award a multi-billion-dollar nuclear tender to South Korea's KHNP, the Czech antitrust watchdog said Tuesday.

Last month, the Czech authorities announced KHNP beat EDF to win a tender to build two nuclear units at the Dukovany power plant, after Westinghouse's bid was ruled out in January.

The Czech competition office (UOHS) said it has received protests from the two unsuccessful bidders.

"UOHS has received an appeal against the sponsor's approach to the tender procedure for the construction of one or more new nuclear reactors, not only from the American company Westinghouse but also from the French group EDF", UOHS said in a statement.

In a statement issued Monday, the American group confirmed the appeal and accused its Korean competitor of using its technology without authorisation.

"KHNP's APR1000 and APR1400 plant designs utilize Westinghouse-licensed Generation II System 80 technology," the statement read.

"KHNP neither owns the underlying technology nor has the right to sublicense it to a third party without Westinghouse consent," it added.

EDF also confirmed it had filed an appeal, saying in a statement it sought "to ensure that the tender process adheres to the principles of fair trade and transparency, notably in a European context."

According to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the price offered by KHNP beat expectations, reaching around 200 billion Czech koruna ($8.65 billion) per unit if two units are built.

Prague said it expected to sign a deal with the winner by March, with construction to begin in 2029, and the first new reactor launched in trial operation in 2036.

str-bo/sw-mmp/gv
Army says Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza



Jerusalem, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



The Israeli military said it rescued an Israeli hostage in Gaza on Tuesday after a "complex operation", as the Israel-Hamas war, now in its 11th month, showed no signs of abating.

Kaid Alkadi, a 52-year-old Israeli Bedouin, was abducted by Palestinian militants during the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the military said in a statement.

"Kaid AlKadi was rescued... in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said.

"He is in a stable medical condition and is being transferred for medical checks to a hospital."

Alkadi is a resident of Rahat, a mainly Arab town, and on October 7 he had been working as a guard at a warehouse in southern Israel when he was seized by militants.

"We are committed to seizing every opportunity to bring the hostages back to their homes," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement on X.

Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the rescue of Alkadi was "miraculous".

"However, we must remember that military operations alone cannot free the remaining hostages who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror," it said, insisting only a ceasefire could ensure the return of other captives.

"A negotiated deal is the only way forward.

"We urgently call on the international community to maintain pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release all hostages," it said.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer, in an online briefing when asked about the hostage calling for deal said: "That is precisely what we are doing through diplomacy, but also with military means.

"It's clear that Hamas only take these negotiations seriously when they're under military pressure. We know that to be true."

On October 7, militants attacked southern Israeli communities in an unprecedented attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Militants also seized 251 people, 104 of whom are still captive in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign since then has killed at least 40,476 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory.

Most of the dead are women and children, according to UN rights office.



- Truce talks -



The United States meanwhile struck a cautious note of optimism on Monday regarding efforts to clinch a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages.

Their fate is central in ongoing truce talks in Cairo, with relatives and supporters piling pressure on the Israeli government in weekly protests demanding their return home.

In Washington, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday "there continues to be progress" and that the talks would continue and involve "working groups" for several days.

A key sticking point in the talks has been Israel's insistence on keeping control of the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, to stop Hamas from re-arming, something the militant group has refused to countenance.

Cairo, which has been mediating the talks alongside Qatar and the United States, insisted on Monday "it will not accept any Israeli presence" along the corridor, Egyptian state-linked Al-Qahera news reported citing a high-level source.

The more than 10 months of war has so far since only one truce that lasted for a week starting November 24.

During that period 105 hostages were released in exchange of 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Prosecutors seek death penalty for 50 defendants in DR Congo 'coup' trial



Kinshasa, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Prosecutors called on Tuesday for 50 defendants, including three Americans, on trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo over an alleged coup bid to face the death penalty.

Military prosectuor Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu urged judges to sentence to death all those on trial over the alleged attempted coup in May, barring one defendant.

Armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the early hours of May 19 before moving onto the nearby Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi's offices.

The army later announced an attempted coup had been stopped by the security forces.

The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a "naturalised American" and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said.

Among those being tried in the Kinshasa military court are three Americans, including Malanga's son Marcel Malanga.

The defendants also include a Belgian, a Briton and a Canadian who are all naturalised Congolese.

The trial began on June 7 in Ndolo military prison, where all the defendants are being held.

The charges include "attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism", according to a court document.
Prosecutors seek death penalty for 50 defendants in DR Congo 'coup' trial



Kinshasa, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Prosecutors called on Tuesday for 50 defendants, including three Americans, on trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo to face the death penalty over what the army says was a coup attempt.

Military prosectuor Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu urged judges to sentence to death all those on trial over the alleged attempted coup in May, barring one defendant.

Armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe -- who was elected head of the National Assembly three days later -- in the early hours of May 19.

The group then went to the Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi's offices, brandishing flags of Zaire, the country's name under ex-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

Shots were heard near the building, several sources said at the time.

An army spokesman later announced on national TV that defence and security forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".

The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a "naturalised American" and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said.

During questioning, the defendants arrested near the Palais de la Nation put the blame on Malanga.

Others detained elsewhere in the capital Kinshasa, including four women, have denied any involvement.

Richard Bondo, a defence lawyer for one of the American defendants, told AFP that the prosecutors' call for the death penalty was "very severe".

The defence is due to present its case on Friday.



- 'Forced' to join -



The three Americans on trial at the Kinshasa military court include Malanga's son Marcel Malanga.

Tyler Thompson, another of the American defendants, told the trial last month that he had been "forced" into it, echoing the two other US citizens facing the same charge.

"I came to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) to visit Marcel's family who I had never seen before," he added.

Malanga also told the court that he had been forced into participating by his father, saying: "He told us he would kill us if we didn't listen."

Malanga said his father had woken him up late on the night of May 18, ordering him to take a weapon.

The third American who is being tried -- Benjamin Zalman-Polun -- also said he was "kidnapped" and "forced" into taking part.

In March, the Congolese government defied criticism from human rights organisations and lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in place since 2003.

Lawyers for the Americans have complained that their clients were interrogated in French, without an interpreter, despite being English speakers.

The defendants also include a Belgian, a Briton and a Canadian who are all naturalised Congolese.

The trial began on June 7 in Ndolo military prison, where all the defendants are being held.

The charges include "attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism", according to a court document.

In a separate case earlier this month, a military court in DRC handed death sentences to all 26 defendants accused of belonging to the M23 rebel group after a high-profile trial.
Senegal navy intercepts nearly 80 migrants off coast



Dakar, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Senegal has intercepted a boat carrying nearly 80 migrants from West Africa, the army said Tuesday, hours before the Spanish Prime Minister was set to visit the region in the face of a surge in migrant arrivals.

The 76 people, including six women and seven children, were stopped by a Senegalese Navy patrol boat 80 kilometres (50 miles) off the coast of the capital Dakar on Monday evening, the Armed Forces Public Relations Directorate (DIRPA) posted on X.

The passengers aboard the intercepted vessel included 55 Senegalese, 11 Guineans, seven Gambians, two Malians and one national from Guinea-Bissau, DIRPA said.

The interception took place just hours before the start of a three-day visit by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Mauritania, The Gambia and Senegal -- three key countries in the migration crisis.

Sanchez is due to arrive in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Tuesday afternoon.

Nearly every day, Spain's coastguard rescues a boat carrying dozens of African migrants towards the Canary islands off the northwest coast of Africa. The islands' government has pleaded for more help.

Between January 1 and August 15 this year, 22,304 migrants reached the Islands, compared with 9,864 in the same period in 2023 -- an increase of 126 percent, according to interior ministry figures.

Across all of Spain, there were 31,155 arrivals up to mid-August, a 66 percent increase on the 18,745 a year earlier.

Senegal's army announced in mid-August that it had launched "joint patrols" with security forces at several locations in a bid to prevent migrants leaving the country.

The army said the operation had so far led to the arrest of "453 potential migrants and members of smuggling networks, including 239 Senegalese, 145 Guineans, 32 Gambians, 17 Malians, seven Bissau-Guineans, six Ivorians, three Nigerians, two Comorians, one Mauritanian and one Congolese".
Fatima Latifova

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan (MFA) congratulated Moldova on its National Day, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by ministry on its official "X" account.

"Congratulations to our friend and partner Moldova on its national day!" the post reads.
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This was a very, very dynamic incident, and clearly its going to require a very complex investigation, not only to get to its cause, but to get to an understanding of the fire spread  so its its too early at this time to be able to give any detail on that, but that will form part of our investigation in the coming days.
Sir Keir was the first PM to visit Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German president, since David Cameron in 2015. He signed the palace guestbook in the entrance hall, which was decorated with red, white and blue flowers in his honour, before going into his private meeting with Mr Steinmeier.
The newspaper reported that he told Tory members: Human trafficking is costing thousands of lives and being weaponised by the Kremlin and its proxies. The UK must show the same determination and commitment to fighting this evil trade as we did in fighting slavery.
Ericsson has announced a new partnership with operator e& Egypt that marks what is described as a significant milestone in advancing ICT infrastructure in Egypt and the wider region.

High-performing 20-port antennas from Ericsson Antenna System (EAS) will be integrated into e& Egypts network supporting high-order site sharing for all operators in the country on e& Egypts infrastructure, optimising structures for anticipated 5G rollout and fostering what is described as a robust ecosystem for future telecommunications endeavours.

Ericsson says its advanced antenna system caters to the demands of modern networks, featuring multiple frequencies and technologies on a single radio site. The integration of advanced EAS antennas, it says, will offer faster speeds, enhanced reliability, and improved connectivity for users across Egypt.

Hossam Abdelkader, Networks Director at e& Egypt, says: e& is committed to supporting, building, and developing the communities in which it operates. Our efforts in Egypt align with the Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Egypt Vision 2030. Our new partnership with Ericsson will enable us to open new opportunities for consumers and businesses in the country through expanding 4G capabilities and preparing for 5G.

Featuring multiple frequencies and technologies on a single radio site, EAS enhances network performance and coverage without requiring additional power sources. With easy integration and efficient design, the solution optimises signal reception and transmission for superior connectivity.

Ericsson has a long history in Egypt with multiple operator customers; indeed, a number of deals have been anounced in recent months. In June we reported that Vodafone Egypt had become the first mobile operator to deploy the companys triple-band radio, which supports both FDD and TDD spectrum.

In April we noted that Ericsson and Orange Egypt had signed a multi-year deal to collaborate on accelerating the telcos digital transformation by fortifying its backend and building a resilient architecture across its network.
The president of the Alliance of the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, states that he excludes participation, after the elections, in a government with (National Liberal Party, PNL's head, ed. n.) Nicolae Ciuca and (Social Democratic Party, PSD's head, ed. n.) Marcel Ciolacu.

"If it's not clear: I exclude participation in a government with Ciuca and Ciolacu. Alliance only with Romanians!" the AUR leader wrote on Tuesday in a Facebook post.

Previously, AUR deputy Dan Tanasa reacted to the statements made by PSD MEP Mihai Tudose, stating that AUR is the only party that is in real opposition to PNL and PSD.

"I heard Mihai Tudose claim that he does not rule out an alliance with AUR. What Tudose does not understand is that AUR is already in an alliance with the Romanians. AUR is the only party that is in real opposition to PNL and PSD and we will continue to doing this. We are the only ones who can put an end to this disastrous government. With the help of the Romanians, we can give a patriotic government that will fight for the country, not against it," said Dan Tanasa, in a post on the official Facebook page of AUR.
National Defence Minister Angel Tilvar met on Tuesday at the Ministry headquarters with the new defence attache at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Colonel Robert Kammerer, in the presence of the latter's predecessor, Colonel Keith Derbenwick.

Angel Tilvar thanked the American side for their commitment in Romania, an "essential" aspect in strengthening the deterrence and defence posture in the Black Sea region amid a constantly changing security environment, the Defence Ministry said in a release.

"Romania and the U.S. share a solid strategic partnership, based on common regional security and stability goals," the Romanian official pointed out.

The talks also focused on the continuation of joint projects and the identification of new cooperation opportunities in the context of the current geostrategic challenges in the Euro-Atlantic region.

In the end, the minister thanked outgoing Colonel Keith Derbenwick for his activity as U.S. defence attache in Bucharest.
The National Day of the Republic of Moldova offers the opportunity to remember and appreciate the essential contributions of the neighbouring country to the cultural heritage of the Romanian space, the Ministry of Culture says, reaffirming its commitment to develop cultural collaboration with Chisinau.

"Today is the National Day of the Republic of Moldova, the day on which the Bessarabians celebrate 33 years of independence, 33 years since breaking away from the Soviet Union. This day gives us the opportunity to remember and appreciate the essential contributions of the Republic of Moldova to the cultural heritage of the Romanian space. The Republic of Moldova, as an important cultural partner, shares with Romania a deep historical connection and a valuable heritage," read on Tuesday the Facebook page of the Ministry of Culture.

According to the source, among the important initiatives carried out together during this period is the Reunion of Romanian National Theaters in Chisinau, which, this year, will be held under the banner "European Connections".

"This event is honoured by the High Patronage of the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and of the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. We actively support this significant cultural project, which underlines our common commitment to the promotion of culture'', the representatives of the ministry say.

Also, Romania will continue to support the participation of the Republic of Moldova in the Bookfest International Book Fair in Bucharest and the presence of Chisinau artists in the Venice Art Biennale.

"We hope that, in the future, the Republic of Moldova will be officially recognized at the Venice Biennale, thus consolidating its cultural status on an international level,'' the source mentioned.

The Ministry of Culture of Romania reaffirms its commitment to develop cultural collaboration with the Republic of Moldova, contributing to the valorization of the heritage and the common artistic creation, the Facebook page of the ministry also reads.
The tax threshold for pensions will increase from October 1, 2024, from 2,000 lei, as it is at present, to 3,000 lei, labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu announced on Monday evening.

"This evening I have good news for pensioners! After an analysis made together with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, we have decided that, as of October 1, the Day of the Elderly, no pension under 3,000 lei will be taxed anymore," the labour minister told Realitatea TV private television broadcaster.

Thus, from October 1, the tax will represent 10% of the difference exceeding 3,000 lei.
The first two electric locomotives manufactured in Romania for the National Railway Company - CFR will enter final testing this week on the Buftea - Brazi stretch, representatives of the Craiova-based rolling stock producer Softronic announced after Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited the plant on Tuesday.

The head of the Executive even turned on the power switch on the first locomotive produced under a roughly EUR 100 million worth of contract the scope of which is the modernization of 19 locomotives for national railway operator CFR Calatori.

"This plant runs on 100 percent Romanian capital, which is fantastic, and shows that with dedicated involvement and work, one can succeed in 25 years to become the only producer of electric locomotives and not only - of rolling stock - in South-Eastern Europe. Moreover, I am happy that a plant with Romanian capital is also the beneficiary of NRRP funds. (...) It is one of Romania's most important exporters and I think that we will continue this partnership. As normal, I took some homework too. I spoke with the National Energy Regulatory Authority, because the patent and the secret of these locomotives is that they save almost 28-29% of energy. It is a Romanian patent, designed in this plant, in other words, they produce electricity from kinetic energy, whereas until now we were used to the static energy producing system. We still don't have the necessary legislation to regulate the recovery of kinetic energy, and I think we need to keep up with the development of technology... It's a matter of pride, because, you see, the Romanian capital has come to such a performance," Ciolacu told a press conference at the end of his visit to the Softronic facility.

Ciolacu was accompanied on his visit to Craiova by city mayor Olguta Vasilescu, who said that the fact that CFR locomotives are now being manufactured in Oltenia's seat city is a reason for pride.
iColo, which designs, builds, and operates state of- the-art carrier-neutral data centres in Kenya and Mozambique, has announced a significant expansion of its renewable energy initiatives with the installation of solar panels at its facilities in Kenya.

The data centre operator has successfully added and commissioned over 650 kilowatts (kW) of new solar installations across its two data centre campuses in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Over 450kW of this new solar capacity is available within iColos Nairobi (NBO) campus, where over 60 national and global networks aggregate, and will support continued campus expansion. The nearly 200 kW of remaining capacity will be utilised on iColos growing Miritini Mombasa campus.

The company cites the latest statistics report by Kenya's Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), saying that Kenyas power grid is significantly renewable, with 82% of its energy generation mix comprising renewable sources including geothermal, hydro and wind.

The company adds that it is actively engaging in discussions to secure additional space for further solar installations, including greenfields, car parks, and rooftops at all its campuses. iColo aims to have 25% of its facilities power needs met by solar installations as part of its long-term goals.

Indeed, iColo says its long-term plan is to align both campuses growth with the addition of more solar capacity to meet growing demand in the future. The company currently has three data centres in its master plan, including a captive substation, and is expected to consume over 20 megawatts (MW) at full capacity. The companys second data centre in Nairobi, NBO2, with an IT load of 6.5 MW, is expected to come online in Q3 2025.

iColo is a Digital Realty company. Digital Realty, which delivers data centre colocation and interconnection solutions, says its recent initiatives in Kenya align closely with ongoing commitment to sustainability globally.

In 2020, the company joined the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), pledging to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions (direct and indirect company emissions) by 68% and Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions in the value chain) by 24% by 2030.

Digital Realty has also secured contracts for over 1.4 gigawatts of renewable power, marking substantial progress towards its clean energy objectives. Another Digital Realty Company, carrier-neutral colocation provider Teraco, recently unveiled a large-scale solar project in the Free State province of South Africa.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu sent on Tuesday a message of congratulations on his and the Bucharest Government's behalf to all citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the anniversary of Independence Day, mentioning that he reassured his counterpart, Dorin Recean, that Romania will be in the future, as it has been so far, at the forefront of the efforts to consolidate the European path, the stability and democratic development of the neighbouring country.

"I convey my congratulations and those of the Romanian Government to all citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the Independence Day anniversary! Today I also congratulated my friend Dorin Recean and I reassured him that Romania will be in the future, as it has been so far, at the forefront of the efforts to consolidate the European path, the establishment and democratic development of the Republic of Moldova. Our firm, clear and unwavering support for the Republic of Moldova is based on a consensus among the political actors in Romania and on a strong emotional attachment of the entire Romanian society," Ciolacu wrote in a post on the Government's Facebook page.

He underlined that Romania will stand side by side with the Republic of Moldova to achieve the goal of joining the European Union.

"We speak the same language, we have the same culture and history, we want the same future for the Republic of Moldova: safe, prosperous, democratic, in the middle of the European family. We will stand by the Republic of Moldova, by all its citizens, on the path that will lead to the fulfillment of this ideal. We have full confidence in the Government of the Republic of Moldova, in Prime Minister Dorin Recean, in the determined and courageous efforts of the entire administration in Chisinau, aimed at preparing the way to achieve this goal. European integration is the only option that can ensure all citizens of the Republic of Moldova the chance for a better, safer, dignified and richer future. Moldova's place is in the European Union. I am convinced that in the referendum on October 20, 2024, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova will resoundingly reaffirm this truth," said Marcel Ciolacu.
Romania will continue to offer the Republic of Moldova with strategic support on all levels, President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday on the occasion of the neighbouring country's Independence Day, adding that Moldova is part of the "great European family."

"I am sending congratulations to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on Independence Day! You are part of the great European family, and the continuation of the current efforts will turn the accession to the European Union into an achieved goal. Romania will continue to offer the Republic of Moldova strategic support on all levels," the Romanian head of state wrote on the X platform.

The Independence Day is the national day of the Republic of Moldova, celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. On this occasion, Moldovan President Maia Sandu distributed a special video message on her official Facebook page.

AGERPRES
The Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) participates, for the third consecutive year, in the Bookfest Chisinau International Book Fair with a rich offer of important books in the fields of literature, literary criticism, history and art, informs a press release sent on Tuesday to AGERPRES.

The Bookfest Chisinau International Book Fair will take place, between August 28 and September 1, at the Mediacor Centre within the State University of Moldova and will bring together the newest releases in terms of books from Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

The programme of the edition includes book launches and debates around the latest volumes published under the auspices of the Romanian Cultural Institute, as well as events dedicated to contemporary poetry and children's literature, in which researchers, historians, writers and visual artists from Romania and the Republic of Moldova will participate.

"The Romanian Cultural Institute supports all over the world, through all its specific programmes and on every occasion, the written culture of Romania and the Romanian language, as a defining element of the common cultural space shared by Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The traditional partnership with Bookfest Chisinau represents the happiest occasion in a year in which we can observe this cultural unity and, at the same time, an important opportunity to present and provide access to the publishing house of the Romanian Cultural Institute (...) Today, on the Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova, I congratulate the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the 33rd anniversary since their liberation from the Soviet occupation, since they escaped the shadow of Russian tanks, and I assure them of the full support of the ICR on the European path from which, I am convinced, the Republic of Moldova can no longer be averted," said Liviu Jicman, the president of the ICR, quoted in the press release.

Two events at the Chisinau Bookfair will be devoted to the work "Panorama of Post-communism in the Republic of Moldova" (Vol. I and II), coordinated by Liliana Corobca and published by the publishing house of the Romanian Cultural Institute, during which methodological aspects of the research will be debated, as well as various relevant topics for the transformations facing the Republic of Moldova.

On Thursday, the Romanian Cultural Institute invites readers of all ages to discover the relationship between text and image in children's literature, in an event dedicated to the late writer Spiridon Vangheli.

The second title that the Romanian Cultural Institute will launch at the Bookfest Chisinau International Book Fair is the monography "Purcarete and Boroghina. Pilgrims in the Great Theatre of the World," signed by Ludmila Patlanjoglu and published by the ICR publishing house in two versions, Romanian and English.

On Sunday, priest Iustin Marchis, art historian Vladimir Bulat and Dana Ionescu, coordinator of the National Book Centre, will be the protagonists of the launch of the English edition of the album "Monasteries and Churches from Transylvania between the XIII-XVIII Centuries.".

The 2024 edition of the Bookfest Chisinau International Book Fair is financed by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova and takes place in partnership with the Ministry of Culture from Romania and the Ministry of Culture from the Republic of Moldova.
The Senate, meeting in extraordinary session on Tuesday, was informed about the draft law on the approval of Emergency Ordinance No. 101/2024 on public debt.

The draft, adopted by the Government on August 21, was assigned by the Standing Bureau for debate to the specialist standing committees.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the draft law aims, among other things, to ensure the urgent need for military capabilities by identifying and diversifying the instruments for financing the acquisition of military technology and military equipment.

The legislative proposal also aims to make the costs associated with the goverment securities dedicated to the population distributed through the Romanian National Postal Company (CNPR) more flexible in the case of financing from the domestic market, including by making the policy of collaboration with CNPR more flexible and by attracting new resources to expand the investor base and simplify the technical solutions for selling Tezaur government securities.

The draft normative act stipulates, at the same time, that in the absence of immediate measures to amend the legislation on public debt, the Government will not be able to meet the deadline of September 30, 2024 for signing the financing agreement with the US Government and, as a result, will not be able to access funds under the Foreign Military Financing, with an impact on the costs of procurement contracts already concluded by the Ministry of National Defence.

The Senate is the first Chamber notified on this draft.
Joe Holleman Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

One thing U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley seems to enjoy  even more than bashing on the beleaguered Boeing company  is lambasting Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

In his latest charge at Mayorkas, Hawley on Wednesday sent a letter to the border boss that demands that he answer specific questions and provide detailed information about missing children.

The issue stems from an inspector generals report that revealed Mayorkas department may have lost track of more than 250,000 unaccompanied children and in some cases, failed to notify other agencies of their whereabouts.

Not only did your agency lose track of these children, it didnt even bother to tell anyone, Hawleys letter of Aug. 21 states. That is unconscionable.

This is just the latest episode of Hawley slamming Mayorkas performance as head of Homeland Security.

Last year, Hawley braced Mayorkas over a whistleblowers claims that the Biden administration had diverted agents from child exploitation cases to handle non-law enforcement duties at the southern border.

Then in April, following a New York Times story which stated that at least 85,000 children were missing, Hawley called on the FBI to launch a full-scale effort to locate them.

But missing children is not the only issue over which Hawley and Mayorkas have sparred.

Earlier this year, Hawley took Mayorkas to task for the number of U.S. citizens, including one Missouri youth, who have been killed by immigrants in the country illegally.

And one of those issues has a local connection.

On Tuesday, Hawley sent a letter to the St. Louis County prosecuting attorneys office which asks that the bond on a woman who has been charged with five felonies, not be reduced at an upcoming hearing.

Hawley writes that Endrina Bracho was driving without a license, in the wrong lane, and 35 miles per hour over the speed limit, when she crashed head-on into a vehicle carrying 12-year-old Travis Wolfe, Hawley said.

After spending several months on life support, Travis Wolfe died from his injuries on March 6.

After Wolfe died, the Post-Dispatch reported that Bracho, who is from Venezuela, was driving in the wrong lane on Dunn Road at 75 mph when her vehicle collided with a Jeep carrying the Wolfe family. The speed limit on that road is 40 mph.

Two children riding in Brachos van were seriously injured. A passenger in the Jeep, Travis J. Wolfe, 12, was taken to St. Louis Childrens Hospital, where he was placed on life support. He died March 6.

Currently, Bracho is being held on $500,000 cash-only bond after being arrested by the Hazelwood Police Department. A bond hearing is set for Sept. 12.

She has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, court records show.

In arguing against a bond reduction, Hawley writes: The facts surrounding Traviss death are evidence of Ms. Brachos systematic contempt for the law: her defiance of immigration law, driver licensing laws, and basic traffic laws all led to this horrific incident.

On top of those complaints about Mayorkas, Hawley was a strong supporter of a move led by Missouris other GOP U.S. senator, Eric Schmitt, to impeach Mayorkas on the grounds of incompetence and lying to Congress.

That move failed in April, with voting in the Senate falling mostly along party lines.
MOSCOW  A 29-year-old western Washington man is in Latah County Jail for allegedly stealing nearly $20,000 worth of merchandise at the Moscow Target and Walmart stores last year.

A Latah County warrant was issued in May 2023 for the arrest of Andrey A. Barbin and he was able to evade police for more than a year, said Latah County Deputy Prosecutor Keith Scholl.

Barbin was eventually arrested in King County, Wash., for suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle, Scholl said. He was then extradited back to Idaho.

According to court documents, Barbin is suspected of orchestrating a string of retail thefts in Washington and Idaho along with Daniel Polletta, who was arrested in May in Boise for burglary and other charges.

In April 2023, Barbin and Polletta allegedly stole nearly $18,000 in merchandise from the Moscow Target, and $1,039 in merchandise from the Moscow Walmart.
ST. LOUIS  Its possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to getting our immune systems to fight cancer, Washington University researchers have found.

Only 1 in 5 cancer patients respond well to immunotherapy  a treatment that encourages patients own immune systems to attack tumors. Washington U. researchers were looking for the perfect mixture of ingredients to make the therapy more effective.

But they found, to their surprise, that too much of some components triggered a response that protects the tumor instead of destroying it.

We dont always know why some people fail to respond to immunotherapy, said Ryan Teague, a St. Louis University professor in the department of molecular microbiology and immunology. Studies like this can really move the needle on what we should do next.

The research has been published in the journal Nature.

Human immune systems are built to recognize things that could make us sick. They do this by looking for anything in our bodies that are not, well, our bodies. Anything that appears to be foreign, the immune system attacks.

But cancer cells look very similar to healthy cells, which our immune systems, when operating correctly, know to leave alone.

Immunotherapy helps our immune systems recognize, then attack, cancer while leaving our healthy cells alone, said co-author Robert D. Schreiber, professor at Washington University and director of the Bursky Center of Human Immunology and Immunotherapy. Plus, immunotherapy can even bolster our immune response to tumors so that they are destroyed more quickly.

However, not all patients immune systems are amenable to this redirection. Washington U. researchers hypothesized a higher dose of immunotherapy components might lead to faster and better tumor destruction. They tested their hypothesis in mice.

Our overall goal has been to make the process of vaccinating patients against their own tumors more effective, and safer, than what we currently have available, said Schreiber. We really didnt expect to find a novel cell that was interfering, but that was the outcome and thats what is so exciting.

This novel cell  specifically, the type 1 regulatory T, or Tr1 cell  keeps the human immune system from overreacting when it encounters something it doesnt recognize, such as viruses or bacteria. They also keep our immune systems from attacking us by accident.

And until now, Tr1 cells havent been concretely associated with cancer outcomes, according to Schreiber.

The researchers think that, when immunotherapy triggers an immune response to kill cancer cells, Tr1 prevents this response from being big enough, or strong enough, to destroy a tumor.

Researchers found a genetic signature in mice for this response, which allowed them to ask: Does the same thing seem to happen in human patients?

They worked with a company that had data from many patients, and found this signature in the people who were not doing well with immunotherapy, Schreiber said.

Now that researchers know Tr1 cells may inhibit immunotherapy in humans, Schreiber said experts can focus their efforts on destroying them either before or during immunotherapy to try to improve patient outcomes.

The hope is that, if we can interfere with these cells inhibiting the immune system, then all of the immunotherapies we have are all going to get better, Schreiber said. But we still have a long way to go before then.
Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 18 people, including eight children.

The Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, said three children and their mother were killed in an airstrike late Monday in the Tufah neighborhood of Gaza City. It said three other people were missing after the strike.

Another strike late Monday hit a building in downtown Gaza City, killing a child, three women and a man, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

In southern Gaza, a strike on a home early Tuesday killed five people, including a man, his three children as young as 3 years old and a woman, according to a casualty list provided by Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where the bodies were taken.

Another airstrike early Tuesday flattened a home west of Khan Younis, killing at least four people, including a child, according to Nasser Hospital, where the dead were taken. Footage shared online showed residents digging through the rubble. A man carried a wounded child to an ambulance, while two others carried a dead body wrapped in a blanket.

Palestinian health officials do not say whether those killed in Israeli strikes are civilians or fighters.

Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses Hamas of putting them in danger by fighting in residential areas. But the military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

Gazas Health Ministry says Israels offensive has killed over 40,000 people in Gaza. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people.

Jewish settlers rampage

Palestinian officials say Jewish settlers rampaged through a town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, fatally shooting a Palestinian and wounding three others.

The Israeli military said its forces opened fire to disperse clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, and that it was investigating the reported fatality.

Settler violence has surged since Oct. 7. Israeli troops have also carried out near-nightly raids in the West Bank in which hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, and there has been a rise in attacks on Israelis.

Hamdi Ziyada, head of the local council in Wadi Rahal, said settlers entered the village near Bethlehem late Monday and hurled rocks at homes and cars. He says one of the settlers fired live rounds, killing and wounding the four people. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the casualties.

He said Israeli forces arrived more than a half-hour after the violence began and removed the settlers. He said it was not the first time settlers had attacked the village.

The Israeli military said Palestinians had thrown rocks at an Israeli vehicle and at Israeli civilians in the area. It said fighting broke out between the two sides and that Israeli troops opened fire toward the rioters.

Palestinians and rights groups have long accused Israeli forces of turning a blind eye or openly supporting settler violence in the West Bank.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state.

Over 500,000 Jewish settlers live in scores of settlements across the territory that most of the international community considers illegal. The territorys 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers. The settlers have Israeli citizenship.
Residential Proxies for Streaming Platforms and the Role of IP Address Intelligence

The streaming industry in Europe is poised to flourish in the coming years with a forecasted growth rate of 20.36% from 2022 through 2027, highlighting a continued trend of rapid expansion within the industry according to data from Technavio.

While growth is projected to be strong, profits and ad revenue could face a hurdle, as the streaming industry faces potentially one of its biggest threats. Residential proxies, similar to VPNs, are a technology used by consumers to mask their identity and location. Their use is rising at an alarming rate. According to recent findings from Digital Element, there has been a 188% surge in the adoption of residential proxies across the EU from January 2023 to January 2024, with a staggering 428% increase within the UK alone. During that same time period VPN usage, already a concern for the streaming industry, has escalated by 42% in the EU and 90% in the UK.

This issue has significant implications for both the platforms and their users. Residential proxies are by nature an identity masking technology and are increasingly being used to bypass geographical restrictions in order to access content not available in certain regions. This practice undermines the licensing agreements and revenue models of streaming services.

Contributing to the problem even further are the many individuals who "sub-let" their IP addresses to proxy services. This cohort are unaware of the broader implications of their actions because they blur the line between legitimate and illegitimate access, making it increasingly difficult for streaming platforms to manage. These consumers are often motivated through compensation offered by the residential proxy companies - ironically, often in the form of streaming service gift cards.

Some might say that an easy solution would be to simply block all residential proxies but for streaming providers, the answer is not that simple. Blocking every residential proxy observation would also cut off access for legitimate subscribers, creating a poor user experience for paying customers. A more nuanced and informed approach is necessary in order to protect the rights of honest consumers, yet still block the bad actors.

To effectively fight this, streaming providers cant take a surface-level approach, they need to get into the weeds and leverage tools that will provide a deep understanding of user intent. To do this they need to look at the root of all web traffic - the IP address  and then go even deeper.

This is where IP address intelligence comes into play. By leveraging sophisticated IP address intelligence, streaming platforms can gain insights into the nature of the traffic they are receiving. This technology enables them to identify not only whether an IP address is associated with a residential proxy, but can also provide contextual clues to quantify the threat and understand its scope. By identifying IP behavioral patterns at the root level, streaming providers can begin to formulate their strategic approach regarding the disposition of IP addresses related to residential proxies.

While there is currently no cut-and-dry solution to eliminate the problem, IP address intelligence provides a critical first step. It offers the data needed to understand the breadth of the problem and begin modeling strategies to help mitigate the impact of residential proxies. Without these insights, streaming platforms are essentially operating in the dark, unable to effectively differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate traffic.

If the trend line continues to hold, the use of residential proxies will only increase and cause even greater concern for streaming platforms worldwide. As the industry seeks to address this issue, the role of IP address intelligence will become increasingly important. It is clear that without the ability to accurately identify and understand the origin of traffic, there is no foundation upon which to build a viable solution. The future of streaming depends on the industry's ability to adapt and respond to these evolving challenges, and IP address intelligence will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in this ongoing effort.

[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from Digital Element. Streaming Media accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]

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A soldier with the 11th Airborne Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska was arrested last week on charges that he used an artificial intelligence program to create sexually explicit images of real children he knew. (U.S. Air Force)

A soldier with the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska was arrested last week on charges he used an artificial intelligence program to create sexually explicit images of real children he knew.

Spc. Seth Herrera, 34, who is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, was found with thousands of violent images of child sexual abuse in his possession, including infants, the Justice Department announced Monday.

He also allegedly used AI to create images depicting the sexual exploitation of children he knew, said Nicole Argentieri, who leads the departments Criminal Division.

Artificial intelligence software can be used to combine a photo of a real person with a sexually explicit image or video to create a deep fake that the program can often animate as well.

Herrera is a motor transport operator assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 11th Airborne Division at Elmendorf-Richardson, a base shared by the Army and Air Force, according to John Pennell, an Army spokesman at the base.

Herrera is charged with one count of transportation of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, federal authorities said. If convicted on all charges, Herrera faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

Herrera will appear Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Army Criminal Investigative Division are investigating the case.

Army Spc. Seth Herrera, 34, was found with thousands of violent images of child sexual abuse in his possession, including infants, the Justice Department said. (U.S. Justice Department)

Robert Hammer, who is in charge of Homeland Security investigations in the Pacific Northwest, said Herrera had violated his oath as a member of the armed services to protect the nation.

The charges against Herrera, a U.S. military soldier, for trafficking and generating child sexual abuse materials using artificial intelligence represent a profound violation of trust as well as preview of the challenges law enforcement continues to face in this evolving threat to our children, Hammer said. This appalling misconduct undermines Herreras commitment to defending both our nation and its most vulnerable members.

The rapid growth and accessibility of artificial intelligence tools have fueled the proliferation of such crimes, federal authorities said.

Criminals considering the use of AI to perpetuate their crimes should stop and think twice  because the Department of Justice is prosecuting AI-enabled criminal conduct to the fullest extent of the law and will seek increased sentences wherever warranted, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.

Several bipartisan bills introduced in Congress are trying to close the legal gap that lawmakers have said is propelling the spread of nonconsensual explicit images made using artificial intelligence.

The rapid advance and distribution of AI software has spread deep fakes beyond the original targets  public figures and celebrities  but everyday people and even kids, according to a report in The Hill.

If anyone has information concerning Herreras actions or might have encountered someone in person or online using the name Seth Herrera, they can contact the tip line at 1-877-447-4847.
Army Pvt. Travis King is charged with desertion for bolting into North Korea while on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone in July 2023, a day after he was supposed to travel to Fort Bliss, Texas. (Family Photo via AP)

A Fort Bliss soldier will plead guilty to desertion during his first court appearance next month for running into North Korea last year, according to the soldiers attorney.

Pvt. Travis King, 24, will take responsibility for deserting and enter a guilty plea, said Frank Rosenblatt, an attorney representing King. In July 2023, King sprinted across the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea, where he remained until U.S. officials were able to negotiate his release in September. He was part of a rotational force from Fort Bliss, Texas, working in South Korea at the time.

Of the 14 offenses of which King is accused, the attorney said he will plead guilty to five. The remaining charges will be withdrawn and dismissed by the Army.

Aside from desertion, King will plead guilty to assaulting a noncommissioned officer and disobeying an officer on three occasions. The remaining charges involved accusations of soliciting and possessing child sexual abuse material.

The Armys Office of Special Trial Counsel, which is prosecuting the case, confirmed a plea agreement has been reached, but the judge must accept it for it to be complete. An arraignment and hearing are scheduled for Sept. 20 at Fort Bliss with military judge Lt. Col. Rick Mathew.

If Pvt. Kings guilty plea is accepted, the judge will sentence King pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement. If the judge does not accept the guilty plea, the judge can rule that the case be litigated in a contested court-martial, said Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the Office of Special Trial Counsel.

During this hearing, King will explain what he did and answer the judges questions about why he is pleading guilty, Rosenblatt said.

Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside of his circle who did not prejudge his case based on the initial allegations, he said.

Since the charges against King were announced in October, the soldier has been detained at the Otero County Detention Center in nearby Alamogordo, N.M. He will remain in pretrial confinement, McCaskill said.

He also had a mental competency evaluation conducted by a team from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., Rosenblatt said.

King first enlisted in the Army in January 2021 as a cavalry scout and had no prior deployments. He was in Korea as part of a rotational deployment with the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, according to the Army.

He was scheduled to return in July 2023 to Fort Bliss, where he was supposed to face disciplinary hearings with the Army, but instead of boarding his flight, he made his way to a tour of the Demilitarized Zone. During that tour, he sprinted across the border from South Korea into North Korea.

State-run media in North Korea reported last year that King told officials that he fled the U.S. because he was disillusioned at the unequal American society and he wished to seek refuge in North Korea or a third country.

The Swedish government served a diplomatic role in securing Kings release and China assisted with safe transit out of North Korea for the soldier, according to the Defense Department. He arrived back in the U.S. in September.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at a rally in Guanare in July 2024. (Andrea Hernandez Briceno for The Washington Post)

It was about 1 a.m. when 17 Venezuelan military counterintelligence officers knocked down the door of a family home and barged in.

Officers pointed rifles at a 40-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son, she told The Washington Post. They pushed her 15-year-old son against the wall, handcuffed him and slapped his face until he revealed the name of a friend. Then they dragged him into a van.

The boy later told his mother that the officers beat him, putting his face on the floor and kicking him, she said. He told her he was hit in the chest, ribs and arms.

Mother and son spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because the son has received death threats.

The woman and her 5-year-old were detained overnight, but the 15-year-old was held for 20 days. He was unable to see his family for a week.

The boy is one of at least 120 minors to have been imprisoned by the security forces of President Nicolas Maduro since the autocratic socialist claimed reelection last month, according to multiple human rights organizations.

The children are among more than 1,600 people who have been arrested  rounded up at or near protests or taken from their homes in the night  in many cases without warrants. Their lawyers also have been targeted.

Security forces are detaining people at a speed we had not seen in Venezuelas recent history, even during the brutal repression in 2014 and 2017, said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director for Human Rights Watch. This is not just a clampdown on demonstrators. Its a full witch hunt against anyone who dares criticize the government.

The Venezuelan opposition, the Biden administration and leaders in Latin America and across the West have accused Maduro of electoral fraud. A Post analysis of voting machine receipts collected by opposition poll watchers indicates that his principal challenger, Edmundo Gonzalez, received more than twice as many votes in the July 28 election.

All of the children, human rights lawyers say, have been charged with terrorism. More than 100 are still in custody.

The Post interviewed five families who say their teenage children were arrested. The Post has been unable to verify their claims independently.

All were held in juvenile facilities under strict, military-style control, they say. Some were forced to salute a picture of Maduro and to chant Chavez lives in homage to Hugo Chavez, the late founder of Venezuelas socialist state.

All the teenagers told their families they were subjected to physical abuse. If they misbehaved, they said, their visits and food were restricted.

The families, whom The Post found through human rights organizations and news media coverage, all spoke on the condition of anonymity out of concern for their safety.

The day after the Maduro-controlled electoral council declared his victory, Venezuela erupted in protests. Maduro, who had threatened the country with a bloodbath if he didnt win, responded by arresting members of the opposition and anyone suspected of protesting. At least two dozen people were shot to death; one was 15.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab, Venezuelas chief law enforcement official, did not respond to a request for comment.

Venezuela has experienced waves of unrest and mass detentions in the past; Maduro was already being investigated by the International Criminal Court for the alleged torture and extrajudicial killing of political opponents. But rights groups say this is the most political prisoners registered in a single campaign.

The number of children arrested has outpaced the figures recorded during even the regions most notorious campaigns of repression. The Argentine military dictatorship of the 1970s and 80s arrested 151 over seven years. The regime of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet arrested 956 children from 1974 through 1990, or about 56 a year.

Maduro has arrested at least 120 in less than a month.

Most come from working-class neighborhoods, historic strongholds of support for Chavez and Maduro that appear to have switched to the opposition last month. None have been given access to a private attorney, the pro bono legal assistance group Foro Penal says. Many were held for at least a week before they were allowed to contact their families.

Before, at least we had access to the people arrested and be present if there were any complaints of torture, said Alfredo Romero, president of Foro Penal. Everyone is terrified of speaking out.

Youll never see him again

After the 15-year-old was taken away, his mother and younger brother were taken to a government-owned house in Barinas, a northwestern cattle-rearing state, she said.

Masked and armed men threatened to take the 5-year-old away, too, if she spoke out. Youll never see him again, they warned, the woman said.

She was interrogated for five hours and let go, she said. But her 15-year-old was held and charged with terrorism, without a private lawyer present.

His father, who escaped Venezuela for the United States and lives in Nevada, said his son might have been a target because he posted a photo of himself on social media wielding a toy gun and wearing his fathers motorcycle goggles, a cloth covering part of his face. He had been playing cowboys with a friend, his father said.

The boy has never been anywhere near a protest, his father said. Not only is he too young  his voice hasnt even changed  but the family has already suffered the governments repression: In 2017, his oldest son was shot dead at a demonstration; another was wounded.

The 15-year-old was presented remotely to a judge in Caracas and charged with terrorism, he told The Post. He was pressured to record a video admitting to protesting. I refused, he said, and they hit me harder.

In detention, he said, he was held in a hot, crowded room with only a single open toilet.

My friends there, they all got sick from the food. They spent nights vomiting he said. The security guards kept saying there were no doctors or medicines.

The beatings and stress caused the boy to suffer a medical emergency, his family said. He was taken in handcuffs to a hospital; his family was not notified.

Human rights lawyers have struggled to keep up with the caseload. Dozens of families are contacting Foro Penal daily.

Lawyers from the assistance group Fundehullan were working with at least five minors when they began receiving threats, they said. Now in hiding, theyre guiding families over encrypted WhatsApp calls.

There is a targeted action against human rights activists, said Luis Armando Betancourt, a lawyer in Carabobo state, where at least 23 teenagers have been arrested. Even with the express authorization from the families, they are not allowing us access to anyone.

Extortion and fear

After the 15-year-old was arrested, his father said, he received a text message from a security official demanding $10,000 for his release. Then a national guardsman said he could help expunge his record for $500.

I would move heaven and Earth for my son, the father said. But how can I possibly afford that if I make $1,800 a month in the Las Vegas restaurant I work in?

When a couple from La Guaira tried to visit their son in a Caracas prison, they said, guards told them they would have to pay $3 for his food and $5 to visit for an hour. We had to choose, the boys father said. It was either a hug or his food, and we got him some food. We cannot afford more.

One 15-year-old boy told his mother that he and his fellow detainees are sleeping in shifts to watch out for one another. He doesnt want to tell why they are so scared, she told The Post.

Another 15-year-old boy said detainees were being forced to say Chavez lives. He refused, his mother said. Chavez doesnt live, he told her. Hes dead. Why would I say that?

The boy, already weak from a severe beating, his mother said, was forced to do 100 push-ups. He told me his entire body hurt, but the guards didnt let me look under his shirt, she said.

Several families said they were planning to leave the country as soon as their children are released.

I just want to go live where my dad lives, said the boy whose father lives in Nevada. I am not safe here anymore.

Samantha Schmidt contributed to this report.
Members of Alaskas Army National Guard and Air National Guard arrive in Gambell, Alaska, in March 2023. (Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News/TNS)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Tribune News Service)  Military officials announced last week that Alaskas Air National Guard will be indefinitely exempt from staffing changes that local leaders said would have devastated the forces core operations.

For months, Alaskas congressional delegation has been aggressively lobbying the National Guard Bureau to postpone or scrap an initiative known as Fulltime Leveling, which would have reclassified the job categories for about 80 members of the states Air National Guard beginning on Oct. 1.

In numerous meetings, calls and letters, the Alaska congressional delegation strongly pressed Guard leaders to exempt Alaska from the planned cuts, highlighting the many unique missions of the Alaska (Air National Guard) that are critically important to U.S. homeland defense, including missile warning, aerial refueling, and combat rescue, said a statement released by all three members the delegation.

The original directive, announced at the start of the year, is intended to more equitably staff all 54 of the countrys National Guard units. At its core, the initiative adjusts how states are allotted two different categories of full-time employees. On one side are Active Guard Reserve, or AGR, positions, which are equivalent to active duty airmen or soldiers in the regular military, and can be deployed for both state and federal missions, be it a natural disaster or a national security threat. Alaska has a higher share of such AGR positions within its National Guard than most other state Guard units because of the unusual mission set guardsmen are attached to, including search and rescue operations, around-the-clock radar monitoring and aircraft refueling.

On the other side are Dual Status Technicians, federal civilian employees who are like full-time hourly employees and require more administrative procedures to switch between federal or state orders. Local officials have said the job category is poorly matched with many of the staffing requirements for the Guards work in Alaska, in part because so many operations require personnel to maintain 24/7 alert status.

The proposal to swap 80 AGR positions within the Alaska Air Guard for 88 technicians set off alarm bells within the Alaska National Guard, which warned the change would degrade the force to the point of mission failure in a matter of months.

In April, the National Guard Bureau announced a one-year pause on implementing the leveling program in Alaska.

Now, that pause appears permanent.

The AK ANG must be fully excepted from the (Fulltime Leveling) initiative, wrote Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak, acting director for the Air National Guard, in an Aug. 20 letter addressed to Sen. Dan Sullivan.

The Alaska National Guards manning document, which lays out positions allotted to the unit, will not change in the upcoming fiscal year, but replicate the same number of AGRs assigned to Alaska as is currently on the books.

Pirak wrote that the Guard reached its conclusions in part after a two-day May visit to Alaska that was part of an analysis of potential impacts.

The report concludes the AK ANG executes four missions above  requirements that are incompatible with Dual Status Technician (DST) resources, Pirak wrote.

Not only would the conversion of AGR to technician positions have been an organizational encumbrance, but many in the Guard said it would involve pay cuts so significant they would not be able to stay at their jobs. In a February meeting, several members told Sen. Lisa Murkowski the proposed changes would devastate their family finances and force them to look for other work. Guard leaders warned that dozens of departures by highly trained career airmen would create a cascade of negative impacts, hampering everything from ballistic missile monitoring to civilian search and rescues.

In March, according to Sullivans office, Pirak was tapped to take over as the head of the Air National Guard, a role that requires a promotion to the rank of lieutenant general. Over the summer, both senators added provisions and funding to the National Defense Authorization Act and Defense Appropriation bill that would boost the number of Air National Guard members.

And then came the arm-twisting.

At the beginning of August, Sullivan moved to block Piraks promotion until Alaska is granted an exemption from the (Fulltime Leveling) initiative, according to a statement from Sullivans office.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Sullivan uses targeted holds when needed to resolve major policy issues that would negatively impact military service members and U.S. national security, the statement said.

Alaskas indefinite exemption from the leveling initiative was greeted favorably by Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, who helms the force.

The National Guard Bureaus decision to exempt Alaska from their fulltime leveling initiative and reinstate 80 fulltime positions ensures the Alaska Air National Guards continued support of Alaskas operational missions, Saxe said in a brief statement.

2024 Anchorage Daily News.

Visit at adn.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The immunization clinic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, pictured here in January 2022, reopened this week after an investigation into ineffective vaccines. (Anna Nolte/U.S. Air Force)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  The immunization clinic at Kadena Air Base reopened this week after an investigation into ineffective vaccines administered May 3 through July 29.

The 18th Medical Group Immunizations Clinic resumed operations Tuesday following a Defense Health Agency inspection addressing the causes of the improper storage of the measles, mumps and rubella and varicella vaccines, according to a Monday post on the medical groups Facebook page.

Following the investigation, the clinic contacted an unspecified number of patients and recommended they be revaccinated to ensure they are protected from MMR and varicella, 1st Lt. Robert Dabbs, spokesman for Kadenas 18th Wing, told Stars and Stripes by email Monday.

Dabbs said all affected patients have been called and the majority were successfully contacted by phone. Patients were also sent notifications through the online portal MHS Genesis.

The inspection found that after the clinics primary and back-up vaccine freezers failed, staff who were unfamiliar with vaccine storage protocols [moved] the vaccines into a third freezer that was too cold, Dabbs said.

During the 12 days the clinic was closed, the clinical team notified and cared for the affected patients and trained on vaccine storage and safety practices, according to the medical groups post.

The clinic also implemented an augmented internal and external inspection program to prevent future occurrences and assure that best practices are followed, according to the post.

DHA immunizations experts will inspect the clinics storage and clinical programs on a quarterly basis at the request of the medical group leadership for one year, Dabbs said. Clinic personnel will also conduct monthly internal inspections.

The clinical team has conducted additional training on vaccine storage and safety practices to ensure the highest standard of safe, quality care, he said.

Anyone who received the MMR or varicella immunization at the clinic between May 3 and July 29 and has not heard from the clinic should call the 18th Medical Group Patient Advocate at DSN 315-630-4146 or 098-960-4146, Dabbs said.

In January, the Kadena clinic gave incorrect vaccines to four pediatric patients, according to a post on the medical groups Facebook page. The post did not say which vaccines were incorrectly administered or whether any of the affected children had adverse reactions.
A Chinese Y-9 surveillance plane enters Japanese airspace on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (Japanese Ministry of Defense)

TOKYO  Japan through diplomatic channels protested as completely unacceptable the first-ever incursion into its airspace by a Chinese military aircraft this week.

A Chinese Y-9 surveillance plane flew into Japanese airspace around 11:30 a.m. Monday just southeast of the Danjo Islands, about 100 miles southwest of Nagasaki, according to a Defense Ministry news release that day.

In response, Japan scrambled Mitsubishi F-2 and F-15 Eagle fighter jets to intercept the aircraft and broadcast radio warnings, a Joint Staff spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday.

He offered no further details other than to confirm no weapons, warning shots or signal flares were used. Some Japanese government officials may speak to media only on condition of anonymity

The flight was a grave violation of Japans sovereignty and a threat to its security, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said during a Tuesday press conference.

It is completely unacceptable, he said. We filed extremely severe protests through diplomatic channels on the same day and strongly asked for measures to prevent recurrences.

Chinese military activities near Japan appear to be expanding and intensifying, Kihara said.

Tokyo plans to closely monitor Chinese military activity and will continue to scramble aircraft against future Chinese incursions into Japanese airspace, he added.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi during the press conference described the Chinese flight as the first confirmed and announced intrusion by China since Japan began scrambling its fighters against intruding aircraft.

He declined to speculate on the Chinese aircrafts mission or comment on whether the incident would affect relations between the two countries.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel in a post Tuesday on social platform X alluded to previous incidents involving Chinese coast guard vessels ramming and firing water cannons at Philippine ships in the South China Sea.

Theres little love thy neighbor in Chinas good neighbor policy, his post states.

Chinese aircraft not affiliated with its military have made at least two unauthorized flights into Japanese airspace in the past 12 years.

An aircraft from Chinas now-dissolved State Oceanic Administration entered airspace near the contested Senkaku Islands in December 2012, according to a Defense Ministry report of aircraft sorties. Japan administers the handful of islets, which China also claims.

In May 2017, an unmanned aircraft entered the same area, according to a ministry report.

On Monday, about the same time the Y-9 flew close to Danjo Islands, South Korea reported a Y-9 in its air defense identification zone, according to a spokesman for the countrys Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The aircraft flew near Socotra Rock, also known as Ieodo, about 100 miles southeast of Jeju Island, the spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. Government spokespeople in South Korea customarily speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

The flight was not viewed as unusual because South Koreas ADIZ overlaps Chinas and Japans in that area, and Chinese aircraft regularly enter the area, the spokesman said.

An ADIZ is not always recognized but aircraft are expected to identify themselves in the interest of national security.

Before the Chinese surveillance plane entered the area, the South Korean military identified and monitored it and dispatched fighter jets to escort it, according to the spokesman.

The surveillance plane entered the ADIZ while the U.S.-South Korean military exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield is underway, but the spokesman said the Joint Chiefs do not believe the two are connected.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.
Soldiers from South Koreas 5th Engineer Brigade carry a simulated casualty from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division while training at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, July 18, 2024. (Koo Siwon/U.S. Army)

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea  U.S. and South Korean representatives met Tuesday in Seoul for another round of negotiations to determine South Koreas bill for maintaining an American troop presence for the next six years.

Officials from the U.S. State Department and Ministry of Foreign Affairs kicked off a three-day meeting in the capital city to renegotiate the Special Measures Agreement, a six-year cost-sharing contract to station 28,500 U.S. troops in the country, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The previous arrangement stipulated South Korea would spend around $900 million in 2020 and over $1 billion in 2021. The annual cost would then be raised based on a proportional increase in Seouls annual defense budget until the end of 2025.

Negotiations are proceeding under the premise that the cost will be set at a reasonable level for the stable presence of U.S. troops in South Korea, the ministry said. The current agreement expires at the end of 2025.

The latest round of discussions marks the seventh meeting since negotiators first met in Hawaii in April. Both sides will endeavor to engage in productive consultations that strengthen the U.S.-[South Korea] combined defense posture and further solidify our alliance, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said in a March statement.

Linda Specht, lead negotiator for security agreements in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, represents Washington; Defense Burden Sharing representative Lee Taewoo has led the South Korean delegation.

South Korea spent an annual average of $1.45 billion over a four-year period starting in 2016. The U.S. earmarked an annual average of $3.3 billion for the same period, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report.

Seouls budget includes costs for construction and the civilian workforce at U.S. bases in South Korea. Roughly $67 million was paid in June for two barracks to house 600 U.S. soldiers at Camp Humphreys, the largest military installation overseas.

South Koreas share was a contentious subject during Donald Trumps 2017-21 presidency. He said Seoul should spend $5 billion a year to maintain the U.S. troop presence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin decorates Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called during a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov, AFP, Getty Images via TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Narendra Modi spoke with both U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine following the Indian prime ministers conciliatory visit to Kyiv.

The White House, in an account of the call which took place on Monday, said Biden commended Modi for his visits to both Ukraine and Poland, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.

The leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter, the White House said.

The Indian leader then spoke by phone with Putin on Tuesday and exchanged perspectives on the Russia- Ukraine conflict and insights from the recent visit, Modi said on the X social media platform. The Kremlin confirmed the call took place.

Modi said he also reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict during that discussion.

Earlier, White House spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. welcomes any nation that is willing to be helpful.

In an earlier post on X about his call with Biden, Modi said we had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine, without providing additional details.

Modi, whose country has historic ties to Russia and has for decades relied on Moscow for weapons, indicated his support for Ukraines sovereignty during his first visit to the war-torn nation since Russia invaded more than two years ago.

His trip to Kyiv last week has been seen as an attempt to balance Indias relations with the U.S. and Russia, roughly a month after his July visit to Moscow angered American officials. Modi was pictured hugging Putin shortly after Russia was blamed for a wave of attacks that killed at least 38 people, and included the main childrens hospital in Kyiv. Those strikes came as Biden hosted NATO leaders in Washington.

India, which has ruled out a role mediating an end to Russias war, has agreed to relay messages between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Bloomberg News has reported.

With assistance from Akayla Gardner.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Visit bloomberg.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life, Mark Twain famously remarked. Yet, many people find themselves trapped in jobs that feel more like a day prison than a fulfilling career.

They suffer from a lack of pride in their organisation, minimal appreciation, an absence of challenges, and an unwillingness to go beyond basic requirements. These symptoms reflect a deeper dissatisfaction that can lead to a loss of autonomy, self-worth, and even a sense of humanitysimilar to the feelings reported by real prisoners.

The Escape Route: Embracing the Misfit Within

For those who feel trapped in this metaphorical day prison, the idea of a sea change in retirement or escaping on a cruise ship might be appealing. However, theres another option: embracing the fact that you may simply be a misfit in your current situation. Instead of waiting for retirement to find freedom, why not consider a lifestyle change now by becoming an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurs often break the mould by rejecting societys norms of traditional employment. They are frequently seen as misfits, difficult employees who struggle to submit to authority or work in a pre-structured environment. This rebellious spirit is not a flaw but a strengtha sign that youre ready to chart your own course and create a life that aligns with your values and passions.

Genuine Reasons to Become an Entrepreneur

One of the main reasons people become entrepreneurs is that their creativity doesnt fit within the rigid confines of a corporate environment. If youve ever felt like you dont belong in a traditional workplace, this could be a sign that entrepreneurship is the right path for you. Embracing your uniqueness, rather than conforming to corporate culture, can lead to discovering something truly beautiful.

Another compelling reason to choose entrepreneurship is the desire for a lifestyle that isnt bound by the traditional nine-to-five workday. While its true that being an entrepreneur often means working long and hard hours, the flexibility to control your schedule and destiny is a powerful draw. This freedom allows entrepreneurs to align their work with their personal values and passions, creating a more fulfilling life.

Entrepreneurs are also driven by a passion for learning. Unlike those who view education as a phase that ends with a degree or a job, entrepreneurs see learning as a lifelong journey. This constant quest for knowledge and growth keeps them energised and engaged, pushing them to innovate and adapt in an ever-changing world.

The Unconventional Path to Success

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It requires imagination, resilience, and a willingness to embrace unconventional ideas. As Mark Twain is often quoted as saying, Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do. This mindset is what drives entrepreneurs to take risks, explore new opportunities, and challenge the status quo.

Studies have shown that entrepreneurs are generally happier than employees. In a research study conducted by Wharton, 11,000 graduates were surveyed about their happiness levels. The study found that the biggest predictor of happiness was entrepreneurship. People running their own businesses reported higher levels of happiness, regardless of how much money they made. This suggests that the autonomy, creativity, and personal fulfilment that come with entrepreneurship are key factors in achieving a happier, more satisfying life.

The Lifestyle Decision

Being an entrepreneur is not just a career choice; its a lifestyle decision. When 25 entrepreneurs were asked what they love most about being an entrepreneur, the number one response was, I get to control my own schedule and destiny. This sentiment captures the essence of entrepreneurshipthe freedom to design your life on your own terms.

Entrepreneurship allows you to break free from the constraints of traditional employment and create a life that reflects your values, passions, and ambitions. Its about more than just making money; its about living a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling. By choosing to become an entrepreneur, youre choosing a path that offers the opportunity to achieve personal and professional satisfaction, all while enjoying the journey along the way.

Alan Manly OAM is the CEO of CampusQ and author of The Unlikely Entrepreneur. To find out more, visitwww.alanmanly.com.au

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Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy takes questions at a news conference on Tuesday in Kyiv. (Ed Ram/The Washington Post)

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that this months lightning-fast incursion into Russia  where almost 600 Russian soldiers have been captured so far  is part of a larger plan to end the war in his country.

Speaking at a news conference of top officials, Zelenskyy said he had no plans to permanently annex the region and will present his plan to President Joe Biden  along with presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump  this fall.

The main point  is forcing Russia to end the war, Zelenskyy said. We really want justice for Ukraine. And if this plan is accepted  and, second, if it is executed  we believe that the main goal will be reached.

He declined to provide details of his plan.

Part of the Kursk border region, including the town of Sudzha, was taken in a surprise attack on Aug. 6, raising spirits for many Ukrainians frustrated by their militarys inability to reclaim land lost to Russia  though it raised questions about what the operations end game is and whether it will come at the cost of land in Ukraines east.

Ukraines military commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, said the blitz had so far resulted in the capture of 100 settlements, along with the 594 Russian soldiers. Ukraine is holding about 500 square miles in Kursk and is still advancing and dealing palpable damage, Syrsky said. But Russia has moved more than 30,000 soldiers to the area, many from the battlefields in Ukraines south, and there are about 50 clashes with the enemy daily.

The most intense fighting, though, has continued in eastern Ukraine, where Russias steady advance to conquer the entire Donbas industrial region moves forward. Key to this battle is the logistical hub of Pokrovsk at the junction of two major roads. Ukraines military is doing everything possible to stabilize the situation in this direction, Syrsky said, but the situation remains quite difficult.

As these battles raged, Ukraine on Tuesday suffered another wave of drone and missile strikes, which smashed a hotel often frequented by journalists in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, killing two people. The attack came days after a hotel in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine was struck, killing a security adviser for the Reuters news agency and injuring two of its journalists.

Early Monday, Russia launched one of its largest waves of strikes in the war, soon after Ukraines Independence Day, targeting power infrastructure and causing outages across the country. The two waves of strikes killed at least 10 people and injured dozens.

Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had used F-16 fighter jets acquired from Western allies  aircraft the country had long insisted would be a game changer in the war  to shoot down some of the Russian missiles.

Even before Zelenskyys announcement about a new plan to end the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday dismissed Ukraines attempts at negotiations.

If the West is interested in normalizing the situation in Europe, it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table without paperwork in the form of the Zelenskyy formula,  he said, referring to an earlier peace summit that did not include Russia.

Russia has also accused Ukrainian forces of endangering its nuclear power plant in the city of Kursk, about 25 miles from the front line. The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency was inspecting the site Tuesday.

Regarding the operation of the nuclear power plant, what Ive seen is that the station is operating in very close to normal conditions, Rafael Grossi said in a news conference in the Kursk region. However, it is clear that all of that does not deny the fact that there has been activity near here. I was informed about the impact of drones. I was shown some of the remnants of those and the signs of the impact they had.

He said that equating the situation at the Kursk plant with Chernobyl  site of a 1986 nuclear disaster  was an exaggeration, but that it is the same type of reaction and there is no specific protection, and this is very, very important.

Russias FSB security service has opened criminal cases against seven foreign journalists for what it maintains was their illegal crossing into Russian territory to report from Kursk.

Citing the FSB, Russian state news agencies reported Tuesday that additional cases had been opened against a correspondent for

German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and a journalist from Ukraines 1+1 TV channel following their reports from Sudzha.

Earlier this month, the FSB reported that it had initiated criminal proceedings against journalists from CNN and Italian broadcaster RAI.

Serhii Korolchuk and Anastacia Galouchka in Kyiv, Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, and Francesca Ebel and Paul Schemm in London contributed to this report.
The dating app Tinder is shown on a smartphone in New York on June 26, 2024. (Peter Morgan/AP)

The warning appeared online last week in Arabic beneath pictures of U.S. warplanes: Do not take up arms against the United States or its partners, it said, noting that America will protect its partners in the face of threats from the Iranian regime and its proxies.

And to underscore the message: Central Command is fully prepared and ready to employ F-16 and A-10 aircraft currently in the region.

As fears grow of a wider conflict between Iran and its proxies, and Israel and its backers, the warning  apparently aimed at young disaffected men in the Middle East  may not have been that surprising.

What raised eyebrows was the platform: Tinder.

The ad on the U.S.-based dating app, which gave the world the phrases swipe right (to approve a match) and swipe left (to reject), has raised fresh questions about the U.S. militarys online information operations, which are aimed at influencing the views of overseas audiences and countering what the government perceives as misleading narratives from foreign adversaries.

Part of a broader campaign in what is commonly called psychological operations or military information support operations, the ad belonged to CENTCOM, according to one U.S. official familiar with the matter, who like several others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matters sensitivity.

It was an explicit threat that the Pentagon would take action if Iran or its proxies threatened the United States or its ally Israel, an extraordinary warning  one that some experts saw as ham-fisted  and a reminder that American forces helped bring down scores of Iranian drones and missiles in an April attack.

Central Command declined to comment, saying it generally does not discuss information operations. The Pentagon had no comment on the specific post.

But separately, a defense official told The Washington Post that broadly speaking and as a matter of policy, the Department of Defense does conduct military information operations in support of our national security priorities. These activities must be undertaken in compliance with U.S. law and DOD policy, and we are committed to enforcing those safeguards.

Tinder removed the ad after The Post inquired about it on Thursday. Philip Fry, a company spokesperson, said that it violated our policies on violent and political messaging.

Seamus Malekafzali, a freelance journalist based in Lebanon, encountered the advertisement when he opened Tinder last Thursday, he said. Swiping right redirected him to a Central Command post on X, he told The Post, with a similar message written in Arabic describing the presence of attack aircraft in the region.

He posted screenshots of the ad on X. The post went viral.

Who on earth approved this and how high was everyone in their chain of command? Timothy Kaldas, the deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, posted on X.

One U.S. military psyops officer scoffed at the effort. On its face, I doubt it would be very effective, said the officer, who has worked on information operations campaigns and was not authorized to speak on the record. What message is it that they think will resonate here? the officer said. This is just an in-your-face dont mess with me. 

As for the advertisement appearing on Tinder, another U.S. official quipped: Thats called meeting people where they are. 

The message itself could be effective, said Gittipong Eddie Paruchabutr, a retired Army psyops officer who worked on information operations policy, if its part of a long-term campaign supporting a continuous policy, and not a one-off ad buy.

But, he added, Tinder was probably a poor pick of a venue. Im guessing the average belligerent is probably among a very small subset of Tinder users, said Paruchabutr, now a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

A more effective approach, he said, would be to seek to identify the online venues or platforms frequented by the target audience, which in this case, he said, might be military-age males. Those might include a closed Facebook group or Telegram account, he said.

CENTCOM often uses contractors to create and disseminate messages to a particular audience, using various tools to help identify platforms, he said.

In 2022, the Pentagons policy chief ordered a sweeping audit of clandestine military psyops after social media companies removed accounts based on fake personas that they suspected were created by the U.S. military. The Post verified that the accounts were indeed the work of the military, including CENTCOM. One fake account claimed Afghans received the dead bodies, with their organs having been removed, of relatives who fled Iran, according to a report published by Stanford University. Some of the accounts taken down included a made-up Persian-language media site that shared content reposted from the U.S.-funded Voice of America Farsi and Radio Free Europe. The accounts were removed in 2020.

The review resulted in tighter policies regarding the use of clandestine information operations, which now require sign-off by senior Pentagon officials, the CIA and the State Department, The Post reported last year. Following that policy change, the practice of deploying sham accounts to influence overseas audiences was dramatically reduced, officials said.

Separately, the military ran a secret information operations campaign at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during the Trump administration, creating phony accounts to counter Chinese influence efforts in the Philippines, Reuters reported in June.

A defense official told The Post in a statement that the current administration, when it was made aware of the campaign in 2021, paused activities, we did a thorough review of our information operations, and we stopped all COVID vaccine related information operations. Weve continued to refine our processes to improve accountability and oversight for information operations.

The Tinder ad, by contrast, is apparently not a clandestine campaign: CENTCOMs logo was clearly visible.

All military psyops campaigns, whether overt or clandestine, are subject to an approval process governed by a policy set by the Pentagon. That policy addresses the objectives, potential target audiences and circumstances under which a campaign must be coordinated with another U.S. government agency and at which level. Approvals for overt campaigns are usually handled at the combatant command level.

The Tinder ad is either an unforced error or laziness, Paruchabutr said. To push back against adversaries in the information space, we need more trained influence professionals and we need to hold their leaders accountable when they mess up.

Kareem Fahim in Istanbul and Mohamad El Chamaa in Beirut contributed to this report.
A U.N. agency is warning that an order by Israels military to evacuate parts of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza has displaced humanitarian workers and severely impacts the organizations ability to deliver essential support and services.

The evacuation order  signaling a potential ground operation in an area that has been largely spared in the fighting between Israel and Hamas  has shrunk the size of the humanitarian zone that Israel declared at the outset of the war. The orders, which cram

Palestinians into smaller areas, have escalated concerns about hunger and the spread of disease in crowded tent camps that in some cases lack access to food and clean water, aid groups say.

The mayor of Deir al-Balah told The Washington Post that an estimated 1 million displaced people and residents are living in the city, which is surrounded by Israeli tanks and warplanes. There is artillery shelling in the vicinity of the areas marked for evacuation, said Mayor Diab Al-Jarou.

Residents are unable to reach the citys landfill or many of its water wells, resulting in a proliferation of garbage and lost access to drinking water, he said. Deir al-Balah has 19 water wells, three of which were put out of service at the beginning of the war due to their proximity to the border areas. With the recent evacuations, the number of wells out of service has risen to 14, and two main water tanks are now also out of service, he said.

The U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, said Monday that the relocations took place at short notice and in dangerous conditions and that the move effectively upends a whole lifesaving humanitarian hub that was set up in Deir al Balah following its evacuation from Rafah back in May.

Georgios Petropoulos, head of OCHA in Gaza, told The Post on Monday that major humanitarian operations have never stopped fully, but they are at the most curtailed they have ever been due to inaccessibility.

Israels military said Monday it was continuing to expand operational activity on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, after ordering evacuations in the city over the weekend. The military said it had dismantled a Hamas underground tunnel route and uncovered munitions, antitank missiles, military vests, and knives in an apartment.

OCHA said it is concerned about the evacuation orders impact on premises that host aid workers along with U.N. warehouses, wells, a water reservoir and a desalination plant that are either in or near the designated area for evacuation. The orders have also displaced U.N. humanitarian workers, nongovernmental organizations and service providers, along with their families, it added.

The agency also cited the possible impact on the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the last functioning hospitals in the Strip and the main one serving central Gaza. While Israel has not ordered the hospital evacuation, OCHA and aid groups said many patients and workers have left, reducing health care capacity. The Gaza Health Ministry said panic surrounding the orders left only 100 at the hospital for treatment from about 650 patients.

This situation is unacceptable, said the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders. Al Aqsa has been operating well beyond capacity for weeks due to the lack of alternatives for patients. All warring parties must respect the hospital, as well as patients access to medical care.

These evacuation orders  make our work nearly impossible, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the U.N. secretary general, told reporters Monday. Part of protecting civilians is ensuring that civilians can eat, that people can wash themselves, they have access to medicine, they have access to the most basic needs that human beings need to survive. Heres what else to know

 The United Nations is warning of a perfect storm of conditions for the spread of the polio virus in Gaza, said Sam Rose, director of planning for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). He told reporters the disease could spread very rapidly as the agency called for a wider humanitarian pause. About 1.2 million doses of polio vaccine have arrived in Gaza set to immunize 640,000 children, the United Nations said after the first case of polio was confirmed earlier this month in a 10-month-old baby.

 Israeli security forces have detained a number of Palestinian health care workers from Gaza without charge and allegedly tortured some of them, according to a new Human Rights Watch report. The group says it interviewed eight Palestinian health care workers who were taken from Gaza since Oct. 7 and detained without charge in cases ranging between seven days and five months.

Released doctors and nurses described humiliation, beatings, forced stress positions, prolonged cuffing and blindfolding, and denial of medical care, said the group. The Israeli government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 The recent fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces had no impact on ongoing cease-fire talks, but negotiators were unable to clinch a deal in their last meeting in Cairo amid continued disagreements, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

Negotiations will continue by lower-level officials staying in Cairo for the next few days, he added. Its safe to say that the issues theyre going to be talking about are of a much more detailed, specific nature than weve typically been able to talk about, Kirby added, including the names of Palestinian prisoners who would be released by Israel in exchange for hostages held by Hamas.

 Violence has ramped up in the West Bank, with five people killed in Tulkarm on Monday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The IDF said an aircraft attacked an operations room in the Nur a-Shams area there. One other person was killed in the Wadi Rahal village in Bethlehem by a settler shooting incident, the ministry also said. The IDF said it was looking into the reports.

 Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar have condemned an Israeli far-right ministers call for a synagogue to be built inside the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has previously stoked tensions by praying at the holy site, despite restrictions against non-Muslims, in a bid to derail cease-fire talks. In separate statements, Egypt described Ben Gvirs most recent remarks as irresponsible, while Qatar and Saudi called them a provocation.

 At least 40,476 people have been killed and 93,647 injured in Gaza since the war started, according to the Gaza Health Ministry on Tuesday. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of the dead are women and children. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamass Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and it says 338 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operations in Gaza. Lior Soroka, Hazem Balousha and Loveday Morris contributed to this report.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) speaks during the final day of the Democratic National Convention. (Joe Lamberti/The Washington Post)

Former President Donald Trump sought to tie Vice President Kamala Harris to the United States deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan on Monday, accusing her and President Joe Biden of overseeing the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.

Days earlier, Harris had taken a not-so-subtle dig at Trump as commander in chief during her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. She said she would never disparage [military members] service and their sacrifice, a nod to some of Trumps comments about veterans  including his former chief of staffs allegation that he called American war casualties suckers and losers, an account Trump has sharply denied.

With just over two months until the election, Trump and Harris are vying for the high ground on military issues, debating not just who would keep America safe, but also who would best care for the needs of veterans and who holds the U.S. armed forces in the respect they deserve. Neither candidate has served in the military, and both are stressing their diplomatic and foreign policy successes. Both are also surrounding themselves with veterans to vouch for them, including their running mates, who have engaged in their own fierce back-and-forth about military service.

On Monday, Trump attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, joining family members of troops slain in the Aug. 26, 2021, attack outside Kabuls airport as the United States was pulling out of Afghanistan. The former president sought to tie Harris to Americas chaotic withdrawal, a key decision of Bidens that Harris has said she was consulted on.

Thirteen U.S. service members and about 170 Afghans died in the attack when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive in the closing days of the grueling U.S.-led evacuation effort. The Biden administration has said the deaths were a tragedy but has stood by the presidents decision to end a 20-year war that he argued was making little progress.

Democrats spent a large portion of their convention last week playing up Harriss argument that she is ready to be commander in chief on Day One. She recounted meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022 to warn him about Russias plan to invade and said she had helped mobilize the global response against the Russian invasion.

I have confronted threats to our security, negotiated with foreign leaders, strengthened our alliances and engaged with our brave troops overseas, she said in the speech. As commander in chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world. And I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families, and I will always honor and never disparage their service and their sacrifice.

But Harris also warned that Trump would undo the foreign policy progress of the Biden administration and embolden Americas enemies, saying that he threatened to abandon NATO. He encouraged Putin to invade our allies. Said Russia could do whatever the hell they want. In February, Trump said he had told a foreign leader he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries he viewed as not spending enough on defense.

The candidates argument over who would stand up better for Americas military comes as tensions are flaring around the world, from Russias invasion of Ukraine to Israels war with Hamas to Chinas aggression against its neighbors. While Harris has limited experience with the armed forces, Trump has alternately praised the military, criticized generals and questioned Americas alliances, leaving each nominee potentially vulnerable on the issue.

Trump, in an interview released Monday, again disputed years-old reports, including a public statement by his former chief of staff, John Kelly, that he had referred to people killed in combat as losers. Who would say it? Trump said in the interview with podcaster Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL. Who would say it? Nobody would say it. A stupid person or a person thats mentally ill.

Trump also addressed the National Guard Association of the United States on Monday in Detroit.

Trumps campaign has assembled surrogates with military experience to vouch for Trump and attack the Democratic ticket. A Monday press call featured allies such as retired Navy SEAL Ryan Zinke, now a Republican congressman, and family members of the service members killed in the Afghanistan exit. Last week, the Trump campaign released a letter from Republican lawmakers who served in the military and accused Harriss running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, of misrepresenting aspects of his National Guard service.

The Harris campaign has turned to its own raft of supporters to stress that the vice president would be a strong commander in chief.

At the Democratic National Convention, Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Marine who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona, brought dozens of elected Democratic veterans onstage during his remarks. He pointed out that Trump had spoken ill of a veteran and former prisoner of war, the late Republican senator John McCain. And he said that Project 2025, a blueprint assembled by conservative groups for the next Republican administration, would slash veteran benefits and force VA hospitals to close across the nation. Trump has harshly criticized Project 2025.

Still, both presidential candidates self-characterizations omit significant details.

While Harris clearly played a role in the Biden administrations efforts to shore up NATO and support Ukraine  including speeches at the Munich Security Conference and meetings with Zelensky and other allies  her actions were fully in service to Bidens vision, as might be expected from a vice president. And while the White House has stressed that Harris was a full governing partner, they have not specified what role she played in key decisions.

Harris told reporters in 2021 that she was the last person in the room when Biden made the decision to pull out of Afghanistan, but people familiar with the deliberations have said she did not appear to have influence with Biden on an issue where he was deeply entrenched.

Trump, for his part, has pitched himself as a champion of a strong U.S. military, but his comments about service members have repeatedly been criticized as disrespectful. The latest controversy flared when Trump called a civilian medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, much better than the Medal of Honor, the top military award recognizing valor in combat, because the latter often goes to people wounded or killed in service, a comment that drew a rare rebuke from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nations highest award for valor, but also crassly [characterize] the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty, Al Lipphardt, the commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said in a statement.

During his first presidential campaign, Trump belittled the sacrifice of McCain  who spent five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and underwent severe torture  saying, I like people who werent captured.

While the nominees go after each other, much of the debate has been conducted by a pair of vice presidential candidates who both served in the military.

Walz and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Trumps running mate, are the first veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, to be part of a presidential ticket. Vance served four years in the Marine Corps in public affairs, deploying once to Iraq before departing active duty as a corporal. Walz served 24 years in the Minnesota National Guard, including as a command sergeant major, before retiring in 2005 to run for Congress.

Their exchanges have turned bitter at times, with Vance accusing Walz of stolen valor for the way he has characterized his service. Walz has said he retired as a command sergeant major. While he did reach that rank, he did not hold it long enough, or complete the required coursework, to hold the rank in retirement, instead becoming a master sergeant, Minnesota National Guard officials have said.

After the issue emerged this month, the Harris campaign corrected its website to remove that Walz was a retired command sergeant major. It also said that Walz misspoke while saying during a campaign event that he had carried weapons in war, since he did not serve in a theater of combat.

Some Republicans have also criticized Walz for retiring in 2005, saying he must have known that his unit was probably going to deploy shortly to Iraq. Democrats counter that Walz was well within his rights to retire when he did and already had extended his military career with a reenlistment after the 9/11 attacks. And they note that Trump received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War.

Republicans, they allege, are attempting to Swift boat Walz, using a term that harks back to 2004, when Republicans attacked Democratic presidential John F. Kerry by questioning his service in Vietnam and whether he deserved the Purple Hearts he received for injuries he suffered. Many people who served with Kerry took strong issue with the GOP criticisms.

Patrick Svitek contributed to this report.
Starting Monday, August 26, employers across Australia could face significant fines if they fail to comply with new Right to Disconnect laws, warns Natasha Hawker, Managing Director of Employee Matters.

These regulations, part of the Closing Loopholes Bill, apply to businesses with 15 or more employees and grant workers the right to refuse work-related communications outside of work hours unless such refusal is deemed unreasonable.

Unprepared employers can face big fines for non-compliance with new Right to Disconnect laws that apply from Monday, August 26, according to one of Australias leading employment experts.

Natasha Hawker, Managing Director of Employee Matters, warns that every business in the nation with 15 or more staff is at risk for failing to meet their Right to Disconnect obligations.

Ignorance is no excuse

Ignorance is no excuse  employers must take action to comply now, Ms Hawker warns.

Under this new industrial legislation, eligible employees will have a new right to disconnect with their employer outside of work hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable. It means an employee can refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from an employer or a third party outside of working hours.

Penalties for non-compliance can reach up to $19,000 per breach for individuals and explode to $90,000 per breach for companies under the Closing Loopholes Bill which covers the right to disconnect.

In a recent case, the NSW Personal Injury Commission ordered an employer to pay a Return-to-Work Coordinator 10 months back pay plus ongoing compensation for harassment during the employees personal leave.

The employees supervisor repeatedly made calls and emails to the coordinator (the employee) and even suggested involving the police for a welfare check  actions deemed unnecessary and provocative, especially given the employees role in ensuring safe and successful returns to work.

Under the new Right to Disconnect Laws, such a case could lead to fines, Ms Hawker said.

Ms Hawker says Australian businesses should urgently seek expert HR advice to update their internal policies to cover the Right to Disconnect legislation. This includes training and guidance on what constitutes reasonable and unreasonable contact outside of work hours.

Each business needs to determine what works best for their own circumstances, respecting employee rights while maintaining the desired flexibility for both parties, she explains.

Implementing these changes offers an opportunity to improve workplace communication, attract and retain top talent, and enhance employee engagement by reducing potential psychological risks.

These risks are known in the industry as psychosocial hazards. The alternative is non-compliance, the risk of hefty fines, low morale, decreased productivity, and poor employee retention.

New Right to Disconnect laws a vital safeguard

ASU Assistant National Secretary Emeline Gaske described the changes as a necessary safeguard.

Our survey revealed that 70 per cent of workers reported regularly performing work outside their agreed working hours and almost two-thirds had been contacted about a work-related matter despite being off sick, on holidays, or another form of leave, Ms Gaske said.

Half felt their careers will be negatively affected if they do not take calls and/or monitor emails outside of work hours.

The right to disconnect now being enshrined in the Fair Work Act finally makes it possible to clock off and switch off without the fear of negative consequences at work, which all workers are entitled to.

Ms Gaske said the new rights would set a firm boundary between work and home, which had become increasingly blurred in the modern workplace.

We all know what it feels like to get that call or email in the middle of dinner that we have to respond to  forcing you to switch back on. It can take hours to unwind again, lead to lack of sleep, and affect mental health, she said.

This legislation is a win for workers and ASU members, who have been campaigning since the pandemic for the Federal Government to enshrine the right to disconnect.

It addresses a major complaint of workers that technology and smartphones have created an expectation that workers are always on, even in their own free and unpaid time, eroding quality of life.

While we all want to retain flexibility around when and where we work, such as working from home, this shouldnt come with work-creep into home-life.

The legislation brings Australia in line with France, Spain, Canada, Argentina, and Ireland, where the right to disconnect has been enshrined.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


Adm. Robert Burke, while serving as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, speaks aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman during a visit to Italy in May 2022. Burke, now retired, is facing federal charges of bribery and conspiracy. He is seeking to be tried separately from two co-defendants. (Alexia Morelos/U.S. Navy)

A retired four-star Navy admiral contends that he should be tried separately on federal charges including bribery and conspiracy because his co-defendants strategy relies on proving his guilt.

Robert Burke also says the case against him has little evidence of criminality and is based on the governments mistaken reliance on a jilted ex-girlfriend, who is also a known and proven perjurer, according to a court filing Monday.

Those assertions and others are part of Burkes response to a separation request made last month by his two co-defendants.

Yongchul Charlie Kim and Meghan Messenger say they cant get a fair trial alongside Burke because evidence used against him likely would sway a jury to convict them by association, court records reveal.

Burke was the 40th vice chief of naval operations from June 2019 to June 2020. He served as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa in Naples, Italy, from 2020 until his retirement in 2022.

Meghan Messenger and Yongchul Charlie Kim, co-CEOs of Next Jump, a company that offered training programs to the Navy, are seen in a screenshot from a video on the company's X social media page. The pair say say they cant get a fair trial alongside retired Adm. Robert Burke because evidence used against him likely would sway a jury to convict them by association, court records reveal. (Next Jump/X)

Kim and Messenger are co-CEOs of Next Jump, a company that offered training programs to the Navy. Next Jump has offices in New York, Boston and London, according to the companys website.

All three are charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors say Burke was promised employment and other perks with Next Jump in return for directing lucrative Navy contracts to the company.

Burke faces additional charges of performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States, according to court records.

At issue is a July 2021 lunch during which prosecutors allege that Burke sought a $500,000-a-year job and a grant of 100,000 stock options in Next Jump, which they say Kim and Messenger offered. In return, Burke directed a $355,135 contract to the company for training programs in Rota, Spain and Naples, prosecutors said in their May indictment.

Kim and Messenger hoped that the deal would lead with Burkes help to even more lucrative contracts potentially worth millions of dollars, according to prosecutors.

Burke went to work for Next Jump for a few months after his retirement before resigning in January 2023, court records show.

In agreeing with Kims and Messengers request for separate trials, Burkes attorneys say the pairs planned defenses are fundamentally conflicting and irreconcilable with that of their client.

That in turn creates a substantial danger that the jury will unjustifiably infer that this conflict alone demonstrates that all defendants are guilty, they argue.

For example, Burke says official discussions about his future employment with the company didnt happen until May 2022, well after the contract for training in Naples and Rota was completed. The Navy didnt pursue additional training.

Burke also maintains that neither he nor Kim nor Messenger did anything improper. That assertion is backed by another witness, according to the filing.

But in their July 19 motion for a separate trial, Kim and Messenger agreed with the governments claim that the job offer was made during a July 23, 2021, lunch meeting, attended not only by Burke but also by a senior civilian Navy official accompanying him.

Kim and Messenger argue that Burke knowingly misled them into believing that discussions about future employment were allowed, even while Burke supervised active contract negotiations with their company.

The presence of that Navy official gave credibility to that understanding, according to their court filing.

Kim and Messenger also say they did not know about Burkes romantic relationship with the senior Navy civilian. That official, identified in a May indictment as Person 3, is a key witness in the governments case, according to court records.

In their filing, Burkes attorneys say the woman committed perjury related to her 2009 divorce. They argue that she was angry that Burke had reconciled with his wife and ultimately made an initial false complaint with the DOD Inspector General to initiate this investigation and prosecution, court records show.

By embellishing certain elements of the (July 23, 2021) conversation, Person 3 was able to recast an entirely legal conversation into a criminal transaction, Burkes attorneys said. With her prior perjury finding undisclosed to investigators Person 3 misled the IG and the FBI as to her credibility in all matters, instead reinforcing her senior position within the DOD as a false mantle of credibility.

Burkes filing also attacks the credibility of Kim and Messenger, saying the company was based on a methodology of lie, hide and fake until you no longer have to.

If convicted, Burke faces up to 30 years in prison, and Kim and Messenger each face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
This is privileged, high-level connectivity to interesting customers, said Mike Horka, a researcher at Lumen Technologies and a former FBI agent. It was notable, he added, that the groups considered the effort important enough to exploit previously undiscovered software flaws that could have been preserved for later use. (Wikimedia Commons)

Chinese government-backed hackers have penetrated deep into U.S. internet service providers in recent months to spy on their users, according to people familiar with the ongoing American response and private security researchers.

The unusually aggressive and sophisticated attacks include access to at least two major U.S. providers with millions of customers as well as to several smaller providers, people familiar with the separate campaigns said.

It is business as usual now for China, but that is dramatically stepped up from where it used to be. It is an order of magnitude worse, said Brandon Wales, who until earlier this month was executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA.

The hacks raise concern because their targets are believed to include government and military personnel working undercover and groups of strategic interest to China.

This is privileged, high-level connectivity to interesting customers, said Mike Horka, a former FBI agent and current researcher at Lumen Technologies, which described one of the campaigns but didnt identify the ISPs it targeted. It was notable, he added, that the groups considered the effort important enough to exploit previously undiscovered software flaws that could have been preserved for later use.

Though there is no evidence that the new inroads are aimed at anything other than gathering intelligence, some of the techniques and resources employed are associated with those used in the past year by a China-backed group known as Volt Typhoon, two of the people said. U.S. intelligence officials said that group sought access to equipment at Pacific ports and other infrastructure to enable China to sow panic and disrupt Americas ability to move troops, weaponry and supplies to Taiwan if armed conflict breaks out.

The White House referred questions to CISA, inside the Department of Homeland Security, which agreed that the flaw found by Lumen was being exploited. It declined to answer questions about other techniques, the end victims, the breadth of the campaigns or who is behind them.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the accusations.

Volt Typhoon is actually a ransomware cybercriminal group who calls itself the Dark Power and is not sponsored by any state or region, said embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu.

There are signs that in order to receive more congressional budgets and government contracts, the U.S. intelligence community and cybersecurity companies have been secretly collaborating to piece together false evidence and spread disinformation about so-called Chinese governments support for cyberattacks against the U.S., he added.

Lumen researchers said they had identified three U.S. internet service providers that had been hacked this summer, one of them large, along with another U.S. company and one in India.

In a blog made public Tuesday, Lumen said the hackers used a previously unknown vulnerability, known as a zero-day flaw, in a program made by Versa Networks for managing wide-area networks. Versa acknowledged the critical vulnerability late last week, warning only its direct customers.

On Monday, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company published a blog post about the problem, saying that it had issued a patch and that impacted customers failed to implement system hardening and firewall guidelines.

Lumen wrote that it located malware inside ISP routers serving certain groups or individual customers that could intercept passwords from those customers. Lumen said it believed the malicious software was being used by Volt Typhoon. In a separate report earlier this month, security company Volexity said it had found another high-end technique in play at a different, unnamed ISP. In that case, it said a Chinese state hacking group distinct from Volt Typhoon was able to get far enough inside the service provider to alter the Domain Name System (DNS) web addresses that users were trying to reach and divert them elsewhere, allowing the hackers to insert back doors for spying.

While the concept of such an approach is not that hard, to put in play successfully, thats more top-tier, said Volexity Chief Executive Steven Adair.

DNS manipulation is something of a specialty among Chinese government hacking groups. A mysterious campaign identified earlier this year by security experts at Infoblox and attributed to China involved using the so-called Great Firewall of China, which normally misdirects people on the mainland trying to reach restricted services or content.

Though they avoided discussing threats to ISPs specifically, some of the top U.S. cybersecurity officials at the recent Black Hat and Def Con hacking conferences said Volt Typhoon remained as active and successful as it was when its operations were first identified last year.

The groups emphasis on obtaining access for potential physical destruction is nowhere near where the nations of the world behave, said retired Gen. Paul Nakasone, who stepped down in February from his posts running U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency.
Members of the Texas National Guard on patrol May 23, 2022, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

AUSTIN, Texas  At least 17 Texas National Guard members have died while deployed on the states three-year-old mission to deter criminal activity at the U.S. border with Mexico, according to state military officials.

Of those, the families of four service members received the newly authorized $500,000 death benefit and six families are waiting for a determination on whether they are eligible for the money. The remaining cases were denied the benefit or the service member had no eligible relative to receive the money.

The Texas Military Department has been tightlipped about troops serving at the border, though how many troops have died in connection to the mission came out during a hearing last week of the Texas House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs. Members heard from state officials regarding implementation of a new law to provide death benefits for troops who die while on state missions.

The state passed the Bishop Evans Act into law in 2023 following the death of the 22-year-old sergeant who drowned in the Rio Grande while trying to rescue two migrants struggling in the waters current in April 2022. The law created the access to the death benefit.

Evans was serving on the border mission, which is known as Operation Lone Star. The deployment puts Texas National Guard members alongside state police at the border with Mexico to deter illegal activity such as human smuggling and drug trafficking. It is separate from a federal mission that sends National Guard troops to support Customs and Border Protection agents along the entire southwest U.S. border.

The incidents on the border mission that led to troops dying have varied. Some of the soldier deaths reported include one who died from a medical emergency at a hotel where troops were staying in McAllen, and another who was accidentally shot in Fort Clark Springs. Two other soldiers died in a traffic accident in Laredo  one in the accident and the other by suicide in the minutes after the crash. At least four additional soldiers have died by suicide while assigned to the border.

Unlike state police officers with whom Guard members worked at the border, troops were not eligible for death benefits from Texas. Only those on a federal mission could trust their families would be compensated should they die while on assignment.

The Bishop Evans Act added Guard members on state missions to the list of state employees eligible to identify a beneficiary to receive a lump sum payment of $500,000 from the Employees Retirement System beginning Sept. 1, 2023. If the service member had minor children, they are eligible to receive monthly payments until age 18.

For those who died on Operation Lone Star before Sept. 1, 2023, the law provided $2 million to a crime victim compensation fund to support those families  describing them as victims of border crime. If the service member did not identify a beneficiary before their death, the money goes to the surviving spouse, child or parent of the deceased in that order.

A memorial on display in Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 23, 2022, to honor Sgt. Bishop Evans, who died in April 2022 while trying to rescue two migrants struggling in the water nearby. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes )

Ten families have filed claims for deaths that occurred between March 6, 2021, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the border mission, and Sept. 1, 2023, Shelia Bailey Taylor, director of state administration for the Texas Military Department, told the committee last week.

Of those, only four claims met the eligibility requirements to receive $500,000, she said. One of those claims was not paid the money because there was no authorized relative available. The other six claims did not meet the requirements for compensation under the crime victims fund, though Taylor did not specify why the claims were denied.

Seven claims have been filed for deaths that occurred after Sept. 1, 2023, she said.

[The Texas Military Department] is responsible for the investigation of the incident and determining whether, in fact, the death was in the line of military duty. By rules, TMDs investigation is conducted in accordance with Army regulations, which I understand, is a complex and detailed process, Taylor said.

Only one of the seven investigations has been completed, and the family did receive the $500,000 benefit, she said.

Seven claims were also submitted for the states workers compensation, which has a narrower scope of approval, Taylor said. Six of the claims were denied because it was determined the service member was not on the job at the time of death. One remains pending.

Id further note that military line of duty is construed more broadly than [workers compensation], and generally in the absence of misconduct, it is considered to apply if the individual service member was actually on valid orders, Taylor said.

Rep. Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio, who is the vice chairman of the committee, called on the military department to speak up if any concerns or gaps appear in the new law so they can be addressed.

We know that it is a good attempt. Its intent is certainly perfect in the sense that we want to put legislation out there that is helpful to those folks who were serving. But we know that it isnt, he said.

The Guard and the governors office have not said recently how long the border mission will continue or how many troops are assigned to it. Troop levels peaked during the first year with roughly 10,000 Guard members deployed.

The Guard in May opened a forward operating base in the border town of Eagle Pass that can support up to 1,800 troops. Abbott said during the opening of the base that it will remain operational as long as migrants continue to cross the border illegally.

When Abbott first sent troops to the border in March 2021, the number of migrants crossing between the legal ports of entry was up following a significant drop caused by the coronavirus pandemic the previous year.

In fiscal 2022, more than 2.2 million migrants were counted by Customs and Border Protection. The following year saw a 13% drop in migrants crossing into the United States.

Border Patrol released July statistics that showed agents detained 56,400 migrants  the lowest number since September 2020. Border Patrol credited this drop to policies implemented by President Joe Biden, which included a June proclamation to suspend entry of certain migrants.

Abbott has credited the drop in border crossings to Operation Lone Star, which he said has led to the apprehension of more than 518,300 migrants and 46,000 criminal arrests. He said Texas law enforcement has also seized more than 521 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
Scott Stein and his son, Nicholas, pose with a Japanese flag his grandfather, Bernard Stein, brought home after serving in the Philippines during World War II. (Scott Stein)

TOKYO  A Japanese flag, brought to America by a U.S. soldier who served in the Philippines during World War II, has returned home.

The signature-covered flag was taken as a war trophy by the late Bernard Stein, who fought in the Philippines as a member of the U.S. Armys 38th Infantry Division, known as the Avengers of Bataan.

The division landed on the main island of Luzon in January 1945 and helped liberate the Bataan Peninsula and secure Manila Bay.

Almost eight decades later, the veterans grandson, Scott Stein, an artists agent in New York City, sent the banner back to Japan so it could be given to relatives of the fallen Japanese soldier who carried it into battle.

It was presented to the family on Sunday during a ceremony in a town in southwestern Honshu, the largest of Japans four main islands.

The late Bernard Stein, center, fought in the Philippines during World War II as a member of the 38th Infantry Division. (Scott Stein)

Many Japanese soldiers carried their countrys flags inscribed with names and messages from family and friends for good luck.

Stein inherited the flag from his grandfather, who became a building inspector in Nassau County, N.Y., after the war and died two decades ago, he told Stars and Stripes during an Aug. 8 video call from New York.

As a youngster, he was fascinated by the banner and a Japanese sword at his grandfathers home, but he didnt know how they got there.

He never talked about his wartime experiences, Stein said. He must have seen some intense stuff in the war, but there were no mental health things when he returned. He just kept it bottled up.

Stein had no plans to hand the flag down to his own son. It was time for it to return home, especially for the family that might not have any remnant of their lost loved one, he said.

The search for the flags original owner began in 2017, when Stein sought help restoring the item. A friend Stein asked about fabric restoration told him about the Obon Society. The nonprofit group helps veterans and their families return old war trophies like flags and swords.

Japanese researchers helped the society trace some of the 50 signatures on the flag to Tottori prefecture, Keiko Ziak, founder of the Obon Society, said during the video call.

It turned out that the soldier who carried the flag into battle, Yukikazu Hiyama, was born in Nichinan town on Feb. 15, 1922. He served as a corporal with the 1st Independent Tank Brigade and died in China on Aug. 17, 1945.

It was the first lost WWII flag returned to Tottori prefecture, Ziak said.

It wasnt only the fallen Japanese soldiers family who was excited about the flags return, she said.

This flag, brought to America by a U.S.soldier who served in the Philippines during the World War II, has been returned to the original owner's family members in Japan. (Scott Stein)

The flag includes the names of many members of the community and people recognize their grandfathers or fathers names on it, she said.

The flag was given back to the fallen soldiers son, Tsukasa Hiyama, 81.

I appreciate that Mr. Stein, who had the flag, returned it, he said by phone Monday. I want to thank him for it.

Hiyama also thanked the Obon Society and the Japan War-Bereaved Families Association, which helped find him.

The only son of the fallen soldier was born July 5, 1943, the same day his father left home for the Imperial Army and the war, Hiyama said.

Honestly, I dont know anything about him, he said of his father, adding that his parents had been married only a year when he was born.

The Obon Society called in April to say that the flag would be returned, Hiyama said.

I was surprised, he said, adding he didnt think something that belonged to his father would be returned after all these years.

Hiyama said he hopes to display the flag so relatives of the people who signed it also see it.

It is the only memento he has of his father.

I want to take time to take a close look at it, he said.
Linda Connor was pronounced dead at St Vincents University Hospital in Dublin on November 3, 2022

A woman died from injuries sustained after a fire broke out in her south Dublin apartment as she was preparing to leave for the airport to go on a holiday to Mauritius, an inquest has heard.

Linda Connor (61) was pronounced dead at St Vincents University Hospital in Dublin on November 3, 2022 shortly after she was rescued from a fire at her apartment at Goatstown Close, Clonskeagh.

The deceaseds sister, Maureen Dent, told a sitting of Dublin District Coroner's Court on Tuesday that she had last seen her sister two days before the fire when she called in to drop off some cigarettes she had bought for her sister.

Ms Dent said her sister, who lived alone, was very excited about her upcoming trip to Mauritius.

However, she told the inquest that she did not believe her sister was physically capable of going on such a holiday because of her health issues.

Ms Dent said she tried to remain positive for her sister and advised her to make sure people would look after her during the holiday.

She could barely walk to the door, said Ms Dent.

I wouldnt think any airline would let her on a plane, she added.

The witness explained that her sister was a severe alcoholic whose health had deteriorated dramatically over the previous five years and who had ended up numerous times in the emergency department of hospitals because of her condition.

She also noted that the deceased had smoked all her life.

However, Ms Dent said her sister took particular care about smoking at home as there had been an incident years before in their parents house and she would never leave a cigarette dangling.

In a written statement, a neighbour of the deceased, Tom McDevitt, described seeking smoke billowing out of Ms Connors apartment after he had been woken by another resident at around 2am on November 3, 2022.

A senior fire officer, Jim Doyle, who arrived on the scene, told the inquest that he had noticed a hand inside the property near a patio door at the back of the apartment.

He gave evidence that Ms Connor was unresponsive when he opened the door and found her lying at an angle on a low couch.

Mr Doyle also noted that the apartment which had been very badly damaged by fire and smoke and a body of a cat was also discovered in the building.

The inquest heard that the deceased was due to be collected to go to the airport at around 2am.

A scene-of-crime investigator, Garda William Harrington, said the seat of the fire was established as where the bed had been in the one-bed ground floor apartment.

The inquest heard glass from the bedroom window had been blown out by the intensity of the fire which had spread to other rooms.

Forensic tests on floorboards and other fire debris found no evidence of the presence of any accelerants like petrol.

Garda Harrington said it was possible that smoking material had caused the fire but he could not completely rule out that it had resulted from some electrical fault.

The inquest was briefly adjourned after the investigating officer, Garda Mark Lynam, said he had been unaware that the deceased was due to be collected by two friends to go to the airport.

After a short break, Garda Lynam said he had spoken to one of the friends, who also knew Ms Connors husband, Vik Bundhooa, who attended the hearing.

Garda Lynam said he understood that the two friends had called to the deceased on the previous day between 2pm and 4pm with a bottle of wine and cigarettes.

He said they had made arrangements to collect Ms Connor the following morning at 5am.

However, he said the friend had tried contacting her at around 1am on the day they were due to pick her up to see if she was ready for the airport but got no reply.

Garda Lynam said the friend then received a phone call from a garda who had called her as the last dialled number of Ms Connors phone to explain about the fire.

He said they had proceeded on to the airport after receiving such information.

In reply to questions from the coroner, Garda Lynam confirmed that there was nothing suspicious about Ms Connors death.

Asked by the coroner about her views on the additional information, Ms Dent said it did not help and she still believed there was more information but doubted if it was worth pursuing.

At an earlier stage, a friend of the deceased who attended the inquest asked if it was possible that somebody had thrown in a cigarette through the window of the apartment.

The coroner said she did not know the basis for the question but Garda Harrington said it was impossible to answer as the glass in the window had shattered in the blaze.

A postmortem confirmed that Ms Connor had died from a hypoxic brain injury due to carbon monoxide-related asphyxia as a result of a domestic fire.

The coroner, Crona Gallagher, said soot had been found in the airway of the deceased and her cherry red skin colour was indicative of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Dr Gallagher also pointed out that blood tests conducted by hospital staff at St Vincents showed she had an insignificant amount of alcohol in her body when she was brought in as a patient.

Returning an open verdict, Dr Gallagher said it was the most appropriate finding as she could not be certain if the fire was caused by cigarettes or an electrical fault, despite the best efforts of investigators.

Theres a lot we dont understand about her movements, the coroner noted.

Dr Gallagher observed that Ms Connor was not in the habit of leaving cigarettes around and also that she was not intoxicated at the time of the fire.

I dont want to attribute it to smoking without definite evidence, she added.

The coroner offered condolences to Ms Connors relatives on the horrendous shock at a very, very tragic death.
Cameron Cooper (23) is facing trial over the death of Dylan Killalee Maher on the Naas Road last November

A Dublin man has been charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a young man in a road crash in the west of the city.

Cameron Cooper (23) is facing trial over the death of Dylan Killalee Maher on the Naas Road last November.

He was granted bail and his case was adjourned when he appeared in Dublin District Court today.

Mr Cooper, of Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, is charged with dangerous driving causing death at the R110 Naas Road, Clondalkin on November 12 last year.

Garda Charles McPartland told Judge William Aylmer he arrested the accused for the purpose of charging him at Clondalkin garda station at 8.11am this morning.

Mr Cooper was charged at 8.50am and made no reply after caution. He was handed a copy of the charge sheet.

Gda McPartland said there were no objections to bail subject to conditions.

Judge Aylmer set bail in Mr Coopers own bond of 1,000, of which half was to be lodged in cash. Under conditions, he is to surrender his passport within 72 hours, sign on three times weekly at Ballyfermot garda station and be contactable at all times on a phone number to be given to the gardai.

He is also to have no contact whatsoever with any state witnesses.

The DPP directed trial on indictment, and was consenting to the accused being sent forward to the circuit court on a signed plea of guilty if that should arise, Gda McPartland said.

The judge granted free legal aid after defence solicitor Tertius Van Eeden made an application and filed a statement of Mr Coopers financial means. Mr Van Eeden said his client was an eligible candidate.

Mr Cooper was not required to address the court during today's brief hearing and has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charge, which is under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act.

He was remanded on bail to appear in Blanchardstown District Court on September 23.

Members of Mr Maher and Mr Cooper's families were present in court.
Venezuelas Supreme Tribunal of Justice has ruled that Nicolas Maduro won the July 28 presidential election against democratic opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. This ruling lacks all credibility, given the overwhelming evidence that Gonzalez received the most votes on July 28, declared State Department Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel in a statement. In fact, tally sheets by Gonzalezs campaign and published online show that Maduro lost by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

In addition, ten Latin American governments have said they categorically reject the Venezuelan supreme courts decision to confirm Nicolas Maduros claim to have won re-election. Chilean president Gabriel Boric stated: I have no doubt this election has been stolen.

The publicly available and independently verified precinct-level tally sheets show Venezuelan voters chose Edmundo Gonzalez as their future leader. The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected, urged Mr. Patel. Now is the time for the Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a respectful, peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law, and the wishes of the Venezuelan people.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said its 27 member states would not recognize Maduros re-election without seeing a verifiable result.

Continued attempts to fraudulently claim victory for Maduro will only exacerbate the ongoing crisis. Indeed, Gonzalez went into hiding after the July 28 vote as security forces have rounded up more than 2,000 demonstrators and political activists for challenging the official results. Hes been joined underground by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who picked Gonzalez as a stand-in after her own candidacy was disqualified. The United States calls on Maduro to release those who have been detained for exercising their right to free expression.

The United States and the international community will continue to stand up for the Venezuelan voters whose will and rights have been continuously undermined since July 28. As Deputy Spokesperson Patel said, We stand ready to support an inclusive, Venezuelan-led process to re-establish democratic norms.
Ayres, of no fixed abode Belfast, faces charges of rape, actual bodily harm and breaching a Violent Offences Prevention Order on 17 March

Appearing by video link from prison at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, 29-year-old Maurice Ayres confirmed he was aware of the five charges against him.

Ayres, of no fixed abode Belfast, faces charges of rape, actual bodily harm and breaching a Violent Offences Prevention Order (VOPO) on March 17 this year and two other charges alleged to have been committed on March 12 including breaching the VOPO and failing to tell police he had been freed from prison.

None of the alleged facts were opened in court today but during an earlier hearing, a police officer outlined how a member of the public contacted police to report that they believed there was a female being raped in a communal area of a property based on what he was hearing her say.

He gave a statement where the female could be heard saying stop, the court heard.

When police attended the scene, Ayres was identified as the man allegedly involved while the court heard the complainant was so intoxicated she was incoherent but when officers saw that she had suffered facial injuries, she was taken to hospital.

The VOPO charges allege that Ayres stayed away from his address without permission and was in contact with the alleged rape victim.

In court today a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a Prima Facie case against Ayres which was conceded by defence counsel Stephen Law while the defendant himself declined to comment on the charges or to call evidence on his own behalf.

Remanding Ayres back into custody and returning the case to Antrim Crown Court, District Judge Rosie Watters scheduled the arraignment to be heard on 25 September.
Patrick Murphy had been granted legal aid earlier.

Jordan Ronan, also known as Jordan Pakenham

A 36-year-old man charged with the murder of a young man in a stabbing in Tallaght last month is to apply for bail next week.

Unemployed Patrick Murphy of Drumcairn Parade, Tallaght, was charged with the murder of 20-year-old Jordan Ronan (aka Pakenham) at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, in the early hours of July 26.

Mr Jordan died following an incident in the Drumcairn Estate in Tallaght.

In response to caution, the defendant had said: Im real sorry (sic) that he died. I didnt mean for this to happen.

Following a brief hearing at Dublin District Court on July 27, he was remanded in custody.

Due to the nature of the charge a bail application could only be made in the High Court in Cloverhill, where it was listed today It was assigned a priority time to be heard on September 3 next.

The accused, who was unemployed, had been granted legal aid earlier.

The deceased was the eldest of four children in a family from the Rossfield area of Tallaght, about a kilometre from the scene.
He was arrested after two nine-year-olds alleged they were targeted shortly after 2pm last Friday

A Belfast man allegedly pointed an imitation gun at terrified children playing in the street outside his home, a court heard.

Armed response PSNI officers were called to the scene amid claims that Charles Cunning (59) brandished a suspected pistol from an upstairs window.

Cunning, of Empire Street, was remanded in custody charged with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He was arrested after two nine-year-olds alleged they were targeted shortly after 2pm last Friday.

Belfast Magistrates Court heard the children informed police a man had pointed a black handgun out his window at them as they passed a house on Empire Street.

Feeling terrified, they ran from the area and reported the incident to their parents, an investigating detective said.

When armed response officers arrived at the address, they allegedly observed an arm extended out of an upper window holding what appeared to be an orange-coloured gun.

Cunning was detained as police searched his home and seized three suspected replica weapons.

During interviews he denied pointing anything out his window at the children.

He claimed that he may have had one imitation firearm in his possession because he was packing it up.

It was disclosed that the incident occurred while Cunning was on bail for a similar alleged offence.

Opposing his application to be released again, the detective expressed concerns about public safety and the potential impact on the local community.

These charges relate to the defendant allegedly pointing a firearm out his window at children playing in the street, she stressed.

He stated that he was having issues with local children as his window had been smashed.

A defence lawyer told the court Cunning lives a solitary life but requires ongoing help with his mental health.

He keeps himself to himself and doesnt tend to engage with his neighbours, he would be a victim due to his circumstances, the solicitor submitted.

She added: He doesnt accept the allegations made against him by the children.

Bail was refused, however, due to the risk of further offences.

Remanding Cunning in custody until September 23, District Judge John Meehan acknowledged his vulnerabilities but held that he faces a strong prosecution case.
Mr Danca, 24, a Romanian construction worker with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was accused of assault causing harm to Neno Dolmajian in the early hours of June 23.

A man accused of delivering a "running kick" to the head of a Canadian tourist on Dublin's O'Connell Street, who later died, has yet to learn if he will face a "more serious charge".

Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned Ionut Danca's case for two weeks with "pressure on" the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide.

Mr Danca, 24, a Romanian construction worker with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was accused of assault causing harm to Neno Dolmajian in the early hours of June 23.

He was denied bail on June 28 at Dublin District Court.

Mr Dolmajian, who was from Montreal, single and in his 40s, was brought to the Mater Hospital "unresponsive", never regained consciousness and on July 2, he passed away.

Mr Danca appeared again at Cloverhill District Court today when Judge Alan Mitchell noted that gardai had still not received the DPP's directions. He noted the change of circumstances since the first court hearing and that the injured party had since died.

Judge Mitchell said he could only deal with the charge before the court and granted a two-week, rather than four-week, adjournment "to keep pressure on for directions".

Mr Danca, who spoke only to confirm his name and say he could understand, listened to the proceedings with the aid of a translator.

Judge Mitchell remanded him in continuing custody to appear on September 10.

The accused has deferred a High Court bail application.

At his earlier District Court bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Eoghan Byrne said the accused was allegedly with a group at Cathal Brugha Street when the injured party approached and engaged in conversation.

It was claimed a member of the group struck him, and they moved on to O'Connell Street, where there was another interaction with the injured party.

Some "became hostile", while others tried to intervene.

The tourist walked toward the quays but was allegedly knocked on the ground and received a "running kick". The detective described it as a full-force blow to the face.

CCTV evidence had been obtained, and it was alleged the accused's action caused the tourist's injury.

The court also heard that aware gardai were looking for him, he left the country for two days. Initially, he booked a flight from Dublin to Bucharest, and officers waited for him at the airport.

But he went to Belfast instead and flew to Edinburgh and then Naples.

According to Detective Sergeant Byrne, gardai went to his Dublin address, but it was "cleaned out," and there were 10 bags of his belongings. It was claimed that "his girlfriend indicated they intended to leave Ireland permanently and have their stuff shipped to Romania."

The detective sergeant believed Mr Danca had no ties to this jurisdiction and could face additional charges.

He agreed with defence solicitor Evan Moore that the accused had no prior criminal convictions and lived and worked in Ireland for six years and that he came back voluntarily following discussions.

However, that was allegedly after two days of avoiding calls, texts, and emails and efforts to locate him. Another man is also before the courts accused of assaulting Mr Dolmajian.
James Ryan died in Beaumont Hospital on August 11, one day after suffering head injuries near his home in Balbriggan

This is the tragic dad-of-four whose death in Dublin earlier this month gardai suspect may have been murder.

James Ryan died in Beaumont Hospital on August 11, one day after suffering head injuries near his home in Balbriggan.

It was initially suspected he had suffered a fall but the case has since been upgraded to murder.

Gardai confirmed earlier today that they are investigating his death and that a woman has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Gardai in Balbriggan, Co Dublin are investigating all the circumstances in relation to the discovery of a man with serious injuries found on a residential road in the Balbriggan area in the early hours of Saturday, August 10, a spokesperson said.

The man was removed from the scene to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance and later died on Sunday, August 11. A post mortem was subsequently completed and the results of which are not being disclosed for operational reasons.

Gardai added: A woman aged in her 40s was arrested in Balbriggan and is currently being questioned at a garda station in north Dublin under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

On his death notice posted earlier on RIP.ie it states that the death has occurred of: Ryan, (Shey) James, (Balbriggan, and formerly of Shelmalier Road, Eastwall) (peacefully) in Beaumont Hospital on the 11th August 2024.

James is predeceased by his beloved parents, Patricia and Michael, and his dear sister, Margaret, the notice reads.

He will be forever missed by his loving sisters, Una, Jackie, and Deirdre, his cherished daughters, Karen, Lynn, Eliska and his son, James.

James will also be fondly remembered by his children's partners, his adored grandchildren, beloved nieces and nephews, his extended family, and many dear friends.

James had reposed at Staffords Funeral Home 60 North Strand, on Wednesday afternoon, August 21 before removal on Thursday morning to St Josephs Church, Church Road, East Wall arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am.

This was followed by cremation in Glasnevin Crematorium Chapel at 1pm.

In the condolences section, people left numerous messages of sympathy, including one that reads: Karen and family on the loss of your Dad, my thoughts and prayers are with you all. May your Dads soul Rest In Perfect Peace.

Another adds: We are saddened to hear of Shay's passing, a lovely gentleman. Our condolences to Karen and family.

Another person wrote: Thinking of Lynn and all the family at this sad time. Your dad was a gent, many a great yap with him around Balbriggan with little Eliska in tow.

One other person said they were: So sorry to hear of Shays passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. May he rest in peace.
A sawn-off shotgun and around 200,000 of drugs was found at the same location by members of the Finglas drugs unit in another search in May

A cache of bullets has been recovered as part of a continued crackdown on the Hennessy organised crime gang

The garda crackdown on the Hennessy organised crime gang continues, with officers and Defence Forces personnel mounting a search operation that led to a cache of bullets being recovered.

The cache of more than 40 bullets was found during a planned search of waste ground in west Dublin where the gang is suspected of hiding weapons, drugs and ammunition.

A sawn-off shotgun and around 200,000 of drugs was found at the same location by members of the Finglas drugs unit in another search in May.

The organised crime gang seem to favour this area as a stash site  they have been using it for years, a source said.

The ammunition that was recovered in last Thursdays search operation can be used in a wide variety of weapons.

No arrests were made, and sources said gardai think it was highly significant that the ammunition had been taken off the streets.

Tensions remain extremely high in the Blanchardstown and Finglas areas as gardai continue to mount a number of life-saving intelligence-led operations in connection with a bitter feud that erupted on Christmas Eve with a steakhouse gun attack that led to the deaths of two gangsters.

Gunman Tristan Sherry (26) was killed after he opened fire inside Brownes Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve last year.

Jason Hennessy Sr (48) was fatally injured in the shooting and died in hospital 11 days later.

Last week, an inquest was told that Finglas criminal Sherry died as a result of a combination of a blunt-force head injury and stab wounds to his body at the restaurant, which never reopened.

Sherry, a father of one from Finglas, was overpowered and assaulted by a number of individuals at the steakhouse after the shooting of Hennessy Sr, who was dining in the restaurant with a group of family and friends.

Hennessy Sr, a well-known criminal from Corduff, was due to face money-laundering charges at a trial before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next year in relation to the activities of the criminal gang, of which he was a key member.

The latest serious incident linked to the bitter feud happened at the start of this month, when a 29-year-old very close associate of Hennessy Sr was targeted in a botched gun attack.

A number of criminals who had links to Sherry have been nominated as suspects in this case but gardai have made no arrests so far.

Officers believe a bulletproof BMW in which the 29-year-old was travelling may have saved his life.

It was in traffic on the Church Road in Mulhuddart, west Dublin, on the afternoon of August 2 when a gunman on a motorbike opened fire.

It was the second gun attempt on the life of the alleged gangster in the last five years.

Meanwhile, seven people charged in relation to the killing of Sherry have been given a trial date in November this year at the non-jury Special Criminal Court, with four charged with murder and others with a series of charges arising out of the same attack, including assault, violent disorder and production of a weapon during the incident.
For many of you, I know it was a frightening experience and of course, only for the prompt and efficient work of the gardai, it could have been a very serious, violent incident

The men were hit with various charges including public order and possession of offensive weapons. Photo: NW Newspix

A parish priest in Co Donegal has promised parishioners that steps have been taken after many were left shocked after a row broke out at a recent mass.

Five men were arrested outside the Church of the Irish Martyrs in Letterkenny on Sunday last, August 18.

It followed a huge row which started inside the church and which spilled out into the carpark of the church.

A large squad of detectives, some armed, were waiting in the grounds of the church at Ballyraine to deal with the disturbance.

The 11am mass, being said by Fr Dominic Thoomkuzhy, was interrupted for a time, before concluding quickly and mass-goers being asked to remain side the church as gardai dealt with the row outside.

The five men arrested were charged at a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court the following day for a range of offences under the Public Order Act and also for possession of weapons.

Now, Parish Priest of the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Fr Ciaran Harkin has reassured mass-goers that the church has now taken precautions to prevent a repeat of the shocking scenes.

He said Like many in the parish, I was deeply shocked and indeed angry that you, our 11:30 congregation, had to witness the complete disregard for human life last week and a complete disregard for the sacredness of this chapel and its grounds.

For many of you, I know it was a frightening experience and of course, only for the prompt and efficient work of the gardai, it could have been a very serious, violent incident.

Without going into any detail, I certainly am a little wiser after this incident. Indeed, more precautions will be taken to ensure that an incident like this will not take place again and any of our parish masses.

Fr Harkin said he would like to thank the gardai and all those officiating at the mass who came to the aid of parishioners.

He added: A word of thanks from all of us to the gardai for their efficient and effective response last Sunday.

A word of thanks too, to the church community who communicated with the congregation last week - to Siobhan, to Fr Dominic and to Declan - and indeed to all who helped diffuse the anxiety and fear of some of you during the 11:30am mass.

Five men, Michael McDonagh, of the Big Isle in Letterkenny; Michael Reilly Junior, of Kishogue Park, Lucan, Dublin; Michael Reilly Senior, Thomas Reilly, and John Paul Reilly of Tailteann Drive, Windtown, Navan, Co Meath all appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy following the incident.

They were all released on bail to September 16 to await directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Despite keeping a low profile in recent years Roe was considered one of the most senior members of the cartel based in Ireland.

The perma-tanned gangster from Drimnagh had been treated at St James Hospital for a blood disorder and sepsis and had been gravely ill for a number of days.

A number of his family members were beside his side when he passed away today and tributes to the cartel lieutenant have been posted online by family and friends.

Despite keeping a low profile in recent years Roe was considered one of the most senior members of the cartel based in Ireland.

He had not been in good health in recent times, according to sources.

A first cousin of gangster brothers Liam and the murdered David Byrne, Bop as he was nicknamed was involved in organised crime for most of his adult life.

Liam Roe. Photo: RIP

A notice on rip.ie said Roe died peacefully surrounded by his loving family and very close friends in the wonderful care of the staff at St. Jamess Hospital.

The notice described him as the beloved son of Seamus and the late Ann.

"Liam will be sadly missed by his loving dad, his heartbroken partner Niamh, adored stepchildren Mia and Ashton, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Roes funeral will take place in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Mourne Road, Drimnagh on Friday morning, followed by burial in Bohernabreena Cemetery.

Roe was a prime target of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in its fight to seize some 1.4m worth of assets from the Byrne crime organisation.

He was Liam Byrne's constant companion and "an integral part of the crime gang" before Byrne fled the country and got locked up in the UK where he is facing firearms charges.

Roe previously claimed in a CAB case that he was unemployed, relying on his father's financial support and on friends for transport.

But he was once stopped at Dublin Airport with 60,000 in his check-in bag. When challenged, he produced a bank account which showed a balance of 294,000.

His lavish lifestyle was laid bare in court, including a number of holidays to luxury destinations.

He took six trips in one year to the UK, America and Spain, taking in Conor McGregor's fight with Chad Mendes in Las Vegas in July 2015.

As part of the CAB investigation the bureau seized an Audi A5 car and a Kawasaki motorbike worth a total of 38,000 from Roe.

Roe has also been targeted during the long-running Hutch/Kinahan feud, but survived after a gunman's handgun jammed.

He was standing outside having a cigarette when he was approached by a Hutch gang hitman. He survived when the gun jammed and failed to fire

The incident happened at the Red Cow Hotel in November 2015, and resulted in increased tensions between the feuding gangs three months before the Regency Hotel bloodbath.

Roe was present during the Regency shooting in February, 2016, and pictured outside the hotel with associates after his first cousin David Byrne was killed.

In August, 2016, Roe was arrested as part of a money laundering investigation into the cartel but was later released without charge.

Unlike many of his criminal associates, Roe never fled the country when his gangs feud with the Hutch mob and associated garda crackdown began.

Roe was arrested in 2007 over allegations that he had threatened to kill a bouncer at a pub in Dame Street.

He was also fined 250 for obstructing a garda drugs search after an incident in 2009 .

In 2012, Roe was given a four-month jail sentence after gardai raided his apartment and found stolen designer handbags worth nearly 9,000.

In November, 2012, he failed in an attempt to get gardai to return two Rolex watches worth almost 50,000 which they seized in a search for firearms at a property in Crumlin in January, 2011.

Roe failed in his police property application after a judge ruled that he had lied in the witness box and described Roe's evidence at the Circuit Court hearing as false.

Last year, Roe was involved in a terrifying campaign of intimidation against innocent Dublin families after a woman was assaulted at a house party.
The man was found with serious injuries on a residential road in Balbriggan in the early hours of Saturday, August 10.

A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murder in north Dublin.

It comes after man was found with serious injuries on a residential road in Balbriggan in the early hours of Saturday, August 10.

He was taken to Beaumont Hospital but was pronounced dead on Sunday.

Gardai confirmed they are investigating his death and that a woman has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Gardai in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin are investigating all the circumstances in relation to the discovery of a man with serious injuries found on a residential road in the Balbriggan area in the early hours of Saturday, 10th August 2024, a spokesperson said.

The man was removed from the scene to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance and later died on Sunday, 11th August 2024. A post mortem was subsequently completed and the results of which are not being disclosed for operational reasons.

A woman aged in her 40s was arrested in Balbriggan and gardai said she is currently being questioned at a garda station in north Dublin under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Investigations are ongoing, gardai added.
Appeal by police is made for people to avoid online speculation

The scene in Derry after the body of a woman was found in a flat in Harvey Street, following a fire Presseye/Lorcan Doherty

A 28-year-old man has been arrested after a woman was found murdered in a house in Derry.

Police earlier named the victim as Montserrat Martorell and have now confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and has been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning.

He remains there for questioning.

The PSNI said the 65-year-olds body was found at a house in Harvey Street on Saturday morning.

Firefighters attended the scene after reports of a fire were received.

The woman, who was found in the bedroom of the ground-floor flat, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said that the victim suffered a horrific attack and sustained multiple injuries.

As part of the investigation, police have also appealed for information about a male they are keen to speak to aged in his 30s who was seen in the area wearing a grey jacket with hood up, blue jeans, trainers and a light coloured shirt between 1am and 2am.

Police have also urged members of the public to avoid online speculation over the investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Kelly said: A murder investigation was launched following the discovery of a body in a house in Harvey Street during the early hours of Saturday, 24th August.

"Crews from NI Fire and Rescue Service responded to reports of a fire at the house, along with NI Ambulance Service and our officers. Ms Martorell was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

From our enquiries so far, we can tell you that the victim suffered a horrific attack and sustained multiple injuries.

I am aware of online speculation which is extremely unhelpful and deeply distressing to Ms Martorells family, and would ask people to refrain from engaging in this. We will investigate any posts online which could potentially prejudice judicial proceedings.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly continued: Our detectives are working at full pace to establish exactly what happened. At this stage, we are keen to speak with a white man, aged in his 30s, who was seen in the area wearing a grey jacket with hood up, blue jeans, trainers and a light coloured shirt between 1am and 2am.

My thoughts at this time are first and foremost with Ms Martorell's family and friends in Spain, who are left trying to come to terms with their loss.

"Our investigation is at an early stage and enquiries are ongoing. I am continuing to appeal to anyone who may have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact detectives on 101.
Israel and Hezbollah engaged in an intense military exchange over the weekend, leading to fears that conflict in the Middle East will spiral.

On August 25 Israel conducted a preemptive air strike inside Lebanon against thousands of Hezbollah missile launchers, which the Israelis said were about to be used for a large attack on Israel. Shortly afterward, Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel. Fortunately, Israeli defenses kept casualties and infrastructure damage to a minimum.

Since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza, Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, is supported by Iran, has fired thousands of rockets into northern Israel. The intensity of this past weekends exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah was an exception, however, and a major conflagration between the two parties so far has not occurred.

At a press conference, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the United States has been concerned about the conflict escalating into an all-out regional war since October 7:

And we have worked round the clock with partners and allies, moving military assets, engaging in intensive diplomacy both publicly and privately behind the scenes to avert that outcome. We continue to work to avert that outcome. And our hope is that the events of last night [August 25], do not spill out into an escalation that leads to regional war.

National Security Advisor Sullivan said the United States has been working feverishly in Cairo as we speak with our team and the teams of the other mediators, as well as with the Israelis to get to a ceasefire and hostage deal along the framework that President [Joe] Biden laid out to get calm between Israel and along that border between Israel and Lebanon, and ultimately to get to a broader circumstance of regional stability.

And, of course, we think that a part of that is a credible path to a two-state solution for the Palestinian people as well, he said.

The U.S. has recently bolstered its security presence in the Middle East. Pentagon Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, We remain well postured to support Israel's defense against any aggression from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah or other actors. And, as we've been from the start, we remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region while also remaining focused on securing a ceasefire  to end the war in Gaza.
Warren (61) was subject to the SCPO after he was released from prison in November 2022 following a 13-year sentence for drug smuggling offences

This is the moment the notorious Merseyside drug trafficker Curtis Warren was picked up by police after admitting breaches of his Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO).

Warren (61) was subject to the SCPO after he was released from prison in November 2022 following a 13-year sentence for drug smuggling offences.

The SCPO placed limits on his use of phones, email accounts and vehicles for five years. Restrictions were also imposed on his financial arrangements and travel.

Compliance with the order was monitored by the National Crime Agencys (NCA) Lifetime Offender Management team.

In July 2023 NCA officers arrested Warren at a property in South Tyneside on suspicion of multiple breaches of his order.

This included operating bank accounts and using a vehicle which he hadnt declared to the NCA, as well as failing to notify the Agency of travel to Spain and a change of address.

Following his arrest officers also found a mobile phone in his possession that he hadnt declared, and 1,500 in cash, in excess of what he was allowed to possess as per the order.

He was charged the following November with 11 counts of breaching the order. A further seven charges followed in February 2024.

At a hearing on Tuesday 27 August at Liverpool Crown Court Warren admitted six breaches of the SCPO which related to his use of communications devices, finances, income, vehicles, travel and place of residence. The remaining charges against him were left on file.

He was sentenced to a 14-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.

Head of the NCAs Prisons and Lifetime Management Unit Alison Abbott said: Curtis Warren treated his order with contempt, breaching it within days of his release from prison, and going on to breach it multiple times.

Serious Crime Prevention Orders are a powerful tool to help prevent those convicted of serious offences continue their criminality when they come out of prison.

This case should serve as a warning to others. As we did with Warren, we will actively monitor all those who are subject to such orders, and they will stay on our radar even after they are released from jail.
Father-of-two Colin Morrissey, from Tramore, died suddenly on August 15 in Port Alfred.

Tributes have been paid to an Irish dad who died in South Africa as his family appeal for help with his funeral costs.

Father-of-two Colin Morrissey, from Tramore, died suddenly on August 15 in Port Alfred.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by his sister, Trish Sheridan, to help the family cover the funeral costs.

Sadly, our brother Colin passed away suddenly in South Africa leaving behind his two young sons. As you can imagine it's been very difficult to organise everything with all of us being so far away, she wrote.

Myself and my brothers are raising funds to help us give him the send-off he deserved in South Africa and here in Ireland where our mother, his extended family and friends can say their final goodbyes. We would appreciate anything you can give big our small. Thank you very much, Trish added.

A notice on RIP.ie states that Colin is predeceased by his dad, Jimmy.

"He will be sadly missed by his sons Jake, Dean and Alan, mother Valerie, brothers Paul, Keith and Jim, sister Trish, sister-in-law Joyce, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephew, ex-wife Lisa, extended family and friends, at home, and in South Africa.

Over 2,000 of the familys 5,000 target has been raised.

It comes have tributes have been pouring in for the tragic Irishman.

"Dear Paul, my deepest condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. Colin's passing is a tragic loss. May he rest in peace, one person wrote.

"Condolences to all Colins family may he rest in peace , worked with him over 20 years ago in Tara Tissues Waterford, a quiet man, rest easy Colin, watch over your family, another wrote.

Another friend wrote: My sincere condolences to the Morrissey family. Rest easy bud, miss you loads. RIP Gun x.
The warning came into effect at 10pm last night and will remain in place until 11am.

A Status Yellow rain warning remains in place for Cork and Waterford until later this morning, with heavy and persistent showers leading to potential localised flooding and difficult travelling conditions.

The warning came into effect at 10pm last night and will remain in place until 11am.

Elsewhere, it will also be a wet start to the day with some heavy outbreaks of rain that will clear from the west throughout the morning.

The rest of the day will be mostly dry with sunshine and some isolated showers as temperatures are expected to reach highs of 18 to 22 degrees before hitting lows of 11 to 14 degrees overnight.

Sunny spells and scattered showers are also forecast for Wednesday, with Met Eireann adding that some could turn heavy with the chance of thunder.

Highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees are expected.

The coming days will likely be generally cool with some showers, though drier and more settled weather could develop during the weekend and into next week.

Thursday will be bright, fresh with sunshine and scattered showers expected as temperatures will reach highs of 15 degrees before a mostly dry day on Friday with highs of eight to 15 degrees.

Met Eireann said early indications for the coming weekend suggest Saturday will be mostly dry with spells of warm sunshine and highs of 17 to 21 degrees.
The Ireland and Munster rugby star and his model wife are preparing to welcome their first child together in November

Conor Murray and Joanna Cooper enjoyed a relaxing babymoon at the luxurious Adare Manor over the weekend.

The Ireland and Munster rugby star and his model wife are preparing to welcome their first child together in November.

The couple have been making the most of their final months as a family of two, recently enjoying a trip to the Algarve in Portugal, where they tied the knot last summer.

And ahead of Munsters busy pre-season preparations, Conor and Joanna decided to blow off some steam by making their way to the five-star Adare Manor resort in Limerick to officially celebrate their babymoon.

Former Miss Universe Ireland Joanna shared some photos from their getaway on Instagram on Sunday, including snaps of the pair enjoying dinner at the hotel, walking around the grounds, and sipping on some decadent hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.

They also took some time to relax at the spa, with Joanna treating herself to a pregnancy massage as her legs feel so heavy at the moment.

Conor recently opened up about becoming a dad for the first time.

"Joanna is getting a bit bigger and it is becoming a little bit more real and you are feeling the kicks and all that, he told RSVP Live.

"We were buggy shopping yesterday, so it is getting real. It will be the first grandchild on our side of the family and my sister is due the day after us as well, so my mam is up the walls for a good reason."

Thankfully, Joannas pregnancy has been a breeze so far.

"She has been really lucky so far. Not much sickness, just a bit tired. That is it. That is a good complaint, the 35-year-old said.

"Touch wood, everything is going so smoothly so far and hopefully it continues that way."

Conor and Joanna announced that they were to become parents back in May with a joint post on Instagram.

The couple shared a black and white photo of them together, showing Coopers baby bump, captioned Mom and Dad.

They announced the news of their first child less than a year after getting married at the Pine Cliffs Resort in Portugals Algarve on June 5.

Weeks before the celebrations in Portugal, they held a secret church wedding in Ireland, with just themselves, their dog and two witnesses in attendance.

They announced their engagement in March 2022 after four years together when Murray proposed to Cooper during a holiday to Dubai.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will bring their reformed band to Croke Park for the final announced gigs on August 16-17, after also playing in Manchester, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh

Liam and Noel Gallagher will reunite for Oasis's long-awaited reunion with a worldwide tour in 2025, with two Irish dates.

The band will play in Dublin on August 16 and 17 next year.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will bring their reformed band to Croke Park for the final announced gigs, after also playing in Manchester, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Saturday, August 31, but one hour earlier at 8am for the Dublin gigs.

The tour begins in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium on July 4-5 before playing four nights at Heaton Park in Manchester on July 11, 12, 19 and 20.

There are then four nights at Wembley Stadium on July 25-26 and August 2-3.

Its then on to Murrayfield in Edinburgh on August 8-9 before heading to Dublin.

The announcement comes before tracks from the first recording session for Oasiss debut album Definitely Maybe are released on Friday, marking its 30-year anniversary.

Unheard versions of songs including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock N Roll Star were taken from their first recording session as a signed band, at Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, Monmouthshire.

The recordings were scrapped before the band re-recorded the album at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.

Fans of the Manchester rock band have pleaded with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Rumours escalated on Sunday evening after the pair shared the same video on social media, written in the Oasis style, teasing an announcement on Tuesday at 8am.

The same date and time appeared on big screens as Liam finished his headline slot at Reading Festival on Sunday.

Reunion rumours have intensified recently amid the apparent thawing in the feud between the pair.

A report in The Sunday Times cited industry insiders who claimed the brothers were set to perform a string of gigs next year, including shows at Londons Wembley Stadium and Manchesters Heaton Park.

There is also speculation that a Glastonbury headline slot could be in the works.

Hours before the announcement, posters began circulating online which featured potential Oasis tour dates with special guests including LCD Soundsystem, Blossoms, Fontaines DC and Kasabian.

It is not known if the poster has been leaked or fabricated, but speculation continued to grow regarding a reunion.

Liam fuelled the rumours by offering some tongue-in-cheek responses to fans who flooded him with messages on social media asking for confirmation.

After The Times posted the article on X, formerly Twitter, a fan said Heaton Park is a terrible venue for concerts, with Liam responding: See you down the front.

When another asked when the reunion dates will be announced, he replied: Next Friday.

The rocker also tweeted on Sunday morning that he never did like that word FORMER.
Many organisations are adopting Maori values, but UC research suggests Aotearoa could go further in exploring the benefits of an Indigenous economies approach.

Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury Senior Lecturer Dr Matthew Scobie (Ngai Tahu) outlines possibilities for a more socially and environmentally just economy in a book co-authored with UC alumni Dr Anna Sturman, from the University of Sydney.

The Economic Possibilities of Decolonisation is published by Bridget Williams Books.

Matthew and Anna demonstrate the possibilities of integrating Maori values into contemporary economic practices to address pressing issues such as climate change, resource depletion, and inequality.

While many corporations are adopting Maori values like kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and manaakitanga (hospitality), there is significant untapped potential in applying a broader Indigenous economies approach towards transforming institutions, Matthew says.

The book delves into how Maori organised their economies, where some things were broadly similar to today, but many aspects were very different.

The exploration includes features such as rights and resource use, obligations, exchange, labour and distribution.

For example, individual wealth accumulation and compensation through wages didnt exist as we know them today.

There were different forms of labour that maintained the dignity of the individual and the dignity of the collective, Matthew says.

Even leaders who had a lot of power only maintained their status because wealth flowed through their hands to their community, rather than stopping with them.

They maintained and increased their own mana by maintaining and increasing the mana of others.

The book then explores the historical relationship between colonialism and capitalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and contemporary Maori economic practices within, against and beyond the current dominant model.

Maori economies can stabilise capitalism by providing care for people and places that capitalism needs but does not value, but this care for people and place can be used to demonstrate the possibility of alternative futures, Matthew adds.

Matthew grew up in Christchurch and reconnected with his Ngai Tahu heritage during his time at UC.

My journey began with mentorship from Associate Professor Tyron Love and continued through close work with the Ngai Tahu Research Centre, he says.

This personal and academic exploration led to his PhD research on accountability within Ngai Tahu and eventually a lecturing position at the UC Business School where he teaches managing corporate responsibility and topics in Indigenous economics.
Cabinet has moved quickly to approve a raft of actions to address the serious risk to New Zealands energy security and affordability, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Resources Minister Shane Jones say.

New Zealand currently has an energy shortage. The lakes are low, the sun hasnt been shining, the wind hasnt been blowing, and we have an inadequate supply of natural gas to meet demand, says Brown.

That has led to New Zealand currently having the highest wholesale electricity prices of any of the countries we normally compare ourselves to. It is devastating for our manufacturing and export sectors, and is sadly leading to firms reducing production or closing entirely."

Brown says New Zealand needs abundant, affordable energy.

"That's why the Coalition Government is taking a series of immediate actions to restore confidence to our energy sector and remove regulatory barriers that have stopped firms generating electricity or bringing in the fuel that Kiwis need.

Cabinet has committed to:

Act with urgency to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, with legislation passed by the end of 2024

Remove regulatory barriers to the construction of critically needed facilities to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a stop gap

Ease restrictions on electricity lines companies owning generation

Ensure access for gentailers to hydro contingency

Improve electricity market regulation

Natural gas production dropped by 12.5 per cent in 2023 and by a further 27.8 per cent for the first three months of this year, creating a nationwide shortage. This has resulted in reductions in manufacturing output, and electricity generators resorting to more coal and diesel to power our electricity system.

Resources Minister Shane Jones. Photo: Supplied.

Unlike many other countries, New Zealand is blessed with energy resources under our feet. Natural gas has drawn new industries to our shores, created well-paying jobs in our regions, and powered the producing, manufacturing, and exporting businesses that are the backbone of our economy, says Jones.

It is critical for New Zealand that these keep going, but already some businesses are having to close their doors until energy prices come down; with hundreds of jobs at stake. Thats why we are taking urgent action to shore up our energy security.

Oil and gas explorers need to have the confidence to invest here and know they will have a key place in New Zealands energy sector now and into the future.

The Ministers will report back to Cabinet in October with options for mitigating sovereign risk in an LNG facility and domestic gas production.

Cabinet has agreed to:

Act with urgency to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, with legislation passed by the end of 2024

New Zealand's electricity system relies on gas to meet peak demand during cold winter mornings and evenings. Tight gas supply is currently contributing to higher prices, with gas generators struggling to obtain the fuel necessary to offset the current seasonal conditions negatively affecting renewable generation.

Remove regulatory barriers to the construction of LNG import facilities

LNG is used widely overseas to provide a flexible and scalable supply of energy. MBIE estimates that around 50 countries across the globe use LNG to support their domestic energy production.

Cabinet has agreed to legislate consents for an LNG terminal. Project-specific legislation has been utilised previously, including for projects such as the National War Memorial in Wellington.



Imported LNG will support flexible generation of electricity, but is unlikely to replace the energy needed from stable, year round, domestic gas.

Officials have received estimates that the price range for importing LNG to New Zealand using the spot market could be between $17/gigajoule and $24/gigajoule. That price range is below the current NZ gas spot price which traded at an average of $55.27/GJ on Wednesday 14 August 2024, an all time high.

Ease restrictions on electricity lines companies owning generation

Electricity distribution businesses (EDBs) are currently prohibited from owning generation assets of more than 50MW connected to their own network, and are also required not to own assets of more than 250MW connected to Transpowers network. The Government has agreed to ease these restrictions to increase electricity generation, and bolster regional resilience. Details will be confirmed by Cabinet later this year.

Enhanced access to extra, contingent, hydro storage

Current hydro storage is among the lowest levels on record and the lowest since 1992.



The Cabinet is receiving advice on whether the settings to enable the draw-down of hydro lakes below their consented levels are currently fit for purpose and adequately take into account energy security. If changes are needed, then they will be progressed through the Energy and Electricity Security Bill ahead of winter 2025.

Improve electricity market regulation

The Government will undertake a review of the performance of the electricity market. We want to ensure market arrangements deliver reliable electricity at lowest cost, and that the market is efficient, effectively competitive, and fit for the future. Details of the review will be finalised in the coming weeks.
Police are now in a position to release more details following yesterdays tragic crash in Ramarama, which claimed the lives of three people.

Emergency services were called to the crash on State Highway One near the Ramarama off-ramp at about 1.47pm.

Counties Manukau Road Policing Manager, Inspector Tony Wakelin, says the crash is being investigated by the Serious Crash Unit but initial indications suggest a truck travelling southbound suffered a tyre blowout.

This has caused the truck to crash through the barrier wires and travel onto the northbound lanes where it has collided with a van and two other vehicles," says Inspector Wakelin.

The van was carrying six people, the three deceased were killed on impact and the other three were transported to hospital.

The three men who died were aged 45, 37 and 32 years of age.

Inspector Wakelin says formal identification procedures are continuing to take place; however Police can confirm those in the van were seasonal workers due to return home to Samoa later this week.

A 21-year-old male remains in a critical condition and two other men, aged 42 and 39, both remain in hospital with moderate injuries.

He says two people in one of the other vehicles were treated for minor injuries and the truck driver was also treated for minor injuries but has since been discharged from hospital.

On behalf of Police, I want to extend our sincere sympathies to the families and friends of those who have been caught up in this dreadful event.

This was a horrific crash and we are continuing to provide support for everyone affected, including our staff who attended the scene.

Police would also still like to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, or who might have dashcam footage.

If you can help, please get in touch on 105 or online via https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 and reference job number P059766971.
Parliaments passing of legislation setting out the Governments Local Water Done Well preliminary arrangements for new water services is being welcomed by Local Government Minister Simeon Brown.

Councils and voters resoundingly rejected Labours expensive and bureaucratic Three Waters, which wasted $1.2 billion on stripping local communities control of water assets, while failing to deliver. Earlier this year, our Government repealed their divisive policies," says Brown.

Enactment of the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill in coming days will mark the beginning of the 12-month period councils have to develop Water Services Delivery Plans for their communities, which are the foundation for Local Water Done Well.

The legislation passed today [Tuesday] means councils can act sooner, with streamlined consultation and decision-making requirements to enable timely establishment of new water services council-controlled organisations (CCOs) to deliver the safe and reliable water infrastructure that Kiwis expect.

It also includes the necessary provisions to finalise our Local Water Done Well deal for Watercare, which has already prevented a significant 25.8 per cent water rate hike for Aucklanders this year.

The immediate access to improved finance for water CCOs confirmed recently by the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) enables councils to better manage debt and make essential infrastructure investments without drastic rate hikes.

The LGFA is the lowest cost provider of financing available to councils, and this arrangement means that water organisations can borrow up to a level equivalent to 500 per cent of operating revenues  around twice that of existing councils  subject to water CCOs meeting prudent credit criteria.

Given the scale and urgency of challenges facing water services for communities across the country, I expect councils to develop and implement plans for financially sustainable water services as soon as possible," says Brown.

My clear expectation is that councils will work together on joint arrangements where that makes sense to support financially sustainability, ease upward pressure on rates and provide for new infrastructure to support housing growth.

Economic regulation of water services, along with other recently announced enduring settings for New Zealands water services system will be implemented through the Local Government Water Services Bill, which will be introduced in December this year and passed by mid-2025.

Following enactment of the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill in coming days, the Department of Internal Affairs will provide detailed guidance, information and technical support to councils to assist in the development of their Water Services Delivery Plans.

The Bill provides for a Crown monitor to be appointed to Watercare to provide interim oversight until full economic regulation of water services is established. The Minister of Local Government will be appointing the Commerce Commission to serve as Watercares Crown monitor.
Juan Cano Malaga Tuesday, 27 August 2024, 12:48 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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A young Malaga man has died after drinking a suspected cocktail of substances including alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl.

The 25-year-old had just returned from a trip around Europe and upon returning to his parents' home, started to feel unwell. He became agitated and aggressive and was taken to the Regional Hospital in a critical condition last week. From there he slipped into a coma and died within just a few hours.

A Malaga court is investigating the cause of the young man's death, since, according to initial indications, he may have consumed a cocktail of alcohol and drugs, including a substance that is keeping the Spanish health authorities on alert: fentanyl, a synthetic opiate that is causing havoc in countries such as the United States.

According to SUR sources, the young man arrived at the hospital with the suspicion he had taken alcohol and cocaine combined with fentanyl. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has previously warned this opiate has started to be used as a cutting substance for cocaine to make it more addictive.

Various experts interviewed by SUR agreed it is difficult to detect fentanyl in these circumstances, especially if the deceased has been in hospital and received treatment, which can camouflage its presence in autopsy tests.

Another issue emergency and forensic doctors are encountering is that, in Spain, fentanyl does not appear alone, but is associated with other substances, so "it is very difficult to know what weight it really has in the cause of death", a specialist said.

In Spain, this opiate is being introduced among drug addicts, who mix it with the drugs they use on a regular basis, according to sources. However, the first confirmed death from fentanyl abuse in Spain has not yet been reported, showing its use in the country is still token and associated only with medical treatment, not as a narcotic substance.

One of these cases under investigation dates back to last March, when the body of a 58-year-old woman who had been prescribed a fentanyl patch by her doctor to counteract the pain she was suffering was found in a park in Valladolid.

This is not the case in the United States, where the substance is estimated to have caused more than 60,000 deaths in one year, Hermelo Molero, head of the Bilbao police headquarters' drug squad, told El Correo. Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid originally created to treat severe pain and whose effects are 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

US and China try to curb fentanyl epidemic The US agreed with China last November to try to curb the spread of fentanyl. More than 100,000 people die in the US every year from overdoses and an estimated 68% of them are caused by this synthetic opioid. That is more than twice as many as in 2019 (before Covid-19), which is why many are already talking about the deadliest epidemic in the country's history.

In Spain, it is not believed that it will end up becoming a major problem as it is in the United States, as drug use is "more linked to leisure", Molero pointed out.

Last June, Episteme Social, an organisation specialising in social research, presented a study funded by the ministry of health which showed that, on the basis of the available evidence, Spain will not suffer a fentanyl-related public health crisis in the near future.

The authorities' concern stems from the decline in opium poppy cultivation (from which heroin is made) in Afghanistan, where the Taliban ban has reduced production by up to 95%. Despite reduced availability of this substance on the market, experts fear this represents a window of opportunity for fentanyl.

However, the Episteme Social study rules out that under current circumstances heroin will be replaced by fentanyl, considering that synthetic opiates have been circulating in Europe for more than 30 years and have never been successful in Spain. Moreover, Afghan heroin is believed to be in stock to at least continue to supply the market until 2027 or 2028, while current restrictions on fentanyl production make access to this substance difficult.
By Alimat Aliyeva

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Korea proposes to increase the military budget by 3.6% in 2025, to 61.5 trillion won (approximately $46.3 billion), Azernews reports.

The Government of the Republic of Korea plans to submit a draft budget for 2025 to the National Assembly on September 2. This year, government defense spending totaled 59.4 trillion won ($44.6 billion). If the parliament approves the proposal, the defense budget of the Republic of Korea will exceed 60 trillion won ($45.11 billion) for the first time, the ministry said.

"Despite the strict approach to financial spending, the government has given priority to military spending, given the serious security situation in the world and in the country," Seoul said. The defense budget for 2025 in the project increased by 3.6%, the entire financial plan increased by 3.2%.

The ministry intends to allocate approximately 18 trillion won ($13.5 billion) for the purchase of weapons, which is 2.4% more than this year. About 43.5 trillion won ($32.7 billion), according to the project, will be allocated to cover the cost of maintaining the armed forces, which is 4.2% more than in 2024.
ELKO  Two principals, a vice principal and two Central Office administrators were getting settled into their new roles as the school year began on Monday.

Jeff Revier is the new principal at Northside Elementary School. He joins new Owyhee Combined Schools Principal Lynn Manning-John, who takes the helm at her alma mater.

Education veteran Geoffrey Bryan stepped in as Owyhees new vice principal, where Manning-John previously served.

Megan Cox, a former teacher and Air Force veteran, is the new grants manager at the central office. And Cassandra Stahlke was hired as the Elko County School Districts Chief Financial Officer this summer.

Jeff Revier, Northside Elementary

Revier, a native of Montana, began as a student teacher in 2016 in the Elko County School District while attending the University of Montana, Western.

I wanted to go into education to help as many kids as I possibly could, he said. I want to be there for kids who can benefit from additional support.

As principal of Northside Elementary, Revier said he is looking forward to interacting with youth and supporting new and veteran faculty.

Very much looking forward to retaining all the great teachers that are already here, he said. As turnover happens, I think one of the most important things principals can do is retain, hire and develop really good teachers. As long as those structures are still in place, which they currently are, we look forward to keeping that tradition going in the school.

Before becoming Northsides principal, Revier was taught at Southside Elementary and was vice principal at Flagview Intermediate School for three years.

Ahead of the first day of school, Northsides PTA hosted an open house barbecue for students and parents to meet faculty and staff on Aug. 21, which Revier said would allow holistic conversations with the community.

Revier said since becoming principal, he was excited to learn how much the adults within the building like and care for each other and how it really is that small setting that is a family atmosphere. They genuinely like each other and genuinely do whats best for kids. Thats the greatest asset the school has.

Lynn Manning-John, Owyhee Combined

New Owyhee Combined Schools Principal Lynn Manning-John was inspired to begin her career in education as a student in Owyhee.

She graduated from OSH in 1994 and attended Smith College in Massachusetts, earning her bachelors degree in education and child study.

She studied at the University of Nevada, Reno, and began teaching in Las Vegas, eventually earning her masters degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2004.

Manning-John served as Indian education coordinator for the Washoe County School District and facilitated Title VII and other funding programs, partnering with the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Pyramid Lake and Nevada Urban Indian Commission.

In 2005, Manning-John returned to Owyhee, designing to bring her experience and skills back to her community.

She served as vice principal in Owyhee since 2014 and said she was excited to start the new school year as principal.

Im excited to be serving my community. I love my community, she said. Im from Duck Valley, a tribal member and a graduate of Owyhee High School.

Manning-John said serving her community in the education field achieves the aspirations set for the youth of Owyhee.

I get to give back to my community, which is one of the things we were taught growing up there: You get an education, you come back, and you help your community.

Geoffrey Bryan, Owyhee Combined

Geoffrey Bryan has a 29-year career in education, working throughout the state teaching math and social studies.

He recently taught in Eureka and previously taught in Lund and Gabbs.

A native of Nevada, he was born in Schurz, in Mineral County, and grew up on the Yomba Shoshone Tribe Reservation. He later graduated high school in Fallon.

Im pretty excited about starting the administration job, Bryan said. Even though Ive been in education for many years, this is my first job as an administrator. This is going to be a huge learning curve for me.

Megan Cox, grants manager

Megan Cox taught English and business at the secondary level at Washington state and Elko County schools for five years before becoming the grants manager.

The job is detail-oriented, which entails seeking and managing grants and all the requirements, including auditing, reporting, cost allocation, budgeting and ensuring every school receives the correct funding.

There are rewards to the work, Cox added.

It ensures that the intended use of money is being met, which is always to help the students.

By managing and finding grants, you ensure that, in the future, you are receiving grants because we are up to compliance and that the money is not being misused or misappropriated.

Before her career in education, Cox served six years in the U.S. Air Force, stationed on the East Coast as an airline mechanic and flight attendant.

She credited her background in teaching for her new job.

Its understanding the nuances of what were asking for, why were asking and how that translates to help students and to the bigger picture of making a school run. In addition, the bureaucratic stuff that comes with it. Its very useful, Cox explained.

Cassandra Stahlke, chief financial officer

Stahlke, a native of Elko, was hired this summer as the new CFO for the Elko County School District.

Previously, she served as the principal investigator for a grant program.

Theres the fiscal aspect of it and then the programmatic, which is primarily 80% fiscal. I handled all the special revenue funds, all the federal, state and private funding, as well as the people-centered funding and plan-weighted allocations.

I had the experience of managing a budget of about $80 to $90 million, Stahlke continued. When I first started, the budget was about $19 million. As Ive progressed, its significantly grown.

She replaces David Jenkins, who resigned as CFO after serving for three months. Stahlke was first appointed interim CFO before being hired during an internal candidate search.

Stahlke earned her bachelors degree in economics and statistics and an MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno. She then worked for Great Basin College.

While at GBC, she coordinated the Nevada Promise Scholarship and Nevada GEAR UP grant. I worked in the financial aid office for three years, handling federal fund disbursements.

As the school districts new CFO, Stahlke said the department has undergone turnover within the past few years, starting with the death of longtime CFO Jeri Norton, followed by the departure of Julie Davis, who now serves as the city of Elkos financial services director.

Stahlke said she is excited about her new job, working with the new funding formula, gaining background information, and having systematic change within the district while presenting the school districts fiscal picture openly to the public.

I think the community has had an impression on us since COVID, and we can better represent and show our fiscal responsibility that way and make it more transparent.

Clarification: This article was updated with specific positions held by Stahlke and to remove positions she did not hold. She was employed in the financial aid office at Great Basin College and she served as the principal investigator for a grant program.
Pleasure boat skipper jailed without bail as enquiries continue following fatal jet ski crash on Costa del Sol The arrested man, who tested positive for alcohol and drugs following the incident, is being investigated by police for a crime of negligent homicide

Irene Quirante Marbella Tuesday, 27 August 2024, 11:58 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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The skipper of a pleasure boat has been sent to prison without bail while he awaits the outcome of an investigation after the craft he was driving allegedly struck a jet ski and killed a young man in Puerto Banus on Saturday 24 August.

Several people on the shore alerted emergency services to a boat allegedly sailing recklessly in a zone where there were buoys about 6pm. The boat then apparently smashed into the jet ski, leaving the jet ski driver unconscious and floating on the surface of the sea. The 26-year-old victim, of North African origin and German nationality, was rushed to land where CPR was performed but he died at the scene.

The skipper of the boat, who was accompanied by another person who was believed to be the owner of the boat, was escorted to the port of Marbella, where police tested him for alcohol and drugs.

According to sources, the 34-year-old man, also German, tested positive on the breathalyser, with a result of more than one milligram per litre of exhaled air (the legal limit is 0.25). The drug test also detected the presence of two narcotics, although the result must be confirmed in the laboratory.

Pending the outcome of police investigations, he is facing a possible charge of negligent homicide.
Alba Tenza Malaga Tuesday, 27 August 2024, 17:41 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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It is known for being a paradise of contrasts. A natural paradise in which no matter the day or time of day you can appreciate the more than 1,500 types of plants that coexist in it. Located in the extreme southwest of the Betic mountains, the Sierra de las Nieves National Park in Andalucia, southern Spain, has a strategic geographic location, and every year work is done to promote and conserve it. It is located behind Marbella and to the east of the road to Ronda from the Costa del Sol.

This is why the association of municipalities of the Sierra de las Nieves has many different objectives, such as a green transition and "the need for reactivation and greater economic sustainability", as the president of the organisation, Jose Miguel Marin, told SUR.

Since its foundation in 1955, the aim of the organisation has been to promote a model, which is now working to transform the current tourism model of the towns in the area by focusing on green transition, improving energy efficiency, digital transition and tourism competitiveness. They have come up with 16 projects with an investment of more than 1.2 million euros, of which some are already under way and others are in the tendering process.

Of the total investment, 893,297 euros have already been awarded and are being spent, while the rest is in the tendering process. Currently, the Mancomunidad is in charge of the direct management of some 33 initiatives. The Mancomunidad is a public consortium offering shared services to eleven municipalities on the western stretch of Malaga province: Benahavis, Benalmadena, Casares, Estepona, Fuengirola, Istan, Manilva, Marbella, Mijas, Ojen and Torremolinos.

"This strategy emphasises action on the destination itself and takes into account its special needs and characteristics, addressing the whole of the destination's specific tourism ecosystem, including the regional and local public institutions that operate in it, but also social entities and the business sector," Marin said. "Sustainable tourism is not a tourism product, but a way of managing that should be applied to any type of tourism product and destination, as recommended by the WTO and other international organisations," he added.

Zoom The arrangement of a car park at the La Nava viewpoint. SUR

The first of the central objectives of the strategy for sustainable tourism in destinations is to support tourist destinations - regardless of their scale and the type of demand to which they respond - in their transformation. On the other hand, the second established parameter is to achieve greater territorial cohesion, which not only links the supply and destinations of each location, but also creates connections between the destinations of various regions.

Four project areas

The more than 30 actions the association is carrying out in the region are divided into four areas: the green and sustainable transition, the improvement of energy efficiency, the digital transition and the competitiveness of tourism. Within the first of these are projects to create an accessible path in Istan, as well as adapting a footpath in the municipality of Parauta. There are also other projects such as creating pedestrian walkways with spaces for bicycles in Tolox and Yunquera and studying possible mountain bike routes, among others.

To improve energy efficiency, there are plans for a study of the installation of electric vehicle charging points, a study of energy efficiency in tourist buildings, a plan to replace and implement efficient lighting in tourist resources in Serrato, as well as installing solar panels in tourist buildings and public car parks.

The digital transition initiative includes various training services for tourism businesses in the region. The Mancomunidad also plans to adapt and improve the facilities of the Conejeras municipal campsite in Parauta and beautify the historic centres of Serrato, Alozaina, Parauta and Monda, as well as create the Los Rondeles ethnographic centre in Casarabonela and a tourist walkway with a viewpoint in Ojen.
Elbridge, N.Y. -- An intoxicated 35-year-old man crashed into an oncoming car and fled into the woods after running a stop-light Monday night, troopers said.

Mitchell C. Podolak, of Auburn, was driving a 2022 GMC Sierra south on Hamilton Road when he failed to stop at a red-light at the intersection with Route 5, according to Trooper Jennifer Jiron, a spokesperson for the New York State Police. His truck crashed into a 2009 Honda Civic, she said.

Jiron said witnesses saw Podolak jump out of his truck and run into the woods on Hamilton Road.
Join NY Cannabis Insider for its next full-day conference in Albany on Sept. 25, 2024. Tickets available now.

After graduating their inaugural cohort, a New York City-based nonprofit focused on social equity and workforce development in the Empire States cannabis industry is setting up shop in Harlem -- in the Polo Grounds Housing Projects -- as they prepare to begin classes for the next 16-week course.

Terrence Coffie, executive director of the Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative, said the organization wants to ensure residents of NYC neighborhoods most negatively impacted by the War on Drugs are able to join the legal market, and expunge cannabis convictions, as promised by the MRTA.

This was birthed out of our love for the community, Coffie said, adding that the group wants to provide the necessary resources to ensure that they have as much access to this burgeoning market as anyone else.

Coffie, a professor at New York University Silver School of Social Work, launched the the initiative last year with co-founders Sean Farrow, lead attorney at CJEIs Justice Lab; Jamil Myrie, former chief retail operations officer at Acreage Holdings; and Jeffrey Hoffman, a cannabis-focused attorney.



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The Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative has been serving dual purposes: providing intensive training for community members looking to enter the cannabis industry, and offering legal advice and services to people who are trying to expunge a past cannabis conviction, as the MRTA allows in many cases.

About eight or nine weeks of the programs classroom material and instruction comes from the Cannabis Workforce Initiative, Coffie said. CWI is a state-funded collaborative effort of the nonprofit Workforce Development Institute and Cornell Universitys School of Industrial & Labor Relations. Instructors from CWI lead classroom sessions of CJEIs program, Coffie said.

Expungement services have become a pressing need among many NYC communities that experienced over-policing at the height of the War on Drugs era, because many are unaware of their legal rights and options around expungement, said Hoffman.

For example, Hoffman said, in many cases courts automatically expunge records for low-level possession convictions. But courts dont notify people about these expungements, so some of them dont know their conviction has been erased.

If you dont know that your low-level cannabis conviction has been expunged, you probably keep checking the yes box on forms that ask, Have you ever been convicted of a crime, Hoffman said.

For many other cases, people simply need to file a motion for expungement in the court where they were convicted. Hoffman and other attorneys have been assisting clients of the Initiative pro-bono on how to file such motions, and providing support for those who run into problems.

Hoffman recently scored a legal victory for a client who was trying to expunge two cannabis-related Class E felonies in Saratoga County. A judge had wanted to deny vacating the mans convictions or substituting felonies for lesser charges on his criminal record, Hoffman said.

There was an individual that clearly met the criteria and clearly meets what the legislature outlines for this law  that weve got to let these people get on with their lives, Hoffman said. Ultimately, the judge made that order, and he vacated the conviction without a substitute.

Situations like these are why its pivotal that the organization operates in and serves areas where many people lack resources to fully exercise their legal rights, said Myrie. Expungement efforts go hand-in-glove with its workforce development programming, Myrie said, because past convictions can hurt peoples job prospects, whether or not theyre seeking employment in the cannabis industry.

Myrie, a decades-long entrepreneur who has worked in the cannabis space for about seven years, said the CJEIs job training approach is similar to their expungement efforts: meeting people where they are. The group continues to hold meetings in places like Harlems St. Nicholas housing projects, to let people know about the services they provide.

We have to be part of that justice piece in order that these folks in these communities can access the job opportunities, Myrie said. Otherwise, its a nonstarter.

The training program  which is free to participants  includes sections on cultivation, retail, workplace rights, career development and other important topics, Coffie said. Last year, 25 people graduated from the program, and this fall theyre expecting a class of 30.

While the CJEI wants to ultimately graduate 1,500 people from the program, they only want between 25 and 30 in each cohort, so each student gets the attention they need, Coffie said.

Leaders of the organization also hope to begin meeting with new leaders at the Office of Cannabis Management following the departure of former Executive Director Chris Alexander  and the suspension of Chief Equity Officer Damian Fagon  Coffie said.

The group had a positive working relationship with Alexander and Fagon, and hopes that continues under interim OCM leader Felicia Reid, and the eventual permanent executive director, Coffie said, adding that the CJEI is capable of reaching communities that may otherwise fall through the cracks.

I went to a lot of the [OCM-led] community conversations  unfortunately, those conversations were not held in the communities most harmed, Coffie said. That is the leverage of who we are and what we do, because of our relationship with the community.

Update: This story has been updated to include additional information about the Cannabis Workforce Initiative.
To the Editor:

On Aug. 21, 2024, we marked the 56th anniversary of the Communist Soviet-lead Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. The August attack that is among the sad history of the Cold War. The Prague Spring reforms of First Secretary Alexander Dubcek and the hopes of Czechs and Slovaks were crushed by tanks from all over the Soviet Communist empire, primarily from Russia, East Germany, Bulgaria and Poland.

The invasion first began in stealth with Soviet Russian Antonov civilian airplanes landing at Pragues Ruzyne Airport and unloading Soviet commandoes at 10:30 PM the evening before, taking control over the control tower. Shortly after, Soviet Russian MiG jets screamed over the city and Red Army parachutists dropped along the major highways. Then, under orders from Moscow, across they came.

Ground forces waiting behind the borders of Czechoslovakia crossed into the orchards of Bohemia, into Slovakia from Hungary, into industrial cities like Ostrava. Tanks smashed down anything that stood in their way. In all, some 14 Soviet divisions invaded in what the Soviet Ambassador to the U.S. told then-President Lyndon Johnson was an internal action of the Soviet Union and their own affair.

This mass military invasion, known by historians as The Rape of Czechoslovakia, was one of the bloodiest in Soviet-era history. In just one battle alone in the center of Prague, 25 civilians were killed while trying to protect the Czechoslovak Radio building as tanks rolled to stop the uncensored broadcast of the invasion. Citizens of all walks of life  artists, commoners, students and professionals  battled Soviet tanks with sticks, rocks and bottles. As citizens protested the invasion in several of the largest cities, tanks opened fire on unarmed citizens. Communist officials put the number of civilians killed at 500 but this number is widely disputed. Soviet Communist Warsaw Pact troops did not leave Czechoslovak soil until 1991. All that time, Czechoslovakians did not give up hope for a free homeland as there were inspired by President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

During the time of the invasion, many supporters of the Prague Spring initiatives were rounded up and imprisoned by Communist agents, with many who would never return. This type of activity had been happening in Eastern Europe for many years. Whether in East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the former Yugoslavia, critics of communist and rogue regimes have disappeared.

Now, once again, Eastern Europe is threatened not by a Soviet Union but by a Russian bear, led by a former Communist KGB operative in Vladimir Putin. His bloody invasion of Ukraine and also of Georgia earlier, his illegal expansion into the Artic region, the shooting down of civilian airplane MH-17 over Ukraine, cyber threats all over Europe.

In an effort to thwart Russian expansionism into Eastern Europe, President Trump supported the strategic placement of light infantry brigades and missile defense shields in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. This in an effort to address an old doctrine of deterrence from the Cold War that conflict with Russia would center on Germany. I thank Congressman Brandon Williams for his continued support of US military assets going to Ukraine and for continued funding of U.S. bases in those Eastern European countries. Let us hope that history does not repeat itself.

Rudolph S. Boleslav

Syracuse
LAS VEGAS  Last summer, Clark High School junior Mai-Lan Vu came back from a trip to Vietnam inspired to make a difference.

During that trip to visit her family, Vu said she saw children having to sell souvenirs to tourists to help support their families.

Though she had gone to Vietnam before, this was her first time feeling as if she could do something to help those children. Vu, 16, decided to team up with other friends from school, some whose families are also from Vietnam, to help.

We kind of just saw how different the living conditions were there, and we wanted to help in any way we could, she said.

Last August, Vu and her friends founded their nonprofit, Giving to Kids. It consists of seven youth board members and 40 volunteers from Clark and other district schools. Its mission is to provide resources, necessities and support to underprivileged children worldwide.

In their first year as nonprofit leaders, the students raised $30,000. This summer, they returned to Vietnam with the cash in hand to purchase supplies such as food, clothing and bedding to donate to orphanages, temples and other organizations.

We also gave them treats that they normally wouldn't buy and it was really sweet, because they were all so happy, said Robert Chondro, the nonprofits program coordinator and a senior at Clark High School.

Vu said another added benefit was that by buying the items to donate in Vietnam, the students were able to support local small businesses.

Chondro, 17, said it was empowering to see the orphanage directors faces and how grateful they were to receive supplies that they couldnt normally afford.

I think that's what inspired us to  create an even bigger impact next year and in the future, he said.

Chondro said Giving To Kids future goals include expanding their work to other countries and partnering with the Build a School Foundation Inc. to help the organization build a school in rural Cambodia. The students eventually want to help build a school in Vietnam as well.

We believe that providing necessities and supplies is just the first half, but education is also just as important, he said. That way we can give youth there the chance to change their own futures.
By Rick Karlin | Times Union, Albany

Albany, N.Y.  State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball is urging horse owners across New York to vaccinate their animals against eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus.

Balls recommendation came on Monday as cases of the disease have been found in horses in Washington, Ulster, Orange and Madison counties as well as Franklin, Clinton, Saint Lawrence, Cayuga, Wayne and Oneida counties.
Jillian McCarthy, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y. (TNS)

An Upstate New York woman won $1 million in a promotional treasure hunt for influencer and professional wrestler Logan Pauls drink, Prime Hydration.

The treasure hunt, which was a promotional competition for a new flavor called Prime X, began June 10 and ended Aug. 1. Paul revealed the winner in an Instagram post Aug. 13.

Amanda Miles, of Oneonta, was confirmed as the sole winner of the grand $1 million dollar prize in a video of Paul Facetiming Miles posted to the Prime Instagram account.

It was crazy, I know I didnt have a huge reaction in the video, she said. Im a trained crisis worker, so I dont really have reactions, but on the inside, I was reacting.

Miles said Monday, Aug. 26 that she had no clue she had won the entire $1 million when Paul called her.

On drinkprime.com, the official rules stated that the odds of obtaining a rare code were one in 3,762,535.

Miles said said she did the math when she won and found out that she had won at least one-eighth of the prize money, as there were about eight rare codes in all four of the countries involved in the competition.

It took about a month to collect all 12 puzzle pieces. She originally started buying them because she liked the design of the new Prime X bottles.

She said that she wasnt a fan of Paul, and was more interested in the competition and the drinks themselves.

In the fine print, Miles said that the rules allowed mail-in requests for codes for U.S. residents, meaning she could receive codes without buying bottles of Prime. She said that after mailing in ten, she received the rare code.

She said that she then started buying bottles of Prime at Walmart in Oneonta to complete the puzzle, and she was able to collect all 12 pieces.

Miles, a crisis peer engagement specialist at Otsego County Mental Health Clinic, has lived in Oneonta since 2002.

Miles said that the prize money is life changing.

She and her wife, Heather Umbach, have been living in the house where Umbachs parents lived for seven years. They had planned to buy the house when they could afford it, and now theyre ready.

They also are ready to adopt children, she said, and the money makes it possible for them to begin that process and add an extra bedroom to the house.

It didnt feel real until I Facetimed with him, she said.

Miles said that she was told the money will be deposited via bank transfer the week of Sept. 9.

Paul has been in a few controversies regarding his business ventures in the past.

In 2021, Paul co-founded the failed app CryptoZoo, which was advertised as a game combining cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens. The project seemingly has been abandoned, leaving users who spent money on game tokens with no refunds.

In July, a lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Olympic committee against Pauls company Prime accusing the company of copyright infringement.

Prime Hydration also is being sued by Refresco Beverages US Inc., the company that bottles the beverage, for $68 million for breach of contract.

Miles said that she was not aware of these ongoing legal issues involving Paul and Prime, but she trusts in the delivery of her earnings because the competition was administered by a company called Probability, which operates independently of the drink company, and the money is being sent securely via bank transfer.

Jillian McCarthy, staff writer, can be reached at jmccarthy@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7259.

___

(c)2024 The Daily Star (Oneonta, N.Y.)

Visit The Daily Star (Oneonta, N.Y.) at www.thedailystar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Around 200 demonstrators gathered in the front yard of 727 Comstock Ave. Monday afternoon to demand higher wages for food service, libraries, facilities and maintenance employees at Syracuse University.

Members of SEIU Local 200United organized the rally for the first day of school at SU after months of negotiating with the university to increase wages for workers.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Special counsel Jack Smith urged a federal appeals court Monday to reinstate the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, saying a judges decision that dismissed the prosecution was at odds with longstanding Justice Department practice and must be reversed.

Smiths team said U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon made a grievous mistake by ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. That position, prosecutors wrote in a brief filed with the Atlanta-based appeals court, runs counter to rulings by judges across the country as well as widespread and longstanding appointment practices in the Department of Justice and across the government.

If allowed to stand, they warned, it could jeopardize the longstanding operation of the Justice Department and call into question hundreds of appointments throughout the Executive Branch.

The Attorney General validly appointed the Special Counsel, who is also properly funded, prosecutors wrote. In ruling otherwise, the district court deviated from binding Supreme Court precedent, misconstrued the statutes that authorized the Special Counsels appointment, and took inadequate account of the longstanding history of Attorney General appointments of special counsels.

The appeal is the latest development in a prosecution that many legal experts have long considered a straightforward criminal case given the breadth of evidence, including surveillance video and an audio recording of Trumps own words, that Justice Department investigators accumulated during the course of the investigation. But over the last year, the case has been snarled by delays as Cannon, a Trump-appointed judge, entertained assorted Trump team motions before ultimately dismissing the prosecution in a stunning decision that brought the proceedings to at least a temporary halt.

Its unclear how long it will take for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to decide the matter, but even if it overturns Cannons dismissal and revives the prosecution, theres no chance of a trial before the November presidential election. Trump, if elected, could appoint an attorney general who would dismiss the case.

In a statement Monday, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said not only should the dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida be affirmed, but be immediately joined by a dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts.

The case, one of four federal and state prosecutions brought against Trump, includes dozens of felony charges that Trump illegally retained classified documents from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida and obstructed the governments efforts to get them back. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

At issue in the appeal is a provision of the Constitution known as the Appointments Clause, which requires presidential approval and Senate confirmation for certain public figures, including judges, ambassadors and all other officers of the United States.

But the clause also includes an exception for what it says are inferior officers who can be appointed directly by the head of an agency. Smith, according to the Justice Department, fits that category and Garland was empowered to name him directly to the role of special counsel.

Smith, a Central New York native, was appointed special counsel in November 2022 by Garland to investigate Trumps handling of the documents as well as his efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Both investigations resulted in criminal charges, though the election subversion prosecution also faces an uncertain future following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that conferred broad immunity on Trump and narrowed the scope of the case.

Defense lawyers in the classified documents case had argued that Smiths appointment violated the Appointments Clause, a motion that prompted Cannon to hold a multi-day hearing in June. The judge sided with the defense, saying that no specific statute permitted Garlands appointment of Smith and that Smith was unlawfully appointed because he had not been named by the president or confirmed by the Senate.

But prosecutors said Monday that no fewer than four statutes give the attorney general the power to appoint a special counsel like Smith  an authority they said has been recognized for decades by judges across the country.

From before the creation of the Department of Justice until the modern day, Attorneys General have repeatedly appointed special and independent counsels to handle federal investigations, including the prosecution of Jefferson Davis, alleged corruption in federal agencies (including the Department of Justice itself), Watergate, and beyond, Smiths team wrote.

In recent years, the Justice Department, during both Democratic and Republican administrations, has relied on special counsels appointed from outside the agency to conduct investigations into everything from Russian interference on Trumps behalf during the 2016 election to President Joe Bidens handling of classified documents after his tenure as vice president ended.

Cannons ruling, prosecutors said, suggests that every special counsel whos been brought in from outside the Justice Department was invalidly appointed and that Congress repeatedly overlooked the persistent pattern of errors.

But, they added, it also goes much further. If the Attorney General lacks the power to appoint inferior officers, that conclusion would invalidate the appointment of every member of the Department who exercises significant authority and occupies a continuing office, other than the few that are specifically identified in statute.

A three-judge panel of the same appeals court overturned Cannon in December 2022, ruling that she had overstepped her bounds during the documents investigation by appointing an independent arbiter to review the classified records seized by the FBI during the Mar-a-Lago estate.
During a recent interview, Tulia Ackson, president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), highlighted the significant contributions of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of its affiliation to the IPU. Ackson lauded the NPC for its pivotal role in global parliamentary cooperation.

Ackson noted that China's involvement in the IPU has been instrumental in advancing key global initiatives, including the establishment of a high-level advisory committee focused on countering terrorism. She also praised China's progress in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs), which has provided valuable lessons for both developing and developed nations alike.

Reflecting on the 40-year relationship between the IPU and the NPC, Ackson expressed optimism about the future, emphasizing the potential for enhanced cooperation and mutual learning among countries. She remarked that China's approach, which balances respect for global order with unique and diverse policies, offers a model that other nations could adapt to achieve similar successes.

Editor: WXY
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Re: Fly in, Malle Belgium. Classic planes and cars



Notice the huge markings in the foreground. All airports have one of these. It depicts some basic information about the airport and can be spotted by a pilot when flying over it, before landing. As far as I know, even modern commercial airports still have one of these. Not much use for a commercial airliner. But very useful when you are flying these little planes and the airport is unmanned!







This was quite the sight to behold. A four-ship formation coming in over the treetops to land! I swear everybody that has ever seen Apocalypse Now was humming and whistling the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries"







It must have been at least 15 years since I last saw an actual Huey fly. Of course, this is unlikely to have flown in the Vietnam War. Huey produced several very similar-looking models for a good number of years after the war. They still sound like the original.



I have had the pleasure of flying in several of these during my oil offshore days. One of my most remarkable almost crashes happened whilst I was allowed to ride with the pilot of a Huey of the cost of Mogadishu in the early 80s.







Look at this. It could be a scene straight out of a war movie! As you may have noticed the public can get very close to all the planes. Unfortunately, these helicopters touched down about 150 meters from the crowd.











I am not entirely sure what make/model the other helicopters were. Do they look like some of the old Bell (Colibri) type? Not sure, maybe some of our members have some thoughts?







Another close up of the Gazelle and the Huey.







Notice how the main rotor of the Huey dips considerably. I am always amazed at how much movement that rotor has.







But for me this plane was the absolute highlight of the show: North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. Very frustrating, it landed whilst I was at the far end of the field. It had already landed when I spotted it first.



I have seen a number of these Bronco's in various museums around the world. But I had never seen one fly.







The last time I saw one fly, it was still in active service. I searched my old photographs and I came up with this image. I took it in the mid 1970s at an open day of the Dutch Airforce base Soesterberg. First time I laid my eyes on a Bronco! The next day I went to the modelkit shop and bought an Airfix kit. (It was kind of interesting going through my old aviation images, F4s, F5s, F104, those were the days!)







This one belongs to a Belgium couple. It is UK-registered and they fly it around Europe to visit all aviation events. You can follow them (like I do, obviously) on Facebook:



I managed to chat to them both for a while. I learned there are still some 10-15 Broncos flying operationally in Florida as fire fighters!







We had an American friend who used to fly one of these in the Vietnam war. He passed away some years ago. But I learned a lot from him about this plane and how the Americans used it. It has quite an eccentric history as to how it was developed too. Essentially two army guys pushing it through Military red tape and bureaucracy. The story is, that their superiors told them to stop all work on it, but they persevered, and the initial design plans were made on one of the guy's kitchen table, as they were not allowed to be seen spending time on it.











Some more classic cars. Notice the original little VW Polo. We had one just like it, but dark blue!







Obviously, no classic car lineup is complete without at least one red Ferrari!







And aviation lineup!







As with any event with kids, there will be a bouncy castle. My grandkids love these bouncy castles! There is no entrance fee to this event and all the kiddy stuff is free as well. Parking was free as well and you would be bussed into the airfield as the regular parking was about 1,5 kilometres from the terminal area.

Food and drinks were very reasonable priced as well I found.







This is, I kid you not, the local airport fire tender. As I mentioned earlier the Belgians seem pretty relaxed about these matters. I was amazed about how close the flight demonstrations were to the crowd as well!







Some more army trucks. I know next to nothing about military trucks, other than I like looking at them. Always impressive.







My W123 drew lots of attention. Lots of guys wanting to know all kinds of details. As far as I could see, mine was the only Dutch classic car present.







Later during the afternoon several demo-flights took place. Star of the show were the Red Devils of course. Sorry, not particularly good images of the planes flying. I have lost my touch and did not have the right kit on me either. This is as good as it gets as they say!







These planes do very gentle aerobatics, very graceful to watch, like a ballet in the sky!







Taxing back to the ramp after their demonstration flight. Got a big applause of the crowd. Very appropriate.







Towards the end of the day two more planes arrived. Both of the Pilatus. Single prop but both are turbine driven, so turbo-props!











Towards the end of the afternoon both the Huey and the Gazette took off once more.



You could also catch a ride with this Robinsson R44 helicopter. This guy was flying the whole day. He would come in, land, people would jump out, jump in, without him shutting down and he would take off again. Ten minutes later the same thing.Notice the huge markings in the foreground. All airports have one of these. It depicts some basic information about the airport and can be spotted by a pilot when flying over it, before landing. As far as I know, even modern commercial airports still have one of these. Not much use for a commercial airliner. But very useful when you are flying these little planes and the airport is unmanned!This was quite the sight to behold. A four-ship formation coming in over the treetops to land! I swear everybody that has ever seen Apocalypse Now was humming and whistling the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries"It must have been at least 15 years since I last saw an actual Huey fly. Of course, this is unlikely to have flown in the Vietnam War. Huey produced several very similar-looking models for a good number of years after the war. They still sound like the original.I have had the pleasure of flying in several of these during my oil offshore days. One of my most remarkable almost crashes happened whilst I was allowed to ride with the pilot of a Huey of the cost of Mogadishu in the early 80s.Look at this. It could be a scene straight out of a war movie! As you may have noticed the public can get very close to all the planes. Unfortunately, these helicopters touched down about 150 meters from the crowd.I am not entirely sure what make/model the other helicopters were. Do they look like some of the old Bell (Colibri) type? Not sure, maybe some of our members have some thoughts?Another close up of the Gazelle and the Huey.Notice how the main rotor of the Huey dips considerably. I am always amazed at how much movement that rotor has.But for me this plane was the absolute highlight of the show: North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. Very frustrating, it landed whilst I was at the far end of the field. It had already landed when I spotted it first.I have seen a number of these Bronco's in various museums around the world. But I had never seen one fly.The last time I saw one fly, it was still in active service. I searched my old photographs and I came up with this image. I took it in the mid 1970s at an open day of the Dutch Airforce base Soesterberg. First time I laid my eyes on a Bronco! The next day I went to the modelkit shop and bought an Airfix kit. (It was kind of interesting going through my old aviation images, F4s, F5s, F104, those were the days!)This one belongs to a Belgium couple. It is UK-registered and they fly it around Europe to visit all aviation events. You can follow them (like I do, obviously) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/broncodemoteam I managed to chat to them both for a while. I learned there are still some 10-15 Broncos flying operationally in Florida as fire fighters!We had an American friend who used to fly one of these in the Vietnam war. He passed away some years ago. But I learned a lot from him about this plane and how the Americans used it. It has quite an eccentric history as to how it was developed too. Essentially two army guys pushing it through Military red tape and bureaucracy. The story is, that their superiors told them to stop all work on it, but they persevered, and the initial design plans were made on one of the guy's kitchen table, as they were not allowed to be seen spending time on it.Some more classic cars. Notice the original little VW Polo. We had one just like it, but dark blue!Obviously, no classic car lineup is complete without at least one red Ferrari!And aviation lineup!As with any event with kids, there will be a bouncy castle. My grandkids love these bouncy castles! There is no entrance fee to this event and all the kiddy stuff is free as well. Parking was free as well and you would be bussed into the airfield as the regular parking was about 1,5 kilometres from the terminal area.Food and drinks were very reasonable priced as well I found.This is, I kid you not, the local airport fire tender. As I mentioned earlier the Belgians seem pretty relaxed about these matters. I was amazed about how close the flight demonstrations were to the crowd as well!Some more army trucks. I know next to nothing about military trucks, other than I like looking at them. Always impressive.My W123 drew lots of attention. Lots of guys wanting to know all kinds of details. As far as I could see, mine was the only Dutch classic car present.Later during the afternoon several demo-flights took place. Star of the show were the Red Devils of course. Sorry, not particularly good images of the planes flying. I have lost my touch and did not have the right kit on me either. This is as good as it gets as they say!These planes do very gentle aerobatics, very graceful to watch, like a ballet in the sky!Taxing back to the ramp after their demonstration flight. Got a big applause of the crowd. Very appropriate.Towards the end of the day two more planes arrived. Both of the Pilatus. Single prop but both are turbine driven, so turbo-props!Towards the end of the afternoon both the Huey and the Gazette took off once more. Last edited by Jeroen : 26th August 2024 at 14:13 .
Highly anticipated: There's been a ton of speculation around the release of Sony's upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro, with many believing it will arrive sometime in 2024. Although Sony hasn't officially confirmed any details about the upgraded hardware, leaks have painted a solid picture of the potential performance improvements. The console wasn't openly discussed at the recent Gamescom expo, however attendees have shared details that developers may have inadvertently revealed.

Multiple developers have indicated that an upgraded PlayStation 5 console is on track for release before the end of this year. The new hardware could be one of the products Sony is expected to showcase in the coming weeks. According to sources speaking to Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb, Sony will likely hold a new State of Play stream before the end of September.

While Grubb didn't confirm the presence of the PlayStation 5 Pro at the event, it's a possibility. Grubb also floated a potential $600 price tag  a $100 premium over the PS4 Slim that includes the optical drive. Even $700 isn't out of the question.

Is a new #NintendoDirect not enough excitement in your life?



Is yelling at @JeffGrubb your kink?



Good news: Our favorite busy bee is buzzing with rumors for you about the PS5 Pro and a PlayStation State of Play happening next month! pic.twitter.com/lF4HyqjkYB  World's Famous Giant Bomb (@giantbomb) August 26, 2024

Meanwhile, comments from developers suggesting a fast-approaching release emerged during last week's Gamescom 2024 conference in Cologne, Germany. One developer told Multiplayer.it that the PS5 Pro's release is imminent enough to impact launch plans for an upcoming game.

Another, smaller developer mentioned that the new hardware will handle Unreal Engine 5 significantly better than the standard PS5. Although Sony has yet to publicly acknowledge the existence of the PS5 Pro, the latest information suggests that many developers already have access to development kits.

The new model's CPU performance is expected to closely resemble the standard console, but it reportedly features significant GPU and AI enhancements, which developers can leverage to offer a noticeably improved experience. Overall graphics performance could see an uplift of up to 45 percent, while ray tracing performance might double, or even triple.

Additionally, PlayStation "Spectral Super Resolution"  Sony's in-house counterpart to Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR  will use upscaling to enhance image quality from lower rendering resolutions. As a result, some titles may use ray tracing more extensively on the PS5 Pro, while others could achieve higher frame rates or sharper visuals.

If this pans out, Sony would be jumping ahead of console rivals. Information regarding a potential Xbox mid-generation refresh remains scarce, while Nintendo is expected to reveal its next-generation Switch console in the coming months, but with an expected release sometime in 2025.
Something to look forward to: As the unveiling of Nvidia's next-generation graphics cards draws nearer, leaks are beginning to provide details on the entire hardware stack, including the mainstream and laptop models expected to launch in 2025. Laptop manufacturers are telling clients to expect significant efficiency and performance improvements.

Recent comments from the chairman of Chinese PC manufacturer Hasee suggest that a mainstream mobile GPU in Nvidia's upcoming Blackwell lineup will draw significantly less power than its direct predecessor  the notebook GeForce RTX 4060. The efficiency improvements could make next year's mid-range gaming laptops thinner, lighter, and likely faster.

Established leaker Golden Pig Upgrade attended a conference where Hasee chairman Wu Haijun spoke about Nvidia's next-generation laptop graphics cards. According to him, the model likely to be called the RTX 5060 will draw only 115W  a noticeable decrease from the 4060's maximum of 140W. Combined with information from previous leaks, Haijun's comments suggest that the RTX 5060 could perform similarly to the RTX 4070, likely exceeding it in ray-tracing workloads.

Additionally, Haijun confirmed that multiple notebook Blackwell GPUs would see similar energy efficiency improvements. Systems using unnamed high-end next-generation cards might only require 175W or 140W.

A massive leak from a ransomware attack conducted against Taiwanese laptop maker Clevo in June revealed the memory configurations of six upcoming mobile Blackwell GPUs. Three mid-range models, one of which is the 5060, will include 8GB of VRAM. Meanwhile, the flagship 5090 and high-end 5080 will feature 16 GB, and an unnamed model ranked below them will offer 12 GB.

All laptop RTX 5000 graphics cards will use GDDR7 RAM, which will perform significantly faster than the GDDR6 and GDDR6X memory used by the RTX 4000 series. This arrangement contrasts with indications from previous leaks regarding the desktop Blackwell lineup.

The three or four top RTX 5000 GPUs will use GDDR7, but the desktop RTX 5060 will include GDDR6 to lower the price. While the amount of RAM remains unclear, it will likely use a 128-bit memory interface. Meanwhile, the flagship 5090 will feature 28 GB of memory with a 512 or 448-bit interface.

Rumors regarding Blackwell's launch date have bounced between late 2024 and early 2025, but the newest information suggests a CES 2025 debut. Nvidia might release the RTX 5080 before RTX 5090 to show confidence that it outperforms the current flagship  the RTX 4090. Competing next-generation GPUs from AMD and Intel are also expected to emerge between late this year and early next year.
Forward-looking: Little by little, humankind's understanding of the Moon's water resources continues to advance, giving hope to the possibility that one day it will be able to support permanent human settlements. The latest breakthrough comes from Chinese scientists, who have discovered a method to extract water from lunar soil by harnessing ilmenite's ability to store and release hydrogen when heated. This innovation could significantly reduce the need for Earth-based resupply missions and enable settlers to eventually grow their own food on the Moon.

In a groundbreaking development, Chinese scientists have unveiled a novel technique for extracting water from lunar soil, opening new possibilities for the future human habitation on the Moon. This approach not only promises to provide a sustainable water source for astronauts but also challenges long-held beliefs about the Moon's arid nature.

For decades, the scientific community believed the Moon was devoid of water. Early lunar missions, such as those conducted by Apollo, returned samples that showed no significant evidence of water, reinforcing the assumption that any water would evaporate in the Moon's low-gravity, vacuum environment. However, subsequent missions like Cassini, Chandrayaan-1, and Deep Impact painted a different picture. These missions detected water-bearing minerals and hydroxyl groups across the lunar surface, with higher concentrations near the poles, contradicting the dry findings of the Apollo missions.

The discovery of water is particularly pronounced in the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) at the poles. These areas, shielded from sunlight, allow water ice to potentially remain preserved for billions of years. Despite the presence of water, it exists in trace amounts, often chemically bonded to minerals in the lunar soil, making extraction a formidable challenge.

A team led by Professor Wang Junqiang has proposed a method to produce water by combining hydrogen, implanted by solar winds, with oxygen in the lunar regolith. This process was tested using samples from the 2020 Chang'E-5 mission, which landed in a hydrogen-rich area. By heating the lunar regolith above 1,200K with concave mirrors, the method can produce at least 50 kg of water from a ton of lunar soil.

Central to this method is ilmenite, an iron mineral abundant on the Moon. Ilmenite's unique lattice structure contains sub-nanometer tunnels that trap hydrogen implanted by the solar wind over billions of years. When the lunar regolith is heated, the hydrogen stored in ilmenite reacts with oxygen in the minerals to form water vapor. This vapor can then be collected and condensed into liquid water, offering a viable resource for sustaining human life on the Moon.

The team's paper, "Massive Water Production from Lunar Ilmenite through Reaction with Endogenous Hydrogen," was published in The Innovation this month.

This method has the potential to produce sufficient water for 50 astronauts daily, according to the scientists, marking a significant step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon. The water can be used for drinking, irrigating plants, supporting longer lunar missions, and paving the way for future space exploration efforts.
A hot potato: Police departments are using a new tool that allows them to write reports using generative AI. The software vendor providing this claims its approach has solved some of the more vexing problems associated with gen AI like hallucinations, but the technology has yet to face the scrutiny of the courts, which means the debate of its use is far from over. Discussions are expected to center on issues of privacy, civil rights, and justice.

Police departments, long accustomed to using technology in their operations, have recently started integrating generative AI into their report-writing processes. This shift follows the introduction of Draft One, a new tool created by police equipment vendor Axon earlier this year.

Draft One uses Microsoft's Azure OpenAI platform to transcribe audio from police body cameras and then generate draft narratives. To ensure accuracy and objectivity, these reports are strictly based on audio transcripts, avoiding any form of speculation or embellishment.

Officers are required to verify and approve the reports, which are flagged to indicate AI involvement in their creation. Despite using the same underlying technology as ChatGPT, known for occasionally producing misleading information, Axon asserts that it has fine-tuned the AI to prioritize factual accuracy and minimize hallucination issues.

"We use the same underlying technology as ChatGPT, but we have access to more knobs and dials than an actual ChatGPT user would have," Noah Spitzer-Williams, who manages Axon's AI products, told The AP. Turning down the "creativity dial" helps the model stick to facts so that it "doesn't embellish or hallucinate in the same ways that you would find if you were just using ChatGPT on its own," he said.

The selling points of Draft One are clear. It is marketed as a tool designed to significantly reduce the time officers spend on paperwork, potentially cutting down report-writing time by 30-45 minutes per report. This efficiency, Axon says, allows officers to dedicate more time to community engagement and decision-making, which could enhance de-escalation outcomes.

To be fair, officers who have used Draft One report that these AI-generated documents are not only time-efficient but also accurate and well-structured. Moreover, the AI sometimes captures details that officers might overlook.

Police departments across the country have been using Draft One in different ways. In Oklahoma City, AI-generated reports are currently limited to minor incidents that do not involve arrests or violent crimes, following recommendations from local prosecutors to proceed cautiously.

Conversely, in cities like Lafayette and Fort Collins, AI usage is more extensive, even encompassing major cases, although challenges remain, such as handling noisy environments.

Axon has not disclosed the number of police departments currently utilizing their technology. The company is not alone in this market, as startups such as Policereports.ai and Truleo are also offering comparable solutions. However, due to Axon's established connections with law enforcement agencies that purchase its Tasers and body cameras, industry experts and police officials anticipate that the use of AI-generated reports will become increasingly widespread in the near future.

Despite its potential, the use of AI in report writing has sparked concerns among legal scholars, prosecutors, and community activists. They worry about AI's tendency to "hallucinate" or produce false information and the possibility of AI altering critical documents within the criminal justice system. Other issues include embedding societal biases into reports and the risk of officers becoming overly reliant on AI, potentially leading to less meticulous report writing.

"I am concerned that automation and the ease of the technology would cause police officers to be sort of less careful with their writing," said Andrew Ferguson, a law professor at American University working on what appears to be the first law review article on the emerging technology.
What just happened? Samsung has pledged to provide at least seven years of software updates for some of its newer TV models running Tizen OS. The company's Linux-based operating system supports several other devices beyond TVs, including home appliances. The announcement came last week, intending to take a shot across the bow of Chinese rivals like Hisense and TCL, which have been rapidly gaining market share.

For context, the average TV brand currently only offers anywhere between 2-5 years of updates. Samsung's decision to double down on long-term support could be a game-changer, especially for eco-conscious consumers looking to reduce e-waste and keep their TVs for longer. The extended update window will initially cover select 2023 models as well as TVs launching from March 2024 onwards that feature Samsung's much-hyped AI enhancements.

As for Samsung's motivation behind this, it seems the company's been feeling the heat from Chinese companies that have been chipping away at its dominance. Rivals like TCL and Hisense are slowly gaining ground, with data from Omdia revealing that Samsung's unit share dipped from 20.3% to 18.8% between Q1 2023 and Q1 2024.

Yong Seok-woo, president of Samsung's Visual Display business, didn't mince words about the strategy, describing it as a way to "widen the gap in market share with Chinese companies," according to a report by KED Global.

With the competitive pressure mounting, Samsung previously formed an unlikely alliance with long-time frenemy LG  Samsung sells OLED TVs using panels from LG Display. The South Korean government reportedly encouraged this team-up to help its national champions fend off the rising Chinese brands.

Of course, the big unanswered question is exactly which models will qualify for seven years of updates. Samsung has been vague, only confirming it will cover "AI TVs" with advanced smart capabilities from the eligible release window. Nevertheless, for consumers, having a TV that maintains up-to-date smarts and security for nearly a decade could be a compelling reason to stick with Samsung and make the most of their investment over the long haul. The average TV lasts for about seven years, according to research, and this pledge covers that lifespan perfectly.

It's notable that Samsung had already set a precedent for long-term support by promising seven years of updates for its Galaxy flagship phones  a commitment that spurred rivals like Google to raise its own update game. The best-case scenario is that the TV industry sees a similar ripple effect.
Big quote: Mark Zuckerberg claims that Facebook was pressured by the Biden administration to take down Covid-related content during the pandemic. The Meta CEO said that he regrets acceding to the demands and not being "outspoken" about what was happening. Zuckerberg also said he would "push back" if something similar happened again.

In a letter to the Committee on the Judiciary of the US House of Representatives, Zuckerberg wrote that in 2021 senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured Meta's teams for months to censor certain Covid-19 content, including humor and satire.

"I believe the government pressure was wrong and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it," Zuckerberg wrote in the letter. "I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any administration in either direction  and we're ready to push back if something like this happens again."

Social media platforms faced a deluge of Covid-related posts from users during the pandemic. Facebook took down more than 20 million pieces of content in just over a year over claims it was misinformation or that it violated the company's policies.

Facebook faced criticism for its censoring of certain Covid-related posts. That backlash grew after the platform announced in May 2021 that it would no longer remove posts claiming the virus was manufactured. Facebook altered its policy following a Wall Street Journal report of three scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology being hospitalized in late 2019 with symptoms similar to those experienced by individuals infected with the virus.

Zuckerberg also wrote that Facebook should not have demoted a New York Post story about corruption allegations involving Joe Biden's family ahead of the 2020 election while waiting for fact-checkers to review it  it was later made clear that the report was not Russian disinformation, as initially believed. Facebook has since changed its policies and processes so stories will not be temporarily demoted in the US while waiting for fact-checkers.

The final part of the letter addresses Zuckerberg's plan to ensure he remains neutral in the upcoming US election. He made contributions to local jurisdictions to support election infrastructure in 2020, which he said were designed to be non-partisan, but Zuckerberg said some people believed the work benefited one party over another. There will be no such contributions during this year's elections.

Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things:



1. Biden-Harris Admin "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans.



2. Facebook censored Americans.



3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story.



Big win for free speech. pic.twitter.com/ALlbZd9l6K  House Judiciary GOP AAAAAAAAAAAA (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2024

House Judiciary Republicans wrote on X that Zuckerberg admitted in the letter that the Biden-Harris administration pressured Facebook to censor Americans, which the platform did, and that Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. They called the letter a "Big win for free speech."
There is a new minuscule brain chip called the MiBMI, and researchers touted that this new implant can transform thoughts into text with ease, also claiming that it has a high accuracy in doing so. It has the potential to deliver a new capability and help people with motor disabilities unlock better communication capabilities with the use of this brain-machine interface (BMI).

This new tiny brain chip is a powerful device that can decode neural signals and turn them into readable text that they may pass along.

MiBMI: New Tiny Silicon Brain Chip Can Transform Thoughts to Text

Swiss researchers from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) unveiled their latest BMI development which improves more of the current available ones in the market. This is called the MiBMI, or the Miniature Brain-Machine Interface, which offers an "extremely small" and low-power Silicon chip that can transform thoughts into text.

The researchers have published their study in the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, claiming that it increases the efficiency and scalability of these types of implants.

One of its many promises is restoring and enhancing the communication feats of people with severe motor impairments.

Read Also : Scientists Use Nanoparticles to Control Mouse Behavior in Groundbreaking Study

Silicon Brain Chip Features High Accuracy, Minimal Invasiveness

According to the study, the Silicon-based MiBMI can translate complex neural signals into readable text with as much as 91 percent accuracy. Moreover, it is a small chip that is only 8mm2 in size, making it a practical device that has minimal invasiveness which paves the way for safe and practical clinical implants.

It can help patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease, as well as those suffering from spinal injuries.

Brain-Machine Interfaces for Improved Quality of Life

The many marvels and robust capabilities of technology include wide possibilities of bringing back functions after people lose them, and this includes brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) that promise a better future. One of the most popular developments in the present is Elon Musk's Neuralink, with its brain chip working wonders that help improve its first patient's quality of life.

Neuralink has since allowed Noland Arbaugh, the first person with the implant, to rediscover his love for gaming after being a quadriplegic.

However, there is a company looking to rival Neuralink, and this is from a co-founder and former executive of the company who established a new one called Precision Neuroscience, boasting 4,096 electrodes on the human brain.

Still, there are more studies conducted by different researchers and universities to develop new brain-computer technology that could restore essential functionalities and more. EPFL's new MiBMI has a significant promise for disabled people, using its tiny Silicon brain chip to help them communicate their thoughts into text and also implants this with minimal invasiveness making it safer than others in the market.
In a strategic move to maintain its dominance in the smart TV market, Samsung has announced that it will provide seven years of Tizen operating system updates for its newer AI-powered televisions. This decision is a direct response to growing competition from Chinese brands like Hisense and TCL, which are quickly gaining market share.

The announcement, made at Samsung Electronics' Suwon Campus and reported by Business Korea, will first apply to TV models released in March 2024, as well as some products launched in 2023.

Samsung Extends Tizen OS Updates to Stay Ahead

Samsung's commitment to offering seven years of Tizen OS updates is a significant shift from its current practice, where updates typically focus on bug fixes rather than upgrading the OS itself. This policy change signals Samsung's intention to enhance the longevity and performance of its smart TVs, making them more attractive to consumers who expect long-term support for their devices.

As the global leader in smart TV sales, Samsung is facing increased pressure from Chinese competitors.

According to research from analytics firm Omdia, Samsung held nearly 29% of the global TV market in the first half of the year, a decline of more than 2% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, Hisense and TCL have been rapidly closing the gap, with market shares of 12.1% and 10 %, respectively.

Aligning TV and Smartphone Policies

Samsung's decision to extend Tizen OS updates mirrors a similar commitment made earlier this year regarding its Galaxy S24 smartphone series.

In January, the company pledged to provide seven years of OS upgrades and security updates for these devices, reinforcing its reputation for long-term support across its product lines. This strategy not only enhances customer loyalty but also differentiates Samsung from its rivals by offering extended software support that rivals typically do not.

In comparison, LG, Samsung's domestic competitor, announced in January that it would offer five years of webOS upgrades for its smart TVs. However, LG's announcement lacked clarity regarding which specific models would receive these updates, leaving some consumers uncertain about the extent of support they could expect.

Samsung's Response to Market Shifts

Samsung's decision to extend Tizen OS support is a calculated response to the shifting dynamics of the global TV market. The rise of Chinese brands like Hisense and TCL has introduced more competition, particularly in terms of pricing and technology. By committing to long-term software updates, Samsung aims to retain its competitive edge and reassure consumers that its products will remain up-to-date and functional for years to come.

This move also reflects the growing importance of software in the consumer electronics industry. As smart TVs become increasingly integrated with AI and other advanced features, the ability to provide timely and comprehensive software updates becomes crucial.

According to The Verge, Samsung's new policy ensures that its AI-powered TVs will continue to receive the necessary updates to improve performance, add new features, and enhance security, making them a more appealing choice for tech-savvy consumers.

Samsung Strengthens Its Market Position

Samsung's pledge to provide seven years of Tizen OS updates for its newer AI-powered TVs is a smart move designed to solidify its position as the leader in the smart TV market. By aligning its TV update policy with that of its smartphones, the phone maker is sending a clear message to its competitors and customers alike: the company is committed to delivering long-term value and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving market.

As Samsung faces mounting competition from Chinese brands, this policy extension could prove to be a key factor in maintaining its market leadership.

With this move, the company not only enhances the appeal of its current product lineup but also sets a new standard for the industry, emphasizing the importance of long-term software support in the consumer electronics market.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has revealed that the Biden administration allegedly "pressured" the social media giant to censor content related to COVID-19.

Zuckerberg expressed his concerns about these actions, reflecting on the decisions made during that time and their implications for content moderation and free speech.

Allegations of Government Influence on Content Moderation

Senior officials from the Biden administration reportedly pressured Meta for months to remove or censor certain COVID-19 content in 2021. This included not only serious discussions but also humor and satire related to the pandemic.

Zuckerberg detailed these claims in a letter addressed to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, which was subsequently shared on the committee's Facebook page and its account on X (formerly Twitter). A Meta spokesperson confirmed the letter's authenticity to CNBC.

Zuckerberg Regrets Being Not Outspoken

While Zuckerberg acknowledged that it was ultimately Meta's decision to take down any content, he expressed regret over the government's influence on these decisions. He emphasized that the pressure exerted by the administration was inappropriate and stated that he regretted that Meta should have been more outspoken about it.

According to Politico, the 40-year-old tech billionaire underscored that Meta should not have compromised its content standards under pressure from any administration and vowed that the company would push back against similar pressure in the future.

Meta's Content Removal During the Pandemic

In August 2021, Facebook, under Meta, announced that it had removed over 20 million posts related to COVID-19 that violated its content rules. This action was part of a broader effort by social media platforms to control misinformation during the pandemic. However, these efforts were met with criticism from the White House, which accused platforms like Facebook of allowing misinformation about the coronavirus to spread.

Zuckerberg's recent statements add another layer to the ongoing debate about the role of social media companies in moderating content. His letter highlights the tension between government directives and the autonomy of social media platforms, raising questions about how these companies should balance public health concerns with the right to free speech.

The Implications for Social Media and Free Speech

The revelations in Zuckerberg's letter have reignited discussions about the extent to which social media firms should moderate content, particularly under government influence.

The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), has accused big tech companies of colluding with the government to censor speech, further fueling the debate.

Zuckerberg also touched on his role in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, stating that while he had previously contributed to electoral infrastructure through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, he does not plan to do so for the upcoming election. He emphasized his intention to remain neutral and avoid any appearance of influencing the election.

A Controversy with Far-Reaching Effects

Zuckerberg's claims of government pressure to censor COVID-19 content shed light on the complex relationship between social media platforms and government authorities.

"When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety. Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people while making independent choices about the information they present," the White House said in a Facebook post.
This photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view of Dubrovnik seen from the Srdj Hill in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Zvonimir Barisin/PIXSELL via Xinhua)

Many previously less-known European cities started to welcome a growing number of Chinese travelers this summer.

BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- As Europe continues to attract Chinese tourists, this summer a growing number of Chinese travelers preferred less-touristy destinations and opted for slow and immersive travel.

Croatia, located along the Adriatic Sea, has seen a significant increase in Chinese tourists. Kristina Mamic, director of corporate communications at the Croatian National Tourist Board, said that 96,700 Chinese tourists had visited Croatia by Aug. 21, surging 93 percent year-on-year.

Dubrovnik, the prominent tourist destination in southern Croatia, the capital city of Zagreb and the second-largest city of Split have been particularly popular. Mamic noted that although the tourist number has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, the trend is encouraging.

Chinese police officers talk with Chinese tourists during a joint police patrol with Croatian counterparts in Zagreb, Croatia, July 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)

Albania is also gaining popularity among Chinese travelers. According to Albania's Ministry of Tourism, 13,000 Chinese visited the country between January and July this year, representing a 118.6 percent increase.

Chen Shuo, a tour guide from Sky Tour Shpk in Tirana, attributed this rise to the country's rich cultural history and affordable travel options.

Apart from changing their preferred destinations, Chinese tourists now favor slow and immersive travel over the previously fast-paced and intense style of tourism.

In the Dutch village of Giethoorn, known as the "Venice of the North" for its serene waterways and picturesque landscape, Chinese tourists are increasingly favoring longer stays and cultural immersion.

This undated file photo shows a view of Giethoorn, a top destination in the Netherlands favored by Chinese tourists. (Giethoorn/Handout via Xinhua)

Gabriella Esselbrugge, a Dutch tourism promoter for Giethoorn, said most Chinese tourists opted for independent travel now, staying longer and more eager to immerse themselves in the local culture.

Similarly, Belgium's Dinant, a scenic tiny town along the Meuse River and the birthplace of the saxophone, also attracts Chinese tourists.

To cater to this growing market, European countries are adjusting their services.

Dinant has introduced Chinese-language signage and increased its presence on popular Chinese travel platforms.

Yang Junwei, owner of Restaurant China Town in Dinant, has said he noticed that the number of Chinese tourists visiting the town has significantly increased in recent years.

Participants take part in the International Bathtub Regatta on the Meuse River in Dinant, Belgium, on Aug. 15, 2023. Starting in 1982, participants vie to create the most impressive bathtub-based craft and compete down the Meuse River in Dinant on Aug. 15 each year. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

The Czech Republic has seen a 125.7 percent rise in Chinese tourists this year, partly due to the resumption of direct flights between Beijing and Prague.

Frantisek Reismuller, director of CzechTourism, the Czech tourism authority, has noted that tourism in the country has returned to pre-COVID levels. The CzechTourism has also invited Chinese influencers to showcase local culture and attractions to a wider audience, Reismuller added.

In Finland, the Helsinki Airport has enhanced its services for Chinese travelers, offering Chinese-language signage and accepting payment methods like Alipay.

Nelli Koskimaki, a media representative of Finavia, a state-owned company managing and operating 20 airports around the country, confirmed ongoing negotiations with Chinese airlines on Friday to expand flight connections, catering to increased demand.

People view an illuminated building during the International Light Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Jan. 25, 2024. (Photo by Alfredas Pliadis/Xinhua)

Lithuania, previously off the radar for most Chinese travelers, is emerging as a new destination. The capital city of Vilnius is known for its well-preserved medieval old town, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourist companies are considering adding Chinese-language services.

Athens International Airport has also added Chinese-language signs and introduced two robots that provide services in Chinese to adapt to the growing influx of Chinese tourists. 

Editor: JYZ
Russian delegation arrives in North Korea



Seoul, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2024



A Russian delegation led by a top trade official has arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday.

The team headed by Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Roman Chekushov arrived in the North Korean capital on Monday, the state news agency KCNA reported.

At the airport, the delegation was greeted by North Korea's External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong Ho as well as Russian embassy officials, and a reception followed, according to the report.

The visit comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his country's support over devastating floods that caused an unspecified number of deaths and damaged thousands of homes in late July.

The government has vowed to move 15,000 flood victims to the capital as international offers of support have poured in since news of the flooding disaster emerged.

South Korean media have reported that the number of dead and missing in the North from the floods could be as high as 1,500, but North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed the reports as a provocation.

North Korea and Russia have been allies since the North's founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

North Korea is accused of breaching arms control measures by supplying weapons to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine.

Natural disasters tend to have a greater impact on the isolated and impoverished country due to its weak infrastructure, while deforestation has left it vulnerable to flooding.
Major Pacific sea mining project eyes 2026 start



Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



A Nauru-backed company will forge ahead with contentious plans to start industrial deep-sea mining in 2026, a top executive has told AFP, vowing to overcome environmental criticisms that have dogged the project.

Canada-based The Metals Company is leading a contentious push to mine the sea floor underneath the Pacific Ocean, hoovering up lumps of rock studded with coveted metals.

Through a subsidiary company backed by Pacific microstate Nauru, it is hoping to open up a vast offshore economic zone where initial testing is already under way.

"If everything went according to plan, we're still talking about 2026," The Metals Company chief executive Gerard Barron said on the sidelines of a key Pacific summit in Tonga late Monday.

Deep sea mining does not sit on the official agenda at this year's Pacific Islands Forum, but is expected to stir heated discussions behind closed doors.

Nauru, Tonga and the Cook Islands sit at the forefront of the emerging industry, believing it holds the key to economic prosperity in a region where land is scarce and times are tough.

Pacific neighbours Palau, Fiji and Samoa are opposed -- pushing for lingering environmental questions to be cleared up before anyone takes the plunge.

Companies stand to earn billions by scraping the ocean floor for polymetallic rocks, or nodules, that are loaded with manganese, cobalt, copper and nickel -- metals used to build batteries for electric vehicles.

Barron attended the region's top summit wearing an official badge registered to Nauru.

"We're part of the Nauru delegation," he said.

The Metals Company said it would lodge plans with the international regulator early next year, with a view to ramping up activity in 2026.

Barron said if Nauru paved the way, other Pacific nations would swiftly follow.

He said Pacific opposition had been fomented by environmental activists painting an alarming picture of its risks.

"What Tonga are saying is, hey, we'd like a bit more progress on our block as well," Barron said.

"I think all of the other nations, you will probably see a change in position from them, that is my prediction."

A groundbreaking scientific study published earlier this year threatens to complicate things.

It showed that polymetallic nodules appear to produce oxygen through a chemical process of unclear ecological significance.

Although The Metals Company partly funded that study, Barron said it was now disputing the findings.

"We have lodged our rebuttal with that journal, and I think stand by for more information there.

"But we're very, very confident that the conclusions from that paper are misleading."



- Gold rush -



Nauru, population 12,500, is one of the world's smallest countries with a mainland measuring just 20 square kilometres (7.7 square miles).

It lays claims to a mining exploration area of more than 70,000 square kilometres in a patch of sea called the Clarion Clipperton Zone.

Several companies hold the rights to areas of similar size, but Barron's is poised to be among the first to start mining.

Phosphate mining once made Nauru one of the world's richest countries per capita.

That boon has long dried up, leaving much of the mainland a barren moonscape.

Many scientists and environmental groups fear the deep sea extraction process could permanently disfigure relatively pristine underwater ecosystems.

Polymetallic nodules grow with the help of microbes over millions of years, forming around kernels of organic matter such as a shark's tooth or whale bones.

sft/arb/cwl
Children gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A boy is seen after receiving food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Children gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
EU faces legal challenge over 'grossly inadequate' climate goals



Brussels, Belgium, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Green activists on Tuesday said they were taking the European Union to court over "insufficient" climate targets, accusing Brussels of violating a key global agreement.

CAN Europe and Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) said in legal written arguments to a top EU court that the 27-country bloc's targets for emissions from agriculture, waste, small industry and transport were "grossly inadequate".

"The EU's overall climate ambition remains alarmingly off-track from the 1.5-degree Celsius limit of the 2015 Paris climate accords," the groups said in a statement.

The agreement set the ambitious target of limiting the world to a temperature increase of 1.5C over pre-industrial levels.

The EU faces a delicate balancing act. It strives to lower carbon emissions but at the same time faces fury from farmers who say EU targets are making their jobs much harder.

There have been rolling protests by farmers in Brussels and around Europe against the bloc's aims but environmental defenders are simultaneously calling for more ambitious targets.

The two climate groups made the criticism as part of a fast-tracked lawsuit filed earlier this year with a top EU court.

A hearing at the Luxembourg-based General Court of the European Union is expected next year, with a possible ruling in 2026, they said.

They are using a legal decision by the separate European Court of Human Rights -- part of the 46-member Council of Europe -- from April against Switzerland, which the court said was not doing enough to tackle climate change.

CAN Europe and GLAN said the EU's 2030 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent based on 1990 levels is insufficient.

"The EU has to ramp up emissions reduction and achieve at least a 65 percent cut by 2030 if it wants to be a credible actor," said Sven Harmeling, climate head at CAN Europe.

The groups also said in their complaint that they want the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, to lower the emissions allowed for different sectors, including agriculture and transport.

The commission wanted all 27 countries to submit their plans to achieve the 55 percent cut in emissions last year before finalising them in June 2024.

But by December 2023, it only received 21 countries' plans, which had serious shortcomings and by the final deadline this summer, the commission received plans from only four countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden and The Netherlands.
Liu Ning, secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China, delivers a speech at a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee held its 4th meeting in Brunei on Sunday to enhance coordination and further promote the industrial collaboration between China and the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA).

Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the prime minister's office and second minister of finance and economy of Brunei, said at the meeting that the BGEC has played a pivotal role in fostering a dynamic supply value chain between Brunei, China, and other ASEAN countries since its establishment in 2014.

"Brunei Darussalam is continuously working to diversify its economy and welcome quality FDI from China to invest in sectors such as food, downstream oil and gas, tourism, services, and ICT," the minister said.

"The growing industrial cooperation between Guangxi and Brunei highlights the substantial potential for cross-sector collaboration, particularly in developing industry chains through shared resources and strategic alignment," he added.

During the meeting, Liu Ning, secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China, highlighted the achievements of the BGEC over the past decade, indicating that Guangxi aspires to actively engage in the sub-regional cooperation between China and the EAGA.

Nearly 100 representatives from the governmental and business sector of Guangxi and Brunei attended the meeting, including a sideline trade and investment promotion event. 

Representatives from the business sector of China's Guangxi and Brunei attend a signing ceremony during a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the prime minister's office and second minister of finance and economy of Brunei, delivers a speech at a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

Editor: JYZ
A boy from Gaza, who lost an arm and two legs in an Israeli raid, practices with prosthetic limbs at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

AMMAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict.

The initiative, which comes under the direction of King Abdullah II, offers advanced technology that enables the fitting of functional prosthetic limbs for amputees within one hour.

The personnel at Jordan's National Center for Amputee Rehabilitation, part of King Hussein Medical Center, have received training in the new technology and successfully fitted a young boy from Gaza, who underwent a triple amputation, with prosthetic limbs, allowing him to walk with a walker in just one day.

Furthermore, two Mobile Amputee Support Units, equipped with all necessary tools, will be deployed to the Jordanian military field hospitals in Gaza, where they will start fitting amputees with prosthetic limbs.

Mustafa Al-Hayari, director of military media in the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, said that the initiative aims to provide thousands of prosthetic limbs for individuals who have suffered limb loss. 

A man practices with a prosthetic limb at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A doctor fits a prosthetic limb for a man at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A vehicle equipped with new technology for fitting prosthetic limbs is seen in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A doctor fits a prosthetic limb for a man at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Theres a lot of doom and gloom around the outlook for iron ore, with the iron price tumbling from above $US140 a tonne at the start of 2024 to around $US100 a tonne this week, or roughly the average price BHP realised ($US101 a tonne) last financial year. It has traded below $US100 a tonne recently. Thats clearly being driven by conditions within China, where the collapse of the countrys property sector has had a major impact on demand for steel and therefore iron ore. The collapse of Chinas property sector has had a major impact on demand for steel and therefore iron ore. Credit: Getty That impact, exacerbated by the fact that the growth in investment in Chinas infrastructure sector, another major driver of demand for steel, has also fallen away because of past over-investment, is unlikely to be short-lived. Add in the prospect that the first ore from Guineas giant Simandou project will probably hit the market from next year, before scaling up over several years to, potentially, 120 million tonnes per annum, and it is easy to see why there is so much pessimism about the sectors prospects.

BHP, however, has the lowest costs in the sector  C1 cash costs of $US15.84 a tonne and unit costs of $US18.19 a tonne  and has extended its cost advantage over its rivals during the past financial year. Loading At an operational level, the miner achieved record production of almost 260 million tonnes and this year will complete studies on the feasibility of increasing its output to 305 million tonnes a year in the medium term and 330 million tonnes in the longer term. Why would it consider expanding production given that it is improbable that Chinas demand is going to bounce back  its steel production, almost all of it unprofitable today, has plateaued at about 1 billion tonnes a year  and there is a major new source of supply about to hit the market? The low-cost producer can survive any market conditions. It is the marginal producer  in this case a collection of Chinese domestic producers, India and some smaller West Australian miners  that could be forced out of the market.

BHPs estimate of where the pressure on those marginal producers reached breaking point is around $US80 a tonne. At that level, BHP would still be generating gross margins of more than $US60 a tonne on increasing volumes that require only incremental investment, unlike the $US23 billion of new capital that is being ploughed into Simandou, with its costly greenfield rail and port facilities. As a low-cost producer, BHP can survive any market conditions. Credit: Arsineh Houspian BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue also have major transport cost advantage over Simandou, with the WA miners about 14,000 kilometres closer to China than Guinea. Like Rio, BHP has been here before.

In 2015, amid a sharp deceleration in Chinas growth as it tried (unsuccessfully) to shift its economy from an over-reliance on exports towards domestic consumption, a meltdown on Chinas sharemarket and a fumbled devaluation of its currency, the iron ore price fell towards $US40 a tonne. Further back, before the global financial crisis in 2008 that caused China to embark on one of the worlds largest stimulus programs  and resulted in a boom in infrastructure and property investment that evolved into the property bubble that Xi Jinping burst in 2020 with his restrictions on property developers leverage  prices had always been below $US40 a tonne and, in real terms, falling. The post-2008 period, during which prices have spiked above $US200 a tonne, has been an aberration for the sector, not the historical norm. The transition to a lower carbon emission global economy will require steel for electric vehicles, wind turbines and the like, and so there will be a floor under demand but, without the demand from construction within China, it is unlikely that prices will bounce dramatically. Therefore, the continued increased in low-cost volumes coming from the three big WA iron ore miners  BHP, Rio and Fortescue  and from Vales established mines in Brazil should push out the more vulnerable producers while they continue to generate solid profits.

The cash flows and profits from its West Australian mines underwrite BHPs ability to invest in its future-facing commodities while producing strong cash returns to shareholders. (Albeit because it plans to increase the investment in its suite of existing assets, not as strong in the latest financial year as they were in the previous one.) Its capital expenditures were $US9.3 billion last financial year, tilted towards copper and potash, and it has foreshadowed increasing investment to about $US11 billion this year and into the medium term. Loading Those numbers dont include any major acquisitions although despite the failure of its efforts to get the Anglo American board to engage with what would have been a $US75 billion acquisition, BHP isnt ruling out future acquisitions, probably in copper. That is even though it is already one of the worlds major copper producers and one with many prospective resources in South Australia and South America. The continuing growth of its copper production and the expected first potash production from Jansen in 2026 will progressively diversify BHPs resource base and make it less dependent on iron ore.
The rise of scams has become a pressing issue, with Australian victims losing almost $3 billion to scams last year alone. In a world where our lives are increasingly online, scammers are now exploiting social media platforms and dating apps in creative ways to cause significant financial harm to even the most tech-savvy of us.

Ironically, the technology that helps businesses detect scams is also helping scammers: AI-generated content and deepfakes on social media platforms have only heightened the issue as scams become harder for humans to detect. This raises an important question: who should bear the cost for these losses?

Legislators are finally getting serious about making platforms take responsibility for scams. Credit: Shutterstock

When a victim is tricked into making a payment to a scammers account, Australian banks and digital platforms are not currently obligated to reimburse them. Other jurisdictions take a different approach. In Britain, from October banks will be legally required to reimburse scam victims with few exceptions. Whether Australia should adopt a similar approach has ignited debate.

There is a growing expectation that well-resourced companies, such as banks and digital platforms, should do more to prevent scam losses. Banks in particular play a pivotal role in scam prevention, detection and response.
The building union workers who rallied in capital cities around the nation on Tuesday are right to be angry, but their anger at the Labor Party, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the ACTU is misdirected.

Its the CFMEU bosses, such as John Setka, Darren Greenfield and Derek Christopher, who have betrayed union members.

These three union leaders are the ones who have weakened the union  and, by extension, its ability to negotiate pay rises and protect worker safety.

John Setkas domestic violence-related behaviour risked turning the union branch he led in Victoria into a pariah, while his decision to let bikies and underworld figures into CFMEU ranks guaranteed it. Why does the latter matter?
Quite a few years ago now, a new South Park Halloween episode  The Scoots  went to air.

It was a hilariously terrifying tale of a small Colorado town being overrun by an invasion of rental electric scooters.

Everywhere the residents of South Park looked, more would mysteriously appear until, eventually, they overran the town (note: the video below comes with a language warning).

Coincidentally, that 2018 episode aired the very week Lime scooters started appearing around inner-Brisbane. As in South Park, the damn things just kept multiplying.
A man showed no remorse after deliberately hitting and killing a doctor with his car in a serious, violent act, a judge says.

Thomas Hill was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Peter Dunne, who was struck by a vehicle at Tarragindi, in Brisbanes south, in February 2019.

Dr Peter Dunne, who died from the injuries he suffered in an alleged hit and run in February. Credit: Facebook - PCRG

Justice Michael Copley said Dunne had been on his usual early morning jog when he had the misfortune of running into Hill, who had a persistent belief his neighbours were out to get him.

Hill and his mother had been returning home from interstate when Dunne passed them.
In 1969, when a group of striking railway workers disrupted the city by marching through its streets, the then longest-serving Victorian premier, the tough Henry Bolte, said: They can march up and down until theyre bloody footsore. It was not going to change anything.

It actually caused a public outcry because he had used the word bloody.

I just wish Premier Jacinta Allan was as tough as Bolte and sent the CFMEU the same message. And yes, let her say bloody which today will not cause the same outrage. The key word is tough against bullies.

Geoff Lipton, Caulfield North CFMEU adds to costs

Re Building unions to walk off job in protest, (27/08): Cost overruns on major infrastructure projects cannot just be attributed to global issues and the rising cost of materials. The CFMEU is partly to blame with allegations of illegal and thuggish behaviour revealed this year. The net result is a huge waste of taxpayer money.

No one can argue the role this and other unions play concerning the safety of their workers. We all want people to go home safely.

The challenge for the prime minister and our premier is to take a firm stance and not kowtow to the CFMEU.

Yvonne Bowyer, Surrey Hills Support for protest

A wonderful turnout yesterday with many different unions supporting the CFMEU and protesting against the administration order initiated by the federal government.

Mary Fenelon, Doncaster East Wake-up call for Greens

When the Greens members selected Lidia Thorpe over Julian Burnside, a lifelong social justice campaigner, for a Senate seat in 2020, it was a wake-up call for non-members who have voted for the Greens over the years.

If the current members want to change the focus of the Greens, they may want to consider changing their name and colour?

Leah Billeam, Portarlington Climate crisis is here

The human species seems determined to destroy the environment that has supported its evolution over the past 12,000 years (Anti-wind farm lobby mobilising across the regions, 27/8). With more and more evidence of careering climate change unfolding every day in every part of the globe, the luxury of procrastination disguised as debate is not an option.

Heaven knows whats driving the anti-renewables/pro-nuclear movement, but it sure as hell isnt common sense.

We dont have 20-plus years for nuclear energy to save us. The enemy is at the gates right now.

John Mosig, Kew

Freedom is priceless

Michael Bachelard highlights the problems of wrongful conviction (No law to pay for injustice, 24/8). He cites Geoff Ferguson and Lindy Chamberlain who suffered one of the greatest injustices the state can impose a citizen: the wrongful removal of their freedom. Ferguson and Chamberlain spent two years and just over three years respectively in custody before they were released. More recently, Kathleen Folbigg was in custody for 20 years before her release.

By contrast, Jason Roberts (for whom I acted as a solicitor from 2014-20) spent almost 22 years in custody for the murders of Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rod Miller. The Victorian Court of Appeal granted Roberts appeal against his murder convictions based on significant police misconduct involving fabricated evidence and reprehensible conduct by the investigating police. Roberts was acquitted at a 2022 retrial.

It has been reported that Roberts is suing the state of Victoria for compensation and he should be able to prove that the police acted with malice and corruption. As lawyer Jeremy King stated: All the good cases settle. However, no amount of money can compensate for the decades he spent in prison.

Simon Moodie, Carlton North Loading Gambling harm real

I can, from personal experience, tell you that gambling has devastating effects on families.

Imagine being taken at the age of 14 years, nine months, by your mother to Coles to apply for a part-time job. Every cent earned going to feed your stepfathers gambling and alcohol addictions. For the good of families and victims, please ban all gambling advertising.

Name withheld, Newport Voting system wins poll

The argument made by David Charles against the Australian voting system (Letters 27/8) is flawed on at least three counts.

First, in Australia, it is not compulsory to vote. It is compulsory to cast a ballot. People can, and do, cast a blank ballot or in many cases adorn it with messages or drawings.

Second, if it is compulsory to cast a ballot, it is illegal to prevent someone from doing so. If this were the case in Afghanistan, I doubt the Taliban would win.

Third, first-past-the-post voting allows candidates with very few votes from winning, whereas preferential voting, while more complex, takes account of a larger number of electors.

Juliet Flesch, Kew Still disadvantaged

Bravo Barbara Chapman (Letters, 27/8) for pointing out that universal Boomer wealth is a myth; wealth and poverty are highly gendered in Australia.

As a female, married, Boomer teacher in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I experienced unequal pay, no superannuation and compulsory resignation during two pregnancies.

The sad reality is that there is still disadvantage for women in the workplace despite advances triggered by feminist protests.

Glenda Johnston, Queenscliff

True debt level alarm

A secret payment of $888 million to the Metro rail project (Labor offers $888m lure to hit Metro build target, 27/8) is the latest edition of the Victorian taxpayer being used by the state government as an ATM.

Equating to $127 for every man woman and child in the state, this latest blowout will also see the project possibly running a year behind schedule, opening in September next year, while costing even more.

And it comes on top of recent revelations that the trains will have to go slow under the hospital precinct to avoid affecting sensitive medical equipment.

Given the May state budget forecast debt to hit an eye-watering $188 billion in 2028, secret payments such as this bring into question whether the true debt level will be much higher.

The next generation is set to be saddled with consequences of this.

Mathew Knight, Malvern East Disconnect law overdue

The rules around the right to disconnect are long overdue. The ordinary worker has only his or her labour to sell, and giving it away freely disadvantages us all.

However, Natasha Hawker (Workers will game disconnect law, 27/8) is correct in saying that there is work to be done to navigate the new rules. Work that should have been done long ago as the workforce has changed.

Businesses should do the hard yards if they want to continue operating and profiting, and all employees should be well-informed of their rights and responsibilities when working flexible hours and from home.

The ad hoc system we seem to be operating under thus far seems to be a bit of a shambles. One example from my own experience was when I wanted to contact my health fund about rehab after surgery. Repeated phone calls by me went unanswered until I finally got someone who told me that the person responsible for my query (which was urgent) was working from home and if she didnt answer, well too bad, try again.

Cheryl Day, Beaumaris Negative-gearing plan

With negative gearing to cost the budget and hence taxpayers

$165 billion over the next 10 years, can someone explain why it wouldnt be a good idea to take that and invest it in public housing, either by build-to-rent or build-to-buy schemes?

Yes, it may mean bigger government but we need to accept that there are some who will never be in a position to own a home, particularly given the cost of houses, high rents making it harder to save for a deposit, and increasingly more precarious work situations.

Anthony Albanese, you like to remind us of your background. Now step up and offer others the same chance.

Rod Eldridge, Derrinallum Airbnb tax sensible

Contrary to the nonsense peddled by some, not all taxes are bad. News that, finally, there is to be a modest levy imposed on Airbnb accommodation, where the owner is not present, is good (Primary places of residence exempt from Victorias Airbnb levy, 27/8).

For too long, Airbnbs have drained supply of rental housing in regional towns while also creating misery for neighbours where owners are not there to supervise miscreant party animals.

Its bad manners all round, with owners not satisfied with the generous negative gearing tax concessions plus capital gains discount still allowed.

Surely, theres a fair principle we can agree on, whereby property owners should not enjoy a nice little earner, tax-free, at the significant expense of the broader community, in terms of rental housing supply and neighbouring residents who should be able to get a good nights sleep.

Bernadette George, Mildura A class above

Surely, Melbourne Highs insistence that all year 11 students are required to take a VCE humanities subject is a good

thing Just one all-boys school bucks VCE trend, and its not private, 27/8).

It may just result in Victorias next generation of doctors being able to write legibly.

Tim Habben, Hawthorn

AND ANOTHER THING Peter Dutton

A suggested slogan for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton: Make Australia Great Again.

Lindsay Donahoo, Wattle Glen Credit: Matt Golding Goldings cartoon (27/8) depicting Peter Dutton as a neveready battery is unfair. Any schoolkid knows you can make a battery out of a potato thanks to the (electrolytic) acids inside.

Ray Peck, Hawthorn There goes another of your nuclear sites, Dutton (Coalition to ditch reactor sites if seismic risk too high, 27/8). Latrobe Valleys Loy Yang is an earthquake area.

Michael McKenna, Warragul

Anti-wind farm lobby

Many countries in Europe seem to embrace wind and solar farms and yet in Australia, there is a select group who see them as threats (Anti-wind farm lobby mobilising across regions, 27/8). If some farmers think nuclear is the better option, they will still have the power lines and a very long wait.

Paul Chivers, Box Hill North The anti-wind farm lobby sounds like more hot air, something to be avoided at all costs.

Phil Alexander, Eltham Furthermore

Re Labor offers $888 million lure to hit Metro build target, (27/8): With the state overburdened by debt from infrastructure projects, the government is like a problem gambler chasing their losses.

Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills Many building workers are marching against Labor Party legislation while the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is doing little to deal with the big builders who keep going broke and springing up again, or refuse to fix defects.

Loch Wilson, Northcote After watching Q&A, voting for 16-year-olds should be allowed but not mandatory until age 18. This would allow those who were interested to have their say.

Rita Reid, Port Melbourne
He said that was all in peril, citing independent analysis prepared by SPP Consulting that found by 2027 the caps could cost Victoria 12,000 jobs and $5.9 billion, risking the states ability to tackle local skills shortages and damaging its international education standing. The Commonwealth government needs to go back to the drawing board and better consult the state and the sector before its too late, he said. Treasurer Tim Pallas says the federal government needs to do a better job at consulting the states and the higher education sector. Credit: Joe Armao While key details of the plan are yet to be disclosed, Melbourne University and Monash University look set to cop big reductions in new overseas enrolments in 2025, according to sources in the sector familiar with enrolment data at the big unis but unwilling to speak publicly. Other leaders across Australias $48 billion international education market  Sydney University, The Australian National University and UNSW  are expected to suffer the same fate.

Loading Clare said on Tuesday that the 270,000 cap  across the entire tertiary sector  would keep numbers on par with pre-COVID levels. The vocational sector will be the hardest hit, with a limit of 95,000 new overseas students  40,000 fewer than in 2023. New international enrolments at private universities will be capped at 30,000 students, a cut of 28 per cent. However, while the 145,000 new foreign students permitted to attend the nations publicly funded universities is a cut of just 1 per cent on 2023 levels, the wealthy group of eight institutions  including Melbourne and Monash  will bear the brunt of those reductions, losing up to 26 per cent of new overseas enrolments next year. Under the plan, universities with the highest concentration of international students  more than 37 per cent of the total cohort  would lose 50 per cent of whatever growth in overseas enrolments they had generated since 2019.

Melbourne University, with its 21,000 overseas students  41 per cent of the total student body  is heavily reliant on the fees paid by internationals. At Monash University, its 22,000 overseas enrolments are about 39 per cent of its full cohort. Melbourne University vice chancellor Duncan Maskell said he learnt the details of the cap when Clare  who must still get legislation for his changes through parliament  was addressing the media on Tuesday morning. He said the university remained strongly opposed to the cap. One of the first things we will have to do is seek clarity from the government about the complex methodology that was used to inform their figures, Maskell said in a statement. This methodology was never discussed with us and there has been no consultation process.

Loading The cap on international students will have detrimental consequences for our university, the higher education sector generally, and the nation for years to come. Monash published a statement on Tuesday night saying it too was working to understand the rationale driving the changes the government was seeking to impose. Smaller universities with campuses outside the big cities  where the government wants to send more overseas students  were upbeat on Tuesday. Some were happy to publicly disclose the caps they had been assigned. Deakin University vice chancellor Iain Martin told staff that the proposed cap gave administrators greater confidence to plan. It will be permitted to enrol 5800 new international students in 2025  a cap similar to its 2023 numbers.

In a letter to staff seen by The Age, Martin said some international students  including research students  had been excluded from the cap and would not count toward the 5800 figure. He said the total number was broadly in line with financial and operational plans for 2025. A La Trobe University spokesperson said its indicative 2025 allocations were similar to the 2019 and 2023 levels. Neither Victoria University nor RMIT University provided information on international enrolments when contacted by The Age.
Its the wrong move. There are bad eggs in every barrel. Its not illegal to be a bikie member; its illegal to do an illegal act as a bikie member. That sentiment was shared by many of his fellow protesters. They expressed simmering anger and disappointment in the Labor Party, but fierce and unflinching loyalty to a union they say protected their rights and kept them safe on worksites. They marched through the city, waving CFMEU flags and clutching placards scrawled with slogans such as Hands off the CFMEU, Allah forgives, the CFMEU doesnt, Touch one, touch all and F--- the ALP. When I say union, you say power, they chanted. The workers united, we will never be defeated.

The throng brought Exhibition Street to a standstill just after midday, as city traders and office workers came out to the street to watch. We stick together. We show the world, we stay together, shouted one protester. We walk down to the government building and let them know what we think. Demonstrators take to the streets in response to Labors move to appoint an administrator over the CFMEU. Credit: Joe Armao Construction worker Haralambos, who did not want his surname used, said he was concerned the placing of the CFMEU into administration could set a precedent for other unions. He said he felt betrayed by the government.

Where does this end? The whole thing is just really unfair, he said. The CFMEU has been around for ages, fighting for all our rights and all our benefits. Its possible if this government comes in and seizes it. We could lose it all. The government reckons the CFMEU is corrupt. Well, I reckon they should look in their own backyard. As a police helicopter flew overhead, Vik Sharma, the branch secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, addressed the crowd outside the Fair Work Commission.

Brothers and sisters, we are here today because we are angry, Sharma said. We have every right to be angry, and we still stay angry until they sort out this mess. The protest was a sea of workers in high-vis and black CFMEU hoodies. Credit: Joe Armao Sharma demanded the CFMEU be given back to the workers, vowing this fight will not be over until we get our union back. This crowd is going to be symbolic in the pages of history, he said to roars of applause.

Nothing has ever been given to us  we have always fought for it. We will keep fighting. Retired union official Christy Cain accused the federal government of betraying workers  his mention of the government prompted boos from the crowd  and taking control of the greatest union in the country: the CFMEU. Protesters shout their support during the rally. Credit: Jason South They are saying they will permanently ban officials from working in other unions, Cain said, adding that his friend Setka was with the workers in spirit. With memories of COVID-era protests  when some people smashed windows and hurled abuse as workers marched off city construction sites in protest against tearoom bans and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations  still relatively fresh, police surrounded Tuesdays gathering, ready to act.
West Australian tradies stood in solidarity with the CFMEU on Tuesday in a national protest over the federal governments forced administration, despite the impacts on the WA division not yet being known.

The Commonwealth placed the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union into administration after allegations of corruption, coercion and bikie infiltration were aired by the Sydney Morning Herald, 60 Minutes and Australian Financial Review.

Traffic came to a stop at William Street and St Georges Terrace. Credit: Claire Ottaviano

William Street in Perths CBD came to a standstill when up to 1000 workers marched from Forrest Place to Elizabeth Quay, joining thousands more downing tools across Australia.

Victoria Police estimated up to 50,000 people protested in Melbourne.
Nukualofa, Tonga: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has scored a significant diplomatic victory, locking in support from Pacific leaders for a far-ranging $400 million policing pact designed to counter Chinas growing security presence in the region.

The quicker-than-expected show of support for the Pacific Policing Initiative came despite pushback from some Pacific leaders, who said the pact was cryptic and risked entangling the Pacific in the superpower rivalry between China and Western nations led by the United States.

Albanese and three fellow leaders announced on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga on Tuesday that the policing agreement had been endorsed by forum leaders.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the forum. Credit: AAP

While stressing the initiative will be Pacific-led, Australia will be the main funder for the initiative, spending $400 million over five years on the pact and setting up a new co-ordination hub at Australian Federal Police facilities in Brisbane.
Washington: NASAs decision to send Boeings Starliner capsule home without astronauts follows years of missteps by the plane maker in its space business and raises doubts over the future of the unit, analysts and industry sources say.

Taking NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) was to have been a turning point for Starliner after years of delays, technical glitches and supply chain mishaps. Starliner has cost Boeing $US1.6 billion ($2.3 billion) in overruns since 2016, according to a Reuters analysis of securities filings.

The Starliner docked to the Harmony module of the International Space Station. Credit: AP

The astronauts were to stay at the ISS for about eight days, but problems with Starliner have extended that stay to eight months. NASA has said that the Starliner will return autonomously to Earth early next month.

Starliners propulsion system malfunctioned and NASA deemed the troublesome thrusters unsafe for the return journey, so Wilmore and Williams will be brought home in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule next year. It is the latest humiliation for Boeing at the hands of Elon Musks dominant space company.
Deerfield Beach, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southeast Toyota Finance (SET Finance), the captive finance company for the 177 Toyota dealers throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, has been ranked No. 1 in dealer satisfaction among Captive Mass Market-Prime Automotive Finance Lenders for the second year in a row by the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study.

It is an honor to have been selected once again as the highest-ranking automotive captive finance lender by J.D. Power, said Bill Shope, president of SET Finance. At our core, we are a relationship-first organization. This recognition is especially meaningful because it demonstrates the commitment and dedication our associates put into ensuring our programs and support align with our dealers goals. As the automotive industry rapidly evolves, were embracing new technologies to further enhance our connections and elevate the industry-leading services we provide to Toyota dealerships in the southeast.

The 2024 U.S. Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 4,472 auto dealer financial professionals. The study, which was fielded from March - May 2024, measures auto dealer satisfaction in five segments of lenders: captive premium-prime; captive mass market-prime; non-captive national-prime; non-captive regional-prime and non-captive sub-prime. SET Finance ranked No. 1 in dealer satisfaction among captive mass market-prime lenders, with an Overall Dealer Satisfaction score of 889, 79 points (on a 1,000-point scale) above the No. 2 ranked lender.

As the first auto finance company established in the United States for an import car manufacturer, SET Finance, part of World Omni Financial Corp, has offered financing to Toyota dealers and their consumers since its inception in 1981. Providing a wide range of financing and leasing options, the company's focus has always been twofold: to support its customers and get them behind the wheel of their dream vehicle while providing solutions for Toyota dealers in the region to better serve their customers.

###

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in automotive data and analytics, and provides industry intelligence, consumer insights and advisory solutions to the automotive industry and selected non-automotive industries. J.D. Power leverages its extensive proprietary datasets and software capabilities combined with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence tools to help its clients optimize business performance.

J.D. Power was founded in 1968 and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About Southeast Toyota Finance

Southeast Toyota Finance (part of World Omni Financial Corp.) is a captive financial services company driven to delivering an exceptional dealership and customer experience for Toyota customers in the Southeast. The company offers a broad range of products and services to the 177 Toyota dealers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Southeast Toyota Finance is the leading provider of finance and lease options for new Toyota vehicles within its footprint, consistently ranking at the top in market share and dealer satisfaction. The company is committed to strong dealer relationships and customer service, providing finance, retail and lease programs, college graduate and military rebate programs that drive customer and dealer loyalty. The companys portfolio of dealer loans includes inventory financing, real estate, and construction loans.
By Bayram Elshadov, Day.Az

The West, in particular France, is actively poking its nose into the affairs of other countries, negatively commenting on their various internal actions. Such hypocrisy is especially often observed when there is an opportunity to distract attention from one's own mistakes. They do not admit their mistakes there, and when the moment comes to answer for their actions, the collective West begins to evade answers by any means, resorting to various and unconvincing excuses.





On the evening of August 25, Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram messenger, was detained by the French authorities at Le Bourget airport. He was detained immediately after boarding his private plane. The arrest was allegedly carried out as part of a "preliminary investigation." French law enforcement agencies accuse Durov of "drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud" due to the messenger's "lack of moderation and cooperation with representatives of the law."





The fact that the platform is not responsible for each of its users is of little concern to Paris. The main goal here was to imprison the founder of Telegram for the fact that the platform refuses to cooperate with governments. It doesn't matter - it's French, European, American, Russian...

Recall that Durov refused to provide codes for Telegram channels that would allow the French authorities to block unwanted channels, their authors, and read any correspondence. In response, France, which considers itself a "bulwark of democracy," decided to use extremely harsh measures, actually taking Durov hostage and charging him.

Almost two days have passed, Durov's arrest has been extended again, but Paris refuses to give any comments on this matter, despite the fact that many demand explanations. The French Foreign Ministry said that out of respect for the independence of the judicial system in France, the French government could not comment on the situation. Russia has also paid attention to this.





"The funny thing is that earlier the French Foreign Ministry commented on the decisions of even the International Court of Justice without embarrassment. It turns out that he did not respect international law, according to the logic of French diplomats. I won't even talk about comments on decisions of foreign courts - Paris usually does not restrain itself," Maria Zakharova wrote in her telegram channel.





And she's right. Reading this stupid response from the French Foreign Ministry, it becomes absolutely clear that Paris only comments on anything when there is a benefit. Even the decisions of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations. France sticks its nose into the internal affairs of Azerbaijan, believing that it can influence the processes taking place in the Karabakh economic region, and in general in the processes in the South Caucasus.





The European Commission, however, also did not comment on the detention of Pavel Durov in France. They conveniently stated that this investigation is being conducted at the national level. And when Azerbaijan resolves its own issues at the national level, the EC immediately willingly intervenes, distributing inappropriate comments and twisting facts, even if this is not directly related to it.





These provocations are still going on. The West likes to talk about protecting people's rights and freedoms, but in fact turns a blind eye to these principles for its own benefit. These provocations and double standards reveal the true face of the so-called "democracy" of Western countries, ready to do anything to achieve their goals. Such hypocrisy only underlines that for the West, especially for France, their own interests are above morality and justice.
Zack Snyder is on a mission. The universe perceived by science fiction fans as a potential Star Wars killer had the effect of a damp squib on Netflix. In August 2024, the American director is relying on an adult version and two hours of additional scenes to save what can be saved. Are these two Directors Cuts enough to revive sci-fi fans interest in this stillborn franchise?

Everything you need to know about the Directors Cut of Rebel Moon

Netflix had put all the chances on its side to make Rebel Moon the standard-bearer of science fiction on the competitive SVOD market, and even in cinema. The streaming platform has spent lavishly (the budget for the diptych amounts to 166 million US dollars excluding marketing costs) and has extended this emerging universe to video games, animation and comic books. Bad luck for him because The Firechild was shot down by critics (22% on RottenTomatoes) nipping in the bud any hope of one day competing with the undisputed master of space opera Star Wars. And Rebel Moon: The Hacker manages to do worse than its predecessor (17% on RottenTomatoes) four months later.

The feedback is unanimous. Zack Snyder had carte blanche and he screwed up, resulting in a fresco lasting more than 4 hours deprived of the talent of its mastermind. However, the filmmaker behind Watchmen: Guardians and Man of Steel has a big surprise in store for Netflix subscribers. Rebel Moon Part 1 and Part 2 were just sketches. The real versions, the adult ones, offer two hours of new scenes, and finally offer the uncompromising vision of its director. If the Directors Cut doesnt live up to expectations, it will be Zack Snyders fault and no one else. Otherwise, Netflix will be held accountable.

The synopsis of Rebel Moon: A peaceful colony on a moon at the edge of the universe finds itself under threat from the armies of the tyrannical regent Balisarius. From then on, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger, becomes the best hope for survival of the villagers whose lives she shares. Responsible for recruiting seasoned fighters to repel the Mother World, Kora brings together a small troop of soldiers: misfits, insurgents, peasants and war orphans who share the same need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire kingdom falls on the most vulnerable of moons, a new army of heroes is born. (Netflix USA)

The cast of Rebel Moon: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins, Michiel Huisman

The Directors Cuts of Rebel Moon: The Firechild and Rebel Moon: The Slasher are available exclusively on Netflix from August 2, 2024.

Sex and blood to save Netflixs Star Wars!

Zack Snyder is no stranger to this. He even made it a trademark over the years. His filmography is punctuated by Directors Cuts supposed to put the church back in the center of the village. It is common in Hollywood for a director to be completely or partially dispossessed of his work, and this has been the case with Z. Snyder in the past on many occasions. The long versions thus allowed him to clean up certain affronts made to his films, the most notable examples of which are Watchmen: Guardians, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and especially Justice League. But what about Rebel Moon? Netflix gave Zack Snyder carte blanche. The very existence of Directors Cut is therefore on paper a total nonsense.

From a purely mathematical point of view, these two long versions of Rebel Moon offer Netflix subscribers one hour each of new scenes for a diptych now spanning 6 hours and 30 minutes. This is an opportunity for Zack Snyder to explore this science fiction universe that has barely been touched upon until now and to delve deeper into the characters who have remained in the background. And it is proper to render to Caesar what is Caesars. The Directors Cut of Lenfant du feu tries to correct the situation without succeeding. The first 20 minutes, however, blow a wind of hope by focusing on the character of Aris.

Better yet and I no longer believed it. Zack Snyder is capable of directing a fight scene without chopping it up with a lot of slow motion. Proof, if needed, that the filmmaker can do soberly. Unfortunately, he falls back very quickly, too quickly into his usual ways. The Directors Cut could have cleaned the action of these slow motions which ruin the staging, but this is not the case. What remains in memory after viewing are several sketches centered on figures that are too little highlighted and two or three visually stunning sequences imbued with a gentle macabre poetry.

This new version of Rebel Moon was mainly sold on a promise to serve the uncompromising and uncensored vision of Zack Snyder, which translates to the image in sex and blood. And you will be served. It cuts, it explodes, it slices, it kills, it oozes and it copulates as you please without ever serving the purpose of the two films. The most disappointing thing at this stage remains the Directors Cut of The Entailer which really adds nothing to the story. Even the scene concerning the regent Balisarius and the one establishing a bond between Aris and the villager Sam turn out to be anecdotal. What a waste!

2 additional hours to say nothing more (or almost). The Directors Cut of Rebel Moon, which, as a reminder, lasts 390 minutes, achieves an unprecedented feat: standing still. There is no doubt that the Zack Snyder saga is trying to go somewhere, but I cant say where.
Dalit Card





THE demand of Congress leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi to include reservation for Dalit candidates in the annual Miss India contest is nothing but a stupid stretching of the concept to ridiculous extent. The core idea of positive social affirmation -- quota-based -- is conceptually a good addition to the thought of social justice. In practical politics, however, that concept is creating havoc in every sense of the term, in the process upsetting a semblance of balance in larger Indian social eco-system. Against this background, Mr. Rahul Gandhis demand for a Dalit quota in the annual Miss India pageant appears to be deliberately-planned disruption in the current order with no specific purpose in sight, but with only a vague and violent idea as a trigger. Mr. Rahul Gandhi should have thought a thundered times before pushing such a demand that does not seem to have a start or an end. In other words, the very idea is nothing but a political ploy of a cheap kind. That Mr. Rahul Gandhi has again been described as Bal Buddhi by Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mr. Kiren Rijiju, is quite in tune with what most common Indians think about Mr. Rahul Gandhi.

True, the Congress party under Mr. Rahul Gandhi has registered victories in bigger numbers of parliamentary seats in the Lok Sabha election last summer. That improved electoral performance seems to have given Mr. Rahul Gandhi an extra dose of confidence about his increased popularity. It is out of that false sense of importance that Mr. Rahul Gandhi pushing forward wayward ideas that lack sense. It is, of course, a good idea that people from all social segments must get opportunities in every possible field. But when a good idea is stretched to such ridiculous extent, then it does not stop anywhere and goes on and on to destroy the social system for which the promoter may have no remorse. This is the point that hurts most. Though he has been described as Bal Buddhi by some segments of the political community, Mr. Rahul Gandhi may not be the actual fit for the sobriquet.

It is clear that he working to a purpose and is brandishing the Dalit or caste card to his own political benefit. His insistence of caste-based social survey of the Indian population is a case in point here. But such a man has strong objection to a ruling party Member of Parliament asking him his caste. Means, on one hand, Mr. Rahul Gandhi hates to be asked his caste, but on the other hand, he keep playing the caste card most brazenly -- without qualms of conscience. This is, of course, divisive politics that is aimed at creating wider social chasms that will be difficult to be bridged. Yet, Mr. Gandhi and his political cohorts are brazen about it and offer no justification for their conduct and thought. This is strange, but true and effective to some extent in current Indian political situation. Let alone the political nature of the demand, it is obvious that there are certain fields where caste has no role to play, given their very nature, like beauty pageants, like Armed Forces, like scientific research ... and a few others. No body ever minds that simply because everybody knows that the nature of such fields is truly secular in form and content. Futile, therefore, it is to ask for a caste-based reservation in such fields. Mr. Rahul Gandhi, too, is conscious of this reality. Yet, he has made the demand -- with a clever idea of touching a hornets nest and creating a social unrest of whatever intensity. It is time for him to think more rationally and restrict his own political whims and fancies in larger interest.
Aditya Tata Cars launches Curvv.ev





Business Reporter :

ADITYA Tata Cars launched the Curvv.ev at its showrooms at Nagpur, Gondia and Katol. In Nagpur showroom at MIDC, the unveiling was done by the gracious hands of Justice Vijay Daga (Sr. Advocate Supreme Court & former judge Bombay High Court) in a glittering ceremony that was attended by dignitaries from various fields, and presided over by Dealer Principal Dr Prakash Jain, Udit Chakraborty, Mangesh Chetule and the entire staff of Aditya Tata Cars. Born of powerful philosophy, form and function, the Curvv is Indias first SUV Coupe. Exhibiting the new-age SUV typology, the Curvv artfully blends the toughness and practicality of an SUV with the elegance and sporty silhouette of a coupe. The Curvv.ev has a sloping roofline, flush door handles, and a connected LED daytime running light (DRL) strip that spans the bonnet. It also has 18-inch alloy wheels and shares some design elements with the Tata Nexon, says a press release issued here.

The Curvv.ev has a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, and dual displays. It also has a 500 L boot space and a safety net that may include six airbags, a 360-degree camera, and level 2 ADAS. Customers can book Curvv.ev at an attractive finance schemes with lowest rate of interest and up to 95 pet cent finance. Schedule your test drive today by calling any of our showrooms: Aditya Tata Cars, Dhantoli (M. 9960670152), Aditya Tata Cars, Sugat Nagar (M. 9021109000), Gondia and Katol (9325476028).
AGs scrutiny steers Govt away from High-Risk appeal in IPS G P Singh case





By Mukesh S Singh

Raipur,

Strategic legal counsel from AG within confidential communication leads Chhattisgarh to forgo appeal in high-profile IPS case

AG minutely analysed the settled law on compulsory retirement enumerated by the Apex court to give a definitive opinion

Chhattisgarh Government chose not to contest a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ruling in favor of 1994-batch IPS officer Gurjinder Pal Singh, following a recommendation from Advocate General Prafull N Bharat. The Hitavada has accessed the copy of this confidential document wherein AG provided a legal opinion to the Government of Chhattisgarh, which was subsequently communicated to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, by Secretary (Home) Neelam Namdev Ekka. Notably, the CAT, in its order dated April 30, 2024, set aside Singhs compulsory retirement, directing his reinstatement with all consequential benefits. This ruling came after Singh had been subjected to a series of investigations, including several First Information Reports (FIRs) filed between June 29, 2021, and July 28, 2021, accusing him of corruption, sedition, and extortion.

The Tribunal found the state governments actions, including the reopening of an inquiry into Singhs alleged role in the 2012 suicide of then-Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma, to be procedurally flawed and lacking in substantive merit. Following the CATs ruling, on June 14, 2024, AG Bharat provided a legal opinion to the Government of Chhattisgarh, which was subsequently communicated to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. Bharat advised that filing a writ petition to challenge the CAT order would likely be unsuccessful. The AG analyzing the settled law on compulsory retirement enumerated by the Apex court gave his opinion to not go for appeal in the said case. He noted that the CATs decision was grounded in strong legal reasoning, emphasizing the Tribunals consideration of the procedural irregularities and the questionable foundation of the FIRs lodged against Singh. AGs opinion was that further litigation would be futile and could potentially harm the states credibility. Despite this, the Union of India, represented by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, proceeded to file a writ petition in the High Court of Delhi, challenging the CATs ruling. However, on August 23, 2024, the High Court of Delhi dismissed the petition, effectively upholding the CATs decision.

The bench, comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Girish Kathpalia, echoed the legal assessment provided by the Advocate General, ruling that the states actions were unjustified and procedurally unsound. The High Courts dismissal of the petition stands as a validation of the Advocate Generals legal assessment of the case. His recommendation not to pursue further litigation was significant, as it not only protected the state from engaging in potentially damaging legal battles but also underscored the importance of adhering to procedural fairness and the rule of law. The case of Gurjinder Pal Singh has drawn considerable attention, highlighting the intricate balance between legal strategy and administrative action. The confidential communication dated May 28, 2024, between the Chhattisgarh Government and the MHA, incorporating the AGs legal opinion, is now a key element in this complex scenario, demonstrating how sound legal advice can steer the course of high-stakes cases.

This outcome clearly states the role legal advisors play in guiding government decisions, ensuring that justice is both upheld and perceived to be in line with the law. It also highlights broader concerns about the use of administrative actions like compulsory retirement and the necessity of safeguarding public servants against arbitrary or procedurally flawed decisions. As the legal community contemplates the implications of this case, the focus remains on the Advocate Generals office and its responsibility to provide clear, decisive, and strategically sound legal counsel, which is crucial for maintaining administrative fairness and justice, opined knowledgeable sources within the states legal fraternity.
Authorities issue traffic advisory for city today





Staff Reporter :

On the occasion of Shrikrishna Janmashtami, a cultural programme will be organized along with a huge Matki Phod competition at Karond Chauraha today. Thousands of devotees will gather in this programme, as the venue is on the main road at Karond square, as well as the stage is on the main road, the movement of heavy goods vehicles, large passenger vehicles (buses) from Karond intersection to Gandhinagar will be completely diverted. Also, all types of four-wheelers, three-wheelers, and two-wheelers will also be able to come and go through the diverted routes. In view of the same, traffic police has also issued a traffic advisory urging the citizens of the city to follow the same. As per the advisory, large vehicles going from Mrinal, Ayodhyanagar towards Airport, Gandhinagar will be able to go from Bhanpur Rotary towards Bestprice, Karond through a diverted route. These vehicles will be able to go towards Gandhinagar or Airport from Bhanpur Rotary via Vidisha Road, Chapdakla Village, Chapda Bypass, Lambakheda Bypass, Meena Chauraha, Abbasnagar. Small/light vehicles going from Mrinal Ayodhya Nagar towards Airport, Gandhi Nagar will be able to go through the diverted route towards Karond beyond Best Price trisection. These vehicles will be able to go towards Gandhinagar via Best Price, Krishi Upaj Mandi, J.P. Nagar trisection, DIG Bungalow crossroads, Bhopal Talkies crossroads, Royal Market, Lalghati or from Best Price denizens will be able to go towards Airport via Mittal College, Islam Nagar Jod, Lambakheda crossroads, Acharpura crossroads, Abbas Nagar Gandhi Nagar.

The advisory also said that heavy and big vehicles going from Gandhinagar, Abbasnagar towards Karond, Bhanpur, Ayodhyanagar will be able to go through the changed route towards Karond from Abbasnagar junction. These vehicles will be able to proceed further via Abbasnagar, Meena Chauraha, Lambakheda Chauraha, Chapda Bypass, Bhanpur. Light three wheelers, two wheelers going from Gandhinagar towards Karond, Bhanpur, Ayodhyanagar will also be able to go through the changed route towards Karond beyond Abbasnagar trisection. These vehicles will also be able to come and go towards Bhanpur from Gandhinagar via Narsinghgarh trisection, Lalghati, Royal Market Bhopal Talkies, J.P. Nagar, Chhola under bridge or from Abbas Nagar trisection via Acharpura trisection, Lambakheda trisection, Islamnagar trisection via Mittal College Road or go towards Best Price. As per information, passenger vehicles coming from Lambakheda, Berasia towards Karond square, Nadra Bus Stand will be able to go towards Karond Chauraha through the changed route. These vehicles will be able to go towards Nadara Bus Stand only through Lambakheda Chauraha, Chapda Bypass intersection, Bhanpur Bridge and Best price trisection. The roads will remain open for the colony residents around Karond intersection. Their two-wheelers and four-wheelers will be able to reach their destination by traveling through the nearby routes towards Karond Chauraha in a limited manner. Traffic police has also urged the citizens to abode by the advisory to avoid any inconvenience.
BALODABAZAR VIOLENCE Dereliction of Duty Charges filed against IPS Sadanand Kumar





The Hitavada State Bureau Raipur/Balodabazar,

The chargesheet sends a strong message from the CG Govt about the importance of duty and the consequences of failing to uphold it

In a significant development that underscores the gravity of administrative accountability within law enforcement, the Chhattisgarh Home Department has formally issued a chargesheet against 2013-batch IPS officer Sadanand Kumar in connection with the violent arson and clashes that erupted in the Balodabazar district, following vandalism at the revered Giroudpuri Dham, during the night of May 15 and 16, 2024. The Chhattisgarh government, through this chargesheet, appears to be sending a strong message about the importance of adherence to duty and the consequences of failing to uphold the standards expected of those in positions of authority. The chargesheet, a detailed and meticulously prepared document, accuses the officer of gross negligence and dereliction of duty, laying out a case that reflects the seriousness of the alleged lapses. The charges, articulated under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, are centered around the officers failure to take adequate preventive measures despite clear intelligence inputs indicating the potential for unrest.

The document also mentions that the chargesheet, along with the evidence collected, has been submitted to the appropriate judicial authorities as of June 5, 2024. According to the document, the officer, who was in charge of maintaining law and order in the region, is accused of not responding with the urgency and decisiveness that the situation demanded. The chargesheet provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the violent incidents, pointing to the officers alleged failure to mobilise police forces effectively, which allowed the situation to escalate into a full-blown clash. It is noted that despite the intelligence inputs and the apparent signs of unrest, the officer did not mobilise forces effectively. The violence that ensued resulted in significant property damage and injuries, raising serious questions about the preparedness and responsiveness of the local law enforcement. In addition to the negligence charges, the document cites violations of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, specifically Section 3(2B)(xiii). This section pertains to the duties of officers in maintaining order and ensuring public safety. The chargesheet argues that the officers actionsor lack thereofconstituted a breach of these duties, warranting disciplinary action. The chargesheet and supporting evidence have been submitted to the judicial authorities, marking the commencement of formal legal proceedings against the officer.

This move by the Home Department is seen as a clear signal of the governments intent to hold even senior officers accountable for lapses that could endanger public safety. As the case moves forward, it is expected to attract significant attention, not only from the media but also from the public, given the high-profile nature of the incident and the seniority of the officer involved. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how such matters are handled in the future, particularly in terms of the accountability of law enforcement officials, remarked senior officials privy to the probe conducted post the arson and violent incident. Another IPS official pointed out that this chargesheet represents a serious challenge to career and reputation of IPS Sadanand Kumar. The judicial process will now determine the veracity of the charges and the appropriate course of action, if any, to be taken against him, he added.
GLOBAL ISSUE





UNION Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah has hit the bulls eye in describing illicit drug trade as a global issue. His statement is bold enough to be taken cognisance of by all the countries in the world. So far, none of the high functionaries in the Government of India has spoken of the narcotics trade in this vein. Barring the reference to Punjab, the illicit drug trade has not been linked to terrorism directly so far. But, there has been no denying also to the fact that the proceeds of illicit drug trade are used to spread terror, fund Left Wing Extremism, and also to foment trouble with an intention to obstruct the countrys economic growth.

There exists a wider nexus between those in narcotics trade and terrorism, and this spans across border. India has started taking action against narco-terror nexus. However, she faced difficulties in acting against networks that operate from other countries. But, the problem is not restricted to India alone. There are many countries where younger population is getting ruined, affecting the growth prospects of respective countries. Hence, the import of Mr. Shahs statement should be that the world powers need to form a broader alliance to destroy the narco-terror nexus operating across borders.
Gunmen kill 40 bus passengers in Pakistans restive Balochistan





KARACHI :

Passengers told to get down from buses and shot dead after being identified from their national ID cards

Most of those killed belonged to southern Punjab and some are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suggesting they were killed because of their ethnic background

HEAVILY-armed Baloch gunmen killed at least 40 people in two separate attacks in Pakistans Balochistan province on Monday, as insurgent attacks spiked in the restive region bordering Afghanistan. In the first incident, at least 23 people from Pakistans Punjab province were killed in a targeted attack in Balochistans Musakhel district after gunmen offloaded them from buses and checked their identities. According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, around 10 armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area of the district and offloaded passengers from several buses.The dead are reportedly from Punjab, he said.

Apart from killings some of the vehicles were also set on fire. Musakhel is 450 kilometres northeast of Quetta, capital of Balochistan. The rebels regularly target people from the Punjab province by alleging that Punjabis are dominant in the armed forces which have been fighting the militants in the province. Senior Superintendent of Police Ayub Khoso said: The passengers were told to get down from buses and shot dead after being identified from their national ID cards, Khoso said. In another incident, officials said that 11 people were killed in Kalat also in Balochistan, including five civilians and six security personnel, authorities said. Kalat is 150 km to the south of Quetta and is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Baloch tribes. Security sources told Geo News that terrorists attacked multiple sites in Balochistan on the night of August 24 and 25. The banned militant organisation, Baloch Liberation Army, claimed responsibility for these attacks.
Houses, vehicles set on fire after Goddess idol defaced in Tripura





Houses demolished after violence that erupted following an alleged vandalisation of a Kali idol in Ranirbazar area of west Tripura on Monday. (PTI)

AGARTALA :

AT LEAST 12 houses and a few vehicles were set on fire by unidentified persons after an idol was found defaced at a temple in Ranirbazar area in West Tripura, police said on Monday. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS were imposed in Jirania subdivision under which Ranirbazar falls. Heavy security deployment has also been made in the area to defuse tension. Around 12 dwelling houses were set on fire at Ranirbazar by miscreants late on Sunday after an idol of Goddess Kali was found disfigured in Kaiturbari. A few motorcycles and pick-up vans were also gutted in the blaze, Assistant Inspector General (Law and Order) Ananta Das told PTI. No human casualties were reported in the incident. Eyewitnesses said that the residents fled their dwellings upon seeing the raging mob. Das said heavy deployment of security forces have been made to defuse tension.
Malayalam film industry in turmoil





THIRUVANANTHAPURAM :

Case filed against filmmaker Ranjith 4 more actors face sexual abuse allegations

4 more actors face sexual abuse allegations

THE fallout from the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry intensified on Monday as a case was charged against well-known filmmaker Ranjith, and several female actors stepped forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts. The case was charged against Ranjith after a Bengali actress filed a complaint on Monday with the Kochi City Police Commissioner.

The complaint, sent via email, alleged that Ranjith had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009. Kochi Police Commissioner S Syamsundar said a case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered against Ranjith. Meanwhile, leading actor Prithviraj has called for corrective actions from A.M.M.A and a comprehensive investigation into the various allegations. Another actress, Minu Muneer, who has appeared in a handful of movies, levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu who has a prominent role in the actors association. A more well-known actress from the 1990s also came forward on Monday with allegations of misconduct from years ago against a noted filmmaker. She has expressed willingness to provide a statement to the police.

The filmmaker has denied the charges. In a Facebook post, Minu Muneer said, I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry. In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable, the actress, who signed as Minu Kurian in her Facebook post, alleged. With the exception of Maniyanpilla Raju, none of the actors have reacted. On the same day, a junior artist accused actor Baburaj, known for villain roles, of sexual assault. Rejecting the allegations, Baburaj, an office bearer in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A), claimed that it was an attempt by vested interests in the film industry to prevent him from becoming A.M.M.A general secretary, replacing Siddique, who resigned on Sunday amid similar charges. Meanwhile, the serious and elaborate revelations of sexual harassment charges against two-time CPI(M) legislator M Mukesh brought embarrassment to the State Government.

Though the Opposition parties have accused the Left Government of protecting the predators, its leaders put up a defence, saying, a special investigation team has been formed to probe the allegations. Yet, the continuing charges against Mukesh, who represents Kollam constituency in the Assembly, have put the CPI (M)-led Government under pressure. A harassment allegation levelled by a woman against Mukesh years ago also resurfaced on Sunday. Hours after Minu Muneers allegations against Mukesh on Monday, workers from Yuva Morcha and Mahila Congress organised separate marches towards his residence in Kollam, demanding that a case be registered against him and that he resign as a legislator. Eminent writer Sara Joseph and Kerala Chalachitra Academy Vice-Chairman Premkumar raised objections against the reported inclusion of Mukesh in the film policy committee of the upcoming cinema conclave of the State Government. Mukesh has claimed he is being deliberately targeted by vested interests as he is a CPI(M) MLA. The female actor who accused him has also levelled sexual abuse allegations against three other prominent Malayalam actors. Actor Maniyanpilla Raju has called for an overall investigation.
Mayawati re-elected BSP president, says party not disappointed despite poll reverses





Lucknow, Aug 27 (PTI)

Mayawati was unanimously re-elected as the national president of the BSP on Tuesday and said that despite electoral reverses, the BSP is not disappointed, according to a party statement.

The decision was taken during a special meeting of the BSP Central Executive Committee (CEC) and senior office bearers at the national-level and state party units, and representatives from all over the country, it said.

Mayawati, 68, is a four-time former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. BSP founder Kanshi Ram had declared her as his political successor more than two decades ago. She was elected the party president for the first time in 2003, a post that has remained with her ever since.

She assured party followers that she is ready to make any sacrifice to advance the humanitarian mission of great people, particularly those born in Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities, through the BSP movement, the statement said.

Two days ago, Mayawati had taken to social media to announce that her retirement from active politics was "out of question". On May 27, 2018, Mayawati had famously told party workers in Lucknow that she would continue as the party president for the next 20 years until she is too old for the responsibility.

Addressing the party workers here on Tuesday, Mayawati said the movement of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar for self-respect and dignity of bahujans is now advancing and has become so strong that it cannot be misled from its goal whatsoever.

"Moreover, despite electoral reverses, the BSP is not disappointed. It is stoutly pursuing the goal and welfare principle of 'Bahujan Hitaye and Bahujan Sukhaye' (progress and prosperity of bahujans) on the strength of the bahujan samaj of all the exploited, oppressed poor and toiling masses," she said.

She also hit out at the Congress and the BJP, claiming the two national parties are not "true well-wishers of minorities and backward communities in the country.

"Like anti-Congressism in the past, the politics of the country has now become entangled in anti-BJPism whereas both these parties and their alliances are neither true well-wishers of bahujans, Dalits, adivasis, OBCs, Muslims and other religious minorities nor can they ever be so because their thinking about bahujans... Is narrow, casteist, and communal," she alleged.

"This is the main reason why during the rule of both these parties and their alliances, which have been in power for most of the time in the country, there has not yet been the required improvement in the condition of bahujans and disparities of every kind have been increasing in the society," she added.
Non-compliance with SNJPC proposals: Chief secretaries of 18 States, UTs to appear in SC





NEW DELHI ;

THE Chief Secretaries of 18 States and UTs are scheduled to appear personally on Tuesday before the Supreme Court which has summoned them for non-implementation of the Second National Judicial Pay Commissions (SNJPC) recommendations on payment of pension arrears and retirement benefits to judicial officers. The top-most bureaucrats of Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Bihar, Goa, Haryana and Odisha have to be present before the apex court in person on August 27. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has listed the plea of the All India Judges Association and 22 other similar petitions for hearing at 10:30 A.M. On Tuesday, according to the apex court website.

I can see there is no substantive compliance. They will have to personally appear before us or we will issue non-bailable warrants (NBW) against them, the CJI observed on August 22. The direction came when senior lawyer K Parmeswar, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae (a friend of court), had told the bench that despite several orders and the extension of time, as many as 18 States and Union Territories (UTs) have not complied with the SNJPC recommendations fully. The All India Judges Association (AIJA) is seeking implementation of welfare and other measures for former judges and judicial officers. The bench said the top bureaucrats will have to appear personally to explain the delay and rejected the request of various States that the Chief Secretaries be permitted to appear virtually. On July 11, the bench had summoned the chief secretaries of 23 States for non-compliance with the SNJPC recommendations on August 23. The amicus later informed the court that five more States have complied with the directions in the meantime. As the three-judge bench headed by the CJI was not available on August 23, the officials will now have to appear on August 27.
The Lo-Down Culture Cast Host Traven Rice spoke with Luis Fernandez, a partner in the popular Forsyth Fire Escape (of the amazing scallion pancake burrito creation) which started in 2021 during Covid. Founder Isabel Lee created the burrito with inspiration from her Chinese and Thai roots and Luiss Dominican background. During the pandemic, they served burritos out of their apartment by lowering them in a bucket off of their fire escape.

Luis Fernandez aka @uglyfernandez and Traven Rice at P&T Knitware

The burritos were an instant hit and when they started to gain traction, their landlord served a cease and desist letter threatening a lawsuit by the end of the day. So they pivoted and partnered with their local bodega, Don Juans on Forsyth Street, to serve burritos, which sold out every Sunday, on a preorder basis.

They also created other special events and pop ups. They have since opened a 6-month residency at Olly Olly market in Chelsea.

Luis is prepping for a new solo popup project, Feitos, coming back to Don Juans Deli on the corner of Forsyth and Broome on Sunday, Sept. 8th. The premiere item on the menu will be a Dominican-style fried chicken sandwich that you can pre-order here.

Hes also an indie rap musician, makes paintings and has a clothing label. Hes been featured in Grub Street, Eater, and Bloombergs 50 Ones to Watch.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel here or listen anywhere you get your podcasts here.
One man experienced many's worst nightmare after a mega snake came out of the toilet bowl looking for a feed.

Thai man Thanat Tangtewanon was unsuspecting when he went to use the porcelain throne at home, not knowing it was already occupied by a 12-foot python.

According to TMZ, Tangtewanon made sure to flush the toilet first, just in case any unwanted surprises were lurking in the loo. He said it's quite common to find a reptile or two had made their way up the pipes during monsoon season.

Once the coast was clear, he began attending to his important business, before feeling a sharp pain on his danglers as a python latched on.

Naturally in shock, Tangtewanon reached for his testicles to assess what was going on before finding his fist wrapped around the python's neck.

Images show a bloody mess of a bathroom - no joke - and Tangtewanon tightly gripping the snake while trying to get it to release his manhood.

"I quickly stood up and plucked it out. I felt pain, really bad pain, and there was blood everywhere," he said via The Mirror US.

"But, I was more shocked to have found a python in the toilet."

Apparently, it wasn't as easy as a 'please with a cherry on top' to get the bugger off, too.

Tangtewanon said he finally managed to beat the snake off with a toilet brush.

"My testicles are safe now," he assured. "I'm lucky it wasn't a cobra, that would've killed me."

Tangtewanon went off to the hospital for a tetanus shot and stitches but was told by the doctors he didn't need his jewels stitched.

Not what ya want to experience on a trip to the loo, but what yarn to come of it.
Perspectives of the Hill Tribals in Manipur (Part I)

|

Oinam Nabakishore Singh (IAS Retd)

In the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, which has witnessed intermittent firing and bombings on either side since the 3rd May, 2023, one should pay attention to unspoken and obvious points of view of all sides, especially of Kuki-Zo community involved in the conflict. Before Independence, little attention was paid by Meitei Kings to the day-to-day administration of hill villages except during any resistance and opposition to the authority of the King. Being more well-organized, trained and stronger in military power, any revolt or assertion of authority by the tribal chiefs was easily subdued by the Meitei king, and they had to accept the authority of the latter. Annual tributes were paid to Meitei King as a mark of subordination to him. Tribal villages in the hills of Manipur have been ruled by the chiefs as per customary laws. While Kuki-Zo chieftainship was hereditary, Naga villages elect chiefs of villages for certain fixed periods. In fact, in Naga villages, there is a council of village elders assigned with different roles in administration. It is, indeed, close to democracy as such leaders are elected by villagers by consensus.

Meitei kings did not take much interest in the affairs of tribal villages except when the territory of the kingdom is required to be defended. Kukis as a community learned use of firearms much earlier than other tribes. They knew how to prepare gunpowder from locally available materials. Perhaps each and every Kuki adult would know making guns, pellets and gunpowder. They were superior to other tribes in war because of arms and ammunition available, and they conquered many Naga and Hmar villages. During my days of probation in Churachandpur in 1985-86, I visited Lungthulien village in Tippaimukh sub-division, where the Chief was a Kuki (Haokip), while the subjects were of Hmar tribe. There were many instances where the chief is a Kuki and subjects are Nagas in Tameng- long and Ukhrul districts.

According to Kuki tradition, sons of the chief are allowed to set up new villages in new areas allowing them to have control over the land and consequential benefits to the family members of the chief. It is not surprising to see the number of households in Kuki villages would be around twenty in average. Hmar tribe, which inhabit Pher-zawl district neighbouring Assam and Mizoram has bigger villages as distinct from Kuki settlements. For instance, Senvon in Tipai-mukh sub-division, which the author visited in 1985 had more than 50 households. There lies a distinct socio-political difference between Kuki and Hmar tribes, which are responsible for their behavior and attitude towards struggle for power and control of resources.

After the British rule commenced in Manipur, administration of the State extended towards hill areas in Manipur. Christian missionaries in hill areas in the beginning of the 20th century brought about changes in the outlook and awareness of many hill tribes, who got converted to Christianity. Through education and exposure to the western ideas imparted by the missionaries from the west, ideas of administration and representation in public affairs got instilled in many such people. As such, when the new Constitution of Manipur after independence was framed, there was a separate law, namely, Manipur Hill Regulation, 1948 to regulate administration of hills in Manipur. There was adequate representation of hills in the first election to Manipur Legislative Assembly after independence. According to the Manipur Election Rules, 1948, 18 seats were reserved for the hill repre- sentatives out of 53 seats of the then Assembly. TC Tiankham, a Paite officer was made the Speaker of the first Assembly while MK Priyobrata was made the Chief Minister.

While considering the grant of Statehood to Manipur, the Government of India devised Constitutional safeguards for the tribes living in the hills of Manipur. One of the important safeguards is Article 371C, which reads as [371C. Special provision with respect to the State of Manipur.(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the President may, by order made with respect to the State of Manipur, provide for the constitution and functions of a committee of the Legislative Assembly of the State consisting of members of that Assembly elected from the Hill Areas of that State, for the modifications to be made in the rules of business of the Government and in the rules of procedure of the Legislative Assembly of the State and for any special responsibility of the Governor in order to secure the proper functioning of such committee. (2) The Governor shall annually, or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the adminis- tration of the Hill Areas in the State of Manipur and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the administration of the said areas.

Explanation. In this article, the expression Hill Areas means such areas as the President may, by order, declare to be Hill areas. Although Hill Areas Committee (HAC) has been constituted as envisaged under Artcile 371 C as a Committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly and it functioned over the years, a lot of discontent has been aired by leaders of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) and Kuki-Zo civil society organizations (CSOs) regar- ding its limitation and exercise of power.

For instance, when any administrative or legislative decision is taken by Manipur Government in respect of hill areas, they are of the opinion that the issue should be first discussed and cleared by the Hill Areas Committee. The Constitution provides for modification in the Rules of Business of the State Government of Manipur accor- ding to the recommendation of the Hill Areas Committee to suit the administrative requirement of hill areas. So far, no such modification has been made. Instead of blaming the HAC for their acquiescence, tribal CSOs heap the blame on Manipur Government.

However, Manipur Government is required to make good for the omissions and lapses on their part in regard to administration of hill areas. Failure to do so will only aggravate the perception of disregard of Constitutional provisions by the State further and add fuel to the ongoing conflict.

While considering the grant of Statehood to the then Union Territory of Manipur, the Parliament passed Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 to provide for local self-governance to hill areas by the elected members of such areas. At the beginning such Councils were functioning in a vibrant and energetic way with subjects like primary education, primary health care, etc. being assigned to them. Elections were held regularly, and district council and their members were participating in governance. However, of late, no election to the councils have been held for years together. Failure to hold election to the Councils breed feelings of discrimination, disregard for legal and legitimate rights of the hill leaders to govern themselves. Having elected representatives at the grassroots is a safety valve for ventilating the grievances of local people. There has been constant demand from leaders in the hills to hold election to district council. Blame for not holding election to the District Council lies squarely on the State administration. Denial of democratic and Constitutional rights to the people breed discontent with the leadership of the State.

Demand for the status of Scheduled Tribes by some CSOs of the Meitei community after about seventy years of independence is seen as an afterthought. Reservation of Meiteis as Scheduled Tribe is seen as a direct threat to the same in Government jobs and educational institutions for the tribals in the hills. Reservation if granted to the Meiteis will remove the present distinction between the tribals and Meiteis, and it is considered to pave the way for settlement of Meiteis in hill areas. As of now, Meiteis can purchase land from the tribal in the valley with permission of the concerned Deputy Commissioner of the district in valley districts. Such restriction in transfer of ownership is considered as a safeguard. Land is the most important asset for the tribal people when agriculture is their mainstay. Any attempt to encroach on land rights by others would be resisted with all might.

The order of Manipur High Court on the plea of reservation for Meiteis as Scheduled Tribe was protested by all tribes including Nagas. In fact, it was observed by the Supreme Court that it was beyond the ambit of Manipur High Court to pass such orders on reservation of communities. Tribals in Manipur feel that Meitei community is more socially and educationally advanced and as such should not qualify to be included in Scheduled Tribe List. While this statement may be correct, Meiteis are also looking for a Constitutional safeguard for their existence. It may be possible to find a via media where both hill tribe and Meitei could agree on a middle path. Such a solution could be explored through negotiations between the communities, where various options are placed on the table for consideration.


The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reportedly issued show-cause notices to Paytm Founder and CEO, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, and erstwhile board members of One 97 Communications Ltd (Paytms parent company), over alleged misrepresentation of facts during the companys initial public offering (IPO) in November 2021.

Paytm shares declined as much as 9 per cent during the intra-day trading and closed 4.48 per cent down at Rs 530 apiece. The average of 12-month analyst price targets implies a potential downside of 16 per cent.

According to multiple reports citing sources, the SEBI notices also allege non-compliance with promoter classification norms.

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The markets regulator probed Paytm Payments Bank after receiving inputs from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Paytm of SEBI did not immediately respond to reports.

Sharma apparently enjoys the rights of a promoter without the responsibilities and restrictions, according to a recent blog post by Institutional Investor Advisory Services Ltd.

In 2023, the Institutional Investor Advisory Services raised questions on Sharmas stake in the parent firm, as well as the employee stock options granted to him by the company ahead of the IPO.

The latest SEBI notice may make it difficult for Paytm to get its payment aggregator licence reinstated.

Paytm recently got a government nod to apply for the licence after it assured authorities that the funds in Paytm Payments Services accounts are not from foreign sources.

Sharma is the founder and CEO of One97 Communications Ltd, but is not classified as promoter, according to stock exchange disclosures.

As a non-retiring director, Sharma chairs the companys board and has the right to a board seat if he holds at least 2.5 per cent stake. He wouldve also not been granted the ESOPs had he been classified as a promoter.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) on Monday imposed a hefty fine of 290 million euros ($324 million) on ride-hailing platform Uber over data transfer breach of European taxi drivers.

The Dutch regulator found that Uber transferred personal data of European taxi drivers to the US and failed to appropriately safeguard the data with regard to these transfers.

This constitutes a serious violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the meantime, Uber has ended the violation.

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In Europe, the GDPR protects the fundamental rights of people, by requiring businesses and governments to handle personal data with due care, said Dutch DPA chairperson, Aleid Wolfsen.

Uber did not meet the requirements of the GDPR to ensure the level of protection to the data with regard to transfers to the US. That is very serious, Wolfsen added.

According to the regulator, Uber collected sensitive information of drivers from Europe like account details, taxi licences, location data, photos, payment details, identity documents, and in some cases even criminal and medical data of drivers, and retained it on servers in the US.

For a period of over two years, the company transferred those data to Ubers headquarters in the US, without using transfer tools.

The Dutch DPA started the investigation on Uber after more than 170 French drivers complained to the human-rights interest group LDH, which subsequently submitted a complaint to the French DPA.

All DPAs in Europe calculate the amount of fines for businesses in the same manner. Those fines amount to a maximum of 4 per cent of the worldwide annual turnover of a business. Uber had a worldwide turnover of around 34.5 billion euro in 2023. Uber has indicated its intent to object to the fine, said the regulator.

This is the third fine that the Dutch DPA imposes on Uber.

The Dutch DPA imposed a fine of 600,000 euro on Uber in 2018, and a fine of 10 million euro in 2023. Uber has objected to this last fine.

In January, Uber was fined 10 million euros for data access rights pertaining to the same complaints.
BJP MP from Chandni Chowk Praveen Khandelwal, on Tuesday, met the traders of his constituency, who were protesting against sewer overflows in their localities, near the Old Delhi Railway Station and assured of the redressal of their grievances.

Old Delhi is facing the problem of sewer overflows as a sewer trunk barrel that broke remained unrepaired for 13 days.

Expressing their anger at the Delhi Jal Board for not repairing the damaged barrel, they said it led to sewer overflows in the lanes of Bagh Dewar, Fatehpuri, Cloth Market, Tilak Bazar, Khari Baoli, and Naya Bazar. Such is the situation that it is difficult for them to sit at their shops.

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They also informed Mr. Khandelwal about the deteriorating condition of the broken roads on S P Mukherjee Marg, Church Mission Road, Khari Baoli, and various lanes, and raised concerns over increasing encroachments on the pavements and the chaotic parking of tourist buses in front of the Old Delhi Station.

The BJP MP assured the traders that he would speak to the CEO of the DJB to expedite the barrel repair and speed up sewer cleaning in the lanes.

He said he would also instruct the chief secretary and the municipal commissioner to ensure that the main broken roads are repaired and encroachments are removed.

The BJP MP urged the traders to focus on their business and assured them that his party workers would fight for their problems.

Meanwhile, several areas of Old Delhi have been facing civic woes and according to the locals, not much is being done to resolve the issues.

The narrow lanes, with heavy footfall, face cleanliness issues, especially during the rains when the streets become more dirty when rainwater mixes with dust.
An interstate gangster involved in murders and armed robberies wanted in connection with the ATM heist of Paschim Vihar was arrested from Mehrauli, the police said on Tuesday.

Identified as 35-year-old Imran, the accused is a resident of Palwal, Haryana. According to the police, he, along with his accomplices, fled with the ATM of a private bank on May 30, at around 3 am with Rs 6 lakh cash. A case was registered in this regard at the Paschim Vihar East police station.

The cops said the accused was involved in nine cases of burglary and crimes under the Arms Act in Delhi. Additionally, he was involved in 12 cases of murder, theft, and burglary in Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

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A police team, with inputs from technical as well as manual surveillance teams, marked the culprits with the help of CCTV analysis and conducted raids to arrest them. In one of the raids, they nabbed Imran from Anuvrat Road, near Mehrauli Complex Park.

During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that he, along with his associates, had run away with the ATM in a stolen van. After reaching Palwal, they broke open the machine with the help of a gas cutter and took out the cash from it before throwing the machine into a drain and abandoning the van.
Renowned Malayalam filmmaker Srinath Rajendran is gearing up to bring the intriguing story of notorious conman Dhani Ram Mittal to the big screen. The film, based on the gripping book MoneyRam by Preeti Aggarwal and Chetan Unniyal, is slated to begin production in 2025.

In a recent statement, Srinath expressed his enthusiasm about stepping into Hindi cinema with this project. Cinema today transcends borders and languages, he remarked. I am thrilled to embark on this new journey in Hindi cinema. Dhani Ram Mittal, also known as MoneyRam, is undoubtedly one of the most captivating figures in modern Indian history. I cant wait to share his story with audiences.

The films screenplay is currently being developed, promising a detailed and engaging portrayal of Mittals life. Produced by Insomnia Media and Content Services Limited in collaboration with Pretty Pictures, the film will be shot in Hindi and released in Hindi, Malayalam, and Telugu. This multilingual approach aims to reach a diverse Pan-Indian audience.

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Dhani Ram Mittal, who passed away in April 2024 at the age of 85, was a notorious figure in the criminal world. With involvement in over 130 vehicle thefts, Mittal earned nicknames like Super Natwarlal and Indian Charles Sobhraj due to his audacious crimes and elusive nature.

As the project progresses, anticipation is building for how Rajendran will translate Mittals complex and compelling life story into a cinematic experience.
Actress Minu Muneer has come forward with serious allegations of sexual harassment and verbal abuse against several prominent figures in the industry.

Minu, known for her work in Malayalam cinema, has accused a number of her co-stars, including M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu, of subjecting her to both physical and verbal abuse during their time together on set.

In an interview with ANI, Minu Muneer described distressing incidents that she claims occurred during film shoots. According to Minu, Jayasurya allegedly hugged her from behind and kissed her forcefully when she was leaving the restroom. She also accused Idavela Babu of expressing unwanted sexual advances towards her.

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Further, Minu recounted an unsettling encounter with Maniyanpilla Raju, who reportedly questioned her about her husband during a car ride to a film location. Minu claimed Raju suggested she keep her hotel door open at night, a proposal she refused. Subsequently, Minu alleges that she was denied film roles.

These allegations come in the wake of recent resignations within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Director Ranjith and actor Siddique stepped down from their positions amid similar accusations, further intensifying scrutiny on the industry.

Earlier this month, Minu also shared her experiences on social media, revealing that she had faced harassment as far back as 2013. In a detailed Facebook post, she accused several industry figures, including Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya, and others, of persistent abuse. Minus post highlighted how the abuse had driven her to leave the Malayalam film industry and move to Chennai.

In her post, Minu expressed a desperate need for justice and accountability, emphasizing that the trauma she endured had left a lasting impact on her life and career. She called for action against those responsible for the alleged abuses, seeking to hold them accountable for their actions.

The allegations come shortly after the release of a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report. This comprehensive 235-page document, published after significant delays, reveals disturbing details about harassment and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The report, prepared by a three-member panel led by a former Kerala High Court judge, indicates that a small group of male producers, directors, and actors hold considerable power and influence within the industry.

In response to the mounting allegations and the publication of the Justice Hema Committee report, the Kerala government has announced the formation of a special investigation team. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a meeting with senior police officials to address the issue and ensure a thorough investigation into the reported cases of sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry.

The recent developments highlight a growing movement towards addressing long-standing issues of harassment and abuse within the industry. As the investigation progresses, there is hope that the voices of those who have suffered will be heard and that necessary measures will be taken to foster a safer and more respectful environment for all professionals in the Malayalam film industry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on his recent Ukraine visit.

The Prime Minister, once again, underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in his talk with Mr Putin via phone, along with a sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The two leaders exchanged views on the conflict.

In a post on X, Mr Modi said: Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

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While discussing the situation in Ukraine with Mr Biden last night also, the Prime Minister had expressed full support for early return of peace and stability, reiterating Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy.

Mr Modis quick talks with Mr Biden and Mr Putin, soon after his return from Ukraine and long discussions with its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, makes obvious likelihood of Indias role in any peace initiative in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Prime Minister shared with the two leaders insights from his Ukraine visit, and unambiguously expressed India was firmly committed to support an early resolution of the conflict.

The Prime Minister had in his detailed discussions with the Ukraine President reiterated the need for sincere and practical engagement among all stakeholders to work out innovative solutions, with broad acceptability for early restoration of peace.

Ukraine conveyed its desire for Indias continued involvement in peace summit efforts, and what could be effective ways to take the discussions forward. India had attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Switzerland in June this year.

According to the Russian government, Mr Modi informing Mr Putin about his visit to Kyiv, emphasised his interest in contributing to a possible political and diplomatic settlement of the situation around Ukraine.

For his part, Mr Vladimir Putin gave a fundamental assessment of the destructive line of the Kyiv authorities and their Western patrons, outlining key Russian approaches to ways to resolve the conflict, the Russian government said.

Mr Putin and Mr Modi discussed issues of practical implementation of agreements in the trade and economic sphere reached following the July official visit of the Prime Minister of India to Russia.

Satisfaction was expressed with the level of interaction between the two countries in BRICS, the Russian government said. Mr Modi has confirmed his readiness to attend the summit of the association, to be held under the Russian chairmanship in Kazan in October this year. The two sides agreed to continue bilateral contacts at various levels.

In his talk with Mr Putin on Tuesday, the Prime Minister recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit, the Indian statement said.

The two leaders reviewed progress on a number of bilateral issues and discussed measures to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.

They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch.
After meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the All Jharkhand Students Union President Sudesh Mahto has confirmed an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming Jharkhand elections.

He also criticised the state governments handling of Jharkhands current political situation.

Sudesh Mahto on Monday elaborated on the discussions held during the meeting, emphasising that they revolved around the present political scenario in Jharkhand and the perceived mismanagement by the state government.

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A discussion was done on the present political situation in Jharkhand and the situation in which the state government has brought the state. It has been decided that we will contest the elections together. It will be good if Champai Soren becomes a part of the NDA, Sudesh Mahto told the media.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday evening that former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren will join the Bharatiya Janata Party on August 30 in Ranchi.

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, Champai Soren met Union Home Minister Amit Shah a short while ago. He will officially join the BJP on August 30 in Ranchi, the Assam CM posted on X.

Meanwhile, former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma were seen leaving from Home Minister Amit Shahs residence after the meeting.

Earlier, Champai Soren hinted at forming a new party, after Soren took to social media to voice his grievances, stating that he had been insulted during his tenure as Chief Minister and that all options remained open ahead of the forthcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections.

He also listed out, in a post on X, various instances when he was not allowed to call a meeting of the legislative party and was asked to resign suddenly, which prompted him to look for an alternative path.

I have been trying to get the rights of the tribals, natives, poor, labourers, students and people of backward classes of the state. Whether I held any post or not, I was always available to the public, raising the issues of those people who had dreamt of a better future with the state of Jharkhand, he said.

As the political climate in Jharkhand intensified, all eyes were on Champai Soren and his next move, with significant implications for the upcoming state elections.

Assembly elections are going to be held in Jharkhand this year in 2024 and the BJP has fully prepared to corner the state government.
Hours after BJPs Thrissur MP and Union minister of petroleum and tourism Suresh Gopi defended actor and CPI-M Kollam MLA Mukesh, who is facing sexual assault charges, the partys Kerala president, K Surendran, asserted that it is the state president of the party, not the Union minister, who will declare the partys stance on the issue.

Speaking to media persons here, Surendran said the BJPs stance on the issue will be declared by the partys state president and the state leadership.

The BJP state president made the statement a few hours after Suresh Gopi defended fellow actor Mukesh, criticising the media for sensationalising the assault allegations against Mukesh.

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When media persons asked Suresh Gopi about the allegations against Mukesh, he questioned whether the court had made any statements on the issue. Are you the judiciary, he asked reporters in Thrissur.

The entire matter is before the court. The court has the wisdom to decide on it, the Union minister said.

Disapproving Suresh Gopis stance, the BJP state president said that while the Union minister may have his own stance as an actor, the party has its own position on the issue.

BJP demands the resignation of Mukesh as MLA. The party has staged protests in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram seeking his resignation. The BJP has no plans to withdraw from this stance. Mukesh is not eligible to continue as an MLA. He should resign, Surendran said.

He also said that the BJP would not allow the government to hold a conclave with Mukesh as a participant, given the serious sexual assault allegations against him.
Days after suggesting that senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren will float a new party, the former Jharkhand Chief Minister will officially join the BJP on August 30 in Ranchi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced.

The development late on Monday night came shortly after Champai Soren met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Assam CM Sarma, who is also the BJPs election incharge in poll-bound Jharkhand, was also present during the meeting.

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, @ChampaiSoren Ji met Honble Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the @BJP4India on 30th August in Ranchi, Sarma wrote in a social media post on X.

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Champai Soren has been a long-time loyalist of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

When Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate over an alleged land scam, Champai was entrusted with the Chief Ministers duties.

However, after Hemant Sorens return, Champai Soren was asked to make way for the JMM chief, which reportedly led to the rift between them.

Earlier this month, Champai Soren alleged that he was humiliated by the partys top leadership and that his scheduled programmes as a chief minister were cancelled abruptly.

He announced three options as his future course of action  retirement from politics, joining another party or forming one of his own.

Last week, he reportedly suggested floating a new organisation.

Speaking to reporters in Jharkhand, Soren has said, I had mentioned three options  retirement, organization, or friend. I will not retire; I will strengthen the party, a new party, and if I meet a good friend on the way, then will move ahead with them.

So far, Hemant Soren has not publicly commented on his former close aides decision to launch a new political outfit.

However, in a veiled remark targeting the BJP, he stated, Forget about society; these people are focused on breaking homes and dismantling parties. Every other day, they either buy this MLA or that MLA.
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused Lieutenant Governors Office of spreading falsehoods and misleading about postings and transfers in GNCTD.

Highlighting the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in Delhi government hospitals, he alleged that the LG Office is making false excuses for not being able to hold National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA) meetings due to the non-availability of the chief minister.

Alleging that LG is reluctant to address the critical issues with different excuses, the health minister questioned the integrity of the high office following recent appointments and transfers in the PWD department.

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Bharadwaj, while addressing a press conference on Tuesday claimed that whenever a major crisis occurs in Delhi, the culprit behind it is the LGs office.

He said when the Delhi government seeks a response from the LG office, a very absurd reply comes from it, he added.

In support of his allegations, Bharadwaj stated that some time ago, in Asha Kiran Home Shelter Home where 14 deaths happened, and when the investigation was going on, he held a press conference informing that in the ongoing investigation, it has been found out that there is a huge shortage of doctors and paramedic staff in this home shelter. Such patients need doctors and paramedic staff. Since the LG and Central government have authority over the transfer and posting, because of their mistakes, these deaths have happened.

He further said, To this, the LG office immediately replied, Since the meeting of NCCSA has not been convened, they could not affect the transfers. However, there was no such proposal in NCCSAs agenda, but the LG office is habitual of lying. However, after the High Courts rebuke, the doctors and paramedical staff were deployed in this case without NCCSA. the minister added.

Bharadwaj further said, Ever since I became the minister, I have written half a dozen letters saying that so many doctors positions are vacant, and these vacant positions should be filled. Approximately 30 per cent of the positions of doctors and specialists are lying vacant. The posts of paramedics, nurses, and OT technicians are vacant. In its response, LG Saab absurdly reasoned that he had received a list of 25-26 specialists. But hes unable to process their posting because the CM is not here, and because of that they cannot convene NCCSAs meeting.

He asked if transfers and postings could be done and are happening without NCCSA, why then did the LG office mislead the people of Delhi?
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday reiterated Indias support for Brazils G-20 presidency.

Brazil currently holds the G20 Presidency, and the G20 summit will take place in November this year in Rio de Janeiro.

Co-chairing the ninth India-Brazil Joint Commission meeting here with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira, he appreciated Brazils unique initiatives centred on the theme of building a just world and a sustainable planet.

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Mr Jaishankar noted that the strategic partnership between India and Brazil established in 2006 has diversified over the years. He highlighted that bilateral relations with Brazil now span a wide range of domains, including defence, space, cyber security, trade, and investment.

We have a substantial bilateral trade basket. It has by and large gone up in the last year. Weve had some challenges. We also have a very important energy cooperation between our two countries and we, of course, have particularly valued the biofuels cooperation that India and Brazil have established. In the BRICS, we have been strong and reliable partners. We have in the UN platforms always work together, he said.

He also spoke about how Indian culture, performing arts, and philosophy are spreading in Brazil. The Brazilian minister is on a four-day visit to India during which he has held several important meetings with Indian officials on enhancing ties between the two nations.

India and Brazil share a multifaceted relationship rooted in shared values. The visit of Foreign Minister Vieira will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the strategic partnership established in 2006 and explore new avenues of cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral areas across diverse sectors, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bhopal after he developed a very high fever.

According to officials, the Governor was suffering from viral fever for the past few days, and Monday evening, his fever suddenly shot up.

He was rushed to AIIMS where doctors admitted him and carried out several tests. According to the doctors, the reports of all the tests of the Governor came out normal. However, he was kept in admission to monitor his condition.

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other ministers along with senior officials visited the hospital to meet the Governor.
BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday accused the West Bengal police of highhandedness on the protesters in the Nabanna Abhijan.

The rally was called on Tuesday to protest the rape-murder of a woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in West Bengals Kolkata, recently.

In a post on X, the BJP chief wrote, The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles.

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In an apparent reference to West Bengal Chief Mamata Banerjee, Nadda said, In Didis West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but its a crime to speak for womens safety.

Earlier, Nadda accused the ruling dispensation in the state that it tried to hush up the matter.

The way the West Bengal government tried to hush up this matter, I condemn it.There is no law and order in the state. Lawlessness is at its peak. Atrocities against women are increasing in the state. This is worrying because it is happening despite the Chief Minister being a woman, he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia at a press conference at the party headquarters said, Mamata Banerjees police are taking strict actions against the students who are peacefully protesting for their fellow student.

Offenders are being protected in Bengal. The administration of Mamatas government is biased and we cannot expect justice from them. Mamata Banerjee is a dictator, he said.

According to a news agency, security personnel on Tuesday lobbed tear gas shells, had to resort to lathi charge and also used water cannons to disperse the protestors marching towards Nabanna, the state Secretariat.
The opposition BJP staged a walkout on the first day of Himachal Pradesh Monsoon session on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state on Tuesday.

The BJP members walked out of the House in protest against not being allowed to discuss the adjournment motion brought under Rule 67 on the law and order situation in the state.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur raised the issue of law and order at the onset of the session stating that the opposition has given notice of adjournment motion under Rule 67 on this issue and the government should immediately stop all the work of the House and hold a discussion on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

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Referring to the incident in Baddi, he said that two groups had a fight over money transaction, in which a youth was beaten to death, while two youths were admitted in the hospital.

Such an incident has never happened in the state before and that the law and order has become a matter of concern for the state. The government is not serious about it leading to continuous deterioration of law and order, he blamed.

Pointing out some past incidents he said that bullets are fired in the court premises and there has been an incident where a youth was brutally murdered.

Today the drug mafia, mining mafia, contract mafia and forest mafia are fully active in the state, but the government is not serious about it. This can be gauged from the fact that the government has kept 25 police officers sitting without work in the police headquarters as they are on leave reserve. The government has deployed most of its police as pilots and escorts to protect MLAs and CPS, he alleged, stating that the deteriorating law and order situation in the state should be discussed immediately in the House.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan opposed the opposition adjournment motion saying that the BJP MLAs have already asked for a discussion on law and order under Rule 130, hence there is no justification for discussion on this issue under Rule 67.

He said that the government has no objection to the discussion on this issue as the session is very long and they are ready for discussion anytime.

Chauhan said that Rule 67 is for very emergencies and the incident that happened in Baddi is not so important that all the proceedings of the House should be postponed and it should be discussed.

He said that the opposition is raising this issue only to remain in the headlines.

MLA Randhir Sharma said that there has been a three-fold increase in criminal cases in the state and the government is not serious about law and order.

Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Pathania, while giving ruling on this issue, said that he will bring this matter for discussion later during the session and for now he is cancelling the notice of discussion brought by the opposition under Rule 67.

After this, the entire opposition stood up from their seats and started making noise. Later the entire opposition walked out of the House shouting slogans.

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said that the incident in Baddi was between two factions of the drug mafia and it is shameful for the opposition to bring up a discussion in the House on this incident related to the drug mafia.

He said that one of these gangs is linked to Haryana and there should be no discussion in the House on the death of people associated with the drug mafia as the House runs on high traditions and rules.

He said that there was a more serious issue as the state has suffered disaster due to monsoon, so there should be a discussion on it.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, while commenting on the opposition bringing an adjournment motion on law and order, said that the opposition is bringing an adjournment motion on gang war, which is condemnable.

Taking a dig at the opposition, he said that the opposition is saddened by the fact that Congress has again got 40 MLAs.

He advised the opposition to introspect on its behavior and play the role of a constructive opposition.
The maiden meeting of the National Task Force (NTF), which was recently constituted by the Union Health Ministry following the directions of the Supreme Court (SC) to make recommendations on safety of medical professionals, was held on Tuesday.

In a communique, the Health Ministry said, The first meeting of the NTF set up in accordance with directions of the Supreme Court was held today under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary. All members including the Home Secretary and Health Secretary were present at the meeting.

There was elaborate and detailed discussion on various issues by the NTF members and they also put forth their suggestions, it said.

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During the meeting, the members informed that they have been approached directly by various stakeholders and have individually received almost 300 to 400 suggestions.

The Health Ministry also informed that a national portal has been created by it under the title Suggestions to NTF (http://serviceonline.gov.in/directApply.do?serviceId=2987 ) for seeking suggestions from individuals and different stakeholders across the country and added it is operational as of Tuesday.

Suggestions of major stakeholders and those received on the portal will be collated by the Union Health Ministry for further consideration of NTF members. Secretary (Health) along with NTF members will have wider consultations with various major stakeholders, it said.

The Health Ministry said states have also been requested to provide information on the security measures available in medical institutions in the State.

A Google sheet has been shared with the states for this purpose, it said.

A meeting will be held tomorrow through VC to discuss short term measures regarding security of medical professionals with State Chief Secretaries and DGPs. It will be co-chaired by the Union Home Secretary and Union Health Secretary, the Health Ministry added.

Notably, the Health Ministry constituted the NTF on 21st August following the Apex courts direction, in the wake of rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also release a special edition of the Bureau of Police Research and Developments (BPR&D) Indian Police Journal on new criminal laws at its 54th Foundation Day celebrations on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the home minister will deliver Dr. Anand Swaroop Guptas Memorial Lecture on New Criminal Law  Citizen Centric Reforms, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Shah will also honour the recipients of the Presidents Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and the Presidents Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) for the years 2023 and 2024.

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Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of the HM, the BPR&D is committed to transforming the Indian Police Forces into SMART forces to successfully meet the challenges of policing as well as internal security by equipping them with the necessary intellectual, and physical and organizational resources.

Since its inception in the year 1970, the bureau has been serving as the think tank of the police forces to foster excellence in policing.

The focus of the institute is to develop policies and procedures for police and correctional services, explore ushering technologies for enhanced service delivery to the citizens, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, and promote cooperation and coordination between states and central police organizations.

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director General of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Heads of central police organizations as well as senior officials of Home Ministry and other departments will also be present on the occasion, the statement said.
In a significant operation against cross-border human trafficking, Tripura Police detained five suspected Bangladeshi nationals and an Indian facilitator in Agartalas Nandan Nagar area on Tuesday.

Tripura police launched the operation after receiving credible intelligence about the illegal presence of foreign nationals in the city.

The detainees, identified as Bangladeshi nationals, reportedly entered India through unauthorised channels several months ago.

Their presence was confirmed after a thorough verification process was conducted by the police.

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Acting on a tip-off, our team investigated and confirmed that these individuals were indeed Bangladeshi nationals, a police officer involved in the operation stated.

Initially, the detainees attempted to mislead the authorities during questioning.

However, the discovery of Bangladeshi currency in their possession, which they could not explain, led to their confession of illegal border crossing. The police also arrested Ishan Ali, an Indian national from Murshidabad, West Bengal, who is believed to have facilitated their entry into India.

This crackdown comes amid growing concerns over the potential influx of Bangladeshi nationals into Indias northeastern states, exacerbated by political and economic instability in Bangladesh.

Recent reports indicate a surge in violence and unrest in Bangladesh, driven by political tensions and economic hardships, which has heightened fears of increased migration into neighbouring Indian states.

The North East Students union (NESO), a prominent regional body, has long raised alarms over the infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into the region.

NESO argues that the continuous flow of illegal migrants threatens the demographic and cultural fabric of the North East, particularly in states like Assam and Tripura.

The organisation has consistently called for stricter border controls and more robust action against illegal immigration to preserve the identity and security of the region.

With tensions in Bangladesh showing no signs of abating, the fear of an influx is palpable among the local population in the northeastern states.

The recent arrests in Tripura underscore the ongoing challenges in managing cross-border human trafficking and illegal migration, as authorities grapple with both internal security concerns and humanitarian issues stemming from the crisis in Bangladesh.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has increased the scholarship for students in Sanskrit schools and colleges across the state after 24 years.

During a Cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the proposal to amend/increase the existing scholarship rates, which have been in place since 2001, was approved for students pursuing education in Sanskrit schools and colleges in Uttar Pradesh.

This marks the first increase in scholarships for Sanskrit school and college students since 2001. Notably, a total of 14 proposals were presented during the cabinet meeting, with 13 receiving approval.

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Providing details about the proposal, Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi stated, The cabinet has approved this significant proposal related to the Secondary Education Department. Under this new scheme, a scholarship of Rs 50 per month has been allocated for students in classes 6 and 7 of Prathama, and Rs 75 per month for class 8. Additionally, the proposal to grant Rs 100 per month for Purva Madhyama (classes 9 and 10), Rs 150 for Uttar Madhyama (classes 11 and 12), Rs 200 for Shastri, and Rs 250 per month for Acharya was approved.

The Secondary Education Minister highlighted that most students pursuing Sanskrit education come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which is why scholarships have been arranged for students in Prathama classes six, seven, and eight under the Sanskrit education system.

Previously, there was no provision for scholarships for students in classes six and seven. However, on the Chief Ministers instructions, the government is now extending this support to them as well. The recent amendments to the scholarship scheme are significantly more generous than before, ensuring that students will benefit directly. This decision has been made to promote Sanskrit education.

She also noted that the previous income cap, which limited eligibility to those with an annual income of Rs 50,000 or less, has been removed. Now, there is no income group restriction. Anyone, regardless of their income level, who enrols as a student of Sanskrit will be eligible for the scholarship.

She emphasized that Sanskrit is the mother of all languages, and the government is committed to promote it.

Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna added that the scheme will benefit students from a total of 517 Sanskrit schools in the state.

Meanwhile, to enhance residential and dining facilities for domestic and international tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has extended the management contract period for tourist accommodations operated by private entrepreneurs under the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. The new contract duration has been increased from 5 years to 30 years (15+15 years).

Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh remarked, In recent years, the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh has surged significantly. In 2016-17, around 16 crore tourists visited the state, while in 2023, this number rose to 48 crore. The figure is expected to rise even further this year. Additionally, with the Maha Kumbh scheduled for 2025, we anticipate a substantial influx of tourists to the state.

He continued, To ensure proper arrangements for tourists accommodation and meals, tourist rest houses managed by the Tourism Development Corporation are being utilized. Many of these facilities are in poor condition and face shortage of staff. To address this, and to encourage private tourism entrepreneurs while creating new employment opportunities, we have decided to extend the management contracts of these units. The extensions will be phased, with an initial period of 15 years and an additional 15 years based on mutual consent. The operation of these units will be determined through a tender process.

Jaiveer Singh further emphasized that the involvement of entrepreneurs in managing these units will lead to significant improvements in the quality of tourist facilities, foster entrepreneurship, and create new employment opportunities.

He noted that the units operated by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation will be expanded through private partnerships for a minimum of 15 years. Following this period, the lease rent will increase by 15 percent for the next 15 years. Additionally, there will be an annual increase of 5 percent in the amount contributed by the investor to the Tourism Corporation.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised that the Uttar Pradesh Police Force prioritises duty above concerns of profit and loss and the state is becoming the growth engine of the nations development, presenting a model of law and order in the country.

The police and the state, once regarded as failures, are setting benchmarks. The state is becoming the growth engine of the nations development, presenting a model of law and order. Today, happiness, peace, and goodwill prevail throughout the state, he stated.

Speaking at a programme organised for Shri Krishna Janmashtami at the Reserve Police Lines here on Monday night , the Chief Minister remarked, This event is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in all 1,585 police stations, 75 police lines, and over 90 jails across the state. However, 10 years ago, this would not have been possible. Previous governments hesitated, questioning the benefit of organising such events.

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The CM inaugurated the programme by lighting a lamp, garlanded the statue of Lord Krishna, and also enjoyed cultural performances.

The Chief Minister remarked, In the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjun, Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshu kada chana, Hey Arjun, tum karm karo, phal ki chinta na karo (focus on your duty without worrying about the results). We often concern ourselves with profit and loss before undertaking a task, which deprives us of its true virtue. If you do good, good will come to you; if you do bad, no one can absolve you of your sin. When you work for the welfare of the people, no force can deny you its virtue.

CM Adityanath mentioned that Lord Krishna is revered as a previous incarnation of Shri Hari Vishnu. He added: According to Indian scriptures, this year marks the 5,251st birth anniversary of Leeladhari Lord Krishna. The divine sequence of his leelas (divine acts) began from the moment of his birth. After spending 125 years and 8 months on this earth, he concluded his leelas. We continue to draw inspiration from his acts, using them as guiding examples through various programmes over the ages.

Highlighting the unique significance of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, the CM stated that it is the only sacred text in the world where Lord Krishna delivered eternal wisdom to Arjun on the battlefield. He stated, Just as every household reveres the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita as a sacred scripture, the Indian judiciary holds this text in the same high regard as the followers of Sanatan Dharma. The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is also esteemed as a guide to salvation.

The CM stated that there were four essential purusharthas (aims) in a humans life: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desires), and Moksha (liberation). He explained that the foundation begins with Dharma, through which one earns wealth (Artha) by performing deeds. When this wealth is used to fulfill desires (Kama), it paves the way for liberation (Moksha). While this is a commonly held belief, the profound teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita continue to offer new inspiration to every Indian.

The CM referenced the main ceremony of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, where the Prime Minister emphasised that people must follow a strategic plan for the next 25 years to deliver a developed India by 2047. The vision is for a nation where every face reflects happiness, and there is no sorrow, poverty, anarchy, or hooliganism. Every individual will have work, and every field will be irrigated. To achieve this vision for 2047, PM Modi outlined the Panch Pran, with the most crucial vow being the commitment to civic duty.

Emphasising the importance of duty alongside rights, CM Yogi remarked, Everyone talks about rights but seldom about duties. To achieve success in life, one must adopt a problem-solving approach. When the focus is on finding solutions, success follows. Dwelling on problems only leads to excuses, and procrastination wont solve anything. Success demands hard work, action, and effortthere are no excuses.

He further stated that a book like the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita inspires action. The Lord delivered this message amidst millions of warriors on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It is unique in its ability to inspire both spirituality and action. The Gitas teachings, given in the midst of battle, emphasise the importance of karma. Without action, the pursuits of religion, wealth, and desires remain incomplete, and salvation cannot be attained. Indian wisdom has always prioritised action, he said.

The CM emphasised the importance of taking pride in our heritage, asserting that Respect for our heritage will drive development forward. He urged everyone to fulfill their civic duties in their respective areas, with the goal of ensuring that each action is dedicated to the nation. He expressed that working with this sense of dedication would attract Gods blessings.
Indonesia, the worlds third-largest democracy, is once again in the throes of political unrest. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, demanding transparency and fairness in the countrys electoral process. This wave of protests comes at a critical juncture in Indonesian politics, as the long-serving President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, prepares to hand over the reins to his successor, Prabowo Subianto, in October.

The unrest reveals deep concerns about the state of democracy in Indonesia, particularly the influence of political elites and the potential erosion of democratic norms. At the heart of the protests is a growing fear of political manoeuvring aimed at consolidating power within Jokowis circle. The outrage was sparked by a parliamentary attempt to amend election rules, a move that many view as a blatant attempt to favour Mr Jokowis allies and family members. The most contentious issue is the potential candidacy of Mr Jokowis 29-year-old son, Kaesang Pangarep, in regional elections. This has led to accusations of nepotism and fears that Indonesias democratic institutions are being undermined by the very leaders who are supposed to protect them. The protests reflect a broader anxiety about the trajectory of Indonesian democracy.

Mr Jokowi, who has been in power for a decade, has enjoyed significant popularity, but his influence now appears to be extending beyond his tenure. Critics argue that his efforts to secure a political future for his family members and close allies represent a worrying trend toward the concentration of power. This situation is reminiscent of other Southeast Asian nations where political dynasties and entrenched elites have stifled democratic progress. The role of the Election Commission has become a focal point in this struggle. Protesters are demanding that the commission issue clear and fair rules for candidate eligibility, free from political interference. The commissions upcoming decisions will be critical in determining whether Indonesias elections remain a legitimate expression of the peoples will or become a tool for further entrenching the power of the ruling elite. The commission must uphold its duty to ensure a level playing field for all candidates, regardless of their political affiliations or family ties.

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Beyond the immediate controversy over election rules, the protests also reflect a broader dissatisfaction with the state of governance in Indonesia. For many Indonesians, the situation highlights the persistent issues of corruption, nepotism, and the lack of accountability among the political elite. The fact that protesters have taken to the streets in multiple cities, braving tear gas and water cannons, is a testament to the depth of their frustration. As Mr Jokowi prepares to exit the political stage, his legacy is increasingly being called into question. Will he be remembered as a leader who strengthened Indonesias democracy, or as one who allowed it to be weakened by political manoeuvring? If Indonesia is to maintain its status as a vibrant democracy, it must resist the temptations of power consolidation and ensure that its institutions remain robust and independen
Throughout history, some real estate deals have not just changed borders they have rewritten the course of empires and reshaped global power dynamics. From the icy wilderness of Alaska to the sunny shores of the Caribbean, these legendary land transactions reveal how strategic decisions shaped the world we know today. Lets take a journey through some of the largest and most influential real estate deals in history. One of the most significant land purchases ever made was the Alaska Purchase in 1867. In what many at the time deemed a foolish move, the United States bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, which amounted to just two cents per acre.

Critics labelled it Sewards Folly after then Secretary of State William H. Seward, who had championed the deal. To most Americans, Alaska was an inhospitable, frozen wasteland with little practical value. However, history would soon reveal how wrong that perception was. Alaska, which eventually became the 49th state of the US, turned out to be rich in resources. Today, the state supplies around 20 per cent of the petroleum needed by the US and is home to vast reserves of gold, diamonds, and other minerals. Its stunning natural landscapes and abundant wildlife have also made it a top destination for adventure-seeking tourists. The purchase not only secured valuable resources but also expanded Americas influence in the Asia-Pacific region. But why did Russia sell such a vast and resource-rich territory? The answer lies in the aftermath of the Crimean War.

Faced with financial strain and the threat of another costly conflict with Britain, Russia decided it was better to sell Alaska than risk losing it in a future war. More than a century later, some Russians still lament this decision, believing Alaska should have remained part of their country. In todays market, the land alone could be valued at over $37 billion, making it one of the greatest bargains in history. What was once seen as a foolish investment is now considered one of the smartest geopolitical moves ever made. Another colossal real estate deal occurred in 1803, when the United States acquired the Louisiana Territory from France.

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The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the young nation, adding approximately 828,000 square miles of land. This massive acquisition was negotiated by President Thomas Jefferson, who saw it as crucial for Americas expansion. The price? A mere $15 million, or roughly four cents per acre. Frances leader at the time, Napoleon Bonaparte, was eager to sell the territory because he needed funds to support his military campaigns in Europe, especially his on-going conflict with Spain. By selling the Louisiana Territory, Napoleon not only gained much-needed revenue but also rid himself of land he considered difficult to defend. For the United States, the deal was a strategic game changer. It secured American control over the Mississippi River and paved the way for westward expansion, which would define much of the countrys future.

Today, the land acquired in the Louisiana Purchase includes 15 states, from Louisiana in the south to Montana in the north. Its value is now estimated at over $100 billion, making it another historic example of how visionary leadership can transform a nations fortunes. While the Alaska and Louisiana purchases are well-known, another historic agreement that shaped global land distribution was the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. This treaty, signed by Spain and Portugal, essentially divided the world between the two rising superpowers.

Brokered by the Pope, the agreement drew an imaginary line down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Lands to the west of this line, including most of the Americas, were claimed by Spain, while lands to the east, including parts of Africa and Asia, were designated for Portugal. This division of the world laid the foundation for centuries of exploration, conquest, and colonization by these two nations. Portugal focused on expanding its empire in Africa, India, and Brazil, while Spains influence spread across the Americas. The wealth generated from these colonial empires was staggering, built largely on the resources and labour extracted from the lands they controlled.

However, by the late 19th century, both empires had begun to crumble as their colonies gained independence or were taken over by other European powers. The treaty that once defined global power dynamics became obsolete as new empires like Britain, France, and the United States emerged. In the early 20th century, yet another important land deal took place that was driven by strategic considerations.

As World War I raged across Europe, the United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million. President Woodrow Wilson initiated the deal out of concern that Germany might seize control of these islands, which would have posed a serious threat to American national security. The Virgin Islands are strategically located along key maritime routes between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, making them a valuable asset for controlling naval movements in the region. Besides their strategic importance, the Virgin Islands have also become a major tourist destination, boosting the local and national economy.

The purchase not only secured Americas presence in the Caribbean but also prevented a potential wartime disaster, proving that sometimes the value of land lies in its location rather than its resources. These monumental real estate transactions reveal some common themes. First, strategic foresight is key. Whether it was acquiring Alaska or purchasing the Louisiana Territory, these deals were driven by leaders who understood that the immediate costs would be outweighed by long-term benefits.

Second, timing matters. Many of these purchases were made during times of crisis, when the sellers were in desperate need of money. Russia needed funds after the Crimean War, Napoleon was seeking revenue to fuel his European campaigns, and Denmark sold the Virgin Islands as it faced the threat of German expansion. Moreover, the true value of land often is not immediately apparent. What was once seen as a frozen wasteland or swampy territory has turned out to be resource-rich and strategically vital. These deals also had significant geopolitical consequences, reshaping the balance of power across continents and cementing the status of emerging superpowers.

In conclusion, the worlds largest real estate deals were not just about land; they were about power, vision, and strategy. From Alaskas oil reserves to the geopolitical importance of the Virgin Islands, these transactions continue to influence global politics and economics. They stand as testaments to the power of visionary leadership and the lasting impact of seemingly simple decisions about buying and selling land. Land is the only thing in the world that amounts to anything, for tis the only thing in this world that lasts.  Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind.

(The writer is Associate Professor, Centre For South Asian Studies, Pondicherry Central University.)
When PM Modi visited Moscow in early July, the dates coincided with the NATO summit in Washington. There were calls from the US requesting India to defer the visit, which were ignored. The US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, commented that India should not take relations with the US for granted. Jake Sullivan, the American NSA mentioned, betting on Russia as a long-term, reliable partner is not a good bet. Soon thereafter there was a delay in supplies of GE F404 engines, impacting Indias Tejas aircraft production. This delay prompted the Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal A P Singh, to comment atmanirbharta cannot be at the cost of nations defence.

The delay of GE engines has been attributed to supply chain issues, but then with the US anything can be expected. It has a reputation for twisting arms of even allies when it seeks to push its weight. The visit to Poland and Kiev by the Prime Minister last week was possibly aimed at offsetting the perception of India being in the Russian camp. In April this year, India became the largest procurer of Russian oil, surpassing China. The timing of Mr Modis visit was also symbolic.

Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day on 24 August and the PM visited on 23 August, conveying India backs Ukrainian sovereignty. The basic reason for the visit was conveyed by Mr Modi when he tweeted, We will also share perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. It was expected that Mr Modi would not comment negatively on Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit but offer humanitarian aid and enhance trade ties, while Volodymyr Zelenskky, the Ukrainian President would do so. It was possibly with the intent of conveying neutrality that Mr. Modi mentioned while addressing the Indian diaspora in Warsaw that India is shifting from maintaining equal distance (non-alignment) to building close relations with all camps (strategic autonomy).

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The joint statement issued at the end of the Warsaw visit mentioned both nations reiterated the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. These words will augur well with the West. The visit to Poland was symbolic though gaining a stronger foothold in Eastern Europe was also essential as it remains the only safe entry into Ukraine via a ten-hour train journey. Poland stood with India when it withdrew its students from Ukraine at the commencement of the conflict and it was essential to convey gratitude to the leadership of Poland. The visit of Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, to Washington coinciding with the visit of the PM to Kyiv cannot be just another coincidence.

Rajnath Singh stated prior to his visit, Will discuss areas of strategic interests, while seeking to strengthen defence cooperation. Multiple agreements on defence were inked in this visit including one to offset supply chain disruptions. In all probability stumbling blocks in release of the engines have been overcome as also there would be progress on other defence deals. While the US and its allies continue to fund Ukraine, there is a realization that this cannot continue for long. Germany has already proposed cutting funding by 50 per cent from next year. Hungary has objections to current levels, as do others. The arrival of Donald Trump in the White House could reduce US support substantially, placing Ukraine in a spot.

The offensive in Russias Kursk by Ukraine adds to its bargaining power in terms of territory and has come at a crucial juncture, impacting the chances of any immediate ceasefire. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russias Security Council, mentioned just prior to Mr Modis visit, There will be no negotiations until the enemy is completely and utterly destroyed. China has already begun displaying its desire of being the mediator between Ukraine and Russia. PM Modis visit to Kyiv coincided with the visit of the Chinese PM, Li Qiang, to Moscow. Beijing had recently invited the Ukrainian foreign minister to China. Dismayed by Mr Modis visit, aware that India has more global clout if it decides to mediate, China termed the Indian initiative as yoga diplomacy.

The Chinese mouthpiece, Global Times mentioned, New Delhi lacks the strength and influence to bridge gaps between Moscow and Kyiv at this moment, as its influence is very limited in Europe. For the US, mediation by Beijing is unacceptable. Possibly PM Modi carried a message of negotiation, shared in his one-to-one meeting with Zelensky. He would have discussed Moscows perceptions with Putin. Mr Modis statement in Warsaw that India is a strong advocate for lasting peace in this region. Indias stance is clear: this is not the era of war, is also not just a coincidence. There were differences in opinion between Ukraine and India, especially on procuring oil from Russia and not endorsing the peace summit document, but this was likely projecting the US view.

India is unlikely to offer mediation on its own, unless requested to do so by both sides, chances of which are currently slim. Even if it was discussed, it would remain under wraps until something substantial emerges. New Delhi would have preferred to sit out the conflict as it has been doing in West Asia. India has never accepted mediation in its disputes and hence may not offer the same on its own. It is a balancing act which PM Modi has adopted to ensure that Indias relations remain stable with all camps. Though Mr Modi disappointed both Ukraine and the West as he had not criticized Putin till date, he remains the only leader to have visited Moscow and Kyiv.

While what would flow in the media would be the official version, the fact remains that a visit of this nature, especially to a war zone, cannot be without detailed preparation. The quantum of homework which would have preceded the visit, including conversations between foreign ministers and NSAs, would have sought some tangible results. The fact that there were no air raid sirens in Kyiv throughout the time Mr Modi was in the city indicates that Russia was unwilling to interrupt the visit as it could be beneficial to them in the long-term. It also signifies the relationship which exists between Delhi and Moscow. (The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durovs arrest in Paris was made under an ongoing judicial investigation and was not a political decision.

The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter, he said in a post on his X handle.

In the post, the French President said that he has seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov and stressed that France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.

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In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law, he wrote.

The exact charges the tech entrepreneur could face are still unclear, but media reports suggest that his arrest warrant was issued by Frances OFMIN  an agency tasked with combating violence against minors  in order to conduct a probe into alleged fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism on the encrypted messaging platform, RT reported.

The 39-year-old Russian, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was detained by French authorities after his private jet landed in Paris on August 24 after flying from Azerbaijan.

Telegram on Monday said that it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

In its first reaction after Durovs arrest, the company said it abides by the EU laws, including the Digital Services Act.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation, said the platform which has more than 900 million active users.
More than 70 people have been killed in multiple cases of terror attacks in the Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, media reported, quoting military and police officials.

The countrys military said that 14 soldiers and police were killed as well as 21 terrorists were also killed in fighting in a major attack that targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district, Al Jazeera reported.

In a separate attack in Musakhel district, local officials said at least 23 civilians were killed after attackers reportedly stopped their convoy, checked their IDs and determined they were from Punjab, with 35 vehicles also set ablaze.

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Ten people  five police and five civilians  were reportedly killed in Kalat in an attack on a police post and a highway.

On Monday, rail traffic with Quetta was also suspended following blasts on a rail bridge in the town of Bolan, linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan, as well as on a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said.

Six unidentified bodies have been found by the police so far, near the attack site on the railway bridge.

Balochistan province has had a simmering rebellion for years, with several armed groups present.

Rights groups have denounced Pakistans response to the movement, which they document as including enforced disappearances and other forms of state repression, Al Jazeera reported.

The attacks, along the highway that connects to the province of Punjab, came shortly after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) warned people to stay away from highways in the province.

In a statement, the group claimed its fighters targeted military personnel travelling in civilian clothes, who were shot once they were identified. Pakistans Interior Ministry, however, said the killed people were innocent citizens.

The injured were moved to a hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan, the nearest large medical facility.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements called the Musakhail attack barbaric and pledged that the attackers would not get away with it.

Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, denounced the assaults as a matter of grave concern and called on the Balochistan provincial government to step up efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also promised that the attackers would be brought to justice.

According to local media, 12 rebel fighters were killed by security forces throughout the province in the past 24 hours.

Similar attacks in Balochistan in the past, have been claimed by the BLA, such as the killing of seven barbers in Gwadar in May, or the April killings of several people abducted from a highway.

Armed groups like the BLA in the resource-rich but impoverished province have secessionist aims, often targeting labourers from Punjab coming to the area to work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the situation in war-torn Ukraine and volatile Bangladesh with US President Joe Biden.

Spoke to @POTUS@JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability, PM Modi said in a post on X.

The PM also briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and underscored Indias consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy.

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Both the leaders also expressed concern at the situation in Bangladesh, where protests led to the resignation and flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and an interim arrangement, headed by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, has taken charge.

We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, he added.

PM Modi conveyed his appreciation for President Bidens deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that the India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad, and agreed to remain in touch.

PM Modi also talked to another Quad fellow member, his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, earlier on Monday and both leaders took stock of progress in bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad.

Delighted to speak to my friend Anthony Albanese. We took stock of progress in our bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad, he posted on X.
Dinesh Goyal, an eminent Indian publisher and a dedicated humanist, is a name that resonates across the educational landscape of the country. Born in December 1960 in a noble family in Haryana, he was instilled with moral values of love, truth, service, and patriotism right from the beginning. With humble roots and strong values, he embarked on his journey in the world of education alongside his father, the Late Shri Kewal Ram Gupta, who founded Goyal Brothers Prakashan with a resolute determination to spread education in the 1960s  a time when education in India was still in its infancy.

From the outset, Dinesh Goyal understood that education held the key to the nations progress and development. He believed that the pursuit of knowledge had no bounds and was deeply committed to the field of education. He tirelessly sought out learned and intelligent educationists to collaborate in the mission of providing quality education to all through the publication of exceptional educational books. Moreover, he kept a keen eye on the evolving trends in education to stay ahead in the ever-changing landscape.

Under Dinesh Goyals able guidance, Goyal Brothers Prakashan (GBP) became more than just a publisher of quality books; it transformed into an institution of trust and excellence. Beyond Indias borders, the GBP also gained significant recognition and goodwill in the overseas domain. The establishment of Goyal Books Overseas, the trading unit of GBP, propelled the organisation to become one of Indias top exporters of books. The government of India acknowledged its outstanding contributions by awarding Goyal Books Overseas the prestigious CAPEXIL award for Export, consecutively over the past 18 years.

As time progressed, the Goyal Group expanded to encompass diverse ventures, including a large export company, a state-of-the-art printing press, a stationery manufacturing business, an apparel production company, multiple digital learning initiatives, and a modern Medical Diagnostics Chain. With more than 20,000 schools patronising GBP publications, the company has sold over one crore books within India and exported over 60 lacs books. What sets Dinesh Goyal apart is his unwavering commitment to personally visit not only Indian schools but also international institutions. By doing so, he keeps himself closely attuned to the pulse of education and the needs of students.

Dinesh Goyals vision extends far beyond business success. His relentless efforts to nurture countless young minds in India have left a lasting impact on the nations education landscape. He maintains regular interactions with the Heads/Principals of numerous esteemed school groups across the country and serves as a trustee on the boards of several schools. These engagements allow him to offer invaluable insights and suggestions for the betterment of education and the holistic development of children. Additionally, he actively engages with officials from prominent educational boards, such as sharing feedback and views to raise education standards in the country with the CBSE/ICSE and the HRD Ministry.

Being an educationist with a deep understanding of the present generations needs, Dinesh Goyal believes that the future of the country lies in instilling the principles of patriotism and nationalism. As a staunch follower of the ideals of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he dedicates his efforts to help the Sangh expand its influence to every child and young mind in India. Through initiatives like Ekal Vidyalaya Yojana and Friends of Tribal Society, he reaches the grassroots of the Indian system, contributing to noble causes initiated by our leaders. Apart from his educational endeavours, Dinesh is deeply involved with various social organisations and NGOs, tirelessly working to uplift the needy and the poor.

His association with the principles of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aligns with the nationalist and patriotic vision of Indias esteemed Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. Dinesh Goyal has been an unwavering supporter of every initiative by the PM, from Demonetisation to the GST implementation, from the revocation of Article 370 to the introduction of the New Education Policy 2020. Recognising the significance of the New Education Policy, Dinesh Goyal envisions it as one of the fundamental building blocks of a new India.

With the future of India resting in the hands of the upcoming generations, Dinesh Goyal is steadfast in his commitment to promoting the ideals of Dharma and addressing the prevailing indoctrination that past and current students have faced due to outdated educational curricula and policies. He firmly believes that the present leadership is dedicatedly working to promote the spirit of One India, and he aspires to play an active role in aiding the government to create a robust blueprint for the generations to come.

In conclusion, Dinesh Goyals extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to being a trailblazing publisher and an inspiring educationist exemplifies his unwavering dedication to the cause of education and nation-building. His vision of an educated and literate India continues to illuminate the path for countless young minds, making a profound impact on the future of the nation. Through his entrepreneurial ventures and philanthropic endeavours, he remains an ardent advocate for quality education, social welfare, and the values that bind our diverse nation together. Dinesh Goyals name will be etched in the annals of Indias educational history as a visionary who believed in the transformative power of knowledge and strived to create a brighter and more prosperous India for generations to come.

Dinesh Goyals extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to being a trailblazing publisher and an inspiring educationist exemplifies his unwavering dedication to the cause of education and nation-building.
Telegram app is staring at a potential ban in India over alleged role in criminal activities amid its CEO Pavel Durov's arrest in Paris over allegations that his app was used for child pornography, money laundering and drug trafficking.

The French authorities are probing Durov for failing to address criminal activities on the app and the lack of moderators on the platform.

The app has been allegedly linked to criminal cases related to circulation of leaked exam papers and stock market manipulation in India. In April 2023, Sebi imposed Rs 5.68 crore on three Telegram channels and barred six people from the securities market.

In June 2023, the UGC NET exam was cancelled after question paper was leaked on Telegram. However, in connection with the NEET UG exam paper leak, the National Testing Agency told the Supreme Court in July that the video showing a photo of the paper leaked on Telegram was fake.

The IT ministry has asked the Home Affairs ministry to check on complaints pending against Telegram and sought update on what actions can be taken, reported PTI citing sources.

"The basic question here is are there any complaints, is there similar situation in India, and what is the status, and what action is required," according to sources quoted by the news agency.

The Centre has launched an extortion and gambling investigation into the company and is looking into Telegram's P2P communications, reported Moneycontrol.
The Peoples Liberation Army began its three-day live-fire exercise along its border with Myanmar on Tuesday. The exercise comes amid the continued civil unrest and violence in Myanmar.

The ethnic militias have dealt a series of heavy blows to Myanmar's military in the country's northeast, which is near China. Northern Kachin and Shan states in Myanmar had witnessed fierce fighting in which properties on the Chinese side too were damaged. Five people on the Chinese side had sustained injuries in January by a stray artillery shell. China is also worried that the firefight would damage its infrastructure projects in the area.

Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, had recently said his country opposes chaos and war in Myanmar and added that Beijing would go on with its commitment to restore peace and stability in Myanmar.

The drills, which will last till Thursday, are being held in four locations including two in Ruili city, located in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan province, China, near the border with Myanmar.

The spokesperson for the PLAs Southern Theatre Command, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, said the drill by the Chinese Army aims to test reconnaissance, early warning, and firepower capabilities.

The units are always prepared to respond to any sudden situations, ensuring the protection of national sovereignty, border stability, and the safety of peoples lives and property, South China Morning Post quoted him as saying.

According to the Chinese Army, the drill is being held to test troops' ability to "quickly move, block and control, and strike together, and maintain security and stability in the border areas," reported Reuters.

The military had, earlier in November, held similar live-fire drills near the Myanmar border.
Actress Minu Muneer who alleged on Monday that she faced sexual harassment from multiple actors has filed a complaint against seven people on Tuesday. These include Jayasurya, Mukesh, Edavela Babu and Maniyanpilla Raju.

With MeToo allegations rattling the Malayalam film industry following the release of the Hema Committee Report, more women have stepped forward to speak up about the sexual assaults and harassments they faced. This had prompted the Kerala government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday. Minu filed the complaint via email after speaking to SP G. Poonkuzhali, reported Onmanorama.

Meanwhile, actress Gayathri Varsh backed Minu's allegations against Maniyan Pilla Raju, saying the accuser had confided in her about how the male actor knocked on her door during the shooting of Da Thadiya.

The seven member SIT team is headed by Crime Branch ADGP H. Venkatesh. Earlier, Revathy Sampath said she did not have plan to file a complaint against Siddique who she accused of sexually assaulting her and locking her in a hotel room in 2016. However, she later said she will review her decision if the government ensures justice for her. Siddique has quit the post of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) general secretary following the allegations.

Director Ranjith earlier stepped down as the state film academy chairman after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra alleged that he touched her without her consent. Another filmmaker Thulasidas was accused of sexual harassment by actresses Geetha Vijayan and Sridevika. It is not confirmed if they will lodge a formal complaint.

A junior artist who accused AMMA acting general secretary and actor Baburaj of sexual assault is expected to register a police complaint, according to Onmanorama.
On September 2, the Bharatiya Janata Party will begin its massive membership to enrol over 20 crore members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first person to be enrolled.



The membership drive will kickstart the process of electing a new party president, given the timeline of the process, it could happen by December.

Giving details, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawade said the first phase will last till September 15. "The second phase will be conducted from October 1 to October 15. This will be done after analysing data from the first phase to check which geographic regions, communities, castes and groups have been left out or have less representation; it will be covered in this phase."

The members can enrol by giving a missed call to number 8800002024. Tawade said one can also join using the Namo app and QR code on the BJPs website. The caller will receive a performa to fill after the missed call. After this, the party's mandal-level units will visit members and verify them. There are 15,000 mandals of which training programme of 9,000 mandals have been done, he added.

The BJP leader said more than 10 lakh members will actively participate in the drive. Even central ministers will visit different areas to enrol voters. "From Sarpanch to Sansad (member of parliament), everyone will participate to enroll voters," he said.

The active members will be picked up after verification. These members will in turn participate in the election process from Mandal unit to district to state and finally elect the party's national president.

Tawade said the party aims to enrol 200 members from each of the 10 lakh booths. This will take the number of enrolled members to 20 crore.

Till 2014, China's Communist Party was the largest. After the BJP's membership drive in 2015, it became the largest party in the world; the BJP boasts of over 18 crore members. Since then, with more people having access to smartphones and technology, the BJP expects to create a new record.

The membership drive assumes significance as political parties are then able to communicate better with the voters. During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had secured 23.5 crore votes. "It's not just a membership drive, it is to take the BJP's message to the people," Tawade said.
Capping days-long speculations, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren will join the BJP. The tribal leader will join the party on August 30 in Ranchi, Sarma confirmed.

Ahead of the move, Soren met Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah on Monday. Sarma, who is the BJP's co-incharge for the Jharkhand assembly polls, shared a picture of the meeting on X in which he too participated.

"Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, Champai Soren Ji met Hon'ble Union Home Minister Amit Shah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the BJP on 30th August in Ranchi," Sarma said on 'X'.

Sarma's statement comes amid rumours about Soren's switch, which began doing the rounds after Soren landed in Delhi two weeks ago. Two days later, Soren said he experienced bitter humiliation during his tenure as the chief minister of the state.

Soren also accused the JMM leadership of abruptly cancelling all government programmes in the first week of July. Soren said when he enquired about the reason for the cancellation, he was told that a meeting of the legislative party has been called by the coalition on July 3 and till then he cannot attend any programme as the chief minister. He added that he was asked to resign, a demand which devastated him though he had no greed for power.

Also read: All options are open,' says Champai Soren amid buzz of joining BJP

Meanwhile, Sarma on Monday added that the BJP was also ready to welcome JMM chief Hemant Soren to its fold. "I want Hemant Soren to also join the BJP. BJP means patriotism. We are also ready to talk to Hemant Soren ji to stop intruders in Jharkhand. We have to save Jharkhand," Sarma said.

He also detailed the criteria under which BJP would support Soren. "If he (Hemant Soren) gives 5 lakh jobs before September, we are with him. If he stands against the infiltrators, we are with him. If he stands against the treatment meted out to Hindus during Muharram, we are with him. For us, the nation comes first," he added.
Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar said though it is sad that the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg collapsed, it was an opportunity to construct a taller statue now. The statue constructed by the Indian Navy, and unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, collapsed on Monday evening.



Addressing presspersons, Kesarkar said, This is an accident. This statue was erected by the Navy. It was Navy Day, Prime Minister was about to come here, so it was done swiftly at that time and everyone praised it. Kesarkar said it was an opportunity to construct a 100-ft tall statue to replace the 35-ft statue that collapsed.

If a similar, very tall statue is built here, it will be an attraction for the entire India. Tourists come to Malvan, so if this is deliberated upon and built like the Statue of Liberty, it will be a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Kesarkar said. The minister added he will discuss with the chief minister and deputy chief ministers on this regard and have estimates ready for rebuilding the statue.

A 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed around 1pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvanon Monday. Maharashtra police have reportedly registered a case against the contractors.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has constituted a team to probe the collapse of the statue. The Navy constructed the 35-ft tall statue and it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Navy Day celebrations on December 4 last year.

Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg. Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest, the Navy said in a statement.

The opposition demanded a probe into the incident. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray in a social media post said the state will never tolerate an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. BJP has the arrogance that we will do anything and get away with it. Because of that arrogance, Maharaj's memorial was made in haste without considering the seriousness of it. The intention was to use only the Maharaja's image, so the quality of the memorial was not taken into account. Didn't even hear what the locals said, Thackeray said.
The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case in connection with alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The EDs case stems from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against Ghosh over similar charges.



Based on the directions of the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation had recently taken over the probe into the financial irregularities at the hospital along with the probe over the death and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital in Kolkata. On Sunday, the central agency had conducted searches at 14 locations including Ghoshs residence and had reportedly seized several documents from Ghoshs residence.

Besides Ghosh, the CBI has accused a few other contractors in its FIR registered on the basis of a complaint from the state's health secretary. The CBI has slapped charges under sections 120B, section 420 and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for criminal conspiracy, cheating and for unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant.

The probe into financial irregularities at the hospital was launched after Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of the hospital lodged a complaint accusing Ghosh and his associates of awarding tenders violating regulations.

Ghosh and his associates had issued tenders for the construction of food stalls, cafes, canteens, and urinals without the permission of the health department and the college council, Ali charged in his complaint. Initial probe revealed that three traders got these "illegal" tenders, a CBI officer said.

A postgraduate trainee woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9, following which a Kolkata Police civic volunteer was arrested. The gruesome crime resulted in nationwide protests by doctors and citizens.
The West Bengal Police, which called the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march illegal, has heavily fortified the premises of the state secretariat, claiming that it anticipates the march to turn violent. This comes as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the secretariat on Tuesday.

The 'Nabanna Abhijan' march is being held seeking the resignation of the chief minister in the wake of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata.

The police have put up six-foot-tall barricades around the Nabanna to prevent the protesters from entering the building. The barricades have been welded together and dug deep into the ground at four places on Kona Expressway and other approach roads to the secretariat so that the protesters cannot apply force to push them down.

The guard rails have also been greased. The police have also deployed drones above the state secretariat to keep an eye on the marchers. Authorities have also declared Nabanna as a restricted area as prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS are in force. Section 163 prevents the assembly of five or more people.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Barricades on Howrah Bridge being welded together as a security measure. A march to Nabanna has been called today, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. pic.twitter.com/9UpBdgBHCF  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

The police have also lowered containers using cranes in different parts of the city, College Street and AJC Bose Road, to stop the protesters. Containers have already been dropped at College Street and AJC Bose Road. Vajra vehicles, water cannons, and Riot Control Force have also been deployed in the area.

Also read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder: After CBI, ED to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College

Over 2,000 police personnel would be dotting various approach points to Nabanna who would be led by four ADGs, 13 DIGs and 15 SP-ranked officers. Traffic movement at both Kolkata and Howrah ends has also been severely restricted.

While the Trinamool Congress and West Bengal police condemn the rally as a "conspiracy" to create public disorder, the protesters under the recently-formed student organisation Paschim Banger Chhatra Samaj have claimed that the march will be peaceful.

Row over missing students

The Police also refuted Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's claim that four student activists were "missing", stating they were arrested for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy of murder as well as attempted murder. The police said that the four men were reportedly planning to "orchestrate large-scale violence" during 'Nabanna Abhijan'.

This came as Adhikari alleged that four student activists of the saffron party, who were scheduled to arrive at the Howrah station, were missing from midnight. The BJP leader also approached the Calcutta High Court seeking clarification from the police.
The Supreme Court granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader K. Kavitha in the cases registered by the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged Delhi excise policy scam.



Hearing the bail plea of Kavitha, a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan asked the probe agencies to be fair and questioned the selective approach in treating some accused in the case as approvers, Live Law reported.

"Prosecution has to be fair. A person who incriminates himself has been made a witness! Tomorrow you pick up anyone as you please? You cannot pick and choose any accused. What is this fairness? Very fair and reasonable discretion! the bench observed while hearing, Live Law reported.

The bench granted bail to Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, observing she has been under custody for over five months and the probe against her by central agencies is over.

The SC also set aside Delhi High Courts observation that hat the proviso to Section 45 PMLA do not apply to a woman of high status.

The daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was arrested from her residence in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad on March 15 by ED. Kavitha, an MLC, has been accused of being a key member of the "South Group", which allegedly paid the ruling AAP in Delhi kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. The CBI later arrested her from Tihar prison in a connected case on April 11.
West Bengal police lathi-charged, and also used water cannons and tear gas against Nabanna Abhijaan protesters on Tuesday. The protesters were marching towards the state secretariat demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.



Clashes broke out between police and protestors on GT Road in the Howrah Maidan area while they tried to march towards the state secretariat. The protesters threw stones and bricks at the security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their march. Similar situation unfolded in Hastings and MG Road area.



The protesters demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take responsibility for the death of the trainee doctor and resign.

Earlier in the day, police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse agitators at Howrah Bridge's Kolkata end and near Santragachhi Railway station on Kona Expressway as protestors attempted to break through police barricades in an effort to reach Nabanna, PTI reported.

Trouble escalated when the student organisation, 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj', and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' began their 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally from various points.

The West Bengal Police had called the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march illegal and heavily fortified the premises of the state secretariat. The police had put up six-foot-tall barricades around the Nabanna to prevent the protesters from entering the building. The barricades have been welded together and dug deep into the ground at four places on Kona Expressway and other approach roads to the secretariat so that the protesters cannot apply force to push them down. Authorities have also declared Nabanna as a restricted area as prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS are in force. Section 163 prevents the assembly of five or more people.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The current level of relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova, based on traditions of friendship and mutual respect, is gratifying, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in the congratulatory letter sent to President of Moldova Maia Sandu on the occasion of the country's Independence Day, Trend reports.

"Our interstate relations, built on a solid foundation, and fruitful cooperation in various fields serve the interests of our countries and peoples.

Today, there are good opportunities for the development of cooperation between our countries and for enriching it with new content. I believe that by utilizing these opportunities, we will continue to successfully make joint efforts to develop and expand the traditional bonds of friendship and partnership between Azerbaijan and Moldova, both bilaterally and multilaterally," President Ilham Aliyev said in the letter.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday to protest against the police action during a students rally in Kolkata demanding justice for the junior doctor who was raped and murder at RG Kar hospital.

Violence marred the demonstration with the protesters, aiming to reach the West Bengal state secretariat, clashing with the cops at multiple stoppage points. Several people, including senior police officers, were injured in the violence.

Police have taken into custody more than 200 people.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that over 160 protesters, including 17 women, suffered injuries in the police action.

The West Bengal government said that the administration will ensure that normal life is not affected during the strike that will begin at 6 am. The government also urged people not to respond to BJP's strike call.

The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected, said Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

An official notification issued in the afternoon said all government offices would remain open and all employees, except those facing exigencies or are on leave, would have to report for duty on August 28 or face show-cause for their unauthorised absence.

Meanwhile, the saffron party has urged Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to impose President's Rule in the state.

The protest rally was organised by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, a students body, a dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha'.
As BJPs dummy candidate Jagannath Pradhan withdrew his nomination on Tuesday clearing the path for partys official nominee Mamta Mohanta for Rajya Sabha byelection for the lone seat from Odisha, the latter is going to be elected unopposed to the upper house. The byelections to 12 Rajya Sabha seats, including the one from Odisha, are scheduled to be held on September 3.

After the defeat of the Biju Janta Dal in both assembly and Lok Sabha polls, the Rajya Sabha byelection has come as another humiliation for the Naveen Patnaik-led regional party. In fact, Mamta Mohanta was BJDs Rajya Sabha MP and she resigned unexpectedly from the post of MP as well as as from the BJD making allegations against party on July 31. She had gone to Rajya Sabha on a BJD ticket in 2020. Her Rajya Sabha tenure was to be over in 2026.

Mamta joined the BJP a day after she resigned as MP and from the BJD. At that time, it was presumed that BJPs Odisha President Manmohan Samal will go to Rajya Sabha after Mamta vacated the seat.

Since Samal had lost the assembly election, it was expected that he may get a berth in the Union cabinet as BJP had come to power in Odisha on its own for the first time under his leadership. It was also predicted that Mamta, a leader of kudumi community from north Odishas Mayurbhanj district, will be accommodated elsewhere in some official position which could be proposed North Odisha Development Councils Chairperson.

But the BJP played a different game which it has done in some other places to increase its number in Rajya Sabha where the ruling party is short of majority. In Odisha, the BJP renominated Mamta when byelection date was announced. But, after she filed her nomination, another BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan,who had contested last assembly election unsuccessfully from Bhubaneswar Middle, filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha byelection as an independent, leading to speculations.

Pradhan, however, withdrew from the race on Tuesday. I submitted my nomination following the partys directive. Today, I withdrew it as per partys instruction. I was assigned this task by the BJP leadership and I have fulfilled it as a disciplined party member, Pradhan said.

Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, the state BJP in-charge, mentioned that Pradhan was a dummy candidate.

Since there is no other candidate in the fray, Mamtas reelection is guaranteed. In the number game, it was natural that BJP will win this Rajya Sabha byelection since it is for a single seat. Odisha has 10 seats in Rajya Sabha. Out of that the BJD had nine before Mamta quit. Now, the BJD will be reduced to eight and the BJPs number will go upto two including Union Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw who had gone to Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms with the BJD support.

After Mamtas switch to the BJP, there had been speculations that one or two BJD Rajya Sabha MPs, too, would follow her suit. In the last Lok Sabha election, the BJD could not win even a single seat though it had won 12 out of the 21 seats in 2019, leaving eight to the BJP and one to the Congress.

This time, the BJP bagged 20 Lok Sabha seats, leaving one seat to the Congress. In the assembly polls, out of 147 seats, the BJP got 74 seats while the BJD came down to 51 seats. The Congress got 14 seats and the CPI(M) one. There are three independent MLAs who support the BJP.

Political circles say the BJD has paid heavily by trusting and supporting the BJP during the last ten years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over phone and shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. The two leaders also discussed measures to further strengthen strategic partnership between the two countries.

Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict, Modi wrote on X.

According to a PMO statement, Modi underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

PM recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit, it said.

ALSO READ: Modi, Biden discuss Ukraine situation, safety of Hindus in Bangladesh

The two leaders reviewed progress on a number of bilateral issues and also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest.

On Monday, Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden over phone and discussed a range of regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus.

During Modis visit to Ukraine last week, New Delhi and Kyiv had signed four memorandum ranging from food to pharmaceuticals. His visit to the war-torn country came weeks after his visit to Moscow.
Kumari Selja, who has for a large part of her political career been a prominent name in national politics, has made it extremely clear through her campaign that her focus is now the state politics of Haryana, and she is very much a contender for the chief ministers post.



Selja is a veteran of many Lok Sabha battles and has had a substantial stint in the Rajya Sabha as well. She has also been a minister in the Union government.



However, since 2019, Seljas focus has been her home state Haryana and she has made an effort to become a leader to reckon with in the rough and tumble of the politics of the northern state.

WATCH: How the Haryana assembly polls battle is shaping up l Statescan Ep 9

She was made PCC president of Haryana in September 2019, just ahead of the assembly elections that took place in October. She was the counterweight to the indomitable Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who draws his strength from the support of the Jat community. While she headed the organisation, Hooda was the leader of the Congress Legislature Party.



The Congress did come close to unseating the BJP in Haryana in 2019. It was believed that had the party got its act together well ahead of the elections and dealt with infighting, it could have won.

ALSO READ: Haryana assembly polls: Is the lotus wilting?

The 61-year-old Selja has been campaigning vigorously in Haryana for the assembly polls. She has been undertaking a Janadesh Yatra in the state without Hooda who is otherwise pretty much in charge of the Congress campaign in the state. The messaging is clear  she is reaching out to the people on her own dint, and she is a force to reckon with. That she won the Lok Sabha election from Sirsa by a huge margin has added to her heft.



What adds to Seljas importance is her Dalit identity. At a time when the Congress hopes to benefit from the palpable anger in the Jat community with regard to the incumbent BJP government, the ruling party is attempting to consolidate its support amongst the other communities. It is here that Selja becomes important for the Congress because she can help the party get the support of the Dalit community.



Selja is also known to be close to the Gandhi family, and in 2019, when she was made the PCC president, it was believed that former party chief Rahul Gandhi wanted there to be a counterbalance to Hoodas dominance in the state unit.
After the shocking incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, another junior doctor in Andhra Pradesh was attacked by a patient at a hospital. The incident has once again put the spotlight on the safety of the doctors on duty at hospitals.

The attack on the intern doctor took place at the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati on Saturday.

The CCTV footage at the hospital showed a patient grabbing the doctors hair and banging her head on the steel frame of a hospital bed.

The other doctors in the emergency ward immediately came to the doctor's rescue and the attacker was taken away.

Assault on ER Intern in SVIMS TIRUPATI



Just look at the audacity of the man trying to grab the female doctor in front of everyone



This is exactly why doctors are demanding Central protection act ! @APPOLICE100 pic.twitter.com/VEuG02BzQa  Dr.Dhruv Chauhan (@DrDhruvchauhan) August 25, 2024

In a letter to the SVIMS director Dr R.V. Kumar, the victim said that she was attacked while she was on duty in the Emergency Medicine Department on Saturday.

"I was unexpectedly attacked by a patient, Bangaru Raju," she wrote. The doctor also highlighted that there were no security personnel at the site to help her.

"If the patient had been armed with a sharp weapon, the situation could have escalated with severe consequences," the doctor wrote.

The doctors of the hospital staged a protest and demanded safety at the workplace.

The Supreme Court had now set up a 10-member National Task Force to recommend steps to prevent violence against and ensure working conditions for healthcare workers.

The rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor in Kolkata has shocked the whole medical sector. The incident has sparked massive protests across India demanding action against the culprits and framing laws to ensure the protection of the doctors on duty.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that the federal government would reduce the number of temporary foreign workers in Canada after unemployment issues were faced by young people and immigrants.

Were reducing the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in Canada.



The labour market has changed. Now is the time for our businesses to invest in Canadian workers and youth.  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 26, 2024

1. The government is considering a reduction to the number of permanent residents Canada accepts each year, said Trudeau.

2. The major decision was taken after the unemployment rate increased in the country. Trudeau said that those areas with six per cent or higher unemployment areas will not be able to hire low-wage TFWs, with limited exceptions for "food security sectors".

3. Employers will no longer be allowed to hire more than 10 per cent of their total workforce through the TFW program.

4. Also, low-wage TFWs will also be limited to one-year contracts, down from the current two. Trudeau also said that he wanted Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology.

5. Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who was immigration minister when the TFW regulations were first relaxed in 2022, said clamping down on temporary workers will help alleviate some of the stress on the housing market.

#WATCH: PM Justin Trudeau says Canadian businesses should not increase their reliance on low-cost foreign labor.



Its not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and its not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited pic.twitter.com/Fjqc3BsPel  6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) August 26, 2024

Among people between the ages of 15-24, the unemployment rate is even higher at 13.5 per cent.

According to Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, the changes announced will reduce the number of low-wage TFWs by about 65,000, bringing the number to pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman, the party's deputy leader, accused Fraser of breaking the countrys immigration system. She said the governments announcement of curbing TFWs is a sign that it is walking back the disastrous policies of Sean Fraser.

According to the government's immigration plan, published last year, the country is expected to admit about 4,85,000 permanent residents in 2024 and 5,00,000 in both 2025 and 2026.
Japan has protested the breaching of its airspace by a Chinese surveillance aircraft, in what it called the "first known case of incursion by Chinas military into its territorial airspace." According to Japans defence ministry, a PLA spy plane briefly entered Japanese territory near Nagasaki Prefecture around 11:30 a.m. on Monday.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Y-9 surveillance aircraft entered Japanese airspace very briefly for two minutes over the uninhabited Danjo Islands in the East China Sea. China and Japan are engaged in territorial disputes over large swathes of the East China Sea.

In response, Japans Self-Defense Force (JASDF) scrambled fighter jets on high alert and issued a warning to the Chinese aircraft.

The Japanese government has protested the incursion with China. According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Japans Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano summoned a senior official at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo to lodge a complaint about the incursion and to demand no such breaches happen again in the future. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not commented on the incident.



Though JASDF aircraft regularly warn off Chinese aircraft operating outside its airspace, this is said to be the first time that one of these has actually entered Japanese territorial airspace. Such incidents are prominent near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which both China and Japan stake claim.



The incident that occurred a day before White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's visit to Beijing has raised brows. While military analysts think Mondays airspace violation could be a message from Beijing challenging Japans delineation of its territorial border, the fact that it occurred near Nagasaki Prefecture and not Senkaku has stoked confusion.



"There is no doubt that a military aircraft violating territorial airspace sends a very strong message," a senior official of the Self-Defense Forces told local media.



Many Japanese officials reportedly believe that it was a mistake. "It would be understandable if it were the Senkaku Islands, but Nagasaki is a surprise," a source close to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was quoted by Japan's The Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Some in the Defense Ministry and SDF believe the Chinese Y-2 plane accidentally took the wrong course and entered Japans territorial airspace.



"After analysing the route of the Chinese plane, we can assume that the sharp angle the plane took immediately after the airspace violation may have been caused by panic by the pilot," a military official told the newspaper.



The official believes that the plane was likely collecting intelligence about two Air SDF monitoring radar facilities in the area.



"The aircraft that violated Japans airspace this time has been gathering information on the SDF radar frequencies," the ministry official said. "It is natural to assume that the aircraft entered the airspace while concentrating on intelligence gathering."
With Israel issuing around 16 evacuation orders in Gaza this month, the humanitarian aid movement in the war-hit enclave has come to a halt. According to the United Nations, providing health care and other assistance to the Gazans has become extremely difficult.

Israels new evacuation order for the Deir al-Balah area, a hub for the workers, has forced the UN operations to stop on short notice within the Strip completely. The order forced several thousand displaced people to move again and find new havens along the Strip.

Israel's military said that it was targeting "terror operatives" in the Deir al-Balah region and was working to dismantle the remaining "infrastructure" of Hamas.

The senior deputy field director for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said the humanitarian zone declared by Israel has shrunk to about 11 per cent of the entire Gaza Strip.

Amid health threats and a lack of access to aid, services and water, Gazans are struggling to keep up their spirits.

According to the UN, an estimated one million Palestinians a month are not getting any food they desperately need due to obstacles at crossing points.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire talks have resumed in Cairo after the recent intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. According to the US, the Israel-Hezbollah fight did not derail the Gaza ceasefire talks and a working-level group of negotiators remain in talks of a potential deal.

Also, the recent Israeli airstrike killed 5 Palestinians in the West Bank. However, the Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 14 people, half of them children.

The Palestinian health official said the military struck an operations room used by militants in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the city of Tulkarem.

Around 640 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

According to Gazas Health Ministry, over 40,000 people in Gaza have been killed so far since the start of the Israel-Hamas war after the October 7 attack.
Ukraine's army chief on Tuesday said that Kyiv's troops control nearly 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq miles) of Russia's Kursk region since the recent incursion.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also said that Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in its Kursk operation.

"They are attempting to create a ring of defence around our offensive group of troops and plan counteroffensive actions," said Syrskyi.

In retaliatory strikes against Ukraine's incursion, Russia launched over 100 missiles and drones on Kyiv on Sunday. Around five people were killed and over 15 got injured in the attack.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said around 81 drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles were launched by Russia. Zelenskyy urged the Western allies to join together and act now to stop Russias advancement.

"We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished," said Zelenskyy.

Around 1,30,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes during the Kursk operation. Since the attack was quite unexpected, Russia was making slow advances in efforts to gain ground in the region.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry said Ukraine lost around 6,600 troops in Kursk during the operation. Over 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armoured vehicles, it added.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, "the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists and urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia."

Zelenskyy accused Russia of targeting its energy infrastructure, causing power outages in over 15 regions, including Kyiv. Also, US President Joe Biden called Russias attack on the energy sector outrageous. He added that the US was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.
BANGALORE, India, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Xoxoday, a SaaS product from Giift Inc., launched its groundbreaking Channel Incentives Solution, offering innovative ways to revolutionize channel incentives & reward programs across industries.







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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2311152/4478281/XOXODAY_logo.jpg



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

PWR
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The Oracle Advisory Group has conducted sociological surveys and exit polls for the presidential elections of 2013, 2018, and 2024, the parliamentary elections of 2015 and 2020, and the 2016 referendum, providing fully transparent and objective data, Trend reports.

Registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC) and collaborating with a local partner, the Oracle Advisory Group conducted a pre-election sociological survey for the snap parliamentary election scheduled for September 1 in Azerbaijan.

The survey was conducted among local respondents from July 29 to August 9 this year, covering 952 polling stations across 119 electoral districts.

Carried out face-to-face by the Group's specialists, the poll ensured full transparency, with respondents assured that their answers would remain confidential.

On June 28, the 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
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said about 3 crore new accounts under PMJDY are likely to be opened during the current financial year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the government's flagship financial inclusion programme Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on August 28, 2014.

Under the scheme, the number of bank accounts grew nearly four-fold from 14.72 crore in March 2015, to 53.13 crore as on August 16, 2024.

Total deposits under PMJDY has swollen from Rs 15,670 crore as of March 2015, to over Rs 2.31 lakh crore as of August 2024.

Talking to reporters on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the launch, Sitharaman said, "Our target is to open more than 3 crore PMJDY accounts during the current financial year."

As on August 14, 2024, there were more than 173 crore operative CASA accounts in the country, including over 53 crore operative PMJDY accounts.

A large number of normal saving bank accounts are also opened by banks. New measures like e-KYC and video KYC have made the account opening process paper-less, eliminating the need to visit a branch or banking correspondent for opening of bank account.

"We believe that most of the adults in the country have been covered with bank accounts and our focus is to cover leftover adults and neo-adults," Sitharaman added.

The average balance in PMJDY accounts has increased from Rs 1,065 in March 2015 to Rs 4,352 as on August 16 this year. Around 80 per cent of accounts are operative.

PMJDY is one of the biggest financial inclusion initiatives in the world under which the total number of accounts opened crossed 53 crore.

The JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) has given a boost to the DBT programme and expanded its coverage from partial to ubiquitous, the finance ministry said, and added the PMJDY scheme has done very good in rural/semi-urban areas of the country.

Of the total accounts opened under the scheme about 66.6 per cent accounts are opened in rural and semi-urban areas. Of the total 53.13 crore PMJDY accounts, 29.56 crore (55.6 per cent) belong to women account holders.

Today, 99.95 per cent of all inhabited villages have access to banking facilities within a 5-km radius through banking touch points (including bank branches, ATMs, banking correspondents (BCs), and Indian Post Payment Banks), the ministry said.

One of the major key feature of the PMJDY is that there are no account opening charges, no account maintenance charges, and no minimum balance charges.

Also, free RuPay debit card, with in-built accident insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh, and access to overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000, are other major features of the scheme.

The underlying pillars of PMJDY namely, banking the unbanked, securing the unsecured and funding the unfunded -- has made it possible to adopt a multi-stakeholders collaborative approach while leveraging technology for serving the unserved and underserved areas as well.

The JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) pipeline created through account holders' consent-based linking of bank accounts with Aadhaar and mobile numbers of the account holders, which is one of the important pillars of the financial inclusion ecosystem, has enabled instant DBT under various government welfare schemes to the eligible beneficiaries.

The advantage of the architecture created under the Financial Inclusion ecosystem came handy during the Covid-19 pandemic when it facilitated direct income support to farmers under PM-KISAN and transfer of ex-gratia payment to women PMJDY account holders under PM Garib Kalyan package in a seamless and time-bound manner.
Singapore, Aug 27 (PTI) The high-level meeting between senior ministers of India and Singapore has set the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city-state that will happen soon, its Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has said.

Senior ministers from the two countries held a "productive" round of discussions at the second multi-ministerial roundtable here and explored how the two countries can boost bilateral cooperation in digital, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity and advanced manufacturing.

This was the second time that ministers from Singapore and India met at the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) after its inaugural edition was launched in September 2022 by then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during a five-day visit to India.

Balakrishnan said advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity, are the new areas that Singapore and India have added to a high-level platform for discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.

These two additions to the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable are areas of significant opportunity for both countries, as well as their companies, the Singaporean foreign minister was quoted as saying by The Straits Times on Tuesday.

Calling the ministers-only meeting "productive", Balakrishnan said it also sets the stage for an official visit to Singapore by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will "occur shortly".

On Monday he said that both countries want to collaborate on advanced manufacturing and semiconductors -- a sector that India wants to expand significantly, and one where Singapore punches well above its weight.

India is also likely to see tremendous growth in aviation in the coming years, having ordered more than 1,000 planes in the past year alone, the Singaporean foreign minister said, adding it represents great opportunities for services such as maintenance and air operations in the coming years -- another niche area where Singapore and its companies are globally competitive.

"A country with more than 1.4 billion people is now embarking on a major upgrade of its aviation sector. This is a once in a two, three-decade opportunity, and its good that we are, in a sense, in the front seat and have a chance (to collaborate), he said.

Besides Balakrishnan, Singapore was represented at the ISMR by Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.

India was represented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

At the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the close and long-standing relationship between the two nations, underpinned by strong economic and people-to-people ties, said the Republics Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry in a joint release.

PM Wong said he was glad that new ideas for cooperation are being pursued, while progress has been made on several fronts since the 2022 meeting.

At that meeting, both sides agreed to boost cooperation in several areas, including digitisation, green economy, skills development, healthcare and food cooperation.

Besides the link-up between Singapore's PayNow and India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in February 2023, which lets financial institutions from both sides transfer funds in real-time. the two countries have also facilitated investments in renewable energy, such as green ammonia.

"These initiatives will pave the way for closer strategic cooperation and partnership between India and Singapore," said PM Wong in a Facebook post.

Balakrishnan said projects like the digital payments linkage have much more potential, such as to become part of a regional instant payments system. Such a network will facilitate trade and economic development across the region, he added.

That is why cyber security was discussed at the latest roundtable, alongside other ideas on standardising rules and increasing inter-operability so that other countries that want to be part of this network in future can do so more easily, the Singaporean foreign minister added.

At a dinner following the roundtable meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Gan said Singapore and India are natural partners with complementary strengths that have allowed both sides to forge strong economic and investment ties.

Indian companies also form one of the largest foreign corporate contingents in Singapore, he noted.

"I am confident that the discussions we had today and those in the future will pave the way to foster greater collaboration between Singapore and India, the Deputy prime minister said.
Amritsar, Aug 27 (PTI) Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has sent a legal notice to the producers of the film "Emergency", which the apex religious body of the Sikhs claims misrepresents the character and history of Sikhs.

In the notice sent by Advocate Amanbir Singh Siali, legal advisor of SGPC, the producers of the film, including Kangana Ranaut, have been asked to remove the trailer released on August 14, from public and social media platforms and submit a written apology to the Sikh community.

On August 21, the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, and SGPC had demanded an immediate ban on the "Emergency" film starring actor-MP Ranaut, claiming it tries to "character assassinate" Sikhs.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh, while expressing strong objection to the film, on Tuesday said separate letters were written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Central Board of Film Certification's Chairperson to ban this film.

Partap Singh said following the directions of SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, a legal notice has been sent to the producers of the film including Kangana Ranaut, who is also a BJP MP from Mandi.

He said that after the release of the film's trailer, many "anti-Sikh scenes had come to light, which deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community".

Dhami had recently sought the registration of an FIR against Kangana Ranaut, the film's writer, director, producer and lead actor.

"Emergency" is slated to hit the screens next month. The release of the period political drama has been delayed multiple times; it was previously scheduled to be released on November 24, 2023. PTI JMS SUN

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RPA
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 27 (PTI) Union Minister Suresh Gopi's remarks on Tuesday accusing the media of misleading public perception about the film industry regarding the recent allegations of sexual harassment against actors and directors snowballed into a controversy with the state BJP leadership disagreeing with his stand.

Gopi, when asked about the allegations against actor and CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, said the issue was before the court and it will take a decision.

"You (media) are not only making people fight each other for your own gains, you are also misleading public perception. The complaints are in the form of allegations at the moment. What are you telling people? Are you the court? You are not. The court will decide. Let the court decide," Gopi told reporters at Thrissur.

Following that, state BJP president K Surendran said that while Gopi, as an actor and a minister, was entitled to his personal opinion, the party stand is that Mukesh should resign.

"Party is what the party leadership decides," he said, while speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

When reporters sought to get Gopi's comments regarding what Surendran said, the actor angrily pushed some of them away, according to visuals aired on TV channels.

According to the visuals, some of the reporters approached Gopi as he was trying to get into his official vehicle and he pushed them away saying "what is this? My way is my right. Please."

Thereafter, he got inside the car and left without answering any of the reporters' queries.

Earlier in the day, Gopi termed the allegations as "food" for the media and said they were welcome to make money out of it.

The Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, however, said they should not try to destroy such a huge industry like cinema.

"This is all food for you, is what I understand. You can use it to make money. (There is) no problem with that. But these issues are before the court, and it has the intelligence and logic to arrive at a decision regarding them," he said.

His response came a day after the Yuva Morcha organised a march towards the residence of Mukesh in Kollam.

The publication of the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry has opened a can of worms with several female actors stepping forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.

Amid these allegations, the government announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe the allegations made in the wake of the Hema Committee report being published.

Following that more complaints surfaced against various actors and directors.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.
Manila (Philippines), Aug 27 (AP) The Philippine defense chief said Tuesday that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a Coast Guard ship at the Sabina Shoal.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr spoke at an international military conference organized in Manila by the US Indo-Pacific Command amid a spike in clashes between China and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea and in its airspace.

China is the biggest disruptor of international peace in Southeast Asia, Teodoro told the conference, which was attended by military officials and senior diplomats from the US and allied countries.

He later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against China's increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough."

"The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Teodoro said, adding that diplomats and defense officials should determine those stronger steps.

Pressed by reporters to be more specific, Teodoro said a UN Security Council resolution condemning and ordering a stop to Chinese acts of aggression would be a strong step but acknowledged the difficulty of pursuing that. The world is not that perfect, Teodoro said.

There was no immediate reaction from Chinese officials.

China, like its geopolitical rival the US, is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and has power to veto such an adversarial step.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has paid attention to China's aggressive actions but should do much more, Teodoro said. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other, as well as China's and Taiwan's.

"ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea, Teodoro said.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manila's largest coast guard ship in the disputed Sabina Shoal in the latest flare-up of their territorial disputes in the busy sea passage.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation on Monday in Sabina Shoal, an uninhabited atoll both countries claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the sea passage that is a key global trade and security route.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The hostilities have particularly intensified between China and the Philippines since last year and Monday's confrontation was the sixth the two sides have reported in the high seas and in the air.

The confrontations have sparked concerns of a larger conflict that could involved the United States, the longtime treaty ally of the Philippines.

Sabina is near the Second Thomas Shoal, another flashpoint where China has hampered the Philippine delivery of supplies for Filipino forces aboard a long-grounded navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre. Last month, China and the Philippines reached an agreement to prevent increasingly hostile confrontations at the Second Thomas Shoal, allowing a Philippine vessel to deliver food supplies a week later without any hostilities.

The Philippine coast guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, illegally obstructed the delivery, which including an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes' Day on Monday.

The Philippine coast guard said it remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold national interests and ensure the safety and security of our waters and urged the China coast guard to abide with the international law and stop deploying maritime forces that could undermine mutual respect, a universally recognized foundation for responsible and friendly relations among coast guards.

In Beijing, China's coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that intruded into waters near the Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship. The Chinese coast guard did not say what control measures it took.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Japan's government also protested to Beijing on Tuesday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.

Sabina Shoal lies about 140 kilometers (85 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. (AP) NPK

NPK
Tokyo, Aug 27 (AP) Japan's top government spokesperson said Tuesday a Chinese military aircraft had briefly entered Japanese airspace the day before, calling the incident an absolutely unacceptable territorial violation and safety threat.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japan's southwestern airspace Monday, forcing its military to scramble fighter jets. He added that it was the first time the Japanese Self Defense Force detected a Chinese military aircraft in Japan's airspace.

The Chinese military aircraft's incursion into Japan's airspace not only is a serious violation of our territorial rights but also a safety threat, Hayashi told a regular news conference. We found it absolutely unacceptable.

The Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane circled above Danjo Island off the southwestern coast of Japan's main southern island of Kyushu for two minutes, the Joint Staff of the Japanese Self Defense Force said late Monday, adding that officials were analyzing the latest Chinese military activity.

The Joint Staff said Japan scrambled fighter jets and warned the Chinese plane to leave.

Hayashi stressed that China's military activity around Japan in recent years has become increasingly expanding and intensifying. Hayashi said Japan will continue watching Chinese military activity and do its utmost to respond to possible anti-airspace violations.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano summoned acting Chinese Ambassador Shi Yong to strongly protest the airspace violation. Okano also demanded that China take steps to avoid such incidents.

According to Japan's military, it scrambled jets nearly 669 times between April 2023 and March 2024, about 70% of the time against Chinese military aircraft, though that did not include airspace violations.

Japanese defense officials are increasingly concerned about growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces, and China's increasingly assertive activity around Japanese waters and airspace. It led Tokyo to significantly reinforce defenses of southwestern Japan, including remote islands that are considered key to Japan's defense strategy in the region. (AP)



AMS
Colombo, Aug 27 (PTI) Two Indian fishermen were reported missing, while two others swam safely to Kachchatheevu Island on Tuesday after an Indian vessel capsized near the sea border with India, according to the Sri Lankan Navy.

Kachchatheevu Island is in the Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka. It is a rich fishing ground attracting both countries fishermen, who are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each others waters.

Two Indian fishermen were reported missing, while two others swam safely to Kachchatheevu Island on Tuesday after a boat carrying four Indian fishermen met with an accident in the seas near the island, news portal Adaderana.lk reported.

The incident occurred earlier today, prompting a swift response from the Sri Lanka Navy, another news portal NewsFirst.lk said quoting Navy spokesperson Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya who said that the two who were in danger after the vessel overturned, were successfully rescued.

The search and rescue operation is ongoing to locate the missing Indian fishermen, it said.

On August 1, an Indian fisherman was killed and another went missing following a collision between a Sri Lankan naval vessel and an Indian fishing boat allegedly poaching in the island nation's territorial waters.

On June 25, a senior sailor from the Sri Lanka Navy Special Boat Squadron died in an incident blamed by the Sri Lanka Navy on the "aggressive manoeuvres of an Indian trawler, resisting its seizure.

Meanwhile, in another incident late on Monday, the Sri Lanka Navy apprehended eight Indian fishermen along with an Indian fishing trawler for illegally poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Mannar.

The interception was carried out during a regular patrol conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy in the northern waters, Adaderana.lk reported.

The seized trawler, together with the eight Indian fishermen, was brought to the Talaimannar Harbour and will be handed over to the Thalaimannar Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings, it said.

With this, the Sri Lanka Navy said it has seized a total of 46 Indian trawlers and arrested 341 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters in 2024.

Earlier last week, 11 Indian fishermen were arrested, and their trawler seized off the coast of Point Pedro in Jaffna in the northern province, the Sri Lankan Navy had said and added that those apprehended were brought to the Kankesanthurai fishing harbour for further action.

The fishermen issue remains a contentious one in the India-Sri Lanka bilateral ties, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
Beijing, Aug 27 (PTI) China on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Pakistans restive Balochistan province in which 37 people were massacred and said it would continue to back Islamabads counter-terrorism operations.

Condemning the attack by Baloch gunmen, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and will continue to firmly support Pakistan in advancing counter-terrorism operations, maintaining social unity and stability and protecting people's safety.

China is willing to further strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace and security, Lin said.

The two attacks in Balochistan took place as a top Chinese military official is visiting Pakistan for security assessment, especially for the security of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The multi-project Corridor is being opposed by the Baloch militants and is under recurring attack, including on Chinese personnel working on various projects in Pakistan.

Heavily armed Baloch gunmen killed at least 37 people in separate attacks in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday, as insurgent attacks spiked in the region bordering Afghanistan.

In the first incident, at least 23 people from Pakistan's Punjab province were killed in a targeted attack in Balochistan's Musakhel district after gunmen offloaded them from buses and checked their identities.

In another incident, 11 people, including six security personnel, were killed in Kalat, 150 km south of Quetta in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China General Li Qiaoming called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.

Sharif underscored that Pakistan and China are all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and trusted friends, Pakistans state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.

Sharif said that the defence and strategic ties between Pakistan and China are vital for peace and stability in the region.

General Li, in his remarks, affirmed that China, as an iron brother, strategic partner, and reliable friend, places the highest priority on its relationship with Pakistan and expressed Chinas desire to elevate their bilateral friendship to new levels of cooperation and collaboration.

Recognising the role of Pakistans armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability and combating terrorism, General Li reiterated the PLAs commitment to further expanding its cooperation with Pakistan to enhance the capacity building of the two armed forces, the APP reported.

The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments across the world.

However, the implementation of various projects has slowed in recent months following terror attacks on Chinese personnel working on the ventures such as the one in March in which five Chinese and one Pakistani national were killed in a terrorist attack on their vehicle of the Dasu Hydropower Project undertaken by a Chinese company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Moscow, Aug 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed to Russian President Vladimir Putin his readiness to attend the BRICS Summit to be held in Kazan from October 22-24, which will be the first summit of the grouping after its expansion.

During a telephonic conversation, the two leaders also discussed implementation of trade agreements reached during the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow in July, state-owned Tass news agency reported, citing the press service of the Kremlin.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with BRICS cooperation and Prime Minister Modi "confirmed readiness to participate in the integration's summit in Kazan in October held under Russias chairmanship," the agency said.

Putin and Modi agreed on continuing contacts bilateral communication at various levels.

"The issues of practical implementation of agreements in the trade and economic area reached during the official visit of the Indian prime minister to Russia in July were discussed, the report said.

Russia, which is the current chair of BRICS, will host the summit in its southwestern city of Kazan.

On January 1, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates joined BRICS, making it a 10-member bloc. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are founding members.
Washington, Aug 27 (AP) Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has endorsed Donald Trump's presidential bid, furthering her shift away from the party she sought to represent four years ago and linking herself to the GOP nominee's critiques of Vice President Kamala Harris and the chaotic Afghanistan War withdrawal.

Appearing Monday with Trump in Detroit, Gabbard, a National Guard veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East, said that the GOP nominee understands the grave responsibility that a president and commander in chief bears for every single one of our lives.

The pair appeared at the National Guard Association of the United States on the third anniversary of the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghans.

Gabbard accompanied Trump earlier Monday to Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president laid wreaths in honor of three of the slain service members  Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.

On Monday, Gabbard praised Trump for having the courage to meet with adversaries, dictators, allies and partners alike in the pursuit of peace, seeing war as a last resort." She condemned the Democratic White House for the U.S. now "facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.

The former president's team announced later Monday that Gabbard would moderate a town hall with Trump that the campaign was planning for Thursday in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Gabbard has long signaled some level of support for Trump, even while she sat in the US House as a Democrat. In 2019, she was the only lawmaker to vote present when the House of Representatives impeached Trump for his dealings with Ukraine.

Gabbard's endorsement of the rival nominee to her former party represents a polar swing from her position as a Democrat representing Hawaii in the U.S. House, although Gabbard was known during her four terms for taking positions at odds with her own party's establishment. She was an early and vocal supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 Democratic presidential primary run, which made her popular with progressives.

Not seeking reelection in 2020, Gabbard ran for president herself instead, saying US wars in the Middle East destabilized the region, made the U.S. less safe and cost thousands of American lives, and that Democrats and Republicans shared the blame. She tore into Harris' record during a primary debate and ultimately outlasted her in that race, which President Joe Biden ultimately won.

Gabbard endorsed Biden but became an independent two years later, saying the Democratic Party was dominated by an elitist cabal of warmongers and woke ideologues. In the years since she has campaigned for several high-profile Republicans, become a contributor to Fox News and started a podcast.

Another former Democratic presidential contender also just recently endorsed Trump. Last week, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  who last year ran as a Democrat challenging President Joe Biden for the nomination  suspended his campaign and said he was backing Trump in the general election. (AP) NSD

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The observation mission of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS), which will monitor the extraordinary parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, has been finalized, Trend reports.

According to the "Election 2024 Independent Media Center, the mission comprises 19 members.

First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Andrey Yatskin will lead the mission.

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.

The "Election 2024 Independent Media Center was launched by the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Dubai, Aug 27 (AP) Iran's supreme leader opened the door Tuesday to renewed negotiations with the United States over his country's rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling its civilian government there was no barrier" to engaging with its enemy.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks set clear red lines for any talks taking place under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and renewed his warnings that Washington wasn't to be trusted.

But his comments mirror those around the time of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran's nuclear program greatly curtailed in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Yet it remains unclear just how much room Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, particularly as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and as the US prepares for a presidential election in November.

We do not have to pin our hope to the enemy. For our plans, we should not wait for approval by the enemies," Khamenei said in a video broadcast by state television. It is not contradictory to engage the same enemy in some places, there's no barrier.

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, also warned Pezeshkian's Cabinet, Do not trust the enemy.

Khamenei, 85, has occasionally urged talks or dismissed them with Washington after then President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

There have been indirect talks between Iran and the US in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States' Middle East interlocutors when it comes to Iran. Khamenei's remarks came a day after Qatar's prime minister visited the country.

Asked for comment, the US State Department told The Associated Press: We will judge Iran's leadership by their actions, not their words.

We have long said that we ultimately view diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective, sustainable solution with regard to Iran's nuclear program, it said. However, we are far away from anything like that right now given Iran's escalations across the board, including its nuclear escalations and its failure to cooperate" with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

If Iran wants to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, they should stop nuclear escalations and start meaningfully cooperating with the IAEA, it said.

Since the deal's collapse, Iran has abandoned all limits that the deal put on its program, and enriches uranium to up to 60 per cent purity  near weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.

Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency's most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials also have increasingly threatened that they could pursue atomic weapons.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Tehran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel in April after years of a shadow war between the two countries reached a climax with Israel's apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.

The assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh also prompted Iran to threaten to retaliate against Israel.

Pezeshkian, a former lawmaker who won the presidency after a May helicopter crash killed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, campaigned in part on a promise to reengage the West with negotiations. Khamenei's remarks as Iran's paramount leader could provide him with the political cover to do so. Pezeshkian's new foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, was deeply involved in negotiations on the 2015 deal.

However, it's not just Iran that's facing a new presidency. The US will hold a presidential election on November 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump as the leading candidates. Iran has been concerned about Trump returning to power.

While the US engaged in indirect talks with Iran under President Joe Biden, it remains unclear how that would carry over to a possible Harris administration. Harris, in a speech to the Democratic National Convention last week, said: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.

Tuesday's meeting between Khamenei and Pezeshkian's Cabinet included an appearance by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped Iran reach the 2015 deal. After the meeting, Zarif said in an online message that he would continue to serve as a vice president in Pezeshkian's administration after earlier publicly resigning over the makeup of the Cabinet. (AP) GSP

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Peshawar, Aug 27 (PTI) Twenty-five terrorists, including a top militant commander, were neutralised while eleven others injured after Pakistan's security forces conducted "extensive" intelligence-based operations in the restive Khyber tribal district against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and two of its affiliate groups, the army said Tuesday.

The operations were based on "robust intelligence and resulted in major setbacks to Fitna al Khawarij and its affiliates, the Pakistan military's media wing - the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - said in a statement, referring to the TTP.

"During these daring and highly successful IBOs being conducted since 20 August 2024, security forces have so far successfully neutralized twenty-five Khwarij, including Kharji ring leader Abuzar alias Saddam, who has been sent to hell, while eleven Khawrij have been injured, the statement said.

During the operations, four soldiers were also killed, it added.

The heavy losses inflicted upon 'Fitna Al Khawarij' in these operations were a testament to the velour and commitment of the security forces to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.

Earlier this month, the government declared TTP as 'Fitna al-Khawarij and all other terrorists associated with the group as khariji, a reference to a group in earlier Islamic history which was involved in violence.

Appreciating the security forces for carrying out a successful operation against the Fitna al Khawarij, President Asif Ali Zardari vowed that the state will continue taking action until the complete eradication of terrorism from the country.

Security forces demonstrated courage and sent the terrorists to hell, he said and paid tribute to the soldiers who embraced martyrdom during the operations.

We will neither compromise on the peace and order of the country nor hesitate to make any sacrifices for the protection of the motherland, he said.
Kyiv, Aug 27 (AP) Russia fired a barrage of dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine for a second day on Tuesday, including some that Ukraine's president said were shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets before they reached their targets.

The onslaught killed at least five people, destroying a hotel, homes and residential buildings as well as critical infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions.

The capital and other towns and cities endured power outages in sweltering heat.

As it often does in public statements after Russian bombing raids, Ukraine's military listed the Russian regions and occupied territories where the weapons were launched. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials have called repeatedly for the US to lift restrictions and let Ukraine strike deep inside Russia to hit military infrastructure responsible for the war.

"(The allies) try not to speak with me about it. But I keep raising this topic. Generally, that's it. The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong continues, Zelenskyy said.

He thanked Ukraine's supporters for the F-16s but said there were too few of them and too few pilots trained to fly them.

Among the Russians regions listed as a source of the attack Tuesday was Kursk, where the head of the Ukrainian army said his troops have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) since their surprise incursion three weeks ago. That's an area roughly the size of Los Angeles.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also said that Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in the operation, which he said was intended to draw Russia's military away from the fighting in Ukraine. His claims could not be independently confirmed.

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, has forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent these movements might be weakening Russia's positions in Ukrainian territory.

Fighting in the region has raised concerns about dangers to the Kursk nuclear power plant, said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who visited the plant Tuesday. He said in a post on X the situation there was serious and that any attack on a nuclear plant is unacceptable.

There is now a danger of a nuclear incident here, Russian news agencies cited Grossi as saying. Today I was told about several cases of drone attacks on the territory, on the plant's facilities. At the plant I saw traces of these attacks.

But the plant now is operating in a mode very close to normal, he said.

The Russian Defence Ministry said Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk  some 6,600 troops either killed or injured  and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armoured vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

Syrskyi's claim of territorial control came hours after Ukraine endured a second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile attacks from Russia.

Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which Zelenskyy said included 81 drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

In the Kyiv region, which had struggled with blackouts after Monday's onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defences destroyed all the drones and missiles but that falling debris set off forest fires.

After Monday's barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said "the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists and urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

The allies try not to speak with me about it. But I keep raising this topic. Generally, that's it. The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong continues, Zelenskyy said.

President Joe Biden called Monday's Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had reprioritised US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. He also said the US was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy grid.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraine's military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

Russian officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region. (AP) GSP
Washington, Aug 27 (PTI) US President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and commended him for his "message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support" for Ukraine.

The prime minister's visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.

During the visit, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an "active role" in restoring peace.

In a post non 'X', Biden said, "I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine."

"We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," said the US president.

This was the first call between the two leaders after Modis trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent developments in Bangladesh.

The White House, in a readout of the call, said the two leaders discussed Modi's recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

"The President commended the prime minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector," it said.

Biden and Modi affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, based on the UN Charter.

"The leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The White House readout of the call had no reference to Bangladesh, which was mentioned in an 'X' post by PM Modi.

Earlier, in a post on the micro-blogging site, PM Modi said that during the call with Biden, they had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. "I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability," the prime minister said.

Moreover, Modi said that he and Biden also discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for the early restoration of normalcy and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus.

Following the unfolding political developments in Bangladesh, India has been consistently pressing to ensure the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
Mumbai, Aug 27 (PTI) A 73-year-old woman was allegedly duped of Rs 2 lakh by cyber fraudsters under the pretext of updating the KYC details of a bank in central Mumbai, police said on Tuesday.

The fraud came to light after the woman's son approached the Mahim police station with a complaint on Monday, an official said.

As per the complaint, the woman received a text message on Sunday mentioning that her bank KYC was expiring and she had to update it immediately, he said.

The woman then asked her son to update the details on a link mentioned in the message, and as he started filling in the information, she received an SMS saying Rs 2.2 lakh had been debited from her bank account, the official said.

After sometime, the amount was credited to the account, but again, Rs 2 lakh got siphoned off, he said.

The complainant went to the bank's local branch to report the fraud and approached the police after putting in a call on the helpline number, the official said.

A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act, he added.
Kolkata, Aug 27 (PTI) West Bengal Police on Tuesday refuted Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari's claim that four student activists were "missing", saying that they were arrested for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy of murder as well as attempted murder.

Without taking any name, the police said that the "missing" allegation was false and claimed that the four were reportedly planning to "orchestrate large-scale violence" during Tuesday's 'Nabanna Abhijan'.

Earlier in the day, the BJP leader alleged that four student activists of the saffron party, who were scheduled to arrive at the Howrah station, were missing from midnight.

"A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have apparently been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed," Bengal Police posted on X.

Expressing his apprehensions that the four students were arrested by the state police, Adhikari alleged that neither the four student activists were traced nor were they responding to the calls made to their mobile phones.

"The following student activists who were distributing food to the volunteers, who were arriving at Howrah Station, suddenly went missing after midnight. Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police," Adhikari posted on X.

The Leader of Opposition cautioned that "if something happens to them (four student activists) Mamata Police will be held accountable".

A complaint was lodged with the Golabari Police Station, an officer said.
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday alleged a scam in allocation of a piece of land to a trust run by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharges family in Karnataka and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia demanded Mallikarjun Kharges resignation as the Congress president and that of his son Priyank Kharge, who is a minister in the Karnataka government.

He also demanded Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation.

There is a consistency in the Congress acts of corruption. Wherever we will go we will do corruption is the new slogan of the Congress. It will not be wrong to say that the Congress has become synonymous with corruption, Bhatia said.

We saw the MUDA scam and Valmiki Development Corporation scam happening under the nose of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Now a case of allocation of five-acre land to a trust run by Mallikarjun Kharge and his family in Karnataka has emerged, he added.

The land has been allocated to the Kharge family-run trust by flouting of rules, the BJP spokesperson said, claiming that Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, his son-in-law Radhakrishna and sons  Priyank Kharge and Rahul Kharge  are in the trust.

As per information with us, several companies and organisations had given application for the land but it was allocated to the Kharge family-run trust by flouting the rules, Bhatia claimed.

The BJP spokesperson demanded that Mallikarjun Kharge immediately resign as the Congress president and his son Priyank Kharge as the state minister.

There should be an impartial probe into it by an independent agency CBI to ascertain the truth, he said.

BJP leader Lahar Singh Siroya, also a Rajya Sabha member, had on Sunday questioned the alleged allocation of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land to a trust run by Kharge's family and asked when did they become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for the land.

He had also sought to know whether the case was about misuse of power, nepotism and conflict of interest.

Karnataka Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Monday that the educational trust run by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Rahul Kharge was allotted a Civic Amenity (CA) plot at Aerospace park at a prescribed price in accordance with the norms.

In a statement, Patil dismissed the allegations made by Siroya and insisted that no rules were violated in the process.
New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) The Congress on Monday issued its first list of nine candidates for the three-phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, fielding party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir from Dooru and former state unit chief Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal.

The announcement came after the Congress clinched a seat-sharing deal with ally National Conference (NC).

The NC and the Congress agreed to contest 51 and 32 seats respectively for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

One seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), the allies announced at a joint press conference at NC president Farooq Abdullah's residence in Srinagar after day-long negotiations.

They also said there will be a "friendly contest" on five seats of the Union territory.

Hours after the announcement, the Congress put out a list of nine candidates for the polls, fielding Mir from Dooru and Wani from Banihal.

The party also fielded Surinder Singh Channi from the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Peerzada Mohammad Syed from Anantnag, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, Sheikh Riyaz from Doda and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.

The first phase of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 18, the second on September 25 and the third on October 1. The counting of votes will be undertaken on October 4.
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) A wanted criminal was arrested following a brief exchange of fire with police in northeast Delhi's Gokalpuri area, officials said on Tuesday.

The criminal, Ravi alias Rinku (42), of Gokal Pur village, is the main accused in a murder case registered on Saturday. Three of his associates have already been arrested in the case, police said.

According to police, Ravi and his friend allegedly killed Neeraj Arora following an argument over a minor issue while all of them were consuming liquor in the Gokalpuri area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey said Ravi faces seven criminal cases, including three of murder in Pandav Nagar, Jyoti Nagar and Gokalpuri.

In the last 10 years, cases of dacoity, extortion and criminal assault were also registered against him, the DCP said.

On Monday night, a trap was laid near Ganda Nala in Gokalpuri based on a tip-off that Ravi was coming to meet someone there, Tirkey said.

He arrived on a motorcycle and when he was signalled to stop, he opened fire at the police party. He fired twice but fortunately, no one was hurt. The police team retaliated and Ravi sustained a bullet injury in his left leg, the officer said.

The accused is undergoing treatment at GTB Hospital. A good quality 7.65 mm pistol with one live round in the chamber and a stolen motorcycle were recovered from him, Tirkey said.
Jammu, Aug 27 (PTI) As preparations for assembly elections gain momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, the relief and rehabilitation department has established a helpdesk to assist eligible voters from the displaced Kashmiri community residing across the country.

This initiative aims to facilitate smooth polling at special polling stations and through postal ballots, according to officials.

The department has intensified efforts to ensure free and fair elections for Kashmiri migrants, with the Election Commission (EC) setting up 24 special polling stations and a postal ballot scheme for displaced community voters in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, they said.

"A helpdesk has been established in our office and across various zones. Several employees have been deployed to ensure seamless facilitation of migrant polling," Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Dr Arvind Karwani told PTI.

Karwani emphasised that the helpdesk is actively addressing issues faced by migrants, with the goal of enhancing voter facilities ahead of the upcoming assembly elections starting September 18.

"Kashmiri migrant voters opting to vote in person via electronic voting machines (EVMs) will have access to 24 polling stations, including 19 in Jammu, 1 in Udhampur, and 4 in Delhi," he said.

Karwani, who is monitoring the control room for the helpdesk, assured that all necessary arrangements have been made at these polling stations in accordance with EC guidelines.

The EC issued a notification on August 22 outlining the voting options for Kashmiri migrants, offering choices of both in-person voting at special polling stations and through postal ballots.

"Special polling stations have been set up in Udhampur, Delhi, and Jammu. Alternatively, Kashmiri migrants can opt for postal ballots," he added.

Karwani said the updated electoral rolls, detailing migrant electors in various zones of Jammu and Udhampur mapped to respective special polling stations, will soon be published.

"Corrections or objections will be accepted within a seven-day period", he added.

The 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to go to polls in three phases beginning September 18, with counting of votes slated for October 4.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Webcams are planned to be installed at polling stations in liberated territories, the chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov told reporters, Trend reports.

The CEC chairman mentioned that foreign observers are currently on the scene and international structures had no remarks in connection with preparations for the election.

Foreign observers also highly appreciate the work carried out in a short time in the liberated territories, he said.

Mazahir Panahov emphasized that webcams have not yet been installed at polling stations in the territories liberated from occupation and added that an appeal has been addressed to the relevant bodies in this regard.

He also reminded that more than 42,000 voters will cast their ballots in the territories liberated from occupation.

On June 28, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree dissolving the sixth convocation of the Azerbaijani Parliament and calling for an extraordinary election.

The snap parliamentary election in Azerbaijan is scheduled for September 1, 2024.
Jaipur, Aug 27 (PTI) Youth Congress workers showed black flags to BJP incharge for Rajasthan Radha Mohan Das Agarwal outside the Udaipur airport over his alleged statements against Congress leaders.

During a recent visit to Tonk, Agarwal targeted former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi over the anti-Sikh riots. He also said Congress leaders were hungry for power.

The protesters sat in front of Agarwal's car and showed black flags while raising slogans against him. They also threw black ink on the BJP leader's car.

Congress MLA and state president of Youth Congress Abhimanyu said in Jaipur that the protest will continue till Agarwal apologises for his statements.

The Youth Congress workers also burnt an effigy of Agarwal at the district headquarters while a protest was held outside the BJP's state headquarters.

BJP state general secretary Shrawan Bagri alleged that during the protest, some youth Congress workers threw black ink on a poster of Lord Krishna outside the party office and termed it "highly condemnable".
Jaipur, Aug 27 (PTI) Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara on Tuesday held a meeting on the upcoming bypolls with party leaders and workers of Deoli-Uniara and Khinvsar assembly constituency.

The meeting was held at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) war room in which Dotasra also took feedback from the leaders.

The Congress's state unit chief said district presidents and senior leaders should organise meetings at the mandal and block level in the assembly constituencies where bypolls are to be held to reach out to voters.

"All the leaders and workers will have to be fully active in the constituency and communicate with people and expose the failures of the BJP government of Rajasthan and the central government among the public," Dotasra said.

PCC general secretary and spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said meetings of leaders from Jhunjhunu and Dausa constituencies will be held on Wednesday.

The bypolls are being held after five assembly seats -- Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniyara, Khinvsar, and Chaurasi -- fell vacant as the sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha in the recently held general elections.
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition seeking live streaming of court proceedings, saying in view of the phased implementation of the initiative and the ongoing deliberations within the committees concerned, any judicial interference in the matter would be premature and inappropriate.

The petitioner asserted that the live streaming facility, which was initiated last year, should also include recording of court proceedings as it would deter advocates from potentially misleading the courts and enhance judicial transparency.

The high court administration, in response, said a comprehensive implementation of live streaming, which involves substantial development of IT infrastructure, in all courtrooms was unfeasible at this time due to logistical constraints and presently, the facility was available on a case-to-case basis and in two courtrooms only.

Justice Sanjeev Narula said it was apparent that the Delhi High Court was "actively engaged in addressing the logistical and infrastructural challenges" associated with expanding the initiative of live streaming and prematurely extending services without adequate preparation may compromise the quality and security of judicial proceedings.

The court stated that imposing rigid timelines without regard to technical challenges and resource allocation would not be prudent in this case.

"This court acknowledges the efforts made in initiating the live streaming of court proceedings, recognising the complexity and technical requirements involved in such an undertaking.

"It is apparent that the Delhi High Court is actively engaged in addressing the logistical and infrastructural challenges associated with expanding this initiative. Given the phased implementation and the ongoing deliberations within the Delhi High Courts committees, judicial intervention to mandate specific actions or timelines would be both premature and inappropriate," stated Justice Narula in an order passed on August 20.

With respect to the petitioner's request for the recording of certain proceedings pending before a division bench, the court observed that since the live streaming mechanism is currently operational only in a limited scope, on a case-by-case basis and in only two courtrooms, the request cannot be allowed.

"The proceedings before the Division bench are being conducted under the applicable rules which are High Court of Delhi Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts, 2021 which in Rule 3(vi) specifically bars recording of proceedings on video conferencing.

"Hence the said proceedings which are being conducted under the hybrid/ video conferencing mechanism cannot be recorded," it said.

The court also said providing copies of the recordings conducted on live streaming is currently governed by specific rules which are based on privacy concerns and expanding access without considering these factors could potentially lead to misuse and raise security concerns.

"Adjustments to the recording procedures are technical matters best left to the discretion of the courts IT and administrative teams, who are equipped with the expertise to ensure compliance with legal standards and operational efficiency," it said.

"Accordingly, the present writ petition is dismissed, along with any pending applications, affirming the courts confidence in the existing processes and the Delhi High Courts commitment to enhancing judicial transparency responsibly and judiciously," concluded the court.
Hyderabad, Aug 27 (PTI) BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Tuesday thanked the Supreme Court for granting bail to his sister and party MLC K Kavitha in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam and said justice has prevailed in the cases.

Rama Rao was in Delhi in view of Kavitha's bail plea coming up in the apex court on Tuesday.





"Thank You Supreme Court. Relieved. Justice prevailed," he said on X.







Several BRS MLAs and other party leaders, who were also in Delhi, congratulated Rama Rao over the Supreme Court granting bail to Kavitha.







BRS leaders celebrated the occasion and distributed sweets at the party's headquarters here.







The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Kavitha in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.







A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan noted that Kavitha has been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was complete in these cases.







The apex court set aside a July 1 Delhi High Court order denying her bail.
Canadas government on Monday announced it is imposing a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles that matches U.S. tariffs and follows similar plans announced by the European Commission.

The announcement followed encouragement by U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and cabinet ministers on Sunday. Sullivan is set to make his first visit to Beijing on Tuesday.

Trudeau said Canada also will impose a 25% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum.

Actors like China have chosen to give themselves an unfair advantage in the global marketplace, he said.

There was no immediate response from China.

Chinese officials are likely to raise concerns about American tariffs with Sullivan as Beijing continues to repair its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. President Joe Biden in May slapped major new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment.

The U.S. does believe that a united front, a coordinated approach on these issues benefits all of us, Sullivan told reporters on Sunday.

Biden has said Chinese government subsidies for EVs and other consumer goods ensure that Chinese companies dont have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade.

Chinese firms can sell EVs for as little as $12,000. Chinas solar cell plants and steel and aluminum mills have enough capacity to meet much of the worlds demand. Chinese officials argue their production keeps prices low and would aid a transition to the green economy.

Were doing it in alignment, in parallel, with other economies around the world that recognize that this is a challenge that we are all facing, Trudeau said of the new tariffs. Unless we all want to get to a race to the bottom, we have to stand up.

The only Chinese-made EVs currently imported into Canada are from Tesla, made at the companys Shanghai factory.

Canada had to go with the U.S. position, when you think about the economic integration that we have with the U.S. More than 75% of our exports go to the U.S., said a former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques. This reflects the fear that the next president of the United States might be Donald Trump, and so they know we have to be pretty much aligned in all of this.

Saint-Jacques said Canada can expect retaliation from China in other industries, adding that barley and pork are candidates because the Chinese can get it from other countries.

China will want to send a message, he said.

(AP)
A serious accident on Interstate 95 in Prince George County, Virginia, early Sunday morning led to a miraculous outcome thanks to the coordinated efforts of local emergency responders and an extraordinary community mobilization. The crash occurred around 9:15 a.m. near the Route 623 exit when an SUV veered off the highway and overturned, leaving three people, including an infant, injured.

Upon arrival, first responders found the infant had been ejected from the vehicle, and due to the severity of the injuries, a medical helicopter was dispatched to airlift the child to a hospital. The driver and another passenger were also taken to a local medical center. Authorities reported that all three victims sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Remarkably, despite the terrifying circumstances, the infants injuries were minimal, and both the father and child were discharged from the hospital the same day.

What followed the accident was an inspiring wave of chessed that turned this traumatic event into a true mi kamcha ysiroel moment of unity and kindness. Local askanim immediately sprang into action, rallying resources and support for the victims. Chaim Feldman from Columbia Hospital, Meyer Spitzer from Florida Hatzalah, Yedidya Blau from Chaveirim of Rockland, and Aron Slone from Norfolk, Virginia, drove two hours to provide food and essentials to the family.

Leading the efforts on the ground was Heshy Neiman from Cleveland, who coordinated help across state lines. He connected with Rabbi Mendy Heber of Chabad Williamsburg (Virginia), who in turn contacted Rabbi Mendy Weiss, a Chabad rabbi in Richmond. Rabbi Weiss spent seven hours at the hospital supporting the father and child, while Mrs. Nechama Kranz, wife of Rabbi Yossel Kranz, the head Chabad Shliach in Richmond, provided comfort and companionship to the mother during this challenging time.

After their release from the hospital, the family was welcomed into the Kranz home, where they were given a place to stay and recover. The Richmond Jewish community, including Rabbi Mendy Weiss and Rebbetzin Nechomi Kranz of Lubavitch, and Rabbi Dovid Asher and Rebbetzin Aliza Asher of the OU shul Keneseth Beth Israel, played a pivotal role in providing care and support to the family.

The family is expected to make a full recovery, and the coordinated response was as an extraordinary act of chesed and a tremendous kiddush hashem, showing the world the power of achdus in times of crisis and uncertainty.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A lawyer for Rudy Giuliani said Monday that the charges against his client in Arizonas fake elector case should be thrown out because Giuliani did nothing criminal in contesting Joe Bidens narrow 2020 victory in the state over Donald Trump.

An indictment said Giuliani spread false claims of election fraud in Arizona after the 2020 election and presided over a downtown Phoenix gathering where he claimed officials made no effort to determine the accuracy of presidential election results.

Attorney Mark Williams said Giuliani was exercising his rights to free speech and petition the government. How is Mr. Giuliani to know that, oh my gosh, he presided over a meeting in downtown Phoenix, Williams asked sarcastically. How is he to know that thats a crime?

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen is hearing arguments over whether to dismiss charges against Republicans who signed a document falsely claiming Trump won Arizona and others who are accused of scheming to overturn the presidential races outcome.

Cohen hasnt yet issued decisions on the dismissal requests. Arguments over whether to throw out the case will continue Tuesday.

While not a fake elector in Arizona, the indictment alleged Giuliani pressured Maricopa County officials and state legislators to change the outcome of Arizonas results and encouraged Republican electors in the state to vote for Trump in mid-December 2020.

At least a dozen defendants are seeking a dismissal under an Arizona law that bars using baseless legal actions in a bid to silence critics. The law had long offered protections in civil cases but was amended in 2022 by the Republican-led Legislature to cover people facing most criminal charges.

The defendants argue Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes tried to use the charges to silence them for their constitutionally protected speech about the 2020 election and actions taken in response to the races outcome. They say Mayes campaigned on investigating the fake elector case and had shown a bias against Trump and his supporters.

Prosecutors say the defendants dont have evidence to back up their retaliation claim and they crossed the line from protected speech to fraud. Mayes office also has said the grand jury that brought the indictment wanted to consider charging the former president, but prosecutors urged them not to.

Dennis Wilenchik, an attorney for defendant James Lamon, who had signed a statement claiming Trump had won Arizona, argued his client signed the document only as a contingency in case a lawsuit would eventually turn the outcome of the presidential race in Trumps favor in Arizona.

My client, Jim Lamon, never did anything to overthrow the government, Wilenchik said.

Prosecutor Nicholas Klingerman said the defendants actions dont back up their claims that they signed the document as a contingency.

One defendant, attorney Christina Bobb, was working with Giuliani to get Congress to accept the fake electors, while another defendant, Anthony Kern, gave a media interview in which he said then-Vice President Mike Pence would decide which of the two slates of electors to choose from, Klingerman said.

That doesnt sound like a contingency, Klingerman said. That sounds like a plan to cause turmoil to change the outcome of the election.

In all, 18 Republicans were charged with forgery, fraud and conspiracy. The defendants consist of 11 Republicans who submitted a document falsely claiming Trump won Arizona, two former Trump aides and five lawyers connected to the former president, including Rudy Giuliani.

So far, two defendants have resolved their cases.

Former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with Giuliani, signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino also became the first person to be convicted in the Arizona case when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to probation.

The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their trial is scheduled to start Jan. 5, 2026.

Former Trump presidential chief of staff Mark Meadows is trying to move his charges to federal court, where his lawyers say they will seek a dismissal of the charges.

Trump was not charged in Arizona, but the indictment refers to him as an unindicted coconspirator.

In a filing, Mayes office said as grand jurors were considering possible charges, a prosecutor asked them not to indict Trump, citing a U.S. Justice Department policy that limits the prosecution of someone for the same crime twice. The prosecutor also didnt know whether authorities had all the evidence they would need to charge Trump at that time.

It also accused him of pressuring Maricopa County officials and state legislators to change the outcome of Arizonas results and encouraging Republican electors in the state to vote for Trump in mid-December 2020.

Eleven people who had been nominated to be Arizonas Republican electors met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were duly elected and qualified electors and claimed Trump had carried the state in the 2020 election.

President Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes. A one-minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document later was sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.

Prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme. Arizona authorities unveiled the felony charges in late April.

(AP)
An Army private who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.

Travis Kings attorney, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told The Associated Press, that King intends to admit his guilt to military offenses, including desertion and assaulting an officer. Nine other offenses, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be dismissed under the terms of the deal.

King will be given an opportunity at a Sept. 20 plea hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, to discuss his actions.

He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did, Rosenblatt said. He declined to comment on a possible sentence that his client might face.

Desertion is a serious charge and can result in imprisonment for as much as three years.

The AP reported last month that the two sides were in plea talks.

King bolted across the heavily fortified border from South Korea in July 2023, and became the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years.

His run into North Korea came soon after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on assault charges.

About a week after his release from the prison, military officers took him to the airport so he could return to Fort Bliss to face disciplinary action. He was escorted as far as customs, but instead of getting on the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.

He was detained by North Korea, but after about two months, Pyongyang abruptly announced that it would expel him. On Sept. 28, he was flown to back to Texas, and has been in custody there.

The U.S. military in October filed a series of charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, as well as kicking and punching other officers, unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. Those allegations date back to July 10, the same day he was released from the prison.

(AP)
The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.

Adm. Samuel Paparos remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. As these clashes grow increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking a treaty alliance with Washington.

Paparo and Brawner spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at which Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. Military and defense officials and diplomats from the U.S. and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

Asked if the U.S. military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Paparo replied, Certainly, within the context of consultations.

Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us, Paparo said without elaborating.

Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

The attitude of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves, Brawner said. We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the missionin this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.

We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves, Brawner said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to each others aid if they come under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the conference that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coast guard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China, blaming unspecified other actors for making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability.

Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough.

The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Teodoro said, adding that a U.N. Security Council resolution would be a strong step, but unlikely given Chinas security council veto.

He also called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do more. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other, as well as Chinas and Taiwans.

ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea, Teodoro said.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coast guard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll claimed by both countries that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The Philippine coast guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, obstructed the delivery, which included an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes Day on Monday.

In Beijing, Chinas coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that intruded into waters near the Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Japans government separately protested to Beijing on Tuesday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.

(AP)
HaGaon HaRav Ben-Tzion Mutzafi, a leading Sephardi posek, slammed those who violate Israeli law and enter Palestinian villages, endangering their lives and those of IDF soldiers who are forced to rescue them.

Someone sent HaRav Mutzafi a shaila: We live in the Shomron. I know that my daughter and her husband buy eggs and drinks in an Arab village. They dont want me to interfere. I know theyre not the only ones.

Harav Mutzafi did not mince words and responded: Their din is like those who commit suicide and they also endanger the lives of our soldiers who are fighting for our welfare.

The Rav added: And animals of the worst kind that exist on earth are supported by these [purchases].

In recent months, following a number of attacks and robberies of Jews in Area A, Israel Police issued a warning against entering Palestinian areas.

The police statement said: Recently, we have witnessed many cases of Israeli citizens entering Area A, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Entry into these areas is prohibited by law for Israeli citizens and may cost human lives, as has happened in recent days.

Many Israelis enter these areas knowingly for the purpose of shopping, trading, repairing their cars, etc., thus risking their lives and often encounter incidents of assault, robbery, theft, as well as being a target for harm for nationalistic reasons.

Also, entering the areas may be caused by a mistake in navigation or lack of familiarity with the roads in Yehudah and Shormon. Therefore, the entrance to the prohibited area is marked with a clear red sign that makes it clear that traffic in this direction should be avoided.

Passengers in the area should be aware that traveling in Yehudah and Shomron requires additional vigilance and paying attention to the travel route.

In addition, drivers using the various navigation applications can choose the option that prevents them from entering dangerous places but it is not a substitute for vigilance and looking out for the red warning signs at the entrances to the villages.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. More than 80 percent of Azerbaijanis are actively interested in the parliamentary election campaign, the survey conducted by the Italian analytical agency SWG said, Trend reports.

81 percent of respondents are interested in the campaign for the parliamentary election to be held in September, the report says.

Meanwhile, based on the survey, 75 percent of respondents are satisfied with the work of deputies from their constituencies.

To note, the SWG agency, founded in the Italian city of Trieste in 1981, develops and releases market surveys, opinion polls, and surveys of public opinion and institutional groups, industry studies, and monitoring centers that analyze trends and dynamics of the market, politics, and society.

On June 28, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree dissolving the sixth convocation of the Azerbaijani Parliament and calling for an extraordinary election.

The snap parliamentary election in Azerbaijan is scheduled for September 1, 2024.
A Greek-flagged tanker repeatedly attacked by Yemens Houthi rebels in the Red Sea remains ablaze but hasnt sprung a major oil leak in the waterway, a European Union naval command said Monday.

Images published by the EUs Operation Aspides, whose mission is to protect shipping in the area, showed smoke rising from multiple points along the Sounions deck and its bridge Sunday. Fires could be seen burning in at least nine different locations on the deck of the vessel, which had been loaded with 150,000 tons of Iraqi crude oil  roughly 1 million barrels. Some flames appeared near hatches of the tankers oil tanks.

So far there are no obvious signs of an oil spill, the EU mission said. The Sounion is both a navigational and an imminent environmental hazard. This situation underlines that these kinds of attacks pose not only a threat against the freedom of navigation but also to the lives of seafarers, the environment, and subsequently the life of all citizens living in that region.

The U.S. State Department similarly warned about the ecological danger to the Red Sea, home to coral reefs and other natural habitats and wildlife. Footage showing explosions on board the Sounion released earlier by the Houthis and later analyzed by The Associated Press suggested that the rebels again boarded an abandoned vessel and rigged it with explosives in an attempt to sink it.

While the crew has been evacuated, the Houthis appear determined to sink the ship and its cargo into the sea, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement Saturday. Through these attacks, the Houthis have made clear they are willing to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region rely on for their livelihoods, just as they have undermined the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the region through their reckless attacks.

For their part, the Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel highlighted the EUs photographs and described the Sounion as being targeted for punishment to the company that owns the ship for violating the decision to ban access to the ports of Israel.

The Sounion came under repeated attack last week by the Houthis. A French destroyer operating as part of Operation Aspides later rescued the Sounions crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, and took them to nearby Djibouti.

The attack on the Sounion marks the most serious assault in weeks by the rebels, who continue to target shipping through the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have disrupted the $1 trillion in trade that typically passes through the region, as well as halting some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen.

The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.

The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israels campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

(AP)
Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, the 52-year-old Bedouin-Israeli rescued by the IDF from Gaza today, was photographed at Soroka Hospital shortly after being transferred there by military helicopter. He is barely recognizable. Hamas treated one of their own fellow Arabs and Muslims like a mere animal. This poor man is nothing but skin and bones, a living testimony to the unspeakable cruelty he endured at the hands of Hamas.

Al-Qadi, abducted on October 7 from a village south of Rahat, spent 326 agonizing days in captivity until, miraculously, the IDF rescued him in a heart-stopping operation. The full details of this operation remain shrouded in secrecy for security reasons, but the scale of its complexity is unimaginable.

IDF forces rescued him in the nick of time, but the shadow of his ordeal lingersa horrifying reminder of the horrors that are still the terrifying reality for some 100 additional hostages still in captivity.


 White Houses Kirby warns that Iran appears ready and positioned to launch an attack on Israel.

He emphasized that the U.S. has strongly urged Iran not to escalate the situation, as there is no justification for sparking a regional war.

Kirby also stated that the U.S. is prepared to defend Israel if an Iranian attack occurs.
A former Barclays banker who was accused of fraud during the financial crisis has been banned from becoming a chief executive by the City watchdog.

Thomas Kalaris lost an appeal against the financial regulator to allow him to take the top job at Saranac Partners, the investment company he founded.

Kalaris, 68, established Saranac in 2017 and he is listed as the founder on the company website.

In 2020, Saranac had wanted to make him chief executive, but in 2022 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the City veteran was not a fit and proper person to hold a management role.

Appeal: Saranac had wanted to make its founder Thomas Kalaris (pictured) chief exec but the FCA said the City veteran was not a fit and proper person to hold a management role

Saranac appealed, with a hearing held in July and yesterday the Upper Tribunal in London upheld the regulators decision to ban Kalaris.

FCA director of authorisations Laura Dawes said: We welcome the tribunals ruling.

It unanimously found that Mr Kalaris was dishonest in two enforcement interviews with the FCA conducted into events that occurred during his time at Barclays.

He is therefore not fit to be a senior manager in a business regulated by us. It is vital financial firms are led by those who are honest, transparent and who act with integrity.

A spokesman for Saranac Partners replied: We are disappointed by the findings of the Upper Tribunal but accept its decision.

The matters at issue pre-date the establishment of Saranac Partners and are completely unrelated to the firm and its business.

Kalaris and three others  including former Barclays chief executive John Varley  became the first British bankers to face criminal charges over financial crisis-era conduct when they were taken to court in 2019.

The Serious Fraud Offices (SFO) case related to the banks scramble to find alternatives to a government bailout during the banking meltdown in 2008.

The group was accused of hiding 332million in commission fees paid to the Qatari government to sweeten a multi-million-pound investment deal from shareholders and other investors.

Kalaris, who was chief executive of Barclays wealth and investment management division between 2006 and 2013, was found not guilty in 2020.

Defendants Roger Jenkins, who headed Barclays Middle East investment bank, and Richard Boath, the former financial institutions head, were also acquitted by the jury.

It was a blow to the SFO and came at the end of the six-month trial at Londons Southwark Crown Court.

Charges against Varley were dropped a year earlier after a judge threw the case out of court saying there was not enough evidence against him.

Despite the verdict, the FCA banned Kalaris based on two interviews it held with the ex-banker in 2013 and 2014 about his work at Barclays during the 2008 financial crisis.

The regulator alleged that he had been dishonest in the interviews, which made him unfit for a management position.

We found Mr Kalaris had not been candid in his answers to three of the questions asked by the authority during its 2013 interview and that one of his answers was dishonest, the tribunals verdict reads.

Our conclusion was thus the same as that of the authority.

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang acted as legal counsel for Kalaris.

Separately, the FCA said in 2022 that it will fine Barclays 50million over its Qatari fundraising, a decision that the bank is planning to challenge at the Upper Tribunal in November.
The co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown has called the 5.4billion takeover of the company 'questionable' and 'not the greatest deal in the world'.

The investment platform became the latest London-listed firm to be snapped up by private equity earlier this month after rejecting its previous offers.

Directors accepted an 1140p per share offer from a consortium of investors including CVC and Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund.

Stephen Lansdown (pictured), who started Hargreaves Lansdown in 1981 alongside Peter Hargreaves, has taken aim at the offer

The offer is a 54 per cent premium to its closing price of 740p on April 11, the day before the consortium initially approached Hargreaves, but still significantly lower than the 2000p shares were worth in 2019.

But Stephen Lansdown, who started the business in 1981 alongside Peter Hargreaves, has taken aim at the offer. 'I think the board did the right thing in rejecting it initially. They got the price up.

'Whether that price is the right price is questionable but it's a fair price compared to what it was,' Lansdown told The Times.

'It's not the greatest deal in the world but it takes the company into another era when it can progress and grow.

I'm satisfied with it. Am I exceptionally happy with it? Probably not. But it suits. It's a good move for the company.'

His comments add fuel to claims that top British companies are being sold at knock-down prices.

Britvic shareholders yesterday voted in favour of a 3.3billion approach from beer giant Carlsberg and cyber-security group Darktrace has decided to back a 4.6billion takeover by US private equity firm Thoma Bravo.

The cash offer for Hargreaves Lansdown includes 1110p a share plus a 30p a share final dividend that the investment platform declared for its last financial year, which ended on June 30.

Hargreaves, 77, has agreed to sell half his 10 per cent stake, which will make him 535million.

Lansdown, who turns 72 on Friday, will sell all his shares for cash, netting him around 309million.

Both men have stepped away from the business in recent years, but Hargreaves has been a vocal critic.

Shareholders including Hargreaves have backed the offer  but this could be thrown off course in the event of a competing offer being made and recommended by the board.

The deal will also need to go through a shareholder vote and be approved by regulators.
Soaring sales: Profits at Kurt Geiger rose 34% to just over 40m for the year

Handbag maker Kurt Geiger has posted record profits.

The British fashion label has defied gloom in the wider industry as boss Neil Clifford declared 2024 to be on track to smash our most ambitious predictions.

Profits at the business rose 34 per cent to just over 40million for the year to February 2024 while annual sales leapt 10 per cent to 360million.

The company has cashed in on soaring demand for affordable luxury as more expensive rivals like Burberry and Mulberry suffer from slowing sales.

Bags at these labels usually cost upwards of 1,000, whereas price tags at Kurt Geiger are normally in three figures.

Handbags are now the retailers biggest sellers. And its campaign featuring model Emily Ratajkowski showcases the latest collection called Chelsea.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. A scientific-practical conference on Formation of academic and scientific bases for protection of green areas from climate change was held in Sheki city within the framework of the ECOLEAD project Strengthening the environment: role of educational and law enforcement measures, Trend reports.

According to the information, participants in the conference honored the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and martyrs who gave their lives for the freedom of the Motherland with a minute of silence, and then the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was sounded.

Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kamran Aliyev, Secretary General of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), Roel Dona, and high-ranking officials of various state structures attended the conference.

Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev talked about titanic activity carried out in the republic under the leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who has inestimable merits in the development of Azerbaijani people and statehood, solution of ecological problems, and improvement of the ecological environment.

Noting that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, worthy successor of National Leader Heydar Aliyev's political course, and thanks to his strong political will, Azerbaijan has taken the leading place in the fight against global climate change at the international level, the Prosecutor General informed of ecosystem projects implemented with direct participation and support of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, as well as projects implemented for the survival of rare species of flora and fauna.

Addressing the scientific-practical conference, head of Sheki city executive authority Elkhan Usubov expressed satisfaction with the organization of the prestigious event in Sheki city, noting that the country at national, regional, and global levels contributes to the work on environmental protection, prevention of climate change, and the complex of activities carried out continues in the territory of Sheki city.

Secretary General of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) Roel Dona stated the importance of the joint fight against global climate change, noting that the experience of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor's Office in combating environmental offenses is valued by international and regional organizations, as well as the prosecutorial structures of other countries.

Deputy Prosecutor General Heydar Mammadov, Deputy Minister of Science and Education Idris Isayev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Vugar Karimov, Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences Irada Huseynova, Rector of Baku State University Elchin Babayev, Chairman of Sheki Court of Appeal Nuru Guliyev, Head of Non-Criminal Proceedings Department of the Prosecutor General's Office Elnur Musayev, and Senior Prosecutor of the Department Shabnam Mammadova also addressed the conference.

Afterward, the conference participants viewed videos on environmental policy and the fight against environmental offenses in Azerbaijan and answered questions from media representatives.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Azerbaijan is seeking stronger support from Korea in its ongoing demining efforts, stated Elchin Amirbayov, Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Special Assignments, Trend reports.

"One major area where we hope for Korea's assistance is demining. The conflict-affected regions - comprising 12 percent of our territory - are heavily contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Although Korea has not been very active in this area for us, we know you have a strong track record of helping other countries in similar situations. We hope the Korean government will provide more substantial support because it is crucial for post-conflict peacebuilding," Amirbayov said in an interview with The Korea Times.

He pointed out that Azerbaijan has only managed to clear 13 percent of the contaminated areas, leaving 87 percent still posing a threat.

"Were dealing with 1.5 million landmines planted by Armenians over the years. They refuse to provide us with accurate mine maps, leaving us in the dark about where the mines are concentrated, which continues to take a heavy human toll. Since the ceasefire, the number of mine victims has reached 377, with the latest incident just today, where the 378th person was injured by stepping on a mine. Out of these, 69 people have lost their lives," Amirbayov added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Frank Schwabe, a German MP and head of the German delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), remains unrelenting. His latest outburst is fueled by the "surprising" news that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has added him to the persona non grata list, effectively banning him from entering the country.

Schwabe has gained notoriety in Europe for his anti-Turkish and anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric. In his latest smear campaign against Azerbaijan, Schwabe seems oblivious to the fact that not only he but all delegates who voted against Azerbaijan in PACE have been placed on the list of undesirable persons. Schwabe is not unique; he is just one among many PACE members who, at the wave of a conductor's wand, have eagerly embraced the anti-Azerbaijani agenda.

As a representative of Germany, Schwabe should primarily focus on his country's interests. Yet, his provocations, persistent attacks on Azerbaijan, and defamatory statements suggest that Schwabe is more aligned with anti-Azerbaijani forces than with the well-being of Germany and Europe. It appears that even the interests of Germany take a backseat to the objectives of these anti-Azerbaijani groups.

Schwabe's current surge of activity seems to be an attempt to pressure Azerbaijan ahead of the upcoming COP29 event. This likely explains his sudden concern about Azerbaijan and his indignation at being banned from the country.

The German MP has been implicated in multiple corruption scandals and is known for his lack of moral integrity. He has no moral standing to offer advice to others. Acting as a puppet for anti-Azerbaijani forces, Schwabe has turned himself into a figure of ridicule.

If Schwabe is truly concerned about the South Caucasus, particularly Armenia, he would do better to address the issue of political prisoners languishing in Armenian jails. His unscrupulous activities aimed at harming Azerbaijan ultimately do more damage to Germany and Europe. Despite this, Schwabe audaciously assumes the authority to speak on behalf of PACE or even all of Europe. One must wonder where he derives this right and if there is any limit to his arrogance.

Sevil Mikayilova,

Member of Parliament of the Azerbaijan
New passenger flight links China's Haikou, Russia's Moscow

Xinhua) 09:12, August 27, 2024

HAIKOU, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Flight HU765 departed from Haikou Meilan International Airport in Haikou City, south China's Hainan Province, at 2:38 a.m. on Monday, marking the launch of a new air route linking the Chinese city with Moscow, Russia.

Operated by Hainan Airlines, the new air route is served every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

The outbound flight will depart from Haikou at 2:30 a.m. and arrive at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport at 7:40 a.m. (local time). The return flight is scheduled to leave Moscow at 2:25 p.m. (local time) and land in Haikou at 5 a.m. the following day (Beijing time), said the route's operator.

In recent years, Hainan has ramped up efforts to resume and launch international air routes. As of May this year, the province had 46 overseas passenger routes in operation, with the number expected to reach 62 by the end of this year.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The number of international observers registered for the upcoming extraordinary parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, including 277 from the OSCE, has been revealed, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov said, Trend reports.

According to Panahov, a total of 604 international observers from 69 countries and 50 organizations have been registered.

"227 observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) have already been registered. Additionally, 61 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and 16 from the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) have been accredited," he emphasized.

The application period for international observers to monitor the parliamentary election in all constituencies across Azerbaijan concluded on August 22.

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.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The member of the German Bundestag Frank Schwabe, known for his Azerbaijanophobic and Turkophobic ideas and who has become a tool of the Armenian lobby, has launched a new smear campaign against Azerbaijan.

His idiotic statements about Azerbaijan and his opinions directed against our country and people are gaining momentum again. Naturally, all this demonstrates that Armenian lobby, forces opposing Azerbaijan have Frank Schwabe as a pawn in their game. Frank Schwabe has been acting against our country for a long time, and his more active participation recently in the smear campaign proves that Azerbaijan's grandiose victory in 2020, after the 44-day war, new successes, and full restoration of our sovereignty in all territories of the country in September 2023 have greatly worried black powers like him.

Considering that the Azerbaijani Republic has achieved very important results in the military, diplomatic, and global arena, it does not surprise us that on the eve of such a prestigious international event as COP29, which is scheduled to be held in Azerbaijan in a few months, these black forces have become more active. Because the likes of Frank Schwabe regularly conduct smear campaigns to cast doubt on the important results of prestigious events held in Azerbaijan.

Even though Schwabe himself is tainted by corruption up to his ears. Members of the party he represents are known for their favors to the intelligence services of various countries. For example, Schroder is still represented at Gazprom to this day. I wonder why Schwabe is not talking about this. Meanwhile, Angela Merkel was for a long time part of the agent network of the former SSC of the USSR, and this is an indisputable fact.

Schwabe's biased activities against Azerbaijan for many years now reveal its true essence in full. Being a card that the Armenian lobby openly uses, it has constantly manifested a special zeal for Turkiye and Azerbaijan.

Frank Schwabe has taken on the role of a well-known Islamophobe, Turkophobe, and Azerbaijanophobe, and if we familiarize ourselves with his political "career," we will see that even though he was elected from a certain German state, he mainly serves the interests of the Armenian lobby and Armenians. The politician who has taken upon himself the responsibility to serve the interests of others, to be someone's tool, is naturally more concerned precisely with Azerbaijanophobia than with the problems of his own country, of the land he represents.

The patrons who rule him cannot digest the great successes achieved by Azerbaijan, so they try to conduct their smear campaigns using such insignificant players as Frank Schwabe as a tool. Apparently, German Chancellor Scholz's meetings with President Ilham Aliyev, including his recent meeting in London, indicate that Scholz is pursuing the right policies, but this worries the likes of Schwabe and ultimately makes those with such an anti-Azerbaijani mindset even more worried.

Naturally, all these attempts will not hinder us, and due to friendship and mutual cooperation, Azerbaijan, as always, will be able to keep the world's major centers of power in its orbit. Azerbaijan, thanks to its strong leader, army, courage, and heroism of Azerbaijani people, has shifted very deep layers. No forces can take away this success; the authority of Azerbaijan derails its plans for the future. That is why such puny toys as Frank Schwabe will remain in history only as people who acted from the position of their masters, playing a certain role in this scene.

Such attempts are an indicator of an unfair position towards Azerbaijan and are directly related to the restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity in Karabakh. Thanks to the determination and will of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has liberated its lands from occupation. However, these circles cannot accept our Victory and successes, and by pushing forward such politicians as Schwabe, they use them as a tool against Azerbaijan.

Tural Ganjaliyev,

Member of Parliament of the Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Turkiye hails normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports.

Turkiye and Azerbaijan have always acted based on the concept of one nation, two states. We will continue to support each other both on good and hard days.

I believe that we will continue to cooperate closely in the coming period as well for the sake of the brotherhood and friendship of the two countries. Thank you once again to my dear brother Jeyhun Bayramov. I will pay a visit to Azerbaijan at the first chance, he said.

Hakan Fidan also stressed that they discussed the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and added that Azerbaijan and Turkiye will continue to take joint steps to establish peace in the region.

To note, Jeyhun Bayramov is in Ankara on a working visit.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. During our meeting, we comprehensively discussed the relations between our two brotherly countries and had an in-depth exchange of views, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Trend reports.

He made the remark at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

"We are pleased with the level our economic relations have reached. We also exchanged views on regional and global issues. Additionally, we discussed further steps to strengthen the institutional work of the Organization of Turkic States," he noted.

FM Jeyhun Bayramov is currently on a working visit to Ankara.

.
Liam and Noel Gallagher have confirmed Oasiss long-awaited reunion with a worldwide tour in 2025, saying The great wait is over.

The Britpop band, who split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe around three decades ago, announced the series of dates will kick off at Cardiffs Principality Stadium.

The UK and Ireland tour will also visit Manchesters Heaton Park, Londons Wembley Stadium, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Dublins Croke Park throughout July and August next year.

Noel, 57, quit the Manchester rock group on August 28 2009, saying he simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.

Fans have been pleading with the brothers to regroup since they disbanded, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.

Reunion rumours have intensified recently after they teased an announcement for 8am on Tuesday, and reports that the feuding brothers were ending their disagreement.

Confirming the Oasis Live 25 tour, they said: The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.

The dates are as follows: Principality Stadium July 4 and 5; Heaton Park July 11, 12, 19, 20, 25 and 26; Wembley Stadium August 2 and 3; Murrayfield Stadium August 8 and 9; and Croke Park August 16 and 17.

There are also plans for dates outside Europe.

Liam clarified on X, formerly Twitter, that the UK and Ireland leg of the tour is the bands exclusive European appearances.

Despite speculation that a Glastonbury slot could be in the works, the Worthy Farm event will not see Oasis on the bill, the PA news agency understands.

The band, who formed in 1991 and are known for the hits Wonderwall, Dont Look Back In Anger and Stop Crying Your Heart Out, have previously played the festival in 1995 and 2004.

A black and white image of the two brothers, both in dark jackets, was also released as part of the announcement on Tuesday.

It is believed they met in person for a photoshoot over the summer.

It has not been announced who will be performing with Liam and Noel as part of Oasis.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was asked about the Oasis reunion following his speech in the Downing Street rose garden, in which a reporter said he had spent a lot of time today looking back in anger.

Sir Keir replied: What can I say in relation to that? Very, very good. Its a great song. Im not sure Im best placed to champion it after the last 20 or 30 minutes but, look, lets see what happens with Oasis.

Abbey Road Studios, the famous London recording studio where Oasis recorded multiple songs, described the bands reunion as history.

The studio posted that single word as it joined tens of thousands who commented beneath the bands announcement on Instagram, where BBC Radio 2 also commented: Theyre back!

Alan McGee, the music executive who signed Oasis to his label, Creation Records, in 1993, posted to the platform: Good for music. Good for them. Good for us.

Taking to Instagram, stars including television personality Jamie Laing, singer Tom Grennan and comedian and actor Noel Fielding also reacted to the announcement.

Though fans have been positive, concerns have been raised about high ticket prices, and the prospect of Liam and Noel having another falling-out.

Glaswegian David Walker, a leading member of the Oasis Collectors Group, questioned during an interview with PA how they will stop the many little infractions bubbling up to the surface again.

He added: Its what, arguably, Britain might want right now, because, everyones fairly depressed and dont have a lot of money.

As long as the tickets are reasonably priced, I suppose, which they probably wont be, because therell be so much demand.

In expectation of the official announcement of the reunion tour, Spotify said Oasis streams increased more than 160% globally between Monday and the previous week.

The increase in streams was continuing to grow throughout yesterday, the music platform added.

During a show in Cardiff, Liam made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his little brother, saying he was still playing hard to get.

The 51-year-old songwriter also played Oasis hits during his headline performance at Leeds Festival on Friday night  where he teased the 8am announcement.

This is it, this is happeningTickets on sale this Saturday 31st August (8AM IST / 9AM BST)Dates:Cardiff Principality Stadium  4th/5th JulyManchester Heaton Park  11th/12th/19th/20th JulyLondon Wembley Stadium  25th/26th July & 2nd/3rd AugustEdinburgh Scottish Gas pic.twitter.com/5hRQ3sJihb  Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024

Noel, who fronts the group Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, recently paid Liam a string of compliments in an interview released last week with music journalist John Robb at Manchesters Sifters Records in honour of the albums 30th anniversary.

He also jokingly compared Liams voice to 10 shots of tequila on a Friday night and his own as half-a-Guinness on a Tuesday.

In 2021, the documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996 was released to celebrate the band playing two concerts at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire a year after the release of their 1995 album Whats The Story (Morning Glory).
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Helicopter units of Azerbaijan Air Force hold live-fire exercise under the training plan for 2024, Trend reports via the Ministry of Defense.

Prior to the flight, the tasks were specified on the map, the target report was made and the safety rules were communicated to the personnel.

According to the plan, Helicopter units made flights from the base airfield in a group and accomplished the tasks on destroying the surface targets of the imaginary enemy at the training range.

The tasks focused on improving the combat capabilities of the helicopter crews were successfully accomplished.
Photo: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. A substantial quantity of ammunition has been discovered in Khankendi, Shusha, and Khojaly in Azerbaijan, the Interior Ministry's press service told Trend.

From August 17 through 24, the police recovered and seized a range of weapons and ammunition in Khankendi, including 26 automatic rifles, four pistols, seven rifles, 44 grenades, 19 fuses, two sights, two night vision devices, two shells, one TNT checker, three bayonet knives, 65 magazines, and 2,275 cartridges of various calibers.

In Shusha, the authorities found and confiscated one pistol, one shell, three grenades, two fuses, four magazines, and 125 rounds of ammunition of different calibers. In the Khojaly district, they seized two automatic rifles, four magazines, and 174 rounds of various caliber ammunition.

Following the liberation of its lands, Azerbaijan began operations in November 2020 to sweep its lands clean of mines, booby traps, and other weaponry that the illegal Armenian forces had left behind.

Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan are diligently carrying out their duties to expedite the Great Return process and ensure security following the Second Karabakh War and anti-terrorist measures.

The ongoing task of detecting and neutralizing explosive remnants of war and other hazards is being conducted without interruption. Clearing the region of ammunition and explosives is a key responsibility of the Interior Ministry officers involved in this operation.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Possibilities of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Vietnam in the field of combating mine threats have been discussed, Trend reports via ANAMA.

The delegation headed by the Chairman of the Board of the Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Demining, Vugar Suleymanov, visited the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in order to expand cooperation and exchange experience with international structures specializing in combating mine threats and unexploded ordnance.

Within the framework of the visit, meetings were held with officials of the Vietnamese Demining Center and the Quang Tri Demining Center.

To note, Vietnam is one of the countries that has faced mine and other threats of explosive remnants of war and has many years of experience in combating them.

The study of international experience in the field of mine action, the expansion of partnerships in this area, and the introduction of the resulting innovations into demining activities are of particular importance to the agency.

During the meetings, there was an exchange of best practices in this field, the establishment and development of close cooperative relations, as well as the exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.

The ANAMA delegation raised the problem of existing mines and other explosive remnants of war in the country and informed about the activities carried out to eliminate this problem, the methodologies applied, and the humanitarian demining exercises carried out.

The next meetings of the ANAMA delegation in this direction will continue within the framework of the visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The highest level of trust and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan has been achieved at the institutional level, Head of the Information-Analytical Center for International Relations of Uzbekistan Sanjar Valiyev said at the "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation" online conference, Trend reports.

In my opinion, the signing of agreements on allied relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan during the visit and the holding of the first meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council have marked the pinnacle of the diplomatic efforts by the leaders of both countries, Valiyev said.

He highlighted that significant progress has been made in recent years to strengthen relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Baku hosts the "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation" online conference. The event is organized by the Center and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan.

Moreover, the Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan business forum took place in Tashkent on August 22, resulting in a project portfolio worth $2 billion. The following day, during President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Tashkent, he and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with business representatives from both countries. As a result, seven projects worth $520 million were prepared for launch.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 27. The Government of Kazakhstan has passed a resolution to hold a national referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant, Trend reports.

During a Government meeting led by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, and attended by scientists and experts, the prospects for developing nuclear energy in Kazakhstan were discussed.

Following the discussions, Minister of Energy Almassadam Satkaliyev proposed the submission of a draft Government resolution to the President of Kazakhstan "On holding a national referendum".

PM Olzhas Bektenov highlighted that the development of nuclear energy in Kazakhstan has been under consideration for a long time, and the sectors potential is clear. "The country has nearly completed the entire nuclear fuel production cycle and has gained experience with small reactors. The necessary human resources are in place, with ongoing training of specialists".

Following the meeting, the PM instructed the Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with the Government Office, to submit the draft Decree to the Presidential Administration.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The development of a green economy will boost the strengthening of mutually beneficial relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, Senior Advisor of the Center of Analysis of International Relations of Azerbaijan Shahmar Hajiyev said at the "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation" online conference, Trend reports.

He noted that relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have seen significant progress in recent years.

"According to last years results, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 27 percent. The nations also aim to raise this turnover to $1 billion," Hajiyev said.

The senior advisor also highlighted that Azerbaijan was among the top 20 countries exporting to Uzbekistan from January through March.

Baku hosts the "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation" online conference. The event is organized by the Center and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan.

Moreover, the Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan business forum took place in Tashkent on August 22, resulting in a project portfolio worth $2 billion. The following day, during President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Tashkent, he and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with business representatives from both countries. As a result, seven projects worth $520 million were prepared for launch.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have established an expert council following the "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation" online conference, Trend reports.

Baku has hosted the online conference with the organization of the Center and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan.

Moreover, the Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan business forum took place in Tashkent on August 22, resulting in a project portfolio worth $2 billion. The following day, during President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Tashkent, he and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with business representatives from both countries. As a result, seven projects worth $520 million were prepared for launch.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A recent press release from Downtown KCMO boosters is nothing more than pure fiction.

Seriously . . .

ANY ADULT WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY DURING THE DAY UNDERSTANDS THAT LIFE INSIDE THE LOOP HAS CHANGED FOR THE WORSE!!!

Moreover . . .

It's unclear if they're counting homeless people ore just being very "generous" about what occupancy means.

Nevertheless . . . Any reasonable person might doubt the facts of this "study" because it asks locals to ignore what their eyes & ears tell them.

In fairness . . .

What's worse is that they're missing the big picture . . . There have been gains for downtown but those come mostly come from more upscale living space near the Crossroads. In their haste to answer concerns about old ways of doing biz . . . They're missing a glimpse at what could be a brighter future inside the loop.



Check-it:



"As of July 2024, the volume of Downtown employees coming into the office stands at 76% of 2019 totals, ranking Kansas City fourth among the largest cities in the country. This represents a 4% increase in the number of employee visits Downtown from 2023 and a 43% increase since 2022."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
A hopeful effort that nobody endorsed was dutifully shut down in the Jackson County Legislature today.

Even worse . . .

As Kansas City Chiefs & Royals seem ready to move . . . There simply isn't any political leadership or public interest in keeping the teams.

Reality check: KCMO seems like it's willing to give the teams to Kansas without a fight.



In the meantime . . . Here's the aftermath of today's meeting that doesn't even qualify as dramatic:

The ballot question would have called for a 20-year extension of the sales tax, reduced to one-quarter of a cent. The tax would have aimed to keep the Chiefs in Jackson County for 20 years.

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Because Missouri's ballot certification deadline is Tuesday, it is highly unlikely the measure will appear on the November ballot. The vote was 5-4.



The rejection concludes weeks of debate and discussion about the possibility of a new election in Jackson County.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Jackson County Legislature votes down 'Chiefs-only' ballot question The Jackson County Legislature has voted against placing a Chiefs-only stadium sales tax on the November ballot.
For this move . . . We share a brief bit of description and a look at debate as this issue will likely dominate election discussions going forward . . . The basics:



The lawsuit challenges the so-called "parole in place" program, which is intended to keep families together by allowing noncitizen spouses and children to apply for permanent residency without being required to leave the United States, as was previously required.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas joins Texas-led lawsuit against Biden's parole in place immigration program The new parole in place program allows immigrant spouses and stepchildren of American citizens to remain in the U.S. while applying for a green card.

Immigrant families file motion to defend Biden program as Republican states sue The program offers a form of legal relief known as "parole in place" to an estimated half-million undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.

Judge blocks Biden administration from granting legal status to immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens A federal judge temporarily blocked the Biden administration from granting legal status to undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens under a new program.

Developing . . .
Lots of local items to share tonight was we notice politicos and police reaching out to neighborhoods as the end of Summer brings us yet another spike in crime.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Mayor, KCPD promise collaborative approach to clean up East 31st, Prospect intersection Mayor Quinton Lucas and KCPD Chief of Police Stacey Graves walked through the shopping district Sunday.

Reward up to $150,000 for information on Grandview USPS robbery "What happened to one of our letter carriers is very unfortunate, and it really shouldn't happen," said Anthony Ealy, letter carrier. "I don't want it to happen anymore."

Kansas City, Kansas man pleads guilty to killing father during stabbing spree John McGriff pleaded guilty last week to second-degree murder and aggravated battery in connection with the death of his father, Samuel McGriff.

Raymore woman sues Kansas City police over face-first throw to pavement, arrest Police allege the woman acted as if she were going to punch one of the officers. The woman and her daughter deny she made any aggressive move.

Mayor Tyrone Garner is wrong: Corruption in KCK was much worse before consolidation | Opinion Unifying the Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County governments did not foster, abet or create challenges that all urban communities face, writes Mike Jacobi.

The weight of the wait 30 years after Kansas death penalty law Three decades after the passage of a death penalty law, Kansas' execution chamber remains unused. Choices loom about refashioning justice.

Marcellus Williams' fight for his innocence hits a major roadblock For nearly 25 years, Marcellus Williams has maintained his innocence in the murder of a St. Louis woman named Felicia Gayle. A plea deal that would have saved him from execution in less than a month and changed his sentence to life in prison was recently pulled by a judge.

Officials unveil new Lenexa Justice Center; police chief says complex is 'shining star' for community Lenexa officials have unveiled the new Lenexa Justice Center, the new home to the police station, municipal court and a community room.

Justice in sexual assault case demonstrates progress in SAFE KIT backlogs The Missouri Attorney General's Office announced the Boone County Prosecutor's Office convicted 30-year-old Lonny Ray Caldwell. According to court records, Caldwell drugged a 17-year-old in 2001 before sexually assaulting her.

Special prosecutor in Marion raid: More details will surface, no other charges without new evidence * Kansas Reflector Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson answers questions about the special prosecutors' report on the Marion raid, and the case against Gideon Cody.

Developing . . .
Kansas City Horizon: Senior Tax Help,



For our late night and early morning denizens of the discourse we share yet another glimpse at pop culture, community news and top headlines and all manner of stuff we're reading tonight.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Home Team Swings Back

Salvy grand slam lifts Royals to 9-4 win to sweep doubleheader The Royals are just one game out of first place.

Exceptional Old-School Influence

81-year-old advocates for senior services as Jackson County adds tax levy question to November ballot Monday afternoon, Jackson County legislators added a question to the November ballot. The county is asking taxpayers to give 5 cents per $100 of assessed value, both real and personal property.

Never Discount The Dotte

KCK slashes funds for neighborhood upkeep. How residents fear it will hurt quality of life One neighborhood leader described the office that's on the chopping block as "the glue that holds us together with the city."

Council Dude Builds Back Neighborhood

'This is thrilling for us': Chaumiere neighborhood residents overjoyed at city project to install sidewalks Kansas City officials announced a groundbreaking today for new sidewalks in the Chaumiere neighborhood, located north of the Missouri River.

Local Newspaper Journalism OR Alternative Uses For Dead-Tree Media

We're looking for the cutest dog in the Kansas City area. Here's how to enter your pet Do you have the best-looking dog around KC? Here's how to send in a photo of your pet and vote in our reader contest in September 2024.

Pricey Presenter Shows Off

Christina Hall, 41, looks slender in a Louis Vuitton bikini Christina Hall shared a striking photo to Instagram on Sunday. The HGTV star, 41 - who recently partied like a sorority girl - was seen flashing her slender figure when on a tropical vacation.

Republicans Offer Only Obligatory Opposition Against Lame Duck Prez



Biden impeachment backlash builds within House GOP Even leadership doesn't want it. But just one member can force a vote.

Ladies Love MAGA . . .

Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for 2020 Democratic nomination, endorses Trump against former foe Harris Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has endorsed Donald Trump's presidential bid, furthering her shift away from the party she sought to represent in the presidential race four years ago.

Tech Titan Talks Freedom

Zuckerberg says he regrets not being more outspoken about 'government pressure' Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday that he regrets not being more outspoken about "government pressure" to take down COVID-19 related content. ...

Election Hot Mess Awaits

Democrats sue to block new GOP-backed Georgia election certification rules | CNN Politics Democrats on Monday sued to block controversial new election rules in Georgia that they warned could lead to post-election "chaos" in the presidential battleground state in November.

Holy Land War Accusations

Hamas says US trying to "sell illusions" on Gaza ceasefire talks "Washington is practicing a campaign of media pressure on the resistance," senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Newsweek.

Vlad Pushes Back Ukraine Attacks

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Seven killed in 'biggest air attack of war' as Zelensky pleads for support At least seven people reportedly killed in what appeared to be Putin's biggest attack in weeks

Global Tech King Capture Sparks Nasty Charges

In Russia, questions swirl over Telegram CEO's arrest Since Pavel Durov was detained in France, Russian media has been awash with speculation and conspiracies.

Diva Endures Tragedy

Mariah Carey reveals her mother and sister both died on the same day Mariah Carey has revealed her mother and sister both died on the same day.

An Oasis comeback? The Gallagher brothers hint at a reunion after decades of feuding Famously feuding brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher are teasing a comeback of their band Oasis, 15 years after its dramatic breakup. Here's a brief timeline of their tumultuous history.

Feds Teach 'Protect Ya Neck' Life Lesson

"Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli must surrender all copies of rare Wu-Tang Clan album, judge orders He owned the only copy of the album, but the U.S. government sold it after his conviction on wire and securities fraud charges.

Sneak Peek For Upscale Clients

Designers' Own Homes - IN Kansas City Magazine Looking for a little inspiration? Interior designers' homes are a rich source of ideas for your own home. Here are some of our favorites. Be Bold In interior designer Sara Noble's downtown living room, lipstick-red ruffle-edged curtains frame a magnificent view of the Midland Theatre loggia.

Baller Comeback To KC

LOOK: JuJu Smith-Schuster is back to practice with the Chiefs JuJu Smith-Schuster signed back with the Kansas City Chiefs after a single season with the New England Patriots.

Northland Tragedy Postscript

Couple identified as victims in Clay County house explosion The Clay County Sheriff's Office released a statement Monday afternoon confirming the identities of the two victims who were killed in a house explosion on Friday, Aug. 23

Tradition Well-Remembered

A Pioneering Woman in Westport: Catherine Purdom By Diane Euston There are few stories of our past that feature enterprising women. Often overshadowed by their husbands, women in the nineteenth century were known for their contributions inside the household in lieu of outside business interests. When stories, however small, emerge of the exceptions to this rule, I can't resist digging into the...

Buzz On Blazing Temps

Poor air quality and high heat here through Tuesday A heat advisory is also in effect for the Kansas City metro area through Tuesday evening

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Recently, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas doubled down against Missouri Republicans as he issued a triumphant press release following the defeat of controversial pro-gun legislation.

The basics . . .



The Eighth Circuit Court dismissed Missouris appeal, ruling that We agree that the United States has standing to sue. Because the Act purports to invalidate federal law in violation of the Supremacy Clause, we affirm the judgment.



In its appeal, the State of Missouri argued the United States is not entitled to [Missouris] assistance with the enforcement of federal law. The Eight Circuit Court responded that when Missouri began enforcing the Act, the United States was injured by the withdrawal of state resources, which is not the same as being entitled to those resources.



The Act was further upheld as unconstitutional, the Court ruled, because a State cannot invalidate federal law to itself.

For Kansas City residents & voters . . . The Mayor's response is exceptionally relevant . . .



"Thankfully, we have strong courts in this region that have stopped repeated unlawful Missouri state actions. I am saddened that our state expended the time and energy of many in our legal system in service of this clearly unconstitutional effort," said Mayor Lucas."

To be fair . . .

Critics of Mayor Q could make the same kind of statement regarding KCMO spending 2.3 MILLION BUCKS in a losing battle over police control.

Either way . . .

The Mayor's hostility against Missouri Republican legislation and 2nd Amendment protections remains important as we slouch toward campaign season.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com screencap sent our way by BEST & BRIGHTEST TKC READERS . . .

Developing . . .
This morning we share predictable scorn from dead-tree editorialists who want to assure the public that they're not out to take away guns . . . Just the really cool firearms that might be legal after all and many criminals already possess.

Check-it . . .



The judge, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, may be legally in the right  there is no federal machine gun ban in 2024, and no state ban in Missouri or Kansas  but for decades, these guns have been restricted and outlawed and for good reason. We need a federal automatic weapons ban, and state bans of these weapons with no restrictions.



Now would be the time for gun safety advocates  and like-minded politicians  to remind people no one is seriously proposing to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens. Nor should responsible gun lovers fret about infringement on their right to bear arms for self-defense or recreational purposes. But high-powered weapons capable of firing many, many rounds in seconds have no place in a civilized society.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
More deets on rising costs released on a day when the A/C is nothing less than a necessity . . .



Missourians, especially those on fixed incomes, complained of high costs and having to choose between things like groceries and their medications or powering their homes during peak hours.



Now, Evergy Missouri West, which has a monopoly on service for much of the western part of Missouri outside of Kansas City, is heading back to its regulator to ask for more from the 340,000 users in the region.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Evergy is hoping that its regulators OK a higher electric bill for its Missouri West customers Evergy is requesting a rate increase of nearly 14% starting in January to recoup costs associated with its spending.

How to make your voice heard on the proposed 2025 Evergy West rate hikes Evergy Missouri West is asking the Public Service Commission to allow it to raise its rates 13.99% starting in January. Here's how to weigh in.

Somewhat related . . .

Power warning issued for Kansas, Missouri and 10 other states amid heatwave A warning about Kansas City's power grid as the Southwest Power Pool issues a Level 1 Emergency Alert over peak usage in the hot temperatures.

Developing . . .
Police objected to this legislation . . . But even worse . . . Anybody who paid attention in Civics 101 understood that it was nothing more than a flex and a waste of time.

Here's the inevitable conclusion . . .



The Missouri law known as the "Second Amendment Preservation Act" forbade police from enforcing federal gun laws that dont have an equivalent state law, and threatened officers with fines. A federal court ruled it violated the supremacy clause.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Baku will host the second Gulf-Azerbaijan Economic Forum on September 25-26, Trend reports.

According to the Federation of Chambers of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, the forum aims to strengthen trade and economic ties between the Persian Gulf countries and Azerbaijan.

Participants will explore prospects for joint projects and investment opportunities to develop key sectors of the economy. The focus will be on areas such as food and agricultural security, energy and water supply, logistics, and transportation.

The forum is organized in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO) and is supported by the Government of Azerbaijan, including the Ministry of Economy, as well as the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Norwegian Equinor, the largest gas supplier to Europe, expects gas prices to remain between 30 and 40 euros per MWh in the long term, Trend reports, referring to the statement from the companys executive vice president, Kjetil Hove.

We are optimistic about gas prices for many years ahead. These are the price levels we expect to see. We're talking about a period through at least 2035, he said.

Hove noted that liquefied natural gas (LNG) is currently the primary price driver in the European gas market.

However, he emphasized that pipeline gas from Norway, which competes with LNG, remains very attractive.

The executive vice president also mentioned that Equinor plans to invest 56 billion euros annually in Norwegian offshore projects through 2035. The company aims to maintain oil and gas production levels similar to todays over the next decade.

Norway is a leading supplier of pipeline gas to Europe.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In this episode of Morning Edition, We discuss the issue of bullying following the suicide o
Ukraine will not extend the Russian gas transit agreement, but is ready to consider requests from European companies.

This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

No one will extend the agreement with Russia, this is a done deal. As for the transit of gas from other companies, if the request of some of our European colleagues continues, we will consider their requests, the head of state said.

Zelensky noted that he did not know what Russian leader Vladimir Putin talked about with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Baku.

As reported, Naftogaz Ukraine will not extend the agreement on the transit of Russian gas, and is currently looking for alternative solutions to support the operation of the Ukrainian gas transportation system.

The current contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine is valid until the end of 2024.

The European Commission does not intend to engage in any negotiations with Russia to continue the transit of Russian gas to European countries through Ukraine's gas transportation system, but will take all necessary measures to further abandon Russian gas. The remaining buyers of Russian pipeline gas in Central Europe are working on alternative imports.

Photo: screenshot from the video
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, arrived in Russias Kursk region to inspect the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

That is according to Radio Liberty, as reported by Ukrinform.

Grossi intends to talk to the NPP administration, assess the state of the external power supply and approach routes, which will enable an independent assessment of the situation at the facility. Ukrainian Army's advance in Kursk region put the NPP within the range of its artillery fire.

Previously, the head of the IAEA expressed "special concern" in connection with the proximity of the nuclear plant to the hostility zone, since two of its reactors remain in operation.

On August 17, the head of Rosatom, the aggressor states nuclear operator, Oleksii Likhachev, in a conversation with Grossi, claimed the Ukrainian side was allegedly preparing a provocation at the Kursk NPP, and asked the head of the IAEA to visit the NPP to assess its safety.

Ukraine has officially rejected accusations of plotting an attack on the nuclear power plant.

Read also: IAEA comments on damage caused to ZNPP backup power line

After visiting Kursk region, the IAEA Director General is going to Kyiv, where he intends to meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Grossi's trip to the Kursk NPP was announced on August, 26. Grossi said the IAEA was extremely concerned about hostilities being waged near the Russian nuclear power plant as its Soviet-era reactors do not have protective domes.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will convene a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Wednesday, August 28, at Ukraines request.

This was announced by NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah, Ukrinform reports, referring to The Guardian.

Dakhlallah noted that the meeting will take place on August 28 following massive Russian strikes on civilians and infrastructure across Ukraine.

The meeting will be held at the level of ambassadors of NATO member states.

Read also: EU calls for increased military support for Ukraine following massive Russian attack

NATO allies have delivered substantial support to Ukraines air defence and they are committed to further bolstering Ukraines defences, the Alliance spokesperson added.

According to her, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief allies via video-link on the battlefield situation and priority capability needs.

As reported by Ukrinform, Russia launched at least 127 missiles and 109 Shahed combat drones on Ukraine on August 26.

According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, 15 regions were affected by the attack. Damage to energy facilities was reported.

Photo: gdpr-info.eu
Polish journalist and volunteer Monika Andruszewska, who was injured in a Russian missile attack on Kramatorsk on the night of August 25, is not going to return to Poland for treatment, she will stay in Ukraine.

Andruszewska said this in a comment to an Ukrinform correspondent.

According to the journalist, she received minor cuts from broken glass as a result of the missile strike.

It was nothing to worry about. When the blood was washed off and the glass was removed from the skin, it turned out to be minor injuries, she said.

According to her, because of this, she does not intend to return to Poland now, but will stay in Ukraine with a volunteer mission.

However, Andruszewska said that significant damage was caused to the car in which she was with another Ukrainian volunteer who also sustained minor injuries. Therefore, she is more worried about how to repair the car and bring the five dogs she took from the front line to Kyiv to find new owners.

The Polish volunteer noted that this was not the first time she had been under Russian missile fire, although it was the first time she had come under an Iskander missile attack.

She expressed her condolences to the journalists who suffered from the rocket attack, emphasizing that this is a daily reality in Ukraine, especially in the frontline cities in the Donetsk region.

Read also: Body found under rubble of Kramatorsk hotel hit by Russian strike

And the truth is this: Russia is killing and injuring Ukrainian civilians every day, including people like us who are just driving a car through peaceful cities. This situation has attracted a lot of attention from the world media because of wounded journalists. I hope that this will at least draw the world's attention to what is happening in Ukraine. That must be stopped, the journalist emphasized.

Andruszewska said that she was in Kramatorsk on a volunteer mission, delivering drones, chargers, etc. to Ukrainian military units near the front line, purchased with funds raised jointly with one of the most popular Polish writers, Szczepan Twardoch. The day before, Twardoch posted on the social media platform X that Russians from St. Petersburg, who had translated his book The King, had contacted him and asked for his permission to publish it in Russia. He replied that the publication of his books in Russia can only be discussed when Russia stops firing Iskanders at his friends in Ukraine, and all Russian soldiers leave the territory of Ukraine alive or as cargo 200, including with the help of equipment that he still plans to purchase through organized fundraising.

As reported by Ukrinform, the British agency Reuters confirmed the death of its safety adviser Ryan Evans following the Russian strike on Kramatorsk. Two other members of the agency's team were hospitalized, one of them suffered serious injuries. According to the agency, three other journalists who were in the hotel at the time of the attack are not in danger.

On the night of August 25, Russian troops launched a missile attack on a hotel in Kramatorsk, where Reuters journalists were staying. Among the injured journalists were citizens of Ukraine, the United States, Latvia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland.
Rusia acuso este martes Ucrania de emplear sustancias quimica toxicas en el campo de batalla y aseguro que ha detectado mas de 400 casos de su uso.

En el curso de la operacion militar especial se han establecido mas de 400 casos de empleo de sustancias quimica toxicas por la parte ucraniana, afirmo en comparecencia de prensa el jefe de las fuerzas de defensa quimica, biologica y radiologica del Ejercito ruso, teniente general Igor Kirilov

Segun el militar ruso, las sustancias empleadas por las Fuerzas Armadas de Ucrania incluyen el compuesto BZ, un agente incapacitante, asi como acido cianhidrico y cloruro de cianogeno, altamente toxicos.

Kirilov indico que en la region de Donetsk, junto a la ciudad de Avdiivka, tomada por las tropas rusa en febrero este ano, fue descubierto un laboratorio donde se producian sustancia toxicas.

Agrego que el laboratorio tenia capacidad para producir diariamente hasta tres kilogramos de sustancias toxicas, equivalentes a mas de 40.000 dosis letales.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. The role of Azerbaijani gas in ensuring diversified energy supplies to Europe has significantly expanded in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue, Executive Officer and Board Member of the ICGB consortium Teodora Georgieva told Bulgarian 3eNews, Trend reports.

Georgieva emphasized that the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline, which directly connects to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridorintegrates Bulgaria into the SGC. This connection provides Bulgaria and the broader region with access to reliable and diversified natural gas supplies.

"Azerbaijani gas has been the backbone of the IGB project. Throughout the preparation, implementation, and current operation of the interconnector, we have established a strong partnership with our Azerbaijani colleagues. They are a key and highly reliable partner for gas supplies to Europe. Over time, we have built long-term relations and mutual trust," she stated.

The executive officer highlighted the significant potential of Azerbaijani gas, particularly with future gas fields.

"I believe that much of this gas will be transported through the IGB. We are also closely monitoring how our colleagues from TAP regularly conduct market tests to gauge interest in additional capacity. Given the ongoing capacity expansion at TAP (by 1.2 bcm) and Azerbaijan's commitment to increase natural gas exports to Europe in the coming years, we see opportunities to strengthen the role of IGB as well," she added.

Georgieva also spoke about the IGB's critical role in the Vertical Gas Corridor project, noting that as the interconnector's importance grows, its capacity will increase from the current three billion cubic meters of gas per year to five billion cubic meters per year.

Additionally, she mentioned Bulgaria's involvement in the project to create a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. Although the terminal's operation was delayed in 2024 due to technical reasons, its future is highly anticipated.

The EU has been receiving gas from Azerbaijan since December 2020, while Bulgaria began receiving Azerbaijani gas in January 2021 and through the IGB since 2022.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26. The analysis of data obtained by the Media Analysis Center from the official websites of the State Statistics Committee, the Ministry of Energy, and the State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources shows that since President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on October 21, 2004, approving the State Program on the Use of Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country's installed capacity of renewable energy sources has increased by 74 percent or 717.8 MW to date, Trend reports.

According to the information, after the approval by the head of state on May 2, 2014, of the Charter of the International Renewable Energy Agency, signed in Bonn on January 26, 2009, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan has increased by 50.7 percent or 567.9 MW as of the present date.

Based on the data for July of the current year, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources in the country amounted to 1,687.9 MW. This is 30.7 percent or 396.6 MW more than five years ago.

If we pay attention to the capacity of renewable energy power plants in Azerbaijan, we will see that the main type of energy is water. Over the last 20 years, the installed capacity of hydroelectric power plants in Azerbaijan has increased by 34.2 percent or 331.6 MW. Presently, the installed capacity of hydropower plants is 1301.7 MW. This also represents an increase of 13.7 percent over the last five years.

The latest data indicates that the capacity of wind power plants in Azerbaijan is 66.5 MW, which is 39.1 times or 64.8 MW more than 15 years ago. It should also be noted that for the first time, wind farms in Azerbaijan started operating in 2009, and at that time their installed capacity amounted to 1.7 MW.

The installed capacity of solar power plants is 282 MW. This is 8 times more than five years ago and 117.5 times more than ten years ago. About 81.6 percent of the installed capacity of solar power plants, or 230 MW falls on Garadagh NPP, which was launched in 2023.

Garadagh NPP was built at the expense of foreign investments amounting to $262 million. Garadagh NPP is the first solar power plant of industrial scale in Azerbaijan, implemented with the involvement of foreign investments. The capacity of the Balakhani bioelectric power plant, the only one in the country, is 37.7 MW.

If we compare power plants by number, we see that hydroelectric power plants rank first, with a total of 47 plants, 11 of which are large and 36 of which are small.

Thermal power plants with 22 stations occupy the second place and also makeup 25.6 percent of all power plants.

Additionally, it should be noted that nine solar, five wind, and one bioelectric power plant produce electricity in Azerbaijan. Besides, two hybrid power plants exist in Azerbaijan, where electricity generated from wind, solar, and biogas is transmitted to the power grid in a hybrid form.

If we look at the change in the form of electricity generation in Azerbaijan over the last 20 years, we can see that solar, wind, and bioelectric power plants have been established over the years, and the number of hydroelectric power plants has increased.

To note, only two types of power plants generating electricity existed in Azerbaijan in 2004 (Thermal and Hydro). The installed capacity of power plants in that period amounted to 5,665.1 MW, of which 82.88 percent (4,695 MW) were thermal power plants and 17.12 percent (970.1) were hydropower plants.

The installed capacity of power plants in 2024 is 8,320.9 MW, of which 79.72 percent (6,633) are thermal power plants and the remaining 20.28 percent are renewable energy power plants (15.64 percent are hydropower plants, 3.39 percent are SPP, 0.8 percent are wind power plants, and 0.45 percent are biopower plants).

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Joint struggle against global climate change stands essential, Secretary General of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) Roel Dona said during a scientific-practical conference held in Sheki on August 27, Trend reports.

He stressed that the experience of the Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan in combating environmental offenses is valued by international and regional organizations, as well as prosecutorial structures of other countries.

Then, referring to the preparations for the 29th annual conference and general meeting of IAP to be held in Azerbaijan in September 2024, as well as several organizational issues, Roel Dona pointed out that more than 400 foreign guests will visit Azerbaijan to participate in the international event.

To note, a scientific-practical conference on Formation of academic and scientific bases for protection of green spaces from climate change is being held in Sheki city within the framework of the ECOLEAD project Strengthening the environment: the role of educational and law enforcement measures.

Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan Kamran Aliyev, Secretary General of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) Roel Dona, head of the Sheki district executive authority Elkhan Usubov, high-ranking officials of various state structures are taking part in the conference.
Temple University students are on edge after two violent robberies occurred Monday night, just as the new school year is kicking off.

The first incident happened at the intersection of 11th Street and Montgomery Avenue, where a student was attacked and robbed by three juveniles, according to the Temple University Police Association. Another student was assaulted at the Broad and Cecil B. Moore Avenue subway station, also by a group of three young suspects who made off with his backpack.

Temple University Police and the Philadelphia Police Department quickly apprehended the three suspects, who were identified as two 13-year-olds and a 15-year-old. Shortly after, Temple Police responded to reports of a shooting on North 18th Street, but no injuries were found.

"We urge all students and faculty to exercise caution and remain vigilant while on campus. Your safety is our priority," Temple police wrote in a Facebook post.

Despite the incidents coming just a day before freshmen moved to campus, Police Chief Temple Police Chief Jennifer Griffin told WPVI News that the university is reporting a significant drop in crime compared to last year.

"One of those advancements we've made is license plate readers; several are located throughout campus. Within just weeks of installing it, we made an apprehension of an individual in a stolen vehicle. We were able to return that vehicle to the owner," she told the outlet.
While large-scale protests have not yet erupted on Columbia University's campus like they did last spring, new and returning students arriving in the coming days might notice some early signs of unrest and additional safety measures.

Small protests and barricades cropped up around Columbia's Barnard College earlier this week, with reports of drones and a police presence. A history professor also shared photos of fenced-off green space on campus, "presumably to stop future encampments."

Columbia began restricting access to its Morningside campus on Aug. 9, in preparation for potential disruptions and protests ahead of the fall semester. Only those with university ID cards or pre-authorized guests are allowed to enter the area.

The new restrictions come after a series of pro-Palestinian protests last spring, which included encampments and a takeover of Hamilton Hall. Over 40 students were charged after the incident, but many have had those charges dropped. Most of those arrested following the demonstrations will be allowed to return to campus this fall, according to documents received by the congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce, which subpoenaed school officials on Wednesday as part of an ongoing antisemitism investigation.

Students are also exploring new ways to express their viewpoints.

Hundreds of Jewish and pro-Israel students recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for a leadership summit aimed at strategizing for the upcoming year, according to Fox News Digital. The summit, hosted by the Israel on Campus Coalition, focused on rallying students against rising antisemitism and bolstering pro-Israel activism.

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian activists are gearing up for more protests. Despite over 2,000 arrests across the country last year, they are planning to intensify their efforts to push their institutions to divest from Israel, among other demands. Protesters are also strategizing new ways to raise awareness and apply pressure, despite more universities adopting stricter protesting policies surrounding demonstrations.

"We've been working all this summer on our plans, on what's next to pressure Columbia to listen to the students and to decide to be on the right side of history," Mahmoud Khalil, of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, told The Hill earlier this month.

Tensions have remained high at the Ivy League institution throughout the summer. Chief Operations Officer Cas Holloway had his Brooklyn residence vandalized by protesters last week, three university deans recently resigned after "antisemitic" text exchanges were revealed, and Columbia's President Minouche Shafik resigned last week following her controversial handling of student protests last semester.

University officials are also considering giving campus police broader authority to arrest protesters, though it's unclear if or when those policies will be put in place.

Columbia's fall semester begins Sept. 3.
Former University of Florida President Ben Sasse, who was accused this month of excessive sending and funneling millions of school dollars to his GOP allies during his 17-month tenure, will continue to receive his $1 million annual salary for another three years.

The termination agreement, shared with the Tampa Bay Times, states that Sasse will serve as a president emeritus, professor and external advisor to Board of Trustees Chairperson Mori Hosseini and continue to receive his base salary until February 2028, or until he "accept(s) a full-time position elsewhere or otherwise resign." It also said the institution would continue providing Sasse and his family medical benefits.

However, his original contract stated that, should he resign, Sasse "shall not be entitled to any further compensation or benefits as President."

Sasse left his leadership position last month to focus on his family following his wife's epilepsy diagnosis. The former U.S. senator from Nebraska served as UF president for less than two years.

Had he not resigned, Sasse's five-year contract would have ended on Feb. 5, 2028.

The new agreement comes weeks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for an investigation into Sasse following reports of excessive spending.

Sasse allegedly increased his office's spending to $17.3 million in his first year - more than triple the $5.6 million spent in the final year of his predecessor, Kent Fuchs, according to the Independent Florida Alligator, the university's student newspaper.

The spending spike was largely attributed to consulting contracts and high-paying positions for Sasse's GOP allies and former U.S. Senate staff.

Sasse issued a lengthy response on Aug. 16, denying the accusations of inappropriate spending.

"Many have asked whether it's true if UF over the last couple years had inappropriate spending. No, it's not true - but it is a duty to transparently address folks' concerns, both because fiscal stewardship is a fundamental obligation of public institutions," he wrote.

Sasse ultimately welcomed an audit of the expenses but insisted his budget underwent the "appropriate approval process."
(@FahadShabbir)

Honorary Consul Generals of 13 countries called on Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, here on Tuesday

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Honorary Consul Generals of 13 countries called on Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, here on Tuesday.

In the meeting, investment opportunities in Punjab were discussed. The Provincial Minister informed the Honorary Consul Generals about the possibilities of investment in various sectors of Punjab.

He said that there is a very favorable environment for domestic and foreign investment in Punjab and investors in Special Economic Zones have special privileges including 10-year income tax exemption and one-time facility to import machinery without import duty.

He added that industrial estates have the best industrial infrastructure, while the process of transition of industrial estates to solar energy has also been initiated.

Chaudhry Shafay said that a Garment City on 630 acres area is being built in Quaid-i-Azam business Park, Sheikhupura and this city would be completely on solar energy.

Foreign investors in Garment City would be given best facilities including accommodation. The promotion of solar energy is the first priority of the government, he added.

He said that he has so far met with more than 21 foreign solar energy companies, asserting that a major Chinese investment company would set up a solar energy plant in Punjab this year. Another Chinese group would set up an electric bike assembling plant in Punjab. Special measures are also being taken for the promotion of fish industry, he added.

Honorary Consul Generals appreciated the steps taken to promote investment in Punjab. Honorary Consul General of Austria Sarmad Amin, Asma of Netherlands, Munir Iqbal of Italy, Shahidsti of Mauritania, Nazir Pracha of Tajikistan, Navid Farid of Norway, Zahid Anjum of Kosovo, Ahmad Hussain of Poland, Zahid Iqbal of Bosnia, Murad Sehgal of Belgium and Honorary Consul General Qazi Humayun of Bangladesh were among those who met with Provincial Industries and Commerce Minister.
Commodore Muhammad Khalid has been promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect.

Rear Admiral Muhammad Khalid got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1995

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Commodore Muhammad Khalid has been promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect.

Rear Admiral Muhammad Khalid got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1995. The Flag Officer is a graduate of Pakistan Naval academy, Karachi and MS Oceanography from USA, a Pakistan Navy news release on Tuesday said.

The flag officer has done various professional courses from national and international institutes. He has done Harbour and Coastal Hydrography Course from Italy, Hydrography and Meteorology Advanced Survey Course from UK, Exclusive Economic Zone Protection Officers Course from UK, Pakistan Navy Staff Course from PN War College Lahore, Naval Staff Course from South Africa and National Security and War course from National Defence University Islamabad.

The Admiral has an illustrious naval career covering vast experience of various Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments include, Commanding Officer (Dredging Vessel) BEHR KUSHA, Commanding Officer Survey Vessel (SV) BEHR PAIMA and Commandant Pakistan Naval Academy. In recognition of his meritorious service, the Admiral was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military).
HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) The focal person for rain emergency in Hyderabad and the special assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh Abdul Jabbar Khan, along with officials of the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation, visited various pumping stations in Latifabad to review the progress of drainage operations.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad Zain ul Abideen Memon and Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro also conducted a city tour following heavy rainfall.

According to a handout, they inspected the Tulsi Das pumping station, Badin Stop, Qasimabad and other areas to assess the situation of rain water.

They emphasized the need to keep the machinery operational using generators in case of power outages and stated that the adequate supply of fuel for this purpose was already ensured.

Regarding power outages, the DC and Mayor met with HESCO Chief Roshan Ali Otho at the Alamdar chowk grid station, Qasimabad. They informed him about the post-rain difficulties of the public and stressed the urgent need for electricity restoration to prevent disruptions in drainage operations.

The Municipal Commissioner of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Jam Zahoor Ahmed Lakhan, Zahid Khemtio and other officials accompanied them during the city visit.
Four soldiers of Pakistan Army, amid demonstration of valour in fighting terrorists, on Tuesday embraced martyrdom while 25 khwarij were killed including ringleader Abuzar alias Saddam in different extensive intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Tirah, Khyber District against Fitna-Al-Khwarij and so called Laskar-e-Islam and Jamat-ul- Ahrar, conducted by the security forces

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Four soldiers of Pakistan Army, amid demonstration of valour in fighting terrorists, on Tuesday embraced martyrdom while 25 khwarij were killed including ringleader Abuzar alias Saddam in different extensive intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Tirah, Khyber District against Fitna-Al-Khwarij and so called Laskar-e-Islam and Jamat-ul- Ahrar, conducted by the security forces.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, these operations were based on robust intelligence that had resulted into major setbacks to Fitna Al Khwarij and its affiliates.

During these daring and highly successful IBOs being conducted since 20 August 2024, the security forces had so far successfully neutralized twenty-five Khwarij including Kharji ring leader Abuzar alias Saddam, who was killed, while eleven Khawrij were injured.

"The heavy losses inflicted upon Fitna Al Khwarij in these operations is testament to the valor and commitment of Security Forces to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a recovery petition after the return of Faizan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Secretariat employee, who was previously reported missing

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a recovery petition after the return of Faizan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Secretariat employee, who was previously reported missing.

The court also granted the Attorney General of Pakistan additional time to address the recovery of two missing brothers of Azhar Mashwani.

Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case regarding the disappearance of Azhar Mashwani's two brothers.

During the hearing, the Attorney General informed the court that Faizan had returned home, though his condition was concerning. The court was also told that some other missing PTI Secretariat employees had been recovered.

The Attorney General requested additional time to recover the remaining missing individuals, stating that the issue had been brought to the attention of the department concerned.

He expressed hope for further positive developments in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Advocate Babar Awan acknowledged the courts role in securing the return of Faizan, and the Attorney General assured the court that all available resources were being used to recover the other missing persons.

The Chief Justice accepted the Attorney General's request for more time and set the next hearing for Friday.

The court dismissed the recovery petition for Faizan, as he had already returned, and adjourned the hearing on the petition regarding the recovery of Azhar Mashwanis brothers and Naeem Ahmed Yasin until the next session.
QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Federal Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting held at Chief Minister Secretariat, Quetta to review the law and order situation in Balochistan.

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Home Shahabuddin, Inspector General of Police Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, DIG CTD Aitzaz Hussain Goraya, and other senior civil and other officials from law enforcement agencies attended the meeting.

The meeting, in the wake of the recent terror attack in Balochistan, reviewed the overall law and order situation in the province.

The Balochistan Home Department provided a briefing on recent incidents of terrorism in various areas of the province.

The participants agreed on launching an effective strategy for sustainable peace in Balochistan.

The meeting decided to enhance the professional capabilities of the police and levies. They also agreed to provide modern equipment and supplies to the Balochistan police, and address the shortage of police officers by appointing new ASPs as a special case in Balochistan.

It was, during the meeting, decided that approval for the necessary funds to improve the security situation in Balochistan would be sought from the Apex Committee.

The meeting also resolved that the FIA will take effective action to counter anti-state activities and propaganda on social media, with the Director of FIA staying in Quetta to monitor the situation.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on the occasion expressing government firm resolve against terrorism, emphasized that all available resources would be utilised to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the people.

The state's authority would be maintained at all costs, he vowed, unveiling the enemies' agenda as saying that anti-state forces do not want to see CPEC projects succeed in Balochistan.

It is clear that any such conspiracies by enemy elements will not succeed, he stressed.

The government, the public, and the security forces possess the full capability to defend every inch of Pakistan's land, and any conspiracies against Pakistan will be thwarted through mutual unity and solidarity, the federal minister maintained.

APP/ask
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Azerbaijan has signed a joint declaration and memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth of Nations on the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, the publication of the official page of COP29 on X said, Trend reports.

Azerbaijan signed a Joint Declaration and Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth of Nations to inform, guide, and support climate policies in the countries of the association. This marked a turning point to strengthen the COP29 presidency's commitment to making the voices of least developed countries and small island states heard, the publication reads.

Furthermore, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev met with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Siaosi Ofakiwahafolau Sovaleni, and expressed his gratitude for meeting with the COP29 Chairmanship at the Pacific Islands Forum.

We will continue to support islands across the Pacific in the struggle against climate change, Babayev noted.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Federal government and other respondents for September 4 on a petition challenging the decision to shut down utility stores across the country

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Federal government and other respondents for September 4 on a petition challenging the decision to shut down utility stores across the country.

Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi heard the petition filed by Muzammil Rafique.

During the proceedings, the petitioner's counsel argued before the court that his client had been serving in utility stores for the past ten years. He argued that the utility stores not only pay billions of rupees in taxes but also earn Rs 2 billion in net profit.

He submitted that the decision would result in the unemployment of 11,000 people.

He further submitted that the decision was a violation of the Companies Act, which outlines the complete procedure for shutting down a company. He pleaded with the court to set aside the decision.

The court, after hearing the initial arguments, issued notices to the federal government and other respondents for September 4 and sought a reply.
PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Provincial Election Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Shamshad Khan and newly appointed Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul on Tuesday arranged a luncheon wherein all the officers of the Provincial Election Commissioner KP headquarters were in attendance.

The KP Election Commission Offices said during the function the Provincial Election Commissioner appreciated the services of Shamshad Khan and expressed good wishes to the new Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul.

In his address, the Provincial Election Commissioner Shamshad Khan thanked all the officers and said that during his tenure, all the officers performed the office affairs in the form of an efficient team.

On this occasion, the new Provincial Election Commissioner, Saeed Gul thanked him for organizing the lunch on behalf of all the officers.

He said that he would do his best to solve the problems faced by the officers and staff. Both the officers were presented with bouquets on this occasion.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday categorically announced that the government would neither hold any talks nor show any leniency to the terrorists who were poised to disrupt the country's journey towards progress.

"The time has come to eliminate terrorism. The sacrifices being rendered for the cause will never be squandered. We need to move forward with firm resolve. There is no question of any weakness. We are open to talks with those who believe in the supremacy of Pakistan's constitution and respect its flag. But there can be no leniency or talks with those who are enemies in the guise of friends. This is a clear message. There are no two opinions on this," the prime minister said addressing the meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by him.

The prime minister began his remarks by reiterating the condemnation of the terror incidents held in different parts of the country during the last couple of days killing dozens of citizens and the officers and personnel of the security forces.

The cabinet members also offered Fateha for the victims of terror incidents and Rana Afzaal, the brother of Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, who passed away on Monday.

The prime minister said that it was no secret that the terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from Afghanistan were behind these terrorist attacks.

The government has sensitised the Afghan government on the subject and also taken effective actions against them, he added.

Referring to the killing of passengers in Balochistan on Monday, he said such incidents could not terrorize the people.

"Such unholy designs are just meant to impede the country's progress, ongoing CPEC projects in Balochistan and undermine the relationship between Pakistan and China," he remarked.

He told the cabinet members that the government had assured to provide all-out resources to the armed forces to fight out the terrorists and that the Chief of the Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir and the armed forces personnel were determined to purge this scourge.

"Inshallah, their nefarious designs will be foiled, provided we identify our enemies and forge unity to eliminate them," he urged.

Calling the recent terror incidents a "moment of reflection", Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated there was no room for terrorists in the country.

He announced that he would visit Balochistan very soon to hold in-depth deliberations on the situation and decide on immediate measures.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday lauded the successful intelligence-based operation against scourge of Khawarij in Khyber district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

President Zardari paid a heartfelt tribute to the soldiers who were martyred in the operation, stating that the security forces displayed exceptional bravery and effectively dealt with the terrorists.

The president asserted that there would be no compromise on the country's peace and security, pledging to continue the operation until terrorism is fully eradicated.

The president stated that the country would not hesitate to make any sacrifice for the defense of the motherland.

The president prayed for the eternal peace of the martyrs and grant of strength for the bereaved families to endure their irreparable loss with patience.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration have announced that the spillways of Rawal Dam will be opened on Tuesday at 4 pm.

This measure is being taken as a precaution due to rising water levels in the dam, said the spokesman of ICT administration.

Residents living near urban river channels are advised to avoid these areas to stay safe. Those in low-lying regions should ensure they follow all safety measures to protect themselves and their property.

In the event of an emergency, the public is encouraged to contact the district administration by dialing 16. Livestock owners are also being told to move their animals to higher ground without delay.

The district administration is closely monitoring river channels and bridges, with strict oversight continuing to ensure public safety. All necessary preparations have been made to handle potential flooding, according to the administration.
The Senate on Tuesday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2024 as the Opposition benches voted against the bill

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) The Senate on Tuesday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2024 as the Opposition benches voted against the bill.

The 342nd Senate session chaired by Chairman, Yousaf Raza Gilani carried out the legislative business.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the Bill on behalf of Minister for Interior, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.

Senator Tarar said that a unanimous report was being presented by the Standing Committee on the Bill and it was decided among the members of the opposition and treasury benches in the Advisory Committee of the Senate for the passage of the legislation.

Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz emphasized the importance of detailed deliberations on the Bill before its approval.

He highlighted that the Senate should thoroughly review, debate, and assess the Bill, in accordance with constitutional and parliamentary norms, despite its passage in the National Assembly.

On the occasion, Chairman Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani directed the treasury benches to send such legislation to the Committee concerned first as per the law, however since the matter was decided in the advisory committee, the Opposition should be allowed to present its considerations on the floor of the House.

The Chairman also welcomed the 38-member delegation of the Youth Parliament Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in the visitors gallery.
BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) China Southern Airlines has successfully launched a new direct flight route between Guangzhou and Islamabad, marking a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity between the two nations.

A flight numbered CZ8069 took off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), China, on August 25, carrying 163 passengers bound for Islamabad International Airport (ISB), Pakistan. The successful departure marks the official launch of the direct flight route between the two cities.

The route's launch comes shortly after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on August 1 that the country will offer visa-free entry to Chinese citizens starting from August 14, to boost economic and industrial collaboration between the two countries.

Operated by a Boeing 787, the Guangzhou-Islamabad route will run three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The scheduled departure time from Guangzhou is 15:40 Beijing time, with an estimated arrival in Islamabad at 19:35 local time (22:35 Beijing time).

The total flight duration is approximately six hours and 55 minutes, CEN reported on Tuesday.

The new direct route is expected to significantly reduce travel time and costs, further enhancing the exchange between the two countries and even the whole region. Among the inaugural flight's passengers were not only tour groups but also a significant number of business travelers and returning expatriates.

"This route is the latest addition to our growing network of flights between China and Pakistan, including routes from Urumqi to Islamabad, Urumqi to Lahore, Urumqi to Islamabad via Kashgar, and Guangzhou to Lahore," noted source from China Southern Airlines, adding that the airline emphasized its commitment to accelerating the development of routes under the Belt and Road Initiative.
NEW YORK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Aug, 2024) Pakistan's Consulate General in New York, in collaboration with the Malaysian Consulate General, hosted a brunch to welcome new members of the Society of Foreign Consuls (SoFC), an organization based in this City that unites foreign consuls in the world's largest consular corps.

The event, held at the Pakistan House, presented an array of Pakistani and Malaysian dishes and was attended by Consul Generals, diplomats and consular officials from various countries.

In his welcoming remarks, the Malaysian Consul General, Amir Farid Abu Hasan, who currently serves as SoFC's President, emphasized the organization's role in fostering strong relationships between consulates and enhancing diplomatic collaboration in New York City.

Speaking next, Pakistan's Consul General, Aamer Ahmed Atozai, highlighted the significance of unity among the diplomatic corps and welcomed the incoming Consuls General, acknowledging their roles in strengthening ties between their respective countries and the international community in New York.

Edward Mermelstein, Commissioner of International Affairs in New York, delivered a keynote address, praising the SoFC's efforts in building bridges between diverse cultures and promoting mutual understanding.

The event concluded with the introduction of new consuls general and a farewell tribute to the outgoing members.

APP/ift
Photo: Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 27. Direct flights from Kazakhstan to the US are expected to be launched by the end of 2025, Trend reports via the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.

Representatives from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have arrived in Kazakhstan for a review mission to open these flights. From August 26 to August 30, 2024, the FAA will conduct a technical review under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program. This review will evaluate the performance of Kazakhstan's aviation authorities in ensuring effective flight safety oversight.

During the visit, Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev, and Director General of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan Catalin Radu met with the FAA delegation. The FAA specialists will carry out a comprehensive analysis of Kazakhstan's civil aviation system, providing recommendations to enhance flight safety and ensure compliance with international standards.

The FAA auditors will assess the overall condition of Kazakhstan's aviation industry and its flight safety oversight system. As part of the review, a technical visit to Air Astana is also scheduled.

Additionally, the delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Kazakhstan is expected in 2025.

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Vietnam President To Lams State Visit to China: Key Highlights for Businesses

Vietnams Party General Secretary and President To Lam concluded his visit to China from August 18-20, resulting in the signing of 14 cooperation agreements and a joint statement with President Xi Jinping. We discuss how the visit further opens trade and investment opportunities between the two nations.

The economic objectives of To Lams visit to China

To Lams recent visit to China began in Guangzhou, the capital and largest city of Guangdong province, a key port city northwest of Hong Kong. A major focus of his agenda was to encourage investment from Guangdongs businesses into Vietnam. Guangdong currently accounts for 20 percent of trade between China and Vietnam, driven by its dynamic business landscape.

Experts predict that economic ties between Guangdong and Vietnam will strengthen further due to the ongoing trend of production relocation, known as the China plus one strategy. A survey by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) revealed that 59 percent of Chinese enterprises in Vietnam source their supplies from China15 percentage points higher than other foreign firms.

In parallel, authorities of Guangxi province and the Vietnamese border provinces of Ha Giang, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, and Cao Bang have been working closely to facilitate trade activities. This has resulted in Quang Ninhs electricity purchases from Guangxis power grid and the reopening of a border gate between Lang Son and Guangxi after COVID-19.

On Vietnams side, local leaders in Lao Cai, a mountainous province near the border with China, have advocated for developing a trade hub in the region. Particular attention has been given to Lao Cais recent proposal for a pilot cross-border e-commerce zone linking Vietnam and the Chinese market.

At the same time, Chinese firms are highly competitive in sectors prioritized by the Vietnamese government, such as renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs).

Key highlights of Vietnam-China leaders joint statement

The joint statement between the top leaders of Vietnam and China reinforced the two countries commitment to collaboration across various domains, with a particular emphasis on economic and business ties.

China affirmed its support for Vietnams prosperous development and its efforts to build a strong, independent, and self-reliant economy. Additionally, China pledged to support Vietnams goals of renewal, industrialization, modernization, and comprehensive international integration. The Chinese government also reiterated that its friendship with Vietnam remains steadfast, and that Vietnam will continue to be a priority in Chinas neighborhood diplomacy.

Strategic connectivity development

China and Vietnam have committed to enhancing strategic connectivity between the two countries, focusing on several key areas:

Implementing the cooperation plan: Connecting Vietnams Two Corridors, One Belt Framework with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative.

Connecting Vietnams Two Corridors, One Belt Framework with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Accelerating hard connectivity: Enhancing infrastructure such as railways, expressways, and border gate facilities.

Enhancing infrastructure such as railways, expressways, and border gate facilities. Upgrading soft connectivity: Improving smart customs systems.

Improving smart customs systems. Chinese assistance: Supporting Vietnam in planning the Lang Son  Ha Noi and Mong Cai  Ha Long  Hai Phong standard gauge railway lines.

Supporting Vietnam in planning the Lang Son  Ha Noi and Mong Cai  Ha Long  Hai Phong standard gauge railway lines. Feasibility study: Developing a feasibility study report for the Lao Cai  Ha Noi  Hai Phong standard gauge railway line.

Developing a feasibility study report for the Lao Cai  Ha Noi  Hai Phong standard gauge railway line. Pilot construction: Speeding up the construction of smart border gates at the Huu Nghi (Vietnam)  Youyi Guan (China) international border gate and the dedicated cargo transport road in the area of boundary markers 1088/2  1089 (Tan Thanh  Po Chai).

Speeding up the construction of smart border gates at the Huu Nghi (Vietnam)  Youyi Guan (China) international border gate and the dedicated cargo transport road in the area of boundary markers 1088/2  1089 (Tan Thanh  Po Chai). Cross-border economic zones: Actively researching and deploying pilot construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones.

Actively researching and deploying pilot construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones. Supply chain collaboration: Jointly building safe and stable production and supply chains.

Enhancing business cooperation

The joint statement also underscores the importance of business collaboration, with both sides committing to promote two-way investments through various initiatives:

Supporting key sectors: Encouraging enterprises in high-tech agriculture, infrastructure, clean energy, digital economy, and green development.

Encouraging enterprises in high-tech agriculture, infrastructure, clean energy, digital economy, and green development. Facilitating a favorable business environment: Ensuring a fair and supportive environment for each others enterprises.

Ensuring a fair and supportive environment for each others enterprises. Exchanging expertise: Deepening the exchange of experiences in state-owned enterprise reform and management.

Deepening the exchange of experiences in state-owned enterprise reform and management. Collaborating on human resources: Working together on training and development in human resources.

Working together on training and development in human resources. Exploring mineral sector cooperation: Actively studying opportunities for greater cooperation in the key mineral sector.

Actively studying opportunities for greater cooperation in the key mineral sector. Utilizing financial cooperation mechanisms: Leveraging the financial and monetary cooperation working group between the two countries.

Leveraging the financial and monetary cooperation working group between the two countries. Sharing policy management insights: Enhancing information exchange and experience sharing on policy management and reform in the financial-monetary field.

Enhancing information exchange and experience sharing on policy management and reform in the financial-monetary field. Boosting monetary cooperation: Strengthening cooperation in monetary matters.

Strengthening cooperation in monetary matters. Implementing economic and technical projects: Accelerating the implementation of projects like the Traditional Medicine Hospital (Subsidiary 2).

Upholding trade through bilateral and multilateral commitments

Both countries recognize the importance of promoting trade cooperation by:

Effectively upholding the role of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

Making good use of e-commerce platforms and trade fairs.

Enhancing customs cooperation and expanding the export of each countrys key products to the other.

Accelerating the development of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0.

Stepping up the implementation of cooperation areas within the framework of Mekong-Lancang cooperation.

Striving to promote the building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mekong-Lancang countries for peace and prosperity.

Promoting cooperation within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) economic cooperation framework.

Concurrently, China is ready to continue creating favorable conditions for Vietnam to open additional trade promotion offices in various locations in China. Vietnam supports Chinas accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) based on adherence to the agreements standards and procedures and actively welcomes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of Chinas application to join the RCEP.

Vietnam, China ink 14 cooperation documents

On August 19, shortly after the talks between the two leaders, Vietnam and China signed 14 cooperation documents. These agreements underscore the commitment to strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. The agreements are as follows:

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and the National Academy of Governance An MOU on industrial cooperation between Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology An MOU on healthcare cooperation between the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Vietnam and the National Health Commission of China An MOU on enhancing cooperation and information exchange in banking operations between the State Bank of Vietnam and the Peoples Bank of China An MOU between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) on promoting social and livelihood projects A protocol on plant quarantine for Vietnamese fresh coconut exported to China signed between Vietnams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Chinese General Administration of Customs A protocol on health quarantine for crocodiles bred in Vietnam and exported to China between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Administration of Customs A protocol on plant quarantine and food safety for frozen durian exported to China between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the General Administration of Customs of China A certificate of handing over the results of the project to assist Vietnam in the planning of the Lao Cai  Hanoi  Haiphong standard gauge railways signed between the two governments An official letter between Vietnams Ministry of Transport and the CIDCA on the feasibility study of the technical aid project for planning two standard gauge railway lines: Lang Son  Hanoi and Mong Cai  Ha Long  Hanoi An agreement on cooperation between the Vietnam News Agency and Xinhua News Agency An MOU on strengthening cooperation between the Vietnam Television and the China Central Radio and Television An MOU on cooperation in traditional medicine between the Ministry of Health and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine An MOU on press and media exchange program 2024 2029 between the Vietnam Journalists Association and the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA)

In addition, two documents were announced at the signing ceremony, namely:

An MOU on enhancing cooperation in the economic and trade fields between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Peoples Government of Hainan Province , Peoples Republic of China; and

, Peoples Republic of China; and An MOU on enhancing cooperation in the economic and trade fields between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Peoples Government of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China.

Conclusion

To Lams decision to make China his first state visit emphasizes Chinas importance in Vietnams strategic calculations, especially in supply chain and economic cooperation. The longstanding economic and business ties between the two nations are set to become even stronger, with enhanced connectivity and expanded trade cooperation promising new investment opportunities for businesses.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 27. Ali Al-Janabi has been appointed Chairman of Shell in Kazakhstan, according to the Petrocouncil, the oil and gas industry strategic partnership development council of Kazakhstan, Trend reports.

Al-Janabi previously led Shell's operations in the UAE and Iraq. He began his career at Taylor Wood, and has since worked with Halliburton and Goldman Sachs before joining Shell in 2001. He holds a Masters degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Imperial College London and a Masters degree in Strategy and Finance from Kingston Business School.

German Burmeister, the former head of Shell in Kazakhstan, has been reassigned to a new position in Argentina.

Shell has been operating in Kazakhstan since 1993, engaging in various business segments including oil and gas exploration and production, hydrocarbon transportation, and petroleum sales. Shell is a global energy and petrochemical company with 80,000 employees working across more than 70 countries and regions.
The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.

Adm. Samuel Paparo's remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. As these clashes grow increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking a treaty alliance with Washington.

Paparo and Brawner spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at which China's increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. Military and defense officials and diplomats from the U.S. and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

Asked if the U.S. military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Paparo replied, "Certainly, within the context of consultations."

"Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us," Paparo said without elaborating.

Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

"The attitude of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves," Brawner said. "We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the mission in this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops."

"We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves," Brawner said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to each other's aid if they come under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their "ironclad" commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the conference that China is "the biggest disruptor" of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coast guard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that "the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China," blaming unspecified other actors for "making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability."

Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against China's increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were "not enough."

"The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China," Teodoro said, adding that a U.N. Security Council resolution would be a strong step, but unlikely given China's security council veto.

He also called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do more. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other, as well as China's and Taiwan's.

"ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea," Teodoro said.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed "an excessive force" of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manila's largest coast guard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll claimed by both countries that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The Philippine coast guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, obstructed the delivery, which included an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes' Day on Monday.

In Beijing, China's coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that "intruded" into waters near the Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Japan's government separately protested to Beijing on Tuesday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the Russia-Ukraine war following Modi's visit to Ukraine, along with the situation in Bangladesh where protests led to the ousting of former leader Sheik Hasina earlier this month.

Modi posted online that he discussed the situation in Ukraine with Biden over the phone and "reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability." He also said the two leaders stressed "the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh."

The White House issued a separate statement, saying Biden commended Modi's recent visit to Poland and Ukraine, and that both leaders expressed "support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter."

Last week, Modi visited Ukraine in the first visit by an Indian prime minister in modern Ukrainian history. It came at a volatile juncture in the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Moscow is making slow gains in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv presses a cross-border incursion.

Modi urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war and offered to help bring peace.

Modi's Ukraine visit followed a visit he made to Russia in July where he embraced President Vladimir Putin on the same day that a deadly Russian missile strike hit a children's hospital. That visit angered Ukraine, and the U.S. State Department said it raised concerns with India about ties with Russia.

Moscow has been a large weapons supplier to India since the Soviet Union days. Washington in recent years has looked to woo New Delhi to counter China's influence.

Modi said the two leaders also discussed the situation in Bangladesh where about 300 people, many of them university and college students, were killed during protests that began in July with students agitating against quotas in government jobs before the events spiraled into demonstrations to oust long-serving former Prime Minister Hasina.

An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was sworn in after Hasina fled to India. Attacks were reported against Muslim-majority Bangladesh's minorities, especially Hindus, amid the protests.

Hindu nationalist Modi's own government in Hindu-majority India has faced criticism over the years over attacks on minorities, especially Muslims.
China called U.S. sanctions on its entities over the Ukraine war "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts," in comments on Tuesday ahead of White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's arrival in Beijing for days of high-level talks.

Last week the United States imposed sanctions on more than 400 entities and individuals for supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine, including Chinese companies that U.S. officials say help Moscow skirt Western sanctions and build up its military.

Washington has repeatedly warned Beijing over its support for Russia's defense industrial base and has already issued hundreds of sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow's ability to exploit certain technologies for military purposes.

China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, who has done four rounds of shuttle diplomacy, opposed the sanctions at a briefing for diplomats in Beijing after the latest round of meetings with officials from Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa.

"A particular country uses the crisis  to shift blame in an attempt to fabricate the so-called China responsibility theory and threatens countries that have normal economic and trade ties with Russia with illegal and unilateral sanctions," said Li.

Li did not name the United States, but China's commerce ministry said on Sunday it strongly opposed the sanctions and the foreign ministry has expressed similar opposition to previous rounds of curbs.

Last week's sanctions include measures against companies in China involved in shipping machine tools and microelectronics to Russia.

"These words and deeds are totally for their selfish interests and are not based on facts, the international community will never accept them," added Li.

China has been striving to present itself as a party that is actively looking for a solution to the conflict, despite skipping a Swiss peace conference in June.

After past rounds of talks led by Li, Beijing put forward proposals on supporting the exchange of prisoners of war, opposing the use of nuclear and biological weapons and opposing armed attacks on civilian nuclear facilities.

In a 12-point paper more than a year ago China set out general principles for ending the war, but did not get into specifics.

China and Brazil jointly called this year for Russia-Ukraine peace talks. On Tuesday, Li expressed the hope that more countries would endorse China's peace efforts.
Few countries have been hit harder by climate change than Kenya, where more frequent droughts and floods have become a fact of life for much of the country. One woman who won a contest to be named Miss Climate Kenya is working to build climate resilience and convince people to adapt to a changing world. At the same time, a farmer in western Kenya is denying the existence of climate change and defending the exploration of fossil fuels in Africa.

Over the past two decades, new weather patterns have become all too common in eastern Africa, killing off crops, pasture and livestock. Conversely, Kenya saw heavy flooding that killed dozens of people and displaced tens of thousands more this year.

Twenty-four-year-old Dorcas Naishorua, who was named Miss Climate Kenya in May, has experienced what climate change can do to lives and livelihoods. Naishorua is a member of the Maasai tribe. Her community relies on livestock for survival. Members move from one place to another in search of water and pasture for their animals to survive.

"Since the onset of the serious climate crisis, I have personally been affected by it, she said. The same livestock my parents depended on to take me to school, most of them were lost during the drought, and due to that, I had to cut short my education."

Naishorua said she is using her platform to educate her community about climate change and how to deal with its effects.

"We have stopped lamenting, she said. Now we have a drought. What changes are we bringing? So, through my capacity, I have been engaging with different rescue centers. I have been with different schools in tree growing and sensitization what is a tree and what tree to plant where I have been doing that on my platforms."

But as some activists try to build climate resilience, Kenyan farmer Jusper Machogu is attracting the attention of climate change deniers or skeptics, and his social media network is growing by the day.

Just today, he shared a video on X of former U.S. President Donald Trump denying climate change and said, I think he represents some of my views, and so I kind of like him.

Machogu, a farmer in Kisii, Kenya's highland region, says he denies climate change is taking place because he believes it is hard to predict weather patterns.

Mochugu, who is also an agricultural engineer, says he supports the exploration and use of fossil fuels, which scientists have shown to be a major factor in global warming due to the emission of carbon dioxide.

Machogu says clean energy sources cannot replace fossil fuels like oil and gas.

"We have plenty of fossil fuels, he said. We have plenty of natural gas. We have it in Uganda. We have it in Nigeria. We have oil in Angola, Namibia, all of these countries. But now we're being told that we should not use that to flourish. We should not use it.

And he spoke of the importance of fossil fuels.

And most people don't realize how important, how crucial fossil fuels are, he said. Like we can't have steel if we don't use fossil fuels; there is no way to produce steel minus fossil fuels. Most people have heard that solar and wind are going to save the world, but solar and wind is just electricity."

African farmers have experienced severe impacts from climate change. Weather patterns have become unpredictable, making it difficult for them to prepare land, grow food, and harvest on time.

Environmental earth scientist Edward Mugalavai says climate change skeptics could be won over with greater development of clean energy sources.

"When you touch on the issue of fossil fuel, then it is like you are telling people you reduce industrialization, he said. That cannot happen. But what we are coming up with is to come up with green energy solutions where people can continue to industrialize but use green energy that does not pollute the environment. But if you have alternatives, people can easily accept the changes that are taking place."

Naishorua, Kenyas Miss Climate, said those denying climate change should check how their environment has changed over the years.

If that is too difficult to observe, she said, then they should take care and protect the environment around them.
Pakistans military is increasingly issuing warnings about what it calls "digital terrorism," a poorly defined term that some rights activists fear can be applied to anyone who posts criticism of the military online.

Pakistani General Asim Munir, chief of army staff, recently warned that digital terrorism was being used to spread "anarchy and false information" against the armed forces. On Pakistan's 77th Independence Day at the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad earlier in August, the top general said, digital terrorism aims to divide state institutions and citizens.

The general did not try to differentiate between political opponents of the military who believe it should play a smaller role in the countrys civilian government, versus insurgent separatist groups in places like Balochistan that have battled the army for years. Nor did he identify any individuals, groups or parties as leaders of what he called a digital terrorism campaign.

Pakistan has seen a surge of online political activism since former Prime Minister Imran Khans fall from power in 2022. Many online campaigns have argued against the militarys presumed involvement in politics and its role in framing foreign policy.

In a news conference earlier this month, army spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that not enough steps were being taken against what he called digital terrorism and warned that legal action would be taken against those involved.

Reaction from rights activists

Haroon Baloch, a Pakistani digital rights activist and researcher, said digital terrorism is a term that isnt clearly defined and is used vaguely by the army.

The government is using this term as a tool to control online speech and silence those who criticize the government, instead of dealing with real terrorist threats, Baloch said in an interview with VOA.

But Haq Nawaz Khan, a Peshawar-based journalist who covers issues on Pakistan and Afghanistan, says that while both digital and real-world terrorism pose threats, focusing on digital issues could distract troops from fighting terrorism on the ground. The actual terror groups need immediate attention, he says.

Salma Gul, a history student at the University of Peshawar, told VOA that digital terrorism is not a word in Pakistan's legal framework. It is an unfamiliar term coined by the army to attack those who raise their voices. In my opinion, I could not speak the truth now. This clearly restricts my freedom of speech.

She believes institutions should not be defamed, but they can be openly criticized.

Others say that online criticism of the military has become too extreme, with online posts mocking the countrys army leadership.

The Pakistani army chiefs picture has been shared on social media with inappropriate words, which gives the government a reason to restrict social media usage in the country, said Anis Qureshi, an expert on Pakistani digital rights.

Prelude to a firewall?

Internet users in Pakistan have reported slow broadband speeds for the past several weeks. The problem has affected millions of users, disrupted businesses and drawn nationwide complaints.

Technology experts say a recently installed internet firewall could give the government more power to block access to social media, websites and messenger platforms. Many have likened it to Chinas famous internet firewall that gives Beijing near total power to censor and restrict communications.

Pakistani authorities have denied allegations that a national firewall has been slowing down internet speeds. Last week, Pakistan's minister for information technology told local media that the government is not responsible for the internet slowdown.

Terror attacks continue

As the military has publicly focused more on combating online criticism in recent weeks, it has faced increased militant attacks on security forces and government installations.

On Monday, militants attacks on police stations, railway networks and highways in the restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan killed more than 70 people, including 14 security personnel.

In the tribal areas and districts with high militant activity, Pakistani law enforcement agencies and the military have intensified counterterrorism operations. The surge in terrorism increased after the U.S. withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan in 2021 and the Talibans takeover in Kabul.
A Taliban-controlled state broadcaster in Afghanistan silenced a female journalist and her image during a live media event Tuesday, apparently in compliance with the radical rulers recently enacted morality law that bans women from speaking or showing their faces in public.

Officials of the de facto Taliban interior ministry organized a news conference in Kabul to share their annual performance before taking questions from around 10 journalists, including a woman.

The RTA broadcaster aired the voices and images of all male reporters without interruption. However, when the female journalist from the local Ariana news channel started asking a question, the broadcast abruptly went silent for the next minute or so until she finished, and the focus remained on Taliban officials instead.

The channel's audio was unmuted when ministry representatives started answering her query and those asked by others subsequently until the event ended.

No official explanation was provided for interrupting the female reporters voice. VOA tried to contact RTA officials via the WhatsApp platform but did not receive a response as usual because the Taliban have banned the media outlet in Afghanistan and do not respond to its queries.

Tuesdays muting of the female reporters voice has raised concerns it could mark the first public enforcement of the contentious morality law promulgated by the Taliban last Wednesday, sparking international outrage.

The so-called Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice decree forbids women from singing, reciting poetry, or speaking aloud in public and requires them to keep their faces and entire bodies always covered when outdoors in line with the Talibans interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.

The legal document argues that a woman's voice is intimate and should not be heard publicly. They are also not allowed to look at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa, nor can taxi drivers transport a woman to any destination unless a male guardian accompanies her.

The 35-article law imposes severe restrictions on the personal freedom of Afghan men and women and empowers the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue to enforce it.

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, condemned the morality law on Sunday as a distressing vision of the country's future.

It extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls, with even the sound of a female voice outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation, stated Otunbayeva.

She noted, Moral inspectors have discretionary powers to threaten and detain anyone based on broad and sometimes vague lists of infractions under the Taliban rule.

In a formal response on Monday, the Taliban expressed outrage at what they denounced as uncalled for objections by the UNAMA and Western governments to their vice and virtue laws.

Non-Muslims expressing concerns over these laws or rejecting them should first educate themselves about Islamic laws and respect Islamic values, asserted Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, which is not recognized by any country.

We consider it insulting to our Islamic Sharia (law) when they raise such objections without understanding it, Mujahid stated.

The Taliban introduced the morality law against the backdrop of their wide-ranging restrictions on female members of Afghan society. Since returning to power three years ago, the radical de facto rulers have banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and women from working in most fields as well as taking part in public activities at large.

After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one, Otunbayeva said.

The morality law also prohibits the broadcasting and publication of images of living beings, as well as content believed to violate Sharia or insult Muslims under the Talibans interpretation of Islam.

Rosemary DiCarlo, the U.N. undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, has warned that the morality decree is unconscionable, and if maintained, the law can only impede Afghanistans return to the international fold.

No country has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, primarily over their harsh treatment of women.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged Tuesday with sedition over a speech he made that allegedly questioned the integrity of the country's previous king.

Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia from March 2020 until August 2021, pleaded not guilty in a court in northeast Kelantan state. According to the charge sheet, Muhyiddin made the seditious remarks last month during a by-election campaign in Kelantan.

Nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns as Malaysias king for five-year terms under the countrys rotating monarchy, which began when Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The monarchy plays a largely ceremonial role, but are revered by the nation's majority Muslims.

In his speech on Aug. 14, Muhyiddin had questioned why then-King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah didn't invite him to be prime minister following a hung Parliament in November 2022. Muhyiddin had claimed he had the backing of majority lawmakers.

Muhyiddin's Islamic nationalistic bloc received stronger-than-expected support from Malays, who account for two-thirds of Malaysias 34 million people. Sultan Abdullah appointed then-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister after Anwar cobbled up support from rival parties to form a unity government.

Sultan Abdullah from central Pahang state, who ended his reign on Jan. 30 this year, didn't comment on the case. But his son issued a strong rebuke to Muhyiddin, saying his remarks were dangerous and could divide the people and undermine the royal institution.

Muhyiddin was questioned by police following complaints against him. He had denied insulting the royalty, saying his remarks were factual and that he had handed in sworn oath of support by 115 lawmakers in the 222-member parliament.

Zaid Malek from Lawyers for Liberty, a human rights and law reform group, slammed the use of the colonial-era Sedition Act against Muhyiddin. He said questioning or criticizing the exercise of constitutional power by the king wasn't seditious.

The law, introduced by the British in 1948, criminalizes speech or actions with an undefined seditious tendency, including that which promotes hatred against the government and monarchy or incites racial discord.

The king is a constitutional monarch, and not a feudal ruler. His exercise of his power can thus be debated, questioned or criticized. This is the very bedrock of our system of constitutional monarchy, Zaid said. Anwar had backtracked on his pledge to repeal the Sedition Act, which has long been used to suppress dissenting voices, he added.

Muhyiddin, 77, faces up to three years in prison or a fine or both if found guilty. He is also still battling corruption and money-laundering charges that he claims are politically motivated.

Muhyiddin was the second former leader charged with crimes after ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak, who received multiple charges after losing a 2018 general election. Najib began a 12-year prison term in 2022, with several more graft trials underway.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ruled out naming a left-wing government to end the country's political deadlock, saying it would be a threat to "institutional stability."

While Macron said he would start new talks Tuesday to find a prime minister, left-wing parties reacted with fury to his announcement, calling for street protests and the impeachment of the president.

Macron has held protracted talks on a new government since elections in July gave a left-wing alliance the most seats in parliament but not enough to govern.

The president rejected left-wing claims to govern after negotiations Monday with far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen and other political leaders.

While some reports said Macron had wanted to name a prime minister on Tuesday, the president instead said he would embark on a new round of negotiations.

"My responsibility is that the country is not blocked nor weakened," Macron said in a statement, calling on "all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility."

The July election left the 577-seat National Assembly divided between the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance with over 190 seats, followed by Macron's centrist alliance at around 160 and Le Pen's National Rally at 140.

'Stability' threatened

The NFP, particularly the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), has demanded the right and opportunity to form a government but centrist and right-wing parties have vowed to vote it down in any confidence vote.

A purely left-wing government "would be immediately censored by all the other groups represented in the National Assembly" and "the institutional stability of our country therefore requires us not to choose this option," Macron said.

Macron said he would talk with party leaders and "personalities distinguished by experience in the service of the state and the Republic."

Without naming the LFI, the president called on socialists, ecologists and communists in the leftist alliance to "cooperate with other political forces."

A source close to Macron later confirmed that he would not hold further talks with the LFI or the National Rally, nor with Eric Ciotti, leader of the right-wing Republicans (LR), who had allied himself with Le Pen's far-right party for the snap vote.

The LFI reacted with fury, with its national coordinator Manuel Bompard called Macron's comments an "unacceptable anti-democratic coup."

LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon called for a "firm and strong response" by the public and politicians including a "motion of impeachment" against the president.

Communist party leader Fabien Roussel called for a "grand popular mobilization" and rejected new talks. Green party leader Marine Tondelier said "the people must get rid of Macron for the good of democracy. He is chaos and instability."

Macron has left Gabriel Attal as caretaker government leader for a post-war record time since the July election as he seeks a figure with enough broad support to survive a confidence vote.

The pressure is on however as the deadline to present a draft 2025 budget for the heavily indebted government is just over a month away.

Leftist parties had pushed for Macron to name 37-year-old economist and civil servant Lucie Castets as prime minister.

Melenchon even said there could be a left-wing government without ministers from his party, but this has still been opposed by Macron and center-right parties.

The president has repeatedly called LFI an "extreme" movement, branding the party as equally zealot as Le Pen's.

Since Melenchon's offer, center-right parties have focused attention on the NFP's big-spending manifesto at a time when France is battling a record budget deficit and a debt mountain.

Attal reaffirmed the opposition to the LFI in a letter to deputies that called Melenchon's offer an "attempted coup," saying it would be "inevitable" that an NFP government would lose a vote of confidence.
The Kremlin neither denied nor admitted Russian responsibility for a missile attack on a hotel hosting foreign journalists in Kramatorsk, Eastern Ukraine, on August 24.

The strike killed Ryan Evans, a safety adviser for a Reuters news agency crew, and injured two Reuters journalists and other reporters at the scene.

Reuters said it is investigating the strike to find out who was behind the attack and whether it was deliberate.

Ukrainian officials said Russia hit the hotel with an Iskander-M ballistic missile, causing damage to private residences and businesses.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the significance of the attack, arguing Russia does not target civilians and that Evans was not a journalist.

"I read information from the agency staff that he was not a journalist, but some kind of security advisor. I repeat once again: strikes are carried out on military infrastructure, or facilities in one way or another related to military infrastructure."

That is false.

International humanitarian law and the law of warfare protect all members of press crews regardless of their roles.

The United Nations Geneva Convention's Article 79 states that press crews working in conflict zones are considered civilians and protected from any type of hostilities. Protocol 1 of that law specifies that holding a press ID card "attests to the status of its holder as a journalist."

While formally not a journalist, Evans was a member of a Reuters news crew and had been employed by the agency since 2022. He was entitled to the same protections as other civilians under international law, which also forbids directly targeting civilian objects.

Press watchdogs say Russia has a well-documented history of systematic attacks on civilian structures housing foreign journalists in Ukraine.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said more than 100 Ukrainian and international journalists "have been victims of violence" since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

RSF said it has documented 53 events, in which 121 journalists have been victims, that could be classified as war crimes. Those attacks include the targeting of 14 TV towers and media infrastructure.

RSF has filed eight war complaints "about Russian war crimes against journalists in Ukraine" with the International Criminal Court and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, and two complaints with French courts.

Not including Evans, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented the deaths of at least 15 journalists and media workers covering the war, and numerous attacks resulting in injury.

Russia has repeatedly targeted hotels and other civilian establishments frequented by journalists.

That includes a January 10 Russian missile attack on the Kharkiv Palace Hotel, in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, that injured 11 people, including journalists.

The Kharkiv Palace Hotel manager told the German broadcaster ZDF, whose reporters were injured in the attack, that journalists were staying in 10 of the 15 rooms booked at the time of the strike.

In January, Ukraine's National Union of Journalists documented Russian missile attacks on hotels in Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk and Kharkiv popular among local and international journalists, calling it "a deliberate tactic of intimidation of the media people in order to limit coverage of the war in the international media."

On June 27, 2023, Russia launched a missile attack on Ria Lounge, a restaurant in Kramatorsk regularly frequented by aid workers and journalists, killing 13 and wounding 61. Among the dead was Victoria Amelina, a Ukrainian writer and war crimes investigator.

Russia's attacks on journalists fit into its longstanding and systematic targeting of civilians and civilian areas, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called "missile terror."

Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said the Russian military "systematically hunted down" journalists who stayed in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.

Moscow has likewise sought to control the narrative following Ukraine's surprise August 6 incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Russia has opened criminal cases against at least seven journalists who have reported from Kursk, stating, falsely, they illegally crossed the border into Russia.
Police in India fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of a top elected official in the country's east, accusing her of mishandling an investigation into a rape and killing of a resident doctor earlier this month.

The August 9 killing of the 31-year-old physician while on duty at Kolkata city's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital triggered protests across India, focusing on the chronic issue of violence against women in the country. Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal state.

The protesters say the assault highlights the vulnerability of health care workers in hospitals across India.

Protesters from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party tried to break the police cordon and march to the office of Mamta Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress party rules the West Bengal state, and demanded her resignation.

Modi's party is the main opposition party in West Bengal. Police had banned its rally and blocked the roads.

Police officers wielding batons pushed back the demonstrators and fired tear gas and water cannons. Four student activists were arrested ahead of the rally, police said, accusing them of trying to orchestrate large-scale violence.

India's top court last week set up a national task force of doctors to make recommendations on the safety of health care workers at the workplace. The Supreme Court said the panel would frame guidelines for the protection of medical professionals and health care workers nationwide.

An autopsy of the killed doctor later confirmed sexual assault, and a police volunteer was detained in connection with the crime. The family of the victim alleged it was a case of a gang rape and more were involved.

In the days since, mounting anger has boiled over into nationwide outrage and stirred protests over violence against women. The protests have also led thousands of doctors and paramedics to walk out of some public hospitals across India and demand a safer working environment. The walkouts have affected thousands of patients across India.

Women in India continue to face rising violence despite tough laws that were implemented following the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in Delhi in 2012.

That attack had inspired lawmakers to order harsher penalties for such crimes and set up fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases. The government also introduced the death penalty for repeat offenders.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 27. Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Agriculture has proposed lifting the temporary ban on importing chicken eggs, according to a draft decree now open for public discussion, Trend reports.

The ministry cited improvements in domestic production as a key reason for the proposed change. Local producers have stabilized and increased their output since the ban was implemented, and they now claim to be ready to compete with imported eggs in terms of both volume and pricing.

The six month ban, which has been in effect since June 5, 2024, was aimed at supporting local producers and addressing supply issues.

According to the countrys Statistical Committee, more than 460.184 million eggs were produced in Kyrgyzstan from January through July 2024, which is 10.5 increase year-on-year.
Iran's supreme leader opened the door Tuesday to renewed negotiations with the United States over his country's rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling its civilian government there was "no harm" in engaging with its "enemy."

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks set clear red lines for any talks taking place under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and renewed his warnings that Washington wasn't to be trusted.

But his comments mirror those around the time of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran's nuclear program greatly curtailed in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Yet it remains unclear just how much room Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and as the U.S. prepares for a presidential election in November.

"This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations," Khamenei said, according to a transcript on his official website.

Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, also warned Pezeshkian's Cabinet, "Do not trust the enemy."

Khamenei, 85, has occasionally urged talks or dismissed them with Washington after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.

There have been indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States' Middle East interlocutors when it comes to Iran.

Asked for comment, the U.S. State Department told The Associated Press: "We will judge Iran's leadership by their actions, not their words."

"We have long said that we ultimately view diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective, sustainable solution with regard to Iran's nuclear program," it said. "However, we are far away from anything like that right now given Iran's escalations across the board, including its nuclear escalations and its failure to cooperate" with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

Since the deal's collapse, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity  near weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency's most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials also have increasingly threatened that they could pursue atomic weapons.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Tehran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel in April after years of a shadow war between the two countries reached a climax with Israel's apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.

The assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh also prompted Iran to threaten to retaliate against Israel.

Pezeshkian campaigned partly on a promise to reengage the West with negotiations. Khamenei's remarks as Iran's paramount leader could provide him with the political cover to do so.

"After doing everything we can, a tactical retreat might sometimes be necessary, but we should not abandon our goals or opinions at the first sign of difficulty," Khameini also said Tuesday.

However, it's not just Iran that's facing a new presidency. The U.S. will hold a presidential election on November 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump as the leading candidates. Iran has been concerned about Trump's return to power.

Harris, in a speech to the Democratic National Convention last week, said: "I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists."

The RANE Network, a risk-intelligence firm, said if Harris wins, "the likelihood of a deal will rise as the Israel-Hamas war winds down."

"Once negotiations begin, Iran will likely demand more protections regarding a potential U.S. withdrawal from a new deal after the United States walked away from the previous deal in 2018," RANE said in an analysis Tuesday.

Tuesday's meeting between Khamenei and Pezeshkian's Cabinet included an appearance by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped Iran reach the 2015 deal. After the meeting, Zarif said in an online message that he would continue to serve as a vice president in Pezeshkian's administration after earlier publicly resigning over the makeup of the Cabinet.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday urged the new government to impose controls over the Islamic republic's cyberspace, which has already been under heavy restrictions in recent years.

"What matters is for the rule of law to be applied in the virtual space," said Khamenei during his first meeting with the new cabinet of president Masoud Pezeshkian.

"If you don't have a law (to regulate the internet), set a law, and based on that law, take the control," he added.

Khamenei's remarks come despite vows from Pezeshkian during his campaign to ease the long-standing internet restrictions in Iran.

Iran has over the years tightly controlled internet use, restricting popular social media apps such as Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

Harsher curbs were enforced following 2019 protests against fuel prices and later demonstrations triggered by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.

Messaging apps including WhatsApp, Telegram, as well as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have also been blocked.

Iranians have over the years grown accustomed to using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to evade the restrictions.

During his speech, Khamenei cited the recent arrest in France of Russian-born founder of Telegram Pavel Durov over alleged failings to curb criminality on the app.

"This poor young man is taken by the French... They arrest you, put you in prison, threaten to give you a 20-year sentence, this is because he violated their rule," said Khamenei.

"Violation of governance is not acceptable."

Iran has in recent years said WhatsApp and Instagram would only be allowed to operate if they had a legal representative in the country.

But Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has said it has no plans to set up an office in Iran.
Ruth Chirwa is transforming the fashion industry in Malawi and other developing countries, winning awards and gaining international recognition for her designs. Chirwa's fashion line, Upie Collection, is hosting a fashion show next month that aims to break down barriers between people with disabilities and those without. Lameck Masina reports from Mzuzu city in northern Malawi.
Mexico's president told reporters Tuesday he has put relations with the United States and Canadian embassies "on pause" after the two countries voiced concerns over a proposed controversial judicial overhaul.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador didn't elaborate on what a pause would mean. It's not a term used in formal diplomatic codes, and Mexico's foreign ministry did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment about what it would entail.

The judicial overhaul proposal, suggested by the Mexican president during his final weeks in office, has spurred major protests and strikes and wide criticism from investors and financial institutions.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar called the proposal a "risk" to democracy that would endanger Mexico's commercial relationship with the United States. Lopez Obrador lambasted the ambassador, saying he violated Mexican sovereignty. Salazar has since dialed back his tone, writing on X that he was open to a dialogue.

Lopez Obrador said during his morning press briefing Tuesday he believed the sharp comments were not from Salazar, but rather from the U.S. State Department.

"We're not going to tell [Salazar] to leave the country," he said. "I hope that they promise to be respectful of Mexican's independence, of our country's sovereignty. But until that happens, and they continue these policies, it's on pause."

He added cheekily, "we are going to take our time," garnering laughs from some reporters.

Lopez Obrador also accused Canada of interfering with an internal matter for expressing apprehension about the proposal. The three countries share a crucial commercial relationship that reached an estimated $1.8 trillion in trade in 2022. So far, the tensions show no clear signs of how they can affect the longstanding economic and diplomatic relationship between them.

It's not the first time the Mexican state head has thrown around the phrase. In 2022, he announced a diplomatic pause with Spain over a dispute with energy companies. At the time, Lopez Obrador said the pause "is not a break in relations" with Spain, but "nothing more than a respectful and fraternal protest against the abuses and grievances committed against the people of Mexico and our country."

However, the latest comments aimed at the U.S. ambassador come amid heightened tensions between the two governments in recent months, after the U.S. nailed Mexican drug lord El Mayo Zambada in a peculiar set of events. As more information has been revealed about the case, Lopez Obrador has taken on an increasingly belligerent tone, said Carlos Perez Ricart, a political analyst at Mexico's Center for Economic Research and Teaching.

"In other circumstances, in another context, he might have just listened, not escalated the conflict," Perez Ricart said. "In the past months, we've seen a lot more radical statements towards the United States."

Lopez Obrador is set to pass the baton to his political ally and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who takes office October 1. Perez Ricart said while the recent tensions may burden Mexico's first woman president, it can also help her set herself apart as a more moderate head of state.
Days after visiting Ukraine, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that he supports a quick end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Modis discussion with the Russian leader on Tuesday came a day after he had a phone conversation about the war with U.S. President Joe Biden.

In a post on X, Modi wrote that he had exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine with Putin. He said that he reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict."

During his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, the Indian prime minister had urged talks between Russia and Ukraine and said that we should move in that direction without losing any time. He had offered to play an active role in efforts to achieve peace.

Modis visit to Kyiv came amid criticism from Western allies that New Delhi has not condemned Russias invasion.

The Indian foreign ministry said that during his phone talk with Putin, Modi underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders.

Modi and Putin also reviewed progress on bilateral ties and discussed measures to further strengthen their partnership, the statement said.

In his talk on Monday with Biden, Modi had also expressed India's support for an early return of peace and stability.

I think Modis conversations with the Russian and American leaders come amid an effort by India to convey that it is serious about using its leverage to resolve this conflict and to stake a claim for itself as an autonomous actor, according to Harsh Pant, vice president for studies at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. It has been faulted for not doing that in the past, so it is reaching out to the countries most closely involved in the conflict.

India has not proposed any peace plan to resolve the war. But with New Delhi being one of the few countries that enjoys good relations with both Russia and the West, it hopes to push talks between Moscow and Ukraine.

Following Modis visit, Zelenskyy told reporters that he had told Modi that he would support India hosting the second summit on peace as Kyiv hopes to find a host among the countries in the Global South. The first peace summit was held in Switzerland in June.

In Kyiv, Indias foreign minister, Subrahmanyan Jaishankar, had said that India is willing to do whatever it can to help end the war because we do think that the continuation of this conflict is terrible, obviously for Ukraine itself but for the world as well.

The resolution of the conflict is important for India, as Russias continued isolation could push Moscow into a tighter embrace with New Delhis arch rival, China, say analysts.

India does not want Russia and the Wests rupture to be permanent because that only means that the Moscow-Beijing dynamic becomes much more solid, according to Pant. India also wants a stable Europe which can then play a larger role in ensuring a stable Indo-Pacific. That is very important for India. A Europe which is involved with its own internal challenges rather than a global role is something India does not want.

Modi visited Ukraine six weeks after his visit to Moscow elicited strong criticism from Zelenskyy and Western allies. The first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to the country was billed as a landmark one.

However analysts in New Delhi point out that Modis trip to Ukraine will have no bearing on Indias warm relationship with the Kremlin. Before he visited Kyiv, Indias foreign ministry had said that India has substantive and independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine, and these partnerships stand on their own."
U.N. agencies warn that refugees and displaced communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries infected with mpox are at particular risk of illness and death because of conditions under which they are forced to live.

The World Health Organization says at least 42 suspected cases of mpox have been identified among the refugee population in DR Congos South Kivu Province, one of the regions hardest hit by the disease. Confirmed and suspected cases of the new clade 1b strain also have been recorded among refugee populations in the Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

Suspected cases are being reported in conflict-impacted provinces that host the majority of the DRCs 7.3 million internally displaced people, Dr. Allen Maina, UNHCR public health chief, said Tuesday.

In these areas, the virus threatens to exacerbate an already impossible situation for a population devastated by decades of conflict, forced displacement, appalling human rights abuses and a lack of international assistance, the U.N. refugee official said.

He also warned that without additional, urgent international support, the recently declared mpox outbreak could become devastating for the DRC and other impacted African countries.

Nearly two weeks ago, the WHO declared mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern following an upsurge in the deadly disease in the DRC and 11 other countries in Africa.

Maina told journalists at a briefing in Geneva that refugees and displaced people are particularly vulnerable to mpox because people fleeing violence are unable to implement many of the mpox prevention measures that could keep them healthy and save their lives.

Displaced families living in crowded schools, shelters and tents, and also in churches, and also in farmers fields have no space to isolate when they develop symptoms of the disease. UNHCR staff have found some affected individuals trying diligently to follow preventive measures and protect their communities by sleeping outside, he said.

So far this year, the WHO reports more than 18,910 cases of mpox and 615 deaths, most in the DRC. But most of these are suspected cases as they have not yet been laboratory confirmed, said Dr. Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson, adding that We are seeing outbreaks of both clade 1a and clade 1b.

Clade 1a is primarily transmitted through sexual contact, and there also have been outbreaks resulting from zoonotic spillover; while the new strain of the virus, clade 1b, is exclusively spread by contact between humans.

The WHO says a lot of outbreaks in north and south Kivu provinces are caused by clade 1b. The U.N. health agency has recorded 5,400 suspected cases as of August 23, noting that more than 220 cases of the new strain also have been found in neighboring countries.

Harris says scientists do not have the data to know whether clade 1b is more dangerous than clade 1a.

Studies are underway to understand the properties of the new strain. The available epidemiological data does not suggest that the clade 1b variant causes more severe cases as yet. She noted, however, that the disease spreads rapidly, putting refugees and displaced people at particular risk.

You just heard the descriptions of the conditions under which people are living and have arrived already very stressed, hungry, terrified, displaced, she said.

These difficult living conditions have led to weaker immune systems, she said, which makes them more likely to become more ill with anything they get, including mpox.

Mpox is a deadly infection that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is spread through close physical contact, which makes children particularly vulnerable as the disease spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact, Harris said, adding that children who have close physical contact with an infected adult relative cannot fight off the virus because of a weakened immune system.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus launched a six-month global strategic preparedness and response plan Monday to stop human-to-human transmission of mpox through global, regional and national efforts.

The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped, Tedros said in a statement.

The WHO followed Mondays launch with an $87.4 million appeal Tuesday to implement critical activities over the next six months, emphasizing surveillance, research, equitable access to medical countermeasures and community empowerment.

The WHO is calling on donors to urgently fund the mpox response to prevent further spread and protect those most at risk.

The UNHCRs public health chief, Maina, has no doubt as to who is most at risk and what must be done.

International solidarity is urgently needed to expand health services, isolation centers, humanitarian shelters, access to water and soap for those forced to flee, he said. In conflict zones, peace is also desperately needed, to ensure a sustainable response to stop the spread of the disease.
The Nigerian Medical Students' Association praised the rescue of 20 medical students and seven others from kidnappers over the weekend, and the group is calling on authorities to prevent similar attacks.

The students, from the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri, were abducted Aug. 15 when their motorcade was attacked as they traveled to a convention in southeastern Enugu State.

Although they were happy their colleagues were rescued, members of the student medical association said more security was needed.

"Especially in this health profession, it's too much," said Nigerian Medical Students' Association spokesperson Fortune Olaye. "They can kidnap a doctor for the doctor to treat a relative of theirs."

Nigerian police said 20 medical students, a doctor and six other captives were rescued from their captors unharmed in central Benue State on Aug. 23.

Authorities said no ransom was paid.

Police officials held a press briefing with the newly freed students in attendance. The students have since been turned over to school authorities.

"This success was made possible through the activation of security network agencies, community engagement and deployment of our highly skilled and tactical officers," Nigeria's police chief Kayode Egbetokun said. "Other passengers, five of them and two other victims who had previously fallen victim to these heinous criminals, were also freed."

Authorities are struggling to stem a wave of crimes, including kidnappings for ransom. Each year, thousands of Nigerians are abducted. Many cases go unreported.

Security analysts say the trend has been exacerbated by weak governance and tough economic times.

Chidi Omeje, an Abuja-based security analyst, recently released an analysis on the triggers of insecurity.

"If you take a look at the analysis, you'll see the whole thing boils down to bad governance is what brings about most of these issues - ineptitude, corruption, despotism," Omeje said. "It is this desperate condition of the people that has thrown up this incredibly unacceptable levels of insecurity. People no longer have the restraint. They can go all out to do anything, and of course kidnapping has become a very attractive industry. "

Nigeria is also struggling to control an Islamic insurgency in the northeast and separatist violence in the southeast.

On Sunday, two operatives were killed and three others left unconscious after police clashed with members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, or IMN, in the capital.
When Pope Francis begins his Asia tour next week, one of his early stops will be at Indonesia's iconic Istiqlal mosque.

The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church will hold an interfaith meeting with representatives of the country's six officially recognized religions as the populous Southeast Asian nation faces growing challenges to its tolerant image.

Francis, who has suffered a slew of health problems and has become increasingly reliant on a wheelchair, has a rigorous schedule during his four-nation visit. He will start his trip in Jakarta on Sept. 3, where he will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

In Istiqlal mosque, the Argentine Jesuit, known for promoting religious dialogue, will meet delegates of Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism. Indonesias constitution recognizes the latter two as separate religions. About 87% of the countrys 280 million people are Muslim. However, it has the third-largest Christian population in Asia after the Philippines and China. Only 2.9% of the total population is Catholic.

The mosque of Istiqlal, which means independence in Arabic, is the largest in Southeast Asia, covering over 9 hectares. Its name is a constant reminder of the countrys fight against Dutch colonialists who ruled it for nearly 350 years. Across from the mosque lies the Roman Catholic neo-Gothic Our Lady of The Assumption Cathedral in Jakarta. The proximity of the two houses of worship is symbolic of how religions can peacefully coexist, according to official websites.

The mosque and cathedral are linked by an underpass known as the Tunnel of Friendship, about 28 meters (91 feet) in length and molded after a handshake gesture to symbolize religious tolerance. The pope is expected to walk through the tunnel.

Istiqlal mosques Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar told The Associated Press that Francis choosing Indonesia as the first stop of his Asian visit makes the Muslim community proud. He also said they will use the popes visit to discuss the common ground between religious communities and emphasize the commonalities between religions, ethnicities and beliefs.

Umar acknowledged that an increasingly plural society like Indonesia can face more challenges, but we need to know we live together under God.

While Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, over the past several years, its perception as a moderate Muslim nation has been undermined by flaring intolerance, from the imprisonment of Jakartas Christian governor for blasphemy, which resulted in a series of protests in 2016, to the canings of gay men in Aceh, a province that practices its version of Islamic Shariah law. There were also reports of violence against religious minorities, and some faith groups have been unable to secure building permits for places of worship.

Meanwhile, Cantika Syamsinur, a 23-year-old college student who had just finished praying in Istiqlal mosque and was on her way to the cathedral, said she welcomed the pope's visit and the interfaith meeting. There are many religions in Indonesia and I hope we respect each other.

Francis will be the third pope to visit Indonesia. The trip was originally planned for 2020 but was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four years of waiting is quite long," said Susyana Suwadie who heads the cathedral's museum, adding she was overwhelmed by emotions as she awaited the pope's visit. This important historic moment is finally happening.

Some are hopeful the pope's interreligious meeting will propel changes on a grassroots level.

Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, a Catholic Priest who is also the spokesperson for the Pope Francis Visitation Committee in Indonesia, said that religious leaders in Indonesia play a very significant role because the masses listen to them. He said he hopes the pope's visit will lead to something good" and advocate for a better world where humanity and social justice are prized.

Andi Zahra Alifia Masdar, a 19-year-old college student in Jakarta, concurred: We can be more accepting of each other, more tolerant, and able to live side by side, not always clashing."
Health authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa say armed gangs and rebel groups are obstructing their access to towns and villages that are suspected of having mpox cases. We talk with Dr. Kizzmekia S Corbett-Helaire, assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard University. Trying to vaccinate for polio in Gaza. Asians Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the U.S. And pumpkin spice, its as American as apple pie.
Taliban leaders in Afghanistan expressed outrage Monday at the U.N.-led objections to their new vice and virtue laws that silence women in public and require them to cover their faces.



Non-Muslims expressing concerns over these laws or rejecting them should first educate themselves about Islamic laws and respect Islamic values, said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban government, which is not recognized by any country.



We find it insulting to our Islamic Sharia [law] when they object due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, Mujahid stated on social media platform X.

His response came a day after the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) decried the enactment of the morality law as a distressing vision for the impoverished country's future.

It extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls, with even the sound of a female voice outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation, UNAMA chief Roza Otunbayeva said Sunday.



The Taliban announced last Wednesday the ratification of their law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice," forbidding women from singing, reciting poetry or speaking aloud in public, and requiring them to keep their faces and entire bodies always covered when outdoors.

The 35-article law imposes severe restrictions on the personal freedom of Afghan men and women and empowers the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue to enforce it. The ministrys controversial policing of public morality is already under criticism from the U.N. and global human rights groups.



The legal document prohibits the broadcasting and publication of images of living beings, as well as content believed to violate Sharia or insult Muslims in accordance with the Talibans interpretation of Islam.



After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one, Otunbayeva stated.



Mujahid, while responding to the UNAMA chiefs statement and objections from other foreign critics, said Monday that such uncalled-for concerns would not deter them from upholding and enforcing Islamic Sharia law in Afghanistan.



The Taliban introduced the morality law against the backdrop of their wide-ranging restrictions on female members of Afghan society. Since returning to power three years ago, the de facto rulers have banned Afghan girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and women from working in most fields, as well as taking part in public activities at large.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 27. Tajikistan has supplied Kazakhstan with approximately 500 million cubic meters of water for the irrigation season since June 1, Kazakhstans Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, said, Trend reports.

The minister noted that this amount is 40 million cubic meters more than last year and 45 million cubic meters above the planned volume for this year.

"Recently, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a state visit to Tajikistan. During the visit, important bilateral talks took place, including discussions on water cooperation. Tajikistan is a key partner for our country, as are all Central Asian states. Therefore, we place great importance on collaborative efforts in water resource management and conservation," Nurzhigitov said.

According to Kazakhstans Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, since April 1, Uzbekistan has directed over 4 billion cubic meters of water into the country via the Syr Darya river.

Additionally, at the 33rd meeting of the Chu-Talas Water Management Commission, an agreement was reached for Kyrgyzstan to supply Kazakhstan with 180 million cubic meters of water via the Chu river and 380 million cubic meters via the Talas river.
Jury selection began Monday in the long-delayed trial of a man charged with murdering 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in 2021, a case in which the suspect was ruled mentally unfit to face prosecution before pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.

The outcome hinges on whether the defense can convince jurors that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 25, was so mentally ill at the time of the mass shooting that he failed to comprehend the difference between right and wrong and thus should not be held legally responsible for the killings.

The basic facts of the case are not in dispute. Alissa stormed a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, about 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Denver, on March 22, 2021, armed with a legally purchased Ruger AR-556 pistol, which resembles an AR-15-style rifle.

Police say he killed two people in the store's parking lot before shooting eight others to death inside the supermarket. Among those killed was a police officer responding to the scene.

The shooting spree ended when a police officer shot Alissa in the leg, leading the gunman, wearing only his underwear, to surrender. He has remained in custody since the day of the shooting.

Alissa is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, in addition to dozens of counts of attempted murder, assault and weapons offenses stemming from the incident.

A conviction would carry an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole. There is no death penalty in Colorado.

The trial officially got under way on Monday morning with the judge and attorneys for both sides beginning the process of choosing jurors to hear the case, a court spokesperson said.

Jury selection is expected to wrap up by week's end, with opening statements possible as early as Friday, or on Tuesday following the U.S. Labor Day holiday.

The case against Alissa stalled after he underwent a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation and was diagnosed with schizophrenia in late 2021. Boulder District Judge Ingrid Bakke, relying on the conclusions of state psychologists, then deemed him incompetent to stand trial.

In November 2023, Bakke found that the defendant's mental condition had improved sufficiently under psychiatric treatment to rule him restored to competency, allowing the prosecution to move forward.

Competence is a legal determination that weighs whether criminal defendants understand the charges against them and can meaningfully assist in their own defense. An insanity plea relates instead to the defendant's mental status at the time of the alleged crime.

Grim details of the killings emerged during his plea hearing last year, when a Boulder homicide detective testified that Alissa shot one man in the back, then pursued the victim as he tried to crawl away and shot him again, killing him. The detective also testified the suspect shot and wounded a woman, then fired multiple additional rounds at her as she curled up in a fetal position, killing her.

All the victims struck by gunfire died of their wounds, authorities said.

A precise motive for the killings has not been suggested by prosecutors, though according to a psychologist who treated the gunman at a state mental hospital, Alissa had said he wanted to "commit suicide by cop."
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the third anniversary on Monday of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to try to pin the chaotic pullout on his Democratic rival for the White House, Kamala Harris.

Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the U.S. exit, then later in Detroit blamed Harris, the vice president, and President Joe Biden for what he termed a "catastrophic" withdrawal.

"Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all over the world," Trump said in an address to the National Guard Association of the United States.

It was the latest attempt by Trump and his campaign to raise doubts about Harris' fitness to serve as commander-in-chief as the Nov. 5 election draws near and comes after Harris last week proclaimed herself ready to lead the nation's armed forces.

The U.S. troop pullout and evacuation of U.S. and allied officials, citizens and Afghans at risk of Taliban retribution saw crowds of desperate Afghans trying to enter Kabul airport and men clinging to aircraft as they taxied down runways in August 2021.

An Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. servicemembers and more than 150 Afghans outside an airport gate.

Harris' campaign said the fault lay with Trump's tenure as president.

"The Biden-Harris administration inherited a mess from Donald Trump," said Ammar Moussa, a Harris spokesperson. "Trump wants America to forget that he had four years to get out of Afghanistan but failed to do it."

The Biden administration was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020.

A review released by the U.S. State Department in 2023 found fault with both the Trump and Biden administrations in the run-up to the withdrawal.

In recent weeks, Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, also have sought to turn Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz's decades of service into a political vulnerability. Former military service is often a key selling point for candidates in U.S. political campaigns.

The Republicans have accused Walz of exaggerating his rank in the Army National Guard, where he served for 24 years. Walz has described himself as a retired command sergeant major, one of the highest noncommissioned officer positions in the Army. While he achieved that rank, he did not meet the requirements to retire with that title.

The Harris campaign deleted a reference this month to Walz's rank as a "command sergeant major" on its website. The campaign also now says Walz "misspoke" in 2018 during his gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota when he referred to "weapons of war, that I carried in war." Walz was never deployed to a war zone.

Trump, 78, never served in the military. Though he was of draft age during the Vietnam War, he received four student deferments and a health-related one after he received a diagnosis for bone spurs in his feet.

Vance served in the Marine Corps for four years as a combat correspondent and was deployed to Iraq for roughly seven months. His position mainly involved writing reports of military activity for public dissemination and at times interacting with the media.

Harris has not served in the military.

Harris told CNN in 2021 that she was the last person in the room with Biden when he decided to pull U.S. forces from Afghanistan and end America's longest war. She also said that she was comfortable with Biden's decision, but it remains unclear what role she played in the discussion.

Both Biden and Harris released statements marking the anniversary on Monday.

"These 13 devoted patriots represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe," Harris said.

Asked Monday why Biden and Harris werent marking the anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack as Trump did at Arlington National Cemetery, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Trump had been personally invited by the family members and he called it one way to honor the fallen.

Another way is to continue to work, Kirby said. Maybe not with a lot of fanfare, maybe not with a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work with might and main every single day to make sure that the families of the fallen and of those who were injured and wounded, not just at Abbey Gate, but over the course of the 20-some odd years that we were in Afghanistan, have the support that they need.

Also Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Congress will posthumously honor the 13 service members by presenting their families with the Congressional Gold Medal next month. It's the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow.

Some information for this article came from The Associated Press.
After a second straight day of widespread Russian attacks, Ukrainian officials again urge allies to allow its military to strike sites in Russia used to launch assaults. Israeli forces free a hostage from captivity in Gaza. Separatist militants angered over China-led development projects launch deadly attacks in a resource-rich southwestern Pakistani province. The U.N. chief is putting out yet another climate SOS to the world. As instability threatens many African countries, a military law conference gets underway in Lusaka where participants will discuss legal advisers' role in deploying troops. Theres a surprisingly simple things some cocoa farmers can do to increase their profits and a look at a law that Governor Tim Walz passed in Minnesota that can help women and girls the world over.
Ukraines army chief claimed Tuesday that Kyivs forces have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russias Kursk region during its three-week incursion and captured 594 Russian prisoners it hopes to use in an exchange for Ukrainians held by Russia.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi said the Ukrainian advance was drawing Russian troops from elsewhere, with Moscow attempting to create a ring of defense around our offensive group of troops and plan counteroffensive actions.

Syrskyis assessment of the Ukrainian advance came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with 81 more drone attacks, along with cruise and ballistic missiles, the day after launching about 200 aerial assaults aimed chiefly at Ukrainian power plants and other infrastructure.

Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the new attacks.

Zelenskyy wrote on the X media platform, "We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished."

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, has forced about 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent these movements might be weakening Russia's positions in eastern Ukraine, where Moscows forces have been gaining ground.

Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russia is not relocating troops to Kursk from Donetsk, the eastern Ukraine region that is the center of the war and where Russia has been making slow advances. However, Zelenskyy said the Kursk operation had prevented Russia's aims of taking territory in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions to the west of Kursk.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk  about 6,600 troops either killed or injured  and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed, along with scores of armored vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

Vulnerable energy infrastructure

In the Kyiv region, which struggled with blackouts after Monday's onslaught against energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said that air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles but that falling debris set off forest fires.

After Monday's barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, "The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists." He urged Ukraine's allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

In the new attack, Ukraines air force said the countrys air defenses shot down five of the missiles and 60 of the drones, while 10 more drones likely crashed in Ukrainian territory.

The intercepts took place all over Ukraine, including in the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr regions.

The governor of Kharkiv reported a missile strike on an infrastructure facility that injured four people. The governor of Khmelnytskyi said one person was hurt in the attacks, which also caused fires at two houses.

Ukrainian strikes in Russia

Russias Defense Ministry said Tuesday it shot down three Ukrainian drones over its Belgorod region and two drones over the Kursk region.

Zelenskyy reiterated his calls for more long-range attack capabilities for his forces, saying that is necessary to target the areas in Russian border regions that Russian forces are using to launch missiles and drones at Ukraine.

This is the optimal anti-terrorist tactic that every one of our [Western] partners, from whom we expect decisions regarding our long-range capabilities, would rightfully employ and certainly use to protect themselves, Zelenskyy said late Monday.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday its forces used high-precision weapons to strike important energy infrastructure in Ukraine that it said supported the military-industrial complex. It listed power substations, gas compressor stations and storage sites for aircraft weapons.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
The U.N. Human Rights Office said Tuesday "problematic" policies persist in China two years on from its major report citing possible "crimes against humanity" in Xinjiang.

China has been accused of incarcerating more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the northwestern Xinjiang region  charges Beijing vehemently rejects.

OHCHR revealed Tuesday it had held a series of discussions in Geneva with Chinese officials since February 2023, which paved the way for U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk to send a team to Beijing from May 26 to June 1 this year.

The team held talks with the Chinese authorities, specifically on "counter-terrorism policies and the criminal justice system," OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters.

"On Xinjiang, we understand that many problematic laws and policies remain in place," she said.

OHCHR demanded that Chinese authorities "undertake a full review" of the legal requirements pertaining to national security and counter-terrorism, as well as guarding minorities against discrimination.

It called for "tangible progress in the protection of human rights in China" as well as investigations into alleged violations, including torture.

A major report by Turk's predecessor Michelle Bachelet  released just minutes before her term ended on Aug. 31, 2022  cited possible "crimes against humanity" in Xinjiang.

The report, flatly rejected by China, detailed "credible" evidence of torture, forced medical treatment, and sexual or gender-based violence  as well as forced labor.

China denies allegations of abuse and insists it is running vocational training centers in Xinjiang which have helped to combat extremism and enhance development.

Shamdasani said Turk and his office had had detailed exchanges with Beijing on its policies impacting the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities, including in Xinjiang and Tibet  as well as concerns in Hong Kong.

She said the OHCHR team sent to Beijing met with representatives from Xinjiang and Hong Kong, but did not travel outside the capital. Further visits are being discussed.

Shamdasani said the cooperation had been "positive" but "in terms of actual implementation ... there's a lot to be desired, which is why we need to continue to work with them, to engage to see where we can have some progress."

OHCHR is following the situation in China despite difficulties posed by limited access to information, "and the fear of reprisals against individuals who engage with the United Nations," she said.
More than 30 African countries will be represented at a military law conference set to begin Tuesday in Lusaka, Zambia. Participants will discuss the role of legal advisers in the deployment of troops as conflicts threaten stability across Africa.

The four-day African Military Law Forum will be co-hosted by the Zambian Defense Force, the U.S.-Africa Command (AFRICOM), U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the North Carolina National Guard.

Participants, who will include military leaders and magistrates, will focus on legal advisers and their role in the deployment of troops to missions.

AFRICOMs deputy legal counsel, retired Colonel Max Maxwell, says it is critical to ensure the rule of law is followed when troops are deployed.

"Militaries deploy outside their borders to sometimes very remote places," Maxwell said. "We want them to follow and adhere to the rule of law. What I mean is, soldiers are held accountable, commanders have legal advisers and soldiers are inculcated in professionalism. In the end, we want armies that people run to and not run from.

Maxwell said promoting professional conduct is crucial for the successful execution of the troops mission.

"When an army is held accountable and they are professional and the commanders have legal advisers, then the result is that the army is more likely to execute the mission successfully and it helps mitigate negative results," he said. "This standard of conduct promotes partnership and helps focus militaries on the rule of law, specifically professionalism. It is especially true in the face of increased challenges and more complex conflicts.

Brigadier General Dan Kuwali from Malawi said Zambia meeting participants would also discuss ways to help soldiers avoid human rights violations during deployments.

Malawi has deployed hundreds of soldiers in the conflict-torn eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the Southern African Development Community mission.

We are here to build capacity as legal advisers in order to help our troops to avoid violations, but also to be able to ensure accountability for violations," Kuwali said. "We also want to promote professionalism, because if we comply with the law, we are regarded as a professional force.

The seventh African Military Law Forum is being held at a time when the United States is bolstering military and security ties with African partners.

Eswatinis legal counsel, Captain Portia Magongo, said it is imperative to involve legal advisers during deployments.

Legal advisers "are more in a strategic position when it comes to decision-makers, when it comes to commanders," Magongosaid. "Be it political, be it military policies that they have to decide on, legal advisers are always there on an advisory level. When it comes to deployment, those deployment decisions come after being advised.

Africa is battling increased instability, particularly in the Sahel region where a jihadi insurgency has ramped up attacks.
The United States is urging certain foreign nations not to fuel Sudan's civil war by arming fighting factions, as the country faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Meanwhile, Washington has also called on Sudan's warring sides to enforce a code of conduct to reduce abuses, noting that the army is considering the proposal after its rival paramilitary forces have agreed to it.

More than 25 million people face acute hunger and more than 10 million have been displaced from their homes since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, the State Department said.

Unfortunately, we've seen a significant proliferation of the number of external actors that are playing a role on both sides, and they are not putting the interest of the Sudanese people at the core of this, said Tom Perriello, U.S. special envoy for Sudan.

In addition to UAE [the United Arab Emirates] supporting the RSF, Perriello told reporters on Tuesday, we see foreign fighters coming in from across the Sahel. We've seen Iran, Russia, other negative actors on the SAF side.

U.S.-brokered peace talks on Sudan that concluded last week in Geneva failed to end the country's 16-month conflict. But one of the warring sides, the RSF, agreed to a code of conduct pledging to avoid violence against women, exploitation at checkpoints and the destruction of crops.

Perriello said that the U.S. has presented the proposal to the SAF leaders who were absent in the Switzerland negotiations.

"They have the code of conduct in front of them. We hope to get a response from them in the coming days," Perriello said.

The United States has accused the SAF and RSF of war crimes, with the RSF specifically charged with ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity targeting the indigenous African-origin people of Darfur.

During the talks in Geneva, the U.S., along with representatives from the African Union, the United Arab Emirates, the United Nations, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, focused on reopening three humanitarian corridors  the Western border crossing in Darfur at Adre, the northern Dabbah Road from Port Sudan and the southern access route through Sennar.

Later this week, the U.S. will have a first formal follow-up with the heads of delegations.

Humanitarian assistance deliveries have resumed via two of the three routes: across the border at Adre from Chad and along the Dabbah Road into famine-stricken areas of Sudan.

In a statement late Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the reopening of humanitarian corridors, saying lack of humanitarian aid access into Darfur over the past six months has exacerbated the historic levels of famine and acute hunger across Sudan, particularly within the Zamzam camp.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the continent needs 10 million doses of mpox vaccines to stop the spread of the disease, which it recently declared a public health emergency.

However, experts say the global shortage of mpox vaccines will affect any inoculation drives in Africa.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim, a virologist at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine in Durban, South Africa, said there are currently three types of vaccines for mpox, but they are hard to obtain.

They arent available, and if people are to start manufacturing them now, it will take quite a while before doses will become available, he said, adding that price is also an obstacle. They sell for between $100 to $200 a dose, and you need to give everybody two doses. So thats a very expensive vaccine.

The mpox ailment, formally known as monkeypox due to its original discovery in monkeys in Denmark, was first detected in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been the epicenter of the current outbreak.

Karim said mpox, which previously did not pose serious health concerns, has been mutating and the current strain is worrying, especially for Africas younger population, which is more susceptible.

If left unchecked, we will see mpox spread quite rapidly. And the reason it will spread rapidly is because it is now sexually transmitted. And weve seen from other sexually transmitted infections like HIV  that sexually transmitted infections can spread quite widely in Africa, he said.

Since July, mpox cases have been detected in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as the DRC.

Kenya has recorded two cases, and hopes to receive vaccine doses as part of the international effort to stop transmission of the disease.

Kenyan Ministry of Health officials, however, say they are worried about the global vaccine shortage.

Africa requires 10 million doses, said Dr. Patrick Amoth, director general for health in Kenya. What could be available up to the end of the year is two million doses, if the  manufacturer of the vaccine repurposes its manufacturing capacity to stop manufacturing  or scale down the manufacture of  other vaccines and prioritizes manufacture of the mpox vaccine.

So, in terms of priority, of course it will be pegged on the number of cases that each and every country gets. So, for now, we cannot even  start talking about vaccination if we have only recorded two cases of the disease.

Amoth said there is no cause for alarm as the country has put in place measures to deal with the outbreak of the disease.

We have formed rapid response teams to be able to support counties in terms of contact tracing and other logistics required, including case management, he said.

Karim is challenging African countries to move toward developing their own vaccines locally, saying he worries wealthy countries could be hoarding the available vaccines for their own citizens.

Im pretty convinced that if African scientists put their heads together, we can make an mpox vaccine and we can manufacture it right here in Africa, he said. Its not rocket science. It just needs the investments to be made to do that.

As the wait for vaccines continues, health experts say testing, contact tracing, and public education are the best strategies in dealing with the outbreak in Africa, at least for now.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday made major changes to his cabinet, including leadership of the oil and finance ministries and state oil company PDVSA, after a contested election both the ruling party and the opposition claim to have won.

Anabel Pereira is new finance minister, while Hector Obregon is the new president of PDVSA, replacing Pedro Tellechea, who will move to head the Industry Ministry, Maduro said on state television.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez will remain in her post but add the oil ministry to her brief, Maduro added.

Yvan Gil and Vladimir Padrino will remain in their respective posts as foreign minister and defense minister, Maduro said, while ruling party leader Diosdado Cabello will be the new interior, justice and peace minister.

The changes are "a profound renovation of the national government, and we are putting together a new team, which will help us transition everything for this era, open new paths ... speed the changes the people need," Maduro said during an event broadcast live.

Cabello, a close ally of Maduro's predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, returns to the cabinet after being the second in command of ruling party PSUV. He is a former vice president and lawmaker and served as interior and justice minister in the early 2000s.

"Today I think Venezuela is on the path of definitive peace, a peace with justice, a peace where the people feel that those who have acted against the constitution and the law have justice applied to them on time," Cabello said.

Reuters reported earlier, citing three sources, that Maduro would name Obregon to PDVSA and designate a new oil minister.

Obregon is a lawyer who was added to PDVSA's executive board last year as part of his government responsibilities, which also include positions at the finance ministry and Venezuela's development bank.

Tellechea, appointed to both PDVSA and the oil ministry in 2023, promised to target endemic corruption at the financially troubled company while hoping to win over its thousands of workers, a move critical to securing much-needed cash for the country.

Election dispute

The disagreement over the July 28 election has sparked international calls for the release of full vote tallies, deadly protests, and moves by the country's prosecutor to investigate the opposition and arrest journalists.

Peaceful street protests and international pressure still have the potential to unseat Maduro, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told Reuters on Tuesday.

Dozens of employees at PDVSA, the oil ministry and other parts of the public sector have been forced to resign since the election over their political views, workers and unions have said.
While the World Health Organization unveiled a plan Monday to stop the transmission of mpox, scientists studying the virus said it is changing quickly, complicating efforts to combat its spread.

The six-month, $135 million plan calls for boosting surveillance, prevention and response. Strategic vaccination efforts will focus on individuals at the highest risk, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, to interrupt transmission chains, the plan states.

The World Health Organization is "significantly scaling up staff" in affected countries, it said.

But the WHO notes there are challenges in implementing the plan.

Limited surveillance and diagnostic capacities, particularly in Africa, complicate understanding the outbreaks true extent and hinder effective response measures, according to the plan.

Although mpox has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades, a global outbreak was reported in 2022. It was brought under control by May of last year, according to WHO, but an offshoot of the virus emerged in September in Democratic Republic of Congo.

That variant has been spreading rapidly, with cases reported in four neighboring countries. It was also detected in Sweden and Thailand, among people with a travel history to Africa. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency in mid-August.

More than 18,000 cases, with 615 deaths, have been reported in Congo alone. Eastern Congo and neighboring countries are listed in the plan as high risk areas, especially among vulnerable populations such as sex workers and people displaced by conflicts.

Scientists studying the disease in Africa, Europe and the United States told Reuters news agency that the new strain of the virus, known as clade 1b, is mutating faster than expected. Early cases were detected among sex workers and their clients in Congo, but the affected groups began to shift. Now the virus is found in households, and it is especially severe in children, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant women, according to the WHO.

Dr. Dimie Ogoina, an infectious diseases expert at Niger Delta University Hospital in Nigeria, who chairs the WHOs mpox emergency committee, told Reuters he worries that in Africa, we are working blindly.

We dont understand our outbreak very well, and if we dont understand our outbreak very well, we will have difficulty addressing the problem in terms of transmission dynamics, the severity of the disease, risk factors of the disease, he said. And I worry about the fact that the virus seems to be mutating and producing new strains.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches. It mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

Material from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 27. Chinas North-Western Cargo International Airlines has launched cargo flights from Xi'an to Tashkent, Trend reports.

According to Uzbekistan Airports, the first flight is scheduled for September 4, 2024.

The cargo flights on the Xi'an - Tashkent - Xi'an route will be operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a cargo capacity of up to 25 tons. At the initial stage, flights will be operated once a week, with a subsequent increase in frequency to three times a week.

Meanwhile, the trade turnover volume between Uzbekistan and China amounted to $6.85 billion from January through July 2024. This figure is 0.5 percent lower year-on-year ($6.89 billion in JanuaryJuly 2023).

China ranked first 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 accounted for 18.6 percent.
The U.N. health agency on Monday launched a six-month plan to help stanch outbreaks of mpox transmission, including ramping up staffing in affected countries and boosting surveillance, prevention and response strategies.

The World Health Organization said it expected the plan, running from September through February next year, would require $135 million in funding. The plan would also aim to improve fair access to vaccines, notably in African countries hardest hit by the outbreak.

"The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement.

The agency is "significantly scaling up staff" in affected countries, it said. In mid-August, WHO classified the current mpox outbreak as a global health emergency.

Also Monday, German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said Germany was donating 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine to affected countries from stocks held by its military, German news agency dpa reported.

Last Tuesday, Congo  the hardest-hit country  reported more than 1,000 new mpox cases over the previous week.

In its latest update on the outbreak, the African Centers for Disease Control reported that as of Thursday, more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 deaths have been reported this year in 12 African countries.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches. It mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.
Special Counsel Jack Smith urged an appeals court on Monday to revive the classified documents case against former US president Donald Trump that was thrown out by a federal judge.

Trump allegedly kept classified documents -- which included records from the Pentagon and CIA -- unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and thwarted efforts to retrieve them.

District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, dismissed the documents case last month on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed, usurping the role of Congress.

Smith, who was named special counsel by President Joe Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, appealed Cannon's decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and filed a brief in the case on Monday.

In his 60-page brief, Smith said there has been a "long tradition of special-counsel appointments" by previous attorneys general and Congress had endorsed the practice.

"The district court's contrary view conflicts with an otherwise unbroken course of decisions... and it is at odds with widespread and long-standing appointment practices in the Department of Justice and across the government," Smith said.

"The district court's rationale would likewise raise questions about hundreds of appointments throughout the Executive Branch, including in the Departments of Defense, State, Treasury, and Labor," he added.

In the documents case, Trump was facing 31 counts of "willful retention of national defense information," each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He also faced charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements.

Trump, 78, faces multiple criminal cases as he tries to regain the White House. He was convicted in New York in May of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star.

The 11th Circuit's calendar makes it unlikely there will be a resolution of the case before the November presidential election, in which Trump is the Republican candidate.

Trump's lawyers now have 30 days to respond to Smith's brief. Smith then has 21 days to file a reply to Trump's brief.

Cannon's surprise ruling followed a Supreme Court opinion that former presidents enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts.

That decision has helped Trump in his quest to delay the trials he faces until after the November 5 vote.

These include charges in Washington -- also brought by Smith -- and Georgia related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 White House election Trump lost to Biden.

cl/nro
The disputed re-election of President Nicolas Maduro has little to do with the outcome of the ballot box. In fact, as soon as they came to power in the United States on 11 September 2001, the Straussians (i.e. the followers of Leo Strauss, whose thinking was popularised by neo-conservative journalists [1]) thought that the then President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, should be shot. Since then, Venezuela has faced attempted military coups and colour revolutions.

The current president, Nicolas Maduro, is following in Hugo Chavezs footsteps, even if he lacks the stature. In 2019, President Trumps Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, commissioned the Straussian Elliott Abrams to overthrow President Maduro.

Elliott Abrams, who had already taken part in the massacres in Guatemala in the 1980s, then in the Iran-Contra affair (for which he was convicted in the United States [2]) and the 2002 coup against President Chavez [3], is now the man in Israel who is piloting the ethnic cleansing of Gaza behind Benyamin Netanyahu [4]. In Venezuela, Abrams relied on a young deputy, Juan Guaido. He got a handful of MPs to elect him president of the National Assembly, challenged Maduros election and proclaimed himself interim president.

After being recognised by the West [5], having looted the countrys assets abroad [6], and having organised unsuccessful coup attempts [7] et de guerillas [8] and guerrilla warfare [9], Juan Guaido stepped down in 2023 in favour of a front man, who himself gave way to Maria Corina Machado. He now lives in exile in Miami.

As for Eliott Abrams plan [10], it was stopped by President Donald Trump just before the military operation was launched by SouthCom.

Maria Corina Machado took part in the coup detat against President Hugo Chavez in 2005. She ran as a Liberal candidate against him in 2012. At the time, she advocated the privatisation of natural resources, particularly oil. She described President Chavez as a "thief" for having carried out expropriations with compensation. She was removed from her parliamentary mandate in 2014 because she had agreed to be appointed by Panamanian president Martin Torrijos as ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS).

In 2005, when her party was funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), she was received by US President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. In 2014, she was one of the main figures behind La Salida, a campaign to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro [11]. In 2015, she hoped to be brought to power by the US military in "Operation Jericho" [12]. In 2020, she signed the Madrid Charter, which brought together those nostalgic for Latin American dictatorships and described Latin American left-wing governments as affidavits of Cuban communism. She was banned from standing for election on the basis of her emails, which attested to the preparation of a coup detat.

Unable to stand, she nominated the 80-year-old philosopher Corina Yoris to replace her. But her candidacy did not take. In the end, she appointed Edmundo Gonzalez, a former diplomat. While Maria Corina Machado declared herself in favour of Margaret Thatchers "popular capitalism", Gonzalez was careful to distance himself from the Argentine president, the pseudo-libertarian Javier Milei.

The 2024 presidential election

The Venezuelan presidential election was held on July 28. There were 10 candidates, not 2 as reported by some media outlets. The ballot was conducted using voting machines that were not connected to the Internet and issued a receipt for each vote.

To cheat, the machines had to be manipulated before the vote, at the risk of being discovered when the results were compared with the voters receipts. Incidentally, no one has denounced any rigging of this kind. Venezuela being a huge country with communication problems, the Constitution gives the National Electoral Council (CNE) 30 days to collect the polling station reports and announce the results.

However, the day after the election and well before the results were announced on July 29 and 30, Maria Corina Machados political group, Vente Venezuela ("Come Venezuela"), declared that the vote had been rigged. Its militants attacked 12 universities, including the newly renovated Central University of Venezuela (UCV), 7 high schools and 21 colleges, causing major damage. Three hospitals and at least 37 clinics were also attacked, as were 6 warehouses and food distribution centres.

According to the outgoing president, Nicolas Maduro, 70% of the violent elements arrested were former expatriates who had recently returned, many of whom confessed to having been trained in Texas. "The violent elements burnt down a community radio station and attacked 11 Caracas metro stations. They claimed to be burning the trains but were turned back by the workers (...) 10 regional CNE headquarters were also targeted, as was its central headquarters in Caracas, which was attacked when at least 60 international guests were in the area reserved for observers. They escaped unharmed thanks to the intervention of the Bolivarian National Guard, who protected them and arrested more than 20 members of the comanditos (commandos) on the spot".

In recent years, one seventh of Venezuelans have fled their country, where economic conditions have continued to deteriorate. In general, they were fleeing violence and had been persuaded that President Machado was going to collectivise private property. They soon realised that they were wrong, but were unable to return to their country. Those who did manage to return, just before the election, often received help from the pro-US opposition.

A computer attack blocked the transmission system of the National Electoral Council (CNE) at a time when 81% of the results had already been collected. It took several days to repair.

Neither Maria Corina Machado nor her running mate, Edmundo Gonzalez, called for the violence, but there is no doubt that their political parties coordinated it.

During the paramilitary destabilization attempts, now over, the United States tried to involve the Organization of American States (OAS). This could have legitimized an external military intervention. However, a majority of American states opposed it [13].

On August 2md, the Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice organised a signing ceremony for the results sent to it by the National Electoral Council (CNE). 8 of the 10 candidates signed the final document, thereby recognising the validity of the election. Enrique Marquez refused to sign, while Edmundo Gonzalez did not appear.

At the end of the ceremony, Elvis Amoroso, President of the National Electoral Council (CNE), announced that, despite the computer attack that the Council had suffered, 96.87% of the results from the polling stations had been transmitted to him. On this basis, and pending the full results, he announced the official partial results as endorsed by 8 of the 10 candidates.

The turnout was only 59.97% of registered voters.

 Nicolas Maduro - PSUV (Simon Bolivar Patriotic Pole): 51.95% of votes cast

 Edmundo Gonzalez . MUD (Democratic Unity Platform) [pro-USA]: 43.18% of the vote

 Luis Eduardo Martinez - AD (Popular Historical Alliance): 1.24% of the vote

 Antonio Eccari Angola - Lapiz (The New Venezuela): 0.94

 Benjamin Rausseo CONDE: 0.75

 Jose Brito PV (Plan B): 0.68

 Javier Bertucci - LE CAMBIO

 Claudio Fermin . SPV: 0.33

 Enrique Marquez - Grand-M. - CG (Historic Pact): 0.24

 Daniel Ceballos - AREPA (Pact of Hope): 0.16

On August 4, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union, deplored the fact that the CNE had not published the minutes of the ballot papers, pointing out that under these conditions it was not possible to believe the results proclaimed [14]. In fact, the Bolivarian Constitution specifies that once the candidates have signed the final document, it is up to those who contest the results to prove that they are right.

International instruments of Venezuelan disorder

In the final analysis, the destabilising actions of Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez had no more impact this time than in previous years. Relying on a DatinCorp poll carried out before the election and giving Gonzalez a 50% voting intention, they published polling station minutes and disputed the sincerity of the National Electoral Councils (CNE) count. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, described this as "damning evidence".

The problem is that DiatinCorp is not a pollster, but a communications company working for the mining and oil interests that are trying to overthrow President Maduro.

Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly, has pointed out that these "damning" minutes are not compliant: they do not include the names of the people in charge of the polling stations, nor their signatures.

The Venezuelan government, which was preparing for some form of protest, had invited a group of electoral experts from the United Nations. The panel recognised that the election was valid, reliable and well organised, but also that "the CNEs results management process did not respect the basic measures of transparency and integrity essential for holding credible elections. It did not comply with national legal and regulations and all the stipulated deadlines were not met" [15]. It noted that the computer breakdown that had prevented the CNE from proclaiming the full results within the required timeframe had still not been explained.

Reacting on August 24th to this report of August 9th, but ignoring the information published since then by Jorge Rodriguez, Josep Borrell, speaking on behalf of the European Union, stated: "The United Nations Group of Experts has confirmed that a sample of the examined actas published by the opposition have the security features of the original results protocols, thus confirming their reliability. According to the public copies of the "actas", Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia appears to have won the presidential election by a large majority" [16].

Internationally, nobody seems to care about the facts any more. This is no longer the problem. Everyone is invited to choose sides: either Edmundo Gonzalez and the United States, or Nicolas Maduro against them.

As a matter of principle, Latin American governments on the "right" (in the sense of the Cold War) support Edmundo Gonzalez, while those on the "left" (again in the sense of the Cold War) support Nicolas Maduro.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric is a special case: he was elected as a "left-wing" president, but has made a spectacular U-turn since his failure to reform General Augusto Pinochets constitution. As a result, he has aligned himself with the Western position and called on the other left-wing presidents to vote... in favour of cohabitation (Maduro and Gonzalez) in Venezuela. In other words: whatever the result of the ballot box, Edmundo Gonzalez must sit in government.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stands out from the rest: he seems to be the only one not to have acted reflexively, but to have examined the reality of the situation. He has wisely acknowledged both the popular support for Nicolas Maduro and the importance of his opposition.
Photo: Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Apple+s Bad Monkey is a breezy South Floridaset crime series that evokes some of the best laid-back neer-do-well gumshoes of the past 50 years, particularly Fletch and Jim Rockford. One of the shows recurring bits centers on the interactions between the irritating yet charming sleuth protagonist, Yancy, played by Vince Vaughn, and his slimy real-estate agent neighbor, played by Alex Moffat.

The role is a familiar turn by the former SNL cast member, who endeared himself during his time at 8H by playing similarly privileged heels like the Guy Who Just Bought a Boat, a wealthy man who uses buzzwords to compensate for his small male organ. Moffat joined SNL in 2016, a heightened era defined by its Trump coverage and celebrity cameos that made it challenging for his more character-driven roles to pop. Still, at his best, Moffat imbued original characters like film critic Terry Fink with strange, lived-in tics and gave each of his impersonations, ranging from Chuck Schumer to Joe Scarborough, its own idiosyncratic bent. His joint appearances as the severely dim-witted Eric Trump alongside Mikey Days straitlaced Donald Trump Jr. remain a high-water mark for the shows Trump material.

Since leaving the show in 2022, Moffat has built on his career as a go-to character actor in a range of projects, from a brief stint as Josh the line cook on The Bear to a Boston-sports talking head on 2023s 80 for Brady. Last year, he made his debut on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre in The Cottage. In between rehearsals for The Big Gay Jamboree, his latest show on Broadway, Moffat recently reflected on the perks and perils of being typecast as a jerk, as well as his fond memories of being one of SNLs top utility men over the course of six seasons.

Your role on Bad Monkey immediately made me think of Guy Who Just Bought a Boat from Weekend Update. Did you draw on that character as you prepped for this?

I can certainly see the comparison. I mean, I tried to do a little something different with the characters, but if somebody were to compare the two, I wouldnt fight you on it.

Are you worried about being typecast as a preppy or yuppie type moving forward?

I probably already am  lets be honest. But no, I like to work. If it just so happens that the character is a little bro-y or preppy or whatever, Im not necessarily so precious that I go, like, Well, this is sort of in the world of something I already did. I think a lot of times, whatever seems to hit the most that somebody does on SNL tends to be something that theyve shown a strength for. But look, theres more to come  I think I play jerks of all stripes and some who are just trying their best but come off to the world as a jerk. I do have fun playing a heel.

You can always point to your role in The Bear as a different kind of person. I was hoping youd have a bigger role in season two, by the way. They got your character out of there pretty quick!

I think when you smoke meth, youre not given the luxury of sticking around very long.

Everyone seemingly gets a second chance in that show  except for you. Doesnt seem fair.

You said it, not me, pal.

One of your definitive SNL characters was Eric Trump, which was both hilarious and a noteworthy example of a popular Trump impression not outsourced to a celebrity. How did you land that part and develop it with Mikey Day without it becoming cameo fodder?

I guess I just called dibs on it before for myself. Its funny  once I was in the process of possibly getting hired by the show, a friend of mine called me and said, You know who you kind of look like? Eric Trump. You should work up an impression. I didnt have one in time for my screen test, so I didnt audition with it. But then, once I was hired that first week, I went over to Mikey, and he was like, Yeah, this is great. Lets do something. So we wrote an Update that was loosely based on that picture that the three elder Trump kids put out that was like Millennials for Trump. It was Ivanka in the front and then the two boys in the back, just looking like, you know, American Psychotype dudes. And Eric had a look on his face that I based most of the impression on. [Laughs.]

We wrote the Update. It went well at the table, but they didnt pick it because there was a lot of other good stuff. Then Mikey and I were sharing a car back to the studio after shooting the first thing I ever shot on the show, which was a Margot Robbie pre-tape where she plays a librarian who turns into a demon that Bobby Moynihan wrote. We got a call from somebody like, Hey, were gonna plug your impression into this other sketch. It was a Family Feud, the Trump team versus Clinton team, like Republicans versus Democrats.

Larry David was there as Bernie Sanders with Darrell Hammond as Clinton.

Yes. They had Margot do an Ivanka impression, and she said something like, I wish my brothers were here. And Kenans Steve Harvey goes, Well, theyre not. And then we rose up behind her and said, Yes, we are. I think that was us calling dibs on those two guys. Getting to do that two-man with Mikey was just about as much fun as it gets.

How did your show audition go?

It took a few tries for me. I first auditioned in 2013 when I was living in Chicago at the iO Theater. It was part of a showcase of about 20 people. I did pretty well, they flew me to New York for meetings and then I went back to Chicago, did a callback showcase, had a pretty good show, but didnt get it that year. It was one of the early-career things of showing me that truly everything happens in its own time and for a reason, because then I got to do a sketch pilot with a bunch of amazing people and I got to do my first feature film.

The next year, I was living in L.A. I sent in a tape  didnt hear a peep. The next year, I was also living in L.A. and did a showcase at iO West. They did not hire me from that either. And then the following year, I was back in Chicago for some family stuff. I happened to be in my Chicago agents office, and she was like, Hey, I just heard SNLs coming to town next week. You want me to try to get you in the showcase at iO? She reached out to the owner of the theater, who said, No, theyve passed on him a few times. My Chicago agent literally sent the owner of iO flowers  maybe even an Edible Arrangements  and said, Please, call somebody from the talent department and just ask if theyll take another look at Alex. You know who was in that showcase? Sarah Sherman  before she got it, doing her own thing. So, so brilliant. So again, it takes some time for some of us.

Anyway, the next day I was in Chicago, because my sisters and I decided to throw a ten-year celebration-of-life party  it had been ten years since my mom passed at that point. So we threw an anniversary party as an excuse to see all my moms old friends. I didnt have my phone on me all day, and my sister said, I just got a landline call from your agent. Shes been looking for you. So I called her back and she said, Where are you? Ive been trying to track you down! Lorne wants to have a drink with you.

So I went into this hotel lobby bar and met Lorne, Steve Higgins, and Erik Kenward. I just sort of chatted with them all, and they were sort of like, All right. Well, nice to meet you. [Laughs.] It was that early psycho test that they like to do where its like, Is this a decent person? Would we be terrified if we ran into him in the hallway at three in the morning? I evidently passed that test, which was good. I did my screen test a few weeks later and then I got the call from Lorne the next day.

You joined the show weeks before the 2016 election. What was that time like?

That was a pretty heady time. When Chappelle hosted the election episode, I got my first piece on the show as a writer. At the Monday pitch meeting, I said, Maybe youre a guy who has all your buddies over for a poker night, and were hanging out. And then it is revealed that you still live at home with your mother, and you still breastfeed. It got a nice chuckle in the room.

In the evening, I sat with Chappelle for like an hour and a half while he sat there chain-smoking in my office. This guy is a hero to me  one of the all-time greats  and Im sitting there, and hes pitching bits about breast milk. Hes got all these incredibly funny ideas, and Im writing it all down. I remember talking to another writer or producer about incorporating them, and they were like, Yeah, those are great, but physically, theres no way to do those things live. I didnt even plan to write it because I didnt know how anything worked. Then at around 2:30 in the morning, a writer named Kristen Bartlett was like, Hey, have you written your breastfeeding thing? And I was like, No? I didnt know that Im supposed to. And she was like, Well, lets just bang it out.

Chappelle threw his own after-after-party. The Roots played, and Lenny Kravitz played drums. I want to say Madonna was there, though I never saw her; I just heard. A Tribe Called Quest was there, and Busta Rhymes got up and did a set. I remember thinking, This will just be every week from now on. Meanwhile, that was the coolest party anybody threw the entire time, and it was like a month into my tenure.

Amazing.

Another vivid memory was when the Cubs won the World Series. Im from Chicago  born and raised and a lifelong Cubs fan. I can remember Benedict Cumberbatch was the host that week. On Saturday, I was walking out of my quick-change booth and Lorne goes, Hey, the Cubs are here. You should go say hi. I was like, Come again? I walked into this room that had these curtains up, and Bill Murray was there on a pitch pipe practicing a barbershop-quartet routine. Thirty seconds later, Dana Carvey walks in  again, one of my all-time comedy heroes. I was like, What is happening in my life right now?

At dress rehearsal that night, as Benedict Cumberbatch was saying good night, he listed off all the Cubs. As he said that, I was standing in the back with the rest of the cast, looking up at everybody. The floodgates open, and I just started to cry. It was a real pinch me moment. I was trying to hug people and not show that I was just weeping. Cecily, whom I had known for years from Chicago, noticed what was going on. She goes, Aw, this is pretty big for you, huh, bud? Between Cubs and Bill Murray and Dana Carvey and being in my first three months at SNL, I realized I was living a dream.

Theres so many celebrities around, as you note. As a cast member vying for airtime, do you ever think that the show overdid it with, say, having Bill Murray as Steve Bannon? Did it ever feel like it was overshadowing the cast just to get clicks?

I mean, I grew up playing team sports, so I really do tend to think, like, If the teams winning, were all winning. Yeah, maybe it got more clicks that Bill Murray played Steve Bannon or whatever, but then there was more attention on the show period. The fact that I was still getting to do Eric Trump and Joe Scarborough and all these other things? I was pretty well taken care of, and I still got to do a lot of fun stuff. It only brought more attention to the show that I got to be a part of.

Can you take me through the backstory of how you took over playing Joe Biden after Jim Carrey?

If you told 16-year-old Alex that he was going to be taking over a character from Jim Carrey, I would have said youre crazy. The Jim Carrey thing was always meant to be a temporary thing during the election, and they were looking for somebody to take over next. I had screen-tested as Joe Biden, so they knew that I had an impression ready to go for it. So then I got a phone call from Lorne.

Why didnt you stick with it longer? Seems like the show never quite got a handle on Biden, given theres been this rotation of guys playing him.

I think the show decided that James Austin Johnson would be a better Biden, and I think history has proven that to be correct.

Terry Fink, the movie critic, was always an Update favorite of mine. Did you already have that character in your back pocket from before SNL?

I did not. The only thing I did from my screen test, for example, that ended up making it on the show was my world-famous Chris Hemsworth impression. So I dont think much from my quote back pocket ever made it.

How did you develop Terry then?

First of all, I appreciate you bringing Terry up because some of the most fun I got to have in that building was being that lunatic. Theres a fellow who is a movie reviewer in New York who you sometimes see in cabs, and Ive always gotten a kick out of the guy. I have no idea what made me think, like, Well, what if we took that guy and put him on acid? But I had that thought, and I texted my office mate, Will Stephen, and said, What about this guy plus acid? And he said, Lets do it. We just would stay up till the sun came up, just cackling our little buns off, thinking of what that Terry could be doing or thinking of or seeing, and we always had a blast with that guy.

How did you wind up in the Morning Joe sketch with Kate McKinnon?

Bryan Tucker, whos one of the great comedy writers of all time and a good friend, came to me and Kate McKinnon, and showed us a clip from Morning Joe like, What do you think about playing these two? We piled into Tuckers teeny office and watched a few clips of them and wrote our first Morning Joe. I dont think we initially wrote it as a cold open; it was just a regular sketch at the table.

You left the show in 2022 after six seasons. Was that simply a matter of your contract being up?

SNL is still literally the only job I ever wanted in my life, so the fact that I got to do it at all  I still pinch myself. Everybody leaves at some point. There was sort of a mass exodus going on. Theres a right time for everything. The last couple of years, I mean, it was a hard transition for me.

Ill be honest: I miss the show. Anybody who works on it is going to miss the adrenaline of saying Live from New York or getting to do a bit on Update. Just getting to do live TV, it feels like being shot out of a cannon. I dont know where that high comes from again, but getting to do theater and stuff like that since I left is a pretty close approximation.

It sometimes felt like you and Mikey Day were vying for a similar slot on the show. Did it feel that way behind the scenes, or did you see it as you had separate roles?

Im sure youve heard this, if you are familiar with the show, but yeah, we probably had weekly fistfights.

No, I adore the man so much. Once we played the Trump brothers and Duffer brothers, Mike came to me and was like, Dude, we gotta play every set of brothers we can think of. There were plenty of brothers. We did Property Brothers, and we did Harry and Will. Maybe someday well do a special of the brothers.

The other thing is that Mikey had been a writer there for a few years by the time I got hired, so I always felt he was like an older brother there who was taking care of me. I felt lucky to hit it off with him right off the bat. My freshman class of Melissa and Mikey and myself all bonded hard. Only later, after my first year, somebody did say that to me, and I was like, Oh, really? I really didnt think like we were occupying the same space.

Its an election year and youre in New York. Any chance Eric Trump will pop up this fall?

You never know! It would be fun. Your guess is as good as mine.
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School reopening dates varies from region to region.

Around seven million students in Italy are returning to the classroom as schools across the country reopen after the summer holidays, on dates between 5 and 16 September.

The reopening date of Italy's schools varies according to region, with the autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento the first to reopen, on 5 and 9 September respectively.

Schools opened in Piemonte, Marche, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Umbria, Veneto and Valle d'Aosta on 11 September, while students in Lombardy, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily and Campania returned to the classroom on 12 September.

The last regions to reopen schools, on 16 September, are: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Puglia and Tuscany.

Earlier this month Consumer watchdog Codacons called on Italy's education ministry to "begin to implement preventive action" to defend students and teachers from the future effects of climate change and heat waves, stating that "only six out of 100" schools have air conditioning.

The new academic year brings with it new rules prohibiting the use of smartphones from primary level up to scuola media, or junior high school, "including for educational purposes".

Tablets and computers will still be allowed but must be used under the guidance of teachers, according to the new regulations.

Photo credit: Stefano Guidi / Shutterstock.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Florian Philippot, the leader of the French "Patriots" party, is calling on President Emmanuel Macron to explain the detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, Trend reports.

"Did Macron really arrest Pavel Durov?! Le Canard Enchaine just reported that the head of Telegram told the police he was planning to have dinner with Macron that evening! Macron is definitely capable of such deception to fulfill the mission ordered by his masters: to imprison everyone who defends freedom of speech! We demand answers from Macron!" the politician wrote on his page on X.

Pavel Durov was detained on August 24 at Le Bourget airport by French authorities.

Durov's detention was later extended until August 28 as part of the procedure related to the charges against the entrepreneur.
Independent TD in Waterford Matt Shanahan is calling for a unified political front from South East Oireachtas members to deliver a new Veterinary School to SETU.

At present, the South East Technological University (SETU) is currently involved in a three-way competition with the University of Limerick and the Atlantic Technological University to determine which institution will host Irelands newest Vet School, the first outside Dublin.

According to Deputy Shanahan, SETU leadership has invited South East Oireachtas members to a review meeting to take place in Kildalton College in the near future, which will review the Kildalton and SETU site facilities that showcase the ability of the university to "hit the ground running" in terms of a new Veterinary School award.

Speaking on the development, Deputy Shanahan criticised Taoiseach Simon Harris for not delivering to date.

Despite copious and frequent promises made by Taoiseach Harris as Higher Education minister, the vaunted delivery of capital to advance teaching and accommodation opportunity, new governance and borrowing frameworks to underpin high-level faculty awards has still not happened for SETU.

The historic and contemporary lack of adequate spend in the south-east third level education sector is evident in the crippling brain drain and the missing economic benefits to regional quality employment and salaries over many years."

The Deputy added: From my perspective as a Waterford TD, any failure by Government now to deliver on promises made to SETU regarding a new Veterinary School will be an absolute betrayal of student families and educators in the South East region.

Although his government colleagues will disagree and defend, such failure will mark Simon Harris as the Minister who promised much to the south east, but as Taoiseach delivered little... our south east Oireachtas members, particularly those in government parties, must ensure this Veterinary School is awarded."

Speaking in the Seanad earlier this year, Senator John Cummins said: In terms of course development, SETU have submitted very strong bids for new pharmacy and veterinary medicine disciplines, as well as an expansion of their nursing school.

"These are obviously competitive calls, which are currently being assessed by the HEA, however it would be my hope that we can get approval for at least two out of three of these requests.
Waterford Senator, John Cummins has said extensive engagement has taken place between the Department of Further and Higher Education, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Higher Education Authority to identify the exact number of places that are needed in the short, medium and long term at South East Technological University in light of proposals to establish new courses in the pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

He said budgets are also being worked on. In July 2023, then Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris announced that the Higher Education Authority had assessed proposals by SETU to establish such new courses, as well as an expansion of nursing as viable options for consideration as part of the Building Capacity process.

Over the past 12 months full business cases have been finalised, he said before commenting the aforementioned engagement between the various Government departments.

In terms of pharmacy, viable options were assessed at University of Galway, South East Technological University and Atlantic Technological University; while University of Limerick, South East Technological University and Atlantic Technological University were assessed as viable options for veterinary medicine, he said.

Eight existing universities were assessed to have viable options for expansion of nursing places, while four locations had viable options for new courses, he added.

Speaking on the matter in the Seanad earlier this year, Senator Cummins said SETU had submitted very strong bids for new pharmacy and veterinary medicine disciplines in addition to an expansion of their nursing school.

These are obviously competitive calls which are currently being assessed by the HEA, however it would be my hope that we can get approval for at least two out of three of these requests, he said.

Taoiseach Simon Harris and Senator John Cummins

Senator Cummins said he looked forward to an announcement being made shortly with regard to the PPP Engineering and General Teaching building, commenting: Contrary to what some may say, final tender prices were submitted in April of this year for the five building PPP bundle and significant due diligence has been conducted since due to only one remaining consortia remaining in the process.

I have been working very hard with my Fine Gael government colleagues to bring this matter to conclusion and the Taoiseach has been very clear that a decision will be made shortly, he said.

SETU has also submitted its first application to the new Technological Sector Strategic Project Funding (TSSPF) scheme which is a specific capital scheme for the Technological Universities, he added.

He went on to comment: I understand the first building of circa 10,000 sq/m is earmarked for the former Waterford Crystal site and will provide a compelling start to the University-Enterprise Quarter, housing teaching, research and innovation/enterprise engagement activities.

It will complement the work which is ongoing at a pace on the former offices and showrooms, by Frisbys, which was made possible due to the acquisition of over half the site for SETU earlier this year, said Senator Cummins.

I was delighted to organise two letters of support, signed by all Oireachtas members in the Southeast in support of SETUs bids for course development, he added.

Senator Cummins comments came in the wake of Waterford Independent TD, Deputy Matt Shananan's criticism of the Taoiseach for "not delivering to-date".

Despite copious and frequent promises made by Taoiseach Harris as Higher Education minister, the vaunted delivery of capital to advance teaching and accommodation opportunity, new governance and borrowing frameworks to underpin high-level faculty awards has still not happened for SETU, said Deputy Shanahan.

The historic and contemporary lack of adequate spend in the south-east third level education sector is evident in the crippling brain drain and the missing economic benefits to regional quality employment and salaries over many years, he added.

From my perspective as a Waterford TD, any failure by Government now to deliver on promises made to SETU regarding a new Veterinary School will be an absolute betrayal of student families and educators in the South East region, said Deputy Shanahan.
When Joanne Carney woke up at 5.30am on Saturday morning, August 10, her body ached, her feet throbbed, her thighs complained - but she was exhilarated.

Jo, Keith and Emmie Carney on the walk.

As toddler Emmie clambered through their tent over the sleepy figures of her parents to marvel at the cows in the next field, the peace and serenity that daybreak brought to Kilmacthomas was a far cry from what each day delivers to families in Gaza Palestine, where birdsong has been replaced by surveillance drones and bomb-laden warplanes, and people have been forced to survive on animal fodder.

During the second weekend of August Jo, husband Keith and their toddler undertook to do The Displacement Walk for Gaza, along the entire 46 kilometres of the Waterford Greenway. Determined to try to get an insight into how displaced families who are constantly ordered to move at a moment's notice cope, they took on this disquieting endeavour.

Having watched the Israeli genocide against the people of Gaza live online for 10 months (where incidentally, Jo points out that 70% of the 40,000 plus dead are women and children), they were becoming increasingly horrified at the silence and hypocrisy of world governments.

So what then finally motivated the young Ballyduff Upper tech-worker to take her family on this particular course of action?

Jo said: "We were sitting, talking one day about what the families in Gaza have to go through: no time to pack, grabbing essentials, running out the door with their children no matter what physical state everyone was in - just a matter of life and death, before beginning the arduous task of finding safe shelter where nowhere is safe.

"We spent a couple of weeks trying to come up with what route we would take. We knew we wanted to do at least 41 kilometres, which is the length of Gaza. We considered a lot of options, such as a mountain trek, a road walk, the Famine Trail into Dublin, and so on."

Jo continued: "Eventually we decided on the Waterford Greenway as it felt very appropriate and was probably the safest route to take. We packed enough food and drinks for three days into two big rucksacks and on Friday morning, August 9, set off from the SETU West Campus."

People welcoming the family in Clonea.

Greenway

Renowned for its scenic beauty, the glorious car-free Greenway passage awakens all the senses for walkers and cyclists alike.

Against the magnificent setting of the Comeragh Mountains the couple made their way along the breath-taking journey across 11 bridges, three viaducts, through a 400m-long tunnel, along the lush banks of the River Suir, all the way past the golden beaches of Waterfords acclaimed Copper Coast and through Clonea into Dungarvan.

But Jo and Keith's stops along the way afforded little time to admire the scenery.

Instead, they only paused to deliver moving accounts of their cause to fellow travellers whose curiosity was aroused by the heavily-laden couple pushing a baby's buggy bearing Irish and Palestinian flags.

Jo said: "We were happy to explain, because every step along the way we were thinking about the families in Gaza."

Various groups and many individuals gathered along the way to show their solidarity (among them Cobh for Palestine, Waterford for Palestine and Gaeil ar son Gaza). These, along with the frequent expressions of support from walkers and cyclists they encountered on their way, gave the young couple a huge boost.

Jo said: "When we reached Kilmacthomas we had walked 26 kilometres and were starting to slow down. Then, a brilliant bunch of people appeared before us with flags and sweets and coffees. Some had travelled from as far away as Cobh, some from Waterford City - it was fantastic."

Solidarity

Jo said: "It was a massive boost for us every time we met with supporters along the way. Every time we saw a Palestine flag or a keffiyeh coming towards us, our hearts lifted.

"One friend walked all the way from Dungarvan to Durrow to walk back with us, which really helped us to forget about the pain and pass the kilometres. A big gang met us in Clonea and they handed us plates of watermelon which was extremely uplifting, not only for its symbolism, but also for its refreshment qualities!

"We found it so emotional that so many people understood why we took on this journey. By the time we reached Dungarvan we were accompanied by an amazing group of new and old friends as well as family members."

Upon the end of the walk, Jo said: "No matter what challenge we undertake it can never replicate the fear and the trauma the Palestinians are going through. Even though no place is safe in Gaza, displaced families no sooner have made shelters into homes than they are again and again ordered to leave.

"For us, to know that there would be an end to this really mild suffering we were going through in just three days, made us realise how difficult it must be for them."

Everyday annoyances, such as insect bites, which can cause severe discomfort, are underestimated by those unused to these conditions.

Jo said: "I got a number of horsefly bites and my legs swelled up a huge amount. This made me think of the painful skin-sores and hygiene issues that Gazans have to suffer - no creams or medications to help them."

The weather that weekend in Waterford was sunny and hot and according to the couple this gave them a better feel for how people in Gaza have to travel in the severe heat, carry as much as possible, bringing their suffering, sick children with them, "whereas we got to nap our little toddler when she needed it, and provide her with every bit of food, snacks, treats and toys she wanted," said Jo.

Fundraiser

Jo's Displacement Walk for Gaza is not just an act of solidarity. She has opened a GoFundMe page to fundraise for an Irish-Palestinian organisation with volunteers also in Egypt, called 'Gaza go Bragh', which brings aid directly to many families on the ground in Gaza.

They are providing water, food and medical supplies and don't take a penny for themselves - all their work is voluntary.

The original target for the fund was 500, but at the time of writing that has soared to 8,780 which will, says Jo, cover at least 75 hygiene kits containing soap, washing powder, creams and disinfectant, as well as providing for 50% of their weekly costs for the rest of the supplies they distribute. The fund also goes towards dispensing daily drinking water to the families regularly under their care.

The Displacement Walk fund is still open and donations no matter how big or small can be made on gofundme.com
On Friday, August 23, almost 4,000 Waterford students received their Leaving Cert results, with anticipation high across the city and county.

Over at the Abbey Community College, Principal Michelle Jefford and Deputy Principal Helen O'Connor were full of praise for their Leaving students, with many of them exceeding 600 points.

Warmly congratulating them on their achievement, Ms O'Connor told the Waterford News & Star: "We are incredibly proud of each and every one of our students.

Principal, Michelle Jefford and Deputy Principal, Colm Rice pictured with Jamie Aldridge, Annabelle Walsh, Jamie Wells, Gabriela Przybylo, Sean Byrne, Athul Andrews and John Rellis

"We would like to take this moment to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of them on this special occasion.

"These results mark a significant milestone for our students, their families, and the primary schools they represent, all of whom have provided unwavering support during their time at Abbey Community College and have been essential contributors to our thriving school community."

Exceeding scores

She continued: "An advantage of our large school is the ability to offer an extensive range of subjects for our students in senior cycle. This diverse selection enables our students to pursue university and college courses, as well as enter trades and transition directly into the workforce.

"An exceptional group of students consistently excels beyond the national academic averages. This year, we are proud to have many students who achieved scores exceeding 600 points in their Leaving Certificate, along with a significant rise in the percentage of students scoring over 500 points.

"Additionally, our Leaving Certificate Applied results are at the highest end of the national range.

"We extend our best wishes to all our students as they eagerly await their CAO offers."

Deputy O'Connor added: "Our Support Team and Guidance Counsellors have been in constant contact with our students and will be there supporting them throughout the whole CAO process and beyond if necessary."

Celebrations

Over at De La Salle College, students celebrated their academic success with their teachers and Principal Tom Burke.

The day was tempered with sadness, however, as staff and pupils took a moment to remember student Avu Idris, who tragically passed away earlier this summer in an e-scooter accident. He would have collected his results, along with his friends and fellow students.

Students were celebrating at Mount Sion Secondary School with Principal Edward Kennedy.

The school stated online: "A massive congratulations to the class of 2024. We are so proud of the tremendous results achieved by all. We wish our students all the best in their futures."

According to Chairperson of the State Examinations Commission, Mr Martin Sisk: In all of our work on the 2024 Leaving Certificate, we have endeavoured to ensure that candidates are treated fairly and equitably, that results are of the highest standards of quality, and that there is full transparency for candidates."
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 Rightfully considered one of the finest television series of the 21st century, Mad Men was a period drama set in 1960s New York that applied a scrupulous level of detail to both its characters and the production design. Revolving around the advertising agency Sterling Cooper and its charismatic creative director, Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the shows seven seasons depicted people in their most telling of moments  good and definitely bad  while capturing underlying truths without resorting to judgment. It could be revelatory, heartbreaking, or darkly hilarious. The show concluded in 2015, but to mark it coming to Netflix (its also available on Stan and AMC+) here is a guide to the 10 best episodes. Whether youre viewing for the first time or undertaking a rewatch, these are the instalments to savour above all. The cast of Mad Men, clockwise from left, Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, Michael Gladis, Robert Morse (seated), Bryan Batt, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, Jon Hamm (seated) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (season one, episode one) There are a few tonal discrepancies, but its notable how compelling the very first episode of Mad Men was, and how it staked out so much about the shows guiding philosophy: the looming upheavals of the 1960s will influence Sterling Coopers disparate staff, but never define them. Even as he ponders a pitch for a huge cigarette account, Don distinguishes himself as someone who struggles to look back, and is willing to grasp the moment. Watching him then play the family man is deeply unnerving. The Wheel (season one, episode 13) Dons marriage to Betty (January Jones) was a union of two dissatisfied people who couldnt be honest with each other. The first seasons finale, co-written and directed by Mad Mens exacting creator, Matthew Weiner, gave each a powerful, mesmeric monologue, but they were delivered to comparative strangers: Betty to the psychiatrist who was reporting back to her husband, Don to the Kodak executives he was pitching to. This episode was the culmination of a remarkable first season  rarely had so much seemed possible in a television drama.

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January Jones and Jon Hamm as Betty and Don Draper. Credit: AP Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency (season three, episode six) All I can say, workplace safety was a very different matter in the 1960s. Shut the Door. Have a Seat (season three, episode 13) The fortunes of Sterling Cooper were truly erratic  the company added partners, lost clients, and was bought out by a British advertising giant. This is one of the episodes where the professional comes to the fore, as the agencys main players attempt to escape their overseers. Theres an almost giddy energy to their machinations, as once more they leave an uncomfortable past behind, while the personal is reflected through the definitive end of Don and Bettys marriage. Christina Hendricks and Elisabeth Moss: Mad Men tracked the looming upheavals of the 1960s. The Suitcase (season four, episode seven)

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The two core protagonists on Mad Men were Don and Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), who went from naive secretary to gifted copywriter. It was a twisted version of the mentor and protege relationship, as they educated each other about personal failings and delivered cutting truths. This two-hander, where they pull an all-nighter in the office, is rife with bittersweet realisations and indelible images. This is the most vulnerable and honest Don ever allowed himself to be, and you believe that no one but Peggy could make that happen. Signal 30 (season five, episode five) Honestly, part of this episodes appeal is that one of the shows most horrible characters, Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), gets punched out in the office by an unlikely colleague. Petes an entitled hypocrite, a terrible husband, and possibly a rapist, but because this is Mad Men his bruised nadir is also the moment where his humanity is at its most palpable. The show never apologised for the failings of these people, but they were always more than the sum of those flaws. John Slattery as Roger Sterling in Mad Men: wild lines. Far Away Places (season five, episode six) Roger Sterling (John Slattery) delivered, without the slightest hesitation, some of the wildest lines on the show; have a drink, it will make me look younger, comes to mind. His blitheness extended to crucial decisions such as marriage, and this episode revolved around a dinner party turned LSD trip with his much younger second wife, Dons former secretary Jane (Peyton List), that ends the next morning with the two calmly discussing their divorce. Psychedelics are a 1960s plot staple, but Mad Men had its own use for them. The Other Woman (season five, episode 11)

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Office manager Joan Holloway (Christine Hendricks) was a bombshell redhead who understood the effect she could have on men, and both the advantages and limits that bestowed upon her in a misogynistic era. Joan exemplified the shows refusal to look at characters through a contemporary lens, especially in this episode where the companys male partners learn that a prospective client will sign up if Joan sleeps with him. The back and forth is telling before she decides, and it opens up an unexpected dynamic: Don and Joan. Loading In Care Of (season six, episode 13) Don and Bettys oldest daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka) grew up across Mad Mens run  she was a six-year-old in the first season, 16 years old in the final season. As she got older her relationships with both parents were strained, for different reasons, but Don at least belatedly reached out to her. In this episode, having failed spectacularly at work, Don impulsively takes his children to see the unconventional place he grew up. The look of understanding exchanged between father and daughter is something else. Waterloo (season seven, episode seven) Mad Men was so good at taking in the behaviour  often inexplicable, yet always plausible  of its leading players, that the final season strained a little as it readied us for the shows conclusion. Summing anything or anyone up wasnt its natural setting. This episode, set against the Apollo Moon landing, shone through as it scoped business intrigue and highlighted an ever-present but inscrutable supporting character, ageing senior partner Bert Cooper (Robert Morse). The episode makes fine use of a quality the series rarely used: the otherworldly. Mad Men is on Netflix, Stan and AMC+

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The story of that civilian government, Myanmars first civilian government for 60 years, has been completely overshadowed by a coup and by some of the bad things that went on, Turnell says. I really wanted to get on the historical record that the reform program that they brought in, or tried to bring in, was incredibly bold and had a very coherent vision of an alignment between democracy, economics and freedom. He stresses the vision was a locally driven one, and I was there to help. Protesters with pictures of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon in the aftermath of the 2021 coup. Credit: AP This was a homegrown story of these, you know, incredible people with courage  I wanted to get down what they were tried to do on the record because they dont have a voice. So in some ways, mate, I had to be their voice. As with the man himself, the book is livelier and funnier than might be expected given the subject matter. Turnell chirps over a long black as he describes being left without smell after being diagnosed with COVID five times while in prison, grimaces at describing having to replace teeth damaged during his ordeal, and suppresses a snigger as he says his wife, Dr Ha Vu, teases him about his criminal record.

The only good thing about it, right, is that dinner parties and things like that, its nice to be able to claim, well, actually, I am a convicted spy. I mean, I have a court that said I am a spy. Sanction the banks Of the best-laid plans that went awry when Suu Kyis government was ousted in the week it was due to start a second term, Turnell was most looking forward to fixing Myanmars banks. Now, he believes targeting these institutions is an essential weapon against the junta, as it relies on state-owned banks to funnel foreign exchange and purchase munitions from Russia and China. He says Australia could do better at applying sanctions to the banks, which in turn might tip the balance on the battlefield. By really getting at the finances, thats the way in which the juntas military advantage could be negated, Turnell says. Its a real key vulnerability, and it does open up an opportunity for somewhere like Australia.

Suu Kyi received international criticism for not standing up to the military over the genocide of the Rohingya, but Turnell says army leader Min Aung Hlaings coup was driven by a fear her government would send him to the International Criminal Court. The two had zero chemistry and talks between them broke down immediately before the coup. The trigger was very personal, he says. Then-US secretary of state Hillary Clinton with Aung San Suu Kyi at the Yangon residence in 2011. Credit: AP Being Sydney, talk inevitably turns to property: there are forces in the junta trying to sell Suu Kyis house in Yangon against her wishes. A second attempt failed this month after no bidders turned up. Turnell says the fact no crony was willing to put themselves forward so stridently against her is a real giveaway of the unpopularity of that regime. Suu Kyi is unlikely to return home unless the regime falls, and she has been moved from prison to a military compound in the capital, Naypyidaw. The army said it was for her comfort in the face of extreme heat, but her allies suspect ulterior motives.

Her physical circumstances might be a little bit better now, but that story is not so positive because what, equally, I think has happened is that theyve moved her to be a human shield, Turnell says. So my understanding is that both her and the president, U Win Myint, have been moved into an area where very senior military people are. Naypyidaw came under attack from drones from the opposition. And our belief is that thats what thats about, you know, moving her closer to them to protect themselves. Loading As the junta is being defeated on the battlefield, the honorary professor of economics at Macquarie University can also see it struggling financially. Turnell says, Its just a question of when the regime will fall. Theres a lot of brutality that the regime can do on the way out, and theyre going to be desperate, he says. Therell be no holding back. But at the same time, everything is pointing towards their defeat.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 27. Deputies of the left-wing party France Unbowed will send a proposal to the National Assembly (lower house of parliament) to remove Emmanuel Macron from the post of president of the republic, the national coordinator of the party Manuel Bompard wrote on his page on X, Trend reports.

"The proposal to remove him will be sent to the bureau of the National Assembly in accordance with Article 68 of the constitution," he noted.

France Unbowed made this decision after Macron refused to appoint the candidate of the left-wing New Popular Front, economist Lucie Castet, to the post of prime minister.
Police have issued a blunt message to a man who poured hot liquid, believed to be coffee, over a nine-month-old baby boy in a random, unprovoked attack at a Brisbane park.

Quite simply, get some legal advice, Brisbane Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said.

Give yourself up, go to the police station. This is not going away, and we will keep going until we find [you].

Investigators released CCTV footage of a man running from the Stones Corner park, in Brisbanes south, after a hot liquid was poured over the baby boy.
Good afternoon, and thanks for following our live coverage of the CFMEU rallies across the country today.

It has been a busy one, with tens of thousands of workers walking off the job to protest against the governments forced takeover of the union. Here are some of the highlights:

Melbourne hosted the countrys largest rally, with up to 50,000 people attending. NSW had the second-largest rally with about 8000 workers showing up, and up to 4000 people turned up in Brisbane.

Police did not report any major incidents or arrests, and the protests were peaceful.

Several significant figures showed up to the rallies including national CFMEU secretary Zach Smith, who told a Canberra crowd the union is here to stay.

Ousted NSW branch secretary Darren Greenfield told a passionate Sydney crowd, Im not going anywhere, while a series of allegations hangs over his leadership.

Former Queensland CFMEU secretary Michael Ravbar told the Brisbane rally he would launch a High Court challenge to federal Labors legislation forcing the embattled union into administration.

Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather also told thousands of union supporters in Brisbane theyre being attacked with the most draconian anti-worker laws in Australian history.

WA Premier Roger Cook warned there may be consequences for workers who walked off the job, and Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas said todays action was unjustified and unlawful.

A reminder: the crisis surrounding the CFMEU was sparked by an investigation by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes which revealed, among other things, standover tactics and links to organised crime within the union.

You can have a look through some of the months-long investigation in our collection here.

Thanks again for following our live coverage today. This is Cassandra Morgan signing off.
But several sources with knowledge of the policy said the government had given universities a formula for reducing numbers, based on how much their international student populations had grown since before the pandemic. Loading Universities with the highest concentration of international students, who represent more than 37 per cent of the student population, will have to shed half their growth in new foreign student numbers since 2019. This will have the largest impact on the University of Sydney, where almost 50 per cent of students are from overseas and international student enrolments have grown 41 per cent since 2018. At the other end of the scale, universities where fewer than 15 per cent of students are from overseas will be allowed to keep all their growth in foreign student enrolments since 2019.

In practice, it means the big metropolitan universities, which have attracted predominantly Chinese students, will have to cut their enrolments. But smaller and regional universities, which have more students from South and South-East Asia, will be able to boost their numbers. The University of Newcastles numbers will rise from 1565 in 2023 to a cap of 1600 in 2025, for example, while Charles Darwin University will be able to enrol 2200 foreign students next year, compared to 2100 last year. Clare will also abolish the unpopular Ministerial Direction 107, which Labor introduced last year to slow down visa processing and identify non-genuine students. In practice, it has meant fewer students from countries such as India, Nepal and Pakistan have been approved for visas and regional universities have lost enrolments. Clare spruiked the reforms on Tuesday as a way of making the sector fairer.

For some, it will be less. For some, it will be more. The big winners are regional universities. Its designed to make sure we set up the system in a better and fairer way, in a more sustainable way, he said. To create the impression that this is somehow tearing down international education is absolutely and fundamentally wrong. The idea that a Chinese student who wants to go to the University of Sydney will instead go to Southern Cross University is unrealistic. Higher education expert Professor Andrew Norton But higher education expert Professor Andrew Norton said he did not buy the argument that the caps would redistribute students from city universities to the regions. The whole idea that a Chinese student who wants to go to the University of Sydney will instead go to Southern Cross University is completely unrealistic. They simply wont come to Australia, he said.

Thats because these students are very focused on prestige, and only the Group of Eight have enough prestige. They also want to live in cities where they have plenty of their fellow compatriots and shops and restaurants that make coming to Australia much less of a culture shock than it would be in a regional town. Loading He also said there would be risk in executing the caps. Universities would either end up making conservative offers, and end up with fewer students than they could have, or send too many offers and be forced to cancel some of them. If it gets to the point where were cancelling enrolments, this could well turn into a diplomatic incident for the source counties and give Australia a very bad reputation, he said. Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said the government had not provided any economic modelling on the impact of the caps.

This policy was bad yesterday and it is bad today  the unexplained number gives us no comfort, she said. What has changed is the government today trying to steamroll the sector into accepting detailed caps before a clearly sceptical Senate has passed judgment on the ill-conceived legislation that enables these enrolment limits. Shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan says this is a mess of Labors own making. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The Independent Tertiary Education Council, which represents private universities and training colleges, said it had sought urgent clarification from the government about the announcement because its members were not given a specific institution-level cap. Correspondence seen by this masthead suggested colleges with fewer than 80 per cent foreign student enrolments would be able to maintain their enrolment levels, but those with a higher concentration would have to slash numbers.
Berlin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to step up deportations while visiting Solingen, where a deadly mass stabbing linked to Islamic State has emboldened the far-right opposition and stoked criticism of his governments handling of migration.

We will have to do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and are not allowed to stay in Germany are repatriated and deported, Scholz said in the western city, where he laid a flower at the scene of the crime.

This was terrorism, terrorism against us all, he added.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) speaks to the press near the scene of Fridays knife attack. Credit: AP

The attack, in which a 26-year-old suspected IS member from Syria is accused of killing three people, has fuelled political tensions over asylum and deportation rules before three state elections next month.
Kyiv: Powerful explosions were heard in Kyiv on Tuesday, with Ukraines air defence forces saying all of the country was under the threat of a Russian ballistic weapons attack.

The size of the second day of Russian attacks was not immediately known, but Ukraines air force said it recorded the launch of several groups of drones and the take-off from Russian airfields of strategic Tu-85 strategic bombers and MiG-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft.

Kyiv regions air defence systems were deployed several times overnight to repel missiles and drones targeting the Ukrainian capital, the regions military administration said on Telegram.

Reuters witnesses reported at least three rounds of explosions overnight in Kyiv.

Dont ignore the air raid alerts, seek cover, Ukraines air force said on the Telegram messaging app.
Atlanta: Two workers were killed and another seriously injured in an explosion on Tuesday at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near the Atlanta airport.

Delta said it was working with local authorities to investigate what happened at the wheel and brake shop.

Multiple Atlanta Fire Rescue Department units and police park outside a Delta Maintenance facility near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Credit: AP

The three staff members had been working on a Boeing 757 that arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday night, according to flight records, The Guardian and the London Telegraph reported.

WSB-TV reported that a tyre on a plane exploded. The television station cited unnamed sources.
This summer, the 980-strong GPHG Academy nominated 90 of the 273 timepieces entered in this year's competition by 146 brands

Divided into 15 categories, these watches are in the running to win one of the 20 prizes awarded to the years finest watchmaking creations, including the prestigious Aiguille dOr Grand Prix.



The GPHG Foundation invites you to discover the official shortlist of nominees for this 24th edition of the GPHG and the details of its world tour on gphg.org.



The nominated timepieces and then the prize-winners take part in a travelling exhibition, offering a unique panorama of contemporary watchmaking art. Organised in collaboration with local partners, these exhibitions contribute to promoting watchmaking culture around the world and are accompanied by talks, debates, workshops and other public and private events.



The 90 watches shortlisted this year by our Academy will be exhibited in Hong Kong from 28 to 30 September at Christie's new headquarters in the heart of the Henderson Building, at the Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City from 9 to 11 October in partnership with The Hour Glass, in New York from 18 to 21 October at Watches of Switzerland and finally in Geneva from 30 October to 17 November at the Musee Rath. The Bucharest University Library will host the prize-winners after the awards ceremony, from 21 to 23 November.



The 2024 prize list will be announced on Wednesday 13 November at the 24th GPHG awards ceremony, to be held at the Theatre du Leman in Geneva and broadcast live on WorldTempus!

In the meantime, we invite you to stay connected by following us on our various networks.
The World Customs Organization (WCO), with financial support from the Customs Cooperation Fund of China (CCF-China), successfully conducted a workshop on the WCO Data Model in Karachi, Pakistan, from 19 to 23 August 2024. The Workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of Pakistan Customs, the Pakistan Single Window (PSW), and the Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) system in aligning their national cross border datasets with the WCO Data Model (WCO DM), thereby promoting interoperability of digital systems and international trade efficiency. WCO Accredited Experts from Germany and Indonesia facilitated the Workshop.

Throughout the Workshop, participants engaged in comprehensive sessions that covered the strategic benefits of digitalization and standardization, the core components of the WCO Data Model, and practical guidance on implementing the WCO DM within existing technological frameworks. The Workshop provided an in-depth understanding of the WCO DMs libraries, Information Packages, and main class structures, as well as the application WCO DM App to facilitate the mapping process.

Key sessions included mapping exercises for PSW's and WeBOCs datasets of Pakistans five crucial data exchanges (e.g., the exchange of party and export declaration information with other Customs Agencies, as well as the exchange of information with national Cross Border Regulatory Agencies), ensuring their alignment with the WCO DM by drafting national subsets of the WCO DM, called My Information Packages (MyIPs). The Workshop featured interactive discussions and practical exercises that allowed participants to apply their learning in real-time scenarios. These activities were crucial in preparing PSW to undertake the next steps in the adoption of the WCO DM.

The Workshop concluded with a summary of the key learnings and a commitment from all parties to continue working together to implement the WCO DM across PSW and WeBOC systems. In closing remarks, the Chief Domain Officer of PSW, Naveed Abbas Memon, expressed gratitude to the WCO experts for their valuable support and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to aligning its data exchange with international standards.

This successful event underscores the WCO's ongoing efforts to support its Members in modernizing their Customs operations through the adoption of international standards, ultimately contributing to more efficient and streamlined global trade.
From resolutely understated to highly technically complicated models, Blancpain further enhances the resonance of its history by continuing to implant this valleys forests in its collection.

Synonymous with timeless elegance, the Villeret collection is characterised by the purity of its design and the technical sophistication of its movements. Highlighting the natural world around us, Blancpain unveils new timepieces in this collection attired in splendid shades of green, whose contrast with the 18 ct red gold of the characteristic double-stepped cases is captivating. These subtly combined mechanical and aesthetic characteristics make for exceptional timepieces.

Villeret Extraplate

Elegantly understated, the Villeret Extraplate focuses on essential time indications (hours, minutes and seconds) while simply adding the date, leaving ample room to contemplate its new dial in a comforting green colour. This self-winding timepiece with its pared-down design reflects the DNA of the Villeret collection, its minimalist appearance belying the complexity hidden beneath the dial. Driven by ultra- thin Calibre 1151 (measuring a mere 3.31 mm), this timepiece with its 40 mm 18 ct red gold case is just 8.70 mm thick. Despite this remarkable thinness, the Villeret Extraplate has a substantial four-day power reserve ensured by its twin series-coupled barrels.

Villeret Extraplate  Blancpain

Villeret Quantieme Phases de Lune

Graced with Blancpain's famous moon phase, the Villeret Quantieme Phases de Lune radiates a poetic aura. Featuring a beauty spot (referred to in French as a mouche for its similarity to a fly) at the corner of its mouth along with closed eyelids framed by long eyelashes, the Brands feminine moon phase appears attired in all its beauty to enliven this timepiece. This benevolent face attunes the watch with lunar cycles, along with a date ring and a moon crescent-shaped hand. In a further nod to the starry sky, the dial and case are lit up by almost 1 ct of brilliant-cut diamonds, not forgetting the dainty sunburst pattern adorning the new green dial, whose soothing colour is picked up on the strap. This timepiece thus shines in radiant beauty both day and night. Embodying a concentrated blend of mechanical expertise, this creation houses the secure 913QL.P self-winding movement in a 33.20 mm 18 ct red gold case.

Villeret Quantieme Phases de Lune  Blancpain
Zenith teams up again with optical artist Felipe Pantone for what is arguably their most dynamic collaboration yet

When it comes to bold artistic collaborations in the world of watchmaking, few can match the synergy that Zenith and Felipe Pantone have forged over the past four years.

Now, the famed Swiss watchmaker and the Argentinian-Spanish optical artist are back at it again for their third collaborative series, this time presenting possibly their most daring creation yet: the Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone.

Limited to just a hundred pieces, this iridescent-dialled co-creation takes the essence of Pantones vibrant, futuristic art and channels it into a masterpiece of high-frequency horology for an ultra-rich visual experience on the wrist.

Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone  Zenith

An Evolving Canvas

For Felipe Pantone, collaborating with Zenith is more than just a crossover between art and horology  it's a fusion of two worlds that share a deep commitment to pushing boundaries.

Pantone, known for his dynamic work that explores the intersection of the digital and analogue worlds, brings a unique energy to this partnership. His art, characterised by vivid gradients, geometric shapes and optical illusions using modelling software, mirrors Zenith's own pursuit of mastery through design and engineering.

And Pantone is no stranger to Zeniths iconic Defy collection. His previous collaborations  including the hugely successful Defy 21 Felipe Pantone and the Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone  have made a vivid mark on admirers of Zeniths watchmaking and art connoisseurs in general.

This time, however, the artist has focused his creative energy on the Defy Skyline Tourbillon, first unveiled earlier this year. Its a model that epitomises the strength and versatility of Zeniths design, borrowing elements from the brands rich heritage while looking squarely to the future. Now it comes dripping with Pantones distinctive visual language.

Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone  Zenith

Kaleidoscopic Dial

The centrepiece of the Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone is undoubtedly the dial  a captivating showcase of Pantones ability to manipulate light and colour.

Unlike anything seen in previous Zenith x Pantone collaborations, the iridescent dial is crafted from a sapphire disc which has been micro-engraved with concentric circles that recall the moire effect  a visual illusion that distorts patterns as you change your angle of view.

Adding to the visual complexity is a mirrored metallic finish on the back of the sapphire. This creates an ever-shifting display of colours reminiscent of the reflective surface of a CD  instantly conjuring a sense of digital nostalgia.

But Pantone didnt stop there. In a nod to the visual tricks that define his work, the dial features a vignette effect, darkening towards the edges to enhance the sense of depth.

Pantones signature glitch aesthetic extends to the hands and hour markers as well. Treated with Super-LumiNova for optimal readability, the hands and markers are intentionally distorted, as if theyve been caught mid-glitch.

Meanwhile, the bold, gradient rainbow tones seen throughout the dial are echoed in the tourbillon at 6 oclock, where the bridge has been reshaped into a lightning bolt  one of Pantones recurring visual motifs. The vibrant, multi-coloured finish on the tourbillon bridge and cage ties the entire design together, creating a piece as dynamic as a one of Pantones murals, sculptures or installations.

Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone  Zenith

Geometric Frame

The 41mm octagonal case, a signature of the Defy line, provides the perfect frame for Pantones dial-side art. Crafted from stainless steel with a dodecagonal bezel, the case is both angular and geometric, its lines brought out by the alternating satin-brushed and polished finishes.

The versatility of the Defy Skyline Tourbillon is further enhanced by its interchangeable strap system. Whether you prefer the sleek look of a stainless-steel bracelet or the sportier vibe of a black rubber strap, Zenith has made it easy to switch between the two.

Water-resistant to 100 meters thanks to its screw-in crown, this is a limited edition that invites you to wear it in all settings, without sacrificing any artistic integrity.

And in keeping with the past Zenith X Felipe Pantone collabs, the case is engraved on each corner with a character to denote FPT1  Felipe Pantone Tourbillon #1.

Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone  Zenith

High-Frequency Powerhouse

At the heart of the Defy Skyline Tourbillon is the automatic El Primero 3630 calibre, a testament to Zeniths longstanding expertise in high-frequency movements. Operating at 5Hz, it offers exceptional precision over its 60-hour power reserve and reinforcing that accuracy is the tourbillon that completes a full rotation every 60 seconds.

Pantones influence even extends to this movement, where a star-shaped oscillating weight finished in rainbow PVD continues the chromatic theme established on the dial.

Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone  Zenith

Out of the Box

Even the packaging of the Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone reflects the artists meticulous attention to detail: The watch comes in a customised presentation case adorned with Pantones signature iridescent patterns, ensuring that from the moment you unbox it, youre entering his vibrant world.

[This is] our most exceptional watch to date, says the artist. It's a masterpiece of high horology, combining simplicity and sophistication. This complex yet minimalist timepiece features stunning details, including the tiny gradient indexes and hands, the mirror Planned Iridescence dial and a truly unique bolt-shaped tourbillon.

Bold Union of Art and Time

In an industry that often looks to the past for inspiration, the Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone is another bold leap forwards. By combining Pantones dynamic and glitch-inspired visuals with Zeniths technical prowess, it represents a consummate fusion of contemporary art and fine watchmaking.

Limited to just a hundred pieces and priced at CHF 60,000, it will be available from Zenith online and physical boutiques, as well as with select retailers from September 12.
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Olivia Kelleher

Gardai in Cork are investigating a suspected petrol bomb attack at a house on the northside of the city on Monday evening.

Emergency services were called to a house at Mary Aiken Head Place in Gurranabraher at around 10pm on Monday.

When gardai and two units of the Cork City Fire Brigade arrived at the scene they found that a device had been thrown through a window.

Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident. Enquiries are ongoing.

Meanwhile, gardai are continuing to investigate a separate incident which occurred in the city last Friday.

Criminal damage occurred at a property in the Shanakiel area at 5.40pm on Friday.

A half an hour later, a motorcycle collided with a pedestrian on the Churchfield Road in the city.

The pedestrian was later taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries. The motorcyclist and pillion passenger failed to remain at the scene.

A suspected firearm was subsequently seized by Gardai. A man in his twenties was arrested afterwards. He was released without charge and a file was sent to the DPP.

Gardai are continuing to appeal to anyone with information in relation to these incidents or road users with video footage to contact them.

Gardai can be contacted at Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021 494 6200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Investigations are ongoing.
One often notices the uniqueness of a watch: a dial, a shape, a color. More rarely that of a watch brand, of which the most modern are generally all about large industrial buildings. Eberhard & Co. is a notable exception, since in 2019 the company returned to its original premises in La Chaux-de-Fonds, majestically topped by an eagle and now home to the brands headquarters and museum.

Eberhard & Co. Chronographe Extra-fort Roue a Colonnes Retour en Vol  Eberhard & Co.

These inspirations are clearly behind Eberhard & Cos latest Chronographe Extra-Fort model. This 41mm timepiece draws on the brands heritage, available in four delightfully vintage blue and silver-toned iterations. But above all, this is the first time the model has been offered in a flyback chronograph version. This complication enables the chronograph to be restarted immediately without having to go through the intermediate stop and reset stages. It is particularly prized for measuring (without any interruption) successive durations such as circuit laps and was originally used by 1930s pilots to facilitate the timing of various flight phases.

The Extra-Fort spells out this capacity in full at 6 oclock, with a dainty handwritten indication just above the date. The other signature feature appears on the back, where the column wheel  the heart driving this flyback function  is visible through a dedicated aperture. The precious organ appears in a blued finish, a rarity that collectors will doubtless appreciate. Depending on the version, the watch is available with a leather strap or steel bracelet.

Eberhard & Co. Chronographe Extra-fort Roue a Colonnes Retour en Vol  Eberhard & Co.

This article is an excerpt from the upcoming GMT XXL Switzerland Magazine, debuting at Geneva Watch Days August 29th. Pre-order your copy here.
It has been officially announced that Oasis are making a comeback in 2025, 15 years after their split.

The Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, are getting back together to perform a UK and Ireland tour next year, with dates in Dublin confirmed.

The band will play Croke Park for two nights (August 16 & 17) and perform gigs in Cardiff, Manchester, London and Edinburgh during their highly awaited reunion.

This is it, this is happening

Tickets on sale this Saturday 31st August (8AM IST / 9AM BST)

Dates:

Cardiff Principality Stadium - 4th/5th July

Manchester Heaton Park - 11th/12th/19th/20th July

London Wembley Stadium - 25th/26th July & 2nd/3rd August

Edinburgh Scottish Gas pic.twitter.com/5hRQ3sJihb  Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024

Furthermore, the brothers have Irish connections - including Mayo roots through their mother.

Their mother, Peggy, hails from Charlestown in Mayo and emigrated to Manchester at the age of eighteen before she raised her three sons - Paul, Noel and Liam. Their father, Tommy, is originally from Meath.

Following Oasis' split in 2009, Noel formed the High Flying Birds while Liam became a solo artist. Nevertheless, the 'Don't Look Back in Anger' artists are returning to the stage together.

Tickets for the 2025 Croke Park shows go on sale this Saturday, August 31 at 8am through Ticketmaster.
James Cox

Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political debate in the week to come.

Residential zoned land tax row

Plans to defer the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) have led to a row between coalition partners Fianna Fail and the Green Party.

RZLT is designed to be charged each year on land that is zoned suitable for residential use and has access to necessary services.

The RZLT aims to incentivise landowners to activate existing planning permissions to increase housing supply.

However, the introduction of the tax and penalties have previously been deferred amid backlash from groups such as the Irish Farmers Association, which has opposed the inclusion of land that is used for farm operations.

Minister for Finance Jack Chambers suggested the tax could be delayed in Budget 2025, which will be announced on October 1st.

However, this led to an angry reaction from the Green Party, who insist it must go ahead.

Mr Chambers has since said Government will consider alternatives, such as changes that could exclude farmers from the tax.

The row could be symptomatic of a bigger issue in Government.

Sources have indicated some Green Party TDs feel they are being pushed aside, with rumours of a November general election.

With a new party leader in Roderic O'Gorman, the Green Party may be seeking to differentiate themselves in what is likely to be a difficult election for the party.

Budget 2025

The Dail is set to resume on Wednesday, September 18th, and attention will soon turn to the budget after that.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has indicated there will be a number of "one-off" payments in Budget 2025.

These could include electricity credits and double or lump sum social welfare payments.

Candidate selection

While Coalition leaders continue to insist the Government will run its full term to March 2025, a November election appears much more likely.

The continued candidate selections from all parties suggest they are preparing for an autumn election.

Abroad

In the UK, prime minister Keir Starmer has warned the public of a difficult autumn budget which will include "big asks" for the "long-term good".

In the US, Kamala Harris' momentum continues in the presidential race.

Donald Trump's team is said to be extremely worried about the Democrats' poll boost since the US vice president replaced president Joe Biden on the ticket.

In a brief reprieve for Mr Trump, Independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr has dropped out of the race to endorse the Republican.
Some manufacturers and retailers are urging President Biden to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act as a way to suspend a strike by 45,000 dockworkers that has shut down 36 U.S. ports.
When the sky, in Switzerland at least, is grey one day, overcast the next, there is something particularly appealing about the prospect of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, bathed in bright sunshine. I'll be your guide on this trip to my native Corsica, associating each of the places we visit with a watch

Between land and sea, join me on a horological journey that I hope will inspire you to visit the many wonders of this beautiful island for real.

Calvi and the B17 wreckage / Panerai  Amagnetic 47mm

Exploring the sunken wreckage of a B17 bomber off the coast of Calvi is a must for divers.

Lying 28 metres deep since February 14, 1944, at the foot of the citadel, the wreck is a popular spot and understandably so, as it offers a memorable experience that also has historical significance.

Sunken wreckage of a B17 bomber in Calvi  Stephan Le Gallais

The American bomber's crew were on their way to destroy a German position in Verona, when they came under fire from enemy fighters. With two of the B17's engines ablaze and the third damaged, pilot Franck G. Chaplick was denied permission to land on the airstrip in Calvi.

"Thats how I put the B17 on the waves, very close to and facing the citadel of Calvi. The plane didnt break during the operation and floated for a few minutes, which allowed us to evacuate, except for the three machine-gunners killed during the attack, whose bodies sank with the wreckage, recorded Second Lieutenant Franck G. Chaplick, pilot of the B-17G #42-31044, 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group.

The Panerai Submersible Amagnetic 47mm makes the ideal diving buddy for your underwater exploration. Its ceramic and titanium case is water-resistant to a depth of 300 metres  more than sufficient  while the automatic mechanical movement delivers 72 hours of power reserve.

Submersible Amagnetic 47mm  Panerai

Fact check! Today's Submersibles are still inspired by the case of the Luminor 1950, built to meet the requirements of the Italian Marina Militare after the Second World War.

Cavallo island and Hotel & Spa des Pecheurs / IWC Schaffhausen - Portugieser Automatic 42 Horizon Blue

The island of Cavallo remained uninhabited for centuries, until a Corsican goatherd moved there with his flock in 1800. Quite some time later, in the 1960s, the nightclub owner and "king of Parisian nights" Jean Castel fell in love with this little piece of paradise and made it his personal hideaway; an oasis of peace and calm where time stands still.

Hotel & Spa des Pecheurs  Just Corsica

Even as southern Corsica is engulfed by tourists, Cavallo is one of the few Mediterranean islands to keep the crowds at bay.

Though I may not be one of the fortunate few to have enjoyed life on "billionaires' island" as it's known (countless celebrities have sojourned there, from the Beatles to Princess Caroline of Monaco), I can still picture myself strolling along the boardwalk, past Hotel & Spa des Pecheurs. And the watch on my wrist would be the magnificent Portugieser Automatic 42 Horizon Blue from IWC Schaffhausen.

Portugieser Automatic 42 Horizon Blue  IWC Schaffhausen

The colour of its dial conjures up images of crystal-clear waters while the clean lines of the case suggest what I imagine must be the elegant beauty of this heavenly hideaway. Retaining the DNA of the original Portugieser Automatic (ref. IW50001) from 2000, it brings past and modernity together. A little like Cavallo

The GR20, Europe's most challenging hiking trail / Montblanc - 1858 Automatic Chronograph 0 Oxygen

Winding its way among lakes and peaks, beginning in Calenzana and ending in Conca  or the other way round -, the GR20 is a succession of spectacular landscapes. Considered the toughest trail in Europe, "Fra li monti"  its original Corsican name, which translates as "in the mountains" , stretches for 180 kilometres and accumulates more than 10,000 metres of elevation gain.

GR20

You guessed it: you need to be physically fit to complete the trail - which could be why I've yet to try! Still, there's always tomorrow, though I doubt I would come anywhere near Lambert Santelli's record of 30 hours and 25 minutes.

Should you need extra motivation to cover the trail's 16 sections, my suggestion is the superb Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph 0 Oxygen. One look at the gorgeous green of its dial takes you straight to the heart of Corsica's wild maquis. Part of the capsule collection introduced in April, this 42mm chronograph will keep you focused on the way ahead.

1858 Automatic Chronograph 0 Oxygen  Montblanc

There is so much to experience in Corsica  more than I had time to do, in fact. So whether you're searching for a piece of paradise to lay down your beach towel or somewhere to test your limits, Corsica could well be your future "place to see"!
A powerful Hurricane Milton is spinning its way across the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to take aim at the Tampa Bay region.
First rioter to enter Capitol during Jan. 6 attack is sentenced to over 4 years in prison

A Kentucky man who was the first rioter to enter the U.S. Capitol during a mobs attack on the building has been sentenced to more than four years in prison
Today, on August 27, the legendary theater and film actor Bohdan Stupka would have turned 83 years old. The heart of the actor, who always sought to develop and popularize Ukrainian culture, stopped due to a serious cancer.

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Throughout his career, the Shevchenko Prize winner demonstrated a high level of professionalism that inspired and admired people of all ages. His wise, sometimes metaphorical, statements have influenced the consciousness of his fellow citizens in one way or another. OBOZ.UA decided to recall the best quotes of the Ukrainian theater legend that reveal his true personality.

Bohdan Stupka's special attitude to the stage could be seen not only during performances. The celebrity never missed an opportunity to compare real life with theater, revealing hidden meanings to the public.

"Western critics say that Eastern European theater is much more interesting than Western European theater. And we are told that we are nothing and worthless. We need to want to see and hear, not to be influenced by advertising and someone else's opinion."

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The actor was also distinguished from others by his unique, warm attitude to life, every moment of which he learned to appreciate.

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning complaining. So, love those who treat you with respect, forgive those who are wrong, and know that everything in this world is fleeting..."

"You have to be in love all the time. Not only in a woman, not only in a chestnut tree, not only in a city. You have to be in love with everything in life. And you have to be happy. You have to learn to be happy."

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Ukraine also held a special place in Bohdan Stupka's heart. He always tried to convey an important message to the younger generation: there is no better place in the world than the Motherland. No wonder the actor was accused of being "crazy about his Ukrainians".

"My dream in life was that Ukrainian culture would become known all over the world. Dreams must come true, and I am happy that I have the opportunity to contribute to this."

"I have seen the majestic Amazon, but the calm majesty of the Dnipro River takes my breath away... The luxury of Versailles impressed me, but I prefer the cozy beauty of the Massandra Palace in Crimea... I have seen many other things, but I love Ukraine. And I believe you do too!"

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"The main thing that a Ukrainian should understand is that he is unique because he is free!"

The artist never hid his open contempt for overconfident and arrogant people. He valued hard work and was convinced that progress exists only through doubt.

"Like Franco, I am a workaholic. In my youth, I dreamed of being a rentier, but I have been working all my life. It's a nightmare. I get to the theater and I can't go home even to have lunch. It's so addictive. You sit here all day. You think, talk to people, analyze."

"If you believe that every step you take on stage is great art, it's a disaster! Only doubt brings progress."

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"Do your job honestly, with your heart, and yours will come to you... But this does not mean that golden mountains will appear tomorrow."

"You have to be able to rejoice in the success of others, and to suppress envy and pride in yourself because they do not lead to good."

Throughout his life, the Shevchenko Prize winner was incredibly proud of the culture of his native land, so he not only shared his achievements with the public but also skillfully recited the work of his colleagues.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Oscar-winning American actress Jamie Lee Curtis publicly supported Ukrainians amid a massive Russian missile attack on the morning of August 26. The Hollywood star once again reminded her nearly 6 million foreign audience that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing and killing many soldiers every day.

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She posted on Instagram photos of military photographer and journalist Andriy Dubchak and translated his story into English for her followers. The photos show a bloody soldier who defended Ukraine near Pokrovsk, but was wounded and ended up in the stabilization center of the Ulf premedical service of the Da Vinci Wolves separate battalion.

"War is hell! Independence is always a battle!" commented Jamie Lee Curtis.

The man could not survive, although doctors fought for his life incessantly. He died due to severe injuries shortly before Ukraine's Independence Day.

"He was brought to the stabilization center of the Ulf premedical service of the Da Vinci Wolves separate battalion in a serious condition. Mine-blast wound: multiple injuries to the leg and penetrating shrapnel to the right side of the head. The doctors did their best. He was injected with adrenaline and resuscitated. The doctors were pumping his heart with indirect heart massage, taking turns, for about forty minutes. In the corridor under the operating room, those not involved in resuscitation stood silently waiting. We were waiting for him to survive. He died on the Flag Day. He died on the eve of Independence Day. He died late at night, on August 23, 2024," said photographer Andriy Dubchak.

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He added that there are a lot of wounded and killed at the front and the work of military medics does not stop for a moment.

"There were more wounded afterwards. Three young guys with minor contusions. They joked a lot and were eager to 'give back'. And in the morning, three more with light leg injuries from a drone drop. The dawn of the 33rd day of Ukraine's Independence began for the headquarters with the loud work of Ukrainian artillery on the positions of Russian troops advancing on Pokrovsk," Dubchak wrote.

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Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, has been supporting Ukrainians since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. She frequently posts heartbreaking messages on Instagram to remind her supporters that the bloody war is still going on, even though foreign media have become much less likely to report on it.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that Jamie Lee Curtis supported Ukrainians after Russia's massive missile strike on July 8, which damaged the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. In addition to her, Stephen King, Jessica Chastain, Frank Wilde, and other celebrities also wrote about the cruelty of the Russians.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!

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New wing in Bara burns unit takes flight

R100 million expansion to Wits Roy McAlpine Burns Unit at Baragwanath Hospital officially opens to serve Soweto, SA and Africa.

A new wing in the Burns Unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH - Bara) officially opened on 26 August, thanks to a R100 million donation from the Roy McAlpine Charitable Foundation and in partnership with Wits University and the Gauteng Department of Health. Bara is a Wits University teaching hospital.

Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said, "I must express my deepest gratitude to Roy McAlpine and the Roy McAlpine Charitable Foundation. Your vision and commitment to improving healthcare in South Africa has allowed this unit to become a reality, and the extraordinary and generous contribution of R70 million that you have made is testament to that."

Further contributions in funding, human resources, services, and equipment were made by Wits University, Bara, and the Department of Health respectively to bring the total investment to R100 million.

Scottish-born Roy McAlpine attended the launch (although the 83-year-old is now wheelchair-bound) along with his wife, Mrs Anne McAlpine, who chairs the Roy McAlpine Charitable Foundation, and former foundation chairman, Mr James Inglis.

"Roy's journey from Glasgow in the post-World War II years to becoming a towering figure in South African business is nothing short of inspirational," said Vilakazi about Roy McAlpine, a retired chartered accountant who became something of a corporate legend as Head of Investments at the Liberty Group before retiring at the age of 70.

Vilakazi continued: "Roy's commitment to giving back to the country that he helped build is evident in his support of critical healthcare infrastructure, including this Burns Unit. We are privileged to carry forward this legacy of compassion and excellence."

Dr Nthabiseng Makgana, CEO of Bara delivered the welcome address, while Ms Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Gauteng MEC for Health And Wellness, was the guest speaker.

South Africa's First Lady, Mrs Tshepo Motsepe was present, and reminisced about how she had been born at Bara.

Professor Daynia Ballot, Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at Wits, served as MC.

Serving Soweto and welcoming Africa

The Burns Unit at Bara is the only public specialised burns unit located in Gauteng that serves all patients who cannot afford treatment at private facilities.

Furthermore, many burns patients are referred from beyond Gauteng - and even South Africa - thus necessitating an urgent expansion.

Professor Adelin Muganza, Head of the Wits Roy McAlpine Burns Unit, said, "A couple of years ago, the Roy McAlpine Foundation came to visit us, and when they came in, one lady came out. She was the victim of a gas stove explosion. Then I explained to them the different causes of burns, and they were touched by that."

According to Muganza, most burn patients admitted at Bara are burned by accident, assault or suicide; the result of car crashes, shack fires, cable theft, illegal electrical connections, and acid.

Over 1000 burn patient admissions annually

The donation is significant and timeous, given the increasing number of critically ill burn patients.

Demand for specialist burns treatment by far exceeds supply  particularly of intensive care unit (ICU) beds.

The unit sees more than 1000 admissions of adults and paediatric patients each year, and around 70 patients a week present for burn dressing.

This excludes the high number of ICU patients requiring daily, specialist care.

Significantly expanded space and services

The R100 million donation has enabled significant expansion of the unit and the services it can provide to more burn patients.

"Today we're very excited that the project is finished. What is going to change for us, first, is the 12 new ICU beds, dedicated only to burns. And these are very advanced beds," said Muganza.

"Most importantly, we're going to increase our operating time and we're going to have a new theatre that is dedicated to only burn victims."

Burns patients can require several operations for wound recovery  sometimes up to four or five, he said.

The expanded unit includes a recovery room and new outpatient facility, while a new rehabilitation space includes rooms for physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

The unit now also has more office space as well as an area to be developed for education, research, and a skin substitutes laboratory.

Muganza said, "Burn care will change in this country, and education and training. Were going to train more students, interns, registrars, and some specialist doctors across South Africa."

Furthermore, accreditation for burn nurses is envisaged, given the specialist skills required.

Skin bank, tissue lab and Centre of Excellence

Ultimately, the Wits Roy McAlpine Burns Unit is envisaged as a Centre of Excellence for burns research.

Muganzas own research interests include skin substitutes for burn injuries and new technologies.

The unit's expansion aims to facilitate the development of a skin bank and a tissue engineering laboratory where synthetic and skin tissue for wound cover can be developed.

Muganza says, We will no longer have to depend on skin from foreign countries because we have the expertise to do it here. This will greatly enhance the units capacity and enable research to enhance the science and treatment of burns.
How does a disease spread from animals to humans?

The behaviour of modern humankind has played a large part in the advent of new communicable diseases.

COVID stunned the world with an unanticipated pandemic. Now mpox, a disease which originated in animals, has been declared a global public health emergency.

In this edited extract from his new book Fighting an Invisible Enemy, virologist Barry Schoub, the founding director of South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases, looks at how diseases spread from animals to humans.

The introduction of new diseases to humans

Epidemics and pandemics of new diseases arise in two stages. Firstly, the zoonotic spillover event introduces the infectious organism, in the main a virus, into the human population from an animal source.

The second stage involves various factors that could promote the spread of the pathogenic communicable organism throughout the human population.

Zoonotic spillover

A spillover event occurs when a communicable disease agent crosses the species barrier from animals to humans and then gets established in the human population.

This may be the result of humans intruding into remote, isolated wild animal ecosystems, or when wild animals are driven to venture into human habitats or are purposely brought into human environments.

Alien animal viruses entering the human biome

The successful introduction of an alien animal virus into the human population is a rare event.

Its rare because of the need for the virus to attach itself to a very specific receptor site on the cells surface to initiate infection.

The attachment to the receptor site is highly specific to that virus in much the same way as a key fits a lock. On that rare occasion when the key can fit the lock, the invading virus successfully establishes itself in the host cell and then initiates the infection process.

Inside the cell the virus replicates itself using the machinery of the cell. The progeny virus (a replica of the original) is released from the cell only to infect further cells and repeat the replication process.

The next step is for it to be released from the body to infect another individual and establish a chain of transmission from human to human, which could ultimately lead to an outbreak of a communicable disease.

The behaviour of modern humankind has played a large part in the advent of these new communicable diseases.

The increasing wildlife trading of exotic animals worldwide, both legal and illegal, facilitates an ever-growing wild animal-human interaction. Multiple opportunities for these interactions to take place result from the trade of exotic animals, or as a result of agricultural expansion and deforestation of wildlife habitats, or the preparation and consumption of wild animals for food in the so-called wet markets of the Far East.

The reverse chain of events may occur when wild animals are driven to move out of their established habitats and into those of humans in search of food.

Climate change and new infections

Climate change has emerged as one of the most serious threats to human health  from floods to droughts to extremes of temperature. Climate change also poses a serious indirect threat to human health as a result of habitat destruction and its knock-on effect on communicable diseases in humans. The outbreak of the viral disease Nipah in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998/1999 provides a graphic example of how the combination of environmental destruction and climate change can create the ingredients for new human diseases.

The Nipah virus outbreak involved 276 cases, 106 of them fatal. The natural host of this virus is the fruit bat which lives in the forests of these two countries. A combination of the climatic effect of drought, due to the El Nino event, together with a human element  massive deforestation by large-scale burning of vegetation  created a severe haze, which reduced the flowering and fruiting of forest trees.

Deprived of their natural food source, the fruit bats invaded the cultivated orchards and transmitted the virus to domestic pigs which, in turn, infected humans.

The outbreak was brought under control by the large-scale slaughtering of the local pig population.

New infections

The plagues of antiquity moved slowly because in those days transportation was far slower. In contrast, with modern air travel plagues can now be very easily transmitted from one end of the world to the other within a day or two.

We should not be too surprised that the 21st century has presented us with a number of new communicable diseases. Human-wild animal interactions have been promoted by human activities seriously damaging the natural environment of the planet.

Humans of the 21st century are challenged by these new diseases in much the same way as the Native Americans of the 15th and 16th centuries, who suffered massive population losses from new communicable agents brought to their shores by colonising Europeans.

In these so-called virgin soil epidemics the novel organism, being completely new to the population, encounters no resistance from population immunity and is therefore able to spread virtually unhindered.

This is an edited extract from Fighting an Invisible Enemy: The Story of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, published by Wits University Press (2024).

Barry Schoub, Emeritus professor of virology, Wits University, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
CALS to appeal murder conviction of domestic violence victim

CALS represents a mother of two who was convicted of killing her abusive partner during an incident of domestic violence

The Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) has approached the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on behalf of a mother of two who was convicted of murdering her abusive partner during an incident of domestic violence. Together with the appeal, we are launching a constitutional challenge to ask that courts take a history of domestic violence into consideration in determining such cases.

Domestic violence is recognised as a widespread and life-threatening problem globally, and one that particularly affects women and children. Though data can be difficult to gather because of the nature of domestic violence occurring in private spaces and the challenges survivors face in reporting abuse, it is thought that up to 50% of women may experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes in our country.

The almost inevitable culmination of escalating domestic violence is that someone will die, most often women, says Sheena Swemmer, head of the Gender Justice programme at CALS. In some instances, victims of abuse may respond to violence with violence. For them, it literally becomes a situation of him or me. What were arguing is that our courts need to take this phenomenon into account, to engage properly with psychological aspects of domestic violence and trauma.

This week, CALS launched an appeal in the case of a domestic violence victim who was convicted of murdering her abusive partner and sentenced to ten years imprisonment by the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court in November 2022. Prior to her arrest in November 2018, she had spent a year facing beatings from her partner so severe that she suffered a miscarriage. On the night she was arrested, she was held against her will and raped. This evidence was not challenged by the state at trial and was accepted as fact by the court.

We are appealing both our clients sentence and conviction, arguing that the magistrate failed to provide adequate reasons in her judgment for her guilty finding and failed to properly evaluate the evidence at trial. We also contend that the magistrate did not give enough weight to our clients personal circumstances in sentencing her to ten years imprisonment.

In addition to the appeal, we are simultaneously launching a constitutional challenge to the Mandatory Minimum Sentences Regime and the Criminal Law Amendment Act. The constitutional challenge will demonstrate that these laws are unconstitutional as they fail to take into account the mitigating factors of psychological trauma suffered as a result of gender-based violence, especially intimate partner violence which leads to what is known as battered woman syndrome.

The current trends in sentencing show that there is a pattern of courts discounting expert evidence and witness testimony in cases where women are accused of killing their abusers, says Basetsana Koitsioe. Our courts make assumptions about what is reasonable for a woman who has suffered prolonged abuse to do when they face yet another experience of domestic violence. The harsh approach taken to sentencing fails to understand the psychology of abuse.

The application for leave to appeal is set to be heard in late October at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court.

Read our papers in the matter here.

For inquiries, please contact:
During excavations in the ancient city of Aphrodisium in western Turkey, a marble "head of Zeus" was found. It is made of a single block of medium-grained Aphrodisiac marble and was dated by archaeologists to the 2-3 centuries AD.

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The 66-centimeter-high artifact was pre-cleaned and preserved to remove heavily hardened soil deposits, Arkeo News reports.

"A unique discovery in Aphrodisias: a colossal head of Zeus! The marble head demonstrates the greatness of Zeus, the most powerful and important god in Greek mythology. This important work, found 50 meters west of the Temple of Aphrodite, attracts attention with its superb hair and beard craftsmanship. Our work will continue to pass on Anatolia's rich past to future generations," writes Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, on his page on the social network X.

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The city where the artifact was found is located in the upper valley of the Morsinus River in southwestern Turkey and consists of two parts: the northeastern marble quarries and the archaeological site of Aphrodisias. It was built a century after the Temple of Aphrodite, which dates back to the third century BC. The marble quarries of Aphrodisias and the sculptures that were created there were the source of its wealth. Temples, a theater, an agora, and two bath complexes are among the main public buildings that surround the city's streets.

One of the main reasons why Aphrodisias became a leading center for marble sculpture production was the proximity of marble quarries to the city. The city's sculptors were known in the Roman Empire for their virtuoso portrait sculpture, as well as their statues of the gods and Hellenistic-style Dionysius figures. They were the most skilled marble statue carvers of the time. Thanks to the methods used, the caliber of regional artistic design and the creation of elegant portrait sculpture, Aphrodisias occupied a special place in the Roman world.

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Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A 1700-year-old Roman sarcophagus was discovered in a tourist beach bar in Bulgaria. For at least four years, the valuable artifact was used as a table for visitors.

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The Roman coffin was noticed by a former policeman who visited a beach bar on the beach during his vacation. He thought the table was strange, so he notified local authorities, who engaged archaeologists to check whether the bar's interior was a historical artifact, the DailyMail reports.

The ancient stone coffin had garlands, animal images, and a labrys, better known as an axe, on its sides. The top of the sarcophagus was replaced with a stone slab that served as a bar for customers.

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Archaeologists have confirmed that this is in fact an ancient Roman limestone coffin. However, it remains unclear where the sarcophagus came from, as archaeologists noted that the design style is not typical of other Roman artifacts found in Varna. Presumably, it was brought from another region of Bulgaria.

Archaeologist Alexander Minchev and his team from the Regional Historical Museum of Bulgaria have determined that the original structure of the sarcophagus stone and its interior date back to the second century AD.

The authorities referred the case to the Varna District Prosecutor's Office, which opened a pre-trial investigation to find out how the sarcophagus ended up on the beach and why it was repurposed as a bar.

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Roman artifacts are often trafficked in Bulgaria. Police seized 4,600 archaeological items that were brought to the UK from Bulgaria in 2020.

Among the valuables: urns, lamps, arrowheads and ancient coins that came from military camps that were once located in northern Bulgaria.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Import of cheap second hand cars from other countries in Ukraine is reviving. Such cars are again very popular - the demand has increased. And in general, the number of cars imported from abroad has increased.

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Traditionally, our motorists prefer inexpensive cars. Models with mileage are much more affordable. As reported by the organization Ukravtoprom, since the beginning of 2024 in Ukraine imported cars for 2.29 billion dollars.

Demand for such cars increased by 40% relative to 2023. These are mainly used cars, which are the most popular on the market. The list of countries from which cars are imported most often is presented.

From which countries cars are brought to Ukraine:

Germany - 33,074 pcs; USA - 27,469 pcs; Japan - 18 099 pcs; China - 17 715 pcs; Korea - 8703 pcs; France - 8284 pcs; Slovakia - 7,814 pcs; Mexico - 7767 pcs; Great Britain - 6978 pcs; Czech Republic - 6825 pcs.

The statistics includes both new and used cars. For example, the leader of the list is Germany - a popular country from which used cars arrive in Ukraine. At the same time, sales of new German cars have increased in the market.

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From the U.S. and Mexico bring mostly used cars, and from China - electric cars of different brands.
Click the photo and watch the video.



Throughout her trip, Cammarota said she witnessed the transformation of the ancient trade route into a corridor of economic and cultural exchange.

PAESTUM, Italy, Aug. 26 (Xinhua)  Inspired by Marco Polo, who traveled to China along the ancient Silk Road more than 700 years ago, Italian traveler Vienna Cammarota set off from the legendary explorer's hometown Venice on April 26, 2022, to retrace the route on foot.

With a simple backpack and two trekking poles, 74-year-old Cammarota has covered over 20,000 km and passed through dozens of countries. Before entering China, the last stop of her journey to the East, she returned to her southern Italian hometown of Paestum in August for a short break.

The journey is more than just a personal challenge, Cammarota told Xinhua in a recent interview. It is a mission to witness firsthand the impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and to share the experiences with the world, she added.

Vienna Cammarota tries her gear at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. [Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua]



Cammarota's fascination with China began over two decades ago when a Chinese student stayed in her home, igniting her interest in the country's rich cultural heritage.

Throughout her trip, Cammarota said she witnessed the transformation of the ancient trade route into a corridor of economic and cultural exchange. "I have seen the bridges, highways, and railways built under the BRI, which connect countries in a way that echoes the Silk Road's historic role in facilitating trade and cultural exchange."

Marveled at the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia, a project built by a Chinese consortium, led by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, Cammarota said the bridge not only connected the country's southern and northern regions but also shortened the distance between the island of Korcula, where Marco Polo once lived, to the land. "What an amazing work," Cammarota posted on Facebook.

This photo provided by Vienna Cammarota and taken with a mobile phone shows herself in Turkey during her journey in 2022. [Xinhua]



In October 2023, Cammarota reached Tajikistan, where she visited the China-Tajikistan highway project. The infrastructure project, once completed, is expected to enhance regional connectivity and bring new opportunities. Cammarota noted that she observed how this project embodies the spirit of the BRI --"bringing hope and development to the communities along its path."

Cammarota said she plans to spend two years in China, visiting key stops along the ancient Silk Road, including Kashgar, Kuqa and Turpan in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Dunhuang, Zhangye and Jiayuguan in Gansu Province; and the historic city of Xi'an. She is particularly eager to visit Suzhou, the "Venice of the East," as described by Marco Polo.

For Cammarota, this journey is more than retracing Marco Polo's footsteps. She said she hopes her travels will help people in Italy and the West see the true beauty and greatness of China.

Vienna Cammarota checks her gear at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. [Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua]



"People in the West often view China through political lens, without truly understanding its cultural richness and modern achievements," she said in the interview. "The real China is a land filled with numerous UNESCO heritage sites, cutting-edge technology, and a harmonious balance between urban development and natural preservation."

"The BRI reflects the idea that one should not only strive for personal gain but also work for the benefit of society as a whole," a concept deeply rooted in Chinese culture, she noted. "This spirit of mutual support has long been forgotten in the West."

Describing herself as an ambassador of cultural exchange and modern-day Marco Polo, Cammarota noted that "I want people to know about Marco Polo and the Silk Road, but I also want to send a message to women of my age -- it's never too late to pursue your dreams."

Vienna Cammarota is seen at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. [Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua]

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha
Li Shuying (left) guides fellow disabled women in making tree bark artwork in Arxan, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in March. [China Daily]

Drawing her inspiration from nature, 60-year-old Li Shuying from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, breathes new life to birch bark by crafting them into vivid animals, ancient Chinese beauties and breathtaking landscape paintings.

From Bailang Town in Arxan City of the region's Hinggan League  an area famous for its lush birch forestsLi has created artworks with birch bark for decades. She collects the bark from dead birch trees or those that fall naturally, cuts the bark into shapes and creatively pieces them together.

"Each artwork I make keeps the natural grain and color of the birch bark. I cut and piece them into mountains, rabbits, cats, portraits and whatever else inspires me," she said. "My first satisfying work was inspired by some plant-themed embroidery my mother had done.

Li introduces her birch bark artworks to tourists in March. [China Daily]

"I feel most proud of my work portraying 108 heroes, the main characters of the Chinese novel Shuihu Zhuan, or Water Margin, which depicts legends from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)."

She said that the piece took her three months to make and won her first place at an art competition in Hinggan League in 2013.

It's clearly her passion, as Li's eyes light up whenever she discusses her artwork. This place of happiness comes on the back of a disability that affected her leg, as she faced grim moments and eventually found a meaningful and fulfilling purpose in life.

"I got by on doing flexible work like selling mushrooms or other mountain delicacies before I started creating birch bark pieces in 2002. I joined an art competition organized by the local forestry bureau and won the first prize. Then I got help from the local government who supported me to start a birch bark workshop in 2009.

"At first I was very introverted and dared not to meet people because of the low self-esteem brought by my disability. But everything changed after I found my interest in creating birch bark pieces. My family members have also given me strong support," she said.

Today, her workshop bustles in summer with visitors coming in a continuous stream.

"Most of them come to experience making their own birch bark art pieces, especially the children, and an experience class costs only 15 yuan (U.S.2.10 dollars) per person. I also sell finished goods or take bespoke orders. In the peak season from May to September, I can generate a revenue of over 100,000 yuan."

Li creates tree bark pieces at her workshop in Arxan. [China Daily/Cheng Si]

Li said the winter in Bailang is chilly and long with few travelers, so she usually closes the workshop from October to early spring. "I'm not idle during the winter, however, with so much preparation work like collecting materials and thinking what I have to do for next year's birch bark art creation."

She has also given back to the community by assisting others with disabilities by offering them jobs.

"I've taught 60 to 70 people, including those with disabilities, how to make birch bark pieces in the past 10 or more years. My courses are free of charge and I provide them with all the equipment, including cleaned birch bark, paper and picture frames. I have five to six flexible workers at my workshop and three of them have disabilities. They work with me from May to late September  the town's tourism peak season and I pay them a monthly salary of about 3,000 yuan," she said.

Li was recognized as an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage for making birch bark art in 2020 by the Hinggan League. Last year, she opened another workshop in Ulaanhot, the league's capital city.

"The workshop in Ulaanhot is not aimed at making profits, but rather it's a place where more people with disabilities can learn the skills of making birch bark artworks and earn their livings. I organized four training courses last year, with each course attracting 20 disabled people.

"It's not a regular activity but I go there whenever I have spare time. The door of the workshop is always open, so the disabled learners can go there to create their art pieces whenever they want and don't pay any money for electricity or water bills," she said. "Several more training courses will be organized this year."

Li has also utilized new technologies to help enrich her creations and plans to start livestreaming in the near future. "Initially, my shyness held me back, but many of my friends have encouraged me to do some online business. I think it's time for me to set an example for my disabled peers and hopefully they can take some inspiration from what I do."

(Source: China Daily)

Editor: Wang Shasha
A participant grinds tea leaves at a workshop called "Teatime in Tang Dynasty" on the sidelines of the Taipei Int'l Tea Culture Expo in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, Aug. 25, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Chenghao]

TAIPEI, Aug. 26 (Xinhua)  Tang Wen-jing is offering attendees a fascinating way to unwind on the sidelines of the Taipei Int'l Tea Culture Expo, held from Friday to Monday: a workshop designed to steep them in the tea drinking culture of yesteryear.

"I would like to show participants how to make and drink tea like people of the Tang Dynasty," Tang told Xinhua, describing her workshop, called "Teatime in Tang Dynasty (618-907)," as a unique opportunity to experience the origins of tea drinking.

Tang recreated the whole tea-making and drinking ritual, each step strictly following what was recorded in the book "The Classic of Tea" by Tang scholar Lu Yu in the eighth century. The book is the first treatise in China to compile knowledge of tea and its related practices.

Several participants were invited on the stage to bake and grind tea leaves, boil water and serve tea, using replicas of Tang-era tea paraphernalia, ranging from stoves to tea cups.

Participants were also treated to images of the earliest and highest-ranking Tang imperial tea set, unearthed in the Famen Temple in northwest China's Shaanxi Province in 1987.

"It may be a more accessible way for today's people to learn about what was written in 'The Classic of Tea' by taking part in the ritual personally," she said.

The way modern Chinese, including people of Taiwan, drink tea is dramatically different from the habits of the Tang people. Instead of boiling ground tea leaves in a large iron or pottery pot, people today pour boiled water onto tea leaves in a hand-size teapot.

"The word 'Tang' made me curious," said a lady surnamed Zhou, who had traveled from Taoyuan City to Taipei for the event. Although Zhou, who is in her early twenties, does not drink tea, she was intrigued to know how Chinese made tea some 1,200 years ago.

"The event was very interesting. I think I will try to make myself a good cup of tea," she said.

"I have seen how the ancients took tea in some mainland-produced period dramas but once I tried it myself, I found it to be more complicated and delicate than I had imagined," said a participant surnamed Sun, who joined Tang on the stage.

In a trip to Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province, Sun was surprised to find that teenagers there were taught how to make and serve tea traditionally.

"Taiwan also has a fine tradition of Chinese tea drinking and produces excellent tea. I hope we can also pass on this cultural legacy to our children," she said.

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha
An international team of researchers has discovered that metallic minerals produce oxygen on the ocean floor 4,000 meters deep. The discovery challenges long-held assumptions that only photosynthetic organisms produce terrestrial oxygen.

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According to the geologists, minerals in the deep waters act as geobatteries to produce oxygen in a process that does not require sunlight. This is "dark" oxygen, CNN writes.

An unexpected discovery

Andrew Sweetman of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) first made the discovery of "dark" oxygen in 2013 while conducting field research on a ship in the Pacific Ocean. But the discovery of oxygen at a depth of 4000 meters below the surface, where light cannot penetrate, seemed absurd. The ocean scientist thought his monitoring equipment was faulty.

However, on three subsequent trips to the region known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, the sensor data stubbornly showed that oxygen was being formed on the seafloor. "You're careful when you see something that's contrary to what's supposed to be happening," said Sweetman.

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Photosynthesizing organisms such as plants, plankton and algae are known to use sunlight to produce oxygen, which is released into the ocean depths. But previous studies conducted in the deep sea have shown that oxygen is only consumed, not produced, by the organisms that live there.

Contrary to previous research

Sweetman first made the unexpected observation that "dark" oxygen is produced on the seafloor while assessing marine biodiversity. The bubbles form over millions of years through chemical processes that cause metals to precipitate out of the water around shell fragments, squid beaks, and shark teeth and cover a large area of the seafloor.

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"I thought: 'Oh my God, I've been ignoring something profound and huge for the last eight or nine years,'" said Andrew Sweetman.

The team took some samples of sediment, seawater, and polymetallic nodules to the lab to try to understand exactly how the oxygen was being produced. Through a series of experiments, the researchers ruled out biological processes such as microbes and found that the source of the phenomenon was the nodules themselves.

Swetman turned to Franz Geiger, an electrochemist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and together they continued their research. Using a device called a multimeter to measure tiny voltages and voltage fluctuations, they recorded readings of 0.95 volts on the surface of the nodules.

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"It seems that we have discovered a natural 'geobattery. These geobatteries are the basis for a possible explanation of the production of dark oxygen in the ocean," said Prof. Geiger.

Extraction of rare metals and minerals on the seabed

The new study demonstrates how much is still unknown about the ocean depths and highlights what is at stake in attempting to mine the ocean floor for rare metals and minerals. The discovery that there is another source of oxygen on the planet other than photosynthesis also has far-reaching implications that could help unravel the origin of life.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there are 21.1 billion dry tons of polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which contain more critical metals than the world's land-based reserves combined.

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Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the International Seabed Authority regulates mining in the region. Experts are to meet to consider new rules that would allow companies to extract metals from the ocean floor.

Environmental damage

Countries such as France and Britain have expressed caution, supporting a moratorium or ban on deep-sea mining to protect marine ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. For example, Hawaii has banned deepwater mining in state waters.

Some scientists argue that deep-sea mining can irreversibly damage pristine underwater environments. After all, noise and sediment plumes raised by mining equipment harm mid-water ecosystems as well as organisms on the seabed. In addition, deep-sea mining can disrupt the way the ocean stores carbon, contributing to the climate crisis.

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Swetman and Geiger said the mining industry should consider the implications of this new discovery before potentially exploiting the deep-sea nodules.

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The Supreme Court is sowing confusion over how it will handle election disputes this fall
Welsh NHS Confederation urges First Minister to include public health in listening tour

The Welsh NHS Confederation is urging Wales new First Minister to prioritise discussions about the future of public health as part of her upcoming listening exercise with the public.

The exercise, which aims to set the Welsh Governments priorities for the next 18 months, should include a wider conversation on transforming services to meet the changing health needs of the population, according to the confederation.

Last September, 32 organisations from various sectors across Wales came together to advocate for a public discussion on the future of health and care services.

This coalition stressed the need for a cross-government and cross-sector approach to tackle the nations significant health challenges, which are reducing life expectancy and widening inequalities.

Wales faces a range of population health challenges, said Darren Hughes, Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation.

These challenges require an integrated approach across all public services and sectors. We need to create an economic, social, and natural environment in Wales that supports good health and wellbeing throughout life.

The confederation points out that improving population health cannot be achieved solely through the NHS. While waiting times and access to services are often the most visible issues, Mr Hughes emphasises that they account for less than 20% of a populations overall health.

The remaining 80% is influenced by socio-economic factors, such as fair work, housing, transport, and access to green spaces and leisure activities.

He added, In these economically challenging times, budgets that impact the wider determinants of health are being squeezed more than ever. If these spending cuts are not reversed, we will face greater costs and unmet needs in the long term.

The Welsh NHS Confederation is calling for a shift away from isolated thinking and short-term planning towards a more collaborative, long-term approach. Continuing on the current path is not an option, Hughes warned. We need public services that are adequately and sustainably funded, focusing on prevention and enabling people to take charge of their own health and wellbeing. This must be based on a strong partnership between the government, all sectors, and the public.

The organisation is urging the First Ministers listening exercise to include discussions on what individuals, organisations, sectors, and government departments can do collectively to improve public health outcomes. It calls for all sectors and government departments to work together in transforming health and care services, with public engagement at the heart of this process.

Mr Hughes concluded, Its simply not an option to stay as we are. We need to think about the future now. The Welsh NHS Confederations appeal comes at a crucial time as the new administration seeks to align its priorities with the publics needs, aiming to create a healthier and more equitable Wales.
As the campus reopens this week at the University of Michigan (UM), the position of the university administration is very clear: Those who protest against genocide are criminals. While tens of thousands of Palestinians are being slaughtered by US-backed Israeli attacks, university officials want to suppress any expression of outrage or condemnation by students, faculty or other campus workers.

On August 20 a committee associated with the Faculty Senate at UM exposed these plans for repression, issuing a letter to its 7,300 members and alerting the entire campus population. The letter warned that the university administration has utilized thoroughly anti-democratic means to implement sweeping attacks on policies that previously protected core democratic rights on campus.

The letter was accompanied by recent reports that at least 11 UM student protesters against US-Israeli genocide in Gaza now face a hiring ban on campus. One protester has apparently been fired from a student job for taking part in protests.

Also, the Michigan Daily published a letter last week denouncing a university attack on a student, Salma Hamamy, who had her January 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award rescinded by the university on May 21, 2024 for her pro-Palestinian activism. The letter was signed by 65 of the previous MLK Spirit Award Recipients, who returned their awards in protest of this attack.

The August 20 faculty letter was issued by the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA) to the University of Michigan Faculty Senate. SACUA warned of key revisions to UMs Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities (SSRR) that took place on July 18 and August 6, with chilling implications:

Anti-genocide protesters at the University of Michigan erect encampment in solidarity with Gaza and other student protesters, April 22, 2024. [Photo: SAFE U Mich and Alumni of Mich 4 Palestine]

These new policies were adopted without input or advice from faculty, staff, or students. We believe they were written by the Office of the General Counsel, at the request of the Regents, and then discussed privately by a select few before being adopted without public discussion. Taken together, they deprive students of the right to due process and fair hearings with faculty oversight, curtail freedom of speech and expression, and radically increase administrators power to prosecute students and limit inconvenient forms of free speech.

The recent revisions extend a previous authoritarian policy announced on March 27 which pledged to ban protest on campus. Collectively the new policies:

Allow the university to file a complaint against a student. Previously all complaints about misconduct had to come from UM staff members, faculty or students. The new policies now appear to provide legal cover to allow for outside consulting firms to gather information and file complaints and sanctions against students on behalf of the university.

Prior to the policy change the anti-genocide student group Tahrir Coalition contended that a member of the consulting firm Grand River Solutions, Omar Torres, had been brought on to pursue and file complaints against student protesters in violation of university policy. Considerable resources are being devoted to enforce the repressive policies. The university now employs Torres in the Human Resources Department and has hired Grand River Solutions through a no-bid $750,000 contract.

Assign unilateral and unchallengeable authority to a Resolution Coordinator (RC), who can apply punishing sanctions against student misconduct without prior discussion with the student being accused of misconduct. This was previously a university protocol. This new policy includes giving the RC arbitrary power to determine whether to allow a student appeal.

If an appeal is granted by the RC, the Vice President for Student Life is the final arbiter of the merits of the appeal. Previously, students had the right to appeal all such misconduct decisions through an Appeals Board with representation from faculty, students and administration. The new policy eliminates that appeals process.

The university can ban almost any form of protest on campus. The policies adopt deliberately vague language regarding university facilities and misconduct, which state that individuals and groups may not disrupt University activities or operations; neither may people obstruct human or vehicle traffic, ways of ingress and egress, paths, stairs, aisles and the like.

One day after the faculty letter exposed these attacks, UM President Santa Ono issued a hypocritical Welcome Back message to the entire campus intended to conceal the universitys right-wing attacks on democratic rights.

Onos letter declares, Protest is part of democracy and something we embrace and celebrate. However, one persons right to protest must not infringe on the rights of others, endanger our community or disrupt the operations of the university.

He refers to the upcoming truly consequential election in the United States but says nothing about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the escalation of war by the US and NATO with Russia in Ukraine nor the rising danger of fascism. The main concern of the administration is to prevent any protests that would disrupt and fuel further opposition to the war plans of the US government.

Campuses like University of Michigan have become ruling class laboratories for the removal of all democratic rights to free speech, protest and due process across the country. The central drive in eliminating democratic rights is to remove any opposition to imperialist war and social inequality.

Since October 2023, there have been dozens of vigorous protests at the UM involving hundreds and at times thousands of students and opponents of the Gaza genocide. At every step the university has escalated its repressive and anti-democratic measures.

From November 2023 to the present, the university has intervened to shut down and ban all student government anti-genocide resolutions, arrested dozens of student protesters, violently attacked and destroyed a peaceful anti-genocide encampment, and is now institutionalizing sweeping attacks on core democratic rights to free speech and due process.

The actions of the UM administration over this period fully expose the dead-end of directing campus protests to pressure the university to divest from its financial connections to Israel and any other partner of American militarism. But this has been the outlook of the leaders of the protest groups, particularly those associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The University of Michigan has long been one of the central political strongholds for the Democratic Party, which is overseeing the genocide through the Biden-Harris administration.

These attacks cannot be stopped within the confines of college campuses because their source is the capitalist system itself, which is pursuing imperialist war abroad and authoritarian measures against the working class at home.

As Kamala Harris made clear in her speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination: As commander-in-chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world. The central focus of her campaign and the Democratic Party in general will be to defend the interests of Wall Street and its military-intelligence apparatus, and to continue the militaristic foreign policy of the Biden administration to defend the global interests of the American financial aristocracy, including the genocide in Gaza.

The authoritarian attacks on UM protesters are part of a nationwide assault on democratic rights on campuses across the country, involving tens of thousands of students at dozens of schools in California, Michigan, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and many other states.

The campaign against free speech on campuses constitutes an attack on the rights of the entire working class and must be opposed by all class-conscious workers and youth. It demonstrates that the fight against war is inseparable from the fight to defend democratic rights and the fight for socialism. This underscores the urgent need for students and youth to turn to the working classautoworkers, teachers, healthcare workers and moreand help mobilize the only social force that can end war and social inequality. We urge students and young people to take up this fight by joining and building the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) at UM, and around the world.
A powerful solar storm that caused the aurora borealis in the spring of 2024 gave the Earth a new belt. It is the so-called Van Allen belt, which revolves around the planet.

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Scientists explain that the Van Allen belts are two bagel-shaped radiation belts orbiting the Earth, consisting of energetic charged particles trapped by the planet's magnetic field. According to NASA, as a result of intense solar storms that occurred in May, a temporary third belt appeared around the Earth, IflScience writes.

"Scientists are studying the data to better understand the newly formed belt and how long it can last. Stay tuned for their discoveries!" NASA said.

It is believed that most of the energized particles captured by the belts come from the solar wind, while others come in the form of cosmic rays. When strong solar storms reach Earth, as they did in May of this year, it can cause a disruption that allows a third layer of charged particles to become trapped in the magnetosphere.

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According to the scientists, the new belt was discovered between the two constants by NASA's Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat, a satellite that monitors the Earth's inner radiation belt. Experts can't say for sure how long this might last. The space agency said the timeline could stretch from months to years.

It is well known that solar storms can interfere with the Van Allen belts on Earth. For example, in September 2012, there was an intense flurry of high-energy particle emissions from the Sun's atmosphere, which created a third time zone that disappeared in a matter of weeks.

Scientists claim that the geomagnetic storm of May 2024 was the strongest in the last 20 years. Along with the formation of the third Van Allen belt and the creation of a previously invisible vortex in the Earth's atmosphere, the most noticeable impact on earthlings was the spectacle of the stunning northern lights in latitudes where there are usually no auroras.

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Nevertheless, experts warn that geomagnetic storms can cause not only beautiful color splashes in the night sky but also dangerous disruptions. After all, much of the technology that governs the world, such as GPS and satellite telecommunications, can suffer from aggressive space weather.

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Between 2013 and 2024, 38 leaders of Amazonian indigenous peoples in Peru were assassinated by mafias associated with illegal mining, logging and drug trafficking. Organizations advocating for the rights of indigenous peoples have reported similar widespread atrocities in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.

The Awajun people living in Peru's Cenepa River basin protest the contamination caused by illegal gold mining [Photo by Andina / CC BY 4.0

Last month Mariano Ikasama, the leader of the Amazonian Kakataibo community, who was known for his work as a human rights defender, was found dead with signs of torture in the Ucayali region after being missing for 23 days.

The Peruvian newspaper La Republica reported the April 19, 2024 shooting of Victorio Dariquebe, the 61-year old park ranger of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve in the Madre de Dios region in southeastern Peru, which borders Brazil and Bolivia.

The assassination of Amazonian leaders in Peru has been accompanied by the recent killing of three non-indigenous environmental activists, who were targeted for their work in protecting Amazonian forests and natural reserves against illegal gold mining in rivers and deforestation.

Indigenous peoples are waging a struggle to preserve the largest ecosystem on the planet: the basin of the mighty Amazon River, estimated at some 5.5 million km2  with 750,000 km2 in Peru.

In Peru, there are 2,439 indigenous communities associated with 109 federations and nine organizations under the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Rainforest of Peru (Aidesep), as well as the autonomous territories of Awajun, Ese Eja Nation, and Shipibos. These communities safeguard over 18 million hectares of critical forest land.

In June, the Awajun attempted to block illegal mining in the Amazonas department by blocking the Comainas River with a cordon of canoes. Known as Defenders of Diversity, they are committed to protecting their land and resources. Their website says:

Over the past few decades,  large-scale projects like infrastructure development, extractive industries, and the cultivation of coffee and palm oil have been causing significant damage to the Amazon region.  This has resulted in the destruction of native flora and fauna, as well as the traditional ways of life that have adapted to this environment and lived in harmony with it.  The survival of these communities, along with the knowledge and practices they have developed over hundreds of years, is crucial in the fight against climate change.

In the department of Madre de Dios, where Victorio Dariquebe was murdered, the Andean Amazon Mining Project (MAAP) reports that gold mining in the region is harming local fauna, flora, and indigenous communities.

The MAAP report highlights deforestation, river contamination, and adverse effects on public health. MAAP estimates that 23,881 hectares were deforested in Madre de Dios between 2021 and September 2023.

Aidesep, explains the profound significance of the Amazon basin for global ecological balance:

Given their vast extension, Peruvian forests constitute an important carbon reserve on a global scale. Forests generate climate resilience and ensure the provision of fundamental ecosystem services, such as water, and resources for food sustainability.

It is clear, therefore, that the attack on the Amazonian peoples way of life and the destruction of their habitat has much wider repercussions.

Indigenous leaders have declared a state of emergency, accusing the Peruvian government of neglecting their requests for a study on the Amazon regions environmental quality. They also hold the government responsible for the serious crimes committed against their communities.

A rare instance of justice occurred on September 1, 2014, when four out of the five defendants accused of killing four Ashaninka leaders in Ucayali were sentenced to 28 years and three months in prison. The case shed considerable light on the severity of unpunished crimes in the region.

Peru is a country where 13.1 percent of children under five years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition in general and 42.4 percent are affected by anemia. These 2023 figures for the country as a whole would without a doubt be much higher among children in indigenous communities in the Amazon.

Poverty and oppression, particularly of children in indigenous communities, is extreme. They have high school dropout rates, and are exploited by mafias who force them to work for low wages in gold mines along the rivers.

Girls in these communities face sexual abuse and forced prostitution, resulting in high incidence of rape cases and HIV transmission. The Peruvian Minister of Education Moran Quero has crassly attributed the rape of 500 Awajun girls to cultural practice.

The Peruvian government engages in little more than handwringing when it comes to oppression of these communities, because it defends the powerful capitalist interests that profit off of the illegal mining, logging and drug trafficking that plague the Amazon region.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro did not even bother to hide his initiatives to uproot indigenous communities in the Amazon. According to Sage Journals Home:

Under the ultraconservative Bolsonaro government, the State has been taken over by elites with rural and extractive capital who plan on exploiting the Amazon rain forest at any cost and see indigenous peoples as an obstacle to their goal. The military also has a noteworthy position in this offensive, which strikes at the heart of what are considered human rights.

The organization Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL 2020) referred to Bolsonaros policies as one without indigenous people, that is, genocide.

Bolsonaros successor, Workers Party (PT) President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, announced with great fanfare his intention to pursue a new policy in the Amazon region dedicated to protecting the environment and the indigenous populations. While his government has managed to reduce the rate of deforestation by half, the area controlled by illegal mining actually increased by seven percent last year.

With environmental and indigenous agencies confronting scant resources, the Amazonas mission has largely been delegated to the Brazilian military, which has a long record of oppressing indigenous populations. This includes the massacre of nearly 10,000 indigenous people in the Amazonas region under the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985.

The history of unaddressed abuse and crimes committed against indigenous peoples constitutes a compelling indictment of the capitalist system. It is up to the international working class, in building socialism, to end these crimes.

Only the socialist conversion of the capitalist economy will permit respect of indigenous languages and culture, while providing full economic rights, universal education and proper housing.
The political crisis triggered by the recent presidential elections in Venezuela is graphically exposing the treachery and subordination to imperialism of the bourgeois governments of the Latin American Pink Tide and their satellite pseudo-left organizations.

President Nicolas Maduro campaigning in the Venezuelan state of Zulia [Photo by teleSUR / CC BY 4.0

Called by the regime of President Nicolas Maduro after closed-door negotiations with Washington, the Venezuelan elections took place against the backdrop of US imperialisms declared quest to secure control of Latin Americas strategic resources, which include Venezuelas critical oil reserves. At the same time, the US is fighting to undermine the regional influence of its global competitors, especially China and Russia, which support the Maduro government.

Since Maduro declared himself re-elected at the end of July, the US and its allies have contested the official results and put increasing pressure on the regime in Caracas. The imperialist maneuvers seek to corner the Chavista government in order to extract the deepest concessions or, if possible, to directly install a puppet regime through a coup based on the Venezuelan fascistic opposition and the military.

It is extremely revealing that, in this context, Washington has chosen Brazilian President Lula da Silva of the Workers Party (PT) as its preferred mediator in the political impasse in Venezuela.

The Brazilian government issued two joint statements with its allied governments of Gustavo Petro of Colombia and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico, demanding the publication of detailed electoral records by Caracas if their official results are to be recognized. Subsequently, Lula disqualified the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court and advocated new elections in the country. Lulas statements were issued between calls to Joe Biden of the US, Emmanuel Macron of France and Justin Trudeau of Canada, who publicly applauded the Brazilian leaders actions.

The dirty work carried out by the Pink Tide governments on behalf of imperialism in Latin America has had a decisive complement in the treacherous policies of the pseudo-left, most prominently of the Morenoite organizations that make up the Frente de Izquierda y de Trabajadores - Unidad (FIT-U) in Argentina and compete with each other for positions in the union and state apparatuses in this and other countries.

In response to the Venezuelan elections, the International Workers Unity (UIT-CI, its acronym in Spanish), the International Workers League (LIT-CI), the Trotskyist Fraction (FT-CI) and the International Socialist League (LIS)  the international facades of the rival Morenoite organizations  issued statements with similar content, demanding: Publicize all records (FT); Down with the fraud. We demand respect for the peoples will expressed in their vote (UIT); Down with the electoral fraud! (LIT); Respect the popular will (LIS).

As their headlines indicate, these documents echo the denunciations and demands of Lula and his allies, directly dictated by US imperialism. They all support the claim that the results of the elections  which the Morenoites assume were unquestionably won by the fascistic right  are the most genuine expression of the peoples will.

The fact that the terms of these elections were set between Washington and Maduros bourgeois government, desperate to reach a deal with imperialism, completely behind the backs of the people, has been deliberately ignored by the Morenoites.

To claim that the electoral results express, to any degree, the political will of the workers in Venezuela is a cynical distortion of reality.

Even aside from the blatantly illegitimate origins of this electoral process, the policies advocated by the Morenoites clash head-on with Marxist principles. By identifying bourgeois elections with the expression of the popular will they are deliberately concealing the class character of the state, while leaving no doubt about the bourgeois essence of their own politics.

Their backing up the fraudulent bourgeois narrative espoused by the Pink Tide governments exposes the Morenoites as junior partners of imperialism in Latin America. But the imperialist operation in Venezuela has a task especially designated to the pseudo-left: to divert the working class from reaching the necessary revolutionary conclusions in the face of the collapse of the bourgeois order in Venezuela, Latin America as a whole and worldwide.

Among the different Morenoite tendencies, the politics of the so-called Trotskyist Fraction  which cunningly tries to differentiate itself from its competitors and sell itself as a genuinely revolutionary tendency  is an exemplary case of how the pseudo-left operates.

The statement put out in the name of the FTs Venezuelan group, Liga de Trabajadores por el Socialismo (Workers League for Socialism, LTS), and prominently featured on the FTs website, La Izquierda Diario, for several days, is a rhetorical exercise in justifying the handover of power to the US-led Venezuelan fascists as a necessary stage in the development of the workers movement.

Declaring their total solidarity with the protests that have erupted in the country against the grotesque attempt to rig the elections, the statement reads:

It is a deeply contradictory picture, because the genuine and legitimate democratic and social aspirations of the mobilized people imply not only to defeat the starving and repressive government of savage capitalism of Maduro, but also the assumption [of power] by another reactionary sector, headed by an exponent of the traditional bourgeoisie... subordinated in everything to the interests of US imperialism.

In other words, it recognizes that the demonstrations it supports have a definite political leadership in the pro-imperialist Venezuelan bourgeoisie.

Further explaining what they frame as the genuine and legitimate aspirations of these protests, the FT wrote: we fully understand the anger expressed with the demand that the will expressed by the majority of the people in the votes be fulfilled, which is ours too.

This last phrase (highlighted by us), which revealed the FTs attitude all too frankly, was surreptitiously removed a few days later from the article posted on La Izquierda Diario. But the FTs political aim remains clear: that the fascist opposition take power supposedly legitimized by the majority of the people at the ballot box and, above all, in the streets.

The FT itself makes it clear that it has no factual basis for attesting to the electoral victory of the right-wing candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez. Nor is it able to determine the real social composition and scope of the protests that it presents as the genuine expression of the Venezuelan people and its aspirations.

As with the other Morenoite groups, the FT cynically uses the desperate demonstrations by impoverished sections of workers to blame their own capitulation to imperialism on the supposed backwardness of the working class.

Based on their false characterization of these protests, the Morenoites have centered their criticisms of the fascistic opposition on the charge that it is not pursuing its coup plots aggressively enough.

Arguing (as did the FT) that Gonzalez and his mentor, the long-time CIA asset Maria Corina Machado, didnt call for the deepening of the mobilization and limited themselves to calling for some popular assemblies of citizens, the UIT concludes: [Gonzalez and Machado] made people believe that it was possible to defeat the government only by the vote, they never warned about the fraud, today it is clear that they continue with their vacillating policy that favors negotiations.

In response to the fascists vacillation policy, the Morenoites advocate giving continuity to the popular protest (without any differentiation from the fascists) and that the popular assemblies of citizens, called by Gonzalez and Machado, must be converted into permanent bodies.

The incredibly reactionary policies defended by these organizations today are a direct continuation of the betrayals committed by Morenoism throughout its history. Although organizations like the FT, UIT, LIT and LIS misleadingly call themselves Trotskyist, their common origins and political tradition are the legacy of the sabotage of the Fourth International by the Argentine Pabloites under the leadership of Nahuel Moreno.

In the early 1960s, Moreno definitively broke with Trotskyism to follow a path of opportunist alliances with Stalinism, petty-bourgeois radical movements and bourgeois nationalists throughout Latin America.

In Argentina, Moreno fully subordinated his organization to the Peronist bourgeois leadership in the trade unions and government until the 1976 military coup. After acting to block a revolutionary struggle of the working class against Peronism, he accepted the establishment of the CIA-backed dictatorship, calling it the most democratic in Latin America.

Today, behind their international facades, the descendants of Morenoism maintain a strictly national political orientation which, in the century of globalization, assumes an ultra-reactionary character.

Among the most sordid examples produced by Morenoite politics in the recent period was the enthusiastic support of the LIT, UIT and LIS for the 2014 Euromaidan fascist-led coup sponsored by US and European imperialism in Ukraine, which the Morenoites went so far as to call it a workers and peoples revolution. The continuation of this orientation was the frenetic campaign by these same organizations for the massive arming of the Zelensky regime by NATO and the deepening of its proxy war against nuclear armed Russia.

In order to understand the crisis facing Venezuelan workers and, more importantly, to point to a progressive way out, it is fundamental to make a critical balance of Chavismo and the Pink Tide. Its promises to achieve the emancipation of Latin America and even to represent a new path to socialism in the 21st century have, in reality, led to a new period of imperialist interventions and the repressive turn of capitalist states that their governments have cultivated.

A balance-sheet of this political process and its strategic lessons would be incomplete without considering the prominent role of the Morenoites in sowing illusions in the Pink Tides bankrupt bourgeois nationalism. To this end, a review of the earlier writings of the Trotskyist Fraction itself is quite illuminating.

In a foundational document of their organization (For a Movement for an International of the Socialist Revolution - Fourth International), published in 2013, the FT reviewed the reactionary zigzags of its colleagues of the UIT and LIT in relation to the Chavista regime over the previous decade.

The FT wrote:

The UIT group in Venezuela went from subordination to Chavismo for years, calling to stuff the ballot boxes with votes for Chavez in the 2006 presidential elections, to sealing alliances with organic trade union bureaucrats of the right-wing parties; while the LIT, who also called to vote for Chavez in the same elections, converged in the No vote with the bourgeois opposition in the 2007 constitutional referendum. Behind these comings and goings and zigzags, without any anchoring in the firmest class independence and anti-imperialism, is the logic of the theory of democratic revolution, a logic which means that in the case of regimes with sui generis left-wing Bonapartist traits, such as Chavismo, these currents end up aligning themselves under the supposed banners of democracy raised by the right-wing, without denouncing that US imperialism is behind them.

Ten years on, not only does the FT reproduce the policy it had recognized as a cover for the machinations of imperialism, but it insists that establishing a [political] pole independent from Maduro with those parties it previously criticized is the necessary basis for an independent, class and anti-capitalist way out of the Venezuelan crisis.

Never has the term class independence been so abused as in the FTs statements. Its political trajectory, systematically aimed at rehabilitating organizations and bureaucracies tarnished by their crimes against workers, exposes, in fact, its total antagonism to the interests of the working class. It is a tendency that speaks for the upper middle class subordinated to the capitalist state and imperialism itself.

The struggle for the political independence of the Venezuelan working class does not involve any kind of amalgamation with the treacherous organizations of the pseudo-left. On the contrary, historical experience  including the critical episodes of recent decades  points to the strategic need for total programmatic and organizational independence of the working class from the petty-bourgeois pseudo-left.

Making a critical review of Hugo Chavezs bourgeois regime on the occasion of his death in 2013, the Latin American editor of the World Socialist Web Site, Bill Van Auken, recalled the support given by the international pseudo-left to Chavezs fraudulent socialist rhetoric and his call to build a Fifth International.

As the WSWS wrote, the Pabloites insistence that Chavezs initiative was a channel to overcome political divergences without the need of discussing the historical balance sheets of different currents exposed their interest in concealing the disastrous outcomes of the historical betrayals they were preparing to repeat.

The article continues:

The painting of chavismo in socialist colors by todays pseudo-lefts is a matter not merely of failing to learn these historical lessons, but rather of deep-rooted class interests. They are drawn to Chavezs 21st Century socialism precisely because of their hostility to the Marxist conception that a socialist transformation can be carried out only through the independent and conscious struggle of the working class to put an end to capitalism and take power into its own hands.

These arguments apply entirely to the political pole of the pseudo-left proposed by the FT today.

As Van Auken explained, the mobilization of the working class towards these revolutionary goals in Venezuela and across Latin America depends on the building of new, independent revolutionary parties, sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International.

The assertive defense of this perspective provoked angry reactions of the supporters of the pseudo-left at the time, which attacked it as a sectarian delusion of the ICFI. But the political developments of the last decade have strongly vindicated the scientific basis of these claims.

The countless workers and young people across Latin America being radicalized by the explosive events of the past years, characterized by the ICFI as the decade of socialist revolution, must draw the political conclusions and take up the task of building this revolutionary party.
Umarania young female contract worker at the state-run Kakkalur Aavin milk factory in Thiruvallur on the outskirts of Tamil Nadus capital, Chennaiwas killed August 20 when her hair and shawl got caught in a conveyor belt. Umaranis horrific, agonizing death starkly highlights the unsafe, all too often lethal, working conditions that prevail in both private and state-run factories and workplaces throughout India.

Umarani, a 30 year-old mother of three children, hailed from Bommiampatti in Tamil Nadus Salem district and started working at the factory about six months ago. Karthi, her now widower husband, is an employee at a private factory in Irungattukottai, another industrial suburb of Chennai.

Umarani [Photo: Facebook/provided by family]

Umarani was collecting milk packets from the conveyor belt and stacking them in trays in a tub, when first her shawl and then her hair got caught in the conveyor belt of the milk vending motor. Umaranis head got pulled into the motor and was severed killing her on the spot. This could have been avoided if she had been wearing a headband, but this was not mandatory at the factory and no inspections were carried out. In addition, there was no switch near at hand to stop the conveyor belt while it was moving slowly. Even though her coworkers realized what was happening due to her screams, they were unable to reach the switch quickly because many tubs were stored nearby. This prevented the workers from immediately turning off the switch and saving Umaranis life.

After the police arrived at the factory, her body was recovered and sent to the Thiruvallur District Government Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. There were around 15 contract workers working with her including 10 additional office laborers. The employees of the Kakkalur dairy and the local community were left in shock, with milk supply from the facility temporarily suspended. Even two days after the tragedy, some contract workers remained away from work and jobs were being done by the office workers.

Aavin is a state Government Cooperative under the ownership of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers Federation Limited (TCMPF), the Ministry of Milk and Dairy Development and Government of Tamil Nadu. Under the Aavin trademark, it has assumed control of all commercial operations, including the procurement, processing, packaging, and consumer sale of milk and milk products such as powdered milk, ghee and ice cream, across the state.

The day after the industrial accident, the local Tiruvallur police arrested Varun Kumar, supervisor of the Kakkalur dairy unit, on the charge of causing death due to negligence. Predictably, Jeyaseelan, the contractor who supplies contract workers for the milk factory, who is a Dravida Munnethra Kazagam (DMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu state) counselor in the local government body for the Kakkalur area where the Aavin Milk Factory is located, was not questioned over the unsafe conditions. These conditions persist for the contract workers because they ensure a sizeable share in Aavins profits flow to the contractor at the expense of the lives of workers like Umarani.

SA Pannusamy of the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Welfare Association said that one million rupees (about $12,000) should be released immediately as compensation to the kin of Umarani. Still, no statement has been made by the state government that it is ready to grant even this meager compensation.

Workers at the Kakkalur Aavin milk factory who spoke to World Socialist Web Site reporters described the unsafe working conditions that led to Umaranis horrific death. According to them, there are three shifts in the factory, with about fifteen contract laborers working each shift. They get a meager wage of $US 119.20 to $US 178.80 per month.

Not surprisingly, Milk & Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj in the DMK state government directly placed the blame on Umarani. In response to a reporters question about whether the worker was at fault or whether the machine had a problem, he responded: This is surely carelessness, but whether it is carelessness or an accident is unclear. Covering up the governments own criminal role in the tragic death, the minister added: This will not happen frequently, nor has it happened before...It is more likely that this occurred due to her carelessness.

This was not the first time that the victims have been blamed for their own deaths. For instance, on October 31, 2010, a young female workerjust twenty-two years oldwas left to die on the assembly line at the Nokia factory in southern India after her head and neck got trapped and crushed inside a robotic loading machine. She was blamed by the leaders of the Labour Progressive Front (LPF), the trade union federation affiliated to the DMK, a partner of the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) national government for her carelessness. They said that she lost her life because the worker had been chatting with her coworker during the work.

The DMK minister further whitewashed the role of the state-run milk corporation, telling the media: There are SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) in place for everything. The machines have operated for 25 years, and we have never encountered such an accident.... [W]e are investigating how this accident occurred. He remained silent on why the hair cover cap or uniform are not mandatory for workers in the factory. As with numerous similar incidents in the past, this investigation will be cast aside as soon as possible or used to pin the blame on the worker, as the minister has already done.

The minister has ample reason to protect the profit-thirsty milk company from public anger. As Milk and Dairy Product Minister Thangaraj told the Hindu in November 27, 2023, the amount of money made from the sale of milk products has grown from $181,183 to over $286,079 daily. In May 2023, Aavin raised milk sales in Chennai alone, from over 1,430,000 liters per day to over 1,500,000 liters per day

Industrial accidents take place on a daily basis throughout India as the central and state governments allow ravenous investors to exploit workers without restraint, ignoring basic safety measures in factories and other workplaces. For this purpose, in 2020, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi anti-democratically rammed a half-dozen blatantly pro-corporate labour reforms through the national parliament.

According to the Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), a state body based in the western Indian state of Maharashtra that monitors industrial accidents, there is a daily average of three worker deaths and 11 injuries occurring in industries in the state. However, as there is no universal data collecting system on these accidents across industries in India, and employers are anxious to cover up injuries for fear of fines or closer inspections, nobody has a true estimatelet alone an accurate figureon the number of workers killed or seriously injured on the job across India in a given period, be it a week, month or year.

The following is only a small selection of some of the tragic incidents reported in the media so far this year:

*In May, a boiler blast at a chemical factory at the Dombivili MIDC in Maharashtra killed at least 13 workers and injured more than 60 workers and residents in the area. It was revealed that the accident occurred due to gross violations of safety measures by the factory owners.

*On May 2, NewsClick reported that 22 contract workers deprived of even limited social security and other benefits died during the previous week in workplace accidents across the states. These included 3 deaths of workers cleaning manholes; 8 workers killed in a factory blast; and 4 workers who died in a mining accident.

*On Aug. 21, that is the day after Umarani was killed, an explosion at the Escientia Advanced Sciences pharmaceutical ingredients factory in the Atchutapuram, Andhra Pradesh, Special Economic Zone left 17 workers dead and more than 40 injured. According to news reports, workers had repeatedly complained of the sort of chemical leak that is believed to have triggered the blast, but management ignored their concerns.

Unions with a mass membership in the Chennai area, such as the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), have said nothing about Umaranis horrific death. These union federations are affiliated with the main Stalinist parliamentary partiesthe Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and the Communist Party of India (CPI) respectively. The capitalist ruling elite is able to carry out its ruthless drive for profit at the cost of workers lives and livelihoods workers because these parties and their union affiliates have systematically suppressed the class struggle.

The Stalinist parties are openly aligned with and participate in right-wing electoral blocs with big business parties like the Congress Party at the national level and the DMK in Tamil Nadu. To compete in the world market and offer up India as a cheap labour platform for international finance capital, the ruling class is determined to ensure that the multi-million workforce remains an object for the most brutal forms of exploitation.

Workers should break from these anti-working class trade union federations and form their own independent action committees at every workplace. Only such committees can genuinely fight for better wages, safety in work places and other favorable working conditions in factories and work places. Indian workers organized in these action committees must join with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees initiated by the International Committee of the Fourth International to establish unity with their class brothers and sisters around the world in a common struggle for their basic social and democratic rights against the capitalist employers and the governments and political parties that ruthlessly defend their interests.
Rural carriers, have you seen mail volumes drop during the current or previous mail counts? Email USPSRankandFileCommittee@gmail.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this article.

The fourth two-week route evaluation, or mini mail survey, under the detested Rural Route Evaluation and Compensation System (RRECS), began August 23 and extends until September 6. Despite intrusive monitoring year-round under RRECS, routes and compensation are only adjusted twice a year based on these mail surveys, and rural carriers are once again writing to the WSWS and posting online that mail volumes are artificially low, guaranteeing that their work will be undercounted and wages suppressed for the coming six months.

Top: A rural carriers overflowing mail van on a typical day. Bottom: A mail van during the current testing period, with much-reduced volume.

RRECS was signed by the leadership of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) in 2012 and introduced in 2022, causing an immediate widespread decline in wages to the tune of thousands of dollars per worker. Carriers have been struggling to make ends meet ever since, as USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy introduces further far-reaching changes to the postal network that burden workers and erode service levels, while the unions maintain a guilty silence.

This past week, DeJoy introduced changes to rural routes that would prioritize deliveries within 50 miles of the new regional hubs that are the cornerstone of his Delivering for America (DFA) 10-year restructuring plan. As the World Socialist Web Site warned a year ago, rural routes under DFA were expected to double in length. To maintain delivery times, USPS would have to hire more carriers; however, instead, DeJoy has decided to allow service levels to drop by as much as 24 hours.

This preferential treatment also violates the universal service mandate, although no challenges have been levied by the postal unions or big-business politicians, who back DeJoys efforts to steer the postal service towards privatization.

Letter carriers denounce RRECS and DFA

Mail carriers are livid that two years since the introduction of RRECS, empty union promises to amend the system or recoup losses through grievance campaigns have yielded no correction to their stolen wages.

One rural carrier out of North Texas wrote into the WSWS, Since [RRECS] started, I have lost over $20,000 in pay. No matter how my route changes, my pay doesnt. We deliver 50 percent more parcels than we are credited for. Its as if they are trying to push me out.

Numerous carriers have cited losses of $10,000-20,000 per year under RRECS. A rural carrier in New Mexico spoke to the WSWS about how the losses upended his and his wifes retirement plans.

Many have called out the widespread complaintignored by the unionthat mail volumes suddenly drop during surveys, which establish carriers wages for the coming six months.

A rural carrier in the Florida panhandle described to the WSWS how sharp the decline is: Whenever the count comes, which lasts for two weeks, we only get one tray [of mail per day]. Usually, I will have 3 to 4, sometimes 6 trays. During the count, even after a holiday weekend, I only have 2 trays of mail. Thats crazy!

This comes at a time when the parcel delivery business of USPSlargely from Amazon and competitors like UPS and FedEx, who lack the rural delivery network of the Postal Serviceis soaring.

Just last week, the NRLCA announced that they signed a secret Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with management to offer voluntary Sunday deliveries to impoverished carriers, struggling to make ends meet.

A rural carrier in south Texas told the WSWS, sarcastically, Mail survey is the only time I get a break. She continued, DeJoys plan is not Delivering for America. Its Delivering for Amazon. Every carrier knows the changes [to the postal network] are just to benefit Amazon. Period.

Where are the unions?

The NRLCA bureaucracy stands completely apart from its members, collecting six-figure salaries, bargaining a new contract behind closed doors, passing sweeping changes through MOUs, rather than democratically with the approval of members, and ignoring the dramatic erosion to workers wages, jobs, and safety.

This antipathy to workers is not unique to the rural carriers union. The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), representing city carriers, and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), representing other crafts, are likewise negotiating new contracts with USPS management in secret.

Rather than uniting their nearly half a million members to overturn DFA, bring back jobs and wages, and protect workers safety, the union bureaucracies are isolating postal workers, keeping them in the dark regarding bargaining, and collaborating with management to roll out further anti-worker programs on the path to full privatization of the postal service.

The postal unions have been completely silent about the death of an Atlanta, Georgia postal worker last week in one of the new DFA regional hubs, which had a disastrous launch, delaying and losing mail for months. They were likewise silent about a 51-year-old postal worker in Fayetteville, North Carolina who died last month of heat stroke after riding all day in a postal truck, which lack air conditioning.

Self help against heatstroke from USPS management, shared with the WSWS

Workers across industries are likewise coming to terms with the betrayals of their union leaders. After historic agreements last year by the Teamsters and United Auto Workers (UAW), which vaulted their presidents, Sean OBrien and Shawn Fain, respectively, to celebrity status with featured speaking roles at the Republican and Democratic national conventions, workers are realizing they were sold a bill of goods.

UPS workers are rallying in Texas after two heat-related accidents last week, including one death, after the Teamsters claimed they had secured air conditioning for delivery drivers, yet not a single truck will be retrofitted with AC. And auto workers have faced mass layoffs in plant after plant, with Dakkota parts workers now in open rebellion against the UAW, voting down a union-endorsed sellout agreement for the fourth time.

Workers have to learn the lessons of the Great Postal Strike of 1970, that only through independent action, in defiance of both management and the labor bureaucracy, can workers secure their lives, their dignity, and their livelihoods.

We call on postal workers across all crafts to join the USPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee by filling out the form below. Only through an independent organization for coordinated action will we achieve our goals. Share this article with your colleagues and join the real movement for change today.
As early as next month, the Pentagon is expected to take over several arms factories in Argentina to produce artillery, munitions and other weapons for the US-NATO war in Ukraine against Russia, according to several Argentine media reports.

Fabricaciones Militares headquarters in Buenos Aires [Photo by Fabricaciones Militares / CC BY 4.0

Pentagon officials have repeatedly warned that scaling up munition production remains a top challenge to US plans to escalate the war against Russia, as well as for war preparations in the Middle East and against China. Last December, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the US was planning to quadruple artillery shell production, explaining at a military forum: Ukraines high burn rate for artillery has hammered home the need to invest even more in munitions.

Last month, a delegation from the US Defense Department traveled to the industrial city of Rio Tercero, to visit one of the five factories of the state-owned arms manufacturer Fabricaciones Militares (FM).

Currently, the fascistic administration of President Javier Milei is in the process of turning numerous enterprises like FM into private corporations and selling them.

Becoming a NATO supplier is the latest step in the Milei administrations campaign to make Argentina a NATO global partner, even as the US-led alliance moves closer to all-out world war that threatens the future of humanity.

Washington had so far unsuccessfully pressed governments in the region to arm Ukraine, but now Buenos Aires is negotiating the shipment of five Super Etendard fighters through France and the direct production of weapons for the US-NATO war.

In June, Argentina joined the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a US-led alliance dedicated to funneling arms and munitions into the war in Ukraine, while Milei has raised the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine. In addition to supporting NATO against Russia, Milei has also strongly supported Israels genocide in Gaza.

Milei justifies the new military relationship as the renewal of an alliance to defend occidental civilization and western values. These ties threaten to use Argentinas military to open a new front against Latin American governments that dont submit fully to US diktats. Milei is already using bellicose rhetoric to threaten the governments in Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico and Chile, which he deems socialist and communist.

In the midst of brutal austerity policies against workers and retirees, the Milei administration has set out to increase the military budget.

The main concern of Washington is the explosive popular opposition to integrating Argentina into the growing global war. Accordingly, the Biden administration has demanded that Milei work with the union bureaucracy to suppress the class struggle.

Shortly before the US military delegations visit to Argentinas military factories, the Biden administrations Labor Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs hosted separate meetings with the foreign relations chief of the General Labor Confederation (CGT), Gerardo Martinez, and Mileis Labor Secretary, Julio Cordero. These meetings delivered the same marching orders to, promote social dialogue and recognize labor representatives, according to La Nacion. US officials have met several times with the Argentine unions this year.

FM workers belong to the Public Employees Union (ATE). While it usually strikes a more populist and nationalist pose than the CGT, the ATE has made clear that it is open to privatization, as long as the price is right. We are not going to give the company away, declared an ATE leader. The rest of the union bureaucracy has remained equally passive.

The developing military alliance of Washington with Milei and the buildup of the armed forces are bound up with the preparation of police state measures against the working class and a dictatorship in Argentina.

Last Friday, Milei handed out swords to newly promoted military officials and promised them salary increases in 2025. He also promised to recognize the historic debt that Argentina allegedly owes its armed forces since the war for independence and the consolidation of Argentina as a nation-state.

Milei seeks to rehabilitate the legacy of military dictatorships that were a feature of Argentine society throughout the 20th centuryinitially on behalf of British imperialism and, after World War II, as an agency of US imperialism.

Mileis defense of the murderous 1976-83 Videla dictatorship is well known. That dictatorship, responsible for the disappearance and murder of over 30,000 leftist workers and students, was also an important component of Operation Condor, which was organized and financed by the United States and involved the participation of every South American government (with the possible exception of Venezuela and Suriname). Tens of thousands of militants, union activists, journalists and socialists were kidnapped by secret squads in this operation, hundreds were transferred to clandestine prisons in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile.
Take up the fight to save Warren Truck and auto jobs everywhere! Fill out the form below to join the Autoworkers Rank-and-File Committee Network.

Over 100 attended Sundays online meeting, For global action to defend jobs at Warren Truck and around the world, sponsored by the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Workers and supporters from across the US and internationally took part in a crucial discussion on a strategy to fight a two-front war against both management and their accomplices in the union bureaucracy.

A strong delegation attended from striking Dakkota auto parts workers in Chicago. Members of the Dakkota Workers Rank-and-Fie Committee joined shortly after workers rejected a United Auto Workers-backed sellout deal for the fourth consecutive time, defeating attempts by the union bureaucrats to force them into submission.

Striking Dakkota auto parts workers on the picket line in the South Side of Chicago. The workers at the plant produce parts that supply the nearby Ford Chicago Assembly Plant.

The UAW apparatus is desperate to shut down the strike in order to isolate Dakkota workers from workers at Fords Chicago Assembly Plantwhich the plant supplies and which is still running with scab partsas well as Stellantis workers, who are facing mass layoffs.

In order to get in front of rank-and-file anger, the UAW has issued an insincere threat to strike at Stellantis over the companys reneging on its plans to reopen its Belvidere plant in Illinois beginning this year.

Describing the efforts by the UAW bureaucracy to repeatedly ram through Dakkotas poverty-wage contract, one worker said during the meeting, It felt like it was illegal what they did, because they were rushing us to vote. Now were taking this into our own hands.

Another worker continued, Im ready to lose my house [if I have to]. But I want everybody here in the industry to stand with us, stand strong with us around the world, let them know that they cannot continue doing this.

The WSWS will publish longer more extended comments by Dakkota workers, as well as statements from other workers in the meeting, in the coming days.

Organize in rank-and-file committees, with an international perspective

The opening report to the meeting were given by Will Lehman, a rank-and-file worker at Mack Trucks who ran on a socialist platform against UAW President Shawn Fain in the 2022 leadership election.

Will Lehman with Stellantis Warren Truck workers

We are holding this meeting today to prepare action to stop job cuts and to fight for higher wages throughout the auto industry, Lehman said.

Pointing to the 2,450 layoffs announced by Stellantis at Warren Truck to take effect October 8, he said, This shows what the historic contracts between the UAW and the Big Three really are. These were concessionary agreements with [concessions] the UAW bureaucracy withheld knowledge of.

The UAWs sellout of the Big Three contract fight has enabled the companies to accelerate their global attack on jobs, affecting autoworkers in every country, he continued. In Italy, Stellantis is looking to destroy up to 25,000 jobs  in Germany, Volkswagen is taking measures to reduce capacity.

These are all transnational corporations, which scour the globe for the most exploitable sources of labor, he continued. And in each country they use the national trade unions to pit workers against each other, by saying that jobs can only be secured on the basis of accepting higher exploitation than workers in other countries.

The union bureaucracy has lost all legitimacy to lead this struggle  they will enforce the companys dictates until they shutter the plants.

He then turned to the sham election which brought Fain to power, noting he was elected by about 3 percent of the membership. They didnt want to risk [a fight against the] bureaucracy, for the workers to take power, so they had to suppress any knowledge of the election at all. Over the summer, Lehman won a court ruling in his lawsuit against mass vote suppression. A subsequent statement by the IWA-RFC has called for the election to be re-run, overseen by the rank and file.

When he launched his election campaign, Lehman continued, We said that one bureaucrat replacing another will not bring about reforms  so its up to the workers at all of the plants. What we need to do is organize separately in rank-and-file committees, with an international perspective.

The question is: What are the workers going to do?

Lehmans report was followed by comments from Tom Hall, a writer for the World Socialist Web Site. The UAW claimed last Monday that it is prepared to strike over the lack of allocation of product to the Belvidere Assembly Plant, Hall began. To be blunt, you already know what is going to happen as long as it remains in the hands of the bureaucracy: nothing.

At most, he warned, the bureaucrats might call another limited standup strike, like it did last fall with the Big Three, to let you blow off steam while working out a deal with even more concessions that workers would suddenly discover months down the line.

Even in their posturing over the fate of Belvidere, he continued, they have said nothing about the layoffs at Warren Truck, of the thousands of supplemental workers who have been laid off since the new contract took effect last year. And why is that? Because all of these layoffs were explicitly signed off on, behind closed doors, by the UAW apparatus.

The bureaucracy, he continued, was not just in bed with management but also with the government. He pointed to Fains appearance at the Democratic National Committee, where he promoted Kamala Harris and Joe Biden as friends of the working class, while attacking the fascistic Trump as a scab.

It takes one to know one, Hall retorted. The bureaucrats run the UAW as a dictatorship, in which workers have absolutely no influence over the actual decisions that are taken which affect their lives, their families and future generations of autoworkers. And if you want fresh proof of that, look no further than what just happened today at Dakkota.

So we know what the bureaucracy is going to do. The question is: What are the workers going to do? Citing from a recent statement by the Autoworkers Rank-and-File Committee Network on the layoffs at Warren Truck, Hall stressed that the alternative  [is] the development of new forms of organization, in opposition to the bureaucratic sellouts, which correspond to the needs of the class struggle in a globally unified, 21st century economy. These forms are rank-and-file committees.

A wide-ranging discussion followed. The meeting heard from Big Three workers in Southeast Michigan, who spoke about conditions in their plants, especially on the impact of COVID-19. A moving statement was read out from Cheborah Long, the widow of Tywaun Long, who died on the job at Fords Dearborn Truck Plant earlier this year.

The meeting also heard a report from K. Nesan, a WSWS reporter from Germany, who spoke on the conditions in the auto industry overseas. He reported on a recent distribution of the German version of the WSWS perspective,  Stop the mass layoffs at Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly Plant! at a Stellantis plant in Germany.

A secure and good-paying job is a basic social right

The final contribution to the meeting was given by Jerry White, the Socialist Equality Partys candidate for US Vice President. (On Monday, the SEP learned that its candidates would be placed on the ballot in the key battle ground state of Michigan.)

This has been a critical and absolutely unique meeting, White began, that is part of the growing initiative of rank-and-file workers all over the world, through the work of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.

White pointed to the death last week of Antonio Gaston, a 53-year-old autoworker at the Stellantis Toledo Jeep plant. These conditions are the direct result of the contract signed by the UAW. The bureaucracys claim that it is prepared to strike over Belvidere, he said, is no more legitimate than their worthless promises to the temporary workers that they would be converted to full-time but were fired instead.

The problems workers confront are rooted in the nature of the capitalist system itself, he continued. The working class are nothing more than wage slaves. If they die, they are replaced. If they resist, [management] hopes, they will fire and replace them. It is not simply a matter of corporate greed. There is no capitalism without corporate greed. The very nature of capitalism is exploitation.

White and his running mate, Joe Kishore, the SEPs presidential candidate, insist that  a secure and good-paying job is a basic social right which must take precedence over the so-called right of the capitalist owners to exploit the workers and throw them out of their jobs. The bureaucrats, on the other hand, accept the so-called right of the corporations to exploit workers.

In summing up, White concluded:

Fain is an asset of the government. He is a state asset. He is being incorporated because the focus of the Democratic Party, above all else, is wara war for the same corporate interests as those that are waged against workers at home.  But, of course, workers have no interest in killing workers of other countries or being killed by them. We have every interest in uniting across national borders to defend the right to decent living standards. So its very decisive that, as this meeting has explained, we know what were fighting against. No one but the working class ourselves can defend the social rights of the working class. We have to build the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees. So I want to urge you all to join the rank-and-file committees, to build up this opposition, and support [our] campaign so that the working class can fight for its own independent political interests.
On Saturday, French border guards and military police arrested 39-year-old Franco-Russian billionaire Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram encrypted messaging app, in transit at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. Durov was jailed as a flight risk and charged with 12 crimes involving narcotics trade, child pornography, organized crime and providing unauthorized cryptographic services.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov on Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File) [AP Photo]

French President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter yesterday to defend the arrest, warning against false information on Durovs arrest. He claimed, The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.

In reality, the arrest and jailing of Durov is transparently politically motivated, reactionary and lacks any substantial legal foundation. It aims to assist the NATO powers in their war with Russia in Ukraine and pave the way for escalated attacks on democratic rights, including Internet privacy and freedom of information, in the countries where Telegrams 900 million users are located. These include above all countries in the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and India.

In particular, officials of NATO governments and of the far-right Ukrainian regime have repeatedly called to ban the app, which is very popular in Ukraine, accusing it of being a conduit for Russian propaganda that cuts across their war against Russia.

Durov is a Russian citizen who left Russia in 2014 to live in Dubai and acquired French citizenship after coming into conflict with the Kremlin over his refusal to hand over information from the VKontakte social network to Russian state authorities. He was arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget Airport in the company of his bodyguard and his assistant, Julia Vavilova, who were both left free.

The 12 charges he faces stem from an initial investigation secretly launched against Durov by the French Office on violence against minors (Ofmin). None of the charges target Durovs own conduct but instead involve the argument that Durov is personally responsible for alleged criminal activity by others using the Telegram app. This concocted legal argument has led to what Le Monde confessed was a world premiere in terms of the arrest of executives of major social media.

Immediately after the arrest, a French police investigator gloated to TF1 news: [Durov] screwed up tonight. We dont know why.  Was he just transiting through France? Anyway, now we have him in the bag.

Another said Durov would not be allowed to leave jail even after the initial investigative detention ends tomorrow: Pavel Durov will end up in provisional detention, that is certain. On his platform, he allowed people to commit an incalculable number of crimes and misdemeanors which he did not try to moderate or cooperate with us about.

The coverage in both Russian and pro-NATO media makes clear, however, that the arrest is bound up with NATOs prosecution of the war with Russia and attempts to limit popular opposition to the war, both in Ukraine and internationally.

Russian media are publicly worrying that the arrest and detention of Durov could have a devastating impact on the operations of Russian forces in Ukraine, who extensively use Telegram. Telegram might become a tool of Nato, if Pavel Durov is forced to obey the French intelligence services, Moskovsky Komsomolets declared. Telegram chats contain a huge amount of vitally important, strategic information.  If Telegram crashes, how is [our army] going to fight?

University of Maastricht Professor Marielle Wijermars commented to France24: Telegram is widely used in the army and the political establishment for communications; and it is evident that many Russian officials must fear that France will pressure Telegrams boss to get access to their communications.

Telegram has also emerged from the outset of the NATO-Russia war in Ukraine in 2022 as a source of information and footage of the war, unfiltered by NATO and Ukrainian media, notably on the massive losses of Ukrainian troops and NATO equipment. The availability of this information, refuting false official narratives of the Ukrainian armys supposed victories against Russia, soon attracted the hostility of NATO governments and pro-NATO media.

As the war in Ukraine rages, the messaging app Telegram has emerged as the go-to place for unfiltered live war updates, US National Public Radio noted in 2022, complaining that it risked inciting opposition to the NATO war. Telegram, which does little policing of its content, has also become a hub for Russian propaganda and misinformation. Many pro-Kremlin channels have become popular ...

Particularly this year, amid mounting opposition in the Ukrainian population to the war, officials of the far-right regime in Kiev demanded that Telegram be silenced. Ukrainian officials did not ultimately dare take this step, since fully 72 percent of the Ukrainian population uses the app. However, they repeatedly made clear that they viewed it as a posing a critical internal political threat, particularly if Durov did not agree to censor Russian sources on Telegram.

Ukrainian military intelligence official Andriy Yusov told German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) that Telegram is a threat to information and not only information security of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials repeatedly complained that Telegrams anonymity and privacy meant that their intelligence services, who are infamous for their brutal suppression of political dissent, could not identify and track down the identity of people posting materials they disliked.

Ukrainian parliamentarian Yaroslav Yurchyshyn told DW that he could support a ban on Telegram if the cooperation with Telegram wont work, because the price of such holes in information security, which allow Russian propaganda to penetrate into Ukrainian information products easily, is very high in our country. A matter of life and death for our citizens.

It is not concocted allegations of supposed complicity in child pornography, but the NATO powers war against Russian forces in Ukraine and their attempt to censor news of that war to limit opposition in Ukraine and in the NATO countries, that drove Durovs arrest. The arrest targets not only opposition to war in Ukraine but also in the NATO imperialist countries. Macrons call to send troops to Ukraine to wage war with Russia is also massively unpopular, facing nearly 90 percent opposition in both Western Europe and the United States.

French and NATO officials also intend for the arrest of a Russian billionaire to undermine support for the war and for Russian President Vladimir Putins regime in Russias ruling capitalist oligarchy that emerged from the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Recently, Ukraine invaded Russia near Kursksignaling that, despite the NATO-backed Ukrainian regimes military reversals, NATO intends to escalate the conflict and compel a Russian surrender.

By arresting Durov, France and its NATO imperialist allies are warning Russias corrupt ruling elites that their overseas assets and their lives will not be safe until they fall in line with NATO policy and its plans for the dismemberment and looting of Russia.

This makes clear the utterly reactionary political forces behind the arrest of Durov and the further assault on Internet freedoms that it is setting into motion.
Joseph Kishore and Jerry White turning in signatures to appear on the ballot in Michigan, July 18, 2024.

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted unanimously Monday to place Socialist Equality Party candidates Joseph Kishore for president and Jerry White for vice president on the Michigan ballot in the November 5 US election.

The SEP candidates qualified through a petition drive that collected more than 20,000 signatures of Michigan voters. The petition was filed last month, and the Democratic Party could find no basis for challenging it. The state Bureau of Elections reviewed it, determining that the SEP candidates had met the requirement of at least 12,000 valid signatures of registered voters, as well as a further requirement of at least 100 signatures in a majority of the states congressional districts.

The campaign reported that dozens of SEP supporters campaigned for more than four months to collect the necessary signatures. Many were obtained in the four-county Detroit metropolitan area, comprising Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Washtenaw counties. Thousands of signatures were collected by campaign teams in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Flint, Port Huron and other towns and cities across the state. Residents of 75 of the states 83 counties signed to support placing Kishore and White on the ballot.

The success of the SEP petition drive in Michigan has enormous national and international significance. The state of Michigan is a focal point of the 2024 election. It is a battleground state, and at the center of the escalating political crisis in the United States.

Michigan was one of the three industrial states narrowly carried by Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016, then won by Joe Biden over Trump in 2020. After the 2020 election, Trump met with Republican state legislators and sought to have them overturn his election defeat and have the Biden electors chosen by the voters replaced by Trump electors.

In the course of the 2020 campaign, a violent right-wing conspiracy targeted Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer for assassination, after Trump had issued a public appeal to liberate Michigan from the initial coronavirus lockdown resulting from walkouts by auto workers who forced the shutdown of major plants. The group plotting to kidnap and execute Whitmer was arrested on the eve of putting their plans into operation.

In 2024, the two main capitalist parties are flooding the state with television and social media advertising, paid campaign workers, and, in the case of the Democrats, a mobilization of union officials and employees. The two parties will likely spend more than $100 million in Michigan alone on their rival campaigns, and they are prepared to spend millions more on legal challenges after the vote.

The candidates themselves are visiting Michigan almost every week. It is noteworthy that Trump is focusing his Michigan appeals on ultra-right and militaristic forces whom he would summon into violent action in the event he loses the state. Last week, he addressed a rally in Howell, the town where the Ku Klux Klan was refounded in the 1970s, and where neo-Nazis marched publicly only a few days before Trumps arrival.

On Monday, Trump addressed the national convention of the National Guard Association, held in Detroit. Throughout 2020, Trump repeatedly urged the calling out of the National Guard, first to suppress protests against police violence following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, and later, after the election, to suppress protests against his plans to remain as president in defiance of the voters.

Trump has threatened that, if returned to the White House, he will deploy the National Guard in major cities throughout the country to round up immigrants and suppress protests.

In a statement posted on X yesterday, Kishore wrote that The Socialist Equality Party will use this campaign to fight for a socialist leadership in the working class. [Jerry White] and I will oppose both the Democrats and Republicans, the parties of the corporate and financial oligarchy.

The statement continued, The SEP will fight to mobilize the working class against the genocide in Gaza, backed by both parties, and the escalating US-NATO war against Russia. We will oppose the turn by the ruling elites toward fascism and dictatorship.

Michigan is home to the largest Arab-majority city in the US, Dearborn, and there is enormous opposition to the genocide in Gaza among workers and young people throughout the state. Protests were organized at major campuses, including the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. As campuses reopen, university administrators, closely linked to the Democratic Party, are implementing major attacks on basic democratic rights and free speech.

Over the past several weeks, a central focus of the SEP campaign in Michigan has been on fighting for a rank-and-file rebellion of autoworkers against the United Auto Workers (UAW) apparatus, which is collaborating in the planned destruction of more than 2,000 jobs at Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly Plant outside of Detroit.

Kishore issued a statement last week calling for a united movement of all rank-and-file workers against layoffs.

Michigan is still the center of the auto industry, and UAW President Shawn Fain is now one of the most active promoters of the Harris campaign and the Democratic Party. Fain and other union officials are backing the escalating global war, which requires at the same time a war on the working class at home.

The SEP rejects entirely the claim that opposition to dictatorship and fascism can be opposed by supporting a party of imperialism and war, Kishore stated. Both the Republicans and the Democrats represent two factions of the corporate and financial oligarchy.

The widespread support for the SEP campaign in Michigan reflects the real sentiments of workers and young people everywhere, Kishore added. In our election campaign, here in Michigan, across the US and indeed around the world, we will fight to explain the fundamental political issues confronting workers, develop their understanding that no solution can be found to any of the problems confronting working people except through the fight for socialism, and that this great historical task can only be achieved by adopting a global strategy.

The WSWS will continue to provide coverage of the SEP election campaign as part of its overall reporting on the 2024 elections.
In the early hours of Monday morning, a fire destroyed the Spectrum Building, a seven-storey block in east London containing several floors of residential flats. It was only due to the action of residents and their neighbours, and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) that no-one was killed at the building on Freshwater Lane in Dagenham.

It soon emerged that the reason for the rapid spread of the fire was that two floors were covered in similar flammable cladding to that which caused the Grenfell Tower inferno in 2017, which took the lives of 72 people in an act of social murder carried out by the authorities.

Eighty people managed to evacuate the Dagenham building, but 20 had to be rescued by the LFB which said it mounted a significant search-and-rescue operation. Due to the LFBs prompt rescue operation, despite the building being engulfed in flames, only two residents required hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

The fire is understood to have begun in the nursery area of the block, with its cause unknown.

Fire fighters on cranes were still putting out the fire the following afternoon, finally bringing it under control at 12.30 p.m. Monday.

The scale of the inferno required the deployment of 45 fire engines and 225 fire-fighters. Drones and 64-metre-high turntable ladders were deployed.

Spectrum residents, now relocated to the Beacontree Heath Leisure Centre, have recounted the horrifying events. At 2.45 a.m. they were woken by smoke and shouts, with resident angry that the fire alarm system did not work. Frantic calls were made to the fire brigade as residents began escaping the block. They fled, some naked, down crammed stairwells knocking on doors to alert fellow residents.

In houses nearby residents heard screams and shouts.

Fire engines arrived within six minutes and a rescue operation was launched to extract residents who could not escape.

Cydney Parker, a 26-year-old mother, told Sky News, Ive looked outside and seen loads of fire engines pull up I looked through the front door and the whole corridor is covered in thick black smoke. We had to run and we realised that the [exterior] fire gate had been padlocked shut so we couldnt get out.

It felt like I was going to die then and there. The only way out was finding something [we could use] to jump over the fence. As we were on top of the fence, we couldnt get down, so we were screaming at police officers to come and help us.

How can they cut off a fire escape?

That block needs to get shut down and we all need to get housedI hope they are all as angry as me.

Ms Vasille, a health care assistant, said, (There was) such a dense smoke all over the apartment. When we wanted to open the window, another smoke hit our face, on the throat and the eyes.

We didnt grab anything, we lost everything. The firemen brought us outside, and while I came outside, I saw a big fire come from the building on the ground floor, and when we went further, I saw another big fire on the top.

My partner is devastated as well. We try to encourage one another because we lost everything. We are scared, frightened to be on the street starting from zero.

A spokesperson for Londons Ambulance Service explained, We sent a large number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, incident response officers, an advanced paramedic in critical care, emergency planning officers, a command support vehicle and members of our hazardous area response team (HART). We also dispatched Londons Air Ambulance. We treated four patients at the scene and took two of them to a hospital.

The cladding on Spectrum was understood to be high pressure laminate (HPL) panels. According to a study by the University of Central Lancashire, published in January 2019, HPL is made of compressed wood fibre that releases heat 25 times faster and burns 115 times hotter than non-combustible products.

The Spectrum Building was covered in scaffolding to remove the non-compliant claddingdesignated as such as far back as July 2019more than two years after Grenfell.

Inside Housing magazine noted, In April 2023, the London Fire Brigade issued an enforcement notice to Block Management UK, the management company for the building, urging it to review its fire risk assessment and emergency plan and implement preventative measures.

It added, Planning permission was granted in May 2023 for the removal of cladding on the fifth and sixth floors and its replacement with compliant cladding, as well as the removal of window spandrel panels and balcony privacy screens.

Inside Housing noted that the replacement of the flammable cladding had been due to begin in June 2023 and finish in December, but last week cladding manufacturer Valcan wrote on Facebook that work to replace the cladding was ongoing.

The block, built in 1974, was originally the office of the American chemical company DuPont. It was converted to flats in the 2010s, developed by Chadwell Properties. The current freeholder, Arinium, took over the freehold in January 2020. At the time of the fire, the building consisted of 60 flats, a communal roof terrace, two commercial units and a gym.

In press briefings LFB officials said they were aware of a number of fire safety issues. According to Emergency Services Times, The building was issued a fire enforcement notice in April 2023 which highlighted five issues, including failure to provide and/or maintain adequate and clearly indicated emergency routes and exits.

Also identified was a serious failure to establish an emergency plan, a failure to ensure that the building and safety equipment used by the LFB were maintained in an efficient state in working order and in a good state of repair. According to Inside Housing It also appears that residents had highlighted their fears about wooden decking on balconies and broken fire doors as far back as 2018.

In February 2022, the Spectrum Building residents association submitted evidence to the government on post Grenfell safety legislative procedures. Faced with enormous bills for remedial work to remove cladding, the association described stress on leaseholders living in unsafe, unsellable flats with increasing service charges for well over three years is considerable.

They stated, Leaseholders continue to be faced with all the responsibility and none of the rights. We are, and have always been, limited in choices and these choices continue to reduce. Many of the leaseholders in this flat queued for 24 hours outside, overnight in January 2016 to buy their flat. This was the only way we could afford a property in Greater London. The flats are in the cheapest borough in London. We had little choice of which property to purchase thenand we have no choice but to own it now.

The fire occurred only days before the public inquiry into the Grenfell fire will hand over its second, and final report on September 4. The inquiry has no powers of prosecution and cannot demand its recommendations on fire safety are implemented. The previous Conservative government largely ignored its first phase recommendations, further endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of social housing residents in Britain who live in unsafe buildings.

This is why the Dagenham tower block could remain inhabited, despite being condemned, and covered in scaffolding seven years after Grenfell. In the aftermath of the Grenfell Fire, 4,600 buildings across Britain were listed as having potentially unsafe cladding. According to official statistics, just 50 percent of these buildings have begun removal or had cladding removed, meaning at least half remain covered in highly dangerous, flammable cladding.

As the Dagenham fire confirms, of those buildings where remedial work has begunonly to be delayedmany remain death traps.

The Metropolitan Police said back in May that it will not even consider any prosecutions over Grenfell until their own investigation concludeswhich must wait on them considering the inquirys findings. The investigation, which may now only reach its conclusion in 2026, or even as long as 10 years after Grenfell, is, as the Socialist Equality Party warned, part of a state cover-up to protect the guilty.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Latin America

Protestors in Argentina demand distribution of food amid soaring price rises

On Friday August 23 there were 100 pots and pan rallies in 11 cities in Argentina called to protest government austerity policies that have created widespread hunger and criminalized the poor. In the nations capital, Buenos Aires, demonstrators rallied at the Ministry of Human Capital, demanding the immediate distribution of food to feeding centers across the country, increases in social entitlements to make up for increases in the cost of food, and freedom for Daniela Claraco and Roberto, arrested for protesting Milei's austerity legislation.

Two thousand soup kitchens have been left without government food supplies. A declaration by the organizers of the protests pointed out that in eight months the government has erased the rights of children, grandparents workers and youth. It also denounces the wave of layoffs across the nation by thousands of firms in crisis. According to Telesur magazine, recent reports indicate that government warehouses have many tons of food and storage while soup kitchens have little food to hand out.

Sao Paulo police assault protesting bank employees

On August 22 Sao Paulo military police joined with a bank private security firm in the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil to assault a rally of Bank of Santander employees against the policies that have eliminated permanent jobs, replacing them with contingent workers. The workers were attacked with Tasers, pepper spray and batons. Scores of workers had surrounded the Santander offices in the Santa Amaro district of the city protesting the attack on full time jobs and demanding better working conditions and higher wages.

United States

HCA nurses at Mission Hospital in North Carolina taking strike vote

Nurses at the Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina began a strike vote August 25 as negotiations on a new contract have failed to meet demands over staffing ratios, wages, paid time off and workplace violence. The 1,600 nurses, members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, are dissatisfied with the old agreement, which expired on July 2.

The under-staffing, which undermines patients care, has also made it difficult for nurses to take meals and bathroom breaks. A posting on the nurses Facebook page stated, We often can't pee or eat at work because we are caring for our patients.

Doctors have resigned from the facility and HCA Healthcare, which purchased Mission Hospital in 2019, has been the target of allegations of patient deaths due to under-staffing and lawsuits, including one by the North Carolina Attorney Generals office. HCA was accused of violating its purchase agreement by failing to maintain specified levels of care in the hospitals emergency services and cancer care units.

The strike vote will conclude on August 29. National Nurses United said that if a strike is called it will be a one-day work stoppage. Negotiations were to resume August 27.

New York state nursing home workers picket over low pay

About 375 nursing home workers at five facilities owned by Centers Health Care in the surrounding Albany, New York, region carried out picketing August 15 to demand higher wages and seniority recognition. The workers, members of 1199SEIU, charge the companys $15.50 an hour lowest pay creates a revolving door in relation to employment and compromises both workers and the nursing homes residents.

You literally can go to Burger King and make the same or more than here, Patrick Nelson, a veteran worker at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, told The Daily Gazette. Health care runs 24/7, 365, so if we dont have people that are willing to work for such low wages, we dont have staff, and oftentimes we run short because people just cant afford to work in a place that doesnt pay adequately.

Besides the Schenectady facility, workers also picketed at the Glens Falls Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, Troy Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, New Paltz Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, and Onondaga Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

Owner Kenneth Rozenberg, who operates 35 nursing homes in New York state, was the target of a June 2023 lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General. He, along with co-owner Daryl Hagler, are accused of personally enriching themselves by appropriating $83 million in Medicare and Medicaid funds slated for the nursing homes.

Sun Country flight attendants overwhelmingly pass strike vote

The 558 flight attendants at Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines voted by 99 percent to grant strike authorization to Teamsters Local 120. Tanya DeVito, a flight attendant and member of the unions bargaining committee stated in a release, We voted to strike for one simple reason  Sun Country is dragging out the negotiation process and we are fed up.

Flight attendants are angered that in eight years their pay scale has not changed. The Teamsters and Sun Country will begin contract talks under the National Mediation Board in September.

Airlines and railroads take full advantage of restrictive labor laws that hamstring workers to delay granting raises and frustrate strike action. Under the Railway Labor Act, negotiations must reach an impasse and undergo a 30-day cooling off period before the setting of a strike date. It is also possible for the parties to enter arbitration.

Canada

Air Canada pilots vote to strike

Last week pilots at Canadas biggest air carrier voted by 98 percent to take strike action should a new contract not be settled in the coming weeks. The 5,400 pilots at Air Canada could walk off the job as early as September 17. Members of the Air Canada Pilots Association, the workers have been without a new contract since June 2023.

Air Canada A319-100 [Photo by Atlantic Aviation Media via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

As a result of these miserable agreements air crews at the four largest U.S. airlines currently earn about twice the compensation of pilots at Air Canada, who also labour under significantly less favourable work scheduling arrangements.

Pilots have been hamstrung over previous months with the interminable obstacles inherent in the federal collective bargaining process. Since the expiration of the previous contract and a subsequent deadlock in negotiations, pilots association officials entered into a lengthy bargaining process with a federally appointed conciliator. With that required process wrapping up on August 26, the workers now must undergo a 21 day cooling off period before any legal strike action can begin.

Of course, pilots at Air Canada are aware of the ongoing moves by both federal and provincial governments across the country to steadily strip workers in key sectors of industry and public service of their right to strike. They have seen back to work threats and/or actual back to work legislation consistently used by governments in concert with employers at St. Lawrence Seaway and Pacific ports, the national railways and in the airline industry itself.

Only last month, 680 striking mechanics at WestJet, the countrys second largest airline, were forced into an inferior contract after a brief strike was scuttled by federal intervention. With negotiations stalled since the mid-June contract rejection by an overwhelming majority of the mechanics, then federal Liberal Labor Minister Seamus ORegan attempted to end a looming strike threat by ordering WestJet management and the union into binding arbitration.

With reports that both management and the union had agreed to such arbitration, workers nonetheless went ahead with their planned strike, arguing that ORegans order failed to impose any legally sanctioned requirement outlawing strike activity. With WestJet management viciously smearing the strikers and calling on ORegan to urgently clarify his intentions, the labor minister signaled he would move to ensure that an anti-strike mandate would be organized if the union and management failed to bring the dispute to a quick resolution. Shortly thereafter, union officials ended the job action and ensured the ratification of a company friendly contract.

The brewing dispute at Air Canada occurs just after the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imposed binding arbitration on over 9,000 railway workers employed at Canadian National (CN) railways and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail, blocking threatened strike action.
The image of The Last Supper by the famous Italian artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous paintings in the world. However, this Renaissance genius hid 6 secret symbols in his iconic fresco.

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A historical critic and blogger who calls himself Culture Critic named the hidden symbols in the 1495 AD masterpiece. According to the expert, Leonardo da Vinci did not just depict the last meal of the Son of God, but included symbols that tell about the arrest and resurrection of Jesus, DailyMail reports.

The Bible details the story of the Last Supper in 33 AD, when Jesus sat with his 12 apostles and told them that one of them would betray him. Christ also emphasized that his death was inevitable.

Although the hidden symbolism in Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" has not been confirmed by scholars, blogger Culture Critic describes in detail the six secrets he has discerned. "It's the complexity and symbolism woven into the image that has kept people speculating ever since da Vinci created the painting. And as always, nothing is accidental in Leonardo's work," the expert emphasized.

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In particular, Judas is depicted in the shadows in the painting, because he has already betrayed Jesus, and now he is clutching the "bloody" pieces of silver in his hand. In his post on the social network X, Culture Critic draws attention to the fact that near Judas' hand is something that looks like a salt container that he knocked over. This, they say, symbolizes a broken covenant with God.

The blogger goes on to point out that Christ in da Vinci's painting is depicted in a triangular shape, symbolizing the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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Da Vinci painted St. Peter with a knife. According to Culture Critic, the knife indicates Peter's attempt to save Jesus by cutting off Malchus' ear. Recall that Malchus was a servant of the Jewish high priest Caiaphas. He was among the 450 men who were ordered to arrest Jesus.

The researcher also says that St. Thomas at the Last Supper stands to the left of Jesus with a "curiously raised finger" in the air. This, he says, may symbolize the apostle who later demands proof that Jesus rose from the dead.

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There is a mysterious figure to the left of Jesus in a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Some scholars assume that this is Mary Magdalene, who traveled with the Son of God and was one of his devoted followers. However, most experts are convinced that it is actually one of the youngest male apostles, John, whose pale skin and feminine features led people to believe that he was a mysterious stranger.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In a 3-1 decision, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to place independent presidential candidate Cornel West on the ballot following a challenge from Democratic lawyers seeking to bar him.

Professor Cornel West, who is running for U.S. president as a third-party candidate in 2024, speaking in Los Angeles last year [AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes]

Former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, Mark Brewer, on behalf of Rosa Holliday, another Democratic Party operative, sought to block West from the ballot on the basis that circulator petition signatures had allegedly been forged.

The state Bureau of Elections had recommended West not be placed on the ballot over technical issues regarding his affidavit of identity not being properly notarized.

This past Saturday, Court of Claims Judge James Robert Redford overruled that recommendation, noting that Wests campaign had submitted far more than the minimum number of signatures to be on the ballot and that presidential candidates are not even required in the state of Michigan to file an affidavit of identity.

Despite the judges ruling, on Monday Democrats on the Michigan Board of State Canvassers were poised to vote to keep West off the ballot and readily accepted arguments put forward by Brewer that circulators signatures had been forged.

The handwriting is so fundamentally different Brewer argued, that it had to be forged. Brewer did not actually provide any proof that any of the circulator signatures had been forged.

At the hearing, Michigan Elections Director Jonathan Brater testified that the West campaign submitted nearly 27,000 signatures, more than double the 12,000 minimum requirement. Brater said that a random sampling of 750 signatures submitted found that 448 were valid, well more than the 335 minimum threshold.

In regards to alleged forged circulator petition signatures, Brater observed that even if every single signature collected by circulators that were allegedly forged were removed from the test batch of 750 signatures, the West campaign would still have 27 signatures over the minimum threshold.

Despite this, Chair of the Board Mary Ellen Gurewitz, a Democratic Party operative, argued that West should be compelled to provide the board with more information regarding the circulators, including signatures of every circulator, even if they were not named in the challenge submitted by Brewer. Candidates should have an obligation to do that, Gurewitz said.

Socialist Equality Party candidate for president Joseph Kishore spoke in defense of Wests right to appear on the ballot at Mondays hearing, despite the political differences between the SEP and West. The board had earlier in the meeting certified Kishore to appear on the ballot in Michigan.

I fully support the right of Cornel West to appear on the ballot and call on this body to vote to certify this result today, Kishore said. Cornel West and his supporters have submitted over 26,000 signatures. Your own staff has ... recommended that you approve this decision. It has a confidence level of 99.9 percent.

You are now talking about the possibility of imposing new requirements, new procedures for the West campaign to submit in order to satisfy the requirements, as has been pointed out, at a very late stage in this process.

If such a decision is made, Kishore said, it is in fact an outrageous attack on the rights of West, on the rights of the voters of Michigan and on basic democratic rights.

In his remarks, Kishore noted that the requirements for independent candidates to get on the ballot in Michigan and other states throughout the United States are extremely onerous and undemocratic.

While the United States talks about defending democracy all over the world, he said, for independent candidates to get on the ballot ... requires often times tens of thousands, if not even more, signatures of registered voters.

Kishore noted that even when those requirements are satisfied, There are even further attempts to keep candidates off the ballot. He noted as well that those seeking to keep West off the ballot were leading members of the Democratic Party, That is, political opponents of Cornel West.



The Democrats, Kishore said, are discussing and seeking to preventand this is how it will be seen, I think correctlytheir political opponents from being on the ballot so that the voters of Michigan are unable to vote for anyone besides the two candidates of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Kishore observed what was at stake was not just the rights of West but of the basic right to vote: People have the right to vote for candidates they want to vote for.

Following Kishores comments, the board, consisting of two Democrats and two Republicans, voted to approve West, though Gurewitz voted against.

However, Brewer noted that he plans on filing an appeal to the previous court ruling, underscoring the fact that the Democrats are not going to relent on their efforts to block challenges to their ballot monopoly.

In a separate development in Georgia, administrative law judge Michael Malihi blocked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., West, the Green Partys Jill Stein and Party for Socialism and Liberations candidate Claudia De la Cruz from appearing on the ballot despite the fact that all of the campaigns submitted more than the minimum 7,500 signatures to appear.

The decision to block the independent and third party candidates was made following a challenge by Democrats and Democratic Party-aligned groups, such as Clear Choice Action.

In making his decision, Malihi concurred with the Democrats arguments that the petitions filed by the campaigns were invalid because they included the names of the candidates themselves. Malihi, citing a 2017 law, argued that each campaign must file petitions containing not only 7,500 signatures, but the petitions must include the names of each of the 16 presidential electors in the state of Georgia.

In Georgia, Mahili wrote, independent candidates do not themselves qualify for the office of President and Vice President of the United States.  Rather, individuals seeking the office of presidential elector qualify for the ballot to have their candidate for President or Vice President placed on the ballot.

All of the campaigns argued that this was not a correct interpretation of the law, as it would require each of the campaigns to submit 16 different filings each with 7,500 signatures, for a total of 120,000 each. In other words, the four campaigns would have had to submit nearly half a million signatures, or roughly 5 percent of the total population of Georgia.

The final decision to keep the candidates on or off the ballot must be made by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger before September 17, as that is when Georgia begins sending out absentee and overseas ballots to military members. RFK Jr. is not challenging the decision and is encouraging his supporters to vote for Trump in Georgia.
Work at Dakkota, Ford or in the auto industry? Fill out the form below to get involved with the Autoworkers Rank-and-File Committee Network at your plant.

Striking Dakkota auto parts workers on the picket line in the South Side of Chicago. The workers at the plant produce parts that supply the nearby Ford Chicago Assembly Plant.

After defying a UAW-company sellout contract vote for an unprecedented fourth time, Dakkota auto parts workers in Chicago are reaching a critical turning point in their fight.

On Monday, workers returned to the picket lines on their own initiative while the UAW bureaucracy has largely gone silent following the explosive meeting on Sunday, when workers shouted down union officials for bringing back yet another sellout deal.

Its radio silence, a rank-and-file worker told the WSWS. I dont know whats going on. Its just weird. I feel like this is a scare tactic. I hear that supposedly the strike is going to be stopped next Tuesday. Nobody knows whats going on. We dont know if thats a disinformation tactic. But what I know is that the union reps are very upset about what happened yesterday.

The Dakkota workers on the Far South Side of Chicago have been on strike for over three weeks, courageously defying attempts by the company and the union to force them to accept poverty wages starting at $16.80 an hour and little more than $22 for senior workers for this year.

Despite threats of a last, best and final offer from the union and the company, Dakkota workers defied three shotgun votes brought back by the UAW in rapid succession last week.

Dakkota workers must take control of the strike

As of this writing, workers have reported to the World Socialist Web Site that the UAW is continuing to bring back threats from the company of a lockout or of workers losing their jobs.

The strike has now reached a critical juncture, and Dakkota workers must immediately take the initiative to put the strike under their control. Workers at Dakkota have repeatedly come into conflict with the anti-democratic bureaucratic apparatus of Shawn Fain and the UAW, which has acted as little more than agents of the corporations and the government.

Workers must instead build and develop the newly formed Dakkota Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which has been the only strategic voice of the striking workers. Dakkota workers supply critical parts to the assembly of the vehicles at the nearby Ford Chicago Assembly Plant, where workers have been told by the UAW to handle scab parts despite widespread opposition among Ford workers there.

Dakkota workers must send delegations to the gates of Ford Chicago and appeal to the workers to enforce a ban on scab parts. Fords Chicago plant is one of the oldest operating auto plants in the country and a vital component in Fords operation.

The expansion of the struggle of Dakkota workers to Ford and the Big Three would have an enormous impact and immediately strengthen the fight of Dakkota workers. Using the just-in-time production model, parts workers are central to the automotive supply chain and the most exploited section of autoworkers. Workers are part of a globally interconnected supply chain that gives them enormous power when workers can link up across different factories, industries and countries.

Im not giving up. Im still fighting.

If we dont fight now, a Dakkota worker in the newly formed rank-and-file committee spoke of the crucial juncture they are at, then we will never have the opportunity.

Rank-and-file Mack Trucks worker and former UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman appealed to the Dakkota workers today to expand their fight.

Brothers and sisters, he said, since the UAW leadership at your local has shut down your Facebook page and said nothing about your strike, I urge you all to elect your own rank-and-file strike leadership. Take a poll, elect a group of trusted people to lead this strike.

I suggest you all begin to send delegations to Ford Chicago [Assembly Plant, CAP] at shift change. Go and picket outside CAP and talk to workers about not using scab parts. Finally, you should all join the Ford Chicago Facebook page and urge the brothers and sisters there to collectively decide that you refuse to handle scab parts, which hurts your strike.

Another Dakkota worker said of the vote and the aftermath, I just feel theyre selling out. They gave up quickly. So it looks like we could go back to work if they dont decide to lock us out. Honestly I cant tell if its just threats. One guy said he called the UAW representatives that negotiated the contract. He said Dakkota is not talking to them.

We all deserve a lot more, she added. Im not giving up. Im still fighting.

The whole foundation is built on the back of workers

Workers at Dakkota also continued to speak out against the manner in which the UAW has tried to intimidate them.

They got us looking at these contracts, a newer Dakkota worker said, that you should read the contract and sign it on the same day, which is odd to me. We need more time to process and read through all this and know what benefits and wages that we are owed. We workers are working hard. Without the workers there would be no Dakkota, no Ford, no Tesla.

The whole foundation is built on the back of workers, he added. This whole strike has been so suspicious. The union is bought and paid for, blackmailing us. Theyve tried to shut us up. One of my union people tried to get me to sign the contract. By that time I had already voted No.

They put a gun to our head

Another worker spoke on Sunday after she left the union hall following the contract vote. I live in Chicago, the cost of living is horrible. School supplies, gas are all expensiveand you want us to take $16-17 an hour? Theres no transparency with our union leadership whatsoever. Theyre on the other side, and theyre paid under the table. The chairwoman of the company [Andra Rush] is a billionaire.

Even if you had given us $25, we could understand that. They took our vacation from us. Our benefits are crap. There was no transparency. They dont really give a crap about us.

She spoke about the atmosphere inside the union hall. The mood inside, everybody was in an uproar. There were people who were struggling, and they needed money with school starting. We didnt get our strike pay until last week. They said if you continue to strike, they would lock us out indefinitely. They put a gun to our head. Thats a dictatorship to me.

Theyre making billions from the sweat of workers

Another newer Dakkota worker said, There was no clarification on why we were at the vote. They wasted our time. They said one final vote and when we asked whats the next step? They said its a lockout.

I asked so whats our options? He couldnt answer anything. So what are we paying union dues for? Youre taking money out of our checks. What are you fighting for? Theyre fighting for the companies, for themselves. Theyre not fighting for the working people.

He added, Its horrible; we work in the auto industry, and we still cant pay all our bills. Weve gotta decide if we should pay for lights or gas, your rent or your food. And it shouldnt be that way. Its madness there. We had one hour to vote on something we didnt even know what we were even voting on! Were tired and fed up, and we want fair wages and equality.

Theyre making billions from the sweat of workers. Were in there and its 90 degrees outside, and its 105 degrees inside. And were working hard, day in and day out making our numbers. We work, were there, even for mandatory overtime. All we want is to be compensated properly. We need to be treated fairly.

The cost of living is astronomical in Chicago, with rent, childcare, insurance, and a lot of situations were faced with. The billionaire boss does not care about us. Its 2024. Everyone should be paid fair wages. Everything is constantly going up. Theyre trying to pay us 20-30 cents? Its ridiculous.

Detroit Dakkota workers: I definitely stand with you in solidarity

On Monday, a reporting team visited Dakkota workers in Detroit to discuss the rebellion of Chicago Dakkota workers. Dakkota workers in Detroit offered their support and discussed the issues they face.

One worker said of the striking workers in Chicago, I definitely stand with you in solidarity.

When asked about the challenges workers face at the plant in Detroit, the worker said, Were talking about working conditions and pay. We have way too many safety issues. They dont really care about our safety. Safety should be number one.

And thats not it. Its more so about a product and production, and it should be our safety should always be number one. That should be our number one goal of keeping us safe and being a safe worker. And if I dont feel safe, I cant give you a good product.

If Im not able to come home with a decent paycheck every day, for my family, the worker added, relaying sympathy for striking workers in Chicago, how do you think I feel as a worker? How do you think you dont get a good product?

I really dont feel like the UAW really cares too much about us over here, especially here. Yeah, you make six figures off of our dues money. And I dont see anything from it.

They need to support us. We need to support them

A Stellantis Warren Truck worker in the Detroit area spoke out on the attacks on jobs and the need to have a united fight of autoworkers. Its just really frustrating seeing all the layoffs, the worker said, and having all this uncertainty, and its just kind of where we are right now.

On the rebellion of Dakkota workers, the worker said, I think theres, theres something there. They should be listening to them. Theres a reason for all that. I mean, they have to.

Theyre not listening to us. Were the ones who build these vehicles. Were the ones who know the ins and outs. They need to be getting input from us because of how we work closely with these vehicles. But were the ones getting the short end of the stick.

I would just tell them good luck and just know that they have our support, the worker added, speaking to Dakkota workers.

They need to support us. We need to support them. We need to all stand against whatever is coming next, because we dont know. We ask questions every day and nobody knows anything. Yeah, theyve been hiding it from you, too. Its not the first time.
Before the election, said British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Tuesday, I gave a warning.

Ahead of the reopening of Parliament after the summer recess, he now had to be honest with you. Things are worse than we ever imagined. In the first few weeks, we discovered a 22 billion black hole in the public finances Even just last Wednesday, we found out thatthanks to the last governments recklessnesswe borrowed almost 5 billion more than the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] expected in the last three months alone.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking in the garden of 10 Downing Street, August 27, 2024 [Photo by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

This was part of the economic black hole the Labour government had inherited and which would mean having to take action and do things differently. Part of that is being honest with peopleabout the choices we face and how tough this will be. Frankly, things will get worse before they get better.

Labour must mend the public finances and that means difficult trade-offs like cutting the winter fuel allowance for 10 million pensioners in the teeth of a near 10 percent average price rise in energy bills this year. And there will be more to come. I wont shy away from making unpopular decisions.

The first government budget scheduled for October, Starmer went on, is going to be painful.

Starmers criticism of the previous Conservative government was that it had failed to make the necessary hard choices: Every time they faced a difficult problem, they failed to be honest, they offered the snake oil of populism, by which Starmer means any policy not totally dictated by international finance.

Following the age of austerity declared by the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010, Starmer made a word-perfect repetition of the flat-out lie told by then Chancellor George Osborne about that governments agenda: that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden, before insisting that everyone would be subjected to a big ask to make sacrifices.

Starmers repeated choice of yardstick for measuring Tory failure was extraordinary. Framing his entire speech around the recent far-right riots, he insisted that the mark of just how far we have fallen was that, because UK prisons are full to bursting, literally every day during the riots we had to check the precise number of prison places we had and where those places were, to make sure we could arrest, charge and prosecute people quickly.

Not having enough prison places is about as fundamental a failure as you can get, said the former Director of Public Prosecutions, in a line that epitomises the repression his government will mete out on the millions of workers to be further impoverished by Starmers tough choices.

Even before Starmers various discoveries about the public finances, Labours manifesto was described by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) as putting forward overall spending plans that imply sharp real-terms cuts to a range of areas, without spelling out where those cuts will fall or how they are to be achieved. IFS research economist Bee Boileau commented that Labour had promised nothing to top up total public service spending by enough to avoid very difficult choices for many public services in the next parliament.

Now almost every day brings a new reason for more cuts out of the mouths of Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

What Starmer never mentioned, however, is that the main driving force for more savage austerity is Labours determination to step up Britains support for the NATO-led war against Russia in Ukraine and to take full part in the drive by Washington to seize control of the resources and markets of the entire world by also defeating China.

Labour has already pledged that the first claim to any economic growth the government manages to squeeze out of the exploitation of the working class will go to the armed forces, whose budget will be raised to 2.5 percent of GDP as soon as economic conditions allow.

On Wednesday, immediately after delivering his message of more pain to come for workers, Starmer travels to Germany where he will discuss the next steps in the war in Ukraine with Chancellor Olaf Scholza war which is now playing out on Russian as well as Ukrainian soil and with NATO-trained troops and NATO-supplied weapons.

Continued escalations will mean massive new expenditures. Starmer has already signalled his eagerness to spend an estimated up to 200 billion on renewing the UKs nuclear weapons, to be paid for through the destruction and privatisation of much of the National Health Service, education, and local services.

In the July general election, I stood as the Socialist Equality Partys candidate for Holborn and St Pancras directly against Starmer. The SEP took this decision to warn that Starmers Labour would be a government of war and social reaction, taking on the role forfeited in the ruling classs eyes by a fractious, incompetent Tory government. We explained the necessity of the workers joining the fight to build their own, socialist, party in opposition.

On Labours victory on the lowest election turnout in generations, we said of the new reactionary monster replacing Rishi Sunak in Number 10 Downing Street: Starmer begins his premiership with blood on his hands from his endorsement of the Gaza genocide and the Ukraine war, already voicing fierce opposition to the social demands of the working class and committed to police repression of anti-genocide protesters.

We reiterated: Our election campaign was aimed at breaking the conspiracy of silence maintained by the capitalist media, the major parties, the trade unions and what passes for the left over the acute dangers facing the working class, and at building a socialist alternative to Starmers party of genocide and war.

Every single pseudo-left tendency in Britain lined up behind the election of a Labour government, limiting workers to supporting a couple of dozen protest candidates opposing Labour over Gaza.

The Socialist Workers Party was typical. Its articles in the election period acknowledged that Starmer intends to govern in the same way as the Tories, would be an enemy of the working class and rule in the interests of big business and US and British imperialism. But the call nevertheless was to vote Labour to get the Tories out.

The Socialist Worker urged its readers to rejoice as Tories humiliated and celebrate a shattering defeat for the open party of big business, austerity, war, NHS cuts, racism and support for Israel. It would be brilliant, with the Tories removal, to turn the page on 14 years of Tory brutality and class warfare.

The political alternative to Starmer promoted by the pseudo-left was not a real oppositionthe various ex-Labourites and other independents led by expelled former party leader Jeremy Corbyn and the dozen or so lefts still in Starmers party, and the trade union leaders.

Corbyn represents a group of five independents vainly seeking to encourage Starmer to change his stance on Israel and other issues. Starmers response was to withdraw the party whip from seven of Labours remaining lefts for opposing the government to back an end to the two-child benefit cap.

Starmers one major shift of policy from the Tories has been to bring the trade union leaders in from the cold and make them corporate partners with big business as its industrial police force.

Every tendency that backed Starmers election bears direct political responsibility for what it is now doing and what it will do going forward. Labour, the supposed lesser evil than the Tories, is revealing itself to be the most right-wing government in British history. It cannot be pressured to the left, either by embracing the leadership of the Corbynites or by appealing to the trade union bureaucracy to fight.

Its social attacks and waging of imperialist war must be systematically combated by class struggle means, and its political stranglehold broken through the building of the Socialist Equality Party as the new, revolutionary leadership of the working class.
In South Africa, a giraffe with a zigzag neck was spotted. What caused this curvature is still unknown.

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A young giraffe from the Kruger National Park accidentally got into the camera lens. Researchers suggest that the animal may have suffered a broken neck or had a serious illness, LiveScience reports.

Travel blogger Lynn Scott took photos of the giraffe during a wildlife tour in South Africa and posted them on her Facebook page. "At the time, he was standing still and moving very little," the blogger said. Lynn also added that the ranger leading the tour "didn't seem too concerned" about the poor animal's lack of mobility.

Social media commentators suggested that the giraffe might have a broken neck. However, experts say there is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis.

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"It is definitely a very twisted neck. However, without X-rays to confirm that the bone was broken, we would call the giraffe a severe torticollis," said Sarah Ferguson, a veterinarian and health coordinator at the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, a non-governmental organization.

A torticollis is a deformity of the neck of congenital or acquired origin. It can result from sleeping in the wrong position, herniated discs, bone fractures, muscle contraction, and spinal cord infection.

Ferguson said she has seen examples of this condition in giraffes in zoos and in the wild in Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. However, the case in South Africa is the most severe of all.

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There is evidence that wild giraffes have survived with broken necks in the past. For example, in 2015, wildlife photographers spotted an adult male giraffe with the same zigzagging neck in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. This individual broke his neck during a fight with a rival male.

However, it is inappropriate to assume that a fight with another giraffe is the cause of the deformed neck of the animal from South Africa. Judging by the available photographs, this individual is probably a very young giraffe and too young to reproduce and fight for territory and females.

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Therefore, further research is needed to clarify this situation.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, have proposed expanding the definition of a "planet" beyond the solar system. According to scientists, it is very vague.

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A team of experts led by planetary scientist Jean-Luc Margaux argues that the current definition, adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2006, is too "Sun-centric." Therefore, they propose a more accurate alternative, Earth.com writes.

Currently, the definition of a planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, has enough mass to become spherical under the influence of gravity, and "pushes" other objects out of its orbit. But it only refers to celestial bodies in our solar system and has nothing to say about exoplanets, of which there are more than 6,000.

"The current definition specifically mentions orbiting our sun. This only applies to planets in our solar system. Our team's proposal will be applicable to celestial bodies that orbit any star, star remnant, or brown dwarf," said lead author Professor Jean-Luc Margaux.

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The International Astronomical Union's criteria also require that the body have a shape close to spherical due to its own gravity, and that it be the only body of similar size in its orbit, except for its satellites. These points, according to scientists, are not formulated precisely enough, which makes them difficult to verify.

Therefore, scientists propose a new definition, which states that a planet is a body in orbit around one or more stars, brown dwarfs, or stellar remnants with a mass of more than 10 kilograms, i.e., a mass less than 13 Jupiter masses (2.5 X 10 kilograms).

To come up with these constraints, experts analyzed solar system objects to determine what common features distinguish planets from other objects. They replaced the old requirement of a body's predominance in its orbit. After all, the researchers noticed that it is with a mass of about 10 kg that planets begin to "absorb" small objects on their way.

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Scientists also sought to separate planets from nascent stars. It is known that thermonuclear reactions begin in the interior of too massive gas giants, turning the planet into a brown dwarf star.

They also decided to abandon the old requirement of a spherical shape, since it is almost impossible to determine their shape when observing distant exoplanets. However, the authors of the paper argue that this also falls under the mass limit, meaning that all solar system objects heavier than 10 kg are spherical. Therefore, the mass of a space body is not difficult to determine.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!

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NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has discovered possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. The six-wheeled geologist found layers on the rock that could have been living microbes billions of years ago.

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The rock called Cheyava Falls has a chemical composition and structure that could have been formed by ancient life on Mars. However, scientists do not rule out non-biological processes, Space.com reports.

According to NASA, the Mars rover Perseverance has stumbled upon an interesting arrowhead-shaped rock that contains chemical signatures and structures that could have been formed by microbial life billions of years ago, when Mars was much wetter than it is now.

Inside the rock, which scientists have named "Cheyava Falls," the robot's instruments have detected organic compounds that are precursors to the chemistry of life. Along the entire length of the rock are veins of calcium sulfate. These mineral deposits indicate that water once passed through the rock.

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The rover also found dozens of spots, each surrounded by a black ring that mimics the appearance of leopard spots. These rings contain iron and phosphate, which can also be seen on Earth as a result of chemical reactions driven by microbes.

"These spots are a big surprise. On Earth, such features in rocks are often associated with fossilized chronicles of microbes living deep down," David Flannery, an astrobiologist and member of the Perseverance science team at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia, said in a statement.

While both the organic matter and the "leopard spots" are of great interest, they are not the only aspects of the Cheyava Falls rock that have puzzled the science team. Scientists were surprised to find that these veins in the rock are also filled with millimeter-sized crystals of olivine, a mineral that forms from magma. The olivine may be related to rocks that formed further up the river valley rim, which may have been formed by magma crystallization.

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"We've never seen these things together on Mars before," added Perseverance team scientist Morgan Cable.

According to the scientists, the rover examined the found rock using lasers and X-rays. It also took pictures of it day and night from all possible angles.

To fully understand what really happened in the ancient river valley billions of years ago, scientists are eager to bring a sample of Cheyenne Falls to Earth, where it can be thoroughly examined with powerful tools that are not available in the limited Perseverance kit.

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However, the comprehensive attempt to return samples from Mars has faced many obstacles in recent months after its costs soared to $11 billion. Therefore, NASA is looking for alternative cheaper options to solve the problem of delivering the collected samples to Earth.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Olympic gold medalist showed off his girlfriends healing progress during their island getaway in an Instagram post shared on Thursday, Aug. 22

Shaun White/Instagram Shaun White and Nina Dobrev in Barbados

Nina Dobrev and Shaun White are enjoying their Barbados vacation to the fullest!

The five-time Olympian, 37, shared an inside look at the pairs island getaway in an Instagram post on Thursday, Aug. 22. White included a carousel of photos and videos from their vacation, which featured scenes of Dobrev dancing to some live music nearly three months after her dirt bike accident that left her seriously injured.

In the short clip, the Vampire Diaries alum, 35, dances over to her boyfriend, who cheers her on as he records. Welcome to Barbados, a voice can be heard saying as Dobrev sways to the drumming in the background.

Related: Nina Dobrev Takes First Steps Without Crutches 3 Months After Dirt Bike Accident: 'Most Brutal Recovery'

Shaun White/Instagram Nina Dobrev dancing in Barbados

The couple, who jetted off to the island to celebrate Whites moms birthday, also enjoyed a number of other fun-filled activities together.

One video shows the retired snowboarder rocking a red swimsuit as he stands on a boat. He waves to the camera and says bye before doing a backflip into the turquoise water.

Shaun White/Instagram Shaun White and Nina Dobrev posing with White's mom in Barbados

Following in her sons footsteps, Whites mom then appears to do a cannonball off the boat in a different slide.

The three-time Olympic gold medalist also shared some snaps of him giving his mom a big hug, followed by the mother-son duo sharing a drink on the boat with Dobrev.

Related: Shaun White Shakes His Booty in Vampire Diaries Merch for Girlfriend Nina Dobrev as She Recovers from Bike Accident

Earlier in August, Dobrev shared an update with PEOPLE on how shes been feeling after the May accident that left her needing surgery due to a torn ACL, meniscus and fractured tibial plateau.

I think I'm doing pretty well, she said at the time, adding that doctors were pretty surprised at how fast she was recovering. I'm a little ahead of schedule in terms of healing, but it is still a very long process.

She continued, There's still a ways to go. And a lot of times at this point in the healing process, people get re-injured because they feel fine. And so they start doing normal things. So I have to kind of remind myself that I'm still healing and there's still a little bit of time to go.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic Nina Dobrev and Shaun White in June 2023

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Earlier this summer, White expressed his admiration for his girlfriend of more than four years and commended her on how shes handling her recovery.

She's such a trooper. I mean, she really took her recovery so seriously, he told PEOPLE. She's icing, she's taking peptides, she's doing this everyday therapy. She's honestly more diligent than I was even while I was competing. So she's bounced back really quickly.



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Read the original article on People.
No, it's not the pouring of the milk that's the problem. Alex Walker via Getty Images

Picture this: Youre rushing off to work and thinking about the never-ending list of to-dos youre hoping to work your way through today. On the way, you pop into your local coffee shop for some much-needed caffeine. But instead of grabbing your large drip coffee or latte to go, you sit down at a table or stand at a coffee bar and drink from a ceramic mug. Does this sound absurd? Well, this is actually how coffee is consumed in many places throughout the world.

In the U.S., we constantly carry around take-away cups of drip coffee, but throughout many parts of the world  like some parts of Europe and New Zealand, for example  that just isnt the norm.

Sure, some people grab a coffee to-go every now and then, but many people drink their coffee from a mug right there in the cafe  whether seated solo, with a group of friends or standing up at the bar. Sometimes its a communal thing to sit down and drink coffee with friends. Other times its more about just throwing back an espresso on the way to work  either way it happens right there at the cafe.

Takeaway coffee culture is often dictated by an environmental lifestyle  for instance in Italy, where it is customary to stand at the bar and enjoy an espresso quickly. This quick, sociable and affordable ritual is deeply rooted in Italian culture, said Jack Foster, co-owner and operations director at Crosby Coffee in England. Other European countries such as Austria or France see their customers sit down and savor their coffee leisurely, often accompanied by a pastry. Again, a way of life in some cities and choices made by their communities lifestyle.

If youre obsessed with the hustle and cant imagine doing anything else but run off from the cafe with your coffee and cart it around everywhere you go for the next hour, youre going to want to keep reading to see how things are done differently.

For insight, we reached out to coffee experts for their take on takeaway coffee culture in the United States and how this is different from other parts of the world where takeaway culture hasnt fully taken over.

South America and Central America

In Brazil, people enjoy their coffee in cafes over long conversations. Its a very social thing. Its certainly not about taking your coffee on the run in a paper cup.  Paulo Peres, who was born and raised in Brazil and is managing principal at specialty coffee importer Agrisapien Traders LLC in the United States

As someone with Brazilian and Italian nationality, I can say that the coffee culture in both countries is much more social. In Brazil, youll be offered coffee at almost every house or office you visit, and after lunch, many people stop at a local bakery for a coffee and a chat with the locals. Similarly, in Italy, people visit espresso bars, where even if they spend just two minutes, they prefer to enjoy their coffee in a proper cup and have a brief conversation with the barista.

In Italy and Brazil, people generally prefer to stop for their coffee in a proper cup, regardless of the coffees quality. Bruna Costa, who is a licensed coffee Q grader and director and co-founder of Bossa Coffee Company in London. She was born and raised in a coffee-producing and exporting family in Brazil.

When my dad took me out to coffee after I moved from Guatemala to Chicago in 1995, I was surprised with the rushed cafe culture in the U.S. Coming from a country where coffee is commonly enjoyed in a ceramic mug without milk at any time of day, it was a surprise to see iced and hot lattes as the norm, all served in a to-go cup to keep up with the fast pace of American life. In the U.S., people rarely have time to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with family and friends the way we do in Guatemala.  Glendy Alejandro, a Guatemala native who works as lead barista at Venteux Brasserie, Cafe & Oyster Bar in Chicago

This sends a much cozier signal than a takeaway cup. SimpleImages via Getty Images

India

The take away coffee culture in the U.S. is considerably different from what Ive seen in India. In India coffee and tea breaks are common especially during the work day, which makes it something that people want to have away from their desks. So you will see a lot of small coffee and tea shops right outside large office buildings with people standing near the establishment drinking their coffee and engaging in conversation with their co-workers, away from their desks.As part of Indian culture, food and drink are very social concepts. So most occasions where Indians eat or drink are not alone in their car or on their way to work but rather something they would do with their family at home or with their colleagues at work or with their friends after work. Its very much an experience rather than just a product.  Shonali Paul, founder of Paul John Indian Caffeine Company, which is based in the United States and sources coffee beans from South IndiaPhilippines

In the Philippines, where I have been living for the past 12 years, the coffee culture is more of a leisurely quality. Cafes are more like social hubs, places to escape the heat and humidity, and the baristas take pride in crafting each beverage with care.Unlike in the U.S., where many people drink coffee primarily for its caffeine boost when rushing from one place to another, its a ritual in Southeast Asia. Honestly, its not uncommon here in the Philippines to see families or groups of friends spending an entire afternoon at a cafe, enjoying the AC and free Wi-Fi.While the convenience of takeaway coffee is undeniable, theres something to be said for the slower, more intentional approach to coffee culture that I experience here in the Philippines. Its more of a feeling of community, which can be harder to find in the fast-paced, grab-and-go world of American coffee shops.  Mark Morphew, who is originally from the United Kingdom and is founder of the online educational coffee resource BeanGroundEurope

Size of drinks and commuting play a huge role in how Americans drink their coffee. In Italy people drink a cappuccino, generally around 6-8 ounces, or an espresso, 2-4 ounces. These small drinks are easy to enjoy at the cafe in a porcelain cup in a couple minutes. In the U.S., the large chains, Starbucks being the obvious one, you see 16, 20, 24-plus ounce sized drinks. Those are not meant to be drank in one sitting. Additionally unless you live in a big city you drive to work, so the convenience of a drive-thru, which obviously equals a takeaway, is where commuters flock so they can drink their coffee in the car on the way into work. Taking breaks to enjoy food and beverage isnt celebrated as much in the U.S. In Spain, business shuts down for a long lunch, [and] in Sweden you Fika, taking a break to enjoy coffee and a snack. How often we work through lunch, eating at the computer, or skip it all together here in the United States. In all my years in coffee, a general coffee shop that has seating may have 20-30% have their orders be for here  oftentimes less than that. My greatest encouragement to U.S. coffee drinkers to enjoy coffee for here, beyond just taking time to stop and enjoy the moment, is the waste impact. Coffee shops produce a significant amount of waste due to-go culture. There are businesses like Stumptown who actually offer a .25 discount when you order your drink for here to encourage this sustainable practice.  Laila Ghambari, a coffee industry consultant and former U.S. Barista ChampionCoffee culture in Europe versus the U.S. is quite different, but each has a purpose and a place. In Europe, the coffee scene is characterized by a slower pace, one that fosters conversation and engagement, whereas in the U.S., the coffee environment is characterized by speed and efficiency. Both coffee cultures share one key element: routine. Alexa Lindsay, brand manager of Segafredo Zanetti USA

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Consumer Reports has put out its first-ever brand ranking on used vehicles as well as its 10 top picks of the best individual used cars priced under $20,000  two of which are General Motors models: the 2020 Buick Envision won in the Luxury SUV category and the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze won for small sedan under $10,000.

But when it comes to the best overall brand in used cars, Consumer Reports gave the top honor to Lexus, followed by Toyota, both of which had a commanding lead over third-place Mazda. Acura and Honda were near the top, too. Rounding out the bottom of the list were Ford, GMC, Ram, Jeep, Tesla, Dodge and Chrysler, which was dead last.

Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems, Steven Elek, Consumer Reports program leader for auto data analytics, said in a statement. Our data consistently shows over time that new cars from those brands are reliable when new and they continue to be reliable as they age.

A 2020 Buick Envision was selected by Consumer Reports as a top-rated used vehicle in the category of

Elek said the lower-ranking brands tend to have much less consistent reliability across their model lines. For example, only the 2018 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox SUVs have above-average reliability among the six years that model was offered. But, Elek said, the entire 2014 to 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pickup generation proved to have below-average reliability.

This is why it's best to check the reliability ratings for each model year when buying a used car, Elek says. Making assumptions can prove both costly and inconvenient.

The methodology

The used car market is hot right now, with 40% of car shoppers saying they are considering only used cars, according to a June 2024 American Experiences Survey by Consumer Reports of 2,032 U.S. adults. For that reason, Consumer Reports  a nonprofit research, testing and advocacy organization  is expanding its ratings and recommendations beyond new vehicles to include used car insights.

Consumer Reports said it based its new brand ranking for used cars on the reliability of 5- to 10-year-old cars as informed by the organization's annual auto surveys. The organization asks its members each year about problems theyve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months. For this study, Consumer Reports said it focused on the problems reported on 2014 to 2019 model year vehicles, from a survey sample of about 150,000 vehicles.

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Consumer Reports ,a he nonprofit research, testing and advocacy organization, has released its first-ever brand ranking on used vehicles. The analysis ranks 26 car brands based in reliability of their five- to 10-year-old models.

The data showed that buyers can limit costly repairs, reduce the risk of problems, and get more life out of a vehicle by focusing on certain brands over others.

Top used car picks

Toyota and Mazda were not just in the top used car brands, but their models accounted for half of the top 10 used vehicles Consumer Reports singled out.

Consumer Reports has historically named its 10 Top Picks among new cars, which highlighted the cars, SUVs and pickups that performed best in the organizations extensive road tests and member surveys. It is now using similar processes to select the top used vehicle models for its first 10 Top Used Car Picks.

All of the top used cars selected are valued under $20,000 and had earned Consumer Report's recommendation when tested as new. They are rated above-average for reliability and come standard with electronic stability control, Consumer Reports said.

Although prices have come down from their pandemic highs, the average cost of a used car is nearly $30,000. Thats why we placed a big emphasis on value in selecting these 10 vehicles, looking for the hidden gems that offered the right blend of reliability, performance, and safety at the most budget-friendly prices, said Alex Knizek, Consumer Report's associate director of auto test development.

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Consumer Reports has released a list of its 10 top picks of the best individual used cars priced under $20,000.

Consumer Reports has historically named its 10 Top Picks among new cars, which highlighted the cars, SUVs, and pickups that performed best in the organizations extensive road tests and member surveys. It is now using similar processes to select the top used vehicle models for its first 10 Top Used Car Picks.

Two hybrids made the list: The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid for best Hybrid Small Sedan under $20,000 and the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for best Hybrid SUV under $20,000. Best pickup under $20,000 went to the 2015 Toyota Tacoma.

If you can't find that exact used vehicle model year, don't fret. Consumer Reports said it studied from a "generation perspective," meaning the years that a single design was offered, to identify the best options. It then narrowed the field by targeting specific price categories. Consumer Reports said within the price range, its top choices are based on the newest model year because they tend to have fewer miles on them.

Car shoppers who cant find the exact model year as one of our Top Picks should check if theres a reliable model within the same generation," Knizek said. "They'll find much the same quality, possibly even cheaper, by considering older versions of the same car. They may even find a particularly good deal on a newer model."

More: Shopping for a used car? Why now may be the time to buy.

More: GM's Cruise partners with Uber to offer self-driving ride-hailing service

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Consumer Reports ranking: Most reliable used cars to buy
Best places to watch the WEBN Fireworks  Ohio vs. Kentucky vs. couch

Grab your picnic blankets and lawn chairs. The beloved Western & Southern WEBN Fireworks return to the Ohio Riverfront on Sunday.

Festivities kick off with Riverfest at noon at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove, with music, food, entertainment and other family fun. The WEBN show, featuring Rozzis Fireworks, takes over the sky at 9 p.m.

Planning on tuning into the show, either in-person or from home? Here are some places you can view the spectacle in Ohio and Kentucky, as well as the channel it'll air on.

What channel are the WEBN Fireworks on?

The fireworks will broadcast on Local 12 (WKRC-TV).

WEBN Fireworks livestream

WEBN will stream a live broadcast of the fireworks from Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove at iHeart.com.

The WEBN Fireworks return Sunday, Sept. 1.

Where to watch the WEBN Fireworks in Ohio

The most popular spot to watch the fireworks in Ohio is Sawyer Point Park and Yeatman's Cove. Set up your own tarp sitting area on the Serpentine Wall starting at noon Sunday. Anything set up before then will be removed and destroyed, according to WEBN's FAQ page.

Tarps and blankets can only be placed with painter's, gaffer or masking tapes. They cannot be secured with duct tape, rocks, bricks, sand or gallon jugs of water.

For a list of prohibited items, check out our story about everything you need to know.

Other Cincinnati spots with views of the riverfront:

Bellevue Hill Park, 2191 Ohio Ave., Clifton Heights.

Smale Riverfront Park, West Mehring Way, Downtown.

Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park, 1135 Riverside Drive, Downtown.

Frederick H. Alms Memorial Park, 710 Tusclum Ave., Columbia Tusculum.

Mount Echo Park, 251 Mt. Echo Park Drive, East Price Hill.

Olden View Park, 2610 W. Eighth St., East Price Hill.

Eden Park Overlook, 950 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills.

The Cincinnati Dinner Train also hosts a fireworks train ride from Seymour Avenue to the riverfront and back. Tickets are $159.99 and come with a four-course meal.

Where to watch the WEBN Fireworks in Kentucky

Newport

Watch the fireworks at Newport's Riverfest on the Levee, which starts at 3 p.m. This free event has live music, pop-up shops, vendors and more. Find more information at newportonthelevee.com.

The Purple People Bridge closes at 8 a.m. Sunday and reopens at 2 a.m. Monday. Taylor Southgate Bridge closes for cars at 6 p.m. and for pedestrians at 7:30 p.m.

See the full list of Newport road closures at newportky.gov.

Covington

Each year, people flock to Covington's riverfront or Devou Park to watch the fireworks display. Several streets will close to vehicle traffic starting at 6 p.m., including the Roebling and Clay Wade Bailey bridges.

See the full list of road closures and more information at covingtonky.gov.

Bellevue

Buckhead Mountain Grill in Bellevue is hosting its Cincinnati Riverfest Fireworks Watch Party this year. Doors open at 4 p.m. A ticket to the party includes food, parking, a reserved table and live music.

Call the restaurant at 859-491-7333 for tickets.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2024 WEBN Fireworks in Cincinnati: Where to watch
Editors Note:

Beyond the Ride is our love letter to the people who make mountain biking better. This isnt a series reserved for sponsored athletes or the folks in power at bike brands (although were excited to cover those too). Instead, its an open invitation: Do you know someone whos working to make mountain biking better? Nominate them here. We want to highlight the local ripper, the policy wonk who works with land agencies, the mechanic who saved your race, and the organizer who put it on. This is for the advocates, the storytellers, the builders, and the coaches.

When Matthew Kellogg nominated Josh Blum for a feature in our Beyond the Ride series, he called Josh "a consistent voice for advocates in the trail space." Reading his answers below, it's impossible not to agree with Matthew, and vehemently.

Name, age, current place of residence?

Josh Blum, 46, La Crosse, WI.

What do you do (specifically related to mountain biking)?

I am the host of the Trail EAffect Podcast. The purpose of the Trail EAffect podcast is to explore the Effects / Affects that Trails have on communities. The way this is accomplished is by having conversations with the people who make trails reality, and sharing these conversations with all of the listeners. Guests include everyone from local advocates and leaders to professional trail builders.

This is a side project for me, which started as a strong curiosity around how communities are getting trails built. Every community and guest accomplish things in slightly different ways as they all face unique issues and challenges. It is important to note, that there isnt one way to go about all of this, which is why its important to cover various communities and personalities. I figured if these conversations could be recorded and shared it might inspire others to move forward with helping to create more trails, and higher quality trail experiences in their communities. Four years later, and the conversation is still going, I couldnt have imagined that would be real. Full time, I to work for Rock Solid Trail Contracting as a Trail Planner and Designer, this is a relatively newer role for me.

Josh Blum feeling the aeffects of time on the trail. Photo courtesy of: Josh Blum

Whats been the bike-related highlight of your year?

Attending the 2024 Professional Trail Builders Association Conference in Georgia this past March. Ive attended other PTBA conferences, but this most recent one was the best to date (IMO). There was a ton of positive energy around Trails and Trail Building. The Key Note Speaker at this conference was Glen Jacobs of WorldTrail based out of Australia. Glens keynote really set the tone for the rest of the conference, and everyone that I had interactions with was super positive about where the trail building community is heading. Overall, Trail Building is a pretty young industry from a professional perspective and the growing pains associated with that are real, but there are many great things happening.

If you could leave any impact on mountain biking, what would you like to be remembered for?

Trails  the commitment to promoting and advancing advocacy (for mountain biking) and community building through trails.

What, outside of mountain biking, makes you excited?

Wood Fired Pizza, Motocross / Supercross, and spending time with my daughters and girlfriend.

Josh Blum knows that the only thing better than kids and bikes are kids on bikes. Photo courtesy of: Josh Blum

What are your goals for the next year? (They can be anything from race results, to injury recovery, to just trying to ride your bike more.)

To continue the conversation around the importance of Trail Planning and Design at the start of trail projects. There are times where this step has been shortcut or skipped all together as people just want to start digging, which I completely understand. When you have good planning and design up front a lot of great things can happen, from approvals to funding, and ultimately creating projects that really deliver on providing a great experience for the users. I mean, could you imagine if your favorite bike manufacturer just started building bikes or components without a plan or design to start with?

To provide more coverage for gravity bike parks  They serve as a great resource, and alternative for trail access. We are a half century or more behind Alpine Ski / Snowboard areas and resorts. Getting behind this movement can play a critical role for access to certain trail styles you may not be able to find on public lands. Furthermore, gravity bike parks are popping up in some pretty unique and unsuspecting locations these days, and that really intrigues me.

Selfishly, I want to ride my mountain bike in more places to gain a better understanding around trails and trail communities. There are so many incredible trail systems and trail communities around the world and to be able to experience more of this first hand is the ultimate goal.

Josh Blum is knows you can't find the next great trail story unless you go out, on trails. Photo courtesy of: Josh Blum

Whats the most exciting trend in mountain biking youre seeing right now (and how can we help it)?

Is this where I am supposed to talk about high pivot suspension design? (Kidding)

I have been seeing a trend towards more awareness around trails, how they come to be, and some funding towards this from the bike industry. This is greatly appreciated, even now when we have seen the downturn of sales over the past year. I dont believe that trail advocacy and funding is the full responsibility is of the mountain bike industry, but I do believe that the mountain bike industry can and should have a proactive stance on continuing to talk about trails and the importance of great trail experiences. Who doesnt like a good trail story?

Bonus Trend: more trails close to home  so more people can ride to ride and make mountain biking more of a daily activity instead of a weekend affair or activity that is only reserved for vacations. And more kids on bikes (did I get all the important tag lines in yet?)

Whats the worst trend youre seeing right now (and how would you fix it)?

The public infighting around trails that happens online via Instagram and other forms of social media. If there is one comment, Ive heard from public officials that resonates with me, its that there is too much infighting between mountain bikers. This infighting doesnt us help gain access.

How would I fix it? Encourage people to get involved with the conversation in person, and understand that not every trail being built is built for the purpose of being their favorite trail. Or just stop dropping negative comments online. If you dont agree with something, thats fine, theres a ton of stuff that we all might not agree with, but when you really break all of this down, we all can agree that mountain biking is pretty rad, trails are pretty rad, and that offering more diverse trail experiences will cater to getting more people mountain biking and enjoying the activity we all are here for. With all of that you might just get your next favorite trail

Oh, and bluetooth speakers in public on trails (or wherever). Please Just Dont Do It.

Whats your trail of choice right now (and why)?

My default answer for years has been the Red Trail in Copper Harbor, Michigan, but really, there are a lot of trails that qualify as a favorite in Copper Harbor, Michigan. The reason I like the Red Trail though is because its technical and old (1930s CCC era old). But dont get me wrong, I really like a well-built flow trail also

Josh Blum repping his favorite bike shop, Smith's. Photo courtesy of: Josh Blum

What other question do you wish wed asked?

You never asked about my cat.

Any sponsors, friends, or family youd like to thank?

Friends and Family  my daughters and my girlfriend as they provide a ton of support to me.

Smiths Bike Shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I know its probably cliche to name a bike shop, but Smiths helps me stay up to date with the latest in bike technology (I really like new bikes), and Smiths is a huge supporter of the local trails in my community.

Ben Welnak of Mountain Bike Radio, if it wasnt for Ben, I wouldnt have had a platform to start Trail EAffect on.

Matthew Kellogg, the Executive Director of AMBC Knoxville. Matthew and his community are a great example of how a local organization can function really well and create a diverse and robust mountain bike community and ultimately excellent trail community in an urban environment.

Andll of the past and future guests on Trail EAffect, without the guests the Trail EAffect Podcast wouldnt exist, so for all of those who have been or will be a guest on the Trail EAffect Podcast  thank you!
Chickasaw Jesse Lindsey, right, 2024 Chickasaw Historical Society Lifetime Service Award honoree with board member Wilson Seawright, left, who presented Lindsey the award during the 2024 Chickasaw Historical Society Ittafama Ithana (Gathering to Learn) Conference, conducted Aug. 8-9, at the Artesian Hotel, Sulphur. (Photo/Chickasaw Nation Media)

SULPHUR, Okla.  The 2024 Chickasaw Historical Society (CHS) Ittafama Ithana (Gathering to Learn) Conference, conducted Aug. 8-9, provided opportunity to honor a longtime culture keeper and learn about tribal food sovereignty, past and present. The annual conference was conducted at the Artesian Hotel.

The conference theme, Cultural Connection to Plant Communities, included educational presentations and discussion about traditional ecological knowledge and contemporary stewardship practices.

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Jesse Lindsey, a Chickasaw citizen who has dedicated his life to preserving and sharing the Chickasaw culture, was awarded the CHS Lifetime Service Award.

The Chickasaw Historical Society Lifetime Service Award is presented by the CHS board of directors to individuals who exemplify a lifetime of service and outstanding contribution to Chickasaw history and culture, and far-reaching communities.

To introduce the honoree, board member Wilson Seawright read an excerpt from a 1994 newspaper article which featured Lindsey, of Sasakwa, Oklahoma.

Thirty years ago, Jesse Lindsey was already sharing Chickasaw culture and history and he had been doing it for almost 10 years at that time, Seawright said.

Utilizing the cultural knowledge he gleaned from his uncle, Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee Adam Walker, Lindsey traveled to schools and events to educate others about bows and stickball.

In 1998, under the leadership of Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, Lindsey and Walker helped open the Chickasaw Nation stomp dance grounds at Kullihoma, where Lindsey volunteered until 2005. He then joined the Chickasaw Cultural Center team and helped revive Chickasaw stomp dancing. Lindsey has served the Chickasaw Nation for 19 years.

Accepting the award, Lindsey said he was honored and blessed.

Without taking time in my life out and asking my kinfolks questions about who we are, I would not stand here today, Lindsey said.

Sharing Chickasaw culture has allowed Lindsey to experience historic events, such as the groundbreaking of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., he said.

It is there forever to share with my grandkids.

Lindsey also spoke of the importance of learning from elders and sharing cultural knowledge with others.

I really appreciate being Chickasaw, and I am proud of it. I really feel honored today. Chokma'shki, thank you.

The conference included several informative sessions based on the theme of Cultural Connection to Plant Communities, including Food Sovereignty in Chickasaw Country, by Dr. Judy Goforth Parker; Climate Conditions and Their Impact on the Plant Communities within the Chickasaw Nation, by Amelia Cook; Chickasaw Food Sovereignty: From Yesterday to Today, by Sierra Hampton; Chickasaw Medicine, by Rhonda Sellers; Wildland Fire Management: Past, Present and Future, by Miko Brandon; and Water Settlement Implementation: Ensuring a Sustainable Water Future for the Chickasaw Nation, by Newakis Weber.

The sessions, presented by Chickasaw and First American subject matter experts, provided a historic view of traditional Chickasaw food sovereignty and an overview of present-day tribal programs and services developed to maintain traditional lifeways, overcome challenges and ensure the Chickasaw people thrive.

The annual conference gives Chickasaw people a place to reconnect, and maintain and celebrate their Chickasaw identity, said conference organizers. Singing of traditional hymns was also included in the agenda.

Additionally, a reception was conducted the evening of Aug. 8 in the Artesian ballroom, which provided CHS members an opportunity to network and fellowship with one another.

The Chickasaw Historical Society was established by tribal law April 15, 1994. Board members are appointed by Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby.

For more information or to become a member, visit Chickasaw.net/CHS.
Some spend thousands hiring professional dorm room decorators, but these parents are happy to take on the job themselves if it means their kids will be comfortable

Allison Autry Allison Autry's daughter's dorm room

When moving her son into college in 2020, Tamara Wingerter witnessed parents putting together luxurious dorm rooms. She was inspired to create a Facebook group for those looking for inspiration

Four years later, her co-run page Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond has a community of more than 69,000 members, many of whom post photos of their kids' highly decorated rooms

Wingerter and four other moms in the group spoke to PEOPLE and detailed how much time and money they poured into designing their daughters' new homes

For those whose parents can afford it, the perfect college dorm room can be curated and constructed with the expert help of a professional interior designer. More than a few hundred dollars will streamline move-in day by dream-scaping every pillow, poster and pop of color before it gets pilled into a freshman's compact new home.

Considering the high price point  in 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported families paying professional designers up to $10,000 for dorm detailing  most parents unsurprisingly opt out of decorative assistance. But that doesn't necessarily mean they don't care about where their kids are sleeping and studying away from home.

Take Tamara Wingerter, for example. In many ways, Wingerter started dreaming up her daughter's dorm room four years ago, when she moved her older child into his freshman year accommodations at Mississippi State University. Looking back on her son's 2020 move-in day, Wingerter thinks she did the best she could considering how little she knew about Southern dorm design culture.

"I was completely clueless, but we managed to make it a really nice dorm room for a guy," she recalls to PEOPLE. "And then I started seeing all of his friends' dorm rooms, the girls', and I was like, 'What?' I could not believe what these Mississippi State rooms looked like ... I was just in awe."

Just after dropping off her son, she came across a stranger's social media post that was catching widespread attention amongst Southern parents. A woman had shared photos of different eye-catching dorm rooms decorated to meet the height of collegiate style, and Wingerter was overcome with inspiration.

"I was just blown away and I was obsessed," she says. She reached out to the post's creator to offer a look at her son's recently set up room and to seek advice for the future:

"I was like, 'These rooms are unbelievable. I need to be able to do that for my daughter in four years,'" adds Wingerter, who works in marketing for a radio station.

Eventually, she had the idea to turn the woman's viral post into a full Facebook group where parents could share their kids' decorated dormitories or find ideas for any upcoming move-in projects. Since joining together to launch Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond, the two women, formerly strangers, have "become the best of friends," says Wingerter.

Tamara Wingerter Tamara Wingerter's daughter's dorm room

Related: Why One Mom Washes Her Kids' Shoes Instead of Buying New for Back-to-School (Exclusive)

Today, the original two creators run the private Facebook group with four other administrators. More than 69,000 Facebook users have joined Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond, where empty nesters post photos of their kids' new digs down South and  as the page's name suggests  all across the country.

"Over the four years, we've had so many out-of-state moms join, and we welcome everybody," Wingerter tells PEOPLE. "But we started off as Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond because the Mississippi State and Ole Miss rooms were just so amazing and breathtaking."



This summer, Wingerter was able to prove how far her design skills have come in the time since she she dropped off her son for his freshman year and started keeping up with dorm trends on Facebook. Her daughter Marissa and her roommate, Peyton, got the full room makeover experience on their Mississippi State move-in day.

While it feels like Wingerter has spent the last four years planning out Marissa's first college residence, the mom says they actually started conceptualizing the room's aesthetic in January, about seven months before the move. The process launched once the roommates selected a color scheme: blue and green with "a pop of pink," notes Wingerter.

"I put a vision board together and it definitely was fluid. I kept changing it and changing it and changing it," she tells PEOPLE of her creative process in collaboration with Marissa, Peyton and Peyton's family. "I'm not a designer. I am the furthest thing from a designer. But because I've been running that group for four years, I was able to know what to look for and put it together."

Plenty of other Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond members share Wingerter's lack of experience with interior decorating, but her group has guided many through the planning timeline, including Mississippi State alumna-turned-Mississippi State mom Allison Autry. She tells PEOPLE she started plotting her only daughter's first home-away-from-home a full year before move-in.

A self-described "planner," Autry says the Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond Facebook group was "extremely helpful" throughout the process, providing inspiration and resources for the mom, her daughter Ella Kate and her roommate, Karalyne.

Allison Autry Allison Autry's daughter and roommate; Allison Autry with her daughter and husband

Related: 20-Year-Old with Autism Waves Bye to Mom for the First Time. Doorbell Camera Captures Surprise Moment

"[The group] had Amazon shopping lists already created with the necessities that we would need and links to different items that we would need," says Autry, adding, "Of course, with all of the pictures of the dorms from years prior, the girls would go on and send us pictures of what they liked, what they wanted."

She admits that some of her favorite parts of Ella Kate's room were directly inspired by the Facebook page, like the peel-and-stick wallpaper and the personalized neon signs above both girls' beds. The latter detail is a common decoration seen in a number of photos posted by other Mississippi and Beyond parents, but Autry isn't embarrassed to emulate: "I feel like the sincerest form of flattery is imitation," she says.

Still, Ella Kate and Karalyne made sure their new crib stood out with customized artwork and painted pillows from a local store called Hobbies Galore by Tayler. Autry's new freshman also requested a teal ice machine to match the room's vibrant color scheme, and the dedicated mom delivered.

Between the essentials  beddings, curtains and a place to sit and study  and Autry's decorating zeal, she estimates that they spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on the space. She acknowledges the budget might seem excessive, but the family actually managed to save a decent amount of money thanks to her husband Rob's handiwork.

"We DIY'd everything ... My husband was able to build a lot of it," she tells PEOPLE. Rob constructed key items like the girls' bedside tables, the hutches atop their desks and the sofa table between their beds. Autry sewed some pillows herself, and she says they also saved money by tapping into dorm resale groups, another friendly resource passed from parent to parent in the Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond Facebook group.

But even with all of Autry's smart saving, the pieces that perfected Ella Kate's dream space added up quickly. Their pink desk chairs cost about $100 each. The roommates' white console table in their entryway came from Wayfair for $150, a price tag to match the ice machine from Amazon. The Etsy-purchased neon signs also retailed in the $150 range.

"As you get closer to move-in, of course there's always going to be things that you forgot or that you didn't realize you needed. For instance  electrical strips, power strips, those are expensive because you have to have surge protection," Autry reflects. "We wanted pictures for their walls. We wanted pictures for their desk. On their closets, you saw the little pictures ... that does add up."

Autry's dorm room makeover mission took about eight hours to set up on move-in day, in addition to the big bill. Still, other parents hike their budgets even higher in the name of keeping their kids comfortable.

Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow's daughters' dorm

Related: First-Grader Sent Flat Stanley to Barack Obama in 2011. 13 Years Later, She Goes Viral for Sharing His Reply (Exclusive)

Each year, Wingerter polls the members of her Facebook group to gauge how much parents are pouring into these projects. The admin shared her 2023 poll results with PEOPLE, which show a near-majority of voters  421 group members  spent between $501 and $1,000. Less than half as many Facebook users spent between $1,000 and $1,500, and 95 others copped to paying between $1,501 and $2,000.

In total only 25 of the 862 voters used a designer for their kids' 2023 dorm rooms. It goes to show just how much the community of parents have changed the dorm room decorating game.

"The moms in our group ... are so creative," Wingerter notes. "You used to not see a room like Marissa's and Peyton's unless it was a designer, and now the moms and the girls can do this themselves."

Last year, only 46 members of Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond voted that they paid as much as Micha Prude did this summer. The educator did take measures to save costs when planning her daughter Malaya's room, but the orange and pink plush setup wasn't cheap.



"It didn't hit the $5,000 range. I want to say we spent anywhere between $2,500 to $3,000 on her room," Prude tells PEOPLE. "Once we joined the dorm room moms group ... it just kind of took on a life of itself. I know my husband was like, 'Okay, just let me know what I need to pay for,' because he was so over it."

Malaya's pink futon couch is the most expensive thing in her room, totaling around $299. She and her mom looked for cheaper options, but nothing matched the quality and color of the one sitting in the dorm today.

Micha Prude Micha Prude's daughter in her dorm

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"We kept going back to that couch. [Malaya] said, 'Mama, I like that,' Prude recalls. "Finally I was like, "Okay, well, this is one of those things, I'm going to suck it up. She likes it. This is the color couch she wants, so I'm just going to roll with it after."

Then there were more obviously splurges, like a $65 bulldog pillow ($80 after shipping) that the Mississippi State mom spotted while shopping on Etsy. Prude can't help but laugh as she recounts her decision to snag the dorm accessory.

"I told Malaya, I said, 'Your daddy has never laid hands on me a day in his life, but if he only knew how much I paid for that pillow,' " she remembers. "But it was one of those things that was so cute that I was like, 'Okay, you've got to have this to put on your couch.' "

Like Autry, Prude watched her bill rise with the essentials: a "name-brand comforter set" for about $60, mirrors for $50 each, a $50 bed skirt, an $85 mattress topper and more.

Prude did make an effort to spend wisely. She bought Malaya's round table on Facebook Marketplace for $10 and gave it some shine with a $7 bottle of gold spray paint. She avoided paying $30 to $40 per pillow and instead purchased $7 pillow covers and a $25 bag of Poly-fil to stuff them herself.

Unlike Autry and Wingerter, Prude wasn't as directly in touch with Malaya's roommate Yacine's family, which other parents describe as a major help when paying up for a kids' comfort. Prude tells PEOPLE each freshman paid for their own side of their room as far as bedding, headboards and neon name signs went. However a lack of communication between families led to some imbalanced costs, though she clarifies the other parents aren't at fault.

Micha Prude Micha Prude's daughter's dorm room

Related: School Principal Follows 'No Office' Rule and Unusual Dress Code. Three Years Later, His Policies Go Viral (Exclusive)

Prude says that Malaya, being a "typical 17, 18-year-old," failed to keep her roommate updated on plans and prices. She kept forgetting to ask for her Yacine's approval of the certain items and their prices, and Prude didn't have time to wait and see whether or not the families would split the tab.

"I'm not knocking anyone's parents or anything. I'm not being negative about it at all. It's just that Malaya wasn't relaying the information the way I wanted her to, so my husband and I just bought it," Prude explains, adding that the other family bought everything for their bathroom and reimbursed Prude for certain items, like Yacine's lamp to match Malaya's.

In addition to working within a time constraint as move-in day approached, Prude was eager to meet her own expectations set by months of scrolling through photos posted on Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond.

"The decor  like the couch and the rug and the entryway stuff  those are just things that I felt just looking through the pictures throughout the year," she says.

Prude didn't let all that inspiration get the best of her. From the very beginning of her planning process, she tried to remind herself that the Facebook page doesn't have to become a competition between parents.

"I was like, 'Okay, the first thing I'm not going to do is compare myself to anyone else,' " she tells PEOPLE, adding, "Because I know for a fact that we have to live after we decorate this dorm. So I'm not about to go into debt to pay for this dorm."

She steadied her focus on Malaya and the ultimate goal of "creating a safe space for her based on what we can afford and not what everyone else [can]." Luckily, Prude says the tone of Wingerter's group leans toward the positive.

Micha Prude Micha Prude with her family on move-in day

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"The consistency in all of us moms' posts [is] 'Do what you can do.' You don't compare yourself to someone else," Prude says. "So that is what ... I told Malaya, I was like, 'Look, I know some of these moms are super elaborate, but we're going to do what we can afford, but we're going to do it in a way that you still get what you want.' "

In the end, Malaya and Yacine's pink-and-orange pad came together wonderfully, not to mention quickly: Prude says it took the two families just over three hours to set everything up. But other parents insist on the importance of collaboration between both roommates and their families.

Stephanie Slayman's daughter Shasta and Heather Kellow's daughter Adelyn starting planning their dorm room almost immediately upon meeting for the first time.

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"They sat down and started looking at color schemes and furniture pieces and their likes and dislikes," Slayman tells PEOPLE of their daughters, who decided to be roommates after meeting on social media.

Once the girls confirmed which Mississippi State residence hall they'd be living in, their moms leaned heavily on Wingerter's Facebook group  and on each other.

"There's kind of like a protocol [on] the site that we posted to. A lot of people are really good about exchanging information," Kellow recalls. "And it's really figuring out the color scheme, what they wanted and go from there. Stephanie and I texted a lot over the last couple of months and she's my new best friend. That was helpful to just be like, 'This is what we need to get.' "

Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow's daughters in their dorm room

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In plotting out their shared space, Shasta and Adelyn had a design advantage that didn't cost an extra penny. Kellow works as an interior designer at home in Nashville, and she was able to utilize some professional resources to set up a dream space, like asking her assistant draw up the dorm room floor plan provided by the university and having her work room add trim to their curtains.

"I jokingly say [Adelyn] was probably one of my hardest clients I've ever had," the expert decorator tells PEOPLE. "She and Shasta both had an opinion, so we had a direction. And once we did that, I was able to work with my vendors getting pillows made or getting custom hutches made ... things that are more unique to this type of room environment that they need."

Compared to the typical designer dorm experience, Kellow and Slayman didn't have to be as mindful about prices, though they tapped Amazon and a few resale opportunities, too.

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.

"I have resources that kind of get in that trade pricing as opposed to the markup. But really we just evaluated each individual thing as it went," Kellow says. "There wasn't a budget, but I don't know that we really were too crazy either."

By leaning into the professional headspace, Kellow saved herself money and time, but she also saved herself some tears too. A project-based mindset obscured the hard-to-swallow reality of her daughter growing up and moving out.

"I kept calling move-in day 'install day,' and it drove my daughter nuts," says Kellow. "I was like, 'But for my sanity and peace of mind, I'm not moving you in.' Like I had to kind of trick them  this is install day."

Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow Stephanie Slayman and Heather Kellow's daughters' dorm room

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Not all moms have the business mindset advantage, but many openly appreciate the distraction provided by such a deeply involved design process. Thanks to the move-in day mission, Prude tells PEOPLE she didn't have much time to get emotional.

"I was so happy ... and so excited with the way that her room turned out and that she actually loved it. It turned out the way she wanted it to turn out," Malaya's mom remembers. "I was so full and excited that I didn't have time to be sad."

It's hard to be sad knowing your kid is living in their dream room, especially if you helped make it happen.

"You want your child to be safe. You want them to be safe. You want them to feel at home. You want them to feel comfortable," says Prude. "Yes, they are stepping out into young adulthood, but for me it was about creating an environment that was like home for her. Somewhere that she would feel comfortable studying. I didn't want her to be too homesick."

The sentiment echoes throughout Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond.

"My goal was to make the room fun and bright, but I wanted it to be very homey. It's hard obviously when a daughter goes to school, but I wanted them to have a space that they could hang out with their friends," Autry says of her daughter's new digs. "I think we definitely created that ... Everybody on our hallway wanted to come hang out with them."

The group's common goal, Wingerter says, is "to make our daughters feel at home, show their personalities and just be in love with the room."

"It was amazing to see my vision board next to the room, and I was like, 'Wow, you did it. I can't believe it,' " she tells PEOPLE. But Wingerter says she felt her four-year-long process truly paid off after leaving the dormitory. "My daughter has literally texted me or called me five times since I left yesterday and been like, 'Mom, I love my room. I love my room.' "

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Editor's Note: This interview is part of an ongoing Star series highlighting Kansas Citians from historically under-represented communities and their impact on our region. The series builds on The Star's efforts to improve coverage of local communities. Do you know someone we should interview? Share ideas with our reporter J.M. Banks.

At 43, James Chang has spent the majority of his life in a kitchen.

Moving to the U.S. from Taiwan as a small child and seeing his father work hard to create a better life for him inspired a strong work ethic and passion for his community that persists in him today.

A cook and an entrepreneur, Chang created a Chili Oil condiment and launched JChang.kitchen Chili Oil as a business during the pandemic. He found support from the community that inspired him to use his knowledge of food preparation and his love of culture to build bridges throughout the Asian American food community in Kansas City. When he is not making his chili sauce Chang is working as a private cook and does special pop up dining events.

Chang took time away from preparing for an upcoming three-course dinner he is collaborating on two fellow Asian chefs to meet with J.M. Banks, the Stars culture and identity reporter, to discuss entrepreneurship, lessons learned in the kitchen and showing love through food .

J.M. Banks: Can you tell me about your background and upbringing?

James Chang: Ive lived here the majority of my life. I was actually born overseas in Taipei, Taiwan and then we moved around a lot when I was a kid. I came the U.S in the mid 80s. I come from a long line of people in the food industry. We hopped around a lot with my dad because he was one of those people who liked to move a lot. I always call myself an army brat without the army.

What made your family want to move to the United States?

Back in the 80s, well back when my dad first came to the U.S., like mid 70s, Taiwan was not a democracy like it is now. I would consider it almost a military dictatorship. Everything was controlled by the government so there wasnt very many opportunities. My dad actually came to the U.S. first and then brought me over.

Do you consider yourself a chef?

That word has so many connotations to it. I like to think of myself as a glorified cook. Im not classically trained. I learned everything for better or worse on my dads side. Growing up my family has been in the food business and that is where I learned how to cook. I have been in a restaurant in one form or another since I was 8.

When did your passion for cooking first begin?

I was a late bloomer. I freaking hated the kitchen dude. I hated the restaurant business because I grew up in it and I saw the grind. I was basically manning the deep fryer by the time I was 12 or something. But I hated it and didnt want to do it. It wasnt until my mid-twenties that I realized this is something I actually do that I was semi-good at. It was pretty much the only thing I knew how to do at this point because I had been doing it all my life.

When did you decide to start JChangs Kitchen Chili Oil?

It was actually an idea my friend pushed me to do. Right around the pandemic was when it all came about. If you go to Asian markets everybody knows about chili oil. If you look at the ingredients list on a lot of them you will see that theres like a lot of preservatives and chemicals like vinegar. My chili oil doesnt have any of those things that I dont necessarily feel like chili oil needs. Thats where the basis started off. Me asking myself if I can make something that is equally delicious but without all the artificial preservatives. Because oil itself is a preservative. So you dont necessarily need all the extra additives. So, that is where the basis came about. We did a bunch of test batches. We started off with 30 jars I think when we finally made our successful batch. People really liked it and it really started to take off from there. Now we have our original and chunky 2.0.

How would you describe the taste of the chili oil?

Its a premium product, like, its handmade. Everything is handmade, hand bottled and hand labeled. The 2.0 is more refined and has szechuan peppercorn so there is more of a numbing affect. I use fresh garlic so it is spicy and peppery.

What is the fulfilling part of your job?

Feeding people. I love feeding people. That is my joy and passion. Growing up as an Asian minority, your parents, your grandparents and all your elders, they dont usually say I love you. I think I heard my dad tell me he loved me once in my whole life. But they will show their love in different ways and food has always been the way that my family shows their love. We werent rich so certain foods were considered luxuries, like certain preparations was considered luxuries so that was a way to show them how you feel.

Do you have a milestone or achievement that stands out to you so far in your career?

The first time that I was featured in The Feast Magazine and got to be on the cover of the magazine. Its one of those things that its still kind of mind boggling to me. Im just trying things out and trying to like figure out ways of hustling some money for my family. The overwhelming amount of support that Ive gotten has been the most gratifying thing to me just because, like, I have like customers that have bought every single batch. The amount of support that people have given me really has boggled my mind dude.

What have been the biggest challenges or obstacles you have had to overcome since you started?

The F.D.A. (Food and Drug Administration) regulations. God, I could go on about this. It is actually harder in U.S. for you to produce chili oils and sauces than to have it produced over seas and shipped in. That really doesnt make sense to me and a lot of the F.D.A. regulations hasnt been changed throughout the years to keep up with the times. Chili oil is this new thing in the market that has really been blowing up for the past two to three years. My stuff is produced in a facility.

How do you feel your work impacts the community?

Every batch of chili oil that I sell I always donate a portion of it to random charities anonymously. I feel like thats my little way of giving back because the community has been really good to me. It feels like thats something that I should do as a person.

Do you have any professional partnerships that youre currently involved with?

I have a three course dinner with two other Asian chefs, this upcoming Thursday called Puen, which is Thai for friends. It is a dinner with cocktails and deserts. We all know each other through the Asian community and we are selling tickets, (The event is sold out). I will be doing the appetizers and entrees, I am actually doing Thai food not Taiwanese food.

What are your goals for the future?

I would love for someone to buy my company. That would probably be the endgame, having some big corporation say they love the product and buy me out.

Do you have a personal motto that guides you?

Just, be kind. That is what I try to instill in my kids. Just be nice and stay true to yourself. I am just me for better or worse.
Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the first and greatest astronomical observatory from the 6th century BC. The find was discovered in the temple of Buto, located in the governorate of Kafr el-Sheikh.

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According to scientists, the observatory, made of clay bricks, was crucial for observing the movement of the sun and stars. This amazing discovery demonstrates the ancient Egyptians' deep understanding and skill in astronomy, writes Arkeonews.

"It highlights the advanced astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, including their ability to determine the solar calendar and important religious and agricultural dates," said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The observatory's structure provides a glimpse of the sophisticated methods the ancient Egyptians used with simple instruments.

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Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the building of the astronomical observatory covers about 850 square meters. It consists of an east-facing entrance with a central columned hall open in an "L" shape, he said. And in front of it rises a huge mud brick wall with an inward slope, reminiscent of the style of Egyptian structures known as temple entrances.

Researchers found four mud-brick rooms and a small stone room that was an observatory tower.

Among the key discoveries are rare slanted stone sundials called shadow clocks. This sundial consists of a series of straight limestone slabs 4.80 meters long that were used to measure the shadow and angle of the sun, making it easier to track the movements of the celestial body throughout the day.

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The work uncovered numerous artifacts, including a statue from the 26th Dynasty, a Merkhet measuring tool, and various religious objects and ceramics related to daily life and rituals.

According to experts from Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the discovery underscores the value of Egyptian archaeological efforts in revealing new facets of the nation's rich past and offers a deeper understanding of the scientific and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Dozens of bars in Louisville have more than 50 different bourbons on their shelves.

Make no mistake, "Bourbon City" certainly lives up to its name, and it's not difficult to find a fine pour bourbon in this town. But sometimes choosing a single bar or restaurant for a nightcap can feel a bit like making a choice from a well-curated bourbon list.

There are so many good options, so where do you even begin?

Whether you're hosting out-of-town guests, traveling the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or just looking to try a new pour that you've never sampled before, Louisville's bar and restaurant scene has many great options.

Here are six great bourbon bars to try in the Louisville area.

Hell or High Water

112 W. Washington St., Louisville, hellorhighwaterbar.com

This Downtown Louisville speakeasy doesn't look like much from its inconspicuous storefront. But once you step inside what appears to be a gallery, and then through the secret doorway, you enter a roaring 1920's-style bar. In addition to an extensive bourbon list, Hell or High Water is also known for its cocktails. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Neat Bourbon Bar and Bottle Shop

1139 Bardstown Road, Louisville, neatbottlebar.com

Since Neat opened in 2019, it has earned the praise of Louisvillians and tourists. If you're itching to try or buy a bottle of bourbon from the year you were born, this is your spot. Neat has a strong collection of vintage bourbons on its menu and on its retail shelves. It's also got a robust collection of barrel picks and a celebrated cocktail menu. Neat was also named one of USA TODAY's Bars of the Year 2024.

North of Bourbon

935 Goss Ave. Louisville, northofbourbon.com

North of Bourbon blends the Bourbon City's culture with culinary inspiration from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The cozy, intimate restaurant has a unique ambiance complete with tables that are inside oversized barrels. North of Bourbon serves lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on the weekends. Reservations are strongly encouraged. This gem in Louisville's Germantown neighborhood was named the winner of The Courier Journal's 2023 Bourbon Bar Showdown.

The Outlook Inn

The Outlook Inn at 916 Baxter Avenue in Louisville's Highlands. Feb. 17, 2023

916 Baxter Ave., Louisville, northofbourbon.com

This pool hall in Louisville's Original Highlands neighborhood has one of the best whiskey menus in the city for its price point. Outlook Inn is known for its rotating Whiskey Wednesday deals that highlight its strong and diverse collection of Kentucky's favorite spirit. This is very much a no-frills neighborhood bar that has a strong following, great atmosphere and knowledgeable bar staff.

Taj Louisville

807 E. Market St., Louisville, instagram.com/tajlouisville

Taj in Louisville's bustling NuLu retail and restaurant district has a kickback-and-relax ambiance during the day that transforms into one of the city's favorite spots for nightlife in the evening. The bar itself is cozy, but there's also a large back patio where it's easy for groups to spread out. In addition to having a great bourbon list, Taj also has a knack for hosting events. Check its Instagram page for the latest on drink specials and barrel picks as well as more obscure celebrations, such as a crawfish boil and its annual goat party with live baby goats.

Watch Hill Proper

11201 River Beauty Loop, Prospect, watchhillproper.com

Watch Hill Proper in the Norton Commons area takes being a bourbon fan to the next level. You don't have to have a membership to drink and dine at this bourbon club, but being a member does give you access to perks such as discounts and events. In addition to an expertly curated list of bourbon, the club also offers experiences where guests can drink from the barrel or even select a barrel of their own.

Reach reporter Maggie Menderski at mmenderski@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Best Kentucky bourbon bars to visit in Louisville
Slimane

On a cloudy morning in Senegal, surfer Babacar Thiaw paddled through a sea of plastic. That day, he was the only local in the lineup at his home surf spot of Virage on the coast of Dakar, where his father first opened a surf shack in the 1970s. As he marveled at the barreling brown waves riddled with trashand travelersit hit him: Theyre just here for fun and will leave, but Ill be here forever, he thought. Am I going to be condemned to live in this environment for the rest of my life? Fast-forward more than a decade, and youll now find Thiaw making his own waves as the owner of Copacabana Surf Village, a surf shop, zero-waste restaurant, and a hub for sustainability initiatives like beach clean-ups and youth surf camps with an eco lean.

Lisa Coulaud

Lisa Coulaud

Thiaw is part of an increasingly urgent surfer-led movement to protect the worlds oceans. In 2020, he founded the Senegal chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a group of eco-conscious surfers that first formed in Malibu, California, in 1984 but has grown dramatically over the past decade. Surfers have long seen themselves as stewards of the ocean: After all, more than 75% of the worlds surf breaks are located in biodiverse ecosystems, giving millions of surfers worldwide a front-row seat to nature, and the growing impact humans are having on it. But with each passing year, new initiatives are tapping into this knowledge to raise awareness, track environmental changes, and shift policy. After all: Who wants to surf through piles of garbage?

There is a long history of surfers being the first to ring the alarm of environmental damages to coastal habitats and that strong stewardship ethic continues today, says Emmett Balassone, communications coordinator at Save The Waves Coalition. Surfers may be the first to witness coral bleaching, sick seabirds or marine mammals, water quality changes like algae blooms, and other environmental issues like plastic pollution.

Nicole Sweet/Surfrider Senegal

How to get involved

Surfers and beach-goers worldwide can use the Save The Waves mobile app to help crowdsource data on threats such as plastic pollution, poor water quality, and sea-level rise, which is then sent to partner organizations.

Coinciding with the UNs Ocean Decade, a plan to manage oceans sustainably by 2030, theres been a call to more formally protect beloved surf spots with a multi-pronged approach. The obvious place to start is with pervasive environmental threats, like trashwhich can be especially complicated to control, considering the movement of tides. In Indonesia, the second-biggest contributor of marine plastic after China, the sight of plastic bottles and straws while catching waves at Batu Bolong is not uncommonmuch like what Thiaw dealt with in Dakar. While it can be hard to pinpoint where the trash is coming from, some of it flows into the ocean from Balis waterways. Local environmental organizations there, like Sungai Watch, are focused on tackling trash closer to the source via the worlds rivers, which according to some estimates, receive 5.8 million tons of plastic per year. Founded in 2020 by Gary, Kelly, and Sam Bencheghib, three siblings who grew up surfing and going to the beach in Seminyak, Bali, the nonprofit aims to reduce the flow of pollution into the ocean by installing waste-capturing river barriers and organizing community clean-ups. As of 2024, its team of river warriorsa mix of locals and volunteers from around the worldhas collected over 5 million pounds of plastic, according to their website. Sungai Watch is now expanding throughout Java, Indonesia, home to 90 of the worlds 1,000 most polluted rivers.

Sungai Watch

Generated image Sungai Design

In 2024, the siblings launched Sungai Design, a studio that creates furniture from recycled plastic, with profits going toward supporting Sungai Watch. Its sleek Ombak chair (which means wave in Indonesian) is made entirely of plastic bags, the number one waste category that the team collects. As our sorting facilities started filling up with mountains of different waste types, we had to come up with innovative ways to recycle materials that weren't being recycled in Indonesia, says Kelly Bencheghib, who still lives in Bali.

Others are zooming out. The Save the Waves Coalition, a nonprofit working to defend surf ecosystems, has made strides by establishing 12 World Surfing Reserves (WSRs) in the United States, Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica, Portugal, and elsewhere, creating areas that are actively protected by local partners. In many of these reserves, efforts include protecting the integrity of the wave itself, and the economic value it brings to a community by way of surf tourism.

Surf conservation is a relatively new concept in the ocean conservation space, says Donna Meyers, acting director of conservation impact at Save The Waves Coalition. Our work has to start with local communities, and it usually generates from communities that see a threat to their surfing resources such as coastal development, sea walls, and port or harbor construction. A wave can be changed or destroyed forever by these actions.

Using data showcasing the environmental and economic benefits of caring for a watershed, the coalition has helped implement permanent protections, such as the creation of Baja Californias first state park in San Miguel, Ensenada, and a land trust that includes Punta De Lobos, one of Chiles most beloved surf breaks in the coastal area of Pichilemu (southwest of Santiago), preventing development in the area. The coalition is now petitioning the Mexican government to formally protect the land, mangrove forest, and coastline around three famous surf breaks in Salina CruzPunta Conejo, Punta Chivo, and Punta Escondidawhich would be the first reserve of its kind on the Oaxacan coast.

Beach at Puerto Escondido, Mexico rawfile redux

These efforts, big and small, will only become more crucial as the climate continues to change, and ocean environments are visibly impacted. At Copacabana Surf Village, Thiaw is engaging a new generation of environmental stewards to carry the torch. Step into his zero-waste restaurant and youll find him leading beach clean-ups and surf lessons with local kids every morning, while the aroma of thieboudienne (a traditional Senegalese rice and fish dish) fills the air. Local fishers supply most of the ingredients for the dishes on the seafood-forward menu, and some are now helping to assess water quality. In 2023, Thiaw and a team of citizen scientists, including surfers and fishers, began weekly water tests to collect data to drive change at a governmental level. In recent years, theres been a swell of environmental activism in Senegal. Since Thiaw opened Senegals first zero-waste restaurant in 2019, more than 65 others have popped up in the west African Nation, he says. The beach at Virage is cleaner than it was a decade ago, Thiaw says, but theres still work to be done.

As any surfer knows, the sport is hardly just about catching waves. It creates a profound, mutually beneficial connection to nature. Some people say the ocean changed me, but I like to say it built me, says Thiaw. As the sport grows in popularity, preserving beloved surf spots will only become more essentialbut with more surfers joining the efforts, theres an opportunity to leave these spots better than they were found.

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler

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Almost 40 years after their first joint expedition, British climbers Mick Fowler and Vic Saunders are heading to Nepal to attempt a new first ascent this fall.

Fowler and Saunders were already leading characters in the UK climbing scene in the 1980s, thanks to their hard winter routes in Scotland. They then paired up on major expeditions beyond the island. Their best-known feat was the first ascent of Spantiks Golden Pillar in Pakistan in 1987.

They have also forged impressive separate careers in exploratory, alpine-style climbing. Saunders  who quit his career as an architect to become a UIAGM guide and moved to Chamonix  has also guided in the Himalaya and summited Everest six times.

Partners again

They were not a regular pair for many years Paul Ramsden became Fowlers usual partner. But in 2016, the veteran duo teamed up again for another first ascent: the north face of 6,050m Sersank (also known as Shib Shankar) in the Indian Himalaya.

That was supposed to be the first of many climbs in their renewed alliance, but Fowlers cancer diagnosis postponed their ambitions. We say postponed, not abandoned, since cancer has not defeated the hard-core climber. In 2019, he had recovered enough to rejoin Saunders, even though he had the added challenge of carrying a colostomy bag on his expeditions. They attempted Chombu (6,362m) in Indias Sikkim but did not succeed on that occasion.

Last year, Fowler attempted the north face of Patkhor in Tajikistan with Simon Yates. Fowler was 68 at the time. Far from slowing down, he said he wanted to make the best of the extra time he had after retiring.

As for Saunders, in 2017, he completed the sixth-ever ascent of Mount Tyree, Antarcticas second-highest peak, with Richard Thurmer Jr, Maria Paz Ibarra, Seth Timpano, and Todd Tumolo. He is, by the way, similar in age to Fowler.

Hidden goal

Now in 2024, Fowler and Saunders are off for another Himalayan first ascent. But as is their custom, they wont divulge their goal until they return home at the end of September. Yet Fowler has great expectations for their chosen mountain.

[It] ticks a lot of the boxes that matter to us. The peak is the most prominent and attractive in its location, it is unclimbed, and it is in a remote area that has rarely been visited, he told his sponsor, Berghaus.

The post Mick Fowler and Vic Saunders, Now Almost 70, Rejoin For Secret First Ascent appeared first on Explorersweb.
The cruise line will launch sailings from Finland in 2026.

Michel Verdure/Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line will launch trips from Finland in 2026, inaugurating a brand-new homeport for the company.

Starting in June 2026, the cruise line will launch trips across the Baltic on the Norwegian Sun from both Copenhagen and  for the first time  Helsinki, according to the company. These voyages will stretch from seven to 10 days and stop in a port nearly every day, including in Norway, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden.

The cruise line will also include an overnight stay in Copenhagen on select nine-day trips from Helsinki.

At NCL, we take pride in offering our guests various options to plan where they want to vacation, David J. Herrera, the president of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement. Whether they choose our seven-day sailings, longer immersive voyages, or cruises that begin and end in a new destination, we make it so our guests can vacation with ease with us from start to finish.

Norwegian will sail the Baltic from June 2026 through October 2026.

The Norwegian Sun was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2021, and can accommodate 1,878 passengers. The ship features a pair of outdoor pools, game shows like Deal or No Deal and Wheel of Fortune, and more.

In addition to Helsinki, Norwegian will sail a robust summer 2026 European season, including 22 overnight stops and 11 different embarkation ports across 10 different countries. The cruise line will also stop at several new ports, including Portree on the Isle of Skye in Scotland and Palamos in Spain.

Helsinki isnt the first new homeport Norwegian will launch from in 2026. Starting in April 2026, the company plans to become the first cruise line to sail from Philadelphia in years, heading to Bermuda, Canada, and New England.

Norwegian was named one of Travel + Leisure readers favorite mega-ship ocean cruise lines for this year, which looks at everything from cabins and facilities to food, service, itineraries, and more.

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Not every java devotee lives in reasonable proximity to a Starbucks Reserve Roasterie, begging a legitimate pout-worthy question: Why are whiskey barrel-aged cold brew beverages the exclusive domain of S-Bux reserve roasteries? Failing reasonable explanations for disappointed fans, Starbucks has offered Tasting Table readers the next-best thing: A step-by-step guide for making a version of the Starbucks Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew in your own home.

For this easy cold-brew drink, which is different from iced coffee, Starbucks details the coffee and equipment involved. "For those looking to enjoy this beverage at home, you can purchase Starbucks Reserve Knob Creek Bourbon Barrel-Aged Guatemala coffee, priced at $42, and our cold brew set, priced at $24.95 ..." explains the company. There are only five steps involved, plus some water, ice, and a sweetener.

Though Starbucks offers dedicated cold brew kits, it's fine to use any similar version. The time commitment lies primarily in long, hands-off brewing hours. Step by step, per Starbucks instructions, start by opening your cold brew kit. Next, add 1 cup of coarsely ground whiskey barrel-aged coffee to the coffee sock, twist to seal, and place in a jar. Add 2 cups of cold filtered water, and brew for 18 to 24 hours, then remove the sock. Wash and reuse it in your next brew. Finally, add 1/4 cup of vanilla or simple syrup to the jar, and stir to mix. Serve by diluting with water in a 1:1 ratio and adding ice -- then enjoy!

Read more: 26 Coffee Hacks You Need To Know For A Better Cup

Starbucks Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew Boasts Deep Flavors

Starbucks Reserve Roasterie in Chelsea - Jordan Lye/Getty Images

Before going to the effort of acquiring and cold-brewing Starbucks Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Guatemala Coffee, it helps to know exactly what it is. The coffee beans come from Guatemala and get aged and rotated inside whiskey barrels, but not just any barrels. These oak barrels come from Knob Creek, the acclaimed seventh-generation distillers of Kentucky straight bourbon.

The deep flavors and aromas of Knob Creek bourbon, lingering inside the used barrels, get absorbed into the coffee beans, creating the ultimate barrel-aged coffee. Rest assured that no alcohol remains in the beans after high-heat roasting. Starbucks describes the result as "a coffee with a smooth, sweet body and complex layers of flavor, including chocolate, stone fruit, and rich oak."

Making a Starbucks Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew at home is not as dazzling as stepping into multi-leveled java heaven with coffee tastings, food pairings, master roasters, single-origin coffees, and cocktail and tea mixologists at your beck and call, but you'll have a magic cold-brew wand to wave whenever the mood strikes. It's noteworthy that the how-to recipe guide for making the Starbucks Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew at home applies to a simple cold brew coffee drink, not the more elaborate malted milkshake-style beverage available at three Starbucks reserve roasteries in Seattle, New York, and Chicago. Those malt drinks involve the whiskey barrel-aged coffee beans and vanilla gelato, along with chocolate and orange bitters, and a grand finale of whipped cream and Amarena cherry.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Thailand native will open noodle bar in Warner Robins with the help of friends. See inside

Since arriving in the U.S. with her teen daughter on Nov. 2, 2015, Thailand native Saruedolkorn Spicy Pathomkrut often worked multiple jobs at once to make ends meet.

She supports herself, her daughter and now granddaughter in Warner Robins. She also supports her mom, dad and sister in Thailand.

Pathomkrut is now opening her own restaurant, Elenas Noodle Bar, in Warner Robins, with the help of her friends Jim and Gladys Propes.

Elenas Noodle Bar is a couple of doors down from the Asian Bliss Market in the Parkway Village shopping center at 1806 Russell Parkway.

Gladys Propes and Saruedolkorn Spicy Pathomkrut.

The backstory

The couple, who own the Asian Bliss Market, are launching the noodle bar by providing the space, furnishings and equipment.

I wanted to fulfill her dream of being a small business owner, Gladys Propes said. Shes a person I always counted on at Asian Bliss.

I saw her hard work and I went to Thailand to meet her family. Im always willing to help.

Pathomkrut first got to know Gladys Propes when she came into the Asian Bliss Market to shop. Propes said she gave her the nickname Spicy because she couldnt pronounce her first name and Pathomkrut was always looking for something spicy to eat.

Propes later hired Pathomkrut to work initially on a part-time basis. Pathomkrut was working in the kitchen of a Thai restaurant and national retail brand store.

Pathomkrut affectionately refers to Propes as Sister.

Shed always push me, said Pathomkrut as she wiped away tears. Sister said, You work three jobs. You always work hard. You should do your own business.

But Pathomkrut didnt think her dream of owning a restaurant was achievable. She just didnt have the startup money needed for such a venture. Thats when Propes stepped in.

Saruedolkorn Spicy Pathomkrut, center, with her granddaughter, Elena, and daughter, Siri Kaewma, right, inside Pathomkruts new restaurant, Elenas Noodle Bar, in Warner Robins.

The noodle bar

Pathomkrut named the new restaurant after her granddaughter, Elena, whos nearly 3.

She chose an anime theme for the restaurant because she wanted a kid-friendly place where her granddaughter could come with her friends as she grows up.

Pathomkrut said she wants Elena to know by example that if she works hard, anything is possible.

The dining area at Elenas Noodle Bar opening soon in Warner Robins.

Asian cuisine

The restaurant is designed to showcase Asian cuisine, said Pathomkrut, who will work in the kitchen. Her daughter, Siri Kaewma will also work at the noodle bar.

The menu features at least one soup dish from the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

Pho, Vietnams national dish, is served at the restaurant three ways: pho chicken and meat ball, pho seafood shrimp and squid, and pho beef, which is beef meatball.

The house special is a Japanese noodle dish called Yaki Udon with chicken or tofu, udon noodles, stir fry, Japanese sauce with carrot, mushrooms and scallions.

Manduguk is a Korean dumpling soup with beef broth mixed in soy sauce, sesame oil, Korean chili, topped with green onion, seaweed and sliced carrot.

Pok Pok Noodle at Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins.

Pok Pok Noodle, a dish from Thailand, includes chicken broth, chicken legs or thigh with rice noodle, bitter melon topped with green onions, dry garlic and crispy pork belly.

Rice congee is a Chinese dish made with a choice of pork, chicken or beef, according to the menu.

Chicken Mami Noodle Soup is a Filipino dish of fresh egg noodles, chicken broth with chicken mami, scallions bokchoy topped with toasted garlic and boiled egg.

Special Banh Mi at Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins.

The restaurant also features Vietnamese subs called banhi mi such as lemongrass chicken on a bread roll with mayo, liver pate, pickled veggies, fresh cucumber, cilantro and jalapeno.

Also on the menu are a host of appetizers such as eggrolls, springrolls, dumplings and calamar as well as bubble waffles served four ways, cakes from taro to coffee flavored and other desserts such as banana fritters and sweet sticky rice with mango.

Theres a variety of drink offerings such as Vietnamese coffee frappe, Thai ice tea, fruit smoothies and butterfly pea tea.

The restaurant also has a kids menu and offers an assortment of Japanese candy in keeping with the anime theme.

Elenas Noodle House to open soon at 1806 Russell Parkway, Suite 600, Warner Robins.

Anime theme

Anime characters on the walls are the work of Dublin artist Anthony Diaz, a friend of Gladys Propes.

Other anime characters are hung in frames throughout the noodle bar.

The restaurant has a few tables for four and a long bench with chairs for dining in.

Theres a nook for two when first walking inside, and a comfortable bench to wait for takeout.

The new Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins has an anime theme.

Grand opening

At the grand opening Sunday, cash prizes provided by Propes will be awarded for the best anime costumes among children and young adults. The prizes are $250 first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.

Also, the first 50 guests who are children or young adults will receive a door prize such as a Hello Kitty ceramic bowl with chopsticks.

Hello Kitty ceramic bowls with chopsticks at Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins.

The noodle house is now serving under its soft opening hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the grand opening.

Regular operating hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Sunday and Tuesday. The noodle bar will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and closed Tuesday.

A cozy corner at Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins.

Elenas Noodle Bar in Warner Robins offers a variety of Japanese candy in keeping with its anime theme.

Elenas Noodle Bar is at 1806 Russell Parkway, Suite 600, at the Parkway Village shopping center in Warner Robins.

Elenas Noodle Bar is at 1806 Russell Parkway, Suite 600, at the Parkway Village shopping center in Warner Robins.
Its been a summer for the books, dear reader. Out  and its parent company, equalpride  kicked off Pride Month with a big gay Broadway bash in New York, where we toasted our May/June cover star Jonathan Groff (congrats on the Tony!) as well as The Advocates leading man, Wayne Brady.

The action didnt end there. Later that month, my editorial colleagues and I were invited to the president and the vice presidents Pride receptions in Washington, D.C. What joyous occasions to see LGBTQ+ people celebrating and being celebrated in the highest halls of power, where not so long ago we were silenced and persecuted. I dont want to get too political; the campaigns are going through some dramatic events at the time of this letters writing. But I cant wait to return to the White House in full rainbow regalia next year, hopefully with our communitys help this November.

While I adored the parties and the parades, it was on a quiet mountaintop in Switzerland where I experienced my greatest moment of revelation. I was invited to attend a weeklong trip to the cheese- and chocolate-loving European country with Susanne Bartsch, the long-serving queen of New Yorks nightlife (and a Swiss native). Who could pass up that opportunity? After the decadence and the dancing at Zurich Pride, our group shed the fabulous finery and took time to disconnect from the world (and connect with one another) among the resplendent Alps.

One evening over a family-style chicken dinner, a bowl of potatoes, and a carafe of white wine, Bartsch opened up about her decision to leave Switzerland as a teen to chase her dreams in London and New York. Not many people know what they love to do. And so if you find it, its such a gift, she shared. And then if you can make a living with it on top of it, you know, pay your rent? Thats the ultimate. Bartsch then regaled us with tales from the glitterati  like the time she took a bite of confection at a birthday party for the photographer Steven Klein during the pandemic, and Madonna dubbed it a COVID cake.

I dont have any scientific data to back up this assertion, but I believe LGBTQ+ folks have a gift for knowing what they love to do and seeking it out. So many of us take great risks to live openly about who we are and love  so it makes sense to me that we would have a similar bravery in striving for our callings in life, society and practicality be damned.

After all, the new Out issue's pages are filled with folks who, despite the odds, found what they love to do (and can pay the bills while doing it). Our cover star Luke Evans is a prime example. His new memoir, Boy From the Valleys, traces the improbable journey of a young boy, raised as a Jehovahs Witness in Wales, who became a movie star  and a gay leading man, to boot. Even hes not sure how he did it, as we discuss in our cover story. But Evans is grateful for the life he has (and for his partner Fran Tomas), and that he can inspire others to reach for their dreams as well.

Other dreamers in this issue include Nemo, the first nonbinary contestant to win Eurovision; Angelica Ross, whose nonprofit TransTech Social Enterprises is opening doors of opportunity for LGBTQ+ people; Michael Urie, who is dancing on Broadway alongside Sutton Foster in Once Upon a Mattress; The Abbeys new owner, Tristan Schukraft, who seemingly overnight has become the new king of LGBTQ+ hospitality; and Michael Grassi, the Brilliant Minds showrunner whose love of the late gay neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks inspired an NBC medical drama that will move hearts and minds on mental illness.

This is the technology and fall fashion issue. In these pages, Out editors spotlight their favorite trends and products. Partners Colton Tran and Bryce Eberly model a working relationship and some great pants. And our Last Call columnist celebrates the 150th anniversary of that venerated and vital piece of gay apparel: the jockstrap.

Whether its underwear or the White House, theres a lot to dream about this fall, dear reader. Undoubtedly, there are some potential nightmares along the way. But whatever youre doing, if you love it, then its worth fighting for  and well be fighting there right beside you. And as always, thanks for subscribing  it helps us do what we love and pay our rent too.

Sincerely,

Daniel Reynolds

Editor in Chief, Out

@dnlreynolds

This article is part of Out's September/October issue, which hits newsstands on August 28. Support queer media and subscribe  or download the issue through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader starting August 13.
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  The Evansville Police Department and Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office took part in a statewide effort called Cops on a Rooftop to raise money for the Special Olympics Indiana fundraiser.

EPD posted on social media that they and the sheriffs office raised just under $1,300, which was 4th highest out of 14 law enforcement agencies that took part.

Officer Taylor Merriss said she is thrilled with the outcome, especially with the event in its first year, and EPD said on Facebook that tips that were made during the day went towards the total, bumping it up even higher.

EPD states the best part was getting to spend time and make friendships with athletes from the district.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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).
ABERDEEN, S.D.(KELO)  One person was arrested after a gun was discharged in Aberdeen shortly after midnight Tuesday, according to the Aberdeen Police Department.

Police responded to a report of a gunshot in the backyard of a residence in the 1700 block of 9th Avenue, S.W.

The area was contained by law enforcement and communications with one person began. Other occupants in the home were able to leave safely. Residents in the area were asked to evacuate or shelter in place.

Negotiations with the suspect continued for several hours until the person came out of the house peacefully.

SFPD: No arrests for Dunham Park homicide, no threat to public

The person was arrested for reckless discharge of a firearm and taken to the Brown County Jail.

After a search warrant was issued on the home, officers found a handgun inside and it was taken as evidence.

Law enforcement believes there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Police continue to investigate the incident.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A teenager was shot and killed at an apartment complex in Antioch early Tuesday morning.

Officers were called to the complex on Hickory Hollow Terrace just after 12 a.m.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

Officers reportedly found 19-year-old Jerod Robb lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he died.

Investigators believe Robb, who did not live at the apartment complex, died during an exchange of gunfire. Two pistols were found next to him, according to Metro police.

Anyone with information about Robbs murder is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

No further information has been released.

 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.

 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
The new Cadillac Optiq 2024 crossover has turned out to be the most affordable electric car of the famous American premium car manufacturer. Additional price details have become known. The long-awaited model has already been shown with all the details.

ADVERTISIMENT

Cadillac's electric crossover is approaching its market debut. In the meantime, the Optiq model has been officially unveiled with all the features, as Carscoops reports.

The design has already been shown before. Now we have all the specifications and prices of the Cadillac Optiq 2024. The car is made in the current style for the company's electric cars. A powerful car with a twin-engine 300 hp powerplant has been prepared for buyers. The battery capacity is 85 kWh, the range is 483 km.

The length of the Optiq is 4822 mm (the wheelbase is 2954 mm), the width is 1912 mm, and the height is 1642 mm. The car is large and should be roomy.

ADVERTISIMENT

The starting price of the Cadillac Optiq 2024 is $52,895. However, this car must meet the requirements of the federal electric vehicle tax credit of $7,500. Thus, in the US, the price for buyers will drop to about $45,000.

However, for the Chinese market, the model was estimated at at least $33,110, but this applies to a simplified version with cheap trim, a small battery, and reduced power.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A Texas peace officer was injured during a funeral escort on Tuesday, Aug. 27, on I-10 West in far East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office.

The Sheriffs Office says the crash happened at around 1 p.m. Tuesday on I-10 West at Eastlake. The crash involved a white SUV and a funeral escort police motorcycle.

An off-duty, out-of-county, Texas peace officer was transported to a local hospital. A spokesperson with the El Paso Fire Department confirms the person was transported with minor injuries. The driver of the SUV was not injured.

All lanes along I-10 West at Horizon have since reopened, TxDOT said.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information has been released.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
UPDATE: Police now say they dont believe the shooting happened at a park

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  One person was injured in a shooting and suffered non-life-threatening injuries on Tuesday, Aug. 27, El Paso Police said.

Police did not say where the shooting happened, but sources told KTSM that it took place at Veterans Park, 5301 Salem, in Northeast El Paso.

The incident happened at about 1:10 p.m., police said, and the victim described only as a male, self-transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This is a developing story and we will update it when we learn more.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Wednesday marks the 10th anniversary of Arthur T. Demoulas triumphant comeback to lead the Tewksbury-based Market Basket supermarket chain.

In June 2014, Arthur T. was fired by a board controlled by Arthur S. Demoulas, his cousin and rival. After being sacked, store workers staged a walkout in support of Arthur T. that lasted six weeks.

To protest, hundreds of warehouse workers and drivers refused to deliver fresh produce, leaving shelves depleted. Not only did the workers stick together, but customers soon followed by boycotting the stores in solidarity.

Customers began to shop elsewhere because they couldnt find fresh food at Market Basket, while others stayed away in a show of support for workers and Arthur T. The usually crowded stores turned into ghost towns, with only a trickle of customers coming in.

GF Default - Arthur T. Demoulas visits Chelsea Market on Labor Day

The Market Basket workforce showed fierce loyalty to Arthur T. because he was beloved for offering generous benefits including a profit-sharing plan. He also frequently stopped to talk to his workers, remembering birthdays, and attending funerals of employees relatives.

After weeks of pressure from suppliers suffering lost revenue, and the governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire getting involved in work negotiations, the company announced that an agreement had been reached for Arthur T. to pay $1.6 billion for the 50.5 percent share of the company owned by Arthur S. and other family members.

In memory of the milestone, Market Basket on Tuesday shared videos of longtime employees reflecting on the 2014 movement and praising the supermarket chains faithful customers for playing a crucial role in helping save the company.

The significance of the 2014 movement is that it just goes to show you, if you take care of the customer, the customer will take care of you, said Valerie Polito, Market Baskets current director of advertising who has put in 34 years of service.

Valerie Polito, 34 Years of Service It just goes to show you, if you take care of the customer, the customer will take care of you. pic.twitter.com/VKrcM8d9cl  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

Linda Kulis, who was 44 years of service said, The significance of the movement to me is was that Market Basket would be gone...If the customers didnt join us in this so-called walkout, boycott, there would be no Market Basket. The customers were just wonderful. They helped us out immensely.

Linda Kulis, 44 Years of Service If the customers did not join us, there would be no Market Basket. pic.twitter.com/0ZNiuvMJiB  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

The support of the customers was everything to us. I dont think we could have moved forward without them. Everyone was on Twitter talking about it, talking where rallies were going to be said MJ Findeisen, who has 42 years of service under her belt. I dont think we could have done it without the support of the customers.

MJ Findeisen, 42 Years of Service The support of the customers was everything to us. I dont think we could have moved forward without them. pic.twitter.com/k93ztd8s7A  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

Ron Lambert, a recently retired manager who worked with the company for 48 years, added, We definitely owe all of this to our customers. If it wasnt for them not showing up, we wouldnt have pulled it off.

Ron Lambert, 48 Years of Service We owe all of this to our customers. If it wasnt for them not showing up, we wouldnt have pulled it off. pic.twitter.com/nVq16u4CDf  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

The power of a company lies within the people, whether it be the employees of the company or the customers that support the business, said Steven Graham, a 20-year veteran of the company. The customers effect on the movement was tremendous. Without the customers, honestly, the movement would have been impossible.

Steve Graham, 20 Years of Service The power of a company lies within the people, whether it be the employees of the company or the customers that support the business. pic.twitter.com/0M2cBW9z9p  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

Gary Hendrigan, who has 35 years of service driving trucks, said, The customers are extremely important. When they started going across the street to Hannafords and leaving their receipts on the doors at Market Basket, that spoke volumes to all of us.

Gary Hendrigan, 35 Years of Service When they started going across the street to Hannafords and leaving their receipts on the doors at Market Basket, that spoke volumes to all of us. pic.twitter.com/88XACIdeI7  Market Basket (@MarketBasket) August 27, 2024

In a statement posted on their website, Market Basket wrote, Thank you to our valued customers. Your support and sacrifice throughout the summer of 2014 and your continued loyalty today will forever be appreciated by all Market Basket Associates.

Since Arthur T. returned to his leadership role in 2014, Market Basket has grown from 71 stores to 90 locations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Sales are also up with revenue projected to hit $7.6 billion this year and nearly all of the $1.6 billion Arthur T. borrowed to buy out his cousin has been paid back, The Boston Globe reported.

Arthur T., now 69, continues to work as chief executive to keep the massive operation running smoothly.

Market Basket currently employs about 35,000 people.

Reporting from the Associated Press was included in this article.

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Video above: Home surveillance camera captures moment dog sets fire

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WFLA)  A 12-year-old girl was getting ready for school Monday morning when she quickly jumped into action and rescued her four dogs from a smoke-filled home in Florida.

Cape Coral firefighters were called to the home on Southwest 7th Place around 8:30 a.m. after the girl smelled smoke and immediately called 911.

2 accused of illegally harvesting 801 pounds of saw palmetto berries in Hillsborough County

When crews arrived, firefighters found the fire in the garage and quickly extinguished the blaze. Most of the damage was contained to the garage.

The girl was taken to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation, but was later cleared and is expected to be OK, the Cape Coral Fire Department said.

I am grateful my grandbabies made it out, and the dogs are alive, Connie Callahan, the girls grandmother, told NBC affiliate WBBH. She said she smelled smoke, and the dog we call Big Mama started pouncing on her, and the ceiling already started coming in.

Credit: Cape Coral Fire Department

Credit: Cape Coral Fire Department

Credit: Cape Coral Fire Department

Credit: Cape Coral Fire Department

Credit: Cape Coral Fire Department

The 12-year-olds mother was at work when the fire sparked but was luckily able to guide her out of the smoky home by talking to her through a camera inside the house.

My daughter, via camera from work, had to talk her through to go out of the house because it was pitch black inside, Callahan said.

Missing daughter of former Astros pitcher Greg Swindell found safe; ex-boyfriend arrested

Sadly, the family lost everything inside the home due to smoke or water damage, WBBH said.

According to the fire department, the fire originated from a TV in the garage that was plugged into an extension cord.

Remember to always plug appliances and major electronics directly into the wall or into a surge protector, CCFD 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 WFLA.
A nine-figure donation is helping UCLA turn an abandoned shopping mall into a site dedicated to world-changing scientific breakthroughs.

The under-construction California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, located about two miles south of UCLA, will occupy what formerly was the popular Westside Pavilion mall, the university said in a news release.

UCLA purchases vacant mall in West L.A. with plans to create massive research campus

Utilizing a $120 million commitment from Dr. Gary K. Michelson, a billionaire philanthropist and founder and co-chair of Michelson Philanthropies, and his wife, Alya, the research park will take aim at some of the most stubborn ailments that continue to impact millions every year.

Immunology is the mediator of nearly all human diseases, whether were talking about cancer or heart disease or Alzheimers, Michelson said in the release, which added that this is the Michelsons largest donation in more than three decades of philanthropy. The vision for this institute is to become a field of dreams  the worlds leading center for the study of the immune system to develop advanced immunotherapies to prevent, treat and cure all of the diseases that afflict people today and to end these diseases in our lifetime.

Southern California pet clinics get $1M for World Spay Day

The money will be used primarily for two research topics: rapid vaccine development and harnessing the microbiome to advance human health, the release said.

As he told the Los Angeles Times, Michelson sees this investment helping create a cradle for biotechnology companies on the Westside.

Were going to build out an entire ecosystem of biotech all through Westwood, he said.

University officials were effusive in their praise for the Michelsons and the potential this new research park has.

The Michelsons envisioned an institute that would leverage UCLAs strengths for maximum public good, create new knowledge leading to better medical treatments, and reshape the study of immunology, UCLA interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt said in the release. The gift will change countless lives here and across the globe.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
These 13 bills were introduced on day one of the 2024 special session

DENVER (KDVR)  State legislators returned to the Colorado State Capitol on Monday for a special session aimed at property tax reform in the state.

Gov. Jared Polis called the session earlier in August. This is the second time a special session aimed at property tax reform has been called in the last two years, with the last one called in Nov. 2023 after a failed ballot initiative.

The main bill

The first bill introduced in the special session, HB24B-1001, is simply titled Property Tax and is the main deal reached between Polis office and supporters of two property tax-centered ballot initiatives.

The bill was pre-released on Friday ahead of the session start and includes a new residential property tax rate between 6.3% and 6.4% in the first year, with a drop to 6.25% the next year.

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The bill would make the commercial tax rate 25%. Additionally, the tax limit for local governments  not including school districts where the limit is 6%  would be lowered to 5.25% from the 5.5% it is right now.

While this was the main bill introduced for the special session, it was not the only one, with 13 already introduced as of Monday morning, the first day of the special session.

The other bills

Given the special session was called explicitly for property tax reform, all of the bills deal with that topic in one way or another.

The way the bills tackle the issue, however, varies.

Property assessment changes

Several bills deal with residential property valuation and assessment rates.

These bills, HB24B-1002, HB24B-1004 and HB24B-1005, are entirely contingent on voters approving another property tax bill, SB24-233, in November of this year.

This is because they deal directly with changes included in that bill.

Another bill, HB24B-1007, also deals with assessment valuation, specifically for accessible property, but is not dependent upon SB24-233 being approved.

Tax relief for certain businesses

HB24B-1003 modifies what qualifies as personal property for the personal property tax exemption for businesses.

Property tax exemptions for certain groups

HB24B-1006 expands the property tax exemptions for qualifying seniors, veterans with disabilities and the surviving spouses of those who died while in the armed forces or veterans who died because of a service-related injury or disease.

Specifically, instead of the exemptions being limited to 50% of the first $200,000 of a home, it would be 50% of half of the actual home value or 50% of half of the state median home value, whichever is less.

Tax code task force

HB24B-1008 would create a tax code legislative task force to make recommendations for the future.

Proposed amendments

Four proposed amendments were introduced on Monday. All of these would need to be approved by two-thirds of the legislature before going to voters, where it would need a 55% majority vote to become law.

Of the four, two were rejected before the end of the first day.

One of the ones still under consideration would restore the Gallagher Amendment, which was repealed by voters in 2020. The amendment established a formula for both residential and commercial property taxes.

The other would require that local voters have a say in statewide tax initiatives that impact them on a local scale before they go into effect.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
14-Year-Old Mom and 3-Week-Old Daughter with Heart Condition Missing Since Sunday, Says LAPD

The mother and daughter, whose condition requires daily medication, were last seen on Aug. 25, according to the LAPD

lapd Amoria Brown and her 3-week-old daughter Omoria Brown

Police in Los Angeles are searching for a teenage mother and her newborn daughter who have been missing since Sunday.

In a news release shared on Mon Aug. 26, family members and the Los Angeles Police Department requested the publics help in locating 14-year-old Amoria Brown and her 3-week-old daughter Omoria Brown, who has a heart condition that requires daily medication.

The two were last seen around 10 p.m. on Aug. 25 in the East Los Angeles area, along with Amorias 15-year-old sister-in-law Sanaii Brown, and were believed to be heading to the high desert area with family, per the release.

Since the release was issued, Sanaii has reunited with her relatives, according to her family, per NBC News.

LAPD NEWS: Critical Missing Newborn in Need of Medication pic.twitter.com/KXXV5xAZlG  LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) August 26, 2024

The release also included photos of the mother and newborn, plus a description of Amoria as 5 feet, 4 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes and weighing approximately 140 lbs.

She was wearing a multi-colored shirt, gray shorts and gray sandals, at the time of her disappearance, according to the release.

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lapd Sanaii Brown, the aunt of missing baby Omoria Brown

Its just a lot right now; trying to take it all in, trying to process it, Amorias guardian Raquel Brown said, per NBC News. I just want the baby to be okay. Shes not a bad mom. Im not going to say that shes bad. Shes young. I cant just expect her to change overnight, so I do want to make that clear, but Im here to help.

According to Raquel, Amoria called her family to let them know she and the baby were okay, but their whereabouts still remains unknown.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911, Detective J. Rider at (213) 479-2827 or L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  15 more AEDs have been donated to Indiana State Police troopers.

Sgt. Todd Ringle states Deaconess HeartSaver in Newburgh donated the devices for the Evansville and Jasper districts.

We are happy to report that currently every trooper at the Evansville district now has an automated external defibrillator, Sgt. Ringle said.

Courtesy: Sgt. Todd Ringle (Indiana State Police)

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
15-year-old charged after bomb threats made against his high school

15-year-old charged after bomb threats made against his high school

A 15-year-old was charged after allegedly making bomb threats against his Maryland high school in May, police said.

According to the Montgomery County Police Department, the teen allegedly worked with a 12-year-old boy from Pennsylvania to call in the threats to Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, prompting the school to go into lockdown.

The 15-year-old found the 12-year-old on social media, according to police, and allegedly paid him an undisclosed amount of money to call in the threat. Neither child has been named by the authorities.

Police said the 15-year-old "communicated in real-time with the 12-year-old, providing information, updates and instructions as the threats were being made."

"The caller demanded that a certain dollar amount be paid to prevent bombs from detonating at the school," police added in a release.

PHOTO: A police vehicle is seen outside of Chief J. Thomas Manger Public Safety Headquarters where Montgomery County Police Department 1st District is based in Gaithersburg, Md., on Sept. 02, 2022. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images, FILE)

MORE: FBI 'aware' of hoax bomb threats sent to state capitols around the country

A SWAT team and K-9 units responded to the school, and a search of the campus turned up no explosives. Students were dismissed for the day, police said.

The two also allegedly made threats to Walt Whitman High School and Bethesda Elementary School the next day, police said.

The 15-year-old has been charged with multiple felonies, including threats of mass violence, making a false statement and extortion.

He was released to his family, police said.

Under Maryland state law, charges cannot be filed against the 12-year-old, according to police.

"However, the actions of both individuals caused disruption to the school day, forcing a lockdown, and taking an emotional toll on the students, staff, and the community," police said.

15-year-old charged after bomb threats made against his high school originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The British company BBC has presented a trailer for a series about the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called The Zelenskyy Story. The show will tell the story of the politician's journey from comedian to head of state. The film is directed by Michael Waldman, known for his films about Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Rupert Murdoch.

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The Zelenskyy Story, created by 72 Films, will be released on September 4 and will consist of three episodes. The trailer shows fragments of interviews with President and First Lady Olena Zelenska, which were filmed during the director's trips to Ukraine, the BBC reports.

In addition to interviews with the family and their inner circle, the series includes comments from Boris Johnson, Nancy Pelosi, former British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace, and advisor to the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak.

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The most difficult part for the filmmaker was the journey to Ukraine. Waldman and the cameraman got to Warsaw, from where they transported all the necessary equipment by train across the Polish-Ukrainian border. The director also recalled waking up to air raid alarms while in Kyiv.

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"Before the project started, I didn't know that he was not only a successful manager, but also an artist. He created a whole business, which he managed from the very beginning - he brought it to the opening of offices in Moscow, and then, after the Maidan revolution and the invasion of Crimea in 2014, he closed the entire Russian campaign," Michael said. The filmmaker also shared an unexpected phrase of Olena Zelenska that she said during the filming. "I never said it out loud, but I had a faint hope that he would not win the election," the first lady of Ukraine admitted.

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More than a dozen Georgians are now facing charges after being arrested during a multi-state trafficking sting.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says they participated in Operation Wrong Room, which is part of the national Operation Coast to Coast.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Operation Coast to Coast spanned 26 states from Maine to California and aimed to help identify trafficking victims across the countries.

While serving two arrest warrants, law enforcement officers seized $255,000 from suspected traffickers.

TRENDING STORIES:

Over that period of time, 17 people in Georgia were arrested.

Siow Ding Chan, 57, of Alpharetta, GA - charged with pandering

Idelbrando Jose Vargas Ballestero, 34, of Grayson GA - charged with pandering

Larry Bruce Moyer, 41, of Duluth, GA - charged with pandering

Roberto Martinez, 29, of Willacoochee, GA - charged with pandering

Stewart Notice Jr., 27, of Fayetteville, GA - charged with pimping

Joe Anthony Obboye, 25, of Duluth, GA - charged with pandering

Carlos Anaya Carrasco, 30, of Atlanta, GA - charged with pandering

Daniel Strycek, 25, of Las Vegas, NV - charged with pandering

Melissa AnnMarie Stombaugh, 32, of Akron, OH - charged with violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Ashley Alexander, 35, of Winston, GA - charged with violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Lindsay Roberts, 25, of Midway, GA - charged with pimping and violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Thomas Piper, 56, of Woodstock, GA - charged with pimping

Brendan Ahn, 35, of Alpharetta, GA - charged with pimping

Christopher Horne, 35, of Decatur, GA - charged with pimping

Jeffrey Li, 28, of Lawrenceville, GA - charged with pandering

Marco Gamboa Lopez, 39, of Tucker, GA - charged with pandering

Justin Sanders, 23, of Decatur, GA - charged with pandering

All of them have been booked into the DeKalb County Jail.

The Chamblee Police Department, the DeKalb County DAs Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council all assisted the GBI during Operation Wrong Room.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  An 18-year-old man has died after suffering from a head trauma caused by an unknown object six days ago.

View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at fox4kc.com

According to Kansas City police, Ashline Montague died on Monday after being hit with an object around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21 near Swope Parkway and Blue Parkway.

Police said when they arrived, they found Montague suffering from head trauma. EMS took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead almost a week later.

According to KCPD, preliminary investigation revealed that there was an interaction between multiple individuals that led to Montague being hit with an object.

If anyone has any information, KCPD asks that you call homicide detectives at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-TIPS.

There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
18-Year-Old N.J. Girl Dies After Being Struck by Boat Propeller Days Before Starting College: 'Tragic'

Rutgers University said they were "devastated by the news" of Zeina Mahafzah's death

Facebook Zeina Mahafzah

An 18-year-old New Jersey student was killed after she was hit by a boat propeller on the Jersey Shore over the weekend, just days before she was set to start at college, officials said.

In an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Aug. 27, New Jersey State Police (NJSP) identified the victim as Zeina Mahafzah of Wayne, N.J.

Police said troopers responded to an incident involving a boat in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, N.J., in the late afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 25.

According to a preliminary police investigation, Zeina was on a raft being pulled by the boat.

Related: Family of 15-Year-Old Killed in Boat Crash Files Lawsuit Against Parents of Teen Boat Driver

While attempting to board the vessel, she was struck by the vessel's propeller, NJSPs statement read, adding that Zeina died after she sustained injuries.

The incident remains under investigation, and no additional information is available at this time, NJSP said.

On social media, the Harvey Cedars Police Department described the death as "a tragic boating accident ... As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers."

Related: 7-Year-Old Girl Is Sole Survivor of Fishing Boat Accident That Killed Her Grandfather and Great-Grandfather

According to the New York Daily News, Zeina recently graduated from Wayne Hills High School and was slated to begin her academic year at Rutgers University next week.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Rutgers University at Newark confirmed that Zeina was registered for fall 2024 classes.

The Rutgers-Newark community is devastated by the news of Zeinas passing, and we are sending our support to the Mahafzah family during this incredibly difficult time, the school said.

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On Monday, Aug. 26, Zeinas father, Al Mahafzah, posted to Facebook a photo of his daughter and an invitation for family and friends to a prayer and burial service scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Zeina is survived by her parents and two brothers, according to the invitation



Related: Georgia College Student Killed 'Instantly' by Plane Propeller During Extravagant Dinner Date

We pray that Allah accept all the good she has done and raise her to the highest level of Jannah, in heaven, and grant the family patience, during this time, the invitation reads, in part.

In the Facebook post, Ali wrote, according to a translation: And we say only what pleases Allah, and to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.



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Read the original article on People.
18-wheeler driver dies after fiery crash in Canton

CANTON, Miss. (WJTV)  A driver has died after 18-wheeler struck a bridge in Canton and went off the side of the bridge, according to authorities.

The crash occurred Monday night on Interstate 55 South at Highway 22 (West Peace Street).

Ridgeland man killed in Holmes County crash

Canton Police Chief Otha Brown said a witness told officers that the 18-wheeler hit the bridge and went off the side of the rails. The vehicle caught on fire after the vehicle crashed.

The Madison County coroner identified the driver as 48-year-old James Edward Reed, of Wappapello, Missouri.

Madison County deputies, the Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP), Canton firefighters, EMS, and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) also responded to the scene.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
MYSTIC, Conn. (WPRI)  Mystic Aquarium is celebrating the birth of its first northern fur seal pup in more than two decades.

The male northern fur seal pup was born on July 31 to first-time mother Kivli, according to the aquarium.

SEE ALSO: Mystic Aquarium celebrates historic quadruple seal release

They sound like little lambs when they call for their mom  its absolutely adorable, said Laurie Macha, Mystic Aquariums senior director of marine mammals and birds. Watching the pup figure out how to move its body is both funny and cute  their ears are too long, and their flippers are so disproportionate. Its hilarious to see them adjust.

Macha described watching Kivli establish a maternal bond with her newborn as being a beautiful process to witness.

A lot of time is spent establishing that bond, with vocal interactions playing a key role in helping them identify each other, Macha explained.

RELATED: Mystic Aquarium celebrates birth of harbor seal pup

Both Kivli and her newborn are doing well, the aquarium said.

The pup, who hasnt been named yet, has been spending time with not only his mother, but also with Kayok, another fur seal pup that was rescued from Alaska last year. The aquarium said the two have been regularly playing, swimming together and snuggling up for naps.

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)



(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

(Courtesy: Mystic Aquarium)

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.
2 accused of illegally harvesting 801 pounds of saw palmetto berries in Hillsborough County

2 accused of illegally harvesting 801 pounds of saw palmetto berries in Hillsborough County

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Two people were arrested after deputies said they illegally harvested 801 pounds of saw palmetto berries in Hillsborough County.

A property owner along US 41 called the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office to report trespassers harvesting the berries on their property, according to deputies.

The sheriffs office tracked Heladio Gonzalez-Hernandez, 39, and Maria Hernandez-Santiago, 42, to a home in Plant City after receiving a photo of their vehicle.

Gonzalez-Hernandez and Hernandez-Santiago were both charged with possession or exchange of unlawfully harvested saw palmetto berries and unlawful destruction or harvest of saw palmetto berries.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office

A permit is required to harvest and sell the berries after the Endangered Plant Advisory Council recommended the saw palmetto plant be added to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services commercially exploited plant list.

The berries are often used for medicinal purposes, and the berries are also an important food source for wildlife, according to the University of Florida Southwest Florida Research & Education Center.

Sustainable harvesting practices are essential to ensure the long-term viability of saw palmetto populations, according to the universitys website. Overharvesting can deplete natural populations and disrupt the ecosystem.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mexican soldiers hold a banner reading "Mexican Army" next to a vehicle reported as stolen and used by gunmen near the site where two elderly women were shot dead at a highway in Mexico on Friday.

Two Arizona women were killed in an armed assault in northern Mexico on Friday, Mexican authorities said.

The women, identified as 72-year-old Enedina N. and 82-year-old Ubaldina N., were found dead in their vehicle, a white Nissan Pathfinder, that was riddled with bullets and overturned on highway Sonoyta-Caborca, according to a news release from the Sonora Attorney Generals Office.

The Arizona residents were on their way to their hometown of Caborca, over 100 miles southwest of the U.S.-Mexico border when police say they were attacked by armed assailants.

A number of agencies, including the Sonora National Guard, conducted a search for the assailants, locating a discarded vehicle among other pieces of evidence believed to belong to the probable criminals in the town of Quitovac, over 60 miles northwest of Caborca.

Authorities recovered firearms, ammunition cartridges, magazine calibers and bulletproof vests from the vehicle, a blue Ford F150 that was reported stolen, according to the news release. The armed assailants remain at large.

Avanza investigacion de ataque armado en carretera Sonoyta-Caborca; asegurados vehiculo, armas y cartuchos tras operativo de busqueda de los responsables



General Plutarco Elias Calles, Sonora, 23 de agosto de 2024.- Derivado de un reporte generado en la carretera pic.twitter.com/KyDQLL9k7F  Fiscalia de Sonora (@fgjesonora) August 24, 2024

An investigation into the armed is currently underway by the Sonora Attorney Generals Office, who will continue to share information as the investigation continues.

U.S. State Department says they are 'closely monitoring the situation'

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told USA TODAY on Tuesday that they could confirm the deaths of the two women, one of which was a lawful permanent resident and the other, who was an American citizen. The State Department said they "are closely monitoring the situation."

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We have no further comment at this time," according to a statement from the State Department spokesperson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 Arizona women found dead after attack in Mexico, police say
2, including man wanted for bank robbery, caught allegedly trying to steal from GA cell tower site

Two men were arrested after deputies said they were attempting to steal from a Georgia cell tower site.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Last Wednesday, Dawson County deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Brione Russell on outstanding warrants.

According to the sheriffs office, Russell was wanted in connection to a 2023 bank robbery in Shreveport, La.

He also had additional warrants from surrounding counties.

TRENDING STORIES:

The DCSO said Rusell and Larkin were trying to steal from a cell tower site in Dawson County.

Both were arrested.

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We appreciate our law enforcement partners as well as our dedicated staff who work daily to protect Dawson County, Sheriff Jeff Johnson said.

In addition to the existing warrants, Russell now faces charges in Dawson County for theft by taking, damaging/interfering with public utilities, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Larkin is charged with obstruction of an officer, damaging/interfering with public utilities, theft by taking, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

IN OTHER NEWS:
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Police responded to a rollover crash in east Topeka Tuesday involving two vehicles.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka told 27 News police were called around 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 27 to a report of a two vehicle injury crash near the intersection of Southeast 23rd Street and Southeast Adams Street. Two people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the scene with traffic expected to return to normal by 4:30 p.m.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

(Photo Courtesy/Drew Gill)

Flags to fly at half-staff in Kansas, heres why

27 News will add more information here regarding the crash 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.

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.
Two people were injured, including a student, after a vehicle collided head-on with a school bus in California in a fiery crash, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m. PT Tuesday in Santa Cruz County, according to the California Highway Patrol.

PHOTO: Heavy smoke is seen after a vehicle collided with a school bus in Santa Cruz County, California, Aug. 27, 2024. (Aerin Murphy Broaddus)

A man driving a Kia Forte northbound on Green Valley Road began traveling in the southbound lane "for reasons under investigation," CHP said in a press release.

A "head-on crash occurred between the Kia and the school bus," CHP said.

 Traffic Alert   Theres been a two-vehicle crash with minor injuries on Green Valley Rd. North of Casserly Rd is currently shut down. Please avoid the area and stay safe!   Unknown when the road will reopen. We'll keep you updated.#TrafficAlert #StaySafe #chp pic.twitter.com/Z1dmavTkb9  CHP Santa Cruz (@CHPscrz) August 27, 2024

MORE: At least 2 dead, including student, in crash involving school bus on Texas highway: Authorities

The collision caused a fire and firefighters from CAL FIRE and the Pajaro Valley Fire District responded. Extensive fire damage could be seen to the front of the bus following the crash.

A 13-year-old girl on the school bus was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, CHP said.

The 28-year-old driver of the Kia was also transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, CHP said.

PHOTO: Firefighters responded to a collision involving a vehicle and a school bus in Santa Cruz County, California, Aug. 27, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

PHOTO: Firefighters responded to a collision involving a vehicle and a school bus in Santa Cruz County, California, Aug. 27, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

The driver of the school bus, which had 43 children on board, was uninjured, CHP said.

It is unclear what speed the Kia and school bus were traveling at, CHP said.

"The cause of the crash is still under investigation," CHP said. "It is not believed that alcohol and/or drugs are factors in this crash."

PHOTO: The aftermath after a vehicle collided head-on with a school bus in Santa Cruz County, California, Aug. 27, 2024. (KSBW)

MORE: Mother charged with impaired driving in wrong-way crash that killed her 9-year-old son: Police

The bus was transporting students to Aptos junior and high schools, according to a Pajaro Valley Unified School District official.

"Immediate evacuation of all students took place, with first responders arriving promptly," Jenny Im, the school district's chief business officer, said in a letter to families. "Our bus driver and transportation department staff acted swiftly in response."

Im said the incident "has understandably shaken all students involved," while noting that the district is providing counseling services at both schools.

2 injured in fiery, head-on collision involving vehicle, school bus: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Ukraine will not extend the gas transit agreement with Russia, putting an end to many years of cooperation in this area. At the same time, Ukraine is ready to consider requests from European companies for gas transit through its territory in cooperation with the European Union.

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This was stated by Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Ukraine 2024: Independence forum. "No one will extend the agreement with Russia. This is the end of the matter," Zelenskyy said.

This decision is a response to speculation that arose after Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent remarks during his visit to Azerbaijan. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has completed its cooperation with Russia in this area.

Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine is ready to consider cooperation with European companies if they are interested in transiting gas through Ukraine. However, this issue still needs to be agreed with the European Union and other stakeholders. "As for the transit of gas from other companies  if the requests of some of our European colleagues continue  we will all consider their requests together with the European Union," the President added.

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When asked about the Russian president's remarks, Zelenskyy said he did not know what exactly Putin had said in Azerbaijan, but he was confident that the issue of gas transit would no longer be discussed. "I don't know what the old man (Putin  Ed.) was talking about in Azerbaijan. I'm not sure it was about gas. I think there are other issues," Zelenskyy said.

Gas transit through Ukraine has always been important for European consumers, especially for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Zelenskyy's statement may cause concern among European partners, as alternative routes such as Nord Stream 2 face sanctions and political obstacles. However, Ukraine is ready for new economic opportunities and is looking for partners in Europe who are willing to work on the principles of mutual respect and equality.

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As OBOZ.UA previously reported, amid the completion of the transit contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz in 2024, Ukraine and the European Union are actively considering the possibility of using Azerbaijani gas as an alternative to Russian gas. This issue has become particularly relevant after Vladimir Putin's visit to Azerbaijan.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
2 workers killed, 1 seriously hurt in 'possible explosion' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta maintenance facility

Two workers were killed and one was seriously injured in what officials termed a "possible explosion" at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to Delta TechOps and first responders.

Delta TechOps said the Tuesday morning accident took place at its wheel and brake shop.

Responders to the "possible explosion" found "three Delta employees on the floor," and the medics said they tried to control "major bleeding," according to the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department's incident report.

PHOTO: Two workers were killed and one was injured in an 'incident' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility on Aug. 27, 2024. (WSB)

An employee reported hearing an explosion and seeing workers fleeing, the incident report said.

"I realized they were running to get help. I walked toward where the explosion occurred and saw a body lying face down, not moving, with blood all around," the worker told officials, according to the incident report.

PHOTO: Two workers were killed and one was injured in an 'incident' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility on Aug. 27, 2024. (WSB)

MORE: Summer scorcher: Extreme heat hits Midwest, South before moving to Northeast

Delta said the accident involved a tire and components within the tire. The wheel was not attached to an airplane or near an airplane at the time of the accident, according to Delta.

The wheels were being "disassembled for maintenance and not attached to an aircraft, according to investigators.

The incident had no impact on airport operations, according to airport officials.

Delta said it's "working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened."

The airline added it's "heartbroken" and "grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site."

PHOTO: Two workers were killed and one was injured in an 'incident' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility on Aug. 27, 2024. (WSB)

MORE: Former Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to shut down engines in-flight shares his story

The workers killed in the incident were identified as Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, according to the Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office. The third employee, who hasn't immediately been identified, remains hospitalized, according to officials.

"We are extending our full support to their families at this difficult time and conducting an investigation to determine what happened," John Laughter, executive vice president, chief of operations and president of Delta TechOps, said in a statement. "This news is heartbreaking for all of us. [Employee assistance program] resources will be onsite at the [Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility] to support our teams as long as needed."

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said, "I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery."

Atlanta airport officials also offered their condolences.

ABC News' Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

2 workers killed, 1 seriously hurt in 'possible explosion' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta maintenance facility originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
20-fight MMA pro sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing man in Atlantic City

Pro MMA fighter [autotag]Andrew Osborne[/autotag] was sentenced to 25 years in state prison Thursday after he pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office (N.J.) .

Osborne, 35, admitted he stabbed 47-year-old Brian Wilkinson to death inside an Atlantic City, N.J. hotel room. He must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence in New Jersey State Prison (N.J.S.P.) before potential supervised release.

According to a statement from prosecutors, Osborne stabbed Wilkinson in the head and neck at Ocean Casino on Sept. 23, 2022. He then fled to Philadelphia, where he was later located and arrested by police.

Authorities previously stated in court documents (via NJ.com) that Osborne entered Wilkinson's hotel room at 7:11 a.m. local time and exited at 7:30 a.m. Osbourne allegedly left Wilkinson's hotel room wearing his shoes and pants. Wilkinson's body was found at 1:30 p.m. local.

Osborne competed in 20 professional MMA fights, including one World Series of Fighting (WSOF) bout, a 2013 loss to Ozzy Dugulubgov. His pro career stretched from 2011 to 2017, during which he compiled a 7-11-1 record with one no contest.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: 20-fight MMA pro sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing man in Atlantic City
A dimple of thunderstorms in an otherwise glassy calm tropical Atlantic may be the first sign that the atmosphere is on the cusp of detonation after an eerily quiet August.

The National Hurricane Center said an area of low pressure could form in the volatile hurricane alley between Africa and the Caribbean through Labor Day weekend. Forecasters gave it just a 20% chance over the next seven days but said environmental conditions are generally favorable for slow development into early September. Another area the NHC noted Wednesday southeast of Bermuda was given a 10% chance of formation.

While the season so far is by most measures near or above average with five named storms, three hurricanes and one major hurricane, whether predictions for a record-challenging season with 20-plus named storms will be verified is unclear.

If August ends with no named storms, it would be the first time since 1997 that nothing was churning during the traditional active-season kickoff dates of Aug. 21-Sept. 2.

Colorado State University and AccuWeather meteorologists said theyre not ready to call the 2024 seasonal forecasts a bust, and that there is still time to catch up as the basin spins into its most lively period. In 2020, there were 10 named storms in September. September 2005 had six named storms during a season that saw tropical cyclones spinning clear into January 2006.

I think its too early to bail on the season just yet, said CSU senior researcher and lead hurricane forecaster Phil Klotzbach. The latest global ensemble models are a whole lot more robust than they were a week ago at this time.

More: Hurricane season 2024: More than 1 million new Florida residents may not understand storm prep

Why August, so far, has had no named storms or hurricanes since Ernesto

Hurricane experts arent in total agreement as to why August slogged through with no new named storms since Ernesto was christened Aug. 12.

But there are some clues.

A ring of cloudiness that circles the globe near the equator like a pearl necklace has been pushed to more northern latitudes over western Africa. Called the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ, the area is where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres converge. Normally near pencil-straight, it can be jostled out of position by weather patterns over Africa.

Its northerly bulge has also pushed tropical waves  the seedlings of tropical cyclones  to leave the continent at more northern latitudes, where they have struggled with the less-fertile conditions of drier air, Saharan dust and cooler waters.

The National Hurricane Center on Aug. 27, 2024 is giving a 20% chance that an area of low pressure expected to form in the main development region of the Atlantic Ocean will form into a tropical cyclone.

There are also cooler waters closer to the equator off the African coast in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has called an emerging Atlantic Nina event. Unlike the Pacific-based La Nina, which weakens wind shear in the Atlantic to embolden tropical cyclones, the cooling waters of an Atlantic Nina could work to dampen hurricane activity.

The Atlantic Nina, plus the dust, plus the storm tracks being north are making conditions near the African coast hostile, said Fox Weather hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross. Theres been a combination of things that have shut down the disturbance machine off Africa.

Klotzbach and Norcross note that temperatures in the upper levels of the atmosphere are unusually warm this summer. Those warm temperatures help stabilize the atmosphere and suppress the formation of strong thunderstorms, the backbone of tropical cyclones.

More: Scary trend: Major hurricanes in October and November  why is it happening?

Norcross said part of the warm temperatures could be the result of the 2022 eruption of the submerged Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in the South Pacific Ocean. The eruption, which was the largest recorded by modern scientific instruments, blasted an enormous amount of water vapor into the air that many scientists thought would increase air temperatures.

A July report from Texas A&M University said the opposite occurred, and that there was actually a cooling effect. Still, Norcross said the volcanic disruption could be affecting the temperature distribution in the atmosphere, which could have impacts on weather patterns.

Is it altering the storm track? Thats not known, Norcross said. But it is a possible factor. Not the driving factor but a possible factor.

Most seasonal hurricane forecasts predicted unusually high storm activity for 2024, and it got off to a rousing start with tropical storms Alberto and Chris in June, Category 5 Hurricane Beryl forming in late June, and hurricanes Debby and Ernesto forming in August.

Debby made landfall as a Cat 1 in Floridas Big Bend region on Aug. 5. Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, as a Category 1 hurricane on July 8.

The amount of accumulated cyclone energy, or ACE, recorded this season was 55 through Tuesday, Aug. 27. ACE, which is a measure of tropical cyclone strength and longevity, is typically 28.4 at this time of the year. There have also been 12 days when a hurricane spun in the Atlantic, as compared to about 5.5 during a normal year.

NOAAs updated prediction this month still called for an especially active season with 17 to 24 named storms, including eight to 13 hurricanes. Of the hurricanes, four to seven could be major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

More: Hurricane Beryl grows to an unprecedented 165 mph Cat 5 storm in the Caribbean

Colorado State University also issued its updated forecast this month calling for 23 named storms  down from a July forecast of 25  including 12 hurricanes. Of the 12, six are forecast to be major storms of Category 3 strength or higher.

An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane forecaster with AccuWeather, said he will be looking this week at whether its seasonal forecast for 20 to 25 named storms needs to be tweaked. As of Tuesday, Aug. 27, he didnt think so.

AccuWeathers next hurricane seasonal forecast update is scheduled for Sept. 3.

Right now, its looking like things will be picking up, DaSilva said. Things could get interesting here soon.

If the spot identified by the NHC develops into a tropical storm, it will be named Francine. The names that follow Francine on the 2024 hurricane list are Gordon, Helene, Isaac and Joyce.

Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the 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: Hurricane season 2024 may heat up as the peak of storm season nears


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Microfossils found around the world contain specimens that dont look like modern cells.

By analyzing certain bacteria in the Dead Sea that dont contain cell walls, a new study theorizes how these strange microfossils came to be.

While this understanding helps illustrate some of the strange morphologies of these fossils, it isnt definitive proof that this how life began on Earth.

Microfossils have a tendency to muck with our timeline of when life formed on Earth. As their name suggests, these ancient rocks contain the tiny fossilized remains of protists and bacteria, and when University of Wisconsin-Madison geologist Stanley Tyler discovered the first microfossils in Precambrian rock in 1953 , it pushed the origin of life back more than a billion years.

Fast-forward 70 years, and new microfossils have pushed that timeline well into the Archean Eon. Most assume that the first cells were likely simpler than the 1 to 2 micrometer-wide bacteria we have today, which host no internal structures unlike eukaryotes (a domain of life of which you are a member, congratulations). However, the cells found within these sedimentary rocksome stretching back some 3.8 billion yearsdont support this assumption.

Instead, these ancient microfossils, which have been found in areas around the world, can be as large as 70 micrometers across and support internal structures. This inspired Dheeraj Kanaparthi, a scientist at the Max-Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Munich, Germany, to ask the age-old question: Why?

These fossils look too complex, Kanaparthi told New Scientist. He published a reviewed preprint in the journal eLife. Theyre also too large. What we find is always baffling.

Strangely, he found the inklings of an explanation while exploring freshwater springs located on the seafloor of the very salty Dead Sea. These structures were first discovered in 2011 during the first-ever diving expedition of the Dead Sea, and, contrary to the body of waters name, they encountered a litany of microorganisms around these springs. Some of the bacteria within this unique ecosystem exhibited strange shapes compared to other bacteria, and thats because they were actually L-forms.

Named after the Lister Institute in London, which discovered them in the 1930s, these L-forms have one specific characteristic that separates them from other bacteriathey dont have a cell wall. Usually, these cells would swell and burst due to osmosis (turns out cell walls are pretty important in that regard), but in some specific conditions, they can survive and grow.

Its been previously suggested that these L-forms could provide a template for protocells on ancient Earth, but Kanaparthi and his colleagues shows that the shapes created by these L-forms, when the latter are put in high-salinity environments that scientists think existed along coasts during the Archean, begin to resemble to microfossils found in these ancient rocks.

Kanaparthi and his team also argue that the internal structures of these microfossils are actually just an illusion created by new cells forming with the L-forms.

Of course, if you look around today, youll see that not having a cell wall isnt exactly a winning evolutionary strategy, and this wouldve been true for these hypothesized ancient L-forms as well. They wouldve been at the mercy of their environment, Kanaparthi told New Scientist, and wouldnt have been very efficient at reproduction.

This is only a theory that attempts to explain the varying morphologies found in microfossils around the world. Because its difficult to truly replicate the conditions of Paleoarchean Earth nor capture its global variability, theres a lot that is unknown about that time, but L-forms could be first step in unraveling the decades long mystery of why these microfossils dont quite fit with our understanding of life and how it formed.



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Several Russian drones targeted Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast overnight on Aug. 27, resulting in three civilian deaths, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Five civilians were injured in the attack, including an 86-year-old woman. Four of them are currently being treated in a local hospital.

Several homes were damaged by blast waves and debris from the attack, and a fire occurred in a field, Fedorov said, adding that at least 128 drones attacked the region over the past 24 hours.

Russia has continued to strike civilian targets across Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but the front lines have not changed substantially in recent months.

On Aug. 20, Russian forces struck a children's cafe in the region's village of Malokaterynivka, killing a 15-year-old boy and injuring four others, local authorities reported.

Part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is occupied by Russian troops, who are on the offensive to attempt a breakthrough in the country's southeast. The city of Zaporizhzhia is located less than 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the front lines.

Read also: Nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia plant deteriorating after reported drone strike, IAEA warns







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3 officers accused of beating Tyre Nichols to death back in court

3 officers accused of beating Tyre Nichols to death back in court

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Were now just weeks away from the federal trial involving the former Memphis Police officers accused of beating Tyre Nichols to death.

As WREG has reported, two of those former officers, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin have taken plea deals.

Monday, the three remaining officers and their attorneys met with the judge to discuss the next steps in the case before the trial.

Those defendants are Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith.

Last Friday, Emmitt Martin pleaded guilty to two of the four counts against him, excessive force and conspiracy to witness tamper.

In exchange, prosecutors dropped the other counts and recommended a sentence not to exceed 40 years.

Former MPD officer driven by anger in Tyre Nichols beating

WREG spoke with Tyre Nichols mother just moments after the plea.

(Its) bittersweet, Rowvaughn Wells said. The fact that I had to hear him plead guilty to all those charges that were presented in court today.

Back in November, Desmond Mills Jr. pleaded guilty to excessive force and obstruction of justice. He agreed to cooperate with prosecutors who recommended he be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Ex-Memphis Police officer pleads guilty to charges in the death of Tyre Nichols

Today in court, attorneys for the remaining three former officers argued it is important for the jury to understand the magnitude of a witness bias if the former officers take the stand.

One attorney went on to say, The jury is entitled to know why the witness cooperated with the government.

As Martin and Mills are expected to see potentially shorter sentences for their cooperation with the prosecution.

Ultimately the judge said he would give the issue a little bit more thought.

The federal trial is slated to start September 9.

Nichols mother told WREG on Friday that, Until we get justice, I wont be content.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
3-year-old boy fatally shot on his birthday, along with man on North Shadeland.

A family, along with a community at large, is grieving the loss of a 3-year-old boy who was fatally shot and killed on his birthday. Along with the young boy, was a man who was just a boy himself not too long ago.

Jaishawn Johnson, 22, was with 3-year-old Armonie Booker and his mother Monday night in the parking lot of the Shadeland Station Shopping Center near the intersection of East 75th Street and North Shadeland Avenue. Johnson isn't Booker's father, but he and Booker's mother share another child together.

Police responded to a report of a person shot at about 9:30 p.m. When officers arrived they found Johnson and Booker suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. Johnson died at the scene and Booker was taken to Riley's Children's Hospital in critical condition, but later died.

Im extremely frustrated, I am extremely frustrated, Indiana Metropolitan Police Department Public Information Officer William Young told media outlets Monday night at the scene. There is no reason I should have to be here talking to you about a child being shot.

Family and friends shared numerous posts about the toddler online including his own father.

Arrieon Anderson

Le'Deana Brown

Brandon Randall has been a youth worker for the last 18 years and said when Johnson was a teen, Randall met him through the youth program VOICES. As a kid, Randall said Johnson had a big personality. He wasn't a troubled child, but knowing the hand a lot of Indianapolis youth are faced with is knowing that sometimes they find themselves in the trouble.

Randall spoke to Johnson a little over a year ago and at the time Johnson was trying to get his life together.

"Regardless of somebody's participation with the justice system," Randall said. "That doesn't summarize the majority of the person. He was the victim of a homicide. That's the thing, people don't invest in these kids who will become adults and then they blame them and judge. I had a kid who was afraid to not have a gun because of his environment."

He remembers the young man as someone who was respectful, and never caused any issues. He loved to laugh and smile and had a positive presence about himself.

"This isn't the first kid that I lost," Randall said. "It's hard. It's something that challenging because you pause waiting for the names to be released when you hear about these type of situations. Then I'm going, where are the elected officials? I haven't seen a single statement."

Police are investigating the case as a homicide.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 3-year-old boy among 2 fatally shot in Indianapolis
Three out of the five residents of Ukraine's Poltava Oblast injured in a mass Russian attack on Aug. 26 have died in the hospital, Governor Filip Pronin announced on Aug. 27.

Russia launched what Ukraine's Air Force called the largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Aug. 26, striking 15 oblasts across the country.

Excluding the latest casualties, seven civilians had been killed and over 40 injured across Ukraine.

The five Poltava Oblast residents were injured early on Aug. 26 when Russia targeted an industrial facility in the region.

Later the same day, drone debris damaged a house in the Lubny district, injuring a woman.

Poltava Oblast lies in central Ukraine, bordering Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy and Kyiv oblasts.

Read also: Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
As part of the forum "Ukraine 2024. Independence" forum on August 27 in Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with representatives of domestic and foreign media. He lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding Ukraine's operation in Kursk, its goals, course, and consequences, and also mentioned the situation on the hottest frontline in Ukraine  Pokrovske.

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In addition, the President answered a number of other questions, including the fate of the Crimean bridge illegally built by the occupiers, and commented on the sensitive topic of potential negotiations with Russia. OBOZ.UA has compiled the key theses of the head of state, which he voiced during his conversation with journalists.

Crimean Bridge: has the countdown begun?

During the press conference, OBOZ.UA had the opportunity to ask Zelenskyy a question. So our correspondent reminded Zelenskyy about the statement of the head of the GUR Kirill Budanov that the Crimean Bridge would be destroyed "sooner or later." And she asked the president to at least hint when the illegal structure might cease to exist.

Hearing the question, the head of state laughed.

"The DIU knows how to surprise the information space. It is true. I think so: if we want something to happen, sooner or later, we need to make it happen and then say so," Zelenskyy said.

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Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk: why Ukraine launched an operation in the enemy's territory and what it will bring

The Head of State rejected accusations that the Armed Forces' operation in Kursk region in the context of Russian advance in Donetsk region was a dubious decision. Zelenskyy emphasized that it is the success of Ukrainian soldiers on Russian territory that will ultimately bring peace closer. Moreover, this operation is part of a broader plan by which Ukraine plans to win.

"Kursk region is part of our plan for Ukraine's victory... One of the areas, part of which has already been done, is Kursk region. The second direction is Ukraine's strategic place in the world's security infrastructure. The third is a powerful package to force Russia to end the war through diplomatic means. The fourth is economic," the President said.

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Zelenskyy added that he plans to present the plan to U.S. President Joe Biden in September, as Ukraine's ability to implement its plans largely depends on the United States. The plan will also be shared with both presidential candidates  Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party.

At the same time, the head of state revealed some of the goals that Ukraine set and achieved by launching the Kursk operation. According to him, it is primarily about the fact that the activity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kursk region allowed to stop the Russian offensive in the north of Kharkiv region and prevent the creation of the Kremlin's dream "buffer zones" along the entire northern border of Ukraine. After all, data from both Ukrainian and partner intelligence showed that Russia could be preparing an invasion not only of Kharkiv region, but also, with a high probability, of Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

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In addition, Russia, faced with the need to stop the advance of Ukrainian forces in Kursk region, was forced to begin withdrawing some units from the Ukrainian fronts, in particular from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. In the Donetsk region, which has been a strategic goal of the Kremlin since 2014, the occupiers have not yet withdrawn their troops. However, they may eventually be forced to do so. Here, according to Zelenskyy, a significant role will be played by how long the Kursk operation will last.

Peace talks: Is Kyiv ready to talk to Moscow?

Kyiv does not completely rule out the possibility of negotiations with Russia to end the war in the future. However, under no circumstances will Ukraine make concessions to its territories.

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"I am not ready to exchange our territories as part of any negotiations. This is the first thing. It is difficult, really, because this decision will really depend on the support of our colleagues. I hope they will work further and faster," Zelenskyy said.

At the same time, the head of state considers it impossible to have a dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, because this man has never fulfilled any promises he made or obligations he undertook.

"The whole world would like to hear that Ukraine has found a compromise. But compromises are impossible with Putin. Dialogue with him today is empty and meaningless because he does not seek a diplomatic end to the war," Zelenskyy said when asked what victory means to him.

The most massive Russian attack in the entire war: the President spoke about the enemy's crime and the participation of F-16s in repelling the attack

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The press conference held on August 27 could not pass without mentioning the most massive Russian attack on Ukraine that took place the day before. Thus, the head of state said that during the latest shelling of Ukraine, Russia had launched 230 strikes. The defense system worked, but serious damage to the power system could not be avoided. Therefore, power supply restrictions are currently being recorded, but, according to the President, the situation will be resolved.

"As for the details regarding the destruction of hydroelectric power plants or other things... I don't support it when the enemy knows what kind of damage they have caused to Ukraine, the energy system, etc. There are details that the whole world should know about what Russia is doing here, on our land... But the condition of our facilities and what we are doing there now - let it be in silence," Zelenskyy said.

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At the same time, the President said that Western F-16 fighters, which recently appeared in the Ukrainian sky, were involved in repelling the enemy attack. And they proved highly effective in protecting Ukrainians from Russian terror.

"F-16s are a very, very good result. We have talked about it a lot, but already within the framework of this huge missile attack, we have shot down some missiles with the help of F-16s. We thank our partners for providing us with this F-16," he emphasized.

However, Zelenskyy added, the available aircraft are still too few. Ukraine also needs to continue training pilots for these fighters, and the President expressed hope for further support from the United States in this area.

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"Of course, this is not enough, we do not have many of them, and we still need to train pilots. We have proposals to the United States, it actually depends on their permission. They should look at it positively and realistically because we are talking about our territories, not the American ones," Zelenskyy summarized.

Ukraine continues to arm itself: President announces successful test of Ukraine's first ballistic missile

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had successfully tested the first ballistic missile of its own production. He noted that he could not go into details about the new development for obvious reasons, but emphasized that society should be grateful to those compatriots who work at Ukrainian defense companies.

"I would like to see a public assessment of our people who work 24/7 at defense enterprises. There was a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile. I congratulate our defense industry on this. I can no longer share details about this missile," Zelenskyy said.

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How the state plans to return home Ukrainians who fled the war abroad

The President noted that there are currently about 7.5 million citizens of our country abroad who were forced to leave Ukraine after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The state is interested in not losing these people. However, Ukrainians should return to their homeland of their own free will, not under duress.

Therefore, the state is making efforts to create conditions for the return of its citizens. In particular, to provide them with jobs.

At the same time, according to Zelenskyy, many of those citizens of our country who chose to stay abroad lost their loved ones in the war.

"First of all, this applies to Poland and Germany, where most of our Ukrainians are. I believe that today we need to develop a policy for this institution and make a decision in the fall... "I am only in favor of Ukrainians coming, but only without coercion. There is an important point here, and I have raised this issue: there are Ukrainians who work in Germany, Poland, and other countries. And there are Ukrainians who do not work. I do not want to characterize Ukrainians who do not work there, but it is clear that it is politically advantageous to spend financial aid on the third year of the war rather than send them to Ukraine," the president emphasized.

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The President announced the start of rotations of units at the front and the "strengthening of Pokrovsk"

The head of state also made an important announcement regarding the rotation of the military at the front. According to him, although the rotations are not yet fundamental, they are a significant progress.

The presence of rotations on the front line, Zelenskyy emphasized, is the first step towards providing better conditions for the military and increasing their effectiveness in combat.

"The number of people who have started training has increased. This will greatly help the guys to have at least some rotations. This is the first time any rotations have started. I cannot call it fundamental rotations yet. But I'll be honest: it's a start, and it's very important. And we are constantly talking about strengthening Pokrovsk," Zelenskyy said.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that during the forum, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke about the successes in the Kursk region and explained whether this affected the situation near Pokrovsk. According to him, Ukrainian soldiers continue to advance on Russian territory.

Meanwhile, the Russian military command is deploying reserves to Kursk region, hoping to hold back the advance of Ukrainian troops, but so far the units are being withdrawn not from Donetsk region, but from other, less priority areas of the Ukrainian front for Moscow.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Four individuals accused of distributing meth throughout Lincoln County are under arrest, the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office said on Tuesday.

Lincolnton residents Misty Gilroy, 41, F.E. Richard, 36, Angela Raborn, 59, and Dallas Davis, 29, all face charges that include drug distribution. Richard is being held at the Crouse Detention Center on a $1 million bond.

Investigators stated that they launched an undercover operation in 2023 that ran into 2024 regarding the defendants and that multiple purchases were successfully made for fentanyl and meth.

More arrests are expected, the sheriffs office said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
4 more people die in Zaporizhzhia and Poltava following nighttime Russian attacks

Three people injured in the Russian attack on 26 August have died in hospital in Poltava Oblast. Another woman who was affected by the nighttime Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on 27 August has also died.

Source: Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Filip Pronin, Head of Poltava Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote from Fedorov: "An elderly woman who suffered severe burns during the night attack on Zaporizhzhia by Russians died in hospital. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Doctors fought to save her life for several hours but could not save her."

Details: It is noted that the number of people injured in this attack has increased to three. The injured man with a fractured limb remains in hospital. Doctors assess his condition as stable and of moderate severity. Two other women refused further hospitalisation after receiving medical assistance.

Also, Pronin said that three people who suffered from a massive Russian attack on 26 August died in hospital. Two more people are in hospitals.

Background:

At night, the Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia with 7 Shahed drones. Earlier, it was reported that two people were killed and four people were injured.

President Zelenskyy reported that four people were killed and 16 injured as a result of another large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine on the night of 26-27 August and morning of 27 August.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) reported that the Russian Federation's 26 August attack on Ukraine killed 7 people and injured 47 others, including 4 children.

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A high-ranking Erie gang member will be behind bars for nearly two decades due to his role in a gang Erie police took down last year called 4-Nation.

According to the Erie Times News, 27-year-old Javar Beason Jr. was sentenced to 18.5 years in federal prison in the U.S. District Court on Monday.

PA man sentenced to over 19 years in prison for third drug conviction

Beason was said to be heavily involved in the gangs drug trafficking business in which police and FBI officials claim he was responsible for over 80 pounds of meth, 150,000 fentanyl pills and ounces of cocaine.

Beason is one of 58 total people indicted as part of investigations into the gangs activity spanning from 2012 to now.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
4-year-old died in his mothers care amid DCF case a decade ago. Why was she arrested now?

For more than a decade, a 4-year-old boys death during an unsupervised visit with his troubled mother  from whom he was taken years prior after investigators discovered she had tried to smother him  was shrouded in mystery.







READ MORE: Broward mom faces murder charge a decade after her son died during an unsupervised visit

Now police believe that Destene Simmons, 34, suffocated her son Antwan Hope during the visit on June 10, 2013, according to an arrest affidavit penned by a detective in July.







Investigators even hinted at a possible motive: Simmons, who was arrested Friday and jailed without bond on a first-degree murder charge, had lost her job and was facing eviction, which would have put her at odds with the Florida Department of Children and Families.

In 2011, Simmons attempted to smother 2-year-old Antwan, placing a pillow over his face, according to the Heralds archives. DCF failed to act  despite a June 13, 2011, report penned by Broward Sheriffs Office deputies detailing the incident.

DCF later removed Antwan from Simmons care after she was committed to a mental health facility in 2011. But a few years later, on June 7, 2013, ChildNet, DCFs private child welfare group in Broward, reunited Antwan with his mother after she met several conditions that could allow her unsupervised visitation.

The 4-year-olds death catapulted a probe that ended with Floridas child protection agency slammed for its failures.

A deadly visit

On June 10, 2013, Simmons made two 911 calls and requested that authorities come to her apartment, located at 9022 NW 28th Drive. She, however, refused to provide details and hung up the phone each time, according to the affidavit.

Police eventually responded to the complex, but the dispatcher had transcribed the wrong apartment number. While police were there, Simmons called 911  and hung up  a third time.

When the authorities finally met Simmons, she said she wanted officers to check on Antwan to make sure he was OK, the affidavit alleges.

Inside the apartment, officers found the child in bed, with his head on a pillow and his body covered in a blue blanket, according to the document. His eyes were open, and his face was tilted toward a nearby pillow.

Im not going to talk about that

During an interview with police, Simmons said no one had visited the apartment that weekend. She also stated they had only stepped out twice: to go to the library and a park.

The night before, the document states, Simmons said she fed Antwan fettuccine alfredo, bathed him and played him a movie in bed. She also added that her son hadnt been sick and was behaving normally.

But when detectives asked her what happened after, she said: Im not going to talk about that.

Instead, Simmons divulged details about her personal life. She said she was facing eviction after recently losing her job  and hadnt informed the case worker when they brought Antwan to the apartment, according to the affidavit.

Due to these occurrences, Destene was not in compliance with her DCF case plan and was in jeopardy of having [her son] removed from her custody permanently, the document states.

Why now?

The circumstances related to Simmons arrest Aug. 23 were murky for more than a decade. Few answers concerning Antwans death followed  until the affidavit was released on Monday.

Back in 2013, an autopsy didnt conclude a cause of death, despite forensic medical experts finding soft evidence suggesting that Antwan was suffocated, according to the document. Medical investigators stated that a cause of death couldnt be determined with any medical certainty, though they also noted that there was evidence, including blood on the boys lips, consistent with trauma.

A year later, Antwans father Antwan Hope sued ChildNet and requested another evaluation of his sons cause of death. A second medical expert concluded that the boy had been killed, likely by suffocation.







That lawsuit was settled in 2016, and several documents remain under seal. Per the affidavit, Broward Circuit Court Judge Marc Gold barred Simmons from receiving damages after evidence pointed that she was liable for Antwans death.





The Broward Medical Examiners Office revisited the case in 2022 due to the conflicting opinion of the two forensic experts. By November 2023, the office agreed that the boys cause of death was homicide by suffocation.

In June, police began tracking down Simmons and eventually found her in Port St. Lucie, a city on Floridas Treasure Coast.

Simmons descent into mental health issues was documented in calls to law enforcement, starting in the spring of 2011, the Herald previously reported.

At one point, Simmons mother said she had been acting irrational and she didnt know what had happened. Her daughter, she said, turned into a different person and does not let anyone get near Antwan.
Logansport Chief of Police Travis Yike told multiple outlets the swimmers "felt a vibration in the water"

Hussein Kassir/ Getty Backyard swimming pool

Five people are recovering after being injured by electric shocks while swimming at a pool in Indiana.

The incident occurred on Sunday, Aug. 25, around 2:35 p.m. at a home in Logansport, which is located about 90 minutes from Indianapolis, according to local stations CBS4 News and FOX 59.

Two of the people injured  which included three kids and two adults  were unresponsive when law enforcement arrived at the scene, the outlets reported, citing the Logansport Police Department.

Said Travis Yike, Logansport PD chief of police, "According to the report, they felt a vibration in the water, and the dad yelled to shut the sump pump off," per CBS4 News and FOX 59.

"Its an unfortunate accident but fortunately everyone is doing okay," Yike added.



Citing authorities, the outlets reported that a pump wire near the pool's ladder was pinched, causing a protective cover to break and expose the wire. It then touched the water and shocked the group.

Getty Swimming pool with a caution sign

Logansport PD told CBS4 News and FOX 59 that the five individuals comprised two parents, their two kids and a friend of one of the kids'.



Yike added, per the outlets, that a 16-year-old boy who was injured himself exhibited "heroic acts" that may have saved the lives of the others.



"I do want to give accolades to that young man that was in the pool when this happened, he said, according to CBS4 News and FOX 59. And (he) was also injured but took it upon himself once the power was shut off to jump out and recognize what was going on and save his dad and his sister and his sisters friends lives."

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"If it wasnt for the heroic acts of a 16-year-old juvenile that was involved in this, it may have turned out a lot different," Yike added.

At least one of the minors is still in the hospital, per the outlets, but law enforcement said everyone involved is expected to recover, and that no criminal activity is suspected.

PEOPLE is out to Logansport PD for comment.

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Read the original article on People.
The Biden Administrations promise to put more electric vehicle charging stations on Americas roadway hasnt exactly gone to plan but a new round of federal grants could help. Reuters reports that $521 million in federal grants have been awarded to grow EV infrastructure and build more charging ports on Americas roadways.

The Energy Department and the Federal Highway Administration have allocated $321 million of the grant money to expand EV charging infrastructure across 29 states as well as the District of Columbia. The remaining $200 million will fund 10 corridor fast-charging projects, according to Reuters. A full list of the grant recipients are available on the Transportation Departments website .

Two major cities will receive a sizable portion of those grants: Milwaukee will receive $15 million to install chargers at 53 different sites, while Atlanta will receive $11.8 million to install a DC Fast Charging Hub at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport with 50 fast chargers.

The grants are part of an effort to kick start a $7.5 billion plan to build 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030 . However, efforts to meet that goal have been very slow. The Washington Post reported in March that only seven open charging stations (with just 38 spots for electric vehicles) were built since the plan was announced and funds were allocated by Congress two years ago.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  $5 million in funding is being used towards restoring Hamlin Beach Park in Monroe County, Senator Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday.

The funding is meant to contribute towards strengthening resiliency from storms and flooding at the shoreline at Hamlin Beach State Park as well as improve bike and walking paths in the park.

Some improvements include relocating existing trails away from flood-prone areas in the state park. The project will also create new landing areas at the shoreline, create safer paths to the jetty, and improve accessibility to pedestrian bicycle paths.

Im grateful for this federal support to ensure and improve access to Hamlin Beach State Park, a popular recreational and tourism asset. This much-needed work will help safeguard Hamlin Beach from future storms and flooding, while making the park more inviting to our visitors, New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said.

The funding comes from the National Parks Services Land and Water Conservation Fund.

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72-year-old killed in crash on Route 220 in Botetourt County, VSP says

BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Virginia State Police reports a 72-year-old has been killed in a single-vehicle accident that occurred in Botetourt County on August 26.

Details are currently limited; however, VSP says around 6:49 p.m. on Monday, a 2021 Nissan was driving on Route 220, went off the right side of the road, and hit an embankment.

A 72-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity will be released after the family has been notified.

Police say the investigation is ongoing. WFXR News will update you with more information as it becomes available.

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SOUTH BELOIT, Ill. (WTVO)  South Beloit officials are gearing up for a number of projects in the city, one being a multi-million-dollar development on the Illinois-Wisconsin border.

The 12-acre piece of land is directly across Shirland Avenue from ABC Supply Stadium that has been undeveloped or years. Crews will break ground there next year on a $90 million project officials say will help transform the area

In December, our council signed a development agreement with Rock River Development, City Administrator Sonya Hopper said. Its a very mixed-use concept, a lot of residential with a handful of commercial entities as well.

The city will first clean up the site so its shovel ready.

Theres a $317,000 grant that we were awarded to by the EPA to start cleanup on Shirland Avenue, Hopper said.

City, neighbors excited for South Beloit hotel demolition

Although the development will be sited on the Illinois side of Shirland Avenue, officials say it will benefit communities on both sides of the border.

We support their efforts to make South Beloit a destination, said Drew Pennington, Beloits Economic Development Director. The environmental center, Nature At The Confluence, is a huge destination for them. The stadium is huge destination for us. Linking them together with trails, parking and other amenities is a huge effort that we support.

South Beloit has also secured $1.3 million grant to clean up a parcel of land along Blackhawk Boulevard. Hoppes hopes the land will eventually be a park that would expand Nature At The Confluence.

There are six fuel tanks buried there, so we will remove and remediate all of that, and it would be just one step closer to a beautiful expansion of that park site, Hoppes said.

Under the development agreement with Georgia-based Rock River Development, South Beloit will deed the property to the developmer at no cost. The city will also acquire a right-of-way from Union Pacific Railroad.

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PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  The state government group that oversees emergency communication calls in South Dakota has agreed to look at the pros and cons of consolidating all 911 services.

During a teleconference, the South Dakota 911 Coordination Board on Monday approved expanding the current contract with 911 Authority to add the proposed study.

There was no public discussion of the price for the additional work. The proposal lists a total price of $70,000.

Time to update flu, COVID and RSV shots, group says

Jim Lockard is a senior project consultant for 911 Authority. He said the company, based at State College, Pennsylvania, has performed similar studies for other jurisdictions.

Emergency calls now route through 32 separate centers, known as public service answering points or PSAPs, that are spread throughout South Dakota.

Lockard said the South Dakota study would look at pluses and minuses of consolidation. The final report will be delivered in December, he said.

Jason Husby, the state boards new administrator, said he asked 911 Authority for the proposal.

The voice vote to approve the proposal sounded unanimous. The proposal comes after the 2024 Legislature passed HB1092.

The new law temporarily raises the monthly 911 surcharge to $2 per telephone line, from $1.25, through July 1, 2026. It also calls for each PSAP to submit an annual report to the state board, and directs that the state board include in its annual report to lawmakers an assessment of operational efficiencies of each public safety answering point.

State board members said the study would help with the Legislature in 2025 and after. Watertown Police Chief Tim Toomey called for the proposals approval. I think its a great idea and its something that we need to do, Toomey said.

Other board members agreed.

Brown County Commissioner Duane Sutton acknowledged that he had talked about the study with Husby. Sutton said the study would be a valuable tool in trying to convince legislators to make the $2 surcharge permanent.

I am very much in support of this study, Sutton said.

Lake County Commissioner Kelli Wollmann liked it, too. I believe its going to be a valuable tool as well, she said.

The study could help legislators by showing what the board is trying to do and by providing answers to legislators questions, according to Wollmann. So I am in support of this, she said.

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The United States commented on Russia's massive shelling of Ukraine, noting that such actions are a "classic Putin move." Washington also noted that they are focused on providing our country with reliable air defense capabilities.

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This was stated by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby at a briefing, Voice of America reports. He condemned the Russian attack that caused death and destruction in Ukraine.

"This is a classic Putin pattern of attacking energy infrastructure, especially because he knows that the weather is going to change soon and that people will need a lot more heat and electricity as it gets colder in Ukraine. This was again a classic Putin move. And what we're focused on is making sure they have the best possible air defense capabilities," the official said.

Kirby also noted that Ukraine's air defense forces performed "very well" during the August 26 attack.

"They didn't shoot down everything that came out of the sky, obviously some of the assets got hit, but they shot down most of the air targets. So we have to make sure they can continue to do that. So we're focused on interceptors and air defense systems, not only from the United States but from allies and partners," the White House official said.

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He added that the United States is working with Kyiv not only to protect energy facilities but also to provide Ukraine with energy equipment to repair what Russia has damaged with its strikes and to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy network.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mathias Schmale, responded to Russia's combined attack on Ukraine on August 26, which was the most massive in the entire war. He condemned the actions of the aggressor country.

Meanwhile, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that our country is preparing a response to the aggressor. To combat Russian shelling, it is necessary to provide the Ukrainian Defense Forces with sufficient long-range weapons "that can destroy terrorists exactly where they strike," he emphasized.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 On August 26, the aggressor country Russia launched a combined attack on Ukraine, using 236 means of attack: kamikaze drones and various types of missiles. After the nighttime explosions from Shakedowns, in the morning they were followed by cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in many cities: damage, casualties, and emergency power outages were reported.

 In total, seven people were killed (two of whom died in hospital) and 47 were injured in the attacks across Ukraine, including four children born in 2014, 2017, and 2024.

 On the night of August 26, Ukraine's Air Defense Forces neutralized 99 Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones. And during the second Russian attack on Monday morning, 102 missiles were shot down.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!

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As Floridians plan on taking their cars on the road this upcoming Labor Day weekend, they'll be happy to hear that they will likely find the lowest gas prices for the holiday weekend in three years.

Florida gas prices averaged $3.29 per gallon for regular on Sunday, the lowest daily average in two months, according to the AAA-The Auto Club Group's weekly briefing.

The state average jumped by eight cents early last week only to reverse course, declining nine cents by the weekend.

In Palm Beach County, the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.44 on Monday, 16 cents less than a month ago and 44 cents less than a year ago. Statewide, Florida drivers paid $3.68 per gallon on Labor Day last year, $3.52 in 2022 and $3.02 in 2021.

The national average is about 20 cents a gallon less than last year's holiday weekend.

"Low oil prices have kept pump prices in check," said Mark Jenkins, the group's spokesperson.

Depending on where you plan on traveling, by Labor Day people may even find gas under $3 a gallon.

While Palm Beach County has the highest priced gas in the state, as is usually the case, cheaper gas can be found pretty much everywhere else in Florida. The cheapest gas is in the Panhandle, with the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach area paying $3.02, and Pensacola and Panama City paying $3.06. If you're traveling south, the Fort Lauderdale area is paying $3.32 and the Miami area $3.29. If you're heading north, the Treasure Coast is averaging $3.27, while the Daytona Beach area and the Melbourne-Titusville area are paying $3.26.

 Daily gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.AAA.com.

A man pumps gas in Tallahassee Monday, April 12, 2021.

Travelers ready for one last summer getaway

This year, Labor Day falls on Sept. 2, marking the end of a record-breaking travel season. Travel during the final long weekend of summer will be busy within the U.S., with domestic travel up by 9% from last year, according to AAA.

Those driving to their destination can expect heavy traffic, especially during peak travel hours. But they can at least enjoy prices about 20 cents less than last year's holiday weekend.

This year, international travel is down 4% from 2023, likely because of rising costs. According to AAA booking numbers, international travel for Labor Day weekend 2024 costs 11% more than last year.

Here's what travelers can expect for Labor Day weekend 2024.

What are the most popular domestic destinations for Labor Day weekend 2024?

This year, many U.S. travelers are heading toward Seattle with bookings for the Emerald City up nearly 30% from last year, according to AAA's booking data. Some will be continuing to Alaska, with Anchorage and Juneau also topping the list of the most popular U.S. end-of-summer destinations.

"This is the time of year to go on an Alaska cruises, said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a news release. "There are fewer crowds compared to earlier in the summer, and if youre lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of fall colors! Its no surprise Alaska cruises are sold out this Labor Day weekend."

What are the most popular international destinations for Labor Day weekend 2024?

Just north of the Canadian-U.S. border, Vancouver tops the list for the most popular international destination, according to AAA. Following closely behind are beloved European destinations including Rome, London, Paris, Dublin and Amsterdam.

The roads will be most congested during the afternoons of Thursday, Aug. 29, and Friday, and early evening and morning of Saturday. Returning home from the long weekend, drivers can expect the worst traffic during the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 1, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday and the morning of Tuesday.

"Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers, Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a statement. "Monitoring traffic apps, local news stations, and 511 traveler information services may help drivers navigate around congestion and reduce driver frustration this Labor Day."

What are the best times to drive for Labor Day weekend 2024?

If you're hoping to avoid traffic jams, plan to hit the road at night or in the early morning. The best times to drive for Labor Day weekend are before 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29, before noon or after 7 p.m. on Friday, and after noon on Saturday.

For returning home, depart before noon on Sunday, Sept. 1, before 10 a.m. on Monday, or after 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Kathleen Wong of USA Today contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: AAA: Florida drivers can expect Labor Day weekend lows at the pumps
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  The Abilene School Board met Monday afternoon to approve the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year as the district is losing previous funding.

In Monday nights AISD school board meeting, a determination had to be made regarding the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and one of the paramount issues to consider was Abilene ISD having lower revenue numbers than they had in the previous years. Deputy Superintendent of AISD Dr. Joe Waldron explains three key reasons as to why they are seeing this lower revenue.

Lower revenue is tied to several things  its really tied to enrollment and average daily attendance of our student population, thats the way the state of Texas funds schools generally. We also have a loss of federal revenue with grants from COVID that have ended. Essentially right now theyve ended, and it wont be available next year. Theres also a loss in Medicaid funding to our school district  that is funding we get for serving a large part of our population. And the rules changed on that funding and resulted in a significant decrease about half than what we received in prior years, Dr. Waldron explains.

AISD is down in total revenue by around $3.7 million dollars from last year, bringing their new total revenue to nearly $142 million dollars. The estimated expenditures for the fiscal year are about $155 million dollars, which brings AISD into a deficit of nearly $13 million dollars. However, Waldron says that Abilene ISD isnt the only school district in the State of Texas that is seeing these kind of issues due to cut state and federal funding.

In the spring, the Texas Association of School Business Officials did a survey and got about 300 school districts to respond. And of those, more than 60% of them anticipated approving a deficit budget for Fiscal Year 25, just like we did, Dr. Waldron claims.

Despite the reduction in funds, Waldron assured us that this lack will not affect the quality in education AISD students ordinarily see, saying, there are 2400 employees that went to work this morning in order to deliver that experience for our kids. Our programs are not impacted by our change in budget.







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Abortion access saves lives. It may seem counterintuitive, but the data is clear.

Texas provides an early indicator of the trauma to come: after Texas and several other states banned abortion, Texas infant mortality rate rose by 8% in a single year, while the national rate increased by 2%. In general, infant mortality rates are 16% higher in states with restrictive abortion laws.

States with restrictive abortion laws have 62% higher maternal death rates than states without such laws. And with prison sentences looming like the sword of Damocles over physicians who take care of pregnant women, it is no wonder that abortion ban states are seeing a sharp drop off in applications for young physicians to take postgraduate positions in those states. According to data from the American Association of Medical Colleges, in the past year, OB/GYN applications are down by 6.7% in abortion ban states, emergency medicine applications were down 7.1% and applications to pediatric residencies dropped a stunning 17.3%. This portends poorly for the future physician workforce in abortion ban states.

Between 5% and 15% of all premature deaths (men, women and children) in the United States are attributed to inadequate healthcare access. I love Idaho, but we present a cautionary tale regarding the dangers of irresponsible anti abortion legislation.

Idaho lost 22% of our practicing obstetricians and 55% of our maternal and fetal medicine specialists in the 15 months following the enactment of Idahos abortion ban. Another 12% of obstetricians say that they are leaving this year and 59% of Idahos family practitioners are leaving or considering leaving the state. Three labor and delivery wards and a neonatal intensive care unit in Idaho have had to close.

Over half of Idahos counties have zero practicing obstetricians. Idahos maternal mortality has been trending higher at an alarming rate, nearly tripling over a 2 year period. This is unfortunately unsurprising in Idaho, the state that had to be told by the Supreme Court that denying emergency abortion services to protect a womans health and life violates federal law.

If the practicalities of losing healthcare in abortion-restricted states doesnt resonate, perhaps the human consequences of abortion bans will make sense to those whose opinions derive from religious ideology, as the grief of losing a child has nothing on hellfire. Imagine knowing that the child you carry in your womb will die of a lethal developmental defect sometime in the minutes or months after birth.

Imagine being forced to carry that child to term, giving birth to her and then watching as she struggles, suffers and then dies. This nightmare scenario has become a much more common reality for parents since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade. It takes a toll on the health and well-being of families.

Parents who experience stillbirth, neonatal death or sudden infant death syndrome have a 1,400% increased rate of developing anxiety and 1,200% increased rate of depression. Being denied a wanted/needed abortion is also associated with a much higher rate of depression and anxiety than being allowed to go through with one.

A womans decision whether or not to end her pregnancy is complex and nuanced in ways that most of us cannot understand, and in ways that are, frankly, none of our business. People who wont be forced to wear a mask or get a vaccine in order to protect the health of others should understand why outlawing needed healthcare for women is wrong.

I hope that Americans and Idahoans in particular have the integrity to admit that these laws are harmful and tyrannic. I hope that we have the strength to step up and fix this. We need leaders who will act decisively to undo these inhumane healthcare dictates. If your candidate will not definitively commit to reversing anti abortion laws, then it is time to vote for someone who will.

Dr. Roller has decades of clinical and public health experience at a large surgical practice. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at Georgetown University, Master of Public Health at the University of Washington and Bachelor degree in Astrophysics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hundreds of protesters gather in Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles in response to a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that could overturn the FDA's approval of the most common abortion drug in the United States on April 15, 2023. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Montanans will vote on constitutionalizing the right to an abortion in November after a gauntlet of challenges sought to slow down signature gathering this summer.

Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights' petition signatures were certified last week after a lengthy process as the coalition of abortion rights advocates collected more than 117,000 signatures in about 80 days. It needed 60,359 valid signatures for the ballot initiative to be approved.

If the initiative passes, it will amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to access abortion services up to fetal viability, or about 23 to 24 weeks. Doctors may perform an abortion after that point if they deem it medically necessary to protect the patient's life and health.

"We're excited that CI-128 will be on the ballot in November and Montana voters will finally have the opportunity to make their voices heard and protect reproductive rights in November," Martha Fuller, president & CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana and spokesperson for MSRR, said in a statement. "Since Roe was overturned, extreme anti-abortion politicians have used every trick in the book to take away our freedoms and ban abortion completely. During that time, we have been working together to put this issue before voters."

MSRR faced a drawn out challenge before being allowed to begin gathering signatures, beginning with Attorney General Austin Knudsen blocking the initiative in January. Knudsen claimed it violated an article of the state constitution that states amendment questions must be clearly distinguished and singular.

Hundreds of protesters gather in Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles in response to a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that could overturn the FDA's approval of the most common abortion drug in the United States on April 15, 2023. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

In March, the state supreme court ruled Knudsen could not block the ballot measure. A month later, it rewrote the ballot language that had been submitted in November. Signature gathering was allowed to begin on April 16, facing a June 21 deadline to submit.

Ashley All, communications director for MSRR, told UPI that Knudsen, Gov. Greg Gianaforte and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen made a number of efforts to delay or slow signature gathering. Those efforts started last year as Knudsen waited to file his challenge to the amendment.

"That was the intention of waiting until after the first of the year and that has been the intention throughout this whole process," All said. "It was an effort to obstruct and delay this process in an effort to keep it off the ballot."

Republicans in the state legislature were also involved in an attempt to run out the clock. They argued that they must sign off on the amendment as well, calling for a 14-day review period after the attorney general approves it.

The state supreme court ruled that because Knudsen did not find the amendment legally sufficient, the legislative review does not apply. The court also revised some of the ballot measure's language to clarify the role of medical professionals.

Collecting and submitting signatures on time was not the end of the tug-of-war. The Secretary of State's office invalidated the signatures of an unknown number of registered voters during the certification process, resulting in a lawsuit by MSRR days before certification was due to be completed. Registered voters who were determined by the office to be inactive were purged from the rolls, according to emails shared with UPI.

A district court judge ruled in favor of MSRR, restoring the signatures of voters that were considered inactive.

The certification process in Montana is an arduous one itself. In most states, petitions are delivered to the secretary of state's office en masse. In Montana, signatures must be delivered in each of the 56 counties that signees reside.

The deadline for certification was extended by three days to ensure removed signatures could be restored.

Signature gatherers and volunteers reported facing intimidation and harassment throughout the campaign, according to All. Law enforcement was called upon to de-escalate in some cases but no instances of physical violence were verified.

Kiersten Iwai, executive director of Forward Montana, told UPI young voters played a significant role in putting CI-128 on the ballot.

Forward Montana is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes and engages young voters. About 28% of Montana's electorate is 35 years old or younger.

Iwai has observed that young voters in her state have become more socially and politically engaged since the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in 2022.

"They're activated by this issue," she said. "Young people's engagement, it shows up in many different ways. Volunteering, talking to their friends. posting on social media. going to rallies."

"We know that young people are especially really supportive about abortion access," she continued. "They want to be part of something proactive and meaningful. Young people are absolutely critical to collecting signatures and signing petitions to get things on the ballot."

More than 500 volunteers were involved in the signature drive.

There is still a possibility of further legal challenges. The secretary of state's certification can be challenged for up to 30 days. Gianforte, fellow Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion organizations have also engaged in disinformation campaigns against the amendment.

Gianforte and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who is running against Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, have parroted claims made by former President Donald Trump, without evidence, that abortions have been performed up to and after birth.

All said her organization and others will focus their attention on combating disinformation and keeping voters informed.

"Montana voters clearly want to make their voices heard on this issue," she said.

The Supreme Court of Montana ruled in the 1999 case Armstrong vs. Montana that a woman has a constitutional right to obtain an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. This has remained the law in Montana.
WACO, Texas (FOX 44)  As the nation observes the 104th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, the impact of this landmark legislation continues to resonate across the country.

The 19th Amendment, adopted in 1920, was a pivotal milestone in the long journey toward gender equality, halting the denial of voting rights based on gender by state and federal governments.

Patrick Flavin, a political science professor at Baylor University, reflected on the significance of the amendment.

The 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was one of the most important milestones along the way, Flavin said.

The fight for womens suffrage began over a century ago with passionate marches and protests.

Women like Susan B. Anthony, a staunch advocate for the cause who was famously convicted for voting illegally in 1872, played a crucial role in pushing for change.

The momentum continued with the 1913 Womens Suffrage March in Washington, D.C., where approximately 5,000 women, including members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. marched for their right to vote.

Patty ODay, a member of the Mclennan County Republican Party, expressed her enthusiasm for the progress made.

I would have been out there with those ladies protesting on the street, holding signs, and encouraging men to vote for us. Its great that we now have the power to vote, said ODay.

Patty has been voting since 1980, in local, state, and federal elections.

Since the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women have increasingly used their votes to make their voices heard and carve out significant roles in politics.

Mary Mann, a member of the McLennan County Democratic Party emphasized the importance of voting rights.

Womens voting rights are extremely important to me because as a woman, mom, grandmother, and public educator, its crucial to have your voice heard. Too many women feel their voices arent heard, said Mann.

Today, young women are still being encouraged to vote by their elders because once upon a time, there was no choice.

Their vote is very important. Its what their future is going to be. We need everybody to get involved, said ODay.

Across McLennan County, efforts to honor this milestone are underway. Various organizations are working diligently to register new voters and encourage young women to participate in the electoral process. Women today and all citizens of the United States need to be sure theyre registered to vote, Mary urged.

The impact of womens votes has been profound, leading to increased representation in political offices nationwide and here in Texas.

The skys the limit. That glass ceiling is cracked and hopefully about to be broken, with women helping to get things done in our state, Mary said.

As Womens Equality Day is commemorated, the legacy of the 19th Amendment is celebrated not just as a historical achievement, but as a continuing call to action.

Today, women hold diverse roles as council members, judges, senators, governors, and more, illustrating the ongoing importance of the right to vote.

I think it just shows how far weve come that both men and womens views are fully incorporated into how we elect our leaders and how we make decisions about policy in this country, said Flavin.

For many, the 19th Amendment remains a powerful symbol of progress and empowerment, reflecting the enduring impact of those early suffragists who paved the way for future generations.

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BOSTON (SHNS)  The Legislatures infighting, procrastination and failures have been stuck in the spotlight for the past month after lawmakers ostensibly shifted into campaign mode, but there will be few changes at the ballot box a week from today in response.

Open seats have drawn significant interest, and several other contests could generate some fireworks, but the trend overall suggests few people who are not already attached to Beacon Hill are interested in serving in the Legislature.

Voters in only 26 House districts and six Senate districts will encounter any kind of contested primary election on Sept. 3, even though all 160 House districts and 40 Senate districts are up for reelection every two years.

Still, in the roughly one in six legislative districts that have something at stake Tuesday, voters face some intriguing decisions. Heres a look at what to watch.

Six Seats Likely To Be Settled

By the time polls close on Tuesday night, Massachusetts voters will have selected no fewer than six picks for legislative seats, due in part to the lack of competition.

Two of those choices basically locked in their victories just by filing nomination papers.

Orleans resident Hadley Luddy, who leads the Homeless Prevention Council, is the only candidate on any ballot in the Fourth Barnstable District, where Democrat Rep. Sarah Peake of Provincetown is retiring after 18 years. Easthampton City Council President Homar Gomez is in a similar position: he alone filed signatures to run for the Second Hampshire District, which Democrat Rep. Daniel Carey of Easthampton will give up to run for Hampshire County clerk of courts.

One new senator and three new reps are also poised to lock in their jobs through contested primaries in districts where no declared opponent looms in November.

Falmouth Rep. Dylan Fernandes is challenging for an open Senate seat, and two Democrats will face off to succeed him in the House. The winner, either Arielle Reid Faria of West Tisbury or Thomas Moakley of Falmouth, at this point projects to be the only person on the general-election ballot.

Thats also the case for a north-of-Boston district represented today by Rep. Peter Capano of Lynn. Both challengers for the seat, Hong Net of Lynn and Sean Reid of Lynn, are Democrats.

In Newton and Brookline, the district represented for decades by Rep. Ruth Balser is opening up with her decision to retire. Voters will decide a competitive three-way primary between Bill Humphrey, Rick Lipof and Greg Schwartz. The race has a distinct Newton City Council flavor: Humphrey and Lipof are both on the council today, and Schwartz is a former member.

The lone Senate seat that appears certain to be decided in the primary election stretches across towns south of Boston. Sen. Walter Timilty of Milton is leaving the Senate to challenge for the Norfolk County clerk of courts job his father previously held, and only Democrats are on the ballot to succeed him under the Golden Dome: Rep. Bill Driscoll of Milton, Kathleen Crogan-Camara of Randolph, and Erin Bradley of Milton.

Other Open Seats

More than a dozen other districts are also wide open this cycle because sitting representatives and senators opted not to seek reelection, either because they are ready to depart the Legislature or pursuing a different office.

Voters in those areas will get a chance next week to narrow the fields and lock in the head-to-head matchups for November.

In one case, tens of thousands of people are on track to regain representation in the new years after months without it. Republican candidates Jane Cournan and Kenneth Sweezey, both of Pembroke, are challenging for the Sixth Plymouth District seat thats been empty since February. The winner will face Democrat Rebecca Coletta, also of Pembroke, in November.

Former Rep. Josh Cutler previously represented the district until he resigned for a job in the Healey administration, and top House Democrats opted not to schedule a mid-term special election to fill the seat.

Down in southeastern Massachusetts, a nominally unusual question looms: should the Senate seat remain held by a Pacheco?

Sen. Marc Pacheco of Taunton, the longest continually serving member of the chamber, is departing after 31 years in office.

Two Democrats are on the ballot for his seat: longtime Raynham Selectman Joseph Pacheco  who reportedly has no relation to the outgoing senator  and Taunton City Councilor Barry Sanders. The winner of the primary will go on to face Taunton City Councilor Kelly Dooner, a Republican who unsuccessfully challenged for the House in 2020, and unenrolled candidate James Dupont of Raynham in the general election.

Another Senate district race will be set after Tuesday. Democrat Sen. Su Moran of Falmouth is giving up her seat to run for Barnstable County Superior Court clerk, leaving one of the most competitive Senate districts up for grabs.

A pair of Republicans are challenging for the Plymouth and Barnstable seat: Rep. Mathew Muratore of Plymouth, who is serving his fifth term in the House, and Kari MacRae of Bourne.

MacRae, who worked as a financial banking manager and small business owner, is a member of Bournes School Committee. She was fired from a job teaching at Hanover High School in 2021 over TikTok videos she previously posted commenting on topics such as critical race theory and gender identity. A federal appeals court last month ruled that MacRaes termination was valid.

Rep. Fernandes of Falmouth, who does not face a primary opponent, awaits the winner of the Muratore-MacRae race in November.

Other races this fall will give hundreds of thousands of Bay Staters their first new state rep since Bill Clinton was president.

Rep. William Straus of Mattapoisett is retiring after 31 years. Two Republicans, Robert McConnell of Fairhaven and Joseph Pires of Rochester, will duke it out Tuesday to face Democrat Mark Sylvia of Fairhaven in the general election for that seat.

Newton Rep. Kay Khan, the eldest member of the Legislature who has been in the House since 1995, is also leaving. A pair of Democrats, Alexander Jablon and Amy Mah Sangiolo, are running for her Newton-only seat, as is Republican Vladislav Yanovsky.

And theres something the First Plymouth District has that 199 other state legislative districts do not: competitive primaries on both sides.

Muratore, a Republican, is giving up that seat to challenge for the Senate, and voters who take either primary ballot will have multiple options. Four Democrats, all Plymouth residents  Michelle Badger, Arthur Desloges, Scott Hokanson and Stephen Michael Palmer  are running, as are Plymouth Republicans Jesse Brown and Dee Wallace Spencer.

Most Incumbents On Cruise Control

Sitting lawmakers who want another two-year term more often than not cruise to reelection without breaking a sweat  or even facing a single opponent  but there are pockets of competition.

One contest on Tuesday will be a rematch. Former Democrat Rep. Marcos Devers of Lawrence is challenging first-term Methuen Rep. Francisco Paulino, who two years ago unseated Devers in the primary with nearly 53 percent of the vote. There are no Republican or third-party candidates on the ballot, so whoever emerges victorious is a virtual lock for the seat.

If Devers wins, it will clear the way for his third separate stretch in the Legislature. The Democrat was first elected in a special election in 2010, then lost a 2016 primary against former Rep. Juana Matias. When Matias decided to run for Congress in 2018, Devers won back his seat and held it until he was defeated by Paulino.

A bit farther south, one challenger is hoping the third time is the charm.

For the third straight cycle, Medford Democrat Rep. Paul Donato faces a primary challenge from Nichole Dawn Mossalam of Malden. Zayda Ortiz of Malden also jumped into the race this time around.

Donato defeated Mossalam in each of the prior two cycles, but the challenger closed the gap significantly: in 2020, Donato won by about 11 points, and in 2022, his margin was less than a percentage point, or only 50 votes.

One seemingly heated race is for the Cambridge district held by Democrat Rep. Marjorie Decker. Challenger Evan MacKay, who describes himself as a union leader and a Harvard teaching fellow, has not been shy about criticizing dysfunction on Beacon Hill nor Decker herself.

Last week, MacKays campaign circulated a press release in which several progressive and watchdog groups including Act on Mass claimed a Decker mailer included disinformation and misleading statements about the politicians record on supporting transparency measures in the House.

Decker might point to a recent legislative win as she tries to bolster her case to voters. She was the lead House negotiator on a maternal health improvement bill that Gov. Maura Healey signed into law Friday.

Legislative leaders abandoned formal sessions on Aug. 1 with much of their major work unfinished, and the maternal health bill so far is the only significant proposal they revived and pushed across the finish line during the traditionally slow August stretch.

For incumbent Democrats, much of the primary action is concentrated in Boston or its western and northern suburbs. Fifteen reps in total face primary challengers, eight of which are in Middlesex County and two more of which are in Suffolk County.

It might not qualify as a primary race to watch in the traditional sense, but the state Republican party previously signaled it would back a write-in bid for the House by Mark Tashjian of Georgetown in a district where only Democrat Rep. Kristin Kassner of Hamilton is on the ballot.

If Tashjian gets enough write-in votes Tuesday, his name will appear on the general-election ballot. Kassner unseated former Republican Rep. Lenny Mirra by a single vote following a recount two years ago.

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Adams offers $1K of his own money for the arrest of runaway driver

Adams offers $1K of his own money for the arrest of runaway driver

Editors note: The video aired on Aug. 26.

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan (PIX11)  Law enforcement continues to search for a suspect in connection to a fatal wrong-way crash on Henry Hudson Parkway Saturday that claimed the life of a man who was supposed to get married just a day later.

Kirk Walker, 38, was killed after a wrong-way truck driver crashed into the car he was in around 2:20 a.m. on the Henry Hudson Parkway, according to the NYPD. Another man in the car with Walker, 40-year-old Rob McLaurin, was also killed during the crash, police said.

More Local News

The truck also hit another vehicle, injuring the driver and a 28-year-old passenger, police said. The driver of the truck fled after the crash.

Mayor Eric Adams addressed the incident Tuesday, calling on New Yorkers to share information that could lead to an arrest.

Delivery robberies surge in the Bronx, impacting local businesses and workers

We are going to find the person involved. I am going to put $1,000 of my own personal money to call for the arrest and conviction of this person. That family is devastated, Adams said. They want to do a ceremony at the site. We will do everything we can to bring them closure, apprehend the person, and allow the family to have some form of closure at the site where this incident took place.

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.

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Advocacy groups launch new PSAs about dangers of vaping as new school year begins

More than two million teens vape nationwide, according to the CDC.

My first vape that I ever tried was a blueberry ice flu vape, said Josephine Shapiro.

Shapiro said she was just 13 the first time she tried an e-cigarette. Now she starting college and after years of vaping, shes trying to quit.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Its really hard because its everywhere and like honestly, I havent been clean for more than two months since I decided to quit, she said.

Her story isnt uncommon.

TRENDING STORIES:

As the new school year gets underway, the American Lung Association and the Ad Council are launching new public service announcements about e-cigarettes. The new PSAs highlight how parents can talk to teens about the dangers.

Even as a doctor, its hard to keep up with these products. They keep changing. New chemicals are added like theres a lot going on, said Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, lung care doctor. So from my standpoint, its a great resource for parents, just to be insightful of the harms of them.

Health officials warn e-cigarettes may have fruity flavors, but they contain harmful, addictive ingredients. Dr. Galiatsatos also wants schools to help teens navigate the growing peer pressure to vape.

Really teaching these kids why its important to say nothe thats what the kids want to know, he said. So I would say the schools take that approach to really promote mental health in an aspect where kids can be confident with their decisions.

And if your teen is already vaping, Dr. Galiatsatos encourages parents to have conversations about support.

You surround yourself with the pediatricians, the proper team, and talk to your child about why they vape, because youre going to find out they need vape because peer pressure, boredom, stress, anxiety, all of it plays together, he said.

Earlier this summer on Capitol Hill, Congress held a hearing about the dangers of e-cigarettes. Leaders from the Vapor Technology Association told lawmakers they agree young people shouldnt be using these products.

Thats why we raised the age to 21 and we advocated for that and thats why weve made this product illegal, said Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association. Thats why weve worked hard doing the other things making more commonsense regulation to ensure these products dont get into their hands

But Abboud believes Congress should consider tougher restrictions for marketing.

We can get to those concerns, we can get to access restrictions, and do things that doesnt require removing all the products that adults are using, he told lawmakers in June.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Justice Department announced a new task force to target illegal sales of e-cigarettes.

You can find more information here:

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/talk-about-vaping

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Editors note: This report and video contain details of animal abuse and may be difficult for some.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Local humane agents are calling the condition they found a dog in Youngstown one of the worst cases of abuse and neglect theyve seen.

Five-month-old Bentley was discovered Monday evening lying under a bush at a home on Youngstowns east side. Paramedics answering a call there for the owner of the house found the dog and called police and Animal Charity.

Agents say the puppy weighed just 11 pounds, was severely dehydrated and starved.

The man did state that it was his sons dog. There was another dog there as well who died previously, and this his son had been incarcerated for two months and that he was just waiting for the puppy to die, said Jane MacMurchy with Animal Charity of Ohio.

Bentley was rushed to a veterinary hospital in Akron last night and is in very poor condition. Agents say they are still gathering evidence to turn over to county prosecutors in the case.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Ukrainian troops continue the operation in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian army is advancing and having some success.

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For its part, the Russian military command is deploying reserves to the Kursk region, hoping to halt the advance of Ukrainian troops. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, answering a question from an OBOZ.UA correspondent at the Forum with the country's leadership.

According to Syrskyi, the Russian occupation army was shelling Ukraine's border areas from the Kursk region every day, causing our country to suffer civilian casualties. The enemy also concentrated a significant number of troops in this area and planned an offensive.

Therefore, in order to stop the shelling and disrupt the enemy's plans to attack Ukraine, it was decided to launch an offensive operation in the Kursk sector.

"We continue to advance, inflicting significant losses on Russian troops in manpower and equipment. As of today, we have taken control of 1294 square kilometers of territory and 100 settlements located on this territory. Also, thanks to the successful actions of our troops, we have significantly replenished the exchange fund. As of today, 594 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces have been captured in this area," said Syrskyi.

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He also emphasized that one of the objectives of the operation in the Kursk sector was to divert significant enemy forces, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhiv directions. The Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully accomplished this task, as the enemy has deployed about 30,000 troops to Kursk region and continues to bring reserves there.

At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that despite the deployment of forces to the Kursk region, the enemy is focusing its efforts on the Pokrovsk direction in Donetsk region. More than 50 combat engagements take place in this area of the frontline every day.

Syrsky said that in the Pokrovsk sector the enemy is using its superiority in manpower and equipment, actively using artillery and aviation. However, the main offensive actions are conducted by assault groups.

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"The enemy is advancing at a very high cost, and the Defense Forces are doing everything possible to stop its advance. Every day our soldiers neutralize up to 300 invaders in this area. We are actively working on engineering equipment of our borders. Despite all the difficulties, the situation is under our control," said Syrskyi.

As a reminder, the aggressor country Russia is massively sending conscripts from almost all Russian regions to the Kursk region, where the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their operation. In an attempt to hold back the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive, the Russian dictator has once again broken his promises  he has repeatedly claimed that conscripts will not be sent to war.

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Earlier, ISW reported that Russia is redeploying forces from lower-priority areas of the front line in Ukraine to Kursk region. In particular, the enemy is sending reinforcements to this Russian region from Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, The Washington Post wrote that the strike of Ukrainian troops on Russian defenses in the Kursk region during the first invasion of Russian territory after World War II exposed the Kremlin's illusory red lines and showed Putin's passive and muted reaction. This reaction contrasts sharply with his rhetoric at the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
WAUKESHA, Wis. (WFRV)  Nobody was injured after an aircraft experienced a hard landing and went off of the runway at a municipal airport in Wisconsin on Monday evening.

According to a release, the Waukesha Police Department was informed of an incident involving a Mooney aircraft at the Waukesha County Airport shortly before 4:45 p.m. on August 26.

Driver crashes into police squad car in Wisconsin, arrested for third OWI

The aircraft reportedly experienced a hard landing and stopped in the grass south of the runway. The Waukesha Police Department said that neither the aircraft nor the airfield appeared to have any damages.

The aircrafts pilot was uninjured and able to exit the aircraft without assistance. Authorities say the aircraft is based at the Waukesha County Airport.

Semi carrying cement tipped on its side at Lineville Road roundabout in Howard

The airport is cooperating with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the official cause of the incident.

No additional details were provided.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Mahamadou Sana, Burkina Faso's security minister, said: 'We are not going to accept such barbarity on the territory'

Militants linked to al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for massacring as many as 300 people in Burkina Faso in what is thought to be the countrys worst terrorist attack.

Gunmen opened fire on civilians and soldiers who were digging trenches for use by the army in Barsalogho commune, in Sanmatenga Province.

Unverified videos, claimed to be of the aftermath, showed bodies piled around the unfinished trenches.

Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist at the Soufan Center security think tank, said at least 100 bodies were counted in the videos by JNIM, an umbrella coalition of al-Qaeda-aligned groups.

Wamaps, which reports on security in the Sahel region, said at least 208 people were killed, with many more still missing and 150 wounded.

The site said: The final toll could reach 350 to 400 victims. This would be the most violent attack ever carried out by terrorists on Burkinabe territory. The victims were mostly civilians, employed to dig trenches north of the town of Barsalogho to protect the population.

Burkina Faso's ruler, Capt Ibrahim Traore, came to power promising to defeat jihadist groups, but large-scale attacks continue - Olympia de Maismont/AFP

Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement that it had gained total control over a militia position in Barsalogho.

Burkina Fasos military junta did not reveal a death toll from the attack, but Mahamadou Sana, its security minister, said: We are not going to accept such barbarity on the territory.

About half of Burkina Faso is beyond government control, as the country has been ravaged by increasing jihadi attacks encircling the capital. Jihadists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have killed thousands and displaced more than two million people.

The countrys ruler, Capt Ibrahim Traore, came to power promising to defeat jihadist groups in the country, but large-scale attacks continue.

Two weeks ago, militants killed more than 140 Burkinabe soldiers in an ambush on a convoy of military vehicles near the Nassougou locality of Gourma Province in Est Region.

Security forces lack air cover or intelligence and are also unable to stop militants crossing from Mali and Niger, which are also struggling with jihadist violence.

Mr Nasr told Associated Press that human rights abuses committed by the countrys security forces had also led to more people joining the jihadists.

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A Boeing 737 had to turn around after one of its main engines failed midair.

The Alaska Airlines flight landed safely in Seattle.

Boeing didn't manufacture the engine, but the incident comes as the company faces scrutiny over safety.

Boeing's bad year isn't over yet.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an Alaska Airlines-operated Boeing 737-700 was forced to turn around on Sunday after one of its engines failed midair.

The government agency said the Oakland-bound plane departed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday afternoon but soon had to turn back after the crew reported a possible engine issue.

An Alaska spokesperson told Business Insider that the Boeing 737's left engine failed soon after taking off.

Boeing did not manufacture the plane's engines. The aircraft involved in the Sunday incident is 24 years old, according to FAA data, and its engines were manufactured by CFM International.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI. The company is not responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of planes once they are in service.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1240 turned around and landed safely at Sea-Tac around 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the FAA, which said it would investigate the incident.

"Credit to the crew for following standard procedures for this situation and landing safely and without incident," the Alaska spokesperson said. "We worked to take care of our guests and accommodate their travel to Oakland yesterday afternoon, and we apologize for the inconvenience."

Dabney Lawless, a passenger on board the flight with her 13-year-old son, said the incident was traumatic. The engine failure sparked passengers to text their loved ones out of fear, she told BI.

"Everything was not fine," Lawless wrote in an email to Alaska, which she shared with BI. "Everyone thought we were going to crash."

A passenger on board told local news outlet Kiro 7 that the engine failure was terrifying but applauded the pilots for handling the situation.

Though Boeing is not responsible for the engine, the incident comes as the company faces mounting scrutiny over a barrage of other mechanical and safety issues.

In January, an Alaska Airline Boeing 737 Max 9 was forced to make an emergency landing after a door panel detached mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the aircraft thousands of feet in the air.

Aviation regulators have opened probes into at least six incidents involving Boeing planes, The Washington Post reported in April.

The outlet reported that the company's planes have suffered failing engines, lost wheels, a falling engine cover, and a midair nosedive since the start of the year.

In May, a Boeing 737-800 plane lost one of its external panels mid-flight.

During a June Senate hearing, former Boeing CEO David Calhoun defended the company's safety record.

Calhoun was replaced by Kelly Ortberg, former head of avionics firm Rockwell Collins, earlier this month.

In yet another blow, NASA chose SpaceX over Boeing to bring home two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station following weeks of deliberations over safety concerns.

The astronauts became stranded after the Boeing Starliner's reaction control system thrusters failed during its trip to the ISS in June. The craft's helium system was also leaking.

August 27, 2024  Update: This story has been updated to clarify that Boeing did not manufacture the failed engine, nor is the company responsible for the upkeep of planes once they are in service. The story has also been updated with comments from a passenger who was on board the flight.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sean Griffin spent 17 years working for the City of Ketchikan's Public Works team and "spent his life serving his family and his community," according to city officials

Travis Watkins via AP The aftermath of the landslide in Ketchikan, Alaska on Aug. 26, 2024

The man who died in an Alaska mudslide that left three others injured has been identified as a city employee who spent nearly two decades on the job.

The incident occurred around 4:15 p.m. local time on Aug. 25, in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough of the City of Ketchikan, according to a press release first shared by city officials on Sunday.

In a second press release shared on Monday, Aug. 26, officials identified the victim as city employee and maintenance technician Sean Griffin, who was raised in Ketchikan.

Per city officials, Griffin was responding to a call for assistance on his day off when he died in the accident. He and another team member were clearing stormwater drains when they were caught in the landslide on the Third Avenue Bypass, they added.

Related: Catastrophic Landslide Causes Highway Between Wyoming and Idaho to Collapse and Close Indefinitely

Griffin spent 17 years working for the citys Public Works department. City officials said he was a valued member of the team, where he first served as a solid waste collector before becoming a solid waste facility operator. He then became a streets maintenance technician and was eventually promoted to senior maintenance technician.

He spent his life serving his family and his community, city officials said, noting that Griffin followed in his mothers footsteps by going into public service. They also described Griffin as a beloved husband, father, son, neighbor, and coworker, and remembered him for his commitment to the community.

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Sean is remembered for his dedication, positive spirit, and unwavering devotion to his family, his friends, and to the community, city officials said. The EOC sends heartfelt condolences to his family, and we bear this loss with them.

David Kiffer, mayor of Ketchikan, said in a statement on Sunday that he has personally never seen a slide of this magnitude in 65 years as a resident of the city. The loss of life that we have encountered is heartbreaking, he added, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes.

Related: 1 Dead, Multiple People Presumed Missing After Large Landslide Slams Into Homes in Alaska

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a state of emergency in the area of the slide shortly after the disaster. The governor later offered his condolences to Griffins family in a statement shared to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening.

Rose and I are holding the Griffin family and the entire Ketchikan community close in our hearts as we send our deepest condolences for the tragic loss of Sean Griffin, Dunleavy posted on the social media platform.



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ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  According to Airnow.gov, air and ozone quality levels are currently at moderate levels.

AIR QUALITY: 61, Moderate

PM2.5

If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shortening the amount of time you are active outdoors.

OZONE QUALITY: 51, Moderate

If you are unusually sensitive to ozone, consider reducing your activity level or shortening the amount of time you are active outdoors.

With the increased levels, you may experience increased health risks including shortness of breath, asthma attacks, and eye irritation during outdoor activities. Health officials advise limiting your time outside and taking precautions if working in these conditions.

Particulate matter may include dust, dirt, soot, and smoke in the air from sources such as cars, trucks, factories, construction sites, and burning wood.

For more information on air quality health tips, visit the National Weather Services website.

WFXR News will update you with more information in the future.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Sandy Goehr in 1961: he became one of the most famous writers of serialist music, the development of Schoenberg's 12-tone system - Erich Auerbach

Alexander Goehr, who has died aged 92, was the last surviving member of the Manchester School of composers that included Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies.

Goehr came to prominence in the early 1960s, but his work defied the label of avant-garde or indeed categorisation into any particular movement. Because his music visited and revisited many style-periods  neo-expressionist, neo-romantic, neo-classical  it has no single characteristic sound. The burden of history he laboured under made him a quintessential Eliot-like modernist.

His music was also very far from that of the other two Manchester School composers. According to the Telegraphs Ivan Hewett, unlike Harrison Birtwistle, Goehr never wanted to strip music bare to reveal its primeval sources in pulse and interval. He was too in love with musics history, from Monteverdi to Brahms, to do that. There isnt that austere, wintry sound derived from medieval plainchant you find in Peter Maxwell Davies.

Goehr became one of the most famous writers of serialist music, the development of Schoenbergs 12-tone system, which treats all 12 notes of the chromatic scale equally, with no one group of notes dominant as they would be in a normal major or minor key system.

He had his first international success in 1958 with The Deluge, the first performance of which was conducted by his father Walter Goehr. The work was considered to have more harmonic coherence and considerably more dramatic impact than most serial music of the time, and Goehr was commissioned to compose two pieces by the BBC.

Goehr in Cambridge in 1984 - George Newson

The second, Sutters Gold (1961) was, however, not such a success, and even prompted a Times editorial claiming that it signalled the end of the British choral tradition. However, the reaction encouraged Goehr to create his own form of modally inflected harmonic serialism, a more euphonious and harmonically consistent version of the compositional technique, which remained his principal resource for the next 14 years.

This personal voice was apparent in a subsequent sequence of works which also showed his ability to turn his hand to various forms of composition, including his Piano Trio (1966), the Brechtian opera Arden Must Die (1966), the music-theatre piece Triptych (1968-70), the orchestral Metamorphosis/Dance (1974) and the String Quartet No 3.

He went on to compose three more operas, Behold the Sun (1985), Arianna (1995, to the text of the lost opera by Monteverdi), and Kantan and Damask Drum (1999). He set many texts to music, including passages from works by Milton, Spenser and Larkin.

Later in his career his composing style mellowed somewhat, as he turned away from serialism. The influence on his work of Ives and Janacek, and particularly Monteverdi became more apparent.

Daniel Barenboim, left, with Goehr in 1980 - Bridgeman Images/Suzie Maeder

One thing that remained a constant was the looming influence on Goehr of his father. This went beyond relaying his own enthusiam for Schoenberg. In particular, Walter Goehr objected to his sons championing of serial composition above all other methods, demanding: Why do you sit without money, doing these bogus, highbrow works, when you could be earning a good living? Walter refused to have anything more to do with The Deluge after conducting its premiere.

The younger Goehr later confessed to feeling that his father was looking over his shoulder, possibly not entirely approvingly. However, when Walter died unexpectedly in 1962, Goehr composed his Little Symphony in memory of his father, basing the piece on the Catacombs movement from Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition, a movement of which Goehr senior had made a close harmonic analysis.

According to Ivan Hewett, if there is one quality that shines through all Goehrs music it is a sense of thinking in notes. You hear a sharply defined phrase, like a thesis being laid out, then another contrasting one, like an antithesis. In the space this opens up, an argument develops.

Even Goehrs fans would admit that his music lacks sensuous appeal, or dancing energy. But at its best, as in the Little Symphony and the Piano Trio of 1966, this process of thinking in notes takes wing and seems almost spontaneous. No composer was more poignantly aware of his own limitations, and Goehrs unremitting efforts to surmount them and rise to the level of the tradition he revered make him an exemplar of seriousness and dedication.

Peter Alexander (Sandy) Goehr was born on August 10 1932 into a Jewish family in Berlin. His mother Laelia, nee Rivlin, was a concert pianist from Kyiv who had, aged 12, shared a recital with Vladimir Horowitz; his father Walter had been a pupil of Schoenberg.

They brought their son to England in 1933. He went to Berkhamsted School in Hertfordshire, where he earned a reputation as an anti-establishment political activist, flirting with the Communist Party, although he soon left it mainly because the people are arseholes.

After leaving school he worked briefly for the music publishers Schotts, where his political views developed, though hardly for the most rigorously academic of reasons; he later explained that there was a very attractive girl on the train whom I developed a whole fantasy about, and ultimately began to talk to. The girl (contrary to Goehrs fantasy) turned out to be an Israeli political emissary, who promptly recruited him to a Left-wing Zionist party.

Goehr with Sir Harrison Birtwistle, right, in 2014 - Samuel Mather

After two years as a farm worker on a training kibbutz in Essex, he was sent by them to Manchester to do political work. There he wrote his first piece  actually a sort of Zionist pageant with songs  and, between 1952 and 1955, studied composition at Royal Manchester College.

It was there that he met Harrison Birtwistle, Peter Maxwell Davies and John Ogdon. At the time Max was training to be a teacher and Harry was a clarinettist about whom Goehr had slight reservations; as he later explained, he had a nice sound, but he was not too hot on the counting. Goehr persuaded them to take composing seriously and together they formed the New Music Manchester Group.

Goehr went on to Paris to study under Messiaen, inspired by the British premiere of the Turangalila-Symphonie, conducted by his father Walter. He was, however, unimpressed by Messiaens teaching; he later recalled being reduced to fits of giggles at his teachers suggestion that he and the other pupils should go out into the woods and transcribe birdsong, and he found his approach to composing too narrow and rule-bound.

English Touring Opera's 2010 production of Goehr's Promised End with a libretto by Frank Kermode, drawn from King Lear - Robert Workman

After returning to England, Goehr worked as a musical assistant for the BBC from 1960 to 1967, then moved to America to become first composer-in-residence at the New England Conservatory in Boston, then Associate Professor of Music at Yale. In 1976 he was appointed Professor of Music at Cambridge, having held the same post at Leeds for the preceding five years.

During his 23 years at Cambridge he taught several students who would go on to become some of Englands leading composers, including Robin Holloway, George Benjamin and Thomas Ades. He returned to the BBC in 1987 to give that years Reith Lectures on The Survival of the Symphony.

Asked why he composed, Goehr replied: Kandinskys widow said that she had the impression that Kandinksy preferred the vermillion in the tube to what he was painting; and that is a remark which echoes with me somewhat. I just like the sound.

Alexander Goehr, born August 10 1932, died August 25 2024

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Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was one of the most famous figures of his time, not only in his native Prussia but throughout the world. In addition to being a leading geographer, climatologist, ecologist and oceanographer, he attached great importance to the dissemination of knowledge to society as a whole.

Alexander von Humboldt (17691859)  painting by Julius Schrader. Wikimedia commons

He devoted much of his life to lecturing and publishing books and articles, with a single-minded commitment that would eventually led him to financial ruin. Humboldt is one of the ten masters whose lives and works I recount in my recent book Grandes comunicadores de la ciencia. De Galileo a Rodriguez de la Fuente (Great Scientific Communicators: From Galileo to Rodrigez de la Fuente), edited by Comares and Fundacion Lilly and released this year.

A life of adventure

In 1799 Humboldt requested permission from King Charles IV of Spain to explore the Spanish colonies in America. Against all odds, the monarch authorised the trip, apparently impressed by the young mans knowledge and the arsenal of scientific instruments at his disposal.

Before embarking for America, Humboldt travelled through Spain, taking measurements that proved the Iberian Peninsula is essentially a plateau. During his travels he aroused the suspicions of local villagers, who thought he was worshipping the moon when he made his nocturnal observations.

Illustration of an Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) Humboldt University of Berlin, CC BY

His voyage left the port of A Coruna and took him, together with the French botanist Aime Bonpland, through lands that today belong to Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba and the United States. It was a true adventure, full of such dangers as a jaguar attack, a rough journey along the Orinoco River that almost ended in shipwreck, and a collapsing ice wall during the ascent of a volcano in the Andes.

He also unsuccessfully attempted to summit Chimborazo, but did manage to set a new record by reaching an altitude of 5,610 metres, the highest point known to be reached by a human at the time.

A pioneering environmentalist

The expedition served to collect scientific data on plants, animals, minerals and climate. Around 60,000 plant species were identified, of which about 1,500 were new to science.

Alexander von Humboldt and Aime Bonpland by the River Casiquiare in the Amazon (oil painting by Eduard Ender, circa 1850). Wikimedia commons, CC BY

Humboldt was an early proponent of ecology, conceiving the universe as a system in which everything is interconnected, and was also the first to highlight the effects of human action on the climate. Analysing the changes in Lake Valencia (in modern-day Venezuela), he deduced that when forests were destroyed to make way for farmland, springs and rivers dried up. He also noted that every time heavy rains fell on mountain peaks, the rainwater formed channels that washed away loose soil, causing floods.

A self-funded author

The Basaltic prisms of Santa Maria Regla, by Alexander von Humboldt, published in the book Views of the Cordilleras and Monuments of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Wikimedia commons

After his voyage, Humboldt returned to Europe and devoted himself to sharing his findings. He published 32 volumes of his Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America between 1814 and 1831. He subsequently published five volumes of his magnum opus, Cosmos, between 1845 and 1848, which aimed to be a compendium of all existing knowledge of natural science at the time.

Many of these books were printed in large folios, containing more than 1,400 sumptuous artworks by the best illustrators of the time. In their original edition, some of these volumes were so heavy that two people were needed to carry them. These costly publications were paid for by Humboldt himself, eventually leading him to bankruptcy.

Reaching the widest possible audience

In addition to books, Humboldts interest in democratising science led him to use all platforms available to him.

He published around 750 articles in the most important newspapers and magazines of his time, including the German paper Allgemeine Zeitung, The Economist, The Times, The New York Times and the Caracas-based Diario de Avisos, among many others.

Humboldt was also a gifted speaker. He gave 78 lectures based on his Cosmos writings that, for a time, became the social event of the moment in Berlin. His democratising spirit led him to open them up to anyone who was interested, including women, who at that time were barred from accessing universities.

Humboldt himself paid to rent and heat the large hall where these lectures were held, which could accommodate over 1,000 people.

His entire oeuvre has an extraordinary literary quality. In his travel diaries he makes it clear that science and poetry are not opposites, but that they can, in fact, complement one another:

Descriptions of nature, I repeat here, can be sharply defined and scientifically precise without being deprived of the invigorating touch of imagination. The poetic must emerge from the sensed connection between the sensual and the intellectual, from the feeling of universal distribution, of mutual limitation and the unity of nature.

Whether through written or spoken language, Humboldt was able to captivate the public, which helped him to increase his popularity and, as a consequence, his influence as a scientist. His life and work demonstrated the importance of public communication in sharing scientific knowledge.

Este articulo fue publicado originalmente en The Conversation, un sitio de noticias sin fines de lucro dedicado a compartir ideas de expertos academicos.

Lee mas:



Bienvenido Leon no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoria, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiacion de ninguna compania u organizacion que pueda obtener beneficio de este articulo, y ha declarado carecer de vinculos relevantes mas alla del cargo academico citado.
A New York City-based Chinese-American pro-democracy activist has been charged with spying on fellow dissidents in New York for the Chinese government, according to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court last week.

One of Yuanjun Tangs alleged marks was a Congressional candidate who was forced to pull out of the race, according to the indictment, claiming at the time he was the victim of a smear campaign.

Tang, 67, was arrested after federal prosecutors said he secretly worked for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) from 2018 to 2023 and conspired to work as a foreign agent of China without properly registering with US authorities, according to court documents.

Tang, a resident of Flushing, is a naturalized American citizen who was imprisoned in China after the deadly 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijings Tiananmen Square.

Pro-democracy activist Yuanjun Tang was indicted on charges that he conspired to work as an agent for China by spying on fellow activists in New York City. Tang Yuanjun/Facebook

In 2002, he defected to Taiwan and was then granted political asylum in the US where he has regularly worked with fellow Chinese dissidents.

Since moving to the city he has demonstrated against the Chinese government, including in monthly protests in front of the Chinese consulate in Manhattan. However, the complaint charges he has actually been collecting information to send back to the communist Chinese government.

Specifically, Tang regularly provided information Tang had gathered about individuals and groups viewed by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) as potentially adverse to the PRCs interests, particularly US-based Chinese democracy activists and dissidents [to his handler], according to court papers.

Among his targets was a Chinese pro-democracy activist who ran for Congress in 2022, court documents say.

Chinese President Xi Jinping government has set up more than 100 Chinese police stations around the world to target dissidents, including at least one in Manhattans Chinatown. ZUMAPRESS.com

Xiong Yan, a pro-democracy activist and Iraqi war veteran, ran for Congress in Brooklyn in 2022. But Yan dropped out of the race, exclusively telling The Post at the time he knew he was the victim of spying by unregistered Chinese agents.

Yan, a pastor, also said he was the victim of a smear campaign that included setting him up with a prostitute, which left him unable to raise money in his community.

The Post first revealed that Chinese spies, working out of an office above a Chinatown noodle shop in Lower Manhattan, were allegedly spying on their own nationals in Operation Foxhunt.

In addition to the unofficial Chinese police station in the city, there are some 100 clandestine Chinese police stations around the world, according to a report by Safeguard Defenders, a Madrid-based non-profit.

Yan Xiong, a student leader at Tiananmen Square, said he knew he was a target of Chinese spying during his aborted campaign for Congress in 2022. Stephen Yang

Chinese military cracked down on thousands of pro-democracy protestors in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Among the activists was Yuanjun Tang, who was indicted for working for the Chinese government to spy on fellow dissidents in New York City. AP

As part of his alleged espionage work, Tang traveled twice to Macau and once to China between 2019 and 2023 for face-to-face meetings with his handlers, the complaint says.

In exchange for cash, Tang provided the Chinese government with information about pro-democracy events in the US, court papers say.

In one instance in April 2022, Tang met with an MSS officer who installed his phone with a bug that allowed all photos and videos to be transmitted directly to his handlers in China, the complaint says.

He used the compromised phone to take a photograph of an event at the opening of the June 4th Memorial Museum, established in remembrance of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and sent the picture to the MSS.

The pop-up museum, housed on the fourth floor of a Herald Square office building, opened last year after the original one in Hong Kong was shuttered by the authorities there in 2021.

Tangs attorney did not return a request for comment Monday. He is not yet believed to have entered a plea.
ALLENDALE, S.C. (WJBF)  Its been about four months since an Allendale Police officer was shot in the line of duty. You have to reach deep, Sgt. James Hall said. Theres things that you go through and you dont realize sometimes who you are completely until you go through it.

On April 27, Sgt. Hall, a veteran with more than 20 years on the force, was working overtime. Investigators say he was shot while responding to a call near Razor Road and Carroll Street. He was alone and wearing his bulletproof vest. His wife was deeply shaken when he called her from the hospital. That was probably one of the hardest things I had to do. Hearing her breakdown on the phone that day, Sgt. Hall recalled. She knew I was at the hospital and asked. When I told her, you could just hear it in her voice. It takes a lot.

Sgt. Hall showed NewsChannel 6 whats left of his car. The back glass is shattered, and wires are exposed. He also showed us his scars. You got this one, this one, and that one back here. Theres a scar right here where it came out. And then also these right here.

As he recovers, Hall hopes to return to active duty soon. He underwent multiple surgeries and treatments. Those details are withheld due to the investigation. His return is seen as a breath of fresh air for some. The good thing is you know, officer Hall, you know, was able to survive his encounter and, I think that helped bring morale back up, Chief Lawrence Wiggins added.

Meanwhile, no suspects have been arrested. If you have any information, theres a SLED tip line available. That number is 843-554-1111. Also, a fundraiser has been set up for medical expenses.





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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gives remarks at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel on Aug. 23, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. Kennedy announced that he was suspending his presidential campaign and supporting the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

COLUMBIA  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will no longer appear on the South Carolina ballot as the Alliance Partys presidential candidate.

Kennedy suspended his long-shot bid for the presidency Friday and endorsed former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. In his announcement, Kennedy said his name would remain on the ballot in most states.

However, the Alliance Party of South Carolina decided it no longer wanted Kennedy as its representative. The partys purpose is to give voters a choice other than a Republican or Democrat, so Kennedys decision to back Trump resulted in the executive committee deciding Monday night to end their association, according to the party.

The Alliance Party of South Carolina and its candidates are dedicated to providing voters with a choice other than that provided by the Democratic and Republican political parties, said Keisha Long, the chair of the state party, said in a release emailed Tuesday. We and our candidates remain committed to achieving that goal with candidates who run to the finish line.

Long told the SC Daily Gazette it was the partys decision; the Kennedy campaign did not request any changes. She said the party has no plans to replace Kennedy with another candidate.

A spokesperson for the South Carolina Election Commission confirmed that it received the partys request Tuesday morning to pull Kennedy from the ballot.

On Friday in Arizona, Kennedy said he would pull his own name off the ballot in about 10 battleground states, though he did not specify which states. South Carolina is not a swing state.

The Alliance Party has affiliates in more than a dozen other states. But South Carolina was the only chapter that put Kennedy on its line for president, according to Victoria Staten, national secretary for the party.

The partys roots are in South Carolina. It launched here in 2013 as the American Party, founded by former state Superintendent Jim Rex  the last Democrat in statewide office  and Dr. Oscar Lovelace, who unsuccessfully challenged the re-election of Gov. Mark Sanford in the 2006 GOP primary, as an alternative to the two-party system.

The state effort joined with independent parties in other states in 2018 to become the national Alliance Party.

The withdrawal of Kennedy leaves seven presidential candidates on the South Carolina ballot, including for the Constitution, United Citizens, Green, Libertarian and Workers parties as well as the Democratic and Republican.

It is unlikely any other candidates will be added to the presidential ballot.

The deadline for parties in South Carolina to register candidates for president is Sept. 3.
On August 27, the forum "Ukraine 2024. Independence" forum, during which President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with journalists from domestic and Western media. In particular, the head of state commented on Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.

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According to him, the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kursk allowed Ukraine to accomplish a number of tasks, including preventing the occupation of our country's northern border, and the operation is part of Ukraine's "victory plan," which Kyiv will present to the United States in September. The press conference was broadcast on the YouTube channel of the President's Office.

Zelenskyy assured that there was no connection between the operation in Kursk and the talks in Qatar. According to Western media, Ukraine and Russia, with Qatar's mediation, were supposed to agree to stop striking energy facilities.

"The Kursk operation and the negotiations in Qatar are completely unrelated. The Kursk operation is not related to any of the points of the Peace Formula. Is the Kursk operation related to the Peace Summit, the second one? Yes, it is. Because the Kursk operation is one of the points of Ukraine's victory plan," the president said.

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Zelenskyy added that the actions of the Armed Forces in the Kursk region of Russia "had and have completely different goals than a meeting with energy colleagues."

"Energy is very important. But it is important to end the war. And the Kursk operation is one of the stages of this process," the head of state emphasized.

The President also assured that the meeting in Qatar had not been disrupted, but was held online.

Zelenskyy explained the success of the Kursk operation, in particular, by the fact that "a very narrow circle of people" knew about the intentions to conduct it. He also spoke about some of the goals that Ukraine pursued by launching an offensive in Russia. In particular, it made it possible to protect the Ukrainian border in the north of the country.

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"The Kursk operation brought several things. First of all, the occupation of the Kharkiv region has been stopped. We had information about the creation of a "buffer zone" in the Kharkiv region, and then in the north. We didn't know the specifics, but we realized that Sumy and Chernihiv regions could be in the plans (of the enemy  Ed.). We received information from our intelligence and partner intelligence agencies about the movement of Russian troops, how it could be, and so on. The sequence of these, as they called them in the Kremlin, "buffer zones" was unknown to us, a clear sequence, but we understood what it could be. The Kursk operation resolved the issue of non-occupation of Sumy region and non-occupation of Chernihiv region," the President emphasized.

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Moreover, Zelenskyy emphasized that the enemy suffered huge losses in manpower and equipment in the Kursk region.

"A serious grouping, a large number of troops were defeated," he said, refusing to go into details because "it's probably too early."

The Head of State also answered a question from a German journalist about the justification of the offensive in Kursk region in the face of the difficult situation and the occupiers' advance in Donetsk region.

"As for the Donetsk region, you have to understand that this is their strategic goal. And today, the movement (of enemy troops - Ed.) after the start of the Kursk operation from Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia has actually taken place. What happens next depends on us, on how long we successfully continue the Kursk operation... The fact that they are not withdrawing troops from Donetsk region is understandable. Their best-trained troops are there, and this is a strategic direction, because they really want to occupy our Donetsk region. And this goal has not changed since the beginning of the war in 2014," Zelenskyy said.

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However, Russia will not succeed in achieving its goal of full occupation of Donbas, the head of state noted, because "we are working on it."

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine would present its "victory plan" to the United States in September. It will be shared with both US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

"Kursk is part of our plan for Ukraine's victory... One of the areas that has already been done is Kursk. The second direction is Ukraine's strategic place in the world's security infrastructure. The third is a powerful package to force Russia to end the war through diplomatic means. The fourth is economic," the president said.

According to Zelenskyy, the plan is already fully prepared.

"I think it's only fair that I first present it to the US President. The success of this plan depends on him. Whether they will give us what is in this plan or not. Will we be free to use what is in this plan or not," he added.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that during the forum, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky spoke about the successes in Kursk region and explained whether it affected the situation near Pokrovsk. According to him, Ukrainian soldiers continue to advance on Russian territory.

Meanwhile, the Russian military command is deploying reserves to Kursk region, hoping to hold back the advance of Ukrainian troops, but so far the units are being withdrawn not from Donetsk region, but from other, less priority areas of the Ukrainian front for Moscow.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
I am all for Ukrainians returning from abroad, but without coercion  Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects Ukrainians, particularly men eligible for military service, to return from abroad without coercion.

Source: Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists on 27 August

Quote: "I am only in favour of the voluntary return of Ukrainian men who have been living abroad."

Details: The President noted that there are Ukrainians who work abroad, and there are those who live on assistance. According to him, some countries find it "politically profitable to not spend this financial assistance [on Ukrainian refugees] for the third year of war, but to send them back to Ukraine".

Quote: "You see, it is not politically sound in some states to say, we are sending Ukrainians home because it is costly for us to support them. It is easier to bring up this issue during a meeting with Ukraine's president and then claim that the president requested the return of the Ukrainians."

Zelenskyy stated that he would like to see all Ukrainians return, but that it was up to them.

At the same time, the president stated that in order to facilitate the return of people to Ukraine, an appropriate ministry must be established to find jobs for such citizens.

Background: Earlier, Bloomberg wrote that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned to the authorities of Western states Ukrainians fled to with a request to send men of military age back to Ukraine, but they did not agree.

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An amateur fossil hunter found a 7-foot-long mammoth tusk that's thousands of years old  take a look

An amateur fossil hunter found a 7-foot-long mammoth tusk that's thousands of years old  take a look

An amateur fossil hunter found a mammoth tusk in a Mississippi creek.

Experts said it was the first mammoth tusk found in the state.

Mammoth tusks can offer unique insight into their lives, including where they lived.

Amateur fossil hunter Eddie Templeton came across the discovery of a lifetime on the bank of a creek in rural Madison County, Mississippi.

Rains had recently uncovered a 7-foot-long mammoth tusk from the Pleistocene epoch over 11,700 years ago.

Eddie Templeton was on the lookout for fossils when he spotted it earlier this month. But he had no idea that he'd found the only mammoth tusk ever discovered in the state.

Experts are now examining the colossal find to learn more about the animal that roamed the area thousands of years ago.

Templeton has been fossil hunting since childhood.

The tusk is in good condition, including having its tip. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Templeton is an amateur fossil hunter in the sense that he doesn't do it for a living. But he's no rookie to the endeavor.

When he was a child, Templeton's neighbor found a mastodon tooth, which initially sparked his interest in these Ice Age animals.

In the decades since, he's found Paleoindian artifacts and teeth from extinct horses but nothing like the mammoth tusk.

Templeton often looks at creeks' gravel beds and banks for fossils. Sometimes erosion can expose bones that have been buried for thousands of years, Templeton said.

While wading in a couple feet of water, Templeton noticed the tusk exposed in the bank, partially below the waterline.

"I found other mastodon fossils in this creek, and I've never found a mammoth fossil of any sort ever, so I just assumed it was a mastodon tusk," he said.

It helped that he knew what to look for. Others may have mistaken it for a tree root, he said.

Templeton assumed he'd found a mastodon tusk and was surprised it belonged to a mammoth.

Colombian mammoths could reach nearly 13 feet tall and would have been difficult for any predator to take down when they were fully grown. Jenny McGrath/Business Insider

Mammoths, mastodons, and modern elephants are all related. The tusk of this mammoth, in particular, belongs to a Columbian mammoth. These animals were larger than the stereotypical woolly types.

Reaching 13 feet tall at the shoulder, these giants' ancestors arrived in North America around 1.5 million years ago. By contrast, mastodons lived in North America for 16 million years, which may be one reason their fossils are more common and why Templeton initially thought he'd found a mastodon tusk.

Mastodon or mammoth, though, both are exceptional finds if you come across one. It required just the right conditions for something as large as these behemoths to become fossilized.

"It takes a certain type of chemical environment, number one, to preserve it, but it also takes some sort of catastrophic event to bury it quickly," said James Starnes, a geologist with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

The tusk is 7 feet and weighs hundreds of pounds.

The tusk weighs hundreds of pounds and is delicate. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

The tusk weighs a couple hundred pounds, so Templeton was going to need some help moving it. That's why he contacted Starnes.

It was about 8:30 in the morning when Starnes got the text. He and his colleagues are used to dealing with what he calls fossil emergencies.

"Our spouses know that we can get called on any minute to go grab one of these things," Starnes said.

It was important to move the tusk quickly so it didn't start to deteriorate in the heat.

To help preserve and transport the tusk with minimal damage, Starnes, Templeton, and Jonathan Leard, another MDEQ employee, covered it in foil and made a jacket of burlap and plaster. With the plaster cover, it weighed 600 pounds.

There was a 50-foot bluff they had to haul it up to get to a truck.

"It was an all-day affair," Starnes said.

Experts can learn a lot from the tusk.

Experts protected the tusk with plaster before moving it. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Templeton's discovery is exciting for a couple of reasons.

First, it's rare  "we don't really have a whole lot of these animals represented in our fossil record," Starnes said. And second, it's nearly complete, including the tusk's tip.

The fact that it was a tusk is also great news for experts because tusks contain a lot more information about a mammoth than, say, a leg bone.

"We can tell about this whole animal's life by studying the tusk," Starnes said.

Mammoths accumulated layers to their tusks each year similar to tree rings, preserving a record of where they were and whether there was enough to eat.

While the tusk's examination is still in its early days, previous research on other mammoth tusks shows just how much Starnes and his colleagues can learn.

Earlier this year, scientists published a paper tracing a 14,000-year-old woolly mammoth's movements through Canada and Alaska based on an analysis of just her tusk.

The tusk will hopefully be ready to show at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's fossil roadshow in March, Starnes said. Though, it'll need some repair beforehand since it cracked during transport.

The rest of the mammoth could still be in the river.

Eddie Templeton knows how to keep a lookout for fossils in creeks. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

The tusk is just part of a bigger story. For instance, the layers of sediment around it give Starnes some clues about how the fossil got to the creek bank in the first place.

"We do know by studying the geology around it exactly what happened," he said. "It tells us a really, really detailed story."

He said the mammoth probably came to the creek and died before its carcass was washed away and buried, with the tusk detached.

It's not uncommon for tusks to separate from the rest of a mammoth skeleton. Even with well-preserved, frozen specimens, the tusks tend to fall off as they thaw, Starnes said.

Perhaps another lucky fossil hunter will come across the rest of the skeleton one day. "Chances are somewhere in that alluvium of that stream, the rest of it's in there, probably not nearby," Starnes said.

Templeton has tips for other fossil hunters.

Experts hope the tusk will eventually go on permanent display. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Templeton has been fossil hunting for decades and has adopted a few tips along the way. Templeton's first tip is to just be aware of the types of fossils that you're likely to find in your area. Many of his finds come from creeks' gravel beds.

"It's good for people to realize those sorts of things are out there and just be paying attention because anybody could have walked up on it," Templeton said of the tusk. "I didn't do anything special."

Templeton said it's also important to share what you find with experts.

Starnes said he and his colleagues don't get as much time for fieldwork, so they rely on amateur fossil hunters.

"The stuff that is found here is just amazing," Starnes said of the region's fossils. "And like I said, the public is a big part of that. Folks interested in the world around them and collecting fossils is what expands our scientific knowledge."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Much has been written about the joy and hope that lit up the Democratic convention. Little, however, has connected the festivities in Chicago to a basic human need to which the speeches, the music and, yes, the vibe touched off within us.

One of our most fundamental longings as social beings is to belong, especially to a community. Community is our survival, Francis Moore Lappe, author of Democracys Edge, has written. It isnt a luxury, a nice thing; community is essential to our well-being.

In Vice President Kamala Harris nomination acceptance speech were recurring themes speaking to Americans yearnings to feel their country as one of common unity:

I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless belief that built our nation. . . An America where we care for one another, look out for one another, and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us.

She struck this parallel note:

Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the . . . divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward . . . Not as members of any one party or faction. But as Americans.

Note the duality here: The Vice President was urging a way to the future that revives a time still fresh in memory the fearless beliefs of the pre-Trump era. At the convention, you heard that echo as Barack Obama picked up the crowd chant, Yes, SHE can, reminding us of the powerful meme in electing 44: Si, se puede . . . Yes WE can.

The WE remains the forceful message of community. Joining with family, neighbors and fellow Americans matters to both our personal and national well-being. In recent years, we've seen the opposite effects that can come from invasive nature or our adversaries attempts to weaken us.

As to nature, the 2020 - 2022 pandemic exacted terrible human costs by isolating us from one another. As writer Jade Warner put it in November 2022: Losing our ability to interact and socialize freely took a serious toll, because belonging to a community, being able to engage with others, and forging authentic relationships are all critical parts of being human.

As to our adversaries, recall how divisiveness was fed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trumps hero and foreign meddler in our elections. His goal in unleashing Russian troll farms and bots on the electorate in 2016 was not only to help elect Trump, but also to sow discord and spread distrust, as Special Counsel Robert S. Muellers indictment of 13 Russian intelligence agents testifies. Russian state media continues to amplify political divisions in the United States today. He understands that a house divided cannot stand.

Likewise, Trumps ongoing message is that what separates us is far more important than what we have in common. (Note the mirror image of the Vice Presidents theme.) Look no further than the former presidents clearly rehearsed shock statement to the National Association of Black Journalists on July 31 that Kamala Harris had only recently turned black. For whites, that statement sought to cast her as other. For Indian American and Black voters, the statement sought to separate her racial identity from theirs.

Kamala Harris knew exactly what Trump was doing. That night, she called him out: We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us  they are an essential source of our strength.

That message resonates with the evolutionary history inside our DNA. As neurologist and psychologist Dr. Stephen Braren has described:

Humans have survived for thousands of years through our ability to connect, communicate, and cooperate with each other. . . . Put simply, there was strength and safety in numbers. . . . Being connected in groups permitted the growth of the extended family to help one another parent and raise children, promoting survival.

It takes a village.

No one should mistake the resonance of the vice presidents message with an election already won. As Peter Baker just reminded us in the New York Times, History is littered with presidential candidates who roused their partisans at conventions only to fall short come November. A presidential campaign is won on the ground by actual volunteers getting out the vote in the weeks to come.

Still, Kamala Harris convention smartly and capably planted energizing joy and hope firmly in the firm soil of our human need to come together  especially after a catastrophic pandemic like COVID turned the earth on its head. There is more than momentum in that planting. There is power.
Icelandic police have called off rescue efforts after a glacier partially collapsed during a tourist outing on Sunday, killing one American and injuring another.

Rescuers responded to the incident at the Breiamerkurjokull glacier just after noon upon receiving reports that a hiking group in the area requested help. They found a male dead at the scene and a female was taken to hospital by a Coast Guard helicopter where they remained in stable condition,

The victims, who have not yet been named, are believed to be a couple.

Officials had believed 25 people were traveling in the area and that two remained missing, but on Monday realized that the numbers were inaccurate and that everyone was accounted for.

After the cave collapse authorities requested all available emergency personnel, about 200 people from the countrys southern and capital regions, respond to the scene, along with the Coast Guard helicopter squad, as officials worked to construct a rescue plan.

The terrain in the area complicated the search. Officers had to largely work by moving the ice by hand or using chainsaws and ice picks. One person who visited the cave shortly before the incident described it as being between three and five meters deep. Einar Runar Sigursson said he was one of the first emergency responders at the scene.

In a Facebook post, he said that the tons of ice that fell is overwhelming.

Rescue teams at the scene after an ice cave partially collapsed, at the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, in southeastern Iceland, Monday, Aug, 26, 2024. (AP)

The police in the South would like to thank all the responders involved in the search and rescue operation, Icelands law enforcement agency said on social media. It shows and proves in projects like this that we have powerful and solution-oriented people to be in charge when there is danger.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The tour group included people of different nationalities who were exploring ice caves when the accident happened.

Breiamerkurjokull is one of the countrys most popular tourist attractions and is the largest glacier in Europe. Its known for its crystal blue ice caves formed from the sheet of the glacier.

In 2019, a similar incident took place when part of the glacier broke off, generating a large wave at Vatnajokull National Park near tourists. The excursion group was forced to run to higher ground for safety as the wave came toward them.
(Bloomberg) -- Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his relationship with US Ambassador Ken Salazar is on pause after criticism of his planned judicial overhaul, although he wont ask the official to leave the country.

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Salazar warned last week that Lopez Obradors efforts to pass a reform plan that would require popular election of federal judges posed a major risk to Mexicos democracy and would make it easier for drug cartels to infiltrate the judiciary.

The relationship is good, but it is on pause since he stated that, Lopez Obrador said Tuesday during his daily news conference.

AMLO, as the president is known, said his relationship with Canadas ambassador is also on pause, after the official raised investor concerns about the reform plan last week.

He later clarified that the pause is in his relationship with both embassies and does not apply to the US and Canadian governments as a whole.

The president has characterized his reform plan, which advanced out of a key committee in Mexicos Congress on Monday, as a way to root out corruption in the judiciary. But the opposition and investors have raised concerns that it will undermine judicial independence and erode checks on the ruling partys power.

A spokesperson for AMLO did not immediately respond to a request for comment about what the pause meant for overall relations between the governments. The Canadian embassy declined to comment.

AMLO, who had previously called Salazar disrespectful, said he hoped the US government would issue a statement rectifying his comments about the planned overhaul.

The US and Canada, he said, have to learn to respect Mexicos sovereignty.

Salazar responded in a social media post Tuesday afternoon, saying that we always work with the utmost respect for Mexicos sovereignty.

The post included a letter from the US embassy dated Aug. 23 in response to prior comments from AMLO. The letter said that the US continues to support Mexicos commitment to the rule of law through judicial reform, but that it is concerned that electing judges will not address corruption or strengthen the judiciary.

--With assistance from Maya Averbuch.

(Adds response from Salazar in final two paragraphs.)

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(Bloomberg) -- A key congressional committee approved President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors plan to overhaul the Mexican judicial system Monday, paving the way for Congress to consider the controversial proposal that opponents say will put democracy at risk.

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The lower houses constitution committee voted to advance the general text of the plan, which would require that all federal judges in Mexico, including members of the Supreme Court, are elected by popular vote. The committee could still make changes to the bill in subsequent votes, although the main reform  the judicial elections  is virtually guaranteed to remain a part of the legislation.

The proposals general text was approved with 22 votes in favor and 17 against.

The plan is a priority for the president known as AMLO, who has characterized it as a way to root out judicial corruption and wants to secure its approval before he leaves office at the end of September. But it has drawn backlash from judges, the Mexican opposition, investors and the US, who all say it will undermine judicial independence and erode checks on the ruling Morena partys power.

The proposal will require passage by two-thirds majorities in both the lower house and Senate. AMLOs Morena party and its coalition allies won a supermajority in the lower house in June elections, while finishing just two seats shy of two-thirds control of the Senate.

Lower house debate around the bill could start as soon as next week, when the new Congress begins.

Opponents of the reform push amplified their efforts to stop it ahead of the start of the legislative process. Judicial workers launched nationwide strikes against the proposal last week, while US Ambassador Ken Salazar warned that it would pose a major risk to democracy and make it easier for drug cartels to infiltrate the judiciary.

Global companies in Mexico including Nestle SA, AT&T Inc. and MetLife Inc. said the bill being discussed in Congress could discourage investment. The group urged the government to amend the bill so it guarantees judicial independence and adheres to international trade regulations.

AMLO, however, blasted criticisms of his proposal as ridiculous during his daily news conference Monday, saying that the majority agrees that judges should be appointed by the people.

This means a regression to the worst times of authoritarianism. This is not a judicial reform, but a return to a concentration of power, said opposition lawmaker Margarita Zavala during the debate. Wow, they are really nostalgic for this anti-democratic Mexico that we may be on the verge of returning to, but we will put up a fight.

(Updates with vote count in third paragraph and comments from opposition lawmaker in final paragraph.)

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By Jennifer Rigby and Julie Steenhuysen

LONDON/CHICAGO (Reuters) -Scientists studying the new mpox strain that has spread out of Democratic Republic of Congo say the virus is changing faster than expected, and often in areas where experts lack the funding and equipment to properly track it.

That means there are numerous unknowns about the virus itself, its severity and how it is transmitting, complicating the response, half a dozen scientists in Africa, Europe and the United States told Reuters.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been a public health problem in parts of Africa since 1970, but received little global attention until it surged internationally in 2022, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency. That declaration ended 10 months later.

A new strain of the virus, known as clade Ib, has the world's attention again after the WHO declared a new health emergency.

The strain is a mutated version of clade I, a form of mpox spread by contact with infected animals that has been endemic in Congo for decades. Mpox typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions and can kill.

Congo has had more than 18,000 suspected clade I and clade Ib mpox cases and 615 deaths this year, according to the WHO. There have also been 222 confirmed clade Ib cases in four African countries in the last month, plus a case each in Sweden and Thailand in people with a travel history in Africa.

"I worry that in Africa, we are working blindly," said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, an infectious diseases expert at Niger Delta University Hospital in Nigeria who chairs the WHO's mpox emergency committee. He first raised the alarm about potential sexual transmission of mpox in 2017, now an accepted route of spread for the virus.

"We dont understand our outbreak very well, and if we don't understand our outbreak very well we will have difficulty addressing the problem in terms of transmission dynamics, the severity of the disease, risk factors of the disease," Ogoina said. "And I worry about the fact that the virus seems to be mutating and producing new strains."

He said it took clade IIb in Nigeria five years or more to evolve enough for sustained spread among humans, sparking the 2022 global outbreak. Clade Ib has done the same thing in less than a year.

MUTATING 'MORE RAPIDLY'

Mpox is an orthopoxvirus, from the family that causes smallpox. Population-wide protection from a global smallpox vaccine campaign 50 years ago has waned, as the vaccinating stopped when the disease was eradicated.

Genetic sequencing of clade Ib infections, which the WHO estimates emerged mid-September 2023, show they carry a mutation known as APOBEC3, a signature of adaptation in humans.

The virus that causes mpox has typically been fairly stable and slow to mutate, but APOBEC-driven mutations can accelerate viral evolution, said Dr. Miguel Paredes, who is studying the evolution of mpox and other viruses at Fred Hutchison Cancer Center in Seattle.

"All the human-to-human cases of mpox have this APOBEC signature of mutations, which means that it's mutating a little bit more rapidly than we would expect," he said.

Paredes and other scientists said a response was complicated by several mpox outbreaks happening at once.

In the past, mpox was predominantly acquired through human contact with infected animals. That is still driving a rise in Congo in clade I cases  also known as clade Ia - likely due in part to deforestation and increased consumption of bushmeat, scientists said.

The mutated versions, clade Ib and IIb, can now essentially be considered a sexually transmitted disease, said Dr. Salim Abdool Karim, a South African epidemiologist and chair of the Africa CDCs mpox advisory committee. Most of the mutated clade Ib cases are among adults, driven at first by an epidemic among female sex workers in South Kivu, Congo.

The virus also can spread through close contact with an infected person, which is likely how clusters of children have been infected with clade Ib, particularly in Burundi and in eastern Congos displacement camps, where crowded living conditions may be contributing.

Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems or other illnesses may be at greater risk of serious mpox disease and death, say the WHO and mpox scientists.

Clade I has typically caused more severe disease, with fatality rates of 4%-11%, compared to around 1% for clade II. Ogoina said data from Congo suggests few have died of the new Ib version, but he feared some data is being mixed up.

More research is urgently needed, but three teams tracking mpox outbreaks in Africa say they cannot even access chemicals needed for diagnostic tests. Clade Ib can also be missed by some diagnostic tests.

Planning a response, including vaccination strategies, without this is difficult, the scientists said.

Karim said around half of cases in eastern Congo, where Ib is particularly prevalent, are only being diagnosed by doctors, with no laboratory confirmation.

Getting samples to labs is difficult because the healthcare system is already under pressure, he said. And around 750,000 people have been displaced amid fighting between the M23 rebel group and the government.

Many African laboratories cannot get the supplies they need, said Dr. Emmanuel Nakoune, an mpox expert at the Institut Pasteur in Bangui, Central African Republic, which also has clade Ia cases.

"This is not a luxury," he said, but necessary to track deadly outbreaks.

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby in London, Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and Catherine Schenck in Johannesburg; Editing by Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot and Gareth Jones)
Ancient grains of dust from space can be found on Earth  and provide clues about the life cycle of stars

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Credit: Sachiko Amari

This article was originally published in The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Sachiko Amari is a Research Professor of Physics at Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

In space, there are clouds that contain gas and dust ejected from stars. Our solar system was formed 4.6 billion years ago from such a molecular cloud. Most of these dust grains were destroyed during solar system formation.

However, a very small amount of the grains survived and remained intact in primitive meteorites. They are called presolar grains because they predate the solar system. I am a scientist who studies the early solar system and beyond, focusing mainly on presolar grains.

The picture below is an image of such a grain taken by a scanning electron microscope. This grain is silicon carbide (SiC). The scale bar is 1 micron, or one millionth of a meter (39.37 inches). The grain was extracted from the Murchison meteorite that fell in Australia in 1969.

a small porous rock-like object under a microscope

Scientists have investigated physical properties of the grain to determine its origin. Carbon has two stable isotopes, C and C, whose weights are slightly different from one another. The ratio between these isotopes is almost unchanged by processes taking place in the solar system such as evaporation and condensation. In contrast, nucleosynthetic processes in stars cause C/C ratios to vary from 1 to over 200,000.

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If this grain had originated within the solar system, its C/C ratio would be 89. The C/C ratio of the grain in this picture is about 55.1, which attests to its stellar origin. Together with other information about the grain, the ratio tells us that this grain formed in a type of star called an asymptotic giant branch star. The star was at the end of its life cycle when it profusely produced and expelled dust into space more than 4.6 billion years ago.

Scientists have found other types of presolar grains in meteorites, including diamond, graphite, oxides and silicates.

Presolar grains like the one in the picture help researchers understand nucleosynthesis in stars, mixing of different zones in stars and stellar ejecta, and how abundances of elements and their isotopes change with time in the galaxy.
Angel Vause rejects deal, headed to trial over charges of lying to FBI during Brittanee Drexel case

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WBTW)  The longtime girlfriend of Brittanee Drexels killer on Tuesday rejected a plea deal that could have sent her to prison for 16 years on two charges of lying to the FBI during their investigation into the teens disappearance and death.

Court records show Angel Vause, 56, was expected to plead guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents, but instead opted to face a jury, WCBD reported. A trial date has not yet been set.

She was indicted in March for lying to authorities as they investigated Raymond Moody, whos serving a life sentence after confessing to the rape and murder of Drexel, a 17-year-old from Rochester, New York, who was last seen while on spring break in Myrtle Beach in 2009.

Angel-Vause-plea-agreementDownload

Last month, Vause agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Charleston to two counts of making false statements to federal agents  each carrying a penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

But on Aug. 15  the planned date of her sentencing  both sides agreed to a 10-day continuance as she now faces maximum penalties of eight years for each count.

Moody confessed in October 2022 to killing Drexel. Five months earlier, Vause told an FBI agent she went home to get keys from a truck while Drexel was being assaulted and killed, but the indictments said she was actually going somewhere else.

Authorities also said Vause told the FBI that Drexel had her cellphone the entire time, but it was later proven that Vause had it before tossing it somewhere between Georgetown and Charleston.

Prosecutors said Vause played a critical role in forcing Moodys confession because they initially built a case against her before he claimed responsibility.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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ANKENY, Iowa  Its every small business owners worst nightmare, and for Ryan Martin, it became a reality after a driver crashed into his storefront during business hours Sunday afternoon.

I was in shock, and just thankful that no one was hurt, said Martin.

What used to be tables of shoes and an entire wall display, its now all ruined  and during the stores busiest time of year.

Everybodys getting shoes for back to school and, I dont know, its an unfortunate deal, this is our busiest time of the year probably and now were going to be shut down for a while, said Martin.

Martin has run this location of Fit To Be Tied Shoes for six years and says an accident like this is a first.

A gentleman peered off Oralabor and came through the grass and managed to miss both pillars and came through the window and proceeded back to the far room there and took out my wall and luckily didnt kill anybody, said Martin.

After assessing the damage, Martin got to work.

Adel parents accused of keeping kids, dogs in feces-filled home

We had to put the wall up where the windows used to be to keep looters and people from coming in.

In the midst of all the chaos, Martin said there was some normalcy.

The car was in the store and somebody came in to do a pickup, they had special ordered a pair of HOKA11s, and he came in and walked through the glass and bought the shoes and was in jaw dropping awe like what happened.

Despite the damage, theres a silver lining, at the time of the crash only two people were in the store and no one was injured, even the driver.

They took him [the driver] in the cop car, they didnt take him in the ambulance. There are two little holes there where his wheels were still spinning because he had his foot on the gas, he was full throttle, said Martin.

Now, the road ahead involves insurance claims, cleaning up shoes and glass, and working toward getting back to normal.

If this was my only store, I would be a little madder. Im just glad nobody got hurt, said Martin.

His goal now is to get the store cleaned and operating to hopefully host a sale to raise funds for store repairs.

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Chichen Itza, Mexicos most popular archaeological site, which in 2023 recorded an influx of 2.3 million visitors, has fresh competition: Ichkabal, known as the Mesoamerican Egypt for the grandeur of its structures, contains three pyramids larger than Chichen Itza's Temple of Kukulcan. With an area of 30 square kilometers and buildings that exceed 40 meters in height, it is one of the largest archaeological zones still standing and one of the oldest vestiges of Mayan culture. Ichkabal will open to the general public in September and aims to become one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the country.

A giant in Mayan history

The archaeological zone is 58 kilometers southwest of the Magical Town of Bacalar, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region. Ichkabal, whose name means among the lowlands in Mayan, remained hidden under the dense jungle vegetation until it was discovered in 1995. Spanish archaeologist Enrique Nalda was one of the main researchers in the area until his death in 2010. Today, other experts who followed in his footsteps have worked intensively on its restoration, unearthing monumental structures that rival in size and complexity those of Chichen Itza and Uxmal, two of the regions most emblematic sites.

The type and layout of its buildings suggest that it was occupied from the late Preclassic period (400 B.C. to 200 A.D.) and was inhabited until about 1500 A.D., although most of the monumental architecture dates between 350 B.C. and 50 B.C. Its study has revealed that this city played a crucial role in the early development of the Mayan civilization. Ichkabal stands out for its imposing buildings and for a main plaza that stretches for 300 meters. The site, which in its heyday was an important political and cultural center, houses temples, pyramids, and advanced hydraulic systems, such as a recently discovered cistern used to store water and corn.

The structures in the area are large and attractive, but they have lost their facades. According to Diego Prieto, director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), these were not taken by contemporaries, they was taken by the same people who inhabited the city; this will undoubtedly be the defining characteristic of the city.

Alan Maciel Vallejo, a researcher at the INAH, estimates that Ichkabal will attract a large number of visitors from its first year of opening, particularly due to its connection to the Maya Train and its proximity to Mahahual, a popular cruise ship port. When ships arrive in Mahahual, they generally take tourists to two archaeological zones: Chacchoben and Kohunlich. So, Ichkabal, which is closer than Kohunlich, could have a larger capacity because of its proximity to Mahahual, he explained.

The Maya Train and the revitalization of cultural heritage

The opening of Ichkabal is tentatively scheduled for September 14, within the framework of Mexicos national holidays and in parallel to other openings in the region, such as the Hotel Tren Maya Palenque in Chiapas, the Jaguar Park in Tulum and the Quintana Roo Park in Chetumal. The new site seeks to become a pillar of archaeological tourism and a window into the beginnings of the ancient Mayan civilization.

The opening of Ichkabal is linked to the Maya Train project, which will connect the archaeological zone with other important sites in the region such as Kinichna, Kohunlich and Dzibanche. The rescue and restoration of 27 Mayan archaeological sites is being carried out by the Archaeological Zones Improvement Program (Promeza), a Mexican government initiative implemented by the federal Ministry of Culture, through the INAH and in collaboration with the National Tourism Development Fund, the Ministry of National Defense, and the consortiums participating in the construction of the Maya Train.

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Another Biloxi business pleads guilty in conspiracy with Mary Mahoneys to misbrand fish

Biloxis Quality Poultry & Seafood pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to a felony charge of conspiring with Mary Mahoneys Old French House restaurant and individuals at both businesses to mislabel cheaper foreign fish as fresh Gulf seafood.

The well-known companys plea came through Clell Rosetti, an owner and corporate representative. The charges unveil Quality as the unnamed co-conspirator in an explosive case that has already seen famed Mary Mahoneys and one of its co-owners plead guilty to conspiracy charges over mislabeled seafood bought from Quality.

Quality, the largest seafood wholesaler in the state, has specifically admitted to conspiring to mislabel seafood and wire fraud. The company has agreed to forfeit $1 million and pay a criminal fine of $150,000, the United States Attorneys Office says.

The company could also spend up to five years on probation, according to court records.

Clell Rosetti, owner of Quality Poultry and Seafood, right, and a family member walk out of Dan M. Russell Jr. Courthouse in Gulfport on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiring with Mary Mahoneys Old French House to mislabel cheaper foreign fish as Gulf seafood.

Two Quality employees also pleaded guilty Tuesday in the U.S. District Court case. Sales manager Todd Rosetti, the owners son, and business manager James Jim Gunkel each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of misbranding seafood.

Quality, Todd Rosetti and Gunkel are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 11 by Judge Sul Ozerden.

Quality, which also has a retail shop and cafe, passed off the foreign fish from as early as 2002 to November 2019, the federal charges say, to direct customers and restaurants. The document charging Quality describes inexpensive fish that, by taste and appearance, could be substituted for the premium local species advertised with little likelihood of detection.

James Jim Gunkel, center left, walks out of Dan M. Russell Jr. Courthouse in Gulfport on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mislabeling seafood.

Agents raided Biloxi businesses

Rosetti and Gunkel each face maximum sentences of up to one year in prison and fines of up to $1,000.

Rosetti and Gunkel continued to misbrand seafood even after Food and Drug Administration agents raided Quality in September 2018, charging documents say.

Clell Rosetti, owner of Quality Poultry and Seafood, left, and Todd Rosetti, sales manager at Quality Poultry and Seafood, right, talk outside of Dan M. Russell Jr. Courthouse in Gulfport on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiring with Mary Mahoneys Old French House to mislabel cheaper foreign fish as Gulf seafood.

Between December 2013 and November 2019, the charges say, Quality mislabeled 58,750 pounds, or more than 29 tons, of imported fish sold at Mahoneys as more popular local seafood, including snapper.

Mary Mahoneys and co-owner Anthony Tony Cvitanovich, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to misbrand seafood, are supposed to be sentenced Nov. 18, also by Ozerden.

Mahoneys could forfeit up to $1.35 million.

The foreign seafood included Lake Victoria perch, triggerfish, tripletail and unicorn filefish.

It was the purpose of the conspirators and the objective of their conspiracy to benefit financially by misrepresenting and by facilitating the misrepresentation of the fish they and others sold as locally sourced premium fish, when, as the conspirators well knew, they were not the local popular species advertised and identified on menus for which customers were charged, the document charging Quality says.

Quality Poultry & Seafood on Division Street in Biloxi is a retail and wholesale business charged with the felony crime of conspiring to misbrand seafood and wire fraud.

Todd Rosetti of Ocean Springs holds the 6.4-pound smooth puffer he brought in at Gorenflos Cobia Tournament at Point Cadet Marina in 2016. Rosetti, sales manager at Quality Poultry & Seafood in Biloxi, now faces federal charges of misbranding seafood.
Another hearing set for Georgia man accused in deadly shooting of Peoria teen

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD)  A Georgia man appeared in McLean County Circuit Court for a status hearing in connection to the murder of a Peoria teen.

This was Tomiyale Andersons second appearance since securing private defense attorney Jennifer Patton. Patton asked for an additional 60 days to go through discovery which is a legal term for evidence.

Georgia man appears in court on allegations he killed Peoria teen

The 20-year-old is facing first-degree murder charges for the shooting death of Kanye Stowers.

The shooting took place at a Bloomington house party in April 2022.

Stowers was just a few weeks shy of his high school graduation at Richwoods High School.

Andersons next hearing is on Oct. 31.

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An anti-poverty agency abruptly shut down. A local nonprofit has stepped in to help pay some workers

The Social Development Commission says it can finally pay some of its former employees  thanks to a $47,000 contribution from Unite WI.

The contribution should be enough for SDC to cover wages for the 19 unpaid former employees from the April 15 pay day, said William Sulton, the agency's attorney.

Another 85 former employees still have not received their April 30 paycheck. The financially beleaguered anti-poverty agency closed its doors at the end of April and still owes funds to contractors, too, including the City of Milwaukee Water Works.

"The board chair (Barbara Toles) has made it very clear that our first priority is to ensure that all of the employees are paid and that has included soliciting donations, which have been fruitful," Sulton said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Department of Workforce Development's June records show 21 former employees have filed complaints with it for unpaid wages.

In response to questions from the Journal Sentinel, the Department of Workforce Development would not confirm SDC provided $47,000 for unpaid wages.

Instead, an agency spokesperson wrote in an email: "Some payments from SDC have been received and are being matched to the associated complainant."

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, which first reported on Unite WI's contribution to SDC, cited a DWD assistant deputy secretary who said the state agency had received checks from SDC for six employees last week.

Nonprofit known for training health workers provides SDC with funding

Unite WI, a nonprofit that trains health workers, partnered with SDC for health literacy, said Bria Grant, Unite WI executive director.

The $47,000 is not a donation, she said. It comes from Unite WI's community emergency response plan.

"The bank has an emergency response plan," Grant said. "Wall Street has an emergency response plan. Why don't we feel like it's important to provide support for agencies that are addressing poverty when they fall short?"

In addition to two unpaid checks, some former SDC employees say they are also owed a payout for unused paid-time-off days. The SDC board is discussing this possibility, Sulton said.

"SDC does not have a PTO payout policy, but I do know that employees are upset about that," Sulton said.

SDC hopes to pay its remaining employees through its insurance's Employment Practices Liability policy, he said.

The Social Development Foundation, SDC's nonprofit arm, has received donations since April, said Sulton, who was unable to provide an exact amount for those donations on Monday.

The foundation is governed by a separate board. The foundation's treasurer, Phyllis Clark, attended the SDC board meeting on Aug. 8 virtually and joined the board's closed session.

Attorney says SDC remains behind on 'many' bills

SDC owes money to more than its former employees.

SDC Properties INC, the real estate arm of SDC, owes $10,225 to the City of Milwaukee's Water Works, according to recently released city records.

"I would say it doesn't surprise me, but I'm not aware of those bills specifically," Sulton said.

The water bills stem from two SDC properties, one at 6850 N. Teutonia Ave. and another 1730 W. North Ave.

The agency's board decided to consolidate its five properties to the properties on Teutonia and North avenues, Sulton said.

SDC remains paid up on those two properties' mortgages, Sulton said.

"There are many outstanding bills," Sulton said.

Gina Lee Castro is a Public Investigator for the Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at gcastro@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: SDC can pay some employees, still behind on other bills
Robin DiAngelo has previously written about the importance of properly attributing the work of ethnic minority writers - NBC

The bestselling author of a book about white fragility has been accused of plagiarising sections of the work of two Asian-Americans in her doctoral thesis.

Robin DiAngelo, an anti-racism consultant who argues that racial divisions have been entrenched by defensive white people, committed 20 cases of plagiarism, according to a complaint filed with her alma mater, the University of Washington.

Ms DiAngelos book White Fragility became a New York Times bestseller when it was published in 2018, and also experienced a surge in popularity following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

The 67-year-old has previously written about the importance of properly attributing the work of ethnic minority writers in a section on her website about how white people must continually educate themselves on race.

Her thesis allegedly lifts two paragraphs from Thomas Nakayama, an Asian-American professor with Northeastern University, and his co-author, Robert Krizek, without attribution, The Washington Free Beacon reported.

In making its case the newspaper published large excerpts from her work alongside the text she is accused of copying, with the similarities highlighted in red.

In one section, Prof Nakayama and Prof Krizek wrote: While this discourse recognises a part of its historical constitution  this reflexivity does not necessarily mean that there has been a recognition of the power relations embedded in that history.

Similarly, Ms DiAngelo wrote in her 2004 thesis: While this discourse recognises in part a historical constitution, this does not necessarily indicate that there is a recognition of the power relations embedded in that history.

Her Whiteness in Racial Dialogue dissertation is also reported to have lifted material from Stacey Lee, an Asian-American professor of education, summarising the work of a third scholar.

Prof Lee wrote that David Theo Goldberg argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should focus not so much on how true stereotypes are, but on how the truth-claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview, and what forms of action that worldview authorises.

Ms DiAngelo wrote: Goldberg  argues that the questions surrounding racial discourse should not focus so much on how true stereotypes are, but how the truth claims they offer are a part of a larger worldview that authorises.

Never appropriate

Peter Wood, the president of the National Association of Scholars, likened the practice to forgery.

It is never appropriate to use the secondary source without acknowledging it, and even worse to present it as ones own words, said Mr Wood, a former provost of Boston University. He added: Thats plagiarism.

Ms DiAngelo has previously emphasised the importance of providing proper academic citation, writing on her website: Always cite and give credit to the work of BIPOC [black, indigenous and people of colour] people who have informed your thinking.

She added: When you use a phrase or idea you got from a BIPOC person, credit them.

Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility was a New York Times bestseller

The University of Washington defines plagiarism as borrowing the structure of another authors phrases or sentences without credit, or citing a source but reproducing their exact words without quotation marks.

Among her other alleged examples of plagiarism, Ms DiAngelo seemingly lifts two sentences from Bronwyn Davies, a professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Both write of how an individual emerges through the processes of social interaction as one who is constituted and reconstituted through the various discursive practices in which they participate.

It does look like plagiarism, Prof Davies told The Washington Free Beacon.

In her book, Ms DiAngelo characterised white fragility as the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, characterised by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, entrenching racial inequalities.

Ms DiAngelo and her publisher, Beacon Press, have been approached for comment.

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(KRON)  The Berkeley Police Department is investigating a potential hate incident related to flyers were that were left in North Berkeley driveways. The Berkeley Unified School District said the flyers were antisemitic.

Police received complaints about the flyers on Aug. 23. BPD said about 13 residents of North Berkeley reached out to report the flyers.

San Jose State University student dies in dorm room

It appears as though, whomever distributed the flyers drove through the neighborhoods and randomly threw the bags containing flyers from their vehicle to the various driveways. The flyers contained hateful language, BPD said.

The flyers contained a barcode that led to a website with antisemitic content, according to police. BPD does not know who sent out the flyers.

BUSD also released a statement about the flyers, saying it is disturbed that this incident has resurfaced in our community. In May, a federal investigation was opened about bullying of Jewish students at Berkeley schools after Hamas attack on Israel in October of 2023.

The bullying caused some Jewish students to leave BUSD, according to a Title VI complaint. The complaint also claims that Jewish students heard antisemitic rants from their teachers.

BUSD classified the flyers as a hate incident, which it defines as something that is motivated by hate or bias but is protected by the First Amendment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  The Austin Police Department is seeking the publics help to find a suspect wanted in connection with an attempted sexual assault on the downtown hike-and-bike trail back in July, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.

Around 5 p.m., July 21, the alleged suspect walked up to a victim who was walking on the Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, the release said. That trail is parallel to the 1700 block of South Lakeshore Boulevard. The suspect asked the victim what time it was in Spanish, and then showed their cellphone screen with the suspect, according to police.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The suspect then grabbed the victim by the arms, threw them to the ground, began to touch them inappropriately, and attempted to sexually assault them, the release said.

That suspect is described as a Hispanic man, approximately 6 feet tall with a dark complexion, heavy build, large hands, brown eyes and black hair, according to police. He was last seen wearing a navy blue hat backwards, a navy blue shirt and gym shorts.

The Austin Police Department is seeking the publics help to find a suspect wanted in connection with an attempted sexual assault that happened back in July, the agency said in a news release Tuesday. (APD Sketch)

If anyone has any information in connection with the assault, they can contact APDs Sex Crimes Unit at 512-974-5095. Tipsters can also submit a tip anonymously via Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.

A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest, APD 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.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island has appealed the state's tentative award for a five-year, $15 billion Medicaid contract. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Its hard to make a case without all the facts.

Which is why the two health insurance companies denied a piece of the states $15.5 billion, five-year Medicaid contract want more information about what they allege was an unfair bid process. But the public records requests submitted by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Tufts Public Health Plans Inc. werent fulfilled before the deadline by which the companies had to appeal the contract decision.

Its a riddle wrapped in an enigma that speaks to the problems with bureaucracy, said John Marion, executive director for Common Cause Rhode Island.

It also speaks to longstanding frustrations with the states public records law, which advocates, including Marion, have tried unsuccessfully to update and strengthen for years.

In this case, the problem is one of conflicting deadlines. The Rhode Island Access to Public Records law gives public agencies 10 days to answer a records request, with an option for a 20-day extension for good cause,  a caveat made of swiss cheese, Marion said. But state procurement law gives bidders two calendar weeks to file a written protest of a tentative contract, forcing Blue Cross and Tufts to file their appeals before they could receive the requested information detailing how the state reviewed and decided on the contract winners.

The public records are critical to fully understanding the procurement process used by EOHHS [Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services] and RIDOP [Rhode Island Division of Purchases], and the procurement decisions made, Christopher Whitney, an attorney representing Blue Cross, wrote in the companys July 29 appeal letter to Jonathan Womer, state administration director.

Urcel Fields, president of government markets for Point32Health, Tufts parent company, also referenced a records request in the companys separate July 29 appeal letter.

Weve got to get this right. Were talking about the lives of over 300,000 people.

 Sen. Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat

Since the state announced its tentative contract selection on July 16, partially redacted bids from all four vendors were unsealed, alongside a 28-page memo explaining the states contract decision.

Bidders were required to score 85 points out of a possible 100 on their technical proposals; Blue Cross scored 63.22 points and Tufts scored 54.38 points, disqualifying them from consideration, according to the memo. The two winning bidders, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare of New England, Inc, both exceeded the required technical score minimum, with final scores of 90.53 and 88.71 respectively.

UnitedHealthcare and Neighborhood, along with Tufts, have been managing Medicaid services under the existing state contract awarded in 2016.

What additional information Blue Cross and Tufts wanted was not immediately available, requiring a separate public records request to obtain. Rhode Island Current filed that request on Monday.

Also not clear is whether the records request had been filled since the July 29 appeals were written. Rich Salit, a spokesperson for Blue Cross, declined to comment on Monday.

A spokesperson for Tufts did not respond to inquiries for comment about the pending appeals.

The complaints themselves are currently under review, Karen Greco, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Department of Administration, said in an email.

We are taking all aspects of the complaint into consideration, Greco said. When completed, we will issue a written determination.

She did not answer follow-up questions regarding when a decision is expected.

Getting it right

But the companies, and the public, deserve to know the full story, said Steven Brown, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island.

Once a bid has been completed, the information should generally be available to everyone, Brown said. There might be some limited arguments for specific, proprietary information, but otherwise the public ought to be able to see exactly what led to the decision.

Especially given the size and impact of the massive contract, which comprises 25% of the states annual budget and affects one-third of state residents covered under the government insurance program.

Weve got to get this right, Sen. Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said. Were talking about the lives of over 300,000 people.

In fiscal 2022, the most recent data available, Neighborhood was responsible for more than half of the states Medicaid patients, while UnitedHealthcare had 30% and Tufts had 5%. The remaining 6% was paid directly to providers through a fee-for-service model, rather than through the managed care organizations.

The 15,000 Medicaid patients covered through a Tufts Health plan would have to transfer to one of the awarded vendors if the contract goes through.

DiPalma, who has sponsored public records reform legislation for several years, said it was unfair to require companies to file appeals on state contracts without putting the same timeline on public agencies to fill records requests relevant to the appeal.

We cant have our cake and eat it too, he said.

DiPalma did not want to speculate on Blue Cross and Tufts allegations that the bidding process was unfair.

But, he acknowledged, it was interesting that Blue Cross, a leading state health insurer, was disqualified from the selection process given its size and experience.

Fatally flawed

Whitney made the same argument in the companys appeal letter, blasting the bid process as fatally flawed, and describing the scoring process as arbitrary and illogical.

Whitney also accused UnitedHealthcare and Neighborhood of deliberately omitting or failing to complete information in their respective submissions, which should have led them to score lower than they did, he said.

The arbitrary manner in which the TEC applied the scoring rubric calls into question the validity of the scores assigned to every bidder, Whitney wrote. Given the clear errors in, and arbitrary nature of, the technical scoring, the contract award cannot stand.

Fields also criticized the scoring process in the letter on behalf of Tufts, noting it did not treat applications the same and accepted information at face value without scrutinizing or examining the significance of that information.

Field singled out Neighborhood for failing to include written proof of an agreement with Lifespan Corp., which as the states largest hospital provider plays a significant role in treating Medicaid patients.

Critically, had EOHHS properly graded NHPRI to reflect the lack of Lifespan in the network, it likely would have had to reprocure the entire Solicitation, Fields wrote.

Whitney also targeted the makeup of the five-member scoring team, all of whom work for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). State procurement rules require at least one representative from the purchasing department on the review team.

Whitney alleged a conflict of interest by an unnamed member of the review team, who previously worked for one of the winning bid companies within the last two years.

Blue Cross asked the state to revise its contract to include an award to the company, or else scratch the existing award and start the bidding process over. Tufts asked only for a do-over, noting that the state could extend its existing contract with Medicaid providers if a new award cannot be made by the July 1, 2025 start date.

The new contract is set to run through June 30, 2030, with the option for a five-year renewal.

Peter Marino, CEO and president of Neighborhood, acknowledged the appeals filed by Blue Cross and Tufts, but did not comment on the allegations.

Neighborhood remains honored to be selected to serve the State of Rhode Island and to continue our effective partnership with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) as a health plan participant in its Medicaid Managed Care Program, Marino said in an emailed statement on Monday.

With more than one in five Rhode Islanders enrolled in a Neighborhood plan, we remain committed to building more efficient ways for our provider network to do business with us and serve our members through more accessible, cost-effective, and equitable healthcare.

Theresa Hunter, a spokesperson for UnitedHealthcare, also backed the existing contract award.

While we understand that some non-awardees may be disappointed with the outcome, we remain confident in the fairness and integrity of the selection process, Hunter said in an email on Monday. We look forward to continuing to serve our Medicaid members in the great state of Rhode Island.

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A three-judge appeals court has reinstated a ban in four states on the Biden administrations Title IX rule barring discrimination in schools and colleges based on an individuals sexual and gender identity. Through a patchwork of lawsuits, Republican attorneys general have been successful in stopping enforcement of the rule in 26 states.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina claimed victory last week after the 11th District U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday granted injunctive relief in their case, State of Alabama, et al. v. U.S. Department of Education, et al.

The rule represents a sea change to the regulations administering Title IX by, among other things, expanding the definition of discrimination on the basis of sex to include discrimination based on gender identityas well as materially altering and expanding the scope of Title IXs sexual-harassment-related regulations, the unsigned document read.

The states had filed suit in federal court claiming the new rule violated state laws regarding the use of locker rooms and bathrooms in K-12 schools, and that provisions regarding the use of preferred pronouns are unconstitutional. They asked the court to stop enforcement of the rule while their case was heard.

Judge AnneMarie Carney Axon denied that request for an injunction finding the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate irreparable harm would result from enforcement of the rule. Axon also wrote the plaintiffs failed to adequately demonstrate the new rule violated state law, and that the suit did not demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits.

On Thursday, the appeals court disagreed, instead finding the states demonstrated a substantial likelihood that the district court abused its discretion in denying the injunction and that the plaintiffs had demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of the case.

The ruling is not a final decision on the merits of the case itself, however, and only means that the law cannot be enforced in the plaintiff states while the case is being argued in court. With Thursdays decision, the new rule is now banned from implantation in 26 states. The rule went into effect in the other 24 states on August 1.

Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban sex discrimination in any educational program that receives federal funds. It was signed into law by then-President Richard Nixon. The rules apply to K-12 schools as well as colleges and universities.
E.T. didnt just come down to Earth in the Steven Spielberg movie. He also landed in South Africa, Turkey and again in the United States, as well as in other countries. Although his name wasnt E.T., and his appearance left a lot to be desired. These aliens starred in movies such as Nukie and Mac and Me, some of the most outrageous ripoffs of the classic film.

We didnt just screen the first Turkish version [of E.T.]  Badi  another one was also shot in the country, in which E.T., who is male, falls in love with the man in whose house he takes refuge, explains Carlos Palencia, the head of CutreCon, a Spanish festival dedicated to cinema that is unintentionally bad.

CutreCon  which will hold its 14th edition next year between February 5 and 8  shines a spotlight on trashy movies, the films made with lofty intentions that fell apart in production and became unwitting parodies. With audiences keen for different cinema experiences, these movies are winning over a passionate legion of fans, filling theaters with laughing and disbelieving spectators.

But its important to define this genre: trash cinema is not the same as bad cinema. The beauty of trash cinema is that to recognize it you have to have seen very good films. It is the leap between The Searchers and a piece of shit starring Eric Roberts and Michael Pare with a pair of pistols, explains movie critic Fausto Fernandez.

Trash cinema is not the same as B-series cinema, either. Some people get confused. Having little money helps to land you in this genre, but it is not important. There are wonders in B-series cinema, says Palencia. For our festival, we choose films that aim to make you laugh without meaning to, unintentional comedies with or without a big budget. Feature films with plots that are so absurd that the audience, instead of following what is happening on screen, is in disbelief, and enjoys it from a new perspective. Whether it is because of the lame special effects, impossible-to-follow editing or crazy script decisions.

Image from 'Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam,' a Turkish version of 'Star Wars.'

Not everyone agrees that trashy movies are funny. Domingo Lopez, a member of the programming committee of the Sitges Film Festival, disagrees: I know I am in the minority and I debate this a lot with friends. When you scrape the surface of world cinema, what remains at the bottom of the barrel is trashy cinema. That is where the surprises are, the unusual in its absurdity. Trash cinema is born from great involuntary discoveries, not from films that make you laugh, although I understand that at events, movie sessions and competitions those are the ones that work best.

Image from 'Lady Terminator' (1989), the Indonesian copy of Cameron's classic.

Trash cinema is not just about ripoffs, but there are many that fall into this category. The list includes Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam (1982), a Turkish version of Star Wars; the Chinese version of Dracula, where the legendary vampire advancing by leaps and bounds; Space Monster Gwangmagwi (1967), a South Korean version of Godzilla, which was the countrys first science fiction film; A. P. E. (1976), a Korean version of King Kong, shot quickly to take advantage of the interest in the Jessica Lange movie; and Lady Terminator (1989), the Indonesian ripoff of Camerons classic...

There are cheap imitations of Pixars greatest hits, obscene Korean versions of Transformers, disturbing Georgian plagiarisms of The Simpsons... Theres everything, says Palencia.

On the platforms, the algorithm produces cheesy films that imitate previous releases on those same websites, adds Fernandez. The latest disaster that confirms this is Jackpot! on Prime Video.

An image from 'Made in China,' directed by and starring John Liu, a Bruce Lee impersonator.

And thats not to mention the hundreds of Rambo knockoffs, like Deadly Prey. Or Brucexploitation, a whole film subgenre involving Bruce Lee look-like actors in imitation martial art movies. Take for example Taiwans John Liu, the director of Liu in Paris (1981), Dragon Blood: Liu in Mexico (1982), Made in China (1982)  shot on Spains Costa Brava (just look at the street names), although it was set in Zambia and France  and New York Ninja (1984). Liu ended up in jail in the Spanish city of Zaragoza for filming porn with minors. Now, the 80-year-old is retired and lives in Taiwan.

A victim of evil in 'I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle' (1990).

Thats why the best trashy movies arent trying to be trashy. Like the films of the legendary Ed Wood or The Room (2003) by Tommy Wiseau, which has become a cult classic. Indeed, the movie made such an impact that James Franco directed and starred in a movie about how it was filmed called The Disaster Artist (2017), which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay  a level of critical acclaim that The Room never reached. And a tribute to the movie, The Room Returns!, starring Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) is soon to be released.

One thing is the typical low-budget or Z-series films or very exotic movies like the Filipino Batman, the Japanese Spider-Man or the Korean Ninja Turtles. Those are bad and make you laugh from day one, explains Palenica, who adds that other films  which take themselves too seriously  can also appear ridiculous, regardless of their budget. What will happen with Cats in a decade? I think it will be some kind of cult movie in trashy cinema. Like that Transformers 2, which has even been made fun of in the series The Boys, where it is used as a measure of idiocy.

A moment from the TV series 'Supaidaman' (1978), the Japanese Spiderman.

A growing number of people love trashy movies, and while they are also fans of B-movies, they know how to tell the difference between the two. There have always been bad films, says Fernandez. In the 1940s in Hollywood, the Monogram production company was dedicated to making them, and now The Asylum [creators of the Sharknado phenomenon] is. They make them bad knowingly.

Palencia point to two more current examples from Hollywood: Cocaine Bear (2023) and Slotherhouse (2023). They dont count, they are made purposefully bad, he says.

The monster from 'Space Monster Gwangmagwi' (1967), the first Korean science fiction film, a knockoff of 'Godzilla.'

Thats not trashy, insists Fernandez. In these times of political correctness, where you cant laugh at someone, doing so at these films is an act of rebellion. And whats more, its a living cinema. Not like the one we see in cinemas, inane copies that come out of film schools and festival laboratories. In these movies, at least someone has tried something different. Trashy cinema is also there to remind us that cinema is not just for geniuses or office workers who do everything well.

Palencia points to the example of Iranian filmmaker Jahangir Salehi, exiled in the U.S., who filmed Dangerous Men (2005) on his weekends over 21 years. Of course, the result is what it is.

'Badi' (1984), the Turkish version of 'E. T.'.

CutreCon is attended by up to 7,000 spectators, who fill 500-seat theaters. Its obvious that when you see trashy movies surrounded by more people, they work better. Now we are working on the selection for the 2025 edition, and we have already received 17 features. You can feel the passion, says Palencia.

According to Lopez, the internet has helped us a lot in the search and in creating forums, especially for people like me who are interested in investigating their context, knowing who made these films and why.

Palencia gives an example: The Turkish E.T. that falls in love with a man was filmed in 1988, and it didnt want to make fun of the LGTBQ+ community, quite the opposite. The gay people [in the movie] are treated with great respect. The director makes the alien peaceful so that the public sees pacifism and homosexuality with the best of intentions.

Fausto Fernandez recalls another: A Malaysian film about a girl who turns into a kind of tiger. And, like an animal, she jumps to climb palm trees. It was successful because it has a feminist-ecological message, although the film turned out terribly. I only hope that the public, seeing trashy films, wakes up and reacts to the current dullness in cinema.

'Ratatoing' (2017), the Brazilian copy of 'Ratatouille.'

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Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi clinic in Memphis. (Photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi.)

Tennessee has lost a legal bid to regain $7 million in annual family planning funding while it challenges a federal rule that requires states to tell pregnant patients about all their options, including abortion.

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled Tennessee is unlikely to succeed in challenging a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ax the states funding connected to family planning.

The federal agencys decision came after Tennessee Department of Health officials said they would provide patients information only about all options that are legal in the State of Tennessee, where abortion has largely been outlawed since 2022.

The states decision is contrary to rules the federal agency is entitled to make, the court ruled.

Tennessee, the court noted, had the option of rejecting federal funding entirely or to accept an alternative proposal put forward by the federal government to offer patients a toll free hotline number to access information about abortion.

Tennessee was free to voluntarily relinquish the grants for any reason, especially if it determined that the requirements would violate state laws, the court wrote. Instead Tennessee decided to accept the grant, subject to the (rules) counseling and referral requirements.

A spokesperson for Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said via email Tuesday that the office was reviewing the opinion and considering next steps.

The appeals court shot down a series of legal arguments made by attorneys with the Tennessee Attorney Generals office, including that the rules infringes on Tennessees state sovereignty and usurped Congresss authority to set such rules, instead of the agency.

Judges on the 6th circuit said in their decision that Tennessee could not use its criminal abortion law to dictate eligibility requirements for the Title X funding.

The court also ruled that there is no indication that the non-directive options for counseling and the neutral information required by the rule are not allowable under state law, noting the abortion ban does not address counseling.

Though Tennessee law prohibits a person from performing an abortion, the law contains no language whatsoever related to counseling or referrals. the court wrote.

And, the court noted, Tennessee has not suffered from the loss of funding; the Tennessee Legislature approved state funding to replace the lost federal dollars.

A partial dissent by Judge Kethledge Gibbons argued that the federal rule requiring neutral information and referrals about abortion may, itself, violate federal law. Gibbons concurred with the rest of the opinion.

The decision leaves the states lawsuit, filed in October 2023, to wind its way through federal court in Nashville.

The ruling

6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Tennessee Title X funding
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

This post originally appeared on Florida Phoenix

Florida can enforce its law banning gender-affirming care for minors and restrictions on adults pending appeal of a federal court ruling that the ban is unconstitutional.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit sided with Florida in allowing the states ban on hormone replacement therapy for minors and limits on what kind of providers can administer hormones to adults.

The court also ordered expedited proceedings in the appeal.

The order reverses a July ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in Tallahassee, in which he reaffirmed his block on the ban while the case went through appeals. Parents of transgender children and trans adults brought the case in 2023 after the Florida Legislature passed SB 254.

In an unsigned opinion, the appellate court ruled, 2-1, that the defendants, including Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and the Florida Board of Medicine, are likely to succeed in the appeal.

The district court likely misapplied the presumption that the legislature acted in good faith when it concluded that the prohibition and regulation provisions, and the implementing rules, were based on invidious discrimination against transgender minors and adults, the majority, comprising judges Britt Grant and Robert Luck, concludes. Former president Donald Trump appointed both judges.

Judge Charles Wilson dissented, arguing against government interference in private medical decisions.

On balance, evidence in the record demonstrates that the plaintiffs and class-members would suffer if the stay were granted  withholding access to gender-affirming care would cause needless suffering, Wilson wrote.

In contrast, denying the stay would support a ruling grounded in the public interest. This matter is a medical issue, where patients are best left to make decisions alongside health professionals, with access to complete, unbiased information, as needed.

The decision comes as a blow to clinics in the state that had resumed their hormone replacement therapy services, such as 26Health in Orlando, following Hinkles strike of SB 254, as well as their patients.

Weighing harm

But the appellate court concluded that the harm Florida would suffer from inability to enact the will of the Legislature to avoid irreversible health risks to its children is greater than the harm caused to transgender Floridians.

As to harm to others, even with the law in effect, physicians may continue to prescribe and administer puberty blockers and hormones to adults. And minors who were already receiving them may continue to do so, Grant and Luck wrote.

Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), one of the human rights organizations litigating the case, said the order was disappointing and called SB 254 a textbook example of a law that is based on bias.

I think it is very wrong. Its a divided panel, two to one. I think the two-judge majority just disregarded the district courts very thorough, very careful factual findings, Minter said during a telephone interview with Florida Phoenix.

Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix

The tone of the appellate courts order is starkly different from Hinkles rebuke of the 2023 law. In June, Hinkle ruled that SB 254 targeted transgender people and compared the discrimination transgender people face nowadays to racism and misogyny.

During a press conference in June, Gov. Ron DeSantis predicted that Hinkles decision would be overruled.

This will be reversed, theres no question this will be reversed, DeSantis said at that time. He referred to a ruling by the Eleventh Circuit in favor of an Alabama law banning genital surgeries on minors, which are not contested in the Florida suit.

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Originally Appeared on them.
Apple juice sold in SC recalled for arsenic levels. Heres where, what brand & health risks

Apple juice sold by Walmart in South Carolina and 24 other states has been recalled due to high arsenic levels, the Food and Drug Administration announced.

No illnesses were reported, but symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness and muscle cramping.

Walmart and the maker of the product Refresco Beverages US Inc., based in Florida, voluntarily recalled almost 10,000 cases of its Great Value brand apple juice.

The FDA issued the recall in mid-August and upgraded it Friday.

The product is sold in six-packs of 8-ounce bottles and has a UPC code of 0-78742-29655-5 and a use by date of Dec. 28, 2024. The juice contains inorganic arsenic as opposed to naturally occurring arsenic. Both are commonly found in low amounts in food.

Inorganic arsenic has a higher toxicity and has been labeled a carcinogen.

Long-term negative health effects depend on the mineral level, the consumers age and the frequency of exposure, the FDA said, but in this case the agency does not expect the product to cause severe health consequences.

Besides South Carolina, the recalled products were sold in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Levels found in the recalled apple juice bottles are low enough that the FDA does not expect them to cause such severe health consequences.

Last year, Florida-based WanaBana voluntarily recalled some batches of applesauce due to high levels of lead, and the FDA banned the product. The parents of two South Carolina children alleged their children suffered health problems and have sued the company.

Hundreds of other cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control, the federal agency said.
AR man held on $5M bond; accused of shooting at judge, officers

AR man held on $5M bond; accused of shooting at judge, officers

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Harrisburg, Arkansas man is being held on a $5 million bond after police say he shot at a Poinsett County judge and law enforcement officers.

Christopher Ford, 35, was arrested by the Poinsett County Sheriffs Office on Saturday.

According to reports, deputies responded to Judge Ron Hunters home around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a call from the judge, claiming a man was threatening him on his property. The property was searched, but law enforcement officials could not find the man responsible.

Around 9:30 p.m. the same night, Judge Hunters wife called to report that someone had fired shots at their house.

A deputy arrived at the home, and while speaking with the judge, a person began shooting at them. Reports say additional deputies arrived and the shooter began firing shots at the responding officers also.

Deputy jailer arrested in connection to Joshua Zimmerman escape

No one was injured in the incident.

Multiple law enforcement agencies began searching for the man responsible for the shooting.

On Sunday, around 3 p.m., a search warrant was conducted on a home linked to the shooting incident the day before.

Ford was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit capital murder, terroristic act, manufacture of a schedule VI controlled substance (greater than 14 grams but less than four ounces), possession of a firearm by certain persons, and terroristic threatening 1st degree.

On Monday, the Poinsett County Sheriffs Office announced that Ford had been charged with two additional crimes in connection to the shooting  forgery 1st degree and animal cruelty.

It was later discovered that one of Judge Hunters mules was shot during the incident. Officers also found counterfeit $100 bills during the search warrant on his home.

Ford appeared before Judge Scott Ellington on Monday for a Probable Cause Hearing, where his bond was set at $5 million.

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Two graves in a dense burial ground discovered in 1851 northeast of Moscow held rather peculiar inclusions along with their deceased residents.

Inside each of the graves, which held the remains of adult males, was a battle ax placed close to the right shin bone of the deceased.

The axes were not the only artifact left in the graves, which were also filled with items a bit more fitting of a tax collector.

The correlation between ancient Russian tax collectors and the possession of a battle ax isnt fully known, but thanks to a recent excavation project in a burial ground northeast of Moscow, we have that connection.

While this may not be true of every Russian tax collector, at least two Russian taxmen were also Russian... axemen.

According to a translated statement from the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the State Historical Museum, the continued excavation of the seven-acre medieval Gnezdilov burial ground, originally found in 1851 near the town of Suzdal, offered up the chance to look at 50 previously undisturbed burial sites.

It was graves No. 59 and No. 49 that presented the most intriguing personal affects to be buried with and a combination one doesnt see often (if ever): battle axes and artifacts associated with tax collecting.

The style of axe foundit features a chased hammer on the butt end and a semicircular notch at the basewas most common in the 11th century, which is the era the burials date back to, but was seen into the early 12th century. Past examples of these axes came decorated with silver inlays.

In grave No. 59, the excavation team discovered the skeletal remains of a 35-to-40-year-old male. He had with him a belt buckle shaped like the stringed musical instrument the lyre, a knife, a broken ceramic vessel, and the metal battle ax. The ax was located near his right shin bone.

Then, in grave No. 49, the contents were nearly identical. This grave, belonging to a man roughly 10 years younger, also contained a lyre-shaped buckle, a knife, the battle ax in the same location near the right shin bone, and a mix of equestrian equipment that included stirrups and a saddle buckle.

The connection between the two medieval human skeletons with matching battle axes may come thanks to their profession. The deceased were almost assuredly high-status individuals, largely based on the equestrian equipment and other artifacts, and the discovery of scales and weights that were also found in the graves give experts reason to believe the long-deceased men were tax collectors. The evidence is enough to convincingly interpret the finds as an indication that the burial remains belong to men who regularly performed some sort of fiscal function, most likely the weighing of coins collected as taxes.

The experts believe that further analyzation of the artifacts should better date the burials found in graves No. 59 and No. 49. Elsewhere in the cemetery, the team found melted fragments of jewelry, likely from the 10th century, indicating at least one portion of the area features cremation burials. That practice appeared to end by the 11th century thanks to the artifacts found near the battle axes.

The equestrian equipment represents a rare find in burials. Over the 170-year history of studying burials in northeast Russia, only 15 unburied burials included stirrups, with two of those instances in Gnezdilov, indicating a life spent with horses was rarified air. The battle axes are also an unusual discovery, although not as rare. A total of 14 battle axes have so far been found from that era in northeast Russia, and Gnezdilov offers up the largest array of the weapon.

The potential high-status tax collectors probably not only fancied, but could also afford a life full of horses and weapons. The experts also believe Suzdal could have been a center of the military elite and a key location for forming the military culture of northeastern Russia. Whether associated with the military or not, we know that these two tax collectors had plenty of protection when out collecting taxes with their axes.

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PHOENIX  Allies of Donald Trump are using an unusual new Arizona law to urge a judge to throw out a criminal case charging them with fraudulently trying to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election result.

The law theyre citing was designed to stop prosecutors from bringing flimsy cases out of political animus. The defendants now trying to harness it include former Trump legal adviser John Eastman and other Trump confidants, as well as Arizona Republicans who falsely claimed that Trump won Arizona and held themselves out as the state's legitimate electors in the Electoral College.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat who took office in 2023, brought the case in April. Trump was identified as an unindicted co-conspirator.

At an all-day hearing in Maricopa County Superior Court on Monday, Judge Bruce Cohen signaled openness to the defendants' arguments for the charges to be tossed out under Arizona's so-called anti-SLAPP law. If Cohen finds that the arguments have merit, he could order a further hearing to gather evidence about the defendants' claims of political persecution.

Like many states, Arizona has long had on its books an anti-SLAPP law  which stands for "strategic lawsuits against public participation." These laws are typically designed to discourage vindictive and frivolous civil lawsuits against people exercising their First Amendment rights. But in 2022, Arizonas Legislature expanded the laws purview to include protection from politically motivated criminal prosecutions as well. It is the only anti-SLAPP law in the United States to offer such protection.

Prosecutors working for Mayes told the judge that the defendants claims of politically motivated prosecution are wrong-headed and offensive. And they signaled that, if the case goes to trial, they plan to depict the defendants alleged crimes to jurors in exhaustive detail: They intend to call as many as 80 witnesses during a trial that could last three months.

The trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026.

In addition to Eastman and the so-called fake electors, other defendants include Rudy Giuliani, Trump's former personal lawyer; Mark Meadows, Trump's former White House chief of staff; Boris Epshteyn, a close legal adviser to Trump; and Christina Bobb, a Republican Party lawyer focused on elections. One fake elector has pleaded guilty, and another defendant  lawyer Jenna Ellis  agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The other defendants have pleaded not guilty.

By invoking the anti-SLAPP law, the defendants argue that they lawfully exercised their First Amendment rights in the aftermath of the 2020 election, and that Mayes prosecution is retaliatory. The anti-SLAPP law allows them to seek to have the criminal case dismissed quickly  assuming they can convince the judge that they have been charged under a legal theory that is not "clearly established."

The law itself is so untested that, in court on Monday, lawyers couldnt even agree on its acronym. There are 16 defendants in the case, and their lawyers crowded into the courtroom, with many sitting in the jury box because there wasnt enough room elsewhere. After one of the first mentions of the law, Richard Jones  a goateed lawyer in a pink blazer who represents former Arizona Republican Party head Gregory Safsten  said the law now covered all legal action, not just lawsuits, and suggested a new acronym.

From here on out, we should be referring to these as anti-SAAPP, he said, dramatically elongating the last syllable.

Cohen did not rule on the defendants' bid for an evidentiary hearing on their political persecution claims. He was scheduled to hear further arguments on Tuesday.

A lawyer for defendant Jim Lamon, one of the fake electors, argued that the actions described in the indictment weren't actually illegal. The document Lamon signed purporting to be a duly elected Trump elector wasnt fraudulent when put into proper context, the lawyer, Dennis Wilenchik, argued. He said the word elected can be used interchangeably with the word appointed, and there was no dispute that the state Republican Party chose Lamon as one of its electors. And, he added, Lamon believed the document he signed was merely a backup in case a court determined that Trump had defeated Joe Biden.

Lamon and his cohorts in Arizona, like numerous other Republican activists in swing states that Biden won in 2020, signed paperwork on Dec. 14 of that year claiming to be lawfully chosen presidential electors. The paperwork in Pennsylvania and New Mexico included language indicating that the documents were contingent on court challenges. But in Arizona, the paperwork didnt have any language saying it was contingent. And prosecutors argued that, in fact, it wasnt contingent  that the electors instead participated in a scheme to create fraudulent documents that could be used to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence into rejecting the election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

At one point during Monday's hearing, the judge asked whether Arizona's Republican-controlled Legislature had passed the expanded anti-SLAPP law specifically in anticipation of charges against the Republican fake electors.

Michael Columbo, an attorney representing state Sen. Jake Hoffman, said he didnt have inside information on why the law was passed. But he noted that Arizonas political climate has become intense.

Being dragged into a prosecution can be financially devastating, he said. It will destroy your reputation. It can wreck families."

"There's a prudence" to a law that allows defendants to resolve their First Amendment defense early in a case, well before it reaches a jury, Columbo added.

Columbo and other defense lawyers argued that there are enough signs that the attorney general acted out of political animus to justify an evidentiary hearing on the issue under the anti-SLAPP law. They have noted that Mayes promised to investigate the fake electors during her campaign for attorney general, alleging they videotaped their crime for all to see.

They also noted that her top deputy posted a message on the platform X appearing to gloat about Giuliani being served with the indictment at his birthday party.

Cohen, the judge, sounded open to their arguments on Monday, and began discussions about when an evidentiary hearing could take place and what such a hearing would look like.

Stephen Binhak, a lawyer for Arizona Republican leader Tyler Bowyer, said the new anti-SLAPP law represents a fundamental sea change in how criminal law works.
The largest law enforcement association in Arizona on Monday endorsed Rep. Ruben Gallego in the states race for the U.S. Senate, a move that meant snubbing MAGA diehard Kari Lake, his opponent.

The Arizona Police Association is an umbrella organization that represents more than 12,000 law enforcement officers across more than 50 state agencies. Its announcement signals a shift from 2022, when it gave its full-throated support to Lakes ultimately unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign.

Gallego, a Marine combat veteran and ardent progressive, has continually fought for robust, increased funding for Americas Law Enforcement, and specifically Arizona Law Enforcement, the APA said in a statement.

Kari Lakes Election Denial Even Made Donald Trump Blush

It praised the congressman for voting to secure more than $168 billion in police funding and championing legislation to protect officers and their families, including bills that would provide de-escalation training and mental health resources.

The APA does not take our endorsements lightly; we recognize the importance of having a U.S. Senator that can bring people together to improve society for all, the statement quoted Justin Harris, the associations president, as saying.

Harris stood alongside Donald Trump just three days ago, offering him the associations endorsement at his Friday rally in Glendale.

It is clear who supports law enforcement, law and order, and thats President Trump, Harris saideven as he was being urged to hurry up and finish by the former president, who told him gotta go! as the restless crowd began chanting Trumps name.

Ruben Gallego Rips NRA and GOP After School Slaughter: Fuck You Ted Cruz and Fuck Your Prayers

Thank you very much, Trump said as Harris ceded the podium. Wow, thats a great endorsement. Means a lot.

At that same rally, Trump hyped up Lake, saying she was solid as a rock and calling Gallego a friggin loser.

But Lake has consistently lagged behind Gallego in the polls. One survey by The New York Times and Siena College published last weekend showed the congressman leading his Republican rival by a full 9 points, 51 percent to her 42 percent.

In a statement to The Arizona Republic on Monday, Lakes campaign said Gallego supported defunding the police and vilified law enforcement while serving in Congress. He supports open borders and is weak on crime. Kari Lake will always back the blue and support law enforcement and safe communities.

Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego Have Mid-Flight Debate on Border Issues

Despite styling herself as the tough-on-crime, pro-police candidate, Lake alienated swathes of law enforcement officers after taunting one of her primary opponents, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, calling him a total coward at a virtual candidate forum in May.

It was not immediately clear if the comment factored into the APAs decision not to offer her its support. The remark did not deter other police organizations like the Arizona Law Enforcement Association and the Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, which have both endorsed Lake.

Gallego said Monday that he was proud to have the APAs support, and that he was looking forward to working in the Senate to ensure Arizona's law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to combat fentanyl trafficking, train the next generation of officers, and, above all, keep Arizona families safe.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSNW)  The Arkansas City Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of its own this weekend. Trevor Rusk died while off-duty.

KSN spoke with several firefighters about the outsized impact Rusk had on his brothers and sisters.

Rusk is described in many words, which is fitting given that one of his brothers called him a man of many words. He was known around the station for his wicked sense of humor and the many pranks hed pull. He was also a respected, integral part of the team with an instinct and passion for the job.

Rusk was a firefighter and EMT who joined the ACFD on June 5, 2023. Despite his relatively short tenure at the department, he took on a leadership role in firefights and around the station.

That was just Trevor. He would do anything for anyone, any time of the day. It didnt matter, said firefighter James McIntosh.

I came in and immediately, Trevor just felt like an older brother. Kinda took me under his win and started showing me the ropes, said Cutter Plush, ACFD firefighter/EMT.

Rusk often came in during his off time to help around the station. Hed also regularly check in on other firefighters, asking about their families and cheering them up when something upset them.

He was simply a joy to be around.

He was like a magnet. If he was in the building or in the area, it just seemed like you wanted to be around that guy cause, I mean, you know, he was gonna say something funny every 10 seconds, or he would say something youd have to think about for a week before you even figured out what it meant, said Plush.

Without Rusk, the ACFD feels empty.

Its definitely not gonna be the same. Were not going to have our 3 a.m. Trevor in his boxers and helping clean out the ambulance when he doesnt have to, said Lacey Willinger, ACFD firefighter/advanced EMT.

I dont know it will never be the same; a huge part of this department died with him, said Joe Camara, ACFD firefighter/EMT.

Rusk remains part of the team.

Were gonna put his name right here cause this is where he always sat. That way, we can keep his legacy alive, and hell be with us on every call, said Camara.

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He was extraordinary, and theres no other Trevor. Were a family at the end of the day, and you know hes our brother, said McIntosh.

The firefighter loved his work, but what he loved most was his role as a father to his daughter.

He was trying to plan a vacation with him and his daughter that shell never get to experience. He loved that girl more than what he ever had, said Willinger.

He would move heaven and hell just for her, and I just hope that she knows if she ever needed anything, his shift will be able to help her, said Camara.

The other firefighters on Rusks shift said he would talk about his daughter with the team, boasting about her accomplishments in sports and sharing hopes for her future. They say they will always be there for her.

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FORREST CITY, Ark.  State investigators said that they have arrested a doctor from Forrest City accused of multiple counts of sexual assault as well as one count of rape.

Officials with the Arkansas State Police said 60-year-old Dr. Sudesh Banaji was arrested by agents with the ASP Criminal Investigation Division on Monday.

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The arrest by state police came at the request of the 1st Judicial District Prosecutors Office following an investigation into allegations that Banaji had made inappropriate sexual contact with female patients during examinations at his Forrest City Clinic.

Investigators said Banaji faces seven felony charges, including six counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of rape.

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State police report that Banaji was booked into the Cross County Detention Center on a $35,000 bond. Records from the jail show that Banaji was released on bond after just an hour and a half.

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A federal judge in Texas has temporarily suspended a government program that would grant legal status without having to first leave the country to spouses of American citizens who arrived illegally and have been living here for more than 10 years.

The judges decision is in response to a lawsuit filed by 16 Republican states that have asked to halt a program that would benefit some 500,000 undocumented migrants. Judge J. Campbell Barker said he needs for more information on the case and paused the program for 14 renewable days, giving the parties until October 10 to submit further documentation.

The program, called Parole in Place and announced by President Joe Biden on June 18, could benefit not only spouses but also their children, some 50,000 of whom are under 21 years of age.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton led the lawsuit that brought together 15 other Republican states, alleging that the program is unconstitutional because, they argued, it bypassed Congress. This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law, Paxton posted on the social media platform X upon learning of the judges decision.

The Biden plan is aimed at migrants who entered the country illegally and married an American citizen. To qualify for a green card, applicants must prove that they have been living in the country for more than 10 years uninterruptedly and that they were married before the date of the program announcement. In addition, they cannot pose a security threat or have a criminal record.

Paxton has criticized the program for allegedly having political purposes. He said that the Biden administration is responsible for the arrival of migrants who cross the border illegally and repeated Donald Trumps claims equating migrants with criminals. The lawsuit was filed against the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and other senior officials of his department.

Until now, undocumented migrants married to U.S. citizens had to leave the country and wait 10 years to be able to apply for legal status from outside the United States. The prospect of being separated from their families for more than a decade made many of them prefer to stay in the country, even illegally. Parole in Place, which has been Bidens biggest move to regularize migrants, also opened up a path for them to obtain citizenship and, in the meantime, obtain a work permit.

The program was welcomed by migrant rights organizations but heavily criticized by the Republican Party, which has made immigration a central part of its election campaign. At nearly every rally, Trump rails against what he calls the Biden administration's open borders policy.

However, the tightening of asylum conditions imposed by the president last June meant that illegal arrivals in July were 32% lower than the previous month, to reach 56,408. This is the lowest number of undocumented migrant arrivals in almost four years, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Texas should not be able to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of US citizens and their immigrant spouses without confronting their reality, Karen Tumlin, the founder and director of Justice Action Center, said during the news conference before the order was issued, AP reported.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Officials with Arkansas State Police said authorities offered services to 16 adults believed to be victims of human trafficking in Little Rock.

According to ASP officials, special agents and members of the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council conducted Operation BRIGHT earlier this month. Officials said that another 79 local victims were identified as part of the operation.

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Special agents said that services including food, lodging, on-site medical services, counseling, therapy and drug rehabilitation were offered to victims.

State troopers said that a suspected trafficker was identified as part of the operation.

ASP officials said that Operation BRIGHT was a muli-state human trafficking operation. Other state involved were New Jersey, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, New Mexico, California, Minnesota and Washington.

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ASP Director Colonel Mike Hagar said that it is the agency duty to provide services for those who have fallen victim to human trafficking in Arkansas.

Because of the hidden nature of human trafficking, it is extremely difficult to locate and reach out to victims, Hagar said. We have a moral obligation to extend services and support to those who have fallen victim to the manipulation, lies and violence of traffickers. The law enforcement community must work collectively to provide resources to this vulnerable population.

Special agents said that two children were removed from exploitative situations leading up to the operation. All minors were taken into protective custody, ASP officials said.

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In May, ASP officials said a similar operation was conducted in Hot Springs, where 25 adults were identified and seven were offered services.

Anyone with information on human trafficking is asked to contact the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council at reportht@asp.arkansas.gov or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Arlington Community Schools Superintendent Jeff Mayo has passed away, the district says.

In a post made to the Arlington Community Schools Facebook page, it was announced that Jeff Mayo passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.

With heavy hearts, we share the sad news of the passing of our Superintendent, Mr. Jeff Mayo. Today, we learned from his family that Mr. Mayo lost his courageous battle with cancer. As our entire district of employees, families and students begins to process this loss, we wanted to reach out to our school community as soon as we learned. Arlington Community Schools

Mayo became the districts Superintendent in 2020 after a unanimous vote by the ACS Board of Education.

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In 2023, Mayo was named a finalist as the National Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of School Superintendents. He was the only representative in Tennessee that year.

ACS closed out the heartfelt post by asking the community to come together to honor his remarkable life and the lasting legacy he leaves at Arlington Community Schools.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Private First Class Dewayne Arthur Johnson, II was charged by U.S. Army counsel with charges related to the disappearance of his wife, Mischa Johnson.

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The general nature of the charges are providing false official statements, obstruction of justice, and the production and distribution of child pornography in violation of Articles 107, 131b and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Army said the investigation is ongoing.

We are confident that law enforcement will exhaust all efforts to find Mischa and the likelihood of additional charges is certainly a possibility as the case develops, said Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.

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Mischa, who is 19-years-old and six months pregnant, was last seen on July 31.

Shock, disbelief. I mean, he celebrated every milestone and had happiness with a joy, acceptance in the family, Mischas mom, Frances Tapiz-Andrian said. (Mischa and DJ) were inseparable. They were in love.

They had no reason to doubt her son-in-law. But she said that changed once he was taken into custody and stopped cooperating.

Tapiz-Andrian told KHON2 that authorities told her there was a lot of forensic evidence found at their home suggesting that nobody would be able to come out of the situation alive.

PFC Johnson remains in pretrial confinement.

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FILE - A television screen shows a file image of Pvt. Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea Aug. 16, 2023. King, who fled to North Korea just over a year ago, will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  An Army private who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.

Travis Kings attorney, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told The Associated Press that King intends to admit guilt to a total of five military offenses, including desertion and assaulting an officer. Nine other offenses, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be withdrawn and dismissed under the terms of the deal.

King will be given an opportunity at a Sept. 20 hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, to discuss his actions and explain what he did.

He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did, Rosenblatt said.

In a separate statement, he added, Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations.

He declined to comment on a possible sentence that his client might face. Desertion is a serious charge and can result in imprisonment.

The AP reported last month that the two sides were in plea talks.

King bolted across the heavily fortified border from South Korea in July 2023, and became the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years.

His run into North Korea came soon after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on assault charges.

About a week after his release from the prison, military officers took him to the airport so he could return to Fort Bliss to face disciplinary action. He was escorted as far as customs, but instead of getting on the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.

He was detained by North Korea, but after about two months, Pyongyang abruptly announced that it would expel him. On Sept. 28, he was flown to back to Texas, and has been in custody there.

The U.S. military in October filed a series of charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, as well as kicking and punching other officers, unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. Those allegations date back to July 10, the same day he was released from the prison.
WASHINGTON (AP)  An Army private who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.

Travis Kings attorney, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told The Associated Press, that King intends to admit his guilt to military offenses, including desertion and assaulting an officer. Nine other offenses, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be dismissed under the terms of the deal.

King will be given an opportunity at a Sept. 20 plea hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, to discuss his actions.

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He wants to take responsibility for the things that he did, Rosenblatt said. He declined to comment on a possible sentence that his client might face.

Desertion is a serious charge and can result in imprisonment for as much as three years.

The AP reported last month that the two sides were in plea talks.

King bolted across the heavily fortified border from South Korea in July 2023, and became the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years.

His run into North Korea came soon after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on assault charges.

About a week after his release from the prison, military officers took him to the airport so he could return to Fort Bliss to face disciplinary action. He was escorted as far as customs, but instead of getting on the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.

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He was detained by North Korea, but after about two months, Pyongyang abruptly announced that it would expel him. On Sept. 28, he was flown to back to Texas, and has been in custody there.

The U.S. military in October filed a series of charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, as well as kicking and punching other officers, unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. Those allegations date back to July 10, the same day he was released from the prison.

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Army Private Who Ran into North Korea Will Plead Guilty to Desertion, 4 Other Charges as Part of Plea Deal

Pvt. Travis King, the soldier who dramatically ran across the border into North Korea last year, has reached a deal with Army prosecutors and will be pleading guilty to some of the criminal charges against him, according to his lawyer.

Frank Rosenblatt, the attorney, told Military.com in an emailed statement that King will plead guilty to five of the 14 offenses that he was charged with under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. One of the five charges King will plead guilty to is desertion, he said.

King, who had been stationed in South Korea, made international headlines in July 2023 when he left a tour group and dashed across the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea, where he was briefly held. He is slated to formally enter his plea at a hearing Sept. 20 in which "he will explain what he did, answer a military judge's questions about why he is pleading guilty, and be sentenced," Rosenblatt said.

Read Next: Marine Vet Arrested After Self-Publishing Book About Storming US Capitol on Jan. 6

Plea negotiations began about a month ago, postponing what would have been the first legal hearing in King's case, an Article 32 hearing similar to a grand jury proceeding for civilians.

King is being held in Otero County Detention Center in New Mexico, which Fort Bliss, Texas, uses for its pre-trial detainees.

The private was facing a host of charges from desertion and child pornography to insubordination, making false official statements, and assault  only some of which stemmed from his choice to run into North Korea. King has a long history of legal troubles that began more than a year before he bolted across one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.

In addition to pleading guilty to desertion, Rosenblatt told Military.com in a separate conversation that King will plead guilty to three counts of disobeying a senior commissioned officer and one count of assaulting a noncommissioned officer.

"Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him and to all outside of his circle who did not prejudge his case based on the initial allegations," Rosenblatt said.

Michelle McCaskill, a spokeswoman for the Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel, confirmed that a plea agreement had been negotiated but stressed that "the guilty plea is subject to the acceptance by the military judge."

"If Pvt. King's guilty plea is accepted, the judge will sentence King.  If the judge does not accept the guilty plea, the judge can rule that the case be litigated in a contested court-martial," McCaskill added in an email to Military.com on Monday.

Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for King's family, declined to comment "out of respect for the Army's process."

King's ordeal began after a spate of arrests by South Korean authorities led the Army to order the young soldier back to the States for discipline. However, King never boarded his flight and, instead, wound up on a civilian tour of the border village of Panmunjom, a major tourist attraction along the Demilitarized Zone. He left the tour and ran into North Korea on July 18, 2023.

In September, North Korea suddenly announced that it would release King back into U.S. custody.

After Kings return to the U.S., Rosenblatt said in a social media post last month that the soldier "spent three weeks in debriefings and reintegration at Joint Base San Antonio."

Once her son was back in the States, King's mother, Claudine Gates, said that she loved him "unconditionally" and that she was "extremely concerned about his mental health," according to a previous statement provided by Franks.

Since the family entered the spotlight, Gates has been adamant that "something happened to [King] while he was deployed."

Franks told Military.com last year that "there was just a cluster of problems in the fall of '22" and "everything goes to hell." A person connected to King's family said that period roughly coincided with a time when everyone was deeply emotional over the death of King's little cousin.

In addition to Rosenblatt, who is a former Army lawyer and the lead military defense counsel for Bowe Bergdahl, King's legal team includes Sherilyn Bunn, a civilian attorney from El Paso who "has extensive experience on Fort Bliss," according to her firm's website, and two military lawyers.

Related: Pvt. Travis King, Soldier Who Fled to North Korea, Faces Desertion and Child Pornography Charges
EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to correctly spell the name of Staff Sergeant Jeremy Taylors wife.

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  A couple who served in the U.S. Army have been gifted a mortgage-free home in East Tennessee.

The Freedom Alliance, US Bank, and HDI came together to provide Staff Sergeant Jeremy Taylor and Specialist Timea Taylor with the home.

Its just kind of disbelief that this is all kind of real and happening, Taylor said. They were able to put together a perfect house for me and my family.

Projection: Tennessees population may hit nearly 8 million by 2040

Freedom Alliance is a nonprofit organization that honors veterans across the country.

He served almost eight years total and his injuries are the types that prevent him from holding a job and has to do a lot of rehab, said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon.

The couple finding out they received a mortgage free home on a zoom call with US Bank.

A lot of emotions and a lot of gratitude felt at that time, Taylor said.

From cyberattacks to severe weather: How secure is Tennessees power grid?

I feel like a weight was lifted off of our shoulders, Timea added. It was just all the stress weve been feeling for a while now like, where are we gonna live? Where are going to raise our child? just lifted. We slept so good that night.

Kellen Bergman with US Bank believes a gift like this is important for those who sacrificed so much.

Its an honor to get to be a part of it, Bergman said. Its truly incredible to see this family who has given so much and to get to be a part of a huge part of their life.

 See more top stories on WATE.com

As the Taylor look to make this house a home, theyre also excited to be involved in their community and meet their neighbors.

Were really excited to get part of a community, weve never been part of a community, Timea said. Weve been moving from one place to another. we are ready to set our roots down.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Asheville downtown climbing wall, one of 1st in US, scaled by El Cap's fastest, removed

Workers remove the exterior climbing wall from the former Climbmax climbing gym on downtown Asheville's Wall Street. The exterior wall, installed in 1995, was one of the first of its kind in the United States.

ASHEVILLE - A gray bumpy and unlikely 36-foot-tall downtown landmark has been removed from its equally unlikely place  the side of a city parking garage  after nearly 30 years of challenging climbers and drawing surprised onlookers.

The climbing wall was approved by the City Council in 1995 and quickly installed by new climbing gym operator Stuart Cowles before Asheville's premier festival Bele Chere. The outdoor wall of the gym "Climbmax" was intended to give his business more visibility, Cowles said. But it also was part of what helped turn the then-sleepy city into a strange and fun place.

Cowles sold his business in 2022 and the new owner moved out. This month, the wall was taken down to allow the city, which owns the property, to prepare the spot for a yet-to-be-determined renter.

"I definitely have mixed emotions," Cowles told the Citizen Times Aug. 26, days after the wall's removal.

In 1992, Cowles, now 59, drove from New Hampshire to Asheville sight unseen with full car and the concept of a climbing gym, a new type of business for the United States. Even more unusual was the idea of the outdoor wall.

In 1995 he faced some pushback from the city, but convinced officials to rent the side of the parking deck and indoor space to him for $100 a month for the first year. After getting City Council approval in June, he drove the 2,500-pound artificial rock wall from its Oregon factory, and bolted it to the side of the deck, finishing at 2:30 a.m. July 28  just hours before the start of Bele Chere.

The wall quickly became a landmark and spectacle. One year, Cowles attached hard foam panels to the side, creating an "ice" climbing route. In 2003, Hans Florine  who set speed records ascending the Nose of Yosemite National Park's granite monolith El Capitan  zipped up it in nine seconds.

"We were all proud of ourselves when we did it in 23 seconds or 28 seconds," Cowles said.

Climbmax closed the gym to the public at the start of the pandemic but opened it to private events. After it was sold, new owners, Cultivate Climbing, moved out and now run their gym out of an Amboy Road location.

City spokesperson Kim Miller said some nearby business owners believed the unused space and surrounding area had "become less safe" and so city staff began looking at new uses.

Removing the wall cost $20,000, Miller said. It's expected to cost another $32,000 to demolish the interior space. In addition, the city plans to spend $2,000 to paint the wall.

To recoup some of that, the city plans to auction the wall, which it thinks may go for $3,000.

As for what type of renter might go in the space, Miller said city staff and nearby businesses are discussing ideas.

More: Downtown developer to appeal city board to convert former unpermitted Airbnbs to hotel

Asheville to get Business Improvement District. But what must happen first?

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville downtown climbing wall, one of 1st in US, removed
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA)  A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty to second degree murder Tuesday in connection to the death of another man at an Asheville apartment complex in 2020.

The Buncombe County District Attorney said Rodnee Rayshaun Bowman, of Asheville, pleaded guilty to the 2020 murder of 24-year-old Jailyn Dumari Morton.

7NEWS previously reported that officers responded to the Hillcrest Apartments in Asheville on February 9, 2020 around 8:40 p.m. to find Morton suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to Mission Hospital where he died a short time later from his injuries.

According to reports, witnesses said Bowman was involved in a fist-fight with another person on scene before a partner of Mortons broke up the altercation. An argument between Morton, who was said to not be involved in the fight, and Bowman began and ended with Bowman pulling out a 9mm pistol and shooting Morton in the right side of his chest.

Reports state surveillance video showed Bowman running from the scene following the shooting.

Bowman was initially charged as a juvenile but was transferred to be prosecuted as an adult in accordance with a North Carolina law after finding probable cause a juvenile has committed first degree murder.

Bowman will serve an active term of 12 to 15 years at the Department of Adult 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 WSPA 7NEWS.
Rodnee Rayshaun Bowman, 21, pleaded guilty Aug. 11 to second-degree murder for a 2020 shooting death at Hillcrest Apartments on Atkinson Street.

ASHEVILLE - An Asheville man pleaded guilty Aug. 11 to second-degree murder for the shooting death of Jailyn Dumari Morton, who was found by police lying face-down inside the living room of a Hillcrest apartment in 2020.

Rodnee Rayshaun Bowman, 21, pleaded guilty in Buncombe County Superior Court and was sentenced by Judge Alan Thornburg to an active sentence of 144 to 185 months, or 12 to over 15 years, in prison, according to an Aug. 27 news release from District Attorney Todd William's office.

Asheville Police Department warrants at the time said video surveillance and witness statements indicated a fight occurred at the apartment in Hillcrest Apartments  a public housing site near the River Arts District  shortly before the shooting on Feb. 9, 2020, the Citizen Times previously reported. Witnesses said a fist fight broke out with Bowman, which the victim, Morton, was not involved in, according to the news release.

A "partner of Morton's made efforts to break up the fight," the release said. After the fight, an argument flared up between Morton and Bowman, who drew a 9mm pistol and shot Morton in the right side of his chest.

Surveillance video caught Bowman running from the scene, according to the release.

During the course of a Feb. 10 investigation of the crime scene, police found a "crystal-like substance" believed to be drugs as well as pills, a bullet casing, a syringe with clear liquid and digital scales, according to prior Citizen Times reporting.

Previous reporting: Police: Juvenile charged with 1st-degree murder in Hillcrest shooting

Initial police investigation: Asheville police investigate Hillcrest shooting as possible first degree murder

Police responded and found Morton unresponsive in the living room, according to warrants. He was transported via EMS to Mission Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 24.

APD charged Bowman  who was a juvenile at the time  with first-degree murder and took him into custody in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service, according to a Feb. 27, 2020, APD news release.

Bowman was initially charged as a juvenile, but North Carolina law requires certain high level felony charges, including first-degree murder, be transferred to Superior Court after probable cause is found in juvenile court.

Morton's mother was present and spoke at Bowman's sentencing, according to the DA's release.

Born in Greenwood County, South Carolina, Morton is described as a "fun loving person who loved spreading joy through his cooking," according to his online obituary. He graduated from Greenwood High School in 2013 and left to "cherish his memory" his mother, father, three brothers and three sisters.

I hope that this sentence brings legal closure to the family of Jailyn Morton, and I wish them peace and healing, Williams, the District Attorney, said in the release.

More: Asheville teenager sentenced as adult for shooting 2 minors at 2023 Juneteenth festival

More: Asheville area youth gun violence up 255%: Community holds gun safety event downtown

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville man pleads guilty to 4-year-old murder in Hillcrest
ROANOKE, W.Va. (WBOY)  It was a car lovers dream on Monday at Stonewall Resort as nearly 300 corvettes stopped by on their way to Bowling Green, Ky. for the National Corvette Convention.

The Corvettes are part of the Atlantic Corvette Caravan which includes models from the mid-1950s to present day and includes owners from across 17 states and two continents.

The group is making their way to the National Corvette Museum to join thousands of owners from across the country and world to celebrate the museums 30th anniversary over Labor Day weekend.

Stonewall Resort urges caution amid continued low water levels

Started working on this thing over five years ago and to see it all come to fruition its been an absolute joy, but you know you surround yourself with good people and good leaders, it makes the event go that much smoother. Its been an unbelievable task so far. I get, Im thrilled that I get to lead most of these cars in and around the area and its just been an absolute joy, Atlantic Corvette Caravan Captain Jeff Zipity Duda said.

As the caravan makes its way to the National Corvette Museum, it will continue to grow as it meets up with other caravans from throughout the United States.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A team composed of staff members from LSU Shreveport, Red River Radio, and KTAL NBC 6 News has chosen the sunflower as the symbol that will represent the Caddo Parish Civil Rights Heritage Trail Project, and now we need local artists to submit designs for the logo.

Two (2) winners will be selected from each category. The youth category is ages 13-17, and the adult category is ages 18+. Each category, youth and adult, will receive a monetary donation. Three hundred dollars ($300) for the youth category and seven hundred dollars ($700) for the adult category. Generous donations on behalf of Dr. Gary Joiner of LSU Shreveport and the KTAL NBC 6 and KMSS FOX 33 Cares Krewe.

Upload as many original artworks as you like, and prize winners in the adult and childrens categories will be awarded their prize money (and other loot) by KTALs Cares Krewe.

ENTER your artwork here

Why a sunflower logo?

Sunflowers are complex. When theyre young, their delicate flower faces seem to stare at the sun as it travels across the sky during the day. But when sunflowers reach maturity, they stop following the sun and face east for the remainder of their lives.

Such a quality represents the faith of Civil Rights leaders in Caddo Parish during the movement.

They always face the sun, said Dr. Gary Joiner, Professor of History at LSU Shreveport. Even at night, sunflowers face in the direction where the sun will rise again.

The symbol can also be equated to the faith civil rights leaders showed in Shreveport during the movement when many Christian leaders and congregations kept their eyes on the Son and their backs toward darkness as they fought for equality.

The meanings of flowers

Sunflowers are native to Caddo Parish and grow all around us, but many of sunflowers family members are overlooked because they dont fit societys definition of what a sunflower should look like.

Ironically, not all sunflowers are yellow. Some are cream-colored. Some are red. Others are orange or gold. There are chocolate brown sunflowers, and there are mahogany red sunflowers.

When you make a wish upon a dandelion youre asking a member of the sunflower family to make your dream come true.

When someone gives you a sunflower, theyre wishing you a long life filled with lasting happiness.

Sunflowers help us heal

Sunflowers are magical. Their centers contain the Fibonacci sequence, and theyre known for rooting deeply into the earth. Theyre also highly beneficial in the process of removing toxins from soil.

Some types of sunflowers were used to remove cesium and strontium after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine.

Sunflowers have even helped stop land loss in the Netherlands.

Our team feels that a sunflower logo is perfect for the Caddo Parish Civil Rights Heritage Trail Project.

Caddo Parish Civil Rights Project

Historic trauma lingers on the souls and in the communities of those who carry the weight of emotional and psychological wounds across generations. And in Shreveport, Louisiana, historic trauma is a persistent cycle with the power to destroy people, families, communities, and cultures.

Thats why KTAL NBC 6, LSU Shreveport, Red River Radio, and Shreveport Green partnered to create the Caddo Parish Civil Rights Heritage Trail project. The series identifies the people, places, and events that significantly impacted the Civil Rights Movement in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

Articles published on Ktalnews.com and the Clio App guide you through our regions hidden history and help you discover the stories of the brave souls who fought for the equality of all who live in Shreveport today.

Are you ready to start painting yet? If so, dont forget to read all of the rules and guidelines for the competition.

Submissions must be in a digital format, but if you choose to use a physical canvas and paints to create your logo you may take a photo of your completed artwork and upload it here.

The winning designer grants KTAL, LSU Shreveport, and Red River Radio the right to use your artwork. The team will have the rights to modify and reproduce winning designs.

Dont forget to check out the competitions rules before beginning your artwork.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CHICAGO  Lawyers for former House Speaker Michael Madigan have asked a federal judge to exclude a laundry list of potentially prejudicial evidence from his upcoming racketeering trial, including details about controversial gaming legislation, Madigans influence over hiring at Metra, and payments made to a political operative who was accused of sexual harassment.

In a 41-page motion filed Monday, Madigans legal team said extensive pretrial publicity  including the Tribunes ongoing series on Illinois Culture of Corruption  is already undermining Madigans right to a fair trial, and that adding irrelevant evidence about sensitive or peripheral topics would only make it worse.

It is irrelevant and highly prejudicial propensity evidence masquerading as enterprise evidence,' the defense motion stated. If admitted, admission of this evidence will violate Madigans right to a fair trial, and result in speculation, confusion, and cajole the jury into finding guilt for improper reasons.

Madigan, 82, is charged in a 23-count indictment alleging he participated in an array of bribery and extortion schemes from 2011 to 2019 aimed at using the power of his public office for personal and political gain.

Also charged was Madigans longtime confidant Michael McClain, 76, a former state legislator and lobbyist who was convicted last year of orchestrating an alleged bribery scheme by Commonwealth Edison. McClains sentencing in that case is pending.

Madigan and McClain have each pleaded not guilty and the trial is set for October.

In a pair of pretrial filings earlier this year, prosecutors revealed they want to introduce evidence of a secret plan to funnel money to ex-aide Kevin Quinn, who was ousted from Madigans 13th Ward organization for sexually harassing a campaign worker. The Tribune first reported in June 2019 that the feds were looking into the Quinn payments, which came from McClain and a series of Madigan-connected ComEd lobbyists.

Among the recordings prosecutors want to play is one where McClain allegedly tells a former top Madigan aide he wants to keep the circle of people who knew about the plan real small because the more people that know  its too easy for people to babble.

In their motion to exclude the evidence, Madigans legal team said both the Quinn evidence and testimony in general about the sexual harassment scandal that engulfed Springfield is irrelevant to the charged conduct and would unfairly paint Madigan in a bad light.

The risk of unfair prejudice is staggering, the motion stated.  Injecting sexual harassment allegations into a trial post-MeToo is certainly one of the most efficient ways to elicit an emotional response and irreparably prejudice the jury against defendants.

Prosecutors also are asking to play a recording of Madigan talking to McClain about getting a job for the wife of a state representative, identified only as Public Official E, who had gone to Madigan because he needed money. The state representative, whom the Tribune has confirmed is Jaime Andrade, a Chicago Democrat, was later recorded thanking McClain for their efforts, which resulted in his wife landing a spot with the Illinois secretary of states office, according to the filings.

The defense argued Monday, however, that the evidence is only marginally probative because recordings dont show whether Madigan was aware or not that Andrades wife, a competent attorney, was qualified for a position.

It would be prejudicial, the defense added, to have the jury speculate on guilt based on efforts by McClain and Madigan to find people jobs that are not directly charged in the indictment.

Other evidence the feds want to introduce deals with efforts to pass a comprehensive gambling bill. State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, is cooperating with the investigation and has already testified at two related trials that McClain put him in charge of overseeing the gaming legislation at Madigans behest  a situation prosecutors said shows McClain took marching orders from the speaker.

Madigans lawyers, though, say any value the evidence has is outweighed by the publics generally negative views of gambling, whether its legal or not.

Vices like gambling are usually associated with prostitution, drugs, violence, pornography, money laundering, etc., the defense stated in its motion.  Consequently, the evidence will be inescapably intertwined with inflaming the prejudice of potential jurors who hold religious, moral, and/or personal beliefs that gambling is immoral or associated with degeneracy.

The same rules should apply to evidence about a secret 2014 report by the legislative inspector general about Madigans moves to help political allies with government positions at Metra, the suburban commuter train service, according to Madigans defense team.

The report, which was discussed in emails sent to Madigans inner circle by then-political director Will Cousineau, explained in detail how Madigan navigated the intersection of public business and ward-style patronage through his Southwest Side office and Illinois Capitol suite, the Tribune has reported.

While widely reported in stories about Madigans influence, the so-called Metra scandal is not a feature of this case, and should be excluded, the defense wrote.

The government never alleged Madigans purported requests to Metras governmental affairs department were a part of some quid pro quo or that there was any supposed corrupt intent, the defense wrote.

Madigans trial is expected to last up to three months and represents perhaps the greatest blow against the old Democratic political machine that held sway in Illinois and Chicago politics for generations.

The Tribunes Culture of Corruption series, which launched Sunday with a deep history of self-dealing in Illinois and the environment that fosters it, includes Madigan in a list dubbed the Dishonor Roll, featuring some 200 Illinois public officials who have been indicted, convicted or otherwise accused of wrongdoing going back more than a century.

Madigan features, of course, in this overwhelmingly negative publicity, his attorneys wrote dryly in a footnote in Mondays filing.

_____
NORMAN  Attorneys for a Moore Public Schools student who sued state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education over an administrative rule that prevents the student from changing their pronouns in school records have asked a Cleveland County judge for summary judgment in the case.

In a filing on Friday afternoon, Leslie Briggs, an attorney for the student, wrote, The ultimate issue in this matter is a question of law. Namely: do Defendants lack statutory authority to adopt the Student Records Rule? Plaintiffs urge this Court to answer the question in the affirmative.

Briggs also argued Walters and the board violated the students right to procedural due process under the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act and the Oklahoma Constitution, which Briggs said also would entitle the student to a summary judgment in the case.

The Defendants had no authority to engage in rulemaking to control students ability to correct their gender markers in school records, Briggs wrote. To allow Defendants Rule to stand amounts to an improper expansion of (the Oklahoma State Department of Educations) power and constitutes an usurpation of Legislative policymaking authority. Oklahoma law is clear: Agencies are a tool of the Executive to carry out the policy of the Legislature. They cannot unilaterally expand their authority, and they must abide by the publics right to due process.

Jason Reese, the listed attorney of record for Walters and the board in the case, did not return a message seeking comment left by email Friday afternoon.

District Judge Michael Tupper has not set a date for a hearing to consider the motion.

Attorneys for a Moore student who's sued state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters have asked a Cleveland County judge for summary judgment in the lawsuit.

The individual board members  Don Burdick, Sarah Lepak, Kendra Wesson, Katie Quebedeaux and Zachary Archer  also are defendants in the case, even though Reese has argued that they should not be included.

The lawsuit was filed in Cleveland County District Court on Dec. 21 by the Oklahoma Equality Law Center and the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice on behalf of the student, identified in the lawsuit under the pseudonym J. Doe. A former general counsel for the state Education Department successfully had the case transferred to federal court, but after a few weeks, a federal judge sent the case back to state court after the lawsuit was amended to include only state-law claims.

The student wants to change their pronouns in school records. But last September, the Walters-led state Board of Education created an administrative rule prohibiting school districts and local schools from altering sex or gender designations in past student records" without the board's authorization. The board granted final approval to the rule on Jan. 25 despite court orders from judges in Cleveland and Payne counties that allowed for such changes in student records. Bryan Cleveland, then the agency's general counsel, called the orders illegal.

Student was granted a protective order against Walters and state Board of Education

Attorneys for the student claim Walters and Cleveland have already publicly identified the student during a meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education. The student sought, and Tupper granted, a protective order against Walters and the board as a result.

Asked about that order on July 31, Walters denied it was issued against him and the board.

You know that thats not true, Walters said. The protective order was not against me. The protective order was against both legal teams to say  and my attorneys tell me this happens all the time  to say, listen, when youre collecting files on a minor, youre not to disclose the minors name. The judge even said this isnt a protective order against one particular individual. Its a protective order in general on how you get the information. So, look, that was a mischaracterization. Thats what we saw in that order.

He also denied having identified the student in a public meeting, although reporters were able to use the information provided by Walters and Cleveland during the public meeting to identify the students family.

I mean, I know I have not, Walters said. I have not spoken the childs name. But, again, what theyre talking about is files  where are files, how are they kept, how are things being disclosed. Again, look, its of the utmost importance that you keep confidential information confidential, which is what we strive to do, which is why you see us taking  we want to make sure that were doing things the right way. Look, I respect any kind of decision there regarding, yeah, if a child doesnt want their information out, I 100 percent respect that.

The process of creating and approving administrative rules for state agencies often is non-controversial and happens out of the spotlight. But the Oklahoma State Board of Educations aggressive rulemaking under Walters since he took office in January 2023 has drawn concern from both sides of the political aisle and at least two lawsuits, the one concerning the rule on pronouns and another concerning who has the authority to determine the content of school libraries.

In the latter case, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in favor of Edmond Public Schools, who sued, saying local boards, and not the state board, had that right. The court essentially voided the state boards library rule.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Student who sued Ryan Walters over pronouns rule wants summary judgment
Auburn man found by sheriffs helicopter and tasered after fleeing car crash

ELBRIDGE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Just after 11 p.m. on Aug. 26, State Police were sent to the intersection of Route 5 and Hamilton Road, in the Town of Elbridge, for a personal injury accident.

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According to troopers, a preliminary investigation showed that a 2022 GMC Sierra  which was driven by 35-year-old Mitchell Podolak, of Auburn  was headed south on Hamilton Road when he went through a red light.

The truck then collided with a 2009 Honda Civic  driven by a 17-year-old from Wolcott  at the intersection at Route 5.

Witnesses on scene observed Podolak run from the scene of the accident into the woods on Hamilton Road, said NYSP.

Onondaga Countys Sheriffs helicopter, Air 1, found Podolak hiding in the wood line near Tessy Plastics. Those inside the helicopter told deputies where to find him.

However, when they got to him, he refused to comply with the police, leading to him being tasered. He was then taken into custody without incident.

Podolak was taken to the State Police bridge and arrested for:

Leaving the Scene Of Personal Injury Accident 1st degree (class A misdemeanor)

Leaving the Scene Of Property Damage Accident

Driving While Intoxicated

Resisting Arrest (class A misdemeanor)

Several traffic law violations

He was taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center for arraignment in Onondaga CAP Court.

State Police were assisted at the scene by the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office, Jordan Fire, Jordan Ambulance, and SAVES Ambulance.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Police have arrested two juveniles and charged them with murder in connection with the shooting of a 13-year-old in East Austin, the Austin Police Department said in a press release Monday.

Officers arrived at the 6300 block of Thurgood Avenue after 8:30 p.m. Thursday and found Jeremiah Cavazos with one gunshot wound, the release said. Officer Jeremy Fisher, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department, previously said the victim had been shot in the chest. Cavazos died at the scene at 8:55 p.m., the release said.

Homicide detectives discovered that Cavazos and "Juvenile #2" had driven a stolen vehicle to the 6300 block of Thurgood Avenue to meet with "Juvenile #1," according to the release, which did not name the juveniles.

Cavazos and "Juvenile #2" "appeared to rob" "Juvenile #1," which prompted a shooting between the three individuals, wherein Cavazos suffered the gunshot wound, the release said.

Cavazos got back into the backseat of the suspect vehicle and "Juvenile #2" began to drive the vehicle, which threw Cavazos from the vehicle onto the pavement. Investigators determined "Juvenile #1" fled from the scene on foot, the release said.

"Juvenile #2" was arrested and charged with capital murder and could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty. "Juvenile #1" was charged with first-degree murder and could spend up to 99 years in prison.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Two juveniles charged in death of 13-year-old in East Austin
AUSTIN (KXAN)  When Nico Ramsey went to check his voter record last week, he said he surprisingly found himself among the 2.2 million Texans whose registration status is currently listed as suspense.

What this means, according to the Texas Secretary of States Office, is that their counties do not know their address or think they moved, which often happens because either a voter registration card or a jury summons sent in the mail is returned as undeliverable.

1.1 million ineligible voters removed from Texas voter rolls

I was confused when I saw suspense on my status, Ramsey said Tuesday. One, its not that descriptive on what that means, and its kind of intimidating, in a way, to see. Will I still be able to vote? Did I miss out on something? And also knowing that any time I move, Im always filling out that change of address, and that has always in the past sufficed for switching over my voter information.

He said he has now submitted another change-of-address form to resolve this issue, though whats strange is that the information listed on the states voting portal includes his current address and zip code. Plus, he voted in the most recent round of elections this spring with no issues. He also posted about his situation on Instagram so that his circle of friends and followers could check on the accuracy of their information.

I believe my network felt the same amount of shock because they know my voting habits. Im a very loud, active, proud voter, Ramsey said. However, what that did was it sparked someone to go look at their own voter status because if it can happen to me, an active voter, it could happen to someone who might vote not so often, and thats actually an easier way to fall into a non-active status.

How to check voter status

More than 12% of the states almost 18.3 million registered voters are currently part of that suspense list. People can review whether theyre part of it by entering their information into this state portal to check their voter registration status or by contacting their countys voter registrar.

What to do if suspended

If theyre seeking to be removed from the suspense list, voters can update their address online by Oct. 7, which is the deadline to register to vote in time for the November general election.

To use that online service, people will need to share their current drivers license or ID card, their Social Security number or their voter registration cards voter unique identifier (VUID) number.

Will you be able to vote if youre on voter suspense list?

According to the Texas Secretary of States Office, yes. Those with a suspense voter registration status can still vote in the upcoming presidential election, though it will require a few additional steps.

Voters will have to complete a Statement of Residence form either when they vote by mail or at their polling location prior to voting. If they moved to a new county, theyll have to a complete a Limited Ballot application during early voting at the main early voting polling place.

A voter on suspense who moved within the same county, though, would be allowed to vote on Election Day by returning to the precinct in which they previously lived and completing a Statement of Residence at that time.

How this even happens

According to the Travis County Tax Office, it will send two letters through the U.S. Postal Service when it attempts to reach voters at risk of removal from the voter roll. Voters who fail to respond go to a suspense file. Voting will move them back to the active voters list. However, state law requires the county to remove the names of those either not voting or who fail to contact the county after four years in that suspense status.

I think suspense can sound like a scary word, and its not. Actually, the suspense list is a way to protect voters because you may have accidentally ended up on this list even though you havent moved, Alicia Pierce, a spokesperson for the Texas Secretary of States Office, said. The suspense list guarantees that youll continue to be on the voter rolls for two election cycles, so that means probably about four years. Then, if for some reason you havent moved but you ended up on the list, the way to take yourself off the list is to just vote in one of the elections.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday the state had removed more than 463,000 people on the suspense list from the voter rolls in the last three years. This is part of the 1.1 million people taken off the voter rolls since 2021, which Abbott said is part of efforts to clean up election data and ensure legal registration.

Ramsey urged people to take all of these steps now so that they can make sure their vote counts come November.

The message I have for people is to dont assume that your status might always be active, he said. Double check and check often.

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(Bloomberg) -- Australia will limit visa approvals for foreign students from next year as part of a migration crackdown.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Under the policy, the government will cap new international students at 175,000 for higher education courses and 95,000 for the skills training sector, taking the total to 270,000, Education Minister Jason Clare said Tuesday.

Overall, there will be about 15% more students allowed for universities and 20% fewer for vocational colleges in 2025, Clare said. The government was writing to individual universities to inform them of their caps on Tuesday.

That limit on higher education visas implied a 13% cut from the fiscal year that ended in June, much lower than the 20-25% decline forecast previously by student services provider IDP Education Ltd., said Entcho Raykovski, analyst at Evans & Partners Pty Ltd. IDP shares jumped as much as 14% in Sydney, to the highest level in more than three months.

Ratings agency Moodys Ratings said the impact on Australian public universities from the announcement was likely to be modest.

This is an important part of our economy, no doubt about it. That hasnt changed, Clare told reporters in Sydney. It is about making sure that we set it up in a sustainable way for the future. We want students to come and study here.

University representative bodies continued to oppose the limits. Universities Australia Chair David Lloyd said in a statement that the caps would put a handbrake on the tertiary education sector. International students contributed A$48 billion ($32.5 billion) to the Australian economy in 2023, making it the countrys top services export.

Migration controls should not be imposed at the expense of any one sector, particularly one as economically important as education, Lloyd added, saying the limits would cause damage to Australias research and development capacity.

There had been no economic modeling on the impact of the decision, said Vicki Thomson, chief executive of the Group of Eight Universities, which represents the countrys biggest research universities. The unexplained number gives us no comfort, she said, in an emailed statement.

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia said in a statement that universities dont yet have enough information to make decisions.

Australia is just the latest country to crack down on international students over migration concerns, with Canada, the Netherlands and the UK all implementing or considering measures targeting the university sector.

In Australia, the government has been consulting for months over plans to impose limits on foreign students, part of a broader push to crack down on high post-Covid migration numbers. The surge in migration has coincided with rising voter concerns about a housing squeeze that sent rents soaring, proving politically damaging for the center-left Labor government.

Support for migration in Australia has fallen to its lowest level in five years, according to a poll released by Essential on Tuesday, with 42% of those surveyed saying it had a negative effect on the country.

--With assistance from Georgina McKay.

(Updates throughout, adds IDP shares, comments from analyst, Moodys, Go8.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia said on Tuesday it would limit the enrolment number of new international students to 270,000 for 2025, as the government looks to rein in record migration that has contributed to a spike in home rental prices.

The decision follows a raft of actions since last year to end COVID-era concessions for foreign students and workers in Australia that helped businesses recruit staff locally while strict border controls kept overseas workers out.

"There's about 10% more international students in our universities today than before the pandemic, and about 50% more in our private vocational and training providers," Education Minister Jason Clare told a press conference.

New international student enrolments will be capped at 145,000 for universities, which is around 2023 levels, and 95,000 for practical and skills-based courses.

Clare said the government would inform universities on their specific enrolment caps.

The University of Melbourne said in a statement that it had received its indicative cap, without elaborating, and was assessing the financial and other implications.

"The cap on international students will have detrimental consequences for our University, the higher education sector generally, and the nation for years to come," said its Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell.

The University of Sydney also said it was studying the likely impact of the cap.

"Well continue to work collaboratively with governments and the sector on managed growth of international higher education, one of Australias most valuable exports, it said in a statement.

Universities Australia, the peak body for universities, said the government move would "apply a handbrake" to the sector.

International education, Australia's fourth-biggest export after iron ore, gas and coal, was worth A$36.4 billion ($24.7 billion) to the economy in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Moody's Ratings sees a modest impact from the proposed cap on Australian universities, adding that it does not constitute a material deterioration in the operating environment for the sector.

"The credit impact on larger universities will be neutral, given any cap on commencements will constrain growth in international enrolments over time," said John Manning, Vice President and Senior Credit Officer, Moody's Ratings.

Polls have showed voters are concerned about large influxes of foreign students and workers putting excess pressure on the housing market, making immigration one of the potential major battlegrounds in an election less than a year away.

Net immigration hit a record high in the year to Sept. 30, 2023, surging 60% to a record 548,800, mostly driven by students from India, China and Philippines. That was higher than the 518,000 people in the year ending June 2023.

In a bid to contain the surge in migration, the government last month more than doubled the visa fee for foreign students and pledged to close loopholes in rules that allowed them to continuously extend their stay.

($1 = 1.4769 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Additional reporting by Stella Qiu; Editing by Michael Perry and Stephen Coates)
Related video: Funeral begins for Roger Fortson, the Black US Air Force member killed in his home by Florida deputy

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (AP)  A former Florida sheriffs deputy charged with killing a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman who answered his apartment door while holding a gun pointed toward the ground was arrested on Monday, officials said.

Former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 shooting death of 23-year-old Roger Fortson, Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille announced Friday. The charge is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Duran was booked into the county jail Monday, records show. Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille confirmed his arrest to The Associated Press.

Authorities say Duran had been directed to Fortsons Fort Walton Beach apartment in response to a domestic disturbance report that turned out to be false.

After repeated knocking, Fortson opened the door while holding his handgun at his side, pointed down. Authorities say that Duran shot him multiple times; only then did he tell Fortson to drop the gun.

On Friday, the day the charge was announced, candles and framed photos of Fortson in uniform graced the doorway of the apartment where he was killed.

Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on May 31 after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire.

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The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office reported the death of an inmate Sunday after a suicide attempt at the Cleveland County jail.

Authorities said a Cleveland County jail inmate died Sunday at an area hospital after an apparent suicide attempt.

At 11:55 p.m., Daniel Edward Freeman, 58, was declared dead at Norman Regional Hospital.

Authorities said Freeman was seen moving around his cell at 10 p.m. before lights out at the jail. Sight checks at 8:07 p.m. and 10:34 p.m. turned up no issues in the jail pod, according to the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office.

At 11:05 p.m. during another sight check, staff found Freeman unresponsive and immediately began life-saving measures and EMSA was called to the jail.

Freeman's official cause of death will be determined by the Oklahoma chief medical examiners office.

The sheriffs office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation's help with the investigation.

Jail authorities said Freeman was booked into the facility on Aug. 22, after his arrest by the Norman Police Department on complaints of first-degree burglary, kidnapping and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Daniel Freeman's death the latest at Cleveland County jail

Freeman's death is among several fatalities recently at the Cleveland County jail.

In May, Thomas Sanchez Pesina, 58, died at Norman Regional Hospital after he was found unresponsive.

Pesina was booked into the jail on May 21, 2023, after he was arrested on complaints of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication.

He was found incompetent to stand trial during an August 2023 hearing and was waiting for a transfer to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita.

The center is the state's only facility treating mentally incompetent defendants and has a long history of issues with capacity and wait times.

On April 19, William Kenneth Moore, 36, died at Norman Regional Hospital after a medical episode at the jail, according to jail officials.

In January, a federal lawsuit was filed against the sheriffs office, Turn Key Health Clinics and three medical professionals accused of contributing to the death of Shannon Hanchett, who died in the jail on Dec. 8, 2022.

Hanchett, 38, was affectionately known as the Cookie Queen as she ran a bakery in downtown Norman. She was arrested at an AT&T store on Nov. 26, 2022, on a complaint of misdemeanor obstruction and false reporting.

During booking, Hanchett told jail staff she suffered from bipolar disorder and lupus. According to the lawsuit, medical staff did not evaluate Hanchett for more than 72 hours after arriving at the jail and did not administer any psychotropic medications.

While medical staff reported that Hanchett displayed suicidal ideation and was severely dehydrated, jailers routinely missed 15-minute sight checks required under state law.

On Dec. 7, 2022, jail staff found Hanchett unresponsive on the floor of her jail cell. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and Hanchett was pronounced dead about 1 a.m. on Dec. 8.

Nearly two weeks later on Dec. 20, Kathryn Milano, 66, died in custody after suffering a medical emergency "related to pre-existing medical conditions," according to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office.

On Feb. 25, 2023, the detention center announced Joe Allen Sims Jr., 44, died by suicide while in the facilitys custody.

Lawsuit over Shannon Hanchett's death dismissed

A state medical examiners report determined Hanchett died of heart failure with significant contributing factors of psychosis with auditory and visual hallucinations and severe dehydration.

The lawsuit claimed Turn Key Health Clinics contract with the sheriffs office disincentivized staff from seeking more urgent care.

In Oklahoma City federal court last week, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones dismissed the lawsuit and granted 21 days for the plaintiff, Daniel Hanchett, who is Shannon Hanchetts widower, to file an amended complaint.

In one order, Jones wrote that the Court concludes that Plaintiff has not alleged sufficient facts to show that any municipal employee was deliberately indifferent to Ms. Hanchetts health and safety.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cleveland County investigating after inmate dies in jail
Authorities Reveal Cause of Death for Missing Man Found 10 Days After Vanishing from Hilton Head Rental

Stanley Kotowski, who was barefoot when he was last seen, is believed to have died the same day he disappeared, according to authorities

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Stanley Kotowski

A cause of death has been revealed for Stanley Kotowski, the Massachusetts man who was found dead 10 days after he disappeared in South Carolina.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 27, authorities confirmed Kotowski, 60, was the individual found dead on Monday, Aug. 26, underneath townhomes at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island.

Authorities said a security officer with the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island was searching the villas on Monday when he noticed a foul odor and flies near one of the buildings and contacted the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office,

Kotowskis body was later found in a small crawl space underneath two townhomes about 150 to 200 yards from where he was last seen on video, according to Sheriff P.J. Tanner.

County Coroner David Ott said an autopsy conducted Tuesday determined Kotowski died by suicide, and his cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging.

Related: Hiker Has Been Missing for Days After Getting Separated from Group at Montana's Glacier National Park

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Stanley Kotowski

Kotowski was last seen leaving his familys vacation home in the South Sea Pines Drive area around 10:30 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 16, in home surveillance footage previously shared by the BCSO.

The Mass. man, who was barefoot when he was last seen, is believed to have died the same day he disappeared, though the time of his death remains undetermined, according to Tanner.

The area where Kotowski was found is very secluded and and Tanner told reporters that he understood how the area "could be overlooked."



Beaufort County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Stanley Kotowski

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In a previous press release, the BCSO said Kotowski departed without his cell phone or wallet.

The victims wife, Jackie Kotowski, previously told ABC affiliate WJCL that her husband just walked out the door and never returned.

His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse, and he started to get a little paranoid, Jackie explained at the time. She said her husband experienced really bad insomnia for about a month before his disappearance, but said he did not have dementia.

Kotowski was missing for 10 days before his body was discovered underneath the nearby home. He was found in the same clothing he was wearing when he disappeared, Ott said.

Related: Last Body Found from Sunken Sicily Yacht as All 6 Missing Passengers Confirmed Dead

A BCSO report states Jackie told deputies that her husband was worried that the resort had set up a conspiracy, and believed people there were out to get him, according to WJCL.

Jackie also allegedly said her husband mentioned people were watching him several times, and even told her, Promise me you will go on without me.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

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Read the original article on People.
Awareness campaign launches for new NE child care credits described as state and national milestone

Advocates kicked off a public awareness campaign Tuesday for new Nebraska child care tax credits, and this is part of promotional material that will be available in English and in Spanish. (Courtesy of First Five Nebraska)

LINCOLN  Child care advocates on Tuesday launched a campaign to build awareness of a new Nebraska tax credit package described by one expert as a state and national milestone for both the industry and parents.

This is the most expansive and most robust tax credit program thats available for the child care industry and for parents in the United States, said Elizabeth Everett, deputy director of First Five Nebraska, which was created in 2011 to focus on early childhood care.

She called the credits approved last year by the Legislature huge  in the anticipated financial boost to working families and in seeking to reverse the exodus of child care centers and workers across the state.

One of the biggest achievements

Between 2022 and 2023, First Five statistics show a 30% turnover in the total early childhood workforce.

Over the past five years, the state has seen a 12% decline in licensed child care programs. Home-based child care centers, which make up the bulk of providers, declined by a reported 16%.

This is one of the biggest things that we were able to do for the child care space in the last few decades, Everett said of the bipartisan-supported credits championed last year by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and adopted as part of Legislative Bill 754.

Everett was joined at a news conference by Bostar and Bryan Slone of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry to review the credits and announce the public education campaign and websites created to promote and apply for them.

The Legislature capped at $25 million the available annual credits to be provided on a first-come-first-served basis under the package that goes into effect with the 2024 tax year.

That lawmakers put no sunset or expiration year on the credits was also big, Everett said.

The unique thing for us is we were able to pass something during a time when a lot of other states werent seeing child care bills passed, she said.

Bostar emphasized the importance of making more Nebraskans aware of the credits, and he lauded the strategy to get the word out to schools, businesses, tax preparers, families and others.

A key and later phase of the campaign will look at what did and did not work in connecting families, businesses and organizations with the tax credits, the advocates said.

The importance of child care to our state really can not be overstated, Bostar said.

A primary factor holding back workforce growth and development in the state, he said, is the lack of access to child care.

Its an industry thats currently struggling, Bostar said, noting the closure of day care facilities in his district. The margins in a lot of cases are practically non-existent to make a child care program work.

Vital for people attraction

According to First Five, as many as three-quarters of Nebraska children under age 6 have all available parents in the workforce. The group said that as the costs of raising young children increase, so do wage and operational challenges of child care providers.

A study done for the nonprofit in 2020 said that insufficient options for affordable and reliable child care takes a toll, a reported nearly $745 million annually, in losses for Nebraska families, businesses and state tax revenues.

Slone said that as his team traversed the state and held forums in the past three years, child care was at or near the top of community priorities.

People attraction  particularly the attraction of young families to Nebraska  is absolutely the key to Nebraskas future both from an economic standpoint and community sustainability standpoint, Slone said.

He said the state must do better to beef up the industrys workforce and number of licensed child care seats, which falls short of demand in regions across the state.

Slone said the tax credits targeted at business and philanthropists present an opportunity to make a difference in their communities.

These credits help businesses to take on an enhanced role in supporting access to child care, a crucial industry that keeps Nebraskans productive and engaged in their jobs, he said.

First Five, working with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, has launched various websites for each available credit, explaining eligibility and the application process.

Applications are required for the various credits, and first must be submitted to the Nebraska Department of Revenue, the nonprofit said.

Radio and television ads are to begin airing in November. Those and other materials are to be available in English and Spanish.

Nonprofits, service providers, schools, tax and accounting services, employers and municipal entities are helping in the effort, said Everett.

Creating the tax credits was just the first step, she said. No matter how urgently these supports are needed in our state, their impact depends entirely on how widely they are understood and used by those they are meant to help.

New tax credits

The new tax credits:

Child Care Tax Credit-Refundable (CCTC-R): For eligible families with young children under age 5, this credit helps offset some financial pressure by offering either a $1,000 or $2,000 annual credit per child, depending on household income and other requirements.

Child Care Tax Credit-Nonrefundable (CTC-NR) : Targeted at businesses, philanthropic organizations and other contributors, this credit is intended to encourage the private sector to help grow child care availability, especially in economically challenged areas. Tax paying individuals or organizations can apply for credit equal to either 75% or 100% of a qualifying contribution if the recipient of the contribution operates a program in a Nebraska Opportunity Zone or serves children on child care subsidy. The total credit amount cannot exceed $100,000 per year.

School Readiness Tax Credit-Refundable (SRTC-R). This offers a refundable tax credit between $2,300 and $3,500 to eligible, individual child care staff members or self-employed child care providers. It is intended to encourage career development for child care professionals. The amount of the credit is based on professional classification criteria set by the Nebraska Department of Education.

School Readiness Tax Credit-Nonrefundable (SRTC-NR): Available to qualifying owner-operators of child care programs, this credit encourages providers to grow the quality and availability of programs serving families in greatest need. The amount is determined by the programs Step Up to Quality rating and the average monthly number of children enrolled in the Nebraska Child Care Subsidy program during the tax year, ranging between $400 and $1,200 per child.

Refundable vs. Nonrefundable tax credits: Refundable tax credits are subtracted from the amount of tax owed when a tax paying individual or organization files a state income tax return. If the amount of the tax credit is larger than the tax liability, the difference is refunded to that filer. Nonrefundable tax credits can reduce the tax a filer owes to zero, but wont provide refunds.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Steven Carrillo, a Biology student from Bakersfield College, recently participated in the Stanford Summer Community College Premedical Program (SSCCPP), which concludes on Aug 3.

This program, hosted by Stanford Medicines Office of Diversity in Medical Education (ODME), celebrates 25 years of offering premedical education for undergraduates, including community college students.

KHSD releases statement following social media video of apparent bullying

The six-week program is designed for California community college students interested in careers as physicians and physician assistants.

Carrillo was among 21 students selected for the 2024 cohort. Participants engaged in traditional classes, medical school admissions workshops, and science-based classes such as human anatomy and molecular cellular biology. They also shadowed physicians, engaged in scholarly research on health disparities, and presented their own research projects.

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Carrillos research focused on how stigma toward homelessness and substance abuse impacts accessibility to treatment for the unhoused.

SSCCPP will accept up to 20 participants for the 2025 summer program, with applications open from Dec 1, 2024, to Mar 1, 2025. Application workshops and information sessions will be available during this period.

For more details, visit Stanfords program website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 18:46 | All, Japan

The Japan Coast Guard said Tuesday it plans to make a budget request for funds to construct what would be its largest multipurpose patrol vessel to respond to disasters and evacuate remote island residents in the event of emergencies.

It will seek 3.43 billion yen ($23.7 million) in the fiscal 2025 budget as part of the cost of constructing the 200-meter-long vessel at a time when it is strengthening surveillance near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, claimed by China.

The request will push up the total funds it is seeking in the budget to a record-high 293.5 billion yen, up 12 percent from the initial fiscal 2024 budget.

At around 30,000 tons, the new vessel, due to be put into commission in fiscal 2029, would far eclipse the coast guard's currently largest ship of around 6,500 tons.

Its total construction cost will reach around 68 billion yen, it said.

The vessel, which will also be used to dispatch police officers, firefighters and Self-Defense Forces personnel during natural disasters, will have the capacity to board around 1,000 people.

The fiscal 2025 budget request also includes 4.16 billion yen to procure two large unmanned SeaGuardian aircraft and 40 million yen for international efforts to thwart drug-related crimes, it said.

Chinese vessels have repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters around the uninhabited Senkaku islets that Beijing calls Diaoyu, prompting the coast guard to enhance surveillance.

Related coverage:

Defense Ministry eyes record 8 tril. yen budget request for FY 2025

Japan to open U.S.-inspired defense tech research center in October

Japan's unused defense budget in FY 2023 totals 130 billion yen
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A federal jury returned a criminal indictment against a Charlotte woman for her role in a scheme involving fraudulent bank accounts, according to the Department of Justice.

According to allegations in the indictment, Jaminata Starks, 29, of Charlotte was employed by a bank and worked for a branch in Charlotte. Starks had the ability, among other things, to open new bank accounts for existing customers and transfer funds between customers accounts.

The indictment alleges that, between April 13, 2022 and May 23, 2022, Starks conspired with others to use customers personal identifying information to open new bank accounts in the customers names and transfer funds from their existing accounts into the fraudulent ones without the customers knowledge of consent. Starks and other conspirators then allegedly used various methods to withdraw the funds.

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Based on the charges during the scheme, Starks allegedly transferred at least $120,000 from the bank and made false entries in the books and records. It was further alleged that Starks was offered an additional $1,000 for each fraudulent new account she created.

In addition to the charges, the indictment contains a notice for forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $30,000, which the government claims is money earned during the alleged criminal conduct.

Kentucky man sentenced for faking own death to avoid paying child support

Starks was charged with conspriing to defraud the United States and to violate the laws of the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She also faces four counts of making false entries in a bank record, which carries a max of up to 30 years in prison per count and four counts of aggravated identity theft, carrying a mandatory two-year prison sentence, consecutive to other prison term imposed per count.

Starks was released on bond.

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BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV)  The Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort is considered the crown jewel of the city, but whats going on underneath the park could cost the city millions upon millions of dollars just to keep that jewel shining.

Chambers Park was built in 1975, close to the end of the usual life span for a project of its kind. Recent inspections showed it isnt in great shape, but not the pavilion or the park itself, but underneath the park.

Should we be concerned that its going to fall in the water? Beaufort City Manager, Scott Marshall said. And the answer is no. Theres no expectation of catastrophic failure at once.

The seawall and park itself are floating on 570 pilings, which are the stilt like structure that hold structures up and out of the water. A 2019 inspection by divers showed 47 of those pilings were considered to have structural integrity issues, or failing.

Its a deterioration of the concrete or some obvious oxidation or protrusion of the rebar that supports the concrete structure itself, Marshall said.

A recent inspection showed more deterioration in some spots. In some cases, the 18-inch pilings, which were once square, were down to 12 inches around in a circle.

Its gotten so bad that even American Cruise Lines which had been docking here, bringing its hundreds of passengers with it, has been told to stay away for now.

Yet, its what the city cant see in this years inspection that is more troubling.

Given the fact that we have 570 piles underneath this structure, and we can now only see 227 of them because shoaling is occurring and we cant even inspect the majority of the piles, Marshall said. Thats a concern that I feel like we need to address. The shoaling is not going to get better. Thats going to continue over time. And so, I think we need a long-term solution.

That long term solution will be costly.

On June 11, 2024, during a City Council Work Session, McSweeney Engineers presented an evaluation report following a periodic assessment of the parks relieving platform. The report contained several recommendations based on the conditions of the structure discovered during the assessment and to help guide efforts toward pursuing these recommendations, the city is seeking the services of a qualified professional.

A request for qualifications has gone out for marine engineers to look at the project, and fix whats under the park.

Marshall said he doesnt have that expertise but believes the final cost could be as much as $100 million, which is more than double the citys annual budget.

The cruise line has said it may step up to help since Beaufort is one of the only places the boat can dock and let off passengers without other transportation needed. Marshall said he is also counting on state and federal leaders to their part as well.

Dont think you can overstate the significance of this park to not only the local economy, but the state economy as well, said Marshall. And for all of those reasons, I think that there will be a lot of assistance with whatever the long-term solution might be for this park.

Marshall said the city has been spending on small fixes over the years on Chambers Park, even pending more than $8 million in renovations in 2005 alone.

The McSweeney report also recommends increased inspections, studying and securing funding to begin replacement of the structure itself.

The engineering request for a quote (RFQ) is still open through Sept. 6, a deadline that was delayed by Tropical Storm Debby.

The RFQ requirements include:

Demonstrated knowledge of and experience engineering complex civil, structural, marine, coastal and waterfront type projects, preferably in the Southeast.

Previous experience with projects of similar scope, complexity and magnitude to that of the relieving platform.

Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working with local, state and federal permitting requirements and processes associated with marine, coastal and waterfront projects.

Demonstrated knowledge of available grant and other funding sources.

Demonstrated knowledge of local marine conditions associated with coastal saltwater estuaries and impacts associated with forecasted sea-level rise.

Demonstrated experience working on complex projects that involve local, state, and federal purchasing, procurement and contracting procedures.

For more details and instructions on how to submit a proposal, the Solicitations from City of Beaufort website has more information.

Once they choose a firm, the city will start doing the investigation on exactly what needs to be done underneath the surface and how much that will cost. Right now, theres no timetable for any of those things to happen.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man who was shot in the Cascade Plaza near Washington Square Mall by Beaverton police died Monday night, authorities announced Tuesday.

Officers responded to the area Monday night and shot Jacob Daniel Bundy, 39, of Portland outside Nordstrom Rack at 9175 SW Cascade Avenue  across the freeway from the mall  according to Washington County officials. Bundy died at the scene.

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Bundy exited the business as two Beaverton officers were walking up to the store. As officers attempted to detain him, Bundy pulled out a handgun, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. After a struggle in which Bundy fired his gun, Bundy was shot by police.

The officers involved suffered minor injuries, according to authorities.

Investigators said the gun and motorcycle Bundy had driven to the store were previously reported stolen in Washington County and Vancouver, Wash.

An investigation through the Washington County Major Crimes Team remains ongoing.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

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Re: "DPS director McCraw exits without accountability for Uvalde, but story isn't over | Grumet"

Best line in Bridget Grumet's piece: "Good thing our DPS chief looked the part."

Indeed. With his oversized cowboy hat and bespoke boots hand-tooled with a gold "Texas Ranger" seal, McCraw looks like the kind of lawman that Greg Abbott and Rick Perry always wanted. Which makes sense, because history has shown that it's the governor who McCraw really answers to  not the state of Texas nor its citizens nor the Legislature.

So it's not surprising that from 2012, when a DPS sniper in a helicopter pursued, shot and killed unarmed migrants lying in a pickup truck, to the unspeakable Uvalde debacle and beyond, the DPS under McCraw has eschewed accountability and transparency. He danced in those boots with who brung him.

Brenda Bell, Austin

McCraw can't avoid taking blame for

the DPS' failed response in Uvalde

Kudos to Bridget Grumet and her astute observations regarding the announcement by (DPS Director) Steve McCraw that he will retire at the end of the year.

As head of the DPS, McCraw cannot avoid taking much of the blame for what happened at the elementary school in Uvalde.

Under his leadership, DPS officers did not follow departmental policy, confront the gunman and do their job of ending the massacre. A delay of almost an hour and a half to take action is inexcusable.

After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, hearing fierce bipartisan criticism, the director of the Secret Service resigned 10 days after the shooting. President Biden said, As a leader, it takes honor, courage and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization. Over two-and-one-half years after the tragedy in Uvalde, McCraw will still be cashing a paycheck bigger than the governors. That same governor who appointed McCraw and called him the quintessential lawman that Texas is famous for should have fired him. Instead, McCraw got a raise in pay.

Texans know what the abbreviation stands for but to those who suffered the horror in Uvalde, the letters DPS will always mean Didnt Protect Students.

Joe Pastusek, Pflugerville

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Under McCraw's lead, the DPS avoided accountability in Uvalde
Being Black in Germany has never been easy. Elections in eastern states could make it harder still

Omar Diallo, a 22-year-old migrant from Guinea in West Africa, poses for a portrait prior to an interview with The Associated Press near a dilapidated storage building where he and two friends were hunted and beaten up in 2020, in Erfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

ERFURT, Germany (AP)  It was a balmy summer night in 2020, shortly after the lifting of Germanys first COVID-19 lockdown, and Omar Diallo and two friends from his home country of Guinea wanted to celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice.

We were enjoying life, playing music, walking through the city at night  we just wanted to be together again and have a good time, Diallo, 22, told The Associated Press in Erfurt, in the eastern state of Thuringia.

He was not prepared for how the day would end. Suddenly Diallo and his friends were confronted by three black-clad white men.

They were shouting: What do you want here, f-- foreigners, get out! Diallo remembered.

First there were three, then five, seven  they were surrounding us from all sides. We couldnt run away, and then they started chasing us, he said.

At some point Diallo managed to call the police, and when the officers finally arrived, the attackers ran away. One of his friends was beaten up so badly that he had to be hospitalized.

I simply tried to survive, Diallo said. I hadnt done anything wrong. It all happened only because of my skin color.

Being Black in Germany has always meant exposure to racism, from everyday humiliations to deadly attacks. In eastern Germany, the risk can be even greater.

After World War II, West Germany became a democratic, diverse society but in East Germany, which was run by a communist dictatorship until the end of 1989, residents barely had any contact with people of different ethnicities and were not allowed to travel freely abroad.

Experts say that specifically in Thuringia, radical far-right forces have created an environment thats hostile toward minorities, including Black people.

Now, with the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, Black Germans and African migrants like Diallo are growing increasingly concerned.

Thuringia, which has a population of 2.1 million,holds state elections on Sept. 1, and the fiercely anti-immigration AfD is leading the polls, on 30%.

In 2023, the NGO Ezra, which helps victims of far-right, racist and antisemitic violence, documented 85 racist attacks in Thuringia, down only slightly from 88 attacks in 2022, which Ezra described as an all-time high of right-wing and racist violence in the state.

In recent years, an extreme right-wing movement has formed in Thuringia, which has contributed to a noticeable ideological radicalization of its followers. Politically, the Alternative for Germany party is the main beneficiary, Ezra and a consortium of organizations tracking racism wrote in their annual report.

AfDs Thuringia branch is particularly radical and was put under official surveillance by the domestic intelligence service four years ago as a proven right-wing extremist group.

Authoritarian and populist forces, which are becoming very strong here now, harbor a great danger in Thuringia, says Doreen Denstaedt, Thuringias minister for migration, justice and consumer protection.

Denstaedt, the daughter of a Black father from Tanzania and a white German mother, was born and grew up in Thuringia.

The 46-year-old member of the Green party said that growing up in Communist East Germany, she was always the only Black child. As a teenager, she was never allowed to go home on her own because of the risk of racist attacks, and she sometimes suffered racist slurs in her school.

I actually experienced myself that people called me a foreigner, which really confused me at first, because I was born in Saalfeld in Thuringia, Denstaedt said.

She fears that in the current political climate, racist narratives will become acceptable in the middle of society.

My biggest concern is that people do not question (these prejudices), especially if they are not affected themselves, she said.

Its not exactly clear how many Black people live in Germany nowadays, as different ethnicities are not documented in official statistics, but estimates put the number of people of African descent at 1.27 million. More than 70% were born in Germany, according to Mediendienst Integration, which tracks migration issues in the country.

Germanys history of racial discrimination begins long before the Nazis began excluding, deporting and ultimately murdering Black people in the 1930s and 1940s.

The German Empire held numerous colonies in Africa from 1884 until the end of World War I. These included territories in present-day Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Namibia, Cameroon, Togo and Ghana.

The German government has only recently started dealing with the injustices committed during that period. In 2021, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Germans to face the countrys cruel colonial past, and in 2023, he apologized for colonial-era killings in Tanzania over a century ago.

Daniel Egbe, a 58-year-old chemist from Cameroon who moved to Thuringia in 1994 to study, says hes shocked how little Germans know about their colonial history. He says this ignorance may also factor into the unequal treatment of Black people.

Ive been teaching classes in school, Egbe told the AP. I tell them a bit about myself and especially the fact that Cameroon was a German colony. Many students dont know anything about Africa or about the German past and it must be put on the map.

Egbe, who took German citizenship in 2003, founded AMAH, an organization that helps university students and migrants from Africa when they experience discrimination in the city of Jena, in eastern Thuringia.

Hes worried about the rise of the AfD but has no intention of leaving.

We wont leave, we will do our part to change this society, he said. People are mostly afraid of what and who they dont know. We have to change things through education.

As for Diallo, the Guinean who was attacked in Erfurt four years ago, he also vowed to help improve the situation for Black people in Germany.

Even though the attack traumatized him, it also empowered him to fight for justice, he said. A year ago, he enrolled in university in Munich to study law, but he still visits Erfurt frequently, where he supports Youth without Borders, a network of young migrants.

I dont exactly know yet how Im going to change Germany, but I know I will, he said.
After being denied a medically necessary abortion, Amanda Zurawski will do whatever it takes to beat Donald Trump

Amanda Zurawski, a plaintiff in the Zurawski v. Texas case, speaks, with other plaintiffs standing behind her, at the kick-off event for the Women for Allred coalition addressing the state of womens health and abortion rights, in Dallas on Aug. 24, 2024. Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune

CHICAGO  Amanda Zurawski didnt want to go into politics. She wanted a baby girl.

Her name would have been Willow. But when Zurwaski was 18 weeks pregnant, her water broke. The fetus wouldn't survive, but, citing Texas' abortion laws, her doctors refused to terminate the pregnancy until she eventually developed sepsis three days later.

After nearly dying Zurawski sued the state over its abortion laws and lost, but captured the attention of the nation. Now, shes at the forefront of Democrats battle against anti-abortion legislation and leaning into a new and unexpected path for herself, born out of an anger over her own experience and a desire for change.

My future is going to be in the political world. I just don't know what it looks like yet, said Zurawski, who quit her job earlier this year to focus on the presidential campaign. Shes not ruling out running for office herself.

As Democrats continue to lean into abortion as one of the central pillars of their messaging this cycle, Zurawski has ballooned into one of the partys most prominent messengers on reproductive rights. She has crisscrossed the country on behalf of the Democratic presidential campaign telling her story of losing her pregnancy and confronting Texas restrictive abortion laws. She spoke during counterprogramming to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and on the main stage of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She was a delegate for Texas as the party formally nominated Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

I'm very proud of everything I've done. I'm very hopeful, and I think that we are making change, Zurawski said in an interview last week amid a packed schedule at the DNC. But she added, I would trade my personal platform to have Willow.

Zurawski, who grew up in Indiana but lives in Austin, had practically no political experience or ambitions before her pregnancy. Her resume included work as a teacher, a gig with Austin FC and most recently, a job with the employment search platform Indeed.

Zurawski had voted Democratic in the past, dating to when she was in college. But she never expected to dive so deeply into politics, let alone becoming a national figure speaking on a convention stage broadcast to millions of viewers.

Before she filed her lawsuit, she shared her story on the campaign trail in October as a volunteer for Beto ORourkes 2022 gubernatorial campaign against Gov. Greg Abbott.

When she first shared her story in 2022, Zurawski expected maybe one or two people would see it and maybe they'd talk about it for a day or two, and then it would just kind of dissipate.

Then in 2023, Zurawski and four other women filed a suit, arguing Texas law was ambiguous, blocking medically necessary care for women who had pregnancy complications. In Zurawskis case, her infection after being denied an abortion left her in critical condition and permanently damaged a fallopian tube, hurting her chances of being able to conceive again. The lawsuit grew to more than 20 plaintiffs before the states Supreme Court ruled against her challenge last May.

But her story caught the attention of the White House, and she was invited to be First Lady Jill Bidens guest to the 2023 State of the Union Address. The Biden campaign invited her to be a formal surrogate in January of this year.

Zurawski, now 37, has since traveled to over 30 cities in nine states on behalf of the Biden, and now Harris presidential campaign. She spoke on the first night of the DNC along with her husband, Josh, and Kaitlyn Joshua and Hadley Duvall, who have also become messengers for the campaign on reproductive care. Joshua was unable to secure medical care for her miscarriage due to Louisianas abortion restrictions, and Duvall described her pregnancy from sexual abuse by her stepfather.

I cant imagine not having a choice, but today thats the reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trumps abortion bans, Duvall, who has spoken out about the lack of rape and incest exceptions in Kentuckys abortion law, said from the DNC main stage. [Trump] calls it a beautiful thing. What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parents child?

Zurawski has helped the campaign in less receptive settings as well. She joined a small contingency of Democrats blocks from the RNC in Milwaukee in July to counter Republican talking points. Stepping behind the lines of the other camp was a nerve wracking experience, she said, but I was of course willing to do it, because I will do anything to make sure that we defeat Donald Trump.

She also spoke to block walkers in Milwaukee to get more volunteers to counter the RNC programming in their backyard.

I quit my job y'all so that I can do this until the elections, Zurawski told the volunteers in Milwaukee. I don't want to have anything left in the tank. And I hope you feel the same way.

Zurawski said she is hoping to stay politically engaged after the election, though she doesnt know yet what that will look like. She said she would love to be able to continue to support them in their administration, but added shes also passionate about local politics. She could see herself as a staffer or candidate. But more specific than that, she wouldnt say.

I haven't even thought about it. That seems so far off, Zurawski said. I put all of my energy into getting Democrats elected this year.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said the state party hasnt recruited Zurawski to run but would encourage her if she considered it.

Abortions centrality to this years election follows the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, allowing states to implement abortion restrictions that impact over a third of reproductive-age women in the country.

Democrats have credited the loss of abortion rights for greater turnout among Democratic voters. The party was able to hold onto the U.S. Senate in 2022 despite a generally unfavorable map for Democrats and minimized losses in the U.S. House.

The United States Supreme Court majority wrote the following, quote, Women are not without electoral power, Biden said from the convention stage. MAGA Republicans found out the power of women in 2022, and Donald Trump is going to find out the power of women in 2024.

Zurawski was not the only Texan to talk about the issue at the convention. Kate Cox, who filed a historic lawsuit asking a judge to allow her to end her nonviable pregnancy, helped announce the states electoral votes during the convention. The Texas Supreme Court ultimately ruled against Cox and she had to travel out of state. But at the convention, she shared that she was expecting a child in January, just in time to see Kamala Harris sworn in as president.

Zurawski said she and the other women who spoke have found a support network with each other, texting often about a world of politics none of them had sought out.

It started sort of small, then it just got bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger, Zurawski said. But we're just so grateful to be able to use our story to hopefully affect change and make things better.

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Beloit Police searching for burglary suspect who fled from police on dirtbike

BELOIT, Wis. (WTVO)  Beloit Police are asking the public to help identify a burglary suspect.

According to authorities, the suspect entered a school which is no longer being used by the district on Tuesday, August 20th.

After cruising around causing damage, he fled from officers on a dirtbike in the area of Merideth and Fairview, police said.

Police said the suspect could be charged with burglary, criminal damage to property, and felony fleeing.

There were no students around, and this is a closed school where the subject was, police said.

Anyone with information on the suspects identity is asked to contact Beloit Police.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
Captain Sandy Yawn, the star of Below Deck, said Monday that the captain of the $40m superyacht which sank off the coast of Sicily is being made an easy target by Italian authorities.

Seven people, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, died on Aug. 19, when the 184-foot Bayesian sank after being hit by a sudden and violent storm at 4 a.m. local time. Fifteen people, including the captain, James Cutfield, and all but one of the crew, survived. Autopsies are due to be soon carried out on the bodies of those who died.

On Monday Italian authorities announced they had opened a formal investigation into Cutfield for manslaughter and negligent shipwreckalthough no formal charges may follow.

I absolutely stand behind the captain, Yawn told the Daily Beast. Its always easy to blame the captain, but on what basis? There is no evidence yet that he or his crew did anything wrong.

Superyacht Captain Under Investigation Over Death of Billionaire Mike Lynch and Six Others

Under maritime law, Cutfield holds final responsibility for the well-being of all passengers and crew aboard the Bayesian. Police have questioned him twice, and authorities have not yet indicated whether any of the surviving crew will be placed under investigation.

We werent there, and we dont know, but I think the captain is being accused unfairly in this case, Yawn said. He wasnt sailing in a storm. The boat was on anchor, and extreme, crazy weather comes out of nowhere. All captains have experienced storms when we are on anchor. Thats nothing unusual. Its too soon for the authorities to press any charges. How could you possibly know everything in this amount of time to make any decision about the captain?

Yawn, speaking from the Mediterranean where she is captaining a 154-foot yacht, said she had her own experience of being investigated, when she was initially blamed for a fire on board a ship in the Red Sea in 2003.

It was the equipment that failed, she said. Instead of thanking me for no lives being lost and the boat not sinking, the authorities tried to sue me and say it was my fault. I battled it for five years. The captain gets blamed every time.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah Lynch, pose for a photo, in this undated handout image obtained by Reuters on August 23, 2024. Lynch Family Handout/Handout via Reuters

Yawn said she knew the punishing toll of being under investigation. Its that feeling that something that youve worked your entire life to become can be taken away overnight for something that wasnt your fault. Its not this captains fault, its Mother Natures.

Incidents like this might make you say no a lot more to captaining boats, but they dont put me off sailing. We just have to have that captains back. I would advise him to stick to the facts, and surround himself with people who believe in him. Im all for this captain. Im behind this captain. Its not fair.

Yawn said she had also gotten hit by a waterspouta tornadic waterspout is one of the extreme meteorological phenomena possibly responsible for the Bayesians sinkingoff Cape Canaveral, Florida.

It knocked the 67-foot vessel she was helming on to its side. It wasnt a sailboat, so it didnt have a mast to break, Yawn recalled, but it ripped off our radar completely.

The rain was so hard you couldnt see the bow of the boat. There was lightning and thunder as we tried to make way back to the shore, but the storm was moving faster than the boat. I didnt see the waterspout. I had no idea there was a waterspout inside that storm. Theres nothing you can do. Extreme weather comes out of nowhere.

Bayesian, a 56-meter-long sailboat, which later sank off the Sicilian capital Palermo, is seen in Santa Flavia, Italy August 18, 2024 in this picture obtained from social media. Baia Santa Nicolicchia/Fabio La Bianca/via Reuters

All you have is the weather you can see coming on the radar. You batten down the hatches, make sure the anchor is secure, and you ride the storm out.

Mystery still surrounds the sinking of the Bayesian while it was anchored about half a mile off the Sicilian port of Porticello. It drives me insane, Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company that made the yacht, told the New York Times. Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.

Yawn said the key question is why the Bayesians mast broke. Other questions surrounded why hatches were said to be open, which she said was likely to be windows left open for fresh air while at anchor, and what happened immediately after the storm struck, including whether emergency batteries worked and whether people got hurt trying to get out safely.

But you cant out-power a storm, she said. Who knows how strong the winds were that night. Thats why buildings collapse. Look at what tornados do to homes. Look at what happened in the Carolinas, and the house that just floated out to sea. You cant fight Mother Nature, and sometimes Mother Nature surprises you, she said.

The notion that a captain goes down with their ship is something for history books, Yawn said. The reality is I am very sure the captain did all he could to locate as many people on board as he could, and get them to safety. Ive always heard great things about him, Ive never heard anything negative.

She added, Its sad. I would say to him, Hang in there, and that this industry is behind him. We believe in him, I personally dont think its his fault. I think the authorities are being premature, and should maybe take a step back and get all the facts. Why so fast?

I guarantee you, out there every captain reading about the Bayesian is saying, There but for the grace of God go I. It could happen to any one of us.

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Beth Wood drew rebukes from fellow Democrats over her endorsement of Dave Boliek in state auditors race, but the longtime top government watchdog said that anyone who knows her shouldnt be surprised shes backing the candidate she thinks is best able to do the job.

Woods endorsement of Boliek, a Republican, and her criticism of Jessica Holmes, the Democratic incumbent who was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to replace her last year, has generated strong reactions since it was reported by WRAL on Sunday.

But Wood, who resigned last year in the wake of months of controversy over her use of state vehicles, told The News & Observer that her decision had nothing to do with politics, and was based solely on which candidate she felt has the competencies, the experience, and the expertise to run that agency.

Im just shocked that people are up in the air because Ive picked a Republican, Wood said in an interview on Monday. Its not about party to me, its never been about party. Its about whos the most qualified.

Why Wood says Holmes isnt qualified

Wood said she decided to support Boliek, an attorney and small business owner who has served on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees since 2019, including as the boards chair, after having multiple conversations with him that showed her he had the most relevant experience to bring to the job, and really had an understanding of what the agency should be doing.

Not only does Wood think Holmes shouldnt remain at the helm of the auditors office for the next four years, she also questioned why Holmes was selected to replace her in the first place.

Wood initially planned to run for another term, but later dropped out and resigned, after she was indicted for misusing her state vehicle for personal errands. She pleaded guilty to those charges, and earlier in the year, to separate hit-and-run charges stemming from a crash in downtown Raleigh.

After deciding to resign as auditor last year, Wood said she recommended to Cooper that he appoint her chief deputy to finish out the remainder of her term, a certified public accountant like Wood who she said would not have missed a beat had she stepped in until the election.

Instead, Cooper appointed Holmes, a lawyer and former Wake County commissioner who also served as the boards chair. Holmes announced she would be running for the full four-year term on the ballot this year when Cooper named her as Woods replacement.

Wood took issue with the search for her replacement focusing on finding someone who would run for the office, as opposed to an interim leader who had worked within the office and could effectively manage it until voters chose an auditor in November.

Instead of being chosen based on qualifications, Wood said, I think she was picked because of race and gender, hoping to make her more electable. Holmes is Black and Boliek is white. Holmes became the first Black woman on North Carolinas Council of State when she took over as auditor.

North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood shakes Gov. Roy Coopers hand following his State of the State address during a joint session of the N.C. General Assembly on Monday, March 6, 2023.

Wood, who became the first woman elected as auditor in 2008, said she would always tell people to vote for her because she was the best candidate, and because of her knowledge, skills, and experience, not because of her gender.

Being appointed in December gave Holmes the advantage of incumbency, and nearly a full year in office to build experience as the top watchdog of state agencies and government, but Wood said that doesnt count for much because she believes Holmes is not qualified to lead the office.

Wood said her concerns date back to her first meeting and interactions with Holmes during her final two weeks in office. Wood said she offered during that transitional period to spend unlimited time with Holmes showing her the ropes, and that was ignored.

During one meeting, Wood said she was concerned to see Holmes didnt take any notes, and seemed uninterested in understanding the agency.

Wood also said she was concerned by Holmes stating during an interview with WRAL last week that she is focusing more on collaborating with agencies and their internal auditors to prevent fraud and waste on the front end, as opposed to the back end, which makes for less of an opportunity for a news story, but is in the best interest of North Carolinians.

That is a direct conflict with the independent standards that the state auditor is required to function under, and so that tells me, clearly, she does not understand what the function of that job is, Wood said.

Holmes and other Democrats respond

After Wood endorsed Boliek on Sunday, Democrats were quick to reaffirm their support for Holmes, and slam Wood for what they said were political and petty attacks.

Anderson Clayton, the chair of the N.C. Democratic Party, said that Holmes understands the value of a dollar and the impact of government services on our everyday lives, and said there was no one Democrats trust more to protect our tax payer dollars and root out corruption than her.

Dismissing Woods comments, Clayton said Democrats wouldnt be swayed by the opinion of a disgraced auditor who misused State property, in direct conflict to the whole point of their job.

Morgan Jackson, the top political advisor to Cooper, praised Holmes in a statement to WRAL and told The N&O in a statement that it was a tragic situation for Beth Wood to lose her job because she misused state property and was convicted of crimes, and said Wood was trying to curry favor with Republicans by attacking her successor in hopes of getting a job.

What a truly sad turn of events for her and her reputation, Jackson said.

In response, Wood said the notion that her comments about the auditors race were in pursuit of a job was BS. She added, I have a great-paying job, and I dont have to go to a Democrat or a Republican for a job.

Wood currently works as the director of rural government services at the Greg W. Isley, CPA, PA firm in Raleigh.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper introduces Jessica Holmes, his appointment for State Auditor on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh, N.C. Holmes replaces Auditor Beth Wood who resigned amid scrutiny of her use of state vehicles following a crash in December 2022.

Holmes declined an interview request on Monday, but told The N&O in a statement that she did not seek and would not have accepted Woods endorsement, claiming that Wood hadnt lived up to her longstanding reputation as an unbiased, professional and respected auditor.

I inherited an incredibly competent but demoralized staff and audits that were several years old, some of which were fiscally irresponsible and or politically or personally motivated fishing expeditions intended to make headlines as opposed to making a difference to ensure the publics trust in government spending, Holmes said. I stand by my approach, and statutory responsibility, to be the states independent auditor, to be solutions-oriented to prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and to call it out without bias or political puppeteering.

Responding on Tuesday, Wood said Holmes was absolutely incorrect and was trying to shift the conversation from her not being able to do the job. Wood said Holmes inherited a well oiled machine, and said her record as auditor speaks for itself.

Holmes also criticized Boliek, her Republican opponent, for telling former President Donald Trump during a recent campaign stop in Asheville, as Trump described it, that Im only in politics for you.

North Carolinians should know that I am only in politics for them, Holmes said.

Asked about that comment on Monday, Boliek said it was an off-handed comment by Trump, who was referring to a conversation they had before the event, during which Boliek told Trump that his initial campaign in 2016 inspired me because he came from the business world and he was not a career politician.

Clearly Im running to work on behalf of every North Carolinian, Boliek said in a text. And my campaign is not predicated on parsing every word someone says good or bad about me.

Candidate experience and Woods support for Boliek

On Monday, the political action committee for the State Employees Association of North Carolina endorsed Holmes in the auditors race.

Boliek has been endorsed by Trump and several top GOP lawmakers, including Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore.

Asked about Woods endorsement, Boliek said he thinks it says a lot about his competency and ability to lead the office to have her support.

Boliek said that in multiple conversations with Wood, he talked with her about her experience in the office and the philosophy she brought to it, as well as the professionalism in the office and what it needs moving forward.

In an interview, he said that he believes the state auditor needs to leave party politics at the door, and represent every single North Carolinian, to make sure that their tax dollars are spent correctly and with a return on investment.

Newly-elected UNC Board of Trustees Chair Dave Boliek speaks during his first meeting as Chair during their meeting at the Carolina Inn, on Thursday, July 15, 2021, in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Unlike Wood, neither Boliek nor Holmes are certified public accountants. Libertarian Bob Drach isnt a CPA either, but has experience in the private sector as a certified management accountant and treasurer, according to his campaign website.

Wood said that while none of the three candidates running are CPAs, she believes Bolieks experience certainly is in arenas more closely related to the auditors office than Holmes, and that the difference between the two major-party candidates is huge.

Wood also said she was surprised to see Boliek face criticism for outlining areas of government and specific agencies that he believes are long overdue for a thorough audit, beginning with the Division of Motor Vehicles, which has been under scrutiny by state lawmakers as well.

She said she did the same thing when she was running, pointing to Medicaid cost overruns and efficiency as an example of a target she identified while campaigning, for an audit that would have the most impact for North Carolinians.

Hes not going after anybody politically, hes going after a division of an agency, Wood said.

Under the Dome

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In this photo illustration, the Telegram logo is displayed on a number of screens on August 26, 2024 in London, England. (Photo illustration by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

When Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested late Saturday at an airport outside Paris, accused of complicity in illegal online behavior and refusing to disclose information to authorities, right-leaning American political figures leapt to his defense, including Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk and Marjorie Taylor-Greene.

Left-leaning civil liberties groups also took Telegrams side  to a point.

The arrest is casting a spotlight on the messy global status of a messaging app whose sprawling reach and commitment to free speech have earned it a rotating cast of friends and enemies in the political arena, and whose multinational structure raises tough questions about enforcing digital rules in the age of social media.

Telegrams radical free speech position puts it in an unusual position among global social apps. Since Durov founded Telegram more than a decade ago, the theatrical and enigmatic Russian entrepreneur has become a primary character in the evolving global war over how wide-open online communication should be.

Telegrams claimed 950 million users are spread around the globe, and the app allows them to broadcast messages to up to 200,000 people, giving it the power of a social media platform. But unlike mainstream social media apps, it also refuses on principle to take down any posts that violate local restrictions on speech, or disclose any data about their users to any government.

This has made it a darling of digital rights groups, such as Access Now, which have backed the app in its fights with authoritarian regimes in Iran, Myanmar and elsewhere  including Russia, where dissidents use its encrypted messaging to discuss the Ukraine war.



But it also means that users can spread disinformation and post about illegal activities without the company actively coming after them.

Its the latter that appears to have gotten the founder in trouble. Durov was arrested as part of a larger judicial investigation opened by the cybercrime unit of the Paris Prosecutors Office on July 8. The charges include a range of offenses connected to activity allowed on Telegram, including fraud, money laundering and the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

In a post, Telegram said it complies with all European laws, and neither the platform or its founder could be blamed for the online abuse of the service.

Telegrams lack of moderation tracks closely with the ideals of Musk, the worlds richest man and owner of X, and other critics on the political right, who say social media companies have gotten too cozy with governments  and that enforcement of rules against harmful speech amounts to state-sanctioned censorship.

Venture capitalist and prodigious Trump fundraiser David Sacks asked on X, Are you getting sick of me saying I told you so? citing a previous prediction that Telegram would be the target of government action similar to the U.S. forced sale of TikTok.

Musk took the prediction game even further: POV: Its 2030 in Europe and youre being executed for liking a meme, he wrote on his platform as he reposted news of Durovs arrest.

Everyone on right-wing Silicon Valley Twitter is going crazy, and no one left of center cares or comments, said Marshall Kosloff, a media fellow at the right-leaning tech think tank the Foundation for American Innovation. Telegram is anti-moderation  that makes it right-wing coded.

The transition of free speech from a liberal cause to a conservative one has defined the past decade in politics. Before social media became the dominant channel for political communication, the defense of free speech was mostly associated with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, which protested book bans and argued for freedom of religious expression.



Now, conservatives have adopted civil libertarians rhetoric to protest what they see as liberal governments interfering in the ideally neutral public sphere of the internet. Musk himself hung previous executives of Twitter out to dry when he took over the platform and loosened its rules.

But in authoritarian countries, Telegrams refusal to moderate has also earned it some level of respect from left-leaning civil society groups  even as they acknowledge the drawbacks of the platform.

Civil society has had a complicated relationship with Telegram over the years, Natalia Krapiva, senior tech legal counsel at Access Now, said Monday. We have defended Telegram and its users against attempts by authoritarian regimes to block and coerce the platform into providing encryption keys, but we have also been raising alarms about Telegrams lack of human rights policies, reliable channel of communication, and remedy for its users.

Telegram fails on most measures of corporate responsibility including transparency and accountability, Krapiva said.

Telegrams very distributed structure adds policy and enforcement questions to the political questions.

The platforms geographic footprint is sprawling and hard to pin down, with data servers reportedly located all over the world, though their exact locations remain hidden. Durov himself relocated to Dubai in 2017, bringing the platforms development team with him. Telegram continues to be headquartered in Dubai, where local IT regulations are friendlier than those of other countries theyve tried before, according to the development team.

The nature of Telegrams operations makes it particularly tricky for authorities from any country to pin down the platforms core development team or access data on its users and operations. Durov  the most visible member of Telegrams development team  has said on Telegram that he has both French and Russian citizenship. Investigators from the French customs department ultimately arrested Durov at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday evening.

Its unclear whether the U.S. government is assisting its French counterparts in the investigation. A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment, and officials at the State Department and the French Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Chris Krebs, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said Monday that there is no legitimate defense of a platform that allows material such as child sexual abuse imagery, which researchers say has been traded on private channels on Telegram.

In liberal democracies, we make laws, and there are some things that are, of course, not permissible, Krebs said. There are curbs that governments can put in place and the French government has taken action here. I wonder why the guy felt comfortable going to Paris, given some of the scrutiny.

Brendan Bordelon contributed to this report.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 22:56 | All, Japan

Prosecutors are set to issue a summary indictment against Manabu Horii, a former ruling party lawmaker, for allegedly handing funeral money to supporters in his constituency in violation of Japan's election law, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

The prosecutors are also expected to build a case against Horii, a 52-year-old lower house member, in connection with a separate political funds scandal, they said. The former Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker has decided to tender his resignation as a lawmaker to House of Representatives Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga as early as Wednesday, according to a person close to him.

Horii, an Olympic bronze medalist in speed skating, left the LDP in July after prosecutors raided his offices and residences, on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Law. The law only allows lawmakers to give condolence money to their supporters if they attend a funeral in person.

He allegedly had his staff hand over condolence money, ranging from 10,000 yen ($70) to several tens of thousands of yen, to supporters in his constituency in Hokkaido, northern Japan, in his name. He is alleged to have determined the amounts in a group chat with his staff.

During voluntary questioning by Tokyo prosecutors, Horii said he had instructed his staff to give the money in his name despite knowing that making such payments was illegal, according to people close to the matter.

Horii was also involved in a separate political funds scandal that has undermined voter confidence in the LDP, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

A criminal complaint has been filed against Horii, who is accused of having failed to report 21.96 million yen that he received from the intraparty faction that he belonged to.

He said in June he would not run in the next lower house election, which must be held by the fall of 2025.

The LDP is holding a leadership race to replace Kishida, who has decided to step down from the party chief post at the end of his current three-year term in September.

Horii won bronze in the men's 500-meter speed skating at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. He served as parliamentary vice foreign minister and senior vice minister at the Cabinet Office.

Related coverage:

Japan ruling party lawmaker's offices searched over election law violation

PM Kishida Cabinet survives no-confidence motion over funds scandal

Japan's lower house passes political funds reform bill amid backlash
Members of the Mississippi delegation bow their head in prayer during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. | Charles Rex Arbogast

This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night.

I wrote last week about how political parties appeal to religious voters, noting that the process is getting harder as the country becomes more religiously diverse  and less religiously engaged.

Under these conditions, party leaders, including top politicians, must look for ways to connect with Christians without alienating non-Christians and to connect with religious voters without alienating nonreligious voters.

That effort is more visible in the Democratic Party than the Republican Party at the moment, since its more religiously diverse, and since it has a higher share of religious nones.

One of my sources for the story, Brian Kaylor, co-author of Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism, helpfully walked me through what it looks like to appeal to religious voters without being overly religious by highlighting examples from last weeks Democratic National Convention.

He noted that several speakers at the DNC referenced biblical teachings without citing specific Bible verses, focusing their remarks on general moral wisdom rather than Christian ideals.

Theyre borrowing biblical or religious language without taking a Bible-thumping approach, Kaylor said, as I wrote in my article.

Kaylor built on that point in an X post about popular Bible verses at the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

While the list for Republicans was comprised of four specific Bible passages, the list for Democrats had two specific verses and two broad faith-based teachings.

Common Bible references at the Republican National Convention:

Matthew 5:14  You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.

Esther 4:14  Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.

Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God.

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper.

Common Bible references at the Democratic National Convention:

Love your neighbor.

The Golden Rule.

Psalm 30:5  Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Micah 6:8  What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?

Fresh off the press

Is the Republican or Democratic Party more welcoming to people of faith? Heres what voters say

What Nancy Pelosi said about Kamala Harris faith

Who would religious Americans vote for if the election were held today?

Basketball-loving nun Sister Jean celebrates 105th birthday

The role of prayer and the Bible at the Democratic National Convention

What to know about Kamala Harris and religion

Term of the week: Swartzentrubers

The Swartzentruber Amish are the most conservative Amish sect. Right now, some of the Swartzentrubers in central and eastern Ohio are engaged in a battle against state officials over a law requiring buggies, a key mode of transportation for the Amish, to have a flashing LED light on the back, according to Religion News Service.

The state says its focus is on safety, arguing that the lights reduce crashes between buggies and cars, while the Swartzentrubers claim the light requirement violates their religious freedom.

The community sees the lights as frivolous adornments, which goes against the sects religious commitment to simplicity. Members are also wary of deviating from tradition, according to the Bibles mandate to honor ones forefathers, Religion News Service reported.

What Im reading ...

Gordon College, a Christian school in Boston, could be on the hook to repay more than $7 million to the federal government if it cant work out a conflict with the Small Business Administration over a COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program loan. While millions of PPP loans have been forgiven, some employers, like Gordon, have run afoul of SBA rules and found themselves with debt they did not expect to repay, according to Religion News Service.

As the country continues to deal with the fallout from the 2022 Supreme Court decision returning control over abortion policy to the states, a small but significant group of conservative Christian leaders, according to The New York Times, is planning the downfall of in vitro fertilization.

Odds and ends

How much do you know about dreaming? The New York Times recently put out a quiz on what happens when we sleep, and I was blown away by how much I didnt know.

My older son turns 4 this week. Longtime newsletter readers will remember when he arrived on the scene. Thanks for all the support youve given me over the years as not just a writer, but a mom.
(Photo by Eric Thomas/For Kansas Reflector)

Today, I offer a story for you to read to your children and grandchildren:

Once upon a time, there was a small town.

And in that small town, there was a small school.

And in that small school, there was a single person. And, while that single person might not know it, they made a big difference.

We know the name of this small town. Its Belleville, a small town in Kansas. But its barely in Kansas. If you drove 15 minutes north from Belleville, you wouldnt be in Kansas at all. You would be in an even smaller town, named Chester, Nebraska.

We know the name of the small school. Its East Elementary, a school that is probably just like the school where you attend classes. The school has slides on its playground, tornado drills during the school day and drivers for its school buses.

What we dont know is this: the name of one brave parent.

Even though we dont know this parents name, we do know their story.

Last school year, the principal of East Elementary invited a person to the school to visit with students and hand out Bibles. The principal visited classrooms, telling students that the visitor was a nice man who would be handing out Bibles.

In case you dont know, the Bible is the sacred story of the Christian religion. Some people in East Elementary and Belleville and Kansas and all over the world believe deeply in the message of the Bible.

In fact, some people believe so strongly in it that they hand out Bibles in unusual places. Maybe you have been to a hotel with your parents and found the drawers empty, except for a Bible in the bedside table. Or, maybe you were in the waiting room for the doctor and saw a Bible sitting on a table. Or maybe you were on the street and someone walked up to you with a Bible.

Many of those Bibles are from the same group that was handing out Bibles at East Elementary School on this day in May.

During recess on that day, many students received Bibles. The principal also stayed near the man who was handing out Bibles. The adults working at the school must have also been OK with it. No one stepped in to stop it. So, a nice man who believes deeply in the Bible handed the book to kids, fifth graders and younger.

To many people, having this man and his Bibles in school is confusing.

Why are some people uncomfortable with Bibles in school? They are thinking about our American freedoms.

Short history lesson: Many of these freedoms come from the words in the Constitution. If you ask me, the most important ones of all come from one specific part called the First Amendment. This part of the Constitution gives us the freedom to say how we feel. The freedom to tell stories like this one. The freedom to choose our own friends. The freedom to protest.

Those Bibles in school make people think about another First Amendment right. The freedom to choose our religion  or no religion at all.

Our countrys laws say students, while they are at school, must be free from pressure to be religious. People who work for the government, like the principal, must avoid using schools as a place to pressure those students about religion. Also, very young students, like the elementary school in Belleville, must be even more distant from religious pressure.

Lets get back to that nameless parent. What was the small thing that the parent did? And why was it such a big deal?

What that parent did was simple and enormous at the same time. They spoke up.

The parent was at East Elementary and saw the Bibles being handed out that day. Because they understood all of those American freedoms, they reported the mistake to a famous group of lawyers, and that group of lawyers made sure people all around Kansas heard about the mistake. The school district completed an investigation. Kansas Reflector reporter Anna Kaminski and others wrote stories that thousands of people will read.

That single voice made a big difference. Through this situation, thousands of people will get a reminder about what is OK and not OK. Many people will have talks about what is legal and illegal. And many adults will get a reminder about what they can and cannot do. A big difference indeed.

When one group of adults isnt looking out for your American rights, another group might be close by, poised to protect you. After all, sometimes adults make mistakes. And sometimes the only person watching is another adult.

We, as adults, should be there with our brave voices. After all, we constantly tell you to listen to adults. And trust adults. And obey adults. We find lots of ways to say it. We say, Respect your elders, or, Listen to your teachers, or, You need to learn to obey. Should we expect 10-year-old children to know and protect their First Amendment rights? Nope, that is a job for adults like this heroic parent. (Or perhaps the teachers should have stepped in.)

Sure, in some situations, students  especially students in high school and college  speak up on their own. They see mistakes that adults make in schools and they speak up. Maybe someday, you will be the strong voice when you see an adult do something wrong in your school.

I love stories starring students with brave voices. I think they are so great that I have a whole list of them. A student who heard about kids being beaten up and wrote a story about it. A group of students who spoke up about the lies told by their newly hired principal. A student who found the embarrassing truth of the person her school was named for. A student who sued her school for not allowing her to cover an important story. These students acted as boldly as adults when they spoke up.

Some people might say its OK to speak up when you see something wrong. Me? I say its heroic to speak up. A brave voice makes a big difference.

All of this, because one parent spoke up.

Note: Gideons International did not respond to a request for comment.
A colicky baby and the lack of support led first-time mom Fatima Ray to call a number at the library offering parenting help.

It put her in touch with a home visiting program, in which trained professionals such as health-care workers, teachers and social workers help new moms with services such as breastfeeding and postpartum care as well as providing resources for young children such as developmental screenings and preparing them for school.

I was prepared, but I wasnt prepared for what being a new mom was like without any support besides my then-boyfriend. Hes my husband now. But at the time, it was just the two of us, Ray said.

Home visiting programs like the one that helped Ray will be expanded as part of new investments aimed at improving maternal and early childhood health care, announced Tuesday by the Biden-Harris administration.

About $440 million will go toward the home visiting program for women and babies, and $118 million will go to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help better identify and prevent pregnancy-related deaths.

The services from the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program can be a lifeline for mothers like Ray, who says the home visitor made a huge impact in her familys life.

Whether helping Ray decode her new babys cries, answering her questions about sleep or providing her with lactation consultants, the home visitor worked with them for several years, until the family relocated.

Rays home visitor also helped guide the new mom through decisions about her future, encouraging her to go back to school for her masters degree.

I would say that as a participant in the program, it changed my life, and now Im able to help other moms reach their goals, she said.

Ray is now a maternal health coordinator for the Primo Center for Women and Children, which helps provide health care, housing and early childhood development services for underserved communities in Chicago.

Ray works with pregnant mothers, preparing them for their new babies and talking to them about their careers and their mental health, including postpartum depression. The center offers new mothers clothing, diapers and even child care, she said.

I help them realize who are your support systems and garner community with that. Sometimes, it doesnt look like what you think it is supposed to look like, but you do have support in certain areas, Ray said.

US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Tuesday that the model aims to reduce disparities in the access and treatment that women receive for their time during pregnancy and right after. Its a way to, again, address the deficiencies we see and to address health inequities that we also find.

There are 167,000 participants in the program, and the new investments are expected to reach 30,000 more people, according to Carole Johnson, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The new investment focuses on programs that offer long-term support. It doesnt apply to short-term programs that help families during the fourth trimester, such as Family Connects Oregon, which offers up to three home visits by a public health nurse to all families with newborns.

We are hopeful that our national leaders and Members of Congress will recognize the need that all families have for support in the fourth trimester period and will ensure there are Federal funds available for this much-needed short-term service which can be very helpful in identifying families who could benefit from long-term home visiting and connecting them to those programs, Kimberly Friedman, the chief program officer of Family Connects International, told CNN.

Sen. Elizabeth Steiner says programs like Family Connects Oregon "can help families to thrive and succeed." - CNN

Oregon state Sen. Dr. Elizabeth Steiner, who is also an adjunct associate professor in Oregon Health & Sciences Universitys Department of Family Medicine, told CNNs Meg Tirrell that programs like Family Connects Oregon are important to prevent infant mortality and can also decrease new mothers health care problems, such as anxiety and postpartum depression.

Its one thing to have the babys doctor say something about it in the confines of a doctors office. Its a totally different thing when the nurses in your home and says, Hey, can I take a look at your sleeping arrangements and help you find something that works well for all of you and keeps your baby safe? Thats a very different conversation, so that can help reduce infant mortality, Steiner said.

We are way behind the curve in the United States, and its one of the reasons that the United States has some of the highest infant and maternal mortality in industrialized nations in the world. And thats not a status to be proud of. So the more we can do to offer these kinds of services to families when babies come home, the more likely they are to have healthy moms and babies and change the trajectory for them in the future.

The rate of women dying in pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum in the United States is much higher than in other high-income nations, although there have been recent improvements.

A report published this summer pointed to the US health-care system, policy differences and maternity care deserts  where residents have limited or no access to maternity health care  as factors driving the high maternal mortality rate. The maternal death rate for Black women is also higher than for other women due to barriers to accessing adequate health care.

On Tuesday, HHS also announced $118 million in funding for the CDC to go toward establishing a public health infrastructure that can review deaths that happen within a year after a pregnancy, determine whether they were preventable and propose solutions for the future.

Every pregnancy-related death is a tragedy for the family and the community, said Dr. Wanda Barfield, director of the CDCs Division of Reproductive Health. This investment will support more jurisdictions in their critical work to save mothers lives, she said.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that Family Connects Oregon is not part of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program and corrected Kimberly Friedmans affiliation.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The Biden administration announced Tuesday it was protecting 28 million acres of public lands in Alaska, reversing a Trump administration effort to open them up to development.

The move protects the lands from activities including mining and oil and gas extraction.

The decision is not a surprise because the administration indicated earlier this year it planned to protect the acreage.

However, the decision represents a reversal of orders signed at the very end of the Trump administration that sought to open up the lands for industry use. The Biden administration described its predecessors action as unlawful saying it did not consider impacts to the environment, including historic and cultural resources for tribes.

Tribal consultation must be treated as a requirement  not an option  when the federal government is making decisions that could irrevocably affect Tribal communities, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. Continuing these essential protections, which have been in place for decades, will ensure continued access and use of these public lands now and in the future.

The decision from Haaland cited impacts on Indigenous populations, saying opening the lands to development would harm tribal fishing and hunting and other activities. It estimated that between 31,000 and 52,000 people rely on the land in question for drinking water, food security, and cultural identity.

It also noted the move would protect caribou habitat. The areas being preserved include Bristol Bay, an area that represents significant habitat for salmon.

The administration said in an assessment earlier this year that keeping the land closed to development could prevent potential spills from contaminating rivers and would also be expected to prevent harms to birds and their habitats.

Environmental advocates cheered the decision.

These lands and waters are unparalleled not only for their natural beauty, but for the habitat they provide imperiled wildlife, and the recreation opportunities they offer us, said Dan Ritzman, director of Sierra Clubs Conservation Campaign, in a statement.

These 28 million acres are some of the last truly intact wildlands in the United States, Ritzman said.

The state of Alaska contains approximately 365 million acres, so Tuesdays action impacts about one-thirteenth of its total land 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 The Hill.
FILE - Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy for the global coalition against IS, speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Aug. 4, 2017, (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Bidens top Middle East adviser on Tuesday held talks in Doha with senior Qatari leaders on the efforts to complete a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as on the Qatari prime minister's meeting this week with Irans president, according to a U.S. official.

White House senior adviser Brett McGurks talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani came after the prime ministers Monday visit to Tehran to meet with Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The talks also come as cease-fire talks aimed at winning at least a pause in the war between Israel and Hamas are shifting to Doha this week after several days of intense negotiations in Cairo. A round of high-level talks ended Sunday without a final agreement. But talks continued at lower levels Monday in an effort to bridge remaining gaps.

Those working-group level talks are now expected to resume Wednesday in Doha. It was not clear why the location of the talks shifted from Cairo or whether this will have an impact on negotiations.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive cease-fire talks, confirmed an Israeli delegation will head to Doha on Wednesday.

The U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss the sensitive talks publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that McGurk met with the Qatari officials and the focus of their conversation.

Tensions have been escalating between Israel and Iran, and with militant groups  Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis  that are backed by Tehran. Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel for last months assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh last month in Iran.

Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday expressed openness to renewing negotiations with the United States over his countrys rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling its civilian government there was no harm in engaging with its enemy. The timing of Khamenei's remarks came just one day after the Qatari prime minister's visit with the newly minted Iranian president. There have been indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States Middle East interlocutors when it comes to Iran.

Biden earlier in his presidency had pressed Iran to return to compliance with the nuclear deal that was brokered by the Obama administration in 2015 but scrapped in 2018 by former President Donald Trump.

Since the deals collapse, Iran has abandoned limits that the agreement put on its program, and is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity  near weapons-grade levels of 90%. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Iran-backed Hamas, the U.S. administration has put efforts to revive the nuclear agreement on the shelf.

Pezeshkian, 69, who ran as a reformist politician within Irans Shiite theocracy, was elected last month to replaced he late President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line protege of Khamenei, killed in a helicopter crash in May. The new president is closely aligned with former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who reached Irans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that saw sanctions lifted in exchange for the atomic program being drastically curtailed.

___ Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

__

An earlier version of this story misidentified Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He is Qatar's prime minister and foreign affairs minister.
Four years ago, amid his successful campaign to unseat President Donald Trump, Joe Biden made a promise: to keep foreign money out of elections by prohibiting foreign governments use of lobbyists. There is no reason why a foreign government should be permitted to lobby Congress or the Executive Branch, let alone interfere in our elections, he said on his campaign site. If a foreign government wants to share its views with the United States or to influence its decision-making, it should do so through regular diplomatic channels. The Biden Administration will bar lobbying by foreign governments.

But after winning the presidency, Biden did no such thing. In fact, he even reversed some of the unexpected progress Trump had made on the issue. So its no surprise that Biden didnt mention banning foreign lobbying during his now-aborted reelection campaign this year. Among the 2024 presidential candidates, only Nikki Haley proposed such a banand she was an imperfect vessel for that message.

The open question, then, is where does Kamala Harris stand on the issue? Or, given that her nascent campaign has been light on policy specifics, where should she stand?

Its a matter of critical importance to our democracy, and one where Harris could make an immediate impact. As Americans know all too well now, thanks to Trump, Washington is saturated by influence from countries that are either outright hostile toward America or at least dont have our best interest at heart. Still, despite this attention, the foreign lobbyists swirling around Washingtonspecifically the P.R. outfits, law firms, and consultancies who sign up as mouthpieces and foot soldiers for foreign dictatorshipshave hardly slunk back to the shadows. If anything, theyve only continued swelling, now pulling in billions of dollars.

Enter Harris. If she takes the White House, shell have the opportunity to cut the industry down to size, using all of the tools of the presidencyas well as her own backgroundto her advantage. The only real choice she needs to make is whether to reform and expand our existing laws that aim to limit foreign influence in our politics, or to pick up the mantle that Biden unceremoniously dropped and ban such influence outright.





Foreign lobbyists are primarily regulated by the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which passed in 1938 after congressional investigators discovered that Ivy Lee, an American widely considered the father of the public relations industry, had secretly been advising the Nazi regime. As I detail in my new book Foreign Agents, the revelations about Lee shocked both legislators and Americans alikeand led directly to the passage FARA.

The law is a simple construct, requiring foreign lobbyists to register themselves, their work, and their payments on behalf of foreign patrons. Unfortunately, for decades after its implementation, FARA was effectively an afterthought, with hardly any investigation or enforcement. That disinterest allowed the industry to continue growing and eventually reach into the highest rungs of the American political establishment.

That all changed, however, with the rise of Trumpfrom Russias interference in the 2016 race to the recent revelations about foreign regimes bankrolling him as president. Since 2016, the U.S. has seen more high-profile prosecutions or guilty pleas of foreign lobbyists than ever before. While prosecutors havent had unblemished successthey bungled cases against figures like Trump adviser Tom Barrack, and even former Obama White House counsel Gregory Craigthe prosecutorial momentum picked up again over the past year with the conviction of Democratic Senator Bob Menendez for conspiring to act as a foreign agent of the Egyptian dictatorship, the first time in American history that a member of Congress had been convicted on foreign agentrelated charges. Nor have prosecutors stopped there, as seen with recent charges against Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar and former National Security Council member Sue Mi Terry.

This is where Harriss experience as a prosecutor would be unquestionably valuable. As president, she could push the Department of Justice to prioritize prosecutionsboth the existing ones and new onesof foreign lobbyists who are skirting American foreign lobbying requirements. She should also undo some of the Biden administrations inexplicable failures in this area, specifically at think tanks and universities.

American think tanks have become some of the key vectors for foreign influence campaigns in recent yearslargely because, unlike foreign lobbyists, they dont have to register or disclose any of their work or payments from foreign benefactors, even when they receive millions from foreign dictatorships. Things began to change, perhaps surprisingly, under Trump, when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began requesting that think tanks receiving such funding disclose these payments. And yet, for reasons that remain unclear, the Biden administration rolled back such requests. Rather than build out one of the few progressive, pro-transparency reforms of the entire Trump era, the Biden administration junked it wholesalemaking think tanks a black box of foreign funding once more.

Or look at universities. While American universities have been required to disclose all significant payments from foreign regimes for decades, it wasnt until the late 2010s that American regulators began investigating the matterand promptly discovered that Americas leading universities had failed to disclose billions of dollars in foreign funding, from some of the most heinous regimes on the planet. In just one case study, investigators wrote that Cornell University failed to account for some $760 million in foreign fundingand chose the word dumbfounded to explain this reporting error and provided no explanation.

Yet upon taking office, Biden scuttled all future investigations, even scrapping the online portal Americans could use to search through previous filings. As a result, disclosures have plummetedmaking universities a black box again, too.

Both of these areas are relatively easy fixes for a President Harriswho, unlike Biden or Trump, doesnt bring any baggage about suspicious foreign funding to the White Houseand she should use her full powers as executive to do so. There is, however, one final area that Harris must build out with congressional allies: passing a range of proposed bills that would patch up Americas porous foreign lobbying regulations, and thwart many of the loopholes and openings foreign regimes still exploit to target Americans.

For instance, she should help push the passage of the bipartisan Stop Helping Adversaries Manipulate Everything Act, first introduced in 2022. Such legislation would outright bar Americans from lobbying on behalf of some of the planets most dictatorial regimes, including places like China, Russia, or Iran. It wouldnt make the practice of foreign lobbying illegal, per se; given the constitutional protections for lobbying writ large, such an outright ban would be difficult to defend in court. But it would help stanch many of the networks still operating on behalf of these dictatorshipsand present a model for future bills that could ban lobbying for similar regimes, even those who are close American partners.

Theres also the bipartisan Fighting Foreign Influence Act, which would target the kinds of nonprofits (think tanks, universities, etc.) that autocrats have increasingly turned to for access. Like other pro-transparency elements mentioned above, the bill wouldnt bar American nonprofits from receiving funds from foreign regimes, but would instead require them to disclose the details of such financingdisclosures that the American populace could then sift through. For good measure, the bill also bars foreign lobbyists from donating to American political campaigns (thereby preventing these lobbyists from acting as effective cutouts for their dictator clients who want to fund American politicians).

These are just a sampling of the proposals floating around Washington, with groups like Transparency Internationals U.S. chapter pushing many more versions of legislative fixes. But all of them would go a significant way toward beefing up Americas defenses against the foreign lobbying networks in Washington. Even then, Harris should be consulting legal scholars and other experts about further ways to hem in these networks, such as by preventing any members of her administrationor members of Congress and their staffersfrom becoming foreign agents after leaving office. Its likewise worth further studying the potential of banning the practice of foreign lobbying outright, even if that would be an uphill climb constitutionally.

Harris is, of course, no stranger to the threats of such foreign influence networks. Her opponent has been implicated in more shady foreign financing schemes than any other presidential candidate in American history, and Harriss time on the Senate Intelligence Committee exposed her directly to the clear and present dangers of unchecked foreign influence campaigns. As president, Harris could finally do something about it, and rid Washington of this growing scourge.
Biden on large-scale missile attack on Ukraine: Russia will never succeed

US President Joe Biden has condemned the large-scale missile attack on Ukraine by Russia which took place on 26 August, in which it deployed hundreds of missiles and drones.

Quote: Biden's statement, cited by the White House press service, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The US president said, referring to Ukrainian officials, that the Russian attack led to the deaths of civilians and targeted more than two dozen critical energy facilities.

Quote from Biden: "I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russias continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken."

Biden added that the United States will continue to lead a coalition of more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine, providing critical military equipment including air defence systems and interceptor missiles.

Quote from Biden: "As I announced at the NATO Summit in July, the United States and our allies have provided Ukraine with the equipment for five additional strategic air defence systems, and I have re-prioritized US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first."

Biden said the United States is also increasing the supply of energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian power grid.

Background:

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia fired 236 aerial weapons on Ukraine on 26 August, while Ukraine's air defence destroyed 102 missiles and 99 attack drones.

EU diplomat Josep Borrell once again called for the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons to strike Russian military targets after the large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine on 26 August.

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By Yuki Enami, KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 07:11 | Feature, All

A night junior high school founded by a third-generation Korean woman in southwestern Japan for ethnic Koreans who were unable to receive a normal education during the chaotic postwar period marked its 30th anniversary this year.

Yoshie Yanai, 65, who was born and raised in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, initially established the school in the industrial city for her mother and other older Koreans. But the institution has not only become a haven of learning for those who never attended school but also a source of emotional support for others without a formal education.

When Yanai was a student at the University of Kitakyushu some three decades ago, she was bewildered by the contradiction of Japan's Constitution, which touts the "right to education," despite the fact many so-called zainichi Korean residents, including her mother, were illiterate, having received no formal education during or after World War II.

They were mostly first- and second-generation Korean residents who were unable to return to the Korean Peninsula nor afford to go to school due to their low social status after Japan's surrender in the war. "I had no adolescence," Yanai's mother had told her.

Many Koreans then were "socially invisible because they couldn't write their names and addresses in Japanese and couldn't even ride the trains," Yanai said.

Yanai came to know of the presence of night junior high schools through renowned film director Yoji Yamada's film "A Class to Remember," but, when she saw the movie in 1994, there were no such public night classes in Kitakyushu.

However, in May 1994, Yanai approached her academic advisor at the university and opened a reading and writing school for first- and second-generation Korean students at a local community center based on a voluntary evening junior high school in Osaka she had learned about.

Over the past 30 years, more than 100 people have taken classes at the school located in the Ano district of the city's Yawatanishi Ward and known now as the "Ano Junior High Night School." Classes are held from 7 p.m. three days a week in such locations as the local elementary school library.

With eight people in their 30s to 80s currently enrolled, retired teachers and others teach the Japanese language and other subjects of their specialty on a one-on-one basis.

Such schools in Japan that are not officially accredited but teach privately are called "voluntary evening schools."

The education ministry is encouraging each of Japan's 47 prefectures and big cities designated by the government to establish or operate at least one school of the type.

Some 100 people attended a ceremony held at the community center in Ano on June 29 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the opening of the night school. Among them was Pae Dong Son, 89, who said, "Learning has given me a zest for life."

Pae came to Japan in 1942 when she was 7 years old. She studied at a public elementary school for about two years but was forced to quit to attend to household chores.

Thirty years ago, when she was nearing 60 years old and still unable to read Japanese, she began taking night classes along with Yanai's mother, who was in the same situation.

Pae, who continues her studies at the school today, passed the fifth-grade Japan Kanji Aptitude Test in 2011. "I was ashamed to appear in public when I was unable to read and write Japanese. I will keep attending as long as I am physically able to do so," she said.

Not only ethnic Koreans attend the night school. Haruna Tanaka, a 30-year-old Japanese woman who dropped out of school, began taking the classes in March.

"I can study at my own pace and teachers teach me until I understand. I've come to think that learning is enjoyable," she said.

While voluntary night junior high schools are not authorized to award diplomas, students at the Kitakyushu school are allowed to study there for as many years as they wish.

"We want to operate our classes so that we can offer learning opportunities that meet different needs, with public and voluntary (schools) working in parallel," Yanai said.

Related coverage:

FEATURE: Japanese companies look to jump on "neurodiversity" bandwagon

FEATURE: Foreign students spotlight Utoro history, ethnic Koreans in Japan

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(Bloomberg) -- US President Joe Bidens top national security aide Jake Sullivan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, as the worlds two largest economies seek to manage their rivalry through dialogue.

Sullivan became the first US national security advisor to visit China since 2016 on Tuesday, as he shook hands with the Asian nations top diplomat at a lakeside hotel on the outskirts of the Chinese capital.

The senior officials will hold two days of meetings to discuss a wide range of contentious issues, including Beijings support for Russias war in Ukraine and Washingtons tech curbs on China. Despite that, both sides expressed a desire to stabilize relations that sank to new lows during the Biden administration.

President Biden has been very clear in his conversations with President Xi that he is committed to managing this important relationship responsibly, Sullivan told reporters before a meeting set to be followed by a working dinner.

Wang stressed mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation in the worlds most-important bilateral relationship.

Over the past few years, bilateral relations have gone through twists and turns, Wang said. This weeks talks aim to help both nations implement the agreement reached in San Francisco last year, he added, referring to a leaders pledge to steady ties, which were rocked after an alleged Chinese spy balloon drifted over US territory.

Sullivans trip comes months before the US presidential vote in November that pits Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump. While both candidates are set to maintain a tough position on the worlds No. 2 economy, the Republican has threatened a blanket 60% tariff on Chinese exports.

The senior Biden administration official is likely trying to Trump-proof the groundwork hes laid to stabilize ties with China, Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of international relations at Shanghais East China Normal University, said ahead of the visit.

Sullivan wants to consolidate now, he added, and do so in ways that withstand a new administration and without provoking an unacceptable conflict in the meantime.

Sullivan is expected to raise concerns over Chinas continued backing of Russian forces fighting in Ukraine and restate Washingtons positions on the South China Sea and Taiwan, where Beijing has territorial disputes. He will aim to make clear he wont speak for the next administration, whoever may win, Bloomberg News earlier reported, citing a senior US official who asked not to be named.

President Xi Jinpings officials will bring up issues related to Taiwan  the self-ruled island China claims as its own  and broach US measures against Beijing including tariffs, export controls and sanctions, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Beijing has long complained about US efforts to cut off China from advanced tech, including semiconductors, and about the White Houses moves to work with allies on security and economic issues. Canada announced it will impose tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, aluminum and steel hours before Sullivan arrived in Beijing.

Sullivan and Wang have met face-to-face every few months as part of Bidens push to keep open lines of communication despite friction with China, in a mechanism known as the strategic channel.

US participants in the Tuesday meeting included Sullivan, Ambassador Nicholas Burns and Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. The Chinese side was represented by Wang and Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning, among others.

(Updates with more details.)

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A decades-old dive bar just south of Ohio State University is shutting its doors next month after nearly 60 years in business.

The Bier Stube will cease operations at the end of September to make way for a 13-story high rise apartment building. The bar, located at 1479 N. High St., opened in 1966.

The proposed development also requires the demolition of several other businesses: 14-0 Express carryout, Portofinos Pizza and Yaus Chinese Bistro. However, none of these three have announced closing online as of Tuesday.

(NBC4 File Photo)

In a social media announcement, Bier Stube owner Craig Kempton said he plans to close after the weekend of Sept. 21 in order to clear out the building before an Oct. 1 deadline.

Im so sorry I couldnt save the Stube, Kempton wrote.

The new building, which will sit on the corner of West 9th and North High Streets, will be made with structural timber, commonly known as mass timber. Mass timber weights less than both steel and concrete, and is typically quicker to build with. The project has seen success at board meetings all year, and the Bier Stubes recent announcement indicates a green light for what would be Columbus first large mass timber building.

The new apartment building will have 183 units, according to a July University District Review Board presentation. The project has also requested two variations from zoning codes: permission to build above the usual 72-foot height limit for a 157-and-a-half-foot building and to not have to build parking space for the residential building.

Rendering of a high-rise apartment building proposed for North High Street and West Ninth Avenue. (Courtesy Photo/Harbor Bay Ventures and DLR Group)

According to construction plans, the building would have bike storage, a cafe and study, lounge and fitness areas on its first floor. Its second would include a library, game area and various outdoor spaces as well, including a central courtyard.

The announcement was met with remorse online, as many familiar with the establishment are mourning its closing as the end of another nostalgic Columbus bar to make way for developmental projects. Comments flooded the Facebook announcement with memories of pinball, carved up wooden tables, a familiar jukebox and one repeated phrase: Long live the Bier Stube.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The family of a Utahn who passed after drowning in Tulare County along with two other people are now grieving after the loss of what they describe as a selfless man.

3 drown near Seven Teacups in Tulare County

On Friday, fire officials from Tulare County responded to a possible drowning at Seven Teacups. Upon arrival, firefighters say they found three people deceased on the scene.

Peter On was one of the three drowning victims identified by officials besides Jeannine Skinner and David Bell.

His family describes On as a selfless individual, who would always look out for others and was a no man is left behind kind of person.

He would never consider himself a hero, its just what he does. But that was the embodiment, he was someone that just cared deeply, said Sherman On, Peters brother. He was gonna look out for every person who was there.

On the day of the incident, Cyndi Bell, Davids sister, said the group was rappelling in the area. During their last rappel, they went down into a pool of water. Jeannine went first, but she got caught in a whirlpool.

Peter then jumped in to save her and became caught as well. Bell jumped in to save them both, but all three ended up drowning as a result.

Peters family says that when they found out about the news, they were in disbelief. They said Peter was an outdoorsy person who would go on adventures often.

Disbelief is probably the biggest one. Its because its a hobby that he did commonly on the weekends. Hes done since his early 20s, said Sherman. Pete would surf Monday through Thursday and then he was typically traveling somewhere Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

While being an adventurous extrovert, his brother also described Peter as a man who would be there for everybody, no matter the time or place.

He took upon himself that responsibility. That he was gonna watch over my children if I wasnt there, and that to me, surviving my bro He just had the biggest heart for people.

Peters brother-in-law, Josh Nicholls, describes him as the embodiment of selflessness but also as a man with a goofy personality who would stand out in family pictures.

Pictures that, now that hes gone, are a reminder of his personality.

You dont realize until hes gone that for the last 24 years, we have photos that capture our likeness. but for the last 24 years, we also have photos that capture Petes personality. And that is tremendously unique.

The family says it is amazing to read stories about Peter around the world, and how he was able to touch peoples lives. They say they want people to remember Peter, not as a perfect man, but as a selfless individual who would ensure no one was ever left behind.

There are people that are paid to do hard jobs, people who are paid to sacrifice their lives, you have police officers and firefighters, and you have people who are defending countries and thats their job, and they put their lives on the line because it is expected of them, and they in a way volunteered and they are being compensated for it and they are, you know, servants in that regard. And then you have someone like Pete, said Josh. Pete was the just one who tried to be present in the lives around him. And when called upon to do something that ultimately would cost his life, he was willing to give it, even though it was not expected of him.

An obituary has been created for Peter, and a Facebook page honoring the memory of all three victims was also created.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A bipartisan Senate group is raising red flags over Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors proposed constitutional reform package, which seeks to upend the countrys judiciary and independent oversight apparatus.

The reform package, framed by Lopez Obrador as a strictly internal issue, is drawing U.S. attention over its potential to disrupt elements of the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship, the single largest country-to-country trade partnership on Earth.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and ranking member James Risch (R-Idaho) partnered with the top senators in the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Chair Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and ranking member Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), on a joint statement calling on Mexico to consider the ramifications of its institutional reforms, including to the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA).

An independent and transparent judiciary is a hallmark of any democratic country. We are deeply concerned that the proposed judicial reforms in Mexico would undermine the independence and transparency of the countrys judiciary, jeopardizing critical economic and security interests shared by our two nations, the senators wrote.

We are also alarmed that several other constitutional reforms currently under discussion may contradict commitments made in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which is scheduled for review in 2026.

Lopez Obrador is pushing the swan song reform package  his term ends Oct. 1  in an effort his allies characterize as a blow against corruption and government waste, but one that opponents and many outside observers see as a blatant power grab.

At the core of the reform package is a proposal to rebuild Mexicos federal judiciary as an elected body, making all federal judgeships subject to popular vote.

Lopez Obrador is also proposing electoral reforms, further militarization of the national police force, the elimination of seven independent agencies  ranging from the countrys public information watchdog to its antitrust regulatory body  and a slew of other minor reforms, down to a constitutional ban on vaping devices.

Two Mexican magistrates presented a complaint Monday signed by more than 1,100 federal judges at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, calling on the multilateral body to ensure Mexicos reform process sticks to the countrys acquired international treaty obligations.

Magistrate Rogelio Alanis Garcia said he expects Lopez Obradors proposals will draw international attention, because they are all but certain to have effects beyond Mexicos borders.

Were sure it will [draw international attention], because Mexicos adherence to its international obligations is related with the fact that Mexico is not an island, alone in the world. We belong to a region that is North America and America in general, and to a hemisphere, which is the Western [Hemisphere], Alanis said.

Thats why Mexico, in a sovereign manner, has assumed those duties. And precisely within this regional integration, which is an economic integration thats been going on for 30 years, its of vital importance to the legal certainty of investments, of the economy, of politics, of the law itself, that we carry out this defense.

Yet Lopez Obrador seems certain to ram through most, if not all, of his proposed constitutional reforms when the countrys new Congress is seated Sept. 1.

The alliance led by Lopez Obradors Morena party won a landslide in June, and the countrys electoral authorities assigned the three parties in the grouping a constitutional supermajority in the lower Chamber of Deputies through proportional representation.

The electoral authoritys representation proposal  challenged by the opposition but likely to stick  would put Lopez Obradors party three votes short of a Senate supermajority.

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, Lopez Obradors political protege, has made efforts to show no daylight between herself and the powerful outgoing president, and both Lopez Obrador and Sheinbaum have been critical of U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar, who warned against the pitfalls of an elected judiciary Thursday.

That means Lopez Obrador has few, if any, significant political obstacles ahead for his ambitious last-month agenda.

We strongly urge the Lopez Obrador Administration, as well as the incoming Sheinbaum Administration, to pursue only those reforms that enhance professional qualifications, combat corruption, protect judicial autonomy, and strengthen investor confidence. These considerations are essential to preserving the democratic values and mutual prosperity that unite our nations, Cardin, Risch, Kaine and Rubio wrote.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  A Greensboro civil rights activist is getting an exhibit thatll showcase his legacy in the Triad.

The legacy of Bishop Frank Williams is on full display in the Greensboro History Museum following a long-awaited ribbon cutting and the grand reveal of the new exhibit.

The exhibit is filled with his paraphernalia. His wife, Florence Williams, says it includes items he used while pastoring at New Jerusalem Cathedral for several years and photos of the many lives he touched and advocated for.

The Greensboro Uprising: A&Ts greatest unsolved mystery

Well, these are many things that Ive always held so dear to my heart. Theres some things that the community was aware of and other things the community wasnt, Florence Williams said.

According to the late reverends son, Kevin Williams, he was notably friends with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He helped organize one of Kings Poor Peoples Marches right here in Greensboro in March 1968 with tens of thousands of people participating.

In fact, it was so large it took helicopters back in the 1960s to be able to see the amount of people who were apart of that March. It used to build people up, and people that were disenfranchised. he gave them a voice, Kevin Williams said.

Because of Bishop Frank Williams outspokenness in the late 1960s, Florence Williams says they received threats from white supremacists when they moved to an all-white neighborhood off of Holts Chapel Road. It got so bad, it put Greensboro in the international spotlight.

It was horrible. We had to call the police. They called the National Guard. It was awful. Crosses were burned. Never had I seen anything like that, Florence Williams said.

Florence Williams says her and her late husband who passed away in 1998 endured the hatred and stayed in the neighborhood. She hopes by sharing her husbands story, history isnt erased or repeated.

Both Florence and Kevin Williams will participate in a panel discussion Thursday at the Greensboro History Museum to discuss Rev. Frank Williams legacy from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
Black bears in Mississippi: How many are there and how big do they grow?

Mississippi is home to two types of black bears: the Louisiana black bear to the south and the American black bear in the northern third of the state. Both were nearly wiped out in the state roughly 100 years ago, but they're making a comeback.

Photos and videos appear on social media frequently and are posted on the Mississippi Black Bear Facebook page on a daily basis and some of the bears appear to be quite large. So, how many bears are in the state and how big do they get?

"That's one of the questions I get a lot, 'How big do bears get in Mississippi,'" said Anthony Ballard, Black Bear Program coordinator at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

When looking at photos and videos, or even seeing a bear firsthand, Ballard said the weights of bears are often misjudged. Ballard said one reason is that bears with sparse coats look smaller to people while bears with thick winter coats will appear larger.

The number of bears in the state also impacts people's judgments of weights. While there are consistent sightings in Mississippi and the population is growing, there are still relatively few when compared to other animals such as deer. So, most people aren't as familiar with bears as they are with deer.

"It's one of those things that takes practice," Ballard said. "I think most people look at bears and overestimate their size. With bears, people see them so infrequently, they really don't have anything to compare it to."

However, that doesn't mean Mississippi doesn't grow extremely large bears.

Anthony Ballard, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Bear Program coordinator, poses with a sedated black bear that was collared and tagged recently for research purposes. The bear is on the larger side weighing 373 pounds.

More: These little cubs are part of a growing MS bear population. Here's what you need to know

How big do bears get in Mississippi?

The average adult female is 100-250 pounds with adult males coming in at 150 pounds to more than 400 pounds, according to MDWFP.

And some get even larger.

"The largest ever recorded in the state was 468 pounds in Wilkinson County," Ballard said. "That was a roadkill.

"That one, we actually did a full body mount and he's in the (MDWFP) headquarters in Jackson. There was one (roadkill) earlier this summer in Claiborne County that was 411."

Ballard said he was so big, a tractor was required to move him.

"He was massive," Ballard said.

More: Here's what to do, and not do, if you encounter a black bear. (Cocaine bear not included)

Does Mississippi have a lot of big bears?

When you're talking percentages, the answer is yes, but what is considered big when it comes to black bears? Ballard said 300 pounds is considered large just about anywhere black bears exist and he has put his hands on plenty of bears in that range in Mississippi while capturing and outfitting them with GPS tracking collars for research.

"A lot of the bears that we've caught are in that 300-pound range and that's a trophy bear anywhere you go," Ballard said.

And there's a couple of reasons why we have a high percentage of big bears. Ballard attributes some of it to deer feeders where bears enjoy big meals of dried corn and other supplemental feed intended for deer.

The other is a lack of a bear hunting season because bears are a protected species in the state due to low numbers. In states where there is a season, Ballard said hunters tend to select the larger bears for harvest. Without that, bears can frequently grow to a ripe old age.

"An average lifespan can be 25 to 30 years," Ballard said. "They'll grow their entire life. Without that hunting aspect, bears essentially can grow to their maximum lifespan because there's very few things other than cars that can cause mortality."

Where are the most bears in MS? This new map shows. Expect a lot more sightings soon.

How many bears are in Mississippi?

The short answer is, we don't know.

Bears were once a popular game animal in Mississippi and a source of meat. By the early 1900s the population was estimated to be less than 12 bears due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss.

In 2002 the population was estimated to be less than 50 bears and there was no evidence of breeding in Mississippi. However, in the last 20 years more bears moved in from neighboring states and breeding populations have been established.

In recent years, the department estimated the population to be 150 or more. How many exist now is unknown. Ballard has stated that estimate is likely outdated and feels the number is significantly larger.

Because of that, the agency is placing more emphasis on gathering data on bears to provide a clearer picture of the population.

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How big do black bears get in Mississippi?
Blackouts, electricity restrictions may last up to 2 weeks, former energy minister says

Blackouts and "strict" electricity restrictions may last another one to two weeks following the previous day's mass Russian strike across Ukraine that damaged energy infrastructure, said Ivan Plachkov, president of the All-Ukrainian Energy Assembly, in comments on the Kyiv24 television channel on Aug. 27.

Russia launched what Ukraine's Air Force called the largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Aug. 26, striking 15 oblasts across the country. The attack damaged energy infrastructure, killed seven civilians, and injured 47 more.

Plachkov, who formerly served as Energy Minister, said that it was "one of the most massive attacks on energy infrastructure," with the goal of causing "a total blackout in the energy system."

While Russia was unsuccessful in that goal, Plachkov said the energy situation is very difficult and will require extensive repairs.

Ukraine's Energy Ministry corroborated that it was one of the largest attacks on energy infrastructure and said that the consequences were still being determined. One employee of the Energy Ministry was killed in the attack, and another was injured, the ministry said.

Scheduled blackouts would be in effect throughout the day, the ministry said, adding that emergency power supplies were received from Slovakia and Poland after the attack.

The ministry said that "large-scale" repairs are underway and that employees were working to ensure the "stability and integrity of the power system and prepare it for the autumn-winter period."

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  The American Red Cross said theyre in need of blood donations after a long summer.

Representatives said as people go on vacation over the summer, the need for blood remains constant. A blood drive took place at Lee Kia on Greenville Blvd Tuesday. This comes at a time when the national blood supply has dropped by 25 percent.

The need for blood never stops. You know, while we might have the Fourth of July, where we go and celebrate and hang out with our friends and family, theres people in hospitals all around the world and all across the country that need the blood we provide on a daily basis, Account Manager with American Red Cross Mac Bell said.

Great thing to do and its easy. And you can do it every 56 days if you want, Regular donator Elaine Anderson said. She has donated 13 gallons of blood in all.

I had cancer in 2021 and that was the first real surgery I had besides the broken bones as a kid, she said. And knowing I needed blood, Im thankful I can always get it.

The American Red Cross is in a shortfall or around 19,000 units per day, with units being the number of people who donate.

The American Red Cross was also offering a free $20 Amazon gift card with those donations. The American Red Cross is going to continue that promotion of that free $20 Amazon gift card until the end of August.

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Body found in Hilton Head believed to be Massachusetts man who vanished

A Massachusetts man who had been missing for more than a week is believed to have been found dead underneath a home at the same resort in South Carolina where he was vacationing with his family, according to authorities.

Stanley Kotowski, 60, abruptly vanished Aug. 16 when he left the vacation rental property at Hilton Head Island where the family was staying. Law enforcement in Beaufort County, where the island is located, spent days searching the area for Kotowski, who was believed to be undergoing a mental health crisis.

That search came to an end Monday when sheriff's deputies called to a home for suspicious activity found the body of a man underneath the property, the agency said in an update on Facebook. The body is believed to be that of Kotowski, according to the sheriff's office.

Missing hiker found dead: Remains found in Washington believed to be missing Oregon hiker

Stanley Kotowski left vacation rental with no shoes, phone

Kotowski and his family, who are from Methuen, located about 30 miles north of Boston, were vacationing at Hilton Head Island when he disappeared.

Kotowski was last seen in person on the morning of Aug. 16 leaving his familys vacation rental at the Sea Pines Resort. When Kotowski left, he was shoeless and without his phone and wallet, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Stanley Kotowski

In home surveillance footage shared Saturday by the sheriff's office, Kotowski doesn't appear to be rushed or panicked as he calmly leaves the home. He can be seen in the footage walking barefoot to the street, where he pauses for a few moments before walking off camera.

His wife Jackie Kotowski told media that her husband had been struggling with anxiety, insomnia and paranoia.

"He thought someone was chasing him," Jackie Kotowski told ABC Savannah, Georgia, affiliate WJCL.

The sheriff's office deployed canines, drones, and helicopters to locate Kotowski, while firefighters helped to comb residential and wooded areas. But for days, the only signs of Kotowski came from sporadic recordings on neighbors' home surveillance cameras.

Kotowski believed to be found dead underneath Sea Pines home

Ten days after he went missing, Kotowski was believed to be found dead.

Sheriff's deputies were called at 11:30 a.m. local time Monday to a home at the Sea Pines resort for suspicious activity. While investigating, "the body of a deceased male was located underneath a residence," the sheriff's office said.

The body, which is believed to be Kotowski's, was recovered by 3:30 p.m. and will undergo an autopsy to determine how he died, according to the sheriff's office.

Kotowski's family, however, has confirmed to WJCL that the body is his and was found beneath a home four houses down from their rental unit.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man found dead in Hilton Head is believed to be missing man
Body of Man Who Went Missing From Hilton Head Rental Found Underneath Nearby Home One Week Later

Stanley Kotowski was last seen in the South Sea Pines Drive area on Friday, August 16, around 10:30 a.m.

Stanley Kotowski's remains have been found ten days after he went missing from his family's rental property on South Carolina's Hilton Head Island.

The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office responded to a Sea Pines home regarding suspicious activity at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 26.

According to a press release from the department, upon their arrival, officers conducted an investigation that led to the discovery of the body of a deceased male underneath the residence.

Related: Mass. Father, 60, Missing After He Was Seen Leaving Family's Vacation Rental Barefoot on Ring Camera

"It is believed that the deceased male is 60-year-old Stanley Kotowski of Massachusetts," the press release states.

The body is scheduled to undergo an autopsy by the Beaufort County Coroners Office on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to "determine the manner of death, as well as positively identify the decedent."

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Stanley Kotowski

Kotowski's family, however, has confirmed to WJCL that the remains are his and were found beneath a home "four houses down" from their rental unit.

Related: 21-Year-Old Who Had Just Been Baptized Dies Trying to Save Drowning Girl: 'He Didn't Think Twice'

The Massachusetts native was last seen in the South Sea Pines Drive area on Friday, August 16, around 10:30 a.m.

A previous press release explained that Kotowski exited the rental home without personal belongings, such as his cell phone or wallet.

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office (2) Stanley Kotowski

"Since Kotowski was reported missing the Sheriff's Office has continued search efforts. BCSO, along with other agencies and Sea Pines Security, have been using multiple resources to search for Kotowski to, include K9s, helicopters, drones, boats, and foot patrol," the press release said.

To aid in the search, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office released ring doorbell footage from the property that showed Kotowsk exiting the home barefoot in a dark-colored Coors Light T-shirt and shorts. He then stopped in the middle of the street and looked at the area around him before slowly walking out of the frame.

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Stanley Kotowski exiting his rental home

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"He just walked out the door. He had really bad insomnia for about a month," his wife, Jackie Kotowski, recalled at the time to WJCL. "He doesn't have dementia. His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse, and he started to get a little paranoid."



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KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2024 - 14:16 | All, Japan, World

A Chinese man believed to have been involved in a graffiti incident at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo earlier this year has been detained by Chinese authorities, local media reported Tuesday.

Tokyo police placed Dong Guangming on a wanted list in July, alleging he spray-painted "toilet" in English on a stone pillar of the Shinto facility on the night of May 31. He left the country for China the day after the incident.

The reports said that police from Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province detained an influencer who goes by Iron Head on suspicion he was involved in an alleged extortion case.

After the vandalism was discovered June 1, a video of a man who identified himself as Iron Head drawing the graffiti at the shrine was shared online.

Japanese investigative authorities believe two other Chinese men were involved in the incident, indicting Jiang Zhuojun, a resident of Japan, on charges of damaging property and disrespecting a place of worship, and obtaining an arrest warrant for Xu Laiyu who left for China with Dong.

Tokyo police said they believe Xu shot the video and Jiang bought the spray paint used by Dong.

Yasukuni has long been a source of diplomatic friction with China and other Asian countries as it honors Japan's wartime leaders, who were convicted as war criminals in a post-World War II international tribunal, along with the war dead.

Related coverage:

Male under 20 emerges as suspect in Yasukuni shrine graffiti incident

Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine hit by another graffiti attack
An accident involving a Boeing 757 has reignited fears concerning the airplane manufacturer. A tire explosion on a Delta aircraft has killed two people and seriously injured a third person at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on the morning of August 27, 2024. Delta Air Lines has released a statement concerning the incident.

What caused the Boeing 757 accident with Delta?

The Boeing 757 accident was caused by a tire on the plane exploding while it was being removed within the Delta Air Lines maintenance area, as reported by WSB-TVs Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta.

A Delta employee and a contractor was killed during the incident. Another Delta employee suffered a major injury, but theres no word yet on the persons condition. The identities of the victims have not been released, and further details on the tire explosion have not been revealed pending investigation.

The accident occurred at 5 a.m., according to the Daily Mail. The headquarters of Delta TechOps, the maintenance division of Delta Air Lines, is based in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

In a statement, Delta Air Lines said that it is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another and extends its full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. The company is cooperating with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.

The Boeing 757 arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday night, August 25, according to available information based on the planes tail number. On Sunday, the aircraft completed four trips between Tampa, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. The Federal Aviation Administration is in communication with Delta concerning the accident.

Also on August 27, an Alaska Airlines flight on a Boeing 737 needed to turn around due to a shutdown of the #1 engine on the left side of the aircraft, according to Fox Business. In January, another Boeing 757 plane for Delta Air Lines lost its nose wheel before taking off at the same airport, as reported by CNN. The infamous incident of a rear door flying off a Boeing 737 Max 9 on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 also occurred in the same month.

The post New Boeing 757 Accident With Delta Brings Fears Back to the Surface appeared first on Mandatory.
Brands are so scared of culture wars and controversy that it's ripping apart the media business

Elon Musk's X lawsuit led to the closure of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media.

Conservatives see this as a win for free speech against liberal media watchdog groups.

But brand-safety practices have hurt publishers across the political spectrum.

High-profile conservatives took a victory lap this month after an antitrust lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X, which alleged an ad trade group and its members illegally conspired to shift dollars away from the platform, resulted in the closure of the advertising initiative the Global Alliance for Responsible Media.

For many of these high-fiving observers, the triumph wasn't merely that GARM  a two-person operation whose mission was to create common definitions around areas like hate speech and misinformation  had been toppled. It was a victory for free speech and, ultimately, a win for right versus left.

Since at least the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, conservative outlets have argued that liberal-leaning activists have pressured advertisers to boycott their sites. But the rise of the marketing practice known as "brand safety" hasn't just hit conservative outlets. It's dealt a revenue blow to publishers across the political spectrum.

Initially fearful of inadvertently funding hate speech, terrorism, or online piracy, many advertisers' brand-safety strategies now involve avoiding news and politics altogether.

"The left recentered the ad market," said Alex Marlow, the editor in chief of Breitbart News, in a recent video interview with the conservative media and advocacy group PragerU. "The positive, the silver lining, is that they ended up doing far more damage to themselves than they ever did to Breitbart."

Now, as advertisers grow evermore fearful of appearing next to anything controversial, many ad-industry insiders, as well as publishers on both the left and right, feel there's something fundamentally broken about the system.

"Whether you're X, or a liberal publisher, or News Corp., this thing just got out of hand," Mark Penn, the chief executive of the marketing company Stagwell, said.

The shift from advertising across 20 publishers to 44,000

It wasn't always this way.

When Rishad Tobaccowala, a former top Publicis Groupe executive and 40-year ad-industry veteran, first began buying advertising in the 1980s, there were only around 20 media owners to purchase from across TV, radio, print, and billboards.

With a limited number of outlets, mostly producing professional content, controversies about ad placements were rare. If problems did arise, there'd be a person at the end of the phone to negotiate with.

"The biggest thing there was airlines taking down all their advertising if there had been an air crash," Tobaccowala said.

The landscape today is dramatically different. Marketers now spend the majority of their budgets on digital advertising, and the average campaign runs across 44,000 websites, according to a December study from the Association for National Advertisers. Marketers don't self-select these websites but instead instruct their ad vendors to target specific audiences wherever on the web they may be browsing.

It opened up a world where every ad impression was treated equally, regardless of where it appeared. As the use of automated ad buying grew, major advertisers began finding their ads in the murkiest corners of the web  porn sites, illegal torrenting services, videos depicting gratuitous violence, and more.

This led to the rise of the brand-safety industry. Companies promised to reduce marketers' risk by using software to scan a webpage's content and prevent their ads from appearing on anything unsuitable. Marketers created blacklists of sites they wanted to avoid and whitelists of sites they approved.

But it wasn't until Trump's 2016 election that brand safety really entered the mainstream marketing vernacular  and the culture wars.

Sleeping Giants, YouTube advertiser boycotts, and the rise of keyword blocking

"@sofi Are you aware that you're advertising on Breitbart, the alt-right's biggest champion, today? Are you supporting them publicly?" read the first tweet of Sleeping Giants, a then-anonymous social-media account in November of 2016.

Sleeping Giants soon morphed into an activist organization, encouraging its ballooning Twitter following to pressure companies to stop advertising on conservative outlets, such as Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight" and "The Ingraham Angle," that the group accused of peddling misinformation and hate speech.

Tucker Carlson on a September 2021 episode of "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Fox News. Fox News/Screenshot via YouTube

Around the same time, YouTube was facing a major advertiser boycott after a series of news investigations found their ads appearing alongside videos containing hate speech and terrorist content.

The furor put marketers on high alert, terrified of an embarrassing screenshot that could land their brands in front-page news articles about funding extremism. Enter the brand-safety industrial complex, which offered to quell CMO anxiety with sophisticated technology that promised to save their blushes. Platforms like Google and Facebook partnered with those firms and offered advertisers sharper brand-safety controls.

With each news cycle, advertisers added new terms to keyword block lists, designed so their ad campaigns would avoid articles about uncomfortable topics. It presented a difficult paradox for publishers: High-traffic news cycles like the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulted in ad revenue plunges rather than the expected spikes.

The topics getting blocked have sometimes reached absurdist levels. In April, Time CEO Jessica Sibley revealed that its Taylor Swift "Time Person of the Year" cover feature was deemed "brand unsafe" because it contained language related to feminism and Swift's album "The Tortured Poets Department."

Taylor Swift has been caught up in brand-safety issues. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/TAS24/Getty Images

All this, and heavy competition from social-media giants and others, has contributed to a challenging ad market that has left the news industry scrambling. In 2023, more than 21,400 jobs were cut in the US media industry, according to the employment agency Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

'You can't force brands to change their risk profile'

Some advertising insiders say that while the concept of brand safety is sensible, the efforts have become too focused on policing what content ads appear next to (known in the industry as "content adjacency").

When Mark Penn became Microsoft's chief strategy officer in 2014 and took on responsibility for its $2 billion ad budget, he was surprised that many companies shied away from advertising on news sites. He rejiggered the media plan and found that ads on news sites actually performed best for technology companies, as readers used them for research.

Stagwell CEO Mark Penn. Getty Images

Penn is now the CEO of the marketing group Stagwell, which this year published a study that indicated the type of story an ad was placed next to didn't appear to affect the reader's favorability toward the brand. (Business Insider participated alongside other publishers with Stagwell's study by giving it access to the company's articles and some free advertising space, but otherwise had no influence over its process or findings.)

"We don't want to be in the position of demonetizing one perspective or another," Penn said. "We want advertisers to feel like it's part of their civic responsibility to be advertising behind all perspectives."

But some industry experts think it's too late to put the "content adjacency" genie back in the bottle.

"You can't force brands to change their risk profile," said Richard Raddon, the CEO of Zefr, a software company that assesses brand suitability within content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and connected TV. "No matter how much you pound your fist on the table saying that brands shouldn't care what they're adjacent to, it's just not going to change."

A divisive election year and a challenging future for news brands

Publishers are attempting to diversify through subscriptions, optioning their content for film and TV, launching commerce and events platforms, and signing AI licensing deals. But for most media companies, advertising remains the biggest source of income.

Ben Shapiro, the cofounder and editor emeritus of The Daily Wire, said he has proposed to some advertisers that they buy a mutual fund of advertising, where their ad dollars are split between shows like his on the right and podcasts like "Pod Save America" on the left.

"If you're an advertiser and want to advertise across a broad range of political shows that you think are not obviously violative of your core principles, then I think that also happens to be a pretty good defense" against online criticism and groups that advocate boycotts, Shapiro said.

Ben Shapiro, the founding editor in chief and editor emeritus of The Daily Wire. Gregory Woodman for Daily Wire

"I think that would also be, by the way, a good way of helping the news industry generally. I think that would be good for debate. I think it's good for the public discourse in general," he added.

(The Daily Wire is a joint plaintiff on an active lawsuit  alongside the State of Texas and The Federalist  that accuses the US Department of State of funding news rating and disinformation technologies they say censored conservative news.)

In a highly charged US election year, marketers are more risk-averse than ever, especially when it comes to culture-war topics.

Tractor Supply, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson recently ended their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives after coming under activist pressure. And who can forget the image of Kid Rock shooting Bud Light cans with a rifle after the beer brand featured a transgender influencer in one of its social-media posts? A huge boycott of the brand saw Bud Light slip from being the top-selling beer in America to the No. 3 spot in the space of months.

Bud Light faced a backlash after it published a social-media post featuring the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty Images

"When I was working with clients and brands, the people who were running marketing and advertising tended to be true decision-makers and said, 'This is what we think,'" Tobaccowala said. "Now most people are really scared for their jobs, so their whole stance is, 'I'm not going to take a point of view on anything.'"

The result, Tobaccowala fears, is a further winnowing of the media industry where only the biggest platforms and individual content creators survive.

"The ecosystem will look like whales and plankton," Tobaccowala said. "They feed off each other, but anyone in between won't have a future."

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas administration is in talks with the Senate head to hold the hearing for the next central bank governor in early September, according to local newspapers. Lawmakers plan on making a final push before the municipal elections, which will take place in October, but chances that the sessions will be virtual could make the work harder.

On Monday, central bank Monetary Policy Director Gabriel Galipolo brought forward his return to the capital Brasilia from Piaui, where he was participating in an event, in case Lula decided to officially nominate him to succeed Governor Roberto Campos Neto, said O Globo.

The economist Braulio Borges is one of the names mentioned within the Finance Ministry for a vacancy on the central bank board, Folha de S. Paulo reports, without revealing how it obtained the information. In addition to Campos Neto, two directors will end their terms in December.

Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha said the Senate voting schedule for next week is still unclear, according to O Estado de S. Paulo.

Fires

The military operation to combat fires in Sao Paulo state ended late Monday afternoon, Defense Minister Jose Mucio said in a interview to CNN Brasil. The forces remain on standby, the minister added. The fires were caused by low humidity, a heat wave and criminal activities.

Lower House

Lower house Speaker Arthur Lira this week is leaning toward indicating who he will support as his successor, said Valor Economico. The election will take place in February 2025.

Other Highlights

Lula government wants to quadruple gas aid in 2026, an election year, despite a tight fiscal situation: O Estado de S. Paulo

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FILE PHOTO: Officials work at the site of a plane crash in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo

By Gabriel Araujo

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil's lower house of Congress on Tuesday created a committee to monitor investigations into an aircraft crash in Sao Paulo state earlier this month, in which all 62 passengers and crew were killed.

The ATR 72-500 plane operated by regional carrier Voepass was bound for Sao Paulo's Guarulhos airport from Cascavel, in the southern state of Parana, when it crashed in Vinhedo, some 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo, on Aug. 9.

Lower House Speaker Arthur Lira had authorized the creation of the 37-person committee last week so lawmakers can monitor progress on the investigation, which is being carried out by aviation accident investigation center Cenipa.

The committee on Tuesday voted on the first invitees to speak before the group, including top airline executives, investigators and representatives for airplane manufacturer ATR, a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo.

"Our intention is not to carry out a witch hunt," Congressman Nelsinho Padovani, who will be in charge of writing the final report with the committee's conclusions, told Reuters. "We want to propose measures so it does not happen again."

Among those the lawmakers plan to hear are Voepass President Jose Luiz Felicio Filho, Cenipa head Marcelo Moreno and the head of Brazil's civil aviation regulator ANAC, Tiago Sousa Pereira.

The committee approved inviting all of them to hearings, as well as Roberto Alvo, the chief executive of LATAM Airlines.

The local unit of Chile-based LATAM is Brazil's No.1 carrier and has a codeshare agreement with Voepass, a type of deal that allows airlines to sell seats on each other's flights.

A spokesperson for ATR said: "We continue to follow the situation carefully and our teams are on location with French teams to support the Brazilian investigation."

LATAM declined to comment, while Voepass did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As per lower house rules, those invited are not obliged to appear before the committee.

Padovani's initial expectation is for hearings to last until December and the report to be concluded by February, he said. Cenipa will release its own preliminary report about the crash on Sept. 6.

Some experts have cited ice on the wings as a possible contributor to the crash, as warning notices were issued that day for severe icing in the region.

There have been multiple cases where pilots lost control of an ATR plane following reports of the formation of ice on the aircraft.

The lawmakers also plan to visit Voepass' maintenance hub in Sao Paulo state and examine the codeshare agreement between Voepass and LATAM, Padovani said.

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by David Holmes and Aurora Ellis)
Visitors from Mato Grosso, Brazil met with DMACC President Rob Denson Aug. 26, 2024 to learn about the college's programs and discuss possible partnerships. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Des Moines Area Community College took the first step in expanding its international relations with visitors from Brazils state of Mato Grosso, who toured the community college Monday to learn more about its operations and offerings.

Representatives from Brazils government and Mato Grosso universities visited DMACC Urban Campus on their first day of a tour of central Iowa, which began with a meeting with Gov. Kim Reynolds. The group will also visit agriculture organizations and businesses, Iowa State University departments and the Farm Progress Show. The group will also attend the Minnesota State Fair before traveling home.

Evandro Soares, director of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, said he was glad to visit DMACC and form a relationship between the states universities and explore possible partnerships for teaching, outreach and innovation.

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Sen. Wellington Fagundes said Mato Grosso is the countrys largest producer of cotton, soy, and corn and is a leader in ethanol production as well. Both he and Soares spoke through a translator, Federal University of Mato Grosso Postgraduate Coordinator Vinicius Pereira Carvalho.

We are very glad to be here, Fagundes said.

DMACC President Rob Denson gave a presentation to the delegation about DMACCs programs and reach, noting that 60% of DMACC students go through the community college to complete the first two years of a four-year degree while the rest are involved in vocational or other training programs. Many students in Mato Grosso do something similar, members of the delegation said, saving money by attending a lower-cost institution for two years before transferring.

Agribusiness is another area where Iowa and Mato Grosso have a lot of focus, as the Brazilian state has the largest gross agricultural product in the country, according to a video presented by the delegation. Denson said DMACC has robust agriculture programs, and hed be happy to connect with the delegation in the future about collaborating on initiatives in that area.

Denson said international relationships are important to the college and its students, with programs available for students in certain areas of study to travel across the globe. Dental hygiene students are sent to Japan every year for educational opportunities, and culinary students traveled to France in May to get restaurant experience in an international setting.

Weve got partnerships in France, in England, in Japan, Kosovo  we would love to look to do more with Brazil, Denson said. We have students from all over the world coming to this college, and many of our students travel well, so we need to do more.

While no plans have been decided on, one possible avenue for a partnership could be an exchange program where students visit Mato Grosso for part or all of a semester to experience its culture and education, Denson said. Each of the delegates came up to him to express their interest in continuing conversations started during their visit, he said.

Whether the industry is advanced manufacturing, agriculture, information technology or something else, Denson said everything has a global footprint that DMACC students should be aware of, and international partnerships go a long way in giving students new opportunities for education and widening their perspectives.

We are absolutely in a global economy, what happens in Iowa impacts the world and vice versa, Denson said in an interview. And we want our students to have a world view.

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Mayor Skip Hall of Surprise, Arizona, had Rebekah Massie removed from a City Council meeting when she attempted to raise concerns about the city attorney's salary. Hall cited a section of the council's public comments policy that bars speakers from making complaints about city employees or council members. When Massie protested that the policy violates the First Amendment, Hall had police officers remove her. She has been charged with suspicion of trespassing, obstructing government operations, and resisting arrestall misdemeanors.

The post Brickbat: Surprise Ejection appeared first on Reason.com.
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ)  Blair Countys Out of the Darkness Walk is scheduled for Sep. 8 at Lakemont Park. Before hundreds of people participate in the walk, organizers are working to highlight Butterfly Lane.

There should never be a reason that somebody loses their life to suicide. Thats why we create this whole event, Ashleigh Nearhoof, a coordinator for Butterfly Lane, said.

This September will mark the 14th annual walk in the county.

Football season reminder: Drive sober or get pulled over

We created a dedication for Hope Memorial area for individuals to be able to submit a photo of a person that they are willing to walk for that day. And the goal of that is to be able to create an area where its a very supportive environment, Nearhoof said.

According to the CDC, suicide was responsible for over 49,000 deaths in 2022, which is about one death every 11 minutes. Butterfly Lane doesnt paint anyone in a negative light, but instead is seen as a positive thing that impacts everyone, even if they havent lost someone to suicide.

I think its important to show, you know, were all in this together and theres so much of an impact that can be made know as we walk to help prevent suicide moving forward. So much education, training, resources out there. This is a huge way to kind of help others and come out, you know, feeling good about that, Jamie Banks, another Butterfly Lane coordinator said.

The fundraising goal for this years walk is $35,000, and as of right now theyve raised $23,849.

Now the task force is encouraging more people to register and walk for the cause.

From that money, a portion of that stays in Blair County and the local Blair County Suicide Prevention Task Force uses that money to provide educational programs to the community, to the schools, to the elderly, to anybody that expresses an interest, or that weve identified a need. That means the education is used to hopefully eradicate suicide at some point, Missy Peters, Chairperson of the Out of the Darkness Walk, said.

To register as an individual or team for the walk, become a sponsor or find more information, visit the AFSPs website by clicking here.

Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters.

The walk will occur from 11 a.m.  noon. If you would like to commemorate a significant person in Butterfly Lane, please email the persons name and photo to blaircountysptf@gmail.com by Aug. 30.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BYD Says Fate of Lithium Project Is in Hands of Chile Government

(Bloomberg) -- BYD Co. said the timing of its lithium project in Chile remains up in the air as the Chinese electric vehicle juggernaut continues to negotiate with authorities in the South American nation.

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In April last year, BYD was granted access to preferential prices for lithium carbonate produced by Chiles SQM to feed a plant that would start making lithium iron phosphate for cathodes by the end of 2025.

But terms are yet to be settled and the start of production is expected to be delayed, BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said in an interview on Monday in Shenzhen, adding that the company has to make sure it gets a good deal.

We are still negotiating with the local government, Li said. The ball is now in the governments court.

Corfo, the Chilean government agency that oversees lithium holdings, declined to comment.

For the Chinese automaker, the cathode project offers a foothold in a country with the worlds biggest reserves of lithium. For Chile, the project is a part of a push to move further down the battery supply chain. But lithium prices have slumped to three-year lows after new production came on stream just as global demand for electric cars slowed.

Its unclear if BYD would be assured of preferential prices beyond SQMs current license that expires in 2030. The Santiago-based firm known formally as Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA has signed a deal to hand over a majority stake in its brine assets to state-owned Codelco in exchange for extending operations.

--With assistance from Danny Lee.

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KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 14:12 | All, Japan, World

Japan on Tuesday slammed an unprecedented breach of its airspace by a Chinese military plane the previous day, calling it a "totally unacceptable" violation of its sovereignty and safety.

"We are firmly determined to protect our land, sea and airspace and to stand up to say what we need to say," Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told a press conference.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a separate press conference that the Chinese military's "operations around our nation are apparently expanding and intensifying" and that Japan will continue to monitor them "with strong interest."

The Defense Ministry confirmed Monday that a Chinese military Y-9 spy plane flew over waters in the East China Sea off the Danjo Islands in the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki for about two minutes from 11:29 a.m. The Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets immediately after the intrusion.

Japan has declined to comment on China's potential motive and purpose behind the incident, apparently for national security and diplomatic reasons.

Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said Japan has already lodged an "extremely serious protest" with China and strongly urged it to take steps to prevent any further such incidents.

The intrusion was the first by a Chinese military aircraft that Japan has confirmed. Nonmilitary Chinese aircraft have violated Japanese airspace twice in the past, in 2012 and 2017 around the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Japan scrambled fighter jets in both cases.

Ties between the two neighbors have been strained recently following the release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean in August 2023, leading China to impose a blanket ban on Japanese seafood.

Related coverage:

Japan accuses China military of airspace violation for 1st time
California could be first state to hire undocumented college students on campus under new bill

California would become the first state in the nation to employ undocumented college students without legal work permits, pending a signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The landmark legislation, Assembly Bill 2586, passed the Legislature in a final 41-7 Assembly vote on Monday. The governor, who has not stated a position on the bill, has until the end of September to sign or veto it.

Newsoms record on undocumented-centered legislation fluctuates. While the state has extended Medi-Cal to all age groups of the community under his administration, he has also vetoed bills to provide cash assistance to undocumented seniors and extend unemployment benefits. He repeatedly postponed the expansion of the food assistance benefits.

If signed, AB 2586 would direct the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges systems to employ students who, due to their legal status, often struggle to secure paid on-campus jobs, internships and research opportunities. These institutions would have to begin hiring students by January 2025.

California is leading on an issue that, unfortunately, the rest of the country is failing, Assemblyman David Alvarez, D-San Diego, said on Monday following the bills passing.

Alvarez introduced the bill earlier this year after University of California leaders scrapped a plan to hire these undocumented students. UC leaders, many of whom are Newsom appointees, had cited legal concerns including loss of federal funding and the exposure of undocumented students and their families to prosecution and deportation.

A legal analysis developed last year by UCLA scholars counters that argument, saying there is no federal law prohibiting the UC from hiring undocumented students.

Under Alavrezs bill, the University of California Board of Regents would still need to pass a resolution allowing the hires before moving forward with any action. In February, the San Diego lawmaker said that he expected the resolution to be passed.

An estimated 83,000 undocumented college students reside in California, according to data from the American Communities Survey. Many are ineligible for employment since new applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals were halted in 2021. This program provides work permits and protection from deportation to those brought to the United States as children.

Young people, who all they know is their American life, should be integrated into our society, Alvarez said on Monday. Thats what this bill intends to  recognize that they are students. Theyve worked hard, theyve committed themselves and theyre now prepared to work for us.

The Bees Stephen Hobbs contributed to this story.
FILE - Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, during the Assembly session in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday, May 23, 2022. Bauer-Kahan, authored a bill banning prisons from placing pregnant people in solitary confinement. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli,File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California could expand protections for pregnant people who are incarcerated, ban legacy admissions at private colleges and set new requirements for colleges to address gender discrimination on campuses under proposals passed by state lawmakers Tuesday.

The California Legislature, which is dominated by Democrats, is voting on hundreds of bills during its final week of session to send to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. Their deadline is Saturday.

The Democratic governor then has until Sept. 30 to sign the proposals, veto them or let them become law without his signature. In recent years, he has often cited the state's budget troubles when rejecting legislation that he would otherwise support.

Here is a look at some of the bills lawmakers approved Tuesday.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Each California State University and University of California campus would be required to have an office designated to handling sexual harassment complaints under Title IX, a federal law barring sex discrimination in education. They would also be required to have a systemwide office oversee efforts to address gender discrimination on campuses.

Lawmakers introduced the bill as part of a package of legislation to address sexual misconduct and gender discrimination on college campuses after the state auditor found in recent years that the University of California and California State University systems mishandled complaints.

The bill now heads back to the Assembly for final approval in the Legislature.

PREGNANT WOMEN IN PRISONS

The state Senate approved bills expanding protections for pregnant women who are incarcerated.

One would ban pregnant women and women up to 12 weeks postpartum from being placed in solitary confinement, except if there is a credible and imminent threat to the safety or security of the woman. It would also require pregnant women to receive clean bottled water and meals daily that meet nutrition guidelines under the state's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Another bill would require pregnant women to be referred to a social worker within a week of entering prison to talk about options for parenting classes. Mothers who just gave birth would be required to stay at a medical facility for as long as the medical provider says is necessary. Each mother would be given bonding time with her infant at the medical facility, and she would be allowed to pump and to have her breast milk stored after returning to prison so it can be provided to the newborn.

The proposals need final approval in the Assembly before heading to Newsom's desk.

REDUCING EMPTY PRISON BEDS

California lawmakers sent Newsom a bill Tuesday that would drastically cut the number of empty state prison beds by 2030. The legislation, touted as a cost-saving measure during a tough budget year, also aims to push the state into closing more prisons.

There are roughly 15,000 prison beds sitting empty across the state, and they cost millions annually to maintain, supporters of the bills said. The proposal would gradually reduce that number to 2,500 empty beds in the next six years, potentially making way for the state to close five state prisons in the future.

Californias prison population has rapidly declined in the last decade after federal court intervention and the COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents of the proposal, including law enforcement, say it would force people into tighter quarters and take away space for rehabilitation programs inside state facilities.

LEGACY ADMISSIONS

The Senate passed a bill that would ban private, nonprofit colleges from giving preference in the admissions process to applicants related to alumni or donors of the school, beginning in September 2025.

The goal is to give students a fair opportunity to access higher education, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Legacy admissions came under renewed scrutiny after the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

If the Assembly signs off on the final version of the bill, it will be sent to Newsom.

___

Associated Press writer Tran Nguyen contributed to this report.

Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna
California lawmakers sent a gender-affirming licensing bill to Gavin Newsom. Will he sign it?

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

SENATE SENDS GENDER-AFFIRMING BILL TO NEWSOMS DESK

While many state legislatures are passing bills to restrict gender-affirming medical care for transgender people, California lawmakers last week gave the green light for a bill to expedite licensing for specialists in the field.

AB 2442 passed out of the Senate last week on a party line vote, with Democrats voting for it and all but two Republicans voting against. Sens. Marie Alvarado-Gil and Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh didnt vote. No Republican spoke against the bill when it appeared on the Senate floor.

The bill now sits on the desk of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Newsom has been a longtime ally of the LGBTQ community, though there have been some bumps in the road along the way, including last year when he vetoed a bill that would have required judges to consider whether a parent is gender-affirming when determining custody of a transgender child, meaning they accept and support their childs gender identity.

More than half the country has enacted laws to restrict access to gender-affirming care, particularly for minors, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBTQ advocacy group that tracks such efforts.

California has always been a beacon of hope for those seeking essential health care services, whether its reproductive health or gender-affirming care. As MAGA-led legislatures across the country attack the transgender community and restrict the care they desperately need, this bill enables California to step up and meet the needs of those traveling here for the services banned in their states, said bill author Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur in a statement.

The bill is supported by Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, whose facilities provide gender-affirming care.

We hope to see AB 2442 signed into law so we can better meet the needs of (transgender, gender diverse and intersex) individuals by ensuring the health care provider workforce is equipped with providers across California that are trained and prepared to provide comprehensive and equitable gender-affirming care to those who seek it in our state, said President and CEO Jodi Hicks in a statement.

We may be waiting a little bit to know whether AB 2442 will become law, though. Newsom has until the end of September to either sign or veto it.

CALIFORNIA LEADS IN SALES TAX

Via David Lightman...

Add another tax to the California list of the nations higher taxesa new study finds that 13 of the nations cities with the highest total sales taxes are in the state.

Modesto ranked 25th and Sacramento is tied with Riverside, Chula Vista, San Bernardino and Buffalo, New York, for 29th, according to a new study by the Tax Foundation, a Washington research group. Stockton was 20th.

The states cities with the highest sales taxes were Long Beach, Oakland and Fremont, which tied for third with Chicago. Numbers one and two were Seattle and Tacoma, Washington.

The study listed 122 major cities, and found Portland, Oregon, and Anchorage at the bottom with no sales taxes.

Among the California rankings: Los Angeles and Santa Clarita, tied for 11th; San Jose, 14; Santa Ana, 15; San Francisco, 36; Fresno, 44; Bakersfield, 63 and San Diego, Irvine, Fontana and Moreno Valley, tied for 74th with Salt Lake City and Toledo, Ohio.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

This merger will leave Californians with fewer choices over where to shop  and for workers in this industry, where to work. We are in court today to prevent this unlawful attempt by Kroger and Albertsons to merge their operations and reduce competition in the marketplace.

- California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in a statement discussing the multistate lawsuit to block the proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger, which went to trial on Monday.

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A California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation prison guard in Northern California was stabbed multiple times, including in his head, after an inmate attacked him Saturday while being escorted to his cell, authorities said.

The incident  under investigation as an attempted homicide  began after Devanae Price, 33, partially freed himself from his handcuffs and struck a peace officer in the face at the Pelican Bay State Prison, CDCR officials said in a news release.

Staff immediately responded and Price ignored orders to get down, the release continued. Price continued to strike the officer in the head and torso.

Price was stopped after guards used physical force, finding the 33-year-old with an inmate-manufactured weapon, the release said.

The prison guard had two puncture wounds in his vest, swelling in his head and other minor injuries. The peace officer was taken to a hospital and released that day.

Price was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after he was convicted of second-degree murder and having a firearm as a felon. Those charges were enhanced by allegations he had a prior felony conviction of a serious offense and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, the release said.

This case stems out of Stanislaus County where Price was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for the shooting death a single father at an apartment complex in Ceres, according to the Turlock Journal. The Stanislaus County District Attorneys Office said Price mistakenly thought the victim, Falane Jones, was someone else, according to the Turlock Journal.

Price had also been sentenced to prison from Del Norte County on July 2022 to four years and four months for crimes he committed while incarcerated: battery of a non-prisoner and resisting or deterring an officer with threats or violence. He was also sentenced in September 2023 in Marin County to four years for possessing or manufacturing a deadly weapon as an incarcerated person, the news release said.
California Woman Uses Apple AirTag to Track Down Her Stolen Packages  Heres How She Did It

Two suspects were arrested on Monday, Aug. 19 after they were found with stolen items from "over a dozen" victims, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office

Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Apple AirTag

A California woman decided to take matters into her own hands when she noticed her packages were being stolen on multiple occasions.

The woman sent a package containing an Apple AirTag to her mailbox at the Los Alamos Post Office in Los Alamos, Calif. and was able to catch the suspects stealing her mail with the help of the police, the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office wrote in a press release on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Deputies responded to the womans mail theft report on Monday, Aug. 19 and learned that the victim had items stolen from her post office box recently, so she mailed herself a package that included an AirTag locator device, per the release.

As the package containing the $29 tracking device was also stolen, police were able to locate the suspects and arrest them that day. Officers note that the woman did not try to find the suspects herself and instead contacted the police right away.

Related: Traveler Tracks Down Her Missing Luggage  and Finds It at Florida Airport Workers Home

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office The victim's Apple AirTag that was found in the stolen package

The suspects, a 27-year-old woman and 37-year-old man, were found with the victims mail and items believed to be stolen from over a dozen additional victims, according to the police. They were located and arrested in the 600-block of E. Sunrise Drive in Santa Maria.

In the release, officers praise the victims quick thinking and note that the case remains open as they contact the other victims.

The Sheriffs Office would like to commend the victim for her proactive solution, while highlighting that she also exercised appropriate caution by contacting law enforcement to safely and successfully apprehend the suspects, they add.

Related: Plane Passenger Says They 'Never' Put Their Phone on Airplane Mode  and Commenters Are Outraged

Getty Various suitcases

In June, a Spirit Airlines passenger experienced a similar situation when she used a signal coming from her Apple Watch to track down her missing luggage that was stolen by an airport employee in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The passenger, Paola Garcia, told Floridas Local 10 at the time that it all started when she was forced to check her pink hard-shell suitcase before her March 3 flight. However, her luggage never arrived at the carousel when she touched down in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airports Terminal 4.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Despite Garcias claims that the airline said her belongings would be sent to her house, she noticed her Apple Watch was sending a signal from a home address in Fort Lauderdale.

She decided to investigate herself and discovered suitcases "everywhere" at the property when she got there. She took a video of the luggage and called 911, leading the Broward Sheriffs Office to arrest the suspect, Junior Bazile, and charge him with grand theft.



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Read the original article on People.
Credit - Getty ImagesJens Kristian Balle

Few places in the world have more to gain from a flourishing AI industry than California. Few also have more to lose if the publics trust in the industry were suddenly shattered.

In May, the California Senate passed SB 1047, a piece of AI safety legislation, in a vote of 32 to one, helping ensure the safe development of large-scale AI systems through clear, predictable, common-sense safety standards. The bill is now slated for a state assembly vote this week and, if signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, would represent a significant step in protecting California citizens and the states burgeoning AI industry from malicious use.

Late Monday, Elon Musk shocked many by announcing his support for the bill in a post on X. This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill, he wrote. For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.

The post came days after I spoke with Musk about SB 1047. Unlike other corporate leaders who often waver, consulting their PR teams and lawyers before taking a stance on safety legislation, Musk was different. After I outlined the importance of the bill, he requested to review its text to ensure its fairness and lack of potential for abuse. The next day he came out in support. This quick decision-making process is a testament to Musk's long-standing advocacy for responsible AI regulation.

Last winter, Senator Scott Weiner, the bill's creator, reached out to the Center for AI Safety (CAIS) Action Fund for technical suggestions and cosponsorship. As CAIS's founder, my commitment to transformative technologies impacting public safety is our mission's cornerstone. To preserve innovation, we must anticipate potential pitfalls, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Recognizing SB 1047s groundbreaking nature, we were thrilled to help and have advocated for its adoption ever since.

Read More: Exclusive: California Bill Proposes Regulating AI at State Level

Targeted at the most advanced AI models, it will require large companies to test for hazards, implement safeguards, ensure shutdown capabilities, protect whistleblowers, and manage risks. These measures aim to prevent cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, bioengineering of viruses, or other malicious activities with the potential to cause widespread destruction and mass casualties

Anthropic recently warned that AI risks could emerge in as little as 1-3 years, disputing critics who view safety concerns as imaginary. Of course, if these risks are indeed fictitious, developers shouldnt fear liability. Moreover, developers have pledged to tackle these issues, aligning with President Joe Biden's recent executive order, reaffirmed at the 2024 AI Seoul Summit.

Enforcement is lean by design, allowing California's Attorney General to act only in extreme cases. There are no licensing requirements for new models, nor does it punish honest mistakes or criminalize open sourcingthe practice of making software source code freely available. It wasn't drafted by Big Tech or those focused on distant future scenarios. The bill aims to prevent frontier labs from neglecting caution and critical safeguards in their rush to release the most capable models.

Like most AI safety researchers, I am in large part driven by a belief in its immense potential to benefit society, and deeply concerned about preserving that potential. As a global leader in AI, California is too. This shared concern is why state politicians and AI safety researchers are enthusiastic about SB 1047, as history tells us that a major disaster, like the nuclear one at Three Mile Island on March 28, 1979, could set a burgeoning industry back decades.

Regulatory bodies responded to the partial nuclear meltdown by overhauling nuclear safety standards and protocols. These changes increased the operational costs and complexity of running nuclear plants, as operators invested in new safety systems and complied with rigorous oversight. The regulatory challenges made nuclear energy less appealing, halting its expansion over the next 30 years.

Three Mile Island led to a greater dependence on coal, oil, and natural gas. It is often argued that this was a significant lost opportunity to advance toward a more sustainable and efficient global energy infrastructure. While it remains uncertain whether stricter regulations could have averted the incident, it is clear that a single event can profoundly impact public perception, stifling the long-term potential of an entire industry.

Some people will view any government action on industry with suspicion, considering it inherently detrimental to business, innovation, and a state or countrys competitive edge. Three Mile Island demonstrates this perspective is short-sighted, as measures to reduce the chances of a disaster are often in the long-term interest of emerging industries. It is also not the only cautionary tale for the AI industry.

When social media platforms first emerged, they were largely met with enthusiasm and optimism. A 2010 Pew Research Center survey found that 67% of American adults who used social media believed it had a mostly positive impact. Futurist Brian Solis captured this ethos when he proclaimed, Social media is the new way to communicate, the new way to build relationships, the new way to build businesses, and the new way to build a better world.

He was three-fourths correct.

Driven by concerns over privacy breaches, misinformation, and mental health impacts, public perception of social media has flipped, with 64% of Americans viewing it negatively. Scandals like Cambridge Analytica eroded trust, while fake news and polarizing content highlighted social media's role in societal division. A Royal Society for Public Health study showed 70% of young people experienced cyberbullying, with 91% of 16-24-year-olds stating social media harms their mental wellbeing. Users and policymakers around the globe are increasingly vocal about needing stricter regulations and greater accountability from social media companies.

This did not happen because social media companies are uniquely evil. Like other emerging industries, the early days were a wild west where companies rushed to dominate a burgeoning market and government regulation was lacking. Platforms with addictive, often harmful content thrived, and we are now all paying the price. The companiesincreasingly mistrusted by consumers and in the crosshairs of regulators, legislators, and courtsincluded.

The optimism surrounding social media wasnt misplaced. The technology did have the potential to break down geographical barriers and foster a sense of global community, democratize information, and facilitate positive social movements. As the author Erik Qualman warned, "We dont have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it."

The lost potential of social media and nuclear energy was tragic, but its nothing compared to squandering AIs potential. Smart legislation like SB 1047 is our best tool for preventing this while protecting innovation and competition.

The history of technological regulation showcases our capacity for foresight and adaptability. When railroads transformed 19th-century transportation, governments standardized track gauges, signaling, and safety protocols. The advent of electricity led to codes and standards preventing fires and electrocutions. The automobile revolution necessitated traffic laws and safety measures like seat belts and airbags. In aviation, bodies like the FAA established rigorous safety standards, making flying the safest form of transportation.

History can only provide us with lessons. Whether to heed them is up to us.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
High school girls from around the nation wait in line to ask questions of scientist Katie Bouman during the annual Women in STEM program at Caltech in Pasadena. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

The auditorium was packed with hundreds of high school girls from across the nation fangirling a YouTube idol they dream to emulate.

There before them stood Katie Bouman, an associate professor of computing and mathematical sciences, electrical engineering and astronomy at Caltech in Pasadena, showing off images of a dark hole ringed by a fire-colored halo. In 2022, Bouman co-led a team of more than 300 researchers from 80 institutions to capture the world's first image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

High school girls head to a lecture about black holes at Caltech. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

Bouman's lecture, part of the Caltech Women in STEM program, had a deeper motive: It showcased a leading woman scientist to help girls envision themselves attending one of the world's preeminent institutions of science and engineering  fields still dominated by men. And the efforts in this hard-fought, strategic campaign are paying off.

In a milestone breakthrough, more than half of Caltech's incoming undergraduate class in the fall will be women for the first time in its 133-year history. The class of 113 women and 109 men comes 50 years after Caltech graduated its first class of undergraduate women, who were admitted in 1970.

"What this means for young women is that we are a place that can be representative of them and their experiences ... where they can grow and thrive and excel and become really impressive, extraordinary scientists and engineers and go on to make a difference in this really research-heavy profession," said Ashley Pallie, dean of admissions.

Scientist Katie Bouman, who led efforts to capture the first image of a black hole, speaks to high school girls at the annual Women in STEM program at Caltech. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

Gloria L. Blackwell, chief executive of the American Assn. of University Women, lauded Caltech's achievement as crucial progress in reducing the substantial gap of women in science, technology, engineering and math. Although women hold about 60% of degrees in biological sciences, they represent only about 18% in computer science and 20% in engineering, Blackwell said.

Research has shown that boys are not better at math and science than girls, but a persistent message in society says otherwise  and especially discourages Latinas and Black girls from pursuing the fields because they face discrimination and have less access to role models, resources and opportunities, the AAUW says.

Read more: No high school calculus, chemistry, physics class? Caltech has a new admission work-around

Caltech isn't the first educational institution to reach gender parity in STEM. Harvey Mudd College, a small private institution in Claremont, was an early leader in diversity  a key goal of former President Maria Klawe, a computer scientist and mathematician who stepped down last year after a 17-year tenure. The college enrolled more women than men in 2010 for the first time in its history and in 2014 graduated more women than men in engineering. Today, women make up 52.8% of majors in computer science, 50.5% in engineering and 68.2% in mathematical and computational biology.

At UC Berkeley, another powerful producer of STEM graduates, nearly half of students majoring in those fields identify as women or nonbinary, but the field they enter varies significantly. They make up more than two-thirds of students in biological and biomedical sciences, but about one-third in engineering, computer and informational sciences, and mathematics and statistics.

Caltech has expanded its Women in STEM program, hosting 500 high school girls this month as the institute reached gender parity in enrollment for the first time in its 133-year history. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

The long quest for gender parity

For Caltech, a campus of 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students with 47 Nobel awards and more than 50 research centers, the road to gender parity has been long. Women were not admitted until 1970 amid rising demands for gender equality and two years before Congress passed Title IX of the Higher Education Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program receiving federal funds.

Louise Kirkbride was one of 32 members of that inaugural class. A Philadelphia teen and National Merit finalist scouted by Caltech, Kirkbride wanted to attend the institute so badly that she left home for Pasadena without her parents' permission or support. Institute officials picked her up at LAX, gave her a full scholarship and helped her become an independent minor, Kirkbride said.

"In my mind, Caltech was the hardest school to get into in the world and that made it just kind of irresistible," said Kirkbride, who went on to found two venture-capital-based startups and currently serves as a Caltech trustee.

On her first day, she said, some male students held up a sign, "Welcome, Kotex," referring to a tampon brand. She put up with a student who carefully explained "why it had to be true that [women] were admitted as affirmative action" based on the purportedly natural gender distribution of intelligence. One professor said to her class that admitting women would end Caltech's excellence, and another told her that "you're a waste of an education."

But the kindness and support of another professor, Carver Mead, helped her find a home at Caltech. She was so inspired by him that she followed his path and became an electrical engineer.

Graduate student Radhika Bhatt, front, gives high school girls a tour around a laboratory during the annual Women in STEM program at Caltech. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

Mead, now 90 and still engaged in research as a professor emeritus of engineering and applied science, said he has always supported women scientists. "I've always had women in my research group, and they're more collaborative and often provide a lot of leadership in a very quiet way, and it just really changes things," he said.

During the faculty meeting to debate the issue in 1967, Mead said, many of the "old farts" complained that women would feel outnumbered and would just get married and have children and that "we could have educated somebody who was going to do ... science." He left the meeting and called an MIT woman graduate he knew. She told him she had had no problems being a minority at the Cambridge, Mass., campus. Mead returned, told his colleagues about his "data point" and, as scientists persuaded by evidence, they voted to let women in.

By the time Bouman reached Caltech in 2019 as a faculty member, much had changed. Growing up in Indiana, she was always encouraged to pursue her talent in science and math by her father, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering at Purdue University. But as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, she was just one of a handful of women in the electrical engineering department and sometimes felt like an impostor.

"That starts to get in your head a little bit, but if you don't search for it, then you can kind of just plow forward and not let it worry you," Bouman, 35, said. "I really tried to put blinders on."

She graduated summa cum laude from Michigan, earned her doctoral degree at MIT, where she first started her work on black hole imaging in 2013, then became a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard. There, in 2019, she helped develop the code to capture the world's first image of a black hole and unexpectedly became the face of the international project when a photo of her amazement hit social media. U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) hailed her as "an inspiration to all Americans and especially to young women and girls" with STEM dreams. Children sent her their drawings of black holes. One girl even dressed up as her for Halloween.

Bouman said she never intended to be a role model but recognizes the importance of girls seeing women in the sciences. After her lecture, one girl went up to her, asked to take a selfie and told her, "You're my dream scientist!"

Read more: Inspiring 'the next generation of explorers' fuels big partnership between UC Berkeley, NASA

Leah Cevallos, a West Sacramento high school senior, said the science journals she reads "for fun" are dominated by men, so seeing Bouman centered in the black hole breakthrough was inspiring.

"The more you give people the opportunity to see themselves in a place like Caltech, the more we know we'll find fantastic people who can make great contributions to science and technology and engineering," said Michelle Effros, who was the first woman faculty member hired into Caltech's electrical engineering department in 1994.

Pallie, the admissions dean, said she has more than doubled the size of the Women in STEM program to 500 girls and extended it to two days, so potential students and their families can get a deeper sense of Caltech  especially the lab tours to "let the science speak for itself."

She also revamped the institute's messaging to say upfront that Caltech is fearsomely difficult, but also a unique and exciting place for the right person. Applications have skyrocketed from 8,000 before the pandemic to 14,000 today. The admission rate has fallen to 3.14%, and the share of students accepting admission offers has increased to 64%.

Pallie said there is still work to do.

"You can't just be a one-hit wonder," Pallie said. "Our major goal is to sustain and continue it so this is just part of the DNA of Caltech, that we just are a place where young women see themselves and they know that they can really thrive."

More work ahead

But even as more women study science, technology, engineering and math, they remain significantly underrepresented in the related workforce. Women hold about 45% of STEM degrees but make up only 28% of the workforce in those fields, said Blackwell of the American Assn. of University Women. Many women face unwelcoming "masculine cultures," she said, and some experience gender discrimination and opt to leave the field.

But during Caltech's Women in STEM day, it was all dreams of cutting-edge research and new scientific discoveries.

Miranda Li, a senior at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, is passionate about astrophysics and astronomy, relieves stress by doing complex math problems and is writing a play about physics. Her tour of a lab that measures gravitational waves was "really cool," cementing Caltech as one of her top college choices.

Veronika Voss is a member of this year's milestone class of majority women. She grew up in a rural Minnesota town amid fields of corn and soy. Her tiny high school  graduating class, 68 students  had no Advanced Placement courses and limited offerings of advanced math and science, so she studied on her own with old textbooks and online resources, such as Khan Academy. She gained hands-on experiences with electronics fixing her family's electrified chicken fence, the engine in her tractor lawnmower and is training as a helicopter mechanic.

To Voss, taking apart engines and figuring out the problem is like solving complicated math equations  both bring her joy.

And so does Caltech, she said. She learned about the institute as a child fascinated by space who followed the work of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech founded and manages. Then she was invited to attend the Women in STEM program. The experience sealed the deal for her to attend Caltech.

"I came to campus and it was like 500 women; I was like, oh my gosh, it is a real place and there's so many women who are here and they're all insanely passionate about the same things that I'm very passionate about," Voss said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A banner with the image of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar is seen at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple, site of his June 2023 killing, in Surrey

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian police have warned an aide to a Sikh leader who was assassinated in British Columbia last year, of an increased threat to his life, a prominent Sikh separatist said on Tuesday.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said police in the province of Ontario, working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, had issued a so-called "duty to warn" notice to Inderjeet Singh Gosal this week.

Gosal worked as an aide to Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in June 2023.

In September that year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited credible allegations of possible Indian government involvement in the murder and police have since charged four men with the killing. India denies any connection to the shooting.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation last week said it was investigating an Aug. 11 drive-by shooting that targeted a California activist with close ties to Nijjar.

New Delhi accuses Canada of harboring Sikh separatists who seek to create a homeland known as Khalistan by carving it out of the Indian region of Punjab.

"I've been informed by Canadian officials about the threats to my life," a statement from Pannun cited Gosal as saying. "However, my commitment to the liberation of Punjab from Indian occupation remains unwavering."

Neither the RCMP or the Ontario police were immediately available for comment. The office of Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has overall responsibility for law enforcement, declined to comment.

In June 2023, the FBI foiled an alleged assassination attempt against Pannun. Indian national Nikhil Gupta has been charged with trying to arrange the murder at the behest of an Indian intelligence official.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Sandra Maler)
KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2024 - 07:16 | All, Japan, World

The Nagasaki city office has received some 1,500 instances of critical feedback in English regarding its decision not to invite the Israeli ambassador to Japan to a recent ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, its mayor said Tuesday.

Of the total, some 1,400 were emails with the same subject line and including the same text protesting the city's decision, Mayor Shiro Suzuki told a press conference.

"The reactions indicate we failed to make them understand that our decision was not political," Suzuki said, reiterating that Nagasaki did not invite Israel to the Aug. 9 ceremony over fears that possible protests against the country's ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip could affect the solemnity of the event.

The city also got more than 2,000 phone calls, emails and online messages in Japanese, mostly in support of the city's decision, the mayor added.

On July 31, Nagasaki revealed its plan to refrain from inviting the Israeli ambassador to the ceremony, drawing criticism from the United States, Britain and other countries.

The top envoys from all the Group of Seven major industrialized countries other than Japan -- the two Western nations along with Canada, France, Germany and Italy, as well as the European Union -- skipped the ceremony held in the city.

Related coverage:

Nagasaki urges nuke abolition on A-bomb anniv. rocked by Israel snub

Nagasaki mayor says Israel exclusion from A-bomb event not political

Nagasaki mayor says Israel not invited to A-bomb peace ceremony
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  Monday marked three years since 13 U.S. service members lost their lives in the bombing at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.

Those military heroes were honored by the community with a candlelight vigil. This was important to many as a time to pause and remember the many American service member lives lost overseas.

Swansboro Mayor John Davis was in attendance as a speaker and he read a note written by the mother of a fallen serviceman.

They literally put their lives on the line to help strangers and they lost their lives doing so. Thirteen U.S. Servicemen lives were lost, 11 Marines, one Soldier and one Navy Corpsman with several more injured. These brave young men and women put their lives on the line. They are the true American heroes, Davis said.

Another speaker was First Lieutenant Hunter Lare, a childhood friend of the late Sergeant Nicole Gee, one of the fallen in Afghanistan.

Nicole was full of life, dreams and potential that went far beyond the Marine Corps. She had so much to give, so much more to experience, and in an instant, that future was stolen from here, Lare said. It was a risk she was willing to take when she rose her right hand for her country, but it is not something her friends or family thought would ever happen.

Shortly after the speakers finished, candles were lit and Amazing Grace was sung in unison, followed by a moment of silence and remembrance.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Captain of Sunken Italian Yacht Questioned For 3rd Time as Other Crew Members Are Set to be Investigated: Source (Exclusive)

James Cutfield, 50, is under investigation for negligent shipwreck and multiple counts of negligent homicide, per prosecutors

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The Bayesian

Authorities in Italy are zeroing in on several individuals as they expand their investigation into the sinking of a yacht off the coast of Sicily on Monday, Aug. 19, that killed seven people.

James Cutfield, 50, the captain of the British-flagged yacht Bayesian, which sank during a storm in the Tyrrhenian Sea near the Sicilian port of Porticello, was interrogated for the third time by prosecutors in the resort town of Zagarella Domina, where survivors of the incident were taken, on Aug. 17, a source close to the criminal investigation confirms to People.



Cutfield, a New Zealand native, reportedly exercised his right to remain silent, invoking a principle in Italian law akin the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.



"I can tell you that the captain has exercised his right to remain silent for two reasons: he is understandably very distressed, and the defense attorneys were only appointed yesterday and need to get their heads around data and information which they have not had time to do, and as such have not yet been able to draw up a defense strategy," says the source.



On Aug. 24, Ambrogio Cartosio, the Chief Prosecutor of Termini Imerese, announced that authorities were launching manslaughter and negligent shipwreck investigations in connection with the sinking, which 15 others aboard survived, including nine crew members.

Cutfield was last questioned on Sunday, Aug. 25, the Italian news agency Ansa previously reported. He faced questions about the position of the keel, whether the hatch was open and when an alarm was raised amid the worsening weather conditions, per Ansa.



Several other crew members are also expected to be placed under investigation, Italian news outlets Rai, Adnkronos and Sky Italia reported on Aug. 27. The first mate of the yacht, Tijs Koopman, is likely to be interrogated and authorities have asked him to not leave Palermo so that he can be questioned, per Corriere della Sera and TV channel TG La7.

Related: Everything We Know About the Final Moments of the Passengers Who Died in the Sicily Yacht Tragedy

The victims aboard the luxury yacht Bayesian have been identified by Chief Prosecutor Cartosio as British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah Lynch; the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas; and passengers Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda, and Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy.

Passengers aboard were celebrating a recent legal victory in which Lynch, 59, was acquitted of fraud and conspiracy charges just two months prior, a source close to the survivors told People.

Related: Prominent New York Attorney Christopher Morvillo and Wife Neda's Bodies Recovered from Sunken Yacht in Sicily

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Cutfields legal team was not immediately available for comment.



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WATCH: Car fire on I-93 causing heavy traffic delays in Boston

Crews are working to clear a car fire in Bostons ONeil Tunnel ahead of the evening commute on Tuesday.

According to State Police, one lane is open on I-93 South because of the blaze. There were no reports of any injuries.

New video provided by MassDOT shows flames shooting from the front of the vehicle as troopers rush to extinguish the fire.

Police are urging commuters to seek alternate routes for the time being.

No further information was immediately available.

I-93 South Traffic Alert 



There is currently one lane open on I-93 South in Bostons ONeil Tunnel because of a single car fire. Please seek alternate routes while responders clear the scene



All occupants are reported safe at this time#MATraffic @MassDOT @CityOfBoston  Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) August 27, 2024

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Car fire causes delays at E-470, Pena Boulevard near Denver airport

DENVER (KDVR)  A car caught on fire near the Denver International Airport, causing delays on Tuesday morning.

E470 Road Updates posted on X just after 10 a.m. that a car caught on fire on E-470 South near Pena Boulevard, right by Exit 28.

On the E-470 cameras, the road appears to be backed up with cars and authorities are currently on scene.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The post on X said to expect delays.

This is a developing story that will be updated when more information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Nurses and other workers caring for patients at two hospitals in the Tri-Cities and one in Olympia have been awarded a $4.4 million class and collective action settlement after saying they often had to work or be on call during unpaid meal breaks.

The settlement approved Friday in Eastern Washington District U.S. Court covers workers at Trios Health in Kennewick, Trios Physicians in Kennewick and Lourdes Health in Pasco. It also includes Columbia Capital Medical Center in Olympia, which had the same owner, LifePoint Health, until Multicare purchased Capital Medical Center in 2021.

The settlement also includes workers attorney fees and costs of just over $1.2 million, which was less than requested, and some other costs, including $24,000 to a settlement administrator and $15,000 to compensate the efforts of the lead plaintiff in the case, Myla Kurtz.

The $4.4 million will be paid to about 1,966 hourly workers who provided direct patient care, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants, according to the proposal submitted to U.S. Judge Mary Dimke.

The average net payment is estimated at $1,732 and the highest estimated payment could be about $7,165, according to the settlement as proposed.

The amount per worker is based largely on weeks worked starting in April 2016 through early September 2023 for Tri-Cities workers and through March 2021 for the Olympia workers.

The lawsuit filed in 2019 said that nursing staff assigned to patient care were not permitted to take 30-minute uninterrupted meal periods or 10-minute rest breaks due to the demands of their jobs during most of their shifts.

In the rare instances where they attempt a meal period or rest break, they remain on duty in that they are required to respond to calls from patients, doctors, patients families, other nursing staff and hospital staff, attend to the normal demands of the job, and otherwise respond to emergencies, the lawsuit said.

Hospitals and clinics encouraged interruptions to meal periods and rest breaks by requiring them to carry a device at all times to receive calls and requests from patients and hospital workers, and they were required to respond to any calls they received, according to the lawsuit.

Rest breaks are required by Washington state law, and workers were not paid for the 30-minute meal break that was included in their schedule, according to the lawsuit.

Caregivers also performed other work off the clock for which they were not paid either their regularly hourly wages or overtime, according to the lawsuit.

The hospitals denied the allegations.
Taylor Swift and Carole King backstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 30, 2021 in Cleveland, OH. - Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Swifties for Kamala announced Tuesday that Carole King will speak during the organizations kickoff call. The coalition, which supports Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, will virtually host the event on Tuesday at 7 p.m. E.T.

Other speakers include Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio, Vermont Rep. Becca Balint, and North Carolina Democratic party chair Anderson Clayton, among others.

More from Rolling Stone

Although Swift will not be in attendance during the call, the organizers shared on social media that Swift is always welcome to show up to our party. The coalition was birthed the same day President Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris, and soon declared their mission statement: to help elect Harris as the 47th president of the United States.

The group has garnered a quarter of a million followers across social media platforms and launched a newsletter with subscribers across all 50 states and multiple countries.

Tonight, the light of love and HOPE will be in our eyes as the legendary @Carole_King joins us on the #S4KCall! 



RSVP to get involved as we work together to elect a president we can be sure of  https://t.co/IWNXKon4SN pic.twitter.com/5HC6KxTAUz  Swifties For Kamala (@Swifties4Kamala) August 27, 2024

In 2021, Swift introduced King during her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with a performance of Kings Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, and called the rock icon the greatest songwriter of all time. Swift, a cat mom to Scottish folds Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson, and Ragdoll Benjamin Button, also made a shout-out to the cat featured on the cover art of Tapestry. When recalling the honor, King said she was both overwhelmed with emotions and humored by Swifts intro.

That was hilarious, King told Rolling Stone that year. An inspiration to all cats that they too can be on the cover of an album!

During the induction, King later praised Swift for her performing and songwriting abilities. She owns the song and the stage and she just carries herself, and shes a tall woman, King said. She carries herself with the full grace of her stature, and she knows what the audience wants, and she loves the song and she loves bringing it to them. And she loves her fans. That is like, the foundation of who she is. She loves her fans and they know it.

When Rolling Stone asked whether King would induct Swift into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, she responded without hesitation.

Oh my god, yes, King said. In 10 years, Im going to be 90. So if Im here and I can walk, I would be honored to present it to her.

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This story has been updated.

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  A former state government employee accused of stealing more than $1 million made a court appearance Tuesday in Pierre.

TenHaken talks alcohol and crime in a growing city

Lonna Carroll appeared in person in Hughes County Circuit Court on Tuesday and her attorney pleaded her not guilty on two criminal charges of stealing more than $1.7 million in state and federal funds from the state Division of Child Protection Services in the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

The judge rejected a request from her court-appointed attorney, Tim Whalen of Lake Andes, that Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, be released on personal recognizance. Instead, Circuit Judge Christina Klinger softened the $50,000 cash bond to also allow for the possibility that a surety from a bail bondsman could be filed instead. Carroll has been confined to the Hughes County jail since her arrest last month.

Former DSS employee indicted for $1.78 million theft

Her attorney also sought broader discovery of potential evidence which the prosecutor, Chief Deputy Attorney General Brent Kempema, resisted. Judge Klinger ordered that Carroll have access to approximately 150 pages of state reports.

A three-day trial was set for December 4.

In July, Carroll was charged for stealing $1.78 million from the DSS, specifically the Child Protective Services branch over a roughly 13-year period.

The alleged thefts were discovered in February as DSS converted to a different record-keeping system. A subsequent report filed by the state Department of Legislative Audit documented dozens of instances where checks from DSS were deposited at American Bank & Trust in Pierre, and later that same day cash was withdrawn from the accounts.

The Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee has scheduled a meeting for October 8 to talk about the matter.

A second instance of alleged misuse of state government records came to light on August 15 when state Attorney General Marty Jackley announced that a now-deceased former employee at the South Dakota Department of Revenue had been allegedly falsifying vehicle titles and using them to receive loans. The former employee, Sandy ODay of Pierre, died of cancer.

The Carroll and ODay investigations dont appear to be connected.

Carroll had made her initial appearance in court last month via closed-circuit TV from jail. On Tuesday, she and four other defendants, all men, shuffled into the main courtroom shortly after 9 a.m., wearing jailhouse orange jumpsuits, each with hands manacled and legs fettered, guarded by a clearly armed law enforcement officer.

The other four went to the jury box to wait, while her attorney told Carroll to sit next to him at the defense table. Carroll looked tired, her short brown hair showing signs of gray, and her head slightly shook as she leaned forward in her chair to hear the two criminal charges brought against her by a Hughes County grand jury on July 15.

One was a charge of aggravated grand theft for allegedly taking more than $500,000 from the department between July 1, 2013, and March 24, 2023, punishable by up to 25 years in state prison and a $50,000 fine. The other was a charge of aggravated theft for allegedly taking more than $100,000 between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2013, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

Judge Klinger asked Carroll how did she plead. Her attorney answered, Not guilty, and we ask for a jury trial, your honor.

Whalen, wearing glasses and a medium-blue suit, did all of the talking from there. He told the judge that he and prosecutor Kempema were trying to work out some discovery issues. Judge Klinger offered three starting dates for the trial and Whalen chose the latest of them, December 4.

Whalen next asked that Carroll be released on her own recognizance. He said her accounts had been frozen, so that she couldnt afford to post $50,000 as bail, and that she could live with her daughter in Sioux Falls or return to Algona, Iowa, where she owned a home and her son lived. Whalen told the judge that Carroll wasnt accused of a violent crime but he acknowledged that it was a serious crime because money had allegedly been stolen from the public.

Kempema, the prosecutor, responded that Carroll was accused of a Class 2 felony and a Class 3 felony and that she could still be a flight risk. Kempema said the state was willing to accept a smaller amount of cash bail but he didnt specify an amount. Kempema also noted that Carroll owned a home and proceeds for bail could be generated from that.

Judge Klinger suggested that a surety could be posted rather than cash and ordered that modification.

Whalen also asked the judge to order that more discovery be allowed. I cant move anywhere on this until I have discovery, he said.

Kempema said the prosecution was following the practice of what discovery is allowed in the Second Circuit Court, which covers Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. Whalen said the state had cited only federal cases in resisting his discovery motion while he cited state cases. Its not a trial by ambush, as it is in the federal system, to be quite frank, Whalen said, noting that he couldnt negotiate a plea agreement without more information available through discovery.

Whalen said he also felt hamstrung because he would need to be present on those occasions when Carroll did have access to whatever documents were turned over to her by the prosecution. Its a logistical issue because Im in Lake Andes, he said. He added, She needs to have complete unfettered access to those documents. He said he was willing to accept a condition that Carroll couldnt discuss the information with anyone other than him.

Kempema said the states position on discovery was that it was offering only what state law required. Quite frankly, Kempema told the judge, theyre not entitled to my reports. Then he claimed that one of the clients defended by Whalen in another case had posted on the Internet various discovery information including the victims health records.

Whalen pointed out that the person referred to by Kempema was defended by a different attorney in a case where Whalen defended another accused person. Whalen said the South Dakota Supreme Court has interpreted the entire chapter of state code regarding criminal court proceedings. Everybody is better served if we have more discovery in this case, Whalen told the judge.

Kempema said Carroll could view information while under supervision at a designated spot in the jail but couldnt take the materials back to her cell. Whalen in turn told the judge that in a previous case a judge had ordered that the materials be kept in a lock box that the defendant could access. Whalen said he would accept that condition for Carroll, too, so long as he also didnt need to be present.

Judge Klinger ordered that Whalens discovery motion be granted with the materials to be made available at the jail, if the jail could arrange a space for Carroll without compromising the jails security. Im not going to require that the jail change its policy in any manner, the judge said. She noted that other matters such as exchanging each sides witness list had already been agreed upon by the two attorneys.

Whalen said he would draft an order and provide it to the prosecution for review before submitting the final product to the judge for her approval. Whalen said he needs to review the items before he files any additional motions.

Roughly an hour later, the five defendants left the courthouse, again under guard, to return to jail. Carroll was last in line, clutching an inch-thick manila envelope that she briefly raised to shield her face from view. She handed the envelope to a second jail-security person before being helped into the black van that. a few minutes later, would take them to the far east end of Pierre, where they would again be placed behind bars.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A man from West Virginia is facing charges after he allegedly tried to bring an AR-15 across the Peace Bridge in downtown Buffalo, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

Police said that on Saturday the 36-year-old man allegedly had the rifle, a handgun and over 300 rounds of ammunition in the trunk of a vehicle.

The car was searched after the mans passenger did not have the required ID to go over the border. Officers determined that the driver unlawfully had the firearms based on prior arrest convictions.

The man, who has not been identified, was turned over to the Buffalo Police Department. He is charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm and criminal possession of a weapon.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Clark County School District employee was arrested after being accused of contacting or attempting to contact a minor for sex, according to police.

Jerusalem Garcia, 20, was arrested on Friday, Aug. 23, and taken to the Clark County Detention Center. The arrest stems from an investigation initiated on Friday at Eldorado High School, police said.

Garcia faces one count of contacting or attempting to contact a minor by a person of authority for the purpose of sex, CCSD police said.

Garcia is a Specialized Program Teacher Assistant assigned to Eldorado High School and has been employed by the District since August 2021. She has been placed on leave per the terms of the negotiated agreement with the bargaining unit.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Cellphone ban unlikely by start of NYC school year: Were not there yet

Cellphone ban unlikely by start of NYC school year: Were not there yet

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11)  As a statewide cellphone ban looms, Mayor Eric Adams said the city is not yet ready for an all-out ban.

Adams on Tuesday said his ultimate goal is getting distractions, namely cellphones, out of the classroom. But a sweeping ban is not likely for the upcoming school year.

What could a school smartphone ban look like in NY?

The overwhelming number of people would like to get the distractions out of school. How to do it is another question, Adams said. Were not there yet.

Chancellor David Banks previously told reporters a ban at New York City Public Schools could have been announced in early summer. More recently, principals told Chalkbeat a ban could come as soon as February. Adams said there will be some action on cellphones this year, but it wont soon be a complete ban.

During the school day, I see no good reason for kids to have access to phones, Banks told Education Week in June. I think were going to be ready to make an announcement soon enough.  We see nothing but an upside, the issue for us is around implementation.

Considerations like how to lock phones up and enforcement need to be sorted out before making a universal decision, Adams said Tuesday. Despite some of the challenges, Adams and Banks have said many educators are already on board with removing cellphones from the classroom.

We are hooked on our phones, Adams said. We want to remove any distraction from our children.

The city previously had a cellphone ban in schools that was later reversed, but some individual schools still have bans in place, according to Adams.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 16:35 | World, All

A number of Chinese vessels blocked Philippine patrol ships on a resupply mission in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea on Monday, in the latest confrontation in the contested waters.

Reporters from several domestic and foreign news organizations, including Kyodo News, were onboard Philippine Coast Guard ships accompanying the mission. They witnessed the Chinese vessels approach and encircle the two Philippine patrol boats headed for the Sabina Shoal, one of the sea's flashpoints.

The disruption by the ships -- six coast guard vessels, three navy ships and 31 militia boats -- took place on Monday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard, following an incident the previous day that saw Chinese vessels ram a Philippine fishery agency boat traveling to the shoal, fire water cannons and damage its engine.

Since April, the Philippines has deployed a coast guard ship named the Teresa Magbanua, which the Philippines acquired from Japan, to the shoal's vicinity, located about 110 nautical miles from the western island of Palawan. China claims sovereignty over the shoal and calls it Xianbin Jiao.

Monday's mission involving the Philippine patrol ship was being carried out to bring fresh food and water to the crew stationed on the Teresa Magbanua and to rotate personnel.

The Philippines has also regularly sent provisions to a naval outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal, also located the in South China Sea and which China calls Ren'ai Jiao. Since last year, Beijing has been disrupting Philippine ships sailing to the shoal more frequently.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims in 2016, but the country rejected the decision and has continued its military buildup in the area.

The Philippines and China reached a tentative deal last month to de-escalate tensions between the two countries over Manila's resupply missions to the Second Thomas Shoal.

Earlier this month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry protested the deployment of the Teresa Magbanua near the Sabina Shoal and demanded that the Philippines withdraw the vessel at once.

Related coverage:

Japan accuses China military of airspace violation for 1st time

China, Taiwan resolve row over deadly boat incident near Kinmen

Deep rift surfaces at East Asia meeting over Russia's war, China's rise
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  A champagne fundraiser will be held Friday to raise funds for ongoing renovations at the former Tom Sawyer Little League field in Elmira. Willie Owens bought the field from the city last year after it sat vacant for more than 30 years. He renamed it the Willie H. Owens Field of Fathers in honor of his father.

Theres so much history here, Owens said. I would say 80% of children or kids who grew up in this area, who are adults now, played here. If youre from Elmira, you played here at one time. If you didnt play, you came here to watch somebody play.

On Friday August 30th, Owens is hosting a champagne fundraiser at the Meals on Wheels at 409 William Street from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. The baseball field is located at 1209 Sullivan Street, next to McKinnon Park.

As we first reported in June, Owens says he first had to remove people who were living in the dugouts. He then mowed grass that was up to his waist. Owens says he renovated the concession stand and storage area and replaced all of the electrical wiring.

Elmira bridge renamed in honor of two local trailblazers

Owens says he is paying for the renovations mostly from his own pocket, with help from some donors. He is now trying to raise more money for other improvements.

I have plans, I want to do a track around the field. I want to have a lot of things for the kids. I want to get these kids involved, I want to start mentoring and helping our community do better in our area, Owens said. Every dime I get from this event will be for the field.

Fridays fundraiser is a partnership with the Program of P.E.A.C.E. Owens co-founded the community non-profit in 2009. P.E.A.C.E. stands for positive education always corrects errors.

First Black Community Honors awards in Elmira

We do mentoring, work with veterans, we do transitioning, we wear many hats with that, Owens said. We also have stop the violence events coming up.

How do you read the current moment in gun violence and your efforts to address it?

We have to do something about the violence, definitely, Owens replied. We have to do something about it because people are scared to walk the streets. People are scared to come out at night. Im part of the community, and this is what I do to try to curb that violence. If we all stand up and try to help We dont have to be police officers. But we can be people in our community who can talk to someone and say listen, lets take it easy with these guns.

We dont need to get into the law aspect of it, Owens added. We can just get into it being human and caring about our community and our friends and our people. Thats what is most important.

You can watch our full conversation with Willie Owens below:

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Charges dismissed against former KISD music teacher accused of sexual assault of a student

Bell County, TX (FOX 44)- Charges have been dismissed against a former Killeen ISD music teacher who was accused of sexually assaulting a student at Alice Douse Elementary School.

Makalani Jones was arrested in Gaston County, North Carolina in May of 2023 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

According to documents obtained by Fox 44 news, the motion to dismiss was filed because the Bell County district attorneys office was Unable to prove case beyond a reasonable doubt at this time.

According to Killeen ISD, Jones was an employee at Alice Douse Elementary School and resigned from the district on Jan. 13, 2023.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
A Charlotte bank worker was indicted by a federal grand jury last week for allegedly being involved in a $120,000 scheme to defraud customers through fake bank accounts, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina announced.

Jaminata Starks, 29, of Charlotte, had her initial appearance in federal court on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler.

Starks opened new bank accounts for existing customers that the customers never knew about, then transferred funds between accounts, according to allegations in the indictment.

Between April 13, 2022, and May 23, 2022, Starks plotted with others to use customers personal information to open the new accounts, according to the indictment. Funds were transferred into fraudulent accounts without the victims knowledge.

The four victims were from Florida, New Jersey and New York, according to court records.

Starks allegedly transferred at least $120,000 from the bank accounts and entered false records, according to the charges. Starks was also offered $1,000 for each fake account she created.

The banks name and location are not listed in court documents. It was referred to as a federally insured financial institution. The name of the bank where Starks worked is not public record, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Federal authorities charged Starks with conspiring to defraud the U.S. government, four counts of making false bank records and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Along with the charges, the indictment included a notice for a forfeiture judgment for at least $30,000 because of conduct mentioned in the indictment.

Starks was released on bond following her initial appearance.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlotte man has been sentenced to 68 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after selling stolen and fraudulently obtained iPhones and other electronic devices overseas.

According to court documents, trial evidence and witness testimony, Rami Mahmod Mhana, 46 was the owner of Wireless City Fashions Inc. and Protocol Business Group Inc., located at 441 Bradford Drive in Charlotte as well as multiple Boost mobile stores in the Charlotte area.

Bank employee charged in alleged fraud scheme

From at least May 2017 through October 2019, Mhana purchased thousands of new Apple iPhones and other electronics that were stolen and fraudulently obtained. Mhana then sold and shipped the iPhones to the United Arab Emirates and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China (Hong Kong).

Court records show that Mhana obtained a significant portion of stolen electronics from multiple local boosters. A booster is a person who steals or obtains fraudulent goods and products and sells them for a profit.

Mhanas store on Bradford Drive was known to local boosters as a place to sell stolen devices for cash with no questions asked. As trial evidence established, Mhana provided his staff with a pricelist for certain new iPhones and other devices, which was significantly less than retail value.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

In May 2023, Mhana was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods and money laundering.

The court ordered Mhana to pay restitution in the amount of $3,649,033 to the victims of the scheme. He was also ordered to forfeit $229,118 and more than 100 new iPhones seized during the investigation.

Mhana will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

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Dr. Korb (left) presenting Julie with her award at the annual meeting of the Society for American Indian Dentists. (Photo/Courtesy)

Julie Seward (Cherokee Nation), a dental hygienist, was recently recognized as one of the 2024 Health Access Heroes by DentaQuest.

This award, given by one of the nations largest dental benefits administrators, highlights Sewards dedication to improving oral health care access within Indigenous communities, particularly through her work with the Native Oral Health Network (NOHN).

Sewards journey in oral health care is rooted in her heritage and family values. As a dental hygienist, her work is inspired by the lessons of her ancestors and the support of her family.

My inspiration really comes from my family, my ancestors, who demonstrated what it means to live in community with one another, to help one another, and to leverage and use your talents or your skills to do good, Seward told Native News Online.

Her path was further shaped by the guidance of her grandmother, Joanne Frane, who served as her cultural anchor.

My grandmother really helped me, and led me to do this work. She always wanted me to come back and give back to my tribe and to tribal communities that really have helped get me where Im at, Seward said.

This strong sense of duty to her community has fueled Sewards commitment to addressing the significant disparities in oral health care faced by American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.

According to a 2023 white paper from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, dental disease among AI/AN people occurs at three times the rate of the general population, a statistic that has remained unchanged for years.

As the leader of NOHN, Seward has been instrumental in challenging the misclassification of AI/AN populations in health data. NOHN, under her guidance, conducts original research and provides education aimed at eliminating this misclassification and improving the accuracy of health data.

Misclassification is a significant problem when were talking about health disparities and equity, Seward explained. Accurate data is paramount and super important.

Seward and her team are committed to understanding why this misclassification happens and finding solutions to address it. Their efforts are crucial in opening the door to more meaningful conversations about health inequities and ensuring that all populations have equal opportunities for optimal health outcomes.

DentaQuests 2024 Health Access Heroes award celebrates individuals and organizations that are taking bold actions to increase access to health care for those with the greatest needs and fewest resources.

Sewards inclusion in this select group of 12 Heroes highlights the impact of her work in advancing health equity. In addition to the recognition, DentaQuest is making a $5,000 charitable contribution in the name of each Hero to a nonprofit of their choice.

Its really an honor to serve Indian Country in this capacity. I appreciate DentaQuest for recognizing the work being done in the field, said Seward. This recognition really reflects the efforts of my team, colleagues, and mentors who continue to guide and encourage me. Its easy to get discouraged in this line of work, but having a strong support system makes all the difference.

For nearly a decade, Seward has been at the forefront of efforts to improve oral health outcomes for AI/AN communities, who face some of the most severe health disparities in the nation. Her work with NOHN has been particularly impactful in producing research that sheds light on these disparities and advocates for the integration of cultural values into health care.

When we change the narrative, when we change the tone to a strengths-based approach, then it changes the direction of conversations, said Seward. It really provides an opportunity for us to spotlight what our communities are doing right, what theyre doing well, and the innovation theyre showing to solve the issues theyre facing.

Seward actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with non-Native entities, recognizing that achieving health equity requires a collective effort. Through professional development, peer support, and networking, NOHN empowers health leaders, advocates, and educators to address the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities.

Weve had to get creative with how we fund this work. Its not so cut and dry, and you have to think outside the box to make it work, said Seward.

Sewards vision for the future includes expanding the NOHN family, continuing to recruit passionate individuals who are committed to improving oral health care for Native communities, and advancing various initiatives, including addressing oral health access barriers for the Two Spirit LGBTQIA+ community.

I want to continue to grow this family, this group, and add to all the intelligent, driven, compassionate, inspired individuals that work so hard for their communities.

About the Author: "Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. "

Contact: kberg@indiancountrymedia.com
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s wife Cheryl Hines has taken quite a bit of heat since last week, when her husband withdrew from the presidential race and threw his support behind Donald Trump, as social media users and industry peers chastised her for her silence. But it turns out Hines may have had more to do with the pair reconciling their differences than people assumed.

During a sit down on The Tucker Carlson Show, Kennedy revealed how he came to have a face-to-face meeting with Trump prior to ending his own campaign. I had these meetings with President Trump, he began, describing the first phone call he received from the campaign three hours after Trump was shot.

The campaign team told Kennedy he would also be advising Trump, which delighted me because I thought Oh my gosh, theres another candidate besides me thats listening to the truth, he continued. They also informed him that there was interest in the Trump campaign [and] by the president, of including me and then he talked about vice president, which I wasnt interested in.

When they asked if he would be interested in meeting with Trump, Kennedy initially replied, I dont think so. He explained, Part of that was, I just thought it was a non-starter with Cheryl.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doesnt want to be former President Donald Trumps running mate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election: I dont think that my marriage would survive it. https://t.co/E2eNhXs7MI pic.twitter.com/piVumtrOWo  Variety (@Variety) January 31, 2024

During a carpet interview with Variety earlier this year, the married pair told an interviewer they didnt think their marriage would survive if Kennedy joined the Republican ticket as Trumps running mate. As recently as 2016, Hines had described Trumps behavior as ridiculous and disrespectful. In Kennedys post announcing the suspension of his campaign, he thanked Hines for her support as I made a political decision with which she is very uncomfortable.

I am so grateful to my amazing wife Cheryl for her unconditional love, as I made a political decision with which she is very uncomfortable. I wish this also for the country  love and unity even in the face of disagreement. We will need that in coming times. https://t.co/sar4Jka46K  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 23, 2024

But hes now revealed that Hines had at least enough comfortability with the former president to encourage her husband to sit down with himand even to join him at said meeting. After that phone call from Trumps team, Kennedy continued, I called Cheryl up and she said to me You should hear him out. He then immediately called them back and agreed to the meeting, which Hines herself attended by his side.

I flew out to Minneapolis the next day and I had a two hour meeting with him, he shared, It was a really interesting meeting because he was so open. He described the former president as deeply interested and well informed on issues they both cared about, like chronic disease and making sure that we have free speech.

Cheryl Hines Brutally Trolled After RFK Jr. Endorses Trump

Hines, for her part, still hasnt made any public statements about her husbands decision to endorse Trump, although reports emerged she was not happy with the decision. Social media has not been kind to Hines, as users have mocked her for everything from her typos to marrying someone who admitted to having a dead worm in his brain.

Now, it seemsat least based on Kennedys latest commentsshe may have come around to supporting the ex-president she once openly disdained. After all, she told The Hollywood Reporter shed tried to have more of an open mind about him in the years since 2016: I was holding on so tightly for so long [to her dislike of Trump], and I need to let it all go, she said.

RFK Jr. Confronted by Fox on Cheryl Hines Drama

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Chicago teen gets 125 years in 13-year-olds Gary slaying in online gang clash

Lake Superior Judge Samuel Cappas sentenced Kriston Barbee Jr. to 125 years Tuesday for gunning down 13-year-old Orie Dodson in Gary after the boy disrespected a dead gang leader over social media.

Barbee, now 18, said he would appeal.

Deputy Prosecutor Tim Brown painted Barbee as a hardened criminal, even as a juvenile, who showed no remorse for the slaying.

Barbee  as gleaned from lyrics in his YouTube rap videos  wanted to kill someone and Dodson gave him the opportunity, Brown said.

Investigators allege that Elijah Porter, Dahvee Brunson and Barbee went sliding and shot Dodson dead in front of Power & Light Church, located at 1351 Lincoln St., in Gary on Feb. 15, 2023.

Authorities believe on a two-way Instagram Live video, Dodson was disrespecting Julius Chop James IV, 24  a revered and untouchable figure in the 49th Avenue Boys gang, according to court records. James was gunned down in Gary on Feb. 11, 2019.

Both Brunson and Porter are still facing a murder charge, plus firearm and criminal gang enhancements, in Dodsons death.

Porter was sentenced to three years in prison on July 25 under a plea deal in an unrelated federal gun case. His next court date in Dodsons slaying is Oct. 17. Brunsons trial is scheduled to start Oct. 28.

Barbee lied on a pre-sentence investigation report, claiming he wasnt a gang member and never did hard drugs, Brown said. Putting him in prison would likely save him from being killed on the street, Brown said. He asked for 125 years.

Barbees defense lawyer Casey McCloskey said recent murder cases were getting harder and harder as alleged shooters were younger and younger.

Barbee was a smart young man who needed the right guidance. He asked Cappas for a mitigated sentence, as low as possible.

Barbee spoke briefly, denying his role.

You have the right to say that, Cappas said, noting the jury felt otherwise.

Several of Barbees family attended who were audibly upset after the verdict.

During closing arguments in June, Brown argued Barbees role in Dodsons death was mapped out in cellphone location data that put him at the crime scene, texts, Instagram Live videos and rap lyrics he recorded on gang life.

Porters former girlfriend Ladaisha Baker lied on the stand to downplay her knowledge of what happened, Brown said. McCloskey argued prosecutors didnt have direct evidence, including witnesses who saw what happened.

The day after Dodsons death, Barbee texted the boy was Playing GROWN MAN GAMES BABY, then added Delete that, court records show.

During the investigation, the Lake County Prosecutors Homicide Task Force was able to uncover substantial evidence of gang-related crimes involving the 49th Avenue Boys including several homicides, drug dealing, illegal firearm possession and sales, and general crimes of violence throughout Lake County.

The task force, consisting of detectives from the Gary Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana State Excise Police, and the East Chicago Police Department, conducted the investigation, with assistance from the United States Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Indiana.

mcolias@post-trib.com
BANGKOK (AP)  China called on Tuesday for more countries to endorse its peace plan for Ukraine, after a round of diplomacy with Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa to support its plan.

Envoy Li Hui called the three countries representative of the Global South and important forces in promoting world peace" who share similar positions with China. "They have maintained communication with both Russia and Ukraine and stay committed to a political settlement to the crisis through dialogue and negotiation, said Li, China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs.

China and Brazil issued a joint peace plan earlier this year that calls for a peace conference with both Ukraine and Russia and no expansion of the battlefield. China and Russia were absent from a peace summit hosted in Switzerland in June. Russia was not invited while China chose not to attend.

Initially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said China had pressured other countries to not attend the peace summit. But since then, Ukraine has recognized China's role in a peace process, given its close relationship with Russia, with the Ukrainian foreign minister paying a visit to the country in July, the first since the war began.

While a diplomatic dialogue between Russia and Ukraine so far appears out of reach, the war has shifted.

In August Ukraine opened a new front in the war by attacking the Russian oblast of Kursk, in a surprise move that made clear Russia was also vulnerable. Zelenskyy has said the aim was to create a buffer zone to protect Ukraine from attacks.

Li noted the incursion and criticized Western support for Ukraine. All sides are worried that the West continues to relax conditions for Ukraine to strike the Russian territory with aided weapons, Li said. And recent developments on the battlefield confirmed these kind of worries.

The U.S. and NATO have called China an enabler of Russia in the war. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg then said China provides equipment, microelectronics and tools that are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircraft, to build the weapons they use to attack Ukraine.

Just last week, the U.S. expanded sanction s to cover more Chinese firms that trade with Russia.
(Corrects keyword used by media clients to UKRAINE-CRISIS/CHINA)

By Antoni Slodkowski

BEIJING (Reuters) -China called U.S. sanctions on its entities over the Ukraine war "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts", in comments on Tuesday ahead of White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's arrival in Beijing for days of high-level talks.

Last week the United States imposed sanctions on more than 400 entities and individuals for supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine, including Chinese companies that U.S. officials say help Moscow skirt Western sanctions and build up its military.

Washington has repeatedly warned Beijing over its support for Russia's defense industrial base and has already issued hundreds of sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow's ability to exploit certain technologies for military purposes.

China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, who has done four rounds of shuttle diplomacy, opposed the sanctions at a briefing for diplomats in Beijing after the latest round of meetings with officials from Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa.

"A particular country uses the crisis  to shift blame in an attempt to fabricate the so-called China responsibility theory and threatens countries that have normal economic and trade ties with Russia with illegal and unilateral sanctions," said Li.

Li did not name the United States, but China's commerce ministry said on Sunday it strongly opposed the sanctions and the foreign ministry has expressed similar opposition to previous rounds of curbs.

Last week's sanctions include measures against companies in China involved in shipping machine tools and microelectronics to Russia.

"These words and deeds are totally for their selfish interests and are not based on facts, the international community will never accept them," added Li.

China has been striving to present itself as a party that is actively looking for a solution to the conflict, despite skipping a Swiss peace conference in June.

After past rounds of talks led by Li, Beijing put forward proposals on supporting the exchange of prisoners of war, opposing the use of nuclear and biological weapons and opposing armed attacks on civilian nuclear facilities.

In a 12-point paper more than a year ago China set out general principles for ending the war, but did not get into specifics.

China and Brazil jointly called this year for Russia-Ukraine peace talks. On Tuesday, Li expressed the hope that more countries would endorse China's peace efforts.

(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 20:00 | All, Japan

A Japanese court on Tuesday fined the Unification Church with a 100,000 yen ($690) penalty for refusing to respond to the government's inquiry into its alleged illegal donation solicitations.

Upholding a lower court decision, the Tokyo High Court rejected the controversial religious organization's appeal. The group has come under renewed public scrutiny after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot in July 2022 during an election stump speech over his perceived links to the church.

In March, the Tokyo District Court imposed a fine on Tomihiro Tanaka, head of the church's Japan branch, saying the organization had refused to cooperate with the government, which had a right to question and obtain documents from it.

The church is a South Korean religious organization established by a staunch anti-communist in 1954. In Japan, the church has long been criticized for extracting huge donations from followers via "spiritual sales," in which victims are pressured to buy items at exorbitant prices.

The government has sought to question the Japanese branch so an application can be filed seeking a court order to dissolve the organization.

According to the district court, 22 civil lawsuit rulings involving the church suggested there were people who were victimized by the group's illegal fundraising practices.

Following the high court's decision, the church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, said it would consider appealing the latest ruling, which it described as

"extremely unjust" and in violation of a precedent set by the Supreme Court.

The church maintains its senior officials have never been implicated in a criminal case and that the government's questioning of the organization is illegal.

After an almost yearlong investigation, the government filed a request in October 2023 with the district court for the dissolution order over the church's donation practices, a move that would deprive the group of its tax benefits.

It has said the church's "actions are clearly recognized as extremely harmful to public welfare" and violate the country's laws and regulations.

Tetsuya Yamagami, the accused shooter of Abe, has told police that the former prime minister's grandfather helped bring the church to Japan in the 1960s, according to investigative sources.

He also said his mother's massive donations to the Unification Church severely impacted his family, the sources said.

Related coverage:

Top court rules Unification Church no-refund document invalid

2 years after fatal shooting of Abe, Unification Church issues remain

Only 8% of religious group followers' children back government remedy steps
Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, speaks to journalists at his agency's daily briefing. China says it is investigating a report from Japan that a Chinese army aircraft violated Japanese airspace, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday in Beijing. Johannes Neudecker/dpa

China says it is investigating a report from Japan that a Chinese army aircraft violated Japanese airspace, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday in Beijing.

China does not intend to intrude into the airspace of other countries, he said, adding that the two sides are in contact with each other.

Japan's Ministry of Defence said that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft flew for around two minutes over the East China Sea on Monday morning and through the airspace around the Danjo archipelago, which belongs to the south-western Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki.

Japan launched fighter jets in response. Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi spoke of an unacceptable incident that violated Japan's territory and posed a threat to security. The government summoned China's acting ambassador to Japan to lodge a protest.

First known incident of its kind

The Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that the incident is the first time that a Chinese military aircraft has demonstrably entered Japanese airspace.

Aircraft belonging to Chinese authorities, albeit not the military, had previously violated Japan's airspace in 2012 and 2017.

The relationship between China and Japan is considered tense, partly because both sides have territorial claims to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are called the Diaoyu Islands in China.
China's coast guard is looking even more like its '2nd navy,' with 'Monster' ships, a destroyer-level vessel, and a rumored drone carrier

China has the world's largest coast guard fleet, and it's still building up on an ambitious scale.

It's been taking ships from its navy and could be getting its own vessel modeled after a destroyer.

Experts say the acquisitions mean it's moving closer to being a naval reserve or auxiliary force.

In May, military experts spied a peculiar, half-built vessel sitting among warships at a Shanghai dockyard.

Satellite images showed it had the shape and size of a Type-052D, an advanced guided-missile destroyer in China's navy.

But this ship was missing key features, such as a vertical launch system for missiles and its "Dragon's Eye" radar, a standard system for Chinese warships. Its main gun was also smaller than usual.

One detail stood out above all: the paint job. Chinese navy ships are gray, and this apparent Type-052D came in white  the mark of a coast guard vessel.

The discovery led to speculation, which has since been backed up by local reports, that China's coast guard, a law enforcement agency, was obtaining a ship modeled after a 6,500-ton naval destroyer.

The vessel is just one of several big-ticket acquisitions believed to be destined for the maritime force, which is now at a stage where its capabilities likely carry serious implications if Beijing goes to war with another naval power.

The policing body, moved in 2018 to fall under military command, is undergoing one of the world's most aggressive expansions at a time when the Chinese coast guard is increasingly becoming the center of tensions with its neighbors.

The sheer size and strength of its fleet, estimated at 250 vessels of at least 500 tons each, has led to Western experts often calling it a "second navy."

And it's continued to break ground with bigger and bolder ships. Earlier this month, a state-run shipbuilding institute announced it was preparing an unspecified "mothership" for the high seas, leading to rumors that the coast guard was due to receive a seafaring drone carrier.

In July, China anchored one of its two "Monster" ships  the world's largest-ever coast guard vessels displacing 12,000 tons each  in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. It was an incredible show of power, which Manila accused of being an intimidation tactic.

The Philippines published photos of China anchoring the world's biggest coast guard vessel in its waters. Philippine Coast Guard

Experts think Beijing's ambitions for the agency are global. China has made it no secret that it intends to expand its maritime strength for distant operations, establishing a "far-seas protection" doctrine in 2015.

Its coast guard looks poised to play a significant role, John Michael Dahm, a former US Navy intelligence officer and a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Business Insider.

"That the Chinese coast guard would use these new, larger ships and capabilities to establish a security presence farther from China probably has the largest security implications for the US and its allies," Dahm said. "Not just in Asia, but around the world."

Why a destroyer?

China's coast guard expansion isn't happening in isolation. It's locked in a pseudo-arms race with its neighbors in the resource-rich East and South China Seas, chiefly Japan and the Philippines. Both are US allies.

Beijing has, for decades, already been beefing up its coast guard with dozens of former People's Liberation Army Navy ships, including corvettes that were decommissioned and modified to remove heavy weaponry.

But its rivals have recently started working more closely as tensions mount over regional disputes, most of which China has been accused of initiating.

Manila is upgrading its coast guard with five Japan-made ships worth a total of $400 million, while Tokyo is planning a giant 30,000-ton vessel for its respectable 150-ship policing fleet.

"Size does matter," Dahm said. "A vessel's size and displacement often translate directly into capabilities. A bigger ship means more people, more weapons, more fuel, more endurance, more range."

Western experts think the destroyer-esque ship being assembled in Shanghai is part of China's effort to stay ahead.

"China is upping the ante again by bringing in the most kind of modern, advanced form of a coast guard ship," said Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. "We should see it more as a naval ship than a coast guard ship."

The Type-052D guided missile destroyer is one of China's most advanced warships. MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AFP via Getty Images

From China's perspective, a destroyer-sized ship would fill a gap in its fleet, said Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

The coast guard's regular fleet goes up to 4,000 tons, before a dramatic leap to its 12,000-ton "Monster" ships.

Koh said China's "Monster" ship may have been staring down the Philippines in the South China Sea, but it's impractical to station such vessels so far away for extended periods.

"It's expensive to operate and deploy this sort of ship, because it's too big and it's not suited for this purpose," Koh said. "It's meant more as a command ship and a disaster relief platform than to go out there and show force."

A ship modeled after the Type-052D destroyer, at 6,500 tons, could fill that power-projecting purpose, especially if produced in greater numbers, Koh added.

Questions also remain as to what sort of vessel China is planning for its teased coast guard "mothership." Local pundits have guessed it may be a drone carrier or even an aircraft carrier, though the latter is unlikely.

The build-up seems a world away from what's traditionally been understood as the coast guard's role: to police fishermen and deter smugglers.

Japan's coast guard already has five 6,500-ton patrol ships, and if China expands its own agency with vessels of that class, the region is set to be filled by warship-sized boats jockeying for dominance.

For comparison, the US Coast Guard's largest cutters are the size of frigates, at about 4,500 tons.

"Anything the China coast guard does might be considered unprecedented at this point," said Dahm of the Mitchell Institute.

A coast guard that can go to war

One of the most significant developments of a burgeoning Chinese coast guard is that its ships might make a difference in a war.

The US Navy far outstrips Beijing's in raw tonnage and firepower, but it is losing out in the numbers game, with roughly 300 vessels to the Chinese navy's 370. Add a sizable coast guard force, and China stands to far exceed Washington's count.

"They're using quite common baseline hulls as existing PLAN vessels," said Koh. "And that gives us the impression that they're maintaining some level of platform commonality."

That's important, because a common platform leaves open the possibility of adding naval weapons to coast guard ships.

"A coast guard Type-052D might have no vertical launch system on board, but it still has enough deck space to mount weapons," said Koh.

The navy corvettes obtained by the coast guard, for example, might possibly be refitted with their old weapons.

"If they can remove some systems, it means they can be reinstalled in times of conflict," Koh said.

More than 20 Chinese Type-056 navy corvettes have been repurposed without their anti-ship missiles to become coast guard vessels. TANG KE/Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Benjamin Blandin, a researcher and network coordinator at the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, told BI that he's noticed the Chinese coast guard also recently acquired landing craft.

"That's quite bizarre to me. I don't know why a coast guard would ever need landing capacities," he said.

Legally, little stands in the way of China using its coast guard in open conflict. The agency falls under the People's Armed Police, which reports to central military leadership.

Coast guard laws were also changed in 2021 to allow the use of force when China's "sovereign rights and jurisdiction are infringed upon."

"Clearly, they are being treated by the Chinese authorities as a navy reserve or a navy auxiliary," Blandin said.

China's foreign ministry press center did not respond to a request for comment sent by BI.

Ambitions for a global policing force

A key element in China's announcement for its coast guard "mothership" was the phrase "far seas."

Almost nothing has been revealed about the new ship, but Chinese shipbuilders said it's designed to provide "comprehensive support" on long-range missions.

That's a clue that China might intend to send its coast guard on missions far beyond the East and South China Seas, Dahm said.

"For example, in the not-too-distant future, will the Chinese coast guard be patrolling the coast of West Africa to secure Chinese off-shore oil projects?" Dahm said. "What about the CCG offering police services to small island nations in the South Pacific?"

The US Coast Guard has been deploying more frequently to distant regions like Africa, providing training for host countries and security for their waters. Dahm said China could seek to do the same to boost its own influence.

Blandin of YCAPS said sailing under the coast guard also gives China's ships a softer touch in international relations, even if they might be formidable vessels.

"It's not a gray navy hull, it's a white hull. White-hull ships are nice people, right?" he said. "It's just that they use water cannons. It's just that they ram other boats. If they behave in the South Pacific like they behave in the South China Sea, I predict a lot of trouble."

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- A Chinese military aircraft entered Japanese airspace in an unprecedented incident that prompted a strong condemnation from Tokyo and a pledge from Beijing to look into the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China didnt intend to breach another nations airspace, adding at a regular press briefing Tuesday that the government is verifying what happened.

Earlier in the day, Japans top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi called the incursion unacceptable. This is not just a serious violation of our territory but also a threat to our security, he said.

The event took place before noon on Monday. Japan scrambled fighter jets to warn off a Chinese Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft that spent two minutes in Japanese territorial airspace near uninhabited islands off Japans south coast.

The incident was the first confirmed incursion into Japans airspace by a Chinese military aircraft, according to an official at the Defense Ministry, who asked not to be identified in line with ministry custom.

Grant Newsham, a senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, said the air incursion appeared to be part of a pattern by China of trying to keep Japan off balance and worried.

Its a small thing by itself, but compare it with everything else the Peoples Republic of China is and has been doing and its best viewed as China gradually intensifying pressure and intimidation on Japan, Newsham said.

It comes as China clashes with the Philippines, another American ally in Asia, and as senior Chinese officials meet with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing.

Japan frequently launches fighter jets when Chinese and Russian aircraft approach its territory. Those scrambles rose to a monthly high this year of 85 in July, according to Japans military. Until Monday, Chinese military aircraft had avoided entering Japanese airspace.

China, meanwhile, said a Japanese destroyer had sailed into its territorial waters last month. A week after the July 4 incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin told reporters that Japan claimed it was due to a technical problem. Japans government has declined to comment on the matter.

Following Mondays aerial incursion, Japans Defense Ministry released a map showing the flight path of the Chinese Y-9 aircraft, which is equipped to gather electronic signals and other intelligence. The plane circled the area near the Danjo islands before entering Japanese airspace, and then headed back toward the Chinese mainland.

While China has sought stable ties with the US in recent months, it has also shown a willingness to increase pressure on Washingtons allies. Last week, the Philippines said China shot flares at a Filipino plane that was conducting a patrol in the South China Sea.

Japan and China have deep economic ties but their relations are troubled by an array of differences, including Chinas claim to Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. On most days, Chinese coast guard ships patrol near the territory, known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China.

China and Japan have also been in disagreement over Japans move to release treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant. After the release started last year, China imposed a ban on all seafood from Japan. Tokyo has also raised concerns with Beijing about Japanese citizens detained in China.

On Monday, Japan summoned Chinas acting ambassador to protest the air incursion and called for steps to prevent a recurrence. In a separate meeting, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official pressed a Chinese Foreign Ministry official on the seafood ban, detained citizens and the disputed island issue, according to a statement from the Japanese side.

There have been two previous incursions by Chinese government civilian aircraft  one by a propeller plane in 2012 and another by a drone in 2017, according to the Defense Ministry official.

--With assistance from Yasufumi Saito, Philip Glamann and Lucille Liu.

(Updates with Chinese government reaction, background and analyst comment.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
City approves temporary ban on new gas stations, other developments

Beavercreek leaders have approved a temporary moratorium for certain businesses moving into the city.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Beavercreek City Council proposed and unanimously voted to accept the temporary ban at its meeting on Monday.

>>RELATED: City council moves to further discussions on new gas station proposal in Beavercreek

The ban includes businesses like gas stations, car wash facilities, restaurants, grocery stores, self-storage, warehouses, and carry-out and convenience stores.

It goes into effect immediately and will last until Nov. 30.

Multiple gas stations have recently opened or are under construction throughout the city, including two Sheetz locations.

The moratorium comes after the city proposed building another gas station at the corner of Grange Hall Road and Dayton-Xenia Road. The applicant wanting to build on that land, has since withdrawn their request.

As previously reported on News Center 7, Beavercreek residents have voiced their concerns over the amount of gas stations in the city.

Many say they are worried about the traffic these businesses will bring.

We will continue to follow this story.

TRENDING STORIES:

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WEST ASHLEY, S.C. (WCBD)- The redevelopment of Sumar Street has been an ongoing discussion for years.

Charleston officials havent been able to get on the same page about the path forward.

After Monday night, officials may be one step closer to an answer, after Mayor Cogswell proposed an idea with redevelopment company, Edens.

This is the gateway to West Ashley, the gateway to the birthplace of Charleston, the gateway to the birthplace of South Carolina, former councilmember, Peter Shahid said.

For the past three years, the vacant lot on the corner of Sumar Street and Sam Rittenburg Boulevard has been sitting empty. Its an eyesore in West Ashley, brimming with potential.

The early development plan was a 20-pump gas station. It galvanized the community in opposition to that, Shahid said.

Monday night, Mayor Cogswell presented a new idea for retail space, residential space and green space, and its backed by council members who represent West Ashley, like William Tinkler.

This is the first time that weve had a comprehensive plan and its with a company that the Lowcountry knows, Tinkler said.

The company is Edens Redevelopment. They own Fresh Fields on Kiawah Island. The aesthetic of redevelopment at Sumar would mirror that project, but be unique to West Ashley.

Im excited for the energy itll create for the revitalization for all of West Ashley, Shahid said.

Shahid emphasized how important it is that the meeting includes the public, This is the best form of democracy. People come out, they hear what their leadership is proposing, the leaders have to listen to what they reaction is going to be, and from that you make the modifications to the project to take in account the publics input.

During the public hearing, the mayor talked about how they need to make a decision on the space fairly quickly, saying if council approves it, it would be a fast turnaround the get construction underway.

At the public meeting, some residents expressed concern about the noise that could come from the space especially if there is live music.

The city says any live music would adhere to the noise ordinance.

Other residents we spoke to are in favor of the mayors proposal and say they just want to see the space developed after years of back and forth.

City council will vote on the redevelopment in early September.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  The City of Grand Junction is looking for residents to provide feedback on its housing strategy update.

The public engagement meeting will be online and start at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3. Participants must register online for the meeting.

The city said in a press release that housing strategy updates are important for it to align with current legislative requirements, community needs and current conditions. This process also helps the community have plenty of affordable, accessible homes, according to the city.

The housing ecosystem is complex and dynamic. Regular updates to the data and understanding of the communitys needs are foundational to ensure the citys housing strategies align with the communitys greatest housing needs, Tamra Allen, community development director, said in a press release. Regular updates help identify opportunities to maximize the impact with the federal, state and local resources that are currently available.

The housing update is led by the city and Root Policy Research, a Colorado consultancy company with experience in the housing field.

The upcoming meeting comes after the citys first home strategy in 2021. Since adopting the housing strategy, the city has funded over $19 million for housing and homelessness, including grants and direct funding to support housing projects, operational assistance and emergency response, according to the release.

For more information, contact the Housing Division at 970-256-4081 or housing@gjcity.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 WesternSlopeNow.com.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  Authorities in Kalamazoo are telling residents not to open fire hydrants as West Michigan deals with soaring temperatures.

Kalamazoo Public Services said in a Tuesday news release that there has been a significant increase in the number of people opening fire hydrants. It notes that opening and closing fire hydrants can cause serious injury, impact traffic and damage underground pipes.

We want to caution against that. Hydrants are really designed to be used by professionals and for firefighting. They should really be opened and operated by train professionals, said Director of Public Services James Baker.

The high pressure and flow can make hydrants dangerous to both people and equipment. Quickly opening the valve could send caps flying or even damage the access points. While Baker said unauthorized access tends to happen in the citys older neighborhoods, even more modern systems could fail.

Any time a hydrant is used improperly, even in brand new developments, that could cause a main break, said Baker.

That can happen due to the water hammer effect. Thats when water pressure rapidly rises and falls when a valve is quickly opened. Water rushing into the space in the line can cause a sound like a hammer striking the line. That effect could, in turn, rupture the pipe.

Summer heat returns for last week of August

Residents can call 269.337.8148 to report any open fire hydrant to help keep safe and reliable water flowing throughout the city, according to the release.

The city noted that there is a splash pad on Florence Street near Burrell Avenue in the Northside neighborhood. The following fire hydrants will also be opened during extremely hot weather, as determined by the director of Public Services James Baker, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily:

Back of Interfaith (building 1038) far NW corner

Church at Norway

Washington at March

Burrell at Lawrence

Charlotte at Sherwood

Clarence at Jackson

Krom at Clay

Sherwood at Roosevelt Apartments

Hays Park at March

Norway at Princeton

Fairbanks at Center

Hays Park at James

West Michigan schools opt for half-days, closures due to heat

The city told News 8 it was planning to open these fire hydrants on Tuesday, which is expected to reach over 90 degrees for much of West Michigan. Paired with the heat, dew points are on the rise. The feels-like temperatures will be near 100 degrees.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its Tuesday, August 27. Take a look at our top stories in news and weather with KELOLAND On The GO First@4.

A former state government employee accused of stealing more than $1 million made a court appearance Tuesday in Pierre.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

A class action civil rights trial will get underway in less than two weeks in western South Dakota.

Class action civil rights trial set against Grand Gateway Hotel

The Sioux Falls police department along with other agencies worked to reduce high-speed and reckless driving to make Sioux Falls roads safer.

SF police to target reckless driving

Following Monday nights active weather, weve been treated to a generally nice day across KELOLAND. Southeastern KELOLAND especially got in on a nice change of pace with cooler temperatures and less humidity.

Midweek Storms on the Way; Quieter Labor Day Weekend  Storm Center PM Update: Tuesday, August 27

Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least seven people and injured at least 34 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Aug. 27.

Russia launched a combined wave of attacks against Ukraine for the second night in a row, reportedly using 81 Shahed-type attack drones and 10 missiles. A day before, Russia launched its largest aerial strike throughout the full-scale war, using over 230 missiles and drones.

From the overall tally, four people were killed and 16 injured only during the overnight strike on Aug. 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Overall, Russian forces launched three Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft, five Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95 bomber planes, one Iskander-M ballistic missile, and one Iskander-K cruise missile, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

Five Kh-101 cruise missiles and 60 drones were intercepted by Ukrainian defenses, the commander noted.

Russia attacked Kyiv Oblast and Kyiv with drones and missiles, with an air raid alert ongoing for eight hours. No damage or victims were reported.

Around 10 attack drones and several missiles were downed near Kyiv, said city administration head Serhii Popko, adding that "everything that flew to the capital was destroyed."

Russian forces also targeted Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day, resulting in three civilian deaths, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported. At least two of the fatalities were recorded during drone attacks overnight on Aug. 27.

Five civilians were injured in the region, including an 86-year-old woman. Four of them are currently being treated in a local hospital.

Several homes were damaged by blast waves and debris from the attack, and a fire occurred in a field, Fedorov said, adding that at least 128 drones attacked the region over the past 24 hours.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were killed and 13 injured over the past day, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Eight of the injured and one fatality were reported during the day on Aug. 26 following Russian attacks against the Nikopol district.

Late at night, a Russian Iskander missile struck a hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih, killing at least two people and injuring at least five, Lysak reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured when Russia struck an infrastructure facility with an Iskander missile, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast killed one person and injured 10 others, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

A critical infrastructure site, medical and educational institutions, high-rise buildings, houses, and other buildings were reportedly damaged.

One person was injured in Russian attacks against Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 26, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Another civilian was injured during drone attacks in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, said Serhii Tiurin, the regional governor. Eight drones were downed over the oblast, with at least two houses catching fire as a result.

Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, and Sumy oblasts also came under attack, but no casualties were reported.

For the second night in a row, the Polish Air Force scrambled its fighter jets as Russia attacked western Ukrainian regions. The Polish military said that a Russian drone may have entered Polish airspace during a previous attack on Aug. 26.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 16:37 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism

The Shizuoka prefectural government is considering charging fees for climbers ascending Mt. Fuji on three trails from next summer in a bid to restrict access, following neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture, an official said Tuesday.

Yamanashi has implemented several measures since earlier this year to deter dangerous activities such as "bullet climbing," which refers to attempts to summit the 3,776-meter peak for the sunrise without an overnight rest, but Shizuoka has yet to introduce any steps.

Mt. Fuji straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures.

So far, Shizuoka has only asked hikers to submit plans through a preregistration system, including the start time of their ascent and any reservation they have made for a place in a mountainside hut on the way to the peak.

There are three trails -- Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri -- in Shizuoka. As they are not on prefectural land, it has been difficult for the local government to impose regulations on climbers ascending Mt. Fuji through its ordinance.

Shizuoka is studying through November how it can limit access to Mt. Fuji with a view to enacting a new ordinance to collect entrance fees, the official said, adding the prefecture plans to earmark 37 million yen ($256,000) to estimate costs for controls on hikers.

In Yamanashi, meanwhile, a gate has been set up to close the Yoshida trail from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. to individuals without mountain hut reservations at the 5th station of the route, which is the most commonly used path in the prefecture.

Yamanashi has also begun to collect 2,000 yen per climber for using the Yoshida trail, while capping the number of hikers at 4,000 a day.

Related coverage:

Japan eyes steps to limit ash fall damage in event Mt. Fuji erupts

Mt. Fuji climbing season begins in full as Shizuoka trails opened

Mt. Fuji climbing season starts with new fees, control on numbers
BRAZIL, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  A Brazil nursing home is now under investigation by the Clay County Health Department as one of its residents was relocated after testing positive for Legionnaires disease.

Program Manager for the Clay County Health Department Christina Carrico said places with large water systems like Hutsonwood are often associated with this disease.

Typically, we see these outbreaks occur in cruise ships, hotels, and even hospital and extended care facilities, said Carrico. Anything that is going to have that large amount of water, especially a warm water system, are typically the types of areas that we see these bacteria grow.

Hutsonwood officials said that they are currently conducting a water test, providing bottled water to its residents, staff, and visitors, and installing filters in the showers and ice machines.

Carrico said the health department plans to help the facility in multiple ways so that it can continue with its day-to-day operations.

Volkers group celebrates new building

We act as that middle person between the state health department, investigators, contact tracing, and helping with the water testing, said Carrico. We are able to really help facilitate that so that they can continue all of the day-to-day things that they need to do without being overwhelmed.

She said that there is no current threat to the public and they just want to let everyone know how to stay as safe as possible.

There is not a public emergency right now, said Carrico. Things are contained and it doesnt spread from person to person. At this point, we are here to calm the public and let them know what information they might need to know for their family members that could still potentially be housed over there.

It is still an ongoing investigation in terms of where the disease is located.

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By Kate Abnett and Simon Jessop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Environmental campaigners have taken the European Commission to court, seeking to force Brussels to upgrade its emissions rules for 2030 and, in a second case, scrap rules that label some planes as climate-friendly investments.

In a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union's General Court, non-profit groups Climate Action Network and the Global Legal Action Network argue that national limits on greenhouse gas emissions for sectors such as transport and agriculture are unlawful.

The campaigners said on Tuesday the thresholds would fail to cut Europe's planet-heating emissions fast enough to meet the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

A European Commission spokesperson declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

The limits, which require EU member states to cut their emissions in those sectors between 10% and 50% from 2005 levels, contribute to the EU's overall goal of reducing net emissions 55% by 2030, in relation to 1990 levels.

Scientists say the world's emissions need to roughly halve by 2030 to have a shot at limiting warming to 1.5C. Campaigners argue wealthy, large historical polluters like the EU should be moving faster than that.

The court has given the case priority status, meaning it could be heard in 2025.

A second case, filed by five campaign groups to the EU's General Court on Tuesday, seeks to force Brussels to revise rules adding aviation to the EU's "taxonomy", a list of investments labelled green and therefore eligible to receive green finance from investors and banks.

The EU policy classes investments in new, more fuel-efficient planes as helping to fight climate change, on the grounds that they will push dirtier old planes into retirement - curbing emissions before technologies like zero-emission aircraft become commercially available.

It also offers a green label to ships that run on liquefied natural gas - a fossil fuel that is less CO2-intensive than oil, but still produces CO2 emissions and is associated with emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane.

The campaigners said the EU was greenwashing, by labelling planes and ships running entirely on fossil fuels as climate-friendly.

"The aviation and shipping criteria send completely the wrong signal to investors," said David Kay, legal director at Opportunity Green, one of the groups bringing the lawsuit.

A Commission spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this case.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett, Simon Jessop; Editing by Helen Popper and Mark Potter)
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The trial for a man accused of raping and fatally strangling his cousin in 2010 continued Tuesday at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.

Derek Ward faces first-degree rape and first-degree murder charges related to the death of Brittini Ward.

Tuesday represented the first and only day of Wards defense, who called a detective to the stand who initially investigated the case. It also marked the first full day for Wards public defender, as Ward had been representing himself up until Monday morning, was litigating the case.

Detective Todd Burkhard testified for the defense, who said Brittinis mother was more concerned than shocked at the revelation that her daughter may have been raped and murdered and noticed a lack of the mother tearing up in additional questioning.

PREVIOUS: Charlotte man charged in 2010 murder no longer representing himself

Prosecutors, on cross-examination, emphasized the nature of the case and what specifically happened to Brittini Ward, according to the medical examiners report.

The defense rested after Burkhard testified.

The trial was filled with notable moments, particularly when Derek Ward represented himself.

Ward has been imprisoned or institutionalized for the last 14 years, considered up until recently to be mentally unfit for trial. The judge in the case, Judge Carla Archie, let the trial move forward after determining that Derek Ward was aware of the charges and the potential consequences.

PREVIOUS: Mother of slain Charlotte woman takes the stand, directly faces accused killer at trial

Ward opted to defend himself in court for most of the proceedings, leading to moments in court that led to multiple objections by the prosecution and numerous reminders by the judge to focus on the evidence associated with the case, and avoid the commentary.

Those moments included calling a witness, a cousin of Derek Wards, soft and weak and proclaiming that he was a dominant person. Additionally, he referred to his anatomy at one point during opening arguments and also took on the affectation of a mentally handicapped person, appearing not fully to understand the law.

The case has yet to go to the jury, as both prosecutors and the defense are going over jury instructions.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The company that owns Greyhound buses is nearing the end of a lease at its downtown station, and that could leave Chicago poised to become the largest city in the Northern Hemisphere without an intercity bus terminal, according to a new report.

Closing the station, especially in a transportation hub like Chicago, would be felt acutely by low-income riders, residents of communities without easy access to train or airline service and others who rely on buses to travel between cities, advocates said. Greyhound and other buses pick up passengers curbside at other sites in Chicago, but mention of giving up the current station building and instead relying more heavily on curbside pickup and drop-off outside Chicago Union Station has been decried by advocates and Amtrak, which owns the train station.

We are quite concerned about the ripple effects of the loss of this station, said Joseph Schwieterman, one of the reports authors and director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development. Theres nothing quite like it in the United States in terms of consequence of taking something this basic out of the system.

Advocates have sounded alarm bells about the potential for the bus station to close for more than a year. The latest report found Chicago would become the third of the worlds 130 largest cities without a bus terminal, should the current downtown station close with no replacement. The two large cities that currently do not have stations are Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nairobi, Kenya, where temperatures in the winter tend to be warmer than in Chicago.

Losing a bus station would also make Chicago the largest city among those considered the Global North, meaning they have high levels of economic and industrial development, without an intercity bus terminal, the report found.

The future of Chicagos bus station was thrown into question after a series of sales of Greyhound and its properties. Greyhounds parent company sold the bus line to German company Flix in 2021, but much of the bus lines real estate was not part of the sale. The Chicago station is now among those owned by Twenty Lake Holdings, an affiliate of Alden Global Capital, which also owns the Chicago Tribune.

Twenty Lake has hired brokers to seek the sale of the property, which could be redeveloped, according to reporting from commercial real estate information firm CoStar.

The issue has taken on heightened urgency as the lease at the current station is set to expire. The bus operator will likely have to leave the facility Sept. 20 under current circumstances, said Gilda Brewton, an executive with Flix. The lease could also be extended.

Already, Greyhound stations in other cities have been relocated. In some cases, stations were moved miles outside the city center or instead became only curbside pickup and drop-off locations, with no indoor waiting areas.

Advocates, Brewton and Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa gathered virtually Tuesday to rally against such a solution in Chicago.

The Greyhound station now is used by Flix- and Greyhound-branded buses, as well as bus lines Burlington Trailways and Barons Bus. Some 500,000 passengers traveled through the station last year, according to information shared by the gathered advocates.

About 71% of Flix and Greyhound ridership in Chicago makes less than $35,000 a year, Brewton said. Some riders cannot afford other modes of transportation between cities, others are students, senior citizens or people who choose not to fly, she said.

Micheal Podgers, with transportation advocacy group Better Streets Chicago, said buses are also crucial for people traveling to or from rural communities with few other transportation options. And, as the number of out-of-state abortions in Illinois skyrocketed the year Roe v. Wade was overturned, he suggested it is an important form of transportation for those seeking reproductive and other types of care.

Chicago is a key bus hub where travelers can connect between bus lines, allowing travel to more cities, Schwieterman said. Such connections wouldnt be possible without a climate-controlled waiting area during layovers, and other cities dont have the capacity to handle the number of connections that revolve around Chicago, he said.

Though discussions about next steps are continuing with the city and other officials, one possible immediate option will be to move more intercity bus pickup and drop-off to Jackson Street outside Union Station, where Greyhound already has a ticket counter nearby, Brewton said.

That would require cutting bus service, partly because the bus lines would likely not be able to operate there during peak hours, she said.

Were not going to operate as many schedules or as much service as we do, but well have a foundation to operate, to take care of our customers, Brewton said.

Amtrak has pushed back against the suggestion, citing congestion along Jackson Boulevard and crowding at Union Station. Nearby, Canal Street is under construction, making the problem worse until the project is completed, a rail agency spokesman has said.

Chicago Chief Operating Officer John Roberson said in a statement city officials were continuing to talk with Greyhound and Amtrak. The rail agency has agreed to work in partnership to solve Greyhounds problem of providing a clean and safe terminal facility for intercity bus passengers, he said.

While we have looked at a number of different options, it should be noted that Greyhound has an option to renew its lease at its current Harrison Street location under the same terms and conditions that it currently operates under, he said.

Ramirez-Rosa, whose 35th Ward does not include the downtown bus station, said the city can play a role in resolving where and how buses can pick up and drop off passengers, including through its regulatory and zoning power.

Ultimately it is up to the city of Chicago to permit where Flix North America will pick up and drop off in the short term as we work toward a permanent intercity bus terminal, he said.

Even as its lease expiration approaches, Flix is continuing to push for another, longer-term option. Brewton suggested the city buy a bus station that could be used as a public intercity terminal. She compared it to an airport, where multiple airlines fly in and out of a facility owned by a public agency.

We continue to believe that the city of Chicago will be best served in the long term through an intermodal transit facility, a solution that will require a collaborative process across stakeholders, a company spokesman said.
CNN International To Launch On Max In Europe In U.S. Election Run-Up

European politicos are to be given a heavy dose of U.S. election coverage via CNN International on Max.

The WBD-owned streamer is launching CNN International 24/7 from later this week in 22 territories.

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Ahead of November 5 election day, Max subscribers will be able to follow the campaign trail during the critical weeks of the race to the White House. This includes coverage of the ABC News presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, which will be simulcast on CNN International at 03.00 CET (18.00 PT) on September 11 in Europe and replayed.

CNN International is already available via Max in the key territories of France and Poland but the move will roll the network out to 22 more including in Spain, the Nordics, Belgium, Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe.

Max, formerly HBO Max, is available in 65 countries worldwide and has been rolling out across Europe over the past 12 months or so, although it is yet to enter the UK due to a long-running HBO content deal with Sky. Max arrives in some Southeast Asian countries later this year.

Broadcast from studios inside and outside of the U.S., CNN International has distribution deals in place with a number of European territories already.

Best of Deadline

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Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen CNN for her first sit-down interview since becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will face questions from CNN anchor Dana Bash in an interview expected to air 9 p.m. Thursday, the network announced Tuesday. The interview will take place in Georgia as the vice president is on a bus tour through the battleground state.

Harris has drawn criticism from her Republican opponents for not sitting down for a formal interview since President Joe Biden stepped aside and endorsed her, though she has repeatedly taken questions from reporters in brief exchanges.

Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have increased their media appearances and news conferences in part to highlight the contrast between the two campaigns.



The CNN announcement comes after Harris, earlier this month, promised to schedule an interview by the end of August. Since making that statement, her campaign staff members have fielded invitations from media organizations and quizzed reporters about who they think should get the sit-down.

The interview will provide the first opportunity for the candidates to field detailed policy questions.

Harriss history with media interviews has been mixed, dating back to a 2021 NBC News interview with Lester Holt when he asked why she had not visited the border since taking office as vice president. Harris, who had been tasked by Biden to address the root causes of migration, quipped back that she had also not been to Europe. The Trump campaign used the interview clip in an attack ad when Harris first announced she was taking over the ticket after President Joe Biden stepped down.

Recent interviews Harris has participated in have received a better reception from Democrats, particularly in her CNN interview immediately following the June debate between Biden and Trump, where Harris addressed Bidens disastrous debate performance.
CNN Lands Kamala Harris-Tim Walz Interview, Their First Since Becoming New Democratic Ticket

CNN has landed the first interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz since they became the Democratic presidential and vice presidential nominees.

Dana Bash will conduct the interview in Georgia on Thursday, with a primetime special planned for that evening, the network announced Tuesday.

More from Deadline

Harris has not done a network sit-down interview since she launched her presidential campaign after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. Nor has Walz since she chose him as her running mate.

Donald Trump has made an issue about Harris lack of media appearances, claiming that she has hidden behind scripted moments assisted by a Teleprompter. Harris has answered questions from reporters between events, but she said earlier this month that she planned to get a sit-down interview on the books by the end of the month.

Bash is likely to ask Harris about her policy positions, and how they have changed since her 2019 presidential campaign, which ended before the primary season began that cycle.

The major networks had sought the first interview with Harris and Walz, but the campaign had waited until after the Democratic National Convention last week before committing to one. Harris also faces a September 10 presidential debate with Trump, to be sponsored by ABC News.

RELATED: 2024 DNC Celebrity Attendees Photo Gallery: Musicians & Actors Show Up For Kamala Harris On Night 4

Bash co-moderated the presidential debate between Trump and Biden in late June, an event that ended disastrously for the president and led to calls for him to step aside in the race.

More to come.

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SPACE (KXAN)  NASA needs some help with frozen liquid. As part of the space agencys planned trip to the moon as part of the Artemis mission, NASA is looking for a way to store super-chilled propellants for months on end.

Illustration of SpaceX Starship human lander design that will carry NASA astronauts to the Moons surface during the Artemis mission. Credits: SpaceX

Theyre asking college students for help.

Announced earlier this month, NASAs 2025 Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) is open for submissions. The competition, now in its second year, is asking for students to develop innovative methods for in-space cryogenic liquid storage.

According to NASA, cryogenic propellants are very important for long term space travel. They must remain super cool in order to remain in a liquid state. The fluids that must be stored include liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, which are used as propellent in spacecraft.

Landing on the moon

The point of the competition is to develop the Human Landing System (HLS). Essentially the newest form of the lunar lander, the HLS will serve as transportation to and from the lunar surface. They must also function as habitats.

Boeing mission leaves astronauts stranded in space  what it means for their health

Dec. 5, 2022 A portion of the Moon looms large just beyond the Orion spacecraft in this image taken on the 20th day of the Artemis I mission by a camera on the tip of one of Orions solar arrays. (Credit: NASA)

NASA awarded a contract to SpaceX to develop one of these next-gen landers. That company will launch one uncrewed mission to the surface to ensure the HLS works before humans ride the craft aboard Artemis III.

NASA is still seeking other partnerships to develop HLS. They hope that they can increase competition, reducing costs on taxpayers and increase travel to the lunar surface by having multiple companies working on the program.

Austin-based Firefly Aerospace will also be launching a mission to the moon. Their Blue Ghost lander will bring supplies and equipment to the lunar surface.

Competition at the college level

HuLC is open to undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges and universities. Teams must submit a Notice of Intent by October 6, 2024. A proposal package must be submitted by teams by March 3, 2025.

Voyager 1 spacecraft resumes sending data from beyond our solar system

Up to 12 teams will be selected as finalists, each receiving $9,250 to further develop their plan.

Plans will be presented in June 2025 at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center. The top three teams will share a $18,000 prize.

Teams are being asked to develop plans in one of the following categories:

On-Orbit Cryogenic Propellant Transfer

Microgravity Mass Tracking of Cryogenics

Large Surface Area Radiative Insulation

Advanced Structural Supports for Heat Reduction

Automated Cryo-Couplers for Propellant Transfer

Low Leakage Cryogenic Components.

You can learn more about the program and how to submit at NASAs website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
The Shikoku Shimbun - Aug 27, 2024 - 16:13 | All, Japan

A popular park in Kagawa Prefecture recently gave visitors the chance to enjoy a winter wonderland experience with artificial snow at an annual event held at the height of summer.

"Snow in the Summer" took place at Unpenji Summit Park in Kanonji, a venue renowned for attractions such as Sky Swings.

Situated on the crest of a hill 920 meters above sea level, the park provided a cool retreat for children who enjoyed the snowy festivities amid its beautiful scenery.

Thanks to the high altitude, temperatures remained comfortably below 30 degrees C, even during the day.

This year marked the third time the event had been held since its inception in 2022, initiated by Shikoku Cable, the transportation company that operates the Unpenji Ropeway.

Using the same snowmaking machine that created an artificial ski ground at the park between 2019 and 2020, around 10 tons of snow were generated daily.

Snow was pumped out every five minutes, sometimes accumulating in piles up to one meter high.

One family, visiting with a young child, was seen joyfully playing in the falling snow, making snowmen and snowballs.

Despite the snow melting quickly upon contact with the ground, some determined children even attempted to build igloos.

"I love cats, so I made a cat house with snow. It was a lot of fun," said Shieri Ito, a 4-year-old visitor from Ayagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, expressing her delight.

The event ran daily until Aug. 15 and continued on weekends until Aug. 25, with entry free of charge.

Snowmaking began at 10 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m., with hours varying depending on the weather.

The Shikoku Shimbun

Related coverage:

Yosakoi dance returns to Kagawa's Kanonji summer festival

Marugame Castle stay added to west Japan city's hometown tax gift choices

Lightning bugs put on show to thrill locals in Kagawa Prefecture
Members of the Colorado House of Representatives work on the last day of the 2024 legislative session, May 8, 2024, at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

The Colorado General Assembly gaveled in on Monday to consider a property tax proposal that backers say is a compromise deal to get rid of a pair of ballot initiatives that would severely cut local funding.

The House ended its committee hearings on Monday evening after a long day of witness testimony. They ushered through the main compromise bill and three other bills.

The Senate adjourned in the early afternoon after killing two bills in committee.

The session will last until at least Thursday.

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The Legislatures regular 2024 session ended in May, but Democratic Gov. Jared Polis called it back to work to enact a deal that would persuade a duo of conservative groups to pull two initiatives from Novembers ballot and commit to not bring similar property tax proposals to future ballots. Those initiatives, Democratic legislative leadership warned, would deeply cut property tax revenue and be disastrous to state finances.

What we are doing here today, at the governors call, is governing with great responsibility. This is a moment for us to diminish the threats of two ballot initiatives that would upend the state, that would deliver catastrophic blows to the investments we have made over these past few years  particularly to public education, to the services that are provided locally within our state, and to special districts, House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat, said ahead of the start of session on Monday morning.

Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.

Property taxes are collected by local governments and fund services like schools and fire response. Though Colorado has some of the lowest rates in the country, property tax bills have spiked in Colorado in recent years largely due to rising home values.

Im looking forward to providing a little bit more property tax relief to those who need it the most, but most importantly, to getting the existential threat of (Initiatives 50 and 108) off the ballot and out of the equation for the future of our communities, said Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat.

Hope for sustainability and certainty

In recent years, legislators have worked to incrementally reduce property taxes in the state, including during a special session last November and through a bipartisan bill in May that reduced rates and provided over $1 billion in cuts but fell short of swaying initiative backers to take the measures off the ballot.

The deal on the table would reduce residential and many non-residential property assessment rates beginning with the 2025 property tax year. It would also modify the local growth property tax revenue limit and establish a limit for school district revenue growth.

In total, the bill would provide about $248 million in savings in tax year 2025 and about $271 million in savings for tax year 2026, according to a nonpartisan state analysis. It includes a mechanism to reimburse $81 million the first year and $92 million the second year to schools and local taxing districts.

Bill sponsors say it builds on the property tax relief bill from earlier this year.

The savings for individual homeowners will vary with location, but it would likely be less than an additional $100 per year. Sponsors hope it will offer some sustainability and certainty to local government budgets.

In a letter Monday, the conservative organizations  Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern  behind Initiatives 50 and 108 said they would not bring any ballot initiatives that reduce property tax revenue for at least six years, as long as the Legislature, executive branch or courts dont go back on the provisions of the agreement.

Initiative 50 would amend the state Constitution and limit property tax revenue growth to 4% statewide, while Initiative 108 would cut property taxes by an estimated $2.4 billion.

The bill made it through committee with an 8-3 vote. The votes against were from Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms of Colorado Springs, Democratic Rep. Emily Sirota of Denver and Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Velasco of Glenwood Springs.

Proposed constitutional amendment

Lawmakers introduced 12 bills for the special session aside from the primary compromise property tax bill. Committees killed the majority but left a few intact.

That includes approving a bill brought by Democratic Rep. Mike Weissman of Aurora that would refer a constitutional amendment to voters this year requiring local jurisdictions to also approve, through an election, any successful statewide ballot initiative that affects property tax revenue.

Republicans have already criticized the bill as a move to block Coloradans from using the citizen ballot initiative process, but proponents say it would be a way to pass property tax control back to local governments.

What Im very interested to see is which of the usual proponents of local control will oppose giving voters the chance to decide if they want more of it. Because thats really what were talking about, Kevin Bommer, the executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, said in support of the Weissman bill.

Another bill that made it through from Democratic Rep. David Ortiz of Littleton would reduce assessment rates for newly constructed accessible housing.

Bills that died in committee included one that would base property taxes on land value instead of home value, one that would have adjusted value exemptions based on home value to give more relief to lower-income homeowners, and one to reinstate the Gallagher Amendment, a 1982 constitutional measure that kept residential assessment rates low while raising rates accordingly for non-residential property.

Editors note: This story was updated at 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 27 to include the results from House committees.

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A Colorado man is facing federal charges for allegedly posting death threats against election officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge and federal law enforcement agents on social media in 2021 and 2022.

Authorities arrested 45-year-old Teak Brockbank on Friday in Cortez, Colorado, and charged him with transmitting interstate threats, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ highlighted a social media post Brockbank allegedly made on Aug. 4, 2022, in which he suggested killing various election officials in Arizona and Colorado.

Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way," the post said. "So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.

Officials say Brockbank made another post on Oct. 2, 2021, in which he said he wasn't simply justified but obligated to shoot a Colorado state judge in the head. Federal authorities said Brockbank posted on July 20, 2022, that he'd also be justified in shooting any agents with the CIA, FBI or ATF who showed up to his house.

We allege that the defendant made detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy, and the arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions.

Brockbank faces a maximum of five years in prison if convicted.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man charged, suspected of threatening Arizona and Colorado officials
Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) opened up Monday about her experience with depression, revealing she is seeking treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and wants to de-stigmatize mental illness.

Caraveo, in a statement Monday, said she, like many Americans, struggle with depression, and the symptoms became more severe in recent months.

As a doctor, I always urge my patients to take care of their health first and receive the support that they need, she said, adding, I decided to take my own advice and seek treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Im sharing this today because I believe we need to de-stigmatize mental illness  in Colorado and across our country. It is my hope that the millions of people who struggle with anxiety or any other mental health issues seek help, Caraveo added.

Caraveo, a pediatrician, is serving her first term in the House as the first Latina elected to represent the Centennial State.

She is facing a potentially tough reelection bid this fall as Republicans have targeted her seat in the states 8th Congressional District as a possible flip opportunity. She was one of five House Democrats the House GOP campaign arm went after with a mobile billboard outside the Democratic National Convention last week.

She is the latest lawmaker to open up about her mental health struggles; others include Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), the latter of whom checked himself into Walter Reed last year to receive treatment for clinical depression.

Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, lauded Caraveos statement Monday.

Your courage reminds people across our nation that they are not alone. Together, we will continue to fight for every American to have access to mental health care and support, Harris wrote on social platform X Monday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Colorado Republicans made a move Saturday to oust their state party chair, Dave Williams, even as he has denied the legitimacy of such a play.

Out of the approximately 180 people participating in the meeting, roughly 160 Republicans voted to remove Williams as their party chair during the Saturday gathering, according to news reports.

But theres been discrepancy regarding how to interpret the state party rules for ousting an officer  and whether they can be interpreted to mean that at least three-fifths of GOP central committee members present are enough to vote out an official, or if at least three-fifths of all GOP central committee members must be needed.

The state party, in a release, claimed the Republicans were illegally re-interpreting our bylaws to improperly attempt to remove all of your duly elected officers. Meanwhile, Republicans at the event voted in favor of interpreting the rules as referring to Republicans in attendance and not total members, according to the Colorado Sun.

77 people of a fringe party faction dont get to decide for 400 plus members at a fake meeting, and to even suggest that less than half of the total membership can meet without authorization and remove duly elected officers below the 3/5th requirement and then have even less than a quarter of total membership elect a new chair is beyond absurd, Williams said in a text message to The Hill.

The Republican National Committee Parliamentarian has already deemed their meeting to have been invalid and our meeting on August 31st the only legitimate meeting, he added.

The Hill has reached out to the Republican National Committee regarding how the group is recognizing the results.

Meanwhile, the Republicans present during the Saturday meeting elected Eli Bremer, a former El Paso County GOP chair, former Senate candidate and former Olympian, as their next state party chair.

Williams has irked Republicans in the state for using state party resources to promote his congressional candidacy in the 5th Congressional District. He lost the GOP primary to Jeff Crank in June.

Hes also rankled members of the party as the state party has released anti-LGBTQ messages, including one claiming that godless groomers in our society want to attack what is decent, holy, and righteous during the month of June, also known as Pride Month. The state GOP also posted on the social platform X, Burn all the #pride flags this June.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

Smith Didnt Seek Removal Of Aileen Cannon

The timing was breathtaking.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons wholesale dismissal in July of the indictment of Donald Trump for hoarding national security information at Mar-a-Lago and obstructing efforts to retrieve the materials came on the Monday following the Saturday assassination attempt against the former president.

That Monday was also the first day of the GOP convention and the day that Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate.

You could be excused if you missed the Mar-a-Lago news that day.

Yesterday, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed his appeal brief with 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to have Cannons dismissal reversed. It is an airtight case for why his own appointment as special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland and the funding for his work were both lawful. It is also an understated but withering deconstruction of Cannons deeply flawed decision. The only real bit of news was what the brief didnt contain: an explicit request that the appeals court remove Cannon from the case.

It is highly likely that Smith prevails at the appeals court, but that victory will not mask the fundamental systemic and institutional failures to hold Trump to account under the rule of law for his crimes in a timely way that halts Trumps ongoing threat to national security, gives voters a clear picture of who theyre voting for in November, and bolsters public confidence in the ability of the judicial branch to properly function in a crisis.

Its easy to blame Judge Cannon for this debacle, and she deserves all the scorn heaped on her, but no one judge should be able to wreak this much havoc in such an important case without recourse or accountability. While we properly vest considerable power in individual federal judges, the system has shown its limitations, weaknesses, and ineptitude when confronted with a case of this magnitude.

Looming over these failures is the prospect of Trump winning back the White House then ordering the Justice Department to dismisses the case against him, and as Ive suggested before, abusing the powers of the presidency to hamstring the judicial branch in various other ways that will sideline it to his autocratic impulses, especially now that the Supreme Court has sanctified him with presidential immunity. To put it more simply, Trump represents an existential threat to the judiciary, too, though it collectively doesnt seem to grasp the risk.

Former CIA lawyer Brian Greer took a back-of-the-napkin stab at when the Mar-a-Lago case is likely to go to trial. By his estimate, even assuming Trump loses in November, were not looking at a trial beginning until sometime in 2026 or even 2027, some five to six years after Trumps alleged criminal conduct. You can quibble with the specific math, but no math realistically gets you to a timely trial.

I dont begin to have all the answers for the reforms needed to hasten the administration of justice in cases with structural constitutional issues at stake while preserving individual rights and due process. But I do know that blaming one corrupt judge for our national plight lets the system off the hook.

Must Read

TPMs Josh Kovensky: How MAGA Is Already Justifying The Use Of Military Force At Home If Trump Wins

The Man Who Will Do Anything For Trump

TUCSON, ARIZONA  JULY 31: Kash Patel, a former chief of staff to then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, speaks during a campaign event for Republican election candidates at the Whiskey Roads Restaurant & Bar on July 31, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. With less than two days to go before the Arizona primary election, candidates continue campaigning across the state. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

A stellar profile of Kash Patel, one of the worst of the worst Trump flunkies, in the new issue of The Atlantic.

The writer, Elaina Plott Calabro, posted a thread about the most eye-popping incident she uncovered in her reporting on Patel.

Give them both a look.

Yup 

The NYT takes note of the 5th Circuits status as the Trumpiest court in the land. It actually calls it the most conservative, which everyone agrees on, but that descriptor is seeming ever more antiquated and imprecise in the face of an radical right-wing judiciary that is anything but conservative in the classical or legal sense.

Federal Judge In Texas Blocks Biden Immigration Program

As expected, the complaint filed late last week by a coalition of red states seeking to block the Biden program creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens won an early victory when a federal judge in Texas ordered a temporary stay of the program.

2024 Ephemera

NYT: A Latino civil rights group is asking the Department of Justice to open an investigation into a series of raids conducted on Latino voting activists and political operatives as part of a sprawling voter fraud inquiry by the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton.

More than 200 disaffected Republican alums of George W. Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney have endorsed Kamala Harris in an open letter published in USA Today.

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI) has endorsed Donald Trump.

UPDATE: Trump Assassination Attempt Probe

Nine members of the House task force investigating the assassination attempt on former President Trump visited the scene of the crime Monday.

Some of the wackiest GOP members of the House are conducting their own parallel investigation and held an event at the Heritage Foundation on Monday featuring a panel that included Blackwater founder Erik Prince and conservative radio host and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino.

At least five Secret Service officials have been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the agencys own internal investigation. Four of the five were based in the agencys Pittsburgh office and one was part of Trumps protective detail.

You Maniacs!

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The single most abused, misused and misunderstood word in American politics is unity.

All presidential candidates vow to unite Americans. Nearly every pundit and public intellectual laments the lack of unity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable, Donald Trump declared in his inaugural address. With unity, we can do great things. Important things, insisted Joe Biden in his. Kamala Harris proclaimed in her acceptance speech at the Democratic convention that in unity, there is strength.

Such statements get to the first problem with the cult of unity: Its an appeal to power. There is strength in unity, sure, but strength is an entirely amoral concept. Strength to do what?

Read more: Goldberg: Kamala Harris wants to tackle corporate 'price-gouging.' Here's what she's missing

Lynch mobs are unified, which is why they are terrifying. The namesake of fascism, the fasces , was a bundle of rods representing the idea of strength in numbers.

Im not saying unity is necessarily bad, but its goodness depends entirely on what you do with it. If politicians routinely used the term power instead of unity, more people might understand that skepticism is warranted when politicians demand or claim it for their agenda.

Second, our infatuation with unity runs against the grain of the Constitution. Presidents often talk as if they are running for prime minister in a parliamentary system. They promise to do things on Day One of their administration that a president cannot do alone under our system.

Read more: Column: What too many Republicans still don't understand about Donald Trump's agenda

Trump vowed to be a dictator on Day One of a second administration (with specific regard to immigration and oil-drilling). In 2019, Harris promised that if elected president, she would repeal the Trump tax cuts on Day One. Presidents can issue (often dubious) executive orders on Day One, but they cannot pass or repeal laws. Thats Congress job.

And Congress isnt elected to follow the presidents orders. The often cockamamie idea of electoral mandates for presidents is irrelevant. Legislators are answerable to their own voters and constituents.

If Trump wins the election, Democrats arent going to feel particularly obliged to rubber-stamp his agenda. And if Harris wins, Republicans wont reflexively defer to hers. A president can tell senators or representatives, Look, I was elected to do X all they like, but at least some can fairly respond, Yeah, and I was elected to try to stop you.

This is a constitutional feature, not a bug. My American Enterprise Institute colleague Yuval Levin underscores this point in  American Covenant , the best book on the Constitution Ive read. The Constitution was designed to foster political competition  between the executive and legislative branches, among and within the states, and between the federal government and the states. The separation of powers, the structure of Congress and constant elections are intended to create conflict and tension  productive tension, in Levins words.

This competition is supposed to yield better and more democratically legitimate policies through vociferous disagreement. The Constitutions goal is disagreement, not superficial agreement forced by populist appeals to unity.

The most beneficial form of unity is consensus reached by fierce but good-faith argument. The only other form of unity that should be expected or demanded of Americans is fidelity to the Constitutions rules on how these arguments are conducted and how officials use the power granted to them. No president can be a dictator on any day so long as the Constitution remains in force.

I dislike the asininity and demagoguery that polarization produces as much as anybody. But the problem is not disagreement so much as an inability to disagree better. Indeed, much of what drives our acidic disunity is the partisan desire to steamroll political opponents with forced unity and power not granted by the Constitution.

Politicians frequent assertions that the time for debate is over amount to an undemocratic insistence that my critics need to shut up and get with my program. Sometimes critics are well advised to shut up, but only if they have decisively lost the argument. And even then, our system protects dissent because the founders recognized that free speech is indispensable to a free society and that the majority sometimes gets it wrong.

When that happens, the dissenters should be able to say, We told you so. Im hoping to live long enough to say exactly that when we return to the system of productive political disagreement enshrined in the Constitution.

@JonahDispatch

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kamala Harris delivers her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last week. Will she lay the "polarization" monster to rest? (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

A funny thing happened after July 21, when President Biden ended his campaign for reelection. It's not merely that Kamala Harris emerged to take his place; it's that her campaign had overcome the polarization of American politics.

At least, that's the reading provided by not a few political pundits. But it's not quite true. The reality is that Harris' rise as a leading political figure demonstrates that America was never as polarized as our commentators claimed.

I made this point nearly three years ago, in the wake of the failed recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom. The recall failed by a 2-to-1 vote. As I observed at the time, the commentariat persisted in viewing the result through the prism of the "polarization" theme, even though it demonstrated conclusively that in California, at least, there was broad agreement, not disagreement, about Newsom's policies on fighting COVID, abortion and gun control.

Another four years of Donald Trumps chaotic leadership, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions.

Letter from 200 former Republican aides endorsing Kamala Harris for president

Harris has (so far) finessed the polarization meme by making an explicit appeal to voters based on issues likely to find widespread conformity across the partisan spectrum. These include abortion rights (despite the issue's appearance as a wedge driving Americans apart) and economic policies aimed at the middle class.

The harvest appears to be a surge in cross-party support for the Harris campaign. On Monday, more than 200 former Republican aides to presidents George W. and George H.W. Bush and Sens. Mitt Romney and John McCain endorsed Harris in an open letter, stating that "another four years of Donald Trumps chaotic leadership, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions."

A dozen lawyers who served Ronald Reagan and both Bushes in the White House issued their own joint endorsement, stating, "We believe that returning former President Trump to office would threaten American democracy and undermine the rule of law in our country."

The Harris campaign, emboldened by positive polls, is seeking to expand its presence into Sun Belt states that were either judged out of reach or leaning Republican, such as Georgia, Arizona and North Carolina.

Yet it may be more accurate to view these developments not as Harris overcoming polarization, but as her exposing the shallowness of the polarization impression. Political scientists have increasingly come to the conclusion that the apparent polarization of debate in the U.S. is an artifact of where that debate has been conducted  chiefly on social media.

"At first blush, the American political landscape can seem quite bleak, in part because of heightened political polarization," observed researchers from UC Berkeley and Columbia University in March. But they found that "the landscape of debate is distorted by social media and the salience of negativity present in high-profile spats."

The misimpression among Americans, they wrote, fosters "a false reality about the landscape of debate which can unnecessarily undermine their hope about the future."

Read more: Column: Trump says Harris stole his idea for exempting tips from tax, but her version beats his

The methods used by social media platforms to grab and hold users' attention deserves much of the blame for this distortion, they asserted. "There is evidence that negative information spreads more quickly on social media and is often amplified by social media algorithms that promote or push content to the forefront of users pages," they wrote.

"This negativity is exacerbated by non-human actors or 'bots' that often inflame online conflicts .... These factors combined suggest that negative, conflict-laden debates will flow to the top of peoples timelines."

A similar conclusion was reached by political scientists James Druckman of the University of Rochester, Matthew Levendusky of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues, who found in a 2020 paper that the "hyper-partisan polarization" that defined current American politics in the 21st century was "affective polarization"  meaning that when people were asked in surveys about the party whose policies they opposed, was based on "stereotypes and media exemplars of ideologically extreme and politically engaged partisans."

What was happening, they wrote, was that people incorrectly assumed that those extremists "comprise the majority of the other party."

Another factor is Trump, who "is also a polarizer: he takes existing trends and pours gasoline on them," Levendusky told me.

Still, the image of a hopelessly polarized America is belied by opinion polls and ballot results on individual issues. Nearly two-thirds of Americans feel that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a survey issued in May by the Pew Research Center. Thats higher than it was in 1995.

More evidence comes from abortion-related ballot initiatives in seven states in 2022 and 2023, following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe vs. Wade: The pro-abortion rights position prevailed in every one, including in the red states Ohio, Kansas and Kentucky. Abortion rights measures will be on the ballot in 10 states this November, including Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Read more: Column: This GOP-leaning political polling firm has turned into a purveyor of anti-vaccine propaganda

Sizable majorities also are seen in opinion polls in favor of stricter gun laws and antipandemic measures such as masking and social distancing. COVID vaccines may be the target of obstreperous antivaccination fanatics, but most Americans have voted with their feet by walking into vaccine clinics: 81% of Americans have received at least one shot and 70% are considered fully vaccinated with multiple doses.

That includes states in which antivaccination politics reign, such as Florida, where the Republican-appointed surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, has issued antivax recommendations so misleading that he was publicly rebuked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Despite Ladapo's antivax propaganda, 81.4% of Floridians have received at least one shot and 68.6% are considered fully vaccinated.

As for the homogenizing of the major parties' opposing positions on matters of public concern  liberals becoming Democrats and conservatives becoming Republicans  that's not polarization so much as what Levendusky described as "the partisan sort" in his 2009 book of the same name. Voters take their cues from the leaders of their favored party, he noted, "looking to elites who share their values to figure out where they stand on the issues."

"People have gotten a bit more divided over time, but much less than people think," Levendusky says. "People have sorted themselves so that Democrats are now mostly one side of the issue, and Republicans on the other. A generation ago, you had lots of pro-environment Republicans, pro-choice Republicans (and pro-life Democrats!), Democrats who were strong gun rights supporters, and so on. Now, thats much less true."

Read more: Column: Are Republicans who got pandemic debt relief hypocrites for complaining about student debt relief? Yes

What is true is that the platforms of the two major parties have moved further apart; more precisely, while the Democratic Party stayed where it had been, slightly left of center, the Republican Party moved distinctly toward the extreme right.

The reason, Levendusky argued in his book, was the flow of evangelicals and other fundamentalist Christians into the Republican Party starting in the 1970s. Party leaders  the "elite," in Levendusky's term  moved rightward to accommodate this new, outspoken bloc; some nonfundamentalist party members followed along, but most remained centrist on economic issues and abortion rights.

This process is relatively new in American politics. During the New Deal, the most obdurate critics of Franklin Roosevelt's policies were Democrats  Southern Democrats, to be sure, but his party members nonetheless  while among his most loyal supporters were liberal Republicans. One of the two aides who served in FDR's Cabinet for all 12 of his years in office, Harold Ickes, was a Republican. (The other was Frances Perkins, a Democrat.) Lyndon Johnson had to trample over opposition by the Southerners in his party to get the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts passed in the 1960s.

Just as the Republicans had a progressive wing, the Democrats had a conservative wing comprising Wall Street bankers and corporate executives such as Alfred P. Sloan, the chairman and chief executive of General Motors. Sloan and his fellow rich reactionaries established a rump anti-New Deal bloc, the American Liberty League, to lobby against FDR's policies from inside the Democratic Party.

FDR rhetorically drummed them out of the party  their "two particular tenets," he said, are that "you should love God and then forget your neighbor"  but they remained part of the party until the league disbanded in 1940.

In recent years, Levendusky observed, there has been a shift in both parties toward the extremes. But it's not as pronounced as social media posters and political commentators would have it. "The majority of the electorate remain closer to the center than to the poles."

That's where Harris is right now, which may be the key to her placing the "polarization" ogre in its grave for good.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic. Will this class of medicines be a boon or a burden for the U.S. healthcare system? (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

It's rare  miraculously rare  that a drug can have such a pronounced effect that its immediate benefits translate into healthcare savings for years, even decades. To the wonder drugs Harvoni and Sovaldi, which wipe out hepatitis C, we can now add the weight-loss medicine Ozempic and its cousins Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound.

These drugs have shown remarkable effectiveness in reducing obesity. That points to long-term reductions in users' vulnerability to the whole spectrum of obesity-related medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bad knees and sleep apnea.

They appear to work on other unhealthful dependencies such as narcotic and alcohol addiction, and possibly even on Alzheimer's.

'Insurers routinely dont see people for more than a few years at a time .... This limits the length of time that health gains can be internalized as reduced claims.'

David Anderson, University of South Carolina health policy expert

Yet millions of Americans are unable to access these drugs, thanks to the two big, interrelated flaws in our healthcare system: unrestrained pricing by drug companies and the economics of health insurance.

We'll explore how these factors work to deny access to drugs that address America's No. 1 health malady. But first, a look at the seriousness of the obesity epidemic.

Weight is typically measured by the body mass index, or BMI, which correlates weight with height. Roughly speaking (and not accounting for differences between males and females), a "healthy" weight for a 5-foot-10-inch person is reckoned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be 128 to 173 pounds, which translates to a BMI of between 18.4 and 24.9.

Between 173 and 208 pounds places that person in the "overweight" category and heavier than that is judged to be "obese," defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. Those with a BMI of 40 or higher, or 278 pounds for a 5-foot-10 adult, are "severely obese."

America has been getting more obese over time, according to the CDC. In 1960, about 31.5% of U.S. adults were overweight; in 2017, the latest period tracked by the agency, the figure was 30.3%. In 1960, however, 13.4% of adults were obese and 0.9% severely obese; by 2017, about 42.8% of adults were obese and 9.6% severely obese.

The rate of obesity among children  about 20%  is especially worrisome. Obese children are more likely than those with healthy weights to have high blood pressure and diabetes, and more likely to be obese in adulthood.

Read more: Column: Pharmacy middlemen claim to keep prescription prices low. In fact, they've cost consumers billions

The toll this epidemic takes on the economy is horrific. Obesity and its consequences cost the U.S. healthcare system nearly $173 billion a year, the CDC estimates.

Experience with the weight-loss medicines thus far shows that they can cut the rates of obesity-related conditions materially. A five-year study of more than 24,000 nondiabetic but obese subjects published earlier this month by a team of Taiwanese researchers found significant reductions not only in heart disease, hypertension, stroke and kidney failure but in mortality from all causes as well. Those in the control group (not receiving the drug) had a 3.5% annual mortality rate; for those given the drug, it was only 0.75%.

So why would stakeholders in our healthcare system not be beating down the doors to make these drugs more widely available?

The answer, of course, boils down to money.

The estimated cost of Wegovy and similar drugs for insurers, net of bulk discounts provided by manufacturers (Denmark-based Novo Nordisk for Wegovy and Ozempic and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly for Mounjaro and Zepbound) runs from about $8,600 to $9,100 a year. That's a big lift for insurers contemplating coverage of drugs for which the public demand can be in the millions.

That might work if insurers could be sure that the long-term savings from their enrollees' health improvements would save them as much or more. In our fragmented healthcare system, however, they can't be sure that they'll still be covering those enrollees in the cost-avoidance period. Customers can move to other insurers or leave the employers who were providing the insurance.

Read more: Column: This huge insurer got caught breaking a law protecting contraceptive access, but its fine is a joke

"Insurers routinely dont see people for more than a few years at a time," observes David Anderson, an expert in health policy at the University of South Carolina. "This limits the length of time that health gains can be internalized as reduced claims."

As a result, insurers have been placing obstacles in the way of customers seeking coverage. Some require advance authorization before they'll pay or limit coverage only to patients with a high BMI. Some insurance plans will cover them only for employees already diagnosed with diabetes, the condition for which these medicines were first developed, but not for weight loss alone.

Insurers administering plans for self-insured employers  large companies and institutions  are probably responding to their clients' directives.

Some big employers that originally covered the weight-loss drugs have pulled back. The Mayo Clinic has imposed a $20,000 lifetime limit on the coverage for its employees. Purdue University will cover the drugs for employees with BMIs over 30, but requires employees to have lost at least 5% of their body weight after three months to continue coverage.

Others have simply dropped the option altogether. That leaves employees or the uninsured on the hook for the cost of $1,000 or more a month.

The insurer best positioned to pay for the weight-loss drugs and to reap the long-term benefits is Medicare, in which enrollees typically remain for life. Moreover, insurers are generally required to cover drugs considered the standard of care for known conditions.

Unfortunately, Medicare is prohibited by law to cover drugs prescribed specifically for weight loss. It can pay for them only if they're prescribed for a related condition, such as heart disease or diabetes. For example, Wegovy was added to the standard formulary for Medicare's Part D prescription benefit after it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in March for the treatment of heart attack risk.

Read more: Column: Trump and RFK Jr. want to make the world safe again for polio and measles. You should be terrified

The popularity and efficacy of the drugs prompted legislators in June to update a measure unsuccessfully introduced in 2014 legalizing Medicare coverage for weight loss alone. The new version would cover mostly those who had been taking a drug for at least a year before joining Medicare, however.

Some experts estimate that expanding coverage of the weight-loss drugs would cost Medicare up to $6.1 billion a year, assuming that 10% of patients eligible for the coverage actually receive prescriptions. That would increase the $120-billion annual cost of Medicare prescriptions (net of enrollee premiums and contributions from state programs) by a little over 5%.

Whether that cost would be fully offset by subsequent healthcare savings for Medicare is unclear. Not every patient prescribed the weight-loss drugs tolerates them well enough to stay on them for even a year, and not all will escape a major health crisis that could have been averted by weight loss alone.

But it seems now that our healthcare system will have to deal with the new class of weight-loss drugs in one way or another. Wegovy and Ozempic are expected to be selected for the next round of Medicare price negotiations, due to take place next year with price reductions effective starting in 2027. Drug industry analysts don't expect the drugs' popularity to wane. The market for them reached $6 billion last year, according to Goldman Sachs, which projected that it would grow to $100 billion by 2030.

The weight-loss drugs are by no means the most expensive on the market  that trophy belongs to certain cancer drugs and gene therapies, some of which clock in at several million dollars per treatment. But none of those serve a market anywhere near the potential size of weight-loss treatments.

Unless the U.S. moves toward a single-payer healthcare system and starts to place limits on drug prices, it's the manufacturers of the weight-loss drugs that will reap most of the benefits. Sales of Wegovy and Ozempic made Novo Nordisk the most valuable European company last year and helped drive an increase in profit at Lilly for the second quarter that ended June 30 by nearly 69% over the year-earlier period.

To put it another way, America's 20th century healthcare system is coming face to face with a spate of 21st century drugs. Something will have to give.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Democratic National Convention in Chicago felt like a revolution. A vice president anointed by the president to be his heir doesnt exactly scream change, but the generational shift afoot was evident.

A Kamala Harris administration could break with the past and steer a new path in many areas. The Gaza-focused protesters in Chicago should realize that U.S.-Israel policy is one of them.

For decades, the foundation of U.S. policy toward its closest ally in the Middle East has been unconditional support. A second term of either President Joe Biden or Donald Trump likely would have stayed that course. Harris is the only option with the empathy and generational perspective that would make change possible.

Our unconditional support is grounded in generations that viewed Israel through the lens of the Holocaust and believed that was what history owed its people. That view has shaped Americas policymakers in the White House and Congress for generations. It has shaped President Joe Bidens view of Israel since he was a child.

Today, that policy is failing, in large part because Israel is subject to the whims of a prime minister more committed to maintaining his own power than securing peace for his people. U.S. support has helped keep him in place.

U.S. military leaders have made clear that Israel cannot win militarily in its war against Hamas and that its disregard for civilian casualties is undermining peace. Even members of his own security establishment have blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a lack of progress.

But, as Netanyahu has refused to change course, America has stayed with him.

As long as Netanyahu understands that American support and weapons will flow regardless of his actions, the Biden administrations many efforts to negotiate peace will likely be in vain.

This is despite tremendous leverage that billions of dollars in military support every year should provide. The scale of Israels indiscriminate military campaign would not be possible without it. But for Biden and his political generation, using that to meaningfully pressure Israels government is simply unthinkable.

Harris comes from a different political generation, one that understands that the interests of Israels political leadership do not necessarily align with the national interests of the United States or those of the Israeli public.

That generational change is evident in the American public too, and that could help pave the way for Harris to make a real policy shift.

Younger Americans dont see Israel as an underdog fighting for its survival in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attacks, but as the strongest military in the region today and one whose occupation and control of Palestinian territories appeared untenable and intolerable even before this war began.

In a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, Americans younger than 45 were much less likely to favor strong public support for Israels government (48%) than Americans older than 45 (78%). That means younger generations can separate Israels right to defend itself from Netanyahus right to defend his political future.

That doesnt mean a Harris administration would abandon our longtime ally in the Middle East. To the contrary, it could mean a more flexible policy approach that helps us influence our allys actions. This could enhance both U.S. interests and Israels security, while aligning with U.S. and international law and improving chances for long-term peace. It would not be an easy or certain path to peace, but our policy today is sure to fail.

Harris could make historic change simply by applying existing U.S. law to Israel just as we do to other countries, which prohibits the provision of U.S. military assistance to countries obstructing delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance or to military units that have committed gross human rights violations. The Biden administration has threatened to do so but failed to follow through. As she was a career prosecutor, enforcing the law should be a natural bridge for Harris to a new policy approach.

Even so, any policy shift on Israel is still politically risky. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, the leading pro-Israeli lobbying group, wields tremendous influence with massive political contributions. Just this summer, AIPAC is credited with taking down two progressive congressional incumbents for the offense of criticizing Israels military operations.

But its getting harder for Netanyahus cronies to cast as extreme anyone who criticizes his governments actions, as outrage grows over heavy bombs routinely hitting schools, hospitals and other safe zones. Netanyahus own actions have brought criticism of his government well into the mainstream.

Thats cold comfort to those mourning civilians already killed in Gaza and worried about those still in the line of fire. Possible relief months down the line isnt fast enough. But those calling her  Killer Kamala likely wont help their own cause, since Harris is the best chance America has for a fresh effort to bring about Middle East peace.

The outcome of our upcoming presidential election remains unclear, but the generational shift will keep marching on. If a Harris administration doesnt bring a new approach to Americas relationship with Israel, perhaps time still will.

_____

Elizabeth Shackelford is senior policy director at Dartmouth Colleges Dickey Center for International Understanding and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. She was previously a U.S. diplomat and is the author ofThe Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age.

_____
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Community Blood Center is asking people to donate blood ahead of Labor Day weekend, and they are offering a chance at a prize for patrons who participate.

The center says they often see a decrease in blood donations due to vacations, end-of-summer activities and the beginning of the school year.

Marine finds late Kansas City WWII veterans family, Medal of Honor

We often see a drop in donations around Labor Day, but the demand for blood doesnt take a holiday, Jennifer Kaluza, Executive Director at Community Blood Center said. We encourage all who are eligible to take just an hour of their time to donate blood and make a huge impact on the lives of patients in our community.

To make things more enticing, people who donate from Wednesday, Aug. 28 to Wednesday, Sept. 4, will be entered to win a $3,000 Target gift card.

All Community Blood Center locations are participating, making it more convenient for people to participate in the sweepstakes.

New 3D proposals show Kauffman Stadium near Union Station, Crown Center

You can enter the sweepstakes for the Target gift card by donating blood at one of the eight Community Blood Center locations or one of the following blood drives:

 VA Medical Center, Wednesday, August 28, 7 a.m.  noon (Sign up HERE)

 4801 Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64128

 UMKC Volker Campus, Wednesday, August 28, 8 a.m.  12:30 p.m. (Sign up HERE)

 5000 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

 Resurrection Brookside, Wednesday, August 28, 9 a.m.  1 p.m. (Sign up HERE)

 5144 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112

 University Health, Thursday, August 29, 7:30 a.m.  1:30 p.m. (Sign up HERE)

 2301 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64108

For more information, you can click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 22:36 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism

The Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday it is considering removing a 500,000 yen ($3,500) tax-free limit for purchases of consumable goods such as cosmetics, alcohol, food and medicine, as it seeks to boost spending by inbound travelers.

As part of its tax reform requests for fiscal 2025, the agency also called for scrapping a requirement that tax-free items be packed and sealed in bags, a rule put in place to prevent consumption or reselling of the items before leaving Japan.

The issue is instead expected to be addressed by shifting to a system where tax is refunded after travelers are confirmed to have the items upon departure from Japan. Details will be finalized in tax reform plans for fiscal 2025.

Meanwhile, a 1,000-yen departure tax imposed on each traveler leaving the country regardless of nationality is expected to reach a record high of 47 billion yen in fiscal 2025.

In Japan, foreign tourists are exempted from paying consumption tax when purchasing goods totaling 5,000 yen or more as long as they intend to use the items in their home countries.

The agency considers the current daily limit on consumable goods of 500,000 yen per store too low to cater to the demand for high-end alcohol and cosmetics. No such limit exists for durable items like electronics and clothing.

The packed and seal requirement for tax-free goods has not been well received by some foreign tourists amid environmental considerations over excessive plastic use, the agency said, adding that scrapping the rule would also reduce the burden on stores.

Related coverage:

Japan eyes cashless tax refunds to stem illicit resale by tourists

Japan household spending up 0.5% for April, 1st rise in 14 months
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Its a solution to homelessness thats working  and Austin City Council will vote on whether to continue that work Thursday.

The Downtown Austin Community Court helps people experiencing homelessness clear criminal cases while also connecting them to resources. Community court now serves people all over Austin, not just downtown, through its mobile court program.

For the past five years, Community Court has partnered with Family Eldercare and Foundation Communities to get some of those people  up to 80 a year, according to staff  into permanent supportive housing across the city.

Almost 100% of the clients served through these contracts have maintained their housing for an extended period of time, explained Robert Kingham, court administrator for the Downtown Austin Community Court. So were very excited to continue that partnership with these providers and really work alongside them to jointly serve the individuals here at the Community Court.

The CEO of Family Eldercare said on their end, every single person  46 of them  who have been served through their partnership with the Community Court have remained in that long-term housing. None, he said, have returned to homelessness.

That speaks volumes on how successful not only this partnership has been but the efforts of our community to keep the unhoused population that becomes housed permanently housed, Dr. Aaron Alarcon, the CEO of Family Eldercare, said.

Austin City Council is expected to revamp its contracts between Community Court and Family Eldercare and Foundation Communities this week to keep that work going. Its a regular city process that allows staff to ensure theyre using the best providers for the work.

If approved, the 5-year contract with Family Eldercare could cost the city up to $5,250,000 and the 5-year contract with Foundation Communities could cost up to $2,165,000, according to council documents.

As new housing opportunities open up in our community we hope well be able to leverage the work that were doing through these contracts with these partner agencies to house even more individuals, Kingham said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Comstock Park bait and tackle shop looking for buyer to continue business

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  A long-standing bait and tackle shop in Comstock Park is looking for a buyer to continue the tradition of the business.

Brenners Sporting Goods on West River Drive has been a go-to place for fisherman in West Michigan. Customer Joe Sindorf discovered the shop about a year and a half ago and has been coming back ever since.

Its a treasure, Sindorf said. Its really hard to find a fishing shop that has the stuff that you need for the local conditions.

Owners and brothers Terry and Randy Brenner have been helping customers have a successful catch since they were kids.

If somebody asks what Im going after, where Im trying, they give me some hints they say, Try it over here, try one of these lures, try this rig, I leave here every time a better fisherman, Sindorf said.

The business used to be a gas station and still operates a garage attached to the store.

Brenners Live Bait & Tackle Auto Repair in Comstock Park. (Aug. 27, 2024)

Brenners Live Bait & Tackle Auto Repair in Comstock Park. (Aug. 27, 2024)

Dad bought it in 63 and we started selling bait in 68. We started selling tackle in 70, Randy Brenner said.

The brothers have seen many customers come through the doors.

Thousands of people. Lots of people. Everybody that fishes in the area, Randy Brenner said.

When Randy was a kid he collected worms for fishing and came back with a lot one day after a heavy rain.

I picked about 1,000 worms and my mom (brought) me down here with the worms showed them to him and he started pulling soup cans out packing them up, put a little sign in the window saying worms and practically everybody that come in was buying worms, Randy Brenner said.

After years of working long hours running a small business, the brothers want to retire.

I spent my life here and now I want to do some traveling and see some different states, Randy Brenner said.

They listed the property hoping someone will buy the business and keep it open.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said retail bait shops licensed to sell minnows have decreased about 20% since 2014.

Customers are hopeful the brothers will find the right buyer.

Everybody deserves a great retirement so I hope they have a wonderful one but I really hope that somebody keeps this place going, Sindorf 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.
FILE PHOTO: Furaha Elisabeth applies medication on the skin of her child Sagesse Hakizimana who is under treatment against Mpox in Munigi

By Bhargav Acharya and Sonia Rolley

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's government has asked Japan to donate at least 2 million doses of mpox vaccine, a senior official at Africa's top public health body and a Congolese official said on Tuesday.

Japan's government said last week that Congo had requested mpox vaccine shots, but did not say how many.

Ngashi Ngongo from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) told a briefing that the health agency understood that talks with Japan were "quite advanced" and Congo wanted the vaccine to protect children.

The head of Congo's mpox response team, Cris Kacita, confirmed to Reuters the Central African country had asked Japan for over 2 million vaccine doses.

Mpox is a potentially deadly infection that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions and spreads through close physical contact.

It was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization earlier this month after a new strain, known as clade Ib, spread from Congo to neighbouring African countries.

Japan holds a stockpile of the LC16 mpox vaccine made by Japanese company KM Biologics. Denmark's Bavarian Nordic makes another vaccine called Jynneos. The first mpox vaccines could arrive in Africa in the first week of September, according to Africa CDC.

Several strains of mpox are spreading in Africa at the same time, but Congo accounts for the vast majority of the cases that have been reported on the continent this year.

A presentation by the Africa CDC on Tuesday said that as of Aug. 26, 13 African countries had reported more than 22,800 mpox cases and 622 deaths in 2024, up from 12 countries reporting over 18,900 cases and 541 deaths a week earlier.

Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya told reporters the African continent was not ready for another pandemic after being treated unfairly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We faced COVID, we didn't have vaccines, medicines. We didn't have even syringes, gloves, and were abandoned. Today we are in a similar situation where we start to look for vaccines because we don't manufacture vaccines," he said.

Kaseya said a preliminary report showed only one unnamed African vaccine manufacturer had the capacity to make Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine, given the right technology transfer.

(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Johannesburg and Sonia Rolley in Paris; Additional reporting by Tannur Anders in Johannesburg; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Ros Russell)
Democratic U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath on Aug. 26 accused three conservative Georgia State Election Board members of conducting an illegal meeting and passing new election certification rules that could be used by Donald Trump and Trump supporters to throw our country into chaos. Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Recorder

Several Democratic Georgia lawmakers, and religious and civil rights leaders implored Gov. Brian Kemp Monday to remove three Donald Trump loyalist State Election Board members accused of holding an illegal meeting and enacting illegal election rules over the last several weeks.

The fallout from a July Georgia State Election Board meeting continues to play out with the recent filing of a lawsuit, ethics complaint and letter requesting Kemp to remove election board members Janelle King, Janice Johnston and Rick Jeffares, who advanced an election certification rule at a July 12 meeting that has spurred complaints that the right-wing faction violated the states Open Meetings Act.

The new rules allow counties to delay certifying an election to take time to investigate irregularities, replacing a procedure that has long been considered ministerial.

The Georgia Democratic Party filed suit Monday to overturn the two election rule certification changes that could leave it up to a court to settle the issue long past certification deadlines set by the state.

Also on Monday Democratic U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath of Marietta, state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes of Duluth and Rep. Saira Draper of Atlanta were among a number of elected officials, clergy and voting rights leaders who called for the investigation and dismissal of the board members for ethical violations, including conducting an illegal meeting.

They accused the Republican-controlled election board of trying to delay certifying elections as part of an ongoing attempt by Trump and his supporters to lay the groundwork for challenging a loss to Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election. Democratic officials expressed concern that changes in election rules might be used to cause discord or worse.

Islam Parkes filed a formal complaint with Kemp last week, demanding the removal of the three board members for violations of the Code of Ethics and the Georgia Open Meetings Act.

McBath accused the three election officials of advancing certification rules that could be used by Trump to throw our country into chaos.

If we fail to protect our democracy, our sacred democracy, we will risk falling into chaos, McBath said during Mondays press conference at the state Capitol.

King, Johnston and Jeffares have passed rules that prior to certification require local election officials to conduct reasonable inquiries and give them the power to inspect any election records. King and Jeffares attended the July 12 emergency board meeting in person, while Johnston voted virtually.

King maintained on social media Monday that the new election board rules should strengthen the vote certification process and claims otherwise are from partisans interfering with a diligent ballot count.

According to Kemps spokesman Garrison Douglas, the governor is seeking advice from Attorney General Chris Carr to determine how to proceed with the ethics complaint filed against the election board members. Douglas said the governor isnt certain that he has the authority to investigate complaints against the election board.

Josh McKoon, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, attacked far-left Democrats on Monday for a press conference he described as insulting and threatening to the three state board members. McKoon accused McBath of making dangerous claims that the three election board members who pushed through the certification rule change are subverting democracy and suppressing voters.

McKoon questioned why there has been such opposition to rules allowing local election boards to review information before certification and provide political parties more opportunities to observe the processing of ballots.

Words matter. Truth matters. Its apparent that Democrats are against common sense rules that ensure election integrity in Georgia, McKoon wrote in an emailed statement to party supporters. The real question should be WHY they oppose these common sense rule changes.

Suit filed to void new rules that could delay November vote certification

In the lawsuit filed Monday against the State Electoral Board, the Democratic Party of Georgia seeks to block the implementation of the new certification rules it argues gives local officials broad power to hunt for election irregularities, delay certification, and upend a longstanding practice for confirming election results.

Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include several election board members from Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Forsyth counties.

The lawsuit alleges that the reasonable inquiry requirement conflicts with Georgias law and asks a judge to mandate that election superintendents certify the results of the Nov. 5 election no later than 5 p.m. Nov. 12.

The new election rules assume that county boards have discretion to certify election results and that this can be delayed or blocked by a free-ranging investigation, the lawsuit states.

But that is not the law in Georgia. Rather, election officials have a non-discretionary duty to certify results by 5 p.m. six days after Election Day, the lawsuit reads. Allegations of fraud or election misconduct are then resolved by the courts in properly filed challenges, not by county boards in the counting process.

Another election certification lawsuit is pending in Fulton court between Fulton Election Board Member Julie Adams and the Fulton County Board of Elections and Registration. Adam is asking the Georgia court to overhaul the law so that local officials can refuse to certify results.

VoterGa, an influential group that has supported the same election rules advanced by the three board members in recent weeks, defended King, Jeffares, and Johnstons actions Monday. The political dynamics of the state board shifted this year with the appointments of loyal Trump supporters Jeffares and King to replace two moderate Republicans.

At his rally in Atlanta earlier this month, Trump called the trio pitbulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.

VoterGa co-founder Garland Favorito disagreed that the election board has broken open meeting laws or passed an illegal certification rule.

We have led the election integrity movement in Georgia for over 17 years and believe it is important to distinguish the difference between Georgia election law and political theater, Favorito said in a statement.

Several Georgia election officials have declined to certify the results since the 2020 election because of discrepancies in voter registration data or when a recount yielded a different vote totals from the initial machine count.

In those instances, either the majority of members voted to certify the results, the reasons for inaccuracies were resolved before the certification deadline or the secretary of state was able to use the initial count after a Coffee County board refused to certify a recount of the 2020 presidential race.

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WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI)  The Conimicut Shoal Lighthouse will continue to light the way for boaters in Narragansett Bay for decades to come.

The lighthouse was built in the late 1800s between the coasts of Warwick and Barrington. Now owned by the city of Warwick, its undergone major renovations.

It looks like a brand new lighthouse, Mayor Frank Picozzi said.

Keith Lescarbeau unlocks the door to the Conimicut Lighthouse while Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi and City Council President Stephen McAllister watch.

This lighthouse has sat here for 20 years just falling apart, Picozzi added. Its an iconic landmark for Warwick and the whole bay.

12 News visited the lighthouse in 2022, just after Warwick received a $750,000 community block grant through the office of then Congressman James Langevin.

The Conimicut Shoals Lighthouse as seen from a Warwick fireboat.

Weeds were growing on the deck, the paint was peeling, and the interior was exposed to the harsh conditions of Narragansett Bay. Fixing it required special planning.

Its an environmentally sensitive area. Its hard to get to, Picozzi explained. You have to live with the weather out here because it can get rough.

Watch our special report: Lighting the Way

Abcore Restoration performed the work. Hired by the city, they spent about three months preparing for the project and another three months renovating the more than 140-year-old structure.

Abcore Restoration owner Keith Lescarbeau met Picozzi at the light last week. It was the mayors first time seeing the completed project.

Lescarbeau said his company has refurbished about a dozen lighthouses in the area, including Pomham Rocks, Plum Beach, Dutch Island and the lighthouses on Block Island.

Now, the work on the Conimicut Shoals Light is complete.

The windows, gutters, exterior flooring and railings were among the many items repaired. Much of the original metal was reused, and the lighthouse also got a fresh coat of paint.

Warwick City Council President Steve McAllister joined Picozzi on the trip to the light. The citys fire department provided the 20-minute ride on their fire boat.

People come from all over the world to use our waterways, and they will see this, McAllister told 12 News. Theyre going to think its a brand new [lighthouse].

The inside was cleaned by Abcore, but has not yet restored. The grant money was meant to only make the lighthouse weathertight. Now that it is secure, the city hopes to secure more funding to get the inside ship-shape for future use.

Now what we hope to do is we hope to get a private company interested in perhaps turning it into a bed and breakfast and sharing in the restoration of the inside and maintaining it, Picozzi explained.

Slideshow: Before and After

Conimicut Lighthouse before restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse after restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse deck before restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse deck after restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse door before restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse door after restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse window before restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse window after restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse before restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

Conimicut Lighthouse after restoration (Photo: T.J. Del Santo/WPRI-TV)

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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
This article was originally published in CT Mirror.

The state Board of Education unanimously approved a set of guidelines Wednesday for how local districts should handle personal technology in schools.

The recommendations suggest heavy restrictions on the use of cellphones at the elementary and middle school levels, with more flexibility for high school students.

Technology, when used purposefully, can enhance learning and connection, but we must also protect our students from the potential negative impacts of excessive and unrestricted use, said Erin Benham, acting chair of the state Board of Education. This policy can help schools strike that balance, supporting students in a way that prepares them for success in learning and in life.

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Elementary schools should focus on removing cell phones from the classroom to maximize academic, social and emotional development, with the possibility of specific procedures for collecting and isolating cell phones upon arrival at school, according to the guidance.

Similarly, the guidance says the policy for middle schools should also focus on removing cellphones throughout the school day because the age group is particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of excessive personal technology use and has a difficult time controlling their impulses, but does not explicitly recommend the collection of cellphones.

Possession of cell phones in this age group is likely to be viewed as a rite of passage into adulthood, so communication and application of policies that restrict use must be developed in consideration of the specific challenges of middle school students, the guidance said.

At the high school level, the guidance also recommends restrictive cellphone use, but says students should be able to keep their technology and that it instead should just be turned off and kept out of sight.

By removing the distraction caused by smartphone use during the school day and fostering a healthy balance with the positive use of technology, we create schools and classrooms that maximize peer-to-peer and student-to-educator interaction, develop social skills in interpersonal communication, and positively impact academic growth and success, all while supporting student mental health, said state Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker.

The state recommendations come on the heels of months of debate around the country about how to tackle technology in the classroom, as studies show unrestricted phone usage can lead to mental health issues in youth and have a negative impact on brain development.

Related

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Its a distraction issue in the classroom as well, as 33% of K-12 teachers surveyed in a Pew Research Center study in fall 2023 said cellphones were a major problem in the classroom.

Teachers are increasingly competing with cellphones for attention from their students and are seeing more students experiencing mental health crises triggered by their interaction with social media, said Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teacher union.

Some states like Florida and Indiana have implemented cellphone bans, as others like Washington, Utah, Kansas, Maine and even Connecticut have considered legislation to limit or ban the use of personal technology in classrooms.

Toward the end of his annual State of the State address in February, Gov. Ned Lamont suggested that kids lock away their smartphones during the school day. The sentiment later prompted the passage of Senate Bill 14, which required the state Department of Education to develop a model policy on the use of cellphones in schools.

All too often, our young people find themselves too distracted by their smartphones and disconnected from the reality of what is happening around them, including while in their classrooms, and its having negative impacts on their learning and mental well-being. It is crucial that we adopt stronger policies to address this issue head-on, Lamont said in a news release Wednesday morning. The states guidance provides a clear framework, but it is up to each school district to shape their own policies that meet the needs of their students and communities.

Districts across the state have already gotten a head start on their policies, with some adopting more conservative measures than others.

In Torrington, all students are allowed to bring technology into their schools, but at the middle and high school levels it will be locked in district-issued cellphone pouches throughout the entire school day. Elementary school students can keep their phones, but it must remain completely out of view.

In Lisbon, meanwhile, cellphones will not be allowed on school grounds for pre-K through fourth grade students. For students in fifth through eighth grades, theyll be able to store their cellphones and smartwatches in their lockers.

The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education has also expanded an ongoing sample policy and guidance document for districts to use and tweak as they develop technology policies that fit their needs.

State board members said at the meeting Wednesday that they expect some pushback from parents and students, but theyre hopeful that the guidance is a framework for ongoing conversations with all stakeholders.

This story was originally published on CT Mirror.
Construction at historic court building leads to traffic changes in downtown Wilmington

Construction next door to the state courthouse in Wilmington is set to cause some traffic lane closures in the coming months.

The state is repurposing a historic courthouse building known as the Custom House that sits on King Street in downtown Wilmington next to the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center.

Read more: From pirates to illegal booze, this historic courthouse has seen it all  and is getting new life

The development will reuse the historic building and erect a new, U-shaped building around the Custom House, keeping portions of the historic structure visible from King Street. A second-floor courtroom that saw litigation on issues during the Civil War will be preserved as a ceremonial courtroom and potentially used for non-jury proceedings, officials said.

The building and new structure built around it will be used as office space for the states judiciary as well as a community resource center.

The project is expected to cost $76 million and projected to be complete by early 2026.

Whats the traffic impact?

When construction begins Sept. 12, traffic patterns into the courthouse, as well as down North King Street, a primary, one-way artery downtown, will be different for up to 20 months.

The left lane of North King Street between Seventh and Fifth streets will close in early September for the duration of the project.

Renderings show the planned renovation of the 1855 Customs House for future use by state court officials.

A small loop road known as Alico Road that enters and exits from King Street and is primarily used for police parking as well as dropping off and picking up people up will close permanently.

The road also serves as the entrance to the courthouse parking garage from King Street. That entrance will be closed intermittently, sometimes for weeks, during the construction. The garage can also be accessed from Walnut Street.

Nobody will be allowed to use the road as a pickup and drop-off point for the courthouse and anyone who uses it will be forced to enter the parking garage, according to court officials.

Where can I learn more?

Court officials recommend people enter the courthouse parking garage from Walnut Street. They also recommend people planning their trip to the courthouse with the traffic changes in mind and take public transit.

Diagrams, more information and updates on when specific closures will occur can be found on the courts website: Traffic Alert - Delaware Courts - State of Delaware.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Court construction in Wilmington to cause road closures. What to know
Convicted killer from Stanislaus suspected of trying to kill officer at Pelican Bay prison

A prison inmate convicted of a deadly shooting in Turlock eight years ago is suspected of attempting to kill a correctional officer at Pelican Bay State Prison on Saturday.

Devanae Price, 33, of Ceres allegedly stabbed and struck the officer multiple times in a restricted housing unit at the prison in Del Norte County, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Price was being escorted to his cell at about 6:35 p.m. when he partly freed himself from handcuffs, a CDCR news release said. The inmate struck one officer in the face.

Prison staff responded but Price ignored their orders and continued to strike the officer in the head and upper body.

Other officers were able to stop the attack. The news release said an inmate-made weapon was recovered from the scene.

The CDCR said the correctional officer was stabbed in the head. In addition, two puncture holes were found in the officers protective vest.

The officer suffered swelling to the head and other minor injuries. The officer, whose name wasnt released, was taken to an area medical facility and was treated and released the same evening.

The assault is under investigation. Price was being held in the restricted housing unit. The news release said the case will be referred to the Del Norte County District Attorneys Office for a possible attempted-homicide prosecution.

The 2017 fatal shooting in Turlock

In November 2017, Price was convicted and sentenced in Stanislaus County to 60 years to life for a shooting that killed 37-year-old Falane Jones at the Villas Parkside apartments in Turlock.

According to witnesses, a black car entered the parking lot of the complex on West Hawkeye Avenue on April 23, 2016. Jones and an uncle were visiting another family member at the apartment complex when he was shot four times in the face, neck and chest.

Price was a two-strike offender and felon in possession of a firearm. The Ceres man also has been prosecuted for previous offenses at Pelican Bay prison.

In July 2022, he was sentenced in Del Norte County to more than four years for battery on a nonprisoner and resisting a correctional officer with threats or violence. He was convicted and sentenced in September 2023 to four years for possession or manufacturing a deadly weapon within prison walls.
Convicted sex offender back in jail in Cobb County, accused of staying near 2 schools

A convicted sex offender is back in jail after parents and teachers contacted school police and other authorities regarding concerns about a predator possibly living near two schools.

William Howard was convicted of a crime involving a minor in 2011, in Florida.

Howard was back in jail in 2022 after police said he allegedly tried to lure an 11-year-old girl into his car when she got off of a school bus.

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Howard is registered as a sex offender in Fulton County, but some parents and teachers alerted police of Howard possibly living near two schools in Cobb County.

The Cobb County School District police, the Cobb County Sheriffs Office, and the GBI received tips about it.

Court records show Howard stayed overnight at a relatives house in Cobb County 29 times over the summer.

Investigators said they tracked Howards locations through the ankle monitoring device system.

The house police say they traced Howard to is located by McClure Middle School and Bullard Elementary School.

Police arrested Howard on Friday and charged him with a felony.

Neighbors are shocked to learn about Howards whereabouts and his arrest, but are glad parents and teachers notified authorities.

Im very glad that they did because thats why a lot of criminals get away with things because people look the other way. Having been a teacher for 35 years and knowing kids, Im very concerned for them, Sandy Arroyo who lives near both schools and is a retired teacher told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell.

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It is a crime to be a registered sex offender not staying at the place that youre registered to be at, but its more serious because the place this person was staying overnight at... the property line butts up against a middle and elementary school, said Lt. Col. Arthur Peralta of the Cobb County Sheriffs Office.

A Cobb County School District spokesperson issued the following statement: Every day, at every school, as soon as we learn of a safety concern, our administration and police immediately start investigating. Students were kept safe at McClure and Bullard because of a well-trained staff, fighting to keep kids safe every single day. We encourage parents, staff, or students to report any safety concerns to the Districts Tipline via call, text, or email and visit Cobb Shield to learn about the steps the District takes to keep campuses safe.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A Cook County judge who controversially banned a law clerk from the countys main courthouse for using a cellphone in her courtroom will undergo training and mentoring, officials said.

The order comes after an executive committee convened by Chief Judge Tim Evans investigated the nine-month courthouse ban implemented by Judge Peggy Chiampas for Robert Almodovar, an exoneree who was issued a certificate of innocence in 2018 and now clerks for a high-profile law group.

The ban was criticized as unlawful by Almodovars employer, defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean, and his attorney, Steve Greenberg, who filed a motion asking for it to be lifted. Almodovar regularly had duties in the Southwest Sides Leighton Criminal Court Building, including dropping off court documents and making inquiries at the clerks office, but had to pause his work there while fighting the ban.

The Circuit Court is committed to ensuring our courtrooms operate in accordance with the law and we will continue to update our policies, orders and trainings as needed to best serve Cook County, Evans said in a news release.

Chiampas will undergo training with Judge Erica Reddick, presiding judge of the criminal division, regarding the enforcement of administrative orders governing the use of cellphones and other electronic devices in courtrooms, according to the release.

The executive committee also clarified some long-confusing courthouse rules around cellphones, ordering that members of the media be allowed to use electronic devices in the courtroom to take notes and communicate with colleagues outside of court.

Chiampas did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The dispute began on Oct. 4, 2023, when Almodovar was observing proceedings in Chiampas courtroom.

During the court call, someone informed a deputy that Almodovar had a cellphone in the courtroom, so the deputy asked him to go into the hallway and told him he would need to lock his phone downstairs, where members of the public generally have to secure any electronics. Almodovar replied that he believed he was authorized to have the phone as a law firm employee, but said he would comply nonetheless, according to a motion that sought to reverse the ban.

Thats when, the motion alleged, Chiampas began screaming loudly from the bench bring him in, bring him in, bring him in. After questioning him in chambers, Chiampas wrote an order that banned Almodovar from the courthouse, an unusual move in a public building with a mandate for transparent court proceedings.

The motion contended that Chiampas illegally detained Almodovar in her courtroom for several hours and argued that she did not have the authority to bar him from a public building. Judges are allowed to maintain decorum in their courtrooms with charges of contempt of court, the motion said, but no such charges were ever initiated.

After it was filed, the motion bounced around among several judges who seemed reluctant to wade into the matter. Greenberg had sought to substitute Chiampas from making a decision because of her involvement in the issue.

Eventually, after multiple hearings before other judges, the motion landed back in front of Chiampas, who rescinded the ban earlier this month in a terse, one-sentence ruling.

Almodovar, whose case rested on eyewitness reports obtained in part by disgraced Chicago police Detective Reynaldo Guevara, had his conviction overturned in 2017.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 27, 2024 - 14:15 | All, Japan, World

The mayor of a city in the western Japan prefecture of Yamaguchi said Tuesday he will accept the deployment of the U.S. Navy's variant of the Osprey, despite lingering safety concerns over the tilt-rotor transport aircraft.

The U.S. military's stationing of the CMV-22s at the Iwakuni base will be their first deployment in Japan. MV-22s, the variant used by the Marine Corps, are deployed at the Futenma air station in Okinawa while CV-22s, used by the U.S. Air Force, operate from the Yokota base in the western suburbs of Tokyo.

The CMV-22s, along with the state-of-the-art F-35C stealth fighter jets, will serve as replacement aircraft for a U.S. aircraft carrier. The changeover comes in line with the departure of the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan from Japan, to be replaced by the George Washington carrier.

"I believe they will be safely operated. I accept the aircraft replacement," Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda told a city assembly, saying that the safety of the aircraft has been confirmed by both the Japanese government and the U.S. side.

Fukuda also said that the environment around U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, including the noise level, is unlikely to change substantially as the number of aircraft will be reduced by about 10 after the replacement.

In Tokyo, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told a press conference that he is grateful to the mayor for accepting the deployment.

The development came after the central government informed Iwakuni and Yamaguchi Prefecture in July of the U.S. plan to station CMV-22s in the city. The consent of local governments is not a requirement for deployment.

Ospreys, capable of taking off and landing like a helicopter but also cruising like a plane, have a track record of accidents and mishaps both in Japan and abroad.

In November, a U.S. Air Force CV-22 crashed into the sea near Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan, killing all eight crew members in the deadliest incident involving an Osprey since it entered service in 2007.

The U.S. military grounded all of its Ospreys worldwide in December, but lifted the flight ban in March before details regarding the cause of the accident had been released. Japan's Self-Defense Forces also temporarily halted their Ospreys' operation.

Early this month, the U.S. Air Force concluded in its investigation report that the incident was caused by a gearbox failure and faulty decision-making in response to the malfunction during a routine exercise.

The Japanese government has explained to the Iwakuni city after the accident that Ospreys have no structural defect.

Related coverage:

U.S. probe finds fatal Osprey crash in Japan due to gearbox failure

U.S. Air Force resumes Osprey flights in Japan after Nov. fatal crash
PREBLE COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN)  With temperatures expected to be in the 90s, some will likely be looking for places to stay cool.

The Preble County Emergency Management Agency has released a list of all cooling centers in Preble County:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
CANTON, Ill. (WMBD)  The Fulton County Coroner has identified the cause of death the Canton police were initially investigating as suspicious.

According to a news release from the Canton Police Department, Christopher P. Leyden, 61, died from an underlying medical condition. The coroner classified his death as a natural death.

On July 13, Canton police responded to a medical emergency at an apartment near South First Avenue and Pine Street. Leyden was found dead in the apartment when first responders arrived.

Canton police investigating suspicious death

The Canton Police Department and Fulton County Coroners Office were assisted by the Illinois State Police Criminal Investigations, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Technicians, and the Fulton County Sheriffs Office during the investigation.

During death investigations, we have an obligation to the citizens of this county to provide accurate, evidence-based investigations, Fulton County Coroner Austin Rhodes said. Some investigations are clear-cut; some are not, which require more resources to be utilized. In this case, we were guided by evidence and investigative findings to determine a final cause of death for Mr. Leyden. I want to give my condolences to Mr. Leydens family and friends during this difficult time. To the agencies involved, I want to personally thank the Canton Police Department, Illinois State Police Criminal Investigations, and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Technicians for the hard work put into this case and the assistance in determining the cause and manner of 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 CIProud.com.
Coroners Office seeks help identifying man who passed away in Fresno

Coroners Office seeks help identifying man who passed away in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Coroners Office is asking the public for help in identifying a man who passed away earlier this month in Fresno.

The Fresno County Coroners Office says on May 30, a vehicle struck a pedestrian in the area of Blackstone and Griffith in Fresno. The man suffered major injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

There, officials say staff members were never able to speak with him and learn his name before he passed away on Aug. 20.

Now, the Coroners Office is asking for the publics help, hoping that someone can identify him. They say one distinguishing feature was a faded tattoo on his upper left arm, which appears to be a rose.

The Coroners Office says identifying a victim and locating their immediate family members is a necessary process for them to release the body and allow the person to have a proper burial.

Anyone with information about this man is asked to contact the Coroners Unit at 559-600-3400 or email coroner@fresnosheriff.org.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Barbara Gibson for The 19th

This article originally appeared on The 19th.

Gunner Scott had a simple solution to making sure he had a trans-friendly bathroom when he served as a juror in Boston: Every day at lunch he left the building.

The year was 2009 and the Suffolk County Superior Court where Scott served as a juror for five days didnt have a gender-neutral restroom. So, on his break, Scott walked up the street to his office.

I heard one too many stories, said Scott, who is a longtime transgender advocate.

The stories were about trans people being assaulted and harassed in bathrooms. Scott was not confident he could pass as male in a mens room in 2009. More than that, his activism had made him a known public figure in the city. He feared someone would recognize him and target him for being trans and using a mens restroom.

But over the years, as states have started to block trans people from using bathrooms and participating in other areas of public life, courtrooms have moved in the opposite direction by trying to make facilities available to people of all genders, experts say.

That movement is not only key to providing a roadmap for inclusivity for the nation. It also ensures that juries reflect the general population and that everyone gets the opportunity  or burden, in some cases  of serving on them.

Courtrooms may illustrate practical solutions to access as the nation grapples with increasing trans visibility and more traditional ideas about the safety and comfort of a larger public.

The issue of transgender accessibility in courts is a chapter in a longstanding fight for civil rights for LGBTQ+ Americans, prime targets of far-right legislation and discourse these days. The Equality Act, which bars discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, was first introduced to Congress 50 years ago but has never been passed into law. While its first draft only protected gay Americans, subsequent iterations have aimed to shield trans Americans from bias.

The Equality Act specifically mentions jury selection. The bill bans lawyers from striking queer jurors because they are LGBTQ+. Last year, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire introduced a standalone bill to the same effect. Reps. Becca Balint of Vermont and Lizzie Fletcher of Texas are sponsoring the measure in the House, where it is unlikely to pass, at least while Republicans are the majority.

Balint told The 19th that courtroom accessibility is key to ensuring that jury pools reflect the makeup of the country.

We need every American who is eligible to serve on a jury to be in the jury pool, Balint said. Conversations change concerning LGBTQ people when LGBTQ people are in the room, and when you exclude people from the judicial process, it makes the system inherently less free and less fair.

Jury service and the belief that jurors should reflect the nations diversity is a closely held American belief today. Historically, though, juries were defined by their exclusivity. For centuries, women were banned or discouraged from jury duty because they were believed to be too fragile to handle criminal trials or deemed the center of home and family life, as stated in a 1961 Supreme Court ruling. Fourteen years later, the court ruled in Taylor v. Louisiana that systematically excluding them violated a defendants rights to a representative jury. But it wasnt until 1994 that a decision around the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment specifically prohibited using gender to strike potential jurors.

Black Americans were barred from service due to slavery and after its abolition, discrimination. Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which prohibited race-based jury selection, many states failed to enforce anti-discrimination protections, leading to lopsided convictions against people of color, a legacy that continues.

LGBTQ+ advocates have long argued that LGBTQ+ Americans, who face increased rates of hate violence and discrimination, also need federal protections to safeguard their presence in juries.

In legally recognizing trans people, states have faced increasing pressure to make government facilities accessible to them. In 2015, then-Boston Mayor Marty Walsh made headlines when he signed an executive order requiring gender-neutral bathrooms at City Hall.

Many courthouses have also installed gender-neutral options or found workarounds that allow trans and nonbinary people to safely use the court, say experts. The difference is that the change has largely gone unnoticed.

Ezra Young, a constitutional scholar and professor in New York, said he has seen even the most conservative courts put in extra effort to allow trans people bathroom access.

I think one of the benefits of a judiciary is certain things about the very administration of the buildings aren't really politicized," Young said. It's under presumption that courts need to be generally accessible to people.

Quite simply, the judicial system has no choice.

Courts have a constitutional responsibility to make sure that courts are generally accessible to the public and specifically to people who need to use the court, Young added.

Bathrooms have long been contested public spaces for marginalized groups, and courtrooms have not been immune. That means transgender access is not the first challenge facing court facility managers.

Some of them didn't even have women's bathrooms until quite recently. Usually when reconstruction for bathrooms is done, they try to make sure things are accessible, Young said.

Sandra Day OConnor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, encountered that problem in 1981 when she was sworn in.

[The bathroom] was a long way down the hallway, so it wouldn't have been convenient, she told NPR in 2013. And we had to find something in the way of a restroom that was near the courtroom that I would be able to use when we were back there or in the room where we discussed cases.

Government buildings have undergone similar upgrades to make bathrooms accessible for people with disabilities since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Courthouses also reconfigured racially divided bathrooms and courtrooms in the wake of desegregation during the civil rights movement.

Now, all-gender access is the next goal for many municipalities. Nearly half of states (22 plus Washington D.C.) allow residents to opt for X gender markers on their state ID cards, and the federal government has been issuing X gender markers on passports for two years now. Just three states bar trans people from updating their IDs post-transition.

In Los Angeles County, officials have worked to ensure that every courthouse has a gender-neutral bathroom, according to a spokesperson for the superior court of the county.

The Court supports inclusivity and seeks to expand access to justice by identifying and addressing barriers  substantive, procedural, physical and in appearance that may inhibit full participation in the judicial process, the court said in a statement.

In Cook County, which encompasses Chicago and has one of the worlds largest judicial systems, officials are engaged in research and design plans to add gender-neutral bathrooms to all of its courts. Such facilities already exist at the main courthouses for criminal court, domestic violence, juvenile cases and in the city branch courts.

Even today, Scott worries about violence and harassment in public restrooms. According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 60 percent of trans people avoided using a public bathroom for fear of discrimination.

Blue and Red States Were Putting Period Products in Schools  Then Came the Anti-Trans Backlash

For years, bills that put tampons and pads in school bathrooms were gaining traction across states. But the rise of anti-trans legislation has made a health issue political.

While trans people have gained acceptance in many areas of public life, data shows that discrimination remains high or has increased from a decade ago. A more recent survey in 2022 found that 47 percent of trans Americans considered fleeing their states because anti-trans laws, including bathroom bans, had made their communities less safe.

But Young, who is also transgender, hopes that courts today will provide visitors with a different experience than the one Scott had 15 years ago. For the most part, Young has had positive experiences as a trans person in courts. His transgender clients have, too.

That doesn't mean that every court is perfect, he adds. Many still wont have a gender-neutral bathroom, and often visitors will need to ask a judge for access. But Young thinks that most courts will aim to provide safety for trans people.

They want to make sure that people can be in court, Young said. That doesn't necessarily mean that they might agree with the litigant just because of who they are, but they really do care about making sure that litigants and the broader public understand that they're part of the overarching community.

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Originally Appeared on them.
What could a school smartphone ban look like in NY?

What could a school smartphone ban look like in NY?

NEW YORK (PIX11)  As NYC students return to school next week, Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering a statewide school smartphone ban.

Chalkbeat reporter Alex Zimmerman joins PIX11 to discuss what a possible cellphone ban could look like, how other states implement this type of ban, and potential pushback from school administration.

Watch the video player for the full interview.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Council tenants are defrauding taxpayers out of millions of pounds a year by illegally letting their homes on Airbnb, The Telegraph can reveal.

There are as many as 5,800 social homes being marketed on online platforms as short-term lets, according to the Tenancy Fraud Forum. The cost to the public purse of the illegal rentals could be as high as 244m, research by the campaign group found.

Those subletting social housing properties online are committing a criminal offence and can be prosecuted by local authorities, although in many cases councils prefer just to evict.

In Islington, 43 council properties have been illegally listed on Airbnb, a pilot programme for the National Fraud Initiative, a government taskforce, uncovered.

In one case, a social housing tenant pocketed 12,000, and had put in a Right to Buy application for the rental property. The tenant paid 10,000 in legal costs and her application to buy the flat was cancelled, a council source told The Telegraph.

Social housing, which is usually built with government funding, is available at a cheaper rate than market rents, meaning there is another cost to the taxpayer. Nearly three million renters in social housing rely on housing benefits to pay their rent.

In Barking and Dagenham, an affordable housing tenant was evicted after listing their local authority owned flat on Airbnb, a council audit from July revealed.

The developments in Barking and Dagenham, which are managed by the council-owned company, B&D Reside, contain a mixture of shared-ownership and affordable rent homes. Average rents are 60pc of the local market rate.

The company advised in a blog post written in April that renters who sublet council properties would be in breach of their tenancy agreements. This also applies to those in shared ownership agreements who have not yet purchased 100pc of their flat, however, full owners are free to sublet.

The blog reads: If we discover tenants who are illegally subletting their home, we take legal action to regain possession of the property. This can be an expensive process, and we always claim the costs of the legal action from the tenant. Its not worth risking losing your home.

Flats in the development are listed for as much as 290 a night, with other rooms available from 140. In a month, an owner could earn as much as 9,482.

Between 2022 and 2023, 204 tenancy frauds were reported by housing associations, according to data released by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in response to a Freedom of Information request.

One of the UKs largest housing associations, L&G, said in May that it had recovered 143 homes involved in tenancy fraud in the last year.

Stephanie Toghill, vice chair of the Tenancy Fraud Forum and housing investigator at Islington Council, said that local authorities were struggling to get the data they needed to prosecute the fraud from booking platforms.

In 2022, Ms Toghills previous employer, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, joined forces with Airbnb to help gain access to critical information that could be used to identify fraudsters.

She said: Its really frustrating, because there are other bodies that do it all the time.

The campaigner said that part of the frustration was that it was more difficult for councils to uncover how much money had been made from the illegal sublets, even though it can be claimed back.

The point of finding out how much money they have made during subletting their property is that local authorities are able to recover that money back, Ms Toghill said.

Click here to view this content.

Airbnb does have a data sharing agreement with HM Revenues and Customs, and has been sending the taxman information about transactions between 2017 and 2019 for properties in the UK, or hosts who pay tax here since the beginning of the year.

An Airbnb spokesman said: Hosting in social housing is often illegal and has no place on Airbnb. We have a clear process for local authorities to alert us to social housing fraud, and we remove these listings from our platform.

We remind hosts to check and follow local rules for hosting, and we are committed to partnering with local authorities to tackle social housing fraud.

A Booking.com spokesman said: When a property owner chooses to list with us, they must confirm that they have the right to list their property. We have a solid process in place for authorities to report any concerns with regards to listings and will take swift action to de-list properties found to be fraudulent.

A Ministry for Housing spokesman said: Social homes are a vital resource for many residents. Councils monitor social housing, and a tenant who sublets the whole of their property risks committing an offence and potential eviction.

We are introducing a short term lets registration scheme to help give councils greater oversight and control of housing in their areas.

Michael Westbrook, managing director of B&D Reside, said, As in almost every borough in the country, too many of our residents struggle to find somewhere they can afford to live, that is close to their work and their childrens schools.

As we are regularly reminding our residents in affordable properties, including shared ownership homes, sub-letting via one of the online letting platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com is a breach of their tenancy.

As a housing provider, we have a duty to protect the limited affordable housing resources from being exploited, so we always take action against those abusing their tenancy through subletting.

Sub-letting in this way in not a victimless side hustle. Residents risk committing fraud and could face criminal proceedings.

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Mayor Ken Hopkins and Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, the two contenders in the GOP primary for Cranstons mayoral seat, are seen at an Aug. 26, 2024, debate at the Cranston Public Library. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Things got personal at a Monday night debate between Cranstons Republican candidates for mayor.

Sitting Mayor Ken Hopkins and Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung discussed a number of issues in Rhode Islands second most-populous city  such as housing, economic development and a lack of residential parking.

There were light moments, like when the candidates named their favorite books: Hopkins prefers John McCains Character is Destiny; Fenton-Fung likes Tuesdays with Morrie. But much of the debate was tense, and even policy issues became personal. When Fenton-Fung noted the need to create more affordable housing for seniors, Hopkins replied that he moved into an in-law apartment originally built for his mother-in-law after she and his wife died. Hopkins pointedly thanked Fenton-Fung for taking good care of me.

Fenton-Fung also took aim at Hopkins family, noting that multiple members have worked in public sector jobs in the city: Theres 38 other cities and towns that could probably use their talents, she said. If he showed real leadership, he would have told them to go to other cities until he was no longer mayor.

An ethics complaint alleging nepotism on Hopkins part was dismissed in July. But it was still a touchy subject for the mayor.

Representative, to attack somebodys family and their children is the lowest possible form of government that exists, he replied.

The hourlong debate was hosted by the Cranston Herald and moderated by John Howell, the papers former publisher. On panelist duty were the Heralds Rory Schuler, Isabella Jibilian of Rhode Island PBS, and Ian Donnis of The Publics Radio.

A sizable crowd came to see the candidates spar at the librarys central branch. People who arrived too late to snag one of the 50 or so seats instead lined the walls.

Fenton-Fungs campaign has taken to portraying the mayor as an untrustworthy leader; a recent mailer uses images of Pinocchios to characterize Hopkins tenure, with the wooden toys nose getting progressively larger.

In the debate, Fenton-Fung framed Hopkins the same way: Every single time I hear Ken talk, hes blaming someone or something else, for even the smallest problem. Its never his fault. The buck never stops with him.

Republican infighting

Republican infighting is uncommon in Rhode Islands electoral landscape. The GOP is a minority at the state level, with only nine Republicans in the House and five in the Senate in the 2024 session. Two of those lawmakers  Reps. Fenton-Fung and Patricia Morgan  are running for other offices, while Rep. Brian Rea is not running for office at all.

Cranston, meanwhile, is something of an anomaly: The city has not had a Democratic mayor since 2009. Republican Allan Fung, Fenton-Fungs husband, served from 2009 to 2021. When Hopkins ran in 2020, he received Fungs endorsement, and went on to defeat Democratic challenger Maria Bucci.

You were once political allies. And now, no longer. Why? asked Jibilian.

In Hopkins words, The team fell apart. Hopkins alleged that the breaking point involved a breakfast with Fung, during which Hopkins alleged the former mayor tried to get Hopkins to hire his private firm to do legal work for the city of Cranston.

Have you reported this to any law enforcement agencies or the ethics commission, this breakfast you had with the former mayor? asked Schuler, the Heralds current editor.

In those days, I was a team player, Hopkins said.

Sorry, when was this? continued Jibilian. Were you the mayor at the time?

Hopkins said that the breakfast took place during his time as mayor. In her response, Fenton-Fung called the story complete nonsense, and that her husbands former employer, the Johnston law firm Pannone Lopes Devereaux & OGara, did work for the city council, although it wasnt immediately clear what that work consisted of.

Hedging on taxes

As for the city council, they too are warring with Hopkins. The mayor filed a complaint against the council for their use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the Herald previously reported. The council was set to review the matter in executive session at its regular meeting, which took place just after the debate ended.

Fenton-Fung promised to work with the council, and listed flood mitigation, a perennial problem in the city, as one of her top three concerns.

I find it interesting that my opponents gonna work with the council, when the council hasnt been able to fix that problem in the last 50 years, Hopkins said. Its the federal government that we need to work with.

On the economy, Fenton-Fung said she would like to see a biomedical and health sciences sector  an industry also emerging in Providence  along the eastern side of the city. Hopkins said he would continue his attempts to streamline the city budget.

Asked whether they would raise taxes, both hedged. Fenton-Fung said the city needs to stabilize taxes.

Its a good question, Hopkins said. Lets see what the future brings to us.

Before their closing remarks, the candidates were each given a minute to offer some kind words about their opponent. Fenton-Fung said nice things about the mayor bringing back the Veterans Day parade. Hopkins called Fenton-Fung passionate and feisty, and that she was making him work hard to win this reelection.

Fenton-Fungs closing remarks were not as generous.

The city is held back by rancor, chaos, out of control spending and a mayor that is a day late, a $1 short and two steps behind on absolutely everything, Fenton-Fung said. On Sept. 10, well start the journey back to the times of Fung here in Cranston.

Early voting continues through Sept. 9, and the primary is a day later on Sept. 10. The victor of the GOP primary will face off against Democrat Robert Ferri, a former Republican.

Even as they traded verbal blows, both Hopkins and Fenton-Fung seemed cognizant that their division might please their rivals.

We continue to have issues with the Council because they like to see us fail, because they have aspirations of taking over the office, Hopkins said.

Fenton-Fung offered that their opponent was reveling in their disagreement: Mr. Ferri is actually just outside the room here laughing and shaking his head. Its kind of farcical.

Hopkins campaign fund was equipped with $205,686 to take on Ferri, according to the most recent campaign data filed on Aug. 12. Fenton-Fung had $141,800.

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If your kids talk about becoming influencers, it may not mean they won't go to college  because now there's a degree for that! A Texas university is launching a new degree for those aspiring to make it big on social media.

The University of Texas at San Antonio recently announced a new bachelor's program in digital media influencing.

Those who complete the program will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Influence (DMI) with skills in editing, designing, marketing, communications and more.

People are also reading: Why is everyone saying demure? The meaning behind the latest social media trend

Social media influencer Josie Sanders takes a self-portrait for her Instagram account at the Minton-Capehart Federal Building, 575 N Pennsylvania St., in Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Key details of the digital media influence degree at UTSA

As digital media continues to become relevant in nearly every other industry, UTSA sees expertise in the field as vital and desirable in countless areas of work.

Chad Mahood, an associate communications professor who spoke with San Antonio Express-News, developed the program in which students will learn technical skills, such as Adobe Creative Cloud applications, in addition to broader topics like audience psychology and data analysis.

"We want to take the idea (of) media influencing and bring it into the 21st Century," Mahood said.

There are currently eight students enrolled in UTSA's new program for the fall semester, and about 80 students are in the enrollment process.

Courses are available in person or as a fully remote degree online. Learn more about the program.

What is the creator economy?

The creator economy depends upon the industry in which creators monetize their content on digital platforms through a wide range of activities:

Blogging/Vlogging

Podcasting

Reels, TikToks and YouTube shorts

Twitch streaming

According to a report by investment banking company Goldman Sachs, the so-called "creator economy" was worth $250 billion in April 2023 and is estimated to grow to $480 billion by 2027. The firm also reports more than 50 million people around the world are considered content creators  though only about four percent are professionals in the field.

See career opportunities with an influencer degree

UTSA lists a handful of positions available to those who earn a digital media influence degree:

Influencer marketing manager

Digital marketing specialist

Social media manager

Content creator or producer

Digital strategist

Mahood added that the program will prepare students for positions beyond the role of a social media influencer, and the curriculum is relevant to careers in advertising and public relations.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Social media influencer program available at UTSA
Throughout her trip, Cammarota said she witnessed the transformation of the ancient trade route into a corridor of economic and cultural exchange.

By Ren Yaoting

PAESTUM, Italy, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Inspired by Marco Polo, who traveled to China along the ancient Silk Road more than 700 years ago, Italian traveler Vienna Cammarota set off from the legendary explorer's hometown Venice on April 26, 2022, to retrace the route on foot.

With a simple backpack and two trekking poles, 74-year-old Cammarota has covered over 20,000 km and passed through dozens of countries. Before entering China, the last stop of her journey to the East, she returned to her southern Italian hometown of Paestum in August for a short break.

The journey is more than just a personal challenge, Cammarota told Xinhua in a recent interview. It is a mission to witness firsthand the impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and to share the experiences with the world, she added.

Vienna Cammarota tries her gear at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua)

Cammarota's fascination with China began over two decades ago when a Chinese student stayed in her home, igniting her interest in the country's rich cultural heritage.

Throughout her trip, Cammarota said she witnessed the transformation of the ancient trade route into a corridor of economic and cultural exchange. "I have seen the bridges, highways, and railways built under the BRI, which connect countries in a way that echoes the Silk Road's historic role in facilitating trade and cultural exchange."

Marveled at the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia, a project built by a Chinese consortium, led by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, Cammarota said the bridge not only connected the country's southern and northern regions but also shortened the distance between the island of Korcula, where Marco Polo once lived, to the land. "What an amazing work," Cammarota posted on Facebook.

This photo provided by Vienna Cammarota and taken with a mobile phone shows herself in Turkey during her journey in 2022. (Xinhua)

In October 2023, Cammarota reached Tajikistan, where she visited the China-Tajikistan highway project. The infrastructure project, once completed, is expected to enhance regional connectivity and bring new opportunities. Cammarota noted that she observed how this project embodies the spirit of the BRI --"bringing hope and development to the communities along its path."

Cammarota said she plans to spend two years in China, visiting key stops along the ancient Silk Road, including Kashgar, Kuqa and Turpan in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Dunhuang, Zhangye and Jiayuguan in Gansu Province; and the historic city of Xi'an. She is particularly eager to visit Suzhou, the "Venice of the East," as described by Marco Polo.

For Cammarota, this journey is more than retracing Marco Polo's footsteps. She said she hopes her travels will help people in Italy and the West see the true beauty and greatness of China.

Vienna Cammarota checks her gear at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua)

"People in the West often view China through political lens, without truly understanding its cultural richness and modern achievements," she said in the interview. "The real China is a land filled with numerous UNESCO heritage sites, cutting-edge technology, and a harmonious balance between urban development and natural preservation."

"The BRI reflects the idea that one should not only strive for personal gain but also work for the benefit of society as a whole," a concept deeply rooted in Chinese culture, she noted. "This spirit of mutual support has long been forgotten in the West."

Describing herself as an ambassador of cultural exchange and modern-day Marco Polo, Cammarota noted that "I want people to know about Marco Polo and the Silk Road, but I also want to send a message to women of my age -- it's never too late to pursue your dreams."

Vienna Cammarota is seen at her home in Paestum, southern Italy, Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Leonardo Lombroso/Xinhua)


A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared for launch of Polaris Dawn, a private human spaceflight mission, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral

By Gerry Doyle

(Reuters) - The launch of SpaceX's four-person Polaris Dawn mission will be delayed by at least a day because of a helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center, the company said on Tuesday, hours before the scheduled liftoff of its Crew Dragon capsule.

The highlight of the five-day mission is expected to come two days after launch, when the crew embarks on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles (700 km) from earth, in history's first such private spacewalk.

The company now aims to launch the spacecraft, carried by a Falcon 9 booster, at 3:38 a.m. (0738 GMT) on Wednesday, it said in a posting on X.

"Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak," it added in Tuesday's post. "Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit."

Only government astronauts have performed spacewalks to date, most recently by occupants of the International Space Station, who regularly don spacesuits to perform maintenance and other checks of their orbital home.

The first U.S. spacewalk was in 1965, aboard a Gemini capsule, and used a similar procedure to the one planned for Polaris Dawn: the capsule was depressurised, the hatch opened, and a spacesuited astronaut ventured outside on a tether.

Polaris Dawn's crew will be testing SpaceX's new, slimline spacesuits during the spacewalk.

Only two of the four - billionaire Jared Isaacman, mission pilot Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both senior engineers at the company - will leave the spacecraft.

Isaacman, the founder of electronic payment company Shift4, bankrolled the mission; he has declined to say how much he has spent, but it is estimated to be more than $100 million.

(Reporting by Gerry Doyle; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Crime gang PCC is prime suspect for setting Brazil farmland fires, official says

A drone view shows a smokey landscape over Manaus due to the forestal fires in the Amazon

A drone view shows a smokey landscape over Manaus due to the forestal fires in the Amazon

By Roberto Samora

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Some of the suspects arrested for setting fire to sugarcane fields in Sao Paulo state told police they are linked to an organized crime gang and were retaliating for anti-crime actions by the government, a senior state official said on Tuesday.

The fires that started last week spread rapidly through parched fields during the weekend, at the peak of the country's dry season, and destroyed thousands of hectares of sugarcane plantations, sending clouds of smoke that cloaked nearby cities.

State Agriculture Secretary Guilherme Piai told Reuters that fires started at different locations at the same time, which indicated that they were not accidental.

The government suspects that one of Brazil's largest crime gangs, Primeiro Comando da Capital - commonly known as PCC - was behind the fires, seeking to retaliate against measures to combat the criminal trade in adulterated fuels.

"We don't really know the motivation, but some said they were linked to PCC. Others naively wanted to take revenge against agribusiness, which is the driving force of Brazil's economy," Piai said.

Organized crime has bought bankrupt fuel plants and hundreds of gas stations, he said, adding that the fires could be a way of retaliating against government actions combating organized crime.

PCC was set up in 1993 by inmates at a maximum security prison in Sao Paulo and moved from drug trafficking to become Brazil's most powerful and feared a criminal gang.

Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro earlier described the fires in sugarcane fields as criminal, but he gave no details.

More than 2,100 fires blazed in sugarcane fields, resulting in the burning of 59,000 hectares (146,000 acres) of sugarcane areas and crop regrowth areas. Sao Paulo accounts for about half of Brazil's sugarcane planting.

The fires caused losses estimated at 350 million reais ($63.59 million), according to the Organization of Cane Producers Associations Orplana.

State Governor Tarcisio de Freitas estimated the overall losses in damages to crops and other properties and activities at more than 1 billion reais.

Since Thursday, four men have been arrested after being caught red-handed in possession of containers of gasoline to set fields on fire, Freitas said. On Tuesday, police reported the arrests of two more men caught on security cameras setting fire to vegetation.

A federal prosecutor investigating the fires, Luis Fernando Rocha, said that so far there was no proof of coordinated arson.

"It was criminal. But so far we don't have elements to say that this was organized crime," he said.

(Reporting by Roberto Samora, writing by Anthony Boadle, Editing by William Maclean and Sandra Maler)
Uniquely is a Fresno Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Fresno area so special.

Peter Ficklin says his winery, the oldest family-owned Port winery in the nation, is a small fish in comparison to others in Madera County.

One recent morning, he held up a bottle as he was surrounded by myriad wooden barrels in his winerys tasting room, a warehouse-like building that houses an intricate bottling machine and is surrounded by row of grapevines.

The small winery, only 2.5 acres just west of Highway 99, produces award-winning Old Vine Tinta Port, considered one of the best in the world. It won a Double Gold, Best of Class award with a perfect score of 100 at the 2021 Sunset International Wine Competition.

A 100-point wine is a benchmark wine, Alexander Peartree, tasting director for Wine Enthusiast, said in a news release about the competition. It represents the pinnacle of the category.

Peter Ficklin produces over 50 varieties of port wine at his Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. Photographed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.

Peter Ficklin, a third-generation winemaker in Madera County and president of Ficklin Vineyards, calls it our perfect Port.

He described the Old Vine Tinta as a marriage of the plummy, jammy, berry fruit flavors of young Ports and the finesse, mature character and complexity of old Ports. The Solera blend dates back to 1948, the year his father, David, and grandfather, Walter, made Ficklin Vineyards first wines on the winery property, which has been in the family for more than 100 years.

Peter Ficklin produces over 50 varieties of port wine at his Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. Photoraphed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.

Ficklin Vineyards has been producing wine for close to 80 years and has brought home hundred of awards over the decades, maintaining its excellence as it has shifted business strategies from wholesale to a more straight-to-consumer market.

Unlike some others, the Ficklins successfully navigated a changing industry that started to squeeze mom-and-pop winemakers out of important, far-reaching distribution networks after the 1980s. Peter Ficklin pivoted in the early 2000s to a more consumer-facing business strategy, opening up the tasting room and holding events. Ficklin Vineyards also has a wine club that entitles members to certain discounts and special invitations to bottle-release parties.

Ribbons are displayed at Peter Ficklins Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. The winery produces over 50 varieties of port wine. Photographed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.

Tough times, fortified wines

Walter Ficklin, the grandfather, spent the years of the Prohibition era and the Great Depression in Kerman, where he worked in agricultural lending.

They saw some tough times back then, Peter Ficklin said about his grandparents.

Fortified wines  including Sherry, Moscatel, Tokaji and Port  dominated the industry in those days. They have a higher alcohol content than other wines.

But they were all inexpensive imitations of the real thing, Peter Ficklin said.

For the Ficklins, it began when the father, David Ficklin, returned from Europe after fighting in World War II and brought with him an interest in making wine. Walter Ficklin, a well-traveled wine enthusiast, encouraged his son to get into the business of premium Ports made with traditional techniques and true Portuguese grape varieties. They incorporated Ficklin Vineyards in 1946.

Peter Ficklin checks on a customers stored port wine at Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. Photographed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.

The following year, David Ficklin built the winerys adobe-brick wine cellar by hand using Madera soil. Its interior immediately hits visitors with a powerful and pleasant smell that you can almost taste  that inspires a desire for a glass.

It smells like aging Port, Peter Ficklin said of the dark, cool and damp cellar. It has wood character, like damp wood. But its a special wine smell, different from a dry wine cellar.

Portuguese grapes for premium Ports

Because theyre fortified, Ports are considered age-worthy wines and develop flavors through the years, whether theyre bottled or barreled, Peter Ficklin said. There are numerous styles, including white, ruby, tawny, vintage, late bottle vintage, and more.

Peter Ficklin, now in his 70s, continues to work directly with the wines. To make Port, he uses Portuguese grapes at optimum maturity  as is done with pinot noirs, cabernet sauvignons and zinfandels  from all over California. But instead of allowing fermentation to metabolize all of the sugar and make a wine with a 12%-15% alcohol content, he stops that process using grape brandy, killing the yeast and yielding a wine with an alcohol content of between 18%-20%.

Peter Ficklin continues the family tradition producing over 50 varieties of port wine at his Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. Photographed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.

So all of the sweetness, the sugar that one tastes in a sip of Port, is grape sugar from when those grapes were originally harvested, he said.

Ficklins vintage Ports, bottled at 2.5 years to 3 years old, develop their character during the aging process. (The winery still has some vintage Ports from 1948.)

Ports typically have a warm spirit finish, he said, but the vintage Ports tend to soften that. You build in some more earthy, leathery hints  sometimes hints of darker fruit and menthol.

Ficklins Aged 10 years Tawny Port, along with its Old Vine Tinta Port, has been served during dinners at the U.S. Embassy in London, England. The tawny, which refers to this Ports color, is aged in wooden barrels and usually takes about seven years for its flavor to develop.

Port wine is seen stored at Finklin Winery Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera. Peter Ficklin produces over 50 varieties of port wine which is part of the Madera Wine Trail.

You build in a tremendous nuttiness, a dried fruit character and some vanilla tones, Peter Ficklin said of the tawny. And the brandy that is used to fortify the wines comes across in a beautiful cognac spirit warmth in the finish.

Not just another bottle

His parents took the business from selling wine to individual restaurants and retails stores to tapping distributors that helped them sell in 43 states by the 1970s. But then, increasing consolidation began swallowing small fish wineries and shut others out of the distribution reach they once had, he said.

We didnt have the horsepower in the market that they wanted to see to move the brand in some areas, he said.

His Ports were already critically-acclaimed, internationally, when he decided in 2001 to open a full-time tasting room and focus on selling directly to the public.

Consequently, he said, Ficklin Vineyards wholesale market shrunk slightly, but its direct consumer market blossomed, allowing him to do more small lot production. Today, the winery sells about 50-60 different varieties in the tasting room.

Its wine club has also grown under Peter Ficklins management, attracting members from all over the nation. It entitles members to attend two events featuring the release of three bottles, one in April and another in October. In December, Ficklin Vineyards plans a holiday event with carolers and marshmallow roasting, Peter Ficklin said.

The real joy is sharing the wine and speaking to people at events that have a meaningful story about when when they first tasted it, he said. If they purchase a bottle and share it with friends, then its not just another bottle of wine. Theres an experience, some feelings and emotions behind that.

Peter Ficklin produces over 50 varieties of port wine at his Ficklin Vineyard which is part of the Madera Wine Trail. Photographed Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 near Madera, CA.
Cryptosporidium parvum (Photograph by Michael Wunderli via Flickr | CC-BY-SA 2.0).

Many swimming pools were already winding down in Yellowstone County this week as area school districts either begin school or prepare to start next week.

Thats probably good news for public health officials who have reported an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis, which is caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.

As of Tuesday, RiverStone Health, which is the public health department for Montanas largest county, reported 35 confirmed cases and another 36 which are likely.

Cryptosporidiosis, or crypto  not to be confused with blockchain currency  is a diarrhea-causing illness which is spread when a person swallows water containing germs from the fecal matter of another person or animal. Transmission is often from swimming pools, as cryptosporidium are highly resistant to chlorine, but can also be found in open water, for example, lakes and rivers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, crypto is found all over the United States and world.

Casey Page, Riverstones interim director of communications, said that there have been outbreaks of crypto recently, but none quite as large as this in 2024. Page also said that theres not one common point of contamination, rather several are likely.

Once a person is infected, the incubation period can range from seven to 12 days, and signs include diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Diarrhea may be intermittent, but health officials report that most recovery fully within 30 days. Usually, cryptosporidiosis doesnt require medical intervention, except in cases where a person is immunocompromised, according to the CDC.

The CDC also reports that usually people who have been previously infected with the disease make quick antibodies, and they usually are not sickened, or show no symptoms, upon re-infection.

Though crypto is often picked up by swimming, it can be acquired through eating contaminated food or touching objects that are contaminated, including handling the fecal matter of pets or children.

Riverstone Health reports that three people in Yellowstone County have been hospitalized for short periods recently, mostly because of dehydration. While there are anti-parasitic medications, usually medication is not necessary for treatment, Page said.

The last time public health officials investigated a crypto outbreak in Yellowstone County was in late summer in 2013 when there was a total of 23 confirmed and probable cases, according to Riverstone Health.

Public health officials recommend the following ways to stay safe while swimming in public pools or bodies of water:

Avoid swallowing water while swimming.

Ensure that small children wear watertight swim diapers.

Wash your hands with soap and water after swimming or playing in the sand to avoid infecting food and surfaces (alcohol-based sanitizers are not effective against Crypto).

Shower before swimming.
Kass Kruh knows the effects of substance abuse and overdoses all too well. The 26-year-old lost both of her parents, Melissa and John, as a result of drug overdoses in her young life.

Kruh, an executive assistant to Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, spoke about her experiences at an event at Connecticut State Capitol this week as a part of International Overdose Awareness Day, which will be officially recognized on Saturday.

Children of addicts have the odds stacked against them, Kruh said. Although we come from diverse and different backgrounds, there is an undeniable common thread. We do not get talked about enough, and we often suffer in silence.

Growing up my deepest fear was losing my parents to the very thing that consumed them. Addiction was a constant shadow over my childhood, she added. It forced me to take on responsibilities far beyond my years. Around the age of 9, I developed a routine of staying up late on school nights after my mom had been drinking just to make sure she was still breathing.

Kruh, who grew up in Naugatuck and lives in Cromwell, said any meaningful sober conversations she had with her dad were often within the walls of a rehab center or during supervised visits.

Kruh lost her mom in 2017 when she was a sophomore in college.

My deepest fear had come true when I found my mom unresponsive in our apartment, she said. She had passed away from an overdose and my entire world was turned upside down. I had to make many decisions I was not ready for at the age of 19, including the decision to stay in school even though I had just lost the most important person in my life.

Two years later, she lost her father.

Parent overdose death can have an everlasting impact on their child, young and old, and yet there is still so little data on children who have lost a parent in the United States, Kruh said. From what we do know, more than 325,000 children in our country lost a parent to an overdose between 2011 and 2021. Our experiences are crucial in understanding the full impact on substance abuse disorder. Our voices need to be uplifted and heard.

Kruh had a number of family members in attendance for her emotional speech.

Brian Guyton, the volunteer manager for Connecticut Community for Addiction Recoverys Danbury Recovery Community Center, talked about his own recovery journey.

What that means for me is that I have not used alcohol or other drugs since Aug. 10, 2021, Guyton said. Ive been affected by friends and family members who have had overdoses who are not here with us today.

That being said, Im grateful to be alive today because Ive had my own experiences with overdosing and vivid memories of coming to and going back out, he added. First responders surrounding me and trying to keep me awake, catheters, mechanical ventilation, oxygen and luckily surviving. Only through the grace of God and the transformation of the recovery process Im here today.

Guyton, who turns 30 next month, said at CCAR he started to feel recovery was possible. He said he entered as a shy, timid and lost individual but started feeling more optimistic about his future after meeting mentors and role models.

Being able to go to the recovery community centers was a haven for me, Guyton said. I was finally allowing myself to receive new information to enter it in my brain instead of shame, regret, remorse and low self-esteem all playing in my mind.

Now, in his role he is facilitating meetings and offers telephone support to those in need.

I can relate to those who are going through what I did, he said.

Connecticut lawmakers including Scanlon and Attorney General William Tong, as well as Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam spoke about their fight for those struggling with substance abuse disorder.

We are taking this opportunity to kick off this week to recognize and mourn those in Connecticut and across the country that we have lost but fight like hell and resolve ourselves to fight like hell for those still living and still fighting with this disease, Scanlon said.

Scanlon said this week is about mourning those who were lost in the state, including 1,300 in 2023.

We are also here today to say loud and clear to the people of Connecticut help is out there and if you need it we are here to make sure you get that help, Scanlon said. Do no wait. Do not hesitate. Do not be afraid to come forward because we may be able to help you save your life and there will be one less person next year to mourn the loss of.

Tong said overdoses are the worst public health crisis in the country.

As long as Im Attorney General I will be working on this, Tong said. We are trying to abate the crisis that cost Connecticut more than $10 billion every single year in economic damage and costs upwards of 1,400 to 1,500 lives every single year. Thats 1,400 to 1,500 families who get wrecked by the worst health crisis in America.

Tong recognized the first responders, including many from the Hartford Fire Department who were in attendance on Monday, for being on the front lines of this crisis every day.

Tong said he consults with survivors, including Liz Fitzgerald and Christine Gagnon who both lost sons to the opioid epidemic, before making big decisions on settlements and lawsuits.

I leaned on Liz and Christine on all of the cases we have brought the last few years, Tong said. We have recovered approximately $50 billion from the opioid and addiction industry. Now tens of thousands of dollars are flowing into Connecticut being administered by the opioid settlement advisory committee.

Tong said the money will go out to prevention and addiction science and the lions share of the funds are going to services.

Hundreds of millions of dollars will flow into the state on settlements over the next 18 years, Tong said.

The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Nancy Navaretta said she speaks every day with families that have experienced loss over addiction.

The stories deeply affect me, Navaretta said. This crisis has claimed far too many lives. It has also brought us together in the shared commitment to fight back, to educate, to support and to heal. We are here today not only to remember those no longer with us but to reaffirm our collective determination to further prevent tragedy.

Navaretta said the state has had two straight years of decreased opioid overdoses. She said that education and making naloxone more widely available are important steps to continue the decrease.

We need to ensure that those who need help access it without judgment or stigma, Navaretta said. We also want to use language that promotes understanding and compassion rather than shame and blame.  Together we can bring about real change and make opioid awareness day not only a day of remembrance but also a day of hope. It reminds us that every life is worth fighting for.
DA: Man gets life in prison for strangling New Holland woman to death in 2021

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a Lancaster County woman in 2021, officials announced.

Robert Boddy, 45, was sentenced Monday to spend life in prison plus 32.5 years in the murder of of Nora Sanchez, 65, of New Holland, the Lancaster County District Attorneys office said in a news release.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE -> Suspect charged in August homicide in New Holland

Boddy had previously pleaded guilty to charges first degree homicide, strangulation, and aggravated indecent assault, which was a second-time offense for Boddy. He also entered pleas to failure to register information as a Megans Law offender and forgery charges, according to the release.

According to the DA, Sanchezs cause of death was from strangulation with evidence of sexual assault. Her body was found at her apartment, located along the 300 block of E. Main Street, after police were called for a welfare check.

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Boddy was arrested in Dec. 2021 for the murder after DNA evidence was found on Sanchezs body came back as a match for Boddy and investigators found out he lived in the same complex where the she lived as well.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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In light of recent public allegations involving members of the Danville Area Community College, The Faculty Association Union of Danville Area Community College wishes to make a clear and unequivocal statement regarding our stance on the matter.

The faculty of Danville Area Community College does not condone any form of racial slurs, attacks, or discriminatory behavior. We stand in solidarity with all members of our community who may be affected by such actions, and we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the values that guide our institution.

As educators and leaders in the community, we hold ourselves and our colleagues to the highest standards of respect, integrity and inclusivity. The language and actions described in the recent allegations are in direct conflict with the core values that Danville Area Community College upholds, particularly our commitment to providing a safe and secure learning environment for the personal and intellectual growth of those we serve as well as promoting and upholding our vision that all are treated with equality, fairness, dignity, and respect.

As this investigation progresses, we urge transparency, accountability and a commitment to justice. The Faculty Union will continue to advocate for a campus environment that reflects the best of our shared values and ensures a safe, supportive, and inclusive experience for all.

In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, further comment from the union will be withheld until the Board of Trustees concludes their investigation into the matter. We appreciate the ongoing support of our students, faculty, staff and the broader community as we navigate this difficult time.
VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A student and his dad have been arrested after the student was found with a gun on school grounds in Visalia, the Visalia Police Department said.

Officers say the Visalia Police Departments Youth Services Officer at Golden West High School was informed of a social media post showing a student with a gun on school grounds on Monday at 9 a.m. The officer immediately located and detained the student with the help of school staff.

Student detained after social media gun threats surface at Visalia high school

After a search of the students vehicle, which was parked in the school lot, police say they uncovered an un-serialized handgun in the center console. The investigation confirmed that the firearm was only in the parking lot and never posed a threat to the school.

After this, investigators say the student was arrested and booked into the Tulare County Juvenile Detention Facility on suspicion of possessing a firearm on school grounds, being a minor in possession of a firearm, having ammunition, and possessing an un-serialized firearm.

A search warrant was executed at the home of the students father, which police identified as 47-year-old Lincoln Dukes. According to police, officers discovered an illegal marijuana grow, an un-serialized handgun, gun parts, extended magazines, and ammunition. The Visalia Narcotics Investigation Unit dismantled the marijuana grow.

The Police Department says Dukes was arrested and booked into the Tulare County Adult Pre-Trial Facility on suspicion of marijuana cultivation, being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, grand theft of utilities, allowing juvenile access to an unsecured firearm, and child endangerment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Billy Salnik and his two children went missing while on a boating excursion in Wisconsin last month

Tina Salnik/GoFundMe Billy Salnik and his children Charlotte and Josh

The body of a man who went missing last month during a boating trip in Wisconsin with his two children was located by authorities on Saturday, Aug. 24.

The Marinette County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook that Billy Salniks body, which was found near Green Island, has been recovered. A boater reported that they located a possible body, which prompted the sheriffs office and the fire department to respond.

The incident remains under investigation by the Marinette County Medical Examiners Office and the Marinette County Sheriffs Office, per a news release.

Related: Family of 15-Year-Old Killed in Boat Crash Files Lawsuit Against Parents of Teen Boat Driver

The sheriffs offices statement further added: We would like to thank all those involved in the numerous searches for their tireless efforts. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Billy at this time.

In a July 15 Facebook post, the Door County Sheriffs Office wrote that the Oconto County Sheriffs Office was alerted of an overdue boater who departed Oconto Harbor on July 13, around 10:00 a.m.

Believed to be on the vessel at the time was a man, later identified as Salnik, with two children. They were identified in media reports as Charlotte Salnik, 5, and Joshua Salnik, 3.

On July 15, according to the Door County Sheriffs Office, at about 6:23 a.m., an unmanned 18-foot Gulf Coast sailboat was located by emergency personnel in the waters south of Chambers Island in the town of Gibraltar.

Related: 7-Year-Old Girl Is Sole Survivor of Fishing Boat Accident That Killed Her Grandfather and Great-Grandfather

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The bodies of the children were later recovered from the water about 1 mile south of where the boat had been located at approximately 11:21 a.m., the Door County Sheriffs Office statement added. The search for the other missing person continued.

In a July interview with ABC affiliate WBAY before the discovery of her sons body, Tina Salnik said she knows Billy tied the life jackets her grandchildren had on them together so they could be found.



As soon as you stop crying, you look anywhere and you start crying again, Tina Salnik told the local outlet. How do you get through this? Not one baby, not two babies, but all three of my babies.

Related: Woman Dies While Boating on the Fourth of July. Now 2 Men Have Been Charged with Boating While Intoxicated

Kevin Kobylarczyk, an uncle of Billy Salnik, expressed his shock in the same WBAY interview last month. I feel so bad for my sister, he said, because this was her whole life, theres nothing left. What do you do? What do you say to somebody who has nothing left? Is there anything you can say to that person?

In an Aug. 24 update to a GoFundMe that she created to pay for her son and grandchildrens funeral expenses, Tina Salnik wrote: We have now found all three beautiful angels. In my heart I feel billy give everything he had. I love you honey. And my beautiful grandchildren. Now I can lay you all To rest. Thank you everyone all the love I have received.

PEOPLE contacted Tina Salnik for comment on Tuesday, Aug. 27.



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TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday called on Muslim states to take joint actions to force Israel to stop its "crimes and genocide" in Gaza.

He made the appeal during talks with visiting Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran, according to a statement by his office.

"Muslim states and all those countries that are committed to international law and frameworks stand together and, through taking joint actions, manage to force the supporters of Israel into reining it in and stopping its crimes and genocide in Gaza," said Pezeshkian.

Applauding Qatar's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, he said that while all legal international regulations were constantly being violated in Gaza, the countries "claiming to be advocating human rights" chose to remain silent in the face of those "crimes" and even supported the ones perpetrating the violence.

Tensions in the region have been heightened recently as Iran and its allies vowed to take revenge for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah's military commander Fouad Shokor last month.

Haniyeh, who was in Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Pezeshkian, was killed on July 31 along with his bodyguard when their residence in Tehran was attacked, one day after the death of Shokor in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut.

Hezbollah unleashed hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel early Sunday morning in vengeance for the killing of Shokor while Israel claimed conducting a series of "preemptive airstrikes" targeting Hezbollah's rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.

Iran has not made its retaliation yet, but a response to the assassination of Haniyeh will be "definitive, measured and well calculated," Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said on X on Sunday night.

"We do not fear escalation, yet do not seek it," he added.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri also vowed on Monday that the revenge is "definite," semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Baqeri said Iran would decide about its revenge for Haniyeh's assassination itself, and the resistance axis, as was seen on Sunday, would act separately and independently.

He described the "cowardly" assassination of the Hamas chief in Tehran as an "unforgettable" incident, saying Iran would not fall into the trap of the enemies' media "provocations."

During talks with Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown on Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, "Iran's aggression has reached an all-time high"

To counter this, Israel and the United States "must work together to achieve and project groundbreaking capabilities in all arenas," a readout of his office quoted Gallant as saying. 
Dallas man accused of shooting 2-year-old had 'many satanic and Nazi symbols' in his home

A DoorDash delivery in Dallas went terribly wrong. A toddler was shot and police found Nazi symbols and automatic weapons at the home of the shooter.

According to local reports, police sources said that a family was delivering a DoorDash order when the driver nearly collided with a motorcycle that had a sidecar. After pulling over, the driver and motorcyclist exchanged words. As the family drove away, sources close to the scene said that the motorcyclist followed them and opened fire on their vehicle.

Here's what happened to the family and the shooter.

Toddler was shot during a DoorDash delivery

Dallas police responded to a shooting involving a two-year-old girl on Sunday night in the 8500 block of Sweetwater Drive.

The child was in the backseat. Dallas police reported that the toddler is in stable condition and receiving treatment at a local hospital. According to the police affidavit, the bullet entered the girl's abdomen, ricocheted off a rib, and lodged in her diaphragm. Medical staff decided that removing the bullet could cause further harm, so it will remain in place.

Police identify shooter

Police identified Jason Cain, 50, as the shooter.

According to the affidavit, a search of Cain's house revealed "numerous satanic and Nazi symbols," along with several automatic weapons and a handgun.

Claire Franklin, Cain's neighbor, said she witnessed police search Cain's home. She was shocked by the discovery.

"I'm completely blown away that it happened here and (has) anything to do with my neighbors. I'm just shocked. They're, they're great, Franklin said. He gets on his Harley and takes his dog in the side car, and they go for like, little, you know, cruises around the block.

Cain is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Police find 'Nazi symbols' in suspect's home after toddler shooting
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  Billionaire Jared Isaacman could make history for all the right reasons during his Polaris Dawn mission when the hatch opens on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and he ventures out into the vacuum of space.

Hes sold on its safety, especially the sheer amount of development time in the new extravehicular activity suits all four members of the crew will have to wear during what would be the first commercial space walk in history.

I mean, absolutely extensive amount of time has gone into it, he said during a press conference after arriving to KSC last week. It is rightfully. Why would it be the riskiest part? Because youre throwing away all the safety of your vehicle, right? And it now comes down to your suit becomes your spaceship.

Isaacman and crewmates Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon are set to launch in the Crew Dragon Resilience atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSCs Launch Pad 39-A early Tuesday, targeting liftoff at 3:38 a.m. Eastern time during a roughly four-hour window.

Poteet is a former Air Force pilot while Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees as the Polaris Program, which will feature up to three spaceflights including this one, is a partnership between Isaacman and Elon Musks company to push the boundaries for commercial space.

Resilience is the same spacecraft Isaacman flew in for the Inspiration4 mission back in 2021 on what was the first all-commercial passenger spaceflight. For that orbital mission, SpaceX installed a cupola window to offer spatial views instead of the normal docking mechanism Dragon needs for its trips to the International Space Station. For this mission, Resilience received new hardware, a hatch with an array of hand and footholds that will be used when he and Gillis make the trip outside the Dragon.

Poteet and Menon will stay inside, but because Resilience has no airlock, will be subject to the vacuum of space as well. The space walk is scheduled for day 3 of the five-day mission, when the spacecraft is on an elliptical orbit at around 435 miles altitude. The whole event, which will be livestreamed, should take less than two hours.

When we are out there, were going to make use of various mobility aids the SpaceX team has engineered, and itll look like were doing a little bit of a dance, Isaacman said. What that is, is were going through a series of test matrix on the suit, and the idea is to learn as much as we possibly can about this suit and get it back to the engineers to inform future suit design evolutions.

The mobility aid structure hes referencing is called the Skywalker, something outside the hatch that the duo will use to complete their maneuvers safely without free floating.

When asked why not do that full float away like the famous photo of the first American space walk, astronaut Ed White on June 3, 1964, on Gemini 4, Isaacman said safety trumps such a notion, and either hands or feet will be engaged with the Skywalker at all times. That follows safer parameters such as those performed by Buzz Aldrin on the Gemini 12 mission from Nov. 12-14, 1966.

Looks cool, inspirational, which is always part of every one of these missions, but I think we want to learn from history on this one, and try and always maintain at least one point of contact with the mobility aid, he said.

SpaceXs ultimate goal is the colonization of Mars, and this first version of the EVA suit design features a heads-up display, helmet camera, as well as new architecture for joint mobility and thermal insulation.

Its not lost on us that you know, it might be 10 iterations from now and a bunch of evolutions of the suit, but that someday, someone could be wearing a version of which that they might be walking on Mars, Isaacman said. It feels like a huge honor to have that opportunity to test it out on this flight.

The plan is for Isaacman and Gillis to each spend about 15-20 minutes outside the Dragon with two oxygen lines each fed to their suits through tethers that run about 12 feet long.

Long enough to get the job done, not long enough to do the original depiction of us floating in space, Isaacman said referencing the original rendering the Polaris Program released when the mission was announced.

Once done with a series of maneuvers, the spacecraft is designed to repressurize with a breathable atmosphere. If anything goes wrong with repressurization, the EVA suits would be the quartets lifeboats on the trip back home.

SpaceX has gone through as many emergency response plans as they could dream up, Gillis said.

Thats really where we started. What are the contingencies we need to plan for, and how do we ensure crew can get home safely? So theres some really interesting operations that have been developed that ensure we have a good landing site thats within reachable target at the start of a space walk, for instance, she said. But we have spent so much time drilling contingency responses, drilling all different flavors of responses we might need to have on the space walk. As a framer, I actually think we have used up all the ideas I had at the start of this for what I might want to drill.

One of the safety plans is to orient the spacecraft in a way that would protect the astronauts from potential micrometeorites, as well as away from the sun, although the suits and visors are designed for use whether the sun was in view or not.

Its kind of a really clever way of both providing shade to the nose cone and then also additional protection of spacecraft, Gillis said.

Isaacman said he was almost concerned the attention to detail on the EVA was taking away from the other mission objectives, but SpaceXs team helped assuage those concerns.

Thats where in the handful of months approaching your certification for flight, SpaceX begins all of their paranoia reviews, as you would call it, where they look at everything. I mean, start essentially all over again, he said.

He said the four crew members have been involved in every risk briefing, including a sobering discovery SpaceX made during development about a potential fire hazard, the details of which were addressed during the press conference by Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX vice president of build and flight reliability.

When were in the vacuum with 100% oxygen into the space suits, we want to eliminate as many flammability risks as possible, Gerstenmaier said. We discovered that in the dry environment there can be static electric discharge, and that could potentially lead to a flammability concern. The teams went in to mitigate that. Theyve changed procedures, theyve changed processes, theyve added conductive material, and we are truly ready to go fly.

Its one example of a bevy of risks in the maneuver as SpaceX and the Polaris Program partner to push the boundaries for commercial spaceflight, but Isaacman has put his faith in SpaceXs attention to safety.

The communication, the transparency with SpaceX from the beginning all the way through the end, especially when I said, they literally start all over again to look at every piece of the mission, not just the EVA, is what inspires so much confidence, he said.

Even on day 1, when the crew attempts to fly to a new low-Earth orbit altitude record, they will begin to shift the composition of the air in the cabin so they dont suffer from decompression sickness when eventually switching to 100% oxygen.

Over the course of about 45 hours, well actually slowly drop cabin pressure and raise oxygen concentration to help mitigate the risk, said Gillis. On flight day 2, well get pressurized in the suits and actually go through a mobility demo where we step through the sequence and movements inside the spacecraft and really make sure there was nothing missed in our training (so) that were confident before we step outside.

The crew simulated the atmosphere on Earth during training.

We actually spent two whole days in a vacuum chamber at NASA Johnson Space Center and went through the entire protocol, stepping down the pressure and then ultimately performing a simulated EVA on breathing masks of 100% oxygen, stepping through the full operation, Gillis said.

The spacecraft itself went through a spate of modifications to support the space walk, adding more oxygen to support all four passengers, a nitrogen refresh system needed for repressurization, and more environmental sensors so SpaceX can get a good idea of what the interior is like before, during and after the event.

With all of these life support system upgrades, obviously, theres a ton of testing that needs to go into this, and thats both at a component level, but then also at a full-scale system level, Gillis said.

To that end, SpaceX put the entire spacecraft into a thermal vacuum chamber running an end-to-end sequence depressurizing the capsule, remaining in vacuum and repressurizing with all of the software and hardware expected to be used on the flight. That included exposing the interior to vacuum, which bakes out some of the material including chemicals that would be stripped away because of the exposure to space.

You are taking on a lot of risk at that point, Isaacman said. I think it just goes into the preparations for that risk that I believe have been well mitigated.

He said there are manual ways to open the hatch, a hatch motor to open or close it, redundant seals and more sealant than on a normal Dragon; two different systems to get the ship back to habitable atmosphere after the space walk; and redundant oxygen supplies for the EVAs.

At some point in time or another, if we are to unlock this last great frontier, and people are going to venture out into space  which, by the way, whatever risks associated with it there is, it is worth it  we have no idea what it could do to really change the trajectory of humankind.  There has to be some first steps in this direction, but they are really well thought out, well mitigated, for the benefit of those that will follow that will inevitably be doing space walks to build, construct, repair, discover. So, yeah, I think definitely would be the riskiest as part of the mission. Its also the one thats received rightfully, probably the majority of the last 2 1/2 years of attention.

The EVA isnt the only risky maneuver on the flight.

Another is the missions initial goal on day 1 of flying to a higher orbit of 870 miles altitude that would beat the low-Earth orbit record set for a crewed mission in 1966, when NASA astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon flew on the Gemini 11 mission to 853 miles.

When you go higher into space, that comes with all sorts of potential challenges, Isaacman said, Youre putting a lot of energy in the vehicle, then you take it out. But theres other realities when youre up there too, which is a completely different micrometeorite, orbital debris environment, obviously different radiation environment.

He said the goal was to expose the spacecraft to conditions that will be the norm for deep space and Mars initiatives. The spacecraft will be passing through the inner regions of Earths Van Allen radiation belt, which traps charged particles as part of the planets magnetosphere.

We stand to learn quite a bit from that in terms of human health science and research, he said. If we get to Mars someday, wed love to be able to come back and be healthy enough to tell people about it. So I think thats worthwhile.

But it wont be a long time spent at that more dangerous altitude.

To get some exposure in that environment also informs vehicle architecture, because, generally speaking, vehicles dont like radiation, so thats why were going to stay there for the shortest amount of time thats necessary to gather the data we want, and then well come back down, Isaacman said.

For SpaceXs part, Gerstenmaier lauds Isaacmans willingness to perform risky missions that help push the envelope for SpaceX as it pursues lofty end goals, but safety is still paramount.

We take the responsibility that weve been entrusted to us to fly the crew and return them safely home, he said. Spaceflight is not easy. Our mission right now is to safely launch Polaris, support their multiday mission and return them home to their families and friends.

But he said due diligence has been paid and he expects success.

EVA is a risky adventure, but again, weve done all the preparation. We did the capsule testing, we did the suit testing, we did hyperbaric chambers, we did all the work to really get ready for this, he said.

He said SpaceX has built off of NASAs heritage, but extended it further.

I think its a really a tribute to this team, that they advance the state of the art, Gerstenmaier said. Were going to do it as safely as we can, and weve got the right protocols and weve done the right testing to get ready to go do it.

_____
As temperatures climbed into the mid-90s Tuesday afternoon, Tamala Wilson batted away flies. She sat in the shade under a canopy tent assembled in a patch of grass along Marine Drive, where she had been living for two and a half months after leaving a domestic violence shelter.

Shed stashed some ice in her cooler and filled up multiple jugs of water from the fountain in the nearby dog park. On previous scorchingly hot days this summer, Wilson had also resorted to swimming in Lake Michigan.

The last few days have been the worst as far as heat goes (this summer), she said.

Concerns for homeless people, elderly and those with preexisting conditions grew this week as sweltering temperatures and heightened pollution levels continued to grip the Chicago region Tuesday, likely the hottest day of the heat wave, leading to hazardous conditions for vulnerable populations, according to the National Weather Service.

An excessive heat warning remained in effect until 10 p.m. in northern Illinois, as the weather service warned of a heat index  what the temperature feels like when humidity is combined with air temperature  of 110 to 115 degrees.

At OHare International Airport, temperatures reached 99 degrees Tuesday afternoon, breaking the record high for Aug. 27, which was originally set in 1973. The temperatures also led Metra to implement hot weather speed restrictions, lowering train speed by 10 miles per hour.

Zachary Yack, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago, said temperatures are running about 10 to 15 degrees higher than normal, which in late August is in the low to mid-80s. A little more than a year ago, on Aug. 24, 2023, Chicago experienced its first 100-degree day in more than a decade.

This is not completely unheard of that we see this type of heat wave, but because of how mild weve been as of recent, this definitely feels a lot hotter than what weve become more accustomed to, Yack said. Hence its going to feel more oppressive to those out there that have been enjoying the pleasant weather the last several weeks.

The weather service recommends drinking plenty of water, staying in air conditioning and limiting strenuous exercise or work to early morning or evening. Children and pets should also never be left in unattended vehicles for any length of time, as the extreme heat can cause car interiors to reach lethal temperatures in minutes.

An air quality alert also remained in effect in the Chicago metro area until midnight due to unsafe ozone levels for sensitive groups. Pollutants emitted by cars, industrial sources and wildfires such as those currently blazing in Canada can cause high ozone levels.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency recommends that children and adults, particularly those with pulmonary or respiratory disease such as asthma, should limit their outdoor activity.

Protecting the most vulnerable

The city opened cooling centers at its six community service centers operated by the Department of Family and Support Services from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for the Garfield location, which was keeping its doors open for cooling until 8 p.m.

DFSS spokesperson Brian Berg said the agency was sending out additional outreach teams to connect homeless individuals with resources, and seniors received robocalls warning them of the excessive heat. The Salvation Army also opened its community centers as cooling shelters, while Thresholds, a service provider for people with substance use disorders and mental illnesses, purchased and installed AC units in clients apartments a few months ago to help prevent emergency situations this summer.

Seniors and the homeless are the most vulnerable, but we want to make sure everybody stays healthy and safe, Berg said. Thats our top priority,

But for Wilson, going to a city-run cooling center doesnt feel like a feasible option. Among the dozen or so people who live in tents along Marine Drive in Uptown, none would want to risk leaving all of their belongings unattended for hours, she said.

They gotta stay here to watch their stuff, Wilson said. Youre gone for any amount of time, and they know theyll go in and take what they want.

For Joanna Kondracki-Miro, who also lives in a tent in Uptown near the lake, the biggest concern on Tuesday was keeping her 10-year-old dog Bailey cool.

Its been kind of brutal, and its been worse for (Bailey) because shes got a thick coat, Kondracki-Miro said. Im trying to get her to a vet and to get her coat clipped. I am sweating bullets. And everybodys kind of trying to lay low and stay cool.

Kondracki-Miro has been living on the streets for about a year and said shed still far prefer the hottest days of summer to the Chicago winter. She added that she had considered going to Walgreens or Target for the air conditioning  the stores being closer to her than any city-run cooling center  but didnt want to get kicked out for loitering.

Doug Schenkelberg, executive director of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, said its crucial for people living on the streets to know where they can go to shelter from the elements during days of extreme weather, although its only a temporary solution.

He added that people experiencing homelessness are usually more likely to have preexisting health issues that are dangerously exacerbated in extreme heat.

The big thing that we talk about is, what are we doing outside of these emergency events to minimize whos in harms way to begin with? Schenkelberg said. It just points to the perennial need for more permanent housing so that no one is homeless to begin with, and we dont have to worry about how extreme weather is impacting people living on the streets.

Wilson added that she was more worried about the potential Tuesday night thunderstorms than the days heat itself, even as she sat sweating in a T-shirt and shorts. Pointing at the large tree above her, she said, You got to make sure that if a branch falls, where are you going to shelter?

Tuesday nights thunderstorms and rain showers across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana were forecasted to bring some relief from the high temperatures, but the weather service said they may be strong to severe with damaging winds and hail.

As of 6:45 p.m., storms in northern Cook County had delayed numerous trains on Metras Union Pacific North line, which serves the northern suburbs. Inbound and outbound trains were stopped due to high wind warnings between Palatine and Fox River Grove, according to Metra.

Poor weather was also believed to be responsible for 312 power outages affecting more than 31,000 customers as of 7:22 p.m., according to ComEd.

The weather service also cautioned residents to stay clear of lake waters or walking along piers and breakwaters along southern Lake Michigan due to rapid water level fluctuations likely to continue for the remainder of the evening.

https://x.com/NWSChicago/status/1828588881371103602

Temperatures are expected to gradually fall the rest of the week, according to the weather service, with some chance of storms. Wednesdays forecast is partly sunny with a high near 79 degrees.

CPS students return to class

The afternoon heat also affected parents who were picking their children up from school. Chicago Public Schools, whose new year started Monday, said earlier this week that it canceled all outdoor activities or moved them inside, assuring parents that all classrooms have air conditioning and will be kept at comfortable levels.

The Chicago Teachers Union has been negotiating for better cooling systems, particularly in older buildings that arent equipped for extreme heat.

Standing outside Swift Specialty School in Edgewater Tuesday afternoon, Dragana Perez said Aeris, her daughter who just started kindergarten, has been cool and comfortable inside. If anything, she joked that shes the one who had to come prepared with an iced coffee.

They beautifully inform us over email about all the plans, they try to do the activities inside, she said. They keep them hydrated, its all good.

After school, Perez said she planned to head over to the beach to cool down even more, saying its amazing for kids.
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  A Danville man has been sentenced to over a decade in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the child of a woman he was dating.

Prosecutors said Nathan Hendriex, 47, pleaded guilty last week to two counts of criminal sexual assault, both Class 1 felonies punishable by 4 to 15 years in prison. The Vermilion County States Attorneys Office requested a 20-year sentence.

Judge Robert McIntire ultimately sentenced Hendriex to 14 years in prison, a sentence to be served at 85%.

Former Okaw Valley teacher faces second criminal grooming case

Evidence presented at the sentencing showed that in 2022, Hendriex was dating the victims mother and was living in their home. On the day of the assault, he lured the victim into a room, forced the victim to undress and forcibly engaged in sexual intercourse with them. The victim said Hendriex told them not to tell anyone.

The Danville Police Department received a report about this incident in September of that year. Prosecutors said Hendriex was interviewed and confessed to the assault in detail.

Former Tilton Police Chief pleads guilty to theft of guns from department

I would like to acknowledge the bravery of the victim in coming forward about the sexual assault at the hands of a trusted adult, States Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said in a press release. The cruel manipulation of trust displayed by sexual predators is horrendous. It is my hope that the sentence handed down in this case will allow the victim time to begin their road to healing.

Lacy also extended her appreciation to the Danville Police Departments Criminal Investigations Division, as well as the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center, for their diligence in investigating crimes against children.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Swindell was described as "alive and well" when she was found with her ex-boyfriend Morgan Guidry, who was immediately arrested on a warrant

Brian Bahr/Getty; Austin Police Department Pitcher Greg Swindell #50 of the Kansas City Royals; Brenna Swindell, 29, was reported missing by police in Austin on Monday morning.

Former MLB Greg Swindell's daughter was found safe after a five-day search, PEOPLE has confirmed.

Brenna Swindell, the 29-year-old daughter of the former Astros player, was found on Tuesday, Aug. 27 after being reported missing since Thursday, the Travis County Sheriff's Office tells PEOPLE in a statement.

This is the news we were desperately hoping and praying for. Im relieved that Brenna has been found and is safe. Im so grateful to everyone who contributed their efforts to finding her, across the Travis County area and outside the state of Texas, Sheriff Sally Hernandez said.

Officers with the police department in Klamath Falls, Oregon said they spotted Brenna's vehicle and found Brenna and her ex-boyfriend Morgan Guidry inside. Guidry was arrested on a warrant, issued on Aug. 20 at Brenna's request, from the Travis County Sheriff's Office and is currently in custody.

Austin Police Department Brenna Swindell

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The arrest warrant was filed on Friday, Aug. 23, stating that Guidry strangled his girlfriend multiple times and slammed her head onto the floor at an apartment complex July 7, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Per an affidavit, Brenna had sustained various injuries to her clavicle, head, neck and hand, and told authorities that she threw a box of ammunition on the ground and ran to an exit while Guidry grabbed a rifle, the outlet reported.

Brenna said she was in fear for her life, according to authorities.

Anytime a loved one goes missing, family members may reach out to law enforcement agencies for help. I am grateful that APD had involvement investigating this case and that Ms. Brenna Swindell was found safe, Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson said in the statement shared with PEOPLE.

Upon the news that Brenna was found, Greg took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to provide an update, writing She has been found. Thats all we have for now. Thank you to everyone. And I mean everyone who helped in the process.

She has been found. Thats all we have for now. Thank you to everyone. And I mean everyone who helped in the process.   greg swindell (@GregSwindell) August 27, 2024

Greg, 59, and his wife had shared a harrowing update about their daughter on Facebook on Sunday, Aug. 25, that began with "PLEASE HELP."

Greg and Sarah said in the post that their daughter Brenna  a mother of three  "has not been seen or heard from in the Austin area since late Thursday afternoon," and that her phone has been turned off. "She has not been in contact with family, friends, and mostly importantly her children," the couple wrote.

The post included a photo of Brenna and her ex-boyfriend  whom her father described as "violent" on Facebook.

Related: Former MLB Pitcher Greg Swindell Asks for Help Finding His Missing Daughter: 'We Feel She Is in Danger'

The couple said that Brenna's ex is facing legal trouble "from when he assaulted her last month" and that they aren't sure if their daughter "went with him willingly, was talking into running away with him, or what."

Greg and Sarah said they "still feel" that their daughter "would never abandon her 3 children or just take off without explanation," and that unless "otherwise" can be proven, the couple said, "we feel she is in danger."

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Read the original article on People.
Missing daughter of former Reds pitcher Greg Swindell found 'alive and well'

Editor's note: This story has been updated to show that Brenna Swindell has been found.

The 29-year-old daughter of former Major League Baseball player Greg Swindell has been found after she was reported missing Thursday.

Brenna Swindell is a mother of three and was missing from the Austin area since Thursday, her mother, Sarah Swindell, said in a Facebook post. Her father, Greg Swindell, pitched for the University of Texas and had a 17-year MLB career.

Brenna Swindell was found "alive and well" with her ex-boyfriend, Morgan Guidry, who was arrested on a warrant from the Travis County sheriff's office and is in custody, sheriff's office spokesperson Kristen Dark said in a news release Tuesday morning.

"She has been found," Greg Swindell said in a post on the social platform X Tuesday morning. "Thats all we have for now. Thank you to everyone. And I mean everyone who helped in the process."

Swindell's vehicle last seen in Colorado

According to Austin police, Brenna Swindell and her ex-boyfriend, Morgan Guidry, were last seen together about 10:20 p.m. Thursday at Poodies Hilltop Roadhouse in Spicewood. Law enforcement tracked her white 2022 Kia Carnival to Colorado by Friday evening.

Brenna Swindell, the 29-year-old daughter of former UT and MLB pitcher Greg Swindell, has been missing since Thursday. She is pictured with her former boyfriend, Morgan Guidry.

Guidry and her van might have been sighted in Colorado Springs, according to a flyer shared by the organization Missing People in America.

Arrest affidavit filed for Morgan Guidry a day after disappearance

An affidavit for an arrest warrant filed Friday, a day after Brenna Swindell's disappearance, states that Guidry strangled his girlfriend multiple times and slammed her head onto the floor at an apartment complex July 7.

The victim was not named in the affidavit, but Travis County sheriff's office spokesperson Kristen Dark confirmed to the American-Statesman that she was Brenna Swindell.

Dark said the affidavit was filed more than a month after the incident because Brenna Swindell had decided on Aug. 20 to press charges against Guidry.

The woman suffered numerous injuries, including to her clavicle, head, neck and hand. She told deputies that she threw a box of ammunition on the ground and ran to an exit while Guidry grabbed a rifle, the affidavit says. She told deputies she believed Guidry would kill her.

When authorities responded to the apartment, Guidry had left with his rifle, but they found the loose ammunition on the ground, the affidavit says.

Who is Greg Swindell?

Brennas father, Greg Swindell, was a pitcher who played for the University of Texas and pitched in the MLB for 17 years.

Swindell was also a one-time All-Star with the Cleveland Indians, now Guardians, and won a World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox.

He went 12-8 with a 2.70 ERA in his lone season with the Reds in 1992.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Missing daughter of former MLB, Reds pitcher Greg Swindell found safe
MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  The Department of Children and Families had been working with the family of a baby found unresponsive in a vacated motel room last week, a representative confirmed Tuesday.

In a statement, Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly said the agency is conducting a joint investigation with the Milford Police Department after the baby was declared dead at a hospital about an hour after being discovered by cleaning staff at the Mayflower Motel.

Baby found inside Milford motels bathtub dies

She said DCF was involved with the family for about four weeks prior to the Aug. 21 death.

This is a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with this babys family, friends and others who knew her as well as the law enforcement and medical personnel who responded to this extremely difficult situation, Hill-Lilly said.

Hill-Lilly said the agency has launched an investigation to review their work on the case, according to their standard practice.

Suspect appears in court after baby found in Milford motel bathtub dies

Due to the active criminal investigation of this case, DCF said they could not comment further.

A Bridgeport man was charged in connection to the death, after he was determined to be the last person to see the child alive.

Dale Kirkland, 31, faces charges of risk of injury to a minor and cruelty to persons.

Suspect Dale Kirkland held on $1M bond after baby found inside Milford motel bathtub dies.



In court, his bond was set at $1 million and a judge ordered mental health and suicide watches, as well as a competency evaluation. He has no criminal history.

A reasonable suspicion of child maltreatment can be made to the Child Abuse and Neglect Careline by dialing 1-800-842-2288. The Careline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Callers to the Careline can remain anonymous. Community-based support can also be located by dialing 211 and a Substance Use Access line can be reached at 1-800-563-4086.

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TOWN OF TIOGA, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  After two bodies were found dead in a Town of Tioga residence on Monday, investigators say their deaths are the result of a murder-suicide.

The Tioga County Sheriffs Office announced on Tuesday that the two individuals found at 32 Weiss Road died from apparent gunshot wounds.

Police respond to report of two dead bodies found in Tioga County

Road Patrol deputies and members of the Criminal Investigation Division determined that 44-year-old Janice Shumway was shot and killed by her husband 46-year-old Michael Shumway Jr. in the early morning hours of August 26. Michael Shumway then took his own life via a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Sheriffs Office was assisted by the New York State Police and the Tioga County Coroners

Office.

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Bill Franciscovich enjoyed the view of the ocean while biking down Highway 1. Sometimes, hed catch a glimpse of whales breaching and feeding on the horizon.

On Thursday, however, he was greeted by a more macabre sight: what appeared to be a whale carcass floating toward the beach. A swarm of birds screeched across the sky, swooping down on the dead leviathan.

Franciscovich ventured down the San Simeon bluffs on Friday to catch a glimpse of the whale  and he could smell it before he saw it.

The carcass  bloated, sunburned and missing a flipper  was about the size of three Honda Accords, Franciscovich said.

Its sad to see, but thats just nature. Sometimes you lose one, he said. Now, youve got the scavengers from birds to animals picking on that.

The 61-foot fin whale washed up on the shore just south of the elephant seal beach near San Simeon, Marine Mammal Center spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli said.

The center responded to the whale on Monday afternoon and collected muscle and baleen samples for diagnostic purposes and archiving, he wrote in an email to The Tribune.

The carcass was in an advanced state of decomposition and in slippery terrain with deep pools of water surrounding the whale, so a necropsy, or animal autopsy, was not possible to try and determine a cause of death, Rulli wrote.

Though the center did not discover the whales cause of death, fin whales often swim in deep waters and are most vulnerable to ship strikes, he said.

The fin whale is classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Large bites were taken out of the whales abdomen, which might offer a clue to the cause of death, California State Parks Chief Ranger Eric Hjelstrom said. But a scavenger also may have taken a bite out of the whale after it died, which would offer a different explanation of the bite marks, he said.

There were no propeller marks on the whale that would indicate a boat strike, Hjelstrom said.

The whale washed up on a remote, rocky beach that is too difficult to access, so State Parks will not remove the carcass from the shore.

Were going to let nature take its course, Hjelstrom said. Theres a whole lot of biology out there that will take care of it.

One of the goals of State Parks is to provide a place for the wildlife to thrive, and the condors used to feed on large marine mammals on the beaches here, he added. That would be kind of a success story if we saw a condor feeding on this whale.

Hjelstrom advised beach-goers to stay away from the whale.

Stay back, he said. Nothing goods going to happen if you get close to that thing.




BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China voiced strong condemnation of terrorist attacks in Pakistan and expressed deep condolences to the victims Tuesday.

In response to a relevant query, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and will continue to firmly support Pakistan in advancing counter-terrorism operations, maintaining social unity and stability and protecting people's safety.

According to reports, a series of attacks occurred in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Monday. Terrorists attacked Pakistani security forces and police in many places in Balochistan, stopping vehicles and killing innocent people, and destroying roads, railways and other infrastructure.

China is willing to further strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace and security, Lin said. 
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN)  Four years ago, an attempted robbery at a Murfreesboro apartment complex reportedly turned deadly when the suspect started firing shots at the door, striking one of the residents inside.

However, to this day, police are still trying to figure out who the armed intruder was. According to officials, 24-year-old Mario Dominguez-Santiago was standing on the other side of the door on the night of the robbery on Aug. 27, 2020.

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It was around 9 p.m. when the suspect reportedly started trying to break into the unit in the H building of the complex at 2325 Willowbrook Drive. Dominguez-Santiago lived with roommates, but only he was struck by the gunfire when the suspect started shooting at the front door.

After officers with the Murfreesboro Police Department arrived at the apartment complex, they found Dominguez-Santiago suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, where he later died.

Mario Dominguez-Santiago (Courtesy: Murfreesboro Police Department)

Mario Dominguez-Santiago (Courtesy: Murfreesboro Police Department)

While little is known about the possible suspect, police were able to get a vague description of the man. According to witnesses, the suspect was possibly a white or light-skinned male who speaks fluent Spanish.

Few other details are available in the alleged homicide, which, even four years later, remains among a handful of cold cases Murfreesboro detectives are still working to solve. Often times, officials said citizen assistance is a vital element to these types of investigations.

UNSOLVED TENNESSEE: Find more of the states cold cases, missing persons, and other mysteries 

Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to call the Murfreesboro Police Criminal Investigations Division at 615-893-2717 or email crimetips@murfreesborotn.gov. To view more unsolved cases out of Murfreesboro, click here.

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Wednesday will mark one year since the on-campus shooting at UNC-Chapel Hill that left a professor dead.

Tailei Qi, a now-former graduate student at the university, is accused of fatally shooting Zijie Yan, a professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences, in a campus lab building. The event locked down campus for several hours.

The universitys bell tower will chime at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday in honor of Yan, Chancellor Lee Roberts announced Monday.

There has been little movement in the criminal case against Qi, who was charged the day after the shooting with first-degree murder and misdemeanor possession of a firearm on educational property.

Last November, Qi was found mentally ill and unfit to continue with court proceedings, with a judge ordering him to be committed to a state psychiatric hospital for treatment. If his condition were to improve, the judge ruled, the court proceedings could move forward.

Qis attorney will return to court in December for a status update, Orange-Chatham District Attorney Jeff Nieman told N&O reporter Tammy Grubb on Monday.

But there has been progress in another area since the shooting, with UNC evaluating how it prepares for and responds to emergencies  and implementing changes to campus safety protocols and technologies that had been years in the making.

Welcome to Deans List, a roundup of higher education news in the Triangle and across North Carolina from The News & Observer and myself, Korie Dean.

This weeks edition includes an overview of the changes UNC has made since last August, plus a multi-year partnership between Fayetteville State University and Lenovo that the universitys chancellor says will be a real game changer.

How campus safety at UNC has changed after shooting

In the days following the Aug. 28 shooting, some students recounted to The N&O that they felt they and their professors were not adequately prepared for the emergency by the university. Some faculty continued to teach while the university was on lockdown, and some said they felt the universitys communication during the event did not clearly convey the nature of the threat or what to do as it unfolded.

While the university made active-shooter training available upon request prior to the shooting, such training was not required  despite the university being urged to implement such requirements in an internal audit conducted in 2020, three years before the shooting.

That has changed now, almost a full year after the shooting. Faculty were assigned an online, 25-minute emergency training program last month, with Provost Chris Clemens requesting all instructors complete the modules before the fall semester began last week. Similar training is expected to eventually be implemented for staff and students, too.

The move to implement new training came after a post-shooting after-action report, issued by an independent agency to the university in May, recommended the university do so.

Beyond training, the university has also made changes to its campus safety infrastructure and technology over the past year. Those changes include:

 Completing a multi-year project, which began in 2018, to ensure classrooms have properly functioning interior door locks. The projects last phase, which was to install locks in classrooms that fit between 10 and 24 students, had not been completed by the Aug. 28 shooting, but was finished in the weeks following the event.

 Installing license plate readers around campus through Flock Safety, a private company. The university had placed an order for the readers prior to the shooting, but later canceled the contract upon learning Flock was not licensed to do business in North Carolina. After Flock resolved that issue with the state Alarm Systems Licensing Board, UNC entered into a new contract with the company in March.

Flock technology allows police to search for any license plate for up to 30 days after plates are logged. The company has been criticized, notably by the American Civil Liberties Union, for the vast amount of data it collects and the lack of regulation surrounding the technology, but UNC Police Chief Brian James has said the technology would help his department better secure campus.

 Making the messaging on Alert Carolina emergency notifications clearer, and sending updates more often. In an active-shooter situation, the messages will now include instructions to run from a threat, hide if you cant, and fight if you must. Previously, the messages told the campus community to go inside, avoid windows and stay put until given further notice.

Providing more actionable language, emails and texts will help the community find the safest option in an emergency, according to a university article on the changes, published Thursday.

 Adding an Im OK! feature to the Carolina Ready safety app, which allows users to notify their loved ones and other contacts of their whereabouts and status during campus emergencies.

Safety on campus is always the top priority, and we have learned a lot in the last year about improving our safety procedures, Roberts said in a campus message Monday, adding that the university will continue to find ways to make our security measures even more effective.

Chapel Hill and University of North Carolina Police departments block South Road at the entrance to the UNC campus as they search for an armed and dangerous person on campus after a reported incident at the student union on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Fayetteville State, Lenovo launch multi-year partnership

Under a new partnership with Lenovo, all first-year students at Fayetteville State University will receive new laptops this year  as will the next three incoming classes of students.

Lenovo has committed to providing more than 800 laptops for students this year. In all, the company is expected to provide more than 3,200 laptops over the four-year partnership.

Campus and Lenovo leaders announced the partnership at the universitys annual pinning ceremony, held on Aug. 18. In a news release, Chancellor Darrell Allison called the initiative a real game changer and indicated it would help students graduate on-time, in four years  something Allison has pushed since he became chancellor in 2021, notably by offering free summer school to all students.

Cheo Johnson, general manager of Lenovos U.S. sales center, said in a news release that the universitys efforts to ensure on-time graduation align perfectly with our mission to empower students to reach their full potential.

Through a new partnership with Lenovo, all first-year students at Fayetteville State University will receive free laptops for the next four years.

Higher education news Im reading

The number of applications submitted through the Common Application rose across the board and for historically underrepresented students last year, despite the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the consideration of race in the admissions process, Inside Higher Ed reports.

Duke Kunshan University, a joint venture between Duke University and Wuhan University in China, welcomed its largest-ever class this fall. But the universitys future is uncertain, with the initial partnership set to expire in 2028, the Duke Chronicle reports.

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Thats all for this roundup of North Carolina higher education news. I hope youll stay tuned for more.

Like what you read here and want to be on our mailing list? Have suggestions for what kind of content youd like to see featured in the future? Let us know by filling out the form below:

Reporter Tammy Grubb contributed.






As debates loom, Kari Lake might need a mute button more than Donald Trump

Donald Trump and Kari Lake used to be team, a duo, MAGAs version of Bonnie and Clyde, Boris and Natasha, Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling.

There even was a time, just last year, when People magazine wrote a story under the headline: Kari Lake Appears at Mar-a-Lago More than Melania Trump and 'Practically Lives' in a Suite.

But, as Lakes kookiness expanded and her popularity in Arizona waned, the big hugs she used to get from Dear Leader seemed to have been downgraded to polite handshakes, particularly now that each of them faces a genuine dogfight for election.

So maybe it shouldnt surprise us that Trump and Lake seem to be adopting polar opposite strategies when it comes to debates.

Trump's camp wants the mic shut off

Trumps camp appears interested in muting its erratic, sometimes incoherent candidate, while Lakes is looking to amplify theirs.

Over the weekend, Trump indicated that he might back out of a scheduled Sept. 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media, I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carls (K?) ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I ask, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?

Prior to that, Trumps team complained about debate procedures that wouldnt have muted Trumps mic when it wasnt his turn to speak. Harris camp wants the microphones live for the entire debate.

Brian Fallon, a senior adviser to the Harris campaign, said, Our understanding is that Trumps handlers prefer the muted microphone because they dont think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own.

Kari Lake wants mics on, all the time

Meantime, Lake, who refused to debate her Republican primary opponent, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, is extremely eager to debate her Democratic U.S. Senate opponent, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Shes even willing to make a huge concession to do so.

Normally, Lake seems to prefer a debate in which she is the only person who is micd up and knows its being recorded.

Kari Lake's latest makeover? She's just a middle-aged mom

There was the filmed dustup with Gallego at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport over immigration a while back.

And, of course, the secret recording of then-Arizona Republican Party Chair Jeff DeWit telling Lake that money was in it if she chose not to run for the Senate. The public release of that recording cost him his position.

Lake is also known to record interactions with reporters and to wear microphones at campaign events.

No one wins a debate, but someone often loses

I believe that in a Clean Elections debate, however, both candidates are micd up.

The danger for a politician in that, of course, is having your words  heard. As weve learned over time, a political debate is not something a candidate wins, but it is certainly something a candidate can lose.

Thats a risk Lake is willing to take given reports that money isnt exactly rolling into her campaign coffers.

Or, as Jessica Taylor, who edits Senate and gubernatorial races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said, Money talks. It reflects that there are other races that Republicans see as winnable than the Arizona Senate race right now.

Ouch.

Meantime, only a few days after its president endorsed Donald Trump on stage in Glendale, the Arizona Police Association said on Monday it was throwing its support behind Gallego in the U.S. Senate race.

Ouch, again.

All of which probably has Lake, even more than Trump, wondering: Wheres the mute button when you need one?

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake needs a mute button more than Donald Trump for debate
One of the defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the implosion of an undersea submersible headed to the wreck of the Titanic is seeking to move the case from state to federal court.

Janicki Industries filed a petition on Aug. 12 to remove the case to U.S. District Court, according to records accessed Monday that were filed with the King County Superior Court Clerks Office in Washington state. The plaintiffs in the case have until the middle of next month to respond to the request.

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The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died in the Titan submersible implosion in June 2023, filed the lawsuit against several companies in a Washington state court earlier this month. The lawsuit seeks more than $50 million and states the crew of the Titan experienced terror and mental anguish before the disaster, and it accuses sub operator OceanGate of gross negligence.

The lawsuit names Janicki Industries as a defendant for its role in the design, engineering and manufacturing of the submersible. The subs unconventional design, and that its creators did not submit to independent checks, emerged as areas of concern in the aftermath of the implosion, which killed all five people on board and captured attention around the world.

Representatives for Janicki Industries did not respond to numerous requests for comment. A representative for OceanGate, which suspended operations after the implosion and has not commented publicly on the lawsuit, said they also had no comment about the request to move the case. Other defendants named in the lawsuit did not respond to requests for comment.

The plaintiffs are not commenting on the request to move the case, said Matt Shaffer, an attorney for the Nargeolet family. The request doesnt change the goal of the lawsuit, he said.

The hope is that the families obtain more specific knowledge as to what happened, who was at fault, Shaffer said. And certainly they are seeking justice.

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Nargeolet was a veteran undersea explorer who had been to the Titanic site many times before the Titan implosion. The implosion also killed OceanGate CEO and cofounder Stockton Rush, who was operating the Titan, as well as British adventurer Hamish Harding and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.

The Titans final dive came on June 18, 2023, and it lost contact with its support vessel about two hours later. The wreckage of the vessel was later found on the ocean floor less than 1,000 feet (305 meters) off the bow of the Titanic in the North Atlantic. The implosion is the subject of a Coast Guard investigation that is still ongoing nearly 15 months later.

The Nargeolet lawsuit states that the Titans crew would have realized exactly what was happening at the time of the submersibles failure. It states that they would have continued to descend, in full knowledge of the vessels irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan ultimately imploding.

A Coast Guard public hearing about the submersible implosion is slated to begin next month. Coast Guard officials have said the hearing will focus on subjects such as regulatory compliance and mechanical and structural systems relating to the submersible.

The Titan had not been registered with the U.S. or international agencies that regulate safety. It also wasnt classified by a maritime industry group that sets standards for features such as hull construction.

Attorneys for Nargeolet have said the explorer would not have participated in the Titan expedition if OceanGate had been more transparent. Their lawsuit describes the explorers death as tragic, but eminently preventable.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The defense attorney for a deputy charged with fatally shooting a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman in Florida's Panhandle is a well-known litigator with decades of experience, as well as a former prosecutor and state lawmaker who unsuccessfully ran for governor.

Attorney Rod Smith's legal career includes his team's prosecution in the 1990s of serial killer Danny Rolling, whose murders of five college students terrorized Gainesville, Florida, which is home to the University of Florida, and where Smith was state attorney.

Rolling pleaded guilty to the murders, and his sentencing trial was televised on Court TV. Smith argued that Rolling deserved to be executed, telling jurors, If these crimes do not justify the death penalty, it defies imagination what kind of crimes would have to exist to justify such a recommendation.

Rolling was executed in 2006.

Smith, a Democrat, was elected to the Florida Senate in 2000 and served a district covering metro Gainesville for six years. He ran in 2006 to be the Democratic nominee in the Florida governor's race but lost the nomination to U.S. Rep. Jim Davis who went on to be defeated by then-Republican Charlie Crist.

Four years later, Smith was picked by Democratic gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink to run on her ticket as a lieutenant governor candidate. They lost to Republican Rick Scott and his running mate, Jennifer Carroll. Smith also served for three years starting in 2010 as chairman of the Florida Democratic Party.

A judge on Tuesday denied bond for Smith's client, former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, who was charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 shooting death of 23-year-old Roger Fortson. The rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Smith came to the case as part of the legal team for the Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association, a not-for-profit association that offers benefits and services to deputies, he said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Smith said he and other defense attorneys disagree with the state about charging Duran with a crime.

I would say that we reviewed the case and we believe the case is one in which we disagree with the state and we will proceed from that point and let the judge and jury make that decision, Smith said. We believe everyone is entitled to a good defense, and we are going to give him a good defense.
DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A man will spend the next three years in prison for possessing and selling drugs in Delaware County.

On Tuesday, District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that Sean Gillespie, 25, of Bovina appeared in court and was sentenced to three years in New York State prison followed by one year of post release supervision.

Gillespie was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree- Possession with Intent to Sell, a Class D Felony. He previously pled guilty to the charge, admitting that he possessed fentanyl with the intention of selling it in the Village of Delhi on March 13. He admitted to the crime as part of a plea deal.

Gillespie also forfeited the money that he possessed at the time he was arrested, as it was determined to be proceeds from criminal activity.

As a result of the Deputies fast response, a quantity of dangerous fentanyl was seized before it could be distributed into our community, said Smith.

Gillespie was remanded to the Delaware County Jail pending final sentencing.

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In 2000, Delaware education advocates began pushing to reform the states school funding system  a relic of the Jim Crow era that baked profound inequities into district budgets. Since then, half a dozen marquee tasks forces and commissions have chimed in, unanimously calling for a wholesale overhaul.

This quarter-century of broad agreement notwithstanding, Delawares next governor will inherit the problem, a rising price tag for the fix and, critics complain, no clear political roadmap.

Six candidates are running. Democrats Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long; Matt Meyer, county executive of New Castle, the states largest county; and Collin OMara, World Wildlife Federation CEO and a former Delaware environmental official, will face Republicans Mike Ramone, who is minority leader of the state House of Representatives; retired 9/11 first responder Jerry Price; and businessman Bobby Williamson.

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The states last Republican governor left office in 1993, and this years polls again strongly favor Democrats. The current contest, then, will likely be decided by the Sept. 10 primary, in which Hall-Long and Meyer are the front-runners.

Whoever wins, a recent court case and subsequent legislation commit them to take action. In 2020, outgoing Gov. John Carney settled a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of the Delaware NAACP and a coalition called Delawareans for Educational Opportunity, in part by agreeing to a small boost in aid for a mushrooming population of disadvantaged students.

The settlement also required the state to commission an American Institutes for Research study to determine exactly how underfunded Delawares schools are. Earlier this year, the researchers reported that fixing the problems would cost $500 million to $1 billion.

An alarmingly clear and negative relationship exists between the percentage of low-income students served by schools and the outcomes they achieve for students, the report declared.

After the reports release, lawmakers created a planning commission to figure out how to raise revenue and right inequities, with an eye toward releasing recommendations in October 2025 for a new funding system to take effect in 2027.

The time has come for us to stop kicking this can down the road and start working on real systemic reforms, said state Sen. Laura Sturgeon, one of the Democrats leading the charge.

But others are decrying the appointment of yet one more panel to study what they say is a well-understood problem. ACLU of Delaware Legal Director Dwayne Bensing isnt convinced that the 2027 timeline  seven years after his organizations suit was settled and almost a decade after it was filed  does not, in fact, just create more delay.

Reports by a succession of commissions packed with a Whos Who of Delaware education advocates, philanthropies and state and local officials were released in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2017 and 2021. The only real difference in the new American Institutes for Research report, released this past March, was the price tag.

Related

Will Fallout from COVID Recession Fix Delaware's Jim Crow-Era School Funding?

A central issue identified over and over: With a few, narrow exceptions, Delaware does not include financial supplements to offset the cost of services needed by children with disabilities, those from impoverished households or English learners. Its unusual unit-based funding formula is actually set up to send more money to wealthy school systems than to impoverished ones.

The state tallies the number of teachers a district employs, their years of seniority and other credentials and then sends money to pay for enough educators  at a salary level corresponding to their presumed qualifications  to reach a staff-to-student ratio, or unit, spelled out in the law. The staffing ratios apply statewide, but school systems with higher salaries receive more money for each unit.

Because this means wealthy districts automatically receive more money, those with the most property tax revenue have been able to hire and retain the most sought-after teachers, while struggling, property-poor school systems have no way of competing for faculty or offsetting the costs of poverty.

All three Democratic candidates and two of the Republicans recently attended an education forum moderated by Marcus Wright, who serves on the board of Seaford School District, an impoverished school system in the southern part of the state. Wright came away concerned about the lack of a plan for moving the reform forward.

I thought that there were very broad ideas, but not a roadmap or a game plan, he says. Ill just say that I expected more.

Four of the six candidates agree the school finance formula needs fixing, with Republican Ramone calling for a bipartisan approach to the overhaul. The two candidates that do not mention the reform are GOPers Price, who favors expanded parents rights and career education, and Williamson, who calls for individual student allotment vouchers.

The platforms of all three Democrats tick lots of boxes on educator wish lists, with Hall-Longs proposals perhaps the most traditional. Funding reform is near the end of her published roster of priorities, which is topped by expanded early childhood education, universal free school meals, spending on student mental health, higher pay for teachers and smaller class sizes.

Carney, who is term-limited, left Hall-Long with a mixed record. Under the settlement with the ACLU, he immediately increased supplemental funding for the states most vulnerable students by an amount starting at $25 million in a year in 2020, rising to $60 million annually starting in 2025. Its a start, critics concede, but a pittance compared to the $500 million to 1$ billion called for in the AIR report.

Hall-Longs candidacy has been dogged by several ethics scandals  including complaints about payments she may have made to her husband, who has served as her campaign treasurer since she entered electoral politics in 2016.

Her closest competitor, Meyer, is a former math teacher who in 2016 was elected New Castle county executive. New Castle is Delawares deep-blue northernmost county, home to 60% of the states population, 57% of its voters and the city of Wilmington, where school funding inequities are perhaps the largest.

Meyer started as a Teach for America corps member at an all-boys charter school in Wilmington, where almost every student was impoverished. The school struggled  in part because of the uneven playing field Delawares various commissions have noted. It closed years after Meyer left.

As county executive, Meyer was also a defendant in the ACLU suit, which challenged decades of delays in updating the property valuations used to finance local school aid in Delawares three counties. His 18-page education platform is the most detailed of all the candidates, including specifics on reforming both the state funding system and county-level taxes.

Funding cannot change overnight but must increase with urgency, the document asserts, pledging to Better align our states funding system with the AIR reports recommendation of an additional increase of $3,400 to $6,400 per pupil.

Because of the inequities with county and property development taxes, some districts are able to send four times as much funding to schools as their neighbors. Any new state aid formula must account for this, Meyer says in his plan.

The third Democrat, OMara, is a former Delaware secretary of natural resources and environmental control. His education platform commits to fully implementing the recommendations in the AIR report, suggesting that one way to fix the system would be to leave the basic per-unit calculation alone and add more funding for challenged students.

So how will the next governor achieve his or her vision? At the time the state settled the ACLU suit, proponents of the agreement said they thought shifts in state demographics and the composition of the General Assembly might help cement the political will to raise taxes and change the way the money is distributed. One of these shifts is the rapid demographic change in Delawares student population.

For decades, inadequate and inequitable funding was a problem of the states blue, urban districts. But more recently, education gaps in Sussex  the states southernmost, red-leaning county  have widened as the areas large poultry processing industry has drawn an influx of Spanish-speaking migrants. Advocates had hoped the shift would drive home the notion that inadequate school resources are not just an urban problem.

Simultaneously, the 2018 election of a wave of younger, more diverse, left-leaning lawmakers  among them several people of color who sought elected office to advocate for equity in education  was supposed to buoy efforts to reform the system. In 2021, spearheaded by the new lawmakers, a bipartisan swath of the General Assembly passed a resolution committing to overhaul the funding formula. This year, some of the same legislative leaders sponsored the bill that created the latest commission.

The sponsor and co-sponsor of the 2024 legislation, Sturgeon and state Sen. Elizabeth Lockman, declined to be interviewed for this story; Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha did not return emails requesting comment, though he did speak at length for a 2021 74 Million piece on the urgency the pandemics academic losses would supposedly lend to efforts to reform the funding system.

Some are optimistic the new effort will succeed. Zahava Stadler, project director of New Americas Education Funding Equity Initiative and an expert on Delawares school funding system, says she understands advocates concerns but is less skeptical than some that the commission announced in July will come up with meaningful reforms.

Just because the AIR report made specific recommendations doesnt mean the political system wont have to hash them out, she says. Sometimes these reports sit on a shelf and go nowhere, and sometimes they get results.

Some of the wonkier shifts are already underway, she notes. Property values for local tax purposes, until recently frozen at 1970s and 80s levels, are now being reassessed every five years  a significant change, if not a widely understood one. That will raise revenue, she explains, but the state needs to follow up with a system for more equitably redistributing this money so tax-poor districts arent locked out of the gains.

For his part, Bensing, the ACLU director, worries that a general agreement that the system needs fixing without new specifics means more delays. Its not politically convenient for our elected leaders to tell voters they are going to increase taxes, he says. But that is the right thing to do.

He wonders whether a new court challenge would add a fresh sense of urgency  or give recalcitrant elected officials the political cover of a legal threat or edict to blame for changes to the tax system.

Wright has more confidence that in the long run there will be change, but decries the impact of the incremental pace on students.

How can we compete? How can we fill out classrooms with teachers, with paraprofessionals, with all the people it takes to run a school district? he asks. Our kids dont deserve any less than any other kids.
FILE PHOTO: A bottle of Zantac heartburn drug is seen in this picture illustration

By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - Delaware's highest court said on Tuesday it will hear an appeal by GSK and other drugmakers seeking to end more than 70,000 lawsuits claiming discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer.

GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim are asking the court to overturn an order by a lower court judge allowing plaintiffs in the lawsuits to offer expert testimony on the alleged cancer link, which the companies argue is not supported by sound scientific methods.

First approved by U.S. regulators in 1983, Zantac became the world's best-selling medicine in 1988 and one of the first to top $1 billion in annual sales. It was sold at different times by the four companies, all of which have faced thousands of lawsuits.

The litigation began after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 asked manufacturers to pull the drug off the market over concerns that ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac and generic versions of the drug, could degrade into NDMA, a carcinogen, over time or when exposed to heat.

Three Zantac cases so far have gone to trial, with two ending in verdicts for the defense and one with a hung jury.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York)
Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton is the former mayor of Shively and a state lawmakers since 2023. (LRC Public Information)

Kentucky state Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton was arrested for driving under the influence in Jefferson County early Tuesday morning.

Chester-Burton, a 62-year-old Democratic lawmaker from Shivley, was arrested around 1 a.m. on Garrs Lane in Shivley, a spokesperson for the Shively Police Department told the Kentucky Lantern. She was charged with reckless driving and a second offense of driving under the influence.

According to Louisville Metro Corrections records, the representative was booked around 2:30 a.m.

Chester-Burton began her first term in the House in 2023. While she was mayor of Shivley, she was arrested for DUI in 2020 after falling asleep in a drive-through line at a White Castle.

House Democratic Caucus leaders Reps. Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson and Rachel Roberts released a statement Tuesday afternoon: While we do not yet have details, we are very concerned about the charges facing Rep. Chester-Burton. Without knowing more information, we are unable to comment further at this time.

According to the arrest citation, police officers were responding to a domestic violence call when Chester-Burton drove her vehicle into oncoming lanes of traffic and sat there for a minute forcing an oncoming vehicle to pass around her in the opposite oncoming lane. Chester-Burton then pulled into the correct lane, but stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road and put it into park.

When officers approached Chester-Burton, they could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage from her and her speech was fast and slurred, the report said. Chester-Burton told officers she was coming from Frankfort and people were calling her and asking what was going on in Shively.

One of the officers asked Chester-Burton how much she had to drink, but she would never directly answer the question and kept referring to the calls she was getting, the report said. She attempted to get back in her vehicle a few times, but officers stopped her in fear of getting behind the wheel intoxicated. She asked to call the chief, the report continued, and added she attempted to get into her backseat but almost fell.

Chester-Burton declined to do a field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test, the report said. Chester-Burton was asked again to do a field sobriety test numerous times and she stated that she would not and she would beat it like she did the last one.

After arrest, Chester-Burton again asked to call the chief but she was denied and placed under arrest, the report said.

The subject on spontaneous utterance to the officer transporting her to jail stated that these guys act like they havent ever been to a birthday party, the report said.

Chester-Burton will be arraigned in Jefferson District Court Friday morning.

This story was updated Wednesday morning to reflect an updated court docket.
Attendees at the 2024 Democratic National Convention embraced messages of freedom and patriotism. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

The national presidential race has undergone a sudden and striking overhaul in recent weeks. President Joe Bidens decision to turn the reins of the Democratic Party over to Vice President Kamala Harris has sparked a remarkable resurgence of energy and enthusiasm amongst voters who generally support the policies of the past four years but felt strongly that it was time for Biden to exit the stage.

Last weeks rousing Democratic National Convention in Chicago seemed to put an exclamation point on this dramatic shift. Rarely has the Democratic Party  a frequently raucous and unwieldy big tent long known for its diversity and disorganization  emerged from a convention so enthused, unified, and motivated.

Much of this abrupt transformation, of course, is about people and personalities. While the admiration and appreciation that Democrats feel toward Biden is real and obvious, the anxiety that many felt at the prospect of a fall campaign in which his advanced age would alienate millions of voters was equally apparent. And the fact that Harris has seemed to rise to the occasion and present an image of striking confidence and authority so rapidly has helped turn the relief at Bidens departure into a kind a of celebratory joy.

But another important factor in the newfound Democratic unity and enthusiasm that extends beyond the handoff (and that could play an important role in the 10 weeks that remain between now and Election Day) involves two matters of substance.

The issues are freedom and patriotism.

For many years, the American political right has done a skillful job of seizing these issues and making them their own. Much of this success was about labeling  see, for example, the ultra-conservative and misnamed House of Representatives Freedom Caucus  but some of it was real and substantive.

Its no secret, for example, that progressives, for a variety of historical and ideological reasons, have long felt less comfortable with overt displays of flag-waving nationalism. Meanwhile, when one of the chief substantive policy divides between the modern left and right revolved around taxes and business regulation, it was easy for champions of laissez faire economics to claim the freedom moniker as their own.

But in recent years, as the GOP was transformed from the party of Reagan and the Bushes into the party Trump, an obvious and important shift has taken place.

Consider the following domestic policy issues on which 21st Century progressives now argue persuasively that they are the champions of freedom:

Healthcare  where the Affordable Care Act and Biden-era reforms have liberated millions from the life-threatening trap of corporate power that rendered them uninsured or uninsurable, and unable to afford the cost of basic medications

Reproductive rights, sexuality and gender  where the demise of Roe v. Wade has removed a fundamental human right to bodily autonomy for the first time in U.S. history and a Democratic vice presidential can make mind your own damn business a featured applause line in all of his speeches

Climate change and the environment  where millions view the freedom that comes with inhabiting a sustainable planet as vastly more important than the license to pollute or develop fragile lands

Gun violence  where the freedom to be safe and without fear in public places is now widely understood to outweigh Second Amendment absolutism

Democracy  where a growing majority demands the right to vote without burdensome roadblocks in districts that arent rigged to favor one party of the other

A similar pattern is now evident in the foreign policy realm  especially when and where it comes to combating Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian dictators. Theres no doubt that things like unfettered military spending and frequent global saber rattling still leave many progressives uneasy. The legacies of the nations costly and often disastrous adventures in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq still loom large.

But Russias criminal invasion of Ukraine and the actions of so many Putin-wannabes around the world have changed things for millions of Americans. They see these developments as a threat to freedom and democracy everywhere and are aghast at the idea that their nation could actually end up embracing and partnering with such thugs as soon as next January.

And so it was, as Susan J. Demas of the Michigan Advance noted in a recent column, that Democrats in Chicago last week embraced a muscular, liberal patriotism, from breaking into spontaneous U-S-A! chants to filling the hall with a sea of American flags during key speeches.

Speeches like the one in which their presidential nominee said to loud applause: As commander in chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world, and As president, I will never waver in defense of Americas security and ideals. Because, in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand  and where the United States of America belongs.

It will be fascinating over the next 70 days to see whether this evolution in the Democratic message proves fruitful, and if it does, the kind of change to which it leads in both major parties in the months and years that follow.
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- To date, Chinese public security authorities have issued a total of 16,000 test licenses for autonomous vehicles, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday.

At a press conference in Beijing, the ministry also revealed that 32,000 kilometers of roads nationwide have been opened for autonomous vehicle testing.

These initiatives have provided strong support for the advancement of autonomous driving technology in China, said Wang Qiang, a senior official from the ministry.

He noted that the ministry has collaborated with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Transport, to improve management and support for the autonomous driving industry.

Over the years, regulations and law provisions have been formulated or revised to govern various aspects of the industry in China, including road testing, registration, and traffic safety liability for driverless vehicles.

The ministry will continue working to promote the autonomous driving industry and the upgrading of the automotive industry in China, Wang stated.

Also highlighted at the press conference were the reform measures implemented by traffic management authorities to streamline services for issuing licenses, handling traffic accidents, and other aspects of traffic management.

According to data from the ministry, a total of 250 million digital driver's licenses have been issued nationwide to date. Additionally, a pilot program for digital vehicle licenses has been launched in 60 cities, including Beijing, with digital vehicle licenses issued to over 22 million vehicle owners so far. 
Democrats are increasingly bullish about their chances of flipping the House now that Vice President Harris, and not President Biden, will sit at the top of the ticket in November.

Coming out of the partys national convention in Chicago last week, a long list of lawmakers said the eleventh-hour roster change has led to a flood of new volunteers, a spike in campaign fundraising and a burst of new energy among base voters, all lending new hope that theyll win back control of the lower chamber next year.

I dont know a member who doesnt think that, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said. Weve seen the enthusiasm; were hearing it.

No question about it: It elevates a lot of our races, it may broaden the map, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) echoed. Look, weve still got to finish it. But just looking at volunteers and small-dollar donors  those are two variables that matter, we know they are.

Theres been a huge uptick in both cases, Kildee added. And that makes a difference.

The overt optimism, so visible at the partys convention, where Harris formally accepted the nomination, marks a sharp contrast to the Democrats mood just two months ago, after Bidens disastrous performance in a debate with former President Trump. The prime-time event had tanked the presidents already dreary approval ratings and threatened to drag other Democrats down with him.

The path we were on was unsustainable, Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) said. To be earnest, I thought we were going to lose 20-plus seats, and lose the Senate, and lose the White House.

And now?

Oh, I think well win, she said.

Kuster is watching closely. As head of the New Democrat Coalition, she leads a group whose members include 22 front-liners  the most vulnerable incumbents  as well as 30 nonincumbent candidates who are vying for seats controlled by either Republicans or outgoing Democrats. The numbers since Harriss ascension, she said, have moved visibly.

Im seeing polling all over the country, every day. And we are flipping 5-plus points in all these districts, Kuster said.

In her own New Hampshire district, Kuster said Bidens numbers had fallen 10 points since January, from being 8 points up to 2 points down. Harris, she said, has reversed the downward trend and now leads by a comfortable margin.

We couldnt have done it without Harris, Kuster said.

Republicans have acknowledged that Harriss higher popularity, relative to Bidens, creates new challenges as they race to keep control of the House. Most obviously, theyve been forced to pivot their message toward a brand new target in the very last months of the campaign.

We just spent the last four years trying to define Biden, and we have a very limited amount of time to define Kamala, a House GOP strategist said this week.

Harris has also opened a spigot of Democratic fundraising, providing incumbent Democrats with a significant cash advantage over their GOP challengers around the country  a trend the strategist called concerning.

If they are 3-to-1 on the ad spending, you kind of become whatever the Democrats say about you, because you dont have the ability to push back and respond, the strategist said. We know were never going to be at parity on the candidate level, but we have to raise enough that our message isnt drowned out.

Still, Republican campaign operatives have also rejected the idea that Harriss arrival on the ticket spells doom for the House GOP majority. They maintain that their internal polling indicates that, while Harris is much more popular than Biden, that bump at the top of the ticket hasnt had any notable effect on individual House races.

They also see Harris as an easier target than Biden, in some ways, because of controversial policy positions shes backed in the past, including support for a fracking ban and the defund the police movement.

All things considered, GOP strategists said the race for the House is exactly where they thought it would be at this point in the campaign: neck and neck.

House Republicans prepared for a trench warfare fight for the majority since day 1 of the cycle: recruiting an all-star roster of challengers, building a cash advantage for our incumbents, and honing a quality-of-life message that works no matter the district makeup or political environment, Will Reinert, national spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in an email.

Because we are well-prepared, we are well-positioned to grow our majority, but its going to be a knife fight until the very end.

Democrats of all persuasions are quick to warn that there are no guarantees, and the party has plenty of work to do at all levels if it hopes to seize the Speakers gavel next year. Indeed, that was a common theme at the convention, where top Democrats cautioned that the race is too close to call, and victory will hinge on which party grinds harder in the final sprint.

Were very euphoric now. Everybodys excited. I just got on my phone a message from one of our candidates in the Midwest, saying, My fundraising has gone up 300 percent, my volunteers 150 percent, my polls are good, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during an interview at a CNN/Politico event in Chicago.

So thats good, but thats today. Now what we have to do is turn that into a victory, and that takes work.  It takes every minute, she added. No wasted time, no underutilized resources and no regrets the day after the election that we could have bought one more precinct in an Electoral College state.

Recent analyses by election handicappers have given credence to the cautious approach. A forecast released Monday by Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), for instance, found that while the Republican chances of keeping control of the House dropped 5 percentage points since Biden dropped out of the race, the GOP is still favored  with a 56 percent chance  to keep its grip on the chamber.

Scott Tranter, the director of data science for DDHQ, told The Hill that he expects the chances of someone to win the House to be a roller coaster the next couple of months as we get more House-specific polling, more fundraising.

So many of these races are toss-ups.  We dont know how its going to turn out, he added.

Still, theres no question, in the minds of Democrats, that theyre in a much better position with Harris than with Biden, and that theyve been encouraged by what theyre seeing on the ground.

Pocan, for instance, said Wisconsin Democrats have seen an influx of 42,000 new campaign volunteers since Harris jumped to the top of the ticket. And anecdotes like those were floating all around the United Center during last weeks convention.

Weve all been comparing notes. At our own events, House parties and stuff like that, I mean, the numbers of people who are wanting to be part of it, helping us and other candidates  you can feel the energy, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said. These people want to be part of this movement.

Democrats have also been energized by Harriss decision to tap Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) as her running mate. Walz, who served in the lower chamber for 12 years, is highly regarded among his former House colleagues. But his rousing speech at the convention last week  combined with his Midwestern roots and military background  has given Democrats new confidence that they can appeal to rural voters who have eluded them in years past.

Kuster called them the Friday Night Lights voters.

You have to be able to speak across the aisle, speak to independents, speak to those moderate Republicans, she said.

[Its in] places were not expected to prevail, that have rural and exurban areas, that Tims going to be helpful, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) said. Were trying to get him down to Austin.

We know its a very long shot on Texas, he added, but he can be a big help to Colin Allred, the Texas Democrat looking to jump from the House to the Senate this 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 The Hill.
Democrats sued Georgias State Election Board on Monday, asking a judge to block new rules the party claims could cause chaos and allow local officials to potentially delay or even stop the certification of votes in November.

The suit  filed by the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Democratic National Committee, with backing from Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign  comes after the election board voted to shift its rules regarding the certification process. In a 3-2 vote, the body gave local election officials the power to conduct a reasonable inquiry before certifying any results. A separate rule will also allow those officials to examine all election related documentation created during a race.

The rule changes do not define what reasonable inquiry means.

At minimum, these novel requirements introduce substantial uncertainty in the post-election process and  invite chaos by establishing new processes at odds with existing statutory duties, the suit says.

If these requirements are interpreted as the drafters assert, the suit goes on, county boards or other superintendents could (unlawfully) delay certifying an election in order to complete a reasonable inquiry, or could even (unlawfully) purport to exercise discretion regarding whether to certify at all.

Georgia is the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. We refuse to let ANYBODY take away our voting rights.



We're not going back. pic.twitter.com/hmVdjT8eRi  Lucy McBath (@lucymcbath) August 27, 2024

The lawsuit has asked a state judge to invalidate the new rules, saying the election board has exceeded its authority. The parties argued that any claims of fraud or misconduct should be handled by the courts, not local officials.

The chair of the Georgia Democratic Party also pointed to former President Donald Trumps praise for the three members of the election board who voted for the new rules.

The three members Donald Trump called his pit bulls for victory disagree, and theyre determined to establish a new power of not certifying an election result should their preferred candidate lose  as he did in 2020, Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), who chairs the state Democratic Party, said in a statement.

The legal filing will open up old wounds in Georgia after Trump attempted to overturn the states election results in 2020 following his loss to Joe Biden by just under 12,000 votes. That effort is the crux of one of the former presidents criminal indictments, notably the moment when he asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find the number of ballots needed to see him declared the victor.

Raffensperger, a Republican, criticized the election boards new rules earlier this month, saying the shift risked undermining voter confidence while burdening election workers.

Ginger Hurmence of Lincolnton, Georgia, picks up Donald Trump yard signs on May 18 at the Georgia Republican Party State Convention in Columbus. Jeff Amy/Associated Press

Misguided attempts by the State Election Board will delay election results and undermine chain of custody safeguards, he said in a statement at the time. Georgia voters reject this 11th-hour chaos, and so should the unelected members of the State Election Board.

Republicans have argued the new rules will only further ensure election integrity, an argument based on false claims of electoral malfeasance that remain popular in conservative circles.

These common-sense changes will benefit all Georgians, regardless of political affiliation as they are all designed to increase transparency and public confidence regarding our elections, the states GOP chairman, Josh McKoon, said in a statement Monday to The Associated Press.

Related...
ATLANTA  The Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Party of Georgia and several individuals, including county board members, sued the Georgia State Election Board on Monday over new election rules that critics say conflict with state law mandating certification of election results.

At the heart of the civil suit, filed in Fulton County, are two items the election board passed this month: the reasonable inquiry rule and the examination rule.

The suit says that the rules conflict with Georgias statutes governing certification and that the election board did not follow procedures for rulemaking as required by state law. It therefore asks the court to pause the two rules to the extent that they conflict with existing law.

The plaintiffs are also asking for a declaration that election results must be certified by Georgias statutory deadline of Nov. 12 and that certification is mandatory rather than discretionary.

Democratic state representatives asked Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday to remove the three GOP board members who approved the new rules, saying they acted outside the scope of the boards authority when they approved the measures.

The election board is chaired by a Republican, and it also consists of three Republicans whom former President Donald Trump has praised as his pit bulls for victory, in addition to one Democrat.

Theyre on fire. Theyre doing a great job, Trump said at the rally of the three Republicans who voted for the new powers. Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares and Janelle King, three people are all pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.

The rules would allow county election board members to conduct reasonable inquiries before they certify results. Critics say that could throw Georgias election into chaos because reasonable inquiry isnt defined, allowing an individual board member to block certification for any reason.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who is among the critics, has called the new rules eleventh-hour "chaos."

These misguided, last-minute changes from unelected bureaucrats who have never run an election and seem to reject the advice of anyone who ever has could cause serious problems in an election that otherwise will be secure and accurate, Raffensperger said in a statement on Aug. 15.

The examination rule, the lawsuit says, would allow "demands that county boards make available to any board member for examination 'all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results.'" The rule leaves key terms undefined, failing to specify what documentation must be provided.

The suit claims that the election board has tried to turn the straightforward and mandatory act of certification into a broad license for individual board members to hunt for purported election irregularities of any kind.

The complaint asks for a declaration that the obligation to certify county-level results is mandatory and not up to the discretion of local officials. It also seeks an injunction of the rules to the extent that the court finds they are inconsistent with county boards certification obligations and/or are procedurally defective.

For months, MAGA Republicans in Georgia and across the country have been trying to lay the groundwork to challenge the election results when they lose again in November, Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson Quentin Fulks said in a statement. But Democrats are prepared, and we will stop them. Certifying an election is not a choice, its the law.

Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia in 2020. In a January 2021 phone call, Trump asked Raffensperger to overturn the 2020 results, saying: "I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.

Raffensperger declined. A hand recount certified Biden as the winner by 12,284 votes in an unexpected win for Democrats.

Georgia is expected to be a battleground this time around, too.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will launch a bus tour in the state starting Wednesday with just over two months to go before Election Day.

Charlie Gile reported from Atlanta, Lisa Rubin reported from New York, and Raquel Coronell Uribe reported from Washington, D.C.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  The rate of chronic absenteeism across most districts in Connecticut improved last year, according to data released by the Connecticut State Department of Education Tuesday.

Chronic absenteeism decreased by 2.3 percent the last school year, going down to 17.7 percent, which means about 11,674 fewer students missed at least 10 percent of school days, officials said.

Region 15 starts school with adjusted bus routes

A decline in chronic absenteeism was shown in over 80 percent of school district from the 2022-23 school year to the 2023-24 one.

Education officials believe the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program- an evidence-based home visitation program- has continued to show double-digit improvement in student attendance rates six months after a visit.

Attendance in the kindergarten and early grades is improving faster than the upper grades, they said.

The data also showed overall improvement in mathematics and science scores on the statewide assessments completed in April. It was the second year in a row the state saw these improvements.

CT schools struggling to pay for menstrual supplies

Education officials said the most significant improvement for the majority of students was in mathematics.

However, grades 8 and 11 showed small declines in English language arts performance. Other grades were at or above the previous years scores.

Overall, education officials said additional improvement is needed in all areas to exceed pre-pandemic achievement.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A Deposit man was indicted last week on charges relating to the murder of a 3-year-old child in the Town of Deposit.

District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that James Christ, 27, appeared before a grand jury and was charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child; Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a Class D Felony; and Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-1 Felony.

It is alleged that beginning on or around March 6 and continuing until on or around May 10, Christ knowingly acted in a manner that was likely to injure two separate 3-year-old children in way that affected their moral welfare as well as their mental and physical health.

It is also alleged that beginning on or around April 9 and continuing until on or around May 10, Christ did recklessly engage in conduct, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, which created a grave risk of death to a 3-year-old child.

Finally, the indictment accuses Christ of intentionally killed a 3-year-old child on May 9.

It was reported that Christ is the father of the 3-year-old child. The childs mother, Marielys Ramon, was also charged.

Christ was arraigned in Delaware County Court on August 27. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Honorable John Hubbard remanded Christ to the Delaware County Jail without bail pending trial.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)- A Deposit woman was indicted by a Delaware County Grand Jury on Thursday on charges regarding the death of a 3-year-old child in the Town of Deposit.

District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that Marielys Ramos, 27, was charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a Class D Felony.

It is alleged that beginning on or about March 6 and continuing until on or about May 10, Ramos knowingly acted in a manner that was likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of two 3-year-old children.

Deposit man accused of murdering a 3-year-old child

It is also alleged that beginning on April 9 and continuing until May 10, Ramos recklessly engaged in conduct, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, which created a grave risk of death to a 3-year-old child.

It is reported that Ramos was the mother of the 3-year-old child. The father of the child, James Christ, was charged with the murder of the child.

Ramos was arraigned on August 27. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Ramos was released on non-monetary terms and conditions pending her next court date.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  The Georgetown County Sheriffs Office announced the arrest of a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor.

54-year-old William Brian McCants was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Law enforcement agents found McCants at a Georgetown motel Monday night, the sheriffs office said.

Jason Lesley, spokesperson for the sheriffs office, said the charges are the same minor. The assaults were reported in Williamsburg County.

McCants is currently at the Georgetown County Detention Center, waiting to be moved to the Williamsburg County Detention Center.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  A motorcyclist was hospitalized after crashing into a pickup truck near the Michigan-Indiana border, deputies say.

The crash happened just before 3 p.m. at the intersection of Pine Lake Street and Hess Road in Jefferson Township, the Cass County Sheriffs Office said.

A truck driven by a 53-year-old Cassopolis man was headed east on Pine Lake Street when a motorcycle driven by a 31-year-old from Three Rivers did not stop at the stop sign northbound on Hess Road, the sheriffs office said.

The motorcycle crashed into the truck and was taken to the hospital. He was not wearing a helmet, deputies say.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The crash is under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
The front page of the Deseret News on Aug. 28, 1963, as several miners are rescued in Moab, Utah. The mine explosion happened on Aug. 27.

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

Mining disasters and rescues were an unfortunate part of the 1900s, on both the national and local level.

August 1963 was just such a period.

For a couple of weeks, Deseret News had accounts of a group of miners trapped in a mine in Sheppton, Pennsylvania. It was notable because it was one of the first rescues of trapped miners accomplished by raising them through holes bored through solid rock.

The coal mine had collapsed on Aug. 13 with three miners trapped 300 feet underground. The rescue work, aided in part by assistance from billionaire Howard Hughes, resulted in the successful return of two of the men.

But on the same day the men were rescued, similar disaster struck at the Cane Creek Mine just outside Moab. Newspaper headlines of a national story transitioned to one with local ties.

On Aug. 27, 1963, at 4:40 p.m., the new potash mine workers had reached a rich seam of valuable potash, per historical accounts. Then there was a big explosion.

As toxic smoke and carbon monoxide filled the mine, seven men were force to barricade themselves in one section of the mine. The barricade work saved their lives.

But 18 other miners were trapped in another area.

After 19 hours, two men were rescued. More than two days later, the other five we brought to the surface.

The 18 who died are now honored by a memorial created near the mine, about a dozen miles down the Colorado River from Moab.

Stories from the time reveal that national news reporters, including Walter Cronkite, traveled to Moab.

The news corps in Moab included Robert D. Mullins, the Deseret News Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, who happened to be at a Rotary Club meeting in Price when he got wind of the disaster.

Within minutes, Bob had alerted the News staff and was on his way to the scene. He was shortly joined by five other Deseret News staffers, to provide a six man team coverage, according to a news report of the day.

Ongoing coverage of the Cave Creek Mine disaster on Aug. 29, 1963.

Here are stories from Deseret News archives about the Cave Creek Mine disaster and other challenging collapses and rescues through the years:

Waiting, sweating, hoping for rescue: Recalling 1963 Utah mine disaster

About Utah: Ex-miner is troubled by disaster

Utahs coal mines: Dealing with danger

Family, friends, neighbors honor lost Emery County miners with memorial

Utah mining disaster dredges up memories of Wilberg fire

The Scofield disasterMine blast in 1900 killed 200  the worst calamity of any kind in Utah; each household in town lost someone

Deadly blast in Carbon coal mine ripped town asunder
New Hampshire's population rose quickly in the years after COVID-19, but has recently begun slowing. (Courtesy: New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute)

New Hampshires population has grown since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic  but not from people being born here. In-migration accounted for all of the states population growth, according to an analysis by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.

Now, data indicates that the surge of people moving in is slowing down. A report this month from the NHFPI, a state think tank, pointed to U.S. Census data and state projections showing that the number of working-age people is expected to drop in the coming decades.

The trend is important: New Hampshire is an aging state, and some analyses suggest that the states population may cease to grow and instead start declining by 2040.

About 20 percent of Granite Staters are 65 and older and an additional 15 percent are between 55 and 65. Meanwhile, the proportion of children under 18 has declined.

There are not enough younger people in the state to change that long-term trajectory through births alone, analysts say.

Because the states population growth comes primarily from in-migration, I think attracting young workers is key to helping ensure that the workforce is keeping up with the aging population, said Jessica Williams, a policy analyst for NHFPI, speaking to reporters about the report.

Growth by moving truck

New Hampshire has grown since 2010 by about 6 percent; currently, the state has about 1.4 million people. Between 2020 and 2023, a net amount of about 30,000 people moved to the state, said Williams, citing Census data.

Carroll County, the home of Jackson, Conway, Wolfeboro and other lake and mountain towns, saw the largest growth in population between 2020 and 2023. Coos County saw the smallest rise.

Much of that migration was from other parts of the U.S.  most prominently Massachusetts  but in Hillsborough County, the majority of growth came from international arrivals.

New Hampshire also lost residents who moved to other states, most significantly Maine, where 6,488 people moved from New Hampshire in 2021 and 2022 combined.

The Granite State has gained some population from California, New York, and New Jersey, but has also lost some to Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina.

Internationally, New Hampshire has seen most of its population growth from India, which made up 23.8 percent of non-domestic immigration. The next three highest countries of origin are the Dominican Republic, comprising 9.1 percent, the United Kingdom, making up 6.1 percent, and Honduras, at 5.3 percent.

A brief surge in young people

Most of the people coming into the state are younger than the states median population. Out of all new residents from 2018 to 2022, 76.8 percent were under the age of 44, a potential boost to the states economy and workforce.

And the newcomers are more diverse, helping bring the population of non-white residents up to 12 percent overall.

Some of the recent growth is likely COVID-related, especially as the majority of new residents were from Massachusetts, a likely result of people moving north out of more populated areas and working remotely, Williams said. The same phenomenon likely explains the migration from New Hampshire to Maine, the NHPFI said.

But the growth seen in 2020 and 2021 has appeared to slow in the subsequent years. In 2023, the states total population increased by just 0.23 percent, after a 0.64 percent rise in 2021 and a 0.83 percent jump in 2022.

One of the reasons, posits Phil Sletten, the NHFPI research director who also briefed reporters: As the states housing constraint becomes more severe, it may become more difficult for people to move here.

And even if young families have moved recently, New Hampshires population of children under 18 has been steadily declining; an analysis by the NHFPI in 2022 found that the Granite State had the largest reduction in children of all 50 states from 2010 to 2020, according to Census data.

Overcoming that requires higher and more consistent numbers of people moving in.

Decades-long impact

Even with some in-migration, New Hampshires broader demographic direction is tilted to the reality that many residents are aging and workforce shortages persist.

One effect: Higher percentages of residents 65 to 74 are participating in the workforce now than were 20 years ago, according to New Hampshire Department of Employment Security data  although those percentages dipped somewhat from 2022 to 2023.

Older workers are going to be a really important part of our economy going forward, and already are a really important part of the economy and workforce, Sletten said.

Older residents are expected to make up an increasingly larger proportion of the states workforce until about 2035, when the trend will reverse, according to projections from the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs.

After 2035, younger residents will increase their percentage share of the workforce.

But by 2040 the state is projected to reach a ceiling in its population: It will hover just over 1.5 million people and then drop slightly through the 2040s, an analysis by an outside contractor for the department found.

That is likely an effect of the current older generation of Granite Staters dying.

According to NHFPI, the effects could be widespread. More young residents may be taking care of older family members in the next few decades, taking themselves out of the workforce. The state already faces shortages of health care workers, and will need to build nearly 90,000 housing units by 2040 in order to meet population demands, according to New Hampshire Housing, a state agency. Those problems will only increase over time as the existing population ages.

And New Hampshire schools  already the subject of more than 20 years of steady enrollment declines  will continue to consolidate or close, particularly in lower-population areas, analysts say.

The conclusion is clear, Williams said: More young people need to move here to slow down the underlying trends.

A greater number of working-age adults, predominantly younger people, are moving into the state, she said. So while a strong and vibrant economy and workforce may be enough to bring people into the state, we also have to consider other structural components, such as childcare, care for relatives who are aging, and housing.

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TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Monday exchanged views on bilateral ties and the situation in Gaza.

During their meeting, the two sides reviewed joint efforts to expand bilateral relations, and reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing and accelerating the implementation of previously signed agreements, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

They also discussed the developments of the Israeli "crimes" in Gaza, the statement said.

Noting that the Israeli approach "escalated tension and expanded the conflict in the region," Araghchi voiced Iran's support for any ceasefire agreement Hamas would accept.

The Qatari foreign minister, who arrived in Tehran on Monday, called for continued consultation with Iran to help ensure stability and security in the West Asia region and to support the Palestinian people. 
Dorothy Silzel, 30, was found sexually assaulted and killed inside her apartment in February 1980

Van Buren County Sheriffs Office Kenneth Duane Kundert.

A 65-year-old man is behind bars for the murder of a woman some four decades ago.

Kenneth Duane Kundert of Clinton, Ark., is charged with the first degree murder of Dorothy Silzel while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Rape in the first or second degree in King County, Wash., according to charging documents obtained by PEOPLE.

Kundert was arrested on Aug. 20 and is being held on behalf of other law enforcement agencies, according to the Van Buren County Sheriffs Offices online inmate roster.

Prosecutors requested that bail be set at $3 million ahead of his extradition, per the charging documents.

The 30-year-old single woman, who was a full-time Boeing Aircraft Company instructor and worked part-time at a pizzeria, was found dead inside her Kent, Wash. condominium on Feb. 26, 1980, per the charging documents, which note that she had been beaten in the head, estranged and/ or suffocated, sexually assaulted and left mostly nude in her home.

At the time, semen was found on her body and her robe, per the charging documents, which note that as DNA technology advanced over the years, a male DNA profile was obtained from samples from the anal swab and the robe.

Van Buren County Sheriffs Office Kenneth Duane Kundert.

Then, in March of 2022, the DNA evidence collected from the crime scene and analyzed with updated technology led investigators to pinpoint 11 possible suspects  including Kundert and ten people who were related to him, per the charging documents.

By September of 2023, investigators had honed in on three family members, including Kundert. The trio was being investigated for an assault in Arkansas.

Kundert had worked in Seattle and in Snohomish County in 1987, although records going further back were not available, per the charging documents. He also had a brother who lived a just 1,200 feet away from Silzels condominium.

But detectives had trouble collecting the lynchpin DNA evidence needed to pinpoint him as a suspect. Kundert declined to voluntarily give a sample.

During an interview with detectives discussing the assault case, he smoked through a pack of cigarettes and drank from a water bottle, per the charging documents. But after finishing each cigarette, he carefully placed the butts, as well as the crushed water bottle, in his pocket.

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Now believing Kundert to be the killer, Kent police detectives surveilled him in his hometown in Arkansas.

While smoking in a Walmart parking lot earlier this year, Kundert dropped a cigarette butt into a receptacle. Detectives snatched it from the bin and later matched it in a lab to DNA recovered from the crime scene.

Kundert has not yet been extradited from Arkansas to Washington to face the charges, according to online records that list him as an inmate in the custody of the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office.

His arraignment, when he will enter a plea, is slated for Aug. 29 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, Wash., according to Casey McNerthney of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

It was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer to represent him in Washington.

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SANGER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Detectives are asking the public for help with information about a pickup truck that is possibly tied to a homicide in Sanger that happened in March.

According to the Fresno County Sheriffs Office, detectives are searching for a GMC or a Chevrolet pickup truck that may have played a role in a homicide from March.

IDENTIFIED: 34-year-old shot in Sanger, suspect on the run

On March 2, a man who has been identified as 43-year-old Cesar Quezada of Sanger by the Coroners Office was suffering from a gunshot wound outside of a Sanger home.

Officials say deputies and EMS provided life-saving measures but Quezada died on the scene.

According to officials, Quezada was inside an inoperable van parked on the property when he was shot.

Detectives believe the incident to be an isolated incident and not a random act of violence.

Officials say the vehicle is described as light-colored with some discoloration on the passenger side of its extended cab. The truck also features black rims, oversized tires, and a loud exhaust system.

Anyone with information about the case or details about the pickup truck in question is asked to contact Sheriffs Detective Juan Galindo at 559-600-8215 or email at juan.galindo@fresnosheriff.com.

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WHITE PLAINS  On the former White Plains Mall site, a 30-by-60-foot U.S. flag rose on Monday from the base of one of two towers nearing completion that together will hold more than 475 apartments with amenities such as fitness studios, game rooms, and a pool.

The flag came to rest behind a host of officials, including the RXR and Cappelli Organization's property development teams, and before an audience that included construction workers at the "topping off" ceremony for the buildings, which are part of the development's phase-one.

The top floor's concrete has been erected at 5 Cottage, the taller of the buildings standing 26 stories high. Collectively, the redevelopment called AVE Hamilton Green consists, in the first phase, of 25 Cottage (a 12-story, 170-unit building that has also topped out) and the 307-unit 5 Cottage tower.

Joseph Graziose, Executive Vice President of Development Services at RXR, speaks during a topping off ceremony at the AVE Hamilton Green mixed-use apartments development site in downtown White Plains Aug. 26, 2024. The project consists of two residential buildings; one is 12-story, 170-unit building and the other is a 26-story, 307-unit tower. The complex is being built on the site of the old White Plains Mall. Also at the ceremony was New York State Senator Pete Harckham, left, Joan McDonald, Westchester County Director of Operations, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, and Louis Cappelli, President of the Cappelli Organization.

Amenities for those who live there will include 24-hour concierge, lounges, co-working spaces, outdoor terraces, and more. Two blocks from the Metro-North train station with service to Manhattan, the development is planned to include dining and retail. Also anticipated are a 559-space underground parking garage, as well as 39,000 square feet of commercial space.

Plans are for studio, one- two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as "unique bi-level loft and penthouse layouts, including fully furnished apartments with flexible lease options for stays of 30 days or longer," a news release said. Apartments will have floor-to-ceiling windows with a smart-glass technology that delivers "optimal natural light throughout the day offering sweeping views of the region." There will be stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and backsplashes, generous walk-in closets, and wood-inspired vinyl plank flooring.

There will also be a large plaza of open space, accessible to the public.

The 25 Cottage building is projected to be finished by year's end, with the first occupancy anticipated shortly thereafter. The 5 Cottage building, where exterior work is still visibly ongoing, is projected to be completed in mid-2025 or so.

A range of rents has not been disclosed. Pre-leasing of apartments of AVE Hamilton Green is underway, a news release said.

"Today marks a pivotal moment for Hamilton Green and the city of White Plains, one that all of us here should be really proud of," Joseph Graziose, RXR executive vice president of construction and development, told those gathered for the event Monday. He added that Hamilton Green is "a state-of-the-art, mixed-use, transit-oriented and amenity-driven residential complex a true example of what can be when public and private sectors come together to reimagine a city's downtown."

Bordered by Cottage Place, Hamilton Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Barker Avenue, the complex marks the first phase of redevelopment by the team of RXR and the Cappelli Organization.

"The Cappelli Organization is pleased to join with our development partners and our partners from the city of White Plains and Westchester County, as we celebrate the reimagination of this key property in the heart of downtown, Louis R. Cappelli, the Cappelli Organization president, said in a statement. As the image of the former White Plains Mall quickly fades, our entire team takes great pride in building the new residential towers and with them bringing the promise of new opportunities for hundreds of residents and a new vitality to downtown.

Louis Cappelli, President of the Cappelli Organization, speaks during a topping off ceremony at the AVE Hamilton Green mixed-use apartments development site in downtown White Plains Aug. 26, 2024. The project consists of two residential buildings; one is 12-story, 170-unit building and the other is a 26-story, 307-unit tower. The complex is being built on the site of the old White Plains Mall. Also at the ceremony was New York State Senator Pete Harckham, left, Joan McDonald, Westchester County Director of Operations, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, and White Plains Mayor Tom Roach.

Brad Korman, co-chief executive officer of real-estate company Korman Communities, said leasing hasn't opened "yet the interest already has been remarkable." He said units will be spectacular "with condominium-quality finishes," adding: This is going to be unlike anything youve ever seen.

Hamilton Green will embark on a second development phase: Two additional buildings totaling 390 residential units and 45,000 square feet of commercial space.

The overall development is slated to include 78 affordable-housing units.

Several hundred construction workers attended a topping off ceremony at the AVE Hamilton Green mixed-use apartments development site in downtown White Plains Aug. 26, 2024. The project consists of two residential buildings; one is 12-story, 170-unit building and the other is a 26-story, 307-unit tower. The complex is being built on the site of the old White Plains Mall.

Commercial property transformations nothing new to Westchester

Replacing a former, long-vacant property with new apartments and retail is no anomaly. The metamorphosis of longtime commercial properties into live-work-play developments has been ongoing around Westchester County and throughout much of the country.

In Port Chester, for instance, the long-vacant former United Hospital property is being redeveloped into 775 rental apartments, retail space, a boutique hotel, plus assisted-living and memory-care units. In Yonkers, the Journal News reported in 2022 that more than 3,550 mostly market-rate apartments and townhouses could rise across three locations. And in White Plains, some 3,200 apartments with 384 affordable units have been proposed at the site of another former mall, the Galleria.

Some of the region's officials have chalked up the efforts to convert malls, corporate complexes, shopping centers and even former chain retailers into housing to a profound shift in shopping habits: The ability to buy so many things online without going to brick-and-mortar locations.

The White Plains Mall sign is demolished during the groundbreaking ceremony for Hamilton Green, the new housing development by RXR and the Cappelli Organization, on the former White Plains Mall site Dec. 8, 2022 in White Plains. The residential project will include four mixed-income multifamily buildings totaling 860 rental units, including 78 on-site affordable units, open space, underground parking, as well as dining, retail and commercial spaces.

At the December 2022 ceremony launching the White Plains Mall redevelopment into Hamilton Green, complete with a viewing of the demolition of the former mall sign, Mayor Thomas Roach said the area where the former mall stood didn't have the same sense of a public square that exists over in the city's bustling Mamaroneck Avenue area, with its eateries and activities.

The redevelopment aims to change that.

Making this particular area, the Main Street and Hamilton, less sterile and warmer for people, to make it more walkable," Roach said at Monday's event.

White Plains Mall opened in 1972, and over time had stores and a Department of Motor Vehicles branch.

Now, officials said it's time to turn the page.

"

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: White Plains development: apartment tower top off at former mall site
Did the Iranian group that hacked Trumps campaign also target Utah? Possibly, state says

The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Monday, May 6, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

The Iranian-affiliated group that successfully hacked former President Donald Trumps campaign possibly targeted infrastructure in Utah, although the states Department of Public Safety cant say for sure.

Last week, several national security and law enforcement agencies confirmed Trumps claim that Iranian hackers had successfully compromised his campaign. Now, Utah officials said the group, called Mint Sandstorm, could be behind unsuccessful hacking attempts related to Utahs oil and gas industry and other geological data.

The division analyzed data from March 2023 to March 2024, although thats not necessarily when the attempts took place. The investigation didnt find any evidence of a breach.

Indicators of compromise were researched and possibly tied to the threat actor group Mint Sandstorm, but it is not confirmed that it was this group. So, we cannot confirm the attempts we observed were Mint Sandstorm, the Utah Department of Public Safety, or DPS, said in a statement to Utah News Dispatch on Monday.

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Mint Sandstorm has been active since 2013, targeting Iranian dissidents, journalists, universities and government agencies, according to a report from Microsofts Security Insider. According to Meta, the group targeted the campaigns of both Trump and President Joe Biden earlier this year using WhatsApp. Documents hacked from the Trump campaign were later sent to The New York Times, Washington Post and Politico.

In a story published last Friday, NBC News reported the same group attempted to breach Utah-based assets including a county in Utah, geological archive data, oil and gas, and other geographical resources related to Utah, citing a leaked DPS document issued on July 30. A spokesperson for the Utah Geological Survey told the news outlet the agency was unaware of any attempted attack.

But DPS on Monday told Utah News Dispatch that the report was partly inaccurate.

Our leaked For Official Use Only report indicated that it could possibly be a threat from the actor group Mint Sandstorm, but we never confirmed the source, the department said.

Whether the attempted incursion came from Mint Sandstorm or not, its fairly common for foreign nations, or groups associated with them, to target state institutions or businesses. Each week, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of hacking attempts and probes linked to other countries, said Jeff Plank, a sergeant with the Utah State Bureau of Investigations who supervises its cybercrime unit.

Mostly they stem from China, Russia and Iran, he said, often interested in critical infrastructure. The states water and energy infrastructure and financial system are frequent targets. So are the mining, oil and gas industries.

Theyre always looking to see how they can possibly use that data to harm our critical infrastructure. Oil and gas is definitely one of the big ones, said Plank, who couldnt speak specifically to the Mint Sandstorm report.

And while one million attempts in a single week may seem like a lot, Plank said foreign governments or government-affiliated groups write programs allowing them to launch repeated, automated attacks.

Those numbers add up pretty quickly. And its a way to probe, reach and look into things and see if they can get from one network to the next, Plank said. The idea is a well-balanced attack and theyre going to go after every single infrastructure that they can.

Those probes are often exploratory, but they can yield big results with potentially dangerous or damaging consequences, especially when they target critical infrastructure.

All of a sudden you might find that youre able to turn off a valve, or turn up the temperature, said Plank.

Hackers also routinely target Utah networks in hopes of gaining access to federal data. In 2013 when the National Security Agency built its data center in Bluffdale, Plank said the state saw an increase in what he called interest from various nation states.

Utah in general saw a lot more interest and visits by foreign IPs when that was happening, and still today. Some people think theres a backdoor here, where they can go through the state network and get to the NSA, he said.

Plank reminded Utahns on Monday to take a few simple, minimal steps to protect themselves from cybercrime:

Make sure your computers operating system is up to date.

Create new and complex passwords.

Use two-factor authentication.

Back up your sensitive data offline.

Be skeptical of emails from strangers that could be phishing attempts.

If you have employees, have them undergo cybersecurity training.

That should save most people a lot of headaches, Plank said.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Its been an exciting time for Tim Sampson and other employees at John Ball Zoo.

In just the past four months, the zoo has welcomed eight new baby animals: a snow leopard, an eastern mountain bongo, three lynxes and three Magellanic penguins. Although the births were planned, they did catch the zoo off guard.

What happens as storms move in over John Ball Zoo?

I definitely didnt plan on it happening so close to each other, Sampson, a curator at the zoo said. Theres a lot of planning involved. I mean, we had rough estimates that theyre close based on observed breeding and based on natural history of the animal. But we didnt expect it, especially since both the cats were first-time moms. A lot of times, they dont really conceive on the first time, so we werent expecting that. We were just hopeful. So were pretty excited (about) what happened.

Three baby lynxes that were born at John Ball Zoo. From left to right: Rocky, Yukon and Jasper. (John Ball Zoo)

A snow leopard cub born at John Ball Zoo. (John Ball Zoo)

Three new baby penguin chicks born at John Ball Zoo. (John Ball Zoo)

Chestnut, an eastern mountain bongo, was born at John Ball Zoo on July 23. (John Ball Zoo)

All three lynxes, named Rocky, Yukon and Jasper, and Chestnut the eastern mountain bongo are now out in their exhibits at the zoo. The three penguin chicks and the snow leopard cub have yet to make their debut, but Sampson said they could be out as early as next month.

The zoo has been focusing on breeding the endangered and threatened species they have in their care. It works with other zoos and organizations on a Species Survival Plan (SSP) to bring in or send these animals to breed with other species and help the population grow.

The process can be difficult, however. Theres more to it than putting a male and female animal in the same enclosure and letting nature take its course.

Baby fever: Snow leopard cub born at John Ball Zoo

Sometimes theyre completely incompatible, and it just doesnt work, Sampson said. And sometimes you put it, put them together, and they love each other and they will never separate. So, I mean, its really, you know, its like throwing leaves in the wind. You dont know where its going to land.

Thats where the SSP comes in handy. Sampson said that typically more confident and stronger animals will breed more easily than some inexperienced animals. The zoo has run into that problem with trying to breed its tigers.

We actually have a newer tiger. We had Titan, we had his brother Finn before that. We paired them up with our female, Sampson said. Theyve never reproduced before. So theres a lot of unknown and a lot of confusion on both of them. They didnt really know what was going on or the right cues to follow. So we sent Finn out to (a) zoo in North Dakota, where he was put with an experienced female and then we brought an experienced male in. So, sometimes its as little as that.

They hope to begin the tiger breeding process once again in the fall. Sampson said there are efforts to start breeding the pygmy hippos as well.

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One mans trash is another mans treasure.

A construction project at the historic Assay Office building in Boise has unearthed artifacts of items that were thrown away and buried as far back as 150 years.

While technically the items are trash, theyre no less valuable for the historical record and provide a window to the past.

Initially we believed that when they dumped their trash, they dumped it farther off the property, Chris Shaver, archaeologist for the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, told me in an interview at the site. I really wasnt expecting what we found.

This photo shows the cross-section of soil where historical artifacts were found on the grounds of the Assay Office building in Boise. The red lines highlight the area where the artifacts were deposited.

Found buried in the ground around the Assay Office building, 210 W. Main St., were crucibles and other vessels used by the Assay Office, which melted down ore to separate gold and silver from impurities, leaving behind pure gold or silver, which was then weighed and exchanged with miners for cash or bank notes.

Among the artifacts found were scorifiers and cupels used in the smelting process, along with a metal bell, a stone ball, broken glass, melted glass vessels, square head nails, grommets, tacks, shotgun shell caps, and even chicken bones and dozens of cow bones, which were sawed, suggesting that they were butchered for food.

One of the more interesting items? A Union General Service Button from around 1855-77 that might have been worn on a frock coat cuff or a cap.

One of the more interesting items among the artifacts unearthed at a construction site on the grounds of the Assay Office building in Boise is this Union General Service Button from around 1855-77 that might have been worn on a frock coat cuff or a cap.

Assay Office history

As I wrote in a column in May, the Assay Office, which today houses the State Historic Preservation Office, is undergoing some restoration.

The Assay Office was built in 1871 and opened in 1872 by the U.S. Treasury Department in Idahos early mining days. It served that purpose until 1932, when the need for government-run assay offices was on the decline.

Its one of Idahos most historically and architecturally significant buildings. Its one of only four buildings in Idaho designated as a National Historic Landmark, which is one step above a listing on the National Register of Historic Places and given only to places that are of national significance.

After 152 years, water infiltration has damaged the buildings basement.

That meant digging a trench around the building and constructing a barrier to keep water away from the building.

In the process of digging on the site, the artifacts were uncovered.

I asked the crew to give me a call if they found anything, Shaver said. I was not expecting what we found. We realized we were looking at something left in the lawn, just a few feet down, for 100 years or more.

The second floor of the building contained an apartment for the chief assayer and his family, so the artifacts included some habitation items, such as buttons made of shell, ivory and metal, tacks, perhaps a coffee cup handle and possibly pieces of a dinner plate. But the bulk of the found items were used in the melting process to extract pure gold and silver.

Among the items found at the construction site on the grounds of the Assay Office building in Boise were crucibles, including this one nearly intact. Crucibles were used to process and refine ore samples and were the largest of the containers found on the site.

Making history real

Even Dan Everhart, Idaho State Historic Preservation Office outreach historian, whos told the story about the Assay Office dozens of times to the public, said holding the objects that hes talked about for years made it all the more real.

Ive been talking about the work of this office for years, but I dont think I actually had a full realization of it in my mind, Everhart said. Theres something about holding or seeing an object to make you totally understand the whole process.

The cupel, used in the process of purifying gold and silver, is still stained with the minerals, such as lead, copper, zinc or arsenic, that were leached out of ore in the purification process.

Blobs of material staining the outside of a crucible allow you to imagine metal and melted rock bubbling over in the furnace. The insides of the little cupels, which seem to be for one-time use, were still stained with the metals that were leached out of the ore.

Many of the artifacts include makers marks, which then allowed Everhart to track down their time period.

One broken plate showed just a tiny fragment of a logo with the name Powell. State Historic Preservation Office researchers were able to match the name and logo with a company out of Staffordshire, England, named Powell & Bishop, which was so named from 1867-78. The company had different names before and after those years, so the researchers can be certain that the plate was from that time period.

Another crucible carried the mark of the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, whose name existed only from 1858-81. After 1881, it became the Morgan Crucible Company.

Dan Everhart, Idaho State Historic Preservation Office outreach historian, points to a makers mark on the base of a crucible, used to process and refine ore samples. Such makers marks allow historians to date the artifact based on when the company was in business.

One common mark was J. Taylor & Co., a San Francisco wholesaler of assaying equipment, importing the vessels used in the smelting process from such places as Paris and London.

Everhart imagines the crucibles, scorifiers and cupels making their way via ship from Europe to San Francisco, then by rail to Salt Lake City.

Whats interesting is that all that material had to come to Boise overland, Everhart said. The transcontinental rail line was just completed in 1869, but rail service didnt reach Boise until 1883, so if you have anything that needs to come into Boise at that time, it has to come up via a freight wagon.

Chris Shaver, archaeologist for the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, holds some of the smaller items found at the construction site around the Assay Office building.

Whats next

The next step for the artifacts, which they just found the week of Aug. 12, is to clean them up, see what more information can be gleaned from them and document them. Everhart said the artifacts have renewed an interest in creating an exhibit at the Assay Office so that the public can appreciate what the work and life there was like 150 years ago.

Everhart and Shaver emphasized that digging for artifacts on public lands is illegal, so dont go showing up at the Assay Office with your metal detectors and trowels.

More than just the law, though, Shaver said its really a matter of ethics.

It isnt just your history, Shaver said. Its all of Idahos history. It belongs to all of us. Its like stealing from the rest of us.

Further, its a matter of preserving the historic record. Shaver said hes seen people bring in artifacts that they found, but theres no record of where it was found, in how deep of soil or when it was found. Without those vital pieces of information, the artifact loses its historical value.

People dont realize how important that is, Shaver said. They think its just a trinket, but to us, its a historical record.
Dillard University, City of New Orleans to receive almost $70M to address climate change

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  Dillard University and the City of New Orleans are getting almost $70 million to address climate change.

Women with a Vision getting New Orleans voters to vote in upcoming elections

The federal grants from the Environmental Protection Agency come as part of the Investing in America Act.

The funding was announced at a Monday news conference attended by Congressman Troy Carter, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Interim President of Dillard University Monique Guillory and officials from the EPA, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, Louisiana Green Corps and Blue Bikes.

(WGNO/Renaldo Ruffin)

(WGNO/Renaldo Ruffin)

(WGNO/Renaldo Ruffin)

Carter said part of the funding will go toward planting more than 7,000 trees.

These grants represent more than just financial support. They symbolize a collective commitment to environmental justice, sustainability and making sure that we, the collective we, all recognize that we have one world, said Carter.

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.

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Dinuba man steals over $13K in tools from 2 Central Valley school districts, police say

Dinuba man steals over $13K in tools from 2 Central Valley school districts, police say

SANGER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A Dinuba man was arrested after allegedly stealing several thousands of dollars worth of tools from both Sanger and Kingsburg Unified School Districts, the Sanger Police Department said on Monday.

According to Sanger Police, Dinuba resident Joe Florez allegedly stole over $13,000 in tools from a property belonging to Sanger Unified School District on Aug. 19.

Officers say they were able to locate and arrest Florez after identifying him as a suspect in a similar theft involving Kingsburg Unified School District.

In the days following the Sanger burglary, police say they obtained a search warrant for Florezs storage shed and apartment in the 900 block of West El Monte Way in Dinuba. Inside, officers found a large number of tools stolen from both Kingsburg and Sanger Unified School Districts.

Florez was arrested and transported to Fresno County Jail.

Police say several additional tools whose owners have not yet been identified were also recovered.

Anyone who has fallen victim to recent theft and believes these tools may belong to them can contact the Sanger Police Department Detective Unit at 559-399-8024.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)  Disbarred celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi was convicted Tuesday of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from his clients, including several with severe physical injuries and families of people killed in accidents.

After a 13-day trial and less than a full day of deliberations, the federal jury in Los Angeles found the 85-year-old Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud.

Girardi is the estranged husband of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne and appeared on the show himself dozens of times between 2015 and 2020.

He was once among the most prominent lawyers in the nation, often representing victims of major disasters against powerful companies. One lawsuit against California's Pacific Gas and Electric utility led to a $333 million settlement and was portrayed in the 2000 Julia Roberts film Erin Brockovich.

But his law empire collapsed, and he was disbarred in California in 2022 over client thefts.

Former clients who testified against Girardi included an Arizona woman whose husband was killed in a boat accident and victims who were burned in a 2010 gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, south of San Francisco.

Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a Champion of Justice, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement after the verdict. In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse.

An email to Girardi's attorneys seeking comment on the conviction was not immediately answered.

During trial, defense lawyers sought to blame the thefts on his firm's chief financial officer, Chris Kamon, who is charged separately and has pleaded not guilty. They portrayed Girardi as a mere figurehead in recent years, with a valuable name.

Prosecutors played jurors voicemails in which Girardi gave a litany of false reasons why money that a court had awarded could not be paid, including tax and debt obligations and judge authorizations. He frequently told them, Don't be mad at me.

Girardis attorneys also had argued that he was not competent to stand trial because he had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. Issues with his memory had led another court to put him in a conservatorship under his brother.

But prosecutors contended that Girardi was exaggerating his symptoms, and a judge ruled that he was competent for trial.

Girardi could get as much as 80 years in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled for December. A judge has allowed him to remain free until then.

Girardi also faces federal wire fraud charges in Chicago, where he is accused of stealing about $3 million from family members of victims of a 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 people.
A former Mason City Schools bus driver is accused of endangering children while taking 31 students to school last spring, the district announced Tuesday.

In a letter emailed to parents, the district said the former bus driver was arrested Monday and charged with endangering children. The charge stems from the driver's alleged actions while transporting students to school May 30, the last day of the school year.

A fellow transportation department employee that day noticed that the driver smelled of alcohol and reported it, the letter says. The district then began an investigation, and the driver was removed from their route.

Ten Mason High School students and 21 Mason Early Childhood students were driven to school before the driver was taken off duty, according to the letter. The driver was immediately placed on leave and no longer works for the district.

District officials said they were unable to inform families sooner due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

In a statement, Superintendent Jonathan Cooper said officials are "deeply disturbed" by the former driver's actions, which were "completely unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Mason City Schools."

"The safety and well-being of each and every student in our care is our top priority. We are grateful for the men and women who safely transport our students to and from school each day, and are committed to enhancing our safety protocols to ensure that all our drivers meet the highest standards of safety and responsibility," Cooper said.

All families of the 31 children on the bus received an email from the superintendent and a phone call from the Warren County Child Advocacy Center on Tuesday.

Drivers currently undergo random drug and alcohol tests. According to the letter, the district is reviewing and strengthening its safety protocols in light of the incident.

The letter to parents does not include the former driver's name. The Enquirer is seeking additional information through Ohio's public records law.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Mason school bus driver accused of endangering children
A tractor operates in a scorched field after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Aug. 29, 2024. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

SAO PAULO, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday.

In an interview with Brazil's GloboNews channel, the governor said the wildfires have triggered a maximum alert in more than 50 towns, including key agricultural centers like Ribeirao Preto, where the fires have now been brought under control.

At least four cities suspended classes on Monday due to the need to clear heavy ash from the area, he added.

"It is difficult to estimate the losses, but we estimate that they amount to 1 billion reals," said the governor.

"What happened had a devastating effect on agribusiness, something very sad, which is why we are going to support agribusiness...to give them a hand, since we know the importance of agribusiness to our economy," he added.

Affected by drought and extreme heat, some 2,316 wildfires have broken out in recent days, sparking fear and concern among residents in the state.

According to the National Institute for Space Research, that figure is almost seven times higher than the wildfires recorded in August of last year.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday denounced the fires as intentional, prompting the Federal Police to initiate an investigation into environmental crimes. 

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows a burnt sugar cane field after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows burnt plants and farmlands after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows a burnt sugar cane field after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows burnt plants and farmlands after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows burnt trees and farmlands after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows a burnt sugar cane field after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 29, 2024 shows burnt plants and farmlands after wildfires in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The economic loss caused by the wildfires in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached up to 1 billion reals (182 million U.S. dollars) within just three days, regional governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)
(KRON)  Disturbing antisemitic flyers and packets found in Contra Costa County have been linked to an antisemitic network committed to expelling Jews from America. The flyers were distributed to homes in several Lafayette neighborhoods as well as the surrounding communities, according to Lafayette School District officials.

In a letter sent out to LAFSD families and the community, school superintendent, Brent Stephens and president of the districts governing board, Meredith Meade, condemned the flyers.

We unequivocally condemn thee acts of hate, the school officials wrote. They have no place in our society, and they are especially unwelcome in our community. The Lafayette School District stands firmly against all forms of discrimination, bigotry and hate.

Additional antisemitic flyers were found in the driveways of homes in Concord, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek this week, according to Rabbi Perlman of Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. The presence of the flyers in these cities were also confirmed by Walnut Creek City Councilmember Kevin Wilk, the citys first Jewish council member.

Fire that started from two Teslas parked in Lafayette driveway spreads to nearby vegetation

This is explicit antisemitism, said Rabbi Perlman. It is the type of message that is meant to scare people and make us afraid to be in our own community.

The flyers, which contain disturbing antisemitic messaging and imagery, some of which evokes pedophilia, bear symbols associated with the Goyim Defense League (GDL). The GDL, according to the Anti-Defamation League, is a loose network of individuals connected by their virulent antisemitism.

One of the flyers featured large text that said Hitler was right.

The group also operates Goyim TV, an antisemitic online video platform. Its stated goal is to expel Jews from the United States, according to the ADL.

GDL espouses vitriolic antisemitism and white supremacist themes via the internet, through propaganda distributions and in street actions, the ADL said. The group also engages in antisemitic stunts and schemes to troll or otherwise harass Jews, the ADL said.

According to a Rabbi Perlman, it is the GDL that is behind the distribution of the flyers, which were found in the driveways of both Jewish and non-Jewish homes.

The in-your-face antisemitism these flyers convey is meant to offend and erode our communitys sense of security and belonging, Perlman said. However, Goyim Defense League, the hate group behind these efforts and those who distribute these flyers on their behalf, have typically avoided activity that risks arrest.

If you encounter individuals associated with leafleting and other GDL provocations, avoid engaging with them and report them to your local police, Perlman added.

We know that from working with law enforcement that these folks are not a violent threat against the community, said Tyler Gregory, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Their entire intent is meant to throw us off and make us feel uncomfortable.

It is not known whether these incidents were related to recent antisemitic flyers left in Berkeley driveways. The Berkeley Police Department is investigating those incidents as a hate crime.

However, on Saturday, at least two people hung a banner off a Concord freeway overpass that read, Not White Not Welcome, accompanied by a symbol associated with the GDL.

KRON4.com has reached out to the Lafayette Police Department and the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office for more information. We have not heard back at this time.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
XENIA, Ohio (WCMH)  An Ohio man who was on death row for nearly three decades has been released as he awaits a new trial for the 1988 murder of an 18-year-old woman with a railroad spike.

The murder sentence of David Lee Myers, about 60 years old, was recently vacated in the death of Amanda Jo Maher, a pregnant mother. Maher was found with a railroad spike lodged into her right temple on the south side of Xenia, according to court documents.

Myers defense fought for his death sentence to be thrown out in light of newly discovered DNA on objects at the scene, which they said pointed to another man committing the murder. Myers was granted a new trial and released on Aug. 19 after spending 28 years in prison at the Chillicothe Correctional Institution.

The murder of Amanda Jo Maher

On Aug. 4, 1988, Maher was found barely alive with a railroad spike penetrating her temple near railroad tracks in Xenia. She died shortly after being flown to a hospital, court documents said.

The night before, Maher and her boyfriend, Glenn Smith, went to the Five Points Tavern in Xenia around 9:30 p.m. Myers arrived near 10:30 p.m. Smith, who used to work there as a bartender, recognized Myers as an occasional customer, according to court documents.

Myers and Smith began drinking and playing pool together. During this time, Smith became upset at sexual remarks Myers made about Maher, records said. Sometime after midnight, Smith and Maher left to go to a bar called the Round Table and Myers asked if he could come along, so the three drove together.

After arriving at the bar, Smith began getting rowdy and threw his glasses on the floor, and the bartender called police. Officers escorted Smith outside and placed him under arrest.

Maher asked police if she could have Smiths wallet and keys, which officers retrieved with his permission. She discovered none of the keys worked for Smiths car. Myers then approached a police officer and told them he would make sure she gets home and would take care of her, court documents state.

A bar patron saw Myers with his arm around Maher walking across the parking lot. A police officer later saw the pair walking along a sidewalk, about 300 yards from where she was eventually discovered fatally wounded, according to court documents.

Around 2:10 a.m., a witness saw Myers return alone to the Five Points Tavern, get in his car and drive away. About five minutes later, he returned to the Round Table. One of the few patrons left in the bar  who had previously witnessed Myers and Maher leave together  asked him if he got any [sex] from Maher. Myers replied that, He tried, but she wasnt willing and he just dropped her off, court documents stated.

Around 3 a.m., a woman walking home discovered Maher and called the police. Officers arrived and found Maher with her shirt pulled around her neck, wearing no other clothes and with the railroad spike driven into her right temple. She died from severe head trauma and attempted strangulation.

At the time of Mahers death, Myers was on probation for sexual battery. He was arrested later that day but denied killing Maher. He claimed he last saw Maher on her hands and knees looking for car keys in the Round Table parking lot.

While in county jail in 1988, Myers had made comments to another incarcerated man implying that he had committed the murder. The inmate asked him, Why a railroad spike? Myers replied, Because it was handy, according to court documents. In 1996, he was found guilty of aggravated murder and sentenced to death.

DNA evidence leads to new trial

In 2020, Myers was granted access to DNA testing that was not available at the time of his trial. He said after receiving the test results, the DNA evidence cleared him of involvement. Court records indicated that Myers said he also had evidence to refute a range of unreliable (and damaging) scientific testimony that the state used at his trial.

After maintaining his innocence for over 36 years, David Myers recently obtained new evidence proving that his DNA was not among the male DNA found on items used in the crime, including the murder weapon, the law firm representing Myers, Vorys, said in a statement. In two thorough opinions, the Court agreed that this new DNA evidence warrants a new trial.

In February, Myers representation filed a motion in Greene County Common Pleas Court to vacate his death sentence. He was granted a new trial, and Judge Jonathan Hein overturned his conviction and sentence. Myers has been out of prison since Aug. 19, under the conditions that he wear a GPS monitor, not leave the state and refrain from using alcohol or drugs as he awaits his new trial.

According to NBC4s sister station WDTN, the Greene County Prosecutors Office said the state is planning on appealing both the motion for a new trial and the decision to release Myers on bond. However, theres no timeline yet on when those decisions will be made.

The case is due back in court for a pretrial conference call on Nov. 22.

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Docs: 20K pages of discovery in case of Pee Dee man accused in murder of New Mexico State Police officer

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  The trial of a Marion man being held on charges in the March killing of a New Mexico State Police officer is far from beginning, as attorneys from both sides grapple with a mountain of evidence in the case, newly issued court documents show.

Jaremy Smith is accused in the roadside killing of Ofc. Justin Hare along Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari on March 15.

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.

Timeline: Whats happened so far in the case of slain Pee Dee paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore

Hes charged with carjacking resulting in death and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Jaremy-Smith-filingDownload

The same day, law enforcement launched a manhunt for Smith and he was arrested two days later in Bernalillo County, officials said.

The investigation remains very much ongoing, including, but not limited, (to) extensive forensic testing of evidence collected in South Carolina and New Mexico, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez wrote in an Aug. 15 filing.

Attorneys say theyve accumulated 20,000 pages of discovery including law enforcement reports, photographs, videos, phone records, GPS data and other material.

Suffice it to say, this investigation is large and complex, involving federal and state law enforcement entities in both New Mexico, South Carolina and various states in between, Uballez wrote. Given the nature of the crimes, there are hundreds of federal and state law enforcement officers in this investigation, many of whom have generated reports subject to disclosure.

Smith wont face the death penalty if convicted, Uballez notified the court earlier this month.

Smith, 33, also faces 17 charges related to the death of Phonesia Machado-Fore, a Pee Dee paramedic whose body was found March 15 outside of Lake View in Dillon County.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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STAR CITY, W.Va. (WBOY)  A medical doctor who practiced in several areas of West Virginia has been charged with a felony after allegedly grabbing and forcing a victim to kiss him near his Monongalia County office.

On Aug. 2, officers with the Star City Police Department responded to a report of a sexual assault at a business on University Avenue, according to a criminal complaint. The incident allegedly took place at Star City Nutrition, which is in the same building as McMillion Medical of which Virgil McMillion, 49, of Morgantown is the proprietor.

When officers arrived, they met with a victim who stated that McMillion dragged [the victim] into the back room by [the] arm after the victim ignor[ed] sexual advances from McMillion, officers said.

McMillion Medical and Star City Nutrition building (WBOY image)

While in the back room, McMillion began kissing [the victim] against [the victims] will, and grabbed the victim by the buttocks as [the victim] struggled to get away from him, according to the complaint.

Morgantown doctor admits to filing false tax return

McMillion has been charged with first-degree sexual abuse. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Aug. 22, and a property/surety bond of $35,000 was set on that same date, which was posted on that time.

Previously, McMillion was indicted in Lewis County on a felony charge of second-degree sexual assault in July 2021, but he was found not guilty in a jury trial in Oct. 2022.

His medical license has been suspended in the states of Ohio, South Dakota, Louisiana, Idaho, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland, and Oregon.

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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  In an effort to bring awareness through the community, a local Fresno foundation is holding a remembrance ceremony for loved ones who died of an overdose.

Aug. 31 marks International Overdose Awareness Day, a worldwide effort to be more informed, reduce drug-related death stigmas, remember those lost to overdose, and provide support for those left behind.

Officials say since the introduction of fentanyl into the street supply of drugs in Fresno, there has been an increase in visits to hospital emergency rooms and deaths.

Every day, we see lives around us being changed and lost to overdose. Overdose does not discriminate it could be you or someone you love, a friend, colleague, or your neighbor, said Lynn Horton, co-founder of the Zachary Horton Foundation.

The Zachary Horton Foundation and Hinds Hospice Center for Grief and Healing will be hosting a gathering and remembrance ceremony on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the California Health Sciences University in Clovis.

There, Hinds Hospice will introduce a program called HALO, or Healing After Loss by Overdose. Officials add additional resources will be available including free Narcan and fentanyl testing strips.

It is important to honor the people whose lives have been altered by overdose. People lost due to overdose are not just statistics  they are people who are loved, said Kathy Cromwell, executive director of Hinds Hospice Center for Grief & Healing.

The HALO program will offer a support group to parents who have lost a child to overdose in addition to a group for anyone impacted by overdose.

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Does WA state energy council have the courage to stand up to Gov. Inslee? | Editorial

Editors Note: This editorial was updated after EFSECs Aug. 29 meeting.

Washingtons Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) met on Thursday to discuss the fate of the Horse Heaven Hills wind turbine project.

Before council members vote, they should ask themselves whether they serve the people of Washington or Gov. Jay Inslee.

When Scout Clean Energy, a Colorado-based company, proposed building hundreds of turbines hundreds of feet in the air on a ridgeline south of the Tri-Cities, local residents mobilized in opposition.

They noted that the project would disrupt endangered ferruginous hawk habitat. It would impinge on lands held sacred by Native Americans. And it would mar scenic vistas.

EFSEC heard those concerns. It also heard from green energy advocates who parachuted in from Seattle to support a project whose impacts they would not feel.

After listening to everyone, EFSEC struck a fair compromise. The project could go forward, but not at the scale originally proposed.

That wasnt good enough for the governor. Inslee believes that the need for green energy must trump any concerns. This is no time to worry about native lands and endangered species, he argues, at least not if they stand in the way of windmills. He wants the council to forget about the compromise and allow the project to go ahead as proposed.

EFSEC staff prepared new recommendations to meet the governors goals, and they would allow up to 70 more turbines on the site by significantly scaling back protections in the original EFSEC plan.

So whom do council members serve?

If they understand that their constituency is all Washingtonians, not just the one who lives in the governors mansion, they will stick with their compromise. The vote was postponed to next week because one council member couldnt attend Thursdays meeting. The date and time have yet to be set.

Inslee is a lame duck governor, set to leave office in just a few months. He can afford to override the councils professional recommendation in pursuit of a political legacy because he wont have to live with the consequences. The next governor will have to deal with the fallout.

So too, will EFSEC. Compliance with Inslees request would devastate the councils credibility.

Some fallout could hit as soon as the November election. Voters will decide whether to prohibit taxes on carbon and repeal the cap-and-trade program.

If Inslees strong arm green tactics prevail, it could well sour some swing voters on his climate agenda and convince them to support Initiative 2117. No one likes a bully, not even a climate bully.

If EFSEC sides with Inslee, it almost certainly will lead to lawsuits. Environmental, tribal and community advocates wont just roll over. The council should decide whether to roll the dice on litigation and delay or clear the way for a reasonable number of windmills to go up as soon as possible.

In 2022, state lawmakers passed a bill that gave EFSEC more independence and authority. The Legislature wanted the council to support green energy development while also encouraging meaningful public comment and participation in energy facility decisions.

Members of the council should reflect on the word meaningful. They listened to Tri-Cities residents, local tribes and environmentalists at public hearings and in testimony. That led to a compromise that respected local concerns while allowing a significant green energy project to go forward.

If council members now capitulate to the governor, the years of debate and dialogue will have been rendered meaningless.

Green energy supporters from the Puget Sound area often slander anyone who raises concerns about Horse Heaven Hills as a NIMBY (not in my back yard). Such accusations are baseless and demonstrate only a closed mind unwilling to consider genuine challenges.

This region welcomes the economic development that comes with green energy projects. There are plenty of suitable sites around the Tri-Cities. An upcoming solar project at Hanford is but one example of how this can work.

If wind farms want to come here, local experts can help them find suitable sites that dont have all the problems of the Horse Heaven Hills.

EFSEC was not meant to be a rubber stamp for the governor. The council, especially after the 2022 legislation, is supposed to streamline approval of green energy projects, but only after thorough analysis and consideration of public concerns.

Indeed, the EFSEC website highlights that the council is an Independent State Agency. It should act like one, not capitulate to a governor in search of a green legacy no matter the cost.
After extensive training and testing with six shelter dogs in laboratory and field settings, researchers have found that dogs are highly accurate at detecting chronic wasting disease in both farmed and wild whitetail deer. These findings, which were published in the PLOS One journal on Aug. 7, may help wildlife and livestock managers detect and contain CWD, the fatal prion disease that infects deer, elk, and other cervids across North America.

Testing for CWD has always been riddled with logistical challenges. That includes everything from screening live animals to teaching hunters how to extract lymph nodes from their deer. So Glen Golden, one of the lead researchers on this study, and his colleagues obtained hundreds of fecal samples from both farmed whitetail deer and deer killed by hunters in Western Tennessee. They also received gastrointestinal tissue samples from Tennessee whitetails. Refer to the full study for the exact testing protocol and accuracy for each set of trials, but heres the laymans version.

Golden rewards Moose, a black-and-tan coonhound, for identifying a positive sample of avian influenza in mallard feces (in this instance, by scratching at a box containing the sample). Moose was then trained to identify CWD-positive deer feces in this study. Courtesy of Glen Golden

During laboratory trials, dogs were presented with five total fecal samples in boxes: one was CWD-positive while the other four were negative for CWD. The researchers would walk the dogs down the line of boxes and if the dog detected CWD, it would sit. Random chance in this scenario is one in five, or 20 percent. During testing with rewards like treats or toys, the dogs were 90 percent accurate at identifying the CWD-positive sample.

To be clear, the dogs arent actually sniffing out the malformed prions that are responsible for CWD. Instead, pups are trained to single out the odor of a specific metabolic change that occurs in whitetails infected with CWD.

If you can imagine an odor profile, its kind of like a barcode, says Golden. Thats how busy it is. And youre asking the dogs to pick out one line in a bar code and focus on that. That takes a bit of work but once you get them focused on that, theyre highly accurate.

After the dogs proved they could identify CWD in deer poop, researchers presented them with deer guts. In one component of this experiment, researchers conducted 419 reward testing trials with whitetail colon samples; the dogs correctly identified CWD infection with 96 percent accuracy.

We used those [GI tracts] to try to prove that dogs could transition from fecal samples to whole tissue samples, says Golden, who is hopeful the study can be expanded for real world applications. For instance, a lot of times youre collecting just deer heads [from deposit boxes or at check-ins] and you could line those heads up like suitcases at the airport and just bring the dogs down that line and have them report on each particular sample.

A field-testing site at a working farm in Western Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Glen Golden

Although the full field research research component of this study was cut short, Golden is also hopeful future research will unlock methods for detecting CWD in the environment.

We were supposedly working on environmental contamination [in Tennessee], mainly where deer congregate at historical salt licks or historical bait stations, says Golden. [What if we could find] where the chronic wasting disease was lying on the soil. The next question I had was, what if theres a microbiome in the soil just like there is in the gut? What if the prions interact with that microbiome and [emit] a different microbiome that [the dogs can detect]?

Selecting Dogs for CWD Detection

Interestingly, the CWD-detection dogs in this study werent hand-picked for their reputations as scenthounds. Healthy dogs and other mammals in general are still much more sensitive in odor detection than any machine we have yet, says Golden. So instead of seeking out purebred bloodhounds, Golden hand-picked dogs from animal shelters.

A handful of the dogs used in the study. Photo courtesy of Glen Golden

I dont believe that theres any difference between a Lab or a Pekingese in terms of olfactory acuity, says Golden. The thing that does limit dogs in their ability to perform at these tasks are physiological makeup. I have some boxers that would be amazing at [scent detection] but theyd last 10 seconds  because they cant handle heat and humidity. The dogs I mainly look for are dogs that are driven by scent. I wouldnt pick a sight hound like an Afghan. Were looking for high-arousal, high-prey-drive dogs that need to be stimulated constantly. Were picking the dogs that  no one else would want to try to handle.

Read Next: Are Chronic Wasting Disease Fears Making People Quit Deer Hunting?

The final lineup of working dogs for the study included a black and tan coonhound, two Lab-Collie mixes, and a Catahoula, among others.

How Soon Will We See Dogs at Deer-Check Stations?

Now that theres solid research showing dogs can identify samples from CWD-infected whitetails, deer managers are eager to add dogs to their containment strategies.

A lot of cervid farmers have contacted me and suggested that theyd love to have a [CWD-detection] dog on their property, says Golden. We have a tool now that could be used. But whoever is doing it is going to have to spend some money, and theyre going to need some samples to test dogs.

One consideration with training dogs to detect CWD is biosecurity. While chemists have been able to replicate odor profiles for avian influenza, theres not currently a chemical alternative for the odor profile of a CWD-positive deer. In other words, its not feasible to sell vials containing samples from CWD-positive deer to just anyone.

It really would be better if we had a chemical substitute [for training] but thats not always going to be possible with every disease, says Golden, who has previously trained dogs and ferrets to detect avian influenza. Thats one of the bumps we have to work out so that anybody training a dog could figure out how to get this done.

Read Next: Chronic Wasting Disease Has Been Detected in Yellowstone. That Could Be a Good Thing

But once a few of these logistical challenges are resolved by anyone or any agency willing to tackle them, theres hope for improving CWD detection in the field and beyond.

Theres a very achievable bridge [from this study] to practical applications at hunting check-in stations, says Golden. It just needs financial support.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The state Department of Health is changing how often it tests ocean water for bacteria. The move is being applauded by beachgoers and conservation groups, but the changes might not go as well as planned.

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Right now, the DOH posts signs at beaches during a brown water advisory, when the ocean turns brown from run-off after heavy rain, but it does not actually test the water for bacteria during these events.

Clean-up efforts begin on Hawaii island as Hurricane Hone passes through

If its brown, I dont go out there, said Eddie Fiel, surf instructor. In the past, its gotten people really sick, lot of staph infections. Its pretty dirty. Too polluted to swim in.

There is a really enhanced risk of contracting a potentially life-threatening pathogen when you enter waters that are visibly brown, carrying sediment and cat poop and whatever out of the watersheds, said Daniel Amato, Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter.

The DOH does test water at some beaches regularly. A new proposal would require it to continue testing during brown water advisories.

Its really important to actually test during these brown water events because we have very limited data showing how bad it gets when the water is brown and when is it safe to go back in again, said Amato. If the water is clear, is it safe? We dont really have an answer to that.

The Department of Health declined our requests for an on-camera interview. In a statement, it said the change is to be responsive to the public with the available resources to have more information about enterococcus levels.

Mayor Roth details Hone damage, prep for Gilma

The department said it does not have the resources to test every beach during a brown water advisory, so the proposal is to test tier-one beaches as resources allow.

However, the department said it only has one tester on Maui, Hilo and Kona. The Kauai position is currently vacant. It did not specify how many testers are here on Oahu.

We expect it to be clean and safe for everybody and thats what we want, ideally, said Fiel. Safe spot. Good clean safe spot.

The Surfrider Foundations Blue Water Task Force does test water regularly. Amato said just a couple of weeks ago at Magic Island, they found bacteria levels 16 times higher than the limit when the state is required to alert the public.

Amato said there were no signs up and the water was clear.

Its likely rain-event induced, said Amato. When we have rain in Manoa, the watersheds that kind of spills into the Ala Wai and that water makes its way all out here. And so whatever is happening in those watersheds is flowing right out into the surf break.

Bowls is very dirty, said Fiel. Compared to 200 yards to the east, rockpiles, completely different. You can definitely see the difference in color, texture, the feel, the smell. You dont have to be smart to know that one.

DOH is taking public comment on the issue until Sept. 13. The change is expected to go into effect on Sept. 30.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. is seen in this file photo. The DOJ last week argued that allowing Alabama to prosecute people who help out-of-state women obtain abortions would "improperly intrude" on the affairs of other states. (File)

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) last week sided with reproductive health providers seeking to stop Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall from prosecuting those who help Alabama women obtain abortions across state lines.

In a brief filed on Aug. 19, the DOJ argued that its in the countrys best interest to preserve the proper functioning of the federal system and ensure that one state does not improperly intrude into the affairs of other states.

The filing states that Alabamas threats to use criminal conspiracy laws against those who help women leave the state for abortion services violate a bedrock principle of American constitutional law: states cannot punish their residents for traveling to another state to engage in conduct that is lawful in that state.

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Messages seeking comment were left Monday with the office of the Attorney General as well as the ACLU and the Lawyering Project, which represent the plaintiffs.

The case, brought by the Yellowhammer Fund and the West Alabama Womens Center, challenges the Alabama Attorney Generals over public statements he made suggesting he could prosecute those aiding interstate travel for abortion services. Abortion was banned in Alabama in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion rights protections in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

The DOJ brief is in support of the plaintiffs motion for summary judgment, which could be ruled on soon. The state also filed a motion for summary judgement, arguing that plaintiffs lack standing to sue on behalf of clients.

The attorney generals office has argued that organizations like Yellowhammer Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial and logistical support for abortion access, cannot claim a right to travel because they are not flesh and blood, physical citizens. In its filing last week, the Justice Department said that the right to travel also encompasses the ability to assist others with travel, noting that a corporation can certainly assist others with travel.

The Justice Departments filing asserts that the right to travel is protected under the Constitution and that this right includes the right both to move physically between states and to do what is lawful in those states.

If a state cannot outright prohibit the plaintiffs clients from traveling to receive lawful out-of-state abortions, it cannot accomplish the same end indirectly by prosecuting those who assist them, the filing said.

The federal government previously intervened in the case opposing Alabamas motion to dismiss, which U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson denied in May, allowing the case to proceed. The U.S. argued that the right to travel between states was a fundamental American right, dating back to the Articles of Confederation.

The federal filing concludes by urging the court to rule in favor of the plaintiffs, stating that Alabamas threatened prosecutions are unconstitutional as they violate the right to travel, arguing that Marshalls threats contradict Supreme Court precedent.

Marshall also argued that it is crucial to identify the source of the constitutional right to travel, to which the U.S. stated the Alabama AGs argument is flatly contrary to the Supreme Courts repeated decision not to limit the right to travel only to specific doctrines or constitutional provisions.

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) last week sided with reproductive health providers seeking to stop Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall from prosecuting those who help Alabama women obtain abortions across state lines.

In a brief filed on Aug. 19, the DOJ argued that its in the countrys best interest to preserve the proper functioning of the federal system and ensure that one state does not improperly intrude into the affairs of other states.

The filing states that Alabamas threats to use criminal conspiracy laws against those who help women leave the state for abortion services violate a bedrock principle of American constitutional law: states cannot punish their residents for traveling to another state to engage in conduct that is lawful in that state.

Messages seeking comment were left Monday with the office of the Attorney General as well as the ACLU and the Lawyering Project, which represent the plaintiffs.

More: 'A floor, not a ceiling': Alabama in a post-Roe vs. Wade world

The case, brought by the Yellowhammer Fund and the West Alabama Womens Center, challenges the Alabama Attorney Generals over public statements he made suggesting he could prosecute those aiding interstate travel for abortion services. Abortion was banned in Alabama in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion rights protections in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

The DOJ brief is in support of the plaintiffs motion for summary judgment, which could be ruled on soon. The state also filed a motion for summary judgement, arguing that plaintiffs lack standing to sue on behalf of clients.

The attorney generals office has argued that organizations like Yellowhammer Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial and logistical support for abortion access, cannot claim a right to travel because they are not flesh and blood, physical citizens. In its filing last week, the Justice Department said that the right to travel also encompasses the ability to assist others with travel, noting that a corporation can certainly assist others with travel.

The Justice Departments filing asserts that the right to travel is protected under the Constitution and that this right includes the right both to move physically between states and to do what is lawful in those states.

If a state cannot outright prohibit the plaintiffs clients from traveling to receive lawful out-of-state abortions, it cannot accomplish the same end indirectly by prosecuting those who assist them, the filing said.

More: Alabama OB-GYN residencies dropped over 21% after Dobbs, state abortion ban, analysis says

The federal government previously intervened in the case opposing Alabamas motion to dismiss, which U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson denied in May, allowing the case to proceed. The U.S. argued that the right to travel between states was a fundamental American right, dating back to the Articles of Confederation.

The federal filing concludes by urging the court to rule in favor of the plaintiffs, stating that Alabamas threatened prosecutions are unconstitutional as they violate the right to travel, arguing that Marshalls threats contradict Supreme Court precedent.

Marshall also argued that it is crucial to identify the source of the constitutional right to travel, to which the U.S. stated the Alabama AGs argument is flatly contrary to the Supreme Courts repeated decision not to limit the right to travel only to specific doctrines or constitutional provisions.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, an independent nonprofit website covering politics and policy in state capitals around the nation.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: DOJ: Alabama abortion assistance ban would intrude on other states
Children are seen outside a building targeted in an Israeli airstrike in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on Aug. 27, 2024. Seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike targeting an apartment in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a Palestinian medical source and paramedics told Xinhua on Monday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua)

GAZA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 Palestinians were killed on Monday in a series of intense Israeli attacks across various areas of the Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources.

Seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike targeting an apartment in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a Palestinian medical source and paramedics told Xinhua.

In addition, six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment on Yarmouk Street in Gaza City, local sources and eyewitnesses confirmed.

Rescue and civil defense teams recovered the bodies of the victims and several injured people from the apartment and are still searching for survivors, the sources told Xinhua.

The civil defense teams also recovered the bodies of three victims and several injured people from another apartment on the same street, according to the sources and witnesses.

Furthermore, the Gaza Civil Defense reported that its teams recovered the bodies of five people, including a child, along with several injured people following an Israeli attack on a house on Yafa Street in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.

Separately, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that a Palestinian was killed and three others injured on Monday evening by gunfire from Israeli settlers near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Israel has been on a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and approximately 250 taken hostages.

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 40,435, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Monday. 

Members of Palestinian civil defense work outside a building targeted in an Israeli airstrike in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on Aug. 27, 2024. Seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike targeting an apartment in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a Palestinian medical source and paramedics told Xinhua on Monday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua)

People stand outside a building targeted in an Israeli airstrike in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on Aug. 27, 2024. Seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike targeting an apartment in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a Palestinian medical source and paramedics told Xinhua on Monday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua)
The former coal-fired Chesterfield Power Station at Coxendale Road. (Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury)

Dominion Energy decided last week to build its proposed natural gas plant at its former coal-fired Chesterfield Power Station in Chesterfield County, instead of at an entirely new site, but community concerns remain.

In a statement, Dominion spokesperson Jeremy Slayton said the utility made the decision to move the Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center proposal from the initial James River Industrial Park location on Battery Brooke Parkway after receiving community feedback. The power station site will limit construction and operations to the existing industrial footprint and minimize impacts to wetlands and cultural resources, wrote Slayton, adding the existing site already has needed infrastructure in place and will meet air quality protection requirements.

For these reasons, we are confident the project meets all site suitability requirements under Virginia law, Slayton said.

The project is being put forward alongside several of Dominions renewable energy projects to meet surging energy demands from extreme weather events, the proliferation of data centers and increasing electrification of everyday life.

But in light of the Virginia Clean Economy Act  a law requiring Dominion to transition to renewable energy sources by 2045 unless there is a concern over grid reliability  and after Democratic legislators spoke out against it, local residents continue to be opposed to the 1,000 megawatt project.

Community members have said they want more energy efficiency and storage projects developed. Residents also want a public hearing for the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors to take a formal vote to determine if the location meets site suitability requirements, which hasnt happened.

Instead, county staff decided a conditional use permit issued in 2010 for the existing Chesterfield Power Station on Coxendale Road would be applicable to the new plant, meaning the county wont need to make further approvals or hold public hearings on the matter.

Dominion referenced that decision in their statement about the plants location change and provided that zoning determination to the states Department of Environmental Quality as part of the air permit approval process, but a site suitability determination has not yet been made, agency spokeswoman Irina Calos said in an email Tuesday.

The Friends of the Chesterfield, a group formed to oppose the plant, sent a letter on Tuesday to the county supervisors asking for an on-the-record vote of site suitability by its Sept. 25 meeting. Otherwise, the group will hold its own Peoples Hearing on Oct. 29 to gather testimony to be submitted to DEQ and the State Corporation Commission, the states utility regulators, in future approval processes.

The Board has the right and responsibility to solicit, interpret and honor the perspectives of your constituents, the Tuesday letter states.

Nicole Martin, president of the Chesterfield NAACP, said in a joint statement with the Southern Environmental Law Center, also on Tuesday, that Dominions decision-making thus far has taken place in back rooms with little to no input from community members that will have to live with pollution from this facility every day.

How it has handled this is not good. Its unethical, Martin continued. It gets to the heart of how environmental injustice starts and persists  locking people and communities out of decisions that greatly impact all aspects of their lives.

Next steps

The plants location change prompted Dominion to modify its air permit application with DEQ, which is expected to release a draft version by the end of the year. Its unclear how the new location may impact the amount of pollution the plant is expected to produce.

Since there was no permit actually drafted for the initial location, Calos, with DEQ, said we are unable to determine how it would differ. Mike Dowd, director of DEQs air and renewable energy division, previously told the Mercury modeling might change.

Under the initial permit application, the plant, with four natural gas combustion turbines, was projected to emit 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, 81.6 tons of particular matter and 344.9 tons of nitrous oxides annually, among several other pollutants.

Brennan Gilmore, executive director of Clean Virginia, a group that was formed to oppose Dominions influence in the state legislature and that has been organizing opposition to the project alongside the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said, Halting this project is crucial to keeping utility bills in check and protecting Chesterfield residents from decades of dangerous air pollution.

The release of the new permit by DEQ will be followed by a public comment period and multiple public hearings, as well as an application with the SCC early next year to get final approval for the project. Dominion said it will also hold at least two additional public meetings, in the coming weeks and months.

The utility, aware of the fierce opposition to the project, countered that it will be a necessary and reliable source of electricity for local residents and Central Virginians.

We respect their views and will continue working as hard as we can to address their concerns, said Slayton.
Elon Musk wont be part of a Donald Trump cabinet after all. The Republican nominee walked back his comments about considering Musk for an executive-branch role, citing Musks connections to X, SpaceX and Tesla and the demands they put on him.

He wants to be involved. Now look, hes running big businesses and all that, so he cant, really, I dont think he could be cabinet, Trump said in an interview with former Navy Seal Shawn Ryan. An excerpt of this interview was published on Sunday. Id put him in the cabinet, absolutely, but I dont know how he could do that with all the things hes got going.

Trump then said that Musk may be able to consult on a cabinet, pointing to artificial intelligence as an example of a subject Musk would be well-versed to consult about.

Last Monday, Trump told Reuters that he would consider putting Musk on a cabinet if Musk would be open to it. Hes a very smart guy. I certainly would, if he would do it, I certainly would. Hes a brilliant guy, Trump said.

These comments came after Musk publicly endorsed Trump for president last month. The X and Tesla head also suggested that the government create an efficiency commission during an interview with Trump earlier this month that was streamed on X. Id be happy to help out on such a commission, Musk said.

Shortly after Trump first made the comments about Musk possibly taking this position, CNN broke down all the reasons why this would likely never happen. The chief reason is that its illegal to work on government matters that impact your own personal finances. For that reason alone, Musk  who is heavily involved in some of the biggest industries in America including technology, media, biotech and transportation  would have an incredibly difficult time working on any government project.

The post Donald Trump Backpedals on Elon Musk for Cabinet Role: He Cant, Really appeared first on TheWrap.
Donald Trumps made clear he isnt keen to debate Kamala Harris on ABC News, but he confirmed Tuesday he will show up on Sept. 10.

The confirmation came via a rambling post to Truth Social where the former president labeled ABC News the most unfair newscaster in the business and referred to his opponent as Comrade Kamala Harris.

I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats, he said to begin his announcement Tuesday.

Trump, 78, said the debate will have the same rules of his June showdown with Biden, which was moderated and broadcasted by CNN. That means there will be no crowd in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center when he takes on Harris, 59, for the first time at 9 p.m. local time.

Kamala Harris hasnt debated since Oct. 2020, when she faced off against Mike Pence in a vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City. Reuters

Other rules will include the muting of microphones during opponents answers and the banning of notes or cheat sheets. Trump said that ABC agreed to put on a fair and equitable debate, with questions not shared with the candidates in advance.

There had been some speculation Trump would bow out of the September showdown after he suggested Monday he should shut out ABC News so it doesnt get to moderate a debate night.

Harris campaign said on Aug. 15 that it had ended the debate on debates by agreeing to a total of threetwo for Harris against Trump and one for Tim Walz to face JD Vance.

The second presidential debate doesnt have a set date, but Harris camp said it would be on NBC News sometime in October. Trump claimed in his post on Tuesday that Harris team hadnt agreed on that matchup yet, but didnt share why.

Dont Silence Me! Trump On Steroids Fights With Aides Over Debate Mics

Trump indicated Tuesday he was irked by Harris refusal to face him in a debate on Fox News. He wanted them to face of on the right-wing network on Sept. 4a date he said hes left open in case Harris changes her mind.

That date will be held open in case she changes her mind or, Flip Flops, as she has done on every single one of her long held and cherished policy beliefs, he wrote.

Both campaigns have agreed that Vance and Walz will debate on Oct. 1 in New York City, with CBS News moderating the event.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The News

Democrats think theyre weird. The Trump campaign thinks they speak to persuadable voters  and enough of them to sway the election.

For months, Trump has stiff-armed party elders who were never comfortable with him, and elevated figures plugged into niche anti-establishment circles. From picking JD Vance, to courting Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and addressing the Libertarian Party, Trump is betting that theres an untapped well of support from voters  mostly white, mostly male  at the political margins.

They may not be large in number, but Republicans see them as up for grabs in an otherwise polarized electorate; people who might vote third party, or not at all, but can be brought into the GOP fold with the right care and attention.

Trump doubled down on that bet on Monday by adding both Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard to his presidential transition team this week, highlighting his new support from prominent former Democrats and giving them potential policy roles in a second administration.

We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team as we work to restore Americas greatness, Trump adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement, one day after Gabbard endorsed Trump, and Kennedy said that hed help pick the people who will be running the government.

Davids view

In 2016, the Trump campaign shocked the world by embracing people and ideas that made official Washington shudder. In 2024, its retooled that message for a former president with an actual record. The argument this time is that its Trump  hardened by lawsuits and impeachments, unbowed by the deep state  who can deliver for the anti-establishment voter, and the old GOP cant stop him.

Selling that has meant absorbing anti-establishment voices who hate the Democrats for a wide range of reasons, in the hope that their supporters will come along. The goal is to appeal to everyone from relatively apolitical Joe Rogan listeners to pro-Bitcoin tech reactionaries to Green Party leftists raging against neoliberalism and forever wars. (Bidens drawdown of drone warfare and withdrawal from Afghanistan have not mollified people who want to end all military support for Ukraine.)

As soon as Kennedy walked onstage in Phoenix, framed by Turning Point Actions booming music and pyrotechnics, the Trump campaign released polling that predicted an instant boost. In the seven closest swing states  Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin  most of Kennedys remaining voters said that Trump was their second choice. In Michigan, the difference between Trump and Harris was marginal; in Nevada, Kennedy voters broke for Trump by 50 points.

The net vote gained in a state like Arizona based on just a 2020 turnout model would be over 41,000 votes, nearly 4 times Bidens winning margin, wrote Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio. In Georgia the net gain would be over 19,000 votes, nearly twice Bidens margin.

The Trump campaign saw the Kennedy effect (and later, the Gabbard effect) as purely positive, with no potential votes being lost by embracing him. Its the unity party versus the uniparty, TPActions Charlie Kirk told radio listeners on Monday.

The loudest cheers for the Kennedy endorsement came from online commentators whod been on the same ideological journey as him  from liberalism to a denunciation of that statist uniparty, accelerated by the government response to COVID.

This was not a simple endorsement of Trump, said Bret Weinstein, an academic who frequently appears on anti-establishment podcasts, in a Monday interview with Patrick Bet-David. This was an endorsement of retaking the White House and using that position to restore the republic to its proper course.

On Rumble, the YouTube alternative that Vance invests in, actor and podcaster Russell Brand said that Trump had transformed the election. What we are focused on is the creation of an anti-establishment alliance, he explained. How can you argue that anything other than a Trump-Kennedy presidency will lead to further dictatorship, further technological feudalism? This is an opportunity for mass disruption.

On his own YouTube show, comedian Jimmy Dore played clips from the Kennedy/Trump rally, marveling at how Trumps base was already embracing Kennedys concern about chronic disease and corporate power. Dore had risen to prominence in the Biden era by attacking figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from the left for not forcing votes on Medicare for All.

Hes talking about taking on the regulatory agencies and fighting big corporations, and theyre cheering it, at a Republican presidential rally! said Dore. Let that sink in, how it has flipped, and how immediately Donald Trump is miles to the left of Kamala Harris.

These were the views Trumpworld craved, as they connected the candidate to audiences that didnt usually vote Republican. One Trump strategist said that the campaign now had six people who could credibly talk to anti-establishment podcasters with more viewers than nightly network news: Trump himself, his eldest sons, Vance, Kennedy, and Gabbard.

And they could do it without losing support from more traditional Republicans, as shown by Nikki Haley getting over her objections to Trump and endorsing him at the RNC. More evidence: Kennedys support for abortion rights, attacked by conservatives when Trump (and Ron DeSantis) first suggested they could put him in their administrations, got little attention in conservative media after the endorsement.

But Sarah Longwell, a pollster and founder of Republican Voters Against Trump, said that there was a risk. By the time Kennedy quit the race, Harris had already captured the frustrated Democrats who were cool to Biden because of advanced age. And the more voters got to know Kennedy during his campaign, the worse his polling looked.

The embrace of RFK does have an incredibly negative rating among swing voters, Longwell said. Bring up his name and they go, Ugh! That guys insane!

The View From Democrats

The Harris-Walz campaign is trying to build on one of the Biden-Harriss 2020 legacies: A permission structure for moderate Republicans to reject Trump, just one more time. They see figures like Kennedy and Gabbard as just another nudge to those voters to support Harris, or at least reject Trump.

In that regard, they view Kennedys stances (vaccine conspiracies, antisemitic COVID theories) and personal history (where to begin) as obvious liabilities. Nor do they see the crossover appeal to him and Gabbard. During Trumps first transition in 2016, both Kennedy and Gabbard met with the incoming president about jobs that never materialized. Since then, they had enjoyed support from Republican donors and speaking slots at conservative conferences. Their ties to Democrats were frayed (Gabbard quit the party two years ago) before Trump snapped them.

We have always recognized what the RFK Jr. campaign was: a MAGA front designed to help Donald Trump win in November, said MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting in a statement. The Harris campaign has tread more carefully, releasing a statement on Friday that urged Kennedy voters to support the vice president, but not commenting after Trump added Kennedy and Gabbard to his transition team.

Democrats were also proud of their own outreach to frustrated Republicans. At their convention, they gave considerable stage time to Republicans who warned against supporting Trump  some of whom had worked for his White House. As Kennedy and Gabbard campaigned for the GOP nominee, the Harris campaign touted a list of 200 former Republican staffers who now supported her, urging moderate Republicans and conservative independents in key swing states to reject Trump, as they had in 2020.

Dennis Kucinich, who managed Kennedys Democratic primary campaign but quit when the candidate went independent, said that the voters who were attracted to Kennedy tended to have Trump as a second choice.

They were people who wanted to stop the endless wars, close the border, cut the deficit, stop government censorship, stop government spying on Americans  people who were concerned about the Twitter Files, anything that smacked of government intrusion in Americans private affairs, he said.

Still, Kucinich believed that by refusing to take Kennedy seriously as a Biden primary challenger, then by refusing to hear him out when he wanted to exit the race, Democrats created a problem for themselves.

Andrew Yang, who ran for the 2020 nomination and was contacted by Kennedy during his search for a running mate, said that his old party shouldnt be dismissive about Kennedys issues: Last I checked, politics is about addition, not subtraction. Even if they found his solutions to be crankish, they didnt need to forfeit these debates to Trump.

There are many traditional Democrats who are genuinely concerned about the uptick in autism and other conditions among American children, and that isnt conspiracy theory stuff, said Yang, who discussed his son Christophers autism diagnosis on the 2020 campaign trail. Thats a non-political, human issue. I think Democrats, instead of dismissing this, should tackle it and say: Hey, we too are very concerned about our childrens health and development. Who do you actually trust to take it up? Mr. Deregulation, or us?

Notable

In the New Yorker, Clare Malone bids farewell to the Kennedy campaign, and analyzes its final decision. Its perhaps unwise for Kennedy to trust Trump to follow through on a quid pro quo, she writes.

In the Kennedy Beacon, the house organ for the defunct third-party campaign, Louis Conte sums up the case that Trumps new surrogate can start making: Kamala Harris is never going to take on Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Tech, the Military Industrial Complex, or Censorship.

In the Atlantic, Elaina Plott Calbro profiles Kash Patel, the model of a Trump loyalist who the former president wants around him in 2025: Should he return to the White House, there will be no Milleys, Haspels, or even Barrs to restrain him as he seeks revenge against his political enemies.
GOP presidential nominee and tender little darling Donald Trump has started casting doubt on whether hell show up to an agreed-upon Sept. 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

On Sunday, Trump took to social media and labeled the debate network ABC FAKE NEWS, asking no one in particular, Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network? He mocked ABC News host George Stephanopoulos as Liddle George Slopadopolus, even though Stephanopoulos isnt involved in the debate.

While campaigning Monday at a Vietnamese restaurant in Northern Virginia, Trump again questioned whether he should do the debate: "I think ABC really should be shut out. Id much rather do it on NBC. Id much rather do it on CBS. Frankly, I think CBS is very unfair, but the best of the group. And certainly, Id do it on Fox.

Well, that clears things up. The two sides have been bickering over whether microphones should be on all the time or turned off when its not a candidates turn to speak. Trump seemed to undercut his campaigns desire to keep the mics off while the other nominee speaks, saying Monday, Doesnt matter to me, Id rather have it probably on.

The GOP and RFK Jr.: Donald Trump, JD Vance and RFK Jr.? 'Weird' doesn't do justice to this loony trifecta.

Trump's 10 VERY REASONABLE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE DEMANDS

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump

There will undoubtedly be more requests and disputes before Trump sprouts feathers and decides not to show up.

But to hurry things along, Ive composed a list of all the VERY REASONABLE DEMANDS that he should make ahead of the Sept. 10 debate:

President Donald J. Trump will be identified at all times as either President Donald Trump or President Trump. His lectern will carry the presidential seal. Vice President Kamala Harris will be identified as Comrade Kamala or Crazy Kamabla. Her lectern will carry a hammer-and-sickle flag because she is a socialist, Marxist communist.

President Trumps microphone will be on at all times and anyone who cuts it off will be given the death penalty.

The crowd at the debate will be the hugest crowd in the history of debates, possibly the biggest crowd anyone has ever seen in history.

Trump isn't powerful: DNC showed Harris campaign is dismissing the noise from Trump and pundits. Its working.

Joe Biden must stand next to Comrade Kamala throughout the debate so President Trump can use all the Sleepy Joe zingers he came up with prior to Biden SO UNFAIRLY stepping aside. WHERES HUNTER?!?

Moderators will be Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump and President Trump himself.

Former President Donald Trump introduces independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after Kennedy quit his presidential race and endorsed Trump for reelection, at a campaign rally in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 23, 2024.

Comrade Kamalas answers will be restricted to no more than 10 seconds because she has nothing to say and is very dull. A loud and very classy buzzer will be used to cut her off if she goes over.

There will be no restrictions on President Trumps answers to ensure the debate receives the greatest ratings in the history of television.

There will be no fewer than three questions regarding the "late, great Hannibal Lecter."

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President Trump will be served McDonalds cheeseburgers during commercial breaks.

There will be only one clear winner of the debate, and that will be President Trump. If anyone suggests Comrade Kamala won, the debate will be declared RIGGED and TOTALLY BIASED and President Trump will blame it all on George Slopadopolus.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trump chicken out of ABC debate with Harris? Probably.
Driver arrested for going 125mph while drunk on NH highway, police say

A New Hampshire woman is facing several charges for allegedly driving more than 100mph while drunk on Sunday night.

Tehya Patch, 20, of Farmington, is charged with aggravated driving under the influence of liquor, driving under the influence of liquor, and reckless operation.

State Police say Patch was spotted by Trooper Lauren Hervieux around 11:47 p.m. on I-95S in Greenland traveling 113 mph in her 2017 Ford Fusion.

Trooper Hervieux pursued Patch southbound into the town of North Hampton, where she says Patchs speed increased as she made a series of lane changes.

According to authorities, the trooper clocked Patchs speed at 125mph.

Police issued a motor vehicle stop and she was arrested.

Patch was issued personal recognizance bail pending an appearance in Hampton District Court on September 12.

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Driver crashes into police squad car in Wisconsin, arrested for third OWI

MADISON, Wis. (WFRV)  One person was arrested on Monday morning after allegedly operating while intoxicated and crashing into a police squad car.

According to a release, officers with the Madison Police Department responded to a call for service near the intersection of Packers and Schlimgen Avenue when a squad car was hit from behind.

Two arrested in Fond du Lac after traffic stop leads to discovery of drugs

The operator of the vehicle that crashed into the squad car displayed signs of intoxication. After an investigation, the driver was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, their third offense.

Neither the officer nor the other vehicles driver suffered any injuries from the crash.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Driver dies after striking utility pole and tree in Colleton County

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal collision that resulted in one fatality after a vehicle struck a utility pole and a tree.

Troopers say the collision occurred Monday night around 8:23 p.m. on Jeffries Hwy near the intersection of Longleaf Dr. This was approximately half a mile north of Walterboro.

A 2021 Toyota sedan was traveling north on Jeffries Highway when it veered off the right side of the road, swerved back onto the road, then went off the left side, hitting a utility pole and a tree.

Officials report the driver died at the scene as a result of their injuries, they were the sole occupant of the vehicle.

The Colleton County Coroners Office has not yet released the name of the deceased.

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(FOX40.COM)  The Folsom Police Department is appealing to drivers to be more mindful of their speed when traveling through school zones.

In a recent Facebook post, Folsom police shared an image of a driver who had been stopped after being found to be driving 76 mph in a school zone.

Nearly 400 arrests or citations made in Sacramento retail theft operation

This is not just reckless; its endangering lives, the police department wrote. Remember, the speed limit in these areas is 25 mph.

Police are asking drivers to adhere to posted speed limits, stay alert to crossing guards and children and to avoid distractions.

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Driver goes off Highway 145, reported to have non-life-threatening injuries

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, Colo. (KREX)  A driver is believed to have serious, but non-life-threatening injuries after going off a small cliff Monday night on Highway 145.

Courtesy Photo/San Miguel County Sheriffs Office

The individual, a woman in her mid-to-late 50s, was driving a small U-Haul when the incident occurred south of Norwood Hill and Beaver Creek Park, according to the San Miguel County Sheriffs Office. The crash wasnt reported until 7 a.m., Tuesday, when a passerby came across the scene.

The vehicle landed on its side with its back end in the river, the sheriffs office noted. Responders had to use technical rope rescue and extrication to remove the driver from her vehicle. The driver was then transported by CareFlight to St. Marys Hospital.

Courtesy Photo/San Miguel County Sheriffs Office

Both lanes of Highway 145 were closed most of the morning so multiple emergency vehicles could be on the scene. The highway has since reopened.

San Miguel County Search and Rescue, Telluride and Norwood Fire Protection districts, Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation also assisted on the scene.

The sheriffs office said several details are currently unknown as the responders priority was on safely extricating the driver and getting her on the CareFlight helicopter for care.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
by Xinhua writers Lyu Qiuping, Jiang Fan and Huang Yaoman

LHASA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Sitting around a dining table, several people of different ages were talking about 12 willows thousands of kilometers away in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

"It took years for their trunks to grow this thick," said Wang Yue, 66, scooping his hands into a size of a ping-pong ball.

"When I was there, they grew as thick as the width of a bowl mouth," said Gao Shengmin, 58.

"The trees are still alive with the branches trimmed, as they have almost reached the rooftop," said Gao Shuai, 44.

Every one of the diners from the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is or was a cadre sent to Nyima County, a pastoral area with an average altitude of more than 4,800 meters, as part of China's national paired-up assistance to the development of Xizang.

Thirty years ago, the central government made a major decision to rally national support for Xizang. Under the paired-up assistance policy, some central state organs, provincial-level regions and centrally-administered state-owned enterprises were designated to assist in specific areas in the region. Since then, cadres from government and enterprise units have taken turns stationed on the plateau, greatly contributing to the development there.

With thin air, strong winds and harsh climate conditions, Nyima has no naturally grown trees in the county seat.

"Those trees managed to survive because they were planted in an indoor courtyard of our office building, like a greenhouse," Wang explained.

As one of the first cadres sent by the CNOOC from the coastal city of Tianjin to Nyima, Wang arrived at the county in 2002, when the infrastructure was still poor. As executive deputy head of the county, he contributed to constructing major roads, the government office building and a hotel. The willows were planted following the completion of the government building project.

In the hotel, there was an elevator, the first one in northern Xizang.

"When we contacted elevator companies, many turned us down because they were not sure whether their products could work at such a high altitude," Wang recalled, adding that a foreign company eventually accepted the challenge and installed the elevator, boasting "the world's highest in altitude" back then.

In 2004, Lyu Ming, also from Tianjin, took over Wang's work in the county. He recalled that driving from the regional capital, Lhasa, took two days to Nyima because there were no paved roads.

"Once, we lost our way and drove into a watercourse," he recalled. "Fortunately, a passing vehicle helped drag us out of the mud."

During Lyu's term from 2004 to 2007, Nyima got access to the national power grid and the telecommunication networks, ending the days when he could not call his family in Tianjin.

By 2010, when Gao Shengmin took over the baton, the infrastructure in Nyima County had significantly improved, with assistance efforts shifting from infrastructure construction to nurturing talent and stimulating industrial growth.

"The newborn mortality rate reduced from 20 percent to zero the first year after we organized training outside the region for local medical staff," he said with pride.

Fu Xiaoyu, who arrived in the county in August 2019, witnessed Nyima eradicated from absolute poverty later in the same year -- a historic achievement for the county.

He and his colleagues strengthened efforts to develop the animal husbandry and tourism sectors, including the construction of a hotel at a lake resort. They also helped Tibetan college graduates get employed outside the region.

Champa, born in 1995 in Nyima County, is one of them. He became an offshore oilfield operator in the Bohai Sea in 2020, two years after graduating from university.

"Inspired by my experience, several of my folks have found rewarding jobs outside the plateau," Champa said with a smile.

Over the last 22 years, the CNOOC dispatched 16 cadres to work in Nyima County, and 570 million yuan (about 80 million U.S. dollars) was poured into helping with its development. From 2002 to 2023, the county's GDP surged tenfold, with the poverty rate plummeting from 25.26 percent to zero.

Data showed that between 1994 and 2020, 52.7 billion yuan was injected into Xizang through the policy of paired-up assistance, with 6,330 projects.

Carrying on the projects left by Fu, Gao Shuai and his colleague Sun Peng are continuing efforts in rural revitalization and operating the lakeside hotel in Nyima.

"We must spend every penny properly to bring substantial benefits to the county and the lives of local people," Sun said. 
The East and Gulf Coast port contract negotiations have hit such a standstill that both parties will need a federal mediator to get a deal done and avoid an Oct. 1 dockworker strike.

The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents maritime employers including ocean carriers and marine terminal operators, said the International Longshoremens Association (ILA) notified them on Thursday that the union filed for mediation on Aug. 19.

More from Sourcing Journal

According to the USMX, the ILA filed a Form F-7 with Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS), the agency tasked with assigning mediators and arbitrators to labor disputes. The USMX filed the same form with the FMCS on Aug. 23.

While negotiations with many ILA Locals have continued to progress, despite repeated efforts and continued outreach, USMX has been unable to secure a meeting with the ILA to resume negotiations on a new Master Contract, the alliance said in a Friday press release.

Sourcing Journal reached out to the ILA.

The ILA called off master contract negotiations in June due to the implementation of an automated gate at Alabamas Port of Mobile. The union has taken exception to the system since it can be autonomously processed without ILA labor. Additionally, the union says the gate is being used at other ports, but has not specified which.

Many Americans understand that their own jobs are threatened by automation, and by employers who are more interested in the bottom line than paying them fair wages, said ILA president Harold Daggett in a statement Thursday. The general public knows and remembers that ILA workers kept commerce moving throughout the pandemic, and never shut the ports down, allowing goods to be delivered to their communities.

Since abandoning the master contract talks, the ILA has kept a tight lip on progress, with the union setting up an internal meeting to present final contract demands to its wage scale committee delegates on Sept. 4-5.

Federal mediation was not called upon by either the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) during 2023s West Coast port negotiations, which ended in a six-year contract agreement that June. Although there was no official mediator, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su helped facilitate the deal in the final days of the negotiations.

Bringing a federal mediator on board could be a promising sign for negotiations, as history indicates.

The last time a mediator was called upon to help move major U.S. port negotiations forward was December 2014, when the FMCS entered a previous round of talks between the ILWU and the PMA that had lasted since that May. The sides brokered a new five-year deal less than two months later.

The East and Gulf Coast ports last required mediation in December 2012. In that negotiation process, mediators were able to extend the expiring master contract 30 days, giving both parties just enough time to eke out a six-year deal on Feb. 1, 2013.

This time around, the ILA has been insistent that its union dockworkers across 36 ports from Maine to Texas will go on a strike if a new deal is not reached by Sept. 30.

A potential work stoppage has started to spook shippers, forcing many to bring more cargo over to West Coast ports and continue pulling more orders forward as the clock ticks on the negotiation deadline. Shippers looking to get product from Asia to the U.S. East Coast already missed the boat on leveraging that trade lane ahead of a possible strike, as those journeys typically take two months.

In an online briefing on Aug. 19, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen observed there is some temptation by customers to bring in goods ahead of the labor contract expiry on Sept. 30.

Habben Jansen already shared in the ocean carriers earnings call that he was more worried about a looming strike than he was in January, saying unfortunately, the chances that there will be some disruption have definitely gone up.

Port operations would be impacted substantially in the event of a strike. Just one day of strike action would require six days to clear the backlog, according to analysis from Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence.

As the negotiations await a mediator to be appointed, the union is demanding wage hikes commensurate with the elevated profits and revenues seen by USMX member companies in the wake of the Red Sea crisis, which pushed up freight rates as container shippers avoided the Suez Canal and took longer shipping times around Africa.

Reports from CNBC have indicated that the ILA is seeking out a wage increase larger than the 32 percent negotiated for West Coast dockworkers last year.
General Dynamics Electric Boat in Quonset Point (Google Maps)

A subcontractor for General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingstown is laying off 117 workers in Rhode Island, according to a notice filed with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.

Riley Power Group LLC plans to let workers go over a two-week period beginning Oct. 21, according to the Aug. 20 letter from Robin Lang, company human resources director. The North Carolina-based company, which describes itself as a full-service maintenance and capital construction company, has provided specialty welding services for Electric Boats Naval submarine work out of Quonset Point since 2017, according to its website.

Federal law under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires companies to let state and town officials know about closures and mass layoffs at least 60 days in advance.

The letter did not give a reason for the layoffs.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Kenny Middleton, company president, referred questions to Lang. Lang was not immediately able to provide additional information.

A majority of the local workers being let go by Riley are structural welders (48), followed by 29 pipefitters, 25 shipfitters, 13 electricians and 2 press break operators, according to Langs letter.

The latest layoff announcement comes a month after Singapore manufacturer Ennovi said it was shuttering its East Providence plant and letting go of its 205 local workers. The city of East Providence has planned a job fair to help the workers, slated to lose their jobs at the start of 2025, though a date has not been set.

The town of North Kingstown has not planned any similar events for workers at Riley, Town Manager Ralph Mollis said in an email Tuesday. However, Mollis also said he planned to contact the governing board for Quonset Business Park to ask if any of the industrial or manufacturing companies within it are hiring or might be able to provide training to new employees.

Updated to include a comment from Town Manager Ralph Mollis.

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Editorial: Parole consideration for those sentenced to life behind bars 35 years ago? It's the right thing to do

Californias crime rate began a historic plunge in the early 1990s and has fallen ever since, except for some small spikes, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet it took more than a decade until legislation reflected the trend.

Lawmakers continued to pass fear-driven tough-on-crime laws until 2011, based on the mistaken public mind-set that crime was higher than in the recent past. When federal courts threatened to order indiscriminate releases from the states unconstitutionally bloated and cruel prison system, California began a decade of criminal justice reform as lawmakers and voters rolled back some of the horridly excessive punishments adopted over the previous half-century.

Read more: Editorial: The absurdity of life without parole for juveniles

Now the crime-and-punishment debate has shifted again. Republican politicians generally want to end the reform era and return to tougher punishments. Democrats are split between continuing reform and retrenchment.

Thats the background of a heated debate over state Senate Bill 94, a worthy proposal by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) to review sentences for several hundred aging California prisoners who were sent to prison for life without parole before June 5, 1990, in the pre-reform era.

Life without parole, nonexistent in California until 1978 and rarely used for more than a decade after, became standard after 1990s ballot measures made the sentence mandatory for some crimes.

Read more: Editorial: Criminal justice reform is alive. Thank conservatives

More recently, reform laws returned some sentencing discretion to judges.

SB 94 follows a sensible path of recent laws and U.S. Supreme Court decisions that permit parole hearings for most people sentenced to life without parole for crimes they committed as juveniles.

It is controversial, though, because it applies to people who committed their crimes as adults, who, unlike their younger counterparts, cannot blame their criminal actions on insufficiently developed brains or lack of adult judgment. It is noteworthy, though, that most offenders who would be eligible committed their crimes in their late teens or early 20s.

Read more: Editorial: Blame it on Prop 47: The latest chapter in an endless work of fiction about crime

The law would not directly resentence or release any of them. It would create a multistep process that would let them make their cases for resentencing, but only after they have spent at least 25 years in prison. Serial killers, cop killers and sex offenders would not be eligible.

For the rest, judges would hear the requests and would have full discretion to reject them. If a parole hearing is granted and the Board of Parole hearings finds an offender suitable for parole  because he or she has presented ample evidence of remorse and rehabilitation over decades in prison  the governor could still reject release.

Most eligible offenders are now in their 60s and 70s, well beyond the prime age for violent crime. For many, more than a half-century will have passed between their crimes and their eligibility to seek resentencing.

Read more: Editorial: L.A. is now paying the price for the tough-on-crime era

Pragmatism and a measured sense of justice, rather than sympathy, are the rationales for this bill. Probably few Californians will feel sorry for killers, regardless of the number of decades they have been locked up. But there is diminishing value in continuing to imprison people for violent crimes they committed long ago when they were young and stupid.

There are continuing costs to housing, feeding, clothing and medically treating the elderly in prison. And there is value to society in limiting the number of decades a person is to be punished even for the cruelest of acts after sufficient evidence is presented that there is little risk that parole will endanger the public.

Still, in our system even the most rational sentencing reform takes a back seat to partisan politics. Republicans and Democrats are vying for control of Congress, and their battles over criminal justice measures are each fought with any eye on a handful of races in the House of Representatives that are up for grabs, as each side uses crime fears to get their voters to the polls.

That's part of what's at play in the fight over whether to roll back Proposition 47, which turned certain theft and drug crimes that could be charged as felonies in the tough-on-crime era back into misdemeanors. And it's part of what's at play with SB 94.

The bill will fail if it doesn't pass the Assembly by Saturday. It would be a shame to allow a safe and cost-saving reform like this one to die in that partisan fight.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE)  The Central Valleys largest school district started the school year without a permanent superintendent, and thats not stopping the interim boss, from implementing plans to improve student outcomes.

The first week of school in the Fresno Unified School District and interim superintendent, Misty Her is right where she wants to be.

Its important to be seen and I think visibility is really important and its important for the teachers to see that youre in the work with them, Her said. Its an important reminder too for me of why this work is important and it allows me to be with kids which is my first love.

Her goal is 100 schools and 100 classrooms in two weeks, that philosophy is in line with the interim superintendents 100-day plan, which lists two goals positive outcomes for students and better customer service.

We in our district have not gotten like really great gains. Im talking double-digit gains, she said. If we increase every student by 15 points we get every student 15 points closer to proficiency and distance from standard, then we would start to move.

The plan came after months of listening sessions, research, and data. Also, a willingness to try something different.

Ive been very upfront in telling people it doesnt matter if the strategies are not perfect. Im not looking for perfection I want you to implement because its in the learning that matters, Her said.

The 48-year-old administrator is someone who knows what might work in this district, spent her life here. She started as a student at Jefferson Elementary and Hers family was among the thousands of Hmong refugees who settled in the U.S. after the Vietnam War.

She enrolled in Fresno Unified in 1981 in first grade. She taught in the district, has been a principal, and now is a deputy superintendent. Hers own kids attend schools in the area, so she knows the challenges inside and out.

Theres still some of the frustrations that I sometimes experience as a parent in my own district and so you know those are the things that Im just really out to make better, Her said.

As Fresno Unified continues its search for a permanent superintendent, Her says shes not going to let the title interim get in the way of her giving 100%. She says shes not working to get the job but to do the job.

Im just at a place where Im very comfortable with who I am and what I have to offer and so Im kind of not worried about the interim title. Like people ask me What do you want me to call you? and I say just call me Misty, she said.

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The Ohio Supreme Court is expected to hear cases that challenge anti-abortion laws on the books. Justices will be asked to apply the new voter-approved reproductive rights constitutional amendment.

Within months of voters approving a reproductive rights amendment to the state constitution in November, legal challenges to Ohio's multiple laws restricting abortion started.

There is no doubt that those legal fights will be decided by the Ohio Supreme Court, the ultimate arbiter of constitutional questions.

Judicial candidates are bound by strict rules against making statements about issues or cases that could come before them. So, mostly they're mum on abortion, promising to set aside personal views and follow the law and constitution.

But endorsements may offer a clue: Ohio Right to Life on Tuesday endorsed the three Republicans  Justice Joe Deters, Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Shanahan and Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Dan Hawkins.

Ohioans desire a strong and decisive judicial branch and with three of the seven seats on the ballot, it is crucial for pro-life voters to support these conservative candidates. We must get these three justices elected to protect life in our state," Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis said in a written statement.

And Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio had earlier endorsed the three Democrats  Justices Melody Stewart and Michael Donnelly and 8th District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes.

"This will be another referendum on Issue 1 (the reproductive rights amendment) because all the forces that were funding the campaign against Issue 1, they're all supporting the three Republicans in the race," said Donnelly.

Shanahan, Donnelly's opponent, tweeted in 2016 that she was proud to be endorsed by Greater Cincinnati Right to Life PAC and Center for Christian Virtue, a heavy hitter in the anti-abortion fight.

This election cycle, Shanahan said the judicial ethics rules allow her to state facts, such as endorsements she's received. "I will take an oath to uphold the laws and the constitution as written, and I will do exactly that," she said.

Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Legal fights over abortion will go to Ohio Supreme Court
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  An Elma man was indicted Tuesday on multiple child pornography charges, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Matthew A. Steele, 53, is accused of coercing a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce a visual depiction, according to officials. This allegedly occurred on more than one occasion between July 2008 and July 2012.

Elma man arrested on child porn charge after facial recognition technology used on photos from 2013

Steele then allegedly distributed some of the images that were produced of the minor victim, officials said. He is also alleged to have possessed images of a prepubescent minor on a hard drive.

Stelle was charged with production, distribution and possession of child pornography. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
PARIS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Paris public prosecutor on Monday announced the charges on which the Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris a day before, in a global first for a messaging service.

According to Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the Telegram founder and chief executive officer (CEO) is accused of 12 criminal offenses, including failing to take action against Telegram users involved in cyberbullying, sharing pedophilic content, and the glorification of terrorism.

Durov can now be detained for up to 96 hours until Aug. 28, Beccuau said. He is subject to the criminal procedure for organized crime offenses, including illegal transactions in an organized group, possessing pornographic images of minors, and offering or making available pornographic images of minors.

Beccuau said the arrest "comes in the context of a judicial investigation opened on July 8, 2024." It also concerns "refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law," the Paris prosecutor added.

The Russian Embassy in Paris has begun working on the case, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Sunday, adding that it is Russian diplomats' duty to respond to cases involving the detention of Russian citizens abroad.

Responding to the arrest, the Telegram group said on its X account that the company "abides by European Union (EU) laws, including the Digital Services Act." "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform," it added.

Tech giant and owner of the U.S. social media platform X Elon Musk, along with former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, condemned this arrest on Sunday, citing a violation of the freedom of speech.

Following a tweet with the tag #FreePavel on X, Musk wrote several other posts stressing the importance of protecting free speech and democracy.

Meanwhile, Snowden said on X that the arrest of Durov is "an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association."

"I am surprised and deeply saddened that (French President Emmanuel) Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world," he said.

However, French President Macron said on X on Monday that the arrest of Durov is "in no way a political decision," calling it "part of an ongoing judicial investigation."

The French head of state stressed that his country is "deeply" committed to freedom of expression.

"In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights," he added.

According to the French daily Le Figaro, Durov's arrest warrant was issued by a special unit within the French Interior Minister tasked with combating crimes against minors, in coordination with various investigative services.

Durov, also holding French citizenship, founded Telegram in 2013. The messaging app allows up to 200,000 members per chat group and claims not to collect users' information or censor content.

With approximately 900 million subscribers, it is now one of the world's leading messaging platforms and influential in Russia. It has become a critical source of information during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 
Elon Musk on Monday voiced his support for a proposed California bill that would regulate artificial intelligence in the state, as some leaders in politics and technology expressed their disapproval.

This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill. For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public, Musk posted on X, formally Twitter.

SB 1047, formally known as the Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Systems Act, would require developers of the largest and most powerful AI systems to test for safety before releasing those models to the public. Developers of AI models operating in California would also need to outline methods of how to turn off the AI models should they go awry.

Elon Musk announces plans to move SpaceX, X headquarters from California to Texas

The bill would also require companies to tell the state about its testing protocols and guardrails, and Californias attorney general could sue if the tech causes critical harm.

The proposed legislation would also require developers to hire third-party auditors to assess their safety practices and provide additional protection to whistleblowers speaking out against unethical practices.

Musks support of the bill comes as other lawmakers and tech leaders disapprove. A group of California Congressional Democrats who oppose the bill say the legislation is ill-informed, will cause more harm than good and will eventually drive developers away from the state.

The tech industry hasnt responded better, with Meta and Google expressing concern over the proposed bill. In a letter to the bills author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Google reiterated claims that the legislation would drive away developers and AI development in the state, Reuters reported.

Metas chief scientist, Yann LeCun, has been continuously outspoken about his disapproval of the bill on X.

Wiener believes that AI technology could benefit Californians and the economy with advancements in fields like medicine and climate science. Still, if left unregulated, the technology could severely threaten national security and public safety.

California bill that could open new path to homeownership for undocumented immigrants advances

I introduced SB 1047 to ensure California stays in the lead on AI innovation while also protecting the health and safety of our residents from potential catastrophic risks. Innovation and safety are not mutually exclusive, and I reject the false claim that in order to innovate, we must leave safety solely in the hands of technology companies and venture capitalists. While a large majority of people innovating in the AI space are highly ethical people who want to do right by society, weve also learned the hard way over the years that pure industry self-regulation doesnt work out well for society, Wiener said in a statement.

Even with its criticism, the bill continues to move through the legislature. If it passes both the House and Senate, Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Sept. 30 to veto or sign it into law.

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Cabinet Loss

Elon Musk has done a lot of cheerleading for presidential candidate Donald Trump lately, from organizing a pro-Trump super PAC, to hosting a bizarre, malfunctioning interview with him on X-formerly-Twitter. But if Musk expects to be rewarded for his loyalty, he may be in for a rude awakening.

Though Trump has teased that the billionaire business magnate could have a role in his administration, the former president is now sounding more iffy about the prospects of a Musk cabinet post.

"He wants to be involved. Now look, he's running a big business and all that, so he can't, really. I don't think he could be in the cabinet," Trump said in a recent interview with former Navy Seal Shawn Ryan, as quoted by The Daily Beast.

"I'd put him in the cabinet, absolutely, but I don't know how he could do that with all the things he's got going," he added. "But he could sort of, as the expression goes, 'consult' with the country and give you some very good ideas, like on AI. There's nobody knows more about it than Elon."

Wait a Secretary

Musk has seemed very optimistic about being directly involved in Trump's government, even if that prospect now seems a tad dimmer.

After Trump said he'd consider awarding him with a cabinet post in an interview with Reuters last week, Musk tweeted an AI-generated  and eminently eye-roll worthy  image of himself standing at a podium in front of an American flag.

"I am willing to serve," he wrote in the tweet.

The image labels Musk as representing "D.O.G.E."  the Department of Government Efficiency  a callback to Musk's longtime obsession with the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, as well as his interview with Trump, in which he floated the idea of having a "government efficiency commission."

"I'd be happy to help out on such a commission," Musk said, as quoted by The Daily Beast.

Full Plate

Trump is right to be hesitant. Musk is  or at least should be  a very busy man, as the CEO of SpaceX, and as the owner of Twitter, Neuralink, and xAI (though he somehow finds the time to tweet almost nonstop.)

And as the Daily Beast notes, his many business ventures may prevent him from serving in public office, due to almost certainly being conflicts of interest. (Then again, that didn't stop Trump from being president.)

Whether or not Musk actually ends up as a department or committee head somewhere in Washington, it's undeniable that his political ambitions have become a lot more naked as of late. It was only six months ago, after all, that he promised he wouldn't donate to either presidential candidate. Now, he's practically in bed with one.

More on Elon Musk: Elon Musk's Embrace of Trump Is Hurting Tesla in Europe
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  Endeavor Energy Resources, LP donated 100 thousand dollars to the Midland Education Foundation, which serves 29 thousand students in the area.

At Endeavor, we believe in fueling the future of others by providing essential oil and gas resources and supporting local education efforts in our community, said Jessie Clark, senior community relations specialist for Endeavor. By supporting key initiatives, we aim to inspire and empower the next generation of leaders and innovators, and we are proud to contribute to Midland Education Foundations efforts to enhance educational opportunities and outcomes in our hometown.

The school district said this donation will help to support multiple initiatives, including:

The MISD Leadership Summit, which aims to develop leaders within the school district and provide them with the skills and knowledge they need.

Convocation, which brings together educators and staff to inspire and prepare them for the upcoming school year.

Teacher Winter Wishes, which provides Midland teachers with classroom supplies midway through the academic year.

New Teacher Orientation, which aims to ensure incoming educators are well-prepared and welcomed into MISD.

Grants for Great Ideas, Midland Education Foundations signature program, which provides assistance for innovative classroom projects that directly benefit Midland ISD students.

RELATED: Midland Education Foundation relaunches Partners in Education Program

We are incredibly grateful for Endeavors amazing support in prioritizing education, said Midland Education Foundation Director Anita Gamertsfelder. This gift is transformative for our Foundation, allowing us to continue empowering educators and enriching students educational experiences. This donation will be felt across our entire district, and we are excited about the positive impact it will bring.

MISD said the donation underscores a shared commitment to educational excellence and community support. You can learn more about the Midland Education Foundation on the Midland ISD website here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Up to 2m retirees could struggle to heat their homes as a result of Rachel Reeves's decision to cut winter fuel payments - LUCY NORTH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Britains power and gas suppliers have been ordered to protect their customers from falling into debt as the Government strips millions of pensioners of their winter fuel allowance.

Companies will on Wednesday be warned that letting customers run into excessive arrears could put suppliers in breach of their licences to operate.

The caution comes as the Government prepares to strip around 10m pensioners of the winter fuel allowance, which is worth up to 300. Age UK has estimated that 2m retirees could struggle to heat their homes this winter as a result.

Senior energy industry executives have been called to a meeting with ministers over the surging levels of customer debts, which have risen from 1.3bn at the start of 2020 to more than 3.3bn today.

The Government wants to make clear to suppliers such as British Gas owner Centrica, Octopus Energy and Ovo that it is down to them to prevent customers getting further into debt.

Energy experts say such a demand is simply unrealistic because suppliers have no control over how customers choose to spend their money.

Many will likely give priority to feeding their families or keeping homes warm even if they cannot afford the bills, forcing suppliers to either let them run up debt or shut off power.

Ashley Kelty, a leading energy analyst at Panmure Liberum investment bank, said: With winter fuel support being removed by Labour, it is clear that debt is only going to rise.

The industry has also blamed the surging debts on factors outside of their control. Companies say they cannot be blamed for last weeks energy price cap rise or for Rachel Reevess decision to cut winter fuel payments.

Energy UK, the trade body for electricity and gas suppliers, rejected the idea that suppliers could or should be responsible for preventing customers getting into debt.

A spokesman said: When global factors drive up the price of wholesale energy, theres little suppliers can do about the cost.

Weve had an extended period of high energy prices and even though these have come down since the peak, they remain significantly higher than pre-crisis level. So its sadly unsurprising that customer debt has risen to 3.3bn.

Suppliers will do as much as they can but theres a limit if many customers are struggling to afford energy at the cost it takes to supply it.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, junior minister for Energy Consumers, wrote to industry chiefs this week to say the Government expect[s] that you will commit to go substantially further to help consumers this year including taking proactive steps to prevent customers from falling into energy debt, in line with your Supply Licence Commitments.

In the letter Ms Fahnbulleh said the Government remained committed to supporting vulnerable households, adding that it would maintain existing benefits such as pension credit.

However, Ms Reevess cuts mean that recipients of that benefit are now the only group also able to claim the winter fuel allowance  leaving others to struggle.

On Tuesday Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, warned of worse to come with a painful Budget looming. The comment was widely interpreted as a prelude to tax increases.

Ms Fahnbulleh said: It is vital that consumers who are experiencing debt  or who are at risk of falling into debt  are given the support they need by their suppliers.

EDF, which has 5.2m domestic and business customers in the UK, said 469,000 customers owed a total of 518m. The average debt per customer has also risen from 757 two years ago to 1,104 today.

Philippe Commaret, UK managing director of customers at EDF, said: Our reliance on globally traded fossil fuels means that prices have unfortunately increased significantly over the past few years.

We have continued offering assistance to those in need  but with costs rising, customers need urgent assistance in both the short and long term.

Customer debt at British Gas owner Centrica, whose 7.5m residential customers make it the UKs largest supplier, surged from 501m in 2022 to 764m in 2023. A spokesman said: Were supporting those who need help the most.

Eon, whose 5.6m customers make it one of the biggest UK suppliers, said there were limited options given global prices and UK regulation.

A spokesman said: There is only so much energy suppliers alone can do to address the issue of energy affordability and bring down energy bills.

Eon has called for wholesale reform of the UK energy market, including the introduction of social tariffs where the poorest households are effectively subsidised.

Mr Kelty, of Panmure Liberum, predicted a continuing surge in energy debts whatever threats the Government made against suppliers.

He said: We are currently in the low demand summer season and there is little chance that prices will fall over the winter, so all risks to gas prices lie to the upside.

He said it was unfair for politicians to push the blame for rising prices and debts on to suppliers.

Given that political decisions are causing stress on household finances, it should be shared by both parties.

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New data centers in the Northwest are far outpacing the growth of new electrical energy supplies and transmission, according to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Data centers being rapidly built in the West are becoming an emerging risk to electrical grid reliability in the region, according to regional transmission experts.

New data centers, which can be built in as little as 18 months, are far outpacing the growth in new electrical energy supply and transmission, according to members of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, a nonprofit organization based in Salt Lake City that ensures grid connection and reliability between utilities in 14 Western states and parts of Canada and Mexico. Members of the council discussed challenges to grid reliability at a recent webinar first reported by the trade publication RTO Insider.

In it, council members said new energy demand from data centers has emerged as a more prescient challenge than meeting energy demand for transportation, also becoming rapidly electrified. The energy and transmission buildout needed to meet these demands is lagging, they said. By the end of 2023, just about half of the new energy buildout anticipated for the West had been completed. This is due in large part to supply chain issues, prices and skilled labor shortages, according to Branden Sudduth, the commissions vice president of reliability planning.

There are more than 700 data centers within those 14 states, including 109 in Oregon and six in Idaho, according to the company Data Center Map, and there are more than 5,000 data centers throughout the U.S. according to Statista  the most for any single country in the world.

Oregons data center market is the fifth largest in the nation, according to Chicago-based commercial real estate group Cushman & Wakefield. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and X, formerly named Twitter, have massive data centers in eastern Oregon as well as in The Dalles, Hillsboro and Prineville that require enormous amounts of energy to operate. Amazon is planning to build at least 10 more data centers in eastern Oregon, according to reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Were going to see an industry that wants to come online quickly with very large loads, and how are we going to address that? Sudduth said.

The council in 2023 projected that demand for electricity in the West would increase about 17% by 2033  thats about twice what it had predicted just the year before. That leap in projected energy use is due largely to the number of large data centers being built, they said. Data centers run on large amounts of energy needed for processing and for cooling servers.

The Portland-based industry trade group Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee has projected electricity demand to grow 30% in the region in the next decade, also due in large part to data centers.

Another major challenge to grid reliability discussed was extreme weather. Sudduth said more energy sources and transmission would need to be developed at the local level and across the region to ensure a reliable electricity supply.

Pretty much since the August 2020 heat wave event, the weather patterns that were experiencing are different from what weve typically planned for in the past. A lot of the weather events are more widespread and they last a lot longer than they have in the past, Sudduth said.

A growing number of utilities in Oregon and Washington are joining a new Western regional market for buying and selling energy from one another at set prices for the day ahead, so that they can better handle demand spikes during extreme weather events, such as heat waves or ice storms. The Bonneville Power Administration  responsible for about 28% of all power consumed in the Northwest  is expected to announce soon whether it will join most other Western utilities in this Western day ahead market, or go to a competing day ahead market run by the Southwest Power Pool, based in Arkansas.

Oregon Capital Chronicle, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.

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While Robert Kennedy Jr.s bizarre run for office has ended following the suspension of his 2024 presidential campaign, his growing list of poor life choices has not.

RFK Jr.  who has made headlines for endorsing Republican candidate Donald Trump, admitting he was the guy who dumped the body of a bear cub in Central Park a decade ago, and recounting doctors once found a dead worm in his brain  is back in the news cycle thanks to a resurfaced 2012 Town & Country interview where his daughter Kick Kennedy revealed he had chainsawed a dead whales head off he found in Hyannis Port, bungee-corded it to the roof of the family minivan, and brought it back to Mount Kisco, New York.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet, Kick told the magazine at the time. We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

Turns out, that the former independent presidential candidate may have violated a federal law.

On Monday, the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund called on government officials to investigate whether RFK Jr. violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. In a letter to the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Brett Hartl, the national political director of the center, wrote that under both acts, it is illegal to possess any part of an animal, dead or alive, that is protected under either statute. Continued possession of any whale skull represents a significant and ongoing violation of the law.

Quoting Kicks story to Town & Country, Hartl said that while normally an unverified anecdote wouldnt be sufficient evidence as the basis for a probe, RFK Jr. has admitted that he has recklessly  and with no regard to legal requirements  taken other species of wildlife for his own personal benefit. He added that his apparent transport of the marine mammal skull across state lines from Massachusetts to New York also represented a felony violation of the Lacey Act, one of the earliest wildlife conservation laws enacted by United States in 1900.

The letter concludes by emphasizing the group hopes that the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is able to ensure that Mr. Kennedy surrenders any and all illegally obtained wildlife that he continues to possess, including the whale skull he took from the Massachusetts beach in 1994 and consider all appropriate civil and criminal penalties as well.

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In a new era of campus upheaval, the 1970 Kent State shootings show the danger of deploying troops to crush legal protests

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has expressed his intention, if elected to a second term, to use the U.S. armed forces to suppress domestic protests. The New York Times reports that Trumps allies are marshaling legal arguments to justify using National Guard or active-duty military troops for crowd control.

Moreover, as the Times notes, Trump has asserted that if he returns to the White House, he will dispatch such forces without waiting for state or local officials to request such assistance.

I am a historian who has written several books about the Vietnam War, one of the most divisive episodes in our nations past. My new book, Kent State: An American Tragedy, examines a historic clash on May 4, 1970, between anti-war protesters and National Guard troops at Kent State University in Ohio.

The confrontation escalated into violence: Troops opened fire on the demonstrators, killing four students and wounding nine others, including one who was paralyzed for life.

In my view, the prospect of dispatching troops in the way that Trump proposes chillingly echoes actions that led up to the Kent State shootings. Some active-duty units, as well as National Guard troops, are trained today to respond to riots and violent protests  but their primary mission is still to fight, kill, and win wars.

Federalizing the Guard

The National Guard is a force of state militias under the command of governors. It can be federalized by the president during times of national emergency or for deployment on combat missions overseas. Guardsmen train for one weekend per month and two weeks every summer.

Typically, the Guard has been deployed to deal with natural disasters and support local police responses to urban unrest, such as riots in Detroit in 1967, Washington in 1968, Los Angeles in 1965 and 1992, and Minneapolis and other cities in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

The 1807 Insurrection Act grants presidents authority to use active-duty troops or National Guard forces to restore order within the United States. However, presidents rarely deploy Guard troops without state governors consent.

The main modern exceptions occurred during the Civil Rights Movement, when Southern governors resisted federal orders to desegregate schools in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama. In each case, the troops were sent to protect Black students from crowds of white protesters.

The standoff at Kent State

The war in Vietnam had grown increasingly unpopular by early 1970, but protests intensified on April 30 when President Richard Nixon authorized expanding the conflict into Cambodia. At Kent State, after a noontime anti-war rally on campus on May 1, alcohol-fueled students harassed passing motorists in town and smashed storefront windows that night. On May 2, anti-war protesters set fire to the building where military officers trained Kent State students enrolled in the armed forces Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

In response, Republican Gov. Jim Rhodes dispatched National Guard troops, against the advice of university and many local officials, who understood the mood in the town of Kent and on campus far better than Rhodes did. County prosecutor Ron Kane had vehemently warned Rhodes that deploying the National Guard could spark conflict and lead to fatalities.

Nonetheless, Rhodes  who was trailing in an impending Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat  struck the pose of a take-charge leader who wasnt going to be pushed around by a long-haired rabble. Were going to put a stop to this! he shouted, pounding the table at a press conference in Kent on May 3.

Hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed across town and on campus. University officials announced that further rallies were banned. Nonetheless, on May 4, some 2,000 to 3,000 students gathered on the campus Commons for another anti-war rally. They were met by 96 National Guardsmen, led by eight officers.

There was an edge of confrontation in the air as student anger over Nixons expansion of the war blended with resentment over the Guards presence. Protesters chanted antiwar slogans, shouted epithets at the Guardsmen and made obscene gestures.

Fire in the air!

The Guardsmen sent to Kent State had no training in de-escalating tension or minimizing the use of force. Nonetheless, their commanding officer that day, Ohio Army National Guard Assistant Adjutant General Robert Canterbury, decided to use them to break up what the Department of Justice later deemed a legal assembly.

In my view, it was a reckless judgment that inflamed an already volatile situation. Students started showering the greatly outnumbered Guardsmen with rocks and other objects. In violation of Ohio Army National Guard regulations, Canterbury neglected to warn the students that the Guardsmens rifles were loaded with live ammunition.

As tension mounted, Canterbury failed to adequately supervise his increasingly fearful troops  a cardinal responsibility of the commanding officer on the scene. This fundamental failure of leadership increased confusion and resulted in a breakdown of fire control discipline  officers responsibility to maintain tight control over their troops discharge of weapons.

When protesters neared the Guardsmen, platoon sergeant Mathew McManus shouted Fire in the air! in a desperate attempt to prevent bloodshed. McManus intended for troops to shoot above the students heads to warn them off. But some Guardsmen, wearing gas masks that made it hard to hear amid the noise and confusion, only heard or reacted to the first word of McManus order, and fired at the students.

The troops had not been trained to fire warning shots, which was contrary to National Guard regulations. And McManus had no authority to issue an order to fire if officers were nearby, as they were.

Many National Guardsmen who were at Kent State on May 4 later questioned why they had been deployed there. Loaded rifles and fixed bayonets are pretty harsh solutions for students exercising free speech on an American campus, one of them told an oral history interviewer. Another plaintively asked me in a 2023 interview, Why would you put soldiers trained to kill on a university campus to serve a police function?

A fighting force

National Guard equipment and training have improved significantly in the decades since Kent State. But Guardsmen are still troops who are fundamentally trained to fight, not to control crowds. In 2020, then-National Guard Bureau Chief General Joseph Lengyel told reporters that the civil unrest mission is one of the most difficult and dangerous missions  in our domestic portfolio.

In my view, the tragedy of Kent State shows how critical it is for authorities to be thoughtful in responding to protests, and extremely cautious in deploying military troops to deal with them. Force is inherently unpredictable, often uncontrollable, and can lead to fatal mistakes and lasting human suffering. And while protests sometimes break rules, they may not be disruptive or harmful enough to merit responding with force.

Aggressive displays of force often heighten tensions and worsen situations. Conversely, research shows that if protesters perceive authorities are behaving with restraint and treating them with respect, they are more likely to remain nonviolent. The shooting at Kent State demonstrates why force should be an absolute last resort in dealing with protests  and one fraught with grave risks.

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: Brian VanDeMark, United States Naval Academy

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Brian VanDeMark 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.
St. Albans, VT- An Essex woman has died after being thrown from her motorcycle in a crash on Fisher Pond Road in St. Albans on Monday night.

Police say Joann Hammond, 60, was the only person on a three-wheeled motorcycle that lost control and crashed near the intersection of Congress Street and Fisher Pond Road. Hammond was brought to UVM Medical Center, where she died from her injuries. The crash happened around 9:15 p.m.

The St. Albans Police Department was assisted by Vermont State Police, Vermont Fish and Game, AMCARE, and St. Albans Town Fire at the scene of the crash.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
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Two attorneys who represented Kari Lake in a bid to get tabulators banned from the 2022 election will not face discipline for their claims in that case, a disciplinary panel ordered on Monday.

Presiding Disciplinary Judge Margaret Downie authored the ruling of a three-member panel which dismissed the complaints. The dismissal follows a three-day hearing in June.

The panel found that the Arizona State Bar  which brought the complaints  did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that attorneys Kurt Olsen and Andrew Parker engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation or that their conduct was prejudicial to the administration of justice.

Olsen, a Washington, D.C., employment attorney, and Parker, a Minnesota attorney, represented Lake and then-candidate for Arizona Secretary of State Mark Finchem in a spring 2022 lawsuit aimed at barring Maricopa and Pima counties from using electronic tabulators to count ballots in the November 2022 election.

Lake, a Republican who is currently running for U.S. Senate, was at the time running for Arizona governor. She lost that race to Democrat Katie Hobbs.

In their lawsuit, Lake and Finchem claimed that the electronic tabulators used to count ballots in Arizona were hackable and asked the courts to place an injunction on their use ahead of the November 2022 election. Arizona law requires their use.

In August 2022, U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi threw out the tabulator case and issued a scathing ruling, saying that Lake and Finchems claims amounted to mere conjectural allegations of potential injuries. He later ordered $122,000 in sanctions against the attorneys in the case.

In October 2023, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with Tuchis decision to throw out the case, agreeing that it was frivolous.

The State Bar of Arizona filed a complaint against Olsen and Parker in January, alleging that they had violated their ethical obligations as attorneys practicing law in the Grand Canyon State.

But the three-member disciplinary panel  including Downie, an attorney member and a member of the public  that dismissed the complaint in a Monday ruling wrote that the State Bar failed to prove its case against them.

Retrospective scrutiny of any complex litigation may reveal some measure of imprecision, legal arguments fairly characterized as long shots, puffery in advocacy, and reliance on authorities that are distinguishable in some respects, Downie wrote. Such is the case hereBut for the hearing panel to conclude that objective attorneys would not have acted as Respondents did in that context, significantly more evidence would be necessary  particularly given the State Bars high burden of proof

The only witnesses that the State Bar called in the late June hearing were Olsen and Parker themselves, and Downie pointed out in the ruling that, obviously, neither of them admitted to violating their ethical commitments as attorneys.

Downie noted in the ruling that the hearing panel was bound by a recent Arizona Supreme Court opinion, which orders the courts not to sanction lawyers  particularly in election cases  for bringing debatable, long-shot complaints.

Such a claim may lack winning merit without being sufficiently devoid of rational support to render it groundless, the high court wrote in Arizona Republican Party v. Richer.

The hearing panel was also barred from taking the federal judges previous sanctions against Olsen and Parker into consideration.

(The law) mandates that these disciplinary proceedings go forward on a clean slate, with the State Bar bearing the burden of independently proving its allegations of ethical misconduct, Downie wrote.

In its complaint against Olsen and Parker, the State Bar claimed that they had no good faith basis to assert that banning the use of tabulators four months prior to an election would cause little, if any, harm to state and county election officials.

Read in isolation, the assertion that the requested injunctive relief would cause little, if any, harm to the Defendants might be viewed as hyperbolic or even disingenuous, Downie wrote. But when the entirety of the (lawyers) argument is considered, along with the hearing evidence, the hearing panel cannot find by clear and convincing evidence that Respondents violated (the law).

During the hearing, Olsen and Parker argued that, because Arizona already uses paper ballots, and counts some of those ballots by hand at 2% of voting locations as part of a post-election audit, they believed it wouldnt cause much harm to election officials to count every ballot by hand. Officials disagreed, saying it would be a logistical nightmare and cause soaring costs for additional election workers to tabulate all of the ballots.

Parker and Joseph Pull, another attorney from his firm, testified that the point they were trying to convey was that the constitutional importance of correct election results substantially outweighed any administrative costs that might befall the defendants, Downie wrote. According to Mr. Parker, the relative harm stemming from the asserted constitutional violation was far and away more weighty than defendants cost-related concerns.

The hearing panel also determined that Parker and Olsen had no obligation to include certain information in their arguments to the court  including that Arizonas tabulators are objectively evaluated before each election  as the State Bar alleged they should have.

During the June hearing, Parker and Olsen said that, while they acknowledge that testing takes place, they do not believe it to be objective, neutral, or expert.

Whether plaintiffs claims about deficiencies in Arizonas testing were substantively correct is not an issue to be decided in these proceedings, Downie wrote. The question before the hearing panel is whether Respondents had a good faith basis for including the challenged statements in the (lawsuit). The hearing evidence established that they did.

In a written statement to the Arizona Mirror, Parker praised the panel for protecting and reinforcing fundamental principles of our justice system.

During this time of acute polarization where fundamental pillars of our justice system have come under frequent attack, this decision pushes back and says, no more, Parker wrote. For over 35 years, I have had a reputation for integrity and aggressive advocacy. This decision underscores the unwarranted accusations that were leveled in this matter. The charges, all of which were thrown out by the Panel, should never have been brought.

He alleged that the weaponization of state agencies to deter lawyers from bringing far-reaching and sometimes novel, yet legitimate, legal arguments that may challenge mainstream or popular opinion must be rejected, as was done in this case.

Olsen did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the panels decision, but Lake took to the social media site X to celebrate the news.

Today, my attorneys received a total exoneration and a full case dismissal against the spurious charges brought against them by the Arizona Bar Association, she posted Monday night. This is a complete victory against the increasingly politicized Bar, which attempts to punish and deter cases that call out our government for corruption and that work to protect our sacred vote and our liberties. I pray for all of the Attorneys who are taking on the difficult cases that are so important for the survival of this country.

Downie previously found that Olsen and Bryan Blehm, who both represented Lake in her lawsuit challenging the results of the 2022 election for governor, had violated their ethical duties in that case by lying to the courts about illegal ballots being counted.

Blehms law license was suspended for 60 days, after he did not attend a May hearing to determine how he would be disciplined.

The panel, which was set for a hearing on July 30, has not yet determined what, if any, discipline Olsen will face.

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The European Union is considering certain "political and operational conditions" under which it would send instructors to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers, Politico and Die Welt reported on Aug. 27, citing an EU External Action Service document seen by the outlets.

The EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM) was established in October 2022 with the aim of improving the training of the Ukrainian military. Kyiv has requested that the EUMAM conduct trainings on Ukrainian soil.

The 34-page document, titled "Strategic Review of EUMAM Ukraine" and dated July 22, says that further analysis is needed before the EU could agree to conduct trainings on Ukrainian territory, according to Politico.

"A further and a more comprehensive analysis would be needed, in order to fully assess the risks and possible mitigation measures, as well as political and operational advantages," the document reads.

Ukraine requested in-country trainings due to logistical and cost considerations, the document says.

Some EU member nations fear that trainings on Ukrainian soil will lead to escalated conflict with Russia.

"It is highly likely that an EU military presence on Ukrainian soil would be perceived by Russia as a provocation," the document says.

Another cause for concern is the safety of the trainers. According to the document, it will not be "feasible" for the EU to protect trainers who are operating in Ukraine while it remains an active war zone.

The EU has thus far conducted most EUMAM trainings in Poland or Germany. The program has trained approximately 60,000 Ukrainian servicemembers.

The EU's foreign and defense ministers will reportedly discuss the document during a meeting later this week.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast; Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Kyiv says

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet domestic security agency said Tuesday that they have rescued a 52-year-old hostage from the Gaza Strip.

The hostage, identified as Qaid Farhan Alkadi, is a Bedouin resident of Rahat city in southern Israel, they said, adding that the man was released in a military operation in southern Gaza in "a stable condition." 
United States intelligence and police officials are alarmed by two unrelated terror attacks in Europe last weekend and what those attacks say about the current threat environment in the U.S., according to a New York Police Department briefing obtained by ABC News.

"There is no initial indication that the two attacks are linked, however, both incidents underscore the current complex and elevated terrorism/targeted violence threat environment as well as the persistent challenge of low-tech tactics being used against vulnerable targets, including public gatherings and houses of worship," the briefing said.

MORE: 2 detained in deadly knife attack at German music festival: Police

The attacks cited in the report include a deadly stabbing in Germany and an arson attack on a synagogue in France.

In Germany, a lone offender, armed with knife, indiscriminately stabbed civilians at a music festival on Aug. 23. Three people were killed in the attack and eight others were injured. ISIS claimed responsibility, and a 15-year-old boy was arrested, though it's unclear exactly how closely related he was to the terror group.

PHOTO: A demonstrator holds a sign that reads 'fascism is killing,' as far-right protesters gather in the German city of Solingen, following a stabbing rampage in which several individuals were killed and injured, in Solingen, Germany, Aug. 25, 2024. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters, FILE)

In France, an individual carried out an arson on a vehicle near a synagogue on Aug. 24, followed by an attempted attack on the building itself.

The prosecutor's office said two cars were set on fire on the grounds of the synagogue, one of which contained a gas bottle, causing an explosion. One police officer suffered injuries. A suspect was arrested after a firefight with law enforcement.

MORE: Arrest made in arson attack at French synagogue, French officials say

"While there are no early indications that these two attacks -- which occurred in different countries, focused on separate targets, and leveraged distinct low-tech tactics -- are related, they nevertheless underscore the complex and dynamic threat landscape which is comprised of malicious actors from across the ideological spectrum and exacerbated by tense global flashpoints, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas war," the document said.

The NYPD said the attacks will likely resonate with malicious actors, "serving as tactical/targeting inspiration for follow-on acts of terrorism and targeted violence."

ABC News' Felix Franz, Nadine El-Bawab, Jon Haworth and Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.

European terror attacks alarm US intelligence, NYPD briefing shows originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  An Evansville man has been sentenced for burglary charges in Posey County.

The Posey County Prosecutors Office states Wayne Headspeth, 56, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including burglary, theft, residential entry, intimidation and criminal trespass.

Court records show that deputies with the Posey County Sheriffs Office were called a Mt. Vernon residence in the evening hours of May 10, 2023, in reference to a burglary in progress. An investigation led by Posey County Sheriffs Office Detective Kyle Reidford revealed that the homeowner came out of their bedroom to find an unknown black male, later identified as Headspeth, in their kitchen. After first claiming to be a salesman, Headspeth exited the residence. Headspeth was detained near the residence shortly thereafter while in possession of stolen items from inside the residence.

Officials say Headspeth has had prior felony convictions in Madison County, Indiana in 1987 and 2009 in Michigan.

Our homes are supposed to be a sanctuary from the outside world. Mr. Headspeths criminal behavior on that day violated this sense of security for the victims in this case, said Posey County Prosecutor Thomas Clowers. Thanks to the quick actions of the victims family members and friends, as well as the investigation conducted by the Posey County Sheriffs Office, my office was able to hold Mr. Headspeth accountable for his actions and remove a dangerous criminal from our community.

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A former Inglewood Police Department officer has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing cocaine from the departments drug lockup and reselling it.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, 48-year-old John Abel Baca distributed cocaine on at least two occasions beginning in 2021.

A buyer informed the FBI that Baca, who was still an active-duty IPD officer at the time, offered to sell them a kilogram of cocaine, two kilograms of China White heroin and an unlimited supply of black tar heroin in Feb. 2021.

The buyer reported that Baca claimed to have stolen drugs and cash during routine traffic stops that he made as a drug task force officer with IPD, the DOJ said in a press release issued Tuesday.

In late April of the same year, Baca provided a sample of cocaine to the buyer for them to sell to street customers; the meeting was secretly recorded and revealed that Baca offered the buyer $10,000 for a kilogram of China White.

Baca provided a sample of the cocaine to the purported buyers during the secretly recorded meeting, and several days later on May 4, he delivered a brick of cocaine to the buyers workplace.

He made $22,000 in cash from that deal, federal justice department officials said.

Carjackers target Rolls-Royce, Ferrari drivers at Southern California mall

The Whittier native, who was a 21-year veteran of the Inglewood Police Department when he was arrested, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine in Oct. 2023; according to United States District Judge James V. Selna, it was found that Bacas sales began in 2020 and extended over a lengthy period.

Officials emphasized the importance of holding everyone accountable for their actions, police officers included, and thanked Inglewood authorities for their cooperation in the investigation.

This defendant, a veteran of the Inglewood Police Department, abused his position as a law enforcement officer to promote his drug trafficking activities, United States Attorney Martin Estrada said. I thank IPD for its cooperation in bringing someone who broke his oath to protect the public to justice.

Former officer Baca tarnished the badge and dishonored the majority of those who serve and protect our communities with integrity, added Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office. This case serves as a reminder that no one is above the law, and corruption and criminal behavior will not be tolerated.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 former guard at Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center admitted she abused her power to give inmates a different sort of power  smuggling in a stash of cell phone charger cables last year.

Fabienne Osias, 40, of Brooklyn, wept Tuesday as she pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court to smuggling the contraband into the troubled Sunset Park jail.

The feds say she tried to sneak five USB charging cubes and nine cables to an inmate.

I understood at the time that it was against the law and also against the rules of the BOP [Bureau of Prisons] and the MDC, she said through tears. Im sorry for what I did. I recognize that I could have harmed others with my actions.

Osias was arraigned on and pleaded guilty to the federal misdemeanor charge before Magistrate Judge Marcia Henry on Tuesday. She faces a maximum year behind bars and a fine of up to $100,000, though based on federal guidelines her sentence will likely fall between zero and six months.

Shes scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 31.

At one point, the judge had Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Winik lay out her legal argument as to why the charging equipment should be considered phone contraband or a more benign other type of banned item  which would mean the difference between a six-month or one-year maximum sentence.

Osias, who quit her job at the federal jail last week, agreed as part of her plea deal that she wont seek work at a prison or jail in the future. She had worked at the Metropolitan Detention Center since January 2021, federal prison officials said Tuesday.

The federal Bureau of Prisons fully supports holding those who violate public trust and engage in criminal activity accountable, bureau spokesman Benjamin OCone said Tuesday. As corrections professionals, we are trained and take an oath that requires us to act with integrity. Above all else, we have a sacred responsibility to safeguard those in our care and custody.

Osias and her lawyer Anthony Cecutti declined to comment as they left the courtroom Tuesday.

The defendant abused her position of trust to smuggle cell phone chargers into the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said Tuesday. Contraband cell phones enable federal inmates to continue committing crimes even while they are in custody at the MDC, which endangers both the jail population and the community at large.

Osias is the latest correction officer caught sneaking banned materials into the Metropolitan Detention Center. In July, Quandelle Joseph was sentenced to 2 years behind bars for taking bribes to sneak in drugs, cigarettes and cell phones.

Another former correction officer, Jeremy Monk, was sentenced in December to three months of home detention and a year probation for smuggling pot into the jail.

The federal jail  which houses violent gang members and white-collar crooks like crypto-fraudster Samuel Bankman-Fried, and at one point held Ghislaine Maxwell and R. Kelly  has faced a steady stream of criticism from judges and defense lawyers for its barbaric conditions and inadequate staffing.

The jail saw two stabbing murders in June and July, and video showed one inmate stabbed 44 times on April 27 before a lone correction officer arrived to stop the attack.

On July 17, Edwin Cordero was stabbed to death during a brawl at the jail as he was waiting to be transferred to a different facility to serve a two-year prison sentence. Less than six weeks earlier, on June 7, another detainee, Uriel Whyte, was fatally stabbed in the neck.
Ex-jailer in Mississippi is charged in escape of inmate who had standoff with Chicago police

Joshua Zimmerman, who escaped from a Mississippi courthouse and is wanted on murder and armed robbery charges, is taken into custody following a standoff with police at a restaurant in Chicago on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (ABC 7 Chicago via AP)

HERNANDO, Miss. (AP)  A former employee of a Mississippi jail has been arrested and charged in the June escape of Joshua Zimmerman, an inmate who fled to Chicago and was captured there last week after a 15-hour standoff with police at a restaurant just blocks from the Democratic National Convention.

Ronnie Hunt was charged with conveying articles useful for the escape of a prisoner, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin said Tuesday. Martin said additional charges are probable. She did not respond to a question about whether Hunt is represented by an attorney.

The DeSoto County Sheriffs Department said Hunt, 32, has been fired from his job as a deputy jailer, WREG-TV reported. He was being held about an hour's drive away in the jail in Lafayette County, Mississippi.

The U.S. Marshals Service said Zimmerman escaped June 14 from the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando, Mississippi, where he was being held on attempted murder and armed robbery charges. He was also awaiting extradition to Houston, where hes charged with murder, the Marshals Service said.

Investigators said last week that they believe Zimmerman was working at the seafood restaurant where he was captured. The restaurant is about a half-mile from the United Center, where the political convention was being held. The Marshals Service said there was no connection or threat to the event or those attending.

Zimmerman was wearing street clothes, not a jail jumpsuit, when he escaped in Mississippi. A screenshot from a courthouse security video showed him wearing khaki pants and a white shirt and no handcuffs.

According to court records in Harris County, Texas, Zimmerman is accused of fatally shooting a woman, Keyanna Mercer, at a Houston motel on Sept. 2, 2023. The two were asked to leave the motel after multiple complaints of fighting, and when staff members checked the room to see if they had left, they found Mercers body with a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Court records also show Zimmerman was arrested in Connecticut in 2022 on a felony sexual assault charge. He pleaded not guilty and was freed on a $200,000 bond, but a warrant was later issued for his re-arrest.

The DeSoto County sheriff, Thomas E. Tuggle II, told WREG-TV after Zimmerman's escape: The notion that he had help, thats false. The notion that he had an extra set of clothes, thats false. This is a career criminal. He knew what he was doing.
Donald Trump may have made the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan worse for President Biden.



General H.R. McMaster told CNNs Anderson Cooper Monday night that Trump, while president, sought to negotiate with the Taliban as U.S. troops began leaving Afghanistan, which undermined the Afghan government. As a result, the U.S. government forced the Afghan government to release 5,000 members of the Taliban.

Cooper: The Trump Administration forced the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban?



McMaster: Correct. pic.twitter.com/Oq9Nd69G17  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

The former national security adviser was on CNN to discuss his new book, At War With Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House. The revelation puts the chaos of the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan into greater context, as conservatives sought to lay much of the blame onto Biden and successfully pushed that narrative into media coverage.



Its the latest damaging revelation from McMasters book. Last week, an early excerpt from the book detailed how Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin was able to manipulate Trump by playing on his ego and insecurities. On Monday, another newly revealed excerpt described meetings in the Oval Office as exercises in competitive sycophancy where Trump made particularly outlandish suggestions, including one instance in which he asked, Why dont we just bomb the drugs? in regards to narcotics in Mexico.



McMaster is one of many of Trumps former national security officials to criticize the now convicted felon for his conduct as president. One of his other former national security advisers, John Bolton, said earlier this month that Trump cant tell the difference between whats true and whats false.



Former White House chief of staff John Kelly has described the former president as a person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law. There is nothing more that can be said.

God help us.
By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) -China spent about $15 billion, or 7% of its defence budget, on exercises in the Western Pacific in 2023, according to a previously unpublished Taiwanese estimate, showing Beijing's investment in military activity around Taiwan and its neighbours.

The internal research by Taiwan's armed forces, reviewed by Reuters, offers a rare look into a slice of China's defence spending as Beijing has ramped up its military presence amid rising tensions in the region.

China claims Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control despite Taiwan's strong objections. It is also locked in disputes with several countries over sovereignty of large parts of the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

"This reveals the logic of allocation of their resources," said a senior Taiwan official briefed on the research. "They are spending a huge amount of resources trying to gain control of the west of the First Island Chain." The official, and two other people briefed on the research, declined to be identified for this story because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The First Island Chain is a collection of archipelagos running roughly from Indonesia in an arc northeast to Japan, encompassing the South China Sea and East China Sea.

In a statement to Reuters, Taiwan's defence ministry declined to comment on the figures.

"But the Chinese Communist Party's enormous military investment in recent years indeed has a negative impact to the peace and stability in the region, which is not conducive to global prosperity and development," it added.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and China's second-highest-ranking military official, said in April the sea should not be an arena where countries can flex their "gunboat muscles".

Carrying out "maritime containment, encirclement and island blockades will only plunge the world into a vortex of division and turbulence," he added, in an apparent reference to the U.S. and its allies.

Taiwan's defence ministry compiled the reports in May based on Taiwanese surveillance and intelligence on Chinese military activity in the Bohai Sea off northeast China, the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the western Pacific Ocean.

The reports tallied China's naval and air missions there in 2023, then estimated how much fuel and other consumables would cost for each hour of activity. The total was 110 billion yuan ($15.3 billion), including maintenance, repairs and salaries, the reports and the officials briefed on the research said.

The research was designed to help Taiwanese decision makers understand how China allocates military resources across regions, as well as to gauge what Taipei perceives as a "gap" between Beijing's intentions and its capabilities, three officials briefed on the reports said.

Comparing the cost of the exercises to the state of China's economy, they said, helps Taipei assess the risks for both Taiwan and China.

The 110 billion yuan figure amounts to about 85% of Taiwan's 2023 defence budget, Reuters calculations show.

It is about 7% of China's reported 2023 military spending of 1.55 trillion yuan, although diplomats and experts say that number is often opaque or not fully inclusive. China in March announced a 7.2% rise in defence spending for this year to 1.67 trillion yuan.

"It's like a black hole," said retired Taiwanese Navy Lieutenant Commander Lu Li-shih, noting that individual spending programmes were not broken out in China's defence budget. "You can gauge the trend, but you can't tell what the detailed items are."

1.7 MILLION HOURS AT SEA

Both Washington and Beijing have significantly increased the volume of military exercises across Asia amid roiling tensions in recent years, though China's drills still lag in scale and complexity, a study has found.

China's state-backed Global Times newspaper said last year sending carrier groups into the waters of the Western Pacific was not only about flexing muscles around Taiwan, and that China's navy needed to get used to operating far out at sea.

"China's carrier battle group is facing not only the Taiwan authorities, but also the interference of external forces," military expert Song Zhongping told the newspaper.

Four experts said the reports' methodology was feasible and could provide valuable information, although they cautioned that it necessarily included some guesswork.

They also said direct comparisons on military exercise spending were difficult; no data was available, for instance, on how much the United States spent on such activities in 2023. But the U.S. Department of Defense has proposed spending $9.9 billion next year on the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, created to counter China's military build-up.

Reuters could not independently confirm the accuracy of the Taiwanese estimate.

China has stepped up military incursions and war games near Taiwan.

In 2023, Chinese aircraft, including J-10 fighter jets, H-6 bombers, and drones, made more than 9,200 flights in the region, amounting to about 29,000 hours in the air, the report shows.

The Chinese navy made more than 70,000 sailings, including aircraft carriers and destroyers, amounting to a total time at sea of more than 1.7 million hours.

Roughly 40% of the Chinese naval journeys were made in the highly contested South China Sea, about 20% were in the East China Sea bordering Japan and South Korea, and nearly 15% were in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, the report shows.

Taiwan has reported about 1,700 Chinese military planes have flown in its air defence identification zone so far this year, slightly more than the total for all of 2023, according to data compiled by Washington-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

China also launched "punishment" drills around Taiwan in May 2024, sending heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks shortly after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who Beijing considers a separatist, took office.

During the two-day "Joint Sword  2024A" war games that month, Chinese air and naval forces were estimated to have spent about $13.17 million on fuel and consumables, according to another internal Taiwan defence report reviewed by Reuters.

The estimated spending for that exercise did not include personnel and maintenance, which are usually about three times the cost of fuel and consumables, the three officials briefed on the research said.

Chinese warplanes made more than 100 flights and spent some 300 hours in the air during those exercises, the report shows, while Chinese warships and coast guard boats made about 90 trips.

Chieh Chung, a researcher at a Taipei-based think tank, the Association of Strategic Foresight, said the activity showed the Chinese military was building combat readiness.

"The Communist military is ramping up their training for a Taiwan invasion," he said. "More aircraft and pilots are now capable of conducting such missions."

($1 = 32.2830 Taiwan dollars)

(Reporting by Yimou Lee. Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard, and Ryan Woo in Beijing. Editing by Gerry Doyle and Lincoln Feast.)
It takes time for the Swedish musician Karin Dreijer to turn into the gender queer electronica artist Fever Ray. Physically it is a long process that involves garish makeup, a cartoonishly large suit, and sometimes a wig but more often a bald cap. Psychologically, the transformation takes even longer. If its been a while [since Ive performed], Ill try to put on the whole costume way ahead of time and just sit there, the 49-year-old Dreijer says. I need to get to know it again.

Dreijer, who is non-binary, has always been fond of masks. Two decades ago, when they first began releasing eerie electronic music (haunted house if you will) as the Knife with their brother, Olof, the siblings were rarely photographed without a disguise of some sort. The pair never attended the Swedish Grammis, though they won several times. And when Dreijer did accept an award for their solo work as Fever Ray in 2010, they did so wearing a frightening fleshy mask that looked like Miss Piggy left in a sauna.

Privacy may have been the initial aim, but costumes serve a different purpose these days. I dont think about it in that sense any more. Its more a way to make the performance true or real, a way for me to try to tell stories more clearly, says Dreijer over Zoom  sans mask.

They are home in Stockholm taking a breather from touring before flying to the UK for the End of the Road festival next week. Breaks are necessary: Fever Ray gigs tend to provide a tremendous spectacle. They demand a lot of Dreijer who, on stage, brings their music to palpable, pounding life typically accompanied by an astounding light show. Best show Ive ever seen, is not an uncommon comment to see on YouTube clips of their sets.

Its somewhat rare to interview Dreijer, for the simple reason that its rare for them to put out music. In 15 years, they have released just three albums  each as critically acclaimed and long-awaited as the last; on Pitchfork, they have an enviable average rating of 8.3. As Fever Ray, Dreijer makes experimental art pop that sheds the steely club beats of the Knife, while retaining all the playful menace and humour.

The most recent of these albums arrived last year with Radical Romantics, a title that harks back to the Knifes brief existence as the dance-poppers du jour in the early Noughties, thanks to the release of their loved-up sugar-rush hit Heartbeats  immortalised in commercials, cafe playlists, and Jose Gonzalezs popular acoustic cover. (Nothing theyve made since, together or solo, has come close to being so pop-oriented or commercially successful.)

Im more interested in feelings: how to feel and to be able to feel things, says Fever Ray (Nina Andersson)

Radical Romantics follows in the footsteps of 2017s Plunge, a libidinous thrust of an album that came to a climax with Dreijer shouting: I want to run my fingers up your pussy! mid-record. Here, love is more abstract and alien. I just wanna be touched/ I just wanna shiver/ Can I trust you? Dreijer hesitates against the alarm-sounding bassline of Shiver. Elsewhere on the album Even It Out imagines them exacting revenge on a teenager who bullied my kid in high school with a pickaxe. Thats love, too.

Where the Knife would find inspiration in politics and critical theory (their last show together in 2014 was titled Post-Colonial Gender Politics Come First, Gender Comes Second), Fever Ray offers Dreijer a chance to explore more introspective territory. Im more interested in feelings: how to feel and to be able to feel things, they say. But then I think that is also very political. Take their 2009 solo debut, for example, written when Dreijer was a new mother in a heterosexual marriage.

Those tracks felt suspended in the thick, dank air of domestic cabin fever. Dreijer sang of dishwasher tablets and kitchen sinks, charging against the confines that motherhood comes with. I laugh, telling Dreijer that listening to the album when I was 16 made me rethink having children. And what do you think now? Things feel better now, I suggest. Mothers are less boxed in than they were a decade or so ago.

Karin Dreijer performs at Coachella music festival as the Knife in 2010 (Getty Images)

Dreijer is not so sure. At least in Sweden, the politics around families have become worse, they say. There is a new wave of young women who want to stay home and not have an education or find a job because they want to be housewives. I think its super-important for society to have collective care of children because it is a lot of work to bring up kids. The idea of family in Sweden is very binary, very tight to just single parenting, but families where there are three or more parents, I think thats great. It takes a village, is Dreijers point. Im happy that Im not having children today. Im happy that Ive already done it.

It was when making music as the Knife that Dreijer first started to push at the borders of gender. Abandoning the sweetness of their early hits, the siblings veered into stranger territory. So heavily processed were their vocals that they seemed to emit from some place unknown without gender or name. I realised that if I say something with a very female voice, its read in a totally different way than if I say it with a dark, male-coded voice, Dreijer says now. Music was a free space to play around in a way that I didnt know I needed at the time.

I dont remember when I switched pronouns. It was just a natural thing that happened

Dreijer started using they/them pronouns  or hem in Swedish  in 2018. I havent thought much about it, they say of their decision. I dont remember when I switched. It was just a natural thing that happened. Its been a journey that began with making music. When we started, I didnt have the words to understand what it is that we were doing, but now I can see it, Dreijer says. I think its a lot about feeling free, which a lot of people are struggling with right now.

Dreijer is aware of that fact as they raise their own two kids, who are 21 and 17. When they were really small, I didnt have the knowledge about trans people or non-binary identities, but its something weve talked about a lot in the last 10 years, they say. So I hope Im as open as possible. Its more than Dreijer can say for Sweden, which as a country, they say, is never really safe for queer people.

Their recent track What They Call Us is about this looming sense of danger. It is written, Dreijer says, from a very queer perspective  but also an artists perspective. These right-wing parties in Sweden want not only to take away rights for trans people but also cut down [funding] for culture, they say. In the end, it will make people more stupid and let them be able to run their politics ever more so. In the countrys 2022 elections, voters ousted the Social Democrats, the party responsible for building the Swedish welfare state  and for the first time ever, the radical right-wing Sweden Democrats gained real political power, becoming the second biggest party in parliament.

Music was a free space to play around in a way that I didnt know I needed at the time (Creative Direction: Martin Falck) (Nina Andersson)

Growing up in Gothenburg, Dreijer found their way into music through the indie guitar scene  and was stubborn in their pursuit of it as a career. My parents couldnt really say anything because I moved out when I was 18, they say. And in Sweden, university is free. You dont need their blessing or permission to do anything in that sense because you dont need their money, which is sometimes the same thing.

The guitar scene, though, wasnt for them. It was very male dominated and very straight, Dreijer says. Labels run by dudes who signed their friends who were also dudes. With their band at the time, Dreijer did end up releasing music on one such dude-run label. But I had to compromise so much, they say. In what way, Dreijer cant exactly recall. They shake their head as if erasing a bad dream and laugh. Ive tried to forget, Dreijer says finally. But Im very happy that I got away. Hundreds of thousands of fans are very happy about that, too.

End of the Road festival takes place from 29 August to 1 September
This undated photo shows part of a wooden coffin decorated with inscriptions of goddess Isis retrieved from the Netherlands by Egypt. The Embassy of Egypt in The Hague has received three smuggled artifacts from the Dutch authorities, and they will be sent back soon to Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Handout via Xinhua)

CAIRO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Embassy of Egypt in The Hague has received three smuggled artifacts from the Dutch authorities, and they will be sent back soon to Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday.

The artifacts, which belong to the Late Period of Ancient Egypt (747-332 B.C.), are a blue porcelain ushabti statue, part of a wooden coffin decorated with inscriptions of goddess Isis, and a head of mummy in a good state of preservation with remains of teeth and hair, the ministry said in a statement.

"Investigations proved that they left Egypt illegally as a result of secret excavation, and not from any museum, warehouse, or archaeological site," it added.

According to the statement, Egypt has succeeded in repatriating more than 30,000 artifacts smuggled to other countries since 2014.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said the three artifacts were found inside an antique store in the Netherlands, and the Dutch and Egyptian authorities conducted necessary investigations that showed they were illegally smuggled from Egypt.

The SCA chief hailed the Egyptian-Dutch cooperation "in combating the illegal trafficking of cultural property and smuggling of antiquities, as cultural heritage represents a common legacy for all of humanity."

In July 2021, Egypt recovered from the Netherlands a smuggled 4,000-year-old statue of Old Kingdom priest Nikaw-Ptah. 

This undated photo shows a head of mummy retrieved from the Netherlands by Egypt. The Embassy of Egypt in The Hague has received three smuggled artifacts from the Dutch authorities, and they will be sent back soon to Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Handout via Xinhua)

This undated photo shows a blue porcelain ushabti statue retrieved from the Netherlands by Egypt. The Embassy of Egypt in The Hague has received three smuggled artifacts from the Dutch authorities, and they will be sent back soon to Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Handout via Xinhua)
Explainer-Why is Russia seeking to capture the strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine?

By Andrew Osborn and Anastasiia Malenko

MOSCOW/KYIV (Reuters) - Russian forces are closing in on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, prompting some residents to evacuate for fear it will fall in the coming weeks.

Here are some key points about the city and the battle.

WHAT IS POKROVSK?

Pokrovsk is a road and rail hub and a city with a pre-war population of 60,000 people, tens of thousands of whom remain even as many evacuate.

It lies on a key road used by the Ukrainian military to supply other embattled Ukrainian-held outposts, such as the towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region.

A coal mine that is Ukraine's largest producer of coking coal, which is used in its steel industry and was vital for its pre-war economy, is only a 20-minute drive to the west.

Since 2014, when Ukraine lost control of the regional capital - the city of Donetsk - Pokrovsk has hosted an important technical university, the largest and oldest in the wider region.

WHY DOES RUSSIA WANT POKROVSK?

Moscow says it has annexed Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, a claim Kyiv rejects as illegal, and sees taking control of Pokrovsk as an important stepping stone to incorporating the entire region into Russia.

Control of the city, which the Russian media call "the gateway to Donetsk", would allow Moscow to severely disrupt Ukrainian supply lines along the eastern front and boost its campaign to capture the city of Chasiv Yar, which sits on higher ground offering potential control of a wider area.

Squeezing the Ukrainian military's access to the road network in the vicinity would make it harder for Kyiv's troops to hold pockets of territory either side of Pokrovsk, which could allow Russia to consolidate and advance the front line.

WHAT IS UKRAINE DOING TO DEFEND POKROVSK?

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has warned the situation near Pokrovsk is "difficult", said on Aug. 26, after being briefed by the head of the army, that Ukraine had decided to "further strengthen" its forces in the Pokrovsk sector.

He said the sector was facing the heaviest wave of Russian assaults, but predicted Russia would have to sacrifice tens of thousands of troops to achieve its aims.

The area around Pokrovsk is home to various industrial facilities that are likely to be used by the Ukrainian army to dig in and defend the city, though Russia is likely to use devastating glide bombs against them.

Ukrainian forces are meanwhile trying to expand their control of territory they have taken in Russia's western Kursk region after launching a surprise incursion there on Aug. 6. One of the stated aims of that operation was to try to force Russia to divert its own forces from the eastern front to ease pressure on places like Pokrovsk.

But Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's top commander, said on Aug. 27 that Moscow had understood Kyiv's aim and had continued to focus its efforts on Pokrovsk, where he said Russia's most capable units were concentrated.

Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces were engaged in active engineering work on defensive positions in the area.

WHAT DOES POKROVSK LOOK LIKE NOW?

The blue and yellow Ukrainian flag continues to fly over Pokrovsk and some residents continue to evacuate westwards by rail and road, while others try to go about their daily lives and are reluctant to leave.

During a visit to Pokrovsk on Aug. 23, Reuters reporters saw that many buildings had their windows boarded up, including the Donetsk National Technical University, whose steps were covered with rubble and debris after what officials said was a Russian missile strike earlier this year.

Other buildings had their windows blown out and their roofs, balconies and facades badly damaged. The sound of occasional shelling was audible in the distance as female pensioners sold vegetables in the street and a food shop emptied its shelves ahead of closure.

Vadym Filashkin, the Donetsk regional governor, said that as of Aug. 19 some 4,000 children were among 53,000 people still living in the Pokrovsk area. He ordered the evacuation of children from Pokrovsk and its vicinity on the same day.

Residents say power and water has long been cut.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Additional reporting by Anastasiia Malenko in Kyiv; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Alex Richardson)
At the start of the final week of August 2024, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's vice-presidential campaign found itself the subject of a new conspiracy theory. The rumor did not involve misleading claims of Walz being "abusive" toward his son, signing a law to stock tampons in boy's bathrooms or having "recruited young boys" into a high school's Gay-Straight Alliance organization. Rather, this new rumor involved Walz and his family's dog: a black Labrador mix named Scout.

The rumor began on Aug. 26  National Dog Day  when X user and Honeyhive Strategies president Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) posted (archived), "Yes, this is Tim Walz tweeting about his dog Scout. Only problem is that these are two completely different dogs." The post displayed two of Walz's posts from his X account and implied Walz claimed two different dogs represented Scout.

In the first post (archived), dated June 15, 2022, Walz posed with Scout. The second post (archived) displayed the date Oct. 19, 2022, and showed Walz kneeling down near the ground to pet a different dog wearing a light blue harness. That second post featured the caption, "Couldn't think of a better way to spend a beautiful fall day than at the dog park. I know Scout enjoyed it."

Turning Point USA founder and president Charlie Kirk reposted (archived) Grage's post, adding, "Tim Walz is an all-time legendary liar." Users on X noted that former University of Kentucky swimmer and political activist Riley Gaines also apparently promoted the conspiracy theory.

At around the same time these users posted about the rumor, the second post on Walz's account  the one showing him petting a different dog  disappeared. According to an archived page capture, that post remained active until sometime after 9:24 a.m. EDT Aug. 26. An attempt to load the post from its original link displayed the message, "Sorry, that post has been deleted."

A short time later, at 10:12 a.m. EDT, Grage posted (archived), "JUST IN: Tim Walz just deleted this tweet. Where is Scout?"

However, soon after, Kirk and Gaines both deleted their posts. The truth of this rumor was the second post simply showed Walz petting another person's dog at a dog park. After all, a video on Walz's Instagram account appeared to show him wearing the same outfit in the same setting from the deleted post. In the video, Walz could be seen petting Scout, with the other dog wearing its light blue harness roaming nearby.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkBMwZGprB2/

In other words, Walz simply appeared in a photo petting another dog at a dog park, with his own dog, Scout, outside of the frame of the picture. One user on X posted (archived), "It took me exactly 45 seconds to go to @Tim_Walz's Instagram page and see this is a video of his dog Scout playing with another dog at the dog park."

We did not notice any corrections posted on Kirk's or Gaines' accounts but will update this story if we receive more details. Kirk did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Meanwhile, another user critically responding to Kirk, said, "The faux outrage by this picture really shows how much of an out of touch elitist that you are. I know it would beneath you to go to a dog park, so it's probably hard for you to understand how they work."

This user responded to Kirk's post before he deleted it.

We reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign to ask about this rumor, including inquiring about why someone removed the second post showing Walz petting another person's dog. We received an emailed response from Teddy Tschann, the national press secretary for Walz's vice presidential campaign, and will update our story if he provides any further details.

Sources:

Callaghan, Peter. "Who's Running Minnesota While Tim Walz Campaigns with Harris?" MinnPost, 20 Aug. 2024, http://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2024/08/wheres-walz-not-in-st-paul-often-since-joining-the-kamala-harris-presidential-ticket/.

"Meet Minnesota's New First Dog: Scout." Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, 5 Sept. 2019, https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=1055-401951.

Moye, David. "GOP Strategist Brutally Mocked For Easily Debunked Tim Walz Dog Claim." Yahoo News via HuffPost, 26 Aug. 2024, https://uk.news.yahoo.com/gop-strategist-brutally-mocked-easily-185414206.html.

@timwalz. "A Perfect Start to a Day Looks Like." Instagram, 22 Oct. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CkBMwZGprB2/.
Emergency vehicles were seen parked near the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Two people have died after a Boeing 757s tyre exploded while it was being changed.

An employee of Delta Air Lines, the planes operator, and a contractor were killed in the maintenance area of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport just after 5am on Tuesday.

A third person is understood to have suffered serious injuries.

It is the latest disaster for embattled aeroplane maker Boeing, which is already facing serious allegations about its safety and quality checks.

Delta said in a statement it was heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.

The airline added: We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.

Deepest condolences

According to publicly available flight information associated with the planes tail number, the aircraft was a Boeing 757-232 which had landed in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Andre Dickens, the mayor of Atlanta, said: I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees.

My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery.

Earlier this year, a Boeing 757 plane operated by Delta lost a nose wheel as it prepared to take off from Atlanta.

In January, one of the manufacturers 737 Max 9 planes operated by Alaska Airlines suffered a mid-air blowout, prompting US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration to launch an audit of the companys production practices.

The Telegraph contacted Delta and Boeing for comment.

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KYIV (Reuters) - Powerful explosions were heard in Kyiv early on Tuesday, Reuters witnesses and local media reported, with Ukraine's air defence forces saying all of the country was under the threat of a Russian ballistic weapons attack.

It was not clear whether the explosions were air defence systems in operation or air weapons hitting their targets.

"Don't ignore the air raid alerts, seek cover," Ukraine's air force said on the Telegram messaging app.

(Reporting by Valentyn Ogirenko and Gleb Garanich in Kyiv; Editing by Tom Hogue)
This story is brought to you by our partner at Global Black Pride.

The battle for queer Black freedom is on  Rise up!

In a world where the fight for equality never takes a day off, the Global Black Pride Human Rights and Health Conference is stepping up to the challenge. This pivotal event, taking place on August 27-28 at The Sterling Midtown in Atlanta, isnt just another conference  its a powerful convergence of minds, hearts, and voices from across the globe, all dedicated to advancing the rights, health, and well-being of Black LGBTQ+ communities.

Princess Jauan Durbin against a gradient background.

Princess Jauan Durbin Global Black Pride

As the glitter from the Global Black Pride festivities settles, the real work begins. Hosted at the epicenter of the citys vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, this conference promises to be a melting pot of ideas and strategies, where activists, policymakers, healthcare professionals and community leaders come together to tackle the most pressing issues faced by Black LGBTQ+ people worldwide. From keynote addresses that will leave you inspired to panel discussions that will challenge your perspectives, this conference is about turning dialogue into action.

The theme for this years conference, "Our Love, Our Freedom," isnt just a catchy phrase  its a rallying cry. Its about standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across borders and oceans, and demanding a world, where love knows no bounds and freedom is a birthright, not a privilege. Expect deep conversations that explore the intersectionality of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and health, with a sharp focus on combating systemic discrimination, health disparities, and the criminalization of Black bodies.

Nigeri Gateru against a colorful gradient background.

Nigeri Gateru Global Black Pride

But its not all serious business  the conference also recognizes the power of cultural expression. With performances that celebrate the rich heritage and vibrant cultures of the Black LGBTQ+ community, attendees will not only engage in crucial conversations but also revel in the beauty and resilience of their collective identity.

And lets talk about the lineup  not the one you'll see at the concert, but the trailblazers leading this transformative event. Dominique Morgan, an international award-winning artist and activist, is the Program Director at the Fund for Trans Generations, focusing on dismantling the prison industrial complex and advocating for radical self-care. Harold J. Phillips, with extensive experience from the White House, is known for advancing LGBTQ+ rights and health initiatives.

Harold J. Phillips against a color background.

Harold J. Phillips Global Black Pride

Were also featuring Kenyon Farrow, a noted writer and public health advocate addressing intersections of race, gender, and health; Njeri Gateru, a fearless leader from Kenya and co-founder of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, defending LGBTQ+ rights in challenging environments; and Princess Jauan Durbin, the keynote speaker, whose visionary leadership has profoundly impacted the global Black LGBTQ+ community.

Kenyon Farrow against a colorful background.

Kenyon Farrow Global Black Pride

The Global Black Pride Human Rights and Health Conference is where the blueprint for a more inclusive and equitable future is being drafted, and you wont want to miss your chance to be a part of it. So, pack your passion, bring your ideas, and get ready to join a movement thats bigger than any one of us. Because when we come together, our love becomes our freedom, and our freedom becomes our legacy.

Shadeana Mascull against a colorful background.

Shadeana Mascull Global Black Pride

For more information on how to attend, please visit: https://globalblackpride.org.


Facebook settlement checks are delayed. When will you get paid?

(NEXSTAR)  A massive class action settlement against Facebook  with a settlement fund of $725 million  was given final approval in court last year, but appeals and legal proceedings have delayed payments from going out.

After months of waiting, theres an update: Well have to wait even longer.

Objectors to the settlement have filed two separate appeals to the final settlement, which was approved by a San Francisco judge in October 2023. According to Angeion, the company managing the settlement, it appears the appeals wont even get a hearing date until the first half of 2025 or later.

The time frame for resolving an appeal can vary widely, and we will know more as the appeals proceed, the settlement update reads.

Unusual La Nina may be forming in the Atlantic: almost unprecedented

Even once the hearing date is set, thats just the next step. The judge will need to determine if the appeal has merit, if more evidence or paperwork is needed, or if any other proceedings are necessary  all of which would push back the timeline for settlement payouts being issued.

Payments will go out to eligible recipients once all the appeals are settled, Angeion said. Basically everyone who had a Facebook account between 2007 and 2022 qualified, but the filing deadline has passed.

At least 17 million peoples claims have already been validated, meaning theyll receive a payout if and when the legal dust settles.

Was your data leaked in massive breach?: How to know, and what to do now

Not everyone will receive the same sized payment, because the longer you had a Facebook account, the more money you qualify for. However, dont expect a life-changing sum heading your way; lawyers for the plaintiffs have estimated the median check will be around $30.

Facebooks parent company Meta agreed to pay $725 million to settle claims it violated users privacy by sharing their data with third parties. While Meta agreed to the settlement, it denies all wrongdoing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Severe flooding struck Chester and other parts of Vermont in 2023. The state enacted a law this year that seeks to charge fossil fuel companies for the damages caused by climate change. (Scott Eisen | Getty Images)

Vermont is the first state trying a new approach to climate policy: charging fossil fuel companies money to cover the damages caused by natural disasters worsened by climate change.

Other states could be close behind. New York lawmakers passed their own measure in June, though its unclear if Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign the bill. And legislators in California, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey have introduced similar bills, which environmental advocates in those states have identified as a top priority for upcoming sessions.

Were certainly hoping that Vermont will be in good company soon, said Ben Edgerly Walsh, climate and energy program director with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, an environmental nonprofit.

The so-called climate Superfund measures are based on the polluter pays concept of the 1980 federal Superfund law, which covers the cleanup of toxic waste sites. Under the proposals, states would determine how much to charge fossil fuel companies based on their historical role in producing the emissions responsible for climate change.

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The proposals could bring in billions of dollars to deal with disasters such as the flooding that has ravaged Vermont in the past year. Other states could use the cash to address the damages caused by sea level rise, wildfires or droughts.

But such measures are likely to face stiff legal challenges from the oil and gas industry, making some state leaders wary of an expensive courtroom battle. And some lawmakers fear the bills will be linked to threats of higher gas prices, although advocates argue they wont raise costs for consumers.

Legislators and advocates say the efforts in Vermont and New York are emboldening leaders in other states. But a veto from Hochul, they warn, could raise doubts elsewhere and slow that momentum.

Vermont goes first

The new law in Vermont, which took effect July 1, tasks the state treasurer with calculating the damages from climate change-caused disasters, as well as the expenses the state is incurring to adapt to changing conditions such as increasing precipitation.

The state will then collect money to cover those costs from any company responsible for more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past 30 years, proportional to its share of global emissions.

The law and similar measures are underpinned by an emerging field known as attribution science, which uses computer modeling to determine whether climate change caused or intensified a natural disaster.

Theres a wealth of information out there dating back before 1995 indicating that the [oil] industry knew of the risks associated with its products, said Elena Mihaly, vice president of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont. It is wholly fair and reasonable to apply retroactive liability to those parties, given what they knew and when.

The bill passed 93-39 in the Vermont House and 26-3 in the Senate, and Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed it to become law without his signature. Scott said the state has been hit hard by climate change but expressed concern about the legal costs of taking on oil companies.

Oil industry groups have disputed the credibility of attribution science and claim states have no grounds to punish them for extracting, refining and selling a legal product. The American Petroleum Institute did not grant a Stateline interview request, nor did Energy In Depth, a research, education and public outreach campaign of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. Both instead issued statements decrying climate Superfund policies.

Mandi Risko, a spokesperson for Energy In Depth, wrote that the bills are based on shoddy attribution science which arbitrarily picks winners and losers according to an ideological agenda. Risko also claimed the bills would raise energy costs.

While no lawsuits have been filed against Vermont yet, advocates are preparing for a battle. Theyre hoping they wont have to fight alone.

Hochuls hesitation

Soon after Vermonts bill became law in May, New York legislators voted to pass their own measure. The New York bill would apply to roughly three dozen fossil fuel companies, collecting $3 billion per year over 25 years to help cover the costs of climate change. Advocates say climate change-caused damages are likely to far exceed that figure.

Dont you think the people who are responsible for a significant share of whats happening ought to be on the hook for some amount of the costs we are facing? said Democratic state Sen. Liz Krueger, who sponsored the bill. This bill is an attempt to get polluters to at least pay part of it.

Krueger said the biggest challenge that backers encountered was lawmakers fear of facing the oil industry in court. Hochul may be considering that factor as well, though her office would only say that she is reviewing the legislation.

The governor has until the end of the year to decide the bills fate, and climate advocates dont expect her to act until after the November election. Krueger said a veto from Hochul would be disturbing, given New Yorks potential to be a climate leader.

Other states are waiting patiently in line, wanting to do the same thing, hoping we deal with the litigation before they jump in, she said.

In a statement to New York lawmakers, the oil industry challenged the accuracy of greenhouse gas accounting.

At best the state can only estimate emissions; and these estimates are imprecise and not accurate enough to base a prorated share of a $75 billion dollar penalty, the American Petroleum Institute wrote in a 2023 statement to lawmakers as they debated climate Superfund legislation, according to media outlet City Limits.

Backers note that the program only charges companies that emitted 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases over a 19-year period. Many gas companies in New York wont be affected, and some will pay a smaller amount based on their share of emissions.

Advocates say that the biggest polluters, such as Saudi Aramco, the company most liable for emissions under the bill, will still have to compete with companies that are not being penalized.

If youre Aramco and youre on the hook for 20 cents a gallon and you raise your price 20 cents, nobodys gonna fill up there, said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization.

Waiting in the wings

New Yorkers arent the only ones hanging on Hochuls decision.

In the Massachusetts context, its really important that she move forward on this, said Dan Zackin, legislative coordinator with 350 Mass, an environmental nonprofit that is pushing for a similar approach. Our leaders in Massachusetts have been fairly risk-averse and hesitant to do things that would take on the fossil fuel industry, so we really need that precedent to be set so we know whats going to come when we pass this.

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, a Democrat who sponsored the Massachusetts bill, said Hochuls potential veto is a real concern.

Sometimes in Massachusetts we look to see if something passes in a couple other states before we pass it ourselves, he said.

But he said environmental advocates are increasingly supporting the proposal as the concept gains traction and backers are building momentum for the next legislative session, regardless of the outcome in New York.

Lawmakers in California, Maryland and New Jersey have drafted similar bills, and activists expect more states to follow suit  especially if Hochul signs the New York measure. Californias bill progressed through three committees this year, but did not receive a full Senate vote before the end of the legislation session.

This is going to be our top-priority bill for the next session starting in September, said Maggie Coulter, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit. We were blown away by the support. States like Vermont charging ahead and being willing to engage with a litigious industry group is inspiring and puts a little bit of pressure on states like California to step up to the plate.

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.
Fairborn superintendent retiring; district eyes successor

FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN)  After 13 years with Fairborn City Schools, the district superintendent has announced that he will be retiring at years end.

During his time with the district, Gene Lolli also served as business manager and principal.

Fraudulent parking violation placed on local vehicle

The richest blessing I have experienced in my career has been working in the Fairborn City School District, said Lolli. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the students, families, staff,

administrative team and the Board of Education, past and present.

The district isnt going to waste time in landing a successor. Its board is expected to name and vote on Amy Gayheart, the current assistant superintendent, to fill the position at its Sept. 5 meeting.

An outside search will not occur.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Fake online reviews and testimonials are a headache for small businesses. They hope the FTC can help

NEW YORK (AP)  Online reviews and testimonials are a key way that small businesses can attract new customers and boost sales of products.

But fake reviews and testimonials have been a persistent problem for small businesses, many of whom rely on recommendations for business. Fake reviews can make it harder for people to trust what they read online and ultimately hurt businesses. In addition, small businesses can find themselves targeted by bad actors who leave negative reviews.

Avi Israeli, a dentist and owner of Sage Dental in Wall, N.J., with 15 staffers, said his business has been targeted by fake and erroneous reviews by people with no connection to his office. In addition, people from other states have confused his practice with a chain with a similar name, and post inaccurate reviews that are hard to get removed.

They have significantly tarnished our reputation, and are unfortunately very difficult, and costly, to get removed, he said.

In an effort to combat the problem, the Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on those who perpetuate fake reviews online. It issued a final rule that bans their sale or purchase and allows the agency to seek civil penalties against knowing violators.

The rule becomes effective Oct. 21, 60 days after it was published in the Federal Register.

Fake reviews not only waste peoples time and money, but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors, said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. She added that the rule will protect Americans from getting cheated, put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest, and competitive.

Specifically, the rule bans reviews and testimonials attributed to people who don't exist or are AI-generated, people who don't have experience with the business or product/services, or misrepresent their experience. It also bans businesses from creating or selling reviews or testimonials. Businesses who knowingly buy fake reviews, procure them from company insiders or disseminate fake reviews will be penalized.

The rule also bans anyone from selling or buying fake indicators of social media influence, such as followers or views generated by a bot or hijacked account.

Tanya Lamont, CEO of Conversational, a virtual receptionist service in Dallas, Texas, with 20 staffers, said her business was hurt by fake reviews that said her staff was unprofessional and mishandled sensitive client information. It led to a dip in new client inquiries and some worries among existing customers.

To try to mitigate the damage, the company responded to each review, requested verification of the reviewers' claims, and reported the reviews to the platforms where they were posted.

Despite these efforts, the damage had already been done, leading to a temporary but significant decrease in our revenue, she said. She said the FTC's crackdown is a much-needed step, for businesses like hers that rely on their online reputation to attract and retain clients.

Were hopeful that stronger enforcement will help protect businesses from the harm caused by these malicious acts, she said.

Affected businesses can also report concerns to the FTC. Consumers or business owners can report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The Connections Area Agency on Aging has announced its Fall Shred-tactic will be returning to Sioux City.

Fall Shred-tactic is a document shredding event for seniors 60+ and their caregivers.

This is a drive-through event, with parking to observe available. Over the last several years, an average of more than two tons of personal papers were shredded during this two-hour period.

This service is available on a donation basis with the donations benefiting senior services provided by Connections Area Agency on Aging and the Siouxland Center for Active Generations.

The event will take place Friday, September 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Siouxland Center for Active Generations.

Siouxland Humane Society receives national recognition

Shred-tastic offers seniors or their caregivers the opportunity to shred personal materials preventing seniors from becoming victims of identity theft.

This event is for personal papers only. Papers from businesses, including in-home businesses, magazines, phone books, plastic folders, corrugated cardboard, and binders with metal clips, will not be accepted. Staples, paperclips, and spiral-bound items can be shredded and do not need to be removed.

Connections Area Agency on Aging advises older adults and their caregivers to carefully dispose of paperwork such as Medicare Summary Notices, explanation of benefits notices from insurance companies, bank statements, credit card billings, and other documents containing personal information.

We all need to be aware that numbers assigned to us from Medicare and Social Security, as well as bank account and credit card information, are valuable and sellable commodities to many scammers, stated Pam Wurster, event organizer at Connections Area Agency on Aging. She continued, We are excited to be able to offer this service to seniors living in the Siouxland area, as we have been for more than the last 10 years.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
A visitor takes photos of specimens of Yao ethnic medicinal herbs at a Yao ethnic medicine museum in Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Dongxun)

A delivery ceremony of two MA60 firefighting aircraft is held in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 26, 2024.

The first batch of China's independently-developed MA60 firefighting airplanes was delivered to the Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said.

The two MA60 firefighting airplanes were delivered in Xi'an. They will play roles in the country's emergency air-rescue sector, according to the AVIC, the country's leading aircraft manufacturer. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Ferrari's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc competes during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, the Netherlands, Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 26, 2024 shows villagers drying agricultural products in Lutian Village of Tonggu County, Yichun City, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo by Zhou Liang/Xinhua)

An ambulance wades through a waterlogged expressway in the rain in north China's Tianjin, Aug. 26, 2024.

Tianjin Municipality upgraded its rainstorm alert on Monday morning after experiencing the heaviest rainfall of this year's flood season. From 7 a.m. on Sunday to 2 p.m. Monday, the city's average rainfall reached 85.6 mm, with a peak of 280.9 mm. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

A performer participates in Notting Hill Carnival in London, Britain, Aug. 26, 2024.

Originated in the 1960s, the carnival is a way for Afro-Caribbean communities to celebrate their cultures and traditions. (Xinhua)

A farmer carries boxes to load tobacco leaves in a field in Pelagonia, North Macedonia's agricultural area, between the cities of Bitola and Prilep, Aug. 25, 2024. (Photo by Tomislav Georgiev/Xinhua)

Children prepare for an opera performance during a rural youth art festival in Youyujing Village, Shuishi Township of Ningyuan County, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 25, 2024.

A rural youth art festival was held at an art and culture exchange center in Ningyuan County on Sunday, where over 30 children from Youyujing Village and Duoshan Village of the county enjoyed various activities such as singing songs of Yao ethnic group and performing plays in costumes designed and made by themselves.

In 2016, Zhou Yan, who graduated from an academy of fine arts, established the art and culture exchange center in her husband Liu Xiu's hometown, Dayuan hamlet of Youyujing Village, hoping to help rural left-behind children through art education.

In recent years, the art and culture exchange center has gained social attention. In addition to daily art classes, the center also invite volunteers from many colleges and universities during winter and summer vacations to provide children with dance, vocal music, and literary creation classes. (Xinhua/Zhao Zhongzhi)

Dog owners get their wiener dogs ready before the Wiener Dog race at Huntington Beach in Orange County, California, the United States, Aug. 25, 2024. (Photo by Qiu Chen/Xinhua)
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Lupe Hernandez Lucero and Diana Garcia both lost their sons to drunk-driving-related crashes.

That tragedy has turned their lives upside down but despite the pain they relive every day, they are committed to remain vocal even at the expense of their sons cases.

I might not get the justice I want regarding my son, but you know what? I also have other kids, grandkids, nephews, and loved ones, said Garcia, mother of Isaac Garcia who was killed in a drunk-driving crash on March 2023 in Otero County, New Mexico.

I know Im not going to receive justice; Im already expecting that, said Hernandez, mother of Steven Hernandez who was killed in a car crash involving a drunk driver in far East El Paso in May 2023.

Im expecting the worst, but we have to leave it in Gods hands to determine that, but if our movement can help prevent another family going through this, Hernandez said.

Hernandez, Garcia, and parents of other drunk-driving victims have joined to form the Sober Streets Movement.

They aim to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving and demand stricter state and local laws to address drunk-driving-related deaths, and call for stronger punishments for drunk drivers.

Hernandez and Garcia shared their frustration with the decision handed down in a recently closed case.

El Pasoan Mario Ernesto Martel, 33, was sentenced to five years in prison last week after pleading guilty to one count of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle as part of his plea deal for causing a crash that killed Mayvel Alexandra Morales, 33, in August 2021.

I could only imagine what that family was feeling. Helpless. No justice. It was an insult to that family, Hernandez said.

Theyre (children of the victim) going to relive the pain because their mom did not receive justice, Garcia said.

You didnt just drive drunk. You took somebody elses life. You killed somebody. Youre a murderer. And unfortunately the law gives them a slap on the wrist, Garcia added.

Garcia and Hernandez called out El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks, for failing to deliver on his promises and questioning his efforts to give Martel and other drunk drivers stronger punishments.

Hicks did not respond to KTSMs request for an interview, but he did take to Facebook to explain the intricacies and challenges of prosecuting intoxication manslaughter cases.

He explained that causing someones death as a result of driving intoxicated is treated differently from intentionally murdering someone. He said that a person convicted of intoxicated manslaughter could serve anywhere from two to 10 years in prison, or even two to 10 years of probation, compared to the maximum sentence of life in prison.

These are the laws that a district attorney has to work with and cannot change just because we sympathize with the victims family or because we get really angry at drunks driving in our community, Hicks Facebook post read.

He went on to explain that his office has to enter into plea bargains to keep cases moving as there are few enough felony courts to process thousands of cases, with many others already backed up. Without moving cases forward, he said, families could be waitting for a decade to go to trial.

His post highlighted that because local juries are prone to give offenders probation, they often offer plea recommendations of approximately 10 years in prison, despite their belief that true justice demands the maximum sentence under the law.

We have already taken to trial several intoxicated manslaughter cases and look forward to more trials in the future. I assure that if our El Paso juries start showing the outrage at these cases that we feel and start sentencing people to long prison sentences, our plea recommendations will go up proportionately, the post read.

Garcia and Hernandez are also calling on juries selected to intoxication manslaughter cases to be understanding of their perspective as well.

To the people that get picked as a jury. Get in our shoes for once. Be understanding of the other side. You (jury) can (sympathize with the defendants) and say, Oh, theyre going to get prison, but think also about the families who lost their loved ones, Garcia said.

The Sober Streets Movement began a petition earlier this year, calling for the implementation of regular DWI checkpoints and daily Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission undercover visits to alcohol establishments.

The petition already has over 2,500 signatures on change.org

We want a change in our laws. Something needs to be done, too many lives are being impacted. To make that change we need everybody to step in so that we can (make it happen) together, Hernandez 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 KTSM 9 News.
Family Files Suit After Daughter Has 'Catastrophic Injuries' in Fall They Blame on Sorority

Sarah Cox, a Northeastern University student, was at a party hosted by her sorority in 2023 when she allegedly fell out of a second-floor window

GoFundMe Sarah Cox

Northeastern University student Sarah Cox fell from the window of a second-floor apartment where her sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi was hosting a party in 2023, according to the complaint

The complaint accused the sorority and the building property manager of negligence

A GoFundMe fundraiser to pay for Cox's medical expenses has so far raised over $116,000

Parents are suing a Northeastern University sorority and a building property manager after their daughter was left with severe injuries following a fall from an apartment building window last year.

In a complaint filed in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston on March 12 and reviewed by PEOPLE, the student, Sarah Cox, and her parents allege negligence and failure to warn against defendants Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority and Ramos Properties II.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on March 31, 2023, at an apartment building in Boston managed by Ramos Properties II that the sorority used for its gatherings. At the time, Sarah Cox, a Northeastern junior, was a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi.

Related: Stone Foltz's Parents Sue School Over Son's Deadly Alcohol Overdose in Hazing Incident: 'Death Sentence'

Cox was in a kitchen with her sorority sisters and friends at a sorority party at the apartment located on the second floor, per the complaint.

As the kitchen was crowded with party guests, Cox fell out of a window onto the driveway. "The distance from the window to the driveway was approximately 20 feet or more," added the complaint.

Sarah has suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of the fall, the complaint stated, which also added that there were 30 people in the apartment during the party.

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The Huntington News, an independent student newspaper at the university, reported that Cox has remained in a catatonic state since the fall and is currently in a pediatric nursing home, per court documents.

The complaint accused the Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority of negligence and failure to warn, stating that the sorority had a duty to ensure that their members prevent dangerous conditions during Sorority related activities and events safe for those attending such events.

It also asserts that the sorority should have known that its members would use the Apartment to engage in drinking alcohol during Sorority related activities, including for Sorority related parties.

Getty Sacred Space building at Northeast University.

Related: Gap Model's Mother Sues USC Fraternity Claiming 19-Year-Old Son Killed Himself After Being Hazed

Ramos Properties II was also accused of negligence and failure to warn in the complaint, which argues that the management company had a duty to manage the Property to keep it safe for those lawfully within the apartments in it by keeping window screens securely installed in windows that are low enough for people to easily fall out of such windows."

The complaint also stated that Ramos Properties II knew or should have known that a person could fall through such windows that are low enough for a person to easily fall out of such a window.

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit were property manager Marcia Ramos of Ramos Properties II and Maggie Scales, who was the tenant of the apartment and served as the president of the sorority at the time.

PEOPLE contacted Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority, Northeastern University and an attorney representing Coxs family for comments. PEOPLE also attempted to reach out to Ramos Properties II, but its listed phone number was not in service.

Related: Pair of Fraternity Brothers Charged After 2021 Hazing Incident Left Freshman Pledge Blinded and Paralyzed

According to the complaint, Coxs family is seeking a jury trial. Boston.com and NBC affiliate WBTS reported that Coxs family is asking for over $10 million.

As a result of the severity of her injuries, Sarah will continue to permanently rely on her parents, the complaint stated.

Batul Kazim and William Cox's lives are significantly restructured because they now have to provide care and support of every aspect of Sarah's life 24 hours per day and 7 days per week on a permanent basis, the complaint added.

A GoFundMe was created by Coxs brother, Syed Ali, to pay for her sisters medical expenses. He wrote in the fundraiser description that Cox had wanted to become a doctor to help people and that she had returned from her third international medical mission trip before the incident.

PEOPLE contacted Ali for comment.

She has a long road to recovery but we're praying she makes it through this and gets back on track towards her life goal of helping others, Ali wrote.

As of Aug. 27, the fundraiser has generated over $116,000.



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Read the original article on People.
The family of a Norfolk man who died in the city jail has a filed a lawsuit against the sheriff, his chief of staff, a deputy and several mental health workers, claiming negligence led to his death by suicide.

On Aug. 14, 2022, 24-year-old Philemon Stephen Vinson was taken into custody for failing to appear in court. The next day, he was denied bond.

During this time, the jail was using Wellpath, a third-party health provider, for much of its medical and mental health services. When he arrived, Vinson was screened by Sharon Rice, a nurse practitioner, and during the screening, Vinson said he had feelings that there is nothing to look forward to or feel hopelessness/helplessness. The lawsuit also alleges that Rice completed a special need identification form, during which Vinson said he was depressed and no one cares about his feelings.

Rice also finished a Mental Health Referral Form, which noted that Vinson mentioned symptoms of depression, but denied suicidal ideation. That form was also signed by Anne Purkeson, a licensed professional counselor who became Director of Mental Health Services shortly before Vinson died. Rice and Purkeson did not place him on suicide watch, so Vinson went into general population.

Despite expressing feelings of depression and hopelessness, Vinson never spoke to a mental health professional, the lawsuit states. A medical record created by Purkeson dated Aug. 15 said Vinson denied suicidal plans and would never hurt himself, but the lawsuit says that meeting never happened, and Purkeson admitted to forging the document. Purkeson said she did not evaluate Vinson because (the jail was) very short staffed, and it was just me running the Mental Health Department.

On the day Vinson died, Deputy Cinclair Howard was tasked with rounds, or check-ins, every thirty minutes on Vinsons cellblock. Rounds are documented with an electronic receiver at each end of the cellblock. At 10:51 a.m., Vinson and Howard briefly interacted while Howard delivered lunch, according to the lawsuit. At 11:08 a.m., the lawsuit states Howard walked past Mr. Vinsons cell without stopping or turning to look inside. The round was logged by the electronic receiver. Thirty minutes later, another round for Vinsons cellblock is logged, but the lawsuit claims Howard never looked in the cell.

Deputy Howard later admitted that not every round he made on Aug. 18, 2022, was a quality round and that he might have short-changed or, you know, didnt thoroughly look at some point. The truth is he did not look into Mr. Vinsons cell at all during the ten rounds he made between delivering Mr. Vinsons lunch and delivering his dinner, the lawsuit states.

Just after noon, Vinson can be seen in surveillance images on the floor of his cell with fabric wrapped around his head, his arms twisting it around his neck. At the same time, Howard was performing rounds and would have been easily visible from the door, the lawsuit says. For the next 18 minutes, Vinson continued to be on the floor, tightening the fabric around his neck. At 12:22 p.m., Vinson used his bed sheets to tie knots to his bunks frame and position his body to where he could not breathe.

In another still image of the inside of Vinsons cell, he can be seen suspended and not breathing. At 12:23 p.m., Deputy Howard escorted an inmate two doors down from Vinson back to their cell and passed Vinson without looking into his cell. At 12:52 p.m., Howard completed another round of the cellblock.

For the next three and a half hours, Vinson remained in the same position in his cell, and rounds were completed. Just four days after Vinson was taken into custody, he was found dead in his cell when Howard came to deliver his dinner at 4:24 p.m..

The Norfolk Sheriffs Office declined to comment about the lawsuit. The office also did not answer questions about protocol regarding rounds and checking in on inmates.

According to the lawsuit, systemic understaffing and insufficient attention to mental health of inmates was already creating issues before Vinson was ever in custody. Just four months before Vinson died, the Norfolk City Jails psychiatrist Matthew Sachs resigned amid what he described as rampant prescription drug abuse fueled by the excessive distribution of medications to inmates.

The lawsuit names Baron, Rice, Purkeson, Howard, Director of Inmate Services Melissa Peppenhorst, Norfolk Sheriffs Office Chief of Staff Wayne Handley and WellPath LLC. Filed initially as a medical malpractice lawsuit in April, the lawsuit was amended on Aug. 15 to be a wrongful death case. Lawyers for Vinsons family is asking for $3.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $10 million in punitive damages.

According to previous reporting from The Virginian-Pilot, Sachs, a contractor for Wellpath, said at the time that the sheriffs office demanded he begin meeting a quota that, in essence, would require inmate psychiatric appointments fall under 10 minutes. Sachs told The Pilot that it was unethical and dangerous. The Norfolk Sheriffs Office denied it made any requests to Sachs for more inmate psychiatric appointments, though Sachs said he had a recording of a conversation with a high-ranking jail official that contradicts the denial.

In May 2022, three months before Vinson died, Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron ordered an internal probe of the Norfolk City Jails mental health program.

If such review in fact occurred, it did not result in any meaningful improvement of the mental health operations of the jail, the lawsuit states.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
Family Of A NYC Man Found Dead Inside An Airbnb In Columbia Is Still Demanding Answers Nearly One Year Later

Family Of A NYC Man Found Dead Inside An Airbnb In Columbia Is Still Demanding Answers Nearly One Year Later | Photo: Douglas Sacha via Getty Images

A grieving father and mother are still searching for answers from officials after their son died on a trip to Colombia in February. Speaking to CNN, Hyacinth Watson said she and her husband didnt receive autopsy results until five months after the death of their son Omar Watson, who was found dead in an Airbnb bathroom on Feb. 29, 2024.

Hyacinth said Omar remained in contact with her during the first three days of his trip in Bogota but then went silent on the fourth day. Investigators in Bogota said Omars passport was found on a dresser near the entrance of the apartment where he stayed. However, his iPad and wallet were gone. Months after Omars death, the family also received his suitcase, which contained womens clothes and some of his items.

Omar, a 31-year-old online stock trader, often traveled alone to various countries.

He just wanted to see the world. Any country he could travel (to), he did, Hyacinth told CNN. I never ever imagined that his death would happen during his travel.

Hyacinth said Omar told her that he had diarrhea and vomited, but he felt better after taking medicine.

I asked him if he wanted me to come and get him. He said, Yes, but then he changed his mind. So I said, OK, hes a young man. Maybe he wants to stay a little while longer and enjoy his visit, Hyacinth said.

On March 1, 2024, Hyacinth received a call from the US Embassy in Bogota, which informed her that her son had died. The language barrier caused hurdles as the family tried to get more information in the following months. With the help of a friend, however, the family could understand an investigative report they received from Colombian officials.

According to the report, an apartment administrator said he spoke with Omar around 4 p.m. on Feb. 28. The same person told police he entered the apartment the next day because he didnt get a response and found Omar in the bathroom without vital signs.

Omar was found in a kneeling position in the bathroom. First responders said they found some over-the-counter medication, including an unopened DayQuil bottle and pain medicine similar to Tylenol.

The family said they tried to contact the Airbnb host, but they didnt have any success. According to CNN, the autopsy report stated that Omar died from an interlobular pulmonary thromboembolism associated with right deep vein thrombosis. The cause of death is described as natural.

Im thankful for that little part of the information, but its not enough, Hyacinth said. Im wondering if that [pulmonary embolism] was the only reason. Is there more to the story?

Omar was laid to rest in Brooklyn. But his family continues to demand more answers from investigators.

Theres not a day that I dont break down. Theres not a day that goes by that I dont wish I had taken a flight and gone to see him, his mother said. I dont sleep very well at night. I barely eat. My entire life is different. And nobody is telling me how my child died.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The family of a man who died after an explosion and subsequent fire while being transported in an ambulance is suing the City & County of Honolulu and the paramedics, among others.

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Fred Seiko Kaneshiro, 91, was being transported from Windward Mall to Castle Medical Center when the incident occurred on Aug. 24, 2022.

The above video, from March 2023, is about the final report on the ambulance fire

The family said Kaneshiro was sitting up and alert when he was placed into the patient compartment.

Theyre still coping with their loss, said Robert Miyashita, the attorney representing the family of Fred Kaneshiro. Whats most horrific is that their family member has passed away and perished in the fire while being trapped in the ambulance.

EMS releases final report on fatal ambulance fire

Court records show that the paramedic who was in the patient compartment was changing Kaneshiros oxygen mask from a non-rebreather to a CPAP when a loud explosion occurred, which was immediately followed by a bright flash and a violent fire 

This resource can save your family lots of money

The explosion caused the panel separating the patient and drivers compartments to forcefully blow into the drivers compartment, at which time black smoke and intense heat entered.

The EMT who was driving stopped the ambulance in the Adventist Health Castle Medical Center parking lot, jumped out and went to the back of the ambulance where he opened the rear door.

A black plume of smoke poured out from inside the rear of the EMS ambulance.

The record further explains that EMT Jeff Wilkinson, who had been in the compartment with Kaneshiro, jumped out of the patient compartment and quickly made his way up towards the emergency room for treatment.

Wilkinson was critically injured during the incident.

Oregon man died waiting for an ambulance, highlighting lack of emergency responders

Meanwhile, according to the court record, Kaneshiro remained helpless and trapped in the EMS ambulances compartment still strapped to the gurney.

Kaneshiro was pronounced dead at 9:13 p.m.

They send their sympathies to the family. They were reluctant to name them as parties to this case, said Miyashita. Unfortunately, because we needed to conduct further investigation and were in hopes that we can reach an agreement with the city to ultimately dismiss them from the case.

In the final report of the incident, released on Mar. 22, 2023, the Emergency Care Research Institute found the origin of the fire to be the portable oxygen cylinder regulator assembly.

ECRI said the possible causes could have been contamination or particulates within the oxygen cylinder.

It was a very traumatic event for everybody, including the community, just to imagine, of perishing in the fire or being trapped in an ambulance is just very horrific. And so they are ultimately looking for some type of accountability and closure, said Miyashita.

The suit includes eight counts ranging from negligence and gross negligence on the part of the EMTs and manufacturers to wrongful death on the part of all defendants.

Kaneshiros estate also requested a jury trial.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
PITTSBURGH (WKBN)  A Farrell man was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison in a federal drug case.

Quinton Pinkins, 39, was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison for trafficking in fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. He will also be on parole for six years when he gets out.

Pinkins case was heard in U.S. Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Pinkins pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin, and 500 grams of cocaine between June 2020 to June 2021, and to distributing fentanyl within 1,000 feet of public playground and housing authority properties on May 27, 2021.

Prosecutors say Pinkins was the leader of a drug trafficking organization in Mercer County where his drug dealing led to the fentanyl death of one customer and the hospitalization of another. The operation had also expanded into Erie County, Pa. when Pinkinss was arrested, prosecutors said.

Pinkins was arrested along with 25 others in the investigation that was led by the FBI, DEA, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, as well as state and local law enforcement.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
For months, Florida Democrats have sought to make the case that Republicans growing voter registration advantage disguises a targeted voter suppression tactic that disproportionately affects their party.

Democrats say the way the state publishes their registration numbers is unfair and misleading and that recent changes to state law have made it harder for them to register new voters. But even though an overall decrease in voter registration has brought down registration numbers across party lines, the reality is that Republicans are still out-registering Democrats.

MEMO: The Truth About the Voter Registration Gap.



Republicans are quick to take victory laps on their manufactured voter registration lead but nearly 1 million Democratic voters have been wiped from the total and labeled inactive.



Learn more  https://t.co/FdQPld6xg9  Florida Democrats (@FlaDems) August 13, 2024

From January through the end of July, Republicans registered over 169,000 new voters, according to Miami Herald calculations of Florida Department of Elections data. Republicans gained roughly 20,000 new voters per month from January to June, then more than doubled that number, gaining over 40,000 newly registered voters in July.

The Democrats numbers are much more problematic, according to University of Florida political science professor Daniel Smith. The party gained about 10,000 newly registered voters per month from January through June  and nearly 25,000 in July  but ended up losing around 12,000 voters overall, according to the Heralds analysis of state data.

This is something that is highly unusual, Smith said.

Between January and July, almost 48,000 people switched their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. Around 77,000 other voters switched from other parties to Republican.

Smith said some voters may have switched ahead of the Republican primary in March, particularly those who wanted to vote for or against Donald Trump, since Florida is a closed primary state where you have to be registered to the Republican or Democratic party to participate in their primary elections.

Despite Democrats claims that they are being disproportionately removed from voter rolls, Democrats and Republicans seem to be getting removed at a proportional rate. Between January and August, about 71,000 registered Republicans, 61,000 registered Democrats and almost 39,000 voters with no party affiliation were removed from the rolls. Removal from the voter rolls occurs when elections supervisors determine that a voter is no longer eligible or has been an inactive voter for two federal elections.

The shifting registration scene

Nevertheless, Smith said he agreed with Democrats that the state has made it harder for canvassers to register new voters thanks to relatively recent legislation, namely SB 90 and SB 7050, which passed in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

With voter registration becoming a heavily digital process, pen-and-paper registration that third-party registration groups were previously so reliant on is getting wiped out.

Voter registration is not fungible, Smith said. The [third-party voter registration groups] that are still around are effectively giving you a QR code to do [so] online.

SB 7050 also created tougher criminal penalties and fines for violations by third-party voter registration groups. As a result, Democrats argue, many of those organizations stopped their voter registration work in Florida.

While theres been a drop among voter registrations in all parties, Democrats have been hit especially hard. Smith said thats for a variety of reasons but can largely be attributed to the partys voter registration strategy and how it falters compared to the GOPs advantage.

Registering to vote online in the state of Florida requires a drivers license or Florida identification card. Smith said the DMV is a common site for voter registration and that older white voters who are more likely to be Republicans are also more likely to have a drivers license, visit the DMV and update their registrations. Meanwhile, Democratic voters are a younger and more difficult population to reach. Smith said that past strategies have circled around getting new voters at college campuses, but the digital aspect of the voter registration process has hampered that as well.

They dont have a ground game in Florida, Smith said of the Florida Democratic Party.

State Rep. Alex Rizo, the chairman of the Miami-Dade County Republican Party, pushed back on the notion that recent election law changes made things more difficult for Democrats, noting that Republicans have been steadily growing their numbers in the state for years and years.

They can make excuses all they want, but the reality is that, for years, this has been the trend, Rizo said. People see what the Republican Party has been able to do when it comes to having candidates that are common sense, that talk to people, and go to Tallahassee and get to work.

Evan Power, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, said the GOPs voter registration success boils down to the partys policy platform.

We find, and our success in voter registration demonstrates, that good, common-sense conservative policies drive good politics in Florida, Power said in a statement to the Herald.

The new voters breakdown

A Pew Research Center report last year found that 25% of Americans do not feel represented by the Republican or Democratic parties, with nearly 70% reporting they wish they had more parties to choose from.

In Florida, newly registered voters are reflecting a larger shift away from the traditional two-party system. In non-rural counties specifically, more new voters are registering with no party affiliation than with the Democratic Party.

Unsurprisingly, young voters make up the vast majority of new registrants, with 30% of newly registered voters since January falling into the 18-25 age bracket. More of those young voters are registering under a third party or with no party affiliation than with the two major parties, and Florida is seeing that pattern carry into other age groups as well. New NPA registrants now surpass Democrats in every age bucket, even narrowly outnumbering new Democratic registers in the 66-plus age group.

Active voters vs. full picture

The latest data from the Florida Division of Elections, released earlier this month, shows there are about 1 million more active registered Republican voters than Democrats statewide. But Democratic leaders argue that the GOPs reported advantage is misleading because it omits hundreds of thousands of inactive Democratic voters.

This victory lap that the Republicans are taking, its all a farce because all of these numbers are not based on the individuals who have been removed from the [voter] roll, state Sen. Shevrin Jones, the chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, said Sunday on CBS Miamis Facing South Florida.

Democrats argue that state and county election departments are misleading the public by only reporting voters labeled as active  those who voted in a recent election or responded to mail from their local elections department. By doing so, Democrats argue, they exclude millions of inactive voters who remain eligible to cast their ballots.

If they play by the rules, I promise you we would not see the million-voter registration number victory lap [Republicans are] taking right now, Jones said in the TV interview.

The Herald used both active and inactive voters in its calculations. In the most recent data set, there were 263,339 more Democrats labeled as inactive than Republican registered voters. But when accounting for both active and inactive voters, Republicans still lead Democrats by 732,735 registered voters  a 4.5 percentage point difference.

In a memo released earlier this month, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Phillip Jerez argued that the changes in state law that led to more voters being put on the inactive list disproportionately affected Democrats because of low Democratic voter turnout in 2022. Because so many Democrats sat out those elections, Jerez argued, more of them were labeled as inactive.

As a result, Democrats are now disproportionately affected by these new laws  and marked as inactive at substantially higher rates  enabling Republicans to benefit from these voter suppression tactics and inflate their perceived voter registration lead, Jerez wrote.

Thats not the only problem Democrats have pointed to. SB 90, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2021, canceled all standing requests for vote-by-mail ballots after the 2022 elections, requiring voters to request mail ballots every election cycle. That law also placed new restrictions on the use of ballot drop boxes that voters can use to return their mail ballots.

But Jerez argued in his memo that there are still reasons for Democrats to be optimistic. While inactive voters may not be listed in the topline registration totals posted by the state, he wrote, those people are still able to vote. He also asserted that Vice President Kamala Harris candidacy in the presidential race has given Democrats a major boost of enthusiasm in Florida, noting that more than 20,000 Floridians had signed up to volunteer for Harris campaign as of mid-August.

The Florida Democratic Party has never been more organized to face the uphill battle ahead of us to close the gap and take back our state  thats what Florida Democrats are going to be focused on from now until Election Day, Jerez wrote.
A Ga. Man Called Cops After Son Allegedly Confessed to Killing His Wife, And Then Things Get Real Crazy

During the early hours of last August 20, Kenneth Hardin Jr. and his wife, Carrie, got into a disagreement as all normal couples do, according to a statement from Fayette County Sheriffs Office.



What was abnormal about this situation is the day after the incident, Hardin reportedly handed over all his monetary responsibilities, including his bank accounts, to his father, according to Fox 5.

Hardin then allegedly confessed he was leaving town after killing Carrie in self defense, according to Fox News. He had told his father that he had shot his wife and pretty much that he was now going to be on the run, said Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb.

When the 39-year-old suspect revealed the shocking truth, his father immediately reported his son to law enforcement. According to Fox News, this prompted an official visit to Hardins home where police quickly discovered Carries burned body buried in a shallow grave.

...Officers could definitely tell immediately that there was somebody with some blood loss and that somebody had attempted to clean the crime scene, said Babb.

An official autopsy of Carries body has not been released to the public yet, but Hardins wife clearly suffered from gunshot wounds and her body was set on fire, per Fayette County News.

The couples home reportedly had a noticeable amounts of cameras and weapons present. Because of this, Sheriff Babb noted the suspect more than likely was watching and listening to the investigation taking place.

As the official investigation ensued, Georgia authorities tracked Hardins vehicle to Covington, La. St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office, eventually apprehending Hardin at a local motel, according to the police statement. He was arrested without incident and currently awaits extradition back to Georgia.

Sadly, Hardin and his wife have two young boys, who will have this cloud over them for the rest of their lives. They are currently in the care of family.

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Fayette Co. grand jury to hear case against man charged with murder of young father

The case of a man who is accused of killing a 24-year-old father during a dispute on Delaware Avenue in Lexington had his case sent to a grand jury for a charge of murder.

At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday morning, the case of what happened between the two men was more complex that what early reports revealed.

Luis Ramos, 29, was arrested at the 900 block of Delaware Avenue Aug. 20 and charged with murder and using restricted ammunition during commission of a crime, as well as unrelated warrants.

Several calls were placed into dispatch reporting shots fired  one from Ramos himself  who claimed he shot 24-year-old Daquan Collins in self defense.

Ramos told the police Collins threatened him with a gun before he shot him. Ramos was there to check on three children in the home who were left alone, he told police. The childrens ages were 1 month, 1 year, and 3 years old.

Lexington Police Department Detective Greg George testified Tuesday morning that the mother of the children, Julia Winburn, was away at work when she discovered Collins had left them alone. In a panic, Winburn called Ramos girlfriend, Emma, to ask that the couple check on the children.

According to George, police had been called to the residence before for violence between Winburn and Collins, who were separated but continuing to live together.

Ramos told police he instructed his girlfriend to lock the doors. Emma was on the phone with police and said Collins was attempting to break in. Collins and Ramos went into the driveway, where Ramos is accused of shooting Collins three times.

George testified there was home video surveillance footage which captured the shooting, and showed Collins did not appear to be running towards his vehicle.

Collins was unarmed during the incident, according Georges testimony. No firearm was found inside Collins car. A search warrant was executed on Ramos vehicle, where a handgun was found loaded with hollow-point ammunition.

Ramos called 911 to report the shooting, according to his arrest citation. He claimed self defense when speaking with investigators but no other witnesses statements corroborated Ramos claim.

Winburn, the mother of the three children inside the home, was also charged with assaulting a police officer during after they arrived at the residence. According to her police citation, Winburn arrived at the home and ran up to the shooting. Winburn began crowding emergency responders, taking their focus off Collins.

An officer attempted to grab hold of Winburn when she began to swing and punch at the officer, and struck him in the right eye.

Her felony charge was amended on Tuesday, when she pleaded guilty to an amended misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.

After the hearing, Gregory Coulson, Ramos trial attorney spoke to media and said early reporting of the incident doesnt paint the whole picture.

It is a complex situation with a lot of moving parts, and we ask that people pay attention as the facts unfold, he said.
A Fayetteville man, believed to be the leader of a drug trafficking organization that distributed thousands of pounds of high-grade marijuana in the city, was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison on drug trafficking and firearms charges, according to the North Carolina Department of Justice.

Terrence Michael Pittman, 29, pleaded guilty May 24, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the active prison sentence Pittman received on Aug. 20, he will also serve five years of probation upon his release, the record shows. In exchange for the plea, eight related charges were dismissed.

A news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Michael Easley Jr. stated that Pittman, a Fayetteville Blood gang member and believed leader of a United Nation Blood gang subset, distributed thousands of pounds of high-grade marijuana.

More: Fayetteville man convicted of murdering teen in 1990 to be paroled

According to the release, the Fayetteville Police Department began investigating Pittman after learning he was receiving as much as 100 pounds of marijuana at a time and keeping it at a Fayetteville residence.

After watching Pittman's home, law enforcement officials observed people delivering large duffel bags believed to contain marijuana, the release said.

An individual associated with Pittman was stopped by police in October 2019 after leaving Pittman's home, which led to the seizure of more than $165,000, according to the release. Law enforcement also seized 141 pounds of marijuana from a vehicle leaving Pittman's home a month later, the release said.

Investigators wiretapped Pittman's phone for three months in 2020, according to the release, and learned that he operated three stash houses used to store and distribute drugs in Fayetteville, according to the Department of Justice. The release said Pittman was heard during intercepted phone calls attempting to purchase "hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of marijuana at a time" from suppliers in Charlotte, California, Washington, D.C. and New York.

In the intercepted calls, Pittman also stated that he made $1,000 for every pound of marijuana he sold, the release states.

Investigators conducted searches of all three stash houses in Fayetteville and at Pittman's primary home in Clayton on Nov. 12, 2020. Law enforcement seized $100,000 in cash, about $300,000 in gold and diamond jewelry, more than 90 pounds of marijuana, four 9mm handguns, a 7.62-caliber rifle with a large capacity magazine and a 7.62-caliber pistol, from the homes, according to the release.

Several other individuals related to Pittman's drug trafficking organization have also been convicted since Pittman's Aug. 20 sentencing, according to the Department of Justice.

Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville drug trafficker and gang leader sent to federal prison
A boy from Gaza, who lost an arm and two legs in an Israeli raid, practices with prosthetic limbs at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

AMMAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict.

The initiative, which comes under the direction of King Abdullah II, offers advanced technology that enables the fitting of functional prosthetic limbs for amputees within one hour.

The personnel at Jordan's National Center for Amputee Rehabilitation, part of King Hussein Medical Center, have received training in the new technology and successfully fitted a young boy from Gaza, who underwent a triple amputation, with prosthetic limbs, allowing him to walk with a walker in just one day.

Furthermore, two Mobile Amputee Support Units, equipped with all necessary tools, will be deployed to the Jordanian military field hospitals in Gaza, where they will start fitting amputees with prosthetic limbs.

Mustafa Al-Hayari, director of military media in the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, said that the initiative aims to provide thousands of prosthetic limbs for individuals who have suffered limb loss. 

A man practices with a prosthetic limb at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A doctor fits a prosthetic limb for a man at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A vehicle equipped with new technology for fitting prosthetic limbs is seen in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

A doctor fits a prosthetic limb for a man at King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Jordan on Monday launched an initiative to support amputees in Gaza in response to an unprecedented increase in limb injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
TechCrunch

Lawyers representing Sam Bankman-Fried, the FTX CEO and co-founder who was convicted of fraud and money laundering late last year, are seeking a new trial. Following crypto exchange FTXs collapse, Bankman-Fried was found guilty on all seven counts, then sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture. Bloomberg reports that Bankman-Frieds appeal focuses on the behavior of U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, alleging that Kaplans rulings were not just erroneous but unbalanced and that the judge continually ridiculed Bankman-Fried during trial, repeatedly criticized his demeanor, and signaled his disbelief of Bankman-Frieds testimony.
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA)  A fraud scheme targeting senior citizens is on the rise in Sarasota County, the FBI and Sarasota County Sheriffs Office warned in a joint statement Tuesday.

The scammers use Tech Support and Government Impersonation scams to identify victims, then instruct those victims to liquidate assets into cash and/or buy gold, silver, and other precious metals.

1 dead after train, pickup collide near Lakeland

The victims are then instructed to meet couriers in person to hand over their cash or metals for safeguarding in a protected account on their behalf. Officials say the victims never heard from the scammers again.

Weve had victims report losses in excess of $300,000, FBI Tampa Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor said in a statement. These criminals follow a well-rehearsed script and are skilled at pressure tactics. Your best defense is to hang up on the scammers, never click on suspicious links, and report to law enforcement immediately.

Were confident, by working with our federal partners, we can help bring more awareness to this type of sophisticated fraud we continue to see, Sarasota Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said in a statement. Our Economic Crimes Unit has open investigations, and we continue to monitor these fraud trends, especially towards our elderly residents. We remain committed to bringing these scammers to justice through the dedicated work of our detectives.

If you are someone or know someone who is a victim of fraud in Sarasota County, call the sheriffs office at 941-316-1201.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The FDA just approved new COVID vaccines. Heres when theyll be available in Washington

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech as case counts continue to rise.

The new vaccine, which is approved for anyone over six months old, comes as the percentage of COVID tests coming back positive nationwide is the highest its been in over a year. The surge is happening primarily for two reasons:

New variants are popping up that natural immunity does not protect against. Most of the population isnt regularly receiving shots, so immunity is waning.

The dominant strain in the US now is KP.3.1.1, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The strain is estimated to account for 37% of cases over the past two weeks, representing a threefold increase from its prevalence a month ago

McClatchy spoke with Seth Cohen, the medical director of infection prevention at the University of Washington Medical Center, to get all the information you need about the new booster. Heres what Cohen had to say:

Who should get the new vaccine?

Cohen: Its approved for everybody six months and older. We think that the highest benefit is for people who are at higher risk, so people over the age of 65 people with underlying medical conditions, including people who are immunocompromised.

What are the benefits of getting the new shot for people who arent particularly at high risk?

Cohen: For people who arent in those high-risk categories, we think theres a reduction in long COVID which can happen with anybody. And then particularly for kids who are going back to school, the potential benefits would be reduction in sick days and urgent care visits, which would make the school year and learning much less disruptive.

How is KP.3.1.1 different from previous strains?

Cohen: These are all theoretically descendants of Omicron, though theres quite a bit of genetic difference between them, and theres enough difference now that we need updated vaccines. The last round of boosters provide some immunity, though, at this point, it has probably waned, and just like the flu vaccine every year, its time to update it. So the new vaccines are based on the KP.2 variant, which should have coverage for the strain that is in current circulation.

Do the symptoms differ at all from prior strains?

Cohen: The symptoms are, in general, very similar to prior strains.

Do the previous versions of the vaccine still protect against KP.3.1.1?

Cohen: Not as well. You know, I think it depends when people were vaccinated. But at this point, its time to update your immunization.

Does this vaccine protect against other strains as well?

Cohen: It does. Its always hard to predict, right, how, how the virus is getting mutated in the future, but we certainly hope that the vaccine will continue to protect against offshoots of these current variants.

Are most Washingtonians staying up to date on their COVID vaccines?

Cohen: Coverage is relatively low. I think the coverage for the most recent booster was somewhere between 20% and 30%, depending on the age group. People over the age of 65 have done a much better job in terms of keeping up to date. It doesnt mean that people arent immune. A large segment of our population was likely infected over the summer with our summer surge, and so people are going to have immunity from that at least for a couple months. But once that wanes, it would be important to get the updated booster before the next round of infections comes on.

Can you get your COVID and flu shots at the same time?

Cohen: Yes, no problem. And in fact, we encourage it because its just easier, more convenient to do, particularly in children.

When will the updated COVID vaccine be available in WA?

So when will you be able to get the new vaccine in Washington? Likely soon, although theres no set date when shipments are expected to arrive in the state, according to the states Department of Health.

We are still awaiting more information from the FDA, including when the current 2023-2024 vaccine will be deauthorized and when states will be allowed to place orders for the new 2024-2025 vaccine, a department spokesperson stated in an email to McClatchy. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more information as we receive it.

Where can I get the new COVID vaccine?

 Walgreens customers can now schedule appointments to receive the updated vaccine at walgreens.com/schedulevaccine, with availability starting Sept. 6, according to a news release. Additional appointments will be added as daily inventory arrives.

 Doses are expected to start arriving at CVS locations within a few days, a pharmacy representative told CNN. Walk-in appointments will be available once the vaccine arrives, and customers will be able to schedule appointments online.

 You can also find vaccines through the CDCs online pharmacy lookup tool at vaccines.gov once COVID and updated influenza (flu) vaccines become widely available, the website says.
The Oregon Health Authority oversees the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. (Oregon Health Authority)

Late last year, a patient at Oregon State Hospital walked up to a nurses station and said he was having trouble breathing.

After taking the mans vitals, nursing staff helped him walk to a seclusion room in the state-run psychiatric hospital in Salem, which has more than 500 patients. He fell on his knees in the doorway and staff moved the patient out of the way and shut the door behind them. Alone in the room, the patient rocked his head and rolled on the floor.

The patient, a Black man, never left the room alive.

The account is part of a 96-page federal report released Monday on his death and another patient death in May. Investigators found that hospital staff committed numerous violations related to safety and security procedures and patient care and were faulty in investigating and correcting gaps in care.

The investigation by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services included record reviews, interviews with staff and a look at security camera footage. The agency, which reimburses the hospital for treatment of Medicare patients, who are usually elderly, will require the state hospital to fix the problems to continue to receive that money.

The hospitals interim superintendent and chief medical officer, Dr. Sara Walker, said the hospital will make the necessary changes.

We have been entrusted with the care of some of Oregons most vulnerable residents, Walker said in a statement. Their safety and well-being are our top priority. We will continue to make the changes necessary to protect our patients.

The findings are the latest violations to hit the state hospital after a year of problems. Those include the escape of a patient who drove off in a hospital vehicle, a lack of patient safety and a third patient who died shortly after his arrival from the Douglas County jail.

Patient care and safety are at the root of the hospitals problems, investigators found. They include limited screenings of hospital visitors, staff checks of less than one second per patient to ensure they are breathing and poor medical care, records show.

At times, managers at the state hospital appeared at odds with the federal inspectors. The federal agency had to repeatedly prod the hospital for patient documentation and records necessary to complete its review, records show.

The hospital needs to come up with an approved plan of correction by Oct. 24 and will face an unannounced visit by then as well.

I cant breathe

The patient who died late last year had already been in and out of the state hospital three times. On Nov. 2 at the nurses station, he was desperate.

I feel like I cant breathe, he said.

But hospital staff focused on his mental health  and his request to enter the seclusion room  after he fell on the floor and bumped his head, the report said. Inspectors honed in on how medical staff handled the situation, including gaps in his care when problems emerged.

Fifteen minutes after his complaint, he was walked into the seclusion room.

I feel like Im going to die, he kept repeating as he entered the seclusion room.

Six minutes later, a staffer entered and left the room. After eight minutes, he stopped moving.

Two minutes later, staff tried to revive him. But the hospital did not call an ambulance until seven minutes after they called a code blue, which indicates a life or death emergency.

This was not the first time hed been short of breath. On Oct. 13, he told a nurse he suffered from chest pains and shortness of breath, the report said.

And on Oct. 17 he said he had left leg pain. But hospital staff did not write up a treatment plan, the investigation found.

CMS inspectors said the hospitals review of the incident was incomplete and failed to address the gaps in its response to the patient.

The hospital also failed to initially provide much of the documentation that inspectors requested for their review, including some medical records and other prior incident reports. Eventually, hospital staff provided more documentation and acknowledged they had not shared everything with inspectors, the report said.

Likely fentanyl overdose

On May 24, a patient died unexpectedly in bed, one day after a visit from an outsider. Oregon State Police found powder residue and seized it along with foil, records show.

The federal agencys review of the case found that staff did not conduct thorough security screenings of visitors and conducted scant monitoring of sleeping patients to determine if they are alive.

The hospital staff also failed to follow up on warning signs of problems between the visit and his death, the report found. For example, when the visitor arrived, the security screening was insufficient to check for metallic objects, and the security wand did not pass over the feet. The visitor, a parent of the patient, later played with the patients feet under the table during the visit. Staff ignored that activity, the report said.

The hospital found him deceased the next morning. A review of security cameras and staff interviews found inadequate checks of patients at night.

In some instances, staff only stood outside and looked at the patients through the door into a darkened room. In one instance, a staff check of 12 patients happened within only 37 seconds, not enough time to check for respirations, the report said.

During three visual checks in less than an hour, the patient did not respond but staff did not approach him to determine if he was alive.

Rather, they walked away with no sense of urgency to conduct other business, the report said.

At 8:47 a.m., a staffer discovered the patients body was cold.

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Federal judge is right: Missouri AG Bailey is the one trampling 1st Amendment rights | Opinion

Heres an irony for you: Andrew Baileys assault on the First Amendment has failed  at least for now  because he talks so much.

You might remember that Missouris attorney general last year announced a probe into Media Matters for America, a nonprofit progressive outfit that came under fire from conservatives for its investigative reporting highlighting racist posts displayed on X  formerly known as Twitter  the Elon Musk-owned social network.

Bailey was ostensibly trying to root out fraud committed by Media Matters against its donors in Missouri.

But anybody could see that he was using the power of the state as a sledgehammer to suppress criticism of Musk, the worlds richest man and a notable ally to former president Donald Trump.

Indeed, Bailey barely attempted to hide his anti-First Amendment motives.

Radicals are attempting to kill Twitter because they cannot control it, Bailey said in his December announcement, and we are not going to let Missourians get ripped off in the process.

The ploy was so obvious, in fact, that on Friday a federal judge shut down Baileys probe.

The Missouri investigation, Judge Amit P. Mehta wrote, targeted Media Matters not for legitimate law enforcement purposes but instead for its protected First Amendment activities.

Exactly. But how did Mehta come to that conclusion?

By paying attention to Baileys own inflammatory words that consistently characterized Media Matters in

ideological terms.

There was the social media post where the attorney general threatened a thermonuclear lawsuit against Media Matters for its criticism of Musk. There was the press release saying the state investigation was an act against progressive tyrants masquerading as news outlets.

And there was the rambling interview that Bailey gave to Donald Trump Jr. in June on the conservative video site Rumble.

This is absolutely a new front in the fight for the war for free speech, Bailey told the former presidents son. This investigation is really critical and again especially as we move into an election cycle in 2024.

Connecting the investigation to this years presidential election was the moment, Mehta wrote, that Bailey said out loud the true purpose of his investigation.

It wasnt fraud after all. Oops.

Chilling effect on Media Matters reporter

This kind of stuff has real consequences. Mehta noted that Baileys investigation has had chilling effects on Media Matters and its reporter, Eric Hananoki, who told the court that the probe caused him to self-censor his research and writing, and to limit communications with his editors and other journalists.

Baileys attacks have had an extremely negative effect on my work and on me personally, Hananoki said in a statement quoted in Mehtas ruling.

And thats a problem.

The First Amendment exists to keep the state and federal governments from intimidating their citizens into silencing themselves. What Bailey did in this case simply isnt supposed to happen.

But it did, which makes it difficult to discern whether the First Amendment actually worked in this case.

Baileys investigation has been restrained, yes  but only after Media Matters fought him in court over the last eight months, at great time and expense.

Thats bad for Media Matters.

And its bad for Missouri voters and taxpayers who just watched Bailey waste their money in pursuit of an ideological crusade.

The good news is that the crusade failed because Bailey cant decide whether he really wants to be Missouris attorney general or if hed rather be a conservative media personality.

Online, he often plays the social media cowboy, regularly issuing lawsuit threats against the Biden Administration with silly not on my watch pronouncements. And he has appeared on so many right-wing podcasts and interviews with Fox News and Newsmax  and with Donald Trump Jr.  that its impossible to keep count of them all.

This time, it tripped him up.

Which makes one thing clear as Bailey seeks the approval of Missouri voters in November: Hes an ideological crusader masquerading as a public servant  and hes bad at it.

Joel Mathis is a regular Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle Opinion correspondent. Formerly a writer and editor at Kansas newspapers, he served nine years as a syndicated columnist.
Federal judge pauses Biden program that offers legal status to spouses of US citizens

A federal judge in Texas ordered a pause Monday on a new policy from the Biden administration that would make it easier for Americans spouses and children who lack necessary documentation to gain legal status.

U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker issued an administrative stay on the program, known as Keeping Families Together, just days after Texas and 15 other GOP-led states sued President Bidens administration over the policy.

The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date, Barker wrote in the order.

Barker noted the order is not equal to any ultimate conclusions about the success or likely success of the plaintiffs claims but rather is a first-blush review of the claims following a preliminary screening.

The Department of Homeland Security began taking applications last week for the new rule, which allows spouses and children of U.S. citizens without legal status to seek to adjust their status without first leaving the country.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in coordination with former President Trump ex-aide Stephen Millers America First Legal, argues that the new rule violates immigration authorities and the Administrative Procedures Act, which lays the groundwork for federal rulemaking.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who led the suit, applauded the order while calling it just the first step.

Bidens unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our countrys lawsand incentivized countless more, he wrote Monday on the social platform X.

Paxtons claim that those who receive the status change are unvetted is false, as applying to shift ones immigration status kicks off such a review process. The rule notes that applicants must submit biometrics and undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting.

Applicants also must not have any disqualifying criminal history and otherwise [may] not [be] deemed to be a threat to public safety, national security, or border security.

The order lasts two weeks, though it could be extended. Baker, who was appointed by Trump in 2019 as a judge in Tyler, Texas, suggested a timeline that could bring a decision shortly before the Nov. 5 presidential election or before the newly elected president takes office early next year, The Associated Press noted.

Each side was given until Oct. 10 to file briefs in the case.

During the rollout of the plan, the Biden administration touted the rule would bring peace of mind and stability to Americans living in mixed-status families and allow more young people to contribute to our economy.

Biden, in a statement Tuesday, criticized the order, writing, America is not a country that tears families apart.

I am not interested in playing politics with the border or immigration; I am interested in solving problems. Nor am I interested in tearing families apart, he wrote. That is not who we are as Americans. I will continue to fight to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told The Hill the agency will comply with the courts decision, which includes continuing to accept applications while the process plays out.

Rebecca Beitsch contributed.

Updated at 3:51 p.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Feds don't have to return family planning funds to TN in abortion rule fight, court rules

Federal officials do not have reinstate $7 million in family planning grant funding to the state while a Tennessee lawsuit challenging federal rules regarding abortion counseling remains ongoing, an appeals court ruled this week.

Tennessee lost its bid to force the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restore its Title X funding while the state challenges the federal Department of Health and Human Services program rules.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in upholding a lower court's ruling, did not agree with Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's argument that the federal rules infringe on Tennessee's state sovereignty. The judicial panel, in a 2-1 finding, ruled Tennessee can not use its state laws to "dictate" eligibility requirements for a federal grant.

"And Tennessee was free to voluntarily relinquish the grants for any reason, especially if it determined that the requirements would violate its state laws," the Monday opinion stated. "Instead, Tennessee decided to accept the grant, subject to the 2021 Rules counseling and referral requirements."

The Tennessee Attorney General's office has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The federal government last year pulled $7 million in Title X funding, intended for family planning grants for low-income recipients, after Tennessee failed to comply with the program requirements to counsel clients on all reproductive health options, including abortion.

Title X funding cannot be allocated toward an abortion, but the procedure must be presented as a medical option.

Tennessee blocked clinics from counseling patients on medical options that aren't legal in the state, which has one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court last year, Skrmetti argued HHS rules about Title X requirements flip-flopped in recent years and that the HHS requirement violates Tennesseans' "First Amendment rights not to engage in speech or conduct that facilitates abortions."

After Tennessee lost the funding last year, Gov. Bill Lee proposed a $7 million budget amendment to make up the lost funds that had previously gone to the state health department. The legislative funding may have hurt Tennessee's case to restore the federal funding, as judges pointed to the available money as evidence Tennessee will not be irreparably harmed if HHS isn't forced to restore its funding stream.

Last August, the federal government crafted a workaround and granted Tennessee's lost funds to the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood and Converge, which distributed them to Tennessee organizations. The funds are earmarked for family planning services for low-income residents and directly bypass the state health department, which previously distributed the grants.

Skrmetti filed the lawsuit against the HHS two months later.

The family planning funding was the second federal funding fight to erupt in 2023.

In January 2023, Tennessee announced it would cut funding for HIV prevention, detection and treatment programs that are not affiliated with metro health departments, rejecting more than $4 million in federal HIV prevention funds.

Tennessee said it could make up the lost fund with state dollars, but advocates decried the move and its potential impact on vulnerable communities as the state remains an HIV-transmission hotspot. The Commercial Appeal later confirmed Tennessee gave up funding after it tried and failed to cut out Planned Parenthood from the HIV prevention grant program.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Title X funds in Tennessee: Feds don't have to return money
The United States Attorneys Office is suing an Upland-based grading, concrete and pipeline company for millions of dollars in connection with the South Fire, which burned hundreds of acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in summer of 2021, officials announced earlier this month.

Almost three years to the day, Deanna Barnes and her family are still coping with the devastating and expensive damage caused by the fire.

Its hard to come back to this part of our property because it brings back so many memories, Barnes, breaking into tears, told KTLA.

A vacant slab of concrete near piles of wood and charred metal are all that remains of her familys business, A Plus Manufacturing, which also lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

South Fire federal lawsuit

The South Fire burned 680 acres, destroyed several homes and structures after it broke out on Aug. 25, 2021, near Lytle Creek.

Now, a new lawsuit by the federal government claims G.J. Gentry Engineering Inc and its founder are to blame for the losses, saying in a news release the company was negligent in operating an excavator in a rocky area in nearby Fontana.

Federal prosecutors allege the heavy machinery struck rocks, which ignited the fire, and that G.J. Gentry failed to keep it from spreading.

South Fire federal lawsuit

The U.S. Government is seeking more than $2.2 million in fire suppression costs, according to the complaint.

KTLA has reached out to the Upland-based contractor, which, so far, has not responded to a request for comment.

Burglary crew tunnels through shops in Los Angeles garment district

The lawsuit is one of the first major steps taken since the fire was extinguished.

Even though it was three years ago, many residents, like Barnes, are still coping with their losses. While she says shes grateful her family came out safe, life since the fire has been a struggle.

I havent received any help other than friends and family, she explained. We were just told it wasnt a big enough fire acreage to get help. We hope soon that we can get back to where we were and thats were looking for.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Female student at Rice University killed in dorm room on first day of classes

Female student at Rice University killed in dorm room on first day of classes

A female student at Texas' Rice University was shot and killed on Monday by a man authorities said she had been in a "dating relationship" with.

University police responded to a request for a welfare check around 4:30 p.m. local time and found the student, who was identified as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, deceased in her room. Police also discovered an "unidentified male with a self-inflicted  gunshot wound, who was not a member of the Rice community," school president Reginald DesRoches told the media.

Chief of Police for Rice, Clemente Rodriguez, confirmed police found a note "written by the suspect" at the scene, leading to their belief that the male shot Avila.

MORE: Travis King, Army soldier who ran into North Korea, to plead guilty to desertion: Attorney

"In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship, and then obviously they were having a troubled relationship at this time," he said of the note, adding that officials believe it was a "dating relationship."

DesRoches said the "Rice campus is safe, and there is no immediate threat to the community.

"And tonight, we will wrap our arms around our students," he added.

Female student at Rice University killed in dorm room on first day of classes originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Fire crews in Brockport were called to a reported fire at Sunnking Sustainable Solutions in the village Monday evening. Note: this building is connected with the Lineage warehouse, where the alarm pinged from. This sparked initial confusion for crews on scene.

When News 8 arrived at the scene on Owens Road around 6 p.m., heavy smoke could be seen surrounding the building.

According to officials, the bulk of the blaze, which necessitated a 3-alarm response, was in the Sunnking portion of the building. The smoke caused alarms to go off at Lineage.

A cause for concern was the lithium batteries on fire at Sunnking, firefighters said, but the official cause of the fire is still under investigation.

They [firefighters] discovered that there were lithium-ion batteries in the fire and as a result of that, Chief declared a Level 0 Hazmat, said Christopher Martin, the public information officer for Brockport Fire District. That activates some county resources to assist with the mitigation and with the extinguishment of the fire.

The Brockport Fire District was on scene with assistance from village police, Hamlin-Morton-Walker Fire District, Gates Fire District, Hilton Fire Department, Murray Joint Fire District, Kendall Fire Company, Bergen Fire Department and Chili Fire Department.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, and all employees were evacuated.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Monroe County Fire Bureau  Fire Investigation Team. The extent of the damages to Sunnking and Lineage is unknown at this time.

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Israeli troops are seen near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 27, 2024. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday that since the beginning of its military operations in Gaza, the country has received more than 50,000 tons of military equipment and ammunition.

"The equipment procured and transported includes armored vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical equipment," the ministry said.

The military transports have been "crucial for sustaining the Israel Defense Forces' operational capabilities during the ongoing war" in the Gaza Strip and against Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border, it added.

The photo released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 25, 2024 shows Israeli troops conducting a military operation in the central Gaza Strip. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Xinhua)

The ministry did not specify from which countries the arms were purchased, though Israeli government officials had previously said that the majority of its weapons and ammunition were procured from the United States and Europe.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to more than 40,400, according to Gaza-based health authorities. 
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  As students are heading back to campus, its important to remember the fire risks and prevention actions that could save their lives.

Students in Longmeadow, Frontier schools head back to class

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, in the past five years, there have been over 2,500 fires in Massachusetts dormitories, fraternities, and sororities, causing three injuries, seven fire service injuries, and an estimated $2.6 million in damages.

Windows, doors, and stairways should always be clear of boxes, furniture, bicycles, or anything else that might affect an escape. Fire doors should never be blocked by anything or choked open. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms need to be operational all year long, as required by law. Working alarms, clearing exit routes, and practicing a plan for using the exits are very important if a fire breaks out.

Students can take steps to prevent them from starting fires in their dorms:

Smoking: There is no safe way to smoke, but if you must smoke, do it responsibly. Dont flick them on the ground, where they can smolder and ignite debris, or grind them out on porches or steps. Use an ashtray on a sturdy surface and put it out, all the way, every time.

Electrical: Always plug appliances, such as air conditioners and space heaters, into wall sockets that can handle the current and not power strips or extension cords. Do not overload outlets with multiple devices.

Heating: Turn any space heaters off when you are leaving the room or go to sleep. Never leave a space heater unattended.

Cooking: Stand by your pan! Dont leave pots and pans unattended on a lit stovetop, and keep flammable items away from the burners. If a grease fire happens, smother the flames with a lid and then turn off the heat. Cook only when youre alert and not when youre drowsy or impaired.

Candles: Never leave candles burning unattended. Extinguish them before leaving the room. Even better, switch to battery-powered candles. Some colleges do not allow candles on campus.

Lithium-Ion Batteries: Use the charging equipment provided by the manufacturer and disconnect it when the device is charged. Charge phones, laptops, e-cigarettes, e-bike batteries, and other devices on a hard and stable surface, and never a bed, couch, or pillow. If you notice an unusual odor, change in color, change in shape, leaking, or odd noises, stop using the device right away. If you can do so safely, move it away from anything that can burn and call your local fire department.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Firefighter injured while at early morning Kaimuki fire

HONOLULU (KHON2)  A firefighter was injured while responding to a building fire in Kaimuki early Tuesday morning.

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He was taken to a hospital. No further information was provided on his condition.

The fire, which was reported at 4:38 a.m., was on Sierra Drive in a two-story home.

This resource can save your family lots of money

HFD confirmed there were no occupants in the structure at the time.

The fire was extinguished at 5:31 a.m.

The fire is under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
A man was sentenced last week to eight-and-a-half years in prison for fatally shooting a 25-year-old man outside a Tacoma apartment complex in 2023.

Timothy Terrell Williams, 33, was involved in a fight in the citys Hilltop neighborhood on April 22, 2023, but it wasnt his opponent who died. Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for shooting Sirrone Mansel Arthur Newbern, a bystander who, along with his girlfriend, rode with the other fighter who had driven them to the apartment.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Andrews sentenced Williams to 102 months in prison, according to court records. It was at the low end of the standard sentencing range for defendants prosecuted in similar cases, and the punishment included a 24-month deadly weapon sentencing enhancement.

Williams originally was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and other offenses for the shooting, but the charges were amended as part of a plea agreement, court records show. Deputy prosecuting attorney Kara Sanchez wrote in court filings that the states two eyewitnesses, including the man who fought with Williams, had given contradictory statements about what happened.

Prosecutors believed proving the original charges beyond a reasonable doubt would be difficult, particularly where the defendant asserted a claim of self-defense, Sanchez wrote. The witnesses had also expressed fear for their safety and a strong desire not to testify at trial.

Mary K. High, Williams attorney from the Department of Assigned Counsel, wrote in her sentencing memorandum that lay witnesses had been extremely reluctant to testify for either side for fear of gang retaliation. According to court records, the victim and the man who fought with Williams belonged to the same gang, but Williams had no connection to gangs.

Prosecutors wrote in a trial brief that there was absolutely no evidence that the incident was gang related.

Its unclear what the fight was about. Newberns girlfriend reportedly described to detectives overhearing Williams and the man he fought with arguing over the phone earlier that night about a 17-year-old girl that had been stolen from Williams. She then heard them agreeing to fight before they drove to the apartment complex.

The man involved in the fight initially refused to speak to detectives, according to court records. He was arrested Jan. 17 on a material witness warrant, and in an interview with investigators he said he went to the apartment complex to buy marijuana from someone who lived there, not the defendant. He acknowledged having a phone conversation with Williams that night in which the defendant said something to the effect of Im going to whoop your [expletive], but he said he didnt take Williams seriously.

The two witnesses gave investigators similar descriptions of how the fight began and ended. According to prosecutors, both said that after they arrived at the apartment complex, Williams asked Newbern and the other man if they were there to jump him. The other man said no, and then Williams threw the first punch. Both witnesses said Newbern never intervened.

Newberns girlfriend also told detectives that Newbern and the man who fought with Williams did not have firearms with them.

The girlfriend told police that Williams initially had the upper hand in the fist fight, and that Newbern stood nearby essentially narrating what was happening. The other man then started winning and pulled Williams hair. Williams then pulled a gun and started shooting.

The man involved in the fight told detectives he pulled Williams hair and bit him on the shoulder after getting him into a hold with the defendants back against his chest. Williams then broke free, pulled a gun and fired twice at him, missing. He then shifted his aim at Newbern and shot him twice.

Tacoma Police Department officers responded to the shooting at about 10:48 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of gunfire at 1801 S. 15th St., including a 911 call from Williams, who reportedly said hed just shot and killed a person.

Williams was arrested at the scene without incident. Newbern was found on the ground between two apartment buildings in the complex. Officers performed CPR on him until fire department personnel arrived and declared him dead.

The gun Williams used in the shooting was found at the scene, along with three 9mm bullet casings that a Washington State Patrols crime lab determined were shot from the firearm, records state. Detectives also obtained two videos that captured audio of the shooting but did not record the incident itself.

While Williams was taken into custody, he reportedly told officers they tried to jump me and I defended myself, according to prosecutors trial brief.

Williams defense attorney, High, noted in a sentencing memorandum that the victim and the defendant had been drinking on the day of the shooting. She wrote that before the fight, Williams reportedly said he was afraid of being jumped but would agree to a one-on-one.

Newbern, who was an arms length behind the other man, reportedly lifted his shirt during the fight and said Whats up? while laughing, High wrote. She said Williams tragically misinterpreted this movement and fired his gun, killing Newbern.

Mr. Williams is a young father and is heartbroken that his actions have deprived Mr. Newberns young child of his father, High wrote. The major motivating factor in Mr. Williams decision to resolve this case with a plea of guilty was his son. He simply could not risk an unfavorable jury verdict.
Too many die in Maricopa County jails. This wristband could save them

Sheriff Russ Skinner staked his longtime law enforcement career to win the office he was temporarily named to and failed, getting unexpectedly knocked out in the July 30 Democratic primary.

Aside from finishing the job his former boss, Paul Penzone, tried to do  getting the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office out from under a court monitors oversight  his biggest challenge has been to reduce the nagging high number of deaths in recent years inside county jails.

An effort to tackle the latter will get started in earnest after the winner of the Nov. 5 general election succeeds him, but Skinner has gotten the ball rolling.

Skinners team is exploring Fitbit-like wrist-worn devices that would track inmates vitals and alert authorities to someone having a health emergency.

And in Maricopa County jails, that has been happening with great frequency.

Jail death rate is disturbingly high

More troublesome, those emergencies ending in death have been disturbingly high.

As Arizona Republic reporter Jimmy Jenkins reported earlier this month, over the last five years, fatalities in Maricopa County jails jumped even as the average daily population has declined. The rate of death is more than four times higher than the national average.

In 2019, there were 11 deaths in the jails. That number rose to 43 people in both 2022 and 2023.

Skinner and county officials note that they are dealing with more people who have an opioids dependency, sometimes in conjunction with methamphetamines. They also handle more people who have been in stifling heat during the summer, placing their bodies under greater distress.

Monitoring wristbands set to thresholds for particular heart rate, oxygen level and body temperature readings would theoretically provide an automated way of detection that a visual checkup couldnt do.

It could be particularly useful given the jails persistent staffing shortages.

Wristband monitors could help save lives

A number of agencies running jails and prisons have begun experimenting with health-monitoring wristbands, some of them for the same reasons as MCSO: In-custody deaths from suicides, overdoses and other health problems.

Jail systems in Bernalillo County, New Mexico  home to Albuquerque, the states most populous city  and in some Georgia counties have launched similar efforts.

The Avondale Police Department, about 20 miles west of central Phoenix, launched a monitoring wrist bracelet program last summer and has been issuing one to every person booked into its jail. The department reported big satisfaction with the results it has seen.

Officer Daniel Benavidez credited the device with saving at least one inmate last year. Authorities were alerted when the mans heart rate dipped; by the time detention staff got to him, he was not responsive or breathing.

Staff started CPR and revived the inmate before transporting him to a hospital.

Results have been a mixed bag elsewhere

That said, Avondale processed all of 3,500 or so people into its jails last year. Maricopa Countys daily jail population in 2023 was more than 6,500 people.

And while vendors boast nothing but benefits, the results have been a mixed bag.

The Fulton County Sheriffs Office in Atlanta agreed to a deal in 2023 with a Georgia firm called to track inmates with electronic wristbands, but Fulton County commissioners nixed the deal months later.

Fewer than 50 inmates were outfitted with the devices, far short of the 500 that were promised for $2.1 million in tax dollars.

I sent a man to prison for 290 years: It still haunts me

Theres also emerging pushback from civil libertarians who believe the devices  which can be programmed to detect overexertion such as running or fighting and can track inmate whereabouts to within a meter or two  amount to unwarranted surveillance.

A Florida Department of Corrections requirement that inmates wear electronic bracelets recently raised concerns from advocates and family members that their heart beats are being monitored for drug use and that refusal to wear the device is resulting in punishment.

Maricopa County sheriff is on the right track

Skinner has a far more narrow population in mind  those who have substance dependency, mental health issues or who are at risk of suicide, or have a concerning medical condition.

The monitoring wristbands, the sheriff figures, would give Maricopa County jail staff a fighting chance to intervene on medical emergencies and suicide attempts.

The county is drafting a request of information from potential vendors.

The program is one that Skinner wont likely see to fruition, even if the process and county supervisors approval are expedited.

But it holds promise to reverse the trend of jail inmates dying in alarming rates. For that, Skinner should be lauded for seeding the efforts.

Reach Abe Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. On X, formerly Twitter: @abekwok.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa County jail deaths could be reduced with Fitbit-like device
Five charged with retail theft ring across Pennsylvania

EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU)  The attorney general has announced five people have been charged for an organized retail theft operation that targeted stores across nine counties in Pennsylvania.

Attorney General Michelle Henry says five people targeted retail stores across nine counties spanning southeastern and southcentral Pennsylvania for over the course of three months.

Investigators state between February 28 and May 30, the group stole over-the-counter medications and other health and beauty products from Giant, Weis Markets, and Wegmans.

The total value of stolen items was worth more than $71,000.

Housekeeper arraigned on felony theft charges

The following five people have been charged;

Marlin Polanco, 19

Malik McDonald, 20

Cartier Hardy, 20

Homario Oldacre, 20

Lorenzo Walters, 20

The five targeted nine counties in PA including Cumberland, Dauphin, York, Lancaster, Union, Lehigh, Berks, Chester, and Northumberland.

PA Office of Attorney General

These thefts not only impact businesses but also harm our communities by affecting the availability of essential products, said Attorney General Henry. The collaboration between my office, multiple district attorneys, and local police departments has been instrumental in fighting for justice. Our commitment is to tackle these crimes head-on to protect our communities from these harmful actions, Henry added.

Polanco, McDonald, and Oldacre have been arrested while Hardy and Walters have yet to be placed in custody.

All five face corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, and other 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 PAhomepage.com.
The Flagler County Sheriffs Office (FCSO) has introduced a cutting-edge device, the MX908, to its arsenal of tools aimed at combating crime and ensuring the safety of its deputies. This handheld device is revolutionizing how investigators identify illegal narcotics, explosives, and other hazardous substances in the field.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

The MX908 is reportedly capable of analyzing solid, liquid, vapor, and aerosol samples within minutes, enabling deputies to safely detect trace amounts of potentially deadly substances like fentanyl without risking direct exposure.

Unlike traditional drug testing methods, which require substantial quantities of a substance for analysis, the MX908 can detect even the smallest residues, including those not visible to the human eye. This capability allows deputies to detain suspects and recommend charges more swiftly, potentially saving lives from the dangers of illegal drugs.

Since its deployment, FCSO investigators have utilized the MX908 in various operations, including undercover missions, where it has proven instrumental in identifying illegal narcotics without exposing officers to harmful substances.

The devices Drug Hunter mode has been reported to be most effective, as it not only detects trace amounts of drugs but can also identify mixtures of street drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines combined with fentanyl, all without requiring sample preparation.

In addition to its drug detection capabilities, the MX908 is equipped with multiple modes to address various threats. In Explosive Hunter mode, it can detect military-grade, commercial, and homemade explosives, while the Chemical Warfare Hunter mode identifies deadly chemical agents, including Novichok nerve agents, some of the most lethal and difficult-to-detect substances.

The introduction of the MX908 not only enhances the safety of FCSO deputies during field operations but also strengthens community protection against potential explosive or chemical threats. While all substances identified by the MX908 still require formal testing at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) lab for court proceedings, the device provides deputies with the ability to make immediate probable cause arrests based on its findings.

The MX908, costing $101,525.49, was funded by the FDLE State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication program, a grant established in 2023 to support investigations targeting illegal fentanyl activities and related operations.

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Flags to fly at half-staff in Kansas, heres why

Flags to fly at half-staff in Kansas, heres why

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is ordering flags to fly at half-staff statewide later this month.

Kelly made the announcement on Tuesday, Aug. 27 that flags are to fly at half-staff from sunup to sundown on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. This is to honor former chief judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals Gary Rulon.

From his time in the Navy to his tenure on the bench, Judge Rulon spent his life in service to Kansas and our country, Kelly said. He undoubtedly touched the lives of many. My thoughts and condolences go out to his loved ones.

Kelly gave a separate flag order last week to honor the passing of Kansas State Representative Marvin Robinson.

Kansas school employee paid $630,000, heres why

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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SYDNEY, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government said on Tuesday Singapore Airlines has become the first overseas-based airline to confirm it will operate out of the new Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) when it opens in 2026.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Transport Minister Catherine King announced that Singapore Airlines has confirmed its intention to operate from the airport under a deal they said would connect western Sydney to the world.

"It's wonderful that Singapore Airlines, one of the world's best, is the first international airline to choose Western Sydney Airport as one of its bases it comes to," Albanese said at a press conference.

"By having Singapore Airlines as the first international airline to commit from overseas to use this airport, what it will do is give direct access into all those markets that Singapore Airlines flies to in that wonderful hub that is there at Changi Airport," he said.

According to the government, the airport at Badgerys Creek -- approximately 40 km west of Sydney Airport -- will service 10 million passengers a year when it opens with one runway in 2026, with the capacity to grow to cater to more than 80 million passengers per year by 2060.

Albanese said that more than 80 percent of construction on the 5.3 billion Australian dollar (3.5 billion U.S. dollar) project is now complete, and the airport is on track to open in 2026 -- eight years after works began.

King said in a statement that the commercial agreement with Singapore Airlines recognizes WSI's status as a world-class international airport and gateway to Asia.

Unlike Sydney Airport, which operates with a government-mandated curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day, the WSI will operate 24 hours a day.

Its 3.7-km runway will be able to accommodate aircraft as big as the Airbus A380. A second parallel runway is planned to be built around 2050.

Qantas and its budget offshoot Jetstar in June 2023 announced plans to base up to 15 domestic aircraft at the new airport within a year of its opening. 
FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW)  A Florence County school resource officer broke the arm of a Wilson High School student who was injured after being assaulted by a group of students inside a bathroom, according to a newly filed lawsuit.

The 12-page complaint filed Monday names the Florence County School District and Florence County Sheriffs Office as defendants, accusing both of negligence in addition to recklessness by the sheriffs office. Wilson High School is in the Florence 1 School District.

Maj Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriffs Office said the agency had not been served as of Tuesday. News13 also reached out to Florence 1 Schools for comment.

The lawsuit stems from a March 28 incident in which Deputy Jerry Kelly was alerted to a fight that had taken place inside a school bathroom. Kelly saw the victim walking out of the restroom and tried to speak with him, saying in his report the student would not listen to him or the principal, according to the lawsuit.

Kelly then allegedly grabbed the student by his arm and slammed him on a nearby desk to handcuff him after he heard the principal say the student had tried to attack him.

Prior to (the student) being slammed, body camera footage worn by Deputy Kelly shows staff members telling him that something is wrong (with the student) and this is why hes not responding, the lawsuit claims.

Kelly then grew more upset, threatening the student and cursing at him, according to the lawsuit.

Following the fight, (the student) had a large visible knot on his head. This should have been a clear indication to Deputy Kelly that (the student) may be suffering from a head injury and was not just being disrespectful, the lawsuit said.

Kelly continued to berate the student, who eventually was sent to the nurses office where his mother was contacted, according to the lawsuit.

The student was later treated at the Medical University of South Carolina to repair a fractured arm bone, the lawsuit said. The injury required the student to have a full cast and physical therapy.

The students family is seeking a jury trial for damages.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
When Florida parent Rose Taylor discovered that her sons new teacher would not use his preferred pronouns, it shattered Taylors perception of safety in her local North Florida school.

Taylor, who asked to be named using a pseudonym for privacy reasons, says her son declared that he was a boy at the age of 4, and his teachers and fellow students welcomed his name and pronoun changes.

The next year, however, his new teacher wouldnt call him by the proper pronouns. Taylor's son told his mother that the teacher could call him a girl, but no one else could.

The comment sounded off alarm bells for Taylor: Adults don't get special rules for you, especially that go against your personal rules.

She continued, This is going to open him up to bullying. This is going to teach him that rules don't apply to certain adults in authority, which could open him up to any sort of sexual assault, grooming or anything like that.

Joining a group like Equality Floridas Parenting with Pride has helped parents like Taylor face such obstacles amid the backdrop of rising anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric.

PHOTO: Jennifer Solomon leads Parenting with Pride, a network of parents aiming to advocate for LGBTQ students in Florida. (Jennifer Solomon )

According to the ACLU, Florida had 14 bills introduced this year that would impact the LGBTQ community  including restrictions on changes to ID cards, the required use of preferred names or pronouns, and more.

MORE: Books dumped en masse at Florida's New College, sparking controversy

In recent years, education has been the target of this kind of legislation, with the so-called Dont Say Gay law and the Stop WOKE Act restricting what material and content schools can share about gender and sexual orientation.

Supporters say these laws allow parents to decide what their children learn or discuss about certain topics, and should be discussed at home instead of at school. A spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis argued in a post on X that "there is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education. Full stop.

Many of these bills failed or died in the legislature. One of those bills was from State Sen. Bran Martin, who proposed legislation that would have banned Pride flags from flying at government buildings or public schools and colleges. In an interview with ABC News, Martin called sexual orientation and gender "adult issues" and argued that these laws are intended to "protect children."

"No one's attacking kids for their sexual orientation or their gender identity," Martin said. Instead, he noted that some constituents and legislators do not believe young kids should be having conversations related to gender or sexual orientation in the classroom.

"There's so many, so many good books that kids can learn to deal with self-esteem and how to deal with their friends and how to be successful, or how to deal with unique experiences in their life," Martin said. "We don't have to have our shelves full of kids' books dealing with sexual identity when there's so much other information to learn that can be taught."

Florida parent Jennifer Solomon told ABC News her youngest son didnt know anything about politics or the different gender identities when he began showing signs that his gender expression might not align with what is typical for boys his age -- such as wanting to wear dresses.

PHOTO: Jennifer Solomon leads Parenting with Pride, a network of parents aiming to advocate for LGBTQ students in Florida. (Jennifer Solomon)

She created local LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG Miami when she discovered there were few local resources for parents with children like her son, and she needed guidance and support.

"I realized that I had a story to tell, that I had this incredible child that I was given to raise, and he changes hearts and minds everywhere he goes."

She thought middle school might be a "nightmare" for her child due to her fears about bullying and his safety -- "I was wrong," she said.

"He is student council president. He is on the cheerleading team. He just made the competitive dance team," Solomon said. "He has shown me and shown others that you can live as who you are, and others will accept you if we get the politicians and the lawmakers to kind of move out of the way and let our kids just be who they are. "

Now, as the Parents and Families Support Manager for Equality Florida, Solomon hopes Parenting for Pride can help parents address efforts to restrict representation in classroom content or restrict how students can express themselves in schools.

MORE: Education policy: How Harris and Trump differ on K-12, higher education and more

PHOTO: When Jennifer Solomon's son wanted to wear dresses, she looked for resources for her and her son. She then founded a local advocacy group to build a community of support for families like her own. (Jennifer Solomon)

Parenting for Pride -- which just held its first summit with more than 200 participants -- offers workshops, panels and trainings on online safety, health and wellness, Title IX, and more.

Hillsboro County parent Ellen Lyons attended the summit on behalf of her school's Parent-Teacher Association to learn how to better make all families feel "welcome and included."

"Students generally have been concerned about the impact of legislation on the books that they can read, on the way they can address one another, of the way that teachers can address them," said Lyons. "And so one of the things that PTA wants to do is have all of the knowledge about what the current state of affairs is, so that we can give people accurate information and help people advocate for their students."

Parenting with Pride has created a network of more than 2,000 families  an effort local activists are encouraging amid the growing anti-LGBTQ sentiment.

We are parents, and we are demanding our parental rights, because it's not just parental rights for some, but parental rights for all, said Solomon. Enough attacking my child. I'm willing now to be in a space of advocacy that I never thought I would be in.

Florida parents of LGBTQ students band together to fight anti-LGBTQ bills originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The former Florida Panhandle police officer who shot and killed Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old Air Force service member, earlier this year has been charged with manslaughter and arrested, the Associated Press reported.

State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden's office announced Friday it had filed charges against former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, for manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 killing of Fortson. The A.P. reported that Duran turned himself in and was booked into jail on Monday.

Fortson was fatally shot after Duran arrived at his apartment complex in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, responding to a call about an alleged domestic disturbance. Duran knocked on Fortson's door, and Fortson opened it while holding a legally owned handgun at his side.

"This decision marks the first step towards justice for the family of Roger Fortson," Benjamin Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney representing Fortson's family, said in a statement to local media. "Nothing can ever bring Roger back, and our fight is far from over, but we are hopeful that this arrest and these charges will result in real justice for the Fortson family. Let this be a reminder to law enforcement officers everywhere that they swore a solemn oath to protect and defend, and their actions have consequences, especially when it results in the loss of life."

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office initially framed the fatal shooting as self-defense: "Hearing sounds of a disturbance, he reacted in self defense after he encountered a 23-year old man armed with a gun and after the deputy had identified himself as law enforcement," a May 4 statement from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office read.

However, body camera footage released by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office shows the deputy knocking on Fortson's door and announcing himself several times. Fortson eventually opened the door, holding a handgun at his side. The officer said "step back" and immediately began firing. Fortson only had time to raise his empty hand, palm outward. Three to four seconds elapsed between Fortson opening the door and the deputy firing six rounds at him.

Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on May 31 after an internal affairs investigation concluded that "Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements, and therefore, the former deputy's use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable."

In fact, Fortson lived alone. His girlfriend told investigators he was in his living room playing video games and on a FaceTime call with her, not arguing, when there was a loud knocking at the door. When the banging continued and got louder, Fortson's girlfriend said he put down his phone and told her he was going to get his gun because he didn't know who it was.

"This tragic incident should have never occurred," Aden said in a statement accompanying the internal investigation. "The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson's actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual."

As I wrote shortly after Fortson's funeral, the tragedy illustrates a problem Reason has written about over and over again: "The government insists that its citizens have a Second Amendment right to own guns and defend their homes with them, but it also insists that it's reasonable for police to respond with deadly force when they're startled by the sight of a gun, or what could be a gun but might be a harmless object, or the knowledge that a gun is nearby, as in the case of Philando Castile."

Furthermore, "warrior-style" police training seminars drill into officers that they could be killed by a suspect at any moment and have to be ready to use deadly force without hesitation.

Duran told investigators that he shot Fortson because Fortson had "aggression in his eyes," and "it is him or me at this point and I need to, I need to act as opposed to react."

Reason recently reported on a New Jersey-based police training company that glorified violence and promoted unconstitutional tactics. After being exposed by a New Jersey government watchdog and banned in nine states, the company declared bankruptcy and relocated to Florida.

The post Florida Police Officer Arrested and Charged in Fatal Shooting of 23-Year-Old Airman Roger Fortson appeared first on Reason.com.
The poor results of school board candidates backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in this months primary raised questions about whether the governors influence could be on the wane.

He might not be alone.

Since his endorsements mirrored those of Moms for Liberty  they jointly targeted several incumbents for defeat  several observers suggested the organization that some have labeled a hate group had reached its limit, too.

Big losses across the state for candidates who advanced the groups agenda, including efforts to ban library books and restrict lessons about race, sex and gender, pointed to mounting dissatisfaction with an organization that had quickly gained sway with powerful Republicans amid the anti-mask, parental rights politics of the pandemic.

Equality Florida, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, said in a statement that the only thing worse for conservative candidates than a DeSantis endorsement was support from Moms for Liberty.

Moms for Liberty leaders, however, said they were happy with the primary results.

Statewide we are very pleased. We had a 60% win rate, co-founder Tina Descovich said, counting candidates who moved to runoff elections as wins.

Among the 14 candidates that Moms for Liberty backed statewide, three won, six lost and five headed to November runoffs. Their candidates lost in counties where the groups endorsed candidates cruised into office two years ago.

Descovich said her groups polling shows that its involvement draws attention and interest in races. And while its unfortunate that some supported candidates lost, its also inevitable, she said, suggesting that perhaps the losses were due more to issues specific to each race than anything related to her group.

She added that Moms for Liberty is finding successes beyond the ballot box in areas such as its lawsuit challenging federal Title IX rules imposed by President Joe Bidens administration.

Everything is just booming, she said, adding that the groups annual convention in Washington, D.C., will include such speakers as former president and current candidate Donald Trump. We are growing massively. Moms for Liberty is full steam ahead.

Maurice Cunningham, a retired University of Massachusetts Boston political science professor and author of Dark Money and the Politics of School Privatization, said that might be too rosy an outlook. He said Floridas primary results emphasized a decline of Moms for Liberty.

If its leaders want to revive the flagging effort, Cunningham said, they need to shift strategies.

Its hard to build things and easy to break things, and M4L is really only good at breaking things, Cunningham said via email.

Cunningham said Moms for Liberty seems intent on pushing school choice by generating distrust in public education.

But the public is sick of the chaos and disruption, he said.

Jon Valant of the Brookings Institution, who has analyzed the influence of Moms for Liberty since 2022, said the groups success rate has diminished over time as its brand has grown more toxic as the organization has become better known.

Its gotten to the point, Valant said, where a Moms for Liberty endorsement can prompt voters to oppose that candidate.

In Sarasota County, for instance, where Republican voters hold a nearly 2-to-1 majority over Democrats, two Moms for Liberty-backed hopefuls lost. Incumbent Tom Edwards, a liberal Democrat whom DeSantis targeted for defeat during a meeting with Moms for Liberty leaders in February 2023, won a three-way race in which he outpolled his opponents  including one endorsed by Moms for Liberty  in all but two precincts.

Ted Bordelon, a national LGBTQ+ activist, said his Agenda PAC spent $52,000 to serve as a counterpunch to the Moms for Liberty campaign in Sarasota. Sarasota has become ground zero for this work, he said, in part because of the scandals surrounding co-founder Bridget Ziegler, another board member who pushed the district and state far to the right.

Many Sarasota residents, including other board members, urged Ziegler to resign amid accusations that she and her husband were involved in sexual activity that some said illustrated her hypocrisy in pushing for anti-LGBTQ+ policies. She remains on the board.

Our larger goal is to make Moms for Liberty so ineffective or so small that they cant have this kind of influence in races across the country, Bordelon said. Weve seen them suffer a ton of losses. People are rejecting the circus.

In Indian River County, where Republicans also hold a 2-to-1 advantage, the two board candidates on the ballot backed by DeSantis and Moms for Liberty fell far short, winning about a tenth of the countys 34 precincts.

The groups endorsed candidates in Pinellas County  which was closely watched as three challengers aimed to flip the board to a more conservative majority  fared just as poorly. Running in a countywide at-large race, incumbent Laura Hine won all but one of 286 precincts to beat a Moms for Liberty candidate by nearly 40 percentage points.

Two years earlier, by contrast, a candidate with the groups backing  and some connections to QAnon  took a countywide board seat by a 4-point margin.

I think it says loudly that the silent majority is done with partisan political noise and wants can-do leaders who will focus on the work at hand, Hine said.

Pinellas incumbent Eileen Long, who fended off a challenge from another Moms for Liberty-endorsed hopeful, said she believed county voters also were fed up with the nastiness.

People saw the behavior and the words they used, and the public doesnt want that, Long said.

For instance, supporters of the Moms for Liberty candidates disparaged local law enforcement leaders and longtime Republican officials who backed their opponents, said Katie Blaxberg, who faces a November runoff against Moms for Liberty candidate Stacy Geier. On Facebook, a local Moms for Liberty leader called Blaxberg a pink vagina hat wearing baby killing liberal. Another supporter baselessly called Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri pro pedophile literature in schools who supports radical liberals after he endorsed Hine.

Conservative Pinellas activist Audra Christian said she and others switched their allegiances after being personally attacked by Moms for Liberty representatives. She said the group abuses anyone who disagrees.

I felt it started out as a good thing, Christian said. Its become a cult where you cant question, cant offer suggestions.

County Commissioner Chris Latvala, for whom Blaxberg once worked as a legislative aide, said these types of tactics highlighted the slide in support experienced by Moms for Liberty candidates in Pinellas. The Republican former lawmaker advised Blaxberg and Erika Picard, who challenged Long, to keep the group at a distance.

Blaxberg denounced Moms for Liberty. Picard downplayed the groups endorsement in her campaign and outperformed the others. Still, Picard lost in the most Republican area of the county, in part because of her adherence to some of the Moms for Liberty platform, Latvala said.

Repeatedly pushing a false narrative about children identifying as cats and asking for kitty litter in restrooms did not help, he and others said.

The adults in Pinellas County pushed back against Moms for Liberty, Latvala said. I think November is going to be much of the same.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  The Northern Illinois Food Bank is moving into the old Kmart building on Sandy Hollow Road.

The food bank serves six counties in the region.

Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) helped secure $50,000 in funding from the ReBuild Illinois capitol spending bill, for the new location, at 1397 Sandy Hollow Road, and over $200,000 in donations have also been raised. It hopes to raise $600,000 for the project, by the end of the year.

One in seven residents of Winnebago County deal with food insecurity, not knowing where their next meal will come from.

President Julie Yurko said, Our new space is 50% larger than where we are currently. Most important to me, is that were now going to have space where we can have folks shopping for fresh, nutritious groceries, while we have folks sorting and processing fresh nutritious food to get into that market. All while in the back, neighbors can pick up online orders and agencies can come and pick up food.

The Northern Illinois Food Bank has been serving Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Ogle, Stephenson, and McHenry Counties for over 40 years from a 19,000-square-foot facility which it has since outgrown due to demand. The new location, set to open later this year, expands that footprint to 30,000 square feet.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Former Atlanta CFO sentenced to three years in prison after city hall scandal

A former Atlanta chief financial officer is going to prison.

A federal court judge sentenced Jim Beard to three years behind bars for stealing from taxpayers and making unauthorized tax deductions.

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The sentencing is a culmination of years of investigations by Channel 2 Action News, dating back to 2018.

Channel 2 Investigative reporter Sophia Choi was there as the 60-year-old said, I stand before you a broken man, before his sentencing in downtown Atlanta.

Beard served as Atlantas CFO between 2011 and 2018, under former Mayor Kasim Reed and for a few months, under former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

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He reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors in April.

A Channel 2 Action News investigation found Beard spent tax dollars on a lavish trip to Paris with his wife, high-powered guns including two semi-automatic rifles and hotel rooms for family members.

According to the Department of Justice, in total, Beard stole at least tens of thousands of dollars from the City. By way of example only:

In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Beard charged nearly $4,000 to the City for weekend stays at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. However, Beard was not in Chicago those weekends and the hotel rooms were actually for his stepdaughter to attend the Lollapalooza music festival.

In December 2015, Beard ordered two custom-built machine guns using a purchase order and a $2,641.90 check from the city, telling the manufacturer that the machine guns were for the exclusive use of the Atlanta Police Department (APD)  even though Beard took the guns to his own home and APD had no knowledge of them.

In April 2016, Beard charged more than $2,600 to the City for airfare and hotels for two-weekend trips to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Beard had no city business in New Orleans during either trip and took his wife one of the weekends and a different personal companion the other.

In June 2016, Beard charged $975.52 to the city for travel to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). Even though Beard had the city pay for this travel, Beard asked the MSRB to reimburse him personally for these costs and submitted copies of his receipts to the MSRB. As a result, the MSRB issued a check to Beard, which he kept and deposited into his personal bank account.

In April 2017, Beard charged more than $10,000 to the City for a four-day stay for him and his wife at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, in a deluxe suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

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He is one of at least seven former city employees and contractors who either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of bribery and theft-related charges.

Along with his prison time, Beard must pay a $10,000 fine and $177,197.48 in restitution.

The judge is allowing him to turn himself into prison when its time.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Former Detroit City Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins is exploring a run for mayor of Detroit, creating a candidate committee that will commission polling, fund outreach to voters and solicit campaign contributions, she told the Free Press last week.

Detroit's next mayoral election is in 2025. Mayor Mike Duggan, a three-term incumbent, hasn't declared whether he'll seek a fourth term, but is rumored to be mulling a run for governor in 2026.

Jenkins, now CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund, a nonprofit with a roughly $20 million annual operating budget that provides utility assistance to struggling families across Michigan, was elected to council in 2009. She was reelected in 2013, but stepped down less than a year later.

When she left council, Jenkins, 53, thought she was done with politics.

But in 2020, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I went through a little bit of hell and back," Jenkins said. "A lot of people who went through what I went through, and they didn't walk out of the cancer center ... I've been on this path of soul searching ... even though my whole life has been dedicated to service, what is my best and highest calling, what is the thing that I can do that can have the greatest impact?"

Jenkins said her first step will be a series of conversations to understand Detroiters' concerns, and to feel out residents' enthusiasm for her candidacy.

"At the end of this exploratory phase, if everything looks the way I expect it to, and everything goes well, then this exploratory committee will transition into a mayoral committee," Jenkins said.

Jenkins will become the second prospective candidate to form a committee in what is sure to be a vigorous campaign for Detroit's top job, which is a polite way of saying that a lot of people want to be mayor.

Council President Mary Sheffield filed candidate committee paperwork for a mayoral run last year. Businessman Joel Haashiim told the Free Press earlier this year that he plans to run. Haashiim hasn't created a candidate committee, according to Wayne County campaign finance records. Speculation about prospective candidates has ranged from state House Speaker Joe Tate to council members Coleman Young II and Fred Durhal III to actor Hill Harper, who ran unsuccessfully this year in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Without Duggan in the race, the 2025 election would herald a new era in Detroit politics. Duggan, former CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, former Wayne County Prosecutor and a longtime lieutenant of late County Executive Ed McNamara, has held the office for three terms. Detroit's first white mayor since Roman Gribbs, Duggan moved to Detroit from Livonia to run in the 2013 election, and didn't make the primary ballot because he didn't relocate in time. He cleared the primary on a write-in campaign, won the general election by a decisive margin and has easily won reelection against all comers  even as voter turnout in the city has dwindled.

Duggan has won plaudits for his fiscal management and for encouraging new development that has transformed downtown, Midtown and some neighborhood commercial cores. But critics have objected to some of his administration's signature policies, like a large-scale demolition program and the operations of the Detroit Land Bank Authority, intended to drive reuse of blighted properties and now one of the city's largest land owners. Some longtime residents say they feel excluded from the city's progress, and that Duggan's vision for Detroit doesn't include Black residents.

All of this  the city's financial stability and the mandate for inclusive development  will land in the next mayor's lap.

Heat and Warmth Fund CEO Saunteel Jenkins speaks during a news conference before the 69th annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner at Huntington Place in Detroit on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

An eventful council tenure

Jenkins is looking to lead a city that's very different from the Detroit of 2014, when she last held elected office.

A lifelong Detroiter, Jenkins was elected to Detroit City Council in 2009, a pivotal year that saw the election of former Mayor Dave Bing, dubbed an outsider by political foes, five new council members, the creation of a Charter Revision Commission and voter approval of a citizen-led referendum to reconfigure Detroit's council from an at-large body to two at-large and seven district seats.

Detroiters, in short, wanted change.

Jenkins, who has a master's degree in social work, was chief of staff to legendary Councilwoman Maryann Mahaffey from 1999 to 2004.

But when she ran for council, Jenkins was the relatively low-profile head of the nonprofit homeless shelter Mariners Inn. She was the third-highest vote-getter that year, finishing behind Charles Pugh, at the time a beloved Fox 2 Detroit personality, and former Detroit police official Gary Brown, who had become a household name after he was fired by former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Brown was leading an internal investigation into Kilpatrick's alleged misdeeds, and won an $8.4 million settlement in a whistleblower lawsuit that ultimately exposed a string of salacious text messages between Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff, Christine Beatty  a childhood friend of Jenkins  and led to Kilpatrick's ouster from office.

Jenkins served through a deteriorating relationship between Bing and the council, a consent agreement between Detroit and the state of Michigan that attempted to stave off municipal bankruptcy, the appointment of an emergency manager, the city's eventual bankruptcy filing and its emergence from Chapter 9.

She left council in October 2014, 10 months into her second term.

Michigan has civil rights. Texas has affordable housing. What if we could have both?

The big questions

That may be the first and most important question Jenkins must answer  when voters choose a candidate, there's a general expectation that they'll finish the term. Given her resignation from council, why should Detroiters elect her mayor?

It's a legitimate question, Jenkins acknowledged.

"What I would say is, I never left Detroit. I never left Detroiters. I continue to do what I've done my entire adult life: I serve Detroiters. I did it in a different way," she said last week, of her departure from council to helm THAW. "I am not, and have never wanted to be, a lifelong politician. ... I ran for a specific purpose, to give what I could give, and to try to get the best outcomes. My last week at council was the week we announced when we were coming out of bankruptcy. ... I was really proud of the work we had done and the direction we were heading, and an opportunity came along for me to serve Detroiters in a different way that had a more direct impact on families like the one I grew up in."

Jenkins has also drawn fire for hiring longtime friend Christine Beatty, Kilpatrick's former chief of staff and affair partner, at THAW. Beatty, facing felony perjury charges, pleaded guilty in 2008 to two counts of obstruction of justice for her part in the firing of Brown and another police officer, and agreed to pay the city of Detroit $100,000 in restitution. Beatty stopped making payments in 2013, telling WDIV-TV that she believed she no longer owed restitution once her probation period was past, a statement that is incorrect; about $78,000 of that sum remained unpaid as of last winter.

At THAW, Jenkins said, Beatty doesn't report to her but to the nonprofit's COO, a structure that deliberately prevents Jenkins from supervising her longtime friend.

"Chris has a bachelor's and master's in social work, and years of experience serving families," she said. "She was hired for the skill set that she could bring, and she's brought it. She's doing a great job at THAW."

But if she were elected mayor, Jenkins said, she wouldn't hire Beatty to work for the city. Why? "It's a different organization. And frankly, I don't believe she'd want to work for the city."

I thought my parents moved to Holly for the schools. I was wrong.

A reflection of Detroit

At THAW, Jenkins said she has expanded the nonprofit's offerings, moving from providing funds for emergency restoration of utilities to preventing shutoffs. She said she has been to Washington D.C. to lobby on the nonprofit's behalf, and believes she could bring those skills to bear as mayor. Jenkins said she'd like to improve Detroiters' civic engagement. She wants Detroiters to be comfortable with the quality of policing in the city.

And she said Detroit's next mayor must ramp up neighborhood development. She believes the city should incentivize development around analysis of what a neighborhood needs, based on citizens' input. Maybe that's a grocery store or a dry cleaners or a restaurant  the point, she said, is that city leaders must ask.

"It's got to be downtown and the neighborhoods. It's got to be new residents and the residents who've been here and stuck it out," she said.

A lifelong Detroiter, Jenkins attributes all of the good things in her life to the city. But she says she's also acquainted with the challenges residents of this still-struggling city too often face. She grew up in a working-class family on the west side. Her mother, who started work at Hudson's, retired from Macy's. Her father, a mailman, retired just this April.

"I grew up in a hardworking family, but we didn't have a lot of money. ... One of the reasons I'm so passionate about THAW is because we've had our lights and our gas shut off at our house before," she said. "I lost my 14-year-old brother to gun violence in 1991. So much of my life  the good and the bad  is a reflection of the things that people go through every day in the city."

Detroit has unquestionably changed for the better since her tenure on council, she said, but remains at a critical juncture.

"We've made a lot of progress, but it can still go either way," she said. "So from my perspective, this next race means progress will be on the ballot. We'll go forward, or we'll go backwards."

Nancy Kaffer is the editorial page editor of the Detroit Free Press. Contact: nkaffer@freepress.com. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters and we may publish it online and in print.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Saunteel Jenkins explores return to Detroit government, this time as mayor
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump shakes hands with former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed Trump, at the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. | Paul Sancya

Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has announced her endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, in his run against Vice President Kamala Harris in Novembers election.

After a failed presidential campaign against Harris in 2020 and after leaving the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent, Gabbard has since participated in events such as the Conservative Political Action Conference and has made a regular appearance in the conservative media, according to The Hill.

Reports indicate that Trump invited former Gabbard to his residence as he gears up for his presidential debate with Harris on Sept. 10, per Deseret News.

Gabbard, a National Guard veteran who served two tours in the Middle East, appeared with Trump at the National Guard Association conference on Monday. According to The Associated Press, Gabbards endorsement came on the third anniversary of the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport. The bombing claimed the lives of 13 U.S service personnel and more than 100 Afghan citizens.

I am proud to stand here before you today, whether youre a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent, Gabbard said. If you love our country, as I do, if you cherish peace and freedom as we do, I invite you to join me in doing all that we can to save our country and elect President Donald J. Trump and send him back to the White House to do the tough work of saving our country and serving the people, Gabbard said.

According to The Guardian, Gabbard accused Harris, of retaliating against political opponents, undermining civil liberties and weaponizing Americas institutions against both Trump and herself.

Fox News reported, We as Americans must stand together to reject this anti-freedom culture of political retaliation and abuse of power. We cant allow our country to be destroyed by politicians who will put their own power ahead of the interests of the American people, our freedom, and our future, Gabbard said at the conference.

Gabbards endorsement comes only days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent campaign and also endorsed Trump.
The News

Donald Trump named former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and one-time Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to join his transition team as honorary co-chairs and assist the Republican nominee should he be reelected in November.

As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance transition team, said a Trump spokesperson.

The appointments would give the pair a role in overseeing the staff of a possible second Trump administration, as well as potentially helping to shape policy.

Kennedy, who suspended his own presidential campaign Friday and endorsed Trump, told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he would help pick the people who will be running the government.

The development marks significant U-turns in the political careers of both Gabbard and Kennedy, who spent most of their public lives pushing progressive policies. Just months ago, Trump described Kennedy as a Radical Left Lunatic.

Gabbard ran in the 2020 Democratic primaries before dropping out and endorsing President Joe Biden. But she later became an independent and began voicing more conservative opinions on social issues, informally helping the Trump team with debate preparation, according to The New York Times.
A circuit court judge denied a former Florida deputy pre-trial release in connection with the shooting death of United States Air Force Sr. Airman Roger Fortson who was killed in his own home.

Rod Smith, the attorney for ex-deputy Eddie Duran, 38, who made his first court appearance Tuesday via Zoom, asked the court for Duran's release until his next court appearance on Thursday at 12:30 p.m.

"I think he should be released now. We'll be back Thursday. And there's no reason to think - we've had this thing hanging over us since May," Smith said. "We believe that he's no risk, no flight risk. He's going to show up there. He's going to show up anytime."

The state argued that Duran should not be granted pre-trial release because of a new Florida statute that requires him to stay in custody without bond as he is charged with a first-degree felony. The Okaloosa County Circuit Court judge told Duran that he would stay in jail until his next hearing.

MORE: US Airman Roger Fortson, killed by deputy in his own home, honored at funeral

Duran's arrest on Monday comes after the Florida state attorney filed one count of manslaughter with a firearm against him on Friday. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Fortson, 23, was in his home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on May 3 when Duran responded to the apartment for a call reporting a domestic disturbance, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Fortson was alone in the apartment at the time, police said.

PHOTO: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson was shot in his home by a Florida sheriff's deputy. (Air force )

In body-worn camera footage released by the sheriff's office, Fortson is seen holding a gun in his right hand with his arm extended downward and the muzzle pointing at the floor as he opens the door in response to the deputy, who can be heard announcing twice that he's with the sheriff's office. The footage, reviewed by ABC News, also shows Fortson had his left hand up, palm showing, gesturing towards the deputy when he opened the door.

Duran shot Fortson within seconds of the door opening, according to the footage. Fortson died of his injuries.

The deputy said he saw Fortson armed with a gun and claimed that Fortson took a step toward the deputy and had a look of aggression in his eyes, according to an interview Duran conducted with the sheriff's office during their subsequent investigation.

MORE: Mother of Roger Fortson, airman killed in his own home, speaks out after deputy who shot him is fired

The deputy was terminated in May, according to a sheriff's department statement obtained by ABC News.

Fortson's girlfriend, who asked not to be identified due to fears for her safety, spoke in May to Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV, telling the station her and Fortson were having a conversation on the phone about weekend plans when the shooting occurred.

"We continue to wish Mr. Fortson's family comfort and peace, as the former deputy's criminal case proceeds," the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office previously told ABC News in a statement. "We stand by our decision to terminate Mr. Duran as a result of the administrative internal affairs investigation that found his use of force was not objectively reasonable."

A sweep of the home did not find another person in the apartment besides Fortson, police said. In the body camera video, a woman, presumed to be a building manager, explains to the officer that someone in the building notified her of the disturbance and that she called police.

Fortson's family said in a statement to ABC News on Friday that the charges marked a "first step towards justice" in the case.

"Nothing can ever bring Roger back, and our fight is far from over, but we are hopeful that this arrest and these charges will result in real justice for the Fortson family," the statement said. "Let this be a reminder to law enforcement officers everywhere that they swore a solemn oath to protect and defend, and their actions have consequences, especially when it results in the loss of life."

The state attorney's office said it's very limited in what it can say because there is still an ongoing investigation.

Former deputy held without bond in fatal shooting of airman Roger Fortson originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
BRASILIA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Brasilia's environment institute, which monitors air quality in the Brazilian capital, issued an alert on Monday, warning of a "delicate situation."

For the second day in a row, Brasilia was affected by heavy smoke from wildfires in the states of Sao Paulo and Goias, as it grapples with seasonal drought in the central-west Cerrado region.

Data collected on Sunday indicated a "poor" air quality index for particulate matter, including dust, smoke and soot. Overnight, the index worsened to "very bad" and continued until 3:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) on Monday, the agency said in a press release.

"The latest measurements from the station show there has been a slight improvement in the index, but the air quality is still very bad," the press release said.

Residents in the capital may experience symptoms such as dry cough, fatigue, burning eyes, nose and throat, and difficulty breathing, according to the agency.

A record number of wildfires have broken out in Brazil this year in regions such as the Amazon, the Pantanal and the southeastern part of the country. 
FILE PHOTO: Chantemekki Fortson, mother of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson, reacts to firing of Florida Sheriff Deputy

FILE PHOTO: Chantemekki Fortson, mother of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson, reacts to firing of Florida Sheriff Deputy

By Rich McKay

(Reuters) - A Florida judge denied bond on Tuesday for a former sheriff's deputy charged in the May shooting death of a Black man serving in the U.S. Air Force, who answered a knock on his apartment door while holding a gun pointed down, according to jail records and media reports.

Eddie Duran, a former Okaloosa County sheriff's deputy who was fired by the agency after the shooting, was arrested on Monday in the death of Roger Fortson, 23, in Fort Walton Beach, jail records show. The records identified Duran as white.

Prosecutors charged Duran, 38, with one count of manslaughter with a firearm on Friday. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.

In asking the judge to set bail for Duran on Tuesday, his lawyer Rod Smith told the court his client was not a flight risk, ABC News reported. Smith was not immediately available for further comment.

State prosecutors argued that the judge should deny Duran pre-trial release because of a Florida statute that requires defendants charged with a first-degree felony to remain in custody, media reports said.

On the night of Fortson's killing, May 3, someone from his apartment complex called a non-emergency sheriff's department phone line to report that they heard a couple fighting in the airman's apartment, according to a report by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

The Fortson family's attorney, Ben Crump, told reporters that the airman was on a video call with his girlfriend when he heard a knock on his door. He asked, "Who is it?" but did not get a response, Crump said, citing the girlfriend's account.

Fortson then retrieved a gun he owned legally and walked toward the door, Crump said.

Police body-camera footage shows Fortson opened the door while holding his gun pointed down in his right hand and left hand up toward the deputy, according to media accounts.

Fortson was then fatally shot. Police said no one else was in his home at the time.

(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Frank McGurty and Rod Nickel)
Former Sedgwick County deputy loses license for pointing gun at deputies, lying about it

A former Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office deputy was stripped of his law enforcement certification after jokingly pulling and pointing his handgun at another deputy and then lying about doing it a second time.

Adrian Perez was employed by the sheriffs office from Jan. 11 2021 to Aug. 3 2023, according to a revocation order from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training, also known as KS-CPOST.

The Eagle contacted a phone number associated with Perez; he did not respond to a request for comment.

The summary order of revocation gives this account:

Perez violated the departments sidearm policy when he pointed his firearm at other deputies in a manner described as horseplay.

Perez admitted during an internal investigation to pointing his gun at another deputy, but said it only happened once.

Conflicting reports from witnesses say he had done so at least twice. During a polygraph test, Perez again said he did not pull and point his firearm a second time.

The polygraph test showed Perez was not being truthful.

The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training opened an investigation and determined that an in-person interview was required to see if Perez was fit to stay in law enforcement.

Perez did not show up for a scheduled interview and ignored multiple requests to reschedule the interview. He did not cooperate with the commissions investigation.
(Zen Rial/Getty Images)

The former clerk-treasurer in the tiny town of Morton, Washington, is accused of stealing upwards of $900,000 from the city over nearly nine years.

A state audit released on Monday found the clerk-treasurer misappropriated $937,584 from the city coffers between 2013 and 2021 using unauthorized ATM withdrawals and other methods  including taking customer cash payments that she did not deposit at the bank and writing city checks to herself and recording them in the citys accounting system as vendor payments.

Morton, located in Lewis County, southwest of Mount Rainier, has about 1,100 residents and an annual budget of around $4.6 million.

The auditors office said it would refer the case to the Lewis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office and that the city has filed a report with its police department, which is investigating the matter. The findings from the audit will be provided to law enforcement.

In a statement, the city said it has risk management insurance to cover stolen funds.

The City knows that the community places their trust in the City employees who serve them and that this is damaging to that relationship, the statement added. For the sake of transparency and to protect that trust, the City wants the community to know that none of the Citys current employees were involved with stealing City funds.

Based on information and evidence unearthed through the audit, the city said it is believed that the former clerk-treasurer stole this money from the City and its citizens.

Donna Royle, Mortons current deputy clerk, answered the phone at City Hall on Monday and said the city had no comment beyond the statement, citing an ongoing investigation.

The citys clerk-treasurer served as a backup cashier for the deputy clerk-treasurer and was responsible for overseeing day-to-day city operations, including handling bank deposits and reconciling the citys accounting system and bank statements, the audit report explains.

In 2021, the Morton City Council passed legislation eliminating the combined clerk-treasurer position and created standalone city clerk and treasurer jobs.

With the elimination of the joint Clerk/Treasurer position, there was no longer a single person responsible for banking, bill paying, and payroll reconciliation, Mayor Rick Mead, the City Council, and city staff said in a response included in the audit report.

The city said the former clerk-treasurer resigned shortly after the roles job duties were split up. In the citys statement, Morton officials said they will be pursuing all legal options to ensure she is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The audit report did not name the former clerk-treasurer, but the city in its statement did name the person accused of the theft. The Standard is not naming her because she could not be reached for comment and it was not clear whether any charges have been filed.

Investigators with the auditors office said they interviewed the former clerk-treasurer in May and she took responsibility for misappropriating city funds.

The audit report says the former clerk-treasurer began working for the city in July 2012 and drew attention during a scheduled 2014 audit for a $2,400 city check written to herself.

She said the $2,400 was a personal loan, according to the report, and the mayor at the time subsequently wrote to the state auditors office indicating that the city approved the loan.

In January 2015, we recommended the City refrain from loaning public funds, and ensure that the Clerk-Treasurer repays the money in a timely manner, the audit report said, noting that the latest investigation found that the $2,400 was eventually paid back.

The former clerk-treasurer also ran into trouble for telling the Department of Retirement Services she was no longer working for the city in 2019 and then withdrawing $23,837 from a retirement account  a move not allowed if she were employed. The department later found she was still with the city.

Unusual ATM withdrawals from the citys bank account detected during a routine 2022 state audit led to the investigation that resulted in the findings released on Monday.

What is so incredible in this case is that the leadership of Morton took no action when they had been informed of two different problems with the clerk-treasurer. We say, trust but verify, for a reason, State Auditor Pat McCarthy said in a statement.

Blind trust doesnt protect the publics money. Proper controls do, McCarthy added.

In a separate fraud investigation report, auditors investigated concerns related to a former Morton police chiefs credit card purchases.

The chief also had access to a bank account that was outside the citys control but had been holding donations for police-related activities. Auditors found the police chief made $199 in personal purchases on a city credit card, as well as additional questionable purchases.

Mortons episode marks the third six-figure loss of public funds by a Washington local government or state agency that the auditors office has reported this year. The others involved the state Office of Administrative Hearings and the town of Cusick.

Morton, Washington Audit -- August 2024

A copy of the fraud investigation report released by the Washington state auditors office on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024.
The Hughes County Courthouse in Pierre, pictured in November 2022. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

An Iowa woman who formerly worked for the South Dakota Department of Social Services pleaded not guilty Tuesday to stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the departments Division of Child Protection Services over the course of 13 years.

Lonna Carroll attends her arraignment on Aug. 27, 2024, at the Hughes County Courthouse in Pierre. Carroll was charged with stealing $1.8 million from state government while she was employed by the Department of Social Services. (Courtesy of Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated grand theft.

She was arrested in July, after the South Dakota Attorney Generals Office concluded an investigation that began in February. The investigation started when the Department of Social Services Child Protection saw an irregularity in some financial transactions Carroll controlled, Attorney General Marty Jackley told reporters in July.

Carrolls trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 4 in Pierre. Her bail is set at $50,000 and she is being held in the Hughes County Jail.

The maximum, combined sentence for both counts of aggravated grand theft is 40 years in prison and $80,000 in fines.

South Dakota state lawmakers on the Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee plan to hold a hearing in October on the alleged theft and prevention strategies.

Earlier this month, Jackley confirmed another alleged crime involving a former state employee. The now-deceased woman, Sandra ODay, used her position with the state Department of Revenue to create 13 fake vehicle titles used to secure $400,000 in loans, Jackley said. Because the woman is deceased, no charges were filed.

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Former Trump official warns ex-president is gearing up to claim 'rigged' election again

CHICAGO  Olivia Troye, who quit her White House national security job under former President Donald Trump after Jan. 6, believes the Republican candidate is gearing up to claim a rigged election again in 2024.

I remember the 2020 playbook very well, Troye told USA TODAY at last week's Democratic National Convention, adding that she remains deeply concerned about the real world consequences of false allegations that the election was stolen. Hes making the same references again.

She said she also worries about the implications of what another Trump presidency would mean for the intelligence community.

Olivia Troye, former Trump administration national security official, speaks during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois on August 21, 2024.

In the Trump administration, Troye served as a national security and counterterrorism adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump's contentious relationship with members of the intelligence community was widely known  and reported on  during his time in office. Troye sat through many of those heated intelligence briefings.

In a startling revelation, Troye said that when Trump received intel that he didnt like, he would simply fire the person who delivered the information.

Whenever somebody would give a factual briefing with real intelligence that really mattered, especially when it came to foreign adversaries he would discredit that person, explained the former Trump official.

I saw bosses get fired, long-time mentors of mine, who were worrying about what Russia was doing, about what foreign interference was happening, and he just didnt want to hear it.

After a decades-long career in national security, Troye ultimately resigned from the Trump administration in 2020.

During her speech at the DNC, she acknowledged that it was a challenging decision for a Republican who had wanted to work in the White House to vote Democratic, but supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate was the right one as an American.

Troye was among several Republicans who took the stage at last week's convention to pledge support for Harris and criticize Trump as the Harris campaign looks to appeal to anti-Trump moderate Republicans and independents.

In addition to Troye, other Republicans who spoke at the DNC included: former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who served on the House panel that investigated Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election; former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham; former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and Mesa, Ariz. Mayor John Gil.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former Trump official: he's ready to claim election is 'rigged' again
Victor Malavet looks behind him during his trial at Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord, N.H., on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. Malavet, a former state employee is charged in connection with the attorney general's probe of the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. (David Lane/Union Leader via AP, Pool)

CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A former resident of a youth holding facility in New Hampshire described a staffer Tuesday as a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who raped her in a storage closet just before handing out candy to other children as a reward for good behavior.

Victor Malavet, 62, faces 12 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault against Natasha Maunsell, who was 15 and 16 when she was held at the Youth Detention Services Unit in Concord in 2001.

She testified against him on the second day of his trial, describing the excitement she felt when he picked her to help retrieve candy for other residents and the fear, shame and confusion that followed as he kissed her, forced her to perform a sex act on him and raped her.

After he was done he just hurried and got the candy, transitioning back into the man who had discussed Bible verses with and treated her kindly, she said.

Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, she said, referring to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel featuring a scientist and his evil alter ego. It felt like a totally different personality.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they have come forward publicly, as Maunsell has done.

It is the first criminal trial arising from a five-year investigation into allegations of abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, though unlike the other eight men facing charges, Malavet worked at a different state-run facility where children were held while awaiting court disposition of their cases.

In opening statements Monday, Malavets attorney Maya Dominguez said Maunsell made up the allegations in an attempt to get money from the state. Maunsell is among more than 1,100 former residents who are suing the state alleging abuse that spanned six decades.

Youd agree there is money to gain in a civil suit? Dominguez asked Maunsell on Tuesday.

There is monetary compensation for damages, Maunsell agreed.

Dominguez, who will continue her cross-examination Wednesday, sought to chip away at the prosecutions argument that Maunsell was under Malavets control and isolated from her family and the outside world.

Dominguez was granted permission by the judge to bring up the fact that Maunsell was transferred to the facility from Manchester after she assaulted two staffers there with a lead pipe, a crime for which she served 10 years in prison.

In her testimony, Maunsell acknowledged lying to authorities who investigated Malavet in 2002, saying she was too scared to say anything other than that he was a friend and mentor. She also described feeling particularly fearful during one of the alleged assaults.

I remember having this gut wrenching feeling that this is never going to end. This is never going to stop, and its going to continue the same way every time, she testified. I just remember that particular time feeling especially scared, and trapped.

In a civil case in May, a jury awarded David Meehan $38 million for abuse he says he suffered at the Youth Development Center in the 1990s, though the verdict remains in dispute.

Together, the two trials highlight the unusual dynamic of having the state attorney generals office simultaneously prosecute those accused of committing offenses and defend the state. While prosecutors likely will be relying on the testimony of the former youth center residents in the criminal trials, attorneys defending the state against Meehans claims spent much of that trial portraying him as a violent child, troublemaking teenager and delusional adult.
Four indicted on hundreds of counts in holiday burglary spree of Maryland gun shops

Gun stores in Anne Arundel, Prince George's and Baltimore Counties were targeted in a string of burglaries and attempted burglaries that resulted in the theft of 81 firearms. Photo illustration by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.

An Anne Arundel County grand jury has filed hundreds of charges against four people, two adults and two minors, in connection with a string of holiday gun store burglaries and attempted burglaries that netted 81 stolen firearms.

The indictments were announced Tuesday by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who said that only six of the stolen guns have been recovered, and who asked for the publics help in finding the missing weapons.

This case has a two-fold mission. One: To hold accountable those who are responsible for breaking the law. And two: To find a host of stolen guns and remove them from our community, Brown said at a Tuesday press conference at the Anne Arundel County Police headquarters.

Brown said the indictments send a clear message to those who are in possession of an illegal firearm that they will be found and prosecuted. All of the defendants are being charged as adults and were ordered held without bail.

They each face scores of charges, including burglary, theft, conspiracy, possession of a stolen weapon, possession of a weapon by a minor and malicious destruction of property, among other charges. In addition to the thefts, Brown said the burglary spree caused $50,000 in damages.

The defendants were indentified as:

Cyjuan Hemsley, a 19-year-old male from District Heights, who is charged with 200 counts.

Mahkiya McQuinn-Woodley, a 20-year-old female from Baltimore, who is charged with 189 counts.

An unnamed 17-year-old male from Temple Hills, who is charged with 199 counts.

An unnamed 16-year-old male from Upper Marlboro, who is charged with 205 counts.

The firearms were stolen from three gun stores located in Prince Georges County during Christmas week 2023. There were also a number of unsuccessful attempts at gun stores in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.

Katie Dorian, the criminal division chief in the attorney generals office, said the organization accused of committing the burglaries started on Christmas Eve in 2023, using a crowbar to break into a Prince Georges county gun store, stealing 35 firearms. Two more Prince Georges gun shops were successfully hit a few days later.

Authorities accuse the same group of unsuccessful attempts to break into gun stores in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties on Christmas Day, but were unsuccessful. There was a final attempt to break into a Prince Georges gun shop on March 3, according to the indictment.

Each defendant is under the age of 21, which makes it illegal for them to possess a handgun in Maryland. Possession of any firearm is prohibited for anyone under age 18 in the state.

Brown said that the stolen guns were passed on to other minors and people who are prohibited from owning a firearm.

Its when these guns have fallen into the hands of those who are banned from possessing them, thats what creates the greatest danger in our communities, Brown said. We must put a stop to this and put these guns off our streets.

Brown said that these types of investigations take time. In addition to the attorney generals office, the investigation involved police from Prince Georges, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties as well as the Baltimore office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

So, while I am here today to announce indictments, were standing before you with a critical request to the communityto please, speak up if you know anything about these crimes, Brown said. The men and women of our area law enforcement agencies are working to recover all of the stolen guns, dozens of them, to remove them from our streets.
URUMQI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Yong's childhood memories include listening to his father's history bedtime stories, occasionally accompanying his father on his patrols of the ruins of an ancient city, and encountering artifacts on those patrols.

Zhao Yong is now 45, working as a farmer and a guardian of the ruins of Dalt, a millennium-old city and national-level cultural relic protection site in Qagansum Village, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The ancient city is believed to date back to the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, archaeological research has shown.

Having grown up near the ancient city and having worked to preserve it for about two decades, Zhao Yong has become familiar with its structure and the stories behind it, influenced by his father, Zhao Yuecai, who was once also a farmer.

"When archaeological teams visited Dalt, we led the way and informed them about the areas where crystals and ancient coins were found. We were almost always correct in our guidance," Zhao Yong said.

In the 1960s, Zhao Yuecai migrated from east China's Shandong Province to Pochengzi Village -- now Qagansum Village -- in Xinjiang's Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bortala.

Back then, the farmers in the village would sometimes use the fertile soil of the ancient city walls for farming, and they would unknowingly unearth pieces of metal or pottery as they tilled the land, attaching little importance to their finds.

In the early 1980s, farmers working the fields found a pottery jar filled with silver coins. Their find brought locals to realize that there could be an ancient city beneath the land on which they lived. The revelation of Dalt soon garnered attention from relevant authorities.

In 1985, when Zhao Yong was six years old, local authorities issued a notice declaring Dalt to be a cultural relic protection site and implementing measures for its preservation.

Shortly thereafter, the village designated Zhao Yuecai as a guardian of the ancient city and awarded him a red armband. He was primarily responsible for ensuring Dalt's security, and would occasionally bring his son along on his patrols.

In 1987, Zhao Yuecai met several archaeologists who came to survey the ancient city. Under their influence, he read extensively and acquired knowledge of cultural relics to protect the ancient city as best he could. He handed the artifacts he had discovered over to local authorities, and persuaded others to do the same.

Although he didn't receive a salary, he played the role of guardian for two decades until 2007, when his failing health no longer allowed him to keep up his work. Zhao Yong later took up the baton from his father.

In 2013, the Dalt ancient city ruins were listed as one of China's key cultural relic protection sites. And starting in 2016, with the approval of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Xinjiang regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology collaborated with various cultural relic departments in Bortala to conduct archaeological work on the site, according to Tian Xiaoyan, director of the ancient city's conservation and management center.

Dalt's total excavation area has neared 5,600 square meters. More than 2,900 pieces or sets of small artifacts such as coins, ceramics, metal and glass have been unearthed. Traces of ancient buildings, beacon towers and tombs have also been found in the vicinity, Tian said, noting that several guardians now work to protect the ancient city.

In 2016, Zhao Yong was officially appointed as a guardian of Dalt, obtaining a work permit and receiving a monthly allowance of 2,000 yuan (about 281 U.S. dollars).

He conducts more than eight patrols each month, taking notes on the condition of relics, including any safety hazards and the state of relic protection equipment. Details are jotted on paper forms and then collated, before being sent in reports to local cultural relic authorities.

Over nearly 20 years, his knowledge of archaeology and related professional skills have continued to grow.

Previously, he would hand any cultural relics he discovered to local cultural relic authorities directly. Now, he can assist with archaeological work by using a watermark app to photograph his discoveries, and by recording information such as location and time of discovery before handing them over.

His patrol work is now also facilitated by an intelligent monitoring system that was installed in the ancient city in recent years, incorporating some 45 high-definition cameras.

In addition to his own efforts, he also invites those around him to pitch in.

Wang Xiuping, Zhao Yong's wife, is one of a group of auxiliary personnel assisting with archaeological work in Dalt. She has been participating in this work since 2016, acquiring survey, mapping and cultural relic restoration skills, among others.

The couple's two children have also developed a great interest in cultural relics. Their son is particularly interested in history, and shares what he learns in his history classes at school with his father.

Their daughter, 20-year-old Zhao Xueting, is an industrial design major at Jiaxing Vocational & Technical College in east China's Zhejiang Province. Last winter, she returned to her hometown during her holidays and assisted the archaeological team by using her professional drawing and mapping skills.

"I have grown up in this kind of environment, so I am passionate about archaeology and cultural relic preservation. If given the opportunity, I am willing to carry forward the legacy of faith started by my father and grandfather," she said. Enditem

(Kong Weijia, Yuan Ziming, Wang Zixian and Luo Ying also contributed to the story.)
The four most important down-ballot races  and how they could affect the presidential election

The conventions are in the books. Former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are sniping at each other about their presumptive debate in September. Trump has reportedly tapped anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr to work on his transition team, while Harris recently announced that 200 former staffers for Mitt Romney, George W Bush and John McCain have endorsed her campaign (thats part of her larger effort to court McCain Republicans.)

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff has taken part in a number of campaign receptions, while Governor Tim Walz will speak to the International Association of Fire Fighters on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will trek through Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

But, of course, the presidency is only one race being decided in November. And some of the races down-ballot are just as bloody. They also might have a massive impact on the top of the ticket.

Here is a roundup of the most important non-presidential races that could make a huge difference.

Arizona Senate

One persistent problem for many Republicans, even before Joe Biden stepped aside, was that even as Trump beat Biden in numerous swing states, Senate candidates continued to underperform him. Nowhere is this problem more persistent than in Arizona.

Biden narrowly won Arizona in 2020 and the state has not elected a Republican to the Senate since John McCain won re-election in 2016. Now, Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran and Democrat who was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is running against Kari Lake, the news-anchor-turned election denier who lost her race for governor in 2022.

Democrats hope to hold the seat after Kyrsten Sinema, the mercurial Democrat-turned-Independent, announced she would not seek re-election.

But while Lake narrowly lost her race in 2022 (which she refuses to admit), polling shows Gallego firmly ahead of her. Indeed, Lake might even be a drag on Trump. During a recent rally in Arizona where she appeared alongside Trump, someone shot a photo of a teleprompter saying wrap asap and please get off stage as Lake delivered remarks.

On Monday, Gallego received another huge boon when the Arizona Police Association  the states police union that endorsed Trump, no less  endorsed Gallego. The move is a huge blow to Lake. It means that we should expect to see plenty of Trump-Gallego voters.

Montana Senate

Montanas Senate race is in many ways the opposite of Arizonas. After Democratic-turned-Independent Senator Joe Manchins retirement in West Virginia, its almost guaranteed his place will be taken by a Republican in a state where every county voted for Trump. That leaves Republicans with a majority in the Senate if they flip Montana. Democrats hope that Senator Jon Tester can pull off another miracle victory.

That will be tough. Trump won Montana by more than 16 points in 2020. Similarly, Testers fellow Montanan, Senator Steve Daines, is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has a vested interest in getting retired Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy elected.

So far, polling shows the race all over the place. One survey by the Montana GOP shows Sheehy up by seven while another showed Tester up by five. Trump campaigned for Sheehy and mocked Tester for having the biggest stomach I have ever seen.

Meanwhile, Tester skipped the DNC and instead hosted a concert with Pearl Jam in Montana (hes long-time friends with bassist Jeff Ament.)

North Carolina Governor

Polling shows Harris running just about even with Trump in North Carolina. Even before she moved to the top of the ticket, she visited North Carolina regularly and even considered the states governor, her good friend Roy Cooper, as a running mate before he bowed out.

Cooper is term-limited, and the race to replace him might just tip the state in Harriss favor.

Attorney General Josh Stein is a state legislator who is running against Lieutenant Mark Robinson, whom Trump has endorsed and repeatedly praised. But Robinson has come under fire for calling LGBTQ people filth. He also ardently opposes abortion and has regularly referred to women who terminate their pregnancies as murderers  despite the fact that he recently admitted he and his wife aborted a pregnancy in a campaign ad.

Robinsons history of inflammatory remarks have put him at a significant disadvantage. A High Point University/SurveyUSA poll showed Stein with a 14-point lead. The move just might be enough to tip the state toward Harris.

Florida Senate Race:

The former swing state of Florida has become the nerve center of the Republican Party. Nevertheless, Democrats believe they have a legitimate shot to topple Republican Senator Rick Scott.

Democrats have hammered Scott recently for running an ad saying he supports IVF, during which he talks about his own daughter going through the process, and then voting against legislation to protect IVF.

A poll earlier this month from Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research USA showed that Scott has a four-point lead against former Democratic congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell. But the state will soon have a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights after a six-week ban went into effect, and another ballot initiative to legalize marijuana. Democrats hope that both will give them a much-needed boost in Trumps new home state.
2 adults, 2 minors charged in connection to series of burglaries at gun shops across Maryland

2 adults, 2 minors charged in connection to series of burglaries at gun shops across Maryland

MARYLAND (DC News Now)  Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced on Tuesday that four people have been indicted on charges in connection to a series of burglaries at gun stores across the Maryland area.

Officials said from December of 2023 to March of 2024, the group was involved in at least ten burglaries and attempted burglaries of Federal Firearm Licensee stores across Anne Arundel, Prince Georges and Baltimore counties.

We must put a stop to this and get these guns off our streets, Brown said.

Officials said that around 81 guns and 10 gun replicas were stolen during the crime spree, causing businesses to lose over $50,000 in inventory.

DC police investigating death of 1-year-old baby as homicide

Brown said investigators discovered the group (aged 16 to 20) would hit the stories late at night into the early morning and would use a pry bat to break in.

The investigation also revealed that in several instances the group attempted to sell or trade the stolen guns on social media and on at least two occasions the group was robbed.

These stolen guns have passed hands in the hands of children and others who are not allowed to possess them. This is unacceptable, Brown said.

The following people were indicted:

Cyjuan Hemsley, 19, from District Heights was charged with 200 counts.

Mahkiya McQuinn, 20, from Baltimore, was charged with 189 counts.

A 17-year-old boy, from Temple Hills was charged with 199 counts.

A 16-year-old boy, from Upper Marlboro was charged with 205 counts.

Thieves set off fire extinguisher, steal casino chips at MGM National Harbor, Prince Georges County police say

Officials said that six of the guns had been recovered. Five of them were found in Washington, D.C. Investigators were working to locate the other stolen weapons.

The reality is these stolen guns made their way into our communities, so it has always been a two-part mission: find those responsible and find the guns. We found the people and hear this: break the law and you will be held accountable, said Brown, in a release.

Officials said the group was charged as adults and were being held without bond.

These arrests, achieved through local and federal law enforcement collaboration, highlight the importance of teamwork in ensuring community safety. It is deeply troubling that some of those charged are juveniles. The use of firearms by young individuals is particularly concerning, and accountability must follow, Prince Georges County Police Department Chief Malik Aziz said in a news release.

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Satellite image showing the damaged bridge in the top right and the pontoon crossing in the bottom left. Source: Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty)

Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty) has shared satellite images from 26 August which show that Russian forces have set up a new pontoon crossing over the River Seym in Kursk Oblast, the fourth such crossing.

Source: Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty)

Details: Radio Svoboda reported that the crossing was set up in the village of Zvannoe, two kilometres downstream from the bridge that had been damaged in shelling.

Source: Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty)

Earlier, Russian forces set up similar crossings in the village of Karyzh, between the villages of Zvannoe and Glushkovo, and to the east of Glushkovo.

The crossing in Karyzh is partially submerged, which might be an attempt by Russian forces to mask it, or it might have been attacked. The other two of the older pontoon crossings have also been attacked.

"Military experts suggest that by targeting the bridges over the River Seym, Ukraine is trying to cut Russian forces off from the Glushkovo district on the left, south, bank of the river," Radio Svoboda said.

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:

Ukraine launched the Kursk offensive on 6 August. On 10 August, the fifth day of Ukrainian forces advance into Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine was undertaking operations to bring the war to Russia.

On 13 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, informed Zelenskyy that Ukraines defence forces control 74 settlements in Russias Kursk Oblast. By the afternoon of 15 August, Syrskyi reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had advanced up to 1.5 kilometres on some axes in Kursk Oblast since the beginning of the day and controlled 82 settlements in Russia.

On 15 August, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) told Ukrainska Pravda that 102 Russian soldiers had been captured in Russia's Kursk Oblast by the SSU forces.

On 16 August, Ukraine's Air Assault Forces shared footage of the first hours of the operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast. The video shows demining operations, the breach of the Russian border by Ukrainian forces, the destruction of Russian defence lines, air and artillery operations, and the process of capturing prisoners of war.

Later that same day, the 80th Air Assault Brigade of Ukraines Armed Forces shared footage from the early hours of the military operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast, in which its soldiers breached the defence line, destroyed a border checkpoint and captured over 50 prisoners.

As of 20 August, Ukrainian forces controlled more than 1,260 sq km of territory and 93 settlements in Kursk Oblast, Russia.

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Fox News

Fox News host Jesse Watters was forced to defend a poorly worded criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris during Mondays edition of The Five.

His colleagues, including Jeanine Pirro, immediately called him out for saying that if Harris is elected president, generals in the Situation Room will have their way with her.

Watters, who once raised the prospect that Harris was having a typical female problem one year into her role as vice president, insisted that he was trying to suggest that Harris lacks foreign policy credentials.

What is her foreign policy? Watters asked. This is where the president has his most impact. You have a lot of room to maneuver there as commander-in-chief. We dont know who she is. We dont know what she believes. Shes going to get paralyzed in the Situation Room while the generals have their way with her.

Pirrono stranger to making weird criticisms of Harrisimmediately took issue with that remark.

I dont like that. Take it back, she demanded, while Dana Perino scolded him by using his full name.

Watters tried to explain himself.

Figuratively, again: have their way with her! Control her. Not in a sexual way, he replied, grinning, while Greg Gutfeld chuckled.

Watters then proceeded to argue that it was politically brilliant for Trump to go to Arlington National Cemetery on the anniversary of 13 servicemen being killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

There, at the graves, Trump flashed a smile and a thumbs-up.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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(Bloomberg) -- Marine Le Pens National Rally is vowing to scrutinize candidates better as part of a root-and-branch overhaul after it suffered a surprise defeat in Frances snap election.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The party, which had been riding a wave of far-right support going into the ballot, wants to determine why it performed so poorly and how it can be ready next time.

The initial results of an internal audit found the party didnt sufficiently assess its parliamentary candidates and that those who ran werent properly trained, party officials told Bloomberg. The findings are set to be presented to board members in mid-September.

The reports author, Aleksandar Nikolic, who won a seat in the European Parliament elections in June, said recommendations will include tougher scrutiny for anyone seeking to run for legislator, mayor or city counselor, as well as better preparedness.

My job is to make proposals that will allow us to do much better next time, Nikolic said in an interview, echoing mishaps that fueled a perception the far right is still too radical and unfit to govern. One candidate this summer, for example, appeared wearing a Nazi cap in an old picture on social media. Another turned out to have been involved in a robbery-related hostage-taking in the nineties.

The party has been gaining popularity in France as Le Pen has sought to bring it into the political mainstream and distance it from the overt racism and controversial views of its co-founder, her father Jean-Marie. Yet, the failure to capitalize on a wave of support this time, as other parties rallied together to keep the far right from power, has highlighted the challenges she still faces in seeking to become president when Emmanuel Macrons term ends in 2027.

Voters will also head to polling stations a year earlier than that, with France due to hold municipal elections in 2026.

Back to Class

The National Rally found this summer that a separate source of concern internally was the poor performance of many candidates in televised debates, with some incapable of citing their priority if elected. Others lacked basic knowledge of economics.

Nikolic said potential candidates will now be required to attend classes to learn about subjects such as how value-added tax works, with rehearsals ahead of TV debates to improve preparedness. Those cleared to run will also be required to commit strictly to official policy guidance to prevent unwelcome controversies. One legislator seeking reelection sparked a backlash by suggesting on TV that dual nationals should be excluded from certain government jobs.

The National Rally began its summer campaign as frontrunner to form the next government after President Macron dissolved the National Assembly. Polls showed it would win the most seats in the lower house, with some predicting it may get an absolute majority.

Yet campaign mishaps ended up jeopardizing Le Pens efforts to normalize the partys image that included softening its stance on social issues such as LGBTQ rights and abortion, and becoming an advocate for the working class.

The partys vice president, Louis Aliot, said preparation ahead of the next elections should focus on local and grassroots activists, adding that further training for party officials should include learning about history and sociology.

The top of our pyramid has been working remarkably well but were having problems at the bottom, he said in an interview. A party is like an army, it requires total discipline.

Valerie Igounet, a historian who specializes in the far right, and tracks online racism and antisemitism via Conspiracy Watch, said the party had made previous attempts to discipline both its politicians and militants with sit-down gatherings and textbooks but that those efforts lost traction in recent years.

Le Pen and other National Rally officials know that semantics are the core basis of everything in politics, she said in an interview.

Convincing Business

Aliot also points to a struggle to reassure business leaders and opinion leaders who remain reluctant to back the party, adding that it is still a bit too far from certain circles.

Many party members acknowledge the overall campaign message was an issue but some also blame the party leadership for parachuting candidates into several constituencies instead of betting on militants with local roots.

In Dunkirk, in northern France, the party picked an outsider instead of Yohann Duval, a city counselor and public servant who came a close second in a previous legislative election. The parachuted candidate lost.

This happens in other parties, too, but its still regrettable, Duval said in an interview.

Macrons surprise snap election call initially appeared as an extraordinary opportunity for the National Rally, with Le Pen saying she had a full cabinet ready to take over the government. Macron justified his decision, which followed his resounding defeat by the far right in European Parliament elections, as a need to clarify the balance in domestic politics.

A so-called republican front formed again, with rival parties that had been at each others throats for years swallowing their animosity and creating a largely unified electoral front to keep the far right at bay. Le Pens party ended up in a third place. A leftist alliance won the most seats, while Macron and his allies came second.

With Macron yet to name a new prime minister following the election, he met with Le Pen and Bardella on Monday as part of a series of talks with political leaders about the composition of the new government. The presidents aides privately say his decision to dissolve the National Assembly ultimately helped expose the far rights technical and political limitations.

Igounet, the historian, warns that nobody should dismiss the National Rally, however, adding that the party may still succeed in taking advantage of the situation, claiming humility as it learns from mistakes.

And its next election fight may even come as early as next year. If the lower house is unable to function without a clear majority, Macron will have the right to dissolve the National Assembly again once 12 months have passed.

The party has a future, Igounet said.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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France will impose a complete ban on the use of mobile phones in 200 schools as part of a trial to tackle hyper-connectivity.

From the autumn, pupils at 200 middle schools across the country will be required to put their smartphones in lockers or leave them at the entrance for the duration of the school day.

Currently, they are prohibited from using their mobile phones in school, but not from carrying them.

The ban is part of a trial to give students a digital break from their devices, Nicole Belloubet, the outgoing education minister, said on Tuesday. If successful, the measure will be rolled out as a blanket ban next year.

It follows the findings of a report commissioned by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, in June, which warned of the dangers of excess screen time  or hyper-connectivity  among children.

All the experts say that screen addiction is the breeding ground for all kinds of problems  harassment, violence, dropping out of school, said Mr Macron.

Whole of society must get involved

The addiction can cause health problems including sleep deprivation, obesity, depression, anxiety, addiction, cyber bullying and suicide, the report, entitled In Search of Lost Time, said. The 142-page report was written by a team of 10 experts in fields including neuroscience and psychiatry.

A clear scientific consensus is emerging on the harmful consequences of screens on several aspects of the somatic health of children and adolescents, they wrote. Parents, teachers, content creators, administrations  it is the whole of society that must get involved.

Some of the recommendations include no screen time for children under three, no mobile phones before the age of 11, no mobile phones with the internet before the age of 13, and no access to social networks before the age of 15.

But not everyone is on board with a ban. David Lelong, a representative of the teachers union SE-UNSA, told the French news channel BFM TV: We are not convinced that cyber bullying between students will decrease with this measure, as we know that the majority of cyber bullying happens after class.

Gregoire Ensel, a spokesman for the Federation of Parents Councils, said the measure posed a security and logistical nightmare for school staff.

Imagine 500, 800 students who are entering and leaving the school at the same time, who have to leave and retrieve their phones? That could cause security problems, he added.

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France's leftist coalition fumes over Macron's rejection of its candidate to become prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures at the Elysee Palace as French left-wing coalition accuses Emmanuel Macron of denying democracy after he has rejected the New Popular Front's candidate to form a new government following last month's inconclusive election, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

NICE, France (AP)  France's main left-wing coalition on Tuesday accused President Emmanuel Macron of denying democracy after he rejected the New Popular Front's candidate for prime minister following last month's inconclusive election.

As president, Macron has the sole power to name the prime minister according to the French Constitution.

French politicians have been deadlocked over a future government since an early legislative vote in July produced no clear winner. The latest tensions include calls for major protests against Macron next week as Paris prepares to host the Paralympic Games with the opening ceremony set for Wednesday evening.

The New Popular Front coalition won the most seats in the National Assembly. Macrons centrist alliance came in second, and the far-right National Rally came in third, leaving Frances powerful lower house of parliament with no party holding a majority.

Still, the left-wing coalition, which includes the hard-left France Unbowed, the Socialists and the Greens, has insisted that the new prime minister should be from their ranks because it's the largest group.

On Monday, Macron rejected their nominee for prime minister  little-known civil servant Lucie Castets  saying that his decision to refuse a government led by the New Popular Front is aimed at ensuring institutional stability.

The deeply fractured parliament wouldn't endorse a left-wing government, Macron said, and announced another round of consultations with political leaders. He called on left-wing leaders to seek cooperation with parties outside their coalition, including with the president's centrist alliance.

Leftist leaders lashed out at Macron, accusing him of endangering French democracy and denying the election results. The Socialists and the Greens refused to meet with the president for a new round of talks on Tuesday. France Unbowed, whose leaders weren't invited to the Elysee presidential palace, called for mass protests against Macron. They say that Macron is responsible for an exceptionally grave situation.

How is it possible that we have reached such denial of democracy? the Greens' leader, Marine Tondelier, said in an interview with broadcaster France Info. We are in the process of having this election stolen from us."

She added that the New Popular Front would reject any government that is not left-wing.

Francois Ruffin, a lawmaker with France Unbowed, said in an X post that the people must remove Macron in the name of democracy. He added: Chaos and instability are his fault.

In a sign of fracturing opinion on the left, Pierre Jouvet, the Socialist Party's secretary-general, said that its supporters don't plan to take part in protests, and hinted that they were open to further discussions with the president.

We are not calling for people to take to the streets at this stage," Jouvet said in an interview with France Info. "The emergency is in the debate, in the political discussion, even if Emmanuel Macron's decision worries us deeply.

There's no rulebook that requires Macron to name a candidate from the party that won the most seats, or specifies a timeline for a decision. The absence of any dominant political bloc is unprecedented in Frances recent political history.

Macrons office said last week that he would name a prime minister based on consultations that started Friday and were aimed at moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible.

Politicians from the center, the right and the far right have suggested that they would try to bring down any government that includes members from France Unbowed.

Macron appears more eager to seek a coalition that could include politicians from the center-left to the traditional right.

Other names that have emerged in French media as potential candidates to become prime minister include center-left politician Bernard Cazeneuve, a former prime minister in 2016-2017 who also served as Frances interior minister during a series of deadly extremist attacks in 2015, and Xavier Bertrand, a former minister considered relatively moderate within the French right. Conservative politician Michel Barnier, EUs chief negotiator for post-Brexit talks, is also considered a potential candidate.

The French president said last month that he would keep the outgoing centrist government on a purely caretaker role to handle current affairs, notably during the Paris Olympics, which ended on Aug. 11.
Puckett's downtown Franklin location is planning to celebrate its 20th anniversary with unique menu items, promotions and special surprises during the month of September.

The restaurant got its start as a grocery store in Leiper's Fork during the 1950's.

Today, the family-owned-and-operated brand has seven Tennessee locations in Nashville, Columbia, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro, Pigeon Forge and Hendersonville. There's an eighth location in Alabama.

In addition to food service, the Franklin Puckett's also functions as a live music venue.

"We are so grateful to the people of Franklin for welcoming us with open arms in 2004 and continuing to show us loyalty and love, said Andy Marshall, AMH CEO and proprietor. This month-long celebration is our way of showing our immense gratitude to the community for their continued support, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone alongside them.

Some of the month-long offerings from the Franklin Puckett's include;

Throwback Thursdays, featuring special menus with classics from the original Pucketts Franklin breakfast, lunch and dinner menus available at 2004 prices.

Giving Tuesdays, benefitting the Boys and Girls Club with 20% of total sales donated to the organization.

Pucketts Loves, a surprise gifting program for customers with giveaways including merchandise, BOGO offers and gift cards.

A giveaway for a years worth of Pucketts special sauces and spices.

There will also be special anniversary musical performances from a variety of artists to celebrate the anniversary. A full list of performers can be found at puckettsrestaurant.com.

Pucketts is located at 120 4th Avenue in Downtown Franklin and is open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Franklin Puckett's celebrates 20 years, brings back 2004 menus, prices
FREDERICK (KFDX/KJTL)  After eight years without a hospital, Frederick held a groundbreaking ceremony for its critical access hospital.

Today is actually a miracle for southeast Oklahoma. As said in the press release earlier, this hospital was shut down, said the trustee board chairman, Natalie Fitch. You dont hear the hospital shutting down and opening back up.

The Tillman Memorial Hospital closed years ago due to major financial issues. In fact, the hospital was losing close to $150,000 a month. Officials feel that making it a critical access hospital will open up new funding opportunities.

Currently, Tillman County residents have about a 45-minute to an hour ambulance ride to the nearest hospital, precious time that can be the difference between life and death.

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If you dont have a helicopter coming to pick you up, youre really brushing up to that edge of golden hour. And weve seen actual documented deaths that have happened because we didnt have a hospital in Tillman County, district representative Trey Caldwell explained. I think its going to be a game-changer for this community to be able to have something that can help them have access to that quality care, which will be a huge deal.

With the hospital closing once before due to financial problems, a plan for long-term sustainability for the services it would provide had to be devised going forward.

We really wanted to focus on the hub and smoke modelsimilar to the airline industrywhere this will be a place where youre going to have basic medical needs, Caldwell said, adding that the suite will have seven hospital rooms and two emergency bays.

Then, were going to continue with the medical suite with the doctor and the two nurse practitioners. Were also going to have a pharmacy, hopefully, and maybe dental offices, he said.

Officials feel all of this will help the goal of this being a medical suite area for the county.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON)  A grocery store offering free produce to students and families in San Franciscos Bayview neighborhood opened its doors on Monday. The Goodr Grocery Store is dedicated to serving students attending MLK Middle School.

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MLK is a Community School where we assess the needs of our community that ultimately impact our students educational outcomes, and we focus resources to address those needs, Tyson Fechter, Principal at MLK Middle School, said.

The grocery store  considered the first of its kind in California  will provide produce and other essential food items throughout the 2024-25 school year. Parents and students will be allowed to shop for these items once a week during scheduled store hours.

If students dont have access to adequate and healthy food, they will not be able to access their education, Fechter said.

School officials said the grocery store is a solution to improving food distribution in the Bayview neighborhood, which they recognize as a growing struggle. The YMCA of Greater San Francisco has also partnered to provide the necessary space to house the store.

We recognize the struggles with food distribution in Bayview, Jamie Bruning-Miles, CEO & President of the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, said. This collaboration has established the first store that underscores the necessity for support that extends beyond the individual child.

This marks the 13th Goodr Grocery Store location nationally and the first location in California. More information on Goodr can be found here.

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HARBIN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- In the scorching summer heat, a green weeding machine is advancing steadily along rows of corn at a farm of the Beidahuang Group in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, without a single operator in sight.

"This intelligent weeding machine has been developed by our team using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and relies on AI models and edge intelligence decision-making techniques to accurately differentiate between corn plants and weeds," said Cheng Siyao, vice dean of the School of Computer Science and Technology at Harbin Institute of Technology.

Cheng added that this machine can significantly improve the efficiency of weeding operations as its identification accuracy reaches over 95 percent. She also revealed that this new technology can be widely applied in vast stretches of farmland.

From the Go champion defeater of DeepMind and AlphaGo to the mighty ChatGPT, AI technology has brought about tremendous changes to China and many other countries in the world.

On farms, in factories and cyberspace, AI technology and algorithms have become efficiency multipliers and new engines of development across many sectors in China.

At the factories of Harbin Electric Corporation, an AI-powered intelligent welding system has been implemented for welding nuclear power equipment.

"The intelligent welding system can automatically detect the inner diameter, appearance and defects of weld seams, adjusting the welding method as needed," said Liu Xinxin, deputy general manager of the innovation and digitalization department at the corporation.

"The system can also record and improve its performance via AI models, reducing human labor by 50 to 75 percent, doubling the efficiency while maintaining the same welding standard," Liu added.

While empowering traditional industries, AI is also creating brand-new application scenarios, driving the rapid growth of emerging industries.

"With our expertise in the Internet of Things, big data processing and other technologies, we launched an AI imaging-assisted diagnosis platform to help more patients access better healthcare services close to home," said Wang Yunan with BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. at a forum of the just-concluded 2024 Sun Island Annual Conference for Entrepreneurs.

Wang explained that this platform, which integrates smart medical devices, telemedicine platforms and health management systems to optimize the allocation of medical resources, was recognized as one of the top 10 AI achievements showcased at the forum.

At a round table meeting on AI at the forum, Li Jiaqi, an AI expert at iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., introduced the company's innovative AI-powered laptop products.

"This notebook fully integrates our self-developed Spark AI model, enabling various functions such as generating meeting minutes, organizing documents, refining text and providing real-time translation, offering users a new and convenient office experience," he said.

Li noted that devices upgraded with generative AI, like the laptop, have become revolutionary products in achieving personalized AI experiences.

He said iFLYTEK is also developing innovative service products across multiple sectors including education, finance and automobiles -- based on the same AI model.

Current waves of technological revolution and industrial transformation are highlighted by intensive innovations in the AI industry, said Gong Ke, executive director of the Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies.

According to China's New Generation Artificial Intelligence Technology Industry Development Report 2024, AI technology is widely applied across many fields, such as smart cities, intelligent manufacturing and smart agriculture.

China's AI industry boasts a massive market scale and a strong talent foundation, which can support the comprehensive transformation of its industrial economy, said Li Xiaodong, vice chairman of the Internet Society of China and founder of the Fuxi Institution think tank.

"We should establish more data interoperability mechanisms within and across industries, and support the development of common AI technology for applications in more scenarios," he said. 
FILE - Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, center, smiles following his meeting with Indonesian Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara in Jakarta, Indonesia on Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File)

PARIS (AP)  A French investigative judge extended police custody for the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Durov was detained Saturday at Le Bourget airport as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations. They include complicity in selling child sexual abuse material and in drug trafficking, fraud, abetting organized crime transactions and refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

A statement from the Paris prosecutor's office said Durov's police custody order was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours. After that, authorities must release or charge him, the prosecutors office said in an earlier statement.

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Russian government officials have expressed outrage at his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the Wests double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the allegations against Durov were very serious and emphasized that they require evidence that is just as serious to quash suspicions his arrest was politically motivated.

Without substantial evidence, "we are witnessing a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication and, one might even say, direct intimidation of the head of a large company, Peskov said during his regular media conference call.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov's arrest wasnt a political move but part of an independent investigation. Macron posted on X that his country is deeply committed to freedom of expression but freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it was "closely following the case" and had asked France to provide Durov "with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner.

Peskov said he hoped that Durov has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defense and added that Moscow stands ready to provide all necessary assistance and support to the Telegram CEO as a Russian citizen.

But the situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France, Peskov said.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also weighed in on Durovs arrest.

You saw that France arrested this poor young fellow, yes, they are that strict, Khamenei said on Tuesday during a meeting with members of new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkians Cabinet.

Thats because he has violated their governance (over the internet)," Khamenei said. Violating the governance is not acceptable. You rule a country, you have a responsibility ... you can't let anyone violate your governance.

Telegram is banned in Iran after years of protests challenging the countrys Shiite theocracy, though the app remains widely used by Iranians.

In Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office, said it was seeking more information about Durov's case from French authorities.

At this stage of the investigation, we just dont have enough information and it would really be too early for us to weigh in.

Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from the Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site which he launched in 2006.

The company came under pressure during the Russian governments crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said the authorities demanded that the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later that it hand over personal data of users who took part in the 2013-2014 popular uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said in a recent interview that he had turned down these demands and left the country.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news.

Telegram also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war, and deliver missile and air raid alerts.

In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, Telegrams post said. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging platform for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of $5 million against Telegrams operators for failing to establish a lawful way to reporting illegal content or to name an entity in Germany to receive official communication. Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  California is the first state in the United States to own and operate C-130 Hercules air tankers  and Fresno will be one location the special aircraft will be assigned to.

According to an announcement by Cal Fire released Monday, the C-130 Hercules air tankers will help fight wildfires and protect the communities. There will be seven air tankers in Cal Fires fleet based at five locations:

Romona

Paso Robles

Fresno

Chico

McClellan

The new air tankers can fly 800 miles with a payload of 4,000 gallons of long-term fire retardant. The C-130 Hercules now has the greatest speed and range of Cal Fires airborne fleet, officials say.

As wildfire frequency and severity increase across California, the introduction of this aircraft will undoubtedly play a crucial role in helping us achieve our initial attack goals, particularly in our efforts to keep 95% of fires at 10 acres or less, said Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler.

According to Cal Fire, the new air tanker was once used for search and rescue and cargo hauling when it was previously a part of the Coast Guard.

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Fresno State places higher than Brown, Dartmouth in new ranking

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Fresno State outranked multiple Ivy League schools in Washington Monthlys 2024 annual list of top universities.

According to the list, Fresno State ranks 22 out of the nations top 442 universities. This years ranking puts Fresno State ahead of Brown, Dartmouth, and Carnegie Mellon; all Ivy League schools.

Washington Monthly says their ranking system is based on what [colleges] do for the country, ranking four-year liberal arts institutions upon their social mobility, research, and promotion of public service.

Social mobility is Fresno States strongest suit, ranking 9 out of 442 universities in the country. According to the university, about 60% of more than 6,000 students who graduated in May were first-generation students whose parents do not have bachelors degrees.

Fresno State, which has annually provided over 1 million hours of service to the community for 15 years in a row, ranked 51 out of 442 in promotion of public service.

The school says it is one of 25 institutions to receive the first Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose classification that recognizes schools committed to the pursuit of public goods like justice, equity, diversity, and liberty. Fresno State is the only public institution in California to receive the designation.

Washington Monthly ranked Fresno State 367 out of 442 in research, but in the past year, the university says over $70 million in grants and contracts was awarded to support research. The school says their commitment was highlighted in 2022 after earning an R2 designation as a Doctoral University  High Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

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BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  Fruits of Labor Cafe and culinary school moved into a building on Neville Street, owned by the City of Beckley, around three years ago, quickly becoming a popular eatery and a place where those in recovery could train in the culinary field.

Members of Beckley Council said, however, that they never approved a lease agreement because city officials had worked out the deal privately, agreeing in emails to charge $1,000 monthly for rent to Fruits of Labor, about a third of the market rate.

A newly elected Council was pushing to formalize a lease agreement, Beckley Common Council at-large representative Cody Reedy said on Monday, August 26, 2024, when Fruits of Labor owner Tammy Jordan notified Council members that Fruits of Labor was closed and would vacate the premises immediately.

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We were all kind of ready to meet with Miss Jordan, as a new body, and come to an agreement to see what we could do to keep Fruits of Labor in our city-owned building, but unfortunately we received an email Friday that Fruits of Labor is shut down immediately, said Councilman Reedy on Monday.

Council members said the non-profit Seed Sower, a womens recovery organization, acknowledged earlier to Council members that Seed Sower also kept office space in the building, raising questions about the lease arrangement with Fruits of Labor.

Seed Sower moved out of the downtown building earlier this year, with the executive director saying the program needed more space for parking.

On Monday, notices from Seed Sower and Fruits of Labor were posted on the front door, notifying the public that the two organizations had vacated the space.

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In the letter emailed to Council members, Jordan stated that she was leaving behind equipment and improvements that would more than compensate the city for the agreed upon lease during the time Fruits of Labor was inside the building.

Reedy said he would confer with city attorney Bill File to learn more about the improvements.

At this time, I dont know exactly what all equipment Miss Jordan was talking about leaving, Reedy said. To be honest, we havent had any conversations with Miss Jordan.

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GREENE COUNTY, Mo.  A man from Fulton, Missouri, was arrested after a vehicle pursuit and crash in Springfield late Sunday night, according to Greene County deputies.

31-year-old Jesse Snider is being held in Greene County Jail with charges of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest by fleeing.

Court records state that at around 10:37 p.m. Sunday, a Greene County deputy attempted to stop a Silver Cadillac CTS that was reported stolen on Kearney Street and National Avenue.

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The Cadillac failed to stop, resulting in the deputy initiating a vehicle pursuit spanning more than five and a half miles. Deputies say the vehicle was reaching speeds up to 100 mph and sped through multiple stop signs and red lights before crashing into a Greene County patrol car at Mount Vernon Street and West Avenue.

After the crash, Snider was taken into custody and transferred to Mercy Hospital in Springfield by EMS.

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Former President and Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Trump Tower on May 31, 2024 in New York City. The former president was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. | David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, have three scheduled campaign stops in Michigan this week.

Trumps first event was speaking on Monday to the National Guard conference in Detroit, where he was endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). Gabbard, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2020, has been criticized for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who began a brutal civil war resulting in over 300,000 civilian deaths, and defending Russian President Vladimir Putins rationale for invading Ukraine.

She endorsed several Republicans in 2022, including Michigan GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon. Dixon lost to incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by 11 points. Prior to the endorsement, Gabbard was already helping Trump prepare for his debate next month with Vice President Kamala Harris, whom she ran against in 2020.

I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war, Gabbard said. We cannot be prosperous unless we are at peace.

Trump echoed that sentiment.

Weve never been closer to World War III than we are right now, Trump said. Its a terrible thing.

He said he would quickly end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and at least 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 75,000 Russian troops have been killed, although many estimates are much higher.

For the last three weeks, Ukraine has begun a counter-offensive into Russia and says it now controls 100 settlements. Russia launched a massive overnight attack Monday aiming at Ukraines electrical grid, resulting in multiple deaths and power outages.

I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russias continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken, President Joe Biden said in a statement on Monday.

In his first term, Trump was close to Putin and often expressed admiration for him. At a February rally this year, Trump said he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to NATO countries who did not meet funding requirements. While serving in the Senate, Vance has voted against U.S. aid to Ukraine.

In 2019, Trump was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress after pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a favor to investigate Biden, while withholding $400 million in military aid. Trump was impeached a second time in 2021 for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

On Tuesday, Vance is scheduled to appear in Big Rapids to talk about the economy and manufacturing. Trump is slated to return to Michigan on Thursday for an event in Potterville outside Lansing.

Earlier on Monday, Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members. He also spoke about it in Detroit.

Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world, Trump said.

Although Trump said that he believed leaving Afghanistan was the right policy, he blamed Harris and Biden for their execution of the plan and said his administration would have done it with dignity and strength. The Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020 about a U.S. withdrawal and timeline.

The voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on Nov. 5, we hope, and when I take office we will ask for the resignations of every single official, Trump said. Well get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity, to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day. You know, you have to fire people. You have to fire people when they do a bad job.

Harris said in a statement that she mourns the 13 service members killed and her prayers are with their families and loved ones.

As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end Americas longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones, Harris said. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.

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Starting in September, wildlife officers in Washington State will be required to wear body cameras while on duty. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the new program Monday and said the agencys adoption of body cams is meant to enhance accountability, increase transparency, and improve public safety.

Its really to help provide an unbiased witness to events, WDFWs chief of law enforcement Steve Bear tells Outdoor Life. Game wardens often work alone in areas where there arent witnesses, and it just provides clarity to situations.

While the program might be new for WDFW, its far from the first of its kind. Several state fish-and-game agencies already require or allow their wildlife officers to wear body cameras. This is part of a larger trend among law enforcement agencies in the country. A 2022 report from the National Institute for Justice found that roughly half (47 percent) of all police departments and most large police departments (80 percent) in the U.S. are now required to use these devices.

Bear says the WDFWs new body cam program is part of a larger legislative mandate that affects all law enforcement officers in the state  not just game wardens  and requires them to record their interactions with the public in many instances. But he says that even before the new law passed, WDFW game wardens had been asking for body cameras.

I think a lot of it has to do with this general sense that a lot of people dont trust law enforcement. And they want people to see what it is they actually do.

Under the new program that starts Sept. 1, Bear says that all 152 of the states game wardens will be required to record each and every interaction they have with a member of the public, such as during a game check. They can do this by simply hitting a button on the camera. Bear says the cameras will also start recording automatically when an officer pulls their taser or sidearm.

Weve got the cameras here in the office and theyre doing training over the next couple of days, Bear says. We should be ready to deploy them next week.

Game wardens need body cameras just as much as, if not more than, a typical police officer, says Bear. In addition to spending more time in remote areas with few witnesses, game wardens regularly interact with people carrying firearms and can often find themselves in dangerous situations. He says obtaining video footage will also strengthen the evidence they can use to support investigations and protect Washingtonians shared natural resources.

Were here to serve the public. We want to be open about what were doing, Bear says. And I feel like this is just another way to do that.

There are some hunters and anglers who are already used to seeing this philosophy in action. Officers with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission have been using body cams in some form for roughly a decade. A 2014 law gave full-time Pennsylvania game wardens and waterways conservation officers the authority to use body cameras, and a new bill proposed in June seeks to expand that authorization to deputies as well. Importantly, these laws do not impose mandates but rather allow the agencies to use body cameras at their discretion.

Its a neutral, objective witness to the occurrences [that happen]. What statements were made, what actions were taken, PGC assistant counsel Jason Raup said in a recent interview, explaining that the benefits of body cameras go both ways. He said the use of cameras has allowed PGC to eliminate and reduce the number of false complaints coming from the public.

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Over the last 10 years, at least nine state fish-and-game agencies have implemented their own body camera programs. This timeframe also aligns with the aforementioned adoption of body cameras by law enforcement agencies across the U.S. Although some agencies were already experimenting with the technology, the New York Police Department became one of the first large departments to adopt body cameras in 2013, according to the Associated Press. This was triggered, in part, by a federal judges decision that the NYPDs stop-and-frisk policy was unconstitutional. Many more police departments would soon follow suit in 2014 after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, initiated a wave of public protests.

Georgia game wardens, for example, have been wearing body cameras since 2020. Oklahoma and Arkansas followed suit in 2022, which is the same year the U.S. Department of the Interior started requiring U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers to wear body cameras. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency began outfitting game wardens with body cams earlier this year, and unlike in Washington, the TWRAs program was spearheaded entirely by the agency and not through a legislative mandate.

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This is by no means an exhaustive list, either. Bear says the neighboring agencies to the south and north  the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers  are already using body cameras. And there will likely be other state fish-and-game agencies implementing their own programs as body cameras become more commonplace in local police departments.
SACRAMENTO, California  California lawmakers passed first-in-the-nation legislation on Monday that would require public universities to hire undocumented students who lack work permits, sending Gov. Gavin Newsom a politically dicey proposal during an election year.

David Alvarez, a San Diego-area Democrat, introduced Assembly Bill 2586 in February in response to the University of Californias decision to reject a similar proposal. The UC cited legal risks to the system and students, but was also privately pressured by the Biden administration not to move forward with the idea during his reelection campaign in which border security was a major vulnerability.

We will be helping students who struggle every day to stay financially afloat as they are earning their degrees, really changing their lives, Alvarez said on the Assembly floor Monday.

The legislation would apply to the nations largest four-year university system, the 23-campus California State University, as well as the largest higher education system in the country, the California Community Colleges. Theres still debate about whether it would apply to the UC, which has constitutional autonomy from the Legislature.

Newsom, a top Biden surrogate before the president dropped his reelection bid, appointed many of the UC governing board members who in January declined to test federal law by hiring students without work authorization. He has not publicly taken a position on the legislation.

California officials have this year continued to press for undocumented people to have greater access to government programs and services, including to state-supported home loans, even as some national Democrats have shifted rightward on immigration.

Universities would have to begin hiring the students  many of whom have been ineligible for employment in the U.S. since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was frozen  by Jan. 6, 2025.

The UC hasnt formally opposed the idea but has in legislative hearings and advocacy letters argued that the law could make both students and university employers criminally liable for participating in an illegal employment arrangement. A campaign led by student activists and law professors at the UC and elsewhere counters that federal law banning the hiring of undocumented people doesnt apply to state government employers, such as universities.

Newsom has until the end of September to act on the bill.
GBI Operation Wrong Room joins efforts to assist human trafficking victims in multi-state operation Coast to Coast

Decatur, Ga. (August 27, 2024)  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested and charged 17 people in Operation Wrong Room, a proactive multi-jurisdictional effort to combat human trafficking in Georgia.

Operation Wrong Room coincided with Operation Coast to Coast.

On August 22nd, law enforcement and service providers from across the United States came together to conduct a multi-state human trafficking operation. This operation named Coast to Coast was a grassroots effort involving 26 states with the common goals of identifying trafficking victims, offering these victims much needed services, arresting traffickers and making communities safer.

In Operation Wrong Room alone, authorities contacted 15 adults and offered services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. Law enforcement seized over $255,000 from suspected traffickers during 2 residential search warrants served in Georgia.

ALSO ON WJBF: FBI report outlines dangers of human trafficking in the South

The following people were arrested:

Siow Ding Chan, age 57, of Alpharetta, GA, charged with Pandering

Idelbrando Jose Vargas Ballestero, age 34 of Grayson GA, charged with Pandering

Larry Bruce Moyer, age 41, of Duluth, GA, charged with Pandering

Roberto Martinez, age 29, of Willacoochee, GA charged with Pandering

Stewart Notice Jr., age 27, of Fayetteville, GA, charged with Pimping

Joe Anthony Obboye, age 25, of Duluth, GA, charged with Pandering

Carlos Anaya Carrasco, age 30, of Atlanta, GA, charged with Pandering

Daniel Strycek, age 25, of Las Vegas, NV, charged with Pandering

Melissa AnnMarie Stombaugh, age 32, of Akron, OH, charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Ashley Alexander, age 35, of Winston, GA, charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Lindsay Roberts, age 25, of Midway, GA, charged with Pimping and Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act

Thomas Piper, age 56, of Woodstock, GA, charged with Pimping

Brendan Ahn, age 35, of Alpharetta, GA, charged with Pandering

Christopher Horne, age 35, of Decatur, GA, charged with Pimping

Jeffrey Li, age 28, of Lawrenceville, GA, charged with Pandering

Marco Gamboa Lopez, age 39, of Tucker, GA, charged with Pandering

Justin Sanders, age 23, of Decatur, GA, charged with Pandering

They were booked into the Dekalb County Jail.

The GBI partnered with the Chamblee Police Department, the DeKalb County DAs Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council during Operation Wrong Room.

During operation Coast to Coast, authorities contacted 94 adults and 1 minor and offered services including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare.

A child under the age of 1 was taken into protective custody before being turned over to state social services. Authorities contacted 39 adults and detained them as part of the operation.

Law enforcement agencies and service providers from Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Illinois were involved.

Private organizations also assisted including the Human Trafficking Training Center, Safe House Project, and Nurses Against Trafficking.

Because of the ongoing investigation, no additional details are being 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 WJBF.
Donald Trumps former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Monday said he would not work for the former president again.

The retired lieutenant general, who worked in the Trump administration for 13 months beginning in February 2017, appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 to promote his new book, At War With Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House. Trumps spokesperson has already trashed the book as nothing more than fake news over its eyebrow-raising claims, with McMaster writing that Russian President Vladimir Putin manipulated Trump by playing to his ego and insecurities with flattery.

Ex-Adviser Says Putin Played on Trumps Ego and Insecurities

CNN host Anderson Cooper asked McMaster if he believed John Kelly, Trumps former White House chief of staff, who claimed Trump called American soldiers who were wounded and killed suckers and losers (Trump denies making the remarks.)

McMaster said the comments sounded out of character to him and he never heard the president say anything like that, that bad, but of course heard Trumps criticisms of his dear friend, the late Sen. John McCain. Trump said in 2015 McCain was a war hero cause he was captured when his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War, adding: I like people that werent captured.

The president is quite often very offensive, brash, says things that are outlandish, McMaster said. I relayed a lot of those in the book. But you know what, hes an extremely disruptive person. I saw it as my job not to try to constrain him, but to help him disrupt what needed to be disrupted.

The New Yorker reported in 2018, that Trump often despaired at McMasters dress sense and suggested he looked like a beer salesman in his cheap suits when he was out of uniform.

Cooper asked McMaster if he would work in a Trump White House again. No, McMaster immediately answered. I will work in any administration where I feel like I can make a difference, but Im kinda used up with Donald Trump.

Asked if he would work for Vice President Kamala Harris if she wins the election in November, McMaster was less definitive but indicated that was also unlikely.

I dont know if I would be effective there either based on, probably, my difference in points of view, McMaster said.

Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster joins Anderson to talk about his new book At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House which details McMasters time as President Trumps National Security Adviser from 2017-2018. pic.twitter.com/c4G9J9TzOB  Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) August 27, 2024

McMasters interview also coincided with the third anniversary of the bombing of Abbey Gate outside Kabul Airport, an attack which killed 13 American soldiers and over 100 Afghan civilians during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

During a visit to Virginia for a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, Trump said hed get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity to be on my desk at noon on inauguration day, adding you gotta fire em like on The Apprentice.

Cooper asked McMaster about how Trump himself touched the issue, quoting a passage in which McMaster wrote that Trumps decision-making set the stage for the Biden administrations humiliating retreat from Kabul in August 2021.

He couldnt stick with the decision, McMaster said, referring to Trump changing his mind about his initial choice in 2017 to keep a U.S. presence in Afghanistan. He didnt stick with the decision. And I think people were in his ear and manipulated him with these mantras of: End the endless wars, and Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires, and so forth.

Cooper asked McMaster if he thinks Trump bears at least part of the responsibility for what happened in the withdrawal from Afghanistanan episode Trump described on Monday as the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country.

Oh, yes, McMaster answered.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Photo posted on Aug. 25, 2024 shows the Polaris Dawn crew and SpaceX complete a full rehearsal of launch activities ahead of liftoff. (Photo credit: SpaceX)

During their multi-day mission to orbit, the crew and Dragon spacecraft will endeavor to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever commercial spacewalk, according to SpaceX.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- SpaceX is targeting Tuesday to launch a new mission featuring first-ever commercial spacewalk.

Four civilians are set to launch on the mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, which is scheduled to lift off at 3:38 a.m. Eastern Time Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This will be the first human spaceflight for the crew, consisting of Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon.

During their multi-day mission to orbit, the crew and Dragon spacecraft will endeavor to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever commercial spacewalk, according to SpaceX.

They will also conduct 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions designed to advance both human health on Earth and during long-duration spaceflight, and test Starlink laser-based communications in space, according to SpaceX. 
A Georgia county that once expelled all Black residents now wants to be a model of love

Teenagers Oscar Daniel, seated, second from left, and Ernest Knox, seated, far right, were hanged in Forsyth County, Ga., as part of a dayslong campaign to expel all Black people from the area in September 1912.

CUMMING, Ga.  When Durwood Snead moved to Forsyth County, Georgia, in 1989, he was struck by the lack of diversity in the region, just 30 miles north of Atlanta.

It was a pretty much completely white county, said Snead, who is white and was a pastor at the time.

According to the 1990 census, of the 44,083 people who lived in Forsyth County, 43,573 were white (close to 99%) and just 14 were Black.

It was a place, Snead said, where generations of families typically lived their entire lives. It was also a place with a deep and complex history of racial violence.

In 1912, a small population of Black residents, dozens of whom were land and business owners, were violently expelled from the county, their livelihoods stripped from them. Three Black men were lynched and the remaining Black residents were ordered to leave and told never to return.

For many Black Georgians, even those unaware of the details of that incident, its universally understood to generally avoid the county.

The history of Forsyth County is literally a case study of racism in American history, said Nafeesa H. Muhammad, an associate professor of history at Spelman College in Atlanta. The fact that most Black people do not know about Forsyths history or are told to stay away, ironically perpetuates social segregation and delays rectification.

More than a century later, one-third of Forsyths residents are nonwhite, but less than 5% of the county is Black, a figure thats been stagnant for decades. Yet the numbers alone, some residents say, dont tell the full story of present-day Forsyth County.

A key chapter in that story is an attempt by Snead and a group of pastors to reshape the countys history by establishing a college scholarship program in 2022 for descendants of Black families who were violently expelled 110 years before.

Kennesaw State University students Richard Haynes II and Jalen Hill are 2024 scholarship recipients.

The founders are clear that the scholarships are not reparations, a word many in the community would consider divisive, but instead an act of love, an acknowledgement of past harms in the hope of fostering a positive path forward.

Forsyths days of racial terror

In 1912, Forsyth County was home to about 12,000 residents, including 1,098 Black people scattered throughout the county. But that September, an 18-year-old white woman named Mae Crow was brutally assaulted, bloodied and left unconscious in a wooded area. She eventually died from her injuries and three young Black men  the only Black people in that part of the county at the time  were accused of killing her, with little evidence other than a coerced confession from one of them.

One of the men, 24-year-old Rob Edwards, was arrested and jailed only to be dragged from his cell the following day by a mob of angry white residents. He was allegedly hitched to the back of a wagon with a noose around his neck, driven to the downtown square in Cumming and hung from a telephone pole as onlookers took turns riddling his lifeless body with bullets. Two Black teens, Ernest Knox, 16, and Oscar Daniel, 18, were also hanged after one-day trials.

The other Black residents of the county were threatened with death if they did not leave as night riders posted letters warning of the impending terror. Within three weeks, the Black population in Forsyth ceased to exist. Many were forced to leave everything they had worked hard to attain behind without anything in return.

Still, racial animus and violence was not confined to 1912, as residents enforced its ban on Black residents. A group of Black children and their counselors went camping at Lake Lanier in Forsyth in 1968. After sundown, a group of white men reportedly surrounded them, yelling racial slurs until they left. In 1980, a Black firefighter was shot in the head after nightfall by two white men while attending a company picnic.

A placard marks the area where a mob lynched Rob Edwards as part of a racist terror campaign to expel Black people from Forsyth County in 1912.

Much of this history was buried in newspaper clippings until a civil rights march was met by a Ku Klux Klan march in 1987. Oprah Winfrey brought national attention to the area that year, highlighting the county where no Black person had lived for 75 years. In 2016, author Patrick Phillips, a former county resident, published Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America, which chronicled the 1912 expulsion and how, despite thousands of witnesses to the lynchings of the three men, no one was ever held accountable for their deaths.

Because of this, Phillips said he believes the harm has never truly ended.

The effects of the 1912 expulsions are not over, not buried in the past, but ongoing, as African American descendants continue to lose out on all that suburban wealth generation, and as the perpetrators descendants continue to profit from it, he said.

Change in Forsyth

Since Winfrey came to Forsyth, change has been slow but steady, according to Snead. Population growth over the last 30 years has introduced Asian and Hispanic Americans to the region  as well as new cuisines and customs. Snead said this shift has allowed a marked shift in mindsets on how to talk about the past.

Im encouraged by how many people are really embracing the discussion and realizing that truth is a good thing, he said, while acknowledging that not everyone is ready for change in the same way.

We all want to live in peace and prosperity, for our children to have a better life and live in safety  but people have different ideas of how you get to that, he said.

A historical marker, erected in 2021, now sits in downtown Cumming where Edwards was hanged, acknowledging what took place there over a century ago. A new elementary school, named New Hope, opened up in 2022, honoring more than a dozen former African American schools in the region. A group of volunteers restored Tolbert Street Cemetery, the site of an African American burial ground and Methodist church established in 1871.

Phillips sees these developments as laudable steps toward progress. Still, he says, more can be done.

There is still much that has been left undone, like teaching the countys real history to local students, and making sure that the next generation of Forsyth residents understand what once happened in the place they call home, he said. But above all, there has been no formal public apology and no attempt to repair the economic harm done to those families whose fortunes were forever changed in 1912.

K-12 students across Georgia learn state and local history, but there is no explicit mention of the 1912 expulsion on Forsyths education website. A spokesperson for the school district did say, however, that students have access to local resources about the expulsion.

Josh Byrd, whose own family was part of the expulsion, moved to Forsyth six years ago, much to the chagrin of friends and family, who warned him about the countys fraught history.

There is a change that is taking place, he said, adding its not the Forsyth youve heard of.

Josh Byrd moved to Forsyth County even though several friends and family members warned him not to.

Choosing to form his own opinion about Forsyth today, Byrd opened a barbershop in the county two years ago. Speaking at this years scholarship event, Byrd has now become a de facto ambassador, encouraging other descendants to move back and change the narrative.

I had to ultimately make a decision here, he said. Am I going to operate in fear or am I going to trust the word of people that I trust that are saying, Hey, man, this is different.

Snead acknowledges that decades of injustice wont be reversed in a few years, but doing something, he says, is better than doing nothing at all.

This is not fixing anything. This is not justice, he said.

A bigger vision I have is for the county that was called the most racist in America in 1987, the dream is for it to be called the county thats known all over the world as the county of love.

Recipients of the scholarship, who are required to write essays, remain in good academic standing and prove they are direct descendants of someone expelled from the county, receive up to $10,000 a year for up to four years of undergraduate studies.

To date, there have been 14 recipients. Six 2024 awardees and eight continuing scholars were recognized at a scholarship luncheon at a Brownbridge Church in Cumming in July. Since its inception, more than $285,000 in scholarships have been distributed through more than 150 donors, Snead announced at the event.

Erin Hall, a junior at the University of Georgia and a recipient, said earning the award has been both personally educational and conflicting. She learned that she had a great-great-grandfather who was a sharecropper in Forsyth County before he was separated from his parents and siblings as a teen, likely because of the expulsion.

It was great to know that I could benefit from it, she said of the scholarship, but I also question if I even deserve this for how hard they worked towards everything. She said she just wants to make them proud.

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The Democratic National Committee and Democratic Party of Georgia are suing to block rules changes the plaintiffs say would let the State Election Board (SEB) delay or prevent certification of election results in November.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Fulton County Superior Court, takes aim at rules changes to state election laws the Republican-controlled board approved in recent weeks allowing local election officials to conduct a reasonable inquiry before certifying election results if they suspect election fraud.

The Democrats also are challenging a new rule that lets county election board members examine all election-related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results.

Through rulemaking, SEB has attempted to turn the straightforward and mandatory act of certification i.e. confirmation of the accurate tabulation of the votes cast  into a broad license for individual board members to hunt for purported election irregularities of any kind, potentially delaying certification and displacing longstanding (and court-supervised) processes for addressing fraud, the suit states.

The lawsuit was filed on the same day Georgia Democrats and civil rights leaders held a news conference calling on Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to remove the three GOP State Election Board members who voted for the rules changes.

Democrats accused the three board members, praised by former President Donald Trump during a recent rally in Atlanta, of laying the groundwork for Trump to capture Georgias 16 electoral votes even if he doesnt prevail at the ballot box.

Our State Election Board exists to protect the right to vote for all Georgians, not to favor any single candidate in any election, said U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, who also chairs the Democratic Party of Georgia.

The three members Donald Trump called his pit bulls for victory disagree, and theyre determined to establish a new power of not certifying an election result should their preferred candidate lose - as he did in 2020.

Georgia Republican Chairman Josh McKoon called the changes common-sense rules intended to promote election integrity.

In no way do these rule changes interfere with anyones right to vote or cause undue burdens on election workers, McKoon said. These steps will ensure transparency, accountability, accurate reporting and reconciliation, and preservation of the right for both parties to observe the processing of ballots.
Georgia governor inquires whether he can remove MAGA election board members after series of alarming votes

Georgias governor has asked his attorney general if he can remove state election board members after three right-wing members approved a series of alarming new rules.

Republican Governor Brian Kemp asked Attorney General Christopher Carr for guidance on whether he can remove members of the state election board, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

This comes after three right-wing members of the five-person board championed and passed a series of new rules that add extra requirements for county election boards to certify their results.

Under the rules passed this month  less than 100 days before election day on November 5  county boards must make a reasonable inquiry before certifying the election. However, the rules do not define what an inquiry should involve or what reasonable means, according to the Journal-Constitution.

County election boards are also required to hold a meeting to verify their vote count on the Friday after election day, which is before the ballot return deadline for voters overseas and in the military.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has asked his attorney general if he has the power to remove members of the state election board after a coalition of right-wing members passed heavily-criticized rules (Getty Images)

The three right-wing members - Janelle King, Rick Jeffares and Janice Johnston - were recently praised by Donald Trump for championing new rules. The former president called them pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.

Trump has beem charged in Fulton County, Georgia, alongside his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and others with election interference charges. Trump has claimed that he lost Georgia to President Joe Biden due to widespread election fraud - which there is no evidence of.

Representative Lucy McBath, a Democrat, called the boards new rules a concerted effort to subvert democracy and move us backward.

With passing this new rule, they are creating barriers to counting votes and certifying the elections so Donald Trump can once again attempt to throw our country into chaos, she said.

The Democratic Party has sued to challenge the rules, arguing that they could delay certification and lead to disputes over the vote.

Kamala Harriss campaign endorsed the lawsuit.

For months, MAGA Republicans in Georgia and across the country have been trying to lay the groundwork to challenge the election results when they lose again in November, deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said in a statement.

Certifying an election is not a choice, its the law, he added. A few unelected extremists cant just decide not to count your vote. Thats why we have won case after case in court, fending off MAGA efforts to chip away at our democracy. We will win this case, too, and keep fighting so that every eligible voter can confidently cast their vote knowing it will count.

At least 19 election officials across Georgia have refused to verify various election results since 2020. King, one of the three right-wing board members who advocated for the new rules, dismissed criticisms against them.

Im going to continue to do whats right and let the Democrats play the political games, King told the Atlanta newspaper. Theres nothing were doing that will impact certification. If they have the proper information needed to certify, you wont see them even attempt to delay certification.

In a statement to The Independent, King said her focus was solely on facts, not theories and claimed that critics are distracting from the important work that is being done.

Ensuring that every County election board member has access to all election-related documentation actually strengthens the certification process, King told The Independent. By being fully informed, board members are better equipped to certify with confidence, knowing they have all necessary information to support their decisions.

Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon also said the rule changes are common sense rules that ensure election integrity, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In no way do these rule changes interfere with anyones right to vote or cause undue burdens on election workers, but these steps will ensure transparency, accountability, accurate reporting and reconciliation, McKoon added.

The Independent has contacted Jeffares and Johnston for comment.

Editors Note: The headline of this story has been updated to correct that Kemp asked his attorney general if he can remove state election board members, and did not demand their removal. This article was updated again on August 27 to include Kings statement.
German businesses dismiss crazy plan to charge more for electricity on cloudy days

A German plan to charge more for using electricity on cloudy days has been dismissed as crazy by businesses.

The country is pushing the use of solar power and other forms of renewable energy, and as part of that has said people should pay more for electricity usage on days with no sun  a concept companies say will harm their competitiveness.

The economy ministry outlined its energy plans earlier this month in a project called electricity market of the future.

A key area involves varying electricity charges to discourage usage in dull weather.

The proposal, which has yet to be agreed upon by Olaf Scholzs cabinet, would see transmission charges hiked at times when wind parks and solar panels are producing too little electricity.

Unlike most of its European neighbours, Germany has chosen to close down all its nuclear power plants and instead build a low-carbon energy system based around renewables.

Europes major economy currently produces more than half of its electricity from renewable sources and plans to raise this level to 80 per cent by the end of the decade.

Berlin insists that wind and solar are the future of cheap, reliable energy.

But critics worry that the system will be unstable and has massive hidden costs, such as the need for thousands of miles of new power lines and a back-up system on sunless days.

Devastating level of unpredictability

Germans pay some of the highest electricity bills in Europe, with transmission charges accounting for about a third of that price.

In its policy proposal, the economy ministry acknowledged that forcing demand to match supply was essential to ensuring that the new system works.

However, the plan has been ripped to shreds by industry representatives, who say that it would introduce a devastating level of unpredictability into their lives.

The plans amount to totally crazy weather roulette, Christoph Ahlhaus, the head of the lobby group for small and medium sized businesses BVMW, told the Bild newspaper.

He added that machinery needs reliable electricity every hour of the day, every day of the year.

Matching production to the weather is either technically impossible or would lead to such low efficiency that we would be hopelessly outmatched by European competitors, the Economic Council, a lobby group for more than 10,000 businesses, warned.

The plan is an admission that a volatile system based on solar and wind cant always match supply to demand, the council claimed in a letter to the economy ministry reported on by Die Welt newspaper.

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Bjoern Hoecke, lead candidate of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Thuringia, speaks during his campaign appearance at the market square in Bad Frankenhausen. Thuringia state elections will be held on September 1, 2024. Heiko Rebsch/dpa

A German court dismissed on Tuesday a lawsuit filed by the Thuringian branch of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) against three passages in a 2021 domestic intelligence report.

The judgement comes ahead of key regional elections that will be held on Sunday in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony. Polls suggest the AfD could win the elections.

In Thuringia, the anti-immigrant AfD has been classified as right-wing extremist and is being monitored by the domestic intelligence service.

The party's leader in Thuringia, Bjorn Hocke, is well-known in the country for controversial remarks and has twice been convicted in court for knowingly using a banned Nazi slogan in speeches.

Weimar Administrative Court on Tuesday ruled that party's lawsuit against the 2021 report was unfounded, saying that the public interest outweighed the stigma associated with the publication for the AfD

Specifically, the case concerned three passages in the report in which posts by the co-spokesmen for the AfD in Thuringia, Hocke and Stefan Moller, were, from their perspective, distorted.

The report listed the statements under "Islamophobia: Violations of Human Dignity," "Attacks on the Rule of Law," and "Historical Revisionism."

The presiding judge affirmed that the quotes were accurately reproduced and their interpretation remained within the acceptable boundaries.

Hocke is the lead candidate for the AfD in upcoming state regional elections in Thuringia, where the party has been polling at about 30% for weeks, well ahead of other parties.

Moller said that he did not intend to accept the decision: "We are going to the next level."

This means that the legal battle could continue before the Thuringian Higher Administrative Court.
The five defendants and a lawyer from the Last Generation group take their seats in the courtroom of the district court before the trial begins. The climate activists are on trial for alleged attempted coercion. They took part in a blockade of August-Bebel-Strasse in Rostock in August 2023. Bernd Wustneck/dpa

A German climate activist with the Last Generation group has been given a prison term of 22 months for his part in street blockades, a spokeswoman for a district court in Berlin confirmed to dpa on Tuesday.

The 65-year-old was sentenced to a prison term without parole.

He was found guilty of coercion, attempted coercion and resisting law enforcement officers.

The judgement can be appealed. The trial centred on road blockades in which the man had taken part. According to the spokeswoman, the activist had also glued himself to the road.

The public prosecutor's office demanded more than two years in prison while the defence pleaded for acquittal. The court has yet to provide its argumentation in writing. The trial began in November last year.

Early on in the proceedings, the court made a plea bargain proposal. The man was offered a suspended prison sentence of one year in exchange for a confession, it was said. However, the defence had not agreed to this.

In a press release, Last Generation said that the 65-year-old intends to appeal against the sentence.

The sentence was a departure from the law, the accused's defence team said in a statement: "Instead of a constitutionally required balancing of the conflicting fundamental rights, hostile criminal law is being applied here."

Just last month, a climate activist was sentenced to one year and four months in prison after lobbing paint at landmarks and taking part in street blockades in Berlin.

The five defendants and a lawyer from the Last Generation group take their seats in the courtroom of the district court before the trial begins. The climate activists are on trial for alleged attempted coercion. They took part in a blockade of August-Bebel-Strasse in Rostock in August 2023. Bernd Wustneck/dpa

The five defendants from the Last Generation group take their seats in the courtroom of the district court before the trial begins. The climate activists are on trial for alleged attempted coercion. They took part in a blockade of August-Bebel-Strasse in Rostock in August 2023. Bernd Wustneck/dpa

The five defendants and a lawyer from the Last Generation group take their seats in the courtroom of the district court before the trial begins. The climate activists are on trial for alleged attempted coercion. They took part in a blockade of August-Bebel-Strasse in Rostock in August 2023. Bernd Wustneck/dpa
Gold bars and gold coins of different sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metal dealer Pro Aurum. Russian customs officials have detained a German man who was attempting to cross the border from Estonia into Russia with some 13 kilograms of fine gold concealed in his caravan. Sven Hoppe/dpa

Russian customs officials have detained a German man who was attempting to cross the border from Estonia into Russia with some 13 kilograms of fine gold concealed in his caravan.

The 21 gold bars, with a total value exceeding 90 million roubles ($980,000), were not declared by the 58-year-old man, Russian authorities said.

The gold bars, bearing the hallmarks of a western company, were discovered during a search of the caravan and the man's personal belongings. It was unclear how he had obtained the gold.

The man was initially placed under house arrest, according to the customs statement.

He now faces criminal charges for smuggling strategically important goods and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million roubles if convicted.

A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Office in Berlin told dpa on Tuesday it was aware of the case and that the Consulate General in St Petersburg had offered the German man assistance. She did not disclose any further details.

Russian officials, including those from the domestic intelligence service or FSB, found the rectangular metal bars in a cupboard and smaller gold bars in the man's private belongings, customs officials said

It was unclear where the man had obtained the gold. In the wake of Moscow's war against Ukraine, many foreign citizens in Russia are trying to get their valuables out of the country to safety.

It was also not initially known why the man wanted to import gold in this quantity. A limit of 10,000 applies to duty-free imports into Russia. The European Union has also imposed sanctions on the gold imports from Russia, as it has for many raw materials, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Moscow recently released several German citizens in a prisoner exchange at the beginning of the month. Among them was a man who was arrested at St Petersburg airport in February for having cannabis-containing gummy bears in his luggage.
German Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs Nancy Faeser (L) and Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann speak during a press conference after the attack at the Solingen city festival, which left several people dead, during a visit to the Joint Counter-Terrorism Center (GTAZ). Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is urging the regional governments in the German states to take stronger action to ensure the deportation of individuals who are legally required to leave the country, after a deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen.

In an interview published on Tuesday by the Funke Media Group newspapers, Faeser stated: "We have already created comprehensive new legal bases for more repatriations so that those obliged to leave cannot evade deportation.

"The key to success is above all that the new powers and regulations are also implemented locally in the states."

She added that the states have "every support from the government."

The interior minister, a Social Democrat from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party, made the comments in the wake of a deadly knife attack in Solingen. Three people were killed and eight other seriously wounded during a city festival on Friday evening.

The suspected perpetrator - a 26-year-old Syrian man who has been remanded in custody - was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria last year after his request for asylum in Germany had been rejected.

The attack in the state of North Rhine Westphalia sent shock waves across the country and has reignited the debate on migration policy and deportations.

On Saturday, the terrorist group Islamic State claimed the attacker had acted on its behalf.

At the beginning of the year, the lower house of Germany's parliament, or Bundestag, passed stricter laws to make deportations easier. Among the changes, the maximum legal duration for detention pending deportation was extended from 10 to 28 days.
Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and leader of the CDU parliamentary group, gives a press conference after his meeting with Germam Chancellor Scholz and on the consequences of the attack in Solingen. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz said he expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz to work with him to tighten migration policy, days after a deadly knife attack by a Syrian man who had evaded deportation.

Three people were killed and eight others wounded, four of them seriously, during a stabbing spree at a festival on Friday evening in the western city of Solingen.

The suspected perpetrator - a 26-year-old Syrian man who has been remanded in custody - was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria last year after his request for asylum in Germany had been rejected.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), met with Scholz on Tuesday.

Afterwards, he called for comprehensive measures to curb irregular migration and that Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats should cooperate with the CDU to achieve this.

The chancellor did not immediately express approval but did agree that he would consider it and give a prompt response, Merz said.

"I could imagine a result but I did not count on it or even hope for it," Merz said. He expects the chancellor to provide an answer within the next few days.

"This is the opposition's offer to the government, or at least to parts of the government, that are willing to cooperate here."

He added that an agreement should be reached by the first week of the next Bundestag session, Germany's lower house of parliament, which begins on September 9.

Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and leader of the CDU parliamentary group, gives a press conference after his meeting with Germam Chancellor Scholz and on the consequences of the attack in Solingen. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and leader of the CDU parliamentary group, gives a press conference after his meeting with Germam Chancellor Scholz and on the consequences of the attack in Solingen. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, holds a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, started a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that delivering on the common understandings reached by the two heads of state in San Francisco is the main task of the new round of China-U.S. strategic communication.

Wang welcomed Sullivan's visit to China, noting that the bilateral ties are crucial to both countries and have global implications.

In the past few years, the relationship between China and the United States has been full of twists and turns, Wang said, adding that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, the two countries have achieved returning to what was agreed at the Bali summit and embarking on the journey to San Francisco.

Wang said that experience is worth summarizing and lessons need to be learned, stressing that the key is to anchor the general direction of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

It is the common responsibility of both China and the United States to implement the common understandings reached by the two heads of state in San Francisco, Wang said, noting that he looks forward to in-depth communication with the U.S. side over the next two days.

Wang said it is hoped that this communication will be strategic and substantive as always, and also more constructive. The two sides should overcome disturbances and remove obstacles in order to promote China-U.S. relations toward the San Francisco vision, truly achieving stable, healthy and sustainable development of bilateral ties.

Sullivan said he was pleased to be in China for his first visit as U.S. National Security Advisor, and thanked the Chinese side for the thoughtful arrangements.

President Biden is committed to managing the U.S.-China relationship responsibly, and ensuring that competition does not turn into conflict and that the two sides find ways to work together where common interests align, he added.

Sullivan said he looks forward to having a productive dialogue with the Chinese side on a wide range of issues through this strategic communication and implementing the common understandings reached by the two heads of state. 

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, holds a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and leader of the CDU parliamentary group, gives a press conference after his meeting with Germam Chancellor Scholz and on the consequences of the attack in Solingen. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz said he expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz to work with him to tighten migration policy, days after a deadly knife attack by a Syrian man who had evaded deportation.

Three people were killed and eight others wounded, four of them seriously, during a stabbing spree at a festival on Friday evening in the western city of Solingen.

The suspected perpetrator - a 26-year-old Syrian man who has been remanded in custody - was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria last year after his request for asylum in Germany had been rejected.

Merz, the leader of Germany's centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), met with Scholz on Tuesday.

Afterwards, he called for comprehensive measures to curb irregular migration and said that Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats should cooperate with the CDU to achieve this.

The chancellor did not immediately express approval but did agree that he would consider it and give a prompt response, Merz said.

"I could imagine a result but I did not count on it or even hope for it," Merz said. He expects the chancellor to provide an answer within the next few days.

"This is the opposition's offer to the government, or at least to parts of the government, that are willing to cooperate here."

He added that an agreement should be reached by the first week of the next Bundestag session, Germany's lower house of parliament, which begins on September 9.

Knife attack sparks political debate ahead of elections

The attack in the state of North Rhine Westphalia sent shock waves across the country and has reignited the debate on migration policy and deportations ahead of two key regional elections in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony.

The incident was swiftly accompanied by calls from opposition parties to halt immigration from Syria and Afghanistan.

The elections on Sunday are particularly significant as they occur amid a surge in populism, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the newly formed eurosceptic Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) - showing strong performances in opinion polls.

Merz's conservative CDU party has a narrow lead in Saxony and polls place them in second place behind the AfD in Thuringia. The BSW has strong support for an upstart group and placed third in both states in the poll.

The three parties in the chancellor's governing coalition look set for miserable performances in both states, the poll found.

Germany's regional governments and parliaments have jurisdiction over matters like the police, courts, education and culture.

Faeser urges regional governments to take action

Earlier on Tuesday, Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser urged regional governments in the German states to take stronger action to ensure the deportation of individuals who are legally required to leave the country.

In an interview published on Tuesday by the Funke Media Group newspapers, Faeser, a Social Democrat from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party, stated: "We have already created comprehensive new legal bases for more repatriations so that those obliged to leave cannot evade deportation.

"The key to success is above all that the new powers and regulations are also implemented locally in the states."

According to the Interior Ministry, there were 11,102 deportations from January to July, up from 9,185 during the same period last year.

Justice minister in favour of legal deportations

German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann believes that the deportation of migrants who are obliged to leave the country must be intensified.

The failed deportation of the alleged perpetrator from Solingen is not an isolated case, he said.

"Every year, tens of thousands of people fail to be deported because they simply can't be found. We now need to talk about how the state can take more consistent action and treat these people in accordance with the law," he said.
Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and leader of the CDU parliamentary group, gives a press conference after his meeting with Germam Chancellor Scholz and on the consequences of the attack in Solingen. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz said he expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz to work with him to tighten migration policy, days after a deadly knife attack by a Syrian man who had evaded deportation.

Three people were killed and eight others wounded, four of them seriously, during a stabbing spree at a festival on Friday evening in the western city of Solingen.

The suspected perpetrator - a 26-year-old Syrian man who has been remanded in custody - was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria last year after his request for asylum in Germany had been rejected.

Merz, the leader of Germany's centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), met with Scholz on Tuesday.

Afterwards, he called for comprehensive measures to curb irregular migration and said that Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats should cooperate with the CDU to achieve this.

The chancellor did not immediately express approval but did agree that he would consider it and give a prompt response, Merz said.

"I could imagine a result but I did not count on it or even hope for it," Merz said. "This is the opposition's offer to the government, or at least to parts of the government, that are willing to cooperate here."

He added that an agreement should be reached by the first week of the next Bundestag session, Germany's lower house of parliament, which begins on September 9.

Scholz indicates willingness to cooperate with Merz

Later Tuesday evening, Scholz indicated that he is open to working with Merz on the issue of migration.

It was right for Merz to offer cooperation in reducing irregular migration, Scholz said at an election campaign appearance in Jena in the eastern German state of Thuringia on Tuesday evening ahead of Sunday's state-level elections.

Scholz noted that the government and the opposition are always well advised to work together. "We will certainly do everything we can to ensure that we can adopt more and more good rules together in Germany," he asserted.

However, he said: "Our international treaties apply. The rules of the European Union apply. What our Basic Law prescribes applies. And then many practical suggestions are welcome."

Knife attack sparks political debate ahead of elections

The attack in the state of North Rhine Westphalia sent shock waves across the country and has reignited the debate on migration policy and deportations ahead of two key regional elections in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony.

The incident was swiftly accompanied by calls from opposition parties to halt immigration from Syria and Afghanistan.

The elections on Sunday are particularly significant as they occur amid a surge in populism, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the newly formed eurosceptic Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) - showing strong performances in opinion polls.

Merz's conservative CDU party has a narrow lead in Saxony and polls place them in second place behind the AfD in Thuringia. The BSW has strong support for an upstart group and placed third in both states in the poll.

The three parties in the chancellor's governing coalition look set for miserable performances in both states, the poll found.

Germany's regional governments and parliaments have jurisdiction over matters like the police, courts, education and culture.

Faeser urges regional governments to take action

Earlier on Tuesday, Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser urged regional governments in the German states to take stronger action to ensure the deportation of individuals who are legally required to leave the country.

In an interview published on Tuesday by the Funke Media Group newspapers, Faeser, a Social Democrat from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party, stated: "We have already created comprehensive new legal bases for more repatriations so that those obliged to leave cannot evade deportation.

"The key to success is above all that the new powers and regulations are also implemented locally in the states."

According to the Interior Ministry, there were 11,102 deportations from January to July, up from 9,185 during the same period last year.

Justice minister in favour of legal deportations

German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann believes that the deportation of migrants who are obliged to leave the country must be intensified.

The failed deportation of the alleged perpetrator from Solingen is not an isolated case, he said.

"Every year, tens of thousands of people fail to be deported because they simply can't be found. We now need to talk about how the state can take more consistent action and treat these people in accordance with the law," he said.
Discover Airlines pilots from the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots' union are taking part in the strike and are standing in Terminal 1 at Rhein-Main Airport. The unions Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) and Ufo have called on the crews of the still young Lufthansa subsidiary to go on strike for four days up to and including Friday. All departures from Germany are affected. Andreas Arnold/dpa

The Lufthansa subsidiary, Discover Airlines, was forced to cancel a number of flights on Tuesday as its pilots and cabin crew began a four-day strike.

A handful of flights were affected, including two long-haul departures and two return flights on shorter routes, a Discover spokeswoman said.

Discover operates 27 aircraft from Munich and Frankfurt to various holiday destinations in Europe and overseas.

The airline is facing days of disruption after the VC pilots' union and the UFO cabin crew union launched a strike to protest a collective agreement that rival verdi union reached with management. The two smaller unions want to push through their own agreements with the airline.

Despite the strike, Discover said around 55 flights were planned on Tuesday, and around 270 over the entire four-day period.

"Our priority for the next few days remains to operate as many flights as possible for our passengers," the company explained.

Some short-haul flights could be taken over by partner airlines such as the flagship Lufthansa, which will not result in any changes to passengers' travel plans, the spokesperson said.

The airline has a staff complement of almost 2,000, including 500 pilots and 1,400 cabin crew, with the remainder in administration. The exact number of unionized employees is unknown.

Minthi, a mongrel from an animal shelter in Cyprus, takes part in the strike at Terminal 1 at Rhine-Main Airport with his owner. The unions Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) and Ufo have called on the crews of the still young Lufthansa subsidiary to go on strike for four days up to and including Friday. All departures from Germany are affected. Andreas Arnold/dpa

Three Discover Airlines pilots from Vereinigung Cockpit take part in the strike and are standing in Terminal 1 at Rhein-Main Airport. The unions Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) and Ufo have called on the crews of the still young Lufthansa subsidiary to go on strike for four days up to and including Friday. All departures from Germany are affected. Andreas Arnold/dpa
This photo released by the Zoo Berlin on Tuesday, Aug. 27, shows a newborn panda at the Zoo in Berlin. ( 2024 Zoo Berlin via AP)

BERLIN (AP)  Germany's newest panda twin s are thriving at the Berlin Zoo. The cubs spent their first five days of life taking turns cuddling and drinking milk from their mother every hour.

They were born Thursday to mother Meng Meng, 11. The zoo said Tuesday that it's cautiously optimistic during this critical period  panda cub mortality is at its highest within the first two weeks of birth and through the first month because they don't yet have a functioning immune system.

Without human help, one of the cubs likely would not have survived because giant pandas usually only raise one cub when they give birth to twins. So the zoo has stepped in with a team that includes experts from China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, who are on a visit to Berlin.

When one of the twins is with their mother, the other is spending time in an incubator donated by a Berlin hospital.

Without protective measures, the giant panda would most likely already be extinct, zoo director Andreas Knieriem said in a statement Tuesday, adding "every cub that grows up healthy counts.

China gifted friendly nations with its unofficial mascot for decades as part of a panda diplomacy policy. The country now loans pandas to zoos on commercial terms. There are about 1,800 pandas living in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity worldwide.

Currently deaf, blind and pink  their black-and-white panda markings will develop later  the firstborn twin now weighs 180 grams, while the second is roughly 145 grams (6.35 and 5.11 ounces). Both have regained their birth weights and added more grams, which the zoo considers a promising sign. The cubs' sexes have not yet been determined with certainty.

Meng Meng was artificially inseminated on March 26. Female pandas are fertile only for a few days per year at the most. The twins' father, 14-year-old Jiao Qing, is not involved in rearing the cubs.

Meng Meng and Jiao Qing arrived in Berlin in 2017. In August 2019, Meng Meng gave birth to male twins Pit and Paule, also known by the Chinese names Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, the first giant pandas born in Germany.

Those twins flew to China in December on a journey that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but had been contractually agreed to from the beginning.
The sheriffs office announced two arrests made in connection to an armed robbery attempt at a jewelry store in the Ellenton Premium Outlets.

Markeice Craft, 38, and Ronnie Wilson, 42, are charged with armed robbery after the Manatee County Sheriffs Office said they were the getaway drivers in an armed robbery attempt that saw gunfire exchanged at a store in the Ellenton Premium Outlets.

The investigation continues as the two suspects caught on camera in the store remain at large, according to a news release.

On Aug. 14, detectives said two unidentified men wearing masks and blue shirts entered the Gold Palace jewelry store inside the Ellenton Premium Outlets, 5295 Factory Shops Blvd., Ellenton, armed with at least one handgun.

After entering the store, the sheriffs office said one of the men approached an employee and shot a round toward the back of the store that did not strike anyone. In response, the sheriffs office said an employee pulled a gun out and returned gunfire in the direction of the alleged armed robbers but missed.

No one was hit by any of the shots, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.

The sheriffs office said the two men then fled the store and drove off in what appeared to be a silver Toyota Highlander.

The arrest of the two alleged getaway drivers was done with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department, according to a news release. Manatee County Sheriffs Office and St. Petersburgs SWAT teams were also involved in the arrests on Monday, according to detectives.

Craft is also facing drug trafficking charges out of Pinellas County, according to court records.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Manatee County Sheriffs Office at (941) 747-3011, or to remain anonymous and to be eligible for a cash reward, contact Manatee County Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.ManateeCrimeStoppers.com.
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  The new Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum announced that opening of a new exhibit which features artifacts that belonged to President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his family.

According to the Adams County Historical Society (ACHS), a new exhibit featuring never-before-seen items from President Eisenhower and his family, was officially unveiled earlier today on Tuesday, August 27 inside the Beyond the Battle museum.

RELATED: New Beyond the Battle museum opens today in Gettysburg

The new exhibit offers guests a rare look into President Dwight David Eisenhowers personal life and his connection to Gettysburg. A lesser known fact about the former is president is that from 1950 until his death in 1969, President Eisenhower was a resident of Gettysburg, Adams County.

During this time, he enjoyed his retirement years alongside his wife Mamie (Doud) Eisenhower.

Im delighted that the Adams County Historical Society and Dwight D. Eisenhower Society have joined forces to make this exhibit possible, the Presidents granddaughter, Susan Eisenhower said. Gettysburg means so much to our family, and Im glad that these items will be preserved and shared with the public at such an impressive venue.

ACHS says that the new exhibit includes personal items, gifts given to the Eisenhowers by foreign heads of state, and three of Ikes original oil paintings, which were recently donated by the Eisenhower family.

We are honored to share these incredible artifacts with the public for the first time, ACHS Executive Director Andrew Dalton said. The exhibit provides a deeper understanding of the Eisenhower familys life in Gettysburg and Ikes lasting legacy in the community.

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This Week in Pennsylvania

The new Beyond the Battle museum debuted back in April 2023, and it is located at 635 Biglerville Road.

The Eisenhower Collection exhibit, located in the lobby, is free to visit and does not require tickets to the museum. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Girlfriend arrested after detention officer charged with sex crimes involving kids

A second arrest has been made in a case involving a former correctional officer accused of sex crimes involving children.

Earlier this month, sheriffs deputies charged Andrew Devinney with eight counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

ALSO READ: Detention officer arrested; accused of sex crimes involving kids

Deputies said they, along with the FBI, executed a search warrant at Devinneys home south of Morganton.

Investigators said Devinneys girlfriend, Starla Stamey, was arrested Monday after being accused of taking lewd photos of a 9-year-old.

A second arrest has been made in a case involving a former correctional officer accused of sex crimes involving children.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety said after his arrest, Devinney resigned from his position as a correctional officer in McDowell County.

(WATCH BELOW: Woman shot after hitting officer with her car in Huntersville, police say)
The News

Welcome to the Global Hot List, our subjective, dynamic ranking of the races and political developments you should be paying attention to right now, compiled by world elections expert Brad Glasser.

In todays edition: Frances government is at a standstill, Georgia slides toward totalitarian rule, and Australia has the most Australian regional election possible.

The List

1. France  Macron scramble

French President Macron has rejected any possibility of a left-wing government, prolonging Frances political chaos. The left-wing New Popular Fronts candidate for prime minister Lucie Castets, was unacceptable for Macron, who will prefer instead to seek allies from the middle range of the political spectrum in forging a new government. Macron urged parties of the lefts alliance outside of the anti-establishment LFI party to join his negotiations, although so far the New Popular Front has remained firm in its pledge to work together.

2. USA  Its on

Now that both party conventions are over, the campaign for US president has officially begun, with all attention now turning to the September 10 debate. Though Harris will receive a convention bump, polling could be fluid, especially dependent on how the debate unfolds and the impact of intensified attacks  amplified by spending  as the campaign kicks into gear. Harris appears to have the edge at the moment, an extremely unexpected turnaround for a vice president who was deeply unpopular before assuming the mantle of nominee.

3. Thailand  Carrying on

Thailands new prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is continuing her Pheu Thai partys alliance with the military, as progressive insurgents remain boxed out. The daughter of billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, a towering and contentious personality within Thai politics, Paetongtarn is carrying on a highly unpopular deal with the partys defense establishment that allowed her fathers return from exile. The Peoples Party, formerly the Move Forward Party after courts targeted the movement for dissolution, surged ahead in polling after the agreement, setting up a dynamic in which progressives will be aiming for a majority on their own in the next election.

4. Georgia  Totalitarian law

Georgias prime minister pledged to outlaw the countrys political opposition, threatening to institute a North Korea style government. Pro-Western protests have unfolded in Georgia throughout the year, pushing back on a law against foreign-funded media that opponents slammed as influenced by Russia. Now, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze wants to outlaw any pro-West political party represented in parliament, an outrageous stance that would shift the country towards the end of Georgias democracy, according to one researcher.

5. Japan  Political maverick

Taro Kono, Japans Digital Minister and a moderate political maverick, is once again seeking the leadership of Japans LDP. One of the figures within the LDP most popular with the public, Taro Kono has developed a profile over the years for taking progressive stances on certain social issues like LGBT rights and immigration. Moreover, Kono is known for showmanship on social media, where his slice-of-life posts have often gone viral.

6. Chile  Fight for Santiago

Three years after the Communist Partys Iraci Hassler won the mayoralty of Santiago, the left is now on defense to defend her tenure. The race in Santiago will be considered a marquee event in this years municipal and regional elections. Hassler, who has said shes a fan of politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, faces a challenge from right-wing candidate Mario Desbordes, Chiles former Minister of Defense.

7. Tunisia  Three challengers

Tunisias president is campaigning for re-election within the dictatorship he created, facing only three challengers. The lack of competitors is by design, as President Kais Saieds government has instituted a crackdown on opposition that has seen potential candidates imprisoned or banned. Saied appears to still be making moves with the campaign in mind, however; a cabinet reshuffle replaced 19 ministers, including those in charge of defense and foreign affairs.

8. Somalia  Dual national

A Somali-US dual national is running for president of his home of Jubaland. Abdullahi Ali has been based in Maine after resettling as a refugee over a decade ago, establishing a business career in the US. Now, Ali has placed his name in contention to be elected president of Jubaland, one of Somalias constituent states. Ali says he aims to be a leader in fighting extremism and liberating communities, adding: If I dont do it, who will?

9. Australia  Croc conservatism

An election that featured controversy over a pet crocodile ban resulted in the first mainland win for Australias conservatives in years. While it was hardly the only issue in the election, the incumbent Labor Partys ban on pet crocodiles in Australias Northern Territory became a contentious issue, as the winning Country Liberal Party pledged its support for the practice. Labor has won across the board in Australias mainland since the pandemic, and heads to a general election next year that will determine whether the partys national government is renewed.
Theres Good And Bad News For Kids In Newark, New Report Says

NEWARK, NJ  There is some good and bad news for the nearly 74,000 youth under age 18 who live in New Jerseys largest city, a new report says.

Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) recently released its annual Newark Kids Count report for 2024, which gives an update about critical data that impacts children in Newark, including education, family income and health care.

As in previous years, the analysis proved to be a mixed bag, researchers said. View the full report online here.

With fewer families living below the poverty line, a decrease in unemployment and an increase in median household income (which is still starkly lower than the state median), Newark is making progress in some areas of child well-being  but losing ground in others, the ACNJ said.

One of them? Recovering from the learning loss seen during the COVID pandemic, president and CEO Mary Coogan said.

As we continue to recover from the pandemic, learning loss has also been especially significant, with 81 percent of Newark third graders not meeting proficiency in reading and 89 percent of eighth graders not meeting proficiency in math, Coogan said. See Related: Newark Has Plan To Improve Alarming Student Reading Scores

Coogan noted that this years report is being made available in Spanish for the first time. Roughly 42 percent of the citys children identified as Hispanic or Latino and 22 percent of its public school students identified as multilingual learners  more than double the state average.

Here are some highlights from the 2024 report:

Demographics

Nearly 74,000 children under age 18 call Newark home, with 48% identified as Black or African American, 42% identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 23% identified as some other race.

The citys child population makes up 24% of its total population.

Roughly 55% of all births in the city were to foreign-born women, and of those births, 64% were of Hispanic descent.

Nearly 20,000, or 53%, of all Newark households with children are headed by one parent.

Family Economic Security

Newarks median family income is $45,803  a stark difference from New Jerseys median income of nearly $120,874.

In 2023, roughly 1,644 Newark children lived in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), more commonly referred to as welfare. This is a 25% decrease from 2019. TANF provides cash assistance to needy families through a federally funded block grant given to individual states.

Child Health

Just 51% of expectant mothers in Newark received early prenatal care in 2022, compared to Essexs 60% and New Jerseys 73%.

In 2022, 26% of all births, in both Newark and the state of New Jersey, were low-risk cesarean deliveries.

The Newark infant mortality rate, the rate at which a baby dies before their first birthday, was 6.8 for every 1,000 live births in 2017-2021 but, data disaggregated by race shows the infant mortality rate much higher for Black babies (9.4 per 1,000 births) and much lower for babies identified as Hispanic (3.6 per 1,000 births).

The number of children in Newark under age 6 tested for lead declined at least 14% between 2018 and 2022, and in 2022, only 10 of the 33 confirmed cases where homes required lead abatement were completed.

Child Protection

As of 2023, 1,633 Newark children were under Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P, formerly DYFS) supervision, which reflects a 47% decrease since 2019.

The number of Newark children living in foster care declined from 560 in 2019 to 225 in 2023.

Child Care

Newark has 131 child care centers, representing 27% of Essex Countys licensed child care centers.

The number of Newarks registered family child care providers, those who care for children in their own homes, is 94, a 40% decline since 2019.

Newark saw a 54% decrease in the number of families receiving state-funded home visitation, from 386 families participating in 2019 to 177 in 2023.

Education

Special education enrollment for Newark Charter Schools has increased by 19% since the 2018-19 school year, while Newark Public Schools saw a 4% decrease. However, there are still more children in special education in Newark Public Schools with 6,315 enrolled compared to Charter Schools with 2,185 enrolled.

In the 2022-23 school year, 22% of Newark Public School students were multilingual learners, more than double than that of the state.

Only 19% of Newark Public School third grade students are meeting or exceeding expectations for English Language Arts in the state New Jersey State Student Assessment.

The high school graduation rate for Newark Public Schools was 86% for the 2022-23 school year, less than the state average of 91%.

Teens

Newark saw a 34% decrease in teen births, from 291 births in 2018 to 192 births in 2022.

Juvenile arrests fell from 340 in 2019 to 296 in 2023.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Dont forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.



Theres Good And Bad News For Kids In Newark, New Report Says originally appeared on the Newark Patch
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The opening of a student-operated Goodwill Store will allow special-education students at Canutillo High School to develop real-world experiences and more.

The grand opening of the Employee Development Service (EDS) Goodwill Store will take place at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 at Canutillo High School, located at 6675 S. Desert Blvd.

The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and will be closed from 11:30 a.m. to noon, according to the news release by Canutillo Independent School District (CISD).

The partnership with Goodwill Industries of El Paso is aiming to provide special-education students with job skills and real-world experiences, according to CISD.

We are incredibly proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative, said Canutillo ISD Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. The Employee Development Service Goodwill store will not only empower our special-education students by providing them with essential life and job skills but will also foster a sense of independence and confidence as they prepare for their future careers.

Students will be working in the store to gain hands-on training in retail operations, customer service and inventory management, according to CISD.

This partnership with Canutillo ISD represents the core of what Goodwill stands for; transforming lives through the power of work, said Melinda Jordan, CEO of Goodwill Industries of El Paso. We are honored to support these students as they embark on their journey toward personal and professional growth.

The store will have a variety of goods, including gently used clothing, accessories and household items.

All proceeds from the sales will be reinvested to continue enhancing students learning experiences and provide additional resources, according to CISD.

A Goodwill donation box will be placed on Cauntillo High Schools campus that will support the program and the public is encouraged to use and donate their goods.

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BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's commerce ministry on Tuesday expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition against the Canadian government's announcement of imposing additional import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

The remarks came after the Canadian government said Monday that it will take restrictive measures including new tariffs on EVs as well as steel and aluminum products imported from China.

The Canadian government disregarded the facts and World Trade Organization rules, ignored China's repeated solemn representations and acted unilaterally, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The Canadian side should correct its wrong practices immediately, the spokesperson said, adding that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises. 
Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, holding sign, gestures to House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, on the left and pictured from the rear, while Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, turns to the camera. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, holding sign, gestures to House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, on the left and pictured from the rear, while Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, turns to the camera on August 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Tennessees House and Senate speakers are threatening to punish Memphis by cutting its share of sales tax revenue  more than $75 million  if the city puts referendums on the November ballot restricting weapons, a move likely to force Memphis to sue the state.

Continuing a feud with the Democratic-controlled Bluff City, Republican leaders, House Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge, announced Monday in a news release the Legislature will not tolerate any attempts to go rogue and perform political sideshows. Their statement says they plan to withhold state shared sales tax to any local government that tries to circumvent state laws.

The speakers move comes in response to referendums set for Memphis November ballot asking voters whether they approve amendments to the city charter requiring a handgun permit, restrictions on gun storage in cars, an assault weapons ban after Jan. 1, and authority to enact extreme risk protections orders often referred to as red flag laws.

Following the Republican leaders statements, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said his office wont allow the referendums, all but guaranteeing a lawsuit, according to multiple reports.

A Monday letter to Shelby County Commission Chairman Mark Luttrell from Tennessee Elections Administrator Mark Goins says state law preempts firearms regulation and extreme orders of protection from local ordinances and leaves no authority for the city of Memphis to propose charter amendments on them, thus any referendum would be facially void and cannot be placed on the ballot.

But City Council Chairman JB Smiley said Monday, We believe were right on the law. If the council gives him the authority, he said he will instruct the citys attorney to file for a declaratory judgment in Chancery Court to put the questions on the ballot.

Memphis City Councilman Jeff Warren, who sponsored the referendum resolutions, said he believes Sexton and McNally are confused on the issue, because the referendums would be enabling measures that couldnt take effect without the approval from state lawmakers. Smiley agrees with Warren, saying the City Council would have to act on the referendums too.

What were hoping will happen is the state Legislature will look at this and say,  Theyre trying to combat their violent crime by being able to do something about these people with these guns that dont need them and are using them to commit crimes, Warren said.

The local government would be able to enforce those resolutions only with state backing, he said.

Warren, a physician by trade, noted people in rural areas are more likely to need weapons to protect crops and livestock from varmints, but that the situation is different in urban areas such as Memphis, where people are driving around in cars, doing donuts with AK-47s hanging out the car.

Still, the House Speakers Office contends Memphis shouldnt be trying to pass such measures if they dont have the effect of law. It further believes they are a tactic to drive voter turnout in November, possibly affecting Republicans with marginal support such as Rep. John Gillespie of Memphis.

With the recent actions of the progressive, soft-on-crime (district attorney) in Shelby County and the Memphis City Councils continued efforts to override state law with local measures, we feel it has become necessary to take action and protect all Tennesseans rights and liberties. We hope they will change course immediately, Sexton said in the statement.

McNally echoed the sentiment, saying, The Tennessee Constitution clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of the state and local governments. Shelby County needs to understand that despite their hopes and wishes to the contrary, they are constrained by these explicit constitutional guardrails.

The Republican-controlled Legislature has declined to pass any such proposals the past two years despite a mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville where six people, including three 9-year-olds, were killed in March 2023.

Memphis leaders say theyre searching for a solution to an epidemic of gun violence that escalated after the states General Assembly passed a permit-less handgun carry law.

Memphis Councilmember JB Smiley, Jr. sponsored a resolution labeling reproductive autonomy a necessity. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Memphis City Council Chairman Smiley, co-sponsor of the referendums, said the Legislature cant legally withhold Memphis and Shelby County tax revenue.

Smiley contended its anti-democratic if we dont want to listen to the people, and noted the councils actions have not violated state law. He called the speakers statements premature.

If they believe theyre within their right to withhold tax revenue thats duly owed to the city of Memphis, we would like to see what the judges say, Smiley said, predicting such action by the Legislature would be found unconstitutional.

The state lost a handful of court battles with Nashville over the past two years after trying to control Davidson Countys sports, airport and fairground authorities, in addition to cutting the number of Metro Council members from 40 to 20.

Republican state lawmakers has been at odds with Memphis Democrats for several years and passed a measure earlier this session turning back a Memphis ordinance designed to stop police from making pretextual traffic stops for minor violations that can lead to confrontations. The council approved that measure in response to the death of Tyre Nichols who died after being beaten by five Memphis police officers when he was stopped for reckless driving in January 2023.

In addition, Sexton and Republican Sen. Brent Taylor, of Memphis, are trying to oust Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy, a Democrat, claiming he isnt prosecuting criminal suspects effectively. Even so, the latest reports show the crime rate dropped in Memphis over the last year.

Memphis-based lawmakers erupted Monday in reaction to the speakers statements, calling them a form of blackmail

Democratic state Rep. Justin J. Pearson of Memphis said the withholding of state tax dollars would lead to a lawsuit. Pearson was one of two lawmakers expelled from the Legislature for leading a protest on the House floor for stricter gun laws in 2023 in response to The Covenant School shooting. The Memphis City Council returned him to the General Assembly a week later.

Pearson contends Sexton and McNally cant help themselves but to unconstitutionally and anti-constitutionally reach into local governments matters. The freshman lawmaker called their announcement ridiculous, reckless and racist and also referred to their actions as tyrannical and authoritarian.

He noted Sexton is now saying a majority Black city cant self-govern after having him and Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville, both young Black men, expelled from the state General Assembly.

Pearson pointed out the nation was founded on the concept of no taxation without representation but that the speakers want to take Memphis state shared tax dollars because of the possibility that city voters could disagree with them about gun laws.

Democratic Sen. London Lamar of Memphis accused Republican lawmakers of dismantling gun laws and allowing weapons to flood the state while turning a blind eye to the impact on families and neighborhoods. Under Gov. Bill Lees leadership, the Legislature passed a permit-less handgun carry law, and the age was lowered to 18 as the result of a settlement between the state attorney general and a group that sued the state.

Gunshot wounds are now the leading cause of death for Tennessee children, she said.

The ballot reforms being considered by Memphis voters are common-sense measures designed to curb this epidemic of violence, Lamar said. Our community is crying out for solutions, and instead of being met with support, were facing intimidation from state politicians who should be our partners in ensuring safety and justice.

House Minority Leader Karen Camper also blasted the speakers move, pointing out Shebly County generated $2 billion in sales tax revenue last year.

To suggest that these vital funds could be withheld over a local decision aimed at ensuring public safety is shortsighted and counterproductive, she said in a letter to McNally and Sexton.

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NEW YORK  New York state officials are conducting a review of college safety plans as pro-Palestinian protests start to resume at some campuses, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

The governor convened the state police and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services with the leaders of more than 200 campuses on Zoom late Monday afternoon  including the presidents of Columbia University and the City University of New York, where hundreds of students and their allies were arrested last spring.

As tensions may be high as we start the academic year, I will continue to ensure all campus leaders and public safety officials have the resources they need to keep students safe, Hochul said in a statement.

The review of campus emergency plans is part of a broader effort to ensure all students are able to attend classes safely, according to the governors office  after classes at some New York campuses came to a grinding halt last spring.

At Columbia, the final stretch of the spring semester shifted online following the police raid of the Hamilton Hall occupation and a sprawling encampment in the middle of campus; the Morningside Heights institution ultimately cancelled its university-wide graduation ceremony. City College, a CUNY campus in Harlem, temporarily turned to remote learning in the aftermath of arrests.

Protests have already started to resume at some New York college campuses. Protesters at Columbia brought noisemakers, wooden spoons and pans, and a drum to disrupt convocation Sunday, according to social media videos. At CUNY, law students unfurled banners accusing the system of funding Israels war in Gaza, while students at NYU have organized a disorientation week as an alternative to university-sponsored programming.

Hochul also announced the states domestic terrorism prevention unit led a survey of members of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, such as Columbia and New York University, to assess their threat management teams. The unit has also provided trainings to several campuses in the State University of New York system, and is starting to hire new staff to support other New York colleges.

Meanwhile, the New York State Police has directed troop commanders to visit college administrators at campuses of concern before the fall semester, the governors office said. It was not immediately clear which campuses were included.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued an Executive Order about critical race theory in K-12 public schools.

According to Education Week, Critical race theory is an academic concept over 40 years old. The core idea is that race is a social construct and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice but also embedded in legal systems and policies.

Landys order calls critical race theory, or CRT, a divisive concept that instructs students to view the world through the lens of race and presume some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive and that some students are victims. And goes on to say that such inherently divisive concepts are destructive and have no place in the public education system of the State of Louisiana.

Louisiana adopts controversial, non-academic Prager U curriculum material for Social Studies

While Critical Race Theory is a hot topic, it is not part of the Louisiana Department of Education curriculum. Although students who take advanced courses may engage in discourse around bias, students in law school typically study the actual nuts and bolts of CRT.

Read the entire Executive Order banning CRT in Louisiana schools below.

Executive-OrderDownload

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 7, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona.

Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 7, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry called a news conference Monday to publicize his signing of an executive order that will monitor noncitizens in the state and discourage them from trying to register to vote.

His action follows a trend from other conservative Republicans who allege, without firm proof, that noncitizens will try to vote illegally in this years election. Landry referenced illegal immigration several times during the news conference, criticizing Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the partys presidential nominee, for their border policy.

Everytime an illegal alien votes, it cancels out the vote of a citizen. Thats a disenfranchisement of American citizens, Landry said.

Fact-checking state leaders claims

Claim: Gov. Landry said Monday the Biden administration has allowed 7.8 million people to enter the United States illegally.

Fact check: False. The number the governor was looking for is actually higher at about 8.3 million, but it is inaccurate to refer to it as the number of people who entered the U.S. illegally or the number of people who crossed the border in general. The number refers to encounters that Border Patrol agents had at the border, including interactions with undocumented migrants who were refused entry or were later expelled, as well as those who were later granted legal status. Many encounters are interactions that agents have repeatedly with the same people who try more than once to cross the border. As Congressional Research Service staff told lawmakers: Encounter statistics refer to counts of interactions between USBP and migrants, and not counts of unique individuals.

Claim: Secretary of State Nancy Landry said U.S. Border Patrol has reported 1.1 million migrant encounters at the nations southern border so far this year.

Fact check: Her number is actually low. Figures through July show more than 1.9 million encounters, though the numbers have been in sharp decline since Bidens new immigration policies took effect in June.

The governors order requires all state agencies that offer voter registration forms to the public, as called for under federal law, to include notice that it is illegal for noncitizens to vote. It also directs the state Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) to compile a list of people who have been issued a temporary, 180-day Louisiana drivers license or identification card. The agency will then provide the list to Secretary of State Nancy Landry, a Republican who is not related to the governor, so she can cross-check it against voter rolls.

Attorney General Liz Murrill, who also took part in the news conference, said the OMV has issued more than 40,000 temporary IDs. Those applicants could have been given voter registration forms, she added, and some might have unintentionally registered.

Nancy Landry said 48 noncitizens have been removed from Louisianas voter rolls since 2022, though she could not confirm whether any of them have actually voted.

Mondays news conference came about two weeks after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, also a Republican, issued an executive order removing 6,303 noncitizens who had accidentally or maliciously attempted to register to vote in his state, according to a NBC News report.

The news spread quickly with GOP leaders holding it up as evidence of widespread voter fraud. However, Youngkins Aug. 7 order didnt state whether any of the 6,303 people removed from the voter rolls over the past 18 months actually voted or if there was an error and they later turned out to be citizens. The Virginia governors office didnt provide that information when asked by NBC News.

Local officials who spoke to NBC News attributed the bulk of the removals to errors made when people filled out paperwork or online forms when asked about their citizenship.

Gov. Landry used his executive order to slam Bidens immigration policy for the U.S.-Mexico border, saying misleadingly that 7.8 million people have entered the country illegally since he entered the White House. The statistic he cited refers to the number of Border Patrol encounters and is not the same thing as the number of individuals who illegally crossed the border. The governor included the statistic, as well as the number of gotaways  those who cross but arent apprehended  in his order.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol statistics are often misconstrued and fail to capture the full picture of immigration. As an analysis in the Christian Science Monitor in April pointed out, its not accurate to simply add up encounters and gotaways as a proxy for illegal immigration.

The number of people seeking asylum at the southern border has increased drastically. While there have been more border encounters under Biden than there were under President Donald Trump, there were also more encounters in 2019 under Trump than there were in any of the eight years under President Barack Obama. A significant portion of the higher counts under Biden have been attributed to a Trump policy that allowed migrants to try multiple times to enter the U.S., inflating encounter numbers, according to a congressional report on the immigration data.

Under Trumps pandemic-era rule known as Title 42, in place until May 2023, Border Patrol agents could expel migrants on public health grounds, but migrants could try again to cross without penalty, driving a fourfold increase in people trying to enter the U.S. illegally more than once per fiscal year. According to the Christian Science Monitor, this drove the reentry rate from 7% in 2019 to 27% in 2021.

Gov. Landry also failed to mention that border encounters and apprehensions have plummeted since Bidens new immigration order took effect in June. Migrant apprehensions at the border have fallen 77% from their height in December 2023, according to a BBC article citing Border Patrol data.

Bidens order instituted conservative reforms, written and supported by congressional Republicans until Trump urged them to kill the legislation out of concern that allowing Democrats to address immigration would weaken his campaign to return to the White House.

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GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) A student in Greenup County reportedly fell victim to a blackmail attempt after connecting with someone on TikTok.

Superintendent Traysea Moresea said the student sent a photo of their face to the blackmailer, who then threatened the student unless their financial demands were met. She said that the blackmailer was threatening to distribute embarrassing photos of nudity that are not the actual body of the student.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Moresea took to Facebook and confirmed she shared this information for the following reasons:

The parent of the student came to see me at my home today because of the severity of the situation. We must give them grace and understand that this could happen to any adult or child. I want to thank this parent for coming forward and the bravery of the student for telling their parent. They agree that sharing this may help protect others.

Unfortunately this is not the first time I have encountered that a student has had the combination of a cell phone, AI, online games, bullying, and/or social media affect their life.

All of us are susceptible to being hacked so I urge you to be cautious about what you share on social media and what accounts you permit your children to have. As a parent my children have their phones searched randomly and they are required to plug them in at night in our kitchen instead of in their rooms. They might not always be happy with my husband and I about it, but we want to do the best we can to keep them safe.

The police are investigating, and the FBI has been informed.

Dustin Massengill contributed to this story.

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I grew up in Connecticut and moved to Europe for college. I never intended for the move to be permanent.

Liza Jean Miezejeski decided to attend college in Europe to avoid student debt.

After completing college in Prague, Miezejeski moved to Brussels to pursue a master's degree.

Now, the 25-year-old has no plans to return to the US, where she fears she will go through "culture shock."

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Liza Jean Miezejeski, a content creator and founder of Skola, a startup to help students navigate moving to Europe to attend university. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In high school, when it was time to start planning for the future, all I felt was fear  the fear of graduating from college with debt.

It was 2015, and I was a sophomore. One day, on a drive through our Connecticut town with my mom, we heard on the radio that Americans were moving to Germany for free education.

It sounded perfect. "You should do this," my mom agreed.

So, we started researching colleges in Europe. The Anglo-American University in Prague was my top choice because of its affordability and its curriculum. A high school diploma wasn't required to apply, so I applied early and got in.

I only knew one other student from my high school who moved abroad for their studies. The rest of my schoolmates went to college in Boston, New York, or other parts of New England.

I was excited, but I didn't fully understand what I was getting myself into until I was in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

At first, I thought that everyone hated me

I don't think I knew what culture shock meant until I moved to Prague. In my hometown, it's normal to say "hi" to everyone you pass.

But Czechs looked at me weirdly when I did the same in Prague. It took me a while to realize it was a cultural difference, but I eventually got used to it.

Studying abroad taught me to become more open-minded

Miezejeski said studying abroad gave her the opportunity to make friends from different backgrounds. Liza Jean Miezejeski

Before moving to Europe, I didn't realize how much of my thinking about the world was from a US-centric perspective. In Europe, the students I studied with were from all over the world. I learned about their cultures, ways of life, and languages.

As cheesy as it sounds, the learning did not stop there. As an international student, getting on public transportation, grabbing a coffee, and everything I did for the first time was a learning experience. It was exciting, and as a result, made everything I did interesting.

And even though the cheaper tuition was my main reason for moving to Europe, the opportunity to travel and see the world was also a big pro.

I slowly realized I didn't want to leave Europe

Miezejeski and her friend enjoying a picnic in a park in Prague. Liza Jean Miezejeski

I had originally intended to complete the three-year college program in Prague and then return to the US. I did not even consider the possibility that people could leave the US permanently.

When I spent a semester abroad in Malaysia in 2019, a friend asked if I intended to return to the US.

"No," I replied almost immediately, realizing I had made the decision unconsciously. My entire adult life and everything I knew were now in Europe. If I returned to the US, I would experience culture shock and have to "relearn" being an adult, I thought.

After I completed my bachelor's degree in Humanities, Society, and Culture in 2021, I didn't return to my hometown in Connecticut. But despite feeling at home in Prague, I decided to move to Brussels to pursue a master's in Digital Media, Communication, and Society at the Free University of Brussels.

After graduating in 2022, I stayed on in Brussels and worked as a communications and marketing consultant. In January, I founded Skola, a startup that supports US students planning to relocate to Europe for college. I also started a TikTok account where I create content about moving abroad and international studies.

For now, there's nothing pulling me back to the US except my family, whom I visit once a year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get them to move here.

It's not just lower tuition fees that make the cost of living more affordable

Rent was also affordable for Miezejeski in Brussels and Prague. Liza Jean Miezejeski

I was rushed to the emergency room after fracturing my pelvis on a ski trip and paid nothing out of pocket  thanks to the public health insurance I received in the Czech Republic.

In Brussels, I don't need a car. As a student, I paid 12 euros, or $13, for an annual season ticket that provides unlimited use of public transportation.

I did not need to take out loans for school, either. When I started my bachelor's in Prague, tuition fees cost around $6,500 a year, although the fees have increased since. In comparison, the cost of in-state tuition at the University of Connecticut, excluding other fees, is estimated at $17,010 a year, according to its website.

My master's program was also affordable  around $4,700 for the one-year program. According to UCONN's website, the tuition fee for a master's program there is around $19,512 a year for full-time in-state students, excluding other costs.

I have no plans to move back to the US

My boyfriend is Belgian, and his family is from here. We also have a dog, and my life is well set up here.

I only have two and a half more years before I can apply for citizenship, which requires applicants to have lived in Belgium legally for at least five years.

I would love to celebrate getting citizenship here by living somewhere else in Europe for a year or traveling around a bit.

But I plan to return and stay in Brussels longterm. I feel more at home here now.

Do you have a story about choosing to attend college outside the US that you want to share? Get in touch with the reporter, Erin: eliam@businessinsider.com .

Read the original article on Business Insider
Grosse Ile living has its perks  lush surroundings, privacy and lake views, but it comes with a price.

And Grosse Ile residents, who say they already pay too much in taxes, are balking at a proposal that they argue will make them pay even more.

In November, residents will vote on a $59 million plan to buy the private toll bridge connecting the island to the mainland Downriver, a hotly contested measure that has residents and the township bitterly divided. It is unclear whether the bridge would continue to charge a toll if approved by voters.

Proponents say the township needs to buy the bridge to provide an alternative to the Wayne County bridge, which is in need of significant structural repairs that will force closures in the near future. Additionally, buying the toll bridge would allow the township government to set the price of the tolls, which they say could keep costs lower for residents.

Critics say it's nonsense.

"This is not a time to put something like this on a ballot and vote in November," said Frank Gerner of Grosse Ile in a Township Board of Trustees meeting. "I know we're a small community and I love our community ... but there's so many things that aren't being looked at."

There are two bridges connecting the 18.3-square-mile island to the mainland Downriver. The first is the Wayne County Bridge, also known as the free bridge, which is owned by Wayne County. The second is the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge, which is privately owned by Paul Smoke and is up for sale. It was built by Smoke's grandfather in 1912. The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge Co. charges a fee ranging from $3 to $4.50 each way for two-axle vehicles to cross that bridge.

Smoke couldn't be reached for immediate comment.

Lifeline to island

The free bridge still needs a ton of repairs. In 2020, a Free Press investigation found that Michigan jurisdictions struggled to keep pace with aging bridges due to lack of revenue and rising costs.

This resulted in the Wayne County-owned Grosse Ile Parkway bridge abruptly closing for unexpected repairs. Turns out, the free bridge was no longer safe to drive on.

Since then, bridge crossers have resumed normal activity and even received $20 million in state funding for critical repairs in 2023.

With about 17,000 vehicles crossing the free bridge daily, the township board informed residents of a possible alternative, buy the private bridge owned by the Smoke family.

The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge Bond Proposal, would cost the average resident 1.6745 mills or $1.67 per $1,000 of taxable value. The average home in Grosse Ile, according to Rocket Homes is around $385,000, which leaves the average homeowner paying an additional $116 in property taxes if voters decide to vote yes to the proposal in November.

The township argues the proposed levy will not increase Grosse Ile Township millage totals above rates experienced in 2023. That the current millage rate will not increase because a previous sewer bond payoff will offset the costs.

The new bridge will cost up to $59 million.

Voters will decide in November

The proposal was approved in a 7-0 vote by the township board to put on the November ballot. Trustees Carl Bloetscher, Kyle de Beausset, Ute O'Connor, Jamison Yager, Joe Porcarelli, James Bundy and David Nadeau all voted to pass the resolution.

The township board says putting the decision into the hands of the voters allows residents to decide if they want it or not.

Jalen Williams is a reporting intern at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Grosse Ile residents to vote on controversial bridge proposal
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Hundreds of Floridas most vulnerable children are stuck in the middle of a long-running financial dispute between doctors and the states largest Medicaid operator.

A group of physicians affiliated with Privia Medical Group, a Virginia-based network of health care providers that has a branch in Florida serving doctors' offices statewide, says it is owed $781,000 from Sunshine State Health Plan, a Medicaid managed care plan that oversees the most patients in the state.

Some of the bills date back two years, and the doctors claimed they were struggling to meet payroll and considering whether to stop accepting Medicaid patients in a state where nearly 50 percent of children rely on the insurance program for low-income residents.

It's tough if youre the only one in that area of the county that will take Medicaid, Tara Forcier, a Brevard County-based pediatrician, said in a phone interview. But what else can you do if you just cant do it?

A spokesperson for Sunshine denied that it is behind on the payment and said the company strives to quickly resolve billing disputes.

The group of pediatricians first brought the billing issues to Sunshine in June of 2022, and that was followed by a series of meetings where company officials were assured that the growing number of unpaid claims would be resolved, Forcier said. More doctors from outside of Privias network later joined the coalition. They told POLITICO that they had gotten nowhere with either Sunshine or the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

However, Sunshine began to pare down the $781,000 in unresolved claims after POLITICO began asking AHCA, the state agency, about them last month, Forcier said.

Forcier said that most of the unresolved cash had been paid by the middle of August but that there are some outstanding disputes over interest tied to the $781,000 in debt. She and the other doctors in the coalition who are part of the Privia network are from independently owned offices across Florida. Privia supports the doctors by providing services such as accounting and contract management. The network also created a fund from which doctors could draw loans to advance payments that had been delayed by Sunshine.

Sunshine Health spokesperson Lyndsey Brzozowski wrote in a statement that the states largest Medicaid operator manages more than 30 million claims each year, and each one is handled in a timely manner.

When we learn of a claim or incentive payment issue, our team works to address and resolve them in a timely fashion, Brzozowski said.

But Forcier and her colleagues are still frustrated with this experience. And Forcier said that while she feels compelled as a medical doctor to continue treating kids with Medicaid coverage, the billing delays are not sustainable.

It never should have gotten to that point, Forcier said. The amount of time and effort that everybody has put into trying to resolve this issue, and the financial strain it's put on all of our practices  that part you just can't, you can't understate.

AHCA disputes that the resolution between Forcier and the other pediatricians and Sunshine wasnt timely. AHCA spokesperson Alecia Collins told POLITICO that Sunshine had already settled its debt by the time the complaint was received.

The Medicaid staff sent the provider a resolution email, and to date, the provider has not contacted the Agency regarding any further issues, Collins wrote in a statement. Collins also said the decision to dismiss the complaint was made after Sunshine Health told the agency that the $781,000 had been paid. AHCA for years has relied on self-reporting by Medicaid managed care operators to oversee health care for millions of recipients.

Forcier provided POLITICO with two years worth of emails, notes and letters. A review of emails provided by Forcier shows Sunshine either denying claims or promising to pay but not following through.

Providers like myself across the state have been forced to put in more hours of unpaid work, staying up late to call, email and collect documentation to get Sunshine to follow through on their contractually obligated payments, Forcier said. Its misleading to say we havent contacted the agency when we have evidence of those communications.

Sunshine and other operators oversee HMO-style plans for the state for the 3 million Medicaid enrollees taking part in the states managed care program, which includes processing claims submitted by providers.

The Medicaid operator, which is owned by the St. Louis-based Centene Corp., has had run-ins with AHCA before. Sunshine Health has faced $28.6 million in fines levied by AHCA over the past five years  four times more than any other Medicaid operator that has been sanctioned by the state, according to a POLITICO review of a database of compliance violations maintained by the agency.

Much of that total came from more than $13 million in compliance violations found by AHCA during the last state fiscal year, which ended in June.

Two years ago, Sunshine was also hit with a $9.1 million fine after billing problems led some providers to stop treating disabled children and even close offices. The company partly blamed the problems on its merger with another Florida managed care operator, WellCare, which was announced in 2020. It is not just Sunshine that has been fined by the agency. AHCA launched a desk review of Medicaid insurance companies in the last fiscal year, which ended in June, which led to $28.3 million in fines for at least 14 managed care operators, including smaller companies that offer coverage for dental services and long-term care. Sunshine was hit with a $12.6 million fine from the review, which agency spokesperson Collins said was the result of the company failing to meet contractual performance requirements.

Brzozowski, the Sunshine spokesperson, stressed the size of the fine amounts issued by AHCA reflect the companys 43 percent share of the states 3 million managed care recipients.

Sunshine Health's $12.6 million in fines were part of nearly $22 million in fines issued to all Florida managed care organizations in FY 2023-2024, which is reflective of Sunshine Healths market share, Brzozowski wrote in an email.

The state has solidified its relationship with Sunshine. It is one of 15 insurance companies that are contracted to operate the states Medicaid Managed Care program, and it was one of the companies picked by AHCA in April to continue providing coverage for six more years in nine newly redrawn regions of the state. Collins, the AHCA spokesperson, said performance history was one of the factors her agency considered before it picked Sunshine among the 11 companies that expressed interest in the six contracts.

All plans were selected through a competitive procurement process that evaluated vendors on multiple criteria, including past performance and compliance history, Collins wrote, pointing to more information about the procurement process online.

Forcier said her Rockledge clinic, Pediatrics in Brevard, has also faced problems with other Florida managed care operators, but those issues were quickly resolved.

Given the likelihood of her patients having Sunshine coverage due to the companys size, Forcier said the yearslong delays are crippling for business.

It's definitely made my practice reflect on our payer mix and trying to determine whether or not we can afford to have such a high percentage of Medicaid patients, Forcier said. We take care of kids throughout the county, and having to shut down care for certain segments doesn't feel right.
Closeup of election vote button with text that says 2024. (Getty Images)

LINCOLN  More than 30 Nebraska medical providers filed a complaint this week with Secretary of State Bob Evnen alleging that the abortion-rights ballot initiative violates the states requirement that voter-fueled changes cover only a single subject.

The proposal, backed by abortion-rights advocates, would codify a right to abortion in the Nebraska Constitution until fetal viability, as determined by a health care provider.

The letter from Lincoln law firm Keating OGara argues Protect Our Rights is trying to legally redefine fetal viability as when a fetus can survive outside of the womb at the same time it aims to create a fundamental right to abortion.

Argues cant do more than one thing

The complaint letter argue that a ballot initiative cannot create a new state constitutional right at the same time it attempts to take additional separate legal steps.

If Evnen rejects the complaint, the challengers could seek to sue him and the state to try to pull the abortion-rights amendment off the November ballot.

Evnen announced Friday that the measure had enough qualified signatures to be placed on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The separate sentences of the Measure authorize separate things, the letter says of the abortion-rights ballot issue. It unconstitutionally combines two unrelated propositions into one single proposal that must be presented to the voters separately.

Uses previous legal argument

The letter co-opts both the single-subject and logrolling legal arguments that abortion-rights opponents used in recent months against the states newest abortion ban, which outlaws the procedure after 12 weeks gestational age.

In July, the Nebraska Supreme Court sided with the Legislatures right to combine measures under a single heading or subject. One of the dissenting judges questioned her fellow justices for leaving room for a stricter single-subject interpretation on petitions.

Some of the medical professionals who signed the letter have supported stricter abortion bans. Some of them back a competing ballot initiative that would constitutionally limit abortion to the first trimester of pregnancy and would keep the door open to let the Legislature pass stricter bans in the future. That initiative also qualified for the November ballot, Evnen said Friday.

Also on Monday, a Douglas County woman asked the Nebraska Supreme Court to overrule Secretary of State Bob Evnen and stop the abortion-rights amendment from appearing on the November ballot.

The group behind the abortion-rights initiative, Protect Our Rights, has said it expected administrative and legal challenges from abortion opponents to that effort to let voters decide whether to protect access to reproductive care in the state.

Allie Berry, the campaign manager for Protect Our Rights, described the complaint as a distraction funded and driven by anti-abortion politicians who are doing everything in their power to undermine the process and lay the groundwork for their ultimate goal: a total abortion ban.

She said Protect Our Rights respects families and keeps decisions about abortion personal without government interference.

The majority of Nebraskans know that these decisions belong to patients and their trusted medical providers, not politicians, and we will vote like it this fall, she said. Our measure was certified by the Secretary of State, and we have followed the appropriate processes every step of the way.

Who gets to decide?

Dr. Catherine Brooks, a neonatologist in Lincoln and Omaha, was the lead medical provider who signed onto the letter. In a statement, she stressed that the abortion-rights petition expands who decides fetal viability to a treating health care practitioner.

Brooks called that definition too broad. She said doctors are uniquely qualified to determine the medical definition of viability based on their medical training, education and experience.

The pro-abortion initiative requires no such training and opens the door to non-physicians, such as midwives, nurses, and doulas, to make viability determinations, she said. This is simply unsafe.

Brooks repeated what many critics of the measure have said publicly, that leaving so many providers the latitude to decide viability risks extending some abortions into the third trimester.

Abortion-rights advocates have called this alarmism and said the medical standard definition of viability is 22 to 24 weeks and that most women and people want decisions about reproductive rights made privately between a woman and her doctor or provider.

The letter also questions the clarity of a third point in the proposed amendment, that the ballot language would tie viability to when a fetus has significant likelihood of sustained survival without the application of extraordinary medical measures.

They argue this risks confusion and called on Evnen to overrule his earlier decision to place the matter on the ballot. Evnen has to make a decision soon. Nebraska ballots must be finalized by Sept. 13.

SOS letter from Brooks

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Christine LyBurtus is comforted talking to legislative director Jacqueline Anapolsky, right foreground, about her son, Noah, who has autism. (Jose Luis Villegas / For The Times)

In April, a group of Orange County parents flew to Sacramento to attend a conference hosted by Disability Voices United, an advocacy group for people with disabilities and their families.

They wanted to emphasize three issues to state officials at the event: the paucity of mental health care for children with developmental disabilities, the confusing mess of government systems meant to help them, and the gaps in availability of day-to-day caregiving.

Among them was Christine LyBurtus, a single mom living in Fullerton. Last fall, after repeated rounds of 911 calls and emergency hospitalizations, she had made the agonizing decision to move her son, Noah, who is autistic, into a state-operated facility for at least a year.

LyBurtus had struggled to find the support she needed to keep him at home. "Families are being forced to give up their children to group homes and treatment centers over 12 hours from their homes ... or out of the state of California entirely," she told the crowd at the conference.

Christine Lyburtus is embraced by Beth Martinko outside elevators in the Capitol Annex Swing Space building in Sacramento. (Jose Luis Villegas / For The Times)

"I beg you to hear us," she said to state officials before turning from the microphone.

Despite the growing diagnosis of autism, which has been estimated to affect more than 2 million children and teens across the country, experts and advocates have bemoaned glaring gaps in services to meet the mental health needs of autistic youth.

Some researchers have estimated that upward of 90% of autistic youth have overlapping conditions like anxiety, depression or ADHD. Many have suffered alarming levels of trauma.

Yet "there are very few specialized facilities in the country that meet the unique needs of individuals with autism and co-occurring mental health conditions," especially in crisis situations, said Cynthia Martin, senior clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, which is based in New York.

Between 2020 and 2021, the number of California children and teens served by the state developmental disability system who were deemed to have "complex needs"  a state term for those who needed a range of crisis services or landed in a locked psychiatric ward  rose from 536 to 677, according to a report released last year by the California Department of Developmental Services.

California has been working to build more facilities to house and support such youth, including STAR homes that provide "crisis stabilization" for roughly a year, like the one into which Noah moved. But the state has seen an uptick in the number of people in need of such programs, as well as more former residents boomeranging back for "further stabilization," the state report said.

As of this summer, the STAR homes could accommodate only 15 teens across the state; the one that accepted Noah budgets for more than $1 million per resident annually.

There are other community facilities where developmentally disabled youth in crisis can be placed, but "there remains a critical need for a 'can't say no' option for individuals whom private sector vendors cannot or will not serve," the state report concluded.

Autistic people and their families have also lamented that they cannot find adequate help in their communities before they reach a crisis point. Researchers have found that mental health workers are often unprepared to work with people with intellectual or developmental disabilities or may chalk up symptoms to their disabilities, rather than overlapping needs.

Christine LyBurtus looks at a drawing of her son, Noah, in their Fullerton home. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

"Its pretty common for a mental health practitioner to turn away someone with a developmental disability or say, 'I dont serve that population,'" said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

Alison D. Morantz, director of the Stanford Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law and Policy Project, called it a "scandal" that amid a scarcity of psychiatric beds for youth, "if a family member discloses that their child is on the autistic spectrum, they can say, 'No thank you.'"

"It puts parents in impossible situations," she said.

The biggest challenges for many families of autistic youth often surround aggression, which isnt a core feature of autism, but the symptom of other issues that need to be uncovered, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Matthew Siegel told a federal committee last year.

"You have to look underneath or in front of that  for what could be contributing or what is driving this aggression," said Siegel, founder of the Autism and Developmental Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative. He and other researchers have seen promising results from specialized units at hospitals, but few exist  "not even one per state."

Read more: Nearly $1 billion in funds left unspent by centers for disabled Californians

"Even specialized clinics that can work on these challenges are quite rare," he said.

The Supreme Court has ruled that institutionalizing people with disabilities who could live in the community is discriminatory if a community placement "can be reasonably accommodated." Federal investigations have, at times, faulted states for failing to provide needed services for people to stay in their homes or communities.

The law "requires that services are provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of a person with a disability," according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

But the struggle to find needed services can end up pushing autistic people with mental health needs out of their communities. Bonnie Ivers, director of clinical services for the Regional Center of Orange County, said last year that "more and more families are having to review options that are outside of our county."

Some Californians even go outside the state: As of June 2022, there were 49 youth with "complex needs" getting services outside of California, and an additional 33 "at risk of being referred to out-of-state resources," according to the developmental services department.

In the following year, that number grew to 57 youth out of state  and an additional 64 who might be at risk of joining them. The numbers may actually be higher: The state agency says it learns about out-of-state placements only when families inform the regional centers that coordinate developmental disability services.

Nancy Bargmann, director of the California Department of Developmental Services, said their goal is to provide "a continuum of supports" so that families "don't need to make that really hard decision of having their child not live at home."

California has launched more than a dozen teams focused on crisis prevention, called START teams, which it says have helped keep people in their homes. Their services include connecting different systems that assist families, such as mental health providers and disability services.

Read more: People with disabilities love this program. Why are Latinos underrepresented?

But they do not yet exist everywhere in the state. California also has mobile "Crisis Assessment Stabilization Teams"  or CAST  that are meant for people who have exhausted other kinds of help or are at risk of having to move into more restrictive settings. There were three of them as of this spring, according to the developmental services department.

Judy Mark, president of the advocacy group Disability Voices United, argued it is counterproductive to try to stabilize a child away from his or her family. If at all possible, she said, California should be ensuring constant support in the home, which she argued would also be less costly than caring for a child in a STAR facility.

But disability services providers say that getting such caregivers has continued to be a challenge, with state rates for such workers outstripped by what they can earn elsewhere. Increases in those provider rates have been slowly phased in over time, with the next bump slated for January.

In many cases, "what you'd want to see is somebody, 24 hours a day, in the home helping the parent," said Larry Landauer, executive director of the Regional Center of Orange County. But "that's where we have been just drastically short on staffing."

All the gaps in the system can come to a head when young people with developmental disabilities hit puberty, especially if they face "the inability to communicate in such a complex and confusing time," said California Commission on Disability Access member Hector Ramirez, who is autistic and lives in the San Fernando Valley.

If autistic teens and their families cannot get the support they need, Ramirez said, it "has compounding consequences that result in people just getting worse  when they shouldn't be getting worse."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's commercial airplane fleet is projected to more than double in size over the next 20 years, driven by economic growth and air traffic demand, according to Boeing's latest market forecast released in Beijing on Tuesday.

Boeing's 2024 Commercial Market Outlook for China predicts a 4.1 percent annual growth in the country's commercial airplane fleet over the next 20 years, from the current 4,300 or so to around 9,700 by 2043.

"It's important to look at how China's economy has recovered from the pandemic and remains very healthy," said Darren Hulst, Boeing vice president of Commercial Marketing.

"The economy continues to grow, private consumption continues to grow, and ultimately industrial production is also on a growth trajectory. All are important drivers of demand for both passenger and cargo traffic," he said.

Boeing forecasted that the Chinese civil aviation market will require 8,830 new airplanes over the next 20 years, including regional jets, single aisle aircraft, widebody aircraft and freighters.

Over the next 20 years, Chinese carriers will need aviation services worth 780 billion U.S. dollars to support the growing fleet, including digital solutions, maintenance and modifications, according to the Boeing market forecast. 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Election officials in Memphis decided Tuesday to leave three gun control questions off the November ballot after top Republican state leaders threatened to withhold tens of millions of dollars in state funding.

On Monday, Tennessees election coordinator, Mark Goins, sent a letter to the Shelby County Election Commission warning that the gun control measures violated several of Tennessees laws, making them void and ineligible to be placed on the ballot. The letter was sent hours after House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senate Speaker Randy McNally issued their state funding ultimatum.

Goins added that unequivocable declarations by the General Assembly left no authority for Memphis officials to propose such amendments to the citys charter. Goins also raised concerns that the city had not properly followed the public notice procedures required to put a referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.

In a statement, the Shelby County Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips said the state elections coordinator guides the commission in running elections, and we will follow his direction.

If the City of Memphis decides to challenge this interpretation, we will respect the final decision made by the courts," Phillips said.

Earlier this year, the Memphis City Council approved a proposal to ask voters if they wanted to tweak the city charter to require permits to carry a handgun, ban the possession of AR-15 style rifles and implement a so-called red flag ordinance, which allows law enforcement officials to remove firearms from those found to be an imminent danger to themselves or others.

The council had acknowledged at times that they were potentially risking the ire of the Republican-dominant Legislature since the measures likely conflict with Tennessee's lax gun laws.

Regardless, council members representing the large Black-majority, left-leaning city said they were willing to take the risk.

If the General Assembly wants to punish us and punish our citizens for asking for their help, we will deal with that accordingly, but that would be absolutely heartbreaking," Councilman Chase Carlisle said during a council meeting in 2023.

In 2021, Republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Bill Lee signed off on permitless carry for handguns. In May of this year, they banned local cities and counties from implementing their own red flag laws. Meanwhile, many inside that same Republican supermajority have rebuffed calls to place limits on firearms, an effort that has only increased after a gunman shot and killed three adults and three 9-year-olds in a Nashville private school last year.

The continued push to put the gun control questions before Memphis voters prompted not only the state's top Republican lawmakers to threaten to withhold funding, but also led Secretary of State Tre Hargett to warn that his office would not approve Memphis' ballot if it included the gun initiatives.

Last year, Memphis received nearly $78 million from the state's sales tax revenue. The city currently operates an $858 million budget.

Guns pose a different risk for residents of Memphis than they do for some other municipalities, but we understand that we need to work with our state to determine a set of tools to restore peace in our community, said Mayor Paul Young in a statement responding to the Legislature's ultimatum. What happens next is up to the voters and the legislative branches.

McNally praised the election commission's decision, saying that he appreciated the panel "recognizing the county cannot make state law.

Members inside Tennessee's white-majority Legislature have long criticized Memphis leaders, especially for how they have managed the city's crime rates, and expressed doubt over how Black leaders were handling the issue. In 2023, the city saw a record-breaking 398 homicides, while burglaries jumped to more than 14,000.

The rate of reported crime in Memphis for the first half of 2024 remained below the first half of 2023 in almost all major categories, however, including the violent crimes of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, according to preliminary figures from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Trust only further broke down this year when Republican lawmakers and the governor signed off on legislation designed to undo police traffic stop reforms set in place after officers fatally beat Tyre Nichols last year.

State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, who represents a Memphis district and was one of two Black Democratic state lawmakers who were briefly expelled from the Legislature for protesting the lack of action after the Nashville school shootings, said the election commission's decision was dangerous for democracy and he hoped the city council would take legal action.

I am furious and disappointed that the Shelby County Election Commission felt that it needed to yield to the tyrannical and authoritarian actions of the Republican leadership of this state, Pearson said. They are abusing their positions and authority to intentionally circumvent the will of the people in our city.

-

Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee.
A trip to the grocery store turned into a fight for survival at a King Soopers in Boulder, Colorado.

The shooter entered the store the afternoon ofMarch 22, 2021, and opened fire, killing 10 people  including the first Boulder police officer to arrive on the scene.

While families agonized for hours waiting to learn the fate of their missing loved ones, several survivors described the surreal attack.

I just nearly got killed for getting a soda

When the gunfire started, some customers were confused.

Maybe somebody dropped something, Ryan Borowski said. The second shot came. And then after that, it was, Bam, bam, bam! And I was running.

He and others bolted and busted through the back doors to the employee area, Borowski said.

The employees looked at us with shock, he said. We had to tell them, Gun, gun, gun! Run, run, run! And they made sure we didnt go down any dead ends.

Customers and employees worked together to quickly navigate the twists and turns in the back of the grocery store.

We were all running, single file, finding our way through the maze of the back of the house, Borowski said.

I had my hand on somebody elses back, and somebody had their hand on my back, so nobody was tripping or falling.

About a dozen people managed to escape with him out a back door, ducking underneath a trailer before reaching safety, he said.

Later, he realized safety is never guaranteed.

Boulder feels like a bubble, and the bubble burst, Borowski said. This feels like the safest spot in America, and I just nearly got killed for getting a soda and a bag of chips.

A woman is killed in front of children

Steven McHughs son-in-law was third in line for a Covid-19 vaccine when the shooter came in and killed the woman at the front of the line.

McHughs two granddaughters were with their father and were on the phone to their grandmother. The grandmother heard about eight shots over the phone before the dad grabbed the two girls and ran upstairs, hiding in a coat closet for 45 minutes.

They were right there, from the first shot to the last, McHugh said.

Along with the scale of the tragedy, McHugh worries about the lasting impact on his grandchildren.

The intensity and awfulness is going to last with them for the rest of their lives, he said.

No family should ever have to go through this again in the United States.

A friend texts: Thank you for everything

Andrew Hummel heard a loud bang, and then everybody kind of sprinted toward the back of the store, he told CNN affiliate KMGH.

I didnt see anything; I could just hear  and I just ran  I just wanted to get out of there, Hummel said.

There was so much going on in such a compact area.

As soon as Hummel got out, he called his parents and his friend and roommate, Mason, who works at the store, he said.

His first priority was making sure Mason got out safe. He later learned Mason was hiding in a storage room with other customers.

One of the biggest scary texts he sent, he just said, I love you guys. Thank you for everything in case things go bad. That was a really hard text, especially me being in this situation, Hummel said.

That was something I would never want to hear from any of my friends. It was horrifying. It was truly horrifying.

Quiet, then random shots of fire  and store music

Maggie Montoya, a pharmacy technician, was signing up people for Covid-19 vaccine shots when she heard the first gunshot.

Her store manager was first in line for the shot, and the manager yelled out active shooter, and we all just scattered, Montoya told CNNs Anderson Cooper.

Montoya took shelter in the counseling room, next to the pharmacy, she said, hiding under a desk. She heard more gunshots and some screaming, she said.

Then it was just quiet for a long time with just the store music and random shots of fire throughout the store, Montoya said.

Both she and the pharmacist called 911, but as the shooting continued, Montoya said she hung up and dialed her family instead.

Hey, I just want to let you guys know theres an active shooter in the store. I love you, Montoya said she told her parents.

After about an hour, when police announced they had surrounded the building, Montoya said they heard the shooter just outside the pharmacy: I surrender. Im naked, he said, according to Montoya.

They found his weapons right by the pharmacy, she said.

As Montoya walked out of the store, she saw bloody footprints leading from the pharmacy out the door, she said.

And she saw the body of Rikki Olds, a front-end manager of the store.

And thats when it all crashed down  It all came crashing down seeing someone I knew dead, that wasnt going to be able to walk out to her family, Montoya said.

People in other businesses hear the shots

Jessica Crumby was lying on a table in a tattoo shop in the same shopping center as King Soopers when she heard about four gunshots.

All of a sudden we just heard pop, pop, crack, crack, she said. We kind of stopped what we were doing, and we heard some glass shattering.

Crumby went outside and saw a nearby yoga studios window looked like it had been shot in.

She saw people running out of King Soopers and heard sirens in the background.

Within minutes, chaos

Anna Haynes lives in an apartment across from the grocery store, and can see all of the front from her living room window.

When she heard about 10 gunshots, Haynes thought it was fireworks or a car engine failing, and she looked out the window expecting to see something like that.

Instead, I saw a body in the middle of the parking lot, the University of Colorado Boulder student told CNN via Skype.

Haynes said she saw the shooter on his way to the store entrance when he turned around and started shooting rapid fire at one particular target. Im fairly sure it was a person.

The shooter then entered the store through the entrance for those with disabilities, she said, And a few seconds later I saw people running out of the building. I heard screaming.

It just devolved into chaos within just a couple of minutes.

A neighbor glimpses what might have been

A SWAT team member runs toward the supermarket where a gunman opened fire. - Chet Strange/Getty Images

At an apartment complex near the grocery store, a man named Ben was inside his apartment when the gunfire started.

I didnt think much of it because it was all muffled from in my apartment, he told CNN affiliate KCNC.

Later, when he looked outside the window, he saw dozens of police officers  including some from surrounding cities. And he saw 10 to 12 people being taken to a bus, he told KCNC.

They pulled out a guy who had no shirt on, no pants and his whole right side of his leg was bleeding, Ben said.

Its definitely super scary. Im there twice a week getting my groceries, and I was actually about to go there until I saw all the cops outside.

CNNs Theresa Waldrop, Steve Almasy, Paul P. Murphy, Kelsie Smith and Melanie Whitley contributed to this report.

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ENDICOTT, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  The Northside of Endicott is celebrating its Italian heritage with an annual festival.

Little Italy Endicott is hosting the 17th annual Gusto! Italian Festival on August 30. The event serves as the groups largest fundraiser of the year and supports its efforts to beautify the Northside.

During the festival, guests will be able to enjoy traditional foods such as sausage with peppers and onions, homemade cannolis, eggplant parm, pizza fritte, pizza, and Italian desserts. There will also be drinks and dancing as well as live music from Ralph Muro, Nino Samiani and Mark Blackwell, and Rooster and the Roadhouse Horns. Kids activities and crafts will be available throughout the evening.

The neighborhood block party will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. and will conclude with a fireworks show courtesy of Visions FCU, Endicott Rotary Club, and Allen Memorial Home.

For more information, search Little Italy Endicott on Facebook.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
Hands Across the Border Campaign kicks off in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Law enforcement agencies reached across state lines for the annual Hands Across the Border Campaign. Each agency shares a common goal: crack down on impaired driving.

What started out as a friendly wager between Georgia and Florida state troopers, to see which agencies could reduce the number of drunk driving deaths in their respective states, has now grown to so much more.

It started about 33 years ago with a simple handshake between a Florida law enforcement person and a Georgia law enforcement person. And now its grown to where we do these events with Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida. Powell Harrelson, Law enforcement Coordinator, Georgia Governors Office of Highway Safety

Deputies, troopers and officers joined forces, setting up sobriety checkpoints along the Oglethorpe Bridge, Dillingham Street Bridge, and the 13th Street Bridge. Each motorists was asked for their drivers license and insurance. Authorities also searched any vehicles if they smelt drugs or alcohol. They can all agree on one thing: all drunk driving deaths are 100 percent preventable.

First of all, DUI, everybody knows you cant drink and drive or take prescription drugs or illegal drugs if it impairs your driving. Whether a doctor says you can do it, youre just committing a crime. Lt. Fred Carnes, Columbus Police Department Motor Squad

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 60 percent of the people killed in crashes during the 2022 Labor Day holiday weekend in Georgia, involved a drunk driver. Two-thirds of those fatal drunk driving crashes involved drivers whose blood-alcohol-concentration level was twice the legal limit.

If were going to have a bigger presence out on the highways this Labor Day weekend, we hope its going to impact and maybe reduce those possibilities of having severe motor vehicle crashes. Cpt. John Thomas, Muscogee County Sheriffs Office Uniformed Services Bureau

Everybody is trying to get that last summer vacation in because of the holiday. If we make it a united front and tell them all law enforcement is going to be out and theyre going to be looking, we know that will get the attention of the motoring public. Powell Harrelson, Law enforcement Coordinator, Georgia Governors Office of Highway Safety

Participating agencies in Georgia and neighboring states will continuing conducting sobriety road checks prior to the start of the Labor Day holiday travel period.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
American TV personality and businesswoman Vicki Gunvalson recently had a major health scare. Alongside her boyfriend, Michael Smith, she described the recent incident related to her life-threatening condition on My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast with Christian Gray Snow. So, lets take a look at what exactly happened to the Real Housewives of Orange County star.

Vicki Gunvalson shares health update

Vicki Gunvalson reportedly suffered from sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by an infection.

RHOCs Gunvalson recently shared a frightening narration of her health scare. In her recent My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast episode, she detailed how a seemingly minor sinus infection turned into a life-threatening condition. Her boyfriend, Michael Smith, was also present to assist her with the same.

It began with a client noticing Gunvalsons gibberish speech during a meeting. The client, a retired ER physician, realized the severity of the situation and told Olivia (Michaels daughter) to take her to the hospital. She added that at first, she was misdiagnosed to have a sinus infection and was discharged soon. Michael then took over by mentioning that about three weeks ago, she had a sinus infection that lasted a little longer than usual.

She got on antibiotics and was doing better. We went to Europe, and everything was OK, for the most part. But then when she got home on that Thursday night and Olivia called me, she (Vicki) was lethargic and really didnt understand where she was, Michael continued to explain.

Michael returned back home from work in Arizona, as soon as possible. However, just before he could reach home, Vicki seemingly decided to take a bath. So, shes in the bathtub with water and I walk in and shes pretty much passed out. I grabbed her, pulled her out of the water, put her in bed, Michael narrated.

When they got back to the hospital, they learned that it was actually sepsis caused by a massive infection related to pneumonia. According to Vicki, she only had a 10 to 20 percent chance of survival. However, she was told that she would be okay, but it would take her a while.

The post What Happened to Vicki Gunvalson? Health Update appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
A new lawsuit brought by the Democratic Party and backed by the Harris-Walz campaign was filed Monday to challenge recent changes to Georgias election certification rules.

The lawsuit, targeting Georgias State Election Board, contends that chaos will ensue in November if a series of last-minute rule changes by the unelected panel are allowed to stand.

The new rules require local boards to conduct a reasonable inquiry before certifying election results, which critics have warned could cause delays.

They also say any discrepancies discovered at a precinct must yield an investigation, and if an error beyond correction is identified, its up to the local boards to determine how to compute the votes justly.

Through rulemaking, SEB has attempted to turn the straightforward and mandatory act of certification  i.e. confirmation of the accurate tabulation of the votes cast  into a broad license for individual board members to hunt for purported election irregularities of any kind, potentially delaying certification and displacing longstanding (and court-supervised) processes for addressing fraud, the complaint reads.

The board is comprised of three Republicans, one Democrat and a nonpartisan chair.

In a statement, Harris-Walz principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Democrats would win the case and continue fighting for eligible voters to confidently cast their vote knowing it will count.

Certifying an election is not a choice, its the law, Fulks said. A few unelected extremists cant just decide not to count your vote.

The Democratic National Committees acting co-deputy executive director, Monica Guardiola, cast blame on Trump and the GOP for trying to silence voters and overturn our democratic process, while Nikema Williams, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, criticized the State Election Board for attempting to establish a new power of not certifying an election result should their preferred candidate lose.

During a virtual meeting last week, some 850 people joined a call where public comment in opposition or support of the new rules was invited by the board. Election workers, voters and the Democratic Party of Georgia called the rules excessive and too last-minute, while high-profile conservative activists expressed support.

The boards own members urged caution to the others on some proposed rules. While discussing a rule that would direct counties and the secretary of State to post an accessible link to the certified list of electors, the panels Democrat and nonpartisan members questioned whether the board had jurisdiction to enact such a rule.



This is outside of our authority. Period, said Sara Tindall Ghazal, the only Democrat on the board, citing Georgia law. The Secretary of State has sole authority over management of the voter rolls.



John Fervier, the boards nonpartisan chair, said the rule would be in direct contradiction with state law. The panel voted 3-2 to initiate rulemaking on the proposal, nonetheless.

Prominent officials have weighed in on the panels changes.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) called the boards actions an 11th-hour effort to impose new activist rulemaking and said earlier this month that refusing to certify election results is unlawful.

However, former President Trump has praised the boards three Republicans as pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.

Updated at 6:53 pm.

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The Harris campaign is planning a Labor Day blitz of events on Monday in nearly every battleground state, including Vice President Kamala Harris first joint campaign appearance with President Joe Biden since the switch at the top of the ticket.

Harris will travel to Detroit on Monday, before joining Biden in Pittsburgh for a campaign event, a nod to the presidents union bonafides in states like Pennsylvania. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and first lady Gwen Walz will travel to Milwaukee as the city celebrates its annual Laborfest, while second gentlemen Doug Emhoff will attend a Labor Day event in Newport News, Virginia.

The campaign is also deploying surrogates including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Mitch Landrieu, Tom Perez and others to key battleground states like North Carolina, Nevada and Georgia.

The Labor Day travel barrage, coming at the unofficial start of campaign season when most Americans begin paying closer attention to the election, speaks to Harris efforts to consolidate the support of labor across battleground states. She is hoping to limit former President Donald Trumps push for working-class voters who could swing the election. Harris has stressed to union leaders that she plans to forge ahead with Bidens pro-union agenda, leaning on the administrations record that has solidified the movements close working relationship with the White House that Biden helped build.

Bidens Labor Day campaign stop reflects his targeted role on the campaign trail in the months ahead. The Harris campaign and his team will deploy him to states where he can tap into his strengths with older white voters in states he won in 2020, including Pennsylvania.

Walz, a former union member, was a favorite among labor leaders in the veepstakes and seen as an addition to the top of the ticket who could shore up support among white, working class voters.

Like Biden, he also joined striking auto workers on the picket line at the Stellantis parts distribution facility in Plymouth, Minnesota, last October and signed into law one of the most significant packages of worker-friendly policies in state history, increasing protections for workers to unionize.
Vice President Harris and President Biden will make their first appearance together on the campaign trail since Harris replaced Biden atop the Democratic ticket during a Labor Day event in Pennsylvania.

Harriss campaign said the vice president will spend the holiday Monday campaigning in Detroit and Pennsylvania. Harris will join Biden in Pittsburgh for an event to tout their support for unions, the campaign said.

The two had previously appeared together for an official White House event to highlight savings on Medicare drugs, but Monday will be the first time they share the stage on the campaign trail.

Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground in Novembers election, and Biden had previously signaled he would spend time in the commonwealth in support of Harris.

The joint event is part of a Labor Day blitz the Harris campaign is planning.

In addition to Harriss two stops, the campaign said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and his wife, Gwen, would spend the day in Milwaukee. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend an event in Newport News, Va.

Other surrogates will also fan out to battleground states, the campaign said, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and campaign co-Chair Mitch Landrieu.

Harris has earned the support of several major organized labor groups since she replaced Biden atop the Democratic ticket, including the United Auto Workers (UAW). Harris has signaled she will carry on with much of the same labor policies as Biden, who often touted himself as the most pro-union president in history and joined striking autoworkers on the picket line last year.

Former President Trump has repeatedly argued that union members will back his campaign even as he spars with union leadership, most notably UAW President Shawn Fain, who has blasted Trump as a scab.

Trumps allies have argued that peeling off even some of Bidens support from organized labor could make a difference in what is expected to be a close election. The former president lost union members by 14 percentage points in 2020 against Biden.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Harris has lead over Trump after the DNC, says nationwide FAU poll

Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the lead over former U.S. President Donald Trump nationally, with 47% of voters supporting her compared to Trumps 43%, according to a new poll.

The poll was released Tuesday by the Florida Atlantic University Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research USA.

The results reveal significant shifts in the 2024 U.S. presidential race, underscoring deep gender and racial divides among voters across the nation, according to the poll.

Among likely voters, Harris leads 49% to 45%. She has gained strong support among women, with 53% backing her, while 45% of men favor her.

Harris also holds substantial advantages among Black voters (73%), Hispanic voters (51%), and white college-educated voters (57%).

Since her elevation to the top of the ticket, Vice President Harris has effectively appealed to women voters, and the gender gap has become more pronounced, Luzmarina Garcia, assistant professor of political science at FAU, said in a statement. Harris has also reestablished the Democratic Partys advantage with minority voters.

Trumps base remains predominantly male, with 47% support from men, compared with 41% from women.

Trump continues to command strong support among white voters without a college degree, with 59% favoring him.

Trumps support appeared to be eroding among independents, pollsters found, saying Harris has made significant inroads among independent voters, now capturing 48% of their support, compared to Trumps 35%.

This marks a notable shift from July when independents were more evenly split, with 45% backing Harris and 43% supporting Trump, according to the poll.

Experts attribute that to some momentum from the Democratic National Convention, which recently wrapped up in Chicago. Said Dukhong Kim, associate professor of political science at FAU: If this pattern persists, it will be difficult for Trump to maintain an advantage in the election.

There might be some evidence that when Harris supporters get to the polls, theyll vote D down ballot. When it comes to their Congressional preferences, the poll shows that 46% of respondents would vote for the Democratic Party candidate in their district, compared to 44% for the Republican Party candidate.

The generic ballot illustrates just how closely divided the nation continues to be, Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., professor of political science and co-director of the PolCom Lab, said in a statement. It suggests that the current default is for close and tightly contested elections.

Pollsters also asked about election anxiety and found negative emotions slightly outweighing positive ones by 44% to 41%. Harris supporters skew positive while Trump and undecided voters lean negative.

Notably, 27% of Democrats reported feeling excited about the election, while 32% of Republicans expressed fear, according to the poll.

While Democrats seem energized by the Harris-Walz ticket, theres a significant undercurrent of anxiety across the electorate, said Carol Bishop Mills, Ph.D., professor of communication and co-director of the PolCom Lab. These findings highlight the intense political polarization and uncertainty surrounding this election.

When it comes to the perception of candidates, Harris is viewed more strongly on the far left (37%) compared to her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (28%).

On the Republican side, Trump and his vice presidential pick are viewed as right-leaning, with Trump categorized as far right by 37% of voters and U.S. Senator JD Vance by 30%.

Although both Trump and Harris are similarly seen as conservative and liberal, respectively, Tim Walz is viewed by voters as a more moderate candidate, Wagner said. That may change, but it does give the Democrats an opportunity to appeal to the center.

How was the poll conducted

The poll surveyed 929 registered U.S. voters from Aug. 23 to Aug. 25, using a combination of Interactive Voice Response and online panel methods. Conducted in both English and Spanish, the survey applied weights for gender, race, education and past vote. Party identification was self-reported. Theres a margin of error equivalent to plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com. Follow on X, formerly Twitter, @LisaHuriash
Children gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A boy is seen after receiving food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Children gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

People gather to receive food relief in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Aug. 23 that humanitarian partners working to provide nutrition reported the number of children in northern Gaza who were diagnosed with acute malnutrition soared by over 300 percent last month compared to May -- and by more than 150 percent in the south. Without unfettered humanitarian access that allows a significant scale-up of support, hunger and malnutrition will only worsen. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)
Vice President Harris has taken a 4-point lead over former President Trump in a nationwide poll released Tuesday, several days after the Democratic convention.

The poll from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Political Communication, Public Opinion Research Lab and Mainstreet Research USA found Harris leading Trump, 47 percent to 43 percent.

Among likely voters, Harris, who replaced President Biden at the top of the partys ticket late last month, led with 49 percent to the former presidents 45 percent, the poll found.

The national survey, conducted just days following the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, had 53 percent of women and 45 percent of men favoring the Democratic nominee. The former president had 47 percent of support from men and 41 percent from women, according to the poll.

The vice president had a wider lead with Hispanic voters (51 percent), Black voters (73 percent) and white voters with a college degree (57 percent). The former president maintained substantial support with white voters who dont have a college degree, with 59 percent of those voters preferring him, the survey found.

Since her elevation to the top of the ticket, Vice President Harris has effectively appealed to women voters, and the gender gap has become more pronounced, Luzmarina Garcia, assistant professor of political science at FAU, said in a statement. Harris has also reestablished the Democratic Partys advantage with minority voters.

Harris held a double-digit lead among independent voters in the poll, winning 48 percent support compared to Trumps 35 percent. The previous iteration of the poll found a substantially smaller gap between the two presidential candidates, with Harris getting 45 percent to Trumps 43 percent of independent voters.

Trump is losing support from Independents compared to July, which could be a result of the Democratic Party convention and remains to be watched, said Dukhong Kim, an associate professor of political science at FAU. If this pattern persists, it will be difficult for Trump to maintain an advantage in the election.

The poll was conducted Aug. 23-25 among 929 registered U.S. voters. The margin of error was 3.2 percentage points.

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Harrodsburg nonprofit raising money for dog in need of a wheelchair

MERCER COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Harrodsburg nonprofit is asking for donations after over 30 dogs were rescued in Mercer County.

PuppyLove is working to help provide care to some of the dogs, with two needing urgent special care.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

The nonprofit said one of the dogs should have been placed in a wheelchair years ago.

The exact needs for the animals are expected to be released later, but PuppyLove said on Facebook that donations will help pay for the wheelchair, vaccines, and spaying/neutering needs.

We have rescues that have stepped up to help, but need the dogs to (be) checked by a vet and vaccinated before (being) introduced to their pack, reads the post.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

To donate visit the PuppyLove Facebook. Rescues with space for dogs are asked to contact the nonprofit at woof@puppyloveky.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Hate-spewing NYC lunatic who allegedly pummeled Muslim man in caught-on-camera beating is freed without bail

Hate-spewing NYC lunatic who allegedly pummeled Muslim man in caught-on-camera beating is freed without bail

A hate-spewing lunatic allegedly called a Muslim passer-by a terrorist, then pummeled him in a horrifying caught-on-camera beat-down in Midtown  only to end up freed without bail.

David Grinblat, 35, savagely attacked Sheharyar Ali Kazmi, 25, near Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Aug. 5, Manhattan prosecutors said at the suspects supreme-court arraignment Monday.

The unhinged Brooklyn nut came out of nowhere and spat on Kazmi, who was talking on the phone, and called him a fking Muslim, said Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bayley.

David Grinblat is accused of wigging out on a Muslim passer-by and attacking him earlier this month in Midtown. Steven Hirsch

Grinblat appeared to give his victim the middle finger while berating him in the shocking caught-on-camera attack. Sheharyar Ali Kazmi

When Kazmi asked Grinblat what he was doing, the suspect shouted more anti-Muslim slurs at him before telling him that hes a terrorist, a fking Muslim and to go back to Asia, prosecutors said.

Grinblat then allegedly punched Kazmi, who lives in Hewlett, LI, several times in the face.

Kazmi, who recorded the altercation with his phone, followed the alleged Muslim hater into the Fifth Avenue/53rd Street subway station, according to video obtained by The Post.

Sheharyar Ali Kazmi, 25, was savagely beaten in the hate-fueled assault. Sheharyar Ali Kazmi

Grinblat  dressed in a gray Hurley hat, navy shirt and khaki shorts  appeared to give Kazmi the middle finger while telling him to suck a dk na.

A bloodied Kazmi continued following Grinblat underground to ask him why he punched him as Grinblat repeatedly yelled, Death to all Muslims! before dropping his bag to continue beating Kazmi, the footage shows.

The nutjob then fled the scene before he was arrested three days later at his home, court papers said.

Grinblat continued to attack Kazmi after they entered a subway station, prosecutors said. Sheharyar Ali Kazmi

As alleged, David Grinblat attacked a man because of his perceived religion and national origin and spewed racist, anti-Muslim words at him, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. We will continue to hold those accountable who commit acts of hatred, which have no place in our city.

Grinblat also has two criminal mischief cases in Brooklyn against him, including a May 30 arrest for allegedly throwing a glass bottle of wine through a window panel, court records show.

He was charged in the Aug. 5 assault with two counts of assault in the third degree as a hate crime and aggravated harassment.

Kazmi suffered a bloodied lip and a cut to his face in the attack, according to prosecutors.

Grinblat had already been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, where a judge allowed him out on supervised release despite prosecutors asking he be held on $30,000 bail.

He was then indicted and had to appear in supreme court to be arraigned there, and prosecutors again sought to lock Grinblat up on $30,000 cash bail.

But Grinblat, who pleaded not guilty to the hate-crime assault charge, was let out again on supervised release by that judge, Laura Ward, after his lawyer, Geoffrey Bickford, successfully argued that hes batting 1.000 for checking in with court orders after the previous hearing.

Grinbat was freed without bail after a court hearing Monday. Steven Hirsch

The suspect hides his face while giving reporters the middle finger after his arraignment Monday. Steven Hirsch

Grinblat  who was seen in court Monday wearing a backpack, with his mom by his side  went berserk in the hallway because he didnt want his photograph taken by the press.

Get fked! Grinblat repeatedly told a group of reporters while covering his face and flipping the bird at photographers.

If convicted of the hate crime, Grinblat faces a heftier potential jail sentence  up to four years in prison.

Hes due back in court Nov. 20.
Hawaii will soon see new urban forest projects: What to know

The Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has announced that seven forestry projects across four islands will receive funding to boost community engagement with trees.

These projects, supported by Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry, will take place over the next three years on Kauai, Maui, Oahu and Hawaii Island.

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The goal is to strengthen the bond between local communities and their natural environment that will allow people to recognize the numerous benefits trees provide, from clean air and water to cooling shade and improved well-being.

DOFAW Administrator David Smith highlighted the significance of these efforts, noting that community trees hold cultural, ecological, and economic value.

He expressed pride in the departments partnership with these projects, emphasizing their role in fostering vitality among Hawaiis communities and urban forests.

The department recognizes the cultural, ecological and economic values that community trees provide, explained Smith. We are proud to partner on these projects and support expanded work to foster vitality in communities of trees and people.

Dr. Heather McMillen, Kaulunani program coordinator, also praised the initiative, stating that the commitment to urban and community forests is crucial at every level, from global to local.

She pointed out that federal funding for such projects is at an all-time high, and now, Hawaii is stepping up to show its dedication to growing forests where people live, work, learn, and play.

Commitment to urban and community forests is critical at all scales, from global to local, said Dr. McMillen. Federal funding for urban and community forestry projects has been at record levels and now the state of Hawaii has stepped up to demonstrate its commitment here at home.

Island projects breakdown:

Kauai:

Malama Kauais Village Harvest project: This initiative will invest in local fruit tree nurseries and host educational events aimed at improving fruit tree management across the island. The project will engage Kauai residents in community forestry to promote sustainable practices.

Maui:

Maui urban forest management plan : The County of Mauis Department of Management will enhance its federal award by conducting a thorough analysis of tree canopy data. This data will inform decision-making and promote equity in community forestry.

Restoring the Hamakualoa Coast: Malama Hamakua Maui will lead the reforestation of the Hamakualoa Open Space Preserve through community-driven efforts, restoring native plants to the coastline.

Oahu:

Updating Honolulus urban forestry practices : The City and County of Honolulu will work with community and technical experts to revise city regulations for better management of urban trees, particularly in parks and streets.

Ulu Koa project: Kokua Kalihi Valley will strengthen Kalihis land and community resilience by reconnecting urban land with people through Pacific Island tree-planting traditions.

Hawaii Island:

Ola i ka Aina project : Hiki Ola will build on its restoration work at the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve by engaging students in activities like seed collection, bird identification, and native tree planting, deepening their connection to aina.

Waikoloa Community Forest expansion: The Waikoloa Dry Forest Institute will lead a community-driven restoration effort to replace 10 acres of invasive grassland with 10,000 native plants, revitalizing the local ecosystem.

People increasingly recognize the need to grow the forest around uswhere we live, work, learn and play, added Dr. McMillen. Communities that are growing healthy trees understand that trees grow healthy communities.

These projects represent a significant step forward in creating healthier, more resilient communities across Hawaii by nurturing the natural environment that sustains them.

You can click here for more information. DLNR DOFAW said that for any questions about the urban and community forestry projects to contact Koki Atcheson, the IRA Community Partnerships Coordinator, at is koki.b.atcheson.researcher@hawaii.gov.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

The work ahead will not only protect Hawaiis urban forests but will also inspire future generations to value and care for the trees that provide so much to their daily lives.

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Officials with Seattle King County Public Health are urging people and their pets to avoid an area of Meydenbauer Bay because of a sewage leak.

According to the city of Bellevue, a contractor hit a wastewater pipe, causing the sewage to flow into the bay.

The advisory is until September 2 at 3:45 p.m.

A sewage overflow has occurred in Medina after a contractor hit a wastewater pipe. Seattle King County Public Health (SKCPH) has advised people and pets to stay out of the water highlighted on the map until Sept 2 at 3:45 p.m. pic.twitter.com/lAUwyEvdiY  Bellevue, Washington (@bellevuewa) August 27, 2024
FILE - Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, speaks at a campaign rally, June 6, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

PHOENIX (AP)  Attorneys representing Republicans accused of scheming to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential race in Arizona argued Tuesday that prosecutors were politically motivated in seeking a grand jury indictment against their clients.

Their charges came on the a second day of a hearing as Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen considers requests from at least a dozen of the 18 people indicted in the case to dismiss charges of fraud, conspiracy and forgery. Cohen said he'll rule separately on each motion  potentially at different times  after hearing from the prosecution Wednesday.

Defense lawyers argued that Democratic state Attorney General Kris Mayes tried to use the indictment to silence their clients' constitutionally protected speech about the 2020 election and actions taken in response to its outcome. President Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes.

They said Mayes campaigned on investigating fake electors and showed a bias against former President Donald Trump and his supporters.

Why you would bring this action in 2024 reeks, reeks of political vengeance and retribution, said Dennis Wilenchik, an attorney for James Lamon, who signed a statement claiming Trump had won Arizona.

Prosecutors say the defendants dont have evidence to back up their retaliation claim.

This case was indicted after a lengthy, multimonth grand jury presentation by members of the defendants peers from across the state, lead prosecutor Nicholas Klingerman said outside court Tuesday. That grand jury was independent and made its own decision to indict this case.

Defense attorneys broadly cited an Arizona law that bars using baseless legal actions in a bid to silence critics. The law had long offered protections in civil cases but was amended in 2022 by the Republican-led Legislature to cover people facing most criminal charges.

Cohen probed the defense arguments, questioning the assertion that their alleged activity was constitutionally protected.

"Fraud is not protected. Forgery is not protected, Cohen said. Where is that an exercise of free speech?

Among those charged are 11 people who submitted a document falsely claiming Trump won Arizona, two former Trump aides and five lawyers connected to Trump, including Rudy Giuliani.

The indictment alleges that Giuliani pressured Maricopa County officials and state legislators to change the election results and encouraged Republican electors in the state to vote for Trump in mid-December 2020. The indictment says Giuliani spread false claims of election fraud in Arizona and presided over a downtown Phoenix gathering where he claimed officials made no effort to determine the accuracy of presidential election results.

Giuliani's attorney, Mark Williams, defended his client's conduct Monday as legal and said the indictment was brought to deprive Giuliani of his rights, such as freedom of speech.

John Eastman, one of the defendants who devised a strategy to try to persuade Congress not to certify the election, said Monday that he's looking forward to Cohen's rulings.

The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. Their trial is scheduled to start Jan. 5, 2026.

Former Trump presidential chief of staff Mark Meadows is trying to move his charges to federal court, where his lawyers say they will seek a dismissal.

___

This story was first published Aug. 27, 2024. It was updated Aug. 28, 2024, to add the year a trial for the remaining defendants is scheduled to start. It is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2026, not Jan. 5, 2025.

___

Associated Press writer Sejal Govindarao contributed to this report.
Hottest temps in more than a decade expected in Ohio. What does heat advisory mean?

Sweltering heat is returning to Ohio and the Midwest on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Highs in the 96- to 98-degree range are in the forecast for Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus. According to the National Weather Service, none of those cities have reached 98 degrees since 2012.

Some schools have announced early release due to the heat.

[7:30 PM] For the curious-minded out there... None of the big 3 local climate sites (CVG, CMH, DAY) have reached at least 98F since 2012. Highs between 96F-98F are in the forecast for these spots Tue/Wed. Each of the 3 local sites hit triple digits in 2012 as well.  NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) August 26, 2024

More: Greater Cincinnati to experience heat not seen in more than 10 years, forecasters say

The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories, and excessive heat watches and warnings for counties in Ohio. On Tuesday, most counties in the state, including those in the Greater Cincinnati region, were under a heat advisory, while some northern counties were under an excessive heat warning.

[9:40 PM] For those wondering about the probs of hitting at least 100F, this chart shows % chance from some of our ensembles for reaching that threshold (greater than 99F / at least 100F) for various spots locally Wednesday. Frankly, it's tough to get triple digits around here. pic.twitter.com/ZtcD2hTecq  NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) August 27, 2024

What is a heat advisory?

The weather agency's local offices issue heat alerts specific to the region. Criteria for the alerts vary for different regions. "For instance, residents of Florida are much more prepared for 90F+ weather than residents in Alaska," the weather service states.

Here's what the alert levels generally mean, according to the National Weather Service:

More: Excessive heat really is dangerous. Here's what doctors want you to know

Excessive Heat Warning  An Excessive Heat Warning is issued within 12 hours of the onset of extremely dangerous heat conditions. The general rule of thumb for this Warning is when the maximum heat index temperature is expected to be 105 or higher for at least 2 days and nighttime air temperatures will not drop below 75. If you don't take precautions immediately when conditions are extreme, you may become seriously ill or even die.

Excessive Heat Watches  Heat watches are issued when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 24 to 72 hours. A Watch is used when the risk of a heat wave has increased but its occurrence and timing are still uncertain.

Heat Advisory  A Heat Advisory is issued within 12 hours of the onset of extremely dangerous heat conditions. The general rule of thumb for this advisory is when the maximum heat index temperature is expected to be 100 or higher for at least 2 days, and nighttime air temperatures will not drop below 75. Take precautions to avoid heat illness. If you don't take precautions, you may become seriously ill or even die.

Excessive Heat Outlooks  The outlooks are issued when the potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days. An outlook provides information to those who need considerable lead time to prepare for the event.

Due to the increased risk for heat-related illness, the weather service is currently warning Greater Cincinnati residents to keep hydrated, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors.

Anyone venturing outside should also take extra precautions, such as wearing lightweight or loose-fitting clothes and limiting strenuous activities to the early morning or evening.

Source: The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio.

More: Record number of Americans died from heat in 2023 as temperatures continue to rise in 2024

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Heat advisory: Ohio may see hottest temps in more than a decade
How you can help preserve Visalias history

VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Want a hand in helping preserve Visalias history? The city announced Monday a vacancy for the City of Visalias Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.

According to city officials, the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee is responsible for preserving Visalias historic structures through the standards and specifications of the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

Meetings for the committee are held every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at the City of Visalia Administration Office Conference Room, located at 220 N. Santa Fe St., Visalia.

Applicants should be 18 years or older and be a resident of Visalia as defined by the Visalia Unified School Districts boundary map. The city says residents living in Visalias Historic District will be considered first.

Officials say formal action is then required by the city council to appoint or reappoint the applicants presented by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.

Anyone interested in applying for a seat on the committee can find the form on the City of Visalias website. Completed applications should be submitted to Chief Deputy City Clerk Michelle Nicholsons office at 220 N. Santa Fe, Visalia, CA 93292, or via email at michelle.nicholson@visalia.city .

Applicants will be accepted Monday through Sept. 9.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
File photo of an ultrasound. (Getty Images.)

Read more Stateline coverage on how states are either protecting or curbing access to abortions.

Helping a pregnant minor travel to get a legal abortion without parental consent is now a crime in at least two Republican-led states, prompting legal action by abortion-rights advocates and copycat legislation from conservative lawmakers in a handful of other states.

Last year, Idaho became the first state to outlaw abortion trafficking, which it defined as recruiting, harboring or transporting a pregnant minor to get an abortion or abortion medication without parental permission. In May, Tennessee enacted a similar law. And Republican lawmakers in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma introduced abortion trafficking bills during their most recent legislative sessions, although those bills failed to advance before the sessions ended.

Those five states are among the 14 that enacted strict abortion bans following the U.S. Supreme Courts June 2022 Dobbs decision, which dismantled the federal right to abortion. Now, conservative state lawmakers are pushing additional measures to try to restrict their residents from getting them in states where it remains legal.

A lot of folks thought Dobbs was the floor and its really not, said Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat whos challenging Tennessees trafficking law in court. [Anti-abortion lawmakers] are coming for state travel and the ability to even talk about abortion.

Abortion-rights advocates have filed lawsuits in Alabama, Idaho and Tennessee, arguing the laws are vague and violate constitutional rights to free speech and travel between states. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Idahos law from being enforced while the case is ongoing.

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Proponents of the laws argue theyre needed to protect parental rights and to prevent other adults from persuading adolescents to get abortions.

This is a parental rights piece of legislation, Idaho Republican state Rep. Barbara Ehardt told Stateline. We cant control someone getting an abortion in Oregon. But you cannot take a child to get an abortion without the parents knowledge because, at least in the past, we would have called that kidnapping.

But critics warn that abortion trafficking laws could have grave implications not only for interstate travel, but also for personal speech and communication between friends, or between children and adults they trust.

If courts go down this road, it could change the scope of the First Amendment, Mary Ziegler, a legal historian and law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, told Stateline. It could have an effect on what else qualifies as crime-facilitating speech, and that could limit the kinds of things people can say and do online and in other contexts.

Opponents also question whether states should be permitted to interfere in the business of other states. Criminalizing travel within an abortion-ban state to reach another state for a legal abortion would allow prosecutors to project power across state lines, said Ziegler.

We havent seen states try to interfere in whats happening in other states in quite the same way in a long time, she said. Thats why there is legal uncertainty  because were not talking about something where we have a lot of legal precedent.

Parental rights

Tennessee state Rep. Jason Zachary, a Knoxville Republican, defended Tennessees legislation as a parental rights bill that reinforces a parents right to do whats best for their child, in remarks he made to the Tennessee General Assembly before the bill passed. Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed it into law in May.

The following month, Behn joined with Nashville attorney and longtime abortion access activist Rachel Welty to file a lawsuit challenging the new law.

Behn and Welty sued nearly a dozen district attorneys in Tennessee, alleging they ignored Weltys requests to define what behavior would be deemed illegal under the new law. The Tennessee law says that abortion trafficking occurs when an adult intentionally recruits, harbors, or transports a pregnant minor within the state to get an abortion or an abortion-inducing drug without parental consent, regardless of where the abortion is to be procured.

A hearing to determine whether the court will grant a temporary injunction blocking the Tennessee law, which is currently in effect, is scheduled for Aug. 30.

After Idaho passed its law in April 2023, two advocacy groups and an attorney who works with sexual assault victims sued the state attorney general. The plaintiffs claim Idahos law is vague and violates the First Amendment right to free speech, as well as the right to travel freely between states. The right to interstate travel isnt spelled out in the U.S. Constitution but its implied, legal experts say. The Idaho law directly applies to travel within the state, but it also notes that defendants are not immune from liability if the abortion provider or the abortion-inducing drug provider is located in another state.

Megan Kovacs, a board member with the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, which is a plaintiff in the case along with the Indigenous Idaho Alliance, said it is so clearly unconstitutional to disallow people from accessing health care from within or outside their state. Kovacs added that her group also wants to protect its volunteers from legal liability.

Neither the Idaho nor the Tennessee law exempts minors who become pregnant after being raped by a parent.

If that person had to go to a parent who didnt believe them or wanted to defend that family member who was the abuser, that only impedes healing even more, said Kovacs, who has spent a decade working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Ehardt, who sponsored the Idaho bill, said any adult who is told by a child about an incident of incest should call authorities rather than helping the minor obtain an abortion without parental consent.

You have to call the police and they will be the ones to help protect the childs safety, she said.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing in May in Seattle, and Kovacs said she expects to learn in the next few weeks whether the court will uphold the temporary injunction blocking Idahos law while the lawsuit rolls on.

In July 2023, a group of health care providers sued Alabama Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall and district attorneys, asking the court to prevent the state from prosecuting people who help Alabamians travel to get abortion care in states where its legal.

The providers filed the lawsuit in response to remarks that Marshall made on a radio show in 2022, when he suggested that some people who aid a pregnant person in planning or traveling to get an abortion in another state could be prosecuted under the states criminal conspiracy laws. A judge denied Marshalls motion to dismiss the lawsuit earlier this year, and the case is ongoing.

A coordinated effort

The Tennessee and Idaho laws mirror language in model legislation that was published in 2022 by the National Right to Life Committee, which bills itself as the nations oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization.

With this model law, we [are] laying out a roadmap for the right-to-life movement so that, in a post-Roe society, we can protect many mothers and their children from the tragedy of abortion, said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life Committee, in a June 2022 statement introducing the model anti-abortion law.

Anti-abortion-rights organizations, like other interest groups, have long coordinated strategies to promote their preferred legislation to state and federal lawmakers.

The Idaho and Tennessee laws focus specifically on minors, even though they comprise a small fraction of people who get abortions. Those under 19 accounted for 8.1% of abortions, and those under age 15 accounted for just 0.2% of abortions in 2021, the most recent year for which the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published data.

Kovacs and Ziegler say the bills zero in on minors access to abortion because policies that regulate children and teens tend to be more politically acceptable than broader restrictions that affect adults. Such bills also tend to be more likely to survive legal challenges in court.

A chilling effect

Nobody in Tennessee or Idaho has yet been prosecuted under the abortion trafficking laws, but an Idaho woman and her son were charged with kidnapping last fall for allegedly taking the sons girlfriend, a minor, out of state to get an abortion.

One main goal of a law such as Tennessees, Behn believes, is to create a chilling effect so that average people are scared to help anyone who might need an abortion, for fear of breaking the law.

These bills create an environment of suspicion, fear and misinformation, said Behn. But I do think we will see more aggressive district attorneys start to prosecute these cases. [The law] widens the permission structure to start prosecuting people.

Laws criminalizing abortion travel and imposing other abortion restrictions may be designed to provoke a legal challenge, Ziegler said. With a 6-3 conservative majority, the U.S. Supreme Court might be inclined to support them.

Abortion-rights advocates argue that restrictive abortion laws end up harming even those people who live in states where abortion is still legal.

Oregon, for example, has some of the strongest abortion protection laws in the nation. And yet the strict abortion ban next door in Idaho has made it more difficult for Oregonians to access care, said Kovacs, who lives in Oregon.

Before Idahos ban, many people in Eastern Oregon traveled to Idaho for abortion care, she said, because its clinics were closer than Oregons clinics, most of which are concentrated on the western side of the state. Last year, in response to increasing abortion restrictions in other states, Oregon passed a sweeping health care omnibus bill that strengthens protections for abortion providers and explicitly allows minors to seek abortions without parental consent. It was signed into law and took effect in January.

Ziegler said its not hard to imagine that if abortion trafficking laws are upheld in abortion-ban states, at some point prosecutors in those states could file charges against providers in safe states for providing abortion help, such as mailing abortion pills.

I think its not intended to just stop with the people who are in the ban states, Ziegler said.

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A rally in support of abortion rights drew hundreds to downtown Nashville on Saturday, May 14, 2022. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Read more Stateline coverage on how states are either protecting or curbing access to abortions.

Helping a pregnant minor travel to get a legal abortion without parental consent is now a crime in at least two Republican-led states, prompting legal action by abortion-rights advocates and copycat legislation from conservative lawmakers in a handful of other states.

Last year, Idaho became the first state to outlaw abortion trafficking, which it defined as recruiting, harboring or transporting a pregnant minor to get an abortion or abortion medication without parental permission. In May, Tennessee enacted a similar law. And Republican lawmakers in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma introduced abortion trafficking bills during their most recent legislative sessions, although those bills failed to advance before the sessions ended.

Those five states are among the 14 that enacted strict abortion bans following the U.S. Supreme Courts June 2022 Dobbs decision, which dismantled the federal right to abortion. Now, conservative state lawmakers are pushing additional measures to try to restrict their residents from getting them in states where it remains legal.

A lot of folks thought Dobbs was the floor and its really not, said Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat whos challenging Tennessees trafficking law in court. [Anti-abortion lawmakers] are coming for state travel and the ability to even talk about abortion.

Abortion-rights advocates have filed lawsuits in Alabama, Idaho and Tennessee, arguing the laws are vague and violate constitutional rights to free speech and travel between states. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Idahos law from being enforced while the case is ongoing.

Proponents of the laws argue theyre needed to protect parental rights and to prevent other adults from persuading adolescents to get abortions.

This is a parental rights piece of legislation, Idaho Republican state Rep. Barbara Ehardt told Stateline. We cant control someone getting an abortion in Oregon. But you cannot take a child to get an abortion without the parents knowledge because, at least in the past, we would have called that kidnapping.

But critics warn that abortion trafficking laws could have grave implications not only for interstate travel, but also for personal speech and communication between friends, or between children and adults they trust.

If courts go down this road, it could change the scope of the First Amendment, Mary Ziegler, a legal historian and law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, told Stateline. It could have an effect on what else qualifies as crime-facilitating speech, and that could limit the kinds of things people can say and do online and in other contexts.

Opponents also question whether states should be permitted to interfere in the business of other states. Criminalizing travel within an abortion-ban state to reach another state for a legal abortion would allow prosecutors to project power across state lines, said Ziegler.

We havent seen states try to interfere in whats happening in other states in quite the same way in a long time, she said. Thats why there is legal uncertainty  because were not talking about something where we have a lot of legal precedent.

Parental rights

Tennessee state Rep. Jason Zachary, a Knoxville Republican, defended Tennessees legislation as a parental rights bill that reinforces a parents right to do whats best for their child, in remarks he made to the Tennessee General Assembly before the bill passed. Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed it into law in May.

The following month, Behn joined with Nashville attorney and longtime abortion access activist Rachel Welty to file a lawsuit challenging the new law.

Behn and Welty sued nearly a dozen district attorneys in Tennessee, alleging they ignored Weltys requests to define what behavior would be deemed illegal under the new law. The Tennessee law says that abortion trafficking occurs when an adult intentionally recruits, harbors, or transports a pregnant minor within the state to get an abortion or an abortion-inducing drug without parental consent, regardless of where the abortion is to be procured.

A hearing to determine whether the court will grant a temporary injunction blocking the Tennessee law, which is currently in effect, is scheduled for Aug. 30.

After Idaho passed its law in April 2023, two advocacy groups and an attorney who works with sexual assault victims sued the state attorney general. The plaintiffs claim Idahos law is vague and violates the First Amendment right to free speech, as well as the right to travel freely between states. The right to interstate travel isnt spelled out in the U.S. Constitution but its implied, legal experts say. The Idaho law directly applies to travel within the state, but it also notes that defendants are not immune from liability if the abortion provider or the abortion-inducing drug provider is located in another state.

Megan Kovacs, a board member with the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, which is a plaintiff in the case along with the Indigenous Idaho Alliance, said it is so clearly unconstitutional to disallow people from accessing health care from within or outside their state. Kovacs added that her group also wants to protect its volunteers from legal liability.

Neither the Idaho nor the Tennessee law exempts minors who become pregnant after being raped by a parent.

If that person had to go to a parent who didnt believe them or wanted to defend that family member who was the abuser, that only impedes healing even more, said Kovacs, who has spent a decade working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Ehardt, who sponsored the Idaho bill, said any adult who is told by a child about an incident of incest should call authorities rather than helping the minor obtain an abortion without parental consent.

You have to call the police and they will be the ones to help protect the childs safety, she said.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing in May in Seattle, and Kovacs said she expects to learn in the next few weeks whether the court will uphold the temporary injunction blocking Idahos law while the lawsuit rolls on.

In July 2023, a group of health care providers sued Alabama Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall and district attorneys, asking the court to prevent the state from prosecuting people who help Alabamians travel to get abortion care in states where its legal.

The providers filed the lawsuit in response to remarks that Marshall made on a radio show in 2022, when he suggested that some people who aid a pregnant person in planning or traveling to get an abortion in another state could be prosecuted under the states criminal conspiracy laws. A judge denied Marshalls motion to dismiss the lawsuit earlier this year, and the case is ongoing.

A coordinated effort

The Tennessee and Idaho laws mirror language in model legislation that was published in 2022 by the National Right to Life Committee, which bills itself as the nations oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization.

With this model law, we [are] laying out a roadmap for the right-to-life movement so that, in a post-Roe society, we can protect many mothers and their children from the tragedy of abortion, said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life Committee, in a June 2022 statement introducing the model anti-abortion law.

Anti-abortion-rights organizations, like other interest groups, have long coordinated strategies to promote their preferred legislation to state and federal lawmakers.

The Idaho and Tennessee laws focus specifically on minors, even though they comprise a small fraction of people who get abortions. Those under 19 accounted for 8.1% of abortions, and those under age 15 accounted for just 0.2% of abortions in 2021, the most recent year for which the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published data.

Kovacs and Ziegler say the bills zero in on minors access to abortion because policies that regulate children and teens tend to be more politically acceptable than broader restrictions that affect adults. Such bills also tend to be more likely to survive legal challenges in court.

A chilling effect

Nobody in Tennessee or Idaho has yet been prosecuted under the abortion trafficking laws, but an Idaho woman and her son were charged with kidnapping last fall for allegedly taking the sons girlfriend, a minor, out of state to get an abortion.

One main goal of a law such as Tennessees, Behn believes, is to create a chilling effect so that average people are scared to help anyone who might need an abortion, for fear of breaking the law.

These bills create an environment of suspicion, fear and misinformation, said Behn. But I do think we will see more aggressive district attorneys start to prosecute these cases. [The law] widens the permission structure to start prosecuting people.

A bid by Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, to cut Tennessee's grocery tax failed. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Laws criminalizing abortion travel and imposing other abortion restrictions may be designed to provoke a legal challenge, Ziegler said. With a 6-3 conservative majority, the U.S. Supreme Court might be inclined to support them.

Abortion-rights advocates argue that restrictive abortion laws end up harming even those people who live in states where abortion is still legal.

Oregon, for example, has some of the strongest abortion protection laws in the nation. And yet the strict abortion ban next door in Idaho has made it more difficult for Oregonians to access care, said Kovacs, who lives in Oregon.

These bills create an environment of suspicion, fear and misinformation. But I do think we will see more aggressive district attorneys start to prosecute these cases.

 Nashville Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn

Before Idahos ban, many people in Eastern Oregon traveled to Idaho for abortion care, she said, because its clinics were closer than Oregons clinics, most of which are concentrated on the western side of the state. Last year, in response to increasing abortion restrictions in other states, Oregon passed a sweeping health care omnibus bill that strengthens protections for abortion providers and explicitly allows minors to seek abortions without parental consent. It was signed into law and took effect in January.

Ziegler said its not hard to imagine that if abortion trafficking laws are upheld in abortion-ban states, at some point prosecutors in those states could file charges against providers in safe states for providing abortion help, such as mailing abortion pills.

I think its not intended to just stop with the people who are in the ban states, Ziegler said.

Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X.
HOHHOT, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Higher People's Court of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region upheld the death sentence of Li Jianping, former secretary of the Party working committee of Hohhot economic and technological development zone, in a second trial on Tuesday.

Li was sentenced to death for corruption, bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and collusion with a criminal syndicate.

The ruling will be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for examination and approval.

Li appealed his death sentence, which was handed down by an intermediate court in Inner Mongolia in September 2022.

The ruling found him guilty of multiple crimes, noting his extreme malice, severe social impact and the gravity of his offenses.

Between 2006 and 2018, Li exploited various positions he held to embezzle more than 1.437 billion yuan (about 202 million U.S. dollars) of state funds, receive gifts and money totaling more than 577 million yuan, and misappropriate over 1.055 billion yuan in public funds from state-owned companies.

He also maintained close contact with a leader of a criminal syndicate and condoned the organization's illegal activities. 
Her life was at risk. She needed an abortion. Insurance refused to pay.

(Getty Images)

Ashley and Kyle were newlyweds in early 2022 and thrilled to be expecting their first child. But bleeding had plagued Ashley from the beginning of her pregnancy, and in July, at seven weeks, she began miscarrying.

The couples heartbreak came a few weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion. In Wisconsin, their home state, an 1849 law had sprung back into effect, halting abortion care except when a pregnant woman faced death.

Insurance coverage for abortion care in the U.S. is a hodgepodge. Patients often dont know when or if a procedure or abortion pills are covered, and the proliferation of abortion bans has exacerbated the confusion. Ashley said she got caught in that tangle of uncertainties.

Ashleys life wasnt in danger during the miscarriage, but the states abortion ban meant doctors in Wisconsin could not perform a D&E  dilation and evacuation  even during a miscarriage until the embryo died. She drove back and forth to the hospital, bleeding and taking sick time from work, until doctors could confirm that the pregnancy had ended. Only then did doctors remove the pregnancy tissue.

The first pregnancy was the first time I had realized that something like that could affect me, said Ashley, who asked to be identified by her middle name and her husband by his first name only. She works in a government agency alongside conservative co-workers and fears retribution for discussing her abortion care.

A year later, the 1849 abortion ban still in place in Wisconsin, Ashley was pregnant again.

Everything was perfect. I was starting to feel kicking and movement, she said. It was the day I turned 20 weeks, which was a Monday. I went to work, and then I picked Kyle up from work, and I got up off the drivers seat and there was fluid on the seat.

The amniotic sac had broken, a condition called previable PPROM. The couple drove straight to the obstetrics triage at UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital, billed as the largest birthing hospital in Wisconsin. The fetus was deemed too underdeveloped to survive, and the ruptured membranes posed a serious threat of infection.

Obstetrician-gynecologists from across Wisconsin had decided that in cases of previable PPROM, every patient should be offered termination of pregnancy due to the significant risk of ascending infection and potential sepsis and death, said Eliza Bennett, the OB-GYN who treated Ashley.

Ashley needed an abortion to save her life.

The couple called their parents; Ashleys mom arrived at the hospital to console them. Under the 1849 Wisconsin abortion ban, Bennett, an associate clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, needed two other physicians to attest that Ashley was facing death.

But even with an arsenal of medical documentation, Ashleys health insurer, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, did not cover the abortion procedure. Months later, Ashley logged in to her medical billing portal and was surprised to see that the insurer had paid for her three-night hospital stay but not the abortion.

Every time I called insurance about my bill, I was sobbing on the phone because it was so frustrating to have to explain the situation and why I think it should be covered, she said. Its making me feel like it was my fault, and I should be ashamed of it, Ashley said.

Eventually, Ashley talked to a woman in the hospital billing department who relayed what the insurance company had said.

She told me, Ashley said, quote, FEP Blue does not cover any abortions whatsoever. Period. Doesnt matter what it is. We dont cover abortions.

University of Wisconsin Health, which administers billing for UnityPoint Health-Meriter hospital, confirmed this exchange.

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program contracts with FEP Blue, or the BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program, to provide health plans to federal employees. In response to an interview request, FEP Blue emailed a statement saying it is required to comply with federal legislation which prohibits Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans from covering procedures, services, drugs, and supplies related to abortions except when the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or when the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.

Those restrictions, known as the Hyde Amendment, have been passed each year since 1976 by Congress and prohibit federal funds from covering abortion services.

In Ashleys case, physicians had said her life was in danger, and her bill should have immediately been paid, said Alina Salganicoff, director of Womens Health Policy at KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

What tripped up Ashleys bill was the word abortion and a billing code that is insurance kryptonite, said Salganicoff.

Right now, were in a situation where there is really heightened sensitivity about what is a life-threatening emergency, and when is it a life-threatening emergency, Salganicoff said. The same chilling effect that has spooked doctors and hospitals from providing legal abortion care, she said, may also be affecting insurance coverage.

In Wisconsin, Bennett said, lack of coverage for abortion care is widespread.

Many patients I take care of who have a pregnancy complication or, more commonly, a severe fetal anomaly, they dont have any coverage, Bennett said.

Recently, the bill for $1,700 disappeared from Ashleys online bill portal. The hospital confirmed that eight months later, after multiple appeals, the insurer paid the claim. When contacted again on Aug. 7, FEP Blue responded that it would not comment on the specifics of the health care received by individual members.

Ashley said tangling with her insurance company and experiencing the impact of abortion restrictions on her health care, similar to other women around the country, has emboldened her.

Im in this now with all these people, she said. I feel a lot more connected to them, in a way that I didnt as much before.

Ashley is pregnant again, and she and her husband hope that this time their insurance will cover whatever medical care her doctor says she needs.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Subscribe to KFF Health News free Morning Briefing.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Clarence Alvert Laws is among the many unsung forces for justice in Texas and Louisiana during the tumultuous civil rights era.

The most vocal figures of the Civil Rights movement are more widely known, but its important to recognize and appreciate the contributions and sacrifices of less-known activists. Thats how we tell the whole story of the movement.

Clarence Alvert Lawss triumphant tale is one of many that the Caddo Parish Civil Rights Trail aims to tell.

This is his story.

Background information about Law

Born in Opelousas, Louisiana, Laws earned his Bachelors degree from Dillard University in 1932. After serving in World War II and the Korean War, Laws joined the New Orleans branch of the Urban League, and after that stint he became the field director of the NAACPs Southwestern region. During that time, Laws became a central yet virtually uncovered civil figure within the Civil Rights Movement.

Clarence Laws, Southwest regional field secretary of the NAACP, to speak at Dillards homecoming celebration, 1960. (Source: The Louisiana Weekly, Sat., Oct. 29, 1960)

Laws was a prominent NAACP activist in Dallas, alongside later icons that include Thurgood Marshall during the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling that school segregation was unconstitutional. Laws was the Southwestern regional director in Louisiana and Texas, respectively.

Clarence Laws pictured at the NAACP state convention in Opelousas, 1964. (Source: Daily World, Sun., Nov. 29, 1964)

Laws was a central force in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the wake of the Little Rock Nine fervor. And into the 1960s Laws stayed consistent with his activism, working as the parade marshal for the March on Washington in 1963. He was also present for the Selma to Montgomery Marches in 1965.

Post-1965, Laws became the director of the civil rights department at the Dallas regional office of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) and the first black administrator of the Dallas Office.

While Laws is commonly known for his activism in the Lone Star State, his impact on New Orleans and Shreveport cannot go unrecognized.

An unsung man of the movement, Laws was a present and active force for some of the most pivotal moments for African Americans in this nations history. His time as field director and Southwestern regional director for the NAACP kept the movement in places like Shreveport, New Orleans, Dallas, and many other cities throughout the South afloat when hope for racial progress seemed little more than a fantasy.

Laws and Emmett Till

One of the moments when it was hard to keep hope afloat was connected to the brutal lynching of Emmett Till. At 14 years old, Till, a young, vibrant African American child, was murdered by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam for whistling and making advances at Carolyn Bryant  advances she later admitted to lying about.

Image of Emmett Till, standing and smiling at the camera. (Source: public domain)

The gruesome murder captured the nations attention and spurred many African Americans to exhaust every resource available to prevent such a fate from happening to anyone else. Clarence Laws was one of thousands to answer the call to justice after Tills murder.

Bogalusa, Las NAACP staged an Emmett Till memorial in 1955. (Source: News Leader, Baton Rouge, Sat., Oct. 15, 1955.)

At a memorial in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and later in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Laws left listeners and later readers with messages that set the tone for the future movement.

Laws vs. Rainach

Clarence Laws took his own advice and decided not to give in to the fear, and he stood his ground against some of the Souths most ardent segregationists. He went head-to-head with staunch segregationists such as William Willie Rainach, out of Claiborne Parish, then Bruce Bennett, out of Little Rock, Arkansas.

The mid-1950s was a stressful year for the NAACP, as a crusade across the American South began to purge the group from existence. And the anti-NAACP crusade was led in Homer, a small town in Claiborne Parish in Northern Louisiana, by the infamous Willie Rainach.

Powerful Southern segregationist Senator was from Claiborne Parish, Louisiana

Laws heavily refuted Rainachs use of Louisiana state funds to prevent school integration.

According to Baton Rouges News Leader, in July of 1955 the Louisiana State Board of Liquidation approved $100,000 at Rainachs request. The funds went to Rainachs Joint Legislative Committee on Segregation and were used to fight integration efforts.

The Louisiana NAACP and Laws decided to fight back against Rainach and the Joint Legislative Committee on Segregation.

We of the NAACP Louisiana believe that the $100,000 granted by the Board of Liquidation of State Debt to aid parish boards to defy the Supreme Court decision to desegregate public schools is as unconstitutional as it is immoral, declared Clarence Laws, Field Secretary of the NAACP. We doubt that a state can use taxpayers money to break the law and to deny a segment of those same taxpayers their constitutional rights. In light of this clear declaration, it appears that the board of liquidation would be pursuing the wiser course by granting funds to implement the court decision rather than fight it, Laws asserted.

Laws helps form NAACP Branch in Claiborne Parish

In October of 1955, Laws oversaw the formation of an NAACP Branch in Claiborne Parish, Rainachs hometown. The meeting to establish the chapter was held at the Center Springs Methodist Church and more than 300 people attended.

At the meeting in Claiborne Parish, Laws commented, I know of no place in Louisiana where there is greater need for NAACP efforts than here. You all must be commended for this wonderful show of good faith in yourselves and democracy,

Laws speaks in Shreveport

In December 1955, Clarence Laws visited Shreveport, Louisiana to speak at the Branchs annual election meeting. During the meeting, he spoke of African Americans collectively pooling resources in the battle for racial equality.

In this fight, educators, laborers, businesses and professional people and others must pool their collective resources; they must forget about class and position and work toward the common goal of citizenship, he said.

LSUS researcher finds links to the Confederacy while tracking family lineage

White Citizens Council strikes again

1956 brought its unique challenges outside of conventional Jim Crow segregation, as officials like Rainach and Leander Perez in South Louisiana, along with several other states in the American South, successfully banned the NAACP from operating. In a twist of irony, the ban came from an injunction from 1924 in Baton Rouge aimed at curbing Ku Klux Klan membership, now only enforced on the NAACP to require membership lists.

The sudden and clearly racist move by officials in Louisiana and other Southern States did not surprise Laws or anyone else in NAACP leadership. The revival of the law was actually the culmination of efforts by the White Citizens Council, an organization founded to maintain white supremacy and segregation at all costs. Segregationists knew that requiring the NAACP to turn membership lists over to the state would undoubtedly lead to harassment, violence, and firing of NAACP members from their jobs due to their involvement in the movement.

Laws and the Little Rock Nine

1957 presented Laws with a new, yet familiar, hurdleschool desegregation.

September 3, 1957, saw nine African American Students, Melba Pattillo, Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Minnijean Brown, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, Gloria Ray, and Thelma Mothershed. This group of brave souls is now known as The Little Rock Nine, and together they integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Heres how it happened.

Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent Black students from entering the school when the U.S. government forced the issue of integration. Two days later, when the children returned to school, they were harassed by a mob.

After two weeks of the situation remaining at a fever pitch, President Eisenhower federalized the National Guard and sent in personnel from the U.S. Armys 101st Airborne Division, also known as the Screaming Eagles, to escort the children into the school safely. The National Guards presence and incidents of overt racism were filmed and broadcast on national television.

Seven members of the Little Rock Nine. (Source: Collection of the Smithsonian Nationan Museum of African American History and Culture)

The NAACPs official newspaper, The Crisis, reported on the difficulty of integration in Little Rock.

The NAACP in Arkansas played a prominent part throughout the Little Rock crisis. The president of the State Conference, Mrs. Daisy Bates, gave continued leadership to the students, parents, and the community.

Clarence Laws was already the NAACP field secretary, and he was assigned to the Little Rock area indefinitely to assist in handling public relations and other tasks.

Man survives Shreveport lynching attempt in 1915 and becomes international icon

Laws later delivered a powerful address, later known as Nine Courageous Students, at a Colorado State Conference meeting. The address was later published in The Crisis. In the article, Laws plead with listeners and readers. He asked them to put themselves in the perspective of the Little Rock Nine. Major political forces had become involved in the sitution, but Laws kept the perspective that these were children. He recognized that these children were simply attempting to attend one of the nations highest-ranked schools. He also understood that the children had to deal with an extraordinary amount of pressure. They had to intentionally choose to not retaliate against racism that was pointed toward them, while simultaneously maintaining high academic standards.

Laws connection to Ruby Bridges

Laws was also a pivotal point in a different school desegregation case, which he dubbed the Second Battle of New Orleans in a column he authored for The Crisis.

On November 14, 1960, four little girls (Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, Tessie Prevost, and Ruby Bridges) became the first children to integrate elementary schools in the American South.

They were only six years old.

Ruby Bridges at William Frantz Elementary School, New Orleans, 1960. (Source: public domain)

Tate, Etienne, and Prevost attended McDonogh, while Bridges attended William-Frantz Elementary. At the time of Lawss writing of the story for The Crisis, the parents of Tate, Etienne, and Prevost wanted to maintain their anonymity due to fears of receiving further death threats, so he focused on the story of Bridges.

MAPS: Are Shreveports food deserts connected to civil rights era?

Bridges was a cute little girl, and while reporting on Bridges well-being and progression in her new environment Laws represented the NAACP in supporting her.

These little girls, fortunately, seem completely oblivious to the storm which their presence has set in motion, he wrote. This cannot be said of the parents who, in two cases in particular, have been the object of harassment, threats, and intimidation. The father of one of the children lost his job as a service station attendant the first week of school integration. The New Orleans branch of the NAACP not only came to his rescue, but assisted him in locating employment at a Negro owned and operated service station. Religious, labor, professional, and social groups also contributed to this mans welfare during his brief unemployment.

While the transition was undoubtedly arduous, with Bridges being escorted by four U.S. Marshalls every day in her first year for her protection from vitriolic mobs, Laws was still able to leave readers with hope. In his article, he mentioned some of the encouraging messages the families of the New Orleans Four received.

Mrs. B . . . (Anonymous name), like the other three mothers, has been heartened by the flow of warm letters and telegrams which she has received from all over the country. Many of these letters are from white mothers who want to assure the Negro mothers that not all white people harbor ill will against Negroes. To the mothers of the little girls, a mother from Santa Rosa, California, wrote: Tomorrow morning as these brave little girls start again to school their sisters out here in California will be cheering them on and praying for their hearts to be strong and their minds to be opened to the education ready for them within the school. We hope this will help, if only a little, to erase the impressions they may receive on their way.

Willie Rainach attacks Laws and the NAACP again

In 1959, Willie Rainach was behind a court order that restrained the NAACP from holding its state convention in Shreveport. The implications of blocking this convention altered the movements potential progress.

W.M. Shaw, general counsel for the Joint Legislative Committee of Louisiana, praised the court order and claimed that William Rainach had exposed a plan that included strong support from the NAACP in Shreveport.

The Shreveport Journal reported Shaws statement.

The citizens of Shreveport should be congratulated for blocking the NAACP meeting. The attorney generals office should also be congratulated for acting promptly after this illegal meeting was exposed by Sen. William Rainach and the Joint Legislative Committee.

Laws at annual NAACP dinner in New York City, New York. He is pictured with Medgar Evers, Daniel E. Byrd, and Frank. H. Williams. (Source: The Louisiana Weekly, Sat., Jan. 21, 1956)

The meeting was called to lay plans to implement the public announcement by Daisy Bates that Shreveport would be the next target of the NAACP because it was soft on integration. Daisy Bates is the notorious Little Rock Agitator whose previous public record was confined to files of the Monroe, La., Police Department. A guest speaker was one Clarence A. Laws.

The negative press did not discourage Laws zeal for Shreveports racial progress.

Shreveport is called one of the most explosive cities in the country today in this Sept. 24, 1963 copy of the Daily World.

On September 16, 1963, there was a memorial march for the victims of the 16th Street Church Bombing in Birmingham, in which the Ku Klux Klan took the lives of four children. The following week, on September 22, Black ministers in Shreveport planned a memorial march and service.

The night before the memorial, Laws was arrested by Caddo Parish deputies for driving a car with a Texas License Plate with a Louisiana license plate. The authorities were well aware of Lawss intention to speak at Little Union Baptist Church on the General Condition of Shreveport.

While this was a likely attempt by Caddo Parish deputies to deter Laws from speaking at Little Union, the dark plan did not work.

But the memorial march didnt quite work, either.

Heres what happened.

The march turned violent when police began attacking marchers with Billy clubs and tear-gassing marchers, eventually pulling Rev. Harry Blake from Little Union and beating him on the steps of the church.

Little Union Baptist Church: the epicenter of Shreveports Civil Rights Movement

After this saga, Alexandrias The Town Talk reported Laws words when they wrote, Clarence Laws of Dallas, regional director for the NAACP, said he would report the police action to the Justice Department.

They also quoted Laws directly.

Shreveport today in my view, is the most reactionary community in the United States, said Laws and we wont rest until it is brought back into the union.

The Daily World in Opelousas reported that in a return to Shreveport in 1965, Laws, in collaboration with NAACP Shreveport Branch leadership, called for Federal Examiners to visit Shreveport to assess discriminatory voter registration processes.

Lawss investigation into the Caddo Parish Registrar concluded that only 115 people were being registered per day. That was a quarter of the rate of the Federal examiners in Ouachita Parish, only a few parishes away.

Discriminatory practices, including alleged irrelevant questions, led Laws to estimate that less than 33% of African Americans in the city of Shreveport would be registered to vote within the year.

Freedom Summer

The winds of change swept Clarence Laws from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964.

Freedom Summer of 1964 featured activism across the state in a massive, grassroots effort by African Americans that was meant to defeat all forms of racial oppression through the combined efforts of several Civil Rights organizations, including the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO).

Some Christians in Shreveport became non-violent during the Civil Rights Movement

When the disappearance of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman, three Civil Rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi, caught the nations attention, Laws and other prominent NAACP leadership decided to visit to test local compliance with rights laws in public spaces

Laws in Dallas

The summer of 1964 was filled with a heavy travel schedule and even heavier responsibilities. While continuing his role as the NAACPs Southwestern regional director, he began to head the Committee for Racial Harmony in Dallas, Texas. The committee addressed equal-opportunity employment, voter registration, integration of police departments, and school integration.

While this was pivotal in the movements success, it was not Lawss first rodeo in Dallas. Five years previously, in 1959, Laws and Thurgood Marshall, then chief counsel for the NAACP, later the first black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, tackled the legal battle ordering desegregation in the city.

Laws built an astounding legacy in Dallas throughout his life after the movement. In 1965, he transitioned from his role in the NAACP to deputy director of the Civil Rights Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. He became the first African American Administrator of the Dallas office and, in 1969, received the Father John La-Farge Award from the Dallas chapter of the National Conference for Interracial Justice.

Following Laws work in the movement, he sold real estate and lived out his final years with his wife, fellow activist Ann Louis German Laws.

The unsung members of the movement deserve recognition of the highest order for their often thankless efforts. The results of their work did not always involve the spotlight. Instead of the spotlight, men and women like Laws worked tirelessly behind the scenes and moved from city to city in the fight for racial progress that was not always linear.

Little-known civil rights activists understood the toll of disrupting the status quo of white supremacy in the struggle for Civil Rights and human dignity. But it is evident through actions of men and women like Clarence Laws that struggle did not hinder their hopeful nature when the well of optimism for so many ran dry.

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When California governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1228  legislation which raised the state hourly minimum wage for fast-food employees from $15.50 to $20  into law last September, members of the fast-food industry were left with a lot of questions before the bill officially went into effect on April 1.

To address some of these, the State of Californias Department of Industrial Relations set up an FAQ board. Their material ranged from broad topics, like what constitutes a fast-food restaurant under the new law (the state defines it as a limited-service restaurant that sells food or drink for immediate consumption, and has more than 60 locations nationwide ), to the more obscure, like whether employers could simply increase the amount of meal or lodging credits administered to employees to count against the minimum wage (no).

However, it didnt address one of fast-food employers biggest questions: How would they actually pay for their workforce under the new law?

While the decision was lauded by many labor activists as part of broader efforts to improve working conditions and address wage disparities, some California franchise owners began preemptively cutting employees hours in advance of the minimum wage hike.

For instance, two days after the bill went into effect, Business Insider reported that two Pizza Hut franchisees in the state said they planned to scrap in-house delivery and instead rely on third-party services, resulting in around 1,200 workers being laid off. A few days before that, in March, Alex Johnson, who owned 10 Auntie Annes Pretzels and Cinnabon restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area, laid off his office staff and told the Associated Press he would now rely on his parents to help with payroll and human services.

I try to do right by my employees, Johnson told the publication at the time. I pay them as much as I can, but this law is really hitting our operations hard.

Many economists and franchisees predicted AB 1228 would cause the fast-food industry in California to unequivocally crash, however, according to new state and federal employment data, Californias fast-food industry has actually added jobs every month this year  including 11,000 new jobs since the wage increase officially went into effect in April. In a release, Newsoms office reported that since raising worker wages, every month this year has seen consistent fast-food job gains, and nearly each month has seen more jobs than the same month last year.

Whats good for workers is good for business, and as Californias fast food industry continues booming every single month our workers are finally getting the pay they deserve, Newsom said in a written statement. Despite those who pedaled lies about how this would doom the industry, Californias economy and workers are again proving them wrong.

This isnt exactly unexpected. Michael Reich, professor of economics at the University of California-Berkeley, said history didnt support a lot of doomsday predictions about the future of fast-food in California.

"The knock is that a minimum wage increase would lead to businesses closing, workers getting laid off, and much higher prices," Reich told Public News Service. "That's been the knock on every minimum wage increase since 1938. Indeed, a large number of studies have found that minimum wages do not reduce employment in fast food."

Yet despite the positive job growth, the implications of AB 1228 have also proven to be complicated. As expected, higher wages have contributed to an increase in menu prices across fast-food chains, with many companies passing on the cost to consumers.

This summer, the nonprofit Employment Policies Institute surveyed the owners or managers of 182 limited-service restaurants in California and 98% reported they had already raised menu prices, with 93% anticipating they will have to raise menu costs again next year to accommodate rising costs. Relatedly 92% of owners think that raising menu prices will adversely affect customer foot traffic.

Its important to note that this phenomenon isnt entirely unique to Californiafast-food giants nationwide have been adjusting their pricing strategies to cope with rising labor costs, sparking what some have dubbed the value meal wars. Companies are fiercely competing to offer the most affordable meal deals, balancing the need to maintain profitability while attracting cost-conscious customers.

On the flip side, the higher wages have had an unexpected benefit: lower employee turnover. With a $20 per hour wage, fast-food jobs in California have become more attractive to higher-quality applicants, reportedly leading to a more stable and skilled workforce.

Joseph Bryant, the executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union  which was a major proponent of AB 1228  recently told NBC Bay Area that the industry has not only added jobs, but multiple franchisees have also noted that the higher wage is already attracting better job candidates, thus reducing turnover."

This stability could allow some franchises to streamline operations and improve service quality, potentially offsetting some of the increased costs. However, the pressure on franchise owners remains intense, as they navigate the fine line between staying competitive and managing new operational expenses.
A Colorado hiker is rescued after being left behind by coworkers on a Colorado mountainside

What started as an office work retreat ended with one man being rescued after spending a night stranded on a Colorado mountain.

Search and rescue workers in Chaffee County, Colorado, were notified around 9:00 p.m. local time on August 23 of an overdue hiker who had not returned from a group that had spent the day climbing to the summit of Mount Shavano, a more than 14,000-foot peak in the Rocky Mountains.

The man was part of a group of 15 people on a work retreat who became separated from the group while ascending the mountain.

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Chaffee County search and rescue personnel look for a hiker stranded near Mount Shavano, Colorado.

Trapped overnight by a storm

After reaching the summit at around 11:30 a.m. that day, the man reportedly became disoriented while trying to descend, as other members of his group had already picked up various trail markers signaling their route. Finding himself in a boulder field on the northeast slope of the mountain, the hiker used his phone to share his location with his coworkers, who informed him that he was on the wrong route.

The hiker then began returning to the summit, but was caught in a storm around 4:00 p.m., according to Chaffee County search and rescue officials.

Exposed to freezing rain and high winds, and having lost cellphone reception, the man became stranded on the mountainside.

Chaffee County search and rescue officials, assisted by a helicopter and a drone, spent the evening braving the storm to search the area for the man, but could not find any artificial sources of light or other traces of the stranded hiker.

By Saturday morning, aided by other regional search and rescue groups, the search was expanded, and the hiker regained cellphone reception long enough to call 911.

The man reported that he had fallen at least 20 times while trying to descend the mountain and had become unable to move.

This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911, Chaffee County Search and Rescue said in a statement. Though he was located in a tertiary search area, it would have been some time before teams made it to that location on their own.

Once located, the man was stabilized and evacuated to a local hospital for further care.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado hiker rescued at Mount Shavano was left behind by coworkers
Hiker rescued after jumping from cliff into Saint Marys River in Augusta County

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  Virginia State Police says a hiker was airlifted to UVA Medical after jumping from a trail into the Saint Marys River on August 24.

VSP says around 5:23 p.m. on Saturday, members of Med Flight -1 team received a call about an injured hiker near Saint Marys Falls Trail. On the scene, a 20-year-old woman was found with a serious back injury after jumping into the Saint Marys River from a cliff along the trail.

Motorcyclist rescued on Blue Ridge Parkway stops by to thank first responders

Augusta Fire-Rescue, the Med-Flight 1 crew, and Chesterfield County Fire and EMS flight paramedics, responded to assist with the rescue.

Photo Credit: Virginia State Police

Med-Flight was directed into position, 175 above the injured woman. A rescuer was then lowered from the aircraft to the ground. Augusta Fire-Rescue personnel assisted in securing the woman, who was then hoisted back to the aircraft.

The woman was then taken to UVA Medical Center for further treatment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Hillsborough County detectives said they have finally identified the remains of a deceased man nearly 30 years after he was found.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, deputies found a dead man in a tent in the area of Bearss Avenue and I-275 back on April 29, 1995.

12-year-old girl rescues 4 dogs while escaping house fire in Florida

The mans body was heavily decomposed, but investigators determined he died of natural causes, not from a homicide.

For decades, the mans identity was unknown until in May 2023 when detectives reviewed the death investigation with Othram Labs, which is known for its work with forensic genealogy testing.

Using the remains, the company provided a lead on a man named Christopher Mammana, who was 75 years old when he disappeared in 1993.

According to investigators, Mammana moved to Florida in the 90s after his wife, Connie, died. His last known address was in Tampa, but he was not heard from after moving to Florida.

Detectives learned that Mammana had a grave in Easton Cemetery in Pennsylvania, but no one was buried at the plot.

Investigators tracked down two of the mans nieces in June 2024, and using a voluntary DNA sample, the HCSO Cold Case Unit positively identified the remains as belonging to Mammana.

Despite the challenging circumstances and the lack of initial leads, the Cold Case Unit detectives persevered, determined to bring closure to this case, Sheriff Chad Chronister said. To be able to identify someone that died nearly 30 years ago speaks to the commitment of our Cold Case Unit.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
PERRY COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Its been two years in the making.

After Buckhorn School was damaged in the 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods, students have been waiting for the day to be back inside the four walls they called home.

Students, a lot of them lost their homes; a lot of their homes were damaged; they lost all their security blankets, and school is a place where you should feel loved, safe, and secure, and that kind of got ripped away from them too, said Buckhorn School principal Jennifer Hickerson. So being home, I think, allows the community to come back together and have that safety and security blanket.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

The waiting game wasnt always easy, with students traveling 45 minutes to an hour to attend school at A.B. Combs.

Its just a long drive and I know people had it harder than me, but that was just a struggle, trying to find a way up there, get around the ball practices and stuff, said Buckhorn School senior Austin Riley.

Hickerson said she hopes being back in their community helps bring up attendance.

Students missed a bus before, and parents had to transport them over an hour to get them to us, added Hickerson. So attendance took a hit when we were at our other location that they placed us at so were hoping attendance improves a lot this year.

The walk inside the building is something some seniors Fox 56 spoke with said they never thought would happen before graduating.

It was hard for a while; we really didnt think it was going to be done before our senior year, but were so glad to be here with everybody else, added Buckhorn School senior Haydyn Owens.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

However, some schools are still dealing with the aftermath of the floods.

Robinson Elementary students are still at A.B. Combs, and it may be 2-3 years before theyre back inside a building of their own.

Theyre currently trying to purchase property within our boundaries and were currently going through an architectural design with an architect. Once those are finalized, there will be a building process, said Robinson Elementary principal Jamie Fugate.

Everyone Fox 56 spoke with said the community has always rallied together and will continue to do so.

Your best resource is the people in your building, the people in the community, and the students in your building, added Fugate. By far, thats the best resource any school has, and because we lost our building, but we didnt lose each other.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Homeless repeat offender stabs North Carolina tourist across cheek at Newark Airport  8 days after he got out of prison: cops

A homeless man allegedly stabbed a North Carolina tourist in the cheek at Newark Airport Sunday evening  just eight days after the suspect finished serving a nearly three-year prison sentence, according to cops.

Melissa Mauldin was waiting for her friend to come back from the bathroom when repeat offender Xiong Jin, 54, allegedly assaulted her with a knife at the Terminal A departures level in the New Jersey airport around 5 p.m., authorities said.

Port Authority police witnessed the shocking stabbing  which left Mauldin with a nasty gash  and quickly cuffed the suspect.

Melissa Mauldin was stabbed in the face on Sunday. Obtained by NY Post

Mauldin, in a statement to The Post, said her accused attacker should face the most severe punishment following his arrest.

This man poses a serious danger to society and should remain in custody  whether in jail, prison, or a psychiatric facility  to prevent further harm to others, Mauldin said.

No one should have to endure such a traumatic event, and I am committed to ensuring that Xiong Jin does not inflict further violence on others.

Mauldin said she was in New Jersey for a wedding in Hoboken and on her way back home when she was violently attacked from behind by the suspect.

I actually travel for a living, she told ABC 7, which first reported the stabbing Monday. Ive traveled to all different countries, Ive been to almost every state in the United States.

Ive never not felt secure and I was telling my fiance, Max, last night I feel like all that security has been stripped from me and I didnt even do anything to deserve it.

Mauldin was taken to a local hospital where she received 14 stitches across the right side of her face and was also treated for a fractured nose and cheekbone.

Jin was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon, Port Authority Police said. He is currently in Essex County jail.

The Union County Prosecutors Office said Jin is expected to face an upgraded charge of attempted murder.

Mauldin suffered a fractured nose and cheekbone. Obtained by NY Post

Jin allegedly stabbed a New Jersey corrections officer in the neck with a sharpened pencil in 2009, and allegedly stabbed two residents after they invited him into their homes in 2007, the Star Ledger reported in a pair of articles at the time.

He also was once accused of trying to stab the owner of a Chinese restaurant, law enforcement sources said.

A state corrections report indicates Jin served at least three stints behind bars between 2009 and 2024. He was most recently released on Aug. 17 of this year following an aggravated assault rap.

The stabbing happened Sunday at Newark Airport in New Jersey. Getty Images

The Port Authority Police PBA said the quick thinking by officer Ryan Mangold, who cuffed Jin, possibly saved Mauldins life.

Our officer did an excellent job, which started with him simply being in the right place at the right time, walking his foot-post, PBA President Frank Conti said in a statement. His immediate actions prevented further injury and possibly saved the victims life.

It is this type of situation that our members may find themselves in on any day, on any tour, yet it is another example of police work many would like to downplay or pretend does not exist.
Hong Kong democracy activist defiant during landmark trial: No one wants to be ruled by totalitarian regime

A Hong Kong democracy activist who is the first to defend himself in person during a landmark national security trial has said he will not apologise for the beliefs and values I share with my voters.

Former district councillor Ng Kin-wai is one of 47 people who were charged three years ago with conspiracy to subvert the state power as part of a crackdown on dissent under a national security law imposed by China. Mr Ng said at another point in the hearing: I believe no one wants to be ruled by a totalitarian regime".

The eight women and 39 men were accused of trying to overthrow the government by participating in an unofficial primary poll in 2020 to select opposition candidates in local elections. The national security law, which came into force in 2020, specifies sentences for the offence ranging from three years to life, depending on culpability.

Mr Ng told the court on Tuesday: I will not apologise for the beliefs and values I share with my voters.

This remark prompted judge Alex Lee to ask if he had no remorse. The 28-year-old replied: Correct, and added: As a politician, I expect myself to be responsible, to do my best, to stay till the last. Judge Andrew Chan said: Today is a mitigation hearing. Today is not an occasion for you to express your political view.

The mitigation hearings began in June, after 14 of the 16 defendants who pleaded not guilty were convicted in May. Judge Chan said Mr Ng would be entitled to a concession that would be significantly less than others, given his late plea and lack of remorse.

Pro-democracy activist known as Grandma Wong outside the court where the Hong Kong 47 are on trial (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Ng won a seat in the council of Yuen Long, a border district near China, in 2019. He later won over 20,500 votes in a pre-selection ballot for candidates to stand in Hong Kongs legislative election, which was postponed.

He told the court he joined the unofficial primary because he wanted a peaceful, rational and nonviolent way to realise his dream of a free, equal and inclusive society with a democratic system.

Mr Ng said he believes that everyone should have, and deserve, a free, equal and inclusive society, and a democratic system that effectively safeguards human rights, the rule of law and justice.

Authorities accuse the 47 activists of planning to coerce the government into fulfilling the demands of protesters, who came out in large numbers onto the streets in 2019, by threatening to indiscriminately block the budget after gaining a legislative majority with candidates selected in the primary election.

But Mr Ng told the court it would have been impossible to do this without the mandate of the whole city and the citizens. He also said he was unaware that vetoing the budget was illegal until his arrest in January 2021.

The protesters' demands, such as immediate realisation of universal suffrage, were reasonable, and have not been found illegal by any court,Mr Ng said. He urged the court to consider that when the primary election took place, violent street clashes between protesters and police had lasted for a long time.

Mr Ng had not wished to see people getting injured, arrested, or sacrificing themselves because of political incidents, he added.

A date has not been set for sentencing.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will begin his inaugural visit to China in his current position on Tuesday for a new round of strategic communication between China and the United States.

This visit is another opportunity for both nations to stabilize their bilateral relationship and seek common ground amid rising global uncertainties.

Sullivan's trip is part of a broader bilateral effort to implement the consensus the two heads of state -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden -- reached at last year's San Francisco summit. His visit follows those of other senior U.S. officials, such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who have also engaged in talks with China in recent months.

Although China-U.S. relations have shown signs of stabilization following the San Francisco summit, deep-seated tensions persist. The root cause lies in the misguided perceptions held by some U.S. politicians, who view China as a long-term strategic competitor and the "most consequential geopolitical challenge."

These flawed views have prompted a series of detrimental actions, including intensified trade restrictions, technological decoupling and military manoeuvres in the Asia-Pacific.

As Sullivan embarks on his visit, it is crucial to recognize that dialogue alone will not bridge the gap between the two nations, especially when Washington's contradictory policies exacerbate tensions.

To move forward, Washington should break away from its outdated Cold War mentality. Undoubtedly, there is competition and cooperation between China and the United States, particularly in the economic and technological spheres. China does not accept the notion that ties should be solely defined by competition -- The narrative does not encapsulate the entirety or essence of the world's most important bilateral relationship.

Meanwhile, any competition must be defined by clear and fair boundaries. It should be conducted within established rules and refrain from undermining the developmental capacities and legitimate rights of others. Competition should foster mutual improvement, not mutual destruction.

China has consistently demonstrated its commitment to maintaining and developing sound relations with all countries, including the United States. China's stance is rooted in the belief that cooperation, rather than confrontation, benefits all sides and contributes to global stability.

While China remains open to dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual concern, its determination to safeguard its core national interests and legitimate right to development is steadfast.

The Taiwan question is at the heart of China's core interests, and the one-China principle is the cornerstone of the political foundation for China-U.S. relations. The U.S. side must adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and turn the Biden administration's commitment not to support "Taiwan independence" into concrete actions.

China also firmly opposes U.S. irresponsible meddling in the South China Sea and sowing discord between China and its neighbors. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are inviolable.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the largest economies, China and the United States bear a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

For sound and stable China-U.S. relations, Washington must back its commitment to stabilize relations with concrete steps that show genuine respect for China's core interests and sovereignty. 
The 2024 Indiana Girl Report found that Hoosier girls need additional support from their caregivers, including schools and lawmakers. (Terry Vine/Getty Images)

The average Hoosier girl encounters more bullying and sexual dating violence than her male peers, meaning her caregivers  from parents and schools up to lawmakers  need to better address mental health access barriers and reduce violence in communities, as shared in a new report from several youth coalitions.

In other areas, like academic achievement for reading, the states female youth outpaced boys.

The second annual Indiana Girl Report  from the Indiana Youth Institute, Girl Coalition of Indiana and Girl Scouts  seeks to evaluate the wellbeing of girls statewide, with breakdowns on differences between the states regions.

The 2024 Indiana Girl Report is more than a collection of data, said IYI President and CEO Tami Silverman in a statement. It is an example of the foundational role data has in our collective work to care for and improve the lives of Indiana kids. We are proud to collaborate with Girl Co., who is dedicated to leveraging data for impactful change. Together, we are making strides towards a brighter future for every girl in Indiana.

In contrast to last years version, the 2024 report focuses more explicitly on calls to action, or ways that families and stakeholders can improve wellbeing for Hoosier girls.

Report details

Some of the data comes from a national report on child well-being, which IYI breaks down to an Indiana level every year. Notably, Indiana ranked 24th for child well-being in 2023, only to fall to 27th earlier this year.

Just over 30% of female children between the ages of 6 and 17 dont participate in organized activities or lessons after school or on the weekends  the highest nonparticipation rate among Indianas four neighboring states. Just one in ten, or 10.6%, female students reported being active for one hour a day each week, compared to one in four male students, or 27.8%.

Additionally, over 8,000 homeless girls were enrolled in schools during the 2022-2023 school year  a 10% increase from the previous year.

Through these conversations, we heard, loud and clear, that girls are resilient.

 Mackenzie Pickerrell, executive director of Girl Coalition of Indiana

The report noted that not everyone felt they had a trusted adult in their lives. While most female students, nine girls in ten, felt they had an adult mentor at school, one in five said they didnt feel they could ask their parents for help with personal issues. One in seven boys similarly felt unable to ask their parents for assistance.

Advocates also said that 17.2% of female high school students reportedly experienced sexual dating violence in the last year, while only 2.5% of their male counterparts could say the same.

Combined with an increase in bullying, both lumped under interpersonal aggression, the report dived into access to mental health supports for Hoosier girls.

Given the higher rates at which girls experience interpersonal aggression  and gaps in their positive childhood experiences  it is no surprise that girls also report mental health challenges at twice the rate of boys, the report read. All adolescents should have access to mental health support, including through programs, interventions and mental health services in their schools and communities.

Young women in middle school or high school were twice as likely as their male peers to report mental health issues and reported higher rates of substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and over-the-counter drugs.

Indeed, young women are a growing share of mental health hospitalizations nationally, something the report connected with the growth of interpersonal aggression and overall declining adolescent mental health. Other compounding factors include: low household incomes, food insecurity, discrimination, immigration barriers and more.

Generational poverty creates an entrenched feeling of hopelessness. A lot of challenges come up due to poverty, and girls especially dont have support, a Girl Coalition team member said in the report.

Despite these challenges, Hoosier girls were more likely to earn proficiency grades in English and reading, scoring higher grades than their male counterparts on the states IREAD-3 test and ILEARN assessment. However, boys scored better than girls on the math portion of the ILEARN assessment.

Proposed solutions

We want to know why girls are experiencing these challenges, so we dug deeper. We found more research, we talked with practitioners, and most importantly, we talked to girls. Through these conversations, we heard, loud and clear, that girls are resilient, said Mackenzie Pickerrell, the executive director of Girl Coalition in the report.

They have many of the answers of what they need and want. They are pleading to be listened to by the adults in their lives. As caregivers and leaders, we must listen with empathy and then take action to ensure that the systems in Indiana are prioritizing their wellbeing, not only in the Statehouse, but in healthcare and education.

The reports authors urged caregivers of Hoosier girls to engage in open, non-judgmental conversations and nurture favorable social support structures, which can include after-school programming, informal mentorships or joining a Girl Scout troop.

For the programming providers who might be coordinating those support structures, lessons should include mental health awareness, sexual harassment and dating violence prevention alongside bullying intervention  the same topics caregivers were counseled to discuss at home. Other topics to be discussed include: boosting self-esteem, teaching stress management and supporting leadership skills.

Schools, another support structure outside of the home, should also train teachers on addressing mental health concerns and leverage trauma-informed practices while reinforcing the core topics discussed above. However, the report acknowledges that Indiana falls far short of the recommended 1:250 ratio for social workers per student, stunting such programming. In 2023, Indiana had one social worker for every 2,786 students.

Lastly, state policymakers can invest in mental health programming at schools and in the community  increasing access for all Indiana residents  and implement policy decisions to reduce barriers related to economic status or racial disparities.

Surrounding girls with supportive, trusted adults and creating safe spaces where all girls feel a sense of belonging are positive strategies that can interrupt negative cycles in areas we have defined as dimensions of wellness. We are actively listening to communities tell us about the systemic challenges that prevent girls from accessing positive youth development experiences like Girl Scouts. It is urgent to understand and address these barriers, said six Girl Scout Council CEOs from around the state in a letter.

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SYOSSET, N.Y. (WPIX)  A man who mistakenly thought he was being cut out of his mothers will shot and killed four family members before turning the gun on himself on the front lawn of his Long Island, New York, home Sunday, authorities said.

In 41 years, thats probably one of the most horrific scenes Ive ever seen, Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a briefing Monday.

Joseph Delucia Jr., 59, fatally shot his three siblings and niece while they gathered in the den in the back of the home in Syosset at around noon, according to the police department.

The victims, Joanne Kearns, 69; Frank Delucia, 64; Tina Hammond, 64, and her daughter, Victoria Hammond, 30, were each shot multiple times and died at the scene, officials said.

Delucia fired 12 shots before shooting himself in the chest on the propertys front lawn, police said. The shotgun was recovered at the scene.

The entire family is now gone, officials said.

The shooters mother died on Aug. 19, and he mistakenly thought he was being cut out of her will, authorities said. Delucia was not cut out of the will but would have had to move from the home he had lived in his whole life, according to police.

He was panicking. He was being taken care of in the will, but he would have had to move, an NCPD official said.

Before the incident, neighbors told police Delucia made threatening comments, like If you hear shots, dont call the police. It will be too late.

If Delucia had been reported to have mental health issues, police would have been able to take the otherwise legal weapon from him, officials said.

As a community, we hear things, and if we dont say something, sometimes the outcome is like what we saw yesterday, the NCPD commissioner said.

Neighbors told Nexstars WPIX that Delucia was a volunteer firefighter who quit last week in the wake of his mothers death.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)-Officials at Tidelands Health in Murrells Inlet are renovating the conference center building and have plans to turn the space into a nursing facility for students at Horry Georgetown Technical College.

According to a recent statistic from the health workforce analysis, South Carolina is on course to have one of the top 10 highest nurse shortages by 2025. With the growing population in Georgetown County, leaders said its essential to build that workforce back up.

Our high retirement population is retiring and migrating into our area. It is putting an increased need on healthcare, so to help meet that healthcare need, we would like to meet the nursing shortage need, and thats to provide more nurses that are competent to move into the healthcare area, said Jo Beck, a professor of Nursing at Horry Georgetown Technical College.

A free two-year program will be taught at the former conference center at Tidelands Health Murrells Inlet facility. The program will provide graduates with an associates degree in nursing and hire students.

We got to start thinking about the students, getting them updated with whatever skills they need to become excellent caregivers and then build those pipelines so the students are ready to be hired to support all the growth, said Jeremy Stephens, the executive vice president chief human resource officer with Tidelands Health.

Officials said they hope to have students moved into the renovated facility in Murrells Inlet by the end of October. For more information, please visit

https://www.hgtc.edu/academics/academic-departments/nursing/nursing.html

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
The Great Plains Zoo & Aquarium has welcomed the rare hatching of more than 1,000 horseshoe crabs at the Butterfly House & Aquarium, according to a Tuesday morning press release.

More: Butterfly House to eventually move to Great Plains Zoo; merger announced

This phenomenon is quite atypical, given horseshoe crabs dont generally reproduce in a fully submerged aquarium setting. In the wild, however, they can lay up to 4,000 eggs on sandy beaches, according to the Great Plains Zoo & Aquarium press release. Horseshoe crabs can usually be found from the Gulf of Maine all the way down to Florida, according to the Great Plains Zoo & Aquariums website.

More: Great Plains Zoo welcomes new giraffe, meerkats to Sioux Falls

Horseshoe crab hatchings, unfortunately, rarely reach adulthood with about a 0.01% chance due to natural predators. Even if wild horseshoe crabs surpass all odds and fully mature, their population is on a steady decline because of overharvesting and habitat destruction.

A closer look under the microscope at the rare trilobite larvae or horseshoe crab hatchlings on Aug. 27, 2024, at the Butterfly House & Aquarium in Sioux Falls.

An aquarist made this discovery during a routine water change in the Eastern Shores exhibit, a newly developed touch pool featuring diverse species. The trilobite larvae, or baby horseshoe crabs, were carefully sifted from the exhibit's sand and relocated to a tank with warmer water and reduced salinity, conditions that better simulate waters where they would naturally hatch.

While Eastern Shores mimic the colder, saltier waters favored by adult horseshoe crabs, many of the more than 1,000 hatchlings might not survive their first molt. Nonetheless, hundreds have successfully reached this initial stage and continue to grow, although they will undergo several more molts before reaching maturity.

Finding and raising baby horseshoe crabs is a surprise for the aquarium team at the Butterfly House & Aquarium and such a unique opportunity for growth, said Michelle Coley, the Aquarium & Conservatory Director and Marine Animal Specialist. Not only does the staff get to learn new skills in rearing aquatic animals, but the knowledge and information gained from this experience will be able to be shared and exchanged with other zoos and aquariums around the world. Since horseshoe crab populations are on the decline due to over-harvesting and habitat destruction, zoos and aquariums have a unique opportunity to assist with helping wild populations of horseshoe crabs by raising this species in human care.

For now, the hatchlings are being cared for behind the scenes at the Butterly House & Aquarium. While they are not on public display, updates on their progress will be shared on social media.

More: Sioux Falls businesses are starting to offer sensory-inclusive opportunities

Visitors can view adult horseshoe crabs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at the Eastern Shores exhibit. Tickets can be purchased online or in person.

The Butterfly House & Aquarium staff is excited to continue to create a strong network within the zoo and aquarium community of shared knowledge and experience, so that we may assist in the preservation and conservation of vital aquatic habitats and their inhabitants, Coley said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Great Plains Zoo & Aquarium welcomes rare hatching of over 1,000 crabs
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Amid a major push to bolster the United States semiconductor industry, Hewlitt-Packard is set to receive $50 million to update its Corvallis facility, the Biden-Harris administration announced Tuesday.

HP and the U.S Department of Commerce signed a preliminary agreement for the tech giant to receive the funding as part of the federal CHIPS and Science Act.

Officials pointed to HPs expertise in microfluidics and micromechanical systems as unique pathway to improving semiconductor hardware.

Old Farmers Almanac releases Pacific Northwests 2024-2025 winter weather extended forecast

Part of the $50 million will go toward manufacturing silicon devices for life sciences lab equipment, which are used in drug discovery, single-cell research, and cell line development, officials said.

The funding is expected to create nearly 150 construction jobs and more than 100 manufacturing jobs at the 47-year-old facility in Corvallis.

During an event announcing the funding on Tuesday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said, HP invented its inkjet printer here in Corvallis, and the facility still remains one of the companys leading research posts, contributing to our states leadership in technological innovation.

Oregon is a leader in the semiconductor industry because of our world class talent and strong partnerships with higher education. We are uniquely positioned to enhance national security by helping to grow the countrys semiconductor industry. Thank you to the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration in making this critical award possible, the governor added.

Two Delta workers killed, one injured after explosion Boeing tire explosion in Atlanta

HP President and CEO Enrique Lores said This proposed investment provides HP with an opportunity to modernize and expand our facility to further invest in our microfluidics technology, which is the study of the behavior and control of fluid on a microscopic scale. Microfluidics has the potential to drive revolutionary changes across industries, delivering speed, efficiency, and precision, to help pave the way for the next generation of innovation in life sciences and technology.

We would like to thank the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Raimondo for this proposed investment, as well as the Oregon congressional delegation and state leader for their support and advocacy throughout this process. We look forward to continuing to work to accelerate our innovation in microfluidics and MEMS technology while expanding our manufacturing and R&D capabilities in Corvallis, all made possible by President Biden and Vice President Harriss CHIPS and Science Act, Lores added.

The Biden-Harris Administrations proposed investment in HP shows how we are investing in every part of the semiconductor supply chain and how important semiconductor technology is to innovation in drug discovery and critical life science equipment, said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harriss leadership, the United States will continue leading the world in innovative breakthroughs which all require advanced semiconductor technology while also generating economic opportunity.

The federal funding comes as Oregon lawmakers passed the states own CHIPS Act in 2023, which includes $9.5 million for HP. According to Oregon lawmakers, HP plans to bring permanent jobs back to Corvallis with the funds.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Incredible, rare underwater footage shows whales using bubble 'nets' to hunt

The bubbles blown by humpback whales to confuse and snare their tiny prey should be classified as tools.

That's the recommendation made by scientists observing these amazing marine mammals in Alaskan waters, manipulating their environment to maximize their chances of survival.

And an in-depth study, using cameras that give a whale's-eye view of proceedings, has shown that the whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) don't just blow random bubbles. They tweak them and guide them to make sure that they catch the most food possible.

"We discovered that solitary humpback whales in southeast Alaska craft complex bubble nets to catch krill, which are tiny shrimp-like creatures," explains marine biologist Lars Bejder of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

"These whales skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form nets with internal rings, actively controlling details like the number of rings, the size and depth of the net, and the spacing between bubbles. This method lets them capture up to seven times more prey in a single feeding dive without using extra energy."

This impressive behavior places humpback whales among the rare group of animals that both make and use their own tools for hunting.

There is a lot riding on the krill hunts that take place in Alaskan waters during the summer and fall. Winter is the whales' calving season, and many of the North Pacific humpbacks migrate to the warmer waters near Hawaii to birth and raise their young.

During this time, the adults don't eat, so they need to make sure that they get enough food during the feeding season to see them through.

Their method for corraling the krill (Euphausiacea) is startling in its ingenuity. The whale will dive deep, swimming in a ring around a shoal of prey, blowing bubbles as they go. The rising ring forms a sort of cylindrical wall around the prey, preventing them from scattering as the whale, mouth agape, swims up from below. For the krill, there's nowhere to go but down that gaping maw.

This hunting strategy also appears to be a learned behavior. Not all humpback whales hunt this way, and there appear to be different strategies for doing so. And it can be done cooperatively, with the whales working together to make sure everyone gets a meal.

To better understand the ins and outs of the foraging behavior of solitary humpback whales off the coast of Alaska, researchers used drones to film overhead as the whales blew their bubble nets. And, to see what the whale actually does under the water, the researchers equipped them with cameras and sensors, attached using harmless, non-invasive suction cups.

They managed to document 83 bubble nets produced by solitary whales. The resultant data allowed the researchers to study the shape and size of, and distance between, the bubbles in a bubble net, and analyze the effects these parameters have on the rate of prey intake.

A suction cup camera being placed on a whale. (MMRP/AWF. Collected under permit)

From the sensors, the team was also able to study breath rates, lunge kinematics, and dive behavior to study the energy cost of building a bubble net. The results suggest that the bubble nets maximize the amount of prey the whale can catch and eat, without any additional energy cost.

And the nets, the researchers say, meet the criteria for tool manufacture and use.

"Bubble-nets are unattached and employed externally by the whales. The large number of individual whales we observed using bubble-nets and the tight temporal coupling of net deployment with lunging strongly support the argument that bubble-nets confer a benefit to foraging whales," they write in their paper.

"Furthermore, that there is consistency between individuals in several key, yet modifiable structural components of the nets they produce, suggests that whales exert control over the nets' three-dimensional form to optimize that benefit."

These findings suggest that humpback whales can be counted among the animals that make and use tools, such as crows, parrots, orangutans, and chimpanzees.

"Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually create or modify these tools themselves," Bejder says.

"There is also data coming in from humpback whales performing other feeding behaviors, such as cooperative bubble-netting, surface feeding, and deep lunge feeding, allowing for further exploration of this population's energetic landscape and fitness."

Knowing how the whales hunt and forage is critical to their ongoing survival. Although humpback whale population numbers rose after commercial hunting of the species was banned in 1985, and the cetacean is no longer considered threatened or endangered, a study published earlier this year found an alarming decline in their numbers between 2012 and 2021.

Studying their foraging strategies will help efforts to conserve their feeding grounds.

"What I find exciting is that humpbacks have come up with complex tools allowing them to exploit prey aggregations that otherwise would be unavailable to them," says marine biologist Andy Szabo of the Alaska Whale Foundation. "It is this behavioral flexibility and ingenuity that I hope will serve these whales well as our oceans continue to change."

The research has been published in Royal Society Open Science.

Related News
Scientists have unearthed the remnants of more than 1,700 viruses from deep inside a glacier in western China. Most of these viruses are new to science.

With this discovery, the number of ancient viruses recovered from glaciers has grown fiftyfold. The viruses, gathered from a 1,000-foot ice core taken from the sprawling Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, date back 41,000 years and span three major shifts from cold to warm.

Scientists say the viruses differed markedly between colder and warmer eras, noting that a distinct community of viruses formed during the most dramatic of these climatic shifts, at the end of the last ice age some 11,500 years ago. This at least indicates the potential connection between viruses and climate change, said ZhiPing Zhong of Ohio State University, lead author on the research.

Scientists posit that warming eliminated some resident viruses and that changing winds brought in new viruses from as far away as the Arctic and the Middle East. Glacial viruses likely infected other microbes, sending ripples up the food chain. Researchers say that viruses recovered from glaciers could shed light on how life evolved through past changes in climate and help clarify, for instance, whether ancient forests or wetlands were carbon sinks or sources. Their findings were published in Nature Geoscience.

While researchers have warned that some dormant viruses now being liberated from melting glaciers could potentially infect humans, the viruses unearthed from the Guliya glacier pose no risk, study authors said. They emphasized the need to gather more such viruses before glaciers melt away. Said Zhong, Glacial ice is so precious, and we often dont have the large amounts of material required for virus and microbe research.

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The Race to Save Glacial Ice Records Before They Melt Away
Kyle King said hes invested $100,000 into Oklahomas medical marijuana industry, hoping to become a licensed grower. After over a year of waiting on the states regulatory agency to approve his ownership, hes now considering taking his business to another state.

With a legislatively imposed moratorium on issuing new licenses, King has to buy an existing license from a business owner looking to sell. He invested in a growing business called GreenSight 2020 in May 2023, but he said his ownership and the transfer of the license still has not been made official by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, or OMMA. In the meantime, King cannot earn any money from the business hes invested in.

King said hes been checking in with the authority on a weekly basis, but has been told hell need to continue to wait. While King said hes been able to work other jobs to support himself, others have poured their entire retirement savings into this industry.

Im tired of waiting for Oklahoma, he said. Multiple other states have looser residency restrictions, theyre a little cheaper and theyre a lot more supportive than Oklahoma has been.

King, along with others within the medical marijuana industry, blame a massive license renewal backlog at the authority.

More: Details of medical marijuana secret shoppers remaining a secret  even to Oklahoma lawmakers

While state law requires the authority to approve renewals within 90 business days, cannabis advocates say hundreds of licenses are in limbo, creating a harmful situation for proprietors and prompting concerns that allowing unlicensed operations could put consumers public safety at risk.

Tasked with licensing and regulating growers, processors and dispensaries, the authority pushed back against assertions that it is failing to renew licenses on time and is out of compliance with state law. But the agency was unable to provide Oklahoma Voice with any documentation showing how many licenses are out of date and waiting for renewal.

Medical marijuana licensing process in Oklahoma at a standstill

State law allows businesses to continue to operate while waiting for their licenses to be renewed, but Jed Green, director of Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action, said allowing the dispensaries, growers and processors to essentially operate without up-to-date licenses while under review has become a crutch for the medical marijuana authority.

Growers have faced the most licensing delays because the state is hoping to reduce the number of marijuana grows, he said. Green said that licensing process has come to a complete standstill.

He said that if the authority cannot keep up with licensing, it wont be able to handle its other responsibilities.

The first thing for any state agency is to handle licensure. If you cant handle licensing businesses, you dont have any business moving on to Step Two, enforcement, or anything else, Green said.

Marijuana is pictured Sept. 25, 2019, at a growing facility in Hollis.

In a statement, Porsha Riley, a spokesperson for the authority, said the agency has successfully processed 90% of commercial licenses within the required timeframe.

Although the review period for each submission is typically 90 business days or less, the law permits us additional time when further review is necessary upon sending a status letter to the applicant, Riley said in a statement.

Oklahoma Voice submitted an open records request to the authority, requesting the number of businesses with pending license renewals, as well as the date the renewal application was submitted. In response, the agency said it doesnt maintain a record responsive and by law cannot create them to respond to open records requests.

Riley said in the statement that the medical marijuana authority is implementing robotic assistance into its application processing and working to be more efficient while also implementing new statutory requirements following the legislative session. She said the agency does not control changes to the law but must implement those crafted by the legislative branch.

Factors outside the need for additional review that have caused delays include implementing new state laws, reviewing multiple applications from a single applicant following applicant errors and the implementation of new statutory requirements leading to a need for mass rejections, Riley said.

Backlog has a chilling effect on the medical marijuana industry

Mike Ervin helped to run the campaign for the state question that legalized medical marijuana. He said the authority initially had 30 days to renew licenses, which he said was probably too ambitious. Now, the authoritys approval window equates to roughly four to five months.

Were seeing license renewals taking a year, so that by the time your license renewal gets approved youre applying for the next license renewal, Ervin said.

He said these delays create a chilling effect on the growth of the states medical marijuana industry.

When you have uncertainty, businesses dont know how bad it could be. They dont know how to react. They dont know how to move forward, Ervin said. If I have to wait a year, Im going to invest this money, Im going to have to pay a year of lease payments, a year of electric and water. At some point its why would I do that?

More: How do I get a medical marijuana card in Oklahoma? What to know about eligibility, fees

Felina Rivera, who manages and owns Renaissance Legal Solutions based in Oklahoma City, said lawmakers sent eight bills to the governor that made substantive changes to the medical marijuana industry. Thats in addition to legislation passed in 2023 that the agency is still trying to implement.

Rivera, who has worked within the cannabis industry for four years, said shes represented many clients experiencing licensing issues with authority.

She said that about 30% to 40% of her clients are lucky enough to have license renewals approved within the mandated approval period. Rivera said a major issue is a lack of consistency in responses from the authority.

Rivera said that sometimes a license renewal will be sitting with the authority under review for the full 90 business days only to be sent back right before the deadline, flagged for small errors. Rivera said she sends the agency a letter explaining whatever was labeled as errors and resubmits the application. But then the clock for the authority resets and the agency has the full window of time to review the license renewal application again.

I think there has a been a disregard for the fact that, as a state that values small businesses and independent business owners, the constant changes in the legislation and the corresponding rules  are having the effect of severely overburdening the people who are small mom and pop shops that are trying to follow the law and do things correctly, she said.

Consumer and safety concerns

Robert Mikos, professor of law at Vanderbilt University, said that if the agency were to reject a license renewal and the business has been serving consumers during the review period, there could be a concern for consumers.

Licensing really serves as the framework for all state regulation of the cannabis industry  it kind of facilitates the enforcement of all these other regulations, Mikos said.

He said the causes of a backlog can vary. Sometimes there isnt true support for the industry from executive officials and sometimes the state agency is just understaffed and overwhelmed. In July, the authority cut 10% of its staff, citing a need for restructuring.

If this drags on, that suggests that the state is behind the curve on lots of enforcement issues, then you should be concerned about consumers, Mikos said.

As part of a license application, a medical marijuana business undergoes public safety and health checks.

Amie Goodin, assistant professor at the University of Floridas Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, said the danger to consumers would grow if these safety checks and inspections are not continuing during the waiting period for a license renewal.

While an organization is undergoing the renewal process, the intention is that they will continue to perform those required activities  I do not have an understanding of how Oklahoma would be able to verify that during the process so I cant speak to whether or not its being evaluated during the renewal process, Goodin said.

Oklahoma legislation impacting the industry

Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, carried one of the pieces of legislation affecting the authority this past session. He said the law creates an advisory council which will include people from the medical marijuana industry to help the agency work through issues with an industry perspective.

Fetgatter said he works with the authority and industry members as much as he can when working on legislation related to medical marijuana.

I pulled away from working on too much marijuana legislation  it was such a toxic issue and nobody really was listening to what the industry needed to be successful, Fetgatter said. We all work really hard with OMMA, as well as the industry, to try to bridge the gap between the two.

Fetgatter said hes been approached by many people complaining about a licensing backlog at the authority.

I really hope OMMA gets it figured out, Fetgatter said. Because youre causing businesses to be in a very difficult spot because their licenses are not getting renewed timely, and theyre questioning, Am I allowed to do business? It creates a lot of confusion. And the one thing that we know about industries and businesses, people need continuity. They need stability.

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 onFacebook andTwitter.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma medical marijuana license moratorium leaves licenses in limbo
HONG KONG, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) published the Global Innovation Index 2024 top 100 science and technology clusters on Tuesday, among which the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster continued to rank second globally for the fifth consecutive year.

A spokesperson for the HKSAR government welcomed the ranking, saying that it continues to give high recognition to the leading position of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the global innovation and technology (I&T) field.

Hong Kong will continue to actively promote I&T development by strengthening basic research capabilities, enhancing the local I&T ecosystem, accelerating the transformation and commercialization of research and development outcomes, and promoting new industrialization to accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces in accordance with local strengths, the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong will also strive to leverage its own advantages and strengthen I&T collaboration with GBA sister cities, thereby jointly building a more comprehensive and globally competitive I&T industry chain, and making new and greater contributions to the country's high-level self-reliance in science and technology, the spokesperson said.

The WIPO examines the density of patent-filing and articles published in scientific research journals to identify and rank the leading geographical areas in global sci-tech invention and innovation activities. For the ranking this year, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster filed 2,303 patent cooperation treaty applications per 1 million inhabitants from 2019 to 2023 and published 3,469 scientific articles per 1 million inhabitants from 2018 to 2022, both increasing from the previous cycles. 
Efforts to keep Nashoba Valley Medical Center open arent slowing down less than a week before the hospitals slated closure.

Hundreds of people united around the entire hospital in Ayer Monday night holding red ribbons with a united message.

The grassroots coalition Save Nashoba Save Lives is pleading with Governor Maura Healey and state leaders to save the hospital.

The hospital is currently scheduled to close its doors on Saturday months after Dallas-based Steward Health Care filed for bankruptcy.

Steward told Massachusetts officials last month that it would close Nashoba on August 31st.

We feel like they consider us out in the boonies, and theyve carved away all of the health care systems around here, said Ayer resident Paula Sullivan. Enough of the blame game. Its like, help us move forward.

Organizers anticipated a crowd of less than 100 at Mondays event but estimated that more than 400 people showed up.

I am hopeful for the continued future beyond Steward. I would like for us to get away from Steward at all costs, said organizer Natina Perrotti.

Participants criticized Governor Healey for not doing more to save Nashoba Valley Medical Center.

Local lawmakers in attendance said all hope has not been lost.

The state, were committed to support whoever the new bidder is. I cant promise anything because Im one single rep, said Rep. Danillo Sena.

Lawmakers have been taking with hospital operators about potential interest in buying Nashoba, but no official bids have been made.

Although there have not been any official bids, we do feel like were making progress, said Sen. Jamie Eldridge. It feels like the 11th hour, in terms of what could happen this weekend, but were hopeful something could happen perhaps after this weekend.

Governor Healey said she is open to anything when it comes to any possible future sale of Nashoba Valley Medical Center.

She has repeatedly emphasized that Stewards mismanagement is to blame for the hospitals downfall.

RELATED:

Dont want to be forgotten: Ayer town officials to fight closing of Nashoba Valley Medical Center

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The Tom Green County Hunger Coalition will host a photo gallery event at the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark on Aug. 27 to raise awareness about hunger in the community.

The event, hosted as part of the coalitions Hunger Happens Here campaign, will take place in the Quartermaster Building from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The viewing will have refreshments, and participants can come and go as theyd like.

During the showing, attendees can view a selection of images captured by student photographers that are meant to provide viewers with a glimpse of what hunger looks like in our community.

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Theres pictures  theres an empty refrigerator, a sparse refrigerator, and theyre telling their story, Betty Teston, TGCHC member and program specialist at Baylor Universitys Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, said. We have about 18 or 19 canvas, pretty large pictures  and theres a little caption beside each one that tells what the person saw and what hunger is to them in the community here.

Teston hopes that the event will spread awareness about the hunger needs that are being felt in Tom Green County and encourage citizens to take action.

Thats, in a nutshell, what the whole gist is, just to make people aware of whats going on here in our community, that there are real people experiencing hunger, Teston said. I think when people see the photos, hopefully theyll be impacted to see, Wow, we do need to address this issue in our community and make people aware of the resources!'

According to the coalitions website, over 15,000 people in Tom Green County are food insecure. The USDA defines food insecurity as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) is reminding Oklahomans Sept. 7 is when hunters in the entire state of Oklahoma can move into the fields as the first major hunting season kicks off.

Image courtesy ODWC

According to ODWC, with fall hunting set to kick off Dove hunting is highly anticipated by thousands of hunters. The daily bag limit of mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves is 15 in aggregate; but there is no limit on the Eurasian dove if the head or a fully feathered wing remains with the bird.

Dove season remains open until Oct. 31, then will reopen Dec. 1-29. Wildlife officials say, Dove are found from one side of the state to the other, and hunters dont have to travel far to find them. ODWC habitat managers prepare dove hunting fields on many wildlife management areas statewide. For an interactive map of these public areas, click here.

To locate locations offered through the Oklahoma Land Access Program (OLAP), which leases private land statewide for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities click here. Click Hunting then Where to Hunt.

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Waterfowlers dont have to wait long to get their feet wet, as teal season and resident Canada goose season both open Sept. 7. Teal hunters are allowed a daily bag limit of six birds. Hunters taking resident Canada geese are allowed a daily bag limit of eight birds. The September teal season will run through Sept. 22, and the special resident Canada goose season will run through Sept. 16.

New this year, anyone 17 and younger may hunt doves in Oklahoma without needing a hunting license or a federal Harvest Information Program permit. A HIP permit is required of all other hunters ages 18 to 63, unless exempt otherwise. For rules for Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulation, click here.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  We are less than one week away from what might be the busiest Labor Day weekend for travelers on record.

The Transportation Security Admiration (TSA) said it anticipates Friday, August 30, will be the peak travel day. Its estimated that TSA will be screening 2.8 million passengers that day alone.

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This comes as Huntsville International Airport continues to break passenger records.

So last year, we were at 1.47 million passengers for the whole year, said Huntsville International Airport (HSV) spokesperson Talyn Walton. We are en route to break that record.

Walton told News 19 that not only are more travelers choosing to fly out of Huntsville, but they are booking more flights in general.

I think that people are just wanting to get out of their houses more, Walton said. Theyre wanting to travel more.

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Walton said Labor Day weekend is set to cap off the summer travel season in a big way, with more than 260 flights scheduled Thursday through Monday.

So were expecting the busiest Labor Day weekend at Huntsville International Airport. TSA is also expecting the largest Labor Day travel that theyve ever experienced, Walton said. So were definitely preparing for that beforehand.

According to AAA, domestic Labor Day weekend travel bookings are up 9% from last year. AAA says some of the most popular Labor Day weekend destinations for travelers are Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver and Chicago. Huntsville International Airport conveniently has flights to all of those destinations.

As travelers prepare to head to the airport, Walton reminds people that a few areas of the airport are under construction.

As you go through TSA, we already know that our entryway is under construction, she said. That is supposed to be finished up at the beginning of next year.

Walton said that the airport is also beginning a renovation of the bathrooms.

Labor Day travel: Plan ahead  and be nice

The first phase of that is our family restroom, she said. That family restroom [in the concourse] is fully under construction at this point. Youll see a construction wall around it.

Walton said they will renovate one bathroom at a time. However, she recommends that families make a bathroom stop in the restrooms before heading through the TSA checkpoint to be safe.

She said the renovation will bring the restrooms up to speed with what you might see at some larger airports.

That restroom renovation is going to expand all of the stalls to accommodate larger carry-ons and things like that, as well as expand all of the sink space and expand the restroom as a whole, Walton said.

She added that a concessions renovation is also set to kick off soon. However, the airport has not released the details.

Walton said Huntsville International Airport has a larger 10-year plan for upgrades.

We know that the community is growing very fast, and we definitely want to keep up with that, she said.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Top emergency management officials said with this hurricane season, extra attention is on even more threats than before.

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Risks such as fire fueled by storm-strength winds, and the higher likelihood of power loss due to new fire-prevention plans, have added even more layers to what it means to be hurricane-ready in Hawaii.

Clean-up efforts begin on Hawaii island as Hurricane Hone passes through

Long after Hurricane Hone had passed Hawaii island, and shelters meant to protect from wind, rain and flooding had closed, Hawaii County announced the re-opening of two shelters in parks for one specific reason: power.

KHON2 asked James Barros, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, about the elevated attention to power outages.

Whether caused by storms, generation shortages or HECOs new public safety power shutoff program  which was on alert for possible activation during hones passage near the island chain  the potential for outages abounds.

What does that mean for those communities that will be impacted? Medical facilities in the area, dialysis? And if its a red flag, were probably in very humid, dry conditions the heat, so where do we go for cooling stations? Barros said, adding that there are bigger-picture power problems still to tackle that could have islandwide implications in a long shutdown.

One of the big things would be an extended period power shutdown that impacts the Board of Water Supply and their ability to pump water to our communities, Barros said.

KHON2 asked, what would HIEMA do right now? Do we have enough generators and backup power?

DOH plans change to ocean water testing during brown water advisories

We do, and we would be looking at our federal partners for assistance during an extended power shutdown, Barros said.

Another threat that has jumped to the forefront in storm season: fire associated with storm-strength winds even when they pass far away. It happened with major Hurricane Lane in August 2018 whipping fires up on Maui, and again with Hurricane Dora last year which passed far from the islands but contributed to the winds that fueled the deadly Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina fire.

This year we have more technology available to us to watch for fires, the N5 sensors, the additional weather stations that are out there, really connected to HECO, Barros said, and when we get into weather conditions, HECO stands up their team, and we have that conversation early.

Besides elevating risks like power and fire on the matrix, emergency managers are also opening up more options for the aftermath of disaster, including housing.

Through FEMA, they want to lean forward and say, here are some solutions, Barros said of a meeting held last week. So we looked through this whole list of different kind of temporary housing, container housing, they even showed us 3D-printing housing.

All these new elements arent meant to detract from the basics and what everyone should do, like keeping your family and business self-sufficient and having a 14-day supply of essentials on hand, especially at the height of hurricane season right now.

September is kind of the height of it, Barros said. The warmer, wet water is closer to us. So Im more worried towards the end of hurricane season than I am at the beginning.

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Husband of Missing Nurse Mamta Kafle Bhatt Looked Up 'How Long' to Get Married 'When Spouse Die': Prosecutors

Naresh Bhatt appeared in court on Aug. 23 after he was charged with concealing a dead body

City of Manassas Park Police Department/Facebook Mamta Kafle

The husband of a Virginia mother who has been missing since late July appeared in court after he was charged with concealing a dead body  and prosecutors have revealed some startling internet searches he allegedly made, according to multiple outlets.

The charges against Naresh Bhatt were announced by the Manassas Park Police Department on Aug. 22 after he was arrested in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt.

Kafle, 28, a pediatric nurse, was last seen on July 27, police said, but no body has been found as of the time of writing. In their release announcing Bhatt's arrest, police said they are still hoping to locate the missing mother.

Bhatt appeared in court in Prince William County, Va., for his arraignment on Friday, Aug. 23, according to reports from WUSA, 7News and WTOP. It is not immediately clear if he entered a formal plea, but on Monday, Aug. 26, a judge ruled that Bhatt will be held in custody without bond, deeming him a flight risk, according to the outlets.

WUSA reported that prosecutors claimed Bhatt made Google searches in April asking, How long does it take to get married when spouse die, as well as "What happen to debt died spouse." The former alleged Google search was also reported by 7News.

The outlets further reported that prosecutors alleged during a hearing that blood was found in the couples bedroom and shower upon an investigation of their home.

Per local outlet 10 WAVY, investigators searching the family home noted that things were in disarray, but many items were already boxed and packed up, with Bhatt and his 1-year-old daughter's passports ready to go.

In the weeks leading up to Kafle's disappearance, prosecutors revealed that Bhatt had sold his vehicle and looked into selling their home.

Prosecutors also shared that Bhatt allegedly traveled to Chantilly on July 30 where he bought three knives, two of which have not been accounted for as of the time of writing.

On the next day, July 31, they continued to note that he returned to Chantilly to buy cleaning supplies.

Though a body has not yet been found, 7News reported that every indication pointed to Kafle being dead.

Manassas Park Police Department Naresh Bhatt

During the bond hearing, Bhatt's public defender argued that there was not as much blood found in the home as prosecutors suggested.

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That's maybe a nosebleed, judge, the defense attorney said, according to WUSA.

WTOP reported that the defense argued that there was no evidence to even suggest Kafle was dead, citing the lack of a body.

Police said the pair's daughter is currently under the care of the Department of Social Services. A GoFundMe supporting the child and Kafle's family has raised over $200,000 as of the time of publishing.



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Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arrived at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia to assess the safety situation, the state-owned news agency TASS reported on Aug. 27.

The visit follows allegations from Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials that Ukraine has tried  or intends to try  to attack the plant amid the ongoing Ukrainian incursion in the area. Kyiv has denied the allegations.

Grossi said earlier in August that he would visit the plant to assess safety risks associated with the ongoing fighting.

Following the visit to the plant, Grossi will go to Kyiv, where he is scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Beyond the accusations that Kyiv is planning to attack the Kursk plant, Russia has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Ukrainians will try to strike the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of using the plant for nuclear blackmail and endangering its safety.

Kyiv said on Aug. 11 that Russian forces set fire to "a large number of automobile tires in cooling towers" at the nuclear plant in an effort to "create panic in the settlements on the right bank of the former reservoir."

Read also: Kursk operation: What Ukraine achieved so far and potential future gains

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KURCHATOV, Russia (Reuters) -U.N. nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi said after visiting Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant on Tuesday that there was a risk of a nuclear accident and the situation was serious.

"The danger or possibility of a nuclear accident has emerged near here," Grossi told reporters, referring to the fact that fighting is taking place in the surrounding Kursk region.

Russia says the plant has been repeatedly attacked by Ukrainian forces that are just 40 km (25 miles) away after carving out a slice of Russian territory this month. Ukraine has yet to respond to the accusations.

Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told a news conference that the plant was extremely fragile because it had no protective dome.

He said the site was currently still operating very close to normal conditions, but this meant that the situation regarding its security was even more serious.

Russian state nuclear company Rosenergoatom said Grossi had been able to satisfy himself that the plant's Number Three reactor was working at planned capacity, while its fourth reactor has been undergoing scheduled maintenance since Sunday. He was also shown a new reactor block that is under construction, it said.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi speaks during a press conference at the German Foreign Office. Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has warned of the dangers facing the Russian nuclear reactor in Kursk, in an area which is near intense fighting that erupted when Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russian territory three weeks ago.

The power plant near the town of Kurchatov is a working nuclear site, Grossi pointed out in a statement broadcast by Russian state television after his visit to the facility on Tuesday.

"And attacks can end dangerously," Grossi added, according to a Russian translation. Fighting in the area was a cause for serious concern, he cautioned.

Grossi warned of the danger of a nuclear incident in the event of fighting directly at the nuclear power plant. The reactors have no protective casing, which makes them particularly susceptible to damage in the event of a drone attack or artillery fire.

However, operations have been running almost normally so far, Grossi added. He had visited the most important buildings, including the reactor and machine halls, the control unit and the spent fuel storage facility.

The IAEA chief once again demanded that the rules for nuclear safety must be observed. He emphasised that nuclear power plants should not be used as targets of war.

Grossi said he will now travel to Kiev to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

They will discuss the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops, and other nuclear facilities in the country. IAEA experts are deployed at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant south-eastern Ukraine.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, warned about the risks associated with the Kursk nuclear power plant during Ukraines ongoing incursion into Russias Kursk Oblast during his visit to the facility on Aug. 27.

The IAEA head, who recently completed a visit of the plant claimed that he was informed about drone activity near the plant.

I was informed about the impact of drones. I was shown some remnants of those and signs of the impact they had, he said at at a press conference, which was reported on by Russian media.

For now, the facility was "operating in very close to normal conditions," Grossi added, though noting that this only increased the risk of an accident.

When a plant is operating," he said, "the temperature is much higher, and if there was a case of impact or something that could affect it, there would be serious consequences.

The Kursk nuclear power plant's two functional reactors are of the RBMK type, meaning they does not have the containment dome and protective structure typical for modern nuclear power plants.

Ukraine's Chornobyl nuclear power plant, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history in 1986, had the same reactor type.

This means that the core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a regular roof. This makes it extremely exposed, said Grossi.

Although Grossi emphasized that comparing the situation at the Kursk power plant to what happened in Chornobyl would be an exaggeration, he calls to take the risks associated with nuclear safety very seriously.

"A nuclear power plant of this type so close to a point of contact or military front is an extremely serious fact," he said. "The fact we have military activity a few kilometers, a few miles away from here, makes it an immediate point of attention."

Following his visit to the Kursk plant, Grossi will go to Kyiv, where he is scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The visit of the IAEA chief to the Kursk nuclear power plant follows allegations from Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials that Ukraine has tried  or intends to try  to attack the plant amid the ongoing Ukrainian incursion in the area. Kyiv has denied the allegations.

Russia has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Ukrainian forces plan to strike the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of using the plant for nuclear blackmail and endangering its safety.

Kyiv said on Aug. 11 that Russian forces set fire to "a large number of automobile tires in cooling towers" at the nuclear plant in an effort to "create panic in the settlements on the right bank of the former reservoir."

Read also: Kursk operation is related to Ukraines 2nd peace summit, Zelensky says

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HONG KONG, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A series of seminars were held in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from Sunday to Tuesday to elaborate on the guiding principles from the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

During the seminars, members of the central publicity delegation elaborated on the guiding principles from the third plenary session to representatives of central government agencies and Chinese companies in Hong Kong, members from the HKSAR government, and people from all walks of life, and exchanged views with representatives from various sectors including business, technology and academia.

Shen Chunyao, a member of the publicity delegation and director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said that he felt that people from all sectors in Hong Kong and the governance team cared about the guiding principles from the third plenary session, which fully reflected that they attach great importance to central government's major plans and national development, and hope that Hong Kong can play a role in it.

Also a member of the publicity delegation, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao made in-depth elaborations on economic structural reform. He said that as Hong Kong enters a new stage of advancing from stability to prosperity, it needs more than ever to integrate into the tide of reform, actively align with national strategies and fully seize the historical opportunities brought about by national development. Hong Kong must strive to be a "super connector" and "super value-adder" under the strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world, writing more chapters about the success of "one country, two systems".

John Lee, chief executive of the HKSAR, attended the seminars, saying that participants and members of the public have benefited greatly by having more profound understanding of the guiding principles from the third plenary session.

"Hong Kong will achieve better development through further reforms, including further leveraging its distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under 'one country, two systems' principle, as well as constantly striving innovative breakthroughs in policies, mechanisms and systems, and continuously reinforcing and enhancing its own advantages in the process of promoting its own development and highly integrated development with the mainland," he said.

Zheng Yanxiong, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, and of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and the director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said that the resolution of the third plenary session relating to Hong Kong has a very heavy weight, showing the central government's care, favor and high hopes for Hong Kong. It will provide a strategic pivot for Hong Kong to better play its unique role and bring new major opportunities in the new stage of advancing from stability to prosperity, he said.

The seminars were broadcast live to allow the public to have a deeper understanding of the guiding principles from the third plenary session. 
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has allegedly stated that a "threat of nuclear incident" emerged in Kursk Oblast, and the fighting near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) causes concern.

Source: Russian media outlets The Moscow Times and RIA Novosti

Details: Grossi specified that the instances of combat activity near the Kursk NPP causes concern for its security.

"The peculiarity of the Kursk NPP is that RBMK type reactors operate there. Due to their construction RBMKs have no protective layer or container many reactors of other types worldwide are equipped with," Grossi said at a press conference following his visit to the Kursk NPP.

He noted that he had allegedly seen the traces of drone attack on the premises of the Kursk NPP, and the core is basically located in a regular building and is very vulnerable to artillery or drone strikes.

A provision on the protection of the Kursk NPP will be worded following the visit, as reported by Russian media outlets.

Background:

An IAEA mission led by the agency's director general was scheduled to visit the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant on 27 August.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated earlier that he plans to visit the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Russia this week.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  For 60 years, travelers at the Salt Lake City International Airport walked across a world map on the floor in Terminal 1. It became known as a historic staple to the airport, with many families stopping to point at places theyve traveled upon it. Until recently, that map remained in storage. But now, its back at the SLC airport in the new Concourse B plaza.

Travelers will be able to see it again when Phase 3 of the airports plans opens on October 22, which will also have five new gates and a central tunnel to connect concourses A and B.

We want to continue the history out here and this is just a big part of it, said Chandler McLellan, construction deputy director on the project management team.

WIRTH WATCHING: Salt Lake City airports world map

The map was created from a design by Dallas stoneworker Julius Bartoli, which was based on drawings by Ashton, Evans & Brazier. The map is only of half of the world as it shows United flight routes when it was installed in the 1960s.

In 2020, when the old terminal was demolished, it was unclear if such an iconic piece of the airport would be able to be salvaged.

When I started at the airport almost nine years ago, we didnt think wed be able to save the world map and we didnt think there was any way that we could actually have it removed, said Nancy Volmer, spokesperson with the Salt Lake City International Airport.

But, once engineers, architects, and experts took a look at it, Volmer said they started to see there could be a way.

Jake Bingham, senior project manager at Fin Wall Specialties, said a project like this was the first of its kind hes seen.

This is something that in the terrazzo industry has never been done. First time thing that moving something of this size and this scale from a 60-year-old airport into a new airport, so there was a lot of planning that went into it four years in the making. We had a lot of meetings about logistics and how we were going to get the pieces up here without getting damage and allowing it to lay flat again so we would be able to make it look right, Bingham set.

The map consisted of 75 pieces, each weighing around 400 pounds, and took about 3 weeks to install. The whole project ended up costing around $250,000, according to McLellan.

Thats kind of, I think, inexpensive for something that has this much historical relevance to the city, to the county, to the state. This is something we wanted everybody to see when they came here, he said.

Crews applauded the work of the team who installed the map in the 1960s, as it helped them be able to preserve it. At first, John Kunz, a senior project manager with IMS masonry, wondered when pulling it out, if it would remain intact or if it may have been bonded to the substrate.

I originally took vacuum lifts to the top surface, pulled up on it, and we thought we would have to bond to break it free from the bottom. Luckily, when it was built originally, they put a bond separation slip sheet, which was the savior, because if if it wasnt a slip sheet in or bonded to the floor, you would have to break it pretty much apart to get it out, said Kunz explained. By having the guys back when it was originally built put a fabric in there, were able to pull up on the vacuum lifts, take a few bars underneath, and break the pieces free without chipping in the corners.

Kunz said that a mock-up was also done at the time to make sure everything was set to successfully put the map back together again. Although a replica couldve been made, crews said because it had so much meaning to the public, it was important that the original map was returned.

Its been a big big part of the community. They wanted this back inWe could have done that. But Im glad they pushed forward and we went this route, Bingham said.

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In 1998, Idaho and states across the U.S. reached the landmark Master Settlement Agreement meant to reduce smoking. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador reached a new settlement with tobacco companies to immediately get a big chunk of disputed funds, but it will leave millions on the table.

Thats instead of duking it out in litigation that can last over a decade.

Idahos settlement  reached in March  resolved years of complicated litigation, and its similar to ones 38 other states and territories reached, the Idaho Office of the Attorney General says.

Those are long-running cases over disputed payments by cigarette manufacturers, stemming from a quirk in a massive 1998 settlement. That earlier deal, called the Master Settlement Agreement, requires a handful of the largest cigarette manufacturers to pay states billions of dollars annually.

Instead of risking arbitration panels potentially denying Idaho full access to around $58 million in disputed payments by major cigarette manufacturers, Idahos new deal settles for $37 million  and an even higher share of future disputed funds.

Idaho Inauguration

This settlement avoids decades of expensive litigation and eliminates risk that could threaten millions of dollars of Idahos annual  payment from the original 1998 settlement, Labrador said in an April news release. Im committed to ensuring that the tobacco companies meet their obligations to Idaho under the (Master Settlement Agreement) without delay or uncertainty.

As a result, Idaho is expecting a more even payment stream year to year from the settlement, Deputy Attorney General John Olson told a panel of lawmakers last week in a presentation before the Joint Millennium Fund Committee. The committee recommends how Idaho should spend its tobacco settlement funds.

Idaho lawmakers are gearing up to dole out more of the tobacco settlement funds toward youth drug prevention efforts, Boise State Public Radio reported. Over the years, Idaho lawmakers have directed the funds toward a range of issues, including toward public health districts, substance abuse treatment, the Idaho Meth Project and more, according to reports by the Idaho State Treasurer.

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New settlement resolves decades of litigation over disputed tobacco company payments

In 1998, Idaho and states across the U.S. reached the landmark Master Settlement Agreement meant to reduce smoking.

The settlement set up decades of payments by tobacco companies to states. But some of those payments went into disputed accounts that states would have to arbitrate to access.

That stems from the non-participating manufacturer adjustment, one of several adjustments in the 1998 master settlement agreement, Olson told lawmakers last week.

Each year, tobacco companies claim that the adjustment applies to reduce their payments to states, Olson explained, pooling about $3 million to $5 million of Idahos tobacco settlement payments into the disputed fund annually.

Idaho has spent years litigating to access those funds. Just this year, Idaho was litigating to access disputed funds from 2005, Olson said.

door to Attorney General Raul Labrador's office

Whether Idaho would win in arbitration depended on if it could convince an arbitration panel of judges that Idaho diligently enforced the terms of its law passed in accordance with the 1998 settlement.

James Simeri, the chief of the attorney generals offices Consumer Protection Division, which handles the litigation, told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview that the settlement eliminated the risk of losing disputed funds. And it means Idaho will receive payments now, rather than waiting a decade or longer for litigation over individual years payments to resolve, he said.

The attorney generals looking out for the people of Idaho, Simeri said. And getting most of the money, but not all the money, but eliminating the risk of losing the money  seems desirable on the whole, in the circumstances, given the risks.

And the office had to pay attorneys and staff for the litigation, he added.

Why Idaho reached the new tobacco settlement

This year, Idaho is getting around $74 million in tobacco settlement funds. That includes the up-front payments for past disputed funds that the new settlement secured, along with Idahos $23.3 million payment originating from the 1998 settlement this year, Olson told lawmakers.

When Idaho reached the new settlement, around $58 million was in its disputed payments account from funds withheld through 2020, Simeri told the Sun in an email.

The new settlement also sets Idaho up to receive 75% of future disputed payments from 2015 through 2031, according to a February letter by Labrador, outlining the new settlement.

In the past, Idaho has won in arbitration. But the Attorney Generals Office says future success isnt guaranteed, referencing a recent loss for the state of Washington.

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If Idaho lost its arbitration for those disputed funds, it could lose access to those funds  and maybe even lose more, through a reallocation provision in the settlement, Simeri told the Sun.

Its less than you could have gotten with a total victory. But if you compare it to a total defeat, its a lot more, Simeri told the Sun in an interview.

Whether settling over the disputed funds is beneficial is in the eyes of the beholder, Brett DeLange, former chief of the Idaho Office of the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Division, told the Sun in an interview.

He thinks some states are essentially saying: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.  That having a lesser amount now is better than waiting so long to get the full amount.

And he praised Olson and David Young  two Idaho deputy attorneys general on the tobacco settlement litigation  as outstanding lawyers.

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In a setback for Illinois Democrats and Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois Supreme Court has upheld a downstate judges ruling that found unconstitutional a Democrat-passed law preventing the slating of legislative candidates for the November election in races where political parties did not field contenders.

The high courts ruling Friday was not typical of the seven-member body, which is made up of five Democrats and two Republicans. Two of the justices, Democrats P. Scott Neville and Joy Cunningham, recused themselves while the remaining five justices were divided enough that the court couldnt make a ruling. Under the Illinois Constitution, four concurring justices are needed to decide on cases before the court.

As a result, Sangamon County Judge Gail Nolls ruling in June was upheld by default  but only for the November election.

Noll earlier this year declared the election law  signed by Pritzker on May 3  unconstitutional because it impermissibly burdens candidates who had been following the previous law from their right to vote and to have their names placed on the November ballot.

Before Democrats moved to change the law, local Democratic and Republican committees regularly filled vacancies for legislative spots on the general election ballot in races where no candidates from their party had run in the primary. The candidate slated by the political party was still required to obtain candidacy petition signatures to run in the general election.

Under the decision, the new law stays on the books. That means, if there is no law change, political parties beginning in the 2026 elections will have to run candidates in the primary in order for those candidates to appear on the general election ballot.

Pritzker has defended the constitutionality of the new law, saying it forced candidates to run in the primary and prevented backroom deals where some small group of people in a smoke-filled room decided who would run in the general election. But the attempt to block slating was viewed by many, especially Republicans, as an effort to give the Democrats a boost in the Nov. 5 general election before a vote was even cast. Democrats in Springfield already hold sizable supermajorities in the House and Senate, and the GOPs inability to slate opponents for late general election challenges would only help Democrats keep their advantage.

The court case was brought by the conservative Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center on behalf of GOP candidates who were circulating petitions for the November ballot when Pritzker signed the new law, which had an immediate effective date.

Illinois Senate Republican leader John Curran of Downers Grove on Friday welcomed the Supreme Courts decision.

Gov. Pritzker once again signed a purely partisan law that violated the constitutional rights of Illinois citizens. This latest attempted power grab by Gov. Pritzker and the legislative Democrats that would have reduced voters choice in the upcoming election was thankfully rejected by the courts for the final time, and voters, rather than politicians, will have the final say on Election Day, Curran said in a statement.

Pritzkers office had no immediate comment Monday about the Supreme Court decision.

Republicans contended Democrats rushed the measure to protect one of the partys few downstate House Democrats from a challenge. But Jay Keeven, the slated GOP challenger to Democratic state Rep. Katie Stuart, of Edwardsville, had gathered enough signatures and filed to get on the ballot with the Illinois State Board of Elections before Pritzker signed the new bill into law.

After losing at a lower court, the Illinois Democratic Party appealed directly to the Illinois Supreme Court and lost. As I have said every time, with each attempt to kick me off of the ballot, our campaign continues to gain momentum, Keeven said in a statement Monday.

At least three other GOP candidates also will be allowed to run for House seats in November against incumbent Democrats in light of the high courts ruling. They include Republican Donald Puckett, who is running against incumbent Democratic state Rep. Anna Moeller of Elgin; an Aurora-area race in which Republican Teresa Alexander is running against incumbent Democratic state Rep. Barbara Hernandez; and a Northbrook race in which Republican Daniel Behr will face off against incumbent Democratic state Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl.

Not affected by Nolls ruling are provisions of the law that also will place three nonbinding advisory proposals on the November ballot. The first asks voters if earners of $1 million or more annually should be taxed extra to pay for property tax relief. The second asks if candidates for office should face civil charges for attempting to interfere with election workers. And the third asks whether voters favor insurance coverage protections for in vitro fertilization.

A maximum of three nonbinding proposals are allowed on the ballot and the move by Democrats was aimed at crowding out attempts by conservatives to try to place their own advisory question asking if parental consent should be required for gender counseling, therapy or modification procedures.

_____

(Chicago Tribunes Olivia Olander contributed to this story.)

_____
'I'm Kind Of Used Up': H.R. McMaster Says He Wouldn't Serve Again Under Trump

Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Monday said he wouldnt serve in a second Donald Trump administration if the Republican presidential nominee wins in November.

McMaster joined the Trump White House in early 2017 to replace Michael Flynn, who resigned from the national security adviser role after it became known that he had lied to then-Vice President Mike Pence about his dealings with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

But McMaster left the administration a little over a year later. During his tenure, he often appeared at odds with Trump. For instance, in 2017, McMaster said there was incontrovertible evidence that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 presidential election  a statement that appeared to irk Trump, who called out McMaster on his Twitter account.

In an interview with CNNs AC360, McMaster said he wouldnt work for Trump again if the former president secured reelection.

I would work in any administration where I feel like I can make a difference, but Im kind of used up with Donald Trump, McMaster said.

McMaster added that he also wouldnt serve under Vice President Kamala Harris if she won the race, citing policy differences.

Meanwhile, when asked if he believes former White House chief of staff John Kellys recollections that Trump made disparaging comments about wounded service members, calling them losers, McMaster said those words dont appear consistent with what hed expect from the former president. Trump has also disputed Kellys account.

I wasnt there, McMaster said. I was gone by that time. It sounded out of character to me. I never heard the president say anything like that, that bad.

When pressed about Trumps attacks on the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), though, McMaster conceded that Trump can often be very offensive.

Hes an extremely disruptive person, McMaster told CNNs Anderson Cooper. I saw it as my job not to try and constrain him, but to help him disrupt what needed to be disrupted.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump said McCain is not a war hero. McCain, who served in the Navy, spent over five years in a North Vietnamese prison, where he was tortured.

He was a war hero because he was captured, Trump said. I like people who werent captured.
I'm a New Yorker who went to Canada for the first time. Here are 9 things that impressed me so much, I'm already planning a trip back.

I went to Canada for the first time in 2022 and can't wait to return someday.

Over seven days, I traveled to Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City, mostly by train.

I want to return to Quebec and Niagara Falls, and take more Canadian trains to other provinces.

Immense waterfalls, scenic train rides, and cities that feel like Europe  I experienced them all during my first trip to Canada.

This was back in August 2022, when I left my home in New York City to spend a week in Canada's eastern provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Overall, my trip to Canada was only a taste of what the country has to offer  a rich bite that left me hungry for more. I knew from the moment I left that I would be back and hopefully soon.

I traveled to Ontario and Quebec by bus, train, and plane, hitting cities and attractions from Niagara Falls to Montreal.

A map shows where the author traveled to. Google Maps

I traveled by train from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York, and walked into Niagara Falls, Canada, on foot.

After three days in the Niagara Falls area, I took a bus up to Toronto for a night. From there, I traveled to Montreal and Quebec City by train and spent one night in each city before flying home to New York.

As a seasoned Amtrak rider, I found Canada's train system, Via Rail, to be so impressive that I want to return to try out more classes and routes.

The author travels in business class from Toronto to Montreal. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I've spent 85 hours on Amtrak trains going up and down the East Coast, reviewing its various accommodations  from business and first class to private rooms in sleeper cars.

So when I traveled to Canada, I was excited to try out Via Rail, Canada's train line similar to Amtrak. It's one of the most accessible and popular ways to travel through the country. Via Rail has economy seating as well as business class and sleeper accommodations, just like Amtrak.

Even after only two rides, I thought my first experiences on Canada's Via Rail system were more comfortable than Amtrak equivalents, thanks to the more comfortable seats and top-notch service and amenities.

I booked two Via Rail rides in economy and first classes.

A business-class car on a Via Rail train. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I booked a business class ticket from Toronto to Montreal. For about $200, it came with perks that Amtrak only offers to first-class passengers, such as meal service and access to lounges at select stations, including Toronto.

I also booked an economy ticket on Via Rail from Montreal to Quebec City for about $150, and I thought it was more spacious than an Amtrak seat.

Overall, I found train travel to be more comfortable and pleasant in Canada than I typically do in the US. This makes me want to explore Canada by train and perhaps try more classes, like the sleeper cars and prestige accommodations.

After trying poutine for the first time, I have to go back for some different renditions.

The author tries poutine for the first time. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Poutine is a Canadian comfort food originating in Quebec. It's a pile of fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy.

Before visiting Canada, I had never tried poutine or even seen it on a menu. But that changed in Montreal when I dined at La Banquise, a casual joint serving classic poutine, as described above, and more creative renditions loaded with meats, veggies, bacon, or sauces like Caesar and chipotle.

I decided to go with the classic since it was my first time trying it. The fries were crispy and greasy  just like I like them. I thought the gravy was reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner, and the curds added a unique texture without adding too much flavor.

In one bite, I could see why this dish was so popular and comforting. It was warm, filling, and nostalgic, transporting me back to Thanksgiving dinner.

Next time I'm in Montreal, I'll return to La Banquise to try some more loaded poutine options on the menu.

I thought Niagara Falls was epic and beautiful.

Niagara Falls seen from a boat. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Niagara Falls is an iconic landmark known for its massive waterfalls on the US and Canada border. It's also America's oldest state park.

Seeing Niagara Falls up close was an unexpected highlight of the trip. Since I've seen so many pictures, I wasn't expecting to be quite so entranced by them. But once I saw them for myself, I was amazed.

I was completely in awe of how massive, beautiful, and loud the falls were. To me, it was witnessing a powerful force of nature commanding people's attentionand it succeeded.

The boardwalk lining the falls also reminded me of Times Square on New Year's Eve because of the excitement it drew.

I'd love to go back during the off-season to see what it looks like when it's not as crowded with people.

The author's view at Niagara Falls. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

There were a lot of crowds at the falls. From the attractions surrounding it to the packed crosswalks around town, Niagara Falls was so full of people that I spent a lot of time waiting in lines and standing on my tippy toes to peer over people's heads. It would have been much more enjoyable without so many other visitors.

I would love to go back to Niagara Falls when it's less crowded and enjoy a more peaceful moment alone in front of the falls.

According to The Points Guy, Niagara Falls tends to be less busy in early spring and late fall.

I got a break from the crowds when I stayed at this treehouse Airbnb outside of Niagara Falls. It was the most peaceful part of my trip.

The author stays in a treehouse for one night. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

On my trip, I wanted to mix time in big cities with the chance to get a feel for life in smaller towns and relax.

While looking for the most unique Airbnbs in the areas I was traveling to, I found a treehouse on a property located between a vineyard and the woods.

I stayed for one night and found it to be so peaceful and relaxing.

The author enjoys the treehouse. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I loved feeling totally alone in this quiet, natural place equipped with all the comforting amenities of home.

It was the perfect place to reflect on my travels thus far, jot down notes about my observations, and review the thousands of photos I'd already taken. Sitting on the porch amid a forest of trees, this treehouse was the best remote office I've had the pleasure of working in.

I'd love to go back for a few days to completely recharge. I didn't get a chance to cook a meal in the kitchen or spend a day just reading outside  something I used to do a lot as a kid. The next time I come to this treehouse, it'll be for a vacation.

I loved exploring Montreal on foot...

A view of Montreal from the top of the mountain pictured. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Montreal was one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen, thanks to the stunning, contrasting modern and historical architectural styles, from Art Deco to Gothic Revival.

Walking up and down the hills of the city was tiring but rewarding. I enjoyed some impressive, all-encompassing views that made me wish I had more time to explore.

I also walked around Old Montreal, a neighborhood reminiscent of Europe with cobblestone streets. While I took beautiful pictures, I didn't have time to go inside the many shops, museums, and restaurants along the way.

Next time I'm in Montreal, I plan to find accommodations in Old Montreal to learn more about the city's history.

...especially Mount Royal.

A view of Montreal from the top of Mount Royal. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I only had one night in the city, I got up around 6 a.m. and walked from my hotel downtown to Mount Royal, a small mountain in the middle of the city.

It was a 30-minute uphill walk followed by another half hour of climbing stairs that traversed the mountain. It was exhausting, but when I got to the top, it was totally worth it.

I could see the whole skyline, and I longed for more time to wander specific streets.

The Old Quebec neighborhood in Quebec City made me feel like I was in Europe without the long-haul flight.

The author's view from her hotel room (L) and a street in Old Quebec (R). Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Quebec City is a 400-year-old French-Canadian city that made me feel like I was in Europe. With its cobblestone streets, old-world architecture, and French signs and storefronts, it was like being in Europe.

I spent one night in the most gorgeous hotel that looked more like a castle.

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Old Quebec. Joey Hadden/Insider

I had roughly 24 hours in Quebec City and spent all of it in Old Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the famed Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, a luxury hotel where I spent the night in a 180-square-foot room with a stunning view.

I thought it was the most beautiful hotel I'd ever stayed at, and it was located in an ideal spot for sightseeing in Old Quebec.

Just outside the hotel was Dufferin Terrace, a boardwalk with restaurants and benches overlooking the St. Lawrence River. On the other side of the hotel was Place d'Armes, a beautiful small park with a large fountain.

I also spent time exploring and photographing the surrounding streets, which are full of shops and restaurants, but I wished I had time to visit these places, like Quartier Petit-Champlain.

I left Quebec City longing for more time to explore, shop, and dine.

Canada is so large that I left feeling like I had barely scratched the surface. There are so many more places to explore.

A map shows where the author traveled to. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It's wild to think that my first trip to Canada was just within a small fraction of the country. It's the second-biggest country in the world after Russia.

Now that I've been there, I want to see more of it.

Not only do I want to spend more time in the places I've visited already, but I also want to explore other provinces like British Columbia to see what life is like in Vancouver, a big city on Canada's west coast.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Rise in passenger violence is due to alcohol, powder and tablets, says Ryanair boss

Ryanair chief Michael OLeary has called for a two drinks per passenger limit at airport bars to combat drunken disorder on flights and at airports.

Instances of in-flight violence have surged this summer with attacks now occurring on a weekly basis, Mr OLeary said.

While assaults on cabin crew are of most concern, confrontations between passengers have become increasingly common, according to Mr OLeary. He blamed a combination of alcohol with powder and tablets.

Mr OLeary said: Its not that easy for airlines to identify people who are inebriated at the gate, particularly if they are boarding with two or three others.

As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour.

We dont want to begrudge people having a drink. But we dont allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet.

Mr OLeary said the increase in assaults could be combated by permitting no more than two drinks per boarding pass before passengers board an aircraft. The restriction would be one of his three main recommendations for the new Labour Government.

The Ryanair chief told The Telegraph: The airports of course are opposed to it and say that their bars dont serve drunken passengers. But they do serve the relatives of the drunken passenger.

Flights from the UK are particularly prone to violence, especially on services to so-called party destinations such as Ibiza and some Greek islands from regional airports including Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Flights from the UK to so-called 'party destinations' such as Ibiza are particularly prone to violence - Geoffrey Robinson/Alamy Stock Photo

Ryanair has resorted to searching the bags of passengers bound for Ibiza before they are allowed to board.

Mr OLeary said: We used to only allow them to take bottles of water on board, not realising that they were full of vodka. Now we dont even allow them to take those.

In the old days people who drank too much would eventually fall over or fall asleep. But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder.

Its the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage. And its not directed just at the crew. Passengers fighting with each other is now a growing trend on board the aircraft.

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Mr OLeary issued his call after a British holidaymaker was last month convicted of sexually assaulting a flight attendant on a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Majorca in 2023. The man touched the stewards bottom in a lewd way after pretending he had credit card issues.

Last August a man was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an attendant before spitting on her boss on a Jet2 flight from Manchester to Ibiza. Also in 2023, four men were removed from an easyJet plane from Manchester to Tenerife that was forced to divert to Lanzarote after violent clashes.

Sinead Quinn, who is responsible for the training of Ryanairs 14,000 cabin crew, said the company was having to resort to passenger bans and increasingly shared information on problem flyers with peers.

She said: The UK Is most challenging, the regions in particular. But theres no particular profile. You have groups of young people, but it can be families and those you least expect.

The situation is exacerbated when flights are delayed and passengers drink for several hours before boarding, according to Mr OLeary, who said drink-fuelled violence was also an issue aboard some services from Ireland and Germany.

He said: The biggest problem we have is when you have a day of bad delays. People are waiting around at airports and they keep lorrying alcohol into them.

Most of our passengers show up an hour before departure. Thats sufficient for two drinks. But if your flight is delayed by two or three hours you cant be guzzling five, six, eight, ten pints of beer. Go and have a coffee or a cup of tea. Its not an alcoholics outing.

He added: What were asking for wont affect profit. The bars can still sell their drinks and food. And yet government agencies in the UK and across Europe dont take it seriously.

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.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Have you seen the large presence of emergency responders at the San Angelo Fairgrounds? Theres no reason to be concerned, according to the City of San Angelo.

In a public statement issued on Aug. 26, the City asked residents not to enter the San Angelo Fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to allow for a joint response exercise to be conducted. The exercise brings the Office of Emergency Management for the City of San Angelo and Tom Green County and the 6th Civil Support Team of Texas together alongside local, state and federal emergency response personnel.

San Angelo man dies after losing control of motorcycle

Major exercise activities have been intentionally planned to be conducted away from heavily populated areas in the interest of safety, as per the City. However, people within the town may still notice these activities.

The City also warned that residents may notice a heavy presence of emergency response vehicles and personnel at the fairgrounds while the exercise is ongoing. It assures that there is no emergency or need for alarm, though, stating that it is only a drill.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Indias ports are set to endure a strike Wednesday morning, but unions are scrounging together one more effort on Tuesday in hope that a new deal can be put in place for dockworkers throughout the country.

The All India Port Workers Federation, which comprises the national coordination committees of six major port workers unions and federations throughout the country, will meet in New Delhi with the Indian Ports Association (IPA), the state agency that operates the ports.

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To avoid a strike, the association proposed its most recent offer last Wednesday.

As many as 18,000 employees at the 12 major ports would walk off the job if there was no new contract agreement.

The strikes are expected to affect ports including those in Mumbai, Kolkata and Cochin.

The unions have been in negotiations with the government for nearly three years to try and increase the workers pay, as well as other areas like pension, benefits and overtime, but have so far failed to come to an agreement. The last contract was signed on Aug. 30, 2018, and expired on Dec. 31, 2021. The collective is calling for the agreements to be retroactive to January 2022, when the next contract should have begun.

Although the Indian shipping ministrys wage negotiation committee met seven times in the time since, it failed to meet the port workers demands every time, according to a Reuters report.

Strike notices were issued on Aug. 12 after several rounds of discussions failed to reach an agreement.

A port strike would come at a difficult time for shippers given that it is in the middle of the peak shipping season, when retailers are bringing in goods to be sold during the holiday season. Apparel would likely feel some level of impact from a strike, given that India is the fifth-largest apparel exporter in the world, after China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Turkey, according to data from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The country exported $15.4 billion in apparel in 2023, which represents 3 percent of the worlds clothing.

According to Indian publication The Hindu Business Line, a strike at the major ports could lead to loss of 125 crore rupees ($14.9 million) for exporters daily.

The countrys 12 largest ports handled 818 million tons of cargo in the 12 months to March, a 4.4 percent increase over the prior year, according to Indias Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Inbound and outbound cargo, which encompasses 77.1 percent of total containers at the port, drove much of the year-over-year growth at a 5.1 percent boost in cargo handled.

All container terminals are private berths, so delivery will not be affected in the event of a work stoppage. However, berthing and departing of vessels would be put to a halt, as port employees operate tugboats that pull and push vessels in and out of the ports.

The knock-on effects would likely lead to more port congestion elsewhere, which has already been a problem in major hubs across Southeast Asia. The congestion has mainly been a byproduct of the lengthier transit times of ships after ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea began in late 2023, which resulted in more off-schedule vessel arrivals.

The Indian Ports Association emphasized that any wage adjustment must align with the ministrys directive, which mandates that the labor cost per physical unit of output should not increase. Consequently, the IPA suggested that individual ports could implement a contract in a phased manner to maintain control over labor costs.

Indias labor concerns coincide with a new contract agreement Saturday for workers at western Australias largest port, Fremantle, preventing another 48-hour strike that was slated to start Sunday, at 5:30 a.m. local time.

Terms of the newly agreed on contract have not been disclosed, but vessel traffic services officers and pilot boat operators represented by the Australian Maritime Officers Union reportedly sought an 18 percent pay raise, according to the West Australian. The workers had already rejected a 12.5 percent wage hike over three years, the report said.

This is a positive outcome that will ensure there is no disruption to shipping lines, importers, exporters, and the public, said Fremantle Ports CEO Jodie Ransom in a statement. It shows that respectful negotiation can deliver good results for everyone involved.

Vessel operators and vessel traffic service operators in Fremantle halted vessel movements to and from berths on August 18-20, but cargo operations and yard operations were unaffected.
Ukraine scored victories on and off the battlefield last week, with Kyiv securing a long sought after visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the backdrop of its evolving offensive into Russias Kursk region.

A wartime visit by Modi -- the popular and powerful leader of the worlds second most populous nation, its fifth largest economy and a major military and economic partner for Russia -- has long been near the top of Kyivs diplomatic wish list, second perhaps only to a visit by Chinas President Xi Jinping.

Its great news for Ukraine and can be viewed as a diplomatic victory, Oleksandr Merezko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and chair of the bodys foreign affairs committee, told ABC News of Fridays visit. Its important for us to have a direct dialogue with him, and persuade him to be on the right side of history.

With a cease-fire proving elusive after two and a half years of war, Kyivs friends and enemies alike will see opportunity in Modis outreach.

On Monday, President Joe Biden commended Modi on his Ukraine visit, per a White House readout, praising the leaders message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support.

Russians, too, are positive about the visit, Oleg Ignatov -- the Crisis Groups senior analyst for Russia -- told ABC News. Russia will welcome their role, if their role is constructive.

The U.S. and its Western partners -- even officially non-aligned ones like Switzerland and Austria -- have lost their position of independent, impartial players in the Kremlins eyes, Ignatov said. They cant be middlemen.

But perhaps Modi can be that middleman.

True neutral

Modis dueling visits to Russia and Ukraine characterize -- even if unintentionally -- New Delhis staunch neutrality. The prime minister was in Moscow when a Russian missile struck a Ukrainian childrens hospital in July, his bear hug greeting of President Vladimir Putin earned him a fierce rebuke from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

And now, Modi has sat down with the Ukrainian leader while the latters troops expanded their occupation of Russian territory, in an operation that Putin has decried as a criminal effort to destabilize his nation.

Merezhko said he was surprised by the timing. I suspect that our American and European allies are trying to push India in the right direction.

India has neither condoned nor condemned Russias full-scale invasion. New Delhi has been urging de-escalation and peace talks while benefiting from historically low prices for Russian oil -- which India is also processing and selling on to the West -- amid the Western sanctions campaign, analysts have noted.

India has not signed up to the Western-led sanctions drive. Russia is selling oil to India at prices above the G7 price cap, but Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said that is acceptable, as long as India avoids Western insurance, finance and maritime services which are bound by the cap.

Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said last week: "It is not like there is a political strategy to buy oil ... there is an oil strategy to buy oil ... there is a market strategy."

PHOTO: Ukraine's President Zelenskiy welcomes India's PM Modi in Kyiv (Ukrainian Presidential Press Ser/via Reuters)

MORE: Former US soldier explains why he volunteered to fight with Ukraine

Modis India has been building its U.S. ties, happy to work closely with both Republicans and Democrats as the nation looks to extract its mammoth economic potential and blunt the longstanding threat from China across their shared Himalayan border -- a challenge experts have suggested is a major driver of the evolving U.S.-India relationship.

Indias trade with Russia is worth less than half that of the $130 billion exchange with the United States. The 2023 U.S.-Indian commitment to the multibillion India-Middle East Economic Corridor speaks to the expanding strategic vision of the two nations. The White House described the project as a gateway to our future, while New Delhi lauded what it called a transformative integration of Asia, Europe and Middle East.

India is also increasingly looking towards the U.S. for its military needs while its military trade with Russia dwindles, amid concerns about the quality of Moscows goods and its inability to deliver on advanced contracts. A warm relationship with the U.S. may also somewhat insulate Modi from concerns -- at home and abroad -- that he is pushing India's democracy in an illiberal and perhaps even authoritarian direction.

Modi and his government have pushed back on such criticisms. At a press conference with President Joe Biden in 2023, Modi said there "is no scope for any discrimination" under his administration. And this year, India's Foreign Ministry dismissed a State Department report detailing "significant" human rights abused as "deeply biased."

Asked about the Ukraine visit, a State Department spokesperson told ABC News: We continue to ask all our partners, including India, to support efforts toward a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and to urge Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraines sovereign territory.

Before departing New Delhi last week, Modi reiterated his calls for peace, saying in a statement: As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region.

Indias position -- firmly on the fence -- could prove an opportunity for both sides.

Neither the Indian Foreign Ministry nor the Kremlin responded to ABC News' request for comment in time for publication.

Lets talk

Officially neutral nations like India, China, Qatar or Saudi Arabia could all play a central role in bringing the war to an end, or at least achieving a cease-fire. All refused to join the Western-led sanctions campaign against Moscow, and all have called for an end to the fighting.

Indeed, reported secret Qatari efforts to facilitate renewed cease-fire talks were only scuppered by Ukraines Kursk offensive earlier this month.

They are ready to play the role of intermediaries; not negotiators, but facilitators, to help both countries understand which issues their positions could be close on, Ignatov said of non-aligned nations. If there is a request from both Ukraine and Russia, they will help. But they won't do anything to the detriment of one country.

Modis visit may undergird the apparent sentiment on both sides of the war that negotiations could be revived. But, Ignatov said, any new proposal should be broad, and as simple as: Lets talk.

Chietigj Bajpaee of the Chatham House think tank in London, U.K., told ABC News that Modi wants to promote India as a rising and responsible global power, and potentially as a bridging power between the West, its adversaries in authoritarian nations like Russia, China and India, and less powerful Global South nations not willing to commit to broader U.S.-led transatlantic goals.

The other countries that maintain very good relations with Russia -- China, Iran, North Korea -- all of these are countries with which the U.S. and the West maintain difficult relations, Bajpaee said.

In theory, at least, I think India is well positioned to play some sort of role as a bridging power or mediating role in the conflict in Ukraine. Whether it has the means and motivation to do so is another question.

Indian officials have publicly ruled out acting as official mediators between the warring nations, though Modi has said he is willing to convey messages between them.

PHOTO: Ukraine's President Zelenskiy welcomes India's PM Modi in Kyiv (Ukrainian Presidential Press Ser/via Reuters)

MORE: Russia launches 'nightmare' deadly drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, Kyiv says

For Merezhko, India would be a more appealing facilitator than China, for example. Beijing presented an initial peace plan in 2023 which was widely dismissed in Kyiv, followed by a second effort in coordination with Brazil in May.

Modi shows that Ukraine exists for India, Merezhko said. In this regard, we can see a contrast between Chinas and Indias position on Ukraine. Whereas Xi has not visited Ukraine at all and had several meetings with Putin, which is very telling, Indias prime minister seemingly is trying to keep some balance.

The Chinese plan is empty and pro-Russian. Modi, if he plans to come up with his own peace plan, will at least try to be more constructive than China.

Modi will likely keep one eye on facilitating dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow, Yehor Cherniev -- a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the chairman of his countrys delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly -- told ABC News, not least because of continued concerns in the Global South as to the conflicts detrimental effect on trade.

But any nascent rumblings of new talks will be secondary to the ongoing combat. Ukrainian forces will keep pushing in Kursk and Russian forces on the eastern front, particularly in Donetsk. Meanwhile, both sides will keep bombarding the others cities with drones and missiles.

Russias weekend nationwide missile and drone bombardment of Ukraine served as a bloody reminder of the diplomatic gulf between the two sides.

The outcome of this war will be decided by Russia and Ukraine, Ignatov said, not by India, China or the United States.

Cherniev said that while Ukrainians are open to fresh ideas and thankful for Modis visit, his compatriots will wait to see what conditions will be tied to any revival of dialogue. It's difficult to predict any outcomes of peace negotiations, Cherniev added, stressing that Kyivs demand of full territorial liberation has not changed.

As to the persistent question of territorial concessions in pursuit of peace, Cherniev replied: We will never do this.

PHOTO: UKRAINE-INDIA-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

India's Prime Minister Modi steps into Ukraine-Russia peace vacuum originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Tuesday condemned recent lethal "terrorist" attacks in Pakistan and Burkina Faso.

He made the remarks in separate statements released by the ministry, reacting to a series of attacks on Monday in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province that killed at least 53 people and injured scores of others and to an attack on Saturday in north-central Burkina Faso's Barsalogho commune in which the total number of casualties has not yet been disclosed.

Kanaani extended condolences to the victims' families, as well as the governments and people of both countries and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attacks.

Commenting on the attacks in Pakistan, he said Iran condemns and rejects all forms of terrorism and stands by the "brotherly" Pakistani government and people in the process of fighting terrorism.

The proscribed organization Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Pakistan, while no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Burkina Faso. 
Indian PM tells Putin about his visit to Ukraine after talking to Biden

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, has talked to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin on the phone and shared his impressions from his recent visit to Ukraine.

Source: Modis post on X (Twitter); the Russian Interfax service, citing the Kremlins press release

Quote: "Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict [war] and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine.

Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict."

Details: The Kremlin claimed that Modi had informed it about his recent visit to Kyiv, "stressing his interest in making a contribution into a possible political-diplomatic regulation of the situation around Ukraine".

Putin allegedly told Modi about "key Russian approaches to resolving the conflict".

Background:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ukraine. This is the first official visit to Ukraine by an Indian prime minister since it regained independence in 1991.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, told Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, about his meeting with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin a month ago and his attempt to convince him to stop the war.

Bloomberg reported that India had agreed to transfer messages between Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

On 26 August Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had discussed the situation in Ukraine with US President Joe Biden in a telephone conversation after his visit to Ukraine.

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Indonesias new capital in Nusantara, East Kalimantan province, on July 25, 2024. Credit - Muhammad FadliBloomberg/Getty Images

As Indonesias Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, closes the curtains on his decade-long presidency, with his successors inauguration set for Oct. 20, hes racing to raise the curtain on Nusantara, the countrys future capital and his pet project that has found itself in peril.

Indonesias Independence Day on Aug. 17 was supposed to mark the inauguration of the new high-tech and green capital. But when the day arrived, only a scaled-back celebration was held at the presidential palace in Nusantara, with just 1,300 of the of the initially planned 8,000 attendees, surrounded by half-completed buildings. (Another ceremony took place simultaneously hundreds of miles away in Jakarta, the current capital.) While 12,000 civil servants were scheduled to move in by September, only a fraction of their designated apartments have been built; water and electricity supplies were only recently made available; and investment flows to the project remain dry.

Plagued by construction delays, the future of the $30 billion project is up in the air. And it will soon be left in the hands of President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who has said he supports the idea but has shown little interest in prioritizing ita worrying sign for Jokowi, who has in recent weeks stepped up efforts to fast track the construction of Nusantara.

This is the last attempt of Joko Widodo to reassert his authority, to ensure his legacy, Vishnu Juwono, associate professor in public governance at the University of Indonesia, tells TIME.

In his quest to prove that the development of Nusantara is going well, Jokowi spent his first night in the new capital in Julyhe didnt sleep well, he said the next morningheld his first cabinet meeting earlier this month, and has been inviting influencers to tour the site and post about it.

The new capital Nusantara is a canvas on which we can carve out the future, Jokowi said as the cabinet meeting commenced on Aug. 12. Not every country has the opportunity or ability to construct a new capital from zero.

A cleaner works on the rooftop of the newly-built presidential palace during celebrations marking Indonesias Independence Day in Nusantara on Aug. 17, 2024. Bay IsmoyoAFP/Getty Images

It remains unclear if Indonesia has that ability either. The challenges that plague Nusantarafrom land rights disputes to environmental concerns to an unanticipated lack of private fundinghave no quick fixes.

Amid lagging construction progress and a little confidence of financial return, Nusantara remains a hard sell to private and foreign investors, who according to the governments plan were expected to provide 80% of the projects funding. (The remaining 20% was to be covered with the Indonesian state budget.) However, of the 100 trillion rupiah or over $6.4 billion it had expected from investments by the end of 2024, Nusantara has only received about $3.5 billionall from domestic companies and state-owned institutions.

While over 400 foreign companies have expressed interest in investing, no concrete deals have emerged, even as Jokowi embarked on a world tour to persuade foreign governments and businesses. Jokowi is now trying to entice investors with nearly 200-year land permits, which critics have slammed as a clearance sale of land that would harm local residents.

Meanwhile, the grand presidential palace built in the shape of a Garuda, the mythical bird-like creature on Indonesias national emblem, has been mocked online, and others have pointed to what they believe are signs of shoddy, rushed workmanship in the building.

Read More: Indonesia's New Capital Is a Monument to Its Democratic Decline

Political uncertainty has also cast a dark shadow over the sprawling Nusantara construction site. In June, the resignations of two chiefs overseeing the Nusantara project fueled speculation about its stability. And even if Nusantara stays on the next Administrations to-do list, it looks to be far from the top of the agenda.

Prabowo told reporters earlier this month, while in Nusantara for the cabinet meeting with Jokowi, that he would continue, and if possible finish the project, but many remain skeptical that he will keep to his word. His populist presidential campaign had centered on a free lunch initiative, which is set to take a big bite out of the state budget. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the incoming Vice President and Jokowis eldest son, said he did not plan to move to his official residence in Nusantara but would remain in his own house in Jakarta.

For his part, Jokowi has acknowledged that the transition to Nusantara shouldnt be rushed. His plan for now, it seems, is to simply make it impossible for his successors to ignore the 250,000 hectares of capital-in-progress.

Hes building, developing the capital as much as possible, so that it reaches the so-called point of no return, Yanuar Nugroho, a visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and former deputy chief of staff to Jokowi, tells TIME. Whoever inherits the Nusantara project, Yanuar says, wouldnt want to be seen as someone who jeopardized that.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, talks with President-elect Prabowo Subianto, left, during an Independence Day at the presidential palace in Nusantara on Aug. 17, 2024. Bay IsmoyoAFP/Getty Images

But what Jokowis successors could do, instead, is to drag out the construction until it is more politically convenient to give it up. Nusantara could trundle along, and it could be quite slow, Ian Wilson, a senior lecturer specializing in Indonesian politics at Australias Murdoch University, tells TIME. If it becomes a white elephant project, if its draining too many resources when [Prabowo] has other political priorities, it would be quite easy for him to step away from it. And then that would serve to undermine the Jokowi legacy.

To be sure, Jokowi has enjoyed widespread public support during his decade in officeeven in the final stretch of his presidency, his approval rating hit a new high of 77%. And, to his credit, his attempt at moving the capital has gone further than any of his predecessors, who over the past decades have all in some way planned or tried to execute such a move.

Yet whether Nusantara succeeds or fails, political analysts say, his legacy may have already been written. A decade ago, Jokowi began his presidency being hailed as Indonesias Obama and a new hope for Indonesian democracy. But as his final term draws to a close, Jokowis reputation has been tainted by his apparent maneuvers to build a dynasty for himself in Indonesian politics. The political turbulence marking his final months in office, most notably allegations that hes eroding Indonesias burgeoning democracy, have increasingly overshadowed the popularity that undergirded his tenure.

Certainly, Jokowi will be remembered as someone who  started the building and the development of the new capital city, says Yanuar. But hes also known as someone who destroyed Indonesian democracy.

Last year, Gibrans selection as Prabowos running matedespite being under the minimum age required of candidateswas made possible by a ruling from the Constitutional Court, on which Jokowis brother-in-law sat as chief justice. Now, hes trying to secure his influence over Golkar, one of the countrys biggest political parties, by installing himself and his allies in senior positions. And in recent weeks, his allies in Parliament tried to amend election laws, before pressing pause amid widespread protests, to pave the way for Jokowis youngest son Kaesang Pangarep to become a candidate for governor.

Im afraid that Jokowi, at the moment, even without [the Nusantara project], says Yanuar, Jokowi will not be remembered as someone who is wise. He will not be remembered as a statesman.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A subway train travels on the Oberbaum Bridge over the Spree in Berlin. Rising isolationism and nationalism threaten the German tourism industry, two trade groups warned on Tuesday in a joint resolution calling for more hospitality. Monika Skolimowska/dpa

Rising isolationism and nationalism threaten the German tourism industry, two trade groups warned on Tuesday in a joint resolution calling for more hospitality.

The statement follows a tragic knife attack, in Solingen, western Germany, allegedly by a 26-year-old Syrian man, which left three dead and eight injured during a city festival.

The incident was swiftly accompanied by calls from opposition parties to halt immigration from Syria and Afghanistan.

But in their resolution, German Tourism Association (DTV) and the German Travel Association (DRV), said only an open-minded Germany is an attractive travel destination.

The statement was presented at the German Cities Forum and Tourism 2024 Conference in Weimar.

The associations firmly rejected all forms of right-wing extremism and inhumane ideologies. They stated: "We will not tolerate anti-democratic forces that create an atmosphere of insecurity, fear and hatred."

They advocate for a reciprocal spirit of welcome, stressing that just as Germans wish to be welcomed abroad, international visitors should also feel welcome in Germany.

The Solingen attack has intensified national debates on migration policy and deportations, with opposition parties increasing their calls for stricter immigration controls ahead of regional elections.

The Syrian suspect was slated for deportation to Bulgaria last year after his asylum request was denied.

Data shows increase in foreigners' overnight stays

According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany saw 487.2 million overnight stays in hotels, vacation accommodations and campsites last year.

Of these, 80.9 million were by international guests, who made up 16.6% of total stays.

This marks a 1.5 percentage point increase from 2022 but is still 1.5 percentage points below the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.

The most frequent visitors to Germany came from the Netherlands (11.5 million overnight stays), Switzerland (6.8 million), and the United States (6.5 million).

Popular destinations included Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

The DTV represents local, regional, and national tourism organizations, while the DRV, which represents the majority of the tour operator and travel agent market in Germany, advocates for the travel industrys interests.

People lay flowers and candles near the scene of a knife attack at the Solingen town festival. Several people were killed and injured in a knife attack on Friday evening at the city festival celebrating the 650th birthday of the city of Solingen. Thomas Banneyer/dpa

People display a poster with the slogan "Remigration now!" during a a demonstration from the right-wing camp following a knife attack that left several people dead at the Solingen city festival. Christoph Reichwein/dpa

(L-R) Herbert Reul, Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wuest, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Tim Kurzbach, Mayor of Solingen, and Mona Neubaur, Deputy Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, stand with folded hands in front of flowers laid in memory of the victims of a knife attack at the 650th anniversary celebrations of the city of Solingen. Thomas Banneyer/dpa
An injured and angry water buffalo is on the loose in Iowa

An escaped water buffalo on the lamb from police looks on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in the Des Moines suburb of Pleasant Hill, Iowa. (Madison Pottebaum via AP)

PLEASANT HILL, Iowa (AP)  A water buffalo is on the loose in an Iowa town, and police are warning people that it is injured and aggressive.

Police in the Des Moines suburb of Pleasant Hill responded Saturday to a call about an animal in the road. It turned out to be a water buffalo, and the owner told police the animal was aggressive.

That proved to be the case when police and animal rescue and control groups began trying to contain the water buffalo and return it to the owner's property. Those efforts led the animal to show its aggressiveness toward Pleasant Hill officers which resulted in one round being fired from a shotgun, injuring the animal, police said in a Facebook posting on Monday.

The wounded water buffalo got away. Police used drones and ATVs to try and find it and brought in people with expertise in water buffaloes. As of Tuesday morning, the animal was still on the lam in the town of about 11,000 residents.

If anyone sees a Water Buffalo, DO NOT APPROACH IT, police said on Facebook.

Water buffaloes can weigh up to 2,650 pounds, according to the website for National Geographic, though the Iowa animal appears smaller in photos. Often domesticated, the water buffalo is the largest member of the Bovini tribe, which includes yak, bison, African buffalo, various species of wild cattle, and others, the website said.
Iranian Vice President Zarif back in office after two weeks

Mohammad Javad Zarif, then Iranian Foreign Minister and currently vice president, speaks during a press conference. -/Dalati & Nohra/dpa

Iran's former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has returned to President Masoud Pezeshkian's government, just two weeks after leaving his post as vice president.

Zarif confirmed on the social media platform X that he is to resume his work as vice president for strategic affairs, following talks with Pezeshkian.

He vacated his post in early August after only 11 days in office due to differences with Pezeshkian, who ran as a reformist, over his conservative Cabinet.

The 64-year-old was Pezeshkian's right-hand man during his election campaign earlier this summer and was considered one of the key masterminds of the new government's foreign policy.

Zarif's comeback came after pictures from the IRNA state-run news agency showed him at a Cabinet meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Zarif was Iran's chief diplomat between 2013 and 2021 and was able to seal the landmark 2015 Vienna agreement on Iran's nuclear programme.

Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curtail its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of UN sanctions, which had significant impacts on Iran's oil exports and banking sector.

The primary goal of the pact was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran has several vice presidents. The first vice president is the reformer Mohammed Reza Aref.
Irish budget airline Ryanair will cut its operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) by around 20% starting next summer due to high airport fees, the company announced on Tuesday.

The number of Ryanair aircraft based in Berlin will drop from nine to seven and six routes - the Belgian capital Brussels, Chania on the Greek island of Crete, Kaunas in Lithuania, Krakow in Poland, Luxembourg and the Latvian capital Riga - will be discontinued.

The exact timing of the fleet reduction and its impact on local employment remain unspecified.

Each aircraft typically supports around 30 jobs, according to Eddie Wilson, the manager responsible for Ryanair's core business.

Currently, Ryanair is the largest airline operating from BER, surpassing EasyJet in market share.

Despite expanding its services this summer and increasing passenger numbers by 15% last year, Ryanair's future plans remain uncertain, especially concerning its planned maintenance hangar at the airport.

This move echoes previous adjustments by airlines due to high costs. EasyJet also reduced its fleet at BER in 2022, resulting in the loss of around 200 jobs.

Wilson noted that air traffic at BER has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with passenger numbers still around 70% of what they were before the pandemic. High taxes and fees are blamed for stifling growth and affecting airline offerings.

In addition to Berlin, Ryanair operates in Weeze, Cologne, Frankfurt-Hahn, Nuremberg, Baden and Memmingen. It remains to be seen if reductions will occur at these locations as well.

Germany's ADV airport association warned that Germany risks losing its competitive edge in air transport due to high costs.

Ralph Beisel, the associations chief executive, highlighted that while other European airports are thriving, regulatory burdens in Germany are hampering expansion and reducing available flight connections.
Israeli officials announced Tuesday that one of the hostages abducted during Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel has been rescued.

The Israeli military said in a post on the social platform X that Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued from Hamass custody. He is in stable medical condition and will be checked out at a hospital, Israel said.

Israeli security forces will continue to operate with all means to bring home the hostages, the post said.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that Alkadi was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of the farming communities that was attacked on Oct. 7. He has two wives and 11 children, according to the AP.

The news wire also reported that Israels Channel 12 showed his family members running through the hospital he was taken to after hearing the news.

His rescue comes as the U.S. and its partners in the region have tried to push for a cease-fire deal in the Israel-Hamas war that would release the remaining hostages. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Middle East last week to push for a deal but left without any major agreement in place.

During the initial attack, which sparked the war in the region, about 1,200 people were killed and Hamas militants abducted approximately 250 people. The AP noted that Hamas is still holding about 110 hostages, but one-third of them are thought to be dead.

Israel has rescued a total of eight hostages so far, according to AP. More than 100 hostages were also released last year during a temporary cease-fire and hostage release deal.

The Associated Press contributed.

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(Bloomberg) -- Israeli security forces freed a male hostage held in Gaza since Oct. 7 from an underground tunnel used by Hamas.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a 52-year-old Arab Israeli from the town of Rahat, was found by special forces in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, according to the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet, the countrys internal intelligence agency.

Alkadi, a father of 11, was in a stable condition and transferred to a hospital, they said. He was working as a security guard at a kibbutz, Magen, when he was captured, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

According to a senior military official, Alkadi was found alone by Israeli forces while they were operating in a complex underground system where it was suspected hostages were being held. An Army Radio reporter said on X that the soldiers found Alkadi by chance.

The official added that lessons from previous encounters with hostages had been implemented for the operation, without providing details but possibly referring to the accidental killing of three hostages by the IDF in December while they tried to escape. Its the first time Israel has rescued a live hostage from the tunnels under Gaza, state broadcaster Kan News reported.

Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldnt believe it, Alkadi told President Isaac Herzog, according to a statement released by his office.

Hamas built a massive tunnel network that its used as weapons caches, bunkers, command centers, and a concealed transportation route. It has also used it to hide the hostages taken on Oct. 7 and to thwart Israels attacks.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, sent fighters into southern Israel. They killed 1,200 and took around 250 hostage. Israels subsequent offensive has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there, which doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said 108 hostages are still held in Gaza. Israeli officials have said that 40 or so of those are probably dead.

Israeli forces have rescued seven hostages on three separate occasions, including an operation in June amid heavy fighting. More than 100 were released during a week-long cease-fire  the only one so far  that ended on Dec. 1.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under increasing pressure from families of hostages and Israelis generally to ensure the remaining captives are released.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas over a phased cessation of hostilities have been ongoing for months.

An Israeli team will travel to Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday following negotiations in Cairo over the weekend, an Israeli official said. The delegation is expected to meet with representatives from Egypt and Qatar, which have been mediating the talks, as well as the US.

The two sides are divided over several issues. They are yet to agree how many hostages will be released from Gaza in the first stage of a deal, as well as which Palestinians can be freed from Israeli jails.

In addition, Hamas wants any truce to end the war, while Israel says it must retain the right to restart fighting and achieve its aim of destroying the group.

In recent weeks, a new sticking points emerged over the so-called Philadelphi corridor. Israel wants to keep troops in that strip, which runs along the Egypt-Gaza border, to prevent weapons smuggling from the Arab state. Hamas says Israeli forces must retreat from the corridor.

We are working relentlessly to return all of our hostages, Netanyahu said on Tuesday after speaking with Alkadi, the free hostage. We are doing this in two main ways: through negotiations and rescue operations. Both ways require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas.

US President Joe Biden is using his last months in office to try to end the conflict, which has caused huge political divisions globally, including in the US. Its also roiled the wider Middle East.

On Sunday, Israel launched preemptive strikes that took out thousands of missile launchers belonging to Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group thats been exchanging fire with Israel since October in solidarity with Hamas. Hezbollah still fired more than 200 projectiles at Israel, though they caused limited damage. One Israeli soldier was killed and at least three people were reported as being killed in Lebanon.

Tensions have deescalated since then, but Israel remains on high alert for another major attack from Hezbollah and its main sponsor, Iran.

(Updates with details from fourth paragraph, negotiations in 12th paragraph.)

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HANOI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's wood and timber exports are projected to reach 20 billion U.S. dollars by 2025 and 25 billion dollars by 2030, according to the newly approved national forestry plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050.

According to the plan, the Southeast Asian country's domestic consumption of wood and timber products is expected to reach 5 billion dollars by 2025 and 6 billion dollars by 2030, Vietnam News reported Tuesday.

By 2025, the income value from timber plantations per unit area should increase 1.5 times and by 2030, it should double, compared to 2020 levels.

Revenue from Vietnam's wood and wood product exports hit 8.9 billion dollars in the first seven months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 23.5 percent, according to customs figures. 
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Israel said it rescued a hostage from Hamas in an underground tunnel in Gaza Tuesday.

This comes as the U.S. is still trying to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that includes the release of the remaining hostages.

His medical condition is stable, and he will undergo examination, said Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military.

A helicopter brought 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi to safety at an Israeli hospital, where he reunited with his family after 326 days in Hamas captivity.

Hagari said he could not share details about the special operation but committed to bringing home the dozens of remaining hostages, which include American citizens.

We will pursue the return of our hostages through all means possible, Hagari said. I repeat through all means possible.

The U.S. has been trying to do this via diplomacy, continuing talks in Egypt this week for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas but an agreement still hasnt materialized.

We remain intently focused on deescalating tensions in the Middle East while also remaining focused on securing a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal, said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.

Ryder said two U.S. carriers will remain in the Middle East to support the defense of Israel, but he could not give a timeline on their deployment.

The bottom line is we can walk and chew gum at the same time, Ryder said.

According to the Israeli military, Alkadi is one of eight hostages held by Hamas to be rescued alive. Last week, troops recovered the bodies of six other hostages.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Freed Israeli hostage Kaid Alkadi pictured inside the emergency room on a mobile phone as his relatives gather outside the Medical Center in Beersheva in southern Israel. The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - being held by the Hamas "in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip" it said on 27 August. Ilia yefimovich/dpa

The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - held by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas "in a complex operation" in southern Gaza, it said on Tuesday.

Kaid Farhan al-Qadi was in "stable medical condition" and taken to hospital for medical checks, the army said, adding that no further details would be released for security reasons.

The man, a father of 11 children, was the first hostage to be freed alive from a tunnel, Israeli media reported.

The Hostage Families Forum welcomed the rescue operation and said that al-Qadi had worked as a security guard in Kibbutz Magen on the border with Gaza and had been held hostage for 326 days.

His return home was "nothing short of miraculous," the group said in a statement, while emphasizing that military operations alone could not free the remaining hostages.

"A negotiated deal is the only way forward," the group said.

Relatives rush to hospital

A relative told the Haaretz newspaper that the family can hardly believe he is free.

"For almost 12 months we've been waiting to see what will happen," he said. The victim's brother told the paper that the family hopes "other families get this moment."

The Israeli Kan channel said al-Qadi was one of six Bedouins kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.

The Bedouins belong to the Arab minority in Israel and often face discrimination. The number of Bedouins in the country is estimated at around 250,000. Many live in the Negev desert in the south of Israel, and the army said the freed man is from the Negev.

"The whole Negev is celebrating," a relative told the news site ynet.

The army said it wil continue to work to bring all the remaining hostages home. This is the eighth hostage to be freed alive by the military.

Hostage and death toll figures

According to an Israeli count, Hamas still holds 108 hostages. At least a third of them are presumed dead. In total, Palestinian terrorists abducted more than 250 people from Israel to the coastal area on October 7. Around 1,200 people were killed in the unprecedented terrorist attack.

Israel's army responded with devastating air and ground assaults on Gaza in which, according to Palestinian figures, more than 40,400 people were killed. The Hamas-controlled health authority does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in these casualty figures.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in the Gaza war, in which Qatar, Egypt and the United States are mediating, have been at a standstill for months. The last success was in November, when more than 100 hostages were released from Hamas violence during a brief ceasefire.

More violence in the West Bank

An Israeli Arab was reportedly shot dead after Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian village in the southern West Bank.

There were conflicting reports about the exact sequence of events leading to the fatal incident. Palestinian media reported that the approximately 40-year-old man was shot by settlers. According to Israeli media, however, it was soldiers who allegedly fired the shots. Four Palestinians were injured, according to the reports.

The Israeli news site ynet reported that the settlers entered the village south of Bethlehem following allegations that Palestinians had thrown stones at Israeli vehicles in the region.

The military reported that Palestinians had thrown stones at Israeli vehicles, damaging one of them. After that, stones were thrown at Israeli civilians who had come into the area. Confrontations between both sides ensued.

The Israeli army, in a statement, said Israeli soldiers arrived on the scene and opened fire at the rioters, hitting some. Reports of an Israeli civilian killed were being investigated by the police.

Overnight an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank killed five people, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Israeli army announced that a control room belonging to Palestinian militants in the refugee camp of Nur Shams had been bombed.

According to Palestinian reports, a drone fired several shells at a group of people during the incident late on Monday evening.

The situation in the West Bank has worsened significantly since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.

Since then, 624 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or their own attacks in the West Bank, according to the Ministry of Health.

Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians also increased during this period.
Freed Israeli hostage Qaid Farhan Alkaldi speaks to an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) soldier. The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - held by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas "in a complex operation" in southern Gaza, it said on 27 August. Idf Spokesperson/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - held by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas "in a complex operation" in southern Gaza, it said on Tuesday.

Kaid Farhan al-Qadi was in "stable medical condition" and taken to hospital for medical checks, the army said.

The man, a father of 11 children, was the first hostage to be freed alive from a tunnel, Israeli media reported.

The Hostage Families Forum welcomed the rescue operation and said al-Qadi had worked as a security guard in Kibbutz Magen on the border with Gaza. He had been held hostage for 326 days.

His return home was "nothing short of miraculous," the group said in a statement, while emphasizing that military operations alone could not free the remaining hostages.

"A negotiated deal is the only way forward," the group said.

Relatives rush to hospital

A relative told the Haaretz newspaper that the family can hardly believe he is free.

"For almost 12 months we've been waiting to see what will happen," he said. The victim's brother told the paper that the family hopes "other families get this moment."

Israel's Kan channel said al-Qadi was one of six Bedouins kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.

The Bedouins belong to the Arab minority in Israel and often face discrimination. The number of Bedouins in the country is estimated at around 250,000. Many live in the Negev desert in the south of Israel, and the army said the freed man is from the Negev.

"The whole Negev is celebrating," a relative told the news site ynet.

This was the eighth hostage to be freed alive by the military.

Army says freed hostage was not under guard

According to the Israeli army, al-Qadi was not under guard when he was rescued. Units of the army and the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet had freed him from a tunnel in which they suspected hostages and terrorists were present.

Why the man kidnapped from Israel on October 7 last year was not guarded remained unclear, as was the question of whether other hostages were being held in the tunnel, which the military described as a "complex underground system."

Ex-hostage's appeal in phone call with president

Al-Qadi urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to do everything in his power to secure the release of the remaining abductees.

"Do everything you can to bring the people home. Work 24 hours a day and don't sleep until they come back," the former hostage said in a phone call with the president shortly after his release, according to Herzog's office.

"The people are suffering a lot, you can't imagine," the 52-year-old continued.

In his conversation with Herzog, al-Qadi said that he suddenly heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door. "I couldn't believe it," he added.

Hostage and death toll figures

According to an Israeli count, Hamas still holds 108 hostages. At least a third of them are presumed dead. In total, Palestinian terrorists abducted more than 250 people from Israel to the coastal area on October 7. Around 1,200 people were killed in the unprecedented terrorist attack.

Israel's army responded with devastating air and ground assaults on Gaza in which, according to Palestinian figures, more than 40,400 people were killed. The Hamas-controlled health authority does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in these casualty figures.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in the Gaza war, in which Qatar, Egypt and the United States are mediating, have been at a standstill for months. The last success was in November, when more than 100 hostages were released from Hamas violence during a brief ceasefire.

Freed Israeli hostage Kaid Alkadi pictured inside the emergency room on a mobile phone as his relatives gather outside the Medical Center in Beersheva in southern Israel. The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - being held by the Hamas "in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip" it said on 27 August. Ilia yefimovich/dpa
Freed Israeli hostage Kaid Alkadi pictured inside the emergency room on a mobile phone as his relatives gather outside the Medical Center in Beersheva in southern Israel. The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - being held by the Hamas "in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip" it said on 27 August. Ilia yefimovich/dpa

The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - being held by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas "in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip," it said on Tuesday.

The man is in "stable medical condition" and is being transported to hospital for medical checks. His family has been informed.

"No further details can be published due to the considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces and national security," the army said in a post on its Telegram channel.

Brother of freed Israeli hostage Kaid Alkadi holds Alkadi's son as his relatives gather at the Medical Center in Beersheva in southern Israel. The Israeli army has once again freed a hostage - a 52-year-old Bedouin man - being held by the Hamas "in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip," it said on 27 August. Ilia yefimovich/dpa
Members of IDF special forces rescue Farhan al-Qadim, a Muslim-Bedouin, on Tuesday. Hamas kidnapped the father of 11 on October 7 and held him captive in a tunnel for 326 days. Photo via Israel Defense Forces/UPI

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet rescued an Arab-Israeli hostage of Bedouin descent from his captors in southern Gaza during an early afternoon raid Tuesday.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was kidnapped during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and rescued from a tunnel in Rafah.

IDF and Shin Bet forces searched a tunnel system in Rafah and located Alkadi in an unguarded tunnel room that was about 22 yards deep.

Alkadi is a father of 11, in generally good health and undergoing health checks at the Soroka Medical Center in Israel, the IDF said.

Forces of IDF and Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, continued searching the tunnel system in which Alkadi was located but have not reported additional rescues.

Farhan al-Qadim is reunited with his family after being rescued by members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday. Hamas kidnapped the Muslim-Bedouin father of 11 on October 7. Photo via Israel Foreign Ministry/UPI

Israeli military forces engaged Hamas militants during the rescue operation, but the IDF did not report how many people were encountered or the nature of the battle to free Alkadi and search the tunnel system.

The rescue is the fourth successful rescue operation performed by the Israeli military to return living hostages from their Hamas captors.

Members of IDF special forces rescue Farhan al-Qadim, a Muslim-Bedouin, on Tuesday. Hamas kidnapped the father of 11 on October 7 and held him captive in a tunnel for 326 days. Photo via Israel Defense Forces/UPI

Israel has rescued eight living hostages, which lowers to 108 the number Israel says Hamas continues holding.

The rescue operation occurred as Israel continues negotiating a cease-fire and hostage release through third parties in Egypt.

A cyclist in Tel Aviv earlier this month rides past photos of hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas as Israel Defense Forces continue rescue operations to bring them home. Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE

"We are doing this through two main approaches: negotiation and rescue operations," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a prepared statement. "Both method require our military presence on the ground and continuous military pressure on Hamas."

Hamas officials have declined the latest cease-fire proposal.

An explosion Sunday near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza forced its evacuation, but the hospital continued operating as of Monday.

The World Food Programme reported its operations to provide food and other essentials for displaced Gazans are "severely hampered" by the ongoing conflict.

The IDF on Saturday killed dozens of Hamas militants and others in a series of military raids.

Since the Oct. 7th attack on Israel, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has reported more than 40,000 people killed without indicating how many are Hamas militants and how many are civilians.
The News

Israeli forces rescued an Israeli Arab hostage who had been held by Hamas since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, the IDF said Tuesday.

Qaid Farhan al-Qadi, 52, was in a stable medical condition as of Tuesday, according to the military. Israel said he was rescued from an underground tunnel during a complex operation in the southern Gaza strip but did not provide further details.

Israeli forces have rescued eight hostages alive so far, as about 100 remain in captivity of which authorities presume 30 to be dead. Many of the rescue operations have involved bombarding Gaza, killing dozens of Palestinians, The New York Times reported, but it wasnt clear if the latest operation led to fatalities.
An Israeli hostage has been rescued from Gaza after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers found him in a tunnel by chance.

Qaid Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin who was captured on Oct 7 while working as a factory guard, was returned home on Tuesday in what the Israeli army described as a complex operation.

The 52-year-old was located by Israeli special forces unit Flotilla 13 during a raid intended to capture a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza, the New York Times reported.

Mr Al-Qadi was found in a room without guards around 25 metres underground, the paper reported citing senior Israeli officials.

The IDF released footage of soldiers in combat fatigues and body armour shaking hands with the freed captive, apparently taken in the room where he was found.

Mr l-Qadi is the first hostage to be freed from the so-called Gaza metro tunnel network rather than a home above ground.

Click here to view this content.

Looking thin but healthy, Mr Al-Qadi was pictured saluting soldiers in the helicopter that took him out of Gaza.

Rear-Adml Daniel Hagari, the IDFs chief spokesman, called the rescue operation complex and said that the troops reached the area thanks to precise intelligence.

No further details can be published due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security, the IDF said in a statement.

Video footage showed Mr Al-Qadis family racing through hospital corridors to greet him as he landed back on safe ground.

Mr Al-Qadi, who was born in the Bedouin city of Ragav in the Negev desert, spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, by phone from his hospital bed.

Im also happy, I waited for his moment, I swear, Abu Yair, Mr Al-Qadi said, referring to Mr Netanyahu being the father of a son called Yair.

Qaid Farhan al-Qadi with the commander of the 162nd Division BG, Itzik Cohen - AFP

I thank you for this work, that you got to a situation where I can see my family and be here. You did holy work, holy work you did. There are others who are waiting, Mr. Al-Qadi said, wearing a blue hospital smock.

I want you to know that [we] are not forgetting anyone, just like we did not forget you. We are committed to returning everyone, without exception, Mr Netanyahu said.

Prof Shlomi Codish, the director of the Soroka Medical Center, in Beersheba, said that Mr Qadi appeared to be in stable and good condition and that he was being hospitalised for supervision.

Mr. Al-Qadis brother, Farhan, told Israels national broadcaster (Kan): We are very happy to receive this news. It is better than having a new child. We thank everyone very much and hope to see him in good health.

It is thought that 108 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct 7 remain in captivity, including the bodies of 34 confirmed dead.

In November, 105 hostages were freed in a week-long ceasefire, and the bodies of 20 more have been retrieved by Israeli forces. Seven other hostages have been freed by Israeli forces, often in heavy fighting.

Qaid Farhan al-Qadi with relatives and friends at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva - AFP

Yoav Gallant, Israels defence minister, said the operation was part of the IDFs daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza strip.

This operation joins a series of actions taken by the IDF that bring us closer to achieving the goals of this war, Mr Gallant said.

The Hostages Families Forum commended the army for rescuing Mr Al Qadi, saying his return home is nothing short of miraculous.

However, we must remember: military operations alone cannot free the remaining 108 hostages, who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror. A negotiated deal is the only way forward, the forum added.

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Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a Bedouin Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a Bedouin Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba

By James Mackenzie and Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli special forces have recovered an Israeli hostage from a tunnel in southern Gaza in "a complex rescue operation", the military said on Tuesday, more than 10 months after he was abducted by Hamas-led gunmen.

It said 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel who worked as a security guard on a kibbutz near the Gaza border, had been transferred to hospital and his condition was stable.

Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel but gave no details of the operation, citing the security of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces.

A military official told Reuters that soldiers were operating in the area where Alkadi was found, navigating a complex underground system where hostages were suspected to be held alongside militants and explosives.

"Farhan was found by the troops when he was alone, and was rescued from the tunnel," the official said. "As part of the preparations for the operation, lessons were learned from previous events and encounters with hostages."

Israeli media quoted Alkadi as saying he had not seen the sun for almost eight months, and that another hostage who was with him for two months had "died next to me".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he had spoken with Alkadi, commended the troops for the rescue and said Israel would work "tirelessly" for the return of all the hostages.

"We do this in two main ways: through negotiations and rescue operations. Both ways together require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas," he said.

During the phone conversation, Netanyahu told Alkadi he was "so happy to speak with you". Alkadi replied: "I thank you for this work, that you have reached a situation in which I see my family and am here. You truly did sacred work. There are other people who are waiting."

The operation was hailed by Israeli leaders, desperate for good news almost a year into a grinding military campaign against Hamas during which pressure has mounted on the government to do more to bring over 100 hostages back home.

'MIRACULOUS'

President Isaac Herzog said the rescue was "a moment of joy for the State of Israel and Israeli society as a whole".

Israel's Hostage Families Forum called Alkadi's return "nothing short of miraculous" but that military operations alone will not free the remaining hostages "who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror.

"A negotiated deal is the only way forward," the group said in a statement. "We urgently call on the international community to maintain pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release all hostages. The remaining hostages cannot afford to wait for another such miracle."

As the rescue was confirmed, Israeli television stations showed a military helicopter landing at a hospital as medical staff and ambulance stood by waiting to receive Alkadi.

"He is in good condition. He is now going through tests," his brother Hathem Alkadi told Channel 12 TV, saying Qaid had lost a lot of weight in captivity.

"We are happy we saw him and saw him alive, first and foremost. He asked about his family, if his kids were OK and his mother was OK."

Alkadi was taken hostage in Kibbutz Magen, one of a string of Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip stormed by Hamas-led fighters in a cross-border incursion on Oct. 7.

More than 250 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in the attack, in which some 1,200 people were killed.

Alkadi's rescue leaves 108 Israeli and foreign hostages still in Gaza but around a third of these are known to have died, with the fate of the others unknown.

The operation followed the rescue of four Israeli hostages in June.

There has been little progress reported from talks to agree a halt to the war in Gaza and the return of the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

(Editing by Kevin Liffey, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis and Mark Heinrich)
A hostage in Gaza is rescued by Israel after 326 days of captivity

In this photo released by the Israel Prime Minister Office on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, 52, right, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza sits in a room at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel. (Israel Prime Minister Office via AP)

BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP)  Qaid Farhan Alkadi was alone underground Tuesday after 326 days of captivity in Gaza when Israeli forces scouring Hamas vast tunnel network found and freed him.

Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldnt believe it, I couldnt believe it, Alkadi, 52, recounted from an Israeli hospital during a phone call with Israels president as his large Bedouin Arab family gathered around his bedside in a joyful reunion.

He was the eighth hostage to be rescued by Israeli forces since about 250 were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war, and the first to be found alive underground. The rescue brought a rare moment of relief to Israelis after 10 months of war but also served as a painful reminder that dozens of hostages are still in captivity as international mediators try to broker a cease-fire in which they would be released.

Alkadi expressed gratitude during the call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and urged his country's leaders to do everything possible to free the dozens still in captivity. "Work 24 hours, dont sleep until they return. People are really suffering, you cant imagine, he said, according to a transcript of the call provided by Herzogs office.

Alkadi was found in a southern Gaza tunnel where hostages were suspected to be alongside militants and explosives, according to the military. He was held in a number of locations during his captivity, according to Israels military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the rescue was part of the armys daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip.

The military said it applied lessons learned during previous operations while rescuing Alkadi. Earlier in the war, Israeli troops who encountered three hostages inside Gaza accidentally shot and killed them, believing them to be militants.

Alkadi was one of eight members of Israels Bedouin Arab minority abducted on Oct. 7. He was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities that came under attack. He has two wives and is the father of 11 children.

Israel believes there are still 108 hostages in Gaza and that about one-third of them are dead. Most of the rest were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Footage released by the Israeli military showed Alkadi moments after the rescue. Unshaven and wearing a white tank top, he is seen sitting and smiling with soldiers before boarding a helicopter to a hospital. He appeared emaciated but officials described his condition as stable.

His large family gathered at the hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba to welcome him home.

One of his brothers held Alkadis infant son, who was born while he was in captivity and had not yet met his father, the brother said.

Were so excited to hug him and see him and tell him that were all here with him, a family member who gave his name as Faez told Channel 12. I hope that every hostage will come home so the families can experience this happiness.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke with Alkadi by phone soon after he arrived at the hospital. He said that Israel would rely on rescue operations and negotiations to bring the remaining hostages home.

Both ways together require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas, Netanyahu said.

Referring to Netanyahu by a traditional Arabic nickname, Alkadi thanked the prime minister for enabling him to see his family again, according to a video of the call provided by Netanyahus office.

Alkadi reminded Netanyahu that there are others waiting. To which Netanyahu replied, we havent forgotten anyone, just as we havent forgotten you.

Hamas-led militants abducted some 250 people during their Oct. 7 attack in Israel in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not say how many were militants. It has displaced 90% of Gazas 2.3 million people from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.

Israeli airstrikes continued on Tuesday across the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian officials said at least 18 people, including eight children, were killed in the attacks.

Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Mazen Abu Siam, a close family friend waiting at the hospital, said the family was overjoyed to hear the news, but they were still praying for a cease-fire.

We are waiting for a deal for one year," Siam told The Associated Press.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent months trying to negotiate an agreement in which the remaining hostages would be freed in exchange for a lasting cease-fire. Those talks are ongoing, but there has been no sign of any breakthrough.

Netanyahu has faced intense criticism from families of the hostages and much of the Israeli public for not yet reaching a deal with Hamas to bring them home.

Hamas hopes to trade the hostages for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Last week, after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza, Israels military spokesperson, Hagari, said the army was working to gather more intelligence for rescue operations. But he added that we cannot bring everyone back through rescue operations alone.

___

Lidman reported from Jerusalem. Julia Frankel contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, fearing for his regime, is unlikely to risk a war against Ukraine, but Belarus may aim to distract Ukrainian forces from the east and south and stretch them along a broader front.

Source: ISW

Details: Ukraine has warned Belarus over the recent build-up of Belarusian forces on the Ukrainian border in Belarus Gomel Oblast.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on Belarus to withdraw its troops from the border. It warned that any violation of the Ukrainian state border would prompt Ukraine to take the necessary measures under international law.

In addition, Andrii Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, said on 26 August that Ukrainian troops were reinforcing the border with Belarus in response.

Quote: "The current Belarusian build-up along the Ukrainian border is likely intended to divert and stretch Ukrainian forces along a wider front line, as ISW continues to assess that Belarusian forces remain unlikely to invade Ukraine due to constraints facing [self-proclaimed] Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko."

"A Belarusian invasion of Ukraine, or even Belarus' military involvement in the war, would degrade Lukashenkos ability to defend his regime (and be very unpopular domestically), and ISW has previously assessed that Lukashenko is extremely unlikely to risk combat with Ukraine that could weaken his regime or drastically increase Belarusian domestic discontent."

More details: Analysts added that presidential elections are due in Belarus in February 2025, and Lukashenko is likely to maintain control over public sentiment, as well as the influence over his military to suppress any election-related protests, as he did in late 2020.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 26 August:

Russia conducted one of the largest combined series of drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure to date on 26 August.

Ukraine issued a warning to Belarus amid the recent buildup of Belarusian forces at the Ukrainian border in Belarus' Gomel Oblast.

The current Belarusian build-up along the Ukrainian border is likely intended to divert and stretch Ukrainian forces along a wider frontline, as ISW continues to assess that Belarusian forces remain unlikely to invade Ukraine due to constraints facing self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Ukrainian forces reportedly attempted to strike Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast and an oil refinery in Yaroslavl Oblast with drones on the morning of 26 August.

Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations within their salient in Kursk Oblast on 26 August, but neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces made any significant confirmed or claimed advances.

Russian Presidential Administration Deputy Head Sergei Kiriyenko was reportedly in charge of a Kremlin think tank that tried and failed to establish rhetorical justifications for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine after the fact, underscoring the Kremlin's rhetorical failures in the first months of the war and Russian leader Vladimir Putins continued prioritisation of loyalty over competency in officials.

Russian forces recently advanced northeast of Kharkiv City, north of Chasiv Yar, southeast of Pokrovsk, and west of the city of Donetsk.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to recruit foreigners to fight with the Russian military in Ukraine.

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MOSCOW/KIEV, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's state-run energy company Ukrenergo said Tuesday it has implemented nationwide power cuts following Russia's largest-ever airstrike on the country.

Ukrenergo said electricity restrictions will be in place in all Ukrainian regions from 6 to 11 a.m. local time (0300-0800 GMT), and from 3 to 9 p.m. (1200-1800 GMT) on Tuesday, as more than 500 settlements across Ukraine remain without power.

Russia on Monday launched 127 missiles and 109 combat drones, targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram, claiming "the most massive air attack."

The Russian defense ministry confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that it has carried out a group strike with long-range airborne precision weapons on critical Ukrainian airfield infrastructure, saying "all designated targets were hit."

The efforts to repair damaged power infrastructure are underway, said Ukrenergo. 
Turin is often overshadowed by Milan and underestimated as a tourist destination. Yet the city at the foot of the Alps combines French style with a quintessentially Italian way of life. Ute Muller/dpa

Long held by many Christians to be Jesus Christs burial cloth, the Turin Shroud remains one of the northern Italian citys main draws for visitors, even if it is only put on display around once a decade.

But with a public viewing possible next year, tourist numbers could be set to soar after the recent publicization of - and media frenzy surrounding - 2022 research that suggested the Shroud is around 2,000 years old, aligning its age with events described in the bible.

Using a technique called wide-angle x-ray scattering, scientists at the Bari-based Institute of Crystallography found a sample of the Shroud - often described as the worlds most-studied artefact - to be "fully compatible with the analogous measurements" from a fragment of linen dated to the 55-74 AD siege by Romes army of the Masada, the last hold-out for Jewish rebels after imperial soldiers sacked Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The sample used was taken from the same section of the relic as used in 1980s carbon dating tests that suggested the fabric could be dated to the 1200-1300s.

But the institute's research, which was published in the journal Heritage, found that the Shroud would have to have been stored for hundreds of years at the Earths maximum temperatures if it were to register the level of degradation shown in the previous research.

"[The] 14th-century dating results remain controversial, especially because of the likely non-negligible carbon contamination of the textile," the team said, arguing that their findings "are compatible with the hypothesis that the Turin Shroud is a 2,000-year-old relic, as supposed by Christian tradition."

Most visitors to Turin usually only get to visit the cathedral - where the Shroud is kept under lock and key - and the nearby museum dedicated to the Shroud.

Public displays of the Shroud are rare and require the popes permission. But with 2025 a Jubilee Year in the Church calendar, there are hopes that Pope Francis will allow the Shroud to be viewed by the public for the first time since 2015.

France's noble Savoy family brought not only their penchant for culinary delights but also much Baroque splendour to Turin and the surrounding area. Ute Muller/dpa
ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM)  Ithaca Police are looking for information about an assault that took place over the weekend that is being investigated as a potential hate crime.

According to the Ithaca Police Department, officers were called to the Ithaca Commons at the 200 block of East State Street around 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, for the report of a dispute.

Man stabbed in the eye in downtown Elmira; suspect on the loose

After arriving at the scene, officers say they spoke to two victims who reported that four people had attacked them and then left the area before police arrived. Police also say that those involved were reportedly making derogatory comments about the victims ethnicity, leading the incident to be under investigation as a potential hate crime. The victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the incident.

The people who committed the assault are being described as two black men and two white men. One black man was depicted wearing a gray sweatshirt and black pants, and the other black man was described wearing blue jeans and a black sweatshirt. In addition, one white man was described wearing tan pants and a gray shirt, and the other white man was described wearing gray pants and a gray shirt.

Newfield man found guilty of kidnapping and theft

An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with any information on the incident is encouraged to contact the Ithaca Police Department as soon as possible by any of the following means:

Police Dispatch: 607-272-3245

Police Administration: 607-272-9973

Police Tip line: 607-330-0000

Anonymous Email Tip Address: www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
Vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz celebrates with his daughter Hope, son Gus and wife Gwen at Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, Aug. 21, in Chicago. The Walzes clarified this week that they didnt use IVF but another kind of fertility treatment to grow their family. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

The broader scope of fertility treatments entered the spotlight this week after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen shared that they had children through a less commonly known procedure.

Since Vice President Kamala Harris selected Gov. Walz as her running mate, he has discussed his familys fertility journey during speeches in Pennsylvania, Nebraska and mostly recently at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

It took Gwen and I years, Walz said on Wednesday night. But we had access to fertility treatments. And when our daughter was born, we named her Hope.

This week, the Walzes clarified that they conceived via intrauterine insemination, not in vitro fertilization.

IUI involves injecting sperm into the uterus during or just before ovulation to increase the chances of fertilization and pregnancy.

Our fertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience. Like so many who have experienced these challenges, we kept it largely to ourselves at the time  not even sharing the details with our wonderful and close family, Gwen Walz said in a statement provided to States Newsroom. The only person who knew in detail what we were going through was our next door neighbor. She was a nurse and helped me with the shots I needed as part of the IUI process.

During IVF, eggs and sperm are combined in a lab and an embryo is inserted into the uterus. IVF has been drawn into national reproductive rights debates for much of this year, and Walz has been talking about it on the campaign trail while discussing his familys fertility journey.

U.S. Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, accused his opponent of lying about how he and his wife had children. In an Aug. 20 social media post, Vance said, Today it came out that Tim Walz had lied about having a family via IVF. Who lies about something like that? He also shared a clip of Walz talking about fertility care and families on Aug. 9.

In a statement, Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said, Governor Walz talks how normal people talk. He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.

Experts said that patients commonly get IUI and IVF confused or refer to them interchangeably, given that in vitro fertilization is more popular.

Theres such a huge sort of alphabet soup that comes along with assisted reproduction, said Kimberly Mutcherson, a professor at Rutgers University-Camden who specializes in reproductive justice, bioethics, and family and health law.

Dr. Kelly Acharya, a fertility physician and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University, said patients partners are more likely to mix up the two treatments or rope related procedures into IVF.

A lot of times in my line of work, I see people that are referring to other things, like egg freezing, they call that IVF, even though technically its not, she said.

Both Acharya and Mutcherson said the main differences between IUI and IVF are where fertilization occurs, the price and effectiveness.

Intrauterine insemination or IUI is basically less invasive. Its typically less expensive, and it is often what is recommended as the first thing that somebody tries, Acharya said. When somebody has mild forms of infertility, like if there are mild differences in the semen analysis, or if somebody is young and theyre not quite sure why theyre not getting pregnant, then often a provider will recommend that they do IUI as a first step to help things along.

IUI is performed during or near ovulation, and it typically takes 10 minutes and is a minor procedure, according to Acharya. The price of IUI varies, depending on insurance coverage, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.

Mutcherson noted that some people also confuse IUI with intracervical insemination, or ICI. During this method, the sperm is inserted into the cervix  the passageway to the uterus, according to the Carolina Fertility Institute.

Doctors often recommend ICI or IUI as a precursor to IVF, which Mutcherson said can cost $12,000 to $15,000 per cycle  or more with grading and genetic testing. During IVF, fertilization happens outside of the body, Acharya said.

IUI, the treatment the Walz family used to have children, is not under the same scrutiny as IVF, which has faced opposition from anti-abortion hardliners. It sometimes is listed as being less controversial than IVF, because its just helping along the natural process of getting the sperm inside the uterus and then expecting fertilization to happen inside the body, Acharya said.

But Mutcherson said that could also be attributed to the fact that its a less well-known procedure.

I think the really big issue when it comes to something like artificial insemination is that it allows people to create families that a lot of these folks  unfortunately, in the Republican Party and folks who are evangelicals  dont approve of: families with two moms, families with two dads, single women who are having children, she said.

Price is a significant barrier to fertility care. Only 21 states require insurers to cover fertility procedures, Stateline reported. A successful birth via IVF can cost more than $60,000, according to a 2022 study published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology.

It requires a lot more physically, emotionally and economically to be able to do IVF, Mutcherson, who conceived via IUI, said.

IVF became a national reproductive rights issue in February after the Alabama Supreme Court likened frozen embryos to unborn children in a ruling. The plaintiffs were couples who sued for damages under an 1872 wrongful death of children law after their embryos were accidentally destroyed in a clinic four years ago, Alabama Reflector reported. Alabamas fertility clinics temporarily closed after the ruling until Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation in March shielding providers from criminal and civil liabilities, the Reflector reported.

But theres still uncertainty over whether embryos and fetuses in the state have legal personhood rights. Despite the new law, two fertility clinics in Alabama announced plans to close by the end of the year, though one denied the decision was related to the ruling.

Since the Alabama ruling, polls have shown most Americans back IVF. A survey conducted by Pew in April found that 70% said IVF is a good thing, while 22% said theyre not sure, and 8% said its a bad thing. Awareness is growing, too: 42% of Americans said they or someone they know have had fertility treatments, according to a 2023 Pew poll.

Nationally, Republicans and Democrats condemned the Alabama Supreme Courts ruling and filed bills seeking to protect IVF this spring, though all of them stalled in Congress. The Republican Partys platform featured support for both IVF and the equal protections clause of the 14th Amendment, which conservative legal scholars argue can be used to solidify fetal personhood along with effectively banning abortion. And in June, the Southern Baptist Convention  the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.  voted to condemn IVF, particularly the destruction or donation of embryos that are not implanted in the uterus.

People who believe that life begins at conception, people who believe that an embryo is no different than a 5-year-old sitting in a kindergarten classroom, those are people who have really deep and abiding principles related to procedures like in vitro fertilization, Mutcherson said.

The number of babies born in the U.S. using assisted reproductive technology has increased in recent years: 2.5% of newborns were conceived using fertility treatments in 2022, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thats up from 2.3% in 2021, per federal data.

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Vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz celebrates with his daughter Hope, son Gus and wife Gwen at Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, Aug. 21, in Chicago. The Walzes clarified this week that they didnt use IVF but another kind of fertility treatment to grow their family. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The broader scope of fertility treatments entered the spotlight last week after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen shared that they had children through a less commonly known procedure.

Since Vice President Kamala Harris selected Gov. Walz as her running mate, he has discussed his familys fertility journey during speeches in Pennsylvania, Nebraska and mostly recently at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

It took Gwen and I years, Walz said on last Wednesday night. But we had access to fertility treatments. And when our daughter was born, we named her Hope.

This week, the Walzes clarified that they conceived via intrauterine insemination, not in vitro fertilization.

IUI involves injecting sperm into the uterus during or just before ovulation to increase the chances of fertilization and pregnancy.

Our fertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience. Like so many who have experienced these challenges, we kept it largely to ourselves at the time  not even sharing the details with our wonderful and close family, Gwen Walz said in a statement provided to States Newsroom. The only person who knew in detail what we were going through was our next door neighbor. She was a nurse and helped me with the shots I needed as part of the IUI process.

During IVF, eggs and sperm are combined in a lab and an embryo is inserted into the uterus. IVF has been drawn into national reproductive rights debates for much of this year, and Walz has been talking about it on the campaign trail while discussing his familys fertility journey.

U.S. Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, accused his opponent of lying about how he and his wife had children. In an Aug. 20 social media post, Vance said, Today it came out that Tim Walz had lied about having a family via IVF. Who lies about something like that? He also shared a clip of Walz talking about fertility care and families on Aug. 9.

In a statement, Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said, Governor Walz talks how normal people talk. He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.

Experts said that patients commonly get IUI and IVF confused or refer to them interchangeably, given that in vitro fertilization is more popular.

Theres such a huge sort of alphabet soup that comes along with assisted reproduction, said Kimberly Mutcherson, a professor at Rutgers University-Camden who specializes in reproductive justice, bioethics, and family and health law.

Dr. Kelly Acharya, a fertility physician and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University, said patients partners are more likely to mix up the two treatments or rope related procedures into IVF.

A lot of times in my line of work, I see people that are referring to other things, like egg freezing, they call that IVF, even though technically its not, she said.

Both Acharya and Mutcherson said the main differences between IUI and IVF are where fertilization occurs, the price and effectiveness.

Intrauterine insemination or IUI is basically less invasive. Its typically less expensive, and it is often what is recommended as the first thing that somebody tries, Acharya said. When somebody has mild forms of infertility, like if there are mild differences in the semen analysis, or if somebody is young and theyre not quite sure why theyre not getting pregnant, then often a provider will recommend that they do IUI as a first step to help things along.

IUI is performed during or near ovulation, and it typically takes 10 minutes and is a minor procedure, according to Acharya. The price of IUI varies, depending on insurance coverage, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.

Mutcherson noted that some people also confuse IUI with intracervical insemination, or ICI. During this method, the sperm is inserted into the cervix  the passageway to the uterus, according to the Carolina Fertility Institute.

Doctors often recommend ICI or IUI as a precursor to IVF, which Mutcherson said can cost $12,000 to $15,000 per cycle  or more with grading and genetic testing. During IVF, fertilization happens outside of the body, Acharya said.

IUI, the treatment the Walz family used to have children, is not under the same scrutiny as IVF, which has faced opposition from anti-abortion hardliners. It sometimes is listed as being less controversial than IVF, because its just helping along the natural process of getting the sperm inside the uterus and then expecting fertilization to happen inside the body, Acharya said.

But Mutcherson said that could also be attributed to the fact that its a less well-known procedure.

I think the really big issue when it comes to something like artificial insemination is that it allows people to create families that a lot of these folks  unfortunately, in the Republican Party and folks who are evangelicals  dont approve of: families with two moms, families with two dads, single women who are having children, she said.

Price is a significant barrier to fertility care. Only 21 states require insurers to cover fertility procedures, Stateline reported. A successful birth via IVF can cost more than $60,000, according to a 2022 study published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology.

It requires a lot more physically, emotionally and economically to be able to do IVF, Mutcherson, who conceived via IUI, said.

IVF became a national reproductive rights issue in February after the Alabama Supreme Court likened frozen embryos to unborn children in a ruling. The plaintiffs were couples who sued for damages under an 1872 wrongful death of children law after their embryos were accidentally destroyed in a clinic four years ago, Alabama Reflector reported. Alabamas fertility clinics temporarily closed after the ruling until Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation in March shielding providers from criminal and civil liabilities, the Reflector reported.

But theres still uncertainty over whether embryos and fetuses in the state have legal personhood rights. Despite the new law, two fertility clinics in Alabama announced plans to close by the end of the year, though one denied the decision was related to the ruling.

Since the Alabama ruling, polls have shown most Americans back IVF. A survey conducted by Pew in April found that 70% said IVF is a good thing, while 22% said theyre not sure, and 8% said its a bad thing. Awareness is growing, too: 42% of Americans said they or someone they know have had fertility treatments, according to a 2023 Pew poll.

Nationally, Republicans and Democrats condemned the Alabama Supreme Courts ruling and filed bills seeking to protect IVF this spring, though all of them stalled in Congress. The Republican Partys platform featured support for both IVF and the equal protections clause of the 14th Amendment, which conservative legal scholars argue can be used to solidify fetal personhood along with effectively banning abortion. And in June, the Southern Baptist Convention  the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.  voted to condemn IVF, particularly the destruction or donation of embryos that are not implanted in the uterus.

People who believe that life begins at conception, people who believe that an embryo is no different than a 5-year-old sitting in a kindergarten classroom, those are people who have really deep and abiding principles related to procedures like in vitro fertilization, Mutcherson said.

The number of babies born in the U.S. using assisted reproductive technology has increased in recent years: 2.5% of newborns were conceived using fertility treatments in 2022, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thats up from 2.3% in 2021, per federal data.

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From IVF to his military service, Walz is a bit of a fabulist. Can't we get the truth?

Im not sure what Tim Walz is thinking.

The Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee is getting a ton of media scrutiny  as he should  because Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate.

And its not all painting him in a positive light.

A growing number of examples show Walz either exaggerating or lying about his past.

Were not close to George Santos territory here (the former Republican congressman who was outed for making up huge swaths of his past, as well as fundraising numbers), but its still concerning.

These are unnecessary, unforced errors, and they should make voters question what they can trust when Walz speaks.

Is Walz really confused about IVF? Nah

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz celebrates the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024.

One fib that Walz has told repeatedly this year  and one that seems especially egregious  is that he and wife were able to have their two children only via in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Walz has spoken about this multiple times  and used the story for campaign purposes.

Thank God for IVF, my wife and I have two beautiful children, he said in July on MSNBC.

Walz earlier this month also said this about Ohio Sen. JD Vance, his Republican counterpart on the presidential ticket: If it was up to him, I wouldnt have a family because of IVF.

That is a weird thing for Walz to say for several reasons, foremost because its false. (And in regard to Vance, thats also a lie. Vance, much like former President Donald Trump, is on record supporting the procedure.)

No way, San Jose: Harris and Walz champion the Californication of America

Last week it became clear, thanks to Walzs wife, Gwen Walz, in an interview with Glamour, that the IVF claim is false. The couple instead used a much less costly and less invasive treatment called intrauterine insemination, or IUI. Unlike IVF, IUI does not carry similar ethical concerns, given embryos are not created outside the womb.

Walz seemed inspired to start talking about his familys fertility journey earlier this year when IVF became a political flashpoint after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos should be recognized as children.

Im guessing it was politically expedient for Walz to claim he and his wife had to use IVF, particularly after he became Harris running mate. Democrats have made abortion and reproductive rights central to this presidential election, so Walzs experience in this area might have been a selling point for Harris.

After accepting the vice presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 21, 2024, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz celebrates with daughter Hope, son Gus and wife Gwen.

Campaign spokeswoman Mia Ehrenberg has tried to spin off Walzs comments as a completely understandable error.

Governor Walz talks how normal people talk, she said. He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.

For all the families who have had to go through the emotional rollercoaster of IVF, thats probably not a good enough explanation.

And I dont think Walz made a simple error. It seems to be a calculated decision to help him politically, as it's been a story hes told to relate to audiences at rallies.

A bigger pattern of misleading or false statements

Shortly after Harris announced Walz as her choice, a debate over his military service erupted. Walz served in the National Guard for 24 years, which is commendable.

Whats less easy to understand is why Walz felt the need to inflate his rank upon retiring.

Dear Vice President Harris: We need more than vibes to know what your presidential campaign is all about

He has referred to himself frequently as a retired command sergeant major, and that claim even made it on the Harris-Walz presidential campaign website until it was tweaked after the uproar.

The truth is that while Walz had reached the rank of command sergeant major, he didnt retire with that rank because he failed to complete the requirements necessary to do so.

This week, The Washington Free Beacon reported several other instances where Walz has embellished or changed his resume. In 2006, for example, when Walz ran for Congress, he highlighted an award he had received from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce. According to the president of the chamber, however, Walz never received such an award from the state chamber, and he was asked to take down that claim.

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Its a disturbing pattern. And its taken what should be humanizing stories like fertility struggles and Walzs military service and made them controversial.

Walz owes the country a better explanation for these errors.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques.

You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Walz has a problem with the truth. Will it hurt Harris in November?
Special counsel Jack Smith filed his brief to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, urging the court to reverse U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal of the classified documents case. The Justice Department has a decent chance of prevailing, but reviving the case alone wont solve a continuing challenge Smith would still face: Cannon herself.

In her latest avant-garde move in the former presidents favor, the Trump appointee tossed the federal case last month on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed and funded. In his appellate brief, the special counsel highlights how much of an outlier Cannons ruling was. Noting the longtime acceptance of special counsels, the government wrote that Cannons contrary view conflicts with an otherwise unbroken course of decisions, including by the Supreme Court, that the Attorney General has such authority, and it is at odds with widespread and longstanding appointment practices in the Department of Justice and across the government.

Recall that, before the former president was charged in this case, the 11th Circuit had already rebuked Cannons eccentrically Trump-friendly handling of litigation stemming from the Mar-a-Lago search warrant in 2022. That raised questions when Cannon was randomly assigned to the criminal case last year about whether she could be removed. The short answer is that, as Ive written before during this saga, its more difficult to reassign a judge than you might think, and we shouldnt assume that that will happen here, absent the judge doing something even more outlandish than she has to date.

Smiths brief didnt indicate his intention to seek a new judge. That doesnt mean that the appeals court couldnt still remove her while reversing her, but theres reason to not expect that here.

One thing to keep in mind is how Cannon arrived at her ruling. She cited, among other things, Justice Clarence Thomas concurring opinion in the Trump immunity case, in which the Republican appointee went out of his way to question Smiths appointment. That wasnt the issue in the immunity case, so we dont know how many other justices (if any) agree with Thomas. But it would seemingly make it more difficult to kick a judge off a case in part for reaching a decision citing a sitting Supreme Court justices reasoning, however flawed that reasoning is. Of course, if the high court ultimately upholds Cannons ruling if the case gets to the justices, that would moot any reassignment issue  as would a Trump presidential victory in November, which could lead to him eliminating the case entirely.

Thats all to say that even if Smith succeeds in his current task (something we wont know the answer to for a while), the case will remain on unsteady ground so long as Cannon presides. And given the great discretion afforded trial court judges, including during their handling of trials themselves, thered be plenty more opportunity for mischief if the case goes back to her. But at the moment, that might be Smiths best realistic outcome.

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This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
On Tuesday, Special Counselor Jack Smith filed a revised indictment against Donald Trump related to his attempts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 election. The new, narrower set of charges is intended to account for the Supreme Courts 6-3 decision in July that invented a previously nonexistent concept of legal immunity for U.S. presidents.

The biggest change to the indictment: All charges related to Trumps attempts to bully Justice Department officials into supporting his lie that the 2020 election was stolen have been removed.

However, the majority of the original indictment remains. Trump still faces charges for other actions he took to subvert the election, including the scheme to elevate fraudulent electors willing to lie about election results in several swing states. He also faces charges connected to efforts to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence into unconstitutionally refusing to certify the election results.

In Trump v. U.S., Trumps legal team sought to have his election interference case thrown out based on the shocking argument that American presidents are completely immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office. In fact, they literally argued this applies even if a president has their political opponents murdered.

On July 1 the Supreme Courts right wing majority largely agreed with this argument, declaring in a 6-3 ruling that such immunity exists so long the criminal actions under consideration are somehow part of official acts. SCOTUS did not bother to define what counts as official however. The case was instead sent back down to lower courts to determine that counts.

In bleak dissent, Justice Sonya Sotomayor warned that this decision makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.

The federal case against Trump holds that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election, climaxing in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021 capital attack.

The post Jack Smith Files Revised Jan. 6 Charges Against Trump to Account for SCOTUS Immunity Ruling appeared first on TheWrap.
Special counsel Jack Smith filed a revised election interference indictment against Donald Trump.

The new indictment removes some of Trump's alleged conduct that risked presidential immunity challenges.

He still faces the same four charges that were in the first indictment against him.

Former President Donald Trump was hit with a revised election interference indictment on Tuesday that keeps the same four counts against him but removes some of the alleged conduct that may now be protected by presidential immunity.

The office of special counsel Jack Smith announced the new, superseding indictment shortly after a second grand jury voted.

"Today, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a superseding indictment, ECF No. 226, charging the defendant with the same criminal offenses that were charged in the original indictment," Smith's office said in an email to Business Insider.

"The superseding indictment, which was presented to a new grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in this case, reflects the Government's efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Court's holdings and remand instructions," the statement continued.

Trump remains charged with the same four counts of interfering with the 2020 election. Those counts allege that he conspired to defraud the United States, that he conspired to obstruct the certification of the electoral vote count, that he did obstruct that certification, and that he conspired to deprive voters of the right to have their votes counted.

The re-tooled indictment is a response to the US Supreme Court's landmark opinion from last month that provides presidents with broad protection from being prosecuted for official acts.

It removes, for example, any reference from the first indictment that alleges he conferred with Justice Department officials in promoting false claims of election fraud.

Gone from the new indictment is any reference to "Co-Conspirator 4," widely assumed to be former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, who the first indictment alleged "attempted to use the Justice Department to open sham election crime investigations and influence state legislatures with knowingly false claims of election fraud.

But the new indictment adds some language, too.

Under the heading "The Defendant's Co-Conspirators," the first indictment stated, "These co-conspirators included the following individuals."

Here, the new indictment elaborates. "These co-conspirators included the following individuals, none of whom were government officials during the conspiracy and all of whom were acting in a private capacity," it says.

The new indictment is 36 pages long; the previous indictment was 45 pages long.

Senior Assistant Special Counsel Molly Gaston said in a separate filing Tuesday that Smith's office is not asking that Trump appear in court to be arraigned on the new indictment.

Trump pleaded not guilty to the previous indictment. An attorney for Trump declined to comment. A campaign spokesperson also declined to comment except to forward links to Trump's string of Truth Social posts responding to the new indictment.

In them, Trump called it "an effort to resurrect a 'dead' Witch Hunt," a "direct assault on Democracy," and "an act of desperation."

The GOP presidential candidate also called the new indictment "

ridiculous," and said it "has all the problems of the old indictment and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY."

"This is now Kamala's Weaponized System against her Political Opponent," he wrote, before switching to campaign mode.

"All of these Scams will fail, just as Deranged Jack's Hoax in Florida has been fully dismissed, and we will win the Most Important Election in the History of our Country on November 5th," he posted. "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Read the original article on Business Insider
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday the relevant ministers will meet next week to discuss steps needed to secure local consent for restarting Tokyo Electric Power's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

Last December, the national nuclear regulator lifted an operational ban imposed in 2021 on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in northern Japan due to safety breaches, allowing Tepco to work towards gaining local permission to restart.

Tepco has been eager to bring the world's largest nuclear power plant back online to slash operating costs, but still requires local consent.

"The operator and the government must work together to gain local community support for the restart," Kishida told the Green Transformation implementation conference, a government official said.

Kishida, who will step down in September, said: "I will make every effort during my remaining term to advance the green transformation, including preparing for the restart of a nuclear reactor in eastern Japan," according to public broadcaster NHK.

It is rare for a ministerial meeting to focus on a specific power plant.

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata prefecture has been offline since 2012, following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster, which led to the shutdown of all nuclear plants in Japan at the time.

While Tepco received in 2017 initial regulatory approval to restart two reactors of the plant, it had not obtained local consent.

Tepco needs consent from Niigata prefecture governor to resume operations. In March, the prefecture's governor said that more talks were needed over the possible restart of the plant.

Japan has been able to restart only 12 reactors since 2011, with many operators still going through a re-licensing process to comply with stricter safety standards imposed after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Tomasz Janowski)
CANBERRA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has secured the supply of an extra 22 million bags of intravenous (IV) fluids amid a shortage.

Mark Butler, the minister for Health, announced on Tuesday that the government has worked with local producers and suppliers to secure the supply of over 22 million additional bags of IV fluid over the next six months, which he said would exceed forecast demand over that period.

Butler and his state and territory counterparts earlier in August said a shortage of IV fluids in Australia would continue for the rest of 2024 and established a national response group to coordinate distribution of the product.

IV fluids are specially formulated liquids that are injected into a patient's vein for fluid replacement, resuscitation and administering medications directly into the bloodstream.

According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's shortage of the critical fluids has been caused by global supply limitations, unexpected increases in demand and manufacturing issues.

In a statement Butler said that Baxter Healthcare, one of Australia's three suppliers of IV fluids, advised the response group at a meeting on Monday that it is producing IV fluids at record levels from its Sydney site.

He said that the response group received advice from states and territories as well as hospital representatives that the shortage has stabilized in most jurisdictions.

"The TGA is aware that jurisdictions are alerting staff of the situation and instructing all staff to use IV stock judiciously," he said.

The response group will continue to meet on a weekly basis -- or more frequently if required -- while supply remains constrained in Australia. 
(KRON)  The Oakland Police Department said it is working closely with Oakland Fire Department officials to recover a stolen Jaws of Life tool.

Dublin homicide suspect nabbed at Walmart store

OPD said the theft occurred 7:15 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of West Street when Oakland Fire crew members used the Jaws of Life during an undisclosed incident. It was after the incident when the members noticed that the equipment had been taken.

Officials said this is an ongoing investigation.

Jaws of Life are hydraulic tools used to extricate car crash victims from vehicles or rescue people from tight confines.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Oakland Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (510) 238-3728. If you have any videos or photos that could aid in the case, youre asked to please send them to cidvideos@oaklandca.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 KRON4.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  Rockford Police arrested former Jefferson High School staff member Centa Rockwood, 30, for alleged sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of two 16-year-old girls.

On February 20th, officers were made aware that a handwritten letter by one of the victims was given to school admins detailing a sexual relationship with a school employee.

One of the victims told police Rockwood asked for her Snapchat, asked for her to send pictures, met with her in a parking lot and convinced her to perform sexual acts during the timeframe of February 2023 through April 2023.

On March 11th, another victim told officials she also received sexually inappropriate Snapchat messages from Rockwood in April 2023. She also said the suspect arrived unannounced at her job and asked her out to lunch during the 2023-2024 school year, according to court records.

Rockwood is being charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, two counts of grooming, indecent solicitation and sexual exploitation of a child.

RPS205 said in a statement, Centa Rockwood is not an employee of RPS 205. He has not been employed with RPS since last 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
MSNBCs Jen Psaki on Monday debunked a bizarre new line of attack from Republicans against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is the Democratic candidate for vice president.

Theyve now resorted to attacking the family dog, she said. I really wish I was joking. I am not joking.

Right-wingers found a 2022 photo Walz posted on social media saying he went to a dog park with his pup Scout. Since the dog in the picture is not Scout, some conservatives treated it as a gotcha moment.

As crazy as it sounds, bad-faith right-wingers on social media said it was all evidence that Tim Walz was lying about something, Psaki said.

But a video Walz posted at the same time shows him with Scout at the dog park, playing with other dogs, including the one in the picture conservatives seized on.

Mystery solved, Psaki said. Of course, this is a particularly ironic attack coming from the party whose own rising star  you know who Im about to talk about here, Kristi Noem  boasted about hating her own family dog so much she took it to a gravel pit and shot it.

Noem, the governor of South Dakota, was on the short list to be Donald Trumps vice presidential pick until she released a book bragging about killing her pooch.

Better luck next time, guys, Psaki said, then offered some unsolicited advice going back to the days of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose own dog came under attack from political rivals.

If you resort to attacking a candidates dog, youre probably losing, Psaki said. And you deserve all the ridicule coming your way.

See her full segment below:

.@jrpsaki: "If you resort to attacking a candidate's dog, you're probably losing. And you deserve all the ridicule coming your way." pic.twitter.com/9O243t3Mv2  Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) August 27, 2024

Correction: This article has been corrected to state that Kristi Noem is governor of South Dakota, not North Dakota.
Jesse Watters Called Out By Colleagues For Vile Comment About Kamala Harris

Jesse Watters made a sexist comment about Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, prompting pushback from two female co-hosts on Fox News.

The Five panel was discussing the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Monday was the third anniversary of the Kabul airport suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.

Harris has described herself as being the last person in the room before Biden made the decision to proceed with the plans for the withdrawal, which began during Donald Trumps administration. Trump, Watters and other conservatives have highlighted Harris claim to attack her.

What is her foreign policy? Watters asked. This is where the president has his most impact. You have a lot of room to maneuver there as commander in chief.

We dont know who she is. We dont know what she believes. Shes gonna get paralyzed in the Situation Room while the generals have their way with her, he added.

Jesse Watters, co-host Dana Perino interrupted.

Whoa, Jesse, I dont like that, added Jeanine Pirro, as several panelists chuckled. Take it back.

Watters insisted he meant it figuratively.

Have their way with her, control her! Not in a sexual way, he said.

Reached for comment on the inappropriate attack on Harris, a Fox News spokesperson pointed to that follow-up comment.

Watters: She's going to get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her



Jeanine: I dont like that



Watters: Not in a sexual way pic.twitter.com/xmtAjShIwT  Acyn (@Acyn) August 26, 2024

Watters has a history of making sexist, misogynistic or otherwise offensive remarks and passing them off as jokes.

Commenters on social media were disgusted by his Harris comment.

This is just straight-up misogyny. Theres no basis for these attacks other than shes a woman & thus not cut out for this, one critic wrote.

Your rape joke about Kamala Harris was absolutely intentional and sexual in nature. And you are truly one of the most vile and disgusting people on television. Any other network would fire you for this shit, said another.

Kerstin Emhoff, the ex-wife of second gentleman Doug Emhoff, chimed in on social media to defend Harris.

She shared another clip from the show in which Watters joked that his mom, a liberal, would probably call his joke about Kamala Harris being manhandled by generals in the Situation Room disgusting.

There are many things to worry about, but Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not one of them, Emhoff wrote.

There are many things to worry about, but Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not one of them. https://t.co/EGmp5KfpGI  Kerstin Emhoff (@keprettybird) August 27, 2024
Taking a page from Donald Trumps birtherist playbook, Fox News Jesse Watters used Kamala Harris birth certificate to claim she lied about her childhood during Mondays Primetime broadcast.

Unlike the GOP presidential nominee, Watters avoided claiming the vice president wasnt born in the United States. Instead, he decided to split hairs about which Bay Area locale she has a right to identify with.

Did you know that Kamala Harris didnt grow up in Oakland as she always said she did? Watters said on his show, referring to the California city. Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, the Peoples Republic of Berkeley, Berserkely, the most insanely liberal precinct in America.

Her birth certificate lists an apartment right next to Berkeleys campus, he continued  omitting the fact that Harris was born in an Oakland hospital. Its half a block south of Peoples Park, which is basically ground zero for every single radical protest movement. Kamala attended Berkeley public schools and was even bused to [them.]

Watters began the segment by referring to a New York Times article published Sunday, in which a former Berkeley neighbor suggested Harris mightve distanced herself from the city in favor of nearby Oakland because we have such a reputation for being on the far left.

Watters even pointed to her anecdote during the first 2019 presidential debate in which then-Sen. Harris chronicled being bused to school and claimed people cant trust you if you lie about where you grew up  only for a horde of social media users to speak out against him.

She grew up 20 minutes from me. Oakland and Berkeley are right next to each other hes such a stupid ahole, wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter, with another commenting: tell me you know NOTHING about California, let alone Alameda County, without telling me.

Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama have both faced right-wing attacks over their place of birth. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Harris birth certificate lists an apartment near the University of California, Berkeley, which her father, a Jamaican immigrant, and her mother, originally from India, both attended.

In the memoir The Truths We Hold, she recalled living in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Berkeley as a girl, and she was bused to Thousand Oaks Elementary as California schools were being desegregated. Harris noted that she spent the formative years of my childhood living on the boundary between Oakland and Berkeley.

Also in her book, Harris wrote that her mother knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya [Harris sister] and me as black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women. Harris would move to Montreal and Washington, D.C., before ending up back in the Bay Area as an adult, per the Times.

Just hours before his Primetime rant, Watters had been scolded by his own colleagues for making a sexist remark about Harris, whom Tucker Carlson famously accused in 2021 of being not from this country. Watters filled Carlsons slot after his exit from the network.

Since Barack Obamas presidential campaign, right-wing politicians  most notably, Trump  have used birth certificates as a racist campaign tool to question nonwhite candidates origins.

Trump was forced to retract the lie that Obama was not born in the U.S. shortly before taking office.

Social media users, meanwhile, continue to hilariously rebuke Watters clueless take.

Ah yes, because we all know birth certificates are magical documents that determine where you spend your entire childhood, wrote one X user. I guess Jesse thinks babies are just left at the hospital until adulthood.

Related...
Donald Trump just cant quit Joe Biden.

The president dropped out of the 2024 race more than a month ago, yet his former Republican opponent keeps bringing him up, suggesting that Trump still cant seem to wrap his head around the fact that he has a whole new presidential race on his hands against Vice President Kamala Harris.

You know, if Biden didnt do the Debate, he would be the Democrat Candidate for President right now, Trump wrote Tuesday on his website Truth Social. The fact is, Debate or no Debate, the Democrats really did a number on him!!!

In another post last week, Trump questioned why seething Biden gave up and withdrew his candidacy. Hes an angry man now, and he should be! the former president added.

Bidens disastrous June 27 debate performance against Trump and questions about the 81-year-old presidents age and acuity led many Democrats to call for him to pass the torch to a younger presidential standard bearer. He did so last month while backing Harris, 59, ending weeks of ugly infighting in his party.

During his speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, Biden denied reports that he harbors lingering frustrations with people who pressed him to drop out of the race.

I love the job, but I love my country more, Biden said. All this talk about how Im angry at all those people who said I should step down. Thats not true.

Still, people in Bidens inner circle arent pleased with the way he was publicly pushed out, pointing fingers at some Democratic power brokers, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to NBC News.

Trumps frustrations about the upended nature of the race center on no longer being able to run, at age 78, against an older incumbent president who wasnt particularly popular. Harris has surged in the polls and received a ton of media coverage following Bidens exit, leaving Trump grasping for ways to seize back the spotlight, including by holding news conferences, sitting for an interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, rejoining X (formerly Twitter) and ranting online.

Trump has also struggled to focus on Harris, alternating between various nicknames for her and lines of attack. Last week, at a rally in North Carolina, he mocked his advisers for telling him to focus on policy differences with Democrats instead of slinging personal insults.

Please, sir, dont get personal. Talk about policy, Trump said, paraphrasing his staffers, before asking the crowd: Here are the two questions: Should I get personal? Should I not get personal?

When his supporters cheered louder for personal attacks, Trump joked: My advisers are fired.

It appears that Trump and Harris will face off for the first time on a debate stage next month in Philadelphia. After some squabbling between the two campaigns about the rules and format, the former president announced Tuesday he had agreed to debate the vice president on Sept. 10 with ABC News moderating.

The Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate, which seemed to work out well for everyone except, perhaps, Crooked Joe Biden, Trump said on Truth Social.

Related...
BOSTON (WWLP)  The brother of Boston Police Officer John OKeefe has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Karen Read and two bars in Canton that were among the last places OKeefe was seen alive.

Springfield man found guilty of child exploitation after investigation

The civil suit was filed in Plymouth Superior Court by Paul OKeefe on behalf of his family and his brothers estate against Rear, the Waterfall Bar & Grille, as well as C.F. McCarthys.

Read was charged with murder in the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John OKeefe, in January of 2022. OKeefe was found outside the Canton home of Brian Albert, another Boston police officer. Prosecutors argued that Read hit him with her SUV and left him for dead, while the defense claimed she was framed in a wide-ranging coverup. Her two-month trial ended in July with a deadlocked jury. Her new trial is set to start on January 27th.

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.
Joint Finance Committee can release PFAS funding, but doing so may open them up to legal action

A $125 million trust fund is at the center of the debate surrounding how to deal with forever chemicals in Wisconsin.

The trust fund was authorized as a part of the 2023-25 state budget, and signed into law in the summer of 2024 by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Wisconsin State Senator Jesse James.

But what that trust fund didnt have was guidelines on how the money could be spent  something that Republican lawmakers say requires formal legislation. Evers vetoed the Republican-authored bill meant to provide that guidance, meaning that while money in the trust fund is available, it cant be spent yet.

Democrats say that the Joint Finance Committee could release the funding and allow the Department of Natural Resources to spend it.

Republicans, however, have disputed that claim.

In a May 13, 2024 news conference, state Sen. Jesse James, R-Altoona, along with several other Republican legislators, shared their plan to vote on veto overrides for several bills, including one meant to spend the money set aside in the PFAS trust fund to help address the growing number of contaminated communities.

James said the overrides were needed because the funding couldnt be released another way.

A legislative committee cannot release funding, he said. It takes action by the Senate or the Assembly by a veto override session to get this to the original intent and scope of the legislation. You cannot do it within a committee within the Legislature.

So basically, James is saying that the Joint Finance Committee wouldnt have the ability to release the funding to address PFAS, even though the governor has repeatedly asked it to.

Is he right?

Releasing the funding is possible, but could lead to a lawsuit

When we reached out to James, his chief of staff, Victoria Casola, told us the senator crossed some of his words while trying to describe the situation that the Joint Committee on Finance is in.

Yes, technically a legislative committee (JFC specifically) can release the funds, but a legislative committee, including JFC, cannot override a veto, she said in a May 23, 2024 email.

She said that while an agency can submit a request for the release of money  such as the PFAS trust fund  releasing the funds after Evers veto would essentially rewrite the legislation, changing the legislative intent.

That is outside the authority of the committee to do so, she said.

But JFC has released money after a veto by the governor before, after changing parts of the plan for spending the money, so this isnt really all that unprecedented.

Evers has already vetoed the legislation meant to guide how the PFAS money is spent, meaning that if the committee were to release the funding anyways, it could cause problems.

According to a May 28, 2024 memo from the Wisconsin Legislative Council, the committee could release the money. But by doing so, the members could be opening themselves up to legal action.

The degree of legal risk likely depends in part on the specific purposes for which DNR proposes to use the transferred funds in a given request, the memo said. Because it proposes to use transferred funds to implement programs that were proposed in vetoed legislation, (the committee) approval of DNRs February 2024 request could be especially subject to challenge.

Basically, releasing the money to fund grants similar to the ones proposed in the vetoed legislation could be seen as creating a new program without the approval of the whole Legislature.

But the memo also points out that the Joint Finance Committee has recently modified some requests it approved to add conditions not expressly outlined in state statutes, and even some that could be characterized as overriding a partial veto.

So while the committee could open itself up to legal action, there is recent precedent in which they have released funding with new terms.

Tyler Byrnes, a fiscal researcher for the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum, said that even though the budget created a PFAS trust fund, Evers vetoed the bill outlining how the money could be spent and clarifying legislative intent.

Although JFC could release the money, some might argue that the DNR doesnt have the statutory authority needed to spend it, he said in a June 13, 2024 email. That is a question thats subject to debate, and were not in position to say who might win that argument.

Mostly False

Our ruling

James claimed that a legislative committee cannot release funding, but his staff later said he misspoke, and meant that the Joint Finance Committee of the Legislature cannot release the PFAS trust fund because Gov. Evers has already vetoed it.

Looking at that first statement, made by James, hes wrong because the Joint Finance Committee does have the ability to release funding  and does so routinely.

But with the PFAS funding, the committee would be releasing money without a plan to spend it. And by releasing the funding, the members could actually face legal action because doing so would counteract the veto by Evers. So this case is a bit more complicated, but there is already a legislative precedent the committee has set for itself.

We rate this claim Mostly False, because the statement contains an element of truth, but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Yes, a legislative committee can release funding, but things are a bit complicated
CHICAGOPennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spent four days working the room at the Democratic National Convention last week, signaling ambitions to establish himself as a national party leader and lay the foundation for a future White House bid.

Shapiro met with party activists and insiders from across the country; attended daily breakfasts hosted by delegates from key early primary and presidential battleground states; and even made a point of engaging with reporters, holding informal news conferences and participating in high-profile interviews. Since the governor emerged as a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris running mate, he has embraced the spotlight. His moves during last weeks convention exhibited the hallmarks of a politician interested in higher office.

Predictably, Shapiro swatted away the future political implications of his rather busy schedule in the Windy City. Im focusedif I havent shown this already over the last several weeksI am focused like a laser beam, every single day, on governing the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a job I love, Shapiro told reporters during one of the handful of scheduled news conference gaggles his team included on the governors public convention week scheduleevents hardly considered mandatory for convention VIP attendees.

I am grateful to the good people of Pennsylvania for giving me this opportunity, Shapiro added. I think Ive made crystal-clear this is the job I want to be in and Im going to remain in. Im going to stay focused on that, and politically, making sure Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win this election.

Democrats main focus during last weeks quadrennial gathering was rightfully to elevate Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. So, Shapiro was understandably coy about his Chicago itinerary, and his career trajectory. But convention delegates from Pennsylvaniabrimming with pridewere not.

I think, after maybe two terms of our new president, hell be the next president, delegate Angie Gialloreto, 95, said unprompted in an interview on the convention floor. Gialloreto, from Allegheny County, in western Pennsylvania, has been attending Democratic conventions since the 1970s. Was she initially disappointed that Harris passed over Shapiro and instead chose Walz to join the partys 2024 ticket? Well, yes.

Shapiro is a rising Democratic star with cross-aisle appeal; he serves as chief executive of the battleground state poised to decide a razor-thin presidential election; and he happens to be both Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel. Taken together, those factors all shine a bright spotlight on Shapiros nearly every move. But for a governor who promotes himself as a politician who gets st done, the most immediate question about his future prospects is: Can he get a Pennsylvania victory done for Harris?

Democrats in Pennsylvania predict Shapiro will be a major asset to the vice presidents campaign but see a long career in national politics ahead for him regardless. Josh Shapiro is that good, said convention delegate Katherine Gilmore Richardson, a Philadelphia city councilwoman.

Shapiro addressed the Democratic convention Wednesday, the same evening Walz accepted the nomination for vice president. A youthful 51, Shapiros charismatic speaking style has drawn comparisons to the cadence and inflection of former President Barack Obama, with the theme of the energetic, roughly six-minute speech from the dais of the United Center arena in Chicago centering around freedom. It was a favorite topic of Shapiros, familiar to anyone who tracks his public comments, typically delivered without a teleprompter.

Its not freedom to tell our children what books they are allowed to readno its not. And its not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies. And here me on this: It sure as hell isnt freedom to say, You can go vote, but he gets to pick the winner, Shapiro said, referring to Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. Thats not freedom. The applause lines did their job. The first-term governors remarks brought convention delegates and guests to their feet.

But Shapiros daytime activities last weekpublicized by his political teamwere, frankly, more interesting than his primetime address:

Monday: Early morning remarks to convention delegates at breakfasts hosted by the Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Florida delegations; remarks to the Democratic National Committees Labor Council; two scheduled media availabilities.

Tuesday: Early morning remarks to convention delegates at breakfasts hosted by the South Carolina and California delegations; one scheduled media availability.

Wednesday: Early morning remarks to convention delegates at breakfasts hosted by the New Hampshire, Nevada, and New Jersey delegations; high-profile interview at the Politico-CNN Grill.

Thursday: Early morning remarks to convention delegates at breakfasts hosted by the Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin delegations.

Shapiro advisers were tightlipped about what the governor hoped to accomplish. (Requests for a one-on-one interview during the convention were not denied outright but declined on account of scheduling conflicts.)

It doesnt take a political genius, however, to understand the subtext when an enterprising Democrat carves out time out of a limited convention schedule to visit with party activists from key early primary states (South Carolina and Nevada,) swing states (Wisconsin) and states rich in grassroots and wealthy campaign donors (California.) And its not just Shapiros maneuvering here last week that revealed a politician working deliberately to cultivate the sorts of relationships that could pay dividends outside of Pennsylvania.

Since winning the governors mansion in 2022, Shapiro has been heavily involved with the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), working closely with the group to increase the ranks of his partys chief executives nationwide.

In 2023, Shapiro helped the organization break previous fundraising records in the new leadership role of strategic engagement chair, a knowledgeable Democratic source said.

Throughout that year and since, Shapiro has continued to raise money for the DGA, signing fundraising email appeals and texts and headlining recorded digital content and other advertising. The governor also has become a top DGA surrogate, with the group using him to burnish the record of Democratic gubernatorial contenders on issues like abortion rights and pitch voters without college degrees (and other demographic cohorts) that have gravitated to the Republican Party under Trump.

Thats especially the case in New Hampshire, where Democrats are hoping to win an open governors race after eight years of GOP control under Gov. Chris Sununu. (The Granite State was for decades an early primary state in the Democratic presidential primary, demoted only this cycle under a reorganized nominating calendar spearheaded by President Joe Biden.) Meanwhile, it appears no accident that the DGA chose Pennsylvania for a policy conference later this year, allowing Shapiro to play host.

Hes a leader for us in reclaiming core values like freedom, a Democratic operative said, referring to a political theme that until recently seemed to benefit Republicans more than Democrats.

Meanwhile, Shapiros conservative critics counter that the governor has been more showhorse than workhorse, arguing he has not fulfilled campaign promises on centrist policy proposals such as school choice, regulatory reform, and reducing the corporate income tax. Shapiro would likely quibble with these complaints, although it is true that he backed away from supporting school choice legislation since assuming office, blaming the GOPs unwillingness to compromise.

We actually agree with him on a number of policies he campaigned on that have broad bipartisan appeal, said Erik Telford, a spokesman for the Commonwealth Foundation, a free market think tank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Hes been a masterful politician when it comes to campaigning. He has not proven his skill at governing.

Like any skilled party leader, Shapiro made sure in Chicago that the conversation about his work as governor or political plans for the future found its way back to the stars of the moment, Harris and Walz. Its an approach Shapiro honed as he climbed the political ladder, first as a state representative, then Montgomery County commissioner, Pennsylvania attorney general, and now as governor.

In Chicago he explained to reporters repeatedly he is wholly dedicated to helping the Democratic ticket defeat Trump, and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, in November. Indeed, there might be no better way for Shapiro to cement his stardom in the Democratic Party than for Harris to win Pennsylvanias 19 Electoral College votesand therefore the White Houseand for the governor to be perceived as the linchpin in that outcome.

But hidden in the noise of Shapiros trademark rhetorical discipline, bolstering what seemed readily apparent by his convention-week itinerary, were signals alluding to his long-term career plans that might simultaneously expose his absence from the Democrats 2024 ticket as a mutual, and preferred, decision.

Picking a running mate was a deeply personal decision for the vice president. It was also a deeply personal decision for me, Shapiro said, during a wide-ranging interview with veteran Washington journalist John Harris, co-founder of Politico.

Shapiro added: One of the things I say as I travel across the commonwealth and try and motivate others to pass bills and make investments to help other people is: I think every Pennsylvanian should have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. And for me, Ive always tried to do my politics in a way that I could chart my own course and I love being able to do that as governor.

Read more at The Dispatch

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A year after Japan started its ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japanese citizens have gathered in Tokyo to protest the irresponsible move. #GLOBALink
A federal judge has lowered the charges against two former officers who fatally shot Breonna Taylor in her Louisville home in 2020. In his ruling on Aug. 22, U.S. District Court Senior Judge Charles Simpson III said Taylors boyfriend Kenneth Walker caused the shooting.

According to the Courier Journal, the judge said Walkers decision to shoot at Detective Joshua Jaynes and Sgt. Kyle Meany during the raid forced the officers to fire back. The two former Louisville Metro Police Department officers are dismissed of felony deprivation of rights under the color of law charges.

Jaynes and Meany were previously charged for approving a search warrant despite knowing there was a false affidavit. On March 13, 2020, after midnight, both officers showed up wearing plainclothes to raid Taylors apartment for narcotics. No drugs were found. When Walker fired his handgun, thinking the officers were intruders, they responded with 32 shots  several of which fatally truck Taylor.

While prosecutors argued that the officers entry caused Taylors death, Simpson said Walkers decision to fire back was the legal cause of her death. The judge added that the officers shot back to defend themselves, not to facilitate, further, or aid in conducting the search itself.

Prosecutors argued that the officers already had their guns drawn as they entered their home. The judge, however, insisted that it was self-protection, not facilitating the allegedly unlawful search.

Shortly after Taylors death, Walker faced assault charges and attempted murder of a police officer. However, those charges were dismissed in 2021. Walker received $2 million in 2022 after prevailing in the civil lawsuits he filed against Louisville and the officers involved.

Despite last weeks ruling, Jaynes and Meany still face civil rights charges, CNN reported. They could be sentenced to years in prison.
This image taken from video provided by the First Judicial Circuit of Florida shows Eddie Duran in a holding room separate from court in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (First Judicial Circuit of Florida via AP)

A judge denied bond on Tuesday for a fired deputy in the shooting of a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman who answered his apartment door while holding a gun pointed at the floor.

Former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 shooting death of 23-year-old Roger Fortson. The rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

The judge ordered him held until a Thursday pre-trial detention hearing, despite objections from his lawyer, who said he should be released now.

They know hes going to show up, attorney Rod Smith said. We believe that hes no risk, no flight risk. Hes going to show up Thursday, hes going to show up any time, he need not spend the time in the jail the next few days.

After the hearing, Smith told The Associated Press that he came to represent Duran as part of the legal team for the Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association. It's a not-for-profit association that offers benefits and services to deputies, he said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Smith said he and other defense attorneys disagree with the decision to charge Duran with a crime.

I would say that we reviewed the case and we believe the case is one in which we disagree with the state and we will proceed from that point and let the judge and jury make that decision, Smith said.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office initially said Duran fired in self defense after encountering a man with a gun, but Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on May 31 after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire. Outside law enforcement experts have also said that an officer cannot shoot only because a possible suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.

Fortson had been talking with his girlfriend in a FaceTime video call that recorded audio of the encounter, and Duran's body camera video showed what happened.

Duran had been sent to Fortsons Fort Walton Beach apartment in response to a domestic disturbance report that turned out to be false. After repeated knocking, Fortson opened the door while holding his handgun at his side, pointed down. Authorities say that Duran shot him multiple times and only then did he tell Fortson to drop the gun.

According to the internal affairs report, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw aggression in the airmans eyes. He said he fired because, Im standing there thinking Im about to get shot, Im about to die.

Weeks passed after the shooting before the sheriff released an incident report, 911 records or the officers identity, despite requests for the information under Floridas open records act and pressure from the familys attorney, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

The fatal shooting of the airman at his off-base apartment in the Florida Panhandle was one of a growing list of killings of Black people by law enforcement in their own homes as theyre going about their day. Fortson's death also renewed debate over whether Florida's Stand Your Ground law has fostered a shoot first climate of vigilantism in which gun owners operate with impunity in killing largely Black people.

Hundreds of Air Force members in dress blues joined Fortsons family, friends and others at his funeral in a suburban Atlanta megachurch. Fortson is from DeKalb County, Georgia, where his family lives on the east side of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

-

Martin reported from Atlanta. Schneider reported from Orlando, Florida.
A judge denied bond on Tuesday for a fired deputy in the shooting of a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman who answered his apartment door while holding a gun pointed at the floor.

Former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 shooting death of 23-year-old Roger Fortson. The rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

The judge ordered him held until a Thursday pre-trial detention hearing, despite objections from his lawyer, who said he should be released now.

They know hes going to show up, Attorney Rod Smith said. We believe that hes no risk, no flight risk. Hes going to show up Thursday, hes going to show up any time, he need not spend the time in the jail the next few days.

The Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office initially said Duran fired in self defense after encountering a man with a gun, but Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on May 31 after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire. Outside law enforcement experts have also said that an officer cannot shoot only because a possible suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.

Fortson had been talking with his girlfriend in a Facetime video call that recorded audio of the encounter, and Durans body camera video showed what happened.

Duran had been sent to Fortsons Fort Walton Beach apartment in response to a domestic disturbance report that turned out to be false. After repeated knocking, Fortson opened the door while holding his handgun at his side, pointed down. Authorities say that Duran shot him multiple times and only then did he tell Fortson to drop the gun.

According to the internal affairs report of the shooting, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw aggression in the airmans eyes. He said he fired because, Im standing there thinking Im about to get shot, Im about to die.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Bottineau County Courthouse is pictured June 28, 2024. (Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)

A judge on Tuesday dismissed a landowner groups lawsuit challenging state laws related to underground carbon dioxide storage, but individual landowners are likely to bring future challenges.

Northeast Judicial District Judge Anthony Swain Benson sided with the state of North Dakota, ruling that claims brought by the Northwest Landowners Association are barred by the statute of limitations.

The landowner group, joined by the North Dakota Farm Bureau and others, argues that the state law approved in 2009 regulating the use of pore space for underground storage is unconstitutional.

The challenge was filed as North Dakota regulators consider permit applications from Summit Carbon Solutions, which seeks to lease pore space  the voids or cavities in underground rock formations  to permanently store CO2 captured from ethanol plants. The lawsuit challenged the process, referred to as amalgamation, used by the North Dakota Industrial Commission related to landowners who do not consent to leasing their pore space.

Benson, who heard arguments in the case in June in Bottineau, ruled that its too late to bring a blanket challenge of that state statute. However, individual landowners who believe they are harmed by those statutes could bring future claims. Bensons ruling does not comment on the viability of challenges that could arise in the future.

It is unfortunate because this ruling only creates greater uncertainty for both industry and landowners, Northwest Landowners Association Chairman Troy Coons said in a statement. The issue will still be resolved by the courts, but the burden will be on individual landowners rather than allowing our organization to stand as their representative.

Attorney Derrick Braaten, who represented the Northwest Landowners Association, said the group had not decided whether to appeal the decision to the North Dakota Supreme Court.

Given that theres no real established law on the issue, and its an open issue, theres a good chance we would appeal, Braaten said.

Summit Carbon Solutions and other energy companies with CO2 projects in the works intervened in the case in support of North Dakota law.

North Dakota Solicitor General Philip Axt gave members of the North Dakota Industrial Commission a brief summary of the ruling during the boards Tuesday meeting. Axt told commissioners he anticipated a future challenge but that it was a win for the state as of now.

Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in a statement Wednesday the ruling is a positive victory for the vast majority of landowners in North Dakota. He noted that the Industrial Commissions process challenged in the lawsuit is only used when a supermajority of landowners voluntarily lease their pore space.

The ruling also dismissed the landowner groups other claims, including one related to survey access.

This story was updated Aug. 28 to add a statement from Attorney General Drew Wrigley.

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People gather outside the Cookie Cottage before a candlelight vigil for Shannon Hanchett in Norman, Okla., Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Shannon Hanchett, a local bakery owner and longtime mental health advocate, died at the Cleveland County jail.

A federal lawsuit filed in January against the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office, Turn Key Health Clinics and three medical professionals for allegedly contributing to the death of beloved Norman baker Shannon Hanchett, 38, has been dismissed.

In Oklahoma City federal court, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones dismissed the lawsuit, but allowed 21 days from Aug. 19 for an amended complaint to be filed.

In part, Jones found there were not alleged sufficient facts showing medical staff were "deliberately indifferent to Ms. Hanchetts serious medical needs."

Attorneys for both sides could not be reached for comment Monday.

The lawsuit was filed by Daniel Hanchett, widower of Shannon Hanchett, a mother of two who died Dec. 8, 2022 in the Cleveland County jail.

Why was Norman 'Cookie Queen' Shannon Hanchett arrested?

Shannon Hanchett was affectionately known as the Cookie Queen as she ran a bakery in downtown Norman.

She was arrested at an AT&T store on Nov. 26, 2022, on a complaint of misdemeanor obstruction and false reporting. At the time of her arrest, Hanchett was exhibiting behavior police described as "consistent with some type of mental health disorder," court records showed.

Video released by Norman police showed nearly 18 minutes of dialogue between a responding officer and Hanchett. Parts of the video were redacted. At the time, a police spokeswoman issued a statement saying certain elements of the audio were not subject to public release.

The police officer maintained a calm demeanor throughout the audible portions of the video. Hanchett suggested in at least one portion of the video her children may be in danger. The police officer repeatedly told her there would be a welfare check made at her house, but that he was going to have to arrest her for misusing 911 services.

The officer stayed with Hanchett in the store until a second officer arrived, when the pair handcuffed and arrested Hanchett.

Police said other officers completed a welfare check on Hanchett's family and "found them to be safe without need of assistance."

Aside from an initial arraignment in front of a Cleveland County Court judge on Nov. 28, it is unclear what else happened with Hanchett during her time at the jail, or why she did not post bond before her death ahead of a scheduled court date of Dec. 14.

During booking, Hanchett told jail staff she suffered from bipolar disorder and lupus.

According to the lawsuit, medical staff did not evaluate Hanchett for more than 72 hours after arriving at the jail and did not administer any psychotropic medications.

While medical staff reported that Hanchett displayed suicidal ideation and was severely dehydrated, jailers routinely missed 15-minute sight checks required under state law.

What happened with Shannon Hanchett at the Cleveland County jail?

On Dec. 7, 2022, jail staff found Hanchett unresponsive on the floor of her jail cell. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and Hanchett was pronounced dead about 1 a.m. on Dec. 8.

A state medical examiners report determined Hanchett died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to an atrial septal defect of the heart. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart defect that causes the heart muscle to become abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Other significant conditions contributed to Hanchett's death, including coronary artery disease; hepatic steatosis, or fatty liver disease; dehydration with a kidney condition called uremic azotemia; and psychosis with auditory and visual hallucinations, a pathologist found.

The medical examiner concluded Hanchetts manner of death was natural.

Still, two former high-ranking Cleveland County jail officials resigned a month later amid public outcry toward the jail. Spokespeople for the sheriff's office said there were no reasons given for the resignations at the time.

The lawsuit claimed Turn Key Health Clinics contract with the Sheriffs Office disincentivized staff from seeking more urgent care.

In previous interviews, Hanchetts friends told The Oklahoman the autopsy report only heightened the need for further scrutiny of the jail and its treatment of detainees.

While she may have died of natural causes, there is nothing to indicate the Cleveland County Detention Center did anything to provide proper medical care for Shannon, Kate Bierman, co-owner of Normans Yellow Dog Coffee and a close friend of Hanchett, previously told The Oklahoman. She was experiencing a mental health crisis that the detention center was not equipped to be treating.

At the time of her death, Hanchett was the owner of Okie Baking Co., formerly located in the historic cottage on Norman's Main Street.

She worked in the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for more than a decade before her autoimmune diagnosis of lupus, which prompted her to leave her career in children's behavioral health and pursue a long-held dream of her own bakery business.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Lawsuit brought after Norman's Cookie Queen died in custody dismissed
Demonstrators and members of the Black Womens Collective gather around the Breonna Taylor memorial at Jefferson Square Park on Oct. 3, 2020 in Louisville. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

It is disappointing that a Kentucky federal judge dismissed felony charges against two former police officers charged in the death of Breonna Taylor during a 2020 raid.

But the decision by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III to place blame for the 26-year-old emergency-room technicians death squarely on boyfriend Kenneth Walker III defies logic. And it reinforces the difficulty of holding police accountable, even when one detective has already pleaded guilty to lies and coverups.

Walker shot once from his legally owned gun as Louisville police burst through Taylors apartment door unannounced on March 13 at 12:45 a.m. Police returned fire 32 times, with several bullets hitting Taylor. Her death added fuel to international protests over police killings that summer.

Walkers decision to shoot is a superseding cause of her death, the judge said. There is no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylors death.

The link appears obvious: If officers had not lied that a drug dealer lived there, the shooting would not have happened. If they had just knocked on the door and said, Its the police, we would have opened the door, Walker said in an Instagram post on the ruling.

Also, in a legal system that endorses stand-your-ground laws, why is Walker criticized for exercising his right to self-defense? Why single him out when prosecutors dropped charges against him for wounding an officer in the leg, and the city of Louisville reached a $2 million settlement with him over police misconduct?

Will the next argument be that Taylor is responsible for her own death, just for being asleep in her bed when police showed up?

Federal prosecutors intend to appeal the judges ruling, according to Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer. The only thing we can do at this point is continue to be patient, she said in a statement. The appeal will extend the life of the case but as weve always maintained, we will continue to fight until we get full justice.

What this means right now is that former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany, who handled the warrant but were not at the shooting, face only misdemeanor charges that could end with fines. Jaynes and Meany were charged with depriving Taylor of her constitutional right to be free of unreasonable searches. Simpson, a senior judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan, said the facts did not justify the felony charge.

Jaynes is still charged with conspiring with another detective to cover up the false warrant and of falsifying a document to mislead investigators. Meany is still charged with making a false statement to FBI investigators.

This tragedy began with police efforts to arrest Taylors ex-boyfriend, DeMarcus Glover, for drug-dealing. He was arrested the night of the raid at another location.

Former detective Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty in federal court to lying on the warrant for Taylors apartment by saying it was Glovers primary address and that they had documented that he kept drugs and cash there. Officers also lied about the need for the more aggressive no-knock warrant, said Goodlett, expected to be sentenced in April.

Two officers who did the actual shooting in the apartment have not been charged. A grand jury did not indict them, after then-Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron did not recommend charges. Another officer who shot 10 bullets into the apartment building, endangering other residents, was acquitted in a state trial and won a mistrial in federal court. He is expected to be retried in October.

You wonder, wheres the accountability? Sadiqa Reynolds, a Louisville activist and attorney told WHAS11 after the judges ruling. What is in place to prevent an officer from making up a warrant and causing someones death? What do we do?

Louisville government officials have taken some responsibility, at least. A $12 million settlement of a wrongful-death lawsuit included promises of improved crisis intervention, more citizen oversight, and an early warning system for troubled officers.

The city also is winding down negotiations over a federal consent decree that would place a judge in charge of overseeing overdue police reforms in 36 areas of operation, including training, administration, community response and employee management.

A two-year investigation into the department exposed violations of residents constitutional rights: illegal stops, detentions and arrests; excessive force with neck restraints, stun guns and dog bites; inadequate attention to sexual assault and domestic-violence cases; yelling and name-calling, which escalate conflicts. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the report an affront to the people of Louisville who deserve better.

Kenneth Walker also deserves better.

While it is well within the judges power and expertise to determine whether police actions were felonies, its unfair to brand Walker as Taylors killer when he tried to be her protector.

Without his eyewitness testimony, Breonna Taylor would not be remembered as a promising life unfairly ended but written off as another drug-dealing casualty.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Anita Byington was killed in east Austin in 1991. She was 21 years old at the time.

She had a future ahead of her, she was in college. She was funny. She was animated. She was beautiful, her cousin Kristina said. She was my best friend.

On Monday, she went to the crime scene for the first time.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Travis County officials apologize amid past theories of county murder victims death

I just had to see it once. Because I had imagined it for so many years. And its just some random apartment complex, she said.

Kristina placed flowers and a button with a photo of Anita on the ground where police said Anita was beaten to death.

Anita Byington was killed in 1991.

Judge makes recommendation to appeals court

Allen Andre Causey was convicted for murder in Anitas death. He got out on parole in 2022, and has since worked with the Innocence Project to clear his name.

Monday would have been her 55th birthday. Symbolically, Kristina wanted to share her thoughts on a judges recent recommendation to the Court of Criminal Appeals on this day.

According to court documents, during the innocence hearings  the judge noted she found exculpatory evidence related to Causey and additional evidence that implicated a different suspect. However, her ruling stated Causeys cases did not meet his burden of proof to establish actual innocence.

DEPTH: Innocence hearing being held in Travis County murder case

I felt happy that she saw the evidence that we saw, Kristina said.

Because the judge did side with the Innocence Projects claims in certain areas, the Travis County District Attorneys Office explained that the judges official recommendation involves her approval of granting Causey another trial.

The Court of Criminal Appeals will make the final decision on how to proceed.

Once a case is sent up to the court of criminal appeals, there is no timeline as for when they have to make formal decisions, said Jesse Freud, one of Causeys attorneys. She said she expects a decision on a case like this to take about two years.

We disagree with [the judges] reasoning on the actual innocence claim, but were really hopeful that the Court of Criminal Appeals will find we have satisfied our legal burden and will find our evidence is compelling and overwhelming and ultimately grant Mr. Causey relief, Freud added.

Kristina said she is worried about the future of the case. While she said she was relieved to see the judge not recommend full innocence for Causey, she does not want to see him exonerated or see his case retried.

Previously in court, Kristina said she believed the Innocence Project and TCDA cherrypicked facts and evidence presented in the hearing.

In a statement, the Travis County District Attorneys Office said We agree with the Judges recommendation in this case that Mr. Causey be granted a new trial because the trial prosecutor withheld evidence during the original murder trial. In addition, new evidence recently came to light that placed an alternate perpetrator at the scene of the crime and showed that the alternative suspect engaged in a cover-up.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The federal judge overseeing the case of the former FBI informant charged with lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden's overseas business ties has rejected an effort to challenge the legitimacy of special counsel David Weiss' appointment, according to court records.

The challenge from Alexander Smirnov's attorneys was filed just hours after Judge Aileen Cannon unexpectedly dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case last month on the grounds that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed -- which is currently being appealed.

MORE: Special counsel asks appeals court to reverse judge's dismissal of Trump's classified docs case

Judge Otis Wright's ruling in the Smirnov case is yet another indication of how Cannon's controversial dismissal of Trump's classified documents case  which ran contrary to decades of precedent set by other courts -- is not holding water with other judges weighing similar challenges to special counsels.

A separate judge overseeing Hunter Biden's tax case in Los Angeles rejected a similar challenge to Weiss' appointment earlier this month.

PHOTO: Hunter Biden departs from federal court June 11, 2024, in Wilmington, Del. (Matt Slocum/AP, FILE)

Cannon's ruling centered around arguments that Smith's prosecution of Trump was illegitimate because, in her determination, Smith was unlawfully appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to his position as special counsel because he was never confirmed to his post by the U.S. Senate.

Special counsels have typically served previously as U.S. attorneys, who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Smith was previously the acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee and was working for the International Criminal Court at the Hague prosecuting war crimes when he was tapped by Garland in November 2022 to lead both the classified documents probe and the federal election interference investigation.

Smith, in a filing on Monday, urged the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse Cannon's decision.

Judge rejects challenge from Hunter Biden informant based on Trump immunity ruling originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The judge overseeing the case of accused serial killer Raul Meza Jr. said she would not accept any plea deal unless it includes life without parole during a hearing at the Travis County Courthouse on Tuesday.

Meza's lawyers proposed two plea deals on Tuesday for the two murders he's accused of in the county. One of the plea deals was for life in prison and the other was for 20 years. They would have allowed Meza, 63, to be eligible for parole in 40 years, when he would be more than 100 years old.

"I need it to be life or it needs to be tried," state District Judge Julie Kocurek said.

Family members of those believed to have been killed by Meza began rejoicing after Kocurek's announcement.

If a deal is not reached by the next hearing, which was scheduled for sometime in October, Kocurek said both sides would need to begin preparing to take the case to trial.

Raul Meza Jr., accused of two murders in Travis County, appears in Judge Julie Kocurek's 390th District Court for a pretrial hearing at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.

Russell Hunt Jr., one of Meza's defense attorneys, told reporters that he does not expect the case to go to trial and that a deal could be reached in the next two weeks.

Meza was present in the courtroom on Tuesday and at one point drew the ire of Kocurek, who told him to "stop staring at the prosecutor." Meza, who was not handcuffed, told the court he was "very grateful" for his lawyers.

Hunt told reporters that Meza was "remorseful" but did not expand on what Meza had said to express remorse.

Tuesday's hearing comes nearly four months after Meza's lawyers first proposed two 50-year plea deals for the two murders he's accused of in Travis County. Those two plea deals would have allowed Meza, 63, to serve both sentences consecutively.

Sonia Houston, right, and Christina Fultz, left, both daughters of Gloria Lofton, discuss Raul Meza Jr.'s case with members of the press following his pre-trial hearing at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. Meza is charged with capital murder in the 2019 death of 65-year-old Gloria Lofton in Austin and with murder in the 2023 slaying of 80-year-old Jesse Fraga in Pflugerville.

Meza is charged with capital murder in the 2019 death of 65-year-old Gloria Lofton in Austin and with murder in the 2023 slaying of 80-year-old Jesse Fraga in Pflugerville.

The most infamous case involving Meza was when he was convicted of murder in the 1982 sexual assault and strangulation of 8-year-old Kendra Page outside an Austin elementary school. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and was released after 11 years. Meza was sent back to prison in 1994 for a parole violation, and he was then released in 2002. Meza was on parole until 2016.

Police have previously accused Meza of being a serial killer who might be involved in as many as 10 other homicides. Police issued a warrant for Meza's Google account to link him to a possible 2018 cold case homicide, along with two others in San Antonio that Meza previously said he committed in 2018 and 2019.

Representatives of each of the families sat in the jury box on Tuesday to hear what was being discussed.

Family members told reporters they were happy to hear Kocurek's announcement on Tuesday, and many also said they don't believe he is remorseful.

"This is obviously someone we're dealing with that's very violent, psycho, doesn't care," said Christina Fultz, daughter of Lofton.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Accused killer Raul Meza must serve life without parole, judge says
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted an oral decision on Tuesday, with the aim of "instilling new life" into the discussions on Security Council reform.

By the decision, the assembly reaffirmed its central role concerning the question of equitable representation and increased Security Council membership, as delegates underscored that the council's composition no longer reflects today's political landscape.

With the aim of "instilling new life" into the discussions on Security Council reform, the assembly also decided to immediately continue intergovernmental negotiations on the matter in the assembly's informal plenary.

The UNGA decided, if member states agree, to convene the Open-Ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council during its upcoming 79th session, and to include the item in the agenda of the 79th session.

The representative of Sierra Leone, speaking for the African Group, said member states must demonstrate the necessary political will to reform the United Nations to ensure its pivotal role in global governance and establish a world order based on the principles of fairness and universalism.

He said prioritizing Africa in Security Council reform is key to creating a more inclusive, democratic, transparent, accountable, legitimate and efficient organ, "especially concerning the allocation of seats in both the permanent and non-permanent categories."

The delegate of Sri Lanka stressed the need to balance representation across all regions and ensure that various interests are included on the council.

Speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, Bahrain's delegate said the adoption of the oral decision would enable member states to continue their joint action to find common ground and bring forth genuine reform of the Security Council, and called for the inclusion of a permanent Arab seat on the council and the region's equitable representation among the non-permanent members.

"It is our hope that we can muster the political will ... to transform this language so that it does not exist solely within the pages of yet another intergovernmental negotiated outcome document," said the representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, speaking on behalf of the L.69 Group. 
FRANKLINTON, La. (WGNO)  A Franklinton man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend in 2020 was found guilty by a Washington Parish jury on Thursday, Aug. 22.

The Office of District Attorney Collin Sims reported that a jury found 56-year-old Paul Robinson guilty of second-degree murder.

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Court documents state that a family friend found the body of 57-year-old Cristole Young Washington in high grass 35 yards from her home on June 1, 2020.

The documents state Washingtons body was found after the Franklinton Police Department was called to her home for a welfare check.

Franklinton detectives said Washingtons body was found with multiple stab wounds, and police determined that she had been killed in the living room of her home.

The district attorneys office reported that two children inside the home saw Robinson holding a knife.

Court documents state Robinson was taken into custody in Franklinton after reportedly trying to run from an officer.

Following his arrest, detectives said Robinson ultimately admitted that he killed Ms. Washington, claiming that he acted in self-defense.

During their investigation, Franklinton police said they also found evidence that Robinson removed clothes, the weapon and other items from the scene.

Woman arrested in connection with fatal Jefferson Parish hit-and-run crash

On Thursday, a jury returned a guilty verdict for charges of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice after deliberating for less than an hour.

Robinsons sentencing is set for Oct. 7. According to the district attorneys office, he faces a mandatory life sentence without probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the second-degree murder charge and up to 40 years in prison at hard labor for the obstruction of justice charge.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
Jury ends second day deliberating in trial of former elected official in killing of Vegas reporter

Robert Telles, right, a former Clark County public administrator charged in the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German, listens to closing arguments during his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. With Telles are his attorneys Robert Draskovich, left, and Michael Horvath. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)

LAS VEGAS (AP)  A jury in Las Vegas ended its second day of deliberations Tuesday in the murder trial of a Democratic former elected official accused of killing an investigative reporter two years ago over stories the politician blamed for destroying his career, ruining his reputation and threatening his marriage.

The panel returns Wednesday morning to decide if Robert Telles, the former county administrator of unclaimed estates, is guilty of ambushing and stabbing reporter Jeff German to death two years ago outside German's home. Jurors have deliberated more than 10 hours since closing arguments on Monday.

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner told them that finding Telles guilty based on overwhelming evidence they heard during eight days of trial would be "like connecting the dots.

But Telles' defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, told jurors during his closing to ask themselves, What evidence is missing? He presented a surprise image of a person whose profile did not look like Telles' driving a maroon SUV that evidence showed was key to the crime.

Telles lost his Democratic primary for a second elected term after German's stories appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal in May 2022. They described turmoil and bullying at the Clark County Public Administrator/Guardian office and a romantic relationship between Telles and an employee.

Hamner said Telles learned from county officials just hours before German was killed that the reporter was working on another story about that relationship.

Prosecutor Pamela Weckerly presented a timeline and videos of Telles' maroon SUV leaving the neighborhood near his home a little after 9 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, and driving on streets near German's home a short time later.

In some photos drawn from security camera video, the SUV driver is seen wearing a bright orange outfit similar to one worn by a person captured on camera walking to Germans home and slipping into a side yard.

That person stays, lying in wait, Weckerly said, showing video from a neighbor's home of German walking from his house into the side yard where he was attacked just after 11:15 a.m.

A little more than 2 minutes later, the figure in orange emerges and walks down a sidewalk. German does not reappear.

Evidence showed a text message from Telles' wife about 10:30 a.m. asking, Where are you?" Hamner and Weckerly told the jury they believe Telles left his cellphone at home so he couldn't be tracked. Telles said he was taking a walk and then went to a gym in the afternoon.

Germans body was found the next day, and DNA believed to be from Telles was found beneath Germans fingernails. Telles was arrested five days later.

Prosecutors maintained that German fought to the death with his attacker. He was 69.

In his testimony, Telles alleged a broad conspiracy of people framed him for Germans killing in retaliation for his effort to root out corruption he saw in his office.

I didnt kill Mr. German, and Im innocent," he told the jury on Friday.

Draskovich noted Monday that none of Germans blood or DNA was found on Telles, in his vehicle or at his home.

Originally from Milwaukee, German was a respected journalist who spent 44 years covering crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas.

Telles, 47, is an attorney who practiced civil law before he was elected in 2018. His law license was suspended following his arrest. He faces up to life in prison if he's found guilty.

Weckerly and Hamner presented 28 witnesses and hundreds of pages of photos, police reports and video. Telles and five other people testified for the defense. No Telles family members were called to the stand or identified in the trial gallery.

About a dozen German family members have watched the trial. They've declined as a group to comment.

German was the only journalist killed in the U.S. in 2022, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. The nonprofit has records of 17 media workers killed in the U.S. since 1992.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A jury has sided with the West Linn-Wilsonville School District in a case concerning a previous agreement that established the city as the owner of a treasured local park.

On Friday, a Clackamas County Circuit Court jury determined that the City of West Linns purchase of the Oppenlander Field was invalid.

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Although the school district had owned the property since the 1970s, administration decided that it was surplus land in 2021 and announced their intentions to sell it  much to the dismay of locals who considered the property as a community park for families and youth sports.

In response to public outcry over the potential of another party developing on the land, the district and West Linn agreed the city would buy the field in January 2022 so it would remain a park.

Afterwards, an appraisal determined the 10-acre field was worth just $120,000 due to its park-use restriction. WLWV rejected this new appraisal due to a 2021 assessment that valued the land at $6.5 million.

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The district filed a complaint against the city in February 2022, later prompting the trial that began on Aug. 12.

Ahead of the trial, Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Susie Norby ruled West Linn residents could not serve on the jury because they would instinctively lean toward defending the city instead of being neutral.

The Oregon Supreme Court then reversed the judges decision, referring to it as a categorical assumption. West Linn jurors still found that the contract agreement was not legally binding.

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We did our best to uphold both the votes of the West Linn residents who clearly expressed a desire to preserve Oppenlander as a park and our contractual obligations under the Purchase and Sale Agreement, Mayor Rory Bialostosky said in a statement. While disappointing, I respect the decision of the jury and appreciate their attention to the case.

KOIN 6 has reached out to WLWV for comment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Kamala Harris Is From Berkeleybut She Doesnt Talk About It Much

When the Democratic National Convention introduced Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee on Thursday, one key bit of her background was slightly unclearher hometown.

A video at the DNC displayed her hometown as the East Baythe local term for all of the large cities across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Harris has previously emphasized her connection to Oakland, where she launched her first campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019. At her kickoff rally, the then-California senator said she was proud to be a daughter of Oakland, California.

But Harris actually spent most of her childhood in Berkeleythe East Bay city most famous for the flagship University of California campus and its history of radical politics and student protests dating back to the 1960s.

Local Media to Kamala Harris: Pick Us to Interview You

Berkeley is viewed as the most liberal city in the United States, and were proud of that, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin told The New York Times. But maybe for some people in the red states, that may freak them out.

The Times ran a story over the weekend highlighting how Harris has virtually erased her Berkeley roots, but in a surprise twist, the residents... say they get it.

Oh, people would definitely think Berserkeley! one resident who lives near Harris childhood home, told The Times last week. We have such a reputation for being on the far left, that were all a bunch of communists and socialists.

The Times notes Berkeley was mostly ignored at the DNC convention, and claims Harris began detaching herself from the city years ago as she prepared for a political life in California.

A spokeswoman for the Harris campaign had no comment when pressed by The Times over the subject. The campaign did not immediately respond to comment when approached by the Daily Beast.

Celebrants dance in the street in front of the childhood home of Kamala Harris in Berkeley, Calif. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 after Joe Biden is declared the winner over President Donald Trump in the presidential election. Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Harris was born in a hospital in Oakland, California, to parents who met at the University of California, Berkeley. She lived in multiple apartments in Berkeley from the age of 5 until age 12, when she moved with her mother and sister to Montreal. She ended up in Berkeley in her mid-twenties, according to the Times.

At the DNC, in a pre-acceptance speech video showing photos and home movies of the vice presidents childhood home, the narrator only described Berkeley as a tight-knit neighborhood, which taught Harris what it means to be middle class. In the video, grainy footage of a Bay Area freeway displayed exits for Oakland and San Francisco.

But multiple former aides from Harris early career told The Times that the vice president had no conversations about emphasizing the larger cities of Oakland or San Francisco over the college town.

Harris 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, might hold some insights into her thinking. In the book, Harris also claimed both cities, writing that she spent the formative years of my childhood living on the boundary between Oakland and Berkeley.

Some Berkeley residents even tried to get her childhood home recognized as a historical landmarkbut homeowners in the neighborhood were concerned the designation might cause disruptions, SFGate reported in 2021.

Thousand Oaks Elementary School, the desegregated Berkeley public school she attended as a child, now features a large mural of the vice president.

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff step from Air Force Two as they arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., August 23, 2024. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

[Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl] Warrens wordsproclaiming segregation inherently unequal,had taken fifteen long years to make it to Berkeley, California, Harris wrote in her memoir. I was grateful they had come in time for me; my elementary school class was only the second class in the city to be desegregated through busing.

Harris also emphasized her parents roots in the city and the university where they first crossed paths. Her father, Jamaican-American economics professor Donald Harris, first immigrated to the U.S. to attend Berkeley. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, also immigrated from India to attend Californias premier university. She was a teenager when she left home for Berkeley in 1958 to pursue a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology, on her way to becoming a breast cancer researcher, Harris writes. She said her parents met and fell in love at the college.

After passing the California bar in 1990, Harris was hired as a deputy district attorney in the Alameda Countythe East Bay county home to both Oakland and Berkeley. She bought a condo in Oakland in 1993, the San Francisco Standard reported, and lived there until 1998. She sold the apartment when she was hired as an assistant district attorney in San Francisco.

Oakland, for its part, seems happy to claim the Democratic nominee. Unapologetic warriors for justice, thats the Oakland brand, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told the Times on Monday.

Oakland is no stranger to radical politics either. In the 1960s and 1970s, the East Bay city became famous as the birthplace of the Black Panther Partywhose famous Free Breakfast for Children meals were first hosted at the citys St. Augustine Episcopal Church.

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The biggest substantive change since candidate Joe Biden stepped aside in favor of candidate Kamala Harris, at least where domestic policy is concerned, is much less discussion of labor unions. As Labor Day approaches, Harris needs to shore up her bona fides. As it happens, Harris herself has already created a plausible blueprint for organized labors path forward. With the hard work done, all she needs to do now is talk about it.

Im proud to have been the first president to walk a picket line, President Biden said at last weeks Democratic convention, and be labeled the most pro-union president in history. Biden is not the most pro-union president in history, but hes easily the most pro-union president since Harry Trumanand Eric Loomis, a labor historian at the University of Rhode Island, pronounced Biden the most pro-union president since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Bidens labor advocacy mostly consisted of bully-pulpit support for the Protecting the Right to Organize bill, otherwise known as the PRO Act, and for individual strikes by Amazon and auto workers. But Biden also appointed an aggressively pro-union general counsel to the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB; pressured pension funds not to contest union elections; required the hiring of unionized workers on large construction projects; rescued from bankruptcy 200 multiemployer pension funds, including the Teamsters Central States fund (making Teamsters President Sean OBriens overtures to the GOP especially galling); banned noncompete clauses in employment contracts (until a Texas judge last week blocked it); and expanded overtime eligibility to 4.3 million additional workers.

Loomis takes points off Biden for forcing an end to a rail strike over sick leave. But even there, the Biden administration later stepped in to help secure sick leave for the affected workers.

In his convention speech, Biden said the word union four times, prompting the audience to chant, Union Joe! In her convention speech, Harris said union not even once. She did mention labor, but only in pledging to bring together labor and workers and small-business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to basically join hands and sing Kumbaya. This sentiment is repeated in Harriss much-touted economic plan, released right before the convention. There, too, organized labor is otherwise missing in action (though in her speech announcing the plan Harris did allow that you should be able to join a union if you choose).

Harriss only notable nod in the direction of organized labor (and the working class generally) has been her choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as running mate. Walz has a stunningly good labor record as governor, especially in passing last year of a sort of miniPRO Act, S.F. 3035, which banned captive meetings by management during union drives; required a minimum of six paid sick days for full-time employees; and banned noncompete clauses in employment contracts. But even Walz omitted the words labor and union from his convention speech.

Look, I get it. Harris and Walz dont want to scare away rich donors. Harris, a former senator from California, has strong ties to Silicon Valley, where unions are still largely anathema, and Politicos Catherine Allen reported this weekend that during the ten days after Biden withdrew on July 21 Harris raised $59 million from individuals, 20 percent of it from California, including $242,000 from Google/Alphabet employees, $170,000 from Apple employees, and $81,000 from Facebook/Meta employees. During convention week the Harris campaign raised another $82 million, a figure that includes donations to the state and local Democratic parties (which tend to be from fat cats). Overall, Harris has raised half a billion dollars in a little over one month. Wall Street has come courting; Jonathan Gray, president of the private equity giant Blackstone, reportedly gave $413,000 to a Harris PAC.

But dont lets forget what all that money is for. Its to harvest votes, and, as I may have pointed out once or twice before, no Democrat has ever won the White House without a working-class majority, going back 100 years. There is one exception: Joe Biden in 2020. But that occurred under the unusual circumstance of his opponent visibly mismanaging a deadly epidemic (a fiasco that the voting public, sadly, no longer seems to remember). As Ive further pointed out, unions are more popular today (with approval levels of 67 to 68 percent) than at any time since the 1960s. Even affluent suburban voters support a more leftist economic agenda than anything weve heard from Harris.

I mentioned that Harris created a useful blueprint on labor issues. That was the February 2022 report of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, of which Harris was chair (and Bidens disappointing first labor secretary, Marty Walsh, vice chair). The report doesnt say that workers should join labor unions if they happen to feel like it. Rather, it says that increasing worker organizing and empowerment is critical to growing the middle class, building an economy that puts workers first, and strengthening our democracy. The report points out that the preamble to the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, which created the NLRB, does not pronounce the federal government neutral on the question of collective bargaining, but rather says the federal government should encourage collective bargaining. The report explicitly directs not only the NLRB but also the lesser-known Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the National Medication Board, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority, to do just that.

Here are some policy highlights from the report, all of which Id like to hear Harris repeat:

Pass the PRO Act, which would rebuild workers organizing and bargaining rights in the private sector after decades of erosion and curb the anti-union, anti-worker excesses of the Taft-Hartley Act enacted in 1947. This is by far the most important point, and Harris should say it at every appearance. (More on the PRO Act here.)

Pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would expand public-sector worker collective bargaining rights for state and local government employees. These rights were dealt a heavy blow by the Supreme Courts 2018 Janus decision, which eliminated fair-share fees charged to nonmembers of public employee unions to cover their share of collective bargaining costs, saddling these unions with a costly free-rider problem.

Extend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to domestic and agricultural workers. Even the existing paltry labor protections available under the NLRA (as amended by Taft-Hartley in 1947) are unavailable to these marginalized workers. In the 1960s Cesar Chavez, president of the United Farm Workers, found a clever way to turn this to his advantage with a grape boycott that would have been illegal had the NLRA covered farmworkers. But Chavez recognized that NLRA coverage was better, and he worked with then-Governor Jerry Brown to create a state-level equivalent for agricultural workers.

Make the tax code pro-labor. One possibility is to make union dues eligible for a tax credit or above-the-line deduction. Another would be to deny employers deductions for union-busting activities.

Prevent worker misclassification. This refers to the sketchy practice of treating workers as independent contractors when for all practical purposes they are employees. Doing so relieves employers of having to pay minimum wage, payroll tax, and other benefits. Legislation would be helpful, but much can be achieved through more rigorous enforcement of existing laws.

The 2022 report contains other useful proposals, many of them using the federal governments purchasing power to promote unionization. In addition, as I argued last week, Harris should talk up the Federal Trade Commissions ban on noncompete clauses in employment contracts, which a federal judge recently blocked. Its a letter-perfect example of the Democrats new mantra that they, and not the GOP, are the party of freedom. Just as women should be free to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term, men and women should be free to work wherever they choose.

None of these policy options are unknown to Harris. Obviously, the chair of the Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment doesnt write the report, but she almost certainly has read it. Madame Vice President: Youve done a splendid job persuading Democrats not to be fearful of your opponent, but rather to embrace a more joyful (and less weird) vision of government. Please dont let linger any fear of labors enemies among the donor class. You have a record on organized labor, and in large part the task force report is it. Dont let that be a secret.
Kansas news outlets ask judge to allow cameras in court for former Marion police chief

Copies of the Aug. 16 edition of the Marion County Record rest on a countertop in the newspaper office. Staffers pulled an all-nighter to get the newspaper out after their equipment was seized by law enforcement. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Kansas Reflector and other news outlets have asked a district judge to reject former Marion Police Chief Gideon Codys attempt to banish cameras from court proceedings in his criminal case.

Cody, who led the raid on the Marion County Record last year, faces a low-level felony charge for telling a woman after the raid to delete text messages the two had exchanged. The woman told investigators she agreed to delete the texts because she didnt want people who saw the messages to accuse the two of having an affair, according to evidence presented to the court earlier this month.

In a motion filed Tuesday in Marion County District Court, 14 news outlets argue Codys concern that the presence of cameras in the courtroom will somehow prejudice a defendants right to a fair trial has long since been discredited.

Lyndon Vix, a Wichita-based attorney, filed the motion on behalf of Kansas Reflector, the Marion County Record, Kansas City Star, Wichita Eagle, KCUR, Kansas City Beacon, Wichita Beacon, KAKE, KCTV, KMBC, KSHB, KSNW, KWCH and WDAF.

The court filing outlines the public interest in the criminal prosecution of Cody, stemming from his attempt to defy state and federal protections for journalists in the Aug. 11, 2023, raid. Photos and video are part of the reporting that serves the public interest in the case, the news outlets argue.

A Kansas Supreme Court rule provides news media with a right to take photos and video during court proceedings.

The irony of this defendant seeking to limit media access in this case is striking, Vix wrote in the court filing. The genesis of the case was defendants decision to go to the war with a member of the media. Now, when he is called to at least partially account for his actions, he wants the media to have less access to his proceedings than they would have in any other defendants case. If there was ever a defendant who was not entitled to special consideration in this regard, it is Gideon Cody.

Cody is scheduled for a first appearance Oct. 7 before District Judge Ryan Rosauer. KSNW on Aug. 13 asked the courts media coordinator to bring cameras and recording equipment into the courtroom. Codys attorneys objected to the request in an Aug. 20 court filing.

Cody argued that the presence of cameras would violate his Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.

But, Vix wrote in his response Tuesday, there is no known case in Kansas in which an appellate court has concluded that a criminal defendant failed to receive a fair trial because of publicity alone, even though the contention has been frequently advanced.
A former employee of the Kansas Department of Commerce, who is believed to have died in a traffic accident, accused Lt. Gov. David Toland who also serves as commerce secretary, of allowing politics to dictate issuance of COVID-19 grants. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

A former employee of the Kansas Department of Commerce, who is believed to have died in a traffic accident, accused Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as commerce secretary and is pictured here, of allowing politics to dictate issuance of COVID-19 grants. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  A former Kansas Department of Commerce employee apparently found dead inside a wrecked vehicle purportedly wrote a statement to coincide with his death that accused state officials of awarding grants based on political considerations and asserted he was improperly accused of financial impropriety in handling of grants.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported a vehicle registered to Jonathan Clayton, 42, of Peabody, was discovered Sunday in a ravine near U.S. Highway 50. A deceased male was found inside the 2011 Chevy Silverado, but the KBI said Tuesday formal confirmation of the persons identity was withheld pending an autopsy. Investigators suspect the vehicle was driven off the road, where it crashed into a tree, the KBI said.

The KBI had considered Clayton a missing person for weeks, but that advisory was removed from a website after discovery of the crash.

A story by Harvey County Now said Claytons husband, Christopher King, confirmed the body recovered from the vehicle was Clayton.

I love Jonathan very much, and I was hopeful that he would be found alive, King said.

Clayton, the interim clerk in Peabody since June, had disappeared in early August as information surfaced that he could be connected to misappropriation of COVID-19 grant funding. The Kansas Department of Commerce terminated a grant to the Mullinville Community Foundation and submitted a request for return of $425,000. The state agency also made the case there were documentation problems with the initial phase of a $1.5 million grant to Peabody.

In addition, it was reported Clayton had been placed on probation in 2018 in a Pennsylvania credit card scheme. The Marion County Record reported that he still owed about $195,000 in restitution.

On Aug. 8, an email was sent to news organizations, including Kansas Reflector, purportedly on Claytons behalf. The email said it was being released following the death or incapacitation of Jonathan Clayton.

I, Jonathan Clayton, am providing the following information in writing as I am no longer capable of testifying or providing a sworn statement, the email said. As this message is only being provided after my death, I pray that those named below may be reviewed for any participation in my untimely demise.

The message asserted Lt. Gov. David Toland, who serves as secretary of the state commerce department, schemed to distort the scoring system for applicants to the Build a Stronger Economy, or BASE, grant program to direct funding in accordance with covert deals with Senate President Ty Masterson of Butler County and now-former House Speaker Ron Ryckman of Johnson County. Current House Speaker Dan Hawkins replaced Ryckman in January 2023.

The resulting awards from both rounds of the program are inaccurate due to the orders from Toland to alter the application scores after a pre-selected group of awardees were determined, the email said. This can be evidenced by the inordinate number of awards for the first round of the BASE program awarded to Butler and Johnson counties.

The offices of the Senate president and House speaker werent available to comment or didnt respond to Claytons allegation. Neither did the commerce department.

The email purportedly issued by Clayton said he was forced to resign because he refused to distort the grant awarding process in the second round of BASE grants. Clayton was hired by the Department of Commerce in February 2020. In 2021, he was appointed director of the agencys COVID-19 funds. He left the commerce department in late 2023.

The email also said the claim by the Department of Commerce that he didnt provide sufficient documentation of two BASE grant awards was unilaterally unfounded and I believe to be a form of retaliation.

The Clayton-attributed email includes an apology that he was no longer alive or available to address the turmoil. It also said Clayton had made several mistakes in my past and that a life insurance policy was taken out to hopefully accommodate those errors in judgment.
Karen Read accused of wrongful death in lawsuit by family of Boston police officer boyfriend

The family of a Boston police officer filed a wrongful death lawsuit Monday against Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman whose murder trial in the officers death ended with a hung jury in July.

The civil suit, filed in Plymouth County Superior Court by relatives of John OKeefe, also accuses two bars of wrongful death, alleging they served Read alcohol when she was already intoxicated on the night of Jan. 28, 2022.

The suit accuses Read, 44, of plowing into OKeefe, 46, with her Lexus SUV after having had a series of drinks at C.F. McCarthys and Waterfall Bar & Grille.

Read claimed innocence at her criminal trial. Her defense team alleged that law enforcement officers framed her. Read could not be reached for comment Monday. The lawyer in her criminal case did not respond to a request for comment.

A person who answered the phone at C.F. McCarthys on Monday would not comment on the lawsuit. No one could be reached at Waterfall Bar & Grille.

The suit alleges that Read left her boyfriend for dead outside the home of a former Boston police officer in Canton, south of Boston.

The suit, which does not specify damages, also accuses Read and the two bars of negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Prosecutors had alleged that Read mowed OKeefe down amid a deteriorating relationship. She was charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.

On July 1, after five days of deliberations, a judge declared a mistrial when jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

According to Reads lawyers, four jurors have come forward and said the entire panel reached not guilty verdicts on two charges: second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a collision.

The jury remained deadlocked on the remaining manslaughter charge, according to the lawyers. Citing that evidence, the lawyers asked the judge in the case to dismiss the charges, but she declined.

Prosecutors vowed to retry the case. A new trial is scheduled for Jan. 27.

The OKeefe family lawsuit accuses one of the bars, C.F. McCarthys, of serving Read seven drinks over roughly 1 hours on the night of Jan. 28. The second bar, Waterfall Bar & Grille, served Read a shot and a mixed drink shortly afterward, the lawsuit alleges.

After she left the second bar around midnight on Jan. 29, the suit alleges, Read drove OKeefe to the Canton house, where the other Boston officer was having a gathering.

OKeefe and Read had been arguing, the suit alleges, when OKeefe got out of the vehicle and Read fatally struck him.

In her criminal trial, Reads lawyers said she watched OKeefe enter the Canton house after she dropped him off. Hours later, she discovered that he had never come home and raced back to the house, where she found his body on the morning of Jan. 29.

The lawyers have alleged that OKeefe was most likely beaten inside the home and left outside in the snow.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Looking to cool off in Dayton during the heatwave?

Temperatures are expected to reach the 90s this week, with a heat index over 100 degrees. The city of Dayton urges preparation for excessive heat conditions including cooling options. Staying indoors in air conditioning is highly recommended, and there are free options in Dayton.

Residents can visit one of three recreational from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday:

Greater Dayton Recreation Center  2021 W. Third Street

Lohrey Recreation Center  2366 Glenarm Ave.

Northwest Recreation Center  1600 Princeton Drive

Keeping pets safe during a heat advisory

City officials encourage residents to have fun and cool off at one of the area splash pads, which are also free to enjoy. The parks are open daily from noon to 8 p.m.

Fairview Park 2262 Elsmore Ave.

Five Oaks Spray Park 329 Five Oaks Ave.

Mallory Park 3037 Germantown Street

McIntosh Park 882 W. Riverview Ave.

Stuart Patterson Spray Park 238 Baltimore Street

Walnut Hills Spray Park 2340 Block of Wayne Ave.

Washington Park 3620 E. Second Street

Those who must be outside are encouraged to hydrate frequently and stay shaded as much as possible. Pets should also remain indoors and be provided with plenty of water during 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 WDTN.com.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons crusade against supposed voter fraud appears to be targeting the states Democrats.



Last week, Paxtons office announced raids and undercover actions against organizations in Texas it accuses of illegally registering noncitizens to vote. In practice, though, the raids have taken place against members of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S., as well as several prominent Democrats in south Texas.



According to LULAC officials, the groups members had their cell phones and laptops confiscated by law enforcement officials carrying out search warrants.



Attorney General Paxton is using his position of authority to harass and intimidate Latino non-profit organizations like LULAC, Latino Leaders and LULAC members, Juan Proano, LULACs CEO, told CBS News. It is evident through his pattern of lawsuits, raids, searches, and seizures that he is trying to keep Latinos from voting.

One of the activists targeted was 87-year-old Lidia Martinez of San Antonio, a LULAC member for more that 35 years who works to expand voter registration for seniors and veterans. Last Tuesday, she said nine officers in tactical gear knocked on her door, presented a warrant, and questioned her for more than three hours. They took her phone, calendar, computer, blank voter registration forms, and her certificate to conduct voter registration.

This is a free country, this is not Russia, Martinez said in a press conference denouncing the raid.



Paxton does not appear to have been dissuaded by the backlash to his offices raids, claiming that there was sufficient evidence to obtain the search warrants based on the results of a two-year investigation.



My office is investigating every credible report we receive regarding potential criminal activity that could compromise the integrity of our elections, Paxton said in a statement. The Biden-Harris Administration has intentionally flooded our country with illegal aliens, and without proper safeguards, foreign nationals can illegally influence elections at the local, state, and national level.

The allegations would carry more weight, except for the fact that Republicans and conservatives have been repeating the claim of noncitizens illegally voting ad nauseam, with little, if any proof. Last week, Fox News presenter Maria Bartiromo repeated an allegation of massive lines of illegals for nearly a week on national television, with only a friend of mines wife as her source. House Speaker Mike Johnson has pledged to take on the nonexistent problem by sponsoring the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, even though the information hes citing is bogus. Elon Musk has also been taken in by right-wing propaganda on the issue, urging new laws to be passed to tackle something thats already illegal.



Paxton himself has little, if any, credibility for any of the allegations he makes. He has piggybacked on the right-wing anti-trans panic by calling gender-affirming health care child abuse. His raids against Texas Democrats follow punitive measures even against Republican critics. And then theres the fact that his own party tried to impeach him last year. If anything, Paxton taking up the Democrats are getting noncitizens to vote myth gives it even less credibility.


RIYADH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned remarks by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about building a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry voiced the kingdom's "categorical rejection" of what it described as "extremist and provocative statements" by the Israeli minister. The ministry also urged respect for the historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The kingdom renewed its call to the international community to assume its responsibilities in putting an end to the humanitarian catastrophe endured by Palestinians and activating serious mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable for the ongoing violations of international laws, norms, and resolutions, read the statement.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, holds sacred significance for both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence between the two sides.

Under the status quo, non-Muslim worshippers may visit the site in the heart of the Old City but are not permitted to pray there.

In remarks to Israeli Army Radio earlier on Monday, Ben-Gvir said that "Jews can pray on the Temple Mount," adding that under his term as the national security minister, there will be "no discrimination" between Jews and Muslims.

However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a press statement that "there is no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount."

In a statement posted on its website, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned Ben-Gvir's remarks about building a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The OIC also denounced "the ongoing incursions and desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque's courtyards" by extremist settler groups and ministers in the Israeli government under the protection of Israeli forces, describing these actions as a continuation of Israel's violations of the sanctity of holy sites and freedom of worship and "a blatant breach" of the Geneva Conventions and international law.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, also condemned the Israeli minister's statement, saying it confirms Israel's "desire to continue to inflame the situation and ensure that stability is not achieved in the region." 
Kennedy pulled out of battleground states, but will appear on Maryland ballot in November

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on the Maryland ballot after satisfying a requirement to collect at least 10,000 signatures. A state elections official said he expects Kennedy will remain on the ballot despite ending his campaign last week and withdrawing from races in 10 battleground states. Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may have suspended his national presidential campaign, but he will appear on the general election ballot in Maryland.

Kennedy announced last week that he will wind down his campaign activities and endorsed Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and former president. Despite Kennedy ending his independent run, state elections officials said Kennedy has qualified for inclusion on the November ballot in Maryland.

Hes going to be on the presidential ballot in Maryland, Maryland State Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis said of Kennedys candidacy.

Kennedy, as a candidate not affiliated with the Democratic or Republican Parties, was required to collect the signatures of at least 10,000 registered Maryland voters by Aug. 5. Supporters in Maryland collected more than 26,000 signatures, according to DeMarinis and Josh Mazer, who was the state director for the Kennedy campaign.

State elections officials had until Monday night to certify the signatures. Campaigns will officially be notified on Tuesday.

DeMarinis, speaking Monday morning, said Kennedy would clear the hurdle for ballot inclusion.

Mazer said he had so far received no official notice from state elections officials.

As of early August, the Kennedy campaign was on the ballot in 15 states not including Maryland. It had also submitted petitions for inclusion in nearly two dozen more. In a statement at the time, the campaign said it was working on collecting enough signatures to petition for ballot access in six other states.

But Kennedy has also struggled to remain on ballots. He was facing challenges in Georgia and New York at the time he ended his campaign.

On Friday, Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.

In a statement, Kennedy cited censorship, media blockade, and legal warfare that kept his message from reaching vast swaths of the electorate as reasons for ending his bid. Additionally, he noted that a number of his core issues had been adopted by Donald Trump.

Efforts to reach officials with Kennedys national campaign were unsuccessful.

DeMarinis said elections officials in Maryland were told that Kennedy would opt to remain on the ballot despite ending his campaign.

Kennedy, in his statement last week, said his campaigns internal polling consistently showed that by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election to the Democrats with whom I disagree on the existential issues of censorship, war, and chronic disease.

The candidate said that in 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I will remove my name and urge voters not to vote for me.

Kennedys presence in the Maryland was not expected to affect the outcome.

A poll of likely Maryland voters released earlier this year showed President Joseph Biden besting Trump in a head-to-head match 53%-32% respectively. Another 15% said they were undecided. Kennedy would have siphoned off support from both Biden and Trump, in that February poll by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media, but not enough to tip the outcome in solidly blue Maryland: Support for Biden dropped to 45%, and it fell to 28% for Trump. Just under 18% said then that they would support Kennedy.

The landscape has changed significantly since then, however, with Biden withdrawing from the campaign, replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris. Kennedy, meanwhile, had fallen to low single digits in recent polls.

Its been one of the weirdest presidential campaign cycles Ive seen, said Patrick Gonzales, director of the Gonzales Poll.

Gonzales noted that Kennedy would have played little role in the outcome of the election in Maryland where registered Democrats hold a roughly 2-1 advantage over Republicans.

Fundamentally, youre not going to flip Maryland, said Gonzales. It could bring Harris vote down.

A Maryland Democratic Party spokesperson said in an emailed statement that Kennedy was recruited into the race by MAGA Republicans like Steve Bannon and propped up by Trumps largest donor to parrot MAGA attacks on Democrats. When given a choice, Marylanders will select the Democratic values that strengthen the middle class over MAGAs extreme agenda, so our job is to get our message out and secure their votes.

A spokesperson for the Maryland Republican Party did not respond to a request for comment.

He doesnt want to be a spoiler. He doesnt want to be Ralph Nader, said Mazer, who said he was offering a personal opinion and not representing the campaign.

Mazer said he believes Kennedy is remaining on the ballot in other states with a goal of receiving enough votes nationally that it will enable him to get on the ballot more easily in the future.

Hes a smart guy, he tells the truth, Mazer said. Its been an honor to serve the guy. I think he has a bright future.
Kentucky could be in violation of federal law without more community-based mental health care

A two-year federal investigation focused on access to treatment in Louisville for adults who have mental illness and whether their civil rights are being violated. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)

LOUISVILLE  The U.S. Department of Justice says it has reasonable cause to believe Kentucky is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act in Jefferson County.

This finding comes after a two-year federal investigation focused on whether Kentucky subjects adults with serious mental illness to unnecessary segregation in psychiatric hospitals in Louisville.

In a 30-page report Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found Kentucky doesnt adequately treat Louisvillians with serious mental health issues in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted by Congress in 1990 to protect people with disabilities from discrimination.

Jefferson County, the report says, relies too heavily on psychiatric hospitalizations, police and detention that could be avoided with community-based mental health services, which it also does not adequately connect people with following hospitalization.

Key points in the report include:

In 2022, 16% of people admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Louisville were also sent to jail.

In 2022, 1,100 people were admitted more than once to a psychiatric hospital.

More than 500 had three or more such hospital admissions.

Thousands of others are admitted once.

Many people in the county spend more than a month in such hospitals, according to the report, which calls the facilities highly restrictive, segregated settings in which people must forego many of the basic freedoms of everyday life.

Admission to these institutions can be traumatizing, and it can upend the lives of people who experience them. With the right community-based services, many of these hospitalizations could be prevented.

Because of the lack of community-based services, law enforcement officers are routine responders to mental health crises in Louisville, the report states. Many of these encounters could have been avoided with community-based services, and those community services could have provided an alternative to incarceration in Louisville Metro Detention Center.

In a Tuesday letter to Gov. Andy Beshear, the DOJ outlined unnecessary segregation, and serious risk of segregation, in psychiatric hospitals for people in Louisville with serious mental health issues. It also warned it could file a lawsuit to force Kentucky to comply with the ADA if it cannot reach a resolution.

The Beshear administration continues to prioritize Kentuckians mental health, spokeswoman Crystal Staley said, pointing to Beshears emphasis on mental health Medicaid coverage and the utilization of 988.

We are surprised by todays report as the cabinet has not heard from the Department of Justice since last September, Staley said. There are sweeping and new conclusions that must be reviewed as well as omissions of actions that have been taken. We will be fully reviewing and evaluating each conclusion.

To the Louisville area mental health providers, the administration recognizes your hard work and wishes todays report had fully acknowledged all that you are doing, Staley added.

Louisville not unique

People with serious mental illnesses in Louisville are caught in an unacceptable cycle of repeated psychiatric hospitalizations because they cannot access community-based care, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in a statement. We thank Kentucky for its full cooperation with our investigation, including readily providing access to staff, documents, and data.

We also recognize that Kentucky has already begun taking important steps to expand access to a range of key services, including crisis response services; medication management supports; and housing and employment supports, Clarke added. Our goal is to work collaboratively with Kentucky so that it implements the right community-based mental health services and complies with the ADA.

Marcie Timmerman, president of Kentuckys chapter of Mental Health of America, said one of the largest barriers to better access to community-based services emphasized in the report is funding.

Louisville is not unique in Kentucky in not providing all the available service arrays, she told the Lantern.

The legislature needs to put more money into mobile crisis units, Timmerman said, that could help people upstream  before they are experiencing mental health emergencies.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky said in a statement that the findings go beyond the violations.

These findings, he said, are also about recognizing the dignity and potential of every individual who has mental illness.

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Haiti native Odena Delponce, right, hugs instructor Christine Smith after her son went to school for the first time at Crosby Middle School in Middletown, Kentucky during JCPS's first day of school Thursday, August 8, 2024

A task force focused on reform in the largest school districts across Kentucky will host a public meeting in Louisville on Tuesday.

The commonwealth's Efficient & Effective School District Governance Task Force, focused in part on Jefferson County Public Schools, is hosting a session at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Central High School, a task force spokesperson confirmed.

Here's what we know.

Kentucky Education What to know about the task force that will study how to split JCPS

Kentucky's education task force opens things up to Louisville, JCPS students, parents and staff

Task force members said Tuesday's meeting is intended "to allow individuals to share how families would like to see the districts academic offerings, educational capabilities, and operations improved."

The meeting will be one of two sessions that will take place in Louisville, with the second to happen at the Male High School Auditorium on Sept. 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The remaining sessions through Nov. 18 will take place in Frankfort.

Commonwealth adopts education task force in 2024 legislative session

The Efficient & Effective School District Governance Task Force was established with the passing of House Concurrent Resolution 81 earlier this year after a failed attempt in 2023. While the bill didn't specify JCPS, schools under the supervision of the task force exceed 75,000 students, and JCPS is the only district falling in the category.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, and compares the structures and operations of JCPS to other districts of similar size and demographics in other states, weighing the challenges and benefits of creating new districts.

Louisville, KY Lawmakers override Beshear vetoes, including Safer Kentucky Act, JCPS 'split' study, more

Krista Johnson contributed to this report. Marina Johnson is a breaking and trending news reporter for The Courier Journal. She can be reached at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY task for education to host public meeting
Kentucky man claimed inability to work, but jury says he stole $100K in unemployment

A Kentucky veteran who claimed he couldnt work but ran a veterans organization has been convicted of stealing more than $100,000 in unemployment money.

A jury in federal court convicted Jeremy Wayne Harrell, 43, of Shelbyville, of theft of government benefits on Aug. 23, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Harrell served in the U.S. Army from February 2003 to April 2024 and later in the Army Reserves, and began receiving unemployment benefits in 2011, according to the court record.

In 2019, Harrell founded Veterans Club Inc., and served as its chief executive officer. The organization was set up to help veterans with needs such as housing and vocational training, according to the court record.

Harrell allegedly claimed that symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder caused him to be withdrawn and more comfortable staying home, and so limited his ability to work.

During that time, however, he gave media interviews, spoke at community events, met with business, political and community members, taught classes and appeared on podcasts, a grand jury charged.

Harrell spent more than 40 hours a week at times on Veterans Club Inc. business, showing he was capable of holding down a job, federal authorities said.

He did not take a salary, but received $108,000 in unemployment payments from 2019 through 2023.

He provided false information to the government, which concealed his ineligibility, and he wrongfully obtained a significant amount funds  funds that should have been provided to other veterans who were eligible for this assistance, U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV said in a news release.

Harrell faces up to 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
The News

NAIROBI  A new university fees structure in Kenya threatens to reignite youth-led protests against the government after being met with anger from opponents who say poorer students will miss out on higher education.

Student leaders and lawmakers have called for demonstrations if the changes go ahead. Such a move could spark a fresh round of protests: More than 60 people died during demonstrations in recent weeks. Similar unrest could scupper another policy aimed at tackling the countrys deepening economic crisis. Other recent demonstrations forced the government to scrap tax rises.

The new model, called the University Fund, moves more costs to students through higher fees while reducing government funding and scholarships. It is being rolled out ahead of the new academic year. The plan will place students in different categories depending on their family income, the size of their family, and the number of children in school.

The change threatens to deepen anger directed at President William Ruto by youth activists and political rivals. He faced criticism over the new system during a televised town hall meeting on Sunday, with students and opposition lawmakers calling for changes.

President Ruto should stop killing the education system in this country by making it a preserve of the rich, said Paul Ongili, a lawmaker from the opposition Orange Democratic Movement party, adding that the new system discriminates against students from poor families.

Ongili said an estimated 100,000 students will not join universities due to high fees and many others would drop out, although he did not explain how he calculated that figure.

Know More

The new fee structure is the largest shake up of university fees since the end of free university education in 1991, when the government-run Higher Education Loans Board was set up to provide financial support to the poorest students.

In July, at the height of street protests and just a month before the start of the academic year, the Education Ministry recalled admission letters for students due to the uproar over higher fees. The ministry also nullified fees structures that had been issued to the new students.

But since then the government has, through its spokesperson on X, said the new funding model will go ahead and help universities to become self-sufficient.

Under the University Fund, students are eligible for a combination of loans and government support depending on a range of factors including their course, gender, and their course.

Viviannes view

The government body responsible for university admissions revealed earlier this year that more than 636,000 students who sat their Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education in 2023 did not apply for a place at a higher learning institution. It said 47,872 students who qualified for university admission did not choose to study for a degree due to the high cost of degree programs in universities.

The sense that some of Kenyas brightest and best young people are being held back by a lack of funds has prompted calls for a fresh round of protests.

Kenyas education sector is at threat of being run down by budget cuts. And the options for the government are bleak: capitulate and lose another battle in the fight against its economic problems, or push through and risk fresh protests. In the longer term, theres also the danger of poorer students missing out.

Room for Disagreement

Ruto has repeatedly defended the funding model and argues that it does not punish poorer students.

In this new model we are increasing scholarship and loans for students from vulnerable families from 80% to 95%, he said at a graduation ceremony on Aug. 19. We need a funding model that is not focused on the university, but focused on the student.

The View From An Education Lobbyist

There was nothing wrong with the previous funding model that the government is rushing to do away with, said Janet Ouko, director of education lobby group Tunza Mtoto Coalition, adding that there had been a lack of public consultation around the band system.

This new model will increase the gap in education between the rich and poor, and lock out underprivileged children from accessing higher education, said Ouko, adding that there was a lack of transparency over the methodology used to put students into different bands.

Notable

Kenyas teachers are set to become the countrys next big export, we reported earlier this month.
KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN)  A Kettering man is back from a big bike trip that took him out of the country, and hes already preparing for his next ride.

Twenty-four-year-old Theo Hale works for Kettering Middle School, helping out in the office or the cafeteria, but his passion outside of work is biking.

I can say Ive biked to over 900 cities now, smiles Hale. Its cool to see all the new places and conquer new territory.

Automotive camp drives interest in the industry

In July, Hale rode 350 miles in three days, traveling from Kettering, to Canada, then back, stopping in Mansfield.

I just did it because it was something I thought would be cool, says Hale.

But theres even more of a purpose for pedaling.

It proves that, you know, that people with autism can do big things, states Hale.

Diagnosed with autism, Hale has never let that stop him. Biking across states and even out of the country, his goal is to bring acceptance and awareness to autism and show just what he can do.

I was proud of myself to an extent. But you dont want to let that pride get to your head, says Hale.

Baseball players across the country bond through lessons off the field

Never losing sight of that, Hale has proven he can go the distance and is empowering others to do the same.

You can do great things! exclaims Hale. You can do it. You know what I mean? You can do it. You got to buck up and do it. You cant make excuses.

Hale plans to bike from Kettering to Pittsburgh next summer. 2025 will also mark his fifth year of biking to the Indy 500.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Killer with Nazi face tattoos sentenced to death for murder of two women after emotional plea from his parents

Wade Wilson, 30, during his sentencing hearing on August 27. The killer who brutally murdered two women was sentenced to death on Tuesday (Law&Crime)

A killer with Nazi face tattoos who brutally murdered two women was sentenced to death on Tuesday.

Wade Wilson, 30, appeared motionless in the courtroom in Lee County, Florida as the sentence was read as cheers and claps erupted from people in the gallery. Wilson had declined to address the court earlier in the afternoon.

In June, Wilson was convicted of two counts of first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43. He strangled the women within hours of each other on October 6, 2019 in Cape Coral.

The jury voted in favor of the death penalty 9-3 in Meltons case, and 10-2 in Ruizs murder. In Florida, only eight out of 12 jurors need to recommend the death penalty for it to be considered by a judge.

The jury also needed to prove the crimes involved aggravating factors. In this case, the panel found the crimes were heinous, atrocious, or cruel; committed by a person convicted of another felony and who had previously been convicted of a felony while in prison.

Wade Wilson, 30, during his sentencing hearing on August 27. The killer, who brutally murdered two women, was sentenced to death on Tuesday (Law&Crime)

During a motion hearing on Tuesday morning, Wilsons attorney, Lee Hollander, requested the court impose two life sentences instead of the death penalty.

Hollander asked County Circuit Judge Nicholas R Thompson to consider whether his client had the capacity to appreciate the criminal nature of the conduct or was substantially impaired when the crimes occurred.

Wed ask the court to take into consideration that death is permanent, Hollander said, a sentiment Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner agreed with.

Diane Ruiz, 43, left, one of Wade Wilsons victims, was killed in October 2019 (Facebook)

Mr Wilsons decisions were not only pitiless and consciousness less, but they amounted to tragically reducing Ms Melton, as well as Ms Ruiz, to nothing more than memories and photographs, Gardiner said, during the motion hearing.

Prosecutors said Wilson met Melton at a live music bar before strangling her to death at her home in Cape Coral, where her body was discovered.

Wilson left the residence and found Ruiz walking along a Cape Coral street. He approached her in a car that he had stolen from Meltons home. Wilson asked Ruiz for directions and she got into the car. When the woman tried to get out of the vehicle, Wilson strangled her and ran her over until she looked like spaghetti, the court heard. The two women were not known to each other.

Throughout the trial, the jury heard evidence of the numerous injuries suffered by the women. Melton suffered bruising to her face and body, hemorrhages on her neck and contusions to the lungs, liver, bladder and colon, among others. Some of the injuries Ruiz suffered included a nasal bone fracture, a laceration to her left breast, bruising on both sides of her body and multiple rib fractures.

Kristine Melton, 35, one of Wade Wilsons victims was killed in October 2019 (Facebook)

Judge Thompson had the final say on whether the defendant was sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. To impose a death sentence, he had to consider each aggravating factor found by the jury and all mitigating circumstances.

Given the facts of the case, nothing in defendant's background or mental state would suggest that a death sentence is inappropriate, Thompson said before sentencing Wilson to death.

Prior to the sentencing hearing, three women sent Judge Thompson letters pleading with him to spare Wilsons life. They cited the killers history of mental health issues, substance abuse and alleged lack of parental support.

With regards to the Wade Wilson case, it appears clearly documented that Mr Wilson suffers with mental health issues that appear to be severely aggravated by the use of drugs, Lindsay Brann, a mother of two boys in Alberta, Canada, wrote in a letter, Lee County Circuit Court records show.

During legal proceedings, Wilsons adoptive parents submitted a letter stating that he was a joyful child and loved his parents. They claimed Wilson became delusional after his drug addiction began. An expert witness claimed Wilson had taken drugs the night before the murders.

Sara Miller, an assistant state attorney, said Wilson had been hospitalized while in jail for a fentanyl overdose.

During the motion hearing, Dr Thomas Coyne, a neuropathologist and an associate medical examiner, provided expert testimony stating he did not find any damage to Wilsons skull or brain, which could have been a mitigating circumstance when considering the death penalty.

Dr Mark Rubino, a neurologist, disagreed with that assessment. He said he found evidence of cognitive and emotional dysfunction in Wilson, causing worse behavior and less thinking, in addition to a brain injury. A combination of Wilsons brain injuries and the drugs he was on at the time likely resulted in the murders, Rubino added.
A broken vessel has caused the cancellation of all sailings on the Kingston-Seattle route until further notice.

The Kingston service has been operating with the vessel Rich Passage, which was pulled to keep the Bremerton Route on two-boat service, according to Kitsap Transit.

Kitsap Transit passholders in Seattle can get a ticket to ride Washington State Ferries. Just check in with the agent at the Seattle passenger-only ferry dock.

Passengers who ride Kitsap Transit routed buses to the Kingston Ferry Terminal should use one of their Park & Rides and ride routed services that go to the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal:

Route 390  Poulsbo/Bainbridge.

Route 333  Silverdale/Bainbridge.

Some passengers traveling from the Kingston or Suquamish area may want to take a routed bus from a Park & Ride closer to their home and connect with Routes 333 or 390.

Route 302  Kingston/Suquamish Fast Ferry.

Route 307  Kingston/North Viking Fast Ferry.

If you booked a Kingston Ride Fast Ferry Commuter trip, call 1-844-475-7433 to check the status of your trip and pick-up location if you have yet to be contacted.

If you need to cancel your Kingston Ride Fast Ferry Commuter trip, call 1-844-475-7433 in advance.

If you have questions, call Kitsap Transits Customer Service staff at 1-360-373-2877 or 1-800-501-RIDE.
WASHINGTON (WATE)  A Knoxville man has been sentenced to prison time on a felony charge related to the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Columbia announced on Monday.

His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Columbia states.

PREVIOUS STORY | FBI: arrested Knoxville man posted January 6 riot videos on Facebook

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Michael Asbury, 44, of Knoxville, Tenn., was sentenced to four months imprisonment, 24 months of supervised release, the first four months of which are home detention, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. Asbury pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder on March 20, 2024. The FBI had initially arrested Asbury on June 28, 2023.

Court documents state that Asbury traveled with his cousin from Tennessee to Washington, D.C., in order to attend the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ellipse. After the rally, the two made their way to the West Front of the Capitol grounds.

After that, video surveillance footage as well as video footage from Asburys social media show Asbury on a media tower at the West Front, then at the Lower West Terrace amid the rioters swarm, then at the Lower Wes Terrace Tunnel. Asbury was identified in taking actions against polices efforts to defend the Capitol Building, by joining with other rioters who all collectively pushed together in a heave-ho effort against the police line.

Then, Asbury was seen re-entering the tunnel to engage police again, participating in a second heave-ho push against police before exiting to cheer on other rioters, documents state.

The Department of Justice says the investigation into the January 6 insurrection remains ongoing.

More than 1,400 people from nearly all 50 states have been charged in relation to the capitol riot, including several from Tennessee.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4)  The Kouri Richins murder case is going to trial after the judge ruled that the state presented enough evidence of the alleged crimes to present a case to a jury.

More than a year after the arrest of Kouri Richins  the Kamas woman accused of killing her husband  the preliminary hearing wrapped up on Tuesday, Aug. 27, with plans to go to trial.

Judge Richard Mrazik ruled that there was probable cause to try Kouri Richins for all 11 counts, including aggravated murder and aggravated attempted murder. The trial is set to take four weeks and is tentatively scheduled for April 28 through May 22.

During the second day of the preliminary hearing, the state and defense presented their final arguments to the court as the state called its last witness the day prior. Kouri Richins chose not to take the stand.

PREVIOUS STORY: Witnesses take stand during Kouri Richins preliminary hearing

The court spent the most time debating the attempted murder charge that refers to an incident on Feb. 14, 2022, where Eric Richins texted Kouri Richins that he might go to the hospital a couple of hours after eating a sandwich she brought home for him from a diner.

Brad Bloodworth with the prosecution argued that the best evidence for the attempted murder charge was the alleged murder itself 17 days later. He also pointed to her alleged procurement of fentanyl two days before Valentines Day and her requesting stronger stuff after the incident.

The defense later argued that she also received illicit drugs after his death, which could show that she was using the drugs for purposes other than murder.

Bloodworth also claimed there is evidence she was with her paramour  or the man she was having an affair with  later that day while Eric Richins was texting her saying he was sick and might seek medical attention.

What she says is chilling, she says take a nap. And then she doesnt check on him for two hours, Bloodworth claimed.

The defense responded to that saying that the quote was taken out of context and that she also asked if she should come home and later said if she were there she would cuddle him.

RELATED STORY: Kouri Richins complete timeline in murder case

The defense said the attempted murder charge should be dismissed as it is pure speculation and the state does not have proof.

Theres innocent explanations for everything that happened on the 14th, Kathy Nester argued.

Prosecutors, however, believe his subsequent death  along with him eating a sandwich she gave him and having symptoms that could be attributed to fentanyl  is enough to charge her with the crime and further discuss it during the trial.

The defendant learned from the attempt and applied it to the homicide, Bloodworth claimed.

The judge reminded the court that she is still presumed innocent and that this ruling was only in regard to whether there was probable cause that she committed the crimes. This means the judge ruled there is evidence that she may have committed a crime, not that she did.

Kouri Richins pleaded not guilty to all 11 counts.

The defense team shared the following statement to ABC4 after the hearing:

We are aware that the preliminary hearing stage favors the prosecution to an extraordinary degree and respect the courts decision. We firmly believe the charges against Kouri do not withstand thorough scrutiny and are confident that a jury will find the same. Our focus now is on ensuring that justice is served through a fair trial. We are committed to defending Kouri against these charges, firmly believing that the truth will prevail. These past fifteen months have taken a heavy toll on Kouri and her three children. Its time to bring this ordeal to an end, restore her life, and allow her and her family to move on. Kathy Nester, Wendy Lewis  Nester Lewis, and Alexander Ramos  Langford Ramos

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Housing pension to enhance living quality

09:29, August 27, 2024 By Wang Ying ( China Daily

Workers renovate an old residential building in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on April 1, 2020. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's pilot housing pension system in 22 cities, including Shanghai, aims to better facilitate existing housing upgrades and enhance people's living environment, said an official and real estate experts, dispelling fears of the system being a new form of property tax.

The housing pension system consists of personal accounts and public accounts, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said in a statement on Monday.

Personal accounts have been established through homebuyers' contributions to a housing maintenance fund, while a certain proportion of land transfer fees, appreciation of housing maintenance funds and fiscal subsidies are likely to become sources of capital for the public accounts, it added.

"Housing pension" became a widely discussed and debated topic over the weekend after the State Council Information Office announced the piloting of the system during a news conference on Friday.

"A study on establishing a full life-circle housing safety management mechanism has been carried out. Under the mechanism, residences will see regular inspections, while housing pension and insurance systems will be established," said Dong Jianguo, vice-minister of housing and urban-rural development, at the news conference held in Beijing.

An editorial published on Monday on the social media account of Architecture magazine, a publication of the ministry, clarified that the housing pension is "not a property tax".

Since 1998, homeowners in China have been contributing to a housing maintenance fund, which covers regular upkeep expenses of residential buildings.

Yan Yuejin, vice-president of Shanghai E-House China Real Estate Research Institute, said: "The housing pension will comprise individual accounts and public accounts. The first is already paid through the housing maintenance fund, while the public accounts will be set up at an accelerated pace in the future."

He added that the housing pension is not a property tax in disguise, and spreading such ideas is "misleading, wrong and irresponsible".

Yin Fei, a professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, noted that in comparison with ordinary consumer goods, any residential property has a relatively long service life. During its lifetime, the owner will face the cost of maintenance, repair and even reconstruction, and such expenses can be termed as housing pension, he said.

"Following the principle of not increasing the personal burden and not impairing personal rights and interests, the capital for public accounts will be collected by local governments," Yin was quoted as saying by China Construction News, a publication associated with the ministry.

Chen Sheng, president of the China Real Estate Data Academy in Shanghai, said he sees little impact of the housing pension system on the real estate market in the short term, but it may help strike a supply-demand balance in the long term.

"The residential buildings constructed before the establishment of the housing maintenance fund may not have enough capital, which means homeowners may have to shell out extra maintenance money in the future. Owners of such property can consider selling homes they don't live in to reduce the burden," he added.

Guan Rongxue, a senior analyst at the Zhuge Real Estate Data Research Center, said the housing pension system for the assessment, repair and insurance of existing homes will have multiple impacts.

"With the system, the quality of housing can be improved. It is a trend to establish a housing pension system that can better solve potential safety problems, create living environment optimization and extend the living period," she added.

Li Yujia, chief researcher at the Guangdong Planning Institute's residential policy research center, said that Chinese people's living requirements will shift from "finding a place to live in" to "finding a better place to live in".

"As pre-owned homes outnumber newly built ones in more and more cities, it is a matter of time before cities with a high urbanization rate are required to solve problems involving existing homes such as safety, maintenance and renovation," Li said.

Apart from the housing pension system, China will also introduce other measures including regular inspections of residential buildings and introduction of a housing safety insurance system, in a bid to meet people's demand for better housing.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Turkish Textbooks Brainwash Students By Denying Genocide Against Minorities

Turkish investigative journalist Uzay Bulut published on the Gatestone Institute's website an article titled, "Turkish Textbooks: Turning History on Its Head."

Bulut wrote: "Turkish government authorities have targeted their own indigenous peoples of Anatolia, namely the Pontic Greeks and Armenians. In the twentieth century, Ottoman Turkey largely exterminated these peoples through a genocide."

Bulut explained: "The government of Turkey, however, refers to the genocide as the 'unfounded claims' of Greeks and Armenians. The titles in the Turkish history textbooks were previously called the 'Pontus Issue' and the 'Armenian Question.' They are now changed to the 'Unfounded Pontus Claims' and the 'Unfounded Armenian Claims.'"

Turkey also denies that Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks are indigenous peoples of the land where Turks settled centuries later, occupied the land and exterminated those already living there.

"Muslim Turks from Central Asia arrived in the Armenian highlands and Anatolia, which was the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire at the time, only during the 11th century. Through military invasions, Muslim Turks seized the towns and cities where indigenous Christians had lived for centuries. Ottoman Turks finally invaded Constantinople (today's Istanbul) in the fifteenth century, bringing the destruction of the Byzantine Empire. After that, abuses against Christian religious and cultural heritage became widespread," Bulut wrote.

The sad part is that young Turkish schoolchildren, who have no idea about the real history of their country, are brainwashed with falsehoods about their country's origin, and fed hatred about the remnants of the minorities. Consequently, these children become adults parroting the lies taught to them in their schools by denying that the Ottoman government committed genocide against indigenous Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. These Turkish children have no fault for not knowing the true history of their country nor the facts about the genocide committed against the minorities. They are fed the lies that the minorities lived happily in the Ottoman Empire for centuries until European powers instigated them to rebel against their government. On the contrary, minorities living in the Ottoman Empire were always oppressed, enslaved, attacked, robbed, kidnapped, raped, and massacred, culminating in the genocide of 1915. These minorities were not even considered to be second class citizens. They had no rights whatsoever and were at the mercy of their brutal rulers. Bulut correctly described the education of the Turkish schoolchildren as "misinformation, willful distortion, and historic revisionism."

This is not just a dispute between Armenians and Turks. The Turkish government knows better than anyone that the accusations of genocide are factual, since the Ottoman archives in its possession reveal the truth, even after being selectively cleansed of any incriminating evidence.

In 2007, the International Association of Genocide Scholars issued a resolution, which said, in part: "It is the conviction of the International Association of Genocide Scholars that the Ottoman campaign against Christian minorities of the Empire between 1914 and 1923 constituted a genocide against Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontian and Anatolian Greeks."

According to Dr. Gregory H. Stanton, President of Genocide Watch, denial is the last stage of genocide: "Denial is a continuation of a genocide because it is a continuing attempt to destroy the victim group psychologically and culturally, to deny its members even the memory of the murders of their relatives."

More importantly, I suggest that the proud citizens of Turkey listen carefully to the truthful admission of the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, who told the Los Angeles Examiner newspaper in an interview published on August 1, 1926: "These leftovers from the former Young Turk Party, who should have been made to account for the lives of millions of our Christian subjects who were ruthlessly driven en masse from their homes and massacred." I hope no Turkish citizen would be foolish enough to call Ataturk a liar, otherwise they will be jailed immediately if they live in Turkey and if they are currently outside the country, they will be promptly arrested upon returning home.

The Turkish government, at long last, should face the truth and teach the innocent Turkish students the tragic facts of history about the massacres and genocide for which neither today's young generation nor the current Turkish government were responsible for since they did not even exist during these murders. All nations have dark stains in their history, but instead of hiding them, they come clean and face their true history, including both the tragic and glorious episodes. Only then nations can overcome their shadowy pasts and move forward. Look at the example of Germany which accepted its guilt for the Holocaust and made amends. Otherwise, future generations of Turks will grow up trying to deny and lie about their ignominious past and will always have a guilty conscience for something they played no part in. However, their lies and denials make them accomplices of these crimes after the fact.
BAGHDAD, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi authorities said on Tuesday that about 10,000 suspects have been arrested across the country for drug-related crimes so far this year.

Hussein al-Tamimi, director of the media office at the Interior Ministry's General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Affairs, told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the judiciary has issued rulings against nearly 5,500 drug criminals.

Al-Tamimi also noted that authorities have managed to dismantle international networks through information sharing and creating a database with other countries, INA reported.

The chaos and conflicts in Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003 have impeded successive Iraqi governments from effectively addressing the threat of drugs.

In May 2023, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani underlined the importance of waging "a war on drugs," saying that drug dealing remains a major source of funding for terrorism and that the circulation of drugs flourishes in the shadow of terrorism. 
Tuesdays Top Stories

Tuesdays Five Facts

[1] NMDOH speaks on progress of homeless mobile response program  The state invested $4 million to help the homeless in rural areas. The Mobile Homelessness Response Demonstration Project helps build mobile responses in rural New Mexico, across 19 counties. Organizations were able to meet with more than 3,000 individuals to provide services. DOH secretary Patrick Allen says there are resources to continue funding the project and that they are working with the governors office on the budget.

[2] City councilor calls for additional investigation into APD chiefs crash  An Albuquerque City Councilor is calling for a deeper look into the crash involving Police Chief Harold Medina. In February, Medina says gunfire caused him to speed through a red light and crash into another vehicle, seriously injuring the driver. APDs internal affairs found Medina violated department policies for failing to safely operate his vehicle and for failing to turn on his body camera. Councilor Louie Sanchez filed a complaint with the Law Enforcement Academy Board and the State Department of Public Safety. A spokesperson for the city says the crash has been reviewed extensively and a final decision has been made.

[3] Flooding ahead & muggy weather for New Mexico  As temperatures rise from the morning school commute into the upper 60s, 70s, 80s, and lower 90s by the afternoon, plenty of moisture in the air, along with just enough daytime heating, will lead to plenty of areas receiving the potential for rainfall. While the far northwestern parts of the Four Corners may be even drier today, the heart of the region has the best chance of rain for today with the flash flooding risk higher in the early-to-mid afternoon hours because the storms will be even slower in movement.

[4] Demolition begins for Wash Tub Laundromat, owner hopes to eventually rebuild  Demolition began Monday for the Downtown-area laundromat that went up in flames in February. Now, the owner hopes to rebuild. Surveillance video appears to show a homeless camp on the north side of the building where a small fire starts that quickly grows after an electrical box explodes. According to owner Hunter Greene, there is no time frame yet on when rebuilding could start.

[5] Restaurant health inspections on temporary pause in Albuquerque  Routine restaurant inspections will be pausing in Albuquerque. The Environmental Health Department says they need time to reach inspectors how to enforce newly adopted rules. The new food safety ordinance adds a yellow category, in addition to green and red. The yellow label signifies that a restaurant needs some fixing, but does not warrant a shutdown. The health department says that even though inspections are pause, theyre still taking allegations of unsafe eateries seriously and customers should not be worried about eating out.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
Kyiv to present US list of targets in Russia it wants to hit with long-range arms, Politico reports

Ukraine is planning to submit a list of targets inside Russia that Kyiv could strike with American-supplied long-range weapons to top U.S. national security officials, Politico reported on Aug. 26, citing unnamed sources.

Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Washington claimed that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with its weapons could be a cause for escalation.



Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has ramped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks following the Kursk incursion on Aug. 6. The White House has not budged on its position, despite some U.S. politicians backing Kyivs demands.

The Ukrainian leadership has already provided Washington with a list of some potential targets on Russian soil earlier, but the new list is expected "to be more tailored," according to Politico.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, will visit Washington this week and present the list to the Biden administration, three sources familiar with the matter told Politico.

Some Ukrainian officials, as well as an unnamed Democratic lawmaker, told Politico that they believe the Biden administration is considering lifting the restrictions "in the coming days."

Both Kyiv and Washington did not comment on these reports.

The U.S. permitted Ukraine in June to strike Russian military targets just across the border but maintained its ban on attacks deep inside Russia with long-range arms like ATACMS.



President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraines capture of the Russian town of Sudzha, located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Ukraine, shows that there are no red lines when it comes to Russian escalation.

Western countries have largely allowed Ukraine to use their arms in the incursion, but the U.S. and the U.K. have maintained their restrictions on the use of long-range arms like ATACMS or Storm Shadow.

Read also: Russia claims Ukraine attempting to break through to Belgorod Oblast

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Its slightly surprising that, even though he appears to have totally routed the Labour Left, Sir Keir Starmer still doesnt feel able to brand his proposals to strip party members of a vote on the leadership a Corbyn Lock.

His team are instead branding it the Liz Truss Lock. Yet whilst its understandable that the Government would try to remind voters about her short-lived car-crash of a premiership (if only to distract from their own rapidly-rotting ratings), the label makes much less sense.

ConservativeHome was founded to defend the right of Tory members to choose their leader. But there is also recognition that there is a vital balance to be struck with the role of MPs, especially when a party is in office. The authority of any prime minister comes from the House of Commons, and nowhere else. And the fact is that the Conservative system strikes that balance much better than Labours.

Whilst the Tory rank and file does get the final say, their choice is between only two candidates, and the task of choosing which two go through rests with the MPs alone. It isnt perfect  there is always the possibility of MPs having an overwhelming favourite, and the grassroots choosing their opponent  but it broadly ensures that both options have broad support amongst the parliamentary party.

Its fashionable to blame Conservative members for picking Truss. But she was one of the two options presented to them by Tory MPs, and they were entitled to take them both seriously. If her elevation was anybodys failure, it was of those MPs who decided she was the best possible candidate from their wing of the party.

Labours situation is quite different: MPs only need a relatively small number of nominations from other MPs in order to get through to the second round, at which point the membership is free to choose between any of the candidates.

Thats how Jeremy Corbyn happened; having limped through the first round on the back of rather patronising pity-nominations, his marginal status amongst his parliamentary colleagues no longer mattered.

Its an object lesson in the difficulty of foreseeing all the possible consequences when attempting constitutional reform. Previously Labours electoral college system (which awarded one-third of the final say each to the MPs, membership, and unions and allied organisations) provided an additional safeguard; Ed Milibands shift to one-member-one-vote failed to account for its loss.

So some sort of tightening up of the procedures on Labours part is overdue. Just as with the Tories, however, the prospect of scrapping the memberships involvement altogether presents a big problem  and not just because, unlike the Tories, the Labour Party was historically created precisely to expand involvement in such questions beyond the MPs.

No, the problem is this: absent a vote on the leader, what exactly is the point of being a member of the Labour Party? In what sense is it meaningfully a membership organisation at all? Why should anyone give up their evenings and weekends to campaign for it?

The United Kingdom does not fund political parties for campaigning. Funding from Parliament is intended exclusively for supporting parliamentary business (with the possible, and egregious, de facto exception of Sinn Fein, which gets its own version of Short Money because it doesnt do any parliamentary business).

Historically, this made sense, as Britain had a strong culture of mass participation in politics. Labour had the unions, whilst the Conservatives were aptly described as six hundred social clubs that dabbled in politics, supported at times by remarkable auxilia such as the Primrose League.

That culture of joining things has withered for a variety of reasons, and extends far beyond politics. But it has been particularly acute in politics, because so many of the quid pro quos which used to sustain large, voluntary parties have withered.

Indeed, campaigners for a more democratic Tory Party actually argue that the leadership vote was a red herring, dangled by CCHQ in 1998 whilst William Hague gutted the partys actual democratic machinery. The result? Shrinking memberships and skeletal campaigning operations.

So unless Starmer plans on asking the taxpayer to stump up, he needs to think hard about how his new-look Labour Party will continue persuading people to work to re-elect it, for free.

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Land use, affordable housing, infrastructure, oh my: Elections to watch in Sussex

Its election season in Sussex County, where land-use issues, affordable housing, infrastructure and more are all on the table.

Sussex is the fastest-growing county in Delaware, evidenced by the new housing developments that seem to be around every corner. Concerns for the roads, the environment and property rights will bring voters to the polls for the primary Sept. 10 and the general election Nov. 5.

Here are the races in Sussex this year  and the ones to watch.

One to watch: House District 14 (Rehoboth)

Retiring House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, a Democrat, has held the Rehoboth-area House seat for over 20 years.

Three Democrats are running to replace him in the primary: Kathy McGuiness, Marty Rendon and Claire Snyder-Hall. The winner of the primary will face Republican Mike Simpler in the general election.

McGuiness, the embattled former state auditor, former Rehoboth Beach commissioner, pharmacist and small-business owner, still has many supporters in the Rehoboth area. They include Schwartzkopf, who has endorsed her.

She is a lifelong resident of the district, her website says. It doesnt list policy stances, but recent Facebook posts say she will fight to preserve and protect our beaches, lakes and watershed and protect reproductive freedoms.

Marty Rendon

Rendons website says he wants to meet environmental challenges, address overdevelopment and traffic congestion, expand health care availability, preserve civil rights and advance equality and enhance opportunities for small businesses.

He spent decades working as a congressional aide in Washington and later directed congressional relations for UNICEF, his website says. He is a commissioner on the Delaware Human and Civil Rights Commission.

Rendon has been visiting Rehoboth since the 1970s and has owned property in the area since the '80s, according to his website.

Claire Snyder-Hall

Snyder-Hall is a pro-choice Democrat who will work to protect reproductive freedom, strengthen the Democratic process in the First State, and advance doable bills aimed at improving Delawares quality of life in terms of health, education, housing, and the environment, her website says.

Snyder-Hall directed the nonprofit Common Causes Delaware office for five years. According to her website, shes served in several Democratic party leadership positions in Florida and Delaware. She has a doctorate in political science and, before moving to Rehoboth full time in 2011, taught political science at George Mason University.

Simpler is the president of the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company and a lifelong Cape resident, his website says.

Mike Simpler

If elected, he will advocate for economic relief, grant-in-aid funding for nonprofits, improvements to emergency services, protecting the environment, increased access to specialized healthcare and education opportunities, more public transportation and the rehabilitation of county infrastructure, his website says.

House District 20 (Milton)

Democrat incumbent Stell Parker-Selby turned this seat blue in 2022.

She and Brian Jenkins are running in the Democratic primary, and the winner will face Republican Nikki Miller in the general election.

House District 4 (Long Neck)

Incumbent Republican Sen. Jeff Hilovsky was the first senator of this district, which was created by re-districting in 2022. He'll face Democrat Gregg Lindner in the general election.

Sussex: After 2 ocean breaches, state uses riprap to fortify dune by Indian River Inlet bridge

House District 36 (Milford)

Incumbent Republican Rep. Bryan Shupe was first elected in 2018. This year, he'll face Patrick Smith in the Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Rony Baltazar-Lopez in the general election.

House District 41 (Millsboro)

Incumbent Republican Rep. Rich Collins was first elected in 2014. He will face Democrat Tom Brett in the general election.

More: 'A hero who gave his life serving the community': Funeral held for Sussex firefighter

One to watch: Senate District 6 (Lewes)

In this district, incumbent Democrat Sen. Russ Huxtable will face Republican challenger Kim Hoey Stevenson.

Huxtable was elected in 2022 after Republican Sen. Ernie Lopez retired from the position, beating longtime Republican Rep. Steve Smyk for the seat.

He spent "two decades with local nonprofits committed to helping Delaware families find affordable housing," his Senate Democrats bio says, and has served as a member of the Delaware Governors Council on Housing and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburghs Affordable Housing Advisory Council.

Sen. Russ Huxtable (D-Lewes) participates in the egg toss at Go Fourth Lewes July 4, 2023.

Huxtable has a long list of issues facing his district and how he hopes to address them on his website. He is running to "ensure that Delaware invests in sustainable, environmentally friendly infrastructure, and holds Sussex County accountable," his website says.

Hoey Stevenson is a former member of the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission and "a nationally recognized award winning writer and journalist," according to her website.

As senator, she will focus on "enhancing personal responsibility, expanding and embracing government efficiency, strengthening public safety, supporting our children and seniors and prioritizing the values of equality and equal opportunity," her website says.

Kim Hoey Stevenson

Senate District 18 (Milford)

Longtime legislator Sen. Dave Wilson will face Robert Bob Reed in the Republican primary for this seat. There are no Democrat challengers.

A couple to watch: Sussex County Council

Three Sussex County Council seats are up for election, those of President Michael Vincent (R-District 1, Laurel), Cynthia Green (R-District 2, Bridgeville) and Mark Schaeffer (R-District 3, Lewes).

Vincent will face two challengers in the Republican primary, Matt Lloyd and Christie Shirey. There are no challenging Democrats.

Green will go up against another Republican, Steve McCarron, in a race to watch. There are no Democrat candidates.

Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer at a meeting March 19, 2024.

Green was elected to the council in 2020 after serving as the county's register of wills for 10 years. "Maintaining conservative budgeting, preserving agriculture, and protecting individual property rights are among her top priorities," her county council bio says. Policy stances are not listed on her website, but a recent Facebook post says she stands for "family values, low taxes and individual freedoms."

McCarron's website says he is a small business owner, a volunteer firefighter of over 30 years, a past Bridgeville Town Council member and a past Woodbridge Board of Education member. He wants to address infrastructure and traffic, his website says.

Jane Gruenebaum

In another race to watch, Schaeffer will face Democrat Jane Gruenebaum in the general election.

Schaeffer is a former mayor of both Little Creek and Smyrna, a former Delaware River and Bay Authority commissioner and was once a member of the U.S. Department of Commerces Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, his council bio says. He is "an associate commercial broker and businessman" with an over 40-year background in construction.

Schaeffer's "top priorities," according to his website, include "responsible land management, public safety, economic growth, fiscal accountability and protecting property rights."

More: New Sussex Central principal faced no-confidence vote as superintendent in New Jersey

Gruenebaum once served as president of the Sussex Preservation Coalition, according to her website. She taught political science at Columbia University "but preferred more hands-on work," serving "in leadership positions at several Washington, D.C. policy-oriented non-profits, including a stint as executive director of the National League of Women Voters," her website says.

Gruenebaum says she will "work to change codes as needed to protect our forests, wetlands and open spaces," as well as address traffic concerns, create affordable housing and support schools.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Sussex: Elections to watch this year
LANDOVER HILLS, Md. (DC News Now)  A Landover Hills elementary school teacher was arrested for sexual abuse of a minor and owning child pornography.

The Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) said that officers arrested and charged 44-year-old Mark Cobb of Bowie on Monday.

PGPD detectives were notified of charges against Cobb, a teacher at Cooper Lane Elementary School, on Sunday. Police said that Cobb had texted the victim  a child under the age of 10 who was his former student  for over a year between 2023 and 2024.

PGPD said that Cobb asked the victim for sexually inappropriate photos, which he received.

Man hospitalized after hit-and-run near I-95 in Prince Georges County

Police said that detectives found evidence in Cobbs home while executing a search warrant.

Cobb is facing charges of sexual abuse of a minor, nine counts of possession of child pornography and other related charges.

The news of the allegations sparked anger and upset in the community.

This is very shocking for me because I never thought he would do something like this, said a former 2nd-grade student.

Its very sad that this is happening in schools because school is our second home and school is our safe zone for kids, she continued. If teachers do things like this I think they should go to jail and learn this is not ok this should not happen in schools.

Catherine Wooleys children attended school at Cooper Lane Elementary. She was shocked to hear about the news and said shed never heard of something like that happening there before.

It is so sad and it doesnt make sense, she said.

Police said that as of Tuesday, they had not identified any other victims at the school. Anyone with any information should call 301-772-4930 to speak with Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit detectives.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
ARDMORE, Okla. (KFOR)  The outside lane of I-35 northbound in Ardmore has been closed after a trucks trailer got stuck on a sign, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Truck accident in Ardmore.

OHP says the lane is closed at mile marker 31. Troopers believe the driver tried to raise the trailer while traveling on I-35 and did not realize he hit the sign.

LOCAL NEWS: Endangered Missing Advisory issued for woman, child last seen in Norman

Officials say the trailer struck the sign and was ripped off of the truck.

Crews are on scene working to clear the roadway. No injuries have been 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Lane restrictions along Las Vegas Strip to last through 1st week of September

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Drivers can expect lane closures along the Las Vegas Strip as they are set to last through the first week of September, according to Clark County.

The lane restrictions are part of phases E and F of a multi-phase project on Las Vegas Boulevard to upgrade infrastructure between Sahara Avenue and the 215 Beltway.

According to the county, southbound Las Vegas Boulevard between Reno and Tropicana will be reduced to two lanes through Aug. 30 for water connection work.

Through Friday, Sept. 6, northbound Las Vegas Boulevard will be reduced to two lanes between Tropicana and Harmon for bollard installation. During this time, southbound Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana and Reno will also be reduced to two lanes to construct a bus pad and barrier rail, the county said.

From 8;30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. through Friday, Aug. 30, Tropicana Avenue through Las Vegas Boulevard to Koval Lane will only have two eastbound lanes open for construction of drop inlets and signal loops, according to the county.

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, only one eastbound lane and one westbound lane on Tropicana Avenue from New York-New York Drive to Duke Ellington Way will be open due to excavation and paving work. The work hours will be 11 p.m. and 11 a.m. Sept. 3 through Sept. 4 and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Sept. 4 through Sept. 5.

Starting Thursday, Sept. 5 at 9 p.m. through 9 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 6, three lanes will be open eastbound and one lane will be open westbound on Tropicana Avenue between New York-New York Drive and Duke Ellington Way, according to Clark County.

Each phase of the Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project includes water line replacement, new pavement, intersection modifications to improve pedestrian crossings, upgrades to traffic signals, LED street lighting systems with smart poles, and enhanced median landscaping.

Drivers are advised to check navigation apps such as Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps for the latest real-time information as they head 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 KLAS.
I-95 NB exit ramp to Airport Road in Jacksonville shut down after commercial vehicle hits overpass

Lanes of Interstate 95 northbound near Jacksonville International Airport are reopening after the Florida Highway Patrol said a commercial vehicle hit the Airport Road overpass.

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said in a social media post the three inside lanes of I-95 NB are open, but the exit ramp to Airport Road continues to be closed for an undetermined length of time.

The Florida Department of Transportation went to inspect the overpass.

FDOT said in a statement to Action News Jax, Theyre clearing lanes now. Should be good very soon but that backup is going to be there throughout the evening.

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said no traffic can go under I-95 on Max Leggett Parkway/Airport Road in either direction.

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On the southbound side of I-95, the Airport Road exit is open, JSO said.

FDOT said a permanent repair will need to be made to the overpass.

The insured driver will have to cover expenses, so the repair wont affect taxpayers, FDOT said.

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Crews are clearing concrete debris from the roadway underneath, which is Max Leggett Parkway.

FDOT has cleared cars to drive on the I-95 overpass, as the strength of the bridge is in the rebar connected to the concrete, which was not hit.

Crews will wrap the beam in a blanket as a temporary fix, FDOT said.

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Russia has launched the biggest aerial barrage of its all-out invasion, pummeling Ukraine with a massive wave of missiles and drones on Monday. Russia launched 127 missiles and 109 one-way attack drones in total, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. They primarily targeted Ukraines energy infrastructure.

At least four people were killed and more than a dozen injured across the country according to The Associated Press, citing local officials.

There were at least seven reported explosions in Kyiv.

Kyiv shaken by at least seven explosions on Monday morning, AFP reports  as Russia continues strategic military operations. Ukraines energy operator DTEK has announced emergency power outages to cope with the impact on the nations infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/AIsAMJkUPX  Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) August 26, 2024

One missile hit the roadway over the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant dam on the Dnipro River. The plant provides badly-needed energy for the area and the dam holds back a very large body of water from flooding south.

The plant did not suffer any significant damage, Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration said on national television, according to Ukrainian Pravda. He added that power engineers were working to restore the power supply.

Severe damage or destruction of the dam could lead to major flooding in Kyiv. In June 2023, Russia blew up the Nova Kharkova dam across the Dnipro in Kherson Oblast, creating massive flooding and draining the reservoir.

Russia tried to hit Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant today during missile attack located on the Dnieper River in Vyshhorod, Kyiv region, Central Ukraine.



Damaging the Kyiv HPP could lead to severe flooding of cities and villages downstream along the Dnipro River.



If successful, pic.twitter.com/cYqACBYRaD  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 26, 2024

In the event of the destruction of the Kiev Reservoir Dam, the capital of Ukraine would be underwater within hours https://t.co/R2dFgf1uNT pic.twitter.com/QcJEadJaCe  Russian Market (@runews) August 26, 2024

In the city of Lutsk, residents took a video of a Shahed-136 crashing into a building. You can hear the loud buzz of its engine before descending into the building and exploding with a loud bang and ensuing fireball and smoke.

Russian Shahed-136 kamikaze UAV hit a residential building in Lutsk, northwestern Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/zK7qsmuvGz  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 26, 2024

The attack caused widespread power and water outages and forced one Ukrainian television newscast temporarily off the air in the middle of the attack because the electricity was cut.

A massive Russian attack on Ukraine is still ongoing.



A power cut occurred live on Ukrainian TV during a news report.



Russia has targeted multiple energy facilities across the country. Power outages and water supply shortages are being reported throughout Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/d1MCOOu0pi  UNITED24 Media (@United24media) August 26, 2024

A Ukrainian Mi-24 Hind helicopter chased and shot down one of the Shahed drones launched today by Russia. This video emerged on social media three days after an Mi-8 Hip door gunner was seen on video blasting one out of the sky with a machine gun.

Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter chase and shot down Shahed kamikaze drone during todays Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine. https://t.co/2isOxZVHkI pic.twitter.com/9RQhwmELKf  Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) August 26, 2024

One of Ukraines German-made Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAG) also supposedly shot down a Shahed drone with its pair of radar-directed 35mm automatic cannons. The video below shows the radar screen view of the encounter.

A German SPAAG Gepard in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down a Russian kamikaze drone Shahed 136/131 this morning pic.twitter.com/eEMOZRUzdB  MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) August 26, 2024

A machine gunner from the Transcarpathian 650th Separate Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Battalion made a fairly incredible kill, shooting down a Russian cruise missile on the border of Zakarpattia and Lviv regions. According to the head of the Zakarpattia regional military administration, the target was a Russian Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile.

Using a machine gun, Ukraine shot down a Russian cruise missile.



Impressive



Credit: The Transcarpathian 650th separate anti-aircraft machine gun battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/Hr3pRZ5Jvo  Jason Jay Smart (@officejjsmart) August 26, 2024

A group of several Kh-101 missiles was seen flying toward their target, the high-pitched whine of their turbojet engines piercing the air.

A group of Russian Kh-101 cruise missiles flying in the sky over Ukraine a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/3nbm8y3NLF  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 26, 2024

One Kh-101 missile fell into the Dnipro River and exploded.



The crash of the Russia's Kh-101 cruise missiles into the Dnipro River pic.twitter.com/u0d7WCBlJf  MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) August 26, 2024

The launch of some of the 28 Kalibr long-range cruise missiles toward targets in Ukraine was caught on video.

Russian Kalibr cruise missile launches from ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation this morning.



28 Kalibr missiles were reportedly fired on Ukraine today. pic.twitter.com/d8zcnKtLv2  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 26, 2024

Ukraine is alleging that among the missiles fired Monday, Russia used cluster submunitions on sea-launched Kalibrs. While there have been reports of Russian air-launched Kh-101s being adapted to deploy submunitions, it is unclear if Russia has previously done the same for the Kalibr.

Ukrainian sources allege that the 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles were used with a cluster warhead. pic.twitter.com/RwmJHYqCmK  krakek (@krakek1) August 26, 2024

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said 15 oblasts were struck in the attack.

15 Ukrainian oblasts were affected by the Russian air assault  PM Shnyhal



At least one civilian was killed and one injured in Dnipro, the same in Lutsk, four injured in Odesa, per local authorities.

Dnipro, by https://t.co/8MVYGHf2kQpic.twitter.com/JjwVZYYvhE  Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 26, 2024

.

Air-launched missile attacks came from the airspace of the Belgorod, Ryazan, Lipetsk, Volgograd and Voronezh regions of Russia, as well as occupied Mariupol, the Ukrainian Air Force stated.

Those strikes included Kh-59 standoff missiles and Kh-69 air-launched cruise missiles fired by Su-57 Felon new-generation fighters, Russias most modern combat aircraft, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Tu-95MS Bear-H strategic bombers launched 77 Kh-101s, it added.

Russia also fired Kalibr sea-launched missiles from vessels in the Caspian and eastern Black seas, the Air Force explained.

All told, Ukraine said it downed 102 of the missiles and 99 of the drones.

Approximate route of Russian missiles and drones during the morning attack. pic.twitter.com/jkGey9WUx3  MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) August 26, 2024

Zelensky decried the attacks and urged allies to provide promised weapons. He also called upon the air forces of NATO members to work in unison to help protect the skies over Ukraine.

Like most Russian strikes before, this one was equally insidious, targeting critical civilian infrastructure. The energy sector has sustained significant damage, but in every area affected by power outages, restoration work is already in progress.

It is crucial that our partners uphold the commitments weve made together, in particular regarding air defense systems, missiles for them, he added. And beyond that, we must finally unite in our efforts to shoot down Russian missiles and drones. Today, their targets were in Volyn, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil regions. Across Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors operated in concert with our F-16s and air defense systems. If such unity has proven effective in the Middle East, it must work in Europe too. Life holds the same value everywhere.

Currently, across the country, efforts are underway to eliminate the consequences of the Russian strike. This was one of the largest attacks  a combined strike, involving over a hundred missiles of various types and around a hundred Shaheds. Like most Russian strikes before, pic.twitter.com/0qNTGR98rR  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) August 26, 2024

One of the Russian drones reportedly crossed Polish airspace and landed in that country.

We are probably dealing with an object that flew into the territory of Poland, Maciej Klisz, Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, told reporters on Monday. The object was seen by at least three radars.

Authorities suspect the drone may have fallen near Tyszowce, approximately 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles) from the Polish-Ukrainian border, according to Euromaidan Press.

As the attack on Ukraine was underway, Poland scrambled military aircraft, which has become a standard procedure implemented after a Russian missile entered Polish airspace for 39 seconds during a night attack on March 24, the publication reported.

Please note that in the southeastern part of the country, there may be an increased noise level due to the start of operations of Polish and allied aircraft in our airspace, the Polish Armys Operational Command said on Twitter. Since the early morning hours, intensive activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation has been observed, associated with strikes carried out on objects located, among others, in the western territory of Ukraine. The last such increased activity of Russian aviation, during which strikes occurred in western Ukraine, was recorded on July 8 this year.

Uwaga, w poudniowo-wschodnim obszarze kraju moze wystepowac podwyzszony poziom haasu zwiazany z rozpoczeciem operowania w naszej przestrzeni powietrznej polskich i sojuszniczych samolotow.



Od wczesnych godzin porannych obserwowana jest intensywna aktywnosc lotnictwa pic.twitter.com/RzzTc1SsnX  Dowodztwo Operacyjne (@DowOperSZ) August 26, 2024

NATO reportedly condemned the Russian drones intrusion into Polish airspace.

NATO condemns "irresponsible and potentially dangerous" acts by Moscow after Poland says a drone likely entered its airspace during the latest Russian aerial attack on Ukraine. https://t.co/gL0JmQI9K4

https://t.co/LDKH4JKYuY  Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 26, 2024

The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) said on Telegram that it delivered a group strike by long-range air- and sea-based precision weaponry, as well as Operational-Tactical Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, attack unmanned aerial vehicles at the critical power infrastructure of Ukrainian defense industry.

Strikes were delivered at power substations in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Kirovograd, and Odesa regions, the MoD added. Compressor stations supporting operations of the Ukrainian gas transportation system were hit in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kharkiv regions.

In addition, strikes were delivered at the depots of aircraft armament supplied to Kyiv regime by Western countries at an airfield in Kyiv and Dnepropetrovsk regions. All the assigned targets have been destroyed resulting in power outages and disruption of railway transportation of arms and ammunition to the line of contact.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continued its drone attacks on Russia. In one such incident, drones struck near Engles Air Base in Svatov, some 350 miles from the border. There is no indication that the airbase itself was hit, but a high-rise apartment building (seen below) in Svatov and one at the satellite city of Engles were hit and several cars were damaged, according to the governor. The base, which has been attacked before, is home to Tu-22M3 Backfire-C and Tu-95MS Bear-H strategic bombers that Russia uses to launch long-range attacks on Ukraine like the one on Monday.

A UJ-26 "Bober" drone hit the high rise building in Saratov. In addition to the "Bober" drone, there was also a "Lyutyi" drone involved, but its fate is currently unknown. pic.twitter.com/IOQECJpIZb  NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) August 26, 2024

The Russian MoD claimed 20 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight, including over the Saratov region.

Nine UAVs were shot down over the territory of the Saratov region, the MoD said on Telegram. Another three over the territory of the Kursk region, two UAVs over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk and Tula regions, and one UAV was destroyed over the territories of the Oryol and Ryazan regions.

The Latest

On the battlefield, Russia appears to be regaining some of the territory it has lost during the 20-day-old Ukrainian invasion of Kursk Oblast.

Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces recently regained lost positions in Kursk Oblast amid reports of continued Ukrainian attacks in the area on August 25, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest assessment. The Russian military likely continues to redeploy forces from lower priority sectors of the frontline in Ukraine to the frontline in Kursk Oblast.

NEW: Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces recently regained lost positions in Kursk Oblast amid reports of continued Ukrainian attacks in the area on Aug. 25.



Russian forces recently advanced near and within Toretsk and southwest of Donetsk City.



More key takeaways pic.twitter.com/fuxFhGrIo7  Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) August 26, 2024

Zelensky said the Ukrainian presence in Kursk makes up for not being allowed to use some long-range weapons systems inside Russia.

The physical presence of our forces in the Kursk region and our active measures to eliminate the Russian threat on its own territory, among other things, are ways to compensate for the lack of long-range capabilities, he said.

The Pentagon has asked the Ukrainians what they need to make their gambit successful, U.S. officials told The Washington Post, but no decisions have been made to materially support the effort.

Internal administration discussions have focused on whether to adjust the contents of weapons packages that are now being dispatched every two weeks, to include more armored vehicles or to speed up delivery of certain munitions and other equipment that could help the Ukrainians dig in and defend themselves in the nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory Kyiv now says it holds, a U.S. official told the publication.

"The Pentagon has asked the Ukrainians what they need to make their gambit successful, U.S. officials said, but no decisions have been made to materially support the effort.



Internal administration discussions have focused on whether to adjust the contents of weapons packages pic.twitter.com/PbbblszAge  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 26, 2024

While clearing a village of Russian troops, a Ukrainian tank was hit by a Russian Lancet drone but the crew survived.

Ukrainian paratroopers clear a village of russian soldiers in the Kursk region. At 3:34, a Ukrainian tank withstands a hit from a Lancet. pic.twitter.com/vaJRROugBp   Albina Fella  (@albafella1) August 26, 2024

Ukraine continues to capture Russian war materiel in Kursk, one of the latest hauls being several crates of mortar shells and two police vehicles.

A large number of crates with mortar shells and two police vehicles seized by Khorne group in Kursk direction. pic.twitter.com/Rj4D69MSlY  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 25, 2024

Russian forces keep pressing closer to the key logistics town of Pokrovsk in Ukraines Donetsk Oblast. The updated DeepState map shows Moscows troops are less than 10km (about 6.2 miles) from Pokrovsk after recent gains along the rail line and into Novohrodivka.

Updated map showing Russian gains on the Pokrovsk and Toretsk fronts. Deepstate's map shows Russian forces are less than 10km from Pokrovsk after recent gains along the rail line and into Novohrodivka.https://t.co/Suaf2Lz17x https://t.co/qnCYvA2240 pic.twitter.com/J4N0yw7RXg  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 26, 2024

There is some better news for Ukraine in Kharkiv.

Ukrainian officials say they are beginning to push Russian forces out of Kharkiv Oblast but are offering few details.

Currently, we cannot comment online on tactical episodes that are taking place right now, Col. Vitaliy Sarantsev, a spokesman for the operational and tactical group Kharkiv, said on national television, according to Ukrinform. We have some positive aspects. We are partly able to improve the tactical situation in certain locations. We will definitely report on this later, when it will be safe to talk about it.

Sarantsev added that the Kharkiv region remains difficult as the enemy is trying to storm all active frontline areas.

The areas of Vovchansk and adjacent settlements, as well as the Lyptsi-Hlyboke direction remain under attack, he said. The occupier is also trying to conduct assault operations there. However, all the enemys attempts to advance are stopped by the Defense Forces  they suffer losses and retreat.

As a result of a counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine advanced two square kilometers. The 3rd separate assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted a counterattack operation in the Kharkiv region and advanced deep into the front by almost two square kilometers. pic.twitter.com/dNKVR5hTjZ  Ukraine Business News (@theUBN) August 26, 2024

Ukrainian officials are preparing to present a list of long-range targets in Russia to top U.S. national security officials that they think Kyivs military can hit if Washington were to lift its restrictions on U.S. weapons, Politico reported.

Ukraine is using the list as a last-ditch effort to convince Washington to lift the restrictions on U.S. weapons being used inside Russia, the outlet wrote. While Ukraine has previously provided the U.S. some of its potential targets in Russia, this list is supposed to be more tailored.

"Ukrainian officials are preparing to present a list of long-range targets in Russia to top U.S. national security officials that they think Kyivs military can hit if Washington were to lift its restrictions on U.S. weapons



The U.S. has said for months that lifting the pic.twitter.com/6HY0TZQUDI  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 26, 2024

The arrest in Paris Sunday of the founder of the Telegram social media app has many in Russia very concerned.

French authorities detained Pavel Durov on allegations that his Telegram social media platform was used for a litany of crimes, Politico reported.

Russians are freaking out over the arrest because Telegram is widely used by its military for battlefield communications thanks to problems with rolling out its own secure comms system, Politico wrote. Telegram is also one of the main sources of information about the war for the media, including The War Zone, as well as millions of ordinary Russians. Much of it is provided by pro-Russian milbloggers. The app is also said to be used by those fighting for battlefield communications. Handing over encryption keys to French authorities could compromise many, including those actively supporting Russias war on Ukraine.

They practically detained the head of communication of the Russian army, Russian military blogger channel Povernutie na Z Voine said in a Telegram statement. Exactly how true such a statement is remains unclear.

The arrest of Telegrams CEO has upended Kremlin military comms, which used the platform for vital army coordination in Ukraine.



They practically detained the head of communication of the Russian army, said a Russian military blogger channel.https://t.co/nMJy7pmpMP  POLITICO (@politico) August 26, 2024

Ukraines State Security Service (SBU) has charged an Iranian general with violating the laws and customs of war provided by international treaties for helping Russians attack Ukraine with Iranian-made drones.

The SBU has collected evidence against Brigadier General of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Sharifi Molasarei Abbas Musa, who is involved in Russias war against Ukraine, the security agency said on Telegram. According to the investigation, he directly assisted the command of the Russian occupation groups in conducting air strikes against Ukraine using Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Investigators found that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps transferred at least 1,500 Shahed-136 and Mohajer-6 combat drones to Russia in August-September 2022, according to the special service. At the same time, in 2022, General Sharifi Molasarei Abbasu Musa personally came to the temporarily occupied Crimea and brought a group of Iranian UAV instructors with him, the SBU said.

Comprehensive measures are underway to bring the perpetrator to justice for war crimes against our state, SBU added.

SBU issues notice to Iranian general who trained Russians to attack Ukraine with 'Shahed' drones



According to the investigation, General Sharifi Molasarei Abbasu Musa directly assisted the command of the Russian occupation groups in conducting airstrikes in Ukraine using Iranian pic.twitter.com/c09uH7pnFd  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 24, 2024

Zelensky on Saturday confirmed the first combat use of a new jet drone which he said was named Palyanytsya.

Just today, the first and successful combat use of our new weapon took place, he said. Its an absolutely new class of weapon the Ukrainian Palyanytsya missile/drone. This is our new method of retaliating against the aggressor. The enemy was hit. I thank everyone who provided it: all developers, manufacturers, and our warriors. Im proud of you.

The specifications are classified, but Zelensky offered some hints about it, saying it took 18 months to develop, has a turbojet engine and has the range to strike two dozen airbases inside Russia.

Zelensky reveals some details about the new Ukrainian long-range missile drone Palyanytsia.



 The development of the missile was completed in one and a half years.

 Has a turbojet engine.

 Will be launched from a ground platform within its range are two dozen Russian air pic.twitter.com/hqz6Fixm42  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 25, 2024

A Ukrainian military video suggested that the new drones range is up to 430 miles, The Associated Press reported. Ukraine has been working on jet drones for a while. Back in February, we wrote about a new Ukrainian jet-powered attack drone that appeared in Russia. A short while later, an image of a much more intact Ukrainian jet drone downed by Russian electronic warfare measures appeared on social media. As we noted at the time, it appeared to be similar to the British-designed Banshee jet-powered drone, or a design identical to it. The following image shows that drone.

A view of a Ukrainian jet drone found in February. (Via Twitter) via X

Months earlier, back in December 2023, an image emerged on social media showing the Ukrainian UJ-25 Skyline jet-powered drone.

The war in Ukraine pushes the development of military UAVs to further levels. Ukraine has started to produce jet-propelled drones. The UJ-25 manufactured by the Ukrainian company Ukrjet is but another milestone in this development.



The attached pictures show a crashed drone pic.twitter.com/uWNpJpnGqc  (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) December 23, 2023

As you can see, those two drones have a very different wing design than what is seen in the image provided about the Palyantsia, which was posted on Saturday.

A graphic showed what the "Palyanytsia" looks like. It has a speed of 430 km/h, but other characteristics are unknown at this moment. https://t.co/zEvQlsvq0e pic.twitter.com/OXvwK7vnqe  NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) August 25, 2024

The U.S. Army has formed a new unit to learn from Ukraines experience with drones and electronic warfare, according to Business Insider. The Pentagon plans to integrate lessons from Ukraines use of these technologies into its own military, recognizing their significant impact on modern warfare.

The U.S. Army has formed a new unit to learn from Ukraine's experience with drones and electronic warfare. The Pentagon plans to integrate lessons from Ukraine's use of these technologies into its own military, recognizing their significant impact on modern warfare.  NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) August 25, 2024

The U.S. Army is not alone in learning lessons from Ukraine. Seeing the success it had in using propeller-driven Yak-52 primary training aircraft to hunt down drones, Russia is now working to repurpose its fleet of Soviet-era Yaks to do the same.

The modification and upgrade of the plane to the Yak-52B2 standard for a dedicated UAV countermeasure role is a priority, Russian aviation officials said, according to The Aviationist, citing the official Russian RIA Novosti news outlet.

Today, one of the priority projects for our bureau is the modernization of the Yak-52 training aircraft into the Yak-52B2 UAV countermeasure aircraft, said the head of this project at the Aviasroitel Design Bureau. Dmitry Motin. At present, we are expecting to receive an airworthiness certificate from the Federal Air Transport Agency.

Russia to Modernize its Yak-52 Trainers to Shoot Down Ukrainian Kamikaze Drones



The Yak-52B2 upgrade includes electronic warfare systems and multifunctional displays that will allow it to combat reconnaissance and attack drones.



Story: https://t.co/UnsF7rDZlc  The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) August 24, 2024

A Ukrainian Air Force S-300PT air defense system is seen in this rare image launching against an aerial target.

Remarkably rare drone image released showing a Ukrainian Air Force S-300PT long range SAM battery engaging an air target. pic.twitter.com/DRGAzUOE61  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 23, 2024

Alarmed by what it says is an increasing presence of Belarusian troops and equipment along its border, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Minsk to pull back from one of the areas used by Russia to launch its all-out invasion.

According to data from Ukrainian intelligence agencies, the Republic of Belarus armed forces are concentrating a significant number of personnel, including Special Operations Forces, weapons, and military equipment, including tanks, artillery, [multiple-launch rocket systems] MLRS, air defense systems, and engineering equipment, in the Gomel region near Ukraines northern border under the guise of exercises, the ministry said in a statement late Sunday night. The presence of mercenaries of the former Wagner PMC was also recorded.

Conducting exercises in the border area and in close proximity to the nuclear power facility, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, poses a threat to the national security of Ukraine and global security in general, the ministry added. We warn Belarusian officials not to make tragic mistakes for their country under Moscows pressure, and we urge its armed forces to cease unfriendly actions and withdraw forces away from Ukraines state border to a distance greater than the firing range of Belarus systems.

The ministry emphasized that Ukraine has never taken and is not going to take any unfriendly actions against the Belarusian people. We warn that in case of a violation of Ukraines state border by Belarus, our state will take all necessary measures to exercise the right to self-defense guaranteed by the UN Charter. Consequently, all troop concentrations, military facilities, and supply routes in Belarus will become legitimate targets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

#Ukrainians are panicking as #Belarus gathers significant forces near its border, supposedly for  military exercise .



Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reports that Wagner Group units are arriving.



Something is happening.



Is Ukraine ready?



Ukrainian pic.twitter.com/DYyjDK4FT2  Valentin Erikson (@eriksonvalentin) August 25, 2024

Ukraine warns that if Belarus violates Ukraine's state border. all troop concentrations, military facilities and supply routes on the territory of Belarus will become legitimate targets for Ukrainian Armed Forces.



No less than 17 POTENTIAL targets are listed. https://t.co/MalPIeFLBvpic.twitter.com/ynSTNtTQs1  Jason Jay Smart (@officejjsmart) August 26, 2024

Konrad Muzyka, director of the Rochan Consulting open-source intelligence company, suggested that Ukraine is most concerned about small-scale incursions aimed at seizing territory aimed at seizing limited territory to compel a redeployment of Ukrainian forces from other regions. While the probability of such a scenario remains low, it cannot be entirely ruled out.

The movement of forces in Belarus along Ukraines northern border near where part of Russias all-out invasion begun could be a ploy to lure Ukraines already overstretched forces away from other parts of the battlefield.

We, therefore, presume that Ukrainians are predominantly concerned about small incursions coupled with the occupation of a small area to force UkraWe, therefore, assess that Ukraines primary concern is small-scale incursions aimed at seizing limited territory to compel a  Konrad Muzyka  Rochan Consulting (@konrad_muzyka) August 25, 2024

The Wagner Private Military Company said that it is not fighting in Ukraine.

As of today, employees of the PMC Wagner work only [in Africa] and in Belarus, Wagner claimed on Telegram. There are no divisions of the Company in the Russian National Guard, the Russian Ministry of Defense, or anywhere else. PMC Wagner' is not currently participating in the Special Military Operation. If the situation changes, an additional announcement will be made.

At its apex, Wagner had tens of thousands of fighters in Ukraine, including about 36,000 fighting for the besieged city of Bakhmut in the winter and spring of 2023. The organization largely ceased operations in Ukraine after its late leader Yevgeny Prigonzhin called off his putative putsch in June 2023. Exactly one year ago today, Russian authorities say he was later killed in a plane crash. Russia is widely believed to have been responsible for its cause.

Wagner Group claims to no longer be fighting in Ukraine.



Wagner mercenaries are operating only in Belarus and Africa, and are not fighting alongside the Russian army in Ukraine, the Wagner Group claimed in a statement on Telegram on Aug. 26.https://t.co/bN5M4KSdIB  The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) August 26, 2024

Russia launched a missile strike against Snake Island, the oft-fought-over chunk of Black Sea rock

The island has strategic value, because of its location, as a surveillance and weapons launch area. But for Ukraine particularly, the island has tremendous symbolic value. It was the site of the infamous incident where one of the Ukrainian Border Guards on the island responded to a call to surrender from the Russian Navy cruiser Moskva, then the Black Sea Fleets flagship, by saying Russian warship, go fuck yourself!

Aside from striking Snake Island, it appears that Russia also hit two strategically important Black Sea oil rigs east of Snake Island now controlled by Ukraine.

Satellite imagery obtained by open-source investigator MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) shows one of the rigs hit by Russia burning and one billowing smoke.

All 3 drilling platforms have now been attacked east of Snake Island, Anderson wrote on Twitter. During the battle for Snake Island, Ukraine struck the northernmost platform. As of Aug. 24, the middle platform is burning and there is a plume of smoke from the 3rd.

However, it is unknown when those other two platforms were hit.

Ukraine recaptured the rigs, known as Boyko Towers, in September 2023. Russia was using them to surveil Ukraines Armed Forces in the Black Sea.

Of great interest.



Note #Russia attacked Snake Island with missiles a few days ago https://t.co/1HkbRvIg3Z  H I Sutton (@CovertShores) August 26, 2024

A Russian strike on a hotel in the Donetsk region two days ago killed a British safety adviser and wounded two journalists, Reuters reported.

Ryan Evans, a former soldier, had been working with Reuters since 2022 and advised its journalists on safety around the world including in Ukraine, Israel and at the Paris Olympics, the news agency said.

Ryan Evans, a British citizen and safety adviser for Reuters, has been killed in Ukraine. Reuters has said, Ryan has helped so many of our journalists cover events around the world; we will miss him terribly." pic.twitter.com/Pau8tSMj2H  Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) August 26, 2024

After striking a hotel in Kramatorsk two days ago that killed and wounded members of a team from Reuters, Russia has reportedly struck a hotel in Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile tonight. https://t.co/PKrlPWVuwc  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 26, 2024

An image emerged on social media of a Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum with a U.S.-donated JDAM-ER GPS-guided glide bomb under its wing. Ukraine began using this munition against Russian targets in early March of 2023.

Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 Fulcrum, pilot, and US-supplied JDAM-ER glide bomb. pic.twitter.com/3cD0Lae8NP  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 25, 2024

A new FPV drone flight simulation program was developed by Ukraine, offering a sense of what it is like to fly one of these now-ubiquitous weapons and providing a new tool for future operators.

A Ukrainian FPV flight simulator based on the ongoing war. pic.twitter.com/Nhg9BexdWu  Samuel Bendett (@sambendett) August 23, 2024

A Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopter was damaged in a hard landing, reportedly caused by a Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drone. This would be the latest incident of Ukraine using FPV drones to down Russian rotary wing aviation.

Not long ago, our helicopter was flying out from under very dense fire, the Russian Pioneer Stock Telegram channel reported. In a safe place, it was decided to land the bird, due to violations of some control functions. The landing was very hard, but there were no casualties, the entire crew is fine!

Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian forces successfully downed a Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopter with an FPV drone.



The FPV drone hit the Mi-8 in the tail rotor, forcing the Russian helicopter to make an emergency field landing, suffering severe damage. pic.twitter.com/aoK0Ko3IyL  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 25, 2024

To help protect it against Ukrainian drones and shrapnel, Russian troops kitted out a Loaf electronic warfare-equipped van with a screen, extra metal and slices of old tires on the sides. They even took out the indicator light for the EW equipment so that it can be operated at night without giving its position away.

Final boss of the Russian "improved" Bukhankhas. pic.twitter.com/O6vqXKtMve  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 25, 2024

The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with six additional F-16 Vipers on top of the 24 already in the pipeline for a total of 30 Vipers, according to the French Avions Legendaires news outlet.

The publication reported that the Netherlands called off a deal with the U.S.-based opposition air contractor Draken to purchase the six jets, which will now go to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Air Force began to operate F-16s donated by the Netherlands and Denmark in combat last month.

Apparently, Ukraine will receive six more Dutch F-16s than originally planned with an eventual total of 30 instead of 24 https://t.co/iu8KpcwFeE  Francois Heisbourg (@FHeisbourg) August 25, 2024

Images emerged on social media reportedly showing one of Ukraines newly donated Vipers in reinforced concrete shelter. The date and location were not provided.

Ukrainian F-16 jet in one of the reinforced concrete shelters at a Ukrainian air base. pic.twitter.com/bhStnJzXZd  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 25, 2024

And finally, during a memorial service for Ukrainian Air Force Maj. Andrii Pilshchykov, better known by his callsign Juice, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force let his mother sit in the cockpit of an F-16. It was an aircraft Juice, who flew Soviet-era MiG-29 Fulcrums, advocated for his Air Force and longed to fly.

Unfortunately, Juice did not live to see his deployment for training, said Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleschuck. And today, sitting in the cockpit of the F-116 is his mother  Liliia Oleksandrivna. She continues her Hero of Ukraine sons mission!

The defacto voice of Ukraines Air Force, who gave frequent media interviews, including to The War Zone, Juice was one of three pilots killed in a mid-air collision in Zhytomyr Oblast on Aug. 26, 2023.

During the farewell ceremony for Juice, the Commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk, promised Andrii Pilshchykovs mother, Liliia Oleksandrivna, that she would at least have the chance to sit in the cockpit of an F-16  the aircraft her son dreamed of pic.twitter.com/LmesgWv8t8  Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) August 25, 2024

Thats it for now

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
AMMAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly condemned the reported Israeli plan to fund Jewish settlers' storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

In a statement, the ministry called the plan a blatant and unacceptable violation of international law, urging a clear international stance of condemnation and opposition against it.

Israel's far-right Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu ordered the allocation of 2 million shekels (about 543,000 U.S. dollars) for the plan, which is set to be implemented in a few weeks, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported Monday.

Commenting on Israel's funding decision, Jordan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah said it reflects Israel's systematic policy to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

Qudah warned that the move could further heighten tension in the West Bank and plunge it into a cycle of chaos and violence, particularly following the expansion of Israeli military operations and settler violence in the area.

He reiterated that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims and is supervised by the Jordanian Waqf.

The spokesperson demanded that Israel, as the occupying power, cease all violations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, respect its sanctity, and uphold the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

On top of that, he stressed that Jordan will continue to take the necessary measures to stop the attacks on the holy sites.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, holds sacred significance for both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence between the two sides. Under the status quo, non-Muslim worshippers may visit the site in the heart of the Old City but are not permitted to pray there. 
Missing endangered man last seen in south Las Vegas valley found

UPDATE: Amornvej was safely located, according to Metro police.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Las Vegas police are searching for a missing endangered man who was last seen in the south valley.

John Amornvej, 41, was last seen on Monday around 8:50 a.m. near the 9500 block of Big Man Street near Silverado Ranch and Las Vegas boulevards.

John Amornvej, 41, missing (LVPD/KLAS)

Amornvej was last seen wearing a faded blue shirt, blue skin jeans, blue sandals, and prescription glasses. He is described as 510, 140 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information regarding JOHN AMORNVEJ and his whereabouts is strongly encouraged to contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at (702) 828-3111, the Missing Persons Detail during business hours at (702) 828-2907 or by email at missingpersons@lvmpd.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 KLAS.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  For years, abandoned pet rabbits have been a growing issue across the Las Vegas valley, leading to an overpopulation crisis.

Amy Lee the communications manager for the Nevada SPCA voiced that dumped bunnies are an ongoing problem. She wants the community to know there are options rather than abandoning your pet.

Sophie a fun and energetic baby bunny was dumped and brought to the Nevada SPCA in June 2024.

Fortunately, the finder came to our shelter and said hey I found this domestic bunny, we dont want to leave it out in the wild, Lee explained. Whether its a dog or cat or a bunny, we are a resource. If somebody is having challenges in keeping their pet bunny, we want them to reach out to us and know they can relinquish their animal to our shelter.

The Nevada SPCA works closely with other rescues and shelters, recognizing that some facilities may be at full capacity and unable to accept additional pets.

Sophie the bunny was dumped in the Las Vegas valley and was brought back to Nevada SPCA. (KLAS)

Sophie the bunny was dumped in the Las Vegas valley and was brought back to Nevada SPCA. (KLAS)

Oftentimes, theyre not fixed and bunnies reproduce at extraordinary rates so we want to make sure they come to a shelter, to get fixed and get the proper care, Lee said.

According to Bunniesmatter.org, a local nonprofit dedicated to rehoming bunnies, they are unable to take in any more bunnies as they already have over 70 bunnies in their care. The nonprofit helped take part in rescuing over 50 dumped rabbits at Floyd Lamb Park back in May 2021.

Alex Harper, the education and outreach coordinator for the Red Rock Audobon Society said domesticated rabbits can easily die if left deserted.

These rabbits seem to be relying on the goodwill of other people that pass by to feed them. Theyre not well equipped to survive in the environment, theyre not well equipped to handle predators, Harper remarked.  They put it in the wild thinking this rabbit will exist in the wild just like other rabbits, but theyre not capable of taking care of themselves.

Leaving rabbits in the wild endangers not only the rabbits themselves but also poses a threat to other species.

They can also affect those populations, not through competition but by also introducing viruses, Harper added. Theres something called the rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Its going around the west right now and it has a 70% to 100% mortality rate. Its also highly transmissible.

Now why do people continue to dump these household pets around the valley?

I think its a lack of education from people and I think its really important that people do a little bit of research and call us and we are here, other shelters are here and other bunny rescues can help you, and guide you and give you an option than dumping it because thats not an option, Lee answered.

At Nevada SPCA they provide the proper materials, food, and recommendations if one finds a bunny and is waiting to surrender it. All of their adoptable rabbits are also spayed and neutered.

The Nevada SPCA is hosting a free pet vaccine and microchip clinic on Saturday, Sep. 14 from 8 am to noon. The event will be at the Silverado Ranch community center located off of 9855 Gilespie Street.

Nevada SPCA asks that all cats must be in a carrier and all dogs must be on a leash. This is limited to 3 pets per household.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Britains remaining steel production plants are at risk and the reports that 2,500 jobs at Scunthorpe could be lost by Christmas will not only cause deep worry to those workers and their families, but should concern the country as a whole for economic and national security reasons.

While British steel production has been hit in recent decades by economic shocks and the growth of cheap steel from China, the last Conservative government fought hard to safeguard the industry and had clear plans to support modern and more environmentally friendly steel production.

We worked with our brilliant and visionary Conservative mayor of the Tees Valley, Ben Houchen, on plans to regenerate the former Redcar steelworks into a modern electric arc furnace, with the planning consent granted earlier this year.

Taking those decisions was not easy, especially when some taxpayer support was needed. But investment in new technology with a clear strategy and a pipeline of infrastructure projects that British-produced steel could support was vital to supporting our economic well being and the levelling up agenda. It was the right thing to do.

Despite Labour boasting of how they would support the steel industry and their questioning when in opposition towards our plans, since winning the general election theyve gone silent.

Instead of building upon the measures we put in place to back steel production, theyve spent their first few weeks in office using taxpayers hard-earned cash to pay off their trade union friends who are still threatening strike action, taking the winter fuel payment away from 10m pensioners, leaving them to freeze while energy bills rise, and theyve sent the wrong signals out to industry with new taxes on oil and gas production and the threat of more taxes and red tape to come.

Labour are also reviewing major infrastructure schemes, creating uncertainty over future demands and the raw materials needed.

They could have come into office and prioritised giving certainty for steel production, but have instead decided to spend their first few weeks in office strangling enterprise and sabotaging the prospects for future economic growth.

They promptly found 10bn in public sector pay to appease the trade unions, but have been slow to finalise a 1bn package needed to secure the future of domestic steel production.

Is it any wonder that the uncertainty they have created has led to concerns over the immediate future of steel making and jobs at Scunthorpe, as well as the longer-term plans Ben Houchen and the last Conservative government worked so hard to establish?

Labours lack of vision and obsession with immature trash talking is now having real consequences for the British public they are letting down. Labour have spent years promising to protect the steel industry but all they are doing is helping China to dump more steel into the UK and undermine our national security.

British Steel is preparing to shut its blast furnaces in Scunthorpe by Christmas - Scott Heppell/REUTERS

The steel industry will soon join pensioners, households paying higher energy bills and rail communities facing further strike disruption as victims of Labours broken promises.

Now is the time for the Government to step up  and if they do not then the Conservatives must hold them to account. This issue is so important because the UK cannot drift towards further and deeper reliance on cheap steel imports from China, especially with all of the national security implications that has.

Labour seem to have forgotten that China has taken an adversarial position towards us, with cyber attacks and actions that seek to undermine our democracy and rule of law. I introduced the National Security Bill into Parliament to increase protections and make it harder for hostile state actors to interfere in our country.

But if Labour fail our steel workers and let our steel production collapse, then they will give China greater influence over our economic well being, a stranglehold over our economic security and put our national security at risk.

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Latinas in the U.S. have higher economic output than most states

Latinas in the U.S. contributed $1.3 trillion in economic output in 2021, a more than 50% increase compared to 2010, according to a new report.

The first-of-its-kind report measures the market value of all goods and services, or GDP, produced by Latinas in the U.S. It shows the significant and rapidly increasing influence Latinos, especially women, are having on the U.S. economy at a time when the growth of the nation's Latino population in general is often portrayed in a negative light, the researchers said.

"It's clear that when Latinos go from 65 million now to close to 90 million by 2060, that will be the best thing that ever happened to the U.S. economy," said David Hayes-Bautista, a professor of medicine and director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the School of Medicine, UCLA.

Given the flat or declining population growth in the U.S., "Latinos are the secret ingredient for the U.S. economy to maintain its preeminence throughout the 21st Century," Hayes-Bautista said.

The report, titled U.S. Latina GDP Report, funded by Bank of America, builds on the work of Hayes-Bautista going back to the 1980s when the rapid growth of the Latino population in California prompted a negative reaction that the state was being overtaken by "gangbanging illegal immigrant teenagers and pregnant moms living on welfare," Hayes-Bautista said during a conference call Monday.

For perspective, the $1.3 trillion economic output of Latinas, up from $661 billion in 2010, is larger than the economies of every state in the U.S. except California, Texas and New York, said Matthew Fienup, a professor at California Lutheran University who co-authored the study.

From 2010 to 2021, the GDP of Hispanic females grew 1.2 times the rate of Hispanic males' GDP "and an astonishing 2.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic GDP," said the report, based on an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and a variety of U.S. census data.

The growth in Latina GDP is being driven by a rapid gain in educational attainment among Latinas that exceeds Latinos, who have also experienced gains in educational attainment, the report said.

"Educational attainment grew rapidly for Latinos of all genders from 2010 to 2021. During those years, the number of Hispanic females with a bachelor's degree grew a total of 103.0 percent, while the number of highly educated non-Hispanic females grew just 38.3 percent," the report said. "In other words, over the entire period thatwe examine, Latina educational attainment grew 2.7 times that of non-Hispanic females in the U.S."

Other findings:

From 2000 to 2021, the Latina labor force participation rate increased by 7.5 percentage points, while the rate for non-Hispanic females was flat. Latinas, who started the century with a labor force participation rate that was 5 percentage points lower, are now 2.5 percentage points more likely to be actively working than their non-Hispanic female counterparts.

From 2010 to 2021, the real incomes of U.S. Latinas grew 46% compared to 18.5% for non-Hispanic females. "In other words, Latina income growth is 2.5 times that of their non-Hispanic counterparts," the report said.

Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Latinas contribute $1.3 trillion to U.S. economy, report says
Sam Wargin Grimaldo, left, holds the flag of the Dominican Republic, while Nicole Maldonado, center, waves a poster reading We Belong to a crowd of hundreds of HB 4156 protesters standing at the bottom of the steps on the north lawn of the Oklahoma State Capitol on April 23. In the foreground, Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, and Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, look out the the crowd moments before being introduced for speeches. (Photo by Lionel Ramos/KOSU)

On a hot day in late April, Nicole Maldonado found herself outside the Oklahoma State Capitol urging hundreds of Latinos there to protest a sweeping anti-immigration bill to educate themselves about current and pending state legislation before its too late. And vote representation of their values and beliefs into state office.

Part of that would mean casting a vote for her in the race for state House District 88.

In this moment, we have to fight and we have to stand firm with our community, Maldonado shouted into a megaphone in Spanish. The best way we can make a stand is to all get out and vote on June 18 and November 5.

The crowd chanted and applauded in approval. As a self-described queer woman and an immigrant from Colombia, she thought she could best represent the diversity of Oklahomans in House District 88 and beyond in a way, she said, that would build upon the work of Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City.

Maldonado works as Turners legislative assistant and has spent the last year soaking in how the first non-binary state legislator in the country navigates an at times hostile environment within the statehouse. Maldonado decided to run for the seat two weeks before Turner announced they wouldnt seek reelection.

Even with the edge of early access to the news of Turners exit, Maldonado said her experience campaigning was tough.

Everything happened super fast, she said sitting. My life changed so much in such a short period of time that it was insane. Im still processing everything that happened.

She became one of two fresh Latino faces to run for a state legislative office this year, along with Sam Wargin Grimaldo, who ran for state Senate District 46.

Both candidates hoped to capitalize on heightened awareness and a sense of activism among Latinos over House Bill 4156, a bill criminalizing all unauthorized immigrants in the state. The candidates said they hoped the historic energy build-up would help propel them into office.

One WhatsApp group activists use to rally thousands to protest at the Oklahoma State Capitol is even called El Gigante ha Despertado, or The giant has awakened.

Despite that, both lost their races during this Junes primary elections.

Thousands of Oklahomans representing immigrant communities in the state came together during this years Hispanic Day at the Capitol celebration to protest HB 4156 for a second time, May 15, 2024, outside the Oklahoma State Capitol.

High political energy among Latinos fizzles before primaries

The idea that a dormant political energy is waking up within Latinos in Oklahoma is especially popular among the hundreds of members of the community whove joined groups like El Gigante ha Despertado, on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. But that energy hardly carried people to the polls when they had the choice to elect a Latino in the primaries.

Grimaldo said its a pattern.

The results showed us again, what weve seen multiple times, is that voter turnout is whats lacking and what leads to these disappointing results, Grimaldo said.

Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, won his race for House District 89 uncontested. Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, will face two challengers during the general election for another chance at House District 45.

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, lost her reelection for Senate District 43 in June.

The results mean no new Latinos will appear on any ballots for legislative districts during the upcoming runoff or general elections, and fewer Latinos are slated to serve in the state legislature next year.

And while Latino voters dont solely determine election outcomes, in some majority-Latino precincts within Grimaldos district, voter turnout was as low as 3%, according to census data and race results posted by the Oklahoma State Election Board.

Grimaldo said he thinks those precincts are micro-examples of big-picture redistricting policies and other obstacles to the ballot. He said there is a need to rework the states voting districts down to the precinct level.

I live right next door to the Capitol Hill Library, which is a precinct, a polling place, he said. Im not assigned to that one. Im assigned to Andrews Square which is about a half mile from my house. Its odd.

A sustained effort

Mark Mann is the educator and nonprofit leader who beat Grimaldo in the Democratic primaries. He said the political energy mustered didnt just go away.

I dont think that energy is lost just because a particular candidate or two candidates didnt get elected, Mann said. I think that energy has been harnessed.

He said he suspects Latinos in Oklahoma will continue to carry that energy into the next legislative session and beyond.

I understand representation matters, but what matters even more than that is somebody that shares your values and will represent your views at the Capitol, regardless of what community you come from, he said.

Going forward, Grimaldo  who is a former public school teacher  plans to continue activating more young Latinos into civic life, which was a focus of his campaign.

He said the experience of running for office taught him a valuable lesson when it comes to advocating for his community.

Its not just about one election cycle or issue, he said. It has to be a multi-pronged approach and a sustained effort.

Maldonado said shes not done with politics either. She has plans to go to law school and return to Oklahoma City to represent her community better equipped.

We can do amazing things to represent, in a genuine way, all of our communities, she said. So I would like to run for office. I dont know if for the state House or for the state Senate. But I think that I do see myself doing it again.

This article was originally published by KOSU.

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A prominent Latino voting organization is calling on the Justice Department to investigate a series of raids held across Texas last week as part an ongoing election fraud investigation led by the state's controversial attorney general, Ken Paxton.

The raids targeted prominent Democrats and election volunteers -- including some in their late 80s -- according to a spokesperson for the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, at a press conference on Monday.

Investigators allegedly confiscated cell phones, computers, and other records, according to LULAC officials.

MORE: Republicans are ramping up election fraud claims ahead of November

"I call upon the appropriate federal authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the factors that led Texas Attorney [General] Ken Paxton to order these armed raids," Lupe Torres, a LULAC leader, said.

Among those targeted in the raids was Lydia Martinez, an 80-year-old retired teacher who lives in San Antonio, who "was removed from her home in her night gown and made to wait outside in full view of her neighbors and the general public, causing great humiliation and discomfort," said LULAC president Roman Palomares at the Monday press conference.

"Lydia's devices, personal calendar, and voter registration materials were confiscated, and she was coerced into providing her passwords under the threat of delayed return of her property," LULAC said in its letter to the Justice Department.

Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, LULAC CEO Juan Proano called the raids "baseless."

PHOTO: League of United Latin American Citizens immediate past president Domingo Garcia is seen with retired teacher Lydia Martinez in this Aug. 27, 2024. (ABC News)

"There's no merit to it at all. There's no evidence that was actually provided, even to the judge when they received these warrants. They're baseless," Proano said of the allegations. "We know for a fact, certainly as it relates to our members, that there is nothing at all to substantiate any voter harvesting, any voter fraud at all."

Paxton said in a statement last week that his office had uncovered "sufficient evidence" of election fraud to justify the search warrants executed during the raids. A county prosecutor outside San Antonio referred the alleged "election fraud and vote harvesting" to the attorney general's office in 2022, according to Paxton's statement.

The raids also coincided with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement this week that the state, since 2021, had purged more than a million people from the state's voter rolls, including nearly half a million deceased people and over 6,500 noncitizens. State election officials frequently update voter rolls to remove deceased individuals or those who have moved out of the state.

Proano told ABC News that the small fraction of noncitizens make up only half of a percentage point of the registrants removed, which he believes is proof that widespread voter fraud among noncitizens is not a systemic issue in the state of Texas.

It's almost half a percent. We're not saying that it doesn't exist. We're not saying that there are folks that are not U.S. citizens who are registered. Sometimes they register by accident. Sometimes they get bad information and they do register. But there is not systemic voter harvesting going on there, not systemic voter fraud," Proano said on ABC News Live with Kyra Phillips.

Abbott said his office had referred "any potential illegal voting" activity to Paxton's office for investigation.

A Justice Department spokesperson told ABC News it had received a letter from LULAC, but would not comment on whether they plan to take any investigative steps.

Paxton's office did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

Latino voting group calls for DOJ probe of election fraud raids in Texas originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shakes hands with Isaac Leishman, 11, from Millville, after the Logan Tabernacles rededication in Logan on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well known for 350 temples in various phases of construction, dedication and announcement throughout the world, along with many thousands of chapels that serve 31,490 congregations worldwide.

Yet something significant is missed when the 79 tabernacles built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its first 100 years are overlooked  each of which served their respective communities as a multipurpose gathering place and unifying civic center for diverse neighbors in the outlying area.

In his rededication of the Logan Tabernacle Sunday night, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prayed: We rededicate this building for the purposes for which it has been used since the pioneer days, a house of worship, a cultural center, a historic site, and a beacon of welcome to the beautiful city of Logan.

In addition to renewing its continued function as a house of worship, the apostle prayed for a blessing upon those who use the building for instruction, for administration, for service and for the enjoyment of the cultural arts and activities that thou has designed for the benefit of mankind.

No other valley  is equal to this

Early settlers who entered Cache Valley in 1855, recounted Elder Thomas K. Checketts, Area Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ, met a group of members of the Shoshone tribe who spent summers in the valley but were smart enough to leave for the winter.

As the snow multiplied in an early winter, these early settlers decided that they needed to escape the valley  making it back to Brigham City with only 420 of their 2,000 cows still alive.

Undeterred, Peter Maughan was sent back the following year in 1856, establishing a settlement in the Wellsville area. Three years later, five additional colonies were created in places the settlers called Providence, Mendon, Smithfield, Richmond and Logan.

The name Logan was derived not only from an early trapper in the area (Ephraim Logan), Elder Cook noted, but also from the first name of a Native American who had been helpful to the saints in their early travails when they were driven out of Nauvoo.

Chief Logan Fontenelle of the Omaha had worked to facilitate peace between early Latter-day Saints and his tribe, while also helping Brigham Young know how to travel to Utah. The well-loved Native American leader died in 1855, the same year the settlers arrived at Cache Valley.

So far as I know, no other valley in this territory is equal to this, Brigham Young had said on a visit to Cache Valley in 1860. This has been my opinion ever since I first saw this valley.

In 1864, settlers began discussing building a tabernacle, with ground broken and a foundation laid the following summer. Building was delayed when the supervisor was called on a mission and even more in 1877 when Young selected a site for a temple  diverting skilled labor to a more important project.

By that time, all that was left on the tabernacle was the interior finish work and the steeple. But completion was delayed another 14 years, till its dedication in 1891  prompting Elder Checketts to reflect, sometimes projects, even important projects, need to be left undone for a time so that work at the temple can be done.

A melting pot of cultures

Nearly 40% of Cache Valleys population was foreign born in the 1870s and 1880s, Elder Cook said  citing massive immigration in the 1850s and 1860s for thousands of almost destitute new converts.

The apostle quoted a newspaper from Sept. 3, 1852, reporting on the arrival of many immigrant converts from Wales, with the First Presidency of the church, accompanied by a brass band, greeting personally this band of pilgrims, sisters and children, walking sunburned and weather beaten, but not forlorn.

Their hearts were light and buoyant, which was plainly manifest by their happy and joyful countenances, the newspaper account continued. As they passed the temple block, they were saluted with nine rounds of artillery and thousands of men, women and children gathered from various parts of the city to unite in the glorious, joyful welcome.

May the Lord God of Israel bless you, Brigham Young said to these new arrivals. We have prayed for you continually. Thousands of prayers have been offered up for you, day by day to him who has commanded us to gather Israel, save the children of men by the preaching of the gospel and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.

Young encouraged many immigrants from Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries to settle in northern Utah. At this spectacular location, Elder Cook said, this unique gathering of immigrants and converts from the rest of the U.S. came together to create a marvelous society.

Many people who live in Cache Valley today trace their lineage to these countries and the languages they spoke, the apostle noted  recalling a German-speaking congregation that worshipped in the valley when he grew up in the area. Today, we are blessed that many people speak Spanish.

From the beginning, our faith was determined to protect religious freedom for people of diverse faith, as well as those of no faith, he emphasized to an audience that included friends and leaders of other religious denominations located throughout the valley, as well as mayors and government officials from 38 cities and towns in the valley, and leaders at Utah State University, including President Elizabeth Campbell.

In this valley, our faith, working with Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews, Muslims and other faiths, have striven to succor, be a sanctuary, and respect people, regardless of faith or no faith, Elder Cook said, reflecting one of the churchs Articles of Faith, which says, We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.

We can always do better in our relationships with people of other faiths, other races and other cultures, he added. Everyone, regardless of where they came from, needs to be welcome in Cache Valley. It is my prayer that we will resolve to individually and collectively do just that.

Logan Tabernacle after its rededication in Logan on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Tabernacles to unite a diverse community

It is this element of early pioneer culture  namely, the relentless outreach to diverse neighbors also attracted to Utah  that is reflected in tabernacles.

To serve this growing community, 79 tabernacles were built from the 1840s through the 1950s  starting with the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs Iowa in 1847 and ending with a 1956 tabernacle in Ogden. In the 1960s, these larger buildings were replaced in their ecclesiastical functions by normal chapels with more classrooms and office space.

Yet across nearly two centuries, these tabernacles have been used for not only various worship services, but also community gatherings that include concerts, school graduations, choral programs, lectures and funerals.

Think of all thats transpired in this building over the last almost 150 years, said Paul V. Johnson of the updated Logan Tabernacle, recounting how the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University) regularly held meetings in the building. Lunch and learns, lunch concert series, Messiah sing-alongs, and community fairs also took place on the grounds.

Elder Thomas K. Checketts, an Area Seventy, asks the audience to raise their hands if they have participated with the various events that have happened in the tabernacle over the years during the Logan Tabernacles rededication in Logan on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Preserving architectural works of art

Considered some of the finest examples of Latter-day Saint architecture, these historic tabernacles are expressions of early pioneer faith and ingenuity.

An estimated 37 tabernacles remain of the original 79 (the number varies slightly due to some buildings called tabernacles by locals that werent officially designated as such). Six of the 76 tabernacles burned down, and one came down in an earthquake. Others were torn down and replaced by a bigger tabernacle. In Vernal and Provo, tabernacles have been turned into temples.

Many of the remaining tabernacles have been carefully cared for and preserved as historical treasures and architectural works of art. The St. George Tabernacle was renovated in 1993, with the original chandeliers brought back. The Paris Idaho Tabernacle, located north of Bear Lake, was refurbished in 2004 and the Manti Tabernacle in 2014.

As reported by the Cache Valley Daily, the Logan Tabernacle upgrades include the organ and piano now facing the audience and the baptismal font on the bottom floor replaced with several new meeting rooms, according to Allan Cooley, the Logan South Stake President of the Church of Jesus Christ who oversees the tabernacle. As part of a seismic upgrade, two thirds of the top balcony were also replaced with a concrete wall in the back and changes to the bell tower. The benches now have padding and the pews are further apart, with new carpet chosen to match the appearance of pioneer era flooring.

The workmanship, its just second to none, said local stake president Frank Crawford on the occasion of the Paris Idaho tabernacle being renovated. Obviously it was a matter of great importance to them.

A poem was written by pioneers who built the St. George Tabernacle and tucked underneath the sandstone steps, only to be found 75 years later:

We have labored long / For many a year, / This noble structure / For to rear;

And thus weve often / Lacked for bread, / Youve nobly worked; / By all was said. ...

So now kind friends, / We say farewell, / This house and steps / Our works do tell,

God will preserve / And bless his own / With life eternal / And a crown.

Dave Rupp, from Logan, sings a hymn with his son Evan during the Logan Tabernacles rededication in Logan on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Note: A recording of the dedication service can be viewed here, with a lovely photo gallery by Eli Lucero of the Herald Journal also available.
How Latter-day Saints served their communities across the globe this summer

Bill Davis, manager of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's Welfare and Self Reliance Department for Micronesia, hands over new hospital beds, among other items, to Dr. Tholman Alik, director of Kosraes Department of Health Services, on August 6, 2024. The new equipment will be used at the Kosrae State Hospital. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Across the globe, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints engage in service projects in their local communities. A news release from the church offers a look at what some Latter-day Saints did in their communities this summer.

On the island of Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia, Bill Davis, manager of the Church of Jesus Christs Welfare and Self Reliance Department for Micronesia, had conversations with government and health care officials.

Through those conversations, Davis learned Kosrae State Hospital needed medical equipment and furnishings. According to a release, Davis was able to organize the funding and arrange for the delivery of what was needed. The hospital received the donation on Aug. 6.

The donation included hospital beds for both kids and adults, exam tables, dental chairs, incubators, wheelchairs and industrial water purifiers.

There is no such thing as a coincidence, said Davis. I believe the Lords hand was in all of this.

Other stories of service

Also in Kosrae, the Church of Jesus Christ donated a playground designed for students with special needs.

This will be a great benefit, not just for our students, but for the community and neighborhood, said Isao Mike, president of the Kosrae Special Parent Network. After school hours, the playground will be open so that families from the community can come and enjoy it.

The Church of Jesus Christ in Kissy, Sierra Leone, sponsored an event focused on helping malnourished children. Elder Kenneth Pambu, Area Seventy in the Africa West area, presided at the event.

At the event, children received a medical checkup and parents were given instructions on nutrition and medical care, and they also were given supplies in some cases. More than 200 people attended.

I feel very blessed this day to have a nutrition food supply for my son. Though after the medical checkup of him, I was a bit worried, because his condition was worse from the other children, Adama Kargbo, one of the attendees, said, according to the release. Speaking with my local womens leader, I was relieved, from her counseling. It really is a blessing for us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In Cambodia, the Church of Jesus Christ helped rebuild a local school where 218 students are enrolled. The school was renovated to resolve an issue with flooding and also received a new roof and other major renovations.

We believe we are all brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father, said Sister Karen Oates, humanitarian missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ. Many members of the (church) around the world donated the money to provide these school facilities.

The Church of Jesus Christ also collaborated with a nongovernmental organization called Engage Now Africa to give local residents in Upper East Ghana a solar-powered borehole water system. In Guatemala, the Church of Jesus Christ donated more than 800 tables and chairs and 120 small desks, bookcases and blackboards to public schools in San Pedro Ayampuc.

Latter-day Saint missionaries in the Alpine Mission helped clean up Saas-Grund, Switzerland, and its surrounding area after storms.

The Church of Jesus Christ also donated funds to Boyle Street Community Services for the purpose of providing laundry services for people with homes in downtown Edmonton, Canada.

The Church is pleased to participate in this important initiative in providing laundry facilities to the residents of inner-city Edmonton, said Elder Robert W. Mendenhall, an Area Seventy in a release. Particularly, were pleased that this year we can support greater stability for the initiative by enabling the acquisition of permanent laundry facilities. Reflecting the Saviors charge to love our neighbors, were grateful for this blessing of providing help and assistance for those most in need.
Law Enforcement Is Experimenting With AI-Assisted Policing: What You Need to Know

AI can help make officers' jobs more efficient, but can also cause big legal headaches, experts say

getty Police officer at crime scene

Police departments across the country are starting to use artificial intelligence to help complete their paperwork.

AI can help officers save time writing reports and make their jobs more efficient, the Associated Press reports.

But experts warn of possible dangers when tapping into new technology, which can introduce serious, sometimes life-changing mistakes in reports, promote bias and racism and leak private information, Politico reports.



According to its website, a new AI product offered by the technology company Axon called Draft One is designed to help police officers file reports in less time than required with conventional methods.



Today, officers spend as much as two-thirds of their day on paperwork, Axon says on the website. Our AI Research team is working to cut the time spent on paperwork by improving the efficiency and accuracy of report-writing and information analysis in law enforcement."

For instance, Axon says its product gives officers the ability to automatically redact footage caught on body cams so officers can share footage with the public faster while protecting the privacy of individuals captured in video."

Its AI software allows supervisors to review footage and reports so they can better understand compliance and provide feedback in order to improve training and police-community relations.

Draft One has had the most positive reaction of any product the company has debuted on the market, Axons founder and CEO Rick Smith told the Associated Press. But, he added, theres certainly concerns.

District attorneys want to know that police officers didnt only rely on an AI chatbot to write a report since they might have to testify in court about an alleged crime, Smith told the AP.



They never want to get an officer on the stand who says, Well, the AI wrote that, I didnt, Smith told the outlet.

An AP investigation of another crime-fighting AI program, ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection tool that according to its website uses sensors, algorithms and artificial intelligence to classify 14 million sounds in its database as gunshots or something else, found "serious flaws" in the technology.



In one case in which ShotSpotter evidence was presented in court, an Illinois grandfather named Michael Williams was jailed for more than a year in 2021 when he was accused of shooting and killing a man based on audio evidence prosecutors say they obtained from the AI tool, the AP reported in 2022.

The AI technology allegedly picked up a loud noise when Williams car drove through an intersection and determined that Williams had fired a shot at the passenger in his car, the AP reported.

But Williams told authorities that a person in another vehicle pulled up to his car and shot at his passenger, the AP reported. A judge ended up dismissing the case when prosecutors said they didnt have enough evidence to proceed.

I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me? Williams told the AP.



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.

In a variety of other applications used by lawyers, AI creates hallucinations or fake cases, citations, and legal arguments that seem correct but do not actually exist, an expert at the law firm Freeman, Mathis & Gary wrote in an article on its website about risks and problems associated with Generative AI used in the legal profession.

This includes the accuracy of chatbots now being used by prosecutors and defense attorneys to sift through documents to detect relevant evidence, draft legal memoranda and devise complex litigation strategies. A [2024]Stanford University study found that 75% of the answers generated by AI chatbots regarding a sample court ruling were incorrect, the expert wrote.

Further, AI cannot adequately address questions of law that implicate more than one practice area. For example, a legal issue implicating both immigration law and criminal law may yield an accurate answer for immigration law purposes but disregard any criminal law issues and implications."



AI used by law enforcement may be helpful but precautions and protections need to be in place, Jonathan Parham, a former police director in Rahway, New Jersey, told Politico.

"The AI should never replace the officer  it should enhance their operational competency, Parham told Politico.





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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Lawmakers are still investigating the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump.

Several visited the site of the shooting Monday.

Members of the task force investigating the shooting got a new perspective of the site, but they say theres still a lot they dont know about the security lapses that led to the shooting.

House lawmakers stood on the rooftops near the rally site where a gunman opened fire on former president Donald Trump July 13.

There were a lot of lines of sight that appeared to have been unsecured, said Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.).

Lawmakers say getting the firsthand look is part of the process of figuring out what went wrong that day.

Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Kelly says that will take time.

Getting to the truth is a slow process, said Kelly.

Kelly and Democratic Congressman Jason Crow say this investigation is not political.

You dont have to be a Democrat or a Republican or unaffiliated to say theres no room for political violence in America, said Crow.

According to local law enforcement body camera video, the shooter was spotted before he opened fire.

The deadly incident has led to intense scrutiny of the Secret Service and questions about why the area wasnt more secure.

We want to make sure we get to the bottom of this, said Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.).

Meanwhile at a Washington, D.C., think tank, Republican lawmakers and some law enforcement also discussed the shooting.

Theres a lot of things we can point to as critical failures, said Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.).

Florida Congressman Cory Mills says lawmakers will keep investigating.

Since the shooting, five Secret Service agents have been assigned to administrative duties and the director of the Secret Service has resigned.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said he put ties with the United States Embassy in Mexico City "on pause" after U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar criticized his administration's proposed judicial reform.

"They have to learn to respect Mexico's sovereignty, it's no small matter," Lopez Obrador told reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City during his usual daily press conference.

Ties with the embassy will stay paused until the diplomatic outpost clears up what was said regarding the reform initiative, said the president, adding the bilateral relationship with the U.S. government continues as always.

On Aug. 22, Salazar said the reform's proposal to have judges elected by popular vote instead of being political appointments, as they are now, represented a risk to democracy and would weaken economic integration.

Lopez Obrador's administration sent a diplomatic note to the United States on Friday, following Salazar's remarks. 
Nevada lawmakers may address legislation that would deem water conservation a beneficial use, effectively upending traditional "use it or lose it" water law. (Photo Credit: Colton Brunson, Water Commissioner, Nevada Division of Water Resources)

Nevadas limited water resources and wide open public lands will continue to be the source of legal and political battles for state lawmakers next year  whatever the outcome of Novembers election.

When state lawmakers meet in Carson City next February, they will be asked to consider several  likely contentious  bills related to groundwater, agriculture, and public land use during their four-month legislative session.

On Friday, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources voted to advance a number of bill draft requests that could deeply affect the states water use, including a bill that would essentially overturn Nevadas use it or lose it water law.

Bill draft requests (BDRs) are not official bills, they are requests by lawmakers for a draft of the proposed bill they can further amend and discuss during the legislative session.

The most substantial BDR coming out of the committee would revise water law to encourage water conservation by allowing a water right holder to conserve their water under a water conservation plan without losing their water right. Under the proposal, water conserved under a conservation plan would be considered appropriated water, or water that is already being put to beneficial use.

The bill would substantially change Nevada water law, which states that water users cant hold on to water rights if they do not intend to use it productively in a timely manner.

During the Friday interim meeting, several members of the committee were reluctant to advance the bill draft request.

We all know we have to address water and water conservation, but this particular bill is so encompassing, said Republican Sen. Pete Goicoechea, who represents rural Senate District 19. I really want to see some language before I vote to bring a bill like that forward and some of the ramifications that could come out of a bill like that.

Washoe Republican Assemblyman Rich DeLong said he did not think next years legislative session was the right place to debate such a massive change in Nevada water law.

I just dont think the discussions have matured far enough to be able to put together a BDR, DeLong said. I just think its too soon to do this.

Democratic Assemblywoman Natha Anderson of Sparks, vice-chair of the Assembly on Natural Resources, said the bill was an important first step in putting language on the table and starting a conversation about reworking Nevada water law.

Its important that we start here, so that we can have that conversation and work on it throughout the next session. I dont think our state is getting in any better position, water-wise, if we wait, added Reno Democratic Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch during the Friday hearing. We need to get started as soon as possible.

Three-fourths of Nevada is currently experiencing abnormally dry conditions, with parts of the northwest corner of the state hitting moderate drought this summer, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

In several parts of the state, significantly more groundwater is extracted than is returned to aquifers each year, leading to declining water levels. About 56 of the states water basins are currently over-pumped, according to data compiled by the Legislative Counsel Bureaus Research Division.

The Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources also voted to advance two bill draft requests for bills that would create and expand state programs to buy water rights from over-appropriated groundwater basins.

One of the bills would establish a dedicated account for the Voluntary Water Rights Retirement Program, which was allocated $25 million in funding last year to address groundwater conflicts by purchasing groundwater rights from private landowners in over-pumped and over-appropriated basins. The bill draft request was recommended by the Las Vegas Valley Water District and Jeff Fontaine, the executive director of the Humboldt River Basin Water Authority.

The program has proved more successful than anticipated. While the program is only available to landowners in about half of Nevadas counties, water rights sellers offered to sell a total of $65.5 million in water rights in a matter of months  about $40 million more than available funding.

The other water purchasing bill recommended by Goicoechea would create the Nevada Water Buy-Back Initiative for the purpose of purchasing and retiring water rights in over appropriated groundwater basins over the long term.

Another water conservation bill draft request advanced by the committee Friday would extend the states time limit on temporary conversion of agricultural water rights for wildlife purposes from three to ten years.

The Walker Basin Conservancy, a conservation group focused on Walker Lake, spoke in support of extending the time limit.

The future of Walker Lake and the Walker River depends on Nevada statute supporting in-stream flow enhancement. Extending the time limit for temporary conversions of water rights to in-stream flows would provide more flexible management tools for our region while mitigating the administrative burdens of the change application process, said Peter Stanton, the executive director of the Walker Basin Conservancy.

Part of protecting and managing Nevadas groundwater is collecting better data on Nevadas intricate network of groundwater aquifers, said lawmakers. The committee voted to advance a bill draft request for a bill that would appropriate $1 million to the Division of Water Resources to update baseline science to improve the understanding of groundwater availability across the state.

Water managers in Nevada currently rely on water budget estimates developed 50 to 70 years ago, raising major concerns about the accuracy of groundwater availability, according to the Nevada Division of Water Resources. That uncertainty has become an even larger issue, as Nevada faces escalating economic growth and development pressures, including lithium mining and solar development.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A bombshell was dropped on Monday by two of the states top Republicans.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally said the City of Memphis could lose its share of state sales tax revenue over its efforts to take a shot at Tennessees gun laws.

This is absolutely a power play, said Democratic representative Justin Pearson. It has nothing to do with whats in our best interest.

Memphis gun control referendum may draw fire from state

Last month, the city council approved a referendum that would allow the public to vote on amending the city charter, requiring anyone carrying a gun in Memphis to have a permit.

If approved by voters in November, the ballot measure would also ban the local sale of assault weapons, allow judges to temporarily take weapons from people who are at risk of harming themselves or others and require gun owners to keep their weapons locked up while theyre traveling through Memphis.

If we as a city decide we really need this help, then thats what this is, said city councilman Dr. Jeff Warren. Its a way for citizens to say what they need. Then, I hope our state legislature will look at it and say, Oh okay. Lets see what we can do to help them down in Memphis.

On Monday Sexton and McNally released a joint statement, threatening to withhold state sales tax revenue because of the effort.

If Memphis leaders do not want to participate within the state and state laws, then they do not need to participate in the states successes, they said.

Sexton added, With the recent actions of the progressive, soft-on-crime DA in Shelby County and the Memphis City Councils continued efforts to override state law with local measures, we feel it has become necessary to take action.

The two lawmakers hope to see Memphis drop its gun control measure sometime soon.

Murder suspect arrested after falling through ceiling

However, Dr. Warren told WREG that the state is misunderstanding the motive behind the referendum.

The citizens need the opportunity to be able to speak and hopefully our legislators will say, Oh, we can help them. We see that things are different in Memphis than they are in other parts of the state, Warren said. And as part of the state of Tennessee, we depend on them to help us out.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett entered the debate when he sent a letter to the Shelby County Election Commission Monday saying he will not allow a ballot question that defies state law.

Adding in a statement to WREG, Common sense says local governments cant override state law to give a 12-year-old a drivers license, and they cant override other state laws either.

Pearson called holding tax money hostage illegal and said he urged the Memphis City Council to sue the state if the questions are rejected from the upcoming ballot.

This is not a problem that is democratic or republican, Pearson said. This is not a problem that is rural or urban. This is a problem for our state.

WREG reached out to District Attorney Steve Mulroy but has 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 WREG.com.
Lawrence ODonnell crowned embattled independent politician Robert F. Kennedy Jr. the Jeffrey Dahmer of the animal kingdom on Monday amid viral accounts of him beheading a whale and disposing of a dead bear in Central Park.

Further relating the behavior of Bobby Kennedys son to the notorious serial killer, MSNBC host ODonnell added that hes horrified his family almost as much as Jeffrey Dahmer horrified his family by endorsing the most horrifying Republican presidential nominee in history. Kennedy endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump after ending his own independent campaign on Friday.

The only president who was more of a criminal in the White House than Richard Nixon, who Robert Kennedy Jr.s father tried to keep out of the presidency by running against him until Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, which instantly, and it seemed permanently, created a beatific glow around the name Robert Kennedy, which his son has now fully disgraced, ODonnell said.

Watch ODonnells full takedown on Mondays The Last Word below:

The anchor then outlined the recent headlines reporting his familys response to his political move, starting with his sister, Kerry Kennedy, who also slammed Kennedy for cosigning for Trump. He then pivoted back to his own thoughts about Kennedy while breaking down the lies Kennedy spewed during his endorsement of Trump. ODonnell also highlighted that Kennedy evaded his own request for an interview.

Robert [Kennedy] Jr. told many lies in his speech announcing his endorsement of Trump, including this one, quote: The mainstream media networks maintain a near-perfect embargo on interviews with me, end quote. On July 12, 2023, I issued a public invitation to Robert Kennedy Jr. to appear on this program at the time of his choosing, and he never chose to do that. If he does show up, Ill make it easy on him by giving him the first question ahead of time, ODonnell said before detailing the revelations from Kurt Andersens The Atlantic writeup, RFK Jr. Was My Drug Dealer, in which the author alleges he bought cocaine off of Kennedy while freshmen at Harvard College in 1972. ODonnell questioned aloud what that may mean for his relationship with Trump, considering the former president favors the death penalty for drug dealers.

At the end of his article, titled RFK Jr. Was My Drug Dealer, Kurt Anderson suggests this question for Robert Kennedy Jr., quote: Given that youve sold cocaine in your youth, how do you feel about Trumps advocacy, a regime that might have resulted in your own execution at age 19? Trump does not advocate the death penalty for violations of the Espionage Act, or any of the other crimes hes been accused of and for which he is awaiting trial.

There are only 71 days left in Trumps political career, ODonnell said as he wrapped that portion of the subject. Assuming he comes in second in the Electoral College for the second time in a row.

Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race on Friday and endorsed Trump, just a day after the Democratic National Convention wrapped up. Subsequently, Kennedys five siblings released a joint statement condemning his move while showing support for the Harris-Walz campaign.

We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride, the statement read. We believe in Harris and Walz. Our brother Bobbys decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.

Watch ODonnells full The Last Word segment in the video above.

The post Lawrence ODonnell Crowns RFK Jr. the Jeffrey Dahmer of the Animal Kingdom Amid Accounts of Dead Whales, Bears | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
A pair of Republican state legislators and an anti-abortion activist filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a judge to block an abortion-rights constitutional amendment from appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot.

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly and Kathy Forck sued last year challenging the cost estimate for a proposed constitutional amendment rolling back Missouris ban on abortion.

The campaign behind the proposal ultimately turned in enough signatures to earn a spot on the November ballot, where it is set to appear as Amendment 3.

Abortion rights activists marched from the Park Central Square to the Federal Courthouse in Downtown Springfield on Friday, June 24, 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

On Thursday, Coleman, Kelly, Forck and Marguerite Forrest, the operator of a shelter for homeless pregnant women in St. Louis County, filed a new lawsuit in Cole Circuit Court arguing that the decision to place the amendment on the ballot should be reversed.

The amendment violates the Missouri Constitution, the lawsuit argues, because it illegally includes more than one subject. It also fails to specify the laws and constitutional provisions that would be repealed if it were approved by voters, the lawsuit argues.

In a joint statement released to the media, the plaintiffs said Amendment 3 is a direct threat to the lives of Missouri women by erasing the will of voters who chose to protect the safety of women and the child by electing strong pro-life leaders.

Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which is supporting Amendment 3, called Thursdays lawsuit yet another baseless and desperate attempt from politicians to silence Missouri voters and prevent them from being heard. We will not let that happen.

Sweet said she is confident the courts will see through this thinly veiled effort to block Missouri voters and dismiss it swiftly.

Missouri was the first state to ban abortion after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to the procedure. Since then, abortion has been virtually illegal, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.

If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouris amendment also includes exceptions after viability to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.

Missouris amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.

The lawsuit filed Thursday argues that Amendment 3 illegally includes more than one subject, in part because of its use of the phrase fundamental right to reproductive freedom.

The lawsuit argues this phrase is unlimited in scope and is systematically neutralizing all laws, existing or future, that attempt to limit this new, limitless right to reproductive freedom. It lays out numerous restrictions on abortion and other laws that could be repealed by Amendment 3 if it were approved by voters, including restrictions on when abortions can be performed and bans on certain stem cell research.

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Lawsuit seeks to remove Missouri abortion-rights amendment from ballot
A controversial housing development in Irmo is now the subject of a lawsuit that wants to block the town from reconsidering a plan to bring more than 500 homes to the Lake Murray area.

The lawsuit filed Monday by town resident Adam Raynor accuses Irmo of not following its own procedure for approving developments, and wants a court to block the Irmo Planning Commission from reconsidering a previous decision denying the Water Walk development.

The suit comes on the heels of the planning commissions Aug. 12 decision denying approval for the 550-home development, agreeing with concerns raised by town planning staff about Water Walks density. The plans by Charleston-based developer Material Capital Partners had drawn opposition from the public over fears it would increase traffic congestion and otherwise impact neighbors to the 65-acre property on Dreher Shoals Road.

But the commission vote doesnt mean the project is dead. A statement from the town indicated the planning commission could consider a revised version of the development, perhaps as soon as next month.

The developer is considering making changes to the proposal, Irmo posted to social media. If changes are made, the revised proposal will be reviewed by the planning commission again. If the proposal remains unchanged, it will be reviewed by the town council on Sep. 17.

Raynor contends that the towns planning ordinance does not allow for the planning commission to reconsider a proposal it had previously rejected.

(O)nce a proposal is denied, the proper procedure is either to appeal the decision to the Circuit Court or to bring the decision before the Town Council, the lawsuit claims. The ordinance does not provide for the project to be returned to the Planning Commission without restarting the process.

Irmo Town Administrator Courtney Dennis told The State Tuesday he had not yet seen the lawsuit and declined to comment on pending litigation.

What the lawsuit says

Raynors lawsuit cites an email exchange with Assistance Town Administrator Doug Polen that the ordinance doesnt not prohibit the planning commission from reconsidering a revised submission, but Raynor rejects that interpretation.

(T)he Town of Irmos argument that the absence of an explicit prohibition allows for sending the project back to the Planning Commission, this interpretation is flawed, the suit says. The ordinance explicitly provides the procedure for handling denied proposals-either an appeal to the Circuit Court or review by the Town Council-implying these are the exclusive steps.

Raynor cites language in the town planning ordinance that Action shall not be initiated for an amendment to re-zone the same parcel or parcels of property or any part thereof to the same zoning classification by a property owner or owners or owners agent more often than once every 12 months.

The suit asks that the court quickly schedule a hearing and issue an injunction before the planning commission next meets on Sept. 9.

While the town ordinance does allow for the town council to consider  and even reject  a planning commission recommendation within 60 days. The towns social media indicated the council would do so absent any further action by the planning commission by its Sept. 17 meeting.

But the lawsuit asks for a restraining order preventing the Town of Irmo from conducting any hearings or taking any actions related to any similar projects that was initially denied by the Planning Commission until a final judgment is rendered by the Court. 

This lawsuit is about ensuring that the Town of Irmo follows the law and adheres to the procedural safeguards that are in place to protect the rights of all parties involved, Raynor said in a statement Tuesday. The integrity of our local governance is at stake.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A group of Austin plaintiffs filed a new lawsuit against the Austin City Council on Monday over property tax rate allocations to the Project Connect mass transit program, according to documents obtained by KXAN.

The lawsuit alleged Austin City Councils now-approved property tax rate for fiscal year 2025 violates Texas Tax Code, arguing the 2020 property tax rate increase for Project Connect funding is no longer feasible and that the tax isnt being used as promised to constituents.

We are aware of the most recent lawsuit that once again challenges the Citys authority to set aside property taxes for the voter-approved Project Connect, a city spokesperson said in a statement to KXAN. We will respond to the lawsuit through the appropriate court channels.

The lawsuit is calling on Austin City Council to correct the tax rate and reduce it by 7.93 cents per $100 valuation, which would ultimately lead to a tax levy reduction of more than $187 million.

PLAINTIFFS-ORIGINAL-CLASS-ACTION-PETITION-FOR-INJUNCTIVE-RELIEFDownload

The lawsuit also alleges that $456 million in taxpayer dollars have been stockpiled, unused for the past four years.

Plainly, the taxpayers of Austin are getting nothing, absolutely nothing, this year from this annual appropriation of the Project Connect tax, the lawsuit read.

Budget documents from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) note hundreds of millions of dollars in reserves for future project needs as part of its FY25 proposed budget. An ATP construction revenues and expenditures chart also noted those construction expenditures will ramp up in the coming years, in tandem with the expected 2027 construction start on the light rail system.

Austin voters approved in November 2020 Proposition A, which dedicated 8.75 cents per $100 valuation from the citys property tax rate for the creation of a mass transit system. That future system included both the addition of light rail transit as well as expanded rapid bus and Pickup services to accommodate riders throughout the citys network.

The latest lawsuit alleged the city advertised and committed to a Project Connect map of rail lines and rapid bus routes prior to the November election.

In July 2022, the Austin Transit Partnership  the independent entity created to primarily oversee the design and construction of the system  temporarily paused design work on the system due to the light rail portions burgeoning budget. After nearly a years worth of community engagement and design reconsiderations, the Austin City Council, CapMetro and Austin Transit Partnership adopted the first phase of light rail development in June 2023, which featured a smaller and more tailored scope.

Project Connect leadership has repeatedly said this first phase is an initial investment that will be expanded upon down the road. In a statement Tuesday, ATP Executive Director Greg Canally said the organization has made key investments in Austin in recent years, including design work on the upcoming light rail system alongside a new train station and MetroRapid bus lines coming online in 2025.

ATP has made key investments in our community over the last few years  including a new train station at Q2 stadium and two new metro rapid bus lines  while at the same time advancing Austin Light Rail through the federal grant process that will bring billions of federal dollars to Texas, Canally said in the statement. Savings we have responsibly set aside in accordance with the public financial plan will be spent in upcoming years to fund construction. Just like buying a home  its always better to have a bigger down payment. Another baseless lawsuit is not going to stop ATP from advancing Austin Light Rail for all of Austin.

However, plaintiffs behind Mondays lawsuit claimed the reduction of the Project Connect plan violated the promise made to Austin voters in November 2020 and, subsequently, taxpayers following its approval.

RELATED: Project Connect trial halts, punted to Third Court of Appeals

Plaintiffs on the lawsuit included residents Cathy Cocco and Barbara Epstein, Dirty Martins Place, former Texas State Senate Member Gonzalo Barrientos, Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez, former Austin City Council Member Ora Houston and Susana Almanza, executive director of PODER.This l

This isnt the only lawsuit challenging Project Connect. A trial centered around the validity of the funding structure behind Project Connect is waging right now in the Third Court of Appeals. That trial was slated to begin in mid-June, before Attorney General Ken Paxtons office filed an interlocutory appeal, delaying proceedings and punting it to the Third Court of Appeals.

Bill McCamley, executive director of the Austin-based transit organization Transit Forward, slammed the newest lawsuit in a Tuesday statement.

Unfortunately, the same few, anti-transit minority who frivolously filed a lawsuit last Fall are at it again. This continues to waste Austinites hard earned taxpayer money through unnecessary legal fees and possibly forcing further delays which will cost us  the voters  more. Additional courtroom delays are anti-democratic, anti-affordability, anti-environment and anti-safety, the statement read in part. Transit Forward urges the City to vigorously defend the will of the voters against this small vocal minority seeking to keep Austin from moving forward on Project Connect.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Within minutes of taking over for a defendant representing himself in a Charlotte murder trial, a lawyer questioned prosecutors DNA evidence and alleged possible criminal activity in the police departments lab.

Derek Ward, who is charged with murdering and raping his cousin, Brittini Ward, in May 2010, has until now been found mentally unfit to stand trial. Last week, after being in jail for 14 years, he chose to represent himself against charges that could sentence him to life in prison.

But on Monday, he asked Mecklenburg Assistant Public Defender Michael Kabakoff to take over before cross examining Aby Moeykens, a DNA analyst at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments Crime Lab.

Moeykens said in court that Ward was a possible contributor to the DNA collected from Brittinis body.

Kabakoff quickly brought up concerns over the integrity of CMPDs Crime Lab. In March, Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather announced that the lab was under investigation for procedural irregularities.

In court, Kabakoff revealed for the first time publicly that a DNA analyst who started working in that lab in 2016 was altering control DNA profiles, which are used to test the accuracy of DNA analysis.

Moeykens confirmed an employee remains under investigation for allegedly altering samples to make a DNA profile appear when the employee was there previously.

But Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorneys Nikki Robinson and Kimberly Gardner objected to Kabakoffs questions, saying the employee under investigation was never involved in Wards case.

CMPD and the DAs office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday evening.

Chief Superior Court Judge Carla Archie removed the jury from the courtroom while Kabakoff questioned Moeykens.

Fit to stand trial?

Last week, on the second day of the trial, Kabakoff gave Archie 14 pages of notes detailing his jail visits with Ward.

Kabakoff argued Ward was suffering from his mental illness again. Ward previously said he would slay everyone in court if he is acquitted, told Kabakoff there was a poltergeist in the courtroom and said he thought a potential juror was in the Illuminati, according to the notes.

Archie maintained that Ward was fit to stand trial. He understood the charges he faced and repercussions he could face if found guilty, she said.

He also understood the risks of representing himself, she said, noting Kabakoffs entry about Ward asking for his business card to make a show of ripping it up and throwing it on the floor.

Ward directed Kabakoff to the row of seats meant for courtroom observers.

On Monday, shortly after a DNA expert took the witness stand, Ward reinstated Kabakoff as his primary defense.

Archie allowed it but told Ward he cannot simply insert [Kabakoff] when it feels like its convenient. Kabakoff will need to remain his defense through the rest of trial, she said.

I want to make sure you dont waffle and change your mind, she said.

Ward said he wouldnt.

Ward family testifies in pro se murder trial

Kabakoff watched, relatively powerlesss, last week as Brittinis mother and three of her siblings testified against Ward. Their testimony pieced together a timeline of Brittinis murder and Wards looming presence in their life after she died on May 5, 2010.

The family hadnt met Ward before he showed up at Providence Courts apartment 201. He came with a cousin named Bradley, someone they did know, in the middle of April 2010. Then he returned alone, they said.

He didnt leave until he was arrested.

An article about Derek Wards arrest in his cousins murder, published in The Charlotte Observer on May 26, 2010.

Ward slept on their couch, ate at their dining table and walked along their apartments sidewalk, they said.

Ward slept in Brittinis bed and filled her dresser with his clothes, they testified, and he hardly let Brittinis mother, Dawn Ward, see her children by herself.

Ward questioned all of them.

He asked Brittinis mother and siblings if they felt threatened by him around the time of Brittinis death. They said yes.

He asked experts if a Taser could have caused Brittinis injuries  a bruised neck and torn vagina  to worsen and eventually kill her, referencing a Raleigh lawsuit that alleges police killed a man by tasing him six times. They said no. There was no evidence a Taser had been used, they added.

Wards words were met with dozens of objections from the prosecutors and stern reminders from Archie. He needed to cut the commentary about the facts of the case and get straight to the questions, she said.

Wards case was Charlottes first pro se trial  where a defendant represents themselves  since Todd Bodericks 2016 bench trial on his charges of killing his 6-month-old child.

That case ended in a mistrial, and a later trial in 2019 resulted in his conviction.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
ORLANDO, Fla. (ABC4)  An investment firm for the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a filing that would see Orlando, Fla., nearly double in size.

On Monday, Farmland Reserve announced it is seeking to voluntarily annex 52,450 acres of its central Florida Deseret Ranch property into the City of Orlando. The move would nearly double Orlandos size, which currently has a reported acreage of nearly 88,000.

The ranch, founded in 1950, reportedly focuses on producing fruit, harvesting timber, and running a cattle operation, while leasing land for solar energy.

Doug Rose, the president of Farmland Reserve, said annexing into Orlando would allow the firm to look ahead to the future and beyond by helping establish a long-term vision as an integral, unified planning area in a growing region.

Students wearing blackface at southern Utah football game awarded school spirit prize, parent claims

We are a caring, responsible landowner who works sustainably and gives back to our communities. We see planning as investing in a healthy, prosperous future for Central Florida, said Rose. Putting this Deseret Ranch property under a single municipal government will avoid the piecemeal planning of the past.

Farmland Reserve said the land would be designated as the East Orlando Deseret Ranch Planning Area. The investment firm would work alongside Orlando City Planners to build a framework in the area to facilitate smart growth in the future. Until that growth happens, however, the land in the area would remain in agriculture.

The announcement comes at an interesting time in Orange County where Orlando is located. According to reporting from the Orlando Sentinel, Orange County voters will decide in November whether or not to give the county the power to veto attempts to annex lands into cities.

Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings said the central Florida and Orange County area have been experiencing record growth for several decades. This growth has put strain and pressure on the areas ecological, environmental, transportation, and other systems.

Gross misrepresentations: LDS Church speaks on portrayals in Hollywood

This has made it difficult to maintain the high quality of life for many of our residents, which has necessitated Orange County to create new plans that will provide adequate protections for maintaining our high standards of living, said Demings in a statement. As such, the County has sought to directly give our electorate the opportunity to vote on a balanced annexation philosophy between Orange County and its municipalities.

Demings said that if property owners have the right balance in protecting the environment and responsibly sustainably managing growth, Orange County residents shouldnt fear the countys vision for growth management.

Central Florida is our home. This is not just where we work  its where we live and raise our families, said Deseret Ranch General Manager Clint Richardson. Over the years, we have demonstrated our commitment to working with our neighbors to find solutions to regional issues to preserve what we all love about living here.

Mayor Demings added that Orange County has had a lengthy harmonious relationship with Farmland Reserve and Deseret Ranch. Both Rose and Richardson said Farmland Reserve and Deseret Ranch look forward to planning with Orlando for the growth that will affect ranch lands in upcoming years.

Leaders with the City of Orlando will now review Farmland Reserves application for voluntary annexation before it will be brought to the city council for consideration.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Learner drivers desperate to book lessons and tests are being targeted by scammers posing as instructors online, a leading driving school boss has warned.

Fraudsters are using fake social media profiles to con younger customers into handing over hundreds of pounds for non-existent lessons and tests, Red Driving School chief executive Seb Goldin said.

It comes amid a national shortage of driving test places after the halting of all tests during the Covid-19 pandemic caused a backlog that has not been cleared.

Mr Goldin, who runs one of Britains biggest driver training companies, said: Customers of ours have basically been scammed into thinking theyre buying packages of driver training sessions and lessons from us, and then actually theyre not.

Theyre buying it from people who then disappear. Weve got two children learning with us, and they basically got diverted, somehow, off our website, onto a scam website.

Mr Goldin said one of the teenagers was scammed out of 800 by impersonators claiming to be genuine Red Driving School staff.

A black market exists for driving tests, with shady individuals using networks of Facebook and WhatsApp pages seen by The Telegraph to offer driving test places at inflated prices.

Officially, tests can be booked online through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) website for 62. But there are no rules preventing booked tests from being resold to other people at higher prices.

Registered driving instructors do have the ability to reallocate driving tests, said Mr Goldin, explaining that tests can be swapped around legitimate instructors for free depending on when their students are ready for the practical exam.

The DVSA has previously said it is trying to tackle the backlog of driving tests.

When asked if the situation had improved, Mr Goldin said: Short answer, no. Its actually getting worse because consumers are more and more aware that theres a shortage of driving tests.

DVSA stats are showing that the pass rate is actually going down because people are just grabbing whatever test they can and showing up less prepared than they otherwise would have been to take those tests.

Ellen Pasternack, a motorist who spent four years stuck as a learner thanks to the nationwide shortage of tests, is campaigning to force the DVSA to do more to clear the test backlog.

I managed to sit my first practical about 18 months after I first started learning, and, very frustratingly, I didnt pass it, and then I went to try and book another and there just werent any, she said.

Ive heard quite a lot of cases of people being scammed by it, and it seems quite a bit of a Wild West [situation].

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A tire explosion at a maintenance shop at Atlantas airport sent a piece of metal flying like a missile Tuesday morning, killing two workers and seriously injuring another.

Sources confirm to Channel 2 Action News that a tire that was being worked on inside a shop exploded, killing a Delta employee and a contractor.

The Clayton County Medical Examiners Office has identified the victims as Mirko Marweg, 58, of Stone Mountain and Luis Aldarondo, 37, of Newnan.

A second Delta employee suffered a major injury. That persons identity and condition have also not been released.

Delta Air Lines released a statement on Tuesday morning that confirmed two people were killed in the incident and another person was injured.

The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3). We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Details on what led up to the explosion have not been released.

In a note to Delta employees, officials said the accident happened inside the wheel and brake shop.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens released a statement sharing his condolences to the families.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery. AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on the scene, working diligently to address the situation, he wrote.

According to flight information associated with the planes tail number, the aircraft arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Airport officials have confirmed that there is no impact to airport operations because of this incident.

The Federal Aviation Administration says they are aware of the incident and is in communication with Delta.

OSHA is also investigating the incident.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
BAGHDAD, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a Shiite militia group, announced on Tuesday that it had carried out a drone attack on a "vital site" in Haifa, northern Israel.

In a statement, the militia said the attack on Monday evening was made "in solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip," pledging to continue targeting "the enemy's strongholds."

The statement did not specify details about the targeted site or any casualties.

Israeli authorities have yet to comment on the reported attack.

Since the onset of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted numerous attacks on Israeli and U.S. targets in the region to show support for Palestinians in Gaza. 
At least 4 dead, 5 injured in Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih hotel

A Russian missile struck a hotel in Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast late at night on Aug. 26, according to the city's military administration head, Oleksandr Vilkul.

Search and rescue workers discovered under the rubble the body of a fourth person killed in the attack, Ukraine's State Emergency Service confirmed on overnight on Aug. 28. Five others were also injured in the attack.

Two of the wounded civilians  a 43-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man  were hospitalized. The woman is in critical condition, the governor said.

Apart from the hotel, the attack also damaged six shops, four multi-story buildings, and eight cars.

Kryvyi Rih, with a population of around 660,000, is the second most populous city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It has suffered multiple deadly attacks by Russian forces since the outbreak of the full-scale war.

Another hotel was struck by Russian forces on Aug. 24 in Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast. The strike on the Safir (Sapphire) Hotel killed British national Ryan Evans, a security adviser for Reuters, and injured six others, including two local female residents.

Read also: Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion, Air Force reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
At least 30 dead after dam collapses in Sudan, UN agency says

At least 30 people have been killed following the collapse of a dam in Sudans northwest Red Sea State, according to the United Nationss emergency relief agency. Hundreds more are believed missing, Reuters reported.

Flash flooding decimated 20 villages and damaged a further 50 after the Arbaat Dam collapsed Sunday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. It estimated 50,000 people had been severely affected by the disaster.

In the villages of Khor-Baraka and Tukar, residents were reportedly forced to flee for safety, OCHA also said, citing local officials. It added that the final death toll could rise significantly.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) footage of the aftermath shows industrial trucks buried in mud and debris, some laden with crates and personal belongings. Other vehicles are almost unrecognizable on the silty riverbank.

One resident who lived near the dam, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, described in another video from AFP how the dam broke and the water swept away around 40 people.

In the area where Im from, the Tabub area they told me that all the houses and everything was swept away, he said.

Another resident, Ali Issa, was pictured saying he had helped to rescue families, elderly people, and children who were trapped in their cars when the floodwaters rose. We came to the area to check out the situation but we couldnt reach the Arbaat Dam because there was so much water, he said.

Initial reports indicated torrential rains had caused the dam to breach, OCHA said, adding this had resulted in the reservoir behind it being fully drained.

Damaged trucks buried in the mud after the collapse of the Arba'at Dam in Sudan following heavy rains and torrential floods on August 25, 2024. - AFP/Getty Images

The dam facility supplies fresh water to Port Sudan, the countrys fifth largest city, which is about 38 kilometers (23 miles) to the southeast.

OCHA said the damage was expected to worsen the humanitarian situation in Red Sea State. In recent months, aid agencies have warned Sudan is on the brink of collapse and starvation following more than a year of civil war.

Sudans Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Haitham Muhammad Ibrahim, promised emergency humanitarian assistance including the provision of basic medicines and medical personnel during a visit to the region Sunday, according to a statement by his office. He also committed to provide resources to support evacuation efforts.

On Monday,Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief and head of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Tokhar, an area devastated by the weekends storms but unaffected by the dam collapse, according to a statement from the council. Footage posted to X by the council shows Al-Burhan speaking with residents of the town, roughly 170km south of Arbaat.

The region surrounding the Arbaat Dam has been wracked with humanitarian challenges. The region hosts nearly 240,000 displaced people, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration.

OCHA said it is liaising with partners, including United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund and WASH Cluster and local officials to reach communities affected by the collapse.

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At least 6 Russian drones flew into Belarus during mass attack on Ukraine, monitoring group says

At least six Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones flew off course and entered Belarus during Russia's mass attack on Ukraine on Aug. 26, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported on Aug. 27.

Russia targeted 15 of Ukraine's 24 oblasts on Aug. 26, launching over 200 missiles and drones as part of the largest-ever aerial attack against Ukraine.

The first drones flew into Belarusian air space just after midnight on Aug. 26, followed by more between 00:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., the monitoring group said. The drones reportedly flew into Belarus via Ukraine's Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts.

According to the monitoring group, the Belarusian Air Force patrolled the air above southern Belarus "virtually all night."

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported on the evening of Aug. 26 that Ukraine downed 102 missiles and 99 drones of the 127 missiles and 109 drones launched by Russia during the attack.

"In addition, several units of UAVs were lost in location on the territory of Ukraine, two more crossed the state border with Belarus," Oleshchuk said.

Hajun reported earlier in August that at least nine Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones flew off course and entered Belarus during Russia's attacks on Ukraine throughout July.

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The monitoring group noted that "despite the massive and regular flights of UAVs into the airspace of Belarus," Minsk made "practically no comments" on the situation.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko then claimed on Aug. 10 that Belarusian air defense had downed several Ukrainian drones the previous night.

Lukashenko called the incident "a Ukrainian provocation" and ordered military reinforcements near the border with Ukraine.

Hajun described the claims as "nonsense" and said that "no drones were detected" in Belarus on Aug. 9.

Read also: Ukraine has not officially requested withdrawal of Belarusian troops from border, Minsk claims

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The monitoring group Belaruski Hajun claims that at least six Russian Shahed UAVs flew into the territory of Belarus overnight and that aircraft from the Belarusian Air Force were in the air all night.

Source: Belaruski Hajun, an independent Belarusian military monitoring media outlet, on Telegram

Quote from Belaruski Hajun: "At least six Shahed kamikaze drones flew into Belarus from Ukraine last night. According to @eRadarrua, Shaheds flew into the airspace of Belarus from the Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts of Ukraine."

Details: The first two reportedly entered Belarus at around 00:09, with further incursions at around 00:30, 01:00, 03:27 and 05:55.

Earlier, the fact that the Shaheds [at least one - ed.] flew into Belarus was confirmed by Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force.

Belaruski Hajun reports that the Belarusian Air Force aircraft were on patrol in the skies over southern Belarus virtually all night. It is reported that the fighter jet from Baranovichi, which was scrambled at around 00:15, returned only at 02:00 and was back in the sky again at 02:45.

Why it matters: In the summer of 2024, Russian kamikaze drones have repeatedly been recorded flying into the territory of Belarus. This happened on 13 and 16 July, as well as on 21 August. The self-proclaimed authorities of Belarus have not commented on these facts.

Background:

Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraines Air Force, said that on the night of 26-27 August, the Russians attacked Ukraine with ten missiles of various types and 81 Shahed attack drones. The Ukrainian Air Force downed five cruise missiles and 60 UAVs. The attack killed four people and injured 16.

On 26 August, Russia launched 236 aerial weapons on Ukraine. Ukraine's air defence downed 102 missiles and 99 attack drones.

As a result of the Russian combined attack on 26 August, five people were killed and at least 17 injured.

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At least four dead, 16 injured in fresh Russian attacks on Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, pictured at a press conference at the Ukraine Conference. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Russia has launched heavy airstrikes on Ukraine for the second consecutive night, killing four people and injuring several more, Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday.

At least four people were reported killed in the attacks: two due to a missile strike on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih and two others in drone attacks on Zaporizhzhya.

"We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the social media platform X.

Zelensky said at least 16 others were injured in the attacks, which reportedly featured cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles.

Amid some of the heaviest bombing since the conflict began, some 52,000 people in Kiev took refuge in underground stations as sirens rang throughout the capital, Ukrainian media said.

All flying objects targeting Kiev were shot down, the capital's military authorities said.

However, hits and damage were reported in the Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Khmelnytskyi regions.

The Ukrainian Air Force said five Russian cruise missiles and 60 of 81 deployed drones were intercepted, but three Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missiles and two Iskander missiles could not be shot down.

The attacks were primarily aimed at Ukraine's energy system, analysts observed, although unconfirmed reports suggested the Starokostiantyniv air base in the western Khmelnytskyi region may also have been a target.

The latest bombings came a day after Moscow launched an attack involving 127 missiles along with over 100 combat drones, the highest number reported by the Ukrainian military in two and a half years of conflict.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A Lebanon man was sentenced in federal court today for sexually exploiting children from several different countries.

Springfield homeowner finds Buried treasure in his floors

According to a press release, John Anthony Carpenter, 43, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and then 25 years of supervised release following incarceration. Carpenter was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to his victims and be registered as a sex offender.

On April 13, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Carpenters residence in relation to two separate child sexual exploitation investigations in Connecticut and New Jersey. Officers located Carpenter at his place of employment and he turned over two cell phones to investigators.

Carpenter told investigators he admitted to viewing child pornography, sending child pornography, and soliciting child pornography from multiple victims. Carpenter sent Robux (the currency used with the online game platform Roblox) to juvenile females in exchange for nude photos and videos.

The press release said investigators found 36 pre-paid Robux cards in Carpenters bedroom. Carpenter told investigators that, a week prior, he sent a $10 Robux gift card to a 16 or 17-year-old girl in exchange for nude images of her.

Investigators found 956 files of child sexual abuse material and 6,512 files of child exploitative or age-difficult material on Carpenters electronic devices including minor victims living in Dubai, the Phillippines, and the U.K.

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LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Lebanon Police Department investigated what they called a domestic situation that closed part of a bypass Monday night.

Woman dead after more than 50 shots fired in Bordeaux

Police posted to Facebook officers were on the scene of a domestic situation just after 10 p.m. on West Baddour at Fairview Avenue.

All affected residents in the area have been contacted and sheltered for safety, the post read, in part. The Bypass will be closed between North Cumberland and Fairview Avenue for additional safety measures.

Lebanon police later reported that Daniel Harris was taken into custody without incident. Harris had barricaded himself inside a residence and faces multiple criminal charges, including domestic assault and aggravated burglary.

Security guard indicted in death of bar patron at Tin Roof

We are grateful that no one was injured and appreciate the diligent work of our department in ensuring a safe apprehension, the post read, in part.

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Leesburg mystery: It has been 18 years since 2-year-old Trenton Duckett went missing

Trenton Duckett's dad wears a T-shirt with his picture at a vigil in downtown Leesburg in 2019. Duckett disappeared Aug. 27, 2006.

LEESBURG  Aug. 27 marks 18 years since Trenton Duckett was reported missing in 2006.

To this day, no one knows his whereabouts.

The Leesburg Police Department, working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Gas Station TV, have coordinated media efforts at gas pumps throughout Florida to display Trenton Ducketts poster, showing an age-progressed photo, throughout September.

A candlelight vigil was scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Leesburg City Hall, 501 W. Meadow St.

According to a Daily Commercial story after his disappearance, Trenton initially seemed to have been taken from his mothers home through a window, police said at the time.

Melinda Duckett, Trentons mother, cast suspicion on husband Josh, saying he may have taken Trenton as they continued through divorce proceedings.

But when Josh took a polygraph and vocal strain test to determine if he was a suspect, he passed with flying colors.

Public suspicion eventually turned to Melinda, who declined to take a polygraph test and reportedly gave inconsistent stories to investigators that cast doubt on when and where Trenton disappeared.

After an interview with television personality Nancy Grace, who at the time hosted a show on HLN, Melinda committed suicide just 13 days after her son disappeared.

If you have any information that can help find Trenton, call the Leesburg Police Department at 352-787-2121.

This story includes reporting from former Daily Commercial reporter Payne Ray

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Leesburg, Florida boy Trenton Duckett still missing, 18 years later
Riggio died on Aug. 27 in New York surrounded by his loving family," a representative confirms to PEOPLE

A. Messerschmidt/Getty Leonard Riggio in 2005

Leonard Riggio, founder and former chairman of bookstore chain Barnes & Noble, has died at age 83.



A representative for Riggio confirmed his death on Aug. 27 to PEOPLE. Riggio died in New York after a battle with Alzheimers disease surrounded by his loving family.



Riggio was born on Feb, 28, 1941 in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, and spent his formative years in Brooklyn, where he skipped two grades while attending Brooklyn Technical High School. He attended night school at New York University and worked as a stock boy at the campus bookstore, before he decided to venture into retail.

Rose Hartman/Getty Leonard Riggio in 2003

Riggio founded Barnes & Noble in 1971, when he acquired the trade name and the then-flagship store in Manhattan.



We shaped New York bookselling as much as New York shaped us, Riggio told Publishers Weekly in 2007. Throughout his nearly 50 years at the helm of the company, Riggio helped expand the store nationally and opened some of its first superstores. He also innovated the store into a location where people could socialize and linger, according to the New York Times. Riggio stepped down from his chairman role in 2019.



In addition to Barnes and Noble, Riggio founded Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, MBS Textbook and video game company GameStop. According to PR Newswire, the companies under Riggios operation totaled more than 5,000 retail stores nationwide at the height of his career, and employed more than 100,000 people.

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Leonard Riggio in 2018

A longtime advocate for literary, public education and the arts, Riggio founded initiatives like the Writing and Democracy Program at The New School, the Close the book on Hate" program for the Anti-Defamation League and the DIA: Beacon, one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world. He was also the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Frederick Douglass Medallion and the Americanism Award, which is the highest honor one can receive from the Anti-Defamation League.

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Riggio is survived by Louise, his wife of 43 years, daughters Lisa Rollo (Christopher), Donna Cortese (Steven) and Stephanie Bulger (Michael), as well as his brother Stephen (Laura), grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

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Read the original article on People.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

The new indictment dropped certain specific allegations against Trump but retains the same four criminal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday filed a new indictment in the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, following a Supreme Court decision that granted Trump sweeping immunity from prosecution for his "official" conduct as president.

The new indictment dropped certain specific allegations against Trump but retains the same four criminal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

The indictment accused the former president of orchestrating a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election and disenfranchise millions of voters, a plan that allegedly led to a series of violent attacks on police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The defendant used his campaign to "repeat and widely disseminate" false claims of election fraud, "to make his knowingly false claims appear legitimate, create an intense of national atmosphere of mistrust and anger, and erode public faith in the administration of the election," the court filing showed.

Trump has repeatedly denied all charges. Trump's lawyers have argued that the former president's words and actions on and before Jan. 6, 2021 amounted to legitimate inquiry about possible election fraud.

Trump's team previously dismissed the indictment based on presidential immunity, arguing that a president has absolute immunity from criminal prosecution.

On July 1, the U.S. Supreme Court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, ruled that Trump is immune for actions taken in his "official" capacity as president. The court also directed the lower courts to reassess the case and determine which allegations cannot be prosecuted.

"In an apparent bid to downplay any connection between Trump's conduct and his official duties, the new charging document repeatedly emphasizes the political and personal nature of many of the actions Trump took during the post-election period and on Jan. 6, 2021," according to a report by Politico.

Despite the latest efforts, it's unlikely that this case will go to trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election. If Trump wins, he could instruct his appointees at the Justice Department to dismiss the case. 
Residents across Massachusetts are being urged to stay inside at night after a deadly mosquito-transmitted illness appeared in the state.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts health officials confirmed that a man in his 80s living in Worcester County, west of Boston, had contracted the first human case of eastern equine encephalitis virus in the state this year.

We have not seen an outbreak of EEE for four years in Massachusetts, Robbie Goldstein, the states department of public health commissioner, said in a statement published by the Washington Post. We need to use all our available tools to reduce risk and protect our communities. We are asking everyone to do their part.

Heightening fears the virus may be spreading across New England, on Tuesday, health officials in New Hampshire reported a man in the state who tested positive for mosquito-borne illness had died. The last case reported in New Hampshire was in 2014.

The infection, also known as sleeping sickness, stems from the bites of infected mosquitoes and can carry serious risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While rare, the virus is fatal in about 30% of cases.

Cases of the sometimes fatal eastern equine encephalitis virus have been found in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, prompting health officials to urge residents to take serious precautions. Jaromir via Getty Images

Though many infections are asymptomatic, those hit with serious cases of the virus can experience fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness.

The National Institute of Health reports that survivors often suffer ongoing neurological problems, which can include seizures, slowed speech and trouble moving.

The CDC says there are no vaccines or specific treatments for the infections, making avoiding mosquitos even more critical.

On Saturday, Massachusetts health officials said 10 communities are currently deemed to be at high or critical risk for the virus.

Across those communities, towns have moved to close parks after dusk, restrict outdoor activities and reschedule public events.

Officials are asking residents to take precautions such as using mosquito repellents, draining any standing water around their homes, wearing clothing that covers the skin and avoiding the outdoors between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes most commonly occur.

The outbreak comes as Americans are starting to experience extended mosquito seasons, prompted by rising temperatures from climate change.

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Letters to the Editor: CEQA hasn't been overhauled. That's good news for Californians

To the editor: In his op-ed article calling for reforming the California Environmental Quality Act, William Fulton does not acknowledge the reason that the law has not been drastically overhauled: It empowers a very broad range of the state's population, including the most vulnerable.

CEQA is a bill of rights for an environmental, participatory democracy.

In addition to being relied upon by environmental groups, labor unions and community-based organizations, it has also empowered public agencies, Native American tribes and others who are seeking to protect California's precious environment and resources.

An across-the-board deregulatory approach that fails to encompass the nuances necessary to protect California's diverse population with its multiplicity of interests is not going to fly in the Legislature, nor should it.

Doug Carstens, Hermosa Beach

The writer is an environmental attorney.

..

To the editor: Proponents of big projects dangle the prospect of money (and the threat of not doing the project) to get exemptions from CEQA. Everyone else gets to slog through the process, playing whack-a-mole for every objection and paying dearly for it.

The environment rarely even benefits.

Suggestion: Proponents of a high-profile project agree to exemptions if they also follow CEQA on a parallel path, with commitments to expedited reviews. And they should fund an effort to engage stakeholders to redesign the process as they go. This group would produce recommendations for revisions for the broader benefit.

Douglas Hileman, Valley Glen

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  LG NOVA gave the community a glimpse into its new Morgantown offices Monday evening at an event that Head of LG NOVA Sokwoo Rhee said marks the real official launch of LG NOVAs operation in West Virginia and Morgantown.

Rhee told 12 News that LG NOVA has been preparing for this event for the past eight months, following an announcement this past January that the company would be partnering with West Virginia. He said that things took a while as a result of ironing out agreements and other legal items, but now that theyre established in West Virginia, theyve already begun the process of creating new businesses.

So LG NOVA creates companies and creates new businesses, said Rhee. And we spin it out as a separate company with its own missionlargely aligned with LG NOVAs mission.

The organizations first spin-off company is called Primefocus Health, a digital health venture made possible through a partnership with Marshall Health Networks. Rhee said that Primefocus uses remote technologies to monitor and treat patients who would otherwise not be able to come into a hospital often or at all.

Rhee said that through Monday evenings event, he would like the community to have a better understanding of what LG is, and what theyre trying to accomplish in West Virginia.

We are not building a factory per se, Rhee said. We are building a new business flywheelor new innovative flywheel that is gonna create additional new businesses in [the] next 10 to 20 years in West Virginia.

Atlantic Corvette Caravan makes a pitstop at Stonewall Resort

Through new partnerships, Rhee said that LG NOVA is hoping to work with local start-ups and help establish start-up solutions so that they can provide a bigger business offering. This is really a partnership to create additional business and grow the ecosystem exponentially, he added.

According to Rhee, this event was different from a traditional groundbreaking, and he wants people to view the new LG offices as more than your typical corporate structures. This is gonna be a big launch of a long journey, he stated.

Rhee said that he uses the words long journey because the progress is not particularly linear throughout this process. We catalyze at this innovation and were gonna work very closely with the universities and the government and all that, and at some point, wed like to grow exponentially with a local start-up ecosystem. More jobs and more businesses here in West Virginia.

Rhee told 12 News that the reason why LG chose West Virginia as the companys next location to expand is because he was really impressed by the states participation in making the partnership work. The eagerness, the energy, and willingness to work with corporations like LG to create their local economy a flywheel of innovation, he added.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue investigated a condominium fire at Egypt Lake Beach Club Condominium early Tuesday morning.

HCFR responded to a call around 2 a.m. reporting heavy smoke coming from the building. Once on the scene, HCFR confirmed a working fire with smoke and flames coming from the third-story complex.

According to HCFR, The condo did lose power due to a lightning strike in the area around 6 p.m. Monday.

They went searching for the source, potentially a lightning strike or a fire secondary to the actual strike but they couldnt locate anything. Went to bed and about 2:30 this morning smoke alarms woke them up and thats when they noticed the whole room was filled with smoke, said Danny Alvarez, Acting Public Safety Information Chief.

The fire affected three units, and Red Cross has been contacted to assist those residents.

No injuries were reported, but two cats are unaccounted for, according to HCFR.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
As a motion to dismiss Rodney Lil Rod Jones bombshell lawsuit against rap and fashion mogul Sean Diddy Combs has resurfaced the case in the courts and media, the upstart producer accusing the powerful industry player of grooming and exposing him to several crimes spoke out in an interview as he remains in hiding. Lil Rod revealed he is having suicidal thoughts, is broke and afraid to appear in public as he believes he will be killed, but says that he will continue standing up for justice.

On Monday, attorneys representing Diddys camp fired back at the 38-year-old musician with their motion to dismiss the Rodney Jones v. Sean Combs civil case. The motion claims that Jones, who spent over a year living and traveling with Combs and has multiple production credits on Diddys 2023 Grammy-nominated The Love Album, is merely using the accusations to obtain what he sees as unpaid income for his contributions to Diddys record.

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During an interview, Jones steadfastly maintained that the shocking details in his complaint are true and did not hold back while speaking to Rolling Stone about Combs.

Hes a monster, Jones told the magazine. Hell do whatever is necessary to get exactly what he wants. He doesnt take no for an answer. He [told me] himself, Ill smack my mama. Anybody who can say that even jokingly is a monster. Hes nothing to be played with. For a person whose brand is Love Records, and changed their name to Love and named their kid Love, he doesnt show love. Hes just marketing.

In 2022, Jones was hired by Combs to work on Diddys first studio record since 2006. For over a year, Jones says he spent time living with Diddy in three different homes and experienced and witnessed multiple salacious events that include his sexual assault, being forced by Combs to engage in sex acts, being made to solicit sex workers, being drugged, humiliated and repeatedly groped on his anus and genitals by actor Cuba Gooding Jr. while in Diddys orbit.

Jones case was filed Feb. 26 in New York federal court, and he seeks $30 million in restitution. In the amended filing, which came shortly after the complaint was initially entered, Jones added further details, stating that a RICO enterprise exists that repeatedly failed to adequately monitor, warn or supervise Combs as Jones suffered abuse at his hands.

Combs attorney, Erica Wolff, wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Mr. Jones lawsuit is pure fiction  a shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement. There was no RICO conspiracy and Mr. Jones was not threatened, groomed, assaulted, or trafficked. We look forward to proving  in a court of law  that all of Mr. Joness claims are made-up and must be dismissed.

Speaking of his time with Diddy to Rolling Stone, Jones characterized the Bad Boy founder as more executive than musician. It was after hed entered the moguls inner circle, he said, that he began to understand his ear in terms of producing music; but this was when the pattern of abuse started. Jones recalled to the outlet being invited to a Thanksgiving dinner where he believed no one would speak because as they were within Combs orbit, they all had signed nondisclosure agreements.

About 10 minutes later, Puff comes rolling in with Yung Miami and others following behind. Assistants were lighting candles, giving us cocktails, Jones recalled. He went in his bathroom attached to the studio and summoned me and DeForrest. He asked me if I had a $100 bill. There were three white lines on the sink. He was asking me to do something Ive never done before. It was awkward. He was trying to get me to do some drugs. I dont want to judge anybody, but thats at the top of my list of things Im afraid to do.

From there, according to Jones legal filing, he witnessed a number of crimes while working with Combs, including an accusation that the mogul was involved in a shooting at a recording studio in 2022. Now, Jones says he is in hiding and unable to get any of his music picked up or distributed, given Combs power in the industry.

Because of this lawsuit, most people dont want to come near working with me for whatever reasons, whether theyve been in partnership with Puff or they want to just sit back and see what happens, Jones told Rolling Stone.

Hes a gatekeeper in the music industry, he added of Combs. In this industry, to be successful, you have to have worked with someone like him or Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Kanye or 50 Cent. So many people Ive worked with have had business deals with him. I reached out to try to get a deal for my album, and people dont want to get involved.

Jones, whose path to taking on Combs in court began with a GoFundMe page he titled Help Me Sue Sean Diddy Combs, wherein he explained being stiffed by the artist, says that hes broke now and is unable to pay for security to keep himself safe as his case moves through the courts. He sees three therapists and points the interviewer to the shocking video of Combs physically assaulting his girlfriend, performing artist Cassie, in a video that leaked online earlier this year.

Despite essentially going underground, Jones says that he was thrown a lifeline this year by T-Pain, whom hed previously produced, to be the band leader at a massive gig at the Hollywood Bowl in June. He explained how it was not a great experience, as his mind fell back into a trauma state. I didnt want to walk to the bathroom without somebody being with me.

Jones has until Sept. 9 to respond to Mondays motion to dismiss.

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MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The jury started deliberations in the capital murder trial of Frederic Rogers who is charged, along with John Legg, with killing seven people in Valhermoso Springs in June 2020.

Todays testimony comes after the state rested its case against the defendant on August 26.

News 19s Chief Investigative Reporter Brian Lawson tweeted about the next steps now that the state has rested its case.

Next step will be whether defense puts on its own case. Defense said at trial opening Rogers was guilty, but they hope to spare his life. If hes found guilty, the trial goes into a penalty phase where sides argue over Rogers should get death penalty.

Rogers, 26, could face the death penalty if he is convicted. Legg does not yet have a trial date.

The judge told the jury, who was sworn in on August 16, that the trial was likely to last into mid-September.

Mondays trial ended with the state resting its case against Rogers after watching his interrogation video. Special Agent Christopher Hendon was called to the stand and asked about the statement Rogers signed after the interrogation was finished.

Toward the end of the interrogation video, Carl Cole said Hendon indicated that Rogers was being truthful. When asked if he meant that Hendon said, Absolutely. Hendon also confirmed that at no point in the investigation did Rogers ask for a lawyer or refuse to answer questions.

News 19s Investigative Reporter Dallas Parker is in the courtroom today to provide live trial coverage.

Dallas said the judge is currently talking to the parties, outside of the jurys presence, about jury instructions. The state rested its case yesterday and she said the defense will likely rest today.

At 9:51 a.m., Dallas said the defense rested its case and would not call more witnesses during the guilt phase of the trial.

Moving to closing arguments, the States Courtney Shellack said, Theres nothing that I need to do to convince you that hes guilty of capital murder. Were not arguing about the facts because he told you that he went there to kill everyone. He went there to kill 7 people.

Shellack said Rogers is charged with four counts of capital murder:

Count one: Capital murder during a first-degree robbery

Count two: Intentionally killing two or more people in one course of conduct

Count four: Capital murder during a second-degree burglary

Count six: Capital murder during arson

Per yesterdays trial, counts three and five were dismissed.

Shellack continues saying Rogers labeled himself Pride in the club and everything shown in the videos was proof that he did it. He asks that when the case is over, not to think of Rogers name ever again but to think of the victims.

Tammy Muzzey had 13 bullet holes in her and she was set on fire. Jeramy Roberts trusted Rogers but was shot in the back. Zane Hodgin died in the corner of the garage with seven bullet holes in him. James Benford was shot eight times. Roger Jones was asleep on the bed and was shot 16 times, most of everyone. Emily Payne was shot six times. Dakota Green was 17 when she died.

Shellack said to think about the videos and how the only time Rogers shed a tear was when he thought about how his actions impacted him, how he laughed in the interrogation video when talking about killing his friends.

Defense Attorney Brent Burney then spoke. He said, The judge is going to tell you at this point in the case that sympathy, passion and emotion have no place in this phase. Normally I would get up here and start pounding away at reasonable doubt. But as you heard day 1, this is not the typical case.

Burney said his heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims for what theyve gone through. He said, But it has to be done. When the state of Alabama wants to execute someone, we have to do it. I told you during jury selection that wed go to the penalty phase. Yall remember that?

Dallas said the jurors nodded in agreement.

Burney continues saying Rogers confessed twice and somewhere between Oregon and the Morgan County Jail he decided to come clean and tell agents why he did it.

He then talked about some of the witnesses and cross-examinations.

We pointed out some of the conduct of some of the victims, it was not to put them down because they were violating the law, we wanted you to understand that there was more there. There was substance there.

He says to the jury, You might not like what my client did, it might disgust you, but even so if the state did not prove all the elements you have to return a verdict of not guilty. You may not like it, but its what you have to do.

Burney tells the jurors that reasonable doubt does exist regarding some of the counts such as robbery and arson elements.

He then made a statement that upset some of the families in the room. He asked the jury whether a person is present in a building if they were already dead. It was a body, as cold as it sounds, but this is a court of law.

Burney said the count involving arson is a, not guilty, and then thanked the jury for their service.

During a 15-minute break, Dallas said the States Vickery started arguing about Burneys statement about the victims not being people. She said the two started arguing about case law regarding this issue and Burney said the case the state presented doesnt define what a person is.

In the states final closing, Vickery thanks the jury for being invested in the case. He said its very clear that Rogers is guilty of capital murder and that, Rogers admitted exactly what he did.

Vickery reminds the jury that during the interview, Rogers said hed hung out with Dakota before and he admitted to killing her. He said, They planned this down to the details of who would shoot when.

He continues on to talk about the arson count and how he was essentially glad the victims died before they were set on fire while Rogers only cared about getting rid of the evidence.

Dallas said the jury opted to proceed with jury instructions instead of taking a lunch break, meaning they are given instructions on what to consider in their deliberations.

The jury finished instructions and opted for a lunch break until 2 p.m.

At 2:02 p.m., the jury began deliberation. Around 3:10, the jury said they had questions about the charges and the judge called the jury back into the courtroom. The jury consists of eight women and four men.

He said he could not give the jury a copy of the charges but said he could read the elements and definitions again and the jury asked him to do so.

At 3:59 p.m., the jury decided to go home for the day. They will return at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

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Former President Donald Trump on Monday again suggested those who burn the American flag be jailed, saying he would work to undermine the right do so affirmed by the Supreme Court under the First Amendment.

Trump spoke to a gathering of the National Guard Association of the United States in Detroit in which he lamented the country was closer to World War III than ever, attacking President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Republican presidential nominee then went on to say, if elected, he would work to ban the burning of the American flag, a pledge he has made on the campaign trail for years.

Trump: "You burn an American flag, you go to jail for one year. Gotta do it. You gotta do it. They say, 'sir, that's unconstitutional.' Well make it constitutional." pic.twitter.com/qM7oNCQxQk  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2024

Burning the American flag, I want to get a law passed  you burn an American flag, you go to jail for one year. You gotta do it, Trump told the crowd. We gotta do it. They say its not constitutional. They say, Sir, thats unconstitutional. Well make it constitutional.

You burn an American flag, youll go to jail for one year.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on the issue in 1989, deciding in Texas v. Johnson that flag burning fell under First Amendment protections of free speech.

If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable, the court ruled at the time.

Trump made the remarks in front of a crowd of National Guard officers in Detroit, Michigan. Emily Elconin via Getty Images

Trump re-upped his calls for a jail sentence last month after some protesters burned an American flag in Washington, D.C., in protest of the U.S.s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Now, people will say, Oh, its unconstitutional. Those are stupid people, Trump said on Fox News in July. Those are stupid people that say that. We have to work in Congress to get a one-year jail sentence.

When theyre allowed to stomp on the flag and put lighter fluid on the flag and set it afire, when youre allowed to do that  you get a one-year jail sentence, and youll never see it again.

Harris also condemned the protests in Washington last month and the burning of the flag, but she did not call for the act to be barred.

That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America, she said at the time. It should never be desecrated in that way.

Related...
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Its a new era that American cities, counties, and states are now facing in how they can address homelessness in law and ordinance. A June ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Grants Pass vs. Johnson cleared the way for cities nationwide to enforce bans on people sleeping outside in public places.

The ruling generally gives local governments more latitude to address homeless encampments in public places. What does this mean for New Mexico? How are local leaders reacting to this Supreme Court decision?

This week on the podcast, Gabby and Chris are joined by returning guest, Professor Joshua Kastenberg of the UNM School of Law. Kastenberg provides an analysis of the SCOTUS decision and offers perspective on how larger cities are dealing with the issue.

Listen to the full discussion above or check out the video version of the podcast on the KRQE YouTube channel.

Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Podcast every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Podbean among others. The podcast is also now available in a video version on KRQEs YouTube page.

Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term KRQE or New Mexico News Podcast (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each service or listen to the audio player at the top of this post.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email the hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  Local counties in Indiana and Kentucky have issued burn bans due to ongoing dry conditions.

Posey County is now under a burn ban with immediate effect. The Posey County Emergency Management made the announcement on social media.

Officials state the burn ban will be in effect for the next seven days where conditions will be re-evaluated.

An update will be made once a decision has been made.

Warrick and Gibson counties added their burn bans Tuesday afternoon.

In Kentucky, Union County has issued their burn ban with immediate effect. Officials with the Union County Emergency Management says that no person shall light or maintain an open fire at any location.

Any person in violation can be subjected to fines between $50 and $500.

It will remain in effect until lifted by officials.

These burn bans come days before one of the busiest times of the year for campgrounds. Harmonie State Park in Posey County says they are looking to get a waiver to allow for campfires, but they wont know more until later this week.

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CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  The pumpkin show at the Canfield Fair started in a tent about 50 years ago, before moving into its own building. That building deteriorated and was destroyed in the spring.

That means theres a new location for the pumpkins. It moved right next door to what was the vegetable barn and Grange building. The new building has allowed the exhibit to have some breathing space.

Its wide open, said Craig Myers, a member of the Canfield Fair Board of Directors who oversees the pumpkin show. Theres a lot more room to mingle and look and spend some time in a pumpkin bar, other than feeling its full of people, and you got to get out as quick as you can. So were kind of happy.

All of the exhibits have stayed the same: the tree of pumpkins, the pumpkin cut-out great for pictures  plus all the gourds and squash you can find. Even the childrens exhibit of decorated pumpkins remains.

Fitting everything into a new space has been a jigsaw puzzle, but all of your favorites are still there, though some have moved. The vegetables were moved to the hay and grain building. The ODNR booth has been moved into barn 25.

Theres also more space to see the fairs largest pumpkins.

While some things change, others remain the same, and one of the constants is a secret of the fair: commemorative chips. Theres a picture of the famous cut-out where many people get their picture taken on one side and the Canfield Fair logo on the other.

There are just 500 of these commemorative chips made. For more details, fairgoers will have to ask when they visit the pumpkin barn.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Despite Gaza's deadly violence and several recent Israeli evacuation orders further disrupting aid operations, the head of UN security said on Tuesday that relief deliveries are continuing.

"The United Nations is determined to stay in Gaza to deliver life-saving aid for and with Palestinian civilians," said Gilles Michaud, the undersecretary-general for safety and security. "Humanitarian aid delivery continues -- a tremendous feat given that we are operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk."

Michaud said that humanitarians have been in the crosshairs throughout the crisis, "by far the deadliest on record for the UN."

He called the several recent mass evacuation orders the latest in a long list of unbearable threats to the UN and humanitarian personnel.

"Like most Palestinians in Gaza, we are running out of safe spaces for our own staff," Michaud said. "The timing could hardly be worse, with the start of a massive polio vaccination campaign scheduled for next week, for which large numbers of staff will need to enter the (Gaza) Strip."

He said the Israeli Defense Forces' series of evacuation orders this past weekend compound existing security threats and seriously impact the pace of safe aid deliveries.

"These constraints are beyond our control," the undersecretary-general said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that they could distribute some tents as temporary shelters in response to the evacuation orders on Monday. However, the stock is running low and limited.

OCHA said the World Food Programme (WFP) staff had to relocate to other UN premises, leaving behind their offices and guest houses in Deir al Balah. Despite these challenges, the agency continues to deliver food assistance.

"In addition to the loss of warehouses and other humanitarian premises due to evacuation orders, it remains difficult to move around the south of the Gaza Strip due to the severe overcrowding and continuous displacement," OCHA said.

The office said access of UN humanitarian partners to northern Gaza is particularly challenging as it requires coordination with the Israeli authorities and passage through an internal checkpoint.

OCHA said plans to fuel hospitals in the north of Gaza have now resulted in access being denied five times in the past week, leaving some hospitals without new provisions for fuel for over 10 days. The dependency on fuel to run backup generators is complete, as the Israeli authorities cut electricity provision from the Gaza Strip back in October.

Following the delivery of polio vaccines into Gaza, UN staff on the ground are now positioning them in 11 health centers. Beginning this weekend, they are training over 1,000 medical workers and volunteers to participate in the campaign.

Also, Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, attempted to counter some disinformation about the vaccine being administered.

"The safest and the most effective way to protect children against the polio virus, regardless of the variant, is to vaccinate them," Dujarric told reporters at a regular briefing. "This vaccine is safe. It is effective and it offers top-quality protection. It is a vaccine globally recommended for variant type 2 poliovirus outbreaks by the World Health Organization."

He said that since 2021, more than 1.2 billion vaccine doses have been used to protect children in over 40 countries.

The spokesman said the UN Children's Fund, the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, known as UNRWA, and the World Health Organization plan to roll out the campaign in Gaza this weekend. It will be done in two rounds, each consisting of two drops of oral polio vaccine type 2, for more than 640,000 children under 10 years of age, to reach at least 95 percent of the children in each round. 
WAVERLY, N.Y. (WETM)  A Lockwood man has been arrested on several charges after an incident involving a machete that occurred yesterday in Waverly.

According to the Waverly Police Department, David R. Kithcart III, 32, was arrested on Monday, Aug. 26, on the charges of assault in the first degree (class B felony), resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree and menacing in the second degree.

Elmira man sentenced 15 years in prison for Nov. scooter shooting in Elmira

Kithcarts arrest follows an investigation into a reported assault involving a machete that occurred at an apartment on Orchard Street in Waverly on the same day of his arrest around 6:49 a.m. Police say that Kithcart used a machete to harm an elderly man who sustained serious injuries as a result. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment but has since been released.

Man stabbed in the eye in downtown Elmira; suspect on the loose

Immediately following the incident, police say that Kithcart left the scene and was found later that day. While being interviewed at the police station, police say that Kithcart became aggressive and had to be restrained by police.

Kithcart was arrested at 3 p.m. and was transported to CAP court in Tioga County, New York, and is being held while he awaits further court proceedings.

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Just over two weeks after Los Angeles Unified School District schools opened their doors for the 2024-2025 school year, students in Long Beach are also headed back to class.

The Long Beach Unified School District  the fourth largest in the state after LAUSD, San Diego Unified and Fresno Unified  welcomed back most pupils in the district on Tuesday, and officials were on hand at Stephens Middle School to greet some of the districts 63,000 students bright and early.

We are really setting the tone for students for the rest of the year, said Stephens Middle School Principal Eric Cabacungan. Its not just about teaching content and academics but teaching social development and those types of skills as well.

City of Orange nixes school crossing guards, annual ceremonies amid budget cuts

According to LBUSD Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker, since in-person classes resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators have really rolled out the red carpet on the first day of school.

Its something that we see district-wide nowwith signs and school spirit and all of the ways that help students to feel comfortable and excited about coming back to school, Dr. Baker said just after the first bell rang at Stephens Middle School. We are excited to see our wellness centers in all of our secondary schools continue to elevate wellness and academic achievement [as well as] many continued interventions for students that have struggled since the pandemic.

LBUSD  which consists of 85 campuses and a $1.2 billion operating budget  has campuses throughout Long Beach, Signal Hill, Lakewood and Avalon.

Bacterial levels prompt ocean water warnings at several popular L.A. beaches

And while 63,000 students may seem like a lot, LAUSD has more than 540,000 students, good for second largest in the nation.

That pales in comparison to New York City Public Schools, which contains more than 986,000 students.

Motorists across Southern California are advised to be on the lookout for thousands of kids walking and biking to school as classes begin across the region.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
As the buses began arriving for the first day of classes Tuesday morning, high school students in Farmington became the first to walk the halls and sit in the classrooms of the towns new $145 million flagship school.

The roughly 1,250 students, 140 teachers and 60 other staffers who are inaugurating the new building this week are seeing a vastly lighter and brighter school than the one they were in last spring. The new design is heavy on airy collaborative work areas, spacious plazas and extensive natural light.

Educators are predicting the modern building will help Farmingtons goal of graduating global citizens who remain resourceful, civic-minded and inquiring into adulthood. At a ceremony Monday night, a series of speakers praised local voters for going forward with the biggest municipal project in the towns history.

I can tell you, as a teacher it matters when you show up to a work space and you know the community cares enough to make the investments to make sure students have what they need, U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes told about 1,000 residents who gathered in the gymnasium.

Our budgets represent our values. I cant thank the Farmington community enough for holding true to the values of educating our children while you are making hard budget decisions, she said. I want this for every kid in every community in Connecticut.

The campaign to replace Farmingtons high school took a winding course, and suffered a setback in 2017 when voters overwhelmingly rejected a $135 million proposal. At the time, the existing high school  an unwieldy network of a half-dozen wings and additions built between 1928 and 2003  was faltering, students and teacher said.

Advocates modified the construction plan substantially and lobbied for public support, with then-Town Council Chair C. J. Thomas, a Republican, and others spearheading a bipartisan campaign that led to a lopsided victory in 2021.

A year later, they had to ask taxpayers to authorize $9.7 million more after cost projections proved to be too optimistic. Republicans and Democrats on the school board as well as the council worked together promoting a yes vote, and the referendum passed easily.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was among the speakers Monday night who emphasized how working across party lines led to success for Farmington.

This school is truly a miracle in modern times when so much is stunted and stopped by division and disagreement. I am here to say thank you to Farmington for showing us what community looks like, he said.

Joe Capodiferro, current town council chairman and a Republican, said his town can be proud of the new 236,000-square-foot school.

This high school is the largest investment in Farmingtons history. Its a testament to hard work, collaboration, strategic planning and fiscal management, he said. This was truly a grassroots effort. Now this high school will match the academic excellence of our students and our teachers.

Many people who toured the building Monday night were second- or even third-generation Farmington residents. Speakers said they can expect the new school to serve students for another century.

As a 1996 graduate of FHS and an educator in the building since 2001, I have a deep understanding of the significance of this event, Principal Russell Crist said. My family  my parents are here this evening  has called Farmington home for almost 40 years. We moved here due to the great school system. Well that school system just got a major upgrade.

After the ceremony, Charles Ellison, a 2021 graduate, said his memory of the old school was that it was dark and crowded.

Senior Vicki Weygang said shes looking forward to her final year in a modern school without the roof leaks, hallway crowding and circuitous walks between classes that were part of life in the old building.
Look: 'Injured' bald eagle at Missouri national park was 'too fat to fly'

A supposedly "injured" bald eagle found at Missouri's Wilson's Creek National Battlefield was released after being found to be merely "too fat to fly" following a hearty meal. Photo courtesy of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield/Facebook

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A supposedly "injured" bald eagle rescued from a national park in Missouri was found to be merely "too fat to fly" after eating a bit too much raccoon.

The official Facebook page for Wilson's Creek National Battlefield posted that Missouri Department of Conservation officers were summoned to the edge of the park to capture a bald eagle that was "originally reported to be injured."

The post said the eagle "was found to be healthy but engorged with raccoon -- in other words, too fat to fly."

The Dickerson Park Zoo took X-rays of the eagle, which revealed a recent meal of what appeared to be a fairly large roadkill raccoon.

"The eagle has been rehabilitated and released back into the park," the post said.

A supposedly "injured" bald eagle found at Missouri's Wilson's Creek National Battlefield was released after being found to be merely "too fat to fly" following a hearty meal. Photo courtesy of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield/Facebook
Looking ahead: What the loss of crucial funding will mean for child crime victims in Kansas

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual report on the welfare of children ranked Kansas 17th in the nation in terms of economic, education, health and other metrics. That placed Kansas ahead of Oklahoma and Missouri, but behind Nebraska and Colorado. (Amanda Mills/CDC)

Childrens Advocacy Centers of Kansas provides services for kids grappling with the aftermath of abuse. (Amanda Mills/CDC)

In an ideal world, my job wouldnt exist. Childrens Advocacy Centers would be superfluous. Crime would never touch our communities.

The reality is very different.

Last year, Childrens Advocacy Centers of Kansas provided more than 8,500 services  from forensic interviews, to mental health care, to advocacy services  to 4,400 children facing the severe aftermath of victimhood. The reality is that the 17 accredited CACs in the state serve children from infancy to 18 years of age, of all races and walks of life, guiding them through the criminal justice system as they heal from their traumas.

For years, Kansas CACs have been crucial for children and their families in the aftermath of violent crimes such as sexual assault, physical abuse, witness to violence, child sex trafficking. In some of their toughest moments, the centers offer solace and support. CACs are instrumental in helping victims navigate the harrowing journey toward recovery and justice.

But now, their services are in jeopardy. Budget cuts loom and the threat of shutdown is real.

As the executive director of the Childrens Advocacy Centers of Kansas, my mission has been to promote excellence in child abuse response and prevention through training, support, and statewide mobilization of our member CACs. This effort aims to create centers of distinction dedicated to supporting children and families through some of the most traumatic circumstances in their lives. Rather than leaving child victims to shoulder the burden of seeking justice and facing victimhood alone, our victim services professionals provide the crucial support these young victims need. However, to continue offering these indispensable services, CACs require adequate funding.

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), and through it the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), has assisted CACs in their crucial work for decades. Unlike taxpayer-funded initiatives, VOCA provides a sustainable federal funding source that bolsters numerous service providers dedicated to aiding millions of crime victims each year. Through this critical support, countless children and their families have found solace during their most difficult moments.

Ive seen firsthand the way our services step into these young lives. A girl was sexually abused by her babysitters husband when she was only 3 years old. Her mother reached out to her local center the next day and from that first moment, the child was ushered into the recovery process by the committed staff. Over the next few years, she was given everything necessary to overcome her trauma. Now, after the resolution of her case, the girl is still in contact with her Family Advocate and offers her story to demonstrate how vital CACs are for these children and their families.

CACs are ceaseless advocates for crime victims, dedicated to ensuring they receive the necessary time and resources to heal and rebuild their lives.

This year, VOCA grants saw a $600 million federal cut. Across the board, the nations nearly 1,000 CACs are being forced to consider making cuts or shutting their doors.

Kansas is lucky to have received state support through the Governors Grants Program, adding an additional $1.8 million to the fiscal year 2024 budget and $1.1 million to the projected budget for fiscal year 2025, stabilizing programming and ensuring uninterrupted services to the children and families at all 17 Kansas CACs. While grateful for the increase stateside, our centers remain underfunded to meet the current need for services in our communities.

This vital injection into CAC funding wont save it all. VOCA cuts will still leave thousands without essential services like victim advocacy, mental health services. These survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse will not have the same access to services or the support that we have provided for decades.

Already, Kansas CACs are unable to reach 32% of the state. Further limitation of our services will see that percentage grow, cutting off countless children that need to reach our doors, it will result in shrinking staffs, shutting down satellite centers and leaving our rural communities to fend for themselves without the funds to establish their own CAC. The Kansas Legislature has taken care to keep doors open in our urban and rural communities, but we are still around $4 million short to meet the demand.

At the end of the day, VOCA cuts mean that child victims will have to carry the trauma of their abuse alone.

Before addressing long-term reform in CVF funding, we must stop the bleeding from cuts that directly impact victims and survivors. That is exactly what U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) proposes with the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024. This bill is intended to maintain current service levels nationwide and provide more time for the CVF to close the funding gap. But most importantly, it will allow CACs throughout the U.S. to continue operations at the highest level.

The reality is that to end the programs for these young crime victims would be to abandon them. We owe crime victims more than that.

Kasey Dalke is executive director of the Childrens Advocacy Centers of Kansas. 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.
Loophole allows the selling of recreational marijuana in Mississippi. Here are the details

In July, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina started selling recreational marijuana on a limited basis, despite the fact that state legislators have not legalized the drug for medical or recreational purposes.

Why?

Because they can.

The Asheville Citizen Times reported the marijuana market has been touted as a huge economic boon for the EBCI, even as the drug remains illegal in North Carolina.

President Joe Biden in May moved to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug, meaning it could eventually become federally legal to prescribe marijuana as medication.

For Mississippi, that leads one to ask, if the Cherokee in North Carolina can begin to sell recreational marijuana in a state that doesnt have any regulations backing cannabis sales, could the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians do the same thing in the Magnolia State?

The short answer is yes.

Why?

Because they can.

The Clarion Ledger spoke with multiple attorneys with experience in the medical and recreation marijuana industry, and all said the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians could begin selling cannabis for recreational use if they had gone through the regulatory process.

What I can say that the MS Band of Choctaw Indians could open a cannabis grow and distribution facility, said Rod Kight, a cannabis lawyer and advocate from North Carolina, who focuses on legal support to all sectors of the industry. (MBCI can) because, as a sovereign body, they can choose to legalize within their borders, despite federal or state law. There are many ramifications and issues that this raises, but generally speaking, they can do it. In fact, it will be much like a state legalizing and setting up a grow and distribution program.

In North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians viewed the introduction of recreational cannabis as a revenue stream much like the introduction of gaming, which has proven to be a huge money maker throughout the years.

Here, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has been at the forefront in the gaming industry, having opened its first casino, Silver Star, in 1994. The MBCI makes sure to bill itself as a federally recognized, self-governing tribe with over 10,000 members living on or near reservation land.

It is those words that make recreational marijuana possible as well.

The key, according to multiple attorneys in the cannabis industry, is that MBCI would have to grow, sell and test on tribal grounds. The product could not be transported off tribal lands, because Mississippi does not allow for recreational cannabis.

The start of recreational sales in North Carolina comes after the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council passed an official resolution in June to allow the sale of recreational marijuana on Cherokee territory.

In Mississippi, the same thing would have to happen.

However, Misty Brescia, the director of public information for MBCI says that is not on the radar for Mississippis tribal lands.

Yes, I think so. I think we could. The federal government changed the rules so that Tribes could grow, sell, etc. marijuana, Brescia said. However, our code (laws) still says marijuana is illegal on Mississippi Choctaw Tribal Lands. Until that is changed, which is a Tribal Council decision, this isnt even a possibility for us.

However, she did say if the Tribal Council wanted to take it up, the voting process likely would not take long.

Slates Veazey, an attorney with Bradley Arant in Jackson, represents clients with a specific understanding of the cannabis industry. He also says, its not a matter of if MBCI can sell, its a matter of wanting to sell.

Yes, I believe they (could produce and sell), but that does not come without concerns and challenges, Veazy said. If the Choctaw tribe would change their code or constitution to allow for recreational cannabis, all of those activities would have to remain on tribal land.

So, if MBCI decided to produce, test and sell on the site of their hotels and casinos for guests who travel on site, they could, according to all attorneys the Clarion Ledger talked with. The caveat is any recreational product could not be taken off of tribal lands, because Mississippi law prohibits recreational cannabis.

The point, at least for now, is moot until the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians chooses to change its code in reference to all cannabis.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  A man scheduled to be put to death later this week is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to stay his execution.

In 1994, Loran Cole murdered a Florida State University student named John Edwards in the Ocala National Forest, Edwards had met his sister there for a weekend camping trip.

Florida Supreme Court denied stay of execution for Dozier School for Boys inmate

After killing Edwards, Cole then raped the sister, tied her to two trees, and abandoned her.

He was convicted and sentenced to death.

His execution is scheduled for this Thursday.

In Coles latest appeal, his lawyers are trying to challenge Floridas lethal injection procedure, claiming itll cause him needless pain and suffering due to symptoms from his Parkinsons disease.

Former inmate at Dozier School for Boys facing execution following 1994 murder

On August 23, the Florida Supreme Court denied Coles previous appeal, where he argued for a stay of execution based on the abuse he suffered during his time at the dozier school for boys in Marianna.

He also claimed that Gov. Ron Desantis approval of the Dozier victims compensation bill earlier this year, amounted to the states admission of complicit guilt for the abuse at Dozier.

But the Florida Supreme Court justices ruled it was not in evidence and denied the motion.

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There are many ways to manage groundwater in Texas. Some counties have deliberately voted down the creation of management bodies for their region. Other counties, like Bastrop and Lee, have created groundwater conservation districts (GCDs) to manage their groundwater. Even within these districts, there are a variety of management styles. Some manage liberally, enforcing little to no permit requirements. Others manage conservatively with stringent requirements and spacing guidelines. And then theres us, the Lost Pines GCD. We like to think weve struck the perfect balance  we manage sustainably.

Claire Marks

One of the ways Lost Pines GCD manages groundwater to ensure sustainable groundwater availability for our region is through monitoring water levels in wells throughout the district. The more wells we monitor, the more accurate and reliable our data is, which means we can make smarter management decisions. Monitoring water levels isnt just a box we check. Its a crucial part of making sure were managing our groundwater responsibly and sustainably. It provides defensible and historically relevant evidence to evaluate local impacts of current and new development to determine and quantify any mitigation efforts, and to manage groundwater pumping to meet the demands of the state and local communities. By gathering this data, we can see how things like new developments affect the water, figure out what needs to be fixed, and make sure were pumping water in a way that meets our goals.

Speaking of goals, lets talk about desired future conditions. A DFC is a management goal set by groundwater conservation districts in Texas to define the desired state of the aquifer at a specific point in the future, typically 50 years. In simpler terms, a DFC is a long-term target that we set for our aquifers  how we want them to be in the future. These goals consider factors like groundwater availability, environmental needs and the demands of local communities. The DFC is a critical water management tool because it serves as a benchmark to measure the effects of pumping and other activities. By aiming to keep our aquifers within these conditions, we can make sure that our groundwater resources remain sustainable for the next generation, balancing what we use with what nature can replenish.

As of 2023, the Lost Pines GCD has a monitoring network that includes 118 wells across different aquifers, including the Simsboro, Carrizo, Calvert Bluff, Queen City, Hooper, Sparta, and Yegua-Jackson. But even with this extensive network, there still is a need for improvements to address data gaps and enhance the representation of different aquifers, both in confined and unconfined conditions. That is where you come in! If you care about the sustainable management of groundwater (and we know you do), wed love for you to join our Well Watch Program. This program lets well owners like you get your wells recorded with the district. Well even come out and measure the water level for you. The data we collect helps us keep an eye on changes, spot any water level declines, and take action if needed to protect our aquifers from being over-pumped.

The Well Watch Program isnt just about gathering data  its about empowering our community to take an active role in conserving and sustaining our water resources for future generations. Not every well enrolled in the Well Watch Program will end up in our official monitoring network. The selection process for wells chosen for our monitoring network considers a wells proximity to other monitoring wells, to permitted and exempt wells, to streams, and to geographic and political boundaries. If your well is not officially selected for the monitoring network, do not worry, it can still be a part of our Well Watch Program.

Signing up for the program is simple and open to anyone within the Bastrop and Lee counties. All we need is your permission to access your property and gather data from your well, which well do twice a year between October and April. Want to learn more about signing up for the Well Watch Program? Just call us at (512) 360-5088. By expanding our monitoring network, the Lost Pines GCD can better understand and sustainably manage the complexities of our regions aquifers. Together, we will work toward a future where our groundwater resources continue to support our ecosystems, economy and communities for generations to come.

The Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District is dedicated to the protection and conservation of groundwater resources in Bastrop and Lee counties. Through educational programs, community outreach and strategic resource management, the district strives to ensure sustainable groundwater supply for current and future generations.

For more information and resources on water conservation, visit lostpineswater.org or call the district directly at (512) 360-5088. Make sure to follow us on social media @LostPinesGCD. Together, we can protect our precious water resources. Think smart. Save water. Save money.

Claire Marks is the education and outreach coordinator for the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lost Pines district: Well Watch Program protects tomorrows water today
Two men stand side by side. They are both wearing blue suits. One is in front of a microphone and speaking.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order Tuesday prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in Louisiana K-12 public schools. (Allison Allsop/Louisiana Illuminator)

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order Tuesday prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in Louisiana K-12 public schools.

Critical race theory (CRT) is an advanced academic concept that holds that race is socially constructed, and it examines how legal structures are used to oppress people of color. Most classes that take the theory into consideration are in graduate programs at the university level. There is no evidence these courses are being taught to children and teenagers.

Some conservative politicians use CRT as a blanket term when targeting the teaching of slavery or other topics that actually do not apply critical race theory.

A news release from Landry described the concept as divisive teachings that instruct students to view life through the lens of race and victimhood.

Louisiana students are best served with a clear focus on reading, math, meaningful high school experiences, elevating the teaching profession, and expanding educational freedom for families, Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said in a statement to the Illuminator.

The governors edict is already drawing criticism from education circles.

Belinda Davis, an LSU political science professor, often deflected conservative attacks when she was member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. As an appointee of former Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, she fought back against claims of student indoctrination at the hands of liberal teachers. In an email Tuesday, she said Landrys order will not address actual instructional needs.

In political science research, we call this symbolic politics. It is designed to satisfy the extremists in his party by solving a problem that doesnt exist, Davis wrote. I cant wait to see the list that Superintendent Brumley comes up with. As a public school parent, I wish hed spend time on reading and math.

John Guzda, a social studies teacher at West Jefferson High School in Harvey, said the governors order is not only misguided but also detrimental to the education of our students.

It is evident that the Governor does not understand what CRT even is, Guzda said in a statement. As educators, we cannot ignore uncomfortable truths of Americas past. The systematic killing of Indigenous peoples, the horrors of Jim Crow laws, the forced internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and other such events are integral parts of American history.

Bans on CRT in public K-12 schools and universities have swept conservative states. Bills to ban it have been introduced in the Louisiana Legislature but failed.

Landrys executive order instructs Brumley, another conservative Republican, to review the state Department of Educations policies and contracts to eliminate anything that endorses theories that posit that an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive.

The superintendent has also been asked to flag claims that moral character is necessarily determined by someones race or sex, or that, by virtue of their race or sex, they bear responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

Landry also wants Brumley to weed out anything that suggests meritocracy or traits such as a strong work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a particular race or sex to oppress another race or sex, or encourages students to discriminate against someone based on any characteristic protected by federal or state law.

Two years ago, Brumley ushered through new social studies curricula for K-12 schools that expressly excluded critical race theory. At the time, Brumley said he defined CRT as teaching in a way that everything must be viewed from the lens of race.

Greg LaRose contributed to this report.

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Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order on Monday requiring all Louisiana government agencies that hand out voter registration forms to include a written declaration that non-citizens are prohibited from registering to vote or voting in elections.

The right to vote in United States elections is a privilege thats reserved for American citizens, Landry said during the Monday press conference. In Louisiana, election integrity is a top priority.

Louisiana is just the most recent state to implement measures to ensure that individuals who are not American citizens are not voting in U.S. elections, even though there is simply no evidence to suggest that non-citizen voting is a real problem.

It is, of course, already illegal for non-citizens to vote in state, federal or even most local elections, and states themselves have measures in place to protect their elections from non-citizen voting, including severe penalties for doing so, like the risk of deportation.

It is not something that anyone has an incentive to do given the severe penalties and the fact that were talking about casting a single vote, Alice Clapman, senior counsel in the Brennan Centers Voting Rights Program, previously told TPM. It is feeding the disinformation that this is a problem, which obviously has become a talking point of the Trump campaign and frankly other political campaigns.

In the rare instances where a non-citizen is found on the rolls, there is often a reasonable explanation, experts told TPM. For example, in states with automatic voter registration, theres always a chance that non-citizens might accidentally get registered when completing other types of legal paperwork, even though they never attempted to vote.

Republicans new obsession with supposedly curbing alleged non-citizens voting is an extension of the rhetorical efforts by Donald Trump and his MAGA allies to stoke fears about election fraud in case the former president loses his third bid for the White House. Its reminiscent of his efforts before and after the 2020 election to manufacture hysteria around mail-in voting and other pandemic mitigation measures, and in a way, its an extension of the Big Lie.

In May, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other House MAGA Republicans introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would make it illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, an act that is already illegal. That passed the House in July but, predictably, was not picked up by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Emboldened by Trump and House Republicans, red state officials have begun putting out public announcements and executive orders highlighting the supposed work they are doing to remove thousands of non-citizens from voter rolls  while also intentionally avoiding specifics about their methodology or whether any of these individuals actually tried to vote.

Earlier this month, the Alabama secretary of state, announced the implementation of a process to remove alleged non-citizens from the voter rolls. In that announcement, he noted that he had identified over 3,000 non-citizens on the voter rolls who are registered to vote in Alabama who have been issued non-citizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security.

In the same announcement, he admitted it is possible that some of the individuals who were issued non-citizen identification numbers have, since receiving them, become naturalized citizens and are, therefore, eligible to vote.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also signed an executive order, announcing the removal of over 6,000 alleged non-citizens from the voter rolls in August. The order, however, did not mention if these alleged non-citizens ever cast a ballot in an election.

Similarly, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) recently announced that county boards of elections across the state were instructed to remove 499 alleged non-citizen from the voter rolls, out of the 8 million registered voters in the state.
The hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, is seen after he was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday, at his village near Rahat in southern Israel, on Aug. 28, 2024. The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its forces had rescued an Israeli hostage from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip when combing the area. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found alone in a tunnel, without any guards or other hostages, said the military in a statement. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its forces had rescued an Israeli hostage from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip when combing the area.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found alone in a tunnel, without any guards or other hostages, said the military in a statement. Being held by Hamas militants since Oct. 7, 2023, Alkadi is the eighth hostage freed through a military operation and the first Israeli Arab hostage to be rescued alive. He is also the first hostage rescued from the underground.

The military added that Alkadi came from Karkur, a Bedouin village south of Rahat city in southern Israel, and was kidnapped from his workplace, a packing house in Magen, during Hamas' attack on the kibbutz.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that military troops, along with agents from the Shin Bet security agency, scanned the tunnel in recent days to search for hostages, Hamas militants, and explosive devices, while noting that they had no specific information about Alkadi's whereabouts.

According to state-owned Kan TV news, Alkadi heard the soldiers and shouted for help, then his guards fled the area. The man told his relatives that he survived mainly on small amounts of bread. His family reported that Alkadi lost approximately 20 kilograms during his captivity.

Shlomi Kadosh, the hospital director, stated that Alkadi had undergone a medical examination and was in stable condition.

In a press briefing, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari described the rescue as "a complex mission," saying that "commandos rescued Alkadi from an underground tunnel upon accurate intelligence."

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the government's commitment to bringing all hostages home. "We are doing this in two main ways: negotiations and rescue operations," Netanyahu said. He also underscored the necessity of maintaining Israel's military presence in Gaza.

A government official confirmed to Xinhua that an Israeli delegation is set to depart on Wednesday to continue indirect talks in Doha over a potential deal that includes a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages and prisoners between the two warring sides.

Approximately 250 hostages were taken during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault, with 108 still held by Hamas, and many of them are believed dead, official Israeli figures indicated. 

The hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi (C, Front), speaks after he was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday, at his village near Rahat in southern Israel, on Aug. 28, 2024. The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its forces had rescued an Israeli hostage from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip when combing the area. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found alone in a tunnel, without any guards or other hostages, said the military in a statement. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

The hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi (C), is greeted by his friends and family after he was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday, at his village near Rahat in southern Israel, on Aug. 28, 2024. The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its forces had rescued an Israeli hostage from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip when combing the area. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found alone in a tunnel, without any guards or other hostages, said the military in a statement. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

The hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi (C, Front), is greeted by his friends and family after he was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday, at his village near Rahat in southern Israel, on Aug. 28, 2024. The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its forces had rescued an Israeli hostage from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip when combing the area. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found alone in a tunnel, without any guards or other hostages, said the military in a statement. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)
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A new law in Louisiana undoes the progress the state has made in restricting the release of mug shots for people accused of non-violent crimes, say criminal justice reform advocates and the New Orleans public defenders office.

Act 281, signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, went into effect Aug. 1 and essentially repeals a 2022 measure signed by then-Gov. John Bel Edwards. The 2022 law had barred law enforcement agencies from releasing mug shots except in certain instances.

Act 281 is one of several tough-on-crime laws passed by a conservative state legislature this year. Among them are laws to treat 17-year-old offenders as adults and bring back the electric chair. Advocates and the public defenders office say that Act 281 violates peoples privacy and threatens their access to housing, jobs and other necessities.

We know that mug shots in and of themselves are extremely prejudicial, said Sarah Whittington, advocacy director for the Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana. And the way that theyve been used in the past have really marked people.

The Justice and Accountability Center is a legal services, policy advocacy, and public education organization that helps people who are returning home from prison or jail. Whittington said that Act 281 going into effect is unfortunate because of the digital footprint left behind. She said that peoples pictures are forever associated with criminality.

Even in a system where we are innocent until proven guilty, Whittington said. The mug shot acknowledges that this person has been arrested and booked into a facility and charged with a crime, and regardless of the outcome of that crime, they will forever be associated with a crime and law enforcement.

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Bruce Reilly, deputy director of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), a New Orleans nonprofit that advocates for the rights of people who are incarcerated, said the new law challenges the concept of innocence until proven guilty.

As soon as youre arrested, theyre quick to throw you out, Reilly said. Its putting a lot of faith, too, in police officers, its putting a lot of faith in those who call the policetheres a lot of people that call the police that arent all that factual, and yet, people are going to take it as gospel as soon as it gets put into the media.

Whittington added that mug shots are visual representations of arrests and that the 2022 law was an effort to ensure that mug shots would not be released unless they served a public safety purpose. Verite News emailed the bills sponsor, Sen. Alan Seabaugh R-Many, for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

In Louisiana, someone who is arrested but ultimately has their case dismissed can have their record expunged under certain circumstances. But when material about the initial arrest, including a mug shot, is published to the internet, those records can be harder to get rid of, Whittingon said.

None of that touches the internet, Whittington said. None of that touches the media newsprint. So unfortunately, a lot of those mug shots then, even with a simple Google search, can still be a detriment to people years down the roadand it impacts their employment, their housing, relationships with neighbors.

People who have been arrested have lost housing, job and educational opportunities because their mug shot appeared in a newspaper article, Lindsey Horenstine, deputy chief administrative officer and communications director for the Orleans Public Defenders, told Verite News.

Hortenstine also said that it is hard to ignore the part race plays in the public display of mug shots.

Thats where you see a lot of racial bias, a lot of implicit bias and I think that its harmful to the overall well-being of a community, Hortenstine said. I think the use of mug shots historically has been a direct driver ofthis really important idea of a Black superpredator and just used as fear-mongering.

Whittington said that while the public may not know the full impact of Act 281 for a while, the law makes it harder for people to recover from false arrests.

Hortenstine said that in the past, she has run into problems with journalists who publish mug shots and other information about people who are later found out to be wrongfully arrested or accused.

If it was important enough for you [the reporter] to report on it in the first place, it should be important enough that you follow up and then make the correction, Hortenstine said.

And she added that mug shots can hang over people who have been released from prison.

They should be able to have a fresh start [when released], Hortenstine said. They should be able to resume and rebuild that life, but this now will hang over them and will follow them forever.

Reilly said that the signing of Act 281 into law by Landry this year demonstrates the fickle nature of reform.

If anything, the precedent is that reforms are only as strong as the paper theyre written on, because you can just reverse it like a year later, Reilly said.

This article first appeared on Verite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
'Loving Father' Among 2 Delta Workers Killed and 1 Injured After Maintenance Incident at Atlanta Airport

A tire reportedly "exploded" and sent metal flying

John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP Multiple Atlanta Fire Rescue Department units and police park outside a Delta Maintenance facility near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport early on Tuesday, Aug. 27

Two Delta workers were killed and another was injured in an incident at a maintenance facility at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport early on Tuesday, Aug. 27, PEOPLE confirms.

The airline said in a statement that it occurred at a wheel and brake shop at their Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility and killed two team members. Another person was hurt.

Delta officials described it as an "accident," with John Laughter, executive vice president and chief of operations and president of TechOps, saying in a statement that the third victim was left "seriously injured."

Laughter said the airline was making counseling available to employees.

The facility is part of Delta TechOps, which performs maintenance and work for more than 150 aviation and airline customers across the globe, the Associated Press reported.

Related: I Survived a Plane Crash That Killed 137 Others, Including My Dad. That Was Just the Beginning. (Exclusive)

The two deceased workers were identified by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, citing the medical examiner, as Luis Aldarondo, 37, and 58-year-old Mirko Marweg.

Marweg's wife told the paper that he was a "loving father and a loving husband, loving brother.



A tire had "exploded" during maintenance and sent metal flying, local TV station WSB reported, while the AJC reported that the incident "involved components of an aircraft wheel that was in the shop and not attached to a plane."

"We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time," Delta said in its statement.

Related: 4 Fraternity Brothers Die in Small Plane Crash in Illinois Farm Field Under 'Unknown Circumstances'

"The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site," the airline said. "We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened."

The airport told PEOPLE that the incident did not impact their operations, while a statement released a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) offered their "condolences."

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.

"Our prayers are with the families affected by the tragic incident at Delta Air Lines's Technical Operations Maintenance facility this morning," their statement continued.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also offered his own sympathies in a statement on X.

Related: Person Killed After Falling Into Running Plane Engine, Investigation Underway

"My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery," Dickens said.



The mayor noted that Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Atlanta Police Department and airport officials responded to the scene, working to address the situation.

The Federal Aviation Administration told PEOPLE that they were aware of the incident and were in communication with Delta.



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Read the original article on People.
Ford Motor is the most recent large corporation to scale back on its messaging in support of LGBTQ inclusion, with the automaker following similar steps by Lowe's, Harley-Davidson, John Deere & Co. and Tractor Supply in downsizing diversity policies.

"We made the decision early this year to stop participating in external culture surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and various 'best places to work' lists," Ford said in a memo posted on social media by an anti-DEI activist.

Reached for comment, the vehicle maker said its communication to its global workforce "speaks for itself" and that the company has nothing further to add.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson accused the company of abandoning its commitment to hundreds of thousands of employees, saying the company was "signaling that inclusion and other core values are no longer a priority in the workplace."

The development comes after Lowe's told employees in a memo widely shared among news organizations that it would no longer take part in surveys for the HRC, an LGBTQ advocacy group. Lowe's also said it would stop sponsoring and taking part in community events like festivals and parades, and would combine groups representing diverse workers into one single group.

The home-improvement retailer sponsored a pride parade in Charlotte, North Carolina, as recently as 2019 and garnered a perfect score in HRC's 2023 corporate equity index which looks at policies that protect LGBTQ employees.

Lowe's was still running a webpage devoted to its diversity efforts as of Wednesday afternoon.

The self-designated head of a campaign to pressure companies to drop DEI initiatives is Robby Starbuck, a video streamer and right-wing activist. In a post on social media, Starbuck on Monday claimed he sparked the changes at Lowe's by telling the retailer he would call attention to what he called its "woke" policies.

The retailer confirmed the changes, but stated that they came as a result of a Supreme Court decision in 2023 banning affirmative action at universities. "We may make additional changes over time," a spokesperson stated.

HRC said the moves by Lowe's and other firms hold potentially negative ramifications for their businesses.

"Hasty, shortsighted decisions contrary to safe and inclusive workplaces will create a snowball effect of negative long-term consequences for companies, cutting them off from top talent, turning off LGBTQ+ and other consumers and impacting companies' bottom line," said Orlando Gonzales, HRC's senior vice president of programs, research and training.

U.S. companies adopted DEI policies and programs in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020.

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Im traumatized still to this day. Centre County man sentenced to prison for killing dog

An unapologetic Brush Valley man was sentenced Tuesday to at least three years in state prison for killing his dog in public, an attack a Centre County prosecutor described as brutal and one that left the small community in horror.

Robert N. Lewis, 42, of Rebersburg, was sentenced by Centre County Judge Brian Marshall to a maximum of six years in prison, as well as two years of probation. He received about nine months served in the Centre County Correctional Facility.

Amanda Nyman, who was Lewis girlfriend and lived with him at the time of the killing, said Tuesday that she is still very hurt emotionally.

Im traumatized still to this day because I do, I did and I loved him so very much, Nyman said through tears. Robbie, I still love you but I really want you to please ask God and Axel for forgiveness and apologize and be a better man  and a sober man the rest of your life.

When given an opportunity to speak before receiving his sentence, Lewis was anything but contrite. Instead, he used his time to tell the judge that his American bulldog was documented to be aggressive and violent.

It didnt appear to carry much weight with Marshall, who said Axel did not appear to be violent at the time of the November attack.

Lewis was under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms when he publicly attacked Axel on East Main Street in Miles Township, state police at Rockview wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

At least one woman told investigators she saw Lewis bash Axels head into the bumper of a car about a dozen times, while a man said he saw Lewis strike the dog several times while holding him about five feet off the ground.

Nyman found Axel in a pool of blood and covered with deep stab wounds. He was transported to VCA Metzger Animal Hospital, but died after Nyman said he went into cardiac arrest.

Marshall was shown photographs of Axels wounds as well as pictures of his bloody pawprints from the scene.

He was left in horrible condition, Centre County Assistant District Attorney Hunter Fedora said.

After the attack, members of the Miles Township Fire Co. who responded said Lewis was covered in blood and running wildly with a knife in his hand until he had an apparent cardiac emergency. Two doses of the opioid overdose medication naloxone were administered.

As first responders took Lewis to Mount Nittany Medical Center, police wrote that he shouted obscenities, spit blood and bit a paramedics hand. He also kicked off his bottom restraints and thrashed violently enough that three people were needed to restrain him.

Trooper Christopher Wills, who has worked in that role for more than fours years, testified during Lewis preliminary hearing that it was by far the most violent transport Ive ever been a part of.

Lewis pleaded guilty in June to one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of simple assault. Three other charges were dropped.

A handcuffed Lewis was temporarily transported back to the county jail after his sentencing. It has not yet been decided which state prison Lewis will spend time behind bars.

I do forgive you, but I cannot forget this, Nyman said. Please get better.
French President Emmanuel Macron takes part in an event at the French embassy in Berlin. Macron held talks with minor parties on Tuesday, one day after ruling out appointing a government led by the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with minor parties on Tuesday, one day after ruling out appointing a government led by the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance.

Macron met representatives of the small centre-right LIOT parliamentary group at the Elysee Palace, French media reported, ahead of talks with conservative parties on Wednesday.

The French president has been holding meetings with party leaders since last week in an attempt to end weeks of political deadlock and form a government, but his decision on Monday to bypass the NFP candidate for prime minister, civil servant Lucie Castets, has provoked heavy criticism from the left.

The NFP - consisting of the hard-left France Unbowed, the Socialists, the Communists and the Greens - won parliamentary elections in July but is around 100 seats short of a majority in the National Assembly, France's lower house.

Macron has previously ruled out working with France Unbowed and argued that a left-wing government would only lead to instability because it would come under intense opposition from other parties and could be toppled in an early no-confidence vote.

He called on Monday for the Socialists, Greens and Communists to "cooperate with other political forces" in order to form a government.

However, Macron's attempts to divide the NFP appeared to have failed on Tuesday, as representatives of the alliance ruled out further talks.

"We will not continue this circus, these sham consultations," said Green Party leader Marine Tondelier on the France Info radio station.

Socialist leader Olivier Faure said on broadcaster France 2 he would "refuse to be an accomplice to a parody of democracy," while Fabien Roussel of the Communists added: "It's not worth us coming."

Macron's centrist faction, which came in second in the elections ahead of the far-right National Rally, would like to see a sort of grand coalition of more moderate parties.

The president suggested on Monday that his talks with various parties on the centre-right and centre-left had revealed possible coalition configurations.

It remains unclear when Macron will formally nominate a candidate for prime minister.

Centrist Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his Cabinet are staying on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.
(Bloomberg) -- Emmanuel Macron is closing in on a deal to sell Rafale fighter jets made by Dassault Aviation SA to Serbia, according to people familiar with the discussions.

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The French president is set to sign an agreement with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, during a trip to Belgrade on Thursday, said the people, who added that it will include provisions on defense, economic and energy cooperation.

Vucic previously said that the Balkan nation was seeking to purchase as many as a dozen of the French warplanes for about 3 billion ($3.4 billion).

Serbia has ramped up defense spending in recent years, including with orders of Pantsir air defense systems from Russia and Chinese-made, short-range missiles. While Vucic has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, he has refused to join the European Unions sanctions against the Kremlin, trying not to sever ties with Russia, while increasingly seeking support from Beijing.

Spokespeople from Macrons office and from Dassault Aviation declined to comment on the sale.

The Franco-Serbian deal could also mention the former Serbian province of Kosovo, with Serbias ambitions to join the EU relying firmly on normalizing relations. Belgrade doesnt recognize the sovereignty of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008. Macron has in recent months appeared sympathetic to Serbias views on the conflict.

At home, the French leader is still looking for a prime minister after dissolving the lower house of parliament, which further political consultations planned on Wednesday.

Macron has been leaning on Kosovos premier to step up efforts toward European integration, telling the Balkan leader he needs to offer more autonomy to the countrys Serb minority.

Macrons visit will benefit Serbias path toward EU membership, and its economy in general as the country aspires to finally clinch investment-grade status from at least two agencies, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings, Vucic said on Pink TV on Monday.

Already in 2021, the United Arab Emirates filed an order for 80 Rafales during a visit by Macron, following other agreements with Greece, Croatia and Egypt. The company got an order from Indonesia for 42 Rafales in 2022.

Its chief executive, Eric Trappier, told BFM Business on Tuesday that discussions with Serbia were still going on.

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A few months ago, Donald Trump boasted that during his term, he built 571 miles of border wall. The former president added that he was poised to add another 200 miles within a few weeks, concluding, I built much more wall than I said I was going to build.

All of this was spectacularly untrue. In fact, every element of the Republicans claims turned reality on its head, badly distorting the facts about an issue he appears to consider one of his top priorities.

It was emblematic of the GOPs broader problem with the debate over border policy: Reality keeps getting in the way of their campaign rhetoric.

The Washington Post, for example, recently published an analysis of the partys advertising, highlighting dozens of ads that criticize the Biden-Harris administrations handling of the border, while showing chaotic scenes that were filmed in 2018 under the Trump administration.

One commercial in particular showed footage of Central American migrants in Tijuana rushing the southern border. The voice-over and text blamed Democrats for the unrest, which actually unfolded during Trumps presidency.

It was against this backdrop that the former president traveled to Arizona last week for a border-wall photo-op, though Team Trump apparently forgot to care about the details. The Post reported:

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump came here on Thursday to heap praise on the structure standing to his right  the Rolls-Royce of walls, he called it  and lament the unused segments lying to his left. Joining him, Border Patrol union leader Paul A. Perez called the standing fence Trump wall and the idle parts Kamala wall, after Trumps Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

There was a dramatic problem with the rhetoric: As the Posts article explained, This section of 20-foot steel slats was actually built during the administration of President Barack Obama.

In case this isnt obvious, Democrats have never said border barriers are entirely unnecessary between the Pacific Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. There are high-traffic areas, party officials have long said, in which it makes sense to have structures to prevent illegal crossings. Throughout Obamas term, it was not uncommon to build and repair barriers along these parts of the border.

As of last week, Trump tried to take credit for some of the Obama administrations work, either (a) hoping the public wouldnt know the difference, or (b) cluelessly unaware of reality.

Whatever the explanation, the Republican keeps trying to make a border wall the centerpiece of his bid for a second term, and he keeps tripping over it.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
On the surface, Republicans had reason to be pleased by the congressional response to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. In the House, for example, both parties leaders quickly came to an agreement to create a bipartisan investigatory task force  featuring seven Republican and six Democratic lawmakers  and it was approved unanimously.

Whats more, House Speaker Mike Johnson chose several far-right election deniers and conspiracy theorists to serve on the panel, which has wasted no time getting to work, despite the fact that Congress is on its summer break. Indeed, task force members have already traveled to the scene of the Pennsylvania shooting for a first-hand examination.

And yet, some GOP members still arent pleased. Politico reported:

[S]ome conservative lawmakers are determined to look into it themselves, a sign of the right flanks frustration about who ultimately got seats on the panel and the pace of existing investigations, which span both Congress and the administration. Johnson had privately indicated that he wanted serious Republicans to take part in the task force, and he did appoint multiple conservatives to the panel. Still, hes gotten flack from members further to the right who accused him of sidelining lawmakers who have previously rebelled against leadership.

So myself and Cory Mills are leading a parallel investigation into what happened on J-13th and the assassination attempt, Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona said on a podcast last week, referring to the July 13 shooting. And were doing that because, like many of your listeners, we dont trust the federal government to actually do the job necessary.

Crane, incidentally, recently told a conservative media outlet, in reference to the shooting, I dont put it past some of the people in our government, their willingness to do anything to get rid of President Donald Trump.

Just so were all clear, the idea that House GOP leaders chose serious Republicans to serve on the task force is a difficult idea to take seriously. The speaker tapped Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas, for example, and hes an election denier who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential race. Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee is also on the panel, despite being an election denier who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential race, and despite the fact that his right-wing background was so controversial in 2017 that the Senate wouldnt confirm him when Trump nominated him to serve as secretary of the Army.

The task force will be chaired by Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, who, in addition to being an election denier who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential race, is also up to his ears in the fake elector scandal; has accused Barack Obama of running a secret shadow government; and initially responded to the assassination attempt by describing it without evidence as an attack from the left.

Perhaps most notable of all is Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana  an election denier whos also taken a leading role in concocting deeply weird conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6 attack, including bizarre allegations related to the FBI and ghost buses. As a recent New York Times report summarized, Even by a conspiracy theorists standards, the wild claims made by Representative Clay Higgins, Republican of Louisiana, stand out.

Johnson, eyeing serious members, nevertheless tapped Higgins for the congressional investigation.

And yet, Crane and Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida have apparently concluded that the task forces GOP members arent quite unhinged enough, necessitating a parallel examination.

As a result, the public should expect to eventually see two reports: one from a bipartisan task force led by far-right Republicans, and another from a partisan task force led by even-further-to-the-right Republicans. Watch this space.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the terrorist attack in central Burkina Faso over the weekend, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Burkina Faso, and wished a prompt recovery to those injured, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, at a daily briefing.

"The secretary-general expresses his solidarity with the transition authorities in their fight against terrorism and calls on them to ensure that those responsible for these despicable acts are held to account," said Dujarric.

Several people, mostly civilians, were killed in an attack Saturday in Barsalogho, north-central Burkina Faso, local media reported.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in Barsalogho even before the attack.

OCHA, citing local officials, said at least 90,000 displaced people were living in Barsalogho as of last year, who had sought refuge there from insecurity in surrounding areas. The office added that all of Sanmatenga Province, where Barsalogho is located, is facing acute hunger during the current lean season, and insecurity has made it difficult to provide aid in the area. 
Common sense might suggest that the Republican Partys fake electors from the 2020 elections would be politically radioactive in the GOP. Its apparently not working out that way, however.

Take the latest developments in Michigan, for example. The Detroit News reported:

Six Republicans who are facing criminal charges after signing a document falsely claiming that Donald Trump won Michigans electoral votes in 2020 were renominated by their party, over the weekend, to be GOP presidential electors this year. At the Michigan Republican Party convention Saturday in Flint, delegates chose 15 individuals  one from each of the 13 congressional districts and two at large  to serve as presidential electors if Trump wins the state in November.

Among the 15 are a half-dozen fake electors from four years ago.

Ahead of the local vote, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, chair of Michigan Republican Party, denounced efforts to hold the fake electors legally accountable, insisting that the alleged criminals have been singled out potentially very unfairly.

The comments were bizarre, as was the state GOPs willingness to choose so many fake electors to serve as presidential electors again this year.

But stepping back, the problem isnt just that Republicans rewarded fake electors, the problem is made worse by the fact that Republicans keep rewarding fake electors.

In case anyone needs a refresher, after Trumps defeat, Republicans in several states created forged election materials, pretending to be duly elected and qualified electors and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Archivist, among others, as if the fake materials were legitimate. They were not.

These Republicans came to be known as their partys fake electors. The larger criminal scandal surrounding their scheme has racked up indictment totals unseen since Watergate and Iran-Contra.

In theory, GOP officials should be embarrassed by the entire controversy. In practice, the party is leaning into its own mess.

We learned in May, for example, that several fake electors in Nevada were elected to serve as delegates to the Republican National Convention, even after they were criminally charged. Clearly, lessons learned, The Nevada Independents Jon Ralston said sarcastically in response to the news.

A month earlier, state prosecutors in Arizona indicted 18 Republicans as part of the partys fake elector scheme, resulting in allegations of conspiracy, fraud and forgery. Some of them were chosen as convention delegates, too. After the state GOP made the decision, The Arizona Republics Laurie Roberts summarized in a column, The Arizona Republican Party on Saturday sent a flat out, full-throated, flabbergasting message to the voters of this great state. We be crazy, they proclaimed.

Last month, CNN reported that Republicans from seven battleground states agreed to send fake electors and others who worked to upend the 2020 election results to represent their state parties at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Not all of the fake electors who served as convention delegates were under criminal indictment  but some were, and the party didnt seem to care.

Its against this backdrop that Michigan Republicans backed indicted fake electors, too.

As the criminal charges piled up, it seemed implausible that GOP officials would extend rewards to those who were caught serving as fake electors. And yet, here we are.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trump added to his unfortunate record of disparaging military service two weeks ago when the former president said the Presidential Medal of Freedom was much better than the Medal of Honor  comments the Veterans of Foreign Wars, among others, described as asinine.

Former Trump chief of staff and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, a fierce critic of his former boss, agreed. The two awards cannot be compared in any way, he told CNN. Not even close.

A week later, the GOP presidential nominee returned fire. The New York Times reported:

In a podcast interview that ran on Monday, Donald Trump again attacked current military leadership as woke, and mocked his former chief of staff and the man he appointed as his top military adviser as stupid. Milley was a stupid person, very stupid, Trump said of Gen. Mark A. Milley, whom he picked to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He added of his onetime chief of staff, Guys like John Kelly are one of the  hes one of the dumbest people Ive ever met. A bully, but a weak bully.

In case it werent quite enough that Trump referred to his own former White House chief of staff as one of the dumbest people hes ever met, in the same interview, the Republican called Kelly a lowlife and a terrible, stupid person.

Trump says his former Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly is a terrible, stupid person because he told the media that Trump called our veterans who died in war suckers and losers. pic.twitter.com/MhKgIsa0hA  Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) August 26, 2024

With 10 weeks remaining before Election Day, Trump is directing some of his harshest criticisms at the retired Marine general he tapped to oversee the Department of Homeland Security and his own White House.

Indeed, this latest offensive extends one of the strangest ongoing feuds in contemporary American politics. Circling back to our earlier coverage, it was just two months ago when Trump, unprompted, lashed out at Kelly as dumb and a lost soul. Months earlier, by way of his social media platform, the former president said his former chief of staff was by far the dumbest of my Military people. He added, in reference to Kelly, He was incapable of doing a good job, it was too much for him, and I couldnt stand the guy, so I fired him like a dog. He had no heart or respect for people, so I hit him hard.

In a follow-up missive, Trump went on to say that Kelly is a Lowlife with a very small brain and a very big mouth.

There was no great mystery as to the motivation for the offensive. After all, Kelly is the one who confirmed on the record that Trump really did denigrate American servicemembers as suckers and losers.

What can I add that has not already been said? Kelly told CNN in October 2023. Referring to his former boss, Kelly added, A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all suckers because there is nothing in it for them. A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because it doesnt look good for me. A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family  for all Gold Star families  on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France.

A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women, Kelly continued. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason  in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.

There is nothing more that can be said, Kelly concluded. God help us.

Kelly has also accused Trump of poisoning peoples minds, having serious character issues and not being a real man.

Whats more, Kelly told The New York Times in 2022 that Trump, during his presidency, told his chief of staff to use the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department to target his critics and perceived political foes.

The Times report went on to note, Mr. Kelly said he made clear to Mr. Trump that there were serious legal and ethical issues with what he wanted. The then-president regularly made the demands anyway.

I continue to believe the fact that the Republican nominee is publicly feuding with his own former DHS secretary and chief of staff should probably be a bigger deal in the 2024 campaign.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* As Republicans on Georgias state election board pursue radical changes to the election certification process, local Democrats are now taking the matter to court.

* Vice President Kamala Harris campaign unveiled a new television ad this week focused specifically on her plan to lower housing costs by building 3 million new homes over four years.

My mother saved for years to buy a home. I was a teenager when that day finally cameI remember how excited she was.



Right now, home ownership is out of reach for too many Americans.



When I am President, we will end the housing shortage by building 3 million homes and rentals. pic.twitter.com/PHVaSt5OCe  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 27, 2024

* In Arizonas closely watched U.S. Senate race, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego picked up an endorsement this week from the Arizona Police Association. The same law enforcement association endorsed Donald Trump last week.

* At his latest campaign stop in Michigan, Trump claimed Rep. John James secretly won the 2020 U.S. Senate race that James, in reality, actually lost.

* Now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s independent presidential campaign is over, Cornel Wests independent presidential campaign is apparently making appeals to anti-vaccine voters.

* On a related note, the Trump campaign has confirmed that RFK Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Republicans 2024 transition team.

* And in Maryland, the latest AARP poll found Harris trouncing Trump by 32 points, but the same survey found Republican Larry Hogan and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks tied in the states U.S. Senate race, 46% to 46%. (Click the link for information on the surveys methodology and margins of error.)

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trumps remarks at the National Guard Associations conference were a bit of a mess. The Republicans principal goal seemed to be blaming Vice President Kamala Harris for Americas withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago, which was bizarre given that (a) it wasnt Harris call; (b) Trumps the one who negotiated the withdrawal agreement; and (c) Trumps own White House national security adviser said Trump bears some responsibility for what transpired.

But this wasnt the only problem.

In the same remarks, the GOP nominee lied about U.S. ammunition stockpiles. He falsely claimed that the Biden administration abandoned $85 billion worth of equipment in Afghanistan. He insisted that no American servicemembers were killed in Afghanistan in the 18 months that preceded the end of the war, which wasnt even close to being true.

But of particular interest was Trumps rhetoric about his related policy goals. The Hill reported:

Former President Trump said he would create a national guard for the Space Force and build an Iron Dome in the U.S. as he laid out his military plans during a Monday address. Trump, speaking Monday at a National Guard Association of the U.S. conference in Detroit, touted the creation of the Space Force, the sixth branch of the U.S. military. It was established in 2019 to protect U.S. assets in space from threats from Russia and China.

One of my proudest achievements in my first term was to create Space Force, the first new branch of the armed forces in over 70 years; its a big deal, he said. Now that Space Force is up and running, I agree with your leadership  you want this very badly  but I agree that the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Space Force.

Trumps incessant focus on a domestic Iron Dome  a subject he talks about quite a bit  continues to be strange. The whole point of an Iron Dome is to protect against short-range missiles, and unless the Republican is worried about Canada or Mexico launching a surprise attack, the United States should probably focus on other national security priorities.

Indeed, the former president has never explained why, exactly, hes so determined to build a domestic Iron Dome, though I have a hunch its because he likes the words iron and dome.

Similarly, while its true the GOP candidate likes to boast about the creation of the Space Force, Trump hasnt gotten around to articulating any kind of vision for the branch, reinforcing concerns that he championed the move because he thought it sounded cool.

Its against this backdrop that he now also wants a Space National Guard  again, for reasons he did not explain.

If this was Trumps idea of a substantive speech, it was a failure.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Maddow Blog | Why do Republicans keep forgetting who was president in 2020?

Given Russias efforts to interfere in the United States 2016 presidential election, officials were on high alert during the 2020 race for similar tactics. With this in mind, when The New York Post published a notorious report on Hunter Bidens laptop during the race four years ago, U.S. agencies suspected it was Russian misinformation. So did social media giants, which temporarily limited access to the story.

Facebook was among the tech companies that acted, and Mark Zuckerberg has long said he wished his company had handled the matter differently. The CEO reiterated that point in correspondence this week with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee.

Donald Trump apparently found all of this significant anew and published this missive to his own social media platform.

Zuckerberg admits that the White House pushed to SUPPRESS HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY (& much more!). IN OTHER WORDS, THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS RIGGED. FoxNews, New York Post, Rep. Laurel Lee, House Judiciary Committee.

For readers interested in punctuation and grammatical rules, Id note that the former presidents rant started with quotation marks, but there was no end-quote. Ive long since stopped trying to understand his idiosyncratic approach to the language.

Nevertheless, as is often the case, Trump probably saw a headline or two, failed to grasp the relevant facts, and published some online hysterics that didnt really make any sense. But of particular interest was a pertinent detail the GOP candidate overlooked: He was president in 2020, not Joe Biden.

Look at the rant again: To hear Trump tell it, the White House was responsible for trying to suppress a controversial report, which in his mind, necessarily meant that the 2020 election was rigged.

But in light of the fact that were talking about events that unfolded in 2020, he was referring to his own White House.

Its striking how often this comes up with Republicans. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia last year blamed the Biden administrations policies for a Michigan woman whose sons died in 2020  when Biden was a private citizen and Trump was president.

Months later, Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas blamed Biden for paying people to stay home in 2020, referring to a law that Trump signed into law. The same week, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado blamed the Democratic president for Covid-related school closures in 2020  which, again, was a year that Biden spent campaigning, not in the Oval Office.

It also wasnt too long ago when former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany pointed to crime data from 2020 to blame Biden for the U.S. murder rate, apparently unaware that it was her former boss who was president at the time.

More recently, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody took aim at the Biden administrations approach to criminal justice protests in 2020  when there was no Biden administration.

Evidently, Trump is equally forgetful.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
(Bloomberg) -- President Nicolas Maduro appointed Delcy Rodriguez as Venezuelas new oil minister and put Diosdado Cabello in charge of the joint interior and justice ministry, promoting key allies after a disputed election.

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The move also sees Hector Obregon step in as the new head of state-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, replacing Pedro Tellechea, who will become industry minister, Maduro announced Tuesday on state television.

Anabel Pereira was named finance minister.

Today Venezuela heads down a path of peace, Maduro said. Where people feel that those who have acted against the law and the constitution, are faced with opportune, fair and timely justice.

The shakeup comes one month after Venezuelas presidential vote, in which the electoral authority declared that Maduro was reelected for a third consecutive term. The results have been contested by the opposition, while some Maduro allies  including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro  have urged the government to publish the complete voting tallies.

In addition to the oil portfolio, Rodriguez will continue on as vice president. The 55-year-old is one of Maduros closest allies, rising through the ranks in roles such as information and foreign minister, to become the governments second-most powerful official.

Her new appointment as oil minister sets her firmly atop the linchpin of Venezuelas economy, as the nations recovery hinges on the speed at which it can boost oil production. Maduro has reiterated a production goal for PDVSA of 1.2 million barrels a day that has yet to be reached.

Earlier this month, a leak from a broken oil pipeline from the El Palito refinery spilled into Venezuelas Caribbean Sea, affecting 28 miles of coastline. The spill occurred after a pipeline feeding into a power station broke, leaking into a stream that leads to the sea.

Cabello, a top Socialist Party leader and close Maduro ally, will step into the interior and justice post for a second time after having served under the late Hugo Chavez in the early 2000s.

Pereira, Maduros newly appointed finance minister, had been running Venezuelas crypto superintendency after its former head was arrested in connection with a large scale corruption scheme in 2023. She also led a state agency backing the nations bank deposits known as Fogade.

Among other changes, Maduro named Miranda state Governor Hector Rodriguez as education minister.

(Updates throughout with more cabinet appointments.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday appointed a ruling socialist party boss to oversee the countrys police forces, empowering a hard-line loyalist who has vowed to pursue government opponents as part of a crackdown that has alarmed human rights groups.

Maduro named Diosdado Cabello interior minister as part of a Cabinet shuffle following last month's contested presidential election.

Along with Maduro, Cabello is one of the most fervent stalwarts of the so-called Bolivarian revolution started by the late Hugo Chavez and has long been considered the second most powerful person in Venezuela after Maduro. A retired army lieutenant, he fought alongside Chavez in a failed military uprising in 1992 and later served as acting president when Chavez himself was removed in a brief coup a decade later.

However, Chavez passed him over when he picked Maduro  a civilian with no military pedigree  as his successor shortly before he died of cancer in 2013. Since then, Cabello has served in a number of roles, including National Assembly president and head of the ruling socialist party. Until now, he never served in Maduro's Cabinet, an omission that has long fueled speculation of an unspoken rivalry between them.

Human rights groups fear that Cabello's appointment to interior minister, with oversight of Venezuela's police forces, will intensify the government's heavy-handed response to protests that erupted after last month's presidential election, when Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence presented by the opposition that its candidate prevailed by a 2-to-1 margin.

If the new Cabinet is a bellwether of what Maduro intends to do, Cabellos appointment is an indication of even more repression to come, said Juanita Goebertus, director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch.

More than 2,000 people  including journalists, politicians and aid workers  have been arrested since the July 28 election. The wave of arrests is likely to feature prominently at a special meeting Wednesday of the Organization of American States in Washington to discuss a report on the crackdown by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The latest opponent to be detained is a lawyer for opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado, who was barred from running for office against Maduro and instead campaigned in support of a last-minute, stand-in candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez.

They trying to subdue us, to distract us and to terrify us, Machado said on Tuesday denouncing what she called the kidnapping" of the aide, Perkins Rocha.

We will continue moving forward, for Perkins, for all the prisoners and persecuted, and for all of Venezuela, Machado wrote on the social media platform X. We will be fee.

Cabello, 61, has been among key insiders calling for a forceful response to those casting doubt on Maduro's victory. With deep roots in the security forces, he's seen his influence expand as Venezuelans have tired of Maduro, blaming him for wrecking the oil-rich economy.

Theyre hiding like rats but were going to grab them, Cabello said about several prominent opponents in an address to the Maduro-controlled legislature a day after the election.

The U.S., Canada, European Union and Switzerland are among governments that have sanctioned Cabello for an array of alleged crimes ranging from money laundering to human rights abuses. The U.S. has also offered a $10 million reward for his arrest to face federal charges of leading what U.S. prosecutors have dubbed the "Cartel of the Suns, an alleged drug-smuggling ring involving Venezuelas military.

Cabello is perhaps best known  and feared  for a weekly talk show on state TV, called Hitting it With a Sledgehammer, in which he smears and attacks government opponents.

Maduro said the Cabinet shuffle aims to accelerate and deepen changes that the people need. As part of the shakeup, his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, will also now serve as oil minister. Hector Rodriguez, governor of Miranda state surrounding Caracas and who some saw as a younger alternative to Maduro, was picked to serve as education minister.

___

Goodman reported from Miami.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
How MAGA Is Already Justifying The Use Of Military Force At Home If Trump Wins

Many MAGA influencers have an apocalyptic story to tell about the country, the political divide, and where were all headed, and theyre already using it to lay the groundwork for crossing what has long been a red line: deploying the military for domestic law enforcement purposes.

In this MAGA fever dream, everyone has their part to play. They believe that theyll be caught up in it; you might be, too. It goes something like this: If Donald Trump wins in November, people will protest. Riots will break out. The left, they theorize, will go all-out to stoke organized violence around the country, clearing the way for a newly inaugurated Trump administration to step in and make unprecedented, widespread use of the U.S. military to restore law and order.

This dark vision of the future draws on deeply pessimistic theorizing, on lectures about Marxist anti-government ideology seemingly ripped from the Cold War, on memories of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, and on claims that Democrats and the left will be unable to accept a Trump victory. It all comes against the backdrop of senior officials around Trump and Trump himself reportedly having been eager to invoke the Insurrection Act while he was in office, and mulling its actual use if hes re-elected.

In this situation, a second Trump administration would invoke the law to deploy the military to enforce immigration laws as part of a broader mission at the southern border  a proposal Trump has often spoken about publicly. But it would also make that invocation to do something far more extreme and at odds with American history: use the military against protestors.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Gen. Gustave Perna, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley listen as President Donald J. Trump participates in a vaccine development event in the Rose Garden at the White House on Friday, May 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Wargames

For this story, TPM spoke with influential right-wingers and reviewed publications, public statements, and planning documents from Trump-affiliated think tanks. They presented a vision of a Trump victory in the 2024 election that, in their telling, would almost immediately be followed by street fighting and mass violent protests aimed at destabilizing the new administration.

Its all feverish: Several people TPM interviewed predicted that people will die; others imagined foreign control of their opponents and Marxist infiltration. Through it all ran an unwillingness to distinguish between peaceful protest and the employment of violence.

If you see a peaceful protest from the left, please call me, because itll be the first time Ive ever seen that, Mike Howell, executive director of the Heritage Foundations Oversight Project, told TPM.

Howell, who served in the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, helped direct a wargame that the Heritage Foundation ran simulating the 2024 election. Apart from preemptively dismissing the prospect of a fair election, the report suggested that readers should expect public violence from left-aligned entities in the event of disfavored outcomes, while warning that biased media outlets would minimize and understate the severity of that violence.

Howell laid out a similar, extended scenario to TPM: an outgoing Biden administration and the press would ignore mass violence, he said.

I think people are going to die and I think theyll excuse it, Howell told TPM. And I think its awful and I think we should be preparing for it.

That, Howell said, would then present the Trump administration with a clear objective once assuming office: Bring law and order back to this country.

Howell wouldnt say directly whether that would lead to the president invoking the Insurrection Act, only that all items on the menu should be looked at to protect the people of this country against the terrorist element.

There are many, many other prominent voices fantasizing about this.

Jeff Clark, the former assistant attorney general who briefly tried to hijack the DOJ during Trumps 2020-2021 attempt to stay in power despite losing re-election, has suggested that the U.S. is subject to color revolutions  mass social unrest, aimed at violently achieving regime change, orchestrated by its own intelligence agencies. Glenn Beck urged his readers in June to prepare for a 2024 color revolution.

Others laid out post-election scenarios that were somewhat less lurid, but still envisioned rioting as a political tool that could be deployed against them. Gavin Wax, head of the New York Young Republicans, speculated to TPM that following a Democratic loss, it would be part of overall psychological warfare, showing strength, taking to the streets.

Conservative policy influencer Chris Rufo argued in a recent article that Americans should expect the left to stage violent riots before the 2024 elections, saying that the same tactic, supposedly, paid an electoral dividend in 2020.

In the minds of Trumps supporters, this planning is justified  in line with Trumps promise of retribution. In their telling, hes already borne those same slings and arrows that he envisions for his opponents: years of attempts by the deep state to thwart his administration, followed by supposedly unjust political prosecutions. He is punching back. It sets the stage, for Trump and those around him, to claim they are simply engaged in a tit for tat: using the machinery of the state to suppress his political opponents.

And, in a stunning coincidence, those same opponents will happen to be violently rioting just as Trump takes office  at least in the fantasies of these hardcore supporters.

Peter Feaver, a scholar of civil-military relations at Duke University, told TPM that the powers of the executive had evolved over the years, and that their responsible use had it come to depend on electing a principled President.

Feaver served on the National Security Council in the George W. Bush and Clinton administrations. He added that the judiciary has long given the executive branch the power to use the Insurrection Act to override state law enforcement, in part out of deference to national security decision-making. Federal troops have been deployed domestically in dozens of situations; to quell the 1992 Los Angeles riots, to ensure desegregation efforts, to break up railroad strikes.

Its not as if weve never had somebody who has tested the line, but we havent had somebody who has gone rogue to completely and permanently subvert the Constitution, Feaver said.

President Donald Trump leaves the White House on foot to go to St Johns Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Higher stakes

For many right-wingers, the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests serve as a benchmark, often invoked when forecasting the kind of developments that they see as inevitable over the coming months, and requiring a tough response following a potential Trump victory. On the right, those protests are regarded as the high-water mark of recent left-wing violence.

As MAGA influencers tell it, the media and local, Democratic-controlled city governments ignored wanton lawlessness and violence, leaving shop owners and police squads to fend for themselves among violent mobs. The sense of grievance thats emerged ignores the reality that many of the 2020 marches against police brutality were peaceful and managed to avoid burning down any police stations or looting stores. But the memory of that moment of activist mobilization remains powerful, among this set, and continues to inspire fear.

Howell and others said that in their view, the November election would lead to a far greater level of chaos across the country than what was seen in summer 2020.

Much more is at stake, Douglas Wilson, a Moscow, Idaho pastor who has become influential in conservative circles, told TPM. With the killing of George Floyd, it was simply an opportunity to vent, but no actual power was at stake. And with the presidential election, it would be actual power.

Setting aside the crimped definition of power here, Wilson envisions left-wing self-preservation as further inflaming the imagined post-election violence.

If Trump wins, a lot of high powered, highly placed people are going to go to jail, Wilson added. They dont want to go to jail.

Wilson has become increasingly influential among self-described Christian Nationalists, who see Trump as a vehicle to punch through an agenda that would try to reshape American society, bringing it closer to their hardline interpretation of Christianity. Wilson appeared last September at an event held on Capitol Hill called Theology of American Statecraft. He spoke immediately after a talk given by Russ Vought, a former Trump Office of Management and Budget director who has taken a leading role in developing policies for a second administration, including through Project 2025.

Vought illustrates another feature of the summer 2020 protests that looms large over how some right-wingers cast the upcoming election: They were, they contend, misunderstood by the public, and a missed opportunity for the administration.

During the Black Lives Matter protests, Trump mulled invoking the Insurrection Act multiple times. According to a memoir from then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Trump mused about having the military shoot protestors in the legs while discussing whether to invoke the Act.

A lot of criticism that President Trump got from the right, particularly during the primary, was because he didnt want to invoke that, Wax, the New York Young Republicans chief, remarked.

In an undercover recording released last week, Vought was caught on camera discussing Project 2025. At one point in the recording, Vought remarked that George Floyd obviously was not about race  it was about destabilizing the Trump administration.

We put out, for instance, a 50-page paper designed for lawyers to know that the president has, you know, the ability both along the border and elsewhere to maintain law and order with the military and thats something that, you know, thats going to be important for him to remember and his lawyers to affirm, he said.

Many of those that TPM spoke with echoed Voughts language in how they characterized protest. Howell, the Heritage official, said that the aim of protests after a potential Trump victory and inauguration would be to destabilize the United States of America and the last beacon of hope and a free country in the West.

A review of the paper that Vought referenced, authored by former DHS acting secretary Ken Cuccinelli and another staffer, shows that it answers an undisputed question: Does the Posse Comitatus Act, which blocks executive branch officials from deploying troops domestically, allow the president to use the military to defend the border?

That part of the paper answers a question thats long been settled: The Pentagon regularly deploys troops in support of protecting the U.S.-Mexico border, though not in a law enforcement capacity. But as the New York Times first reported, the document makes extensive legal arguments for using troops to arrest people as part of a domestic deployment.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Lingering questions

Joseph Nunn has studied the Insurrection Act and related issues around domestic military deployments, and has warned as a potential second Trump term approaches that the law has virtually no safeguards: the president can invoke it at will, with no review.

This is actually the longest the United States has ever gone without an invocation of the Insurrection Act since the first version of the law was enacted in 1792, Nunn, a fellow at the Brennan Center, told TPM. (The last time the Act was invoked was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when state and local law enforcement briefly lost control of sections of the city.) He noted that the Act is intended for situations in which civilian law enforcement cannot cope; thanks to heavy investment in state and federal law enforcement, Nunn said, those kinds of emergencies have become exceedingly rare.

Using the military against peaceful demonstrators would cut against a foundational element of American public life: the right to freely and peacefully make your views about the government known, absent government retribution.

To the extent that any candidate or person in the orbit of a candidate is suggesting a preemptive plan to invoke the Insurrection Act, thats inappropriate, Nunn said. The purpose of this law is to respond to sudden emergencies. If you are planning it months in advance, thats by definition anticipating an abuse of the law.

Neither of the two missions that the Trump team is envisioning  immigration enforcement or putting down protests  falls remotely within the ambit of why people join the military, Nunn added. People who join the military dont do so because they look to be deployed against their fellow Americans, he said. Domestic law enforcement, among other things, is not seen within the military as its job. Its not what they want to be doing. They want to be focused outward, on defense.

A military commander might not want the mission, but its would be unusual verging on unprecedented for senior officers to refuse to carry out an order.

Throughout his first term, Trump was observed time and again making his wishes known without explicitly directing his subordinates to carry out a given action. When he mused in summer 2020 about shooting protestors, he did not order subordinates to do so: per Espers account, Trump simply wondered why the option wasnt on the table.

It leaves the country with a riddle that only Trump, if elected in November, can solve: will he go further this time? And will those around him do the same?
MAGA thought leaders can't stop proving that they are weird, just as Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, have described them.

Last week, Ann Coulter and other Republican bottom-feeders grossed normal people out by mocking Guz Walz for getting emotional during his dad's speech at the Democratic National Convention. The insults didn't just prove that the self-appointed protectors of "family values" wouldn't know a loving family if they saw one. It was a reminder that the Trump campaign's strategy continues to be appealing to ugly, bitter people with a message of resentment.

But the Walzes aren't the only family whose evident happiness infuriates the extremely online MAGA movement. Harris' family has drawn ire, as well. Especially her stepdaughter, 25-year-old model and designer Ella Emhoff, whose creativity, beauty and easygoing love for her family has sent many on the right into paroxysms of rage. The daughter of Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, triggers the incel-minded online right by being a Brooklyn hipster who rejects the tiresome conservative rules for how women are allowed to dress or behave. In response, Donald Trump's fanboys are in a total meltdown, unable to accept the existence of a woman who doesn't care what they think of her. And they can't hide that they're furious that she looks great doing so.

In the real world, Ella Emhoff, who graduated from Parsons School of Design and has a modeling contract with IMG, is being declared "a fashion icon" for her effortless pairing of high fashion with her quirky tastes.

From Helmut Lang to Thom Browne to Joe Ando, Ella Emhoff was certainly the style star of the 2024 DNC pic.twitter.com/z8eoIrPXFv  highsnobiety (@highsnobiety) August 23, 2024

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To normal people, Emhoff's choice to wear a goofy "Harris/Walz" trucker hat with an elegant Helmut Lang top is fun and keeping with the high spirits at the DNC. To the MAGA right, however, her self-presentation is unacceptable. Richard Hanania, whose rise as a conservative "intellectual" was stymied by the revelation that he writes neo-Nazi-level white supremacist stuff under a pseudonym, angrily snarled that "this is pretty much the nightmare scenario for most people with a daughter."

Ella Emhoff being a part of the first family has the potential to radicalize American parents. Im for women living the lives they want, but this is pretty much the nightmare scenario for most people with a daughter. pic.twitter.com/Khjd1vPPFR  Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) August 20, 2024

It's yet another sign of how out of touch and frankly weird the MAGA right is. No, most Americans would not find it a "nightmare" to have a daughter who is successful, popular and confident. Most parents would feel how Doug Emhoff appears to feel: proud of the smart, independent woman he helped raise.

But all this "daughter" talk is hand-waving. The message to the bitter men of MAGA is about something else entirely. "This is why you don't have a wife" is the subtext of this grievance. "Because the cute girls would rather move to Brooklyn and cuddle a cat than have anything to do with you."

Despite his pretense of speaking for the majority, Hanania, a major contributor to Project 2025, is yet another MAGA weirdo. In the past, he's denounced "race-mixing" and sneered about the "ugly, secular and barren White self-hating and Jewish" women he believes are betraying their feminine duties to be obedient helpmeets whose only ambition is having lots of children. Women simply didnt evolve to be the decision makers in society, he wrote in one piece, arguing womens liberation = the end of human civilization. His comments echo the much-panned, repeated griping of Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, that childless women are "miserable cat ladies" and "sociopaths."

Hanania is not an outlier in MAGA, but typical of a demographic Trump and Vance have geared their campaign around attracting: Bitter men who would rather gripe about "wokeness" than take responsibility for their personal failings.

As the Associated Press reported earlier this month, Trump's team thinks he can win big with male voters under 50 with a message of unapologetic misogyny and toxic masculinity. Aja Romano at Vox wrote Friday that Trump has been doing the rounds on bro-centric podcasts, some of whom also give airtime to accused rapists and white supremacists. (Both terms also fairly describe Trump.) Max Read wrote at his newsletter, Trump's campaign has a "commitment to d*ps**t outreach."

That's why it's wrong to think the Trump campaign picked Vance without vetting. Vance was chosen as part of this strategy. His near-constant opining on the reproductive status of strangers is about appealing to crappy dudes. Same with his agreement that "the whole purpose of the post-menopausal female" is to help raise a man's kids so he doesn't have to. It's about openly appealing to men like Hanania, who think women exist to clean up after men and have their babies  and who are furious when women insist they have value outside of being unpaid servants for men.

It's because Trump's campaign has cultivated this fanbase of malcontents that we're seeing such an unhinged reaction to Ella Emhoff. She is the opposite of the imaginary "tradwife" peddled on social media to profit off the sad fantasies of right-wing men. She's got tattoos and dresses more to please herself than to pander to the outdated tastes of MAGA men. Even more frightening is that she presents as intelligent and self-possessed. Worst of all is that she looks good doing all of it, disproving MAGA claims that independence leaves women as "miserable cat ladies" who will never attract attention or love.

MAGA can't stop bagging on this young woman for the sin of just being herself. As Media Matters documented, a chorus of conservative commentators like Tucker Carlson and Charlie Kirk lost their minds at the sight of this young woman. They complained that she's "covered in tattoos," which is held out as proof that Doug Emhoff "messed up." (Real men, to the MAGA right, control their daughter's body from her skin to her hymen to how she dresses. Not weird at all!) They said she wore a "man's suit" and looked like "something out of a horror film." They were especially incensed that her father showed affection for his fun, fashionable daughter, and freaked out that he gave his daughter a fatherly side hug during the convention.

MAGA people are absolute perverts, what a sick bunch of FAKE mf's



Doug Emhoff slammed by Republicans for ... hugging his daughter Ella at DNC https://t.co/sGa6QNhbb3  Avatar Votes Blue (@BackAvatar) August 20, 2024

Perhaps they're mad he's not more like Trump, who's publicly fantasized about dating his daughter, Ivanka. "Aides said he talked about Ivanka Trump's breasts, her backside, and what it might be like to have sex with her, remarks that once led John Kelly to remind the president that Ivanka was his daughter," one former aide of Trump wrote.

Vance's catastrophic poll numbers, however, show there are real risks to the Trump campaign of pandering so heavily to creeps. The majority of Americans find it weird when men have an unhinged loathing of women who diverge from their "tradwife" fantasies. As Sarah Longwell discovered for her "Focus Group" podcast, most voters are repulsed by Vance's constant griping in years past about "cat ladies," suggesting there's something wrong with him that he cares this much about the personal choices of strangers. The attacks on Emhoff only add to the weirdness. The protesting-too-much quality suggests her critics can't admit to themselves that she's cute. Their misogynist ideology cannot allow that it's attractive when a woman has a personality and isn't just a docile helpmeet.

Vance is still scrambling to justify his "miserable cat ladies" comments. On "Meet the Press" Sunday, he insisted his fixation on the uterine activity of strangers makes him "a normal human being." He falsely insisted it was a one-time joke, ignoring that there were at least 14 clips of various public appearances where he complained, at length, about women not making enough babies to suit his tastes. (And that's not even counting the "postmenopausal females" weirdness.) But he continued to insist he was in the right to bash the private childbearing decisions of strangers. As the Emhoff attacks show, it's a trap that the Trump campaign built for themselves. They want to win over the worst men in the nation by appealing directly to their controlling, misogynist desires. In the process, however, they're creeping everyone else out.
MSEA-SEIU Member and ferry captain Kevin Hopkins with MSEA-SEIU past president Dean Staffieri, on Aug. 9, 2023. (Provided by Maine Service Employees Association-SEIU Local 1989)

At the grocery store Sunday, Vinalhaven resident Peter Drury ran into an acquaintance who said they wouldnt be able to go home because two of the three ferry trips between the island and the mainland that day were canceled.

As an island resident as well as a retired captain with the Maine State Ferry Service, Drury knows how disruptive canceled trips can be for the local community and seasonal visitors.

The latest effort to curb these cancellations, which are mostly attributed to boats having an insufficient number of crew members, has come in the form of a new incentive program for ferry workers, but employees and union leaders fear the additional compensation will come at a cost to workers other benefits.

In July, leaders from six island communities wrote to Gov. Janet Mills asking her to intervene on the service interruptions.

In a statement to Maine Morning Star about what she has done about the issue, Mills office expressed concern about the impact on peoples lives and deferred to the Maine Department of Transportation for a resolution.

The Department will remain in contact with island and union leaders, with whom we share the goal of solving this problem, Mills office wrote in a statement.

The Maine DOT and the Maine Service Employees Association-SEIU Local 1989 reached an agreement last week that will provide up to $4,000 in bonus pay and increased overtime for ferry crews. Maine DOT said it values the hard work of ferry service crews and recognizes that cancellations are disruptive to the island communities.

Frankie St. Amand, an MSEA field representative, expressed concern that since the extra pay will only be available until Dec. 31, it will only provide a short term Band-Aid for the ongoing challenge.

Canceling ferries because of staffing shortages was unheard of even five years ago, said Drury, who worked as a captain for more than 25 years until he retired in 2022, but its become more commonplace in the last couple years.

Of the 612 scheduled trips from Rockland to Vinalhaven between July 1 and Aug. 22, 15 of them were canceled. Almost three-quarters of those were because of crew shortages, with the others for routine Coast Guard inspections, according to data provided by Maine DOT.

Cancellations are also posted on the ferry services Facebook page. Since Thursday, the two trips that didnt run on Sunday were the only ones reported. Both of those were attributed to crew shortages.

Ferry service workers were heartened by the letters sent to Mills in late July, said St. Amand. But she said the incentive program doesnt go far enough to address the challenge of hiring and retaining staff.

Workers say they can make more money crewing ferries elsewhere, so theres little incentive to stay and work in Maine.

The United States Merchant Mariners are an endangered species, said Dan McNichol, a captain with 22 years of experience with Maine State Ferry Service.

Drury said he knows there are still people like him who enjoy working on boats, but pay and other lifestyle demands stand in the way of some people participating in those jobs.

New ferry worker incentive program

The plan offers up to $4,000 for working a certain number of rotations, which is the term used to describe the seven days-on, seven days-off schedule for crew members. To receive the maximum amount, someone would need to work 10 out of a possible 13 scheduled rotations between July 1 and Dec. 31. The payment decreases by $400 for each rotation under 10 someone works, according to Maine DOT.

Given the rotation schedule, crew members could work 13 of the 26 weeks between July 1 and the end of the year.

The incentive program also provides increased overtime pay for fully staffed crews, depending on position. Ferry captains will earn time-and-a-half for overtime hours between Aug. 10 and the end of the year. Other crew members included in the agreement will receive double pay during that same time period.

While the up to $4,000 lump sum is appreciated, St. Amand said it discourages employees from using sick time or vacation. She said the union is concerned people may come to work sick or even injured to make sure they are hitting the requirements for the incentive.

Maine DOT Director of Communications Paul Merrill said the requirement to work 10 of the 13 possible weeks between July 1 and the end of the year provides flexibility for crew members to take vacation or other leave while still being able to earn the full incentive.

He also reiterated that crew members can still earn a prorated bonus if they work at least six rotations in the time period.

Since the agreement expires at the end of this year, St. Amand also said the union is concerned this wont fix the systemic compensation problems.

Maine DOT hopes the staffing situation will improve with this incentive and other recent efforts such as salary increases, higher starting pay, new positions and some crew members returning from medical leave, Merrill said.

However, the department will continue to monitor the situation between now and the end of the year and work on additional solutions in the future if they are needed to keep ferries running on schedule, he added.

You have to be able to afford to work here to be here

Based on the current pay schedule, able seamen can earn a maximum base salary of $46,800 and captains max out at $87,500 for base salary. Maine DOT previously told Maine Morning Star that wages for all ferry service personnel include stipends in response to the recruitment and retention challenges of the positions. The stipend brings an able seaman to a maximum salary of just under $59,000.

But to be competitive, Drury and McNichol explained that wages for merchant marine jobs in Maine have to be comparable to those outside of the state because people could choose to take the same job somewhere else to make more money.

You have to be able to afford to work here to be here, McNichol said.

McNichol said he is able to make it work because he racks up about $20,000 a year in overtime and has a pension from the U.S. Coast Guard, but he said it can be hard on young people, especially if they are trying to raise families.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers a base salary of $49,570 to $52,895 for able seamen, amounting to an average salary of $75,471 with overtime, meal allowance and other benefits.

For several years, the state employees union has been calling on the Mills administration to close the pay gap between State of Maine workers and their public and private sector counterparts. A study from 2020 showed that state employees are underpaid by 15%, on average. However, the Mills administration has argued the pay gap has decreased in recent years.

The administration needs a long term plan to hire state employees to create local, good paying jobs to maintain service to the islands, St. Amand said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
TRIPOLI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Monday expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the country due to unilateral decisions by different political factions.

The UN statement came following the east-based government's closure of the oil fields and ports in retaliation to the West-based authorities' attempt to unilaterally replace the governor of the Central Bank of Libya.

In a statement released late Monday, the UNSMIL warned that resolving this crisis would come at a high cost for Libyans and could risk precipitating the country's financial and economic collapse.

It added that it is convening an emergency meeting for all parties involved in the crisis to try and reach a consensus, and called for the suspension of all unilateral decisions related to the Central Bank and an immediate lift of the force majeure on oil fields.

The West-based Presidency Council recently appointed a new governor for the Central Bank, but the east-based House of Representatives rejected the decision, saying it was beyond the council's authority.

On Sunday, local media reported that a committee from the Presidency Council tried to enter the Central Bank's headquarters in Tripoli to enforce its decision.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has struggled with fragmentation. The country is now divided between two main rival administrations: the east-based government, backed by the House of Representatives, and the west-based government in Tripoli, supported by the Presidency Council.

This divide has led to frequent clashes, competing claims of legitimacy, and struggles over control of resources, including oil. Despite numerous attempts at reconciliation and international mediation, Libya remains politically unstable and divided. 
Maine police can now get a warrant to take someone into protective custody

A Maine Monitor analysis finds the number of weapons restriction orders statewide has jumped from an average of two to 32 per month since the Lewiston shootings.

When a bill to strengthen Maines yellow flag law went into effect earlier this month, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he felt a sense of relief.

I think this is one of those cases where we learned from the past, Merry said.

A Lewiston Police vehicle blocks a road leading to Just-in-Time Recreation on Oct. 27, 2023, where eight patrons were shot and killed two days earlier. Sagadahoc County Sheriffs deputies had unsuccessfully attempted to bring the shooter, Robert Card, into protective custody for a weapons restriction order five weeks earlier.

The law  and Merrys agency  have received a good deal of scrutiny since the mass shootings that killed 18 people and injured over a dozen more in Lewiston last October.

In the days following the tragedy, Merry disclosed that two of his deputies had attempted to conduct welfare checks on the shooter, Robert Card, but were unable to make contact.

Earlier this year, the deputies told an independent commission that they couldnt start the process for a weapons restriction order to take Cards firearms because they werent able to bring him into protective custody.

Maines yellow flag law, which went into effect in 2020, says an officer with probable cause to believe that a person may be mentally ill and that due to that condition the person poses a likelihood of serious harm, can take someone into protective custody, usually at a hospital, for an immediate examination.

There, a medical practitioner, on-site or via telehealth, conducts an assessment. If the person is found to pose a substantial risk in the foreseeable future of serious physical harm to himself or others as manifested by recent behavior, the order goes to a judge for a final endorsement. Only with the judges sign-off may an officer remove weapons from a person.

In its final report, issued this week, the independent commission said although the person must be physically taken into protective custody to start the yellow flag process, the Sheriffs Office had probable cause to take Card into protective custody.

The officers, in reports and testimony, said they were unable to coax Card out of his house to bring him in, and were unable to start the protective custody process because they were unable to lay eyes on him.

I cant kick in the door, Sgt. Aaron Skolfield, the Sagadahoc deputy who attempted the September welfare check, told the commission. If I had kicked in the door, that would have been against the law.

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A good tool for law enforcement

That process changed earlier this month when a law to strengthen public safety by improving Maines firearm laws and mental health system went into effect. The legislation, proposed by Gov. Janet Mills, was one of several gun reform measures that passed this spring.

Under the changes, officers can now apply for a protective custody warrant, which is meant to make it simpler for law enforcement to respond to threats of violence.

How exactly this will affect law enforcements approach to weapons restriction orders remains to be seen  so far, just one agency has successfully petitioned for a warrant. In interviews, officers said they expect it will make it easier for agencies to work together and could allow them to forcibly enter a residence if necessary, though some warned of the risks associated with this step.

Maine's yellow flag law went into effect on July 1, 2020. The Maine Monitor's data does not include a 2020 order from the Scarborough Police Department that, while included in the AG office's data, officials from Scarborough PD said was initiated but never completed.

A Maine Monitor analysis of data from the attorney generals office found that the use of the yellow flag law exploded after last Octobers shootings. During the more than three years between when the law went into effect in July 2020 and the shootings, the state saw, on average, two weapons restriction orders per month. Since then there have been an average of 32 per month.

The independent commissions final report acknowledged that officers said the weapons restriction order process took too long and was burdensome, particularly for smaller law enforcement agencies.

Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce, in March testimony supporting the bill, told lawmakers he was most concerned that the previous version of the law had no provision for a law enforcement agency to act on an individual who does not communicate with the police.

He described a situation in which deputies attempted multiple times over several days to reach a man who, according to relatives, had been in the military, been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and recently assaulted a co-worker, his brother and sister-in-law. Joyce said relatives witnessed him pacing on his property day and night while wearing tactical gear and carrying an AR-15.

For three days, deputies surveilled the mans home around the clock. Ten days after relatives called the sheriffs office to report their concerns, the man left his residence, a neighbor called the office and a deputy who happened to be in the area was able to bring him into protective custody. The sheriffs office obtained a weapons restriction order last December.

The law enforcement agency may have all kinds of probable cause to take someone into protective custody for a yellow flag action, but they must first have physical contact with the individual, Joyce said.

With a warrant, officers dont have to hope an uncooperative individual will eventually leave a residence in order to take them into protective custody.

When applying for a protective custody warrant, officers must include an affidavit establishing three things: probable cause that the person may be mentally ill and due to that condition presents a likelihood of serious harm; probable cause that the person possesses, controls or may acquire a dangerous weapon; and that the officer made reasonable attempts to take the person into custody without a warrant.

Merry said this is a relevant and good tool for officers unable to put your hands on the person to take them into protective custody, such as when a person refuses to open the door.

The Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Office completed 16 weapons restriction orders as of Aug. 19, the third-most of any agency in the state  all in the past 10 months. Deputies completed their first order last Nov. 8, exactly two weeks after the Lewiston shootings.

Maj. Matt Gagne, who heads Sanford Police Department's mental health unit, agreed the warrant is another tool in an officers toolbelt.

But, he said, it should be exercised with caution. Attempting to use a warrant to enter the home of a person who refuses to answer the door, has made violent threats, and has access to weapons, could be dangerous, he said.

It can be high risk for the officer, he said. It can be high risk for the individual.

As of Aug. 19, the York County agency has completed 18 orders, the most of any agency other than the state police. Eleven were initiated after the Lewiston shootings.

Gagne said many of the orders were completed in conjunction with Sanford PDs mental health unit, which includes two police officers, a mental health clinician and an OPTIONS (Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety) liaison via Sweetser.

The unit has found ways to streamline aspects of what law enforcement agencies statewide have said can be a time-consuming and cumbersome process, from providing officers with digitized forms on iPads to using the expertise of the departments clinicians, he said.

Still, hes not sure what executing a protective custody warrant will look like in practice.

Were going to have to cross that bridge when we come to it and were going to have to exercise extreme caution, Gagne said.

As of Aug. 19, one agency has successfully petitioned for a protective custody warrant, according to records from the attorney generals office requested by The Monitor.

Within hours of the law going into effect on Aug. 9, Bath police submitted an affidavit for a protective custody warrant for a 26-year-old man who officers said made multiple threats against them after a disorderly conduct arrest days earlier, Chief Andrew Booth told The Monitor. Booth said his department worked with police from Wiscasset, where the man resides, and that officers there ultimately brought him into protective custody. The weapons restriction order was completed on Aug. 10.

Booth said because Bath PD already had probable cause and because the man refused to let officers into his home, it was more efficient for his agency to seek a protective custody warrant than it would be to pass along the information to Wiscasset and hope that they had enough probable cause to bring him into protective custody. The warrant allowed Wiscasset PD to bring the man into protective custody without having to establish probable cause themselves.

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Conflating mental illness with violence

For a judge to issue a protective custody warrant, at no point does an officer need to establish probable cause that the person committed a crime  only that the office believes the person is at risk of causing harm due to a mental illness and likely has access to weapons.

Using mental illness as the foundation for a weapons restriction order has concerned Hannah Longley, the clinical director of advocacy and crisis interventions for the Maine chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, since the law went into effect four years ago.

Memorials to the 18 people killed in Maines worst mass shooting in history line the curb in front of Schemengees Bar and Grill in Lewiston on Nov. 2, 2023. An independent commission said in its final report that law enforcement has sufficient cause to use Maines yellow flag law to take the shooter Robert Cards weapons away.

Shes now even more concerned that an officer can seek a warrant based on the presence of a mental illness.

NAMI Maine cannot support legislation in which constitutional rights of the Second Amendment are predicated on an individuals disability, the presence of mental illness, which is not a known risk factor for violence, Longley said in testimony before the legislatures judiciary committee.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine also opposed the change.

Maine law already inappropriately allows a persons mental illness to be a prerequisite for protective custody instead of just their behavior, policy counsel Michael Kebede said in testimony.

The bill doubles down on this stigmatizing and harmful conflation, he said. Having a mental illness is not a crime, nor does it make a person inherently dangerous. A mental illness is a health condition.

Just because someones experiencing a mental health crisis and they have firearms does not mean that they will necessarily be violent, Longley told The Monitor.

Longley, who regularly works with law enforcement and trains officers on crisis intervention, said data on law enforcement interactions with people experiencing mental health crises shows the vast majority of individuals stabilize at the scene or voluntarily go to a hospital for further assessment and care.

She referenced research that found poverty, abusive parents, membership in an organized hate group or gang, or being young, male and angry outweighed mental illness as risk factors for violence.

The Monitors analysis found nearly three-quarters of the 378 weapons restriction orders completed since July 2020 mentioned suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Of the instances that mentioned suicide, more than 86 percent of the individuals were male. The average age was 40.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 90 percent of gun deaths in Maine between 2018 and 2022 were due to suicide, much higher than the national average of 57 percent.

We do openly acknowledge that restricting access to lethal means is incredibly beneficial to suicide prevention, Longley said. Our concern is that the issuance of the warrant is based on the foundation of a mental health crisis or the presence of mental health symptoms as opposed to, again, those concrete risk factors.

She emphasized that its important to provide care to a person experiencing a mental health crisis as early as possible in the least restrictive setting possible.

Another gun reform measure that went into effect this month, a mandatory 72-hour waiting period on gun purchases, provides what Longley called a critical cooling down period where a person experiencing suicidal thoughts can get connected to mental health resources.

Merry, the Sagadahoc County sheriff, could not recall a weapons restriction order in which a person threatening suicide had recently purchased a gun, but said there have been cases where a person expressed suicidal thoughts and did not own already own a weapon.

Theres been a lot of research done across the country around the efficacy of 72-hour waiting periods in terms of reducing suicide, he said. So I think, you know, the research speaks for itself.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the free, confidential, 24/7 Maine Crisis Line at 1-888-568-1112 or the national Suicide Crisis Lifeline at 988 for immediate assistance. For additional information, visit NAMI Maines resource database.

This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from the Monitor, sign up for a free Monitor newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Maine law empowers officers with protective custody warrants
The University of Maine at Orono campus. (Photo by University of Maine)

Maines public universities are expecting an enrollment increase after four years of declining student populations, predominantly due to increased flexibility and remote learning options the system now offers that have attracted large numbers of non-traditional and transfer students.

Early fall estimates indicate a system-wide 5 percent increase compared with last year, according to the latest count taken a week before the fall semester starts. This means the system has enrolled 1,200 more students across Maines public universities this fall, and the numbers are expected to increase over the next week, according to Chancellor Dannel Malloy.

Undergraduate student enrollment across the system increased by 700 compared with last year, and graduate student enrollment by more than 300, according to Samantha Warren, spokesperson for the university system.

Partially due to agreements with the community college system, Maines public universities also plan to enroll the highest number of transfer students in a decade: 2,300 undergraduate transfer students, which is a 39 percent increase from last year.

More than 650 of those students are transferring from community colleges in Maine, a number that administrators expect will only increase in upcoming years after the announcement of a joint guaranteed admission initiative by the two higher education institutions last month.

We have an emphasis on reaching out to people who have some amount of college experience but may never have completed a baccalaureate degree and were seeing lots of those folks come back now, because we make it easier, Malloy said, explaining one reason for the enrollment increase.

Instead of delivering our courses in one modality, were doing a much better job of understanding that people have children, they have a job, they cant come to a campus, he added. Were offering those programs, I think, better than anyone else in the state.

Another reason for the system-wide increase is the lower cost of tuition at Maine universities compared to any other New England state, Malloy said. The average out-of-state tuition and required fees per year for public institutions was just over $30,000 in 2022-23, based on National Center for Education Statistics data. Thats at least $3,000 cheaper than any other New England state, but slightly higher than the national average.

But because of four years of declines, total enrollment numbers at most University of Maine System campuses still remain lower than the 2020 or 2021 school years. Thats consistent with nationwide trends of declining enrollment at higher education institutions. The one exception is the Presque Isle campus, which has attracted hundreds of non-traditional students by offering a rapidly growing remote online program for adult learners, exceeding its 2020 enrollment.

Asynchronous online courses doubled in enrollment

In 2020, UMPI started offering its fully remote, online degree and certification program called YourPace, for students that are over 20 years old and have some college credits. YourPace allows them to finish their degrees or certificates on an entirely asynchronous schedule  which means they can log into a learning portal and watch pre-recorded class videos and have access to course materials and assignments on their own time.

The program went from 136 students in 2020 to more than 1,400 new and returning students enrolled for this upcoming year, according to President Ray Rice. Some students are in Maine, but there are many enrolled nationwide and even internationally, he said.

The university has responded to the growing demand by offering many more courses and specialities, and a fully remote masters degree. This fall, almost 1,000 students are enrolled for the first of the two eight-week sessions offered during the fall semester, according to Rice.

Covid just changed the dynamic, and people realized that if they were ready to enroll in a program, they didnt want to have to wait on the calendar of a two- or four-year cycle at most institutions to get all the courses you need, he said. So here, because literally, every course is offered every day of the year, a student can make progress whenever, at whatever the level they come in with in terms of their transfer credit from other institutions.

The reason for the programs success is because it allows people to learn on their own timelines, he said.

Wherever you are, you have equal access to anybody else, whether in the state of Maine or particularly internationally, he said. I just think its a game changer for the state, and for the entire system.

Universities turning around declining trends through local partnerships

Enrollment at the University of Maine at Farmington is set to increase for the first time since 2017 due to a dramatic increase in transfer students and partnerships with school districts that allow degree-seeking adults to complete teacher certifications, according to President Joe McDonnell.

The universitys graduate programs for education and counseling have also seen a 20 percent increase this year, he said.

The adult completion program allows working professionals, such as Ed Techs, to finish their degrees or certifications. It has grown from 48 students last year to 144 students this year, the majority of whom are pursuing education degrees.

Partnerships with area school districts, which subsidize costs for adult learners through various teacher programs, have been key for the enrollment increase, McDonnell said.

Enrollment increases are pivotal for small universities like UMF to keep offering a wide range of courses to students, he explained.

We are a small university, which is part of the character of the place. In other words, students come because they enjoy the personal touch that you get at a small university, he said. But we cant get too small that we become fiscally not viable.

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Dr. Gary Michelson and his wife, Alya, have agreed to donate $120 million to help fund the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, which will be part of a UCLA facility on the site of the former Westside Pavilion shopping center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The reincarnation of a shuttered Los Angeles retail mecca as a sprawling UCLA research center has received a major boost from billionaire philanthropist Dr. Gary Michelson and his wife, Alya, who will give $120 million to ramp up the project.

Michelson, a spine surgeon and inventor, said the money will help launch the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, which aims to create breakthrough discoveries that prevent and cure diseases including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.

The institute will be a tenant in UCLA Research Park, which is under construction in the former Westside Pavilion. The indoor mall two miles south of the university at Pico and Westwood boulevards was a 1980s icon popular with shoppers and filmmakers before falling out of favor. Most of its stores closed by 2019.

The shopping center was being converted to offices when the UC Regents bought it for $700 million in January to create the research park. Along with the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, it will house the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, as well as other science and medicine programs.

By purchasing the former shopping center, UCLA saved years of toil to build such a facility on its campus, which is the smallest of the nine UC undergraduate campuses and has very little room for growth.

A courtyard view of the UCLA research center now under construction in the former Westside Pavilion shopping center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

"That building would have gone on the last available piece of property on the UCLA campus," Michelson said, "and it would have been extraordinarily expensive to build there. As a real estate matter, this was just an extraordinary opportunity."

The immunology institute had been planned for years, while a full-scale research park was something "we've always dreamed of having ... but we always recognized we could never find a piece of property that big close to campus. We had sort of given up on the idea many years ago  and it came alive," said former UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, who was instrumental in the purchase of the former Westside Pavilion.

An earlier plan to build the institute on the campus called for tearing down a parking garage, digging a hole deep enough to replace the parking and erecting a new building on top, Block said.

The gift, through the Michelson Medical Research Foundation , designates $100 million to establish two research entities within the institute, each funded with $50 million; one will focus on rapid vaccine development and the other on harnessing the body's microbiome to advance human health. The microbiome research will be conducted in collaboration with the new UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center , placing it among the largest microbiome research enterprises in the world, the foundation said.

The foundation is also funding a $20-million endowment to provide research grants to young scientists using novel processes to advance immunotherapy research, human immunology and vaccine discovery.

The institute will have labs of different sizes meant to serve biotech researchers who can start with small teams that can grow into larger labs if they find success.

"We're going to create an entire ecosystem of biotech startups and they're going to stay right here" and attract other players to the neighborhood, Michelson said. "We're going to build out an entire ecosystem of biotech all through Westwood."

He envisions 5,000 people, including 500 research scientists, working in the institute. Gov. Gavin Newsom estimated in January that it would take more than three years to fully transform the 700,000-square-foot complex, but Michelson hopes to have a large portion of the immunology institute operating in half that time, he said. At 360,000 square feet, the institute will be the research park's primary tenant.

The former malls 12-screen multiplex movie theater may be converted into lecture halls or performance spaces offering programming across the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences, the chancellors office said.

An interior view of the UCLA research center now under construction in the former Westside Pavilion shopping center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The gift is the Michelsons' largest single donation in 30 years of philanthropy that includes $50 million to build Michelson Hall at the University of Southern California, which is home to the Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience. The Michelson name will not be attached to the new UCLA complex, he said, because other philanthropists  perhaps one who donates more than he did  may want the recognition.

"The gift will change countless lives here and across the globe," UCLA interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt said.

The institute will operate as a nonprofit medical research organization funded by a public-private partnership and governed by an independent board that includes UCLA representatives, according to a UC Regents document. The institute will pay UCLA 7.5% of the net revenues generated by the sale of new medicines and other inventions its scientists create, the document said.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the project "has the potential to fundamentally change health outcomes around the world and create good jobs in Los Angeles."

The purchase of the former Westside Pavilion marked the third major acquisition for the public university system in Los Angeles in less than two years.

Seeking to expand its footprint, UCLA announced in June 2023 that it had acquired the Art Deco-style Trust Building in downtown Los Angeles and renamed it UCLA Downtown.

Nine months prior, the school spent $80 million to buy two other major properties owned by Marymount California University, a small Catholic university that was shuttered last year. The purchase included Marymounts 24.5-acre campus in Rancho Palos Verdes and an 11-acre residential site in nearby San Pedro.

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OROVILLE, Calif. (AP)  A 26-year-old man has been accused of igniting a destructive California wildfire in early July by throwing a firework from a car window during hot, dry and windy weather.

Spencer Grant Anderson, of Oroville, was charged Monday after weeks of continuous surveillance by investigators, the Butte County District Attorneys Office said.

The Thompson fire scorched nearly 6 square miles (15.5 square kilometers), destroyed 13 homes and damaged others in the Oroville area of the northern Sacramento Valley.

Anderson was jailed on a no-bail hold after appearing in court to face charges including arson of an inhabited structure, arson of forest land, and arson causing multiple structures to burn, the prosecutors office said in a statement.

Anderson will return to court Wednesday to set further dates to enter a plea and for pretrial hearings, the office said.

It was a long investigation, there was a lot moving parts to it, Larry Pilgrim, Andersons attorney, told The New York Times. He is just being accused at this point. Pilgrim did not immediately return messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The fire erupted shortly before 11 a.m. on July 2 when temperatures were above 100 degrees (38 Celsius), humidity was low and high winds were blowing, authorities said.

A car seen at the location of the fires start led to identification of Anderson the next day and lengthy surveillance as investigators built their case, concluding that a flaming object was thrown from the vehicle, the office said.

Warrants were served on Aug. 22, and Anderson was arrested. Authorities allege that during questioning, he admitted that he purchased fireworks in Oroville and went to the location to test one by throwing it out of his car window.

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Authorities arrested two suspects in connection to an incident in which an armed man allegedly threatened a school bus on Friday, the Moss Point Police Department said in a news release.

Police said Jacinta Kendral McPherson, 40, used a car to block a school bus from driving forward. Edwin Eugene White, 23, then tried to confront the bus, which had children on board, police said.

Police said school officials reported White had an assault-style weapon during the incident. The department did not immediately release more details on the altercation.

Police were also called to Kreole Elementary School, where a parent reported McPherson was sitting in a car with a handgun, according to the news release.

Moss Point Police and Jackson County emergency services unit searched a residence at 5609 Rose Drive in Moss Point on felony and arrest warrants in connection to what the department called two alarming incidents.

White is facing a felony charge of simple assault against a school official, in this case the bus driver. He is held at the Jackson County jail without bond.

McPherson faces a charge of interference with the operation of a school bus and has been released on signature bond, police said.
Man assaulted three Asian women he berated for their appearance

A man berated three women prostitutes for not wearing traditional Asian dress and putting on make-up, then violently attacked them, a court heard.

Muhammad Hassan, 26, assaulted the victims after spotting them at a petrol station in Bradford.

In a 51-second attack captured on CCTV, Hassan grabbed the driver and slammed her head on to the dashboard of her vehicle.

He then grabbed another womans hair and punched her in the head before hitting the third woman.

Hassan, from Bradford, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

Ayman Khokhar, prosecuting, told Bradford Crown Court Hassan knew the three women.

The group had stopped for fuel at the Prince of Wales Service Station on Harrogate Road while on their way to a dinner on May 25.

Hassan pulled up alongside the women and appeared to be refuelling his car slowly on purpose, the court heard.

The women decided to wait until he had left before getting out of their vehicle as Hassan had previously objected to their non-traditional dress and make-up.

He called them slags and prostitutes and demanded that they dress conservatively, the court heard.

After paying for his fuel, Hassan marched to the womens car and punched and pushed them before driving off while the women called 999.

The victims suffered swelling, bruises, red marks and scratches.

Hassan remained silent during a police interview but later admitted affray.

Extremely abusive and violent incident

Mr Khokhar said: In broad daylight, he has attacked three females at a petrol station. The offence appears to be motivated by sexist attitudes towards women.

Mitigating, Fuad Arshad said his client believed the women played some role in how a marriage ended but accepted his actions were unjustified.

Judge Colin Burn said: Whatever the motivation was for this, its still utterly inadequate to justify the violence that you perpetrated against [the victims] when they were sitting in a car effectively cowering from you.

The three people on the receiving end of your violence were women who were in a vulnerable situation.

This was an extremely abusive, controlling and violent incident.

The sentence handed down included 35 rehabilitation activities, 180 hours of unpaid work, electronic tagging for four months and 500 costs.

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Man charged with threatening to kill election officials and judges in Colorado and Arizona

A Colorado man was charged for allegedly making threats towards local election officials, federal law enforcement and a Colorado state judge, the Justice Department announced Monday.

Teak Brockbank, 45, was arrested in Cortez, Colo., on Friday over accusations he waged a series of online threats towards officials in Colorado and Arizona starting in 2021, according to federal prosecutors.

The messages were posted by two social media accounts. In one 2022 post, Brockbank allegedly referenced separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado before writing, there is no other answer but to execute these people, according to the criminal complaint. He also accused them of committing treason, prosecutors said.

The names of the election officials were redacted in the complaint.

In a message in October 2021, Brockbank allegedly threatened an unnamed Colorado state judge, writing, I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self? prosecutors said.

Brockbank then threatened federal law enforcement in a post that mentioned the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the CIA and the FBI, prosecutors alleged.

In a July 2022 post, he allegedly wrote it would be completely justified to shoot members from these agencies if they were to show up at his house.

Brockbank was charged with transmitting interstate threats, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

He was expected to make his initial appearance in a federal courthouse in Durango on Monday. A lawyer for Brockbank was not immediately listed on court dockets.

Attorney General Merrick Garland denounced violent threats against public servants, calling them a danger to our democracy, in a release.

The arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions, Garland wrote.

Public servants must be able to do their jobs without fear, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri added.

Brockbank allegedly renewed the threats in late 2023 in an apparent reaction to the Colorado Supreme Courts landmark ruling in December disqualifying former President Trump from the states 2024 Republican primary ballot under the 14th Amendments insurrection ban.

In texts to his stepfather, Brockbank is accused of stating, Four judges in Colorado have removed President Trump from the ballot in Colorado. their names have been added to my list

The U.S. Supreme Court in March ruled on Trumps appeal of the decision, unanimously deciding Colorado cannot disqualify the former president under the 14th Amendment.

Several reports over the last year have suggested local election workers are increasingly fearful for their safety as the November election approaches.

The Department of Justices Election Threats Task Force announced in March it is looking into dozens of threats against election workers. The task force, formed in 2021 to respond to threats related to 2020 election denialism, has already resulted in 20 prosecutions.

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Man convicted of trafficking girl, 15, asks judge for mercy, says she lied about her age

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Jimmy Ray Brown says hes not the big pimp prosecutors have made him out to be. Hes a family man with three daughters of his own and runs a carpet cleaning business in Fresno.

He had no idea the girl he was convicted of trafficking for sex was a minor, Brown, 45, said at his sentencing hearing Tuesday. He said she told him she was 22.

State regulators conduct site check of Griffin Resources, after June water contamination in Bakersfield

If nothing happens from this, the victim is going to continue destroying Black mens lives by continuing to lie about her age, Brown said.

He asked Judge Charles R. Brehmer to show mercy and give him a prison term low enough that hell be able to see his younger daughters  ages 11 and 8  graduate from high school.

Brehmer noted the jury did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Brown knew the victims age. He added that makes no difference regarding the three counts of which Brown was convicted: human trafficking of a minor for a sex act and pandering and prostituting a minor under 16.

The judge imposed the middle term of 16 years in prison. The other options were 10 or 24 years.

On Jan. 27, a Bakersfield police officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Brown on Union Avenue. The officer saw a teen in the backseat wearing a bikini top, thong underwear and jacket, according to prosecutors.

A search of Browns phone revealed messages telling the teen they were going to get rich through her commercial sex work, prosecutors say. Police later determined the teen earned thousands of dollars a week and gave the money to Brown.

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Brown ran several prostitutes, prosecutor Janae Knallay said. The victim is the only one he questioned about her age. She looks very young, Knallay said.

Browns attorney, Phillip Gillet, said Brown didnt know the girls age and asked that Brehmer impose the lower or middle term. He said the girl has prostituted herself without Browns involvement. She has a pending case in Nevada and is likely still engaging in that activity, he said.

In the statement he read to the court, Brown said he was extremely remorseful but was adamant he would never do anything to harm a child. He said hes been through a lot  his mother died in 2022, and his brother was murdered the same year.

Brown asked the judge to consider the lowest prison term. He said his life will be in danger because of prison politics regarding how inmates view those convicted of crimes against children.

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Man dead after 20-foot fall from houseboat in Lake Powell

PAGE, Arizona (ABC4)  One man is dead after falling overboard from a houseboat on Lake Powell Sunday.

According to a press release, at 3 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25, National Park Service (NPS) Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Rangers were notified by San Juan County Utah dispatch of a missing person who fell from a houseboat on Lake Powell in Wetherill Canyon.

First human case of West Nile Virus detected in Utah County this year

The victim, later identified as 41-year-old Jackson Roy Law, had reportedly fallen over 20 feet from an upper level of a privately owned houseboat. Law was a Utah resident.

NPS rangers and the San Juan County Sheriffs Office responded to the area with assistance from The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. Classic Air Medical searched the area by helicopter but was unable to find the victim.

The release stated that Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Dive Team recovered Laws body Sunday at 12:36 p.m. NPS rangers pronounced Law dead on scene.

The incident remains under investigation by the National Park Service, San Juan County Sheriffs Office, and San Juan County Medical Examiners Office.

In the release, the National Park Service and San Juan County Sheriffs Office expressed condolences to the family.

A GoFundMe has been started to help Laws family with funeral expenses.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
BANGKOK, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's banking sector has remained resilient in the second quarter, thanks to solid levels of capital, loan loss provisions and liquidity, the Thai central bank said on Tuesday, despite a slowdown in loan growth amid rising credit risk.

According to the Bank of Thailand (BOT), loan growth in the Southeast Asian country's banking system slowed to 0.3 percent year on year in the April-June period as business loans remained relatively unchanged, consumer loans expanded at a slower pace and loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continued to contract.

The non-performing loans (NPLs) rose slightly to 540.8 billion baht (15.89 billion U.S. dollars) in the second quarter, representing a 2.84 percent NPL ratio and primarily driven by consumer loans, while commercial banks continued to manage their loan portfolios and aid debtors, the central bank said in a statement.

Profitability in the banking sector improved compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to seasonal dividend income even with an increase in provisioning expenses, said BOT Assistant Governor Suwannee Jatsadasak.

It remains essential to monitor the debt serviceability of SMEs and vulnerable households, especially those facing structural issues and slow income recovery, which could lead to a gradual rise in NPL levels, but the risk of a sudden surge remains low and manageable, Suwannee told a news conference. 
Man discovered dead on the side of the Palmetto Expressway was shot, Hialeah cops say

The man found dead Monday inside of a Ford pickup truck parked on the shoulder of the Palmetto Expressway was shot, Hialeah police say.

Detectives believe he may have been murdered and launched a homicide investigation.

The victim was shot and yes we are treating this as a homicide investigation, Lt. Eddie Rodriguez, a Hialeah police spokesman, told the Herald in an email Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly after noon Monday, Florida Highway Patrol troopers were the first on scene near NW 103rd Street after receiving a call about the discovery of a body in a vehicle on the side of the road, said Lt. Alex Camacho, a spokesman for the agency.

The FHP turned over the investigation to Hialeah police.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the case to call 305-687-2525, or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers at 305-471-8477.
Man heads to prison for trying to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through CLT

A California man has been sentenced to prison for trying to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, federal prosecutors said.

Authorities intercepted Carlos Fernandez, 33, at the airport on July 27, 2021. Law enforcement caught him when a drug-detecting dog alerted them to drugs in his suitcase.

ALSO READ: Hurricane Debby: Storm washes $1M in cocaine ashore

Fernandez had arrived in Charlotte on a flight from California.

Officers searched Fernandezs suitcase and found a smaller suitcase inside with three vacuum-sealed packages. The substance inside the packages was found to be cocaine and weighed about 20 pounds (9 kilograms).

On Fernandezs cellphone, authorities said they found messages talking about drug trafficking.

Authorities also discovered Fernandez had frequently traveled between California and Charlotte as a drug courier.

On Nov. 7, 2023, Fernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting. He was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

(WATCH BELOW: Authorities find cocaine in motorized wheelchairs seat at Charlotte Douglas; man arrested)




Man last seen in 2021 is wanted by Pennsylvania State Police

RIDGWAY, Pa. (WTAJ)  State police are searching for a man they say is wanted for state parole violations.

Russell Mason (Pennsylvania State Police)

State Police out of Ridgway are searching for Russell E. Mason, now 44, who was last seen Nov. 8, 2021, in Wilcox, Elk County. According to troopers, his vehicle was found at a shopping mall in Cranberry Township, Butler County.

Mason is described as being five foot 10 inches tall and weighing 155 pounds. He has brown/gray hair and is balding in the front with gray facial hair.

1985 missing hunter case in Huntingdon County still open. Can you help?

Troopers said that Mason has ties to Ohio, Illinois and Utah. He may also be known as Christopher August.

Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices.

Anyone with information on Mason is asked to contact PSP Tips at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online by clicking here.

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Man said he was shot at while trying to stop Kia theft

WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man told police that he was shot at while trying to stop someone for stealing his car from a carport.

Officers were called just before 3 a.m. Sunday to the 2700 block of Dunstan Drive NW after a woman reported that someone shot at her husband. When officers arrived, they talked to the husband who was holding a handgun which officers secured.

The husband said his wife saw something on their surveillance camera, which was pointed at their car since someone had recently tried stealing it. The man said when he went outside to check it out, he saw someone near his neighbors car, which is also a Kia. The man said he yelled, Hey, what the f*** are you doing? He said two people ran out from near the car and fired shots at him, according to a police report.

The husband said he did not return fire.

Police noted that the husbands Kia had a busted-out rear window from a previous theft attempt, and the neighbors Kia had the passenger window busted out and the steering column peeled.

Officers also located two shell casings on the ground near the carport.

The surveillance video was turned over to police and the husbands handgun was returned to him.

The incident is under investigation.

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HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  A man has been sentenced in connection to a fatal shooting at a Jackson gas station.

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said Shydarius Williams was sentenced to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) with 10 years suspended. He was also sentenced to five years post release supervision.

Rankin County teen accused of killing mother rejects plea deal

Williams was convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Marcus Moore. Williams accomplice, Lashundra Bass, pled guilty to second-degree murder before her trial started in March 2024.

Police said Williams shot Moore in the back of the head as he sat inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the Fuel Time gas station on Bullard Street on June 4, 2022. Moore died at the scene.

Investigators were able to identify Williams on surveillance video entering the victims car, sitting in the back seat and then exiting the vehicle with a firearm. Williams was 17 when the crime occurred.

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Man sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for Topeka killing

Man sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for Topeka killing

TOPEKA (KSNT)  A Topeka man arrested for a 2023 shooting death has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison.

A spokeswoman for the Shawnee County Attorney said Christopher Brown was sentenced Monday, Aug. 26 to 233 months, or just short of 20 years, in prison for the killing of Sherman Coleman, Jr., 33, of Topeka.

On April 17, 2023, police found Coleman in the 2300 block of Southeast Bellview Avenue suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.

Topeka man sentenced to 10 years in prison after deadly shooting of Olathe man

Brown was originally charged with seven felonies, the most severe of which was first-degree murder. All but one charge was dropped as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in July.

For more crime 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.

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Man shot at while driving with wife, baby in car

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man says he and his family were shot at while driving in Memphis over the weekend in what appears to have been a road rage incident.

The man told police he was at Ridgeway and State Route 385 East when a white Audi started to merge into his lane, almost crashing into his car.

The 19-year-old victim says he honked his horn at the driver. He says the driver then rolled their window down and shot at his car several times before driving away.

Those bullets narrowly missed his newborn baby and wife, but two bullets hit his car. he says his gas tank is now leaking because of the damage.

Election Commission removes gun-control referendum from November ballot

While this family is physically okay, others havent been so lucky.

Earlier this summer in June, four children and a man were hospitalized after they were all shot in what police called a road rage incident.

Court records say the father was trying to merge onto I-240 from Mount Moriah but couldnt because a gray SUV refused to allow him.

Two people were charged in that case.

Memphis Police say so far this year there has been a nearly 11% decrease in the number of shootings on Memphis interstates, with 65 reported compared to 73 at this time last year.

If you find yourself dealing with another driver showing road rage, the department says Stay calm, take a deep breath, do not antagonize the driver or respond with hand gestures. If you can, try to exit the interstate, get the car information, and report it to law enforcement.

If you know anything about this recent reported shooting call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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Man in stabbing went to Northern California home to sexually assault a child, deputies say

A man who reported a stabbing was involved in a violent confrontation in a rural Northern California home, where he went with the intent to kidnap and sexually assault a child, sheriffs officials said.

The violent confrontation was reported Monday afternoon at the Magalia home, several miles east of Chico in Butte County.

A 31-year-old Chico man called authorities to report he was involved in a recent stabbing, the Butte County Sheriffs Office announced in a news release. Deputies, detectives and Chico Police Department officers responded and spoke with the man.

Sheriffs detectives found evidence that the Chico man had been previously acquainted with some of the residents at the Magalia home, deputies said. Sheriffs officials said the detectives determined the Chico man knew a child living at the Magalia home.

The detectives allege the Chico man traveled to the Magalia home with the intent to kidnap and sexually assault the child, according to the Sheriffs Office.

The man arrived at the Magalia home and was confronted by two adults. Sheriffs officials said the Chico man immediately stabbed one of the adults before the other adult tried to defend himself.

A struggle between the two men ensued before the Chico man left the home, sheriffs officials said. The Sheriffs Office did not release any details about any injuries suffered in the confrontation.

The man involved in the struggle with the suspect told Action News Now that his wife suffered a stab wound to the lung and was being treated at a hospital.

The Chico man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with the intent to commit rape, sheriffs officials said. He was booked Monday night at the Butte County Jail, where he remained in custody Tuesday morning, jail records show.

An arraignment hearing for the arrested man had not yet been scheduled, Butte Superior Court records show.
KABUL, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that the number of registered criminal cases in the war-torn country decreased by 30 percent from July last year to July this year.

"Police personnel have made significant strides in combating criminal offenses, leading to a 30 percent reduction in criminal cases compared to the previous year," said the ministry's spokesman, Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani.

According to Qani, police forces conducted 250 operations against human traffickers during this period, resulting in the arrest of 76 kidnappers and the deaths of 34 others in clashes with police.

Additionally, Qani reported that 10,564 individuals were arrested on charges related to drug trafficking, sales and purchases. Furthermore, 790 drug factories were dismantled during the same period.

The Afghan caretaker government, since taking power in August 2021, has vowed to crack down on criminal elements to ensure law and order in the country. 
Man suspected of using explosives on ATMs in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A man suspected of using explosives to burglarize ATMs in University City and Rancho Bernardo in June was arrested Friday, prosecutors said.

Son Nguyen, 44, of San Diego faces two counts of damaging property in connection with using explosives on two ATMs, the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of California said in a news release.

The first incident occurred on June 8 around 3:24 a.m. at an ATM outside of California Coast Credit Union on Governor Drive in University City.

Nguyen allegedly drove up to the ATM, got out of his car, brought a five-gallon blue plastic container with a white spout to the area in front of the ATM and inserted a black polyvinyl chloride plastic hose into the ATM, according to the complaint.

A small explosion happened shortly after inside the ATM, but the suspect was unable to pull money out of the machine, prosecutors said.

Car stolen at gunpoint; suspect caught after Vista police chase

When authorities arrived on scene, they found a white PVC pipe connected to a black PVC pipe with two batteries taped to it, pieces of what looked like a blue balloon around the ATM and another plastic pipe about 20 feet from the ATM.

The second incident occurred on June 28 around 2:10 a.m. outside of a First Citizens Bank branch in Rancho Bernardo.

The suspect performed the same steps as the first incident but the ATM caught fire and he was not able to extract cash, the complaint read.

Authorities used surveillance video, vehicle registration and facial features to identify Nguyen as the suspect, per prosecutors.

While serving a court-authorized search warrant at Nguyens home, investigators found gas, black powder, potassium nitrate sulfur, explosive pre-cursor chemicals, a paper that explains how to make black powder and a firearm in Nguyens residence, among other equipment and clothing items consistent with those used during the attempts, the Southern District of California said.

The FBI took Nguyen into custody at his Mira Mesa home.

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EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU)  A man wanted for a deadly stabbing in Wilkes-Barre has been arrested in Maine Monday.

According to the Penobscot County Sheriffs Office in Maine, on Monday, August 26 around 10:30 p.m. the county jail admitted a new arrest from the Dexter Police Department.

The man, Justice Flenory, 23, of Exeter, Maine, was taken to the jail for alleged drug offenses. During the booking process, officers said they noticed unusual behavior from Flenory.

This prompted the officer to investigate and found that Flenory had given a fake name and date of birth to the arresting officers.

Once Flenory was properly identified, officers confirmed that he had a full extradition active warrant for murder out of Wilkes-Barre.

PD: Child locked out of house, mom allegedly passed out from drugs

Court documents state on May 7, Flenory and Scott Knox, 33, were driving together and went to an alley near the Mofon Lounge to meet Jaime Knights, 63, of Wilkes-Barre, and three other men around 3:30 a.m. Police say Knox was confronted by the five men about a drug deal and they began to assault him.

During the assault Flenory, Knights, and the three men punched Knox and he was stabbed multiple times, as stated in the affidavit. Knox was able to flee from the assault but later died from his injuries.

Knights was arrested on July 25 in Bath, New York.

Flenory will remain in custody as a fugitive for a Pennsylvania Governors warrant for murder, unlawful trafficking in drugs, and aggravated forgery.

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Some people who live on the Marblehead Neck said theyre concerned after a jogger was attacked by a coyote. Investigators said the woman was bitten three times, then the wild animal ran off.

Now, some people walking around Brown Street said theyre prepared in case they come face to face with one.

Weve got rocks in our pockets just in case, shes carrying the rocks. Hopefully, well make it home safely, said Jeanne Williams, a Marblehead resident.

Police said the victim was jogging around 4:22 p.m. Monday afternoon when she was attacked, but shes doing well.

Nick Walton, President of the Marblehead Neck Association, said theyve been working with Animal Control to educate the community on what to do if they come across a coyote.

[Theyre] helping us with hazing efforts when it comes to non-aggressive manner getting some space between the animals and the residents, said Walton, Be big and be loud and make your presence known, these animals are curious creatures from what I understand and theyre easily spooked.

Mass Wildlife said coyotes have become accustomed to living around people and are more commonly seen in areas like eastern Massachusetts.

Some residents said they can hear them howling at night.

[It sounds like] babies crying and screaming, said Williams.

Mass Wildlife said this time of year follows pup rearing season, which is when most coyotes are seen, but there arent more of them compared to recent years.

Its worrisome if theres a rabid coyote around, its kind of scary, said Williams.

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(Bloomberg) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. defended police operations that sought to arrest a pastor with close ties to former leader Rodrigo Dutertes family, in the latest disagreement between the countrys two most powerful clans.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The police over the weekend deployed around 2,000 personnel to search a church compound in the southern city of Davao and arrest evangelical preacher Apollo Quiboloy, a religious adviser and friend to Duterte. The pastor is wanted for allegations of sexual abuse and human trafficking, which his followers deny.

Is there human rights violation if there are many policemen? I dont think so, Marcos told reporters on Tuesday. This is a 30-hectare compound. You certainly need a lot of people, to secure the area, he said.

The police remained in the compound for a fourth day on Tuesday and Quiboloy has yet to surface. But a regional trial court in Davao ordered the police to immediately stop any act that threatens the life, liberty or security of the pastors supporters or their properties.

The court also asked the police to remove all barricades that block access to the church compound where Quiboloy was believed to be hiding. Quiboloy is also on US Federal Bureau of Investigations wanted list for alleged labor and sex trafficking.

Vice President Sara Duterte last week criticized the government for grave abuse of police power in trying to arrest Quiboloy.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY)  DNA from a decades-old marijuana joint helped detectives solve a hit-and-run cold case that killed a North Carolina woman 34 years ago, police announced Friday.

The crash happened at a Charlotte intersection on Dec. 29, 1989. The victim, 52-year-old Ruth Buchanan, was walking across the street after leaving a department store when she was struck by a dark-colored vehicle that failed to stop at a red light, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).

Her body landed on the opposite side of the intersection, and that vehicle, according to witnesses, didnt stop, didnt render aid and continued to flee the scene, Sgt. Gavin Jackson with CMPDs Major Crash Unit said in a video posted on Facebook.

Buchanan was transported to an area medical center with serious injuries and pronounced dead the following day, police said in a press release.

Mariah Careys mother and sister die on the same day: My heart is broken

Witnesses provided authorities with a description of the vehicle, a 1990 Mitsubishi Galant that turned out to be stolen, along with its license plate number. A few days later, on New Years, officers responded to a Comfort Inn after receiving a call about a suspicious vehicle that matched the description of the car that struck Buchanan. Detectives obtained trace evidence on the outside of the car and confirmed that it was involved in the collision, Sgt. Jackson said.

The case went cold after several leads never amounted to anything.

Then, in 2022, investigators received an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip from someone claiming to know who hit Buchanan. Sgt. Jackson said that while the caller provided some accurate details, the person implicated in the tip was not the actual culprit.

Detectives continued to dig into the case and looked at one piece of evidence that eventually led to a breakthrough in their investigation: a marijuana cigarette recovered from the suspects vehicle. DNA from the cigarette pointed police to 68-year-old Herbert Stanback.

Herbert Stanback is pictured here. (Credit: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department)

In March 2024, police interviewed Stanback, who was already serving a 22-year prison sentence in a Laurenburg correctional facility for an unrelated case. During the interview, police said he confessed to the hit-and-run.

Delivery driver put baby back in stroller after hitting him, mother: Florida police

At the time of the 1989 crash, Stanback was working at a local hotel as part of a work-release program for inmates, according to police. After allegedly hitting the victim, he abandoned the vehicle and returned to prison that same night.

Stanback was formally charged with Buchanans murder in June.

Its a once in a career type thing, a very rewarding feeling just to be able to notify the family of something like that, Sgt. Jackson said in the video. Of course not every case is going to be solved this way, but you never know whats going to happen 20, 30 or 35 years down the line. And the fact that the scientific means of being able to obtain DNA linking it, not to a specific gene pool but to a specific individual, over three decades later is amazing.

Sgt. Jackson also thanked the witnesses for coming forward to initially report the crime.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene to give away rifle she says Dems will ban if they keep the House

Marjorie Taylor Greene used the anniversary of the pullout of troops from Afghanistan to announce that she was doing another gun giveaway.

She posted a video on Aug. 26 on social media produced two years ago when she did her first gun giveaway.

The video shows Greene holding a .50 caliber rifle that she says the Democrats will ban if they keep the house next year.

In her post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said Kamala Harris proudly claimed she was the last person in the room when they oversaw the disastrous pullout of Afghanistan.

Throwback to 3 years ago where Kamala Harris proudly claimed she was the "last person in the room" when they oversaw the disastrous pullout of Afghanistan.



Ill be doing another gun giveaway soon. And itll be one she will want banned should she get elected! pic.twitter.com/Fo1n6Mk0Ru  Marjorie Taylor Greene  (@mtgreenee) August 27, 2024

President Joe Bidens administration was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistans military and the Taliban takeover.

Since Biden ended his reelection bid, Trump and his allies have been zeroing in on Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, and her roles in foreign policy decisions.

The voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on Nov. 5, we hope, and when I take office we will ask for the resignations of every single official, Trump said in a rally in Detroit on Monday. Well get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity, to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day. You know, you have to fire people. You have to fire people when they do a bad job.

In her own statement marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport attack, Harris said she mourns the 13 U.S. service members who were killed. My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss, she said.

Harris said she honors and remembers all Americans who served in Afghanistan.

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As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end Americas longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones, she said. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.

Under Trump, the United States signed a peace agreement with the Taliban that was aimed at ending Americas longest war and bringing U.S. troops home. Biden later pointed to that agreement as he sought to deflect blame for the Taliban overrunning Afghanistan, saying it bound him to withdraw troops and set the stage for the chaos that engulfed the country.

A Biden administration review of the withdrawal acknowledged that the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan should have started sooner, but attributed the delays to the Afghan government and military, and to U.S. military and intelligence community assessments.

The top two U.S. generals who oversaw the evacuation said the administration inadequately planned for the withdrawal. The nations top-ranking military officer at the time, then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, told lawmakers earlier this year he had urged Biden to keep a residual force of 2,500 forces to give backup. Instead, Biden decided to keep a much smaller force of 650 that would be limited to securing the U.S. embassy.

At the end of her video, it shows Greene using her rifle to shoot at a car that has the word socialism and then shows several angles of the car blowing up.

Im going to blow away the Democrat socialist agenda, Greene said.

She then posted a website where you can register for the giveaway before Joe Biden bans it.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the House Judiciary Committee that his company's moderators faced significant pressure from the federal government to censor content on Facebook and Instagramand that he regretted caving to it. In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan (ROhio), the committee's chairman, Zuckerberg explained that the pressure also applied to "humor and satire" and that in the future, Meta would not blindly obey the bureaucrats.

"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it," wrote Zuckerberg. "We're ready to pushback if something like this happens again."

The letter refers specifically to the widespread suppression of contrarian viewpoints relating to COVID-19. As I detailed in the cover story for Reason's March 2023 issue, federal bureaucrats pushed Facebook and Instagram to take down content that could theoretically contribute to vaccine hesitancy. President Joe Biden accused Meta of "killing people" by failing to moderate vaccine-skeptical content more aggressively. Eventually, the social media giant outsourced COVID-19 moderation to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leading to a vast crackdown on speech.

Email exchanges between Facebook moderators and CDC officials reveal that the government took a heavy hand in suppressing content. Health officials did not merely vet posts for accuracy but also made pseudo-scientific determinations about whether certain opinions could cause social "harm" by undermining the effort to encourage all Americans to get vaccinated. The CDC took the position that expressing skepticism about vaccinating childrenmost of whom are not at risk of a negative COVID-19 outcomewas a form of misinformation and should be policed.

"In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire," wrote Zuckerberg.

But COVID-19 content was not the only kind of speech the government went after. Zuckerberg also explains that the FBI warned him about Russian attempts to sow chaos on social media by releasing a fake story about the Biden family just before the 2020 election. This warning motivated Facebook to take action against the New York Post's Hunter Biden laptop story when it was published in October 2020. In his letter, Zuckerberg states that this was a mistake and that moving forward, Facebook will never again demote stories pending approval from fact-checkers.

"We've changed our policies and processes to make sure this doesn't happen again," wrote Zuckerberg.

This news will likely fail to reassure many conservatives who still blame Zuckerberg personally for what transpired. But the evidence is now overwhelming that the federal pressure campaignnot the politics of the moderators themselveswas the most important reason for heavy-handed content suppression on social media sites. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court declined to remedy this situation and prohibit federal bureaucrats from jawboning the platforms.

This means that supporters of free speech will have to rely on the inclinations of the tech giants to stand up to the federal government. It's a very good thing, then, that Zuckerberg no longer wants his social media platform to be beholden to the White House.

The post Mark Zuckerberg Blames Biden for 'Government Pressure' To Censor Facebook appeared first on Reason.com.
Mark Zuckerberg said he regrets suppressing certain Covid-19 stories on his platforms - Tom Williams/Getty Images

Mark Zuckerberg has said Facebook and Instagram were wrong to censor posts about Covid during the pandemic and that the company should have fought pressure from the Biden administration.

In a letter to a US committee investigating online content moderation, Mr Zuckerberg said senior White House officials repeatedly pressured the company after Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.

He said that Facebook made some choices that it would not have made today.

In a letter to Jim Jordan, the Trump-supporting head of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Mr Zuckerberg wrote: In 2021, senior officials from the Biden administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain Covid-19 content, including humour and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree.

Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including Covid-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure.

I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today.

Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens again.

During the pandemic, Facebook added misinformation alerts to users when they commented on or liked posts that were judged to contain false information about Covid.

It also deleted posts criticising the Covid vaccine, or suggesting that Covid was developed in a Chinese laboratory, a theory that has since become supported by some mainstream scientists and government agencies.

In the 2020 election campaign, Mr Biden had accused Facebook of killing people by not clamping down on Covid posts more enthusiastically. He later rowed back on the comments.

Mr Zuckerberg also said Facebook was wrong to suppress a New York Post story about Hunter Biden, Mr Bidens son, which revealed that Hunter had offered business contacts access to his father when he was vice president.

Facebook demoted a New York Post story about Hunter Biden which claimed he had offered contacts access to his father when he was vice-president - Craig Hudson/Reuters

He said the FBI had warned the company about a potential Russian disinformation operation about the Biden family. Facebook had demoted the story while it was reviewed by fact checkers, which Mr Zuckerberg said was a mistake.

The Hunter Biden laptop story, which was blocked by Twitter after it was published, was potentially damaging to Mr Bidens election campaign. Blocking it has been seen by Republicans as proof of Silicon Valleys Left-wing influence.

Elon Musk released a series of internal emails about the decision to block the story after buying Twitter.

The Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee called Mr Zuckerbergs admissions a big win for free speech.

Meanwhile, the White House defended its actions.

It said: When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety.

Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday said he regrets not speaking out more forcefully about the pressure his company received from President Joe Bidens administration to censor content related to the COVID pandemic, adding that he would push back against similar efforts in the future.

In a letter addressed to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which published the correspondence in full on its social media accounts, Zuckerberg said senior officials in Bidens administration, including the White House, repeatedly urged the company to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree.

I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it, Zuckerberg wrote.

Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction and were ready to push back if something like this happens again, he continued.

In a statement, the White House said their administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety during the height of the pandemic.

Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present, the White House said.

Zuckerberg also said the company shouldnt have temporarily limited the distribution of a New York Post story about corruption allegations concerning Hunter Biden, the presidents son, in the lead-up to the 2020 election, which the FBI had warned could be part of a Russian disinformation campaign targeting Bidens family.

Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story, he wrote. Weve changed our policies and processes to make sure this doesnt happen again for instance, we no longer temporarily demote things in the U.S. while waiting for fact-checkers.

House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee celebrated Zuckerbergs letter, calling it a big win for free speech.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg added that he wouldnt be making financial contributions to electoral infrastructure this season, saying his past investment in the area through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a non-profit founded by him and his wife, Priscilla Chan, was misconstrued.

They were designed to be non-partisan spread across urban, rural, and suburban communities, he said. Still, despite the analyses Ive seen showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefited one party over the other. My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another or to even appear to be playing a role.

Related...
Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli attends the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Committee hearing in 2016. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

Martin Shkreli, the infamous "pharma bro" convicted of securities fraud, on Monday was ordered to surrender the single-edition Wu-Tang Clan album he purchased and is barred from copying or selling it.

In New York, Judge Pamela K. Chen granted a restraining order against Shkreli, forbidding him from possessing, using, disseminating, or selling any interest in the Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, including all music, data and artwork associated with it.

The order is the latest twist in the long-running ownership saga around the album, the subject of an ongoing suit between Shkreli and PleasrDAO, a group of NFT art collectors who bought control of the album between 2021 and 2024.

The group alleges that Shkreli had made copies of the album, intended to be a one-of-one listening experience for its owner, and intends to release them to the public, according to the suit.

Shkrelis lawyer Edward Paltzik said in a statement to media that this Order is merely a preliminary measure entered by the Court to maintain the perceived status quo before any discovery occurs  the Order has no bearing whatsoever on the final outcome of the case.

Shkreli earned global notoriety as the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, which radically raised the price of the drug Daraprim, used by AIDS patients, from $13.50 a pill to $750 a pill.

In 2015, Shkreli paid $2 million to purchase "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, an album the acclaimed New York hip-hop group released as a single-copy, double-CD edition in a custom nickel box and leather-bound liner notes, with no other streaming or physical release.

Shkreli was convicted of securities fraud and conspiracy for his actions as CEO of the biotech company Retrophin, and was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2018. Funds from the sale of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin were supposed to help pay a $750,000 fine and a $7.4 million asset forfeiture as part of his sentencing.

However, Shkreli has bragged that he kept digital copies of the music  "LOL i have the mp3s you moron, he once wrote on X.

Under the order, Shkreli must surrender any copies of the album to his attorneys by Friday and disclose all duplications, who he gave them to, and if he earned any money from their sale.

Steven Cooper, PleasrDAO's attorney, said in a statement to media that We are pleased that Judge Chen recognized that immediate relief was necessary to thwart the continuing bad acts of Mr. Shrkeli.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has arrested a gang of six local persons for trafficking illicit drugs, seizing more than 389 kg of narcotics, the Anti-Drug Department (ADP) said in a news release on Tuesday.

The suspects were apprehended on Aug. 24 at three locations in the capital Phnom Penh for possessing, transporting and trafficking illicit drugs.

"A total of 389.5 kg of crystal methamphetamine, ketamine, and heroin was seized from the suspects' possession during the raids," the ADP said.

The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for a drug trafficker. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life.

According to the ADP, the kingdom detained 14,570 drug-related suspects, including 482 foreigners of 14 nationalities, during the January-July period of 2024, confiscating a total of 5.46 tons of illicit drugs.

Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine. 
Martin Shkreli, the "pharma bro" who infamously boosted the price of a lifesaving drug and went to prison for seven years for fraud, has been ordered by a judge to hand over his copies of an unreleased Wu-Tang Clan album.

On Monday, a New York judge ruled that Shkreli must give up what some people refer to as "the worlds rarest album" to his lawyers Friday. He must also report the names of anyone he shared the music with by Sept. 30 alongside the revenue he's received from the album "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin," The Associated Press reported.

The ruling is a part of an ongoing legal battle between Shkreli and PleasrDAO, a group of NFT collectors, which bought the album for $4.74 million. According to the lawsuit, the cryptocurrency collective sued Shkreli in June because he kept copies of the album and intends to release them to the public."

In a statement, Shkrelis attorney said this Order is merely a preliminary measure entered by the Court to maintain the perceived status quo before any discovery occurs  the Order has no bearing whatsoever on the final outcome of the case.

The rare Wu-Tang album was created in secret by the rap group's members over six years with the intention for only one copy of the album to ever exist. The group did not intend for the album to be released digitally or through streaming. It is reported that in 2015 that Shkreli paid $2 million for the album, CNN reported.
The Maryland Senate race is tied, despite Vice President Kamala Harris massive lead in the states presidential contest, according to an AARP poll released Tuesday.

The race to succeed Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is not running for reelection after three terms, is essential for Democrats to retain their imperiled majority in the chamber. Maryland hasnt had a Republican senator since 1987, and President Joe Biden won the state by over 33 points in 2020. Seven of its eight representatives are Democrats.

But Democratic Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan are neck-and-neck at 46 percent each, with 8 percent of voters undecided, the poll found. Thats notable for the deep-blue state, where the poll shows Harris leads former President Donald Trump by 32 points in a head-to-head race.



About a quarter of poll respondents, 26 percent, who said they were backing Harris in the presidential race chose Hogan in the Senate contest. And the former governor is also winning independents by 23 points  even though they favor Harris by 19 points in the head-to-head presidential race. Hogan also has a 13-point lead among 50- to 64-year-old voters, though Alsobrooks polls 8 points higher with seniors. Voters over 50 made up a majority of the Maryland electorate in 2022, according to AARP.

The former governor has sought to distance himself from the GOP, despite receiving Trumps endorsement. He has a net favorability rating of 59 percent, including 57 percent among Democrats.

Marylands Senate race is the third most expensive this cycle, according to OpenSecrets, trailing only the races in California and Texas.

The poll was conducted Aug. 14-20, surveying 1,258 likely voters in Maryland, including oversamples of older voters and older African American voters. Likely voters were surveyed by phone and SMS-to-web and selected randomly off a list of registered voters in the state. The margin of error for the statewide election results is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The poll was conducted by a bipartisan team of pollsters: the Republican firm Fabrizio Ward, which is the leading pollster for Trumps campaign, and Impact Research, which is part of Harris polling team and led survey efforts for Bidens 2020 campaign.
Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program standardized test results from spring 2024 reflected little overall improvement in English language arts and math, according to data released Tuesday by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The percentage of MCAP English and math test takers scoring proficient each rose by less than a percentage point. About 48.4% of students scored proficient in English language arts, and 24.1% scored proficient in math.

Though scores were flat overall, there were some shifts among districts, including Baltimore City improving math scores to no longer be the lowest-ranked system in that subject.

This installment marked the third time the full MCAP was administered. Test scores from the 2022-23 school year reflected improvement in both English and math by over two percentage points.

Given annually to third through eighth graders as well as to high schoolers, who take Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and 10th grade English assessments, the MCAP math and English language arts tests provide a statewide snapshot of the academic progress of Maryland public school students. Science exams are administered at only two grade levels. While the state did not release detailed data for science, officials reported a 10 percentage point decline among fifth graders, with 23.9% proficient, and a 1.5 percentage decline among eighth graders, with 24.9% proficient.

Statewide, proficiency rates rose the most for Algebra I and II, growing by 2.8 and 3.4 percentage points, respectively. English proficiency among fifth-graders had the third-highest growth, at 2.4 percentage points. The biggest declines were seen in third-grade English and in geometry, where proficiency rates each fell by more than a percentage point.

The new results come as several state initiatives roll out to improve performance, including a new approach to teaching reading. A $6.8 million grant will be used to teach educators the research-backed "science of reading" method, which focuses on phonics, understanding syllables and comprehending words' meanings.

Reading and accountability have been early focuses of state Superintendent Carey Wright, who was appointed to the position in April after holding the role on an interim basis since October. Wright is widely credited for dramatically improving math and literacy test scores when she led Mississippi's education department.

One of Wright's first actions as Maryland superintendent was to create a task force to evaluate the state's Maryland Report Card, which rates every school on a five-star scale. Wright expressed skepticism of a system that gives more than three-quarters of schools three or more stars when less than a quarter of students score proficient in math and less than half in English. The report card takes into account MCAP scores in addition to other metrics including graduation rates, attendance and surveys.

ELA proficiency generally held steady among student subgroups, according to an education department news release, while no groups saw declines in math proficiency. Achievement gaps persisted in both subjects for multilingual and economically disadvantaged students as well as students with disabilities.

The MCAP scores were presented to the board ahead of updates and public comment on a literacy policy proposed by Wright in July. The policy would hold back third graders who cant read on grade level. When proposed at July's board meeting, board members met the policy proposal with skepticism. Uploaded materials to be presented during Tuesday's board meeting include adjusting the literacy policy to give parents the right to waive a decision to retain a student.

The MCAP took the place of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), which was last taken in the 2018-19 academic year. Despite the flat numbers released Tuesday, state school board members approved goals that seek 5 percentage point annual improvements each of the next two years for third-grade English, fifth-grade math and for the combined scores for grades 3-8 in each subject.

How proficiency rates changed in the Baltimore area

All six jurisdictions in the Baltimore area saw little improvement in proficiency  between 0.2 and 2 percentage points  across all grade levels in English and math from the year before. The area's biggest improvements were in Anne Arundel County, at 2 points for English and 1.8 points for math.

Harford County schools saw the smallest change from the year prior for math, increasing 0.2 percentage points, and Carroll County for English, increasing 0.3 points.

While Baltimore City continued to have the lowest proficiency ratings in both subjects among area jurisdictions, the city now has more than 10% of students scoring proficient in math  an improvement that cedes the state's lowest ranking in the subject to Somerset County. For English, the city also improved slightly, to 27.7%.

Looking individually at the six grade-level math tests, the two algebra tests and one geometry test, math performance in the Baltimore region mostly held steady or improved. Carroll County saw the most notable increase  a 9.6 percentage point increase for Algebra I test takers.

Baltimore City's proficiency rates for eighth-grade math and Algebra II remained below 5%, but Algebra I rose 2.4 percentage points to 8.8%.

English scores followed a similar trend with most Baltimore-area districts improving on most tests. The biggest jump was fifth-grade English in Harford County, where the proficiency rate rose 8.2 percentage points. Harford also had the biggest decline in English language arts, with the 10th-grade proficiency rate falling 5.4 percentage points.
View a previous report on the Oak Run Solar Project in the video player above.

LONDON, Ohio (WCMH)  Despite opposition from local leaders, one of the largest solar farms in the country is set to be built in central Ohio. But that decision could make its way to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Ohio Power Siting Board voted Thursday to reaffirm the approval of an 800-megawatt solar-powered generating facility planned for Madison County by Savion, a subsidiary of Shell. In March, the project was approved in spite of public pressure to shoot down the proposal, but it had since been requested for a rehearing. That means a party affected by the project challenged it as unreasonable or unlawful, sending it back to the siting board to be reconsidered.

However, OPSBs Matt Schilling said the boards vote on the Oak Run Solar Project dismissed these appeals.

In other words, the board upheld its March approval of the project, Schilling said.

Challenging the decision were the Madison County Board of Commissioners and three townships boards of trustees. The rehearing was dismissed by a vote of seven to one, with that lone dissent from Madison County Commissioner Chris Wallace. When the Oak Run Solar Project was first approved in March, Wallace had strong words for the proposal, saying the county commissioners had received countless messages opposing the project.

I just want to state clearly on the record, that if this board is to approve this project, they would be doing so in the face of strong local opposition, Wallace said at the time. I think, spitting in the face of Madison County voters.

Now that the Oak Run Solar Project has survived the rehearing, Wallace said the only remaining course of action hes considering is to take it to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The decision by the Ohio Power Siting Board to deny our request for a rehearing is a clear disregard for the voices of Madison County residents and their elected representatives, Wallace told NBC4. This is not just a loss for our community; its a troubling precedent where the will of the people is overlooked in favor of corporate interests.

The Oak Run Solar Project will utilize an agrivoltaic program. Schilling described this system as one that marries solar energy with agriculture. This type of project  which OPSB previously called the nations largest  allows for contracts with local farmers and businesses. The group expects this to create income and entrepreneurial opportunities in the Madison County area.

In March, the OPSB said it would implement this program by planting crops and grazing livestock in the rows between solar panels and along the perimeter of the project. As per its conditions, the Oak Run Solar Project must graze at least 1,000 sheep and 2,000 crop acres after its first year of operation, and at least 70% of the farmable project area must include agrivoltaics within eight years of operation.

Located on about 4,400 acres of land  owned in part by Microsoft founder Bill Gates  along State Route 29, the property goes through parts of Deercreek, Monroe and Somerford townships, all of which called for the rehearing. At the March vote, a Somerford official also spoke out against the solar development.

While Nick Walstra from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio acknowledged the opposition in March, he said not everyone was against the project.

What we have to take into consideration is the evidence that was presented, Walstra said. It wasnt necessarily unanimous opposition, there were some local leaders who expressed some support.

The project could bring an estimated $250 million in tax revenue to Madison County over its anticipated 35 years of operation, with millions expected to come to local schools and the county as a result. Hundreds of construction workers and dozens of long term jobs are also said to be coming to Madison County because of the project.

Oak Run will have an array of solar panels, which will be ground-mounted on a tracking rack system. It will also include a 300-megawatt battery storage facility, transmission lines, access roads, weather stations and other facilities.

Savion has previously said construction on the project could start in 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV.
NEW YORK  Mayor Eric Adams dialed back plans for a cell phone ban in New York City public schools, saying it may not happen this school year  just two months after the schools chancellor announced changes were imminent.

There will be some action in the upcoming school year, the mayor said at a Tuesday briefing at City Hall. But the extent of a full ban, were not there yet.

Holdups include getting parents on board and figuring out the finances of the program, Adams said, adding that he does not want to go backward after we make the determination.

If you dont do it right, you wont get it right. And the previous administration attempted to do this, and they had to roll back, and the chancellor has been extremely thorough, hats off to him. Our desire is that we should not have any distractions in our schools, Adams said, calling phones a No. 1 distraction.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio lifted the policy in early 2015, as parental pressure mounted and the public schools struggled to implement it. Since then, a lack of a citywide plan has left it up to principals to design their own, and teachers to enforce it.

In June, Chancellor David Banks told reporters he was leaning toward banning the devices and expected to make an announcement within a couple of weeks. But the summer came and went, with no publicly shared plans.

Thats the thing: It sounds easy, but its really really hard, David Bloomfield, a professor of education law and policy at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, said of a systemwide ban.

It appears that the chancellors initial statements were based more on political concerns than implementation issues. And those political considerations are real and substantive, having to do with student mental health as well as pressure from the press and the public to do something, and by other politicians, he added. But their tools are blunt instruments that dont solve the problem.

Education Department spokesmen declined to elaborate on what policy changes, short of a citywide phone ban, could be introduced  or whether there were more obstacles to implementation than the nations largest district expected.

Before a ban is finalized, Adams admitted logistical details still need to be settled, including who would handle the costs of the program, what to do with the phones during the school day and how to discipline schoolchildren who dont cooperate.

The overwhelming number of people would like to get the distractions out of the school, Adams said on Tuesday. How we do it is another question.

Earlier this summer, the school board in Los Angeles  the nations second-largest school district  approved a cell phone ban. Gov. Kathy Hochul is also planning to introduce statewide restrictions in New York, which would join 12 states that have already passed laws, according to an Education Week analysis.

As of earlier this summer, internal department data showed 46% of the citys 400 high schools already collect cell phones in some way.

_____
NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV)  An apparent road rage incident is being investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI).

The Natchez Democrat reported shots were fired out of a moving vehicle on U.S. 61 in Natchez around 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 26. Officials with the Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) said the suspect was in a red 2002 GMC pickup truck.

Laurel shooting suspect dies during crash: police

Investigators said the caller followed the truck at a distance. MHP officials said the truck ended up stopping on U.S. 61 in Jefferson County where troopers made contact with him.

Troopers said no charges have been filed yet against the suspect, who was identified as Terry Gooden, 58, of Natchez.

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MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. (KSNW)  McConnell Air Force Base is returning to normal after a storm Sunday morning canceled the second day of its popular Frontiers in Flight show. A spokesperson provided updates on the damage and the air show attendance.

The storm

Ten people have minor injuries after a wet microburst brought wind gusts up to 54 mph. McConnell says its planes were not damaged during the storm. However, six other planes were damaged, including a Kansas Highway Patrol Cessna:

One Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182

One privately owned Cessna 150, restored with Air Force markings

One Kansas Highway Patrol Cessna 206

One UC-78 Bobcat

Two Stearman Biplanes

The damaged planes were towed to a hangar. As of Tuesday afternoon, five of the planes remain on the base.

A storm flipped a privately-owned Cessna on its top at McConnell Air Force Base on Aug. 25, 2024. (Courtesy Trooper Joe Owen, Kansas Highway Patrol)

Airmen from the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery team hoist up a flipped aircraft with airbags and a crane lift Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

Airmen from the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery team used airbags, forklifts and cranes to raise, pull and stabilize a flipped aircraft Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

Airmen from the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery team used airbags, forklifts and cranes to raise, pull and stabilize a flipped aircraft Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

Airmen from the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery team work together to maneuver a flipped aircraft right side up Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

A Cessna 150 is righted by the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery team Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

The privately owned Cessna was flipped upside down during the storm. The 22nd Maintenance Group righted it on Monday. The plane has Civil Air Patrol markings from an earlier era. The Cessna 150 left McConnell Tuesday on a flatbed truck to return to its home airfield, where repairs will begin.

A spokesperson for McConnell said there is no dollar estimate of the damage because it happened to vendors and contractors, not to the bases planes.

The cleanup

Airmen cleared damage and debris by doing a FOD Walk. FOD stands for Foreign Object Damage. Airmen line up side-by-side, walk the flight line, and remove any potential loose items.

Airmen assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing conduct a foreign object debris (FOD) walk following the Frontiers in Flight Air Show Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. The FOD walk included Airmen from every group in the wing to clear the flight line of materials such as rocks, loose hardware and litter from the air show. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed).

Team McConnell Airmen conduct a foreign object debris (FOD) walk following the Frontiers in Flight Air Show Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. FOD included materials such as rocks, loose hardware, and litter from the air show. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Paula Arce)

Airmen assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing conduct a foreign object debris (FOD) walk following the Frontiers in Flight Air Show Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. The FOD walk included Airmen from every group in the wing to clear the flight line of materials such as rocks, loose hardware and litter from the air show. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

Airmen assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing conduct a foreign object debris (FOD) walk following the Frontiers in Flight Air Show Aug. 26, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. The FOD walk included Airmen from every group in the wing to clear the flight line of materials such as rocks, loose hardware and litter from the air show. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed)

The goal is to find debris that could accidentally be injected into a jet engine and damage it.

McConnells aircraft were off-station for the air show and have begun returning to home base. The return will continue over the coming days as the planes complete assigned missions. McConnell announced Tuesday that the flight line has returned to normal military operations.

Security officers use pepper spray on Wichita students

Air show turnout, refunds

The storm forced McConnell Air Force Base to cancel the second day of Frontiers in Flight. The one day that the air show went as planned almost matched the attendance of the two-day air show in 2022.

The crowd on Saturday was estimated to be more than 65,000 people. The two-day air show in 2022 had a total of 70,000.

Saturday was very hot. McConnell said 17 people were hospitalized, and 115 received medical treatment, primarily for heat-related conditions.

The air show was free, but some people bought premium seating tickets that went unused on Sunday. McConnell is working with a third-party vendor to reimburse them. It hopes to release more information about that soon.

The base will also look at ways to improve for future air shows. The next one is expected to be in 2026. McConnell hopes to have more details in December.

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BANGKOK, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's exports surged to a 28-month high in July thanks to a marked increase in shipments to key markets, driven by higher demand for electronic products, which aligns with a growing digital economy, official data showed on Tuesday.

Exports, a key driver of the Southeast Asian country's economic growth, jumped 15.2 percent last month from a year earlier to 25.72 billion U.S. dollars, a strong rebound from a 0.3 percent dip in June, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The upsurge in export value was attributed to elevated prices for main agricultural goods amid a decline in global supply, said Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director general of the ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office.

Exports of agricultural products grew 3.7 percent on robust growth in rubber and rice shipments, while agro-industrial goods soared 14.6 percent.

Industrial product shipments recorded an expansion of 15.6 percent, owing to major increases in computer, telephone, air conditioning and oil-related products.

The data also showed that Thailand's imports rose 13.1 percent year-on-year to 27.09 billion dollars in July, resulting in a trade deficit of 1.37 billion dollars.

For the first seven months of 2024, exports climbed 3.8 percent to 171.01 billion dollars, while imports picked up 4.4 percent to 177.62 billion dollars, yielding a trade deficit of 6.61 billion dollars.

Thailand's exports are expected to gradually recover throughout 2024, in line with the improving global economy and trade conditions, as well as signs of a rebound in global industrial production, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry maintains its target for exports to grow between 1 percent and 2 percent this year after the kingdom's exports fell 1 percent in 2023. 
Meharry Medical College received the distinct honor of welcoming a delegation from our sister institution, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) in South Africa.

This visit on Aug. 29 marks a historic moment in the relationship between our two institutions, rooted in shared histories of struggle, perseverance and commitment to the health and well-being of marginalized communities.

Both institutions were born out of circumstances shaped by systemic oppression and a profound need for self-determination.

Meharry was established in 1876 as the first medical school for African Americans in the South, at a time when Black Americans were systematically denied access to medical education.

Similarly, SMU, named after a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, serves as a beacon of hope and progress for historically disadvantaged populations in South Africa.

Apartheid and enslavement created deep inequities in health care

Both schools were founded to address the glaring disparities in healthcare education and services for people of color.

Dr. Annye C. Buck, associate professor of anatomy at Meharry Medical College, will head a research program trying to uncover changes in ribonucleic acid in the bodys lymphoid tissue as a result of organ or tissue transplants. Dr. Buck, working in her lab on Jan. 7, 1964, is part of the project that is being financed by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The legacy of apartheid in South Africa created deep inequities that continue to affect the nation's healthcare system today, and the echoes of slavery and segregation in the United States similarly perpetuated disparities in health outcomes for Black communities.

Our shared mission is to heal these wounds, not just through medical practice, but by training a new generation of healthcare and public health professionals.

We need leaders who understand and are committed to transforming health services and education through excellence, innovation and community engagement.

My countrys health care system neglected my family

As a second-year medical student at Meharry Medical College with dreams of becoming a pediatric oncologist, I often reflect on the path that has brought me here.

Daniel E. Dawes, founder of Meharry Medical School's new School of Global Health, welcomes the inaugural class.

I happened to be born in Cape Town, South Africa, while my parents were visiting my father's family. Shortly after my birth, we moved to Port Elizabeth, or Gqeberha, a small beach city that became my first home.

I was raised with the knowledge of how my family who continues to live in South Africa would regularly be affected by the healthcare inequities still present in South African healthcare. The knowledge of how my family who remembers what it was like to be exploited by the healthcare system in apartheid continue to not trust government hospitals today.

Meharry and SMU are working with Project C.U.R.E. on a joint project

For me, the visit of our South African colleagues is not just an institutional event, but a personal one. It represents the convergence of my own South African roots with my commitment to healthcare in the United States. The collaboration between Meharry and SMU is a powerful reminder that, despite the miles that separate us, our goals and struggles are intertwined.

This visit from SMU coincides with the start of the Meharrys School of Global Health, marking a significant milestone for both institutions that will be the start of a long impactful, collaboration.

Nuha Bagus

This visit is further distinguished by a collaboration with Project C.U.R.E., through which a container filled with essential medical supplies and equipment will be sent to an SMU-affiliated region in South. This initiative is particularly historic as it represents the first time Project C.U.R.E. will send a container to South Africa, and the first joint project between Meharry and SMU. This collaboration embodies our shared commitment to addressing global health disparities and to advancing the health and well-being of underserved communities.

To mark this historic visit, we invite you, our Nashville community, to join us in helping to give a warm welcome to our guests from SMU with a community reception being held on August 29th at 4:00 pm at the Stanley S. Kresge Learning Resources Center, Meharry Library and Archives, 2001 Albion Street Nashville. Please RSVP at this Eventbrite link.

Nuha Bagus is a second-year medical student at Meharry Medical College who is from South Africa. She is interested in becoming a pediatric oncologist, currently serving as secretary on the E-board for Meharrys Oncology Interest Group.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville, South Africa medical schools team up on health inequities
Meijer is looking to open a neighborhood grocery store in Avon, but the project faces an uphill battle as many view the spot the big box retailer has identified for its second location in the town as a residential neighborhood.

The grocery behemoth is proposing to build a 90,000-square-foot grocery store and three standalone retail spaces on the 27-acre open field at the corner of E County Road 200 N and County Road 900 E on the north side of Avon, miles from the hustle and bustle of the rampant commercial development along the town's main thoroughfare, U.S. Highway 36.

As a neighborhood grocery store, the store would be smaller than a full-service Meijer and sell only fresh food and dry goods. Green space is incorporated into the site along with outdoor seating areas. But even with a smaller footprint and a nod to verdant features, the plan faces local opposition. Now it's up to the Avon Town Council whether to approve the rezoning required to build commercial space on the site.

Half a dozen people spoke to the Avon Town Council meeting last week, expressing concerns about the store even before Meijer representatives presented the initial plans. The proposal will next go to the town commission for review and then back to the council. Those designs will likely undergo some changes before a full council vote.

Meijer officials said they view the store as an alternative place to buy groceries for the growing Avon population. They noted that the side of the site farthest from the residential neighborhood borders on future warehouse development.

More: New development could redefine Avon. See how the Indy suburb has grown in satellite images

"Our use actually ends up being a buffer between that light industrial development that's going in [that] area," said Meijer Indiana Real Estate Manager Ross Beyer. "Our total building area will be about 1/7 the size of that warehouse, so it's significantly smaller and less intrusive."

The site borders the Bicentennial Trail and dense residential housing to the west. The approved 700,000-square-foot warehouse development sits to the east. One single-family house remains on the east side of the proposed Meijer site and would not be impacted by the development, Beyer said.

A Bicentennial Trail sign alerts users Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, of restrictions for motor vehicles. The field behind the sign is set for development. Meijer has proposed a neighborhood grocery story for the site that sits between Avon and Brownsburg.

Nearby homeowners expressed concerns about the impact the Meijer could have on property values as well as skepticism that landscaping and safety plans meant to separate the store's parking lot from the popular trail would be sufficient.

Initial plans call for a strip of grass with bushes and four-foot trees separating the parking lot from the trail, helping partially block noise from cars and serving as a visual divider. Councilors agreed with neighbors' concerns and said they wanted to see other landscape features that would block the store throughout the winter.

In addition, the county roads surrounding the development are not designed for commercial use, neighbors say, and large trucks and more cars will overrun the area's infrastructure."The roads can handle cars, not semis, and other heavier loads," said Avon resident Erin Diebold.

Pedestrians cross the street immediately next to a proposed exit from the parking lot. An independent traffic study is underway around the site, Avon town officials said, and will be presented to the council when completed.

Several residents pointed to the existing full-service Meijer store in Avon on U.S. Highway 36, four miles southeast of the intersection for the proposed grocery, as sufficient Meijer presence in the area. Others expressed openness to adding grocery stores in other areas of the town.

The rezoning will go before the Avon Planning Commission for a public hearing on Sept. 23. If approved, the Town Council will hear it again for a vote.

Meijer will hold a community meeting with residents on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Avon Middle School North.

Easton Grey development: Developers break ground on $500 million, 500-acre project that could redefine Avon

Even if the rezoning request passes the council, the Meijer will need separate approval, leaving some councilors worrying about the future use of the site if Meijer's plan falls through.

"Regardless of what the intent is, those businesses could fail, and then we're stuck with whatever moves in there underneath the zoning," said councilor William Holland.

Homes sit just opposite the Bicentennial Trail that connects Brownsburg and Avon, between County Road 200 North and 300 North. Looking north, to the left of the trail is housing and to the right is a field where Meijer has proposed building a neighborhood grocery store.

Meijer is currently building another full-service store just north in Brownsburg at the corner of N County Road 900 E and County Road 600 N.

Fishers heard a similar public outcry earlier this month, as the plan commission voted 7-0 to approve a full-service Meijer. In that instance, the land had already been zoned for commercial use in anticipation of the suburb's growth.

In Fishers: Many places pine for grocery stores. Some Fishers residents tell Meijer: Not in My Backyard

Alysa Guffey covers growth and development for Indy Star. Have a business tip? Contact her at amguffey@gannett.com or on X: @AlysaGuffeyNews

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Meijer wants rezoning to build grocery store in Avon
Volksbund Vice President Detlef Fritzsch hands over a coffin containing the mortal remains of a German war dead at the German war cemetery in Kaunas. The German War Graves Commission, or Volksbund, buried the remains of World War II soldier Max Beyreuther along with 78 other corpses at the Kaunas German War Cemetery. Alexander Welscher/dpa

Germany on Tuesday held a ceremony in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas to mark the millionth German war dead reburied since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

The German War Graves Commission, or Volksbund, buried the remains of World War II soldier Max Beyreuther along with 78 other corpses at the Kaunas German War Cemetery.

The ceremony was attended by Volksbund Vice President Detlef Fritzsch, German and Lithuanian lawmakers, relatives of the German war dead and current service members.

Beyreuther has been identified as the millionth German soldier to be reburied since the Volksbund gained access to Eastern Europe after the end of the Cold War.

Germany and the Russian Federation signed the War Graves Agreement in 1992 to allow for the exhumation and proper reburial of soldiers killed in action, primarily in World War II.

Beyreuther was born in Halle an der Saale, in what is now eastern Germany, in 1912.

He enlisted as a medical officer in the Germany Army - the Wehrmacht - in 1943 and died in October 1944 at the age of 32.

His remains were discovered last year in a wood near the village of Kelme in north-western Lithuania.

Beyreuther's corpse was identified thanks to his identification tag, which was analyzed by the German National Archives in Berlin.

Fritzsch told dpa the soldier's burial was a "memorable moment."

"The unmistakable call for peace that emanates from war graves has never been more urgent and important than it is today," he said in a speech at the ceremony.

The Volksbund was founded in 1919 to search for the remains of German soldiers killed in World War I and look after their graves.

Today, it looks after more than 830 war cemeteries in 46 countries, where around 2.8 million war dead are buried. Every year, reburial teams recover the remains of a further 12,000 to 15,000 soldiers.

Soldiers carry a wreath that is laid in the name of Germany in memory of the war dead at the German war cemetery in Kaunas. The German War Graves Commission, or Volksbund, buried the remains of World War II soldier Max Beyreuther along with 78 other corpses at the Kaunas German War Cemetery. Alexander Welscher/dpa

Two women stand with their heads bowed and hands folded in remembrance at the gravesite during a memorial ceremony at the German war cemetery in Kaunas. The German War Graves Commission, or Volksbund, buried the remains of World War II soldier Max Beyreuther along with 78 other corpses at the Kaunas German War Cemetery. Alexander Welscher/dpa
Tuscaloosa, AL  A memorial service has been announced for Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty, which will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel.

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Peramsetty died at his home on Aug. 23 at the age of 63.

According to his obituary, the physician was born on July 1, 1961, in Menakuru, India, where he was raised by a single mother before coming to the United States.

Peramsetty went on to become a board-certified physician in family and bariatric medicine, with a specialization in aesthetics.

Peramsetty then married Dr. Srilata Anne and relocated to Alabama, establishing a network of medical clinics across West Alabama, including: Crimson Urgent Care, Crimson Care Skyland, Alabama Family Medical Center, Crimson Village, Tuscaloosa Med Spa, Tuscaloosa Weight Loss Center, First Care, First Kids, First PT, Crimson Counseling, Allegra, Elite Aesthetics and Wellness, Saroni Real Estate and the Legacy of Crimson Village.

To honor its founder, Crimson Care says all of its local businesses will be closed for the day, with normal business hours set to resume Thursday.



Peramsetty was also considered a pillar of the community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and following 25 years of service to the Tuscaloosa community, the City of Tuscaloosa honored him with Dr. Peramsetty Day on March 28.

The city also renamed a street Dr. Peramsetty Avenue.

Peramsetty is survived by his wife and their four children: Dr. Sasank Peramsetty, Nikita Peramsetty, Ronica Peramsetty and Rohan Peramsetty.

A public visitation and Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel.



The family says memorial contributions can be made to the Peramsetty Foundation, 1410 Dr. Peramsetty Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404.

Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel is located at 5434 Old Birmingham Highway.



Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com



Memorial Service Details Announced For Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty originally appeared on the Tuscaloosa Patch
Two Middle Georgia men admitted to chatting with an undercover agent posing as a minor on a dating app and pleaded guilty in federal court Monday.

Darryl Lockett and Rashon Griggs were indicted for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in April, but wound up pleading guilty to using interstate facilities to transmit contact information with a minor. The new offenses were detailed in updated court documents.

Prosecutors said both men will face a maximum prison sentence of five years with a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.

Lockett appeared in court Monday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. Griggs sat in the front row alongside his lawyer, Danisha McClary, and his mother.

Prosecutors revealed in court that the men thought they were communicating with a 13-year-old on a dating site. But an undercover agent was operating the profile. Despite learning the age of the supposed teenager, both men still expressed wanting to have sexual relations with the minor. They agreed to meet at a Circle K in Warner Robins.

Both men arrived at the Circle K on separate occasions and were detained by federal agents monitoring the store. Lockett was still in custody Monday, but Griggs was previously released on bond to take care of a disabled family member. Prosecutors attempted to have him detained Monday, but McClary successfully argued for him to stay out until his family members care arrangements can be finalized.

Both men will be sentenced Nov. 20 at the federal courthouse in Macon.

Operation Red Rover sting caught both men

Lockett and Griggs were caught in Operation Red Rover, an operation created by the Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group. It was also carried out by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, targeting online child predators. This Warner Robins-based investigation resulted in indictments against six other men for similar offenses.

Naimilkumar Dadawala and Marquaze Williams have already entered their guilty pleas. Steven Williams, Dewan Mitchell, Jon Wiltberger and Jose Santiago Longoria-Alvarezs cases are expected to go to trial on Nov. 4.
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  Senator John Velis made a stop in Holyoke to recognize local outreach efforts targeting youth mental health this summer.

The partnership campaign was launched in June to better inform students and parents about the importance of mental health care. At the presentation, leaders from MiraVista and the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts highlighted the importance of removing the stigma and letting the young ones around us know that its okay to ask for help.

Overdose awareness vigil held in Easthamptons Millside Park

We know that the sooner we can intervene if we can catch someone who struggle with something really at a school age chances are if they get the right help its gonna prevent things in the future so just really important the earlier we can intervene, said Senator Velis.

School break over summer is welcomed by many students, but separation from school supports and friends can be isolating for some teens, including those with existing mental health diagnoses, said Kimberley Lee, MiraVista Chief of Creative Strategy and Development.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 teens in the U.S. have experienced a mental health disorder.

By shining a light on this issue and spreading awareness on resources, young people can have access to care, prevention, and education.

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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.

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MERCER COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) The Mercer County Animal Shelter is scrambling to find homes for more than 30 dogs that landed in its care following the arrests of two people who had the dogs in their possession.

Harrodsburg police searched a Mercer County home, which led to a drug bust. Court documents said the 34 dogs that were also found on the property were mistreated, malnourished, and badly injured.

The shelter is calling on the community to help care for the animals that were found in a desperate state.

Its devastating, said Emily Sixbey, Vice President and Co-Director of PuppyLove KY. And its sad that it happened in our own backyard. But its usually a situation like this that gets people to band together and really make a difference.

Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news

Officers arrested 47-year-old Kenneth Brawner and 52-year-old Gabriella Follmer at the home. Theyre both facing animal cruelty charges alongside other charges related to the methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia police discovered.

According to records, Karen Aubrey is listed as the property owner. Shes also president of the Mercer Humane Society. The dogs are now in the care of the Mercer County Animal Shelter.

Its a lot more than anybody really wanted to take on, but were going to do it the best way that we can just because we dont have another choice, said Sixbey. We have to do this for the dogs.

PuppyLove KY, a new local non-profit, is now helping the shelter find a way to rehome the dogs.

Sixbey said they are in desperate need of proper care, saying one of them is partially paralyzed with sores.

Its vital to these dogs, she said. These dogs really wouldnt have another option sometimes if it werent for rescues like us and other rescues all around Kentucky helping to get these dogs out of shelters and into foster homes and then adoptive homes.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Sixbey said they would greatly appreciate anyone willing to foster or adopt. Donations to the cause would also help.

Every dog deserves a chance. And if we can give them that chance, we would love to have you and get that done, she added.

For more information about specific needs and how you can help, PuppyLove KY asks that you message them at woof@puppyloveky.com. For those interested in donating, click here.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  As local hospitals Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation face closures, Mercy Health is preparing to take on more patients.

The hospital system announced Monday it will host hiring events throughout Mahoning Valley for roles in nursing, nursing support, imaging, surgical tech, surgical assistants, sterile processing techs, lab professionals, respiratory therapists and medical assistants.

The hiring events are open-house style meant to give candidates a chance to network with recruiters and managers.

Mercy Health says they are also offering many entry-level positions that could benefit those interested in advancing their healthcare careers. Those individuals also have the opportunity to further their education with a portion of tuition costs covered by Mercy Healths education benefits.

Other benefits include competitive pay and work-life balance, according to a press release from Mercy Health.

The hiring events will take place at three different locations beginning this week and throughout September.

St. Joseph Warren Hospital:

August 27, 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

August 28, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

August 30, 10 a.m.  3 p.m.

September 3, 11 a.m.  4p.m.

September 5, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 7, 10 a.m.  3 p.m.

September 10, 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 12, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 17, 9 a.m.  5 p.m.

September 18, 9 a.m.  5 p.m.

September 19, 9 a.m.  5 p.m.

September 20, 9 a.m.  5 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital

August 27, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

August 29, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 3, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 5, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 7, 10 a.m.  3 p.m.

September 10, 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 17, 9 a.m.  5 p.m.

September 20, 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital

August 28, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 4, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

September 11, 11 a.m.  4 p.m.

In addition to the three Mercy Health hospitals in the Mahoning Valley, they also have 52 practice locations such as Warren Minor Emergency Services, Austintown Medical Center and Howland Medical Center.

Mercy Health also has 10 walk-in healthcare sites for patients with non-emergent illnesses.

For more information on Mercy Health careers, visit their website.

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WARREN, N.J. (PIX11)  With nearly 1,700 students coming from four different K-8 districts, all converging into one Regional High School, the word merge has come up countless times for leaders at Watchung Hills in Somerset County.

Right now we have five Boards of Education, five different administrative structures, said High School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Jewett. While each district has its own aspects that make it unique and special, it also does make it sometimes difficult when all of these students are coming to one high school and theyve all had four different experiences.

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Theyre about to learn more about whether merging is right for them after receiving a more than $130,000 grant for a study. Theyre one of five school districts across the state to receive grant money from the State Department of Community Affairs.

Officials say the feasibility study will help them determine whether merging with another district would benefit them from an educational and financial standpoint, all without taxpayers footing a bill.

We are going to have a community forum in the fall to speak a little bit more to our community at large about the aspects of the regionalization study and what it means, said Jewett.

Jonathan Pushman of the New Jersey School Boards Association says there are a number of reasons why school districts look to merge.

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One, you could see a district thats experiencing a decline in enrollment, said Pushman, and so youre not able to maintain the same level of programs and services for the students that you serve. Theres also the potential of maybe reducing administrative costs.

Pushman says merging does not always lead to cost savings or educational benefits. He says its up to districts to figure out whats best for them.

I think what we always want our members to concentrate on first and foremost is what would be best for the students, said Pushman.

Watchung Hills school officials say they hope to have their study completed in the Spring.

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COLOMBO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's navy arrested eight Indian fishermen for poaching in the country's territorial waters on Monday, the navy said in a statement on Tuesday.

The arrests were made during a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers poaching in the seas North of Mannar, in the country's Northern Province, the navy said.

The navy also seized a trawler that the Indians were traveling in, the statement said, adding that the trawler and Indian fishermen were handed over to the local authority for legal proceedings.

With the arrests, the navy seized a total of 46 Indian poaching trawlers and arrested 341 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters so far in 2024. 
Metro county to host 2 deer hunts to help combat growing population

For the first time ever, Forsyth County is hosting two deer hunts this fall to manage the deer population.

Only archery is allowed, and all hunters will be required to hunt from elevated positions in deer stands.

The reduced range of arrows makes archery safer for deer hunting near residential areas.

The hunts will take place on 300 acres of county-owned property at the Shakerag Water Reclamation facility off Kemp Road.

Lucas Heck lives in a neighborhood across McGinnis Ferry Road from the site. He said he sees deer every day, all the time.

But he bristles at the idea of two organized deer hunts.

Im in favor of reducing (the population) but not by hunting, Heck told Channel 2s Bryan Mims.

Neighbors have long complained about the abundance of deer in the area, causing accidents and damaging landscaping.

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The South Forsyth County area, for a long time, has had an overpopulation of white-tailed deer  its been documented, said Forsyth County spokesman Russell Brown. The county did look at several different animal options here, including relocation, which is actually deemed to be illegal in the state of Georgia.

A state Department of Natural Resources biologist told the county the most effective way to control the deer population is through hunting.

The first event is for hunters ages 10-17 and will take place on Sept. 21-22.

The second one, for adults, is scheduled for Oct. 26-27.

Each group has 16 hunters, and all slots are filled.

We had signup at 8:30 in the morning. By 8:32, the signup was complete for the adult hunt, Brown said.

Each hunter will be allowed to harvest no more than two deer, one of which has to be a doe.

All hunters must also complete a pre-hunt safety meeting hosted by Forsyth County.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Mexican judges are raising alarms in the United States over President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors proposed judicial reform, which opponents see as a death knell for Mexican democracy.

The radical reform package could also rattle the business and investment environment in Mexico, the United Statess biggest trading partner.

The judges are mounting a last-ditch effort to shine an international spotlight on the reform package, counting on U.S. economic interests to attract attention to a concern likely to be overshadowed by a litany of domestic and international issues, from the U.S. election to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Under the proposal, Mexican federal judges would be elected by popular vote, something the countrys existing judges say could directly affect U.S. interests.

If the reform were fulfilled and all the judges and magistrates were removed in a radical way in the next three years, it would not be possible to comply with our international obligations, specifically with chapter 23 of the [United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)], said Rogelio Alanis Garcia, a Mexican circuit court magistrate, referring to the treatys chapter on labor disputes.

Alanis and fellow magistrate Michele Franco Gonzalez on Monday called on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington to evaluate whether the reform proposal would violate Mexicos bilateral and multilateral treaty obligations, filing a complaint signed by more than 1,100 Mexican federal judges and magistrates.

If Mexico, in exercising its sovereignty, has the right to discuss and approve the legal reforms it considers pertinent, it must do so respecting the international agreements it has subscribed. Starting with the USMCA, said Martha Barcena, who served as Mexicos ambassador to the United States from 2018 to 2021.

The proposal has already created some cross-border tensions, as Lopez Obrador and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum have criticized U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar, who said the reforms could help cartels and other bad actors take advantage of inexperienced judges with political motivations.

Mexico on Friday sent a formal diplomatic complaint after Salazar asked for a dialogue on the reforms. Lopez Obrador and Sheinbaum have said theyre open to dialogue  but not on internal affairs.

Yet North Americas economic and social integration all but guarantees the reform package will reverberate beyond Mexicos borders.

I think there are three very important dimensions. The first one is about a democratic state in Mexico. And I think that with this reform, plus other things that have been happening in terms of how the National Electoral Institute (INE) has decreed the number of seats by proportional representation, Mexico is on the cusp of becoming an illiberal democracy with a hegemonic single party rule like in the good old days of the [Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)], said Arturo Sarukhan, who served as Mexicos ambassador to the United States from 2007 to 2013.

The expansive scope of Lopez Obradors reform is only in the cards because his party, Morena, and its allies are on the verge of seating a near-supermajority when the new Congress convenes Sunday.

Mexicos proportional representation system was built over decades to chip away at the single-party hegemonic rule under the PRI that dominated Mexican politics from 1929 to 2000, ensuring minority parties seats in both chambers of Congress.

Under that structure, a fraction of each chambers seats is won by direct popular vote in each state or congressional district, and the rest are assigned depending on each partys overall performance in the general election.

To prevent individual parties from gaining supermajorities through proportional representation, the constitution limits how many seats each party can be assigned relative to its performance at the polls.

But Lopez Obradors triparty alliance seems to have found a glitch in the system by spreading its winnings among the three parties, gaining 364 of 500 seats in the lower chamber  well above the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional reforms  and 83 seats in the 128-member Senate, just three votes short of a constitutional supermajority.

Still, Mexican democracy is an intangible, if important, asset in the U.S.-Mexico relationship. The reforms opponents say more immediate issues are at stake.

Number two, it has to do with organized crime. And organized crime, which as we saw in the 2021 midterm elections in Mexico  and particularly in states like Sinaloa in the northwest  organized crime whipped or suppressed the vote in favor of Morena, and with judges that would now have to compete in open elections for their bench, it puts a target on judges that can be either bought, intimidated or killed by organized crime, said Sarukhan.

The third issue that has observers of the bilateral relationship on edge is the USMCA and elected judges ability  and willingness  to rule fairly on disputes involving foreign investors.

But the judiciary overhaul is only one piece of Lopez Obradors massive reform package for his last month in office.

I believe the judicial reform impacts judicial certainty and the rule of law in Mexico, and therefore, it could affect the fundamentals on which USMCA was signed. But the proposal to disappear independent agencies is as grave as the judicial reform, said Barcena.

The combination of both proposals is a bigger threat to the rule of law, it hinders technical dialogue in fundamental issues of North American integration.

Mexicos Chamber of Deputies on Friday advanced a bill that would nix seven independent agencies, ranging from the countrys public transparency and information access watchdog to its antitrust regulatory body.

Both Lopez Obrador and Sheinbaum have dismissed those criticisms.

Sheinbaum in particular pointed to the United States, where she said 43 states elect their judges.

Mexicos proposal to elect the federal judiciary would be much more expansive.

Federal judges in the United States are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate. The 43 states that do hold judicial elections have a number of systems, including retention elections, where sitting judges essentially face recalls periodically.

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), whose district borders Mexico, warned Sheinbaum and Lopez Obrador to be careful what they wish for, given Texass experience with partisan judicial elections.

It certainly politicizes the court system. And youll have judges actually campaigning on ideologies in order to get elected. In a perfect system we would have professional judges somehow nonpolitically appointed or elected who have been trained to execute the laws justly and blindly, not as conservative or progressive  we let the legislature do that, said Gonzalez.

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NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  A man has submitted his plea connected to a voluntary manslaughter case from 2023.

The US Department of Justice said Kirtie Cohoe, 48, of Pinehill, pleaded guilty to a fatal stabbing crime that happened on July 31, 2023.

Court documents claimed Cohoe was at a family gathering in Shiprock when he was involved in a dispute. Hes accused of stabbing the victim more than once in the torso with a knife. The man died.

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Officers found Cohoe after he fled, and he was apprehended nearby with blood on his clothes. Additionally, they said his wallet was near the weapon.

Cohoe faces 15 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release.

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Mexico freezes relations with US, Canadian embassies which criticized judicial reform

FILE PHOTO: Mexican president says U.S. ambassador comments on judicial reform disrespectful, in Mexico City

By Ana Isabel Martinez and Kylie Madry

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The Mexican government has paused its relationship with the U.S. and Canadian embassies in the country, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday, after their ambassadors criticized a proposed judicial reform that he backs.

"There is a pause," Lopez Obrador said in a press conference, clarifying that the freeze was with the embassies and not with the countries.

The president is pushing a reform to elect judges, including Supreme Court justices, by popular vote. A committee in the lower house of Mexico's Congress passed the proposal late on Monday, paving the way for it to be approved when the newly elected Congress takes office in September.

Proponents say the reform will boost democracy and help fix a system that they argue does not serve the public, while critics say it will skew power in favor of the executive, cut off judges' careers, and make the courts more susceptible to criminal influence.

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar last week labeled the reform a "major risk to the functioning of Mexico's democracy" and cautioned of a potential risk to the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship.

The U.S. and Mexico are each other's largest trade partners.

Canada's ambassador to Mexico, Graeme Clark, also warned of investment concerns.

Later on Tuesday after Lopez Obrador's comments, Salazar posted a diplomatic note from the embassy, dated Aug. 23.

"The United States supports the concept of judicial reform in Mexico, but we have significant concerns that the popular election of judges would neither address judicial corruption nor strengthen the judicial branch of the Government of Mexico," the note read.

The Canadian embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lopez Obrador had criticized what he called Salazar's interference in internal politics.

"How are we going to allow the ambassador to give his opinion, to say what we're doing is wrong?" Lopez Obrador added. "We aren't going to tell him to get out of the country. But for him to read our Constitution, yes, we will say that."

Salazar had previously said he was open to speaking with Mexican government leaders to discuss different judicial models.

Lopez Obrador said the "pause" would continue until "there was confirmation that (the embassies) would respect Mexico's independence."

Later on Tuesday, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena backed Lopez Obrador in a message posted on X, saying decisions about Mexico are made by Mexicans. She reiterated, however, that the relationship with "friends and neighbors in North America" was a priority and remained "fluid and normal" on a daily basis.

The diplomatic note from the U.S. said the country had the "utmost respect for Mexico's sovereignty."

Mexico's peso was down 1.65% in early afternoon trading.

It has dropped sharply since the June elections, in which Lopez Obrador's favored successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, won the presidency and their Morena party and allies nabbed a supermajority in the lower house and nearly a supermajority in the Senate.

A two-thirds vote is necessary to amend the Constitution, which the judicial reform would need to do.

(Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez, Raul Cortes and Kylie Madry; additional reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Sarah Morland, Paul Simao, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)
Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is halting diplomatic relations with the US and Canadian embassies after their ambassadors criticized his proposal to have judges elected by popular vote.

Lopez Obrador announced the move during his daily press conference on Tuesday, saying the pause is with the embassies and not the countries. He said relations will be reestablished once the diplomats are respectful of the independence of Mexico, of the sovereignty of our country.

CNN has contacted the US and Canadian embassies in Mexico for comment.

Lopez Obradors proposal for judicial reform is part of a package of constitutional changes he has been seeking, which have yet to be approved. On Monday, a congressional committee approved the proposal, and it now requires two-thirds approval in both chambers of Congress.

The reforms include a range of issues in areas like pensions and the energy sector, but they also include controversial judicial and institutional reforms, which critics say would weaken the separation of powers and see the disappearance of some independent regulatory agencies.

US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said last Thursday that he believes a popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexicos democracy. Salazar stressed that judicial reforms should ensure the judiciary would be strengthened and not subject to the corruption of politics.

The ambassador also said the move could impact the US-Mexico trade relations. The US and Mexico are each others top trading partners.

Canadas ambassador in Mexico, Graeme Clark, has warned of investor worries due to the proposed judicial reforms, and voiced concern about the disappearance of some autonomous bodies.

After Lopez Obradors press conference on Tuesday, Salazar posted a note on X reiterating the significant concerns the US has over the judicial reform.

Several US lawmakers also expressed their concern on Tuesday, saying judicial reform will jeopardize critical economic and security interests shared by our two nations including a regional trade pact.

We are also alarmed that several other constitutional reforms currently under discussion may contradict commitments made in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which is scheduled for review in 2026, read a statement from the US Senates Foreign Relations Committee.

The constitutional reforms include eliminating several independent regulatory bodies and merging others that the government claims are duplicating functions. Lopez Obrador is seeking to shutter the Personal Data Protection Institute (INAI). The regulator in February launched an investigation against Lopez Obrador after he disclosed the personal phone number of a New York Times journalist.

The Mexican leader previously hit back at the criticism of his planned reforms saying that he is seeking to establish constitutional rights and strengthen ideals and principles related to humanism, justice, honesty, austerity and democracy.

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A unionized federal court worker protests against reforms that would make all judges stand for election in Mexico City, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos president told reporters Tuesday he has put relations with the United States and Canadian embassies on pause after the two countries voiced concerns over a proposed judicial overhaul that critics say could undermine the independence of the judiciary.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador didnt elaborate on what a pause would mean. Its not a term used in formal diplomatic codes, and Mexicos foreign ministry did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment about what it would entail.

The judicial overhaul proposal, suggested by the Mexican president during his final weeks in office, includes having judges elected to office, something analysts, judges and international observers fear would stack courts with politically biased judges with little experience. It has spurred major protests and strikes and wide criticism from investors and financial institutions.

Last week, American ambassador Ken Salazar called the proposal a risk to democracy that would endanger Mexicos commercial relationship with the United States. Lopez Obrador lambasted the ambassador, saying he violated Mexican sovereignty. Salazar has since dialed back his tone, writing on X that he was open to a dialogue.

Lopez Obrador said during his morning press briefing Tuesday he believed the sharp comments were not from Salazar, but rather from the U.S. State Department.

We're not going to tell him (Salazar) to leave the country, he said, I hope that they promise to be respectful of Mexicans independence, of our countrys sovereignty. But until that happens, and they continue these policies, its on pause.

He added cheekily, we are going to take our time, garnering laughs from some reporters.

Lopez Obrador also accused Canada of interfering with an internal matter for expressing apprehension about the proposal. The three countries share a crucial commercial relationship that reached an estimated $1.8 trillion in trade in 2022. So far, the tensions show no clear signs of how they can affect the longstanding economic and diplomatic relationship between them.

Salazar has since dialed back his tone, writing on X that he was open to a dialogue and that he respected Mexican sovereignty. But as he did, members of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, issued a joint statement saying they were deeply concerned about the judicial overhaul and other proposed reforms to the constitution, which they say could contradict commitments made in their trade agreement.

The comments are likely to only further irritate the populist leader.

Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Relations Alicia Barcena took to X to say she supports Lopez Obrador in railing against what she called an interventionist policy by the U.S. and Canada. However, she added in the same post that the trilateral relationship was a priority and that ties continue on as normal."

It's not the first time the Mexican state head has thrown around the phrase. In 2022, he announced a diplomatic pause with Spain over a dispute with energy companies. At the time, Lopez Obrador said the pause is not a break in relations with Spain, but nothing more than a respectful and fraternal protest against the abuses and grievances committed against the people of Mexico and our country.

However, the latest comments aimed at the U.S. ambassador come amid heightened tensions between the two governments in recent months, after the U.S. nailed Mexican drug lord Ismael El Mayo Zambada in a peculiar set of events. As more information has been revealed about the case, Lopez Obrador has taken on an increasingly belligerent tone, said Carlos Perez Ricart, a political analyst at Mexicos Center for Economic Research and Teaching.

In other circumstances, in another context, he might have just listened, not escalated the conflict, Perez Ricart said. In the past months, weve seen a lot more radical statements towards the United States."

Lopez Obrador is set to pass the baton to his political ally and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who takes office Oct. 1. Perez Ricart said while the recent tensions may burden Mexicos first woman president, it can also help her set herself apart as a more moderate head of state. ___

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A Mid-Michigan man faces up to 15 years in prison for allegedly committing fraud with phony bottle return slips.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessels Office announced Monday that 34-year-old Namir Shango, from Davison, has been arraigned on a felony count of false pretenses between $50,000 and $100,000.

Investigators say Shango created fake bottle deposit return invoices for his store, Valley Liquor, in Mt. Morris.

(They were) made to look as though they were generated by his in-store bottle return processing machine and presented these to his soft-drink distributor to receive fraudulent credits toward incoming deliveries, the AGs office said in a statement.

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Nessel said the bottle deposit program requires business owners to operate with integrity.

Defrauding business partners and taking advantage of a popular state program for self-enrichment will not be tolerated, she stated.

Said Michigan State Police Director Col. James F. Grady II: Fraudulent bottle deposit activity like this hurts businesses, the state of Michigan, and ultimately, reduces funds meant to protect our environment. We are committed to identifying and putting a stop to these crimes.

Shango is due to return to court Thursday for a probable cause conference.

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Susan J. Demas

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Michigans free newsletter here.

Four voters allegedly voted twice in the primary elections in Macomb County, officials say, a matter that local police are now investigating.

The fact that the problems were promptly flagged should reassure Michigan voters rather than worry them, officials say. Its a sign that the states systems are secure enough to stop or at least catch when votes are cast twice, and further evidence that widespread fraud is unlikely in the state.

In Michigan, voting twice is a felony, and documented instances of voters casting more than one ballot are exceedingly rare. A 2022 audit by the state auditor general found that of the more than 11.7 million votes cast in the state over several elections, 99.99% were not duplicates.

Thats due in no small part to the safeguards in place across the election process to prevent voters from casting more than one ballot, or to catch them if they do. Its part of what makes Michigans elections secure, officials say.

In most cases, voters who try to cast two ballots are stopped at their polling place when e-pollbooks  the computers used to check voters in  flag that a voter has already returned an absentee ballot. If the e-pollbook shows that a voter was issued an absentee ballot but hadnt yet returned it, poll workers arrange to void the absentee ballot before allowing the voter to cast a ballot in person.

When double votes do happen, its usually a matter of timing  an in-person vote gets cast before a clerk has the opportunity to mark an absentee ballot as returned. If a voter casts a ballot in person before their absentee ballot is processed, the inspector processing the absentee ballot would be notified of the potential double vote.

Thats what happened during the primary election, Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini said, but a poll worker overrode the system to allow the second ballots through.

Its part of the reason were being so public about it, Forlini told Votebeat, pledging that workers would not be doing anything like that in November.

St. Clair Shores Clerk Abby Barrett said her team found the four instances of double voting in two ways: They caught them on reports printed out from the qualified voter file as well as the paper trail showing the alleged double voters had signed an absentee ballot envelope and an in-person application form at a polling place.

We brought it to the County Prosecutor and Bureau of Elections attention immediately, Barrett wrote in an email.

In his four years as Macomb County Clerk, Forlini said that this was the first instance of potential double voting that he knew of. He said it was important to him that the county was very public with any potential problems, though, because he wanted to be transparent about what the election process actually looked like to quell any rumors or conspiracy theories.

I dont want to not expose any problems we may have, Forlini said. I want to look at it right away, see it for what it is and deal with it.

Macomb County is considered a swing county that regularly attracts national attention during presidential elections as an indicator of political trends. But Forlini, a Republican, said his focus was more on making clear the county had a good, clean election.

Mistakes can happen, he said, because even the best election clerks are only human. He said he believed the local clerks in Macomb County were fundamentally good people looking to do good work, exemplified by Barretts quick reporting of the problems in her city.

In Michigan, were very decentralized in our elections, which makes us one of the best in the country because you cant really do wholesale, large-scale fraud here, he said. There are a lot of parties involved in each election.

Thats not to say there wont be problems, he said, but its fair to say that if you have good people, youre going to have a good election.

There were 13,146 votes cast in St. Clair Shores August primary. The city has about 57,500 people.

In a statement last week, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said she was grateful for Forlinis help in ensuring that voter fraud is rare and that when it happens, we catch it and prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.

Macomb County followed the security protocols in place, Benson continued, and she referred the matter to the attorney generals office for additional investigation.

Bensons office said that the state does not keep tabs on how often double voting is attempted but said officials knew it was rare. Angela Benander, a Benson spokesperson, said that law enforcement would investigate voters and the election workers to figure out how the voters were issued two ballots in the first place.

Attorney General Dana Nessels office told Votebeat that its monitoring the allegations and staying in contact with the Department of State, but that the case is being investigated locally.

Its not clear if the alleged double votes were intended to be fraudulent or just a mistake. The St. Clair Shores police department is investigating the incidents, Police Chief Jason Allen said, but no additional information was available.

Hayley Harding is a reporter for Votebeat based in Michigan. Contact Hayley at hharding@votebeat.org.

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A Michigan sheriff who hosted Donald Trump last week reportedly is facing an investigation over complaints that the event violated the states campaign finance law.

Trumps choice of Howell, Michigan, was controversial in and of itself, given that he was visiting shortly after white supremacists gathered there and celebrated him and Adolf Hitler. But the props at the Livingston County Sheriffs Office event  including law enforcement officers and sheriffs vehicles carefully staged in the background  were just as disturbing as the location. And they gave the impression that the sheriffs office was endorsing the GOP presidential nominee, despite Sheriff Mike Murphys insistence beforehand that it would be a news conference and not a political event.

On Thursday, the Detroit Metro Times reported that two complaints filed over the event have prompted the states Bureau of Elections to investigate whether Murphy violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

An attorney told local outlet MLive that the sheriff could potentially skirt legal trouble by allowing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to speak in the same setting. And Murphy  who denied having committed any violation  told the outlet he would extend her the same courtesy for sure.

Indeed, inviting Harris (no matter her response) may help the sheriff elude legal consequences, but it doesnt address the ethical  and Id argue moral  dilemma that his office has created. Nor does it address the legitimacy crisis that Murphy has unleashed.

At last weeks event, Murphys officers stood behind Trump as he rambled and falsely accused Harris and the Democratic Party of letting crime run rampant, claims that dont align with reality. So the essence of Trumps speech wasnt just a lie  it was a lie told by a criminal in his own right, one who has fomented an insurrection in which police officers were beaten, and who also has backed policing practices  such as stop and frisk  that have been used to prey upon Black and Latino people disproportionately.

And yet members of the Livingston County Sheriffs Office lent Trump their gravitas by literally backing him up as he told this lie. It begs the question: Why should the local residents trust these officers to protect their rights, if the department was so willing to let them be aligned with one of the most notorious lawbreakers in American history? Can a law enforcement officer legitimately claim to uphold the Constitution after appearing alongside a man who has proposed termination of some of it?

To be sure, these arent merely questions for the Livingston County Sheriffs Office; many other officers across the nation also have posed with Trump since his election loss in 2020. All of them seemingly without a care in the world for the grim message it sends to the residents they encounter daily  that they care about power and control more than law and order.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Guests attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Bangkok Roundtable in Bangkok, Thailand, Aug. 26, 2024. The BFA Bangkok Roundtable kicked off here on Monday under the theme "Future of the World: From the Perspective of Asia." (Xinhua/Sun Weitong)

BANGKOK, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Bangkok Roundtable kicked off here on Monday under the theme "Future of the World: From the Perspective of Asia."

The one-day roundtable brought together over 100 dignitaries, scholars, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders across Asia and representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations (UN), to share their insights on multilateralism and sustainable development.

In a video speech, President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Dennis Francis commended the BFA for convening this timely roundtable, saying this gathering undoubtedly plays a vital role in fostering peace and prosperity on a regional and global scale.

Ban Ki-moon, former UN secretary-general and now BFA chairman, noted that the progress of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been limited, slow and uneven. Facing challenges such as climate change and poverty, the only way out is to strengthen international cooperation, and the sustainable development practices in China and Asia have positive significance for the 2030 Agenda.

Secretary General of the BFA Zhang Jun called on all parties to strengthen unity and cooperation, uphold multilateralism, persist in building an open world economy, and pursue sustainable development, so as to provide wisdom and solutions for addressing major challenges.

Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai highlighted that the roundtable would make the voice of Asia heard and heeded, and help the UN Summit of the Future set a new global agenda and shape a better tomorrow. 
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD)  August is breastfeeding awareness month and unfortunately, there is a population of mothers who may have difficulty producing their own milk, creating a growing demand for human breast milk.

However, there are milk depots and milk banks to help those families in need.

Everyone knows about blood donation and organ donation right? So, we need to get to the point where everyone knows about milk donation, said Program manager for Mothers Milk Bank of Western Great Lakes Susan Urbanski.

Milk Bank WGL, a non-profit, serves hospitals and families in Wisconsin and Illinois.

We have roughly about 70 different depot partners. Most of them, were able to go pick up the milk from the depot. So, we have that courier system again, said Urbanski. We get it here in oak grove village which is where we are doing the testing, the pasteurization and the bottling. After all of that is done and we know that all of the milk is totally safe, we are distributing that milk to about 90 different hospital partners throughout Illinois and Wisconsin.

How to donate breast milk during the baby formula shortage

The Birth Center of Bloomington Normal is one of several partnering depots in the central Illinois area.

We know that having accessible milk for families was really needed for this area, said nurse practitioner and lactation consultant Trish Wierenga.

Donated milk helps local families and families who have babies in the NICU. In 2023, the center donated 9,500 ounces of milk and dispensed 784 ounces.

Weve had so many families that have been so thankful. They have been choosing to only give their babies human milk. And for whatever reason in those early days if they were unable to do that personally, we were able to bridge that gap for them, said Wierenga. And they were then able to feel confident that their baby received only human milk until their own milk supply increased enough so that their baby was able to receive their milk.

In 2023, a total of 947,055 ounces of milk was donated to Milk Bank WGL. Wisconsin donors contributed 333, 278 ounces, Illinois donors added 587,597 to the grand total and 26,180 ounces came from neighboring states.

Other milk depots include the McLean County Health Department, the Peoria City/County Health Department and the Breastfeeding Resource Center at OSF St. Francis. To learn more about becoming a donor or to find your nearest milk bank and milk depot within the Milk Bank WGL network click here.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, breastfeeding can help mom and baby for several reasons including protecting baby from infections and illness, lowering the risk for breast and ovarian cancer for mom and lowering the risk of type two diabetes for both mom and baby.

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The Milwaukee Police Department has found a woman reported critically missing early this morning.

The woman, reported to be about 60 years old and from Chicago, was located later in the morning, police say.

She had been last seen using the Milwaukee County Transit Bus System, west on State Street from North 12th Street, on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at about 1:12 a.m. The corner of State Street and North 12th Street is in the area of the Aurora Sinai Medical Center.

"Critical missing" is a label police apply to people who may be especially vulnerable due to a variety of factors.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee police locate critically missing Chicago woman in her 60s
Milwaukie convenience store happy to get out of selling tobacco with new $20k grant

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Out with the tobacco, in with the fruits and vegetables.

That is the mantra of Milwaukies The Little Blue Store as part of a $20,000 grant provided to them by a Clackamas County Public Health Division pilot project to encourage owners to adopt a healthy retail business model.

Its a makeover challenge with a big health twist for the convenience store all the locals know on the corner of Southeast Washington Street and Southeast 30th Avenue.

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The community staple has the typical snacks you might expect from a corner store. Only now its noticeably missing any tobacco products.

Hagos Tekle and his wife bought The Little Blue Store about two years ago. After sluggish sales and community feedback, they decided to take the leap and agree to get rid of any tobacco and nicotine products and adopt a treasure trove and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Tobacco isnt healthier, we know that, everyone knows that, were happy to get out of that, Tekle said.

The Little Blue Store Owner Hagos Tekle shows off his now-vacant tobacco product shelf. August 26, 2024 (KOIN).

The Little Blue Store in Milwaukie. August 26, 2024 (KOIN).

Its part of a pilot project grant using an out-of-the-box approach and funded by the Oregon Health Authority.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, tobacco is the top preventable killer in the state, more than the next six causes combined  even alcohol or other drug use.

Clackamas County decided to pick The Little Blue Store in part due to its closeness to schools, such as an elementary school just around the corner.

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This is only the first step as Clackamas County Public Health Division Director Philip Mason-Joyner said hes also working with state leaders to ban flavored tobacco products across Oregon.

We have more to do to mitigate the threats of tobacco harms and we want our young people to not have a life of addiction, said Mason-Joyner.

Not only will more fruits and vegetables be on offer at The Little Blue Store, but Ethiopian food, too, as part of their healthy retail transformation.

Were not going anywhere so we like to have a better service with better product, Tekle said. And that grant, it means really a lot to realize that dream.

As part of the grant, The Little Blue Store owners will also receive business advice and technical support from Livelihood NW.

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A climber was found dead Sunday in Glacier National Park, after going missing a week earlier when he separated from his hiking group, officials said.

Grant Marcuccio apparently fell to his death, based on the injuries he suffered and the location of the body when responders discovered it during their search, according to the National Park Service. They said the 32-year-old from Whitefish, Montana, had broken from his hiking party on the afternoon Sunday, Aug. 18, on his way from Heavens Peak to McPartland Mountain about one mile south. He wanted to summit McPartland alone, endeavoring to reach the peak that stands at an elevation of more than 8,400 feet.

Before setting out on his own, Marcuccio agreed to meet the rest of the group at a designated spot that evening. The group alerted rangers when he never showed up.

A search operation ensued, involving air and ground teams with the United States Forest Service and the local support organization Two Bear Air. Glacier National Park issued a formal missing person alert on Wednesday, asking anyone with information about what may have happened to Marcuccio to contact the park with tips.

On the afternoon of Aug. 25  seven days after Marcuccio vanished  Two Bear Air spotted the mountaineer's body while flying over the area around McPartland Mountain. He was found less than a half-mile from McPartland Peak, between that mountain and Heavens Peak. The National Park Service said his body had fallen below the ridgeline, which is the uppermost edge of the mountain ridge.

The climber's body was recovered and taken to a different area of the park, where it was turned over to the Flathead County coroner. The National Park Service said Marcuccio's cause of death was still under investigation as of Monday.

"Glacier National Park staff would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and ask that the public respect their privacy," the park service said in a statement.

At least eight people have died in Glacier National Park, an expansive wilderness area in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Montana, in the last two years. Four of those deaths happened this summer, including Marcuccio.

Earlier in August, park rangers said they believed they had recovered the body of a man who fell into Avalanche Creek a month before, on July 6, and drowned after being swept away by the current. That man, identified as 26-year-old Siddhant Vitthal Patil, was one of two tourists who drowned that day while visiting Glacier National Park. The other, identified as 28-year-old Raju Jha, drowned in the park's Lake McDonald, officials said.

Their deaths followed 26-year-old Gillian Tones, a tourist from Pittsburgh, who died at Glacier National Park in June after she fell into the water near St. Mary Falls, CBS Pittsburgh reported.

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Editors note: The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette rarely report on the details of suicides but given the publics interest in assisting the family and searching for the victim, we proceeded with our reporting.

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner and Coroner David W. Ott revealed Tuesday morning what many in the community feared: that the missing Hilton Head Island vacationer, husband and father Stanley Kotowski was confirmed dead with the cause ruled as a suicide. His body was discovered Monday at 11:30 a.m. in a crawl space under a villa in Sea Pines, approximately 150 yards from the villa where his family was vacationing. The manner of death was asphyxiation by hanging according to Ott.

We estimate the day of death is the day he went missing, Ott said, referring to Aug. 16 when Kotowski was last seen on the doorbell camera of the Kotowskis rental on South Sea Pines Drive. Ott did not specify an exact time of death.

Tanner and Ott did not reveal specifics of Kotowskis death during the Tuesday morning press conference, other than to say there was an apparatus involved in the asphyxiation. Both men were asked for more specifics about the manner of death, given the unusual circumstances of where the body was found. Ott said, Its definitely asphyxiation, but theres no other word other than hanging. Unfortunately, people believe that hanging means you rope up to a ceiling and you drop. Its definitely not like that ... Its mainly cutting off the flow (of oxygen).

While on a daily canvass of the area around 11 a.m. Monday, 11 days after the search began, a security officer from Sea Pines came across evidence that led him to the villa where Kotowski would eventually be found. Eventually, the search team was able to find Kotowskis body underneath the home.

Beaufort County Coroner David Ott, right, demonstrates on Aug. 27, 2024 how Stanley Kotowski, 60, of Massachusetts reduced his airflow by strangulation in the crawlspace of a home in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island at the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office Headquarters as Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner looks on.

Lt. Eric Calendine spoke about the Beaufort County Sheriffs Offices 11-day search effort up until Monday. The Kotowski family, including his wife Jackie, traveled to Hilton Head from Massachusetts on Aug. 11. The sheriffs office received a call from the family at 12:42 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16. Personnel from the sheriffs office and Sea Pines security fanned out to begin the search for Kotowski.

A canine unit of three dogs then did an article search along with a free air sniff throughout the entire complex, Calendine said. Investigators received several tips about Kotowskis potential whereabouts, including video from Salty Dog Cafe featuring a subject who resembled the man. Upon further review, the department confirmed Kotowski was not in the footage.

The search team used a multitude of efforts, including drones, boats, helicopters and door-to-door canvassing over the course of the 11 days. The Department of Natural Resources, Coast Guard, Bluffton Police Department, Hilton Head Fire Rescue and Sea Pines security assisted in different capacities during the search.

We covered the vast majority of the south end of Sea Pines, Calendine said.

Members of the community were also involved in the search, even scheduling their own organized search at 1 p.m. Monday. At the Tuesday afternoon press conference, Tanner confirmed that the family had called off that search once they were made aware that a body had been located. The sheriff said as long as the community and the Sea Pines security team was on board with a community search, the sheriffs office would be as well.

Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner talks on Aug. 27, 2024, at the departments headquarters about how the community and law enforcement agencies worked together in finding Stanley Kotowski, 60, who was reported missing on Aug. 16, 2024 while visiting Hilton Head Island. The Beaufort County coroners office determined Kotowski died from hanging soon after he was reported missing.

Asked why it took so long to find a man who was so close to the last place he was seen, Tanner said that he initially had the same question. Once I had an opportunity to review where the body was recovered, I completely understand why he was not, until there was some evidence that led us in that direction, Tanner said. Deputies initially attempted to enter the crawl space from under the homes deck but later discovered a small hatch near the outdoor shower that served as an entry point.

Tanner said that this news should remind the entire community to be more attentive to mental health issues, even in idyllic destinations like Hilton Head. Kotowski was experiencing paranoia in the days before his disappearance, and even sought out medical attention prior to and during their vacation, Calendine said.

Calendine added that sheriffs office and coroner were also responding to another body found on Hilton Head less than a mile away Monday afternoon, contributing to confusion about whether the response pertained to Kotowskis case.

This photo of Stanley, commonly referred to as Stan by family members on social media, was used on missing person fliers distributed throughout the community.
A 60-year-old Massachusetts man reported missing during a South Carolina beach vacation earlier this month was found dead on Monday beneath a nearby home, ending a frantic 10-day search, authorities said.

Stanley Kotowskis remains were found late Monday morning under a crawl space in the same Hilton Head Island neighborhood resort that he was last seen walking in on Aug. 16, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday.

Local security walking the area on Monday reported noticing a foul odor and flies coming from beneath a property in the Sea Pines neighborhood. A deputy was able to enter the narrow area, described as not more than 3 feet high, and locate Kotowskis body hidden behind a pillar, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said at a press conference Tuesday.

Stanley Kotowski was found dead on Monday, ending a 10-day search for him in the Hilton Head Island area, authorities said. Beaufort County Sheriffs Office

Kotowski, who was said to be experiencing mental distress in the days before his disappearance, died from self-afflicted asphyxiation by hanging, the coroner said at the press conference following an autopsy.

Its mainly cutting off the flow (of oxygen), Beaufort County Coroner David Ott said while declining to go into further detail about the manner, particularly concerning the amount of space beneath the house.

Kotowski had flown down to Hilton Head Island on Aug. 11 with his wife and two family friends, Tanner said.

In the days before he went missing, his family said they sought mental health treatment for him. His wife told deputies that her husband had been struggling with anxiety and paranoia and hadnt been sleeping.

He believes Sea Pines is a set up and has a conspiracy that the people here are out to get him, she told deputies, according to an incident report obtained by local station WJCL.

She also said that her husband had made several statements of people at this place watching him. He asked her to promise to go on without me, according to the report.

Kotowski was last seen leaving his familys rental barefoot around 10:30 a.m. Surveillance video shared by the sheriffs office shows him walking out the door and into the street, where he appears to stand, looking around in place for several seconds, before walking off camera.

His disappearance launched a massive manhunt, which included reviews of community surveillance footage and interviews with neighbors and potential witnesses. Authorities also used drones, helicopters and search dogs in their search, Tanner said.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.

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BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WWLP)  A man from Massachusetts was found dead underneath a home in Sea Pines, S.C. Monday morning.

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According to a Facebook post by the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office, a body believed to be that of 60-year-old Massachusetts man Stanley Kotowski, who was reported missing earlier this month, was discovered in the Sea Pines area on Monday morning.

Courtesy of the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office

Authorities were alerted to suspicious activity at a residence in the Sea Pines area, and deputies arrived around 11:30 a.m. During their investigation, police located the body of a man under the home. The body was recovered at approximately 3:30 p.m. and is believed to be Kotowski, who was last seen on August 16th.

The Beaufort County Coroners Office is scheduled to perform an autopsy on Tuesday, August 27, to confirm the identity and determine the cause of death. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kotowskis death is ongoing. Authorities have not released further details pending the outcome of the autopsy.

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.

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Missing some money? Tour coming to South Mississippi this week could help you find it

Mississippis Unclaimed Money Tour is about to make a stop in South Mississippi and Coast residents can find out if their names are on the list of people who are owed money from tax returns, estates or other sources.

On the recent tour stop in Jackson, more than 350 residents came out to see if they were owed money.

In Southaven, dozens of claims were made, and State Treasurer David McCrae said, Im excited to say our team is already hard at work processing the checks.

The next stop is from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Boozers Brew, 802 East Pass Road in Gulfport.

Free coffee will be provided and staff will be there to help residents find unclaimed money owed to them.

The Treasury Departments College and Career Savings team also will be available to provide information about saving for educational expenses.

State Treasurer David McRae, center, speaks to people on the Mississippi Unclaimed Money Tour that will be making a stop in South Mississippi this week. Residents can check in person to see if they are owed money and start the claim process.

Search online or in person

Its easy for those who know how to use a computer to search the states Unclaimed Property website. Just type in a last name or company name. Add a first name and a city to get more specific information. The search brings up names of those owed money and tells whether the amount is under $100 or more than $100.

The process can be done entirely online, with no need for a notary.

Thursdays event will be particularly helpful for those who dont have a computer or arent confident they can navigate the website. Staff will help them search for any money owed to them and begin the claims process.

Rarely is an elected official in the business of giving money back to citizens, McRae said, but in just over four years, our team has returned $100 million to Mississippians through our unclaimed money program.

He said the money available comes from a variety of sources.

It could be an energy bill refund that was sent to the wrong address, a long-forgotten CD at your local bank, or it may be an unknown part of a deceased loved one or relatives estate, like an insurance policy, he said. If no one claims these funds for five years, the money is sent to the state. Then, your Treasury is responsible for finding the rightful owner and returning the cash to them.

About one in 10 people have unclaimed money, and McRae said,You never know how much might be waiting for you.

If you go:

When: Thursday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m.-noon

Where: Boozers Brew, 802 E Pass Road, Gulfport

What: Search for unclaimed property and begin the claims process. Also get details on MS College and Career Savings
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian businesses expect a boost in Malaysia's business environment for the third quarter, with a positive confidence indicator of +4.7 percent, up from +0.7 percent in the second quarter, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said Tuesday.

The DOSM said in a statement that all sectors foretell brighter business prospect for the third quarter.

Business sentiment in the industry sector remained favorable with +4.1 percent in the cited quarter as against +5.3 percent in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, the services sector expects an improved business situation with confidence indicator rebounding to a positive trajectory with +8.3 percent from -0.9 percent in the second quarter.

Confidence indicators for the construction sector also turned positive by posting +2.2 percent in the third quarter as compared to -14.8 percent in the previous quarter.

Similarly, sentiment in the wholesale and retail trade sector moved to a positive direction by registering +1.4 percent as against -4.1 percent in the previous quarter. 
Missing the rain? Why Columbus has been abnormally dry since June, when it will end

Muggy, humid days and nights that define summers in the South have been amiss in Columbus this season.

The past three months have been unusually dry for Columbus, parts of northern Georgia, and a swath of Alabama, putting a quarter of Muscogee County residents in near-drought weather.

As of Aug. 27, 25.7% of Muscogee County is considered abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Dry conditions have been around since June 11. The county experienced moderate drought conditions from June 25 to July 23, Georgia State Climatologist Eleanor Partington said in an email.

Columbus sees extremes in rain, dry conditions

The earlier part of the year was very wet  the wettest January through March on record for Columbus, Partington said.

That heavy rain contributed to Chattahoochee River floods in February and March. But the dry conditions since June and days of extreme heat this meteorological summer (which spans June 1 to Sept. 1) can still put the area in drought.

We havent had the afternoon pop-up thunderstorms or rainfall across the southeast that we usually have, Tod Hamill, hydrologist at the Southeast River Forecast Center, said.

The southeast is abnormally dry and some parts are entering drought conditions.

The southeast part of Georgia is still recovering from extremely saturated soils after Tropical Storm Debby flooded dozens of counties in Georgia. Columbus was left with a dry air mass, contributing to some dryness in parts of the Chattahoochee Valley.

Savannah has flip-flopped between extreme dryness and extreme wetness this year, causing both droughts and flooding, Partington said. Columbus is often on the west side of hurricanes and these dry air masses can cause fall flash droughts

As Debby came through it dried out a lot of Alabama, Mississippi, and parts of Georgia, Hamill said. The last few weeks have been really dry.

Columbus usually receives nearly 4 inches more rain than it did between June and September.

Columbus rainfall in July was 1.01 inches less than normal in July, acccording to the NOAA National Center for Environmental Information. If dry conditions persist through the end of August, the city will have 3.03 fewer inches of rain this month compared to a typical August.

Rainfall totals per day from Jan. 1 to Aug. 23 at the Columbus airport. January through March was very wet while June through August has been very dry.

Both streamflow gauges at West Point Lake outfall and the 14th street bridge in Columbus are much below normal for this time of year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Extreme temperatures and short, intense rainfalls followed by periods without precipitation contribute to rapid onset droughts, Partington said. Climate change causes higher temps, heat waves, droughts, and flooding.

Drought can last anywhere from a few weeks to months or years. Muscogee County saw prolonged droughts in 2010 and part of 2013.

Drought is expected to persist across Alabama, Mississippi and parts of Tennessee, but rain early next week could put most of Georgia out of drought, experts said.

Columbus Water Works encourages citizens to irrigate outdoors daily only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. as a means to conserve water.
A voter sits behind a privacy screen in Cascade County on June 6, 2023. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan)

The Montana Democratic Party is trying to keep the Green Partys U.S. Senate candidate off the November ballot, saying in a lawsuit filed last week the party did not follow the proper procedure for replacing its candidate when the primary winner dropped out of the race just ahead of a deadline earlier this month.

The Democrats filed the lawsuit Thursday afternoon, Aug. 22, seeking to block Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen from certifying the November ballot that would include Green Party Senate candidate Robert Barb, whom the party agreed should be its candidate after primary winner Michael Downey dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Since then, Jacobsen certified the ballot with Barb on it; the case has been passed among three judges in Lewis and Clark County District Court; and one of those judges, who was substituted off the case by the Attorney Generals Office on Friday, issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the certification of the Green Party U.S. Senate candidate  though that order was issued Thursday evening apparently after Jacobsen had certified that ballot, according to the Secretary of States Office.

The lawsuit over the late changes to the Green Partys candidate is the latest development in the U.S. Senate contest in Montana, as Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester tries to win a fourth term in a tight race against Republican candidate Tim Sheehy and as both major parties seek to gain any votes they can in the November election.

At his Aug. 9 rally in Bozeman, former President Donald Trump talked about Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Sid Daoud, asking him to stand up for recognition, calling him a nice guy, and saying, I think hes going to be giving you a very nice surprise very soon.

The next week, the Montana State News Bureau reported that Trump and other top Montana Republicans had pressured him to drop out of the race ahead of the Aug. 12 deadline for candidates to do so. Daoud declined to do so.

Replacing the Green Party candidate

Downey, who beat Barb 66% to 34% in the Green Party primary in June in which 913 ballots were cast, dropped out of the U.S. Senate race on Aug. 12, just before the deadline, according to multiple court filings.

Under state election law, the Green Party had until Aug. 21 to appoint a new candidate for Novembers ballot in accordance with the partys rules and ahead of Jacobsens Aug. 22 deadline to certify the ballots candidates and issues for November.

On Aug. 16, Barbs attorney sued the state, Jacobsen, the Montana Green Party and its ballot access coordinator Steve Kelly, asking a court to force the Green Party to name Barb as the replacement candidate and to block Jacobsen from certifying the ballot until that was done.

The suit argued that Barb would be harmed as the primary runner-up if he was not named as the replacement candidate and because he would have no Green Party candidate for whom to vote in Novembers Senate race.

Barb, of Darby, signed sworn declarations before the court on Aug. 16 and 19 saying he has an unwavering commitment to Green Party issues like opposing U.S. arms sales in foreign wars, recognizing climate change as a threat, and the partys platform on ecological stability and equal pay for women, among others.

As the runner-up, I believe the Montana Green Party has a duty to name me as its candidate before the statutory deadline, Barb wrote in his sworn declaration. Should it refuse, I will have been cheated out of a fair opportunity to run for office in the state of Montana.

But the day after he made the declaration, on Aug. 20, Barbs attorney, Helena-based Rob Cameron, filed a voluntary dismissal of Barbs case after it appeared that hed be appointed by the Green Party to replace Downey on the ballot.

The Democratic Partys lawsuit

The Democratic Partys lawsuit, filed two days later, argues that having a Green Party candidate on the ballot to compete with Tester would cause them to foot the bill for unnecessary expenses and burdens, and that appointing Barb as the replacement was not done in line with Green Party rules.

According to the suit, the Democrats will have to develop new strategies to show voters the difference between the Democratic candidate and talk about prior instances in which the Green Party was influenced by the major parties when putting candidates on the ballot.

In 2020, the Montana Supreme Court found a petition to get Green Party candidates onto the ballot that year was submitted illegally because it had been sponsored and organized by the Montana Republican Party.

The Democratic Partys lawsuit argues that the Green Partys rules, which must be used under state law when a party appoints a new candidate for the General Election once the original candidate withdraws, say that party membership shall make decisions by vote of a simple majority of its membership, and that the party never met to vote on Barb as Downeys replacement.

The lawsuit speculates that the Green Party officers in Montana appointed Barb as the replacement candidate on Aug. 20 without putting a vote to its members.

The purported appointment of Barb by officers who not only lacked the power to make such an appointment but were specifically prohibited from doing so under the Green Partys rules is not appointment as provided by rules of the party, the lawsuit argues.

The time during which the Green Party may lawfully designate a replacement candidate has now expired, it goes on to say. Because no replacement candidate was chosen through the required method, the Green Party cannot have a Senate candidate appear on the general election ballot.

The suit asked the judge overseeing the case to find that Barbs nomination was not done in accordance with the law and to enjoin the Secretary of States Office from certifying Barb or any other Green Party candidate from the ballot in the U.S. Senate race.

Certification and restraining order timeline

Thursday evening, in an order signed at 7:57 p.m., after Judge Mike Menahan recused himself from the case, Judge Kathy Seeley granted the temporary restraining order, saying the Democratic Party was likely to succeed on the merits of the argument because the Green Party did not appoint its nominee for U.S. Senate in accordance with its Party Bylaws.

The order enjoined the Secretary of States Office from certifying any Green Party candidate for the 2024 U.S. Senate race and ordered the parties to appear at a hearing for a preliminary injunction on Aug. 30 in Helena.

But the next day, in multiple emails, Secretary of States Office spokesperson Richie Melby said that Barbs name had been certified for the ballot and the certification had been made prior to Seeleys order.

Ballot certification was completed right after 7 p.m. (I believe it was 7:06 p.m.), meaning any order came after the 2024 General Election ballot certification, Melby said in an email.

Barbs attorney, Rob Cameron, said in an interview on Friday that he believed since the certification was completed prior to Seeleys order, the order would not bind Jacobsens certification.

So, the order came out saying, Dont certify anybody, but that had already occurred one or more hours previously, so thats why things are kind of in limbo, Cameron said.

He also said Barbs sworn attestation that he supported key parts of the Green Partys platform should negate prior comments hes made denying climate change and override his political donations to Republican committees.

Robert, all along, presumed that he would be the replacement candidate, and once the Green Party was convinced, satisfied that Robert is indeed a legitimate Green Party person, they went ahead and completed that certificate of appointment, Cameron said.

In a statement Friday, Montana Democratic Party Chairperson Robyn Driscoll said she believed the Green Party was meddling in the race and installing Republicans to run as Green Party candidates.

Robert Barb is without a doubt a Republican, having donated to Republicans, promoted social media posts that call climate change a B.S. fake narrative, and amplified right-wing conspiracy theories, Driscoll said. Robert Barbs placement on the ballot was done in violation of Montana law, and no Green Party candidate should appear on the ballot as a U.S. Senate candidate.

In an interview on Friday, Kelly, the Green Partys ballot access coordinator, accused the Democratic Party of meddling in its own decisions.

I mean, I dont really know what they think, because  the job we do is to sign a piece of paper. Its a form. Its not a big thing. Just says, you know, you appoint a replacement, Kelly said. I dont know what there is beyond that. I mean, Im not a lawyer. You let the Secretary of State and the Democratic lawyers haggle this out.

He said he and Barb had signed the appointment document for the Secretary of States Office and that he had taken Barbs attestation that he was aligned with the party since it was signed under the penalty of perjury.

He demonstrated to me all the necessary alignment with the Green Partys position on many issues, Kelly said. Theres no perfect candidate, obviously. But I dont need to get into the where we do and dont disagree. You know, its like Bernie (Sanders) or Hillary Clinton, OK? Within the Democratic Party, they dont agree.

He also suggested the Democratic Party had filed the suit because it did not want extra competition in the Tester-Sheehy race in which Daoud will also be on the ballot.

I just think its an attitude thats self-defeating for them, Kelly said. And Im not suggesting I care what they do with their business; thats their business. But Im trying to figure out whats in it for them to sue us, right? It looks bad.

After Seeleys order was handed down Thursday evening, the Attorney Generals Office substituted her off the case, and it went to Judge Michael McMahon. No other filings had been made in the case as of early Monday afternoon.

Melby said in an email Monday evening the Secretary of States Office must abide by a statutory deadline to certify the ballot so military and overseas voters get their ballot on time. He said he would have to check with the legal department about whether the office had any new information about if it still believes the ballot certification superseded the temporary restraining order or if there had been any new filings on its behalf.

The Montana Democratic Partys attorney in the case did not return a message Monday seeking clarification on how the timing of the certification and of the temporary restraining order worked in conjunction with one another. A spokesperson for the party pointed the Daily Montanan to the temporary restraining order to note it was granted.

The Lewis and Clark County District Court docket, and a court clerk, both said there remains a hearing on a preliminary injunction in the case set for 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, in front of Judge McMahon.

Editors note: This story has been updated to include comment from Melby with the Secretary of States Office on Monday evening.

Complaint_and_Exhibit
The Humane Society does incredible, lifesaving work across the country every day, and one of their most recent rescues is a heartbreaking one. On Tuesday, August 20th, a resident in Chattanooga, Tennessee requested help after being overwhelmed and unable to care for more than 100 rabbits living in his home. Rescuers arrived at the home around 8 a.m. to find the caregiver and the rabbits living in extremely unsanitary conditions.

In the video that the Humane Society shared to TikTok last week, you can see many rabbits hopping around a home on floors completely covered in feces. Some bunnies were missing portions of their ears, and many were suffering from injuries, hair loss, and fleas. Watch on to see the condition of the home and the animals.

This is so sad to see, but I'm actually grateful that the homeowner realized that he and the rabbits were in a dire situation and finally gathered the courage to ask for help. Commenters thanked the Humane Society rescuers and many even volunteered to help foster the bunnies in need. Many also donated towards the rabbits' care.

Related: Kind People's Determination to Rescue Abandoned Rabbit Is So Moving

More about the Chattanooga Rescued Rabbits

The Humane Society shared more details about the rescue in a press release, "The rabbits appeared to suffer from a variety of ailments including flea infestations, hair loss and injuries typical of overcrowding. Multiple nursing litters and rabbits of various ages were found burrowing in furniture throughout the residence. Veterinarians noted several rabbits may be pregnant."

The owner, whose name was not disclosed, had cared for pet rabbits for more than 30 years, but after enduring a health crisis, "the population of rabbits grew out of control and beyond his capacity to provide the animals with adequate care." It was then that he reached out to the McKamey Animal Center, which requested the assistance of the Humane Society of the United States.

Jessica Johnson, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue Team said in the press release, "As with many of the rescue operations we take on, these conditions arent suitable for animals or humans to live in. This one stands out because it was brought about by a caregiver recognizing he was beyond his capacityhe loves his pets enough to let them go so they can find homes where they can thrive."

The Humane Society transported the rabbits to a temporary emergency shelter, where veterinarians will conduct in-depth exams and provide necessary medical treatment. One commenter asked what many others were asking as well, "How do we adopt one? Omg I want another bunny!!!" The Humane Society responded to those asking, "When they are ready, we will transfer them to shelter and rescue partners to seek loving homes. We will provide those details on our website." I'll make sure to share an update on this story. We have a pet rabbit that we adore, and if you are looking for a low-key, easy maintenance pet you might want to consider a bunny of your own.

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.
More than 200 staffers for four previous Republican presidential nominees have endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris' White House bid, cautioning that the notion of a second term for GOP nominee Donald Trump is "simply untenable and will hurt real, everyday people.

In an open letter, first written about on Monday by USA Today, 238 people who worked for former President George H.W. Bush, former President George W. Bush, former Arizona Sen. John McCain and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney call on their fellow moderate Republicans and conservative independents to join them in backing Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, over Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.

Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz, the Republicans wrote, noting the significance of a handful of battleground states that proved crucial to Democrat Joe Biden's slim margin of victory in 2020. Thats to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable.

Signatories include Reed Galen, a George W. Bush and McCain campaign alum who co-founded the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project, and Olivia Troye, a former George W. Bush staffer and homeland security adviser to Trump's vice president, Mike Pence. The range of jobs represented runs the gamut from chief of staff to intern.

Another four years of Donald Trumps chaotic leadership, the signatories warn, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions. The letter goes on to warn that broad, democratic movements will be irreparably jeopardized as Trump and his acolyte JD Vance kowtow to dictators like Vladimir Putin while turning their backs on our allies.

In a statement, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung called the letter hilarious because nobody knows who these people are.

They would rather see the country burn down than to see President Trump successfully return to the White House to Make America Great Again, Cheung added.

Many of the same signatories also issued a letter in 2020 supporting Biden's candidacy over Trump.

Attracting backing from the other side of the political aisle has become a tactic for both Trump and Harris as Election Day draws near. Several Republicans, including Mesa, Arizona, Mayor John Giles, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham, spoke in favor of Harris at last week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In recent days, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who recently suspended his independent presidential bid, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, both of whom had been considered fringe members of the Democratic Party before they left, have endorsed Trump. On Tuesday, Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes said Kennedy and Gabbard had been added to the Trump-Vance transition team.

___

Meg Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
More than 200 Republicans who worked for Bush, McCain and Romney endorse Harris

More than 200 Republicans who served as aides or officials to former presidents and senators endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (AFP via Getty Images)

Hundreds of former staffers who worked for President George H. W. Bush, President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain and Senator Mitt Romney have published an open letter asking fellow Republicans to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in November.

The group of more than 200 people warns that another four chaotic years of Donald Trump will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions.

They raised concerns about Project 2025, the 900-page plan authored by former Trump aides and endorsed by The Hertiage Foundation, as well as the former presidents potential to grovel to dictators like Vladimir Putin.

Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz. Thats to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable, the Republicans write.

Theyre asking moderate Republicans and conservative independents in key swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, to vote for leaders that will strive for consensus, not chaos; that will work to unite, not divide; that will make our country and our children proud.

Those leaders are Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, the letter, obtained by USA Today, says.

Stephanie Grisham, former Trump administration press secretary, spoke at the DNC last week, warning voters about what Trump could do in a second term (Reuters)

The letter marks the official endorsement by the group of Republicans. They penned a similar letter supporting President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

The former chiefs of staff for Bush I and McCain, advisers to McCain and Romeny on their presidential campaigns and hundreds of other officials signed the letter.

It was also signed by Olivia Troye, a former Mike Pence staffer and Pentagon official under the Bush II administration, who spoke against Trump at the Democratic National Convention.

Troye, and several other former Trump administration staffers like Stephanie Grisham, have similarly endorsed Harris and warned of a second Trump presidency. At the DNC, Grisham and Troye shared stories from their time in the White House, underlining Trumps unconventional leadership that caused chaos.

In response to the letter, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, said in a statement to NBC News that the letter was hilarious and claimed nobody knows who these people are.

They would rather see the country burn down than to see President Trump successfully return to the White House to Make America Great Again, Cheung said.
There is more joy: Volunteers inspired to help over 150 families in Fresno

There is more joy: Volunteers inspired to help over 150 families in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Over 150 families needing food got help from Fresnos Bulldog Pantry on Saturday, thanks to the combined efforts of a local grocery store, non-profits, and other volunteers.

Im in a hopeful place after Saturday, Bulldog Pantry Coordinator Erica Bird said.

Before the food was handed out on Saturday, Bird says she was overwhelmed with the task of feeling so many families. She did not know if the pantry would be able to provide the help that was so desperately needed.

A new kind of incentive to give to Fresnos Bulldog Pantry

I was feeling rather down and frustrated, Bird said. Ive been doing this for seven years and its easy to get bogged down in just the every day.

Bird reached out to her friend, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Fresno CEO, Diane Phakonekham.

Its heartbreaking, Phakonekham said. She [Bird] is someone that has selflessly donated her time, dedicated her life to the Bulldog Pantry.

Phakonekham not only served as someone to vent to  but also helped Bird connect with the owners of the Grocery Outlet on North Peach Avenue in Fresno, who shared Birds passion for giving to the community. In an interview with YourCentralValley.com, Noah and Sayra Moore say they understand the severity of food insecurity.

Weve had people steal in the store, Noah said. Yes its disappointing, but he was hungry. We caught him down the street and hes digging in a trash can. That doesnt sit well with me.

The Moore family used their business to help the Bulldog Pantry, putting up a $100 gift card as a raffle prize for any customers who donated to the pantry. The customers responded with donations, and on Friday the Moores packed up their truck and headed over to the Bulldog Pantry.

The next day, the food was dispersed.

Bird found herself surrounded by people who shared her dedication, reminding her why her work at the pantry is so important and rejuvenating her spirit.

Im always hopeful after [food dispersals], Bird said. But this was different. There was a little more stress off my shoulders. There is more joy.

Grocery Outlets Noah Moore says Saturdays event brought about mixed feelings. Seeing the faces of children faced with food insecurity, he says hes reminded the fight is not over.

To see a kid want to pick a small glazed donut but go for a loaf of bread because they know that will go a longer way shows a big need.

Noah says he and his wife are still receiving donations  and he plans to keep helping. He hopes his fellow Fresno residents are inspired to donate as well.

When we pulled up there were 30 to 40 families lined up already, Noah said. I think anyone who volunteers and sees it for themselves will never be the same.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Mother Arrested After Allegedly Leaving 3-Month-Old in Hot Car While She Rode Horse at Fair

Cara Dugan, 40, allegedly left her 3-month-old baby alone in her pickup truck while she attended a county fair, authorities said

Merrick County Sherriff's office Cara Dugan

A Nebraska mother has been charged of child abuse after allegedly leaving her 3-month-old baby alone in a hot car while she attended a county fair, authorities said.

Cara Dugan, 40, was arrested on Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Merrick County Fairgrounds, the Merrick County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Authorities were called to the county fair around 1:30 p.m. after an infant had reportedly been left unattended in a car.

According to the sheriff's office, the 3-month-old was found after someone heard the infant cry and searched several cars in the area. The statement says Dugan allegedly left her baby in her pickup truck with the engine off and windows partially open for a substantial amount of time.

At the time, Dugan was inside a building riding a horse, the sheriffs office said. She was arrested and taken to the Merrick County Jail, where she was booked on one count of felony child abuse. Its unclear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.

Related: What to Know About Hot Car Deaths and How to Avoid Them

The 3-month-old, whose sex was not revealed, was evaluated at a local hospital, where medical staff determined the infant was not injured, authorities said. The baby was then placed in the care of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

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According to the sheriffs office, outside temperatures reached up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Aug. 24.



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RED ROCK, Okla. (KFOR)  A family in Red Rock, Oklahoma, wants answers after their son, who is autistic and non-verbal, came home from school with his hair cut. The family said long hair is part of their Native American culture and they want to know what happened.

Rachelle Plumley dropped her 7-year-old son Asiah off at school last week and was told by her sons special education teacher they would be working with scissors in class that day.

Plumley said she sent Asiah to school in a slicked back long braid, but he came back with bangs at the end of the day.

When he walked in the door, we noticed obviously his hair was cut, said Plumley. A simple Im sorry, or even a phone call would have helped and made me feel a lot better, but still nothing has been said.

Because Asiah is nonverbal and autistic, they turned to his teacher to ask what happened.

She said he went behind the teachers desk, just took the scissors, and cut his hair, said Plumley. But Plumley doesnt believe that story.

She said her sons classroom has three teacher aides and her son is required to have someone with him at all times.

Even if he did do this to himself, I feel like the school is still held accountable for not paying attention and being there for my son that Im trusting them to do everyday, she said.

Plumley is thankful most of her sons long hair is still there, but is sad to see part of it cut off.

In Native American culture, it does represent strength and it means a lot to us and he wouldnt have done this to himself, said Plumley.

We take a lot of pride in what we do here in Frontier about our Native American heritage as well as any other heritage we have, Frontier Public Schools Superintendent Erron Kauk said. But there was accusations that a student got their hair cut by a school employee. We took that very seriously and we checked into it and investigated. That did not happen.

Kauk said he personally investigated the situation, as did an administrator and school resource officer. I cant go into detail on the students situation, but we did do a thorough investigation and a school employee did not cut a students hair, Kauk said.

Plumley said she hadnt heard from the school at all, but has a meeting with the superintendent Tuesday where she hopes to learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
SOFIA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev signed a decree on Tuesday to hold new parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, his press office said in a statement.

The statement said Radev also appointed a caretaker government led by current caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev for the interim period.

Glavchev, 61, was head of the Bulgarian National Audit Office when he was appointed caretaker prime minister for the first time in April this year. In 2017, he briefly served as President of the National Assembly, the country's parliament.

The elections and the appointment of a caretaker government became compulsory after the parliament failed to elect a regular cabinet in June this year.

The elections will be Bulgaria's seventh in three and a half years due to an inability to reach a simple majority at the parliament. 
DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities say Interstate 41 (I-41) in De Pere was closed for some time Monday night following a single-vehicle crash that resulted in the death of a motorcyclist.

According to a release from the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, officers responded at 10:07 p.m. to the area of I-41 and Scheuring Road for reports of a single-vehicle crash.

At the scene, police say a motorcycle was heading south on I-41 before the crash citing speed as a factor.

Vice President Nominee Senator JD Vance to campaign in De Pere

The driver of the motorcycle, a 20-year-old man from De Pere, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department says they were assisted by the Brown County Sheriffs Office, the De Pere Police Department, the Ashwaubenon Public Safety, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Lawrence Fire Department, the De Pere Fire Department, and the Brown County Communications Center.

At this time, the name of the driver is being withheld pending notification of the victims family. No other information is available and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Motorist collides with rear-end of horse-drawn vehicle in Wisconsin

CHASEBURG, Wis. (WFRV)  Two people were checked out at a local hospital on Monday afternoon after a motor vehicle crashed into the rear-end of a horse-drawn vehicle in rural Wisconsin.

According to a release, 30-year-old Kurtis Woodhouse was operating a passenger vehicle traveling southeast on County Road KK near the border of Harmony and Hamburg.

Aircraft experiences hard landing off runway at municipal airport in Wisconsin

Woodhouse reportedly looked away for a moment and collided with the rear of a horse-drawn vehicle driven by 34-year-old Reuben Miller of Chaseburg.

Authorities respond to fire at Urban Air in Grand Chute, battery system reportedly the cause

Miller and his passenger, 28-year-old Andrew Miller, were both injured and transported to a nearby hospital. They were both released on Monday evening.

The Vernon County Sheriffs Office is still investigating the crash, and no additional details have been provided.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Lawrence ODonnell told his MSNBC viewers Monday night that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a disgrace to his familyjust as the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was to his.

It was the Kennedy scions endorsement of Donald Trump on Friday that elicited the strong reaction from ODonnell, who dedicated more than 10 minutes of his show to skewering the failed presidential candidate.

The Jeffrey Dahmer of the animal kingdom has horrified his family almost as much as Jeffrey Dahmer horrified his by endorsing the most horrifying Republican presidential nominee in history, he said.

ODonnell didnt stop there, however. He went on to detail how he felt Kennedy had soured the beatific glow around the name Robert Kennedy that had stood since the elder Kennedy was assassinated in 1968a name he said is now fully disgraced.

Some of Kennedys own loved ones would likely agree with ODonnell. In a statement of their own, five of Kennedys siblings wrote Friday that their brothers backing of Trump was a betrayal. Jack Schlossberg, the 31-year-old grandson of John F. Kennedy, also mocked his cousins decision.

Never been less surprised in my life, Schlossberg said. Been saying it for over a yearRFK Jr. is for sale, works for Trump.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on stage with Donald Trump just hours after endorsing him. Go Nakamura/Reuters

Kennedy endorsed Trump on Friday afternoon in Phoenix, delivering a dizzying, long-winded speech that took over 20 minutes before Trumps name was ever mentioned. He seemed to bow out of the presidential race begrudgingly, urging supporters in deep-blue states to still vote for him in November.

That speech was also rife with falsehoods, which ODonnell called out Monday. The MSNBC host appeared to be particularly peeved that Kennedy had claimed the media was icing him out whenever Kennedy had allegedly turned down an open invitation on his show.

RFK Jr. Quits and Backs TrumpWhining I Should Have Won

On July 12, 2023, I issued a public invitation to Robert Kennedy Jr. to appear on this program at the time of his choosing, and he never chose to do that, ODonnell said. If he does show up, Ill make it easy, easy on him by giving him the first question ahead of time.

Hours after making his endorsement of Trump official, Kennedy took to a stage in Arizona to stump alongside the Republican nominee after sharing a handshake and hug.

Kennedy has since been named to Trumps tentative transition teamsomething that surely wasnt in the cards had he not dropped out and endorsed when he did.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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MSU reopens, renovates campus spaces closed after shooting

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Michigan State University reopened its campus today for the start of a new school year, and that includes spaces that have been closed for a year and a half.

MSU has been working for months to redesign spaces where students were hurt after a mass shooting that killed three people and injured five others in February of 2023. The administration wants to turn them into community gathering areas where students can feel safe again

That includes projects like re-working the floorplans and patching bullet marks.

Berkey Hall was where the worst of the shooting took place. This was where seven students were shot, two would later die of their injuries.

And now, university officials hope it can be a place of healing.

The first thing students notice when they walk into the new Berkey Hall is an open floor plan where a lecture hall used to be.

There, you can find comfortable seating where there used to be rows of desks that students used to take cover.

Youll also find a lot of natural light flooding through the windows kids jumped out of when trying to get away.

As dozens of students came to use the space, they said they appreciated the chance to move forward.

People are happy that its, you know, renovated, said Kyle Cascar, a freshman history major. We can move that past us and we can come back to Berkeley Hall and just get back to learning, but also remember those who died.

Students who spend a lot of time in the building say that shutting down the space for more than a year was the right move.

Yeah I was glad that it was closed, said Jilian Barbour, a junior history major who has most of her classes in Berkey Hall. I had class earlier in the day when that happened.

But, they also say that walking in to see the new space has been a pleasant surprise, and they appreciate the universitys efforts to remember Arielle Anderson, Alex Verner, and Brian Fraser.

I dont know how to describe it but instead of being a place of sorrow its turning into a nice little remembrance, Barbour said. And the benches outside are really nice too.

She went on to say that after all the hard work, university officials should feel proud of what theyve been able to do.

Id give them a thumbs up, Barbour said. I like the squirrels, and I like the art thats around here, the chairs are comfy

Thats a feeling also shared by others we spoke to.

Its very modern, very nice, Cascar said. I know it was made in the 40s but it doesnt look like it was made in the 40s, it looks like it was actually renovated

The university also plans to reopen what used to be the Student Union food court where another student was shot.

School officials say thats also going to be a reflective space, and it should be open by next week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  State and local agencies have joined Costco in developing a traffic management plan in preparation for the retailers opening in Ridgefield.

The warehouse club is slated to open on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 a.m.

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In an effort to reduce congestion, the national chains project team has joined the Ridgefield Police Department, Ridgefield Public Works, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue, Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Transportation in contributing to the management plan.

Traffic management plan for the Ridgefield Costcos opening weekend. (Courtesy City of Ridgefield)

The city said drivers will choose one of two routes between the new store and Pioneer Street: one from North 56th Place and another from North 53rd Place and Pioneer Canyon Drive. Officials will install a temporary traffic signal at the latter route, to show residents the driving conditions in real time.

Accused drive-by shooter arrested after being belligerent at bar, short police chase

There will also be advance traffic warning signs, certified flaggers to direct drivers, an alternative entry point for emergency responders, a temporary parking lot for Costco staff and overflow, and continuous monitoring of traffic queues.

Ridgefield officials said residents will likely see peak traffic on Thursday evening and Saturday around 12 p.m. Those traveling on Pioneer Street are encouraged to choose an alternative route late on Thursday and Friday.

The same shopping center is expected to welcome a new In-N-Out Burger by 2025. Residents previously voiced concerns for what congestion would look like with both businesses.

Portland police: Understaffing prompts closure of Property Crimes Unit to address most egregious crimes

KOIN 6 has reached out to the City of Ridgefield for its plans for traffic management after opening weekend.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Multnomah County is reversing its stance on what they are now saying was inaccurate information that County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson presented during a pivotal board meeting about the ambulance crisis.

On August 15, Chair Vega Pederson made this statement during a Multnomah County Board Meeting:

Before this mediation took place, we were in a very different place with AMR than we are today. AMRs February proposal to this board was 100% hybrid ambulances [1:1]  no ambulances on our streets with two paramedics and zero BLS [Basic Life Support] ambulances.

KOIN 6 News investigative reporter Elise Haas was listening in and knew that statement wasnt true, citing documentation and interviews from previous reporting. KOIN 6 immediately made record requests asking for proof of the above claim.

That proof never came and the county is now apologizing for what its calling a misstatement.

This all comes after nearly two years of fighting over a solution to the ambulance crisis.

Read More: Emergencies on Hold

Through months of investigation and a series of reports, KOIN 6 already had a copy of American Medical Responses February proposal. That proposal clearly stated their request was only to move half of their crew to the hybrid system of one paramedic and one emergency medical technician (the 1:1 model), not the 100% of the fleet that Chair Vega Pederson said.

In a KOIN 6 story that aired in February, AMR Operations Manager Rob McDonald said, Were confident were at this point now where there really is only one pathway forward to sustainability in EMS [Emergencty Medical Services] in Multnomah County. Thats to going to half of our total deployment being paramedic and EMT, rather than dual paramedic.

The Aug. 15 board meeting ultimately culminated in commissioners passing a resolution to allow AMR to staff roughly half their ambulances using the 1:1 model.

Major changes take effect for TriMets MAX, bus lines

However, Chair Vega Pedersons inaccurate statement derailed the discussion during the meeting, which devolved into arguing over the facts of the previous proposal.

When challenged by Commissioner Sharon Meieran during that meeting, Chair Vega Pederson and Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno doubled down that they had the documents to back up their claims.

However, eight days after the meeting and after multiple requests KOIN 6 made asking for the proof, Dr. Bruno admitted they were wrong.

I want to apologize for any misrepresentation. AMR did submit a proposal on Feb. 12, 2024, as referenced in KOINs previous reporting. The proposal estimated that half of their fleet would need to be converted to a hybrid 1:1 staffing model to meet response times, Dr. Bruno said in a statement.

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Separate from KOIN 6s records requests, we also obtained internal emails from Multnomah County policy advisors acknowledging the misleading information, ending with, the Health Department is communicating a correction and regrets to AMR directly.

KOIN 6 reached out multiple times to Chair Vega Pederson starting last Friday to request an interview. Her staff declined, saying she wasnt available Monday.

However, they did send a statement from her, saying in part, When the misstatement of an element of AMRs February proposal came to light following the August 15 meeting, it was important to correct the record and hold ourselves accountable to providing accurate, updated information  which we did through a correction to our Board and to AMR directly.

In her recent remarks, Chair Vega Pederson did not explain how her misstatement happened in the first place.

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Its important to note it took two years for her to agree to essentially the same solution AMR proposed from the get go. In the past year, KOIN 6 reported extensively on how people in our community, including patients and firefighters, had emergency care put on hold because of an ambulance shortage.

At times, emergency responders were forced to do things like transporting a patient to the hospital via a TriMet bus and using a fire truck to transport a hurt 1-year-old to the hospital.

Below is Chair Vega Pedersons entire statement:

Working collaboratively with our partners is not always easy, but it is always important to me and to the healthy functioning of this county. In our work with AMR  especially through this recent mediation  weve recently achieved better outcomes and a better path forward. One of the reasons I have high expectations for AMR following mediation is that we have both compromised and developed a plan together that is a realistic business model for them, while preserving care quality and improving response times for Multnomah County.

When the misstatement of an element of AMRs February proposal came to light following the 8/15 meeting, it was important to correct the record and hold ourselves accountable to providing accurate, updated information  which we did through a correction to our Board and to AMR directly, clarifying that AMRs February proposal did request a conversion to all ALS ambulances, with hybrid staffing for approximately half of their total deployment. I appreciate our Health Departments commitment to correcting the record as well.

Ultimately, where weve landed today is a stronger place. Weve preserved BLS ambulances and set a clear floor for ALS ambulances, AMR has made progress on subcontracting, were incentivizing AMR to invest and support in their workforce, and are moving forward with a model that will serve everyones needs more successfully.

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Indigenous communities in South Americas western regions have ingested coca leaves for both medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years. However, it wasnt until 19th century Western chemists developed cocaine hydrochloride that the plant became popular across Europe. But thanks to new forensic analysis, at least some people knew about (and embraced) the cocas effects as much as 200 years earlier than originally believed.

The evidence is detailed in a study published in the Journal of Archeological Science by medicinal and biomedical specialists at the University of Milan and Foundation IRCCS Ca Granda. According to the team, at least two preserved brains buried in a crypt near a 17th century hospital display evidence of the coca plants active componentscocaine, benzoylecgonine, and hygrine. These chemicals, particularly hygrine, indicates the pair of late Renaissance locals were either chewing on the leaves or ingesting a tea infused with coca shortly before their deaths and burials at Ospedale Maggiore.

[Related: Sharks are testing positive for cocaine.]

One of Italys most famous hospitals at the time, Ospedale Maggiore operated in Milan during nearly the entire 17th century. Almost a hundred years worth of medical care also meant plenty of deceased patients, requiring the construction and maintenance of an increasingly large crypt close to the medical facility. As the study authors explain, this ultimately resulted in an archeological trove that now contains an estimated 2.9 million bones from around 10,000 people.

The recovery and study of these remains continues to further experts understanding of the late Renaissance and early Modern eras. In 2023, for example, mummified brain and bone samples tested positive opium usage through the presence of Papaver somniferum (poppy seeds), as well as cannabisthe latter of which was previously undocumented for the time.

Coca was yet another plant once thought unknown to Italy until the 19th century, when pharmacists first began synthesizing cocaine hydrochloride salts. After an examination of the mummified brain matter from two people entombed at the Ca Granda, however, that narrative requires some alterations.

[W]e present, to the best of our knowledge, the first hard evidence regarding the use of the coca plant in Europe through archaeotoxicological analyses on human remains in the extraordinary context of the Ca Granda crypt, hence backdating its use in Europe to the 1600s, the authors write in their papers conclusion.

This realization isnt completely out of the blue. As the researchers note in their study, historical written evidence shows Spanish sailors were at least aware of the coca plants effects after arriving in South America. At the same time, Europeans soon grew increasingly interested in exotic plants in the New World as knowledge spread throughout the continent. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, sea trade expanded between South America and Milan, then under Spanish rule. According to researchers, this demonstrates a direct connection between the Italian city and the continent of origin of the plant. That direct connection is now traced directly to the 17th century Ca Granda crypteven though local pharmacological archives dont report coca or cocaine for another 200 years.

Beyond the chemical trail, the study authors dont currently know much more about how popular coca leaves were at the time, or if they used more for medicine or recreation. Given both the place and method of burial, however, experts believe the two bodies belonged to poorer people. Knowing this, its also possible that struggling, hungry residents may have turned to coca leaves for its appetite suppressing side effects. If so, the team hypothesizes coca leaves may not have only been present in Milan two centuries earlier than once thoughtthe plant may have been cheap, popular, and widespread, too.
What Is This Mysterious Golden Orb Found at The Bottom of The Ocean?

At around 3,300 meters (2 miles) below the surface of the ocean off the coast of Alaska, where the warm light of the Sun never penetrates, an NOAA Ocean Exploration remotely operated underwater vehicle came across a strange, golden orb.

The bizarre undersea object, encountered during an expedition last year, was found "tightly adhered" to a rock dotted with white sponges, measuring around 10 centimeters (4 inches) across with a hole in one side.

For the scientists making the discovery, it wasn't entirely clear what the mysterious orb might be. Initial suggestions from the researchers conducting the livestream of the dive included an egg casing from a mystery species, a dead sponge, or a coral.

"I don't know what to make of that," said one of the researchers on a livestream recorded at the time.

"It's definitely got a big old hole in it, so something either tried to get in or tried to get out," another speculated.

"I just hope when we poke it, something doesn't decide to come out," one researcher said. "It's like the beginning of a horror movie."

Whatever deep horror that might be, it might yet have some growing to do. As reported in The Guardian, one hypothesis suggests something may have hatched from the golden case. Something not exactly tiny.

"We're going with egg because of the texture. It felt fleshy and it doesn't have any obvious anatomy. It has a hole in it that suggests something has come in or gone out. But it doesn't look like any egg I've ever seen," deep-sea ecologist Kerry Howell of the University of Plymouth in the UK told the paper.

"If it is an egg, the really interesting question is whose egg is it. It's quite big. That's not a small fish egg. That's a sizable thing."

Using a robotic arm, the researchers gently nudged the object, determining that it was quite soft, before collecting it via suction for further study.

The mystery blob was carefully collected using a suction sampler. (NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska)

The fact the 'egg' was on its own is almost as intriguing as its size. Typically, oviparous animals lay eggs in clutches.

So if the object is an egg, there's something unusual about it. Which is quite marvelous, really: whatever it is, the orb has something new to tell us about the deep ocean, and the diverse life that thrives therein.

There's a lot that happens in the inhospitable ocean depths that we don't yet understand. Crushing pressures and freezing temperatures are just two factors that have kept humanity from exploring widely.

However, with remotely operated vehicles acting as a proxy, the ocean is gradually revealing its secrets. Including how mysterious deep ocean species procreate.

The mystery blob photographed onboard the NOAA vessel Okeanos Explorer after collection. (NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska)

"Isn't the deep sea so delightfully strange?" said exploration coordinator Sam Candio of NOAA Ocean Exploration.

"While we were able to collect the 'golden orb' and bring it onto the ship, we still are not able to identify it beyond the fact that it is biological in origin.

"While somewhat humbling to be stumped by this finding, it serves as a reminder of how little we know about our own planet and how much is left to learn and appreciate about our ocean."

An earlier version of this article was published in September 2023.

Related News
KIEV/MOSCOW, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian troops have seized 100 settlements in Russia since they broke into bordering Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6, Oleksandr Syrsky, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said Tuesday.

"We continue to advance forward, inflicting significant losses on the Russian troops in manpower and equipment," Syrsky was cited as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

According to Syrsky, Russia has redeployed about 30,000 troops from other areas to the Kursk region and is now trying to form "a defensive ring" around the Ukrainian forces.

Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry said in a statement Tuesday that its Akhmat special forces have carried out a reconnaissance operation, securing a commanding height in the Sudzha district in the Kursk region, previously held by Ukraine.

The height was located 400-500 meters away from Ukrainian forward positions. The Russian troops can now monitor Ukrainian military movements, TASS reported citing a source at the scene. 
NATO has noted that during the full-scale war, wreckage from missiles and drones used in Russia's attacks on Ukraine have been found multiple times on the territories of Ukraine's neighbouring NATO members, and such actions by Russia are "potentially dangerous".

Source: Polish news portal RMF24, citing NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The spokesperson noted that since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, wreckage from Russian attack drones and missiles has been repeatedly found on the territory of NATO member countries.

She stated that such actions are "irresponsible and potentially dangerous".

Background:

After Russia's large-scale attack on Ukraine on the morning of 26 August, Poland reported a violation of its airspace by an "aerial object", which was likely a kamikaze drone.

Maciej Klisz, Commander of the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command, stated that the object that flew in from Ukraine was not shot down because of weather conditions.

Polish media, citing sources in the military, reported that they were inclined to believe that the drone was a Shahed and had remained in the country's airspace for at least 33 minutes.

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MILAN  The NATO Support and Procurement Agency has placed a new order for underwater robots capable of finding and clearing naval mines to be used by two European alliance members.

The Belgium division of the underwater drone producer Exail Robotics announced this week that it was awarded a $67 million contract by NSPA for the procurement of an undisclosed number of its K-Ster C expendable mine disposal vehicles and K-Ster CT training vehicles.

The primary user countries of the systems will be the Netherlands and Belgium, where the K-Ster units will also be assembled, according to a company press release.

Exail established a production line in Oostende, Belgium, in 2022, where it has been manufacturing different drones for both navies already as part of a modernization program to upgrade their respective mine countermeasure capabilities.

The K-Ster C is a lightweight vehicle equipped with a guidance system that allows precise targeting and a potent shaped charge capable of effectively destroying all types of mines, per company information. The other variant acquired by NSPA is dedicated for training and is thus fitted with an inert warhead.

The drone can be operated from a command-and-control unit based outside of the minefield, either from land or on a ship, and can also be automatically deployed from an unmanned surface vessel.

In the last year, NATO has turned its attention to testing a variety of unmanned underwater technologies, including underwater drones outfitted with 5G communications capabilities, in different exercises to better connect surface and undersea assets.

As part of the Baltic exercise Baltops 2024, which took place in June, U.S. and NATO forces conducted joint mine hunting and mine detonation operations in the Baltic Sea, culminating in an mine countermeasures combat rehearsal drill at the end.

The exercise combined over 20 surface ships, 20 unmanned systems consisting of unmanned surface and underwater vessels, as well as two MH-60S Seahawk helicopters.
EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed Bulgarian award-winning investigative journalist and author Christo Grozev as well as his IP holding company, M4 Studio, for representation in all areas.

Grozev is one of the worlds leading investigators of Russian clandestine operatives whose work was showcased in the Academy Award-winning documentary Navalny.

More from Deadline

Currently, Grozev is working on a book that chronicles his major role in plotting the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War, which took place earlier this month. The result of more than two years of backroom negotiations and delicate geopolitical maneuvering, the 24-person, multi-country swap included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and 15 others who had been held in Russia.

It was Grozev who had been able to identify and help secure the 2021 conviction of Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov. Grozev then pointed to Krasikov as the key to a successful prisoner trade that was to include the release of his friend and colleague, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Unfortunately, Navalny died under suspicious circumstances in a Russian penal colony, but the plan still proceeded, something that Grozev details in his upcoming book, along with highlighting several related investigations.

In 2020, as detailed in Navalny, Grozev successfully identified the Russian agents behind the assassination attempt on the Russian opposition leader.

Grozev took the stage at the Oscars when Navalny won for Best Documentary Feature in 2023 and was the first person director Daniel Roher acknowledged in his acceptance speech.

We owe so much to our Bulgarian nerd with a laptop, Christo Grozev, he said. Christo, you risked everything to tell this story, and its investigative journalists like you and Maria Pevchikh that empower our work.

Grozev, currently a lead investigator at The Insider and Der Spiegel, has recently published pieces on the origins of Havana Syndrome and on Russian spies infiltrating European centers of power.

He was formerly the executive director and lead Russian investigator at Bellingcat, an open-source investigative collective specializing in using cutting-edge intelligence techniques to expose human rights abuses, corruption, and disinformation. There, he and his team identified Russian military officers involved in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine.

Grozev won the European Press Prize for Investigative Journalism for his investigations into the identity of the suspects involved in the 2018 Novichok poisonings of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

Before joining Bellingcat in 2015, Grozev built a successful radio journalism career in his native Bulgaria.

Launched in 2024, Grozevs M4 Studio aims to develop the dozens of investigations conducted by his team over the past decade into films and other media projects, in addition to supporting and protecting data-driven investigative storytelling around the world.

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NC county rescued 174 roosters from cockfighting ring. Heres what happened to them

The 174 birds seized during a central North Carolina cockfighting bust in July were euthanized earlier this month after a deadly disease was discovered in the flocks, Granville County authorities said.

Between the contagious diseases and the injuries many of the birds suffered, authorities considered rehabilitation essentially impossible, county spokesman Terry Hobgood said.

Granville County Animal Management determined that the only reasonable course of action was to humanely euthanize all the seized roosters, Hobgood wrote in a statement shared with The News & Obsever on Tuesday.

State veterinarians who tested the animals when they arrived in shelters did not find any cases of bird flu, according to Brandon Herring, a spokesman for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (North Carolina poultry is currently considered free of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, and exports are allowed.)

They did, however, find another contagious respiratory disease: infectious laryngotracheitis, or ILT, which can potentially kill infected birds, Herring said. They also found a bacterium called Mycoplasma synoviae, which is contagious and causes a variety of symptoms in infected animals, Hobgood added.

The interior of a trailer obtained from the scene of a July 27th bust of a cockfighting operation is photographed at the Granville County Law Enforcement Center on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Oxford, N.C.

Beyond disease concerns, gamecocks are notoriously aggressive and typically unsocialized, according to N.C. State University poultry science professor Frank Edens. Theyre typically tethered to a spot or placed in cages when they are a few weeks old, the equivalent of a human teenager.

Even if fighting cocks are reared together from hatch to adulthood, fierce fights erupt daily in those conditions, Edens said in an email.

Rehoming them could therefore be disastrous.

Not only will the unsocialized fighting cock attack any or all the birds in a flock, it will also attack other animals and humans alike, Edens said.

Swarming the property in broad daylight

Dozens of people gathered on a rural property in Granville County  not far from Wake Forest  on a Saturday morning in late July for the all-day cockfight, which advertised a $50,000 grand prize, according to Granville County Sheriff Robert Fountain. A undercover deputy went in, and law enforcement swarmed the property with a search warrant a few hours later.

Cockfighting is against state and federal law, and authorities seized 174 live roosters in the bust, as well as guns, trucks, trailers and cash.

Fifteen people were arrested, five of whom are being held for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Department of Homeland Security. The rest escaped into the woods, including the man overseeing the gambling and holding most of the cash, Detective Jon-Ta Pulley said.

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Many of the birds had razor blades attached to their legs for the fights, according to deputies.

It was inhumane, Fountain said. They had a doctor there that was injecting the birds with adrenaline and sewing them up so they could go to the next fight.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, a federal prosecutor, has since taken an interest in the case, as Fountain said there may be links to other cockfighting operations along the East Coast.

The charges

All 15 were charged with cockfighting and gambling:

One was the property owner, who was the only Granville County resident captured.

The other 14 were attending the event.

ICE detainers: Four Mexican citizens and one Cuban citizen were detained for deportation.

Granville County Sheriff Robert Fountain, photographed prior to a press conference held at the Granville County Law Enforcement Center on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Oxford, N.C., prepares to speak about the July 27th bust of a cockfighting operation.

Cockfighting is a Class I felony, the lowest possible, which could result in up to a year in prison.

Gambling is a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine and a maximum of 60 days in jail.
Photo: Getty Images

Republicans want the courts to kick 225,000 voters off the North Carolina rolls by the end of next week.

The North Carolina Republican Party and the Republican National Committee said in a lawsuit filed Monday in Wake County that the State Board of Elections failed to act when resident Carol Snow complained about violations of a federal law called the Help America Vote Act. Snow said the state had used registration forms that failed to require a drivers license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.

Republicans and far-right groups are seeking voter purges in states around the country, including the swing states of Arizona and Pennsylvania.

In an email, state Board of Elections spokesman Pat Gannon said the lawsuit asks the impossible. Federal law prohibits removing voters so close to the election, he said.

Despite being aware of their alleged claims months ago, the plaintiffs have waited until two weeks before the start of voting to seek a court-ordered program to remove thousands of existing registered voters. Federal law itself prevents such removal programs if they take place after the 90th day before a federal election, which was August 7. So, the lawsuit is asking for a rapid-fire voter removal program that violates federal law.

This is the second lawsuit Republicans have filed against the state Board of Elections in less than a week.

Snow has made several claims about inaccurate voter rolls this year, telling the state board that registration lists are not adequately maintained. Snow belongs to a group called NC Audit Force.

Defendants failure to require necessary HAVA identification information before processing and accepting hundreds of thousands of voter registration forms allowed untold numbers of ineligible voters to register. Now, those ineligible voters could vote in the upcoming November 5, 2024 election and beyond, the GOP lawsuit says.

If the elections board cant purge the voters, Republicans want the court to make voters who did not provide the required documents when they registered to cast provisional ballots. Those ballots would be counted only after the elections board received and verified the necessary information.

Gannon wrote that the lawsuit dramatically overstates alleged problems with voter registrations.

The lawsuit also misunderstands the data and vastly overstates any alleged problems with voter registrations, he said. If a voter does not have a drivers license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number populated in the voter registration database, that does not necessarily mean that they were allowed to register improperly.

Voters who did not provide drivers license or Social Security information with their registration will still be asked for photo ID when they vote, Gannon said.

Ann Webb, policy director at Common Cause NC, called the lawsuit meritless and dangerous.

It is not designed to fix a real problem, Webb said in a statement, but to spread disinformation that undermines public confidence in our elections while fomenting anti-immigrant hate. If the self-serving politicians behind this suit get their way, hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians could have their voter registration unfairly thrown out in direct violation of federal law.

In a statement issued Tuesday morning, state House Democratic Leader Robert Reives blasted the lawsuit as part of an ongoing GOP strategy to use intimidation, chaos and even outright disenfranchisement to limit voting rights.

The same folks who try to rig our legislative and congressional elections with gerrymandered maps now want to rig our statewide elections by purging hundreds of thousands of voters from the voting rolls just weeks before a presidential election, Reives said.

This story was updated at 12:30 pm Tuesday.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its Tuesday, August 27. Take a look at our top stories with KELOLAND On The GO.

This week, people will gather in Sioux Falls to pay their respects to a baby boy they never met.

Visitation Tuesday for baby found dead at recycling center

A class action civil rights trial will get underway in less than two weeks in western South Dakota.

Class action civil rights trial set against Grand Gateway Hotel

The Sioux Falls police department along with other agencies worked to reduce high-speed and reckless driving to make Sioux Falls roads safer.

SF police to target reckless driving

The weather forecast going forward looks quieter today across the region with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. It will turn warmer tomorrow ahead of the next storm system that will bring a chances of scattered thunderstorms to eastern KELOLAND Wednesday night into early Thursday.

Storm and rain reports; New t-storm chances start Wednesday

A federal judge in Texas on Monday paused a Biden administration policy that would give spouses of U.S. citizens legal status without having to first leave the country, dealing at least a temporary setback to one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years.

Judge in Texas orders pause on Biden program that offers legal status to spouses of US citizens

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.
LINCOLN (Nebraska Examiner) In what Legal Aid lawyers are calling a historic about-face, the Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of two different elderly homeowners who fell victim to what critics described as government-assisted home equity theft.

The homeowners, represented by Legal Aid of Nebraska and Pacific Legal Foundation, claimed that Nebraskas delinquent tax sale process was unconstitutional in that it allowed homeowners to lose more than what they owed to satisfy property tax debts.

The Nebraska Supreme Court (today) held that home equity is protected by the Constitution and that the government cannot take more than what is owed, said Christina Martin, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, which teamed with Legal Aid to represent the Nebraskans.

Investors kept the profit

One of the cases involved Kevin and Terry Fair, who lived in their Scottsbluff home for nearly three decades but fell behind on taxes after she got sick and he stopped working to care for her (she died during litigation). The county eventually transferred the couples $60,000 home to a private investor, who paid off the Fairs $5,268 county debt and kept the profit.

In the second case, Sandra Nieveen had lived in her Lincoln residence for a half-century when the county transferred the $61,900 home to a private investor for a tax debt of less than $4,000.

In both cases, the Nebraska Supreme Court originally upheld state laws, prompting Pacific Legal and Legal Aid to ask the U.S. Supreme Court for a review.

Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a separate but similar case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, that if the government takes more than what is owed to satisfy a property tax debt, it violates the Fifth Amendments takings clause.

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/07/spotlight-to-shine-in-nebraska-and-nationally-on-what-critics-call-home-equity-theft/embed/#?secret=qGwB0QfJJc#?secret=WSdGvOgOlh

That sent the Fair and Nieveen cases back to the Nebraska Supreme Court for reconsideration. Friday, Nebraska justices determined that investment companies who bought the tax liens must pay Fair and Nieveen for the excess equity that remained after their property tax debt was satisfied. The cases were returned to the trial court to determine how much the homes are worth and how much compensation is owed.

The Courts rulings today solidify that, pursuant to the takings clause of the United States and Nebraska Constitutions, just compensation must be paid to homeowners when the value of their property taken is worth more than what is owed to satisfy the tax debt, said Jennifer Gaughan, Nebraska Legal Aids chief of legal strategy. These tax sales laws harm the elderly, sick and poor the most  with a disproportionate impact on people of color.

Martin said her team is thrilled that after years of litigation, the Nebraska court recognized the homeowners right to their hard-earned equity.

This is a win for all Nebraskans, who can now sleep soundly knowing their home equity belongs to them and to them alone.

NE law changed last year

Last year, the Nebraska Legislature amended the states delinquent tax sale laws that were challenged in the Fair and Nieveen cases. The changes went into effect in September 2023, preventing future scenarios of home equity theft by requiring tax lien investors to pay the original owner any remaining equity after the delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, fees and other liens on the property have been satisfied.

Here is how it had worked in Nebraska prior to the changes: Counties could sell the tax lien on a property to a third party, who would pay a homeowners overdue taxes. After three years of paying taxes on the property, the third-party investor could seek the legal deed to the property, although the investor was supposed to notify and give the owner a shot at holding onto the property by paying the delinquent tax and interest.

Happening too often, Nebraska lawmakers said, was that the investor reaped a windfall on the sale, since state law prior to September 2023 didnt require reimbursement of equity the owner had built up.

Mark Bestul of Legal Aid said the Nebraska Supreme Courts Friday ruling now provides a clear path to justice for Fair and Nieveen. The court said the investors are liable for reimbursing the the homeowners. State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha. July 22, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Reason for the law change

State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, who pushed for changes to Nebraska law, said he was glad the homeowners involved are going to be made whole.

Cases like this one are the reason for the change we made in the law, he said. And thanks to that change going forward, there will not be a need for this type of correction.

The Pacific Legal Foundation said the decision sends a signal to other states that havent yet complied with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Tyler that property owners rights must be protected.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and X.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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South Florida's publicly funded passenger train, Tri-Rail, has helped passengers pay for thousands of rides on Uber, Lyft and taxis since it expanded its rideshare discount program in July, the same month it launched a new late-night train.

Rail passengers in July took more than 7,000 partially paid-for rides on taxis and the rideshare services, Tri-Rail spokesman Victor Garcia said. At least 988 people have signed up so far for the discounts.

Tri-Rail in July began offering what is effectively $180 a month in vouchers for passengers taking Uber, Lyft or taxis to and from train stations. Metro Taxi provides cab service for Palm Beach County. Applicants get $5 credits for 12 rides monthly on each of the three ride providers.

Previously: Tri-Rail now offers $5 subsidy on Uber / taxi services at Palm Beach, Broward stations

The discount is $15 between Tri-Rail's downtown West Palm Beach station and Palm Beach International Airport. Tri-Rail offers no discounts to and from its stations in downtown Miami or Miami International Airport. The train service runs shuttles between the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the Dania Beach station near it. Tri-Rail connects directly to Miami International Airport.

How far can ride credits take passengers for their money?

An Uber or Lyft trip between Tri-Rail's West Palm Beach station and Palm Beach International airport can cost $15 to $20 in the late afternoon, according to prices the app listed on Thursday, Aug. 22. With Tri-Rail's discount, the ride can cost about $5 at most.

A late afternoon rideshare trip from the West Palm Beach station to the Palm Beach Outlets, more than two miles away, can cost at least $10. Tri-Rail's discount knocks $5 off the fare.

Passengers would save $5 on a rideshare trip between the Boca Raton station, off Yamato Road near Interstate 95, and Mizner Park that would normally cost $15 to $20.

How to sign up for Tri-Rail's discounts for Uber, Lyft, taxis

A passenger boards the Tri-Rail Express train to Miami from West Palm Beach, Florida on July 1, 2024. For $17.50, passengers can take the 90 minute ride to Miami with only 5 stops.

Passengers can go online to Tri-Rail.com/pages/view/ride-partners or call 1-800-874-7245 to learn how to sign up for what the passenger train calls its Ride Partner Service. An applicant must have a valid Tri-Rail EASY card. Those are dispensed at ticket vending machines at each train station. Riders must show them to taxi or rideshare drivers. They function like debit cards, allowing passengers to add money, or tap them at stations to pay fares before boarding.

Rail riders taking Uber or Lyft must sign up for accounts with those companies. They send Tri-Rail rideshare applicants vouchers within 48 hours of signing up, Tri-Rail says.

Before July, Tri-Rail offered $5 credits to and from its stations in Palm Beach and Broward counties, for Uber and taxi riders only. The credit could be used twice daily.

Midnight train from Miami attracts dozens nightly

Tri-Rail also launched a new late-night route in July along its 18 stations, departing Miami International Airport at midnight, arriving in downtown West Palm Beach by 1:45 a.m., and ending at Mangonia Park on 45th Street at 1:55 a.m., Monday through Friday.

The route averaged 50 passengers nightly in July, Garcia said. Tri-Rail created the route after hearing that night-shift airport workers wanted to take the train, but it did not run late enough for them.

Tri-Rail express trains attract hundreds daily

Tri-Rail's morning and evening rush hour express trains, meanwhile, have averaged more than 200 riders daily in July, Garcia said.

On weekday mornings, that route leaves downtown West Palm Beach at 6:30 a.m., arriving in downtown Miami 8:05 a.m., stopping along the way at stations servicing Boca Raton, the Fort Lauderdale airport and the Miami Metrorail transfer station in Hialeah. In the evenings, it leaves Miami at 5:35 p.m., arriving in West Palm Beach at 7:05 p.m.

Tri-Rail launched this route after the for-profit passenger train Brightline hiked rates for South Florida commuters earlier this year.

Brightline's bottom line: Train focuses on trips to Orlando over South Florida commuters. Is it working?

Brightline on June 1 ended what was effectively a $10-per-ride monthly pass program for South Florida commuters. The package of 40 trips cost $399 for passengers looking to ride between downtown West Palm Beach and downtown Miami. Now Brightline offers $350 for a 10-ride pack, more than triple the price per ride.

What are Tri-Rail's fares?

Tri-Rail's one-way trips between West Palm Beach and Miami for a non-disabled adult are $8.75. One-way trips between West Palm Beach and Boca Raton cost $5. One-way trips shorter than that in Palm Beach County are as cheap as $2.50. Fares are the same for the train's new express and late-night services.

Tri-Rail's regular northbound and southbound routes each run at least once an hour between Mangonia Park in Palm Beach County and Miami International Airport. They run twice an hour, in each direction, during rush hour. Unlike its express trains, Tri-Rail's regular service requires passengers traveling to or from downtown Miami to change trains at the Metrorail transfer station in Hialeah.

Tri-Rail stations in Palm Beach County are in Mangonia Park, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton.

Information on schedules, trip planning, fares and more can be found on tri-rail.com.

Chris Persaud is The Palm Beach Post's transportation reporter. Send tips to cpersaud@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tri-Rail pays for thousands of newly discounted Uber, Lyft, taxi rides
Nearly a decade after his whistleblower complaint, NC poultry farmer is sued by Perdue

In 2015, a Robeson County poultry farmer filed a federal whistleblower complaint alleging that Perdue Farms retaliated against him after he publicly said Perdue sent him sick birds that the company refused to help treat.

Some were deformed, he said. Others were forced to grow so fast that the tired and heavy birds spent most of their time lying in their litter, which caused feathers to drop off. Some died of apparent illnesses just a few days after arriving at his farm, Craig Watts alleged in a whistleblower complaint to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Nearly a decade later, Perdue, one of the countrys largest poultry producers, is suing Watts and the DOL. The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, challenges the constitutionality of Watts case.

Over the years, the case was dismissed by an administrative law judge but brought back to life by courtroom fights.

Its much bigger than Craig versus Perdue, said Watts of his battle with Perdue. Its all Davids versus all Goliaths. And I love the way that story ends, Ill tell you that.

If Perdues case is successful, it could put an end to whistleblower protections under several national laws, said Dana Gold, director of the Democracy Protection Initiative at the Government Accountability Project. The Washington, D.C.-based organization defends federal whistleblowers, including Watts.

This is the core of why this lawsuit is potentially seismic, Gold said. We know whistleblowers are essentially protecting us. We care about planes not falling from the sky. We care about not having a nuclear disaster. We care about not having toxic contamination. And we know employees are in the best position to create compliance with these laws.

Federal statutes not only protect whistleblowers from retaliation, Gold said, but also deter companies from doing wrong.

Since 2018, employees have filed between 2,500 and 3,500 federal whistleblower cases annually, DOL records show.

Of the 3,600 DOL cases that judges heard last year, 891, or about a quarter, had a positive outcome for the person who filed the case, according to DOL.

Perdues lawsuit seeks to stop Watts case from moving forward again.

It alleges that a trial before an administrative law judge violates the companys rights to a jury trial. And it argues that Watts had a contractual relationship with Perdue and therefore the case must be held outside an administrative court.

Perdue is not asking this court to litigate the merits of Watts accusations, the lawsuit reads. Instead, Perdue brings five constitutional challenges to the administrative proceedings.

Read Big Poultry, our investigation into the secretive and lightly regulated industry raising more than 1 billion birds across North Carolina.

Craig Watts, a former Robeson County chicken farmer, says Perdue Farms retaliated against him after he exposed the health conditions of his flock.

A battle with a long history

To document the health of his chickens, Watts invited members of the animal rights group Compassion in World Farming to his farm in southeastern North Carolina in May 2014. They took pictures and videos of the poor conditions, conditions that Watts said were the result of Perdues failure to care for the birds and the companys desire to overcrowd his barns.

Poultry farmers like Watts are often contract workers. Companies, in this case Perdue, provide the birds, feed and tell the farmers how the chickens must be raised.

The Charlotte Observer wrote about his case in a 2022 series that investigated poultry farming in North Carolina. The series looked at the secrecy behind the industry and how the industry effects farmers, neighbors and the environment.

Craig Watts, a former contract chicken farmer for Perdue Farms, said the company retaliated against him soon after he let a representative from an animal rights group into his barns. He later quit the business. I had enough of being a slave on my own farm, he said.

In his complaint, Watts said the footage taken by CIWF showed that Perdues chickens were not raised humanely, as the company likes to tout. Watts hoped that the videos publication would prompt a significant investigation or other action by state and federal government officials, his complaint reads.

In December 2014, the New York Times wrote about the condition of chickens raised on Watts farm. The Times published some of the video taken by the animal rights group.

The video showed overcrowded chicken houses, with some birds dead, ill or with deformities, Watts complaint says.

The day after the New York Times story, two Perdue inspectors visited Watts farm. Inspections continued almost daily until the flock was grown and removed later in December, Watt alleged in his whistleblower complaint.

Later that month, Perdue told Watts in a letter it would audit his chicken houses and require him to be retrained on biosecurity and poultry welfare before the company sends another flock of chickens to raise. It would also perform frequent, unannounced checks of his farm, the letter said.

It just seemed like it never ended, Watts told the Observer. I was a model grower. Now all of a sudden I was a bad apple.

As a result, Watts said, he had to wait nine extra days for a new flock, which cost him about $4,500. In his whistleblower complaint Watts contended that it was all retaliation. He quit the business about a year later.

The daily assault on complainants mental and physical health ultimately required him to withdraw from his contract with Perdue on January 26, 2016, the whistleblower complaint says.

Perdue denied that it retaliated against Watts. In its response to Watts complaint, Perdue alleged that the farmer tried to defame the company by not caring for his flock and then letting the animal rights group film it.

Attorneys for Perdue did not respond to emails or voice messages from The Observer on Friday and Monday.

This aerial view shows some of the many poultry barns that have been built in southern Anson County in recent years.

Need for whistleblower protections

Perdues challenge to Watts whistleblower lawsuit stems from a ruling the U.S. Supreme Court made this year. The ruling held that some U.S. Security Exchange Commission administrative proceedings violated the defendants 7th Amendment rights to a jury trial.

In that case  SEC v. Jarkesy  the court ruled that when the SEC seeks civil penalties against a defendant for securities fraud, the defendant has a right to a jury trial.

In the complaint filed last week, Perdue echoed the Supreme Courts decision, saying that restricting the case to a administrative law judge, rather than a federal jury trial, is unconstitutional.

Young chickens crowd around a wood enrichment device inside a barn near Robersonville, N.C. , where a farmer is raising chickens for Perdues Harvestland Free Range brand. Such devices allow chickens to spend time off barn floors, which are usually covered in pine shavings and manure.

But its vital that whistleblowers have access to administrative proceedings, Gold said. Filing an administrative whistleblower complaint with the DOL is easier and less costly for concerned employees than filing a lawsuit through the federal courts, she said.

She said the administrative proceeding system has helped keep whistleblowers safe for years. And if Perdues lawsuit is successful, those protections could collapse, Gold said.

It gives employees a fighting chance when they are speaking up to an entity with enormous resources and enormous fighting power, Gold said. These legal protections offer a degree of insulation.

NC Reality Check reflects the Charlotte Observers commitment to holding those in power to account, shining a light on public issues that affect our local readers and illuminating the stories that set the Charlotte area and North Carolina apart. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@charlotteobserver.com
This Nebraska Man Almost Lost His Home and All of Its Equity Over a Small Tax Debt. He Just Won in Court.

Kevin Fair was poised to lose his home and all of its value over a modest property tax debt. | Illustration Lex Villena; Oleksandr Kulik Dreamstime.com; Pacific Legal Foundation

For years, Kevin Fair has been staring down a coarse reality: poised to have his home seized, along with all of its equity, because he accrued a modest debt on his property taxes. The Nebraska Supreme Court last week said that was unconstitutional.

That such a decision needed to be spelled out in the first place may sound dire. The absurdity of that is dwarfed by the fact that he nearly lost.

Fair is familiar with loss. In 2013, he quit his job to care for his wife, Terry, who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Living on his Social Security, the Fairs were unable to pay their 2014 property tax bill. That $588 debt would set in motion a chain of events that ultimately ended in the Scotts Bluff County government giving a private investor the deed to their home.

In 2015, that investor, Continental Resources, quietly purchased the Fairs' tax debt and continued satisfying the bill with the government. In 2018, the company then sent the couple the charges: $5,268 for the overdue taxes, along with penalties, interest, and fees. If they couldn't pay within 90 days, the company had the right to take the home to pay the debt.

It would also get to keep the profit.

The latter assertion sparked a legal odyssey that saw the Fairs challenge the legality of Nebraska's state-sanctioned home equity theft as the family sought to cling to their house. The value of the homeabout $60,000far exceeded their total debt. But under Nebraska law, it was kosher for investment firms to pocket the surplus equity, meaning the Fairs would be forced to pay an additional $55,000 for their inability to satisfy a $5,268 balance.

This was par for the course in Nebraska when people fell behind on their property taxes. "People are shocked about how the law actually operates," Jennifer Gaughan, chief of legal strategy at Legal Aid of Nebraska, which represents Fair, told me last year. "It's usually elderly peoplepeople who own their homes outright who don't have a mortgage, and there's usually some kind of intervening situation. It's not just poverty. It's illness, or something happens in their lives.And then they don't have notice of it. And then [the home] is being taken."

But the Fairs' lawsuit failedmultiple times. The couple lost in state court, and Fair's wife passed away. So he appealed by himself to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which in 2022 also ruled against him, setting him up to lose his home and all of its value.

Enter the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously last year that home-equity theft schemes are a violation of the 5th Amendment's Takings Clause, which promises that the government cannot take private property without just compensation. The justices had heard the case of Geraldine Tyler, an elderly woman whose condominium was seized by Hennepin County, Minnesota, in response to a $2,300 property tax debt. The final tab came to $15,000 when adding penalties, interest, and fees. But when the government sold her home for $40,000, it kept the additional $25,000.

"A taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the State to fulfill a $15,000 tax debt has made a far greater contribution to the public fisc than she owed," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the unanimous Court. "The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but no more."

The Nebraska Supreme Court's recent about-face came in response to that decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ordered that the state's judges reconsider their initial ruling on Fair's claims. This go-round, they concluded that pocketing Fair's excess equity would be a violation of the Takings Clause, requiring that the investor reimburse him for the surplus. Whether or not a settlement will be reached allowing Fair to remain in his home remains unclear.

Though the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last year was supposed to make this the straightforward law of the land, some statesincluding Arizona, Alabama, New York, and New Jerseyhave tried to find ways to work around it, creating labyrinthine requirements that put the burden on the homeowner to fight for their equity back post-seizure.

Chelsea Koetter, for example, lost her Michigan home over a $3,863.40 tax debt. She erred during the state's convoluted process to claim her equity, so the state denied her request and seized the full value of the home. The profit was $102,636.

The post This Nebraska Man Almost Lost His Home and All of Its Equity Over a Small Tax Debt. He Just Won in Court. appeared first on Reason.com.
Attendees visit a Chinese manufacturer's booth at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Attendees visit Chinese manufacturers' booths at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

An attendee walks past a Chinese manufacturer's booth at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

An attendee visits a Chinese manufacturer's booth at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Attendees visit a Chinese manufacturer's booth at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

An attendee visits a Chinese manufacturer's booth at the 2024 Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Show in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 26, 2024. The annual event is held here from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 with more than 200 manufacturers' booths from over 20 countries and regions. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
A race for US Senate in deep-blue Maryland remains in a dead heat thanks to the persistence of a well-known Republican candidate, complicating the electoral map for Democrats this fall.

Larry Hogans campaign for the states open Senate seat held by retiring Senator Ben Cardin is tied with his opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, according to an AARP poll of likely voters, with both candidates sitting at 46 percent in the race.

The hotly contested race comes as little surprise to Marylanders, who know Hogan from his two terms as governor where he enjoyed some of the highest popularity ratings of any state leader in the country. He was widely viewed as the only Republican with a serious chance of winning the seat before the governor announced his candidacy.

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, remains a relatively lower-profile politician for voters outside of Prince Georges County where she has served as executive. What she lacks in statewide recognition, however, she makes up with strong ties to the national Democratic Party as well the Maryland Democratic political machine. She has allies in not just Kamala Harris, the top of her partys ticket, but also incumbent Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who is popular in his own right and has been eyed as a possible national candidate too.

Aside from the hand-wringing it will inevitably cause at DNC headquarters, the poll lays out a picture of a race which is clearly winnable for either candidate, though they will have to pursue markedly different goals to do so. But it does mean one thing for sure: Democrats will have to spend money to protect a Senate seat they otherwise would have been able to write off as a safe hold.

Hogan, as a well-known former governor representing a party which has become deeply unpopular in the state, needs to continue making the case for voters to separate him from Donald Trump and MAGA Republicanism in their minds. He also needs to convince winnable Democrats who supported his two bids for the governors mansion that his presence in the Senate  which could shift control of the chamber into Republican hands  that a vote for him is a vote for a candidate who will stand up to that potential GOP majority.

Im going to be a guy thats willing to stand up to both parties and try to represent all the people in Maryland, he told The Independent in an interview earlier this month.

Larry Hogan greets attendees of Maryland Fiesta Latina in Timonium. Hes the only Republican running for Senate this year who has fully rejected the former president and the Maga wing of his party  and is running competitively in deep-blue Maryland because of it. (John Bowden)

Alsobrooks, meanwhile, has ground to make up with Democrats as well, though for a different reason. Despite having an unfavorability rating lower than 20 percent, the Prince Georges county executive is only viewed favorably by four in ten voters  meaning that a sizable majority doesnt know her at all. Her work over the next few months is to introduce herself to as many voters as possible, while also linking her campaign closely to Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket as a whole.

Harris seems more than willing to help her do that. The vice president campaigned together with Alsobrooks in June, before Joe Biden stepped aside from the 2024 race. The Democrats Senate candidate will headline a virtual rally Tuesday evening for the Harris campaign; this comes after she delivered a speech to the DNC in Chicago last week.

Given that the state neighbors Washington DC, its highly likely that Harris will make another stop to boost her ally before November.

The Independent reached out to both the Alsobrooks and Hogan campaigns for comment on Tuesdays AARP poll results. Hogans campaign provided a statement from the governor in response, characterizing his campaign as having an underdog mentality while adding that the poll showed a palpable enthusiasm for the governors candidacy.

Alsobrookss speech to the DNC on Tuesday, August 20, was meant to boost her prominence both nationally and statewide (AFP via Getty Images)

Ive been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race. People have always counted us out  and in this deep blue state, during this unprecedented and chaotic time in American politics, this uphill battle is a daunting climb, said the former governor. In spite of all of that, the palpable enthusiasm of Maryland voters for independent leadership has given our campaign real momentum, and the chance to defy the odds.

No one will outwork us. We have been to every corner of the state, reached almost 100 stops on our Strong Independent Leadership Tour, and contacted over 120,000 voters in the general election. Weve beaten the odds before, and with the grassroots support of Democrats, Independents and Republicans in every corner of the state, we are ready to do it again.

Alsobrooks campaign spokesperson, Gina Banks, told The Independent: The stakes of this race couldnt be higher. This race will determine whether Democrats defend our Senate Majority or whether Larry Hogan hands Republicans a Senate Majority and empowers Republicans to control the agenda for our country. Marylanders and Angela share a vision for the future for our state and country  thats why shes fighting to defend our freedoms and stand up for our working families.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Nevada State Police employee was placed on administrative leave after a triple-fatal crash earlier this year, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

In August, a judge sentenced Claude Rafiki, 29, of Michigan, to 4-10 years in prison for the March 23 crash on State Route 163 near Laughlin. That day, Rafiki was driving a semi-truck on the wrong side of the road for nearly 30 seconds before he collided with a group of motorcyclists.

The crash killed Owen Hart, 22; Athena Taylor, 21; and Jeremy Gebo, 44; all of St. George, Utah. Hart and Taylor were recently engaged.

The crash killed Owen Hart, 22, (top); Athena Taylor, 21, (top); and Jeremy Gebo, 44, (bottom); all of St. George, Utah. (KLAS)

Rafiki, an African immigrant who became a U.S. citizen in 2021, originally faced DUI charges, which prosecutors later dropped as test results did not show alcohol or drugs in his system. The charges indicate investigating troopers believed Rafiki was impaired.

On July 19, the 8 News Now Investigators asked a state police spokesperson if any trooper was put on leave following Rafikis arrest. The spokesperson asked for the question to be submitted through the departments public records portal.

On Tuesday, more than a month later, Major James Simpson responded: An employee was placed on paid administrative leave after the arrest of Claude Rakifi pending an administrative investigation. Simpson declined to release any other information, citing Nevada personnel law. It was unclear if the investigation into the employee was complete.

State police have never released any information about why they believed Rafiki was impaired other than what was in the documents. Several public records requests with the agency were pending as of Tuesday.

Rafiki was driving in the No. 1 travel lane  the one closest to the centerline  and not in the No. 2 lane as required for semis, a Nevada State Police Highway Patrol trooper told a grand jury. In court Wednesday, Meng said Rafikis dashcam recorded him weaving for 10 minutes. He added that prosecutors believed he fabricated logbooks to make it look like two drivers switched off shifts.

Rafikis medical driving certificate did not include any medication restrictions, but prosecutors said Rafiki took medication for epilepsy.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors argued for a judge to sentence Rafiki to 4-to-10 years in prison, the maximum amount agreed to in the deal. The victims families were part of the negotiations, prosecutors said.

In 2020, troopers investigating one of the states deadliest crashes in decades did not suspect impairment in a truck driver who had just killed five cyclists  a blood test administered without a warrant would later find he had a level of methamphetamine in his system often seen in corpses.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Yahoo News/YouGov poll: A huge surge in Democratic optimism  but no big bounce for Harris  after the DNC

In the wake of last weeks Democratic National Convention, Americans now think Vice President Kamala Harris has a better chance of winning the November election (39%) than former President Donald Trump (36%), according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll.

Thats a dizzying turnaround from last month, when President Biden (20%) was trailing Trump (53%) by 33 percentage points on the same question, and it reflects an enormous surge in Harriss favorability rating and overall Democratic optimism since she replaced Biden as the partys presumptive nominee in late July.

Yet in a sign of how polarized the U.S. remains, and how fixed Americans political allegiances have become, Harris (47%) leads Trump (46%) by only one point in a head-to-head matchup among registered voters  a margin that does not change (Harris 46% vs. Trump 45%) when third-party candidates are included on the hypothetical ballot.

The previous Yahoo News/YouGov poll  which was conducted just after the Republican National Convention but mostly before Biden ended his candidacy and endorsed Harris  found Harris and Trump tied at 46% apiece.

In other words, if Harris got a bounce from the DNC, it was a very small one  too small to alter the fundamentally deadlocked nature of the 2024 contest.

Harriss improving image

The new survey of 1,788 U.S. adults, which was in the field from Aug. 22 to Aug. 26, shows that perceptions of Harris have improved significantly during the first month of her campaign.

When Harris entered the race, more Americans saw her unfavorably (51%) than favorably (40%). Now those numbers are level at 47%  a net positive shift of 11 points for the vice president. In contrast, 55% of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Trump; just 42% view him favorably. Bidens numbers are similar.

And Harriss gains are not limited to Democrats. Since July, her favorability rating has risen 9 points among members of her own party (from 83% to 92%), 10 points among independents (from 30% to 40%) and 4 points among Republicans (from 5% to 9%).

Approval of Harriss performance as vice president, meanwhile, has shot up 7 points overall, from 35% to 42%.

When respondents were asked to describe Harris and Trump by choosing from a list of 16 different adjectives  and selecting all that apply  a clear pattern emerged. For Harris, the most frequently chosen words were "focused" (38%), "optimistic" (38%), "honest" (32%) and "normal" (31%). For Trump, they were "dishonest" (43%), "chaotic" (43%), "extreme" (43%), "tough" (40%), "racist" (40%), weird" (36%) and "divisive" (35%).

Asked if Trump is fit to serve another term as president, slightly more Americans say no (47%) than yes (45%). The same Americans now say Harris is fit to serve, by a 50% to 37% margin.

Skyrocketing optimism among Democrats

The big upshot of Harriss campaign honeymoon has been a corresponding surge in Democratic confidence. In July, just 45% of Democrats said Biden had the best chance of winning; now 79% say the same about Harris. The shift is evident among independents as well, who now give Harris (32%) and Trump (33%) even odds in November. Last month, Trump led Biden on this question by 48 points (60% to 12%).

Asked last month to select the "feelings that come to mind when thinking about the upcoming 2024 presidential election, Democrats picked dread (51%), exhaustion (45%) and depression (34%) more often than anything else. Now they choose optimism (60%, up from 24%) and excitement (52%, up from 14%) instead  with huge declines in dread (25%), exhaustion (25%) or depression (9%).

On the flip side, more Republicans are expressing dread now (35%) than in July (25%).

This sense of Democratic hope has also fueled a significant shift among all adults in perceptions that the country is "generally headed in the right direction" (up to 29% from 19% in July) rather than "off on the wrong track" (down to 60% from 68% in July).

Among Democrats, the "right direction" number has shot up nearly 20 points (to 58%) since Harris entered the race. The last time it was that high was three years ago.

Compared with Biden, Harris now performs 2 points better among women, 4 points better among Latin Americans, 5 points better among 2020 Biden voters, 7 points better among Americans ages 18 to 29 and 11 points better among Black Americans. (These groups have small sample sizes and therefore larger margins of error than the survey as a whole.)

A successful DNC  and VP pick

The new Yahoo News/YouGov poll also suggests that Harris has fared better than Trump in the first big moments of her candidacy: selecting a running mate and headlining a convention.

About three in 10 Americans reported watching the RNC in July; despite higher Nielsen ratings, almost exactly the same number reported watching the DNC in August.

Among those who watched or followed coverage of each convention, the DNC received better marks.

A full 40% rated the DNC as excellent or good; just 31% rated it fair or poor. For the RNC those numbers were 36% and 35%, respectively.

Harris's acceptance speech earned a rating of 34% excellent or good to 20% fair or poor. Trumps speech was rated 31% excellent or good to 24% fair or poor.

Harriss speech was seen as unifying (32%) more often than divisive (18%) by those who watched or followed coverage, while reactions to Trumps speech were split (26% unifying, 25% divisive).

The number of Americans who say theyre more excited to vote after paying attention to the DNC (32%) was higher than the number who said the same thing about the RNC (24%).

Perhaps as a result, Americans also now give Harris higher ratings than Trump on questions of character and ability  which were front and center at the DNC in Chicago last week. A full 52%, for example, agree with the statement that Trump "cares only about himself"; just 36% say the same about Harris. A similar majority of Americans (53%) say Harris has the "mental ability a president needs," compared with 46% who say that about Trump. And fewer believe Trump shares my values (36%) than Harris (40%).

Other key Democratic convention themes  future vs. past; freedom vs. control appear to be resonating as well. Americans now lean toward saying they will have "less freedom" if Trump wins (40%) than if Harris wins (34%), and more say the United States will "move forward" if Harris wins (39%) than say the same about Trump (34%). Just 10% of U.S. adults, on the other hand, think Harris will return the country "to the way it used to be if elected  versus 32% for Trump.

By the same token, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has so far turned out to be a much more popular choice than Trumps running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance:

Vance has a net negative personal rating (34% favorable, 46% unfavorable), while Walz is rated favorably (38%) by almost the same number of Americans who rate him unfavorably (39%).

More Americans think Harris made the right decision in picking Walz (40% right, 28% wrong) than say the same about Trump's decision to pick Vance (32% right, 33% wrong).

And more Americans think Walz is ready to serve as president (38%) than say the same about Vance (30%).

Yet the election remains too close to call

So why are Harris and Trump still statistically tied? The new Yahoo News/YouGov poll offers some clues.

Few Americans see either partys nominee as moderate: just 11% for Trump and just 16% for Harris. During the summer of 2020, an average of 28% of Americans saw Biden as a moderate choice, while just 45% saw him as liberal  versus 63% for Harris today.

Likewise, Trump and Harris remain tied on two key metrics: who is "up to challenges facing the U.S." (46% Trump, 44% Harris) and whether people like me will benefit if a certain candidate is elected (31% Trump, 31% Harris).

Trump has some narrow advantages as well.

The number of Americans who say the country will become "more safe" if Trump is elected (41%) is 9 points higher than the number who say the same about Harris (32%)  though four in 10 say the country will become less safe under either candidate. Biden's dismal job approval rating  39% approve, 55% disapprove  is still hurting rather than helping his vice president. A full 39% of Americans say the cost of living is the most important issue when thinking about next years election  the next closest is democracy at 17%  and a plurality think Trump (45%) would do a better job handling affordability than Harris (40%). A similar plurality  43% to 37%  believe Trump would do better than Harris on crime. While Harris has an 18-point advantage over Trump on abortion  an issue that featured prominently at the DNC  just 6% of Americans say its their most important issue.

Finally, the public is evenly divided  37% to 37%  on the question of "which party, Democrats or Republicans, has the clearer plans to solve America's problems."

____________

The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,788 U.S. adults interviewed online from Aug. 22 to 26, 2024. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondents most recent answer given prior to Nov. 1, 2022, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (33% Democratic, 27% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.7%.
The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing oversees nursing homes in the state of Iowa. (Photo via Getty Images; logo courtesy of the State of Iowa)

Several Iowa nursing homes are facing fines of $500 or more as the result of the alleged exploitation or physical abuse of residents.

The incidents include a situation at the Living Center West nursing home in Cedar Rapids, which was cited for failing to prevent the sexual exploitation of a resident.

According to state inspectors, early this year the management of Living Center West had learned of a relationship between its activities director and a male resident of the home who has been diagnosed with dementia.

On Feb. 29, 2024, inspectors reports allege, the residents guardian had emailed the homes then-administrator to report that the resident had declared his love for the homes activities director, who was married, and had explained to the guardian that the two were attempting to figure out how to go out on dates together.

The administrator responded to the email the next day, promising to address the matter, according to inspectors reports. The inspectors subsequently determined there was no evidence the home investigated the matter or reported the allegation to the state as required.

Months after the email was sent, on May 7, a certified medication aide was looking for the resident when she noticed the door to the activities room was slightly ajar. Inspectors reports allege that she looked inside and saw the activities director sitting on the knee of the resident with the two engaged in a long kiss on the mouth.

The aide reported that she gave the resident his medication and then quickly left the room. She told inspectors the activities director later approached her and asked her not to say anything to others. The aide then informed a registered nurse at the home that shed seen the activities director making out with a resident, according to state reports.

According to the aide, the nurse told her not to tell anyone else, according to inspectors reports. However, the nurse told facilitys management that she had instructed the aide to report the matter to the homes director of nursing.

In early June, the activities director gave a written statement in which she acknowledged a relationship with the resident had existed for about six months and was continuing. According to the inspectors written reports, the activities director denied any sexual contact or intimate relationship, but during an interview she admitted to the allegations and walked out of the facility. She was fired on June 17.

When contacted by state inspectors, the homes former administrator allegedly said she didnt recall receiving the Feb. 29 email from the guardian.

According to state inspectors, the resident of the home has been tearful, depressed and withdrawn since the activities director was fired. As a result of the alleged abuse, the state inspections agency has proposed, but held in suspension, fines totaling $28,500.

Other Iowa nursing homes recently cited for abuse include:

 One Vision Cedar House of Fort Dodge, which is an intermediate care facility for people with intellectual disabilities. The home was cited for failing to promptly identify, investigate and report two occurrences of potential physical abuse by one of its employees.

In one incident, two staffers reported seeing a female co-worker punch a male resident in the chest, leaving a bright reddened area on the mans torso, according to inspectors. The staffers said the worker then grabbed the mans walker, slammed it on the ground, then yelled and screamed at the man, inspectors reported.

A few nights earlier, inspectors reports allege, the same female worker had yelled at another male resident of the home and, with her finger, poked the man in the face, in the area between his eyes and forehead. The home was fined $4,500 for failing to protect residents from abuse and $500 for failing to investigate and report abuse.

 Oakview Nursing and Rehabilitation of Marion, which was fined $500 for failing to ensure residents remained free of physical abuse. According to inspectors, two of the homes certified nurse aides witnessed a female CNA arguing with a male resident of the home. The female CNA allegedly told the man that his wife didnt love him and had cheated on him with another individual.

According to inspectors reports, the resident, who was known to be combative at times, struck the female aide, after which the aide punched the resident in the shoulder with a closed fist and said, If you punch me, then I will punch you. Next time Ill give you a black eye and tell everyone I dont know how it happened.

 Ramsey Village of Des Moines, which was fined $500 for resident abuse. Inspectors reports allege that a certified nurse aide reported that on Aug. 4, 2024, she was in the room of a married couple, helping a medication aide get the two residents ready for dinner. The husband remarked that he didnt want to live at the home, the reports state, and the medication aide responded by telling the man his children didnt care about him and that was why he had to live at Ramsey Village.

According to the inspectors report, the CNA who was in the room later reported that the medication aide changed the mans soiled clothing and, after she was through, removed her soiled gloves and balled them up in her fist and pushed them toward the mans mouth while telling him to shut up. The CNA told inspectors she couldnt tell whether the medication aide was trying to actually push the gloves into the residents mouth, but indicated the man had clamped his mouth shut. The CNA reported the matter the next day.

 The Good Samaritan Home of Holstein. Inspectors reviewed video footage of a July 29, 2024, incident that showed a female resident with dementia sitting at a table in the dining room with her chair pushed close to the table. A CNA stood behind the womans chair, scrolling through her cell phone with her knee pushed against the back of the residents chair.

Inspectors say the video shows the resident attempted to stand several times, but each time the CNA pushed down on the womans shoulders and forced her back into the chair. At one point, the resident swung at the CNA, who then grabbed the residents wrists and hands and pinned them down. The two exchanged words and then the CNA placed her hand over the womans mouth, inspectors said. Over the next few minutes, the CNA placed a blanket on the residents head, pushed her down in the chair several more times, then forced her into a sweater the resident had been trying to remove.

After the woman laid her head on the table and began crying, the CNA aide looked at another employee who was sitting nearby and two appeared to be snickering, inspectors reported. When the woman made another attempt to stand, the CNA pushed the womans chair forward, pinning her body against the table.

The resident sat crying as the aide grabbed the womans sweater and placed it on her head. After the woman yelled, the CNA pushed her own body firmly against the back of the womans chair and again placed her hand over the womans mouth, inspectors reported. The other worker then braced her feet against the base of the table, preventing the woman from pushing the table forward in an effort to escape. When the homes activities director entered the room, the CNA removed her hand from the womans mouth, backed away and allowed her to stand, according to inspectors.

At least three employees of the home were suspended due to the incident. The state proposed, but held in suspension, a $500 fine for resident abuse and a $500 fine for failing to report abuse.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the location of Living Center West. It is in Cedar Rapids.
NH man charged after allegedly digging up snapping turtle eggs, hatching them, & selling them online

A Hillsborough County man is facing charges after allegedly holding more than two dozen snapping turtle hatchlings in illegal captivity.

According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, a tip from a concerned citizen led them to finding a man who dug up snapping turtle eggs from a nest, incubated the eggs until they hatched, and then attempted to sell them online.

30 snapping turtle hatchlings were recovered from a residence and turned over to the Wings of Dawn Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

The suspect, who police have not identified, was taken into custody. It is unclear what charges he is facing.

The snapping turtle hatchlings will be quarantined for 10 days prior to their release into the wild.

The Merrimack Police Department, The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Department, and biologists with the Non-Game Division at NHFG assisted with the investigation.

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New Hampshire authorities on Tuesday confirmed an adult resident has died after contracting a rare mosquito-borne illness with a high mortality rate.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement that an adult resident died after testing positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV). According to the agency, the unnamed resident was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease, and has passed away.

In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus, said New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Benjamin Chan.

We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors, Chan added.

This death comes just days after officials in the neighboring state of Massachusetts warned residents of a heightened risk of EEEV.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 30 percent of people who contract EEEV die. There are no vaccines or medicines that can prevent and treat EEEV.

The New Hampshire health authority advised residents to take preventive measures including using effective mosquito repellents, wearing long sleeves and pants when outside and avoiding outdoors activities in the early morning and evening hours. The agency also advised residents to remove standing water from around their homes.

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Related video: Why are the tropics eerily quiet right now?

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a potential disturbance that may develop in the coming days.

Daughter of former Astros pitcher Greg Swindell missing out of Texas

At 8 p.m. Monday, the NHC stated that a low pressure system could develop in the central Tropical Atlantic in the coming days.

Should it form, forecasters said environmental conditions were favorable for further development as it head west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

(Credit: National Hurricane Center)

However, as of this report, the development is expected to be slow into next week. The systems established path is not yet known.

The NHC said the area of potential disturbance has a 20% chance of formation through the next week.

Watch Tracking the Tropics on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT.

Be prepared with the 2024 Hurricane Guide and stay ahead of tropical development with the Tracking the Tropics newsletter.

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The News

Nikki Haley says Donald Trump is welcome to call about having her campaign for him. Donald Trump says hed love to have her go around and do just that  and privately, supporters of both believe it could be a good idea.

Nikki Haley should definitely reach out and do everything she can to save this country from the godless commies, one Trump aide told Semafor.

So whats the holdup?

The biggest impasse seems to be surrounding who should officially reach out first: Its unclear whether theres been formal discussions between the two campaigns in recent weeks about getting Haley out on the trail, but allies of both camps argue that its not their principals job at this point to initiate next steps.

Know More

The former South Carolina governor and one-time presidential hopeful has had one of the more tumultuous relationships with Trump over the last year, becoming one of his most vocal critics as she ran against him during the primary. When she dropped out in March  as the lone Trump challenger holdout  she did not immediately endorse the former president, instead urging him to earn her voters support. In May, she conceded that shed be voting for Trump. And then he survived an assassination attempt, and the tide continued to turn: Trump, who originally did not invite Haley to appear as a speaker at the RNC, extended an invitation. Haley accepted, and gave him a formal endorsement during her speech there.

There are some Americans who dont agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time, Haley said at the time. My message to them is simple: You dont have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him.

Shelbys view

With a presidential race thats effectively tied, the logic of a high-profile, moderate surrogate is obvious.

In general we need a bigger tent not a small one, one person close to the campaign summed it up to me.

The hold-up, therefore, seems more personal, as both Trump and Haley are strong-willed: The former president feels that hes already extended an olive branch by telling reporters that hed love to have her campaign, and Haley correctly notes that this is his campaign to run. So, its unclear whether Trump will more formally invite her into the fold.

Room for Disagreement

Not everyone on Trumps side of the aisle believes Haley would be a positive addition: In fact, one person close to the Trump campaign told Semafor that they believed the opposite, pointing to her recent RNC speech to argue that while having her campaigning for Trump sounds appealing on paper, shes not an effective messenger.

I think the dynamic of distrust and her not really saying anything will actually not only not have gains, in terms of converting people, but it would also muddle Trumps message, the person argued. It comes at the cost of muddling the message but without being full-throated enough to actually convert people.

Notable

Some conservative pundits have also been urging Trump publicly to tap Haley as an official surrogate: Outkicks Tomi Lahren argued recently that Haley appeals to the folks Trump needs to win over from Kamala [Harris].

Trump is bringing other non-traditional backers into the fold, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsing him last week and Tulsi Gabbard doing so on Monday.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- In recent weeks, U.S. authorities have sounded the alarm over the resurgence of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but deadly mosquito-borne virus, prompting public health warnings and preventative measures to curb its spread.

Known colloquially as "Triple E," this virus has made its presence felt in a growing number of communities in Massachusetts and other states. The re-emergence of EEE has sparked significant concern among residents and health professionals, leading to closed parks, restricted outdoor activities and rescheduled public events.

EEE is a highly dangerous viral illness transmitted to humans and horses through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The disease primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe neurological conditions and, in some cases, death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The virus is an alphavirus, closely related to other encephalitis viruses like the western equine encephalitis and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses. Although EEE is rare, with only a few human cases reported annually in the United States, it is considered one of the most severe mosquito-borne diseases in the country, according to the CDC.

On Aug. 16, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed the state's first human case of the EEE virus this year -- a man in his 80s. This has put ten communities in the state on high alert. In response, targeted mosquito spraying has been implemented to protect residents.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball on Monday urged horse owners across the state to vaccinate their horses against EEE and West Nile Virus (WNV), both caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.

So far this year, New York has already seen cases of EEE found in horses, but no confirmed cases in humans yet. The commissioner stressed in Monday's release that prevention measures are "especially important" since parts of New York have mosquito activity into late November.

A human infection case has also been reported in Vermont. The state health officials confirmed the case in July, a male in his 40s, which is the state's first human case of EEE since 2012. In 2012, two people contracted EEE in Vermont and both died, according to the state's health department.

The CDC reports that while most people infected with EEE do not exhibit symptoms, those who do can experience anything from mild flu-like symptoms to severe neurological problems.

Encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, occurs in the most severe cases, with a mortality rate of approximately 30 percent. Survivors often suffer long-term neurological damage.

People over 50 years of age and under 15 years of age seem to be at greatest risk for developing severe disease when infected with EEE virus, according to CDC.

The virus is primarily maintained in a cycle involving Culiseta melanura mosquitoes and birds in freshwater swampy areas. Humans and horses become infected through "bridge" mosquitoes that bite both birds and mammals.

The disease is most prevalent in the eastern United States, stretching as far west as Wisconsin, and along the Gulf Coast. The risk of EEE outbreaks is exceptionally high during the mosquito season, which typically runs from mid-July through mid-September.

Historically, the year 2019 saw the highest number of human EEE cases in the United States, with 38 reported nationwide. The virus has also been detected in Florida, Georgia, Maryland and Wisconsin.

Currently, no vaccines or specific antiviral treatments are available for EEE in humans. Treatment is primarily supportive, focusing on alleviating symptoms and managing complications.

Health officials are strongly urging people to take extra measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites as prevention is the best defense.

They recommend using insect repellent when outdoors, wearing protective clothing, avoiding peak mosquito activity times during dawn and dusk, and eliminating standing water around homes to prevent mosquito breeding. 
HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. (PIX11)  A fixture for first responders is, in one New Jersey town, becoming a fixture on the wall.

The same way you see an AED box in most public buildings now, wed like to have Narcan, said Minda Maggio of the Hillsborough Millstone Municipal Alliance.

Narcan is now available in an emergency overdose kit inside the Hillsborough Township Municipal Building, located at 379 South Branch Road, next to the mayors office.

This is the center of our town, said Maggio, and we will be looking at additional locations in town to be putting these boxes up.

More Local News

It comes through a new pilot program started by the Alliance, which is made up of various community members who volunteer.

Its really a wide array of people who care about our community, said Maggio.

But unlike an AED, there doesnt need to be an emergency for you to open up the box. The community is more than welcome to come take the Narcan at no cost, no questions asked, according to the township.

It is also available in many of our local pharmacies, said Maggio. We want to get it out into peoples hands.

In New Jersey, participating pharmacies offer Narcan to people 14 and older at no cost and without a prescription.

Hillsborough police said that since more civilians started carrying Narcan, its helped them on overdose calls.

A lot of times when we get on scene, its already been deployed by somebody, a loved one or a family member, said Hillsborough Township Police Capt. Scott McCarthy.

In Hillsborough Township, we lead, we dont follow, said Mayor Robert Britting, who said their focus is on safety and prevention. Hillsborough Township isnt different than any other town, right? We all have issues, we all have to deal with the same crisis. But what we want to be is at the forefront of this, and this is our way of doing that.

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Contractors move equipment as part of a 2021 study of removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) from the aquifer under Cannon Air Force base, near Clovis, New Mexico. (Courtesy U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Maxwell Daigle)

New Mexico state environmental, health and veterans agencies will host a public meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in Clovis ahead of free blood testing for forever chemicals to residents in the next two months.

Per-and-polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (often called PFAS) are a set of manmade chemicals used in manufacturing of everyday goods for decades. Because they are resistant to break down, PFAS can accumulate in water and are found in the blood of many people and animals.

While research into the health harms is relatively new, PFAS has been linked to decreased fertility, fetal developmental delays; increase the risks for certain types of cancer, and interference with immune response and hormones, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Meeting information

What: Informational meeting for Curry County residents about free and confidential blood testing for PFAS in September and October

When: 6 p.m.

Where: Clovis Civic Center 801 Schepps Blvd., Clovis, New Mexico 88101

A spokesperson at the New Mexico Environment Department said a livestream will be available on the agencys YouTube page.

PFAS firefighting foam used for decades at Cannon Air Force Base contaminated the groundwater and several nearby wells. This included a well that served a dairy, which necessitated the slaughter of thousands of one farmers cows.

The state may increase eligibility for tests outside the initial area if theres a further need, according to a news release.

There will be no blood tests at the public meeting at the Clovis Civic Center. The meeting Tuesday night will offer information for people interested in participating and making appointments.

Testing is only open to current New Mexico residents within south-central Curry County surrounding Cannon Air Force Base. That area is Curry Road 11 to the north, from Curry Road L to Curry Road T, east to west, to the Curry County border.

EPCOR Water Utility, which provides Clovis water, said in its 2023 annual consumer report that the level of PFAs in the citys drinking water is deemed safe.

New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney said while PFAS is common in peoples blood, residents living near Cannon Air Force Base may be at a significantly higher risk because of contaminated groundwater.

This blood testing project allows residents to be more aware of their contamination level and consult with their healthcare provider in how to manage its potential effects, Kenney stated in the news release.

The blood testing will be performed from Thursday, Sept. 12 through Wednesday, Sept. 18, and again on Thursday, Oct. 3 through Wednesday, Oct. 9. The testing is free and confidential, the news release said. A laboratory will require a teaspoon-sized blood sample to test for 33 types of PFAS used in firefighting foams and other goods.

New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Patrick Allen said family health history may mean further tests are ordered by a personal doctor.

Issues broadly ranging from high cholesterol, and pregnancy concerns, to types of certain cancers all play a role in what actions your health provider may recommend, Allen said in the news release.

Results of the tests will be available in three to four months after the appointment. The agencies will provide participants with a $25 physical gift card after completing an appointment.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The State of New Mexico continues to investigate an officer-involved shooting in Otero County from earlier this summer where a teenager was shot and killed after allegedly pointing an airsoft gun at a Sheriffs deputy, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety said in an update issued on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau has completed and submitted a case file to the 12th Judicial District Attorneys Office in Alamogordo about the case, NMDPS said.

The case has also been assigned to the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office in Bernalillo County for further review, NMPS said.

Teen holding airsoft gun dead in officer-involved shooting

NMDPS did not mention teenager Elijah Hadley by name during their update sent out to media but did confirm to KTSM that this is the case they are referring to.

On June 25, an Otero County Sheriffs Office deputy was conducting a welfare check on a person walking along U.S. Highway 70 near mile marker 240.

According to an initial release sent out by NM State Police at the time, a 17-year-old  later identified as Elijah Hadley  was holding an airsoft gun and pointed it at the deputy, who then fired at least one round from his duty weapon. Hadley was pronounced dead at the scene.

NM Public Safety Secretary Jason R. Bowie, along with NM State Police command staff and a representative from the Governors Office, met with Mescalero Apache leaders on Aug. 15 to update them on the case, according to the news release sent out by NMDPS.

We are committed to delivering an accurate account of the events and it is our priority to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased investigation, Bowie said. Open communication with tribal leadership and the family members are essential for building and maintaining strong, trust-based relationships between the police and the communities they serve.

Our goal is to ensure the community has confidence in the process, said NMSP Chief W. Troy Weisler. We ask the community to be patient as we work through the process.

Key aspects of the investigation require additional analysis and are still pending from the Department of Public Safety Laboratory and the Office of the Medical Investigator, NMDPS said.

This involves the collection of evidence, conducting interviews, and sharing investigative findings with the district attorney for review. NMSP acts solely as a factfinder in such incidents and does not determine whether an officers actions were justified; that decision is the responsibility of the District Attorneys Office, NMDPS said.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Homelessness is a crisis that touches every corner of New Mexico. Were not talking about just something that occurs in Albuquerque or Santa Fe, said Patrick Allen, Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health.

Story continues below

In front of the legislative Health and Human Services Committee on Monday morning, NMDOH updated lawmakers on its Mobile Homelessness Response Demonstration Project. For the project, the state invested $4 million to partner with community organizations and build mobile responses in rural New Mexico, across 19 counties.

In no way is talking about mobile outreach intended to be our end all be all in this is how we end homelessness in New Mexico. this is how we deal with a slice of it that we think is important, said Secretary Allen.

Through the project, organizations were able to meet with more than 3,000 individuals to provide services. San Juan County Partnership is just one of the participating groups and said through the funding, it was able to set up a mobile office, buy a wheelchair-accessible van, and to a second vehicle that can go over rural terrain to reach individuals.

It really allowed us to have a greater reach for longer periods of time and get to people who are not getting seen for services, said Anna Krutsky, Executive Director of San Juan County Partnership. In a quote used in the presentation to lawmakers, San Juan County said the people they reach in the mobile space are the most vulnerable and are folks they would not necessarily have known of because they are hiding in order to protect themselves.

San Juan County Partnership was able to build relationships with the unhoused and provide medical resources. A group in Santa Fe used the funding to bring mobile showers to the unhoused and provide hygiene supplies. The Kewa Family Wellness Center in Bernalillo and Santa Fe Counties provided a number of services including opioid education and connected people with tribal-specific resources.



This funding enabled us to reach more people, said Krustsky. Mobile access to the community so that was probably the biggest step up that we ever had.

The project included a collaboration with the University of New Mexico to survey the unhoused community and put together their findings. NMDOH Secretary Allen said there are resources to continue funding the project and that they are working with the governors office on the budget.

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  Myrtle Beach police on Tuesday responded to a downtown business after its alarm was triggered, only to be greeted by a litter of kittens looking for their forever home.

Catastrophe was avoided as officers eased the prowling cats and their mother into custody, before any further calls came into feline-one-one.

After a few catnip interviews, the MBPD determined the kittens and their mom just sounded the alarm for a new home, the city wrote on its Facebook page. Well played, cats, well played.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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Gov. Kristi Noem presents her fiscal year 2025 budget address to the South Dakota Legislature on Dec. 5, 2023, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Gov. Kristi Noem presents her fiscal year 2025 budget address to the South Dakota Legislature on Dec. 5, 2023, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Gov. Kristi Noem commuted the sentences of two people convicted of murder and issued 45 more pardons since February.

Since taking office in 2019, Noem has commuted the sentences of 27 people and pardoned 341.

Her first commutation of the summer was granted to 70-year-old John Proctor on July 24.

Proctor has served 51 years in prison for killing Meade County rancher Arlon Hamm. Proctor had been carrying on an affair with Hamms stepmother, Billie Jean Hamm, with whom hed plotted to kill Arlon Hamm. Billie Jean Hamm, now deceased, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.

The South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended a commutation for Proctor last fall. The parole board had also recommended a commutation for Proctor in 2021.

Noem denied Proctors 2021 clemency request in a letter dated March 15, 2022.

The recently approved commutation reduces Proctors sentence from life in prison to 410 years. With credit for time served and good behavior, Proctor will be eligible for parole next July.

Noems most recent commutation went to 45-year-old Renee Eckes on Aug. 21, less than two months after her appearance before the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles. Her commutation was previously reported by The Dakota Scout.

Eckes had been serving a life sentence; her sentence was reduced to 45 years. She will be eligible for parole in September of 2027, the commutation says.

The board unanimously recommended that Noem issue a commutation for Eckes after its July meeting. The board reviews clemency applications, but Noem has the final say on the recommendations.

Noem has also issued commutations for people who didnt follow the formal process of applying to the board. Most recently, in December, Noem commuted the sentences of 12 women convicted of felony drug ingestion, a charge unique to South Dakota that can land a person in prison for having illicit substances in their system. None of the women made their case before the parole board.

Eckes was 19 years old when she and 17-year-old Jessi Owens killed David Bauman with a hammer during a burglary attempt. The pair entered Baumans Watertown home in search of cash, but he came home and caught them in the act, setting up the physical altercation that ended his life. Owens grabbed a hammer and struck Bauman, after which Eckes picked it up and continued to strike him.

Owens life sentence was reduced after a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. She was released in 2018.

On the pardons side, Noem issued 45 between July 2 and Aug. 21, signing them in batches on July 2, July 24, July 26 and Aug. 21.

Pardons permanently erase old charges from a persons criminal record. Because the state constitution grants sole authority for clemency to the governor, pardons represent the only pathway for South Dakotans to clear their record of old charges for which they were convicted or pleaded guilty. Pardons are sealed after five years.

The summer pardons cover a range of crimes, including DUIs, controlled substance possession and burglary, among others, as well as a 39-year-old aggravated assault conviction.

Prior to July, Noems most recent batch of pardons were signed on Feb. 23.

On that same date, Noem signed four commutation denial letters, including one for Rex Gard, convicted of grand theft by embezzlement and sentenced to 65 years. Two members of the parole board, which voted 8-1 to recommend a commutation, called the sentence excessive during his clemency hearing in the summer of 2023.

As of April, Noem had signed nine denial letters in total, according to records released at the request of South Dakota Searchlight.

Noems office did not immediately respond to a request for any new denial letters issued since April. Spokesman Ian Fury also did not respond to questions on Noems reversal in the Proctor situation or her swiftness in acting upon the Eckes commutation recommendation.

Here are the latest 45 pardons issued by Noem.

Pardons Summer 2024

More about executive clemency

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New nonstop Frontier flights to take off from Sarasota to Cincinnati for as low as $29

New nonstop Frontier flights to take off from Sarasota to Cincinnati for as low as $29

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA)  New nonstop flights will soon take off from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport heading to Cincinnati this fall, Frontier Airlines announced Tuesday.

The airline said the nonstop service will begin on Oct. 12, 2024, and operate weekly. The airline is offering fares as low as $29 to celebrate.

Photographer: Daniel Brenner/Bloomberg via Getty Images

We are delighted to expand our offerings in Sarasota, providing consumers with an affordable and convenient air travel option to Cincinnati and beyond, said Josh Flyr, vice president of operations and network design for Frontier Airlines. Whether traveling for business or for leisure, it is our privilege to provide customers with an exceptional value and a superior travel experience when flying Frontier.

To get the $29 fare, flyers must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Sep. 2.

Fares are valid for Oct. 11, 2024, through Feb. 28, 2025, with the following blackout dates: The following blackout dates apply: Nov. 11-12, 26-27, 30, 2024; Dec. 1-2, 19-22, 26-29, 2024; Jan. 2-5, 2025; Feb. 13-17, 2025.

More information can be found on Frontiers website.

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The North Dakota State Mill in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on March 1, 2024. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

The North Dakota Mill on Tuesday reported record profits of $20.7 million for fiscal year 2024, an increase of 20.6% over profits of $17.2 million reported for fiscal year 2023.

Vance Taylor, president and CEO of the state-owned mill, gave a report on its financial performance during a meeting of the North Dakota Industrial Commission, which oversees the Grand Forks facility.

The mill has transferred 52.5% of the profits  nearly $10 million  to the states general fund and more than $1 million to the Agricultural Product Utilization Fund. The remaining profits are used for mill operations.

Taylor told the commission that shipments of the mills Dakota Maid flour brand increased 95% from the previous year. He said demand is driven mostly by renewed interest in home baking that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and serving the restaurant industry.

He said that is a trend across the milling industry but the North Dakota Mill may be benefiting more than most. I think were getting more than our share, Taylor said.

The North Dakota Mill, officially the North Dakota Mill and Elevator Association, was established in 1922. An expansion was completed in 2022 and it is the largest flour mill in the country.

Taylor said the increased milling capacity is a big reason behind the record profits. There was a 10% increase in volume shipped over the previous year.

North Dakota and Kansas are traditionally the nations top wheat producers.

Taylor said this years wheat crop in North Dakota looks good with harvest about half complete, but that farmers could use a break from rain.

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North Korea could have sent over 6 million artillery shells to Russia, Seoul says

North Korea sent containers presumably to Russia that could contain as many as more than 6 million artillery shells, Yonhap reported on Aug. 27, citing a South Korean military intelligence report.

With Russian ammunition stocks running low due to extensive use in Ukraine, North Korea has been shaping up as Russia's leading outside weapons supplier.

Seoul spotted over 13,000 containers being shipped through the North Korean port of Najin since mid-2022, Seoul said. They could have been used to transport arms intended for Russia, according to the agency.

Shin Won-sik, South Korean defense minister, said in June that Pyongyang also sent dozens of ballistic missiles that Moscow troops launch against Ukraine.

Both Kyiv and Washington have previously said that Russia has been using North Korean-produced missiles to attack Ukraine. In March, Ukrainian prosecutors reported that Russia had fired around 50 such missiles to attack six Ukrainian oblasts since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

In exchange for the ammunition, Russia reportedly provided North Korea with technology to help it deploy spy satellites as well as tanks and aircraft.

In late June, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang, where he signed a partnership agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which pledged to provide aid to one another if either will be attacked.

Read also: Opinion: What to make of the new Russia-North Korea alliance

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SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the test of an upgraded 240mm rocket launcher system, state media said on Wednesday.

The system "proved its superiority in mobility and strike concentration" during the inspection testing, state news agency KCNA said.

Earlier this week, Kim oversaw tests of new "suicide drones," and urged researchers to develop artificial intelligence for the unmanned vehicles.

U.S. and South Korean officials have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells, missiles and other equipment in recent months for Moscow to use in its war on Ukraine.From last year until Aug. 4, North Korea has shipped more than 12,000 containers to Russia, sending three or four kinds of shells of different sizes including rockets, and separately also supplied dozens of short range missiles, South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik told Reuters this month.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied accusations of arms transfers but have vowed to deepen military relations.

A Russian delegation led by the vice minister of industry held talks with North Korean counterparts on Tuesday to further develop economic cooperation between the two countries, according to KCNA.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler)
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- A new study revealed a disturbing trend in heat-related deaths across the United States, with mortality rates more than doubling over the 25 years.

The study, published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined death records where extreme heat was listed as the primary or contributing cause.

By analyzing data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1999 to 2023, the researchers found that heat-related deaths rose from 1,069 in 1999 to 2,325 in 2023, up by 117 percent.

The lowest number of heat-related deaths in the study period was 311 in 2004, in contrast with 2,325 in 2023, the highest.

The researchers from University of Texas at San Antonio, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Pennsylvania State University highlighted a sharp increase in the past seven years, aligning with unprecedented global heat records as the impacts of climate change become more severe.

"From 2016 to 2023, we observed a significant increase of 16.8 percent per year in the age-adjusted mortality rate," the researchers wrote in the study. This recent surge reversed a previously observed downward trend in heat-related deaths.

The findings aligned with global studies suggesting rising temperatures due to climate change are increasingly deadly. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 2023, the world experienced its warmest average temperature since record-keeping began in 1850.

Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, according to the CDC.

The study's authors warn that without intervention, this upward trend in heat-related deaths is likely to continue as global temperatures rise.

However, they also suggested that local authorities in high-risk areas consider expanding access to hydration centers and public cooling facilities, which could significantly mitigate the impact of rising temperatures.

While the research provided crucial insights, the authors acknowledged some limitations, including potential misclassification of causes of death, which could lead to underestimation of heat-related mortality rates, and possible bias from increasing awareness of heat-related deaths over time. 
North Texas assistant principal says student attack left her without vision in one eye

Corsicana assistant principal Candra Rogers publicly shared Tuesday about the classroom disruption on Aug. 15 that resulted in her being airlifted to a hospital.

Rogers, who is in her second semester with the school district, said she responded to a classroom at Collins Intermediate School during lunch after the behavioral teacher called for assistance. She found the teacher and all the students but one outside the room.

According to Rogers, one of the students in the hall had been assaulted by the student who was still inside the room and was holding his head.

The student was still irate when Rogers entered the classroom, she said. Furniture had been overturned, and it looked like the room had been ransacked.

Rogers spoke to the student in a low, calm voice, but he threw a chair at her, she said.

I caught it in midair, Rogers said. He picked up another chair to throw at me, when another assistant principal entered the room. I used the first chair to block the second.

According to Rogers, the student then picked up a third chair and threw it at the other assistant principal. Rogers used the first chair to block that chair as well. Then the student threw a wooden hanger at Rogers.

I couldnt stop it fast enough, she said.

The hanger hit Rogers in the right eye, and knocked it out of the socket, she said.

Rogers said she stumbled out of the classroom, and someone called 911. She was airlifted to Parkland Medical Center in Dallas, where she underwent surgery and doctors reinserted her eye.

However they determined I had been blinded and currently believe my damage is permanent, Rogers said.

Rogers told reporters that she needs another surgery to repair her eyelid, and it may be necessary to remove the injured eye.

Im still believing God for a miracle for restoration of my sight, she said.

Corsicana ISD officials said in a news release Monday that the student in question has been restricted to a specific location and cannot be on campus. The age of the student has not been released.

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The incident has been referred to the Navarro County District Attorneys Office and the Juvenile Probation Department, according to the release.

CISD anticipates the DAs office will take additional steps to address the students action through the juvenile court system, the release states.

Rogers told reporters that what happened to her should never happen to another educator. She believes Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code, which deals with student discipline, may need to be reevaluated to address the mental, social and emotional well-being of these students.

We care about students and their safety, Rogers said. But we must also care about the safety of our educational staff. Our safety is important, too. We should never have to fear being in a classroom with an aggressive student.

Rogers also said that the state should do more to fund public schools. In spite of the Texas economy being within the top 10 in the world, the basic allotment given to schools hasnt changed since 2019, she said.

Regardless of what you believe this says about our priorities as a state, this is a choice, Rogers said. Choices have consequences.

Rogers family has set up a GoFundMe to help with her medical expenses. GoFundMe organizer Sarah Rogers shared a social media post by Candra Rogers asking for prayers for herself, her family and the child who caused this incident and his family.

Shes taught thousands of students and will say education is her ministry, Sarah Rogers wrote. If you ask her, she will say God placed her in this position to shine a light in the darkness and make a difference in this field.

There isnt a time set for Rogers to return to work, the district said.
NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS)Northwestern State University is holding a part-time job fair this September to help students earn extra money.

Students will have the opportunity to speak with possible employers, submit resumes, and potentially interview with numerous local organizations and businesses.

The Part-Time Job Fair provides an excellent opportunity to connect NSU students with employers in the community, said Job Location and Development Officer Tiffany Carrier. The employers come to the students making the job search easy and efficient for students.

Participating employers include:

Ben D. Johnson Educational Center

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center

Fastenal Company

Raising Canes

Chick-Fil-A Natchitoches FSR

Louisiana National Guard at NSU

Fresenius Medical Care North America

Natchitoches Army Recruiting

Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana

Dark Woods Adventure Park

Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau

Probilt Construction

Waskom Brown & Associates

Parish of Caddo and Cane River Childrens Services

The fair will take place in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom on Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. School officials said students should bring a resume and be prepared for a possible interview.

To register, students should go to nsu.la/studentjobsfa24.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Norway's energy sector under threat of Russian sabotage, Norwegian security chief says

Norway's energy sector is under threat of sabotage from Russia, Norwegian security chief Beate Gangaas told Reuters on Aug. 27, as European security services briefed Norwegian energy officials on potential Russian threats.

Norway is a key provider of oil, gas, and electricity for Europe, overtaking Russia as Europe's top gas supplier in 2022.

"When we are talking about sabotage today, we are talking about Russia," Gangaas told Reuters.

Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensoenes, the head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, told Reuters that although there has been no "concrete evidence" of Russian plans to sabotage Norway's infrastructure, "it's wise to be prudent and increase the level of security."

According to Reuters, the briefing was a closed-door meeting attended by security services from Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland.

Western intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about the increasing threat of Russian sabotage operations across Europe.

Reports emerged in 2023 that Russia may be preparing to sabotage wind farms, gas pipelines, and power and internet cables in the waters around Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.

Three Russian intelligence officers were expelled from Norway in April 2022, followed by another 15 in April 2023.

The intelligence officers were expelled for "engaging in activities that are not compatible with their diplomatic status," the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated

NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH)  A Norwich man was arrested Monday after allegedly firing a gun multiple times around his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Officers were dispatched to 102 Stonington Road around 7 p.m. Monday, after receiving multiple calls from residents reporting an active shooting within or around the apartment building.

CSP: Bristol man drove 120 mph on Route 2

On scene, officers immediately heard about six gunshots. A shelter in place alert was issued to residents due to the potential active shooter situation and mutual aid was requested to secure the scene and locate the suspect.

Evidence of the shooting was found in the rear of the building, where officers also came into contact with an apparent intoxicated man, who was subsequently determined the shooter.

Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Norwich man accused of firing gun from his apartment complex while intoxicated.

Brian Burgess was taken into custody and the apartment building was searched for any possible victims. No one was injured, according to police.

80-year-old man dies in East Lyme crash

Burgess was charged with disorderly conduct, unlawful discharge of weapons, first-degree reckless endangerment, and carrying a firearm while intoxicated.

He was held on a $150,000 cash-surety bond pending arraignment at Norwich Superior Court on Aug. 27.

The Connecticut State Police, Montville Police, Ledyard Police, and Groton Town Police assisted Norwich police on scene of this incident.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
(Bloomberg) -- Monitors from the United Nations atomic watchdog are preparing to assess the safety situation at a nuclear power plant on Russian soil thats near territory seized by Ukraine this month in a cross-border incursion.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, arrived at Rosatom Corps plant in Russias western Kursk region on Tuesday, the state-owned TASS news agency reported. The Soviet-era technology currently operating on the site is particularly vulnerable to a Chernobyl-like accident if hit by artillery or rocket fire, Grossi told Bloomberg Television last week.

The so-called RBMK technology operating at the Kursk plant uses the same outdated Soviet design that exploded in Chernobyl. Unlike modern units, it doesnt have the steel and concrete containment domes that back up core safety systems and are designed to contain radiation in the event of an accident.

That key safety-design weakness means that no country outside of Russia operates RBMK power plants.

The safety and security of nuclear facilities must, under no circumstances, be endangered, Grossi said in a statement on Monday. This is an evolving situation.

The IAEA visit may calm nuclear concerns as Russias war with Ukraine reaches the 2 1/2-year mark. Diplomats at the Vienna-based agency have issued urgent warnings about a radiological incident  one that could harm efforts to raise atomic generation to mitigate climate change.

Russia, the worlds biggest exporter of nuclear fuel and technology, told diplomats this month that an attack could wreck the global industry. Rosatom officials are expected to show the IAEA evidence of what they say were Ukraine drone and rocket attacks in the vicinity of the Kursk plant.

The major concern right now is an accidental military strike, said Robert Kelley, a former IAEA director and emergency-response coordinator at the US Department of Energy. The worst case scenario is a radiation release that is more than what happened at Fukushima but vastly less than at Chernobyl.

The 1986 Chernobyl meltdown left a 2,600 square-kilometer (1,000 square-mile) exclusion zone in Ukraine, where radioactive material will take thousands of years to decay. Unlike the 2011 meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, where operators largely kept large volumes of radiation from spreading into the atmosphere, the Chernobyl disaster wafted plumes over a wide swathe of Europe.

Risks to nuclear safety at the Kursk plant underscore the new pressure bearing on Russian President Vladimir Putin since Ukraines surprise incursion began earlier this month. Putin started the war when he ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which was meant to end within days.

For its part, Ukraines government has accused Russia of plotting a radiological emergency. IAEA diplomats said Monday that remnants of Russian attack drones were discovered last week near its South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant.

Despite the IAEA having an on-the-ground presence at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as well as four other stations in Ukraine, Grossi said his inspectors havent found conclusive evidence pointing to whos behind drone attacks targeting Europes biggest atomic station.

The two operational RBMK reactors in Kursk were both built before the Chernobyl meltdown, according to the IAEAs PRIS database. The units are scheduled to continue generating electricity for another six years, unless Russia opts to extend their operating lifetime.

Rosatom is building another pair of modern VVER reactors at the Kursk site which are scheduled to come online next year with a combined 2 gigawatts of capacity. Both of those units have built-in secondary containment structures to guard against accident.

Even without hitting one Kursks operational RBMKs and provoking a radiological emergency, Ukraines forces could deal an expensive blow to Russias nuclear industry. Just knocking out a generator hall could cause millions of dollars damage and an extensive delay, Kelley said.

(Adds IAEA arrival in the second, reactor details from the 12th paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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(Bloomberg) -- Monitors from the United Nations atomic watchdog said Rosatom Corp. is elevating the risk of a radiological emergency by continuing to operate a nuclear power plant on Russian soil thats near territory seized by Ukraine this month.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The fact that the plant is operating makes it even more serious, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Tuesday in comments broadcast by Russian state television.

The IAEA monitoring mission led by Grossi visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant to assess the risk of a nuclear accident. Unlike Ukraines Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, where all six reactors have been shut down, Kursk continues generating electricity.

The agency warned of particularly serious consequences if the fueled core of a so-called RBMK reactor were hit while in operation. Impacts from attack drones were observed on site, according to Grossi, who didnt specify which side fired them.

A nuclear power plant of this type so close to the military front is an extremely serious fact, Grossi said, describing the site as exposed and fragile.

The Soviet-era technology currently operating on the site is particularly vulnerable to a Chernobyl-like accident if hit by artillery or rocket fire. The RBMK technology operating in Kursk uses the same outdated Soviet design that exploded in Chernobyl. Unlike modern units, it doesnt have the steel and concrete containment domes that back up core safety systems and are designed to contain radiation in the event of an accident.

That key safety-design weakness means that no country outside of Russia operates RBMK power plants.

The IAEA visited the site in an effort to calm nuclear concerns as Russias war with Ukraine reaches the 2 1/2-year mark. Diplomats at the Vienna-based agency have issued urgent warnings about a radiological incident  one that could harm efforts to raise atomic generation to mitigate climate change.

Russia, the worlds biggest exporter of nuclear fuel and technology, told diplomats this month that an attack could wreck the global industry. Rosatom officials were expected to show the IAEA evidence of what they say were Ukrainian drone and rocket attacks in the vicinity of the Kursk plant.

The major concern right now is an accidental military strike, said Robert Kelley, a former IAEA director and emergency-response coordinator at the US Department of Energy. The worst case scenario is a radiation release that is more than what happened at Fukushima but vastly less than at Chernobyl.

The 1986 Chernobyl meltdown left a 2,600 square-kilometer (1,000 square-mile) exclusion zone in Ukraine, where radioactive material will take thousands of years to decay. Unlike the 2011 meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, where operators largely kept large volumes of radiation from spreading into the atmosphere, the Chernobyl disaster wafted plumes over a wide swathe of Europe.

Risks to nuclear safety at the Kursk plant underscore the new pressure bearing on Russian President Vladimir Putin since Ukraines surprise incursion began earlier this month. Putin started the war when he ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which was meant to end within days.

For its part, Ukraines government has accused Russia of plotting a radiological emergency. IAEA diplomats said Monday that remnants of Russian attack drones were discovered last week near its South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant.

Despite the IAEA having an on-the-ground presence at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as well as four other stations in Ukraine, Grossi said his inspectors havent found conclusive evidence pointing to whos behind drone attacks targeting Europes biggest atomic station.

The two operational RBMK reactors in Kursk were both built before the Chernobyl meltdown, according to the IAEAs PRIS database. The units are scheduled to continue generating electricity for another six years, unless Russia opts to extend their operating lifetime.

Rosatom is building another pair of modern VVER reactors at the Kursk site which are scheduled to come online next year with a combined 2 gigawatts of capacity. Both of those units have built-in secondary containment structures to guard against accident.

Even without hitting one of Kursks operational RBMKs and provoking a radiological emergency, Ukraines forces could deal an expensive blow to Russias nuclear industry. Just knocking out a generator hall could cause millions of dollars damage and an extensive delay, Kelley said.

--With assistance from Henry Meyer.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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NW Natural started adding hydrogen to natural gas for homes in southeast Portland without informing residents and despite any potential risks. (Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Like many of my neighbors in southeast Portland, I recently learned about an alarming project in our area: NW Natural has quietly begun blending hydrogen into the gas piped into our homes for use in appliances like stoves and furnaces.

This news motivated me to explore the potential consequences of this change to our gas supply, and I think all Portland residents should be aware of the risks.

What I learned is concerning. Hydrogen is more prone to leakage, more flammable and more explosive than methane gas. A study in Britain found that explosions would increase fourfold if hydrogen were to replace gas in homes. While the current amount of hydrogen being piped into homes is very small, NW Natural plans to increase the volume substantially. I didnt sign up for this  and I dont want hydrogen in my home.

Even more troubling than the immediate risks is the lack of transparency surrounding this project. No one knocked on my door to inform me about these changes to my gas service. NW Natural conducted no community outreach before launching this project. More alarmingly, Oregon regulators didnt approve it  the utility exploited a regulatory loophole, bypassing the common oversight seen in similar projects nationwide.

This isnt the first time NW Natural has attempted such a project. A few years ago, the company abandoned a similar hydrogen-blending initiative in Eugene following community opposition. The fact that NW Natural is now quietly implementing this in Portland, without addressing the concerns that led to the Eugene projects cancellation, is deeply troubling.

NW Natural claims this project is part of its pathway to reduce emissions. However, environmental groups agree that hydrogen should never be used in homes. Multiple independent studies have concluded that hydrogen gas will play no significant role in home heating or addressing the climate crisis in the future. There are better pathways that will lower emissions and improve our lives in Portland, not endanger them.

Instead of this risky experiment, Oregon should pursue safer, more effective ways to cut fossil fuel pollution in our homes like electric heat pumps. I recently upgraded to a heat pump, and I love it. Its safer, cleaner and highly efficient. Heat pumps cut climate pollution from Oregon homes by 41% in the first year compared to the gas furnaces.

My heat pump also provides my home with cooling, which I am grateful for as Oregon faces increasingly hot summers. Many of my neighbors lack adequate cooling systems, leaving them vulnerable to extreme heat events. As heat waves become more severe due to climate change, its vital that communities receive support in preparing our homes for the challenges ahead.

As a longtime Portland resident, its alarming to think NW Natural is operating without proper oversight and transparency, especially given the history of community pushback in Eugene. Our state has better options than hydrogen blending to reduce emissions. As we move towards upgrading homes with highly efficient electric equipment, we cannot allow profit-driven fossil fuel corporations like NW Natural to push hazardous projects that put Oregonians at risk.

Its time for our leaders to consider the impact of this dangerous experiment and support Oregonians in accessing modern technologies that will make our lives better. Our safety, health, and climate future depend on it. The residents of Eugene showed that community action can stop these risky projects  now its Portlands turn to stand up for our safety and our future.
Oakland firefighters use Jaws of Life during call, put the tool down  and it's stolen

An Oakland fire truck responds to a call. The department says a vital piece of rescue equipment has been stolen. ( Paul Chinn / San Francisco Chronicle / Getty Images)

In the middle of a rescue call last week, someone stole the Jaws of Life from Oakland firefighters, authorities said.

Firefighters had brought out the tool during the call. After they used it, fire officials discovered the equipment had been taken, according to a spokesperson with the Oakland Police Department.

Used by emergency personnel after serious car crashes, the hydraulic tool pries open or cuts through wreckage to rescue someone inside. Jaws of Life tools can be operated by a single individual and generally weigh around 50 pounds.

An Oakland police spokesperson said their tool was taken at about 7:15 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of West Street.

Read more: Fake doctor injured a patient while pretending to be a cosmetic surgeon, L.A. prosecutors say

Police released no information about suspects.

A spokesperson for the Oakland Fire Department said the agency was working with police to recover the tool.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at (510) 238-3728.

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.
Happy Tuesday. Heres your Tuesday Tech Drop, a grouping of top stories from the past week found at the intersection of politics and the all-inclusive world of technology.

Obamas social media warning

Former President Barack Obamas cutting, suggestive joke about Donald Trumps obsession with  crowd  size seems to have been the most widely shared clip from his rousing speech last week at the Democratic National Convention. I certainly found it funny.

But I dont think that should overshadow his critical comments about social media and the provocateurs in the political sphere  like Trump  who use such platforms to sow division and enrich themselves. Hearing that, it was hard for me not to also think of Big Tech powerbrokers like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg; people whove either deliberately used their platforms to benefit Trump or whose platforms have been used by bad actors to try to help him. And knowing the role that social media played in Obamas political rise, I always find it interesting to hear him speaking critically of the types of platforms he once used to reach the masses.

Heres the line:

We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that dont last: money, fame, status, likes. We chase the approval of strangers on our phones. We build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves, and then we wonder why we feel so alone. We dont trust each other as much because we dont take the time to know each other. And in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.

Barack Obama: "We live in a time of such confusion and rancor  with a culture that puts a premium on things that don't last: money, fame, status, likes."



"We build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then we wonder why we feel so alone." https://t.co/zIMsa2tNjk pic.twitter.com/e6cw3WxqCJ  ABC News (@ABC) August 21, 2024

Trump goes on the podcast circuit

Trumps tour of the bro-ey podcast circuit continued over the past week, as his campaign tries to woo (chronically online) young men. Over at The Atlantic, Helen Lewis wrote about one of his more recent stops, an interview with comedic influencer Theo Von.

Read more at The Atlantic.

Cash flow crackdown

Fundraising platform ActBlue has provided a boon for Democrats ever since President Joe Biden suspended his re-election campaign and Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race. And Republicans seem to want to slow that momentum with investigations stemming from baseless allegations of impropriety. Fast Company published a breakdown of the ways that conservatives at the state and federal level are launching investigations into ActBlue.

Read more at Fast Company.

Trouble for Telegrams founder

The founder of the Telegram messaging platform, which is known for being a hub for right-wing misinformation and pro-Russian propaganda, was arrested in France on Saturday over an investigation into alleged criminal activity said to have been conducted on the app. Pavel Durov, who launched Telegram in 2013, was being held in custody as of Tuesday afternoon but had not been charged with a crime. In a statement Sunday, Telegram said its absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

Read more at The New York Times.

Jenna Ortegas disturbing Twitter story

Actor Jenna Ortega, who stars in the upcoming film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and the Netflix series Wednesday, revealed that she deleted her then-Twitter account after seeing explicit AI-generated images of herself as a child.

Read more at NBC News.

World Bank reversal

The World Bank suspended its advertising on X after CBS News discovered that the organization was being promoted alongside a racist post from an account known to spread neo-Nazi content.

Read more at CBS News.

White supremacist whitewashing

Wired has a report on efforts made by pro-Trump figures in Silicon Valley to minimize or sanitize Trumps infamous claim that there were very fine people on both sides of the deadly Unite the Right rally held by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Read more at Wired.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China will more than double its commercial airplane fleet by 2043 as its aviation industry expands and modernizes to meet the growing demand for passenger and cargo air travel, according to Boeing's newly-released 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for China, the company's long-term forecast of demand for commercial airplanes and related services.

"China's commercial aviation market for passengers and cargo continues to expand, driven by economic growth and airlines building their in-country networks," said Darren Hulst, Boeing vice president of commercial marketing. "As this forecast shows, China's airlines will see strong demand, requiring further growth of their modern fuel-efficient fleets."

China's commercial fleet will grow 4.1 percent annually, from 4,345 to 9,740 airplanes by 2043, and its annual passenger traffic growth of 5.9 percent will exceed the global average of 4.7 percent, according to the CMO.

Air travel in China is forecast to become the world's largest traffic flow, driving growth in the single-aisle fleet, which accounts for more than three-quarters of deliveries.

China will have the world's largest widebody fleet, with demand for 1,575 new widebody airplanes.

China's freighter fleet, including dedicated and converted models, will nearly triple with demand stimulated by its booming e-commerce sector, the CMO said.

Chinese carriers will need aviation services worth 780 billion U.S. dollars to support the growing fleet, including digital solutions, maintenance and modifications.

Its airline industry will need to hire and train nearly 430,000 new personnel to support new pilots, maintenance technicians and cabin crew, Boeing said.

For more than 50 years, Boeing airplanes have been the mainstay of China's civil aviation passenger and cargo transportation systems.

Boeing is the largest customer of China's aviation manufacturing industry with more than 10,000 Boeing airplanes flying with China-made parts, according to the company. 
A worldwide catastrophe is imperiling Pacific Islands and the world must respond to the unprecedented and devastating impacts of rising seas before it is too late, the United Nations chief has warned.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a global SOS  Save Our Seas  from the Pacific Island nation of Tonga on Tuesday with a plea to the world to massively increase finance and support for vulnerable countries in grave danger of the human-caused climate crisis.

The ocean is overflowing, Guterres said. This is a crazy situation: Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanitys making. A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.

Guterres dire warning was made at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum in the Tongan capital Nukualofa, and coincided with the release of two UN reports detailing how the climate crisis is accelerating disastrous changes to the ocean.

Sea surface temperatures in the Southwest Pacific have risen three times faster than the global average since 1980, according to the World Meteorological Organizations State of the Climate.

And sea levels in the region have risen at almost twice the global average over the past 30 years, it found.

In that time, the report said marine heat waves have doubled in frequency and become more intense and longer lasting.

Oceans have absorbed 90% of global heating, caused by humans burning fossil fuels that release heat-trapping pollution, the report said.

This ocean heating is boosting sea level rise, as water expands when it heats, and melting ice sheets and glaciers have added to the volume.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks next to Tonga's Crown Prince Tupoutoa 'Ulukalala and Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, speaker of Tonga's parliament, in Nuku'alofa, Tonga on August 26, 2024. - Katalina Siasau/AFP/Getty Images

The most vulnerable

The Pacific Islands are being hit harder than most, suffering a triple whammy of ocean heating, sea level rise and acidification, which is harming ecosystems, damaging crops, contaminating fresh water sources, and destroying livelihoods.

Worsening floods and tropical storms are already devastating the islands. The report said that in 2023, 34 mostly storm or flood-related hydrometeorological hazard events led to more than 200 deaths and affected 25 million people in the region.

The ocean is undergoing changes which will be irreversible for centuries to come, said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

Human activities have weakened the capacity of the ocean to sustain and protect us and  through sea level rise  are transforming a lifelong friend into a growing threat.

In a second report published Tuesday, the UNs climate action team said the climate crisis and sea level rise are no longer distant threats, especially for the Pacific.

Pacific Islands account for just 0.02% of global emissions but are uniquely exposed, Guterres said.

This is a region with an average elevation just 1 to 2 meters above sea level, where around 90% of people live within 5 kilometers of the coast, and where half the infrastructure is within 500 meters of the sea, he said.

High-tide flooding and debris covers the road to the airport in the Marshall Islands capital Majuro on December 6, 2021. - Chewy Lin/AFP/Getty Images/File

If the world continues its path of heating to 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the Pacific Islands can expect to see at least another 15 centimeters of additional sea level rise by 2050 and more than 30 days of coastal flooding per year, the report found.

In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded it is unequivocal that humans have caused the climate crisis and that widespread and rapid changes have already occurred, some of them irreversibly.

Tuesdays report said, emerging research on climate tipping points and ice-sheet dynamics is raising alarm among scientists that future sea-level rise could be much larger and occur sooner than previously thought.

Though Pacific Islands face severe and disproportionate impacts from rising seas, it is a global problem that poses major risks to the safety, security, and sustainability of many low-lying islands, populous coastal megacities, large tropical agricultural deltas, and Arctic communities, the climate leaders said.

Both reports call on global leaders to improve early warning systems for vulnerable communities, majorly increase funding for resilience and adaptation, and make deep, rapid and immediate cuts in emissions to keep global heating to within 1.5 degrees Celsius  a critical threshold that world leaders agreed warming should remain below to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

Surging seas are coming for us all, Guterres said.

The world must look to the Pacific and listen to science if we save the Pacific, we also save ourselves.

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Rising sea levels are a worldwide catastrophe which uniquely threatens Pacific Islands, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.

The UN chief raised the alarm at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum - the most important political gathering in the region - in Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga on Tuesday. He also released two UN reports which detail disastrous changes to the ocean caused by climate change.

The ocean is overflowing, Guterres said. This is a crazy situation: Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanitys making. A crisis that will soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale, with no lifeboat to take us back to safety.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the opening of the annual Pacific Islands Forum. - AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay

He issued a global SOS - Save Our Seas - on rising sea levels calling on world leaders to take definitive action at COP29 later this year.

Transforming a lifelong friend into a growing threat

The first report of the two UN reports, compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), highlights how sea level rise is putting Pacific Islands in peril.

As our world has warmed, oceans have absorbed around 90 per cent of global heating caused by humans.

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Human activities have weakened the capacity of the ocean to sustain and protect us and - through sea level rise - are transforming a lifelong friend into a growing threat, said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in a statement.

Already we are seeing more coastal flooding, shoreline retreat, saltwater contamination of freshwater supplies and displacement of communities.

Human activities have weakened the capacity of the ocean to sustain and protect us and - through sea level rise - are transforming a lifelong friend into a growing threat.

Despite accounting for just 0.02 per cent of global emissions, Pacific Islands are especially vulnerable. On average, they lie just one or two metres above sea level.

Sea-surface temperatures in the southwest Pacific have risen three times faster than the global average, the report says. Marine heatwaves in the region have almost doubled in frequency since 1980 and are lasting longer and becoming more intense.

Rising seas also amplify the frequency and severity of storm surges and coastal flooding. The southwest Pacific has seen 34 of these mostly storm or flood-related hydrometeorological hazard events in the last year, according to the WMO, causing over 200 deaths and impacting more than 25 million people across the region.

Sea level rise is no longer a distant threat

In 2021, the IPCC said that sea levels were rising at a rate unprecedented in at least the last 3,000 years due to human-induced global warming. But since then new research on climate tipping points and melting ice sheets has scientists concerned that the rise could be much bigger and occur faster than previously thought.

The second report warns that rising sea levels are no longer distant threats - particularly for Pacific Islands. They are already affecting the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities and low-lying island nations around the world today as ice on land melts and seawater expands from global warming.

Guterres warned that sea level rise has the unparalleled power to cause havoc to coastal cities and ravage coastal economies.

The Pacific Islands are uniquely exposed as 90 per cent of people live within 5 kilometres of the coast and half of all infrastructure is within 500 metres of the sea, he added.

The global average sea level has already risen more than 10cm since 1993 and the rate at which it is rising has doubled since the 1990s.

A section of land between trees is washed away due to rising seas. - AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File

Without drastic cuts in emissions, the Pacific Islands can expect at least 15 centimetres of additional sea level rise by mid-century and more than 30 days per year of coastal flooding in some places.

A 2C temperature rise could lead to the loss of almost all of the Greenland ice sheet and much of the West Antarctic ice sheet. Future generations would then see an unstoppable sea level rise of 20 metres over a period of millennia. On our current trajectory, 3C of warming, that rise would happen much more rapidly over centuries instead.

That spells disaster: wide-ranging and brutal impacts, coming far thicker and faster than we can adapt to them - destroying entire coastal communities, said Guterres.

More finance and support is needed for vulnerable nations

One of the key issues expected to be on the agenda at COP29 in Azerbaijan later this year is an increase in finance for countries vulnerable to climate change. A previous commitment for wealthy countries to mobilise $100 billion (89.6bn) a year is due to expire.

Guterres called on world leaders to step up to drastically slash global emissions, massively boost climate adaptation investments, and increase support for vulnerable countries.

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He said limiting global warming to 1.5C was the only hope for preventing the irreversible collapse of ice sheets as well as the catastrophes that accompany them.

That means cutting global emissions by 43 per cent compared to 2019 levels by 2030, and 60 per cent by 2035.

Finance and support for vulnerable nations could also reinforce adaptation measures such as early warning systems for the hazards they face. Despite being a lifeline, Saulo said they are available to just a third of Small Island Developing States globally.

The world must look to the Pacific and listen to science, Guterres said. If we save the Pacific, we also save ourselves.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Starting Sept. 1, the Oregon Department of Transportation will accept public input on proposed rules changes related to how the Oregon Transportation Commission will designate tolls and set rates for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program.

ODOT initially planned to toll all of I-205 and a stretch of I-5 in the Portland metro area, starting with one tolling section between the Tualatin River and Abernethy Bridges. However, Gov. Tina Kotek paused all tolling in the state in May of 2023 after citizens expressed serious concerns with ODOTs plans.

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In March of 2024, Kotek sent a letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission, telling the agency to stop pursuing the idea of tolling in the state. However, Oregon and Washington still plan to toll the Interstate Bridge.

The only tolled facility moving forward is the Interstate Bridge Replacement program, which would be tolled by the Washington State Department of Transportation, with toll rates and policies jointly set by the Washington State Transportation Commission and the Oregon Transportation Commission, ODOT said.

Oregon lawmaker introduces no tax on tips proposal for 2025

ODOT will release the proposed rule changes to the public on Sept. 1 and accept public input from Sept. 1 to Oct. 3. A virtual public hearing will be held regarding the changes on Sept. 18 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

ODOT plans to present its proposed rule changes to the OTC for formal approval on Nov. 14.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
DENVER (KDVR)  There could be some awkward conversations around one water cooler after a group of 15 hikers on an office work retreat ended up separated from one hiker, who weathered a night in the mountains and sustained injuries as a result.

It all began for rescue workers at about 9 p.m. on Friday. Chaffee County Search and Rescue South was notified of an overdue hiker, wearing all black, on the Mount Shavano standard route. The rescue workers were told a group of 15 hikers on a work retreat left the Blanks Cabin Trailhead at sunrise on Friday, and split up.

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One group was completing summit attempts and a second group was ascending to the saddle, then returning from there. However, one hiker was left to complete his final summit push alone.

He reached the summit at about 11:30 a.m., according to the Chaffee County SAR, but became disoriented when he went to descend the mountain. When he looked for items left in the boulder field to mark the descending path, the path markers were gone: The previous group had picked up the items on their way down.

The hiker attempted to descend, according to the Chaffee County agency, but found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slopes, toward Shavano Lake.

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Concerned for himself, he sent a pin drop to co-workers already descending, the Chaffee County SAR South said. These co-workers informed him his route was wrong and to climb back up the slope to regain the trail.

At about 3:50 p.m., the hiker had nearly regained the ridge between Shavano and Tabeguache and sent another pin drop to his group that he was near the trail. Shortly after sending that message, the SAR group said the hiker was assaulted by a strong storm with freezing rain and high winds, causing him to become disoriented again and also leading to him losing cell service.

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About five hours later, at 9 p.m., the search and rescue teams were told the hiker hadnt returned. A drone pilot and two teams on foot were sent into the field from the Blanks Cabin Trailhead, finding the last known point the hiker had been on the ridge between Shavano and Tabeguache. Teams focused on clearing the standing route and the Shavano Lake drainage.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue  South shared images of a mission to find a missing hiker on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 near Mount Shavano.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue  South shared images of a mission to find a missing hiker on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 near Mount Shavano.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue  South shared images of a mission to find a missing hiker on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 near Mount Shavano.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue  South shared images of a mission to find a missing hiker on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 near Mount Shavano.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue  South shared images of a mission to find a missing hiker on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 near Mount Shavano.

Search teams battled high winds and freezing rains, making reaching the summit unsafe and preventing the drone operator from flying.

The aerial search was bolstered by a helicopter, but despite flying several search patterns throughout the area, pilots did not find artificial light apart from search teams anywhere on the mountain. The teams on foot remained in the field until 9 a.m. Saturday with no trace of the missing man.

A second search operation was organized for 10 a.m. Saturday, and as teams began to enter the field, the hiker regained enough cell service to call 911.

He was located above the North Fork drainage in the gully below Espirit Point. He told rescue workers he was very disoriented on his descent, falling at least 20 times while working his way toward the North Fork. However, on his last fall, the hiker was unable to get back up.

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Rescue workers were able to extract the hiker safely. His health was stabilized before he was transported to a hospital for further care, according to Chaffee County SAR.

This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911. Though he was located in a tertiary search area, it would have been some time before teams made it to that location on their own, Chaffee County Search and Rescue South said.

The agency reminded hikers to always hike with a partner, pack bright clothing and remember to pack the 10 essentials for the trail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Officials urge community to prepare for sea level rise with major consequences: 'Impacts are already being seen and felt'

Residents of a Northern California county are being warned that environmental changes as a result of human-caused global heating will soon be felt by citizens if no adaptation processes are implemented.

What's happening?

According to the Marin Independent Journal, a report from the Marin County Civil Grand Jury in San Francisco has advised that every city and town needs to be prepared for rising sea levels.

The publication cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that suggests sea levels will rise by one foot in the San Francisco Bay Area by 2050. The Jury is now calling for protection efforts to be prioritized, as water levels are already impacting local areas.

"The consequences of sea level rise will not suddenly bubble up in 2050 in Marin, or elsewhere," the Jury's report said. "Impacts are already being seen and felt and they will become even more apparent and damaging over the coming years."

A study from the Transportation Authority of Marin's board of commissioners has identified 19 areas that are particularly vulnerable, including Marin City, Bel Marin Keys, the Hamilton wetlands, and Highways 37 and 101.

"Marin is facing 10-12 inches of sea level rise in the span of 26 years," the study observed. "But the water has already arrived. Marin residents have been experiencing sea level rise and related tidal flooding in Corte Madera, Marin City, Mill Valley, and Sausalito, among other towns. This trend will only increase in frequency and intensity over the coming years."

Why is sea-level rise concerning?

Rising sea levels, as NASA points out, are caused by two main factors related to increasing global temperatures: melting ice-caps and ice sheets, and the expansion of water under heat  and they can result in untold damage among communities.

Homes, businesses, infrastructure, and roads can all experience significant damage or total destruction, while flooding can also lead to a number of human health risks. If flood water reaches sewage plants or waste management sites, this can result in contaminated water that can cause sickness for anyone who comes into contact with it. Saltwater intrusion and contamination can also make domestic water supplies unusable.

Some communities will be more affected than others, and it's often low-income families who are most at risk from flooding itself  and find it harder to rebuild their lives after it.

What's being done about rising sea levels?

In Marin County, officials are looking to send sea-level protection funding to the communities most at risk first. The Marin Independent Journal also noted that the Grand Jury is seeking support from state and federal legislators to create a specific agency to deal with these challenges.

But, as NASA detailed, rising sea levels are encouraged by human-caused global heating. That means we can all play a part in protecting coastal communities on the front line of this impending disaster.

While local and national governments are responsible for implementing meaningful pollution reduction efforts and programs, our individual decisions can make a difference, too.

Ditching the car in favor of a bike or using public transport can reduce the planet-warming pollution we release into the atmosphere, as can utilizing renewable sources of energy and reducing our weekly consumption of meat and dairy products.

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.
A Roslindale bull which had been missing for over a month was finally caught by authorities on Tuesday.

The brown and white bovine was reported missing on June 22 in the area of Stella and Harding Road.

Boston Animal Control says the bull evaded capture and had been on the lam ever since, hiding in the thick brush for weeks. He was finally spotted on August 20, which is when wildlife officials devised a plan for his capture.

A temporary pen was installed in the area where the bull was spotted, providing the animal with food and water. As the wayward bovine was lured inward, Boston Animal Care and Control (BACC) closed the pen shut.

After securing the animal, the BACC reached out to the Nevins Farm Equine and Farm Animal Rescue Team, who assisted with loading the bull into a trailer.

The bull was then moved to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm where he will be cared for until he finds an adoptive home.

Details on his adoption availability will be released in the coming days.

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Watch a previous NBC4 report on Ohios name-change law in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A Republican running to keep his Ohio House seat could be kicked off the ballot by a state law that also disqualified a transgender candidate for omitting their former legal name.

The Mahoning County Board of Elections voted 2-2 on Aug. 15 on whether to allow Rep. Tex Fischer (R-Boardman) on the ballot after the countys Democratic Party argued he should be removed for failing to include his former name, Austin James Fischer, on filing paperwork. The 28-year-old representative changed his legal name in 2020 to Austin James Texford Fischer when he began going by Tex.

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The decision has now been punted to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, whose office told NBC4 it has received the notice from the countys board of elections. The spokesperson said LaRoses team is currenting reviewing the matter, but does not have a date for when a decision will be made.

The Mahoning County Democratic Party cited Ohio revised code that requires Statehouse candidates who change their name within five years to submit their statement of candidacy and nominating petition with their current and former name. Fischers party nomination form submitted to the countys board of elections shows that he only included his current name.

Rep. Tex Fischer changed his legal name in 2020 to Austin James Texford Fischer. (State Rep. Tex Fischer/Facebook)

However, Curt Hartman, Fischers attorney, argued during the Aug. 15 meeting that the name-change law only requires a candidate to provide their current and former name on documents like a statement of candidacy and a nomination petition, and not on a party nomination form.

Fischer, who is running against Democrat Laura Schaeffer to represent House District 59, only needed to sign a party nomination form because he was appointed in June to take over the seat of another representative who was named to the Ohio Senate. This meant Fischer was able to forego the primary process, also allowing him to skip completing traditional paperwork like the statement of candidacy and nomination petition.

The law puts no requirement that the [party nomination] form include any former names of the person selected by the political party, said Hartman. That is not a statement of candidacy or a petition; those are the forms that require the inclusion of prior names.

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Still, Corey Colombo, the attorney representing the countys Democratic Party, noted the law has been used to question the legitimacy of trans candidates also running for the Ohio House. Vanessa Joy, a Stark County Democrat, was disqualified from running in House District 50 for not including her deadname  the name a trans person was assigned at birth but does not align with their gender identity  on her nomination petition. While Joy appealed her disqualification, the board of elections voted to keep her off the ballot.

Bobbie Arnold, a West Alexandria trans candidate, had her possible disqualification dismissed by the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Ari Faber, an Athens County trans candidate, is cleared to run for an Ohio Senate seat but must use his deadname since he has not legally changed it.

LGBTQ candidates were not certified to the ballot because they did not include their former names on their paperwork, Colombo said during the meeting. At that time, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said it is important for people to disclose who they are and any former identity so the voters know who is asking to be put on the ballot.

Hartman shot back, noting that the law was clearly applicable because those candidates were seeking a partys nomination during a primary election and were required to include their current and former names on their statement of candidacy and nomination petition. Hartman reiterated that Fisher, as an appointed representative, was able to skip that process and didnt need to complete those forms.

Fischer also has the backing of an unlikely supporter: Arienne Childrey, another trans candidate who was nearly disqualified from running as a Democrat in House District 84 due to the name-change law. In a release, Childrey said Fischer should not be removed from the ballot over this issue.

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While Rep. Fischer and I likely hold differing views on many policy matters, its clear that this provision is outdated and needs reform, Childrey said. Candidates should be able to compete based on their ideas and policies, not be disqualified by selectively enforced rules that no longer serve the interests of Ohio voters.

As Ohios name-change law has come under the spotlight again, dueling bills have been introduced to deal with the matter. Two Republican lawmakers running against Childrey and Arnold introduced legislation to allow any eligible voter, regardless of party affiliation, to formally protest a political partys candidate, while current law only allows an individual to challenge a candidate who is part of their same party.

The other bill introduced by Democrats would amend the former name requirement, adding an exemption from disclosure if the change of name was granted by any court in the state of Ohio. The bill would also add space to Ohios Declaration of Candidacy form so that candidates who are required to provide previous names used in the last five years will have space to do so.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
This fall, all 99 seats in Ohios House of Representatives are up for election. Voters should be seeing an exciting, unpredictable campaign season unfold, with candidates vying to address their needs.

Thats not happening. Because of the way the powerful lawmakers and political insiders drew the district lines, victory is all but guaranteed for many candidates, months before Election Day.

This is nothing new for Ohio voters, and theyve had enough.

This summer, 535,005 voters backed a ballot initiative to remove gerrymandering from Ohio politics for good. The measure has qualified to be Issue 1 in November, but politicians have put an obstacle in its way: A distorted and deceptive description of the measure that will appear on the ballot.

On Monday, Citizens Not Politicians  the coalition behind the initiative  sued for accurate language. My organization, the Brennan Center for Justice, is a member of the coalition.

Of course, Ohio isnt the only state subject to extreme gerrymandering. Voters in a handful of other states will see races on the 2024 ballot that are already all but decided because politicians controlled the map-making process and used it to guarantee their own political futures.

In our democracy, it is perhaps the clearest example of letting foxes guard hen houses. We shouldnt let the legislators who benefit most from gerrymandering draw district maps.

In Ohio, the Citizens Not Politicians ballot initiative would address this problem and take the power to draw district maps away from the states most powerful politicians and give it to an independent commission made up of Ohio citizens.

This constitutional amendment, if approved, would end secret backroom negotiations to carve up the state and handshake deals between political power brokers and lobbyists. Instead, Ohio voters who do not stand to personally gain from mapping outcomes would draw districts that represent community preferences as opposed to politicians desires.

It would allow elections to respond to ebbs and flows in partisan preferences so that when voters swing toward Republicans or Democrats election results do as well  something Ohio hasnt had in at least 15 years.

To make this a reality, the commission would do its business in full public view with direct input from Ohioans, a significant and necessary departure from the status quo. Not so long ago, politicians, partisan operatives and lobbyists worked in a secret hotel room dubbed the Bunker, drawing district maps that carved up the state to incumbents advantage.

Even after public outcry forced politicians in Ohio to amend the constitution in 2015 and 2018, those changes amounted to little difference at the end of the day. The same politicians kept the redistricting pen. And as before, maps continued to be drawn in secret and unveiled at the last possible moment, at times as public hearings were already underway.

Put simply, Ohio lawmakers have proven repeatedly that they will stop at nothing to gerrymander the state and insulate themselves from voters.

In 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court ordered lawmakers to redraw their district maps in a lawsuit brought by the Brennan Center on behalf of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and other groups in the state. These maps carved up communities and did not reflect the partisan preferences of Ohio voters, a violation of the Ohio constitution. Instead of complying with the highest court in the state, the politicians in control of redistricting ignored the order, producing maps that had superficial differences but made no attempts to comply with the law.

The court rejected those maps, and once again, the lawmakers defied the order. In total, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down district maps seven times between 2022 and 2023 to no avail. For the 2022 election, Ohio voters used unconstitutional maps that the Ohio Supreme Court struck down. Current district maps in place for 2024 are no better.

The Ohioans who signed the petition on behalf of the ballot measure represent both parties, independents and all parts of the state. They want to break the cycle of unjust maps, once and for all. They want to decide who represents them in the legislature and Congress.

They want their votes to matter.

Yurij Rudensky is deputy director of the Brennan Centers Redistricting program, where he focuses primarily on advancing fair and equitable representation through litigation, policy reform, and research. The Brennan Center is part of the Citizens Not Politicians coalition.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ohio US Sen. JD Vance has told some whoppers. Does it stick when he calls someone else a liar?

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 17: Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Since Vice President Kamala Harris on Aug. 6 tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance has been attacking Walzs credibility.

Vance has questioned Walzs honesty about his military service, and the artificial insemination method Walz and his wife used.

Why lie about it? Vance said to reporters last week when asked about Walzs statements conflating in-vitro fertilization with intrauterine insemination.

The former method was not the one used by Walz and his wife, and it is opposed by some in the anti-abortion movement. The latter was used by Tim and Gwen Walz and is favored by abortion foes because it doesnt result in the destruction of embryos that are fertilized outside the uterus.

Doctors told the Associated Press that patients and their partners often confuse the processes.

But there are two other questions beside whether Walz deliberately or inadvertently misspoke: When he accuses somebody else of being a liar, is Vance a hypocrite? And if he is, does it matter?

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Hes gone from subscribing to human-caused climate change to doubting it even though the overwhelming majority of scientists who study it say its a catastrophic and growing problem.

Vance once compared former President Donald Trump to Hitler. Now hes running for vice president on Trumps ticket.

In 2016, he warned Trump against falsely claiming election fraud. Then in 2022 when he was running for the U.S. Senate, Vance himself started lying about election fraud.

He even tells mistruths about basic details of his background. In fundraising emails, Vance says, I grew up in the small town of Middletown, Ohio.

Its actually a city of 47,000. The Census Bureau defines small towns as those with fewer than 5,000 people or  about one-tenth the size of Vances home city.

And then theres the fact that Vance is on a ticket with Trump, who is likely the most prolifically mendacious president in U.S. history.

So when Vance accuses Walz of not telling the truth, he might open himself to charges of hypocrisy.

So far, Vances attacks on Walzs credibility dont seem to have gotten much traction. But thats probably not because Republican voters have decided that Vance is a hypocrite and not worth listening to, one expert said. In these hyper-partisan times, truth is in the ear of the listener, he explained.

No matter how you slice or dice it, unless theyve been caught red-handed, and that evidence is clear and convincing and compelling, partisans will still believe that their preferred politician didnt do something wrong, University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said in an interview last week. Politicians can get away with a lot because their partisans will believe them.

And that applies to politicians who accuse others of lying even when they frequently do so themselves, Rottinghaus said.

These things are independent of one another. Accusing someone else of being a liar has no effect on other people accusing you of being a liar, he said. People live in their own political worlds and will believe what their fellow partisans are telling them.

That means the more polarized we become, the further we drift from a shared sense of truth.

You can live in a world where you believe Donald Trump is an honest person, Rottinghaus said. You can also live in a world where Donald Trump says other people are liars. And those things can both be true in your mind and thats because partisanship has cemented those pathways. People are living in their own partisan political fantasy world.

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Ohio US Sen. JD Vance has told some whoppers. Does it stick when he calls someone else a liar?

U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio speaks at a campaign event at the North Carolina Aviation Museum in Asheboro on August 21, 2024. (Photo by Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

Since Vice President Kamala Harris on Aug. 6 tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance has been attacking Walzs credibility.

Vance has questioned Walzs honesty about his military service, and the artificial insemination method Walz and his wife used.

Why lie about it? Vance said to reporters last week when asked about Walzs statements conflating in-vitro fertilization with intrauterine insemination.

The former method was not the one used by Walz and his wife, and it is opposed by some in the anti-abortion movement. The latter was used by Tim and Gwen Walz and is favored by abortion foes because it doesnt result in the destruction of embryos that are fertilized outside the uterus.

Doctors told the Associated Press that patients and their partners often confuse the processes.

But there are two other questions beside whether Walz deliberately or inadvertently misspoke: When he accuses somebody else of being a liar, is Vance a hypocrite? And if he is, does it matter?

On the campaign trail, Vance has certainly told some of what Mark Twain called stretchers.

Hes gone from subscribing to human-caused climate change to doubting it even though the overwhelming majority of scientists who study it say its a catastrophic and growing problem.

Vance once compared former President Donald Trump to Hitler. Now hes running for vice president on Trumps ticket.

In 2016, he warned Trump against falsely claiming election fraud. Then in 2022 when he was running for the U.S. Senate, Vance himself started lying about election fraud.

He even tells mistruths about basic details of his background. In fundraising emails, Vance says, I grew up in the small town of Middletown, Ohio.

Its actually a city of 47,000. The Census Bureau defines small towns as those with fewer than 5,000 people or  about one-tenth the size of Vances home city.

And then theres the fact that Vance is on a ticket with Trump, who is likely the most prolifically mendacious president in U.S. history.

So when Vance accuses Walz of not telling the truth, he might open himself to charges of living in a glass house and throwing stones.

So far, Vances attacks on Walzs credibility dont seem to have gotten much traction. But thats probably not because Republican voters have decided that Vance is a hypocrite and not worth listening to, one expert said. In these hyper-partisan times, truth is in the ear of the listener, he explained.

No matter how you slice or dice it, unless theyve been caught red-handed, and that evidence is clear and convincing and compelling, partisans will still believe that their preferred politician didnt do something wrong, University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said in an interview last week. Politicians can get away with a lot because their partisans will believe them.

And that applies to politicians who accuse others of lying even when they frequently do so themselves, Rottinghaus said.

These things are independent of one another. Accusing someone else of being a liar has no effect on other people accusing you of being a liar, he said. People live in their own political worlds and will believe what their fellow partisans are telling them.

Depressingly, that means the more polarized we become, the further we drift from a shared sense of truth.

You can live in a world where you believe Donald Trump is an honest person, Rottinghaus said. You can also live in a world where Donald Trump says other people are liars. And those things can both be true in your mind and thats because partisanship has cemented those pathways. People are living in their own partisan political fantasy world.

This report was first published by the Ohio Capital Journal, which like NC Newsline, is part of the national States Newsroom network.
Victor Osimhen Prefers Chelsea Move Over Saudi Arabia  Whats Next for the Nigerian Striker?

Victor Osimhens potential move to Chelsea is gathering momentum as the Nigerian striker appears ready to snub a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia. Napoli and Al-Ahli reportedly reached a deal, but Osimhen, through his agent Roberto Calenda, emphasized his commitment to staying in Europe, stating that the striker has much more to offer. As reported by iNews.

Chelseas Opportunity to Secure Osimhen

Chelsea have been interested in Osimhen for some time, and this could be the perfect moment to strike a deal. With a few players expected to depart Stamford Bridge, the Blues could raise the necessary funds to meet Napolis demands while adhering to Premier League financial regulations. Osimhens admiration for Chelsea, and his desire to emulate Didier Drogba, makes this an enticing prospect for both the player and the club.

Competition and Potential Bidding War

However, the road to securing Osimhen is not without competition. PSG remain a strong contender and are expected to re-enter the fray before the transfer window closes. With Arsenal and Manchester United also monitoring the situation, Chelsea might face a late bidding war, although the latter two clubs are unlikely to make formal offers.

The Waiting Game

For now, it seems that Chelsea hold the advantage. But with the transfer window closing soon, they must act quickly if they want to secure their marquee signing. If they succeed, it would not only bolster their attack but also signal their intent to compete at the highest level this season.

Our View  EPL Index Analysis

Here is a player who embodies everything theyve been missing in recent years  pace, power, and a natural instinct for goal-scoring. Imagine Osimhen leading the line, channelling his inner Didier Drogba, terrorizing defences across the Premier League. This is the stuff of dreams for any Chelsea Fan.

Osimhens desire to join Chelsea, rather than chasing riches in Saudi Arabia, speaks volumes about his ambition and hunger for success at the highest level. His track record in Serie A, where hes been nothing short of sensational, suggests he could be the final piece in the puzzle for the Blues.

The competition is fierce, and with PSG lurking in the background, this could come down to a nail-biting finish. However, if theres one thing we know about Chelsea, its that when they want someone, they go all out to get them.
Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport is rebranding. What will the new name mean?

A statue of comedian and cowboy Will Rogers is pictured July 26 at the soon-to-be-renamed OKC Will Rogers International Airport.

The Oklahoma City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to rename Will Rogers World Airport to OKC Will Rogers International Airport.

The renaming is meant to modernize the airport while allowing it to continue commemorating the legacy of comedian Will Rogers and his enthusiasm for Oklahoma's aviation industry.

Airports Director Jeff Mulder told councilmembers that the Oklahoma City Airports Trust was recommending the revamp after research showed that "OKC" had become a brand with international recognition.

"We will be, upon approval, going through an implementation process, and, of course, this will take some time," Mulder said. "The (current) logo is in lots of different locations, all over the place at the airport, but we will begin an effort here ... to transition to this new logo and brand. It will ultimately include some billboards and, over time, a lot of our branded things like our shuttles will begin that process to transition them to this new name and this new logo."

The new logo includes a stylized "K" with curves inspired by the swooping designs on the airplane flown by Rogers and aviator Wiley Post.

Related: OKC Council being asked to approve name change, rebranding for Will Rogers World Airport

Name change comes amid changes at airport, ahead of 2028 Olympics

The rebranding effort coincides with the airport trust updating its website and construction of a Federal Inspection Station at the airport that will be staffed by Customs and Border Protection. The city is home to Guatemalan and Mexican consulates, and airport officials previously had discussed looking at southbound destinations as airlines add more connections to Mexico.

It also coincides with ongoing discussions regarding plans for Oklahoma City to host canoe and softball events for the 2028 Olympics.

Will Rogers World Airport buses are pictured July 26 in Oklahoma City.

The airport finished in 2021 expanding its terminal, which included a gate and boarding bridge to accommodate international flights. More recent construction also has included space on the lower level of the terminal where international passengers are to be cleared for entry into the country.

The new branding also will update the colors to align with the palette used in Matt Goads terrazzo murals in the east terminal expansion area, as well as the stone, wood and tile used in the decor of the rebuilt airport terminal. Branding also will feature the scissortail flycatcher, Oklahoma's state bird.

Beginning last September, consultants with Nominee Design gathered survey responses from more than 6,000 people, including local residents, city officials and stakeholders throughout the state. Based on the feedback, consultants recommended that the name "Will Rogers" remain; that "International" should replace "World" to be more in-line with industry standards; and that "OKC" be incorporated within the name due to its frequent use by travelers and industry professionals in reference to the airport.

Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City will become OKC Will Rogers International Airport.

All councilmembers were supportive of the rebrand, although some, including Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice and Ward 4 Councilman Todd Stone, expressed nostalgia for the unique "World" part of the airport's name, which had been in place for several decades.

"I love the 'OKC' branding on the front of it  I think that's fantastic," Stone said. "I wish it was going to remain 'World Airport,' just because it's different."

More: Will Rogers World Airport could see support for nonstop flights through state grant funds.

But Ward 3 Councilwoman Barbara Peck, who was appointed to the airports trust in 2021, took a different stance, saying that the inclusion of "International" signified the airport was leveling up.

"I do think it puts our airport in a class that is different than what it has been in the past, with the development of international flights and the monies that we have put into that, and to really have that opportunity to draw attention to that in a way that the aerospace industry understands," Peck said.

"When we're advertising this airport, it is to airlines, not just to consumers, to encourage them to come and bring more nonstop flights and bring international flights and bring all of those different amenities so that our consumers have more options," she added.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC airport to retain Will Rogers name in international rebranding
A voting booth is pictured Tuesday at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Oklahoma City. Voters across the state went to the polls to decide primary runoffs and other issues, like Oklahoma City's hotel tax proposal.

Oklahomans headed to the voting booth Tuesday to decide local issues like taxes, school bonds and legislative seats.

The next time Oklahomans will vote will be in the general election on Nov. 5, 2024.

Catch up with The Oklahoman's live coverage of Tuesday's primary election:

Live results: 2024 Oklahoma Primary Election Results

Unofficial results: Tulsa mayor race headed to November election

Tulsa's mayoral race will be decided in November as no candidate has earned more than 50% of the vote, unofficial voting totals show.

With 100% of precincts reporting, three candidates earned about 30% of the vote, but as the top two vote-getters percentages equal at least 50%, only those two candidates will face off in a runoff election on Nov. 5.

Moving on in November are Monroe Nichols with 18,729 votes or 33.10% and Karen Keith with 18,457 votes or 32.62%.

Close behind, Brent L. VanNorman had 18,019 votes or 31.84%.

Further behind, Casey Bradford had 2% of the vote and Kaleb Hoosier, John Jolley and Paul Tay each had less than 1%.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Unofficial results: OKC hotel tax passes

Unofficial voting results show Oklahoma City has approved raising the local hotel occupancy tax in an attempt to generate more funding for tourism promotion.

Votes for the proposition, or yes, were at 21,472 votes or 66.43% of the vote, with 99% of precincts reporting. Votes against the proposition, or no, were at 10,851 votes or 33.57%.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Oklahoma school bond election results: Handful of proposals fail, but some pass

School bond proposals on opposite ends of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area  in Guthrie and Purcell  passed by wide margins during Tuesdays election, but voters in the Blanchard, McLoud, Wellston and South Rock Creek districts rejected proposals.

Results of notable school bond proposals are here.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Election results: Legislative races shuffle incumbents

Oklahomans returned to the polls and Tuesday, firing the three state lawmakers who were forced into runoff elections and finalizing seven other races for the November ballot. In addition to the legislative elections, some voters saw bond and tax issues on their ballots.

Results of notable legislative races are here.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Tulsa mayoral results: Karen Keith, Monroe Nichols close as over half of precincts reporting

So far, unofficial voting totals place Karen Keith and Monroe Nichols in the lead in the Tulsa mayoral race.

With 57% of precincts reporting, Keith has 9,329 votes, or 33.24%. Nichols has 9,813 votes or 34.96%.

Behind them is Brent L. VanNorman with 8,344 votes or 29%.

Further behind, Casey Bradford has 2% of the vote and Kaleb Hoosier, John Jolley and Paul Tay each have less than 1%.

If no candidate earns more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday, the top vote-getters whose vote totals equal at least 50% will face off in a runoff election on Nov. 5.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Yes votes for OKC hotel tax leading with half precincts reporting

With over half of precincts reporting, voting totals show Oklahoma City in favor of raising the local hotel occupancy tax in an attempt to generate more funding for tourism promotion.

Votes for the proposition, or yes, were at 13,753 votes or 66% of the vote, with 63% of precincts reporting. Votes against the proposition, or no, were at 7,116 votes or 34%.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Tulsa mayor results: Absentee mail, early voting favor Karen Keith, Monroe Nichols

So far, mail-in and early voting totals place Karen Keith in the lead in the Tulsa mayoral race, with 2,439 votes, or 45%. Following is Monore Nichols with 1,746 votes or 32%, and Brent L. VanNorman with 1,061 votes or 20%.

Behind them, Casey Bradford has 2% of the vote and Kaleb Hoosier, John Jolley and Paul Tay each have less than 1%.

If no candidate earns more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday, the top vote-getters whose vote totals equal at least 50% will face off in a runoff election on Nov. 5.

-Cheyenne Derksen

OKC hotel tax: Mail-in, early voting leans toward passing proposition

So far, mail-in and early voting totals show Oklahoma City in favor of raising the local hotel occupancy tax in an attempt to generate more funding for tourism promotion.

Early voting and mail-in ballots voting for the proposition, or yes, were at 3,652 votes or 68%. Votes against the proposition, or no, were at 1,677 votes or 31%.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Polls closed, votes being tallied

Polls have now closed. Results are now being tabulated and will be updated online through the evening.

-Cheyenne Derksen

What are we voting on today?

Oklahoma City: Hotel occupancy tax

Tulsa: Mayoral election

Across the state: Runoff legislative elections. Each of these candidates were forced into a runoff when no candidate had a majority of votes in their partisan primary in June.

Across the state: School bond proposals

Across the state: Various city and county positions

Find a complete list of what your county will vote on here.

-Cheyenne Derksen

How to find a sample ballot for Oklahoma

To find a sample ballot for your precinct in Oklahoma, head to the OK Voter Portal and log in using your first and last names and date of birth.

-Cheyenne Derksen

Where do I vote in Oklahoma? Oklahoma Voter Portal

If you're not sure where your polling place is, or want to make sure it hasn't changed since the last time you voted, the address can be found by logging into the OK Voter Portal.

Polls open in Oklahoma

The polls opened at 7 a.m. today in Oklahoma and will close at 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma election results: Tulsa mayor going to runoff, OKC tax passes
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester announced the federal jury conviction of an Oklahoma man for the illegal possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction.

The conviction comes after a March 5, 2024 federal grand jury charging Thomas Larmar Brown, 46, of Oklahoma City with being a felon in possession of firearms.

Other Headlines

According to authorities, on August 18, 2024, Brown was convicted of the charge after trial testimony revealed on April 15, 2023, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) stopped Brown for a traffic violation on Interstate 40. Police confirm, a OHP trooper spotted a sheathed knife in the passenger seat then asked Brown, the driver, to exit the vehicle. Brown began to act erratically, and the trooper noticed a firearm holster on Browns hip. After the trooper drew his service pistol, Brown fled on foot and, once arrested, police found four firearms, twenty-nine loaded magazines, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Public record shows Brown has multiple previous felony convictions, including three counts of

infliction of corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant in cases filed in California State Court.

At sentencing, Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to life under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Oklahomans headed to the polls to decide primary runoff races, bond issues, OKC hotel/motel tax hike

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Voters headed to the polls Tuesday to vote on primary runoff races, school bond proposals, and increasing the hotel/motel tax in Oklahoma 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Although its still summer, winter weather is approaching sooner than we may want to consider.

Calling it the Great Winter Weather Reveal, the Old Farmers Almanac is sharing its annual predictions for what Mother Nature has in store for the Pacific Northwest and the rest of the U.S. for the 2024-2025 winter season.

Each section for its winter extended forecast reports on how cold winter is expected in that region and whether there will be snow, but the key to this extended winter outlook is one thing: How much La Nina could play a role.

Oregon and Washington are divided into two regions for the Old Farmers Almanac: The Pacific Northwest, which covers the western portion of the states up to the Cascades, and then the Intermountain area, which covers central and eastern Oregon and Washington through all of Idaho into some of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, most of Utah and even some of northern Arizona.

Farmers Almanac releases its 2024-2025 winter weather forecast for PNW

For the Intermountain West, Old Farmers Almanac forecasts a mild, snowy winter, adding that precipitation and snowfall will be average or above average throughout the Intermountain Region. The snowiest periods will fall in mid-November, early and late January, and mid-March.

However, residents in these areas wont have to brace too much for cold temps, since Old Farmers Almanac predicts above-normal temperatures. The coldest periods are in late November and late January, according to the forecast.

For the Pacific Northwest, which spans from the Canadian border to northern California, it depends on where you live, according to the Old Farmers Almanac.

Sick of summer? NOAA releases fall weather predictions for the Pacific Northwest

Precipitation and snowfall will be above average in the north and below average in the south, the forecast said. The snowiest periods will be in late December, early January, and early February.

As for how cold it could be, again, it all depends on where you live in the region.

Winter temperatures will be colder than normal in the north and warmer in the south, the forecast says. The coldest periods will fall in early and late January and early March.

So how accurate is this extended winter forecast?

KOIN 6 Meteorologist Kelley Bayern says the extended winter forecast from the Old Farmers Almanac seems on par with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations climate prediction center outlook for the winter, which is calling for La Nina conditions.

These predictions revolve around sea surface temperature observations, which tend to correlate with large-scale winter patterns across the globe, Bayern said. In La Nina winters, our weather in the Pacific Northwest tends to turn more wet and cool, with snowy conditions in the Cascades.

La Nina watch is officially on: How will it affect Oregon?

The cold, snowy part of Old Farmers Almanacs map extended into Oregon.

Does this mean snow in Portland this winter? Theres a higher chance for it in La Nina winters, Bayern said, before adding, But only time will tell.

Stay with KOIN 6s Weather Team as we transition into the fall and winter months for your latest forecast.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
The world map, which was in the former airport for 60 years, has been reinstalled in the Concourse B Plaza at the new Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City. It will be open to the public when Phase 3 opens Oct. 22. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

An iconic piece of the old Salt Lake City International Airport has a new home inside the new facility for passengers to see later this year.

A team of masons completed the reinstallation of the airport's 64-year-old World Map this summer, adding it to the entrance of Concourse B from the new Central Tunnel, which is set to open on Oct. 22 along with five new gates.

"This is kind of a continuity of history," said Chandler McClellan, construction deputy program director for the airport's redevelopment program, as he stood on the World Map Monday. "We want people to feel and see what was here originally."

Becoming a focal point

The map dates to about 1960, three years before the facility officially became Salt Lake City International Airport. The architectural firm Ashton, Evans and Brazier designed the massive 38-foot-by-38-foot map; stoneworker Julius Bartoli constructed it out of terrazzo so it could be placed inside what was then a new airport terminal. It ultimately serves as a bit of a time capsule from this era because it features one of the airline's existing routes as of 1960.

It would also go on to become a beloved feature of the airport for 60 years.

Placed near the entrance of the old terminal, many families  especially families of Latter-day Saint missionaries  would stand by where a loved one was headed to or coming from. Parents would show children places they flew to and children would run up to a country and pretend they were eating in that country, airport officials fondly remember.

It was the "focal point" of the airport, former airport police Chief Craig Vargo once recalled.

"Anyone who was coming to the airport could say, 'Meet me at the World Map,' and anyone who had been to the airport would know exactly where to go," he said, in a history of the facility compiled by airport officials.

The World Map inside the old Salt Lake City International Airport facility is pictured in 2020 before it was extracted as the building was torn down. | Salt Lake City International Airport

Yet, its fate was left in question as work began on a new airport facility in 2014  and getting it done turned into a major technological feat.

An arduous task to save the map

Project officials weren't confident they could save the map, airport spokeswoman Nancy Volmer said.

Jake Bingham, project manager for Finn Wall Specialities, explained the company couldn't find any record of a terrazzo preservation extraction project quite like what was required. Its total weight and the fragile nature of the artwork required it to be taken out in pieces.

"Just the taking it and moving it out in pieces and then putting it back in  that had never been done," he said, adding that he figured his company would have to build a replica of it if airport officials wanted it so badly.

However, how construction crews installed Bartoli's map proved to be the factor that saved the map from being destroyed.

IMS Masonry was called in to extract pieces of the terrazzo flooring outside of the map. Masons found that a bond-separating slip sheet was used between the terrazzo and the floor, which made it possible to extract the map without destroying it, said John Kunz, project manager for IMS Masonry.

So in late 2020, months after the old airport closed, crews came in and began work to salvage the map.

"Once we got the first piece, it was a breath of fresh air," he said. "Once we did that, I knew that we had it, and we could extract it."

The team broke it off into 75 pieces  each about 4 feet by 4 feet in size and 400 pounds in weight  in a way that it could be seamed back together and repolished once the construction crews were ready to build an extension to Concourse B.

John Kunz, IMS Masonry project manager, Chandler McClellan, airport redevelopment program construction deputy director, and Jake Bingham, Finn Wall Specialties project manager, talk Monday about moving the world map, which was in the former airport for 60 years and was reinstalled in the Concourse B Plaza at the new Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City. It will be open to the public when Phase 3 opens on Oct. 22. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Those pieces remained in storage until earlier this year when the map was reinstalled by a set of escalators at the northern end of the Central Tunnel. Because of its size and location, it required additional work to the frame of the building so the building could support the map's weight, McClellan said.

"It was an arduous task," Bingham added. "It's something that I wondered, at times, if it could be done. But here it is and we're on it. It's complete."

An old, but new center attraction

McClellan believes all that work will be worth it.

The World Map is one of a few new art installations passengers will notice in the Concourse B expansion. It is surrounded by a second canyon wall art piece similar to the art installation in Concourse A leading to the Central Tunnel.

The world map on Monday. It was a feature of the former airport for 60 years and was reinstalled in the Concourse B Plaza at the new Salt Lake City International Airport. It will be open to the public when Phase 3 opens on Oct. 22. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

The Central Tunnel itself is an art feature replicating rivers that flow through Utah's canyon walls. There are a few other outdoors-themed art elements planned out for this section of the growing airport.

Once open, McClellan expects that many  especially those who remember the old airport  will fall in love with the World Map once again.

The lions share of people coming out (to Concourse B) will take (the Central Tunnel) and see this right here, he said, pointing down at the map. It really is the center attraction of this facility, in my opinion.
BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)The state, Steward Health Care, and the companys lenders and creditors need to take action to lessen the devastation that the looming closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer is having, and will continue have, on people who live in the central Massachusetts region, the expert monitoring patient care at the bankrupt companys hospitals urged in a new report.

Suzanne Koenig, a health care management consultant, urged in a supplemental report filed late Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the parties involved keep Nashoba Valleys emergency department open for an additional 30 days, or at least provide funding so an ambulance could be stationed outside the closed emergency room for at least a week after it closes this Saturday morning.

Report: Plan to rescue Steward Hospitals may cost $700 million

Nashoba is a community fixture that has provided healthcare to residents for over fifty years. It is the sole emergency department (ED) within a thirty-minute radius in a community with limited paramedics and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and no public transportation, Koenig, who is also a senior living facility owner, wrote in her report.

She said the closure of Nashoba Valley will turn a five-minute trip to an emergency department into a half-hour drive, effectively taking EMS workers out of service for an additional 45 minutes during the return trip. She said area EMS providers have staffed the area for short trips for emergency care, counting on access to Nashoba Valleys ER.

In addition to limiting the availability of EMS personnel, the EDs in other communities are not staffed or equipped to absorb the former Nashoba patients. This toxic combination of delayed EMS response times and overtaxed EDs will lead to dire results for patients needing emergency care, she wrote.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services did not respond to questions from the News Service related to Koenigs report, whether the state was receptive to her requests, and the states efforts to ensure people served by the closing hospitals know where else to seek care.

The News Service caught up with Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein as he left an unrelated event at the State House on Tuesday. He said he has been in frequent contact with Koenig and said the report shows that shes doing her job, which is to support the communities and make sure that everyone has resources for care. The commissioner said DPH is really engaged in similar work.

Ive been talking to the fire chiefs in Nashoba Valley and surrounding towns for weeks now. Were thinking through ways that we can support emergency medical services and pre-hospital care, talking to hospitals in the area  Emerson Hospital, UMass and Health Alliance. So I think we all have the same goal, which is support pre-hospital care and emergency medical services, he said.

Steward said last month that it did not get any satisfactory bids for Nashoba Valley or Carney Hospital in Dorchester, and announced that the two facilities would close by the end of August. The Ayer hospital is slated to be shut down for good at 7 a.m. on Aug. 31, Koenig said, adding that she will file a further report regarding the closure upon its conclusion.

Steward is in the process of transferring or discharging patients at Nashoba, Koenig said. Citing continuity of care concerns, the ombudsman added a footnote to her report to point out the need for Steward to present a clear plan for (a) transferring, storing and accessing historical patient records and, most importantly, (b) providing assistance to patients to find alternative healthcare providers.

The Ombudsman is working closely with the Debtors on these matters, Koenig said.

She asked that the parties who have financial and political stakes in the messy Steward saga find a way to keep the ER open for an extra month, or to post an ambulance there after closure so anyone who rushes there expecting care can at least be stabilized and transported elsewhere.

I am cognizant of the myriad of issues in these cases and the various stakeholders desires to maximize their recoveries. Notwithstanding, the Nashoba closure is devastating to the community and the patients who rely on this hospital and the ED. The patient population served by Nashoba played no role in the decisions that ultimately lead to the closure of Nashoba, she said. While the Ombudsman is hopeful that the Commonwealth arrives at a solution to reopen the hospital in the coming months, the Ombudsman requests that all parties carefully consider the inevitable outcomes of this expedited closure on the most vulnerable of the community and come together to provide for a basic level of interim services while the affected community adjusts to the closure of Nashoba.

EOHHS also did not respond to News Service questions about any conversations around reopening Nashoba Valley after it closes. Koenig said in her report that Sen. Ed Kennedy, who represents nearby Pepperell and Dunstable, mentioned during a public hearing on the Nashoba Valley closure that he was working with others onplans to fund a reopening of Nashoba with support from the Commonwealth.

What Ive done is Ive had a few conversations with Commissioner Goldstein and with some of the administrators at other nearby hospitals to see if there was interest in them taking over the hospital, Kennedy told the News Service on Tuesday. And for me, I think the major issue is the geography. If you take that community hospital and shut it down, its a long way to get emergency services out there.

Kennedy said there has been interest among other hospital operators in taking over at least some of Nashoba Valleys services, but said his sense is they want to wait for the facility to close pursuant to the bankruptcy process before potentially being revived. He said the Legislature could have a few opportunities to consider funding related to a Nashoba Valley revival if or when it takes up a stalled economic development bill and a pending supplemental budget.

If funding was going to be the major roadblock, I think it doesnt need to be, he said.

Koenig was tapped in May to serve as patient care ombudsman for Stewards hospitals in Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Miami-Dade County in Florida. She is also keeping an eye on the closure of the Carney, but said she was not similarly requesting that the Dorchester hospitals ER remain open for an extra month in part because there appears to be closer options for these patients to receive alternative healthcare service.

But she did urge that an ambulance be posted up outside Carneys ER for at least a week after closure, too.

Over the weekend, the Ombudsman was informed that a patient walked into the ED with a gun shot wound needing attention. It is incidents such as this one justifying the cost of having an ambulance stationed at the ED entrances for Carney and Nashoba for at least seven days, she said.

Goldstein said it is important for people, particularly in Dorchester and Ayer, to know that DPH has been engaged in this work for many weeks, really, many months; that we have been working with all of the local providers, the community health centers, the emergency medical providers; that we are watching and were carefully engaged in this and on the ground; and we will continue to do so even after the hospitals close.

Were not going to walk away from this responsibility, the commissioner said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
One dead, one flown from Centre County crash after hitting utility pole

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)  A State College man was pronounced dead and his passenger was flown to a hospital after crashing into a utility pole, state police report.

The crash happened on SR 45 (Earlystown Road) in Potter Township Aug. 12 at around 3:51 a.m., State police said. 25-year-old Corey Fike was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee when it left the lane of travel and struck a utility pole.

The Jeep proceeded to roll over multiple times before coming to rest. Both Fike and the passenger, a 20-year-old woman, were thrown from the vehicle.

Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices.

Troopers said Fike was rushed to Penn Highlands where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The woman was flown to UPMC Williamsport with serious injuries.

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HEBER CITY, Utah (ABC4)  A motorcyclist was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Heber City on Monday night, Aug. 26, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

According to UHP, a motorcyclist was traveling north on US-189 near milepost 17 just before 9 p.m. when a Honda Civic cut in front of them. The motorcyclist, who was only identified as a 30-year-old male, wasnt able to stop in time and was thrown from the bike at 60 miles per hour.

TOP STORY: Students wearing blackface at southern Utah football game awarded school spirit prize, parent claims

The Honda was turning onto US-189 from 2400 S when this occurred, UHP says. The male was flown to an area hospital in serious condition. He was conscious and breathing at the scene.

The occupant of the Honda Civic was not injured and remained on the scene, cooperating with UHP.

According to officials, US-189 and 2400 S. have since been reopened.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  One man is dead, and three others are hospitalized after a shooting at Sioux Falls Park. It happened late Sunday afternoon.

Investigators were still at Dunham Park on the citys west side today, collecting evidence and processing the scene. The person who was shot to death is identified as 29-year-old Josh Allen Jr. of Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls Police say the call came in around 4:30 p.m. Sunday after a bunch of people met up at the park.

We had a large group of people that gathered there, said police spokesman Sam Clemens. We believe that everybody knew each other. We are not sure of the purpose of exactly why they gathered together, but we know that they all met there. Something happened, and then gunshots happened after that.

Two of the three other men wounded in the shooting suffered life-threatening injuries. A 27-year-old man from Sioux Falls was shot several times in the legs and torso and a 40-year-old was hit in the face. A 26-year-old was hit in the shoulder but his injuries are not considered life-threatening. The victims were all taken to the hospital by friends.

Dakota State students have hot start to school year

Avera Hospital was locked down for a short time on Sunday.

Releasing a statement that said in part Out of an abundance of caution, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center put in place access restrictions around 5:10 Sunday evening following an incident in the community.



Police Chief Jon Thum says some people know exactly what led up to the shooting.



Three people in the hospital, one person deceased, it is important that that is accounted for and that people cooperate and use crime stoppers if they feel comfortable to provide us information, said Thum.



Shell casings found at the scene indicate there were multiple handguns used in the shooting. Police wont say if they have recovered any of the weapons.

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Work is a grind for some but can be a fulfilling endeavor for others.

For most folks though its just a way to pay the bills and feed their families.

There are many types of companies to work for in South Carolina, but some are better than others. Be it higher pay, more benefits or quality working conditions, some companies just have more to offer.

But how can you know which employers are the best without getting hired there first?

Global media company Forbes recently partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 160,000 employees working for companies with at least 500 people in all 50 states and the district of Columbia. The workers were asked if they would recommend their employer to others and to evaluate that employer on a scale of zero to 10. Workers were also asked to evaluate employers theyd worked for within the past two years, and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who worked there.

Companies that received the highest scores in each state made the list.

Below are the 10 best South Carolina companies to work for in 2024.

Roper St. Francis

Industry: Healthcare & social services

Founded: 1829

Headquarters: Charleston

CEO and President: Megan Baker

Employees: 6,000

Michelin Group

Industry: Automotive (automotive and suppliers)

Founded: 1889

Headquarters: Clermont-Ferrand (Location in Greenville)

CEO: Florent Menegaux

Employees: 132,500

Rock Hill Schools York County District 3

Industry: Education

Founded: 1900

Headquarters: Rock Hill

Superintendent: Tommy Schmolze

Employees: 2,400

University of South Carolina

Industry: Education

Student population: 35,471

Headquarters: Columbia

President: Michael Amiridis

Employees: 15,000

MUSC Health

Industry: Healthcare and social services

Founded: 1824

Headquarters: Charleston

CEO: Patrick J. Cawley

Employees: 26,000

Conway Medical Center

Industry: Healthcare and social services

Founded: 1928

Headquarters: Conway

CEO: Brian Argo

Employees: 1,500

AnMed Health

Industry: Healthcare and Social Services

Founded: 1908

Headquarters: Anderson

CEO: William Kenley

Employees: 3,600

Movement Mortgage

Industry: Banking and Financial services

Founded: 2008

Headquarters: Fort Mill

CEO: Casey Crawford

Employees: 4,500

McLeod Health

Industry: Healthcare and social services

Founded: 1906

Headquarters: Florence

CEO and President: Donna C. Isgett

Employees: 15,000

Concentrix

Industry: Business services and supplies

Founded: 1980

Headquarters: Greenville

CEO and President: Chris Caldwell

Employees: 90,000
This one simple perk was the biggest way I saved money while visiting one of the world's most expensive travel destinations

The author's hotel in Basel, Switzerland. Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Switzerland is an expensive country to visit.

On a recent trip to Basel, I paid $38 for a burger and $607 per night for a hotel room.

But a hotel with complimentary breakfast saved me hundreds of dollars.

If you're traveling to Switzerland, a few things will likely be mentioned.

People will want to know if you did an adrenaline-fueled activity like skydiving in someplace beautiful like Interlaken. They'll be eager to hear just how many pounds of Swiss chocolate you consumed. And most likely, they'll ask how you afforded the trip in the first place.

That's because Switzerland is known as one of the most expensive countries in the world. According to a report by the online database Numbeo, Switzerland is home to Geneva and Zurich, the top two cities in the world with the highest cost of living. The country is also home to the most expensive Big Mac, and budget travelers should expect to spend between $820 to $2,160 on a two-night trip, according to Trip.com.

I saw those high prices on a recent trip to Basel, where I spent $38 on a burger, nearly $100 on a round-trip train ride, and $607 a night in a five-star hotel.

But one thing helped me stay within my budget: finding a hotel with complimentary breakfast.

The author's plate of breakfast from Hotel Euler in Basel, Switzerland. Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Free breakfast is usually a perk, but it was a game changer in Switzerland

Before arriving in Basel, I eyed several of the city's hotels. I debated the amenities I wanted for the four-night stay: did I need a hotel gym? Was proximity to a train station a must? Did I want a king or queen-sized bed?

Initially, complimentary breakfast wasn't on my radar. I'm familiar with hotel chains' free breakfasts, which consist of the basics: cereal, yogurt, and a waffle maker if I'm lucky.

As I eyed the reviews and photos of Euler Hotel , I realized a complimentary breakfast would be a strategic way to save money in Basel. I could tell the hotel had an enormous spread from the photos online. There were the basics like yogurt, waffles, and cereal, but also fruits, breads, pastries, smoked fish, cured meats, cheeses, eggs, bacon, and espresso.

It was a breakfast I would easily pay for, and if I ate a hearty meal each morning, I could have a lighter (read: cheaper) lunch.

And that's exactly what I did. Each morning, I headed to the bottom floor of the Euler Hotel and filled a plate with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and fruit.

Then, I'd snack on a quick sandwich or salad for lunch.

The breakfast and cheap lunch helped me save a couple hundred dollars on my Switzerland trip.

The money saved on food allowed me to splurge on experiences like a night in the Hotel Les Trois Rois, a historic hotel that has welcomed everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to the Rolling Stones.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A yearlong Orlando Police investigation pushed by Pulse shooting survivors and family members has concluded the nightclubs former owners should not face involuntary manslaughter charges despite repeated code violations and unpermitted renovations at the facility.

The investigation began in June 2023 after people, including survivors and family members, filed complaints and met with OPD. They alleged conditions at the club owned by Barbara and Rosario Poma hindered police efforts to save more lives during the June 12, 2016 mass shooting that killed 49.

In 2023, a police report was filed regarding the Pulse building and any potential violations at the time of the shooting, OPD said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel. Numerous investigations have been conducted since the tragedy to include the lead investigation by the FBI.

Upon receiving these complaints, OPD conducted a thorough investigation and comprehensive review on all evidence presented by the complainants. As a result of the evidence obtained which is provided in detail in the investigative report, probable cause does not exist to charge the Pomas with F.S. 782.07-3, Involuntary Manslaughter by Culpable Negligence, and this investigation should be considered closed.

The report said OPD was unable to interview the Pomas for the investigation  which survivor Jorshua Hernandez Carrion said late Monday on Facebook made the investigation illegitimate. In October 2023 OPD sent a letter to the Pomas attorney requesting an interview. A month later, their attorney returned OPDs request saying he had notified the nightclub owners, but the report does not make clear whether the Pomas refused to be interviewed or simply failed to respond.

During the investigation, the agency spoke with 23 individuals, including Carrion, who presented information about the nightclubs code violations, including a 2016 report by the Orlando Sentinel detailing an unpermitted black vinyl fence that some survivors said stopped them from exiting the building.

The investigation confirmed Pulse repeatedly violated city codes and that the city of Orlando failed to notify the Pomas or enforce its rules for years  as far back as 2010.

According to the report on the investigation filed Aug. 1, the nightclubs last permitted renovations occurred in 2003. Unpermitted renovations in 2010 added interior and outdoor patio bars, renovated restrooms, constructed new rooms and added a second story.

But investigators concluded they were unable to determine if these unpermitted changes directly caused survivors to be unable to escape. Instead, they cited the Federal Bureau of Investigations ballistics report as evidence shooter Omar Mateens gunfire was responsible for club patrons inability to escape.

The investigation found that an Orlando Fire Department inspection in May 2016 discovered security issues such as improperly-functioning doors and obstruction to exits. OFD scheduled a follow-up for July 2016 but the shooting happened before officials could confirm if the issues were rectified. According to the report, investigators also concluded there were too many unknowns to determine if those violations contributed to Mateens entry into the club.

In an email, Ashley Papagni, spokeswoman for the city of Orlando, said there was no pattern of critical life-safety violations at the nightclub.

In regard to your inquiry on violations, all fire inspections, code enforcement and permitting records related to the building demonstrate that the Pulse facility was safe, that it met occupancy, fire and related requirements, Papagni said. The Pulse shooting was a tragic and horrific event that took the lives of 49 innocent people and affected hundreds in our community.

That impact, pain and grief are far-reaching and still felt today, so we understand the desire for more answers.

Carrion posted a statement early Tuesday on Facebook saying the investigation was flawed because the agency did not enter the nightclub to inspect it, didnt interview all survivors and didnt speak with the Pomas.

Im never giving up, Carrion said in the post. I will keep looking for my justice and the justice for the 49 angels who dont have a voice.

The Pomas spokeswoman Sara Brady said in an email to the Sentinel that the former nightclub owners have no statement at this time.
The recent $22.1 million verdict in the case of Billesdon v. Wells Fargo Securities, Inc. has cast a spotlight on the increasing legal risks organizations face when they ignore work-from-home requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This landmark federal case in North Carolina underscores the critical need for employers to understand their obligations under the ADA, particularly in the evolving landscape of remote work. Robert Billesdon, a former managing director at Wells Fargo Securities, was awarded a substantial sum after alleging that he had been laid off for requesting to work from home as a disability accommodation.

Billesdons impairment required him to have frequent and immediate access to a restroom, leading him to request a work-from-home accommodation before pandemic restrictions were lifted and employees were recalled to the office. The jury found that Wells Fargos managers did not adequately engage in the interactive process required by the ADA to explore reasonable accommodations for Billesdon. Instead, they allegedly pushed back on his request and ultimately selected his role for elimination.

This failure to engage in genuine discourse about the accommodation request, along with the preemptive selection of his role for elimination, were pivotal in the jurys decision. These actions were deemed violations of both the ADA and state law.

Moreover, the jury awarded a significant portion of that sum for punitive damages and emotional distress. That indicates substantial sympathy among juries in cases where an employer denies work-from-home requests. Having served as an expert witness on several such cases, I can attest that jury trials tend to lead to significant awards for employees who request flexible work accommodations.

The ADA mandates that employers provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, ensuring they can perform their job functions without undue hardship on the employer. These accommodations can range from physical adjustments in the workplace to modifications in work schedules, including the possibility of remote work.

Accommodations have to be made not only for physical health challenges, but mental health conditions as well. As United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner Keith Sonderling explained in an interview with me, Employers must engage in an interactive process with employees who request accommodations for mental health conditions. If an employee is diagnosed with a mental health issue, the employer is obligated to consider accommodations, which could include remote work.

According to the Job Accommodation Network, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor, the interactive process involves recognizing an accommodation request, gathering relevant information, exploring possible options, implementing the chosen accommodation, and monitoring its effectiveness.

Courts and enforcement authorities typically disfavor any party that causes a breakdown in this process. If an employer fails to engage sincerely in this process, it can be seen as evidence of discrimination. Conversely, if an employee abandons the process, the employer may be deemed to have met its ADA obligations.

Ignoring or mishandling accommodation requests, particularly for remote work, can expose employers to significant legal risks. The Billesdon case is a stark reminder of the potential consequences. Organizations may face hefty fines, legal fees, and damages, not to mention reputational harm.

Long after President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA, the pandemic shifted the work environment, making remote work a more viable and often preferred option for many employees, including those with disabilities. As organizations transition back to in-office operations, they must carefully consider work-from-home requests and other accommodations to comply with ADA requirements.

To mitigate legal risks and foster an inclusive work environment, employers should adopt best practices when handling accommodation requests. Employers should initiate the interactive process promptly upon receiving accommodation requests. Engage in open and sincere discussions with the employee to explore all feasible options.

Also, keep thorough records of all communications, decisions, and actions taken during the accommodation process. This documentation can be crucial if the process is ever called into question. Ensure that managers and HR personnel are well-versed in ADA requirements and the importance of the interactive process. Regular training can help prevent missteps that could lead to legal trouble. Assess each work-from-home request on its merits, considering the specific needs of the employee and the nature of their job.

Avoid blanket policies that categorically deny remote work without considering individual circumstances. The legal landscape around remote work and disability accommodations is evolving. Stay informed about new rulings, regulations, and best practices to ensure compliance.

Sonderling emphasized the importance of training managers and HR professionals to handle these requests properly. Its crucial for employers to understand that they cant dismiss mental health accommodation requests out of hand, he told me. Failure to engage in the interactive process can lead to significant legal repercussions.

The Billesdon case serves as a critical lesson for employers about the growing legal risks of ignoring work-from-home requests under the ADA. By proactively engaging in the interactive process, documenting decisions, and training managers, organizations can better navigate accommodation requests and avoid costly legal battles. As the workplace continues to evolve, prioritizing ADA compliance and fostering an inclusive environment will be key both to companies legal protection and employees well-being.

Gleb Tsipursky, PhD, serves as the CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and authored the best-seller Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Once a big tent that welcomed diverse viewpoints from across the American landscape, the Democratic Party today faces a crisis of identity and relevance that threatens its very existence as a national political force.

In recent years, the party has increasingly narrowed its appeal, alienated millions of potential supporters, and ceded vast swathes of the country to Republican control.

Its aggressive demands for ideological conformity on hot-button issues like abortion is fast becoming a hard pill to swallow for some Democrats. Just four short years ago, nearly half of Americas voters identified as Democrat, with one-third disagreeing with the partys position on abortion. Today, however, Democrats who deviate from the party line on certain issues often find themselves bullied, harassed, ostracized and even excommunicated from the party.

The result has been a vicious cycle of declining Democratic representation and influence as party leaders adopt ultra-progressive policies at the expense of Blue Dog Democrat values, writing off entire regions of the country as red states.

Case in point: In 2009, West Virginia Democrats held 79 seats in the states House of Delegates. Today, that number has dwindled to 11. Democratic state officials, who were personally opposed to abortion and voted that way, either lost their seats by being painted with a broad pro-choice-Democrat brushstroke or because they were abandoned by their party.

This no-win situation has played out across the country. Democrats now hold 10 or fewer seats in 17 of the nations state senates. Many moderate Democrats feel politically homeless. When asked about his decision to leave the Democratic Party this year, Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell said that the partys drift away from his constituents values was a primary factor.

These dramatic shifts in political balance extend well beyond the ebb and flow of normal political tides. They are a seismic realignment that could be reshaping American politics for generations to come.

Democratic leaders at the federal, state and local level have failed to run candidates who truly understand and represent the values of more conservative districts. With that, they have lost elections and squandered real opportunities to champion the common man.

The exodus from the Democratic Party is not limited to elected officials, though. Increasingly, Democratic voters are questioning whether to follow DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Vice President Kamala Harris as they edge toward the radical cliff. The party platform they just pushed through at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago is leaving many rank-and-file Democrats wondering when they will have to abandon ship.

Their hard-line policies end up harming the very people Democrats claim to champion. As the party retreats from large portions of the country, they have ceded not only control of state legislatures and governorships, but also policies that affect everyday Americans. Core Democratic policies such as paid family leave and expanded child tax credits enjoy broad popular support across party lines. But issues like health care access, education funding and workers rights  increasingly decided at the state level  are falling victim to untethered GOP-control.

You simply cannot continue running East Coast- and West Coast-style Democrats in Middle America and expect winning results.

Many Democrats, tired of government overreach and elitist ignorance of how national and swamp-concocted policies actually affect working men and women, are either switching to the Republican Party or declaring themselves independent.

They are also putting their money and their homes where their mouth is, abandoning liberal enclaves such as California and New York for low-tax, low-cost, low-regulation states like South Carolina, Texas and Florida.

If Democrats hope to reverse this alarming trend, party leaders across the board are going to need an intervention. It is time to undertake a serious self-reflection and realignment.

Rebuilding a big tent Democratic coalition will require some difficult conversations and adequate space for a diversity of viewpoints, particularly on contentious social issues. A Democrat who opposes abortion rights, supports strong labor protections and expanded health care access should feel just as welcome in the Democratic Party as a coastal liberal who supports abortion rights.

There must also be a new generation of Democratic leaders who authentically represent the values and experiences of their communities. This will require recruiting candidates from a wider range of backgrounds and empowering them to tailor their message to local concerns, rather than forcing them to conform rigidly to the national platform.

The stakes could not be higher. A Democratic Party that can compete in all 50 states is essential for the health of American democracy, a counterbalance to Republican dominance, and an assurance that diverse viewpoints have voice in the halls of power.

Reclaiming the partys broad appeal will require humility, strategic patience and a willingness to engage voters who may have felt abandoned by the party in recent years. But the alternative  continued marginalization and irrelevance across vast swathes of America  is far worse.

The future of the party  and perhaps of American democracy itself  hangs in the balance.

Catherine Glenn Foster, M.A., J.D., @cateici, catherineglennfoster.com, is a constitutional attorney, president and CEO of First Rights Global, and board member of Democrats for Life of America. Kristen Day, @prolifedem, democratsforlife.org, is a long-time political strategist and executive director of Democrats for Life.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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As students return to campus for the fall semester, universities can learn from the Democratic National Convention about how to handle the return of disruptive pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Pro-Palestinian groups had threatened huge, confrontational demonstrations at last weeks convention. The DNCs organizers, rejecting an appeasement approach, erected a massive metal barricade that kept protesters, who had vowed to march on the convention site without permits, blocks away. When some protesters broke down part of a barrier, the Chicago Police Department quickly arrested them.

The DNC did not allow a Palestinian-American speaker to address the convention, which deprived the protesters of media oxygen. Chicago 1968 it wasnt.

The DNC was helped by a low pro-Palestinian turnout, and the DNC made small concessions, such as allowing a forum on Palestinian grievances off the main stage.

Not all of the DNCs tactics from a four-day convention can be easily emulated by universities. They cannot erect metal barricades around sites of possible tent encampments for entire semesters.

But a no-appeasement policy should be the guiding principle for how, going forward, universities deal with disruptive, sometimes antisemitic pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, appeasement-based tactics so convulsed elite universities that three Ivy League presidents lost their jobs.

Several recent court decisions vividly describe the harm done to Jewish students by the appeasement approach. In two of the cases, Jewish students brought separate lawsuits against MIT and Harvard alleging that the universities had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by their deliberate indifference to the hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students following the Hamas Oct. 7 attack.

Federal District Judge Richard G. Stearns presided in both cases. He denied Harvards motion to dismiss the central allegations of the complaint because  assuming at this early procedural stage that they were true (they remain to be proven)  Harvards response has been not just simply inadequate but skewed in its bias. He cited, among many allegations, that Harvard tolerated tent encampments hostile to Jewish students and refused to permit Jewish students to hold a demonstration in a student lounge but allowed pro-Palestinian groups to hold protests there throughout the semester.

Harvard required a campus Hasidic Jewish community center to remove its Hanukkah menorah each night to prevent its being vandalized but it provided 24/7 security to a Palestinian groups Wall of Resistance. Harvard allegedly allowed a law school student and teaching fellow to remain in his teaching position after he assaulted a Jewish student at a die in. Judge Stearns pointedly observed that the facts as pled show that Harvard failed its Jewish students.

By contrast, Judge Stearns dismissed the complaint against MIT because the allegations showed that the university, far from sitting on its hands, in fact had suspended the most undisciplined pro-Palestinian groups, suspended other student protesters from nonacademic activities and immediately warned and then arrested trespassing students who had set up lawn encampments.

In a case against UCLA, Jewish students alleged that the university had for weeks tolerated pro-Palestinian encampments astride a major campus thoroughfare that created an effective Jew Exclusion Zone that admitted only those who had pledged allegiance to the protesters anti-Zionist views. The students alleged that, as a result, they could not access university buildings without disavowing Israel or their religion.

Federal District Judge Mark C. Scarsi expressed shock that, in America, Jewish students had been excluded from a university campus because they refused to denounce their faith. He ordered UCLA to take specific steps to protect Jewish students.

Appeasement-minded universities, beware. The judges are angry.

Gregory J. Wallance was a federal prosecutor in the Carter and Reagan administrations and a member of the ABSCAM prosecution team, which convicted a U.S. senator and six representatives of bribery. He is the author of Into Siberia: George Kennans Epic Journey Through the Brutal, Frozen Heart of Russia.

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The platforms of both the Republican and Democratic Parties reveal a nation in crisis. If it is truly the case that we are a broken union, which institutions are best suited to bring about national healing?

We can quickly put aside government as a candidate for this task. The overwhelming majority of Americans do not believe that government is suited for this herculean effort. In 1958, 73 percent of Americans trusted government to do the right thing almost always or most of the time. Today, only 22 percent of Americans convey this same level of trust.

What about our colleges and universities? What role do they have in the healing of our nation, and how much do Americans trust these institutions?

To the question of trust, studies suggest that American higher education is at a crossroads. For the first time ever, Americans are equally divided on having much trust, some trust and little/no trust in our colleges and universities. To make matters worse, Gallup reports that 68 percent of Americans do not believe that higher education is on a positive path. It is no surprise that the Chronicle of Higher Education, the sectors leading trade paper, published a recent op-ed titled, The Public Is Giving Up on Higher Ed.

American colleges and universities have always had an integral role in the moral formation of students and the shaping of the national character. As historian Julie A. Reuben reminds us, universities never renounced their traditional moral aims. Educators, Reuben argues, believe that universities should prepare their students to live properly and contribute to the betterment of society. The missions of our colleges and universities are replete with moral objectives that they claim to pursue  and for which our students pay millions of dollars.

Americans are aware of the moral role of higher education. Americans who register faith or distrust in higher education share the belief that it is and should be deeply moral and influential. Their trust differential is rooted in how they think colleges and universities are (mis)using their moral mission and social influence. And, as David Brooks has argued, one of the factors that has contributed to Americas brokenness is the retreat of American higher education from pursuing the deliberate moral formation of our students.

So, what should be done? Perhaps we should listen to the two cries of Americans  the need for moral character and the need for market readiness.

First, Americans care deeply about moral character for life success. Pew reported in its 2011 study Is College Worth It? that Americans value character even more than higher education for life success. Just last year, Ipsos found that almost 80 percent of Americans believe having strong values and character is important, with 71 percent agreeing that there is not enough focus on values and character traits in American society today.

Americans also care deeply that higher education focus on preparation for the job market. Employers and employees have voiced this concern by decrying the lack of preparation in college graduates. A recent survey of 800 U.S. managers found that almost 60 percent held recent college graduates [to be] unprepared for the workforce. Employees also stressed that college failed to prepare them for their current jobs.

American colleges and universities cannot ignore these concerns. Educational models should be developed to integrate the holistic moral formation of our students with the strategic preparation for tomorrows marketplace. As a starting point, this means the creation of learning outcomes in every course and major that focus on character formation, moral reasoning and industry preparation. The ultimate goal would be to shape students minds and desires to delight in exhibiting great character and great marketplace readiness.

These educational models cannot be purely academic. They must be integrated with outside-of-the-classroom requirements through which character and job preparation outcomes learned in coursework can be practiced.

Required internships, industry partnerships that inform courses and majors, and annual service and leadership learning requirements are all great hands-on opportunities to make this integration a reality. This would strengthen the education our students receive, since colleges and universities would focus on what matters most. Such an approach would also go a long way toward strengthening the national character. And taken seriously, this educational model would help to address the crisis of confidence in American higher education.

Can this be done? Yes. Must this be done? The healing of our nations soul demands it. It will require bold and creative leadership at every level of higher education, a leadership that focuses on the formation of great human beings for life and work.

This is the original but forgotten call of higher education. It is time for us to heed it and quickly act upon it.

This op-ed is part of The Hills How to Fix America series exploring solutions to some of the countrys most pressing problems.

Gerson Moreno-Riano, Ph.D. is president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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For years, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has easily ranked among the most destructively partisan and self-servingly venal elected officials in the country. And last week, he turned his sights on suppressing the votes of Texan Latinos this fall in the name of election integrity.

On Wednesday, Paxtons office announced that it had carried out an undisclosed number of search warrants in several counties, including the one that houses San Antonio. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), one of Americas oldest Latino civil rights groups, says the raids targeted several of its members. In doing so, Paxton has tipped his hand about his determination to undercut voting rights this fall  and potentially made an enemy of the very people the GOP needs to win.

Republicans have twisted the phrase election integrity since well before President Donald Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Rather than a dedication to ensuring that every vote is counted, the GOP has coopted it as a justification for suppressing legal votes while claiming to prevent election fraud. Weve seen efforts in other GOP-led states set up by election security offices that have brought few charges and failed to prove widespread fraud exists.

Paxtons latest stunt goes further, though, indicating a newfound focus on suppressing the work of an organization rather than disparate individuals. His offices statement last week asserted that the searches were the result of a two-year investigation of supposed allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting in the 2022 election but did not specify the targets of the raids or why specific homes were raided. The GOP wound up winning all of the counties where the claim that was sent to Paxton originated, but they are also in south Texas, a region that showed mixed results overall in the midterms.

The second of the two potential crimes that Paxton is investigating  vote harvesting  is a particularly glaring sign that theres most likely very little substance to these allegations. In using the term, the GOP tries to evoke the incredibly rare act of someone fraudulently collecting other peoples absentee ballots and casting those votes without their awareness. But in practice, Republicans are usually referring to two entirely legal practices: establishing secure ballot drop boxes or organizations working to ensure that senior citizens who are unable to make it to polling places have access to mail-in ballots.

The latter practice appears to be Paxtons target, based on details reported Monday in The New York Times. Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old living in San Antonio, who was one of the people whose homes were searched, has worked for decades helping older Latino voters register to vote. She told the Times that the officers who turned up at her house in the early morning last week were looking for voter cards that Latino residents had filled out. Finding none in their ransacking of her home, they took her laptop, her phone and other items, but not before questioning her about other LULAC members, including others whose homes had been searched.

In a news conference outside Paxtons office Monday, LULACs national president accused the attorney general of seeking to harass and intimidate Latino nonprofit organizations, Latino leaders and LULAC members with an aim to suppress the Latino vote. The Latino vote in Texas has become a major driving force in determining which way the seemingly deep red state swings. Most recently, growing and increasingly diverse populations in Texas major cities have cut into the GOPs dominance in statewide elections, providing narrower margins of victory in those races.

At the same time, Texas has underscored that Latinos as a group are nowhere near monolithic. Democrats share of Latino voters in South Texas counties near the border has dwindled in recent presidential elections, making their votes more highly sought-after. While that may seem to be contradictory with Trumps racist policies and statements against immigrants from Central and South America, theres no denying that his rhetoric about border security has resonated with voters there. Thats also increasingly the case in those same major cities that have been recently been seen as Democratic strongholds.

Which leads us to Paxtons motivations in drawing the ire of LULAC with these raids. The group had never formally backed a political candidate in its 95-year history  until this month, when it endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Paxton hasnt exactly been a subtle operator in the past. If his office hadnt blocked mail-in applications ahead of the 2020 election, Paxton claimed on former Trump strategist Steve Bannons podcast in 2021, we wouldve been one of those battleground states that they were counting votes in Harris County for three days and Donald Trump wouldve lost the election. He also most likely feels emboldened to take bigger swings after the state Senate acquitted him of corruption charges in an impeachment trial last year.

Paxton also has the comfort of knowing that hes carrying out the will of the national GOP and its presidential nominee. Trump has instructed the Republican National Committee to devote more resources to election integrity than traditional fieldwork ahead of this election. Just last week, he insisted at a rally in North Carolina that the GOPs primary focus is not to get out the vote, it is to make sure [Democrats] dont cheat.

But for the Republican plans to challenge election results in court to succeed, there needs to be a convincing case that theres more than partisan politics at work. In targeting such a specific group and its members, Paxton may have undermined those efforts. Already, LULAC is asking the Justice Department to investigate Paxtons efforts as a potential violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Even with years of conservatives narrowing the Voting Rights Acts scope, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division can flex plenty of muscle if it believes a state has moved to suppress a minority groups vote. Paxton may have thought that LULAC would be easy pickings or that the searches he authorized would subdue its efforts to get Latinos to the voting booth this fall. But given the response so far, I dont think this is the fight that Paxton wanted  or one that he has much of a chance of winning.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
If Kamala Harris becomes president five months from now, the first challenge she is likely to confront as commander-in-chief is the growing danger from at least four declared adversaries overseas  ones that not only have openly advertised their hostile intentions toward the West but are also coordinating their actions against America.

During her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris took on the most controversial of the issues for her party: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Let me be clear, she said. I will always stand up for Israels right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating.President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.

And although Harris addressed the sponsoring force behind the attacks against Israel and against America  I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists  she did not mention the looming threat from Irans near breakout as a nuclear power, which Biden has said the U.S. will not allow. Yet U.S. and Israeli intelligence indicate that Teheran is on the verge of making that happen in the waning days of Bidens term.

Harris also addressed the other shooting war, between Russia and Ukraine, where the U.S. is supplying Ukraine with defensive weapons but is not directly involved in any of the kinetic action, including a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Thats because, Biden has declared, Thats called World War III.

The vice president described her own involvement with the issue. Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelensky to warn him about Russias plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response  over 50 countries  to defend against Putins aggression.

But her account glossed over one of the major foreign policy failures of the Biden-Harris administration: its inability and/or unwillingness to confront Vladimir Putin and deter the invasion in the first place. It was a natural follow-up to the Obama-Biden administrations passive approach to Putins first aggression in Ukraine, in 2014, when Russia was allowed unimpeded to seize Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. That posture, in turn, was consistent with Barack Obamas assurance to Putin in 2012 that he would be more flexible after his re-election.

As Bidens sitting vice president, Harris has no latitude to announce her intention, if she were so inclined, to be more flexible with Ukraine by providing more potent weapons or removing the debilitating limitations on their use. Ukraines incursion into Russia this month exposes the timidity of the Obama-Biden-Harris national security approach, which has allowed fears of escalation to paralyze U.S. policy.

The most powerful and dangerous adversary the next administration will confront is communist China. Xi Jinping, watching the war in Ukraine, is learning things about the administrations response to anti-Western aggression that will be useful in his plan to move against Taiwan.

Harris told the convention, As president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies. But under Biden, that commitment has not contemplated ejecting Russia from all Ukrainian territory. Applying U.S. thinking on Ukraine to a Taiwan scenario, Xi could well believe that, if China were to conduct a lightning seizure of a Taiwanese island  say, Kinmen (Quemoy)  a Harris-Walz administration would prefer to just live with it rather than risk triggering a major war with nuclear-armed China.

Harris had nothing to say about Taiwan and only a passing, anodyne reference to China, stating on that she would make sure that we lead the world into the future on space and artificial intelligence. That America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century and that we strengthen, not abdicate, our global leadership.

Harris, if she wins, would have the opportunity to do something no president has had the courage or foresight to do: issue a formal, credible declaration of commitment to defend Taiwan, thereby ending the dangerous U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity.

As to the fourth member of the anti-Western axis, North Korea, Harris took the occasion to lash out at her opponent: I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-un, who are rooting for Trump. Because they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump wont hold autocrats accountable  because he wants to be an autocrat himself.

Therein lies the depressing alternatives on national security still facing American voters, even with Biden no longer in the picture: a weak, temporizing Harris-Walz administration or an openly isolationist, pro-authoritarian Trump-Vance team.

As Nikki Haley often said in her campaign, We have a country to save. It is not too late for a credible conservative Republican to step up and rescue the country.

Joseph Bosco served as China country director for the secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2006 and as Asia-Pacific director of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief from 2009 to 2010. He is a nonresident fellow at the Institute for Corean-American Studies and a member of the advisory board of the Global Taiwan Institute.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Africa has become a battlefield between democracy and authoritarianism. As things stand right now, the autocrats are winning.

In the shadowy recesses of international politics, Africa is often overlooked by headline-dominant crises elsewhere, yet it is a pivotal arena where the future of global democracy may well be decided. As more than 25 percent of the worlds population will be African in the coming decades, its in our best interest to think about their future  and the broader implications for global security, democracy and U.S. interests.

Often sidelined in policy priorities, Africa has become a playground where China and Russia gleefully carve up spheres of influence through natural resources and  lets not forget  UN votes, thanks to cozy relationships with authoritarian regimes.

Human rights defenders across the continent are on the forefront, fighting an uphill battle against these entwined forces of local tyranny and international autocracy. Their struggle is not just a local fight for resources or freedoms; its a frontline defense against the spread of global autocracy, influencing international law, global governance and the balance of power.

The stakes are incredibly high. When African nations fall under the sway of autocrats, backed by Chinese and Russian support, they become chess pieces in a game that strengthens authoritarianism at the expense of global democracy. These alliances facilitate the circumvention of international sanctions  African countries have been accused of issuing diplomatic passports to sanctioned officials, aiding nuclear agreements with entities like Rosatom, and providing refuge for international fugitives.

At a recent event hosted by the McCain Institute, defenders from Congo Brazzaville, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea and Uganda shared stories of harassment, brutal attacks, unjust imprisonment and the devastating impact on their families. Despite these harrowing personal experiences, they maintained a resolute focus on the broader implications of their struggles for global stability.

Congolese defender Andrea Ngombet emphasized the critical yet overlooked role of Africa in global politics, warning of the continents use as a stage for advancing autocracy worldwide. Its time to recognize the decisive role Africa plays in global instability, he said. My countrys nuclear agreement with Russias Rosatom is a stark example of striving for unchecked power, emulating North Korean aspirations to cement power permanently.

Nicholas Opiyo, a renowned human rights lawyer from Uganda, highlighted the hypocrisy of his government. While publicly aligning with global anti-terror efforts, Uganda serves as a covert channel for violating international sanctions, underscoring the urgent need for global attention to these regions where defenders persevere against all odds to spotlight and combat these critical issues.

Why should the U.S. care? Because the battle for human rights in Africa aligns closely with Americas national interests, and it is a strategic measure to maintain balance in global affairs. The defenders battles against corruption and exploitation are directly linked to the security and stability of international markets and democratic institutions. Defenders point out the connections between seemingly unrelated international crises; theyre drawing a map of a world where ignored countries are aspiring to become mini-North Koreas, with ambitions for nuclear capabilities that could destabilize the entire world.

Authoritarians and hostile nations arent waiting for the U.S. to finish internal debates or the November elections  theyre advancing their agendas now, exploiting the distraction. It is not enough to condemn from afar or impose sanctions without follow-through. American foreign policy must recalibrate to support these defenders more effectively.

The U.S. must be a proactive partner, amplifying the voices of those who fight for democratic values and providing them with the tools they need to succeed. This support should involve creating mechanisms whereby the targeted sanctions and frozen assets of perpetrators are used to support the infrastructure of democracy  funding legal aid, supporting independent media and ensuring that activists have the technology and security they need to be safe and effective.

Moreover, there is a need for a robust policy framework that not only penalizes through sanctions but also actively dismantles the networks that allow sanctioned officials to evade these penalties. African countries should not be seen as conduits for sanction dodging or as backdoors for illegal international dealings.

What happens in Africa will not stay in Africa. Supporting human rights defenders is not just the right thing to do; it is the smart, necessary path forward for global security and the international order. So, lets not just send thoughts and prayers. Lets send support, solidarity, and a loud, clear message: Human rights matter, everywhere.

Berivan Orucoglu is the assistant director at the McCain Institute, where she oversees the Human Rights Defenders Program.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A portion of the 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return form is shown July 24, 2018, in New York. The IRS said Tuesday, June 21, 2022, that it will have erased its backlog of last season's tax returns by the end of this week. | Mark Lennihan, Associated Press

Question: Whats worse than a campaign promise of a bad tax policy?

Answer: A campaign promise of the same bad tax policy by both major presidential candidates.

Vice President Kamala Harris could have promised so many things to gain votes during a recent campaign trip to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, she chose to promise to exempt tips from federal taxes.

This is the very same thing former President Donald Trump promised during a similar trip to Las Vegas earlier this year. As a campaign strategy, that was clever  neutralize your opponent by promising what he promised.

But as public policy, its a bad idea. It was a bad idea when Trump said it, and its a bad idea when Harris says it.

It is, however, good politics. Las Vegas has far more service and hospitality workers than it has economists, so the dont tax tips line is sure to get rousing applause every time.

Economists, however, will have the last word.

As news reports have made clear, both liberal and conservative economists agree on this one. Making tips tax-exempt would increase the national debt at a time when that is already a concern. That, in turn, might harm Social Security and Medicare (depending on how the exemption is structured) at a time when both programs face looming cash shortfalls.

Politico said experts are trying to calculate the total cost to the treasury. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated it could be between $100 billion and $250 billion over a decade. But that depends on the details, which so far are few from either campaign. Also, its easy to underestimate the impact, given that such a policy change would likely affect behavior over time, making the economy more tip-based.

Its one bad idea layered on top of another, Howard Gleckman, a Tax Policy Center senior fellow, told Politico. There are not a lot of tax upsides.

Experts say a lot of tips already go unreported. Making them exempt would be a huge incentive for employers and workers to make jobs even more tip-based. Some workers not currently associated with tips, such as auto mechanics, may turn to that model to avoid taxes.

If you dont like the way servers, from hair stylists to fast-food workers, ask for tips using electronic devices these days, this idea would likely proliferate the practice.

NPR quoted Steve Rosenthal, senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, as saying the policy would create problems with inequity. A server in South Carolina, whose salary is structured so that tips make up a large portion of his or her pay, would benefit more than one in California, where tips might be a lesser portion of salary.

Why treat employees, who perform similar kinds of services, much different from a tax standpoint just because the first earn tips and the second dont? he said.

The biggest challenge with such a policy may be the difficulty it presents for government oversight and regulation. Many tips are paid with cash. Reporting is unreliable and not done in a uniform manner from business to business. Some businesses collect all tips and redistribute them equally to employees. Others let workers keep what they have been given.

How are we going to tell who is receiving a tip, and when that tip crosses a line into wages? Rosenthal told NPR. How will we prevent investment bankers, say, from getting tips? And if we impose income limits, well, wouldnt we expect low paid workers just to demand a tip rather than compensation?

Wed like to say this is little more than a passing campaign fad, but already Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has a bill that would exempt tips from income taxes, while still making them subject to payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare.

Also, the idea is popular among the public, generally. Newsweek just published a poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies showing 67% of Americans in favor of making tips tax-exempt.

But tax policies should be enacted based on principles, equity and fairness, not just popularity. They should do as little harm as possible to the economy.

A general cut in income taxes might stimulate the economy by incentivizing production. Exempting tips would only distort the economy while creating inequities.

Were in a campaign season  silly season, Rosenthal told NPR. A race to the bottom would be a better way to describe tax policy here.

A much better campaign tactic would be for each candidate to one-up the other over ways to reduce the yearly budget deficit and retire the debt. That one likely wouldnt get a lot of applause. It would, however, make sure that when the economists have the last word, everybody wins.
This article looks at the 15 best places to retire in Uruguay. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you may go to the 5 Best Places to Retire in Uruguay.

Uruguay: Affordable Retirement with Beachside Appeal

Uruguay, a country on the southeastern coast of South America, is increasingly becoming a top choice for retirees worldwide. The South American gem is revered for its beach-lined coast, tranquil landscapes, robust social services, and favorable climate.

READ ALSO: 12 Best Places to Retire in Finland and 25 Beautiful Places Where You Can Retire with Just $500,000 in Savings

While retirees often choose countries like Uruguay for retirement due to their strong appeal, a major push factor is the high cost of living in their own home country. The decision to move is significantly influenced by the desire to manage expenses more effectively in a more affordable location, usually on a small fixed sum. The current retirement landscape in the US, for example, serves as an ideal breeding ground for prospective retirees to move to greener pastures. People are living longer, have smaller nest eggs, and are also fearful of the depleting Social Security funds. Consequently, more and more Americans plan on taking Social Security benefits well before their Full Retirement Age (FRA).

Schroders 2024 U.S. Retirement Survey sheds light on this concern, reporting how half of non-retired Americans are concerned or very concerned about outliving their assets in retirement. According to the survey, 43% of Americans plan on taking Social Security before the age of 67, the full retirement age for individuals born in 1960 or later. Only 1 in 10 plan to wait until the age of 70, the age at which an individual is eligible to receive their maximum monthly benefit. One major reason non-retirees are planning to take their benefits sooner than 70 is because at least 39% of them believe they will need the money. On the other hand, 38% are concerned that Social Security may run out soon or stop making payments altogether. When asked how much monthly income these retirees will need to live comfortably, they quoted a sum of $4,947. This is higher than the monthly income of $4,258 that todays retirees report that they are generating.

The transition from retirement savings accumulation to the decumulation phase is not an easy one to make. With working Americans increasingly looking to their employers for answers, plan sponsors and assets managers have an opportunity to work together to develop solutions that create a stronger bridge between the asset accumulation and decumulation phases to grow and preserve plan participant wealth while simultaneously providing an opportunity to optimize the timing of their Social Security benefits. -Deb Boyden, Head of U.S. Defined Contribution with Schroders

Consequently, for many of these retirees, moving to cheaper accommodation seems to be a wise choice. Uruguay, for instance, is an estimated 30% cheaper to live than the USA. An individual retiree can live more than comfortably in a sum between $2,000 to $3,000. For those pondering a retirement to the country, exploring the pros and cons of retiring to Uruguay can be a good first step. Besides the more affordable cost of living, the country is also known for its stable economy, mild climate, beautiful beaches, and affordable healthcare. The country offers a robust healthcare system, with a stand-out private membership plan called Mutualista. For a small monthly membership fee of around $100, it offers healthcare ranging from doctors visits to emergency room care. This makes Uruguay an excellent country for expats. Some bad things about living in the country include limited public transportation and expensive imported goods.

Uruguay retirement visa requirements are also pretty straightforward. Some basic requirements for its Pensionado Visa include proof of retirement, a monthly passive income, a purchase of real estate, public securities, or a combination of the two worth at least USD 100,000 which must be held for at least ten years before selling, and a clean background check.

As retirees seek more affordable living options outside the United States, the availability of reliable temporary housing becomes crucial. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR), with its extensive global presence, offers retirees comfortable and familiar accommodations as they explore potential retirement destinations like Uruguay. The company offers several long-term stay properties that can be used by retirees as they finalize their accommodation in the new country.

In Q2 2024, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) reported a 6.3% increase in net income to $772 million, with basic EPS rising to $2.70 and diluted EPS to $2.69. Total revenues grew to $6.43 billion, up from $6.07 billion last year. The companys adjusted EBITDA reached $1.32 billion, driven by a 4.9% global increase in RevPAR and a significant 7.4% rise in international markets.

"Marriott reported strong second quarter results, with net rooms up 6 percent year over year and worldwide RevPAR1 growth of nearly 5 percent, as consumers continued to prioritize travel. International RevPAR increased more than 7 percent, with Asia Pacific excluding China leading the way, posting an impressive 13 percent RevPAR increase from the year-ago quarter. -Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR)

While we acknowledge the potential of MAR 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 time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MAR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

15 Best Places to Retire in Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay

Methodology

To compile the list of best places to retire in Uruguay, we have utilized a consensus-based approach, drawing on a variety of authoritative sources, such as demographic studies, expert opinions, and first-hand expat opinions. We aggregated recommendations from these sources to calculate an Insider Monkey Score for each location, reflecting the frequency and consistency of endorsements. Locations were then ranked in ascending order based on their Insider Monkey Score, ensuring that those most frequently recommended were placed highest. Cost of living estimates are based on data from sources such as Nomad List, with Montevideo and Punta del Este serving as reference points for the calculations. Actual expenses may differ due to differences in lifestyle choices and other dynamic factors.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Here are the 15 best places to retire in Uruguay:

15. Tacuarembo

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,200

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $350

The capital city of the Tacuarembo Department in north-central Uruguay, Tacuarembo is an ideal choice for retirees who primarily wish to stretch their retirement incomes. Besides affordability, residents also appreciate the city for its rural charm and tranquil atmosphere. The proximity to the Rio Negro adds to the natural beauty of the area, making it an appealing, off-the-radar choice for seniors.

14. The Littoral

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,100

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $345

One of the cheapest places to live in Uruguay is The Littoral. A narrow strip of land stretching west from Montevideo along the Rio de la Plata and the Uruguay River to the Argentinian border, The Littoral is an epitome of stunning riverside views and rich, fertile agricultural soils. Those who choose to live here will have the chance to enjoy leisurely walks along the river, explore charming towns beaming with colonial architecture, and experience numerous cultural festivals along the way. The region is known for its well-developed infrastructure, including healthcare services and other essential amenities.

13. Mercedes

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,250

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $360

Mercedes, a city along the Rio Negro in western Uruguay, makes it to the 13th place on our list of best places to retire in Uruguay. The citys standout features include its river promenade, beaches, colonial architecture, and vibrant community. From visiting the former building of the Italian Society to enjoying the natural scenery blessed by the river, there is much to see and do here in Mercedes.

12. Paysandu

Insider Monkey Score: 7

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,200

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $350

Blessed with orange sunsets and the Rio Uruguay (Uruguay River), Paysandu is one of the best places to retire in Uruguay. Even though it is a large city, Paysandu retains a laid-back and friendly atmosphere suitable for retirees. Residents love to gather by the city shores and enjoy its sandy beaches, explore the Guaviyu and Almiron hot spring resort in proximity, and even spend time surveying historical attractions such as the Historical Museum or the Perpetuity Monument.

11. Carmelo

Insider Monkey Score: 9

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,300

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $375

A town on the Rio de la Plata in western Uruguay, Carmelo offers the perfect escape from big cities and the hustle and bustle they bring. Instead, the town allows retirees to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the countryside, as well as historical sites, sandy beaches, vineyards, artisanal markets, and much more. The town is also known to be an up-and-coming wine region. A friendly community, tranquil environment, and affordable cost of living make Carmelo a well-rounded retirement destination.

10. Salto

Insider Monkey Score: 11

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,250

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $360

A picturesque city in northwestern Uruguay, Salto borders Argentina on the Uruguay River. The city is a unique blend of affordability, cultural richness, and natural splendor. Salto has a rich history as a prominent wine region and is renowned for its hot-spring resorts, which attract visitors seeking relaxation and wellness. The city also offers abundant parks and green spaces, providing ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. Salto's well-developed infrastructure includes both public and private hospitals, ensuring residents have access to comprehensive healthcare services throughout the city. Embraced by natural beauty, including the picturesque riverside and lush countryside, retirees have abundant opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

9. Punta del Diablo

Insider Monkey Score: 12

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,150

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $340

Next on our list of best places to retire in Uruguay is Punta del Diablo, a small fishing town and seaside resort on Uruguays eastern coast. Punta del Diablo is the perfect place to relish a laid-back, beach-oriented lifestyle. The pristine beaches of the village, together with a tight-knit yet welcoming community, make the town a wise choice for those who wish to enjoy a coastal lifestyle without the hefty price tag.

8. Rocha

Insider Monkey Score: 13

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,200

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $350

Rocha, the capital city of Rocha Department, lies in palm-dotted coastal lowlands. The city is truly a hidden gem for retirees characterized by its stunning beaches, unique landscapes, and charming coastal towns. Retirees get to explore historic towns, visit craft markets and art galleries, and relish traditional Uruguayan cuisine along the way.

7. Atlantida

Insider Monkey Score: 14

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,400

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $400

Atlantida is a resort town of the Costa de Oro in the Canelones Department of Uruguay. This seaside town is a personal favorite for many retirees and expats owing to its coastal living lifestyle and community charm. Known as the capital of the Golden Coast, its squares, roads, and streets are embellished with pine trees and eucalyptus, and the town itself beams with natural splendor. It also offers a well-rounded lifestyle with good infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, supermarkets, restaurants, and other essential services.

6. La Paloma

Insider Monkey Score: 14

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,300

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $375

Another seaside town located on Uruguays southeast coast, La Paloma appeals to retirees with its stunning beaches, laid-back atmosphere, and close connection to nature. Its small-town vibe makes it a peaceful place to retire to, while the surrounding sandy shores, rugged cliffs, and lush greenery make it a perfect spot for retirees who appreciate the outdoors.

5. Piriapolis

Insider Monkey Score: 15

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,450

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $425

Situated on southern Uruguays Atlantic coast, Piriapolis is a favorite amongst retirees with its Mediterranean-style charm, relaxed lifestyle, and stunning natural beauty. The town is also appreciated for its picturesque beaches, rolling hills, and elegant early 20th-century architecture. Retirees will love to explore the beauty of The Argentino Hotel, enjoy lunches at Port Piriapolis, or visit the zoo at the foot of the Sugar Loaf, amongst other things.

4. Maldonado

Insider Monkey Score: 16

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,600

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $450

Maldonado, the capital city of the Maldonado Department, is a top retirement destination for expats. Beautiful beaches, affordable cost of living, and welcoming community describe this city best. The city boasts a charming city center, well-developed infrastructure, and a friendly community as well.

3. Colonia del Sacramento

Insider Monkey Score: 17

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,500

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $425

One of the oldest towns in the country, Colonia del Sacramento is revered for its picturesque colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. Retirees will love exploring its UNESCO-listed historic quarter, where cobblestone streets and colonial architecture blend Spanish and Portuguese influences. The riverfront promenade is a popular spot for picturesque sunsets and strolls, while essential healthcare facilities and a growing expat community further add to the allure of retiring here.

2. Punta del Este

Insider Monkey Score: 18

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $2,460

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $768

A seaside city and peninsula on the Atlantic Coast, Punta del Este makes it to the second spot on our list of best places to retire in Uruguay. Fine dining, fantastic beaches, and amazing nightlife make it a prime spot for active retirees. As it boasts beautiful beaches, luxury resorts, and world-class dining, the cosmopolitan lifestyle comes at a higher price than many other cities and towns on our list.

1. Montevideo

Insider Monkey Score: 20

Average Monthly Cost of Living (Per Individual): $1,630

Average Monthly Rent (1-bedroom): $445

Based on our methodology, the best place to retire in Uruguay is Montevideo. Being the countrys capital and a major city along Montevideo Bay, Montevideo features modern amenities, high-quality healthcare, and a variety of housing options. It has a wonderful culture and beautiful beaches, mesmerizing waterfront promenades, and many parks to boast. From strolling along the picturesque Rambla to relishing river views, exploring the historic Ciudad Vieja to relaxing at Parque Rodo, there is much to see and do in the city.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Has Become A Wasteland. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published on Insider Monkey.
A water-dropping helicopter helps in the battle against the Thompson fire on July 2 in Oroville, Calif. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)

A 26-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson in the Thompson fire, which torched 3,789 acres in the Northern California town of Oroville in early July.

Spencer Grant Anderson, an Oroville resident, was arrested in Chico on Thursday. He was charged Monday with arson of an inhabited structure, arson of forest land and arson causing multiple structures to burn, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The charges came after an extensive 50-day investigation by a team of Cal Fire investigators brought in from around the state. At any given time, four to six investigators had Anderson under 24/7 surveillance while others conducted a forensic investigation at the intersection of Cherokee and Thompson Flat roads, the site where the fire started, Cal Fire said.

Hours into the investigation, the team concluded that the fire was likely caused by a flaming object thrown from a Toyota sedan. By July 3, a day after the fire started, they linked the car to Anderson using license plate readers.

After he was arrested, Anderson admitted that he had purchased fireworks the day the fire started and drove to Cherokee Road to test one by throwing it out the window, Cal Fire said.

The fire started on a "red flag day"  when the potential for a fast-moving brush fire was extremely high. The temperature was over 100, humidity was low, and winds were blowing west to east.

The fire traveled more than 3.5 miles, destroying 13 homes and damaging 34 structures.

Anderson could face 21 years in prison if convicted on all charges. He's being held without bail in Butte County Jail and will be back in court on Wednesday to set dates for his plea and pretrial hearings.

Oroville sits about 20 miles south of Paradise, where the deadliest wildfire in California history, the Camp fire, killed 85 people in 2018.

Tens of thousands of Butte County residents were placed under mandatory evacuation orders after the Thompson fire started on July 2, including some who had previously lost homes in the Camp fire.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The osprey had to be euthanised due to the extent of its injuries, police said (Getty Images)

Police have launched an appeal after an osprey was shot in a Scottish national park, leading it to be put down due to the severity of its injuries.

The bird was found on 12 August by a gamekeeper in the Glen Doll area in Angus  part of the Cairngorms National Park  which is home to a range of walking trails and is a popular birdwatching site.

The osprey was visibly in distress, so the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) was called, and the bird was taken to the wildlife resource centre in Fishcross for treatment, Police Scotland said.

However, the bird was euthanised due to the severity of its injuries.

An animal rescue officer attended and transported the bird, which was unable to fly, to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre. Sadly, due to the severity of its injuries, the bird had to be euthanised, a spokesman from the SSPCA told The Independent.

After further investigations into the birds injuries, X-rays revealed that the osprey had been shot, prompting Police Scotland to be called into the case.

Its illegal to kill any protected species, and were working with partner agencies to fully investigate the circumstances, Daniel Crilley, a detective constable with the wildlife crime investigation unit, said.

Information from the local community is vital and Id ask anyone who was in the area around 12 August and thinks they may have information which could assist our enquiries to come forward, he added.

Were keen to speak to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious or has information about shooting activity in the area.

Osprey are not considered endangered on a worldwide level today, but were driven to extinction in most of the UK in the late 19th century due to being hunted, as they were seen as a threat to fish stocks. They have slowly regained their numbers in the past few decades in the UK and have become a protected species.

They are found in several parts of Scotland, one site in Cumbria, two in Wales and one artificially re-colonised site in Anglia. There are around 250 breeding pairs in the UK that produce around 260 chicks a year, the Scottish Wildlife Trust said.

Wildlife authorities in Scotland have condemned the shooting of the bird.

Its really disappointing to hear about this case, not least because of the suffering this bird will have endured. All credit to those involved in catching the injured bird and the efforts made, sadly in vain, to try to tend to its injuries, Ian Thompson, head of investigations at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland, told The Telegraph.

Although Scotlands ospreys are doing well, their population is still recovering from a period when they were absent as a breeding species here, largely due to persecution. While its rare to hear about such cases these days, obviously, there are still those who have a Victorian attitude towards protected wildlife at large in our countryside.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information on what happened to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 1671 of 26 August. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)  U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock announced Tuesday that $31 million in federal funding is headed to Georgia to help veterans find homes and prevent homelessness.

Allocated to various portions of the state, the funding is being provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Supportive Services for Veteran Families program to nonprofit organizations across the state helping veterans find housing.

The CSRAs $1,864,282 in funds will be given to the Central Savannah River Area Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (CSRA EOA) which supports Augusta-Richmond County and the surrounding areas.

ALSO ON WJBF: VA Augusta bringing VetFest 2024 to McCormick on Thursday

Our national honor requires that we lift up and support all who have sacrificed in Americas defense, said Sen. Ossoff in a Aug. 27 press release. Thats why Senator Warnock and I continue working to end veteran homelessness in Georgia and nationwide.

Our servicemembers and veterans are the best among us, and as a champion for all Georgians in the U.S. Senate, I will continue working to ensure they receive the help they are owed for their service to our nation, said Sen. Warnock.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Other categories of taxes would be affected by property tax measure

(Getty Images)

A ballot measure to repeal property taxes based on assessed value wouldnt just eliminate standard residential, commercial and agricultural property taxes  it would also impact six special tax categories, according to Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus.

This includes taxes on mobile homes, electric generation, distribution and transmission taxes, a forest conservation tax and other kinds of payments in lieu of property taxes implemented by local governments.

Taxes on electric generation companies, electricity distributors and transmission lines accounted for about $30.8 million of taxes collected by the state in 2023.

The state collected around $4.4 million in mobile home taxes in 2023.

In 2023, North Dakota received roughly $1 million from local in-lieu-of property taxes and the forest conservation tax, which owners of forested land can pay instead of property taxes in participating counties.

While these are separate from traditional property taxes, the ballot measure would erase the sections of the North Dakota Constitution that make them legal, Kroshus said. The ballot measure would repeal sections four, five, seven, nine and 10 of Article 10 of the state constitution.

Kroshus said the oil and gas gross production tax  which oil and gas companies pay in lieu of property taxes  would not be impacted by the property tax measure.

North Dakota collected $1.4 billion in residential, commercial, agricultural and other value-based property taxes in 2023.

The ballot measure, if approved by voters in November, would require the state to at minimum reimburse local governments by an amount equal to the property taxes they collected in the 2024 tax year.

Kroshus last week told a group of lawmakers that North Dakota can expect the ballot measure to cost anywhere between roughly $3.04 billion and $3.15 billion over the 2025-2027 budget cycle if it passes.
Over 260 Matching Dinosaur Footprints Found on Opposite Sides of Atlantic Ocean, Researchers Say

The footprints show where the dinosaurs were able to cross between South America and Africa before the two continents split apart, according to researchers

Getty Stock image of a dinosaur footprint

A team of international researchers recently made a thrilling discovery when they found hundreds of matching dinosaur footprints on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

A team of researches, led by Southern Methodist University (SMU) paleontologist Louis L. Jacobsfound over 260 matching sets of Early Cretaceous dinosaur footprints in Brazil and Cameroon, according to a new study published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

The footprints show where the dinosaurs were last able to cross between South America and Africa millions of years ago before the two continents split, according to a press release from SMU.

In terms of their shapes, they are almost identical," said Jacobs.

Related: 10-Year-Old Girl Discovers Dinosaur Footprints During Beach Walk with Mom While on Vacation

Researchers found that the dinosaur footprints were discovered over 3,700 miles away from each other  and that the footprints were made 120 million years ago on a "supercontinent known as Gondwana," which broke off from Pangea.

Per USA Today, Gondwana, a former supercontinent, broke off from the landmass of Pangea about 180 million years ago and included multiple other continents including South America, Africa, Australia and Antarctica.

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

Before Africa and South America split apart, Plants fed the herbivores and supported a food chain. Muddy sediments left by the rivers and lakes contain dinosaur footprints, Jacobs said in the press release.

This showed proof that these river valleys could provide specific avenues for life to travel across the continents 120 million years ago, he added.

Related: Man Found 70 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Skeleton While Walking His Dog  and Kept It a Secret for 2 Years

SMU research associate and co-author of the study Diana P. Vineyard, said that the majority of the footprints were created by three-toed theropod dinosaurs, with a few also likely coming from sauropods or ornithischians.

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Read the original article on People.
(Getty Images)

Two state lawmakers have filed an appeal in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court after a lower court threw out their lawsuit arguing that absentee ballots must be counted at the polling places where voters would normally cast ballots rather than at county election offices.

The lawsuit, filed in January on behalf of state Reps. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren) and David Zimmerman (R-Lancaster), sought a court order declaring that sections of the Pennsylvania Election Code and the guidance of the Department of State violates the state constitution.

The suit named as defendants Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and all 67 county boards of elections.

In a decision Friday, Commonwealth Court Judge President Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer granted requests by Schmidt and the county boards to dismiss the case, writing that the court was bound by a nearly 60-year-old state Supreme Court decision.

Attorney Greg Tuefel, who represents Rapp and Zimmerman, said he filed the appeal Monday and the Supreme Court has indicated that it would hear the case quickly to resolve it before the November election.

Rapp and Zimmermans lawsuit contended that sections of the Election Code requiring absentee ballots to be returned to and counted by county Boards of Elections are at odds with the Constitutions requirement that they be returned to and counted in the precincts where a voter resides.

Tuefel said Rapp and Zimmerman believe that counting absentee ballots at the polling places where an absentee voter resides is better for election security. It would be virtually impossible for a person who wishes to commit election fraud to obtain the cooperation of election officials in multiple precincts and those who work at the polls and know the voters are in a better position to spot fraud or irregularities in absentee ballots.

In her opinion for the court, Cohn Jubelirer wrote that the Supreme Court in 1968 analyzed the Election Code sections and the Constitutional provision and concluded that the constitution requires the return and canvass of [electors] votes, not ballots, in the election district in which they respectively reside.

Cohn Jubelirer noted that the Supreme Court in 1968 recognized the same arguments raised by Schmidt and the county boards of elections in response to Rapp and Zimmerman that requiring absentee ballots to be returned to polling places would be costly and a logistical nightmare.

In his brief opposing the lawmakers claims, Schmidt noted that they had failed to explain how having absentee ballots counted in dozens of individual polling places would benefit candidates.

To the contrary, Petitioners do not dispute  and therefore concede  that their requested relief would require them to expend more time and resources, since they would have to send observers to dozens of polling places instead of to the boards of elections offices for Berks, Lancaster, Warren, Forest, and Crawford Counties, the brief said.

The Department of State did not respond to a request for comment by the deadline for this article.

(This article was updated at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 to include comments from Tuefel.)
PA man sentenced to over 19 years in prison for third drug conviction

Pittsburgh, PA (WJET/WFXP)  A Mercer County man will be spending more than 19 years locked up after pleading guilty to federal drug trafficking charges related to his western Pennsylvania operation.

A federal judge in Pittsburgh sentenced 39-year-old Quinton Pinkins, of Farrell, to 235 months (19.5 years) in prison followed by six years of supervised release for narcotics sales he made between June 2020 and June 2021 that also caused the death of at least one person.

Chautauqua Co. man pleads guilty to drug charges related to two raids

Pinkins pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin, and 500 grams of cocaine along with distributing fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a public playground and housing authority properties in May of 2021.

The Mercer County drug organization distributed an estimated 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin and 500 grams of cocaine during the same time frame resulting in the death of at least one customer and hospitalization of another, according to court information.

PA man sentenced to prison for transporting firearms across state lines

Pinkins was reportedly aware of these incidents but continued dealing and even expanded his operation north to Erie County.

This is the third time hes been imprisoned on drug charges after receiving prison time in 2009 and 2018 for drug-related cases.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Philadelphia man was sentenced Monday to 12  years in prison for his drug trafficking conviction related to crimes that took place in Charlotte.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, court documents show that in October 2022, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer was at a QuikTrip gas station in Charlotte when he observed an individual, later identified as 27-year-old Jomeir Zakied McCutchen, engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction.

Charlotte man charged in 2010 murder no longer representing himself

Records show that when McCutchen saw the officer he quickly walked into the gas station and then was picked up at a side door of the store by a juvenile female, who drove away from the business in a white SUV at a high rate of speed. The officer followed McCutchen and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the juvenile driver drove away.

A little while later, the officer located the unoccupied SUV in the parking lot of an apartment complex. While looking through the vehicles windows, the officer reportedly observed drugs and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales.

Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle, allegedly seizing a bag containing more than 12 grams of fentanyl. The officers also located identifying documents in the vehicle in the name of the defendant. Further investigation revealed that McCutchen was a convicted felon on parole in Pennsylvania.

The next day, law enforcement located McCutchen at a gas station in Charlotte. Law enforcement observed him exit the gas station and approach a red vehicle. CMPD officers attempted to stop McCutchen, but the defendant fled on foot, and officers say he dropped a black pistol on the ground as he ran off.

McCutchen was arrested and detained. Law enforcement searched the red vehicle and seized more than 83 grams of methamphetamine and recovered the discarded firearm, determining it was loaded with a round in the chamber.

On Feb. 21, 2024, McCutchen pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

Bank employee charged in alleged fraud scheme

In his sentencing of 150 months, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell noted Monday that prior convictions and probation from other courts had not deterred the defendant.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and CMPD 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 Queen City News.
Ukraines surprise invasion of Kursk has hit the three-week mark, with its forces making incremental advances in some sectors and losing small portions of ground in others.

Ukrainian forces captured the town of Matveevka and are operating west of Nechayevka, the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies (CDS) said in its latest assessment. At the same time, Russian forces repelled Ukrainian attacks near Komarovka, while the 810th Separate Marines Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet and the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade counterattacked in the area of Plekhovo-Borki-Spalnoe. Fighting continues in Olgovka and Kremyanoe, near Mala Loknya, and in Borki.

Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations within their salient in Kursk Oblast on August 26, but neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces made any significant confirmed or claimed advances.



Russian forces recently advanced northeast of Kharkiv City, north of Chasiv Yar, https://t.co/k0nsta1r2O pic.twitter.com/DAJNjCbQa5  Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) August 27, 2024

Ukrainian Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, command-in-chief of the Armed Forces claimed that his troops have captured about 100 settlements, nearly 1,300 square kilometers (about 800 square miles) of territory, and nearly 600 prisoners during their now three-week-old invasion of Kursk.

As of today, we continue to make progress in Kursk, Syrskyi told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian Militinari news outlet. The War Zone cannot independently verify these claims.

Russia is pulling its troops from other areas and has already amassed a group of about 30,000 people, and this number is growing, he added. Despite this, the enemy is trying not to withdraw units from other areas. On the contrary, he is increasing his efforts in the Pokrovsk sector. We are also concentrating our main forces and means in this area.

Very insightful details from CinC Oleksandr Syrskyi regarding the objectives of Ukraines Kursk operation



One of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert significant enemy forces from other axes, particularly in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhovsk areas. 1/7 pic.twitter.com/omPxwnhq3T  Giorgi Revishvili (@revishvilig) August 27, 2024

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues its whack-a-mole operations against Russian pontoon bridges across the Seim River, systematically destroying them as Russia builds new ones. As we previously reported, there are an estimated 3,000 Russian troops trapped south of the river and between Ukrainian troops pushing from the east and west.

Ukraine systematically destroys pontoon bridges in the Kursk region. Meanwhile, Russia is creating new ones. pic.twitter.com/ctpYKSCp1X  MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) August 27, 2024

Ukrainian drones attacked a power substation and a KamAZ truck belonging to Russias Sever group forces fighting in Kursk.

Kursk region, a substation and a KamAZ of the Sever group were lost. pic.twitter.com/8ngugFiYmy  Slava (@Heroiam_Slava) August 27, 2024

The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD), as it has since the invasion of Kursk was first launched, said it was repelling Ukraining forces.

The units of the Sever Group of Forces supported by Army Aviation and artillery have repelled 11 attacks launched by AFU assault detachments in the direction of Borki, Kulbaki, Kremyanoye, Malaya Loknya, the MoD claimed on Telegram. In addition, Russian troops have thwarted attempted attacks in the direction of Krasnooktyabrskoye, Olgovka, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye.

Aviation, artillery and ground troops have Ukrainian military clusters of the 22nd, 61st, and 115th Mechanised, 80th, 82nd Air Assault Brigades as well as the 1004th Security and Service Brigade near Apanasovka, Borki, Bogdanovka, Viktorovka, Desyaty Oktyabr, Kruglenkoye, Kazachaya Loknya, Lyubimovka, Mikhailovka, Novoivanovka, Plekhovo, and Snagost, the MoD stated.

With the fight raging in neighboring Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian troops are again trying to fight their way into Russias Belgorod Oblast, according to a Russian official, media outlets and milbloggers. However, there are conflicting reports about the extent of these attacks.

There is information that the enemy is trying to break through the border of the Belgorod region, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed on Telegram. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult, but under control. Our military is conducting scheduled work. Please remain calm and trust only official sources of information.

The russian media claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have entered the Belgorod region of russia, and there is fighting at the Nekhotiyivka checkpoint and near the Shebekino checkpoint.



Follow @blyskavka_uapic.twitter.com/ZTEFQouj9y  BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) August 27, 2024

The MASH Telegram channel said the incursion attempts took place at the Nekhotyevka and Shebekino border checkpoints, which are about 26 miles apart along the border with Ukraines Kharkiv Oblast. About 500 Ukrainian troops are attacking those checkpoints, the Russian MASH Telegram channel claimed. Judging by intercepted radio communications, the militants include foreign mercenaries from Poland, Georgia and the USA.

MASH said that about 200 Ukrainian troops in several infantry fighting vehicles tried to cross the border at Nekhoteyvka. Russian forces responded with an artillery barrage.

Another 300 Ukrainian troops tried to breach the Shebekino border checkpoint, MASH said.

There is a battle going on there now. The border guards fought back, and then helicopters arrived and fired at the enemy group, MASH said. Today marks exactly three weeks since the Ukrainian soldiers invaded the Kursk region. In the Belgorod region, the militants used the same tactics as there.

Other Russian accounts differ.

Nobody went into Nekhoteyevka, the Russian FALCON Telegram group claimed. Instead, Ukrainian forces entered about two miles south at the Zhuravlevskiy forest and were hit by fire.

The attack on Nekhoteyevka was repelled, the SHOT Telegram channel said. Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 20 personnel.

SHOT added that there was no fighting at the Shebekino checkpoint because the front lines were pushed south of there toward the embattled Ukrainian city of Vovchansk. Russia launched an attack near that city, but Ukrainian forces successfully repelled it, the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies think tank said.

Though the Russian accounts differ, a source with direct knowledge of operations told The War Zone that the goal of any incursion into Belgorod is to protect Ukraines now three-week-old invasion of bordering Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces are attempting to secure or widen the flanks of the salient, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. If successful, it will make it harder for Russia to cut off the salient from the Belgorod direction.

The Shebekino and Nekhotevka checkpoints in Belgorod Oblast came under Ukrainian attack, according to one Russian media outlet. (Google Earth image)

The Latest

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Russian forces are still pushing closer to the key city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. As we previously wrote, Pokrovsk, a key rail and road hub, is now a garrison city and a critical bulwark against a large-scale collapse in the region. The Russians launched 100 assaults toward the city and surrounding settlements yesterday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff said on Facebook.

With #Ukraine's unchallenged Kursk invasion soon to enter its 4th week, Putin needs a victory. Russia's throwing everything into capturing piles of rubble in eastern Ukraine. Yesterday saw 100 ground attacks towards town of Pokrovsk and surrounding settlements. pic.twitter.com/24XZTiNeQb  Glasnost Gone (@GlasnostGone) August 27, 2024

Russian forces are still on the march in E Ukraine, threatening Kyiv's hold over key areas of Donetsk region. The Russians are 9.5km from Pokrovsk, 4.5km from Myrnohrad. Both cities are emptying out and being pummeled by attacks. Video via @Deepstate_UA shows advance past 2 wks. pic.twitter.com/0Yz17vMLR5  Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) August 27, 2024

Russian forces may be advancing in Donetsk, but they are paying a heavy price.

Troops from Ukraines 425th Separate Assault Battalion are seen in the video below pounding Russian positions in a treeline with a from the Bushmaster M242 25 mm automatic cannon of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The rounds lit up the night sky.

Video of members of Ukraine's 425th Skala Assault Battalion fighting in Toretsk with an M113 and Bradley. https://t.co/bZ3DvIU3DI https://t.co/uuoBbht2Tu pic.twitter.com/Qesmy9PaVT  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 27, 2024

Ukraine used its donated F-16 fighters to shoot down missiles and drones during yesterdays massive Russian barrage, President Volodymyr,

Zelensky told reporters during a press conference at the Ukraine 2024 Independence Forum in Kyiv.on Tuesday.

We had very good results, very good, he explained. Nobody talked about it, but we destroyedin this huge attack of Russianssome missiles and drones using F-16. I wont say how many, but we did it.

Zelensky thanked his international partners for providing the Vipers, and once again asked for more.

But again, its not enough, he said. We have a small number of F-16s, and we need to do pilot training, missions and etc.

'We are not ready to change our territories in any negotiations.'  @ZelenskyyUa



This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr #Zelenskyy at his press conference.



Watch press conference (https://t.co/yzrPxyY3wr) of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pic.twitter.com/2JMs3YHVVT  UATV English (@UATV_en) August 27, 2024

The Ukrainian president offered no specifics or proof about the F-16s downing missiles and drones, but a video emerged on social media that some claim one such encounter. However, the videos quality makes it hard to confirm. Ukrainian MiG-29s and Su-27s have also been very active intercepting drones and cruise missiles.

Ukrainian fighter jet destroys Russian cruise missile somewhere over Ukraine.



Some claim it's F-16, but the quality of footage makes it hard to identify. pic.twitter.com/RMSG338lLk  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 27, 2024

Zelensky also said he would bring up the issue of creating a volunteer force of F-16 pilots, akin to the International Legion Ukraine set up at the onset of the all-out war to attract foreign fighters.

We raised the issue of the creation of the Volunteer F16 Air Force with US congressmen. However, this should be a US decision,  President of Ukraine Volodymyr @ZelenskyyUa #RussiaUkraineWar pic.twitter.com/MBfFATHxqN  UATV English (@UATV_en) August 27, 2024

Next month, Zelensky said he would present a four-part plan for victory to U.S. President Joe Biden, as well as candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

One part of that is already done is Kursk, he told reporters. Another part is a strategic place of Ukraine in the world security infrastructure. The third part is enforcement  a powerful push to force Russia to end the war with diplomatic means. The fourth part is economical. I cant talk to all of it.

Zelensky's four-part plan for Ukrainian victory will be presented to the President of the United States in September, as well as to Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.



The plan combines military, economic, and strategic elements to achieve victory in the war. pic.twitter.com/xpZF4o6tSO  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 27, 2024

Zelensky continues to state that he does not want to entertain a peace deal with Russia right now.

As of today not just a compromise but a dialogue with Putinis empty, futile, he said. Putin does not want to end the war in a diplomatic way. He seems to be ready from a diplomatic standpoint but demands [Ukraine concedes] 30% of the land,

Dialogue with #Putin makes no sense now,  Volodymyr #Zelenskyy



"As of today not just a compromise but a dialogue with Putinis empty, futile. He does not want to end the war in a diplomatic way. He seems to be ready from a diplomatic standpoint but demands [that #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/eHjXQITGNR  UATV English (@UATV_en) August 27, 2024

A day after Russia launched its biggest aerial barrage of the war against Ukraine, it struck again, firing more than 90 missiles and drones. At least four people were killed, Zelensky said.

Rescue operations are ongoing at the sites of strikes and falling debris in the regions of Ukraine that were attacked by Russia last night. All services are on the ground, and the rubble is being cleared.



Unfortunately, despite the effective work of our air defense, 4 people pic.twitter.com/IJ6uQx6mpy  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) August 27, 2024

Russia continues its barbaric attacks on the people of Ukraine, launching another 91 missles and drones in the past 9 hours.



Of these, air defenses managed to intercept 65 aerial targets. pic.twitter.com/XpoOQSkD57  KyivPost (@KyivPost) August 27, 2024

With the U.S. considering increasing support for Ukraines invasion of Russia and loosening restrictions on using donated weapons there, Moscow again made a veiled threat about using nuclear weapons.

We are now confirming once again that playing with fire  and they are like small children playing with matches  is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow, according to Reuters. Americans unequivocally associate conversations about Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively.

Lavrov added that Russia was clarifying its nuclear doctrine.

Russias nuclear doctrine, developed in 2020, holds that its president can consider the use of nuclear weapons as either a response to an attack by nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction or conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is put under threat.

Russia is now "clarifying" the doctrine of using nuclear weapons,  Lavrov



He hinted that this could be a response to the West's permission to fire long-range missiles at Russia. pic.twitter.com/C56Q6xiHW7  MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) August 27, 2024

Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko complained about his countrys predicament and claimed he was being pressured to abandon Russia, his prime benefactor, and fight on the side of Ukraine.

It comes to this, he said during a speech. Today I receive proposals from all sides that we, 99%, cannot accept.

Lukashenko complained that the West is trying to persuade him to fight with NATO against Russia.



He also added that he receives "proposals from all sides that I, 99%, cannot accept."

Did he mean Russia and NATO by "all sides"? pic.twitter.com/DVa7NZ1nql  Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 27, 2024

Russian forces say they shot down a new type of Ukrainian drone in Kursk Oblast.

The hexacopter, with a reinforced body and an additional pusher propeller, was shot down after several attempts to land it with an electronic warfare gun, the Russian MASH Telegram channel claimed Tuesday. It did not respond to interference.

While there are many reasons for developing such a drone, including delivering heavier munitions and increasing survivability, Russia claims without proof that this was designed to deliver chemical or biological weapons. Sappers examined the device and found out that there was a self-destruct system on board. It was deactivated. The fighters of the radiation, chemical and biological protection will have to find out what kind of sprayer was on board.

New Ukrainian FPV drone with an additional propeller and a reinforced body found by the Russian forces in the Kursk region. pic.twitter.com/qPc2HlmVaX  Clash Report (@clashreport) August 27, 2024

And finally, nine days after being struck by Ukrainian drones, Russias Proletark oil depot is in ruins.

It took 15 years to build and one week to waste it, one employee complained.

"Took 15 years to build, and one week to waste it"  says a Russian employee of the Proletarsk oil depot which was ruined in a fire that lasted over a week after it was hit by Ukrainian drones. pic.twitter.com/P3LtX6hhgu  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 27, 2024

Thats it for now.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
In this article, we will take a look at the 20 most business friendly states in the US. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to 5 Most Business Friendly States in the US.

Why are Experts Fearing the Long Awaited Rate Cut

A decline in employment, delayed rate cuts, and an overall slowdown of the economy have impacted the business environment immensely. While rate cuts have been scheduled to go through next month, not all economists and investors are looking forward to it. On August 26, Reuters reported that while the economy is guided to have a soft landing, the narrative may not help US stocks in the future. Experts suggest that the market was looking forward to a rate cut announcement, which had investors on the go. However, now that rate cuts have been announced, the excitement of a cutting cycle may wear off. Historically, stocks perform well when a rate cut is announced after a period of strong economic growth, and not an economic slowdown, like we saw in the first half of 2024. Since 1970, the S&P 500 has grown by 18% on average after a rate cut in periods of economic growth. On the other hand, in recessionary years, the S&P 500 has only climbed 2% on average following a rate cut.

Business Environment in the US

The total number of business applications in July 2024 reached 420,000, down by 2.1% from June 2024. The retail trade industry recorded the highest number of business applications exceeding 73,000 in July. Projected business formations, on the other hand, for July were 28,110, down by 0.2% from June 2024.

That said, let's take a look at Worth AI, an AI startup formed in Florida in 2023 disrupting the underwriting and legal industry. Worth AI streamlines financial underwriting using AI, provides real-time data on the market, enables risk modeling, provides detailed portfolio visibility, and engages in risk monitoring. The company has an all-in-one platform that helps companies leverage business credit tools. The company processed its latest round of seed funding on August 15 and is still in the works of listing a patent.

Using its proprietary AI, the company provides companies with an automated risk assessment and a unique business credit score, along with additional underwriting services. On April 5, Worth AI announced a partnership with Equifax. Under the agreement, Worth AI will leverage differentiated data provided by Equifax. The data will then be used to help small businesses gain access to capital and financial services.

READ ALSO 15 Trending AI Stocks on Latest Analyst Ratings and News and 11 Best AI Assistants in 2024.

Story continues

Is MSFT the Most Important Company in the US Right Now?

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a renowned technology company known for its Office productivity suite. The company also specializes in cloud computing, gaming, and advertisement and is making significant leaps in artificial intelligence. In FY 2024, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) grew its revenue by 15% to reach $245 billion and cloud revenue exceeded $135 billion, up by 23% year-over-year. Azure and other cloud service segments were the top performers, growing revenue by 30% during the year.

The technology company owns multiple platforms backed by artificial intelligence including Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365, Power platform, and Microsoft Cloud. Azure AI has more than 60,000 customers. These include leading names like H&R Block, Suzuki, Swiss Re, and Telstra. On the other hand, Microsoft Fabric, its AI data platform, has 14,000 paid customers including Accenture, Kroger, and Zeiss. Over 480,000 companies have used AI tools in Microsoft's power platform, up by 45% from the previous quarter.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is also reducing its reliance on AI hardware companies in an attempt to produce efficient infrastructure systems for its AI products. Last year, the company introduced tailored AI chips capable of running general-purpose compute workloads on the Microsoft Cloud. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the first companies to fully transition to digitization, giving it the first mover advantage. Its proprietary technologies provide a roadmap for companies of all sizes to push their journey to innovation and AI.

While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT 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 time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MSFT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

Now that we have studied economic activity in the US, let's take a look at the 20 most business friendly states in the US. You can also read our piece on the 10 best small cap AI stocks according to short sellers.

20 Most Business Friendly States in the US

Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock.com

Our Methodology

To come up with the 20 most business friendly states in the US we first went through multiple similar rankings on the internet. We then sourced the state-wise corporate income tax rates from the Tax Foundation, the aggregate business applications for each state, for the year ended 2023, from the US Census Bureau, and the GDP per capita from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. We sorted the states with the lowest corporate tax rates, the highest number of business applications, and the highest GDP per capita and assigned them ranks corresponding to their number on each list. We then took the average of our metrics to come up with the Insider Monkey Score. Our list is in descending order of the average rank of the three metrics, referred to as the Insider Monkey Score on our list.

Note: While the District of Columbia is not a state, it was included in our rankings due to its size and political nature.

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20 Most Business Friendly States in the US

20. Massachusetts

Number of Business Applications (2023): 75,990

GDP per capita (2023): $82,889.81

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 8%

Insider Monkey Score: 15.75

Massachusetts ranks 20th on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. Massachusetts logged almost 76,000 new business applications in 2023. The state boasts a GDP per capita of almost $83,000 and has a corporate income tax rate of 8% on all income levels.

19. Iowa

Number of Business Applications (2023): 33,079

GDP per capita (2023): $94,540.81

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 7.1%

Insider Monkey Score: 15.75

Iowa is one of the best states to do business in, with an Insider Monkey score of 15.75. The state levies a corporate income tax rate of 5.5% for income between $0 and $100,000. For income above $100,000, the corporate tax rate is 7.1%.

18. Wyoming

Number of Business Applications (2023): 58,486

GDP per capita (2023): $70,778.43

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): N/A

Insider Monkey Score: 15.25

Wyoming ranks 18th on our list of the best states to do business in. Wyoming does not levy a corporate income tax or personal income tax. Therefore, companies in the state enjoy tax-free profits. Wyoming had more than 58,000 new business applications in 2023.

17. Wisconsin

Number of Business Applications (2023): 65,089

GDP per capita (2023): $90,185.45

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 7.9%

Insider Monkey Score: 15.25

Wisconsin is one of the best states to do business in. Wisconsin levies a 7.9% corporate income tax rate on all income levels. The state had a GDP per capita of over $90,000 and logged more than 65,000 new business applications in 2023.

16. Ohio

Number of Business Applications (2023): 147,977

GDP per capita (2023): $57,449.61

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): N/A

Insider Monkey Score: 15

Ohio ranks 16th on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. While Ohio does not levy a corporate income tax rate, it does have a commercial activity tax, levied at 0.26% of an entity's gross revenue.

15. Alabama

Number of Business Applications (2023): 71,457

GDP per capita (2023): $82,228.47

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 6.5%

Insider Monkey Score: 14.25

Alabama has an Insider Monkey score of 14.25, making it one of the most business friendly states in the US. Alabama recorded $82,228 in GDP per capita in 2023. It has a corporate income tax rate of 6.5% on all income levels.

14. Virginia

Number of Business Applications (2023): 131,312

GDP per capita (2023): $75,270.11

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 6%

Insider Monkey Score: 13

Virginia ranks 14th on our list of the best states to do business in, with an Insider Monkey score of 13. Virginia levies a corporate income tax rate of 6% on all income levels, as of January 1. Over 130,000 new business applications were filed in Virginia in 2023.

13. Texas

Number of Business Applications (2023): 498,821

GDP per capita (2023): $58,755.78

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): N/A

Insider Monkey Score: 13

Texas is one of the best states to do business in. Texas does not levy corporate income tax. While state income taxes are not levied, Texas does have a franchise tax, levied on a company's margin for revenues exceeding $1.23 million.

12. Indiana

Number of Business Applications (2023): 93,199

GDP per capita (2023): $77,618.55

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 4.9%

Insider Monkey Score: 12

Indiana ranks 12th on our list of the most business friendly states in the US, with an Insider Monkey score of 12. Indiana had more than 93,000 new business applications in 2023. The corporate income tax on all income levels is 4.9%, as of January 1.

11. Missouri

Number of Business Applications (2023): 89,287

GDP per capita (2023): $76,860.56

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 4%

Insider Monkey Score: 11.50

Missouri has an Insider Monkey score of 11.5, contributing to its ranking on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. Missouri levies a corporate income tax rate of 4% on all income levels. The state has a GDP per capita of $77,000.

10. North Carolina

Number of Business Applications (2023): 169,948

GDP per capita (2023): $68,405.39

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 2.5%

Insider Monkey Score: 11.25

North Carolina ranks 10th on our list of the most business friendly states in the US, with an Insider Monkey score of 11.25. North Carolina levies a corporate income tax rate of 2.5% on all income levels. The state had almost 170,000 new business applications in 2023.

9. Mississippi

Number of Business Applications (2023): 52,862

GDP per capita (2023): $109,970.79

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 5%

Insider Monkey Score: 11

Mississippi has an Insider Monkey Score of 11, contributing to its ranking on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. The state levies a corporate income tax rate of 4% on income between $5,000 to $10,000. Income above $10,000 is subject to a 5% corporate income tax rate.

8. California

Number of Business Applications (2023): 557,464

GDP per capita (2023): $88,537.52

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 8.84%

Insider Monkey Score: 10.75

California ranks eighth on our list of the most business friendly states in the United States. California had over 550,000 new business applications in 2023, the second highest among all states. The state logged almost $89,999 in GDP per capita in 2023.

7. Michigan

Number of Business Applications (2023): 147,744

GDP per capita (2023): $86,294.41

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 6%

Insider Monkey Score: 9.5

Michigan ranks seventh on our list of the most business friendly states in the United States. The corporate income tax rate in Michigan is 6%, as of January 1. The state logged 147,000 new business applications in 2023.

6. New York

Number of Business Applications (2023): 312,441

GDP per capita (2023): $99,118.49

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 7.25%

Insider Monkey Score: 7.5

New York is one of the best states to do business in, with an Insider Monkey score of 7.5. New York levies a 6.5% corporate income tax rate on income between $0 and $5 million. Income greater than $5 million constitutes a corporate income tax rate of 7.25%. Over 300,000 new business applications were filed in New York in 2023.

5. Nevada

Number of Business Applications (2023): 65,609

GDP per capita (2023): $104,816.19

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): N/A

Insider Monkey Score: 7.5

Nevada ranks fifth on our list of the most business friendly states in the US, with an Insider Monkey score of 7.5. Only business entities grossing over $4 million in revenue per annum are required to file a Commerce Tax Return in Nevada. The tax rate is decided based on the gross receipts of a business. There is no state-level corporate income tax in Nevada.

4. Washington

Number of Business Applications (2023): 97,311

GDP per capita (2023): $90,702.50

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): N/A

Insider Monkey Score: 6.5

Washington ranks fourth on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. The state of Washington does not have a personal or corporate income tax, however, business owners must pay a public utility tax. The public utility tax rate is determined using the gross receipts of a business. For example, a retail business may have to submit retail sales tax. Washington logged over $90,000 in GDP per capita in 2023.

3. Georgia

Number of Business Applications (2023): 277,588

GDP per capita (2023): $94,046.02

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 5.75%

Insider Monkey Score: 5.75

Georgia is one of the best states in the US to start a business in, with an Insider Monkey score of 5.75. Georgia has a corporate income tax rate of 5.75% for all levels of income. Georgia has a GDP per capita of $94,000 and logged more than 275,000 new business applications in 2023.

2. Florida

Number of Business Applications (2023): 664,567

GDP per capita (2023): $91,814.08

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 5.5%

Insider Monkey Score: 4.75

With an Insider Monkey score of 4.75, Florida ranks second on our list of the most business friendly states in the US. Over 660,000 new business applications were filed in 2023, the highest among all states. The corporate income tax in Florida is 5.5%, as of January 1, for income earned above $50,000.

1. Colorado

Number of Business Applications (2023): 138,867

GDP per capita (2023): $257,442.13

Corporate Income Tax Rate (2024): 4.4%

Insider Monkey Score: 4.5

Colorado ranks first on our list of the most business friendly states in the United States. Colorado has a corporate income tax rate of 4.4% for all income levels. The state logged nearly 140,000 new business applications in 2023.

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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Attacks by separatist militants in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan are aimed at stopping development projects that form part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday.

The assaults that began on Sunday, killing more than 70, were the most widespread in years by ethnic militants seeking to win secession of the resource-rich province, home to major China-led projects such as a port and a gold and copper mine.

"The terrorists want to stop CPEC and development projects," Sharif said in a televised address to cabinet, adding that the militants also wanted to drive a wedge between Islamabad and Beijing.

CPEC, said to have development commitments worth $65 billion, is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative.

Pakistan has not been able to fully build the infrastructure needed to tap mineral resources in poverty-stricken Balochistan, and has sought China's help in developing the province.

In Beijing, China condemned the attacks and vowed to maintain its support for Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts.

"China is ready to further strengthen counter-terrorism security co-operation with the Pakistani side in order to jointly maintain regional peace and security," Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular news briefing.

Beijing has previously flagged concerns about the security of its citizens working on projects in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. Six Chinese engineers working on a dam project were killed in March in the northwest.

Separatist militants have also targeted Balochistan's deepwater Gwadar port, which is run by China.

One of the groups, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), took responsibility for this week's simultaneous attacks on police stations, railway lines and highways in the province, the largest but least developed of Pakistan's four.

Hundreds of its fighters, including seven suicide bombers, participated in the attacks, it said in a statement.

Chinese targets have previously come under attack by several Baloch militant groups, who say they have been fighting for decades for a larger share in the regional wealth of mines and minerals denied by the central government.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam and Asif Shahzad; Additional reporting by Joe Cash in Beijing; Additional writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Miral Fahmy)
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed retaliation a day after deadly terrorist attacks killed more than 60 people, stating there was no room for weakness.

We have to move forward with a resolute decision. There is no room for any kind of weakness, the prime minister was quoting as saying during a meeting of the federal Cabinet.

Sharif said that the terrorists target was to stop the journey of progress in Pakistan as he mentioned projects under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

On Monday, rebels launched coordinated attacks targeting security forces and civilians in the south-western province of Balochistan, leaving at least 61 people dead, including 19 soldiers. The Pakistani military responded with force, reportedly eliminating 21 rebels.

The attacks took place at a time when a top Chinese general was visiting Islamabad and having meetings with civil and military leaders.

The rebel group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) shared details of the attacks late on Monday and said a female suicide bomber was one of attackers who targeted a military compound.

The group said seven suicide bombers and over 800 fighters took part in the string of attacks codenamed Herof, or destructive winds.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has long been a hotspot of insurgency, partly due to local resentment against China's extensive investment in the region under its Belt and Road Initiative.

The latest attacks were the deadliest in Pakistan in several months amid a surge in violence by the Taliban and the nationalist rebels.
How do you explain the price difference when a Palm Beach house sells for a recorded $6.5 million after being listed for sale at nearly $13 million?

And asking price aside, the just-closed sale price of the house at 255 Ridgeview Drive recorded at $5 million less than the amount the sellers paid for the home a little more than two years ago.

A single phrase might address those steep discounts: extenuating circumstances.

In any case, the eyebrow-raising sale price for the North End house appears to be a one-off, even in a market that has seen its share of price reductions over the past year.

A company controlled by developer and real estate investor Todd Michael Glaser of Palm Beach and Miami Beach bought the four-bedroom house, which was built in 2004 but recently renovated.

Glaser wouldnt discuss specifics of the sale or what led to the sale price. But he did say he and his decorator wife, Kim, would furnish and relist the house during the upcoming season. The developer has bought, sold, renovated and built on speculation a number of Palm Beach homes over the past several years through his eponymous real estate company, Todd Michael Glaser.

An extensively updated four-bedroom house at 255 Ridgeview Drive in Palm Beach has sold for a recorded $6.5 million after being listed at $12.95 million. A divorced couple sold the North End house to a company controlled by developer Todd Michael Glaser.

Glaser chose his words carefully when asked about the sale by the Palm Beach Daily News.

Opportunities arise when youre ready to act and you take advantage of it, Glaser said. It happens in the (luxury) car market, the watch market, the art market.

Broker Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate, who handled both sides of the sale, couldnt be reached for comment.

On the sellers side were Mary Elizabeth Porter and her ex-husband, Michael Porter, according to the deed recorded Aug. 8 by the Palm Beach County Clerks office.

They were married, however, when they bought the house in June 2022 for a recorded $11.5 million, or $1 million over its asking price, according to records in the multiple listing service. With ties to Texas, they owned the house individually and as trustees of trusts in their names. Each had a 50% ownership interest.

Last summer, Mary Porter filed for a divorce, which was granted in September, according to Texas court records filed with the Gillespie County Clerks office.

Mary Porter is a daughter of the late Virginia media mogul Frank Batten Sr., who founded The Weather Channel and sold it in 2008  the year before his death  for a reported $3.5 billion.

Just sold for $6.5 million after being listed at $12.95 million, a four-bedroom house at 255 Ridgeview Drive in Palm Beach's North End has a swimming pool in the front yard.

The deed for the Porters 2022 purchase on Ridgeview Drive listed their address as Cross Creek Ranch, their 1,500-acre ranch in Doss, Texas, an unincorporated Hill Country community in Gillespie County, about 100 miles northwest of Austin. Although the ranch has cattle and farming operations, it also offers hunting and sportsmanship activities, according to its website.

While they were married, the couple became well known in Texan conservative political circles when they made two $1 million donations  one in 2017 and the other in 2019  to Republican Gov. Greg Abbots ultimately successful re-election campaign. The donations reportedly were among the largest of the gubernatorial election cycle.

After the first of those donations, Michael Porter told the Austin American-Statesman he and his wife were very, very, very private people.

In 2022, the couple founded a political action committee, Texans for Responsible Government, to support Republican candidates. The PAC was jump-started with a $1 million donation made by Michael Porter, according to published reports.

Mary Porter and Michael Porter couldnt be reached for comment.

The house on Ridgeview Drive had been listed for sale since June 2023, but the sale likely came together within a couple of weeks of the closing, according to people familiar with the transaction. The sale closed Aug. 5, the MLS shows.

The deed recording the sale lists the address of the trusts that sold the house as a condominium Mary Porter owns through her trust in Charleston, South Carolina.

The house at 255 Ridgeview Drive in Palm Beach has an outdoor patio designed for entertaining

Angle had originally listed the Palm Beach house at $13.9 million but reduced the price to $12.95 million in March.

The house has 4,143 square feet of living space, inside and out. The bulk of the residence is tucked behind the two-car garage and a hedge-bordered front yard with a swimming pool. The house stands on a quarter-acre lot a couple of blocks south of Palm Beach Country Club.

The sales description said the house is stunning, light and bright with an open-floor layout that includes an eat-in kitchen, dining area and living room. The main bedroom suite has bay windows and two walk-in closets.

The great room at 225 Ridgeview Drive in Palm Beach has a deep tray ceiling. Glass doors at the rear open onto the patio.

The house was renovated for resale by previous owners, who sold it in 2021 to Douglas Leon Williams and his wife, Gabrielle Jean Sirchio for its asking price of $5.35 million. They, in turn, sold it to the Porters, who were represented in that deal by Angle, with agent Gary Pohrer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate acting on behalf of Williams and Sirchio.

Palm Beach Board of Realtors President John Pinson, who wasnt involved with the recent deal on Ridgeview Drive, acknowledged that some real estate transactions arent as cut-and-dried as they might appear on paper.

There can be extenuating circumstances. Theres more to an offer than the price, he said. And sometimes, when theres cash on the barrel, the sale is quick.

He added: It pays to make offers. The worst thing a seller can say is no.

The amount paid in the Ridgeview Drive sale almost certainly will prove to be simply a blip on the overall real estate scene, said Corcoran Group agent Dana Koch, who wasnt involved in the transaction.

One sale, Koch said, does not make a market.

*

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Subscribe today to support our journalism.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach house asks $13M and sells for $6.5M. What's the story?
Dueling Monday events focused on the assassination attempt against former President Trump highlighted the challenge that the official House task force investigating the attack could have in keeping the effort bipartisan and apolitical.

In its first in-person and public official action, members of the bipartisan task force toured the Butler, Pa., Farm Show site where Trumps July 13 rally and shooting took place, stressing the importance of carefully assessing the facts from a neutral perspective.

Theres not one person on this conference thats identifying as just a Republican or a Democrat. Were identifying as members of Congress on a task force with a task to restore the faith and trust and confidence the American people have to have in our system, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), the chair of the task force who represents Butler, said in a press conference after the tour.

But back in Washington, D.C., a group of rabble-rousing House Republicans  including some who were disappointed to not be included in the official House task force  held a forum at the Heritage Foundation on the assassination attempt that raised questions about whether political motivations led to security failures surrounding the July 13 rally.

It was the first major showing of the independent investigation that Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.)  two former military snipers who had themselves visited the rally site and tried to gather information  had promised to pursue after neither of them were selected to sit on the official task force.

The hearing-style forum featured Blackwater founder and former Navy SEAL Erik Prince; conservative radio host and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino; and Ben Shaffer, a Washington regional SWAT operator who was onsite at the rally. In addition to Mills and Crane, Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Chip Roy (Texas) participated in the forum, while Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) attended in the audience.

Mills said that Mondays event will not be the last for the independent effort.

This is a message to all of Congress that if we are not selecting people based on meritocracy, that independent investigations such as this will continue to move forward, that there are members who are conservatives who will not be silenced, Mills said in his opening remarks.

Crane told The Hill that while he respects those on the official task force, whose members were appointed after careful coordination with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), he said it was put together politically, making him question whether the House panel would make decisions based on politics itself.

Yet it was the independent forum that veered into potential political explanations for the security breakdowns that allowed 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks to fire from a roof at Trump, injuring him, killing one rally attendee and leaving two others critically injured.

It appears that for the first time in American history, we have a Secret Service that is making decisions that may not be all political, but may have a political tinge to it, Bongino said, commenting on the Secret Services reasoning for declining previous Trump campaign requests for additional security. Bongino also alleged that the Secret Service is dominated by diversity, equity and inclusion considerations when making major decisions.

Roy asked repeatedly if various security failures could be chalked up to mere incompetence.

The forum did not produce new major revelations about the security posture surrounding the shooting, but it did highlight security breakdowns at the event.

Ben Shaffer  who was in a counter-sniper role the day of the event but said he never had Crooks in his sector of responsibility or his field of vision  talked about communications problems and how lack of drone coverage severely impacted the ability to secure the event and venue.

Crane said that the goal of the independent probe is to move as quickly as we can, because the American people dont want to see this memory-holed.

The official task force has a much different outlook.

Getting to the truth is a slow process. And for us, none of us are looking at it as we have to get a quick answer. Were looking at it as we have to get the right answer, Kelly said.

And as the congressional probes move forward, the official task force will have the only authority in the House to issue subpoenas.

At the tour, in Butler, Pa., several task force members commented on how being there in person gave them a better sense of how close the building from which the shooter fired was to the rally.

It reminds me, quite frankly, how outrageous it was that the Secret Service director did not come here to get a sense of what this looked like, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said, referring to an admission from former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle during a contentious House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing in July. Cheatle resigned the following day.

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), the ranking member on the task force, recalled his experience as an Army ranger that him taught to secure the high ground, or to have eyes on the high ground.

I definitely took note today that there were a lot of lines of sight that appear to have been unsecured that day, that didnt have eyes on or that werent secured, Crow said in the press conference.

There is likely to be overlap between the independent effort and the task force.

Shaffer told The Hill that he is also in contact with the official panel, but that he chose to speak out at the independent panel out of concern that lack of information can cause more issues than providing facts and information.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Pasco mobile dog groomer accused of pulling gun in extreme escalation over his bill

A Pasco mobile dog groomer is accused of pointing a gun at a client during a dispute over a payment.

Adam L. Lyon, 28, pleaded innocent in Franklin County Superior Court on Tuesday to charges of second-degree assault and illegally displaying a weapon.

He is out on bail pending the trial, currently set for Nov. 20.

Lyon and his 46-year-old customer, John Hieb, told Franklin County sheriffs investigators markedly different stories about the confrontation at a Decker Road home in a rural area east of Pasco on Aug. 16.

Hieb claimed Lyon was upset because he wasnt getting paid fast enough for grooming Hiebs dog.

After he paid Lyon, Hieb said the groomer was standing near the drivers side of the van and allegedly drew a black pistol and pointed it at Hieb three times, said court documents. He said he ducked for cover and moved toward his house.

The third time Lyon allegedly pointed the gun, Hieb was near his 7-year-old niece, court documents said. When Lyon saw the girl, he allegedly put the gun away and left.

Lyon told the investigator that Hieb was the one who began getting aggressive. He said the man was getting in his face and using a lot of profanity, according to court documents.

While there wasnt any physical altercation, Lyon said the other man began banging on front of his van.

Lyon believed Hieb was going to charge the van doors and open them, so he pulled out his 9mm pistol and racked the slide.

Adam said John was screaming saying, Shoot me in front of my 7 year old, according to court documents.

Lyon said Hieb didnt have any weapons or make any specific threats.

The investigator believed that Lyon pointed the gun at Hieb without justification for the extreme escalation.
A pastor has been fired from a Texas megachurch over a moral issue just months after its founder was publicly accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.

The Gateway Church, based in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, said executive pastor Kemtal Glasgow was fired because of a moral failure.

Church elder Tra Willbanks said in a statement: Kemtal Glasgow is no longer employed at Gateway. We were informed last week of a moral issue which we believe, as elders, disqualifies him from serving in the role that he had at Gateway.

Willbanks did not go into further details about the alleged moral failure, but told the congregation: We love this family, we love his wife and his kids, and we want to come alongside them during this difficult time and help them find restoration and healing that they need as a family.

The church confirmed Glasgows departure was not linked to the case involving Robert Morris, Donald Trumps former faith adviser. The church was founded by Morris in 2000 and has multiple locations in the area.

Morris resigned from the church in June after admitting to inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.

Robert Morris, a Texas pastor who founded Gateway Church, allegedly asked the woman accusing him of abuse how much it would take to buy her silence (WFAA / YouTube)

His accuser, Cindy Clemishire, previously claimed that the pastor started abusing her on Christmas Day in 1982.

Clemishire, 52, said that Morris and his wife were staying at her familys home when he asked her to come into his room, where he told her to lay on his bed and began touching her inappropriately. She said the abuse continued until 1987 when she told her parents.

Twenty-five years after the incident, a lawyer for Morris  J Shelby Sharpe  reportedly claimed it was the child who was actually to blame.

It was your client, wrote Sharpe, in a letter obtained by NBC, 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 letter, sent in February 2007, was one in a series of exchanges that year between Sharpe and Gentner Drummond, a lawyer who represented Clemishire at the time.

Clemishire recently revealed she had been seeking $50,000 in restitution from Morris to cover the cost of counseling. Morris had allegedly offered to pay $25,000, but the talks fell apart because she was not willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement, Clemishire said.

Pastor Robert Morris applauds after President Donald Trump spoke at Gateway Church's Dallas campus on June 11, 2020 (Alex Brandon/AP)

Sharpe told NBC News that he had no recollection of a $25,000 settlement offer or NDA demand and that he no longer represents Morris. He also denied to the outlet any knowledge that Clemishire had been a child at the time of the alleged incident.

In a statement put out before his resignation, Morris admitted the inappropriate sexual behavior but insisted that he had not had intercourse with the young girl.

When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong, he said.

The board previously said that they did not have all of the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse.

On June 18, Gateway Churchs board of elders announced theyd accepted the resignation from Morris and hired a law firm to conduct an independent review to make sure they have a complete understanding of the events from 1982 to 1987.

Morris, the founding pastor, has been politically active. He was among those on former Trumps evangelical advisory board. The Gateway Church hosted Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.
In particular, on June 18, 2020, when Russia allegedly ended its ban of Telegram

Today, we have an important piece of the puzzle that we started to put together a year and a half ago about the nature of Pavel Durov's relationship with the Russian authorities.

Original email was in russian, this is a Google Translated version on this screenshot

The quick version:

In December 2023, the Kremlingram investigation team was anonymously sent an spreadsheet with the data on Pavel Durov's crossings of the Russian border in 2015-2021 which would contradict his official "pariah" narrative.

We could not confirm the authenticity of this data for a long time

This week, on August 26, 2024, Russian media Medusa.io wrote about the leak of a large FSB database, and that among them there is a record of Durov's crossing of the Russian border on August 5, 2015

This completely coincides with one of the entries in the email we received, which contains a total of 125 entries of Pavel's entry and exit to Russia

Both sources of the leaks are anonymous, we do not know their goals, but now we can very likely consider the data of the anonymous email to be authentic

According to them, Pavel visited Russia many times from 2015 to 2021, while claiming to be in conflict with the authorities and an exile in the country where he was born

His Instagram photos do not contradict the dates and locations of his trips and contain photos of many destinations other than Russia

There are no records in the database from December 2017, when he left for Finland, until June 20, 2020

As a reminder, Telegram was allegedly blocked in Russia on April 16, 2018, and allegedly unblocked on June 20, 2020, at 15:00.

The record of June 20, 2020, says that Durov took off from Russia at 19:13. There is no data on how he got to Russia before that (either it was not there or it was deleted from the database).

After this text was written, but before it was published, the Russian publication Vazhnye Istorii published the news that, according to a database that became available recently, Durov crossed the border more than 50 times from 2015 to 2021. Their data fully coincides with our source, and the article contains many important details about the context of the Telegram founder's movements.

Conculsions:

Durov concealed his visits to Russia in 2015-2021

Despite the fact that "the FSB took Vkontakte away from Pavel in 2014", his relationship with the Russian authorities in 2015-2021 was good enough that he was not afraid of being detained while crossing the border

In response to the publication about his possible ties to Russia, Durov deliberately deceived Ukrainians and the general public, claiming that he was an exile in Russia and that Telegram had "no ties" to Russia.

As proof of his lack of ties to Russia, Pavel claimed that he was no longer a Russian entrepreneur and had dual citizenship in France and the UAE. This is also a manipulation, because after his arrest in France and the statements of the Russian authorities, we know that he also has a valid Russian passport.

In the same response, Telegram insisted that he had no agreements with the Russian authorities. With the new information, it seems clear that this was not a unilateral decision by RosComNadzor, and that Pavel Durov was involved. As soon as the decision came into force, he left the territory of Russia.

A detailed version:

In March 2023, I realized that the silence about signs of Telegram's ties to the Kremlin in the second year of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine was deafening. It really looked like an "elephant in the room". Or a Trojan horse in a room. A Trojan horse in pockets of 70% of Ukrainians.

I dropped everything and in one day gathered all the suspicious facts about Telegram, Pavel Durov, and the Russian authorities that I had been keeping in my notes for years. I re-read many publications on this topic, where even more interesting things surfaced, and published my findings in Ukrainian and English in columns on Ukrainska Pravda and Kyiv Independent.

The columns gained a lot of traction and led to the formation of a community of Ukrainian journalists and activists interested in the topic, as well as the creation of Kremlingram, a non-profit aiming to study and shed light on Telegram's ties to the Russian authorities.

Telegram itself responded to this column by issuing a separate, alleged refutation of the facts - https://telegra.ph/Azhnyuk-Claims. However, their arguments were so unconvincing that they only made their situation worse, and I published a short analysis to show how manipulative their responses were.

Subsequently, Telegram contacted me on behalf of Mike Radovnikas, a longtime colleague of Pavel Durov's and currently Telegram's Vice President of Communications. Mike said in a friendly tone that he understood how I could come to my conclusions with limited information, but that this was not the case. He offered to come to Dubai, meet with Pavel Durov, and discuss how to make Telegram safe for Ukrainians. When I politely suggested that we start with a Zoom call, Mike informed me that they do not practice Zoom calls, and that was the end of our communication.

Over the past year and a half, the Kremlegram community has published dozens of articles collecting and publishing dozens of circumstantial evidence regarding the cost of the service and sources of funding, the presence of employees in Russia and meetings between company representatives and Russian authorities, the lack of proper encryption of messages, the facts of access to user communications and blocking of opposition voices on the platform, and much more. Links to the most important materials can be found on https://kremlingram.org/.

Another interesting aspect of this project was that Kremlingram started receiving messages from insiders who had more information on the topic we were interested in.

On February 10, 2023, we received an email with an alleged extract from the database of border crossings by Pavel Durov to and from Russia between 2016 and 2021 (61 entry and 64 exit records). See both the original and google-translated screenshots of the email is below, and as you can see, the author requests that the content not be published for a month from the date of receipt of the email.

The author draws attention to two facts:

After the sale of Vkontakte, Pavel Durov repeatedly crossed the border. For those familiar with Durov's official position that he has become an exile and cannot return to his country, this fact alone should be interesting, as it probably means that Durov was not telling the truth about his conflict with the Russian authorities. Pavel Durov flew out of Russia on June 18, 2020, the same day that Telegram was allegedly* unblocked after two years of alleged blocking, a few hours after the unblocking was announced on the RosKomNadzor website. This fact casts a shadow over Durov's thesis that he did not make any agreements with the Russian authorities

I say "allegedly" because Telegram was actually working just fine in Russia at the time, maybe with minor interruptions. And the fact that the central government tried to block it is not very convincing, because countries with less technological potential than Russia, such as Pakistan and Cuba, have successfully blocked the platform in their countries. Wikipedia's article on blocking Telegram lists 17 countries besides Russia where restrictions have been imposed. However, all Western media took this story at face value and reported that Telegram is such a powerful and secure messenger that even in the terrible Russia they failed to block it. This narrative persists in most Western media to this day, and almost no one questions the veracity of that blocking.

Yes, it cannot be ruled out that the Russian authorities really wanted to and failed to block Telegram because of their incompetence. On the other hand, it's hard to think of a better advertising campaign for a messaging service that claims to be secure, encrypted, and independent than this story about the alleged blocking of Telegram in Russia. It is also hard to think of a better spying asset, than a service for allegedly secure messaging. And the history of Pavel Durov's relationship with the Russian authorities and Pavel's attempts to conceal this relationship suggest that such arrangements cannot be ruled out.

The data on the border crossing looked sensational. If true, this destroys Durov's narrative of an "exile" and shows that he has been publicly lying about his relationship with the Russian state. And if so, it raises the question "why did Durov lie to us?"

As requested by our anonymous informant, I shared the data with fellow journalists and activists in the Kremlingram Signal chat on January 10, 2024. It was obvious that they needed to be verified before publication, and thus, we needed to find independent confirmation from a second source.

And here we ran into difficulties. Despite the efforts of investigative journalists, our requests to special services, and the use of contacts in Russia, the EU, and the United States, we were unable to obtain confirmation of these data. At some point, I began to assume that this letter could have been a piece of disinformation to provoke Kremlingram to publish unverified data and thus compromise the initiative.

But now, it seems, such a second source emerged.

The Russian media outlet Medusa, which positions itself as an opposition to the government, cited investigative journalist Andrei Zakharov as reporting an unprecedentedly large leak of the FSB's database of border crossings from 2014 to 2023.

Medusa claims that as a confirmation that the data in the database is genuine, Zakharov published data on border crossings by Abramovich, Patrushev, Durov and Zakharov himself. But then, for some unknown reason, he deleted the screenshot with Durov, leaving the other three - https://t.me/zakharovchannel/1416.

It is worth noting here that on his Twitter account, Zakharov defends Pavel Durov and demands his release from custody in France https://x.com/skazal_on. At this point, it is not clear whether it is a mere coincidence that this post by Zakharov about the leak appeared the day after Durov's arrest, nor why he posted and then deleted the screenshot with Durov's data.

However, Medusa managed to write down that Durov, according to this record, was supposed to leave for Finland by train via Vyborg on August 5, 2015. There is also evidence that the information about Durov was originally in the post in the comments to it. This is our puzzle.

This entry matches exactly one of the entries in the database previously sent to us by an unknown informant.

The public version of the dataset can be found here.

Is it possible that both the data in the letter and the data in the leaked database are fabricated? In theory, yes, but in practice, such an assumption sounds like some kind of incredible conspiracy. What is more likely is that this data is true and has now been confirmed by what looks like two independent sources.

Therefore, we can assume that all the data from the letter we received about Durov's crossings of the Russian border are true.

This data includes:

24 entries and exits in 2015 (from May 25 to December 28)

39 records for 2016 (from January to December)

39 records for 2017 (from January to December)

The last record for 2017 is a departure on December 26, 2017, by train from St. Petersburg to Finland in Helsinki.

There are no records for 2018 and 2019.

15 entries for 2020, starting from June 18, 2020

8 entries for 2021

Let me remind you that on April 16, 2018, Roskomnadzor began blocking IP addresses used by Telegram.

Also, in May 2020, Pavel sadly announced that due to a US court decision, after 2.5 years he was stopping the development of the TON cryptocurrency (which he later continued). At the time, TON was the main bet for Telegram to start making any money. According to our estimate, from 2013 to 2020, at least $688M was spent on Telegram, including $220M in 2020 alone. According to publicly available data, Telegram had no revenue until at least mid-2021. Durov has repeatedly expressed his disappointment with this decision and the American political system in general.

The next entry is dated June 18, 2020, 19:13:47, again departure, by plane from Pulkovo-1 airport (St. Petersburg) to Serbia, Belgrade. What is interesting here is that between 2017 and 2020, the database does not contain any data on how Durov re-entered Russia. This means that either his entry was made in a way that did not reflect this in the databases, or part of the data on Durov's entries and exits in 2018-2020 was erased from the database.

But even more interestingly, as our anonymous correspondent pointed out, it was on June 18, 2020, at 15.00 Moscow time, that a message appeared on the RosKomNadzor website about the "unblocking" of Telegram in Russia. De facto, it did not change anything, because he was already working there, and his audience has doubled over the past two years, according to Durov himself, who wrote a post about unblocking Telegram in Russia on June 22, 2020 https://t.me/durov/117.

Source

If we compare the dates, locations, and captions of the photos on Poltava Durov's Instagram with the data obtained on his movements, there are no contradictions. The only noteworthy fact is that there are plenty of photos from the United States, France, Maldives, Finland, and other places, but none from Russia  despite more than 60 trips. As with the rest of his public communication, Pavel concealed his trips to Russia, maintaining his image as an exile.

After this text was written, but before it was published, the Russian publication Vazhnye Istori published the news that, according to a database that became available recently, Durov crossed the border more than 50 times between 2015 and 2021. Their data fully coincides with our source, and the article contains many important details about the context of the Telegram founder's movements.





Conculsions:

Durov concealed his visits to Russia in 2015-2021

Despite the fact that "the FSB took Vkontakte away from Pavel in 2014", his relationship with the Russian authorities in 2015-2021 was good enough that he was not afraid of being detained while crossing the border

In response to the publication about his possible ties to Russia, Durov deliberately deceived Ukrainians and the general public, claiming that he was an exile in Russia and that Telegram had "no ties" to Russia.

As proof of his lack of ties to Russia, Pavel claimed that he was no longer a Russian entrepreneur and had dual citizenship in France and the UAE. This is also a manipulation, because after his arrest in France and the statements of the Russian authorities, we know that he also has a valid Russian passport.

In the same response, Telegram insisted that he had no agreements with the Russian authorities. With the new information, it seems clear that this was not a unilateral decision by RosComNadzor, and that Pavel Durov was involved. As soon as the decision came into force, he left the territory of Russia.

In view of all this, I once again draw the attention of Ukrainian society and the authorities to the fact that in the context of a full-scale war with Russia, we cannot continue to rely on the use of Telegram for 70% of Ukrainians who use it for news and correspondence.

I also draw the attention of Telegram users around the world - given these facts, you should reconsider how much you are willing to rely on the "encryption and privacy" of a service whose founder hides his visits to Russia.

***

Thanks to Maksym Savanevsky and Nazar Tokar for proofreading earlier versions of this text, the Kremlegram community for their volunteer work, as well as our anonymous sources.
Hispanolistic / iStock.com

For many U.S. workers, the American dream involves starting your own business and being your own boss. A record 5.48 million new businesses were launched in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data cited by the Commerce Institute. On average, about 4.7 million businesses are started each year. Unfortunately, roughly 20% of small businesses fail in the first year, Forbes reported, and about half fail in the first five years.

Check Out: 4 Ways the Middle Class Can Make an Extra $500 a Week From Home

Read Next: 6 Money Moves You Must Make If You Want To Be Like the Wealthy

The key to launching a successful business is figuring out how to make it profitable. Thats also the biggest challenge. Its easy enough to come up with a small business idea, but much harder to turn it into moneymaker. To get there, youll need a combination of research, planning, networking, vision and expertise.

An Entrepreneur blog published earlier this year recommended taking the following steps before launching a business:

Consider your skill set and credentials. This isnt necessarily rocket science. If youre a licensed CPA, for example, you are better suited to open an accounting firm than a restaurant. Determine your businesss goals. Theres a big difference between starting a business as a side gig and launching a full-time enterprise that will provide your main source of income. With the latter, you need to check a whole bunch of different boxes in terms of market research, planning, budgeting, financing and potential profits. Decide if your business will be online-only or require a physical location. Physical locations typically require that you secure financing, get the proper licenses and permits, and contact local tax authorities and utilities. Research your location and what will work there. If your business will mainly serve local or regional clients, you first need to make sure theres demand for your product or service. After that, you need to make sure the market isnt already saturated with similar businesses.

Another thing to think about is whether your business aligns with current market needs  which means providing a product or service that has a ready customer base today and on into the future.

Here are seven of the most profitable business ideas for 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Most Profitable Small Business Ideas for 2024
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Oahu residents and visitors can make a paw-sitive impact on shelter dogs with Hawaiian Humane Societys new Ilio Explorers program.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

The program allows participants to take the dogs on day-long field trips, hoping to encourage adoption and help clear the shelters.

25 stray dogs, 8 puppies saved from Hurricane Hone impacts

According to HHS, families with children at least eight years of age and older will be paired with dogs available for adoption to take them on a day-long journey at dog-friendly locations on Oahu.

Those who would like to participate are invited to Hawaiian Humanes Moiliili Campus or Kosasa Family Campus at Hoopili to help the dogs socialize, exercise and most importantly, give them a break from the shelter environment.

Research has shown that these short-term excursion programs are incredibly beneficial for the physical and mental well-being of our shelter dogs. By getting dogs available for adoption out of the shelter and into the community, we are not only enriching their lives, but also creating more opportunities for them to connect with potential adoptive families. Anna Neubauer, President and CEO of the Hawaiian Humane Society

Once paired, families can take their four-legged friend to a list of dog-friendly beaches, landscapes and more provided by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

In addition, each dog will be equipped with an adventure pack, including a collapsible water bowl, dog seat belt, towel, harness, leash and treats.

Participants will also receive a brief orientation on safety, program requirements and dog behavior before being introduced to their canine companion for the day.

Families who would like to participate in the program can book an appointment at the Hawaiian Humane Societys website.

The donation fee is $50 for residents and $150 for visitors to help run the program and support the care of pets in need.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Set up voting machines in Stillwater Prison. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Department of Corrections.

The Minnesota Supreme Court deserves commendation for its recent decision upholding the state law restoring voting rights to convicted felons at the end of their incarceration.

The unanimous decision in the case entitled Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Hunt validated an Anoka County District Court ruling earlier this year  and a parallel one by the Court of Appeals in a similar case last year  rebuffing a challenge to the law passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz last year.

A growing movement in nearly two dozen blue and red states alike are reinstating voting rights under various post-conviction and punishment conditions, although the measures have faced some push back by courts in a few Republican-dominated states.

Chief Justice Natalie Hudsons Minnesota ruling did not address the merits of the measure, instead dismissing the case on grounds of lack of standing by the right-wing advocacy group Minnesota Voters Alliance, whose mission in this case was to suppress voting rights, especially for Black Minnesotans and other people of color who are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. While not endorsing the substance of the re-enfranchisement law, the Court clearly implied that it was a proper exercise of legislative authority.

As a result of the measure and the court ruling validating it, some 55,000 ex-prisoners are able to vote, and a large number will likely exercise their new-found right this fall.

Not far enough

But whats so baffling about the topic of felons casting ballots is why there would be a restriction at all.

Those convicted of serious offenses assuredly lose many rights, like mobility, living arrangements, even choice of apparel and other every-day activities.

But why should they be deprived of the opportunity to cast ballots for the people who make the laws that they and all others are subject to and they themselves have violated.

Theres no sound reason for the age-old restriction, and a few jurisdictions  Vermont, Maine and the District of Columbia  allow people to vote while theyre incarcerated.

Why not?

Its easy to establish a precinct and set up balloting machines in a prison. Those incarcerated there have considerable time on their hands to show up at those polls; no excuse that they were too busy to vote. No need for absentee ballots, either.

Indeed, candidates for office might want to campaign in these facilities.

Some of them might even be occupants there.

Perhaps Minnesota will be in the vanguard leading even more states to maintain and extend voting rights for convicted offenders and those in penitentiaries.

Given the justice-impacted status of former President Donald Trump, surely this idea should have some appeal to Republicans.
People who repressed dissidents in Cuba are moving to the U.S., human-rights group says

Former members of the Cuban regime who have been involved in repressing dissidents on the island have abused the immigration system to come to the United States amid a large exodus from the island, activists with a Miami-based human-rights group said Tuesday.

Cuban exile Tony Costa, the director of the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, said in a media conference that the organization has built a database of 1,015 members of the Cuban regime who have surveilled, harassed, bullied and imprisoned dissidents, government critics and peaceful demonstrators. Of those, 115 are already living in the U.S., said Rolando Cartaya, one of the organizations researchers.

Former high-ranking officials in the Communist Party, members of the feared Cuban Interior Ministry, police officers, government attorneys and judges are among the people the organization says have recently arrived in the U.S. and have been identified on the website represorescubanos.com.

They are among the estimated 18% of Cubas population that has fled the island in recent years.

The arrival of former high-ranking government officials and members of the state security forces in the U.S. is evidence of the economic debacle on the communist island and could be read as a sign of the regimes failure to buy political loyalty.

But victims of government repression in Cuba spoke during the media conference in personal terms about what they felt when they encountered some of their former tormentors in the United States.

These people who repressed us, who beat us are living and enjoying freedom in this great country, said Elixir Arando, who said two of the people identified by the foundation harassed him during so-called acts of repudiation against government critics when he was living in the eastern Cuba province of Guantanamo.

Journalist Roberto Quinones, whom the Cuban government imprisoned for attempting to cover a trial of a religious couple who wanted to home-school their children, said a judge who denied his appeal is also currently living in the United States.

Deserters from the Cuban government and military have been a common presence in Florida over the years, but the people included in the list compiled by the foundation have not distanced themselves from the Cuban government and might pose a national security threat for the United States, some of the victims said during the event.

These people are infiltrators from the Cuban government to influence opinions, and they are going to be voting to destabilize this country, Arando said.

Cartaya said the foundation has built the list by investigating tips given by victims of repression, who must sign a notarized statement with the allegations.

Some of the people involved in repression in Cuba have arrived using legal migration pathways, including a new parole program created by the Biden administration that is currently paused due to allegations of fraud.

Santiago Alpizar, an immigration lawyer who spearheaded a similar project to identify people living in the United States who were involved in suppressing dissent in Cuba, said the new parole program is rife for abuse because the people who benefit from it are not asked to disclose involvement in human-rights violations or membership in totalitarian parties when they apply to come to the U.S.

People involved in oppressing the Cuban people should be deemed inadmissible, according to U.S. laws, said Florida U.S Rep. Carlos Gimenez, who was at the press conference. Gimenez added he will share the information compiled by the foundation with federal agencies for further investigation.

Gimenez and other fellow Florida Republicans complained to the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department for having authorized the arrival of Manuel Menendez Castellanos, a former member of the Cuban Communist Partys central committee who flew to Miami earlier this month to join his family.

If these people have been fighting so long for the regime, they should stay in Cuba, Gimenez said. We dont need you here.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  The Peoria Riverfront Museum has partnered with the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma to unveil its newest display piece.

The Center for American Decoys showcases rare folk art waterfowl decoys. The tribe made the internally lit display cases housing the decoys. The ducks themselves are on loan from the American Folk Art Museum and various spots around Illinois.

Ken Burns to guest curate America 250 exhibit at Peoria Riverfront Museum

John Morris with the Riverfront Museum said its an honor to welcome the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma back to their home and native land.

For 12,000 years, more than twice as old as the pyramids of Egypt. Human beings have called this beautiful river valley home. The Peoria Tribe has called this valley home. And today I say welcome home, said Morris.

The Peoria Nation has more than 3,000 citizens across the United States.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Personnel files from Myrtle Beach area top employees all tell their own story, one denial

Last month, The Sun News submitted public records requests for personnel files for the top employee in the following municipalities: Town of Surfside Beach, City of Myrtle Beach, City of North Myrtle Beach and the City of Conway.

The timelines and costs of each file were different with each municipality.

All of the municipalities completed the request, except for the City of North Myrtle Beach, who sent their denial 10 business days after the initial Freedom of Information Act request was sent.

The costs ranged from free due to not completing the request from North Myrtle Beach to over one hundred dollars from Conway.

The Sun News received the file from Conway in 12 business days, Surfside Beach in 16 business days and Myrtle Beach in 25 business days.

The information requested is exempt from disclosure pursuant to section 30-4-40(a)(2) of the Code of Laws of South Carolina because the information is of a personal nature where the public disclosure thereof would constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy, North Myrtle Beachs email denying the request said.

South Carolina Press Associations legal counsel, Taylor Smith, said denying the request in full doesnt follow the privacy statute the email cites.

Arguably, in the governance of a city, is no more important a figure to learn about concerning the performance of their public duties than that of a manager, he said over the phone on Monday. Consequently, the publics interest in the right to learn those public activities is highly frustrating when efforts to get records of their job performance are denied by the city. It is a bastardization of the understanding of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to think that it would be an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy to understand what a public employee does in the performance of their public duties.

A few weeks earlier, North Myrtle Beach sent a similar email to MyHorryNews when they requested the same documents.

They then reported that the decision was breaking the states open records laws.

Mahaneys current $253,000 paycheck is funded by taxpayers.

As a result, denying his personnel file is an obstruction of transparency, according to state statutes.

The Town of Surfside Beachs Town Administrator, Gerry Vincents file brought into question whether Vincent had lied on his job application about why he left previous roles.

According to records in his personnel file, Vincent was hired to towns top job, which currently pays $141,750, on May 15, 2023. He came to Surfside Beach with more than three decades of work in local government offices, including town manager positions in two different North Carolina communities, his personnel record shows.

When asked about his arrest in Jan. 2018, Vincent told reporters that it was a family issue. He said that he had informed Surfside Town Council about the incident during the hiring process.

A few years later, when working for another town in North Carolina, Vincent faced backlash for his alleged involvement in inappropriate messages with staff, according to a lawsuit filed by the towns former police chief.

Vincent said those allegations are completely false, and that he had no plans of reading the suit. He was not individually listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Obtaining Conways City Administrator Adam Emricks file was the fastest of the four requests, and also the most expensive at $126.30. One of the reasons for the high expense was due to Emricks tenure with the city, and how large the file was as a result, Conways Public Information Officer June Wood said at the time the request was fulfilled.

As of July 1, 2024, Emrick makes $210,062.56 a year for his job, according to his file. Hes consistently earned scores consisting of 8s and 9s out of 10 points in categories on his recent annual performance evaluations by council members.

Some council members critiques against Emrick was that hes a fast talker, the evaluations said.

Part of Emricks employment with the City of Conway includes a sedan or SUV-type vehicle that the city provides him with, his contract said.

In the City of Myrtle Beach, City Manager Jonathan Fox Simons received a monthly $850 car allowance from the city as part of his job, according to documents from his file.

As of July 1, 2024 this year, Simons annual salary is $278,250, an addendum for his 2024-25 contract said. Last year, his salary was $265,000, according to the same document.

Prior to working for the City of Myrtle Beach first as the assistant city manager and then the city manager, Simons worked as the City Administrator for Easley, South Carolina and, prior to that, in four different roles for Greenville, South Carolina, his resume said.
Phil Jones, who as a CBS News correspondent covered some of Washingtons most momentous political battles including Watergate and President Bill Clintons impeachment, has died. He was 87.

The network said that Jones died over the weekend in Florida. Watch a CBS News tribute reel below.

More from Deadline

Jones began his career at an Indiana TV station before leaving to work at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis for seven years. He was one of the first local reporters to go to Vietnam, in 1965, and he later returned, according to the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.

He joined CBS News in 1969. He was recognized with an Emmy for his work covering Vietnam and, according to the network, was among the correspondents known as Cronkites kids, the team of reporters who were proteges to then-anchor Walter Cronkite.

Jones was present on the White House lawn as Richard Nixon resigned and left on Marine One, and then covered the administration of his successor, Gerald Ford.

As Douglas Brinkley wrote in his biography of Cronkite, Jones was part of a first rate CBS Evening News lineup in the mid-1970s, perhaps even hitting a high mark with its team. Some media critics credited the success of the CBS Evening News to the excellence of the roving correspondents rather than to the anchor, Brinkley wrote.

Jones had been transferred to Washington in 1972, covering legal aspects of Watergate from the federal court building. The next year, he was working a Saturday shift when he was assigned to do a story on a day in the life of Ford, then just designated to be the next vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned.

DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:

He recalled in an interview in 2009 for the Gerald Ford Foundation, So I showed up like at five-thirty, six oclock in Alexandria [at the Ford home], and stood out there and waited for something to happen with Jerry Ford. And thats when I first met him. I traveled with him for the next ten months, spent more time with him than I did my own family, and then when he became president, I moved to the White House.

Later, Jones covered Capitol Hill, including the Iran Contra scandal in 1987 and the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton in 1999. He also was a correspondent for 48 Hours. One of his most memorable assignments for the newsmagazine was interviewing Washington, D.C. mayor Marion Barry, then suspected of drug use.

CBS News Susan Zirinsky wrote on Threads that Jones did it all.

So many stories from all over the globe she wrote, adding that he made us better journalists and he made us laugh.

Jones retired from CBS News in 2001.

Jones grew up on a farm in Indiana, where he recalled in the 2009 interview that he used to milk cows by hand and drove the tractor, and I was a farm-son. When I was on the farm I wanted to be a broadcaster, and I wanted to be a newsman.

I dont know what inspired it. Suddenly I had this desire to do it, Jones said in the interview with Richard Norton Smith.

Jones is survived by a son, Paul, and a daughter, Pam, the network said.

Here is CBS News video tribute to Jones:

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Photos show an oil tanker ablaze days after Houthi rebels attacked it with a drone boat

A commercial oil tanker adrift in the Red Sea was still on fire days after an attack by the Houthis.

The Greek-flagged vessel MV Sounion was struck by an exploding Houthi drone boat last week.

Carrying 165,000 tons of crude oil, the EU said it poses a "navigational and environmental hazard."

A commercial oil tanker adrift in the Red Sea was still on fire days after Houthi rebels attacked it with an explosive-laden drone boat last week.

The incident was the most recent successful attack by the Iranian-backed rebel group in Yemen, which is targeting vessels in key shipping lanes in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in the Gaza Strip.

Targeted tanker

Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion sails near Istanbul. Yoruk Isik/Reuters

The Greek-flagged tanker vessel MV Sounion came under attack by the Houthis last Wednesday as it was transiting the Gulf of Oman, the Greek shipping ministry said.

The 274-meter-long oil tanker was en route from Iraq to the Greek town of Agioi Theodoroi, about 50 miles west of Athens, where several key oil refineries operate to provide fuel from Greece to other parts of Europe and the US.

A hostile rescue mission

Flames and smoke rise from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion on the Red Sea. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via REUTERS

Operation Aspides  the European Union's counter-Houthi naval mission  deployed a French frigate to rescue the crew aboard the Sounion, which was left stranded in international waters after the ship lost engine power during an attack.

During the rescue mission, however, the French warship detected a hostile naval drone "heavily loaded" with explosives and destroyed it, the French military said.

Une fregate  deployee en mer Rouge a realise ce matin le sauvetage de l'equipage du petrolier Sounion, action comprenant la neutralisation d'un drone de surfaceEngagee dans l'operation @EUNAVFORASPIDES la fregatecontinue ses missions de maintien #securitemaritime https://t.co/JyV0POavRg pic.twitter.com/eBe9ZPP7nH  FFEAU.ALINDIEN (@FFEAU_ALINDIEN) August 22, 2024

The frigate evacuated more than two dozen crew members aboard the Sounion, who were all reportedly unharmed in the incident, and transported them to a nearby port in Djibouti.

Following the rescue operation on Thursday, the abandoned tanker was reportedly anchored in place in waters between Eritrea and Yemen, a maritime security source told Reuters last week.

Houthi explosions

A cloud of smoke erupts from the Sounion as flames engulf the main deck of the oil tanker. Houthi Media Center via Getty Images

Late Friday night, the Houthis posted video footage to social media showing explosions rocking the damaged oil tanker as fires broke out on the main deck.

An analysis by the Associated Press said three simultaneous explosions could be heard in the video, suggesting that the explosives were planted on the abandoned vessel rather than struck by a drone or other munitions.

Burning for days

Smoke rises from the superstructure aboard the Sounion. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via REUTERS

The EU's naval operation released images of large plumes of smoke billowing from the tanker vessel on Monday, which was still ablaze days after the Houthi attack. Authorities added that at least five locations on the ship's main deck were still on fire, including part of its superstructure and areas near the hatches of its oil tanks.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said the burning tanker also now appears to be adrift, possibly having lost its anchor.

'An imminent environmental hazard'

Fires erupt atop pools of crude oil on the main deck of the Sounion. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via REUTERS

The EU said the ship, which is loaded with 150,000 metric tons (about 165,000 tons) of flammable crude oil, represents "both a navigational and an imminent environmental hazard," warning vessels in the area to exercise "extreme caution."

The Sounion is carrying at least 1.1 million barrels of crude oil, or about 47.9 million gallons. By comparison, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker could carry just over 53 million gallons  about 11 million of which spilled into the Gulf of Alaska in 1989 after the tanker hit a reef.

As of Sunday night, there were no obvious signs of an oil spill, Aspides wrote in a post on X.

"A potential spill could lead to disastrous consequences for the region's marine environment," the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority said Friday.

Houthi's havoc in the Red Sea continues

Satellite imagery shows a plume of smoke rising from the Sounion. European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2/Handout via REUTERS

In its 10-month campaign terrorizing commercial ships in waters near Yemen, the Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels  seizing one and sinking two. At least three mariners have been killed in the Houthi campaign.

The Sounion is the third vessel operated by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers to be targeted by the Iranian-backed rebel group this month.

In a televised speech, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebel group was attacking Delta Tankers' ships because the shipping company allegedly disregarded the rebel's group demands not to enter "the ports of occupied Palestine."

"Delta Tankers is doing everything it can to move the vessel (and cargo)," the company said in a statement on Friday, per Reuters. "For security reasons, we are not in a position to comment further."

Read the original article on Business Insider
We recently compiled a list of the Oppenheimer's Favorite Stocks For Next 12 Months: Top 32 Stock Picks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) stands against Oppenheimer's other favorite stocks for the next 12 months.

The tail end of August is appearing to turn a fresh page for Wall Street. The highlight event of the month was the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole Economic Summit, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell was expected to set the tone for the central bank's interest rate cut cycle. Powell didn't disappoint and commented that the "upside risks to inflation have diminished. And the downside risks to employment have increased" which leads him to conclude that the "time has come for policy to adjust. The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks."

SEE ALSO 15 Best European AI Stocks According to Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley's 20 Highest Conviction Stock Picks

Naturally, investors took this in full stride and the benchmark S&P flagship index soared by 1.01% to be just 1% shy of its record high in July. Before Chair Powell's comments, earlier in the month, investment bank Oppenheimer had released its latest list of 32 stocks for the next twelve months. These stocks have been picked on the basis of their fundamentals, say the firm's analysts, and are the "most timely" as per the firm's analysts.

This latest set of stock picks comes as the firm has grown progressively bullish about the stock market over the course of 2024. The year started out with a report that set a 2024 close target for the flagship benchmark S&P index at 5,200. Right now, the index is at 5,634, so safe to say, the market has continued to defy expectations primarily because of investor mania for artificial intelligence. As he quoted chief investment strategist John Stoltzfus's 5,200 index target, analyst James Watt admitted that while 2024 is the crucial election year in America, his firm's clients should instead focus on the economy.

Taking a bullish view, the analyst shared that with "growing GDP, a jobs picture that continues to be strong, moderating inflation, and stable interest rates, our economic statistics look good." Watt also commented on the interest rate scenario and conceded that "long term interest rates are notoriously hard to predict." However, the economists' expectations back then were "anywhere between one and three interest rate cuts," and these could lead to the "tremendous amount of cash on the sidelines which will eventually be invested over the coming years" creating further upward pressure on equities.

One key factor that Watt mentioned is something that we've come across in analysis done by other investment firms too. Sharing "that the universe of investable stocks has significantly decreased over the years," he also shared that "there are only 35 companies with a capitalization over $200 billion and just 83 companies with a capitalization over $100 billion." These "are the companies the vast bulk of funds are invested in," with the analyst warning that the key implication from this could lead to the supply and demand driving "the price of these dramatically due to limited supply."

As the second quarter of 2024 came to a close, Watt's views on the bifurcation in the stock market based on market capitalization remained unchanged. In his overview for Q3 2024, the analyst shared that "the NASDAQ and S&P are not really diversified when it comes to performance." Since this concentration in just a handful of securities tends to nudge investors towards a non diversified stock portfolio, the analyst added that this "anomaly hasnt always been the case but the long term benefits of diversification have remained a constant way to get through various market gyrations."

However, by Q3, the financial firm's views on the benchmark flagship S&P index had evolved. By then, Stoltzfus has first increased the target to 5,500 from 5,200 in March, sharing that an evolution in investor "mindset driven not so much by fear and greed but a need to invest for intermediate to longer-term goals suggest to us an opportunity to tweak our target higher." As if this wasn't enough, the strategy lead was out with another revision in August.

This boosted the target to 5,900 on the back of an upward revision of the P/E multiple to 23.1 from the earlier 22. Two additional key factors that drove the strategist's optimism were an innovation cycle that was both cyclical and secular driving all 11 S&P sectors, and a generational shift in investment strategies driven "not so much by fear and greed but a need to invest for intermediate to longer term goal."

Stoltzfus followed up a month later with an in depth analysis of the top 500 S&P index firms' Q2 earnings to see which sectors had done well despite the mixed economic climate. Mind you, this analysis came just before his firm had released its latest set of 32 stocks, so it is important to learn its conclusions from the Q2 2024 earnings season. The strategist shared that the four sectors that were seeing double digit earnings growth were health care, financials, utilities, and consumer discretionary. Their earnings growth sat at 17%, 13%, 15%, and 16%, respectively. Stoltzfus added that nine out of 11 sectors had shown positive earnings growth, with the 8.5% overall growth leading to a surprise upside.

Looking at the robust data set, the analyst concluded:

"We remain overweight US equities while maintaining some meaningful exposure to international developed and emerging markets as the US Central Bank moves towards easier policy on greater confidence that its efforts to put untoward levels of inflation in check have been or are growing closer to being met. Volatility should be expected as the economy and the markets navigate the transitions taking place in the economy and monetary policy in a move towards greater normalization."

So, as Oppenheimer continues to keep its eye on the evolving US economy and markets, we decided to see which stocks are on its radar.

Our Methodology

To make our list of Oppenheimer's top stocks, we ranked its latest list of 32 stocks by the average analyst share price percentage upside.

For these stocks, we also mentioned the number of hedge fund investors. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

A doctor wearing scrubs using a centurion vision system to check a patient's eye.

Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC)

Share Price Upside: 5%

Number of Hedge Fund Investors In Q2 2024: 22

Average Analyst Share Price Target: $101.25

Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) is a Switzerland based eye care products provider. A former Novartis business, the firm enjoys a global brand presence as well as considerable resources through its $1.1 billion in cash and equivalents. Its resources are key for Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC)'s competitive advantage since they enable the firm to invest in emerging technologies for one of the most sensitive and complex human body organs, the eye. Additionally, its scale also allows Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) to enjoy lower costs, which leads to margins - along with volumes - being a key part of its hypothesis. Additionally, the firm is also sensitive to manufacturing disruptions because of the high purity requirements of its raw materials. Like sizeable pharma firms, Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) benefits from a presence in everyday use products such as eye drops, and high technology products such as intraocular lenses - allowing it to target growth and volume simultaneously. Oppenheimer is optimistic about the firm's pipeline, which includes the UNITY phaco/vitreoretinal system and the dry-eye drug AR-15512.

Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC)'s management shared details for its new contact lens during the Q2 2024 earnings call:

"In addition, we will further expand our reusable portfolio with the upcoming launch of PRECISION7. PRECISION7 is a new contact lens specifically designed for a one week replacement schedule thats based on a unique proprietary technology. We expect PRECISION7 to help drive continued share gains in the reusable category, where we have historically been under indexed. As a reminder, one point of share gain in the global reusables category corresponds to approximately $40 million of revenue for Alcon. Were working with a handful of eye care professionals in the US who have started fitting PRECISION7 and early feedback has been excellent. We will continue to collect this feedback with select customers through 2024 ahead of a broader commercial launch in 2025."

Overall ALC ranks 22nd on our list of Oppenheimer's favorite stocks for the next 12 months. While we acknowledge the potential of ALC 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 ALC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Has Become A Wasteland.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Photos collected by Hots&Cots and provided exclusively to NBC News reveal what the group considers evidence of unsanitary or dangerous living conditions for U.S. military personnel at bases in the U.S. and abroad.

Eight groups that advocate for military personnel and families are calling on the Pentagon to address what they say are unsanitary and dangerous living conditions on U.S. bases worldwide, including mold, bad air, contaminated water, lead paint, and roaches and other pests.

The effort, led by an organization called Hots&Cots, is meant to push the military to fix these issues now rather than wait for any renovations planned by the Pentagon, which the advocates argue could take years.

A photo submitted to Hots&Cots showing mold on the ceiling of a dining room. The anonymous poster said the image was from U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud in South Korea.

The Department of Defense must act sooner rather than later to address the quality-of-life issues facing our service members, Rob Evans, founder of Hots&Cots, said Tuesday in a statement. Every day that these issues go unresolved is another day that the well-being and morale of those who serve are compromised.Photos collected by Hots&Cots and provided exclusively to NBC News reveal what the group says is mold covering the ceiling of an Army dining room in Korea, a roach on a counter at a Texas Air Force base, dark brown water flowing from a faucet on a New Jersey base and more.

A photo submitted to Hots&Cots shows brown water flowing from a faucet. The person who submitted the photo said it was shot at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

NBC News has not independently verified the photos, but Evans said he and a team of volunteers evaluate and assess photos to ensure they are legitimate.In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson noted that two weeks ago, on Aug. 12, the Defense Department had launched its Housing Feedback System, which lets active-duty service members and their families submit feedback about their housing.

"We have a moral obligation to ensure that the spaces where our service members and their families live are healthy, functional, and resilient," said the spokesperson. "The new feedback system will help improve installation conditions today and the quality standards Service members and their families deserve.

A photo submitted to Hots&Cots showing the temperature inside a building. The anonymous source said it was taken at the Army's Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, in North Carolina.

In September 2023, the Government Accountability Office released a report highlighting poor living conditions in government-owned barracks and in military housing owned and operated by private companies. It included examples of housing with mold and mildew, broken windows and overflowing sewage, and recommended that the Department of Defense provide more oversight of housing. Among the problems the report identified were that DOD did not set clear inspection standards or provide guidance on how to address issues.Evans created Hots&Cots, an app where service members can upload photos and reviews of housing and dining facilities anonymously, after reading the GAO report. Since starting the app, users have uploaded almost 8,000 photos and about 400 reviews, both positive and negative.

Evans, who served in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard for 12 years, said he wanted to give men and women a way around the bottlenecks to getting help when faced with poor living conditions. While he told NBC News he did not face dangerous living conditions himself while in uniform, he did have deployments where the barracks were not ideal.

A photo submitted to Hots&Cots. The anonymous source said it came from Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio.

This stuff matters, he said. If we are asking someone to enlist and serve their country, this matters.He said it was very disappointing that the military had not yet addressed some known issues, but said there are leaders in the military who genuinely want to help and make changes.

Evans said he allows people to report anonymously because it removes a barrier or fear of speaking the truth, especially for enlisted troops. Hots&Cots does not collect personal or demographic information about users, he said.

A photo submitted to Hots&Cots. The anonymous source said it was taken at the Army's Fort Campbell, which straddles the Kentucky/Tennessee border.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., backed the Evans-led effort on Tuesday. Every year, the Army appropriates money for improving our soldiers housing, Hudson, whose North Carolina district includes Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, said in a statement. The problem is that these funds are not being used efficiently to ensure necessary basic living conditions for our service members.The Army needs to get serious about addressing the appalling conditions our soldiers are living in on bases like Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty," Hudson said. "As the representative of the largest military base in the world, I will continue to hold Army Secretary [Christine] Wormuth accountable until our troops receive the high-quality housing they deserve.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A new program by Lyft is being tested in Seattle to keep rideshare drivers safe. It will verify a passengers identity before a driver picks them up.

The Rider Verification pilot program will start on Thursday.

According to a news release, the company will test the program in nine cities: Seattle, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Denver, and Miami.





How it works:

Rider Verification works by cross-referencing rider information with third-party data sources to confirm that the person requesting a ride is who they claim to be.

According to Lyft, it will be seamless for most riders. Most will be verified passively and wont need to take any extra steps.

Not automatically verified riders will be asked to upload a government-issued ID, such as a drivers license.

Under the pilot program, drivers can view a riders name, verification status, rating, and profile photo before accepting a request.





The Rider Verification program is a direct response to what our driver community has been asking fora way to enhance their peace of mind and ensure they can trust who theyre picking up, said Audrey Liu, EVP of Rider Experience and Community Safety.

Rider verification can help drivers confirm that riders are who they say they are, and is an important step in Lyfts work to help everyone feel more secure and increase accountability within our entire community.





Since 2020, there have been at least five rideshare drivers killed in the Seattle area:

December 2020: Cherno Ceesay was stabbed to death in Issaquah

September 2022: Mohamed Kediye was killed while driving in the Denny Triangle neighborhood not far from Amazons headquarters

January 2023: Mohamadou Kabba was shot and killed in Renton

January 2024: Abdikadir Shariif Gedi was shot by a pedestrian while driving in Edmonds

August 2023: Amare Geda was shot to death while on the job in SoDo
Pint for a Pass in Fresno, but how valuable is your blood to blood drives?

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Big Fresno Fair is offering donors a free ticket voucher with the purchase of one ticket after donating blood, but it is almost impossible to truly quantify how much donated blood is worth to blood banks like the Central California Blood Center  almost.

YourCentralValley.com crunched some numbers and spoke to ambassador Tony Sosa to find the potential value of your next donation.

Selling your blood? How the Central California Blood Center funds itself

Sosa says he knows first hand the value of a pint after a car accident nearly took his life.

If it wasnt for those donations I wouldnt be here talking to people, doing interviews, Sosa said.

After his life was saved by blood donations, Sosa decided to work with the Central California Blood Center to encourage others to save lives by emphasizing just how far a pint can go.

One adult saves three other adults, and it saves six childrens lives, Sosa said. So one pint can save a lot of lives.

According to the Big Fresno Fair, the Pint for a Pass promotion helped collect over 6,800 donations in 2023, meaning at the very least 20,400 adults or 40,800 children potentially had their lives saved by blood donations.

In the 13 year history of the promotion, the Big Fresno Fair says the promotion has helped collect 124,000 pints of blood. That much blood has the potential to save over 300,000 adult lives or 700,000 childrens lives.

Sosa says no matter who you are, you too can benefit from donated blood, from pregnant women, men, children, even babies, no one is exempt from needing a donation.

The Pint for a Pass will continue through Oct. 14, those interested in donating can find their nearest Central California Blood Center blood bank 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.
PITTSBURGH (WKBN)  The Pittsburgh Pirates have reinstated pitchers Jared Jones and Carmen Mlodzinski from the 15-day injured list.

To make room on the roster, infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Pitcher Brady Feigl was also designated for assignment.

Jones, who will start on Tuesday night against the Cubs, has been out since July 4 when he was placed on the injured list with a right lat strain.

This season, Jones has posted a record of 5-6 with a 3.56 ERA. He has struck out 98 batters in 91 innings on the mound.

Mlodzinski is 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA this season.





Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CANTON  A 37-year-old Plain Township woman has been indicted on charges of identity fraud and two counts of telecommunications harassment after being accused of threatening a neighbor while impersonating a police officer.

The alleged offenses occurred between May 15 and July 2.

The initial North Canton police complaint filed in Canton Municipal Court says the defendant contacted the neighbor electronically, identifying herself as a North Canton police officer.

She allegedly threatened the man, stating that the North Canton Police Department had a search warrant for his residence and that he was going to be arrested.

Massillon police: Shoplifter claimed to be a Canton cop

She is accused of initially sending the victim more than 100 text messages and videos, making harassing comments and vague threats. The defendant is also accused of sending a North Canton officer's department photo and a prior photo from his time in the military.

The defendant allegedly failed to comply with a June 25 order to cease all contact with the victim, sending approximately 50 more messages and videos.

She is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 13 in Stark County Common Pleas Court.

Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Plain Township. woman accused of impersonating officer
A plane is spraying for mosquitoes near the NC and SC state line this week. Heres why

A plane conducting aerial mosquito abatement for Horry County Mosquito Control began spraying for mosquitoes on Monday and will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, weather permitting.

Horry County Mosquito Control sprays for mosquitoes from trucks starting in April or May every year. Although aerial spraying is less frequent, its still a regular part of the countys mosquito abatement strategy and is scheduled when necessary.

It is something that is done annually and on a relatively regular basis as the need arises, said Horry County Government Public Information Office deputy director Thomas Bell. And obviously, with the aerial spraying, it allows the county to cover more areas where mosquitoes are hatching and out than just going around with the sprayer trucks.

The last time Horry County conducted aerial spraying was in September of 2023, after Hurricane Idalia. While spraying after a hurricane or tropical storm isnt a given, the local mosquito population often spikes after heavy rainfall.

With the heavy rain and standing water from Tropical Storm Debby, weve certainly received calls and comments from citizens about the mosquitoes being a bit more in abundance as of late, so the county certainly tries to get out and spray when possible and when there are these hot spot situations, especially after these tropical systems, Bell said.

The plane will spray from two hours before sunset to two hours after. Current forecasts suggest the county will have clear skies, but if weather gets bad, Tuesday and Wednesdays sprayings will be rescheduled for Friday.

On Monday, the county conducted aerial spraying over the following areas:

Highway 90 to Edge Road

Carolina Bay Parkway to Cassina Drive

On Tuesday, the the county will conduct aerial spraying over the following areas:

West Bear Grass Road to Loop Circle

North Highway 905 to Southern Sights Drive

On Wednesday, the the county will conduct aerial spraying over the following areas:

Hemingway Highway to the state line between North and South Carolina

Wright Road on the North Carolina state line to Betha T. Cox Lane

A map of the areas Horry County Mosquito Control plans to aerially spray for mosquitoes the week of Monday, August 26, 2024

A map of the latest areas where the plane is scheduled to spray can be accessed on the county website here.

While the chemicals released are deadly for mosquitoes, residents and pets dont need to worry. According to the county, all the chemicals are EPA-approved and pose minimal risk to humans and animals.

However, the county says you may want to remain indoors with doors and windows closed during the spraying if you have asthma or a respiratory condition. Additionally, homegrown produce in the areas sprayed should be thoroughly cleaned before being eaten.

The chemicals can also harm bees. Clemson University Extension Service and Regulatory Services advises beekeepers to be aware of sprayings in their area and cover their beehives during the events.

The county is urging local beekeepers to contact the Horry County Stormwater Department for exclusion and identify the location of their colonies. The department has a web page where residents can submit opt-out requests for aerial mosquito abatement for honeybee populations, organic farms or health purposes.

Beekeepers can also register with Clemsons Voluntary Beehive Mapping Program to report the location of their hives and get email updates about planned pesticide applications.

While mosquito bites are always a nuisance, diseases transmitted by the insects can be deadly. Both West Nile Virus and eastern equine encephalitis, often called EEE, have been identified in Horry County this year.

This is for a purpose, for a greater good, because we do want to take down those mosquito numbers, Bell said. Obviously, they carry a lot of not great things, and the less people getting bitten by mosquitoes, the better off the summer is going to be.

Testing from the South Carolina Department Public Health (DPH) has found seven positive samples of cases of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in Horry County in 2024: two at an Aynor location and five at a Myrtle Beach location.

Information about human cases is less clear. According to DPH, there have been less than five cases of people with mosquito-borne diseases in Horry County in the last year, but the department doesnt share additional details when there are so few cases due to privacy concerns.

In equine cases, EEE was detected in a horse in Conway. The virus, which the CDC characterizes as rare but serious, made headlines this week after mosquitoes spreading EEE prompted a Massachusetts town to close public spaces outdoors in the evenings.

Officials with Clemson Livestock-Poultry Health, which is home to the Office of the State Veterinarian, are urging horse owners to ensure their horses are up to date with vaccinations to prevent the spread of disease.

There has been an explosion of mosquitoes in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby, and that results in an increase in the diseases they spread. Vaccinations are imperative in the current environment, Clemson Livestock-Poultry Health director of Equine Health Programs Sean Eastman said in a statement.
PORT SULPHUR, La. (WGNO)  Officials with Plaquemines Parish, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) are monitoring an ongoing saltwater intrusion in the Mississippi River.

Currently, parish officials are reporting that all water treatment plants in the parish are providing water with chloride levels below the threshold that would call for a drinking water advisory.

Precautionary boil water advisory issued for parts of New Orleans East, Oak Island

Chloride levels rise during saltwater intrusion when the flow of freshwater from the Mississippi River decreases, allowing denser saltwater from the Gulf to move upstream, said parish officials.

They add that levels of chloride are not harmful to most, but high levels can affect the taste of water, pose a health risk to sensitive residents and lead to infrastructure damage.

Parish officials said the groups will hold weekly meetings to ensure steps are being taken in preparation for the recurring event.

Louisiana officials have been monitoring the saltwater intrusion since 2023 after former Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in July after river levels dropped allowing the saltwater to flow in.

This led to a drinking water advisory for Plaquemines Parish after high levels of salt were found in the water.

NHC watching a new wave in the Atlantic

Reverse osmosis systems are being installed at the Boothville Water Treatment Plant with additional installations at Port Sulphur and Pointe a la Hache to follow in the coming weeks. All machines are expected to be installed and operational by Sept. 13.

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.
Poland intensifies search for flying object that flew in from Ukraine

Poland has decided to increase the number of military personnel involved in the search for an unknown object that violated Polish airspace from the territory of Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda; Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Goryszewski, spokesman for the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, Jacek Goryshevsky, quoted by Polsat News, a Polish news channel

Details: The search has been ongoing since yesterday in the northwestern part of the Tyszowce gmina.

Quote from Jacek Goryszewski: "More than 100 soldiers of the Territorial Defence Forces are already on site. These are ground search and rescue teams."

At the same time, he added that there are no plans to expand the area where the search is being conducted.

Earlier, it was noted that the search was conducted mainly in forests and agricultural fields.

"Ground search and rescue groups of the Territorial Defence Forces are supporting operational troops in the area of the Tyszowce gmina. Soldiers of the 2nd Lublin and 19th Nadbuzhansk Territorial Defence Brigades are involved in the search for an object that flew into Polish airspace this morning," the military said yesterday.

Background:

Poland reported a violation of its airspace by a "flying object", which was likely a kamikaze drone, after Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine on the morning of 26 August.

General Maciej Klisz, the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command commander, said that the object, which flew from Ukraine, was not shot down due to weather conditions.

Polish media, citing army sources, reported that they were inclined to believe that this flying object was a Shahed and had remained in the country's airspace for at least 33 minutes.

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We would like for Poland to send its MiG jets to Ukraine  Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he would like Poland to agree to give Ukraine its Soviet-issue fighter jets, such as MiG.

Source: President Zelenskyy during the Ukraine 2024: Independence press conference

Details: Zelenskyy also explained why Polish MiG jets would be useful for Ukraine.

"We really need your MiGs, because of their good avionics and because we wouldnt need additional time to train our pilots [to operate them]," he said.

According to Zelenskyy, he discussed this issue both with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, "but we dont have a favourable decision so far".

Background: In July, Donald Tusk, Polands Prime Minister, said that Poland might consider giving Ukraine additional Soviet-issued fighter jets if it can find a substitute for them in the Polish fleet, with the help of allies.

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A stolen vehicle was driven into the Range USA building on Round Bottom Road Sunday in an attempt to gain entry into the business.

The third time was the charm Sunday, as police arrested four juveniles after the teens crashed a stolen vehicle into an Eastgate warehouse and took several firearms.

Lt. Scott Blankenship of the Union Township police said officers were called around 6:10 a.m. after an alarm went off at the Sportsman's Warehouse on Eastgate Drive.

All four of the suspects are facing multiple charges, including theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer, he said in a Facebook post.

Blankenship said similar offenses have occurred in other areas such as Newtown, Northern Kentucky, and Miami Township. He added that the suspects arrested Monday are believed to be linked to the other break-ins.

But this was the third stop for the would-be gun thieves on Sunday, according to Newtown Police Chief Tom Synan. He says the subsequent investigation showed the teens tried to steal weapons from two other gun shops Sunday morning before landing in Union Township.

All told, there have been at least five attempted or successful break-ins to gun shops in the region in the past two weeks.

First stop: Miami Township, Clermont County

The first stop Sunday was an unsuccessful attempt at Just Guns and Ammo on Ohio 131 in Miami Township. Synan said a car taken in Kentucky was used to try to get into the store in the early morning hours.

Synan said the stolen vehicle was driven into the building. That car damaged the building but not enough that the would-be gun thieves could enter the store. So they drove that stolen car on to Newtown.

A stolen vehicle was driven into the Range USA building on Round Bottom Road Sunday, in an attempt to gain entry into the business.

Newtown's next

Synan said at 5:39 a.m. Sunday, a stolen vehicle was driven into the Range USA building on Round Bottom Road in an attempt to gain entry into the business.

But Synan said his department had talked to people at Range USA on Thursday about other gun store robberies and he said third-shift officers had noticed some suspicious activity.

So after the police talked to the business owners, Range USA installed some large boulders in front of the glass windows at the front of the building.

"They were so cooperative and proactive," he said. "We got there Sunday and that car was sitting on the rocks."

When that attempt failed, the suspects left their first stolen car and fled in a second stolen vehicle.

Union Township was the last stop

When Union Township officers arrived at Sportsman's Warehouse, they saw a white Hyundai leaving the area at high speed without headlights on. Blankenship said the driver then crashed on Eastgate Boulevard and three suspects fled on foot. Police caught three initially and a fourth was later found.

Cooperation may have ended the spree

"It was great work and quick actions by the officers of Union Township Police, Clermont County that may be the catalyst for putting an end to this spree by apprehending the suspects," Synan said.

"We will be working with all local agencies and ATF to file charges for the Newtown incident."

He said the cooperation, sharing information and proactivity by the gun shops all made for a quick resolution.

"I would also like to thank the public for the tips on the possible connection to another attempted theft in our area," he said. "We are following up on those tips to see if there is a connection."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of suspects responsible for breaking into the two gun stores in Florence.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cars rammed into 3 more gun stores; teens arrested in firearms thefts
Mar Vista Investment Partners, LLC, an investment management company, released the Strategic Growth Strategy second quarter 2024 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The S&P 500 Index recorded a 15.29% gain in the first half of 2024, marking one of its best performances since the late 1990s tech bubble. However, it was still slightly below the remarkable start of 2023. In the second quarter, the strategy returned +2.36% net-of-fees compared to +8.34% and +4.28% returns for The Russell 1000 Growth Index and the S&P 500 Index. Following a robust performance in the first six months, it appears that stocks are poised to enter the years second half with strong momentum. The picture is still favorable because of robust corporate profitability, decreasing inflation, and high enterprise spending. Kindly check the top 5 stocks of the strategy to know its best picks in 2024.

Mar Vista Strategic Growth Strategy highlighted stocks like Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH), in the second quarter 2024 investor letter. Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) designs and manufactures electrical, electronic, and fiber optic connectors. The one-month return of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) was 7.62%, and its shares gained 51.66% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On August 26, 2024, Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) stock closed at $66.66 per share with a market capitalization of $80.278 billion.

Mar Vista Strategic Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

"As a leading supplier in the global interconnect and sensor market, Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) benefits from a tailwind of demand as things become smarter and more connected. Amphenols unique entrepreneurial culture, savvy capital allocation and diverse end-market exposure have allowed it to deliver market-leading operating margins and strong returns on invested capital. We believe Amphenol should continue to deliver robust returns as it integrates and optimizes its meaningful acquisition of Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, and benefits from the build out of next-generation AI factories providing critical interconnect solutions."

A team of technicians assembling a complex electrical connector in a factory environment.

Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) is not on our list of 31 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) was held by 72 hedge fund portfolios at the end of the second quarter, compared to 51 in the previous quarter, according to our database. The second quarter results of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) exceeded expectations with remarkable sales of $3.61 billion, representing an 18% increase in US dollars compared to Q2 2023. While we acknowledge the potential of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

Story continues

In another article, we discussed Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) and shared the list of most important AI companies you should pay attention to. Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) made a significant contribution to the performance of The London Company Mid Cap Strategy in Q2 2024. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 2024 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.

READ NEXT: Michael Burry Is Selling These Stocks and A New Dawn Is Coming to US Stocks.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey .
A student at a Phoenix high school brought a gun to campus on Tuesday, according to an email from Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Rob Scherer.

Staff at West Phoenix High School, near 39th Avenue and Thomas Road, brought the student into the administration office and learned that the student had a firearm, Scherer said in an email.

The unloaded gun was found in the student's backpack, according to a statement released by the school.

"The safety and well being of our students is always our highest priority. We are thankful our safety procedures worked as they were designed to and that our students remained safe throughout this situation," the statement read.

The student was arrested after officers arrived at the school at noon and no one was injured, Scherer said.

The students age, name and gender were not released.

The student was arrested and will ultimately be booked on weapons charges, Scherer said.

An investigation by The Arizona Republic found that there is an increasing prevalence of gun threats at schools.

Arrested: Scottsdale man held in wife's fatal shooting is ASU business school prof

From 2019 to 2022, there were at least 96 times that weapons were found in students possession.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix student found with gun at high school facing weapons charges
BIG SPRING, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A Big Spring couple was arrested Monday after investigators said they were caught dragging a dog from their vehicle.

According to the Big Spring Police Department, around 10:50 a.m. On August 26, officers and animal control were called to Crossroads Housing Development, located in the 200 block of NE 7th Street after two witnesses called 911 to report animal cruelty. These witnesses said they saw a man driving a Ford F-150 while a female passenger was holding a leash and dragging an adult German Sheppard behind the vehicle. The witnesses said they honked at the vehicle, which stopped; the couple allegedly said they were taking the dog around the corner, but witnesses offered to provide help for the dog and the couple left the pup at the scene and drove away.

RELATED: How to keep your pet safe amid higher temps

Big Spring PD officers found the suspects in the 100 block of NE 6th Street and arrested them a short time later. Both 64-year-old Alvin Williams and 67-year-old Marilyn Williams have been charged with Cruelty to an Animal/Torture, a third-degree felony.

Animal Control officers took the dog to an area veterinarian for treatment from injuries sustained from being dragged behind the vehicle.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Police chase goes through Forbes National Guard Base, ends in blaze

TOPEKA (KSNT)  On Monday, a high-speed pursuit ended with a Topeka man in custody and a car in a blaze.

At 2:15 a.m., police officers with the Topeka Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle near 21st Street and South Kansas Avenue. According to the Shawnee County Sheriffs Office, the driver took off at high speeds.

The Sheriffs Office said the driver was swerving into both lanes of traffic. Around 53rd Street and Southeast Adams Steet, the pursuing officers disengaged.

Is the American dream still possible? K-State economist gives insight

Once the sheriffs office was aware of the pursuit they responded to provide assistance. At 2:20 a.m. a deputy saw the suspected vehicle at Forbes Field Air National Guard base and tried to stop the vehicle. The chase ended in the 2800 block of South Kansas Avenue, according to the Shawnee County Sheriffs Office.

The Topeka Fire Department had to respond to the scene for a vehicle fire after the chase was done.

The 29-year-old driver from Topeka was booked on the following charges:

Aggravated kidnapping

Flee or attempt to elude; Commission of any felony

Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant

Criminal trespass; Property as posted per KSA 32-1013

Criminal damage to property; Misdemeanor

Fail to stop for a red traffic control x3

Turn signal must be used at least 100 prior to move

Driving in opposite direction on a divided highway

Improper turn or approach

Improper driving on laned roadway

Headlamps on vehicle must be equipped with two

Reckless driving; 1st conviction

Speeding; maximum limits

Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license

Vehicle liability insurance; Liability coverage required

Vehicles; Operate vehicle without registration or with expired tag

Yield emergency vehicle; approaching vehicle

Felony flee or attempt to elude

Driving the wrong direction on a one-way roadway

Disobeying traffic control device

Failure to comply with construction zone restrictions

Driving without lights when needed

Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license

For more crime 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.
As far as endorsements are concerned, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is running up the score in his U.S. Senate race against Republican nominee Kari Lake.

Gallego has already flexed some of his bipartisan appeal in this race by touting dozens of endorsements he's received from Republicans, including sitting officials. Lake has tried to counter by promoting some Democrats who say they support her  though her group has lacked the local gravitas (i.e., name recognition) of Gallego's group.

So Gallegos endorsement from the conservative Arizona Police Association on Thursday adds to the pile-on. The organization, an advocacy group for law enforcement officers, has endorsed Trump in this election (a disturbing development, in my view) but apparently preferred to give Lake the cold shoulder in favor of her opponent, despite her fealty to Trumps agenda. The organization touted Gallego's ability to secure funding for law enforcement nationwide and in Arizona specifically in the press release announcing their endorsement.

"As a Marine combat veteran, we know Congressman Gallego understands the complexities of modern policing in American society today, while at the same time recognizing the public's expectations," APA President Justin Harris wrote. (Harris is the guy you might have seen Trump urging offstage midspeech during a campaign stop in Arizona last week.)

Of course, endorsements arent everything in a campaign. Neither are pre-election polls, which have generally shown Gallego with a pretty substantial lead in the weeks before early voting begins. Obviously, a win for Lake certainly remains a possibility. But the endorsements and the polls do measure ... vibes: They can tell us valuable things about how a candidate is being perceived or how well their strategy seems to be working.

And in that sense, this latest APA endorsement seems like another indicator that Lakes decision to mimic Trumps tics and lines of attack aren't working for her. For example, as part of her election denialism, shes attacked mail-in voting, which is used by a majority of Arizonans. Shes insulted fellow Republicans  including late Arizona Sen. John McCain  just as Trump has. And much like Trump, shes often seemed more focused on promoting her personal brand and elevating her profile than on campaigning  so much so that earlier this year, even Trump reportedly expressed concern about how often she's at Mar-a-Lago.

Other swing state GOP candidates for Senate have had to reckon with this reality, too, from failed Pennsylvania Senate candidate Mehmet Oz to former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler. And like them, it doesnt appear to be a winning formula for Lake. When a Republican is so extreme or inauthentic that they turn off the Arizona Police Association, thats a clear sign that it's time for a new strategy.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
A national report by the Council of State Governments Justice Center ranked Ohio third, behind Florida and New Mexico, for the percentage of unsolved violent crimes in 2022.

Seven in 10 violent crimes reported to police departments across the state in 2022 went unsolved, ranking Ohio the third worst state in the country, according to a new study released by the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Researchers examined data from the FBI's Uniformed Crime Reporting Program for a nationwide and state-by-state look at whether law enforcement is making arrests in violent crimes. Ohio ranked third, behind Florida and New Mexico, for unsolved violent crimes.

In Ohio, the violent crime rate is 23% below the national average and the rate of violent crime reports declined 3% over the past decade. But cops aren't making arrests in most of the cases.

The CSG Justice Center report found that 58% of the 718 homicides, 65% of the 21,857 aggravated assaults, 79% of the 6,243 robberies and 86% of the 5,692 rapes reported in Ohio in 2022 were unsolved.

Failure to deliver justice erodes public confidence and sends a message that the system is not equipped to protect the public, CSG Justice Center said.

There is no simple answer about why unsolved violent crimes are increasing, said Madeleine Dardeau, CSG's deputy policy director for state initiatives.

"Agencies have had success in solving more violent crime by building community relationships and trust, implementing investigative best practices, improving crime analysis, and increasing victim-witness supports," she said. "For example, Omaha saw large improvements in their solve rates for homicides through a comprehensive, community-driven violence reduction effort that strengthened community and law enforcement relationships."

Fraternal Order of Police Ohio President Jay McDonald said police departments need to hire more staff and deploy more tech tools such as license plate readers. And the courts need to keep people accused of violent crimes in jail and give appropriate post-conviction sentences, he said.

Ohio police have worked to drive down crime rates, said McDonald, who is also Marion police chief. "The FOP of Ohio believes our officers should be commended for their efforts but there is still work to do make Ohio safer for all of our citizens."

What's going on with the crime rate in Ohio?

Crime is at the top of mind for many people. More than six in 10 people say crime in the U.S. is an extremely or very serious problem, according to a Gallup Poll survey released in January.

But long-term, the violent crime rate has fallen significantly from 758 crimes per 100,000 people in 1992 to 381 per 100,000 people in 2022.

More recently, the numbers have been a mixed bag. FBI statistics released in October show a 1.7% decline in violent crime in 2022 over 2021 across the nation. The number of murders and rapes declined, 6.1% and 5.4%, respectively, but there were slight increases in assaults and robberies.

The 2022 crime rate in Ohio is virtually unchanged from 2019.

Ohio's largest departments with the highest unsolved rates

Akron and Cleveland police departments each had an 87% unsolved rate and Columbus police had an 85% unsolved rate in 2022.

Excluding agencies that had fewer than 500 violent crime reports, here is a rundown of the 2022 unsolved rates for other large police departments in Ohio:

Toledo, 70%

Cincinnati, 51%

Dayton, 64%

Canton, 66%

Springfield, 82%

Find the violent crime unsolved rate in your area

Laura A. Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Report: 7 in 10 violent crimes reported to Ohio police are unsolved
FBI agents and county officers raided a gated property next to a high school near Homestead early Tuesday morning, Miami-Dade police said.

Officers and agents served a search warrant at 5:30 a.m. at the house, located in the 24000 block of SW 124th Street, next to Somerset Silver Palms Academy High School, said Detective Argemis Colome, a Miami-Dade County police spokesman.

Miami-Dade officers were assisting the FBI agents, Colome said. He did not provide details about what law enforcement was looking for.

The FBI did not immediately respond to questions about the raid.

Officers and agents served the warrant about an hour before buses and parents began dropping off their children at the high school. By the beginning of classes, around 7:30 a.m., law enforcement had the south end of 124th Avenue, at the corner of SW 248th Street, taped off and officers and agents were going in and out of the property.

According to the countys Property Appraisers website, the home is owned by Jose and Ydania Rodriguez.

A neighbor who declined to provide her name said Tuesday was the second time officers had descended on the property in recent years.

She said there is some sort of business operating out of the home.

There are trucks coming in here all the time, the neighbor said.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
OCONOMOWOC - Authorities have released the name of the bicyclist who died after he was struck by a passing Amtrak train in Oconomowoc on Aug. 20.

Peter Roschtscha of Oconomowoc was pronounced dead at the scene, the railroad crossing in the 200 block of Silver Lake Street. He was formally identified as the victim Monday, six days following the incident, which has been classified as accidental.

According to two news releases, police were notified of the accident at about 1:18 p.m., resulting in an investigation and rescue effort that also included the Western Lakes Fire District and police personnel from both Amtrak and Canadian Pacific, which owns the tracks used by the passenger railroad company.

Authorities provided no additional information about the accident. Most of the additional detail came from an Amtrak representative and passenger who both spoke with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Marc Magliari, the Amtrak spokesperson, said the incident, involving Amtrak's new Borealis service from Chicago to St. Paul, Minnesota, was delayed about three hours "after making contact with someone trespassing across the tracks." According to Amtrak, 179 passengers were onboard, and none were hurt.

Will Hanson, a passenger from Minneapolis who was seated near the front of the train, said he spoke with an Amtrak employee, who told him the barrier arms were down at the intersection at the time of the accident.

Authorities did not include the age of the victim and did not immediate reply to a request for that information. According to unconfirmed online sources, Roschtscha was in his mid-70s.

Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.

Erik S. Hanley (erik.hanley@jrn.com) contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Police identify Oconomowoc bicyclist killed in Amtrak train accident
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)   Several hours before the shooting at Dunham Park on Sunday, police were called to a shooting outside a nightclub on West Madison Street.

When police arrived at the club, they found 17-bullet casings. They also tried to pull over a stolen SUV.

Police: 4 people shot at Dunham Park, no arrests yet

Authorities say it took off going 112 miles per hour in a 30-mile-per-hour zone.

They ended up going through a little bit of a neighborhood around the event center, and then west on Russell and then the Durango ended up crashing near Russell and I-29, Sam Clemens with Sioux Falls Police said.

Police made three arrests, but a fourth person got away. At this point, the men are not charged in connection with the shooting, but a prosecutor said more charges are likely in the future.

The alleged driver, Marcus Lynch, has a lengthy criminal history in Minnesota and is being held on a 15-thousand dollar cash-only 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 KELOLAND.com.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma City Police have launched a murder investigation after a body was found near North Laird Avenue and East Drive on Monday.

Murder investigation after body found near North Laird Avenue and East Drive. Photo courtesy KFOR.

Murder investigation after body found near North Laird Avenue and East Drive. Photo courtesy KFOR.

OKCPD says they received a tip on Monday evening about a body found by the caller inside a black car.

News 4 will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
A woman makes a peace sign before a line of police preparing to advance upon demonstrators after a rally by President Donald Trump at the Phoenix Convention Center on Aug. 22, 2017. (Photo by David McNew/ Getty Images)

Iowa Writers 'Collaborative. Linking Iowa readers and writers.

Last week, for the second time in recent years, a group of celebratory friends and free-press advocates gathered on my lawn to toast a victory after a wrongful detention by Des Moines police.

Ted Nieters, a freelance photojournalist, who had covered Middle East wars and conflicts without interference, was arrested covering a 2020 Des Moines protest rally over George Floyds killing by a Minneapolis police officer.

It happened the night of June 1, after police had issued orders for protesters to disperse from the Capitol. But Nieters had already left on foot, and was standing alone outside the downtown Embassy Suites Hotel some three-quarters of a mile away. Officer Brandon Holtan charged, encircled him from behind, pepper-sprayed his eyes, zip-tied his hands and took him to the ground. He did so despite Nieters repeatedly telling him that he was with the press, and where to find his press card.

But Holtan found it and still arrested him. In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Nieters spent the night in a crowded Polk County jail cell sitting on the ground with some 20 others.

No charges were subsequently pursued against Nieters, who filed a federal lawsuit against the city. The trial opened on Monday. Brian Powers, a former Des Moines Register colleague of mine who had witnessed and photographed the arrest, gave crucial testimony backing Nieters contention that he was simply standing there with his hands in the air and cameras visible when the officer charged him.

As one who knows Nieters well, had written about his arrest for the Register and saw the impact it had on him, I was also a witness. I testified that his wounds went deeper than the painful wrist injury from the zip ties, the eye burn from the pepper spray, and the knee damage. The arrest left him distrustful and disillusioned for being treated like a criminal just for doing his job. It cost him a sense of security on his home turf.

Nieters case went to the jurors Wednesday after three days of testimony. But a mere hour into deliberations, they were called back and told the city of Des Moines had offered a $100,000 settlement. Nieters accepted it on condition it would come with a statement acknowledging the importance of accommodating a free press.

The evidence supporting Nieters case was clearly so damning that they sought to cut their losses. Nieters attorney, Gina Messamer, laid out point by point how the officer wrongly claimed Nieters had ignored dispersal orders and was running away with a crowd police were pursuing  even though it went in an entirely different location.

Holtan failed to activate his body camera even after the fact, when video documenting what happened still could have been retrieved. And he didnt file a report on Nieters arrest for 19 days. That was four days after Nieters filed a complaint with the departments internal affairs division. As video showed, and Messamer told the jury, once Holtan set eyes on him, he charged at Ted like a bull in a china shop.

Thats the sort of conduct youd expect in a rogue state  not a U.S. one whose motto is Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.

Testimony from one of Holtans defense witnesses not only harmed his case but makes you wonder about the citys use of taxpayer funds. Lt. Anthony Joseph DiCara of the Baltimore County Police Department, who was flown in as an expert on officer conduct, training and deescalation, acknowledged he has been paid close to $30,000 for testifying in Des Moines officer cases  which invariably conclude the officer acted right. Thats though, as Messamer told the jury, He didnt even read the criminal case.

History repeats itself. Back in 2021, it was Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouris acquittal we were celebrating. Shed been criminally charged with failure to disperse and interference with official acts after a different Des Moines police officer claimed shed ignored orders to leave a Merle Hay Mall protest site the previous May. As Sahouri testified at her trial, she had also raised her hands and said, Im press. Im press,  but was still grabbed, pepper-sprayed and loaded into a police van.

The lack of criminal charge or conviction in both cases shows Nieters and Sahouri were guilty of nothing more than doing their jobs.

They highlight whats at stake when the people entrusted with gathering and recording the facts for the public become the targets, and the ones entrusted with pursuing the bad guys instead pursue protesters, the press, and ultimately the Constitution.

Such officer overreach can fly under the radar. And its questionable, when higher-ups see evidence of it, how seriously they take it. Would we even know unless a victim has the gumption to sue, and city taxpayers end up paying the damages?

This should unsettle everyone. The settlement comes at a transitional time for Des Moines police. With the upcoming retirement of its chief, a new police chief will soon be hired. Some members of the public are appealing to the City Council to appoint someone who could usher in badly needed changes, including more focus on deescalation training and appointment of a long-sought civilian review board.

Now is the time to speak up and urge Des Moines leaders to finally do whats needed, scrap the us-against-them mindset and come together for whats right.

This column was originally published by Rekha Shouts and Whispers on Substack. It is republished here through the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Editors note: Please consider subscribing to the collaborative and the authors blogs to support their work.
Police: Providence man was killed on his 18th birthday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  What was supposed to be a day of celebration turned tragic for the family of an 18-year-old Providence man who was shot and killed over the weekend.

Darmani Balbuena was standing in the driveway outside his Rhodes Street home Sunday afternoon when he was shot once in the chest.

Providence Police Col. Oscar Perez told 12 News Balbuenas family flagged down an officer who was patrolling the neighborhood. Balbuena was rushed to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

RELATED: Police ID 18-year-old shot, killed in Providence

Perez said Balbuena was killed on his 18th birthday.

Its extremely sad, Perez said. No family should ever have to go through this type of loss or trauma.

No arrests have been made at this time, though Perez stressed that whoevers responsible will be held accountable.

Lisa Ranglin, president of the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA), told 12 News her heart breaks for Balbuenas mother.

When we give birth to our children, we dont intend to bury them, Ranglin said. I can only imagine what his mom is going through. Its just devastating.

Ranglin stressed that Balbuena isnt the only one whose life was cut short by senseless violence. His death marked the capital citys sixth homicide of the year.

We cant normalize these killings, she said. I am absolutely sick of thoughts and prayers.

Ranglin is urging the state to make meaningful investments in Rhode Islands youth, noting that a lack of opportunities can create a breeding ground for violence.

In a statement to 12 News, city spokesman Josh Estrella said Providence has invested nearly $850,000 in paid summer workforce development opportunities for youth.

Estrella said the city has also allocated more than $800,000 in grants to support youth mentoring programs through MENTOR Rhode Island.

These investments have been in addition to our annual EAT PLAY LEARN PVD summer initiative, Estrella noted.

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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
[Watch in the player above: Is property crime going up in America?]

CLEVELAND (WJW)  Cleveland police are asking for the publics help in identifying three suspects caught on camera breaking into a CBD store in Ohio City earlier this month.

It happened just before 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Cleveland Botanical Destination along Detroit Road in Ohio City, according to a Facebook post from police.

Local schools closed Tuesday for extreme heat

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The three burglars, all males, reportedly got in by breaking a window then took several CBD- and THC-infused products, according to the post.

Mom accused of leaving 3-month-old in hot pickup truck to ride horse at Nebraska fair

According to its website, the shop sells products infused with CBD and THCA, otherwise known as delta-9 THC. Those substances are not regulated under the states medical and adult-use cannabis framework.

The shop also is not a state-licensed cannabis dispensary, which are required to store product inside locked vaults, rather than on the sales floor, in order to deter burglaries.

Anyone who recognizes the males or has information on the crime is urged to call Cleveland Second District detectives at 216-623-5217.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The day after the Democratic National Convention ended, a German colleague and I drove east from Nashville to Lebanon, Tennessee to attend the Wilson County  TN State Fair.

After weeks of pre-, during and post- political party convention coverage in a topsy-turvy presidential election, we needed a break from the polarized rhetoric.

That meant eating corn dogs and fried Oreos in 90-degree heat.

The fair, which ran from Aug. 15-24, is an extravaganza that includes amusement park rides, a Ferris wheel, racing piglets, live music, Monster trucks and an assortment of fried foods.

Its a celebration of community, family and friends, and agriculture. Remember: Tennessees motto is Agriculture and Commerce.

There is a quaintness to the event, but over the several years I have attended, I have witnessed the fair grow in numbers and diversity of visitors.

In fact, 2024 set a record with more than 860,000 people in attendance.

Going to the fair with a foreigner was eye-opening and humbling

I have attended the fair four times in the decade I have lived in the Volunteer State  the last three times with visiting Germans working in The Tennessean's newsroom through the International Center for Journalists Burns Fellowship.

The Wilson County - TN State Fair, Aug. 15-24, broke attendance records in 2024. More than 860,000 visitors attended.

Our 2024 Burns Fellow Angela Gruber, a journalist at the Der SPIEGEL publication, arrived in Nashville in late July and has already written several columns on politics and culture that ran the gamut from cryptocurrency to cat videos.

She along with her predecessors, Johanna Roth and Tatjana Heid, had never experienced anything like the Wilson County Fair, which merged with the Tennessee State Fair in 2021 and 2022.

Grubers wide-eyed curiosity over just about every exhibit, food kiosk and animal enclosure provided an outside perspective on how special this place is and what it means for the ability of Americans of different backgrounds to share common experiences with joy, kindness and respect.

Its not just about this fair; its about Americans taking the time to get out and get to see, hear and know each other.

A Tennessee lawmaker aims to suppress votes by challenging election loss

That evening, I took a Lyft ride to an East Nashville venue, and the driver, who was a Tennessee native, shared happy memories of growing up going to the fair with his family.

Political opposites can be married and they can co-exist in society too

On Sunday, I read an article in The Tennessean Weekend Exclusive about a St. Louis, Missouri couple who are split politically.

Samantha Miller is a Democrat, but her husband Andy Miller is a Republican.

Despite their differences, they see eye-to-eye on many issues and stay open-minded, however, they also hold themselves accountable when they unwittingly bash the other party on a social-media post.

That takes intentionality and discipline at a time when noise and anger dominate the nature of politics.

I share this story because it provides hope that respect, boundaries and love can overcome political divisions.

The Wilson County - TN State Fair, Aug. 15-24, broke attendance records in 2024. More than 860,000 visitors attended. In the picture, Der SPIEGEL journalist Angela Gruber and The Tennessean Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at corn dogs.

Angela Gruber and I saw the best of America at the Wilson County  TN State Fair where people deliberately chose to be among strangers.

Marsha Blackburn vs. Gloria Johnson Tennessee Senate contest will raise the stakes and temperature

The most polarizing decision that day was whether to slather our corn dogs with ketchup or mustard. (I am on Team Mustard).

Democracy is messy and requires every-day participation

In a way, Angela became for me a modern-day Alexis de Tocqueville, the 19th century French diplomat and philosopher who visited the U.S. and wrote his observations in Democracy in America.

He pointed out things we Americans sometimes take for granted about our democratic republic.

Sometimes it takes Americans getting out of our comfort zones to do politics better.

For those hoping this election will just be over, dont rush or waste this time.

There many days to come of getting to know neighbors and having experiences and conversations with them that allow us to see our collective humanity.

It is easy to go down rabbit holes, fume in echo chambers and marvel at our political opposites way of thinking.

The Wilson County - TN State Fair, Aug. 15-24, broke attendance records in 2024. More than 860,000 visitors attended. In the picture, alpacas.

But being an American citizen isnt just about screaming at the television or smartphone and waiting to go to the polls on Election Day. Its about active, every-day participation in a process that is sometimes messy.

Sometimes we need a break from the clamor and its okay to go to a fair to gaze at a baby alpaca, to eat a corn dog, and to enjoy the sounds of adults and kids having a ball on a roller coaster.

Editor's note: While the Wilson County - TN State Fair has passed, there are more county fairs to come. Check out the Dickson County (https://www.dicksoncountyfair.com) and Maury County (https://maurycountyfair.com) fairs, both which go from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2. The Nashville Fair (https://www.nashfair.fun) runs from Sept. 6 to 15 at the Fairgrounds Nashville.

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or find him on X at @davidplazas

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair offered needed break from politics
The Maryland Democratic Party's new website, which seeks to remind voters that Republican Larry Hogan is a Republican.

Fresh off of Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks star turn at the Democratic National Convention last week, the Maryland Democratic Party is launching a website on Tuesday whacking her Republican opponent in the U.S. Senate race, former Gov. Larry Hogan.

The gist of the Democrats attack: Hogan is a Republican.

This is hardly news.

But the new Democratic Party website, https://www.republicanlarryhogan.com, attempts to frame the kind of Republican Hogan is.

Throughout his successful political career, Hogan has built a brand as a political pragmatist, free from the dictates of the national GOP and willing to work with Democrats in a Democratic state. Hes been hugely critical of former President Donald Trump through the years, and has tried to modulate some of his natural conservative positions, especially now that hes seeking a Senate seat in a presidential election year, and with a ballot initiative codifying abortion rights in the state Constitution up for a vote this November.

The new Democratic website features photos of Hogan, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on its homepage.

Republican Larry Hogan was personally recruited by Mitch McConnell to help Republicans win control of the U.S. Senate, the website says. Any vote for Larry Hogan is a vote to give Republicans the 51st seat they need to push forward an extreme agenda thats out of touch with Marylanders, including banning abortion nationwide.

Other sections of the website try to hammer home the theme, which Democrats have been pressing since Hogan got into the race in February. It lists several Republican positions on key issues that many Marylanders probably oppose; charts conservative Republicans who have endorsed Hogan; and discusses three extremist GOP senators  Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)  who are in line for powerful committee chairmanships if Republicans retake control of the Senate.

Hogan has said he plans to caucus with Republicans if hes elected, but he also continues to play up his political independence and complains about partisan attacks that try to pigeonhole him.

He set out to build a movement when he first launched his Senate campaign, a Hogan solicitation said Monday. A movement to end the toxic partisanship and dysfunction in our nations capital and bring people together so we can finally make progress on the biggest issues we face.

Gunz and butter

Speaking of Hogan and his attempts to shy away from partisanship, a Democrat who served in Hogans administration is trying to join the Annapolis City Council.

Ron Gunzburger, a longtime Hogan friend and adviser, announced last week that he is seeking the Ward 1 seat in downtown Annapolis that became vacant when Alderwoman Elly Tierney (D) resigned because she is moving out of state.

Gunzburgers campaign is two-fold: Hes seeking an appointment for the vacancy when the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee meets on Sept. 3 to fill the position for the next 14 months. But regardless of whether he prevails in that vote, Gunzburger plans to run for the seat in the Democratic primary in September 2025.

Ron Gunzburger. Campaign photo.

I love Annapolis, but were facing a lot of tough issues, Gunzburger said. Im running to make Annapolis a better, safer, and more affordable community.

Gunzburger, 61, held several roles during the Hogan administration and on the governors campaigns, including as director of COVID Response Strategy throughout the pandemic state of emergency. His relationship with Hogan goes back to the 1992 election cycle, when he managed Hogans unsuccessful congressional campaign against veteran U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th).

Gunzburger currently serves as chief of staff of the nonprofit StoryCorps, which among other things has a weekly radio segment on NPRs Morning Edition. An attorney, Gunzburger has also worked as a public defender, a prosecutor and in a top staff job at the Broward County Sheriffs Department in Florida, where he grew up.

He also runs Politics1.com, a valuable resource for political junkies who want to keep tabs on elections across the country.

Gunzburger is competing for the appointment with Harry Huntley, an environmental policy analyst who recently resigned as treasurer of the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee; Genevieve Torri, a marketing specialist and political activist; and business executives Tom Sells and Tom Krieck.

According to The Capital, Huntley has been endorsed by several city council members, including Tierney and Mayor Gavin Buckley (D).
A majority of Utahns arent concerned about Donald Trumps age as he campaigns for another term as president. But slightly more than half say elected officials shouldnt serve past age 70, and some would set the limit even younger.

Its an interesting juxtaposition as questions about whether the 78-year-old Trump  the oldest Republican presidential nominee in history  has the mental fitness to lead the country. If reelected in November, Trump would end his term just a few months short of his 83rd birthday, making him two years older than President Joe Biden is now.

A new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found 60% of Utah voters are not too concerned or not concerned at all about Trumps age. Another 38% are very or somewhat concerned, while only 2% said they didnt know. HarrisX conducted the poll of 800 registered Utah voters Aug. 2-9. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Find the full dataset for the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute Utah poll here.

DN poll-Trump age1

Predictably, adherents to the two major political parties have vastly different views. The survey shows 83% of self-identified Democrats are concerned about the former presidents age, while 79% of self-identified Republicans are not.

Still, 62% of Utahns say there should be a maximum age limit  meaning they must be under a certain age to be permitted to hold ofce  for elected ofcials, while 23% say there should not and 15% dont know.

More than half of those surveyed, 54%, who plan to vote for Trump in November say there should be an age limit. That figure swelled to 76% among those planning to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Also, 72% of those who voted for Biden in 2020 favored a maximum age, compared to 51% of Trump voters.

Utahns generally agree that there should be a maximum age for holding higher office, showing a shared concern about whether older leaders can remain effective. But when it comes to choosing specific candidates, many voters tend to stick with their party, even if it means supporting an older candidate. That shows how strong party loyalty is in our elections, said Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.

DNpoll-Trump2.1

Among those who say there should be a limit, 70 years old was the top choice across all political parties, most age groups and for both men and women. People under age 50 would put the limit at 65 years old, and 65 was the second most popular choice among all survey respondents. Republicans in the survey were more willing to push the cap to 80 than were Democrats. Overall, 70% of Utahns would set the age limit at 65 to 75 years old, according to the poll.

An October 2023 Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll yielded similar results, though a greater percentage of respondents would go as high as 80 years old compared to the new survey.

Perry said the new polling shows a clear generational split. Younger voters  79% of those in the 18-34 age group  favored a maximum age. Older voters, especially those over 65, are less likely to back age limits  only about 46% support it.

That might be because they see themselves in these older candidates or believe that age brings valuable experience. On the other hand, younger voters, who are more likely to support age limits, want new ideas and are ready for a younger generation to take the lead. That generational divide underscores the complex ways age, experience, and party loyalty influence how people vote, he said.

In addition to Trumps age, the survey asked respondents about his cognitive ability to hold the nations highest office. The former president has faced increased scrutiny over apparent memory lapses and public speaking gaffes since Biden pulled out of the race. His lack of visibility highlights that the Republicans are now on the receiving end of the same age and coherence concerns they had used against Biden, and there might be more attention paid to Trumps lapses now that Biden has stepped aside, Heather Cox Richardson, author and professor of history at Boston College, wrote last month, per Newsweek.

With the 59-year-old Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket, rather than being on the attack against Sleepy Joe, Trump is getting barbs about his age. At a fundraiser in California this month, Democratic presidential nominee Tim Walz, 60, called Trump low energy, tired and the guy that needs to get a little rest on the weekend.

The Utah poll found that 65% of Utahns say Trump is mentally fit to serve as president, while 35% say they have doubts about his mental fitness. Again, the responses diverged sharply between political parties. According to the survey, 87% of Republicans say Trump is mentally fit, while 91% of Democrats have doubts about that.

Combining fitness and age into a single question, the survey also asked, Do you think Donald Trump is showing he is too old to be president or do you think he is showing he is fit to be president?

On that question, 63% of Utahns say Trump is showing he is fit and 37% say hes showing that he is too old. Republicans overwhelmingly say the former president is fit, while Democrats overwhelmingly say hes too old.

The overall health of a president has also become more of an issue. As Dr. Marc Siegel recently pointed out in an opinion piece in The Hill, the American presidency has never been known for its health transparency, just the opposite.

Siegel, a professor of medicine and medical director of Doctor Radio at NYU Langone Health, wrote last month that he has been asking for a full and transparent evaluation of the health of Biden since even before he became president. The elaborately worded yearly physicals reported by Dr. Kevin OConnor (including the most recent one in February) are not medically satisfying. They lack any mention of cognitive testing or MRI scans of the brain, despite the presidents frequent memory lapses, periods of disorientation and inability to complete sentences, he wrote.

To that end, the poll asks, Who should be responsible for keeping the public informed on the health of an elected official and their ability to hold public office?

The results show 53% say the elected officials staff, 41% party leaders and 28% the elected officials family. Another 26% say its the medias responsibility and 10% say its not the publics business.
A 9-point swing in the past month has Vice President Kamala Harris now leading former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, according to a poll released Tuesday, Aug. 27, by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research.

The survey of voters across the United States, conducted after the conclusion of last week's Democratic National Convention, showed Harris topping Trump 49% to 45% among likely voters. The Democratic nominee also led her Republican rival by four points, 47% to 43%, among all voters.

That's a stunning reversal from a national poll released by FAU and Mainstreet on July 23, just two days after President Joe Biden exited the contest and endorsed Harris. That survey showed Trump leading Harris by a comfortable 5-point margin, 49% to 44%, among likely voters and by 4 points, 47% to 43%, among all voters.

"I think you've seen the trend line go towards the vice president since she's been in the race," said Kevin Wagner, FAU pollster and associate dean. "Certainly it's been buoyed and helped by the convention, which certainly has motivated Democrats."

Wagner said it's too early to tell whether Harris' lead is a typical, temporary post-convention bounce or part of a consistent trend in her favor since July 21.

"The question of whether it's a bounce is only something you can determine after the fact," he said. "If the numbers start to slide back down then you know it's a convention bounce. If they don't slide back down then it's part of a long-term trend."

Kamala Harris' polling speaks to a comeback for the Democratic ticket. Will it endure?

Despite the clear momentum, it's notable that the sample of voters in this survey was one that favored Biden by six points in the 2020 election, suggesting that Harris is running slightly behind the outgoing president.

But Wagner cautioned the comparison may not be apt. He pointed out that Harris has made a comeback from a "pretty negative and significant deficit" when Biden was atop the Democratic ticket. It's quite possible, too, that Harris could be mirroring Biden's performance if a 3.2 percentage point margin of error were applied, he said.

What accounted for the turnaround? Wagner said the determinative factor has been Harris' ability to rally Democrats and lure back those who were less than eager to back Biden's re-election bid.

"The main takeaway is not that there's been a huge shift in the way voters see these candidates but you're seeing greater enthusiasm among the traditional Democratic base for her candidacy than you were seeing for Joe Biden," he said. "Because of that, the race has sort of become much tighter, much closer and presented an opportunity for Democrats to actually win this."

Election 2024: Harris arrives in Chicago with momentum. Can she capitalize by increasing appeal with voters?

Harris polling stronger among core Democratic constituencies, and independents

Supporters cheer Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event at the Georgia State Convocation Center on July 30, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Both Harris and Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump are campaigning in Atlanta this week.

Wagner said the data shows Harris has regained a gender gap advantage by outperforming Trump by nearly 12 points, 53.2% to 41.4%, among women. By contrast, Trump holds a marginal preference among male voters  just 2.1 points at 47.4% to 45.3%.

Harris also built a 50-point lead among Black voters, 72.5% to 21%, and recaptured Latino voters that Biden had been losing to Trump in posting a 51% to 35.4% advantage with that cohort.

Harris also widened the gap considerably among independent voters, the poll showed, with 48% of those asked saying they back her, versus 35% choosing Trump. In the FAU-Mainstreet survey released last month, the split was much more even with Harris above Trump by just 2 points, 45% to 43%.

Trump is losing support from Independents compared to July, which could be a result of the Democratic Party convention and remains to be watched, said Dukhong Kim, associate professor of political science at FAU, in a statement. If this pattern persists, it will be difficult for Trump to maintain an advantage in the election.

Trump's sole area of dominant strength in the survey was among white voters without college degrees. He led in that group by more than 20 points, 58.7% to 35.9%.

More: GOP chair says email just 'typical fundraising' talk, bullish on GOP prospects in November

More: Lois Frankel at Democratic convention: Goal is to explain vision, refute Donald Trump 'lies'

That indicated to Wagner that Harris' surge "has a lot more to do with the Democratic coalition and coalescing than it does in persuading the Trump voter to switch sides."

Survey responders also said they viewed Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as a more "moderate" candidate than his Republican counterpart, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump

"In some ways I think that's mission accomplished for the Democrats when they attempted to put someone on the ticket that could appeal to a more moderate Midwestern voter," Wagner added.

In fact, the poll found that 51.9% of those who said they support Harris expressed joy, happiness, excitement and pride about the prospects for the November election. Among those who stated their support for Trump, the emotions they picked  at 56.6%  were fear, anger, sadness and pride.

Florida Democrats say they have amassed an 'army' of volunteers

On Tuesday morning, Florida Democrats said the surge in post-convention momentum has been seen in Trump's home state.

Since the conclusion last Thursday of the party's quadrennial gathering in Chicago, Florida Democrats said another 13,000 volunteers have signed up to help the Harris-Walz campaign in in the state. All told, nearly 40,000 people have stepped forward to assist the campaign since Harris entered the race on July 21.

"This is an army," said Florida Democratic chair Nikki Fried. The additional manpower has boosted outreach to voters, logging 1.2 million house calls and 2.1 million phone calls, she added.

Fried said Democrats will hammer Republicans up and down the ballot on two issues she said Florida voters care most about, the state's property insurance crisis and safeguarding reproductive rights. She added that voters are also "frustrated" by school book bans and even a widely criticized state proposal to build golf courses in pristine state parks.

"It is time to take our state back, time to celebrate the diversity of our state, to lift everybody up," Fried said. "We have to build a country where everybody has an opportunity to arise without having to knock people down. That is the campaign that is coming from Kamala Harris."

Fried also noted reports that the Trump campaign bought advertising time this week in the West Palm Beach media market, which covers Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate saying the GOP nominee is "scared of losing our state."

State GOP official: Florida 'leads the way' while Democrats just recite numbers

Florida Republican officials have scoffed at the notion that the Democrats' momentum is an existential threat to November victories.

Last week, state GOP chairman Evan Power reiterated he remains bullish about Trump and the party's candidates on Nov. 5, citing a massive voter advantage in the state, the turnout of Republicans in Tuesday's primary and a fundraising advantage he said speaks to enthusiasm.

"I know the Democrats love to tout numbers but when you don't have anything else you tout volunteer numbers," Power said.

In addition to a historic one million voter advantage over Democrats in the Sunshine State, Power pointed out the state GOP has racked up close to $14 million in donations in the past 10 weeks, a 7-to-1 fundraising advantage.

In the Aug. 20 primary, the GOP generated more votes for its candidates than Democrats, he added.

Looking ahead to the Nov. 5 election, Power said the Florida GOP has empowered its county chapters by "giving them materials and data to interact with voters."

He said the party is particularly reaching out to "low propensity voters" to encourage them to cast a ballot and "send the message that Florida leads the way." Power said the county chapters were sent hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature, and the demand for more remains unabated.

"Florida is the beacon of freedom for the rest of the nation and people want to keep it that way," he said. "Any time Nikki Fried talks about Florida being in play we're able to raise money because people don't want what she's selling."

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FAU poll shows huge swing in Trump-Harris race that may surprise you
A majority of Utah voters said they approve of Gov. Spencer Coxs endorsement of former President Donald Trump, according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll conducted by HarrisX.

While the move surprised some of Coxs close allies, the poll found that his decision to board the Trump train came as welcome news to 58% of registered voters in the state  the exact same percentage that voted for Trump in 2020.

Despite the apparent popular support for his decision, Cox told reporters during a monthly broadcast in July that it was not made for political reasons.

None of this was based on a calculus, Cox said. This was all based just on these intense feelings that Ive had over the course of the past week and the past year.

Until recently, Cox remained one of the few Republican leaders to publicly withhold his support from the partys standard bearer. Cox reversed course shortly after the failed assassination attempt against Trump.

The governor wrote the former president a letter, dated July 14, complimenting Trumps short-lived appeal to unity. Cox pledged to do everything I can to help Trump win the election in an attempt to lower the temperature in this country. In a later press conference, Cox confirmed his support would translate into a vote for Trump this November.

Coxs decision came one month after a contentious GOP primary contest that saw his opponent, state Rep. Phil Lyman, repeatedly attack Cox for his lukewarm attitude toward Trump. And it came just one week after Cox said in a CNN interview he would not cast his ballot for the Republican nominee in 2024.

More than one-third of Utahns, 34%, said they strongly approve of Coxs about-face on Trumps reelection, according to the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute survey, which also found that 31% of Utah voters have a very favorable view of Trump. A quarter of Utah voters somewhat approve of Coxs endorsement, 11% somewhat disapprove and 22% strongly disapprove. Just under 10% said they were unsure.

The poll was conducted from Aug. 2-9 among 800 registered voters in Utah by HarrisX. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 3.5 percentage points.

Find the full dataset for the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute Utah poll here.

Poll-Cox-Trump

What do Republicans think of Cox endorsing Trump?

In his endorsement letter, Cox expressed hope that Trump could lead the country to a new era of peace, unity, and prosperity. The governor later clarified in an interview with The Atlantic that his emphasis on Disagree Better could be better carried out if he is officially on the team of Trump.

Cox had previously claimed he is not anti-Trump, only that he has serious issues with some of the former presidents policies and antics. After the Jan. 6 riot, Cox called on Trump to resign, saying it would be good for the nation. Earlier this year, Cox said Republicans would make a huge mistake if they nominated Trump again. In June, Politico declared Cox the new face of Trump skepticism on the right.

Nearly 80% of Utah Republican voters said they approve of Coxs change of tone, the poll found. Half of Utah Republicans said they strongly approve, 29% said they somewhat approve, 7% said they disapprove and 6% said they strongly disapprove.

The reverse was seen among Utahs Democratic voters: 15% approved and 80% disapproved of Coxs endorsement. Independent voters were split down the middle, with 44% approving of Coxs endorsement and 44% disapproving.

The extremism, division, and hate that Trump embodies does not represent who we are as Utahns, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian King said, pointing to the relatively unenthusiastic treatment Utah Republicans gave Trump in the states GOP presidential preference poll.

Unfortunately, Cox has decided that its in his political interests to turn his back on those Utahns and go all in on Donald Trump and the extreme agenda he represents, King continued. We are building a coalition of pragmatists made up of Utahns across the political spectrum who are looking for a different kind of leadership. Anyone who is disappointed in the governors clear, consistent lack of political courage is welcome to join us  for the better.

Will Coxs endorsement influence Utahns to support Trump?

Cox spent Monday morning with Trump at the Arlington National Cemetery paying tribute to the 13 U.S. service members killed outside of the Kabul airport three years ago, on Aug. 26, 2021. The visit featured a photoshoot of the two men standing and walking together.

Cox is considered a fairly popular governor, with an approval rating that regularly approaches 65%. The Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found that Coxs U-turn on Trump carries some weight with Utah voters.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of Utah voters  including one third (32%) of Republicans  said that Coxs endorsement of Trump makes them more likely to vote for Trump.

The vast majority of voters, 64%, said Coxs endorsement does not have an impact on how they vote in the presidential election, while 13% said it makes them less likely to vote for Trump.

The same Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found that Cox is on track to win reelection by a large margin in the general election.

If the election for Utah governor were held today, the poll found that 59% of Utah registered voters say they would cast their ballot for Cox, the Republican nominee; 19% say they would vote for King, the Democratic nominee; and 23% say they dont know or are unsure.

Coxs lead increased by 4 percentage points when undecided voters were asked to choose between the two major party candidates whose names will appear on the ballot in November.
ST. LOUIS  A wealth of information has been uncovered surrounding a pond in a south St. Louis park that cant hold water.

The scenic pond at Benton Park has repeatedly had severe drainage issues for more than 40 years. In spite of past major efforts to fix it, its running out of water again. Aquatic life is again in danger.

It looks way prettier than I thought it was going to be, first-time visitor Clinton Magnin of Lemay said. He was hoping to reel in a few fish Monday before the water was gone.

The water line could be seen along the side walls of the pond, dropping by the hour.

Its been nearly 20 years since FOX 2 reported on volunteers rescuing fish and the rest of the ponds aquatic life in August of 2004. According to media reports, a torn, rubberized liner was eventually replaced with concrete in a $700,000 project a few years later.

Injured bald eagle rescued, deemed to be too fat to fly

There are caverns beneath the pond, with sinkholes opening up along the bank this time. A sheen of moss is forming on the stagnant water. More and more debris is starting to surface.

It is frustrating, but I do feel confident weve got a solution in the works, park-lover and Alderwoman (Ward 8), Cara Spencer, said. Ive been in communication with our parks department on a weekly, almost daily basis at this point, to try and move this along as quickly as possible.

She hopes the one-acre pond can be drained, repaired, and back to normal by spring.

The Missouri Department of Conservation stocks the pond with catfish and sunfish in a cooperative agreement with the City of St. Louis.

I definitely think they should save it, give people something to do; sitting out, feeding the ducks or whatever, sitting around the lakecatch a fish, have some dinner, Magnin grinned.

The most important thing is that we have a long-term solution, Spencer said.

The potential cost of that is still unknown, but the park dates back to 1866, and the pond with its two ornate foot bridges is certainly the centerpiece.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Reuters) - Australian pension fund Aware Super said on Tuesday it has acquired a minority stake in London-headquartered bandwidth infrastructure company euNetworks, in a bid to tap into the artificial intelligence boom.

It invested in euNetworks via a vehicle led by global infrastructure and real assets manager Stonepeak, and others including Investment Management Corporation of Ontario and APG Asset Management.

Aware Super, which manages A$180 billion in assets, did not reveal the size of its stake or the investment amount.

EuNetworks owns and operates deep fibre networks in 18 cities in Europe, as well as a long haul network across several countries in the region. It directly connects over 542 data centres.

The deal comes amid growing interest and demand for data centres, which are essential to the rise of generative AI.

"EuNetworks was a strong first step for expanding the Fund's digital infrastructure portfolio into new markets," said Katya Romashkan, Aware Super Portfolio Manager  Infrastructure.

($1 = 0.8953 euros)

(Reporting by Ayushman Ojha; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Shinjini Ganguli)
Faculty of the University of Maryland Global Campus, Asia, congratulate a graduate during an April 2023 graduation ceremony in Okinawa, Japan. UMGC was founded to serve students in the military, which is still a large part of its mission, serving service members in more than 175 locations around the globe. Photo by Lance Cpl. Thomas Sheng/U.S. Marine Corps

The University of Maryland Global Campus spun off some of its information technology units into independent businesses that it then supported with $198.1 million in sole-source contracts with little oversight, according to a recent state audit.

That lack of oversight of the supposedly independent firms may have contributed to the fact that UMGC had to abandon an IT project after spending $25.1 million with nothing to show for it, said the Friday audit by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services Office of Legislative Audits.

The audit also took the campus to task for its handling of a $500 million advertising contract at a time when enrollment continued to decline, its tracking of student residency status and its record-keeping on physical checks sent to the school for payment.

Sen. Clarence K. Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard), the Senate co-chair of the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, said Monday that after seeing the audit, it is our intention to invite UMGC officials before the committee this fall.

I think it was really striking to me look at the amount that was spent on advertising and publicity, and yet enrollment went down, Lam said. I think its OK if theres some money spent and yet it didnt produce the results that you wanted, but a half-billion dollars is a lot of money to spend on advertising.

I think theres some questions  that ought to be asked, Lam said.

The advertising contract was just one part of the audit, which was largely dedicated to the universitys decision to spin off two companies under a University System of Maryland policy allowing High Impact Economic Development Activities, also known as HIEDA. That program was created to let colleges and universities take actions that could boost the states economy in areas such as job creation and workforce development, technology transfer, commercialization, and entrepreneurship, the audit said.

In 2015, UMGC spun off its Office of Analytics to create HelioCampus, providing $10 million in startup funding for the company that was to assist universities with analytics. In 2016, UMGC created Ventures, a tax-exempt holding company for UMGC businesses that it seeded with $15 million. A year later, UMGC spun off its IT office into AccelerEd, a subsidiary of Ventures.

The audit noted that Ventures had $215.3 million in revenues from fiscal 2017 to 2022, of which $198.1 million came from UMGC. Further, the audit said, $184 million of those service agreements were made without competitive bids and with little oversight after the fact.

In a response to the audit, Ellen Herbst, senior vice chancellor for administration and finance with the school, said UMGC disagreed with the charge that it should make sure IT services are provided on a competitive basis. The HIEDA policy specifically allows universities to contract with HIEDA-created businesses without going through a competitive bidding process, the universitys response said.

But the audit, conducted between Oct. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, notes that while state law permits the school to do business with HIEDA firms without competitive bids, the law does not mandate exclusive use of these entities.

And we believe that the findings in this report demonstrate that UMGCs practice of doing so, including services that were subcontracted out to other vendors, severely restricted its ability to ensure that it obtains IT services from the best qualified vendor and in the most cost-effective manner, wrote Legislative Auditor Brian S. Tanen.

The university also disagreed with the audits recommendation that it create a system for competitively bidding advertising jobs among a group of nine companies that had prequalified to do advertising work for UMGC under two six-year master contracts totaling $500 million. It said its existing procedures ensure competition, and that constantly shifting between ad agencies would lead to a loss of campaign knowledge and inefficiencies.

But the audit noted that the advertising master contracts came as part of an effort to increase out-of-state enrollment. In the first three years of the contract, for which the university shelled out $175.4 million, out-of-state enrollment dipped slightly while overall enrollment fell from 91,385 to 86,582.

In 2022, the school announced layoffs of several dozen employees after a decline in fall 2021 undergraduate enrollment. School leaders pointed to the pandemic as a major cause for the decline.

The audit also said the school needed to do a better job tracking and reviewing student residency status. It said about 67% of student residency statuses were not independently reviewed and approved. The tuition rate for an undergraduate military student was $250 per credit in the fall 2022 semester, compared to $312 for in-state students and $499 for out-of-state students.

Ensuring that students are assigned the correct residency status has a financial implication to UMGC since tuition costs charged to a student can vary greatly depending on the assigned status, according to the audit.

In a letter Friday to school leadership, UMGC President Gregory W. Fowler wrote that several audit recommendations have already been implemented such as doubling the number of cashiers and adding checks and balances to ensure that errors are identified and corrected quickly.

Fowler wrote the school has already taken steps to initiate a third-party evaluation on services received from UMGC Ventures and AccelerEd. And he said student enrollment increased by 8,300, or 9%, in the last two years.

In the coming months, we will continue to focus on implementing our Strategic Plan, and we will provide periodic updates as we work together to address the points highlighted in the auditors report, Fowler wrote. I ask that you be patient and diligent throughout this process, and I thank you, as always, for the part you play in fulfilling our public mission.
As tourism recovers across Europe, UK visitor numbers are still down on pre-pandemic levels - Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

When you imagine a holiday in Britain, you might picture scones and jam in a charming tearoom, cobbled streets and village greens, old-fashioned seaside towns with wooden piers and sandy beaches. But then you check the news.

Headlines about sewage, knife crime, chaos on the railways and skyrocketing costs and suddenly your idyllic getaway doesnt seem so appealing. Perhaps the Med might be a better bet, after all...

The Telegraphs destination expert Chris Moss recently responded to the news that Britain is facing a 2.8bn shortfall in overseas visitor spending, with annual arrivals still down on pre-pandemic numbers.

According to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) statistics, UK visitor numbers in 2023 were still 5.6 per cent down on 2019, placing the country towards the bottom of the European table when it comes to growth  below France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Netherlands and Croatia, among others.

Click here to view this content.

So why exactly is Britain losing its appeal? Chris addressed some of the key factors  from rising prices to the loss of tax-free shopping  and Telegraph readers had plenty to say on why they think the world is turning its back on the UK.

The UK we knew and loved is consigned to history

In the latest Anholt-Ipsos report on Nation Brands, the UKs Welcome ranking fell to 19th place out of 60 nations  the lowest ever received for this measure.

In light of this report, reader Peter McDonald said: In the context of welcome referring to factors such as positive interaction with locals, helpful hotel staff, friendly service in restaurants, a stress-free airport experience, ease of getting around and smiling faces, the UK has failed miserably.

Wherever we travelled in the UK, there was a lack of friendliness and a generally depressing vibe. Dont even get me started on the appalling decline in London.

The UK we knew and loved is consigned to history and, aside from our family connections, we would not choose to visit again any time soon.

Readers said London has become homogenised - Getty

Several readers highlighted Londons problems.

Guy Booth said: The real issue, apart from cost and value for money which is not new, is that London, the front door of the UK, is fast losing its unique selling points: charm and uniqueness.

It is no longer seen as an English city connected to its own hinterland, but a global multicultural metropolis that is now increasingly indistinguishable from other world destinations that do their own culture better.

The West End is now dominated by chain restaurants and almost all the quirky and quintessentially British shops have gone.

What remains of tradition is often an over-commercialised pastiche. The modern glass-and-steel skyscraper architecture has wrecked the cityscape and the nightlife is a shadow of the vibrant scene we once enjoyed.

Meanwhile, Tina Mahony added: Central Londons shopping scene is disappointing, filled with American fashion brands and junk food. Central London [now feels] dangerous and unpleasant and Sohos nightlife closes at midnight. The cool has long since gone.

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Rip-off pricing is probably the biggest deterrent

For many readers, Britain is no longer a budget-friendly holiday option.

According to a World Economic Forum report, the UK ranked 113th out of 119 countries for price competitiveness in travel and tourism. With high costs for food and transport in particular, the UKs growing reputation as an expensive destination is deterring some potential visitors.

Reader Andrew Shaw has noticed this first-hand. He said: The problem is the cost. The bars and pubs blame Covid and Brexit but thats a poor excuse. Two of my customers went to a basic pub for lunch the other day. They had a burger each, a soft drink, dessert and a coffee. It came to 60 quid! Rip-off Britain is the issue!

Matt Buckfast echoed these concerns. He said: Rip-off pricing is probably the biggest deterrent. You wont get any change from 20 in any of the country pubs near me for a burger and chips, and thats before you buy a drink! It costs north of 100 for a family of four to have a pub meal and a drink, which is unaffordable for many families over a two-week summer holiday.

The cost of food in British pubs was a bugbear for many readers - Getty

The rising costs are even causing some of The Telegraphs British readers to reconsider holidaying at home.

Zandra Brown shared: We have just come back from Dorset for a family holiday. The nearly 400 per night holiday home was good... apart from stained towels, lack of kitchen equipment and other problems  it was certainly not value for money, but most decent-sized rental properties in that area are expensive.

No wonder us Brits holiday abroad because our unremarkable so-called British hospitality encourages tourists to go elsewhere for a better value-for-money experience.

Michael Johns added: Why would you visit Britain or why, if British, would you holiday here? Poor weather, filthy cities and towns, inadequate infrastructure, especially if want to travel by train or bus, and very expensive, poor-quality food make it very unappealing.

Im currently on holiday in Girona and then heading to Tarragona for a week. It might be a bit hot but a return flight was 100 each, a decent hotel with breakfast is 120 a night and a nice meal with a bottle of wine is 40. There are efficient and cheap trains and buses too. Its all a lot cheaper than Britain. The only rip-off was leaving my car at the UK airport.

Staff at Heathrow treat passengers worse than cattle

For some readers, the British holiday nightmare begins long before they have even left the airport and this is only likely to get worse with the mass rollout of the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system this autumn and next year.

For Tom O.G., Heathrow Airport is the main reason he wont be returning to the UK. The experience is always unpleasant, he said, mainly because the staff there treat passengers worse than cattle.

Likewise, Sam Leake said: A trip to the UK is all about swapping Heathrow horror stories among my fellow Americans. The airport really is a unique sort of nightmare, or at least it was when I was there in the summer of 2022.

Linda Goodard, a seasoned traveller through British airports, said: Every year for the past 40 years, we have spent a day or two in London as we transit from North America to mainland Europe, Africa or the Middle East so we know it well.

What bothers us about the UK? The combination of horrid BA  which we, like so many others, think stands for Bloody Awful  and what is arguably the worst major airport in the world: Heathrow.

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 Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist revealed she met with Pope Francis in Rome earlier this month.

Clare Byarugaba, the diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for Chapter Four Uganda, an LGBTQ+ support and advocacy group, said she was honored to meet the Pontiff and took the opportunity to speak of the difficulties faced in her country where same-sex sexual relations are outlawed and punishable by up to life in prison or even death in some instances.

Video and pictures posted to X (formerly Twitter) showed Francis warmly greeting Byarugaba and inviting her to sit with him.

His Holiness reiterated that discrimination is a sin and violence against LGBTI people is unacceptable, Byarugaba posted to X on Tuesday. He said the Church should never discriminate. He walks with everyone that has been denied their dignity. He further encouraged us to defend our rights.

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Byarugaba said she advised the Pope about Ugandas gross human rights violations and the ruinous impact of its anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

His Holiness reiterated that discrimination is a sin and violence against LGBTI people is unacceptable, Byarugaba posted, adding, He said the Church should never discriminate. He walks with everyone that has been denied their dignity. He further encouraged us to defend our rights.

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Earlier this year, Pope Francis apologized after anonymous bishops told Italian news outlets Corriere della Sera and Italian dailies La Repubblica that the Pope used a homophobic slur during a meeting with church officials who were debating whether or not to allow out gay priests in the clergy.

Pope Francis reportedly claimed that while the church should welcome everyone, a gay priest would be leading a double life. He then said that seminaries already have too much frociaggine, which loosely translates to faggotry or faggotness.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said there is room for everyone in the church.

The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others, Bruni said.

In June, a student from the Philippines challenged the Pope during a live video conference entitled Building Bridges Across Asia Pacific: A Synodal Encounter with Pope Francis and University Students.

Acebedo Rivera, a psychology student at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, used his allotment of time to challenge Pope Francis to ease certain religious restrictions in his country and refrain from using language derogatory to the LGBTQ+ community.

I myself am outcasted and bullied due to my bisexuality, my gayness, my identity, and being a son of a single parent. My mother cannot divorce my father. Please allow divorce in the Philippines, Rivera said before returning to the subject of the Popes recent internal comments denigrating the air of faggotry in the Vatican. And stop using offensive language against the LGBTQIA+ community. This leads to immense pain. Due to this, I developed bipolar disorder and I am stigmatized.

Uganda is a culturally conservative country where same-sex sexual relations are banned. The Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni last year. People found to be engaging in acts of homosexuality face up to life in prison. The law also calls for the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality which refers to people living with HIV engaging in same-sex sexual relations and repeat offenders.

The law met with widespread international opposition. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the act as deeply concerning before it was signed into law.

The bill is one of the most extreme anti-LGBTQI+ laws in the world. Human rights are universal, Pierre said last year after an earlier draft of the legislation was returned to parliament by Museveni. No one should be attacked, imprisoned, or killed simply because of who they are or whom they love.

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Steven Kabuye, an activist and editor with Coloured Voices Media Foundation  Truth to LGBTQ Uganda, was a victim of one such brutal attack in January. He was attacked by two men on a motorcycle wielding a knife as he walked to work. According to a police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, one of the helmeted men jumped off the bike and swung the knife at Kabuye focusing specifically on his neck.

Kabuye managed to shield his neck with his right arm, resulting in a stab wound to his hand, Onyango said in the statement. Despite attempting to flee, the assailants chased and stabbed him in the stomach, and left him for dead.

Kabuye was discovered by residents and taken to an area hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

The activist posted a video of the wounds to X immediately after he was attacked. The short but disturbing video showed a bleeding Kabuye lying on his side with a large, deep gash and a large knife still embedded in his stomach.

In addition to the violence against the LGBTQ+ community, prosecutors have not been shy in bringing charges under the new law.

In August of last year, a 20-year-old man became the first person to face the death penalty under the law after he allegedly performed what prosecutors described as unlawful sexual intercourse with a 41-year-old man with diminished mental capabilities.

In October of last year, two men were allegedly caught having anal sex by a peeping tom. The incident occurred during a heavy rainstorm in Kampala on the afternoon of Friday, October 20. A student sought shelter from the downpour on the veranda of a salon when he heard sounds coming from within the salon.

It was at this point that the student heard funny screaming sounds inside the salon, Fred Enanga, a spokesperson for the Uganda Police, told reporters following the arrests. The student picked up his phone and recorded the two suspects in the act of sodomy.

President Joe Biden condemned the law in May, calling it a tragic violation of universal human rights  one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people, and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country. He called for the immediate repeal of the law.

And in August, the World Bank cut off new funding to Uganda over the new law.

Ugandas Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Groups values, the World Bank said in a statement at the time.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Say goodbye to Portland polices Property Crimes Unit.

The Portland Police Bureau confirmed it will be reassigning officers currently in the unit tasked with investigating crimes like burglaries, stolen cars and identity theft.

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The Multnomah County District Attorneys Office said the call made by Portland Police Chief Bob Day comes down to understaffing.

However, police said they will still investigate property crimes.

At Jantzen Beach, shoppers gave a wave of different reactions to the news. Some said they think the move makes sense since they feel safer in stores and are seeing fuller shelves. Others said theyre concerned the Property Crimes Unit being dissolved will embolden thieves.

It doesnt discourage crime, Ill put it that way, said one shopper, Patrick Pitton.

Jantzen Beach was the backdrop for the most recent retail theft mission by Portland police.

Im worried about going back to what we saw during the pandemic. People grabbing garbage bags full of stuff and running out of stores, Pitton said.

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The three detectives who currently make up the Property Crimes Unit will get reassigned to the Special Victims Unit and Sex Crimes Unit. A sergeant previously with PCU will be added to patrol, wherever needed.

This comes as City of Portland data shows a drop in reported robberies and aggravated assaults in the first half of the year compared to last year. However, the number of rape cases has remained roughly the same. The Portland Police Bureau also reported that person crimes, like those linked to domestic violence, have only gone down by about 1%.

These crimes are historically, and always have been, underreported, right? So, were not even seeing a drop in the amount of crimes that are being reported. I think that echoes even a bigger problem, said Margot Martin, the interim CEO of Bradley Angle, the oldest domestic violence shelter on the West Coast.

While Martin said domestic violence survivors often choose not to engage with law enforcement, she said demand for services hasnt dropped since a spike seen during the pandemic.

We have seen a huge increase in need ever since that started in 2020, and that hasnt changed. And what thats really coupled with is that so many survivors, we estimate about 90% of them, are also victims of financial abuse. What that means is that they have to make the decision to be safe or to be houseless, Martin said.

The Multnomah County DAs Office said that the closure of the Property Crimes Unit comes as the community still feels the impact of property crimes. However, police maintain that each precinct will have an active detective following through on those cases.

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In a statement, Chief Day said he made the call to reallocate resources in an attempt to fill gaps created by retirements and promotions.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, you can call a local free and confidential crisis line at (503) 235-5333 or visit calltosafety.org. You can also visit Bradley Angles website for help or more information.

Below is the full statement from the DAs Office:

The closure of PPBs property crime unit comes at a time where the community still acutely feels the impact of property crimes, but PPB has assured our office that each precinct will have an acting detective who will be following through on property crime cases. Additionally, MCDA Investigators will continue to work with PPB to address any gaps in the investigative process. The reassignment of detectives speaks less to the priority that is placed on these crimes and more to the very tough staffing decisions that must ultimately be made by Chief Day in a time where law enforcement is heavily understaffed. It is our intention that we will be able to maintain the same level of attention to these cases, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with PPB in pursuing these cases.

Below is Chief Days full statement that he wrote to PPB members last month:

Change is always difficult, but it is imperative that we make these important decisions when it comes to using our resources to address the most egregious crimes. I appreciate the investigators who will be bringing their experience and expertise to these critical specialty units.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Southeast Portland preschool located near where a deflection center is set to open this fall has followed through on its threat to sue Multnomah County.

Escuela Viva Community School filed a complaint against the county, Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, District Attorney Mike Schmidt and Sheriff Nicole Morrissey ODonnell on Monday.

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The Perkins Coie attorney representing the preschool, David Watnick, accused the officials of violating Oregons public meetings law by discussing the deflection center without more input from other county leaders or community members.

This closed-door process has resulted in the Countys plan to open an ill-defined and ill-designed drug deflection center one block from a preschool, among other controversial decisions, Watnick wrote. If the County intends to proceed with this or any deflection plan, it must do so in accordance with the Public Meetings Law or not at all.

Central Eastside residents previously told KOIN 6 they werent notified the facility would open in the Buckman neighborhood. Some Multnomah County commissioners, namely Sharon Meieran and Julia Brim-Edwards, have also expressed their frustrations with the lack of transparency surrounding the opening of what has been dubbed the Coordinated Care Pathway Center.

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It will serve as a 24-hour facility where law enforcement will drop off individuals who are caught with small amounts of illicit substances, in lieu of booking them into jail. The center was initially set to open on 900 SE Sandy Blvd. on Sept. 1, when Oregons hard drug recriminalization act goes into effect.

But last week, Vega Pederson announced the center is now likely to open in mid-to-late October. The county chair said the facility needs more time to hire and train staff, and more time for neighborhood and community engagement in the process.

Prior to this announcement, Watnick had already threatened to sue the county if it moved forward with its original deadline. In the letter he sent to officials on Aug. 8, he also noted the safety concerns of parents and staff in the Escuela Viva community.

City of Portland offices experiencing internet outage, including 911 texting

Multnomah County and the Sheriffs Office said they do not comment on pending litigation. KOIN 6 has also reached out to the District Attorneys Office for a statement on the complaint.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Gov. Andy Beshear didnt get tapped to run alongside Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the White House, but he appears to have gotten a financial, as well as political, bump for being in the mix for the role.

In the month of July, when speculation was rampant about the next Democratic ticket both before and after President Joe Biden stepped aside in favor of Harris, the governor brought in a record $216,000 to his political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The committee, called In This Together, has been raising money since January. Over the course of the last seven months, its averaged just over $101,000 each month, with the last three marking roughly $112,000 in May, $164,000 in June and $216,000 in July.

As of Aug. 1, the PAC had about $534,000 on hand, having raised well over $700,000 total.

Beshears pinned post on his X profile, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, touts a news article on In This Together. His following on the site has grown extraordinarily over the last couple of months after several appearances in national media and a prime time speech at the Democratic National Convention.

While the attention gained was nationwide, the majority of donors hailed from the Bluegrass State.

Among the itemized contributions, about 65% came from Kentuckians and roughly 15% came from out-of-state donors. The remainder of the itemized contributions came via ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising service that does not disclose the identities of its original donors.

Of the donations that rolled in during July, 21 hit the maximum $5,000 mark. Nearly all of those max donations came from Kentucky addresses, with several big donations coming from attorneys and contractors.

Attorneys with Sheffer & Monhollen, Gary Johnson in Pikeville and Stites & Harbison all contributed the maximum amount. Four members of QK4, an engineering firm, combined to contributed $8,000.

Longtime Beshear fundraiser Frank Shoop, an automobile dealer, also contributed the maximum amount.

The only maximum out-of-state donor in the month of July was Edward Necco, a Cincinnati resident who serves as president and CEO of a child welfare company that specializes in adoption and foster care.

Many of the contributions coming from outside Kentucky came in around July 10, around the time when Beshear held a fundraiser in Washington, D.C., for In This Together.

The donations ticked up in the latter quarter of July, with $75,000 of the individual contributions coming into the PAC on or after July 21, when President Joe Biden stepped aside and backed Harris for president.

The timing element is particularly relevant when it comes to contributions from other PACs. Of the $30,000 in PAC money that came into In This Together, $20,000 arrived on July 22, one day after Bidens announcement. That entire bundle came from union groups, including electricians, carpenters, auto workers and food workers.

The United Auto Workers was a major force pushing for Beshear to become Harris vice presidential nominee.

So, how will the money raised be spent?

Eric Hyers, Beshears longtime political advisor, gave the Herald-Leader some insight.

Youll see a second round of endorsements this week. Were gearing up to spend in races where we feel we can make the biggest impact. Those decisions will get made in the coming weeks, Hyers said.

Heres a list of contributors at or above $1,000 to In This Together in the month of July:

Ronald Sheffer (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Self - Contribution: $5,000

Anne Sheffer (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Sheffer & Monhollen PLLC - Contribution: $5,000

Glenn Thomas (Louisville, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Charles Coldiron (Somerset, KY) - Employer: Somerset Hyundai - Contribution: $5,000

Ann Bakhaus (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Kentucky Eagle, Inc. - Contribution: $5,000

Rodney Casada (Somerset, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Edward Necco (Cincinnati, OH) - Employer: Necco - Contribution: $5,000

Clay Corman (Nicholasville, KY) - Employer: CMC Inc. - Contribution: $5,000

John Ridley (Bowling Green, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Kris Mays (Frankfort, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Anita Johnson (Pikeville, KY) - Employer: Law Office of Gary Johnson - Contribution: $5,000

Gary Johnson (Pikeville, KY) - Employer: Law Office of Gary Johnson - Contribution: $5,000

Gemonee Brown (Bowling Green, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Frank Shoop (Lexington, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

William Ramsey (Pikeville, KY) - Employer: Self-Employed - Contribution: $5,000

Timothy Crawford (Corbin, KY) - Employer: Self-Employed - Contribution: $5,000

Robert Beck (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Stites & Harbison - Contribution: $5,000

Ralph Palmer (Winchester, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Patricia Todd (Lexington, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $5,000

Linda Schwartz (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Not Employed - Contribution: $2,500

Paul Schwartz (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Not Employed - Contribution: $2,500

Robert Babbage (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Babbage Strategy - Contribution: $2,500

Tom Hoberman (Woodland Hills, CA) - Employer: Not Employed - Contribution: $2,500

Albert Gross (Lexington, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $2,500

Leslie Haney (Lexington, KY) - Employer: EA Partners - Contribution: $2,500

Josh Wachs (Washington, DC) - Employer: Wachs Strategies - Contribution: $2,500

Stephen Wallace (Prospect, KY) - Employer: ABC Industries - Contribution: $2,500

John Jenkins (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Cornerstone Strategies - Contribution: $2,500

Larry Hayes (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Not Employed - Contribution: $2,500

Thomas Miller (Louisville, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $2,000

Albert Zimmerman (Prospect, KY) - Employer: QKY Engineering - Contribution: $2,000

David Reed (Louisville, KY) - Employer: QKY Engineering - Contribution: $2,000

Michael Vickers (Louisville, KY) - Employer: QKY Engineering - Contribution: $2,000

Taylor Kelly (Versailles, KY) - Employer: QKY Engineering - Contribution: $2,000

Derrick Helm (Jamestown, KY) - Employer: Helm Shearer and Wilson - Contribution: $1,500

Kim Rosenstein (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Not Employed - Contribution: $1,500

Wayne Sobon (San Francisco, CA) - Employer: Juul Labs - Contribution: $1,000

Kiran Bhatraju (Washington, DC) - Employer: Arcadia - Contribution: $1,000

Hannah Ellis (Benton, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $1,000

Kevin Sobkoviak (Washington, DC) - Employer: Iowa Democratic Party - Contribution: $1,000

Thomas McLarty (Little Rock, AR) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $1,000

William McCool (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Bcool Digital - Contribution: $1,000

Elmer George (Lebanon, KY) - Employer: Self - Contribution: $1,000

Andrew Belcher (Madisonville, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $1,000

James Dawahare (Lexington, KY) - Employer: Upper Right Marketing - Contribution: $1,000

R. Webb (Lexington, KY) - Employer: N/A - Contribution: $1,000

Charles Musson (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Rubin & Hays - Contribution: $1,000

Nathan Daschle (Washington, DC) - Employer: The Daschle Group - Contribution: $1,000

Jibreel W. Sarij (Dix Hills, NY) - Employer: Acutis - Contribution: $1,000

Tad Thomas (Prospect, KY) - Employer: Thomas Law Offices - Contribution: $1,000

Roy Steers (Glendale, AZ) - Employer: Self - Contribution: $1,000

James Rose (Louisville, KY) - Employer: Alastair Group - Contribution: $1,000

Matthew Tompkins (Millersville, MD) - Employer: Self - Contribution: $1,000

Jamie Wittman (Lexington, KY) - Employer: RD Property - Contribution: $1,000
The potentially fatal sloth fever, spread by small fly and mosquito bites, has made its way to New York state.

Its not clear when or where the states sole 2024 sloth fever diagnosis occurred.

The illness caused by the Oropouche virus can lead to fever, severe headaches, chills, joint stiffness and muscle pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In rare cases, fewer than one in 20, the disease can progress to more severe conditions like meningitis or encephalitis (brain inflammation).

Theres no vaccine for the virus.

Oropouche virus is often introduced into cities by infected humans returning from forested areas. Most commonly, infections start as a transmission to animals such as sloths, birds and rodents, which then spread the virus to people, according to the CDC.

The virus incubation period is 3-10 days. Symptoms last about a week, but can return days or weeks later in more than half of all patients, the CDC warns.

Oropouche virus was first diagnosed in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955. Decades later, outbreaks occurred in Brazil, Panama, and Peru. Cuba saw its first case in June.

Health officials have found only travel-related cases in the U.S., including 30 instances in Florida. The Floridians infected had traveled to Cuba. Despite no evidence of local transmission, domestic cases are expected to rise.

Oropouche virus is frequently misdiagnosed as dengue and chikungunya infections. So far this year, New York has seen 175 reported cases of dengue fever, is also transmitted by bug bites and is believed to be the most common mosquito-borne disease worldwide.

To prevent all bug bite-related illnesses, the Pan American Health Organization recommends tourists visiting areas where those viruses are commonly spread to use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and stay in places that provide conditioning and window screens.

_____
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The wheels on the buses are in motion Tuesday morning as Oregons largest school district starts up for the 2024-2025 school year.

Many Portland Public Schools students return to classes today with a new superintendent at the districts helm.

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong is inheriting the beleaguered district, one that has been marked by layoffs, budget cuts and a historic teachers strike, all before Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero ultimately stepped down from the role.

Some students, those in 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th grade get an extra day off and begin classes tomorrow, while kindergarteners dont start until next week.

KOIN 6 News Emma Jerome spoke with Andrea Porter-Lopez, principal of Woodlawn Elementary School where she shared what she is most excited about.

The most amazing thing for students and families this year is the free breakfast and lunch for all students, Porter-Lopez said. So, that is going to take a burden off of many families. So thats super exciting and that is probably the best new thing going on. Were also excited about our new superintendent and her initiatives around lifting voices and promoting literacy, and so were excited about all that.

Superintendent Armstrong arrived at Woodlawn Elementary today on a school bus along with the students.

Armstrong told KOIN 6 News that when inheriting a district with recent troubles the path forward is about turning words into action.

I think its about walking the talk, right? its easy to say that were going to prioritize resources, that were going to build relationships. But, I dont think anyone is going to believe that until we show up in the work, Armstrong said.

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Prayer vigil to be held for Upstate 911 operator who had medical emergency overseas

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  The Oconee County Sheriffs Office will hold a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening for a 911 operator who suffered a medical emergency overseas.

The Oconee County Sheriffs Office said the prayer vigil for 911 operator Katie Johns will be held at 7 p.m. at the Oconee County Law Enforcement Center.

Johns was on a trip to Ireland when she had a severe medical emergency and had to be rushed to the hospital in Dublin, the sheriffs office said.

According to the sheriffs office, Johns has been with the agency for nearly 16 years and is married to Walhalla city councilman Kenny Johns.

Kenny [Johns] is alone in another country, and their children have not been able to make the journey to them yet, the sheriffs office said in a post on Facebook.

We invite the community to join us as we cover the Johns family in prayer.

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SHEFFIELD, Ala. (WHNT)  A preliminary hearing was held Monday for a man accused of shooting and killing another at a Sheffield nightclub earlier this month.

On August 9, Sheffield Police responded to a shooting call on South Columbia Avenue. Through the course of the investigation, police found the shooting happened at a nightclub called The Underground.

After investigators looked at surveillance footage from the night, the Sheffield Police Department (SPD) said it determined that Tawan Southern shot and killed Christopher Fuqua.

Southern was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the shooting.

Man arrested in arson investigation at Huntsville apartment complex

News 19 Bureau Chief Whitney Leibold was in the courtroom yesterday and said Southern was still limping from his leg wound. She recorded statements from the lead investigator at the Sheffield Police Department. She said he took the stand to explain what he saw on the footage.

A large group was hanging out next to a black Cadillac in the parking lot of The Underground. In the footage, Southern approached the group, and made a derogatory comment towards them and then started messing with his waistline, like he was going to pull a gun. Another person in that group produced a firearm and thats when Southern fired the first shot and fired it in the direction of Fuqua, then explains there was a gun battle. Southern then started running away and was also shot in the leg, Fuqua tried to run after hm but then collapsed. Fuqua and Southern had beef for 3 to 4 years. A man named Freddy Lyles who was in the group by the Cadillac, transported Fuqua to the hospital and when policed asked him what happened, Lyles said Southern shot him and started it. Sheffield Police Department Lead Investigator

LIVEBLOG: Day 6 of testimony begins in Seven Deadly Sins capital murder trial

Whitney said once the investigator watched the footage, it was clear Southern shot first. He said they received a warrant for his arrest for reckless murder. While he was in custody, the investigator said Southern repeatedly told them he was trying to defend himself.

Southern is currently held at the Colbert County Jail on $200,000 bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
cdwheatley / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Millions of retirees and other Americans are waiting on the presidential candidates to provide more specific details about how theyll protect Social Security if they win in November.

Check Out: Floridas Retirees Are Fleeing: Experts Predict These 5 States Will Be Top Retirement Spots in 10 Years

Read Next: 7 Reasons You Shouldnt Retire Before Speaking To a Financial Advisor

While both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have said they plan to protect Social Security, they have avoided giving many specifics on the campaign trail. Trump has said he wants to cut taxes on Social Security, while Harris told voters she would strengthen the program.

Their promises come as the United States faces a situation of a struggling Social Security system and people living longer. But the U.S. is far from the only country facing such struggles. Heres a look at the average retirement age in the U.S. compared to Spain.

Also see the average retirement age in France.

Earning passive income doesn't need to be difficult. You can start this week.

Retirement in the US

Although people tend to be living longer in the U.S., the average retirement age still tends to fall around ages 64 to 66. The exact age varies for individuals based on factors such as health and financial readiness.

Per the Social Security Administration, if you retire at 62, the earliest possible Social Security retirement age, your benefit is lower than if you wait. If you were born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67. The average monthly Security benefit check is about $1,800, but that can vary quite a bit.

Along with people living longer, theyre also working more years. In fact, workers in the U.S. have been putting off retirement  and its not just because of financial concerns. According to CNN, One factor contributing to todays higher retirement age is that college-educated Americans tend to work somewhat longer than others on average, largely because they tend to be in better health.

The presidential candidates have been talking about this issue because Social Security faces an uncertain future. Whoever takes the White House after the November election will need to take action to ensure funding continues for the program.

Learn More: The Average Retirement Age in 2024: US vs. Canada

Retirement in Spain

The average retirement age in Spain is not a whole lot different from America. Currently, according to the European Commission, the minimum age for applying for pension is 65. Thats if you can prove youve paid at least 37 years and nine months of contributions. Or, the age is 66 years and four months if you have fewer contributions.

Story continues

Generally, you can apply for this pension if youre affiliated with any social security system and meet the age and contribution requirements. The minimum contribution period is 15 years, of which at least two should fall within 15 years of starting retirement.

Spain also offers flexible and partial retirement options. You can combine your pension with part-time work and still receive the same healthcare benefits.

Just as Americans are living longer, so are the people of Spain. According to the World Health Organization, life expectancy in Spain has risen to about 83.

As you may know, Spain has become a popular retirement destination for Americans. It has a fairly low cost of living, nice weather and a rich culture.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Average Retirement Age in 2024: US vs. Spain
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he will present the prepared plan for Ukraine's victory, which takes into account various directions, to US President Joe Biden in September and will also pass it on to US presidential candidates.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference

Quote from Zelenskyy: "There is Ukraine's victory plan. I'm not sure I can reveal everything. One of the elements, and part of this has already been done, is [Russias] Kursk Oblast. The second is Ukraine's strategic place in the world's security infrastructure. The third element is a powerful package to force Russia to end the war through diplomatic means. And the fourth element is economic. I will not talk about all this in detail. But the plan is ready.

It will be fair if I first present this plan to the US President. The success of this plan depends on him, whether they will give us what is in this plan or not... and I think I will present this plan to him at a meeting in September. I also believe that it will be right to hand this plan over to both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Because we have yet to find out who will be the next president of the United States. And we want to implement this plan."



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Presidential transition planning has begun in earnest, but Trump and Harris are already behind

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration offered federal resources to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for presidential transition planning for the first time Tuesday, with experts suggesting both are behind in preparing for their potential administrations.

While transitions kick into high gear after Election Day, when a president-elect must begin selecting and vetting about 4,000 federal political appointees, success depends on the infrastructure built during the pre-election period, including identifying agency review teams and beginning the background check process for national security staff.

Both Vice President Harris and former President Trump started the process this month, months later than prior transitions. Harris was elevated to the top of the Democratic ticket just five weeks ago after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid, and she had to first redirect his political operation before laying the groundwork for the transition. It is not clear why Trump, who sewed up the nomination months ago, did not start sooner.

Max Stier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, said planning to take office in the modern era has tended to begin in the late spring.

It is possible to try and catch up, but the reality is that both candidates have a lot to do, he said.

Tuesday is the congressionally mandated date for the General Services Administration to make space available for Trump and Harris, three business days after the second nominating convention. The office space is just blocks from the White House, with even more federal resources set to flow to the winner after Election Day. But nominees usually start the initial planning for their potential administrations soon after they lock up the nomination, even before they begin receiving federal support.

Harris, if she wins, may choose to keep some political appointees from the Biden administration  potentially helping her avoid messy confirmation fights if Republicans take control of the Senate. But significant change is inevitable, as she will want to put her own stamp on government. And many long-serving Biden administration officials are likely seeking to exit for other opportunities regardless of the outcome in November.

Trump, meanwhile, is likely to try to avoid mistakes of his 2016 transition, when he shelved months of planning by a group led by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. That left Trump and his team, many of whom had never served in government, unprepared after Election Day.

Stier said Trump's 2016 effort set a low bar for transition efforts in the modern era, followed by George H.W. Bush's 1988 effort as the then-vice president prepared to take over from President Ronald Reagan. He said there can be a special challenge in negotiating a same-party handoff, including misplaced expectations about continuity between presidents and the risk of hubris in those who've served in government recently assuming more significant roles.

Trump formally stood up his transition team earlier this month to be led by former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon and billionaire Howard Lutnick.

Harris has asked Yohannes Abraham, the ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the executive director of the Biden-Harris 2020 transition, to lead her planning for the White House.

Abraham is set to leave his position in the coming days to assume the role. Covington & Burling, LLP, which assisted Harris in vetting her vice presidential pick, will provide legal counsel to the transition organization.

According to a person familiar with the planning, Harris transition team wont make any personnel decisions before the election, nor will it develop policy  functions that will remain with Harris campaign and official office.

Trump's team, meanwhile, has not committed to accepting the federal support. Trump told the Daily Mail last week that he would decline access to traditional pre-Election Day intelligence briefings, saying he was worried about being accused of leaking classified information.

We look forward to this notification and will reply when we have evaluated what is being offered, said Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign.

Trump has also brought former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. onto his transition team, Hughes confirmed Tuesday.

GSA is required by law to make available federal office space, IT support and other resources to transition teams starting Tuesday, but only once it has entered into memoranda of understanding with representatives for each nominee, which Congress requires the agency to do "to the maximum extent practicable," by Sept. 1. A GSA spokesperson confirmed that the agency had made its offer to the two candidates Tuesday.

Both teams will really want to have the infrastructure set up behind the scenes that allows them to conduct meetings with federal agencies and manage a resume bank, and have an organized process for all of the personnel and policy planning confronting them should they win the election, said Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Partnership for Public Services Center for Presidential Transition.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been making plans to support the transition for months in line with its obligation under the Presidential Transition Act.

A federal transition coordinating council, which includes representatives across the government and is chaired by Bidens chief of staff Jeff Zients, is holding regular meetings to prepare to hand off control on Jan. 20, 2025, and agencies are preparing detailed briefing memos on their activities to share with the eventual winners team.

Teams of federal agents and government workers from the FBI and intelligence community  including some hired back from retirement  are at the ready to vet hundreds of potential transition staff and administration appointees.

Access to current executive branch employees, facilities, and documents require the transition teams to agree to an ethics plan, and transition teams must disclose donors and limit contributions to $5,000 as a condition of receiving government funds.

___

Associated Press writer Michelle Price in New York contributed to this report.
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  The Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) said four suspects have been charged in connection to a fatal stabbing that happened in Hyattsville back in July.

Just after 9:30 a.m. on July 5, officers with the Hyattsville City Police Department were called to check on the welfare of 34-year-old Samuel Garcia Rojas. He was found in a car in the 5300 block of Ager Rd.

Investigators said Rojas was stabbed after a dispute. He died there.

Man found dead inside car in Hyattsville identified; police looking for suspects

PGPD identified the following suspects:

18-year-old Daniel Villanueva Bautista of Washington, D.C.

23-year-old Maxwel Quijano Casco of Hyattsville, Md.

28-year-old Josue Lainez of Columbia, Md.

29-year-old David Perlera-Gonzalez of Highland, Md.

They were charged with first- and second-degree murder and related charges. They are being held at the Department of Corrections without bond.

Anyone with information is asked to call PGPD at (301) 516-2512.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing counteraction from a voting rights organization after ordering his office to execute search warrants on Democratic candidates and election volunteers for what he claims is part of an election integrity investigation.

Last week, Paxtons Election Integrity Unit raided the homes of several people in Southern Texas, including some residents in their 80s, claiming it was part of a sprawling investigation into allegations of vote harvesting and election fraud that he says happened during the 2022 election.

Phones, laptops and documents were collected from individuals homes, leaving some shaken.

Now, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), one of the oldest and largest Latino rights organizations in the country, has asked the Department of Justice to investigate Paxtons raids.

Paxton is working to suppress the Latino vote using a call for election integrity as a veil for voter intimidation, Roman Palomares, the president of LULAC said in a press conference on Monday.

Roman Palomares, president of LULAC, condemns Ken Paxton at a news conference on Monday (AP)

The raids, while allegedly part of a two-year-long election integrity investigation, targeted residents like Lydia Martinez, an 87-year-old retired educator living in San Antonio who works in the community to help older residents stay engaged in politics.

Martinez has been a member of LULAC for 35 years and is certified by the state to register voters, Palomares said.

Officers went to Martinezs home at 6 a.m. last Tuesday with a search warrant, demanding she hand over voter cards that she did not possess, rifling through her belongings and eventually confiscating her laptop and cell phone. Officers interrogated her for three hours.

A similar raid was carried out on the home of Cecilia Castellano, a Democrat running for a Texas House seat.

Castellano said officers provided her with a one-page search warrant that had no specifics on it.

I was shocked, Im still shocked, she told CNN.

Five other individuals, all who worked on Castellanos campaign, also had their homes raided, according to The Texas Tribune.

Paxtons office did not make clear how exactly the individuals were supposedly tied to the election integrity investigation in his press release, but previously alleged that various nonprofit organizations have been offering to assist in voter registration for people at drivers license offices.

But all citizens have already been presented an opportunity to register to vote as part of the process of renewing or being issued an identification card or drivers license, so there is no obvious need to assist citizens to register to vote outside DPS officescalling into question the motives of the nonprofit groups, a prior press release from Paxtons office said.

A supporter waves a sign at a news conference where officials with LULAC held a news conference to respond to allegations by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday (AP)

Paxtons Election Integrity Unit was established in 2021, in part after Donald Trump made false claims of mass voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Multiple investigations and reports have found little to no evidence that mass voter fraud took place during the election.

Paxton, a Republican Attorney General, has been subject to criticism about the methods he uses to enforce law in Texas.

Last year, Paxton sent letters to hospitals threatening to take legal action if they provided abortion services for Kate Cox, a woman who needed an abortion for medical reasons. She was forced to go out of state to recieve medical care.

Earlier this year, Paxton attempted to shut down a migrant shelter at the Texas-Mexico border, claiming it encouraged migrants to enter the country illegally.

LULAC sent a letter to Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, asking that the DoJ investigate Paxtons actions.

Attorney General Paxton has a documented history of targeting Latino organizations, as evidenced by his recent actions against Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and Annunciation House, Palomares wrote in the letter, obtained by The Independent.

These actions appear to be motivated not by legitimate legal concerns but by a desire to suppress the Latino vote, which is becoming increasingly influential in Texas and across the nation.
In October of last year, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on AI that made a bunch of lofty but vague commitments, like establishing guidelines for watermarking AI-generated content and protecting people against AI-enabled fraud and discrimination.

Presidential contender Donald Trump barely knows how to use a computer, so it's unlikely he has any deep thoughts about AI. But the people around him have revealed a chaotic plan for the tech: tear down Biden's mild protections and replace them with a buffoonish grabbag of idiosyncratic and sometimes contradictory schemes, motivated by a mixture of obscure grievances and the economic interests of Trump's wealthy donors.

Take the Republican Party's official policy platform, which is written with Trump's signature mix of bluster and capitalizing words for emphasis.

"We will repeal Joe Biden's dangerous Executive Order that hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology," it bellows. "In its place, Republicans support AI Development rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing."

How would that happen? There would be no way to tell from the campaign's official policy document, which makes no further mention of the tech after those wild promises.

More clues can be found in The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, a doorstopper of a document drafted by political operatives close to Trump that calls for sweeping conservative changes to the government if he wins the election. But rather than offering a coherent viewpoint on AI, Project 2025 instead paints a picture that's familiar to anyone who watched Trump's first term: an incoherent broth of bluster, cruelty, and xenophobia.

The document miscellaneously calls for more AI in the government, less AI in the government, using AI to spy on Medicare recipients, using AI to supercharge spy agencies, and various broadsides against China. The closer you look, the less any of it seems to have any real depth or connection to Trump's actual beliefs  not to mention any semblance of comprehensive or even reasonably actionable policies.

For instance, Project 2025 takes the wildly sweeping position that the White House will "stop US entities from directly or indirectly contributing to China's malign AI goals." But Trump earlier this year reversed his stance on lawmakers' proposed TikTok ban, now saying that he no longer supports blocking the video-sharing app in the US. TikTok is owned by Bytedance, the Chinese tech behemoth that also reigns as one of the country's most prominent AI firms  a position that would be in head-on conflict with the notion that a conservative government would or even could stop "US entities" from contributing to Chinese AI efforts.

That's not the only place the document's AI outlook is soaked in hypocrisy. It also accuses China of using AI to establish "authoritarian control domestically and export its authoritarian governance model overseas"  but simultaneously calls for the US to use AI to expand its own spying efforts, saying that the government should employ AI as a way to "better exploit" messy piles of info and classified intelligence data.

As has been widely reported, Project 2025's main throughline is an overarching push to consolidate power within the executive branch while overhauling the non-partisan government bureaucracy to install loyalists; one of the document's many recommendations for how to achieve that end is to install partisan loyalists in leadership positions within the intelligence branch. Mix in AI-strengthened surveillance and spying efforts, and it sounds like it's trying to turn the US into China.

Project 2025's implications about AI are as horrifying as what it says outright. For example, the document rails against what it cruelly refers to as "abortion tourism," or women from abortion-restrictive states traveling to blue states to receive reproductive healthcare, alleging that the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) system of "abortion surveillance" is "woefully inadequate." To remedy these perceived inadequacies, it recommends that the CDC should collect much more data about women's reproductive care, and that the federal government should restrict Medicaid funding to states that fail to cough it up. In this fringe, Christian Nationalist fantasy, what's to stop the federal government from employing AI to help it sift through data to identify and punish suspected abortions?

In a similar vein, Project 2025 is also deeply obsessed with Medicare and Medicaid data, not only calling for an expansion of medical information-gathering but flippantly proposing that AI should be used to "reduce waste, fraud, and abuse" in Medicare. Medicare fraud is a real problem, but so is algorithmic bias  a grim reality of AI that can and has led to harm against minority groups. The document, though, fails to so much as mention this well-documented flaw in AI tech, and is instead poised to let it loose to make decisions in systems as crucial as healthcare and medicine.

Project 2025 is also intensely focused on clearing any existing supervisory red tape for AI companies. That seems part rooted in its abiding quest to beat China to AI dominance, and part in the same zealotry for deregulatory Silicon Valley libertarianism that coats Trump's approach to both AI and crypto. In one breath, it argues that the US Patent Office should roll out the red carpet for AI firms by streamlining and softening its procedures. In the next, it urges that the government should abstain from making expensive AI models in-house, instead turning to private ventures.

If there's one coherent theme in Project 2025's mess of an AI policy, it's that AI should be used to amplify the powers of intelligence agencies by hiring tech contractors. That's wildly convenient for Peter Thiel, the libertarian billionaire who has very close  and very expensive  ties to Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. Thiel is the co-founder of Palantir, the secretive data and AI firm that counted the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation as early investors. Thiel was labeled America's "shadow president" amid Trump's presidency, during which time Palantir's tech was reportedly used by the administration to do things like track and quash political dissent.

More recently, per Bloomberg, Palantir partnered with fellow government contracting colossus Microsoft "in a bid to sell software, including OpenAI's GPT-4, to US defense and intelligence agencies for top-secret tasks." Thiel, it's worth noting, is just one of many influential Silicon Valley operators who have endorsed Trump in recent weeks.

The Heritage Foundation isn't the only influential Trump ally plotting a new course for AI. According to The Washington Post, yet another group of Trump allies are drafting a new executive order that would clear the way for the Trump White House to enact a series of military and intelligence-focused AI "Manhattan Projects" while rolling back "burdensome regulations for companies."

Considering that the AI industry is currently mostly unregulated, this blinders-on focus on supposed red tape borders on absurdist. In the real world, tech regulations don't exist to annoy CEOs and slow industry; they're meant to ensure privacy and security protections for US citizens, establish corporate and government transparency standards, and make sure that safety remains central to technological advancement.

But none of these concerns  transparency, safety, privacy, security  are mentioned in any of these documents' AI proposals. They also don't bring up issues of AI companies and copyright, building standards around AI training data, or working towards fairness in algorithms.

Perhaps most strikingly, since Trump and his ilk are obsessed with the specter of immigrants stealing jobs, nowhere do any of the documents address AI replacing people's jobs.

According to Roxana Muenster, Brookings COMPASS fellow and PhD candidate in Cornell's Communication department, these glaring holes speak to the sheer lack of comprehension of the scattershot policy plan.

"What was really astounding  I mean, it's over 900 pages long, and is incredibly dense in some senses. And then you get to one of the most important topics, if not the most important topic, in tech policy, communication policy, and beyond that... so many jobs will be affected by this. And there is very little on it," Muenster, who addressed Project 2025's lacking AI policy in a deep dive for Brookings, told Futurism. "There aren't any detailed plans."

"Of course, everyone's kind of playing catch up [to AI policy], because the technology is faster  that's normal," she added. But "there's nothing on training, there's nothing on privacy, there's nothing on security and equity, none of that," she continued, adding that the prospect of repealing the Biden order without a comprehensive AI plan in place is "worrisome."

"It would just leave a huge vacuum in terms of AI policymaking," said Muenster, "where people are less safe as a result."

Instead, Project 2025 and other conservative policy documents heading into the 2024 election center their haphazard approach to AI on a tunnel-visioned focus on the need to beat China to the AI punch without consideration of American civil liberties, altogether painting a disorienting, contradictory, and often broken framework for AI use and advancement rooted in fringe, dystopian isolationist-meets-technocratic ideologies. But that perhaps is because this movement doesn't see the AI industry as a necessarily governable area of society  but instead, as a tool to mold around larger, sweeping ideological aims.

Project 2o25 is "not intended to be the best version" of AI policy, said Muenster. "It's intended to be an ideologically beneficial version."

"Their tech policy really just feels like, 'let's tailor this in a way that we can better achieve these other goals that we have,'" she added.

Is any of this a credible threat? It's hard to say. Trump generates an endless parade of headlines over his scandals and outbursts, but his skills at enacting policy during his first term were uneven. The people crafting these fantasies of surveillance capitalism might genuinely want them, but they'll need the cooperation of Trump to do so, and that's never guaranteed, even to his allies.

For a real vision of the role AI would really play in a second Trump White House, the safest bet might be to look at what Trump himself has been using the tech for.

Earlier this month, the former president falsely accused his rival in the 2024 election, current vice president Kamala Harris, of using AI to fabricate images of a crowd greeting her on the airport tarmac in Michigan. Trump went as far as to say that the "creation of a fake image" should be treated as "ELECTION INTERFERENCE," and that Harris should be "disqualified"  but the images were real, not AI-generated.

Barely a week later, Trump himself took to Truth Social to share what was a fake AI-generated image of Harris wearing red and speaking to an army of Soviet-esque figures, a Communist flag flying overhead; later in the same day, he shared AI-generated images of Taylor Swift and claimed Swift fans  known as Swifties  were endorsing him. He captioned the collection of photos with an enthusiastic "I accept," and didn't disclose whether he knew any of the imagery was fake or not. When asked about the phony Swiftie images, Trump told reporters that he didn't "know anything about them." The former president has also shared many AI depictions of himself, including fake imagery of him riding lions and praying.

Elsewhere, he told YouTuber Logan Paul that he believes AI could heighten the risk of nuclear war.

"It's really powerful stuff AI," Trump told the internet personality, "so let's see how it all works out."

Trump's personal approach to AI, in other words, has been chaos. Not only has the former president reposted AI imagery that he likes, but he's baselessly thrown around accusations of AI use when he sees real photos that he doesn't like. There's no real throughline to follow  just personal convenience.

But chaos has long been a defining cornerstone of Trump's political career, and it would appear that AI is no exception. Coupled with the conservative push to deregulate the AI industry, and the contradictory, isolationist AI framework put forth by Project 2025  well, "let's see how it all works out" seems to capture this conservative movement's AI agenda in a nutshell.

More on AI and the 2024 Election: Leading AI Chatbots Stumped When Asked About Biden's Decision to Drop Out
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Over the next 15 years, the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Researchs newest projections suggests Tennessees populations may hit nearly eight million, with a high growth of the population being those ages 65 and older.

On Tuesday, the Boyd Center announced its projections on Tuesday, saying the states population is expected to grow by nearly 900,000 people between 2022 and 2040.

At the state level, the amount of population growth during the 2020s will feel similar to the gains we saw last decade, said Matt Harris, Boyd Distinguished Professor of Health Economics and co-author of the new projections. But as the baby boom generation reaches the later stages of life, a rising number of deaths will begin to slow Tennessees population increases.

Developer: Change of plans at Exit 407 set to transform Sevier County region

The projection expect that between 2020 and 2030, the population will grow at an annual rate of 0.82%, but that rate will slow to 0.55% during the 30s and set the trend for slower growth to 2070. By 2040, the projection estimates Tennessee will have a population of 7,940,000 and grow to 9,250,000 by 2070.

Perhaps the most interesting portion of the projection is how much the population of those ages 65 and older is expected to grow. The 2020 Census placed Tennessees total population at 6,910,840 people, with around 17.3% if the population being ages 65 and older. By 2040, the projection suggests almost 20% of the population will be in that age group, with nearly 205,000 individuals being ages 85 and older.

A growing senior population doesnt just have implications for the health care system, said Harris. The full array of senior-oriented services  such as housing, transportation and other types of personal care  will also be in higher demand over the coming years.

As elderly population grows, Tennessee law creates new supportive housing option

The population of youth and working-age individuals are also expected to grow, however, just at a slower rate than the states population of older adults. By 2040, the share of the states population that is between ages 25 and 54 is expected to drop from the 38.9% that it was in 2022 to 38.3% in 2040, while still gaining around 296,000 people during that period.

Along with the projection, the Boyd Center also noted that there are four elements that could result in changes to the states population totals and characteristics in future projections:

A changing base population as annual revisions from 2020 census data are incorporated

Whether an elevated number of deaths continues to occur in the state

Revisions that may affect fertility rates

Shifting net migration patterns

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Propane business argues in latest Key Bridge filing that an example should be made of Dalis owner

Since 2017, train cars from as far away as Alberta, Canada, have carried propane and butane to Underwood Energys rail yard in Sparrows Point. There, the company transfers the gas onto tractor trailers bound for customers throughout the region, who use it to cook, heat or resell.

Owner Sean Underwood told The Baltimore Sun that more than 70% of the trucks used to head south from his facility, a route that took them over the Francis Scott Key Bridge, until March 26, when the massive cargo ship Dali toppled the span.

People just think, Oh, you can take the tunnel. Well, we arent allowed to run our traffic through the tunnel, Underwood said of restrictions on hazardous materials in the harbor tunnels. So what are we supposed to do? Just be put out of business? It might take them five years to fix that bridge.

On Tuesday, Underwood Energy sued the Singaporean companies that own and operate the Dali, arguing they should be held responsible for damages related to the collapse that also killed six construction workers.

Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Group have sought to limit their liability in the disaster, but the propane distributor contended in a legal filing that not only should their liability not be limited, but that an example should be made of the ships owner and operator.

Weve lost sizable clients because of the bridge collapse, Underwood said in an interview, noting that tractor trailers now must make a 30-mile detour around Interstate 695. Its been beyond detrimental to the success of that facility. In our world, youre successful based on margins of pennies. To essentially double your freight because the bridge is gone, it makes you non competitive.

His companys legal filing described the Dali as unseaworthy and its owners and operators as negligent.

The allision with the Key Bridge, Underwoods lawyers wrote, was foreseeable, avoidable, and a direct and proximate result of Petitioners carelessness, negligence, gross negligence, and recklessness, coupled with the unseaworthiness of the Dali.

Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean and Synergy, declined to comment on Underwoods legal filing.

Unfortunately due to the ongoing investigations, in which we are fully participating and the legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time, he said in a statement.

Bryan Short, an attorney for Underwood, called the gas industry a cutthroat business and said that his client is now at a marked disadvantage with competitors.

My client believes that theres been a great harm to the area surrounding Baltimore that needs to be addressed by the authorities and the parties responsible, Short said.

Much of maritime law is rooted in decades- and centuries-old precedent. In this case, a 1927 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Robins Dry Dock v. Flint, could make it difficult for Underwoods filing to succeed, Baltimore attorney Charles Simmons said Tuesday. Without direct, physical damage to a claimants property (such as the bridge itself or the people and vehicles on it), it is challenging to recover lost business.

Under the current state of maritime law, it is hard to imagine that these types of claims  without a physical loss or personal injury  are going to result in recoveries involving economic losses, said Simmons, who teaches maritime law at the University of Baltimore and University of Maryland law schools and practices at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston.

The Dali lost power twice in the shadow of the Key Bridge on March 26, rendering it mostly adrift as it smashed into one of the spans critical support columns, but the legal claims filed to date against Synergy and Grace Ocean, including Underwoods, focus on what happened before the massive cargo ship left the Port of Baltimores Seagirt Marine Terminal.

Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the Dali lost power twice about 10 hours before it departed on a voyage for Sri Lanka.

The in-port blackouts, or total power losses, led crew members to switch breakers for the ships electrical power system, according to the NTSBs preliminary investigative report. The replacement breakers tripped after the 984-foot Dali departed early the morning of March 26, causing the first of two complete power losses aboard within about half a mile of the bridge.

More recently, investigators have narrowed their probe on an electrical component about the diameter of a soda can. The NTSB brought in representatives from the ships Korean manufacturer, Hyundai, to analyze the device.

Less than a week after the bridge fell, the companies that own and manage the Dali filed under a 19th-century federal statute to clear themselves of liability and limit potential damages related to the collapse to the salvage value of the ship and the revenue it stood to make from its cargo, which they estimated at $43.7 million.

In the weeks and months after the collapse, crews searched for the bodies of six construction workers who plunged to their deaths in the Patapsco River and then removed the crumpled span and tons of highway debris from its murky waters. Those salvage efforts cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and authorities estimate it will take at least $1.7 billion to rebuild the bridge.

While responding to the disaster, Maryland and federal officials pledged to hold the Dalis owner and manager accountable.

Baltimores mayor and city council were quick to allege negligence on the parts of the companies behind the Dali, arguing in a court filing that they allowed a ship unfit to sail to leave the Port of Baltimore. Others, including a Baltimore publishing company, followed suit with similar legal arguments.

The law that Synergy and Grace Ocean filed under to protect their companies  the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851  came under scrutiny in the aftermath of the Key Bridge collapse. Arguing the statute, designed to protect the maritime industry, was outdated, some federal lawmakers pledged an overhaul.

Democratic U.S. Reps. John Garamendi and Hank Johnson, of California and Georgia, introduced a bill in August that would retroactively increase the liability rate of foreign vessels beginning the day before the bridge collapse. Under their legislation, the companies behind the Dali could be on the hook for as much as $854 million.

Baltimore Sun reporter Madeleine ONeill contributed to this article.
Prophetic guidance, emphasis on students more important for BYU than lofty new research status

Elder Ronald A. Rasband speaks about President Russell M. Nelson's prophetic guidance of BYU during the annual University Conference in the Marriott Center on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Provo, Utah. | BYU

For the first time, Brigham Young University is now classified as a top American research institution, but it did not seek the designation and it is neither the schools mission nor its biggest advantage, leaders said Monday during the annual University Conference on the campus in Provo, Utah.

BYUs biggest advantage is the leadership of the chairman of the BYU Board of Trustees, President Russell M. Nelson, the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Elder Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the boards executive committee and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

As the senior apostle, President Russell M. Nelson represents the Savior as the head of Christs church on the earth. Access to prophetic guidance is at the very design of this university, Elder Rasband said during the general session of the University Conference for faculty and staff at the Marriott Center.

Our prophetic governance is more than a boundary constraint that lists things we can and cannot do at Brigham Young University, he said. In fact, when properly understood, our prophetic governance is a strategic asset that should allow us to do things unique in all of higher education.

He asked BYU employees to consider the ways of prophetic guidance from President Nelson shapes and strengthens this university.

He also praised them and called on them to continue to improve.

The Board of Education is pleased and even inspired by the work you are doing, he said. The inspired future of this university can only be achieved as we continually elevate our sights.

What does BYUs new designation as an R1 research institution mean?

Reese reported that BYU was in the midst of improving its accounting of research expenditures when it learned the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education had updated its standards to define R1 institutions  doctoral universities with very high research activity  in 2025 as those with $50 million in annual research expenditures that grant 70 research doctorates a year.

BYU has met the doctoral degree standard for some time, but the revised accounting of its 2023 expenditures found that the university exceeded the new standard.

Please note, BYU did not seek this new designation, BYU President Shane Reese said in his University Conference address.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband talks with BYU President Shane Reese at the general session of BYU's annual University Conference in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. | Jaren Wilkey/BYU

We sought to provide accurate accounting for the government and, emphatically, an R1 designation does not signal a change in the universitys mission or focus, he added. BYU is committed to remaining a primarily undergraduate teaching institution that is unequivocally true to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Research efforts on campus remain secondary, supplemental and supportive of the universitys primary teaching mission.

BYU had embraced its status as an R2 research institution that focused its faculty on undergraduate teaching over research, albeit with a heavy emphasis on inspiring or experiential learning, its term for undergraduate research opportunities.

Latter-day Saint leaders charged Reese with maintaining that direction during his inauguration last year, and he didnt waver from that on Monday, when he said that nothing had changed because of the R-1 designation.

Everything we do at BYU begins and ends with the student in mind, Reese said.

BYU to remain Christ-centered and student-centered

Elder Rasband underscored that statement.

Everything at this university should help students become covenant disciples of Jesus Christ, he said.

Reese has named his teams strategic plan for the school Becoming BYU as the university prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary next year with sights set on fulfilling the prophetic vision set by the late church President Spencer W. Kimball in his 1975 address about BYUs second century.

Building on previous statements about the future of this university, Elder Rasband said, President Reese has summarized our efforts at Becoming BYU as a call to become the Christ-centered, prophetically directed university of destiny and promise. What a wonderful mission statement.

Being Christ-centered, he added, implies everything we do at this university should help students become covenant disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This Christ-centered purpose should shape decisions around curriculum, our mission statement, even measurement, and of course, our hiring.

He and Reese said one proof that students remain BYUs top priority is the schools new Univ101 course, BYU Foundation for Student Success, which is required for every freshman.

For the first time this semester, every first-year student will enroll in one of 280 sections of University 101, Reese said. It is a major accomplishment to roll out this ambitious undertaking, including capping enrollment of each class at 25 students.

Reese taught one of the sections during the last school year and will again this fall.

Our students will get a clear sense of mission, understand the resources available for their success and will have a sense of connectedness, he said.

Reese said 84% of 2024 graduating seniors said their BYU experience had a strong or slight positive impact on their faith in Jesus Christ, while 78% reported their BYU experience had a strong or slight positive impact on their testimony of living prophets and apostles. He said that was good but that, We have work to do in this area.

President Nelsons guidance for BYU

Elder Rasband laid out the ways President Nelsons prophetic direction has guided BYU both financially and spiritually. He also asked the university community to honor President Nelsons 100th birthday on Sept. 9 in three ways:

1. Consider how they can amplify his teachings, particularly those he has shared with young adults.

2. Consider how they can better recognize and support the prophetic direction President Nelson is providing BYU and its leadership.

3. Provide President Nelson with the birthday gift he requested, to reach out to the one in our lives who may be feeling lost or alone.

Elder Rasband replayed his own words from Reeses inauguration that BYUs prophetic governance structure provides BYU a tremendous advantage.

I should note that President Nelson and the church Board of Education are extremely generous in their financial support of this university. Frankly for me, it has been staggering to see firsthand that commitment since my new assignment to the board, he said.

The church, through the board, provides $1 billion a year to BYU, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii and Ensign College.

For example, at a time when very few universities are able to support even sustained faculty commitment to the arts and the humanities, BYUs Board of Trustees has made significant investments in the new music building and the current construction of the new arts building, Elder Rasband said.

Another major example of investment is the recent announcement that BYU will launch a medical school, he said.

Elder Rasband pointed the BYU community to President Nelsons emphasis on temples and temple covenants in his first message to the church when he became its leader in January 2018. He also asked them to consider, especially, President Nelsons messages to young adults.

And he specifically referred to President Nelsons one talk at BYU while serving as church president and chairman of the board, about the love and laws of God, and to his church wide message about letting God prevail.

Monday marked the fourth consecutive year that a member of BYUs board of trustees, who are seniors leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has spoken at University Conference. President Jeffrey R. Holland delivered the keynote in 2021. Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke in 2020 and 2023. Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke in 2022.

Elder Dale G. Renlund was the 2019 keynote speaker. Elder David A. Bednar delivered a talk in 2017.

Elder Clark G. Gilbert, church commissioner of education and a General Authority Seventy of the church, attended the conference and introduced Elder Rasband.
Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) recently declared its latest dividend payment. On the one hand, the $0.08-per-share payout puts its dividend yield at more than 7%. However, that payment was nearly 50% below last quarter's level and more than 70% below where it was in the middle of last year.

The driving factor of the healthcare REIT's most recent reduction is the impact of the bankruptcy of its top tenant, Steward Health Care. It's currently working to exit that troubled relationship. That will likely take some time, which is why income-focused investors should avoid this REIT until it puts Steward in the rearview mirror.

The troubles continue

Medical Properties Trust has been working with Steward for years to help shore up its financial situation. Unfortunately, that hasn't been enough to prevent the hospital operator from filing for bankruptcy. Steward's financial situation is so dire that the company plans to sell off its operations at 31 hospitals to repay its creditors, which include Medical Properties Trust.

The REIT had been hoping that this would be a relatively quick process and that the new operators would assume Steward's leases on its hospital properties. That hasn't been the case. They have run into trouble in Massachusetts, where Medical Properties owns eight properties as part of a joint venture. That has slowed sales processes in other markets.

Things have gotten so contentious that Steward recently sued Medical Properties Trust. The hospital operator believes the REIT is trying to extract all the value of these sales for itself, which won't leave much for other creditors.

Medical Properties Trust currently has $440 million of secured non-real estate investments in Steward and another $2.3 billion of real estate investments. The REIT believes it will eventually be able to recover all this value by either releasing hospitals to new operators or selling those facilities as part of Steward's bankruptcy process. However, it will likely take a while, and it could be a bumpy road to recover that value.

Positioning for a better future post-Steward

The REIT's tenant troubles have forced it to sell other properties to boost its liquidity so that it can repay debt. The company has raised over $2.5 billion of liquidity this year, which has enabled it to repay $1.5 billion in debt, including all 2024 maturities. It also has the liquidity to address all its 2025 maturities.

While Medical Properties Trust has taken steps to shore up its financial situation, the Steward bankruptcy continues to limit its flexibility. For example, the REIT had to amend its credit facility due partly to Steward's bankruptcy. Its banks reduced its borrowing capacity by over $100 million to around $1.3 billion. They're also limiting the cash component of its quarterly dividend to $0.08 per share for the next year (or sooner if Steward quickly transitions its facilities to new operators).

Story continues

The REIT is working toward a future where it will have a stronger portfolio and financial profile. CFO Steve Hamner gave a preview of what the company sees ahead on the second-quarter conference call. He stated, "Looking through the calendar into 2025 and 2026, our expectation is that we will have a stable portfolio of hospital real estate leased to key operators in their respective markets with no exposure to Steward."

It also expects to have multiple options to satisfy future debt maturities, including refinancing, selling assets, and other strategies. With a stable portfolio and the ability to address debt maturities, Medical Properties would be able to pay a much more sustainable dividend, likely at a much higher level than it will over the next year due to the limitations of its credit facility. However, it needs to reach that point, which has proven elusive.

Wait until Steward is no longer in the picture

Medical Properties Trust is working to eliminate its exposure to Steward, which continues to drag down its dividend. That will take some time. Because of that, income-focused investors should avoid this REIT until it puts Steward in the rearview mirror. Once it does, it should have a much more stable portfolio and financial profile. That should allow it to pay a more sustainable dividend.

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New Delhi  Thousands of angry students and other protesters marched on the streets of eastern Indian city of Kolkata in the West Bengal state on Tuesday demanding justice for a doctor who was brutally raped and killed earlier this month at a city hospital.

The police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters who were on their way to the state secretariat building to demand the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of the West Bengal state, whom they accuse of mishandling the case.

Indian TV networks aired videos showing protesters climbing barricades that had been placed at the Howrah Bridge, as police used water cannons to stop them.

Police use a water cannon to disperse activists carrying India's national flag as they march toward the state secretariat amid protests over the rape and murder of a doctor, near Howrah bridge in Kolkata, Aug. 27, 2024. / Credit: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty

The brutalized body of a 31-year-old doctor was found with multiple injuries in a lecture hall at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Aug. 9. The female doctor had gone to the lecture hall to rest during a night shift when she was attacked. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault and multiple injuries sustained before she died, suggesting she resisted and may have been tortured before being murdered.

The Kolkata Police arrested a volunteer member of the force on Aug. 10 and have charged him with rape and murder, but the brutality of the case has drawn nationwide outrage, with medics across the country demanding safer workplaces and citizens demanding safety for women in a country with a shameful record of rape.

Doctors at public hospitals across India refused to work last week, turning away all but emergency patients as part of a national strike over the rape and murder.

Kolkata police had turned the city into a virtual fortress ahead of Tuesday's planned protest, barricading all roads leading to the state secretariat and deploying 6,000 personnel in full riot gear. The police said they had not given permission for the protest march, and the Trinamool Congress party, which is in power in West Bengal state, alleged that it was an attempt by opposition parties to create unrest in the city.

Police clashed with the protesters Tuesday morning as some of the crowd managed to climb over the barricades, but the demonstrators were stopped before they could reach the state secretariat.

Activists stomp on police barricades as they march toward the state secretariat to demand the resignation of the chief minister of India's West Bengal state, in Kolkata, Aug. 27, 2024. / Credit: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the opposition in West Bengal, claimed several students were injured Tuesday amid the clashes with the police and called for a new, 12-hour general strike in the state on Wednesday to protest the response.

India's federal Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), which was tasked with investigating the rape-murder in Kolkata, subjected the prime suspect, Sanjay Roy, to a polygraph test last week, the results of which were yet to be released Tuesday. Many in the country hope the results will shed new light on whether other people could have been involved in the attack, as has been suggested by the victim's father.

India reported an average of nearly 90 rapes per day in 2022, according to the most recent data available from the National Crime Records Bureau. Experts believe the real number could be much higher, as many rapes go unreported due to prevailing stigmas around sexual violence and a lack of faith in police investigations. Conviction rates remain low, with many cases becoming mired for years in India's overwhelmed criminal justice system.

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Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.

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 conversation wasnt sounding good for Kensington residents on June 20.

The Philadelphia neighborhood is a critical center of the nations opioid crisis, and the city had decided to spend $7.5 million in opioid settlement money to improve the quality of life there. But on that day, a Pennsylvania oversight board was about to vote on whether to reject the citys decision.

It was a thorny issue with major implications  both for Kensington residents and people across the state, as the decision could set a precedent for what kind of spending the board would allow for years to come.

But a lot of people were shut out of the discussion.

Pennsylvanias board doesnt allow members of the public to speak at its meetings, a rule that sets it apart from about two dozen similar opioid councils nationwide.

Its another moment where folks not connected to this community are making decisions for this community, and I think thats inappropriate, said Bill McKinney, a Kensington resident whose nonprofit is involved in some of the citys settlement-funded initiatives. Those that are sort of most affected are not at the table.

Its one example of how the public, including people who have lost loved ones to the opioid crisis or are dealing with it daily, are routinely shut out of having a meaningful say in how this windfall can be best used to address the damage. They are eager to suggest solutions for dollars that many of them consider blood money. But a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by KFF Health News and Spotlight PA found that, in many places, their voices are systematically dismissed.

In at least 39 states and Washington, D.C., councils consisting of government officials, clinicians, law enforcement officers, and others guide decisions about how to spend settlement dollars. These powerful groups are influencing addiction policy and funding at a time when more than 100,000 Americans are dying of overdoses annually.

At least 14 of these councils  including Pennsylvanias  routinely block members of the public from speaking at their meetings. Four of those typically conduct their meetings in secret, barring the public from even attending or observing.

The survey also found:

The majority of councils do not make video recordings of their meetings readily available online for those who cannot attend live. Although some councils said recordings can be accessed through public records requests, at least one  Minnesotas Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council  deletes its recordings after using them to create meeting minutes. (Minnesota law does not require the council to record its open meetings or post recordings online.)

At least five states have used committees or work groups that meet in private, or have a policy for allowing such private meetings. In Pennsylvania, such work groups have become a point of contention, with victims, advocates, and even one member of the council questioning their legality. (The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trusts administrative director said the work groups meetings are not required to be public. They make recommendations that the full council decides on.)

Practices that close the public out of settlement spending discussions are unconscionable, said Stephen Loyd, chair of Tennessees Opioid Abatement Council, which regularly allows public attendance and comment at its meetings. This is the population were there to serve. They have to have a voice in this process.

Different stances on public comment

People directly affected by the issue are a staple of the Tennessee councils meetings. This year, commenters have included several parents holding photos of their deceased children and choking back tears, and at least one frustrated community member.

At the June meeting in Memphis, Peter Hossler, an associate professor at Rhodes College, said he was very angry about how the councils recent grant awards of $81 million seemed to shortchange the western part of the state.

Loyd called such critique invaluable, comparing it to the feedback he received from loved ones during his recovery journey.

We have to be held accountable, he told KFF Health News and Spotlight PA. And then we have to fix it. Hosslers comments are changing the councils conversation about its next round of grants, Loyd added.

Loyd believes people who have been failed by the current system know what needs to be improved better than anybody.

I want to talk to the people who had medication stopped in jail and laid there and withdrew, he said. I want to talk to the people who got out of jail with no money, a couple of felonies hanging over their heads, three meetings they had to make that week or theyre going to be in violation of their probation, and they aint got a car or drivers license.

States cited a variety of reasons for limiting public involvement. In some, state law does not require councils to take public comment at meetings. Several officials said theyve sought feedback in other ways. An official in New Jersey said its council held public listening sessions, but that its monthly meetings are not public.

Some officials may worry that public comment would add to meetings that already run multiple hours, but several states manage that by limiting each persons comment to a few minutes.

For communities of color, being shut out of opioid settlement discussions can compound the negative effects not just from todays overdose crisis but from the earlier crack cocaine epidemic. Many people considered the governments response at that time to be ineffective and harmful.

If settlement money is used only to build on whats already in place, youve already failed,

said Philip Rutherford, an expert on substance use disorder at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

At a July 2023 meeting of Illinois settlement council, Fanya Burford-Berry said the current system doesnt work for women of color with substance use disorder  they can risk losing custody of their children. Burford-Berry, director of the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force in Chicago, hopes comments like hers will prompt the council to support solutions tailored to women of color, including bringing together more organizations that already work in those communities.

When you allow more people to be involved, and then they have an idea, and they get excited about it, then they get more people involved and the circle of healing can become larger, she said.

Bill McKinney is a Kensington resident and executive director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation.

A retraumatizing moment

In Pennsylvania, the states 13-member opioid settlement board has the power to withhold future funding if it decides local governments used their money inappropriately. At its June meeting, the board  which includes a state senator representing part of Kensington  voted to disapprove of Philadelphias use of $7.5 million for park improvements, home repairs, rent relief, and other initiatives in Kensington. (Philadelphia later appealed the rejection; the issue is pending.)

McKinney, the Kensington resident and executive director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, called the boards decision a retraumatizing moment for residents and criticized the way they were silenced.

I think its unfortunate that things were chosen to be done that way, McKinney said.

Others have also been frustrated by Pennsylvanias settlement council.

Gail Groves Scott, a public health policy advocate who has a child in sustained recovery from an opioid use disorder, attended a board meeting in person last year. Not allowing the public to comment at meetings, she said, prevents them from offering feedback at critical times, such as when the board is considering county spending plans or contracts for its operations.

We could be questioning those decisions or adding information they may not be aware of, Groves Scott said. Its disappointing that, despite pushback from multiple people, they have not changed.

Some advocates say the closed sessions of work groups, which make recommendations about which programs to approve, obscure why the full board takes certain action.

Pennsylvania trust officials have defended their practices.

Briana Anderson, the trusts administrative director, downplayed the groups role, saying it does not make specific spending decisions on settlement money but reviews choices made by local governments. State law doesnt require the trust to offer public comment at its meetings but the public is encouraged to participate at the local level, Anderson added.

Pennsylvanias practices contrast sharply with the way councils operate in places like Illinois, Kentucky, and Oregon, which routinely allow public comment at both full council and smaller committee meetings. In Kentucky, the open process has allowed members of the public to weigh in on a fierce debate over funding research into ibogaine, a psychedelic drug that has shown potential to treat addiction. At least eight people spoke in favor of the drug at the councils January meeting.

Back in Tennessee, council chair Loyd said he hopes to increase public participation by creating an advisory panel that consists primarily of people who have personally experienced addiction or their loved ones.

He also encouraged other settlement councils to embrace opportunities to hear from people in their states.

Youll make better decisions as a result. I cant be convinced otherwise, he said.

Methodology

In June and July, reporters from KFF Health News and Spotlight PA surveyed opioid settlement councils in 39 states and Washington, D.C., to assess their general and standard practices for engaging with the public. The team also reviewed council websites, meeting minutes, agendas, and, in some cases, hours of meeting recordings. These councils have various roles, including directly deciding how to spend the money, making recommendations, or providing oversight. Although they go by different names, including advisory councils, boards, committees, and commissions, we refer to them as councils as a broad, encompassing term.

BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  Grocery store chain Publix is continuing its expansion across Kentucky into Owensboro.

Officials state it will be on the northwest corner of Pleasant Valley and Hayden roads.

Officials say the store will be 50,235 square feet will employ about 150 associates. An opening timeframe has not yet been determined.

We are excited to continue our growth across Kentucky with 11 locations now announced in the state, officials state. We look forward to our new customers experiencing the Publix difference soon!

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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).
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  A central Arkansas felon was given a decade and a half of federal prison time for possessing controlled substances as well as having a firearm.

Federal prosecutors said 76-year-old Roy Edsel Heifner Jr., who they describe as an armed career criminal, was given 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Clinton man arrested in connection with 44-year-old Washington state killing

In September of 2019, officials said the DEA learned that Heifner was distributing various kinds of prescription drugs from his College Station home. Investigators said they learned Heifner was a convicted felon and later executed a search warrant of his home in October of 2019, finding 300 pills that resembled oxycodone that were identified as fentanyl.

Authorities said they also found 100 pills that were confirmed to be oxycodone and hydrocodone in addition to two firearms and $300,000 believed to be drug proceeds.

According to prosecutors, Heifner continued to sell drugs after being released on bond following a February 2020 indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In July of 2021, authorities said they made controlled purchases from Heifner. Officials said the pills purchased were also fentanyl that appeared to be oxycodone. Heifner was then taken into custody until his trial.

Arkansas State Police arrest Forrest City doctor accused of sexual assault, rape

In a superseding indictment in February of 2023, Heifner was charged with six counts related to the distribution of Schedule II substances, including fentanyl and oxycodone, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HAWAII ISLAND, Hawaii (KHON2)  Hawaii island police have arrested and charged a 64-year-old Ocean View man on counts of animal abuse, promotion of a detrimental drug and drug paraphernalia.

Check out whats going on around the nation on our National News page

Officers responded to the incident on Aug. 23 just before 5 p.m. when an unknown disturbance was reported near King Kamehameha Blvd and Aloha Blvd in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Subdivision.

Alleged bus shooting suspect identified after extensive amount of video recovered

Reports said one caller reported that a male party was in the area attempting to break up dogs that were fighting to dispatch. In a separate phone call, dispatch was told a male party was abusing his dogs.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a deceased medium, black-colored dog lying in the middle of the roadway with several puncture wounds on the right side of its body.

A witness recalled the same male party to be kicking the dog right before the body was found.

The 64-year-old suspect was found one block away from the scene, hands covered in blood, a knife with blood on the blade and a marijuana smoking pipe in his possession.

Officials said the man acknowledged that the dog that was found belonged to him.

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The man was then arrested and currently has a bail set at $5,000.

Police urge anyone with information on the incident to call Officer Taylor Au at (808) 939-2520 or the non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Before he allegedly killed four members of his family with a pump-action shotgun, a New York auto mechanic displayed obvious signs of distress and issued threats that were the talk of his neighborhood, but police said no one told them.

The quadruple homicide in the Long Island town of Syosset might have been avoided had someone with knowledge of the mental health issues 59-year-old Joseph DeLucia Jr. exhibited leading up to Sunday's killing had called 911.

"As a community, we hear things, we know things, we see things. If we don't say something, sometimes the outcomes are like what we got [Sunday]," Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a news conference on Monday.

PHOTO: Nassau County, New York, police investigate a quadruple murder-suicide on Aug. 25, 2024, in which investigators allege a 59-year-old man killed four members of his family in a dispute over selling his recently deceased mother's home. (ABC News)

Ryder said if police had known of DeLucia's condition, they might have been able to enforce New York's "red flag" laws, enabling them to seize the Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun before he allegedly used it to fatally shoot his family members and himself.

The commissioner said a preliminary investigation found that there was talk in that community about the distress DeLucia was under after his mother, whom he lived with at the family home on Wyoming Avenue up to her death from natural causes on Aug. 19.

The victims were identified by police as Joanne Kearns, 69, of Tampa, Florida; Frank DeLucia, 64, of Durham, North Carolina; Tina Hammond, 64, and her daughter, Victoria Hammond, 30, both of Patchogue, New York.

The killings unfolded while DeLucia and his relatives were gathered Sunday at the family home to meet with a realtor about selling the residence over his objections, police investigators said.

DeLucia had allegedly become upset that he was going to be displaced from the home he had lived in his entire life without another place to go, officials said, citing preliminary information gathered by detectives.

PHOTO: This pump-action shotgun was allegedly used by a 59-year-old man, who died from suicide, to kill four members of his family on Aug. 25, 2024, at a Syossett, New York, home. (Nassau County Police Department)

Ryder said homicide investigators are probing unconfirmed reports that DeLucia had voiced threats to neighbors about using a gun to commit violence. He said neighbors told homicide detectives that days before the shooting DeLucia made threatening statements, saying, "If you hear gunshots, don't bother calling 911. It's going to be too late."

"These are things that are disturbing to us in law enforcement. We open up so many avenues to use for help. Call 911, call the local precinct, or come down and visit us and talk to us. We will keep it anonymous," Ryder said. "There are laws that are put in place to make sure individuals that are suffering through some mental health issues or current stress that we can remove weapons, like the 'red flag' laws."

The shooting unfolded just before noon on Sunday when a 911 call was made by a neighbor reporting that DeLucia, who police said worked as a mechanic for a local auto dealer, had shot himself on the front lawn of his home, said Detective Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Department's homicide squad.

MORE: Gun violence among top issues in DNC Platform

After finding DeLucia on the front lawn, officers discovered four bodies in a den at the back of the residence, Fitzpatrick said. He said all of the victims had been shot multiple times and that the gunman likely reloaded the shotgun during the killings.

"He did have past mental issues, psychological issues that were reported to us that we still have not confirmed," Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said that DeLucia was not only distressed and panicked about being displaced from a home he had lived in his entire life, the suspect also thought he was being cut out of his mother's will, a belief other relatives told investigators was inaccurate.

PHOTO: Nassau County, New York, police investigate a quadruple murder-suicide on Aug. 25, 2024, in which investigators allege a 59-year-old man killed four members of his family in a dispute over selling his recently deceased mother's home. (ABC News)

"Because of that perception, [DeLucia] decided that day to get a loaded Mossberg shotgun, 12 gauge, approach them in the rear area of the house and from the kitchen fired 12 shots striking all four of them multiple times," Fitzpatrick said at Monday's news conference. "He then took the weapon, went out onto the front lawn, was shouting indiscriminately about what had happened. A neighbor heard him doing this, called 911 and that was our 911 caller. He then self-inflicted a shot to the chest and killed himself."

Fitzpatrick said police records showed officers had been called to the house once before in 2022 to conduct a welfare check on DeLucia.

MORE: JD Vance and Tim Walz claim to be 2nd Amendment stalwarts. But where do the VP picks really stand on guns?

"He was not displaying any signs of anything that we would take action and take him against his will, that he was dangerous to himself or others at the time," said Fitzpatrick, adding that DeLucia also had a prior arrest on his record for driving while impaired in 1983.

Fitzpatrick said police are still investigating where and when DeLucia obtained the shotgun, which he said had not been modified and was a legal weapon. He said detectives have found no records showing DeLucia had a handgun permit.

New York enacted red flag laws in 2019 and Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law in September 2023 strengthening the laws, also called Extreme Risk Orders of Protection. State records, according to the governor's office, show that New York State Police filed 1,385 Extreme Risk Orders of Protection to seize 2,549 guns in 2023.

Besides New York, 20 other states have enacted red flag laws within the past six years.

Commissioner Ryder said the lesson that should be taken from Sunday's massacre is to "speak up."

"This is 2024. We will protect you, we will protect your identity," Ryder said. "Tell us what you hear. Tell us what you see."

Quadruple Syosset homicide might have been avoided if neighbors had called police: Officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Questions are growing about if former President Trump and Vice President Harris will debate next month, with a clash over muting microphones fueling speculation regarding whether such a match-up will happen at all.

The fight over mics started when Harriss campaign began pushing for live mics throughout the broadcast, a shift from the rules previously agreed upon when President Biden was at the top of the ticket.

Trump said Monday it didnt matter to him whether the microphones were muted, even as he further bashed ABC News, the debates host, and raised questions about whether he would participate.

Republicans argued that Trump, who has dismissed the idea that Harris is gaining ground in the polls, can ill afford to skip the Sept. 10 debate. Democrats, meanwhile, are eager to label the former president as scared to take on the vice president.

That debate becomes a decisive moment for the election, one Republican strategist said. Paid media doesnt move numbers. I dont know how much swing voters pay attention to daily news cycles. But these debates are just Super Bowl-level events in American politics.

John LaBombard, former communications director to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), argued Trump has been struggling with campaigning against Harris, and the back-and-forth over the debate shows fear caused by her candidacy.

Now comes the debate format, on which everyday voters are going to be left wondering why former President Trump  ostensibly an adult wanting to prove his competency to serve again as president  is so nervous about what will be picked up by live microphones, said LaBombard, a senior vice president at ROKK Solutions. It may be that hes seen how much more skilled and capable Vice President Harris is on a debate stage than her predecessor, but no matter the reason, it betrays a sense of fear on the part of Trumps campaign.

Trump himself told reporters Monday he would be fine having the microphones on throughout, seemingly resolving the issue. But he still left the door open to backing out, citing his displeasure with ABC.

Were thinking about it, Trump said during a campaign stop in Virginia. They also want to change the rules. You know, the deal was we keep the same rules.

Harris spokesperson Brian Fallon argued it was the Trump team, not the vice president, who wanted the mics muted.

Our understanding is that Trumps handlers prefer the muted microphone because they dont think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own, Fallon said earlier Monday, adding that live mics mean Harris can fight back on the former presidents lies and interruptions during the debate.

Mics were muted during Bidens disastrous performance in the June debate; a candidates microphone was turned off while the other was speaking. But that was hardly the main takeaway when calls began for the president to drop out of the 2024 race, with the presidents stumbling answers and inability to finish some thoughts distracting from any attempts to turn the tables on Trump.

After Biden was replaced atop the Democratic ticket by Harris, Trump initially withdrew from the September ABC debate and cast doubt on whether he would debate Harris at all.

The two sides eventually agreed to hold the debate with ABC News. While Trump had pushed for additional debates on Fox News and NBC News in September, the Harris campaign said it would only agree to the ABC News event before discussing a potential second presidential debate.

Harris has the advantage no matter what rules are negotiated, said Michael LaRosa, first lady Jill Bidens traveling press secretary during the 2020 campaign. She benefits from open mics because Trump is likely to overreach in his behavior, whether through obnoxious ranting or an aggressiveness perceived as bullying. His style indirectly helps her; all she has to do is show up. Shes disciplined regardless of format, and he is itching to go on offense, which is when his tone is most off-putting.

LaRosa added, however, that many voters find Trumps straight talk and disruptive instincts refreshing and candid, and said his style appeals to voters who cringe at robotic or overly scripted politicians.

Some Republicans have suggested Trump and his team are merely working the referees and looking to lower expectations for him ahead of next months debate. Trump and his team have made baseless claims that Harris might be fed questions ahead of time and have insisted ABC is a biased outlet, despite previously agreeing to do a debate with Biden hosted by the network.

But there is also a sense among some Trump allies that Harriss team is looking to adjust the rules of the debate after the two sides had already come to an agreement.

The Harris campaign is looking, honestly, for an off-ramp. They want to continue the prevent defense, hide Kamala Harris strategy until after Election Day, said Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist.

Senior Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller pointed to an Aug. 15 statement from the Harris campaign that declared the debate about debates was over. He suggested the push for format changes is a result of concern over Harriss debate preparation.

My guess is that theyre looking for a way to get out of any debate with President Trump. Regardless, theres no way Harris is ready to be Commander in Chief, Miller said in a statement.

Trump has in the past made a habit of laying the groundwork to undermine any poor debate performance, such as calling for his opponents to be drug tested.

This time around, allies are framing it as Harris who is actually unwilling to debate.

I think the debate about the debate is going to continue to go on, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) said Monday on Fox News.

Burgum and other Trump allies have suggested the Harris campaign raising issues about the format is a way for the candidate to avoid having to clarify her views on several issues, such as fracking, health care and policing, where she took more liberal stances during her 2020 primary campaign.

I think they want to continue to stay in the vault inside the basement, Burgum said. One way to do that is to avoid a debate.

The debate, which is set to take place in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center and be hosted by ABC Newss David Muir and Linsey Davis, was initially set between Trump and Biden before the president dropped out.

Since then, Harris has a 3.7 percentage point lead in The Hill/Decision Desk HQ polling average and is closing the gap on Trump in several other polls, including in battlegrounds. The Trump campaign in a memo over the weekend predicted Harris may get another bump in the polls off the wave of enthusiasm from the Democratic National Convention last week.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BED-STUY, Brooklyn (PIX11)  At least nine people were injured in a four-alarm fire that swept across a cluster of buildings in Brooklyn late Monday night, according to the FDNY.

The fire broke out at a building on Dean Street between Mother Gaston Boulevard and Sackman Street around 10:40 p.m. Over 160 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the scene, per fire officials.

More Local News

Firefighters were seen deploying ladders to strategically blast water from up high to douse rising flames before eventually taking the firefight inside. Three civilians and six firefighters were injured in the blaze, according to the FDNY.

Neighbors watched the hours-long effort to control the fire.

The first thing I saw was the flames coming out of the windows. It was like an inferno  everything was fire, fire. All the flames coming out and the fire keeps moving from one house to the next. It went to four houses, Frederico Pagan, a neighbor, told PIX11 News.

At least 25 adults and six children were displaced, per fire officials.

Luckily the tenants that live upstairs, they knocked on the door and alerted me. Ive got a cast on this foot here, said Mike, who resided in one of the buildings. Im thankful that the tenants came.

It was put under control at 1:30 a.m. The fire is under investigation, per fire officials.

New York City officials warned that smoky conditions could linger in the area, even with the fire put out. At-risk residents are encouraged to close their windows.

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.
RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  The Rankin County teenager accused of killing her mother appeared in court on Tuesday, August 27.

During her court appearance, Carly Gregg rejected a plea deal in which she would be sentenced to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). The case will now go to trial, and Gregg faces up to life in prison.

Greggs attorneys said she would undergo a mental evaluation on Thursday, August 29. Judge Dewey K. Arthur said the report was ordered more than a month ago.

A grand jury previously indicted Gregg on the counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence.

Carly Greggs attorneys accused of delay tactics in case

The shooting happened just after 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in the 200 block of Ashton Way.

When deputies arrived at the location, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The man told deputies that he arrived home and found his wife, who was identified as 40-year-old Ashley Smylie, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. He claimed his 14-year-old step-daughter was armed with a pistol.

According to Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, the victim stated Gregg shot him in the shoulder. The man was able to take the weapon from the teenager, who then ran into the backyard and jumped over a fence.

Carly Madison Gregg (Courtesy: Rankin County Sheriffs Office)

Ashley Smylie (Courtesy: Rankin County School District)

Bailey said additional deputies responded to the scene, along with the Mississippi Highway Patrols (MHP) helicopter. Just after 5:30 p.m., Gregg was located not far from the residence and taken into custody without incident.

During her initial court appearance, Gregg pled not guilty to the charges. Her bond was set at $1 million. She is being held in the Rankin County Adult Detention Center.

There will be a hearing for pre-trial motions on September 10 at 9:00 a.m. in Rankin County. Greggs trial is expected to start in September 2024.

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Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother arraigned on fraud and theft charges

Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother arraigned on fraud and theft charges

Read more: Rapper Sean Kingston arrested after SWAT raids his Florida home; charged with fraud

MIAMI (AP)  Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of defrauding multiple businesses of more than $1 million.

Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother, Janice Turner, entered the pleas during an arraignment hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra, the Sun Sentinel reported. Bond had already been set at $90,000 in a previous hearing, and Kollra did not make any changes, the newspaper said.

FILE  Sean Kingston, right, and his mother Janice Turner arrive at the 40th anniversary American Music Awards, Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

The performer and his mother pleaded not guilty to organized fraud and grand theft charges.

Kingston was originally arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May on a warrant issued by the Broward Sheriffs Office after a SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches.

Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership and a luxury microLED TV company since October 2023, arrest warrants said.

Kingston and his mother are expected back in court Oct. 11, the newspaper said. They are also facing related charges in federal court.

Kingston broke into the music scene at the age of 17 in 2007 with the hit Beautiful Girls, which laid his lyrics over the musical track of Stand By Me by Ben E. King.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Della Rollins / Bloomberg via Getty Images





Key Takeaways

The Bank of Montreal's third-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates as profits declined across several segments, including personal and commercial banking in the U.S. and Canada.

Overall, profits increased year-over-year despite lower revenue, as CEO Darryl White said the bank practiced "good cost discipline."

The bank's shares moved lower in early trading Tuesday after the earnings report was released.







Canada's Bank of Montreal (BMO) missed estimates for its third-quarter results Tuesday, as profits declined across a number of the bank's divisions and it nearly doubled provisions for credit losses (PCL) compared to last year.

BMO posted 1.87 billion Canadian dollars ($1.39 billion) in net income, short of analyst estimates compiled by Visible Alpha, on C$8.19 billion in total revenue. The bank reported C$4.79 billion in net interest income (NII), narrowly below estimates, while PCL rose to C$906 million, compared to C$496 million in the same period last year.



Profit Declines Across Several Segments

Profits declined across a number of BMO's segments, including personal and commercial banking in the U.S. and Canada, along with the bank's wealth management business. Those declines were offset by improved results in BMO's global markets and investment-related activities, thanks to "higher trading, underwriting and advisory, and corporate banking-related revenue, as well as lower expenses and a higher provision for credit losses."

Despite the lower overall revenue, the bank managed to increase its profits year-over-year, which CEO Darryl White said reflects the bank's "good cost discipline and the sustained strength of our operating performance."

Bank of Montreal shares were down 5.5% at $83.93 in early trading Tuesday following the company's earnings release, and have lost about 15% of their value since the start of the year.

Read the original article on Investopedia.
Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother arraigned on fraud and theft charges

FILE - Sean Kingston, right, and his mother Janice Turner arrive at the 40th anniversary American Music Awards, Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

MIAMI (AP)  Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of defrauding multiple businesses of more than $1 million.

Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and his mother, Janice Turner, entered the pleas during an arraignment hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra, the Sun Sentinel reported. Bond had already been set at $90,000 in a previous hearing, and Kollra did not make any changes, the newspaper said.

The performer and his mother pleaded not guilty to organized fraud and grand theft charges.

Kingston was originally arrested in Fort Irwin, California, in May on a warrant issued by the Broward Sheriffs Office after a SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches.

Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership and a luxury microLED TV company since October 2023, arrest warrants said.

Kingston and his mother are expected back in court Oct. 11, the newspaper said. They are also facing related charges in federal court.

Kingston broke into the music scene at the age of 17 in 2007 with the hit Beautiful Girls, which laid his lyrics over the musical track of Stand By Me by Ben E. King.
A Rare Mosquito-Borne Illness Is On The Rise. Here's What To Know.

Eastern equine encephalitis can be deadly when a human gets infected, but it's also very rare. Deni WIBU / 500px via Getty Images

Residents of several New England states are on high alert after officials urged folks to take extra precautions as cases of eastern equine encephalitis, a rare yet deadly mosquito-borne illness, are on the rise.

The number of reported infections overall is low, but its still concerning: Notably, a person in New Hampshire has died of the illness. One person in Vermont has also been infected, marking the first human case in the state since 2012, and one person in Massachusetts has been infected, which is the first case in a person in Massachusetts since 2020.

How worried do you need to be? Heres what experts want you to know:

What is eastern equine encephalitis?

Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE as we often call it, is a mosquito-borne viral infection ... that typically is found in bird populations, and its transmitted among birds by a particular mosquito that only feeds on birds, explained Dr. Daniel R. Kuritzkes, the chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. But, there are other mosquitoes that feed on both birds and humans and other mammals, and thats how the infection occasionally spills into the human population.

If bitten by an infected mosquito, some people will become sick but others might not even notice, said Dr. Matthew M. Ippolito, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Usually about a week after getting bitten a person might start to have flu-like symptoms of fevers, headaches and nausea, Ippolito added. For many people, this is where the virus stops, although it can sometimes cause lifelong physical and mental issues.

Ippolito said only a small percentage of individuals  about 2% of infected adults and 6% of infected children  will then go on to develop encephalitis, which is brain inflammation. Signs of encephalitis include a high fever, confusion and vomiting.

Encephalitis is ultimately what may cause a patient to die. Roughly 30% of people infected with EEE die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. EEE is most severe in people over 50 and under 15, and it does not spread from person to person.

EEE tends to show up in certain parts of the country. Its a viral disease spread by a variety of different mosquitoes that peaks in August to September, said Ippolito.

Currently, the majority of known cases right now are clustered in the Northeast  Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey and New Hampshire. That said, EEE has also been reported in Wisconsin, and there have also been sporadic reports of activity in mosquitoes or animals in the South.

So, how worried do you need to be?

First, dont panic. This is a rare illness. The CDC says roughly 11 cases are reported throughout the country each year.

Plus, many local health departments track the number of mosquitoes and birds that test positive for EEE, along with horses that become infected and die, according to Kuritzkes.

Its usually apparent where the infection is being transmitted, Kuritzkes explained. Affected counties then spray in order to reduce the mosquito population, which is currently happening in certain parts of Massachusetts.

Not every mosquito carries this virus, either. So the vast majority of bug bites are harmless.

It will be a rare event for a person to encounter an infected mosquito in the first place, and if you are unlucky enough to get bitten by a virus-infected mosquito, there is still only about a 5% chance, or even less, that you would develop encephalitis, Ippolito said.

Using bug spray is a good way to keep mosquitoes away. Ekaterina Vasileva-Bagler via Getty Images

Always take measures to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Mosquitoes carry a range of dangerous illnesses in addition to EEE, like West Nile virus. That makes it important to reduce your likelihood of getting a bite  whether EEE poses a current risk or not.

Kuritzkes said you should reduce the opportunity for mosquitoes to breed by eliminating areas in your home with standing water. For example, if you have water basins outside, make sure you regularly dump them.

And then, in addition  and somewhat more practically  is to use personal protection in the way of insect repellents. So, DEET sprayed on the skin, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, Kuritzkes said.

You should also be mindful of the time of day that youre outside.

The mosquitoes that transmit EEE are principally active from dusk to dawn, so trying not to be outdoors unless youre wearing long sleeves and using insect repellent during those hours will minimize the likelihood of your getting bitten by the mosquitoes, Kuritzkes suggested.

You can also avoid areas where the types of birds and mosquitoes that transmit EEE are known to inhabit  EEE typically occurs in and around freshwater hardwood swamps, Ippolito added.

Experts say you should always be cautious about all mosquito-borne illnesses (and, for that matter, tick-borne illnesses, which also peak in the summer), but also dont need to worry too much right now.

Theres good reasons to protect yourself from mosquito bites and tick bites that go beyond EEE, but I dont think the average person has to be overly concerned about EEE, Kuritzkes said.

Related...
Local officials say the proposed rate hikes could push towns and counties off state-run health plans, risking yet higher increases. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

A set of looming double-digit rate hikes proposed for New Jerseys state-run health plans risks redoubling municipal flight toward other options and pushing rates up yet further.

State actuaries in July recommended increasing health premiums by an average of 17% for local government workers and retirees and by 11% for their counterparts at the state level. Premiums under the School Employee Health Benefits Program should increase by 14% on average, they said.

The hikes, compounded with rate hikes of more than 20% in 2022 and more moderate ones last year, have worried local officials who fear the increased costs will further strain already tight municipal budgets.

The state health benefit plans are seeing double-digit increases while health insurance funds which some of our towns are in  are only seeing like 8%, 9% increases, so whats the difference? Whats the driving factor? said Lori Buckelew, assistant executive director at the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

Local government enrollments for active employees in the State Health Benefits Program declined by roughly 18% in the two years after the double-digit rate increases in 2022, with similar drops for plan retirees, according to actuarial reports.

More towns may leave if faced with another round of rate shock.

We have members that are absolutely looking to see what other plans are out there and to see how they can control the cost, Buckelew said.

Maggie Garbarino, a spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy, said his administration is always concerned about increased costs and what they mean for families across New Jersey.

The Governor remains committed to working with partners in government and labor to make meaningful progress in delivering affordable health care to the States public workforce, Garbarino said.

Towns and counties regularly move off and onto state health plans, but a large-scale exodus could lock the state plans in a vicious cycle where high rates lead to a smaller subscriber pool, which leads to yet higher rates.

Some small municipalities with too few workers to self-insure and no access to cooperative health insurance procurement could have no choice but to remain on state plans even as costs rise, Buckelew said.

Enrollment among other sectors of public workers has proven more resilient. Policy changes that in 2021 began basing school employees insurance obligations off their compensation instead of a portion of premiums have insulated those workers from the direst effects of the steep swings, but those increases still drive up costs for school districts.

Active employee enrollment in the School Employee Health Benefits Program fell by just under 3% over the two-year period. State units cannot move to other health benefit providers, and enrollment under state plans has remained largely static despite the cost increases.

Commissions charged with setting rates for the public health plans were due to approve the premium increases in late July but scrubbed those meetings to allow a separate committee to approve a pilot program that would allow public workers to seek certain procedures at select well-performing hospitals without copayments.

The effect the pilot program and other plan design changes, including reduced specialist copays, will have on premiums remains unclear.

Were optimistic that itll be a reduction of the increase, but will it be a significant reduction of the increase? Thats the unknown, said Buckelew.

Also unclear is whether the commissions intend to approve the rate hikes at their regular September meetings or whether theyll convene for the vote outside of their normal schedule.

The state intends to begin open enrollment for the public health plans on Oct. 1, and a spokesperson for the Treasury warned that delaying rate-setting would leave officials less time to coordinate with vendors and other tasks to ensure a smooth transition to a new plan year.

In the past, when rates have been approved later and there has been less time to prepare for the October 1 open enrollment, there were numerous issues during the open enrollment process that negatively impacted members, said Danielle Currie, a Treasury spokesperson.

Delaying the open enrollment period would also create problems, she said, because officials must complete their work before the new plan year begins on Jan. 1.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  Raul Meza, a convicted killer who faces two additional murder charges, was in court for a pretrial conference Tuesday.

Defense attorneys approached the state and Judge Julie Kocurek with a plea offer, which Kocurek denied, saying she would not accept an offer that gives Meza the option for parole.

I need it to be life without parole for me to accept it or it needs to be tried by a jury, Kocurek said.

In-Depth Coverage: Raul Meza investigation

Meza killed 8-year-old Kendra Page in 1982. The conviction came as a result of a plea deal. Due to lax state laws at the time, he got out of prison after 11 years for good behavior.

Raul Meza stares at prosecutors as judge rejects a plea that would involve the possibility of parole. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)

The Austin Police Department arrested him in May 2023 in connection to the murder of Jesse Fraga, 80, of Pflugerville. When Meza turned himself in for that crime, police said he implicated himself in the 2019 killing of Gloria Lofton, 65, of east Austin.

Russell Hunt, Jr., one of Mezas attorneys, said he presented an offer of life in prison for one murder and 20 years for another. Given how Texas law works, that would allow Meza the possibility of parole after 40 years. Meza is currently 63 years old.

Kocurek said on behalf of the community she would not accept an offer than includes parole.

Family members plan to attend every hearing  no matter how small  for alleged serial killer

Its clear the message shes giving is that she doesnt ever want there to be any question about whether Mr. Meza is ever released on parole, Hunt said.

Family members of Page, Fraga and Lofton have long opposed a plea deal following what happened in the 1982 case.

Made me feel a lot better about going into this now because at least she understands what we were looking for and what we were fighting for, said Christina Fultz, one of Loftons daughters.

Mezas attorneys said his client has expressed remorse.

Mr. Meza is ready for this ordeal to be over, not just for himself, but for the whole community, Hunt said.

His co-counsel Brian Erskine added the unfortunate truth of this is that theres nothing thats going to make these families feel better, regardless of what he has to say.

Family members of Page, Lofton and Fraga said they did not believe Meza felt any remorse.

No. No. Never. Not at all. Not a thing behind those eyes, the group of family members said when asked.

Judge Kocurek allowed family members of Page, Lofton and Fraga to sit in the jury box as she discussed the plea deal with attorneys. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)

When police arrested Meza in 2023, former investigators called him a serial killer, and APD said it is investigating additional deaths he may be connected to.

Previous coverage: APD deeply sorry about DNA oversight in Loftons murder case

In early April, the Austin Police Department (APD) addressed an internal investigation into the handling of a DNA hit as investigators looked into Loftons 2019 death on Sara Drive in east Austin.

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, which was roughly four years before Fraga was killed.

Former Police Chief Joseph Chacon, who held the role at the time of Mezas arrest, launched the internal investigation last year to address what he called potential investigative lapses, an APD spokesperson previously told KXAN.

Raul Meza Case: Detailing Mezas early criminal history

After that internal investigation concluded, APD said a detective working Loftons case received information about a DNA hit on Raul Meza but did not follow up. He will not face any discipline, the department said, because state law prohibits the formal discipline of officers more than 180 days after an incident.

Interim Chief Robin Henderson issued the following statement on this matter:

The Austin Police Department is deeply sorry about the oversight related to the DNA Lab Report in the Raul Meza case. We realize the impacts this has on the case itself, community and most importantly the victims and their families. As soon as the error was brought to our attention, we addressed it as quickly as we could to identify how it happened and implemented policies to avoid incidents like this from reoccurring. Since this occurrence, the Austin Police Department has added redundancies into the notification process to ensure this does not happen again. Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Credit - Illustration by TIME

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No poll is predictive. Every single one of them is a measure of a specific window inside a specific space. No one winsor losesbased on the polls, and its often irresponsible to say that someone is winning in the polls. Its trite, but when strategists say the only poll that matters is the one taken on Election Day, theyre not wrong.

That said, many of us cant help but obsessively track the polls. If you check into any armchair pundits social media feeds, youre going to get an overdose of polling nuggets. But so much of the chatter is admittedly superficial and wrongly assumes nuance or caution can be set aside.

Reading the polls can be tricky if you dont know what youre doing. On its own, a single survey does not really describe anything more about the race than how one group of selected voters responded to one set of questions during a moment in time. Taken en masseand there are pollsters out there who will scream Dont Do It!the numbers can offer a framework for a race, especially for donors who want a clear return-on-investment proof point. (Indeed, when donors began trying to force Joe Biden to step aside after his disastrous June debate, many were responding more to polling dashboards from Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight than their own concerns about what happened on that debate stage.)

As the campaign seasons hits its final weeks and early voters begin to cast ballots, here's a guide on what to make of the polls, based on what campaign professionals consider whenever a new poll pops up on their screens.

Who conducted the poll?

There are some truly terrific polling firms working on behalf of news organizations, advocacy groups, and campaigns themselves. But there are also some pretty funky shops these days. (Not to pick on Morning Consult, but FiveThirtyEight's report card for the 2022 cycle gives them a score of 8% in its correct-call column, although the tech firm takes issue with the evaluation because it was based on just six polls taken right before the election.)

Mainstream news organizations spend small fortunes tracking the electorate and its trend lines, not just on the big-ticket races but also on voter attitudes toward various subjects. (Two gold-standard organizationsthe Pew Research Center and Gallupare most laudable in this space for having collected decades of longitudinal data on dozens, if not hundreds, of topics.)

Others, like advocacy groups, also conduct polling, usually for internal use. Occasionally, theyll find a nugget that is statistically legitimate and, in their view, newsworthy. But dont count on such data points to come to light if they threaten to set back that groups agenda. The city pound wouldn't be touting a poll if it found people love stray puppies.

Then there are the campaigns, who always have roughly the same rebuttal to any tough question: Thats not what our internals show. That was always Donald Trumps answer when the numbers showed him down in 2016 and 2020. And that was the case from Biden's camp earlier this year as he flailed toward his exit. Theres always a way for a campaign to slice their data to make itself look better.

What kind of voters did the pollster survey?

This is the question thats going to be more important as we get closer to Election Day. Most polls start the cycle with registered voters, which is a broader screen than where things eventually end up in the homestretch. Thats when other filters are layered in to figure out who is actually likely to vote. Among all registered voters, Democrats historically have enjoyed an advantage. But among likely voters, Republicans often narrow that gap because groups viewed as low-propensity votersthose with lower incomes or from communities of color, blue-collar workersshow up on Election Day with less frequency, and they tend to be Democrats.

As the polls continue to tighten, youre going to be hearing a lot about registered-versus-likely modeling. To identify the likelies, pollsters may start with the simple questions of whether someone is registered to vote and if they plan to vote this year. Others add in questions about whether the person on the line voted in the last few elections or how excited they are about the elections. Everyone cooks this sauce a little differently, which is why its statistically tricky to compare one poll against another.

Then, theres the weighting. Put simply: this is a back-end system for pollsters to make sure the people who bothered to answer the questions matches what the pollsters expect turnout to look like. A basic version of this: in a 100-person survey, a pollster might adjust so the 80 women who answered have their power redacted to the roughly 55% of the electorate they comprise, while the 20 men remaining have their power amplified toss 45% of the balance. Then they might adjust for different demographics like college education, age, race, income, etc. Again, this is an oversimplification but it helps explain why oversampling on its own is not a reason to dismiss the results of a poll.

Is this a national poll, a swing state poll, or something else?

Not all polls are created equal. Sometimes, on big questions like abortion, global affairs, even pop-culture figures, a national poll is the way to go, provided theres some controls built in for regional differences in the weighting described above. Other timesespecially for presidential racesthe nationwide numbers are pointless and the real battle is playing out in roughly seven universally accepted battlegrounds. And for state-based runs for Governor or Senate, thats the whole ballgame, albeit one thats increasingly difficult to find funding for rigorous, independent polling.

How was the poll conducted?

For decades, most purist pollsters insisted the only reliable source for their research were live, human-to-human interviews conducted by phone. Historically, that worked because they were calling landlines and it was hard for most Americans to ignore the ringing phone hanging in the kitchen. Then came caller ID, cell phones, and, well, the Internet. Now, pollsters have begrudgingly adopted online polls as statistically acceptable with the right controls; in 2000, just one firm used online, opt-in polls but in 2022 that number rose to 46, according to Pews survey of peers. The same report found nine pollsters using text messaging as part of their data collection.

Pew now does most of its polling via a tightly framed online system. Most polling houses do at least some online data collection these days, and its actually made, to most minds, the numbers more reliable when compared to the results from a 2016 cycle. (That might not have been a standout year in polling but was not as off as many think. People just read the headlines and ignored details.)

The online shift has increased efficiency but produced a dataset that cannot be easily compared to earlier polls that asked the exact same question. Voters words to a pollster and their clicks on a screen often yield different levels of honesty. So while its possible to track changes at this point month to month, it would be a mistake to take surveys from, say, 2000 and try to extrapolate public opinion shifts from there.

When was the poll in the field?

Context is everything, especially when it comes to polling. The surveys that asked opinions about Kamala Harris before she swapped in for Biden were touted by her naysayers who claimed she was too unpopular to get across the finish lines. That frame quickly fell apart when she became the apparent Democratic nominee. Pollsters rightly predicted a surge in Harris support once she became the only thing standing between Trump and the White House.

A comparable value of context on the other side of the aisle would be the chasm between the before and after figures for Trump around his failed assassination attempt. Despite years of acrimony from Democrats, he did see a bump in approval for having gone through that indefensible act of political violence.

But a reminder on big shifts in polls: they tend to return to a stasis pretty quickly. After Trumps Access Hollywood tape came out, including his brag about sexual assault, his polling numbers went back to their norm in about three weeks. And after Obama ordered the successful killing of Osama bin Laden, his got back to regular territory in six weeks.

What is the margin of error?

A New York Times/ Siena poll released on Aug. 10 indicated Harris ahead of Trump in Michigan by a 50-46 margin. While that sounds like Harris is leading, look closely at the margin of error, which provides an estimate of how likely the result could be off, based on factors like the size of the randomly selected sample. The margin of error of the Michigan result was 4.8 points. That means Trump and Harris are actually statistically matched. Harris could actually be at 45.2% and Trump could be as high as 50.8%.

A good rule of thumb: for someone to be leading in a poll, they need to cover twice the margin of error to be considered outside of the gray zone. So in the Michigan example, Harris would be leading if she was 10 points ahead of Trump.

Finally, theres this grim reality: In roughly 1-in-5 cases, the polls taken in the final three weeks of a campaign are just plain wrong, according to a fascinating bit of data wonkery from FiveThirtyEight. In 2022, that universe of pollsters got the pre-Election Day call correct just 72% of the time.

How does this poll compare to the polling average?

Sometimes, a poll is just garbage. In some rare cases, the pollsters themselves say so and chuck the whole thing. The respected Des Moines Register/ CNN/ Mediacom survey did it in 2020 when folks inside the quant hive there didnt believe what they were seeing in Iowa and decided sharing those findings would be irresponsible.

Outliers are polls that show a divergence from what others surveys are showing. They arent necessarily junk or the product of shoddiness; its just that even a by-the-books pollster can still occasionally produce a hinky poll. Even the best miss the mark.

This is where polling averages like those run by Real Clear Politics can be useful in tracking trends and momentum. But data nerds warn against making too much of them. It would be wrong to try to chart changes between a February CNN poll and a March Fox News poll. They ask the questions differently. Their back-end formula for weighing voting universes is different. Its the kitchen equivalent of tracking the sweetness of sugar and flour just because they come from similar bags.

That said, plenty of us do look at so-called polls of polls. But like all opinion surveys, its helpful to remember that they should never be taken as predictive and that theyre already out-of-date by the time the data are released.

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Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com.
Harris-Walz abortion stance Satanic

The Harris-Walz ticket is the abortion industrys Dream Team and it confirms that the Democratic Partys lifeblood is abortion!

Harris and Walz seem to be very proud supporters of abortion and they do not hide their evil ambition to make America free to murder unborn babies again.

From free abortion drugs aboard the Planned Parenthood bus, to a draft party platform that uses the word abortion thirteen times, todays Democrats under the Harris-Walz ticket are officially the Shout Your Abortion Party, said Marjorie Dannfenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.

Clearly the Democratic Partys platform is supported by Satan.

Child sacrifices to demons has been going in since the days of the Old Testament and the main difference today is that the devils agents have become more deceptive and try to hide the evil by calling it choice and reproductive freedom.

Pride is one of the seven deadly sins and the Democratic Party is so very proud of abortion. There are members of this party who even go so far as to shout their abortions, something that is very pleasing to the devil!

Michael Rachiele, Lenexa

Trump threatens American democracy

There has never been a greater threat to our freedoms and democracy than Donald Trump.

His statement about becoming a dictator on Day 1, if reelected, should be taken seriously.

Trumps threats to seek retribution from his perceived enemies are the words of a wannabe fascist strongman.

Cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin, threatening our NATO alliances and advocating against military aid to Ukraine sends the wrong message to democracy around the world.

However, there is hope.

Kansans have a history of doing the right thing when our freedoms are in jeopardy.

In 1861, Kansas joined the union as a free state, after years of bloodshed with pro-slavery forces.

In 1912, Kansans approved the right for women to vote, eight years before the 19th amendment granting women such rights.

In 2022, Kansans overwhelmingly voted for the right to an abortion, after the Trump packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

These hard won freedoms cannot be taken for granted. On Nov. 5, a coalition of young adults, women, Independents and common-sense Republicans could deliver Kansass six electoral votes to Kamala Harris and help preserve our freedoms and democracy.

Jeff Christian, Wichita

Lefler column wrong on stolen valor

As sure as day follows night, Dion Lefler article in The Eagle (J.D. Vance brings his stolen valor roadshow to Kansas  and how it could backfire, Aug. 19) is just more of his efforts to tell us dummies how we should look at Tim Walzs stolen valor story.

If hes not careful hes going to find himself applying his talents in hard-left-wing newspapers like the Washington Post or the New York Times.

Yep it takes years of hard work to be able to twist the truth until its unrecognizable, and Dion has mastered that.

The really sad side of this story, its just more disinformation thats becoming the Biden Harris message to the people.

Dont believe me, 30 days ago Joe Biden was at the top of his game, a real Einstein.

Until the debate and the lies became public.

And here we go again.

Robert Petersen, Wichita
If youre not a fan of Costcos recent membership card policy that requires customers to scan their cards with an ID check before entering the store as well as checking out, then youre not alone. According to Costco workers on Reddit, this particular membership card-scanning policy is actually resulting in employee abuse from shoppers.

In this Reddit thread, a Costco employee admitted that members are frustrated by Costcos crackdown on membership card sharing, and are bullying employees who are enforcing this policy at Costcos front doors. This employee points out that members are frustrated by this, even though they agreed to the policies when they originally joined as members, and are walking through doors that say Members Only when they head to Costco.

The original poster, u/gasbottleignition on the Costco Reddit thread listed off examples of abuse that employees are facing: Calling them slurs. Getting in their faces. Swearing at them. Threatening them. Assaulting them. Spitting on them. Complaining to them. The employee then goes on to point out that the smiling face at the door is a low-level employee trying to do their job. They dont make policies. They have NO influence.

The user writes, Ive seen coworkers reduced to tears, crying because a member decided that it was OK to take out their frustration (bully) on a woman standing at a scanner. Were just doing our jobs, people. Stop being like this.

While scanning membership cards is a new policy being introduced to Costco warehouses, the crackdown on membership sharing isnt new. Costco announced last year it would be checking membership cards at checkouts (including self-checkout lanes) with a valid photo ID to ensure members arent taking advantage of these policies. This does include digital cards that are on phones, in case a member is using the app.

Because store employees are already asking for membership cards at checkout, employees on Reddit note that asking for it at the entrance shouldnt be a problem. Nevertheless, even if these changes have been ongoing for a while, customers are still complaining to store employees about these policies and even getting verbally violent.

Harassing an employee for enforcing a policy seems like a fast way to getting your membership revoked, surmises one Costco customer. I will never in my life understand the need to be rude and mean to someone doing their job, another writes.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlottle-Mecklenburg police officer was indicted Tuesday on extortion and disclosure of private images while facing new charges, records said.

Joel Medina, 30, was arrested on August 5 on felony extortion and disclosure of private images charges. Based on the arrest warrant and reports filed, a 22-year-old man claimed that Medina tried to extort $10,000 from him by threatening to send sexually explicit videos and photos of the victim to his friends and family.

PREVIOUS: CMPD officer charged with sextortion, released on written promise

He was supposed to appear in court on August 6 but did not attend. Medina was given a written promise and a new court date was set for August 27.

Additionally, an arrest warrant was issued on August 19 for two counts of injury to personal property.

According to the affidavit, it was reported that Medina was caught on camera slashing two tires on another CMPD officers personal vehicle and slashing one tire on a CMPD patrol car. Medina admitted to damaging the tires on both vehicles and offered to pay for the damages to the officers personal vehicle to avoid the police department getting involved.

A $1,000 unsecured bond was issued.

Medina is due in court on injury to personal property charges on September 24.

CMPD Chief Jennings released a statement following Medinas initial arrest saying:

I am disheartened by the recent arrest of Officer Medina. An officers arrest is not just a personal failure but a breach of public trust. The trust of our community is paramount, and we will not tolerate any conduct that undermines that trust. Im proud of the diligent and thorough work by our detectives who investigated this case. Our badge gives us the authority to enforce the law, not immunity from the law. This arrest is a necessary step to ensure accountability and uphold the integrity of our department.

Medinas next hearing on the sextortion charges is scheduled for 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 Queen City News.
Signatures were solicited outside the Fargodome on June 7, 2024, for a petition to put legalized marijuana to a statewide vote. (Jeff Beach | North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakota voters will decide the fate of recreational marijuana for the third time since 2018 after the Secretary of States Office approved the measure for the November ballot.

The office announced Monday it has verified nearly 19,000 of the more than 22,000 signatures submitted to the office. A total of 15,582 signatures were needed to qualify for the ballot.

Its just an exciting day for North Dakota  economically, from a law enforcement perspective and a judicial perspective, said Steve Bakken, chairman of the measures sponsoring committee.

Of the more than 3,000 signatures rejected by the office, more than 1,300 were rejected for inadequate signatures; more than 900 had an address omission; about 120 contained no date; and about 100 contained an out-of-state address.

A big part of this is the educational piece, Bakken said. Getting the public, and elected officials and everyone educated on the real measure and what the real ramifications are, thats where the lift starts.



Bakken said this recreational marijuana measure is more conservative than in years past and encouraged voters to read the text.

It fits into the fabric of North Dakota, and its not coming from out of state, its not going to be the wild, wild west, he said. The plants you can grow, its conservative. You cant fill your backyard up with plants.

He added he believes possession limits will let law enforcement know who is growing for personal consumption and who may be trying to skirt the law into illegal marijuana dealing.

If passed by voters, North Dakotans 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower, up to 4 grams of THC concentrate, up to 1,500 milligrams of various cannabis products and up to 300 milligrams of THC edible products, according to the ballot measure.

The North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association and the Chiefs of Police Association of North Dakota have opposed legalizing recreational marijuana in the past. The groups have yet to take a position on this measure. Some, including Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben, have expressed opposition.

Legalized marijuana increases crime, increases DUIs and increases illegal drug trafficking of harder drugs, Leben said.

Adults also would be able to grow up to three marijuana plants in a private residence, or on private property, generally not accessible to the public, with the blessing of the property owner.

The initiative prohibits cannabis use in all public places, indoor and outdoors. It also prohibits cannabis use while driving and while using public transit.

The measure provides rights to people who may have faced punishment for cannabis use in the past in certain situations while protecting employers who may continue to enforce zero-tolerance policies at their businesses.

This does not constrain the constrained workforce any further that we have in North Dakota, Bakken said. Thats kind of a misconception and thats what we need to work on. Thats the educational piece  this isnt Reefer Madness from the 1960s.

Pat Finken, chair of the Brighter Future Alliance, said the organization opposed both previous ballot initiated attempts for recreational marijuana in North Dakota.

The people of North Dakota soundly rejected the idea of recreational marijuana in 2018 and 2022, but here they are again, Finken said in a Brighter Future Alliance news release.

Dr. Joan Connell, a Bismarck-based pediatrician, also opposed the measure in a statement released by the Brighter Future Alliance, citing research about chronic marijuana use.

I am not in favor of legalizing yet another substance that sabotages the brains normal development, Connell said. I am disappointed that some people would prioritize business and profits over what is best for North Dakotans.

The ballot language

The recreational marijuana ballot initiative will be Measure 5 on the general election ballot. The statutory title will be: The initiated measure would create a new chapter of the North Dakota Century Code. It would allow for the production, processing, and sale of cannabis and the possession and use of various forms of cannabis by individuals who are 21 years of age and older; direct a state entity to regulate and register adult use cannabis production businesses, dispensaries, and their agents; provide protections for individuals who are 21 years of age or older who use cannabis; provide penalties for violations of the chapter; preserve certain employer rights regarding use of cannabis products by employees; supersede local ordinances that otherwise would prohibit the purchase, sale, use, delivery, or growing of cannabis by or to individuals 21 years of age or older; and provide that fees must be appropriated for administration of this chapter.

This story was originally published 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.
marijuana

Photo by Carol Yepes | Getty Images

In July, Arizonas reeling medical marijuana market dropped below 100,000 qualifying patients, bringing into stark relief the steady decline of the medical program as the adult-use, recreational market continues to dominate.

Arizona also cemented its place in the hierarchy of states with legalized cannabis, coming in eighth in sales for the first six months of 2024, though it hit a two-year low in June.

According to reports by the Arizona Department of Health Services, the total number of registered cannabis patients in the state dropped from 100,753 in May to 97,610 in June and further to 94,754 in July.

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When recreational sales began in January 2021, there were nearly 300,000 qualifying patients in Arizonas original cannabis market that began in 2012 after the passage of Proposition 203 in 2010.

A commensurate drop in sales has followed, with the Arizona Department of Revenue reporting that medical sales dropped below $20 million for the month of June  to $18.2 million  after reaching only $20.7 million in May.

The best month for medical sales took place in April 2021, with revenues of $73.4 million, but the market has been on a downward trajectory in the ensuing three-plus years.

In June, Arizona medical cannabis consumers purchased 4,390 pounds of marijuana in various forms, down from 4,764 reported in May; purchases dipped further in July to just 4,285 pounds. Year-to-date total sales in pounds so far is 32,972 pounds.

The recreational market dropped about $12 million in sales from $85.8 million in May to $73.8 million in June, the lowest total since February 2022, when sales were right around $73 million. June was also the first month recreational marijuana dropped below the $80 million threshold since June 2022, when it hit $77.9 million.

The best month for adult-use sales was March 2023, when ADOR reported a total of $103.5 million.

Combined annual sales for the Arizona cannabis market have been about $1.4 billion three years in a row, and the trend will likely continue with the adult-use market taking the lions share of the profits.

According to information compiled by Green Market Report, Arizonas adult-use sales were eighth in the country behind Washington, Colorado, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan and California.

Total recreational sales for the first half of 2024 were $586 million, with California leading the way with $2.08 billion and Michigan coming in second with $1.6 billion.

Cannabis data firm Headset reports that the combined Arizona market has declined about 14.5% over the past two years, similar to that of Colorado, which saw sales of slightly less than $100 million in July, a decrease of about 17.6% over the previous year.

Story continues

Under the terms of Proposition 207, which voters approved in 2000, the state collects a 16% excise tax on recreational sales in addition to the standard sales tax; medical patients pay roughly 6% in state sales tax. Local jurisdictions charge an additional 2% or so for all marijuana sales.

The recreational market generated about $13.7 million in tax revenues for May and dropped to $11.8 million in June, with totals for both programs combining for $22.2 million and $19.25 million respectively.

One-third of revenue raised by the excise tax is dedicated to community college and provisional community college districts; 31% to public safety, including police, fire departments, fire districts and first responders; 25% to the Arizona Highway User Revenue Fund; and 10% to the justice reinvestment fund, which is dedicated to providing public health services, counseling, job training and other social services for communities that have been adversely affected and disproportionately impacted by marijuana arrests and criminalization.

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California is home to millions of businesses, operating in industries ranging from high tech and health care to restaurants and insurance.

Which are the best ones to work for?

Forbes recently ranked the best employers in the United States, according to the people who work there.

The publication partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 160,000 employees working for companies with at least 500 people within the United States.

A total of 1,294 organizations landed on Forbes list of Americas Best-In-State Employers for 2024.

So, who were the best employers in California?

Why is Progressive the best employer in California?

Progressive Corp ranked No. 1 on Forbes list of the best employers in California.

Founded in 1937, the insurance holding company led by CEO Susan Patricia Griffith is based in Mayfield Village, Ohio, and has 61,400 employees.

Progressive made $65 billion in annual revenue, with $5.8 billion in profits.

As of Monday afternoon, it had a share price of $243.59.

Were dedicated to a diverse, inclusive environment and continually recognize employees for their hard work and commitment, Progressive said on its website. Our people and our culture are why Progressive is successful, and continually recognized as a great place to work.

Forbes named Progressive No. 2 on its 2024 list of Americas Best Employers for Women.

In-N-out Burger came in second on the list. The company, which was founded in 1948, is headquartered in Irvine and has a total of 27,000 employees.

In third place was Google, based in Mountain View. The tech company has 190,711 employees.

What are the top 10 companies to work for?

These are the top 10 companies to work for in California, according to Forbes:

Progressive In-N-Out Burger Google NVIDIA Microsoft Ford Motor Apple Caltech Sony Nike

Which industries rank the highest among California workers?

Tech companies dominated Forbes list of the best employers in California, with four companies in the informational technology software services industry landing in the top 20.

Ranking below Google and Microsoft were LinkedIn, at No. 11, and IBM at No. 16.

In addition, three companies in the top 20 specialize in semiconductors, electronics and electrical engineering. Apple, NVIDIA and Sony.

Three industries  education, restaurants and drugs and biotechnology  each had two companies that were included in the top 20 list.

Caltech was No. 8 and Stanford University landed at No. 15.

Fast food chains In-N-Out Burger and Chick-Fil-A landed at No. 2 and No. 14, respectively.

Meanwhile, drug company Pfizer was No. 13 and another pharmaceutical company, Johnson & Johnson, was No. 18

Story continues

Other industries represented in the top 20 include automotive, clothing, health care and aerospace and defense.

How did Forbes come up with its rankings?

Forbes worked with Statista to survey more than 160,000 employees in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Survey participants were asked how likely they were to recommend their employer on a scale of zero to 10, Forbes said.

They were also asked to evaluate employers theyd worked for within the past two years, and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who worked there, the publication said.

Researchers then tallied and incorporated those responses into a scoring system, along with survey data from the past three years

Companies that received the highest scores in each state made our list, Forbes said.

Have a question about life in California?

How to California  a guide to help you live, work and enjoy life in the Golden State, is here to help.

Well answer your questions  big and small  about state laws, history, culture, recreation and travel.

Ask your questions in the form below (cant see it? Click here) or email howtocalifornia@mcclatchy.com.
A coalition of Republican-led states is asking the Supreme Court to halt the Biden administrations effort to cut methane from oil and gas production.

The 23 state attorneys general and Arizonas GOP-led Legislature are asking the Supreme Court to block the implementation of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that requires oil and gas wells to control leaks of planet-warming methane.

Their appeal comes after a lower court declined to do so. It marks the latest in a string of efforts from Republican-led states to block pollution and climate rules through the high court.

The states argued the EPA overstepped its authority in the rule. They argued that although the federal government is allowed to set emissions limits, the rule is too prescriptive to the states in how to achieve methane emissions cuts.

The EPA declined to comment. When it announced the rule late last year, it said it expected it to have significant climate benefits and also said it would reduce releases of toxic substances.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that can be 30 times as powerful at warming the planet as carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. It is the main component of natural gas and is released during its production.

The states suing over the rule are Oklahoma, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming, as well as the Arizona Legislature.

Zach Schonfeld 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A registered sex offender is back behind bars after breaking into a 70-year-old womans apartment on Monday morning.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), 31-year-old Jerru Wells broke into the elderly womans South Nashville apartment Monday morning.

Jerru Wells (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

She awoke to find him by her bedside, pulling at her nightgown, a press release reads, in part. She began talking to him, distracted him, and eventually convinced him to leave.

MNPDs Special Victims Division investigated the incident, which led to the identification of Wells. He was arrested on Monday afternoon and faces attempted rape and aggravated burglary charges. Additionally, Wells received two sex offender registry violations.

Man found walking nude in Hermitage accused of officer assault

Wells was convicted of sexual battery in Hamblen County in 2015 and was registered as a sex offender in Nashville in 2018. According to the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, Wells has also been found guilty of charges including assault, criminal trespass and restraining order violations.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Rep. August Pfluger is encouraging high school juniors and seniors to apply for the re-launch of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council in the 11th Congressional District of Texas.

The deadline to apply for the esteemed program that offers the opportunity for young leaders to collaborate with peers, engage with government and serve their communities.

I am thrilled to invite motivated high school students to be part of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council, said Congressman August Pfluger. Our mission is to empower students to speak out and effect positive change in their communities and government. This program aims to foster dialogue, encourage civic engagement, and empower our youth to make a meaningful impact in our communities.

According to a press release from Rep. Pfluger, the CYAC is designed to provide a platform to voice the next generation of leaders perspectives on critical issues.

Those who participate interact directly with Rep. Pfluger, senior staff members and special guests in up to four virtual meetings. They will also gain admittance to the Pfluger Youth Leadership Conference in Spring 2025. The CYAC program will provide all materials at no cost to the participants. There will also be a possibility of academic or community service credit.

To apply to be a part of CYAC, visit Rep. Pflugers website. For more information contact Corbette Padilla at the Midland district office at (432) 687-2390.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Ottawa County will have to pay over $188,000 in legal fees to Health Officer Adeline Hambleys attorneys, court documents show.

On Monday, Muskegon County 14th Circuit Court Judge Jenny McNeill ruled that the county must pay a total of $188,179.24 in attorney fees and costs to Hambleys lawyer, Sarah Riley Howard. The figure is the exact amount Howard requested in a March filing, the Holland Sentinel reports. Of that, $166,209.24 covers Howards handling of Hambleys suit against the county and $21,970 was for representing Hambley during a termination hearing, the judges written ruling, which was provided to News 8 by Howard, said.

In February, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided to dismiss all incompetence, neglect and misconduct charges against Hambley, who in turn agreed to drop her lawsuit against the board.

Everything you need to know about the Ottawa County commission primaries

The two parties agreed to settle to avoid monetary costs from continuing court battles. While the county said it would not have to make a settlement payment to Hambley, the Muskegon court was tapped to decide how much the county owed in attorney fees.

Judge McNeill wrote in her order that the attorney fees were appropriate under the Whistleblower statute and based on the defendants conduct in the proceedings, according to the Sentinel.

Mondays ruling on attorney fees officially closes Hambleys lawsuit against the board, which was filed in February 2023, after commissioners backed by the conservative political action committee Ottawa Impact tried to oust her in their first meeting in January 2023.

Non-Ottawa Impact commissioners: Primaries show what people want

The attempted ousting of Hambley kicked off a yearlong legal battle as she looked to keep her job. During the budget process later that year, Hambley said a spending plan proposed by the board would have forced the health department to close within weeks. Board Chair Joe Moss and other Ottawa Impact-affiliated commissioners claimed the proposal was never finalized and accused Hambley of creating public hysteria with her statements before the budget process was over. Hambley later faced a dayslong termination hearing that didnt result in her firing. Hambleys attorney later said both sides agreed upon a $4 million settlement, but county attorneys and Moss denied that ever happened.

Ultimately, Hambleys agreed to drop her lawsuit in order to keep her job. She still serves in the role.

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Tom Girardi was accused of defrauding his legal clients by stealing their money in order to fund an extravagant lifestyle. And allegedly, some of that money was channeled into his estranged wife, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jaynes pop star career. It is XXpensiv$ive to be her, I guess. Now the jury has handed down its verdict, and Tom is no longer an innocent man.

Tom Girardi found guilty of embezzlement

Photo Credit: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Prosecutors laid out their case, stating that, between 2010 and 2020, Tom stole $20 million dollars and lied to his clients. In their closing arguments, they said that the disgraced attorney ran a massive Ponzi scheme.

Vanity Fair reported that the jury came back after deliberating for less than a full day. Tom was declared guilty of embezzling from his legal clients, to the tune of more than $15 million. Tom tried his best to defend himself, even stating on the stand that his firm, Girardi & Keese, is still open and operating.

I didnt intentionally ever tell somebody the wrong thing, he told the federal jury. In reality, the law firm filed for bankruptcy in 2020. The defense had previously claimed that Tom suffered from dementia, but he was found competent to stand trial.

Victims, who were usually those who suffered a terrible loss or were involved in a tragedy, made Toms actions even worse. He would always butter me up. Call me babe and stuff like that, one victim said on the stand. They were just reopening wounds that we were trying to close, another victim stated.

Tom has faced a multitude of lawsuits during the past few years, relating to missing client settlement funds. Then he was indicted on federal fraud charges in Los Angeles and Chicago. He was also disbarred. Hopefully, all of Toms victims feel a measure of justice today.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is streaming on Peacock (without Tom Girardi.)

TELL US  ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE JURYS VERDICT? HOW WILL ERIKA REACT?

The post Report: Tom Girardi Found Guilty of Embezzling Over $15 Million appeared first on Reality Tea.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The race for Iowas 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives has taken an unexpected turn.

Republican primary candidate Kevin Virgil is now endorsing Democratic candidate Ryan Melton for the seat in Congress. Virgil lost the Republican primary to incumbent Randy Feenstra back in June, receiving 40 percent of the votes against Feenstras 60 percent.

On social media platform X, Virgil said that people should consider voting for a split ticket: former president Donald Trump in the race for the White House, and Melton for Congress. Virgil says he believes Melton will represent the district better than Feenstra.

The problem is that our voter base has become far too tolerant of BAD leaders, all in the sake of party loyalty, he wrote in part.

Absentee ballot requests open for Iowans August 27

Rep. Feenstras campaign released its own statement on the endorsement.

Its no surprise that New York liberal Kevin Virgil has endorsed anti-Trump liberal Ryan Melton, the statement reads. Virgil is an east coast liberal and chose to endorse a dDmocrat that would block the Trump agenda at every opportunity. This November, Iowans will reject the radical Virgil-Melton agenda and elect conservative champion Randy Feenstra.

Melton was the only Democratic candidate who filed, automatically advancing to the general election.

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A Republican running for a south side Assembly seat is facing a criminal charge of making a false statement against his opponent in a Milwaukee Common Council race in April.

The complaint filed Thursday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court accuses Ryan Antczak, 50, of Milwaukee of knowingly making a false statement about the record of Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa in a flyer he continued to distribute ahead of the April 2 election  even after he had acknowledged to the Journal Sentinel that one of the statements was false.

Ryan Antczak, a candidate for Milwaukee Common Council, District 8

Zamarripa defeated Antczak by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio.

Antczak's initial court appearance on the misdemeanor charge is scheduled for Sept. 19. The maximum penalty for the offense is a $1,000 fine and six months behind bars.

On Monday, Antczak declined to comment or share the name of his attorney.

The complaint specifically cites a statement in a flyer Antczak distributed that falsely said Zamarripa "actively fired" former Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales. The city's Fire and Police Commission has the sole authority to do so, and it was the commission's missteps in ousting Morales in 2020 that led the city to pay a $627,000 settlement to the former chief.

In an interview with the Journal Sentinel on March 29, Antczak quickly acknowledged the statement's inaccuracy.

"That is a mistake," Antczak said of his claim. "That is."

However, the complaint says, he continued to distribute the flyer on March 30, based on two witness accounts.

"Continuing to distribute the mailer after that acknowledgement demonstrates that Antczak knew the material was false and was continuing to publish false representations after knowing of their falsehood," the complaint states.

The publication of "demonstrably false" information about Zamarripa "was intended to affect voting at the Spring 2024 election, as it was intended to obtain votes for himself while siphoning votes" from her, the complaint states.

Zamarripa's attorney, Michael Maistelman, had filed a complaint with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office in March accusing Antczak of distributing campaign literature with "patently false" claims.

On Monday, Maistelman in a statement commended Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm "for taking this complaint seriously and pursuing charges against those who attempt to mislead voters."

"No candidate should knowingly spread false information about their opponents to gain an advantage," Maistelman said. "We hope this action sends a clear message that such conduct has no place in our democracy and will be met with accountability."

Antczak is the GOP candidate for the 9th Assembly District, running against Democrat Priscilla A. Prado. The district is considered to be 72.5% Democratic.

The seat is open after former Rep. Marisabel Cabrera won her race for Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge.

The 9th Assembly District stretches from Mitchell Park and West Milwaukee to the north and West Layton Avenue to the south.

Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com. Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Assembly candidate facing criminal charge over April election mailer
Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, confronted by members of the public after a meeting of the committee on studying rejecting federal education funds in Nov. 2023. Several officials in Ragan's district say his stances on education played a factor in his Aug. 1, 2024 loss in the Republican primary.(Photo: John Partipilo)

Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, confronted by members of the public after a meeting of the committee on studying rejecting federal education funds in Nov. 2023. Several officials in Ragan's district say his stances on education played a factor in his Aug. 1, 2024 loss in the Republican primary.(Photo: John Partipilo)

The Tennessee Republican Partys state executive committee did not hear Oak Ridge Rep. John Ragans request to challenge his August primary loss to former Clinton police chief Rick Scarbrough on Monday.

The party was set to meet virtually to hear the challenge, but Ragan opposed a video call and questioned the validity of any decision made during one.

Scott Golden, the head of the Tennessee Republican Party, said the committee will instead meet sometime in September at a special-called meeting to hear Ragans challenge.

Golden added that the meeting is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 7 and may still take place virtually, pending approval from the Tennessee Comptroller and Secretary of State.

Ragan lost his primary race to Scarbrough by 258 votes on Aug. 1 for the district that is slightly northwest of Knoxville in Anderson County. He was one of two incumbent Republicans who lost that night.

Within days of the loss, Ragan said he planned to challenge Scarbroughs victory, claiming Democrats crossed over to vote in the Republican primary to defeat him.

Tennessee law requires primary voters to either be a bona fide party member or declare allegiance to the party. Voting clerks have interpreted this allegiance as simply requesting the partys ballot on election day.

This effectively creates an open primary system in Tennessee, where voters can choose their party on the day of the primary.

Some Republicans have attempted to pass legislation for a closed primary, requiring voters to declare party allegiance ahead of time, but their efforts have failed.

The issue of crossover votes has arisen multiple times over the past five years but has yet to result in a successful challenge. Most recently, in a Madison County mayors race in 2022, backers of a Republican who eventually lost made similar accusations about crossover votes, but no one challenged the ruling with the partys state committee.

In many of Tennessees state and county races, the primary winner is almost guaranteed to win the general election, prompting voters from both parties to cross over and influence the primary outcome.

Ragans defeat surprised him, but no state Republicans have defended or supported his challenge. Anderson County election officials urged the Republican Party not to take up the challenge.

The 14-year lawmaker was known for his abrasive style and for pushing anti-LGBTQ and culture-war bills, often dividing his caucus. At the end of the 2024 legislative session, he attempted to pass a bill banning reparations, but it was blocked by another Republican.
The Republican National Committee is back with another lawsuit alleging city officials, this time in Detroit, did not hire enough Republican election workers to help with the upcoming presidential election.

The lawsuit calls for the city to appoint at least one election inspector from each major political party and "an equal number, as nearly as possible" in each precinct, and to implement a number of procedures for future elections that would identify an equal number of inspectors from both parties. The RNC previously sued Flint for a similar matter, claiming the city violated Michigan election law, but a judge dismissed the case.

"Every single Michigander should have full confidence in the integrity of our elections and the security of their vote, and shady actions like refusing to hire an equal number of Republican poll workers has the opposite effect. This suit will help protect our right to free, fair, and transparent elections," Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra said in a statement.

Michigan Republican Party chair Pete Hoekstra, photographed in April 2024.

According to the lawsuit, 200 Detroit precincts did not have a Republican election inspector.

Messages were left for City Clerk Janice Winfrey and Council President Mary Sheffield, who run the Election Commission, along with Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett.

"The Law Department is not commenting on this pending litigation," according to a statement from the mayor's office.

Michigan election law requires that commissioners "shall appoint at least one election inspector from each major political party and shall appoint an equal number, as nearly as possible, of election inspectors in each election precinct from each major political party."

The lawsuit alleges the city's election commission appointed 2,337 Democrats and 310 Republican inspectors. Of the 675 Republicans nominated, 52 are among the 310 Republican inspectors. The RNC asks that the commission follows its "clear legal duty" to appoint an equal number of workers no later than Oct. 15, ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Detroits failure to hire Republican poll workers is the kind of bad-faith Democrat interference that drives down faith in elections. The RNC is bringing suit to remedy this completely unacceptable breach of public trust and our unprecedented election integrity campaign will continue to fight in Michigan and nationwide to protect the rights of every voter to have fair, accurate, secure and transparent elections," according to a statement from RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump.

Voters have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to register and cast their ballot at the city clerks office. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.

Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: RNC sues Detroit for inadequate number of Republican election workers
Research unveils robots could be the key to combating deadly insects: 'Going to have very positive environmental impacts'

A fully automated machine could make chemical-free mosquito control widely available, reducing the potential spread of deadly diseases.

As reported by Interesting Engineering, researchers developed a robotic device that can accurately identify and sort male and female pupae into separate groups. This process is currently possible, but it takes a considerable amount of time-consuming human labor.

This development, detailed in the journal Science Robotics, is significant because it could allow scientists to release millions of male mosquitoes that cannot successfully breed with the females into the wild, preventing more pupae from forming and overrunning communities.

"The upscale of the use of these techniques is going to have very positive environmental impacts, since mosquito control is currently mainly based on the use of pesticides," Jeremy Bouyer, one of the study's authors, told Interesting Engineering. "Moreover, the targeted mosquito species are invasive species, and their control will reestablish ecosystem integrity."

While mosquitoes are tiny, their ability to harm public health is unmatched in the animal world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flying insects are the deadliest creatures around, spreading diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile.

As global temperatures have risen because of human activities  mainly the burning of dirty fuels  invasive species have become a growing problem. It has left researchers looking for solutions, from new technologies to encouraging the consumption of edible invaders.

As for the mosquitoes, they have begun spreading to new areas that were previously uninhabitable for them.

Vaccines have rolled out for some of these diseases, but it is also important to control mosquito populations. Warmer weather has made it easier for them to reproduce, too.

As Bouyer noted, generally, the way to do that on a large scale involves spraying chemicals that are toxic not only to the mosquitoes but to humans as well.

As the National Wildlife Federation explains, the chemicals can also have the unintended side effect of harming beneficial insects, including butterflies and bees. The decline of these creatures threatens global food security, as 35% of our crops depend on pollinators.

Now, thanks to the automated innovation, researchers believe that they can produce as many as 16 million male mosquitoes every week, with one person able to operate more than one device at a time.

France, Italy, Mexico, and the United States are among the countries that have already purchased the mosquito sorter, according to Bouyer, who added that the quality of the specimens also ultimately results in money saved on operations.

"Our mosquito sorter is currently the fastest system leading to huge savings in terms of human workload," Bouyer told Interesting Engineering. "Moreover, the sorting system is based on the use of glasses which minimizes the friction to which the pupae are subjected, thus producing high-quality sterile males."

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Researchers thrilled after observing footage captured from cameras mounted on sea lions: 'They're giving us a window into their world that we haven't had before'

Stunning camera footage may provide clues about how to further protect the Australian sea lion, a keystone species struggling to survive as human activities have taken their toll.

As detailed by the Guardian, cameras on eight female sea lions from two colonies captured nearly 90 hours of footage that helped scientists map more than 1,900 square miles of their underwater habitats, from seagrass meadows to reefs.

"Information has been so elusive, because they're feeding at the bottom of the sea," Professor Simon Goldsworthy told the Guardian. "Now we get this amazing, exquisite detail. They're giving us a window into their world that we haven't had before."

After sedating and providing anesthesia to the creatures, the team used resin to attach fabric with cameras to the sea lions' fur. The procedure is temporary, with the equipment designed to fall off when the marine mammals molt.

The team selected adult females because they return to land to nurse, making it easy to retrieve the equipment. Using the animals to capture the footage also eliminated the need for research vessels, reducing noise pollution and eliminating the possibility of toxic fumes from dirty fuel.

The project was funded by the government-backed National Environmental Science Program and the Ecological Society of Australia, and the team published its findings in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

Goldsworthy, one of the study's authors, compared the sea lions' ability to navigate the underwater terrain to how humans have intimate knowledge of their roads and communities, with the animals even demonstrating varying preferences for which fish they prefer to hunt.

"They have a mental map of their environment, and they are leading you to places of profound significance for them," he explained to the Guardian.

According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the number of sea lions has declined by more than 60% over the past 40 years. Once hunted for their fur, the creatures are now mainly threatened by gillnets  thin mesh nets used by commercial fisheries to trap sharks. It is not uncommon for the marine mammals to get caught in the gillnets and drown.

Described by the Conservation Council of South Australia as a "keystone species," the sea lions attract tourists to Australia and are crucial for a healthy ecosystem.

"Without them, the whole ecosystem around them is thrown completely out of balance or fails to survive at all," the organization wrote.

Now, the team's footage could be a game changer, according to Goldsworthy.

Even though the sea lions are endangered, there is reason to hope they can rebound with the proper support. Elsewhere, two types of rare birds are breeding in their native Welsh wetlands for the first time in hundreds of years after restoration efforts.

Almost extinct in the early 1990s, Siamese crocodiles are recovering thanks to the work of conservationist organizations, with 60 hatchlings born in the wild this year.

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CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)  PennDOT is moving forward with its State College Area Connector project, but some residents arent happy.

After the August 2024 public meeting, the community got to see the updated plans to connect Rt. 322 to Rt. 45: There are three routes to choose from, and comments that PennDOT receives will help determine which one will be the final alignment.

Rep. Takac hosting two public events in Centre County to close August

However, no matter which route they go with out of north, central or south, someone will be losing land.

I dont care which way it goes, Tusseyville Resident Kelli Simco said.  Youre stealing somebodys land.

Until the final alignment is decided, residents will not know if their property will be affected or not. PennDOT says that they will work to have the final route soon, but that isnt good enough for some residents.

I think there needs to be a pause on this and really think how can we do this to benefit more people instead of hurting the people that live in the area. Owner of Encore Farms Shira Houser said.

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Ultimately, the community of Tusseyville is worried that their way of life will soon be in the rearview mirror.

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JELLICO, Tenn. (WATE)  Residents say an apartment building in Jellico is not a safe place to live.

Dewey Hughes is one of a dozen residents who live at the two-story Greenlee Apartment complex built 25 years ago in Jellico. He said that he likes living there, but hes tired of the conditions.

KCSO searching for missing 12-year-old girl

You cant even walk down steps because the porches are falling through. You are supposed to have two handicapped access for handicapped people and we dont have one. We have just one at that end. The porch Im really scared. Ive been trying for a year and a half to get it fixed because my mother travels down through there to get on that ramp, said Hughes.

Vijaya Morton, a residents grandmother, said This has fallen in. My grandson stepped on it the other day, when he did, this moved, So, it has been, I guess, a year.





















A section of this first-floor porch collapsed. It happened so long ago that most of the caution tapes once strung up are gone. Only one caution tape remains.

They wont fix anything up. This is here. This is dangerous. There are little kids running around all over here, said Morton.

Cost of utilities in Maryville could increase under new proposal

The stairway leading to the second floor seems sturdy enough until you stop and look at steps that have seen better days. Theres old building material strewn about under this porch. The broken steps are potential trip hazards. Residents say they have waited months for repairs to be made.

Kayla Back said maintenance is an issue.

Thats a broken toilet thats been taken out of someones apartment, said Back.

Next to the broken toilet is a lawnmower on the first-floor porch. Theres a second lawnmower and a weed trimmer behind it. Someone also forgot to remove building material left on the porch. A refrigerator was left behind on the porch. There is also rotten debris under the porches that has residents concerned.

We have to pick it up ourselves, that were nasty and disgusting for living like this, said Back.

Kayla Back pointing out stuff left on the porch at Greenlee Apartment complex (WATE)

Lawnmower and toilet on the first-floor porch (WATE)

Lawnmower and weed trimmer on the first-floor porch (WATE)

Building material left on the first-floor porch (WATE)

Fridge left on the first-floor porch (WATE)

Rotten debris under the porches (WATE)

Stuff left on the porch at Greenlee Apartment complex (WATE)

Rotten debris under the porches (WATE)

There is a section where new stairs have been built recently leading to the second floor. Those living at Greenlee said its a tight-knit community, neighbors helping neighbors. Most of them have one thing in common.

I like living here and I dont want to get evicted, or anything like that. If he [landlord] gets mad because Im on camera for this, but something really needs to be done here, said Dewey.

We called the man who receives the rent for Greenlee Apartments, Adnan Dhanani. According to the county records, Dhanani owns Greenlee Apartments. He did not want to speak on camera. We described the loose boards and the collapsed porch and he said people were working on it.

Closures in the Smokies reported due to potential fire danger

Under Tennessees Landlord Tenant Act, the law says rental units must be free from any hazardous conditions that could harm your health or safety. It also says landlords cannot retaliate against tenants for exercising their legal rights as a tenant, such as filing a complaint.

Residents want repairs made before someone gets hurt. They even have volunteered to assist.

We offered our free time to help them fix stuff here. But we still get no reply. Its like, They throw it to the wind and forget about it, said Hughes.

Progress has been slow, according to residents. The city of Jellico has no code inspector to check conditions at the complex. Since Jellico is in Campbell County, we found out the county has no codes department either. The owner did say to us, Were on it. In other words, hes going to make things right.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
With a resounding no, the annexation conversation for Little Gables comes to an end

After a straw poll on last weeks primary ballot resulted in nearly two-thirds of voters rejecting the absorption of nearby Little Gables, Coral Gables is putting an end to the annexation process for the unincorporated Miami-Dade area.

The resolution to officially stop the annexation process, put forth by Coral Gables City Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, passed 4-1 at Tuesdays City Commission meeting. The only vote against the resolution came from Mayor Vince Lago, who has been outspokenly in favor of the annexation in the past.

Proposed Little Gables annexation map.

The annexation of Little Gables, which lies within Southwest Eighth Street to the north, Southwest 16th Terrace to the south, Cortez Street to the west and Southwest 40th Avenue to the east, has been a topic of conversation for over 40 years. In October, Coral Gables obtained signatures in favor of annexation from 21% of Little Gables residents, surpassing the 20% threshold required to legally begin the annexation process. However, the resounding disapproval from the recent city referendum has put the nail in the coffin for the latest attempt.

The will of the voters of Coral Gables who would be footing the bill for the annexation of Little Gables was pretty clear, Fernandez said at the meeting.

Commissioners generally agreed Tuesday that now is not the right time for an annexation, but they left the door open for future possibilities.

Where theres a wedding, both sides have to say I do, Commissioner Kirk Menendez said. Coral Gables residents said Not yet.

Absorbing the neighboring area would have come with a substantial financial loss, with projections showing the annexation would cost the city a net $1.66 million in the first year alone after start-up expenditures and anticipated revenue.

An earlier projection showed it could be years before the city broke even after annexing Little Gables.

There were also concerns from the Miami-Dade and Coral Gables firefighters unions about additional stress on the already limited bandwidth of first responders, since the absorption would place Little Gables under Coral Gables jurisdiction instead of under county agencies. Lago had previously said Coral Gables would dedicate additional personnel to the Little Gables area.

Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago listens to the other commissioners speak about a proposal from Commissioner Ariel Fernandez to officially end the citys annexation efforts for Little Gables at a City Commission meeting at Coral Gables City Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Coral Gables, Florida.

Residents of Little Gables also expressed concern about the increased cost of living that could come with being absorbed into Coral Gables.

Lynne Blustein, who spoke at Tuesdays meeting, has been a resident of Little Gables for 35 years and said she has never wanted her property to become part of Coral Gables.

We bought our homes in unincorporated Dade County because we can afford to live there, she told the Herald. We love it that way, and we cannot afford to live in Coral Gables and do not want to.
A whale of a tale is the latest setback for the beleaguered former presidential candidate.

A whale of a tale is the latest setback for the beleaguered former presidential candidate. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP

His independent White House campaign has fizzled, but the flow of bizarre stories of Robert F Kennedy Jrs unorthodox handling of the carcasses of wild mammals has experienced no similar suspension.

An environmental group is calling for a federal investigation into the former presidential candidate for an episode in which he allegedly severed the head of a washed-up whale with a chainsaw  and drove home with it strapped to his cars roof.

The episode has parallels with another extraordinary tale reported earlier in August in which Kennedy confessed to dumping a dead bear cub in New Yorks Central Park and attempted to make it look like the animal was killed by a bicyclist.

Related: RFK Jrs wildest campaign moments  from brain worms to barbecue dogs

The latest grisly revelation, about the whale head, is not particularly new  it stems from a 2012 interview Kennedys daughter Kick gave to Town & Country magazine, in which she talks about a visit to other family members of the political dynasty in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, more than two decades prior.

But the storys re-emergence, following the bear tale and other off-the-wall declarations  including claims that part of RFK Jrs brain was eaten by worms and that he had an apparent fondness for barbecued dog  has angered activists at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. The group previously denounced Kennedys candidacy and endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris for president.

In a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) this week, Brett Hartl, the organizations government affairs director and chief political strategist, demanded an inquiry.

Mr Kennedys apparent transport of the marine mammal skull from Massachusetts to New York, and therefore across state lines, also represented a felony violation of the Lacey Act, one of the earliest wildlife conservation laws enacted by [the] United States in 1900, he wrote, adding that it was also illegal to possess part of any animal protected by the endangered species act.

Normally, an unverified anecdote would not provide sufficient evidence as the basis for conducting an investigation. The [bear] story made it seem like this was normal behavior for him, so he may also possess additional illegally collected wildlife parts.

The former Kennedy campaigns press office did not respond to a request for comment. And Noaa has yet to publicly acknowledge receipt of Hartls letter.

The somewhat unpleasant recounting by Kick Kennedy  granddaughter of Robert F Kennedy, the assassinated former US attorney general and Kennedy Jrs father  remains the only documented account of the whale incident.

Describing her fathers fascination with animal skulls and skeletons as eccentric environmentalism, she tells how the whale washed up on a beach near Hyannis Port and he sped to the scene.

[He] ran down to the beach with a chainsaw, cut off the whales head and then bungee-corded it to the roof of the family minivan for the five-hour haul back to Mount Kisco, New York, she said.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet. We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day to day stuff for us.

Hartl, on X, called RFK Jr an environmental criminal. In his groups denouncement of his candidacy, it said his conspiracy theories go against the science-based foundation of all environmental protections, and that he was no different from Donald Trump in terms of policy priorities driven by what will benefit Big Oil and the greedy corporations that fund them.

Kennedy announced he was suspending his presidential campaign last Friday and immediately endorsed Trump.
An environmental advocacy group is requesting the federal government investigate whether former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke any laws when he transported a whale carcass across state linesa story his daughter told over a decade ago.

The Center for Biological Diversity Fund, a nonprofit organization which endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations office of law enforcement requesting the federal agency look into whether Kennedy broke any laws.

Under both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to possess any part of an animal, dead or alive, that is protected under either statute, the funds director Brett Hartl wrote in the letter, a copy of which was seen by the Daily Beast. Continued possession of any whale skull represents a significant and ongoing violation of the law.

The bizarre story began circulating again over the weekend after Page Six spotted Kick hanging out with Ben Affleckthe same week his wife Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce.

RFK Jr. Decapitated a Dead Whale and Brought It Home, Daughter Said

The Kennedy scion originally recounted the story in a glossy Town & Country profile from 2012, telling the magazine how her father rushed to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to secure the whale carcass, before hauling it back to his home in Mount Kisco, New York.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet, Kick told the magazine. We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

The Fund cited the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which bans possession or killing of marine mammals like dolphins and whales and prohibits the transport, sell, or offer for sale any such mammal or any marine mammal product made from any such mammal.

The landmark wildlife bill first signed in 1972 does have carve=outs for scientists and researchers, but not for individual collectors. Vital research opportunities are lost when individuals scavenge a wildlife carcass and interfere with the work of scientists, the Fund said in its letter. This is particularly true of marine mammals, which are some of the most difficult wildlife species in the world to study.

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (R) speaks as Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on August 23, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

The group also cited the Lacey Act of 1900, which bans interstate trade of illegally obtained animals or animal products.

Normally, an unverified anecdote would not provide sufficient evidence as the basis for conducting an investigation. However, Mr. Kennedy has admitted that he has recklessly  and with no regard to legal requirements  taken other species of wildlife for his own personal benefit. The group cited Kennedys confession earlier in August of picking up a dead bear cub off the side of the road in Westchester County, only to abandon it in Central Parksparking a minor controversy at the time.

Kennedy, who suspended his independent presidential campaign last week and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump, was once a star environmental lawyer with the National Resources Defense Council and other environmental nonprofits. Representatives for the former independent candidates campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.

The Center for Biological Diversity Fund published a letter in April accusing Kennedy of being a dangerous conspiracy theorist and science denier, which was signed by several other environmental groups. The NRDCs Action Fund published their own open letter in April, calling on him to drop out.

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RFK Jr.s long history of attacking Trump melted away after he endorsed him for president

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his campaign on Friday and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump, has a long history of criticizing the man he now supports, including calling Trump a threat to democracy, and, as recently as July, a terrible president.

For years, Kennedy has repeatedly condemned Trump, referring to him as a bully, who appealed to bigotry, hatred, xenophobia and prejudice. Among the chief attacks Kennedy has leveled at Trump through the 2024 campaign is to accuse him of corruption for turning his administration over to corporate lobbyists and special interests and failing to drain the swamp as hed promised.

But on Friday, Kennedy was full of praise for Trump, saying that while he and the former president dont agree on everything, they do share similar isolationist views on US foreign policy, government censorship, and the need to address chronic disease in America.

Dont you want a president whos gonna protect Americas freedom? And is gonna protect us from totalitarianism? Kennedy said at a Trump campaign event in Glendale, Arizona, as part of his endorsement.

For his part, Trump has a history of disparaging Kennedy, calling him the dumbest member of the Kennedy clan and Democratic plant and radical left liberal, in posts on Truth Social.

But on Friday, Trump had only nice things to say about Kennedy, calling him an incredible champion for so many of these values that we all share. Never one to forget a slight though, Trump did note on Friday that Kennedy also went after me a couple of times, I didnt like it.

On Sunday, Kennedy tweeted that Trumps slogan, Make America Great Again, recalled a nation brimming with vitality, with a can-do spirit, with hope and a belief in itself.

A Kennedy campaign spokesperson did not return CNNs request for comment.

Buffoonery at a high level

Thats in sharp contrast to how Kennedy has talked about Trump in the past, including accusing him of discrediting American democracy and saying that his late father, former US Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, would have disapproved of Trump.

I think he would be disappointed in the direction that this country is going today, Kennedy said in 2018 at an event in Philadelphia, adding, Everybody knows the difference between leadership and bullying.

President Trump has not only brought this country into disrepute around the globe, but he has also brought into disrepute the entire American experience with self-governance, he continued.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign stop in Brooklyn, New York, on May 1, 2024. - Lev Radin/Sipa USA/AP/File

At the same 2018 event, Kennedy suggested Trumps leadership had damaged American attempts to spread democracy worldwide.

If you live in China today, and youre looking at whats happening in the United States, why would you ever say, we wanna switch our system for that system, which can produce that kind of buffoonery at a high level, added Kennedy. I think President Trump is purposefully and systematically encouraging tyrannical governments around the world.

Speaking with Yahoo Finance in January 2020, Kennedy made similar comments.

Well, I think the problem is, number one, hes a bully. And you know, I dont like bullies and I dont think  America  thats part of Americas tradition. I think in many ways hes discredited the American experiment with self-governance, Kennedy added.

In August 2016, during an interview with Larry King, Kennedy expressed deep concerns about Trumps rise to power, calling it scary. Kennedy noted the potential harm of leaders who exploit these darker elements of society.

The easiest thing for a political leader to do is to appeal to our bigotry and our hatred and xenophobia and prejudice, and point to people who are unlike us and say theyre the ones who are damaging our country, he said.

It was appalling

Throughout much of his 2024 presidential run, Kennedy repeatedly attacked Trump.

Speaking with CNNs Erin Burnett in April, Kennedy said Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election were appalling and a threat to democracy  though he argued President Joe Biden was a bigger threat, blaming Biden for what he labeled an effort to censor political speech after his Instagram account was banned in 2021 over vaccine misinformation by Meta.

I think that is a threat to democracy, (Trump) overthrowing  trying to overthrow the election clearly is a threat to democracy, Kennedy said. But the question was, who is a worse threat to democracy? And what I would say is  Im not going to answer that question. But I can argue that President Biden is because the First Amendment, Erin, is the most important.

Im not going to defend President Trump on that, and it was appalling. And theres many things that President Trump has done that are appalling, he added.

He accused Trump of corruption in office in turning over his administration to special interests.

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, President Trump has a weakness for swamp creatures, especially corporate monopolies, their lobbyists, and their money, he tweeted in June. After promising to drain the swamp, instead, he hired swamp creatures to regulate their own industries. Operation Warp Speed and the lockdowns were the most devastating impact of President Trumps weakness, but not the only one.

Trump promised Americans he would drain the swamp when he was president. He didnt do it, Kennedy tweeted in April.

Just a month ago, he attacked Trumps appointment of lobbyists to his administration.

Theres words, and then theres actions and when it comes to Trump, they simply dont match, he wrote in July.

And speaking in an interview on Breaking Points in July, Kennedy harshly attacked Trump for his time in office.

I think Donald Trump was a terrible president, Kennedy said. I think a lot of the rhetoric that he talks about, I agree with, I think we need to wind down  you know, the swamp. But he wasnt doing that. I dont think hes capable of governing of meeting the expectations and fulfilling the promises that he raises with his rhetoric.

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RFK Jr. will no longer be on South Carolinas ballot. Heres why

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will no longer appear on South Carolinas ballot after he suspended his independent presidential campaign last week.

Kennedy announced Friday that he would no longer actively campaign for the White House and threw his support behind former President Donald Trump.

In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control, he said during a press conference in Arizona. So I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours, or ask my donor to keep giving when I cannot honestly, tell them, that I have a real path to the White House.

Kennedy said he planned to stay on the ballot in red and blue states but that he would remove his name from the ballot in key battleground states where he was considered a spoiler.

Election 2024 Latest: Tulsi Gabbard endorses Trump, Harris campaign says its raised $540M

But, the Alliance Party of South Carolina  which chose Kennedy as their nominee in May  decided Monday night to withdraw his nomination, effectively taking his name off the ballot.

While the Party wishes Mr. Kennedy well, the Alliance Party of South Carolina and its candidates are dedicated to providing voters with a choice other than that provided by the Democratic and Republican Political Parties, said Chairwoman Keisha Long.

Long said that while the party is committed to offering voters an alternative to the choices presented by the two legacy parties, they do not plan to nominate or endorse another presidential candidate this election cycle.

Alliance Party voters will still have a handful of candidates representing them on the ballot as the party is fielding two candidates for the U.S. House, two candidates for the state legislature, and one candidate for Marlboro County Sheriff.

As for Kennedy, his chances of getting on the ballot in South Carolina are now slim.

Officials with the South Carolina Election Commission said Kennedy submitted a petition in March, seeking ballot access an as independent candidate through a process that requires a candidate to submit 10,000 signatures from active, registered voters.

However, that process was paused when Kennedy accepted the third-party nomination and the petition deadline has since passed.

Kennedy could technically still seek another partys nomination, but time is running out.

The deadline for political parties to submit certified candidates names to the State Election Commission to be printed on the ballot is Sept. 3.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Reuters) - U.S. planemaker Boeing said on Monday it expects China to need 8,830 new planes through 2043, as the country's aviation industry expands and modernizes to meet growing demand for passenger and cargo air travel.

This compares with its previous 20-year forecast last year when it said Chinese airlines will need to buy 8,560 new commercial planes through 2042.

(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
Will RFK Jr. remain on the Louisiana ballot after suspending presidential campaign?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the Louisiana presidential ballot despite suspending his third party campaign last week to endorse former President Donald Trump.

In announcing his decision to suspend his campaign, Kennedy said he would remove his name where possible from battleground state ballots like Arizona and Pennsylvania so as not to be a potential spoiler, but that he would remain on the ballots in other states.

Louisiana is considered a safe state for Trump, who carried the state easily in 2016 and 2020.

Polls show Trump and Democratic Party nominee Vice President Kamala Harris are in a tight race where even small shifts in support could tip the scales in some battleground states.

Kennedy's support stood at 4% in an Ipsos poll taken this month, and his campaign appeared to be running out of money, according to Federal Election Commission filings published last week. At the end of July, Kennedy's campaign owed close to $3.5 million and had only $3.9 million on hand.

If Kennedy decided to withdraw as a candidate in Louisiana, he would have to file formal notice with Republican Secretary of State Nancy Landry before 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30.

Former President Donald Trump introduces independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 23, 2024, after Kennedy quit his presidential race and endorsed Trump.

Even if Kennedy officially withdrew as a candidate, his name and electors still would appear on the Louisiana ballot because of printing deadlines.

"Mr. Kennedy and his slate of presidential electors are still qualified as candidates in Louisiana unless they file a formal notice of withdrawal prior to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30," the secretary of state's spokesman Joel Watson said in a statement provided to USA Today Network. "His name and the names of his electors, however, will remain on the ballot even if they withdraw because of strict ballot printing deadlines. If a withdrawn candidates name is printed on the ballot, notice is posted at each polling place."

Voters in Louisiana gave Trump landslide support in both of his previous presidential elections with 58% in both races. Trump beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 to win the presidency and lost to President Joe Biden in 2020.

Prominent Louisiana pollster John Couvillon has said Trump could even improve on his next performance in Louisiana in the Nov. 5 election.

Trump also enjoys the support of most of Louisiana's top Republican politicians including new Gov. Jeff Landry, whom Trump also endorsed for governor.

Last week Landry posted a tweet on X after Kennedy's announcement: "Welcome to the winners circle @RobertKennedyJr."

More: In Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry says order aims to prevent noncitizens from voting

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remain on the Louisiana ballot?
RFK Jr says he was asked to be on Trump's transition team

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Trump holds rally in Glendale, Arizona

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who abandoned his campaign last week and endorsed Republican Donald Trump, said on Monday he was asked to be on the former president's transition team if Trump wins the Nov. 5 election.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

In exchange for endorsing Trump, Kennedy, 70, was hoping for a job in a potential Trump administration, a super PAC supporting Kennedy told Reuters on Wednesday.

Strategists have said it was unclear how Kennedy's endorsement would help Trump, who is in a tight contest with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

KEY QUOTES

"We're working on policy issues together," Kennedy, better known by his initials RFK Jr, told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview posted on X on Monday.

"I have been asked to go on to the transition team to help pick the people who will be running the government and I am looking forward to that."

The Trump campaign had no immediate comment.

CONTEXT

An environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist and descendent of a Democratic political dynasty, Kennedy entered the race in 2023 as a challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination and then switched to run as an independent.

But voter interest in Kennedy waned this summer as Trump survived an assassination attempt and Biden passed the campaign torch to Harris. Kennedy courted many controversies and proclaimed he had "many skeletons in my closet."

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken and Cynthia Osterman)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wasnt sure about the idea of meeting with Donald Trump, because he thought it would be a nonstarter with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, he told Tucker Carlson in a new interview. But when he called her to talk about it, his wife told him to listen to Trump, he said  and then the couple had an in-person meeting with the former president and his campaign manager, Susie Wiles.

Among the numerous unusual things about the independent presidential candidate is that relationship with Hines, best known for starring on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Shes even occasionally pushed back against some of her husbands more controversial views in public  including slamming a statement he made comparing Covid safety regulations to living in Nazi Germany  but now seems to be giving her husband support.

I had these meetings with President Trump, and they were partly because of you, Kennedy began the new interview, gesturing toward Carlson. He received a call about meeting with Trump just hours after the former president was shot, Kennedy said.

Kennedy said that he was told, there was interest in the Trump campaign by the president of including me. And then he talked about vice president, which I wasnt interested in. Trump named J.D. Vance his vice presidential running mate just two days later ahead of the Republican National Convention.

When asked if hed be interested in talking with Trump, Kennedy said that he told a campaign representative, I dont think so.

And then, and part of this was, I just thought it was a nonstarter with Cheryl, Kennedy explained. And I called Cheryl up, and she said to me, You should hear them out.'

Carlson interjected, Smart.

Kennedy added that he texted the campaign rep hed been speaking with back, telling her, Im interested.

And then I got a text from you  you and I have each others cell phones  and you had an unknown cell phone number, which you had linked me into, which was President Trumps number. And you said, You know, hes waiting for your call.'

Kennedy said he called Trump that night and they had a great conversation. He went to meet with Trump the next day, the day after he was shot, when they had a two-year meeting with Trump, Cheryl and both campaigns campaign managers.

The recent addition to the Trump team went on to share more details about his conversation and the issues they found common ground on, including working to fight chronic disease among children and stopping censorship.

Their conversation didnt end with a solid conclusion, but they talked about working together, according to Kennedy.

Then we put it on hold. They wanted me to do something at the convention, and I said no  Im not going to do that,' Kennedy said.

Kennedy noted that he still had been hoping at that point that he might be able to get into the debate, though he admitted it was a small one. Kennedy followed up the Trump conversation by reaching out to the Kamala Harris campaign once Joe Biden stepped aside, but Harris declined to meet with him.

You can listen to the full hour-and-a-half discussion between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tucker Carlson in the video above. They cover a plethora of topics, including the idea of Kennedy being the director of the CIA, the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov and more.

The post RFK Jr. Says Wife Cheryl Hines Told Him to Meet With Trump: You Should Hear Them Out | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Kerry Kennedy, perhaps the most outspoken sibling of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will campaign Tuesday in Arizona in support of the Democratic presidential ticket her brother spurned in favor of Republican former President Donald Trump.

The visit serves as a reminder of the disapproval RFK has found from many in his famous family as he has drifted from a Democratic presidential candidate to an independent to a prominent supporter of Trump.

On Friday, Robert Kennedy announced in Phoenix that he was suspending his presidential campaign in swing states and backing Trump. He took the stage with Trump later that day during Trumps packed rally in Glendales Desert Diamond Arena.

Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and one of the 2023 honorees, speaks to the media on the Freedom Award red carpet prior to the award ceremony outside the Halloran Centre in Downtown Memphis, on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

In response, his sister Kerry Kennedy will speak at multiple undisclosed events in Phoenix with organized labor leader Dolores Huerta, who helped mobilize Latinos with Kennedys father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr., leading up to the fateful California primary in his 1968 presidential campaign. Kennedy Sr. was assassinated on June 6, 1968.

Kerry Kennedy has fumed about her brothers newfound closeness to Trump. She put out a written statement with four of her siblings calling his betrayal of their fathers legacy a sad ending to a sad story.

Im outraged and disgusted by my brothers gaudy and obscene embrace of Donald Trump, she said Sunday in an interview with MSNBC. I completely get out and separate and dissociate myself from Robert Kennedy Jr. in this flagrant and inexplicable effort to desecrate and trample and set fire to my fathers memory.

Robert Kennedy explained his decision on Friday as an outgrowth of a Democratic Party that is corrupt and in league with the media to silence critics and support the war in Ukraine to fuel the interests of the military-industrial complex.

The mainstream media was once the guardian of the First Amendment and democratic principles, and it has joined this systemic attack on democracy, he said.

Kerry Kennedys work on behalf of the Democratic ticket isnt new: She campaigned for President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania in April.

In July, Huerta endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris when Biden quit the race and has been active in campaigning in Arizona since then.

Kerry Kennedy and Huerta are expected to speak about Harris economic plans in contrast to Project 2025, the manifesto for a second Trump term drawn up by veterans of the first Trump administration and other conservatives.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s sister, to stump for Kamala Harris in Arizona
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not only endorsed Donald Trump, but he is helping the former presidents transition team select personnel to serve in a second administration, according to comments Kennedy made in an interview Monday with Tucker Carlson.

Im going to work to get him elected, Kennedy told the former Fox News host. Im working with the campaign. Were working on policy issues together. Ive been asked to go onto the transition team and to help pick the people who will be running the government, and Im looking forward to that.

When Bobby Kennedy endorsed Donald Trump last week, he burned his boats. Theres no turning back for him, or for American politics. Heres his first interview since that happened.



(0:42) RFK Jr. Endorsing Donald Trump

(11:26) Censorship and Pavel Durovs Arrest

(34:56) Americas pic.twitter.com/AOQULEvZeX  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 26, 2024

Prior to ending his longshot presidential bid, it had been reported that Kennedy approached the campaigns of both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, floating his endorsement in exchange for a position in their administrations. Harriss campaign did not engage with Kennedysomething that could not be said for him and Trump.

A leaked phone call from last month revealed just how close the two have become recently, with Kennedy agreeing with Trump when he tells him were going to win.

Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, Kennedys campaign director, told The New Yorker that a potential role for her father-in-law as secretary of health and human services is an incredibly interesting one. Kennedy is a strident vaccine skeptic who insists he isnt.

Kennedys decision to support Trumplet alone have a say in staffing for a potential Trump administrationhas been condemned by several of his siblings. Five of them signed a statement over the weekend indicating their opposition to his stance, with Kerry Kennedy telling MSNBC on Sunday that she was outraged and disgusted by my brothers gaudy and obscene embrace of Donald Trump.

Billy Baldwin Bashes RFK Jr.s Political Cowardice for Endorsing Trump

While RFK Jr. is fully on board with Trump, it seems that arrangement is borne more out of his political ambitions than his personal feelings about the former president. The New Yorker reported earlier this month that in a recent text message, he called Trump a sociopath who was barely human.

Kennedys interviewer on Monday also has a history of making private comments about Trump that are at odds with his public statements. Carlson, in text messages after the 2020 election, wrote of Trump, I hate him passionately. During the Jan. 6 insurrection, Carlson described the then-president as a demonic force, and a destroyer.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump at a rally in Arizona on Friday. Trump gave him a dramatic welcome, complete with pyrotechnics and the walk-on song My Hero.

Democrats, who spent more than a year and millions of dollars arguing the presence of the conspiratorial scion of one of the American establishments most prominent families was a direct threat to their electoral hopes, are now insisting the Trump campaigns song wont turn out to be prophetic.

But with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket and Kennedys numbers cratering with Democratic-leaning voters, its not clear their efforts wont end up helping Trump in an election likely to come down to a few thousand votes in just a handful of states.

On Monday, Kennedy told right-wing radio host Glenn Beck that his internal polling showed a large majority of his supporters would vote for Trump if he were not in the race. Kennedy dropped out in order to avoid spoiling Trumps bid against Harris, he told Beck.

The likelihood was that my presence in the race would get Vice President Harris elected, Kennedy said.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. greets Donald Trump in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday. Kennedy said he dropped out of the presidential race to avoid handing the election to Vice President Kamala Harris. Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

There is evidence in public national polling to back up Kennedys claims. If forced to choose between Harris and Trump, 48% of Kennedy voters would back Trump, compared with 23% for Harris and 29% who dont know, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll conducted in late July. The same poll found Harris trailing Trump in a head-to-head contest but tied when Kennedy and three other third-party candidates were figured into the race.

Democratic operatives, however, insisted Kennedys effect would end up being minimal.

Heres what RFK Jr.s endorsement of Donald Trump would change: nothing, the Democratic National Committee wrote in a memo Friday. Once around 15%, RFK Jr.s support has been in free fall  now under 5%  and hes not positioned to deliver any electoral benefit to Trump.

Democrats, of course, did not always treat Kennedy like he was going to have a marginal effect. The DNC set up an opposition research and media unit to combat all third-party candidates but focused a big chunk of its firepower on Kennedy.

That outfit, and other Democratic initiatives, likely played a behind-the-scenes role in the steady stream of embarrassing stories about Kennedy, from the worm he says ate part of his brain to the tale of him leaving a dead bear cub in Manhattans Central Park posed to make it look like a hit-and-run biking accident.

Meanwhile, a separate Democratic super PAC contested Kennedys ballot access in critical states across the country, seizing on Kennedys claims that his main residence is in New York rather than California. (Kennedys running mate, Nicole Shanahan, also lives in California. And thanks to an obscure provision of the U.S. Constitution, having two candidates from California would have made it difficult for them to both run without forfeiting Californias electoral votes.)

That effort to boot Kennedy from the ballot was on track to be especially fruitful in Pennsylvania, the state most likely to provide the 270th electoral vote for either candidate to win the presidency.

Last Tuesday, Kennedy appeared late for a hearing about his ballot eligibility in the Keystone State, eliciting a rebuke from the judge and making his disqualification likely. (On Monday, having suspended his campaign, Kennedy withdrew his application for ballot access.)

Though Trump had denigrated Kennedy as a radical left proponent of ridiculous Open Borders and the Green New Scam, the one-time environmental activists appeal to conservatives has long been apparent. He railed against the deep state and the dangers of the COVID-19 vaccine, opposed additional U.S. aid to Ukraine, and took conservative positions on border security and gun control.

Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist in Wisconsin, argued Kennedys numbers were due to collapse, with or without a nudge from national Democrats, shortly after Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee in late July. Thats because so much of Kennedys appeal was with the voters known as the double haters. Those were the disaffected, often less politically active voters fed up with both Trump and Biden, and desperately seeking an alternative.

Harris replacement of Biden allowed many of Kennedys more liberal supporters  young people, Latinos and Black voters  to return to the Democratic fold, according to Zepecki.

Once that underlying premise wasnt the choice, what the hell exactly was the rationale behind the Kennedy campaign? There was none, Zepecki said. Thats why these numbers were going south.

The numbers were talking about are really, really small compared to the broader electorate, and its very hard to parse them.Matt Bennett, executive vice president, Third Way

Ian Russell, a former political director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, had a similar analysis of the double haters coalition breaking apart.

I just dont think him being on the ballot was going to have much of an effect one way or the other, said Russell, who advises federal candidates in battleground states and districts.

Theres an argument to be made that it would be marginally better to have him on the ticket, he added. But I dont think its as simple as taking the 4% in his camp and moving them to Trumps share of the vote.

But considering that the 2016 and 2020 elections were decided by 80,000 and 44,000 votes, respectively, the Trump campaign is taking any help it can get. In a memo Friday, Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio wrote that the net benefit of Kennedy leaving the race would propel Trump to surpass Bidens 2020 margins in states like Arizona and Georgia.

This is good news for President Trump and his campaign  plain and simple, Fabrizio wrote.

With Kennedy now pulling primarily from anti-establishment conservatives rather than disaffected Democrats, would it have been better for Harris if Democrats had decided not to work quite as hard to destroy him?

I dont think so. Well never really know, said Matt Bennett, executive vice president of the moderate Democratic group Third Way, which previously teamed up with the liberal group MoveOn to combat a potential third-party candidate backed by No Labels. The numbers were talking about are really, really small compared to the broader electorate, and its very hard to parse them.

Vice President Kamala Harris greets President Joe Biden after his Aug. 19 speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Biden's departure as the Democratic presidential nominee dampened Kennedy's appeal. ROBYN BECK/Getty Images

Even public polling showed Kennedys supporters had less-traditional voting patterns and spottier records of participation altogether. More than one-third (34%) of those supporting him in the Times/Siena poll in late July said they had not voted in the 2020 presidential race.

Brody Lineaweaver, a college student in New York City who had been doing student organizing for the campaign since April, told HuffPost he feels betrayed by Kennedys decision. Lineaweaver, a self-described progressive who got involved with Kennedys campaign to challenge the two-party system, estimates that a large majority of Kennedys support came from anti-establishment voters like him and that those voters are more likely to stay home now rather than vote for Trump.

A smaller category of Kennedy loyalists who are more attached to his anti-vaccine message seems to be following Kennedy more into Trump kingdom, Lineaweaver said. For his part, Lineaweaver, who is registered to vote in Colorado, where he grew up and his parents live, plans to write in left-wing author Marianne Williamson or Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

In fact, some Democrats see Kennedy potentially costing Trump votes in the center of the political spectrum with his conspiracy theories, anti-vaccine worldview and history of outlandish and distasteful behavior.

The really important thing here is that Kennedy probably doesnt bring a whole lot of voters with him, but by adding his voice to the Trump campaign  it really hurts Trumps ability to attract those voters who are still in play, he said. Bringing in Bobby Kennedy at this point really cant help with normie voters who are just hoping they can trust Trump not to be crazy.

Other Democrats maintain that their strategy for attacking Kennedy could never be based on where he stood in the polls, given how much that changed day to day.

We always thought that polling would fluctuate throughout, and our two goals were to educate voters and make sure that he was playing by the rules, said Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committees anti-third party initiative. We always knew this would be a close race, and we could not leave him unchecked.

Kennedys endorsement of Trump speaks to both Kennedys and Trumps weakness as candidates, according to Corridoni.

This is not a decision that either campaign is making from a place of strength, Corridoni said. Kennedy waited until when he was at his absolute lowest and did really not have folks to bring with him, and Trump is so desperate right now for any type of bump that hes willing to take on everything that comes with RFK Jr.

Related...
An environmental group is calling for a federal investigation into the alleged 1994 incident in which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cut off a dead whales head and took it home on the roof of his car, family in tow.

The Washington D.C.-based Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund believes that RFK Jr. committed a felony when he took a chainsaw to a dead whale on the beach of Squaw Island in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and transported the skull across state lines.

The centers national political director, Brett Hartl, said that based on the Lacey Act of 1900, it is illegal to posses any part of an animal protected by the Marine Mammal Protection and Endangered Species acts. He urged the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to investigate the incident in a letter Monday.

There are good reasons why it is illegal for any person to collect or keep parts of any endangered species, Hartl wrote. Most importantly, vital research opportunities are lost when individuals scavenge a wildlife carcass and interfere with the work of scientists. This is particularly true of marine mammals, which are some of the most difficult wildlife species in the world to study. Indeed, some beaked whales are so difficult to observe that the only way scientists have learned about them is when dead ones wash ashore.

The action group, which recently endorsed Kamala Harris for president, denounced Kennedy earlier this year for identifying as an environmentalist while denying climate change.

The story about the former presidential candidate, who is the son of slain Civil Rights icon Robert F. Kennedy, resurfaced from a 2012 Town & Country interview with his daughter Kathleen Kick Cavendish.

She said that her father loves studying animal skulls and skeletons, so he strapped the dead whales head to the car and spent five hours driving it home, which she described as just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet, she told the magazine. We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

The whale scavenging story came after RFK Jr. admitted to dumping a dead bear in New York Citys Central Park. He had hoped to the take the roadkill home to eat, but left it too long in the trunk of his car, he explained.

Last week, the independent candidate dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Donald Trump.

Reps for Kennedy did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment.

Axios first reported this story.

The post RFK Jr. and the Whale: Environmental Group Calls for Federal Investigation Into 1994 Chainsaw Incident appeared first on TheWrap.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine advocate, visited Portland, Maine in November and spoke to a crowd of more than 500 people. (Photo by AnnMarie Hilton/ Maine Morning Star)

After suspending his presidential bid last week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially withdrew from Maines ballot on Tuesday, the Maine Secretary of States Office confirmed.

On Friday, the independent presidential candidate announced he was ending his presidential bid and threw his support behind former Republican President Donald Trump, the Republican Party nominee.

At the time, Kennedy said he cannot, in good conscience, ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours, or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them that I have a real path to the White House.

However, Kennedy said that he was not terminating his campaign and planned to remain on the ballot in most states.

While Kennedy said he planned to remove his name from about 10 battleground states, he did not say which ones. Aside from Maine, Kennedy has also withdrawn from Arizona, South Carolina and Texas. Kennedy might not be able to withdraw from some key swing states, such as Nevada and Wisconsin, given variations with deadlines with regard to ballot access.

Kennedy qualified for Maines ballot earlier this month. He subsequently faced a challenge to his campaign petition from one citizen, James Stretch of Topsham, however Stretch withdrew his challenge only days later without explanation.

Mainers will use ranked-choice voting to designate their preference for president, as well as other races. Trump will appear along with Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris, Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver, Green Party nominee Jill Stein, and independent presidential candidate Cornel West, whose campaign recently overcame a challenge to the validity of its petition signatures.

More information about the candidates and questions that will appear on the November ballot can be found at Maine Morning Stars 2024 Voter Guide.

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CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI)  Police have arrested two men in connection with an armed home invasion and car theft in Cranston over the weekend.

Police said Johnathan Costa, 19, of Cranston, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in Florida after the stolen sports car was clocked by an automated license plate reader.

His suspected accomplice, 18-year-old Logan Slezak, was arrested in Rhode Island after investigators realized he wasnt in the car with Costa.

The investigation began early Saturday morning, when officers were called to a home on Crest Drive. The residents told police that two masked men armed with handguns had barged into their home and demanded the keys to their two cars  a Ferrari 488 Spider convertible and a Chevrolet Corvette.

Johnathan Costa (Courtesy: Flagler County Sheriffs Office)

Logan Slezak (Courtesy: Flagler County Sheriffs Office)

The two suspects hopped into the Ferrari and took off after the owner handed them the keys. Neither of them touched the Corvette, which was found undisturbed where the owner had originally parked it, police added.

It was clear from the onset that this was not a random act, as the suspects targeted the victims and specific vehicles, investigators noted.

The stolen Ferrari was spotted by an automatic license plate reader in Cranston the next day, according to police. It wasnt seen again until Monday evening, when a Rhode Island State Police trooper attempted to pull it over.

The driver refused to stop and instead led officers on a high-speed chase through Rhode Island and into Connecticut. Police said the troopers called off the pursuit after losing sight of the vehicle.

New York State Police also attempted to stop the car later that night, but were unsuccessful.

The Flagler County Sheriffs Office tried to pull over the stolen Ferrari on Tuesday, but the driver once again sped off. The car was later tracked to the Palm Coast home where it was found hidden under a tarp.

Costa and Slezak have each been charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and conspiracy. Police said Costa will likely face additional charges related to the pursuits he was involved in.

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Boeing planes

Airfares are predicted to fall in a boost for millions of holidaymakers as a jump in production at Airbus and Boeing drives up the number of passenger jets.

Airlines drawing up timetables for 2025 are becoming less concerned about a shortage of seats as the two plane makers work to lift deliveries, according to Dublin-based Avia Solutions, the worlds biggest provider of rental airliners.

Bookings for Avias jets from next March are running at more normal levels, indicating that carriers expect the mismatch between supply and demand to diminish, the companys chairman Gediminas Ziemelis said.

Mr Ziemelis added that a string of hotels built during the Covid crisis will also open next year, further increasing competition in the travel industry and bringing down prices.

He said: Prices this year have been at an all-time high in some markets. But everything were seeing suggests that is going to ease and that fares will be slightly lower next summer.

Bookings should actually be higher and will be above pre-Covid levels. But the plane makers are getting closer to resolving their issues and that is what should make the difference.

Boeing has been in the grips of a safety and quality-control crisis since a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max plane in January, forcing the company to slash production.

However, 737 build rates that currently sit at around 25 a month should reach the maximum permitted (38) by the end of the year, Boeing has said, while new chief executive Kelly Ortberg may be able to persuade the Federal Aviation Administration to raise the cap further.

Airbus has meanwhile failed to accelerate production to planned levels as suppliers struggle to keep pace, while its airline customers have suffered from hundreds of its A320 planes being grounded as supplier Pratt & Whitney (P&W) fixes engine glitches.

The company nonetheless expects to ship around 770 jets this year, its third-highest annual tally, while RTX, P&Ws parent company, has said engine-related groundings should be past their peak.

Passenger fares have already begun to plateau at low-cost giant Ryanair, which had predicted that the capacity shortage would send prices even higher after steep rises in 2023, but has instead been forced into last-minute sales to fill empty seats.

Mr Ziemelis said rival discounters Jet2, to which Avia supplies planes, and easyJet are more representative of the pricing trend.

EasyJet said in July it saw no sign of weakened demand and that fares were holding up, while Jet2 reported a modest increase in prices. Both airlines have in-house package holiday arms, unlike Ryanair, where a lack of rooms may be having an impact, Mr Ziemelis said.

Story continues

Click here to view this content.

About 2,500 hotels are due to open worldwide this year, however, adding almost 300,000 rooms, followed by 2,800 in 2025 with 430,000 rooms, according to Lodging Econometrics.

Avia is expanding its fleet by about 10pc to 240 planes. Most of those will be spoken for by the end of next month as European airlines complete their plans for next summer.

The companys ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) leases may be slightly less costly compared with the very expensive levels seen this year, he said. Turkish Airlines was Avias biggest single customer this summer, leasing more than 30 jets.

Mr Ziemelis said his chief strategic focus is on finding homes for Avias aircraft during the winter low season, when carriers no longer need extra capacity.

Efforts are continuing to fulfil administrative requirements to place planes in Australia, Brazil, Malaysia and Thailand, when demand is greatest during the northern winter, with Qantas, Virgin Australia and Azul among prospective clients.

Avias customers include British Airways, Lufthansa, Wizz and TUI.

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Rice University student killed in apparent murder-suicide, police say, prompting campus-wide lockdown on first day of class

A student at Rice University in Houston was found dead in her dorm room Monday in an apparent murder-suicide, sending the campus into a nearly two-hour lockdown as students concluded their first day of classes, according to police and university officials.

The body of the junior student, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, was discovered by university police after a concerned family member asked for a wellness check and officers saw she had missed class Monday, Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said.

Avilas suspected shooter, an unidentified male who doesnt appear to be affiliated with the university, was also found dead in the room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Based on a note from the suspect found at the scene, investigators believe the man shot Avila before shooting himself, the police chief said. The note also indicated the pair had been in a troubled romantic relationship.

This is a speech that no president ever wants to make, Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said while announcing Avilas death. Tonight, I want all of our students, our parents and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe and there is no immediate threat, and tonight we will wrap our arms around our students, he added.

The shooter likely accompanied Avila into her residential hall, Jones College, Rodriguez said. Earlier Monday, a university spokesperson said there were no signs of forced entry.

The discovery of the bodies triggered a campus-wide lockdown beginning around 5:40 p.m. CT, and the cancellation of all remaining classes and activities Monday, according to the university.

The university announced at 7:18 p.m. that the lockdown had been lifted.

The Rice University Police Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Houston police said.

Jones College, where Avila lived, is one of 11 residential colleges that house Rices undergraduate students. Each year, new students are randomly sorted into a residential college, where they will stay for the rest of their undergraduate career.

Avilas parents are communicating with the university and will fly to Houston on Tuesday, DesRoches said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

Content warning: This story contains mention of gun violence and alleged domestic violence.

According to reports from the Houston Chronicle, a Rice University student was killed on the first day of the fall semester. Police are now investigating her death as a murder-suicide in her dorm room.

The Rice University junior, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, was found dead in her Jones College dorm room after a welfare check by the university police department on August 26, school officials said in a press conference. A man who was not believed to be a Rice student was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Rice students and staff were given a shelter-in-place order on Monday, and all classes and activities remained canceled after the order was lifted that evening. Classes were also canceled on Tuesday.

"It is with deep sadness and shock that I write to you on what should have been a day filled with promise and new beginnings. Instead, we find ourselves mourning the loss of one of our own in a tragic event that has shaken our campus to its core," university President Reginald DesRoches wrote in a message sent to the Rice community on Monday. "This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead."

DesRoches urged students to seek support from the Rice community, adding, "We encourage you to come together as a community, spend time with each other to mourn and use the campus resources available for counseling.

According to reports from ABC13 Houston after Mondays news conference, Rodriguez Avila was found alongside an unidentified man police believe she was dating, who investigators think died by suicide after shooting her. The head of the university police said officers found a note believed to be left behind by the shooter.

"In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship, and obviously they were having a troubled relationship at this time," Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said, according to ABC News reports from the news conference.

According to a report cited by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, nearly half (43%) of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors from partners, and nearly a third (29%) of women in college say theyve been in an abusive dating relationship. Over half (52%) of college women say they know a friend who has experienced violent and abusive dating behaviors which extends to physical, sexual, online, or other forms of controlling abuse. Everytown, a gun violence prevention organization, reports that more than 4.5 million women have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner, and access to a gun makes it five times more likely that a woman will die because of a domestic abuser.

This is a developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. If youre unable to speak safely via phone, you can chat online at thehotline.org.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
Rice University was on lockdown for nearly two hours on the first day of classes Monday after a student was found dead in her dorm room, likely the victim of a murder-suicide. Classes were canceled for Tuesday.

University officers discovered the deceased student, identified as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, next to a deceased man in her dorm room around 4 p.m. during a welfare check, according to Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez.

A concerned family member had contacted the university police, who responded after learning that Avila had not attended classes that day.

Avila, a junior from Maryland, had reportedly been fatally shot, and the unidentified man nearby had a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators believe the man shot Avila before turning the gun on himself, according to Rodriguez. The police said the man does not appear to have any affiliation with the university.

Investigators also found a note indicating Avila and the man had been involved in a romantic relationship that had become troubled, CNN reports. Rodriguez says the suspected shooter appears to have entered the residence hall, Jones College, with Avila. University police found no signs of forced entry.

University and Houston police are working together to investigate the deaths.

People are also reading: When do Texas college students return to campus? Move-in, start dates for 12 universities

More: Rep. Jared Patterson: Schools should open after Labor Day to avoid 'wasteful stress' on grid

Homicide prompts lockdown at Rice University

After discovering the suspected murder-suicide, university officials initiated a campus-wide lockdown around 5:40 p.m. and canceled remaining classes and activities Monday. The shelter-in-place order was lifted at 7:18 p.m.

RICE ALERT: The shelter-in-place has been lifted. All classes and activities remain canceled for August 26, 2024. https://t.co/7bOGTO8ZKq pic.twitter.com/OQFTqDKmEC  Rice University (@RiceUniversity) August 27, 2024

University president: 'Tonight we wrap our arms around our students'

Rice University President Reginald DesRoches announced Avila's death Monday night.

"This is a speech that no president ever wants to make," DesRoches said. "Tonight, I want all of our students, our parents and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe and there is no immediate threat, and tonight we will wrap our arms around our students."

"It is with deep sadness and shock that I write to you on what should have been a day filled with promise and new beginnings," DesRoches wrote on his website. "Instead, we find ourselves mourning the loss of one of our own in a tragic event that has shaken our campus to its core."

Rice later canceled all Tuesday classes. DesRoches encouraged students to come together in mourning. The university has also opened a call center to support the Rice community.

Those who find themselves or a loved one in a domestic violence situation can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. Those local to Houston also can reach out to the Houston Area Women's Center at 713-528-2121.

Help is also available for those struggling with thoughts of suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 offers free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The lifeline can be reached by call, text message or chat.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rice University student found dead in dorm in suspected murder-suicide
HOUSTON  Two people are dead in an apparent murder-suicide at Rice University in Houston.

University police say a female student was found shot dead Monday in her dorm room and a man, who was not a student was also found dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

University Police identified the student as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior at the university.

"This is a speech that no president ever wants to make," said University President Reginald DesRoches "As president of Rice University I'm heartbroken to share the loss of one of our students, Andrea Rodriguez Avila. Rice University Police responded to a welfare check this afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. and found Andrea deceased in her room along with an unidentified male with a self-inflicted gunshot wound who was not a member of the Rice community."

Clemente Rodriguez, the Rice University Police Chief, said a family member had not heard from Avila and asked the police to check on her and make sure she was ok.

Rodriguez said officers checked to see if Avila had been in class and found that she had not gone to class. It was around 4:30 p.m. when officers went to check her dorm room and see if she needed anything.

"So we made entry to the room and that's when we discovered her," said Rodriguez.

Police say there was no sign of forced entry to the dorm room and Rodriguez said the man found in Avila's room was not a registered visitor.

Students and staff were locked down for roughly two hours before a shelter-in-place order was lifted around 7 p.m.

"As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be," DesRoches said. "We are communicating with Andrea's parents and are flying them out early tomorrow morning. We ask the community to keep us in your prayers as we comfort each other this evening."

Monday was the first day of class. All remaining classes and activities were canceled for Monday and Tuesday and began offering counseling and services to help students cope.

Authorities have not identified the man, but University police say the 22-year-old man left a note describing his troubled relationship with Avila.

Trump reindicted for resisting 2020 election peaceful transfer of power

Idaho camp supports kids with cancer

Schools try new approach to teach students to read
Students and faculty at Rice University spent the first day of classes locked down after two people were found shot-to-death inside a dorm room. Authorities believe it was a murder-suicide. Photo courtesy of Rice University

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Students and faculty at Rice University in Houston were locked down on the first day of classes Monday after a student was found shot to death inside her dorm room.

"Rice University Police Department is investigating a potential homicide at Jones College. All students should stay in their rooms until further notice. Faculty and staff should shelter in place until further notice," the university warned the campus at 5:40 p.m. CT.

Jones College is one of 11 residential colleges on campus that house undergraduate students.

According to a Rice spokesperson, the student was a woman. The shooter was identified as a man who did not attend Rice. He was also found dead at the scene with what police called a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The shelter-in-place was lifted after two hours, but all classes and activities were canceled for the rest of Monday.

The RUPD is leading the investigation into the potential homicide with the help of the Houston Police Department. Officers said there were no signs of forced entry into the dorm room or the building.

RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez later identified the student as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, adding that she had likely given the suspect access to the building. Rodriguez also confirmed that the two had been in a relationship.
Georgias Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during an Oct. 14, 2020, news conference. (Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Recorder)

This commentary originally appeared in the Georgia Recorder.

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Donald Trump mounted a concerted effort to defy the voters verdict and remain in office, even if it meant fomenting violence and blocking the peaceful transfer of power.

Yes, he failed, but failure is a very good teacher. Trump and his allies had tested the integrity of our election system in a way that no one in American history had dared, and in the process they discovered where it was weak and where it was strong. They learned how and where to strike the next time, and here in Georgia they have been diligent in putting those lessons to work.

In 2020, for example, Trump and his co-conspirators learned that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was more loyal to the Constitution, fairness and the facts than he was to Trump. They also realized that if they couldnt remove Raffensperger as secretary of state, they could at least strip him of some of his power.

So thats what theyve done.

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Back in 2020, for example, Raffensperger served as chair of the state election board, the appointed body entrusted to help conduct fair, legal and orderly elections. He and other members of the board at that time, Republican and Democratic alike, were sane, responsible, fact-based citizens who took the mission of honest elections seriously.

No longer.

Thanks to laws passed by Trump allies in the state Legislature, Raffensperger has been removed from the election board. Other members were removed as well, eventually handing control of the board to a three-member MAGA majority that is dedicated not to free and fair elections but to elections that Trump can win. Trump himself, at a recent rally in Georgia, celebrated those three members, by name, as his pitbulls for victory.

In 2020, Trump and his allies also learned the legal significance of certifying an election. Their plot to steal that election by creating fake presidential electors failed because Joe Bidens victory had already been officially certified. Their plot to get Congress to invalidate Georgias election through false claims of fraud was thwarted for the same reason.

So this time, using their pitbull majority on the state election board, they are trying to ensure that a potential victory for Kamala Harris could not be easily or quickly certified. They are doing so by a two-step process.

An important state entity has gone rogue, claiming powers it does not legally have, breaking laws that it finds inconvenient, and consciously, intentionally undermining public faith in elections that are the basis of self-government.

First, they are passing a series of last-minute, unnecessary, unrealistic and in some cases illegal rule changes in how elections are conducted. They have done so despite clear warnings from local election officials that they are setting up 159 counties for failure. According to the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials, those changes will create unnecessary confusion among both the public and the dedicated poll workers and election officials who are critical to ensuring a smooth and efficient voting process.

If those warnings prove valid, if county election officials have indeed been set up for failure through rules they cannot realistically honor, then Trump will have the excuse he needs to challenge the election outcome and delay or halt certification.

Step Two is a direct assault on that process of certification.

Back in 2020, county election boards in Georgia had no authority to block final certification of elections. If conservative-dominated county boards were unhappy with an elections outcome, they had no legal power to challenge, overturn or delay it. All they could do was certify the numbers by the deadline required by law.

State law hasnt changed in that regard, but the unelected members of the state election board are trying to rewrite it on their own, bureaucratically. Through their rule-making power, they are telling local boards that if they doubt the validity of an election, for reasons real or imagined, they are now free to refuse to certify the results.

If an election cant be certified, then there is no official winner.

If there is no official winner, then alternate electors can come into play, or the state Legislature or Congress can be pressured to declare a winner on its own, in effect silencing the voice of Georgia voters. The door to election shenanigans swings wide open.

This is not a tolerable state of affairs. An important state entity has gone rogue, claiming powers it does not legally have, breaking laws that it finds inconvenient, and consciously, intentionally undermining public faith in elections that are the basis of self-government.

And so far, the Georgia Republican leadership that handed control of the state election board to Trumps pitbulls have been too intimidated by their far-right base to take that control away and put it back in responsible hands.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.

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Genus Culicoides via Scott Bauer, U.S. Agricultural Research Service

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday that researchers are developing a detection plan to respond to a rise in cases of Oropouche virus, a mosquito-borne illness emerging among Floridians traveling to Cuba.

Last week, the Florida Department of Health reported 10 cases of Oropouche virus in people who had traveled to Cuba, bringing the number of cases this year to 30, according to the agencys latest arbovirus surveillance report. The department didnt report any cases last year.

Virtually all of the domestic cases of the virus have been detected in Florida, with one case emerging in New York, according to the CDC report that included data up to Aug. 16.

There is no treatment for Oropuche, which humans can contract if bitten by small flies (Culicoides paraensis) and mosquitoes carrying the virus, but people should rest, hydrate, and take medicines such as Ibuprofen or aspirin to help with the symptoms, according to the CDC.

The most common symptoms for U.S. patients have included fever, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, and joint stiffness. Others who contracted the virus reported diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting, according to the Tuesday report from the CDC.

Miami-Dade has reported the highest number of Oropouche virus cases (14). However, Florida residents from Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Lee, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota have also contracted the illness, according to the Florida arbovirus report.

Although people typically recover from Oropouche virus without lasting damage, the rise in cases has raised alarm because it has led to fetal deaths and possible birth defects in Brazil, according to the CDC. In light of the specific potential harms to pregnant women, the CDC recommends that they reconsider non-essential travel to Cuba.

Oropouche isnt the only mosquito-borne illness Florida is dealing with. Hillsborough, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Walton counties are under mosquito-borne illness alerts because of cases of dengue and West Nile virus.

Orange and Manatee counties are under advisories after the health department reported a local case of West Nile in the former and two cases of local dengue in the latter.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 20: Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at Legends Event Center on December 20, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the presidential ballot in Colorado, despite informally suspending his campaign last week and endorsing former President Donald Trump.

We are not withdrawing in Colorado. Mr. Kennedy has encouraged all of his supporters to vote for him in CO! representatives from Kennedys campaign wrote in a Tuesday afternoon email to the secretary of states office, as first reported by The Colorado Sun.

The office had emailed Kennedys campaign earlier in the day to ask whether they planned to withdraw from the states ballot.

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Kennedy qualified to appear on Colorados ballot as an independent candidate on Aug. 1. Last week, however, he suspended his campaign after saying he did not see a path to victory. He said he would remove his name from about 10 swing states where his candidacy might sway the outcome in Trumps disfavor.

But that wont include Colorado, which has voted for the Democratic presidential nominee since 2008.

I think this is a good tactical decision, as there may be folks who would vote for (Vice President Kamala) Harris who will now pull the lever for RFK. Colorado Republicans remain thrilled that he endorsed our candidate, President Trump, Eli Bremer, who was selected by members of the Colorado GOP central committee as the partys new chair over the weekend, wrote in a text.

Shad Murib, the Colorado Democratic Chair, said that he was glad that RFK Jr. has finally acknowledged that a vote for him is a vote thrown away.

That was always the case, but I can see how it took him a while to get there in between auctioning off his endorsement and spreading strange conspiracy theories, he wrote.

Kennedy has been criticized for spreading misinformation about vaccines.

A June 2024 poll showed Kennedy with about 12% of the Colorado vote. That same poll put Trump at 26% and President Joe Biden  who has since dropped out of the race and been replaced by Harris  at 42%.

Candidates have until Sept. 6 to withdraw their names from the Colorado ballot.

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Robert F Kennedy Jr sawed off beached whales head and strapped it to his car roof

Robert F. Kennedy Jr dropped out of the presidential race to endorse Donald Trump last week - Eva Marie Uzcategui

Robert F Kennedy Jr sawed the head off a dead whale and brought it home strapped to the roof of his car, his daughter claimed.

Kick Kennedy said in a rediscovered interview from 2012 that her father, who enjoys studying animal skulls, used a chainsaw to cut off the creatures head when it was up on Squaw Island in Hyannis Port.

Mr Kennedy is said to have used a bungee cord to tie the enormous skull to the roof of the family minivan before driving home for five hours to New York.

Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet, Ms Kennedy told Town & Country magazine in 2012.

We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us.

It is the latest bizarre animal story involving the former independent presidential candidate, who dropped out of the presidential race to endorse Donald Trump last week. In recent months, he admitted to dumping a dead bear cub in New York as a prank and he has also been accused of eating a dog.

The former independent presidential candidate admitted to dumping a bear cub in New York's Central Park a decade ago - Stefan Jeremiah

The Centre for Biological Diversity Action Fund, an environmental group, suggested that Mr Kennedy may have broken several laws and called for an investigation into the 70-year-old.

It is illegal to possess trophies of several whale species in the Atlantic Ocean under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, the group claimed, according to the Washington Post.

Furthermore, Mr Kennedys apparent transport of the marine mammal skull from Massachusetts to New York, and therefore across state lines, also represented a felony violation of the Lacey Act, one of the earliest wildlife conservation laws enacted by the United States, it added.

Last month, Vanity Fair reported that Mr Kennedy had eaten a dog on a trip to Korea but he insisted it was a goat - X

Mr Kennedy, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy. did not respond to requests for comment when approached by the Washington Post.

In August, he admitted dumping a dead bear cub in Central Park, New York City, solving a mystery that had puzzled locals for the last decade.

He said the prank, which involved leaving a bicycle at the scene to make it look like an accident, was meant to be amusing. A picture shows him posing in the back of the car with the cub, his fingers in its bloody mouth.

In July, Vanity Fair reported that Mr Kennedy had eaten a dog on a trip to Korea, and published a photo of him posing with a barbecued carcass.

The then presidential candidate insisted that he had actually eaten a goat and that the picture had been taken in South America.

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It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Watches of Switzerland Group plc's (LON:WOSG) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

Check out our latest analysis for Watches of Switzerland Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Watches of Switzerland Group

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Non-Executive Chairman Ian Carter bought UK206k worth of shares at a price of UK5.89 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK4.14. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

While Watches of Switzerland Group insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. They paid about UK4.64 on average. I'd consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. If investing in lesser known companies is your style, you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership Of Watches of Switzerland Group

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Watches of Switzerland Group insiders own 3.4% of the company, worth about UK33m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Do The Watches of Switzerland Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Watches of Switzerland Group insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. While conducting our analysis, we found that Watches of Switzerland Group has 2 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore them.

Story continues

But note: Watches of Switzerland Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Rock Hill, Lake Wylie traffic impacted by nuclear plant equipment move. How to avoid it

Another large equipment move for the Catawba Nuclear Station could impact Rock Hill traffic this week.

A transformer will be moved from the Norfolk Southern rail yard in Rock Hill to the Lake Wylie power plant on Saturday. A specific time hasnt been announced, and the move time depends on weather and other factors. When the move happens, it will slow traffic.

The Winthrop University area will be impacted. The southbound side of the Allison Creek bridge on S.C. 274 will close for three or four hours during the delivery.

Duke Energy, the company that runs Catawba Nuclear, will provide updates on Facebook at @DukeEnergyNuclear and X at @DE_Nuclear.

Duke Energy will slow Rock Hill traffic with a transformer move to upgrade Catawba Nuclear Station.

The equipment will take six to eight hours to go 14 miles, according to Duke Energy. The route runs from Winthrop onto Cherry Road, then turns right onto Heckle Boulevard before it becomes Old York Road.

It will turn right again on S.C. 274, or Hands Mill Highway, before another right onto Concord Road where the nuclear station is.

The transformer will be installed during a refueling outage this fall. Its the last of four transformers upgraded at the station.

In January, Duke Energy moved another 650,000-pound transformer on a similar route from Rock Hill to Lake Wylie.

Edwards Moving & Rigging will move the Hitachi-built equipment that went to Spain before arriving by ship in Charleston. It came by rail to Rock Hill.
A crew of rock-throwing teens pummeled an elderly do-gooder who agreed to give them a dollar Monday morning  before stealing $200 from the New Yorker about a block from his home, cops said.

Rafael Diaz, 73, was walking home around 8:50 a.m. at East 12th Street near Avenue A when as many as six kids approached him  one a teen girl who feigned innocence as she asked him for a buck, according to police and the victim.

The girl [was] sweet, nice, you know, dress[ed] good, normal, Diaz said. [She said], Oh, can you please give me $1? So I say OK, heres a dollar. Then they say, Oh, hes got money, lets jump him!

Rafael Diaz, 73, was attacked by a group of teens in Manhattan. William Miller

The ruthless crew followed Diaz for half a block  chucking rocks and sticks at him  before the victim decided to duck into a nearby restaurant for cover and pleaded with the people inside to call 911, he said.

But nobody did anything  and the crew followed him, with someone pushing him to the ground and one male suspect assailing him with three punches, according to cops and the victim.

At some point during the scuffle, one of the muggers grabbed Diazs wallet from his pocket, he said.

I said, my wallet, my wallet! Diaz said. So I tried to run away but everyone [was] too fast. So they threw it in the street.

They run like rabbits! he said of the still-at-large crew who appeared to be only 15 or 16 years old.

The tens through rocks and sticks at Diaz. William Miller

He soon realized that $200 was missing from the wallet, as well as his debit card and benefits card, he said.

The senior was taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital, where he was treated and released.

Diaz, who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years as well as in other areas of the Big Apple  including the Bronx  since he was 15, said nothing like this has ever happened to him before.

Diaz was robbed of $200 by the teens. William Miller

Diazs finger was injured in the attack. William Miller

But the attack isnt stopping him from walking around the city he calls home.

No, its just like, you know, you get mad, you know, you have to get over it, he said. You know, its not easy. Five, six guys jumping you, you know, against you. Youre the only one.

I [was] really frustrated and really mad, he added. I am [in] my girlfriends house. She went to the hospital to get me to relax. She said, Rafael, stay here. Dont go out  stay [here] because youre getting mad. You know, you want to find these guys.

No arrests were immediately made in the broad-daylight stick-up.
Rockford company celebrates construction of largest telescope mount in the U.S.

Ingersoll Machine Tools on Tuesday began construction of the largest telescope mount ever built in the United States.

The 12-story tall mount that will be built at the company's facility at 707 Fulton Ave. on Rockford's west side.

It will be custom crafted to accommodate the Giant Magellan Telescope, which officials have said will be the largest Gregorian optical-infrared telescope in history capable of improving science's understanding of the universe.

Company officials, civic leaders and elected officials gathered to celebrate Tuesday at Ingersoll.

The mount will weigh 2,100 metric tons and provide the supporting framework for the enormous mirrors, optic equipment and scientific instruments of the Magellan Telescope. Its steel superstructure will sit on a concrete pier that is 22 meters in diameter and can allow the telescope to operate despite potential earthquakes or vibrations.

A functioning mount is critical for the telescope to operate properly, officials said.

It will take about two years to build the mount. Once complete, it will be shipped and installed in the remote mountains of Chile.

Ingersoll constructed a five axis MasterMill machine inside a new 40,000-square-foot testing facility to build the mount and support its work for the U.S. Navy.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford company begins building key part of giant telescope
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  Rockfords Planning and Development Committee is hoping for a $1.6 million dollar state-funded grant to purchase flood-prone properties along Keith Creek.

Back in 2007, the city of Rockford was able to acquire about 120 properties in the Keith Creek Corridor as part of the Flood Hazard Mitigation Program Grant by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. They used those properties to create what is now known as the Keith Creek Greenway.

First Ward Alderman Jonathan Logemann said this greenway is essential for controlling rainwater in the area, but there needs to be more of it. Now, the city is hoping to acquire six more properties to expand that greenway.

The purpose of these funds would just be to acquire and demolish some of these properties, creating additional green space, Logemann said. We know today with all of the flooding and the more the greater repetition of these 100-year flood events, we need the green space for that water to flow into some of those poorest surfaces.

Logemann said flooding has left many of the residents in his ward in trouble, and one of the reasons for the state funding is the lack of insurance coverage.

Insurance never covers as much as we want, Logemann said. It breaks my heart hearing some of the stories that I heard. There are multiple other people who said, I just got a new furnace or a new air conditioner, HVAC unit, and Ive got to purchase one again.'

One local business on Charles Street Rockford Army Surplus watched as its neighbors were destroyed this summer by flooding. Owner David Bobik said taking action like this is necessary for the future of the area.

It would be nice to get some mitigation on the flooding if that means help for Keith Creek, Bobik said. They have a box culvert drain that is undersized. There are obviously some building issues. One torn down that was too two doors down from me. It would be nice to see some help to try to get this under control.

Logemann said once approved by the Planning and Development Committee it will be voted on by the full council at the next meeting, Monday, September 2nd. The addresses of the six locations have yet to be decided but Logemann said the city may identify the spots that experienced the most damage and go from there.

As the good folks in Keith Creek know, this is never a quick process, Logemann said. Its just another tool in the tool kit that were trying to utilize to help support the residents of Keith Creek.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has warned John Swinney against more funding cuts to the utterly despondent culture sector.

The principal and chairman of the world-renowned performing arts school wrote to the First Minister and his Culture Secretary, Angus Robertson, expressing deep concern about a major grant for freelance artists being shut down.

Prof Jeffrey Sharkey and Prof Dorothy Miell told them that continued attrition and a lack of certainty had left Scottish artists utterly despondent about the present as well as the future of an already challenged creative sector.

In an open letter to Mr Swinney and Mr Robertson, they urged the SNP duo to clarify whether a previous promise to provide an extra 100 million for the creative and cultural sector would be honoured.

Their letter was published a day after Shona McCarthy, the chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, warned more spending cuts would lead to job losses, exclusion and boring art.

Nicola Benedetti, the world-renowned violinist and director of the Edinburgh International Festival, also expressed concern about a tumultuous backdrop of funding crisis.

Fran Hegyi, the international festivals chief executive, said it risked being dismantled because of the SNPs failure to fulfil its funding pledges.

Open letter

Their interventions came after Creative Scotland shut down its grant for freelance artists earlier this month. The agency also warned that nearly 10 million had been cut from its budget.

More than 100 organisations and artists signed an open letter to Mr Swinney, Mr Robertson and Kate Forbes, the Economy Secretary, warning of the impact.

They said the SNP government was betraying promises from Humza Yousaf, the former first minister, that funding for Scotlands arts sector would grow by 100 million.

In their letter, Prof Sharkey and Prof Miell cited the closure of the Creative Scotland fund and a delay in reopening other grants that help young musicians.

We urge you, on behalf of the Scottish Government, to provide urgent assurances that continued and robust levels of grant-in-aid provision will be available to the national cultural agency, they said.

Quoting Mr Yousafs promise to provide an extra 100 million, they added: First Minister and Cabinet Secretary, we seek clarity on whether, given recent events, that Scottish Governments commitment made to those who uphold Scotlands culture and creative life still has substance and whether, how and when the huge vote of confidence in the future of our culture sector will be realised.

Sector will be protected

A Scottish Government spokesman said it already provides significant funding to Creative Scotland each year and will continue to do so.

He added: The Culture Secretary is in regular contact with the sector to discuss the issues it currently faces and how to address those challenges.

We will continue to do everything within our powers and resources to protect our world class arts and culture sector.

Meanwhile, a coalition of environmental groups has demanded an urgent meeting with the Scottish Government after money was cut from a fund to restore nature and tackle climate change.

SNP ministers are redirecting the funding towards council pay awards.

A total of 12 groups, including the Royal Zoological Society Scotland, RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, have demanded talks over the decision.

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)  Rochester Police Department is welcoming their newest member  K-9 MAZ!

According to RPD, MAZ has been named after fallen Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz who was fatally shot while in an unmarked car with his partner Officer Sino Seng in 2022.

Family of fallen Officer Mazurkiewicz speaks nearly one year after passing

After a few months of training, MAZ will be ready to help serve the community, RPD announced in a post on X formally known as twitter.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
KENNEBUNK, Maine  Hundreds of staff members from across all RSU 21s schools and departments gathered at Kennebunk High School for a day of unity and professional development on Monday for the districts fourth-annual Back-To-School Symposium.

This years theme was Stand Up, Lift Up: Rising together in equity, inclusion, and diversity.

Our theme isnt just a catchy phrase. It's a cry for a better future, said Superintendent Terri Cooper in her opening remarks. Because every student deserves to thrive, regardless of their background. Diversity isn't just a buzzword - it's our strength. Inclusion isn't just nice - it's necessary. And equity isn't just fair - it's fundamental to excellence.

Speaker Tracey Benson discussed how educators can confront implicit, or unconscious, bias in everyday life at RSU 21's Back-To-School Symposium.

The event featured two keynote speakers in the morning and sixteen breakout sessions in the afternoon for attendees to choose from.

Tracey Benson, the first keynote speaker, discussed how educators can confront implicit, or unconscious, bias in everyday life. Benson is the CEO of the AntiRacism Leadership Institute and specializes in addressing structural and systemic biases and racism in K-12 education.

Steve Pemberton, the second keynote speaker, took the audience through his inspiring life story, beginning with his childhood as an orphan living in a foster home in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Pemberton spoke to the importance of educators being a lighthouse for the students as his teachers were for him, guiding him through the college application process and eventually helping him break free of the foster system.

Speaker Steve Pemberton spoke to the importance of educators being a lighthouse for the students as his teachers were for him.

He made our work feel important, one attendee said in the Symposium evaluation.

The afternoon breakout sessions featured speakers from around Maine and New England as well as RSU 21 staff with a diverse array of subjects. Topics included discussions on incorporating artificial intelligence into the classroom and lesson planning, school safety tips from local police and fire departments, and innovative ways teachers can address challenging behaviors in the classroom.

The RSU 21 Symposium is held at the beginning of every school year to unite the entire staff body and offer high-quality professional development to enrich skill sets across all job functions. Part of the event was funded by a grant from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: RSU 21 Back-To-School Symposium highlights equity, diversity, inclusion
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  Its a hot start to the school year in central North Carolina, and many students will be filling their water bottles or drinking from water fountains to stay hydrated. If those fountains havent been used over the summer, experts suggest running water through them for several minutes to reduce any exposure to lead.

We really find lead in our water because theres a certain amount of allowable lead in piping, plumbing and fixtures, explained Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, director of the environmental health and water quality program at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International. When you flush water, you pull out the older water thats been sitting and you bring in what would be water thats been moving through the distribution system.

Hoponick Redmon is also the director of the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids program, which works with public schools across the state to check water samples for lead. If lead is detected above 10 ppb, the program provides a fix.

We know that early childhood lead exposure affects kids in a lifelong way, and so this program is designed to make sure that we get the lead out of tap water today, Redmon said.

While the program has not yet tested taps at all local schools, data collected so far shows 31% of schools in Cumberland County had at least one tap with lead levels that needed mitigation. Of the schools tested so far in Wake County, none had lead levels that required a fix, but 91% of schools tested so far had at least one tap with a low level of lead detected.

Since there is no safe level of lead, we do recommend no cost, clean water habits and thats things like using cold water for drinking or cooking, noted Hoponick Redmon.

She also recommends flushing all taps used for drinking and cooking, not just after summer break, but even after schools are closed for the weekends, particularly long weekends like next weeks Labor Day holiday. In those cases, she says its a good idea to run the water for about 30 seconds.

Anybody can do it, she noted. If you want to drink out of the water fountain and youre coming in next Tuesday morning, you can just run the water for about 30 seconds and that will take out that water thats stagnated over that long weekend.

The Clean Classrooms For Carolina Kids Program also works to eliminate asbestos hazards in public schools. Click here to find out more about the program.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Rural Missouri has high smoking rates, and the health problems that follow. Thats changing in some communities

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.

Families flock to McDonald County in southwest Missouri each summer to float down the Elk River, visit the caves where Jesse James took refuge and stay in a rustic cabin.

The county is a vestige of old, wild Missouri charm  and a place where restaurants and bars still ask, Smoking or non?

People in McDonald County, like those in other rural places across Missouri and the country, smoke more. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says smoking runs even higher in rural Missouri than in rural America as a whole.

Groups that research and advocate for decreasing tobacco consumption connect that to Missouris cigarette taxes, the lowest in the country, and relatively weak rules backing smoke-free public places.

Some rural communities across the state, including McDonald County, are enacting their own smoke-free ordinances and in-restaurant policies to improve health outcomes and fall in rhythm with their urban neighbors.

We want more people staying here, living here, coming here (for) tourism  we just want to keep people coming back to McDonald County, said Kayla Langford, the assistant director at the health department.

Missouris tobacco problems

Robert and Megan Miller support the smoke-free air efforts in McDonald County with their bar, Shadow Lake in Noel.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases are the third highest cause of death in the state and run more than 20% higher in rural areas, according to data from Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The report attributes the deaths, in part, to high smoking rates.

Experts say some policies have strong records in lowering smoking rates.

One of the exciting things about tobacco prevention is its actually a solvable problem, said Nicole Sinderman, who leads the states Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. There are evidence-based solutions that have been proven to work.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, or DHSS, program works on four main platforms: media campaigns, creating smoke-free places, increasing access to cessation services and raising tobacco taxes.

Missouri taxes cigarettes at 17 cents a pack. Advocates for tobacco prevention want to add $1. Top tobacco-reduction organizations predict that would cut the number of people under 18 who smoke by almost 8% and trim the total number who smoke by at least 4%.

The same advocates also want to double the tax on other tobacco products like vapes, chew and dip.

The Missouri tobacco laws preemption clause bars cities and counties from adding local surcharges.

Voters have rejected five different versions of tobacco tax increases since 2002. The issue is not on the November ballot, though several unsuccessful initiative petitions were circulated this year.

Tobacco sales make up a significant portion of business for convenience stores and grocery stores.

Ronald Leone, executive director of Missouri Petroleum & Convenience Association (MPCA), said Missouris low cigarette tax gives businesses a competitive advantage.

It draws customers from our higher taxed border states who spend their money in Missouri on gasoline, tobacco, and other goods, Leone said in an email statement.

MPCA sponsored a tobacco tax increase, Proposition A, in 2016 to counter a much higher tax increase proposal, Amendment 3. Ultimately, neither passed.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found that increasing tobacco prices by 20% would reduce consumption by 10% and reduce the number of young people who start smoking by 8%.

Source: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

Prevention and quitting smoking

In the past two years, Missouri has significantly increased its allocation to tobacco prevention programs, though it still sits as one of 19 states that spend less than 10% of what the CDC recommends, according to Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Missouri DHSS runs several of these programs and partners with local health departments to give people the resources and incentives to quit.

Some programs offer counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. Others work with pregnant mothers and give them incentives for quitting, like gift cards for diapers and wipes. Missourians who want to quit can also call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or text the helpline (start my quit to 36072).

Langford and her co-coordinator Tina Hang started a tobacco cessation program at the McDonald County Health Department.

Were still adapting our policies to see what would work best for the health department, Hang said. But for the most part, its going pretty well.

The program is free to McDonald County residents. When they come into the department, Hang assesses their willingness to quit and the best methods for them. Then she offers them counseling and nicotine lozenges, gum or patches.

Kayla Langford and Tina Hang head the smoke-free ordinance, active transportation and tobacco cessation program efforts at the McDonald County Health Department.

The countys anti-smoking campaign sprang from a Building Communities for Better Health state grant to reduce preventable causes of chronic diseases.

Langford said her county ranks particularly high in physical inactivity and tobacco use, so they focused the grant money on building walking and biking trails and implementing smoke-free air policies.

Biking and active transportation go hand in hand with tobacco, because most people who are wanting to use these facilities want it to be a clean environment, Langford said.

The department started the initiative in the county seat, Pineville.

Melissa Ziemianin, Pinevilles city clerk, helped with the ordinance, which passed without pushback. It has been effective in reducing cigarette and vape use and the associated litter in city parks.

We thought that if we could take out smoking in our parks and in our areas where kids were seeing it,  maybe then it would make that change where kids didnt think it was OK, Ziemianin said. Maybe in the long run, we would see (children) not want to pick up cigarettes.

Melissa Ziemianin is the city clerk for Pineville and part of the effort to create a tobacco-free ordinance on city property.

Sinderman said smoke-free air policies are the basis of tobacco prevention, and rural communities across the state are taking similar actions.

Its not really a coincidence that in a lot of the counties where use is high, there are no smoke-free policies, Sinderman said. Smoking remains a social norm in rural communities, and I think part of it is the lack of smoke-free policies.

Missouri laws currently prohibit smoking in child care facilities and require restrictions in schools, government buildings, health care facilities and restaurants, according to the American Lung Association.

Bars, private workplaces, bowling alleys and casinos have exemptions. Sinderman said that exposes more people to secondhand smoke.

All casino workers in Missouri live without smoke-free protection laws, according to a Bridging the Gap report by American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation. The same report finds that over 70% of Missourians are not protected from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Sinderman said tobacco prevention isnt just a presentation at school with a set of blackened lungs  its about making community changes.

Its really changing the environment to make the healthy choice, the easy choice, she said. People dont become addicted in the first place.  Those who are already addicted, youre giving them a healthy environment where they can quit.

McDonald County got another round of the same grant to make changes in Noel, a town of 2,100 people nestled between huge bluffs and the banks of the Elk River.

Noel is considering an ordinance that would bar smoking in city-owned parks. Meanwhile, Langford and Hang have worked with local businesses to establish their own no-smoking policies.

Many of the bars and restaurants in town dont allow smoking, but Langford wants them to establish policies to point at if a customer were to challenge that request.

The bars that do allow smoking inside continue to do so for fear of alienating their clientele, especially during the colder months  when people are more annoyed at having to step outside for a smoke.

Local bar owner Robert Miller got involved with the process and has become an advocate for the active transportation and smoke-free efforts.

He bought his historic bar, Shadow Lake, in 2021 with his wife and added a VIP room with a no-smoking policy this year.

Roberr Miller worked with the county health department to develop a smoke-free policy for the indoor areas of his bar, Shadow Lake.

So far, he hasnt had any pushback. He recently booked the VIP space to an older crowd for a high school reunion.

That definitely wouldnt have happened with that age group and crowd if we hadnt had that space, Miller said. So even nonsmokers that typically wont go to any establishment that has smoking dont mind coming here.

His bar thrives on river tourism, like most of the town. He sees the healthy-community initiatives as a way to expand the area and full-time population.

The sidewalks and the tobacco policies, they really all work together, Miller said. If we can start offering some of these things, even just sidewalks, to make the city look nicer, itll start attracting those people.

Beyond the potential economic benefit, Miller wants to see a healthier community.

I stopped smoking before I bought the bar, and then being around it all the time made it so hard not to smoke, Miller said. Taking these steps has helped me take steps back too, in the right direction.
Russia attacked Ukrainian subunits with cluster munitions for the first time but air defence minimised losses  Ukraine's PM

Russia attacked Ukrainian substations with cluster munitions for the first time on 26 August but only a very small number of them were severely damaged thanks to the protection.

Source: Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, at the Ukraine 2024. Independence forum

Details: Shmyhal stated that during the Russian large-scale combined attack on 26 August, the Russians struck Ukrainian substations with cluster munitions for the first time.

"There were tens of strikes yesterday but we lost a very small quantity of equipment thanks to the first and second level of protection," he said.

Background:

During the Russian attack on Ukraine on 26 August, missiles and drones struck the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, stated that many power facilities had been damaged in the Russian attack but repair works are underway.

Ukrainian state energy company Ukrenergo announced emergency power outages.

The power supply was disrupted in some districts of the city of Kyiv. The local authorities say that it is connected with the situation in the all-Ukrainian power system.

The Russians targeted the power system of Ukraine, the situation is complicated.

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In September 2024, a selected group of Canadian journalists will take an exclusive trip to Bordeaux visiting 12 of the region's wineries.

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /CNW/ -- " The Charming Taste of Europe " continues to support its initiatives promoting Wines of Bordeaux to discover the best white wines that Bordeaux has to offer. A selected group of trade professionals will travel to Bordeaux and stay from September 22nd to September 27th.

The initiative, organized by the Bordeaux White Wines consortium as part of the 'Charming Taste of Europe' campaign, is also being promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo from Italy in collaboration with their newest partner, the Association of Agricultural Cooperatives of Imathia, the eight largest Fruit Producer Organization in Greece, with their primary fruit being kiwi. The program, co-financed by the European Union, aims to increase awareness of high-quality agricultural products in the Canadian market.

Participants will arrive in Bordeaux on September 22nd for dinner at the hotel, and then visit 12 wineries from the 23rd to the 25th.

They will have the chance to visit several wineries and discover the wines. Some historical visits will be organized.

This trip will provide the opportunity for participants to discover the beauty behind the region of Bordeaux and witness firsthand the dedication of the winemakers who craft these exceptional white wines.

The Bordeaux region offers the perfect conditions for producing exceptional white wines, thanks to its variety of well-drained soils and favorable microclimates. These conditions are enhanced by the proximity of the ocean and the influence of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. The slopes of the Garonne Valley offer perfect conditions for the production of Bordeaux's famous sweet white wines. In the fall, morning fog and afternoon sun encourage the growth of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), which concentrates the aromas of the grapes and gives these exceptional wines their characteristic candied fruit notes.

This region has 8 appellations and covers 1,800 hectares of vines on both sides of the Garonne River (2% of Bordeaux's total surface area). With more than 350 estates, Bordeaux produces 9 million bottles of white wine annually, of which 38% is exported. The principal varieties are: Sauvignon Blanc known for its strong aromatic profile with notes of boxwood, citrus, and tropical fruits. Semillon which adds smoothness to the wine with aromas of almond, hazelnut and white peach. Muscadelle with delicate floral aromas reminiscent of muscat grape.

Story continues

Sweet Bordeaux wines offer a refined and adaptable option for any occasion, enhancing both casual gatherings and formal meals. Their sweet, fruity profile adds a layer of extravagance to any dish, from a classic farm reared chicken in Sweet Bordeaux and morel sauce that highlights the depth of the terroir, to spicy Chinese noodles with marinated shrimp, where the wine's complex notes harmonize beautifully with bold, aromatic flavors. For a unique twist, try a glass of Sweet Bordeaux with Savory 3 Cheese Macaronsfilled with Gorgonzola, Basque Tomme, and Roquefort.

Sweet Bordeaux wines add a touch of elegance to both simple and gourmet dishes.

About The Charming Taste of Europe

Europe, a place with timeless charm, is the birthplace of some of the highest-quality products in the world. The Charming Taste of Europe is a special project that introduces exquisite specialties to the United States and Canada, such as Italian and French wines, and fresh kiwis from Greece, that showcase Europe's charm, beauty, culture, history, art, heritage and unmistakable tastes.

The mission of the Charming Taste of Europe, co-funded by the European Union, is to increase awareness of the merits and quality standards of select European wines and fresh fruits with promotional activities in the competitive markets of the U.S. and Canada. The Charming Taste of Europe is promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo, the Association of Imathia's Agricultural Cooperatives and the Union of Sweet Bordeaux Wines. These European agricultural products, famous around the world for their outstanding qualities, will continue to be promoted with initiatives and events for consumers, journalists and trade professionals. For more information visit charmingtasteofeurope.eu

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Website: charmingtasteofeurope.eu

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Russia claims Ukraine attempting to break through to Belgorod Oblast

Ukrainian forces may be attempting to break through the border into Russia's Belgorod Oblast, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed on Aug. 27.

Kyiv has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.

The statement comes as Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast reaches its three-week mark. Belgorod Oblast is lodged between Russia's Kursk and Voronezh regions and borders Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts.

"There is information that (Ukraine) is attempting to break through the border of Belgorod Oblast," Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel.

"According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult but under control."

Reports of the alleged attacks have also emerged on Russian Telegram channels.

According to the Mash channel, roughly 200 Ukrainian troops have attacked the border crossing at Nekhoteyevka and another 300 at Shebekino.

Another channel, Shot, claimed that Ukrainian forces had been pushed back from Nekhoteyevka after suffering losses and claimed that no clashes had taken place at Shebekino.

Shot pointed out that the front near Shebekino, which lies just across the border from the embattled Ukrainian town of Vovchansk, has been pushed further south after Russia launched its offensive into Kharkiv Oblast in May.

Nekhoteyevka also lies at the border of Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast, some 6 kilometers (almost 4 miles) from the Ukrainian settlement of Kozacha Lopan and around 30 kilometers (almost 20 miles) north of Kharkiv.

There have been multiple signs that Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast is spilling over to Belgorod Oblast. A unit of the Ukrainian 252nd Battalion appeared to have entered the village of Poroz on Aug. 10.

Russia also claimed that Ukraine unsuccessfully attacked the Kolotilovka border checkpoint on Aug. 12.

Previously, Shebekino became a key flashpoint during a cross-border incursion carried out last year by anti-Kremlin militias fighting on Ukraine's side.

Read also: Belarus gathering significant number of troops, weaponry along Ukraines border under guise of exercises, Ukraine says

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(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine said Russia fired more than 100 missiles and nearly as many drones at cities across the country on Monday in a massive attack against power infrastructure that caused blackouts and left at least three people dead.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The energy sector has sustained significant damage, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a post on the X social media network, calling the strike one of the largest since the Kremlins invasion of his country began more than two years ago.

Russia has been stepping up efforts to knock out Ukraines civilian infrastructure, including power, heating and water supplies, before the winter season. The latest attack comes as Kyiv continues its incursion in the Kursk region of Russia, which caught Moscow off guard and has prompted tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.

President Joe Biden, in a statement on Monday evening, condemned in the strongest possible terms, Russias continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Biden said that the US was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems.

Russias defense ministry said on Monday it had targeted gas compressor stations in western Ukraine as well as electric substations and air missile storages across the country.

The attacks affected 15 of Ukraines 27 regions, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a post on X, including the capital of Kyiv and the western Lviv region near the border with Poland. The capitals hydro-power plant was among the targets. Emergency power and water supply cuts were imposed in Kyiv.

The barrage prompted Zelenskiy to again call on Ukraines western allies to remove limits on the use of long-range weapons to hit military targets inside Russia and deliver more air defenses and missiles.

Our defenders cannot be restricted in their weapons when Russia deploys its entire arsenal, including Shaheds and ballistic missiles from North Korea, he said in the post. America, Britain, France, and our other partners have the power to help us stop this terror.

One of the Russian drones entered Polish airspace early on Monday and disappeared from radar around 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) deep into its territory. A search operation was on to find the object.

Polish and NATO jets were scrambled to safeguard the countrys airspace, the air force said on the X social media platform, describing the attack as the most intense affecting Western Ukraine since July 8.

Lvivs regional governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, warned missiles were approaching Stryi where gas transmission systems and storage infrastructure is located. An air raid alert, which started after midnight, was continued in about half of Ukraine after a brief intermission.

The northwestern city of Lutsk, which has rarely been a target of attacks, was also affected, and a residential house was damaged, local mayor Ihor Polishchuk said, according to Suspilne broadcaster. At least three people were killed in the attack, according to local governments.

The desire to destroy our energy will cost the Russians dearly, Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiys office, said on Telegram Monday.

Several districts in Kyiv remained without power and water supply amid the attack due to the situation in the countrys energy system, the citys mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said on Telegram.

Kozytskyi also said that the power supply was interrupted in Lviv region.

Ukraines grid operator imposed urgent power cuts, the countrys energy minister, German Galushchenko, said on Facebook. The situation is difficult, and consequences of the attack are being assessed.

The Russian Defense Ministry said 20 Ukrainian drones attacked targets overnight in several central regions of Russia. Two multistory apartment buildings in the cities of Saratov and Engels were hit during the strike, according to Saratov regional Governor Roman Busargin. Several people were injured, he said.

--With assistance from Olesia Safronova, Daryna Krasnolutska and Volodymyr Verbianyi.

(Updates with Biden statement, in fourth paragraph.)

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Russia launched new drone and missile strikes on Ukraine early Tuesday, killing at least five people, according to officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post online that Russia used more than 90 aerial targets against civilians and infrastructure. The attack included 81 drones and cruise, ballistic, and air-launched ballistic missiles.

Zelensky shared a video from the countrys emergency services rescuing people from rubble and transporting them to hospitals.

We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all over attacks, Zelensky said. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished.

Five air alerts were called overnight in the Kyiv region, which experienced blackouts after a heavy barrage on energy facilities Monday, The Associated Press reported. Ukraine said its air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles, but falling debris started forest fires.

In an address Monday, Zelensky said Russia sent more than 100 missiles and about 100 drones, calling it one of the heaviest strikes.

He also noted some people were killed, and there was a lot of damage to the countrys energy sector.

In a post on the social platform X, President Biden condemned the latest attack from Russia. He vowed that the U.S. will continue to lead a coalition of countries in support of Ukraine and will be sending energy equipment to help repair its systems.

Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken, Biden wrote.

Russias Defense Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones to target the critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine that supports its military, per the AP.

Four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region of Russia, where forces are fighting after Ukraine pushed into Kremlin territory earlier in August. Amid its offensive, Ukraine is looking to remove a policy that restricts it from using American-made weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.

The Associated Press contributed.

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Russian attacks on Ukraine kill six in second day of major strikes, Kyiv says

Rescuers stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine August 27, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer

KYIV (Reuters) - Russia launched missile and drone attacks targeting scores of Ukrainian regions and killing at least six people, officials said on Tuesday, a day after Moscow's biggest air attack of the war on its neighbour.

Three people were killed when a hotel was "wiped out" by a missile in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said. Five people were injured and one person was still missing after the strike, Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region that includes Kryvyi Rih, said on Telegram.

Separately, three people were killed in drone attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

Three people were also injured in the Zaporizhzhia region and four were hurt in a missile strike on the northeastern region of Kharkiv overnight, local authorities said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Ukraine would retaliate against Russia for its attacks. He asked allies to consider joint air defence operations and provide long-range capabilities after Russia pummelled Ukrainian energy infrastructure with more than 200 missiles and drones on Monday.

During Tuesday's attack, Ukraine downed five out of 10 incoming missiles and 60 out of 81 drones, the air force said.

The Ukrainian air force lost track of 10 more drones that have likely come down somewhere on its territory, it said. One more crossed into Belarusian territory.

The Russian defence ministry said its forces had carried out a high-precision weapon strike on Ukraine overnight, the Interfax news agency reported. Moscow denies targeting civilians since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, although thousands have been killed.

Several Russian military bloggers said Moscow's attacks were an "act of retaliation" for Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's western Kursk region - the first such action since World War Two.

In the capital Kyiv, the military administration said air defences had shot down all incoming targets aimed at the city. There were no casualties and two small fires caused by debris were put out by the emergency services, local authorities said.

(This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of Kryvyi Rih in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Valentyn Ogirenko, Gleb Garanich and Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv; Writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Anastasiia Malenko in Kyiv; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Ros Russell and Gareth Jones)
Russia is in the process of rewording its doctrine on nuclear weapons use  Russian Foreign Minister

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said at a press conference that Russia is changing the wording of its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons to provide more clarity.

Source: RIA Novosti and TASS, Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlets, with reference to Lavrov

Details: Lavrov said that Russia "has its own doctrine of the use of nuclear weapons", which is "now being clarified". He stressed that "American politicians are very well aware of this doctrine".

Background: On 19 August, Lavrov ruled out the possibility of talks with Ukraine after the start of the Ukrainian offensive in Russias Kursk Oblast.

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Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Russia deployed 30,000 troops to Russias Kursk Oblast and that the number of Russian soldiers there was growing every day.

Source: Syrskyi during the Forum of Heads of State Institutions

Quote: "One of the objectives of the offensive on the Kursk front was to divert significant enemy forces from other areas. First of all, it concerns the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts.

The enemy understands this and focuses on the Pokrovsk front, where its most capable units are concentrated.

Of course, the Kursk operation diverted a significant amount of enemy forces. Currently, we can say that about 30,000 Russian servicemen have been deployed to the Kursk front, and this number is growing. At the same time, the enemy is trying not to withdraw units from other areas, and on the contrary, is increasing its presence on the Pokrovsk front."

Details: Syrskyi noted that the situation on the Pokrovsk front is rather complicated. There, the Russians are using their superiority in manpower and weapons and are actively using artillery and aircraft. Most of the Russians offensive actions are conducted by infantry assault groups.

The Russians are trying to seize a section of the Kostiantynivka-Pokrovsk motorway to cut off the logistics of the Ukrainian defence forces. "The enemy is advancing at a very high cost... Every day our soldiers kill or wound up to 300 invaders on this front", Syrskyi added.

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One of the objectives of Ukraine's Kursk Oblast operation was to divert a significant number of Russian forces from other sectors, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Aug. 27.

As Kyiv's incursion into Kursk Oblast enters its fourth week, Ukraine is in control of 1,294 square kilometers and 100 settlements, including the town of Sudzha, Syrskyi said. A total of 594 Russian soldiers have been captured, according to the general.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

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Speaking at the "Ukraine 2024. Independence" forum in Kyiv, Syrskyi said that Moscow has redeployed about 30,000 of its troops from other sectors to the Kursk direction, "and this number is growing." At the same time, Russia deployed its most combat-ready units in the Pokrovsk sector.

"The enemy is trying to withdraw units from other directions, and on the contrary, it is increasing its efforts in Pokrovsk sectors," Syrskyi said.

According to the general, Russia has reduced its activity in Ukraine's south, but continues to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, trying to regain positions near the village of Robotyne. In partially occupied Kherson Oblast, Moscow's forces are trying to regain control of an island zone near the Dnipro River's delta, he said.

Read also: Kursk operation: What Ukraine achieved so far and potential future gains

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Russia says it uses Telegram to convey its messages to "average Ukrainian"

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has said that the Kremlin's propaganda is "delivering its messages to an average Ukrainian" through Telegram.

Source: Medvedev at a meeting with participants of the war in Ukraine who are also running for seats in councils at various levels from the United Russia party, as quoted by Russian media

Details: Medvedev said that the existence of criminal activity on Telegram did not mean that it was welcomed by the messenger's founder Pavel Durov.

He stated that Telegram is used by a large number of Russians, including those in the Special Military Operation zone (the official term used by Russian propaganda to replace the word "war"  ed.)

The politician also noted Telegram was a platform that allowed the Russian government to bring certain messages to the attention of "an average Ukrainian".

Quote: "Telegram is used as a messenger by a huge number of our [Russian] people, including those who are on the line of contact. And our enemy has repeatedly said that they cannot control it. The materials we publish there (on Telegram) reach the minds of average Ukrainians. And they also begin to think that everything is somewhat different from what they see on TV. So this is obviously a political matter. And it needs to be sorted out."

Details: Medvedev also advised that the French authorities detain Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, just like they did with Pavel Durov.

Background:

Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), said that the messaging app Telegram poses a threat to Ukraine's national security. However, he said, Telegram does help to provide people in the temporarily occupied territories with information.

During a press conference on 27 August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, answering a question about possible restrictions on Telegram in Ukraine, said that, in his opinion, the issue of regulating social media should be handled cautiously.

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Russia is signaling it could take out the West's internet and GPS. There's no good backup plan.

Russia is likely mapping underwater internet cables, a NATO official said.

The country is also believed to be behind flight GPS interference.

It's signaling it could wreak havoc with the West's electronic infrastructure, experts say.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, issued a stark warning in June.

The undersea cables that enable global communications had become a legitimate target for Russia, he said.

Medvedev's warning came after Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that transfers gas from Russia to Germany, was blown up. Russian officials believed the West had been involved in the attack. (Recent reports suggest Ukraine was actually behind the attack.)

"If we proceed from the proven complicity of Western countries in blowing up the Nord Streams, then we have no constraints - even moral - left to prevent us from destroying the ocean floor cable communications of our enemies," Medvedev posted on Telegram.

Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has a long history of making incendiary claims.

But some analysts say this wasn't just another idle threat.

A serious warning

The vast network of undersea fiber-optic cables that transfer data between continents is indeed vulnerable to hostile powers, including Russia, the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned in a report this month.

In May, NATO's intelligence chief David Cattler warned that Russia may be planning to target the cables in retribution for the West's support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

It's a scenario that has NATO's planners increasingly worried.

If the cables are seriously damaged or disabled, swaths of the internet services we take for granted and that our economies rely on, including calls, financial transactions, and streaming, would be wiped out.

Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden's minister for civil defense, said damage to a telecommunications cable running under the Baltic Sea in 2023 was the result of " external force or tampering ," though he did not provide details.

And in June, NATO stepped up aircraft patrols off the coast of Ireland amid concerns about Russian submarine activity, The Sunday Times reported.

The threat to GPS

Security analysts say that the internet is not the only network that Russia is probing for vulnerabilities.

In recent months, Russia has been accused of interfering with GPS navigation systems, causing havoc on commercial airline routes. As a result, flights from Helsinki to Tartu, Estonia, ground to a halt for a month in April.

Melanie Garson, an international security expert at University College London, said it was part of Russia's "gray zone" campaign against the West, which involves covert actions that fall below the threshold of open warfare.

"Russia has long been developing this capability and it is currently a cheap and effective way of malicious gray-zone interference," said Garson.

"As we increase our reliance on connectivity and space data in everything from agriculture to food delivery, disrupting national and economic security through interfering with subsea cables and GPS becomes increasingly effective," she added.

Fiber-optic cables on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea. The vast network of undersea cables that transfer data between continents is vulnerable to attack by hostile powers. Sybille Reuter via Getty images

Russia puts the West 'on notice'

For decades, the world has depended on data carried by underwater cables that run for thousands of miles. In the early 20th century, the cables carried telegraph signals and later telephone calls.

Robert Dover, a professor of international security at Hull University in the UK, said the cables have long been seen as potential military targets, and both the US and USSR surveilled them during the height of the Cold War.

As the world has become more dependent on the internet, the cables have become increasingly vital. The cables now span around 745,000 miles and are responsible for transmitting 95% of international data.

"The growth in electronic communications has made the undersea cables  vital for international communications, the internet, finance, and so on  a point of vulnerability for nations who use them extensively and for those who don't publicly have an obvious fallback position," Dover said.

Similarly, GPS signals are increasingly vital to the airline industry. They are used to safely guide planes to their destinations and land them.

Planes do have backup navigation systems in the event that GPS fails, but Baltic officials are warning that disrupted GPS signals can still put planes in danger.

During its war with Ukraine, Russia has enhanced its already sophisticated electronic-warfare capabilities, enabling it to remotely scramble the GPS coordinates used to guide missiles and drones.

That's already affected commercial-aviation GPS in Eastern and Northern Europe. Some analysts believe that Russia is sending a signal to the West.

"The targeting of civil-aviation GPS is a means by which to undermine the surety of Western publics in aviation, in particular, and shows the reliance on satellite platforms for ordinary citizens to navigate around," Dover said.

"It also puts governments on notice about the political risks of mass transit accidents that have a plausibly deniable cause."

A fence runs along the Lithuanian border with the Russian semi-exclave of Kaliningrad. Earlier this year, sources of interference were located near St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, and Pskov. Sean Gallup

A backup plan is urgently needed, says expert

Foreign Policy reported in June that NATO has begun taking more action to safeguard undersea cables, setting up a system that would automatically warn of attempted interference.

But Garson said it's not enough, and more government fallback plans are needed in case the systems fail entirely.

"Countries need to not only take measures to protect but also to make sure that the communications system is resilient, e.g., with robust alternatives," Garson said.

She said satellites transmitting GPS data often lack safeguards against attempted interference, while the task of protecting undersea cables often falls on the private companies that own and maintain them.

"It's key to visualize these strategic futures and have a clear resilience plan that accounts for potential systemic risk and to keep countries operational if key comms infrastructure is compromised," Garson said.

In its report this month, the CSIS called for the US to increase international cooperation to coordinate a response to a potential attack on cables.

It said that the current legal and international framework for undersea-cable sabotage was "complex and fragmented, with different international legal regimes determining responsibility and punishment."

"When cables are sabotaged in international waters, there is no regime to hold the perpetrator accountable," it said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
One of Delaware's older Chick-fil-A locations may get an extreme makeover soon.

According to plans filed this month with New Castle County, Chick-fil-A plans to demolish the 18-year-old Chick-fil-A at Governor's Square in Bear and replace it with a much bigger location with dual drive-thrus.

Chick-fil-A did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But as customers are likely already aware, the Governor's Square Chick-fil-A often plays host to knotty traffic jams during peak mealtimes  inspiring colorful (and NSFW) complaints on social media going back years.

The new plans call for the company to demolish the existing 3,925-square-foot Chick-fil-A and replace it with an approximately 40% larger location, with rearranged parking and dual drive-thrus with two lines all around the building  as opposed to the current dual ordering lanes that converge to a single pickup lane.

Plans filed August 2024 for the Governor's Square location of Chick-Fil-A in Bear, Delaware call for demolition of the old building, and a new expanded building with dual-drive thrus.

The new layout corresponds to current trends in fast-food construction, which are increasingly designed to accommodate both traditional drive-thru customers and customers who've ordered on mobile apps.

That said, the dual drive-thru planned for Bear has nothing on the four-lane drive-thru that opened this week just south of Atlanta, where the kitchen is located on the second floor and food is lowered to the drive-thru lanes via conveyor belt.

The plans for the new Chick-fil-A at Governor's Square also call for nine fewer parking spaces and about 250 feet more open space.

It's common for older Chick-fil-As like the one in Bear to close for updates and wholesale renovations. The Chick-fil-A in Delran, New Jersey, spent three months closed this year and reopened with improvements that included dual drive-thrus. The typical lifespan of a Chick-fil-A restaurant is 30 years, according to the chain's website, and during this time most locations receive at least one major renovation.

More: Chick-fil-A adds banana pudding shakes, new sandwich to menu. When can you get them

The new plans for the Governor's Square Chick-fil-A have yet to be approved by New Castle County. Previous plans in 2013 to revise parking and drive-thru lanes took about a year to be approved by both state and county officials.

Once demolition is complete and sitework begins, new Chick-fil-As can take around three months to be fully built.

Like knowing what's getting built in Delaware? Sign up for Delaware Online/The News Journal's development newsletter, What's Going There in Delaware, tracking what's coming to the First State.

When will the new Chick-Fil-A on North DuPont Highway be open?

Signs and construction fencing signal a new Chick-fil-A location coming to 4008 N. Dupont Highway just south of Wilmington. The restaurant got its construction permits in March 2024. Typical Chick-fil-A locations require three to six months to build, after groundbreaking.

Chick-fil-A has not yet announced an opening date for the new North Dupont location, at 4008 N. DuPont Highway just south of Wilmington.

Story continues

But approximately three months after construction fencing went up on the site, construction already appears substantially complete. The website now lists the location as "Coming Soon," and the restaurant is hiring front-of-house and kitchen employees for its grand opening.

"We look forward to expanding our impact in New Castle, where each locally owned and operated restaurant creates 80120 jobs, and to serving all of our guests delicious food in an environment of genuine hospitality," a Chick-fil-A spokesperson wrote in May, echoing similar statements upon the openings of other locations.

Matthew Korfhage is business and development reporter in the Delaware region covering all things related to land and money: openings and closings, construction, and the many corporations that call the First State home. Send tips and insults to mkorfhage@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: One Delaware Chick-fil-A will be demolished. Another will open soon
Russia targets Ukraine energy sector in one of worst assaults to date

An elderly woman stands outside a house after the owner was killed by the Russian missile attack. -/Ukrinform/dpa

Ukraine is preparing a military response after Russia pounded the country with a massive barrage of missiles, cruise missiles and drones in what officials said was one of the heaviest air attacks in two and a half years of war.

Fifteen of Ukraine's 24 regions were hit in the assault which was directed against Ukraine's energy sector, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram on Monday.

Authorities put the death toll at seven, with 47 people said to have been injured across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed Ukraine's response to the attack with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"We are preparing it, the use of F-16s, and the ongoing operation in the Kursk region. We continue our actions in the designated areas as needed for Ukraine," Zelensky said in his nightly address.

More than 120 missiles and more than 100 drones had been launched at Ukraine.

He called for the lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons supplied by Western partners, which currently prevent Ukraine from striking deep into Russian territory.

"Each of these strikes repeatedly brings us back to the task of long-range capabilities  the need to provide our Defense Forces with enough long-range weapons that can destroy terrorists exactly in the areas of their strikes," he said.

"This is the optimal counter-terrorism tactic, one that every partner of ours has the right to and would undoubtedly use to protect themselves."

Ukraine's presence in the Kursk region and "our active efforts to eliminate the Russian threat on its own territory are also a way to compensate for the deficit of long-range capabilities," Zelensky added.

Late on Monday, local authorities said a Russian airstrike had hit a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Zelensky.

Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, confirmed the attack on Telegram early on Tuesday, stating that the missile hit a civilian structure, killing one person and injuring four others.

Hydroelectric power station hit in Kiev

In the capital region, the hydroelectric power station at Kiev's reservoir was damaged by a Russian airstrike, Ukrainian media reports said.

The news agency UNIAN in Kiev reported the strike after a video of the damage appeared on Russian Telegram channels.

According to the report, there was a fire in the turbine room of the hydroelectric power station.

Following the airstrike, the military administration of the Kiev region only officially confirmed damage to two unspecified energy infrastructure facilities.

At the same time, Ukrainian authorities tried to allay fears of a possible destruction of the dam. "There is no threat to the dam of the Kiev Hydroelectric Power Station. It is impossible to destroy it with missiles," Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Centre for Combating Disinformation, wrote on Telegram.

Poland says unidentified object violated airspace

The Polish Armed Forces said an unidentified "aerial object" flew into Polish air space on Monday morning.

General Maciej Klisz, operational commander of the armed forces, said at least three radar stations had registered the presumably unmanned object.

The army was in "full control" of the situation and was ready to shoot the object down if necessary, Poland's PAP news agency quoted Klisz as saying.

The object had crossed the Polish border near the Ukrainian town of Chervonohrad at 6:43 am (0343 GMT). By Monday afternoon the army said it was still not clear if it had crashed or turned back toward Ukraine.

Reuters confirms death of British employee in Ukraine

A British man working for the news agency Reuters as a safety adviser was killed in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the agency has confirmed.

Reuters reported that Ryan Evans, "a member of the Reuters team covering the war in Ukraine," was killed in an overnight strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk on Sunday.

His body was only recovered from under the rubble after several hours, according to the authorities.

Four people were recovered from under the debris with injuries, Vadym Filashkin, the governor of the eastern Donetsk region, said on Telegram. He had initially reported two dead.

The four injured were German, Ukrainian, Latvian and US nationals working for Reuters, according to Filashkin.

Reuters said that a team of six of its staff had been staying at the hotel when it was hit by the strike.

Two of its journalists were being treated in hospital, with one in serious condition, the agency said. The remaining three team members were safe.

According to the agency, Evans was 38 and a former British soldier who had been working with Reuters since 2022.

According to Ukrainian prosecutors, the hotel was hit by a Iskander-M missile.

Pro-Russian military bloggers confirmed the attack but said heavy-duty FAB-1500 glide bombs had been used in the strike.

IAEA chief to visit Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said he will lead a team visiting the the Kursk nuclear power plant in western Russia on Tuesday.

The facility is about 30 kilometres away from the fighting that erupted nearly three weeks ago when Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russian territory.

"Given the serious situation, I am personally leading the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in the Russian Federation," Rafael Grossi said in a statement.

"The safety and security of all nuclear power plants is of central and fundamental concern to the IAEA."

The nuclear power plant is located on the Seym river near the town of Kurchatov.

Last week, Russia told the IAEA that a drone had been intercepted near the plant. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of an attempted attack on the site, without offering any evidence.

Donetsk region orders further evacuations

The Ukrainian authorities ordered further evacuations in light of the Russian advance in the eastern Donetsk region.

Due to the deteriorating security situation, the zone for forced evacuations has been expanded and children and their parents or guardians must leave their homes, Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin announced on Monday evening.

A total of 27 localities in the Kostiantynivka and Selydove area were listed. An evacuation of villages had already been ordered in the Pokrovsk region due to the advance of Russian troops there.

Russian troops have captured a string of villages in the Donetsk region in recent months. One of Moscow's war aims is to bring Donetsk under complete Russian control.

People wait out an air raid alarm at the Khreshchatyk metro station during a massive Russian drone and missile attack. -/ukrin/dpa

People wait out an air raid alarm at the Osokorky metro station during a massive Russian drone and missile attack. -/ukrin/dpa
Russia is likely testing Poland's air defense system, Polish Brigadier General Tomasz Drewniak told Radio RMF24 on Aug. 27, after a likely Russian drone flew into Polish airspace on Aug. 26 amid a mass attack on Ukraine.

An unidentified airborne object, likely a Shahed-type kamikaze drone, flew over Poland for over 30 minutes on the morning of Aug. 26 before disappearing, the Polish military said.

According to RMF24, the unidentified object has still not been found, despite a second search day involving more than a hundred Polish soldiers in the Lublin region.

The drone reportedly entered Polish airspace at 6:43 a.m. from the direction of Chervonohrad in Lviv Oblast.

"By releasing the device onto our territory, the Russians are checking how our system is raised, at what time we raise the alert forces into the air," General Drewniak told RMF24.

Poland's reaction to the drone entering its airspace can provide Russia with "a lot of valuable information, which is then useful for planning any operation," General Drewniak said.

For example, the incident demonstrates the Polish chain of command and "how much time we need from receiving a recognition signal to making a decision, a plane taking off, and so forth," he said.

Russia targeted 15 of Ukraine's 24 oblasts on Aug. 26, launching over 200 missiles and drones as part of the largest-ever aerial attack against Ukraine.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported on the evening of Aug. 26 that Ukraine downed 102 missiles and 99 drones of the 127 missiles and 109 drones launched by Russia during the attack.

"In addition, several units of UAVs were lost in location on the territory of Ukraine, two more crossed the state border with Belarus," Oleshchuk said.

The Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported on Aug. 27 that at least six Russian drones flew off course and entered Belarus' airspace during the attack.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

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MOSCOW  A production plant key to Russias fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft program has opened new facilities aimed at scaling up the sluggish delivery tempo, state-owned aerospace conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation announced.

Officials have put into operation new development facilities related to the fuel system and started construction of a hangar for avionics testing at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur factory in eastern Russia, according to the company.

Su-57 aircraft are limited in their participation in the invasion of Ukraine, carrying out strikes from Russias territory. Following the countrys full-scale invasion of neighbor Ukraine, state arms makers Rostec, UAC and the aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur are under numerous sanctions from the United States, the European Union, Ukraine, Great Britain, Switzerland and other countries, forcing them to look for electronic equipment and components in Asia or import them illegally.

Russia only has a small number of Su-57 aircraft. The contract for the production of 76 planes by the end of 2027 was signed by the Defense Ministry at the Army Forum in June 2019, with Komsomolsk-on-Amur specified as the main production site.

However, the plant was quickly deemed too small, forcing officials to spend time expanding production space, which entailed changing and adding new equipment.

As a result, according to independent aviation expert Michael Jerdev, to date, the Air Force has received no more than one-third of what was planned under the contract. There was a transfer of 10 aircraft to the Air Force in 2022, and 11 copies in 2023. Critical bottlenecks are the supply of avionics and a new engine, the so-called Izdelie 30, says Jerdev, pointing to Western sanctions.

Until recently, Su-57 aircraft were equipped with the previous-generation AL-41F-1 engine. In December 2023, Rostec announced that some of the aircraft delivered in 2024 would boast the successor engine.

According to Pavel Luzin, an expert at the Washington-based think tank CEPA, the engines of the so-called second stage for the Su-57 and Su-75 Checkmate have been in development since the early 2010s, but they are unlikely to enter mass production before 2025. The production capabilities of the Ufa Engine Industrial Association are limited, which likely will mean the company must stop making older engines to focus on the new one.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it plans to receive 22 Su-57 aircraft in 2024. But by August 2024, there was no information about the status of any deliveries yet.

Ukrainian forces are thought to have damaged one or two Su-57 aircraft in June 2024 with a strike on the Akhtubinsk airfield in southern Russia, the Kyiv Independent reported at the time, citing Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andrei Yusov.
Russia warns the United States of the risks of World War Three

By Guy Faulconbridge and Vladimir Soldatkin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said the West was playing with fire by considering allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with Western missiles and cautioned the United States on Tuesday that World War Three would not be confined to Europe.

Ukraine attacked Russia's western Kursk region on Aug. 6 and has carved out a slice of territory in the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War Two. President Vladimir Putin said there would be a worthy response from Russia to the attack.

Sergei Lavrov, who has served as Putin's foreign minister for more than 20 years, said that the West was seeking to escalate the Ukraine war and was "asking for trouble" by considering Ukrainian requests to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons.

Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Putin has repeatedly warned of the risk of a much broader war involving the world's biggest nuclear powers, though he has said Russia does not want a conflict with the U.S.-led NATO alliance.

"We are now confirming once again that playing with fire - and they are like small children playing with matches - is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow.

"Americans unequivocally associate conversations about Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively," Lavrov said.

Lavrov added that Russia was "clarifying" its nuclear doctrine.

Russia's 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out when its president would consider using a nuclear weapon: broadly as a response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction or conventional weapons "when the very existence of the state is put under threat".

RUSSIA'S RESPONSE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier this month that the assault on Russia's Kursk region showed that Kremlin threats of retaliation were a bluff.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine, because of the restrictions imposed by allies, could not use the weapons at its disposal to hit some Russian military targets. He urged allies to be bolder in their decisions about how to help Kyiv in the war.

Russia has said that Western weaponry, including British tanks and U.S. rocket systems, have been used by Ukraine in Kursk. Kyiv has confirmed using U.S. HIMARS missiles to take out bridges in Kursk.

Washington says it was not informed about Ukraine's plans ahead of the surprise incursion into Kursk. The United States has also said it did not take any part in the operation.

Putin's foreign intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin, said on Tuesday that Moscow did not believe Western assertions that it had nothing to do with the Kursk attack. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the involvement of the United States was "an obvious fact".

The New York Times reported that the United States and Britain provided Ukraine with satellite imagery and other information about the Kursk region in the days after the Ukrainian attack.

The Times said that the intelligence was aimed at helping Ukraine keep better track of Russian reinforcements.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Alex Richardson)
Russian troops were advancing faster in the Pokrovsk sector before the Kursk operation started, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on Aug. 27 in response to a question by the Kyiv Independent.

When asked by a Kyiv Independent reporter about the benefits of the Kursk incursion in regards to Russia's ongoing push toward Pokrovsk, Zelensky claimed that Moscow's advance had slowed down.

The Pokrovsk sector has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast.

Zelensky said earlier that Pokrovsk, an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces that supports their operations in the region, became Russia's main target after its Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed.

According to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState, Russian troops have been advancing towards Pokrovsk throughout the three weeks of the ongoing Kursk operation.

The estimated Russian advance in the Pokrovsk sector as of Aug. 6, 2024, when Ukraine launched its Kursk incursion. (DeepState/OpenStreet Map)

The estimated Russian advance in the Pokrovsk sector as of Aug. 26, 2024. (DeepState/OpenStreet Map)

On Aug. 15, the military administration of Pokrovsk called on residents to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

Russian troops are not retreating and will continue to push on the embattled eastern sector, Zelensky said.

"They (Russia) need it, like the situation with Bakhmut. They will throw 50,000-60,000 people there. You will see it. You will understand these numbers very soon... There must be tricks. We are not bigger than Russia," the president said.

"At the peace summit, we should be in a strong situation. Of course, everything will end with a dialog. But we need to have strong positions for this dialog."

Previously, Zelensky said that the Kursk incursion into Russia is related to Ukraine's upcoming second peace summit and is one of "the stages to end the war."

One of the objectives of Kursk Oblast operation was to divert a significant number of Russian forces from other sectors, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

Syrskyi said that Moscow has redeployed about 30,000 of its troops from other sectors to the Kursk direction, "and this number is growing." At the same time, Russia deployed its most combat-ready units in the Pokrovsk sector, he added.

Read also: Zelensky to present US with victory plan in September

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Russian forces attacked the town of Bohodukhiv in Kharkiv Oblast on Aug. 27, killing one person and injuring six, the Prosecutor Generals Office reported.

One of the missiles hit near a bus stop, killing a 71-year-old man. Six people suffered injuries, among them three men, one woman, a 15-year-old boy, and a pregnant woman, according to the statement.

Russia also hit an industrial facility and damaged houses, outbuildings, and cars.

According to preliminary data, Russian troops attacked the settlement with a Tornado-S multiple-launch rocket system.

Previously, Russian troops carried out a missile strike on Bohodukhiv on Aug. 22, killing one person and injuring at least six others, including a child.

Earlier today, Russia launched a combined wave of attacks against Ukraine for the second night in a row, reportedly using 81 Shahed-type attack drones and 10 missiles.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured when Russia struck an infrastructure facility with an Iskander missile, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

A day before, Russia launched its largest aerial strike throughout the full-scale war, using over 230 missiles and drones.

Read also: Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

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(Bloomberg) -- Russia's seaborne oil flows rebounded to the highest in almost two months, boosted by a recovery in shipments from its Sakhalin Island projects in Asia.

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The nations four-week average crude exports increased to 3.26 million barrels a day in the week to Aug. 25, rising by 60,000 barrels a day compared with the previous period. Its weekly shipments, which are far more volatile, jumped 390,000 barrels a day.

The boost was largely driven by a recovery in flows from projects off Russias Far East coast. Sakhalin 2 has now returned from a month-long maintenance shutdown, shipping only its third cargo in nine weeks. Two cargoes of Sokol crude were also loaded from the Sakhalin 1 export terminal at De Kastri, up from one the previous week. And flows of ESPO crude from Kozmino, delivered by pipeline and rail from Siberia, have been running at nine cargoes a week for the past three weeks.

The increase comes ahead of a plan by several OPEC+ member countries, including Russia, to ease output curbs from October. Even if the group does lift production, which remans uncertain amid a weakening outlook for oil, the countrys share of any additions will be tempered by Moscows pledge to make deeper cuts to compensate for pumping above its OPEC+ target earlier this year.

After the first cargoes carried on tankers sanctioned by the US were successfully delivered to China, Russia has become much more active in putting those ships back to work. At least 10 shipments of crude and refined products have now been made on vessels blacklisted by the US, UK or the European Union, with seven of them loaded in the past five weeks.

Russias oil refineries boosted runs in the first three weeks of August. If the processing rate is sustained throughout the month, it will be the highest average monthly level since July 2023.

Crude Shipments

A total of 30 tankers loaded 23.44 million barrels of Russian crude in the week to Aug. 25, vessel-tracking data and port-agent reports show. The volume was up from a revised 20.73 million barrels on 27 ships the previous week.

It means Russias seaborne daily crude flows in the week to Aug. 25 rose by about 390,000 barrels to 3.35 million, the highest in three weeks. Though still relatively small, the increase in the weekly flow was the biggest since June.

The less volatile four-week average was also up, rising by 60,000 barrels a day to 3.26 million from 3.2 million the previous week. That measure has increased in three of the past four weeks to stand at its highest since the first week of July.

Crude shipments so far this year are about 40,000 barrels a day below the average for the whole of 2023.

Russia terminated its export targets at the end of May, opting instead to restrict production, in line with its partners in the OPEC+ oil producers group. The countrys output target is set at 8.978 million barrels a day until the end of September, after which it is scheduled to rise at a rate of 39,000 barrels a day each month until September 2025, as long as market conditions allow. A decision on whether to proceed with the easing of cuts is expected early next month.

Moscow has also pledged to make deeper output cuts in October and November this year, then between March and September of 2025, to compensate for pumping above its OPEC+ quota earlier this year.

Shipments from the Sakhalin 2 project are recovering after the project was halted for a month for maintenance on both oil and liquefied natural gas facilities in early July. One cargo was loaded during the week to Aug. 25.

Two cargoes of Kazakhstans KEBCO crude were loaded during the week, one each at Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga.

Flows by Destination

Observed shipments to Russias Asian customers, including those showing no final destination, rose to 3.08 million barrels a day in the four weeks to Aug. 25. Thats the most since May, but still about 9% below the average level seen in April.

About 1.2 million barrels a day of crude was loaded onto tankers heading to China. The Asian nations seaborne imports are boosted by about 800,000 barrels a day of crude delivered from Russia by pipeline, either directly, or via Kazakhstan.

Flows on ships signaling destinations in India averaged 1.62 million barrels a day, up from a revised 1.5 million for the period to Aug. 18.

Both the Chinese and Indian figures are likely to rise as the discharge ports become clear for vessels that are not currently showing final destinations.

The equivalent of about 240,000 barrels a day was on vessels signaling Port Said or Suez in Egypt. Those voyages typically end at ports in India or China and show up as Unknown Asia until a final destination becomes apparent.

Russias oil flows continue to be complicated by the Greek navy carrying out exercises in an area thats become associated with the transfer of Russian crude. These naval drills have now been extended to Sep. 15. As a result, recent cargo switches have moved to the waters off Egypts Port Said, where two Suezmax cargoes were transferred to a larger vessel for shipment to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope.

The waters off Port Said are also being used to switch the first LNG shipment from Russias Arctic LNG 2 project, which was sanctioned by the US last year, from one vessel to another after the tanker that carried the cargo from the Ob estuary was also sanctioned by the US. In response to the US actions, Moscow is developing a shadow fleet of LNG tankers in a similar way it did for transporting crude oil and products.

Russias seaborne crude exports to European countries have ceased, with flows to Bulgaria halted at the end of last year. Moscow also lost about 500,000 barrels a day of pipeline exports to Poland and Germany at the start of 2023, when those countries stopped purchases.

Pipeline deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia, which cross Ukraine through the southern leg of the Druzhba pipeline system, have also been disrupted in recent weeks by Kyivs ban on crude belonging to Lukoil PJSC crossing its territory. Hungary said refiner Mol Nyrt is discussing a workaround, and the companys CEO said the country wont suffer any oil shortages.

Turkey is now the only short-haul market for shipments from Russias western ports, with flows in the 28 days to Aug. 25 falling to about 180,000 barrels a day, the lowest since April 2023.

Export Value

The gross value of Russias crude exports rose to $1.62 billion in the seven days to Aug. 25, from $1.48 billion in the period to Aug. 18. The higher weekly flows were partly offset by another decline in prices for Russias major crude streams, the sixth in seven weeks.

Export values at Baltic and Black Sea ports were down week-on-week by about $2.20 a barrel, while key Pacific grade ESPO fell by about $3.20 a barrel. Delivered prices in India were also down, falling by about $2.20 a barrel, all according to numbers from Argus Media.

Four-week average income was little changed at about $1.59 billion a week. The four-week average peak of $2.17 billion a week was reached in the period to June 19, 2022.

During the first four weeks after the Group of Seven nations price cap on Russian crude exports came into effect in early December 2022, the value of seaborne flows fell to a low of $930 million a week, but soon recovered.

NOTES

This story forms part of a weekly series tracking shipments of crude from Russian export terminals and the gross value of those flows. The next update will be on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade. Those are shipments made by KazTransoil JSC that transit Russia for export through Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga and are not subject to European Union sanctions or a price cap. The Kazakh barrels are blended with crude of Russian origin to create a uniform export stream. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan has rebranded its cargoes to distinguish them from those shipped by Russian companies.

Vessel-tracking data are cross-checked against port agent reports as well as flows and ship movements reported by other information providers including Kpler and Vortexa Ltd.

If you are reading this story on the Bloomberg terminal, click for a link to a PDF file of four-week average flows from Russia to key destinations.

--With assistance from Sherry Su.

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Serhii Popko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, has said that Ukrainian air defence destroyed about 15 drones and several missiles near Kyiv on the night of 26-27 August.

Source: Kyiv City Military Administration on Telegram

Quote from Popko: "In total, since the beginning of the day, air defence assets and personnel have destroyed about 15 attack drones and several missiles near the city of Kyiv (the exact number and type of air targets will be revealed by the Air Force). Everything that was flying towards the capital of Ukraine was destroyed."

Details: He said that this Russian attack was again a combined one, just like the previous night, and the Russians attacked with drones and ballistic, cruise and aeroballistic missiles.

An air-raid warning has been issued four times in Kyiv since the beginning of the day and was in place for more than five hours in total. Initially, it was associated with a drone attack. Drones entered the city in waves and from different directions.

Around 03:00, several MiG-31K fighter jets took off in Russia, and those jets fired Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles across Kyiv Oblast towards the western regions of Ukraine.

Quote from Popko: "Several enemy Tu-95MS strategic bombers took off at about the same time. Preliminary data indicates that Kh-101 cruise missiles from these aircraft attacked Kyiv at around 05:00. The air strike, like yesterday, again ended in waves of loitering munitions attacks."

More details: Popko reiterated that the falling of debris from the downed targets was recorded in the forest park areas of the Dniprovskyi and Desnianskyi districts of Kyiv. As a result, the forest floor caught fire in several places. Some fires have already been extinguished, while the rest have been contained.

Quote from Popko: "Emergency services are working at the scene. No information on casualties has been reported. There is no damage in the capital."

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Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, has said that two people were killed and four more wounded in a Russian nighttime drone attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia.

Source: Fedorov on Telegram; Rehina Kharchenko, Acting Mayor and Secretary of Zaporizhzhia City Council, on Telegram

Quote from Fedorov: "One person was killed and two were injured. These are the consequences of the nighttime attack on Zaporizhzhia with Russian Shahed attack drones.

Details: Early reports indicate that the Russians carried out seven drone strikes on the territory of the city of Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia district.

Fedorov said that a man was killed and a man and a woman sustained injuries.

Quote from Fedorov: "Private houses were damaged by the blast wave and debris, and dry grass in an open area caught fire."

Updated: Later, Kharchenko reported that two people were killed and four others were injured as a result of Russian strikes.

Ivan Fedorov reported that during the past day, three people had been killed and five had been injured as a result of Russian attacks on the city of Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia district.

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The Russians attacked the city of Marhanets in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with a Grad multiple-launch rocket system, killing a 65-year-old man.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "A person was killed in Marhanets, Nikopol district. The enemy attacked the city with Grad MLRS, claiming the life of a 65-year-old man."

Details: The Russians destroyed a garage. Information regarding the damage is currently being clarified.

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While China's strongest critics in the US Congress have yet to achieve their goal of a complete Sino-American decoupling, the legislative branch itself, right down to its staff, has all but done so.

In August, US congressional members and their staff typically trot the globe to gather information and spread their political message.

And though the world's second-biggest economy looms large in Capitol Hill debates, it has been conspicuously absent of late not only from members' travel schedules but also their staff's.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

Since January 2023, just about a dozen congressional staff have ventured to the mainland, a fraction of past levels. Of those, six accompanied US senator Chuck Schumer's six-member delegation to China and South Korea last October - the only such delegation to visit the country this congressional session.

"Congressional staffers are perhaps the most important cog in the machine because they're the ones that, more often than not, help to draft the scope of legislation, and help to flesh out the issues for their members who may not be experts on the issue and may rely on them," said Ilan Berman of the American Foreign Policy Council, a conservative Washington-based think tank.

Unlike trips made by lawmakers, staff travel is lower-profile and allows participants to engage on a more granular level.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York led a congressional delegation to China in October. Photo: AFP alt=Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York led a congressional delegation to China in October. Photo: AFP>

Berman, recently returned from leading congressional staff to the mainland, believed the dynamic held unique value, observing: "When you have members of Congress, the engagements become much more pro forma, much more performative."

Even five years ago, China travel was considered unexceptional. Combining official visits and privately financed trips listed on Legistorm, a congressional transparency website, at least 27 staff and 15 lawmakers paid visits to the mainland in 2019 alone.

But as congressional travel to the mainland has receded since January 2023, during the same period at least 28 lawmakers and 61 House and Senate staff have travelled to Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing sees as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.

Story continues

(Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.)

Those journeying to Taiwan have included members and staff of Beijing's most vocal critic on Capitol Hill: the House select committee on strategic competition between the US and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). No select committee staffer or member has gone to the mainland since the panel's inception in early 2023.

Similarly, no staff or member of pivotal congressional advisory bodies on China policy like the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) have visited in the current two-year session.

The dearth of travel is striking, for it underscores the adversarial tone of a number of China-related legislation pending in Washington.

An employee checks a production line of a biotech company in Shandong province in November. Some American lawmakers seek to prevent the US government from contracting with major Chinese biotech firms. Photo: Xinhua alt=An employee checks a production line of a biotech company in Shandong province in November. Some American lawmakers seek to prevent the US government from contracting with major Chinese biotech firms. Photo: Xinhua>

According to the US-China Business Council, about 700 such bills and resolutions have been introduced in the current session. Some that would restrict outbound investment and prevent the federal government from contracting with major Chinese biotech firms are expected to have wide-ranging effects on American supply chains.

Some observers attribute the decline in visits, at least in part, to China's actions.

In retaliation for US sanctions, Beijing in recent years has sanctioned several lawmakers, such as Democratic congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Republican congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, and Republican senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Marco Rubio of Florida.

Cotton, McGovern, Rubio and Smith sit on the CECC, which is tasked with monitoring China's record on rule of law and human rights. Beijing sanctioned the CECC as a body in 2020.

It also sanctioned former USCC commissioner Carolyn Bartholomew in 2021, who chaired the body that year. And in May, Beijing sanctioned Mike Gallagher, former chair of the House select committee on China, a month after he resigned from Congress. Gallagher travelled to Taiwan twice this congressional session.

US congressional staff usually escape scrutiny. But in 2021 Beijing banned then-House Appropriations Committee aide Jon Stivers, who had previously served as the CECC's staff director. In 2022, Beijing sanctioned Todd Stein, now CECC deputy staff director.

Smith, the CECC's chair, has repeatedly requested permission from Beijing to travel to Xinjiang, where the Chinese government has been accused of human-rights abuses against the Uygur population.

US congressman Chris Smith speaks during a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing in Capitol Hill in Washington in 2019. The New Jersey Republican has long criticised Beijing's human-rights record. Photo: Bloomberg alt=US congressman Chris Smith speaks during a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing in Capitol Hill in Washington in 2019. The New Jersey Republican has long criticised Beijing's human-rights record. Photo: Bloomberg>

A commission spokesperson told the Post "there are no plans in place for the CECC staff to visit mainland China and Hong Kong before the end of the year unless the PRC agrees to Representative Smith's request for an unhindered visit to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region".

The USCC said in a statement that its staff would consider travel to China in the future, without elaborating why it did not this congressional session. The House select committee on China did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Another impediment to congressional travel has been the cessation of Chinese government-sponsored programmes conducted under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (MECEA).

In 2020, then-US secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced the termination of five programmes that had enabled Beijing to fund travel for American lawmakers and congressional staff.

Pompeo said the trips focused primarily on engagement with CCP officials rather than Chinese people. He called the programmes "soft-power propaganda tools" that were "not mutually beneficial".

The State Department did not immediately respond to a query about its current stance on MECEA trips to China.

MECEA organisers stress that the trips, all funded by foreign governments, provide US government staff with valuable global insights at no expense to American taxpayers.

The itineraries often incorporate discussions with officials as well as excursions to historical and cultural sites. At one point, China was the biggest sponsor of the visits.

MECEA-authorised funding had allowed US non-profits like the National Committee on US-China Relations (NCUSCR) to facilitate two to three staff delegations to China per year, numbering about 12 participants each, according to Jessica Bissett of the NCUSCR. (The committee also facilitates member delegations, which do not use MECEA funds.)

American groups routinely partner with Chinese counterparts to ease access to actors on the ground. MECEA trips facilitated by the NCUSCR normally entailed American China experts travelling with congressional staff, meetings with government and non-government actors on the mainland and significant NCUSCR input on the itinerary.

Bissett sees immense value in the visits, noting they often mark congressional aides' first trips to China, but said their cost made them tough to sustain without Chinese government funding.

The current political climate around China and a lack of political will had made arranging congressional trips difficult, she added.

As a non-partisan organisation, NCUSCR's China trips must be bipartisan, but many lawmakers, particularly Republicans, have been wary of committing to such travel ahead of US elections this November.

Undeterred, the American Foreign Policy Council raised money from US donors and set up two week-long visits over the past year in which a total of five congressional staff - two Democrats and three Republicans - joined China experts like Joshua Eisenman of the University of Notre Dame.

One of the five, who worked on national-security affairs and requested anonymity, said directly speaking to Chinese government officials and experiencing the culture on the ground first-hand gave him a deeper understanding of the bilateral relationship.

"An intensive trip of that length allows for more in-depth discussion on topics than some of the meetings that take place or don't take place in [Washington] DC," he said. "The whole concept of strategic empathy requires actually understanding the other side."

The US Capitol in Washington. For many congressional staff, a trip to China marks their first engagement with the country. Photo: AFP alt=The US Capitol in Washington. For many congressional staff, a trip to China marks their first engagement with the country. Photo: AFP>

As for organisers, they viewed the visits as opportunities to let staff glimpse China for themselves - good, bad or otherwise - rather than imposing a specific view.

Beijing is under no illusion that these trips will lead to immediate positive outcomes, they say.

"There is maybe hope that if enough people come to China and see it for themselves, that perhaps in the long run, that could have some sort of benefit," said Bissett.

In a statement to the Post, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said China had always welcomed congressional aides and members and that Washington was largely responsible for the dearth of legislative engagement.

"China recognises the great importance of the US Congress in American political life," Liu said. "Congressional members and aides are welcome to visit China to experience a true, three-dimensional and comprehensive China."

Berman of the American Foreign Policy Council said going to China was vital because the country has become increasingly closed off and Sino-American relations are at risk of devolving into accidental conflict.

"When you have a relationship that's going well, this sort of thing is not necessary," he explained. "When you have a fraught relationship, trips like these create a level of granularity or expertise that helps both sides avoid miscalculation."

Berman's think tank will continue booking travel to China, he added, as long as it could serve American interests.

"That there's such a small number of trips right now is a testament to the fact that we may have entered the era of diminishing returns."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia with seven Shahed UAVs on the night of 26-27 August. As a result of the attack, two people were killed, four were injured, two houses were destroyed, and more than 30 more were damaged.

Source: Ukraines Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, and Rehina Kharchenko, Secretary of Zaporizhzhia City Council and Acting Mayor, on Telegram

Quote from the Ministry of Internal Affairs: "The Russians attacked civilian infrastructure facilities in the oblast with seven drones (presumably of the Shahed type). Houses, an infrastructure facility, vehicles and garages were damaged."

Aftermath of the attack

Photo: Ukraines National Police

Details: Acting mayor of Zaporizhzhia Rehina Kharchenko said that two houses had been destroyed in the city, 12 high-rise buildings and more than 20 houses in two districts of the city were also damaged.

Aftermath of the attack

Photo: Ukraines National Police

"City council tents have been set up on the ground. Representatives of district administrations are recording information about damaged housing and advising people," Kharchenko said.

Photo: Ukraines National Police

The National Police and Ivan Fedorov posted photos of the aftermath of Russian strikes in Zaporizhzhia.

Aftermath of the attack.

Photo: Ivan Fedorov's Telegram

Background: Earlier, Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, said that two people had been killed and four more injured in a Russian nighttime drone attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia.

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The Russian army fired an Iskander missile on an infrastructure facility in the village of Andriivka in Kharkiv Oblast on the night of 26-27 August, injuring four people.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "23:43, Izium district, Donetsk hromada, village of Andriivka. An Iskander [missile] struck an infrastructure facility. The buildings and three cars were damaged and four people were injured." [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories]

Details: At night, the Russians also attacked the village of Bohuslavka in the Izium district. A total of four houses and a car were damaged. Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi also came under Russian attack. As a result of the attack, a grassy area and an outbuilding caught fire.

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Ryanair says air fares will keep falling through winter

Tax break? Michael OLeary of Ryanair is asking Labour to scrap Air Passenger Duty (Simon Calder)

Ryanair expects airfares will continue to fall by around 5 per cent as passenger demand slumps.

More people are flying with us this summer at lower fares, said Michael OLeary, chief executive of Europes biggest budget airline.

Good news for our passengers, bad news for our shareholders.

Ryanair, like other carriers, had seen double-digit growth in the first two summers since the Covid pandemic. Earlier this year the chief executive, Michael OLeary, predicted average summer fares would rise by 5 to 10 per cent. But his current expectation is that the peak quarter from July to September will be down 5 per cent.

Mr OLeary said while he had no idea how fares would turn out, he added: It is reasonable to expect that fares will be down 5 per cent for the rest of the [financial] year. That ends on 31 March 2025.

The Ryanair boss demanded that the new Labour government scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD).

The tax on aircraft departing from most UK airports ranges from 7 for domestic flights in economy class to 202 in business class for the longest flights.

You can have lots of growth in air travel here  all youve got to do is scrap APD, he said. APD tax is blocking UK growth.

Michael OLeary also reiterated his call for the European Commission to improve air-traffic control (ATC) service.

He said: The number of ATC staff shortages have trebled.

They have enough staff, they just wont roster them on the first wave.

Airlines are extremely keen to get the first wave of flights  typically from 6am to 8am  away on time, in order to ensure later flights are punctual.

He said of national air-traffic control services across Europe: They are particularly bad at covering Saturday and Sunday morning.

It is just incompetent management.

A spokesperson for Eurocontrol  the pan-European air-navigation provider  told The Independent: As August is not yet over, we cant provide a full overview of this months figures.

However, what we can say is that in July 2024, traffic in the European aviation network was 4.5 per cent up compared to July 2023, with an average of 34,379 flights per day.

Compared to 2019, traffic for the month was at 97 per cent. With up to 20 per cent of the networks airspace unavailable due to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly half of the air navigation service providers are managing exceptional increases in traffic of more than 15 per cent above 2019 levels.

The numbers show that the air traffic situation today is very different from and more complex than the air traffic situation in 2019. Eurocontrol is working with all aviation partners to address the situation collaboratively.

Ryanair has also announced new winter destinations from its main base, London Stansted: Sarajevo, Linz, Reggio Calabria and Dubrovnik.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
In a first-of-its kind operation, Sacramento police officials Monday declared a homeless camp a crime scene, enclosed it with caution tape, then broke through a metal gate with bulldozers and welding equipment.

It marked the end of Camp Resolution, a tight-knit camp comprised largely of disabled seniors the city is now calling a failed experiment.

After over two years of allowing about 50 homeless people to live in city-issued trailers at city property, the North Sacramento lot is again vacant.

The closure of the camp was relatively peaceful, with most residents leaving voluntarily. Although a handful of protesters shouted at officers, the overall mood was somber. Police cited four people for resisting, obstructing or delaying officers, a misdemeanor, though bystanders said they were not camp residents.

Before closing the camp, the city offered all residents of Camp Resolution a shelter bed. Some accepted them, while others did not, contending they were promised permanent housing, not shelter.

Betty Edwards, 60, accepted a motel room from the city where she could stay indefinitely and bring her two small dogs  not usually allowed in city motels. But her broken down trailer, a gift from her brother full of sentimental items, was still parked inside the gates as tow trucks entered.

Thats my home! I got everything in there, Edwards screamed across the police tape as she sobbed to Brian Pedro, head of the citys Homeless Incident Management Team. Let me get my trailer outta there! Thats where everything is!

Others like Satearah Murphy, 35 of Sacramento, were not given the option to keep more than one dog if she goes to a shelter. She didnt want to have to part with one of her pitbulls, Mississippi and Bane, so she did not go. She will probably sleep in a tent on the sidewalk tonight, she said.

Camp Resolution attorney Anthony Prince pushes Shonn Adams in a wheelchair as he listens to Satearah Murphy, center, as she talks about trying to save Adams trailer inside Camp Resolution on Monday. Prince was moving Adams, who uses oxygen to breathe, from the encampment before the city cleared the camp. She was crying because she didnt want to leave her dog or her home for the past two years.

I wont part with my dogs, said Murphy, whose arm is injured from a bullet. One is my protection and the other my emotional support.

Other residents were concerned that the trailers and tiny homes at the citys Roseville Road shelter site do not have electricity for air conditioning or cooking.

Staying in shelters is the best shot at getting permanent housing eventually, however, according to Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

City crews and representatives of health and service organizations are on site today to get people how are willing into services and shelter, Steinberg said in a statement Monday. I certainly hope they accept as this is the surest path to obtaining permanent housing.

Sacramento police officers and other city workers enter Camp Resolution on Colfax Street to take back the FEMA trailers the state had loaned the city while homeless scrambled to get their belongings on Monday. Residents marked an X on the trailers occupied by disabled people.

How we got here

Camp Resolution came to be after The Sacramento Bee reported the city had payed $617,0000 to pave and fence a city lot for a homeless shelter that never opened. A handful of homeless women broke in and started camping on the lot.

Instead of clearing them off the property, as the city had in the past, the city got on board. It signed a lease with Safe Ground Sacramento, a nonprofit run by civil rights attorney Mark Merin, which was running a Safe Ground at 12th and C streets. It dropped off trailers from the state that had been sitting empty, for guests to use. Unlike other shelters, which cost several million dollars a year to run, the site did not cost the city anything.

Due to vapor contamination, a state agency allowed people to live in the site in trailers, but not in tents on the ground. The type of contamination thats present is not harmful to people in vehicles because theyre raised off the ground, the California State Water Resources Control Board has said.

Things went smoothly for over a year.

But in an April letter, the city said there were people sleeping in tents and that the camp would close in May. The city then backed off on that plan after residents begged the City Council for more time, and people stopped camping on the dirt. On May 15, the homeless union sued the city, seeking a judge order barring the city from closing the camp until all residents are in permanent housing. The judge has so far ruled in the citys favor on that case, but it is still active. Meanwhile, in July, Merin, the lease holder, sent a notice to the city of plans for lease termination, which is effective Monday.

Merin has said that although the lease is ending, it would be up to the city whether to clear the residents off the site. The lease states, upon the expiration or termination of this lease, lessee shall peaceably vacate the premises and deliver the premises, vacant of all guests to city.

However since its a city property and city trailers, the city could have let the camp stay.

The city posted notices at the camp earlier this month stating the residents were in violation of a state law against trespassing.

Business owner thankful

Although the camp only had about 50 official residents, it attracted unhoused people to camp outside the fence along the bike trail, sometimes who engaged in criminal activity  part of the reason the city soured on the experiment.

Dmitriy Dolotov, the owner of Stellar Built, an off-road vehicle shop two blocks from the camp, said the closure of the homeless encampment will be beneficial for his business.

Since the camp started in 2022, he said the area has gotten noticeably worse with a huge uptick in crime. At least twice a month, his business yard experiences break-ins.

If you look at our fence, the entire thing is patched up, Dolotov said Monday. It was constantly getting messed with. They were cutting locks, they were cutting gates.

Dolotov stressed that did not know whether the trespassers were residents of Camp Resolution or other homeless people who were attracted to the area after it opened.

But many of his customers are scared for their safety when they drop off their vehicles, he said. Frequently, Dolotov also sees needles and other drug paraphernalia scattered around the neighborhood.

Nobody wants to be out in the cold, but Im glad that theres an option for them to go elsewhere, he said. Its positive for the business, its positive for the neighborhood.

The camps ending may mean the city wont try to open a Safe Ground again. But with the city facing a projected $77 million deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1, and state and federal funding not drastically increasing, it may be the only model it can afford.

The homeless union, working with Disability Rights California, is trying to get a court hearing Friday, said Anthony Prince of the homeless union.

Today is one battle but this is a war, Prince said.

The city is still deciding what to do with the lot, city spokesman Tim Swanson said.
The City of Sacramento has only proven one thing during its sweep of North Sacramentos Camp Resolution this week: It never learns from its mistakes.

Monday morning saw the long-feared-for end of the self-governed camp for homeless people in a vacant, city-owned lot in Old North Sacramento. Camp Resolution once had the citys support, and even signed a lease for the land with a non-profit organization led by homeless advocate attorney Mark Merin. It was occupied by a majority of female, elderly and disabled residents and reportedly had a waitlist of over 800 people.

Opinion

However, concerns about ground contamination and reports of people sleeping in tents played a role in the citys decision to move forward with the closure after many months of desperate delays by residents of the camp as they struggled to find alternate accommodations.

It is dismaying that a self-governing Safe Ground site  which cost the city almost nothing  has ended in such acrimony; a disappointing example of the disconnect between Sacramentos homeless population, two major homeless nonprofits now at loggerheads and a city that has no problem with its branded bulldozers running through a community.

There were certainly missteps on the part of the local government as well as the homeless who occupied the camp. But it is unfair to blame homeless people who had little option other than to sleep on some piece of land and chose this site to do so.

It would also be unfair to suggest the city has done nothing to alleviate the homelessness crisis: A recent audit found the city pays the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency $4.6 million a year to operate a 100-bed shelter on X Street, and $3.5 million a year to operate a 100-bed shelter in Meadowview.

But this Editorial Board maintains, as we have time and time again, that Sacramento must have more housing and shelter capacity. The urgency to get more homeless off the streets and into shelters and safe sites that so resonated at City Council meetings of the past is now gone.

A homeless resident from Camp Resolution pulls his belongings on a cart in around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, before city of Sacramento crews arrived to sweep the self-governing homeless encampment on Colfax Street.

The city of Sacramento simply will not solve homelessness by dismantling sanctioned and unsanctioned encampments while there are not enough shelter beds available as a humane alternative.

And yet, we are aware that the U.S. Supreme Court has given communities a free pass to sweep homeless people with no place to go.

The courts recent decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson has made it easier than ever before to shuffle the nations homeless around like a giant shell game playing with human lives. It has opened the door for local governments to declare that it is illegal to lay down in public spaces.

In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsoms latest publicity stunt was to declare California cities and counties can no longer expect state funding if they suffer homeless encampments to exist. Newsom made this point clear during a well-documented trip to a Los Angeles encampment, trash bag in hand as he helped to clean it out.

Neither of these actions bodes a promising future for the states 181,000 homeless, who have very little access to support systems that somehow need billions of taxpayer dollars in funding.

We dont expect the city of Sacramento to solve the crisis of homelessness all by itself. To give credit where credit is due, the city has certainly stepped into a void left by the much better-funded (but absentee) county of Sacramento.

However, this Editorial Board moved against our better judgment to trust City Manager Howard Chan and the Sacramento City Council last year when they told us there would soon be a Safe Ground in every district. We gave them the benefit of the doubt when they kept that process secret, knowing that whatever site was chosen would face a mountain of opposition.

A divided City Council last August delegated to Chan the authority to establish new homeless encampments in the city. Since then, the city has created one and disbanded two. Talk of Safe Ground sites in every council district has disappeared. So has the idea of a map to tell homeless people where it is safe to sleep without being swept out by police. The one site identified along Roseville Road in District 2 cannot possibly accommodate the citys thousands of homeless.

This is not progress, it is stagnation.

With the Camp Resolution experiment resulting in failure and acrimony, compassionate alternatives are in short supply. Sacramento police kept the media away on Monday, alleging it was a crime scene and crossing their tape would result in arrest.

We wonder how many homeless Sacramentans have died in the citys drawn-out timeframe, waiting for help that never came? We wonder how many former residents of Camp Resolution will suffer medical and mental trauma from the citys sweep on Monday.

Camp Resolution, once such a great hope for our city and perhaps a new way of homeless management, is now nothing but a failed experiment  with plenty of blame to go around.
(FOX40.COM)  About 250 attorneys with the Sacramento County Attorneys Association (SCAA) began striking on Monday.

The strike comes after months-long talks over a new contract between the county and the attorneys association have come to a standstill.

The union is seeking pay raises between 5.5% to 9% for its members and retroactive pay in order to keep up with the cost of living in Sacramento and to keep experienced attorneys in their offices and courtrooms.

California man cited in operation against alcohol sales to minors nabbed for something else, officials say

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho says the union that represents both the public defenders and the district attorneys office, has been out of contract for two years now.

I think its about time that the countys CEO sit down and really try to resolve this issue because we have the best DAs office, I think, in the entire country, Ho said. But Im having problems recruiting and retaining people because we need better fair wages and benefits for them,

SCAA members say the work environment and pay in Sacramento isnt competitive for the area.

Somebody that has ten years of litigation experience can go to a different county like Solano or can go to county council right here in Sacramento and have a much lower caseload at the same or higher salary, DA domestic violence unit supervisor Kari Reeve said. So as people leave the office caseload, cases are blooming.

Attorneys who are a part of the union say theres a report from an independent arbiter supporting their position.

Part of the arbitration, the county must affirmatively claim that they dont have the ability to pay. They waived that, SCAA President Matt Chisholm said. They are looking across the table at us and saying, you just dont deserve it.

The county says its current pay is competitive and that the vacancy rate for attorney positions within the county is low.

Caltrans working on several projects along I-80 ahead of Labor Day weekend

With top-step annual salaries for our attorneys reaching $247,000 for principal attorneys, $225,000 for level v, and $204,000 for level ivwell above market averages, even when considering higher-cost areasour compensation packages, including pensions and benefits, are competitive and generous, a Sacramento County spokesperson told FOX40. A 19.520.5% compensation increase, as opposed to the 14-15% provided as part of the current extension, for one of the countys highest-paid staff, who also have the lowest vacancy rate, appears counterintuitive given that market data does not support such a raise.

As to the effect this can have on the public, DA Ho says they are balancing both ongoing cases and the strike and that no trials nor hearings will be impacted.

We are going from about 180 lawyers down to about 12, Ho said. And so Im over in court today handing hearings, handling cases to make sure that public safety is not jeopardized as are impacted.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Sacrificed frozen Inca child in Chile did not die peacefully as previously thought, study finds

Sacrificed frozen Inca child in Chile did not die peacefully as previously thought, study finds

An Incan child from Chiles Cerro El Plomo ritually sacrificed over 500 years ago and well preserved as a frozen mummy did not die peacefully as previously believed, but from a blow to the head, a new study found.

The iconic Plomo Mummy of the eight-year-old found in a sitting position, hugging his knees, has been studied for decades by archaeologists since its discovery in 1954.

Researchers previously thought that the boy was fed narcotic substances, and put to sleep before being placed in his icy tomb where he succumbed to suffocation.

Chiles National Museum of Natural History says the child was killed around 1460 at a sacrificial ceremony called Qhapaq hucha, or Capacocha, which was likely attended by nobles, priests and officials of the Inca Empire.

Mummified boy from El Plomo hill (Chilean National Museum of Natural History)

Before his death, there are signs that the boy walked more than 2,000km (1,250 miles) from south-central Peru to Cerro El Plomo over several months as seen as marks on his feet, researchers say.

Experts thought his last moments were likely marked by fatigue from the long journey, high altitude, and the ingestion of a narcotic substance before he was placed in a rectangular chamber with a frozen floor inducing hypothermia and death.

A funerary offering was also placed next to the boy, including ceremonial objects, including two figures of camelids  one made of a gold and silver alloy and another made of shell.

Archaeologists suspect such sacrifices were likely ways by which Inca tried to ensure that the best of humanity joined their deities.

But recent research is changing views on how these ritual sacrifices were carried out.

New CT X-ray scans of the Plomo Mummys head portion reveal signs of a skillfully executed blunt-force trauma to the frontal bone of the boys skull.

The trauma appears to have been caused by a blunt object moving from right to left when the child was standing with his head down, researchers from the museum said.

Dermatological studies carried out on child of El Plomo (Chilean National Museum of Natural History)

These new findings challenge previously held beliefs about the nature of ritual child sacrifices to the Sun god in the Inca empire, particularly during the harvest month.

Close to his death, the boy also appears to have ingested a large volume of food that has remained undigested in his gut.

Genome analysis also confirms his ancestry is from the south central Andes and ancient individuals from northern Chile as well as the southern highlands of Peru.

However, it has not been possible yet to pinpoint his exact origins.
A local church will be celebrating 150 years in the Erie community and their impact.

Saint James A.M.E. Church was built in 1874 and is the first and oldest African American church in the area.

Former Mercyhurst campus will soon be transformed into community center, facility for veterans

Homer Smith, chairperson of the 150th anniversary, said the church has been in three buildings with 70 pastors ministering to their congregation.

An exhibit of the churchs work and impact is currently on display for the public to see at the Historical Institute of Culture and the African American Experience.

Patients receive makeovers thanks to Cancer Wellness Centers Beautiful You event

Weve had highs, lows. Weve seen so many generations of people come through the doors of St. James. Theres a legacy of members that are still at the church. A lot of them have moved on. Of course, a lot of them have passed away, but the spirit of those members are still a part of St. James, even to this day, said Denise Horton, a member of the anniversary committee at St. James A.M.E. Church.

The celebration will be the weekend of September 14 and 15 at the Gannon Yehl Ballroom on Saturday and Sunday at the church where older members will be recognized.



Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  An alert from law enforcements license plate reader system led police to a homicide suspect in Orange County after a San Diego man was found dead in his home by family members over the weekend.

Homicide detectives are investigating after a man  identified as 55-year-old Francisco Cruz  was found dead in his home in the 6000 block of Madrone Avenue in the Encanto neighborhood on Saturday by concerned family members performing a welfare check after they were notified he did not show up for work.

Homicide investigation underway after family members find man dead in his home

In an update on Monday, San Diego Police said the victim died from stab wounds after a San Diego man was at the victims house.

Deputies with the Orange County Sheriffs Department were able to track down the suspect after the Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system alerted law enforcement the victims vehicle was in Dana Point.

Around 3:25 a.m. Sunday, Orange County Sheriffs Deputies spotted the stolen vehicle in the area of the 34000 block of Doheny Park Road, Capistrano Beach, while checking the area after receiving the ALPR alert.

Deputies tried to pull over the vehicle, but say the driver got out and ran away on foot. After a short pursuit, police were able to take the suspect into custody.

Wrong-way driver dies in head-on crash on I-8 in El Cajon

Orange County deputies arrested David Nava, 22, of San Diego. He was transferred to the custody of the San Diego Police Department and booked into the San Diego County Jail facing charges of murder and vehicle theft. His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Police say the circumstances are still under investigation and it is unclear at this time how the suspect and victim knew each other.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Two San Diego police officers that died in the line of duty back in 1984 are being honored 40 years later.

September 14 marks 40 years since San Diego Police Officers Kimberly Tonahill and Timothy Ruopp were both fatally shot by an armed suspect while issuing a citation at Grape Street Park.

Two killed, including SDPD officer, in crash after high-speed pursuit

Grape Street Dog Park in San Diegos South Park neighborhood at 28th and Grape Street will officially be renamed to Tonahill  Ruopp Park in a public ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, according to the City of San Diego.

Retired San Diego Police sergeant Gary Mitrovich was on the same squad with Tonahill and Ruopp back in 1984. Mitrovich responded to the scene to assist and was also shot and seriously injured, but survived.

Mitrovich was live on KUSI Tuesday morning to talk more about the renaming efforts.

Mitrovich gave much of the credit for getting the process started to rename the park to Sarita Flaming, who was best friends with Tonahill. He said last year on the 39th anniversary of the fatal shooting, Flaming went to park for first time since it happened and got the idea to gather support to rename the park.

The Balboa Park Committee back in July 2024 approved the renaming of Grape Street Dog Park.

Officers Tonahill and Ruopp lost their lives while confronting two adults with two underage girls and alcohol at Grape Street Park on Sept. 14, 1984, the City of San Diego reports.

Pershing Bikeway opens, connecting North Park with downtown

According to authorities, one of the suspects opened fired as Officer Tonahill was patting them down, shooting her four times in an area her vest didnt cover. The suspect then walked up to Officer Ruopp and shot him execution style.

Thats when Officer Mitrovich responded to the park. He recounted hearing gunshots while in route, and was shot in the shoulder and seriously wounded when he arrived.

Officer Tonahill died that night. She was 24, and a rookie officer having only been on the force eight months.

Officer Ruopp died two days later. He was 31, married, with four young children. He had been on the force for two and a half years.

The California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation reports Tonahill was the first woman to die in the line of duty in the history of the department. Mitrovich was awarded a Medal of Valor on Nov. 30, 1984 for his courage.

Estrella County Park in San Diego reopens after major upgrades

The suspect in the case was arrested and sentenced to death after being convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. He killed himself in 1988 while on death row at San Quentin, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation.

The Sept. 14 renaming ceremony is open to the community.

Grape Street Park, soon to be the Tonahill  Ruopp Park, is open Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The area is unfenced and dogs can be off leash during those days and times, according to the City of San Diego.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Oil prices are falling, which makes now a good time to reassess how best to approach investing in the sector.

In its August short-term energy outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) lowered its full-year target price on Brent crude oil (the international benchmark) from $86 to $84 per barrel. The EIA remains optimistic that crude oil prices will rise in the coming months, but also expects lower oil consumption.

Oil demand tends to rise when global economic output increases. But the relationship between the economic cycle and oil prices can vary from region to region based on the level of economic development and climate policy.

Despite some headwinds for oil prices, here's why these Fool.com contributors think Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), Equinor (NYSE: EQNR), and Vitesse Energy (NYSE: VTS) are three dividend stocks in the energy sector to buy now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Enbridge: A midstream leader with nearly three decades of boosting its dividend

Scott Levine (Enbridge): Oil prices may be slipping, but that's no reason to shy away from leading energy stocks like Enbridge -- a company that transports about 30% of the crude oil produced in North America and nearly 20% of the natural gas used in the U.S.

In fact, the stock is attractively valued right now, providing income-seeking investors with a great opportunity to load up on a leading pipeline stock that has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to rewarding shareholders, boosting its dividend for 29 consecutive years, and sporting a forward dividend yield of 6.9%.

While shares of upstream and downstream companies are sensitive to energy prices, Enbridge exhibits more resilience. The company operates oil and natural gas pipelines and storage facilities, which generate strong, dependable cash flows. Enbridge signs long-term contracts with customers, helping to protect it from energy price volatility. In addition, Enbridge has regulatory-based cost-of-service arrangements in place to help reduce risk.

This business model provides management with solid foresight into future cash flows -- which, in turn, helps it plan for dividend raises and other capital expenditures such as acquisitions. Management, for example, projects distributable cash flow -- $11.3 billion as of 2023 -- to grow at a 3% compound annual rate through 2026.

Trading at 9 times operating cash flow, Enbridge stock is priced at a slight discount to its five-year operating cash flow multiple of 9.2. It may not represent a screaming buy, but not every stock purchase has to be. Enbridge is a compelling choice for folks digging in the oil patch for a reliable, low-risk, dividend stock.

Story continues

Equinor: An energy major worth buying now

Daniel Foelber (Equinor): Investors have been penciling in Aug. 28 as a noteworthy date because it's when market darling Nvidia is set to release its fiscal 2025 second-quarter results. But it's also the date when Norwegian energy giant Equinor will distribute a whopping $0.70 per share in dividends to holdings of American depositary receipts (ADRs) on the New York Stock Exchange -- translating to an annualized yield of 10.4% based on Equinor's share price of around $27.

ADRs offer a way for U.S. investors to buy shares of foreign companies like Equinor, Toyota Motor, etc., on an American exchange.

Equinor's ordinary quarterly dividend is $0.35 per share, but it is also paying an extraordinary dividend of $0.35 per share based on its business performance. In 2022, it paid $2.90 in total dividends per share, followed by $3.40 in dividends per share in 2023.

Anytime a company has an abnormally high yield like Equinor, it's best to approach the investment opportunity cautiously to ensure the company can afford the dividend expense and understand why the yield is so high. In Equinor's case, the company has been crystal clear about its large capital return program to shareholders through both buybacks and dividends.

Unlike other oil majors that are ramping up capital expenditures and/or making high-profile acquisitions, Equinor is keeping a tight lid on spending as it works to diversify its business and invests in renewable energy. The company's oil and gas assets are a cash cow, and Equinor is directly passing along profits to shareholders -- including plans for a whopping $14 billion in buybacks and dividends in 2024 -- which is 18.6% of Equinor's market value.

Equinor is an excellent choice for investors who agree with its plans to reduce domestic oil and natural gas production and achieve its ambitious carbon-reduction goals. However, if you're looking for companies that are aggressively boosting oil and gas production, you may prefer ExxonMobil or ConocoPhillips instead.

Vitesse Energy: An energy company where the dividend comes first

Lee Samaha (Vitesse Energy): Trading at an 8.6% dividend yield at the time of writing, Vitesse Energy is an oil and gas exploration and production company operating an unusual business model. Instead of owning and operating assets, management prefers to buy interests in wells operated by other leading oil and gas companies like Chord Energy, Hess, and EOG Resources.

As of August, it held interests in 7,018 wells with "an average working interest of 2.8% per working interest well." The strategy diversifies risk in any one well and also gives flexibility to management as it's not encumbered with drilling obligations as an operator.

On the other hand, most of its assets are in the Bakken oil field in North Dakota, and the model requires management to keep growing production through successfully appraising and acquiring assets. It's also an asset-light model, so Vitesse doesn't have significant ongoing maintenance capital investment requirements.

In addition, management follows a discretionary policy of hedging its oil production to protect the dividend. This policy can be good because it dilutes the stock's risk from exposure to the price of oil and strengthens Vitesse's exposure to what it does best: growing oil and gas production.

That said, there's still a discretionary element here, and investors rely on management to offset any significant oil price weakness. Perhaps the best way to think about Vitesse is as a stock likely to do well outside of a sharp oil price decline. That makes it attractive as part of a diversified portfolio of high-yield stocks.

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These San Diego roads will be worked on this week

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Road repairs are underway in San Diego as part of the citys slurry seal program.

Slurry seal, which is a quarter-inch thick of asphalt emulsion, sand and rock, prevents streets from deteriorating, the City of San Diego said in a news release Monday.

The resurfacing of streets this week will happen in parts of the Rancho Penasquitos, Scripps Ranch, Torrey Highlands, Carmel Mountain Ranch and Fairbanks Ranch communities.

San Diego airport set to open first feature of Terminal 1 revamp

Here are the roads that will be worked on, weather permitting:

Camino Del Norte

Bernardo Center Drive

Calle Juanito

Andorra Way

Madrigal Street

Sorbonne Court

Castile Way

Stoney Gate Place

Shoal Creek Drive

Tradition Street

Camino Del Sur

La Cartera Street

Rotherham Avenue

Barrymore Street

Corte Ganso

Greenberg Lane

Greenberg Way

Torrey Meadows Drive

Businesspark Avenue

Sparren Avenue

Fontanelle Place

Tradition Street

Carmel Mountain Road

Del Mar Heights Road

San Dieguito Road

Streets are selected for resurfacing through a pavement management system that helps determine when to schedule streets for repair. Each street segment is assigned a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score based on the pavements roughness and cracks, the City of San Diego said in the release.

The StreetsSD shows residents the PCI scores for their neighborhood streets, as well as maps of planned street repairs.

Roads in San Diego will undergo construction through the months of August and September.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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)  San Francisco is poised to close some of its public schools in the 2025-2026 school year. The San Francisco Unified School Districts enrollment dropped by 4,000 children within the past decade. Looking forward, student enrollment will continue plummeting, according to data released by district officials on Tuesday.

Demographic trends, such as declining birth rates, indicate that SFUSD could lose 4,600 additional students by 2032, district administrators wrote.

The population drop has spread resources thin across school sites. SFUSD has the capacity to serve 14,000 more students than it actually has. Many elementary schools only have enough students to fill one classroom per grade level.

At Tuesdays school board meeting, Superintendent Matt Wayne will provide an update on the districts process for developing a new school portfolio for the 2025-26 school year, which includes closures, officials said.

A portfolio showing which schools will remain open, close, or merge, will be revealed to the public on September 18, according to SFUSD.

SFUSD created multiple draft scenarios for which schools will remain open and which will close using a composite score for each school as a starting point. Composite scores were calculated based on three criteria: equity, excellence, and effective use of resources.

We are putting the highest level of care and sensitivity into this process, and SFUSD is one of the only school districts in the country to name equity as a key factor when changing its school portfolio, Wayne said.

SF school board president abruptly resigns

We know this process will be difficult, but we need to stay focused on creating a district set up for long-term stability where all schools are fully enrolled, fully resourced, and provide every student with a strong and supportive learning environment, the superintendent said.

(Photo by David Paul Morris /Bloomberg via Getty Images)

SFUSD administrators wrote, Staffing shortages significantly affect the day-to-day operations of schools. In 2022-23 and at the start of 2023-24, at least 15% of classrooms were staffed by substitute teachers or teachers on special assignment, which is also expected to be the case on the first day of the 2024-25 school year on Aug. 19. When SFUSD has fewer classrooms, the district will have a much better chance of ensuring every classroom has a qualified teacher.

The board of education will vote to finalize the portfolio plan in December, and the changes will take effect in the 2025-26 school year.

KRON4 reached out to SFUSD, the California Department of Education and the UESF Teachers Union for comment and received the following responses:

SFUSD: SFUSD continues to work collaboratively with our fiscal advisors and labor partners to hire for vacant positions. The escalated state oversight has further highlighted the need for SFUSD to take corrective action to eliminate deficit spending and implement sustainable financial practices. We all share the goal of returning SFUSDs budget to local control.

California Department of Education: The advisors appointed by the California Department of Education are not preventing the hiring of any fully funded student-facing positions. CDE advisors have not exercised stay-and-rescind authority to prevent the hiring of any position.

The role of the CDE advisors is to ensure that all educators and staff hired by SFUSD can be paid for the full course of the school year. To that end, CDE advisors have been working in partnership with SFUSD throughout the summer to verify the funding of all positions so that employees can be hired and paid.

Throughout this process, CDE advisors and SFUSD leadership have prioritized verifying classroom-facing positions first to minimize any impact on students and student learning. Following conversation with UESF leadership, SFUSD and CDE advisors are also accelerating the verification of special education paraprofessionals to support the full staffing of special education classrooms with UESF members.

CDE will continue to work with SFUSD to support the districts improvement of systems for managing budget and personnel so that San Franciscos students and educators have the stability that a healthy learning environment requires.

UESF Teachers Union: The CDE is currently blocking the hiring of critical school staff, including counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists, despite budget allocations already in place for these positions.

Many SFUSD schools are grappling with severe staffing shortages, leaving students without essential support services. These delays are exacerbating the challenges faced by students, particularly in the wake of the ongoing mental health crisis following the pandemic. Educators are committed to ensuring that schools are fully staffed to meet the needs of every student, and they are calling on the CDE to remove the bureaucratic barriers preventing these necessary hires.

With over 100 classroom vacancies at the start of the school year, delaying the hiring of critical support staff is unacceptable and detrimental to student well-being. The press conference will highlight the urgent need for action and provide a platform for educators to voice their concerns.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON)  A San Jose State University student died inside their dorm room at Spartan Village on the Paseo over the weekend, university administrators said.

SJSU administrators said they are in contact with the deceased students roommates and family members.

Hundreds of undergraduate students recently moved into the new dorm to begin the 2024-2025 school year. Move-in days for Spartan Village happened on August 16 and 17, according to the universitys website.

San Jose Fire Department firefighters responded to the scene at 1:13 p.m. Sunday and pronounced the student deceased.

The students cause of death is unknown, said Mari Fuentes-Martin, the universitys vice president of student affairs. University police opened a death investigation.

Fuentes-Martin wrote in a campus-wide message, Today our campus mourns the tragic loss of one of our students, who passed away in their room at the Spartan Village on the Paseo. This loss is heartbreaking and devastating for our close-knit San Jose State community, especially at the beginning of a new academic year. This was an isolated incident.

The tragedy happened less than two weeks after the university celebrated Spartan Village on the Paseos grand opening in downtown San Jose. The off-campus, 13-floor building was formerly a Fairmont hotel. Hotel rooms were converted into dorm rooms for hundreds of undergraduate students.

Fuentes-Martin said students safety and well-being is SJSUs highest priority.

Counseling is available to all students. Students can go to the Student Wellness Centers Counseling and Psychological Services Monday through Friday. Crisis counseling is available 24-hours a day by calling 408-924-5678.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Santa Monica is considering new measures to get homeless people off the streets.

The Santa Monica City Attorney has approved a potential change to a local ordinance to prohibit homeless individuals from sleeping in public spaces. This comes in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to make sleeping outdoors illegal.

The City Council will consider three proposals at Tuesday nights meeting. One would remove a current exemption in the anti-camping law that permits the use of sleeping bags, blankets, and bedrolls in public areas.

6-year-old girl attacked by homeless man in Santa Monica

The other two proposals involve either keeping the existing exemption or simply directing city staff to monitor how other cities are handling similar issues.

In an interview with KNX News, Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock voiced concerns about the city becoming a dumping ground for the homeless. He claimed that he had been informed by individuals in Los Angeles that homeless people are arriving at LAX and requesting directions to Santa Monica.

A homeless man was captured on video attacking a Santa Monica city councilman at Third Street Promenade on July 16, 2023.

Tuesdays meeting also comes amid broader homeless crackdown efforts across California. Governor Gavin Newsom has recently directed cities to clear homeless encampments and take more decisive action on the issue.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Satanic and Nazi symbols found in home of Dallas man accused of shooting 2-year-old

A man accused of shooting a 2-year-old girl in a road rage incident in Dallas on Sunday night had many satanic and Nazi symbols in his house, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

The toddler was wounded while her family was delivering for DoorDash in the 8500 block of Sweetwater Drive on Sunday night, police told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV. The DoorDash driver almost hit a motorcycle, and the biker allegedly followed the family and shot at their vehicle, WFAA reported.

Dallas police said the wounded girl, who was shot in the abdomen, was stabilized and taken to a local hospital.

Jason Cain, 50, was arrested in connection to the shooting. He faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, according to jail records.

The affidavit obtained by WFAA also said police found automatic weapons and a handgun during a search of the suspects home.

 More top stories from our newsroom:

 Civil rights complaint against FWISD gets backing from a dozen groups

 Devastating: Broken water main damages 5 homes

 Look inside Fort Worths historic post office

[Get our breaking news alerts.]
SC death row inmate wants his attorney to decide how he will die

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  The South Carolina inmate scheduled for execution next month gave his attorney the power to decide how he will die, according to court filings.

Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court said it will not schedule any more executions until justices decide how much time should pass between them, according to a Friday order.

Freddie Owens is still scheduled to die Sept. 20, which would mark the first execution in the state since 2011. But additional executions are on hold, pending a ruling on a request from condemned inmates attorneys to space them at least 13 weeks apart.

Under a state law upheld by the high court last month, Owens has three options for how his execution will be carried out: Lethal injection, firing squad or electrocution. Without a decision in writing, the default method is the electric chair, as per a 2021 law.

But Owens signed over decision-making powers to his attorney Aug. 14, more than a week before the court issued his execution order Friday. He signed the documents under his new legal name, Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah. But his court filings remain in his old name to reduce confusion.

Owens attorneys informed state prisons officials of Owens decision after his warrant was issued, according to legal filings.

Corrections Director Bryan Stirling asked the high court Monday to decide whether an inmate can relinquish that power to his attorney  basically, whether the attorneys decision would be valid, since state law doesnt address that specific scenario.

Justices have ordered attorneys for Owens and the state to submit their responses to Stirlings question by this Friday.

State law sets a decision deadline of two weeks after an execution order. In Owens case, that would be Sept. 6.

Question about timing

Owens is also among five inmates asking the court to wait at least 13 weeks between executions.

The five men who have signed onto the motion, including Owens, are those who have exhausted their normal appeals processes and are not waiting on any further decisions from the courts. Owens execution was twice scheduled and halted in 2021 due to legal wranglings over the lack of available options.

State law does not set any rules about the frequency of executions. Rather, it refers only to the timeline between the court issuing a death warrant and the execution date, which must be four Fridays later.

The Supreme Courts ruling last month, which enables executions on hold since 2021 to proceed, creates the possibility of five consecutive Fridays of executions. There are multiple problems with that, the inmates attorneys argued in the motion.

First, scheduling executions close in time to one another heightens the risk of serious error during the execution, likely resulting in cruel or unusual punishment, the attorneys wrote.

The compressed time period would take a punishing toll on the mental and physical health of staff who must carry out the executions, the attorneys wrote.

It would not give executioners the potential time needed to learn from any mistakes and adjust protocols  and for the attorneys to sue to ensure they do. Plus, if problems do arise with a particular method, inmates should be able to choose a different one. They cant do that if the 14-day deadline has already passed, the inmates attorneys continued.

The Attorney Generals Office declined to comment on the motion because it is an ongoing legal matter.

Asked Tuesday about the request for 13-week intervals, Gov. Henry McMaster told reporters that decision should be decided by the Legislature.

If legislators want to insert a frequency delay into state law, then they should do that. In the meantime, justices should not create such a rule themselves, he said.

I think the current law is a good law, McMaster said. It was carefully devised, and there have been years of history on these kinds of things all over the country, and if our Legislature made that decision (to keep the law as is), I think thats a good decision. Its a sound decision.

If they want to change it, then that will be up to them, he added.

Clemency?

McMaster, who served as attorney general for eight years, declined to say Tuesday whether he would give Owens clemency. He pointed to his repeated support for the death penalty as a form of justice for victims families, especially once an inmate has exhausted the legal processes.

My position, after years of involvement, is that there are some things that are not highly praised or that are not comfortable for some but that are necessary for some under our rule of law, McMaster said. The death penalty is one that our Legislature and those around the country and other places have determined is necessary.

By law, the governor will receive a call from the Department of Corrections minutes before an execution is set to proceed. McMaster will be asked then whether he wants to grant clemency. He told reporters he wont give an answer until he gets that call.

But he certainly suggested that the answer will be no.

I think that when the rule of law has been followed, then theres really only one answer, but you make that statement at the time the law says its to be made, McMaster said.

Owens was convicted in 1999 of killing gas station clerk Irene Graves as part of a crime spree two years prior. The single mother of three was shot in the head because she didnt know how to unlock the safe. Owens and his accomplice left with $37.29 from the cash register.

The night after he was convicted, Owens killed another inmate at the Greenville Detention Center, then confessed to the crime in court the next day.

The Supreme Court twice sent Owens sentence back to the courts over problems in his case, and both times, the jury recommended the death penalty. In 2008, the court agreed.

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School closed today ahead of dangerous heat, second district plans early release

Several schools have reported closings and early dismissals ahead of a dangerous heat wave in the Miami Valley.

>>RELATED: Dangerous, near-record heat expected; Heat advisory in effect starting Tuesday

News Center 7 will track any new closings or early dismissals and have the updated forecast on News Center 7 Daybreak.

Summit Academy Transitional High School in Montgomery County will be closed through Wednesday due to the heat.

Troy City Schools in Miami County will have a two-hour early release on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Celina City Schools in Mercer County will have a two-hour early release for seventh to twelfth-grade students on Tuesday.

News Center 7 will continue to monitor local school districts for any closures or early dismissals.

>> CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST CLOSINGS AND DELAYS LIST <<

Access closings, delays, anytime, anywhere, on any device, 5 different ways:

For information on how to enroll your school, church, or business in the free School Watch Program, click here.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Michigans first county-wide school safety radio network is fully operational in Kent County this school year, according to the sheriffs office.

The Kent County Board of Commissioners said the 800MHz school safety radio network was funded by a $2.8 million American Rescue Plan Act grant, according to a news release from the county.

The radio network connects every K-12 school in the county with the Kent County Dispatch Authority. It allows for a two-way communication network that allows school staff to ask for police assistance during emergencies, such as an active shooter. It also allows dispatch to provide schools with urgent notifications, like lockdown orders, inclement weather threats, or altering bus routes, the release said.

In debriefings on school shootings given by federal and local law enforcement officials who responded to school tragedies, communication is consistently identified as the most significant point of failure, Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye Young said in a news release. The inability of school officials to provide law enforcement with real-time information during critical incidents could result in needless injuries and deaths. This radio system will enable in-the-moment, ongoing 2-way communication between school administrators and law enforcement in emergencies, and it can save lives.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Notley High School in Essex is among several secondary schools rolling out spot checks for mobile phones - Chris Rowe

Dozens of schools have introduced knife-style metal detectors to stop pupils from bringing mobile phones into class.

Updated mobile phone and pupil screening policies seen by The Telegraph show that teachers are now using handheld scanners, which are usually reserved for finding weapons, to stop and search children for phones during the school day.

Notley High School in Essex is one of several secondary schools to roll out spot checks for mobile phones using security wands.

The schools updated mobile phone policy, which came into force in December, said random searches could now be carried out by members of staff each day to ensure that students who do not hand in a mobile phone do not have them on their person, adding that a handheld scanner may be used to aid the spot check.

Notleys updated guidance said the move was in response to broader concerns around phone-related misbehaviour, including sexting, upskirting and bullying or abusive messages.

The former Conservative government proposed a total ban on mobile phones in classrooms after warnings that they pose an unwanted distraction and have become increasingly linked to disruptive behaviour and bullying.

Non-statutory guidance introduced in February encouraged head teachers to search pupils bags for the devices. It made clear that staff may screen a pupil or their possessions where they have reasonable grounds to suspect they are carrying a prohibited item.

Many schools have since introduced rules stating that they will allow teachers to conduct enhanced checks for mobile phones using handheld scanners.

Environments free from distraction

Cowley International College in Merseyside updated its guidance in June to make clear that phones should be powered down and kept in their bags during the school day so that children are taught the benefits of environments free from distraction.

It said that staff would conduct random and targeted searches every day to check whether pupils are carrying phones in their pockets, and that phones would be confiscated if found.

Schools have statutory powers to search students, or their possessions and we also sometimes use a wand to quickly check for items like vapes and phones, the school said.

The Telegraph has also seen evidence that some primary schools now allow pupils to be screened for mobile phones using metal detectors.

A primary school in Suffolk updated its searching, screening and confiscation policy this year to include mobile phones on its list of prohibited items. It said that under common law, school staff have the power to search a pupil for any item if the pupil agrees, and that teachers may use hand-held metal detectors to scan pupils.

Click here to view this content.

Handheld wands are usually used to detect knives and other weapons. While more common in the US to check for guns, they have become increasingly common in the UK following an uptick in youth knife crime.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, wrote to head teachers last October making clear that the metal detectors are available for all secondary schools in the capital.

He said schools could ask the Metropolitan Police for the handheld devices to screen for weapons on school premises, and could either be kept by the schools or used by safer school officers as part of a planned operation.

Figures published by the Ministry of Justice showed that there were more than 19,000 cautions and convictions made for possession of a knife or offensive weapon t in the year ending March 2023, with juveniles aged 10 to 17 making up the offenders in around 18 per cent of cases.

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One of the most amazing discoveries about the Great Lakes is that there are so many discoveries to be made.

The latest: sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

On Aug. 21, a team of scientists confirmed there are more than 40 sinkholes on the lakebed in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

This isnt the first time sinkholes have been found in the Great Lakes. In 2001, scientists found sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Huron in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Lake Hurons sinkholes have attracted the attention of scientists ever since, especially once they found dancing bacteria in them.

You read that right. It's kind of like a tango.

So, how did scientists find the Lake Michigan sinkholes? How big are they? And do they know whats hiding in them?

We answer 10 questions.

More: We know more about the surface of Mars than about the floor of Lake Michigan. But what we do know is remarkable.

When were Lake Michigans sinkholes discovered?

In 2022, researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were out surveying the lakebed in the Wisconsin's marine sanctuary when circular depressions showed up on sonar scans.

The depressions stretched for miles, piquing everyones curiosity, said Russ Green, superintendent with the marine sanctuary. A shipwreck hunter who was out looking for a wreck also noted them at about the same time, Green said.

The first time scientists were able to take a closer look was on Aug. 21. Using a remotely operated vehicle, they confirmed they are in fact sinkholes.

They were perfect, little circles, said Steve Ruberg, a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory prepare to deploy a remotely operated vehicle to explore the newly discovered sinkholes in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. More than 40 sinkholes were discovered 14 miles southeast of Sheboygan in the sanctuary.

More: Wisconsins national marine sanctuary is a museum beneath the water. Heres what to know.

Where are the sinkholes?

The sinkholes are about 14 miles southeast of Sheboygan, roughly 450 feet below the surface. They extend south in a line towards Port Washington.

How big are they?

The sinkholes range in size from 300 to 600 feet across.

The scientists found roughly 40, although Ruberg said there are likely more.

A sonar image of a few of the sinkholes found at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Earlier this month, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory confirmed that circular depressions discovered in 2022 were in fact sinkholes. More than 40 have been found roughly 14 miles southeast of Sheboygan in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

How do sinkholes in the Great Lakes form?

Whether its on land or on the lake bottom, sinkholes form when water dissolves rock, causing the surface layer to collapse and form a hole.

Lake Michigan sits on a layer of limestone bedrock. Over time, groundwater flowing under the lake erodes the bedrock, forming caverns, Ruberg said. Eventually, parts of the ceilings collapsed, forming sinkholes.

Does anything live in the sinkholes?

Not many organisms can withstand the cold, dark and oxygen-deprived conditions.

However, the temperature holds at a fairly constant 38 degrees Fahrenheit at the bottom, Ruberg said, and there are a few critters that doing their thing in the dark down there." There are freshwater shrimp, known as opossum shrimp as well as deepwater sculpin, which is a small fish. And of course, invasive quagga mussels survive.

Scientists expect there are also bacteria that can handle extreme environments, but they have yet to explore what kinds.

A remotely operated vehicle helped scientists investigate the 40 newly discovered sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Michigan in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The camera-equipped robot dove more than 450 feet to the sinkholes on the lakebed.

Can the sinkholes cause problems in the lake?

Its not yet clear how the sinkholes contribute to the lakes ecosystem, chemistry and water levels.

In Lake Huron, the groundwater that flows through the sinkholes have high levels of salt and sulfur, Ruberg said.

Its possible that the groundwater seeping in through the sinkholes will contribute to lake levels in a very small way, but it's part of the whole equation we use to see where the lake levels are potentially going to go, Ruberg said.

So far, the scientists havent found groundwater coming out of the sinkholes that they were able to explore, but they will likely find some when they get out deeper, Ruberg said.

There are dancing bacteria in Lake Hurons sinkholes?

There sure are. But scientifically, it's referred to as microbial migration.

At the bottom of Lake Hurons Middle Island sinkhole, there are mats of purple-colored cyanobacteria that produce oxygen from sunlight. There are also white-colored bacteria that eat sulfur to get energy. The bacteria are a kind of carpet on the lake floor.

Scientists discovered that the bacteria flip-flop twice a day to compete with each other. In the early evening hours, the white bacteria rise, blocking the purple cyanobacteria's access to sunlight. When the sun comes out, they switch positions; the white sulfur-eaters move below and the purple cyanobacteria can start producing oxygen again.

A diver investigates the purple-colored cyanobacterial mats at the bottom of Lake Huron's Middle Island sinkhole. Discovered in 2010, Lake Huron's sinkholes have been a hotbed for research ever since.

The two bacteria do that tango every day, completely changing the color of the mat, said Greg Dick, a professor at the University of Michigan and director of the Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research.

It's not uncommon to see animals migrate on a daily basis, Dick said, but it's not often seen with microbes.

When it comes to the sinkholes in Lake Michigan, scientists have just begun to explore them. So it's unclear whether bacteria do a daily dance  or other unheard of things.

What will scientists explore next?

Ruberg believes the sinkholes in Lake Michigan are probably similar to the ones in Lake Huron, but scientists wont know for sure until they investigate further  one of their many next steps. Another avenue of exploration will be to see how much salt and sulfur is seeping into Lake Michigan, he said.

But Ruberg said there is a chance they will find something thats never been seen in the Great Lakes before.

Purple-hued cyanobacterial mats cover much of the bottom of Lake Huron's Middle Island sinkhole. Discovered in 2010, Lake Huron's sinkholes have been a hotbed for research ever since. The finger-like forms are caused by gases bubbling up underneath the mat.

What can we learn from Great Lakes sinkholes?

The sinkholes are valuable natural laboratories.

Its an extreme environment, Dick said. We typically have to go to Antarctica or Yellowstone National Park or some exotic location to get these extreme ecosystems, but this is in our backyard in the Great Lakes.

The dark, low-oxygen and sulfur-rich conditions in the deep sinkholes are similar to early conditions on Earth, Dick said. They can help scientists learn more about Earths early history before there was oxygen.

More: Want to explore a Lake Michigan shipwreck? Wisconsin's marine sanctuary just made it easier.

Havent the bottom of the Great Lakes been explored?

Not really.

In fact, only 15% of the bottom of the Great Lakes has been mapped in high resolution. Scientists have said they know more about the surface of Mars than they do about the bottom of the largest fresh surface water system on earth.

But that may soon change.

The Lakebed 2030 Initiative by the Great Lakes Observing System, or GLOS, is an effort by scientists, agencies and other organizations to map and fully explore the lake bottoms.

And two Michigan representatives proposed a bipartisan bill earlier this year that would authorize $200 million to map the bottoms of all five lakes. The lakes could be mapped within eight years with proper funding, according to a 2021 report by the observing system.

Until then, there will likely be many more discoveries.

More: Lake Michigan shipwreck hunters discover historic schooner unseen for 131 years

Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com or follow her on X @caitlooby.

Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at jsonline.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Scientists discovered sinkholes in Lake Michigan. Here's what to know.
As Avelo Airlines leaves Redding, the discount carrier is expanding its service on the North Coast.

Avelo added a fifth flight from Humboldt County to Hollywood-Burbank in June and will add a sixth flight to Southern California in September, the county announced this summer.

On Monday, Avelo discontinued its service from Redding to Hollywood-Burbank, ending a three-plus-year run at Redding Regional Airport. The departure is one of several throughout the country. Other communities Avelo has announced it will discontinue service in are Kalamazoo, Michigan; Dubuque, Iowa; Mosinee, Wisconsin; Broome County, New York; and Brownville, Texas.

Avelo's moves coincide with its plan to expand on the East Coast, according to Redding Assistant City Manager Steve Bade.

Meanwhile, despite numerous claims by Shasta County Supervisor Chris Kelstrom that not enough was done to keep Avelo in Redding, airline spokeswoman Madison Jones reiterated to the Record Searchlight last week that the carriers decision to leave was based on business strategy.

Discount carrier Avelo Airlines launched its long-awaited service to Hollywood Burbank Airport from Redding with much fanfare Thursday, May 20, 2021.

Our decision to end this route also enables the airline to better utilize our resources elsewhere in our network, Jones told the Record Searchlight.

Avelo Airlines announced in June its decision to stop serving Redding. Its ability to continue service in Redding was called into question after Trego Dugan, the company that contracted to do ground services for the airline, said it was leaving Redding, and the airline subsequently made the decision to stop serving Redding. Trego Dugan management in Redding said the company was pulling out of California.

At public board meetings over the past few months, Supervisor Kelstrom has voiced his frustration about Avelo leaving Redding. Most recently, at the Aug. 20 meeting, he suggested a breakdown in communication between Avelo and the city was to blame.

Its really frustrating for me that  in my opinion there wasnt enough done to keep them here, he said.

Kelstrom and Redding City Councilman Mark Mezzano were at the airport Monday to talk with passengers, Avelo staff, and Trego Dugan representatives, according to a news release the county issued Monday afternoon.

Kelstrom at the Aug. 20 supervisors' meeting pointed out that Trego Dugan also was Avelos ground-service operator in Humboldt County. So why is the airline expanding there and leaving Redding, he wondered.

They lost their baggage handlers also, its a county-run airport. Somewhere along the line, someone was able to make it work so that Avelo stayed there, Kelstrom said.

In July, supervisors sent a letter to Avelo CEO Andrew Levy that said in part: Shasta County is willing to consider making contributions to offset the costs of managing ground services for either three years or up to $100,000, whichever is reached first.

Story continues

Supervisor Chris Kelstrom, left, and Supervisor Patrick Jones, the new chair, at the Shasta County Supervisors meeting on Jan. 10, 2022.

But rather then stop service in Humboldt County, what Avelo did to make it work in Eureka-Arcata was hire its own people to do ground services for the airline there, Jones said.

Redding Assistant City Manager Bade said Avelo was able to transfer some employees from the Charles M. Schultz-Sonoma County Airport to Humboldt County.

Sonoma County became Avelos newest base of operation in January, "meaning we have two aircraft and our own crewmembers based there to handle our operations," Jones said.

Bade also said Avelo contacted other companies about providing ground services in Redding, but the airline was unable to find one. We were not contacted to help with that procurement process, Bade has said.

Asked why Avelo did not transfer employees to Redding to do ground operations, Jones again said the airline could make better use of the plane from Redding in the other communities it serves.

Redding Mayor Tenessa Audette said Avelo did not just stop service in Redding this summer.

So, this is a business decision, Audette said, adding that the city would love to see Avelo return to Redding.

Avelo flew twin-engine 737-700s from Redding to Burbank. The carrier also offered flights to Las Vegas from Redding for less than year before discontinuing them in December 2022.

Redding Chamber of Commerce President Todd Jones, who for years has worked closely with the city to recruit air service to the North State, has said its nonsense that Redding did not do enough to keep Avelo in town.

I do know between Steve (Bade) and the airports division, (the citys aviation consultant) Mead & Hunt and the EDC, and of course where I am able to help, I think we have a really good market. I think we still have a lot of momentum right now. We are going to continue to see opportunities in our market, Jones told the Redding City Council at its July 16 meeting.

Meanwhile, all this is happening as supervisors want the city of Redding to consider forming a joint powers authority (JPA) with the county to oversee the operation and development of Redding Regional Airport.

Supervisors on July 16 unanimously voted to send a letter to Mayor Audette and the City Council to consider the proposal.

Bade said Monday that to date no action has been taken on the proposal.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Avelo's departure from Redding was in part for business, airline says
Michiganders faced an array of dangerous weather woes Tuesday that included extreme heat that felt like it was 100 degrees, violent thunderstorms that knocked out power to more than 365,000 homes and businesses, and set off tornado sirens.

"This was the kind of instability we see once or twice a year," Dave Kook, a National Weather Service meteorologist in White Lake Township, told the Free Press later Tuesday afternoon as he monitored storms sweeping the state. "And it's here now."

In addition, to the heat and severe storms, the weather service had warned early in the morning that there was a risk the unusual summer pattern could also bring damaging wind gusts and even the potential for quarter-sized hail.

Fallen wires and branches seen at a home near LaSalle Boulevard and East Saginaw Street in Lansing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.

By 10 p.m., powerful storms had knocked out electricity to nearly 143,000 Consumers Energy customers in northern Michigan and the Grand Rapids area, with the utility promising to "work through the night" to restore it, and an additional 224,000 DTE Energy customers in southeast Michigan.

DTE said on its online "storm update" that the utility was "working as quickly and safely as possible" to restore service and was bringing in hundreds of additional crew members "from outside our area to help speed restoration."

The outages forced businesses like grocery stores to close, various organizations like Scout groups to cancel their night meetings at churches and other public places and left intersections, already more dangerous from the heavy rain, without working traffic lights.

More: Corn sweat could be making Midwest heat wave feel muggier. Yes, corn sweat.

The good news, however, was most Michiganders seemed to be taking the warnings seriously. Some were trying to have a sense of humor about them. And the intense heat in the state, forecasters said, isn't expected to last too much longer.

The weather service heat advisory, which on social media early Tuesday was accompanied by colorful yellow and red graphics, urged taking breaks in shade on job sites, checking on the elderly, sick and those "without AC," never leaving kids or pets in cars and limiting strenuous outdoor activities.

The advisory triggered several school closures and revised class schedules throughout metro Detroit and across the southern part of the state. Detroit schools, which all do not have air conditioning, adjusted their schedules. Eastpointe and Southfield schools did the same.

Several west Michigan school districts, including Grand Rapids, Hudsonville, Portage, Ionia and other communities, also announced closures and early dismissals.

But, some astute observers noted, that likely wont solve the problem because many kids live in households that dont have air conditioning or a way to cool off, and they will have to seek refuge in libraries or other public spaces.

Thousands of heat-related deaths

More though than the news of the day, climate scientists are concerned that Tuesday's heat is a sign of a larger  and more harmful  trend, that if more isn't done, will continue to get worse and not only threaten human health but the planet.

Extreme heat is increasingly a threat that health and other experts are concerned is likely to be a problem as climate predictions indicate it to become more frequent and intense in coming decades, with heat-related deaths on the rise in recent years.

And globally, this past June and July were among the hottest on record.

The heat advisory in Michigan was also part of a wider weather pattern that blanketed the central and eastern United States, and recent news accounts reported the unseasonably hot temperatures this week could even break records, ending what, for a few days, felt like early fall weather.

The actual temperature in southeast Michigan, forecasters said, was in the 90s.

But the heat index, how hot it feels, in contrast to what the temperature actually is was closer to 100, and posed all sorts of health risks: heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, asthma, sleep loss, hospitalization for heart disease and even cognitive impairment.

Fallen trees and a downed wires seen Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, near Eureka and Clifford Streets in Lansing.

And while heat deaths can be difficult to track, of those that are, researchers say kills more people nationally than any other weather event.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2021, there were 1,602 heat-related deaths, that number went up in 2022 to 1,722, and then, in 2023, to 2,302. With a dangerously hot weather in June, and now in August, that number also could be high for 2024.

Warming lakes, wild fires

In addition to the human health threats, research shows that heat is creating drier conditions leading to warming of the lakes and oceans, melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers, and more active fire seasons, increased aridity of forest fuels.

Decreased moisture in forests in the western U.S. from 1979 to 2015, weather prediction researchers found, led to the doubling of forest fire burn areas from 1984 to 2015, and warmer temperatures are expected to spark even more blazes.

And the fires affect air quality, which also threatens human health.

The concern about extreme weather has been so great as climate scientists warn that hot summers are becoming more common and more intense that more than two dozen groups petitioned the federal government this year to include extreme heat as a qualifying condition for disaster relief.

Forecasters, however, expect the weather to cool off this week and by the next to be be in the 70s.

Still, on social media, most folks seemed to be taking Tuesday's warnings seriously, engaging the weather service to find out more about the risks  especially for tornadoes  and to add to the information, posting their own concerns and quips.

One person encouraged pet owners to leave water "for outside animals."

Another opined: "Too hot for me" with an animation of a woman sweltering under a blazing sun.

And still someone else, who identified in her online profile as being originally from Howell but now lives in the South, perhaps joked: "Just another day here in Alabama." To which, someone else replied: "And thats why we dont live in Alabama."

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 365,000 without power in Michigan after severe storms
WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP)  Police are entering day three of the search for a man accused of stabbing a mother and daughter to death on Saturday in Worcester.

John OKeefes brother files wrongful death lawsuit against Karen Read

According to the Worcester Police Department, the pair were found in 59-year-old William Rodriguezs apartment complex just off Main Street. Family members have identified the victims as 58-year-old Ana Maria Martinez and 76-year-old Sergia Acosta.

Rodriguez has previously served prison time for the deadly stabbing of his wife in 2004, according to NBC Boston. Hes considered a person of interest in the weekends stabbing deaths at this point.

If anyone has information about his whereabouts, call the Worcester Police Department at 508-799-8651. Rodriguez is described as being 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes.

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.
Alaska Airline planes at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on June 19, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

A cyberattack hit systems at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport over the weekend, causing headaches for airline staff and long lines for travelers.

As of Tuesday  just days ahead of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year  airport systems were still down with no clear timeline as to when outages would be resolved.

Airport officials arent sharing much about what happened as the incident is still under investigation, but spokesperson Perry Cooper said Monday the outage occurred after nefarious characters were seen on the airports computer system early Saturday, prompting officials to turn off the entire system.

Cooper said the airport is working with federal agencies to investigate the cause of the incident and would not comment on possible motives behind a cyberattack.

This has resulted in the movement of luggage through the airport getting badly snarled and long lines at some ticket counters, among other issues. Heres what travelers should expect if they are flying through Sea-Tac in the next few days.

What systems are affected?

As of Tuesday, the airports website and app, ticketing computers for smaller and international airlines, and baggage sorting are all still experiencing outages.

Wi-Fi and phone systems inside the airport, departure and arrival boards, and the airports lost-and-found tracking system are also down.

Computers at common use check-in counters, or ticketing desks that are shared by multiple airlines, are off. Frontier, Spirit, Sun Country and all international airlines are among those especially affected because they do not have their own dedicated system within the airport, Cooper said.

The airports largest airlines, like Delta or Alaska, have not been affected because they have their own computer system, he said.

Those airlines with computer outages have begun handwriting boarding passes and bag tags for passengers who check in in person.

Because computers that operate the airports baggage check are down, airport and airline staff have had to manually sort bags to their proper gate and bag claims. This had led to some delays in both departing flights and bags arriving at their destination, Cooper said.

In a post on Tuesday, the airport said it was making progress in restoring elements of its baggage system and that staff is using a variety of methods to ensure bags reach their aircraft.

Are there long security lines?

No, lines through security checkpoints have remained at normal levels.

The Transportation Security Administrations systems at airports across the country are on their own secure system, which has not been affected by this outage, said Greg Hawko, TSAs federal security director in Washington.

He encouraged everyone traveling, especially those who may choose to carry on a bag instead of checking it, to remember TSAs rules for what to pack.

What can travelers do to have a smooth experience?

Mostly, travelers can expect long lines at ticket counters and possible delays in flights as staff work to ensure everyone and their bags make it onto their planes.

Lines through security checkpoints have remained smooth, Cooper said, and most of the wait is concentrated at the check-in area.

He encouraged travelers to avoid visiting a ticket counter, if possible. That means downloading a mobile boarding pass through an airline app or printing a physical ticket at home and leaving their checked bags at home.

If you can travel without bags, just carry ons, please do so at this point, he said.

If a traveler does need to visit a ticket counter, they should plan for extra time. Those traveling on affected airlines should arrive at least three hours early, Cooper said. Those who are traveling internationally and are planning to check a bag should give themselves as much time as possible, he added.

What about cruise ships?

The Port of Seattles maritime phone systems and website are out, but cruise ship operations are continuing as normal, Cooper said.

Where to find more information

While airport systems remain out, those looking for updated flight and gate information should check individual airline mobile apps or websites.

The airport is also posting updates on the Washington Ports website and its YouTube channel periodically.
When Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall unveiled his seven no-fail mission priorities two years ago  dubbed operational imperatives  creating a resilient space architecture was at the top of the list.

Of all the imperatives, this is perhaps the broadest and the one with the most potential impact, he said in the March 2022 speech. Our terrestrial forces, joint and combined, cannot survive and perform their missions if our adversarys space-based operational support systems, especially targeting systems, are allowed to operate with impunity.

Kendalls emphasis on resilience in space is underpinned by two ideas that have picked up traction across the Defense Department in recent years. First, capabilities like GPS, satellite communications and space-based intelligence collection play an essential, enabling role in most U.S. military operations. And second, threats from adversaries like China and Russia have put those capabilities at risk.

The creation of the Space Force in 2019 was a step toward strengthening the resourcing and organizational heft of the military space enterprise. In making space resilience central to the secretarys operational imperatives, the push is expected to get top billing when it comes to divvying up scarce Air Force and Space Force budget dollars.

Weve only begun to define, and have not yet fully resourced, the space systems we will need to secure the nation, he said at the time.

The service has made some progress over the last few years defining a more resilient space architecture, Kendall told Defense News in a recent interview. He said hes happy with the Space Forces plan to achieve resiliency through fielding smaller satellites in a more diverse range of orbits.

However, to field those satellites and ground systems, he said, the Space Forces $30 billion budget needs to grow  whether thats through internal Defense Department trades or an increase from Congress.

That budget is going to need to double or triple over time to be able to fund the things were actually going to need to have, he said. Somebodys going to have to make some decisions about whether to give us a bigger budget overall for this or do some internal trades.

A growing budget appetite

Kendalls call for a larger space budget follows several years of steady funding growth for the Space Force.

The services budget has nearly doubled in the five years since it was established, but that increase reflects mission consolidation more than it does new investment, as many space-focused personnel and programs from the Army and Navy as well as the Space Development Agency moved under the purview of the new service.

In fiscal 2025, the Space Forces requested budget is slated to drop slightly to around $30 billion, due largely to constraints imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which puts a cap on defense spending.

Budget documents show that the service expects its funding to remain relatively flat over the next five years.

Gen. Michael Guetlein, the services vice chief of space operations, told Defense News that the Pentagons funding outlook doesnt match the demand the Space Force is seeing from users in the field. Soon, he said, the services ability to respond to combatant command requirements in a crisis could be limited.

We are maxing out our budget today and seeing a flat-line budget in the DOD. Its got to change, he said. We are seeing a threat that is absolutely intent on narrowing the capability gap between us and them. Today, we have margin in that capability gap. . . . If we dont start increasing our investment in space, were going to see that capability gap reverse.

Defense budget expert Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, echoed Guetleins concern that without a boost in funding, the Space Force wont be able to take on new missions, let alone respond to current demands. That includes the Space Development Agencys plan to buy hundreds of satellites to track advanced missile threats and form a data transport layer in space.

The Space Force is trying to get into new mission areas, he said in a May webinar hosted by the National Security Space Association. Its going to cost more.

In the near-term, more funding for the Space Force could come through a congressional budget increase, though based on the FY25 funding levels proposed by appropriators in both chambers, a move in the opposite direction appears more likely. The House Appropriations Committees policy bill would, if passed, cut about $900 million from the Space Forces request. Meanwhile, Senate funding legislation would slash around $1 billion.

Funding could also come from other parts of the Air Force or DOD budget, requiring the department to make trade-offs in its FY26 request in order to fund key space missions like missile warning, space domain awareness and counterspace capabilities, which include the offensive and defensive space protection measures.

An enduring process

As the Space Force advocates for more funding, leaders have been working in the background to determine the right mix of satellites and other capabilities needed for adapting to new threats in orbit.

That process, which started in 2021, is led largely by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, which has been conducting mission-by-mission studies aimed at crafting the Space Forces ideal, or objective, force structure for the next 10 to 15 years.

Guetlein said the work being conducted by the SWAC is akin to creating puzzle pieces  and after more than three years, the service has most of those pieces in hand.

That includes a plan for fielding offensive and defensive systems, known as counterspace weapons. Most of these capabilities are classified, but options range from cyber or electronic warfare systems to kinetic weapons.

Both Kendall and Guetlein declined to offer details on the Space Forces counterspace architecture. Guetlein noted that the services plan includes not only systems and technology, but also a strategy for running exercises ensure its using these capabilities responsibly.

We are actually trying to [establish] norms of behavior to ensure that what were doing is safe and responsible but at the same time understanding we also have to be effective, which means I need to field credible capabilities to be able to counter the threat, he said.

The next step is to put the puzzle together. The service announced in March that a new organization, Space Futures Command, would be responsible for that work. Once force design is complete, it will then get passed to the requirements community to identify near and longer term funding needs.

The Space Force plans to submit the first of those objective force designs in the fall of 2025 and will update that work every five years to incorporate any changes to the threat environment or other factors.

Guetlein said the process the Space Force has articulated and the creation of Space Futures Command are a direct response to the operational imperatives Kendall laid out early in his tenure. He expects theyll continue to drive strategy and decision-making for years go come.

Its the foundation of everything that were going to do, he said.
See inside Marble House, a 50-room Gilded Age mansion that a Vanderbilt heir gifted to his wife for her birthday

Marble House is in Newport, Rhode Island. Alexander Nesbitt  The Preservation Society of Newport County

Marble House was completed in 1892 as a summer home for William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt.

Built with half a million cubic feet of marble, it features 50 rooms and spans 140,000 square feet.

Scenes from the HBO show "The Gilded Age" were filmed in the historic Rhode Island home.

Alva Vanderbilt's 39th birthday present from her husband was a 140,000-square-foot summer "cottage" on the shores of Newport, Rhode Island.

As heir to the Vanderbilt family fortune during the Gilded Age, William K. Vanderbilt spared no expense in building Marble House for his wife. It was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the same architect who worked on The Breakers, another expansive Newport mansion. Construction cost around $11 million in 1892, or about $380 million in today's dollars. The home's 500,000 cubic feet of marble alone cost about $7 million, or around $241 million today.

The marriage didn't last, but Marble House remained in her possession after their divorce. In addition to throwing extravagant balls and dinner parties, Alva Vanderbilt also hosted women's suffrage rallies on the property and leveraged her wealth to champion the cause. She even wrote the libretto for an operetta about women's suffrage, which was performed at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1915.

In recent years, the HBO show "The Gilded Age" has used Marble House as a film set.

Take a look inside this historic Newport mansion.

Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

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William K. Vanderbilt gifted the home to Alva Vanderbilt for her 39th birthday.

William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt. NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

William K. Vanderbilt was Cornelius Vanderbilt's grandson and heir to the family's railroad and steamship fortune during the Gilded Age. Alva Vanderbilt was a popular hostess in Newport.

When Alva Vanderbilt divorced her husband in 1895, she survived the scandal and kept Marble House and custody of their three children, Consuelo, William Kissam Jr., and Harold Stirling. She then married one of her neighbors in Newport, a financier named Oliver H.P. Belmont, in 1896.

After Belmont died in 1908, she became a leader in the women's suffrage movement, funding the National American Woman Suffrage Association and serving as president of the National Woman's Party.

Marble House's foyer featured walls, ceilings, and a grand staircase made of solid Italian marble, which Alva Vanderbilt chose for its warm hue.

The foyer and staircase at Marble House. John W. Corbett  The Preservation Society of Newport County

"It would have been impossible to have used a pure white marble for the interior without having a mausoleum effect too cold for living comfort and joy," Alva Vanderbilt wrote of Marble House. "The soft gold brown fading off into delicate cream catches the sunlight by day or electric sparkle at night with a warm living glow."

The marble entrance hall led out to a portico overlooking the ocean.

A porch at Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The French doors in the entryway stayed open during the summer to provide a cooling ocean breeze.

The Dining Room was modeled after the Salon of Hercules at the Palace of Versailles.

The Dining Room. Gavin Ashworth  The Preservation Society of Newport County

Alva Vanderbilt was born in Alabama and raised in France. Her French design sensibilities were evident throughout the house.

The purple marble used for the walls was imported from Algeria.

The marble walls of the Dining Room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The walls were created from one solid slab of marble that was cut in half to create pieces with mirroring patterns, a technique called bookmatching.

Alva Vanderbilt commissioned dining-room chairs inspired by those used by King Louis XIV of France.

A dining-room chair. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Crafted from bronze and covered in gold, the chairs weighed 75 pounds each and required the help of a footman to be seated in.

The Gothic Room displayed medieval and Renaissance art that Alva Vanderbilt acquired from Emile Gavet, a French art collector.

The Gothic Room. Gavin Ashworth  The Preservation Society of Newport County

The ribbed ceiling, stone mantlepiece, and wood floors were all imported from Paris.

Alva Vanderbilt purchased the art collection "en bloc," or all together in a set.

Stained-glass windows in the Gothic Room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Buying art collections "en bloc" was popular during the Gilded Age as a way to quickly acquire a status symbol instead of taking generations to build a collection.

The Morning Room also functioned as a library.

The Morning Room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The wooden bookcases, built in Paris by Allard and Sons, held books on architecture and European history that were original to the Vanderbilt family's collection.

The Grand Salon was also called the Gold Room because of the 22-karat gold leaf covering every wall.

The Grand Salon. The Preservation Society of Newport County

"This room is really the epitome of the Gilded Age," Caitlin Emery, the research and interpretation coordinator at the Preservation Society of Newport County, said on the audio tour. "It is coated in gold and you have to imagine guests coming in on a summer evening with the sun going down. And the light picking up on all these gilded surfaces. The feel and the essence of the room would have been absolutely remarkable."

The Vanderbilts used it as a ballroom.

The Grand Salon. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In 1895, the Vanderbilts hosted a ball to celebrate their daughter Consuelo Vanderbilt's engagement to Charles Spencer-Churchhill, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. The party featured 300 guests and lasted until 5 a.m.

Consuelo Vanderbilt was secretly engaged to another man and resisted the arrangement, but she wrote that her mother "would not hesitate to shoot" her lover if she tried to run away with him.

"Alva wanted to secure for her daughter the one thing that money couldn't buy  a title," Emery said in the audio tour.

Theirs was a loveless marriage. After 26 years, Alva Vanderbilt testified that she had forced her daughter to marry the duke, which allowed her to receive an annulment in 1921.

The tour continued up the grand staircase on the second floor.

The second floor. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The mezzanine level featured two private studies, one for William K. Vanderbilt and one for Alva Vanderbilt.

Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom appeared as George Russell's room on the HBO show "The Gilded Age."

Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Consuelo Vanderbilt moved to Marble House when she was 15. She described her room as "austere," writing that her mother had picked out every piece of furniture and "forbidden the intrusion of my personal possessions," according to the audio tour.

A wooden spiral staircase outside Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom led to the service areas at Marble House.

The servant staircase. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Vanderbilts would never have used the servant staircase or gone into the service areas.

The Vanderbilts' youngest child, Harold Vanderbilt, was an award-winning sailor whose trophies were displayed in the Trophy Room.

The Trophy Room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

When the Vanderbilts lived at Marble House, the Trophy Room was a set of two connected dressing rooms for Alva Vanderbilt and Consuelo Vanderbilt. The Preservation Society turned it into a room for Harold Vanderbilt's yachting trophies.

Decorated in the Louis XIV style, Alva Vanderbilt's bedroom featured a throne-like bed and silk wall hangings.

Alva Vanderbilt's bedroom. The Preservation Society of Newport County

The carvings in the molding throughout the room featured nymphs and cherubs for a fairytale-like oasis.

The lilac silk wallpaper was an exact copy of the original.

Alva Vanderbilt's purple wallpaper. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The factory that made Alva Vanderbilt's original wallpaper is still in business in Lyons, France, and it kept the Marble House orders in its archives. In 1990, the Preservation Society ordered the exact same wallpaper from the factory to replace the room's existing fabric, which had faded to gold, according to the audio tour.

William K. Vanderbilt's bedroom was much smaller than his wife's.

William K. Vanderbilt's bedroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

His bedroom was decorated in the French Neoclassical style. After he and Alva Vanderbilt divorced, William K. Vanderbilt moved to France with his second wife.

The guest bed still featured its original 18th-century lace canopy.

The guest bedroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Marble House only had one guest bedroom because it was mainly built for family use.

The guest room was connected to a guest sitting room.

The guest sitting room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The guest sitting room was furnished with 18th-century French art and furniture produced by Allard and Sons.

Downstairs, Marble House would receive deliveries of flowers, wine, and food through the service entrance.

The service entrance. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The stairs leading up to the rest of the house were locked to protect the Vanderbilts and their priceless possessions.

The Vanderbilts hired a French chef to staff the kitchen, which burned 30 tons of coal each summer.

The kitchen. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Vanderbilts paid their French chef a salary of $10,000 per year, or around $374,000 in today's dollars.

Dishes were cleaned and stored in the scullery.

The scullery. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The sink was made of a soft mineral called soapstone to prevent the Vanderbilts' silver from being scratched or damaged during washing.

Alva Vanderbilt made a set of china emblazoned with "Votes for Women" which she used at women's suffrage rallies hosted at Marble House.

Alva Vanderbilt's "Votes for Women" dishes. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Alva Vanderbilt hosted women's suffrage conferences at Marble House in 1904 and 1914.

She is quoted as saying in her speeches: "Just pray to God. She will help you."

Replicas of the "Votes for Women" china were available for purchase in the Marble House gift shop.

The gift shop. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A "Votes for Women" teapot cost $28 at the gift shop. The large plates cost $14.95 and the smaller plates retailed for $12.95.

The grounds of Marble House featured beautiful views of the ocean.

Ocean views at Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Marble House is located along Newport's Cliff Walk, a scenic walking tour of the area's famous mansions.

The grounds also included a Chinese Tea House which Alva Vanderbilt commissioned after the death of her second husband.

The Chinese Tea House on the grounds of Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Designed by Richard and Joseph Howland Hunt, the Chinese Tea House is now a cafe that offers refreshments and afternoon tea to Marble House visitors.

European copper beech trees dotted the property in another nod to the European palaces that inspired the design of Marble House.

European copper beech trees on the grounds of Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Imported from Europe, the trees can grow 35 to 45 feet wide.

Marble House is more than just an opulent Gilded Age mansion  it tells the story of Alva Vanderbilt's remarkable life.

Marble House. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Built during a time of economic and technological advancement, Marble House symbolized the beginning of a new era where women could leave loveless marriages with their reputations intact and fight for the right to participate in America's democracy.

Read the original article on Business Insider
What to see and do in Miami in a day

The white-stucco retro hotels of Ocean Drive are a must-see for art deco enthusiasts. Photograph by Alfonso Duran

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

8am: Breakfast at Jimmys

On a strip that includes the 1950s Vagabond Hotel, this diner on Biscayne Boulevard doesnt look like much on first glance. But this local favourite is the original neighbourhood greasy spoon, filled with leatherette booths that stick to bare legs. Here, oversized portions of American classics  including grits, homefried potatoes, eggs and corned beef hash  are served on multiple plates. Theres unlimited coffee, too.

10am: Explore Morningside

Walk off any overindulgence on the shady streets of the Morningside neighbourhood, a mile south. Look out for the architectural tributes to Bauhaus, art deco and Mediterranean Modern, in buildings with tell-tale turrets and Spanish roofs, or explore Morningside Park, which runs beside the bay with a few tiny coconut-littered beaches. A ramshackle boathouse rents kayaks and paddleboards here from 10am.

12.30pm: Tour the Design District

Stroll south into the one-time warehouse district, which developers have slowly transformed into the equivalent of Times Square for the artistic. Public sculptures installed here range from the larger-than-life  like the 10ft-tall crushed solo cup  to the interactive, with an adult-sized swing set painted mint green.

Larger-than-life public sculptures are dotted around Miami's Design District, a creative space boasting art, shopping and dining experiences. Photograph by Alfonso Duran

Elastika takes a global approach to American cuisine, offering dishes of grilled Florida sun shrimp and East Coast mussels curry. Photograph by Alfonso Duran

1.30pm: Lunch at Elastika

The Moore is one of multiple members clubs that now call the disused furniture showrooms of the Design District home. Its restaurant, Elastika is open to the public  try the kingfish crudo with fermented farro, local kohlrabi and cucumber agua chile. The 1920s atrium, with its moss-green banquettes and potted palms, sits under a giant sculpture by Zaha Hadid that takes the form of an alien-looking white web.

3.30pm: Get arty in South Beach

Hop in a taxi to cross the bay en route to historic Collins Avenue, which acts as the gateway to South Beach. It begins at The Bass, with its thorough collection of contemporary art installed in a former art deco library, flanked by swaying coconut palms. These days, it provides a platform for bold new acquisitions from young Latino artists alongside donations from Miamis rich and famous.

5pm: Stroll Ocean Drive

Track the passage of time in the city with a wander along Ocean Drive, which has been preserved from its mid-century heyday. Join one of the dedicated tours of its white-stucco facades with Miamis Design Preservation League, and keep an eye out for Casa Casuarina, the baroque manor that was once occupied by designer Gianni Versace before his murder here on the front steps. For sunset, youll find the best spot in South Pointe Park with its painted lighthouse.

8pm: Dinner at Doce Provisions

Back across the bay, in Little Havana, this popular taco joint is your best spot for dinner. If you havent managed to score a table, fear not: the chefs have perfected a portable asado bun, a bit like a plump taco filled with pork and pineapple confit, served with croquettes stuffed with cheese and sticky guava marmalade.

9pm: Party at Ball & Chain

This 1930s location on 8th Street made its name by attracting theatre-goers who still had energy to burn. Over the decades, people started to come from further afield for its burlesque shows and musical line-up  with a late 5am finish. Practically all thats changed today is the sound system and the curfew  its a more reasonable 3am now. Patrons still dress for dancing, including on-leave sailors.

Published in the September 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).



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LANSING, WV (WVNS)  U.S. Senator Joe Manchin was in Fayette County on Monday, August 26, 2024, to tour the treetops.

Sen. Manchin was the first person to zipline on the relaunched TreeTops Canopy Tour Zipline, a popular attraction at Adventures on the Gorge in Lansing.

It was a return celebration for Senator Manchin, a former West Virginia governor who said on Monday he was one of the first to zipline when the zipline first opened at the site in 2009.

Favorite foods in West Virginia

I hadnt really been on ziplines 16 years ago, and I was governor, then, and there was people that maybe didnt like my politics too well, and that wouldve been a good time to get rid of me in the top of the trees, if the cable wouldve broken, quipped Manchin. So they strapped me in, and pushed me down, and by G*d, the rest is history.

How likely are you to see a bear in West Virginia?

The tour now offers 11 zip lines.

The dual racing lines at Adventures on the Gorge are ranked as one of the Top Ten Coolest Ziplines in the World, according to Travel and Leisure Magazine.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
A man comforts another, who mourns over the death of his family member, killed by gunmen at a highway in Musakhail, at a hospital, in Quetta, Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP)  A separatist group claimed responsibility Tuesday for the deadliest day in recent history in Pakistan's Balochistan and warned that even more intense and widespread" attacks were coming, while the prime minister declared there would not be peace talks with the insurgents who also have targeted Chinese-funded projects there.

The multiple attacks in southwestern Pakistan killed more than 50 people, mostly civilians. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army group insisted it did not harm civilians and claimed that 800 of its well-trained fighters took part in the shootings and bombings that began late Sunday.

The attacks indicate that the BLA, which has targeted security forces for years in small-scale attacks and is allied with the Pakistani Taliban, is now much more organized.

But Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a Cabinet meeting there would be no peace talks with the group. And Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Quetta, Balochistan's capital, there was no need for a large-scale operation, saying the insurgents can eliminated by police.

Provincial chief minister Sarfraz Bugti said 53 people, including security forces, were killed in the attacks that drew nationwide condemnation. On Monday, he said operations against the insurgents continued and that those who killed our innocent civilians and security with be dealt with a full force.

The prime minister said the attacks in Balochistan seek to harm Chinese-funded development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which includes roads and rail systems to link western Chinas Xinjiang region to Pakistans southwestern Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. In recent years, BLA and other militants have attacked Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects.

Some killed in the latest attacks were ordered off local transport and shot, a witness said.

Sakina Nazir said she was traveling in a bus with her husband when gunmen signaled the driver to halt. She said the gunmen entered their bus, checked passengers' national identity cards and ordered some people out, including her husband. Minutes later, the survivors heard gunshots.

Balochistan has long been the scene of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks mainly on security forces. The separatists demand independence from the central government.

Also Tuesday, Pakistan's army said its troops killed 25 militants in recent days in the country's northwest. In a statement, it said four soldiers were also killed in the shootout in Khyber, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border.

___

Associated Press writer Asim Tanveer contributed to this story from Multan, Pakistan.
As a former preschool teacher in Beaufort faces multiple pending criminal charges related to illicit photos of children, a civil lawsuit is accusing the 56-year-old woman of sexually abusing one of her students.

Beaufort resident Holli Hodges, formerly a teacher at the independently run Head Start program, was accused of third-degree exploitation of a minor in November 2023 after self-reporting inappropriate photos of children to her supervisor. In May of this year, she was also charged with a first-degree count of the same offense, a felony pertaining to aiding the production of child sexual abuse material.

Filed Monday in Beaufort County civil court, the suit alleges negligence on the part of the Beaufort-Jasper Economic Opportunity Commission, a nonprofit that sponsors Head Start. The preschool program is federally funded and operates out of several classrooms inside Beaufort Elementary School, meant to support low-income children from 6 weeks to 4 years old.

Court documents allege Hodges sexually abused the child, who was under 5 years old, while the student was enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year at Head Start. Due to the highly sensitive and personal nature of the allegations, the filing does not identify the mother of the child, instead referring to her as Jane Doe.

Lee Cope, a Hampton-based attorney representing the plaintiff, could not be reached via phone. A spokesperson for the Head Start program did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

A lawsuit filed Monday in Beaufort County court claims a local nonprofit was negligent in hiring a preschool teacher who allegedly sexually abused a student. The 56-year-old woman was employed by the federally funded Head Start program, which runs out of a handful of classrooms at Beaufort Elementary School.

In late October of last year, Hodges self-reported to her Head Start supervisor that she had inappropriate photos of children, according to previous reporting. The supervisor reached out to the Beaufort Police Department, who called Hodges in for questioning.

Hodges voluntarily responded to an interrogation room, the department said, but before any questions were asked, she started biting and kicking police officers. Beaufort police charged her with five counts of third-degree assault and battery, resisting arrest and one other charge that was dismissed in

The case was then turned over to the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office, whose investigation confirmed the existence of at least one illegal photo. Hodges was served the additional arrest warrant while already in custody at the detention center, police said.

Hodges was hired through the Head Start program around March 2023 and assigned to Beaufort Elementary, not hired through the Beaufort County School District. She was previously a kindergarten assistant at Port Royal Elementary from August 2020 until October 2021, according to district spokesperson Candace Bruder. Before that, she worked at The Savvy Apple Preschool in Beaufort over five years ago.

Head Start immediately terminated Hodges when she self-reported the innapropriate photos, Executive Director James Williams previously told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.

At the time the Head Start program hired Hodges, she passed the required federal and state background checks. Like all employees, she was vetted in conjunction with the Department of Social Services, according to Williams.

Following her first arrest, Hodges seized electronic items were submitted to the South Carolina Attorney Generals office for forensic examination, the sheriffs office said.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, 24-hour help can be found by calling Hopeful Horizons at 843-770-1070 or by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.

If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Cenovus Energy (TSE:CVE). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Cenovus Energy with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Cenovus Energy

Cenovus Energy's Improving Profits

Over the last three years, Cenovus Energy has grown earnings per share (EPS) at as impressive rate from a relatively low point, resulting in a three year percentage growth rate that isn't particularly indicative of expected future performance. So it would be better to isolate the growth rate over the last year for our analysis. Cenovus Energy's EPS shot up from CA$2.02 to CA$2.56; a result that's bound to keep shareholders happy. That's a fantastic gain of 27%.

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. Despite the relatively flat revenue figures, shareholders will be pleased to see EBIT margins have grown from 9.4% to 12% in the last 12 months. That's something to smile about.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Cenovus Energy?

Are Cenovus Energy Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a CA$48b company like Cenovus Energy. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at CA$98m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. That's certainly enough to let shareholders know that management will be very focussed on long term growth.

While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed. For companies with market capitalisations over CA$11b, like Cenovus Energy, the median CEO pay is around CA$11m.

Cenovus Energy offered total compensation worth CA$8.7m to its CEO in the year to December 2023. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Does Cenovus Energy Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

For growth investors, Cenovus Energy's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. If you still have your doubts, remember too that company insiders have a considerable investment aligning themselves with the shareholders and CEO pay is quite modest compared to similarly sized companiess. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to investing but it definitely makes Cenovus Energy look rather interesting indeed. Even so, be aware that Cenovus Energy is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is a bit concerning...

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a tailored list of Canadian companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  A Sioux Falls man is in the Minnehaha County Jail accused of forcing a woman into her home and raping her.

31-year-old Kevin Bass faces several charges including burglary, assault and rape. He appeared in court today and is being held on a 250-thousand dollar cash-only bond.

Bass has a history of violent crimes. KELOLAND News has reported on him before.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

In 2023 he was involved in a drive-by shooting on Minnesota Avenue. The victim was shot twice in the stomach, and Bass served a hundred days behind bars.

A year earlier, police arrested Bass for and assault and firing a gun outside a Sioux Falls school. His criminal history dates back to 2011.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Sioux Falls police department along with other agencies worked to reduce high-speed and reckless driving to make Sioux Falls roads safer.

A saturation patrol was held on August 8th resulting in 119 total citations and 5 arrests.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

Authorities encourage Sioux Falls motorists to help curb the issue by using the Crimestoppers app.

People can send pictures or videos of a motorcycle or car driving recklessly or 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 KELOLAND.com.
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) No arrests have been made in the Sunday afternoon shooting where one person died and three others were injured.

Dunham Park homicide citys sixth of 2024

Sioux Falls Police spokesman Sam Clemens said detectives are still investigating what happened and why at Tuesdays police briefing.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

According to Clemens, there is no immediate threat to the public.

It does not appear to be a random type of event, Clemens said. While law enforcement is not sure what events led up to the shooting, Clemens said everyone at the park somehow knew each other,.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Shasta County coroner releases name of Anderson man who died in fiery Redding crash Sunday

The Shasta County Coroner's office announced the name of an Anderson man who died after he was thrown from a burning car around midnight on Sunday, Aug. 25.

The crash happened on Buenaventura Boulevard near Teton Drive, about a mile west of Highway 273. Redding Police officers found a vehicle in the center of the roadway, fully engulfed in flames, according to a police report.

Firefighters quickly put out the fire while first responders tended to a passenger who was ejected during the accident, police said.

First responders took 21-year-old Kannon Wayne Chaney to Mercy Medical Center in Redding after the accident, where medical staff declared him deceased, according to a report issued by Chief Deputy Coroner, Lt. Tyler Thompson on Tuesday.

A 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter after a fiery crash in Redding that left one person dead over the weekend, police said.

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The Shasta County Sheriff's office announced Chaney's name after they told his next-of-kin he had died, according to Thompson.

Police arrested the driver of the vehicle  19-year-old Christian Bennett of Redding  on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Redding police said, adding that Bennett was allegedly driving without a license.

A second passenger, 20-year-old Hunter Alexander of Anderson, wasn't hurt in the collision, police said.

More: Redding man, 19, arrested after deadly weekend crash

Bennett is being held on $500,000 bail, the Shasta County Jail website said Monday morning.

The coroner's office scheduled a postmortem examination and the case remains under investigation by the coroners office and the Redding Police Department.

Record Searchlight Reporter David Benda 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: Shasta coroner identifies Anderson man who died in Redding crash
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to soon face her first post-convention test when she sits for a formal interview airing in primetime on Thursday.

CNN announced Tuesday that Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz will be interviewed by anchor Dana Bash, marking the first sitdown with a reporter since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race.

The interview, airing at 9 p.m. ET, comes as Harris and Walz take a campaign bus tour of battleground Georgia and as she faced growing calls from the Trump campaign and reporters to agree to an extended questioning.

Ian Sams, a senior adviser to the Harris campaign, appeared reiterated on Monday that Harris would "schedule" a sit-down interview by the end of the month.

The initial absence of plans for any such sit-down prompted accusations by Republican critics of dodging the press.

"She refuses to do any interviews or press conferences, almost 30 days now, she has not done an interview," former President Donald Trump said of Harris at a North Carolina event earlier this month. "You know why she hasn't done an interview? Because she's not smart. She's not intelligent."

His campaign has said Harris is trying to "duck and hide" from the news media, which is sure to sling several tough questions her way when she meets the press.

MORE: Trump lashes out about Harris crowd size, attacks her intelligence at press conference

The lack of a media interview has yet to hurt Harris, whose poll numbers are outpacing those of President Joe Biden when he was atop the Democratic ticket, according to 538's national polling average. As of Tuesday, Harris is polling ahead of Trump, 47.2% to 43.6%; when Biden left the race, he was polling at 40.2% compared to Trump's 43.5%, according to 538's polling average.

Harris has also stirred enthusiasm from Democrats that had been absent most of the campaign cycle -- and is riding a high following last week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

PHOTO: Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves as she arrives to speak on the fourth and last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Moreover, she chose a running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whose rural background has helped the ticket craft a message Democrats have said they believe will make inroads with voters in conservative parts of the country.

All the while, Trump has seemed to abandon the discipline Republicans had lauded him for this summer. Recently, he has made false claims about the crowd size at a Harris rally and appeared to forget to mention a policy proposal he had been slated to unveil at an event in Michigan.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris celebrates with second gentleman of the U.S. Doug Emhoff, and vice-presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen, at the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Democrats have cautioned that Harris has several hurdles to clear in the coming weeks.

One of those hurdles is the pending media interview, where Harris would likely have to defend the decisions of the Biden administration and specify some of her policy stances.

On Monday, Trump sought to spotlight Harris' connection to the Biden administration's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, laying wreaths in Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the third anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.

"Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world," Trump claimed when he spoke to National Guardsmen at a Detroit event later Monday.

MORE: Trump criticizes Harris, Biden over Afghanistan withdrawal on 3-year anniversary

Harris is also likely to be pressed on how much she knew about Biden's mental fitness prior to the June 27 debate. That night, she urged Americans to judge Biden not on the "90 minutes" on stage but the "three-and-a-half years of performance."

Yet, that same debate performance set in motion a weekslong effort by top Democrats to nudge Biden from the race.

Few had a better understanding of what Biden was like behind the scenes than Harris, his No. 2, and an interviewer would likely challenge her about what she witnessed in private.

MORE: Trump lashes out about Harris crowd size, attacks her intelligence at press conference

Harris would surely be asked about the war in Gaza. She said recently, "We need a cease-fire," but is a member of an administration that has yet to help broker one.

The situation at the southern border would likely be another topic an interviewer would press Harris on. Republicans have linked her to an increase in unauthorized border crossings earlier in Biden's term, misleadingly dubbing her the "border czar."

An interviewer might also ask Harris to respond to the criticism of her recently unveiled economic plan, in which she called for an end to grocery "price-gouging," prompting accusations by some Republicans that she wants "communist price controls."

Harris travels this week to south Georgia, where she will embark on a bus tour and hold a rally in Savannah, Georgia.

Harris and Walz agree to joint sit-down interview airing Thursday on CNN originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Memphis Council member JB Smiley, Jr. (Photo: John Partipilo)

The Memphis City Council is set to consider its next legal move after the Shelby County Election Commission refused Tuesday to place gun restriction referendums on the November ballot.

Acting on advice from Tennessee Elections Administrator Mark Goins, the commission opted against putting the questions to Memphis voters this fall, officials confirmed.

Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips issued a statement after a special meeting Tuesday saying, The city of Memphis has requested that a charter amendment referendum ordinance be placed on the ballot. However, the state coordinator of elections has advised us, through a letter, that this ordinance may be preempted by state law. The state coordinator of elections guides us in administering elections, and we will follow his direction. If the city of Memphis decides to challenge this interpretation, we will respect the final decision made by the courts.

The move comes in response to Memphis City Councils decision to pace three referendums on the November ballot asking voters whether they approve amendments to the city charter requiring a handgun permit, restrictions on the storage of guns in cars, a ban on assault weapons such as AK-47s after Jan. 1, and authority to enact extreme risk protections orders, which are often referred to as red flag laws.

Council Chairman JB Smiley and Councilman Jeff Warren, who sponsored the resolutions, said the questions are non-binding and would require action by the City Council and state Legislature to take effect. They say they are asking voters to weigh in as part of an effort to reduce gun violence in Memphis.

The referendums are more like resolutions that counties routinely pass asking for the state to implement or block certain policies, except in this instance they would have the backing of the whole city instead of just the council, if passed.

Smiley called the situation a miscarriage of justice after the Republican-controlled Election Commissions decision Tuesday and said the City Council will discuss the best course of action with its attorney. He predicted earlier in the week the city will take the matter to court after House Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge threatened to try to remove Memphis share of sales tax revenue, more than $75 million, if it puts the questions on the November ballot.

Smiley said he believes it is interesting that state Republican leaders switched from threatening to cut Memphis sales tax share, which he called illegal, to removing the questions from the ballot.

Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis called the election commissions Tuesday outcome the wrong decision.

It is in line with the authoritarian actions of Republicans who are in power in our state Legislature, overreaching into a local government matter that is beyond their legal authority, Pearson said.
DALTON, Ga. (AP)  A 16-year-old has been arrested on murder charges after three men and a 17-year-old boy were found dead in a park near the north edge of Dalton, Georgia, authorities said.

The teenager, from Rome, Georgia, faces four counts of felony murder, Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood told reporters at a Sunday evening news conference.

Deputies were called to Pleasant Grove Park around 11:15 p.m. Saturday after reports of shots being fired. When they arrived, they found four dead Hispanic males, authorities said.

The victims were two men from Dalton, ages 19 and 21; and two males from Rome, who were 17 and 18.

The motive appears to have been a robbery, possibly involving some contraband that was found in a vehicle, the sheriff said. He didnt elaborate on the nature of the contraband.

We have absolutely no reason at all to believe its gang-related whatsoever, Chitwood said. We think its sadly just a very isolated incident.

Multiple weapons were involved in the shootings, based on shell casings recovered at the scene, Chitwood said. He described the case as very, very complicated and said detectives were working to learn more about the circumstances.

The park is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Atlanta.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to help local authorities.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
For students attending the University of Kentucky this semester, the first day of classes also marks a semester without an Office for Institutional Diversity.

UK announced last week it was eliminating its Office for Institutional Diversity, months after the state legislature tried to pass bills targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses statewide.

In addition, several other changes announced last week will go into effect. UK will remove mandatory diversity training throughout the university, and no employees will be required to write a diversity statement to be employed.

The Office for Institutional Diversity was created at UK about 15 years ago, and before that, existed as the Office of Minority Affairs since the early 1970s, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said.

Tiffany Madden, a sophomore from Lexington, said she hopes changes to the Office for Institutional Diversity dont mean changes to the opportunities or resources for minority students. Without a central office, Madden wondered what that would mean for students being able to find resources.

I feel like if most people didnt know where to go at first, it will probably be difficult or challenging to find out where the resources are now, she said.

UK to eliminate Office of Institutional Diversity months after legislators targeted DEI

Madden said she was very shy during her first year on campus, and the Martin Luther King Center  a center on campus that works with students from all backgrounds and hosts events centered around cultural awareness, leadership and community  was where she found connections and friendships with other students.

I was able to meet other Black people on campus. I was very scared about being here and there not being any Black people, Madden said. So that theres a whole center for those types of things, thats great.

Sha-Niya Green, a junior from Louisville, has been involved with the Martin Luther King Center since her first year. When she heard the news about the Office of Institutional Diversity, she was a little shocked. Her first concerns were about offices and programming being completely removed from the university, though the MLK Center will remain at UK.

Programming within the office will move to other units on campus. For her, places like the Martin Luther King Center, which was previously housed under the Office of Institutional Diversity and will move to the Office for Student Success, provided a place for community and assistance as she began her college career.

Its important because it provides kind of a safety net for all the different, diverse people that are here, Green said. I know that I have a certain place where I can go in and they can help me, or help me get accustomed to being in a space thats not catered to me.

UK is expecting an enrollment around 35,000 students this fall. Last year, nearly 74% of the student population was white, 7% was Black, 6% were Hispanic or Latino and 4% were Asian, according to demographics on the universitys website.

Final enrollment data for the fall 2024 semester will not be known until several weeks into the current semester.

William Seay, a senior from Paducah, said he has some concerns about the office going away, but felt that diversity efforts can still be effective without an official office. Those efforts should be driven by a desire to create space for students, not just to make a university look better or more attractive, he said.

Having DEI programming on a college campus can definitely broaden peoples scopes, and introduce students to new ways of understanding people, Seay said.

For people who feel like theyre excluded, or they dont feel like they have a group that they belong to, it is nice to have that, Seay said. I think its a healthy outlet for that kind of stuff.

UK President Eli Capilouto said he received feedback throughout the summer, including meeting with legislators who expressed concerns about the role of DEI at UK. Lawmakers failed to pass the bills targeting DEI programs this past spring, but the university expects them to pursue similar bills next spring, Capilouto said.

In addition to other changes on campus, to be impartial facilitators as an institution of broad perspectives, the university and Capilouto will no longer make statements on political or partisan events or issues, including on the university website, he said last week.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Sioux Falls School District is trying to fix a problem: chronic absenteeism.

We see a rise in absenteeism across the United States. You see that across South Dakota, and we truly see that in Sioux Falls, SFSD Assistant Superintendent Jamie Nold said.

The district has already taken steps to help get students to school such as the addition of six attendance liaisons.

But now theres another tool: a multimedia campaign.

Summer interns at Click Rain and Lemonly are the creative minds behind it.

Did a lot of research to really gain our knowledge for this problem, Click Rain Marketing Intern Joey Gellerman said.

Gellerman is part of the group that came up with the Show Up campaign.

Its super cool so see all the work that weve done. Its been a long three months of getting all the work together. Just seeing that put out in the world, its very cool to see, Gellerman said.

T-shirts, billboards, and social media ads are some of the ways the campaign is spreading awareness about the issue.

Smithfield Foods under investigation after injury

The message isnt just for students, families, and staff, but also the community.

You might see a student who is not in school, but you know that its during the school day. What can we as a community do in order to show up for those kids? Might we roll down our window and say, Hey, can I help you show up today?' SFSD Community Relations Manager DeeAnn Konrad said.

We know that if we can get kids to school, we can get them an education. We can truly get them what they need to be successful in their next steps, and so we truly need to address that absenteeism and see how we can combat that to get kids in school on a regular basis, Nold said.

Click Rain and Lemonlys time spent on the project was donated.

A grant from the state is helping pay for the advertising costs and the attendance liaisons.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)U.S. Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy visited Shreveport to share updates on infrastructure and broadband funding coming to the area.

Cassidy has secured over $4.3 million for both the Shreveport Regional and Downtown Airports since February.

The funds are part of the bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act supported by Cassidy and other congressional colleagues.

When somebody comes to make an investment in your city, they land, the first impression is the airport. Is the runway bumpy, for example? You want that first good impression. We want people to coming to northwest Louisiana to invest dollars to make jobs to make our communities better.

More: Louisiana News

Shreveport Downtown Airport will receive funds to resurface taxiway pavement and joints. SHV will get millions to expand its main terminal, demolish and relocate its air traffic control tower, and build new terminal gate space, among other projects.

Also, part of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Senator Cassidy and Governor Jeff Landry announced the launch of the GUMBO 2.0 broadband program, which will put into action a $1.35 billion investment.

The program will expand broadband access to 100,000 homes, including 60,000 in rural parishes. 35,000 businesses across the state will also be connected to broadband, as well as schools, hospitals and law enforcement agencies.

Senator Cassidy also touched on legislation he passed to protect children online. His Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act would prohibit Internet companies from collecting personal information from users who are 13 to 16 without their consent and ban targeted advertising to children and teens.

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By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Nordea Bank agreed to pay a $35 million civil fine to settle charges by a top New York regulator that the Finland-listed bank failed to properly police money laundering and other criminal activities, including matters uncovered in the Panama Papers scandal.

New York state financial services superintendent Adrienne Harris faulted Nordea's inadequate due diligence over customers and high-risk banking partners, saying even the bank recognized its oversight faced a "critical" risk of failure.

Jamie Graham, Nordea's chief compliance officer, said the Helsinki-based bank was pleased to settle, and acknowledged that it had historically "underestimated the complexity of preventing financial crime and the resources needed for that purpose."

New York said Nordea was linked to billions of dollars of high-risk transactions between 2008 and 2019, including at a Vesterport, Denmark, branch that implicated the bank in schemes known as the Russian Laundromat and Azerbaijani Laundromat.

A consent order said Nordea "acknowledged its shortcomings" with respect to anti-money laundering procedures at the former Denmark branch, at former branches in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and in correspondent bank and customer relationships.

Published in 2016, the Panama Papers provided details on thousands of offshore accounts and entities, including tax havens linked to individuals like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.

They were based on leaks of about 11.5 million documents from the now-defunct Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Nordea said it will include the $35 million fine as a charge in third-quarter results.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Mark Potter)
How sick are we? New COVID and flu vaccines coming to Florida. Can you get the shots?

Newly updated COVID-19 vaccines are starting to arrive at pharmacies and doctor offices across Florida as the state records high levels of the virus in wastewater, a sign of circulation.

Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have given the green light to the new COVID shots to help better protect people against circulating variants during the 2024-2025 fall and winter season.

Federal regulators and health officials are recommending people get vaccinated annually for COVID, just like they do for influenza.

New updated flu shots for the 2024-2025 season are also rolling out to pharmacies and doctors offices.

Whats the COVID and flu situation in Florida? Who should get vaccinated and when is the best time to get a shot?

Heres what to know about COVID and flu:

What is the COVID and flu situation in Florida?

As of Aug. 23, the amount of respiratory illness  fever plus cough or sore throat  causing people to seek healthcare is low nationally, according to the CDC. Nationally, influenza and RSV levels remain low although many parts of the country are continuing to see elevated levels of COVID-19. Some areas are seeing a decline in COVID.

The CDC estimates COVID infections are growing or likely growing in 27 states, declining or likely declining in 4 states, as of Aug. 16, the most recent update. The public health agency says that COVID infections are stable or uncertain in 17 states, including Florida.

The CDC estimates COVID infections are growing or likely growing in 27 states, declining or likely declining in 4 states, as of Aug. 16, the most recent Aug. 16 update. The public health agency says that COVID infections are stable or uncertain in 17 states, including Florida.

What the CDC says about Florida:

 Overall, respiratory virus activity is minimal in Florida. This is based on healthcare visits for fever, cough or sore throat.

 Florida is seeing a decrease in ER visits for COVID-19 and flu treatment, but that doesnt mean people arent getting sick. The state is recording very high levels of COVID-19 in its wastewater. Health experts use wastewater data to identify what type of infectious diseases are circulating in a community. This sewer data can serve as an early warning as to whether infection levels are increasing or decreasing, even if people dont have symptoms or are not seeking care, according to the CDC.

New 2024-2025 COVID and flu vaccines: Whats different?

The new 2024-2025 Pfizer and Moderna COVID mRNA vaccines were formulated to better target COVID infections stemming from Omicron variant KP.2, one of the FLiRT variants that has been spreading in the country since early spring. The goal of the shots is to reduce a persons risk of serious illness.

Remember, the COVID virus mutates quickly and has led to an alphabet soup of variants. KP.2 was countrys dominant strain earlier in the year but now makes up about 3% of cases. The current dominant strain in the country is now KP.3.1.1, which makes up nearly 37% of COVID cases in the U.S., followed by KP.3, with nearly 17% of cases, recent CDC data shows.

The KP.2 and KP.3 variants descend from Omicron and are offshoots of JN.1, which fueled much of the countrys winter infections and are part of a group of variants known as FLiRT variants due to the technical names of their mutations. The FLiRT variants, and their sub-variants, are what caused the majority of infections during this summers COVID wave, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The good news is that the updated vaccine closely matches the KP.3 family of viruses that continue to grow in dominance, said CDC Director Mandy Cohen during a recent news briefing.

Andy Pekosz, a professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained in a blog post that due to the similarities between the currently circulating variants and KP.2, the shots are expected to provide good protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

While KP.2 is not causing a significant number of infections, the most prevalent variants circulating right now are very closely related to them, Pekosz said. The vaccine will never be a perfect match to the circulating variants because it takes 2-4 months to make the vaccine, and during that time the virus continues to change as it infects people.

Annual flu vaccine: What to know

In the U.S., flu season runs through the fall and winter, with peaks typically occurring between December and February, according to the CDC.

U.S. health officials look to countries like Australia in the Southern Hemisphere to get a forecast on what type of flu season could be coming our way. The CDC says this years 2024-2025 flu shot is trivalent and will protect against an H1N1, H3N2 and a B/Victoria lineage virus.

Who should get the new COVID and flu vaccine and when?

Like with previous COVID and flu infections, some of the people most at risk for severe disease continue to be those 65 and older and people who are immunocompromised or who have certain chronic medical conditions.

The CDC is recommending everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID and flu vaccine. Cohen, the CDC director, is recommending people get vaccinated in September or October ahead of the expected increases in both viruses this winter.

And yes, you can get both vaccines at the same time, according to Linda Molaka, pharmacy manager at a CVS Health in Broward County. Her store, 2300 N. Flamingo Rd. in Pembroke Pines, received the new COVID shots on Monday.

Because our bodies take two weeks for maximum protection on both vaccines, you dont want to wait until were like in peak season, which is typically November-February to get vaccinated, Molaka told the Miami Herald in a phone interview.

What if you recently had COVID?

The CDC says people who recently had COVID can delay their vaccination for three months after infection, but should consider various factors, including the COVID levels in their community, their personal risk factor for severe illness and the risk factor of people they live with or are in close contact.

If you have questions about the vaccines, ask your doctor.

Where to get the new COVID vaccine? What about the flu shot?

The newly updated COVID and flu shots are rolling out to retail pharmacies, health departments, doctors offices and community health centers across the nation. Some places might already have the shots in stock.

Like with previous COVID and flu shots, the new updated vaccines will be available at retail pharmacies including Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Navarro Discount Pharmacies, Walmart, and CVS y mas. Winn-Dixie has closed all of its pharmacies.

Most retail pharmacies will accept walk-ins, but that will depend on availability and demand. Call your pharmacy or check on the pharmacy website or app to see if appointments for the new shots are available. The federal government is also in the process of updating its Vaccines.gov website to help people find nearby vaccination sites.

Vaccination is just one important step to staying healthy and helping to protect the community, said Molaka, noting that getting a shot is one thing that we know we have control over to help reduce the risk of serious illness and hospitalization. People also need to remember to take other preventive measures, including frequent hand washing, to reduce the risk of getting sick.

Are the COVID vaccines free again? What about flu shots?

COVID-19 and flu vaccines are covered by most private health insurance plans and are also covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Make sure you get vaccinated at an in-network provider. Check your insurance for more information.

Flu vaccines are also available for free or at a low cost to people who dont have insurance, according to the CDC. As for COVID-19 vaccines, the CDCs Bridge Access Program that helped give free vaccines to people who didnt have insurance or were uninsured has run out of funding months earlier then expected, USA Today reported.

That means people who dont have insurance might need to pay out of pocket for COVID vaccines, and the shots can be pricey. At CVS, for example, expect to pay $201.99 for COVID vaccination. Children under 18 might still be able to get a free COVID vaccine through the CDCs Vaccines for Children Program. Pharmacists in Florida can vaccinate kids as young as 3. For younger kids, speak with your childs pediatrician.
Silver Spring teen wanted for murder arrested at Dulles International Airport, police say

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Authorities arrested and charged a 15-year-old Silver Spring teen on Monday in connection to a double homicide that happened over Memorial Day weekend.

On Sunday, May 26, at nearly 7 p.m., Montgomery County police and Maryland-National Capital Park Police responded to Nolte Local Park in Silver Spring.

Upon arriving, officers found two 20-year-old men, Quincy Johnson of Takoma Park, Md., and DAndre Wint of Lanham, Md., with gunshot wounds.

They both died at the scene.

Neighbors react to fatal double shooting at Silver Spring park

During an investigation, detectives gathered evidence linking 15-year-old Onyx Santana Austin to the homicides. They requested a warrant for his arrest on Aug. 26.

Police said Austin had left the country after the shootings, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection took him into custody upon his return to the states at Dulles International Airport on Monday.

Austin has been charged as an adult and is awaiting extradition to Montgomery County.

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A man is dead after a single-vehicle crash in Warren County on Monday, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The crash happened at U.S. Route 22 near South Clarksville Road in Washington Township around 8:35 a.m., officials said.

Robert Hinman, 75, of Morrow, was headed northeast on the highway in a 2008 Pontiac G6 when he drove off the left side of the road, striking a guardrail and a tree. Hinman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials said the crash remains under investigation by the patrol's Lebanon post.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Man killed in single-vehicle crash in Warren County
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Due to continued foundation issues, Sioux City council members are looking to replace the current utilities field office building.

The project includes the construction of a new garage with office space. Engineers estimate the new building to cost around $10 million. The new building would be built across the street from the existing central maintenance garage on 18th Street. That keeps the convenience of the fuel station next to where fuel tanks are located.

Morningsides garden donates to Food Bank of Siouxland

After discussion, the council voted 4-0 to approve the plans estimated costs for the new building. Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott said it was an easy decision.

The old utility building was built on a landfill and it was disintegrating, he said. We spent a lot of money just trying to prop it up for a few years and thats the reason we have to build a new center. Its long overdue. The safety of our employees in that building was compromised, and thats why we had to make this move. Its been a long time getting it done.

The project has a completion date of Oct. 1, 2026.

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SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  Six people were arrested last week in a Springdale drug bust after a lengthy drug investigation, according to court documents.

Antwaine Jackson Sr., 43, Antwain Jackson Jr., 24, Marquesha Young, 32, Crystal Kitt, 37, Shawn Williams, 50, and Win Sin, 30, were all arrested last week in connection with the bust.

Antwaine Jackson, Sr., 43, of Springdale, was arrested Friday in connection with drug trafficking, possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with physical evidence and a parole violation.

Marquesha Young, 32, of El Dorado, was arrested Friday in connection with drug trafficking, possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver and fleeing.

Win Sin, 30, of Springdale, was arrested Friday in connection with criminal use of property.

Shawn Williams, 50, of Dallas, was arrested Friday in connection with drug trafficking and possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Antwain Jackson, Jr., 24, of Springdale, was arrested Saturday in connection with simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and theft by receiving.

Crystal Marie Kitt, 37, of Springdale, was arrested Friday in connection with possession of methamphetamine or cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to keep records of drug transactions.

Jackson Sr. was reportedly identified as a multiple-pound distributor of methamphetamine in the Northwest Arkansas area and the focus of the investigation, according to preliminary police reports.

Detectives with the 4th Judicial Drug Task Force learned that Jackson Sr. would be receiving a shipment of meth from south Arkansas on August 23.

Arkansas man held on $5M bond; accused of shooting at judge, officers

Detectives surveilled Jacksons home, where they saw a vehicle driven by Williams and Young.

Jackson Sr. and Sin, his wife, left the home in separate cars and went to a nearby storage unit. The report said he was seen entering a unit with a bag and leaving with a white box before returning to his home.

Jackson Sr. and his wife returned home where Young left with a backpack and got into another vehicle with Jackson Sr. The report said police approached the vehicle and the two fled at a high speed before driving through multiple residential yards and crashing into a ditch. Both fled and were later apprehended.

Police served a search warrant on the storage unit and found 7.5 pounds of marijuana inside.

The report said Jackson Sr. threw six hydrocodone pills under the vehicle as he was being arrested and had nearly $1,400 in cash on him.

Warrant issued for Springdale man accused of rape after missing first day of trial

Marijuana and a drug ledger were found in the vehicle and the backpack contained more than $5,000 and 12 ounces of marijuana.

More than four pounds of meth and a small amount of cocaine were also found in a car registered to Sin.

Jackson Sr. spoke with police and said he had sold one to two pounds of meth a week for several months and Young provided him with the meth in exchange for marijuana and cash.

Sin allegedly allowed Jackson Sr. to use her vehicle for drug deals and transferred money to an El Dorado man, later identified as the middleman, to buy meth. She also allowed transfers of money Jackson received during deals to be sent to one of her accounts, according to the report.

Jackson Jr. was also part of the investigation. He was arrested after he attempted to flee from police at a Fayetteville Walmart. Police found two loaded firearms after searching his home, one of which was reportedly stolen out of the Fayetteville Police Department, and one pound of marijuana.

Kitt was also arrested for her alleged involvement in the ring.

All except Sin are being held in the Washington County Detention Center. Sin was released on Monday.

Williams is being held on a $65,000 bond, both Young and Jackson Jr. on a $50,000 bond, Jackson Sr. on a $100,000 bond and Kitt on a $15,000 bond.

Jackson Sr., Jackson Jr., Williams, Young and Kitt are set to appear in court on September 18. Sin has a September 11 court date.

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SLED: Man charged with 29 offenses after exchanging gunfire with deputies during hours-long standoff in Chesterfield County

SLED: Man charged with 29 offenses after exchanging gunfire with deputies during hours-long standoff in Chesterfield County

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A man is facing a slew of charges after exchanging gunfire with deputies during a standoff following a domestic situation, SLED said.

The ordeal began Wednesday, Aug. 21, and continued overnight into Thursday, Aug. 22. The Chesterfield County Sheriffs Office had gotten a call regarding a domestic situation in the parking lot of a local fitness center. Pageland Police also responded to the scene.

As authorities arrived at the area, they came upon Kenneth Bragg, 37, who they said began firing shots at police in the parking lot and then drove away.

PREVIOUS: Man in custody after allegedly shooting at officers, hours-long standoff in Pageland

Bragg was located a short time later, which led to an exchange of gunfire and a vehicle chase, according to SLED. A SLED helicopter was called in to assist in the pursuit at that time.

Authorities said during the chase Bragg fired several shots at the SLED helicopter. They said Bragg then barricaded himself inside a home along Salebarn Lane.

Following an hours-long overnight standoff, Bragg was taken into custody on Thursday morning. Authorities said Bragg fired shots throughout the incident. Thankfully, no one was harmed.

SLED said Bragg damaged two of their drones and two of their robots during the encounter.

On Friday, Aug. 23, SLED formally charged Bragg with 29 offenses in connection to this incident.

This remains an open and ongoing investigation. This incident marks the 31st officer-involved shooting in South Carolina and the first for Chesterfield County this year, SLED said.

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What is sloth fever? How close is it to Ohio? What to know about virus spreading to US

A disease commonly found in the Caribbean and Amazon basin of South America is spreading to the United States, reports the CDC. Is it coming close to Ohio?

Here's what to know about sloth fever.

What is sloth fever, spread by mosquitoes and midges?

The Oropouche virus, commonly known as sloth fever, has been expanding its range since late 2023, according to Nature. In 2024, the virus has caused more than 8,000 infections in the Americas, mostly in Brazil but also in Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba and Peru. The New York Post reports that there were 832 cases in all of 2023.

It is transmitted to animals and humans by midge or mosquito bites. It became known as sloth fever because the animals are regularly infected, according to the Post. Its incubation period is three to 10 days, per the Post.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park has three sloths, a breeding pair named Teddy and Grizzly and their offspring, Winnie.

What are the symptoms of sloth fever?

About 60% of infected people will develop symptoms, which usually begin with a fever or severe headache, like other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Zika or malaria, the New York Post reports. Symptoms can last a week, but some can experience weakness for up to a month.

Other symptoms include muscle or joint pain, pain behind the eyes, vomiting and nausea, according to Nature. While most cases are mild, some can become severe, and have neurological complications.

It's difficult to diagnose Oropouche from the symptoms alone, Nature reports. Lab work is required.

Is sloth fever in the United States? CDC issues travel warning

Florida has reported 20 travel-related cases of sloth fever, the New York Post reports, the only state reporting cases so far. Cases in the United States, Spain, Italy and Germany have been identified in travelers coming from Brazil and Cuba, according to Nature.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a health advisory warning of an increase in the disease from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba. It advises pregnant women to reconsider travel to affected areas, and that travelers from those areas who are showing symptoms be tested.

Is sloth fever dangerous for pregnant women, newborns?

According to Nature, the presence of antibodies against Oropouche, which reveal a recent infection, have been found in newborns with microcephaly, or abnormally small heads. The publication reports that this suggests an association, but the limitations of the study couldn't prove a connection.

Sloth fever prevention

The best defense against sloth fever is preventing insect bites, the New York Post reports. Use insect repellent and keep screens on windows and doors. There are no vaccines for Oropouche.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: What is sloth fever? Virus spreads to US, CDC issues travel warning
Special counsel Jack Smith filed a superseding indictment in his case indicting former President Trump for his actions seeking to subvert the 2020 election, retaining the same charges but striking some elements of the case in the wake of the Supreme Courts immunity ruling.

The Tuesday filing comes after Smith presented the case against the former president to a second grand jury, which had not previously heard the matter. It likewise concluded charges were warranted against the president.

The superseding indictment is an effort by the special counsel to respond to a ruling earlier this summer by the Supreme Court, which held that Trump and other former executives retain broad immunity for core actions they took as president and are presumptively immune for other actions taken while in office.

While the indictment retains the original charges  a sign of Smiths confidence in the evidence underpinning the case  it makes significant cuts in an effort to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings.

The filing removes former Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Clark as an unnamed, unindicted co-conspirator in the case, a reflection of specific instructions from the Supreme Court that said Trumps conversations with Justice Department officials were protected from prosecution.

Trump was prepared to install Clark as acting attorney general so that he could investigate his baseless claims of election fraud.

The filing also bumps up by a day the date that prosecutors argue Trumps conspiracy to remain in office began  Nov. 13, 2020.

The superseding indictment is 10 pages shorter than the original, cutting lengthy examples from the original speaking indictment that walked through the evidence against Trump and his plots to remain in power.

But the new filing takes pains to distinguish various elements of Trumps efforts to unwind the election as actions taken purely in a private capacity  and thus conduct that can be prosecuted.

Trump on his social media site called it an effort to resurrect a dead Witch Hunt and move by Smith to save face.

Deranged Jack Smith, has brought a ridiculous new Indictment against me, which has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY, Trump wrote.

Trumps personal role

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures after speaking at the National Guard Association of the United States 146th General Conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The indictment retains its focus on Trumps knowledge that he was spreading false claims about his loss in the election.

But the document includes new efforts to indicate Trumps lies about the election were spread in a campaign capacity, not through his role as chief executive, at one point describing Trump as a candidate and as a citizen.

The special counsel zeroed in on Trumps speech to supporters before they stormed the Capitol as his giv[ing] a Campaign speech at a privately-funded, privately organized political rally.

It discusses his once-abundant activity on Twitter, now known as X, noting that he regularly used the account for personal purposesincluding to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud, exhort his supporters to travel to Washington, D.C. on January 6 as well as pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to buck his ceremonial duty to certify the election results and to leverage the events at the Capitol on January 6 to unlawfully retain power.

The indictment does, however, cut specific lies Trump told about the election throughout the filing as well as examples of instances in which advisors informed him they were false.

And while the new indictment cuts the reference to Clark, it shifts its descriptions of others in the case, describing them as private attorneys and a private political consultant. Though unnamed in the document, the descriptions leave the group identifiable as Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Cheeseboro  all attorneys who aided Trump in the plot  as well as advisor Boris Epshteyn.

It also notes lawsuits filed by Trump challenging the election in his capacity as candidate  not as president. Those suits also included false claims about election fraud.

The indictment also took aim at former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, writing that he regularly handled private and campaign-related logistics for Trump.

It also directly addressed the Trump campaigns effort to submit fake elector certificates, writing that Trump had no official responsibilities related to any states certification of the election results.

Pence pressure campaign

Former Vice President Mike Pence Mike Pence speaks at a luncheon hosted by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission during a Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

One of the riskier elements of the new indictment is the decision to keep allegations of a pressure campaign against former Vice President Pence intact, albeit reframed.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the courts immunity opinion plainly that Trump has presumptive immunity for efforts to pressure Pence to take certain acts tied to his role presiding over the certification of the presidential election, because that role qualifies as official conduct.

However, the chief justice left open the question of whether Trumps specific conduct as alleged in the indictment would remain immune from criminal prosecution.

In the superseding indictment, Smith reframed the allegations against Trump to zero in on Trumps desire to remain in the White House  not dropping the underlying acts altogether, as the special counsel did in other sections that could run afoul of the Supreme Courts ruling.

The Defendant had no official responsibilities related to the certification proceeding, but he did have a personal interest as a candidate in being named the winner of the election, the superseding indictment reads. All of the conversations between the Defendant and Vice President described below focused on the Defendant maintaining power.

It will be up to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine whether Trumps attempts to sway Pence to certify alternate slates of electors stand up to the Supreme Courts new tests, though the issue could still be appealed back to the Supreme Court.

Chutkan is set to meet with both parties during a Sept. 5 hearing and has also asked for a joint filing by Friday for two sides to lay out how theyd like to proceed now that the case is back in her courtroom.

Trump conversations with federal officials

Jeffrey Clark speaks during an event.

Jeffrey Clark speaks during an event. (Yuri Gripas, Associated Press pool, file)

Though many of the allegations related to Pence remain intact in the new indictment, Smith removed references to certain conversations Trump had with the House minority leader and officials in Trumps White House and Justice Department.

Notably, the update removes claims surrounding Trumps campaign to leverage the Justice Department following the 2020 election to pressure key swing states into investigating his claims of fraud, a major component of the original indictment.

The Supreme Courts immunity ruling had singled out those allegations as ones that could not survive.

The President cannot be prosecuted for conduct within his exclusive constitutional authority. Trump is therefore absolutely immune from prosecution for the alleged conduct involving his discussions with Justice Department officials, the majority opinion read .

The cuts mean that Clark, who at the time oversaw the Justice Departments environmental division and, in an acting capacity, the civil division, is no longer an unindicted co-conspirator in the case. Clark is still charged alongside the former president in Georgia on racketeering and other state counts, however.

He celebrated the ruling in a post on X , writing that he refused to reveal the Presidents or DOJs confidences in the various investigations into his actions promoting Trumps baseless mass fraud claims following the 2020 election.

Smiths indictment also removes numerous references to conversations Trump had with his White House advisers, including their repeated urgings for him to approve a message directing rioters to leave the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Prosecutors also cut some references to Trumps Twitter habits, including a nod to a tweet where Trump wrote to those storming the Capitol that we hear you (and love you) from the Oval Office.

It also cuts a lengthy section reviewing pressure from White House aides to record a message to be shared on the platform encouraging the rioters to go home, striking references to those conversations and the comments Trump ultimately made.

Prosecutors also removed a reference to a call Trump held with then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) during the riot.

Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are, Trump said.

This story was updated at 6:01 p.m.

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On Wall Street, important data releases are a common occurrence. Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meetings, the monthly inflation and jobs reports, and even the quarterly filing of Form 13Fs with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provide invaluable data that investors can use to formulate an effective investment strategy.

Tomorrow (Aug. 28), the company that's played the biggest role in sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite to record highs -- Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) -- will be lifting its proverbial hood and allowing Wall Street to examine its operating performance over the prior three months. This is, arguably, just as important of a data release as any that I mentioned above.

Although investors are liable to be laser-focused on Nvidia's headline figures (revenue and net income), there's a considerably more important metric to look for that'll provide broader context on the health of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and Nvidia's future.

Image source: Getty Images.

How did Nvidia become Wall Street's most-awaited and important earnings report?

Before digging into this critical metric, it's imperative to provide background on how we got to this point. In other words, some explanation is needed for Nvidia's meteoric rise from a $360 billion market cap at the end of 2022 to a nearly $3.2 trillion valuation, as of the closing bell on Aug. 23, 2024.

As you may have rightly guessed, AI is behind this historic move. In short order, Nvidia's H100 graphics processing unit (GPU) became the preferred choice in high-compute data centers. These chips are effectively the brains powering split-second decision-making, overseeing generative AI solutions, and helping to train large language models (LLMs).

Nvidia has also received an undeniable boost from its CUDA software platform. CUDA is the toolkit developers use to build LLMs and get the most out of their GPUs. CUDA is working seamlessly with the H100 to keep enterprise clients loyal to Nvidia's product and service ecosystem.

The other key piece of the puzzle for Nvidia is enterprise demand heavily outstripping the supply of its AI-GPUs. When demand for a good or service overwhelms supply, the price of that good or service usually increases until demand tapers. The cost for Nvidia's H100 typically comes in between $30,000 and $40,000, which is more than double the cost of the MI300X, which is a rival chip developed by Advanced Micro Devices.

It's this AI-GPU scarcity that you'll want to keep in mind when digging into Nvidia's fiscal second-quarter operating results, which are slated for release after the closing bell on Aug. 28.

Story continues

Image source: Getty Images.

Forget revenue and net income -- this metric trumps them both

Over the five previous quarters (i.e., the entirety of Nvidia's fiscal 2024 and the first quarter of fiscal 2025), Nvidia has completely blown Wall Street's loftiest sales and profit expectations out of the water. With Wall Street analysts having a history of providing beatable consensus forecasts, it wouldn't be remotely shocking if Nvidia's revenue and net income sailed past expectations, once again.

But these two headline figures only tell part of the story. If you want a more complete picture of Nvidia's health and that of the AI revolution, focus on the company's gross margin. With Nvidia, I tend to hone in on its adjusted gross margin, which excludes factors like stock-based compensation and acquisition-based expenses.

Although Nvidia has been selling more of its H100 GPUs, thanks in large part to a meaningful increase in chip-on-wafer-on-substrate capacity from world-leading chip-fabricator Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the bulk of Nvidia's growth has come on the heels of its otherworldly GPU pricing power. Being able to charge 50% to 75% more than competing AI-GPUs propelled Nvidia's adjusted gross margin from 64.63% to 78.35% in five quarters.

NVDA Gross Profit Margin (Quarterly) Chart

Following Nvidia's fiscal first-quarter results (ended April 28), management called for an adjusted gross margin of 75.5% (+/- 50 basis points) for the fiscal second quarter. This would imply a decline of between 235 and 335 basis points from the sequential quarter.

While this might just represent management being conservative as cost of goods climb in lockstep with new orders, a meaningful decline in adjusted gross margin might also hint at a shift in the AI landscape.

Once again, everything has revolved around the idea that AI-driven GPUs are scarce and in high demand. If Nvidia's adjusted gross margin comes in toward the low-end of its previous forecast, or its outlook calls for a further retracement in gross margin, it would pretty clearly signal that competitive pressures are beginning to be felt.

In particular, reports emerged this month that Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell platform would be delayed by at least three months due to design flaws and various supply chain constraints.

Despite a healthy order backlog for its Blackwell chip, there's the potential we might see businesses opt for cheaper AI-GPU alternatives that they can get their hands on quicker. First-mover advantages in the AI space are a thing, and some businesses aren't going to want to wait months on end for orders to be fulfilled. This opens the door for Advanced Micro Devices, Samsung, and other hardware developers to steal valuable space in AI-accelerated data centers.

Adjusted gross margin can also tell us if Nvidia is contending with internal competitive pressures. The company's four-largest customers, which are all members of the "Magnificent Seven," comprise around 40% of Nvidia's net sales. However, all four of these industry leaders are internally developing AI-GPUs for use in their data centers. A lower adjusted gross margin forecast may be reflective of Nvidia losing valuable data center "real estate" to these in-house chips.

Instead of honing in on Nvidia's sales and net income tomorrow, dig deeper and seek out the adjusted gross margin figure that'll give you a more complete picture of what the future holds for Nvidia and artificial intelligence.

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Forget Revenue and Net Income: This Is the Critical Metric to Look for When Nvidia Reports on Aug. 28 was originally published by The Motley Fool
The arrest in Paris of Pavel Durov, billionaire founder of Telegram, is an unprecedented move against a senior executive of a social media platform that refuses to moderate its output. No explanation was given, though French media linked it to the content of the Telegram app.

This is widely used in Russia to disseminate video and news about the war with Ukraine. It is unfiltered and predominantly in the Russian language. It has been used to spread false information and pro-Kremlin propaganda. Ironically, Mr Durov is no obvious friend of the Russian regime having been forced to flee his homeland 10 years ago for refusing to hand over data to the security police. He now has French and UAE citizenship.

Yet Moscow accused France of suppressing free speech, a laughable response given the manipulation of news about the Ukraine conflict. The French authorities have complained about the lack of moderators of Telegrams content and accused the company of allowing criminal activity on the platform.

There may be wider implications here. The UK government among others has been demanding that social media outlets do more to take down harmful and violent content. But with the companies incorporated in America, threats of legal action are largely meaningless. The people at the very top often consider themselves beyond the law. Mr Durov has discovered that is not the case, in France at least.

Elon Musk was among those criticising the arrest, possibly seeing himself as a potential target. He said that Europe was becoming a continent of authoritarian states. But while there are free speech considerations here, this does not mean that social media platforms can simply do what they like. If they are worried about government interference they should do far more to moderate their content.

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Hack of background check company leaked 3 billion records

Social Security numbers, birth dates and history of addresses for sale on dark web

Online tool shows you how to see if you or family is affected

Advice: Freeze credit and safeguard accounts with multi-factor authentication

(WSPA)  The latest data breach of a background check company is so massive, we would all be foolish not to take this seriously. In this, 7NEWS Consumer Exclusive, we explain your best counterattack strategy against these hackers.

Until someone swipes your credit card, takes out a car loan in your name or taps into your bank account, most off us go on in life with our digital guard down.

Its not that were unaware of the countless data breaches, its that, by now, many of us have become a bit numb.

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I feel like those happen just about every day, Robert Bacon, in Greenville, said.

But the latest hack is so massive and potentially damaging, its not your fathers data breach, though as Bacon learned, chances are you, or someone in your family has been hit.

This is my grandfather, he said looking at a database of people who have been hacked.

Before we explain how to see if your name is among the 3 billion records compromised, heres what you need to know about the breach.

Who was breached and what was taken

National Public Data, a company that does credit and criminal background checks for things like job interviews said they were hacked twice this year and the scope is just coming to light after showing up on the dark web.

We saw that the original database was for sale for $3.5 million on a popular breach website, Ryan Montgomery, with the cyber security firm Pentester, said.

Montgomery said its not just the quantity of victims, but the quality of data: full names, birth dates, social security numbers plus in some cases where youve lived for the last few decades.

This breach is the worst breach Ive ever seen and you should care because dealing with fraud is a pain. (TIGHTEN) Its a simple process to freeze your credit, if you freeze your credit you take away almost all risk of fraud, Montgomery said.

Tool shows if you are part of the hack

To figure out if your information has been compromised Pentester has a free online tool just enter your first and last name, state of residency and birth year.

Their results redact all but two digits of your social, and Pentester said the search is not stored on their server.

School principal to be Gaffneys first Black mayor

The data goes back to my childhood home, Bianca West, in Greenville when we showed her the Pentester tool, said.

Well thats scary. Thats definitely scary, she said.

What to do if your info is compromised

Whether you see your name or not, cyber experts said its a good idea to freeze your credit if you dont plan on taking out a loan anytime soon. Some evidence shows people who had frozen credit or use a service to scrub their data from the web were not part of this hack.

Freezing credit doesnt take long, but you do have to contact the three major credit reporting agencies. To make it easy we have links to the exact page youll need at each agency to freeze your credit:

The process is free and if you eventually need a loan or new credit card, you can thaw your credit at any time.

Data breach turns into scam targets

With every major data breach, there is a swarm of fishing attempts trying to get you to reveal more private information. Its often long after youve forgotten about the breach when the bad actors are most likely to strike.

The people that harvest this info have plenty of time and they have the ability to wait you out, Derek Davis, with the IT company Intellinet in Greenville, said.

Davis urges everyone to take these two extra precautions:

Log in to your social security account to verify your information is accurate

Make sure all financial and health accounts have multi-factor authentication

If you dont have it youre just a sitting duck, Davis said.

That definitely does not make me feel very good, Bacon said looking at his grandfathers stolen information, a relative who shares the same name.

That unease, a powerful reminder that while our data has been leaked, its up to us to make it as hard as possible for our identity to be misused.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Multi-million dollar dorms for J-1 Visa holders have moved on to the next step.

Following a discussion with only one public question during the Myrtle Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday morning, council members unanimously decided to approve the first reading of a new ordinance that would allow the project to slash $150,000 off of their annual property taxes for the first five years.

Were being asked to consent to the agreement, but the authority to create the documents rests at the county level, Assistant City Manager Brian Tucker said at Tuesdays city council meeting.

The company thats in charge of building the project, Holtz Builders Inc., is based out of Wisconsin.

Their president, Dan Bullock, said theyre still waiting on a couple more permits to be finalized before breaking ground on the new dorm-style building.

Its one of the top hosting communities for J-1 students, he said about Myrtle Beach. So, its just a good community for this sort of housing.

Bullock said hes unable to comment on whether or not they need the city to pass the property tax credit ordinance in order to begin construction on the project. He deferred The Sun News to another source who did not call back by publish time.

In the past, he said his company has helped build similar style buildings for Dollywood Resort employees in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and water park workers in the Wisconsin Dells region.

Bullock said they hope to have the project in Myrtle Beach ready for the 2025 summer season.

According to data compiled by the U.S. Department of State, in 2023, the Myrtle Beach zip code 29577 was home to 1,300 J-1 Visa holders.

Original plans for the building said the complex would initially offer 380 beds, according to previous reporting.

Tuesdays meeting agenda said the accommodations would be able to house up to 1,200 people employees participating in the J-1 Visa program.

Its important we provide the J-1 students a safe place to live so that they can go back and tell their friends what a great experience they had here and bring other quality workers to the area, Mayor Brenda Bethune said during the ordinances discussion on Tuesday.

The initial investment for the project will be around $40 million, according to the meetings agenda document. None of that money will be government money, city officials said.

Based on that number, without an ordinance passing, the project could generate approximately $200,000 in property taxes annually, according to numbers given to city council members.

If the ordinance ends up passing, that number would reduce to $50,000 a year over a five year period. After the five years are up, the taxes would double to $100,000 a year for years six through 20, and then would go up to the $200,000 rate, assuming there was no property appreciation after the 20 year mark.

During the meeting, council member Gregg Smith said that this ordinance would allow for the city to obtain an additional $50,000 in revenue compared to what they currently have.

Theres no question this is something we definitely need, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Lowder said at the meeting.

Lowder also brought up if their would be a time frame for when the rooms could be utilized by other people outside the busy summer season, including city and county employees, and construction workers.

The thought here would be to take an asset that is under-utilized in the off-season and maybe creatively house again, temporary workers, construction workers and maybe city, county workers, Tucker said in response. The ordinance itself authorizes the Mayor and staff to execute future documents, and we can certainly negotiate or try to clarify or tighten up the language even before second reading.

The second reading of the ordinance will take place at a future Myrtle Beach City Council meeting.
(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa approved a law to set up a new agency that will develop and manage the countrys water infrastructure and attract financing for new projects.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The law establishes the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency SOC Ltd. that will enable South Africa to expand bulk water infrastructure and improve the management of existing water assets to ensure water security over the next decade, the presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.

It will also seek to address the current fragmentation in water resource management between the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Water Trading Entity and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, the presidency said.

Africas most-industrialized nation faces frequent water outages because of dilapidated infrastructure and inadequately maintained water-supply systems caused by a lack of planning for population growth, mismanagement, corruption and political infighting. Johannesburg Water Management Ltd., which distributes water in the city, loses 44% of the volume supplied to it because of leaks and theft.

The replacement value of South Africas national water assets is currently 200 billion rand ($11 billion) to 300 billion rand, Sean Phillips, director-general of the Department of Water and Sanitation, told Bloomberg in an interview in March.

The new legislation forms part of reforms aimed at increasing investment in the maintenance and construction of water infrastructure and improved water quality, the presidency said.

--With assistance from Antony Sguazzin.

(Updates with plan to deal with fragmentation in third paragraph, replacement value in fifth)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Hyunsu Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday called for digital sex crimes to be thoroughly investigated after media reported that sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of South Korean women were often found in Telegram chatrooms.

The reports by domestic media over recent days have coincided with the arrest of Pavel Durov, Telegram's Russian-born founder, on the weekend - part of a French probe into child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud on the encrypted messaging app.

The Korea Communications Standards Commission, the state media regulator, plans to hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss measures to counter sexually explicit deepfakes.

"It's an exploitation of technology while relying on the protection of anonymity. It's a clear criminal act," Yoon said during a televised cabinet meeting.

Yoon talked about sex crimes on social media in general and did not mention Telegram by name.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Online deepfake sex crimes have surged, according to South Korean police who say 297 cases were reported in the first seven months of the year. That's up from 180 last year and nearly double the number in 2021 when data first began to be collated.

Most of the accused were teenagers and people in their 20s, the police said.

The local media reports included one analysis that went viral by the Hankyoreh newspaper which looked at Telegram channels where it said deepfakes of female university and high and middle school students were being shared.

The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union said this week it has been informed of some cases where school students have been the victims of sexual deepfakes. It has called on the education ministry to investigate the matter.

Sexually explicit deepfakes targeting female military personnel have also been found in Telegram chatrooms, according to the Military Sexual Abuse Victim Support Center, a group that supports victims of sexual abuse in the military.

Telegram's reputation has been tarnished for some years in South Korea after it emerged that an online sexual blackmail ring was operating mostly in the app's chatrooms.

In 2020, the leader of the ring, Cho Ju-bin, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for blackmailing at least 74 women, including 16 teenagers into sending increasingly degrading and sometimes violent sexual imagery of themselves.

Making sexually explicit deepfakes with the intention to distribute them is punishable by five years in prison or a fine of 50 million won ($37,500) under South Korea's Sexual Violence Prevention and Victims Protection Act.

($1 = 1,331.8500 won)

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
A growing memorial can be seen outside of a medical clinic in Woodland Hills where a 61-year-old doctor was gunned down in what some believe may have been a targeted killing.

The victim was identified as Hamid Mirshojae, a doctor who worked at the Warner Plaza Medical Center located at Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Oxnard Street.

He was walking to his car on Aug. 23 when an unknown suspect approached him and shot him multiple times at around 5:34 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Witnesses heard gunshots and saw a body on the ground in the parking lot. Mirshojae was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Hes been full of love. Hes been full of care, Khedhar Quintero, a former patient, told KTLAs Chris Wolfe. He doesnt care that youre just another number in his lobby, he cares about your future as well.

Hamid Mirshojae, 61, is seen with his wife and their 6-month-old baby in a personal photo.

A growing memorial seen outside a Woodland Hills clinic honoring Hamid Mirshojae on August 24, 2024. (KTLA)

Loved ones gathered near a growing memorial outside a Woodland Hills clinic honoring Hamid Mirshojae on August 24, 2024. (KTLA)

Many of his patients referred to him simply as Dr. Hamid.

Hes been my doctor for 15 years, he made me feel better, Gloria Sera told KTLA. He was from Iran, and I dont know if he was telling me the truth, but last time I came, he said he had just gotten married.

Close friends tell KTLA that the doctors wife and 6-month-old baby were in Turkey with family at the time of the deadly shooting. Mirshojae also reportedly has three children from a previous marriage.

According to an online biography, the doctor had more than two decades of experience providing urgent and emergency care and more than 10 years in addiction medicine.

His patients include celebrities, movie stars, athletes and many people from different walks of life, the bio noted.

Burglary crew tunnels through shops in Los Angeles garment district

He helped a lot of people with detox, Quintero said. Who knows what they couldve been going through. He couldve changed something in their life. He couldve done something different that they didnt like, and someone wanted him removed from this world unfortunately.

Speculation around the killing is that Mirshojae was gunned down in a targeted fashion and authorities appear to be following that theory in their investigation.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call LAPDs Valley Bureau homicide detectives at 818-374-9550.

During non-business hours or on weekends, calls can be directed to the LAPD at 877-527-3247. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go directly to lacrimestoppers.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 KTLA.
Rows of pilings in Portland Canal stretch across the water near the shoreline in Hyder, Alaska. The commentary author would like to see a new ferry terminal built on the canal. (Photo by Richard Jackson/Getty Images Plus)

Since Alaska apparently cannot agree to a deal with Prince Rupert as a ferry destination, I suggest we go to Hyder, Alaska, as a destination. It has been a port of call in the past, which many people remember using. It is close, much closer than Bellingham. Alaska will own it, not Canada or Bellingham. It will cost travelers far less in fares than the $2,000-plus one-way cost for a car and 2 passengers going to Bellingham. It will not require a ship equipped to meet the requirements of the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. Our customs agents will be allowed to carry weapons. It can be built with American steel rather than Canadian steel. It connects directly to British Columbia Highways 37 and 16, both of which Canada keeps open year-round. And finally, there is federal money available to build a dock and terminal in Hyder.

The only problem is that the Alaska Department of Transportation proposes instead to build a second dock and terminal at Cascade Point/Berners Bay near Juneau, even though Juneau already has a fine dock and terminal at Auke Bay, near Juneau.

For whatever reason, DOT thinks it is more important for Juneau folks to have two choices in how to get to Haines every day than it is for Ketchikan and southern Southeast folks to get to the mainland road system at all. It is certainly nice for Juneau to have such convenient and inexpensive choices, but what about the rest of us here in the southern region? Dont we get nice choices as well? Apparently not. When we want to get to Smithers or Terrace in British Columbia, we must go first to Bellingham, which is 750 miles south. If we want to go east to Idaho, Montana, or Calgary, we must first go to Bellingham. The solution to our problem of no access to the B.C. road system at all is a ferry dock and terminal in Hyder, Alaska! This is not rocket science. It just takes money, which Alaska has, thanks to federal transportation money that is, in fact, available.

I challenge DOT to state exactly why it would be better to build the proposed dock and terminal at Cascade Point than to build a dock and terminal at Hyder. We have not had access to Prince Rupert in years and probably will never get access again, so we need a ferry at Hyder, and we are waiting for an answer.

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SpaceXs historic Polaris Dawn mission was delayed by at least 24 hours on Monday after a helium leak, the aerospace company announced Monday night.

The capsule, carrying four citizens, was expected to lift off early Tuesday from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but a helium leak pushed the launch until no earlier than Wednesday.

Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical, the company wrote on the social platform X. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy, and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.

Those expected on the mission include retired Air Force Lt. Col Scott Kidd Poteet, SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and Jared Isaacman, a billionaire adventurer who chartered the first commercial flight to orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in 2021.

Were officially scrubbed for today, but the @SpaceX team is doing awesome work to ensure all systems are 100% ready for launch! Gillis wrote Monday on X.

Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in the Polaris program, a human spaceflight project funded by Isaacman. In the first mission, the Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to five days in orbit in hopes of reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown and conducting a spacewalk.

The spacewalk is expected to occur on the third day, during which two crew members will exit the Crew Dragon spacecraft on a tether in newly designed suits, according to NBC News, while about 700 kilometers above Earth.

The mission is designed to advance both human health on Earth and our understanding of human health during future long-duration spaceflights, according to the programs website. This includes using ultrasound to detect venous gas emboli, along with gathering data to better understand the effects of space radiation on human biological systems, along with other goals.

It will also mark the first to test Starlink laser-based communications in space, according to the program website.

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SpaceX delays Polaris Dawn mission; heres when it could launch

SpaceX postponed its groundbreaking Polaris Dawn mission on Monday, hours before it was scheduled to liftoff from Florida.

In a post, the company said it is investigating a ground-side helium leak.

SpaceX said the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon capsule are still healthy.

The crew will continue to prepare for their mission to low-Earth orbit.

The four-astronaut team was supposed to blast off from the Space Coast early Tuesday morning.

Read: SpaceXs Polaris Dawn: Historic private spacewalk mission to launch from Kennedy Space Center

In the Polaris Dawn mission, the crew will try to reach the highest Earth orbit since the Apollo program.

This will be the first-ever private space walk if all goes well.

Astronauts will also conduct experiments and over 30 research studies while they spend five days in space.

The next launch opportunity is set for Wednesday at 3:38 a.m. Eastern Time from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

Backup opportunities are on Thursday if the four-hour launch window expires.

Read: SpaceX updates plans for upcoming crewed Polaris Dawn mission at KSC

Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.



Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Wednesday, August 28   SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 27, 2024

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A SpaceX capsule carrying four private citizens will have to wait to launch into space after a helium leak forced a launch delay until later this week at the earliest.

Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Kidd Poteet and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon were scheduled to launch into space on a mission that was to include the first spacewalk carried out by a civilian crew.

The mission, known as Polaris Dawn, had been scheduled to lift off early Tuesday from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. However, SpaceX announced on X that a helium leak delayed the launch until Wednesday at the earliest.

"Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical," the company wrote. "Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit."

The helium leak was a setback for SpaceX, which has been ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station since 2020. SpaceX carried its first private citizens into orbit in 2021 on a flight that Isaacman also funded and took part in to raise money for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

The missions featured spacewalk is scheduled to occur on the third day. Two crew members are expected to exit the Crew Dragon spacecraft on a tether, but because the spacecraft does not have a pressurized airlock, all four astronauts will don newly designed spacesuits and the entire capsule will be depressurized and exposed to vacuum conditions.

Previously, only astronauts from government space agencies have ventured into the vacuum of space to build or upgrade space stations in orbit, repair satellites and conduct scientific experiments.

The Crew Dragon capsule is expected to swing up to 870 miles above Earths surface, which is more than three times the orbital altitude of the International Space Station and distant enough for it to pass through the inner regions of the Van Allen radiation belt, a zone of high-energy radiation particles trapped by Earths magnetosphere.

The Polaris Dawn flight will record the effects of space radiation on the astronauts and the vehicle. The research could help SpaceX plan missions to the moon and Mars, which would require astronauts to fly through the inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts.

Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned spaceflights that Isaacman is funding and organizing with SpaceX. He has not disclosed the cost of the program or the possible objectives and timing of the other expeditions.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Global ETF Assets Climb Across Markets

Net inflows to globally listed crypto ETFs and ETPs reached a record $59.3 billion as of the end of July, according to data from London-based ETFGI, an independent research and consultancy firm.

The total dwarfs the previous high of $4.1 billion set in 2021. Assets in these products have climbed to $91.7 billion, representing a 506.4% increase from $15.1 billion at the end of 2023, the report said. Net inflows for crypto ETFs and ETPs totaled $13.7 billion in July, ETFGI said.

The report underscores investors' growing demand for crypto-based funds and the impact of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to approve the listing of spot bitcoin ETFs on Jan. 10. The first crypto-based ETPs only began trading in 2015, the report noted.

As of July 2024, there were 235 crypto ETFs and ETPs listed globally with 588 listings from 52 providers across 22 exchanges in 16 counties.

The growth in crypto ETF assets comes as the broader ETF industry continues to expand. ETFGI reported that assets invested in ETFs and ETPs listed globally reached a new record high of $11.4 trillion at the end of July.

Crypto ETFs Expand in 2024

In the U.S., spot bitcoin ETFs have generated $18.1 billion in inflows since their debut earlier this year, according to U.K. asset manager Farside Investors. Meanwhile, spot Ethereum ETFs, which began trading in July, have had $478 million in outflows, although the total reflects $2.5 billion in outflows from the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE). That fund differs from the other spot Ethereum funds because it is a conversion from an existing fund and carries the highest fee by far in this grouping, 2.5%. Ethereum funds are based on the price of ether, the token of the Ethereum smart contracts blockchain and second largest crypto by market value behind bitcoin.

Bitcoin was recently trading at about $62,000, off 2.4% over the past 24 hours. Ether was changing hands just below $2,600, off more than 4% since Monday, same time.

Read More: Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs Dip, Despite Recent Crypto Gains

One standout performer in the crypto ETF space has been the Defiance Daily Target 1.75X Long MSTR ETF (MSTX), which seeks to deliver 1.75 times the daily percentage change in MicroStrategys share price. Software provider MicroStrategy has become one of the world's largest holders of bitcoin after changing its focus to invest in the crypto.

MSTX has amassed $127 million in assets within just six days of its debut earlier this month, according to an X post from Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg.

Story continues

The ETF has been trading at over $100 million volume per day, demonstrating strong investor interest in MicroStrategy and bitcoin. On August 23, MSTX surged by 20% after a volatile week that included a 10% decline the previous day. Balchunas described the ETF as the mechanical bull of ETFs due to its high volatility and potential for significant short-term gains and losses.

X Post from Eric Balchunas

Global ETF Market Shows Varied Growth

While crypto ETFs have seen rapid growth, other ETF markets are also evolving. In a separate report released by ETFGI today, the ETF industry in Japan gathered net inflows of $268.5 million in July, bringing year-to-date net inflows to over $6 billion.

The Japanese ETF market reached $588.5 billion in assets at the end of July, the second highest on record. The market totals 339 products with 361 listings from 15 providers on two exchanges.

Equity ETFs in Japan reported net outflows of $823.2 million in July, while fixed income ETFs received net inflows of $178.7 million, illustrating the different trends within ETF categories.

ETFGI's managing partner Deborah Fuhr is a member of etf.com's editorial advisory board.







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SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule sit at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Polaris Dawn launch, that was scheduled Tuesday to send its crew of four farther into space than any human has flown since Apollo, has been scrubbed due to a helium leak. Photo courtesy of Polaris Program/John Kraus

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- SpaceX was scheduled early Tuesday to launch a four-person crew farther than any human has flown since the end of the Apollo missions until a helium leak postponed the Polaris Dawn liftoff until later in the week at the earliest.

"Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit," SpaceX wrote in an updated post hours before the scheduled launch. "Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Wednesday."

The crew is led by billionaire philanthropist Jared Isaacman and also includes two of the first SpaceX employees to travel to space, Medical Officer Anna Menon and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. Retired U.S. Air Force Lit. Col. Scott "Kidd" Poteet will pilot Polaris Dawn.

"We're officially scrubbed for today, but the SpaceX team is doing awesome work to ensure all systems are 100% ready for launch!" Gillis wrote in a post on X.

We're officially scrubbed for today, but the @SpaceX team is doing awesome work to ensure all systems are 100% ready for launch! https://t.co/ByLBUSVEqf pic.twitter.com/YfFv621fZg Sarah Gillis (@Gillis_SarahE) August 27, 2024

SpaceX founder Elon Musk addressed crew safety earlier Monday in a post on X before the launch was scrubbed.

"Crew safety is absolutely paramount and this mission carries more risk than usual, as it will be the furthest humans have traveled from Earth since Apollo and the first commercial spacewalk!" Musk added, while warning that "If any concerns arise, the launch will be postponed until those concerns are addressed."

The @PolarisProgram mission readiness review just finished and we are currently go for launch in just over 24 hours. Crew safety is absolutely paramount and this mission carries more risk than usual, as it will be the furthest humans have traveled from Earth since Apollo and the... https://t.co/4TEwupwldQ Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2024

Once the crew aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule is launched from Launch Complex 39A at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, they will spend five days orbiting Earth and will conduct the first commercial spacewalk in history.

The Polaris Dawn crew will fly to an initial maximum altitude of about 870 miles before dropping back to a lower cruising orbit. The maximum height is well into the inner band of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts, which start at around 600 miles in altitude.

The all-civilian crew will conduct a spacewalk on the third day to test the function of SpaceX's new spacesuits, which feature enhanced thermal control materials and technologies. The entire spacewalk from cabin depressurization through repressurization will last approximately two hours.

The Dragon capsule does not have an airlock so the spacewalk will take place closer to Earth, about 435 miles in altitude, where the astronauts will be exposed to the vacuum of space.

On the fourth day, the crew will connect to SpaceX's Starlink satellite network to transmit a "surprise" message down to Earth, before preparing to return for a splashdown at one of seven sites off the coast of Florida.

Isaacman, who is funding the mission, is making his second personal launch into orbit. The entrepreneur also funded and flew on Inspiration4 in 2021. This latest mission will raise money to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. On Inspiration4, the mission raised $250 million for the organization.

"It takes a massive team effort to bring a mission like Polaris Dawn to life. Together, we're making incredible progress for the future -- both in space and here on Earth," Isaacman wrote Sunday in a post on X. "We can do both."

It takes a massive team effort to bring a mission like Polaris Dawn to life. Together, we're making incredible progress for the future-both in space and here on Earth. We can do both. https://t.co/iOuBuTFJHG Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) August 26, 2024
FILE PHOTO: Why mpox vaccines, in use since 2022, are only just arriving in Africa

FILE PHOTO: Why mpox vaccines, in use since 2022, are only just arriving in Africa

MADRID (Reuters) -Spain will donate 500,000 doses of the mpox vaccine, or 20% of its stockpile, to combat an outbreak of the disease in Africa, the Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that the country had urged the European Commission to propose that all EU member states donate 20% of their respective stock of the vaccine.

"It makes no sense to stockpile vaccines where there is no problem, and now is the time to prove it," the ministry said. Spain's donation consists of 100,000 vials, enough to provide 500,000 doses.

The World Health Organization has declared mpox a global public health emergency, after an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo spread to neighbouring countries and a new form of the virus, clade Ib, triggered concerns about the speed of transmission.

Last week, Health Minister Monica Garcia said Spain had "a very good stock" of the vaccines. Spain has registered 268 cases of the old strain so far this year, well below 7,500 cases recorded in a global outbreak of 2022. About 40,000 people have taken the vaccine so far.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip)
Margarita Robles, Spains Minister of Defence, met with Ukrainian soldiers taking part in training in the Spanish city of Toledo as part of the European Union mission on Tuesday, 27 August.

Source: Spanish Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Robles told the Ukrainian soldiers in Toledo that "Spains solidarity, support, and commitment to Ukraine remain unwavering, as they have been since the beginning of the invasion."

She underscored the cruelty of this war, "especially in these days when the Ukrainian civilian population is falling victim to attacks that are unacceptable from any point of view, as they violate all norms of the law of war and humanitarian law."

Robles also spoke about Spains military assistance to Ukraine.

Spain "is sending to Ukraine everything we can as part of Spains capabilities, and in terms of training, the Spanish military is particularly important. I am very proud for the work its doing, and grateful for it," Robles said.

According to Robles, Spain has trained more than 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers since autumn 2022, with 2,500 Spanish instructors taking part in training them.

Background:

Discussions regarding how to improve military training for Ukrainian soldiers are underway in the European Union, but EU officials have so far recommended that its member states do not send their military instructors to Ukraine.

On 16 August, Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said that she had no information about how Ukrainian forces were using weapons supplied by Spain in the Kursk Oblast offensive, but it is up to Kyiv to decide how the transferred weapons are utilised.

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UPDATE (8/27/24)  The Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office announced Monday night that McCabe has been found safe.

Deputies said McCabe was located in a nearby area of her residence and has been reunited with her family.

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Deputies are asking for the publics assistance in locating a woman last seen Monday night.

According to the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a home in Boiling Springs regarding 68-year-old Leah McCabe.

McCabe was last seen in the backyard of her home around 5 p.m., wearing a blue button-up shirt with flowers and blue jeans.

Officials said that McCabe is a white woman, standing at 5-feet-6 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has green eyes and grey hair.

Deputies added that McCabe has no known health concerns, and that MCabe has no known direction of travel.

Deputies ask that if anyone sees McCabe, to please call the Spartanburg County Sheriffs office immediately.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Federal prosecutors have asked an appeals court to restore former president Donald Trumps classified documents case, pushing back on the judge who dismissed the case.

Special counsel Jack Smith is putting former president Donald Trumps classified documents case back in the spotlight.

Smith filed an appeal to have the case reopened.

In July, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Attorney General Merrick Garlands appointment of the special counsel was unconstitutional.

Zack Smith with the Heritage Foundation says this ruling is about the special counsels power.

In terms of the arguments presented to Judge Cannon, she made a very compelling case, Smith said.

Special counsel Smith argued that Judge Cannon made a series of errors when she dismissed the case in July.

Judge Cannon has been slow walking this case very conspicuously and has made a number of very strange and unprecedented rulings, including the one at issue here, said Georgetown law professor David Super.

David Super, a Georgetown law professor, says he believes the decision will be overturned.

This will bring the case back up to the appeals court, which has previously reversed her and is almost certain to do so again, Super said.

Despite a history of special counsels in the country, Zack Smith says Jack Smiths appointment is different.

Many of those other special counsels have been presidentially appointed and Senate confirmed, Smith said.

In a statement Monday, the Trump campaign said, Not only should the dismissal of the lawless indictment in Florida be affirmed but be immediately joined by a dismissal of all the witch hunts.

Super says it is unlikely we will see a trial this year.

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After spending 25 days in Italy, here are 10 things I recommend to every tourist who visits

My husband and I loved exploring Italy. Timothy Moore

My husband and I spent nearly a month exploring Italy.

We saw a variety of landmarks, from the canals of Venice to the ruins of Rome.

A few events, including a cooking class in Florence, stand out as the best things we did in Italy.

Last September, my husband and I kissed our pups goodbye, boarded a plane, and spent an unforgettable 25 days exploring Italy.

Though we loved the entire vacation, a few experiences stand out as the best things we did. Here are 10 things we recommend to any tourist visiting Italy.

My husband and I rented bikes when we explored the areas surrounding Venice. Timothy Moore

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We hiked the Dolomites.

As a hiking enthusiast, I highly recommend visiting the Dolomites. Timothy Moore

As an avid hiker, I knew I had to take a trip to the Dolomites.

We rented a car for this leg of the journey and saw stunning, bright-blue lakes and climbed the mighty northern Italian mountains.

The hike to Lago di Sorapis was the highlight for me, though I'd definitely say it's a tough climb (we saw a woman with a sprained ankle being helicoptered from the summit).

For beautiful lake views without the steps, I recommend checking out Lago di Braies, which is accessible by car.

The boat tour of Cinque Terre was amazing.

We went swimming in the clear-blue water during our tour of Cinque Terre. Timothy Moore

The five coastal towns of Cinque Terre are colorful and charming, but they're also tiny and can get pretty crowded.

We went on a small-group boat tour to avoid the tourists and see the Cinque Terre. It was admittedly one of the more expensive splurges of our trip, but we were out on the water and observing the towns for three hours.

Plus, the boat anchored in a few spots so we could get out, swim in the crystal-clear Ligurian Sea, and explore some caves.

The boat captain seemed knowledgeable about the area and answered all our questions  and for the last hour of the tour, he pulled out snacks and prosecco.

I won't ever forget Brunelleschis Dome in Florence.

Brunelleschi's Dome was magnificent. Timothy Moore

We saw a lot of churches during our month in Italy, but none were as awe-inspiring as the Florence Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.)

When we went, it seemed that the best way to see inside and avoid the long line was to climb the dome itself.

But be warned: There were a lot of steps, and it was narrow inside.

Still, climbing the dome allowed us to see the interior frescoes up close and get the most enchanting city views.

My husband and I loved the cooking class we took in Florence.

My husband and I made ravioli during our cooking class. Timothy Moore

While in Florence, we signed up for a Tuscan cooking class.

Our chef walked us through how to make different kinds of pasta from scratch and had us help him cook chicken cacciatore, salad, and homemade gelato.

Learning to cook was fun, but we also enjoyed the camaraderie with other tourists sharing their travel experiences.

We swapped stories and suggestions for the remainder of our trips and received recipes to try back home.

We biked the Appian Way in Rome.

There were plenty of ancient Roman ruins alongside the road, ready to be explored. Timothy Moore

Rome is full of unbelievable ruins, but observing them in a moment of solitude among the roar of traffic and flood of people can be hard.

To escape the hustle and bustle, my husband and I rented bikes and rode them far down Rome's oldest roads along the Appian Way.

Though the roads were initially full of people, the longer we rode our bikes, the fewer tourists we saw. I also recommend visiting the Catacombs of St. Callixtus and Villa di Massenzio.

Visiting smaller towns was a nice break from the tourists.

San Gimignano was beautiful. Timothy Moore

Rome, Florence, and Venice are Italy's heavy hitters, but I wanted to experience less-touristy Italian culture.

That's why my husband and I planned some day trips to smaller towns with fewer tourists: Siena, San Gimignano, Bracciano, and Orvieto.

My favorite memories in Italy were sitting at a cafe, sipping espresso or an Aperol spritz, and watching the day go by.

We visited Pompeii.

I learned a lot about the history behind Pompeii. Timothy Moore

Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer size of Pompeii.

Exploring the archaeological site reminded me of how much damage the Mount Vesuvius eruption really did.

Though we spent five hours exploring the vast city, it felt like we barely scratched the surface.

I recommend getting an audio guide and going at your own pace.

The Path of the Gods was unforgettable.

The Path of the Gods was worth waking up early for. Timothy Moore

For most travelers, the Amalfi Coast is the ultimate place to relax and unwind.

For me, it meant waking up at 6 a.m., going to a small town far off the beaten path, and hiking down the mountainside on the Path of the Gods.

It was one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever done, as I got sweeping views of the sea and the towns of Praiano and Positano.

We even met a flock of goats being shepherded by an adorable farm dog. Just be warned: The strenuous hike ends with roughly 1,700 unforgiving steps down to the city.

Relaxing on the island of Capri was a great way to end the trip.

We hiked down Via Krupp while in Capri. Timothy Moore

The island of Capri is a major tourist spot during the Amalfi Coast's busy season. We beat the crowds by getting the first ferry out in the morning and returning on the last boat of the day.

Once we arrived, we went to the small town of Anacapri to ride the chairlift to Capri's highest point and see some magnificent views.

We also left time to hike down the Instagram-famous Via Krupp to a small beach, enjoy a few cocktails, and swim in the sea.

After nearly a month of intense traveling, I needed to lie on the beach in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

This story was originally published on January 14, 2024, and most recently updated on August 27, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider
ST. CLAIR, Mo.  A St. Clair, Missouri, man remains jailed on a $250,000 cash-only bond after being charged with 21 counts of child porn possession.

According to Chief Michael L. Wirt, St. Clair Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriffs Office contacted his department about a child porn investigation focusing on a home on Crescent Lake Road.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for a cell phone belonging to Thomas A. McCoy. Authorities seized McCoys phone and turned the device over to the Franklin County Cyber Crimes Unit for forensic analysis.

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Chief Wirt said those investigators found child porn on the phone and notified St. Clair police, who, along with Franklin County deputies, located and arrested McCoy.

The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged McCoy with one count of possession of child pornography  first offense and 20 additional counts of possession of child pornography  second or subsequent offense. McCoy is due in court for a bond hearing on September.

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St. Dominic using new tool to detect sepsis in patients

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Officials with St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson announced a major advancement in healthcare with the implementation of the IntelliSep test in its emergency department.

According to the hospital, the diagnostic tool allows for the early detection and treatment of sepsis in Mississippi. Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality in hospitals across the nation.

As the first facility in Mississippi and one of only three in the nation to offer this test to patients, we are excited about the life-saving difference this technology will make for those in our care, said Jeremy Tinnerello, President, St. Dominics and FMOLHS Jackson Region. Having started my career as an ER nurse, Ive witnessed firsthand the impact of diagnosing sepsis early and the importance early treatment has on patient outcomes.

Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders unveils renovations

Health officials said sepsis, a condition triggered by the bodys response to infection, can rapidly lead to organ failure if not promptly identified and treated. The IntelliSep test uses a standard blood sample to analyze white blood cell responses, delivering results in under 10 minutes.

Innovation in healthcare is not just about adopting new technologies; its about transforming patient care and outcomes, said Christopher Thomas, MD, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. The IntelliSep test exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-quality, efficient care by enabling early and accurate detection of sepsis.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
St. Januarius Catholic Church in Plum will close in September

St. Januarius Catholic Church in Plum is closing its doors in September.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh said the building needs costly repairs it cant afford.

The church was first established in 1925. The building along Renton Road opened in November 1952.

St. Januarius merged with Holy Family Parish in 2020.

The diocese says the church is not needed by the Holy Family. Parishioners can continue to worship at other churches.

Its old and outdated, but its the coziest closest place youll ever feel to Jesus, said Lynne Flora. If there were a way to keep it open, Id be happy.

The final service at the church is set for Sept. 23.

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The Flagler County Sheriffs Office has found a stolen blue 2018 Ferrari 488 Spyder that was reportedly being driven by armed and dangerous suspects.

FCSO said the car has been located at a house on Royal Palm Lane in Palm Coast, and there is a heavy law enforcement presence in the area.

The two suspects deputies have been looking for are Johnathan Costa, 19, and Logan Slezak, 18.

UPDATE #2: Costa has been arrested. Slezak was determined not to have been in the vehicle and is not believed to be in... Posted by Flagler County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, August 27, 2024

FCSO said Costa has been arrested. Slezak was determined not to have been in the vehicle and is not believed to be in Flagler County, FCSO said.

Costa and Slezak are wanted in connection with an armed home invasion and vehicle theft in Rhode Island, FCSO said.

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The Ferrari has a Florida tag, but it was stolen from Rhode Island, deputies say.

The St. Johns County Sheriffs Office got involved when the BOLO pinged in their area.

ACTIVE INVESTIGATION: SJSO Deputies are searching for a stolen Blue Ferrari (FL plate CCC1) which led deputies on a... Posted by St. Johns County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, August 27, 2024

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The pursuit of the Ferrari on Interstate 95 led St. Johns deputies into Flagler County, where their deputies took over the pursuit.

Earlier, Pedro Menendez High School and Southwoods Elementary School in St. Johns County were put on lockdown as a precaution while they searched for the vehicle, but SJSO said school was able to resume.

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U.S. Attorney for Montana Jesse Laslovich unveils a $10.8 million settlement agreement with St. Peter's Health in Helena over False Claims Act violations on Aug. 27, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

U.S. Attorney for Montana Jesse Laslovich unveils a $10.8 million settlement agreement with St. Peter's Health in Helena over False Claims Act violations on Aug. 27, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Montanas U.S. Attorney and St. Peters Health in Helena announced Tuesday a $10.8 million settlement agreement over the hospitals self-reported False Claims Act violations in which it falsely billed several federal medical care programs on behalf of physician and oncologist Tom Weiner, who also faces a federal civil lawsuit alleging he over-billed the government and overprescribed medications.

St. Peters Health has 30 days to pay the full amount of the settlement back to multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Health Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Personnel Management, and the Office of Inspector General of the Railroad Retirement Board.

Weiner, the chief medical oncologist at St. Peters Cancer Treatment Center who worked there from 1996 until he was suspended and fired in 2020, was the only medical oncologist physician at the cancer treatment center for the last four years of his career there. According to the civil lawsuit against him, he would typically see 50 to 70 patients each day.

The settlement agreement was made between the hospital and the government comes after St. Peters self-reported overpayment concerns for services ordered and performed by Weiner between 2015 and the end of 2020, constituting violations of the False Claims Act.

According to U.S. Attorney for Montana Jesse Laslovich and the settlement agreement, the hospital relied on Weiners own documentation regarding billable claims that were actually false.

He would administer chemotherapy, for instance, to a patient and then submit claims for other services performed on the same day. Those, at times, were never performed or were coded at a higher level of service.

Based on the doctors claims, the hospital paid Weiner more, boosting his salary far above its base and making Weiner one of the top-earning employees at the hospital, according to the settlement agreement.

Its a significant settlement, and its a large amount of money. And thats not lost on any of us, Laslovich said at a news conference in Helena Tuesday morning. But its reflective of the extent of the conduct we have alleged occurred here.

Laslovich credited St. Peters for self-disclosing its misconduct tied to Weiner, undertaking an internal investigation whose results were provided to the government, disclosing more documentation than was needed, making officers and employees available for interviews, helping determine the full scope of government losses, and revamping its compliance program. Those efforts mitigated the full amount that St. Peters will have to pay under the settlement agreement, Laslovich said.

Because they self-disclosed, because they cooperated throughout the course of our investigation, we believed it was appropriate to only impose single damages, and I appreciate St. Peters help in agreeing to that, he said.

Laslovich said it took four years to reach this point because of the complexity of the case and a lack of resources at the U.S. Attorneys Office. And he acknowledged the rift between St. Peters and Weiner has divided this community. For several years, signs saying I stand with Dr. Tom Weiner could be seen across Helena as the dispute over his firing moved through the courts.

Laslovich said the investigation did not uncover anyone else involved in Weiners scheme, and said the bulk of the settlement money would be going back to the Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid, which paid out most of the falsely billed funds.

St. Peters Health officials say stronger compliance now in place

St. Peters Health CEO Wade Johnson said at a news conference later in the morning that the hospital believes the billing issues were isolated to Weiner and that the hospital would pay out the settlement from its reserves and not its hospital operations or planning funds. The total figure represents about 7% of that account, he said, adding that the nonprofit hospital had been planning for such a payment since self-reporting the issues in December 2020.

He said St. Peters has since tightened up its processes, now conducts pre-audits of its billings processes, and has established a committee to audit physician compensation.

St. Peter's Health Chief Executive Officer Wade Johnson discusses a settlement agreement the hospital reached with the U.S. Attorney's Office over False Claims Act violations at a news conference on Aug. 27, 2024, in Helena. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

St. Peters is ultimately responsible for maintaining compliance with federal law, and our team has worked hard to ensure we have a much stronger compliance program in place today, he said.

He acknowledged that the investigation and announcement of a settlement has been tough on employees, but said he believes they take pride that St. Peters was doing the right thing by self-reporting the billing issues.

This situation has been disheartening. Obviously, our employees are sensitive to the fact were having to pay a settlement, he said. They take a lot of pride in the work that they do and the care that they give, and so anything that might appear to detract from that is disheartening for them.

Laslovich said he and his family have long received care at St. Peters Health and he doesnt want the community to think what is alleged to have happened with Weiner affects the entire hospital. Under the settlement, there is no determination of liability for St. Peters.

Todays settlement, in my view, is not an indictment on the quality of care being provided by St. Peters Health, as well as their doctors and providers, nor is it a reflection of the current leadership of St. Peters health, as this leadership team voluntarily self-disclosed the misconduct, he said.

Dr. Weiner additional sued by government

Separately, the U.S. Attorneys Office on Monday filed a civil complaint against Weiner in the U.S. District Court of Montana alleging two violations of the False Claims Act for billings for services that were not medically necessary and making false claims; unlawfully prescribing controlled substances to the tune of more than 300 of them; and unjustly enriching himself through the false and double-billed claims to the various federal health care agencies.

The lawsuit alleges that part of Weiners false claims and over-billing scheme involved scheduling dozens of patients per day for treatment in roughly 15-minute blocks when most oncologists see about 15 patients each day. The suit says oncologists must handle complex treatment plans and be up to date on the ever-advancing medicine for cancer patients, and that Weiner allegedly was not meeting standard medical practice guidelines.

At times, according to the lawsuit, Weiner would bill for codes for work he did not document, and other billing did not justify what he documented.

The suit says he knew his submitted claims were false starting in early February 2018, when an outside consultants audit found about 90% of Weiners code billing was not backed up by medical records.

St. Peter's Health Board Chair Russ Bell discusses a settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office on Aug. 27, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

When hospital staff spoke to him about it in person and over email in the subsequent months, he complained about the billing system and that he had lost at least $100,000 because some of his claims had not been substantiated and paid out. He threatened a lawsuit, according to the filing.

St. Peters Health worked to find ways to help meet his demands, according to the suit, but he would continue his alleged false billing practice through 2020.

Weiner never decreased his rate of billing E&M claims in 2018, 2019, or 2020, even after he was instructed multiple times about the need for a significant, separately identifiable reason to bill an E&M code the same day as other treatment, the suit says. Weiner continued to fill out his superbills and bill those false claims until his suspension and termination at the end of 2020.

The suit also says Weiner scheduled multiple patients for unnecessary visits between chemotherapy cycles to generate more bills, used a scanning method that went beyond what was needed for the patient and possibly led to a patients regression, prescribed a post-cancer-treatment drug years beyond what was needed, and used non-standard chemotherapy regimens on patients.

It also alleges that he far overprescribed opiates to certain patients, even some who had showed addictive behaviors, well beyond guidelines for opiate prescription.

Weiner issued at least 316 prescriptions to 11 separate patients for opioids and other controlled substances that were not for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional capacity, the lawsuit says.

The government is asking for damages on the False Claim Act violations, maximum penalties under it and the Controlled Substances Act, a prohibition on Weiner issuing controlled substance prescriptions for at least five years, for money back based on the amount Weiner enriched himself, and for attorneys fees and costs.

Neither Laslovich nor Johnson said they could comment on the new case because it involves pending litigation.

Last August, a Lewis and Clark County District Court judge sided with St. Peters in Weiners wrongful termination lawsuit against the hospital. Weiner appealed that judgment to the Montana Supreme Court in February, and the appeal is now fully briefed and will be considered by a Supreme Court panel.

According to the Montana Board of Medical Examiners database, Weiners license is still active and in good standing. Hes been a licensed physician in the state since 1996, and his license expires in March 2025. The database also shows no disciplinary actions taken against his license.

1
Stanislaus coroner asks for publics help to find family of man who recently died

The Stanislaus County Coroners Office is asking the public for help finding the family of a Turlock man that recently died.

Frank Catania, 73, died of natural causes on Aug. 15 in a local nursing home. He previously lived in San Francisco.

Those with information are urged to contact the Coroners Office at 209-567-4480.
Starliner Is Such a Disaster That Boeing May Cancel the Entire Project

Over the weekend, NASA finally announced its decision: Boeing's plagued Starliner is coming back empty-handed.

Instead, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams  who flew up on the troubled capsule  will get a ride on board SpaceX's Crew Dragon in February. It's an extremely unfortunate development for Boeing, a company that has been battling with Starliner's development for years now.

Technical mishaps, supply chain issues, and many years of delays have resulted in a whopping $1.6 billion budget overrun since 2016, Reuters reports.

But NASA is now focused just on getting Starliner back in one piece.

"I am not sure the decision will ultimately be NASA's," former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver told Reuters when asked if Boeing would stay in NASA's Commercial Crew program. "Boeing is going to have to foot much of this bill, as they have been."

And when we asked Boeing whether Starliner might get canceled, the company didn't exactly jump to defend the project.

"Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft," a spokesperson said. "We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return."

Worse yet, NASA's inspector general released a damning report earlier this month, finding that Boeing's contributions to NASA's Moonbound Space Launch System are also many years behind and way over budget.

And that's not to mention years' worth of controversies plaguing Boeing's passenger jet business and executive shakeups.

In short, Starliner's failure is only the tip of the iceberg, with analysts and industry experts raising doubts that the spacecraft will ever fly again, according to Reuters.

Boeing's first crewed test flight was designed to give NASA the confidence to certify it for regular crew rotation missions to the International Space Station, providing redundancy in case SpaceX's Crew Dragon were to get sidelined.

Instead, nagging gas leaks and related thruster issues raised enough doubts among space agency officials to have Wilmore and Williams ditch the spacecraft for their return, a black eye for a spacecraft that's already years behind and billions of dollars over budget.

"Boeing's other businesses aren't terribly vulnerable to disruption," aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia told Reuters. "But space? That's another story."

"Do they ultimately exit the program because its too complicated and because the other guy can do it better?" Melius Research analyst Robert Spingarn told Bloomberg. "It can happen."

As Reuters reported earlier this month, Boeing is even in talks to sell a joint rocket-launching business with the United Launch Alliance to the space company Sierra Space. Skilled workers are jumping ship and joining Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.

Meanwhile, time is running out for Starliner. The ISS is set to be retired around 2030 and it's already been five years since Boeing's first uncrewed Starliner test flight ended in failure.

Whether the capsule could serve as a way to deliver astronauts to a private successor to the space station feels like a risky gamble.

More on Starliner: When Boeing's Starliner Comes Back Empty, It'll Destroy the Malfunctioning Thrusters, Making It Impossible to Study What Went Wrong
(Bloomberg) -- Keir Starmer warned that his governments October budget statement will be painful and asked the nation to accept short-term pain for long-term good, as the prime minister used his first major speech in office to lay the ground for likely tax rises.

Things are worse than we ever imagined, Starmer said in Downing Street on Tuesday, blaming the need to rebuild UK public finances on what he called 14 years of rot under the previous Conservative government. Its going to be painful. We have no other choice, given the situation that were in.

Starmer was speaking before Parliament returns from summer recess next week, marking the first proper opportunity for the new Labour administration to set out how it plans to govern after its landslide election victory in July. His remarks suggest the premier still sees political mileage in focusing on Labours challenging inheritance and that the British public will  for now  tolerate a more downbeat outlook before expecting improvements.

Yet that strategy is not without risks, after Labour ran an election campaign based on the promise of change and a decade of national renewal. Early policies, including Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reevess decision to scale back assistance for pensioners on their winter fuel bills have triggered concerns  including within Labours own ranks  that the governments approach will not deliver a sufficiently rapid turnaround in peoples economic wellbeing.

Starmer said his government has little option. I didnt want to means-test the winter fuel payment, but it was a choice that we had to make, he said, adding that his plans didnt cater for the 22 billion ($29.1 billion) black hole Reeves has said she discovered in the books.

The prospect of fiscal prudence in the UK has given investors confidence to buy gilts in the aftermath of the election amid a rally in global bonds. The yield on 10-year notes, which traded as high as 4.4% earlier this year, is now around 4%, while the pound is near the strongest level versus the dollar in over two years.

The Conservatives, who are in the middle of a leadership contest to replace Rishi Sunak, have argued that the UKs finances were clear before the election and accused Labour of seeking an excuse to renege on campaign promises.

At the end of his first month in office, Starmers honeymoon was cut short by anti-immigration rioting that broke out in several UK towns and cities. Just as on the economy, the premier framed that disorder as a reflection of deep-rooted social problems that festered under the Tories.

He said the rioters were acting out of a calculation that the state wouldnt have the capacity to crack down on the unrest, given the backlog in the court system and a lack of space in the countrys jails. Starmer said the prison crisis had meant that, throughout the riots, the government had been constantly monitoring the number of available cells to determine what action it could take.

Polls suggest the public ultimately approved of the governments response, with many prison sentences handed out within days of the disorder.

In his speech, Starmer also set out his legislative priorities for the coming months. He reiterated campaign promises to overhaul regulations on housing and infrastructure building, and to set up the state-run GB Energy to boost investment in clean power. He cited artificial intelligence as a way to improve public services, and spoke of Labours plan to re-nationalize the railways.

In the campaign, Labour promised not to raise taxes on working people, effectively ruling out increases to the big-ticket levies of VAT, income tax and national insurance. Starmer, though, said failing public services such as long National Health Service waiting lists act as barriers growth.

Ill have to turn to the country and make big asks of you as well, to accept short-term pain for long-term good, the difficult trade-off for the genuine solution, he said. After all that you have been through, that is a really big ask and really difficult to hear.

--With assistance from Aline Oyamada.

(Updates with tax options, charts.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Construction has launched on an apartment complex in southeastern Travis County that will bring 328 units to the rapidly growing area.

Half of the units in the complex, called Ross Road for now, will be reserved for residents earning between 60% to 80% percent of the median household income in the Austin area. Once construction is further along and preleasing begins, the development will be fully branded with a new name.

The project is being built at 6205 Ross Road, near Texas 71 and east of the Texas 130 tollway and about a 20-minute drive from downtown. Also nearby are Tesla's electric vehicle manufacturing plant and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The NRP Group has broken ground on a 328-unit mixed-income apartment complex in Southeastern Travis County. Half of the units will be reserved for residents earning between 60% to 80% of the Austin-area's median household income.

That part of the Central Texas region is undergoing a major transformation, which continues to see exponential growth in population, jobs and income levels. Tesla's debut in the Austin market is a key factor fueling that growth, experts say.

The NRP Group, which develops, owns, builds and manages multifamily housing, is developing the Ross Road project. NRP is partnering with the nonprofit Travis County Facilities Corp. and PointOne Holdings, a real estate investment firm based in South Florida and Atlanta with properties across th e southeastern United States and Texas.

"Ross Road is a direct response to the tremendous growth that Southeast Austin and Travis County are experiencing," said Max Whipple, vice president of development at the NRP Group. "The influx of major employers like Tesla has only accelerated this trend, creating a critical need for high-quality, accessible housing options.

The mixed-income community will provide essential workers, young professionals and families with market-rate and affordable housing, Whipple said.

This development aligns perfectly with our mission to support the development of high-quality housing in Travis County, said Patrick Howard, executive director of Travis County Facilities Corp. We are proud to be part of an initiative that delivers accessible housing to the regions growing workforce.

The affordable housing units would be within reach of an individual with an annual income of between $52,920 (60% of the median) and $70,560 a year (80% of the median). For a family of two, the annual incomes work out to $60,480 (60% of median) and $80,640 (80% of median).

For a four-person household, the annual income limits are $75,600 at 60% and $100,800 at 80%.

"Despite the influx of multifamily supply over the last few years, we see strong demand for multifamily housing that will continue for the foreseeable future," Whipple said.

More: Southeast Austin on brink of development boom

More: Developers expanding plan for Southeast Austin project

The Austin area is a key market for the NRP Group. Its two recently opened mixed-income communities include the Markson, with 330 units at 5313 Vega Ave. in Austin, and Station42, with 368 units in Killeen.

More: Mixed-use project proposed for 390 acres near Austin airport

In Austin, NRP's Ross Road project was designed by architecture firm Lord Aeck Sargent. The complex will have four stories and a covered parking structure to maximize outdoor space.

Half of the site's 16 1/2 acres will be for greenspace and outdoor amenities, including a main courtyard with a pool, cabanas and outdoor games like ping pong and corn hole. There also will be two landscaped courtyards and a dog park overlooking a greenbelt.

For students and remote workers, the development will have co-working spaces with meeting and conference rooms. The complex also will have a fitness center and a chefs kitchen for social gatherings.

More: Local investors buy 390-acre parcel near Austin airport

Ben Colonomos, principal of PointOne Holdings, said Ross Road "will significantly enhance the rapidly expanding neighborhood, providing residents with a best-in-market living experience and a wide range of community-focused and thoughtfully designed amenities."

More: Grocery chain H-E-B buys property in Del Valle area

Since its start in 1994, NRP has developed more than 50,000 apartment homes and now manages more than 25,000 residential units.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Southeastern Travis County apartment complex geared to mixed incomes
Hillsdale's critics say that in practice its curriculum pushes a sanitized version of the nations past that whitewashes history. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

The Nevada State Public Charter School on Friday approved the opening of an Elko charter school that plans to use curricula from Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian private college with an outreach program devoted to the revitalization of public education through the launch and support of classical K-12 charter schools.

Nevada Classical Academy Elko was given the greenlight to open in Fall 2025. Enrollment will start at 113 students in kindergarten to third grade, then expand to 357 students in grades K-8 over six years. On its public website, the charter school describes classical education as having an emphasis on moral character, civic virtue, and servant leadership and notes it is the preferred choice by a growing number of homeschool communities, micro-school pods, private schools, and public charter schools.

But critics say that in practice classical curriculum pushes a sanitized version of the nations past that whitewashes history by downplaying the significance of slavery and treating racism as something that no longer exists.

Brandolyn Thran, Nevada Classical Academy Elkos newly hired school leader, in an interview with the Current acknowledged that Hillsdale College has a clear political reputation but said that the charter school is apolitical.

The curriculum is phenomenal for all children and works to look at this experiment of nation-building in the most analytical and fair way possible, she said. The curriculum asks the question: What was happening at the time, what was the outcome, what can we learn from, and how can we do better? I think it tackles some very complicated, complex, tough conversations. The intention is to think critically and move in a positive direction from that.

Thran, who has lived in Elko since 2016, most recently taught science in nearby Carlin at Battle Born Youth ChalleNGe Academy, a residential public school program sponsored by the Nevada National Guard for at-risk 16- to 18-year-olds who have dropped out or are at-risk of dropping out.

Nevada Classical Academy Elko was approved by the Charter School Authority Board without any discussion of the schools curriculum. Charter schools must adhere to Nevada Academic Content Standards but have wide autonomy when it comes to choosing their curricula and approach.

Hillsdale College has become a go-to resource for Republican state leaders across the country as they seek to push back on critical race theory or what they see as woke ideologies.

Hillsdales charter school initiative already has a presence in Nevada. Founders Classical Academy Las Vegas is a member school and will be providing support to the new Elko charter school. The Las Vegas charter schools website highlights an essay by an advisor to Hillsdales Barney Charter School Initiative describing classical education as a clear break from modern, progressive education and a return to traditional aims and methods.

Some might call it conservative, but we prefer the term traditional, it also reads.

Nevada Classical will be Elko Countys second charter school. The rural countys first charter school, Elko Institute for Academic Achievement, opened in 2009 and is a five-star rated school with around 200 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. EIAA is not associated with Hillsdale or any classical education groups.

EIAA this year expanded by moving into a newer, bigger facility, and Nevada Classical will be leasing its former facility, noting that it has already been set up for a school environment.

District input

As part of the application process, the public school district that serves students in the area where a proposed charter school wishes to open are asked to provide input on the possible impacts.

Elko County School District did not oppose or support the charter school, but noted in its statement that according to the needs assessment criteria set forth by the SPCSA and completed by the NCEA, the applicant does meet identified needs for some of our community.

The district included data from the 2023-24 academic year showing that only two of the 41 students who unenrolled from the district in order to attend a charter school had left one of the low-performing schools Nevada Classical says it is targeting.

The district also noted that of its three 1- or 2-star schools, two were rated 3- or 4-stars prior to the pandemic and saw a massive drop in ratings once school ratings resumed, but are now improving to pre-covid levels.

Students at 1- and 2-star schools, as well as students in populations like English language learners (ELL) that are considered historically underserved, are by law supposed to be considered as part of the approval processes for any new charter schools.

Only three of the 41 students who withdrew from the district for a charter school last academic year were classified as ELL, according to the district.

According to Nevada Classicals application, 37 of the 117 children whose parents filled out a form stating they intend to enroll in at the charter school once it opens are currently homeschooling their children; 31 of the students are currently enrolled in public school.

Thran said she believes the classical education models focus on virtuous living  which Hillsdale describes as courtesy, courage, honesty, perseverance, self governance and service  is appealing to many homeschool families.

Elko County SD also acknowledged in its materials that it has contemplated adding a new elementary school or increasing capacity to a junior high school, but that a severe lack of capital funding from the county has made this a very difficult effort to realize in the near future.
Japans stock markets have shown modest gains recently, with the Nikkei 225 Index rising by 0.8% and the broader TOPIX Index up by 0.2%, amid speculation that market turmoil could influence the Bank of Japan's interest rate decisions. This backdrop creates a fertile environment for high-growth tech stocks, which often thrive in periods of economic adjustment and evolving market conditions. In such a dynamic landscape, identifying promising tech stocks involves looking at companies with strong innovation pipelines, robust financial health, and the ability to capitalize on emerging trends within Japans technology sector.

Top 10 High Growth Tech Companies In Japan

Name Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Growth Rating Hottolink 51.80% 61.94%  Cyber Security Cloud 20.71% 25.73%  f-code 22.70% 22.62%  eWeLLLtd 26.52% 27.53%  Material Group 17.82% 28.74%  SHIFT 21.58% 32.81%  Medley 24.97% 30.50%  Bengo4.comInc 20.76% 46.76%  ExaWizards 22.69% 62.99%  Money Forward 20.51% 66.90% 

Click here to see the full list of 129 stocks from our Japanese High Growth Tech and AI Stocks screener.

Let's explore several standout options from the results in the screener.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: MarkLines Co., Ltd. operates an automotive industry portal in Japan with a market cap of 38.51 billion.

Operations: MarkLines Co., Ltd. generates revenue primarily through its Information Platform Business, which accounts for 3.39 billion, and various other segments including Consulting, Recruitment, and Vehicle/Parts Procurement Agency businesses. The company also engages in Promotional Advertising and Teardown Survey Data Sales among other activities.

MarkLines, a standout in Japan's tech sector, is poised for notable growth with earnings expected to surge by 20.9% annually over the next three years. The company's revenue is anticipated to increase at a rate of 19.9% per year, outpacing the broader JP market's 4.3% growth forecast. In the past year alone, MarkLines demonstrated an impressive earnings growth of 18.8%, surpassing the Interactive Media and Services industry's average of 14.5%. With its robust R&D investments driving innovation and high-quality past earnings, MarkLines remains a compelling player in Japans tech landscape.

TSE:3901 Revenue and Expenses Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Simplex Holdings, Inc. offers strategic consulting, design and development, and operation and maintenance services to financial institutions, corporations, and public sectors globally with a market cap of 138.80 billion.

Story continues

Operations: Simplex Holdings, Inc. generates revenue primarily from the provision of IT solutions, amounting to 42.26 billion. The company serves financial institutions, corporations, and public sectors worldwide.

Simplex Holdings is making significant strides in Japans tech sector, with an impressive annual earnings growth forecast of 20.2%, outpacing the broader market's 8.5%. The company projects a revenue increase of 12.8% per year, indicating robust performance compared to the JP market's 4.3%. Notably, their R&D expenses have been substantial, fueling innovation and sustaining competitive advantages; last year alone saw a hefty 1.5 billion investment in R&D efforts. With its focus on high-quality earnings and strategic investments in technology, Simplex is well-positioned for continued growth amidst evolving industry dynamics.

TSE:4373 Revenue and Expenses Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Nissha Co., Ltd. operates in industrial materials, devices, medical technologies, information and communication, and pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors both in Japan and internationally, with a market cap of 95.42 billion.

Operations: Nissha Co., Ltd. generates revenue primarily from industrial materials (72.03 billion), devices (63.30 billion), and medical technology (40.72 billion). The company's diverse business segments contribute significantly to its overall financial performance, with industrial materials being the largest revenue stream.

Nissha's earnings are forecast to grow 33.2% annually, significantly outpacing the broader market's 8.5%. Despite a one-off loss of 3.1 billion impacting recent results, their R&D expenses remain robust at 1.5 billion last year, driving innovation and competitive edge. The company plans to repurchase up to 600,000 shares by November 30, 2024, enhancing shareholder returns and capital efficiency. Revenue is expected to grow at a steady rate of 4.6% per year.

TSE:7915 Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Summing It All Up

Unlock more gems! Our Japanese High Growth Tech and AI Stocks screener has unearthed 126 more companies for you to explore.Click here to unveil our expertly curated list of 129 Japanese High Growth Tech and AI Stocks.

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Join a community of smart investors by using Simply Wall St. It's free and delivers expert-level analysis on worldwide markets.

Searching for a Fresh Perspective?

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include TSE:3901 TSE:4373 and TSE:7915.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
The Beehive State continues to have a higher rate of worship service attendance than any other U.S. state and most European countries.

A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute survey conducted by HarrisX from Aug. 2-9 asked 800 registered Utah voters how often they attend religious services, and 43% of voters said they attend weekly while 41% said they almost never attend.

But as churches are counting fewer congregants across the nation, 58% of Utah survey respondents said they are at religious services at least once a month.

National and global trends

The story of faith in Utah differs from national trends. While some churches are shutting down, the Beehive State is seeing congregations grow.

Different faith groups in the state, including Latter-day Saints, Hindus, Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims and nondenominational Christians, are seeing growth in their numbers  not decline.

Data scientist Ryan Burge calculated the weekly church attendance rates of every state and every European country by pulling from the European Social Survey and the Cooperative Election Study. The average rate of weekly attendance in the U.S. was 25%. And for Europe it was 14%.

Utah was 41%, second only to Poland, known for its large Catholic population.

DNpoll-religion2

The Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll provided a religious breakdown of respondents. A slight majority (51%) identified as Latter-day Saints, the next highest categories were atheist and agnostic at 12%, other at 12%, other Christian at 10%, Roman Catholic at 6%, Evangelical Protestant at 4%, non-Evangelical Protestant at 2% and Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist each at 1%. A May 2024 report from the Kem C. Gardner Institute found Utah also has the highest rate of religious affiliation out of any U.S. state.

In the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll, Latter-day Saints in the state reported attending church weekly at a rate of 70%. (Gallup survey data from earlier this year found 67% of Latter-day Saints attend weekly or near weekly.) When asked about activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 66% said they considered themselves very active, 20% said they were somewhat active and 14% said they were not active at all.

All Christians across the state of Utah also have a high rate of weekly attendance at 58% with an additional 9% who say they attend a few times per month.

The survey also explored how important or unimportant religion is in the life of the respondent. A majority of all 800 respondents (71%) said religion was either very or somewhat important to them, while 29% said it was either somewhat unimportant or very unimportant.

Why does weekly religious service attendance matter?

America is still experiencing a dechurching.

Utah, however, has seen the number of congregations within the state grow, not shrink, from 2010 to 2020 (the year the latest U.S. Census data is available), according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute report.

In 2010, there were 5,557 congregations and in 2020, the number rose to 6,018. The state has the eighth most congregations in the country per 100,000 people, despite ranking only 30th in U.S. states population ranking, per census data. There are 19 religions that have 10 or more congregations in the state.

Trends in Utah run counter to what is happening in much of the nation.

Younger generations are leaving religion more rapidly than other generations, wrote Derek Thompson for The Atlantic. There is no statistical record of any period in U.S. history where young people were less likely to attend religious services, and also no period when young people have spent more time on their own.

Religion as an institution provides people with a built-in social safety net, not just a community where they can socialize. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can work with their bishops to obtain food and other supplies if they need resources. The Church of Jesus Christ also has employment services available.

Catholic parishes in Brazil started operating as donation centers and shelters for people displaced by heavy floods earlier this year. Across different religions, Muslims, Jews, Protestants, Hindus and others contribute to their community and surrounding communities through service and material donations.

Utah has vibrant religious communities, comprised of different faiths, and there is evidence religion has impacted the state in a positive way. The United States Congress Joint Economic Committee said in a report that the Church of Jesus Christs history in the Beehive State has positively impacted the states social capital, with Utah ranking first in the nation on this metric, which measures positive relationships, not just between individuals but also with institutions.

Its thriving associational life appears to be embedded into the culture of its people, a culture that is the lasting legacy of the original Latter-day Saint pioneers who settled the state back in the 19th century, the report states.

Areas with large numbers of Latter-day Saints were found to have high rates of social capital by the American Enterprise Institute, too. Due to Latter-day Saints having regular family gatherings, a willingness to tithe one-tenth of their income, donating to welfare programs through monthly fast offerings and living near people in their church congregations, they typically have high social capital.

There are wide-ranging benefits to high social capital in communities  including improved physical, mental and emotional health outcomes as well as economic benefits. According to Pew Research Center, religious people tend to be happier, healthier and more civically engaged.

Attendance by geography, education and income

Suburban Utahns had the highest rate of weekly attendance at 49%. They were followed by rural Utahns at 41% and urban residents at 29%.

Tracking with other national data, people with college degrees said they attended church weekly at a higher rate than those without a college degree: 58% and 31%, respectively.

Among respondents with income either $50,000 to $99,000 or $100,000 and above, 49% said they attend church weekly. Among those who income is less than $50,000, only 28% said they were at weekly church services.

This is different slightly from national data where the middle class  those making $60,000 to $100,000  are generally more likely to attend church weekly, according to Burges analysis of Cooperative Election Study data.

And this is where another unexpected benefit of attending services comes into play  churches can help develop cross-class friendships, which in turn may lead to more social mobility.

If churches, synagogues and mosques were once again full of people from across the economic and political spectrum, it would help build bridges not just in the congregation but in the larger community, said Burge in The Wall Street Journal.

Weekly church attendance has a positive outcome on tolerance  the more one attends services weekly, the more often tolerance increased, according to research published in Politics and Religion.
Bible on a school desk in a classroom. (Getty Images)

The DeSantis administration, in encouraging introduction of religious chaplains into Floridas public schools, has published a definition of religion that appears to exclude world faiths with millions of followers.

The Florida Department of Educations model policy to guide school principals interested in implementing the optional program defines both religion and the qualifications needed to serve as chaplains.

Florida welcomes only legitimate and officially authorized chaplains to become volunteers at their local schools and to provide students with morally sound guidance, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said in a news release announcing the policy last week.

The policy appears to be aimed at The Satanic Temple, an organization whose founders have said is intended to counter government efforts to inject Christianity into government operations by espousing beliefs considered repugnant to it, in defense of the separation of church and state.

The policy defines religion too narrowly in a way that not only excludes Satanists, but Buddhists, Humanists, Jains, Confucianists, and many others, said Lucien Greaves, a spokesperson for the temple, in an email to the Phoenix.

It is a clear encroachment of religion into public schools, with the clear intention of advancing a specific viewpoint, said Greaves (a pseudonym he adopts for his temple work).

Its divisive, it is legally unsound (and will not survive its forthcoming lawsuits that the Florida taxpayer will finance), and it is born of cheap political grandstanding without any real concern for the children in Florida public schools.

During a Board of Education meeting Wednesday, Diaz encouraged schools interested in implementing the program to use the model policy to ensure that credible chaplains can volunteer in Florida schools.

The policy defines a chaplain as an individual who is officially authorized by the leadership of a religion under the religions governing principles to conduct religious exercises.

It defines religion as an organized group led, supervised, or counseled by a hierarchy of teachers, clergy, sages, or priests that (1) acknowledges the existence of and worships a supernatural entity or entities that possesses power over the natural world, (2) regularly engages in some form of ceremony, ritual, or protocol, and (3) whose religious beliefs impose moral duties independent of the believers self-interest.

The program, authorized by HB 931, went into effect in July and allows schools to authorize religious figures to offer counseling on campus. Participating schools would publish lists of volunteers available to provide support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the district school board or charter school governing board, the legislation says.

The law allows public districts and public charters to partake in the program, but does not require it and, in districts that do, parents must approve a student visiting with a chaplain.

Statute and model policy

The statute places one requirement for chaplains to meet: Pass a level 2 criminal background check, a fingerprint-based review of disqualifying offenses for people in positions of responsibility or trust.

Opponents of the program told the Phoenix thats not enough to protect children.

The model policy, if a school chooses to use it, places the burden on a principal to ensure applying chaplains meet minimum requirements, including:

A chaplain not be disqualified following a background screening.

Be affiliated with a group within the school district.

Possess a bachelors degree and a graduate degree in counseling or theology or have seven years of chaplain experience.

Have at least two years of chaplain experience with a local group.

Must signify they will not teach or encourage students to behave contrary to any of Floridas state academic standards and show a sincere desire to enhance student welfare.

A principal may deny the application of any individual to become a volunteer chaplain if the principal determines that the individual is not applying to fulfill the programs purpose or the applicants participation will be contrary to the pedagogical interests of the school and the chaplaincy program, the model policy states.

Greaves said the policy flies in the face of all standing First Amendment precedent and basic respect for religious pluralism and liberty.

Now we see even more clearly the disingenuous intentions of policymakers who simultaneously portray the chaplaincy program as uninterested in proselytizing, while also insisting that chaplains hold only to certain specific beliefs that have nothing to do with counseling and could only be relevant to proselytizing, Greaves said.

The organizations website says: The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits.

Greaves told The New York Times that he doesnt believe in a literal Satan any more than he does a literal God.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill in April, addressing already looming concerns about involvement by The Satanic Temple.

Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program that, somehow, youre going to have satanists running around in all our schools, DeSantis said during the bill-signing ceremony in Kissimmee.

Were not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion. That is not qualified to be able to participate in this. So, were going to be using common sense when it comes to this. You dont have to worry about it.

We strongly encourage school districts to move forward with their chaplaincy programs, Bryan Griffin, the governors communications director, posted to X.

The State of Florida and the Florida Department of Education will stand with and support school districts who implement the program. To further this goal, The Department of Education has recently released a model policy for districts to adopt in implementation of the chaplaincy program.

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Extremely problematic

In an interview with the Phoenix last month, before the model policy was announced, Kara Gross, the ACLU of Floridas legislative director and senior policy counsel, said the program creates an environment that is ripe for religious coercion and indoctrination of students.

After the model policy was announced, Gross emphasized those concerns.

The government-proposed model policy further demonstrates that the true intent behind this law is to advance certain religious viewpoints that are favored by the Governor in our public schools and to exclude other religious viewpoints that the Governor disfavors, Gross said in a news release.

She said the model policy is extremely problematic and raises several constitutional concerns.

It is very concerning that the government-proposed model policy seeks to define religion for Floridians, Gross said.

This is the opposite of religious freedom. Additionally, it creates arbitrary requirements that would open up school districts to potential liability for excluding certain religious viewpoints and promoting others.

The newest member of the Broward County School Board, Rebecca Thompson, said during a Wednesday call with reporters said she is very against the chaplain program, saying she does not think there is enough structure.

But my main concern as a mental health professional, as the only one on our board, once I get placed there, is that these people dont have training, so theyre not mental health professional-training that you go years to understand how to see the signs that someone might be suicidal, see the signs that someones getting abused, Thompson said.

So we are sending unqualified people into our school to harm our students.  And we are putting our students at harm for another cultural war message that DeSantis is pushing.

Sarah Leonardi, representing Broward Countys district three, said during that same call that the program will not give students what they need.

We are in a youth mental health crisis, and this is, again, another distraction, another culture war issue, and its also not giving kids what they need. What parents and what educators want are real solutions to the mental health crisis and, unfortunately, thats not what the Legislature is bringing to the table, Leonardi said.

One organization against voluntary chaplains, The Council of Florida Churches, previously advised districts considering implementing the program to instead hire more certified counselors or psychiatrists or, at the very least, consult with public stakeholders on a feasibility study or something similar to gauge the interests and desires of the community.

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, an organization dedicated to the separation of church and state, encouraged school boards to not pick up the program.

The policy permits chaplains to provide spiritual guidance to students, but that is not the role of public school officials. Public schools are not Sunday schools, and people of faith along with the nonreligious all have a stake in keeping church and state separate, Laser said in a news release.

Religious freedom means students and their parents  not politicians or public school officials  get to decide if, when, and how to engage with religion. Floridas public-school boards should refuse to implement this, or any, policy on public school chaplains.

The chaplain program has not received much interest from Florida districts, although the Osceola County School Board recently scheduled a vote on the topic. However, the district later dropped the matter following a statement of interest in participating from Ministers of Satan, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.

Jackie Llanos contributed to this report.

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The political arm of the State Employees Association of North Carolina has made a slew of endorsements in races for executive office and legislative seats in the state, including for governor and in Triangle-area state Senate and state House races.

SEANC is a 46,000-member association of state employees and retirees that lobbies at the General Assembly for current, retired and future state employees.

Meanwhile, the SEANC Employees Political Action Committee (EMPAC), which is member-led and nonpartisan, supports legislators and politicians, including via campaign contributions. EMPAC has its own treasury that is separate from SEANC. For endorsements, the PAC attempts to interview each candidate.

Our membership tends to focus on the governors race and the treasurers race, more than the rest, but our members work in all of the state agencies and all of the universities and community colleges and public schools, so theyre interested in all of it, SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins said.

Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina.

I think its fair to say, we will have members volunteering in all of these races all over the state. ... The enthusiasm we are hearing from our members about getting involved in elections this year is off the charts, she said.

EMPAC on Monday announced its endorsements for Council of State and on Tuesday added its endorsements for legislative races.

SEANC governor endorsement

At the top of the ticket for Council of State races is the one for governor. In that race, EMPAC endorsed Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein over Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

Stein has proven that he is a champion for working families and is ready to take on the states leadership. As attorney general, he has shown a willingness to work with SEANC on several employee-related issues, according to a news release sent out by EMPAC. Robinson did not respond to multiple interview requests from EMPAC, according to the news release.

Republican secretary of state candidate Chad Brown and the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Hal Weatherman, also did not respond to interview requests, according to SEANC spokesperson Jonathan Owens.

SEANC endorsement for State Treasurer

EMPAC endorsed Democratic candidate Wesley Harris for state treasurer over Republican challenger Brad Briner. EMPAC in its news release said it had endorsed Harris in the primary election and would continue to support him in the general election.

SEANC has been a strong supporter of the current treasurer, Dale Folwell, who is a Republican and ran unsuccessfully for governor in the primary.

Asked about the support for Harris, Watkins said Harris views that he has shared with our PAC are much more closely aligned with Treasurer Folwells views when it comes to making sure the average state employees money is protected from Wall Street and other corporate interests that try to get fees that are too high or just take advantage of those systems.

It really was the strong belief of the people on our PAC that Wesley Harris is the person to follow Treasurer Folwell in protecting those benefits, she said.

No Labor Commissioner endorsement

One Council of State race that did not receive an endorsement was the one for labor commissioner. That race is between Democrat Braxton Winston II and Republican Luke Farley.

On the lack of endorsement in that race, Watkins said while those candidates were both interviewed, there just wasnt a plurality of people that were seeking to endorse either candidate.

Being a democratic process, with a little D, it can be the case that one person doesnt emerge as somebody that they want to get behind in the way that Josh Stein was so clearly a full-throated endorsement. Just everyone in the room was excited about that, said Watkins.

Other SEANC Council of State endorsements

Here are the rest of the Council of State endorsements by EMPAC:

Lieutenant Governor: Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt. She is facing off against Weatherman as well as Wayne Jones from the Constitution Party and Shannon Bray, a Libertarian. Robinson is the current lieutenant governor.

Attorney General: Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson. He is facing Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop. Stein is the current AG.

Commissioner of Agriculture: Longtime Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler. He faces Democratic candidate Sarah Taber and Libertarian Sean Haugh.

Commissioner of Insurance: Republican Commissioner of Insurance Mike Causey. Hes facing Democratic state Sen. Natasha Marcus.

Secretary of State: Longtime Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall. Shes challenged by Republican Chad Brown.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Democratic candidate Maurice Mo Green. Hes up against Republican Michelle Morrow, who defeated the incumbent state superintendent, Catherine Truitt, in the Republican primary.

State Auditor: Democratic incumbent Jessica Holmes. Shes facing off against Republican Dave Boliek and Libertarian Bob Drach. Holmes was appointed state auditor after longtime Auditor Beth Wood, a Democrat, stepped down after she drove a state-owned vehicle into a parked car. Wood recently threw her support behind Boliek.

General Assembly endorsements

On legislative endorsements, Watkins said there are always at least one or two that surprised her.

Thats part of the beauty and the challenge sometimes of being truly member-run, she said. For legislative endorsements, SEANC members at the local level make recommendations, which are then confirmed by the statewide committee.

People in the home districts will sometimes have a very different opinion than the staff might have in certain races. But the thing is that our members make those decisions and that we as a group stand behind those decisions and move forward, she said.

Asked about any that surprised her this year, she said she preferred not to say, as she said she doesnt know the candidates from those areas necessarily, in the same way the folks do who live in their district. So many times they have surprised me, they have endorsed somebody, and that person ends up becoming a huge friend of SEANC.

In terms of the people that they get behind, they are very, very often the winners, Watkins said.

In state House races, EMPAC made 85 endorsements. Of those, 46 were for Republicans and 39 were for Democrats. Many of the endorsements were for incumbents.

In the Senate, EMPAC made 35 endorsements, 19 for Republicans and 16 for Democrats. The General Assembly currently has a Republican-supermajority.

Our members are as good a representation of just how purple this state is as any group I can think of, she said.

EMPAC made endorsements in Triangle-area races. Here are its picks:

Durham County races:

House District 2 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Ray Jeffers

Senate District 20 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Natalie Murdock





Senate District 22 - EMPAC did not make an endorsement in this race between Democrat Sophia Chitlik and Libertarian Ray Ubinger. This district is currently held by longtime Democratic Sen. Mike Woodard, who lost his reelection bid.

Wake County races:

House District 11 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Allison Dahle

House District 21 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Ya Liu

House District 33 - Democrat Monika Johnson-Hostler

House District 34 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Tim Longest

House District 35 - Democrat Evonne Hopkins

House District 36 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Julie Von Haefen

House District 37 - Incumbent Republican Rep. Erin Pare

House District 40 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe John

House District 41 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Maria Cervania

House District 66 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Sarah Crawford

Senate District 13 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Lisa Grafstein

Senate District 14 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Dan Blue

Senate District 15 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jay Chaudhuri

Senate District 17 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Sydney Batch

Senate District 18 - Democratic Rep. Terence Everitt

Johnston County races:

House District 26 - Incumbent Republican Rep. Donna McDowell White





House District 28 - Incumbent Republican Rep. Larry Strickland





House District 53 - EMPAC did not make an endorsement in this race between Democrat Kevin Thurman and Republican incumbent Howard Penny Jr.

Senate District 10 - Incumbent Republican Sen. Benton Sawrey





Orange County races:

House District 56 - Incumbent Democratic Rep. Allen Buansi





Senate District 23 - Incumbent Democratic Sen. Graig Meyer





Under the Dome

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As immunization rates drop to historic lows, Michigan healthcare leaders call on parents to vaccinate their kids

LANSING, Mich. (WJMN)  Michigan healthcare officials held a virtual press conference on Tuesday to advise parents across the state to vaccinate their children ahead of the new school year.

Every year, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable communicable diseases like mumps and measles occur in schools.

In addition to COVID and flu, Michigan schools have seen outbreaks of some diseases, like pertussis and measles, on the rise in recent years.

Measles is an especially transmissible disease. It can live on surfaces for up to two hours. The measles vaccination, though, which comes in two doses, is highly effective.

Just one dose of the measles vaccine is 93 percent effective. With both doses, the vaccine is 97 percent effective, and there are therefore very few measles cases in the United States of people vaccinated against disease.

This school year, the spread of communicable diseases like COVID and measles is of particular concern.

In more than half the state (47 of 83 counties), immunization rates in children 19- to 36 months of age have fallen below 70%, according to June 2024 data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.

The rate has fallen below 60% in 11 Michigan counties and the City of Detroit.

Vaccination rates began to decline around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when routine doctors visits were put on hold due to stay at home orders.

Now that children are returning to the classroom and people have returned to their regular routines post-pandemic, healthcare leaders like Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), are urging parents to ensure their childrens vaccinations are up to date.

Dr. Bagdasarian was among the speakers at the I Vaccinate virtual press conference August 27.

She said at the conference that the numbers are not where they should be to achieve herd immunity for serious communicable diseases like measles.

To help protect against outbreaks of these diseases, she and Veronica McNally, founder of the I Vaccinate campaign, are urging parents to vaccinate their kids.

I just want to remind everyone that the vaccines Im talking about, with measles being one example, are incredibly safe and effective. In many cases, these are the same vaccines that we got as children, said Dr. Bagdasarian.

McNally started I Vaccinate after losing her infant daughter to whopping cough in 2012.

We know these diseases can spread quickly and sometimes, they can have devastating consequences, McNally explained at the conference. Vaccine-preventable diseases are still a threat, and vaccinations are our best protection against them.

For school-aged children, vaccination rates are closer to 90% across the statebut there is much variation in those numbers at the county level.

There are still communities out there that are extremely vulnerable, explained Dr. Bagdasarian.

Though they are small schools and few in number, there are some Michigan elementary and middle schools that report none of their students are up to date on their vaccinations.

Michigan school immunization data can be found here.

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STEUBEN COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM)  The number of overdoses reported in Steuben County went down in July, however, more overdose deaths were confirmed for June.

According to the Steuben County Public Health Department, 31 overdoses were reported in the county in July, and Narcan was used for five of the overdoses. There were no reported overdose-related fatalities in July.

One of Julys overdoses was caused by opioids, 14 were caused by other substances, and the cause was not available for the remaining 16.

The number of reported overdoses dropped from June to July after rising this spring. Overdoses doubled from 18 in April to 36 in May and stayed consistent in June with 37 overdoses. July is the first month Steuben County saw a significant drop in overdoses.

Provisional data shows overdose deaths decreasing in NYS

Although Steuben County didnt see any overdose deaths in July, the Public Health Department announced that the number of June fatalities is higher than initially reported. There were three confirmed overdose fatalities in the county in June, bringing the total for the year up to four.

Help is available for Steuben County residents struggling with addiction. Steuben County residents seeking help can call one of the numbers below:

Steuben County Substance Abuse Services Bath: 607-664-2156

SCASAS Corning: 607-937-6201

SCASAS Hornell: 607-324-2483

SCSAS after-hours: 607-937-7800

CASA Trinity Hornell: 607-282-5200

Narcan training is available for Steuben County residents. Online training can be found at steubencountyny.gov/narcan, and in-person training can be scheduled by calling Steuben Public Health at 607-664-2438 or by reaching out to the Steuben Prevention Coalitions Opioid Committee.

Anyone can get addiction help through the Institute for Human Servicess new 24/7 resource. People struggling with substance use and people with loved ones struggling can text GetHelpNY to 898-211 for discreet help. This service will guide the texter through a series of questions to determine the kind of assistance they need.

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Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host and policy adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, is seriously considering a run to succeed California Gov. Gavin Newsom in two years, three people in close touch with him tell POLITICO.

While Hilton and his team did not comment when approached for this story, several prominent political figures in the state conveyed that the Silicon Valley entrepreneur, who has been increasing his public appearances and focus on California public policy, is already deep in discussions about a possible run as a Republican.

He is thinking very seriously about running for governor and he is doing it in a very organized way, said Jim Brulte, the former California Republican Party chair and GOP leader of the state Senate. I know hes talking to a lot of the right people because I have heard from a lot of the right people that hes talking to them.

Hiltons candidacy would amount to a major test of voters appetites to challenge Democratic dogma and conventional wisdom in one of the nations biggest, bluest states. It also could help resolve whether deteriorating conditions on the ground  pockets of high crime, homelessness and soaring cost of living  will precipitate a fulsome conversation about alternative leadership that hasnt happened in decades.

Word of Hiltons interest has already piqued the curiosity of leaders in Silicon Valley, including figures pining for a political disruptor. In an interview, Chamath Palihapitiya, the billionaire tech venture capitalist who has increasingly waded into national and state politics, said Hiltons emergence could jumpstart conversations around a range of issues plaguing California.

He is a no-BS person who cuts to the heart of issues no matter how uncomfortable the truth is, Palihapitiya told POLITICO, calling Hilton an extremely precise first principles thinker, a phrase used to describe people who can reverse-engineer solutions to complex problems. I think that that could be really refreshing at the right moment in California.



The emergence of a credible Republican and a more competitive environment among a long list of Democrats stand to make 2026 the most wide-open contest in recent memory. But the contours of the governors race wont take shape until theres a winner in the presidential contest. If former President Donald Trump wins, leading Republicans believe there will be little oxygen for a candidate like Hilton to break through. But if Vice President Kamala Harris takes the White House, California voters may be more receptive to hearing from an insurgent.

The far-off contest has already drawn several figures known to Democratic insiders and any Republican who hopes to compete would begin the race as a longshot given Democrats significant voter registration advantage. Hilton may not be the only Republican competitor in 2026. POLITICO was the first to report that Southern California Sheriff Chad Bianco, an unsparing critic of Newsom and a conservative fixture on Fox News, is also considering a gubernatorial run.

The Democratic side includes Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, the earliest to declare her candidacy, as well as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Sen. Toni Atkins, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former Controller Betty Yee. Attorney General Rob Bonta is weighing a bid of his own, and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has approached political advisers about standing up a campaign.

People in close touch with Hilton say hes hyper-focused on policy prescriptions to deal with the states biggest problems  including homelessness, the lack of affordable housing, the high cost of living, education and embracing the booming tech sector. Hilton has been a strong supporter of Trump and he recently appeared at a fundraiser for JD Vance, but in California, hes leaned into his own brand of positive populism, often eschewing collared shirts in favor of canary-yellow henleys.

Hes focused on policy and my sense is his campaign would be a policy-driven agenda, Brulte said. Hes a positive and optimistic guy.

Hilton has been a California resident since 2012, when he moved to the uber-wealthy enclave of Atherton where he tends to chickens, and became a U.S. citizen in 2021. He hosted the Fox program The Next Revolution on Sunday nights until last year, and remains a contributor to the network after founding the tech startup Crowdpac and teaching at Stanford.

In informal meetings with reporters and on the speakers circuit at Republican events, Hilton has pitched himself as a charismatic figure who has done his homework on state matters. He went years without a smartphone, though he flip-flopped on flip-phones, and is close with several media figures and politicians. In recent months, hes appeared at numerous party functions while focusing on his group Golden Together, which he contends is aiming to restore the California Dream that began during the Gold Rush. The group has released five whitepapers on everything from improving the business climate and creating water abundance to ending the housing shortage.



Lanhee Chen, a Hoover Institution fellow and Republican candidate for state controller who lost his race in 2022, serves on the Golden Together advisory board and said Hilton has been working to build his profile in the state. Chen credited Hiltons policy chops in the U.K. and via his nonprofit group and argued that the massive field of Democrats could open a lane for an alternative voice.

The Democrats are all basically clones of each other.  Its not like they are running a universally recognized name, said Chen, a former top adviser to Republican candidates, including Mitt Romney. So, it will be interesting, and it could create some kind of political opportunity.

Everyone knows the challenges for a Republican running in California, he added, but no status quo lasts forever, so lets see what happens.

California has not had a Republican  or a status quo-disruptor  in Sacramento since Arnold Schwarzenegger won the recall in 2003. In 2018, Newsom began the primary with about a third of the vote and never looked back. After Newsom stood aside for Jerry Brown in 2010, Brown went on to defeat Republican executive Meg Whitman despite her sinking $144 million of her own wealth into the campaign.

Hiltons outreach has had him trying to cultivate deep-pocketed tech players in Silicon Valley who have long been at odds with the states power players. In the interview, Palihapitiya said he wants to see a major debate about the quality of public education  including on the need for more children to be educated in math and sciences to make sure they have fruitful employment in a future world dominated by AI and robotics.

When I think about all the companies that have left the state, that worries me in terms of thinking about the future and how we make sure the state has a robust balance sheet, said Palihapitiya, who hosts the All In podcast with fellow investors Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg.

But he said those concerns go deeper than corporate bottom lines. If all of these companies are voting with their feet, what are they actually saying? Its not necessarily just about taxation, because I dont think 100 basis points in one direction or the other necessarily tips a giant organization like Chevron to move. So the real underlying question is, whats happening as a broad, multi-decade trend that causes a company like Chevron, who I suspect, studies everything nine ways to Sunday, to make a decision to leave?

Palihapitiya said he recognizes the challenges for Republican candidates to lead such conversations about the business climate, let alone win a statewide race, but he argues the growth of social media and non-traditional channels that move information could help Republicans and independents get traction with voters who are frustrated with the status quo.

As more people understand the details of why some things arent working for them, I think that theyre less prone to making a simplified partisan decision, Palihapitiya said. If industrial competition leaves the state, and then the innovation economy fundamentally makes a different decision in terms of where they organize, I think that will affect enough people in the traditional partisan places like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
He still had more to give: Friends remember Thomas Chase, victim killed in Brighton crash

BRIGHTON, N.Y. (WROC)  A life devoted to giving back. Thats how friends close to Thomas Chase described the legacy he leaves behind.

The 92-year-old Brighton man was hit and killed by a stolen vehicle with three teenagers inside during a police pursuit last Thursday afternoon, according to police.

Each of the three suspects, ages 17, 18, and 19, remain in custody. Charges are pending by the Monroe County District Attorneys Office.

A classically trained pianist, Chase would spend two to three days each week filling The Friendly Home in Brighton with his music. Its a tradition he carried for 30 years.

Aug. 22 was no different.

It really brought everyone together. Everyone knows Tom. His name has been on our calendar two to three times a week for 30 years. Its chilling to even think about, said Brandon Buonomo, who serves as the life enrichment coordinator at The Friendly Home.

Buonomo had gotten to know Chase well over his tenure there as a volunteer.

Chase had just finished performing for the residents and staff as he did every Thursday. On his way home, and less than a quarter of a mile from the facility, Chase was hit by the suspects on East and Elmwood Avenues.

Tom comes in every Thursday, and as were setting up for cocktail hour, hell go get a paper towel and clean off the keyboard so its nice and dust-free for him. It was business as usual, said Buonomo.

Chase is described by friends as a kind-hearted soul, quiet, and unassuming.

Karl LaPorta first crossed paths with him back in the 90s. They had formed a close bond over music as LaPorta tuned his Steinway grand piano for years.

When I found out in the morning, I was just shocked. And angry. This was unnecessary. He was such a wonderful guy. He was the salt of the Earth, and generous. He donated his time, said LaPorta.

A native of Hornell, Chase studied piano at the Eastman School of Music and graduated in 1954.

After years of teaching in Virginia and Indiana, Chase eventually taught music at Henderson State University in Arkansas. He later moved back to Rochester.

For decades, he entertained generations of residents at The Friendly Home, including his late sister.

The residents dont know another Friendly Home other than the Tom Chase Friendly Home, said Buonomo, He always finishes with, Let Me Call You Sweetheart. Everyone sings along. Our staff gets the residents to participate, and we all sing it together. No one ever thought that was going to be the last time we saw him when he left the building.

While The Friendly Home staff and residents work to process this tragedy, they are planning ways to formally honor Chases legacy in the future.

This is a developing story.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will convene a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting at ambassadorial level on Aug. 28 at Ukraine's request, Allies' spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said, the Guardian reported on Aug. 27.

The news come a day after Russia's largest drone and missile attack against Ukraine since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion. The strikes hit several civilian, energy, and fuel facilities, including a dam in Kyiv that is part of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant.

A total of 236 aerial targets were recorded by Ukraines military. Ukrainian forces shot down 102 missiles and 99 drones, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

"NATO Allies have delivered substantial support to Ukraines air defense, and they are committed to further bolstering Ukraines defenses," Dakhlallah said.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief allies via video on the situation on the battlefield and priority capability needs, the spokesperson said.

NATO established the council during the Vilnius summit in July 2023 as part of the efforts to enable closer coordination between Kyiv and the alliance.

Russia's Aug. 26 strike killed seven civilians, and injured 47 more, according to Ukrainian officials. This recent attack took place after the energy situation had somewhat improved, and scheduled blackouts introduced earlier in the summer were mostly lifted.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Happy Tuesday friends! Were waking up to another round widespread dense fog this morning. The fog is especially thick around swampy areas/wetlands/river valleys so be sure to turn to those low beams while traveling. Otherwise, skies have cleared out up above with temps cooling into the 50s/60s down below. Its also a little muggy with dewpoint readings near 60.

Our afternoon will showcase hazy sunshine, a few clouds, and highs in the mid 80s. Well dip into the 60s to low 70s overnight with increasing clouds after sunset. Those increasing clouds are ahead of our next, fast moving disturbance that will be flying in from the west. Scattered showers, downpours, and gusty thunderstorms are likely. Dont be surprised if you hear some cracks of thunder or see flashes of lightning late tonight.

The rest of Wednesday will feature slowly clearing clouds and showers, eventually leading to a drier overnight. High pressure will build in from Canada allowing northerly breezes to help dry us out later Wednesday. Temps will top out in the upper 60s to low 70s before dropping back into the 40s to mid 50s Thursday morning with fog and sunshine expected by daybreak.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
(Bloomberg) -- JD.com Inc. plans to buy back as much as $5 billion of its shares, moving to appease investors worried about a potentially worsening Chinese consumer downturn.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The company on Tuesday outlined plans to repurchase stock from September through to August 2027. Its American depositary shares, down 8.2% this year, climbed more than 4% after trading opened in New York.

JDs latest stock buyback plan emerged a week after Walmart Inc. announced it had sold its stake in the e-commerce firm, stoking concerns about the outlook for consumer spending in the worlds second-largest economy. Separately, Temu-owner PDD Holdings Inc. on Monday surprised investors with an unusually gloomy outlook, underscoring how Chinas economic malaise is taking a toll on a broad swath of the retail industry.

Beyond e-commerce, a series of disappointing results have raised red flags about the Chinese economy. This week, popular fast food chain Din Tai Fung  one of the countrys most popular restaurant brands  revealed it was shutting more than a dozen locations. Last month, Starbucks Corp. disclosed a 14% plummet in Chinese revenue in the June quarter.

(Updates share price in the second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Th scene outside Jones College, a residential college at Rice University in Houston, after a student was found fatally shot Monday.

A college student was found fatally shot in her dorm room in Houston on Monday afternoon, and the suspect in the shooting, whom she was dating, was found dead nearby, officials said.

Rice University identified the woman as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland. Campus Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said members of her family were concerned about lack of contact and requested that officers check up on her.

Once university police discovered she missed at least one class Monday, officers moved in shortly before 4 p.m. for a welfare check, Rodriguez said at a news conference Monday evening.

That's when they found her body in her room at the Jones College on-campus residence hall, alongside the suspect's body and a note he is believed to have written, Rodriguez said. The note suggested to investigators that the two were "having a troubled relationship," he said.

"They were dating," he said.

Detectives believe the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Rodriguez said. His identity was not released. The chief said he may be from Florida.

Investigators believe the man got into the residence by accompanying Avila, who had access, Rodriguez said.

There was no sign of forced entry, administrators said in a message Monday night addressed to students, parents, staff members and faculty members. Counseling is available to students 24 hours a day, administrators said in the message.

I want our students, parents and Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe, there is no immediate threat, and tonight we will wrap our arms around our students," Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said at the news conference.

Jones College started out in 1957 as Mary Gibbs Jones College with $1 million from the Houston Endowment, according to Rice University. It was developed as a rare place where women could reside on campus, and it evolved into a full-fledged, coeducational institution.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence hotline for help at (800) 799-SAFE (7233), or go to www.thehotline.org for more. States often have domestic violence hotlines, as well.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP)  Its the first day of classes for students in Longmeadow and the Frontier Regional School District.

First day of school for Springfield students

In Longmeadow, it is just the older students starting on Tuesday. Pre-K and kindergarten will go back on Wednesday. All students will return to the Frontier Regional School District on Tuesday.

22News has compiled a full list of the starting dates for school districts across western Massachusetts.

It is important to keep the students safe on their way to and from school. Make sure to watch for walkers and when a bus flashes red and stops, traffic in both directions needs to stop. While drivers have their responsibility to prevent these kinds of incidents pedestrians do as well. That includes wearing bright-colored clothing, stopping and looking before crossing the street, remaining visible at all times, and crossing streets at crosswalks or intersections when its safe.

The fine for illegally passing a school bus is a maximum of $200. Repeat offenders may have their licenses suspended.

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.

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Several new high school and college legislative changes are working through the process. (Getty Images)

Its the most wonderful time of the year! The fall semester starts this week, and I might be a little too excited. I need to remember to have a little sympathy for my new students, particularly those in my 8:00 am class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For the rest of their lives, when they hear the term, morning person, they will immediately think of me.

Even when my professional world revolved around legislation in the Statehouse, I rarely had business in the realm of education policy. Over the years, I only watched that stuff as a citizen. My sons went to Catholic school, so I felt a little detached from the annual wrangling over what the next moves from the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Department of Education would be.

Lately though, the biggest two moves seem to have a common theme: aiming lower.

Last year, Senate Bill 202 was a headline-maker that had folks in the realm of higher education all worked up. Conservative lawmakers were trying to address the reality that college professors tend to be more ideologically liberal or progressive than they prefer. You know, leftists like me are indoctrinating young people, not teaching them. Its a problem worthy of an eye roll.

To listen to a podcast version of this column, go here.

From the perspective of a public university faculty member, I only cared a little about the bill in a practical sense. It never appeared to be impactful on what or how I teach. I already make space for diverse ideological viewpoints when appropriate, and honestly, it matters only in the rarest of circumstances. The problem the legislature is trying to solve here is incredibly overblown, and their solution is, in fact, not one. More importantly, that non-solution is expensive.

As implementation of the new law is beginning, I can now see the resources being invested in an attempt to comply with it. The legislature should be happy with how seriously the new law is being taken, no matter how poorly it was written. But when administrators are through, it will have cost a fortune and accomplished practically nothing. I read the estimated fiscal impact the bill had while it was under consideration, and that too is laughably void of what it is certain to cost.

High school changes

Last years legislature also decided to rework the standards for Indianas high school diplomas. This was even less interesting to this college professor, whose adult children are already done with school. But again, as the new high school diplomas the IDOE was directed to develop are now coming into focus, it is clear that academic rigor and the college-going rate for Hoosiers is not the priority.

The first stab at the new diplomas inspired objections by the states universities because the new standards would further reduce Indiana students ability to even be admitted to college after graduating high school. Our college-going rate has dropped from 65% in 2008 to 53% now, though the plummeting seems to have flattened in recent years. In 2012, officials set the goal of getting that number to 60% by 2025. No way is Indiana going to get there.

Instead, the latest move is to reshuffle the priorities by focusing on preparing our young people for the employment opportunities legislators predict will be here for them. Apprenticeships and job training that doesnt require a bachelors degree in economics or English are the new shiny objects. This is another mistake.

The second draft diplomas create readiness seals that will allow some freedom for students to choose a path that suits them. I wonder if I would have taken physics or trigonometry if my school didnt think they were important at the time. I know those classes helped me learn how to think, so Im still glad I took them, forty years later.

Aiming lower

While preparing my classes for the semester last week, something other than my excitement became obvious. My already demanding classes will be even more difficult this year. I teach communication at a nationally competitive business school, which means none of my students came there to take my speech and writing classes. Most only discovered these requirements well after they chose Indiana for college.

I plan to keep pushing them until I discover their limit, and mine.

Theres nothing special about that. Its intuitive for me and my colleagues, really. And after we get rolling this week, most of us will lock into our tunnel vision until the semester ends in December. Then we will evaluate how it all went and ask ourselves how we can do it better in the spring. There will be a time when I ask too much of my students, and when that day comes, Ill adjust.

But in Indiana, that day is definitely not today.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A new coalition in Dayton is seeking volunteers to help those dealing with the trauma of suicide.

The Montgomery County Prevention Coalition (MCPC) announced Monday that it would be expanding its postvention efforts through a new program.

Called Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (L.O.S.S) Team, the program is designed to provide resources and hope to families dealing with the immediate aftermath of suicide.

UD students on alert after two assaults over the weekend

Having a L.O.S.S. Team at the scene of suicide provides loss survivors with support, a connection to resources, and most importantly, a sense of hope, said Brittini Long, Senior Program Coordinator for Montgomery County ADAMHS.

The trauma-responsive model involves two or more trained volunteers who respond to the scene of a suicide to provide non-intrusive support to those impacted by the loss. At least one of these two trained volunteers would also be a survivor of suicide loss.

Funding has been provided by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) and Drug-Free Communities through the CDC.

The coalition is currently seeking volunteers for the L.O.S.S. Team with empathy, listening skills, and experience with trauma. The volunteer application 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 WDTN.com.
BURTON, Ohio (WJW)  The new age of school security mightve arrived in Geauga County three years ago. Berkshire Schools Superintendent John Stoddard is almost sure of it.

I think there are now between six to twelve school districts using the technology, Stoddard said.

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The small but growing company called Zero Eyes has made a believer out of administrators like Stoddard, who have installed their security cameras all over his school grounds.

The camera, which works 24/7, uses AI to specifically look out for the most feared threat known to schools nationwide.

Its gun detection, basically. They need to see about a third of the weapon. But they dont just use AI. The AI alerts a command center which is monitored by former military and police, explained Stoddard.

Stoddard thinks a big reason why other school districts could jump on board, the technology is cost-effective and doesnt require a school to use any of its own staff to use it.

Woman killed in shooting at Stark County home

To me, $60 per camera per month is worth it. And the beauty of it is that it doesnt require us to staff anything, he said.

Going into school year number three with zero eyes in place, Stoddard feels its time to speak up about the program.

He holds out hope that no one will try to test it in the future, but he is glad to have zero eyes in place if someone does.

It gives me great peace of mind probably more than anyone else because I see exactly how it works, 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
From surfing buddies to eco innovators: how expired life vests became The Surf Bag

HONOLULU (KHON2)  It started with a craving for cookies. What began as a quest to enjoy longer surf sessions has evolved into a groundbreaking product: The Surf Bag, crafted from expired Hawaiian Airlines life vests.

Cathy Chin, a retired Air Force officer who fell in love with surfing during a Hawaiian vacation, and Marlene Smith, a former avionics entrepreneur, met through their shared enthusiasm for the ocean and are both are residents of Hawaii.

Kauai officials continue search for missing snorkeler off Nukolii Beach

We met while taking surf lessons, said Marlene. Weve been surfing together ever since.

The idea for The Surf Bag came about in January last year when Cathy and Marlene faced a practical challenge.

We wanted to surf longer but kept having to paddle in because we were hungry, Cathy explained. I tried using a Ziploc bag to keep my cookies safe while surfing, but it didnt work well.

Determined to improve the solution, Marlene started experimenting with various materials but faced difficulties with waterproofing. Thats when inspiration struck.

While watching a Hawaiian Airlines flight, I remembered that life vests have a limited lifespan but are essentially waterproof, said Marlene. That was our lightbulb moment.'

With the help of their surfing friend Brad Otani, they connected with Hawaiian Airlines.

Hurricane-season fire, power risks garner more attention

It was challenging to get in touch with the right people at such a large company, Cathy said. But Brads connections were invaluable. Hawaiian Airlines has been incredibly supportive, donating over 1,200 expired life vests.







The Surf Bag is 100% waterproof and designed to fit in the pocket of your board shorts, clip securely to the leash attachment on your surfboard or attach to your hiking pants, cross-country backpack or anywhere else you need.

It uses a patented TRU Zip zipper, designed to be fully waterproof, dustproof, airtight, and submersible. The zipper glides smoothly into an over-molded garage, has a self-healing design, and provides a secure and confident closure.

The Surf Bag is designed in Hawaii and made in California. Feedback from the surfing community has been positive.

Surfers appreciate the comfort, functionality, and waterproof design, Cathy said. Its great for keeping your keys safe, especially when you cant hide them in the sand.

Chen and Smith are also collaborating with American Airlines and using expired life vests from them as well.

The Surf Bag is available for purchase on their website and at several Hawaii retail locations including Downing Surf, Hawaiian Island Creations, Xcel Haliewa, Surf Garage, Hapa Surf and Mono.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
How a survey of over 2,000 women in the 1920s changed the way Americans thought about female sexuality

American women still have fewer orgasms than men, according to new research that suggests that decades after the sexual revolution, the orgasm gap is still very much in effect.

One of the studys lead authors at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction told The New York Times that the gap persists because many Americans continue to prioritize mens pleasure and undervalue womens sexual pleasure.

As my research shows, these attitudes toward sexual pleasure have a long history.

But so do efforts to push back against them.

Almost a century ago, a pioneering American sex researcher named Katharine Bement Davis challenged the prevailing view that respectable women did not  and should not  experience sexual desire or have sex, except to please men or to have children.

Daviss 1929 book, Factors in the Sex Life of Twenty-Two Hundred Women, completely upended this thinking.

By surveying everyday American women, she was able to show that it was completely normal for American women to have sex for the sake of pleasure.

An unlikely advocate for sexual liberation

Davis spent the first half of her career policing womens sexuality, not promoting it.

In 1901, after earning her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, Davis became superintendent of the New York State Reformatory for Women at Bedford Hills. While there, she studied the women in her care. Most female convicts, she concluded, were immoral women.

Davis efforts to enforce sexual morality drew the attention of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. In 1917, he invited her to lead his private agency, the Bureau of Social Hygiene, founded to study and combat prostitution and venereal disease.

During World War I, Davis promoted sex education to curb sexually transmitted infections among soldiers and civilians. Through this work, she became convinced that sexual ignorance  not sexual immorality  posed the greatest danger to womens welfare.

Davis had long criticized the sexual double standard, which condoned mens sexual experimentation but condemned womens sexual experience.

Now, she also recognized that this double standard promoted womens chastity at the expense of knowledge. She complained that discussions of womens sexuality were taboo, which resulted in distorted views, baffled speculation, and unfortunate experiences.

Tackling a taboo topic

Insisting that Americans needed accurate information to achieve a sane outlook on all matters pertaining to sex, Davis made it her mission to teach women about sex.

But first, she needed to learn about womens actual sexual experiences. Davis decided to undertake a large-scale study of what she called the sex life of normal women.

Davis approach was a dramatic departure from existing studies of abnormal sexuality focused on institutionalized populations. Except on the pathological side, she remarked, sex is scientifically an unexplored country.

Katharine Bement Davis was frustrated by the double standard that celebrated mens sexual experiences and condemned those of women. Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images

By contrast, Davis explained, she wanted to understand the woman who was not pathological mentally or physically.

To that end, Davis distributed a detailed questionnaire to what she called women of good standing in the community from 1921 to 1923. The resulting study sample of 1,000 married women and 1,200 unmarried women was not representative  it skewed white, well-educated and well-to-do. But their responses allowed Davis to redefine female sexuality.

Americas first sexual revolution

Davis launched her study of womens sexuality during what historians now refer to as Americas first sexual revolution. The second  and more well-known one  would take place in the 1960s.

In the 1920s, as one commentator noted, a revolution in manners and morals was underway. Sex suffused popular culture. Contestants in beauty pageants displayed their charms in skimpy bathing costumes and short skirts. Actresses flaunted their sex appeal on stage and screen.

New attitudes about sex affected the daily lives of average Americans, too. Young women throughout the nation adopted the sexy look of flappers, the term used for women who sported short skirts, rolled stockings and bobbed hair.

Prior to the 1920s, courtship often took place in the home, allowing parents to closely supervise couples. But the ubiquitous automobile  which one juvenile court judge had dubbed a house of prostitution on wheels  rendered adult chaperonage obsolete and granted young people unprecedented sexual freedom.

Meanwhile, birth control activists like Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett distributed contraceptive devices and disseminated sexual information in defiance of the Comstock Act of 1873, which had defined birth control and sex education as obscene and made circulating such materials a federal crime.

Sex, secrecy and shame

Even amid the nations first sexual revolution, the facts of life remained in short supply.

According to surveys Davis distributed to married women, only about half of the respondents believed that they had been adequately prepared  for the sex side of marriage.

After expanding her study to include unmarried women, Davis found that fewer than one-third of all participants received sex education from their parents.

Many women didnt know how pregnancy occurred. Some had been unprepared even for menstruation. One recalled that when she experienced her first period, I naturally thought I was bleeding to death.

In place of information, many women imbibed shame. Having acquired the feeling as a small child that any sex pleasure was shameful and a great sin, as one respondent put it, some could never overcome their discomfort with sex. Another woman regarded all sexual thoughts as something to be shunned like the devil.

One response succinctly summarized the problem: Our present secrecy, fear, and repression are responsible for most of our sex ills.

Challenging the conspiracy of silence

Many women were eager to challenge what one called a conspiracy of silence surrounding female sexuality.

Study participants ended up providing Davis with over 10,000 pages of handwritten responses. She used this information to produce the nations first major study of womens sexuality, a 400-plus page book brimming with both statistical data and personal stories.

Factors in the Sex Life of Twenty-Two Hundred Women covered a wide range of topics, ranging from sex education to sex play. Running throughout the entire work, however, was one central idea: Women liked sex.

Davis included data on birth control, same-sex relationships and masturbation. At the time, these practices were universally stigmatized and often criminalized. Yet significant proportions of study participants engaged in all these activities.

Nearly three-quarters of married respondents reported using contraceptives. Many probably took advantage of state laws allowing physicians to prescribe diaphragms to protect patients health. Surprisingly, nearly 1 in 10 women admitted having abortions, even though the procedure was illegal in every state.

More than half of unmarried women and nearly one-third of married women stated that they had experienced intense emotional relationships with other women. In each group, approximately half described those relationships as sexual. This was a remarkably high figure, given prevailing views of homosexuality as sexual deviance and state laws criminalizing homosexual acts.

Nearly 65% of unmarried women and more than 40% of married women reported masturbating. Since nearly all physicians and pastors condemned the practice, Davis assumed the actual numbers were even higher.

Davis data demonstrated that normal women experienced what one called natural sex feeling. In short, her study showed that many women enjoyed sex for its own sake.

Davis believed that reliable data would lead to more satisfactory adjustments of the sex relationship. In other words, better information would lead to better sex.

Davis paved the way for future studies that validate womens sexual pleasure. While researching female sexuality, she established the National Research Councils Committee for Research on the Problems of Sex. The Rockefeller-funded committee later subsidized Alfred Kinseys studies of human sexuality.

Davis legacy lives on. The findings from the Kinsey Institutes latest study show that discussing sexual pleasure still matters, particularly for women. It also suggests that Americans understandings of sex have improved over the past century.

When Davis conducted her study in the 1920s, she found it advisable to define orgasm for participants who were unclear on the concept. Now, a generation of better-informed Americans ponder how to address a persistent orgasm gap.

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: Anya Jabour, University of Montana

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Anya Jabour 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.
(KRON)  A suspect has been arrested in a fatal shooting last weekend at a Berkeley homeless shelter, the Berkeley Police Department announced Tuesday. Berkeley PD officers responded at 5:26 p.m. on Sunday to Ursula Sherman Village at 711 Harrison Street on a report of a shooting.

Arriving on the scene, officers found a 37-year-old man who had been shot several times. Emergency personnel administered life-saving measures, but the man succumbed to his injuries.

San Francisco will close schools due to dramatic drops in enrollment

According to police, officers were able to identify a suspect during a subsequent investigation and obtain a warrant for his arrest. On Monday, officers spotted the suspect parked in his vehicle at 10:30 a.m. in the area of Fourth and Camelia streets.

The suspect, identified as 62-year-old Mark Christopher Dowling, was arrested without further incident. Dowling, according to police, has no address.

On Tuesday, Dowling was charged with murder by the Alameda County District Attorneys Office.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Stocks That Have Jim Cramers Attention. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Crane Company (NYSE:CR) stands against the other stocks with Jim Cramer's attention.

On a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer notes that after a significant rally in the past two weeks, the market took a hit ahead of the Federal Reserves upcoming meeting in Jackson Hole. The Dow fell 170 points, the S&P dropped 43 points, and the NASDAQ tumbled 1.67%. This downturn marks a return to reality, which can be harsh.

After the monster move weve had in the last two weeks, thats why, on the eve of the big Federal Reserve powwow in Jackson Hole, the averages got slammed. Its back to reality, and reality can sting.

Previously, after a dramatic unwind of the Yen carry trade, the market quickly collapsed but then rebounded strongly over eight days. According to Cramer, during that period, anything that was doing well surged, and there was optimism that anything struggling would improve once the Fed started cutting rates. However, that optimism has faded.

If you remember, after the sudden unwind of the Yen carry trade, the market experienced a sharp decline followed by a remarkable 8-day rebound. During that time, stocks that were performing well surged, and there was hope that struggling stocks would improve once the Fed began cutting rates. However, that was then, and this is now.

Now, were experiencing what Cramer refers to as the buyers remorse phase. Stocks that had risen on hope alone are now falling sharply. Even the prospect of the Fed stepping in hasnt been enough to prevent the decline.

Since the winning streak ended, were entering what I call the buyers remorse phase. Stocks that had been climbing based on hope alone are now falling hard. Even the prospect of Fed intervention isnt enough to prevent this decline. The selling might be exaggerated because the Fed is set to speak in Jackson Hole, and Wall Street has already factored in the possibility of a September rate cutbeyond that, its unlikely the Fed will announce multiple rate cuts, as some bulls hope.

Cramer dismisses the first two explanations for the current market weakness: the idea that the Feds actions are too late or that the Fed cant fix the economy. He believes the Feds interventions still have a significant impact, although companies with poor balance sheets might struggle.

There are also concerns that the Fed might be too late to make a difference, or that traders fear a potential Democratic sweep in November could lead to higher corporate tax ratesbad for earningsand increased scrutiny on price gouging in supermarkets and drugstores. I dont fully buy into the first two explanations. Not everything can be saved by the Fed, as some companies arent very sensitive to economic changes. Also, its never too late for a rate cut; delays might occur, but the turn is not canceled, except for companies with poor balance sheets. Those companies, burdened with debt, deserve to struggle if they cant manage their obligations effectively.

Story continues

The third explanation, political concerns, seems more plausible to Cramer. He points out that investors initially saw President Biden as less favorable to the stock market due to his pro-labor stance. However, recent discussions suggest that a potential Harris presidency might be even more challenging for businesses. Harris is seen as critical of companies raising prices and could push for measures against price gouging, which might be difficult to achieve.

The third, politics-is-trickier. Before this week, many investors saw President Biden as unfavorable to the stock market due to his pro-labor stance. However, Vice President Harris, coming from California with ties to the tech industry and connections like her brother-in-law Tony West, General Counsel at Uber, was thought to be more business-friendly. Recent discussions suggest that a Harris presidency might be even tougher on businesses than Bidens administration. There is a strong focus on criticizing food and drug companies for raising prices, even though the Biden administration attempted to control the prices of some heavily used drugs. Harriss potential efforts to curb price gouging might face challenges, as large retailers like Walmart and Costco have already done a great job of pushing suppliers to reduce prices to pre-COVID levels.

Cramer is also concerned about a recent prediction from market expert Larry Williams, which adds to his apprehension about the markets future.

On the campaign trail, Harris might not recognize the distinction between good and bad actors, opting instead to broadly criticize big businesses for taking advantage of the pandemic. These factors might explain some of todays market weakness, but what concerns me most is a recent prediction from market expert Larry Williams. I respect Larrys insights and prefer not to contradict him.

Jim Cramer said Larry Williams predicted that the rally was kaput. This term, implying that the rally might be over, is especially worrying considering it was used after the eighth day of gains. Despite this winning streak, the market didnt surpass its previous highs. Larrys charts also indicated that the S&P 500 might face difficulties in the coming week, particularly due to Nvidia, which he considers a crucial stock in the market.

Larry sent us his thoughts on Monday, and he used a term that made me concerned. He said that the rally was kaput. Mind you, this was on the eighth day. The word kaput has some ominous connotations, right? Especially because we didnt take out the highs of the averages despite the 8-day win streak. Worse, Larrys charts showed tough sledding for the S&P 500 next week, led by the most important stock in the entire marketmaybe the most important stock Ive ever seen.

Jim Cramer notes that with the market currently overboughtreflected in the S&P short-range oscillator reading of plus fiveLarrys view that the rally could be over seems plausible. Wall Streets favorite GPU maker experienced a sharp drop recently, despite its strong performance leading up to the quarter. The stocks sudden reversal was difficult to watch.

Given that the markets overboughtplus five on the S&P short-range oscillator that I followthe idea that the rally is kaput has some resonance. It doesnt help that Nvidia ran up rapidly into the quarter and expectations have gotten out of hand. The stock did a horrible reversal todayjust painful to watch.

Our Methodology

In this article, we analyze a recent episode of Jim Cramers Mad Money, where he highlighted ten stocks. We also review hedge fund opinions on these stocks and rank them based on hedge fund ownership, from the least to the most.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

20 Highest Paying Countries for Civil Engineers

A crane carrying heavy building materials, representing the robust civil engineering products of the company.

Crane Company (NYSE:CR)

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 31

Jim Cramer responded to a viewers inquiry about Crane Company (NYSE:CR) by praising its transformation. He noted that Crane Company (NYSE:CR) has shifted from its traditional metalworking focus to embrace more high-tech solutions.

Crane is a well-run company that has pivoted significantly and focuses less on traditional metal bending, now being more high-tech. Were considering including Crane in our new industrial series managed by our Chief Scientist and Chief Research Director, Ben Stod. The company is strong, and were excited about its prospects in the HVAC sector.

Crane Company (NYSE:CR) is well-positioned to benefit from trends like automation, electrification, and the recovery in aerospace demand due to its diverse range of engineered industrial products. In its Q2 2024 earnings report, Crane Company (NYSE:CR) delivered impressive results with earnings per share (EPS) of $1.94, surpassing expectations. Revenue totaled $865 million, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous year, driven by strong demand in aerospace and electronics, as well as growth in industrial products from investments in infrastructure and automation.

A recent major contract with an aerospace manufacturer underscores Crane Company (NYSE:CR)s potential for future revenue growth. Crane Company (NYSE:CR)s investments in technology and innovation, including advanced materials for aerospace and industrial uses, strengthen its competitive position. Moreover, Crane Company (NYSE:CR)s emphasis on improving operational efficiency and expanding margins, along with a strong balance sheet and good cash flow, supports its ability to pursue strategic acquisitions, share repurchases, and dividend increases.

Heres what Crane Companys CEO, Max Mitchell, has to say in their latest earnings call:

Welcome and thank you again for joining Crane and we look forward to much improved performance versus the last person in the role. Im joking, Jason. Good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining the call today. Yet another excellent quarter with results outperforming expectations. Adjusted EPS was $1.30, driven by an impressive 9% core sales growth, reflecting strength across both aerospace electronics and process flow technologies. That growth was paired with strong leading indicators with core orders up 7% and core backlog up 10% compared to last year, and confidence in our outlook for 2024 remains high. Based on the strength in the first half, we are raising the midpoint of our full year guidance by $0.15 and narrowing our outlook to a range of $4.95 to $5.15, which reflects 18% EPS growth at the midpoint. We have fairly strong direct line of sight to delivering that 18% earnings growth. Our revised guidance continues to assume somewhat muted industrial activity with aerospace electronics, commercial OE sales growth solid, but at a slightly lower levels given the changes with OE build rates. We also assume that the aerospace electronics supply chain continues with similar issues with only very gradual further improvement as the year progresses. But this is also becoming more of the normal state of play honestly, at this point in time. If those assumptions prove conservative, we are structured to be able to satisfy any unexpected upside demand. Weve had a strong first half. Our strategy is working. The team is executing, driving improved earnings through its growth and commercial excellence initiatives.

Overall CR ranks 9th on our list of the stocks with Jim Cramer's attention. While we acknowledge the potential of CR as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar 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 CR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Has Become A Wasteland.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting a massive Northern California wildfire in July that destroyed 26 homes and businesses and prompted the evacuation of nearly 30,000 people, officials said.

Spencer Grant Anderson of Oroville, California, was arraigned on Monday on charges of arson of an inhabited structure, arson of forest land and arson causing multiple structures to burn, according to the Butte County District Attorney's Office.

Anderson was ordered to return to court on Wednesday after he has a chance to speak to his court-appointed attorney, prosecutors said.

"It was a long-term investigation. There are a lot of moving parts. Right now it's an accusation and everybody has a right to a trial," Anderson's attorney, Larry Pilgrim, told ABC News on Tuesday as he waited at the Butte County Jail to speak to his client for the first time.

Pilgrim said he plans to ask for a continuance in the case to allow him to review the evidence. He said Anderson will enter a plea at a later date.

Investigators from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) identified Anderson as a possible suspect a day after the Thompson Fire ignited near the town of Oroville on July 2, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said at a news conference on Monday.

PHOTO: Law enforcement members watch as the Thompson fire burns over Lake Oroville in Oroville, Calif. on July 2, 2024. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

"For 50 days, Cal Fire devoted four to six investigators per day, brought in from around the state, to continuously watch Anderson as other investigators meticulously built the case," Ramsey said. "If Anderson had chosen to light another fire, we were confident the surveillance personnel would be able to detect and stop the fire before it could get out of control."

Anderson was taken into custody on Aug. 22 when Cal Fire investigators executed search warrants and "located evidence further implicating Anderson in starting the Thompson fire," prosecutors said in a statement without elaborating on the evidence.

Ramsey said that on the day the fire was ignited, Cal Fire investigators pinpointed the area where the fire started near the intersection of Cherokee and Thompson Flat roads in a rural area northeast of Oroville and quickly determined the "fire was caused by an intentional human act."

PHOTO: Booking photo of Spencer Grant Anderson, 26, who is charged with arson for allegedly setting the Thompson Fire near Oroville, California, on July 2. (Butte County District Attorney's Office)

"Arson by its very terms is a very difficult crime to solve because it burns up the evidence," Ramsey said, praising the work of investigators on the case.

Ramsey said several 911 callers and witnesses in the area at the time the fire started reported seeing a blue Toyota driving in the area and investigators determined the fire was most likely started by a flaming object thrown from the Toyota as it drove southbound on Cherokee Road.

PHOTO: A helicopter flies over the Thompson Fire as it burns above Lake Oroville in Oroville, Calif., July 2, 2024. (Noah Berger/AP, FILE)

Using automatic license plate readers in the area, investigators were able to identify the Toyota and trace it to Anderson, Ramsey said.

"Anderson was arrested and questioned. He admitted that on the morning of the fire, he purchased fireworks from a firework stand in Oroville, then went up to Cherokee Road to 'test one' by throwing it out his car window," prosecutors said in the statement.

MORE: Evacuation orders issued for latest California wildfire amid scorching heat wave

In addition to destroying 26 structures, including 13 homes, the Thompson Fire damaged eight structures and burned 3,789 acres before it was fully contained on July 8, according to Cal Fire. Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze, Cal Fire said.

PHOTO: Largest Fires in California History (ABC News, Cal Fire)

If convicted of the charges, Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison, according to prosecutors. Anderson has been ordered to be held without bail at the Butte County Jail.

The Thompson Fire was the second wildfire deliberately set in Butte County in July. On July 24, the Park Fire was deliberately started in Bidwell Park near Chico and spread to more than 429,000 acres across Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas counties.

MORE: Extreme heat, bone-dry vegetation and human misconduct prompting intense wildfire season

Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, was arrested on a felony count of arson of an inhabited structure or property, according to the Butte County District Attorney's Office. Stout has pleaded not guilty.

Stout was allegedly spotted pushing a car that was on fire down a gully called "Alligator Hole" in Bidwell Park, igniting the Park Fire, now the fourth largest wildfire in California history, according to prosecutors.

Suspect hit with arson charges in Northern California fire that destroyed 26 homes and businesses originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  A suspect in an alleged sexual assault in Monongalia County from 2022 was arrested this week in Pennsylvania.

Antonio Gabriel Mendez, aka Emilio Pascual Guzman (Credit: US Marshals Service)

According to a release from the U.S. Marshals Service, Antonio Gabriel Mendez, aka Emilio Pascual Guzman, 32, of Guatemala, was arrested by US Marshals on Monday afternoon at a restaurant in St. Claire, Pa. Mendez was wanted by the West Virginia State Police for first-degree sexual assault.

Mendezs charges come from an alleged incident that took place on Sept. 20, 2022, where Mendez is said to have forcibly sexually assaulted a woman on the Caperton Rail Trail near the Star City Park, the release said.

Texas man arrested in Marion County after missing juvenile found in his custody

After the incident was reported, the West Virginia State Police began an investigation and issued a warrant for Mendezs arrest on March 3, 2023. The U.S. Marshals Service began assisting a month later and issued a press release regarding the search for Mendez in October 2023.

This case shows tremendous coordination between law enforcement, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of West Virginia Terry Moore said. The State Police were able to quickly identify the suspect in this case, and after learning he had fled the area, requested our assistance in locating him. The swift actions from our U.S. Marshals counterparts in the Middle District of Pennsylvania led to a quick and safe apprehension.

The release said that Mendez will appear in Pennsylvania for his initial appearance on the charges but will be extradited to West Virginia if he is detained.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A possible Russian Shahed-type drone flew over Polish airspace for 33 minutes on Aug. 26 before "disappearing," RMF 24 reported.

Russia launched its largest aerial attack against Ukraine early on Aug. 26, launching 127 missiles and 109 drones.

A search is underway to find debris in Tyszowce, Poland. This is the last known recorded location of the drone.

At the moment, it is unclear whether the drone crashed on Polish territory or flew back into Ukrainian airspace.

The Polish military was ready to shoot down the object but was unable to identify it with certainty, RMF 24 wrote.

"The identification had to take place before the decision to neutralize the object was made... However, this final identification did not take place due to the weather conditions," Polish Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Goryszewski told RMF 24.

There are currently no reports of damage on the ground.

As the Russian mass attack on Aug. 26 also targeted the western regions of Ukraine, Warsaw scrambled its fighter jets in the southeastern part of the country.

This was not the first case of a possible violation of Polish airspace as a result of a Russian aerial attack against Ukraine.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslalw Sikorski said in July that some Russian missiles fired at targets in Lviv Oblast in Ukraine's west entered Polish airspace for about 40 seconds before turning back to targets on Ukrainian soil.

In another incident on Nov. 15, 2022, a missile flew onto Polish territory during a Russian mass attack, killing two civilians. Polish investigators later concluded that it was a stray Ukrainian anti-air projectile launched to intercept the Russian attack.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A now suspended Buffalo Public School music teacher was arraigned on one count of attempted endangering the welfare of a child Thursday, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced.

Steven DeMart, 36, of Amherst, allegedly communicated with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child on multiple occasions through social media. It is alleged that he sent her a sexually explicit video.

Officials said on May 28, DeMart attempted to meet with the child. He then allegedly reported the incident to Amherst police later the same day after it was revealed that he had been communicating with an adult who was impersonating a juvenile female.

DeMart, who was working as a music teacher at the school, was suspended from his position after the alleged incident was reported.

He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to return to court Sept. 19.

Latest Local News

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
FILE PHOTO: Supporters of Burkina junta hold rally to mark one-year anniversary of coup, in Ouagadougou

ZURICH (Reuters) - A Swiss citizen working on a U.S.-funded aid project has been arrested in Burkina Faso, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Switzerland and a foreign official said on Tuesday.

The motive for the arrest was not immediately clear.

"The FDFA is aware of the arrest of a Swiss citizen in Burkina Faso," the foreign affairs department said in a statement.

It was not immediately possible to reach Burkina Faso's ruling military junta for comment on the arrest.

Burkina Faso, located in the sub-Saharan region known as the Sahel, has experienced two coups in recent years. Relations between the authorities and Western powers have grown increasingly strained.

On Monday, Denmark said it was closing its embassies in Mali and Burkina Faso. This followed Mali's move to expel Sweden's ambassador earlier this month following a diplomatic dispute.

A foreign official focused on Sahel issues said the Swiss citizen was working on a U.S.-funded aid project in Niger and Burkina Faso as the chief of party for U.S.-based nonprofit Winrock International.

He was first detained in Niger, alongside a British citizen. Both were released. The Swiss citizen then traveled to Burkina Faso, where he was arrested and detained, the foreign official said.

Winrock International has domestic offices in Arkansas and Virginia. The organization works on water security and resilience in Burkina Faso and Niger, according to its website.

Winrock did not respond to requests for comment.

Burkina Faso's army is fighting a jihadist insurgency that has spread across the Sahel region south of the Sahara since it first took root 12 years ago. The worsening violence in the region has also led to two coups in Mali and in neighbouring Niger since 2020.

Burkina's junta, which seized power in a 2022 coup, is accused of suppressing dissent by kidnapping and conscripting critics, and urging citizens to report suspicious neighbours in the name of national security.

(Reporting by Dave Graham in Zurich; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Four days after a 12-year-old girl was fatally shot while sleeping, Dayton Police provided updates on the case, including details on a new reward.

Isabella Amor-Carlos, 12, was sleeping in her bed in her West Fairview Avenue home around 1 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23, when gunfire outside erupted.

Amor-Carlos was fatally hit.

DPD Maj. Brian Johns said that approximately 37 rifle rounds were fired, hitting not just Amor-Carlos home but three others as well. No other injuries were reported.

Johns said that evidence gathered at the scene leads Dayton Police to believe there were at least two different shooters.

Now police as asking for the publics help to bring justice to Isabellas family.

We believe, with certainty, that there are people in the community who know who fired these into this house, said Johns. He continued that police didnt believe Isabellas house was the target.

A 12-year-old girl was shot and killed in her bed, and thats something we cant stand for.

While Dayton Police have gotten some cooperation from businesses that may have caught something on their surveillance cameras, Johns asked that residents in the Fairview Avenue-Main Street area also check their own recordings to see if their doorbell cams glimpsed the perpetrators around 12:30 a.m. Friday morning.

Crime Stoppers is now offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. Information can be shared anonymously at (937) 222-STOP or the Crime Stoppers 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.
(WRBL)  A federal mediator has been brought into the negotiations between the Communication Workers of America and AT&T in an effort to bring them to a close.

The CWA bargaining team released a statement to striking workers saying, We are hopeful that mediation might lead us to the agreement our members deserve.

The first meeting involving a federal mediator took place Aug. 21. WRBL spoke with a representative with AT&T who said the negotiations are still underway, and could not provide any details at this time.

In statement sent to WRBL, the company says bringing in a mediator helps underscore both sides commitment dialogue.

To eliminate any doubt about our sincerity and our conduct, as well as underscore our commitment to constructive dialogue, weve invited a federal mediator to join the negotiations, AT&T said.

In a statement posted on the CWA website, CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. said he has been in contact with CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt, and has faith in the bargaining team.

I have told AT&T executives that the striking workers and the bargaining team have my full support, Cummings said. I expect AT&T to treat every member with respect and to send representatives to the table who have authority to bargain and who are serious about bargaining in good faith.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Afghan women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group, in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 23, 2023. The Taliban Virtue and Vice Ministry had on May 7, 2022, said women in public must wear all-encompassing robes and cover their faces except for their eyes. | Ebrahim Noroozi

Three years ago, the Taliban took control of the government of Afghanistan. Since then, its regime has continued to oppress women and girls in their country, as they introduced dozens of rules restricting females basic human rights. Last week, the group published a new set of laws to promote virtue and eliminate vice, requiring, among other things, that a woman be fully veiled in public at all times, including her face and eyes. They have also silenced the women of the country by prohibiting a womans voice from being heard in public spaces.

The Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue published a 114-page, 35-article document detailing the new laws. Article 13 says it is mandatory for a woman to veil her body at all times in public and that a face covering is essential to avoid temptation and tempting others, reports the Associated Press. They are also mandated to fully veil themselves in the presence of all male strangers, and all non-Muslims. They are also forbidden from using perfume or make-up.

A womans voice, the Taliban decreed, is intimate, and therefore women are prohibited from singing, reciting or reading out loud in public. They are also not allowed to laugh loudly, and their laughter should not be heard by men.

Article 17 also bans the publication of images of living beings. Voice of America reports that a Taliban-controlled state broadcaster in Afghanistan silenced a female journalist and her image during a live media event Tuesday, apparently in compliance with the radical rulers recently enacted morality law that bans women from speaking or showing their faces in public.

The list of new laws also bans the playing of music, the transportation of unaccompanied female travelers, any mixing of men and women not related to each other and prohibits men from shaving, combing their hair, skipping prayers or skipping fasting, reports Reuters.

Penalties for violations included advice, warnings of divine punishment, verbal threats, confiscation of property, detention for one hour to three days in public jails, and any other punishment deemed appropriate, according to the Justice Ministry. If those measures fail to correct behavior, individuals would be referred to court for further action.

On Sunday, Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the U.N. mission in the country (The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan), issued a statement calling the new laws a distressing vision for Afghanistans future, one that extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls, with even the sound of a female voice outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.

Statement from Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the@UN Assistance Mission in #Afghanistan on ratification by de facto authorities of morality law. Full statement (English, Dari, Pashto): https://t.co/roRs40CtHS pic.twitter.com/sum6OoLdvP  UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) August 25, 2024

Zabihullah Mujahid, the main spokesman for the Talibans government, issued a statement warning against arrogance from those who he said may not be familiar with Islamic law, particularly non-Muslims who might express reservations or objections.

We urge a thorough understanding of these laws and a respectful acknowledgment of Islamic values. To reject these laws without such understanding is, in our view, an expression of arrogance, he said, according to the Associated Press.

Prior to the new vice and virtue laws, women and girls were already blocked from attending school beyond sixth grade, depriving 1.4 million girls of an education. Women are also banned from almost every form of paid employment, including working with nongovernmental organizations; prevented from walking in public parks, attending gyms or visiting beauty salons; and were already required to comply with a strict dress code. Earlier this year, the Taliban also announced the reintroduction of the public flogging and stoning of women for adultery.

Genocide Watch reports hundreds of cases of femicide in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over, and reports they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the true scale of gender-based violence in the country. Undeterred by international alarm and criticism about gender apartheid, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada said last year that Afghan women are provided with a comfortable and prosperous life.
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  The Taylorville Police Department and Christian County Crime Stoppers are asking for help in finding the people who stole multiple campaign signs from around town.

Officials said that over the weekend, several properties had campaign signs that were stolen off them. Some of the signs brackets were left behind in a damaged state.

Rantoul authorities looking for tips on four fires in one neighborhood

The total cost of the thefts is unknown at this time.

People who know something about this string of crimes is asked to contact Christian County Crime Stoppers by calling 217-824-9100, visiting their website or texting CRIMES to 274637. All tips will be anonymous and eligible for up to $1,000 if an arrest is made using the information provided.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Like any successful entrepreneur, Kevin OLeary has had a few mentors along the way.

But certain pieces of advice stick with you your whole career  and for some, their entire lives. OLeary recently shared a video on his YouTube channel, where the millionaire cut together clips of different media appearances where he spoke about the top three tips his mentors gave him that changed [his] life forever.

Don't miss

Heres more on what kernels of wisdom help OLeary navigate his career.

Leaving the nest

OLeary has frequently mentioned how his mother, Georgette, was one of the most influential people in his life.

She owned and managed a successful childrens clothing store called Kiddie Togs, which allowed her to support OLeary through college.

However, when his mother visited him for his graduation ceremony, she informed him that the financial support was coming to an end. When OLeary pushed her to explain, she offered him an analogy: The dead bird under the nest never learns how to fly.

As far as she was concerned, she had done her work  it was OLearys turn now to leave the nest and support himself. The sudden lack of a safety net drove OLeary to start making money independently, which eventually led to his many business ventures.

He said he now has a similar rule for his children which could motivate them to seek their own path to success.

These days, 65% of parents provide some sort of financial support to their kids between ages 22 and 40.

However, many wealthy investors and entrepreneurs subscribe to Georgettes philosophy and limit the financial support they provide to their children.

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, famously didnt leave the company to his family when he died in 2018.

Warren Buffett has a similar outlook. Buffetts philosophy  to leave his children enough so that they can do anything, but not so much that they can do nothing  as he once explained, comes from the belief that the most important inheritance parents can offer their children is a solid example on how to behave.

While a safety net can be helpful, many successful entrepreneurs see the value in being self-motivated and seeking success independently.

Story continues

Read more: These 5 magic money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2024  and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how

Guest speakers tip on experience

The second piece of life-changing advice came from a guest lecturer who appeared at University of Western Ontario during OLearys final year.

The unnamed lecturer had some blunt words for the class, predicting that only a third of them would be successful while the majority would either fail or have mediocre outcomes in their career.

He said, You guys think youre so damn good, don't you? Well when you walk out of here the real world is going to kick the living s out of you and you wont know what hit you. Itll be brutal, OLeary recounted.

He also said the lecture taught him about the value of gaining real-world experience, which has been instrumental to his business success.

That experience is distilled to intuition, he said.

The only way to get to where I am today is having spent 30 years doing it, its the only way you can do it. You cant buy it  you need the experience that the road traveled gives you. That turns into intuition and that becomes a very powerful tool.

In 2023, 40% of business leaders surveyed by Intelligent.com said they believe recent college grads are unprepared for the workforce. This lack of tangible experience could be one of the reasons many young graduates struggle to find work.

Meanwhile, those with experience had a clear edge. According to a landmark 2018 study by Harvard University, the average age of people who founded the highest-growth startups is 45, challenging the popular notion that younger, inexperienced founders were more likely to succeed.

Stepfathers tip on optionality

OLeary revealed hed initially wanted to become a cinematographer after graduating college. However, his stepfather talked him out of it.

Knowing that the industry was competitive and there was no guarantee of success, his stepfather encouraged him to complete his MBA, so hed have the toolset as an entrepreneur to choose any direction he wished.

And that was very good advice because it gave me time to mature a bit and learn the things I needed to know about running a business, OLeary added.

Many successful entrepreneurs had a similar safety net before setting off on their business journey. Buffett is a graduate of the prestigious Wharton school while Jeff Bezos reportedly once said he would be an extremely happy software programmer somewhere, if Amazon had failed.

Because success is never guaranteed, a backup plan could be invaluable for any investor or entrepreneur.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
TECO customers could see rate increase in 2025

TECO customers could see rate increase in 2025

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Your monthly power bill could come with an unwelcome surprise in the future.

Tampa Electric is answering tough questions from state regulators about a request to raise rates.

Florida Public Service Commission is conducting a week-long hearing in Tallahassee to determine if the price adjustment is a viable option for customers.

The potential base rate increase would be staggered over the next three years. However, the additional revenue is projected to exceed $400 million.

The proposal is under scrutiny because customers would have to shoulder a large portion of the cost.

The rate increase would mean about a $20 per month jump in 2025, a $10 per month increase on top of that in 2026 and a $5 per month increase on top of those two in 2027.

For too long, TECO and the industrial customers have relied on hardworking residential customers and small businesses to be the piggy bank to subsidize their costs, a critic of the plan said during opening statements.

These increases would impact more than 840,000 TECO users across West Central Florida, including Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

The investments we are making are cost effective, said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. If we dont make these investments now our customers will end up paying higher costs over the long term.

The Florida Public Service Commission is expected to make a final decision by November.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

PARIS (Reuters) - Telegram boss Pavel Durov will remain in police custody for up to 48 hours more as part of a cyber crime investigation, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday, after it was decided to extend his detention on Monday evening.

Durov was arrested on Saturday. The probe concerns crimes related to suspected illicit transactions, child pornography and fraud on the app, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel)
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov visited Russia over 60 times since leaving the country in 2014, Kremlingram, a Ukrainian group that campaigns against the use of Telegram in Ukraine, reported on Aug. 27.

Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of Paris on Aug. 24 after landing in his private jet. Born in St Petersburg, Durov obtained French citizenship in 2021, but is believed to live in Dubai.

He faces 12 charges from the French authorities, including crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking, money laundering, and withholding crucial information from investigators.

Durov, who has a net worth estimated at $15.5 billion, left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on Russian social media platform VK, which he subsequently sold.

Kremlingram was anonymously sent a spreadsheet in December 2023 with data on Durov's crossings of the Russian border between 2015 and 2021.

The information contradicts Durov's claims of being a pariah and being effectively exiled from Russia, Kremlingram said.

Read also: Yaroslav Azhnyuk: Why doesnt Ukraine restrict use of the Russian Telegram app?

"We could not confirm the authenticity of this data for a long time," Kremlingram said, but a recent leak of a large FSB database, published by independent Russian media outlet Meduza, corroborated the data.

The FSB data leak "completely coincides with one of the entries in the letter we received, which contains a total of 125 entries of Pavel's entry and exit to Russia," Kremlingram said.

Durov's "relationship with the Russian authorities in 2015-2021 was good enough that he was not afraid of being detained while crossing the border," Kremlingram noted.

After his arrest in France, the Russian Embassy in Paris said they had asked for consular access to Durov. "The French side has so far avoided cooperation on this issue," the Russian Embassy claimed on Aug. 25.

The statements of the Russian authorities indicate that Durov still "also has a valid Russian passport," Kremlingram said, despite his claims that "he was no longer a Russian entrepreneur and had dual citizenship in France and the UAE."

Telegram remains one of the most popular social media platforms among Ukrainians. A September 2023 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that 44% of Ukrainians use Telegram to receive information and news.

Telegram is also widely used by Ukrainian officials and various government bodies, against the advice of Ukraine's TV and radio-broadcasting body.

Read also: How Ukrainian social media influencer raised over $50 million for military thanks to typing

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Telegram on user privacy: How well protected are your messages?

After the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, many using the chat app might be wondering: Is this platform as safe as I thought? Telegram says it abides by EU laws. Security experts say consumers should be thinking more about Telegram's bad policy on data privacy. Fabian Sommer/dpa

Anti-government protesters in Belarus, Hong Kong and Iran, Extinction Rebellion activists in Britain, Islamic State terrorists... just about any organized group with something to fear from state officials uses Telegram to communicate.

The messenger app has long prided itself on refusing to hand over data to officials.

"That's why Telegram is banned by authoritarian governments such as Russia and Iran." So said Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who himself is now in custody of French police in connection to an investigation of the platform's possible breach of EU laws.

Durov, long in exile from Russia after refusing to hand over user data to state officials, was taken into police custody at Le Bourget airport earlier in August.

Police are holding Durov as part of a preliminary inquest into Telegram's lack of moderation and cooperation with law enforcement regarding drug trafficking, fraud and child abuse offences on the social media platform, according to local media.

Telegram - the law-breaking messenger?

Telegram has responded by saying it complies with EU laws and had not violated any regulations.

In a post on X, the online messaging service said it "abides by EU laws" like the Digital Services Act (DSA) which aims to ensure that platforms remove illegal content from their pages quickly.

The company said its moderation was "within industry standards" and was "constantly improving."

"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," Telegram said. "Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe."

Telegram has long faced accusations of not taking a strong enough stance against hate speech and other illegal activities.

Encrypted private groups on Telegram allow users to exchange messages without police being able to easily monitor them. A 2019 investigation by the BBC found images of child sexual abuse and stolen credit card data were being circulated in such groups on Telegram, as well as other platforms.

But while Telegram has a reputation for protecting protesters - even when they could be breaking local laws - does the company's increased attention from European authorities make it a risky choice for users?

Users appreciate the message of privacy, the smooth interface and the public "channels" where like-minded people can discuss shared interests and causes.

A black box for data privacy

And yet when it comes to protecting users, some experts appear more concerned with Telegram's approach to privacy.

Even before you send your message, the app sends every snippet and draft of text you type to Telegram servers in real time - whether or not you send it.

This is just one of the reasons why some security experts say Telegram is a disaster in terms of user privacy. The server even has access to a complete copy of all chats, according to researchers at German industry specialist website Heise Security.

Your conversations should be stored exclusively on your own mobile device. The problem: what Telegram does with your data, other than sending it to another mobile device, remains unknown.

Even WhatsApp offers more privacy assurances.

There are so-called "secret chats" as a Telegram function, which are secured to prevent third parties from reading them. On its website, Telegram says if privacy security is an issue for you, you should use these secret chats with a self-destruct timer.

But these features are deactivated by default and so well hidden that most Telegram users aren't aware of them. Secret chats are also more limited in functionality and won't work on more than one device you own.

Encryption on Signal and WhatsApp

Here too, other messengers are better equipped - Signal, for example, or WhatsApp, which uses the encryption technology of Signal. There are no central chat databases for these two messengers.

The messages are encrypted so that only the real recipient can open and read them - in other words, end-to-end encryption. The chats are also stored only on the owner's mobile device - never on remote servers that could theoretically be accessed by a court order.

But beyond that, we don't know much about the workings of the Facebook-owned app's inner workings, and it's entirely possible that backdoors have been built into WhatsApp's closed-source software.

Moreover, WhatsApp is gradually being integrated further into the Facebook group, which earns billions by processing its users' data to deliver targeted ads.

As a secure messenger alternative with good encryption, the experts recommend Signal, which is without exception open-source software. This means that anyone with the know-how can check what is happening behind the scenes at any time.

In addition, the Signal infrastructure is operated by a non-profit foundation that is committed to data protection and is financed entirely by donations.

There is therefore no financial interest in the users' data. Telegram, on the other hand, is an opaque company construct, the motives for which are virtually unknown.
Paris prosecutors have outlined potential charges against Pavel Durov, the Russian-born CEO of the messaging app Telegram.



The twelve charges he is accused of include crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking, money laundering, withholding crucial information from investigators, and eight other crimes.

Telegram, with nearly a billion users, is renowned for its emphasis on privacy and encryption, which contributes to both its popularity and controversy. Durov is facing accusations of not doing enough to prevent the app from being used for criminal activities.



Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of Paris on Aug. 24 after landing in his private jet.



The Russian Embassy in Paris claimed they asked for consular access to Durov on Aug. 25, but "the French side has so far avoided cooperation on this issue."

Macron said there is now "false information regarding France" circulating following the arrest of Durov. "France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.

"It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law. The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision," Macron added.

Read also: Ukrainian hackers launch large-scale cyberattack on Russian Internet providers, military-related companies, source says

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A tentative one-year agreement has been reached between Amherst and Tonawanda nursing home workers and their employer, putting a halt on strikes intended for this week.

Around 170 workers at Williamsville Suburban and Safire of Northtowns negotiated with their employer for months since their last contract expired April 30.

Solomon Abramczyk, their employer, initially failed to sign off on an agreed deal due to the unions demands for experience-based pay, according to a 1199SEIU representative.

We are glad that we could reach a final agreement, said Heather Benns, a licensed

practical nurse. Experience pay is important  If you have 30 years with that

certification or 10 years with that license, you bring a tremendous amount of

knowledge and experience to a nursing home.

Workers originally planned to hold a 24-hour strike Aug. 28 and filed an unfair labor practice charge, alleging their employer was bargaining in bad faith. Now that the agreement has been signed, they say the charge will be dropped.

Voting on the deal will occur at a later date.

Latest Local News

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
AUSTIN  Texas Republicans are doubling down on claims that Democrats in the states biggest cities are attempting to steal the 2024 election  a contest in which the GOPs leads in the Senate and presidential races are increasingly narrowing.

State GOP leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have made the states large urban counties a focus of allegations of a grand Democratic conspiracy to steal the 2024 election.

On Tuesday, Abbott announced that his office had removed more than 1 million ineligible voters from state rolls, including more than 6,500 noncitizens, of which the governors office claimed that almost 2,000 have cast votes.

Abbott added that those cases would be referred to prosecution to Paxtons office  which has been on its own campaign against alleged voter fraud as of late.

Paxton falsely told right-wing talk show host Glenn Beck last Thursday that President Biden and Vice President Harris, now at the top of the ticket, had worked to move masses of undocumented voters into critical states to vote illegally  claims he did not back up with any basis.

This was the plan, tell the cartels, Get people here as fast as possible, as many as possible, were not going to make them hide anymore  well get them placed in the right states, Paxton said. They want to fix the election so that we have a one party country that we cant fix.

No one anticipated the federal govt would work around laws to try to get illegals to vote. But here we are, Paxton added, in a grab from the interview he posted on the social platform X.

Thats why we have to send a message out from the states: Hey illegals, this is not a free ride. If we catch you, were going to prosecute you.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 23, 2024. (Greg Nash)

State Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa on Monday, meanwhile, charged Republican leadership with fear tactics and misinformation to suppress voter turnout and cling to power, knowing that our movement for a blue Texas is gaining momentum every day.

Paxtons interview with Beck was a sign of several distinct campaign tactics that appear to be coming together as the November election nears.

Last Tuesday, Paxton announced investigations into debunked claims that nonprofit groups were illegally registering noncitizens to vote in our elections  a talking point that appears to have come from a friend-of-a-friend story from Fox host Maria Bartiromo.

Then on Wednesday, Paxton authorized searches of the homes and offices of Democratic Party officials and campaign workers in three Texas counties, including Bexar, the home of San Antonio, the states second-largest city.

And on Friday, Paxton sued the Biden administration over a new Department of Homeland rule that would allow some U.S. citizens spouses who lack permanent legal status to apply for legal status without leaving the country.

Texas is also sending election monitors to oversee elections in Harris County  the states most populous county, home of Houston and a repeated site of state audits that have sought, and continuously failed, to overturn evidence of widespread fraud  The Texas Tribune reported last week.

Texas removes 1 million people from voter rolls

Harris is a longtime focus of Paxtons  in 2021, he told Trump strategist Steve Bannon that if not for his legal campaign to block vote-by-mail efforts in the county, Trump would have lost Texas .

Those comments are of particular note in light of national polling that reveals the states Senate race is now within the margin of error  and that Vice President Harris has cut Trumps lead in half , per The Texas Tribune.

A survey in early August of 1,365 state residents by the University of Houstons School of Public Affairs found that Harris was within 5 points of Trump  with 4 percentage points more voters energized to vote for her than had been for Biden.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R) is also just more than 2 points ahead of challenger Rep. Colin Allred (D), with more than 6 percent undecided.

In a sign of the states changing political landscape, Trump slightly leads Harris among Latino voters, though Cruz trails Allred among that cadre. Both Democrats lead Trump among Texas women by more than 6 points.

On a national level, Republicans and major donors have repeatedly cited immigration as a top campaign issue.

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley  whose senior adviser on Wednesday touted election lawsuits in four battleground states  posted on X last week in support of Paxtons investigation of alleged voting by non-citizens.

In a post retweeted by Paxton, Trump donor and Texas transplant Elon Musk wrote on X that As Ive said before, the Dems are importing voters. And Trump immigration adviser Stephen Miller on Monday told Paxton on X that he was honored to work with you in defense of America.

Within the state, Abbott last Thursday explicitly called out the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which in 2021 ruled that Paxton could not investigate election fraud in a county without the assistance of a local district attorney  which Paxton has argued would bar him from access to the states large urban Democratic counties.

Listen, its been long true that an executive in the state of Texas can have roles in more than one of the three different bodies of power, Abbott said in response to the appeals ruling.

In Texas, this dynamic is playing out most vividly in the context of a single state representative race in District 80, which includes Uvalde, site of a mass shooting at an elementary school in 2022  the site of Paxtons raids, and where Democrats are alleging a campaign of intimidation.

In the race to replace retiring Democrat Tracy King, Republican former Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin faces Democrat Cecilia Castellano  who was one of the party members raided by Texas agents as part of Paxtons investigation.

In a statement to The Hill on Monday, McLaughlins campaign condemned opponent Cecilia Castellano for dodging responsibility and playing political games as she faces a voter fraud investigation.

Castellano, McLaughlin told The Hill, is clearly focused on her own political agenda and saving her own hide instead of the issues that matter to Texans.

In his statement on Monday, state Democratic party chair Hinojosa condemned the state GOPs us of secret police-like tactics to raid the homes of the elderly and Democratic strategists, while ignoring their own Secretary of States claims of clean voter rolls.

He encouraged Texans to check their registration, ensure eligible friends and family are registered, and double-check vote-by-mail applications before submitting them to their local elections office.

Updated 3:11 p.m.

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The Kremlin is trying to calm fears that the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France could upend the messaging platform, which is extremely popular in Russia and plays a key role in coordinating the war effort in Ukraine.

Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that calls for users to delete their sensitive messages on the app, including from the editor of Russias state-run RT news, were utterly stupid.

Peskov added that though the allegations against Durov, who was born in Russia but also has citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, were serious, French authorities would have to put forward equally serious evidence to back them up.

Otherwise, there will be a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication. And we can even say direct intimidation of the head of a large company. Which means there will be politics involved, something that Mr. Macron denied yesterday, Peskov said.

The Kremlins move to assuage concerns over the future safety of Telegram underscores how important the app has become to Russias military.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said the decision to bring charges against Durov was in no way political, a rare move as French leaders often avoid discussing criminal cases to avoid any suggestion of politics influencing judicial affairs.

The Paris prosecutors office on Monday announced a litany of charges against Durov, including allegations that his platform was complicit in aiding money launderers, drug traffickers and people spreading child pornography. Prosecutors also accused Durov of refusing to comply with French authorities demand for help intercepting potentially illicit communications.

At a news conference in Moscow following talks with his Yemeni counterpart on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged, without proof, that Durov was clearly taken away on someones advice and is being threatened with terrible punishment, apparently hoping to somehow gain access to encryption codes.

Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, on May 19, 2019. - Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto/Getty Images

With around 950 million users, Telegram is one of the worlds most popular messaging apps. Its strong end-to-end encryption, limited content moderation and functionality  it allows users to share larger files, longer videos and higher-quality photos than many of its competitors  has made it extremely popular in both countries where freedom of speech is curtailed and in war zones, including in Ukraine, where it has become a vital tool for Ukrainian officials to share military updates and warnings about air raids.

It is very convenient, it is very secure, Lavrov said.

Story continues

Those same features have also made Telegram a key communication tool for the Russian military and pro-Kremlin bloggers. One popular pro-Russian war blogger with more than 780,000 followers reshared a post saying that Frances decision to arrest Durov meant that in essence, the head of communications for the Russian Armed Forces was detained.

Another less-followed military blogger posted a picture with the words for Pavel on a missile presumably bound for Ukraine, which on Monday was hit by the largest aerial attack since the war began.

The blogger, Aleksei Sukonkin, said that Telegram is the basis of military communications, even if Russian government officials publicly dispute the claim.

Telegram is a powerful, alternative to the official, and of course, more efficient information resource; telegram is also the main civilian messenger in Russia, practically uncontrolled by Western intelligence agencies, as well as a powerful advertising resource and a platform for personal blogs, Sukonkin said. All this is under threat.

Telegrams popularity with pro-Russian military bloggers and the Kremlins active support for Durov is somewhat surprising considering the tech entrepreneur refused to supply Moscow with data from users of his previous enterprise, a Facebook-like social media network called Vkontakte (VK).

Durov later resigned as VKs CEO and sold his shares for millions of dollars. Both he and Telegram are now based in Dubai.

CNNs Clare Duffy contributed to this report.

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(Bloomberg) -- Thailands ruling party will exclude a pro-military conservative group from its coalition, a move thats set to further delay new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatras bid to form a cabinet.

The Palang Pracharath Party, which has 40 lawmakers in the nations House of Representatives, will no longer be part of the ruling coalition though some lawmakers or members may still be considered for positions in Paetongtarns cabinet, according to Pheu Thai Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong.

The decision by Pheu Thais executive board came after its lawmakers raised questions about Palang Pracharaths commitment to the alliance as its leader Prawit Wongsuwan did not attend a parliament vote on Aug. 16 to select Paetongtarn as prime minister, Sorawong said.

Pheu Thai, backed by the family of influential former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, will now discuss adding Democrat Party from the opposition to the ruling bloc to strengthen its position in the lower house, he said.

Paetongtarns father Thaksin had blamed Prawit, a former army chief, for orchestrating a plot to take down former leader Srettha Thavisin, who was dismissed by the Constitutional Court earlier this month over ethical violations in appointing Thaksins tainted family lawyer as a minister in his cabinet. In a dinner talk last week, Thaksin said Paetongtarns coalition didnt need Palang Pracharath as it had enough numbers in parliament.

What to Know About Thailands Youngest Prime Minister: QuickTake

Paetongtarn, who is Thaksins youngest daughter, has struggled to finalize her cabinet lineup due to the squabbling in Palang Pracharath and lengthy background checks on ministerial candidates.

The conservative Palang Pracharath party has been rocked by internal conflicts in recent weeks that saw the bloc split into two factions, one led by Prawit and the other by the partys secretary-general Thamanat Prompow.

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(Bloomberg) -- Thailand is bracing for more tropical rainstorms after 22 people died in flash floods and landslides over the past week.

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The flooding has affected more than 33,000 households in 13 provinces since Aug. 16, killing nine people, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said in a statement Tuesday. A further 13 people died in a landslide in Phuket last week, the department said. While floods have receded from their peak, about 10,000 households in four provinces remain affected.

A tropical depression is expected to strengthen through Wednesday, bringing more rain to northern, northeastern and southern provinces, the disaster mitigation agency said. Former leader Thaksin Shinawatra will travel to northern Chiang Rai province on Tuesday to visit affected areas, after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra  his daughter  went to Nan province during the weekend to distribute relief goods.

Despite the likelihood of flooding in other major provinces, the current situation is expected to be less severe than it was in the 2011 disaster, UOB Kay Hian Securities (Thailand) Pcl analysts wrote in a note Tuesday. The current water dam capacity is significantly higher, and the storm forecast isnt as bad as 13 years ago, they said.

The 2011 rains killed at least 800 people and resulted in estimated losses of more than $40 billion to Southeast Asias second-biggest economy. The worst flooding in a generation submerged more than 10,000 factories, including those of Honda Motor Co. and Western Digital Corp.

The government hasnt provided information on the cost of damage to farm output nor to infrastructure from this months calamity.

Listen on Zero: Climate Change Is Loading the Weather Dice Against Us

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Thailand looks to have provided the Saab Gripen E/F program with a major vote of confidence, with reports that its air force has selected the Swedish-made jet as its next fighter. While the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) already operates earlier Gripen C/D aircraft, the Gripen E/F brings with it significant advances in capability, the extent of which make it almost an entirely new aircraft compared to its predecessor.

Thailand has provided the Saab Gripen E/F program with a major vote of confidence after its air force selected the Swedish-made jet as its next fighter. While the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) already operates earlier Gripen C/D aircraft, the Gripen E/F brings with it significant advances in capability, the extent of which makes it almost an entirely new aircraft compared to its predecessor.

The RTAF said today that it wants to buy the Gripen E/F which it considers has the capability to match the demand of the military doctrine and the Air Forces strategy, Reuters reports. The service also said it had spent 10 months making its decision.

A single-seat Gripen E. Saab www.twz.com

In a statement to TWZ, a company spokesperson said: Saab confirms that the Royal Thai Air Force have announced their wish to purchase Saabs Gripen fighter. This is clearly very positive for Saab and for Sweden but as this point there is no contract or any order in place. Saab is looking forward to continuing our discussions with the Royal Thai Air Force and the authorities regarding future fighter capabilities for Thailand.

The final decision to buy the aircraft will also require approval by the Thai cabinet.

Already last month, there were reports that the RTAF had already decided in favor of the Swedish fighter, although this was not confirmed at the time.

Its unclear how many Gripen E/Fs Thailand aims to buy, but previous reports indicated an immediate requirement for 1214 new fighters.

According to previously announced RTAF plans, the new aircraft are to be purchased in the 2025 fiscal year, with deliveries to begin by 2028.

The candidates for Thailands new fighter had previously been narrowed down to the Gripen E/F and the U.S.-made F-16 Block 70/72 from Lockheed Martin, an aircraft that you can read about in detail here.

An F-16 Block 70 for Bahrain at the Lockheed Martin factory in Greenville, South Carolina. Lockheed Martin Hand-out

Notably, the RTAF already operates earlier models of both the Gripen and the F-16, as part of a fairly varied but increasingly aged fighter fleet.

The most modern of the RTAFs fighters are its 11 Gripens (seven single-seat Gripen Cs and four two-seat Gripen Ds) which were in two separate batches in February 2008 and November 2010. These jets have recently been upgraded to the latest MS20 configuration and they have a notable anti-surface warfare capability, armed with Saabs RBS 15 anti-ship missile. A single Gripen C was lost in a crash in January 2017.

A formation of RTAF Gripen C/Ds. Saab Katsuhiko TOKUNAGA/DACT,INC.

The Thai Gripens are also integrated within a Saab-supplied national datalink system, known as Link-T. Playing a vital role within this is a pair of Saab 340 turboprop aircraft equipped with the Erieye radar for airborne early warning and control (AEW&C).

A two-seat RTAF Gripen D and a Saab 340 Erieye AEW&C platform. Saab Peter Liander

Supporting these are a larger number of F-16s, comprising 36 single-seat F-16As and 14 two-seat F-16Bs. These are the survivors from a total of 52 F-16A/Bs that were delivered by the United States under four separate orders plus seven more F-16A/Bs that were donated by Singapore.

The oldest F-16s are Block 15 OCU jets  eight F-16As and four F-16Bs  ordered in December 1987, with deliveries taking place the following year.

Six more F-16As, also Block 15 OCU jets, were then delivered between 1990 and 1991.

An RTAF F-16A Block 15 OCU photographed in January 2019. CHIYODA I/Wikimedia Commons

The very last Block 15 jets for any customer were included in Thailands next order, which provided 18 more OCU jets: 12 F-16As and six F-16Bs. These were delivered between 1995 and 1996.

The last Thai F-16 order to be directly negotiated with the U.S. government was announced in July 2000 and provided another 16 F-16A/Bs (15 single-seaters and one two-seater), this time in the Block 15 ADF version. These came from U.S. Air Force stocks and were delivered between 2002 and 2003.

Subsequent Thai deliveries comprised seven secondhand aircraft donated by Singapore. In November 2004 it was announced that the RTAF would receive Singapores remaining seven F-16A/Bs (three F-16As and four F-16Bs). They were delivered in 2005.

Even older fighter equipment is still operated in the form of around 31 single-seat F-5E and three two-seat F-5F Tiger II jets.

An RTAF F-5E prepares for flight operations during Cope Tiger 13 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, March 12, 2013. U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Jake Bailey 2d Lt Jake Bailey

While Thailand is one of the last remaining frontline operators of the venerable Tiger, its surviving aircraft are also notably well equipped, having been modified with new software and hardware by Israels Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Known as Super Tigers, these aircraft are equipped with new radar, an electronic warfare suite, and a glass cockpit, while the pilot is provided with an Elbit Systems helmet-mounted display.

Initially, its expected that the new Gripens will replace the RTAFs oldest F-16s, the survivors from the 1987 order, which are operated by 102 Squadron based at Korat.

Subsequently, however, Thailand has a requirement to replace its F-5E/Fs, with another 1214 aircraft slated to be acquired starting in the 2031 fiscal year. Beyond that, there will be a need for a similar number of aircraft to replace more F-16s starting in the 2037 fiscal year.

In contrast to various other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Thailand has, in recent years, enjoyed fairly cordial relations with China and has no territorial disputes with Beijing. As a result, the impetus to overhaul its armed forces has been less keenly felt.

Nevertheless, while maintaining ties with China, Thailand has, more recently, also sought to establish deeper security ties with the United States. In the past, Thailands ambassador to the United States described his countrys approach to Washington and Beijing as a diplomatic balancing act.

Thailand doesnt see China as an outright direct threat, therefore, its armed forces do still take part in regular military exercises with the United States, most notably the Cobra Gold, one of the largest and longest-running multinational military exercises in the region.

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division and Royal Thai Army soldiers during Exercise Cobra Gold 2023, near Thanarat Drop Zone, Thailand, March 2, 2023. U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Cayce Watson

At the same time, there has been some friction in U.S.-Thailand relations, especially after the coup detats of 2006 and 2014. China has moved to fill the gap, somewhat, initiating deeper military cooperation with Thailand, including joint air exercises and increased arms transfers. Its notable that U.S.-supplied F-16s and F-5s are prohibited from taking part in drills with the Chinese military, a restriction that doesnt apply to the Gripen.

Chinese pilots conduct flight training in the airspace above Thailand's Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base ahead of Falcon Strike 2024 exercise



The joint Exercise is being held from August 18 -29.



Subscribe to @ResonantNews pic.twitter.com/Exr9BbxI2Q  crimsonbearz (@crimsonbearz) August 20, 2024

Thailand is set to become the second export customer for the Gripen E/F after Brazil. As you can read about here, Saab signed a contract with Brazil for 36 Gripen E/Fs in 2014, with a longer-term requirement for an additional 72 jets. The Swedish Air Force is also acquiring 60 Gripen Es. Otherwise, however, the Gripen E/F has seen only failure in the multiple international fighter competitions in which it has entered, notably being rejected in favor of the U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter, which offers a very different level of capability, or F-16s.

With prospects of follow-on fighter orders almost guaranteed, the chances of Saab winning more orders for the Gripen E/F in Thailand look good. This latest backing for the fighter from Bangkok will only improve its chances in future competitions, in which it has so far seen only limited success, despite its obvious qualities.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
(Bloomberg) -- Thailands most prominent businessmen, politicians and diplomats turned up at a dinner event last week to listen to former leader Thaksin Shinawatra share his vision for the nation. It was the clearest sign yet of the influence he is likely to wield over his daughters administration.

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Among those making a beeline to greet the 75-year-old politician were Thailands top billionaires Sarath Ratanavadi and Dhanin Chearavanont. The event organizer had to turn down requests for more invites to the dinner, which came less than a week after Thaksins daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, won a parliament vote to become Thailands youngest-ever prime minister.

As a father, I care for my daughter and must help her, but I wont be interfering in her duties as prime minister, Thaksin said at the dinner attended by 1,500 people. But I also cant stay still and look at problems in the country without caring either.

Thaksins views at the dinner have been closely dissected by analysts and media for days after. His comments have been interpreted as a blueprint thats likely to be adopted by Paetongtarn and her cabinet when they take office in the next couple of weeks.

In his speech, Thaksin offered his fixes on every conceivable problem confronting contemporary Thailand, including chronic public and household debt. He also commented on Thai politics, including how a recent royal defamation case against him was masterminded by a political opponent.

The two-time former premier even touched on military coups, saying he was confident there wont be one against Paetongtarns administration, as he will be helping her clean up any rubbish that he spots.

Paetongtarn had dismissed claims about her fathers influence over her premiership. Theres certainly no such influence, she told reporters last week. Im my own person.

Political observers said the dinner talk showed that Thaksin wields significant influence in setting the course of action for his daughters government. The speech was aimed at allaying concerns from Thai business elites about her leadership, said Olarn Thinbangtieo, a deputy dean of Burapha Universitys Faculty of Political Science and Law.

Still, there is much for the Shinawatra clan to be cautious about. Paetongtarns cabinet formation has been delayed as officials pay close attention to the vetting of ministers after her predecessor Srettha Thavisin, from the same Pheu Thai party, was dismissed by a court for ethics violation for appointing a convicted lawyer as a cabinet minister.

Adding to the delays, Pheu Thai now plans to exclude a pro-military conservative group from its coalition as Palang Pracharaths leader Prawit Wongsuwan did not attend the parliament vote on Aug. 16 to select Paetongtarn as prime minister.

Thaksinomics

Thailands benchmark SET Index has bounced about 5.8% since Paetongtarn was nominated as the next prime minister on Aug. 15. It gained 1% the day after Thaksin gave his dinner talk. The baht, now trading near the highest since July last year, has gained more than 7% since the beginning of last month.

Thaksins words hold more weight in the eyes of financial markets, said Burin Adulwattana, managing director and chief economist at Kasikorn Research Center. Someone influential who can guide the government in the right direction would be seen as a welcome addition. Pheu Thai needs a wow factor to solve economic problems.

There are concerns over how Paetongtarn, who has had no administrative experience, will navigate the challenges facing the $500-billion economy thats the second-largest in Southeast Asia. The new leader is likely to lean on her father for guidance, as the billionaire politicians dual track policy approach  dubbed as Thaksinomics  was key in driving growth to 5.36% annually during his time in power from 2001 until 2006.

According to a survey published on Sunday by the National Institute of Development Administration, as many as 74.4% of the 1,310 respondents said it was impossible or not likely that Paetongtarn would not depend on Thaksin in governing the country.

Paetongtarn is both lucky and unlucky to be Thaksins daughter, Olarn of Burapha University said. He must now be careful to not outshine his daughter and instead make his shine reflect on her.

(Updates with Thaksins party removing a coalition partner in paragraph 10.)

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Hotel workers said they are ready to walk off the job. Thousands of workers from seven Waikiki hotels and one on Kauai said theyre burnt out and have had enough.

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A historic strive vote earlier in August authorized what could be the largest strike of Hawaii hotel workers since 1990. Thousands are willing to strike for higher wages, fair staffing and workloads and protections for the work associated with providing guest services and amenities.

Hotel workers in Waikiki and Kauai gear up for potential strike

We want a livable wage, if we want our families to live here for future generations, stated Briana Canencia, Waikiki Beach Marriott Server. Sometimes overtime is mandatory and I dont think anyone likes to feel that way.

Unite HERE Local 5, a union representing hotel workers stated the hotel industrys profit increased by more than 26% while staffing decreased by 13% since 2019.

This resource can save your family lots of money

In a survey of nearly 4,000 Local 5 workers, 78% of respondents said they believe their employers took advantage of the pandemic to cut payroll and make changes not beneficial to workers.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing at four major hotel groups including the Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and Kyo-ya Hotel & Resorts since April.

Hawaii will soon see new urban forest projects: What to know

Our employers have negotiated some points with us, but most points are not even met halfway to what were asking, said Canencia. We just want to be able to not just live paycheck to paycheck, but we want to be able to get ahead.

A statement from the Hyatt read, Hyatt hotels continue to offer our eligible employees competitive wages and benefits, as well as comprehensive healthcare coverage. we remain optimistic that a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached without a strike.

KHON2 reached out to the other groups and are waiting for a response.

Workers are making final preparations for an imminent strike. They do not know when exactly the strike will take place, but say they are ready to walk out at a moments notice and strike for as long as it takes.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
KANSAS (KSNT)  The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the nonprofit corporation overseeing the power transmission system in 17 states, including Kansas, is raising awareness to potential threats to energy reliability.

On Monday, Aug. 26 the SPP issued an Energy Emergency Alert. The SPP said there is enough power generation to meet current energy demands along the grid while meeting reserve power obligations. However, if conditions worsen, power reserves could be put at risk.

On Tuesday, Aug. 27 the SPP ended the energy emergency but is now under a Conservative Operations Advisory until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Conservative Operations Advisories do not require the public to conserve energy, but are issued to raise awareness of potential threats to reliability among entities responsible for operating transmission and generation facilities, the SPP wrote as an update to current grid conditions. Individuals should continue to contact their local utility for details specific to their area.

63% of rural hospitals in Kansas at risk of closing

SPP expects high power demand due to widespread high temperatures over the grids region, low output from wind and other variable energy sources, and increased resource outages. Currently, SPP says it is not asking the public to conserve energy and does not anticipate a need for service blackouts.

The SPP said conservative operations advisories are issued when the SPP is at risk of meeting required operating reserves.

For more Kansas 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.

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(WTAJ)  Growing older doesnt always mean packing up and finding a retirement community in Florida. In Pennsylvania, some counties are the best to retire in, according to a new report.

SmartAsset.com took a look at retiring in the state of Pennsylvania with their retirement calculator.

The company looked at tax burden  state and local taxes (income and sales)  as well as medical centers, recreation centers and retirement centers per 1,000 people to rank the ten best counties to retire in the Commonwealth.

PA Rank County National Rank 1 Montour County 28 2 Union County 251 3 Armstrong County 263 4 Mercer County 268 5 Westmoreland County 269 6 Venango County 274 7 Cambria County 284 8 Blair County 306 9 Clearfield County 311 10 Fayette County 326

Multiple counties in PA hit the bottom of the national rankings at 1,269 including Elk, Huntingdon, McKean, Fulton, Potter and Tioga. Cameron and Forest counties were left unranked.

Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices.

To see SmartAsset.coms full report and Pennsylvania county rankings with an interactive map, click here.

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Three men arrested in connection with Henry County shooting

HENRY CO. Ala. (WDHN)  Three people have been charged in connection with the shooting of a man in Henry County that occurred August 25.

Patrol Units from the Henry County Sheriffs Office responded to the 300 block of Co. Road 225 in the Bethlehem Community, and upon arrival, heard multiple gunshots being fired.

Deputies gained control of the scene and conducted an assessment of the incident, making contact with a man with a gunshot wound to his hip/waist area. The victim was stabilized and transported by patrol units to EMS along US Highway 431.

Henry County Task Force investigated and as a result, the following individuals were charged:

Zydarrias Tyshaun Miller, 20, of Dothan, was arrested and charged with Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling with a $50,000 bond.

Cordaryl Raysean Sewell, 31, of Abbeville, was arrested and charged with Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle with bonds totaling $50,000.

Sherman Peterman Jr, 53, of Abbeville, was arrested and charged with Receiving Stolen Property II (firearm) and Attempting to elude, with a bond of $5,000.

Miller also has 4 warrants from Henry County for Failure to Appear.

The incident is still being investigated. Stay with WDHN for further updates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Three men dead, 3-year-old girl critically hurt in spate of motorcycle crashes in NYC

The weekend proved deadly for motorcycle riders across the city, with three men killed in separate crashes in three boroughs and a little girl critically hurt in the wake of one of the wrecks.

In the Bronx Sunday a motorcycle crash on the Pelham Parkway left its rider dead, his passenger critically hurt, and a 3-year-old girl traveling in a Lexus sedan fighting for her life, cops said.

The motorcycle rider, who hasnt been identified, was heading west on Pelham Parkway at 2:50 p.m. when he crashed into a Lexus IS 350 making a left turn onto I-95, cops said.

The rider died on the scene, and his female passenger, whos also unidentified, was taken to Jacobi Hospital in critical condition, police said.

Medics also rushed the toddler, who was strapped into a car seat in the Lexus to Jacobi. The girl was critically injured, with severe head and body trauma, police sources said.

The 40-year-old man driving the Lexus and his passenger, a 39-year-old woman, were hospitalized in stable condition, cops said.

In Brooklyn, 24-year-old Artem Polin died after rear-ending a dump truck on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway just after 1:15 p.m. Saturday, cops said.

Polin was operating a Honda motorcycle in the center lane of the eastbound expressway when he crashed into the back of an Isuzu dump truck driven by a 63-year-old man, cops said.

The impact launched Polin from his bike, cops said. He suffered severe body trauma. Medics took him to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, but he couldnt be saved.

Polin, who lived in Queens, worked as an engineer at Live Building Systems.

Artem was a brilliant engineer, innovative and a joy to work with, the companys CEO, Teghpal Sandhu, told the Brooklyn Eagle. Our deepest condolences are extended to his family and friends. We truly lost a great person. He made a tremendous impact in his short time here, and our entire firm is mourning his tragic loss.

In Queens, 21-year-old Juan Aguilar died when the motorcycle he was riding on struck an SUV Friday, cops said.

Aguilar was sitting behind the 17-year-old driver of a 2023 Jiajue motorcycle as the teen headed east on 73rd Ave. in Fresh Meadows at about 6:30 p.m., cops said.

The teen lost control at the intersection of 184th St., crashing his bike into the front side of a 2017 Acura RDX going north, cops said. Neither Aguilar nor the teenage biker wore helmets, cops said.
NEW YORK (AP)  Leonard Riggio, a brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the countrys most powerful bookseller before his company was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com, has died at age 83.

Riggio died Tuesday following a valiant battle with Alzheimers disease, according to a statement issued by his family. He had stepped down as chairman in 2019 after the chain was sold to the hedge fund Elliott Advisors.

His leadership spanned decades, during which he not only grew the company but also nurtured a culture of innovation and a love for reading, reads a statement from Barnes & Noble.

Riggios near-half-century reign began in 1971 when he used a $1.2 million loan to purchase Barnes & Noble's name and the flagship store on lower Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He acquired hundreds of new stores over the next 20 years and, in the 1990s, launched what became a nationwide empire of superstores that combined a chains discount prices and massive capacity with the cozy appeal of couches, reading chairs and cafes.

Our bookstores were designed to be welcoming as opposed to intimidating, Riggio told The New York Times in 2016. These werent elitist places. You could go in, get a cup of coffee, sit down and read a book for as long as you like, use the restroom. These were innovations that we had that no one thought was possible.

He grew up working class in New York City, liked to say he preferred socializing with childhood pals over fellow business leaders and was informal enough among associates to be known as Lenny. But in his time no one in the book world was more feared. With the power to make any given book a bestseller, or a flop, to alter the market on an idle whim, Riggio could terrify publishers simply by suggesting prices were too high or that he might sign up such top sellers as Stephen King and John Grisham and publish them himself. He even tried to buy the countrys biggest book wholesaler, Ingram, in 1999, but backed off after facing government resistance.

By the end of the 1990s, an estimated one of every eight books sold in the U.S. were purchased through the chain, where front table displays were so valuable that publishers paid thousands of dollars to have their books included. Thousands of independent sellers went out of business even as Riggio insisted that he was expanding the market by opening up in neighborhoods without an existing store. Instead, independent owners spoke of being overwhelmed by competition from both Barnes & Noble and Borders Book Group, the rival chains sometimes setting up stores in close proximity to each other and to the locally owned business.

Story continues

Barnes & Noble became so identified as an overdog that one of the 1990s most popular romantic comedies, Youve Got Mail, starred Tom Hanks as an executive for the Fox Books chain and Meg Ryan as the owner of an endangered independent store in Manhattan.

We are going to seduce them with our square footage, and our discounts, and our deep arm chairs, and our cappuccino, Hanks character confidently declares. Theyre going to hate us at the beginning, but well get em in the end.

Acrimony from independent booksellers

For a time, it seemed industry conversation was an ongoing response to Barnes & Noble. Publishers were known to change the cover or title of a book simply because a Barnes & Noble official had objected. Angelas Ashes author Frank McCourt found himself condemned by the American Booksellers Association, the trade organization for independents, after agreeing to appear in a Barnes & Noble commercial. On the floor of the industrys annual national trade show, long hosted by the ABA, independent store employees would hiss at attendees wearing Barnes & Noble badges.

When novelist Russell Banks, addressing Barnes & Nobles annual shareholder meeting in 1995, declared that he was both a stock holder and a happy B&N customer, some independent sellers stopped offering his books.

You must know that Ill never read, buy or sell another word you write, Richard Howorth, owner of Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, wrote to him. These are the kindest things I can think of to say to you.

Tensions led to legal action when the ABA  on the eve of the 1994 convention  announced it was suing Barnes & Noble and five leading publishers for unfair trade practices. Some of the publishers were so angered they boycotted the gathering the following year and only returned after the ABA sold the show to Reed Exhibitions. In 1998, the ABA sued Barnes & Noble and Borders for unfair business practices (both cases were settled out of court).

The internet shifts bookselling

Riggio began the 2000s at the height of power, with more than 700 superstores and hundreds of others outlets. But internet commerce was growing quickly and Barnes & Noble, with its roots in physical retail, lacked the imagination and flexibility of the startup from Seattle that called itself Earths Biggest Bookstore, Amazon.com. The online giant launched in 1995 by Jeff Bezos gained business throughout the 2000s and by the early 2010s had displaced Barnes & Noble through such innovations as the Kindle e-book reader and the Amazon Prime subscription service.

Bezos would liken himself to David taking down Goliath, although the contrast between the leaders also had the feel of an Aesops fable: The muscular, mustachioed Riggio, a boxers son, upended by the quick and clever Bezos.

Were great booksellers; we know how to do that, Riggio acknowledged to the Times in 2016. We werent constituted to be a technology company.

Barnes & Noble started its own online site in the late 1990s, but such initiatives as the Nook e-book reader and a self-publishing platform failed to stop Amazon. Not even the collapse of Borders after the 2008-2009 economic crisis mattered for Barnes & Noble, which after decades of expansion closed more than 100 stores between 2009 and 2019.

An unlikely ally of independent booksellers

By the time of Riggios retirement, independent sellers regarded the chain not as a threat, but as an ally in the fight against Amazon to keep physical stores alive. At the 2018 booksellers convention, Riggio and ABA CEO Oren Teicher, once enemies in business and in court, praised each other during a joint appearance.

My standing here, doing what Im about to do (introduce Riggio) would have been impossible to imagine several years ago, Teicher said at the time. The simple fact is that our business is stronger and American readers benefit when there is a vibrant and healthy network of brick-and-mortar bookshops all across the country.

During the 2010s, Barnes & Noble seemed unleadable and unwanted. The board announced in 2010 that the company was for sale, but no one offered to buy it. Four CEOs left in five years and Barnes & Nobles stock dropped 60% between 2015 and 2018. New rumors of a sale lasted for months before Elliott Advisors, which had previously purchased the British chain Waterstones, bought Barnes & Noble for $638 million and hired Waterstones chief executive James Daunt to lead B&N.

I dont miss being a business person, I had enough of that. But I do miss the bookselling part, helping to find books to recommend to customers, Riggio told Publishers Weekly in 2021.

Riggio's roots and early bookselling ventures

Bookselling and family often overlapped for Riggio. His brother Steve Riggio served for years as vice chairman of Barnes & Noble and another brother, Vincent Jimi Riggio, helped run a trucking company that shipped the stores books. After being interviewed in 1974 by the trade publication College Store Executive, Leonard Riggio met for coffee with the editor, Louise Gebbia, who seven years later became his second wife (Riggio had three children, two with his first wife, one with his second).

Leonard S. Riggio was the eldest son of a prize fighter (who twice defeated Rocky Graziano) turned cab driver and a dress maker. Even in childhood, he advanced quickly, skipping two grades and attending one of the citys top high schools, Brooklyn Tech. He studied metallurgical engineering at New York Universitys night school before focusing on commerce, and by day absorbed the bookselling world and the rising cultural rebellion of the 1960s.

Working as a floor manager at the campus book store, he learned enough to drop out of school and start a rival shop in 1965  SBX (Student Book Exchange), where he allowed student activists to use the copying machine to print copies of anti-war leaflets. SBX was so successful he bought several other campus stores and was in position by 1971 to buy Barnes & Noble and its single Manhattan store. A few years later, he became the rare bookseller to run television commercials, with the catchphrase Barnes & Noble! Of Course! Of Course!

Riggio and the independent community may have seemed to hold opposing values, but they shared a love of reading and the arts and a liberal political outlook. He was a generous philanthropist and a prominent supporter of Democratic politicians. He was even friendly with the consumer activist and presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who featured Riggio, Ted Turner and Yoko Ono among others in his 2009 novel Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!, in which Nader imagines a progressive revolution from above.

Ever since he was a boy from Brooklyn, hed had a visceral reaction to the way workings stiffs and the poor were treated on a day-to-day basis, Nader wrote of Riggio, who did at times stand apart from his management peers. When some 200 business leaders were questioned by Fortune magazine in the 1990s about their political ideas, only Riggio supported the raising of worker pay.

Money can become a burden, like something you carry on your shoulders, he told New York magazine in 1999. My nature is to be a ball-buster, but my role is to help people.

___

This story has been updated to correct the names of Riggio's second wife and one of his brothers. They are Louise Gebbia, not Louise Altavilla, and Vincent Jimi, not Thomas.
Three Ohio Supreme Court races on the November ballot will have a huge impact in the coming years

The Gavel outside the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio, September 20, 2023, at 65 S. Front Street, Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

Three Ohio Supreme Court seats will be up for grabs during the November election. The outcomes will decide the balance of the court and have major impacts on a wide variety of issues that affect the lives of Ohioans, from education and environmental issues to gerrymandering and elections to civil and reproductive rights.

Partisan labels were added to the previously-nonpartisan races by the state legislature in 2021.

This year, incumbent Democratic Justice Michael P. Donnelly is being challenged by Republican Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan.

Incumbent Democrat Justice Melody Stewart is being challenged by incumbent Republican Justice Joseph Deters, who opted not to run for his current seat and decided to go up against Stewart.

Vying for Deters open seat is Democratic candidate Lisa Forbes, of the Eighth District Court of Appeals, and Republican candidate Dan Hawkins, of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

Deters decided to run for a full-term seat by challenging Stewart, rather than a partial term for the seat Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to on Jan. 7, 2023. Because of this, whichever candidate wins Deters current seat will have to run again in 2026 for a full six-year term.

Ohios highest court currently has a 4-3 Republican majority. If all three Republicans are elected, the Republicans would hold all but one seat on the bench, for a 6-1 majority. On the flip side, if all three Democrats win their elections, the Democrats would hold a 4-3 majority. The Ohio Supreme Court has been under Republican control since 1986.

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Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunners seat will be up in 2026. Republican Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Republican Justice Pat DeWine and Republican Justice Pat Fischers seats will be up in 2028.

The Ohio Supreme Court could make decisions on a plethora of critical issues: reproductive rights, gerrymandering, school vouchers, home rule, and environmental issues, among others.

If theres a law around it, it could end up in the Supreme Court and have a real, tangible impact on each of our lives, said Elisabeth Warner, spokesperson for the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

Even though 57% of Ohio voters approved an amendment last year to enshrine reproductive rights in the states constitution, the court will inevitably rule on abortion access.

There are still a lot of anti-abortion laws on the books, so thats something that the Supreme Court is going to be ruling on, Warner said.

Ohios anti-abortion laws were not automatically nullified when last years amendment passed, so abortion advocates are working to undo those laws.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas recently issued a temporary pause on Ohios 24-hour waiting period and the minimum two in-person visits required before an abortion.

Another lawsuit is currently pending in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas over whether Ohios six-week abortion ban is unconstitutional after voters passed last years amendment.

Those lawsuits will likely make their way to the Ohio Supreme Court  meaning the seven justices will end up deciding to what extent reproductive rights are protected.

At the end of the day, the Ohio Supreme Court will determine whatevers in the Ohio Constitution that voters put into the Ohio Constitution, said Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohios executive director. It is interpreted by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Ohio Supreme Court has made many rulings on redistricting before and it will likely come before the court again  especially with the amendment on this years ballot to create a citizen commission to redraw districts.

A lawsuit against school vouchers is making its way through the court system and will likely go before the states high court.

Even boneless chicken wings wound up in front of Ohios seven justices. The court recently made national headlines with their 4-3 ruling that boneless chicken wings can have bones in them  appearing in a bit on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Turcer and Warner both criticized the 2021 law that requires party affiliation listed on the ballot for Ohio Supreme Court candidates. More than 1 million Ohio voters left the two Supreme Court races blank during the 2020 election.

We shouldnt actually be thinking Democrats and Republicans because at the end of the day, what you want is a referee whos independent and impartial, Turcer said.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X.

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A Texas man is in custody after allegedly shooting a 2-year-old girl during a suspected road rage incident in a Dallas neighborhood on Sunday night.

The child was accompanying her parents on a DoorDash delivery around 8 p.m. when she was shot in the backseat following a confrontation with a passing motorcyclist, multiple news outlets reported citing Dallas police.

The family told police that they had swerved to avoid hitting the man, who they said was riding with his lights off in the middle of the road, and both vehicles honked at one another. The motorcyclist allegedly then followed them, yelling, before pulling out a gun and firing into their car.

One of the bullets struck the child in her abdomen, bounced off a rib and became lodged in her diaphragm, WFAA reported citing a copy of the police affidavit. The child was taken to a hospital and was last listed as being in stable condition, police told the station.

Neighbor Jessica Huseman told reporters that she went outside upon hearing gunfire and saw the child covered in blood in the vehicles backseat.

The mom, I assume, jumped out of the passenger side and said, They shot my baby! They shot my baby! she told station Fox 4 News.

The way that moms voice sounded really just ... is all I can think about, she said. And the way that that little baby she just wasnt moving, wasnt crying, and I really thought she was gone.

Suspect Jason Cain, 50, allegedly fled the scene but later returned to speak with police, telling them that the shooting was likely related to drug dealers down the street.

Huseman said Cain, whom she identified as her neighbor, told her the same story about drug dealers likely being to blame.

Cain was identified by several witnesses as the shooter and arrested on one count of injury to a child and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A search of his home found multiple firearms, including automatic weapons and many satanic and Nazi symbols, WFAA reported citing the police affidavit.

Online records show that Cain is being held on a $850,000 bond, with no attorney listed as representing him.

Related...
The top lawmakers on the House China select committee sent letters this month to the Commerce Department and the head of a newly formed American business that has alleged ties to Chinese drone maker Da Jiang Innovations (DJI).

The letters show Congress is narrowing its scrutiny of Chinese drones in the U.S. amid concerns about a threat to national security and is seeking to potentially crack down further on companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. The lawmakers also cite two companies allegedly affiliated with DJI that The Hill reported on in June.

The letter to Randall Warnas, CEO of U.S.-based Anzu Robotics, which licenses technology from DJI for sale in American markets, expresses concern about the connection between the two companies.

Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chair of the House China select committee, and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the panels ranking member, said Anzus Raptor T model is essentially a DJI Mavic 3, raising concerns about identical hardware and firmware that is vulnerable to Chinese supply chains.

Based in part on your own statements, it appears that DJI is using Anzu as a passthrough

company in an attempt to avoid current and anticipated U.S. restrictions on DJI products, the lawmakers wrote in the letter dated Aug. 20.

The lawmakers added this posed a national security risk, as DJI is on the Commerce Departments blacklist and the Chinese company maintains close ties to Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They pressed Warnas to divulge more details about his relationship with DJI.

Warnas told The Hill in a statement that Anzu looks forward to working collaboratively with the Committee to address their concerns.

We believe there are fundamental misunderstandings about how Anzu Robotics operates and complies with the law, he said.

The Hill has reached out to Warnas for comment. In the June article, Warnas said his relationship with DJI was hands off and a proper relationship to meet the changing tide of the moment.

The Hill reported in the June article about Anzu Robotics and another company, Hong Kong-based Cogito Tech Company Limited, which is selling what appears to be DJI clones on Amazon. The Hill was the first major media outlet to report about Cogito Tech.

In a separate letter this month, lawmakers also pressed Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Anzu Robotics and Cogito Tech, sharing evidence with the department that products from both companies are DJI drones.

DJI appears to be using these companies as part of a concerted effort to thwart current and prospective restrictions on its operations imposed by the United States, they wrote, asking for the Commerce Department to answer questions about what steps it is taking to investigate the issue and stop the alleged white labeling.

DJI controls about 80 percent of the global drone market share, making widely popular drones for commercial and enterprise use that are not rivaled by any other major drone companies.

But Capitol Hill is moving toward further restricting the drones, part of an expanding concern in Washington that Chinese companies pose a major national security risk. Earlier this year, President Biden signed into law a measure that would ban the social media app TikTok unless the Chinese parent company ByteDance divests.

The Countering CCP Drones Act, a bill that would further restrict DJI by adding its technology and equipment to a covered list on U.S. communications infrastructure, was added to the House version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA must be reconciled with the Senate before it is passed, likely at the end of the year.

The U.S. also has 25 percent tariffs on Chinese drones, and several states have already completely banned drones from companies like DJI and Autel, another Chinese drone company that the Commerce Department added to its blacklist in July.

Companies affiliated with DJI could also be subject to the Countering CCP Drones Act if the Federal Communications Commission identifies them as an affiliate.

Updated at 5:02 pm.

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By Trevor Hunnicutt

BEIJING (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan is embarking on several days of talks with top Chinese officials in Beijing this week, aimed at quieting tensions between the two superpowers ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Sullivan, China's top diplomat Wang Yi and others meet for the talks from Tuesday to Thursday as the two countries are at odds over the Middle East and Ukraine, Chinese territorial claims from Taiwan to the South China Sea, and trade.

Upon arrival in Beijing on Tuesday, Sullivan met first with Wang at a lush resort on the northern outskirts of the Chinese capital, where they shook hands in front of Chinese and American flags set before an artistic depiction of the Chinese landscape.

In his remarks in front of journalists, Wang described China-U.S. ties as "critical", with a bearing on the world, and which have taken "twists and turns".

Wang added that he hoped relations between the two countries would move to a condition of stable, healthy and sustainable development.

Before proceeding into a closed-door meeting, Sullivan said both would talk about areas of agreement and disagreement that "need to be managed effectively and substantively".

In the final months of his presidency, Biden has pushed direct diplomacy to influence Chinese President Xi Jinping and keep those tensions at bay; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in November's election, would likely pursue a similar strategy.

However many analysts aligned with Republican former President Donald Trump see that approach as too soft, in the face of China's increasingly assertive foreign policy.

Sullivan wants to expand military-to-military talks down to the theater command level, a step that Washington hopes could prevent conflict in specific areas like the Taiwan strait.

The U.S. also wants China to take more action at home to prevent the development of chemicals that can be made into fentanyl, the leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses, and reach an understanding about safety standards for artificial intelligence.

Beijing plans to express its disapproval over U.S. tariffs on a range of manufactured goods and export controls targeting Chinese chip makers, and talk about its claims of sovereignty over democratically-ruled Taiwan.

"China will focus on expressing serious concerns, clarifying its solemn position and making serious demands on the Taiwan issue, the right to development and China's strategic security," the Chinese foreign affairs ministry said.

"The United States has continuously taken unreasonable measures against China in terms of tariffs, export controls, investment reviews and unilateral sanctions, which have seriously undermined China's legitimate rights and interests."

Both sides are also warily watching the prospect that the Gaza war could spiral into a broader regional conflict.

Sullivan's trip is the first by a U.S. national security adviser since 2016. He has held regular talks with Wang with an eye to managing competition between the superpowers, and they last met in Bangkok in January.

In Beijing, the two officials could also set the path towards a final meeting between Biden and Xi. Peru hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summit and Brazil hosts the Group of 20 summit, both in November, where the leaders could meet.

HARRIS VS. TRUMP?

Accepting the Democratic nomination last week, Harris said she would ensure that "America - not China - wins the competition for the 21st century."

As vice president, she has spent significant time traveling to, and bolstering U.S. relationships with, China's neighbors, such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

Trump has vowed across-the-board tariffs, with special emphasis on goods from China. His allies have pledged support to China's neighbors, including Japan and South Korea, under a new Republican administration.

U.S. intelligence suggests China has no preference in the upcoming election contest, according to people familiar with the matter.

The United States and China have sought to stabilize rocky ties since they sank to a historic low after the U.S. downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.

Biden and Xi agreed at a summit in November last year to have their teams speak on military matters, artificial intelligence and curbing illicit fentanyl production.

Yet issues persist. Self-ruled Taiwan faces ramped up pressure from China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. The United States is Taiwan's most important backer and arms supplier.

The U.S.-allied Philippines and China clashed again in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Sunday in the latest of a series of maritime and air confrontations in the strategic waterway.

On trade, Biden has added tariffs on Chinese goods deemed a threat to U.S. manufacturing and national security, and just last week his administration added 105 Russian and Chinese firms to a trade restriction list over their alleged support of the Russian military, a move China condemned.

China has vowed retaliation and Foreign Minister Wang has said the curbs showed that some in the United States may be "losing their minds."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Anchorage, Alaska; Additional reporting by Antoni Slodkowski and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Steve Coates and Clarence Fernandez)
Topeka man sentenced to 10 years in prison after deadly shooting of Olathe man

Topeka man sentenced to 10 years in prison after deadly shooting of Olathe man

TOPEKA (KSNT)  A Topeka man accused of shooting and killing an Olathe man in 2021 received his sentence on Tuesday.

Katie Garceran with the Shawnee County District Attorneys office told 27 News Christopher S. Mendez, 24, is being sentenced to 120 months, or 10 years, in prison for involuntary manslaughter. This is in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Adrian Williams.

Christopher Mendezs mugshot. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections)

The Topeka Police Department were called just after midnight on Nov. 20, 2021 to the 2000 block of Southeast Pennsylvania Avenue on reports of a shooting. Officers arriving in the area found a large crows of people and a man on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound.

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Medical personnel tried to revive the man, who was later identified as Williams, but he died at the scene. Mendez was later identified as a suspect and arrested by the TPD for first-degree murder.

Man accused of setting house fire that killed a Topeka mom, two kids pleads no contest to murder

The Shawnee County district attorney charged Mendez with first degree murder within days of the shooting.

For more crime 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.

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Heres when each town will consider resolutions on tax increase for new transit plan

Charlotte leaders are hoping each Mecklenburg County town will pass a resolution in favor of a sales tax increase.

These resolutions will then be presented to the North Carolina General Assembly. The hope is lawmakers will grant Mecklenburg County the authority to hold a referendum in 2025 on a sales tax increase for transit.

RELATED >> Charlotte City Council to consider spending $91 million on Red Line

Heres when each town will tentatively vote on whether or not to support the sales tax plan:

Charlotte: Charlotte City Council will consider a resolution in favor of a sales tax increase on September 3rd. At the meeting, Charlotte City Council will vote to purchase 22 tracks of the O Line for Red Line commuter rail. The entire purchase is $91 million, which includes 1.6 acres in Uptown to purchase land for a future station and tracks.

Cornelius: The Cornelius Town Board voted in favor of a resolution supporting the sales tax increase on August 19.

Davidson: A spokesperson for Davidson says the resolution will be discussed on August 27th and September 10th. The vote on whether to support the resolution will be on September 10th.

Huntersville: A spokesperson for Huntersville says the resolution is expected to be on the September 3rd meeting agenda. However, the agenda will not be finalized until August 30th.

Matthews: The Matthews Town Board voted in opposition to the resolution on August 12. Matthews leaders are upset there may not be enough funding in the plan to bring light rail service to their town and east Charlotte. Charlotte leaders stress nothing has been finalized and the future transit authority will have final say on projects, other than the Red Line which will be first. Matthews Mayor John Higdon says Bus Rapid Transit has been proposed for east Charlotte and Matthews instead.

Mecklenburg County: A spokesperson for Mecklenburg County says the resolution is slated for the September 17th meeting.

Mint Hill: Mint Hill Town Manager Brian Welch says the resolution is slated to be on the September 12th agenda.

Pineville: Pineville Town Manager Ryan Spitzer says Pineville Town Council is scheduled to vote on the sales tax resolution at the September 10th town council meeting

Red Line:

In addition to the sales tax increase resolutions, Charlotte City Council is waiting to hear from Iredell County and the town of Mooresville on whether they would like the Red Line to extend to Mount Mourne. That has long been the plan but a new state law requires Charlotte to get authorization from those counties before moving forward with the purchase. If given approval, Charlotte City Council will purchase 7 miles of track for $17.75 million. The funds will be reimbursed if the sales tax increase passes.

Iredell County: Iredell County Manager Beth Mull says a resolution in support of the Red Line is not on any agenda at this point.

Mooresville: A spokesperson for the town of Mooresville forwarded Channel 9s inquiry to the mayor and town manager but have not yet received a response.

(VIDEO >> Red Line: Charlotte City Council tries to keep up with deadline set by railroad)
RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE)  Local, state, and federal authorities are holding a town hall in Ruidoso this week to update residents on recovery efforts following recent wildfires and flooding. Residents impacted by the South Fork and Salt Fires and the burn scar flash flooding will have the chance to ask questions about the recovery to experts.

Demolition begins for Wash Tub Laundromat as owner hopes to eventually rebuild

The town hall will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Ruidoso Middle School. A Zoom link will be available for people to watch. A recording of the meeting will be available on the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Managements Facebook page.

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A US ranking of car model lifespans has put Toyota on top, with some of its cars deemed most likely to reach 400,000 km. Federico Gambarini/dpa

Toyota models with combustion engines take seven of the top ten slots in the latest list of longest-lived cars by US-based internet sales platform ISeeCars.com.

This the 11th year of the study which makes it plain that modern cars with ICE engines are lasting longer. Only Japanese and US-made cars make it into the rankings, with the Dodge Ram pick-up bringing up the rear.

There were no German cars in the top 30 rankings and no electric vehicles either, although a separate survey said several evergreen electric models had the potential for longevity.

The survey looks at cars with the longest lifespan and lists the vehicles judged most likely to make it to 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometres).

A total of 10 Toyota/Lexus products give the manufacturer 30% of the top 30 list, with Honda/Acura taking second place with seven models.

This year's study analysed more than 402 million cars and SUVs dominated, taking 16 of the top 30 rankings. The Toyota Tundra came out on top, with a 36.6% chance of reaching 250,000 miles.

"Modern vehicles are getting more durable," said ISeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer, "Many consumers still consider a car's usable lifespan to end at 100,000 miles, But our latest longest-lasting stufy confirms that even 200,000 isn't the end of the line for many cars."

The top five Toyotas are not for sale outside North America and the Honda Accord, which came 14th was dropped from Europe in 2015. The hybrid Toyota Prius, which sells all over the world, came in at slot 25.

Brauer said car buyers gained from the enhanced engineering and quality which goes into modern cars.

Roads in North America are generally good but cars and SUVs are legally limited to 70 miles per hour (112 km/h) on interstate highways. This could explain why engines and running parts do not wear out as quickly as in other territories. This leads in turn to longer-lasting cars.

Because EVs are new to the market, they havent yet displayed their proven longevity like petrol cars, said the website in an earlier survey.

However, the two electric vehicles that have been around for at least 10 of the past 20 years, both show potential for long-term durability. How long they last depends mainly on battery life.

According to a recent iSeeCars analysis that looked at EVs with the highest potential lifespans, the Tesla Model S followed by the Nissan Leaf.
Traffic stalled after rollover near I-680 in Mahoning County

BEAVER TWP., Ohio (WKBN)  A rollover has shut down traffic at an on-ramp to I-680 Tuesday morning.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and officers from Boardman, Beaver Township and New Springfield were called to Western Reserve Road at the I-680 on-ramp around 9:30 a.m.

Troopers said a dump truck was hauling a trailer that rolled over with a drivable lift on it. Troopers said no one was hurt in the crash.

OSHP said the northbound ramp is closed but should reopen soon.

Brian Oehlbeck contributed to this report.

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(Bloomberg) -- LG Electronics Inc. is considering an initial public offering for its India business, tapping a booming stock market to help hit a target of $75 billion in electronics revenue by 2030.

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Chief Executive Officer William Cho said an Indian market debut is one of several options its weighing to revitalize a decades-old consumer electronics business. Its the first time the South Korean company, which competes head-on with larger rival Samsung Electronics Co., has spoken publicly about an Indian debut, the subject of persistent market and media speculation.

Cho  who ascended to the top post in 2021 after more than three decades with the flagship of the family-owned LG Group  has set a goal of growing the electronics business to an annual revenue of 100 trillion won ($75 billion) by 2030. Thats versus overall company revenue of about $65 billion in 2023. It aims to get there in part by earning more from enterprise clients  targeting about 45% of sales from other companies by the end of the decade, versus 35% now.

It is one of many options we can consider, Cho told Bloomberg Television. I understand theres increased interest among global investors, he said, referring to a potential IPO in India. As of now, nothing is confirmed.

In India, LG seeks to sustain rapid growth. In the first six months of this year, revenue at LGs unit within the Asian country rose 14% to a record 2.87 trillion won, while net income climbed 27% to 198.2 billion won.

Any IPO would coincide with a boom in Indias capital markets. More than 200 companies went public in IPOs that raised $7.1 billion this year, making it one of the busiest markets in this space. At least 30 IPOs joined the pipeline as demand powered by domestic money pushes companies to explore listings. Korean peer Hyundai Motor Co. is preparing to raise as much as $3.5 billion in an Indian IPO, Bloomberg News reported last month.

We have been watching carefully whats going on in the Indian market in terms of IPOs and following similar industry and similar IPO cases, Cho said. LG hasnt yet calculated possible valuations for its Indian unit, he added.

Cho, 61, plans to nurture new businesses that can each bring in more than 1 trillion won of annual revenue. Among them is heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, for which the company has 11 production sites globally. Chillers  large air conditioners for buildings  have become key for artificial intelligence data centers, which are sprouting up across the world as companies pursue generative AI. Over the past three years, overseas sales of LGs chillers have grown 40% annually, on average.

Story continues

LG is also expanding its subscription service for home appliances. In Korea, consumers can rent products such as washing machines and laptops ranging from three to six years by paying a monthly fee. In theory, that improves affordability and convenience: Some 35% of consumers are now opting for subscriptions, Cho said. The company recently began offering subscriptions in Malaysia and plans to roll that model out to customers in Thailand, Taiwan and India starting this year, and potentially the US and Europe in the future. LG expects revenue from the subscription business to grow 60% to about $1.3 billion in 2024.

The companys also planning to expand its free ad-supported streaming services. Cho said LG will invest 1 trillion won by 2027 to grow its webOS-based advertising and content business.

Half of my career was spent outside Korea, and it is about understanding customers and creating new business models for them, said Cho, who has worked with LG in North America, Germany and Australia.

--With assistance from Emily Yamamoto, Katria Alampay, Denny Thomas, Andy Hung and Dave Sebastian.

(Updates with latest IPO figures in the sixth paragraph. A previous story corrected the month of the Hyundai IPO report.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Traffic stop in Kill Devil Hills leads to seizure of meth; passenger arrested

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. (WAVY)  A routine traffic stop in Kill Devil Hills led to a drug arrest and an out-of-state warrant service.

According to officials, on Aug. 18 around 10:50 p.m., deputies from the Dare County Sheriffs Office conducted a traffic stop near the Sugar Planet in Kill Devil Hills.

A K-9 unit indicated the presence of an illegal substance during the stop, leading to a search of the vehicle and discovery and seizure of methamphetamine.

Crystal G. Shelton (Courtesy: Dare County Sheriffs Office)

Deputies said the passenger of the vehicle, 46-year-old Crystal G. Shelton, was arrested and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine and was served with an outstanding warrant for a separate case in Virginia.

Shelton was issued a $10,000 secured bond for the methamphetamine charge and a $100,000 bond for the warrant from Virginia.

The driver of the vehicle was not charged, according to deputies.

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.
Travis King, the American soldier who crossed into North Korea on foot from South Korea in July 2023, is expected to plead guilty to five of the 14 offenses the U.S. Army charged him with last year, including desertion and assault on a noncommissioned officer, according to King's attorney.

"U.S. Army Private Travis King will take responsibility for his conduct and enter a guilty plea," his attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt, said in a statement. King will plead not guilty to the remaining offenses, which the Army will withdraw and dismiss, Rosenblatt said.

The guilty plea is set to be entered on Sept. 20 at a general court-martial, where King will explain what he did, answer a military judge's questions and be sentenced, Rosenblatt said.

"Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside of his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations," Rosenblatt said.

The Army confirmed to CBS News that King is expected to plead guilty, but did not elaborate on which charges.

A portrait of American soldier Travis King is displayed as his grandfather, Carl Gates, talks about his grandson on July 19, 2023, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. / Credit: Morry Gash / AP

"Pvt. King has agreed to plead guilty, however further details are not releasable at this time as the guilty plea is subject to the acceptance by the military judge," Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement. "If Pvt. King's guilty plea is accepted, the judge will sentence King pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement. If the judge does not accept the guilty plea, the judge can rule that the case be litigated in a contested court-martial."

King will remain in pretrial confinement, McCaskill said.

After King crossed into North Korea, the totalitarian state's tightly controlled media said he had confessed to entering the country illegally and said it would be expelling him. He was sent across North Korea's border into China, where he was transferred to U.S. custody in Sept. 2023.

U.S. officials at the time said no concessions were made by Washington to secure King's release.

At a briefing after King's release, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that while he didn't have specific information about King's treatment in North Korean custody, it was likely that King was interrogated. "That would be consistent with past DPRK practice with respect to detainees," he said.

King was subsequently charged by the Army with several crimes, including desertion, assaulting other soldiers and officers, and soliciting and possessing child pornography, according to documents obtained by CBS News.

"I love my son unconditionally and am extremely concerned about his mental health. As his mother, I ask that my son be afforded the presumption of innocence," King's mother, Claudine Gates, said in a statement to CBS News last year. "The man I raised, the man I dropped off at boot camp, the man who spent the holidays with me before deploying did not drink. A mother knows her son, and I believe something happened to mine while he was deployed."

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Travis King, U.S. Army private who ran into North Korea, to plead guilty to desertion

Travis King, the U.S. Army private who ran into North Korea last year, will plead guilty to desertion as part of a plea deal, his lawyer said Monday.

King will plead guilty to five of the 14 offenses with which he was originally charged, attorney Franklin Rosenblatt said in a statement. He will plead guilty to one count of desertion, one count of assault on a non-commissioned officer and three counts of disobeying a lawful order, Rosenblatt said.

CNN first reported the news of the guilty plea.

The remaining nine offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, part of the original case against King, will be withdrawn and dismissed, Rosenblatt said.

Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King.

In a statement late Monday, Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, confirmed a deal had been reached but did not offer details.

Pvt. King has agreed to plead guilty, however further details are not releasable at this time as the guilty plea is subject to the acceptance by the military judge, she said.

The multitude of original charges reflected allegations of troubles before King ran across the Demilitarized Zone between U.S. ally South Korea and communist North Korea on July 18, 2023. He was 23 at the time.

The event followed 48 days of imprisonment by South Korean authorities over allegations that included assault and damaging public property.

Kings mother, Claudine Gates, said last year that she believes something happened to her son during his deployment that affected his mental health and might have led to his behavior in South Korea.

A mother knows her son, and I believe something happened to mine while he was deployed, she said in October.

An Army order for Kings return to the U.S. was being executed the day he dashed, but instead of getting on a plane, he ended up in a group tour of the border village Panmunjom. He left the tour and ran into North Korea.

North Korea held him until September. Upon his return, King had been undergoing re-integration at Joint Base San Antonio before he was ordered held until trial at Fort Bliss, Texas, one of his lawyers said last year.

McCaskill, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel spokesperson, said King would remain confined at least until a judge hears his agreed-upon plea.

Upon Kings return to the U.S., White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was put in the rare position of thanking North Korea and China for their help.

We thank the government of Sweden for its diplomatic role serving as the protecting power for the United States in the DPRK and the government of the Peoples Republic of China for its assistance in facilitating the transit of Private King, Sullivan said in a statement in late September.

Among the offenses that would be cut as part of Kings plea deal are soliciting child pornography, possession of child pornography, drinking against orders and leaving his base in South Korea after curfew.

U.S. Army Private Travis King will take responsibility for his conduct and enter a guilty plea, Rosenblatt said in his statement Monday.

King, from Racine, Wisconsin, will enter the plea and face sentencing before a military court at Fort Bliss on Sept. 20, Rosenblatt said.

McCaskill said that if the judge assigned to the hearing rejects the plea deal, Kings case could end up litigated in a contested court-martial. Otherwise, he will most likely face a sentence pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, she said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Christina Lee Brown, a philanthropist and supporter of the University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, was described as a driver in getting the tree project off the ground. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)

LOUISVILLE  A research project years in the making through the University of Louisville, The Nature Conservancy and other partners has found planting thousands of trees and shrubs in a south Louisville neighborhood has improved the health of hundreds of residents.

The University of Louisvilles Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute launched the Green Heart Louisville Project in 2018. It has planted more than 8,000 large trees and shrubs across a four-mile area and studied the health of 745 nearby residents before and after the trees were planted.

The researchers took blood, urine, hair and nail samples to collect health data from residents while also measuring tree coverage and air pollution levels in the area. The researchers then compared the collected data to city residents outside the research area.

The results, announced before a crowd of supporters Tuesday in Wyandotte Park in south Louisville, showed residents living in the greener area had 13% to 20% lower levels of biomarkers for general inflammation.

Trees along a walking path in Wyandotte Park are among the thousands planted in neighborhoods and along the nearby highway corridor. You all see those beautiful trees that are behind me? Well, they are more than beautiful. They are medicine, said University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel to the crowd of supporters. They are part of the revolutionary project to document and understand how trees affect the health of people living around them.

The biomarkers measured are called high-sensitivity C-reactive proteins, and higher levels of those proteins are strongly connected to cardiovascular disease and, according to a University of Louisville release, are an even stronger indicator of heart attack than cholesterol levels. Higher levels of the proteins are also connected to increased risk for diabetes and some cancers.

Aruni Bhatnagar, the director of the Christiana Lee Brown Envirome Institute, framed the research as having the potential to significantly reduce heart attacks among Louisivillians.

We have over 1,800 to 2,000 heart attacks in Louisville every year, and if you can even decrease 10%  thats 200 lesser heart attacks, Bhatnagar said. If we can work on the scale that weve done here for the entire city, there will be a huge benefit. We can only think what it would be for the entire country.

Bhatnagar said while past research has shown that people living in green communities have a lower rate of mortality, he wasnt aware of research like the University of Louisville project that compared the health effects of greenery added to a community.

Toni Smith, 71, is one of the studys participants and has lived across the highway from Wyandotte Park for the past 17 years. She said the added trees have helped beautify her neighborhood along with block some of the air and noise pollution coming from the highway.

Smith, sitting under the shade of a tree in the park, said theres a certain calming aspect to tree coverage, especially for those who love the outdoors. She said shes a big advocate of anything that can help improve the environment and health of her neighborhood, mentioning the study has also served as a helpful health screening for participants.

She would have had researchers plant a tree in her own yard, but there wasnt room.

Because of my love of nature, I didnt have a square inch to plant a tree, or I definitely would have had them come, Smith said.

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Can this trick double the size of broccoli and other produce? Its popular in Pierce County

Burr Mosby of Mosby Brothers Farms in the Auburn area grew 34,000 pounds of various types of peas, wheat, and other crops on a single acre of his land last year.

He and his crew harvested 8 pounds of product per square foot. Mosby didnt sell any of it.

Instead, after harvesting and weighing, Mosby took the 34,000 pounds back to the field and left it to decompose. It broke down back into the soil.

Mosby is part of a growing number of farmers in Pierce County using a farming practice known as cover cropping to enhance the health of his soil.

Hes part of a Pierce Conservation District cover crop loan program that launched in 2020. Participation has nearly doubled since it started.

In 2020, we supported 40 acres for seven farmers for a total of $5,800; in 2023, we supported 303 acres for 19 farmers for a total of $37,000, Allison Nichols, the crop farm manager at the PCD, wrote in an email to The News Tribune.

Burr Mosby, of Mosby Brothers Farm, poses for a photo on his farm on Aug. 8 near in Auburn. Mosby is part of a growing number of Pierce County farmers using cover crops in between seasons on their farms.

The young program encourages local farmers to experiment with cover crops by paying for the first three years worth of seeds. Once those three years are up, farmers are able to reapply for the loan for different parts of their property.

By then, according to Nichols, most farmers have figured out if cover crops will work for them and tend to continue the practice on their own dime.

The crops that Mosby harvested werent his traditional crops like cucumber or pumpkin. Instead, it was a combination of triticale (a wheat and rye hybrid), Austrian pea and vetch (which are both in the legume family).

Cover crops are a wide range of plants that can help ward off weeds, prevent soil erosion, and reintroduce nutrients back into farmland that has been subjected to heavy years of farming.

They arent a new farming tool. Mosby said the practice has been around since the Dust Bowl in 1930. However, farmers across the United States have seen more funding programs in recent years like the one in Pierce County to help support it.

Burr Mosby, of Mosby Brothers Farm, holds out a handful of healthy, moister-filled soil, that he dug up in his pumpkin patch on his farm on Aug. 8 near Auburn. Mosby is part of a growing number of Pierce County farmers who are adopting cover crops. He grew 34,000 pounds of cover crops last year in a field thats currently his pumpkin patch.

The funding for the cover crop loan program comes from several different sources. Some of these sources include the Pierce County Agriculture Program, a state program called Sustainable Farms and Fields, and funding from the PCDs budget (about $10 of the average Pierce County homeowners property tax bill goes to the PCD, the agency told The News Tribune last year).

How long is the program expected to last? According to Nichols, the PCD plans to run the program as long as theres enough funding.

We dont anticipate that we will discontinue; its more a matter of how much we are able to do based on the funding we can access, Nichols said.

The economic impacts arent clear

What does all this mean for Pierce County grocery shoppers? Will shoppers see lower prices on produce, or will prices continue to grow?

Its easy to think that a practice like cover cropping, which is being promoted and paid for because of its positive effect on the soil, would lower the cost of produce for consumers because of the hypothetical bigger yields of produce being harvested. Healthier soil means bigger harvests.

A customer reaches for carrots grown at De La Mesa Farms at the farms booth at the Proctor Farmers Market on Aug. 10, near Tacoma. De La Mesa is a no till farm that has used cover crops for ten years.

However, Professor Michael Brady at Washington State University said widespread use of cover cropping is still new, and that its too early to tell what the economic impact on consumers and farmers will be.

The jury is still out because theres a lot of research, working around cover crops in Washington right now, and so theres a big effort to really try to figure out what the benefits may be and best practices are, Brady said.

That doesnt mean consumers wont see positives at some point.

In the long run, the thought is that it would benefit. Producers wouldnt do it unless it did have a benefit. It just happens indirectly; it improves their growing potential, either reduces their cost or increases their yields with their main cash crop over the long run, Brady said.

Brian Mesa, owner and operator of De La Mesa Farms in unincorporated Pierce County east of Parkland, said the produce prices consumers are seeing dont reflect what it costs farmers to grow that food.

Customers line up to buy produce from the De La Mesa Farms booth at the Proctor Farmers Market on Aug. 10 near Tacoma. De La Mesa Farms uses no-till regenerative and indigenous farming practices and has incorporated cover crops into their farming routine for ten years.

To be completely honest, the price of produce is too low. What were buying produce for doesnt really match the amount of work we have to put in to produce this high-quality food, Mesa said.

If shoppers want produce that has been grown in a healthy way, he said, they should be prepared for higher prices. Otherwise, he argues cheap produce shoppers do find can promote poor practices, such as the overuse of pesticides and low wages for farm laborers.

Good for soil, good for water quality

Despite uncertainty about the economic role that cover crops play in all of that, the Pierce Conservation District and other local and national organizations, such as the United States Department of Agriculture, encourage farmers to adopt cover crops to benefit the soil and to improve water quality.

According to the USDA, the plant coverage that comes with growing cover crops benefits the soil and the local water quality by preventing soil erosion and nutrient runoff after heavy and consistent rain. Pierce County farmers who incorporate cover crops into their rotation prevent pesticides, nutrients, and other things living in their top soil from washing into waterways that eventually lead to Puget Sound.

However, these benefits wont be seen overnight. As Mosby notes: It takes years to build up organic matter.

Sandeep Rattan, a summer worker at De La Mesa Farms, uses a dibbler tool to create holes in the soil to plant what Rattan calls green salad starters on Aug. 7 near Tacoma.

That doesnt mean farmers havent started to see changes or benefits to their land or to their money-making crops.

For farmers like Mesa, whos incorporated cover crops into his farming practice for nearly ten years, the benefits arent only in his farms soil health; theyre also in the size of his crop.

This year, Mesa and the rest of the De La Mesa crew were harvesting about 2-pound heads of broccoli and 2-pound heads of cauliflower. After they grow a new round of their cover crop mix, which includes oats and various types of peas, among other things, Mesa reckons that the size of the broccoli and cauliflower will double.

Were looking for 3- and 4-pound heads of cauliflower and broccoli. And after we plant this cover crop, I mean, that vision is going to be no problem, Mesa said.

Additionally, farmers who incorporate cover crops see an increase in bugs and worms that help soil health. Research from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service notes that earthworms play a key role in consistently changing the structure of the soil, which improves soil tilth, aeration, infiltration, and drainage.

Young red leaf lettuce plants sit in a field, ready to be planted at De La Mesa Farms on Aug. 7 near Tacoma. De La Mesa Farm is a no-till farm that hand plants their crops.

Mosby and his crew see the reward of their 15-year dedicated use of cover crops whenever they weed their organic leeks.

In one of our organic fields of leeks, we are out there hand weeding, and one time our crew member goes: God, whats with all these worms out here? And I go: That just tells us were doing the right thing.

Burr Mosby, of Mosby Brothers Farms, digs between rows of pumpkins to show the health of the soil in one of his fields on Aug. 8 near Auburn. Mosby has been using cover crops on his farm for the last 20 years.
A truck on I-285 was headed to a farmers market. The GBI said it was carrying more than vegetables

Officials found more than vegetables after a truck headed to a farmers market was stopped on Interstate 285.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Recently, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration joined forces in a multi-agency drug trafficking investigation.

Officials conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 285 on a rented truck.

During the traffic stop, officials found 1,300 kilos of methamphetamine.

TRENDING STORIES:

According to the GBI, the truck contained vegetables headed to a farmers market in Forest Park.

No other details were released.

The GBI is continually working to get harmful drugs off of Georgias streets.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Lansing Police Department responded early Tuesday afternoon to the scene of a single-car crash just steps away from City Hall.

Police tell 6 News that a man was driving his truck westbound on Michigan Ave and may have mistaken the gas pedal for the brake pedal, driving offroad and crashing his car into the stone benches outside Lansing City Hall.

The call came in at around 12:15 p.m.

Police say no one was injured, though the driver was transported to the hospital as a precaution.

(WLNS)

(WLNS)

(WLNS)

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Trump accuses White House of suppressing Hunter Biden laptop story  but while he was president

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden hug on stage at the DNC. Trump falsely claimed Mark Zuckerberg was pressured by the White House to suppress stories about Hunters laptop (AFP via Getty Images)

Donald Trump accused the White House of pressuring Meta to suppress posts about Hunter Bidens laptop while he was serving as president.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, falsely claimed, Zuckerberg admits that the White House pushed to SUPPRESS HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY (& much more!).

IN OTHER WORDS, THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS RIGGED, the former president continued.

Trump appears to be referring to a letter sent by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, to the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan on Monday. Zuckerberg admitted in the letter that, in 2021, Joe Bidens administration pressured Meta to censor certain COVID-19 content.

He also said that Meta temporarily demoted a New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop in 2020 when Trump was president  after the FBI warned the story could be part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden hug on stage at the DNC. Trump falsely claimed Mark Zuckerberg was pressured by the White House to suppress stories about Hunters laptop (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

However, Zuckerberg did not at any point state that the White House pressured Meta to demote the story, as Trump falsely claimed in his recent post.

Trump also repeated his much-touted baseless claim that the 2020 election was rigged. There is no evidence that there was widespread voter fraud during the last presidential election, which President Joe Biden won.

Meta declined to comment on the post. The Independent has also contacted the Trump campaign for comment.

Hunter Bidens so-called laptop from hell hit the world of politics when the New York Post published a story containing emails reportedly obtained from the laptop less than one month before the 2020 election.

The laptop was left in the hands of Trump-supporting repair man John Pal Mac Isaac, who is legally blind. Mac Isaac said the individual who dropped off the laptop identified himself as Hunter Biden.

Information on the laptop  which included purported emails, text messages and photos, some explicit  later reached the public eye. Reviews from news outlets like CBS News and The Washington Postlater revealed the data was authentic.

It later came out that Meta limited the storys circulation after Zuckerberg said the FBI approached the company and asked them to be aware it may be disinformation intended to influence the election.

Last year, Hunter Biden sued Rudy Giuliani and his former attorney Robert Costello for alleged violations of computer fraud and data access.

The presidents son claimed that Giuliani, Costello and other unnamed people are among those who have been primarily responsible for what has been described as the total annihilation of Plaintiffs digital privacy.

Hunter Biden then dropped the lawsuit in June.

The presidents son is currently facing a federal tax trial. Prosecutors hit him with three felony and six misdemeanor charges, accusing him of avoiding paying at least $1.4m in taxes while maintaining an extravagant lifestyle between 2016 and 2019.

Hunter Biden was also found guilty of three federal gun charges in Delaware earlier this year.
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Trump holds rally in Glendale, Arizona

By Kanishka Singh and Katharine Jackson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump has added former White House hopefuls Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to his transition team if he wins November's U.S. presidential election, his campaign said on Tuesday.

Kennedy and Gabbard hail from outside the Republican party sphere where former President Trump draws most of his support.

As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team, Trump campaign senior advisor Brian Hughes said in a statement.

Kennedy, 70, an environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist and descendent of a Democratic political dynasty, was running as an independent presidential candidate until he suspended his campaign last week and endorsed Trump. He joined the race for the White House as a Democratic challenger to Biden before switching to run as an independent.

A former Democratic congresswoman, Gabbard ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. She left the party in 2022 to become an independent. Increasingly critical of Biden and his administration, she is now popular among conservatives, frequently appearing as a guest on far-right TV and radio shows.

In an interview posted on X on Monday, Kennedy told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson he had been asked to join Trump's transition team "to help pick the people who will be running the government."

In exchange for endorsing Trump, Kennedy is hoping for a job in a potential Trump administration, a super PAC supporting Kennedy told Reuters last week.

Strategists have said it was unclear how Kennedy's endorsement would help Trump, who is in a tight contest with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Voter interest in Kennedy waned this summer as Trump survived an assassination attempt and Biden passed the campaign torch to Harris.

(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Rod Nickel)
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Platform Group is 8.71 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of 8.60 suggests Platform Group is potentially trading close to its fair value

Analyst price target for FSNT is 14.63, which is 68% above our fair value estimate

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of The Platform Group AG (ETR:FSNT) as an investment opportunity by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Platform Group

Step By Step Through The Calculation

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (, Millions) 17.2m 23.3m 13.0m 10.8m 9.48m 8.72m 8.25m 7.96m 7.78m 7.68m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Est @ -17.25% Est @ -11.83% Est @ -8.04% Est @ -5.39% Est @ -3.53% Est @ -2.23% Est @ -1.31% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 5.9% 16.2 20.8 10.9 8.5 7.1 6.2 5.5 5.0 4.6 4.3

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 89m

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (0.8%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 5.9%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034  (1 + g)  (r  g) = 7.7m (1 + 0.8%)  (5.9% 0.8%) = 152m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 152m ( 1 + 5.9%)10= 85m

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 175m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 8.6, the company appears about fair value at a 1.3% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Platform Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 5.9%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.239. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

SWOT Analysis for Platform Group

Strength

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Weakness

Shareholders have been diluted in the past year.

Opportunity

Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the German market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to decline for the next 3 years.

Moving On:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Platform Group, there are three fundamental elements you should consider:

Risks: We feel that you should assess the 3 warning signs for Platform Group (2 are a bit concerning!) we've flagged before making an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does FSNT's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every German stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Donald Trump is still calling for a punishment that violates the Constitution: jailing people who burn the American flag. Its been one of the Republican presidential nominees consistent proposals this election cycle.

Trump just pushed the idea again Monday while speaking in Detroit to the National Guard Association of the United States. You burn an American flag, you go to jail for one year, the former president said, adding: We gotta do it. ... They say, Sir, thats unconstitutional. Well make it constitutional.

The they who said thats unconstitutional was a Supreme Court majority that included conservative icon Antonin Scalia. That hasnt stopped Trump from advocating the idea after protests outside the Israeli consulate during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week and in Washington, D.C., last month during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus congressional address.

As for mak[ing] it constitutional, we were reminded last month how hard it is to amend the Constitution when President Joe Biden proposed an amendment in light of the Supreme Courts immunity ruling in Trump v. United States. Of course, as we saw in the immunity case, an easier route to accomplish Republican legal goals is by going through the justices themselves  though there isnt a flag-burning case before the high court currently presenting that opportunity.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for updates and expert analysis on the top legal stories. The newsletter will return to its regular weekly schedule when the Supreme Courts next term kicks off in October.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Trump campaign spends thousands on pointless ad airing around Mar-a-Lago to keep ex-president happy

Donald Trumps campaign is reportedly spending tens of thousands of dollars to air ads in the Palm Beach, Florida area (Getty Images)

Donald Trumps presidential campaign is reportedly planning to air advertisements in the Palm Beach area where the former presidents Mar-a-Lago residence lies  despite the area being historically Democratic in a Republican state.

The cable news ads, set to run this week, are not for strategy purposes but to keep Trump and donors happy, according to reporting from The Bulwark.

A campaign insider told the political newsletter that the Trump campaign spent roughly $48,000 to air 15-second-long ads on CNN, CNBC, Fox News and Fox Business. They said that was mostly to appeal to wealthy donors in the area.

This is more about keeping the donors happy than the principal. Theres a lot of donors in Palm Beach, the unnamed campaign insider said.

Palm Beach County is a historically Democratic area of Florida. In 2020, roughly 55 percent of residents voted for President Joe Biden. But given Florida is a safe Republican state, Trump doesnt have to worry too much about underperforming in the county where he resides.

Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida (AP)

But the ads also keep the former president satisfied since he and his friends in Mar-a-Lago can see the ads.

If it makes the boss happy, too, then good, the campaign insider added.

Its unclear what the content of the ads is.

The former president has been in a sour mood lately posting frequently about Vice President Kamala Harris on Truth Social and going on angry rants during rallies and speeches. Its a tangible deviation from Trumps more lighthearted, less aggressive mood from earlier this summer.

Roughly one month ago when President Joe Biden was still the presumptive Democratic nominee, Trump was enjoying a boost in the polls thanks to Bidens disastrous debate performance.

But since Vice President Kamala Harris has replaced Biden, polling numbers are neck-and-neck with Harris leading in some national polls. Trump has angrily refused to concede that Harris is polling well or appealing to voters.

Its unclear what the content of the ads is but with more than $300m cash on hand, as of July, spending $47k on ads is hardly impactful.

The Trump campaign made a similar move during the 2020 election when they spent $400,000 to air cable news ads in Washington D.C., a Democratic stronghold, so Trump and his allies would see them.
Former President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that his presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC News is still on, after appearing to suggest that the network shows too much hostility toward Republicans for him to attend the event.

The Republican nominee said in a Truth Social post Tuesday that the rules of the Sept. 10 debate will remain the same as the ones that he and President Joe Biden agreed to ahead of their June CNN debate, when each candidates microphone was muted while their opponent was speaking.

But the Harris campaign rejects the claim that the Sept. 10 debate will have the same rules from June. The issue regarding whether mics will be turned on during the entire debate is still being discussed, a Harris campaign official said.

"Both candidates have publicly made clear their willingness to debate with unmuted mics for the duration of the debate to fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates  but it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers overrule him. Sad," a Harris campaign official said in a statement to POLITICO.

The rules of the debate have become a point of contention between the two campaigns in recent days, POLITICO reported, over the issue of whether mics should or should not be muted.

The Harris campaign wanted the mics to be hot throughout the ABC debate, which had been the standard in past presidential debates. But Trumps campaign pushed to keep to the terms he agreed to with Biden in June, despite the former president saying Monday hed rather have microphones on. The CNN debate also had no studio audience, no opening remarks and consisted of two commercial breaks.

ABC News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Debate will be stand up, and Candidates cannot bring notes, or cheat sheets, Trump said in the Truth Social post. We have also been given assurance by ABC that this will be a fair and equitable Debate, and that neither side will be given the questions in advance.

At a campaign stop in Virginia on Monday, Trump told reporters that he was still thinking about participating in the upcoming ABC debate after watching Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on the network on Sunday and not liking how the senator was treated.

"When I looked at the hostility of that, I said, 'Why am I doing it? Let's do it with another network.' I want to do it," Trump told reporters.

Trump has ignited doubt in the past over whether he would participate in a debate with Harris. Earlier this month, the former president said he would only participate in a debate hosted by Fox News on Sept. 4. But several days later, Trump agreed that he would debate Harris on ABC News Sept. 10.

Trump has proposed additional debates with NBC News and Fox News, but the Sept. 10 event is the only agreed-upon date between the two candidates. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is set to debate Harris running mate, Tim Walz, on Oct. 1 on CBS News.
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Donald Trump faces a new federal indictment in his 2020 election subversion case after prosecutors slimmed down their allegations in the wake of the Supreme Courts landmark ruling on presidential immunity.

The narrowed down indictment obtained by special counsel Jack Smith carries the same four charges brought against Trump last year, but removes some of the allegations about the Republican nominees conduct.

Accusations omitted from the indictment, which was filed in federal court in Washington on Tuesday, include claims that Trump, 78, attempted to pressure the US Justice Department in his bid to overturn his loss to Joe Biden.

It comes after the Supreme Court ruled in July that Trump cannot be prosecuted for actions that were within his constitutional powers as president.

The USs highest court ruled that a presidents interactions with the Justice Department constitute official acts for which he is entitled to immunity, effectively stripping those allegations from the case.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all four charges in the original indictment last year. The former president branded the fresh indictment ridiculous and an act of desperation.

The indictment also no longer accuses Co-Conspirator No 4, who was understood to be former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, meaning there are now five co-conspirators listed in the indictment as opposed to six.

Mr Clark was accused of sending letters to elected officials in certain states falsely claiming that the department had identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election and had asked top department officials to sign it, but they refused.

Mr Smiths office said the fresh indictment was issued by a grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in the case.

It was filed three days ahead of a deadline for Mr Smiths office to tell the judge how they wanted to proceed in light of the Supreme Court opinion.

The superseding indictment, which was presented to a new grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in this case, reflects the governments efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings and remand instructions in Trump vs United States, the special counsels office said.

Multi-part conspiracy

The second indictment, like the initial one, accuses Trump of a multi-part conspiracy to block the certification of his election defeat to Mr Biden.

The new version of the indictment hinges on key testimony and evidence from witnesses largely outside the federal government, such as former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, whom the indictment says was pressured by Trump and a co-conspirator to call a special session to hold a hearing based on bogus assertions of voter fraud.

The original 45-page document has been squeezed to 36 pages and still includes allegations that Trump attempted to pressure the vice-president at the time, Mike Pence, to refuse to certify the electoral vote count.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the Supreme Court opinion that the interactions between Trump and Pence amounted to official conduct for which Trump is at least presumptively immune from prosecution.

The question, Mr Roberts wrote, is whether the government can rebut that presumption of immunity.

Writing on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said: In an effort to resurrect a dead Witch Hunt in Washington, D.C., in an act of desperation, and in order to save face, the illegally appointed Special Counsel Deranged Jack Smith, has brought a ridiculous new Indictment against me, which has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY.

He added: Smith rewrote the exact same case in an effort to circumvent the Supreme Court Decision. The people of our Country will see what is happening with all of these corrupt lawsuits against me, and will REJECT them by giving me an overwhelming Victory on November 5th for President of the United States.

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Donald Trump has added two ex-presidential candidates to his transition team: former Representative Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.



The move comes after the two endorsed the former president and convicted felons 2024 campaign for president. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, initially endorsed Trump in July and joined him on Monday at a National Guard Association event in Detroit. Kennedy suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump last week.



As members of Trumps team, the two will help the Republican nominee craft policy and choose staff members for his administration should he win in November. Both Gabbard and Kennedy have reputations as conspiracy theorists.

Gabbard has expressed skepticism about the Syrian governments use of chemical weapons during its civil war, putting her at odds with the U.S. government view, and even had two secret meetings with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. She has also defended Russia in its war against Ukraine, and tried to claim that press freedom in Russia is similar to the United States. Since leaving Congress, Gabbard has shifted heavily to the right, promoting transphobia, spreading Russian propaganda, and unsuccessfully endorsing Republicans. Trump even brought her aboard to help with debate preparations.



Kennedy meanwhile, is best known for anti-vaccine and public health skepticism. His quixotic presidential campaign revealed more bizarre stances, such as a pledge to not take sides on the 9/11 attacks. In the weeks leading up to his withdrawal from the presidential race, Kennedy was revealed to have once had a worm in his brain, and to have dumped a bear cub carcass in New Yorks Central Park. In another resurfaced interview from 2012, his daughter Kick recounted an instance when Kennedy cut off a beached whales head with a chainsaw in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, tied it to the roof of his car, and proceeded to drive it and his family five hours home to New York.



Having Kennedy and Gabbard on his transition team doesnt bode well for what a future Trump administration would look like. Right-wing foot soldiers are already devising plans of what they want to do, and these two expresidential candidates will likely revive the old Trump days of amplifying crackpot theories.
WASHINGTON  Special counsel Jack Smith Tuesday announced that a grand jury had reindicted former President Donald Trump on four charges related to his Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt to honor the direction given by the U.S. Supreme Court in its July ruling holding that Trump was immune from criminal prosecution for official acts.

Today, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a superseding indictment, Smith wrote in a separate filing to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is handling the case. The superseding indictment, which was presented to a new grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in this case, reflects the Governments efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings.

Trumps first public reaction to the new indictment was to repost a message on Truth Social by Mike Davis, a former Senate lawyer who supports him, that ends with: Bottom Line: Theres no chance this case goes to trial before the election. Trump wins. Jack Smith fired. Case closed.

About an hour later, Trump personally responded with a five-post screed on his social media platform in which he called Smith deranged and claimed, without any evidence, that the prosecution was being directed by President Joe Bidens White House. He also repeated his lie that Democrats had cheated to win the 2020 election.

He ended with: PERSECUTION OF A POLITICAL OPPONENT!

The superseding indictment, as it is known, charges Trump with the same four counts as in the original indictment that was filed a year ago: Conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to deprive millions of Americans of their right to have their votes counted.

It follows the same narrative structure, laying out how Trump spent months after losing his 2020 reelection bid laying the groundwork for the violent assault on the Capitol by his mob of followers.

Despite having lost, the defendant  who was also the incumbent president  was determined to remain in power, Smith wrote. So, for more than two months following election day on November 3, 2020, the defendant spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election [that] he had actually won. These claims were false, and the defendant knew that they were false.

But Smiths new indictment does not reference Trumps efforts to enlist federal government employees in the executive branch  who all technically report to him. For instance, the original indictment had mentioned a Department of Justice official whom Trump considered making his attorney general because of his willingness to tell state officials that voter fraud had occurred. The new indictment does not include the official as a co-conspirator, but does still include the other five individuals who were not in government.

The Supreme Court ruled in July that Trump had immunity from prosecution for official acts, and specifically cited the ability to hire and fire executive branch employees to carry out his wishes.

The revised indictment, now at 36 pages compared to the 45-page original, still centers on Trumps scheme to have allies in key states won by Biden create fake Electoral College slates and send them to the Senate. The plan was for then-Vice President Mike Pence to use the fake Trump slates instead of the legitimate slates for Democrat Joe Biden and declare Trump the winner.

Pence, though, refused to go along with the plan and incurred Trumps wrath by announcing that decision publicly as Congress convened for the ceremonial certification of the presidential election.

Trump attacked Pence on Twitter, telling his followers that Pence lacked the courage to do as he had demanded. His mob at that point surged the Capitol entrances. Many chanted Hang Mike Pence as they hunted for him.

Despite entreaties from White House staff and his own family, Trump refused to tell his people to leave the building for three hours.

More than 140 police officers were wounded, some badly, by Trumps mob. One died hours later, and another four died by suicide in the following months. Four of Trumps own followers also died in the melee.

All four of the charges in the indictment are felonies, and Trump would face decades in prison if convicted. He is already facing as long as four years in prison on an unrelated conviction in New York City, with sentencing set for next month.

Trump is also under a felony indictment in Georgia state court for his actions to overturn his election loss there, while prosecutors are appealing a Trump-appointed federal judges ruling to dismiss felony charges based on his refusal to turn over secret documents he took with him to his Florida country club upon leaving office.

Trump denies any wrongdoing for any of the charged crimes and continues lying about his election loss, claiming the election was rigged and stolen from him.
Donald Trumps lawyers in his Georgia election subversion case requested Monday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office be removed from the case, arguing that she led the intentional injection of false allegations of racism into court proceedings.

Much of the filing in the Georgia Court of Appeals focused on a speech Willis, who is Black, made at a church in January. In those remarks, Trumps lawyers argued, she deliberately chose to play the race card, in a calculated effort to bring public condemnation against the accused and deflect public attention away from herself.

During her church remarks, Willis criticized Trumps legal team for saying she should be disqualified because she had an improper relationship with a prosecutor she hired. She noted that the prosecutor, Nathan Wade, was the only Black person shed hired at that level.

Isnt it them whos playing the race card when they only question one? Willis said before the congregants. Isnt it them playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction in some other state to tell me how to do a job Ive been doing almost 30 years?

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis arrives for the final arguments in her disqualification hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse on March 1. ALEX SLITZ via Getty Images

Trumps lawyers argued in their new filing that Willis remarks were made to cast racial aspersions and that she obviously intended that every potential Fulton County juror who heard or read Willis racist speech should label the defendants as racists.

Willis office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the claims made by Trumps legal team.

Mondays filing was made in the Georgia Court of Appeals, which halted Fulton Countys case against Trump in June while it weighs whether Willis should be removed from the case. Its first hearing is scheduled for December.

That development has stalled a case that, when it first began, was expected to wrap up before this years Election Day, in which Trump is competing as the GOP nominee for president.

The effort to remove her from the case took off in January, when Mike Roman, one of Trumps co-defendants accused of trying to subvert Georgias 2020 election results, alleged that Willis was having an affair with Wade that caused a conflict of interest in her work. Willis admitted the following month to having a personal relationship with Wade but denied it having any impact on the proceedings.

Shortly after Roman filed his complaint, Trumps legal team made very similar allegations as those in its filing Monday, claiming Willis inappropriately injected race into the case and stoked racial animus during her speech at the church.

The judge overseeing the case determined in March that there wasnt enough evidence of Willis improperly benefitting from Wades hiring. However, the relationship created a significant appearance of impropriety, he said, and ordered either Willis or Wade to resign from the case. Wade stepped down that day.

Related...
Donald Trump seemed immensely pleased Tuesday after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote to Congress claiming that the Biden administration had pressured him to censor disinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Zuckerberg wrote that the Biden administration had repeatedly pressured Meta to remove certain Covid-19 content, including humor and satire.

I believe that the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it, Zuckerberg wrote. While Metas platform Facebook has been all but taken over by outlandish A.I. content and fake news, Zuckerberg lamented that he had not allowed misinformation endangering public health to run rampant, as well.

I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction, he said. And we are ready to push back if something like this happens again.

Zuckerberg also wrote that he regretted temporarily demoting the 2020 New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop while waiting for fact-checkers to assess the validity of the story. He said the FBI had previously warned Meta about a potential Russian disinformation campaign against the Biden family involving Burisma, a Ukrainian oil company for which Hunter Biden worked.

Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation and we should not have demoted the story, Zuckerberg wrote. He noted that Meta had changed its protocols and would no longer demote content in the U.S. while waiting for it to be fact-checkedtouting how easy he had made it for disinformation to propagate on his sites.

Zuckerberg also tried to distance himself from the $350 million in grants he and his wife had provided for election administrators struggling to adapt to pandemic-era election restrictions in 2020.

I know that some believe this work benefited one party over the other, Zuckerberg wrote, even though the FEC had ruled that it did not. My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or anotheror even appear to be playing a role. So I dont plan on making a similar contribution this cycle.

For someone whose stated goal is to be neutral, Zuckerbergs letter sure made Trump happy.

This is what everyones been waiting forTHE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS RIGGED! Trump wrote in a jubilant post on Truth Social. Beneath his post, he reshared a post from his lawyer, Alina Habba, who claimed the Biden administration was gagging our media and censoring America.

In another post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, Zuckerberg admits that the White House pushed to SUPPRESS HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY (& much more!). IN OTHER WORDS, THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS RIGGED.

Crucially, Zuckerberg did not claim that the Biden administration had forced him to remove, or even demote the story about Hunter Bidens laptop.
Former President Donald Trump told a crowd of National Guard officers the world faces unprecedented dangers and positioned himself as uniquely capable of preventing threats he said the U.S. faces in a speech to the National Guard Association of the United States' annual business meeting in Detroit on Monday.

"I don't think we've ever been closer to World War III than we are now," Trump said. He told the audience that serving as their commander-in-chief was the greatest honor of his life and cast his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris as a proponent of "endless war" on the same day Harris stood by President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.

If elected, Trump said he would bring an end to the war in Ukraine that broke out following a Russian invasion, declaring himself the only candidate in the race who can make that commitment. Trump also vowed to secure higher payments from NATO countries, saying the U.S. loses too much money defending Europe and calling the current payments from NATO countries the steal of the century.

Trump also referenced what he sees as domestic threats facing the U.S., repeating past claims that his political enemies have weaponized government to jail their opponents, an apparent reference to his 34 felony convictions and the pending criminal cases against him. He repeated his promise to seal the U.S. Southern border, describing illegal crossings into the country as an "invasion."

In response to his speech, Harris for President Rapid Response Director Ammar Moussa said, "Trump cannot be trusted to keep us safe, but Vice President Harris is a proven leader on the world stage and will use her expertise to ensure Americas security, defeat our adversaries, and stand with our allies around the world.

Trump's visit to the Motor City marks his seventh trip to Michigan this year. In the battleground state, he faces a close race against Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris has a nearly three-percentage point lead over Trump in the state as of Monday, according to a polling average from the website 538.

Trump last held a campaign rally in Michigan late last month in Grand Rapids  the first one after an assassination attempt against him. Since then, Trump and his running mate U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio have held smaller events in Michigan with law enforcement.

One of Trump's biggest celebrity supporters  musician Kid Rock  wore a red "Keep America Great" hat to introduce Trump. And Democrat-turned-Trump-ally former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii also took the stage to endorse Trump Monday.

The venue for Trump's speech, Huntington Place, is the same convention hall where his supporters four years ago banged on the windows outside the room where Detroit election workers counted absentee ballots cast by the city's voters and demanded they stop the vote count. Trump's supporters have once again begun mobilizing to serve as election workers and challengers this year.

After the speech in Detroit, Trump made a brief stop at his campaigns office in Roseville in Macomb County where volunteers greeted him with applause and supporters lined the street, chanting his name.

We had a great race in 2016, but we did much better in 2020, think of it, he told the small crowd inside despite his loss four years ago. This year, he said he sees even more enthusiasm for his candidacy.

He cast doubt on the legitimacy of Harris late entrance in the race after she formally accepted her partys nomination at the Democratic National Convention last week in Chicago. He did not react to a shouted question from the Free Press asking whether he would accept the results of the upcoming election.

As he railed against Harris with the attack lines he has tried to hone against his new opponent since she entered the race, he returned to a familiar promise. Were going to make America greater than ever before, Trump said.

He told his volunteers to enjoy some pizza from the campaign and not only vowed to return but said the whole group could come to Mar-a-Lago if he wins in November.

Before traveling to Michigan on Monday, Trump spent the morning participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia marking three years since a terrorist attack outside of Kabul Airport killed 13 U.S. service members and over 100 Afghan civilians. Trump on Monday tried to tie Harris to Biden's handling of the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, but it is unclear how Harris as vice president may have shaped Biden's strategy.

Trump said Harris and Biden caused the "humiliation in Afghanistan" and said the withdrawal threatened U.S. credibility around the world.

In a statement mourning the American service members who died in the terrorist attack three years ago, Harris expressed support for Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. "As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America's longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leader of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland," Harris said.

Biden addressed the National Guard officers at the Monday gathering virtually with a video thanking them for their service. "Simply put, we owe you," he said. Biden ended his campaign against Trump earlier this summer and endorsed Harris to replace him following his disastrous debate performance that prompted Democrats to call for Biden to bow out of the race. The last-minute shake-up of the presidential race has forced the Trump campaign to adjust to its new opponent.

Contact Clara Hendrickson: chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Closer to World War III' than ever, Trump says in Michigan speech
Trump says he would create a Space National Guard and build an Iron Dome missile shield around the US

Former President Trump said he would create a national guard for the Space Force and build an Iron Dome in the U.S. as he laid out his military plans during a Monday address.

Trump, speaking Monday at a National Guard Association of the U.S. conference in Detroit, touted the creation of the Space Force, the sixth branch of the U.S. military. It was established in 2019 to protect U.S. assets in space from threats from Russia and China.

One of my proudest achievements in my first term was to create Space Force, the first new branch of the armed forces in over 70 years; its a big deal, he said. Now that Space Force is up and running, I agree with your leadership  you want this very badly  but I agree that the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Space Force.

The comment prompted a round of applause from the audience, and Trump thanked them.

So as president, I will sign historic legislation creating a Space National Guard, he continued. So were going to do that. Space Force has been very important, very, very important.

He argued that the U.S. was getting destroyed in space prior to the creation of the military branch, but thanks to its creation, the country is now leading with all of the major metrics in space.

It comes months after the Biden administration in April proposed incorporating Air National Guard service members into the Space Force. In March, the Defense Department asked Congress to override an existing law requiring governors to approve changes to National Guard units to allow hundreds of members to shift to the Space Force.

The proposal, which would have impacted about 1,000 Air National Guard members, drew sharp criticism from nearly every U.S. governor and dozens of lawmakers. Disagreement has stalled any solution on such a reserve service.

The former president later pledged to build an antimissile system similar to Israels Iron Dome air defense system, which is capable of intercepting short-range rockets in the air above the state.

And were going to build a great Iron Dome for missile defense around our nation. Other countries have said Israel has it. You know, [former President] Ronald Reagan wanted this many years ago, but we didnt have the technology at that point. But now we have the technology, Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to create an Iron Dome-style system, stating on the campaign trail over the past year he would work to build the greatest dome of them all due to a lot of hostile people out there.

Some experts told The Hill in May it would likely look different than Israels and would come with a hefty price tag, and they said it would be of little use in stopping short-range missiles its meant to protect against.

Experts argued that a more sensible goal could be an improved missile shield with several layered systems that work with several protections the country already has in place.

During Mondays speech, Trump also slammed President Biden and Vice President Harris for overseeing a collapse of American credibility and respect in Afghanistan on the three-year anniversary of a bombing at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans.

He called the Afghanistan withdrawal the most embarrassing day in the history of the U.S.

It gave us Russia going into Ukraine. It gave us the Oct. 7 attack on Israel because it gave us a lack of respect. Were not respected, Trump said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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LOS CABOS, MEXICO / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / The Coveted Group , under the visionary leadership of Founder and CEO Derrick Grahn, is unveiling two transformative real estate projects: Smith Butte Ranch in northern Arizona and Meilahn Farms in rural Wisconsin.

Derrick Grahn defies the typical developer stereotype. A self-made entrepreneur with a background in sculpture from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he attended on a full scholarship, Derrick's journey began far from the halls of wealth and finance.

Born in Las Vegas to parents descended from Wisconsin farmers, Derrick's story is one of vision, creativity, and relentless ambition, seemingly woven into his DNA. His parents, who married out of high school, left their rural pastoral roots behind in search of greater opportunities. Their journey began in Las Vegas before they found modest success through several entrepreneurial ventures in other states. Derrick spent his formative years in Boca Raton, Florida, and Del Mar, California, before pursuing higher education in Chicago, where his unique path truly began to take shape.

"Derrick is a force of nature," says longtime friend Brion Hickey. "In the '90s, Derrick was instrumental in shaping Chicago's nightlife, producing legendary underground rave parties and captivating art installations." A bona fide serial entrepreneur, Derrick flourished in diverse fields-he was a gifted graphic designer, electronic music producer, interior designer, and unyielding creator. His ventures included designing and launching nightclubs, retail stores, marketing agencies, restaurants, and art galleries. "Derrick can create anything," Hickey continued, praising his remarkable skills in glassblowing, textile fabrication, welding, and woodworking. Derrick's unbounded creativity even extended to screenwriting, culminating in the independent cult classic Street Thief. A true maverick, Derrick finds absolute joy in working 14 to 18-hour days, seven days a week, because it's not work for him-it's his passion and life's calling.

After moving to Cabo in the 2000s, Derrick, along with his wife and partner, Anastasia, quickly began planting roots while building a diverse array of startups. Their ventures included restaurants, an event production service, a celebrity logistics firm, a skincare line called Santo Cabo , and an advertising agency that published a high-end coffee table magazine, Cabo Social. In 2011, they launched The Coveted Group, an innovative new addition to their portfolio of Los Cabos enterprises.

Story continues

Shortly after its inception, The Coveted Group emerged as one of the Grahn's cornerstone business ventures. It started with Derrick's notable contributions to the real estate arm of Cabo's iconic Flora Farms. Coveted has since expanded its reach with ambitious development projects on Cabo's East Cape, such as Casa Blanca by Coveted and Nine Palms Ranch , the latter recently attracting an impressive $8.5 million investment.

Derrick's hands-on approach is legendary. Known for his "big pushes"-his team's term for his spontaneous, week-long intensive sessions-where Derrick works tirelessly alongside his crew. These efforts, involving nearly round-the-clock planning and execution, rapidly advance projects in short periods.

In an organic twist of fate, Derrick's journey has come full circle. Half a century after his parents left the family farm, he and his wife acquired the last 120 acres of Meilahn Farms -the very land where his mother was born and raised, where his grandfather, Nelson Meilahn, founded The Oaks Farm Dairy, the area's first vertically integrated dairy, delivering milk directly to people's doorsteps, and a farm that's been in his family since the 1800s.

The Grahn's acquisition of Meilahn Farms aims to preserve and share the farm for future generations through Derrick's innovative development vision. Under their stewardship, Meilahn Farms is entering a new chapter: the tillable cash crop land has been newly planted with wildflowers and wild grasses, restoring the farm's aesthetics to its 19th-century roots. The farm's 1950s dairy quonset has been transformed into a special events venue. Soon, bespoke cabins will be nestled within the property, complemented by walking paths and uniquely curated wellness amenities.

As The Coveted Group continues its ascent into the U.S. market, Derrick's passion extends to Smith Butte Ranch , a sprawling 200-acre off-grid sanctuary near Flagstaff, Williams, and Sedona, Arizona. Like their other properties, Smith Butte will feature amenities designed to nurture the soul, ignite adventure, and foster tranquility. Guests will enjoy an unparalleled off-grid experience, highlighted by Smith Butte's naturally filtered, crystal-clear swimming hole, heated by waters from its adjacent hot mineral soaking tub.

The Coveted Group's real estate projects are a testament to Derrick's artistic roots and old-school principles. He profoundly appreciates not only his clients, investors, and team but also the lands themselves, which act as both hosts and canvases for his visions. Each destination is designed to elevate both nature and the human experience for generations. Every Coveted Group project is an artistic masterpiece where nature, architecture, and creativity converge to form landmarks intended to stand the test of time.

For more information, visit The Coveted Group's website , follow their Instagram , or explore their YouTube channel .

Contact Information:

Name - Derrick Grahn

Company Name - The Coveted Group

Website - https://thecovetedgroup.com/

Email - derrick@thecovetedgroup.com

SOURCE: The Coveted Group





View the original press release on accesswire.com




Trump Says He And Harris Have Agreed To Mic Terms Ahead Of Sept. 10 Debate

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that he and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris have agreed to some key terms for their upcoming Sept. 10 debate.

In a social media post, Trump said each candidates microphone will be muted when it isnt their turn to speak  just as they were during the June 27 debate Trump had with President Joe Biden.

Despite Trumps claims, however, its unclear that Harris team has actually agreed to that condition: A source familiar with the negotiations told HuffPost the microphones remain an ongoing conversation.

Harris campaign has pushed to have the microphones stay live the whole time, believing that the more voters hear from Trump, the less they like him. Trump told reporters on Monday that he would also prefer to have the microphones unmuted, so its surprising that he believed theyd be cut.

Both candidates have publicly made clear their willingness to debate with unmuted mics for the duration of the debate to fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates  but it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers overrule him, a Harris campaign spokesperson told HuffPost. Sad!

Trump also claimed on social media on Tuesday that the two candidates will be standing up the whole time, cannot bring notes, and have been given assurances by ABC that neither candidate will get the questions in advance.

Trump couldnt resist the urge to aim invective at the network in his post, calling it by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business.

Our understanding is that Trumps handlers prefer the muted microphone because they dont think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own, Harris campaign spokesperson Brian Fallon said of the proposed microphone rules earlier this week.

We suspect Trumps team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they dont think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button.

Related...
Donald Trump faced criticism after giving the thumbs up and smiling while posing for photos at the graves of soldiers killed during the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery.

The former president was at the Virginia cemetery to lay a wreath on the third anniversary of the terror attack at the Abbey Gate at Kabul Airport, where 13 American servicemembers were killed.

Utahs Republican Governor Spencer Cox shared one image from the event on X, writing Monday that theres no greater sacrifice than giving ones life in defense of our country.

It was my solemn privilege to stand alongside the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover at Arlington National Cemetery today as we paid tribute to his legacy and the 12 others who lost their lives three years ago at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan, he added.

Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, quickly zeroed in on Trumps unusual pose in the snap.

Smiling thumbs up at the grave is unusual to say the least, he wrote on X. Never mind that Trump negotiated the deal and is the reason we left.

Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery (Utah Governor Spencer Cox)

Donald Trump stands alongside Misty Fuoco, whose sister Sgt. Nicole Gee died in Abbey Gate Bombing, at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26 in Arlington, Virginia (Getty Images)

Trump was surrounded by relatives of the soldier, some of whom also gave a thumbs up in the photo shared by Cox.

In another photo shared by the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project, Trump did the thumbs up and smiled as he stood at the grave of Nicole Gee, a sergeant. The group called it disgraceful.

Trump today with thumbs up at the grave of a soldier. Disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/scwq6bVhFF  The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 26, 2024

Trump was joined for the event in Virginia by former Democratic Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, an Army Reserve officer, who endorsed the Republican nominee later on Monday.

Speaking at a National Guard Association meeting in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, Gabbard, who ran against Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary, slammed the Biden administration, claiming that it has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world, and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard speaks at the National Guard of the United States NGAUS General Conference in Detroit, Michigan U.S., August 26 (REUTERS)

She added: This is one of the main reasons why I am committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander in chief.

While the Trump campaign has been trying to blame the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on the Biden administration, it was the Trump administration that struck a deal for the rapid withdrawal of all US troops. Trump was even planning on hosting the Taliban at Camp David to finalize the agreement in September 2019 before the meeting was called off.
With his endorsement of Donald Trump, former independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy is now all aboard the GOP candidates campaign train, boasting that he's been picked to help the former president draft policy for his next term in office. He has also suggested that Trump would join him in seeking to criminalize the spraying of "chemtrails," promoting a debunked conspiracy theory about the government releasing toxic chemicals into the air to kill off undesirable elements of the population.

The Trump campaign, meanwhile, is declining to condemn Kennedy's latest conspiratorial remarks, instead telling Salon that its "proud" to have him on the former president's "transition team."

As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team," Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, said in a statement. "We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team was we work to restore Americas greatness.

The Trump campaign's comment comes a day after Kennedy seemed to suggest that the government is spraying population-control chemicals into the air  and that Trump would criminalize the practice.

The term "chemtrails" first appeared in the 1990s when U.S. Air Force published a research paper about potential weather modification, the Telegraph reported. It has since been adopted by conspiracy theorists who baselessly allege that the government is indeed spraying chemicals, visible as trails of condensation from planes, as part of a scheme described variously as being aimed at controlling minds, reducing the population or increasing extreme weather events.

As per the conspiracy theory, the condensation trails left by high-flying aircraft in the sky are actually chemical or biological agents being sprayed by the government without public knowledge and with ill intent  you know, like population control, the Washington Post reported.

"We are going to stop this crime," Kennedy posted Monday on X, responding to a 60-second video in which a purported "Chemtrail Pilot Whistleblower" says chemicals are being sprayed and "killing off unwanted or leaching aspects of America and the world."

Two hours after his post, former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson shared an interview in which Kennedy described his new role as part of Trumps team.

Were working on policy issues together. Ive been asked to go on to the transition team, to help pick the people who will be running the government, and Im looking forward to that, Kennedy told Carlson.

As the Washington Post noted, there is no guarantee that Trumps micro-managerial tactics will afford Kennedy any real autonomy should the former president win the election. But it is also possible that the embrace of Kennedy, and refusal to condemn his more outlandish claims, from chemtrails to anti-vaccination pseudoscience, is intended as a signal to other conspiracy theorists that Trump is on board with their agenda.
Republican Presidential nominee, former president Donald J. Trump remarks during a campaign event at Precision Custom Components on August 19, 2024 in York, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

For the second week in a row, both candidates on the Republican Partys presidential ticket will campaign in Pennsylvania.

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) will be in Erie to deliver a speech on the economy and energy, while former President Donald Trump will head to Johnstown on Friday for a rally.

President Trump knows that Pennsylvania cannot take another four years of a dangerously incompetent and dangerously liberal Kamala Harris, Trumps campaign wrote in a press release announcing the rally. A Trump-Vance Administration will Make America Great Again by unleashing American drilling to halve energy costs, halting the migrant invasion on our southern border, and restoring Americas rightful standing and respect on the world stage.

Trumps rally in Johnstown will be his ninth appearance in Pennsylvania this year, while Vances visit to Erie will be his fourth since joining the GOP ticket as the candidate for vice president. Both were last in the Keystone State on Aug. 19 in separate appearances in York and Philadelphia to discuss their economic agenda.

Vice President Kamala Harris campaign responded to the upcoming visits by saying Trumps presidency was bad for Pennsylvania workers and a second Trump term would be even worse.

Pennsylvania workers know how bad a first Trump presidency was, from undermining labor unions to killing 275,000 jobs in Pennsylvania while handing massive tax breaks to big corporations who shipped many of those jobs overseas. said Onotse Omoyeni, Pennsylvania Rapid Response director for Harris for President, adding that a second Trump term would raise costs on middle-class families.

Harris, who formally accepted her partys nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention last week in Chicago, has visited Pennsylvania eight times in 2024. Her most recent appearance in the state was Aug. 18, alongside her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Walz, for a bus tour in western Pennsylvania.

Trumps rally in Johnstown is in reliably red Cambria County, while Vances speech will be in purple Erie County.

Trump won Cambria County by 37 points in both 2020 and 2016 over Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.

In 2016, Trump flipped Erie County from blue to red, defeating Clinton by 1.5 percentage points just four years after President Barack Obama won the county by 16 percentage points. In 2020, Biden flipped the county back to blue, winning it over Trump by a percentage point.

Vances visit to Erie will be the first appearance for either ticket in the pivotal swing county in 2024.

Harris and Trump remain neck and neck for Pennsylvanias 19 electoral votes, with the Cook Political Report rating the presidential race in the Keystone State as a toss-up.

An Emerson College poll released on Aug. 16 showed Harris and Trump tied at 47% each, although 3% supported independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has since ended his candidacy and endorsed Trump.
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to create a Space National Guard if reelected to the Oval Office in November, a policy position that has become highly politicized this year and is opposed by the Air Force, Space Force and the current White House administration.

At an event hosted in Michigan on Monday by the National Guard Association of the United States -- a lobbying arm supporting the reserve service's goals and objectives -- Trump, the Republican nominee in the current presidential race, promised to back and support legislation for a Space National Guard, a major policy project supported by the group, and was met with applause from the crowd.

"The time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Space Force," Trump said. "As president, I will sign historic legislation creating a Space National Guard."

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Trump's endorsement of a Space National Guard comes as the issue hit a boiling point this year after the Space Force decided to go in a different direction.

The Space Force has not opted for a National Guard model, like the Army and Air Force, to maintain a reserve force and instead had legislation signed into the law in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act allowing the creation of a part-time, active-duty service model -- a brand-new idea.

But every governor in the country and bipartisan groups of lawmakers have opposed a Department of the Air Force proposal to transfer several hundred airmen who are part of Air National Guard units with space-related missions into the active-duty Space Force.

The National Guard Association of the United States, or NGAUS, and various lawmakers, namely Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., made numerous pushes in the past to get the Space National Guard model through the cogs of Congress.

Trump told the NGAUS crowd during his remarks in Michigan that Rubio is "very much a fan of yours" and said the senator "loves this" idea of creating a Space National Guard.

Those past legislative pushes have been opposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, which issued a statement in 2021 saying it was "strongly opposed" to a Space Guard component, estimating it would significantly increase costs.

The National Guard Bureau has previously said that there are approximately 14 units across seven states consisting of around 1,000 personnel that take on space missions in the Air National Guard, and it has questioned the cost claims.

In April, Military.com reported that the Air Force floated a legislative proposal to Congress to transfer some of those Air National Guard units with space missions into the active-duty Space Force by asking for exceptions from section 104 of Title 32, as well as section 18238 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which requires state governors to sign off on such a move.

The proposal, which could strip governors' ability to stop the transfer, brought condemnation from every governor in the U.S. In a letter, they claimed the move "undermines long-standing partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy."

That proposal is currently being ironed out between the Republican-controlled House and the Democrat-controlled Senate as they work on the NDAA, the annual must-pass defense policy bill. The House version would make governors sign off on such a move, and the Senate version would allow it to go through but would limit the Guard units that could be transferred to the Space Force to six states and roughly 600 people.

Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on space policy, told Military.com in an interview Monday that the Space Force's part-time service model is innovative, and that a National Guard model doesn't make sense for a service whose domain is focused outside of the Earth's atmosphere and well outside of state borders.

"It's not practical. ... You're going to create a separate branch for that few people," Harrison said. "I guess, more importantly, the Space Force has a better idea for how to incorporate reservists and Guard members into a single Space Force that has part-time and full-time people. I think what they've come up with is the way of the future."

In the waning days of Trump's presidency, he oversaw the creation of the current Space Force by signing the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, an idea he had long mentioned at political rallies.

Harrison told Military.com that, as the issue of a Space National Guard becomes politicized, it's understandable that Trump would weigh in on the issue, especially because the creation of it would lead to members of Congress and governors wanting that reserve component to have some foothold in their districts and states.

"It's a bad idea all around, but I understand it's good populist politics and that's why you see so many governors and so many members of Congress jumping on the idea, because they know it's gonna make people happy in their state," Harrison added.

Related: National Guard Chief Warns of 'Unintended Consequences' of Transferring Air Guard Units to Space Force
Trump won over voters from the largest Native American tribe in North Carolina. How?

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Harris Campaign opened an office in Robeson County after interviews for this story were completed.

For years, the Native American Lumbee vote was a Democratic stronghold in North Carolina, but things are changing.

Robeson County, a rural majority minority county in the Southern battleground state, is home to the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi  the Lumbee  who account for about 42% of the county population. For many years leaning toward a blue vote was considered a part of their culture.

But in 2016 and in 2020, Robeson County voted for Donald Trump.

President Donald Trump speaks Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the Robeson County Fairgrounds in Lumberton.

The shift is notable because Native voters, by and large, are very Democratic, very progressive voters, said Jordan James Harvill, a member of the Cherokee nation descendant of the Choctaw nation and national program director for Advance Native Political Leadership.

Thats reflected in the voter registration records: The countys largest voter bloc among both Native American voters and all registered voters is Democratic. But Robeson Countys shift from voting blue to red is not a national outlier.

The American Communities Project, which breaks down counties by census data and categorizes Robeson as Native American Land (a category that includes counties with large Native American populations), found that President Donald Trump won these counties by about seven percentage points in 2020, flipping Barack Obama's three-point win in 2012."

Earning the Native American vote, although not a homogenous bloc, could tip the scales of some close races. And if Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, wants to flip this county back to blue, Harvill said, she needs their votes.

I think that overwhelmingly Native communities are going to be still a very decisive voting bloc in this election, if not decide the election entirely in places like Arizona and places like North Carolina, Harvill said.

The puzzle of why this once solid blue community has recently supported Trump at the polls is a complex one, but there are hints in the campaign presence from Republicans, an emphasis on traditional Christian values, and the small-town community feel that values connection over political affiliation.

Rhonda Dial, 55, has lived in Robeson County her entire life, and ever since she could vote, she was a registered Democrat. She recounted what her grandmother told her as a child: We vote Democrat because its the party that cares for the poor.

Anthony Dial, 55, (left) and Rhonda Dial, 55, pose for a photo in Lumberton, North Carolina. The pair has lived in Robeson County their entire lives.

That is, until this year, when she switched her registration to unaffiliated.

She changed her affiliation with her husband, Anthony Dial, 55, to reflect her voting record: casting a ballot for who she has the best connection within the community, regardless of party affiliation.

The Dials  who met in high school and now have three children and eight grandchildren  voted for Trump in 2016, plan to vote for him this November and say the Republican Party is only building momentum in their community.

Robeson County also has low voter turnout coming in at 19% in the 2024 North Carolina presidential primary, about 5 percentage points less than the statewide voter turnout.

Because of the countys diverse makeup and low turnout, Debra Cleaver, founder and CEO of VoteAmerica, said its difficult to draw conclusions about the change in overall beliefs of the Lumbee people or the county. Instead, recent voting patterns may show a change in who is turning out to vote.

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Connection over party affiliation

Town of Pembroke sign in Pembroke, North Carolina

Ever since she was young, Rhonda Dial has been involved in politics. She grew up in a closely bonded community where her father was the tribal chairman for two terms and where she was expected to work at the voting polls and go door-knocking.

Her focus has always been on building trust and political involvement, not necessarily party loyalty.

She has voted for Democratic candidates and Republican candidates, and although her political choices may be nuanced, sometimes splitting her ticket, shes sure of one thing: at the end of the day, her loyalty lies in her community connections, not in the letter next to a candidates name.

To paint the picture, Rhonda Dial pointed to Robeson Countys history of political representation.

She first remembers voting for North Carolina state Rep. Charles Graham, a Lumbee Democrat who served from 2011 to 2023. She trusted Graham, and so he earned her vote, which just happened to be Democratic.

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Before Graham, was North Carolina state Rep. Ronnie Sutton, also a Lumbee Democrat who served from 1993 to 2011, whom Rhonda Dial called Mr. Ronnie.

Him and my dad were close, Rhonda Dial said. I grew up knowing Mr. Ronnie, so we really trusted him. So, he was Democrat, so hey, whatever Mr. Ronnie did, it was good because we trusted him.

Flash forward and now the county is represented by three Republicans, Sen. Danny Britt, Rep. Jarrod Lowery and Rep. Brenden Jones. The Dials spoke fondly of their representatives, especially of Lowery, who is the brother of Lumbee tribal chairman John Lowery.

Those are the community politicians the Dials trust these days.

James Hunt, 79, a Democratic businessman, veteran and Lumbee member, said the Robeson County Republicans in leadership have created strong friendships and trust in the community.

James Hunt, 79, a Democratic businessman, veteran and Lumbee member, said the Robeson County Republicans in leadership have created strong friendships and trust in the community.

Sometimes you need a favor, or help solving a problem in your community, and so you call your representative for help, he said, and it doesnt matter so much about their party affiliation if they get the work done.

So what do you do when its time to vote? Hunt said. You have a tendency to remember things like that. And over the past 20 years, that has been a gradual process.

In other words, state representation has shifted Republican in recent years, creating trust in the party and affecting voting up and down the ballot.

Christian values

Along with a value in community connection, some Lumbee also feel left behind by the Democratic Party, mostly blaming "overly liberal" policies for their departure.

Lowery said he gets calls from constituents often echoing that sentiment.

A lot of the Lumbee would tell you today that the Democratic Party has left them, Lowery said. You know, theyre no longer talking about issues thats important to them.

Issues like access to health care, an out-of-control opioid epidemic, availability of affordable housing, high gas prices, and a lack of full federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe contribute to this malaise, Lowery said. Instead, they see the Democratic Party talking about abortion and the LGBTQ+ community, which tend to feel out of touch and out of line with community values, Lowery said.

For Gerald Goolsby, a 65-year-old Lumbee member and Tribal Council representative for District 2, Christianity is a huge part of his life and his decision-making process when voting.

Dobbs Oxendine (left) and Gerald Goolsby, 65, at a Trump rally in Lumberton, NC in 2020.

Growing up, Goolsby knew the tradition was to vote Democratic in his community, but once he looked past tradition and evaluated how his stances aligned with the parties stances, he said he had to vote Republican. For example, he said, he couldnt stand behind the Democratic Partys stance on abortion or LGBTQ+ issues because of his Christian beliefs.

Christianity is a core principle for Lumbee member Hunt too, but when he heads to the ballot box, he votes blue.

Hunt says religion has been the biggest factor in his neighbors switching parties. Churches in the area dont make explicit political statements, he said, but they comment on politicized topics like abortion and the LGBTQ+ community.

On-the-ground investments from the Trumps

People await President Donald Trump's arrival Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the Robeson County Fairgrounds in Lumberton.

The Trump family has been putting boots on the ground in Robeson County for several years now, often during times of need.

Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, now the Republican National Committee's co-chair, visited the county in 2016 right after Hurricane Matthew hit. Cara Pearson, chair of Robeson Countys Democratic Party, said the visit heavily influenced voters perception of the Democratic Party. People saw the Republicans and wondered where the Democrats were, and they took that to the polls.

Then, in 2018, Ivanka Trump visited Lumberton to volunteer after Hurricane Florence hit.

Ivanka Trump hugs Lisa Cummings at a disaster relief site on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, at Hyde Park Baptist Church in Lumberton. Cummings was in line for meals at the disaster relief site. [Andrew Craft/The Fayetteville Observer]

In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. and the former president visited the county and publicly expressed support for federal recognition of the Lumbee, who currently hold only state recognition, meaning theyre left out of federal resources that other tribes can access.

The Trump campaigns interest in Robeson County could be the result of a realization that they could not win on the white vote alone, Harvill said.

So they have to start thinking about how they capture new coalitions of voters, Harvill said. And that starts in the Latino community, but it expands into the Native community."

People await President Donald Trump's speech Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the Robeson County Fairgrounds in Lumberton.

Hunt, a Democrat, said Trump showed his skills of energizing a crowd but failed to address important issues.

He handles a crowd well, you gotta give it to him, but its in my opinion mostly an act, Hunt said. He's performing and hes getting results.

Members of a Lumbee Tribe drum circle perform on stage ahead of President Donald Trump's speech Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the Robeson County Fairgrounds in Lumberton.

In addition to the Trump family's presence in the community, the Republican National Committee created a community center in the heart of Pembroke, the home of the Lumbee headquarters.

Some Lumbee Democrats say the community center hasnt done much for the Robeson people despite its presence.

Outside of the Republican National Committee community center in Pembroke, North Carolina

The Trump visits may have also reached conservative voters in the area, who before 2016 found little Republican representation in the state.

Unlike registered Black and Native American voters in Robeson, who lean Democratic, white voters in the county, who account for about 20,000 registrations, are pretty evenly split between the Democratic and Republican parties.

Ronnie Lamb, 53, has lived in Robeson County his whole life, and he cuts hair with his brother at Lumberton Barber Shop, where the walls are decorated with taxidermy, the show "Duck Dynasty" plays in the background and clients wear an American flag barber cape.

Ronnie Lamb, 53, lives in Robeson County and cuts hair with his brother at Lumberton Barber Shop. Lamb is a registered unaffiliated voter, but conservatism has always been at his core.

Lamb is a registered unaffiliated voter, but conservatism has always been at his core.

Though his views have largely stayed the same over the years, the change in his home county has been incredible, he said.

Twenty years ago, that would have been a death sentence, Lamb said. If you put an R beside your name, you was gon get no votes.

Harvill said he believes Trump activated conservative voters and in turn discouraged Democratic voters.

Democratic voters become less excited about voting over time, Harvill said. Theyll stop seeing it as a mechanism for change, because cycle after cycle, Republicans are starting to win these races.

Can Democrats win the county back in 2024?

Mural in downtown Lumberton, North Carolina

With two Republican wins under Robeson Countys belt, all eyes are on whether the county will remain red or flip back to its blue roots.

For many, Harris replacement of President Joe Biden has offered a sense of excitement and hope, but she still has a lot of work to do to earn the Native vote, Harvill said.

What Kamala said when she announced her formal campaign for president after the president stepped down was that she wanted to earn the vote, and we genuinely believe that she has a lot of earning to do, Harvill said.

The Harris campaign has an open office in Robeson County with a full-time organizer on the ground, adding to their list of over 25 spots in the state.

She needs to develop a platform that speaks to Native American-specific issues like mental health treatment, higher education support, protection against violence and workforce development, Harvill said.

If she can do that, coupled with an on-the-ground presence, I think that this is anyones game, Harvill said.

Sarah Gleason is a 2024 election reporting fellow in North Carolina. She is @sarahgreporting on X, formerly Twitter, and can be contacted at sgleason@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Lumbee in NC are supporting Donald Trump
Humana, the Louisville-based health insurance giant has been named to PEOPLE magazine's 2024 list of "100 Companies that Care."

Humana ranked 46, and was the only Louisville headquartered company to make the list which showcases companies that "go the extra mile to honor their customers, empower their employees  and make the world a better place."

"This is yet another national recognition that illustrates Humanas testament to caring for our hometown, our members, our patients, our employees, and our planet," said Tim Huval, chief administrative officer at Humana. "However, to be acknowledged nationally, we are even more encouraged in our mission in supporting healthy environments and improving quality of life, which is why we emphasize meaningful programs and initiatives that support equity in physical, mental, and social well-being for all."

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PEOPLE magazine specifically recognized Humana's employment and development opportunities for veterans. In 2011, Humana launched a hiring initiative that targeted veterans and their families. This program eventually led to adding more than 6,000 veterans to the Humana workforce.

This recognition reinforces our dedication to giving back and driving impact in communities where our employees live and work, Huval said in a press release. Our commitment to the community is part of our DNA. Our employees demonstrate this daily by not only enhancing the health and well-being of our customers and their families but also fostering strong, supportive communities and creating positive change.

In August, Humana was recognized as a top company for veterans to work at and relaunched a "military-connected hiring" program.

Aug. 21, Humana showcased its care for its hometown with its first-ever "Community Day." The daylong event brought together thousands of Humana employees across Louisville to volunteer for three different service projects, all focused on nutrition, environment and activity.

"Being named to this prestigious list is significant for Humana and all of Kentucky. It signifies how deeply our city and state cares for our people," Huval said. "Humana remains committed to continuing its support of our hometown through Community Day, which commenced a nationwide 'Month of Impact,' with a goal of generating $10 million of collective impact to local communities where Humanas employees live and work."

Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Humana earns high ranking in PEOPLE magazine list
HAYWARD, Calif. (KRON)  Two Hayward High School students were injured in an altercation that involved three students and at least one weapon on Monday, HHS officials told KRON4.

Incidents of this nature are very concerning, HHS said. We will be taking measures in the coming weeks to ensure that our campus is secure and that incidents such as this do not occur again.

The confrontation, according to HHS officials, occurred on Monday at around 1:30 p.m. and involved three HHS students  two 11th graders and a ninth grader.

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According to HHS, the two 11th graders approached the 9th grader for unknown reasons. HHS said the 9th grader then pulled out a knife and injured both 11th-grade students.

One of the 11th graders reported to the school office, and a staff member determined that he should seek medical attention at a local hospital, Michael Bazeley, public information director to Hayward Unified School District, told KRON4, claiming the student was cut on the neck.

The student was described by police as a 15-year-old male.

The other student, also identified as a 15-year-old male by police, fled campus and was taken to a local hospital by a family member, school officials said. HHS said both students are expected to survive.

The 9th grader armed with a knife, identified by police as a 14-year-old male, was immediately retrieved by a school Public Safety Officer. HHS said all three students are not allowed back on campus until further notice.

The Hayward Police Department (HPD) responded and sent officers to support the school. We are working closely with the department to support its investigation, Bazeley said. Do not assume that everything you hear is accurate, HHS said.

Bazeley says there currently isnt enough evidence or information to suggest an ongoing threat. Nonetheless, as part of our commitment to ensuring a safe educational environment, we took extra measures today by placing additional security officers and staff on campus, Bazeley said.

HPD has also committed to providing additional officers in the school vicinity, HHS said. Hayward PD describes the investigation as active and plans to release more details 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 KRON4.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Just after 9 a.m. Monday morning, Spanish Fork Fire responded to a reported chemical explosion on the northern side of Spanish Fork, according to a Spanish Fork Fire Department press release.

Crews were called to a Natures Sunshine Products facility located at 1655 North Main Street. The incident was originally called in as a commercial fire. The company creates health gummies that are distributed in grocery stores.

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When crews arrived, they determined there was a flash explosion that burned out very quickly, the press release states.

Spanish Fork Fire stated that all employees were evacuated from the building as a precaution until it was determined that there was no further threat. Two employees received minor injuries and were treated on scene.

The building fire alarm and fire sprinklers functioned properly, the release said.

Units from Payson Fire & EMS, Mapleton Fire & EMS, and Utah Valley Hazmat all responded to the incident.

According to Spanish Fork City Fire, the incident is currently under investigation by the Spanish Fork Fire Marshal. No other information from the city is available at this time.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

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GEDDES, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  New York State Police were called to a fight involving several females at the New York State Fairgrounds around 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, August 24.

State police say one female was stabbed in the shoulder during the fight. She was taken to Upstate Hospital in stable condition.

A second female was also stabbed during the fight and taken to Crouse Hospital in a private vehicle. She was treated and released, NYSP said.

A 15-year-old girl was arrested and charged with assault in the second-degree, a Class D felony, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth-degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

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These two talented sisters are opening a second Batter & Mac bakery location in Bay View

Two sisters, Brittany Wohlfeil, left, and Kasey Gusho, who own Batter & Mac in downtown Menomonee Falls are opening a second location in Bay View.

The talented culinary sisters are at it again.

Brittany Wohlfeil and Kasey Gusho, owners of the popular downtown Menomonee Falls bakery Batter & Mac are set to open a second location this fall in Bay View. It will be at the former Lakeside Bakery location on Oklahoma Avenue which abruptly closed in January.

The two bakers got their start working out of their homes. Wohlfeil began baking cakes after she made her first cake for her daughter, who turned 1 in 2020. People found out how good they were and kept asking for more.

Gusho had the same talent for perfecting macarons (the "Mac" part of Batter & Mac). Those were a hit, and the community begged for more. Their business grew exponentially since the pandemic.

Batter & Mac will be opening a second location. This one will be in Bay View on the site of the former Lakeside Bakery on Oklahoma Avenue.

How much has the business grown in just four years?

For baking purposes, Wohlfeil and Gusho first rented a 300-square-foot space in downtown Menomonee Falls in 2021.

As the community requested more products, the sisters delivered.

For instance, after being a fixture in the community for 54 years, Nino's Italian Bakery & Deli closed in Menomonee Falls on Jan. 16, 2022. Batter & Mac started making hot ham rolls and other baked items to fill the void created by the closure.

They later expanded their business to a 2,400-square-foot building at N89 W16750 Appleton Ave. in downtown Menomonee Falls. This included baking classes, a retail space and indoor seating.

"Its a bit overwhelming but also really exciting," Wohlfeil said of the bakery expanding. "Its only possible because of the support of our community in Menomonee Falls and beyond."

Wohlfeil's advice? "You've got to have a good product. And then be willing to take risks."

Taking some risks is what the sisters have in mind for Bay View.

How will they take risks at the Bay View location?

Wohlfeil said she and her sister want to introduce some new Italian bakery classics. She said they do not have all the items planned, but said cannoli will be on the list.

She said they plan to do recipe testing and try tasting them first.

What product line will they bring to Bay View?

Wohlfeil said they would for sure bring the hot ham and rolls to Bay View. She said that they will also have Batter & Mac's usual staple of cakes, macarons, pastries and donuts.

In addition, they plan to bring in the full espresso bar set-up and have coffee products. She said they'll offer drip coffee, lattes and chai. Their coffee and espresso are blends from Vennture Brew Company

What is the address of Batter & Mac's Bay View location?

The address of the new Bay View location is 1100 E. Oklahoma Ave.

When is Batter & Mac expected to open in Bay View?

Wohlfeil said after all the health inspections are completed, the Bay View location can open immediately. She expects that to be sometime this fall.

How big is the Bay View location?

The new location is about 3,400 square feet. It has a larger baking capacity than the current space and a retail area up front.

Will there be baking classes at the Bay View Batter & Mac?

Wohlfeil said there will not be baking classes at the Bay View location. Batter & Mac will continue offering them at the Menomonee Falls location.

Why did they decide to open a second location in Bay View?

Wohlfeil said they settled on the Bay View location because the landlord there reached out to them. She said the location is all built for her business already, but they are just doing some cosmetic upgrades.

Is Batter & Mac hiring for the new Bay View location?

Wohlfeil said they plan to hire closer to its opening.

Where can I get more information?

For more information, visit www.batterandmac.com or www.facebook.com/battermke.

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.

More: It's sweet corn season. Here are some stands to visit in the Milwaukee suburbs.

More: Jesters, jousters and jugglers: Old Falls Village to host Renaissance Faire Sept. 14-15

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Batter & Mac bakery plans to open a new location in Bay View
Two workers killed, one injured after explosion at Delta Air Lines facility in Atlanta

ATLANTA (WJBF)  Two workers were killed and another seriously injured in an explosion early Tuesday at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near the Atlanta airport, according to multiple media reports.

WSB-TV reported that a tire on a plane exploded, killing one Delta employee and a contract worker. The television station cited unnamed sources.

Several Atlanta fire units and police responded to the maintenance hangar near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after 5 a.m., The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The facility where the accident happened is part of Delta TechOps, which performs maintenance, repair and overhaul work for Delta and more than 150 aviation and airline customers around the world.

Unusual La Nina may be forming in the Atlantic: almost unprecedented

The president of TechOps, Delta Executive Vice President John Laughter, said in a note to staff that the airline will make counselors available to talk to employees.

Were all in this together, and well get through this by supporting each other, he said.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens posted the following on X: I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery. AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on the scene, working diligently to address the situation.

Delta released the following statement:

The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3). We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a union that represents airline workers across the country, said it stands in unity with Delta workers and called for a thorough investigation into how the deadly incident happened. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Rain in this weeks forecast means the chance for slicker road conditions. The Texas Department of Transportation in El Paso (TxDOT) has five safety tips for drivers to avoid weather-related incidents.

First is make sure your vehicle is road ready. That means your tires have the correct pressure and enough tread so that they can grip the road in wet weather. Then make sure your wipers are in good condition. They dry out here in El Paso, said Jennifer Wright, a public information officer with TxDOT El Paso.

UPDATE: All lanes reopen on I-10 after semi crash snarls morning commute

Wright said, if possible, avoid driving during heavy storms. If you do have to head out, make sure your headlights are on.

She also advises drivers to reduce their speed and increase their following distance. Giving yourself ample time to react to drivers around you puts you and others in the safest position.

Next, you should avoid hard breaking and sharp turns. Our roads are always slick at the very beginning of a rainstorm before water has washed off the accumulated fluids that tend to be there on a roadway, said Wright.

The one thing about El Paso is that we have longer dry spells. And during those dry spells is when you would tend to have the accumulation of oils in brake fluids and other fluids that would accumulate on a roadway over a long period of time without being washed away by rain, she said.

Lastly, Wright said drivers should heed the warning turn around, dont drown. According to TxDOT it only takes 1 foot of rushing water to carry away a small car and 2 feet to carry away most vehicles.

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QUEEN CITY NEWS  A U.S. Army soldier accused of possessing thousands of AI-generated images of violent sex abuse involving children and infants is under arrest and facing a slew of charges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced this week.

Seth Herrera, 34, faces multiple charges including child porn possession, transportation of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.

Court records stated that Herrera was stationed as an Army soldier at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska when he used AI tools to morph images of real children into sex abuse material.

He is accused of possessing thousands of illicit photos and was arrested last week, the DOJ said.

The charges against Herrera, a U.S. military soldier, for trafficking and generating child sexual abuse materials using artificial intelligence represent a profound violation of trust as well as preview of the challenges law enforcement continues to face in this evolving threat to our children Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer of HSI Pacific Northwest Division said. This appalling misconduct undermines Herreras commitment to defending both our nation and its most vulnerable members.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker, Getty Images.)

Beneath the Boy Scout demeanor of the Louisiana congressman with horn-rimmed glasses, lies a shrewd political operator who finessed his way to the most powerful position in Congress. But while U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson may disarm some with his unimposing pleasantness, the Shreveport Republican is consumed with maintaining and growing one-party domination.

To that end, hes gracing Ohio Tuesday night to headline a Cleveland fundraiser in support of the gerrymandered dominance of Ohio Republicans and to boost their coming disinformation campaign to defeat an anti-gerrymandering referendum on the November ballot. The citizens initiative to end the stranglehold of political autocracy, manufactured through distorted voting district maps, would replace a Republican-majority redistricting commission with a citizen-led, multi-party redistricting panel without political ties.

The Citizens Not Politicians amendment would boot career politicians from the process of drawing state legislative and congressional voting lines because of their notorious history of putting their thumbs on the scale with lopsided district maps drawn to favor themselves. Thats what the Republican-controlled Ohio Redistricting Commission did. Repeatedly.

Republicans on the redistricting commission including Gov. Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio Sen. President Matt Huffman and former Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp (before the latter two rotated out with other party members) consistently violated voter-approved redistricting reform amendments in the Ohio Constitution with unconstitutional voting districts designed to keep a GOP lock on power. Their lawlessness was the last straw for many Ohioans who had demanded fair not fixed districts.

But competitive districts that are won on the strength of ideas (not manipulated mapmaking ) are too risky for Republicans only concerned about increasing their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives or keeping their supermajorities in the Ohio Statehouse. Speaker Johnson, DeWine, LaRose and Huffman are terrified of voter-centric redistricting reforms that threaten political power sustained through gerrymandering.

Johnson and panicked Ohio Republicans dont trust voters and certainly not robust district competition to serve the public interest. They fear a functioning democracy. They cant fathom citizens owning their self-governance by crafting truly representational, nonpartisan voting boundaries without predetermined election outcomes.

They depend on safe districts drawn around select demographics to rack up guaranteed wins. In Ohio they prefer subversion to persuasion any day and gerrymandering does the trick. Many gerrymandered politicians never face any opposition at the polls. None. Thats what is so insidious about gerrymandered districts created to cocoon powernot check it. Johnson never had to court voters with better ideas to become a state rep or a congressman from his safe district. The fix was in. Johnson assumed power mostly uncontested and ascended to the speakership without his zealotry as a theocratic extremist ever checked.

Johnson operates in public office without the burden of accountability. He doesnt need to be answerable to get elected. The fix is in with how his district is drawn. He is insulated from electoral liabilities associated with a far-right legislator or an election-denying, coup-plotting congressman swept into positions of authority on the potency of gerrymandering.

Johnson isnt afraid of losing power in his partisan-rigged district. But he and his Ohio cohorts are scared to death of citizens asserting power over them. The speakers razor thin majority in the U.S. House and the super-sized GOP majorities in Columbus rely on the status quo of partisan-skewed gerrymandered districts surviving in perpetuity.

Relinquishing control of voting district boundaries to an independent citizens redistricting commission  committed to fairer district maps  is out of the question for the Republican kingpins and architects of Ohios unconstitutional legislative and congressional districts. They enlisted help from a prominent Capitol Hill powerbroker  with his own affinity for preserving gerrymandered districts in his home state  to fund an aggressive attack against the Ohio initiative to give citizens power over political heavyweights to implement effective redistricting reform for the people.

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Expect ugly. Like the dirty campaigns high-profile Republicans waged last year against majority voting rights and abortion access. Expect the governor, elections chief and legislative leaders to keep lying through their teeth about the anti-gerrymandering amendment promoting (not curbing) gerrymandering and how (ironically) only politicians can really do redistricting fairly.

Johnson sings from the same self-serving hymnal. Earlier this year he urged the Louisiana legislature to ignore a court order (sound familiar?) to draw a second majority Black congressional district in the state because he wanted to protect the Republicans razor thin majority in the U.S. House. So what if Black residents  who make up roughly a third of Louisianas population  only had one Black lawmaker? Fairness and representational equality to increase the voting power of particular groups must take a backseat to maintaining and growing one party domination. Its all about control.

Thats why Johnson flitted into Ohio to raise money and rally Republicans intent on hoarding manufactured power at all costs to the one-person, one-vote equality principle that gerrymandering defeats. But the sly Boy Scout and Ohios unprincipled GOP hoarders underestimate the people who rule with equal political authority. We do not suffer fools gladly.

Surely the hundreds of thousands of Ohio citizens who signed the redistricting amendment to get it on the fall ballot made that abundantly clear.

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Palestinians search for victims following an Israeli strike that killed more than dozens of people at a Gaza City school sheltering displaced Palestinians. Israel issues evacuation orders to protect civilians from being caught in attacks but the U.N. said Monday the orders had become so frequent and pervasive that it had become impossible to continue its humanitarian operations in the strip. File Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/UPI

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The United Nations said it had temporarily paused its humanitarian operations in Gaza due to the issuing of repeated evacuation orders by the Israeli military, making it impossible to continue.

The decision came after Israel Defense Forces ordered the U.N. to evacuate its main operations facility at Deir al-Balah, a senior U.N. official told a news briefing on Monday.

However, the official said U.N. security personnel were working with the Israeli authorities to restart the organization's humanitarian work in Gaza at the earliest opportunity.

The parties were also negotiating to clear the way for the movement of aid, said the official.

All humanitarian actions are coordinated with Israel's Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration but in a report released Monday, the U.N. said the CLA facilitated less than half of the humanitarian missions and movements the U.N. wanted to conduct in August and more than half of all missions and movements were delayed, obstructed or canceled altogether.

The issue is also impacting other Non-Governmental Organizations delivering aid and other services.

"The high number of aid missions that the Israeli authorities do not facilitate means that people who barely have the means to survive -- access to clean drinking water, adequate food and shelter, to name a few -- are often left with nothing at all," Georgios Petropoulos, head of the U.N. office's Gaza mission, Told the New York Times.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Monday said what it called a "flurry" of recent orders for it to move from premises in Gaza for safety reasons, including five in five days between Aug. 19 and Aug. 24, was worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

OCHA warned that the volume of humanitarian food assistance brought into Gaza in July was already one of the lowest since the start of the conflict in October, saying that "ongoing intense fighting, damaged roads, a breakdown of law and order, and access challenges along the main humanitarian route" have resulted in severe shortages of food.

More than one million people in southern and central Gaza may not receive food rations for August, it said, amid a surge in the number of children with acute malnutrition, diagnosed via arm screenings.

The Israeli military had issued a further three new evacuation orders since Friday bringing the number of such orders since the beginning of the month to 16 and the total land area affected since the start of the conflict in October to 91%, OCHA said in a news release.

With only 11% of the strip not affected, most of the population is now crammed into an overcrowded, polluted area where services are poor, yet which is a little more secure than the rest of Gaza.

The latest orders affect 8,000 people in 19 neighborhoods in Northern Gaza and Deir al-Balah, many of whom have fled fighting elsewhere and are sheltering in 29 displacement centers.

"In Deir al-Balah, the orders have displaced U.N. humanitarian staff, non-governmental organizations and service providers, along with their families. These relocations took place at short notice and in dangerous conditions," OCHA said.

It said it was especially concerned about an order issued Sunday for a part of Deir al Balah because it covers an area housing, or close by, so many aid facilities and critical infrastructure including 15 premises used by U.N. and NGO aid workers, four U.N. warehouses, the Al Aqsa hospital, two clinics, three wells, one water reservoir and one desalination plant.

"This effectively upends a whole lifesaving humanitarian hub that was set up in Deir al-Balah following its evacuation from Rafah back in May, and it severely impacts our ability to deliver essential support and services," OCHA said.

In a post on X, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that insecurity and lack of safe access for patients, health workers, ambulances and suppliers posed by the proximity of evacuation targets to medical points and hospitals risked them ceasing to operate.

"This must be avoided at all costs. People have barely any options left, after being uprooted multiple times, to find shelter, health and other services in an already crammed and challenging environment," said Ghebreyesus.

"Protection and dignity, not repeated uprooting, is what Gaza's people desperately need now."

The World Food Program added its voice to the dire warnings saying its operations had also been severely impacted by an intensification of the fighting, too few border crossings and damaged roads to the extent it had been able to bring in only half of the 24,000 tons of food required for the 1.1 million people it serves and had been forced to cut rations.

Delays in authorizing movement into and within Gaza and requests being denied on a routine basis were a daily frustration for aid workers with WFP stressing the upheaval caused to people by evacuation orders also disrupted aid centers on whom they depend for support, including WFP-backed food distributions and community kitchens.

However, WFP said Israeli bureaucracy was not their only problem with looting and issues of public order a growing complication that was particularly affecting convoys stationary at checkpoints where they are often delayed for hours.

When trucks do move they only crawl due to cratered and debris-strewn roads that the WFP warned would become impassable when the rains and flooding arrive with the coming winter.
Cliffs rise above green trees at Zion National Park on Oct. 14, 2020. Lilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based private foundation, donated $100 million to the National Park Foundation on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, the largest ever received since its inception in 1967. | Ravell Call, Deseret News

The National Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization Congress created to support national parks, received what it called a historic and transformative grant as sites across the country face increasing challenges that threaten what they have offered visitors for more than a century.

Lilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based private foundation, donated $100 million to the National Park Foundation on Monday, the largest ever received since its inception in 1967.

The National Park Foundation is inspired by, and incredibly grateful for, this extraordinary gift from Lilly Endowment, Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, said in a press release. For over 50 years, private philanthropy has played a vital role in bridging the gap between park needs and available funding. This grant will allow us to supercharge our efforts to ensure our national parks are for everyone, for generations to come.

The National Park System manages more than 400 sites across the country, including national parks, national monuments and other natural, historical and recreational areas.

How will the money be spent?

According to the park foundation, the grant will fund four key priorities:

Creating opportunities for youth and young adults that will foster a deeper understanding of history, appreciation for environmental stewardship and connection with the natural world.

Addressing critical initiatives that will ensure the health and longevity of the fragile ecosystems and diverse species that call national parks home.

Securing a future where national parks can accommodate unprecedented growth and leverage new technology, while remaining accessible and awe-inspiring for all visitors.

Delivering a more comprehensive historical narrative, including the experiences of communities whose voices and contributions have not been fully told as a part of the American story.

Our founders were inspired by the beauty and wonders of the natural world and supportive of research and educational programs about archaeology and the cultural history of our nation, N. Clay Robbins, chairman and CEO of Lilly Endowment, said in a statement. We are pleased therefore to further their interests through this grant. We believe the National Park Foundations campaign will enhance the programming in and promote the future vibrancy of our countrys marvelous system of parks, monuments and historic sites.

J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., created Lilly Endowment through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company, in 1937.

National parks in need of repair

The National Park Foundation is in the midst of a $1 billion fundraising campaign to address urgent needs at national park sites.

The impact of this gift will be felt in our parks and in surrounding communities for generations to come, said Chuck Sams, National Park Service director. This is a truly visionary investment and an example of how the power of philanthropy can amplify this crucial work that we all believe in so much.

The park service had a $3.3 billion budget in the 2024 fiscal year. It also has a $23.3 billion backlog of deferred maintenance  projects that were not done as scheduled or put off to a future time, according to a July Congressional Research Service report. Other federal land management agencies also have deferred maintenance, but the park service is the largest and has drawn the most attention from lawmakers.

Sites in California have the highest estimated deferred maintenance at more than $4.4 billion, followed by those in Wyoming, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, ranging from $1.7 billion to $1.4 billion. The backlog includes improvements for paved and unpaved roads, buildings, water systems, trails, wastewater system, housing and campgrounds.

What national parks have the most visitors?

The park service reported 325.5 million recreation visits to its sites in 2023, a 4% increase over the previous year. Twenty parks had record-highs for annual visits. According to park service data, the five most visited sites in 2023 were:

Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina  16,757,635

Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California  14,953,882

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee - 13,297,647

Gateway National Recreation Area in New York and New Jersey  8,705,329

Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida and Mississippi  8,277,857

After the Great Smoky Mountains, the next most visited national parks are:

Grand Canyon in Arizona  4,733,705

Zion in Utah  4,623,238

Yellowstone in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming  4,501,382

Rocky Mountain in Colorado  4,115,837
(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia will proceed with its plans to regulate messaging and social media service providers as scheduled, shrugging off industry calls for the government to put the move on hold for further consideration.

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Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government remained open to discussions with stakeholders, and the regulatory guidelines have yet to be finalized. His comments came after a group known as Asia Internet Coalition, which counts Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google as members, said Monday the process lacked transparency and engagement.

If they want to operate in Malaysia, they have to respect and follow our laws, Fahmi told reporters in Selangor on Tuesday. Although they are big tech companies, our laws are bigger.

From next year, any major messaging and social media service provider operating without a license from the government will face legal action. The move is meant to combat rising cases of cybercrime, including online fraud and gambling, as well as cyberbullying and sexual crimes against children, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

The MCMC said it was considering measures to enhance user data protection, improve content moderation and restrict children under 13 from accessing platforms. But the AIC said there had been no formal public consultation on the matter before the government unveiled the plan. Such licensing framework could adversely impact innovation, hinder ongoing investments and deter future ones because of its complexity and compliance costs, it added.

The industry stands ready to work together on these critical issues, but it is essential that the collaboration is grounded in transparency, fairness and reasonable timelines to ensure an effective and sustainable outcome for all stakeholders, AIC Managing Director Jeff Paine said in an open letter on Monday.

The AIC pulled an earlier version of the letter off its website, after member Grab Holdings Ltd. said it wasnt consulted on the matter. The original letter included a list of AICs member companies, information thats available on the groups website.

(Recasts lede with Malaysian governments stance)

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Story continues

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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  The University of Illinois Division of Public Safety is hosting the Community Unity Festival on Tuesday evening to bring public safety agencies, service organizations and community members together.

The event is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. at the U of I south quad. Some attractions at the festival include tours of first responder vehicles, various games and activities, and free food.

U of I students trying to stay cool during first week heat wave

More than 60 vendors are signed up to be at the event, including area public safety agencies, local businesses and community organizations.

University Police officials hope the festival will improve relationships between law enforcement and student groups, university departments and local organizations.

Maintaining a safe campus for our students and community is a top priority, said University of Illinois Police Chief Matthew Ballinger. Community policing helps us achieve this by enabling close collaboration and open dialogue with local organizations and the residents of Champaign-Urbana.

The event is free and open to the public.

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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren contrasts Trump, Harris on the economy in Green Bay

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, center, speaks with Democratic supporters on Tuesday at the Green Bay Labor Temple Association in Green Bay. Warren made the appearance, along with Democratic nominee for Wisconsins 8th Congressional District, Kristin Lyerly, left, to discuss economic issues and campaign on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in the presidential race.

GREEN BAY  The 60 chairs were filled half an hour before U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren began speaking for the Democratic presidential ticket's economic platform at the Green Bay Labor Temple.

Some attendees brought their lawn chairs that narrowed the center aisle stretching down to the four seats in front of the wall plastered with "It's Better in a Union" posters. More seats were brought out. Some were still left standing in the hallway.

Among the crowd that ranged from adolescents to seniors were Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, former state Sen. Dave Hansen, and Democratic Assembly District candidate Jane Benson.

It was the Massachusetts senator's fourth stop in her Wisconsin tour that began Monday in Grafton to make the case for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' economic plan. Harris has so far lagged behind Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the polls on the most pressing election issue in Wisconsinites' minds, according to the latest Marquette poll.

Warren was led out by Dr. Kristen Lyerly, the Democratic 8th Congressional District candidate, as well as by vice president of the United Auto Workers Local 72 John Drew to a standing ovation. It was a repeat of the reception she got at the Democratic National Convention last week.

"It's good to be in the house of labor," she said to applause.

Supporters gather to hear from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Democratic nominee for Wisconsins 8th Congressional District, Kristin Lyerly on Tuesday at the Green Bay Labor Temple Association in Green Bay.

The Harris-Walz campaign told the Press-Gazette that Warren was expected to remark on vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who will also speak on the economy in De Pere on Wednesday. However, the former Harvard law professor-turned-senator didn't mention Vance.

Here's what you need to know about Warren's appearance.

A nightmare in Trump (and Vance, in all but name)

The senator sold a stark vision of another presidency led by the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The examples Warren and the panel gave to illustrate that narrative were from the topics the American electorate has come to associate Warren with since her 2020 presidential campaign: medical costs and labor.

Warren recalled the efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act that was narrowly defeated by former Sen. John McCain's thumbs-down vote on the Senate floor, and warned that if reelected, Trump would try again.

"You want to talk about choices, the Republicans want to come for your health care. Democrats want to expand your health care," Warren said.

"You go Libby," an attendee shouted from the front.

"You bet, you bet, I'm fired up," Warren responded, pounding her fist on her teal blazer.

Trump has walked back on his campaign promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act since the beginning of August.

Drew, the union activist, and Warren evoked Trump's large donors to his campaign to paint a second Trump presidency as "serving him and his billionaire friends."

Third topic in: the economy

Warren built up the Harris campaign's continuation of the Biden administration's caps on prescriptions costs and support for the expansion of union participation by reviving the PRO Act from 2021 to the headlining topic.

"Donald Trump and the Republicans understand that prices are up, they've got that much," she said, "But what's their solution?"

"Tariffs," a few attendees replied.

"Does it involve a magic wand?" Warren said. "There's no answer behind that."

Trump recently doubled down on tariffs as a centerpiece of his economic policy, calling for 20% tariffs on imports instead of the 10% he initially proposed. He announced in June he would support legislation that does not tax the tips service workers make back. Harris followed suit in August. A second Trump presidency would aim to extend the 2017 tax cuts indefinitely, lower corporate tax rates to 15%, and eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.

The Harris campaign's 4-page economic agenda announced on Aug. 16 pledges to give new homebuyers $25,000 in down payment support, introduce a federal ban on price-gouging, propose a $6,000 child tax credit, and expand negotiations with pharmaceutical companies on prescription drugs for Medicare patients.

Harris' economic proposals would increase deficits by $2 trillion over 10 years, according to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School's Budget Model, taking into account a constant rate of economic growth. By the same measure, Trump's proposals would increase the deficit by $4.1 trillion.

'We're counting on you'

It was just past 11 a.m. and Warren needed to leave for her next stop in Appleton. Nimbus clouds were gathering, threatening rain over the area.

She made a final plea that stretched the event past the half-hour mark.

"It's gonna come down to you, Wisconsin," she said. "I say this as a representative of the other 49 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, to say, 'Please, Wisconsin, we're counting on you.'"

Jesse Lin is a reporter covering Green Bay and politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-431-8247 or jlin@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Elizabeth Warren contrasts Trump, Harris-Walz on economy in Green Bay
(Bloomberg) -- The United Arab Emirates asked French officials for access to the detained founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, whos a citizen of the Gulf state.

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The UAE is closely following the case, the countrys foreign ministry said in a statement. Providing him with all the necessary consular services is an urgent manner.

Earlier, the Russian embassy in France demanded access to Durov, who was born in St. Petersburg and lived in Russia until 2013. Durov also is a citizen of France.

Durov now lives in Dubai and thats where Telegram, which has around 900 million monthly active users, is based. The UAE government has made it easier in recent years for foreigners to get long-term residency and its also given citizenship to a small number of high-profile or wealthy individuals.

Durov has been detained in France over claims that the messaging service failed to properly fight crime. The French investigation alleges he refused to help authorities run legal wiretaps on suspects, enabled the sale of child sexual abuse material and aided and abetted drug trafficking.

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UD students on alert after two assaults over the weekend

UD students on alert after two assaults over the weekend

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Several University of Dayton students were assaulted this past weekend during two violent incidents just blocks apart.

The first incident happened just before 1 a.m. on Saturday when a UD Police Officer on patrol noticed a man walking in the south student neighborhood near Kiefaber Street.

Body of missing swimmer recovered from Madison Lakes

The officer saw at least three unknown men tackle the man who was walking and started to hit him. The officer quickly got out of his cruiser, but, the men ran away, taking with them personal items including the students phone.

Students who live nearby but do not want to be on camera say they always try to walk together due to safety.

Have one of my guy friends walk with us because even if Im walking with another girl, its still scary because its just us girls, said one UD student.

Less than 24 hours later, the second incident happened when students outside their residence on Lawnview Ave. were approached by a group of unknown individuals.

When the group tried to steal a table from the residence a fight broke out  three students were hurt when they were cut by bottles and broken glass. Before police could get there, the suspects ran away.

Dayton police identify man, release footage and calls from shooting incident

Officials at the University of Dayton say they are actively investigating the two incidents.

In a statement, they said, in part:

We are committed to fostering a safe campus environment for everyone through active patrols in the student neighborhood and surrounding areas and educational opportunities.

UD campus police say they are going to continue to monitor the area. Students are encouraged to say something if they see something and to call upon the officers if needed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Volodymyr Zelensky has frequently asked Western powers to allow him to use the long-range missiles to hit targets in Russia

The UK backs the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine in Russia but will not publicly call for the move amid concern it would provoke a row with the US.

Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked to use the weapons, which can avoid enemy radar and hit precise targets up to 190 miles away, to strike deep inside Russia.

Despite confusion over the Governments position, The Telegraph understands that Downing Street supports this.

However, the missiles are generally used alongside classified US systems, which requires the permission of Washington.

A formal request to the US has not been made for Ukraine to use the missiles inside Russia, but a Pentagon spokesman has previously said that the US is concerned about escalation when it comes to Ukraines use of long-range weapons.

White House sources said they also believed that many Russian targets were now outside the range of Storm Shadow missiles, so they may not be effective in the war against Russia.

Sir Keir Starmer is understood not to want to provoke a row over the issue and is said to be taking a consultative approach to negotiations with the US on the issue after previous diplomatic rows under the Tories.

A Whitehall source said We want to have discussions with allies on these sorts of things rather than wanting to push on and do it.

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The United States has privately bemoaned Britains front-foot approach to giving military equipment to Ukraine.

Earlier this year Grant Shapps, the former defence secretary, is understood to have pushed for Kyiv to strike Russian warships in Crimea, while America had been more cautious. The US government did ultimately provide ATACMS missiles that were used in Crimea.

Sources said at the time that British decisions to become the first Western nation to donate main battle tanks and the countrys push to deliver F-16 fighter jets had caused angst in Washington, with officials believing the UK was trying to bounce them into similar decisions.

The latter was blamed for the USs refusal to back former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallaces bid to become Nato secretary general. A White House spokesman said that claim was nonsense and that Mr Biden had always supported Mark Rutte for the role.

A senior military source said: The US fear escalation more than we do because they have to deal with it. We dont.

The source added: They, after all, would have to pick up the pieces. Little Britain cannot fight Russia.

As well as fearing Storm Shadow strikes in Russia could lead to an escalation in the conflict, there are concerns in the US that the missiles may now not succeed in destroying Russian targets that have been moved away from the border.

The Whitehall source said: It is also true that the Ukrainians put a lot of focus on a particular weapons group, and its a classic Zelensky tactic to push for something like this. The Russians have also got smart on this and the most critical assets have been moved out of range.

On Tuesday, Sir Keir would not be drawn on whether Ukraine should be able to use the missiles to hit targets inside Russia.

The Prime Minister said: I am not going to get into tactical questions about the use of weapons, for reasons that I know youll understand.

However, he added: We will stand with them for as long as it takes.

The Telegraph understands that earlier this summer the Government asked the US to relent on its position and allow the weapons to be used inside Russia.

It comes as Mr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Ukraine has carried out its first successful test-fire of a domestically-built ballistic missile.

Although the Ukrainian president did not release details of the test launch, Ukrainian engineers have been working on the development of a short-range ballistic missile to replace its Soviet-era Tochka-U system since 2014.

The programme was accelerated after Russia launched its first invasion of Ukraines eastern Donbas and illegally annexed Crimea in the same year.

The so-called Hrim-2 missile system, or Sapsan, is designed to hit targets at a range of about 300 miles and be fired from a truck-mounted launcher.

Fabian Hoffmann, a missile technology doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo, said: The successful test is good news, but we shouldnt read too much into it.

The Sapsan SRBM is likely still several months if not years away from reaching initial operational capability.

Nevertheless, as others and I have pointed out, if Ukraine is prohibited from using Western long-range strike weapons against targets inside Russia, its essential for Ukraine to develop its own higher-payload and higher-velocity missile systems.

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(Bloomberg) -- Britain and Germany are aiming to agree on a broad cooperation treaty as part of Keir Starmers efforts to improve ties with European allies.

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The new UK prime minister held talks Wednesday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and the two nations published a joint statement outlining a proposed bilateral deal covering everything from defense and security to technology, clean energy and migration. Starmer called it part of a wider reset grounded in a new spirit of cooperation.

Such a treaty has never before existed between Germany and the UK, Scholz said alongside Starmer at the chancellery after their talks.

The two nations are also looking within the next few months to forge a narrower agreement on defense and security as an initial pillar of the pact. That would facilitate joint procurement and shared military exercises, according to government officials familiar with the planning, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.

While a Starmer aide described Scholz as the leader the UK prime ministers closest to both personally and politically, the sames not yet true of their countries  at least, not officially. Even though France and Britain have, for over a decade, coordinated their defense and security activity under the aegis of the Lancaster House treaties agreed in 2010, theres been no equivalent framework for the Anglo-German relationship.

As one of its first foreign-policy initiatives, Starmers newly elected Labour government has sought to change that. Less than a week after Julys election Foreign Secretary David Lammy landed in Berlin, and his groundwork is now being followed up in the first bilateral visit of the prime minister himself.

The countries ambition to coordinate on defense gained fresh impetus after Russias 2022 invasion spurred them to rapidly turn themselves into two of the continents most generous donors of military aid to Ukraine.

The UK-Germany treaty is intended to come ahead of a European Union-wide security pact that Starmers administration wants to use to bolster defense cooperation with the wider bloc.

Its important to us to further develop the relationship between the European Union and Great Britain, Scholz said at their joint press conference.

Yet the UK government remains vague about what that broader agreement would consist of and has so far given limited guidance to officials assigned with drawing-up proposals for it, people familiar with those discussions said.

Negotiations for the EU-wide agreement arent expected to begin until Spring 2025. Still, cooperation with Germany makes sense as a prelude to it, according to Sebastien Maillard, associate fellow at Chatham House. The blocs largest economy is one of the better advocates in the EU for facilitating this closer relationship, he said.

Starmer, whos riding high after sweeping to office seven weeks ago with an enormous mandate, has framed the outreach to Germany in terms of his mission to boost his countrys growth rate.

He is due to meet Wednesday with Siemens Energy AG Chief Executive Officer Christian Bruch as well as Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall AG  both of whom helm large German employers with operations in the UK.

Officials on both sides are keen to emphasize the close relationship between Starmer and Scholz and turn a page on the mutual suspicion that characterized relations between the formerly governing Conservative Party and its European partners.

The differences between the two center-left leaders are plain: Scholz heads a febrile coalition and is under pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, while Starmer enjoys his countrys biggest majority since Tony Blairs 1997 victory.

Yet the British premier has something to learn from Scholzs struggle to contain a threat from the populist fringes. Already a spate of anti-immigration riots stoked by online misinformation have betrayed how the far-right of British politics could, over the long-term, conspire to cause the new prime minister trouble.

When the presence of the AfD in German legislatures has made Scholzs life difficult over the past three years, thats an uncomfortable read-across for Starmer, who now has to contend with the advance of a party to the right of the Conservatives that recently took 14% of the vote.

In that context, the prime ministers own allies worry whether his emphasis on stable governance will be enough to mask what is often painted by critics and political opponents as an absence of charisma.

But people who think hes boring or weak shouldnt underestimate him, a senior German official said of the UK prime minister  perhaps with the countrys own leader in mind.

--With assistance from Eleanor Thornber, Arne Delfs and Gregory L. White.

(Updates with Scholz, Starmer comments starting in second paragraph. An earlier version of this story was corrected to fix the spelling of Rheinmetall.)

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Ukraine aims to receive US$50 billion from G7 without conditions and for any purpose

Ukraine seeks to attract US$50 billion from the G7 to its budget without conditions and for any purpose.

Source: Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the Ukraine 2024. Independence forum

Details: Ukraine expects that the G7 countries will launch a mechanism of additional loans to increase budget revenues (Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine, ERA) by the end of 2024.

Quote: "We have our political framework. It should be US$50 billion. Ukraine should receive it no later than the end of this year. These funds should be unconditional for Ukraine [i.e. not tied to any reforms]. They must be interest-free and not affect the increase in public debt. And we can use these funds for any needs."

More details: Shmyhal said that Ukraine plans to spend the money on compensation to those affected by war, but also on financing the budget deficit, purchasing weapons, etc.

"It is a difficult task. The G7 countries and the European Union have to find a consensus on providing this money. These funds will be compensated for our partners by the proceeds from frozen Russian assets, which total US$300 billion. The partners will receive US$3 billion to US$4 billion annually, which will be used to repay this grant to Ukraine", Shmyhal said.

He added that Ukraine is not limited to these plans and expects further seizure of all frozen Russian assets.

If the seizure occurs before the partners receive their money back, Ukraine will cover the balance from the confiscated amount.

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Ukraine to Brief NATO on Wednesday on Air Defense, Status of War

(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine will hold a meeting with ambassadors from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Wednesday to discuss the current situation in the country.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called a meeting of the so-called NATO-Ukraine Council at Kyivs request.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief allies via video-link on the battlefield situation and priority capability needs, NATO Spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah said in an emailed statement. NATO Allies have delivered substantial support to Ukraines air defense and they are committed to further bolstering Ukraines defenses.

On Monday, Ukraine faced the biggest air attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The embattled country has recently been hit by waves of Russian strikes against civilians and infrastructure, particularly energy-related.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Russia fired dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine for a second day on Tuesday, including some that Ukraines president said were shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets before they reached their targets.

The onslaught killed at least five people, destroying a hotel, homes and residential buildings as well as critical infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions. Kyiv and other cities had power outages in sweltering heat.

First F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine, officials say

As it often does in statements after Russian bombing raids, Ukraines military listed the Russian regions and occupied territories where the weapons were launched. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials have called repeatedly for the U.S. to lift restrictions and let Ukraine strike deep inside Russia to hit military infrastructure responsible for the war.

(The allies) try not to speak with me about it. But I keep raising this topic. Generally, thats it. The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong continues, Zelenskyy said.

In comments addressing the apparent first use by Ukraine of the F-16s to shoot down a missile, Zelenskyy thanked Ukraine's supporters for them but said there were too few, and too few pilots trained to fly them.

Among the Russian regions listed as a source of Tuesdays attack was Kursk, where the head of the Ukrainian army said his troops have gained control of nearly 500 square miles since their surprise incursion three weeks ago. Thats roughly the size of Los Angeles.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also said Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in the operation, which he said was intended to draw Russias military away from the fighting in Ukraine. His claims could not be independently confirmed.

The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, has forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent the movements might be weakening Russias positions in Ukrainian territory.

Fighting in the region has raised concerns about dangers to the Kursk nuclear power plant, said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who visited it Tuesday. He said in a post on X the situation was serious and called any attack on a nuclear plant unacceptable.

There is now a danger of a nuclear incident here, Grossi said. Today I was told about several cases of drone attacks on the territory, on the plants facilities. At the plant I saw traces of these attacks.

But the plant now is operating in a mode very close to normal, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry asserted Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk  some 6,600 troops killed or injured  and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armored vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed.

The head of the Ukrainian army's claim of territorial control came hours after the second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile attacks from Russia.

Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which Zelenskyy said included 81 drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

In the Kyiv region, which struggled with blackouts after Monday's onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles but falling debris set off forest fires.

After Mondays barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists and urged Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

President Joe Biden called Monday's Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous and said he had reprioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first. He also said the U.S. was surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraines energy grid.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks used long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraines military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.

Russian officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region.

Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  A Montana cancer doctor for years saw up to 70 patients a day, double-billed federal health care programs and overprescribed pain medications to boost his income, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Tuesday while announcing a civil lawsuit against him and a $10.8 million settlement with the hospital where he worked.

Dr. Thomas Weiner was fired from St. Peter's Health in late 2020. He still has a medical license according to the state Board of Medical Examiners and has not been charged criminally. He maintains his innocence and has sued the hospital for firing him.

The four-year federal investigation found Weiner ordered medically unnecessary treatments, saw patients more often than necessary, falsified records to bill at higher amounts than allowed and prescribed painkillers to non-cancer patients, doing so "to increase his personal income, with little regard for the potential patient harm his conduct created, according to the civil lawsuit filed Monday.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment on why criminal charges havent been pursued.

The hospital reported the false claims and aided in the investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. But the hospital also was paying Weiner a salary based on the false claims and referrals he made to the hospital from its Cancer Treatment Center.

Federal law does not allow physicians to be paid based on treatment referrals to affiliated hospitals. Logan Health in Kalispell, previously Kalispell Regional Healthcare System, reached a $24 million settlement in 2018 for paying specialists based on their referrals for treatment at the hospital.

St. Peter's Health CEO Wade Johnson said he does not believe any other physicians at the hospital were engaged in filing false claims with Medicare, Medicaid and other federal programs. The settlement will be paid out of the hospital's reserves, he said.

St. Peter's is ultimately responsible for maintaining compliance with federal law and our team has worked hard to ensure we have a much stronger compliance system in place, Johnson said Tuesday.

After Weiner was fired, the hospital said it learned he had incorrectly treated a patient for cancer for 11 years and that he was engaged in alarming narcotic prescribing practices.

Dr. Weiner has denied all wrongdoing and asserts that these proceedings are the result of ongoing employment litigation with the hospital, his attorney Deanne McClung said in a statement. We are confident that when the evidence is presented, Dr. Weiner will be exonerated.

Story continues

The civil lawsuit alleges Weiner had staff double- or triple-schedule appointments in 15-minute intervals and spent an average of four to seven minutes with each patient, giving him little time to review their patient records, document the visit or to stay up-to-date on research. Most oncologists see 15 patients or fewer per day, the lawsuit states.

Weiner wanted this schedule because it maximized his income, the suit states.

An audit of Weiner's billing by the hospital in 2018 found he did not adequately document the services he was billing for, but the government said the hospital wrongly allowed him to modify his medical records to justify the bills.

Weiner also ordered unnecessary, more costly or in some cases more dangerous tests to increase his income, the lawsuit alleges.

He also prescribed a medication that can be used to help keep a cancer patient in remission for longer than medically necessary. The drug is typically given for one to two years and there were several instances of Weiner's patients receiving the drug for 10 years or more, federal officials allege.

Weiner also used non-standardized chemotherapy treatments that are administered more frequently, were not medically necessary and may have caused harm to patients, the lawsuit said.

Weiner continued to prescribe high doses of pain medication to patients who no longer had cancer, the suit said. From August 26, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2020, Weiner wrote at least 316 prescriptions for 11 patients with no documented medical purpose.

The lawsuit seeks triple damages and civil penalties for each false claim and for the court to prevent Weiner from prescribing controlled substances for five years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that his country has conducted the first successful test of a new domestically-developed ballistic missile.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that his country has conducted the first successful test of a new domestically-developed ballistic missile. Ukraine is known to have at least one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), the Hrim-2, in some stage of development, as The War Zone previously explored in detail. Such a weapon would give Ukraines armed forces a highly valuable new stand-off strike option unlike any other in its inventory. It would also not be subject to any foreign restrictions on its use, as it continues to be the case with many longer-ranged weapons supplied by the United States and other Western partners.

There has been a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile, Zelensky said at a press conference earlier today around the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in the countrys capital Kyiv, according to AFP. I congratulate our defense industry on this. I cant share any more details about this missile.

Ukraine conducted the first sucessful test of a domestic-produced ballistic missile, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/Z4t675mQ27  Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) August 27, 2024

Zelensky did not name the missile, but discussions have already turned to the possibility of him referring to Hrim-2 (also written Grim-2 and which translates as Thunder-2 in English). The origins of the Hrim-2 and its immediate predecessors date back to the late 2000s and development is understood to have begun in greater earnest after Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. A rocket motor test associated with the design occurred in 2018 and the two-round, 10-wheeled transporter-erector-launcher for the missile, or at least a mockup thereof, wearing Ukrainian Armed Forces markings appeared at a parade that same year.

A transporter-erector-launcher for the Hrim-2 in Ukrainian Armed Forces colors at a parade in 2018. VoidWanderer via Wikimedia

An image from a 2018 test of a rocket motor tied to the development of the Hrim-2 missile. Government of Ukraine via via Mil.in.ua

The Hrim-2 and preceding related designs, as they have been shown to date, have outward appearances that are very similar to Russias Iskander-M. Hrim-2 could have a range of at least 174 miles (280 kilometers) and possibly up to 310 miles (500 kilometers), according to past reports.

A model of a Ukrainian ballistic missile design called Grom, which is related to the Hrim-2 and that has an outward look very similar to that of Russias Iskander-M. VoidWanderer via Wikimedia

A picture of a test article associated with the development of the Hrim-2 or its predecessors. Pivdenne Design Bureau

A Russian Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile. Russian Ministry of Defense

You can read more about what is known about the Hrim-2 and its development in this past War Zone piece, which followed speculation that Ukraine might have employed some of those missiles in an attack on Russias Saki Air Base in 2022. It remains unclear what weapons Ukraine used in that instance.

Last year, Russian authorities in Crimea also claimed Hrim-2s had been shot down before reaching targets on the peninsula, but images that subsequently emerged of purported wreckage of those missiles did not offer hard evidence to substantiate those claims. Furthermore, Russias Ministry of Defense appeared to contradict those assertions by claiming it had shot down U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) SRBMs in the same general area around the same time.

#BREAKING Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea claims Ukrainian Grom-2/Hrim-2 short-range ballistic missile was shot down over Crimea. pic.twitter.com/2p9k0iolQg  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 6, 2023

Good catch here: the Ukrainian Telegram channel (the only source for the strike claim) reported that this attack was carried out NOT with ATACMS, but with Ukrainian made Hrim-2 missiles (adds scepticism cause it doesn't match with the RU MoD ATACMS claim). https://t.co/VfhSCUQxH5  Mark Krutov (@kromark) May 6, 2024

The weapon that Zelensky mentioned today could be unrelated to Hrim-2 and there is the added potential that it might not even necessarily be what many would commonly consider to be a ballistic missile. The line between guided large-caliber artillery rockets and short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) is increasingly blurry. SRBMs are generally defined as having maximum ranges of no more than 620 miles (1,000 kilometers). However, the U.S. military has begun using the term close-range ballistic missiles (CRBM) to refer to a subset of SRBMs with ranges under 186 miles (300 kilometers). U.S. military sources have referred to guided artillery rockets with diameters as small as 122mm (Chinas WS-22 and BRE7) as CRBMs. Ukraines existing 300mm Vilkha-M would also easily fit this definition.

A US Air Force graphic showing examples of what the US military categories as close-range ballistic missiles (CBRM), including Chinese 122mm WS-22 and BRE7 guided artillery rockets. USAF

Last year, then-Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov also said that the country had a new long-range missile in development that could have a range of up to 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), but did not elaborate. Ukraine has already fielded a land-attack derivative of the Neptune ground-launched anti-ship cruise missile with a claimed range of up to 225 miles (360 kilometers) and has also been employing a growing array of longer-range kamikaze drones. Just this past weekend, Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces had begun using a new longer-ranged weapon called Palyanytsya (also written Palianytsia). Details about Palyanytsya are limited, but it has been described as a jet-powered missile/drone hybrid design.

President Zelensky showed the Palianytsia drone missile, which was first revealed yesterday.



All of its specifications are classified. What is known from the information in the video:



Palianytsia has a turbojet engine;

is launched from a ground platform;

the pic.twitter.com/GyIEVFw52Q  Slava (@Heroiam_Slava) August 25, 2024

Ground-launched stand-off munitions are also particularly important for Ukraine given that the current threat air defense environment presents serious hurdles for conducting air strikes via fixed-wing aircraft against targets deeper behind the front lines in many cases.

Ukraine has been receiving small numbers of ATACMS from the United States, which it has used to good effect. The U.S. government and Ukraines other foreign partners have delivered additional types of ground and air-launched stand-off munitions. Despite some recent relaxation on this front, there continue to be significant limitations imposed on the use of those weapons on targets inside Russia amid ostensible concerns about provoking further escalation and fears about the possibility of the conflict spilling over beyond Ukraine. The debate has become differently pronounced since Ukrainian forces launched their incursion into Russias Kursk region earlier this month. Intense discussions between Ukrainian and American authorities, in particular, are reportedly ongoing over these restrictions.

For victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemys military facilities, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said yesterday. Ukraine is preparing its own response [with] weapons of its own production.

Since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian armed forces have been employing Soviet-era Tochka-U SRBMs, as well as even older Tochka types. Though Tochka and Tochka-U are not subject to any foreign stipulations about their use, they also only have maximum ranges of 43 miles (70 kilometers) and 75 miles (120 kilometers), respectively. Hrim-2s development notably stemmed from a desire to supplant the aging Tochka series.

Having a new source of ballistic missiles that are more capable and longer-ranged than the Tochka family, and that are not subject to any Western restrictions, would be a major development for Ukraine. Ballistic missiles, in general, reach very high speeds in the terminal phase of flight, which presents distinct challenges for enemy air and missile defenses compared to other kinds of missiles, including subsonic air-breathing cruise missiles, as well as kamikaze drones. Ballistic missiles with unitary high-explosive warheads can also burrow down deeper into hardened targets or impart greater force on reinforced structures above ground like bridges thanks to that speed.

Ukrainian forces could also layer in ballistic missiles together with other types of missiles and drones in larger attacks to create even more complex scenarios for enemy forces. The Russian military routinely does this in large-scale attacks on targets.

The Ukrainian Air Force says Russia launched 236 missiles and UAVs today, including:

-3 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile

-6 Iskander-M / KN-23 ballistic missiles

-77 Kh-101 cruise missiles

-28 Kalibr cruise missiles

-3 Kh-22 cruise missiles

-10 Kh-59 / Kh-69 pic.twitter.com/ShfohSfsUV  Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 26, 2024

In the future, Ukraines military might also be able to make use of drones operating via airborne relays or other networks to help find targets deeper behind enemy lines or inside Russia and execute them. However, Ukraine has not demonstrated its ability to conduct this kind of targeting, though it is a tactic Russian forces have been observed employing. There are reports that Russia has been using intercepted signal emissions to help with more rapid, responsive targeting of ballistic missiles against high-value targets, as well.

Russia has also notably acquired additional SRBMs from North Korea and there continue to be reports that it is working to get more ballistic missiles from Iran to bolster its own arsenal in this regard.

Ukraines employment of American ATACMS within the rules set by the U.S. government further underscores the potential impact of a new source of ballistic missiles that can be used without foreign restrictions. Ukrainian ATACMS strikes have already been observed forcing major changes to Russian operating procedures, especially at air bases within range of those missiles. It has also prompted Russia to rush additional air and missile defenses to the theater, including an S-500, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system in the countrys inventory today.

Ukrainian ATACMS strikes, along with UAF [Ukrainian Armed Forces] use of U.S.-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have required Russian forces to reinforce their air defense systems. Following the Crimea attacks [earlier in the year], Russian forces deployed their most advanced air defense system, the S-500, to protect the Kerch Strait Bridge, the DIA [U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency] stated, according to a U.S. Special Inspector General report released earlier this month. The S-500 system has not yet been demonstrated to be fully operational in Ukraine, which DIA views as an indication of Russias struggle to provide adequate air defense of Crimea. Russian forces have also redeployed several of their S-400 assets from Crimea to Belgorod to protect Russian assets from UAF HIMARS, which can now strike Russian air defenses in Belgorod.

#BREAKING Here's the moment of Russian S-400 battery getting knocked off by Ukrainian ATACMS strikes in Mospyne, Donetsk region.



S-400s tried to shot down ATACMS missiles, but failed. https://t.co/MWY6OxBN2X pic.twitter.com/I7AoJGCMD3  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 24, 2024

It does remain to be seen what new ballistic missile Ukraine may have tested and how close it is to actually being fielded operationally. However, it is not hard to see the value of such a weapon for the Ukrainian military as an additional option for launching stand-off strikes without any foreign restrictions, especially against targets inside Russia.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Ukraine sends thousands of tonnes of maize to two African countries

As many as 23,000 tonnes of Ukrainian maize has been sent to Mozambique and Malawi in Africa within the Grain from Ukraine programme.

Source: the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine

Details: Reportedly, a vessel from Ukraine will deliver 3,848 tonnes of maize to Mozambique and 19,200 tonnes to Malawi.

At first the cargo will head towards Mozambique by sea and then will be transported to Malawi by land.

"After the delivery, maize, along with other products, will be used by the World Food Program for distribution among socially vulnerable categories of local population. Ukrainian maize will allow the WFP to support about 200,000 people in Mozambique and 900,000 people in Malawi with food during three months," the statement says.

This delivery, as stated by the Ministry, was made possible thanks to generous contributions of Sweden, the Netherlands, France, South Korea and Portugal.

Background:

Ukraine sent the first batch of wheat flour for Palestine. It has been delivered to the Gaza Strip.

Since the foundation of the Grain From Ukraine programme, Ukraine has delivered more than 221,000 tonnes of agricultural products to 10 countries in Africa and Asia.

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Ukraine to show US list of Russian targets for ATACMS to receive permission to strike from Biden

Ukraine plans to hand over a list of targets deep in Russian territory to Joe Bidens administration in order to convince the US to lift the ban on using American weapons to strike Russian territory.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Politico

Details: Reportedly, this is not the first list prepared by Kyiv but this one is more detailed.

It is planned to show the list to the Americans as early as this week, when Rustem Umierov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, and Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, visit Washington.

The sources of Politico report that the list will include several "high-value" targets which could be reached using American long-range missiles, and Kyiv hopes to finally convince Biden to lift the restriction by providing this list.

While escalation is still a concern, the White House has more recently been stressing its belief that there is "little tactical advantage", given Russia moving assets out of range. Moreover, it believes that Ukraine would lack the ATACMS missiles the US is able to provide to launch attacks on the targets in both occupied Crimea and the territory of Russia. Bidens administration believes that Ukraines campaign of strikes on the targets in Crimea is fruitful.

Background:

At a briefing on 26 August John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, stated that there had been no changes in US policy regarding the deployment of American armament by Ukraine.

However, some members of the Ukrainian Parliament and officials see the signs that Washington is considering lifting the restrictions shortly.

Earlier, WP reported that amid the operation in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine intensified its request to Bidens administration to let it use ATACMS to strike the airbases of Russian aircraft in the territory of Russia.

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Ukraine carried out a successful test of the first domestic-made ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27.

"It may be too early to talk about it but I want to share it with you," the president said at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv.

Zelensky congratulated to the Ukrainian Defense Industry on the project but did not provide any further details on the weaponry.

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A day earlier, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine is preparing a response to Russian aerial strikes with weapons of its own production.

"This once again proves that for victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemy's military facilities," Umerov said. "Ukraine is preparing its own response. Weapons of its own production."

Zelensky previously revealed that Ukraine had developed another domestic-made weapon, a missile-drone Palianytsia. He said it has already been used against Russia.

Kyiv has received a number of long-range missiles from partners, such as U.S.-made ATACMS, British Storm Shadow, or French SCALP/T. Their potential impact is limited by Western restrictions on strikes deep inside Russian territory.

Russia regularly uses ballistic missiles like Iskander-M or Kinzhal in attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Read also: Ukraines new Palianytsia missile-drone pictured for first time

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Ukraine's Air Force used F-16 jets as part of its defense against Russia's mass missile and drone attack on Aug. 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed during a press conference on Aug. 27.

Russia targeted 15 of Ukraine's 24 oblasts on Aug. 26, launching over 200 missiles and drones as part of the largest-ever aerial attack against Ukraine.

Strikes hit several civilian, energy, and fuel facilities, including a dam in Kyiv, part of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, killing seven people and injuring at least 47 others.

Ukraine downed 102 missiles and 99 drones of the 127 missiles and 109 drones launched by Russia during the morning attack.

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F-16s gave "a very good result," Zelensky told reporters. "As part of this huge attack, we shot down some missiles and drones with the help of F-16s."

"We thank our partners for providing us with the F-16s. Of course, this is not enough, we don't have many of them, and we still need to train pilots," Zelensky added.

Ukraine received its first F-16s by the beginning of August, a year after its allies formed the fighter jet coalition to provide training and aircraft to Ukraine.

Kyiv has been promised at least 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium. Ukraine has reportedly received ten jets so far.

F-16s are expected to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities, with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi commenting on Aug. 4 that the arrival of the jets will result in "more downed missiles."

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Ukraine uses over 170 different unmanned systems at front, commander says

Ukraine has put more than 170 different types of of unmanned systems into service on the front line, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi said in an interview with Ukrinform published on Aug. 27.

Throughout Russias full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing the way wars are fought.

For outnumbered Ukrainian forces, drones have been one of the key weapons to strike Russian warships, naval bases, oil refineries, and airfields inside occupied territories and deep behind Russia's lines.

According to Sukharevskyi, all long-range drones used by Kyiv are made in Ukraine. Such drones have reportedly hit Russian targets over 1,000 kilometers away.

"No foreign drones are used for deep strikes (inside Russia)," he said.

All drone manufacturers communicate directly with combat units, as they want their arms to be effective, the commander said.

Kyiv has the production capacity to produce more than three million drones a year but requires financing from foreign partners, Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Hanna Hvozdiar said.

In the first half of 2024, Ukrainian soldiers received six times more drones than last year, Sukharevskyi said in July.

Read also: Ukraines new Palianytsia missile-drone pictured for first time

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Ukraine war latest: Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast; Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Kyiv says

Key developments on Aug. 27:

Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast amid Ukraine's incursion, Syrskyi says

Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Zelensky says

Zelensky to present U.S. with victory plan in September

Russia claims Ukraine attempting to break through to Belgorod Oblast

Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

One of the objectives of Ukraine's Kursk Oblast operation was to divert a significant number of Russian forces from other sectors, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Aug. 27.

As Kyiv's incursion into Kursk Oblast enters its fourth week, Ukraine is in control of 1,294 square kilometers and 100 settlements, including the town of Sudzha, Syrskyi said. A total of 594 Russian soldiers have been captured, according to the general.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Speaking at the "Ukraine 2024. Independence" forum in Kyiv, Syrskyi said that Moscow has redeployed about 30,000 of its troops from other sectors to the Kursk direction, "and this number is growing." At the same time, Russia deployed its most combat-ready units in the Pokrovsk sector.

"The enemy is trying to withdraw units from other directions, and on the contrary, it is increasing its efforts in Pokrovsk sectors," Syrskyi said.

According to the general, Russia has reduced its activity in Ukraine's south, but continues to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, trying to regain positions near the village of Robotyne. In partially occupied Kherson Oblast, Moscow's forces are trying to regain control of an island zone near the Dnipro River's delta, he said.

Read also: Russian advance towards Pokrovsk slowed down after Ukraines Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims

Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Zelensky says

Ukraine carried out a successful test of the first domestic-made ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27.

"It may be too early to talk about it but I want to share it with you," the president said at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv.

Zelensky congratulated to the Ukrainian Defense Industry on the project but did not provide any further details on the weaponry.

A day earlier, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine is preparing a response to Russian aerial strikes with weapons of its own production.

"This once again proves that for victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemy's military facilities," Umerov said. "Ukraine is preparing its own response. Weapons of its own production."

Zelensky previously revealed that Ukraine has developed a domestic-made missile-drone, Palianytsia. He said it has already been used against Russia.

Read also: Ukraines new Palianytsia missile-drone pictured for first time

Zelensky to present U.S. with victory plan in September

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27 that he would present U.S. President Joe Biden with a plan for victory during a meeting in September.

The president said that the proposal would also be presented to Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-President Donald Trump, the two candidates for the upcoming November presidential election.

Trump has claimed during his presidential campaign that he would end the war within 24 hours if elected, but has declined to provide details of the plan.

Speaking at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv, Zelensky said that the ongoing Kursk incursion was one of the parts of this plan.

The other items include Ukraine's participation in the global security infrastructure, pressuring Russia to end the war through diplomatic means, and an economic aspect, Zelensky said without revealing any details.

The president said that he keeps bringing up the red lines Ukraine's Western allies have imposed on the use of weapons inside Russian territory.

"They don't want to talk about it, and I keep bringing it up," Zelensky quipped.

"The Olympics are over, but ping pong is still there."

Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Western partners believe that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with the weapons they provide could be a cause for escalation.

In May, the U.S. allowed Ukraine to use HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, GMLRS rockets, and artillery against Russian territory near the Ukrainian border.

But the U.S. and U.K. still prohibit Ukraine from using U.S.-made ATACMS missiles and British-made Storm Shadow missiles for strikes deeper inside Russia.

Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has ramped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks following the Kursk incursion on Aug. 6.

Read also: Kursk operation is related to Ukraines 2nd peace summit, Zelensky says

Russia claims Ukraine attempting to break through to Belgorod Oblast

Ukrainian forces may be attempting to break through the border into Russia's Belgorod Oblast, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed on Aug. 27.

Kyiv has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.

The statement comes as Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast reaches its three-week mark. Belgorod Oblast is lodged between Russia's Kursk and Voronezh regions and borders Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts.

"There is information that (Ukraine) is attempting to break through the border of Belgorod Oblast," Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel.

"According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult but under control."

Reports of the alleged attacks have also emerged on Russian Telegram channels.

According to the Mash channel, roughly 200 Ukrainian troops have attacked the border crossing at Nekhoteyevka and another 300 at Shebekino.

Another channel, Shot, claimed that Ukrainian forces had been pushed back from Nekhoteyevka after suffering losses and claimed that no clashes had taken place at Shebekino.

Shot pointed out that the front near Shebekino, which lies just across the border from the embattled Ukrainian town of Vovchansk, has been pushed further south after Russia launched its offensive into Kharkiv Oblast in May.

Nekhoteyevka also lies at the border of Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast, some 6 kilometers (almost 4 miles) from the Ukrainian settlement of Kozacha Lopan and around 30 kilometers (almost 20 miles) north of Kharkiv.

There have been multiple signs that Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast is spilling over to Belgorod Oblast. A unit of the Ukrainian 252nd Battalion appeared to have entered the village of Poroz on Aug. 10.

Russia also claimed that Ukraine unsuccessfully attacked the Kolotilovka border checkpoint on Aug. 12.

Previously, Shebekino became a key flashpoint during a cross-border incursion carried out last year by anti-Kremlin militias fighting on Ukraine's side.

Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least eight people and injured at least 34 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Aug. 27.

Russia launched a combined wave of attacks against Ukraine for the second night in a row, reportedly using 81 Shahed-type attack drones and 10 missiles. A day before, Russia launched its largest aerial strike throughout the full-scale war, using over 230 missiles and drones.

From the overall tally, four people were killed and 16 injured only during the overnight strike on Aug. 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Overall, Russian forces launched three Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft, five Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95 bomber planes, one Iskander-M ballistic missile, and one Iskander-K cruise missile, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

Five Kh-101 cruise missiles and 60 drones were intercepted by Ukrainian defenses, the commander noted.

Russia attacked Kyiv Oblast and Kyiv with drones and missiles, with an air raid alert ongoing for eight hours. No damage or victims were reported.

Around 10 attack drones and several missiles were downed near Kyiv, said city administration head Serhii Popko, adding that "everything that flew to the capital was destroyed."

Russian forces also targeted Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day, resulting in three civilian deaths, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported. At least two of the fatalities were recorded during drone attacks overnight on Aug. 27.

Five civilians were injured in the region, including an 86-year-old woman. Four of them are currently being treated in a local hospital.

Several homes were damaged by blast waves and debris from the attack, and a fire occurred in a field, Fedorov said, adding that at least 128 drones attacked the region over the past 24 hours.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were killed and 13 injured over the past day, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Eight of the injured and one fatality were reported during the day on Aug. 26 following Russian attacks against the Nikopol district.

Late at night, a Russian Iskander missile struck a hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih, killing at least three people and injuring at least five, Lysak reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured when Russia struck an infrastructure facility with an Iskander missile, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast killed one person and injured 10 others, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

A critical infrastructure site, medical and educational institutions, high-rise buildings, houses, and other buildings were reportedly damaged.

One person was injured in Russian attacks against Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 26, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Another civilian was injured during drone attacks in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, said Serhii Tiurin, the regional governor. Eight drones were downed over the oblast, with at least two houses catching fire as a result.

Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages

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Ukraines Zelensky says Russia incursion is part of victory plan he intends to show Biden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the incursion into Russias Kursk region was the first part of Kyivs victory plan, which he intends to present to US President Joe Biden in September.

At a press conference in Ukraines capital on Tuesday, Zelensky said he plans on attending the United Nations General Assembly in September, where he would meet Biden. He added that the plans success largely depends on the US.

The success of this plan depends on him. Will they give what we have in this plan or not. Will we be free to use what we have in this plan or not, he asked.

He said the plan would be presented to both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. As we dont know who the president of the US will be and we want to conduct this plan, he said.

While light on details, Zelensky said the four-stage plan began with the cross-border incursion into Kursk, which he said is already done.

Second direction is Ukraines strategic place in the security infrastructure of the world, Zelensky continued. Third direction is the powerful package of forcing Russia to end the war in a diplomatic way, and the fourth direction is economical.

Kursk region is part of our plan. The plan of our victory. It may sound ambitious for someone, but its a very important plan for us, he said.

He stopped short of giving more information, saying he cant say everything.

Ukraines surprise military incursion this month left Russia struggling to shore up its own territory. Kyiv seems to have multiple goals with the assault, from boosting morale after a torrid few months to stretching Russias resources.

It also raised questions on how it would end aggressions as Russia has continued to advance in eastern Ukraine and is closing in on the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, where authorities are scrambling to evacuate tens of thousands of residents

Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told CNN that one of the objectives of the Kursk offensive was to divert Russian forces away from other Ukrainian cities, primarily Pokrovsk and Kurakhovo.

Of course, the enemy understands this, so it continues to focus its main efforts on the Pokrovsk direction, where its most capable units are concentrated, Syrskyi said on Tuesday in response to a CNN question.

Speaking at the heads of state institutions forum in Kyiv, Syrskyi claimed around 30,000 Russian forces have already been redeployed to Kursk, adding that the figure is growing.

CNN cannot independently verify this number.

At the same forum, Zelensky hailed Ukraines development of what he described as a new long-range rocket drone, called Palianytsia, which he has previously suggested was Ukraines own way to take real action amid restrictions by Western allies on the use of long-range weapons within Russia.

Palianytsia is a Ukrainian word for a type of bread that is typically reputed to be difficult to pronounce by Russians. Since the start of the war, Ukrainians have used the word to identify saboteurs or members of the Russian military.

As the fighting continues on several fronts, Russia launched its biggest ever aerial attack against Ukraine on Monday, hitting energy infrastructure across the country. More strikes landed on Tuesday morning, killing five people and raising the death toll from this weeks attacks to 12.

CNNs Daria Tarasova-Markina and Ivana Kottasova contributed to this report.

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Ukraine's new F-16s are flying missions and shot down incoming missiles during a massive Russian attack, Zelenskyy says

Ukraine's new F-16s are flying missions and shot down incoming missiles during a massive Russian attack, Zelenskyy says

Ukraine's new F-16s shot down missiles during Russia's massive strike on Monday.

Zelenskyy confirmed the involvement of its new jets in repelling enemy missiles.

Russia's missile and drone strike on Monday was one of the biggest of the war so far.

Ukraine's new F-16 fighter jets successfully shot down missiles during Russia's massive barrage on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday.

The bombardment, which included over 100 missiles and a similar number of one-way attack drones, was one of the biggest of the war so far, with much of Ukraine targeted in the strike.

Zelenskyy confirmed the use of US-made F-16s by the Ukrainian Air Force to defend against the Russian strikes at the Ukraine 2024 Independence Forum in Kyiv on Tuesday. He noted that the fighter jets "performed well, helping to shoot down several missiles."

The Ukrainian President didn't provide additional details on how many jets were scrambled or how many missiles they shot down, but the use of F-16s marks a significant moment for Ukraine, which spent much of the war begging the West for fighter jets.

After their recent arrival, images of the jets showed them armed only with air-to-air missiles, indicating an initial air-defense role for Ukraine's new F-16s. And, indeed, in the latest attack, that is how the jets were used.

Ukraine said that Monday's massive Russian attack, which was comprised of cruise and ballistic missiles and drones, was aimed at a variety of critical infrastructure targets across the country, particularly its energy grid. At least four people were killed, and many more were injured.

After the attack on Ukraine, Zelenskyy again urged the US and other partners to allow Kyiv to use its Western-provided long-range weapons to strike into Russian territory, noting that the Russian strike was a reminder of the pressing need to use such weapons to target Russia "precisely at the locations from which they launch their attacks."

In response to Monday's strike, US President Joe Biden said that the US and its allies were "surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and energy grid."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Syrskyi attends an in interview with Reuters in Kharkiv region

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's top commander said on Tuesday that Kyiv's forces were still advancing in Russia's Kursk region, but warned that Moscow was building up its forces on the eastern Pokrovsk front, where Russian troops have been advancing.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi said by video link in remarks broadcast on television that Russia was trying to disrupt Ukraine's supply lines to the front near Pokrovsk, a coal mining city that has strategic military value as a transport hub.

"The situation on the Pokrovsk front is fairly difficult ... the enemy is using its advantage in personnel, weapons and military equipment, it is actively using artillery and aviation," he said.

Ukraine's three-week-old thrust into Russia's Kursk region has captured 100 settlements, he said.

Moscow's troops were trying to counterattack in the area and encircle Kyiv's forces, but those attempts were being repelled, he added.

He said that one of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from other areas, primarily the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors.

"The Kursk operation diverted a significant number of its forces," he said, noting that Russian troops had been drawn from Ukraine's south.

"As of now, we can say that around 30,000 servicemen have been sent to the Kursk front and this figure is growing."

But he said Russia was strengthening its force on the Pokrovsk front.

Disclosing a number for the first time, Syrskyi said that Ukraine had captured 594 Russian servicemen during its operation in the Kursk region.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash and Pavel Polityuk; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
By Anna Tong

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - ChatGPT developer OpenAI is supporting a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content, which can range from harmless memes to deepfakes aimed at spreading misinformation about political candidates.

The bill, called AB 3211, has so far been overshadowed by attention on another California state artificial intelligence (AI) bill, SB 1047, which mandates that AI developers conduct safety testing on some of their own models.

That bill has faced a backlash from the tech industry, including OpenAI, which has Microsoft as a backer.

California state lawmakers attempted to introduce 65 bills touching on AI this legislative season, according to the states legislative database, including measures to ensure all algorithmic decisions are proven unbiased and protect the intellectual property of deceased individuals from exploitation by AI companies. Many of the bills are already dead.

San Francisco-based OpenAI believes that for AI-generated content, transparency and requirements around provenance such as watermarking are important, especially in an election year, according to a letter sent to California State Assembly member Buffy Wicks, who authored the bill.

With countries representing a third of the world's population having polls this year, experts are concerned about the role AI-generated content will play, and it has already been prominent in some elections, such as in Indonesia.

"New technology and standards can help people understand the origin of content they find online, and avoid confusion between human-generated and photorealistic AI-generated content," OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon wrote in the letter, which was reviewed by Reuters.

AB 3211 has already passed the state Assembly by a 62-0 vote. Earlier this month it passed the senate appropriations committee, setting it up for a vote by the full state Senate. If it passes by the end of the legislative session on Aug. 31, it would advance to Governor Gavin Newsom to sign or veto by Sept. 30.

(Reporting by Anna Tong in San Francisco; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
By Olena Harmash and Tom Balmforth

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

The Ukrainian leader, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv's three-week-old incursion into Russia's Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

"The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much - (that it would be) fair for Ukraine," he told reporters in Kyiv of the war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He did not elaborate further on the next steps, but said he would also discuss the plan with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and probably also with Republican Donald Trump, the two nominees for the U.S. presidential election

Zelenskiy said he hoped to go to the United States in September to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York and that he was preparing to meet Biden.

His remarks indicated that he sees the main potential forum for talks as a follow-up international summit on peace, at which Ukraine has said it wants Russia to have representatives.

The first summit to advance Kyiv's vision of peace, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations, but not from China, the world's second largest economy, despite Kyiv's push to win over the global south.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Aug. 19 that talks were out of the question after Ukraine launched a major cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Kyiv last week, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and told him he supported an early and peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.

'NO COMPROMISES WITH PUTIN'

Zelenskiy has been adamant that Russia wants to dictate terms to Ukraine in any settlement of the war, something that Kyiv sees as unacceptable.

Putin has said any deal needs to start with Ukraine's acceptance of "realities on the ground", that would leave Russia with possession of substantial chunks of four Ukrainian regions as well as Crimea. Now Ukraine says it controls more than 1,200 square km (463 sq miles) of Russia's Kursk region.

"There can be no compromises with Putin, dialogue today is in principle empty and meaningless because he does not want to end the war diplomatically," Zelenskiy said at the news conference.

He said the offensive into the Kursk region had reduced the number of governments around the world calling for Ukraine to make compromises with Russia to end the war and give up swathes of territory.

On the battlefield, Zelenskiy mocked Putin, who he said was prioritising the capture of Ukrainian land over the defence of Russia's own territory.

He pointed to Kursk region where Ukraine has claimed the capture of 100 settlements, while Russian forces continue to inch forward in the eastern Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian leader also said that Kyiv was continuing to make progress on its domestic weapons production and that it had conducted its first test of a domestically-produced ballistic missile.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash, Yuliia Dysa and Pavel Polityuk; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Andrew Heavens and Sharon Singleton)
Ukraine's Zelensky says dialogue with Putin would be 'meaningless'

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds a news conference during the Ukraine 2024. Independence Forum. -/Ukrinform/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said peace talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would be "empty" and "meaningless."

"The world is waiting for Ukraine to present a compromise plan on how to end the war tomorrow," he said at an event in Kiev.

"It's not that there are no compromises with Putin, but with Putin the dialogue today is empty, meaningless, because he doesn't want to end the war diplomatically," argued Zelensky.

Putin might be willing to engage in diplomatic negotiations, Zelensky said, but his pre-condition is for Kiev to recognize Russia's capture of 30% of Ukrainian territory.

"We will not play along with him," added Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president said his forces' advance into the southern Russian region of Kursk has silenced Kiev's critics.

Ukraine presented its own pathway to peace at a summit in Switzerland in June.

The plan envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from all areas of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula.

Russia would also agree to pay reparations and make its political and military leaders accountable to an international court.
Ukrainian defence minister to brief NATO on air defence needs

Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov attends a panel discussion at the Ukraine 2024. Independence Forum. -/Ukrinform/dpa

NATO is to meet via video-link with the Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss the country's air defence needs in response to recent heavy Russian airstrikes.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the meeting for Wednesday at the request of Ukraine, Farah Dakhlallah, a spokesperson for the alliance said in a statement.

The meeting, held by NATO allies' ambassador's to the alliance, comes after Russian attacks against civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine, Dakhlallah said.

Umerov is to brief the allies' representatives "on the battlefield situation and priority capability needs," Dakhlallah said, adding that NATO is "committed to further bolstering Ukraines defences."
Ukraine launched a cross-border raid into the Russian region of Belgorod, sparking panic in pro-Kremlin media on Tuesday.

Ukrainian troops supported by armoured vehicles attacked the Nekhoteyevka border checkpoint early in the morning, according to Russian military bloggers.

Kyiv has already seized 500 square miles of the neighbouring Kursk region in an invasion launched earlier this month.

The size of the Ukrainian force attempting a breakthrough in Belgorod was unclear on Tuesday night, with Russian officials saying the border was under control.

Mash, a Telegram news channel with purported links to Russian law enforcement, reported that up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers in several infantry-fighting vehicles were met by volleys of Russian artillery fire as they approached Nekhoteyevka.

Russian state broadcaster RT quoted Voyenna Khronika, another military Telegram channel, as saying the size of the operation was about the same in terms of personnel and numbers as in the first minutes of the Kursk incursion.

The pro-Kremlin Romanov blog claimed Kyivs forces were beaten back into a forested area west of the checkpoint.

There were clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups and Russian artillery is working, a fourth blogger, Operation Z, wrote online. No large-scale attempts to break through have been recorded.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, Belgorods regional governor, wrote on the Telegram messaging app: There is information that Ukraine is attempting to break through the border of Belgorod Oblast.

According to the Russian defence ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult but under control.

Neither military nor political officials in Kyiv commented on the latest cross-border raid.

Its a classic offensive operation

Western military experts have said that one major benefit of Ukraines Kursk operation is that it will unsettle Russia across the entire border, as Kyiv has proved that it can invade anywhere at short notice.

Its a classic offensive operation, said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British tank commander. Attack weakness, give the Russians lots to think about and make difficult decisions with limited resource

The Russians will have to look south [towards Belgorod], putting them off balance, while theyre trying to reinforce Kursk. Ukraine launching such attacks means they understand manoeuvre warfare.

Currently, Ukraines objective seems to grab as much Russian land as possible to have a better negotiating position, as well as to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine and create a buffer zone, Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at RUSI, added.

Cross-border attacks into the Belgorod region seem to be a part of this strategy.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyivs top general, told a news conference on Tuesday, that his forces had captured 500 square miles of Kursk, forcing Russia to deploy 30,000 troops to the area.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, told the same event the invasion of Kursk was one of the stages to end the war, in plans he would shortly present US presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Kursk Oblast is part of our plan for Ukraines victory, the Ukrainian president said. There are some things I cannot discuss... Kursk Oblast is one of the plans directions, with some already being implemented.

The second direction concerns Ukraines strategic position in the global security infrastructure. The third strategy is to use diplomatic means to coerce Russia into ending the war. The fourth direction is economic.

Kyiv held a peace summit in Switzerland in June that brokered a statement signed by more than 80 international governments endorsing three points of Mr Zelenskys 10-point peace plan.

Ukrainian officials are planning a second summit with Russian representatives present in the coming months.

The Ukrainian president also confirmed that the army had successfully tested a homemade ballistic missile for the first time. Although Mr Zelensky did not release details of the test launch, Ukrainian engineers have been working on the development of a short-range ballistic missile to replace its Soviet-era Tochka-U system since 2014.

The programme was accelerated after Russia launched its first invasion of Ukraines eastern Donbas and illegally annexed Crimea in the same year.

The so-called Hrim-2 missile system, or Sapsan, was designed to hit targets at a range of about 300 miles and be fired from a truck-mounted launcher.

The successful test is good news, but we shouldnt read too much into it. The Sapsan SRBM is likely still several months, if not years, away from reaching initial operational capability, said Fabian Hoffmann, a missile technology doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo.

Nevertheless, as others and I have pointed out, if Ukraine is prohibited from using Western long-range strike weapons against targets inside Russia, its essential for Ukraine to develop its own higher-payload and higher-velocity missile systems.

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Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Development and Minister of Digital Transformation, has said that the price of each Ukrainian-made Palianytsia missile drone is less than US$1 million [Palianytsia is a traditional Ukrainian bread; this word is difficult for Russians to pronounce correctly, so it is used as a shibboleth  ed.].

Source: Mykhailo Fedorov in an interview with the Associated Press

Quote: "I think this (Palianytsia missile-drone - ed.) will be a game changer because we will be able to strike where Russia doesnt expect it today."

Details: Fedorov refused to specify the new drones range as well as current deliveries, citing security concerns, but said he has been involved in projects to develop domestically-made missiles since late 2022.

The article notes that the new weapon was one of Ukraine's long-term goals. One of the specialists involved in the development of a long-range missile told AP that it is "a completely new development, from scratch," which began about 18 months ago.

"This is not an extension of an old Soviet project," the expert said on condition of anonymity in order to preserve the project's secrecy.

He said the missile has a solid-fuel booster that accelerates it, and a jet engine.

The unnamed expert and Fedorov told the newspaper that each missile costs less than $1 million, and the military is turning to the private sector in order to lower production costs even further. "The private market generates solutions incredibly quickly," the minister said.

Fedorov added that this year, private companies became the main suppliers of drones for the Ukrainian army, including those that are now conducting strikes on Russian territory and underwater drones that have repeatedly struck vessels of Russias Black Sea Fleet.

"All types of missiles will be available in Ukraine. If we have our own weapons like this, we will feel more independent and confident," he said, adding that he believes Russia's huge size could also be its vulnerability.

Background: During the recent Independence Day celebrations, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that on 24 August, the Ukrainian army attacked the Russians with a new weapon, the Palianytsia missile drone, for the first time.

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By Andrew MacAskill and Sarah Marsh

BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain and Germany's leaders agreed in Berlin on Wednesday to work on an ambitious treaty covering issues from defence to trade that would be part of a reset of British relations with the European Union.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's trip to the EU's top powers, Germany and France, aims to help Britain move beyond the previous Conservative government's fractious relations with European allies. Starmer, who took office last month, has put improved ties at the heart of his efforts to boost Britain's economic growth.

He billed the new cooperation treaty as a "once-in-a-generation chance to deliver for working people in Britain and in Germany" as it would deepen collaboration in science, technology, business and culture while increasing trade.

Starmer said that growth was his government's "number one mission".

"And what we understand clearly is that building relationships with our partners here in Germany and across Europe is vital to achieving it," he said.

Starmer, addressing a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said a reset would not mean reversing Britain's 2020 exit from the EU under the Conservatives, or re-entering the bloc's single market or customs union.

"But it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts, including the economy, including defence, including exchanges," he said.

Scholz said Germany wanted to take this outstretched hand.

"The United Kingdom has always been an indispensable part of solving the big issues that affect the whole of Europe," he said. "This has not changed since it left the EU."

In a joint declaration, Britain and Germany said they hoped to sign the cooperation treaty at government consultations "by early next year". Defence ministers were also working on a new defence agreement, they said, which would follow the signing of a joint defence declaration in July.

Stephen Hunsaker, a trade researcher at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, said however that any efforts to properly improve trade would risk encroaching on EU rules and could only happen at the periphery.

TRUMP FACTOR

Britain and Germany, NATO allies and western Europe's biggest defence spenders, are looking for ways to deepen defence cooperation ahead of a possible scaling back of U.S. military support for Ukraine if former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.

The Republican presidential candidate has warned that if elected, he would fundamentally rethink "NATO's purpose and NATO's mission". He has also not committed to sending further aid to Ukraine and said he would not defend allies that do not increase their defence budgets. Trump is locked in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election.

Concerns that the U.S. could curb support for Ukraine have increased since Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate. Vance has stressed his opposition to the U.S. writing "blank checks" to help Ukraine fight Russia.

An Anglo-German defence partnership could resemble the Lancaster House pact between Britain and France agreed in 2010, according to officials, with pledges to create a joint force and share equipment and nuclear missile research centres.

Starmer also said the two countries would deepen cooperation on shared social challenges like people smugglers, agreeing to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration.

Starmer will head to Paris for the Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday night and meet on Thursday with executives from companies including Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi. He will also have talks with President Emmanuel Macron.

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Sarah Marsh, Miranda Murray and Andreas Rinke in Berlin; Additional Reporting by Kate Holton in London; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Bernadette Baum)
Its with profound sadness that we announce Bill Anderson, our beloved General Manager of KRQE News 13, has passed away. Bill had an immense impact on TV broadcasting, the community, everyone he worked with, and his family. He was truly a one-of-a-kind boss, mentor, friend, father and husband.

(Photo of Bill Anderson with his family | Courtesy of the Anderson Family.)

In 1979, Bill Anderson took a marketing internship in Milwaukee at WITI-TV, launching an incredible career in broadcast television. He worked his way up from floor crew to news, to marketing and operations, giving him an appreciation for every job inside a television station.

He knew all the departments. He knew intimately what makes a television station work, said Dick Knipfing, former KRQE evening anchor.

Bill Anderson and his wife Debbie.

His career would take him to a handful of stations across the nation. In 1999, he became the general manager of KRQE, a station that needed a lot of work. A distant third in ratings.

I told my husband after seeing the newsroom. I got the sense you cant fall off the floor. There wasnt anything you couldnt make better and it was like the ultimate challenge and the really cool thing is that Bill believed it, said Michelle Donaldson, former KRQE news director.

Were going to win. Were going to be number one in this market and I thought that was good and I certaintly believed him but I was wondering how that was going to happen. -Dick Knipfing, former KRQE Evening Anchor

Anderson took KRQE to the top. We built a solid foundation. We put journalists in place people could trust. And little by little we won the trust of the community. Thats how you build something that lasts, said Donaldson.

Eventually, Anderson expanded into four stations, adding Fox New Mexico, CW, and My50.

Bill was also a man rooted deep in faith and was committed to giving back. In 1993, Anderson won an Emmy for creating Flood Aid, a national telethon that raised more than $8 million for food victims in Iowa. Anderson said it provided a glimpse of the power of local TV to do good.

In 1993, Bill Anderson won an Emmy for creating Flood Aid.

Bill Anderson Flood Aid, production.

Bill Anderson Flood Aid, production.

Bill Anderson Flood Aid, production.

Bill Anderson Flood Aid, production.

Bill Anderson Flood Aid, production.

His commitment and love for his community continued at KRQE with his creation of KRQE Cares. The program has given more than 30,000 kids in need new shows. I think that was his approach to life. Meeting people and asking what can I do for you, said Charles Henson, former President of the Auto Dealers Association.

He was a he was an icon in our community. And he definitely can reflect on the legacy that hes left because of him. Our community is a better place. -Rodney Prunty, United Way President and CEO

Anderson was a great friend and boss to many. Ive never worked for a general manager who was so hands-on in all the departments and knew all of the people and genuinely cared about all the people, said Knipfing.

After God, it was always family first for Bill. He was married to his wife Debbie for more than 40 years, having a love many admired, raising three children, and five grandchildren.

Bill Anderson and wife Debbie

Bill Anderson

Bill Anderson and son

Bill Anderson and daughter

Bill Anderson and son

Bill Anderson and daughter

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UN 'doing what it can' to deliver Gaza aid as evacuation orders cause extreme difficulties

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations aid operations in the Gaza Strip continued on Tuesday, a day after a senior U.N. official said humanitarian efforts had ground to a halt because new Israeli evacuation orders forced the shutdown of the main U.N. operations center.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday appeared to temper the remarks by the U.N. official, who spoke on Monday on condition of anonymity. When asked if conditions in Gaza had caused a halt to U.N. aid deliveries on Monday, Dujarric told reporters: "The conditions in Gaza yesterday made it extremely, extremely difficult for us to do our work."

"We are doing what we can with what we have," he said. "We've been saying from the beginning - this is aid delivery by seizing every opportunity, seizing every crack that we can fill. So every situation is assessed day by day, hour by hour."

U.N. safety and security chief Gilles Michaud said on Tuesday that over the weekend the Israeli military only gave a few hours notice for more than 200 U.N. personnel to move out of offices and living spaces in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza.

He said the "the timing could hardly be worse" with a massive polio vaccination campaign due to start shortly that required large numbers of U.N. staff to enter Gaza.

"The United Nations is determined to stay in Gaza," he said in a statement. "Humanitarian aid delivery continues  a tremendous feat given that we are operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk."

The International Rescue Committee said on Tuesday that the new evacuation orders by Israel had forced it and other humanitarian groups to "halt aid operations, during what is already a dire situation for civilians."

"It's urgent that humanitarian actors can continue their work, without threat from displacement or military operations. We urge all parties to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access at all times," the organization posted on X.

The current war in the Palestinian enclave began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel's military has leveled swathes of the Palestinian enclave, driving nearly all of its 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing at least 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday that Gaza's population was increasingly being told by Israel "to concentrate within the Israeli-designated zone in Al Mawasi, which spans to only about 41 square kilometers or roughly 11% of Gaza's total area."

It said overcrowding, with a density of 30,000 to 34,000 individuals per square kilometer (77,000 to 87,000 per square mile), had exacerbated a dire shortage of essential resources such as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, health services, protection and shelter.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
The United Nations temporarily paused aid deliveries in Gaza on Monday over safety concerns after the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders, a senior UN official said, possibly complicating the launch of a polio vaccination campaign.

Israels military on Sunday ordered more evacuations in parts of Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, forcing many displaced Palestinians to flee again as the UN prepares to vaccinate more than 640,000 children amid concerns about the spread of the disease in the enclave.

Earlier this month, health authorities confirmed Gazas first polio case in 25 years in an unvaccinated 10-month-old. It came just weeks after sewage samples taken in Gaza in late June tested positive for the virus, prompting a warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) that it was just a matter of time before it infects thousands of children.

The highly contagious disease, which mainly affects children under the age of 5, targets the nervous system and can cause paralysis and death in extreme cases.

On Monday, the Israeli agency responsible for approving aid into Gaza, COGAT, said more than 1.2 million doses of the vaccine had arrived in the strip through the Kerem Shalon crossing. It said the vaccination campaign, led by WHO and the UN childrens agency, would be conducted in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

According to the senior UN official, there will temporarily be no deliveries under the latest conditions.

CNN has reached out to COGAT regarding the claims.

Vaccination campaign

The resurgence of polio  eliminated in most of the developed world  underlines the struggles facing Gazas 2 million residents, who have lived under Israeli bombardment since October last year. Many people in the enclave are deprived of food, medical supplies and clean water, with up to 90% of the population internally displaced.

In separate statements Tuesday, the UNs main relief agency in Gaza, UNRWA, and the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the occupied West Bank said they were still preparing for the launch of the vaccination campaign.

UNRWA continues to deliver humanitarian assistance wherever possible in Gaza, UNRWA director of communications Juliette Touma told CNN in a statement, adding that the humanitarian operation has become one of the most challenging in the world for the UN right now.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said the vaccination campaign will commence in a few days, and efforts are being made to provide an additional 400,000 doses to vaccinate 95% of children under the age of 10.

Great and continuous efforts are being made around the clock with international health partners to facilitate the task of health care workers in carrying out the vaccination campaign, the ministrys statement said, adding that Israeli military operations have posed significant danger to the movement of staff.

The official said UN operations are not leaving Gaza because the people need us there, but the UN will need to find a new location following the latest evacuation orders.

It had already moved its main operations to Deir al-Balah after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for Rafah, southern Gaza, in May, the senior official said.

Where do we move now? the official said.

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Displaced Palestinians who escaped from the Israeli army attacks and took shelter in Deir al-Balah in the central of the Gaza Strip line up among the tents to receive food, distributed by charity organizations. Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

The UN has had to evacuate its humanitarian aid hub in the Gaza Strip for the second time on the orders of the Israeli military, an official said on Tuesday.

The hub with warehouses and accommodation for staff had already been relocated once before the advance of Israeli soldiers in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip at the beginning of May.

The new hub with accommodation, offices and storage rooms for humanitarian goods was set up in Deir al-Balah further north. However, an evacuation order was also issued for the area on Sunday.

Despite this, everything possible will be done to maintain supplies, a spokesman for the UN emergency aid organization OCHA said in Geneva.

Israel calls on civilians to leave residential areas if military facilities or representatives of the terrorist group Hamas are suspected there and a military strike is imminent.

According to OCHA, since the devastating terrorist attacks on Israel organized from the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year and the subsequent Israeli military action, there have been evacuation calls for almost 90% of the Gaza Strip.

Since Friday, evacuation orders have been issued for 19 neighbourhoods in the northern Gaza Strip and in Deir al-Balah, the spokesman said. Fifteen premises in which United Nations and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff and their families lived were impacted.

Four UN warehouses for relief supplies, a water reservoir, a desalination plant, three wells, two smaller hospitals and a hospital were also affected. There are also 29 emergency shelters for displaced people in the areas.
Paramount Gold Nevada Corp.

WINNEMUCCA, Nev., Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSE American: PZG) (Paramount or the Company) is pleased to announce that the Environmental Evaluation and Socioeconomic Analysis (collectively, EE or EE documents) for the Grassy Mountain project have been made available for public review prior to the upcoming Project Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting scheduled to be held on September 12, 2024.



Following the PCC meeting, final approval of the EE is expected at a state Technical Review Team meeting anticipated to be held in early October.

Based on Oregon permitting regulations, the EE ensures the use of the best available, practicable, and necessary technologies to minimize environmental impacts.

Paramounts President, COO and Director, Mr. Glen Van Treek stated, This is a critical milestone in the State permitting process that allows the lead agencies to start writing draft permits which we expect to receive in mid-2025. Further, the analysis has confirmed that the Grassy Mountain project is designed to surpass all viable alternatives.

The EE documents were completed by Stantec, a global leader in engineering, architecture, mining and environmental consulting under the direction of DOGAMI with input from state permitting agencies.

Paramount CEO and Director, Ms. Rachel Goldman stated, Paramounts objective has been to develop Grassy Mountain as a net benefit to Malheur County, Eastern Oregon and all our stakeholders. The following summary reaffirms that we are on track to achieve that goal.

 Revenues from the Project would be positive to the local government budgets over the lifetime of the Project. The proposed Project would also have positive tax impacts to the state and federal budgets. No significant impacts are anticipated on public safety, healthcare, education, and parks and recreation availability for Malheur County due to the proposed Project. Likewise, no significant impacts are anticipated on water, wastewater, solid waste, and power needs due to the proposed Project. Impacts to environmental justice communities (i.e., minority, low-income, tribal, and traditionally underrepresented communities) are anticipated to be minor and beneficial.1 

Paramount expects to receive both Federal and State permits in late 2025 which will allow construction to commence shortly thereafter.

About Paramount Gold Nevada Corp.

Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. is a U.S. based precious metals exploration and development company. Paramounts strategy is to create shareholder value through exploring and developing its mineral properties and to realize this value for its shareholders in three ways: by selling its assets to established producers; entering joint ventures with producers for construction and operation; or constructing and operating mines for its own account.

Story continues

Paramount holds a 100% interest in three projects: Grassy Mountain; Sleeper and Bald Peak.

The Grassy Mountain Gold Project ("Grassy") consists of approximately 8,200 acres located on private and BLM land in Malheur County, Oregon. Grassy contains a gold-silver deposit (100% located on private land) for which results of a positive Feasibility Study have been released and key permitting milestones accomplished.

The Sleeper Gold Project is in Northern Nevada, the worlds premier mining jurisdiction. The Sleeper Gold Project, which includes the former producing Sleeper mine, totals 2,474 unpatented mining claims (approximately 44,917 acres).

The drill ready, Bald Peak Project in Nevada, consists of approximately 2,260 acres.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This release and related documents may include "forward-looking statements" and forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) pursuant to applicable United States and Canadian securities laws. Paramounts future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable securities laws. Words such as "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although these words may not be present in all forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to the use of proceeds from the Offerings. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Management believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the conclusions made in the feasibility study for the Grassy Mountain Gold Project (the FS); the quantity and grade of resources included in resource estimates; the accuracy and achievability of projections included in the FS; Paramounts ability to carry on exploration and development activities, including construction; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits; the price of silver, gold and other metals; prices for key mining supplies, including labor costs and consumables, remaining consistent with current expectations; work meeting expectations and being consistent with estimates and plant, equipment and processes operating as anticipated. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: uncertainties involving interpretation of drilling results; environmental matters; the ability to obtain required permitting; equipment breakdown or disruptions; additional financing requirements; the completion of a definitive feasibility study for the Grassy Mountain Gold Project; discrepancies between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources, between actual and estimated development and operating costs and between estimated and actual production; the global epidemics, pandemics, or other public health crises, including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global health pandemic, and the spread of other viruses or pathogens and the other factors described in Paramounts disclosures as filed with the SEC and the Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta Securities Commissions.

Except as required by applicable law, Paramount disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this document.

Paramount Gold Nevada Corp.

Rachel Goldman, CEO and Director

Christos Theodossiou, Director of Corporate Communications

844.488.2233

Twitter: @ParamountNV

1Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice Report completed by Stantec  p7 (Executive Summary)




KURCHATOV, Russia (Reuters) - A nuclear plant in western Russia, where fighting is raging between Russian and Ukrainian forces, is especially vulnerable to a serious accident because it lacks a protective dome that could shield it from missiles, drones or artillery, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, spoke after visiting the plant in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces pierced the border in a lightning incursion on Aug. 6 and Russia is still battling to eject them.

Grossi told reporters that the RBMK-type facility - the same model as the Chornobyl plant in Ukraine that witnessed the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster in 1986 - lacks the containment dome and protective structure that is typical of modern nuclear power stations.

"This means that the core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a normal roof. This makes it extremely exposed and fragile, for example, to an artillery impact or a drone or a missile," he said.

"So this is why we believe that a nuclear power plant of this type, so close to a point of contact or a military front, is an extremely serious fact that we take very seriously."

Grossi said it would be an exaggeration to equate Kursk with Chornobyl, where an accident caused a deadly explosion that spewed a radioactive cloud over parts of eastern Europe.

"But this is the same type of reactor and there is no specific protection. And this is very, very important. If there is an impact on the core, the material is there and the consequences could be extremely serious."

Whereas a typical containment dome could resist an impact as powerful as that of a falling aircraft, Grossi said, the Kursk design was "completely different".

"This is like the building across the street, all right? With all this nuclear material. So this is why I'm drawing this comparison, because I think it's relevant."

DRONE IMPACT

Ukraine has yet to respond to an accusation last week by Russian President Vladimir Putin that it tried to attack the Kursk plant.

"I was informed about the impact of drones. I was shown some of the remnants of those and signs of the impact they had," Grossi said, without saying who was responsible.

He said the purpose of his visit was to draw the world's attention to the situation and to say that "basically never, ever, must or should a nuclear power plant be attacked in any way."

For much of the Russia-Ukraine war, Grossi's focus has been on the safety of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, where Russian forces took control in the first weeks of the fighting. Since then, each side has accused the other of shelling it.

Attention shifted to Kursk, a major Soviet-era station, after Ukraine launched its incursion three weeks ago. Fighting has taken place within about 40 km (25 miles) of the facility.

Of the plant's four reactors, two older ones have been shut down and one was disconnected from the grid on Sunday for maintenance, leaving one still operational. Two more are under construction.

"When a plant is operating, the temperature is much higher, and if there was the case of an impact or something that could affect it, there would be serious consequences," said Grossi, who throughout the war has warned both Russia and Ukraine to refrain from actions that could trigger a nuclear accident.

In the town of Kurchatov, where the plant is located, residents interviewed by Reuters said they were confident in Russia's defences.

"There are concerns, of course. It is happening here, at our borders. We have faith in our soldiers. We know we will win, no matter what," said Maxim, 25, who declined to give his last name.

Liliya, out walking with her children, said they were sometimes frightened.

"Sometimes it can be quite loud, the kids were worried at first, but I explained to my older daughter that we are being protected, the air defence system is activated, it means everyone is informed, we are under protection," she said.

"We clearly have good defenders, thank God they are coping."

(Reporting by Reuters in Kurchatov, Moscow and Londo; writing by Mark Trevelyan; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker is calling on board members in the citys largest school district to do more to move its students forward academically, saying lackluster educational outcomes hamper students opportunities after high school.

In a letter to board members in the Fort Worth Independent School District, Parker noted that Fort Worth is the fastest-growing major city in the country, and said the city is proud of its cultural richness and growth in business and higher education.

A great city demands a great public education system, and our future depends on it, Parker wrote. Fort Worth ISD is one of 12 school districts in the City of Fort Worth, and unfortunately, it has not kept pace with our citys rapid ascent.

The letter, which was co-signed by a number of other city council members and leaders of businesses, philanthropic groups and advocacy organizations, went to every member of the school board ahead of its meeting Tuesday evening. Parker was also scheduled to speak during the public comment section of Tuesdays board meeting.

In the letter, Parker noted that Fort Worth ISDs state test scores lag behind those of other large urban districts across the state. On last springs state tests, 33% of Fort Worth ISDs third-graders scored on grade level in reading, placing the district nine points behind Dallas ISD and 12 points behind Houston ISD. She also noted that the district came in 22nd out of the 24 Texas districts that serve more than 20,000 students with similar student populations.

These results are unacceptable, Parker wrote. For our citys children, these results can significantly narrow their ability to access the life and opportunities that they want and deserve. And for our city, there are significant long-term consequences in the areas of workforce, economic development, poverty, public health, and much more.

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Parker called on the board to set clear, ambitious student achievement goals, implement high-quality instruction in every classroom and prioritize academic intervention for struggling students. She also called on Fort Worth ISD to pause spending on bond-funded building projects until the district has a facilities plan that enhances teacher capacity and student resources.

The letter comes two weeks after a closed-door meeting involving Parker, Superintendent Angelica Ramsey and a number of other city leaders. Neither the mayors office nor the district would offer details about what was discussed at the Aug. 9 meeting. A Fort Worth ISD spokesperson said only that Parker invited Ramsey and her deputies to attend a meeting with community members to provide information regarding the district.

Fort Worth test scores show little progress

During a Fort Worth City Council public comment meeting last week, several parents and community leaders called on city officials to do more to support public education. Pete Geren, president of the nonprofit Sid W. Richardson Foundation, told council members that democracy requires an educated and engaged citizenry.

Geren, a former congressman, noted that state test scores show that a majority of students in Fort Worth schools cant read well. Literacy is a foundational piece of our system of self-government, including municipal government, he said. When Fort Worth schools graduate students who cant read proficiently, it leaves those students unprepared to participate in democracy, he said.

We are failing most  most  of our kids, Geren said. This is an all hands on deck moment.

The citys stagnant academic progress isnt confined to Fort Worth ISD schools. State test scores across all schools in Fort Worth declined this year, according to a report released this month by the nonprofit Fort Worth Education Partnership. According to the report, 35% of students across all grades and subjects performed on grade level on last springs state test, a one-point decline compared to last year.

 More top stories from our newsroom:

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[Get our breaking news alerts.]

Fort Worth ISD started the current school year without a set of codified academic goals. At a board meeting last month, district officials presented a proposed five-year strategic plan that included goals for academic achievement and areas where the district should invest in hopes of reaching those goals. The plan had been in the works for months, but the meeting marked the first time it had been seen in public.

Board President Camille Rodriguez pressed for a vote, saying the district needed to have a plan in place before the start of the new school year. But the board rejected the proposal by a vote of 5-2, with two board members absent. Some members who voted against the proposal said they didnt object to any of the plans details, but wanted to allow more time for public input. Ramsey said this month that district leaders could bring the plan back to the board in September.

The failed vote on the five-year plan came two months after the board abruptly dropped plans to consolidate seven low-enrollment middle schools into three larger campuses. All seven schools were targeted for renovations as a part of the bond issue voters approved in November 2021. The district hosted a series of community meetings to talk about the proposals and gathered public input through a form on its website. But at a May 29 meeting, Rodriguez pulled an item dealing with school consolidation from the agenda, with no discussion or explanation, and said the district would proceed with renovations as scheduled.

Education advocates hope letter spurs action

Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, director of the education advocacy group Parent Shield Fort Worth and one of the co-signers of Mayor Parkers letter, said she hoped the letter and Parkers visit would help board members and district leaders recognize that students are in crisis. After years of stagnant test scores, the entire city needs to come together to push its education system forward, she said. That effort needs to include city leaders and families as well as the school district itself, she said.

Dorsey-Hollins said she also hopes the letter spurs more parents into action. Although there hasnt been as much momentum as shed like, she said shes seen more parents start to notice the lack of progress in schools in Fort Worth and advocate for change. She pointed to the number of parents who showed up to last weeks city council meeting to advocate for education as an encouraging sign.

Bob Ray Sanders, director of communications for the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce and another co-signer of the letter, said Fort Worth residents have watched for decades as Fort Worth ISD boards adopted one five-year plan after another, with little to show for it. Each of those plans included lofty academic goals, but at the end of those five-year periods, the district was nowhere closer to meeting them, he said.

Sanders, who is an honoree on Fort Worth ISDs Wall of Fame, said lackluster educational outcomes have an impact on the city in terms of economic development. The city can justifiably brag about its rate of population growth, he said, but many of the young people coming out of high school arent prepared to participate in government or business. If that continues, Fort Worth will fall behind, he said.

But even more worrisome, Sanders said, is the impact on students themselves. He noted that students who cant read on grade level by third grade  a group that currently includes two-thirds of the districts third-graders  arent likely to catch up.

There is not much of a future for you if you dont come out of school with a real education, Sanders said.

Staff writer Harrison Mantas contributed to this report

Disclaimer: The Sid W. Richardson Foundation supports the Star-Telegrams education coverage through its Crossroads Lab. All editorial decisions are made independently.
An employee vaccinates a man against monkeypox with Bavarian Nordic's vaccine (Imvanex / Jynneos) at Klinikum rechts der Isar. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that it will need $135 million over the next six months to combat the viral disease mpox. Sven Hoppe/dpa

Dozens of possible cases of the viral disease mpox have emerged among refugees and displaced people in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is deeply concerned because it is hard to reach those affected. In addition, the cramped conditions facing many refugees means it is difficult to keep physical distance from one another in order to prevent the virus from spreading.

UNHCR health officer Allen Maina spoke of some 40 suspected cases. There are hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced people in the region.

Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is related to smallpox. It causes skin lesions, fever and muscular aches. There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply in Africa.

Experts believe the new variant, which has been spreading rapidly in parts of central Africa, is likely more contagious than previous strains and can cause a more severe infection.

However, mpox is generally not easily transmitted, with direct contact needed for spread.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern and has not ruled out the possibility of it spreading beyond African countries.
UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  The Unicoi County Sheriffs Office hopes to be able to sell vaping products to inmates at the county jail.

On Monday, Sheriff Mike Hensley and Chief Deputy Frank Rogers told county commissioners about a program that would bring in revenue and offset costs at the jail by selling electronic vaping devices.

TBI: Sullivan Co. man indicted for falsely reporting sexual assault by Bristol police officer

Rogers told News Channel 11 on Tuesday that the sheriffs office conducted a preliminary study and found that a pilot program at the Unicoi County Jail that sold vaping devices could generate significant revenue.

Its basically a store in the jail, and it happens in every jail in the state, Rogers said. [Prisoners] family members deposit money in their commissary and then they can buy goods.

The sheriffs office estimates the program could generate $100,000 in revenue. However, Rogers said the goal of the program is to help offset costs and help taxpayers versus making extra money.

Its not so much the county sheriffs department position that were looking to make money from these inmates but just to offset the cost, Rogers said. Now, you take for instance the Unicoi County Jail is not as big as most of the jails in the state, but we have budgeted this year $235,000 just to buy groceries. Thats just for food for inmates. If we can create $100,000 worth of revenue as a result of selling products in the jail, itll offset that cost substantially.

The Unicoi County Jail does not allow cigarettes, which Rogers pointed out can put several inmates on edge if they have a nicotine addiction. He said the availability of vaping devices could help manage behavior and reduce fire hazards.

We currently dont have tobacco use in the jail, mainly because if youre smoking traditional cigarettes, then theres a need to make fire. Prisoners are creative in how they make fire. You want to be careful; you cant be issuing big lighters, and if you have a cigarette, then you got to have a way to light it.

Rogers named multiple dangerous and unorthodox ways inmates create fire, such as using electric plugs to ignite paper. By making vapes available, the sheriffs office hopes to combat fire dangers in the jail.

The devices were also built to be used specifically in jails.

The company that Ive been in contact with, the manufacturer of these, have engineered these in a way so that it didnt have a lot of the dangers that are associated with being able to fashion them into a weapon or some other nefarious use, Rogers said.

Other jails in Northeast Tennessee have implemented similar programs, and Rogers said they have been proven to offset costs associated with the upkeep of the facilities.

The Unicoi County Commission unanimously agreed to vote on funding the pilot program at its September meeting. According to Sheriff Hensley, if approved, the commission would provide $7,000 in funding for the pilot program.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
After months of unsuccessful negotiations over wages and workloads, hotel workers in Boston are preparing for a potential strike at 35 hotels, the union representing the citys hotel workers said Tuesday.

Plans for a potential strike comes less than a week before contracts expire, UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing hotel workers in Boston, said in a statement.

Hotels that could see a potential strike include the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, and the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Hotel workers are registering for strike benefits, signing up for picket duty, and assembling On Strike signs, the union said.

These actions come after an overwhelming 99% vote to authorize a historic citywide strike, which could happen anytime after contracts expire on August 31st.

Note: Workers and union officials are available for interviews at 26 West Street in Boston, 7am to 7pm, through Friday August 30th. Please call to coordinate.

Im ready to strike because were all struggling to pay our monthly bills, Susana Coelho, a PBX Operator at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel for 21 years, said in a statement. Groceries, even basic items like eggs and pasta, are three times more expensive than before. Many of my co-workers are facing the same problems, and theyre getting ready to strike, too.

Weve been in negotiations for months, but the hotels dont want to help us out in these hard times, Coelho said. Im ready to show the hotel that Im serious about winning a livable wage and securing a better future for myself and my daughter.

Hotel workers are preparing in earnest for a historic Citywide strike in Boston and across the U.S., Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26, said in a statement. Its unacceptable that hotel workers often struggle to afford basic necessities despite working for a big brand like Hilton or Marriott. Our work of providing high quality guest services and amenities should be protected, and guests should know they can expect the same experience that they had before Covid-19. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, hotel workers are ready to fight for what we deserve, and were going to win.

Hotel workers across the U.S. are calling for higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts, according to the union. Many hotel workers are struggling to make ends meet with insufficient pay, often juggling multiple jobs to support their families.

Union officials said that too many hotels took advantage of the pandemic by cutting staffing and suspending guest services that were never restored, causing workers to lose jobs and income  and creating painful working conditions for those who carry the increased workload.

Last year, UNITE HERE members won record contracts after rolling strikes at Los Angeles hotels and a 47-day strike at Detroit casinos, union officials said.

UNITE HERE Local 26 has a history of successful labor strikes, including a 22-day strike at Harvard in 2016, a 46-day strike at Marriott hotels in 2018, and a 79-day strike at the Battery Wharf hotel in 2019, union officials said.

In June 2023, casino workers at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike; it was averted when a tentative agreement was reached less than two days before the strike deadline.

UNITE HERE Local 26 represents workers in the hospitality industries of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Its members work in Boston and Providences best hotels, restaurants, and university dining halls in addition to the Boston Convention Centers, Fenway Park, and Logan International Airport.

We clean hotel rooms, greet guests, and prepare and serve food for hundreds of thousands of travelers to Boston and the northeast, union officials said in its statement.

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.

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A high-angle shot of the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

A high angle view of University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a view of Denny Chimes and Woods Quad near Bryant-Denny Stadium. The University of Alabama has closed dedicated spaces for its Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center, citing a new state law banning publicly-funded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. (Jeremy Poland/Getty Images)

The University of Alabama has closed dedicated spaces for its Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center, citing a new state law banning publicly-funded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

According to a statement provided by University of Alabama spokesperson Alex House, school officials met with the Black Student Union and leaders of the organizations that used the Safe Zone Resource Center, which will be closed and not relocated due to Alabamas law regarding DEI.

Initiatives, programs and responsibilities across campus that do not comply with applicable new law are being discontinued or modified to be compliant in advance of Oct. 1, the school wrote. In accordance with state and federal laws, no university operation will contain impermissible restrictions, preferences or limitations related to race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. A campus-wide communication sent in July announced broad compliance changes, and University staff are working to ensure compliance throughout campus.

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The news was first reported by the Crimson White, the University of Alabamas student newspaper. Attempts to get comment from the Black Student Union Monday were unsuccessful. In an Instagram post last week, the organization wrote that their office was relocated.

We are saddened by this loss not just of a physical space, but of a place where we have gathered, shared, and built a community rooted in our shared experiences, struggles, and triumphs, they wrote. Our office was more than just four walls, it was a haven for all of us, a place where we could be ourselves, support one another, and celebrate our culture and heritage.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed SB 129, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, which limits the ability of public funds to be spent on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and limits the ability of public employees to discuss divisive concepts.

The law defines a divisive concept as any of the following:

That any race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior;

That individuals should be discriminated against or adversely treated because of their race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That the moral character of an individual is determined by his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That, by virtue of an individuals race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, the individual is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously;

That individuals, by virtue of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to members of a race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That any individual should accept, acknowledge, affirm, or assent to a sense of guilt, complicity, or a need to apologize on the basis of his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; and

That meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist.

The University of Alabama system last month closed their DEI offices, citing the law. UA said they would launch the Division of Opportunities, Success and Connection, which would further the Universitys efforts to promote success for everyone in the UA community, including those who may face educational access and achievement challenges, according to a statement from its launch.

The UA statement said university funds will no longer be used to continue programs at Safe Zone, and student employees were offered other opportunities. The staff role was vacant and will go unfilled, and the University said that no staff members were terminated due to the law.

The university will continue to provide resources and support to every member of our campus community and remains committed to our institutional goals to welcome all, serve all and see all thrive and succeed, the school wrote.

Registered student organizations can continue to have their own programming and reserve space in the Student Center and facilities.

If student organizations wish to host or sponsor DEI programs or events that may promote a divisive concept, they must follow the requirements set forth by the law, they wrote.

About 11.6% of Alabamas student body in the fall of 2023 was Black, according to university statistics. The school has not yet released fall 2024 numbers.

In their statement, BSU wrote that the law is a reminder of the challenges they continue to face, and they remain committed to their mission for people of color at the school.

We need to channel the energy we are feeling into a clarion call to make a difference on the local, state, and national levels by mobilizing for voting, they wrote. This is not a time for apathy; voting is the most powerful tool we have as individuals.

They wrote that they will continue to be a community and continue their activism.

We are more than a space; we are a community, a family, and we will continue to thrive, no matter the obstacles placed before us, they wrote.

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A high angle view of University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a view of Denny Chimes and Woods Quad near Bryant-Denny Stadium. The University of Alabama has closed dedicated spaces for its Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center, citing a new state law banning publicly funded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. (Photo by Jeremy Poland/Getty Images)

The University of Alabama has closed dedicated spaces for its Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center, citing a new state law banning publicly funded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

According to a statement provided by University of Alabama spokesperson Alex House, school officials met with the Black Student Union and leaders of the organizations that used the Safe Zone Resource Center, which will be closed and not relocated due to Alabamas law regarding DEI.

Initiatives, programs, and responsibilities across campus that do not comply with applicable new law are being discontinued or modified to be compliant in advance of Oct. 1, the school wrote.

In accordance with state and federal laws, no university operation will contain impermissible restrictions, preferences, or limitations related to race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. A campus-wide communication sent in July announced broad compliance changes, and University staff are working to ensure compliance throughout campus.

The news was first reported by the Crimson White, the University of Alabamas student newspaper. Attempts to get comment from the Black Student Union Monday were unsuccessful. In an Instagram post last week, the organization wrote that their office was relocated.

We are saddened by this loss  not just of a physical space, but of a place where we have gathered, shared, and built a community rooted in our shared experiences, struggles, and triumphs, they wrote. Our office was more than just four walls, it was a haven for all of us, a place where we could be ourselves, support one another, and celebrate our culture and heritage.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed SB 129, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, which limits the ability of public funds to be spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and limits the ability of public employees to discuss divisive concepts.

The law defines a divisive concept as any of the following:

That any race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior;

That individuals should be discriminated against or adversely treated because of their race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That the moral character of an individual is determined by his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That, by virtue of an individuals race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, the individual is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously;

That individuals, by virtue of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to members of a race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

That any individual should accept, acknowledge, affirm, or assent to a sense of guilt, complicity, or a need to apologize on the basis of his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; and

That meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist.

The University of Alabama system last month closed their DEI offices, citing the law. UA said they would launch the Division of Opportunities, Success, and Connection, which would further the Universitys efforts to promote success for everyone in the UA community, including those who may face educational access and achievement challenges, according to a statement from its launch.

The UA statement said university funds will no longer be used to continue programs at Safe Zone, and student employees were offered other opportunities. The staff role was vacant and will go unfilled, and the University said that no staff members were terminated due to the law.

The university will continue to provide resources and support to every member of our campus community and remains committed to our institutional goals to welcome all, serve all and see all thrive and succeed, the school wrote.

Registered student organizations can continue to have their own programming and reserve space in the Student Center and facilities.

If student organizations wish to host or sponsor DEI programs or events that may promote a divisive concept, they must follow the requirements set forth by the law, they wrote.

About 11.6% of Alabamas student body in the fall of 2023 was Black, according to university statistics. The school has not yet released fall 2024 numbers.

In their statement, BSU wrote that the law is a reminder of the challenges they continue to face, and they remain committed to their mission for people of color at the school.

We need to channel the energy we are feeling into a clarion call to make a difference on the local, state, and national levels by mobilizing for voting, they wrote. This is not a time for apathy; voting is the most powerful tool we have as individuals.

They wrote that they would continue to be a community and continue their activism.

We are more than a space; we are a community, a family, and we will continue to thrive, no matter the obstacles placed before us, they wrote.
Soldiers on guard duty outside an enlistment office in Lutsk were shot at by an unknown person during the night, leaving one soldier injured, Ukraine's Western Operational Command reported on Aug. 27.

Lutsk, a city of around 220,000, is located 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the border with Poland in northwestern Ukraine.

Soldiers on guard duty at the enlistment office opened fire after being shot at by an unknown person during the early hours of Aug. 27, when curfew was still in place, the Western Operational Command said.

One soldier was injured and the assailant managed to escape. Law enforcement officers are now searching for him, the Western Operational Command said.

The injured soldier is currently being treated in hospital.

The soldiers on guard duty "are military personnel with combat experience who, after being wounded, were transferred to the service of the Lutsk enlistment office," the Western Operational Command said.

"All those who like to shoot at the military will be punished according to the current legislation."

Ukraine's parliament adopted an updated mobilization law in mid-April in order to ramp up mobilization amid Russia's ongoing war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that as of mid-July, mobilization in Ukraine is going "according to plan," but there is currently a lack of training facilities for new soldiers.

Read also: Ukraine launches new military app, aims to make soldiers service paperless

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The University of New Mexico Hospital hosted a community listening session in the International District Monday evening to give residents a chance to share their thoughts and concerns. Bernalillo County said the feedback from the session will help the hospital allocate resources and address the most pressing healthcare needs.

Demolition begins for Wash Tub Laundromat as owner hopes to eventually rebuild

One of the main focuses of the meeting was language access to help lower barriers that can lead to misunderstandings, reduced quality of care, and disparities in health outcomes. Tonights topic is an update on interpreter and language services, specifically how weve been able to enhance access for our deaf and blind patients and improve their experience at the hospital and how they interact with their healthcare providers, said UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker.

The session comes as voters in Bernalillo County will vote on whether or not to extend the UNM mill levy this November.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Paramount stock (PARA) fell over 7% on Tuesday after the company announced the official end of its "go-shop" period and billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr. dropped out of the race to purchase Paramount late Monday.

Paramount's announcement all but confirms that Skydance Media will be the next owner of the company, ending years of deal speculation surrounding the media giant controlled by Shari Redstone through her family's holding company, National Amusements (NAI).

"Having thoroughly explored actionable opportunities for Paramount over nearly eight months, our Special Committee continues to believe that the transaction we have agreed with Skydance delivers immediate value and the potential for continued participation in value creation in a rapidly evolving industry landscape," Charles Phillips, chair of Paramount's special committee, said in a statement.

Bronfman, heir to the Seagram spirits fortune and current executive chairman at FuboTV (FUBO), submitted a last-minute bid earlier this month. At the time, the proposed $6 billion takeover of National Amusements threatened to derail the roughly $8 billion agreement the company reached with Skydance just one month prior.

According to multiple reports, Bronfman had difficulty securing the financing for the deal, which included investors like Fortress and BC Partners Credit. This difficulty led to Bronfman's early withdrawal from the bid process.

"We continue to believe that Paramount Global is an extraordinary company, with an unrivaled collection of marquee brands, assets and people," Bronfman said in a statement.

The Skydance transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to regulatory approval.

Edgar Bronfman Jr., Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group, discusses his company and the music industry at The Paley Center for Media in New York, Sept. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Earlier this month, Paramount reported a sharper slowdown than analysts expected in its linear TV business as the company took a nearly $6 billion write-down on the value of its cable unit.

At the same time, the media giant announced plans to lay off 15% of its US workforce after eliminating about 800 positions in February. The layoffs are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Skydance, which will be valued at $4.75 billion following the all-stock deal's completion, said it would inject $6 billion in cash into Paramount, with $1.5 billion going directly into its debt-ridden balance sheet.

Skydance CEO David Ellison will become chairman and CEO of the combined company, while former NBCUniversal executive Jeff Shell, who was ousted last year over what NBC parent Comcast (CMCSA) deemed an "inappropriate relationship" with a female employee, will serve as president.

Story continues

Last month, the new leadership team laid out their strategic vision for Paramount. This includes $2 billion in cost cuts, with $500 million already underway.

StockStory aims to help individual investors beat the market.

Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  One of the biggest hospital construction projects in the state is pushing back its opening date. The University of New Mexico Hospital said factors like increased costs have slowed down their original plan of completion for the Critical Care Tower.

Story continues below

The tower is a construction project nearly ten years in the making. The tower will be the new home for the Adult Emergency Department and ICU, but UNMH officials say well have to wait a little bit longer before the tower is ready to receive patients due to a few factors.

Cost and materials and labor is a primary driver right now. We also have coordination of major equipment such as MRIs and CT scanners and those seem to be driving the overall delay and a little bit of the costs, said Chief Operating Officer Mike Chicarelli, UNM Hospital.

UNMH said these factors have led to them needing more time to complete construction and require an increase in budget. Hospital officials recently went before the Board of Regents Health and Science Committee, asking for these changes to be approved. Were also seeking your approval to increase by 15% our anticipated expense to our budget, said Chicarelli at the meeting.

That 15% would mean increasing the budget from more than $456 million to more than $537 million. UNMH says other factors that have caused a delay are complications with coordination between equipment manufacturers and architects.

Working with the manufacturers that make the equipment, working with our architects that design the room around the equipment, and then having our contractors actually fulfill those plans, said Chicarelli.

Earlier this year, UNMH said the facility with nine floors and nearly 200 beds, was expected to open in November. Now that start date has been pushed back to June 2025.

So our focus right now is to ensure that we take all the time that we need to deliver a high-quality building that is here for many years to come, so we can continue to serve our purpose of delivering high-quality care, says Chicarelli.

UNMH says the tower is 86% complete. This fall, they will also be presenting their updated schedule and costs to the New Mexico Higher Education Department and the State Board of Finance for their approval.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Late and unpaid bills are nothing new for Justice and his family businesses

The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., is owned by Gov. Jim Justice, and ran by his children, Jay and Jill. (Chris Jackson | West Virginia Watch)

Last week we learned that union officials say The Greenbrier Hotel Corporation has been taking money out of employees paychecks for health insurance for four months, but that money hasnt been going to the health insurance company.

The Greenbrier Hotel Corporation owes about $2.4 million in delinquent contributions, and if its not paid by the end of the month, employees will lose health coverage.

Gov. Jim Justice, who owns the Greenbrier, has denied there are problems, saying at his weekly briefing on Thursday: Insurance payments have been made and were being made on a regular basis just like weve done in the past in many ways.

On Monday, I checked with Ronald Richman, an attorney from Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP representing the Amalgamated National Health Fund, the health care provider for Greenbrier employees. His emailed response: The payments are [s]till four months delinquent.

Justice takes credit for saving the Greenbrier from bankruptcy in 2009, but now that its facing foreclosure says hes not involved with the day-to-day business. He reminds reporters that his children are listed as directors for the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation.

Hes also said that his children are running all his businesses and are fulfilling all of their financial obligations, though he admitted theyre probably a bit behind on several payments.

He lists the properties as assets on mandated financial statements, but doesnt accept any responsibility for unpaid bills and fines  despite the fact that most of them are not in a blind trust.

Keep in mind that most people sell their businesses or put them in a blind trust when they take political office in order to avoid a conflict of interest or to prevent any distractions from their official duties.

Justice said he would do that after he won his first term as governor, but only managed to do so for seven of his 111 businesses.

Now that hes running for the U.S. Senate, he was asked again if he would willingly put his businesses in a blind trust if elected in November. He said probably not.

If thats the case, he needs to not turn a blind eye to whats going on.

If Justices children dont start paying the bills, their employees are going to lose health insurance and its possible his children could face jail time.

According to West Virginia state law, if an employer deducts an authorized amount from an employees paycheck for insurance  as the lawyer for Amalgamated National Health Fund alleges is the case here  but fails to pay that amount to the designated authorized plan, the deduction is illegal.

But thats not all  its also a federal crime. According to U.S. Code, anyone who steals assets of a health care benefit program is violating the law, and can face up to 10 years in prison.

Paying that money is just part of the Justice familys financial woes. The Greenbrier was slated for the auction block because the loan on it is in default, but the auction was put on hold until at least October. Justice said they had the money, but was tight-lipped about where it came from.

Justice keeps claiming that banks wanting him to pay back the money they loaned his companies is political. I dont hold any sort of office, but if I dont make payments on my home loan, Im pretty sure the bank will come after me. Loans are meant to be paid back  thats the deal you make when you sign the paperwork.

One thing to remember is that Justices financial troubles arent new. Lets look at a few of the lawsuits that were filed against his companies before he was elected governor:

October 2015  Justice owed $3.5 million in delinquent taxes to Kentucky, and started paying some of the thousands he owed in delinquent taxes to West Virginia counties.

November 2015  Cornerstone RPO filed a lawsuit against The Greenbrier for owing

$422,837 from a 2011 contract.

July 2014  Justices coal mines were cited for more than 250 environmental violations in five states with unpaid penalties of about $2 million.

2013  The Associated Press reported there were at least nine lawsuits filed against Justices coal companies between late 2011 and June 2013 with business owners claiming they were not being paid for work at Justice mines.

2011  Delta Airlines sued The Greenbrier over breach of contract for not paying $4 million it owed the airline.

2010  Two landscaping companies who did work for The Greenbrier sued the resort for $1.4 million in damages.

I think you get the point.

The employees of The Greenbrier deserve better. All is not good in their neighborhood, like Justice said it is in his.

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Updated COVID Vaccine Approved: What To Know, How To Get One In PA

PENNSYLVANIA  Federal regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines to better target recent strains of the virus that have contributed to a summer illness surge in Pennsylvania and around the country.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the latest mRNA vaccines, which have been reformulated to focus on a newer omicron variant known as KP.2, or FLiRT. The approval for this year's vaccine came a little earlier than in previous years, as most of the country is experiencing increased viral activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already recommended this falls shot for everyone age 6 months and older. And though different omicron strains such as KP.3.1.1 have also been spreading (and may become more common in the fall and winter), health officials said the variants are closely-related enough for the 2024-25 COVID vaccines to ensure cross-protection.

When will the vaccines be available, and when should I get one?



Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses while a third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its modified vaccine version to be available a little later.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Health Department said doses are expected to arrive" before the end of the week" at local doctor's offices, along with major pharmacies around the state. CVS is offering appointments for the new vaccine now, and Walgreens has appointments available beginning Sept. 6.

"The Health Department recommends that Pennsylvanians stay updated with COVID-19 vaccinations and continue fundamental health and hygiene practices, like handwashing, staying home when sick, and avoiding contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19," said Deputy Press Secretary Neil Ruhland. "The Department also recommends taking COVID tests if you think you have COVID-19 and seeking treatment to reduce the chances of being hospitalized."

Keep in mind that the federal government is not buying and distributing COVID vaccines any more, so the shots are no longer free of charge, though insurance carriers should cover most or all of the cost.

Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases said skipping this new vaccine is a hazardous way to go, because even if your last infection was mild, your next might be worse or leave you with long COVID symptoms.



Hopkins advised that people at high risk from COVID should schedule vaccinations once shots are available in their area, as long as they have not been sick with the virus in the past three months, or had another COVID vaccine in the past two months. This high-risk group includes older adults, people with weak immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.

Healthy adults and children "can get vaccinated anytime," Hopkins said, adding that these people could wait until the fall  when local pharmacies and doctor's offices have more doses, and people could potentially get a flu shot at the same time they receive the updated COVID vaccine.

Vaccine coverage is waning nationwide, with only 22.6 percent of U.S. adults currently protected by the 2023-24 COVID vaccine that rolled out in September 2023, according to CDC data. Vaccine protection increased by age groups, with the highest coverage among adults 75 and older  though the strain targeted by those shots is no longer circulating.

Much of the country, including Pennsylvania, is experiencing a summer bump in COVID-19 cases, according to updated wastewater surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



Communities can use sewage samples to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) as a data point to anticipate any spikes locally.

As of the latest update Aug. 22, wastewater viral activity for COVID-19 is at the "very high" level nationally, and Pennsylvania is at a "high" level.

"It is not unusual for there to be fluctuations in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths over time in Pennsylvania and across the nation," Ruhland said, "But due to effective vaccinations and treatments, as well as the evolution of the virus, COVID-19 has become a much less severe illness for most of the population, and the number of hospitalizations and deaths have dropped dramatically since the height of the pandemic."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated COVID Vaccine Approved: What To Know, How To Get One In PA originally appeared on the Across Pennsylvania Patch
Updated COVID Vaccine Approved: What To Know, How To Get One In IL

ILLINOIS  Federal regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines to better target recent strains of the virus that have contributed to a summer illness surge in Illinois and around the country.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the latest mRNA vaccines, which have been reformulated to focus on a newer omicron variant known as KP.2, or FLiRT. The approval for this year's vaccine came a little earlier than in previous years, as most of the country is experiencing increased viral activity.

Related: IL Among States Seeing Summer COVID Surge, Wastewater Data Shows

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already recommended this falls shot for everyone age 6 months and older. And though different omicron strains such as KP.3.1.1 have also been spreading (and may become more common in the fall and winter), health officials said the variants are closely-related enough for the 2024-25 COVID vaccines to ensure cross-protection.

When will the vaccines be available, and when should I get one?

Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses while a third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its modified vaccine version to be available a little later.

Mike Claffey, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), said doses are expected to arrive "in the coming days" at local doctor's offices, along with major pharmacies around the state. CVS is offering appointments for the new vaccine now, and Walgreens has appointments available beginning Sept. 6.

Claffey said, "The new Covid shots are designed to target the strain of virus that is now in circulation, and they are very effective when it comes to preventing severe outcomes, including hospitalization and deaths."

He added that the new coronavirus vaccines, in addition to flu shots, are "recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months."

Keep in mind that the federal government is not buying and distributing COVID vaccines any more, so the shots are no longer free of charge, though insurance carriers should cover most or all of the cost.

Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases said skipping this new vaccine is a hazardous way to go, because even if your last infection was mild, your next might be worse or leave you with long COVID symptoms.

Hopkins advised that people at high risk from COVID should schedule vaccinations once shots are available in their area, as long as they have not been sick with the virus in the past three months, or had another COVID vaccine in the past two months. This high-risk group includes older adults, people with weak immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.

Healthy adults and children "can get vaccinated anytime," Hopkins said, adding that these people could wait until the fall  when local pharmacies and doctor's offices have more doses, and people could potentially get a flu shot at the same time they receive the updated COVID vaccine.

Vaccine coverage is waning nationwide, with only 22.6 percent of U.S. adults currently protected by the 2023-24 COVID vaccine that rolled out in September 2023, according to CDC data. Vaccine protection increased by age groups, with the highest coverage among adults 75 and older  though the strain targeted by those shots is no longer circulating.

Much of the country, including Illinois, is experiencing a summer bump in COVID-19 cases, according to updated wastewater surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Communities can use sewage samples to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) as a data point to anticipate any spikes locally.

As of the latest update Aug. 22, wastewater viral activity for COVID-19 is at the "very high" level nationally, and Illinois is at a "high" level.

"We advise anyone with respiratory symptoms  such as coughing, a runny nose or fever  to exercise discretion," Claffey said. "That would include staying home if you are sick for at least 24 hours until both are true: you are fever-free without using fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving overall. Upon return and for the next 5 days, CDC recommends enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distance from others when indoors as much as possible."



The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated COVID Vaccine Approved: What To Know, How To Get One In IL originally appeared on the Across Illinois Patch
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  A 16-year-old from Urbana has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the role he played in a robbery-turned-shooting that left another teenager dead last year.

Arif Jarrell pleaded guilty to first degree murder on Monday, the day an adult jury trial had been set to begin, in connection to the death of Montrell Emery in March of 2023. He and co-defendant Marquise McGuire pointed at each other as the shooter, but Jarrell was convicted on the grounds that someone was killed while he was committing a felony.

I miss that kid: Pastor reacts to Urbana billboard with gun violence victim on it

Negotiations between Champaign County States Attorneys Julie Rietz and Chief Public Defender Elisabeth Pollock led to the guilty plea and a 20-year sentence recommendation, which was accepted by Judge Randy Rosenbaum.

16-year-old Emery was killed the morning of March 15, 2023, at Prairie Green Apartments in Urbana. Rietz said Jarrell, then 14 years old, another then-14-year-old and McGuire, then 16, plotted to steal a gun that Emery was known to possess  it uniquely had a gold-colored barrel.

During that robbery, Emery was shot in the head.

A witness who picked the trio up in their car later told police they saw McGuire with the gun used to kill Emery and Jarrell holding the gold-barreled gun. Afterward, Rietz said the trio made rap videos with both guns, which police found wrapped in a sweatshirt at the home of Jarrells brother.

Jarrell will have to serve 100% of his murder sentence, which will begin in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. There will be a three-year window, between his 18th and 21st birthdays, where Jarrell can be transferred to the adult Department of Corrections.

Police, family friend respond to 16-year-old shooting death in Urbana

As for Jarrells codefendants, Rietz said the unnamed then-14-year-old pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and was sentenced to the Department of Juvenile Justice. He finished his sentence and is now on parole.

McGuire, meanwhile, is scheduled to appear in court again for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 11.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
US admiral says American ships could sail into a South China Sea standoff to shield an ally amid tensions with China

A US admiral said that American ships could escort Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

Tensions are high in the area as clashes continue between China and the Philippines.

The US is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines should an armed attack occur on its forces.

The US could come to the aid of a key Pacific ally as China targets its ships in contested waters, a leading admiral in the Pacific said.

The comments come as tensions rise between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where clashes have been common occurrences in recent months.

On Tuesday, Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, told reporters at the 35th Annual International Military Law and Operations Conference in the Philippines that it was "an entirely reasonable option" that the US could send ships to escort Philippine vessels on resupply missions, per Reuters.

Paparo noted that "escort of one vessel to the other is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty" with the Philippines, which was signed in 1951 and explicitly states that both nations will come to the others' aid should they be attacked.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said the current conflict in the South China Sea hasn't yet risen to the level of needing to activate the treaty.

US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo delivers his speech during an international military conference organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. AP Photo/Aaron Favila

Paparo's comments align with his previous statements on the subject, including reaffirming the US commitment to come to the aid of the Philippines if necessary and denouncing China's aggressive behavior in the region.

Paparo didn't explain what types of US ships would escort Philippine vessels. It's also unclear whether the Philippines would want such support, with Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner saying Manila likes to run resupply missions on its own, even as China repeatedly interferes with these missions.

"We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us," Brawner told reporters, according to Reuters. "While we can do it by ourselves, we will do it."

But if the Philippines could not continue its missions independently, he added, it would seek alternative options.

A screen grab taken from a video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard showing Chinese Coast Guard ships firing water cannons against Philippines vessels near Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea. Philippine Coast Guard

China and the Philippines have clashed frequently in recent months as Beijing looks to illegally assert its control over contested areas of the South China Sea, such as the Scarborough Shoal.

The major maritime confrontations have often involved Chinese coast guard vessels harassing Philippine ships with water cannons or ramming them.

But there have been other fights. Earlier this month, for instance, the Philippines accused China's Air Force of endangering one of its light transport planes flying above the region. Manila said China's jets flew very closely to the plane and fired just under ten flares in its flight path. Then a few days ago, the Chinese military was accused of doing the same thing again.

Read the original article on Business Insider
US Army Private King who fled to North Korea to plead guilty to 5 charges

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Private Travis T. King is seen during a tour of the tightly controlled JSA on the border between the two Koreas, at the truce village of Panmunjom

By Idrees Ali and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Army Private Travis King, who last year ran into North Korea and was taken into custody there, will plead guilty to five charges, including desertion, while taking responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said in a statement on Monday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The U.S. Army charged King with crimes ranging from desertion for running into North Korea in July to assault against fellow soldiers and solicitation of child pornography, Reuters reported late last year.

He was charged by the Army with 14 offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, after his release from North Korean custody in September.

His release followed weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations that led the Swedish government to retrieve King in North Korea and bring him across the border into China for a handoff to the U.S. ambassador.

KEY QUOTES

"He will plead guilty to five of those (14 offenses), including desertion, three counts of disobeying an officer, and assault on a noncommissioned officer," his lawyer said.

"He will plead not guilty to the remaining offenses, which the Army will withdraw and dismiss."

CONTEXT

King joined the Army in January 2021. He was detained in South Korea over assault allegations to which he pleaded guilty.

King had already been due to face disciplinary action in the United States after his release from South Korean detention. He was on his way home when he slipped away from Seoul's international airport and made his way to a civilian tour of the border area between North and South Korea.

Then King sprinted across the border into North Korea. He was immediately taken into North Korean custody before being released last September.

The guilty plea and sentencing hearing will be held on Sept. 20 at Fort Bliss in Texas, the lawyer added.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken and Lincoln Feast.)
U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King, who crossed into North Korea last year, is expected to plead guilty to several charges the military has brought against him.

King was deployed to South Korea but expected to return home in July 2023, when he ran into North Korea during a tour of a town on the border.

King, who is charged with 14 counts for an array of alleged offenses, will plead guilty to five of those charges on Sept. 20 before a military judge in Fort Bliss, Texas, according to his attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt.

After pleading guilty at a general court-martial to those counts, which include desertion, the Army will drop the other charges he is accused of, Rosenblatt added.

Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside of his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations, his lawyer said in the statement.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said King has entered an agreement with prosecutors but that no further details were available at the time because the guilty plea is subject to acceptance from the military judge overseeing the case.

If Pvt. Kings guilty plea is accepted, the judge will sentence King pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement. If the judge does not accept the guilty plea, the judge can rule that the case be litigated in a contested court-martial, the office said, saying King will remain in pretrial confinement for now.

In October 2023, about a month after he was returned to the U.S. from North Korea, King was charged with counts that included unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement, possessing child pornography and assaulting officers.

There was some speculation that King might plead guilty, with a hearing canceled in July amid negotiations between the defense and prosecutors.

Updated on Aug. 27 at 10:28 a.m. EDT

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The US Army is telling its soldiers 'you have to look up' as it watches Abrams tanks face new threats in Ukraine

Drones have proven a menace to armored vehicles in Ukraine, including US-provided tanks.

The US Army is closely watching the drone war and teaching lessons to new soldiers in training.

A colonel at the Army Armor School said he was telling soldiers they had to "look up."

US-made armored vehicles in service with the Ukrainian military are up against an unfamiliar threat on the battlefield, one that they haven't faced in previous wars.

Russia and Ukraine employ small drones strapped with explosives as a way to deliver cheap and effective precision strikes on enemy armor, often damaging or destroying them.

The US Army is closely watching how US armored systems delivered to Ukraine  specifically the M1 Abrams tank and M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle  are performing in combat and holding up in this new type of warfare.

It's also taking lessons from the conflict and applying them in training, teaching new soldiers how to grasp the threat of small drones. Col. James Modlin, the deputy commandant of the US Army Armor School, said that it was "important" for them to be able to understand the prevalence of small unmanned systems on future battlefields and that the fight was changing.

"It's really just recognizing that it's a threat  that this is something that's out there," he told Business Insider in a conversation this week. "You have to look up, you have to look 360" degrees, he said.

A Russian armored vehicle after it was hit by a Ukrainian drone. 47th Mechanized Brigade/Ministry of Defense of Ukraine screengrab via X

The Armor School, a component of the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Moore in Georgia, is where US soldiers train on the fundamentals of becoming armored crew members. This means learning about what sort of threats they could face in future operating environments based on the situation unfolding across current battlefields.

Paying attention to drone warfare is key when observing the Ukraine war. Modlin noted that new US soldiers training on Abrams or Bradleys aren't necessarily going to know whether they're facing a reconnaissance or combat drone. What's more important is knowing that it could be a threat either way and being able to relay that knowledge to leadership.

"There's a lot of unknowns out there," Modlin said, explaining that "for the privates, it's about increasing their situational awareness and their ability to recognize what is in the environment."

New drones, new fight

The US military has long used larger drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper for surveillance and kinetic strikes.

But about a decade ago, American forces in the Middle East started to face cheap, commercially available drones in combat, as the Islamic State weaponized these systems by strapping explosives to them and using them in attacks. Small drones also later played a role in the 2020 conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

A Ukrainian soldier on a US-provided M1 Abrams tank at an undisclosed location. 47th Mechanized Brigade via Telegram

However, drone warfare has soared to new levels in Ukraine. Kyiv and Moscow have used these systems to carry out precision strikes on enemy armor, personnel, fortifications, and even individual soldiers.

Both sides have also developed countermeasures to protect their tanks and fighting vehicles from drones, such as welding crude-looking protective screens to the exterior as a last-ditch defensive measure. The screens have become common and have even been fitted on US-provided armor such as the Abrams.

Modlin said Ukraine was a good example of how drones play a role in modern warfare, but the lessons that the Army was teaching its soldiers weren't solely focused on that specific conflict.

"When we look across all the emerging threat environments, that's a very similar challenge," he said. "The American Army really hasn't had to worry too much about enemy aircraft in an awfully long time  since my grandfather was in uniform."

"It's something we've been talking about for a while, but now we're starting to see it play out a little bit more prevalent in conflicts," he added.

A Bradley fighting vehicle firing at a simulated enemy target on Red Cloud Range at Fort Moore in April. US Army photo by Daniel Marble

Indeed, Israeli armored vehicles mobilized for the war in Gaza have been outfitted with anti-drone protective screens that are similar to the ones seen in Ukraine.

Teaching US soldiers about the threat of drones to armored vehicles is just one way the Army is increasingly incorporating anti-drone training across the board. For instance, American service members are also learning how to track and shoot down small drones with handheld weapons and devices  which is a more mobile approach to the problem.

When it comes to armored-vehicle operations and combat, though, responding to drone warfare is just one area where the Army is evolving. Modlin said dozens of courses at the Maneuver Center of Excellence had been updated over the past few years based on observations from conflicts overseas.

He said the Army was constantly looking to improve its training so the next generation of leaders could be prepared for large-scale ground operations  something the US hasn't really seen in decades.

"Competence as an Army professional starts with the understanding of the threat, but it doesn't end there," Modlin said. "So we're paying really close attention to the lessons learned overseas  we're looking at what is happening around the world."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Company provides update on regulatory progress towards US NDA submission

TARRYTOWN, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / PaxMedica, Inc. (OTC PINK:PXMD), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing treatments for neurological disorders, is pleased to announce a significant milestone in its global health efforts. The Malawi Ministry of Health has informed the company that a patient suffering from the potentially fatal parasitic infection known as Human Africa Trypanosomiasis Brucei Rhodesiense, (HAT), commonly referred to as African Sleeping Sickness, has recently received treatment with PAX-101, an intravenous form of Suramin, and is recovering at home. The Rhodesiense strain of Human African Trypanosomiasis is nearly 100% fatal if not treated promptly, and Suramin is considered the standard of care in Malawi, and many East African countries, in preventing death due to this parasite, when used in the early or first stage of the infection.

In April, the company announced that the Ministry of Health of Malawi made an emergency request for PaxMedica to provide immediate access to the recently completed validation and registration batches of PAX-101 (IV Suramin). This urgent request set in motion several important steps to rapidly respond to a critical global shortage of Suramin which is used routinely to combat HAT in Malawi. PaxMedica informed the U.S. FDA Office of Global Policy and Strategy that the company had provided a limited quantity of its formulation of IV Suramin, PAX-101, to Malawi's Ministry of Health, for immediate use.

Howard Weisman, CEO of PaxMedica, commented, "This first use of PAX-101 to treat a critically ill patient with Stage 1 HAT infection is an important milestone for the company following years of investment in the formulation and commercial scale-up of Suramin, the active pharmaceutical ingredient of PAX-101, with the company's supply chain partners. We were contacted by the government of Malawi after sustained shortages of IV Suramin in the region in the past year, and we could not ignore their pleas for help. Responding to this extraordinary request demonstrates our commitment to provide this essential medicine to some of the world's most vulnerable people."

Marshal Lemerani, Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases at the Ministry of Health in Malawi, expressed the nation's gratitude, stating, "We know that access to IV Suramin is necessary for us to save lives in our fight against HAT and, through the generosity of PaxMedica, we are now able to respond to the desperate need for this treatment. The results we've seen so far are very promising, and having a company committed to produce this vital drug offers renewed hope for our patients, and strengthens our ability to combat this devastating disease."

Story continues

PaxMedica has also received feedback from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on proposed plans to work with the Malawi Neglected Tropical Disease Program to establish a patient registry in Malawi for documenting treatment outcomes with PAX-101. This registry will be used to support the upcoming New Drug Application (NDA) for the use of PAX-101 in the treatment of Stage 1 HAT with data from the landmark PAX-HAT-301 Real World Evidence Phase 3 African Sleeping Sickness Study as previously reported by the company as a historical control. The company expects to submit an NDA for PAX-101 as a treatment for HAT in the near future.

About PaxMedica

PaxMedica, Inc. is a forward-looking clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm specializing in cutting-edge anti-purinergic drug therapies (APT) aimed at addressing a range of challenging neurologic disorders. Our comprehensive portfolio encompasses a spectrum of conditions, including neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as other critical areas within the neurology field. Additionally, we intend to provide the rest of the world with an additional, reliable source of suramin, the accepted standard of care for Stage 1, Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiense.

We are dedicated to the continuous development and evaluation of our pioneering program, PAX-101, an intravenous suramin formulation that lies at the heart of our efforts, particularly focused on innovative ASD treatment solutions. Our ongoing research initiatives not only prioritize the needs of ASD patients, but also extend to exploring potential therapeutic applications for related conditions. To learn more about our transformative work, please visit www.paxmedica.com.

Interested investors and shareholders are encouraged to sign up for press releases and industry updates by registering for Email Alerts at https://www.paxmedica.com/email-alerts and by following PaxMedica on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements reflect our current view about future events. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "propose," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include our anticipated clinical program, the timing and success of our anticipated data announcements, pre-clinical and clinical trials and regulatory filings, and distribution and demand for our product candidates. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the Company's development work, including any delays or changes to the timing, cost and success of the Company's product development and clinical trials, risk of insufficient capital resources, cash funding and cash burn, regulatory approvals and risks associated with intellectual property and infringement claims. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results described in the Company's "Risk Factors" section and other sections in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and subsequent quarterly and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

PaxMedica, Inc.

303 S Broadway,

Suite 125.

Tarrytown, NY 10591

www.paxmedica.com

Media Contact

media@paxmedica.com

Investor Contact

Scott McGowan

InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN)

Phone: 310.299.1717

ir@paxmedica.com

www.paxmedica.com/investors

SOURCE: PaxMedica, Inc.





View the original press release on accesswire.com




FILE PHOTO: A general view of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta

(Reuters) -The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday that a total of 21 Oropouche virus disease cases among U.S. travelers returning from Cuba have been reported as of Aug. 16.

The Oropouche virus is spread primarily through bites from midges as well as from some mosquitoes. Symptoms of the disease include headache, fever and muscle aches and joint pains, but the virus is rarely fatal.

Most patients returning from Cuba reported their symptoms between May and July.

Overall, three patients were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported, the agency said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

A dire economic crisis in Cuba has made it difficult to control the spread of Oropouche. Frequent power outages mean many sleep with windows open during the hot Caribbean summer. Few Cubans have access to insect repellent, and fumigation efforts have been stymied by fuel shortages.

Health officials in Cuba first began to report cases of the virus in May, and say it has spread quickly from rural areas to urban centers, including the capital Havana, a top tourist destination.

Cuba's health ministry said last week it had registered more than 400 cases of Oropouche on the island this year, though reports around Havana suggest a marked increase in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, the CDC issued a health alert to notify clinicians and public health authorities of an increase in the disease in the Americas region that has caused two deaths so far this year.

Authorities in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Peru have reported at least 8,000 locally acquired cases since late last year.

Currently, there are no specific treatments or vaccines available for the disease.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru and Dave Sherwood in Havana; Editing by Maju Samuel and Christopher Cushing)
MANILA, Philippines  The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.

Adm. Samuel Paparos remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

Austin pledges $500M in security aid to Philippines amid uncertainty

Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. As these clashes grow increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking a treaty alliance with Washington.

Paparo and Brawner spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at which Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. Military and defense officials and diplomats from the U.S. and allied countries attended but there were no Chinese representatives.

Asked if the U.S. military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Paparo replied, Certainly, within the context of consultations."

"Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us, Paparo said without elaborating.

Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.

The attitude of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves, Brawner said. We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the mission  in this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.

"We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves, Brawner said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to each other's aid if they come under external attack.

President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

This photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard shows damage on a Philippine Coast Guard vessel after a collision with a Chinese coast guard ship Monday, Aug. 19, 2024 in the South China Sea. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said at the conference that China is the biggest disruptor of peace in Southeast Asia and called for stronger international censure over its aggression in the South China Sea, a day after China blocked Philippine vessels from delivering food to a coast guard ship at the disputed Sabina Shoal in the contested waters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the label of undermining peace can never be pinned on China, blaming unspecified other actors for making infringements and provocations in the South China Sea and introducing external forces to undermine the large picture of regional peace and stability.

Teodoro later told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that international statements of concern against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters and elsewhere were not enough.

"The antidote is a stronger collective multilateral action against China, Teodoro said, adding that a U.N. Security Council resolution would be a strong step, but unlikely given China's security council veto.

He also called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do more. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other, as well as Chinas and Taiwans.

"ASEAN, to remain relevant and credible, cannot continue to ignore what China is doing in the South China Sea, Teodoro said.

In the latest incident in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manilas largest coast guard ship in Sabina Shoal on Monday.

China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation in Sabina, an uninhabited atoll claimed by both countries that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys, the most hotly disputed region of the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines have separately deployed coast guard ships to Sabina in recent months on suspicion the other may act to take control of and build structures in the fishing atoll.

The Philippine coast guard said Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with 31 suspected militia vessels, obstructed the delivery, which included an ice cream treat for the personnel aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua as the Philippines marked National Heroes Day on Monday.

In Beijing, Chinas coast guard said that it took control measures against two Philippine coast guard ships that intruded into waters near the Sabina Shoal. It said in a statement that the Philippine ships escalated the situation by repeatedly approaching a Chinese coast guard ship.

China has rapidly expanded its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, though the longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Japans government separately protested to Beijing on Tuesday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.

Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.
The US military had contributed to the improvement of electronic warfare systems on the F-16 fighters that the Allies transferred to Ukraine.

Source: US Air Force 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The future Ukrainian aircraft were updated by the engineers of the 68th electronic warfare squadron, in collaboration with their Norwegian and Danish counterparts.

To successfully integrate the F-16s into the Ukrainian air force, their EW subsystems had to be reprogrammed to be effective against Russian threats.

The specialists faced a double problem: the system used on the F-16 is not in service in the United States, and there was only a short time to optimise the systems before the aircraft's delivery date.

Based on data from Denmark and Norway, the specialists investigated the system's design and developed approaches for reprogramming it. Together with partners, experts tested the updated systems and were able to improve the reprogramming processes for all parties.

As previously stated, Ukraine is an official customer of the 68th Squadron's services, allowing the unit to provide support as well as timely updates and modernisation of electronic warfare systems based on Ukrainian experience and recommendations.

Background:

Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway provided Ukraine with F-16 fighters.

On 4 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the first F-16 fighter had been delivered to Ukraine and posted footage of the jets at a secret airfield.

Before that, The Times reported that six fighters had arrived from the Netherlands, with several more on their way from Denmark.

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BEIJING (AP)  A top White House official arrived in China on Tuesday for talks on a relationship that has been severely tested during President Joe Bidens term in office.

Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, was greeted at a Beijing airport by Yang Tao, the Chinese foreign ministrys chief for the North American and Oceanian department, and the U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns.

Sullivan has been Bidens point person for often unannounced talks with the Communist Partys top foreign policy official to try to manage the growing differences between Washington and Beijing.

The goal of his visit, which lasts through Thursday, is limited  to try to maintain communication in a relationship that broke down for the better part of a year in 2022-23 and was only nursed back over several months.

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, pose for photos before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office shakes hands with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Pool)

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office speaks as White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, listens to Wang, before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office speaks to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan looks on before talks with Wang Yi, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

Wang Yi, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office reacts near White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office speaks before a talk with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, second right, is welcomed by Yang Tao, center left, Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, center and U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns at left upon arriving at the VIP terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, second right, walks near U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns upon arriving at the VIP terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, right, walks near U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns upon arriving at the VIP terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrives at the VIP terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Pool)

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrives at the VIP terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool)

No major announcements are expected, though Sullivans meetings could lay the groundwork for a possible final summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping before Biden steps down in January.

Its important for the United States and China to avoid any crisis in the remaining months of the Biden administration, as it could set the tone for U.S.-China ties under the next one, said Da Wei, the director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The goal of this visit is not reaching new breakthroughs or progress but to continue the stable momentum of China-U.S. relations in the past year through strategic communication, and to avoid new crises in the next few months, he said.

Sullivan will hold talks with Wang Yi, the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office.

Wang is also the foreign minister. He had initially stepped down when he took the party post, a more senior position, but he returned about seven months later, in July 2023, after his successor was removed for reasons that have not been made public.

The Biden administration has taken a tough line on China, viewing it as a strategic competitor, restricting the access of its companies to advanced technology and confronting the rising power as it seeks to exert influence over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Already frosty relations went into a deep freeze after then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a senior U.S. lawmaker, visited Taiwan in August 2022. Hopes of restoring ties were dashed the following February when a suspected Chinese spy balloon drifted across the U.S. before being shot down by the U.S. military.

At a meeting between Sullivan and Wang in Vienna in May 2023, the two countries launched a delicate process of putting relations back on track. Since than, they have met two more times in a third country, Malta and Thailand. This week will mark their first talks in Beijing.

Chinas Foreign Ministry said this week that relations with the U.S. remain at a critical juncture. It noted that the two sides are talking on climate and other issues, but it accused the U.S. of continuing to constrain and suppress China.

Canada announced on Monday that it will match Americas 100% import tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, after being encouraged to do so by Sullivan during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Cabinet ministers the previous day.

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RENO, Nev. (AP)  The U.S. Postal Service said Tuesday it is abandoning a plan to reroute Reno-area mail processing to Sacramento that had created an uproar among northern Nevadans concerned it could delay local deliveries and jeopardize on-time arrival of mail-in election ballots.

USPS said in a statement it has identified enhanced efficiencies that will allow processing of single-piece mail to continue at the existing Reno postal facility. It said it does not anticipate the revised strategy will have any impacts on postal workers in Reno.

The latest change in plans is subject to formal regulatory filings it intends to initiate next month with the Postal Regulatory Commission, the service said.

Sen. Jacky Rosen said it should mean an end to this misguided Washington plan.

The announcement that this widely opposed transfer of local mail processing operations will no longer happen is a huge win for our seniors, veterans, and every person in Northern Nevada who depends on timely mail delivery, Rosen said.

Rosen, a Democrat running for reelection against Republican Sam Brown in one of the most hotly contested Senate races in the nation, took the lead earlier this year in bipartisan efforts to fight the original plan. She was joined by fellow Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Republican Rep. Mark Amodei and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.

Lombardo said it was a huge bipartisan victory for Nevada. He said in a statement posted on social media that he was grateful to have worked alongside Rosen, Cortez Masto and Amodei to protect Nevadans from misguided D.C. bureaucracy.

Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, the states top election official, had warned moving operations could slow the processing of mail ballots and has the potential to disenfranchise thousands of Nevada voters and would unquestionably impact the results of Nevadas elections.

Most Nevadans voted by mail in the 2022 general election and this year's statewide primary in June  51% in November 2022 and 65% in the primary two months ago.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy had pitched the original downsizing plan  which was expected to be put in place next year  as a necessary cost-saving move. It drew intense opposition in Nevada because it would have meant that all mail sent from the Reno area would pass through Sacramento before reaching its final destination  even from one side of the city to the other.

Lawmakers warned that even in the best weather, mail service could be caught in traffic delays during the 260-mile (418-kilometer) roundtrip drive on U.S. Interstate 80 over the top of the Sierra Nevada between Reno and Sacramento.

And heavy snowfall typically closes the highway multiple times a year in the mountains during harsh winter weather, which can begin as early as fall and stretch into late spring.

Rosen and Amodei introduced companion legislation in Congress in March to block the processing transfer after a blizzard dumped up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow on the mountains earlier that month.

The service said in a statement Tuesday more details will be released after a Sept. 5 pre-filing conference with the Postal Regulatory Commission to discuss the proposal and gain stakeholder feedback in anticipation of a subsequent filing seeking a formal advisory opinion from the commission.

If the regulatory process is successful, there will be no change to the location for cancelling certain originating mail in Reno, it said. In simpler terms, outgoing single piece mail will continue to be processed at its current location.
The U.S. has restarted talks over the future of its armed forces in Chad  the latest African country to express doubt over its relationship with the American military.

In the last month, senior leaders from the State and Defense departments have visited the capital of NDjamena, where they met with members of the Chadian government and armed forces to discuss their security ties.

They arrived at a sensitive moment for the American militarys work in the country and on the continent more broadly. Earlier this year, the government in NDjamena said it wanted to renegotiate its agreement that allows the U.S. military access to its territory, leading the U.S. to withdraw a unit of 75 or so special operations forces operating from a disputed base near the capital.

That request came as its neighbor, Niger, was in the process of ordering the American military out  a departure that all but ended in earlier this month, when the U.S. handed control of a $100 million base to Nigers ruling junta.

Niger was once a top partner in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel  a much more mature relationship than America has with Chad. Still, the U.S. had around 100 special operations personnel there before April, and the country has been a valuable companion in the fight against terrorism in the region.

We dont expect to return in the exact same footprint that we had before, a senior U.S. defense official said in an interview late last month July.

Instead, the official said America would do better to start from the ground up: sharing its own goals for the region, listening to Chads and then deciding what kind of presence made sense in the country.

What were hearing from a lot of African partners is they want to lead and theyre interested in our facilitation, the official said. Thats different than a handful of years ago, where the U.S. was conducting operations.

Going forward, the new presence may not include the personnel withdrawn in April, the official said, a choice a Pentagon spokesperson labeled at the time a temporary step.

The Defense Departments head of special operations and low-intensity conflict was more hopeful on their return.

This is fundamentally what were talking about to the Chadians, Assistant Secretary of Defense Chris Maier told reporters during an event hosted by the Defense Writers Group in Washington. There was probably some rationale on their removal that had to do with their presidential election that now is over, and so may give us an opportunity to have more, if you will, effective talks with them again.

No West Africa policy

To that end, the State Department announced a late-July visit to Chad by John Bass, its acting head of political affairs, holding a short press conference afterward. The Defense Department did not follow suit until a little over a week later, sending Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman, Americas top military officer for West Africa, according to a brief write-up of the encounter on the website of the Chadian Air Force.

Ekmans host was Chads air chief, who first called for the ouster of the American personnel in April.

U.S. Africa Command usually notes when its senior leaders visit different countries in the region. The decision not to, another American defense official said, is a sign of internal government pressure to be discreet when discussing security ties at a moment of such uncertainty  and as different parts of the administration trade blame for the withdrawal from Niger.

There is no West Africa policy from the White House, said the official, allowed to speak anonymously to be candid.

U.S. Africa Command said that there was a small contingent of American personnel in Chad supporting a counterterrorism mission. It also confirmed that Ekman visited the country in August to engage with military and civilian leaders on a whole-of-government approach to the shared security challenges in the region.

Africa Command deferred to the State Department on the status of that security relationship. And State wouldnt offer more specifics, instead saying the U.S. is committed to working closely alongside our partners across the region to advance our mutual security interests and bolster peace and stability in the Sahel and Lake Chad Region.

Those shared interests started to fray this April. Chads air chief abruptly sent a letter to the U.S. embassy telling it to halt operations at a base near the capital and saying it wanted to review the two countries military agreement. Soon after, the American military complied.

The Pentagon agreed to start negotiations after Chads elections in May.

Meanwhile, the threat of terrorist groups continues to grow in the Sahel, a belt of countries across northern Africa where coups have recently become more common. The regions share of global terrorist-related deaths rose from 1% in 2007 to 43% in 2022, according to the Global Terrorism Index.

That said, Maier cautioned that the threat may be contained to the region.

I dont think weve see an external operations threat emerge from there, he said, while still arguing that U.S. officials and embassies in the Sahel could be at risk.

The senior defense official argued that the countries calling for a different relationship with the U.S. all have different motives and shouldnt be seen as a pattern. Still, both that official and Maier acknowledged that U.S. posture would need to change, likely becoming smaller and more spread out.

Cameron Hudson, who studies African security issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued those may be the wrong lessons. Rather than evaluating what kind of posture the U.S. should have there, he said, the U.S. should consider whether its necessary at all.

Do we really need this footprint in this region? Hudson said. The jihadist threat [there] is not a threat to the U.S. homeland.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday on what is the first such visit in eight years.

The two met on the first day of Sullivan's visit to China, China's state television reported. This is the fifth meeting between the two. Sullivan intends to stay in the People's Republic until Thursday.

Sullivan was welcomed at Beijing Airport by representatives of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and US Ambassador Nicholas Burns.

Beijing had previously emphasized the urgency of talks between the two great powers. Relations have recently been severely strained.

A personal meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November did revive communication between both sides somewhat, but the Chinese Foreign Ministry said before Sullivan's arrival that Washington had continued to "contain and suppress" China.

Both sides are likely to discuss matters such as the Russian war against Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan issue  namely the handling of the self-governing democratic island republic, which China considers part of its territory and which is supported by the US, much to Beijing's displeasure.

Customs duties in trade between the two largest economies are also likely to be addressed. In May, the US government announced plans to impose special tariffs of 100% on electric cars from China, effectively excluding them from the US market. These measures further escalated the trade conflict between the US and China that has been ongoing for years.
Peloton was one of the hottest commodities on the market during the pandemic. But as the dangers of COVID-19 subsided, so too did the stock of the fitness equipment company, and its former billionaire CEO John Foley says his wealth got wiped out in the process.

"You know, at one point I had a lot of money on paper," Foley, who cofounded Peloton in 2012 and was at its helm for a decade, told the New York Post.

"Not actually [in the bank], unfortunately. I've lost all my money. I've had to sell almost everything in my life."

When demand for at-home workouts surged during the early days of COVID-19, Peloton sales soared by 250%, stock rose by more than 400%, and Foley became a billionaire seemingly overnight.

But the company overestimated demand as pandemic restrictions lifted and people started exercising outside again.

By November 2021, Peloton stock had plummeted, and Foley had lost his newly minted 10-figure status.

Then, in December 2021, the premiere episode of the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, killed off one of its main characters, Mr. Big, who suffered a heart attackwhile riding a Peloton.

We were coming out of Covid. The stock was getting crushed. And then the Mr. Big thing happensit was brutal, he recalled. All of a sudden, we were just being trolledeverything was collapsing.

Once worth a staggering $50 billion, the New Yorkbased company was only just holding on to its unicorn status when Foley stepped down as CEO in February 2022. Foley was once worth $1.9 billion, according to Bloomberg, but left the company with a net worth of $225 million.

The company has since cycled through another CEO, Barry McCarthy, laid off thousands of employees, hiked prices, and announced the closure of retail stores to tackle its post-pandemic slump in demand.

Its market cap is still a shadow of what it once was, currently standing at $1.8 billion.

Fortune has reached out to Foley for comment.

Pelotons stock bloodbath killed more than Foleys billionaire status

Its not just Foleys billionaire status (and a career at the company he created) that was killed by Peloton's stock price bloodbath.

The ex-Peloton chief was forced to downsize twiceincluding selling a $55 million East Hampton waterfront home and uprooting his family.

"My family took it well," the 53-year-old told the New York Post. "My wife's super supportive. My kids are probably better for it, if we're keeping it real."

Though Foley has lost much of his fortune, the ordeal has not extinguished his ambition.

Story continues

Within a year of resigning from the top job at Peloton, he had raised $25 million for his new venture, a direct-to-consumer rug company called Ernesta.

Now, he believes the company can make as much as $500 million in free cash flow by 2030.

"I'm working hard so that I can try to make money againbecause I don't have much left," Foley concluded. "And so I'm hungry and humble."

None of its real

As Foleys experience illustrates, reaching billionaire status can be pretty meaningless if that wealth is on paper and tied up in stock that can't easily be sold.

After being named Britains youngest billionaire, Gymshark founder and CEO Ben Francis said that none of it is real, adding that his wealth is all on paper and tied to assets that could fluctuate in value.

It could double, it could [halve], the millennial entrepreneur added. Thats why I think its important that no individual should ever pin their self-worth on things like wealth, net worth, or anything financial.

Its why defining your success by your net worth is a wildly unproductive way to live in his eyes.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Top University of South Carolina officials on Tuesday condemned the vile and juvenile rhetoric used to promote an event next month on campus that will feature two far-right, controversial men.

USCs student chapter of Uncensored America, an organization that claims to be a nonpartisan, nonprofit fighting for freedom of speech, is hosting a roast of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, at the Russell House on Sept. 18.

The roastmasters are Gavin McInnes and Milo Yiannopoulos, both of whom have histories of public, hateful rhetoric.

We do not know what the speakers plan to say during the event, but they have used vulgar language in promotional material and they have said troubling and offensive things in the past, the statement read. We condemn the vile and juvenile rhetoric used to promote this event.

McInnes, a writer and talk show host, is a founder the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled a hate group. He resigned from the group in 2018, Reuters reported, but remains deeply involved.

Yiannopoulos, a right-wing media personality once nicknamed the pop star of hate, is known for his misogynistic, racist, xenophobic and transphobic views.

USC officials have said that as a public university, it is required to allow the event, citing students freedom of speech and open dialogue. But Amiridis and Westbrook wrote that it is not endorsed by USC.

We remain steadfast in safeguarding the First Amendment rights of our students, even when we may be offended by their choices and statements, Amiridis and Westbrook wrote. Censoring even the most hateful individuals and groups does not solve the problems we face in our society, and instead provides them with a platform to win more publicity and support.

The event has upset many people at the university and in Columbia since it was announced last week.

Yeah @UofSC this is what we not doing, prominent South Carolina lawyer and USC alum Bakari Sellers posted on X. Your excuse is lame. I expect some accountability on this asap.

State Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Richland, replied to Sellers post, calling the event unacceptable.

A petition, created on Sunday by USC alumna and longtime campus activist Courtney McClain, had gained more than 6,700 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon. It calls for the relocation or cancellation of the event to ensure marginalized students feel safe and welcomed at the university.

The values espoused by both speakers, including the Founder of the Proud Boys organization and another individual with a history of making racist, sexist, and homophobic comments, are not in alignment with the values outlined in the Carolinian Creed, the petition read. Their discriminatory views directly target the diverse minority population of students and alumni at USC, a community that the university takes great pride in.

The Carolinian Creed, established as a statement of the universitys values in 1990, asks community members to respect the dignity of all persons and discourage bigotry.

Jokata Eaddy, a 2001 USC graduate and the first Black woman elected as the universitys student body president, also took to social media to express her disappointment.

I love (USC) - I spent my best days there, but there is absolutely no excuse for the University to approve a program rooted in sexism, Eaddy wrote. If you allow this program - what does it say to every young woman on campus? This is sexist, violates the Carolina Creed and everything good and decent about my beloved USC.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- The University of Southern Indiana will host an open house today for its $12 million renovation and expansion of its Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center.

Jackpot for Wednesday worth estimated $20.1M

Beginning at 10:30a.m. today students, community members, and University employees are invited to attend the event. During the open house, remarks will be given by Interim President, Steve Bridges and other community and University officials.

Attendees at the open house will have the opportunity to explore the office spaces for Counseling and Psychological Services, Public Safety, Religious Life, Student Wellness, and USI Deaconess Clinic and University Strategic Communication.

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Jesse Martinez unlocks a Yondr pouch that has his cellphone inside on a magnetic unlocking base as he leaves Granger High School in West Valley City on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. Students lock their phones in the pouches when they arrive at school, creating a phone-free learning environment. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

At Granger High School, students start the school day by placing their cellphones in magnetic pouches, where they remain until the end of the instructional day. Then, students place their pouches over a magnet held by a member of the school staff that releases the lock so students can resume the use of their phones. Most students store the pouches in their backpacks.

This is how Granger High School has elected to comply with Granite School Districts new policy on cellphone use, which went into effect at the start of the school year. The policy says phones are off limits during instructional time.

Granger High School Principal Tyler Howe said implementing the policy, which was developed by the school community over 15 months, is a work in progress.

He has observed that their school has become quite noisy at lunch time as students socialize with one another, where before many of them buried their heads in their cellphones.

This really started because teachers approached me saying we need to be more proactive and more intentional about how are we going to address this and carve out the time for learning, he said.

Were on day nine of the school year, weve seen major changes in our school. Ive got teachers reporting to me that they have never fit so much stuff into the time that they have a class period. Theyre getting ahead of schedule, because theres just not the same level of distractions, Howe said during a press conference on Monday.

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, lauded local efforts to rein in cellphone use. Granger is a leader in the state in implementing a cellphone policy that prioritizes the learning environment and students mental health, he said.

Currently, state law is silent on the issue of cellphones, so schools or districts have been adopting their own policies.

Fillmore and Rep. Doug Welton, R-Payson, who is an educator, are proposing a statewide prohibition on cellphone use in schools unless a school district or charter school board adopts a policy that permits their use.

The legislative proposal would flip our script with cellphones in school, Fillmore said.

Mindy Tidwell, instructional coach, holds out a Yondr magnetic unlocking base as students line up to unlock their Yondr pouches that have their cell phones inside as they leave Granger High School in West Valley City on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. Students lock their phones in the pouches when they arrive at school, creating a phone-free learning environment. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

So were preserving local control, but were recognizing that in the time since cellphones, and especially smartphones, became ubiquitous in schools, we have learned so much about their impact on students and their impact on the learning process that we need a reset and we need to make to prohibit cellphones in schools, except in specific circumstances that teachers and school boards and school districts and students and parents can collaborate together to define, Fillmore said.

The draft legislation calls for a proposed $4.8 million, one-time appropriation from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account to offer grants to schools for equipment to implement policies that prohibit cellphone use during instructional time such as the locking magnetic pouches.

The Policy Project, a nonprofit organization that promotes solution-based policies, is collaborating with the Utah Legislature to bolster the effort with private fundraising to help schools purchase needed technology or equipment to implement the state law, said the organizations founder and president Emily Bell McCormick.

Additionally, we will support teachers and administrators by creating a best practice, model, implementation policy that will save our busy schools time and effort to take the guesswork out of the best way to make this change, she said.

A student unlocks a Yondr pouch that has his cellphone inside on a magnetic unlocking base as he leaves Granger High School in West Valley City on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. Students lock their phones in the pouches when they arrive at school, creating a phone-free learning environment. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson said she has observed classrooms where cell phone are used well so she was initially skeptical of the early discussions about a universal prohibition on cellphones in schools.

But as she dug into the data and learned more about the rise in students mental health challenges that correlates with the advent of social media as well teachers frustrations over students who are more focused on what is happening on social media than what is happening in their classrooms, behavioral issues and a lack of engagement, shes had a change of heart.

I have become a convert. ... Our students deserve to be in places that are free of distraction, she said.

Granger High School senior Cameron Black said implementation of the policy has been a mixed bag. Some students have attempted to unlock their phone pouches by slamming them against walls or they bring magnets to school to attempt to pop open the locks.

Black said he has also observed that students are more social and it is easier to learn because there are fewer distractions in classrooms.

Before last school year, everybody would be on their phone. I think this year, this is the loudest our cafeteria has ever been. I mean, Im all for it, he said.
BALLARD, Utah (ABC4)  A man was found with multiple stab wounds inside a Ballard, Utah home late Saturday evening, Aug. 24, according to the Uintah County Sheriffs Office.

Authorities say Owen Shuck, 44, was found unresponsive on the scene after deputies were called to reports of a possible fight in progress. First responders performed life-saving measures on Shuck both at the scene and at a Roosevelt-area hospital before he was flown to the Wasatch Front for further care.

The Uintah County Sheriffs Office confirmed Shuck died due to his wounds on Sunday, Aug. 25.

Students wearing blackface at southern Utah football game awarded school spirit prize, parent claims

The alleged assailant, identified as Brandin Reynolds, 42, of Roosevelt, had fled the scene before deputies arrived, according to the Sheriffs Office. Details on the alleged murder are limited, however, investigators believe Reynolds targeted Shuck.

The Sheriffs Office is still processing evidence and is reportedly looking for a clear motive in the alleged homicide.

Reynolds was safely taken into custody early Sunday morning and is currently being held in the Uintah County Jail on a parole violation. The Sheriffs Office anticipated murder charges to be filed later this week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Two state water experts met recently with Dr. Liam Fox, a global water supply specialist and the recent author of The Coming Storm: Why Water Will Write The 21st Century, to discuss how to improve water security in Utah.

Were seeing more extremes in our water supply. Were seeing hotter hots (and) drier dries. In 2021 (and) 2022, we saw some of the worst drought conditions on record, at least in our lifetime, Utah Division of Water Resources Director Candice Hasenyager told Fridays crowd gathered at the Museum of Natural History.

And then, in 2023, we saw one of the biggest snowpacks statewide that weve seen in our record.

Long-term solutions for resources provided by Mother Nature are complex because of uncertainty in the supply a region will be granted. As the fastest-growing state in 2024, with a similarly growing demand for water, as well as agricultural and recreational needs, there is recognition across the political divide of the need to shore up Utahs water supplies.

A member of the Conservative Party and former Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, Fox said he was always surprised that environmental issues seemed left-leaning.

I believe, as a conservative, that husbanding the resources that you have inherited is a God-given duty that we should be very upfront about in a conservative agenda, he said, adding that he thinks the emphasis should be on humanitarian and ethical concerns when planning for the future.

When youre well fed, and you have plenty to drink, you have lots of problems because youre thinking about everything else in your life thats going on. But when youre hungry or thirsty, you have one problem, Joel Ferry, appointed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in 2022 as the executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, told the Deseret News. We want to be addressing these issues before they get so dark and bleak.

The Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island are pictured on July 20, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Utahs steps toward conservation and sustainability

Hasenyager said following the severe droughts Utah experienced in recent years, state policymakers began taking the issue of water scarcity more seriously.

The legislature appropriated about a billion dollars for water conservation, for our infrastructure, Great Salt Lake issues, Colorado River issues, just a significant amount of investment, she said. There was also a significant amount of changes within water policy, including some of the most, Id say, almost progressive in Utah compared to the rest of the western states.

Use it or lose it was the slogan for water management across the western United States. Owners of water rights in Utah had to use the water they were allotted, or they risked losing their rights to it, leading to  at times  poor water usage. But now, because of some of the policies that have been implemented, an irrigator could make a change application on that saved water to do something else with it, Hasenyager added.

A bill passed in the Legislature earlier this year and signed by Gov. Cox made it possible for the Great Salt Lake to hold a water right. In Utahs 150 years of history, any water that got to the Great Salt Lake, the policy of the state of Utah was that water was wasted, Ferry said. We have made it possible so a body of water like the Great Salt Lake can now hold a water right.

Federal actions on Great Salt Lake

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, as well as Utah Reps. John Curtis and Burgess Owens and former Rep. Chris Stewart, helped pass the Great Salt Lake Recovery Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. The bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the conditions of the saline lakes in the Great Basin, including the Great Salt Lake, to help with management and conservation plans. The bill also funds a study of problems brought on by drought conditions at the lake, and possible solutions.

Last week, Romney said he secured funding for these programs as part of the appropriations process in the Senate. The funding bill still needs to pass the full Senate and House.

For the last several years, I have made it a top priority to preserve and protect our iconic Great Salt Lake, Romney said per a press release. Im glad to see the Appropriations Committee provide funding for my legislation that complements the work being done by the State of Utah to develop a permanent solution to save our Great Salt Lake. We are another step closer to ensuring this critical body of water remains a part of our landscape and ecosystem for many generations to come.

In February, the Biden administration released plans related to the bipartisan infrastructure bill that included $43 million in water infrastructure upgrades for Utah. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Utah has received over $175 million in funds for water infrastructure projects since 2022. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality manages the funding and aims to protect public health and conserve water.

When you look at the policies, they have been wide and vast, and it goes from everything from dealing with how we address agricultural waters to how we are dealing with new development, Ferry said. Were an incredible state, beautiful state, and were constantly doing more towards these efforts because we recognize the needs.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A new clinic will begin providing infusion cancer care in Colorado Springs thanks to more that $500,000 in funding from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Close to Me program.

The VAs Close to Me cancer care service is designed to bring high quality cancer care closer to home. Under this program, the VA said it will provide veterans with the full continuum of cancer care at a local outpatient clinic rather than requiring travel to Aurora. The VA said Close to Me ensures more veterans have the option to choose the VA for their cancer care journey. By reducing travel demands to major, and often urban, medical centers, veterans and their caregivers are afforded more time to go about their daily lives and focus on healing.

According to the VA, the Close to Me program awarded VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (VA ECHCS) a grant that will provide $525,000 for two years to hire registered nurses, a pharmacy technician, and an advanced practice provider to provide anti-cancer therapies at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in Colorado Springs. The Close to Me infusion clinic project kicked off on July 18 and the Colorado Springs clinic is slated to open in Spring 2025.

The VA said Southern Colorado veterans who need anti-cancer infusion like chemotherapy, which can require up to three medical appointments per week, could travel to Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora or they could be referred to community providers for this care. However, due to a shortage of capacity for infusion care in Colorado Springs, the VA said veterans referred to community care are often still required to travel to the Denver metro area several times per week.

Veterans who need anti-cancer therapy are already going through one of the hardest times of their lives. This initiative helps us make their treatment a little bit easier by giving it closer to home, said Dr. Christiane Thienelt, Acting Chief of Oncology. Local treatment in Colorado Springs will reduce the strain of traveling for this care. Were happy that we can add to our services in Colorado Springs that supports some of our sickest patients.

Since the inception of the program in 2021, the VA said nearly 500 veterans have had cancer treatments closer to home in over 20 community-based outpatient clinic locations, reducing travel for veterans and their caregivers by more than 200,000 miles.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Valley Police arrest one in connection with a robbery, still searching for second suspect

VALLEY, Ala. (WRBL)  The Valley Alabama Police Department are still searching for a second suspect in an armed robbery that occurred overnight.

Valley Police say they have arrested 18-year-old Cameron Jamone Tucker, in connection with a robbery that occurred in the 1300 block of Crest Club Drive shortly at about 12 a.m. Tucker is being charged with first degree robbery.

Police are still trying to identify another man they say was involved.

According authorities, Valley Police arrived at the scene shortly after 12 a.m. and spoke with the victim. The victim said he was walking to his apartment between 11:45 p.m. Sunday and 12:00 Monday. He was approached by two men in black shorts with black t-shirts wrapped around their heads who pointed handguns at him and demanded his keys and wallet. After the victim handed over his belongings the robbers escaped into a Red Kia Optima.

Police said no injuries were reported.

The vehicle was later located by police at residence in the 1600 block of Magnolia Road with three men standing around it, one of whom was Tucker. The other two men ran off as police approached and Tucker was taken into custody. He is currently being held in the Chambers County Detention Facility.

Valley Police are asking anyone with information to call the police department at 334-756-5200 or 911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
On Tuesday, Pfizer (PFE) said it will enter the direct-to-consumer business, following the lead of a Big Pharma rival, Eli Lilly (LLY), which launched a similar plan in January.

The new website and patient platform, called PfizerForAll, aims to help patients more quickly access migraine treatments as well as vaccines and treatments for respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. While these are all products of Pfizer, the company contends that patients will not be forced to choose a Pfizer drug. That decision, they say, will remain in the hands of clinicians.

Pfizer chief US commercial officer Aamir Malik told Yahoo Finance the company is hoping to make access to medicines easier. "Navigating our healthcare system is time-consuming. It's complicated. It's overwhelming. And the last thing that anybody needs when they're trying to get the care that they need for themselves or a loved one is to have to navigate that complex, painful, difficult system," Malik said.

Malik and others point out that patients often have to search for doctors who can write the prescriptions they need quickly  or even find a doctor who will see them in a timely manner, Malik said.

Adding to the complexity is the insurance process, which involves various coverage hurdles, such as pre-authorization requests and the hunt for a pharmacy that can dispense the drug at a lower co-pay cost.

But Pfizer's goal isn't to eradicate that complex system. Instead, Malik emphasized that the new portal will simply serve as an additional avenue for patients to get the drugs they are already familiar with, and also introduce new patients to the drugs. (It won't be able to help with drug shortages, as that issue rests with drug manufacturers.)

In addition, the site will have a customer helpline for patients if they run into any of the usual hurdles. That includes contacting the insurer to remove any access barriers or guiding the patients on how to contact the insurers themselves if needed.

How it works

Pfizer will use social media ads to find patients and funnel them to the new portal. The entry point will be whatever health problem the patient is trying to resolve, such as addressing migraine pain. That will lead to a specific landing page, which will offer a telehealth visit through a third-party vendor, UpScript, for $35 or an in-person visit with the booking portal Zocdoc.

At that point, the patient is outside of the Pfizer portal and has a visit with a clinician who can prescribe an appropriate drug. This could be a Pfizer drug  or not, Malik said.

Story continues

There is no revenue sharing from the clinical visits or the prescriptions, which means that clinicians aren't getting paid or sharing in profits of the sales if they prescribe a Pfizer drug.

Patients can then get the drug mailed or pick it up at their regular pharmacy. In the case of vaccines, Pfizer will help book appointments at major retail pharmacies CVS (CVS) or Walgreens (WBA), which have more than 17,000 locations combined across the country  and more pharmacies anticipated in the future. Under respiratory care, Pfizer will also offer access to at-home tests through Instacart (CART) the same day or via two-day shipping from Amazon (AMZN).

Pfizer said that the company doesn't see this as a profit-focused business. "We're not building this as a standalone business with a revenue and a profit objective to it," Malik told Yahoo Finance. "We're not holding revenue targets to PfizerForAll." Instead, the company will measure success on how popular the site is.

A screenshot of PfizerForAll consumer platform for respiratory season. (Pfizer) (Screenshot of PfizerForAll consumer platform for respiratory season. Credit: Pfizer.)

The market

Eli Lilly launched its site, LillyDirect, earlier this year to help patients with diabetes, obesity, and migraines.

Lilly CEO David Ricks noted that the telehealth solution helps obesity patients the most  especially those hunting for its blockbuster drug, Zepbound. He told Yahoo Finance in January that "patients report doctor shopping" for someone who will write their prescription. That's why the site, in addition to offering telehealth, can also help find an obesity specialist by zip code.

LillyDirect is similar to PfizerForAll in that it relies on replicating the traditional pathway to get a prescription. But the clinicians are different. Whereas Pfizer is using one platform for telehealth and ZocDoc for doctor's visits, Lilly is using three different telehealth platforms.

For diabetes and obesity, Lilly is using 9amHealth, which accepts a limited number of insurance plans only in Texas and California. It is unclear if patients in other states have access. Lilly is also using FormHealth for obesity, which accepts most major insurers and Medicare. For migraine treatments, the company partnered with Cove, which accepts insurers and has a $30 copay or costs $99 for a visit without insurance.

Compare that to the $35 flat fee through Pfizer for UpScript.

In the eight months since its launch, it is unclear how well LillyDirect is doing. Lilly declined to provide Yahoo Finance with updates on traffic to the site.

In a first quarter earnings call in April, Lilly USA Diabetes and Obesity president Patrik Jonsson said that the site was "gaining traction by weeks." But in response to a question about tracking prescriptions for GLP-1 weight loss drug Zepbound, Jonsson said, "It's relatively low volume that goes through LillyDirect."

But new patients, who are filling prescriptions for the drug for the first time in their lives through the site, was slightly higher, he said. No specific numbers were provided.

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. That includes GLP-1s, of course. Follow Anjalee on most social media platforms @AnjKhem.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices
By Vivian Sequera

CARACAS (Reuters) -Peaceful street protests and international pressure still have the potential to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Tuesday, as an election dispute reached the one-month mark and the opposition's pathways to claim power seemed narrow.

The disagreement over the July 28 contest has sparked international cries for the release of full vote tallies, deadly protests and moves by the country's prosecutor to investigate the opposition and arrest journalists.

Machado said in an interview with Reuters that the opposition has a "robust strategy" to claim victory. She would give no details but added that she and former opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez are united.

"It is the coordination between internal and external forces which will achieve change," Machado, who has appeared at marches but otherwise been in hiding since the vote, said via video call. "What does Maduro have left today? A very reduced group of high-ranking soldiers, the control of magistrates from the (top court) and arms ... he is sowing fear."

Venezuela's national electoral authority and its top court named Maduro the election's victor, saying he won just over half of votes in the election.

But tallies from about 80% of ballot boxes posted on an opposition website show a resounding victory for Gonzalez, giving him 67% support.

Some Western countries, nearly all democracies in the Americas and international bodies such as a United Nations panel of experts have called for the release of full vote tallies, with some alleging outright fraud by the ruling party.

The electoral council has not yet posted detailed tallies, saying a cyberattack on election day affected its systems.

Asked if Maduro, who has said Machado and Gonzalez should be jailed for stoking violence at protests, could remain in power on the back of military control, Machado said "no, absolutely not."

Hours after Machado spoke to Reuters, she posted on social media that "the regime of Nicolas Maduro has kidnapped" Perkins Rocha, a lawyer for her Vente Venezuela movement and her personal friend.

"We keep moving forward, for Perkins, for all those jailed and persecuted and for all of Venezuela," Machado said on X.

IGNORED SUMMONS

The interview came the same day that Gonzalez ignored, for a second time, a summons to appear at the attorney general's office to testify about the opposition website.

Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, ignored his first summons on Monday and an arrest warrant could be issued for him if he ignores a third.

Venezuelans are feeling rage and pain over repression and the country's profound economic woes, Machado said.

Asked if those feelings could lead to violent protests, Machado said she is confident Venezuelans understand how "to manage our power."

"There is a robust strategy that we are advancing simultaneously on many fronts: national public opinion, keeping our people focused on the goal," she said. "We should not underestimate people ... People are informed, aligned, protecting each other, denouncing the abuses of the regime."

Protests since the vote have led to at least 27 deaths and 2,400 arrests, and both the opposition and the ruling party have asked supporters to demonstrate on Wednesday, the one-month anniversary of the vote.

Ruling party officials have accused the opposition of promoting violence and Attorney General Tarek Saab launched criminal probes into opposition leader Machado, Gonzalez and the website this month.

Detentions of opposition figures and protesters have continued in the weeks since, as the ruling party-controlled national assembly passed a law tightening rules on non-governmental organizations, and unions denounced alleged forced resignations of state employees espousing pro-opposition views.

(Reporting by Vivian SequeraWriting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Rod Nickel)
CARACAS (Reuters) -Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday made major changes to his cabinet, including leadership of the oil and finance ministries and state oil company PDVSA, after a contested election both the ruling party and the opposition claim to have won.

The changes, which include a return to the cabinet by ruling party leader and famed hard-liner Diosdado Cabello and a change in duties for Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who will add the oil ministry to her brief, came as Maduro shifted his rhetoric away from the election dispute and toward promised changes.

The disagreement over the July 28 election has sparked international calls for the release of full vote tallies, deadly protests and moves by the country's prosecutor to investigate the opposition and arrest journalists, even as the opposition insists a change in government is still possible.

The cabinet changes are "a profound renovation of the national government and we are putting together a new team which will help us transition everything for this era, open new paths ... speed the changes the people need," Maduro said during an event broadcast live.

Cabello, a close ally of Maduro's predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, will be the new interior, justice and peace minister, after being second in command of ruling party PSUV and the host of a colorful weekly show on state television, where he inveighs against the opposition and Venezuela's international critics.

"Today I think Venezuela is on the path of definitive peace, a peace with justice, a peace where the people feel that those who have acted against the constitution and the law have justice applied to them on time," said Cabello, a former vice president and lawmaker who also served as interior and justice minister in the early 2000s.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez will remain in her post, but add the oil ministry to her brief, Maduro added, while Anabel Pereira will replace Rodriguez as finance minister.

Rodriguez has built close relationships with business people as finance minister, connections that may help shore up PDVSA sales even despite U.S. sanctions, as the government grapples with high inflation and other economic woes.

Hector Obregon is the new president of PDVSA, replacing Pedro Tellechea, who will move to head the Industry Ministry, Maduro said on state television.

ELECTION DISPUTE

Yvan Gil and Vladimir Padrino will remain in their respective posts as foreign minister and defense minister, Maduro said.

Reuters reported earlier, citing three sources, that Maduro would name Obregon to PDVSA and designate a new oil minister.

Obregon is a lawyer who was added to PDVSA's executive board last year as part of his government responsibilities, which also include positions at the finance ministry and Venezuela's development bank.

Tellechea, appointed to both PDVSA and the oil ministry in 2023, promised to target endemic corruption at the financially troubled company while hoping to win over its thousands of workers, a move critical to securing much-needed cash for the country.

Peaceful street protests and international pressure still have the potential to unseat Maduro, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told Reuters on Tuesday.

Dozens of employees at PDVSA, the oil ministry and other parts of the public sector have been forced to resign since the election over their political views, workers and unions have said.

(Reporting by Mircely Guanipa, Deisy Buitrago, Marianna Parraga, Mayela Armas and Vivian Sequera; writing by Marianna Parraga and Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
A Marine veterans self-published book documenting his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol led to his arrest Thursday on felony charges, including assaulting law enforcement officers.

Nathan Thornsberry, 42, of North Branch, Michigan, wrote the book, January 6: A Patriots Story, and was using Facebook to promote a revision, January 6th Redux: A Patriots Story. An acquaintance saw Thornsberrys social media post about the second book and submitted a tip to the FBI, according to court documents.

The Justice Department said authorities used video footage and images from the Capitol breach to identify Thornsberry and charge him with felony charges of obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, as well as four misdemeanors.

Police bodycam footage showed Thornsberry pressed against a metal bike rack officers were using as a barricade. Authorities allege Thornsberry pushed against the barricade and yelled, Bring it!

A photo taken by an individual in the crowd shows Marine veteran Nathan Thornsberry pushing backward against a police barrier during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, authorities allege. (Justice Department)

In the images of Thornsberry on Jan. 6, hes wearing a black jacket with a large U.S. Marine Corps emblem on the back, as well as a Trump 2020 shirt and gloves with reinforced knuckles.

The Marine Corps confirmed Tuesday that Thornsberry served for five years and reached the rank of corporal before leaving the service in 2011. He worked as an air traffic controller and combat engineer, and he deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. Thornsberrys last duty station was Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he served as part of the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

Thornsberry published his first book under the name Nathaniel Matthews in February 2022 and sold copies on Amazon, authorities allege. A description of the author on Amazon says Matthews is an Afghanistan War veteran who served in the Marine Corps. The FBI subpoenaed Amazon for records that show the Nathaniel Matthews author account was registered by Nathan Thornsberry.

The revised version of the book was posted for sale in March 2023. According to court documents, an excerpt of the book said, This work is based on the eyewitness report of the author and review of available video and photographs.

In the book, Thornsberry wrote he traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Stop the Steal protest, which consisted of supporters of former President Donald Trump who believed unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Thornsberry also described his belief of a conspiracy theory about a deep state group of unelected officials secretly controlling the U.S. government.

In his description of the events at the Capitol, Thornsberry wrote he was attempting to protect other protesters when he was pushed against the police line. That account is not consistent with video footage from the scene, which shows Thornsberry voluntarily pushing against the police line with no one blocking his exit, federal authorities said in court documents.

With Thornsberrys arrest, nearly 1,500 people from all 50 states have been charged with crimes related to the breach of the Capitol, and 550 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, the Justice Department said.

As of May, 222 of the individuals charged or convicted for their involvement that day had military backgrounds, according to data from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism.

This story was produced in partnership with Military Veterans in Journalism. Please send tips to MVJ-Tips@militarytimes.com.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Hoffmann Hospice, Brookdale Riverwalk Senior Community, and the Wounded Heroes Fund will host a Veteran Pinning Ceremony to honor 50 veteran residents at Brookdale Riverwalk.

The ceremony is set for Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at 3 p.m. at 350 Calloway Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93309.

When I enlisted I wanted to be a mechanic, I didnt want to fly, I just evolved

During the ceremony, each veteran will receive a pin, a handshake, a salute, and a heartfelt thank you for their service to our country.

Its just been surgery after surgery: Ridgecrest burn unit patient surprised with celebration

In addition, veteran wives will be acknowledged with a flower to recognize their role in supporting their loved ones.

Hoffmann Hospice, a local organization, is one of the few hospice agencies in California to earn 5-star recognition from the We Honor Veterans Program. This program aims to address the unique needs of Americas Veterans and their families, ensuring they receive compassionate care and support.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
IRON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  The victim of a fatal rollover was identified by Utah Highway Patrol earlier today.

Payton Roberts, 28, was identified as the victim of a semi-truck crash that took place approximately a week ago. ABC4 previously reported that in the early morning hours of Aug. 18, two semi-trucks were heading northbound on I-15 near milepost 85 in Iron County, just north of Parowan.

BACKGROUND INFO: One dead in semi-truck rollover crash north of Parowan

According to Cpl. Haley Scheer, from UHP, for an unknown reason, the semi in back rear-ended the semi in front, then veered off the right shoulder and rolled.

Roberts, the driver of the rolled semi, died at the scene.

UHP has not released any further information on the incident.

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BLUE MOUND, Ill. (WCIA)  An employee was fired from the village of Blue Mound for putting the municipality in jeopardy.

Minutes from a meeting showed Jennifer Prasun was fired unanimously at their July 1 meeting. In the minutes, Blue Mound Chief Chad Lamb said he would pack up her personal belongings.

DACC faculty union addresses Danville Mayors allegations against college president

The board said they will pursue legal action against Prasun. Lamb said he would hand over the investigation to Illinois State Police as they are impartial. An ISP spokesperson told WCIA Tuesday afternoon that they have not made an arrest.

At the meeting it was repeated to address any inquiry of Prasun by saying the village cannot comment on personnel matters, and shes gone due to actions detrimental to the village.

Minutes from that meeting also show the village secretary, Diana Kupish, has temporarily taken over the task of handling payroll until a new employee is hired. The board is also considering hiring a treasurer and getting a village safe for important documents.

This is a developing story. We will provide updates as we learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
That Viral Burglary Suspect Who Recognized the Judge as An Old Classmate, Is Back...In Trouble

Well, what do we have here? The burglary suspect who went viral almost a decade ago after his emotional reunion with his judge is now back in jail for similar crimes.



The last time we saw Arthur Nathaniel Booth was in a 2015 video where he stood before Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer. Back then, he was facing charges of burglary and grand theft. During his bond hearing, Glazer gave a kind word of encouragement after recognizing Booth from the classroom of Nautilus Middle School.

I always wondered what happened to you - the nicest kid in middle school, Glazer said in the video. Good luck to you. I hope youre able to come out of this OK and lead a lawful life.

Almost immediately, Booth was moved from an ear-to-ear grin to a loud sob. Oh my goodness, he repeated. The two reunited in 2016 when Booth was released after serving 10 months in jail upon the completion of a court program.

Shes an inspiration and motivation to me right now. Seeing Mindy is incredible cause I knew where I couldve been, he said. He made a promise to Glazer not to let her down, and lead a new life of sobriety. However, the Miami Police Department said hes been arrested again, eight years later, for a new slew of charges.

Booth was connected to a string of crimes in August, the department said. In one incident, police allege he knocked on a persons door posing as a water inspector. Once he gained access into the home, police said he snooped around and stole some jewelry before fleeing. In another instance, police alleged Booth posed as a plumber and stole a chain from a victim before fleeing. Booth was also connected to more chain-snatching incidents.

An individual like this needs to be behind bars, said police spokesman Freddie Cruz in a statement.

Last week, Booth was charged with several counts of burglary and assault. Its unclear whether Booth was abusing substances as he was previously accused of. However, he was denied bond, per jail records. Theres no telling whether hell end up in front of Judge Glazer again.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  The U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) said that a Loudoun County man was arrested Monday on a string of charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the Capitol.

Anatoliy Anatolievich Lutsik, 32, of Sterling, Va., was handed felony charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers and civil disorder.

According to court documents, the USAO said Lutsik was in a crowd of rioters on the West Front of the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6. Throughout the day, he picked up a fire extinguisher and sprayed officers, pulled a bike rack that was used as a police barrier and entered the U.S. Capitol.

Husband of missing Manassas Park mom Mamta Kafle Bhatt denied bond

Officials believe Lutsik entered the Capitol shortly after 2:30 p.m. and, according to video, made a video call and stated, Hey ma, Im in the Senate. I told yall Id make something of myself.

He left the Capitol at around 2:45 p.m.

His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, the USAO stated in a news release.

In addition to his felony charges, Lutsik is also facing misdemeanor offenses, such as entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and engaging in an act of violence in the Capitol grounds or building, among others.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The Amtrak platform in downtown Roanoke. (Wyatt Gordon/For The Virginia Mercury)

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority has reached a new deal with Norfolk Southern to extend its state-supported Amtrak service to the New River Valley by 2028, while avoiding a costly tunnel upgrade and making it easier to eventually bring service to Bristol.

Under the new agreement, which the VPRAs board of directors approved by a unanimous vote at its meeting in Richmond Tuesday, the state will also purchase Norfolk Southerns Manassas Line and gain access to the companys main line, also dubbed the N-Line  a move that is expected to increase passenger rail options for thousands of Virginians.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin commended the board for voting to advance a better, faster, and cheaper solution to bring passenger rail back to a historic location in the New River Valley while also providing opportunities to bolster service in Northern Virginia.

We are excited to deliver these benefits as we continue to accelerate results not only in these two regions, but across the entire commonwealth, Youngkin said.

According to VPRA, the agreement with Norfolk Southern would support the expansion of two Amtrak round trips to Christiansburg and provide for a third, operating between Roanoke and Christiansburg, at a lower cost than originally planned.

In addition, the purchase of the Manassas Line allows for an increase of the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line service in the future with additional frequencies including evening and weekend options. The line originates at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and goes to Broad Run in Prince William County.

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VPRA first announced in June that it had reached out to Norfolk Southern asking to re-open negotiations after receiving public input which supported service to Christiansburg along the N-Line and seeking a more cost-effective and timelier alternative for that service. Over the past three months, the two entities have worked together to develop plans which will allow passenger rail service to return to Christiansburg via Norfolk Southerns Cambria Yard, which already served the community from 1904 to 1979.

In the spring of 2021, then-Gov. Ralph Northam first announced during a visit in Christiansburg that Virginia had reached an agreement with Norfolk Southern to bring passenger rail to the New River Valley and increase the intercity service from Roanoke to the Northeast corridor. The Northam administration and Norfolk Southern reached a definitive agreement in January of 2022.

This original proposal included the construction of a temporary platform on Cinnabar Road in 2028 with an extension through the Merrimac Tunnel to a permanent station near the New River Valley Mall in 2030. But in early 2024, the VPRA released a report stating that upgrading the pre-World War I-era tunnel to modern passenger rail standards would be so expensive that an extension of the line to Bristol would be impossible.

The updated agreement approved Tuesday cuts the estimated total cost of the original plan by more than half  from $951 million to $444 million, which is already funded after the Commonwealth Transportation Board last month approved the VPRAs amended capital budget to include an increase from $433 million to $487 million for the plan to expand passenger rail service to Christiansburg. The money stems from existing funds in VPRAs nearly $6 billion capital budget.

The VPRA said at the time that these capital funds will help cover the purchase of the Manassas Line and infrastructure improvements in Roanoke to accommodate more trains and rights to run passenger service on Norfolk Southerns N-Line to Christiansburg. The funds will also cover infrastructure costs to build the platform and siding track at the Cambria station site.

We look forward to finalizing this agreement, which will make passenger rail a viable option for even more Virginians, said DJ Stadtler, the VPRAs executive director. We appreciate Norfolk Southerns partnership and look forward to working with them to expand passenger rail in the Commonwealth.

Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, a longtime advocate for extending passenger rail to Southwest Virginia, hailed the proposal as an important step toward limiting surface transportation on Interstate 81  and doing it in a more timely manner than originally planned.

I see this as another ability to alleviate some of the congestion growth on Interstate 81, Austin said in a phone interview Tuesday. The new location going to the old train station in Christiansburg is a nice use of an old terminal, there is adequate parking there, and the facilities are nice and can be renovated to bring back new life. Trying to go through the Merrimac Tunnel would have been a disaster. Im just really happy about the whole process, I think we made a wise decision here.

The inclusion of the Manassas Line in the new agreement also gives VPRA the flexibility to work with the Virginia Railway Express to expand service along their Manassas Line. The ability to add evening and weekend service is something the commuter agency has recently sought as commuting trends have changed, and the need for service beyond traditional commuting times has increased.

Mike McClellan, Norfolk Southerns chief strategy officer, hailed the agreement as having the potential to benefit generations of Virginians with reliable, convenient rail travel, while also balancing the needs of the freight rail network the economy relies on.

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The two sides in the fight over Krogers and Albertsons desire to merge finally got their day in court Monday.

It was actually the first of what is expected to be about three weeks worth of days in a case that, important as it is, wont settle the fight, no matter how the judge rules. But it could portend the final outcome.

Much is at stake. Will prices go up? Will stores close or be sold? Will workers keep their jobs and wages? Will customers suffer? Each side says the others proposed actions pose the greater risk to shoppers and communities

Here is what is happening and why in the biggest planned grocery merger in U.S. history, along with who is involved, and how the hearing could affect the companies, their 700,000-plus employees, their nearly 5,000 stores that sell groceries in Idaho and elsewhere, and the millions of households who shop in them.

What is this court case about?

Kroger and Albertsons announced in 2022 that they wanted to merge. More precisely, Kroger, the nations largest traditional grocery company, wanted to buy Boises Albertsons, the second-largest, to form a supermarket colossus under Krogers control. The two companies said merging would help them compete more effectively with Walmart, Amazon and other retailers.

With more leverage over suppliers, they said, lower prices would result. But skeptics, including the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from multiple states, dont believe them.

The FTC decided to hold administrative hearings to decide whether to approve the merger or block it, as federal law authorizes the agency to do. But the FTC worried that the two companies could merge without waiting for those hearings, which have yet to begin.

So in February, the agency and the states sued Kroger and Albertsons in federal court. They want a judge to issue a preliminary injunction to prohibit a merger before the FTC completes its hearings.

Thats the court proceeding that began Monday  not a trial, but a hearing to decide whether the judge should issue that injunction, a temporary court order intended to maintain the status quo until a final ruling is ultimately made.

The hearing is in U.S. District Court in Portland, where Krogers Fred Meyer chain is based.

A Fred Meyer grocery store at 5230 W. Franklin St. in Boise.

Who is fighting the merger?

The lead plaintiff is the Federal Trade Commission, created by Congress in 1914 to block unfair competition in commerce. Its legal authority includes policing anticompetitive, unfair or deceptive business practices and regulating rules of trade within industries. Members are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Four of the five incumbent commissioners were appointed by President Joe Biden, including Chair Lisa M. Khan.

Story continues

Joining the FTC are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming. All are Democrats except Wyomings Bridget Hill, a Republican.

The attorneys general of four states  Alabama, Iowa, Georgia and Ohio  joined the case to support the merger. All are Republicans.

Meanwhile, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, both Democrats, have sued independently of the FTC to block the merger. The judge in the Colorado case temporarily blocked the merger in July until that lawsuit, which has not yet gone to trial, is resolved.

Idaho-based grocery store Albertsons has many Boise locations, including this one at 1219 S Broadway Ave.

What do opponents say?

The FTC said the reduced competition would also lead to lower-quality products and services as consumers choices diminish. The agency said the merger would immediately erase aggressive competition for workers, too.

Krogers acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today, Henry Liu, director of the FTCs Bureau of Competition, said in February. Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.

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What do Kroger and Albertsons say?

They promised not to raise prices in response to the merger. We will offer lower prices and more choices on products customers want, need and love, Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran and Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen wrote in a 2023 op-ed.

Kroger on Aug. 16 promised to double, to $1 billion, what it calls its investment in lower prices if the merger goes through.

Kroger also promised that it will not close any stores, distribution centers or manufacturing facilities or lay off any frontline associates as a result of the merger.

The companies also promised that C&S would take care of employees it takes on.

All existing collective bargaining agreements will continue, and associates will continue to receive industry-leading health care and pension benefits alongside bargained-for wages, the companies have said.

Why do Albertsons and Kroger want this merger, anyway?

The companies say it would help them compete more effectively in the shifting grocery market, where they face competition from Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Boises WinCo Foods and other stores. Greater buying power is one benefit they cite. For example, Albertsons says it must pay more for some products wholesale than Walmart charges at retail.

Even the combined company wont command as much of the nations grocery market as Walmart does, a retail analyst who supports the merger told the Idaho Statesman.

In public statements, Kroger and Albertsons have sought to emphasize the benefits they say the merger will bring to customers, workers and communities. The combined company will have a positive impact on our associates and the communities we are proud to serve, Sankaran told a Senate committee in November 2022.

Kroger in 2024 operates more than 2,700 supermarkets and 2,200 pharmacies in 36 states under banners including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Quality Food Center or QFC, Bakers, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co., Frys, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Jay C., King Soopers, Marianos, Metro Market, Pay-Less, PIckn Save, Ralphs, Ruler and Smiths.

Albertsons Cos. in 2024 had nearly 2,300 stores in 35 states under at least 22 banners: Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Lucky, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Acme, Shaws, Star Market, Kings, United Supermarkets, United Express, Market Street, Amigos, Haggen, Andronicos Community Markets, Balduccis, and Pak n Save Foods.

How much would Albertsons private-equity owners receive?

But the deal would benefit Albertsons shareholding owners, too.

The merger resulted from a review of strategic alternatives the company announced in February 2022. It would culminate an 18-year effort by Cerberus Capital Management to make and keep Albertsons profitable for its investors.

Cerberus, cofounded and led by billionaire Stephen Feinberg, is a New York private equity firm that led a group of investment companies that first acquired part of the then-struggling Albertsons Inc. in 2006. Cerberus and its partner companies gave up part of their ownership in return for money when they decided to start selling some stock to the public in 2020. Today the partners no longer have significant ownership in Albertsons, but Cerberus still owns 26% of it.

Kroger agreed in 2022 to pay $34.10 per share for Albertsons stock, a price that valued Albertsons at $24.6 billion. Albertsons already has since paid out $4 billion of that in a special $6.85 dividend. At the remaining $27.25 per share, Cerberus stands to receive $4.1 billion, based on the shares it reported holding as of Feb. 14.

What do others say, pro and con?

Unions representing workers in both grocery chains oppose the merger.

Six locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers on Monday held a news conference before the Portland hearing began to reiterate their resistance.

Were fighting back because we know that the proposed mega-merger between Kroger and Albertsons would likely lead to job losses, store closures, pharmacy and food deserts, and higher prices, which would harm working families in both rural and urban communities across the country, said Kim Cordova, the unions international vice president and the president of Local 7, representing workers in Colorado and Wyoming. Kroger and Albertsons claim the merger is necessary to compete with Walmart and Amazon, but their true goal is to consolidate power and increase profits at the expense of workers and customers.

But U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat representing Krogers home state of Ohio, favors the merger. So does Greg Landsman, a Democratic congressman representing Cincinnati, where Kroger is headquartered.

This merger has the potential to be great for the region and great for workers, Brown told the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce in June 2023. Ive been in touch with Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen. He knows that companies like Kroger need to work collaboratively with their unions if they want to succeed in the future. This would make them one of the largest union employers in the country, if they do this right.

Members of Idahos congressional delegation have remained mostly silent on the matter.

What would happen to stores under the merger?

If the companies win, they would sell 579 stores under assorted banners to C&S Wholesale Grocers LLC, a little-known, New Hampshire business led by billionaire Rick Cohen that has operated primarily as a wholesaler so far. The stores include 10 Albertsons supermarkets in Idaho, including six in Boise, one in Meridian and one in Nampa, the Idaho Statesman reported July 9.

The companies have not said why these 10 stores were chosen, nor what names the Idaho stores would receive. C&S operates two retail grocery chains: Piggly Wiggly in the South, Midwest and Northeast, and Grand Union in New York and Vermont.

Who will decide who wins?

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson. She is a 2023 appointee of Bidens and a former member of the Oregon Supreme Court.

What happened Monday in the court hearing?





A lawyer for Albertsons told Nelson that it might have to lay off workers, close stores and stop serving some markets if its planned merger with Kroger isnt allowed to proceed, Reuters reported from Portland.

If Nelson grants the FTCs request for a preliminary injunction, Kroger and Albertsons could not merge until the FTCs own administrative hearing is finished. That could take a year.

A lawyer for Kroger, Matthew Wolf, told the judge that the additional delays caused by an injunction could sink the merger even before the FTC hearing begins. He said the FTCs in-house administrative process is so long and cumbersome that merger deals almost always fall apart before its through, The Associated Press wrote.

This proceeding will decide the fate of the merger. Let there be no mistake, Wolf said, according to WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. There are 85 million families that are waiting to hear what will happen.

What about those missing Albertsons text messages?

Nelson noted a strike against Albertsons in an order she issued Sunday in preparation for the Portland hearing.

The order put into writing a decision she made Friday that the Statesman reported. The order said that the judge would not draw what lawyers call an adverse inference from the failure of four Albertsons executives, including Sankaran, the CEO, to produce text messages about the merger. An adverse-inference ruling implies that the court infers a violation of the law from the destruction or withholding of evidence.

Nelson said the FTC did not show that Albertsons executives intended to withhold the texts from the court, so she could not impose an adverse inference. But she said the lost text messages should have been preserved for the court, and Albertsons failed to take reasonable steps to preserve them.

Accordingly, the court grants plaintiffs leave to examine in depth the four witnesses practice of deleting text messages and will treat with skepticism claims regarding those texts, the judge wrote.

What happens next?

The participants expect the Portland hearing to continue until mid-September.

Kroger has started to fight the FTCs administrative process on a separate front.

In an Aug. 19 request for a preliminary injunction of its own, filed in Cincinnati, the company said the FTC violated a standard the U.S. Supreme Court set in a June ruling that curbed some government use of administrative tribunals.

That ruling said defendants facing punitive enforcement actions have a Seventh Amendment right to a trial by jury. Krogers request could provide an early test of that standards application to other circumstances, such as the merger.

Kroger wants a court, not the FTC, to decide the mergers fate. We are asking the court to halt what amounts to an unlawful proceeding before the FTCs own in-house tribunal, McMullen said.

The companies agreed to an order delaying the merger until five business days after the judge rules on the FTCs request or a later date set by the court.

Meanwhile, the two state lawsuits are moving ahead. A hearing on Washingtons request for a permanent injunction is scheduled to start Sept. 16, and one on Colorados request is scheduled to start Sept. 30.

What is Albertsons story?

Joe Albertson founded his first store at 16th and State streets in 1939 where Boises downtown meets the North End. He incorporated the company in 1945 and led it as chairman as the business kept expanding until his retirement in 1976.

This monument faces State Street in front of Albertsons first grocery store, now demolished. A newer, larger replacement supermarket still operates behind the monument at 1650 W. State St.

After Albertson died in 1993, his company struggled as Walmart and other competitors rose, the Statesman previously reported. Albertsons Inc. put itself up for sale in 2005 and broke up in 2006 after years of losses.

An investment consortium led by Cerberus bought some of the stores and continued running them from Albertsons headquarters in Boise, though none of those stores were in Idaho. Supervalu, a Minnesota company grocery wholesaler, bought the rest, including the Albertsons stores in Idaho.

That meant there were two Albertsons chains for several years. Both companies sold or closed some stores, but Supervalu still couldnt make a go of it, so it sold its remaining stores to the Cerberus consortium in 2013, reuniting what remained of the two Albertsons chains.

The reunited company more than doubled in size in 2015 when it merged with the larger Safeway chain. It attempted to merge with Rite Aid in 2018, but that effort fell apart.

Albertsons has sharply reduced the debt it took on in the 2013 reunion and the 2015 Safeway acquisition. The company has opened new stores and modernized others in the Boise area over the past decade.

A new Albertsons that opened in 2018 on Broadway Avenue in Boise offered upscale food items and services that go beyond what traditional Albertsons stores offered.

Today, Albertsons remains Idahos largest company and a Boise icon. It has $79 billion in yearly sales, 285,000 employees nationwide and more than 5,000 employees in Idaho, making it the Gem States fourth-largest employer. It has more than 2,200 retail food and drug stores under 24 banners in 34 states, including 37 in its native state, all operating under the Albertsons banner.

The median Albertsons employee in 2023 earned $31,781 per year, the company said in June in its 2024 proxy statement. Sankaran, the CEO, earned 475 times that much, $15.1 million.

Krogers Fred Meyer unit, based in Portland, competes directly with Albertsons in the Boise area. Fred Meyer employs more than 2,000 Idahoans and has seven stores in the Treasure Valley. Kroger, based in Cincinnati, employs more than 400,000 people nationwide.

Divesting 10 Idaho stores would reduce Albertsons Idaho footprint to 27 stores, a distribution center in Meridian and whatever Kroger keeps of Albertsons corporate headquarters operation in Boise.

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A coalition of anti-gerrymandering groups urge Utah voters to reject a constitutional amendment on ballot initiatives during a rally at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Aug. 26, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch)

With a rallying cry of vote no, vote no, vote no, hundreds of Utahns packed onto the steps of the Utah Capitol on Monday to launch a campaign urging voters to reject a proposed constitutional amendment this November.

The campaign, spearheaded by the anti-gerrymandering group Better Boundaries, has so far raised $30,000 for the effort from some 270 donors and counting, according to executive director Katie Wright.

We believe in checks and balances, and we are united in keeping our state balanced, Wright said during the rally. We will not give up our rights to politicians. Politicians are asking you to give up your constitutional right, but we will vote no.

Wright, referring to a letter circulated ahead of last weeks special session that more than 2,500 people signed urging Utah lawmakers to respect the Utah Supreme Court interpretation of the Utah Constitution, said Better Boundaries has heard from thousands of Utans who are united against this power grab.

Among those who spoke during the rally were leaders from the bipartisan group Mormon Women for Ethical Government, as well as at least one Republican legislator (Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City) who voted against putting the proposed constitutional amendment on Utahns ballots.

One of the most prominent speakers, however, was retired Utah Supreme Court chief justice, Christine Durham.

Durham served on Utahs Independent Redistricting Commission, which in 2021 recommended independently drawn electoral maps. But Utahs Republican supermajority ultimately ignored them  which led to an anti-gerrymandering lawsuit over Utahs redistricting process, a Utah Supreme Court ruling that revived the lawsuit and upset Republican lawmakers, and, eventually the debate Monday over whether to amend Utahs Constitution in spite of the court ruling.

Mondays rally  where protesters carried bright red signs reading protect your rights, vote no  came just five days after the Utah Legislature called itself into an emergency special session to place a complex but crucial question before voters on the Nov. 5 ballot to effectively ask voters to sidestep a recent Utah Supreme Court ruling that Utahs Republican supermajority worries will handcuff their power to alter or repeal ballot initiatives.

The question before voters: Should the Utah Constitution be amended to make clear the Utah Legislature has the ultimate power to amend, enact or repeal a law adopted by any ballot initiative, as well as should it be amended to ban foreign individuals, entities or governments from influencing an initiative or referendum?

Or should the Utah Supreme Court decision stand  and should the Utah Constitution remain the same?

Republican legislative leaders argue the constitutional amendment is needed because the Utah Supreme Courts ruling paved the way for invincible super laws enacted by ballot initiatives that the Utah Legislature would have no way of changing.

But Democrats, some Republicans that voted against putting the constitutional amendment on the ballot, and other opponents including anti-gerrymandering groups like Better Boundaries, argued that fears of super laws are an unfounded overreaction. They also note the Supreme Courts decision sets limits, specifically when it comes to government reform ballot initiatives  and it explicitly states the Legislature can still alter ballot initiatives, just not undermine them.

The argument against

Ryan Bell, a board member of Better Boundaries, started his remarks by saying Utahns now find themselves in a very strange situation.

The Utah State Legislature is seeking to ensure its supremacy over the will and voice of the people of Utah, Bell said, which drew boos from the crowd.

He said the Utah Constitution gives the people the right to enact laws through the ballot initiative process, but it has become clear that when the people exercise this right, the Legislature gets defensive of what they do as their turf.

Bell said lawmakers demonstrated that in 2018, after voters approved Better Boundaries ballot initiative, Proposition 4, which sought an independent commission to set Utahs political boundaries during its redistricting process. When voters passed that ballot initiative, he said Utahns sent a message to lawmakers that we no longer trust them to draw fair election districts.

They chose to ignore the express will of the people, tossing out the initiative and passing their own law, appropriating back to themselves the right to draw their own legislative districts in the way that they choose, he said.

A coalition of anti-gerrymandering groups urge Utah voters to reject a constitutional amendment on ballot initiatives during a rally at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Aug. 26, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch)

Believing the Utah Constitution gave them ultimate authority to repeal and replace ballot initiatives with their own versions of the law, the Utah Legislature in 2020 adopted a watered-down version of the new redistricting process. That allowed Utah Lawmakers to ignore independently-drawn maps and adopt their own versions, which is ultimately what Republican lawmakers did in 2021 when it came time to set Utahs new political districts for the next 10 years.

Those 2021 maps cracked Democratic strongholds in the red state of Utah, including a congressional map that sliced Utahs most populated county, Salt Lake County, into four congressional districts.

A lawsuit challenged the Legislatures repeal and replacement of that independent commission. The League of Women Voters of Utah  along with the group Mormon Women for Ethical Government and individual Salt Lake County residents who alleged they were disenfranchised by unlawful gerrymandering  claimed the Utah Legislature overstepped when it repealed and replaced Better Boundaries voter-approved initiative.

The case ended up before the Utah Supreme Court, which on July 11 issued a unanimous ruling that angered Utah Republican legislators and spurred last weeks special session. In that opinion, the Utah Supreme Court remanded the lawsuit back to district court, with all five of Utahs justices ruling that the district court erred when it dismissed the League of Women Voters claim that the Utah Legislature violated the Utah Constitution in 2021 when it repealed and replaced Better Boundaries voter-approved initiative.

That litigation now continues, but the Supreme Court ruling was a major victory for the plaintiffs, and for Better Boundaries anti-gerrymandering efforts.

The court unanimously decided the Legislature does not get to veto the direct action of the people, Bell said, to loud cheers.

Bell described Utah legislative leaders seething response to the ruling  saying it effectively made a new law about the initiative power, creating chaos and striking at the very heart of our Republic  as language of politicians who are accustomed to exercising total power while being accountable to no one.

Last week, the tantrum continued, he said, referring to the special session that allowed Utahs lawmakers to approve the proposed constitutional amendment and lay out a fast-tracked process to get it on the ballot in time for the Nov. 5 election.

Theyve decided on the nuclear option. Theyre just going to rewrite that troublesome constitution, Bell said, to more boos. Employing that same supermajority they obtained by drawing unfair voting districts in the first place, they approved a constitutional amendment that was sloppily drafted over a couple of quick, panicky days, which will give them power to simply veto initiatives passed by the voice of the people.

Bell, who called himself a conservative, said it would be difficult to imagine anything less conservative than a knee-jerk, slap-dash, rewriting of the constitution in order to shift more power from the people to their representatives.

Bell urged Utah voters, regardless of their party affiliation, to not give our leaders more control over us.

We, the people, are the ultimate authority in this government, and if this legislature wants to pick a fight to change that balance, that is the signal that we need to leak arms as citizens of Utah and let them know they have badly misunderstood their role and badly, badly underestimated us.

Bell said Better Boundaries and the larger coalition of groups uniting to oppose the constitutional amendment reject it as an effort to elevate the interests of representatives over the people they represent.

We look forward to connecting and joining with all Utahns as we work to maintain the proper balance of power in the state, Bell said. Now lets get to work.

A campaign in favor is also brewing

Seeing as the Utah Legislature only moved last week to place the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot, voters have barely two months to wrap their heads around the complex issue.

While the Better Boundaries coalition is rolling out their campaign to urge voters to vote no, so is the other side. From their corner, a coalition of business and community leaders are preparing to mount a campaign in support of the constitutional amendment.

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That coalition includes the Salt Lake Chamber (which issued a statement last week supporting the constitutional amendment), as well as prominent business leader Scott Anderson, who recently retired as president and CEO of Zions Bank.

Utah has benefitted from the right balance between the initiative process and the legislative process for over a century, Anderson said in a prepared statement to Utah News Dispatch on Monday. The recent Utah Supreme Court decision incentivizes outside interests to meddle in Utahs affairs through the initiative process. Unless we act immediately, our state risks following the disastrous path of states like California.

The Salt Lake Chambers statement, explaining its position, said it supports the foundational principle of respecting the will of the people in lawmaking processes, whether through their duly elected representatives or constitutional ballot initiatives.

The chamber said it supports the constitutional amendment because it restores certainty, predictability and balance between legislative and initiative lawmaking processes; Upholds the integrity of democratic rights by prohibiting foreign influence, support and funds for initiatives and referendums; and protects Utahs best-in-class economy and avoids Utah becoming a state that is governed by unfettered, unlimited and unchangeable ballot initiatives.

Foreign interests and California-style politics?

To concerns that ballot initiatives open the door to funding from special interests to control Utahs laws, Wright told Utah News Dispatch in an interview after the rally that the Utah Legislature is also funded by special interest groups.

She said Utah lawmakers are copying the playbook from other states, like Ohio, where voters are slated to consider an anti-gerrymandering amendment.

We find it frustrating that theyre not actually listening to the people of Utah, instead theyre playing into some national pseudo crisis, Wright said.

The exact language for the constitutional amendment that will appear on Utahs Nov. 5 ballot has yet to be finalized  but lawmakers also passed another special session bill, SB4002, to establish an expedited timeline and condensed process to write the ballot language. Though it will be one ballot question, Utah voters will vote on two issues: whether the Utah Legislature should have ultimate authority to repeal and replace any ballot initiative, and whether to constitutionally ban foreign individuals, entities or governments from influencing an initiative or referendum.

By combining those two issues into one question and by passing a bill giving lawmakers the ability to write the ballot language, Wright said shes very concerned that the language will be challenging for voters.

However, Wright said she also trusts voters to be really thoughtful, and I think ultimately theyll vote no.

There is no evidence of foreign interference in Utahs elections  though legislative leaders said they put that language in to prevent any future meddling. But Wright said thats a red herring to tempt Utah voters to pass the constitutional amendment.

To claims that Utah allowing the Utah Supreme Court ruling to stand will open the door to California-style lawmaking in Utah, Wright noted Utah has much more restrictive ballot initiative requirements than California.

Former Utah Supreme Court justice Christine Durham urges Utah voters to reject a constitutional amendment on ballot initiatives during a rally at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Aug. 26, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch)

Durham, in her remarks during the rally, also challenged that claim. She focused her remarks on the history of Better Boundaries efforts to implement independent redistricting in Utah as well as what the Utah Supreme Courts decision did or didnt say. There is no basis on which this (Utah Supreme Court) opinion would create California in Utah, the former chief justice said.

Rather, Durham said the opinion focuses solely on the Alter or Reform clause of the Utah Constitution. It doesnt speak to any other type of initiative, she said, though she noted there could be future challenges on that issue.

Durham also questioned why outsiders would want to spend money to influence Utah lawmaking. Can you imagine why anybody would want to spend loads of money on Utahs form of government? she said, drawing laughs from the crowd. I dont quite get it, but thats going to be the campaign and we have to be ready to refute it.

Durham said she moved to Utah in the 70s, and back then there was much more bipartisanship in Utahs politics. But she said in the decades since, thats changed.

Its become more and more difficult over the years to get any kind of bipartisanship, because theres no need for it. Because we have a one-party state, she said. Its time for us to say no.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  We are now just two months away from the 2024 General Election which means we will soon see a flood of campaign signs and political ads. One of the most talked about issues is the economy.

Presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are busy attending campaign rallies and conventions. During those events, they both make a lot of big promises towards key issues like the economy.

When I am elected president, I will make it a top priority to bring down costs and increase economic security for all Americans. As president, I will take on the high costs that matter most to most Americans like the cost of food, Harris said.

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Our plan will massively cut taxes, unlock American energy slash regulations. Big factor, crack down on trade cheaters and stop outsourcing, rebuild our industrial base and bring back those beautiful words made in the USA, Trump said.

USD political science professor, Eric Jepsen, says the ability to actually enact policy changes doesnt just come down to who is elected president.

There are 468 congressional races that are taking place, right  435 US House of Representative races and 33 US Senate races, Jepsen said. So control of the House of Representatives and Senate is up in the air.

As we take in all the rallies and political ads in the coming months, Jepsen has this reminder for voters.

We have to use what is announced, you know, not to distrust them but with an eye towards trying to understand, I think, the types of things that theyre interested in doing and how that might have impacts on either smaller versions of what they proposed or their priorities in their first 100 days or their first year in office, Jepsen said. But again, who controls Congress? That might shut everything down regardless of who is elected.

In South Dakota, Republican congressman Dusty Johnson is running for re-election this November. Democrat Sheryl Johnson is his opponent.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
AUGUSTA COUNTY  Virginia State Police reported Tuesday that a hiker in Augusta County was rescued over the weekend along the Saint Mary's Falls Trail after suffering serious injuries.

At 5:23 p.m. on Saturday, members of the Virginia State Police Med-Flight 1 team responded to a call for a fallen 20-year old woman who sustained serious back injuries after jumping into the Saint Marys River from a cliff along the trail.

The Med-Flight 1 crew consisted of a Virginia State Police trooper-pilot and four Chesterfield County flight paramedics. A ground crew directed the helicopter into position over the scene, and Med-Flight lowered a rescuer from the aircraft to the ground, a press release said.

Augusta County Fire-Rescue personnel assisted in securing the injured hiker for a hoisting operation back to the aircraft, about 175 feet overhead.

The injured hiker was placed inside the helicopter, where the crew took her to UVA Health in Charlottesville.

Her medical condition was not listed in the press release.

More: Staunton holds closed session to fill empty committee seats: THE AGENDA

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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: VSP: Hiker airlifted during rescue in Augusta County
VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  The city of Vincennes is looking into the future as they receive a $2,500,000 investment into their Wabash Steel facility.

The money will allow them to capitalize on a new high-tech blaster for complex steel cleaning and preparation. Vincennes University President Chuck Johnson said the college is working every day to meet the growing needs of Wabash Steel.

It is a natural partnership because we are co-located pretty much on the same space right next to each other, and they do a lot of things that we specialize in like advanced manufacturing, said Johnson.

Johnson added that the university is educating workers on the latest technologies and teaching them how to be safe on the job.

How to find local cooling centers

These are some of the technologies that will help do that as we go into the next 5 to 10 years, you are going to see more collaborative robotics and more Cobots in the field in manufacturing and other fields, said Johnson.

Johnson said workers will be able to find great jobs after leaving the classroom and heading to places like Wabash Steel.

That is really the goal for the center of applied robotics and automation and for VU overall is that we are here to help employers and find different ways to meet their needs which may change over time, said Johnson.

Officials said that the new equipment will be fully installed by 2025.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com.
Waco, Tx (FOX44)  Waco police issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying that it was with a heavy heart they announced the passing of Officer Jesus Jesse Cano.

The statement noted that Jesse grew up in Waco and was a graduate of Waco High School. He continued his education at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. Following his college years, Jesse joined the Texas National Guard, where he was activated and deployed to Egypt. He served in South Sinai in 2015 and North Sinai in 2018. Jesse received numerous military decorations because of his valiant service.

Police said that a commitment to service defined Jesses life, so he decided to serve his hometown and work for the Waco Police Department. He began his career as a Dispatch Team member in March of 2016, and shortly after, he was hired as a Police Recruit and entered the 70th Waco Police Academy.

Jesse graduated from the academy and was commissioned as a Waco Police Officer in November of 2016. After completing his field training, Jesse was assigned to North Waco  the very neighborhood where he grew up. Jesse was passionate about finding and arresting individuals who caused havoc in our community. He took great pride in mentoring Waco youth, on and off duty. Jesse patrolled his neighborhood for several years and was a harbinger of justice on behalf of countless victims of crime.

The statemen said that throughout his tenure, Jesse was involved with the Blue Guardian Organization, served as a SWAT Operator, and mentored new Officers as a Field Training Officer. In 2019, he received the Certificate of Civic Achievement and was nominated for Officer of the Year in 2022. At the time of his passing, he had successfully completed the civil service promotional process and was poised for promotion to Sergeant.

The statement called Jesse Cano a devoted son, brother, husband, and cherished friend, and that words cannot express how much he will be missed.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
BLUEFIELD, WV (WVNS)  The Wade Center in Bluefield, West Virginia kicked off its after-school programs!

Gear Up SWV helping out in Mercer County Schools

The center is open for children in the area from ages 6 through 12 and provides a variety of programs to help benefit them. The primary program provided is homework help.

Betty Brainerd, Executive Director for the Wade Center, said they take each childs individual needs into account.

Usually, what we do is we start off with a clean slate. Then, when they first get their evaluations and their report cards, we monitor those and then we go through and see what each child needs as far as extra work, said Brainerd.

Brainerd said after the last school year ended, 92% of the children who participated in the centers after-school program were listed on the honor roll of their respective schools.

She said for this school year, the center will focus more on getting the childrens families involved as well.

Brainerd said they will host family dinners at the center and encourage parents and guardians to assist with their childs education.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI)  Samaritan Medical Center recently finished a successful conclusion of the recent Walmart and Sams campaign in support of Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals.

The campaign ran from June 10- July 7and Walmart and Sams Club locations in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, this campaign raised an $107,857 to support local children in need.

Kinney Drugs Raises $53,931 to support local kids through Childrens Miracle Network

CMN of Northern New York allocates donated funds to support pediatric equipment and projects at Samaritan. They also provide financial assistance to families with a child facing a medical crisis, assisting with out-of-pocket medical expenses such as travel, copays and equipment not covered by insurance.

This campaign is a testament to the generous spirit of our community, and these funds will help countless children who are facing health challenges. Every penny raised stays local to ensure the best healthcare is available and accessible to North Country children. Thank you to the community for supporting the successful campaign. Angie VanWormer, director of Childrens Miracle Network at Samaritan Medical Center

These donations make a difference in the lives of local patients and their families. In a press release, Samaritan extended its heartfelt gratitude to Walmart and Sams Club for their partnership and commitment to our community. Their support has enabled Samaritan to continue providing vital care to children in the region.

For more information about Childrens Miracle Network, contact Samaritan Medical Center at 315-785-4053 or cmninfo@shsny.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 WWTI - InformNNY.com.
Want to get a free college degree on Cape Cod? Here are two ways to do that.

If you've never gotten a college degree, Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable is now literally giving them away for free  as long as you study and earn it.

Gov. Maura Healey on July 29 signed into law the $57.78 billion Fiscal 2025 state budget, which in part establishes the MassEducate program, a new initiative that makes every community college in the state free for anyone who has never earned a degree. The state budget allocates $93.5 million to fund the program.

The program  to earn a certificate or up to two associate degrees  will pay all your tuition and fees, and provide a stipend for books and supplies for some students.

New free opportunities for a college education at communities colleges in Massachusetts  including the new MassEducate program and the MassReconnect program from 2023  have had a "seismic" effect, said Cape Cod Community College Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing Patrick Stone.

"The interest since its launch a few weeks ago has been unprecedented," Stone said of the MassEducate program.

The school's admissions team has been answering phone calls and meeting new students non-stop with more than 3,000 applications already processed for the fall, he said.

The fall enrollment for the West Barnstable college is expected to be around 3,500, said college Admissions Director Sheila Vaughn. That includes 1,500 new students, Vaughn said. "It's unchartered territory."

Heres what you need to know:

How do I apply?

Applications for MassEducate for the fall semester at the West Barnstable college are now closed, due to the high volume. But you can apply starting Sept. 16 for the next semester. To apply, you need to fill out a free application to the school and a free financial aid form. Find information about how to apply, visit capecod.edu/free or call or text 774-330-4311.

Cape Cod Community College President John Cox talks about the new Frank and Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center on Oct. 18, 2022, at the West Barnstable campus. The two-story, 37,000-square-foot building includes the science, technology, engineering and math programs.

Who is eligible for the MassEducate program?

Anyone without a prior bachelor's degree is eligible for the program and can earn a certificate or up to two associate degrees. All 15 community colleges statewide, including Cape Cod Community College, are participating.

There are no limits on a students age or income level.

Wasnt community college already free?

No. Massachusetts has had a program since 2023 called MassReconnect, which extends free community college tuition to those 25 or older without a degree. This new program, which builds off that one, removes the age limit and makes free community college open to students right out of high school.

In 2024: 'Student expectations.' Cape community college sees enrollment spike. What's behind it?

Are there any other benefits to MassEducate?

The program provides an allowance of up to $1,200 per academic year toward books, supplies and other expenses, based on your household income.

MassReconnect also has a stipend for supplies, up to $600, with no review of household income.

Do people actually take advantage of this program?

Last year, after MassReconnect launched, Cape Cod Community College saw a surge in enrollment, Stone said.

The school saw a 13% enrollment jump in the fall 2023 semester compared to the previous year. That momentum carried into the spring 2024 semester "with a massive 33% enrollment jump compared to the previous year," he said.

"The program was, quite literally, life changing for so many students. With the barrier of cost removed, we saw hundreds of students arrive at our doors that otherwise wouldnt have been able to make it work," Stone said.

For the Cape specifically, with the free tuition, high school graduates are choosing to attend community college for the first two years of undergraduate training, Vaughn said. Also, older students who want to change careers are applying and people who hadn't thought they could attend college at all due to costs, she said.

"It's a whole new world," Vaughn said. "I think it's going to change the landscape for Cape Cod."

The Cape Cod Times is providing this coverage for free as a public service. Please take a moment to support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Cape Cod college ends fall admissions early over demand, official says
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  Warrens multi-million dollar Student Recreation and Wellness Center project is nearing completion.

Crews are just putting the final touches on the center which Superintendent Steve Chiaro says is outstanding.

Knowing that all of this is coming to fruition and the plan is taking shape is a great feeling, Chairo said.

Some of the centers features include a covered sand pit for long and triple jump, the study stairs near the front entrance, and a lounge area.

I see such a vision for our students, our staff utilizing it, whether its independently or collaboratively, said Nina Elias, wellness center administrator.

The $34 million project  almost half of which was covered by grants  came at no additional cost to the taxpayers.

The fire suppression system is scheduled for inspection later this week. Chiaro hopes the certification for occupancy will come soon after. Then the focus can shift toward getting students in the center, which will be used for both recreational and academic activities.

We believe this facility if utilized the right way, will continue to help children in the City of Warren be successful, said Chairo.

Whether its a 4-year-old using it or an 18-year-old using it, I think there are opportunities for every single student in this district, and Im just so excited for that because they deserve it, said Elias.

So as the Warren G. Harding Raiders prepare to enter Mollenkoff Stadium for the first time this season Friday night, itll be in the shadow of the new facility at the end zone.

I hope this becomes the place that students want to be, where they want to go and where they want to grow and so thats really important that this becomes the place for children in the city of Warren, Chairo said.

District leaders hope to celebrate the Student Recreation and Wellness Centers grand opening in mid to late September or early October.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Washburn University has made a lot of progress on their newest addition to the arts program.

Since breaking ground in February, 2024, the James Hurd Recital Hall is now taking shape on the North Side of Campus.

The intimate venue space will hold up to 150 guests, and will give the community and students another space to perform in, as well as a lot of flexibility thanks to the design.

Student Exchange Programs in NE Kansas looking for local host families

Perhaps a small play is coming through we will set up chairs and a stage however its needed for the specific performance, Eric Just, Assistant Vice President of Facility Services at Washburn University, said. Giving us a lot of flexibility on what we can do here.

The recital hall is set to be finished Spring of 2025, just in time for all of the end of the year performances at the university.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Chevron (NYSE: CVX) made a very bold move last fall, agreeing to buy Hess (NYSE: HES) in a nearly $60 billion deal. The needle-moving acquisition would enhance the company's portfolio and extend its growth profile. That's why it is working hard to close the transaction despite several delays.

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) is causing the biggest delay. The big oil giant launched a dispute over contractual language related to the deal. As a result, the companies are seeking arbitration to resolve the matter. I predict that Chevron will emerge victorious and eventually close its purchase of Hess. Here's why.

Drilling down into the deal

Chevron unveiled its merger agreement with Hess last October, less than two weeks after Exxon revealed its more than $60 billion megamerger with Pioneer Natural Resources. While the timing might suggest the acquisition was in response to Exxon's merger, Chevron wasn't doing a deal just to keep up with its rival. Hess is a very strategic transaction for the oil giant.

Acquiring Hess will upgrade and diversify Chevron's already advantaged global resources portfolio. It will add the Stabroek block in Guyana, which Chevron noted is an "extraordinary asset with industry-leading cash margins and low carbon intensity that is expected to deliver production growth into the next decade." It will also add Bakken assets to its U.S. shale position and complementary assets in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia.

The deal would enhance and extend Chevron's free cash flow and production growth outlooks into the 2030s. It positions the oil giant to more than double its free cash flow by 2027, assuming $70 oil (crude oil is currently over $80 a barrel). That would enable the company to return more cash to shareholders via dividends and buybacks.

A merger or an asset purchase?

Hess' crown jewel is its 30% interest in the Exxon-operated Stabroek block offshore Guyana. The world-class oil reservoir produced 137 million barrels of oil last year and $6.3 billion of profit for its three developers (Exxon has a 45% stake, Hess has a 30% interest, and China's CNOOC owns the remaining 25%). The field is on track to triple its output by 2027 while continuing to grow its production through around 2033.

The operating agreement signed by the three joint venture partners contains a change of control clause. If triggered, it would give the other two operators the right of first refusal to the asset sale. Exxon believes Chevron's acquisition of Hess triggers this contractual right. Chevron disagreed, which led the rivals to seek arbitration in the matter. The three-person panel will make their decision later next year.

Story continues

The issue is that Exxon believes Chevron's acquisition of Hess is an asset purchase disguised as a merger. That's because most of Hess' value is its stake in the Stabroek block (analysts estimate it makes up 70% of the deal's value).

While it's true that Hess' interest in the Stabroek block is the most important asset Chevron would acquire in the deal, it's not the sole driver of the transaction. The other three assets it would acquire are also excellent strategic fits for Chevron:

Image source: Chevron.

While Chevron doesn't currently operate in the Bakken, it fits in with its U.S. shale portfolio, which features positions in the Permian and DJ Basins. The company bulked up on those two basins last year with its $7.6 billion acquisition of PDC Energy. While the Permian Basin gets all the press (it was the driver behind Exxon's deal for Pioneer Natural Resources), Chevron's PDC Energy deal was more focused on the DJ Basin. It liked the complementary nature of the transaction, which is also highly accretive to its financial metrics. Adding the Bakken would have similar benefits.

Meanwhile, Hess' Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia gas businesses are highly complementary to Chevron's existing assets in those regions. That will make those assets easy to integrate into its operations, enhancing its free cash flow.

While Chevron does plan to sell $10 billion to $15 billion of assets through 2028 after closing its merger with Hess, it won't flip any of the acquired assets. They fit its current portfolio like a glove. They will enable the energy giant to jettison non-core assets to further high-grade its portfolio and ability to generate free cash flow in the future.

Chevron will emerge victorious

Put everything together, and Hess is the perfect deal for Chevron. It adds a world-class position in offshore Guyana, enhances its strong U.S. shale resource position by adding the Bakken, and complements its existing operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia. That's why I disagree with Exxon's interpretation of the deal as an asset acquisition disguised as a merger. While Guyana is the crown jewel, Hess' other assets are also highly valuable to Chevron, strategically and financially. It's why I expect it to win the arbitration hearing next year and close its merger with Hess.

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Outgoing U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer has introduced a bill to Congress that would transfer 72 acres of Olympic Peninsula land back to the Quinault Indian Nation.

The Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act, introduced Monday, Aug. 26, would transfer the land, known as Allotment 1157, to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the benefit of the Quinaults.

The Quinault Indian Reservation was set aside for the Quinault Indian Nation following the Treaty of Olympia of 1856, in which the Quinaults ceded millions of acres they had freely roamed in exchange for a homeland and other benefits.

According to a news release from Kilmers office, Allotment 1157 was a part of the original Quinault Indian Reservation in the treaty, but was taken away in 1928 during the so-called Allotment Era when the federal government gave allotments, or parcels, of Native lands to private owners. KIlmers bill would restore ownership of the land to the Quinault Indian Nation and hold the U.S. government responsible to its trust and treaty obligations to the QIN.

Allotment 1157 is considered a sacred place and holds significant historical value to the QIN, as the site was once where ancient carvers would slide canoe hulls in the Salmon River to be transported downriver to the main villages for completion, according to the news release.

Allotment 1157 also is one of the last remnants of old growth cedar that once dominated the reservation landscape.

This legislation will help restore the Quinault Indian Nations original reservation lands under the Treaty of Olympia of 1865  ensuring the Nation can preserve its ancestral lands, said Rep. Kilmer, the 6th Congressional District representative who is not running for re-election and whose term ends in January. Ill keep working to ensure the federal government fulfills its trust and treaty obligations.

The forced breakup of our reservation erased one of the foundations of our way of life, our view that the land and waters of our homeland were for communal use by all. This legislation will help right a historic wrong, said Quinault Indian Nation President Guy Capoeman.

The Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act helps fulfill the promise the United States government made to the Quinault Nation when signing the treaty of Olympia in 1856, the promise that the lands set aside for the Quinault Indian Reservation will always belong to the Quinault Nation.

In an effort to restore its original reservation lands, the Quinault Indian Nation has purchased thousands of acres from timber companies, Grays Harbor County, and fee and trust landowners, according to the news release. The QIN now owns approximately 48% of the original acreage of the reservation, the news release says.

The Quinault Indian Nation plans to use Allotment 1157 for educational and cultural purposes.

The Quinault also are dealing with climate change and sea level rise issues that threaten some of its land. About 800 homes in the tribes lower village near the water in Taholah are being relocated up the hill.
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Afghan women have been uploading videos of themselves singing in defiance of draconian laws imposed by the Taliban which order them to be silent in public.

Women from inside and outside the country have joined in the campaign challenging the Talibans new so-called vice and virtue laws, which include bans on women from baring their faces, singing and talking in public.

In one video, a woman in Afghanistan sings with her face and body fully covered.

You placed the stamp of silence on my mouth until further notice, she says.

You will [not] provide me with bread and food until further notice, youve imprisoned me inside the house for the crime of being a woman.

The lyrics appear to reference restrictions the Taliban imposed on the basic rights and freedoms of women and girls shortly after seizing back control of the country three years ago.

Among the rules was a ban on school attendance and higher education, which, they said, would last until further notice.

Click here to view this content.

In another clip, a woman who left Afghanistan for Germany after the Talibans return to power sings about the role of women in shaping history.

If I dont exist, who are you? Where are the true men among you? Without Ameneh and Rudabeh, where would Mohammad, Rostam, and Sohrab be? she sings, referring to the mothers of the Prophet of Islam and famous male figures from Persian literature.

On Wednesday, the Taliban issued the countrys first vice and virtue restrictions, requiring a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.

Women cannot sing or recite the Koran in public, and their clothing must not be thin, tight, or short. They have also been ordered not to speak loudly inside their homes in case their voices are heard outside.

Online videos showing women defying the orders have emerged not only in Afghanistan but in other parts of South Asia and Europe too.

On Tuesday, Volker Turk, the United Nations human rights chief, called on the Taliban to immediately repeal the egregious laws, which he said were attempting to turn women into shadows.

The Taliban has tightened restrictions on Afghan women since returning to power in 2021 - David Sacks/The Image Bank RF

They cannot silence our voices

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UNs Afghanistan mission, said the restrictions provided a distressing vision for Afghanistans future.

Dr Zahra Haqparast, a Germany-based womens activist who started a campaign against the new laws, told The Telegraph they were the final bullet to the forehead of Afghan women.

I started the campaign, and soon many more protesting girls joined, she said. The Taliban should face sanctions, the world must not negotiate with them.

They should be put on trial for stripping women of all freedoms and condemning women to death by stoning, the founder of Unity and Solidarity of Afghan Women, an activist group, added.

Dr Haqparast said: Our voices are so loud, theyre making them deaf. I want to sing a female revolutionary song so that my voice will deafen the ears of the terrorists, I want women to unite and raise their voices for their rights.

The activist used to be a dentist in Afghanistan but lost her job after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the USs withdrawal from the country.

She took to the streets and organised womens protests, but said she was imprisoned and tortured for her desire for freedom.

Click here to view this content.

Women inside Afghanistan who spoke to The Telegraph said the online protest was part of efforts to claim their right to be heard and to preserve their cultural identity amid the escalating restrictions on their freedoms.

The Taliban cannot silence our voices, we are half of this society and they cannot even imagine how powerful we are, said a former university lecturer in western Herat.

We are now organising a protest rally in the city alongside other women, fully prepared to face whatever the Taliban may do in response.

I would welcome death if it comes to that, our current living conditions offer nothing better, she added.

In response to the global outrage against the laws, the Talibans minister for vice and virtue claimed on Tuesday that the international community lacked the authority to comment on Afghanistan.

Khaled Hanafi emphasised that the Taliban would engage with other nations only within the framework of Islamic laws.

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.
NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI)  If you looked up at the sky Monday morning, you probably saw fighter jets displaying red, white and green smoke trails.

The Italian Air Forces Frecce Tricolori is currently touring in North America for the first time in more than 30 years and did a flyover of Newport.

Its all part of celebrating the 500th anniversary of the landing of Giovanni Da Verrazzano, who explored much of the East Coast, including Narragansett Bay in 1524.

Members of the Air Force later met up with Gov. Dan McKee on the tarmac at T.F. Green Airport.

Ryan Welch contributed to this report.

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J.D. Vance flung several weak digs at Kamala Harris Tuesday in Big Rapids, Michigan, during another one of his awkward, hostile speeches.

The Ohio senator opened his remarks by blaming the so-called Harris administration for a recent revision from the Labor Department, which found that the U.S. had added 818,000 fewer jobs in the year ending in March than initially reported. Employers had added 2.1 million jobs during the previous 12 months, as opposed to the 2.9 million theyd originally counted.

While the significant reduction hardly put a dent in the 14 million jobs Joe Biden has created over the last three years, especially in comparison to net loss of jobs during Donald Trumps term, Vance called it the biggest heist in Americas history.

You may not have heard this, because our friends in the back, the media, doesnt like to talk about it, Vance griped, another hostile remark toward the press, of which Vance has made many.

But there was one job that is definitely going to vanish, Vance said, before weirdly promising to send Kamala Harris back where she came fromSan Francisco, of course.

Vance says that theyre going to send Kamala Harris back to San Francisco pic.twitter.com/MRRyTUcU73  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

As the crowd began to cheer for Trump, Vance gushed that Harris could never get a crowd this good on her own.

She needs a rockstar to get a crowd like thiswe just come out here because were patriots and we wanna save this country, Vance said. The crowd was moderately sized, a huge step up from the empty parking lots Vance typically circuits.

Vance claimed that Harriss advisers were considering copying Trumps platform.

In fact, Ive heard that for her debate in just a couple of weeks, shes going to put on a navy suit, a long red tie, and adopt the slogan Make America Great Again, Vance joked awkwardly.

Vance: I've heard that for her debate in just a couple of weeks she is going to put on a navy suit, and long red tie, and adopt a slogan, make America great again. I think that is what... But we are not -- [laughs] pic.twitter.com/f58oGimZCY  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

Now, I will confess that in some ways I have a soft heart  in some ways, I feel bad for Kamala Harris, Vance said, as the crowd booed.

Im not sure that this is a woman who knows what she actually believes, said Vance, a former Never Trump Republican who once compared his own running mate to the leader of the Nazi Party.

Vance: I'm not sure that this is a woman who knows what she actually believes. pic.twitter.com/EK2xiIxfA5  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

From there, Vances speech took on a strange, anachronistic framing, as he vaguely referred to some previous administrations decision to send away manufacturing jobs, and falsely claimed that Harris had supported the reauthorization of NAFTAand not for the first time.

The reauthorization of NAFTA took place in 1992, when Harris was a young prosecutor, and Vance was just eight years old. Biden, however, had been a senator at the time and had supported the reauthorization of NAFTA, so its possible that Vance is trying to use an old barb on a new candidate. In 2020, Harris actually voted against Trumps United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced NAFTA. She was part of a group of Democrats who opposed the new rule because it was too similar to the originalwhich is supposedly tantamount to supporting it.

Vance also claimed some distant administration had opened the border to immigrants in order to gain millions of voters for Democrat policies, and millions of cheap laborers, once again pushing the great replacement theory, a conspiracy theory that insists global elites are attempting to replace the white population. Vance wasnt specific about which administration he was referring to, but it didnt matter because his winding remarks were about to get personal.

Now I have lived, and I know a lot of us in this crowd have lived the consequences of these failures. And I saw it very personally, Vance said. My parents divorced, my parents began to struggle.

Vance lauded his mothers recovery from drug addiction, and then awkwardly chastised her for spoiling his kids a little bit too much.

Mom, no more Pokemon cards, Vance joked to a silent crowd. In front of a thousand people, no more Pokemon cards. Kids have got enough.

Vance: Mom, no more Pokemon cards pic.twitter.com/qY9gzI1OKt  Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2024

This isnt the first time Vance has made a strange attempt to complain about his kids loving Pokemon. Vance previously said he told his young son to shut the hell up for 30 seconds about Pikachu while he tried to speak on the phone to Trump, another strange misstep.

Vance trotted out his worn-out stolen valor jabs at Tim Walz, and accused the Minnesota governor of lying about how his kids were conceived. Walz has said his kids were conceived through fertility treatments, and they  were conceived through fertility treatments. Vance then turned his attention back to Harris.

She said there are going to be extremely serious consequences for voting for Donald Trump. Kamala, Ive got two responses to that. First of all, thats not a very presidential thing to say. Is she the vice president or the vice principal? Vance joked to the crowd, again not earning a single laugh. Warning about very serious consequences, whining at people for telling a joke instead of trying to persuade them that she should be their president. Im sick of people like that!

Again and again, Vances blatant hostility seeped through his badly delivered one-liners. While he tried to rely on his charisma to amp up his crowd, Vance sounded like someone complaining that youre not allowed to give your female coworkers a compliment anymore.
Wayne County leader: 'Make it very, extremely expensive' to dump toxins 'in our backyard'

Wayne County officials were dismayed that they were not previously aware of a planned transfer of hazardous and radioactive waste into a Van Buren Township landfill.

Several officials within the Wayne County Commission at meeting Tuesday to discuss the shipments urged greater transparency in any future hauling of hazardous waste. Dozens attended the public meeting, including U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingell. Patrick Cullen of Wayne County's environmental services said he was concerned about the county's portrayal after the Detroit Free Press reported that Republic Services' Wayne Disposal will take radioactive waste from a site in New York where the Manhattan Project developed the atomic bomb during and after World War II.

"We happen to have one of the largest licensed processing and storage facilities here in Wayne County, in Van Buren Township" Cullen said, adding that the Army Corps of Engineers identified the landfill as one of five in the nation that's able to haul these materials.

Commissioner Joseph Palamera asked Cullen whether the Van Buren Township landfill is a top repository across the country.

"I would guess the vast majority of material would be coming to that. To be clear, they can only take materials that are licensed and approved to accept. There are materials ... that are higher level materials that cannot come."

Commissioner Al Haidous urged a more permanent solution, particularly at the federal level, to give officials and residents peace of mind.

States cannot block hazardous waste shipments

"It's not Wayne County or the local community, its the federal government who issued the license and didnt put enough restrictions to eliminate the situation. We need to tackle this issue on the federal level, state level, local level too, to give people communication when something like this happens," Haidous said.

A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on imported garbage declared out-of-state trash "articles of commerce"  essentially a commodity or good  that could not be restricted under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That case arose from St. Clair County officials attempting to restrict a local landfill from accepting out-of-state waste.

Chair Alisha Bell said commissioners are proposing a resolution to the state seeking to prevent toxic waste in Wayne County and greater communication of what's coming in.

"If it's not hazardous, why don't they do it somewhere in New York? Those are the main things, that we want to send a message to our federal legislation, to our state legislation, of course, locally," Bell said, adding that officials may push for a local ordinance.

The lack of communication lies with the state, she added.

Why not ship it to 'the middle of nowhere?'

"Unfortunately, it goes from the feds to the state to local, and it kind of stopped at the state level. I'm sure they must know, but we don't know at the local level, the managers, the supervisors, the commissioners. We don't know until we read about it later on," Bell said.

Tlaib said that a company being licensed does not mean they're in compliance.

"When's the last time they (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy) denied a permit? Because every permit Ive seen come forward to a state seems to get approved. They get approved, but they still violate their permit," Tlaib said.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., speaks during a Wayne County Board of Commissioners public meeting on a recently announced plan that would bring hazardous, radioactive waste to a landfill in Van Buren Township at the Guardian Building in Detroit on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.

Commissioner Sam Baydoun asked Dingell why the federal government cannot find a location "in the middle of nowhere," after sharing concerns over the potential of materials entering the water and affecting the environment. Dingell deferred to the state having much of the authority over permitting.

"We should make it very, extremely expensive for these companies to dump in our backyard," Baydoun said, receiving applause from the public. "We need stronger state and federal regulations to prevent Wayne County from becoming a dumping ground. Companies need to be held accountable for their actions."

More: How southeast Michigan became a dumping ground for America's most dangerous chemicals

"Most of these things that you're talking about are at the state level," Dingell told commissioners.

Several officials were previously concerned about the plan after the Free Press reported that Wayne Disposal will take 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete, and 4,000 gallons of groundwater contaminated with radiation from the New York site.

Landfill operator: We provided notice to the state

Dingell sent a letter to Republic Services on Aug. 19 with several questions. On the lack of notification to local officials and the public, the company said Wayne Disposal notified local officials and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy of "its intent to receive waste from Niagara Falls Storage Site."

The Niagara Falls Storage Site holds radioactive wastes associated with the Manhattan Project, the development of atomic bombs from the mid-1940s to early 1950s.

"EGLE reviewed the project information and provided concurrence that the waste can be compliantly disposed of at (Wayne Disposal Inc.). WDI is open to conversations on additional future notifications," according to the response from Dingell's office.

On any ongoing environmental monitoring to prevent adverse impacts, Republic said the site is responsible for "implementing a radiological monitoring program which analyzes 40 monitoring points for radionuclides."

"Environmental media routinely sampled include groundwater, surface water, ambient air, leak detection systems, sediment and soil. All environmental monitoring data is reported to EGLE. At least annually, split samples of various media are collected and analyzed by EGLE and compared to WDIs results to verify consistency," according to the statement.

Additionally, WDI collects and performs primary treatment on all precipitation that hits the active areas of the facility.

Free Press staff writer Keith Matheny contributed to this article.

Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Public officials dismayed over transparency for hazardous waste transfer in Wayne County
The state of New Mexico has launched a website with the purpose of making medical billing more transparent. Some hope the data behind the website will help them control health care costs in the future. (Photo by Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

If youve ever had a health issue and wondered how much it might cost to treat it, New Mexico state health officials have launched a website where you can find and compare costs that others have already paid for it.

Its called the All Payer Claims Database.

It was introduced to all New Mexicans on Monday during the Legislative Health and Human Services interim committee.

For example, in New Mexico a COVID-19 test costs $33 on average but can cost up to $125, according to the database.

You can search the database for a specific medical treatment or by a specific provider. Add your zip code and you can see what the database says it would cost for anyone that lives in Gallup, Clovis, Mora or Chaparral. Really anywhere in the state.

The websites purpose is to make medical billing more transparent and identify trends about how much people are using and paying for health care. Some lawmakers hope the data behind the website will help them control health care costs in the future.

The database contains data from 160 million health insurance claims made by nearly 1.5 million people in New Mexico between January 2020 and March 2024, according to a presentation by the states Department of Health Secretary Patrick Allen on Monday.

State law requires providers like clinics and hospitals, and payers like insurance companies to hand over the data to state officials.

Providers can use the database to compare themselves to others, insurance companies can use it to compare their costs to a statewide average, and policymakers can use it to understand how putting public money in a particular part of the health care system will work, Allen told the committee.

Controlling health care costs

While the public-facing portal tries to answer more simple and straightforward questions, the full database is much more detailed and could be made available to the committee to help them make decisions, Allen said.

Sen. Martin Hickey (D-Albuquerque) asked Allen if hes sharing the data with the Legislative Finance Committee, which controls the state budget.

He asked Legislative Finance Committee officials to ensure they get all of the raw data from the state department of health, so they can eventually figure out whats driving the rising costs of health care and try to find ways to control it.

Hickey pointed to the Oregon Health Authoritys Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Program as an example, where Oregon officials can penalize insurance companies or providers whose prices increase by more than a target rate of 3% per year.

We want to be sure that were doing everything we can to put the spotlight on costs in care so that we can, as in other states, succeed in getting toward that 3%, Hickey said. But LFC has to have that data. They have the talent to be able to do the analysis.

New Mexicos Department of Health isnt sharing the data with state finance officials at the LFC, Allen said, but we should be able to.

Hickey pressed Allen to commit to sharing the data, and Allen said it would be subject to conclude an appropriate data use agreement.

Lawmakers need to do their own analysis of how public money is being spent so they can validate it and make policy from it, Hickey said, and not just depend on the executives interpretation of it.

Years in the making

The New Mexico data come from 21 private insurance companies and the publicly run health coverage systems Medicare and Medicaid, according to the presentation to lawmakers on Monday.

I know from previous discussions, you all have been thinking and working on this for a really long time, said Allen.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed him to the post last year.

The New Mexico Department of Health wrote an initial plan for the database in 2016, the presentation states. The Legislature set aside money to build the database in 2019, and state agencies asked for the data from providers and insurance companies in 2023.

Allen said his agency will be working to get more complete data, and update the public portal to add a Spanish version.

The database does not include claims made under federal public health insurance, employer-sponsored insurance, workers compensation, charity, self-paid or uninsured.

There have been other attempts by lawmakers to make health costs more transparent.

In 2019, Lujan Grisham signed a bill that prohibits providers from submitting a surprise bill for out-of-network care even when the patient went somewhere in their insurance network.

Correction Aug. 29, 2024 at 9:23 a.m.:

This story has been corrected to accurately reflect the Legislatures 2019 surprise billing legislation.


INDIANAPOLIS  This month, we learned about one of the biggest data breaches in history.

The infamous hacking group USDoD claimed they had broken into the databases of National Public Data, a company provides background check services for companies and investigators across the country. While specific numbers are hard to nail down, one proposed class action lawsuit claims 2.9 billion personal records may have been exposed.

Someone with that information could potentially open a new loan or credit card in your name, hack into your bank account or investment accounts or even use a Google Voice number to make scam calls using your name.

So how do you know if your Social Security number was exposed in the breach? There are a couple websites you can search to see if your information has been leaked.

NPDBreach.com allows you to search with specific information, including your Social Security number or phone number, name and zip code. This is the search that will tell you specifically if your SSN was part of the big recent leak.

NPD.pentester.com lets you search by using your name, home state and birth year. This search gives you a larger view of how much leaked information you might have floating around the dark and deep web.

With so many numbers included in this leak, theres a decent chance that yours was one of them. If so, security experts highly recommend you freeze your credit.

According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, the process only takes about 20 minutes over the phone. It will prevent any hackers or scammers from opening new loans or other lines of credit using your information, and it wont affect your credit score.

The US PIRG has a step-by-step guide on how to freeze your credit, 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 WTTV CBS4Indy.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Amid a state regulatory and criminal investigation, Frank Bierwiler, owner of West Hernando Pools and Spas, has agreed to voluntarily surrender his state contractors license.

The company has been the subject of an ongoing Better Call Behnken investigation. Customers said they are tired of waiting for answers as to why work isnt being done on their pool projects.

Bierwiler was ordered by the county to finish 118 pools earlier this year. He worked down the number to 77 in May, and officials said hes made little progress since.

Public documents, obtained by Better Call Behnken, show Bierwiler has agreed to voluntarily surrender his license to settle an investigation by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

As part of that agreement, Bierwiler agreed that if he ever attempts to reapply for a contractors license, he will pay $143,000 in fines and fees, with 18% annual interest.

Customers with unfinished pools have packed county special masters meetings, demanding answers.

Many said they are relieved Bierwiler will no longer be permitted to work as a contractor, but this news means they are officially on their own to finish their pools.

James Fisher said finding a contractor to take on his abandoned pool project has not been easy.

It affects me mentally and emotionally, not to mention, I am a disabled veteran, and I dont need that in in my head, he said.

The Hernando County Sheriffs Office confirmed they have an active criminal case.

If you have one of these unfinished pools, make sure you have filed complaints with the state DBPR, the Florida Attorney Generals Office and the Hernando County Sheriffs Office.

Now that the license has been surrendered, you can file for the states construction recovery fund.

Also, its important that you transfer the permit from Bierwilers name to either another contractor  or into your own name.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
West Nile virus has infected people in Florida (and Dr. Fauci). Is it in your county?

It's peak season for West Nile virus, and five human cases have been documented in Florida so far this year.

Since March, cases have been documented in Collier, Duval, Marion, Orange and Walton counties, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Three cases occurred in July, one in March and one in August, according to department data. Historically, most human cases of West Nile occur in August, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

West Nile is a mosquito-borne disease that is often harmless but can be deadly in rare cases. From 2001 to 2023, there have been 481 reported cases of West Nile in Florida.

This year, there have been a total of 240 human cases of West Nile in 31 states as of Aug. 20, according to the CDC. Texas leads the country with 37 cases.

Recently, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was hospitalized for six days with a case of West Nile.

Fauci, 83, is recovering at home and expected to make a full recovery.

What is West Nile virus?

West Nile is a mosquito-borne illness that belongs to a group of viruses called flaviviruses, according to the CDC.

It first appeared in the United States in 1999 in New York and reached Florida in 2001, according to DOH.

It's mostly spread between people and birds  since 1999, the virus has been detected in 300 species of dead birds. But in humans, the virus cannot replicate enough in the bloodstream, therefore people cannot pass the virus on to other mosquitoes.

Most people don't feel sick if infected with West Nile, but 1 in 5 will develop a fever or other symptoms, according to the CDC. About 1 in 150 will develop serious symptoms which can sometimes be fatal.

West Nile is a mosquito-borne illness.

What are the signs or symptoms of West Nile and how do you treat it?

West Nile can cause a fever and, more seriously, some neurological diseases. The incubation period is usually two to six days but can be two to 14 days and can last for several weeks for immunocompromised people.

About 70% to 80% of cases in humans are symptom-free, but the most common ones are fever, headache, weakness, muscle aches and joint stiffness. Some experience an upset stomach or a rash as well. Less than 1% of people who become sick with West Nile experience serious illness, like meningitis (inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), according to the CDC.

There's no specific treatment for West Nile, just the treatment of symptoms.

Eliminate mosquito-breeding sites around the home by removing standing water in potted plants, tires, bird baths and other containers where water may collect.

How do you prevent West Nile virus?

The best way to prevent West Nile is to prevent mosquitoes. And to protect yourself from mosquitoes, the state recommends to "drain and cover."

Draining water prevents mosquitoes from reproducing. The state health department recommends to dump any standing water in garbage cans, gutters, flower pots, toys and buckets or whatever can hold pooled rain or sprinkler water.

Bird baths and outdoor water bowls for pets should be emptied and cleaned at least twice a week, according to FDOH.

Tarps over boats or cars should fit correctly and not collect any pooled rainwater, and pools should be maintained and appropriately chlorinated. Make sure to empty out kiddie pools after each use.

Does bug repellant prevent mosquito bites?

As for mosquito repellant, DOH recommends using products with up to 30 percent DEET. DEET is the active ingredient in many repellant products and is widely used to prevent mosquito and tick bites and can protect someone from West Nile, Zika, malaria, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

DEET is not for everyone, however. Children under 2 months should not use a repellant with DEET, and children under 3 should not use a repellant that contains oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) and para-menthane-diol (PMD).

Spray the repellant on your skin and clothing, but not under clothing. The CDC recommends wearing loose-fitting long sleeve shirts and pants to prevent mosquito bites.

The EPA has a search tool to find the best repellant for you.

Ana Goni-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network  Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: West Nile has infected Floridians (and Dr. Fauci). Is it near you?
U.S. Army soldiers of the Arizona National Guard guide tourists trapped by flash flooding into a UH-60 Blackhawk, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, on the Havasupai Reservation in Supai, Ariz. | Maj. Erin Hannigan

Western states have seen several water-related tragedies in recent weeks, including three Utah hikers who lost their lives in California on Friday.

Some of the deaths were related to the late summer monsoons and the flash flooding that follows.

Grand Canyon flash flood

Heavy rain hit the Colorado River valley last Wednesday initiating a flash flood that took the life of one hiker and left several others stranded on Thursday. The National Park Service said the body of Chenoa Nickerson was recovered following the flash flood. It was reported that Nickerson was swept into the water and was found by a commercial river trip three days after she went missing.

The resulting runoff moves rapidly through the narrow canyons and steep terrain found throughout the region. In many areas, even small storms can turn normally dry streambeds into raging torrents of water in a matter of minutes, per KTNV Las Vegas.

Sierra Nevada whirlpool

In the Sierra Nevada Mountain range three Utahns drowned after being caught in a whirlpool while rappelling near Tulare County, California, last Friday afternoon, according to the Tulare County Fire Department. David Bell, Jeannine Skinner and Peter On were participating in a canyoneering adventure exploring the Seven Teacups area, KSL reported. According to a Facebook post written by Bells sister, Cyndi Miller, the three were the last of the group to rappel when Skinner was caught in a whirlpool, leading On then Bell to attempt a rescue. All three drowned.

This photo provided by Chance and Carly Johnson shows the top of Mooney Falls at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. | Chance and Carly Johnson via Associated Press

Quail Creek State Park paddle-boarding accident

Another incident took place on Friday, when authorities reported a man in his 40s died after a paddle-boarding accident at Quail Creek State Park in Hurricane. According to KSL News Radio, Utah State Parks said the man was paddle-boarding with two others when heavy winds picked up causing them to fall into the reservoir. Two of the individuals resurfaced quickly, while the man remained underwater for less than a minute. Emergency responders came to aid along with a member of the public and a Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation ranger. They began CPR on the boat ramp and Life Flight was on their way. Unfortunately, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials have yet to determine if his death was due to drowning or a medical incident, and the case remains under investigation.

One dead, one missing in Flaming Gorge

Over the weekend a drowning incident occurred at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Daggett County. The Daggett County Sheriff confirmed a 60-year-old women died and her 44-year-old daughter is still missing. According to the sheriffs office a 911 call was placed regarding a possible drowning at Swim Beach on Saturday. The call initiated emergency services including Flaming Gorge Ambulance, Green River Fire Department, Castle Rock Ambulance, AirMed and Life Flight. Upon arriving at the scene deputies found an adult male performing CPR on the 60-year-old woman and another female witness who was the adult daughter of the 60-year-old. They advised authorities that another 44 year-old female was still missing.

The 60-year-old woman was pronounced dead and the 44-year-old woman was still missing. Search teams returned Sunday morning to continue looking for the missing woman.

Water safety

According the the American Red Cross, It only takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, check a fishing line or apply sunscreen. Death and injury from drownings happen every day in home pools and hot tubs, at the beach or in oceans, lakes, rivers and streams, bathtubs, and even buckets.

Here is a few key points the American Red Cross highlights to keep you and loved ones safe from the dangers of water:

Know your limitations, including physical fitness, medical conditions.

Never swim alone; swim with lifeguards and/or water watchers present.

Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your weight and size and the water activity. Always wear a life jacket while boating, regardless of swimming skill.

Swim sober.

Understand the dangers of hyperventilation and hypoxic blackout. Know how to call for help.

Understand and adjust for the unique risks of the water environment you are in, such as:

River currents.

Ocean rip currents.

Water temperature.

Shallow or unclear water.

To read more about water safety check out the American Red Cross website.
Homeowners associations are designed to keep their communities in shipshape condition, but what happens when huge fines make the residents feel like theyre sinking?

That could be happening to the residents of the Millenium Tower in San Francisco, who are navigating fines of $10,000 per violation.

The tower previously made headlines for its engineering problems and subsequent structural issues like leaning and sinking back in 2020.

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The towers windows are also less than sturdy. In one incident, a window came loose from the 49th floor, slamming against the building and sending debris into neighboring buildings. Although nobody was injured, local authorities ordered the tower owners to install stronger support arms for the windows. Four years later, the work is finally being done.

Meanwhile, the towers homeowners association is attempting to prevent further damage through fines. Until all the windows are reinforced, the HOA is fining residents up to $10,000 for leaving their windows open when they are not home or during wind events, in addition to any damages the windows cause.

Heres the question: Can an HOA subject its members to such high fines in the name of safety and security?

Do homeowners associations have the power to levy fines?

The role of a homeowners' association is to govern the community and ensure appreciation of property values through rules and regulations. Communities can come in different shapes and sizes, ranging from planned housing developments to condominiums, and even  in the case of San Francisco  apartment ownership in a tower.

Its often mandatory to join the HOA as a condition of home ownership, which comes with monthly or annual dues. To create new rules or enforce current rules, the HOAs board must meet and come to a consensus with the assistance of its membership, which elects the directors.

For Millennium Towers, the HOA retains the right to increase fines for window violations to $10,000 per event, if the board were to vote for it per their bylaws. A property attorney who deals with condo association laws told NBC Bay Area that the safety concerns could justify the high fines.

Story continues

It is incumbent upon the board to make sure that the residents and the structure itself are properly protected, lawyer Sandra Gottlieb said.

Read more: Car insurance rates have spiked in the US to a stunning $2,150/year  but you can be smarter than that. Here's how you can save yourself as much as $820 annually in minutes (it's 100% free)

Is there any recourse from homeowners' associations?

Although there are no federal laws regulating homeowners associations, some states do have statutes defining what a HOA can and cant do. These rules vary. In New Jersey and North Carolina, a dispute between an association and their homeowners is considered a private and civil matter with no public recourse. In Arizona and Maryland, there are state laws on the books that homeowners can turn to for help.

If you want to dispute a rule or decision against your property handed down by an HOA, the first step is to review the legal documents that govern your community. Every HOA is required to have bylaws, a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, rules and regulations or potentially all three. These spell out what your responsibilities are as a homeowner, and what the HOA can do if youre not fulfilling your requirements.

Next, request a meeting with the HOA leadership to review the violations and determine if there is an agreeable way forward. The Community Associations Institute advocates for alternative dispute resolution programs to help homeowners and associations come to a satisfactory and timely resolution and avoid lawsuits.

If a situation cannot be resolved, the final step is either to take action through a state body governing HOAs (if your state has one) or take legal action. The challenge of going down one of these routes is that they can take an extended amount of time to resolve, costing homeowners additional money in attorney fees, daily penalties for noncompliance, or both.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
What to know about the new lawsuit filed against Karen Read, woman accused of murdering her boyfriend in 2022

Karen Read looks toward the jurors at Norfolk Superior Court in July. (Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe)

The family of John OKeefe, the Boston police officer who was killed in January 2022, filed a wrongful death lawsuit Monday against his ex-girlfriend Karen Read and two bars in Canton, Mass.

Read, 44, has been accused of backing over OKeefe with her car after the couple spent the night barhopping. The OKeefe family has accused the bars  McCarthys and the Waterfall Bar & Grill  of overserving Read that, the family says, led to OKeefes death.

OKeefes brother, Paul O'Keefe, is the lead plaintiff in the civil lawsuit.

The family is seeking $500,000 in damages from Read. The lawsuit also argues that Read should be held financially responsible for OKeefes next of kin, his 14-year-old niece, who lost companionship, comfort  protection, care and advice when OKeefe died. OKeefe was acting as his nieces surrogate parent at the time of his death and she is one of the plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit.

Read was previously charged with second-degree murder, committing manslaughter under the influence of alcohol and fleeing a scene of personal injury and death. She pleaded not guilty.

On July 1, a Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial because the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on all three charges. Read is expected to stand trial again on Jan. 27, 2025.

What do the OKeefes believe happened?

In the civil complaint, the family claims that, for months leading up to OKeefes death, Read picked fights, experienced jealousy and had delusions of [Johns] unfaithfulness.

The OKeefes agree with the prosecutions argument that on the night of Jan. 29, 2022, Read and OKeefe were drunk and arguing after a night out when she dropped him off at a friends house around midnight and then intentionally backed over him with her car before driving away.

Read knew or had a reason to know of the risk of grave injury or death to [John] the OKeefes said in the complaint. The family said OKeefes injuries or death resulted from defendant Reads decision to back the car into him.

The family also claimed that Read woke up OKeefes 14-year-old niece, who lived at OKeefes residence, around 4:30 a.m. and talked about hitting [OKeefe] with her SUV.

Yahoo News reached out to two defense attorneys who represented Read in the criminal trial, Martin Weinberg and David Yannetti. Weinbergs law firm told Yahoo News that he was not involved in the civil lawsuit. Yannetti could not immediately be reached for comment.

What is a wrongful death lawsuit?

A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil action, usually filed by surviving family members or a personal representative from the deceaseds estate, that claims a person or company is liable for a death. Its usually brought about when criminal action has failed.

Typically, a death is legally considered wrongful when a person's or companys negligence results in the death of another person. However, wrongful death lawsuits can also be filed in some murder and manslaughter cases. (O.J. Simpson, for example, was found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman but later had to pay $25 million in damages to the families of his alleged victims following a civil suit.)

The statute of limitations in Massachusetts for wrongful death cases requires that they must be filed within three years of the event.

In Reads case, even though she was prosecuted criminally for murder and manslaughter, the family is still allowed to sue her civilly for the same crime in a wrongful death lawsuit.
A South Carolina woman was shot and killed Saturday, following a fight with her wheelchair-bound father, according to the Clarendon County Sheriffs Office.

The Clarendon County Coroners Office identified the woman as 41-year-old Lekenla R. Cantey, the sheriffs office said Monday in a news release.

On Saturday, deputies responded to reports of a shooting in the Summerton area, and found an unresponsive Cantey in the hallway of a home, according to the release. Information about what time the shooting was reported, and the exact location of where the gunfire occurred, was not available.

She succumbed (to) gunshot wounds which had been inflicted by her father, the sheriffs office said.

The shooting happened during a physical altercation between 68-year-old Buster Bennett and Cantey, while other family members were present, according to the release. Information about why the father and daughter were fighting was not available.

No other injuries were reported.

No charges have been filed, according to the sheriffs office, which said its continuing to investigate the shooting.

In 2023, the father and daughter were involved in a civil case in which Bennett was listed as the plaintiff and Cantey the defendant, Clarendon County court records show. Further information about the case was not available, but it was dismissed without prejudice in November 2023, according to court records.
Stanford University graphic

The desire for artificial intelligence skills in new hires has exploded over the last five years, and continues to be a priority for hiring managers across nearly every industry, data from Stanford Universitys annual AI Index Report found.

In 2023, 1.6% of all United States-based jobs required AI skills, a slight dip from the 2% posted in 2022. The decrease comes after many years of growing interest in artificial intelligence, and is likely attributed to hiring slowdowns, freezes or layoffs at major tech companies like Amazon, Deloitte and Capital One in 2023, the report said.

The numbers are still greatly up from just a few years ago, and in 2023, thousands of jobs across every industry required AI skills.

What do those AI jobs look like? And where are they based, exactly?

Generative AI skills, or the ability to build algorithms that produce text, images or other data when prompted, were sought after most, with nearly 60% of AI-related jobs requiring those skills. Large language modeling, or building technology that can generate and translate text, was second in demand, with 18% of AI jobs citing the need for those skills.

Those skills were followed by ChatGPT knowledge, prompt engineering, or training AI, and two other specific machine learning skills.

The industries that require these skills run the gamut  the information industry ranked first with 4.63% of jobs while professional, scientific and technical services came in second with 3.33%. The financial and insurance industries followed with 2.94%, and manufacturing came in fourth with 2.48%.

Public administration jobs, education jobs, management and utilities jobs all sought AI skills in 1- 2% of their open roles, while agriculture, mining, wholesale trade, real estate, transportation, warehousing, retail trade and waste management sought AI skills in 0.4-0.85% of their jobs.

Though AI jobs are concentrated in some areas of the country, nearly every U.S. state had thousands of AI-specific jobs in 2023, the report found.

California  home to Silicon Valley  had 15.3%, or 70,630 of the countrys AI-related jobs posted in 2023. It was followed by Texas at 7.9%, or 36,413 jobs. Virginia was third, with 5.3%, or 24,417 of AI jobs.

Based on population, Washington state had the highest percentage of people in AI jobs, with California in second, and New York in third.

Montana, Wyoming and West Virginia were the only states with fewer than 1,000 open roles requiring AI, but because of population sizes, AI jobs still made up 0.75%, 0.95% and 0.46% of all of the states open roles last year.

Though the number of jobs dipped from 2022 to 2023, the adoption of AI technologies across business operations has not. In 2017, 20% of businesses reported that they had begun using AI for at least one function of their work. In 2022, 50% of businesses said they had, and that number reached 55% in 2023.

For those that have incorporated AI tools into their businesses, its making their workers more productive, the report found. The report said studies have shown that AI tools have allowed workers to complete tasks more quickly and have improved the quality of their work. The research suggested that AI could be also capable of upskilling workers, the report found.

The report acknowledges that with all the technological advances that the AI industry has seen in the last five years, there are still many unknowns. The U.S. is still awaiting federal AI legislation, while states make their own regulations and laws.

The Stanford report predicts two futures for the trajectory of the technology  one in which the technology continues to develop and increase productivity, but theres a possibility that its used for good and bad uses. In another future, without proper research and development, the adoption of AI technologies could be constrained, researchers said.

They are stepping in to encourage the upside, the report said of government bodies. Such as funding university R&D and incentivizing private investment. Governments are also aiming to manage the potential downsides, such as impacts on employment, privacy concerns, misinformation, and intellectual property rights.
More than half of Harris donors had not given to Biden's 2024 campaign

More than 1.5 million donors opened their wallets for the first time in July to support Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, in the early days of her campaign.

Nearly $184 million flooded into Harris presidential campaign committees from individual donors since President Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, according to a Times analysis of Federal Election Commission filings released last week. Harris raised nearly a third of Bidens total with more than 2.6 million contributions averaging $69, $41 less than Bidens average contribution.

July 21 and 22 were the biggest fundraising days in the entire campaign cycle. Most of that boost came from small dollar contributions, under $200.

Bidens exit and Harris ascendance sparked an immediate wave of enthusiasm. On the night of the 21st, members of Win With Black Women held a Zoom in support that attracted an estimated 90,000 viewers. Younger generations that the Democrats had struggled to engage flocked to the Harris campaign with viral memes that have flooded social media platforms such as TikTok. Both women and young voters are critical groups that Harris needs to vote to win in November.

Nearly 70% of her support was from donors who had not given previously to President Biden in this election cycle, according to a Times analysis of July fundraising reports released Aug. 20.

Every single state saw more than half of its contributions come from new donors. The biggest increases were in the South and Midwest.

Overall the most money came from large metropolitan areas on the coasts. The New York, San Francisco, Washington and Los Angeles metro areas donated a combined $48.7 million to Harris from July 21 to 31.

In Los Angeles, heavily Latino areas on the Eastside and white neighborhoods in Silver Lake and Echo Park had many first-time donors. Many Asian-majority neighborhoods in Long Beach and the Valley stepped up for the first time for the first major presidential candidate of Indian heritage. Around the county, South Asian donors gave $2.4 million in the first days of her campaign. A similar pattern of excitement can be seen in Little Indias across the country, in Edison, N.J.; Queens, N.Y; and areas around Devon Avenue in Chicago.

Map of share of new Harris donors in the San Francisco / Bay area

In San Francisco, 70% of donors were new in Noe Valley, which is home to many young white families. Some Latino and Black majority ZIP Codes near San Leandro saw a similar shift towards new donors. Harris seems to be drawing on renewed enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket in majority Black areas: ZIP codes around Compton in L.A. and Oakland saw big increases in new donors.

In the first 11 days that Harris was endorsed as presidential nominee, she raised almost half of what Biden raised since the beginning of 2023 from Atlanta. Areas with high percentages of Black residents saw big increases in new donors. The swing state of Georgia is a critical voting bloc, with a large proportion of Black voters and working-class families.

Donors from the Charlotte metro area in North Carolina poured in more than $745,000 for Harris in new donations. These areas are majority Black and mostly lower income. Seventy percent of donors in the state were new and they brought in a total of $3.3 million for Harris.

Map of new Harris donors in the Atlanta metro area

Map of new Harris donors in the Charlotte metro area

Map of new Harris donors in the Chicago metro area

Majority Black and Latino areas in the South and West sides of Chicago gave heavily to Harris. New donors nearly tripled in the majority Black Hyde Park area.

In New York, majority Latino and Black ZIP codes in the Bronx, Harlem and Brooklyn saw three new donors for every returning donor. In the South Bronx ZIP Code 10454, where the population is 70% Latino and 25% Black, 86% of Harris donations were from new donors.

In neighboring New Jersey, a comparable pattern can be seen in the eastern part of Newark. The area is home to young lower- to middle-income Latinos.

This boost in new donors is especially important in swing states like Arizona, where a wave of new donors from middle-class, majority Latino communities in the Phoenix area showed their support for Harris. South of Phoenix, in Laveen, 83% of support came from new donors. Some contributions came from Republican-leaning areas.

Map of new Harris donors in the New York metro area

Map of new donors in the Phoenix metro area

Map of new donors in the Houston metro area

Texas is a majority Republican state with blue pockets in Austin and Houston. Just west of Houston, near Katy, Harris donations spiked in areas that voted heavily for Donald Trump in 2020. The Latino and Black area south of Houston, around Rosharon, previously gave less than $1,000, but new support for Harris grew to more than $10,500.

Since the filings only include contributions through July, the data wont show the impact that running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has had fundraising in working-class areas. Both Madison, Wis. and the Minneapolis area had twice as many new donors as returning donors. On Aug. 20, Harris and Walz visited left-leaning Milwaukee, an area thats given $520,000 in new donations.

After the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, it seems like the energy is only growing. The Harris campaign said it's raised $540 million in August, with a surge of support after her DNC speech. The campaign said nearly a third of contributions during the convention week were first-time contributors.

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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.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The United States remains committed to defending Israel in any Iranian attack, and was hopeful about a possible Gaza ceasefire agreement, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

Kirby told Israel's Channel 12 that it was tough to predict the chances of an attack but the White House takes Iranian statements seriously.

"We believe that they are still postured and poised to launch an attack should they want to do that, which is why we have that enhanced force posture in the region," he said.

"Our messaging to Iran is consistent, has been and will stay consistent. One, don't do it. There's no reason to escalate this. There's no reason to potentially start some sort of all-out regional war. And number two, we are going to be prepared to defend Israel if it comes to that."

Iran has vowed a severe response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which took place as he visited Tehran late last month and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement.

The U.S. maintains two aircraft-carrier strike groups in the Middle East, as well as an extra squadron of F-22 fighter jets.

Kirby said the force will remain "as long as we feel like we need to keep it in place to help defend Israel and defend our own troops and facilities in the region."

He remained upbeat over a possible Gaza ceasefire deal to end the 10-month-old war and return the remaining 108 Israeli hostages, saying the process as been "constructive" and he was looking forward to more talks in Doha in the coming days.

Kirby declined to blame either side for the impasse, saying a deal will require compromise and leadership by Israel and Hamas.

"The parties are still engaged and that's a good thing," he said. "The fact that we've moved on to another level here with working groups now in Doha, that's not a bad thing. It means that the sides are still talking. It means that there's still hope that we can nail down these last few details and move forward."

"Hamas is still being represented in these working-group discussions and that is a good thing. Nobody has broken off entirely from the process."

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Rod Nickel)
Cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness are on the rise, with the CDC urging everyone to stay updated on their vaccines

Getty Stock image of a child coughing.

Cases of pertussis  commonly known as whooping cough  have tripled in the United States this year.

At this time last year, there were 2,918 diagnosed cases of the respiratory illness, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says.

This year, however, there have been 10,865 cases of whooping cough, with 1,571 cases recorded in Pennsylvania alone.

Its a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, the Mayo Clinic explains, adding that it got its moniker because in many patients, it's marked by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like whoop. 

Getty Stock image of someone coughing.

Related: Amanda Peet: I 'Feel Passionately' About Life-Saving Shots

It can take up to ten days for symptoms to start appearing, the Mayo Clinic explains, and along with a telltale cough, those with pertussis may develop cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, red, watery eyes and a fever.

Covid-era masks and isolation practices helped bring the cases of whooping cough down, but the CDC notes this level of infection is now at pre-pandemic levels." The CDC urges everyone to stay up-to-date with their vaccinations  especially children, as younger kids are at the highest risk of a severe outcome from whooping cough.

Treatment is usually antibiotics, the CDC says, but warns that newborns need to be monitored for "serious adverse events" if given antibiotics to combat whooping cough.

However, "the risk of developing severe pertussis and life-threatening complications outweighs the potential risk" of complications from antibiotics.

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Pertussis is a part of the DTaP vaccine  which also protects against diphtheria and tetanus, which children commonly receive before age 7. The CDC says, getting vaccinated while pregnant helps protect her baby from whooping cough in the first few months of life.

After age 7, the CDC recommends the Tdap booster shot for people who have not been fully vaccinated.

Getty Stock image of a child getting the DTaP vaccine.

Related: Man Allegedly Received Over 200 COVID-19 Vaccinations  and It Didn't Negatively Affect His Immune System, Researchers Say

"In the younger kids, and especially in infants, they can have apnea, so they stop breathing. They can be hospitalized in the intensive care unit, and unfortunately, children can and have died from pertussis," Dr. Robert Frenck, a professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio, told ABC News.

"So, these are not innocuous infections. They can be very serious, and they can be deadly."

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Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov at the 2016 Mobile World Congress. Credit - Manuel Blondeau/AOP.Press/Corbis--Getty Images

The arrest of a tech CEO has reignited fierce global debates about the limits of digital freedom of speech, and how much responsibility social media companies should bear over the content on their platforms.

On August 24, Pavel Durov, CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested at a Paris airport as part of a larger investigation by French authorities into criminal activity on the platform. In a press release, a French prosecutor wrote that Telegram had refused to cooperate with authorities in their efforts to stop the spread of child porn, drugs, and money laundering on the platform. (French President Emmanuel Macron denied that the arrest was politically motivated.)

But the arrest also sparked backlash from some users, who decried what they considered to be governmental overreach and censorship. Edward Snowden called the arrest an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.

On Aug. 28, Pavel was formally charged with an array of crimes connected to illicit activity on the app. In a statement a prosecutor said that he was released on a $5.5 million bail but must stay in the countryand that if convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.

Heres what to know about Telegram, and the implications of Durovs arrest.

Telegrams emphasis on freedom of speech

Durov, 39, was born in Russia and founded Telegram in 2013. The project stemmed from his deep anti-regulation bent and belief that people in countries with oppressive governments needed an encrypted messaging system to communicate with each other. Durovs comments drew the ire of the Russian government, and he fled the country in 2014.

Telegram allows users to chat privately and in groups, or to subscribe to public channels that disseminate information. Durov positioned Telegram as a haven for free and secure speech. While experts have since questioned how secure most conversations on the platform are, Telegram now has more than 900 million users across the world. In some places, the app has fueled protest movements against authoritarian regimes, including in Iran and Hong Kong. The app has also made Durov, who now lives in Dubai, a billionaire.

But with its lack of moderation, Telegram has also allowed far-right extremists, including ISIS and the Proud Boys, to communicate and recruit, as it has allowed the groups to protect their anonymity and evade law enforcement in a way that Facebook, Twitter and YouTube has not. Durov actually embraced this type of usership: I think that privacy, ultimately, and our right for privacy, is more important than our fear of bad things happening, like terrorism, he said at a 2015 TechCrunch event, adding that he shouldnt feel guilty about ISIS using Telegram. (A few months later, though, Telegram announced it had blocked dozens of ISIS-related channels.)

In the decade since, hate groups have flourished on Telegram. The British advocacy group Hope not Hate wrote in 2021 that Telegram was home to the most extreme, genocidal and directly violent antisemitic content. In 2023, Brazil temporarily banned the platform during investigations into neo-Nazi groups allegedly using the app to conduct school attacks. Law enforcement officials say that American far-right extremists have recently been using Telegram to plan attacks on local power infrastructure.

And because Telegram has no explicit policies against the sharing of child sexual abuse videos in private messages, sellers of such videos have found a home on the platform, according to researchers. The Stanford Internet Observatory stated that Telegram failed to perform even basic content enforcement on public channels, thus allowing child porn to spread.

Backlash from First Amendment defenders

For several years, the European Unionwhich has some of the strictest content policies in the worldhas been trying to wrangle Telegram and its large European user base into cooperation with its rules. In 2022, the EU adopted the Digital Services Act, forcing Telegram to comply with its transparency and moderation standards, including taking proactive steps to police harmful and illegal content

Ultimately, it was the French government which decided to move against Durov, arresting him and accusing him of complicity in a range of criminal acts. Telegram responded in a statement by asserting that the company abides by EU laws and that Durov has nothing to hide. A spokesperson for the European Commission told Euronews that Durovs arrest did not relate to any sort of breach of the Digital Services Act.

Despite the gravity of these chargesand the documented amount of illegal material shared on TelegramDurovs arrest sparked fierce outrage from many on social media, particularly from libertarian-leaning figures who accused the French government of trying to pry into private conversations.

Elon Musk wrote #FreePavel on X, and warned that the arrest could start a slippery slope leading to being executed for liking a meme. Vitalik Buterin, the founder of the blockchain Ethereum, wrote that This looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe. Many others on social media worried that the arrest would embolden governments to prosecute tech CEOs for failing to turn over user dataor that it would lead to a chilling effect in which platforms over-moderate content for fear of being criminally charged.

Holding platforms liable for user speech incentivizes them to err on the side of caution by removing any content that could conceivably lead to legal trouble, even if its lawful, Aaron Terr, the director of public advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), wrote to TIME in an email. That chilling effect is why the United States has constitutional and statutory protections that ensure platforms can host a wide range of ideas without facing crippling legal consequences.

Durovs arrest also sparked alarm in Russia, where half of the countrys citizens use Telegram to obtain information or communicate with others, according to a recent poll. The Russian military uses Telegram to coordinate actions and share documents. And a 2023 WIRED investigation raised the possibility that the Kremlin was using Telegram to spy on dissidents. After Durovs arrest, Russian media sources voiced concern that the app might become a tool of NATO, and called for the creation of an alternative military messaging system.

Read More: How Telegram Became the Digital Battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine War

The strange confluence of these different groups expressing support for Durov did not go unnoticed by experts. I do think it's interesting that the outrage comes from adversarial quarters, says Elina Treyger, a senior political scientist at the Rand Corporation. Its both the Kremlin and its opponents that are troubled by it, plus the free speech absolutists: This is not a coalition you see often.

But other free speech champions argued that it would be wrong to extrapolate too much from Durovs arrest. Daphne Keller, an expert on platform regulation at the Stanford Cyber Policy Center, noted on LinkedIn that while she typically criticizes lawmakers for overregulation, Durovs case seemed at first glance like a simple matter of him breaking the law. CSAM [child sexual abuse material], terrorist content, and drug sales are all regulated by federal criminal law, she wrote. Platforms have no immunity from that law.

Durov has been released on bail, but must check in at a police station twice a week, according to the prosecutor's statement. Cases in the French criminal system can take years to resolve.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A Ryanair passenger plane is parked at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Thomas Banneyer/dpa

Irish budget airline Ryanair will cut its operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) by around 20% starting next summer due to high airport fees, the company announced on Tuesday.

The number of Ryanair aircraft based in Berlin will drop from nine to seven and six routes - the Belgian capital Brussels, Chania on the Greek island of Crete, Kaunas in Lithuania, Krakow in Poland, Luxembourg and the Latvian capital Riga - will be discontinued.

The exact timing of the fleet reduction and its impact on local employment remain unspecified.

Each aircraft typically supports around 30 jobs, according to Eddie Wilson, the manager responsible for Ryanair's core business.

The airport operator on Tuesday said it regretted Ryanair's decision, while acknowledging the airline's clear criticism of the high fees.

"The state air traffic tax alone has more than doubled since 2019," the operator noted.

The entire industry has long been vocal about this issue but "this affects not just BER but German air traffic as a whole," it added.

Currently, Ryanair is the largest airline operating from BER, surpassing EasyJet in market share, according to the airport.

Despite expanding its services this summer and increasing passenger numbers by 15% last year, Ryanair's future plans remain uncertain, especially concerning its planned maintenance hangar at the airport.

This move echoes previous adjustments by airlines due to high costs. EasyJet also reduced its fleet at BER in 2022, resulting in the loss of around 200 jobs.

Wilson noted that air traffic at BER has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with passenger numbers still around 70% of what they were before the pandemic. High taxes and fees are blamed for stifling growth and affecting airline offerings.

In addition to Berlin, Ryanair operates in Weeze, Cologne, Frankfurt-Hahn, Nuremberg, Baden and Memmingen. It remains to be seen if reductions will occur at these locations as well.

Germany's ADV airport association warned that Germany risks losing its competitive edge in air transport due to high costs.

Ralph Beisel, the associations chief executive, highlighted that while other European airports are thriving, regulatory burdens in Germany are hampering expansion and reducing available flight connections.
Pope Francis presides over a mass where he bestowed the Pallium, a woolen shawl symbolizing their bond to the pope, to 42 new Metropolitan Archbishops, in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Saturday, June 29, 2024. | Domenico Stinellis

Pope Francis is calling on Ukraine to not let conflict with Russia undermine its support for religious freedom.

After a prayer service on Sunday, the Catholic leader criticized Ukraines new law banning churches affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, arguing that churches shouldnt become casualties of war.

In thinking about the laws recently adopted in Ukraine, I fear for the freedom of those who pray, because those who truly pray always pray for all, the pope said, per Religion News Service.

He continued, Please, let no Christian church be abolished directly or indirectly. Churches are not to be touched!

Ukraine bans churches with ties to Russia

Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signed the ban on some Orthodox Christian churches on Ukraines Independence Day on Saturday, one day before Pope Francis gave his remarks.

The new law gives churches nine months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, according to Vatican News. It comes in response to claims that leaders in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have offered key support to Russia throughout the war.

Ukraines security service has accused the UOC of acting as a platform to justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine and says its churches are havens for spies. The organization has launched criminal proceedings against at least 100 UOC clergy members, with 26 already sentenced, Religion News Service reported.

Vatican leaders are among those who have worked to resolve the tension surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but they werent able to calm the fears of most Ukrainian officials  or most everyday Ukrainians.

A study conducted in April by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 83% of Ukrainians felt that the government should intervene in the activities of the UOC, while 63% supported banning the church altogether, Religion News Service reported.

Pope comments on Ukraine

Throughout the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Pope Francis has prayed for  and called on Catholics to pray for  peace.

He continued that refrain this weekend, according to Religion News Service.

I continue to follow with sorrow the fighting in Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the pope said. Let us continue to pray for an end to wars, in Palestine, in Israel, in Myanmar and in every other region. The people are asking for peace! Let us pray that the Lord will give us all peace.
Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican U.S. House candidate, holds a campaign sign at an Eagle River intersection on Aug. 20, 2024, Alaska's primary election day. With her are several sign-waving supporters. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican U.S. House candidate, holds a campaign sign at an Eagle River intersection on Aug. 20, 2024, Alaska's primary election day. With her are several sign-waving supporters. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

On Friday, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom withdrew from the race for Alaskas U.S. House seat after finishing third in early results for the statewide primary election.

Though a surprise to some observers, her action is part of a larger trend this year: In some races with multiple Republicans, candidates are withdrawing in order to consolidate support behind a single Republican.

Its a response to the partys experience two years ago, strategists and candidates say.

In 2022, Democratic U.S. House candidate Mary Peltola defeated Republicans Nick Begich and Sarah Palin. Part of that defeat was due to the fact that many Begich voters either failed to rank anyone second or chose Peltola after Begich was eliminated.

Republicans won several ranked choice legislative elections by narrow margins, but in those races, many Republican voters declined to rank a second Republican, leading to significant numbers of exhausted ballots that didnt contribute to the final margin.

The Republican Party attempted to convince voters to Rank the Red in a pre-election campaign, but in the two years since the last election, that approach has been discarded by a significant number of Republicans.

Theyre now trying to recreate the states old primary elections system  in which only one candidate from a particular party advances to the general election  through voluntary withdrawals.

That strategy is showing up in races where multiple conservative Republicans are running alongside a single Democrat or moderate Republican.

How Alaska votes

In Alaskas election system, all candidates for an office, regardless of political party, are placed in the same primary election. Voters pick one candidate, and the four candidates with the most votes advance to the general election.

In the general election, voters are asked to rank the candidates in order of preference, one through four, with a fifth option for a write-in, if wanted.

If a candidate receives more than half of the first-preference votes, they win.

If no one receives more than half of the first-preference votes, the lowest finisher is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate have their votes go for their second preference.

The elimination process continues until one candidate has more than half of the remaining votes.

Presidential elections do not have a top-four primary. Voters in November may be asked to rank more than four candidates for president.

The same day that Dahlstrom withdrew, incumbent Rep. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, announced that he would be withdrawing from the election for an Anchorage state Senate seat despite finishing second.

McKay and former Republican state Rep. Liz Vazquez are each challenging Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage.

Me and Liz arent that far apart, and Im a believer  especially after my 2022 race, that having two Republicans in there is not helpful, McKay said. And I think Liz really wanted to stay in the race, so I decided Ill drop out, and Im going to look for other opportunities.

Two years ago, McKay trailed Democratic candidate Denny Wells among voters first preferences but won after the ranked choice tabulation sent a fellow Republicans second-choice votes his way.

That fellow Republican, David Eibeck, got 1,039 votes, and McKay was listed as a second choice on 644 of those ballots. Wells was the second choice for 92 voters. On 303 ballots  almost a third of Eibecks voters  there was no second choice, and the ballots were exhausted, not counting for either remaining candidate.

That tells me right there that you cant force people to do this ranking business. Some of them, theyre just not going to do it, McKay said.

He won his race, but he thinks it was closer than it should have been. Under Alaskas old elections system, only one Republican and one Democrat would have advanced from the primary to the general election, and McKay thinks those Eibeck voters would have gone for him.

This year, his chief of staff, Trevor Jepsen, encouraged candidates to sign pre-election pledges saying that they would drop out if they werent the top Republican in the primary.

The data doesnt lie; due to exhausted ballots, Rank the Red is a losing strategy in tight races, Jepsen said. One Race, One Republican should be the strategy, and its good to see our Republican candidates understanding that.

More withdrawals are expected ahead of the Sept. 2 deadline, but some candidates arent waiting.

In the race for Eagle Rivers state Senate seat, former Republican Rep. Sharon Jackson has withdrawn and endorsed Jared Goecker, the leading conservative Republican challenger to incumbent moderate Republican Sen. Kelly Merrick.

Jackson is running fifth, but her withdrawal means that if another trailing candidate withdraws, there will be no replacement.

In House District 36, which covers much of Interior Alaska, Republican Cole Snodgress is running third in a six-person race, enough to advance to the general election. But because hes behind fellow Republican Rebecca Schwanke, hes withdrawing from the contest.

Instead of trying to stay in and split up the vote going into the general election, I made that commitment up front with District 36, he said by phone on Monday. I said, Hey, if I dont take first, Im going to get out of the way and get behind one candidate going into the general election.

Hes already sent his withdrawal paperwork into the Division of Elections, he said.

We both had our fair shot at it, and this is the way that people spoke on it, and were just going back to that traditional primary process that we had, except you have to do it through self governance, Snodgress said.

It isnt yet clear whether Snodgress move will accomplish what he wants. Republican Dana Mock is running fifth in the balloting and didnt immediately answer a phone call about his intentions.

If Mock doesnt withdraw, hell slide into fourth, leaving the ballot full for the general election.

Rep. Jesse Sumner, R-Wasilla, also announced his withdrawal from the general election last week, but for family reasons rather than strategy.

Sumner supports the current elections system and said its not beneficial to have it become a partisan issue.

He thinks its a mistake for Republicans to rely on strategic withdrawals ahead of the general election.

People see that people dont rank, but that doesnt mean that they would have voted for the other candidate, or even showed up to vote, or voted downballot if the other candidate was there, he said. Oftentimes, they might just not like that other person, you know?

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It wasnt long ago that Donald Trumps campaign was vilifying Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a leftie loonie pariah.

Now the black sheep of the Kennedy political dynasty is the centerpiece of Trump World, threatening to overshadow JD Vance with his star power and the potentialthe former presidents retainers believeto deliver liberal votes to Trump.

The love fest has blossomed from a place of revulsion.

In January, campaign co-chair Chris LaCivita tweeted in all-caps fashion like his boss, This is 100% FAKE NEWS  NO ONE from the Trump campaign ever approached RFK jr (or ever will)  one of the most LIBERAL and radical environmentalists in the country.

This is 100% FAKE NEWS - NO ONE from the Trump Campaign ever approached RFK jr (or ever will) - one of the most LIBERAL and radical environmentalists in the country. For all the fake news- update your stories. https://t.co/HYBJLqSux0  Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) January 28, 2024

LaCivitas rantback when the campaign feared Kennedy might cut into Trumps supportwas posted in response to a Jan. 27, 2024, Fox News story which claimed the Trump team had made early attempts to recruit RFK Jr. as a running mate.

Just short of three months later, on April 15, LaCivita doubled down on the Trump camps distaste of Kennedy. He retweeted his never-ever tirade, explaining directly to RFK Jr. on X that it was true then and its true now @RobertfKennedyJr .your a leftie loonie that would never be approached to be on the ticket..sorry!

Re-upping this from January was true then and its true now @RobertfKennedJr .your a leftie loonie that would never be approached to be on the ticket..sorry! https://t.co/Kkti2GOIOS  Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) April 15, 2024

Flash forward four months. Now, the Leftie Loonie himself has dropped out, endorsed Trump for president and rebranded MAGA as MAHAMake America Healthy Againmaking weird even weirder. (LaCivita has not shared his thoughts on the new Trump-Kennedy bromance on social media.)

Mrs. Leftie Loonie, to borrow the Trump campaign chairmans rhetoric, is the Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines, who had previously threatened to divorce Kennedy if he joined the Trump campaign. Shes now taking a thumping from Hollywood, which is likely to get worse, not better.

RFK Jr. said Tuesday the former president has asked him to serve on his presidential transition team and that hes looking forward to that.

The next seismic opportunity for Kennedy and Trumps bromance to deepen could occur in the midst of a transition when Trump, if he defeats Kamala Harris on Election Day, would be choosing cabinet officials and appointing other senior positions in a second administration.

Trump reposted a comment from conservative internet darling Benny Johnson, who described Trump and RFK Jr. as the strongest anti-establishment ticket in American historyraising questions about his commitment to the current Trump-Vance ticket.

Trump shares a post describing he and RFK Jr as a ticket. Poor JD. pic.twitter.com/0kmtEytGkW  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 24, 2024

The Daily Beast reached out to a Vance spokesman asking for comment on the GOP vice presidential nominees reaction to RFK Jr.s endorsement of Trump and whether the Ohio senator is worried about Trumps commitment to keeping him on the ticket. The spokesman, Luke Schroeder, pointed to Vances comments on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday when he said, I think what RFK's endorsement really shows is that the Kennedy Democrats are actually more at home in the Republican Party of Donald Trump.

Trump communications director Steven Cheung told the Daily Beast in a statement provided Tuesday that Senator JD Vance is the perfect vice presidential candidate because he is a believer in the movement and can prosecute the case effectively against Kamala Harris.

Hines, meanwhile, was more all in for MAGA than had previously been known.

According to Kennedy, she pushed her husband to meet with Trump in order to hear him out and ultimately offer a full-throated endorsement. She even joined the meeting with Trump and his campaign co-chair, Susie Wiles, that preceded the Kennedy endorsement in Arizona, where Democrats put up billboards declaring the Trump-Kennedy alliance Weird as Hell.

WEIRD AS HELL!



As @RobertKennedyJr, Trump, & JD Vance prepare to join forces, @TheDemocrats will

be on hand with billboards in Arizona reminding voters these three weirdos were made for each other.



And peep Trump tower as you leave Chicago 



More from @juliaajohnson_  pic.twitter.com/bBhUlv8OpY  Matt Corridoni (@mattcorridoni) August 23, 2024

The partnership between the two former adversaries didnt happen overnight. The former president apparently spent many weeks coaxing the Kennedy scion to his camp. Trumps efforts were captured in a leaked video posted in mid-July in which Trump said he would love to team up with RFK Jr., saying it would be big and were gonna win.

A video of Trumps call with RFK Jr. was leaked - Trump talks about vaccines, tells RFK Jr. doing something with him would be big, mentioned his call with Biden and said the bullet was like the worlds largest mosquito.

RFK Jr apologized for the leak. pic.twitter.com/Z6DQ955P6W  Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) July 16, 2024

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Donald Trump doesnt like Elon Musk very much, even though the billionaire technocrat is pulling out all the stops to get the former president back into the White House.

Since formally endorsing Trump in July, Musk has raised millions for Trumps campaign through his America PAC, which has poured $16 million into outreach in the last two weeks alone. Due to an FEC rule passed in March, Musks super PAC is able to coordinate directly with the Trump campaignforming what could be an essential part of Trumps otherwise flimsy ground game.

Last month, Musk held a glitchy, train-wreck interview with Trump on X that got them both in legal trouble, and the X owner promptly started placing ads for the Republican nominee all over his social media site. Trump went on to mention Musk at several sleepy rallies and chaotic press events, and posted really, really strange stuff to tout their new friendshipbut apparently their alliance is purely transactional. In reality, Trump thinks his new ally is  well 

Trump thinks hes weird, one source close to the former president told Rolling Stone. Sorry to use a word used a lot by Democrats now. The source had spoken to Trump about Musk as recently as July.

Another source who had been in the room several times while Trump had spoken to Musk told Rolling Stone that the former president had complained about the Tesla CEO a few times, calling him boring and describing him as tiresome and moody.

Musks pro-Trump PAC has already landed in hot water in Michigan and North Carolina for allegedly collecting personal information under the guise of voter registration, although lawyers for the PAC wrote letters assuring state investigators that America PAC is utilizing the data it collects to register voters and encourage them to vote. It doesnt seem like either state will take immediate action against Musks PAC, but both said that they will continue to monitor the group.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Theres a new face in the Wichita County Courthouse as the new County Auditor was sworn in Monday morning.

Texoma native Matt Davis was sworn in by 30th District Judge Jeff McKnight, with 78th District Judge Meredith Kennedy and 89th District Judge Charles Barnard present.

Labor Day closures to affect trash schedule

Davis, an MSU graduate, is no stranger to the Wichita County Auditors Office, as he worked there from 2011 to 2022.

Davis will be taking over as auditor after former County Auditor Cheryl Jones was not reappointed. In fact, just recently, we learned that the three district judges responsible for the auditors appointment held a special meeting last Friday.

A few days after Jones special meeting, the district judges issued a letter to her stating, We have become aware that you have removed a substantial number of stakeholders ability to access the Tyler Munis platform software without justification. You are hereby notified that you are suspended throughout the end of your term.

Both Judge Kennedy and McKnight said that instead of just reappointing auditors after the term is over, theyll carefully review any applicants for the position when no one new applies.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)Wichitas mayor says the implementation date of Jan. 1 for paid parking in downtown, Old Town, and Delano has been paused.

City council members, business owners, and community members met at a town hall on Monday to discuss their expectations for the policy.

The town hall conversation was somewhat heated. Nortons Brewing Company organizers tell KSN that their goal with this meeting was to facilitate a more solution-minded discussion.

What weve done is put a complete pause. And getting feedback, said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu.

People and business owners are still not happy with the proposed switch to paid parking, which led to Mondays discussion.

I think that we need parking for our customers to come and eat with us, said Natasha Gandhi-Rue, chef and co-owner of The Kitchen. If we dont have places for them to park, to come to our locations, that is going to be a huge hindrance.

We want to find some solutions that dont put the burden on the people that patronize these businesses downtown or are employed by these businesses, said Nico Leitner-Goddard, a brewer at Nortons Brewing Company.

21st Street closed in north Wichita after crews damage sewer line

Mayor Wu says that she understands peoples concerns, and the city council has halted movement on the proposed parking change.

We heard some, even, innovative ideas from some of these community members of how parking can be paid, but in a more innovative way, said Mayor Wu.

City council members say innovation is necessary, and the money still needs to come from somewhere

Now, the conversation has shifted to finding solutions to the deficit while still keeping affected citizens and businesses happy.

I think that a solution is the next step. We want to be a big part of that step. This is our way of making our voices heard in terms of coming to a solution, said Leitner-Goddard.

The Wichita City Council members who attended this town hall say they hope to continue the conversation on paid parking. Some of the proposed ideas include allowing businesses to validate parking or offering a parking day pass.

The next information meeting will be held on Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at Envision, 610 N. Main. The public will not be able to ask questions during this meeting.

To learn more about the Citys downtown parking plan, click here.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Temperatures across Kansas have been toasty the last few days. In Wichita, that led to some classrooms reaching the upper 80-degree range on Monday, according to messages KSN News received.

KSN reached out to the school district for a response. Susan Arensman, the districts news and media relations manager, says that some systems were knocked offline during the weekend storm. She says crews worked Monday to reset equipment.

McConnell gives update on extent of airshow storm damage

Meteorologist Ronelle Williams says temperatures in the area will remain toasty through Thursday. A cooldown to the 80s is expected Friday through the start of next week.

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Its been nearly seven months since a small plane crashed into the Bayside Waters mobile home park in Clearwater, killing the pilot and two women on the ground, but the legal fallout is just beginning.

Robert Bobby Dixon, whose wife, Mary Ellen Pender, was killed along with a friend she was visiting that day, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the planes owner. An attorney representing the estate of Martha Parry, Penders friend, told the Tampa Bay Times this week that they plan to do the same.

The attorneys said they need to file the suits in part because the plane owners insurance policy has a $1 million liability limit. Thats not enough to compensate their own clients for their loss, let alone both estates plus several other parties seeking compensation in connection to the crash, the attorneys said.

So were put in the position of having to file a lawsuit to try to determine what assets, if any, there might be to pursue getting a full recovery for Mr. Dixon, and also to determine what, if any, maintenance issues or repair issues may have led to the crash, said Marc Matthews, Dixons attorney.

Jemin Patel, 54, was flying the single-engine Beechcraft V35B on Feb. 1 when it went down in Bayside Waters, crashing into a home at 2647 Pagoda Drive that Parry was renting and sparking a fire that consumed the plane and nearly all of the home. Patel, Parry, 86, and Pender, 55, all died at the scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. According to a preliminary report released by the safety board in March, Patel departed from Vero Beach Municipal Airport about 6:09 p.m. with a flight plan to head to Clearwater Airpark, a city-owned facility at 1000 Hercules Ave. The report notes that it was a clear night, with visibility of about 10 miles.

Patel could be heard on the radio saying he couldnt see the airparks runway lights even though witnesses said the the lights were on. Patel also reported a fire before his final transmission at 7:06 p.m., federal investigators said.

A pilot flying nearby reported seeing the airplane in a 30- to 40-degree nose-low descent that he described as like an uncontrolled descent. He added that while the airplane was descending, he saw a very bright light descending very fast to impact.

Matthews filed Dixons lawsuit against Control Data, Inc. on July 3. The company, based in Brevard County, was the registered owner of the plane at the time of the crash, according to the complaint and state records.

Patel is also listed as a defendant. The complaint states that Patel was believed to be an employee, agent, or apparent agent of Control Data and was acting within the course and scope of his employment at the time of the crash.

Dixons suit states that Patel and Control Data failed to maintain and operate the airplane in a safe manner, thereby causing the crash. Dixon is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

An annual report filed with the Florida Division of Corporations in January listed Patel as Control Datas registered agent and its officer/director. An updated filing this month replaced Patel with a new registered agent, Melbourne attorney J. Mason Williams IV. Matthews filed an amended complaint last week week adding Williams as a defendant.

Williams said through a representative that he did not have approval from his client to comment on the case.

On the same day that Matthews filed the lawsuit for Penders estate, the company that insured the plane, Starr Indemnity and Liability Co., filed an action stating that Control Datas insurance policy has a $1 million limit of liability for bodily injury and property damage, and that sum is not sufficient to settle all of the existing claims. The filing, known as an interpleader action, asked the court to help determine how to distribute the money.

According to the filing, Dixon and Parrys estates are each making wrongful death claims for $1 million. More than a dozen other parties are making claims for property damage or injury, some for specific amounts and others for amounts yet to be determined, according to the filing. As a result, Starr doesnt know to which of those parties the company may safely pay claims, the filing states.

Attorneys listed for Start Indemnity and Liability Company did not respond to email and voicemail messages seeking comment.

Erin Applebaum, an attorney representing Parrys estate, said she expects the Starr Indemnity and Liability case will go to arbitration to figure out how to divvy up the insurance money. Applebaum said that general aviation pilots and their airplanes are often underinsured, so in some cases there is not enough money to fairly compensate parties for death, injury and property damage.

We are sensitive to the fact that there is another wrongful death claim and we have sympathy for that family also, so we intend to work with the arbitrator and make sure that everybody gets a just result, Applebaum said. And the only unjust thing here is the fact that the insurance pot is so small.

Applebaum said her firm is also investigating what caused the crash.

We are looking to see, why did the plane catch fire? Applebaum said. Was there a maintenance issue that led to that occurring? Why did Mr. Patel fail to see the airport? Was there a municipality issue where the air park should have had better lighting? Those are the type of things we look into to see if there is another source for recovery.

The Tampa Bay Times reported in March that Clearwater Airpark is unusually dark and difficult to find at night in a sea of city lights. Like many general aviation airports, its runway lights are off until approaching pilots activate them by tapping the button they use to talk on the radio frequency. Clearwater officials discussed installing a beacon as early as 2017, according to video of city meetings. Four years ago, a consultant recommended installing one before the end of 2020. It hasnt happened.

Starrs filing states that Citizens Property Insurance is making claims on behalf of at least three parties for property damage: Mike and Katherine Blunier, for $108,157.50; Sarah Mallie-Gerichs and Robert Gerichs, for $69,000; and Joe and Nancy Miller, for $51,200.

The filing does not include details about each claim.

Mike Blunier said his wife, Katherine, is one of three siblings who co-owned the home and the lot it sat on at the time of the crash, and Sarah Mallie-Gerichs and Robert Gerichs are the other two siblings. He said the home was a total loss and he and he his wife filed a claim through Citizens. They are now the sole owners of the lot and plan to put another home there.

Blunier said he and his wife knew Parry but not Pender.

Our feeling is that although we lost everything, it was all material goods, and the people who lost their lives, thats the tragedy of the whole thing, and our hearts go out to their families, Mike Blunier said.

Efforts to reach Sarah Mallie-Gerichs and Robert Gerichs were not successful.

Nancy Miller declined to comment for this story. On the night of the crash, her husband Joe told the Times that he was just starting to drift off to sleep inside the couples home when he heard an unbelievable roar and was thrown to the floor, covered in insulation and glass.

The roofs blown off and I dont know whats left inside, Joe Miller said at the time. I just know Im lucky to be here.

A recent photo of the crash scene shared with the Times showed a vacant lot where the Millers home once stood.
KNOX COUNTY, Neb. (KCAU)  A wind energy company and many Knox County landowners have filed a lawsuit against the county and many board members due to a zoning amendment.

The lawsuit was federally filed by North Fork Wind LLC and twelve landowners in Knox County on Friday. The lawsuit is against Knox County, members of its board of supervisors, the planning commission and zoning administrator, and a group of individuals who pushed for a change to the countys setback rules.

Officials identify pilot killed in Knox County plane crash

Back in November 2023, Knox County had adopted commercially reasonable zoning regulations for CWECS, according to the lawsuit. CWECS is a 600-megawatt commercial wind energy conversion system. The lawsuit states that North Fork Wind attended meetings and provided comments about the wind farm since 2017.

The lawsuit states that a group called Wind Watchers that opposed the setback rules that were in place began to push for a change to the rules in May 2024. This led to the Knox County Board of Supervisors voting 5-1 on to change the setback rules from 2,000 feet to 6,600 feet, more than three times the original distance.

In addition to the setbacks, the county is also requiring that North Fork Wind obtain a security bond. The amount will be determined by the board. The county is also requiring them to add Knox County as an additional insured on the companys policies for the wind farm.

The lawsuit claims that the changes were made with the express purpose of regulating North Fork Wind and the Wind Farm only. It stated zoning changes for windfarms were done without properly posting proposed amendments in meeting agendas. It also said that impacted landowners did not receive written notice about the proposed amendments. In meeting minutes and agendas, North Fork Wind and the windfarm were specifically mentioned for the proposed amendments.

Kim Taylor released from federal prison, will now serve home incarceration

Reasons given for the boards reasons for approving the new setback were because the wind turbines were taller than other turbines in another windfarm, North Fork Wind could pay non-participating landowners, and the board trusted the planning commissions recommendation, the lawsuit states. Additionally, one board member said he was opposed because his children di not want to look at the windfarm.

North Fork Wind had been working on developing their CWECS for more than five years, beginning in 2017, according to the suit. They entered into agreements with many landowners in the area and had invested more than $12 million into the project. To help secure their position in a queue with the Southwest Power Pool, the company had posted more than $16 million in security deposits, more than $7 million of which is non-refundable.

The company estimates that the wind farm would be worth more than $1.3 billion in consideration of how much money it would be bringing to landowners, paying in taxes, and more.

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In addition, the lawsuits states that the state of Nebraska is encouraging the development of wind energy and that the Knox County 2023 Zone Resolution specifically stated that the county was pushing for wind energy as a clean, renewable energy resource can be utilized in a cost-effective and timely manner.

The plaintiffs in this case are seeking to have the amendments lifted and making public record that they have been canceled and nullified. They are also seeking to be paid damages and have their court fees covered.

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Ryanair Group (RYAAY) Chief Executive Michael O'Leary on Tuesday said that Boeing's (BA) new management "continue to disappoint" and that deliveries were behind schedule.

The Irish airline, one of Boeing's largest customers, said there was a risk it would take delivery of just 20-25 of the 737 MAX aircraft ahead of next summer, rather than the 29 scheduled.

"Things are continuing to slip slightly, it's been disappointing," O'Leary told Reuters in an interview.

"We're working closely with Stephanie Pope and the new team in Boeing, but they continue to disappoint us," he said, referring to the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, who was appointed in March.

Boeing last month named aerospace industry veteran Kelly Ortberg as its chief executive.

Boeing has pledged to grow output by the end of the year, after wrestling with supply chain snags and operating a slower assembly line since a Jan. 5 in-flight blowout of a door plug on a 737 MAX 9 jet that heightened regulatory scrutiny.

O'Leary said Ryanair had received five aircraft in July instead of the seven scheduled and that it looked like it would get just five of 10 scheduled for August.

"Boeing have had significant production problems. We think they're getting to the end of that," he said.

Ryanair said in July that Boeing had warned it some 737 MAX deliveries due by next spring would be delayed until the peak summer months of 2025  a repeat of delays this year that forced a cut in its summer traffic volumes.

Ryanair, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, already has 150 firm orders for the MAX 10, the largest jet in the 737 family, and options for 150 more, with the first deliveries due in 2027.

O'Leary said the smaller MAX 7 was supposed to be certified by the end of this year, but that looks like slipping into the first half of 2025.

He said it was "impossible to know" if certification of the MAX 10 would be on time in the first half of 2025. "It's a day-by-day challenge with Boeing."

(Reporting by Kate Abnett and Bart Biesmans, Writing by Conor Humphries and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by David Evans)
A day after the state Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to remove Green Party candidate Jill Stein from the ballot in Wisconsin, the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission confirmed she will appear on November ballots in the battleground state.

The commission on Tuesday also kept independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the ballot, though he has suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. While he has tried to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states, Wisconsin law does not allow for Kennedy to retract his nomination at this point.

Wisconsin election commissioners also approved independent candidate Cornel West for the ballot after rejecting a challenge that argued his declarations of candidacy were not properly filed due to notarization issues. A Democratic National Committee employee filed that challenge, and another against Stein.

(From left) Cornel West, Jill Stein and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

More: How Democrats are seeking to block 3rd party candidates from Wisconsin's ballot

In the latest Marquette University Law School poll released in early August and before Kennedy dropped out, Vice President Kamala Harris had a two-point lead over Trump when third-party candidates were factored in. Polling for Kennedy has declined to 8% from double digits earlier in the year, and other third-party candidates are polling at 1% or less in Wisconsin.

Here's what to know about WEC's action, and why third-party candidates will appear on the ballot in Wisconsin.

Will Jill Stein be on the ballot in Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Elections Commission approved Stein for the ballot on Tuesday. Back in February, the commission cleared the way for allowing candidates from the Green Party to appear on Wisconsin's ballot.

On Monday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also declined to hear a challenge to Stein's inclusion on the ballot. But WEC chairwoman Ann Jacobs anticipated there would be further lawsuits over the inclusion of the Green Party on the ballot.

"This is a big win against the anti-Democratic Partys war on democracy and voter choice, Stein said in a statement Monday. "The Democrats constantly preach about saving democracy,' when in reality theyve been doing everything they can to crush democracy by trying to remove the Green Party and others from the ballot."

The Republican Party of Wisconsin also viewed the court's decision as a win. "If Democrats hope to win over voters, they will have to do so through earnest persuasion instead of disqualification," state party chairman Brian Schimming said in a statement.

Will RFK Jr. be on the ballot in Wisconsin?

Kennedy's name will remain on Wisconsin's ballot, though he is no longer running for president as an independent and has thrown his support behind Trump. That means votes could still be cast for him in Wisconsin.

After his exit from the race, Kennedy has moved to remove his name from ballots in several battleground states, such as Arizona, where he believes his "presence would be a spoiler." Kennedy also filed that request with Wisconsin election commissioners.

But Wisconsin law says that anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot  which Kennedy did  cannot decline nomination. That person will appear on the ballot "except in case of death of the person."

Multiple commissioners raised questions about Kennedy's request and noted the ballot had not yet been set  it was the point of the meeting. But the commission voted 5-1 to keep Kennedy on the ballot, with Republican appointee Bob Spindell casting the only "no" vote.

Don Millis, a Republican appointee to the commission, said the statute was "troubling for me."

"Before we set the ballot, it seems to me that it makes sense to allow a candidate to withdraw, and that's what I'm struggling with," Millis said.

But other commissioners said there was no room for discretion with the statute. "The only way he gets to not be on the ballot is to up and die, which I'm assuming he has no plans on doing," Jacobs said. "The statute is absolutely clear on this."

"I think we got to follow the law on this. We get sued enough. This one is clearly an invitation to get sued again," Mark Thomsen, a Democratic appointee to the commission, said.

More: What to know about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to get on Wisconsin's presidential ballot

Will Cornel West be on the ballot in Wisconsin?

The commission also approved independent candidate Cornel West to appear on Wisconsin's ballot.

Earlier in the meeting, the commission heard a challenge to his inclusion on the ballot related to his and running mate Melina Abdullah's declarations of candidacy and disputes over notarizing the documents.

WEC commissioners rejected that challenge 5-1, with Jacobs casting the only "no" vote and explaining she thought West should appear on the ballot but not Abdullah due to notary issues with her forms.

West's candidacy was boosted in Wisconsin by Trump allies who believe third-party candidates could help the former president's chances in November. Four individuals employed at a Republican-aligned political canvasing firm worked as circulators to gather signatures in support of West in Wisconsin, USA TODAY reported.

More: Cornel West boosted by Trump allies to get name on Wisconsin ballot

Who are the presidential candidates on the Wisconsin ballot?

After the Wisconsin Elections Commission's actions Tuesday, the following presidential and vice presidential names will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election:

Major party candidates

Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz, Democratic party

Donald J. Trump and JD Vance, Republican party

Randall Terry and Stephen Broden, Constitution party

Chase Russell Oliver and Mike ter Maat, Libertarian party

Jill Stein and Butch Ware, Wisconsin Green party

Independent candidates

Cornel West and Melina Abdullah, Justice For All party

Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, Party for Socialism and Liberation

Robert F. Kennedy and Nicole Shanahan, We The People party

President Joe Biden was able to be replaced on the ballot after dropping out of the presidential race in July, because the deadline to place him on the ballot had not yet passed. The deadline for parties to certify their candidates' names with WEC is Sept. 3.

Some voters in Wisconsin will receive ballots with the names soon: The deadline for clerks to send absentee ballots to voters with requests on file is Sept. 19.

More: The deadline has not passed in Wisconsin to replace Biden on the ballot. Heres why.

What do polls show about third-party candidates in Wisconsin?

In the Marquette University Law School poll released earlier this month, Kennedy stood at 8% among registered voters, a drop from 13% and 16% in earlier months. Stein polled at 1% in that poll, and West at less than 0.5%. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver also polled at 1%.

Poll director Charles Franklin this week noted more Republicans than Democrats supported Kennedy and said Kennedys decision to endorse Trump would probably bring those Republicans back behind the former president.

The survey earlier this month found 21% of independents support Kennedy, Franklin noted, and the tendencies of third-party voters are difficult to predict.

We find that they dont go 100% to sort of their natural affinity group, Franklin said of Kennedy voters potentially supporting Trump. And part of that is because the reason theyre voting for Kennedy in the first place is they dont like Donald Trump. If they liked Donald Trump, they would have been voting for him to begin with.

Some of them will drop out, Franklin said. Some of them might switch to another third-party candidate, some might not vote at all because, as a group, theyre pretty disaffected with government.

Franklin added of the third-party influence in Wisconsin: Bottom line is Im not expecting a big shift. He said Stein and Wests presence on the ballot would likely draw votes from Harris.

Stein last appeared on Wisconsin's ballot in 2016, receiving more than 31,000 votes in Wisconsin, which many believe could have helped Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. A couple thousand votes can determine elections in battleground Wisconsin: In 2020, Biden won the state by just over 20,000 votes, similar to Trump's margin over Clinton four years earlier.

Franklin plans to put a new poll into the field on Wednesday without Kennedy's name mentioned in the multi-candidate race.

He said the poll would ask a separate question about support for Kennedy if he had remained in the race.

"It's complicated when somebody has said he's no longer a candidate but his name is still there," Franklin said.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin officials approve Jill Stein, Cornel West, RFK Jr. for ballot
How Wisconsin residents can get free COVID-19 tests from the government this fall

With a summer surge of COVID-19 cases in full swing, the federal government is restarting its program providing free COVID-19 tests kits to households across the U.S.

In Wisconsin, wastewater surveillance has shown a "high" or "very high" level of COVID-19 at nearly all the testing sites statewide. And the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 were growing by as much as 40% in southeast and south central parts of the state in early August, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

This is the seventh time in the past three years the administration has provided free test kits to Americans, health officials said last week. The program's revival came just after the Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the fall, which will be available in Wisconsin within days.

Here's what to know about how and when you can get your free COVID-19 tests.

Trucks are shown at the Pfizer Wisconsin facility Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Pleasant Prairie. The newest round of COVID-19 vaccines will be arriving in Wisconsin imminently.

How many tests will each household get?

Each household can request up to four free COVID tests. The tests will be delivered directly to your home.

How to order free COVID-19 tests

COVID-19 tests will be available to order online at COVIDtest.gov starting in late September, according to the website.

Officials did not provide a specific date when the portal would officially open. That information will likely become available closer to the end of next month.

More: When and where to get the latest COVID-19 vaccines in Wisconsin

Will the tests be able to detect new variants of COVID-19?

The newest rounds of free tests will be able to detect the dominant COVID-19 variants that are currently circulating, according to Dawn OConnell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As of Aug. 17, the subvariant KP.3.1.1 made up nearly 37% of cases in the U.S., and KP.3 made up nearly 17%, according to CDC data.

Dont forget to use these free tests when youre concerned that you or your loved one may have COVID, OConnell said. They will do no one any good sitting in your medicine cabinet.

Where else can you get COVID-19 tests?

If you need a COVID-19 test before the free ones become available, you have a few options.

For people without health insurance who are symptomatic or exposed to COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides free testing across the country. There are about a dozen of these no-cost testing sites in the Milwaukee area, most of them located inside a Walgreens.

You can find your nearest free testing site on the CDC's testing locator site. Some insurance plans also cover free COVID-19 tests, and you can order these through Walgreens by providing your insurance information.

COVID-19 tests are available for purchase at CVS, Walgreens and other retailers. These kits can run you between $16 and $24 for a two-pack of tests.

USA Today contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How to get free COVID-19 tests from the government
FILE - Wisconsin's Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos talks to reporters at the state Capitol, Feb. 15, 2022, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The effort to salvage an attempt to recall Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos from office suffered another legal defeat on Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, without comment, refused to hear an appeal of a lower court's ruling rejecting an attempt to revive the recall effort, which was led by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

That means if the case is to proceed, it first must be heard by a state appeals court.

Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke in July ruled that signatures collected on petitions circulated in an attempt to recall Vos were wrongly collected under legislative boundary lines now barred from use in any election. His ruling came after the Wisconsin Elections Commission also rejected the petition.

Trump supporters had targeted Vos for recall after he refused calls to decertify President Joe Bidens narrow win in the state. Bidens win of about 21,000 votes in 2020 has withstood two partial recounts, lawsuits, an independent audit and a review by a conservative law firm.

Vos further angered Trump supporters when he did not back a plan to impeach Meagan Wolfe, the states top elections official.

Those who organized the recall attempt had originally wanted to force an election in August, a week before the primary. Even if they had succeeded, Vos would only have been recalled from office for the remainder of this calendar year. Its unclear when any election would be held if they were to prevail in court.

Vos won his primary in August after the other Republican on the ballot dropped out of the race. He faces Democrat Alan Kupsik on Nov. 5. The winner will serve a two-year term starting in January.

Attorneys for the recall organizers and Vos did not immediately return emails seeking comment Tuesday.

Vos is the longest-serving Assembly speaker in Wisconsin history. He has held the post since 2013.
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN)  The Beavercreek Police Department have a suspect in custody following continued investigation of the suspicious death in Beavercreek.

Officers began investigating after reports of the death on Thursday, Aug. 22, which reportedly occurred on around 9 p.m. on the 1800 block of Maple Lane.

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday morning by the Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department for Janel Nelson, 52, of Wisconsin, who was then taken into custody. The warrant alleges charges of felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and voluntary manslaughter.

Nelsons location was discovered through a social media post, and license plate readers connected her back to the location of the incident on Aug. 22 and her travel to Nebraska.

The vehicle that Nelson was operating contained a firearm that detectives believe was used during the incident. Nelson is expected to be extradited back to Ohio as soon as possible. Once Nelson returns to Ohio, she could be arraigned in Greene County.

Anyone with additional information is asked to reach out to Det. John Bondy at 937-427-5520.

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CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  Families will once again have the chance to safeguard their children with free Kids Identi-kits at the Canfield Fair.

WKBN and Caring for Our Community will be hosting the free Identi-kits giveaway this week at the opening of the fair.

Find the First News team Wednesday at the Farmers National Bank tent from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. If you cant make it Wednesday, there will be a second chance Thursday from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. at the Window World tent.

Kids will have their measurements taken, as well as a photo and a fingerprint for the parents to keep in case of emergencies.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN)  A woman is facing criminal charges, accused of abandoning animals at a home in Warren Township.

Mackenzie Harvey-Ball is charged with 14 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals. She was charged after police were called to a home on Ruth Avenue last week.

According to a police report, the home was in deplorable condition.

With the help of Jason Cooke, from the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project, officers removed three adult dogs and a litter of eight puppies from the home. Two dead hampsters and a deceased bearded dragon were also found inside.

According to the report, Harvey-Ball told officers that she wasnt currently living there but was moving back soon and had been caring for the animals.

She is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges next week.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  An Albuquerque woman accused of carjacking a Metro court judge earlier this year has pled not guilty to her charges. In May, police said Joshua Dawson and Daniella Sandoval threatened a judge with a BB gun before stealing her car near Candelaria and Louisiana.

Man accused of fleeing BCSO deputies facing federal gun charge

Both Dawson and Sandoval had cases in front of that judge in 2023 but there is no indication they targeted her because of it. Police found the car and both suspects at a home near Coors and Central.

Sandoval pled not guilty. Dawson pled no contest. Court records show he was given no jail time but is on probation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo.  A St. Louis woman was charged over the weekend after allegedly leading authorities on a high-speed pursuit from the state capital all the way to St. Charles County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrols probable cause statement, the chase happened on the afternoon of Friday, August 23.

The highway patrol received word just before 4:30 p.m. from the Callaway County Sheriffs Office about a theft from a mall in Jefferson City. The suspects vehicle, a black Mercedes-Benz, had led deputies on a chase on eastbound Interstate 70 at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

The Mercedes exited I-70 at David Hoekel Parkway and struck two other vehicles before stopping. The driver and a passenger exited the Mercedes. The driver attempted to steal the second vehicle involved but was quickly apprehended.

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The highway patrol located several Dillards department store bags in the Mercedes, as well as a large amount of clothing on hangers with retail tags, as well as shoe boxes containing new shoes.

The driver of the Mercedes, identified as Cierra S. Baker, had prior convictions for stealing and theft and was already on probation/parole for burglary at the time of her arrest.

The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Baker with resisting arrest by fleeing, leaving the scene of an accident, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, and stealing  $750 or more. Baker remains jailed on a $20,000 cash-only bond. Shes due in court for a hearing on September 5.



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Prisciliana Rose Douglas was a churchgoer and liked to go on walks as well as crochet and knit, sometimes making sweaters, dresses and beanies for her grandchildren. (Los Angeles Police Department)

The body of a woman found floating in the Dominguez Channel in Carson last month has been identified as that of a missing 60-year-old grandmother, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified the woman as Prisciliana Rose Douglas of Los Angeles.

Douglas' body was found floating in the channel July 28, three days before her family reported her missing to police.

At the time, Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives said the body showed obvious signs of trauma and launched an investigation to determine the circumstances behind her death.

Family members said that they asked detectives with the LAPD and the Sheriff's Department whether the woman found in the channel was Douglas, but that detectives told them it was unlikely.

Unaware that it was indeed Douglas body, the family filed a missing person report with the LAPD on July 31.

They told the Police Department that Douglas, a mother of seven and a grandmother of nine, was last seen leaving her apartment near 39th Street and Walton Avenue, not far from Exposition Park.

Read more: Woman's body, reportedly missing legs, found in Dominguez Channel

At the time of her disappearance, the family did not know what she was wearing when she left her home, police said Aug. 5 in a missing person bulletin that asked for the public's help. Mrs. Douglas is of sound mind, and her family and friends are deeply concerned for her safety and well-being.

But the search for Douglas ended when police notified family members about her death.

Her son Dave Douglas said he received that notification Aug. 17. He said its been an emotionally tough time for the family.

Im not sure what happened that day, he said.

Douglas said his mother was a churchgoer and liked to go on walks as well as crochet and knit, sometimes making sweaters, dresses and beanies for her grandchildren.

"She was just the sweetest thing, Douglas said. She was very understanding. You can talk to her about anything and she wasn't going to be judgmental, she was just going to listen.

Douglas said his mother was born in Belize and came to Los Angeles when she was a teenager. For a while, she drove buses, then worked as a caregiver.

He said their childhood was not always easy, but his mother always made sure he and his siblings got what they needed. She also taught them to look at the bright side of life.

"She really taught us how to be strong, Douglas said, to hang in there and keep soldiering on, to keep trying to see the good."

Family and friends plan to hold a funeral for Douglas in the coming weeks.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Two boutique hotels, located in Joo Chiat and Little India in Singapore, have been put up for sale.

Savills Singapore and CBRE are the exclusive joint marketing agents for the sale of these two properties  Hotel at 51 Joo Chiat Road and Hotel at 22 Belilios Lane - with a total of 138 keys.

Guide price for the property at Joo Chiat is $60m (S$78m), while the hotel at Little India is listed at $63m.

The sale is open to both foreigners and companies, with no additional buyer stamp duty or sellers stamp duty applicable, offering an attractive proposition for potential buyers.

Hotel at 51 Joo Chiat Road is a 70-key, four-storey hotel on a corner site, providing significant branding opportunities.

It covers around 7,629ft of land and has an estimated total floor area of around 22,925ft.

This hotel's upper floors span 18,063ft, with the ground floor featuring the lobby reception and a retail unit of about 4,862ft.

The Joo Chiat property also offers easy access to public transport, including proximity to Paya Lebar MRT station and various bus routes.

Additionally, the hotel is a short drive from Changi Airport and major expressways such as the ECP and PIE.

Hotel at 22 Belilios Lane is a 68-key heritage hotel in Little India.

The property consists of 12 adjoining conservation shophouses, featuring a land area of nearly 13,130ft and a total floor area of 25,540ft.

This hotel itself occupies around 21,790ft, with the ground floor housing nine retail as well as food and beverage units spanning approximately 3,750ft.

The Little India hotel benefits from high foot traffic due to its 90m dual road frontage and is equipped with modern features, including two passenger lifts  a rarity in shophouse properties.

The new owner has the option to self-manage or engage an independent operator.

Little India MRT Interchange Station is just a six-minute walk away, providing easy access to the CBD and Orchard Road.

Savills Singapore Investment Sales & Capital Markets executive director Yap Hui Yee said: The sale of the hotel portfolio comes at an opportune time with the optimistic outlook for Singapores tourism sector with significant government investments in infrastructure, new global partnerships and a slew of business and lifestyle events.

An incoming owner will be able to leverage on the scale of the portfolio to establish its presence and enjoy economies of scale in operations in two distinct city-fringe tourist enclaves.

The boutique nature of both assets also allows a curation of an intimate, unique and personalised stay experience which has become increasingly popular with discerning travellers seeking authentic experiences.

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"Savills, CBRE list two Singapore boutique hotels for sale " was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand.







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Woman who kidnapped kids, left 1 at Dayton Airport gets 23 years in prison

Woman who kidnapped kids, left 1 at Dayton Airport gets 23 years in prison

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WDTN)  The woman who took two infants from central Ohio in 2022 has officially received her sentence.

Nalah Jackson, 26, of Columbus, was sentenced in federal court on Aug. 27 to 280 months in prison. In February, Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping a minor.

Fraudulent parking violation placed on local vehicle

On Dec. 19, 2022, Jackson prompted an Amber Alert by taking a black Honda Accord with two toddlers inside.

She stopped at several locations, including the Dayton International Airport around 3 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2022. About an hour later, one child was found in the airport parking lot wrapped in a quilt between two vehicles.

By 8 a.m. on the same day, Jackson ended up parking the vehicle in a Papa Johns parking lot in Indianapolis. She left the remaining child in the vehicle alone for the next two-and-a-half days.

On Dec. 22, 2022, Jackson was selling alleged stolen merchandise, and an Indianapolis woman noticed Jackson. The woman contacted authorities and Jackson was arrested.

One of the toddlers, Kyair Thomas, died in January 2023.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
The woman who stole a vehicle in Columbus with twin boys inside and ended up at the center of an AMBER Alert over a year ago has learned her punishment.

Nalah Jackson was sentenced in a U.S. District Court to over 23 years in prison for two counts of kidnapping a minor with five years of supervised release, according to a media release.

Jackson will also be required to register as a sex offender.

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As News Center 7 previously reported, Jackson was taken into custody on Dec. 22, 2022, in Indianapolis, three days after police said she stole a Honda Accord with twins Kason and Kyair Thomas inside. The car was left running outside of Donatos Pizza in the Short North area of Columbus.

Kyair was found abandoned in a parking lot at Dayton International Airport early in the morning on Dec. 20, but Jackson and Kason remained missing until Dec. 22.

During the afternoon on Dec. 22, Jackson was taken into custody by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police. Kason was not with her when she was taken into custody.

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Later that night, a tip led police a Papa Johns on Indiana Avenue, where Kason was found safe inside the stolen Honda.

Kason was treated for dehydration, heart abnormalities due to dehydration, extreme diaper rash, and skin deterioration due to him being buckled in a car seat for three days while sitting in his excrement.

Jackson left one five-month-old twin baby alone and strapped in a car seat in an airport parking lot in subzero temperatures. Then, she left the other twin baby strapped in his car seat in an abandoned vehicle in another state. Even if her crime had started as a crime of opportunity to steal a running vehicle, Jacksons blatant disregard for the lives of two helpless infants is heinous, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said. Todays sentence represents the serious and significant nature of harm Jackson caused to these children and our community.

Jackson was charged federally in January 2023.

Police were called to a home on an unresponsive child call on Jan. 28., 2023, Kyair was later pronounced dead at Nationwide Childrens Hospital later that night.

An autopsy report obtained by our news partners at 10TV in Columbus showed that the coroners office ruled Kyairs death as Sudden Unexplained Infant Death.

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It took 8 months for a Wisconsin woman's insurance company to pay for a surgical abortion, which she needed after a life-threatening condition

Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Pro-abortion protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ashely, from Wisconsin, was pregnant when she suffered a condition called previable PPROM that caused her to have a miscarriage

She required a surgical abortion as her life was at risk, but later learned her insurance company would not cover the procedure due to state laws

After eight months of appeals, Ashley was able to get her $1,700 bill covered

Newlyweds Ashely and Kyle went through months of appeals after their health insurance refused to pay for Ashleys abortion following their heartbreaking and life-threatening miscarriage.

In 2023, Ashley was pregnant for the second time. Her first pregnancy a year prior resulted in a miscarriage that required a surgical abortion, and she was excited and hopeful to start a family this time.

Everything was perfect. I was starting to feel kicking and movement, she told NPR. It was the day I turned 20 weeks, which was a Monday. I went to work, and then I picked Kyle up from work, and I got up off the drivers seat and there was fluid on the seat.

The couple drove straight to UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital where they learned that the amniotic sac had broken, a condition called previable PPROM (pre-term premature rupture of the membranes), which the National Institute of Health says can cause significant complications.

Ashley was told that the fetus was too underdeveloped to survive and the ruptured membranes now posed a serious threat of infection. Eliza Bennett, the OB-GYN who treated Ashley, told the outlet that in cases of previable PPROM, every patient should be offered termination of pregnancy due to the significant risk of ascending infection and potential sepsis and death.

Ashley needed a dilation & evacuation (D&E), a surgical abortion procedure during the second trimester that is also commonly used after a miscarriage to remove all the remaining pregnancy tissue.

Related: Feds Launch First Investigation into Allegations that a Woman Was Denied a Medically-Necessary Abortion

Getty Stock image of woman in hospital

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With Wisconsins active ban on abortion, Ashley was only able to receive the procedure after two additional doctors were able to attest that she was facing death due to the pregnancy. She had the life-saving procedure and began to recover.

However, Ashley later learned that her health insurer, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, did not cover the abortion procedure. She received a bill for $1,700.

Every time I called insurance about my bill, I was sobbing on the phone because it was so frustrating to have to explain the situation and why I think it should be covered, she said. Its making me feel like it was my fault, and I should be ashamed of it.

After speaking with someone from the hospitals billing department, Ashley recalled,

She told me, FEP Blue does not cover any abortions whatsoever. Period. Doesnt matter what it is. We dont cover abortions.

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program  which contracts with FEP Blue or the BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program  told NPR in statement that the company is required to comply with federal legislation which prohibits Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans from covering procedures, services, drugs, and supplies related to abortions except when the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or when the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.

Related: Pregnant Florida Woman Denied Emergency Abortion, Sent Home from Hospital: I Knew I Would Die Within  Days (Exclusive)

John Parra/Getty Abortion activist at a rally in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

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With this policy, Ashleys procedure should have been paid for as doctors confirmed her life was in danger.

Alina Salganicoff, director of Womens Health Policy at KFF, told the outlet that this error is increasingly common since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022. She explained that Ashleys bill used the word abortion and billing code that is insurance kryptonite.

Right now, were in a situation where there is really heightened sensitivity about what is a life-threatening emergency, and when is it a life-threatening emergency, Salganicoff told the outlet.

Now, after eight months and multiple appeals, the hospital confirmed that the insurer has paid the claim. Ashely explained that entire experience and seeing the effects of abortions bans firsthand has encouraged her to stand with other women going through similar journeys.

Im in this now with all these people, she said. I feel a lot more connected to them, in a way that I didnt as much before.



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VERSAILLES, Ky. (FOX 56)  Woodford Wheels is a ride service that started in 2022 but has since grown into a stand-alone nonprofit, giving 2,400 rides since its inception.

Its made a big impact on the lives of riders like Jane Pryor.

Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news

Jane Pyror, 97, is a Versailles resident and a frequent user of Woodford Wheels. She uses the service to get to her appointments safely and efficiently.

It keeps me independent. I have doctors appointments in Lexington. Im able to drive locally right here in Woodford County, but not in Lexington, Pryor said.

Thats where Woodford Wheels comes in, giving rides to those needing to get to places in Woodford and surrounding areas like Fayette, Franklin, Scott, Jessamine, and Anderson counties for medical reasons. In addition, riders can travel to places in Woodford County for any reason.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Woodford Wheels became a nonprofit in June 2024, intending to keep a very small fee. Woodford Wheels board chair Laura Dake said that this, combined with support from the cities of Versailles and Midway, and the Woodford County Fiscal Court, keeps the wheels turning.

Its a $2.50 pickup fee, and 75 cents a mile, and theres no tipping. To compare that with a ride-sharing service, its less than half the cost of a ride-sharing service, Dake said.

Eye care ride discounts are also offered thanks to a grant through Regeneron Pharmaceuticals that gives $10 off per ride for eye care.

Ashley McHugh is the ride coordinator and sees the impact of this service daily.

A majority of the doctors are outside of Versailles or outside of Woodford County. Not that we dont have good doctors in Versailles, but a lot of the big doctors are in Lexington or somewhere else. It can be a major concern for a rider because they could miss an appointment, McHugh said.

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

Those who play a role in Woodford Wheels said thats the problem theyre looking to eliminate, and riders like Pryor are thankful to have this service in their neighborhood.

Peoples stories of being grateful that they can remain independent as they get older, the stories never get old, Dake said.

This is a way for people like me to go to appointments and be freer, Pryor said.

The organization is looking for volunteer drivers. Information on volunteering can be found here.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Firefighters in Mobile battled a blaze in the woods Monday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the 5900 block of Old Rangeline Road at about 1:30 pm.

It was on the eastside of the road and north of the Theodore Industrial Park near Dauphin Island Parkway. Crews from Theodore Dawes Fire Department, St. Elmo Fire department and the Alabama Forestry Commission came to help.

Fire officials say they were able to contain the blaze. No homes or structures were damaged and no one was hurt. The east side of Old Rangeline Road appears to be a wooded area and fire officials say they were able to stop the fire early on in a couple of areas where very small spot fires had started on the west side of the road, near a couple of homes.

Photo courtesy of Mobile Fire-Rescue

Scene of the fire at Old Rangeline Road

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
NEW MARKET, Ala. (WHNT)  Katherine Atkinson received a letter and a check in the mail after filling out a survey on Facebook, but the question quickly became was it real?

Im not really dumb, I dont fall for a lot of scams, but it looked very legitimate, Atkinson said.

Feeding food deserts in North Alabama

She filled out a survey that was offering financial compensation in return for wrapping your car in an advertisement for a company. In Atkinsons case, the company with the advertisement was Dr. Pepper.

I got this check in the mail with a letter, Atkinson said. And the letter was Dr. Pepper letterhead, somewhat, and there was a check. The instructions on the letter were kind of odd. Just to text this number with my name and the amount of the check and they would tell me what to do.

Everything looked real, down to the security detailing on the check, until her loved ones urged her not to deposit the check. Thats when Atkinson decided to do more digging.

I did look up the company from the check, that the check came from, Atkinson said. And, it is a legitimate company, but it didnt have anything to do with Dr. Pepper.

Ladies group brings together thousands of women in North Alabama

The company on the check is a flooring company from right outside of Detroit, MI. The bank? Old National Bank in Terre Haute, IN, making the two nearly 400 miles apart from one another.

So, how do the scammers win? Victims are asked to use some of the checks funds to pay a car wrap installer. Once the check bounces a few days later, its the victims personal funds that are used to fulfill the payment.

Karen Reeves with the BBB of North Alabama and the Federal Trade Commission has acknowledged that these car wrap advertisements are scams and looking to take anyones money. Both organizations have released articles on the matter.

Atkinsons biggest piece of advice for people: if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

-Dont put a check, an erroneous check, into your account and think youre going to get money, Atkinson said. Because nobodys gonna send you $3600 free money.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
In one of Michigan's most competitive races that could decide control of the state House this fall, the state's elections panel certified Democrat Matt Schlinker as the winner of his party's primary for the 68th District Monday, after he launched a last-minute write-in campaign following the death of former state Rep. Tim Sneller, D-Burton.

Voters had already begun receiving absentee ballots bearing Sneller's name when he died unexpectedly less than a month before the August primary election. A little over a week before Election Day, Schlinker announced his decision to run as a write-in candidate after his legal bid to reprint ballots to add his name failed. Since Sneller had no opponent in the Democratic primary, his was the only name that appeared on the ballot.

Schlinker  a longtime employee for General Motors who lives in Goodrich  said he had known Sneller for decades through their involvement in local campaigns. Schlinker described his decision to step into the race as a way to continue Sneller's legacy.

"His commitment to civil rights and working families inspired many, and his vision for our future was one we were all eager to support," Schlinker wrote of Sneller in a Facebook post. "In light of this, I am stepping forward as a write-in candidate to continue the mission that Tim so passionately championed."

"It wasn't something that I wanted to do," said Schlinker of his House run. "But Tim's death was something that took a lot of us by surprise and we were just kind of sad that he was gone and we wanted to have some way to continue what he was working on," he told the Free Press.

Matt Schlinker is running as a Democrat to represent Michigan's 68th House District.

Schlinker is among the Democrats fighting to keep their party's control of the state House, where they currently hold a narrow 56-54 majority over Republicans. In November, Schlinker will face incumbent state Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary. He was first elected to the state House in 2020.

Martin, in a statement to the Free Press, defended his track record as he heads into his fall campaign. "My commitment has always been to stay connected with my constituents. Whether it's visiting local businesses, holding regular office hours, attending community meetings or knocking on thousands of doors, I am acutely aware of the needs and priorities of my district," he said.

Martin won the district in 2022 by more than nine percentage points. That year marked the first election held under new district lines which include Genesee County's Atlas Township, Davison, Davison Township, Grand Blanc and Village of Goodrich and parts of Burton, Genesee Township and Grand Blanc Township, along with Oakland County's Groveland Township.

State Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, speaks on the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives June 13, 2024.

Past election results show the district has swung for both Democratic and Republican candidates. As voters look toward the Nov. 5 election that will determine whether Democrats keep their majority in the state House, they have a potential opportunity to play a decisive role. But it's not the race they thought they would have.

Last-minute write-in campaign

Sneller served in the Michigan House from 2017 to 2022 and could not seek reelection two years ago due to term limits. But after voters amended the Michigan Constitution to allow lawmakers to serve up to 12 years in the state House, Sneller hoped to return to the chamber.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer described him as a friend and champion for making Michigan a more inclusive state. "As one of the first openly gay Michiganders to serve in the state legislature, he fought hard to expand civil rights and build a more welcoming Michigan for all," she said in a statement. Sneller was 68 when he died. The main cause of death was heart disease, according to a copy of his death certificate obtained by the Detroit Free Press.

Former State Rep. Tim Sneller, D-Burton

Under Michigan election law, votes cast for a dead candidate are "void and shall not be counted." But the law allows precinct delegates to replace a deceased candidate in a partisan primary election if the death leaves a party without a candidate.

Democrats chose Schlinker to replace Sneller on the ballot. But county clerks said it was too late to reprint ballots, according to a court filing in the Michigan Court of Claims in the lawsuit from Schlinker seeking a court order to replace Sneller's name with his. A Court of Claims judge rejected the request because it was too close to the election. The judge noted that while state election law enables a political party to replace a dead candidate, it doesn't indicate whether ballots must be reprinted after they've gone out to voters.

Schlinker subsequently decided to launch a write-in campaign.

"It seemed intimidating to me. It seemed unlikely to me that we could do it," he said. Schlinker recalled standing outside polling locations greeting voters on a rainy Election Day, encountering those who didn't know Sneller died. "And his name was the name that they were going to see on the ballot if they were Democrats," he said. Schlinker was then able to draw their attention to a part of the ballot voters' eyes usually glaze over  the write-in line  and ask them to put his name there.

Receiving 1,247 votes in the primary, Schlinker cleared the threshold of votes needed to win his write-in campaign under a formula set by Michigan election law. Martin received 6,762 votes in his primary.

Schlinker  who previously ran for a spot on the Genesee County Commission and served on the Flint City Council  faces what he sees as his toughest election fight yet.

Do Democrats have a shot to flip the 68th

Both Democrats and Republicans running statewide have won over voters in the 68th District, according to past election results compiled by the Michigan commission that drew the district lines.

Former President Donald Trump won the district in 2020 and 2016. But former President Barack Obama won it in 2012. The Democrats holding Michigan's top three statewide offices  Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Whitmer  all carried the district in 2022. Whitmer and Benson also won the district in 2018, while Nessel lost it.

Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

Looking for more on Michigans elections this year? Check out our voter guide, subscribe to our elections newsletter and always feel free to share your thoughts in a letter to the editor.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Death, write-in bid shape competitive Michigan House race
The social platform X has updated its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok after five secretaries of state warned earlier this month that it was spreading false information about the election.

When people use election-related terms in their inquiries to Grok, it will now direct them to Vote.gov, a nonpartisan government website, according to a press release from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon.

Simon  alongside Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs  touted the changes Monday.

We appreciate Xs action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year, they said in a joint statement.

Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections, they added.

The five secretaries of state sent a letter to X owner Elon Musk in early August after Grok provided incorrect information about the ballot deadlines in their states.

Following President Bidens decision to step aside and endorse Vice President Harris in late July, the AI chatbot suggested the ballot deadlines had already passed in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

However, the secretaries noted the ballots were not closed, and upcoming deadlines would still allow for changes to candidates.

While Grok is only available to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers and includes a disclaimer asking users to verify information, the false information about ballot deadlines has been captured and shared repeatedly in multiple posts  reaching millions of people, the secretaries wrote.

Grok continued to repeat this incorrect information about the ballot deadlines from the day Biden dropped out of the race, July 21, through July 31, according to the letter.

The secretaries noted that ChatGPT has been programmed to direct people to CanIVote.org when asked about U.S. elections and urged X to do the same.

In the U.S., all elections are run by local officials, who are supported and overseen by a state agency, they said in Mondays statement. Election rules and procedures can vary widely from state to state, and voters should seek out information from their local election officials about who can vote, when they can vote, and how they can vote in their area.

Websites like Vote.gov and CanIVote.org are also trustworthy resources that can connect voters with their local election officials, they added.

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Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Rent Free.

This week's newsletter takes a look at some of the pro-housing supply lines that made it into the programming at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and whether this is proof of a much-hyped YIMBY takeover of the party.

YIMBYs Triumphant at the DNC?

During his remarks on the third night of the DNC, former President Barack Obama said Vice President Kamala Harris knows "if we want to make it easier for more young people to buy a home, we need to build more units and clear away some of the outdated laws and regulations that made it harder to build homes for working people in this country. That is a priority."

During her own acceptance speech, Harris sandwiched a brief promise to "end America's housing shortage" in between calls to provide capital to small businesses and protect entitlement programs.

The response from YIMBY activists and fellow traveling wonks, academics, and journalistswho all favor liberalizing zoning and land use regulations as a way of increasing housing supply and bringing down housing costshas been ecstatic.

At Bloomberg, Matthew Yglesias called YIMBY the "breakout star" of the convention. Business Insider said Obama had pushed Democrats into their "YIMBY era." Mother Jones and Politico likewise ran articles on YIMBYs' increasing sway over Democrats' agenda and priorities.

Harris' solitary mention of "ending America's housing shortage" made her the "most pro-housing candidate" said the Center for New Liberalism, a think tank, on X.

Certainly, getting a former president's explicit endorsement of your policy agenda, and having a presidential candidate wink at it during their high-profile convention speeches, is a significant win for Democratic YIMBYs.

It's evidence that the YIMBY worldview is swaying Democratic elites. Obama's remarks in particular are evidence that some Democratic elites think YIMBY policies aren't just correct, but also worth running on.

That's all a far cry from former president Donald Trump's explicit NIMBYism and Sen. J.D. Vance's (ROhio) plan to lower housing costs through mass deportations of immigrants.

Settling Down

With all that said, the DNC offered a lot less evidence of a YIMBY takeover of the Democratic party than many commenters are claiming. It's also far from clear that a Harris-Walz administration will actually advance YIMBY priorities and improve housing affordability.

While the need to build more homes got more attention at this DNC than at past conventions, it was hardly the center of the agenda.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, perhaps the most outspoken and active YIMBY Democratic governor, didn't mention housing in his DNC remarks.

Former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge, in her convention remarks, only recited Harris' goal of building 3 million new homes, plus her policies of limiting rent increases and subsidizing down payments. She did not mention liberalizing zoning, eliminating parking minimums, streamlining permitting, or other YIMBY reforms that could deliver those 3 million units.

Harris' rhetorical commitment to "end America's housing shortage" is also less impressive when one considers that ending America's housing can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

When a politician says they support legalizing marijuana or abolishing the death penalty, they're committing themselves to a pretty straightforward policy position. Their rhetoric creates a clear measure of accountability.

But when a politician says they want to end the housing shortage, that can mean a commitment to dozens of different policies, some good, some benign, and some very bad.

Policy-Focused

And Harris' specific policy commitments on housing are generally pretty bad.

She has endorsed President Joe Biden's call for federal rent control, a disastrous policy with a long track record of reducing rental housing supply and quality. She's called for $25,000 down payment subsidies for first-time homebuyers, something that could increase supply somewhat but will also certainly increase home prices.

Harris has also been quick to scapegoat "corporate landlords" for buying up homes that could have gone to individuals, and for using rent recommendation software to set "artificially high" rentstwo very debatable claims.

On policy specifics, this all makes Harris arguably worse than past Democratic candidates and administrations.

The Obama administration criticized land use regulations for driving up prices and floated an early "YIMBY grant" proposal to incentivize local governments to liberalize their zoning code.

As a candidate, Biden's housing platform called for stripping federal transportation funds from localities that didn't liberalize their zoning codes. (In office, his administration settled for creating a small, poorly targeted YIMBY grant program.)

Not Victory, but Conflict

Harris' main claim to YIMBY fame then isn't her policy proposals are better than past Democratic candidates. Rather, it's that she's talking about the need to build more housing more than past Democratic candidates.

That's good. The takeaway shouldn't be that she's a zealous YIMBY convert, however. Rather, the takeaway is that housing affordability is a more salient issue now than during past campaigns, and so Harris has to talk about it more.

When talking about housing, Harris is drawing off of a mishmash of ideas about housing that have broad acceptance on the left. That's how she's ended up criticizing local supply restrictions alongside calls for rent control and crackdowns on corporate landlords.

"If housing is at the white-hot center of the political universe, that raises the risk of bad ideas gaining traction" as well as good ideas, writes Yglesias in his Slow Boring newsletter today. He interprets Obama's criticism of state and local supply restrictions as an attempt to focus Democrats on productive zoning reforms, and not policies that would make the housing shortage worse.

I think that's a correct reading. The implication, however, isn't that YIMBYs are setting Democratic housing policy, but rather that their agenda is just one of several in contention.

Harris is trying to fly above this contention by endorsing nearly every liberal and left-wing housing policy on offer.

That's worrisome, even if some YIMBY ideas end up becoming policy during a Harris administration. At the end of the day, the federal government can only do so much to encourage more home construction. Meanwhile, it could do a lot to reduce it.

Quick Links

A lawsuit challenging Alexandria, Virginia's elimination of single-family-only zoning is headed to trial, reports The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, Berkeley, California, the first community to adopt single-family-only zoning in the U.S., is finalizing broad upzoning of the city, says Planetizen.

Economist Tyler Cowen argues we should focus more on speeding up transportation than on increasing density when trying to fix our cities and boost economic growth.

Ilya Somin responds that true mobility (the ability to move where you want) requires the price-depressing effects of lots of dense new housing.

Alex Tabarrok traces the intellectual roots of YIMBYism.

Utah argues some federal land ownership is unconstitutional in a new lawsuit.

The post YIMBYs' Premature Victory Dance at the DNC appeared first on Reason.com.
By Supantha Mukherjee

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish payments group Klarna said it had reduced hundreds of jobs and sees more reductions to come as it implements AI to handle customer queries, saying on Tuesday chatbots can sharply reduce the time taken to resolve issues.

The "buy now pay later" company, widely expected to seek a stock market listing next year, has been one of the early adopters of GenAI to cut costs and boost productivity.

The company, which said it had swung to a first-half adjusted profit of 673 million Swedish crowns ($66 million), said its AI assistant was performing the work of 700 employees, reducing the average resolution time from 11 minutes to just two.

"About 12 months ago, we would have been about 5,000 active positions within the company, and we are now down to about 3,800," CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said in an interview, adding that almost all of the reduction had been achieved through attrition, not layoffs.

"By simply not hiring, which we haven't done since September ... the company is kind of becoming smaller and smaller," he added.

Average revenue per employee over the past 12 months had increased by 73%, rising from 4 million crowns to 7 million.

"We will continue to not recruit anything other than engineers for a significant time," he said, adding that the headcount could eventually fall to 2,000, without giving a timeframe.

At the time of a peak valuation of $46 billion in 2021 - on the basis of a fundraising carried out at the time - Klarna was unprofitable with much less revenue and had about 7,000 employees.

While total labour costs will come down, Klarna expects to pay significantly more per individual, the company said.

Klarna also reported first-half revenue of 13.3 billion crowns, up 27% from a year before and boosted by revenue growth of 38% in the U.S. Its adjusted profit compares with a loss of 456 mln crowns last year.

Siemiatkowski said an initial public stock offering next year "sounds reasonable," but there was no definite commitment by the company to launch an IPO. He said Klarna might lean towards a U.S. listing but had also seriously evaluated some European options as well.

($1 = 10.2004 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee; Editing by Terje Solsvik and David Holmes)
New York City to spray pesticides to help prevent spread of mosquitoes and potential diseases

New York City to spray pesticides to help prevent spread of mosquitoes and potential diseases

New York City is planning to spray pesticides to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes, and potential diseases.

The announcement comes days after Dr Anthony Fauci, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director and the governments top infectious disease official during the pandemic, was hospitalized with West Nile virus.

Dr Fauci, 83, spent around a week in the hospital after developing fever, chills, and severe fatigue. He believes he contracted West Nile in the backyard of his Washington DC home, and is expected to make a full recovery, CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook tweeted on Saturday.

In New York City, the first cases of West Nile virus were reported a week ago in Queens and Manhattan. Four people were diagnosed and three hospitalized.

West Nile virus isnt the only mosquito-borne illness New Yorkers have to worry about.

Last Wednesday, several areas of Massachusetts were placed under voluntary curfew after one elderly man contracted the dangerous and often-fatal Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, and was hospitalized.

One case has been found in both Vermont and New Jersey, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Eastern Equine Encephalitis has also been found in horses in eight New York counties.

A map shows planned spray areas in the New York City borough of Manhattan on Monday. The city also plans to spray adulticide in Brooklyn on Wednesday. (NYC Health)

West Nile affects the central nervous system but the majority of people who contractthe disease do not develop any symptoms.

However, about one in 150 become severely ill and around one out of ten die due to inflammation around the brain and spinal cord.

Those at greatest risk are over 60s along with people with underlying medical conditions. There is no treatment for West Nile virus, and most people with fever from the virus recover completely. The virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental US.

Only a handful of Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases are reported each year, and infection is very serious. Approximately 30 percent of those infected with the virus die, and those who survive, are often left with neurologic problems. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat or prevent the disease.

The combination of health threats has led to the New York health department beginning to spray pesticides in the Bronx and Staten Island last week.

The next scheduled spray events are in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Manhattan areas will be sprayed on Monday and neighborhoods in Brooklyn can expected to be sprayed on Wednesday. The department said in an advisory last week that, should weather allow, trucks would spray between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. in both boroughs.

The health department is spraying very low concentrations of adulticide, a type of insecticide used to kill adult mosquitoes. The city is deploying Anvil 10+10, Duet, and MERUS3, which are all available for purchase online.

A culex pipiens mosquito under a microscope. Culex pipiens are a species of mosquito that spread West Nile virus. ((Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images))

The products are applied to where mosquitoes like to hang out - under plants, in tall grasses, and under the leaves of trees and bushes. The eaves of buildings and under decks and porches will also be sprayed.

The CDC says adulticides may be used as a do-it-yourself application and, when used according to specifications, do not harm people, pets, and the environment.

However, people who are sensitive to spray ingredients may experience short-term eye or throat irritation or rash, and those with respiratory conditions may also be affected.

The department advised residents to stay indoors when possible and  although unnecessary  close air conditioning vents or choose the recirculate function. In addition, they encourage New York residents to reduce exposures to mosquitoes, making sure windows have screens and emptying any standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.

Mosquitoes are typically most active from April through October in New York but scientists say higher temperatures linked to the climate crisis can accelerate mosquito population growth and biting rates.

Only a few of New York Citys 40-plus species of mosquito may carry or spread West Nile virus. It is primarily transmitted by several Culex species, like the European native Culex pipiens, although the population size of these mosquitoes remains unknown in the US.

The spread of Eastern Equine Encephalitis also occurs through Culex species.

The Independent will be revealing its Climate100 List in September and hosting an event in New York, which can be attended online.
York County Sheriffs Office seeks communitys help in supporting new bloodhound

YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) The York County Sheriffs Office is asking for the communitys help in supporting York Countys next bloodhound.

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According to York County, the Zeredatha-White Rose Freemasons Lodge No. 451 is raising funds for the current York County Sheriffs Office K9 Princes successor, set to be named Mason.

However, the lodge members cant do it alone, according to York County.

You can donate online here to help support Mason, the York County Sheriffs Offices next bloodhound.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Young learners attending predominantly Black schools in the Charleston County School District were far more likely to face suspension and expulsion than students in the South Carolina districts predominantly white pre-K and elementary schools, a new study shows.

The report released by ImpactSTATS, Inc. and The BEE Collective used National Center for Education Statistics data to compare how often students were being excluded from school as a disciplinary measure at predominantly white versus Black Charleston schools in the 2022-23 school year.

To zero in on the treatment of young students, researchers considered only those schools that offered pre-kindergarten programs. Of the 42 schools in the study, 33 encompassed grades pre-K through 5; six went from pre-K to grade 8; two were pre-K to kindergarten and one school taught pre-K to second grade.

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Of those schools, the ones with more than a 51% Black student population isolated children from learning settings for disciplinary reasons at a rate of 98.2 removals per 1,000 students, according to the report. This was seven times greater than the 14.1 removals per 1,000 students at majority white early-grade and elementary schools  and more than double the districtwide rate of 42.7 per 1,000 students.

Exclusionary discipline could include in-school or out-of-school suspensions and expulsion. When looking just at out-of-school suspensions in Charleston, the racial disparity by school population soared, according to the study released earlier this summer.

Students in majority Black schools faced out-of-school suspension rates of 78.8 per 1,000 students in the 2022-23 school year compared to 11.9 suspensions per 1,000 students for those in predominantly white schools.

The districtwide rate was 34.8 suspensions per 1,000 students.

This tells us that we have a problem and its not childrens behavior  but adult action and adult decisions, said lead researcher Melodie Baker.

Charleston public schools served 50,312 students at the end of the last school year: 24,978 were white, 14,291 were Black and 7,916 were Hispanic, according to the district.

Baker said removing a child from a classroom or isolating them from their teachers and peers robs them of an opportunity to learn self-regulation and is particularly damaging to the youngest learners.

It makes kids feel like they dont belong, she said. They feel ashamed. They feel confused. It affects their overall development.

The practice is seen as harmful on many levels: Maryland, California and Connecticut are among the states that have banned or strictly limited such removals in the early grades.

Related

We Know Suspensions & Expulsions are Bad for Preschoolers. What Are Some Alternatives?

Charleston County School District spokesman Andrew Pruitt last week pushed back against the study, which raises issues of racism and implicit bias, noting its data does not include the ages of the suspended students or the reasons why they were punished.

We take any report that raises concerns about unconscious bias negatively impacting our children seriously. However, we are incredibly concerned that a specific claim of that magnitude was made in the absence of an analysis of the appropriate and relevant data, he said in a statement.

The district didnt start breaking down its disciplinary data by grade until recently, according to Pruitt. Though records were limited, he cited a total of 49 preschool suspensions in Charleston public schools in the 2022-23 school year. He did not separate that number by race.

Preschoolers across the U.S. are expelled at rates that are three times higher than K-12 students. South Carolina led the nation in preschool suspensions by a large margin in 2017-18 with 438 preschoolers suspended, according to the most recent available federal data.

Those numbers have grown significantly worse in the Palmetto State and were a critical focus of a state legislative hearing last week. The Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children presented data showing 928 South Carolina public preschoolers received in-school and out-of-school suspensions in 2023-24; 66% of those 3- and 4-year-olds were children of color and 77% were boys.

The committees data for Charleston County schools, the states second-largest district, cites that 25 preschoolers received out-of-school suspensions in 2023-24 and fewer than five received an in-school suspension. Eighteen Black Charleston County public preschoolers received an outof-school suspension and fewer than five white students did. Twenty-one male preschoolers received an out-of-school suspension that year and fewer than five female preschoolers did. Six preschoolers classified as special education students were among those removed from school for disciplinary reasons.

The Charleston County School District has taken steps to address systemic inequalities in discipline, Pruitt said, including professional development training for all its early education teachers that focuses on how to appropriately respond to student behavior while taking into account young learners social-emotional well-being. He said the district continues to work with early childhood education organizations throughout the state to adopt best practices.

The report by ImpactSTATS and The BEE Collective notes a number of studies citing the role of educator bias in harsh discipline, including perceptions of Black children as being older than they are, less innocent, more aggressive and more deserving of punishment for the same behavior displayed by white students.

New York-based ImpactSTATS was founded by Baker in 2023 to bring more diversity to the research field and to provide technical support and research assistance to grass-roots groups working with underserved communities of color.

Members of South Carolinas BEE Collective (The BEE Collective)

The BEE  Beloved Early Education and Care  Collective is an advocacy group that partly funded the study and collaborated on the research. It seeks to improve maternal and child health in South Carolinas Lowcountry, including in addressing racism and implicit bias in early child care.

Black children across all grade levels and those with disabilities have long faced higher rates of exclusionary disciplines than other student groups. According to a recent U.S. Department of Education report analyzing data from the 2020-21 school year, Black boys were nearly two times more likely than white boys to receive an out-of-school suspension or an expulsion.

Its mostly boys who are being suspended  mostly for rough-and-tumble play, Baker said, speaking anecdotally of the Charleston suspensions after interviewing those who worked with or observed district students. But theres a lot of research out there that talks about the positives of rough-and-tumble play. Males tend to perceive that very differently.

Of Charleston County schools 3,673 teachers in the 2021-22 school year, roughly 2,402 were white females, 556 were white males, 404 were Black females and 103 were Black males, according to state Education Department data.

Cara Kelly, a researcher who observed classrooms within the Charleston district for seven years, ending in 2019, recalled several instances where kindergarten children were made to sit alone and in silence for 30 minutes or more for minor infractions such as talking to other students, calling out while a teacher was speaking or standing up when they were supposed to sit for long stretches of time.

Its OK to give a child five minutes to calm down  but not to be completely excluded, she said.

Kelly, now a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Oklahomas Early Childhood Education Institute, told The 74 she believed the punishments were not developmentally appropriate and often targeted Black children.

The report recommends the district recruit more male teachers in the early grades, increase pay for all early childhood educators, decrease student-to-staff ratios and raise awareness about discipline reform legislation that seeks to prohibit suspensions, expulsions and corporal punishment while promoting more effective means of managing student behavior.

Related

Florida Students Seize on Parental Rights to Stop Educators From Hitting Kids

Researchers acknowledge that the report, funded partly by the American Heart Association Voices for Healthy Kids, should be interpreted cautiously because of the datas limitations regarding race and age.

The BEE Collective has filed a public records request asking the Charleston district to release the suspension records for children 5 and under for the last five years broken down by age, race, gender and school. Noting that the response to that Freedom of Information request is due Aug. 31, Pruitt said it was unfortunate that the groups moved ahead with publishing the report without that information in hand.

Tawanna R. Jennings, an infant and early childhood mental health consultant for South Carolinas Partners for Early Attuned Relationships Network, called the studys findings pretty astounding, adding she hopes the results will be shared widely and that Charleston teachers receive better training and greater support.

There needs to be more resources so that [teachers] can understand these behaviors, she said. How do you teach these children and how do you be empathetic with what they may be experiencing?

Disclosure: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provides financial support to ImpactSTATS and to The 74.
Zelensky defends controversial deputy chief of staff: He was 'killing Chechens in Kyiv' in 2022

Presidential Office deputy head Oleh Tatarov and Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Maliuk were "killing Chechens in Kyiv," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27, likely referencing the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Responding to a question by a journalist on the effectiveness of Zelensky's team, the president said, "Oleh Tatarov, together with Vasyl Maliuk, were killing Chechens in Ukraine, in Kyiv, when you were not here."

"Should I drive him out to be killed by the Russians?" he asked. The president did not provide further details but claimed that Ukrainian journalists had been told about this "off the record" and that the U.S. is also aware of it.

Tatarov is the most controversial official in Zelensky's administration. He has been charged with bribery, but the corruption case against him has been obstructed and destroyed by law enforcement agencies and courts.

Despite the controversies, Zelensky has refused to suspend or fire Tatarov.

In the early phases of Russia's full-scale invasion, a group of Chechen fighters fighting for Moscow reportedly attempted to infiltrate Kyiv to assassinate Zelensky, but the plan was thwarted.

It is unclear whether the two cases are related.

Read also: Zelensky to present US with victory plan in September

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Zelensky to present US with victory plan in September

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27 that he would present U.S. President Joe Biden with a plan for victory during a meeting in September.

The president said that the proposal would also be presented to Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-President Donald Trump, the two candidates for the upcoming November presidential election.

Trump has claimed during his presidential campaign that he would end the war within 24 hours if elected, but has declined to provide details of the plan.

Speaking at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv, Zelensky said that the ongoing Kursk incursion was one of the parts of this plan.

The other items include Ukraine's participation in the global security infrastructure, pressuring Russia to end the war through diplomatic means, and an economic aspect, Zelensky said without revealing any details.

The president said that he keeps bringing up the red lines Ukraine's Western allies have imposed on the use of weapons inside Russian territory.

"They don't want to talk about it, and I keep bringing it up," Zelensky quipped.

"The Olympics are over, but ping pong is still there."

Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Western partners believe that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with the weapons they provide could be a cause for escalation.

In May, the U.S. allowed Ukraine to use HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, GMLRS rockets, and artillery against Russian territory near the Ukrainian border.

But the U.S. and U.K. still prohibit Ukraine from using U.S.-made ATACMS missiles and British-made Storm Shadow missiles for strikes deeper inside Russia.

Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has ramped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks following the Kursk incursion on Aug. 6.

Read also: Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast amid Ukraines incursion, Syrskyi says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte outside the Mariinskyi Palace on the 33rd Independence Day of Ukraine. -/Ukrinform/dpa

Ukraine has successfully tested its own domestic-made ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Local media said Zelensky made the announcement at a forum in Kiev on Tuesday, but beyond congratulating the Ukrainian defence industry on the project did not offer any other details.

The military has hinted at such weapons in the past. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Monday, after a massive barrage of Russian drones and missiles, that Ukraine had developed home-grown long-range weapons.

At the weekend, Zelensky presented another Ukrainian-made weapon, the jet-powered, high-speed Palyanytsya combat drone.

F-16 fighter jets supplied by the West were used in the defence against the heavy Russian attacks this week, Zelensky said on Tuesday.

He also once again urged allies to remove restrictions on how Ukraine can use the weapons they supply, such as long-range missiles that can hit targets well inside Russian territory.
Ukraine has successfully tested its own domestic-made ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as the country aims to turn the tide of the war against Russia with the help of more advanced weapons.

Zelensky made the announcement at a forum in Kiev on Tuesday, but beyond congratulating the Ukrainian defence industry on the project did not offer any other details.

The military has hinted at such weapons in the past.

Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Monday, after a massive barrage of Russian drones and missiles, that Ukraine had developed home-grown long-range weapons.

At the weekend, Zelensky presented another Ukrainian-made weapon, the jet-powered, high-speed Palyanytsya combat drone.

F-16 fighter jets supplied by the West were used in the defence against the heavy Russian attacks this week, Zelensky said on Tuesday.

He also once again urged allies to remove restrictions on how Ukraine can use the weapons they supply, such as long-range missiles that can hit targets well inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian to brief NATO on air defence needs

NATO is to meet with Umerov via video-link to discuss the country's air defence needs in response to recent heavy Russian airstrikes.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the meeting for Wednesday at the request of Ukraine, Farah Dakhlallah, a spokesperson for the alliance said in a statement.

The meeting, held by NATO allies' ambassador's to the alliance, comes after the deadly Russian attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine on Monday and Tuesday, Dakhlallah said.

Umerov is to brief the allies' representatives "on the battlefield situation and priority capability needs," Dakhlallah said, adding that NATO is "committed to further bolstering Ukraines defences."

Zelensky: Dialogue with Putin would be 'meaningless'

Zelensky also said on Tuesday in Kiev that peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be "empty" and "meaningless."

"The world is waiting for Ukraine to present a compromise plan on how to end the war tomorrow," he said.

"It's not that there are no compromises with Putin, but with Putin the dialogue today is empty, meaningless, because he doesn't want to end the war diplomatically," argued Zelensky.

Putin might be willing to engage in diplomatic negotiations, Zelensky said, but his pre-condition is for Kiev to recognize Russia's capture of 30% of Ukrainian territory.

"We will not play along with him," added Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president said his forces' advance into the southern Russian region of Kursk three weeks ago has silenced Kiev's critics.

Ukraine presented its own pathway to peace at a summit in Switzerland in June. The plan envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from all areas of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula. Russia would also agree to pay reparations and make its political and military leaders accountable to an international court.

Hundreds of Russian prisoners taken since start of Kursk push

The Ukrainian army has taken almost 600 prisoners of war since the beginning of its advance into Kursk, its commander-in-chief Olexsandr Syrskyi said on Tuesday.

Ukraine has thus significantly replenished its fund for the exchange of prisoners, the general said at the conference in Kiev, according to media reports.

After three weeks, his troops were in control of 100 villages and almost 1,300 square kilometres of Russian territory, Syrskyi said.

Military observers assume that the area is not quite that large. Also Ukrainian soldiers would not be able to control their rear lines everywhere after advancing so quickly, they say.

Russia has now sent almost 30,000 soldiers to the Kursk region to defend against the Ukrainian advance, and more are on the way, Syrskyi said.

In this respect the Ukrainian plan is working as Moscow has to redeploy troops to the Kursk region, he said.

But Russian attacks, especially in the Donetsk region, where the Ukrainian army is under heavy pressure, have not slowed down.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte outside the Mariinskyi Palace on the 33rd Independence Day of Ukraine. -/Ukrinform/dpa
Ukraine will not extend the agreement with Russia regarding the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which is set to expire at the end of 2024, but is prepared to discuss the transit of gas through its territory with other suppliers if Europe requests it.

Source: President Zelenskyy during a press-conference in Kyiv on 27 August, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine

Details: "No one is going to extend the agreement with Russia, thats the end of it. As for the transit of gas from other suppliers, then if there is demand from some of our European partners  were all in the European Union  we will consider their request," Zelenskyy said.

He also said he did not have information about the recent meeting of Russian and Azerbaijani leaders.

"I have no idea what [Russian leader Vladimir Putin] was discussing in Azerbaijan. I dont think it was gas. I think there are other issues," Zelenskyy said.

Background:

In late July, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Russia were in the process of negotiating the possibility of continuing the transit of natural gas through Ukraine, with the Russian-Ukrainian contract set to expire in 2024. According to Aliyev, the Ukrainian authorities and the European Union have asked Azerbaijan to assist in extending the contract.

In a comment on Aliyevs claim, Oleksii Chernyshov, the CEO of Naftogaz, the largest national oil and gas company in Ukraine, said that the EU and Ukraine are looking for ways to ensure sustainable gas supplies to Europe after the termination of the 2024 Ukrainian-Russian transit contract, and one of them could be the supply of Azerbaijani gas.

In early August, Ukraines Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said that no proposals had been received from Azerbaijan, but they could yet materialise.

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Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, is convinced that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Source: Yermak at the Forum of Heads of State Institutions

Quote: "Why was this first [peace] summit so important? We saw the number of countries  more than 100 countries  that support President Zelenskyy's peace formula. This is the basis for a joint plan. But the president says that we are ready to hear from all responsible countries that respect our independence, our territorial integrity, and our sovereignty.

And I can tell you that during Indian Prime Minister Modi's last visit, he said very clearly that India will never support any proposal that includes any compromise on Ukraine's territorial integrity. Hearing this from a BRICS member state is very important.

Ramaphosa [Cyril, President of South Africa] has visited Ukraine with African leaders. Now Modi has been here. There have been several meetings in Saudi Arabia and several meetings with the President of Brazil... The only thing that remains is for our President to meet with the leader of China. But I am confident that this will happen. Because even China's declared position that it takes a neutral position implies this. We have seen how many times the Kremlin dictator has met with the Chinese leader. I think that even for a neutral position, it is very necessary for this meeting to take place. And we hope that it will take place."

Details: Yermak also said that the venue for the next Summit on the Ukrainian Peace Formula has not yet been determined, but "it would be significant if it were held in one of the countries of the global south".

Background:

In June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia was trying to prevent the Peace Summit from taking place in Switzerland and that China was helping it to do so.

Zelenskyy also suggested that China could prepare its own "peace plan" if it did not share the universal principles laid down in the Ukrainian "peace formula".

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Kursk operation is a key component of Ukraine's victory strategy and is linked to the second Peace Summit. He said that only a few people knew about the operation.

Source: Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists on 27 August

Quote: "Only a small number of people were aware of the operation, so it was successful.

I can definitely identify some goals. And there are definitely goals I cannot reveal. The Kursk operation resulted in several outcomes. First and foremost, the occupation of Kharkiv Oblast is halted. We had information about the creation of a buffer zone in Kharkiv Oblast, and then in the north, we didn't know the specifics, but we assumed that Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts were in the Russian Federation's plans. What we got from our intelligence and intelligence partners...

The Kursk operation resolved the issue of [preventing] the occupation of Sumy or Chernihiv. Furthermore, it struck a large number of troops, collapsing a serious combat group."

According to Zelenskyy, the Kursk operation is part of Ukraine's victory plan and is related to the second Peace Summit, which Ukraine intends to hold with Russian Federation representatives.

According to the President, after the Kursk operation began, the Russians moved their forces from Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. At the same time, the Russians are concentrating and not withdrawing troops from Donetsk Oblast.

Zelenskyy said that he considers the Kursk operation a success.

Quote: "Kursk Oblast is part of our plan for Ukraine's victory... There are some things I cannot discuss... Kursk Oblast is one of the plan's directions, with some already being implemented. The second direction concerns Ukraine's strategic position in the global security infrastructure. The third strategy is to use diplomatic means to coerce Russia into ending the war. The fourth direction is economic."

According to Zelenskyy, in September he will present the full plan to US President Joe Biden and presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump (US elections are scheduled for November).

Background:

The Armed Forces of Ukraine crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border near the city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, on 6 August 2024.

On 10 August, the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that they had taken control of the village of Poroz in Belgorod Oblast. In the Russian Federation's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts, a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) regime was implemented, which included increased security, movement restrictions, document checks, and phone control.

On 12 August, the Ukrainian authorities for the first time confirmed the participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a special operation in the Kursk Oblast.

On 27 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Russia deployed 30,000 troops to Russias Kursk Oblast and that the number of Russian soldiers there was growing every day.

Read also: Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi's raid: how the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast is progressing and what to expect next

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PDD stock plunged nearly 29% on Monday. Future Publishing/Getty Images

PDD Holdings' stock plummeted 29% Monday after a bleak outlook due to competition and consumer shifts.

The company faces challenges from changing demand, intensifying competition, and global uncertainties.

PDD, which is facing a merchant backlash, plans to support high-quality sellers.

Temu parent PDD Holdings' stock plunged after the Chinese e-commerce giant signaled a bleak outlook.

PDD stock fell nearly 29% on Monday, the most on record, after the company reported second-quarter earnings.

The company reported about $4.4 billion in profits in the quarter, a 144% increase compared to last year. But co-CEO Chen Lei said investors should expect a decline in profits moving forward.

"We are seeing many new challenges ahead, from changing consumer demand, intensifying competition, and uncertainties in global environment," Chen said on an earnings call on Monday.

PDD competes with ByteDance's TikTok shop, Alibaba, and Shein, all of which target fast-fashion shoppers. Temu also sells low-cost products ranging from home goods to motorcycle accessories.

Chen added that consumers are increasingly ditching material purchases for experience-based ones and that they want quality and value purchases.

Carrots for good merchants

Chen said that the company would "tackle low-quality" merchants by offering transaction fee reductions for higher-quality vendors.

Chen repeatedly said that this is the right path for the company, even if it affects profits in the short term.

"On one side, we must ensure strict oversight of product quality to prevent substandard goods and protect consumer rights. On the other side, we must ensure fairness so that dedicated high quality merchants can earn meaningful rewards," the co-CEO said.

Chen's remarks come amid a series of protests from Temu suppliers.

Hundreds of suppliers thronged Temu's Guangzhou, China, office in rallies this month, protesting fines and refund policies they said were destroying small merchants' profits. Temu, which surged in popularity in the US because of its cheap clothing and home decor items, fines merchants if they receive refund requests or customer complaints.

"We sense PDD highlighting its intention to invest in 'good merchants' is aimed to appease some of its unhappy sellers complaining about ill-treatment by the platform," Jialong Shi, an analyst at Nomura, wrote in a note on Tuesday.

The analyst maintained a Buy rating on the company and noted that the 29% decline may have been an overreaction.

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Zelenskyy says Ukraine carried out its first test of a new weapon, its first ballistic missile

Zelenskyy says Ukraine carried out its first test of a new weapon, its first ballistic missile

Ukraine successfully tested its first homemade ballistic missile.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the development at a forum on Tuesday.

There is little information about the weapon, but it marks the latest Ukrainian innovation.

Ukraine successfully tested its first domestically produced ballistic missile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Tuesday.

"Since we're on the subject, I thought it might be too soon to talk about it, but I want the public to appreciate the work of our people who are working 24/7 in the defense industry  there was a first successful test of Ukraine's first ballistic missile," Zelenskyy said at the Ukraine 2024 Independence Forum in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy did not provide additional details about the test or the missile, but the development of a ballistic missile marks a significant milestone for Ukraine. It's unclear what stage of development the weapon is in or when it could be used against Russia.

News of the missile test comes as Ukraine continues to be hamstrung in its ability to use Western missiles. The US, for instance, has provided Ukraine with tactical ballistic missiles  specifically MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, also known as ATACMS  but has prohibited Kyiv from using these weapons to strike targets beyond its borders.

Ukrainian officials have long been trying to convince the US and other Western countries to drop the restrictions on how Kyiv uses the weapons, arguing that this is holding the country back and preventing it from effectively fighting the Russians, who routinely fire missiles into Ukraine, targeting its cities and critical infrastructure.

Zelenskyy's comments on the missile test, which were published by UNITED24, a Ukrainian government initiative that has fueled Kyiv's war efforts through fundraising initiatives, came amid a broader discussion about other homemade weapons.

Ukraine has produced a wide variety of homemade weapons throughout the war, including naval drones and anti-ship missiles. It has also repurposed those missiles for land attack.

And over the weekend, Ukraine unveiled a new long-range drone in combat that it said could put dozens of Russian military airfields in range.

"The Palianytsia missile just came out recently, and it's a very serious thing. There were some issues, but that's been resolved," the Ukrainian president said at Tuesday's forum. "This is a vital defense for our state."

His remarks came a day after Russia carried out its largest attack on Ukraine of the war, which Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said underscores the need for more long-range weaponry.

"This once again proves that for victory we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemy's military facilities," he wrote on Facebook. "Ukraine is preparing its answers. Weapons of own production."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Updated Aug 27, 2024, 1:35pm EDT security Europe

The News

Kyiv will undoubtedly respond to Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, after hundreds of drones and missiles hit Ukraines power grid for a second day, killing at least 11.

Kyiv said it had downed 201 out of 236 weapons, but acknowledged a lot of damage in the energy sector as Moscow attempts to degrade Ukraines power supplies ahead of winter.

Zelenskyy earlier called again for allies to help shoot down incoming drones and to end constraints on the firing of long-range weapons into Russia.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Attacks are more than Putins revenge for Ukraines advance

Source: BBC

Russias recent attacks are not simply Putins revenge for Ukraines unexpected incursion in the Kursk region, the BBCs security correspondent argued. An attack planned to coincide with Ukraines independence day on August 24 was widely expected, since Moscow does not recognize the countrys right to exist. But the attacks are part of a broader strategy aimed not only at running down the countrys power grid, but also demoralizing the Ukrainian population and pushing the government to agree to a peace deal on Russias terms. So far, this strategy hasnt worked, but like a boxer that keeps landing blows in the same place, Russia is repeating the motion, hoping to wear down its opponent, the BBC correspondent concluded.

Recent advances in Russia have boosted Zelenskyys confidence

Sources: Politico, Bloomberg, Euronews

While efforts to broker peace talks in Ukraine are not over, two key factors required for a ceasefire are absent in the conflict, Politico Europes opinion editor argued: exhaustion and want. Recent advances by Kyiv have boosted morale and helped Zelenskyy show Ukrainians and Western allies that victory is still possible. It appears the Ukrainian leader has reverted to making no concessions to Russia as part of a potential peace deal, a consultant who works with Ukrainian officials told the outlet. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Zelenskyy is expected to present a plan to end the war to US President Joe Biden next month. While polls show Ukrainians as more amenable to a deal, most are also unwilling to make concessions to Putin, Euronews reported.

US still firmly backing Ukraine

Sources: The New York Times, Reuters, The Financial Times, Brookings Institute, YouGov

The US condemned Russias latest attacks on Ukraine, and has continued to pledge material support with weapons and security assistance along with other NATO members. That support is likely to remain steadfast if Kamala Harris is elected in November, while GOP candidate Donald Trumps approach to the conflict remains unclear, raising questions about whether he might make concessions to Russia to the detriment of Ukraine, the Financial Times noted. US citizens are still firmly behind Kyiv, however, with 62% of people recently polled by the Brookings Institute think tank expressing more sympathy for Ukraine than Russia and 48% saying the US should back Kyiv for as long as it takes. A growing number of Americans also think Ukraine is winning the war, a YouGov poll found.
Tensions with Facebook had been brewing for months before Joe Biden brought the row into the open three years ago.

In Britain and America, government departments had privately put pressure on Mark Zuckerbergs social media giant to limit the spread of anti-vaccine posts or messages questioning Covids origins.

Then in July 2021, the US president went public.

Theyre killing people, Mr Biden told reporters when asked about the spread of anti-vax messages, before repeating the claim for emphasis. The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. And theyre killing people.

Mr Bidens comments, which he later backtracked on, marked a low point for relations between Facebook and the White House. In a group WhatsApp chat between Mr Zuckerberg and other top executives, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks chief operating officer, vented.

Ugh on Biden today, Ms Sandberg wrote, according to messages recently released by a Republican-controlled US House committee. I think they are scapegoating us to cover their own missed vaccination rates and a virus they cant get control of.

Sir Nick Clegg, former deputy prime minister and Facebooks lobbying chief, wrote: The behaviour of the [White House] over the last 24 hours has been highly cynical and dishonest.

Facebook lobbying chief Sir Nick Clegg was among those berated by the White House over the company's cooperation - Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg

Ms Sandberg  an avowed Democrat  even compared the Biden administrations actions unfavourably to Trumps White House.

Did Trump say things this irresponsible? If Trump blamed a private company, not himself and his government, everyone would have gone nuts, she wrote.

The frustration was understandable. White House officials had berated Facebook executives, including Sir Nick, about what they saw as the companys failure to cooperate with the Biden administrations Covid response. But Facebook claimed it did regularly cooperate.

In one case it demoted a video of the Fox News host Tucker Carlson questioning the effectiveness of vaccines after an angry email from Rob Flaherty, White House digital strategy director, despite the video not breaking Facebooks rules.

Later, staff brainstormed what more they could do to crack down on Covid posts, citing the continued criticism of our approach from the US administration.

In one case, Sir Nick refused to take down a meme featuring Leonardo DiCaprio joking that in 10 years those who had taken the vaccine could be entitled to compensation.

Sir Nick said that Andy Slavitt, the White Houses senior Covid-19 adviser, was outraged that the joke post was not removed.

While less forthright, British politicians also put pressure on Facebook to toe the line.

The Telegraphs Lockdown Files investigation revealed that Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, sent Sir Nick a WhatsApp saying: Your team have been working really well with the department and the advertising ban is great  but we need to have a timeframe for removal of anti-vax material and how to demonetise.

Sir Nick wrote back, Ill look into this, before responding a month later by saying Facebook would delete posts making false claims about vaccines.

Meanwhile, the governments secretive Counter Disinformation Unit was busy monitoring posts critical of lockdowns or vaccine passports. Through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, it enjoyed trusted flagger status that allowed requests for content removals to be fast-tracked.

Former health secretary Matt Hancock sent Sir Nick a WhatsApp requesting a 'timeframe for removal of anti-vax material' during the pandemic - Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Despite some resistance, emails and documents revealed in lawsuits and investigations show that Facebooks team bowed to White House pressure to take a hard line on Covid posts.

This included removing claims that Covid-19 was man-made or posts comparing it to the flu. One employee told Sir Nick these actions were taken because we were under pressure  to do more.

On Monday, Mr Zuckerberg admitted he wished he had fought censorship.

In a letter to Jim Jordan, US Republican, he said: Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including Covid-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure.

I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it.

In truth, Facebooks boss had been angry at the Biden White House for some time. In 2021 he wrote a WhatsApp message to fellow executives saying: If theyre more interested in criticising us than actually solving the problems, then Im not sure how its helping the cause to engage with them further.

But Mr Zuckerberg knew he had to tread carefully. Months earlier, the US government had sued Meta, Facebooks parent company, in an anti-monopoly case that could see the company broken up (the lawsuit is yet to go to trial). It later attempted to block the companys takeover of virtual reality company Within.

Sir Nick told executives that Facebook should attempt to be responsive to the White Houses concerns given the bigger fish we have to fry with the [Biden] administration.

Today, the Facebook founder is in less of a mood to be compliant.

Elon Musk's vociferous attacks on attempts to regulate free speech have made Mr Zuckerberg appear to some as the lesser of two evils - REUTERS/David Swanson

Public pressure on social media companies to enthusiastically moderate their sites has waned after the chaos of the Covid years. Meta sacked hundreds of moderators last year amid widespread brutal layoffs.

The company has also been given plenty of cover by Elon Musk. The billionaires purchase of Twitter and vociferous attacks on attempts to regulate free speech have made Mr Zuckerberg, in some peoples eyes, the lesser of two evils.

Meta has also had a string of legal successes. It has delayed or been victorious in the US governments legal cases against it. And last year, a US judge banned federal agencies from contacting social media companies to demand that they take down certain posts.

The ruling was overturned in the Supreme Court, but is likely to have made officials think twice the next time they see something they dont like on Facebook.

In one email in 2021, Mr Zuckerberg told Sir Nick: This seems like a good reminder that when we compromise our standards due to pressure from an administration in either direction, well often regret it later.

He now seems to have taken that reminder to heart.

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The News

Mark Zuckerberg said Meta was repeatedly pressured by the Biden administration to censor material during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He told a congressional committee that he regretted not being more outspoken about the issue, and said the company would in future push back if any administration tried to make it compromise our content standards... in either direction.

Social media firms are under increasing scrutiny over moderation: Elon Musks X is accused of being the top platform for hosting Hamas videos, The Times of London reported, and Telegram, whose founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris on Saturday, is allegedly home to significant child sexual abuse material.

Platformer noted that the company refuses to answer almost any law enforcement request, which has enabled some truly vile behavior.
Zuckerberg says Biden officials pressured Meta to censor content: What to know

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote a letter to the House Judiciary Committee saying he regrets not being more outspoken about government pressure from the Biden administration to censor content on its platforms.

Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction, he wrote in the letter.

Heres what to know about the claims.

Zuckerberg alleges government pressure in letter to Judiciary committee

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg answers a question during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 31, 2024. (Greg Nash)

In the letter, addressed to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Zuckerberg acknowledged that there is a lot of talk right now about how the U.S. government interacts with media companies like Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook.

The letter, sent Monday, is the latest in the committees investigation into how tech companies work with the federal government and make content moderation decisions.

Zuckerberg said Meta has produced thousands of documents for the committees investigation and will make employees available to interview. To further aid the investigation, the tech mogul said he was writing the letter to share what hes taken away from this process.

The letter was shared to the House Judiciary Committee GOPs Facebook page, where it said it was a big win for free speech.

Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things: 1. Biden-Harris Admin pressured Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story, the panel wrote.

Biden administration allegedly asked to censor COVID-19 satire

President Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations in Elk Grove Village, Ill., Oct. 7, 2021. (Susan Walsh, Associated Press)

Zuckerberg claimed senior Biden administration officials pushed Meta to censor certain content related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree, he wrote.

Zuckerberg said he believes the government pressure was wrong and that the company was not more outspoken on the issue at the time. He added that Meta made decisions that they would not make today with the benefit of hindsight and new information.

He added later in the letter: Were ready to push back if something like this happens again.

Meta demoted Biden family article over Russian disinformation fears

Metas logo is seen on a sign, Nov. 9, 2022, at the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. (Godofredo A. Vasquez, Associated Press file)

Zuckerberg said the FBI warned Meta about a potential Russian disinformation operation in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election between Biden and former President Trump.

He noted in the letter that the potential operation was about the Biden family and its ties to Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company linked to the presidents son Hunter Biden.

The company made the decision to demote an article from the New York Post about corruption allegations against Biden, who at the time was the Democratic presidential nominee.

We sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply, Zuckerberg said. Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story.

Meta has updated its policies and procedures, including no longer temporarily demoting posts in the U.S. while waiting for fact-checkers, he added.

CEO acknowledges contributions to last presidential cycle

Mobile phone app logos for, from left, Facebook and Instagram are seen in New York, Oct. 5, 2021. (Stock)

In the final paragraph of his two-page letter, Zuckerberg said he wanted to address the contributions he made during the last presidential cycle to support electoral infrastructure.

While the contributions were intended to be non-partisan, per the Meta founder, they have been accused of being unfairly distributed among left and right leaning areas, which Republicans labeled Zuckerbucks.

Zuckerberg said the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was intended to be distributed across urban, rural and suburban communities.

He said despite seeing analyses showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefitted one party over the other.

My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another  or to even appear to be playing a role, he concluded. So I dont plan on making a similar contribution this cycle.

Trump responds claiming 2020 election was rigged

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump speaks at the National Guard Association of the United Statess 146th General Conference, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press)

In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump responded to Zuckerbergs letter and reiterated one of his largest false claims, that the 2020 presidential election was rigged in Bidens favor.

This is what everyones been waiting for  THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS RIGGED! he posted.

The former president was responding to a post from his lawyer, Alina Habba, which targeted the Biden administration and Trumps new Democratic rival in the election, Vice President Harris.

This is exactly what this administration (WHICH INCLUDES KAMALA) has done to our country, Habba wrote. Censorship is what happens in communist countries not this republic.

The White House defended its actions in a statement to The Hill.

When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety, a spokesperson wrote in the statement. Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mark Zuckerberg says he regrets that Meta bowed to Biden administration pressure to censor content, saying in a letter that the interference was "wrong" and he plans to push back if it happens again.

Meta's CEO aired his grievances in a letter Monday to the House Judiciary Committee in response to its investigation into content moderation on online platforms. Zuckerberg detailed how senior administration officials leaned on the company to censor certain posts about Covid-19, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration when the social media platform resisted.

I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it, Zuckerberg wrote. I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens again.

Zuckerberg also expressed regret for Meta's downplaying of content related to coverage by the New York Post about Hunter Biden ahead of the 2020 election that the FBI warned may have been rooted in a Russian disinformation operation.



Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story, he wrote.

Republicans on the committee, led by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, celebrated the letter in a long series of posts on X, calling it a big win for free speech.

The White House issued a statement defending the administrations approach to Covid-19 information.

"When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety, the statement said. Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present."

The letter is the latest installment in a multi-year Washington argument about the role of social media companies in suppressing content friendly to conservatives.

Once Elon Musk bought Twitter (now X) in late 2022, turning the platform into a haven for "free speech" and reinstating numerous banned conservative posters, Zuckerberg became a particular target of Jordan.

Like many on the right, Jordan argued that the Biden administration unduly pressured social media platforms to take down content on topics from Covid-19 to Hunter Biden's laptop.

Jordan demanded extensive internal communications records from Meta and threatened a contempt-of-Congress hearing for the tech mogul before de-escalating at the last minute, saying Meta had provided the documents he requested.

Zuckerberg also said he would not repeat contributions he made in the last presidential election cycle to fund election infrastructure, saying that although they were intended to be nonpartisan, some people still interpreted the effort as benefiting one party or the other.

"My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another  or to even appear to be playing a role," he said. "So I don't plan on making a similar contribution this cycle."

Steve Heuser contributed to this report.
The founder and CEO of the Facebook group Meta, Mark Zuckerberg is pictured in Menlo Park. Zuckerberg has accused the Biden administration of having repeatedly pressured his company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to "censor" Covid-19 content during the pandemic. Andrej Sokolow/dpa

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has accused the Biden administration of having repeatedly pressured his company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to "censor" Covid-19 content during the pandemic.

Zuckerberg's allegation came in a letter to a the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating content moderation on social media platforms.

"In 2021, senior officials from the Biden administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain Covid-19 content, including humour and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree," Zuckerberg's letter said.

He acknowledged that it was ultimately "our decision" as to whether the content should come down, but that the government pressure was "wrong."

"I regret that we were not more outspoken about it," he wrote, adding that he also believes that decisions were made that, in hindsight, might not be repeated today.

"Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any administration in either direction  and were ready to push back if something like this happens again," Zuckerberg wrote.

President Joe Biden and top health officials like US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy accused social media platforms of spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccines.

In July 2021, Biden even went so far as say that platforms like Facebook were "killing people" with the lies being spread on them.

On Tuesday, the White House responded to Zuckerberg's letter by saying it had only "encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety."

"Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present," a spokesperson said.
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has signed an agreement with Huawei to use the Chinese tech conglomerate's advanced autonomous driving system in its off-road Fangchengbao EVs, Huawei said on Tuesday.

The Bao 8 SUV under the Fangchengbao lineup will be the first BYD model to sport Huawei's Qiankun intelligent driving system and go on sale later this year.

The tie-up follows BYD's efforts to move upscale as it aims to increase the sales of its premium brands of Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang to improve profitability. The three brands accounted for just 5% of its total sales in the first half, according to data from China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The use of Huawei technology also highlights pressure on the Chinese EV champion to play catch-up against rivals in beefing up smart driving configuration with in-house development.

BYD has dominated the EV market with a significant cost advantage thanks to its so-called vertical integration strategy by making the key components such as batteries on its own.

The company has been investing heavily in developing its own advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) by hiring thousands of engineers since last year. It still relies on external suppliers for such intelligent features in upmarket models, including using Momenta ADAS in its Denza cars.

The partnership with Huawei also reflected the growing presence of the Chinese tech company in the EV sector as a major supplier of ADAS. Volkswgen's Audi will also use Huawei's ADAS in its EVs for the China market.

(Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Farah Master; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Lincoln Feast.)
As Chinese stocks experienced declines amid a light economic calendar and caution ahead of Fed Chair Powells Jackson Hole speech, investors are keenly watching for opportunities in the market. In this environment, growth companies with high insider ownership can be particularly appealing, as they often indicate strong confidence from those closest to the business.

Top 10 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In China

Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth ShenZhen Woer Heat-Shrinkable MaterialLtd (SZSE:002130) 18% 28.7% Arctech Solar Holding (SHSE:688408) 38.7% 26.9% Western Regions Tourism DevelopmentLtd (SZSE:300859) 13.9% 39.2% Suzhou Shijing Environmental TechnologyLtd (SZSE:301030) 22% 54.9% Ningbo Deye Technology Group (SHSE:605117) 23.4% 29.4% Cubic Sensor and InstrumentLtd (SHSE:688665) 10.1% 34.3% Suzhou Sunmun Technology (SZSE:300522) 36.5% 63.4% Sineng ElectricLtd (SZSE:300827) 36.5% 40.1% UTour Group (SZSE:002707) 23% 36.1% BIWIN Storage Technology (SHSE:688525) 18.8% 116.8%

Click here to see the full list of 377 stocks from our Fast Growing Chinese Companies With High Insider Ownership screener.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Shanghai Taisheng Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300129) specializes in the manufacturing of wind power equipment and has a market cap of CN6.10 billion.

Operations: Shanghai Taisheng Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300129) specializes in the manufacturing of wind power equipment and has a market cap of CN6.10 billion. The company's revenue segments include the production and sale of wind power towers, offshore wind power equipment, and related services.

Insider Ownership: 11.3%

Revenue Growth Forecast: 26.4% p.a.

Shanghai Taisheng Wind Power Equipment shows strong growth potential with forecasted earnings growth of 38.9% annually, outpacing the Chinese market's 22.1%. The company reported a slight dip in sales for H1 2024 but saw an increase in net income to CNY 129.55 million from CNY 118.36 million a year ago, indicating improved profitability. Despite a modest dividend yield of 0.76%, its price-to-earnings ratio of 20.1x remains attractive compared to the broader market's 26.3x, suggesting good value for investors focused on growth and insider ownership stability.

Story continues

SZSE:300129 Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Jiangsu Canlon Building Materials Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300715) operates in the building materials industry with a market cap of approximately CN2.34 billion.

Operations: Jiangsu Canlon Building Materials Co., Ltd. generates revenue from various segments within the building materials industry, contributing to its market cap of approximately CN2.34 billion.

Insider Ownership: 27%

Revenue Growth Forecast: 21% p.a.

Jiangsu Canlon Building Materials is forecast to become profitable within three years, with revenue expected to grow 21% annually, surpassing the Chinese market's average. Despite a recent earnings report showing a decline in sales to CNY 1.22 billion and net income dropping to CNY 7.76 million, the company has been actively repurchasing shares, indicating confidence in its future prospects. However, its dividend yield of 1.91% is not well-covered by earnings or free cash flows.

SZSE:300715 Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Wuxi DK Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. is a technology company involved in the R&D, production, and sale of electronic materials for solar photovoltaic, display, lighting, and semiconductor applications in China with a market cap of CN4.74 billion.

Operations: The company generates revenue primarily from its Electronic Special Materials segment, which amounts to CN11.18 billion.

Insider Ownership: 20.2%

Revenue Growth Forecast: 17.8% p.a.

Wuxi DK Electronic Materials Ltd. is trading at a favorable price-to-earnings ratio of 10.8x, significantly below the Chinese market average of 26.3x, indicating good relative value. With revenue forecasted to grow at 17.8% per year and earnings expected to increase by 23.35% annually, it shows strong growth potential despite its debt not being well covered by operating cash flow. Recent amendments to the company's articles of association could impact future governance and strategic direction.

SZSE:300842 Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.The analysis only considers stock directly held by insiders. It does not include indirectly owned stock through other vehicles such as corporate and/or trust entities. All forecast revenue and earnings growth rates quoted are in terms of annualised (per annum) growth rates over 1-3 years.

Companies discussed in this article include SZSE:300129 SZSE:300715 and SZSE:300842.

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FILE PHOTO: Drone is seen during a demonstration for the media before a news conference by Chinese food delivery company Ele.me on its drone delivery service, in Shanghai

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's nascent low-altitude economy - made up of manned or unmanned aviation services at low elevations - has captured investors' interest but many lack information and guidance about how the sector could develop, an industry group said on Tuesday.

Initial plans for China's low-altitude economy often refer to services such as small-scale deliveries of goods at elevations of up to 1,000 metres (3,280 ft). But some localities are also eyeing at airspace of up to 3,000 metres (9,840 ft).

As China loosens airspace curbs and grants incentives to develop the sector, manufacturers in the world's top drone-making nation are testing ever-larger payloads and transport companies are planning air taxi services both manned and unmanned.

Its aviation regulator foresees a 2-trillion-yuan ($280 billion) industry by 2030 - a four-fold expansion from 2023 - with vertical mobility seen as a "new productive force" in areas such as passenger transport and cargo deliveries.

The sector will be an important driver for a new round of economic growth, said Luo Jun, executive director of the China Low Altitude Economic Alliance, adding that specific ideas on how to build the low-altitude economy were not sufficiently clear.

"There is no mature business model for the low-altitude economy to learn from abroad," Luo said in a statement. "Many companies are both enthusiastic and confused about the low-altitude economy."

Luo said in early August, when the China Low Altitude Economic Alliance comprising more than 100 companies was established, that the group would take the lead in guiding cities to quickly develop applications that can be replicated commercially.

To start, infrastructure and supporting services must be built, but duplication should be avoided, he warned.

Chinese civilian drone makers have been testing larger unmanned aircraft to transport cargo this summer, fuelled by ambitions to autonomously ship goods to destinations more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles) away.

Earlier this month, a Shanghai company launched manned helicopter services for travellers looking to cut travel time between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Kunshun, a city in Jiangsu province, to 20 minutes from several hours.

In central Hubei province, the prototype of a civilian airship flew nearly 1,000 km (625 miles) on a test flight last week, with authorities hoping to tap demand for sightseeing tours.

($1 = 7.1257 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Helen Popper)
Jeff Bezos' fanciest toys, from a superyacht to the newest Gulfstream jet

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns expensive properties, planes, and a megayacht.

His most recent acquisitions include mansions on an island in Florida and the latest Gulfstream jet.

Here's a rundown of Bezos' most expensive toys.

Jeff Bezos has become one of the world's richest people, so it's no surprise that he's purchased lots of expensive toys, from a megayacht to houses on a private island in Florida.

Bezos has a net worth of $192.3 billion and is currently the second-richest person in the world, according to Forbes.

Bezos has invested some of the money that he's made since founding Amazon in 1994 into other businesses. He founded rocket and aerospace company Blue Origin in 2000, for instance. And in 2013, he acquired The Washington Post. This year, he also sold some of his Amazon shares to fund Day 1 Academies, a chain of nonprofit preschools that he founded.

But Bezos has also spent hundreds of millions on planes, a yacht, houses, and other property. A representative for Bezos didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Here's a look at the Bezos-owned planes, yachts, and houses that we know about:

One of Bezos' newest acquisitions seems to be a Gulfstream G700.

A Gulfstream G700 private jet Abby Wallace/Insider.

Bezos's newest private jet appears to be a Gulfstream G700, according to data from JetSpy. The Amazon founder likely took possession of the plane in July, flight data shows.

The G700 just got approval to fly from the FAA in March and is worth around $80 million, BI previously reported.

The Gulfstream would be Bezos' fourth jet.

Jeff Bezos and a Gulfstream G650. Taylor Hill/Getty Images; Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The G700 is the latest private jet purchased by Bezo, who has collected multiple private planes over the years.

He previously purchased two Gulfstream G650ERs as well as a Pilatus PC-24, BI reported. With the addition of the G700, Bezo's aircraft are now collectively worth more than $200 million.

Through the same LLC that his two G650ERs are registered to, Bezos has also owned a hangar in Seattle since 2015.

Bezos also has a megayacht called Koru.

Jeff Bezos' superyacht Koru was the talk of the Palm Beach yacht show after completing her first year at sea. Robino Salvatore/Getty Images

Koru, a 127-meter yacht, made her debut in 2023 with a trek around the Mediterranean. The vessel cost about $500 million and includes the Abeona, a support vessel, BI previously reported.

The yacht has hosted celebrities from Bill Gates to Leonardo DiCaprio . Bezos and fiancee Lauren Sanchez also had their engagement party aboard Koru last year.

Bezos recently bought three mansions on an exclusive island off of Miami.

Indian Creek Village, located on an island off of Miami Bing Maps

Over the past year, Bezos has acquired three homes in Indian Creek Village, an island off of Miami known for its lux residences. Other notable property owners there include Tom Brady and Carl Icahn.

Bezos has spent $237 million between the three properties.

He also owns property in the nation's capital.

Bezos' mansion in Washington, D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images

In 2016, two years before Amazon announced that it was building its HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia, then-Amazon CEO Bezos paid $23 million for a compound across the river in Washington, D.C.

Bezos then spent another $12 million renovating the two-structure property, which previously hosted a textile museum. The property features a ballroom, 11 bedrooms, and 25 bathrooms, BI reported in 2018.

The mansions are just a few properties amongst Bezos' extensive real estate holdings.

The Figure 2 Ranch in Texas James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

The Amazon co-founder owns properties in his company's hometown, including a lakeside compound with a private shoreline, boathouse, and a waterslide.

But his real estate holdings extend far beyond the Pacific Northwest.

In West Texas, Bezos acquired the Figure 2 Ranch, a 30,000-acre property, in 2004, Architectural Digest reported in May. The ranch plays host to Blue Origin.

Bezos' other holdings include homes in Beverly Hills and luxury apartments in Manhattan, according to Architectural Digest.

Read the original article on Business Insider
As global markets celebrate the Federal Reserve's announcement of upcoming interest rate cuts, major indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 have surged toward record highs. In this buoyant environment, dividend stocks become particularly attractive for investors seeking stable income and potential capital appreciation. A good dividend stock typically offers a reliable payout history, strong financial health, and growth potentialall crucial factors to consider in todays dynamic market conditions.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Yamato Kogyo (TSE:5444) 4.16%  Allianz (XTRA:ALV) 5.02%  Guaranty Trust Holding (NGSE:GTCO) 7.03%  Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 4.92%  Innotech (TSE:9880) 4.64%  CAC Holdings (TSE:4725) 4.48%  FALCO HOLDINGS (TSE:4671) 6.42%  KurimotoLtd (TSE:5602) 4.74%  James Latham (AIM:LTHM) 5.75%  Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (SWX:BCVN) 4.70% 

Click here to see the full list of 2074 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

Let's uncover some gems from our specialized screener.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: PT Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama Tbk operates in the construction sector in Indonesia and has a market cap of approximately IDR1.79 billion.

Operations: PT Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama Tbk generates revenue from various segments including Gas (IDR492.04 million), Asphalt (IDR1.87 billion), Construction (IDR1.06 billion), Handling Equipments (IDR20.52 million), Other Service Revenue (IDR190.51 million), and Manufacture - Concrete (IDR666.92 million).

Dividend Yield: 3.9%

Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama's dividend payments are well-supported by earnings and cash flows, with a payout ratio of 29.5% and a cash payout ratio of 22%. Despite its dividend yield of 3.86% being lower than the top quartile in the Indonesian market, JKON has provided stable and growing dividends over the past decade. Recent earnings show a slight decrease in net income to IDR 24 billion for H1 2024, but dividends remain reliable.

IDX:JKON Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: PT Surya Pertiwi Tbk, with a market cap of IDR1.66 trillion, distributes bathroom and kitchen products in Indonesia.

Operations: PT Surya Pertiwi Tbk's revenue segments include Trading and Manufacturing - Sanitary (IDR1.55 billion), Trading and Manufacturing - Fitting (IDR1.30 billion), Rental Income (IDR79.39 million), Trading and Manufacturing - Others (IDR67.03 million), and Trading and Manufacturing - Kitchen (IDR27.96 million).

Story continues

Dividend Yield: 8.1%

Surya Pertiwi's dividend payments are well-covered by earnings (24.5% payout ratio) and cash flows (52.4% cash payout ratio). The company has a high dividend yield of 8.13%, placing it in the top 25% of Indonesian dividend payers. However, its five-year dividend history is marked by volatility and unreliability, with significant annual drops exceeding 20%. Recent earnings show growth, with net income rising to IDR 115.20 million for H1 2024 from IDR 94.64 million a year ago.

IDX:SPTO Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Home Product Center Public Company Limited operates as a home improvement retailer in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam with a market cap of THB128.22 billion.

Operations: Home Product Center Public Company Limited generates revenue through its retail segment focused on building products, amounting to THB72.99 billion.

Dividend Yield: 4.1%

Home Product Center's dividend payments are well-covered by earnings (44.2% payout ratio) and cash flows (83.3% cash payout ratio). Despite a volatile and unstable dividend track record over the past decade, recent earnings have shown stability, with net income for H1 2024 at THB 3.33 billion compared to THB 3.23 billion a year ago. The stock trades at a favorable price-to-earnings ratio of 19.6x, slightly below the industry average of 20x.

SET:HMPRO Dividend History as at Aug 2024

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include IDX:JKON IDX:SPTO and SET:HMPRO.

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As the European markets show signs of optimism with major indices like Germanys DAX rising by 1.70%, investors are increasingly looking for growth opportunities amid potential interest rate cuts by central banks. In this environment, stocks with high insider ownership can be particularly appealing, as they often indicate strong confidence from those closest to the company's operations and future prospects.

Top 10 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In Germany

Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth pferdewetten.de (XTRA:EMH) 26.8% 70.6% Stemmer Imaging (XTRA:S9I) 25.8% 23.2% Deutsche Beteiligungs (XTRA:DBAN) 39.4% 63.5% Exasol (XTRA:EXL) 25.3% 117.1% NAGA Group (XTRA:N4G) 14.1% 78.3% Alelion Energy Systems (DB:2FZ) 37.4% 106.6% Stratec (XTRA:SBS) 30.9% 20.1% Beyond Frames Entertainment (DB:8WP) 10.8% 112.2% Redcare Pharmacy (XTRA:RDC) 17.7% 50.1% elumeo (XTRA:ELB) 25.8% 120.2%

Click here to see the full list of 22 stocks from our Fast Growing German Companies With High Insider Ownership screener.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Hypoport SE develops and markets technology platforms for the financial services, property, and insurance industries in Germany, with a market cap of 1.76 billion.

Operations: The company's revenue segments include 157.97 million from the Credit Platform, 66.89 million from the Insurance Platform, and 175.87 million from Segment Adjustment.

Insider Ownership: 35%

Earnings Growth Forecast: 35% p.a.

Hypoport SE, a growth company with high insider ownership in Germany, reported strong earnings for Q2 2024 with sales rising to 110.62 million and net income reaching 2.4 million. The company became profitable this year and is expected to grow earnings by 35% annually over the next three years, outpacing the German market's forecasted growth of 19.8%. However, its share price has been highly volatile recently and it has low forecasted return on equity at 10.3%.

XTRA:HYQ Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Verve Group SE operates a software platform for the automated buying and selling of digital advertising space in North America and Europe, with a market cap of 566.53 million.

Operations: Verve Group SE's revenue segments include 51.53 million from Demand Side Platforms (DSP) and 318.35 million from Supply Side Platforms (SSP).

Story continues

Insider Ownership: 25.1%

Earnings Growth Forecast: 20.5% p.a.

Verve Group SE has shown promising signs as a growth company with high insider ownership in Germany. The firm recently raised its earnings guidance for 2024 to 400 million - 420 million and appointed Alex Stil as Chief Commercial Officer to drive demand-side business expansion. Verve's revenue is forecasted to grow at 12.9% annually, outpacing the German market, while earnings are expected to grow significantly at 20.52% per year.

XTRA:M8G Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Zalando SE operates an online platform for fashion and lifestyle products and has a market cap of 6.39 billion.

Operations: Revenue Segments (in millions of ): {Reconciliation: -275, Segment Adjustment: 10490.80} Zalando SE generates revenue primarily from its online platform for fashion and lifestyle products, amounting to 10.49 billion.

Insider Ownership: 10.4%

Earnings Growth Forecast: 24.6% p.a.

Zalando SE's recent earnings report highlights strong growth, with Q2 2024 sales at 2.64 billion and net income rising to 95.7 million from 56.6 million a year ago. The company's earnings are forecasted to grow significantly at 24.63% per year, outpacing the German market average of 19.8%. Despite slower revenue growth (5.6% annually), Zalando is trading well below its estimated fair value, making it an attractive prospect for growth-focused investors in Germany.

XTRA:ZAL Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Summing It All Up

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Invested in any of these stocks? Simplify your portfolio management with Simply Wall St and stay ahead with our alerts for any critical updates on your stocks.

Unlock the power of informed investing with Simply Wall St, your free guide to navigating stock markets worldwide.

Interested In Other Possibilities?

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.The analysis only considers stock directly held by insiders. It does not include indirectly owned stock through other vehicles such as corporate and/or trust entities. All forecast revenue and earnings growth rates quoted are in terms of annualised (per annum) growth rates over 1-3 years.

Companies discussed in this article include XTRA:HYQ XTRA:M8G and XTRA:ZAL.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Output of Hungarys industrial-scale solar parks with a capacity of over 50 kW reached a record 3,242 MW last Friday in the quarter hour between 1pm and 1.15pm, the energy ministry said on Facebook.

Citing data from state-owned transmission system operator Mavir, the ministry said that, including household solar panels, Hungarys solar power output exceeded the 2030 target output of 6,000 MW as early as February this year, and was now approaching 6,800 MW.



By the end of August, there were 1,134 quarter hours in which solar power output exceeded last years high of 2,731 MW, the ministry said.



Meanwhile, Paks 2 Nuclear Power Plant 'Hits New Milestone'



Construction works on the Paks 2 project are about to intensify as the investment moves into a higher gear.



A new milestone has been reached with the completion of soil works under Block 5 of the Paks nuclear power plant, and similar works under Block 6 are under way, Peter Szijjarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said.



Countries that produce most of their energy requirements are generally regarded as safe, the minister said on Facebook, adding that Hungary was intent on speeding up construction of the plants two new blocks at Paks, Hungarys only commercial nuclear power plant.



Szijjarto spoke by phone with Aleksey Likhacsov, chief executive of Rosatom, the general contractor for the construction of the additional two blocks at Paks, on Monday, and they reviewed key tasks for the next few weeks with a view to accelerating the project.



He said 24,000 piles have been drilled into the ground, one-third of the total, and more than 1,000 people are working at the site and this number would soon increase significantly.



Nezopont Energy Survey: Most Hungarians 'Outraged' by Ukrainian Oil Transit Ban



Fully 69% find it outrageous that Ukraine is seeking to restrict oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia, according to respondents of a recent Nezopont survey, while 77% said Brussels should mediate between the parties.



Fully 22% of respondents said that the Ukrainian restrictions were acceptable. Nezopont said 47% of supporters of the opposition Democratic Coalition and Tisza Party criticised the Ukrainian move.



Concerning proposals under which the Hungarian government could restrict power supplies to Ukraine in response to the oil delivery restrictions, 47% of respondents said they would support such a move, while 42% said the opposite.



Nezoponts phone survey was carried out between July 29 and 31 with a sample of 1,000 adults.





MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only



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Mumbai: Laal Singh Chaddha's failure deeply affected Aamir Khan. The superstar even confessed that he had a desire to quit acting. Aamir recently appeared on Rhea Chakrabortys podcast where he spoke about Laal Singh Chaddha's failure. The superstar confessed that his high-pitched acting was the reason behind the failure of the film. Aamit is one actor who openly talks about his failures and flaws without any glorification.

The superstar highlighted his point of view over his performance where he mentioned, My performance in Laal Singh Chaddha was pitched too high, unlike the original, which had a great performance by Tom Hanks, who pulled everyone with him. My performance let Laal Singh Chaddha down. My performance was not good, according to my reading. I think I might do better in my next film.

While Rhea was convinced that she liked his performance in Laal Singh Chaddha and didn't think it needed improvement, Aamir reacted, As a creative person, I feel what we had intended to create, we reached very close to it. So this was one of those films that some people really loved, it was their favourite film, while most people could not connect with it. And the reason why they could not connect was that my performance was weak look when you make a mistake or you fail or you are weak, it can be an opportunity. You have to be very honest why the film did not work. I loved working in Sitaare Zameen Par after Laal Singh Chaddha despite saying I will not work in films. It is a great film.

Aamir who has been on sabbatical after Laal Singh Chaddha will be seen next in Sitaare Zameen Par.


BJP MP Kangana Ranaut who is currently busy in promoting her upcoming film Emergency reached out to the cops on Tuesday after a video surfaced on social media threatening her life. In the video, a group of man can be seen passing off intimidating statements over the release of the film Emergency.

Ranaut portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film. The threats emerged following the release of the film's trailer on social media.

In the video, six men are seen sitting in a circle inside a room, with two of them dressed as Nihang Sikhs. One man warns that if the movie is released, the Sikh community will condemn it, stating, "Your movie will be met with chappals."

Another man, Vicky Thomas Singh, a social media influencer known for posting videos praising Bhindranwale, warned, "If the movie portrays Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a terrorist, remember what happened to the person (Indira Gandhi) whose movie you are in."

He also references Indira Gandhi's assassins, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, who killed the former Prime Minister in 1984. "Who were Satwant Singh and Beant Singh? We are willing to offer our heads, but those who can offer heads can also take them," he added.

The actor shared the post and tagged the Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP), Himachal Police, and Punjab Police, writing on X, "Please look into this."

Several organizations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, have called for a ban on the film, alleging it promotes an anti-Sikh narrative and misrepresents Sikhs as separatists.

A Sikh Council based in Australia has labeled Emergency a propaganda film, alleging that it distorts historical events and is disrespectful to Sikh martyrs

The film's trailer depicts young Indira Gandhi's relationship with her father, the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, as she began her political career, and illustrates how she navigated conflicts and political challenges throughout her tenure.
A Bangladeshi student at the National Institute of Technology in Silchar, Assam, was returned to her country after she reacted with a 'love' emoji to an anti-India post on social media, news agency PTI quoted police as saying on Tuesday. Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta clarified that this was not a deportation but a decision made in consultation with Bangladeshi authorities. Maisha Mahajabin, a fourth-semester student in the Electronics and Communication department at NIT Silchar, was sent back to Bangladesh on Monday via the Integrated Check Post at Sutarkandi in the Karimganj district.

"It's not a deportation case... She reacted with a love symbol to an anti-India post on Facebook made by her senior, Sahadat Hussain Alfi, an NIT Silchar alumnus who left India about six months ago after completing his course. He is currently residing in Bangladesh," Mahatta explained to PTI.

The Superintendent of Police reported that the post, and her reaction to it, angered many people. Mahatta also mentioned that Mahajabin had requested to return to her country from the NIT Silchar authorities. Regarding her return to complete her studies, the SP stated, "She hasn't completed her course yet. It's uncertain whether she will return to finish her studies."

Currently, 70 Bangladeshi students are studying at NIT Silchar, following an agreement between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments. Out of these, approximately 40 are Hindu students from Bangladesh. "I have personally met with the students and urged them not to engage in any wrongful acts or anti-India activities," he added.

In the meantime, Hindu Raksha Dal spokesperson Suvasish Choudhury informed PTI that they had observed the anti-India post by the former student and alerted the police for necessary action. "We reported some anti-India posts originating from the University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. She (Mahajabin) supported one of these posts with love emoji," Choudhury said.
Karnataka Police arrested a BJP worker, Abhay, in connection with the contentious 'love jihad' case in Udupi district on Tuesday, news agency IANS reported. The BJP had launched a campaign condemning the abduction and rape incident and accused the Karnataka government of turning a blind eye to the alleged 'love jihad' angle. Abhay, the third accused to be taken into custody, allegedly facilitated the escape of the primary accused, Altaf, following the incident.

The police have also invoked the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act against Abhay, citing evidence that he supplied drugs to Altaf. Abhay's social media profile featured a photo with BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar and indicated affiliations with Hindu organizations.

Investigations have revealed a close association between Abhay and Altaf, who allegedly abducted and raped a 21-year-old woman after luring her to a location near her workplace. This development has sparked intense debate on social media platforms. Abhay had participated in anti-drug campaigns organized by the Bajrang Dal and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy SP of Karkala.

Further details regarding the incident are yet to emerge, and the police department has not issued an official statement.

The incident of an Instagram friend kidnapping and raping a 21-year-old woman came to light on Saturday from Karkala town of Udupi district. The police had arrested two persons in connection and admitted the victim to hospital. The case took a twist with Hindu organisations alleging 'love jihad' and claiming gang rape, despite police warnings against spreading rumours.

The arrested persons were identified as Altaf and Savera Richard Kardosa. Udupi SP, Dr Arun Kumar, said, "We received a complaint on Friday evening regarding the kidnap and rape of a young woman. The victim and accused were friends on Instagram for three months. The accused and victim belong to the same place."

Altaf, the woman's Instagram friend, called her to a spot near her workplace on Friday noon, kidnapped her, and forced her to consume a drink laced with sedatives before raping her. After committing the crime, Altaf dropped the victim home.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has once again raised the stakes in Pakistan, issuing a direct threat to both China and Pakistan. The BLA, a separatist group fighting for independence in Balochistan, released a new video on social media where a Baloch commander warned China and Pakistan to leave Balochistan. This comes just after BLA fighters hoisted their flag near a military post in Lasbela, following an attack on a Pakistani army camp. In today's DNA, we will explain the issue to you:

Watch Full DNA Episode Here

The insurgency in Balochistan, which has long been a thorn in Pakistan's side, appears to be intensifying. Recently, the BLA conducted a series of coordinated attacks in eight districts under "Operation Haroof," targeting Pakistani military camps and installations. Despite the Pakistani army's efforts, the Baloch fighters have continued to maintain a stronghold in the region, with many areas still out of the military's control.

In response to the growing threat, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an urgent meeting with his cabinet. It was decided that a major military operation would be launched against the Baloch separatists. This decision has sparked speculation that Pakistan may undertake another large-scale military campaign similar to "Operation Zarb-e-Azb."

From 2014 to 2017, the Pakistani military waged Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a controversial campaign in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The operation targeted several militant groups, including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaeda, who were posing a significant threat to Pakistan's security forces. During this campaign, Pakistan's air force carried out bombing raids on its own soil, a move that drew widespread criticism.

The operation, aimed at eliminating insurgent groups, led to the deaths of around 3,500 militants and over 500 Pakistani soldiers. However, it also displaced nearly a million innocent civilians. If a similar operation is launched in Balochistan, the economic and humanitarian costs could be enormous.

As tensions rise in the region, the situation in Balochistan is quickly becoming a major issue for Pakistans government, with the potential to further destabilize the already fragile country. The looming question remains: will Pakistan undertake another brutal military campaign, risking further humanitarian crises and economic strain?
New Delhi: Devotees thronged temples across north and east India on Janmashtami on Monday to celebrate the birth of their beloved Lord Krishna, rending the air with chants of 'Hare Krishna' and lining up in long queues for the morning aarti before temples could open in several places.

A huge rush at the ISKCON temple in Bihar's Patna even led to a stampede-like situation, leading to a few devotees getting injured.

Delhi's Laxmi Narayan temple (Birla Mandir) was illuminated with festive lights, and so were the city's other temples, some with even flowers imported from countries like Thailand. In many areas, tableaux of Lord Krishna were displayed.

The Chhattarpur temple organised a 'Nritya Natika' (dance drama) on the theme of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, conveying the message of world peace.

At the ISKCON temple in East of Kailash, a 'Maha Puja' was performed, and the deity was offered a 'bhog' of 1,008 different dishes.

"As soon as we opened the temple gates at 4.30 am, a large queue of devotees gathered to seek the blessings of Lord Krishna. We have arranged for 'darshan' throughout the day. At 9.30 pm, we will perform a 'Maha Abhishek Puja,' and at 11.30 pm, we will offer the 'bhog' of 1,008 dishes.

"Finally, at midnight, we will hold a Maha Aarti and chant Krishna's name," said ISKCON vice president Vrjendra Nandan Das.

Video clips that emerged from Patna showed security personnel trying to control the rush of devotees at the ISKCON temple. A few of them fell on the ground and were helped by the security personnel.

"There was no stampede at the ISKCON temple. Mild force was used to check those devotees who tried to enter temple premises by breaking police barricades. The situation is completely under control," the city administration later said.

Hundreds of people gathered at Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi temple to attend the 'Mangala Aarti' in the morning, sending the temple premises reverberating with the chants of 'Jai Jai Shri Radhey' and 'Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki'.

"Till late evening nearly 25 lakh pilgrims had paid their visit to different temples of Mathura, Vrindavan, Goverdhan, Mahaban while unofficial figures estimate more," Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who led the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Mathura, said, "Today in the holy city of Mathura, I visited and worshipped the divine and beautiful forms of Yogeshwar Lord Shri Krishna and Shri Radha Rani. May the blessings of Dukhbhanjan, Yashodanandan, Lord Shri Krishna and Shri Radha Ji remain in the entire universe and this world."

In Rajasthan's Jaipur, thousands of devotees thronged Govind Devji temple and Shri Radha Gopinathji temple amid tight security deployed since morning.

In Punjab and Haryana, while devotees made a beeline to visit the temples, children were seen adorned in colourful attires and presenting cultural and religious performances.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria and Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya greeted people on the occasion of Janmashtami.

"Greetings to all countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami. This festival inspires us to be dedicated to the divine ideals of Lord Krishna. On this occasion, let us imbibe his teachings and pledge to work for the progress and prosperity of the country," Kataria said in a post on X in Hindi.

"May the blessings of Lord Krishna bring joy, peace, and prosperity in everyone's life. On this auspicious occasion of Janmashtami, let us celebrate the divine love and teachings of Lord Krishna," Dattatreya posted on X.

Jharkhand's capital Ranchi saw the holding of Dahi Handi competitions at several places.

On Sunday night, Chief Minister Hemant Soren participated in a Krishna Mahotsav programme at Ranchi's Morabadi Ground.
After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National Conference (NC), now Congress has released the names of nine candidates for various assembly seats for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls. The announcement came on Tuesday after the party managed a seat-sharing deal with the ally NC.

Ghulam Ahmad Mir from Dooru and Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal are among the prominent leaders set to contest. Peerzada Mohd Syed is slated to compete for the crucial Anantnag constituency, while Sheikh Riaz is eyeing the Doda seat.

Additionally, Surinder Singh Channi will contest from Tral, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.

The Central Election Committee has selected the following persons as Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/wo1bkdojhv  Congress (@INCIndia) August 26, 2024

Earlier on Monday, the National Conference released a list of 18 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections.

In a strategic seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, the National Conference will contest 51 out of the 90 seats, while Congress will field candidates in 32 constituencies. The pact also includes a "friendly contest" between the two parties on five seats. Additionally, one seat each has been allocated to CPI(M) and the Panthers Party.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir is set to take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 4. The election will cover all 90 assembly constituencies in the Union Territory, which has 88.06 lakh registered voters, as per the Election Commission.
The Kolkata Police have implemented extensive security measures ahead of today's Nabanna Abhijan protest march, anticipating potential violence. The demonstration, driven by demands for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation, follows the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

West Bengal police have intensified security around the state secretariat, Nabanna. Police have deployed Vajra vehicles, water cannons, and the Riot Control Force, along with containers placed to block roads in anticipation of the demonstration. There is a heavy police deployment and barricading at Khidirpur Bridge and St Georges Gate Road at Hastings.

The march is directed towards Nabanna, the state secretariat and the hub of the West Bengal government, where the Chief Minister and other senior ministers and officials have their offices.

'Nabanna Abhijan' Over Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case Today: 10 Points

The protest march called the Nabanna Abhijan is led by two groups. The first is an unregistered student body, Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and the second is named Sangrami Joutha Mancha, a group of state government employees who have been demanding that their DA be brought in line with what central government employees receive. However, on Monday, Kolkata's Additional Commissioner of Police, Supratim Sarkar, announced that the application by the 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold the protest has been denied. They had announced through social media and the press that they will be undertaking a program called Nabanno Abhiyaan on 27th August, but they did not seek permission, which is a mandatory requirement as far as the High Court directives," said Sarkar. The police cited traffic concerns as the reason for rejecting permission for the march. They explained that allowing large gatherings could cause major disruptions, which would seriously inconvenience candidates heading to the UGC-NET exams. The national-level exam is being held today, with many candidates from the state expected to participate. Addressing reporters at Nabanna, ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma said that police have received credible intelligence suggesting attempts would be made by miscreants to mix among protestors and incite large-scale violence and chaos during the rally, PTI reported. "We have received separate mails from the two organisations only after we held a press conference earlier in the day. The one from Chhatra Samaj was only an intimation about the programme having no details on the rally and did not seek any permission. Hence it was rejected," PTI quoted Sarakar. According to ADG, South Bengal Supratim Sarkar, the second application, which included details about expected turnout and other relevant information, was rejected for two reasons. First, many students were scheduled to take the UGC-NET exams on Tuesday, and second, prohibitory orders around Nabanna currently prevent any gatherings in the area. The Trinamool Congress has labeled the rally a 'conspiracy' aimed at creating chaos on the streets. To support their claim, they released videos allegedly showing BJP leaders from Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district planning to incite violence during the event. The state police have deemed the rallies, which gained support largely through social media, as 'illegal' and 'unauthorized.' The authorities said that they have taken necessary measures to address concerns about potential law and order issues during the march. The government has imposed prohibitory orders near Nabanna under Section 163 of BNSS preventing the assembly of five or more persons. Chhatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri stated, "The claims made by the TMC and police are baseless. We aim to raise our demands peacefully. If we are stopped, we will attempt to proceed to the secretariat gate in a non-violent manner to demand the CM's resignation due to her failure to prevent incidents like the RG Kar case which has shocked the nation." He added that rallies, starting from various locations and heading to Nabanna, are organised by an apolitical platform with no ties to the BJP, RSS, or ABVP. On August 22, the Supreme Court ruled that the West Bengal government must allow peaceful protests related to the incident without disruption. However, the court clarified that it has not barred the state government from exercising its lawful powers.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
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Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating EnviTec Biogas 37.96% 19.34% 51.22%  FRoSTA 8.18% 4.36% 16.00%  Muhlbauer Holding NA 10.49% -12.73%  Paul Hartmann 26.29% 1.12% -17.65%  Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke 0.30% 4.57% 25.01%  HOMAG Group NA -31.14% 23.43%  Baader Bank 91.28% 12.42% -8.00%  BAVARIA Industries Group 3.19% 0.18% 28.18%  Wilson 64.79% 30.09% 68.29%  BAUER 78.29% 2.30% -38.28% 

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Simply Wall St Value Rating: 

Overview: Eckert & Ziegler SE manufactures and sells isotope technology components worldwide, with a market cap of approximately 926.79 million.

Operations: Eckert & Ziegler SE generates revenue primarily from its Medical (132.80 million) and Isotope Products (150.97 million) segments, with a net adjustment of 0.07 million and eliminations amounting to -10.32 million.

Eckert & Ziegler, a promising player in the Medical Equipment sector, has shown impressive growth with earnings up 31.6% last year, outpacing the industrys 16.2%. The company reported Q2 sales of 77.76M and net income of 9.54M compared to 60.03M and 6.17M respectively a year ago. Its debt to equity ratio improved from 14.7% to 9.5% over five years, and its price-to-earnings ratio (24.6x) remains attractive against industry averages (26.9x).

XTRA:EUZ Debt to Equity as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Value Rating: 

Overview: ProCredit Holding AG, with a market cap of approximately 519.48 million, offers commercial banking services to small and medium enterprises as well as private customers across Europe, South America, and Germany through its subsidiaries.

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Story continues

ProCredit Holding, with total assets of 10.1B and equity of 1.0B, has shown robust growth. Total deposits stand at 7.5B while loans are 6.5B, alongside a net interest margin of 3.6%. The company reported net income for the first half of 2024 at 57.6M compared to last year's 64.06M, reflecting some challenges but still maintaining high-quality earnings and sufficient bad loan allowance at 2.4% of total loans.

XTRA:PCZ Debt to Equity as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Value Rating: 

Overview: Uzin Utz SE develops, manufactures, and sells construction chemical system products in Germany, the United States, Netherlands, and internationally with a market cap of 249.19 million.

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Uzin Utz has demonstrated solid financial health, with its debt to equity ratio dropping from 61.5% to 15.9% over the past five years. The company's net debt to equity ratio stands at a satisfactory 5.4%. Recent earnings results for the half-year ending June 30, 2024, show sales of 242.29 million and net income of 12.38 million, up from 11.02 million last year. Basic earnings per share improved from 2.19 to 2.45 year-on-year.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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The Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case has sparked such an anger that the West Bengal government is finding hard to douse. The protestors are not ready to back down with the government firm on its stand. A section of students today marched towards the CM office Nabanna demanding Mamata Banerjee's resignation. However, they were stopped midway as police used batons and fired tear gas shells to disrupt the protestors. Several students were taken into custody as well. Later, the BJP leaders took out a march towards Kolkata Police headquarters, Lalbazar demanding release of the students.

After this, Kolakata Police resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas to disperse BJP leaders and supporters. The protesters were demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally and calling for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation following the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College.

The situation escalated when BJP supporters attempted to breach police barricades at Lalbazar. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who was leading the march, fell ill after being exposed to tear gas and was forced to leave the scene.

Earlier in the day, Majumdar's procession was halted by police from advancing toward Lalbazar. In response, Majumdar and other local BJP leaders staged a sit-in protest at the barricades around 4:30 PM, demanding an explanation from the police regarding the arrests and calling for the unconditional release of the students detained during the Nabanna Abhijan.

When their protest failed to elicit a response from the Police Commissioner or other senior officials, BJP leaders and supporters made another attempt to break through the barricades. Police then used force to control the situation and arrested 94 protesters.

The state president has warned the Police Commissioner to explain their stand on the arrests and ensure the unconditional release of the Bengali students who were detained from various locations during the march to Nabanna, a state BJP leader said.

The Nabanna Abhijan rally, organised under the banner of 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and the dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha,' saw participation from various locations, including Howrah, Santragachi, Howrah Bridge, M G Road, and Princep Ghat. (With agency inputs)
Tensions have escalated in Kolkata as riot police clashed with protesters marching towards the state secretariat, Nabanna, in response to the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Authorities have deployed teargas shells and water cannons to disperse the crowd, who have responded by hurling stones at the police. The situation remains volatile as law enforcement struggles to control the increasingly chaotic scene.

On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of youths began the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest from two separate locations in Kolkata, calling for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those responsible for the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The demonstrators accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failure of women security in the state, which they argue led to the RG Kar Hospital incident.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Protests continue at Howrah Bridge, as part of 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. pic.twitter.com/6K2zGKlHj5  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

When asked about the protests getting out of control and incidents of stone pelting, Kolkata Police DC (Central) Indrani Mukherjee told ANI, "We'll deal with whatever happens and address it as it comes. We'll tally the arrests later; for now, our focus is on the situation at hand."

Enraged protestors were seen forcibly removing police barricades while staging the 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march. In response, police used baton charges and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Protestors drag away Police barricades as they agitate over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case and carry out Nabanna Abhiyan' march. Police resort to opening lathi charge and lobbying tear gas shells to disperse them.



Visuals from pic.twitter.com/rAAcnBGzLr  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

Kolkata police have detained protesters from Howrah Bridge involved in the 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march demanding justice in the RG Kar rape-murder case. The demonstrators were subjected to tear gas and water cannons as they tried to breach barricades outside the Bengal secretariat.

The government has imposed prohibitory orders near Nabanna under Section 163 of BNSS, hence preventing the assembly of five or more persons.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Police use water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse protestors from Howrah Bridge.



A 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march has been called today over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. pic.twitter.com/8BVK1F1K53  ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2024

In a video message, released earlier today, Governor Bose said, "In the context of the peaceful protest, announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppressions of the protest by certain instructions of the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India, let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on the peaceful protestors.

Democracy cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority! Remember that."
Bengal Bandh On August 28: In West Bengal, protestors today clashed with Kolkata police during their march towards the secretariat and chief minister's office Nabanna. The police deployed batons, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse protesters who were attempting to reach 'Nabanna' to demand the Chief Minister's resignation over the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Following the assault on protestors, the opposition BJP has called for a 12-hour bandh tomorrow, i.e. August 28. Since, the protests and counter-action by police today disrupted normal life in Kolkata, it's expected that the bandh call by the BJP will have a significant effect on the routine life given the challenges to the law and order situation.

Schools, Colleges, Hospitals Open or Closed?

As the state government has not extended its support to the bandh called by the BJP, the state is likely to function as per its routine. The West Bengal government today said that the schools and colleges in Kolkata or other parts of the state will remain open. The district administration and the government have refused to declare a holiday owing to the bandh. Hospitals will also operate according to their regular schedules.

Railways, Metro, Buses, Auto, Taxis - Open Or Closed?

The state government said that public transportation, including railways, metro, buses, autos, and cab services will operate as usual. However, since Kolkata is at the center of the protests, transport services in some areas may be disrupted. Traffic diversions are anticipated as the Kolkata Traffic Police will likely set up barricades to manage the BJP's demonstrations.

Banks, Government Offices To Remain Open

The West Bengal government today urged people not to participate in BJP's 12-hour general strike on August 28. It said that the administration will ensure normal life is not affected due to the bandh.

"The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected," said Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Bandopadhyay also encouraged state government employees to attend work. Thus, the banks and the state government offices will remain open. He stated that transport services will continue to operate, and shops, marketplaces, and other business establishments have been asked to stay open.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed the strengthening of the partnership between the two countries. PM Modi also said that he discussed the Ukraine conflict with Putin. "Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," said Modi on X sharing details of his telephonic conversation with the Russian leader.

Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated Indias firm commitment to support an early, August 27, 2024

PM Modi shared insights from his visit to Ukraine and reiterates dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward in Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Prime Minister reflected on his successful visit to Russia last month, where he participated in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit.

During the summit, the two leaders reviewed the progress on various bilateral issues and discussed steps to further enhance the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.

They also shared perspectives on a broad range of regional and global issues of mutual interest.

In their discussion, the leaders addressed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Prime Minister shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine, emphasizing the need for dialogue, diplomacy, and genuine engagement among all parties to achieve a lasting and peaceful resolution.

Both leaders agreed to maintain ongoing communication.

In the last two months, PM Modi had visited both - Russia and Ukriane - and has reiterated India's stand that this is not the era of the war. Despite Zelenskyy's criticism of PM Modi for hugging Putin, India has maintained a coordial relation with both the countries.
A horrific incident of sexual assault has shaken the city of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, leaving a 20-year-old nursing student fighting for her life. The victim, who was found unconscious and severely injured near Champak Ground, has been admitted to the district hospital for treatment. "The victim sustained multiple injuries, raising suspicions of a brutal sexual assault or rape," India Today quoted hospital sources as saying.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with the nursing community taking to the streets to demand justice. Protesters, including civilians and hospital staff, blocked traffic in several parts of Ratnagiri, calling for swift action against the perpetrator. Authorities have assured that a thorough investigation is underway and urged the protesters to maintain calm.

As per a News 18 report, the nursing student was returning from college in an auto-rickshaw when the driver offered her water laced with sedatives. The driver then took her to a secluded area, where he allegedly raped her. After regaining consciousness, the survivor called her family, who immediately alerted the authorities. The police are currently searching for the driver, who remains at large.

This incident bears an eerie resemblance to the recent Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, where a young doctor was brutally assaulted and murdered. Similarly, a teen in Badlapur was sexually assaulted at school, highlighting the alarming rise in sexual violence against women in India.
The engine's cattle guard impacted the slab, resulting in an eight-minute delay, stated NWR CPRO Shashi Kiran. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported from the incident.

"The incident took place between the Jawai and Biroliya stations under Sumerpur police jurisdiction on Friday night. An unidentified individual has been charged," said ASI Shyam Singh. He noted that fragments of the cement slab, typically used in footpath construction, were discovered on the track.

A cement block was deliberately placed on the railway tracks with the apparent aim of derailing the train. The Vande Bharat Express, en route from Ahmedabad to Jodhpur, encountered the block at approximately 8:30 PM. A significant tragedy was narrowly averted.

At the incident's moment, approximately 375 passengers were aboard, endangering their lives. The train paused momentarily at the site before continuing its route. Given the gravity of the situation, railway authorities initiated legal action against the perpetrator.

Bharat Singh Rawat, the SHO at Sumerpur Police Station, revealed that Senior Section Engineer Pawan Kumar lodged a complaint on August 24. The complaint included details from the station master of Jawai Bandh Railway Station, who reported a cement block on the downline between Jawai Bandh and Birolia stations.

Police have filed a case and are conducting an investigation. The placement of the cement block on the track is suspected to be an intentional act to cause a grave mishap.
Eight months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration, the 35-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj collapsed on Monday, unleashing a war of words between the government and opposition. The statue, constructed by the Indian Navy with a budget of Rs 2.36 crores, has prompted the Navy to express serious concerns. A team has been deployed to investigate the cause of the collapse and manage the repair efforts.

The chief minister Eknath Shinde has blamed "strong winds" for the cavein and has vowed to reconstruct the structure. A case has been registered against Jaydeep Apte, the proprietor of M/s Artistry, and structural consultant Chetan Patil. Both individuals are implicated in the statue project in Sindhudurg.

What Did The Indian Navy Say

The Indian Navy has labeled the statue collapse as unfortunate and announced that a team has been assigned to investigate the cause of the incident. In a late-night statement, the Navy also confirmed that it will take prompt action to restore and reinstall the statue.

"The Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg.

"Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest," PTI cited the Navys statement.

VIDEO | A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled at a fort in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhudurg district just eight months ago, collapsed yesterday.



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/CA8e2X9CSP  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 27, 2024

Opposition Intensifies Criticism

Opposition parties have escalated their criticism of the Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra and the BJP over the alleged poor quality of the statue's construction ans the hasty inauguration ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray did not hold back in his criticism of the Shinde-led government.

"The Shivaji Maharaj memorial on Rajkot Fort was completed in a haste with one eye on the Lok Sabha elections. The responsibility for this incident lies solely with the Shinde government, which prioritises contractors over actual work. The same arrogance was behind completing the Shivaji Maharaj statue in a haste," he alleged.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned the extent of corruption involved in awarding the contract, implying a significant misuse of funds.

Who was the contractor? Is it correct that the work was given to a Thane-based contractor? What action will be taken against the contractor? How much khoke did the contractor pass on to the khoke Sarkar?" Priyanka Chaturvedi posted a list of questions on social media platform X.

Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to the incident. In a social media post on X Owaisi wrote, The 35-feet Shivaji Statue inaugurated by @narendramodi collapsed today. Its a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by Modi sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality & secularism, his statues collapse is an example of @narendramodis lack of commitment to Shivajis vision.
A US diplomatic delegation, currently in Kashmir to meet with various political figures, met with Sajad Gani Lone, the president of the Peoples Conference, on Tuesday. The delegation, led by Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer, First Secretary Gary Applegarth, and Political Counsellor Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, visited Lone at his residence in Srinagar. News agency IANS cited Peoples Conference sources as saying that the meeting covered a broad spectrum of issues.

Party spokesman Ashraf Mir was also in attendance. The previous day, the delegation had met with former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence. During this encounter, Abdullah urged the diplomats to reconsider travel advisories and to relax restrictions on visits to J&K, with Lok Sabha member Syed Ruhullah Mehdi also present.

Additionally, the delegation held discussions with Junaid Azim Mattu, the former Mayor of Srinagar. Mattu, who has met with the diplomats on several occasions, including the previous August, talked about the transformation of Srinagar, the potential for tourism expansion, and investment opportunities. Mayer's last visit to the Valley was in August 2023, during which he met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.

Sources said that this visit is part of a broader diplomatic initiative to engage with all political parties and to evaluate the situation in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections in J&K. This visit also coincides with the days following the fifth anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. On July 23, the US issued a level 2 travel advisory for J&K and Manipur.

In its advisory, the US cautioned its citizens against traveling to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border, and regions in the central and eastern parts of India affected by Naxalite activities. US diplomats have a history of visiting J&K, including during the peak of separatist-related violence in the region, when they would also engage with separatist leaders.
West Bengal has been in the grip of protest for the last two weeks following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. Clashes erupted today between police and protesters in various parts of Kolkata and the neighbouring Howrah, as demonstrators attempted to breach barricades and march towards the West Bengal secretariat. The protesters were heading towards 'Nabanna' under the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in response to the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

West Bengal Bandh-General Strike Reason

The BJP has called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on August 28 in protest against the police action taken against participants in the march to the state secretariat, Nabanna. We are forced to give the call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor's sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee's police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women, said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar. The bandh will be in force from 6am to 6pm on August 28.

What's Open, What's Closed?

Since the Bandh is called by the BJP, the state government-led by the TMC has not extended its support to the bandh. Thus, the public transport like Railways, Metro, Bus, Auto and cab services are likely to function as usual. However, since the Kolkata is the epicenter of the protest, transport services may get affected in the parts of areas hit by protests. Traffic diversion is most likely as the Kolkata Traffic Police will be putting up barricades to regulate the protest by the BJP.

Schools and colleges in Kolkata is likely to be open as so far, the district administration has not issued any holiday order. Hospitals are also likely to remain open and function as per their schedule.

Kolkata Rape-Murder Case Update

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will seek the expertise of specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) regarding the DNA and forensic reports related to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. To ensure a strong case, the CBI will forward these reports to AIIMS for their expert opinion.

So far, the agency is working on the leads that Roy was the only accused in the crime but involvement of others will only be ruled out after receiving the opinion of AIIMS experts, the officials said. The rape and killing of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the hospital has sparked widespread protests. The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on the morning of August 9 by a doctor who was on the round.
Mumbai: Animal has been strongly criticised by a certain section of people in the industry. It was renowned writer Javed Akhtar who openly slammed Ranbir Kapoor's film and claimed that the success of Animla is dangerous. Javed Akhtar and Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga had a huge war of words over the veteran writer slamming the film. And now his son and director, actor Farhan Akhtar has expressed his opinion over Ranbir Kapoor's problematic film Animal and mentioned how he cannot recommend the film to anyone.

Farhan in an interview with Faye D'Souza was asked about Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor, Farhan said," The film didnt do much for me. Is it something that I would recommend somebody to watch, I guess not."When asked if he would have an opportunity to produce the film, would he? The director said, "No, I wont. it doesnt resonate with me. For me, I feel that the character is problematic.

Earlier in an interview with YouTuber Raj Shamani, Farhan was asked about, the character that portrays' Alpha males' giving an example of ANimal, he said, "I dont believe that some things should not be shown. We are in a field where, if someone tells me, You cant make a film like this, then Ill be like, Who are you to tell me what I should and should not make? I am permitted by the laws of this country, and I have the freedom of artistic expression to say whatever I want."

Sandeep Reddy Vanga had slammed Javed Akhtar over Farhan Akhtar producing a web series like Mirzapur and called it the worst show to ever watch due to its adult content and abusive language.
A containership departs the Port of Chennai, India. (Photo: NiAk Stock/ Shutterstock)

A strike at Indias ports that further threatened the global supply chain was called off Tuesday after workers agreed to a new five-year contract.

The indefinite walkout by almost 20,000 workers across Indias biggest ports was scheduled for Wednesday.

Unions, which had first demanded a pay raise of around 10.6%, agreed to an increase of 8.5% over five years at negotiations in New Delhi, Reuters reported.

Negotiations had been ongoing since 2021. The previous pact expired in December of that year.





Annual cargo volume totals 1.62 billion metric tons through the ports of Chennai, Cochin and Mumbai, the news service reported.

India forecast total exports of $776.68 billion in fiscal 2023-24, up from $776.4 billion the previous fiscal year.

The post Union pact averts India port strike appeared first on FreightWaves.
Mumbai: Adah Sharma moved to late actor Sushant Singh Rajputs house where she revealed that even the actor was staying on rent and he never owned the house. Zee News exclusively had a chat with The Kerala Story actress where we asked her about shifting to the same house where Sushant liver and more.

We first quizzed Adah, weren't you sceptical about shifting in the house as Sushant Singh Rajput faced downfall and depression in the same house, she said: At this time in my life I'm not depressed. I'll deal with downfall and when it comes.

When further asked, What made you choose this house only, I chose this house solely due to the proximity to the Ocean. We asked if she made any changes in the interior, No. Haven't made any changes in the interior.

Asked how things changed after being shifted into the house, Adah said, Everything has changed. From when I open my eyes in the morning the scenery has changed. I used to face a mango tree now I face a coconut tree.

We asked if she connects with Sushants story as she is also an outsider, Adah replied, I think his story is the exact same story of every outsider as every person knows. Everyone in the audience, the press and industry is aware.

Talking about her journey, when asked over under confident ever about not being noticed in your filmy career, Adah said, After 104 years (from 1920 to 2024) people still get nightmares about the possessed Liza who ate the cat on the foot of the staircase on a dark night. It's a real "struggle" for me to be unnoticed, she laughed.

When asked to give a message to all the outsiders who want to make it big in the industry, Adah said, Take in all the degree of difficulty in your childhood. Go to school, meet deadlines, study hard, do your homework, write the impositions, and listen to your parents and teachers. All these will be very useful when you become an actor. You will have to practice obedience, learn to tackle delays with a smile, meet crazy deadlines without getting stressed, and emote in the midst of distractions, she concluded.


New Delhi: Filmmaker Karan Johar and the social media sensation Orhan Awatramani aka Orry were recently seen together at the launch of a new campaign by a popular footewear brand Crocs. Orry and Karan Johars playful interactions hogged attention as they work to build a 'Crorry- the ultimate pair of Crocs for Orry, and demonstrate how fashion and fun can coexist for Gen-Z.

Sharing his experience of being with Karan Johar at the event, Orry told Zee News, "A memorable note or a funny anecdote from shooting with Karan, I have to say, is the part where we're in front of the cauldron. Firstly, I don't know how the Crocs team knew I love witches; I love cauldrons, and I'm obsessed with them. But yes, it's that part and I start shaking Karan, Youre a genius, You're a genius! and I'm just going on and on. I just got so into the act and I'm shaking Karan as if he's like a protein shake. And it was quite funny and an amazing BTS shot of Karan just going shake shake shake shake shake shake shake shake but yeah, that was the most memorable moment I thought. It was really cute because I got so into it and after the shot was done, I saw it on the playback. I was like shit! I don't know if I'm allowed to touch Karan Johar. It was all fun and games because Karan didn't even make a comment about it. I think he also knew we're both in character and it was just really funny.



Commenting on the new campaign, Yann Le Bozec  Marketing Vice President of Crocs ROW & Hey Dude International said, At Crocs, personalization and unfiltered self-expression are at the heart of what we do. This new campaign celebrates these values by showcasing the versatility of our Jibbitz charms, which empower consumers to elevate their unique style. By collaborating with style icon Karan Johar and trendsetter Orry, we aim to inspire consumers to engage with Crocs in a fresh, dynamic way, reaffirming our commitment to authenticity.



Orry is often seen hanging out with the who's who of the glamour industry. From Janhvi Kapoor, Nysa Devgn, Sara Ali Khan to Kareena Kapoor and now Karan Johar - Orry is captured at almost all high and mighty Bollywood events.

He was also recently present at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding festivities.
Kochi: Actor Mohanlal has resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of Justice Hema Committee report and sexual harassment allegations faced by some members of the executive committee.

Mohanlal and all executive members have resigned. Mohanlal wrote to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informing about the decision. After the release of the Hema Committee report, a section of AMMA members demanded that those facing sexual harassment allegations should resign from key positions.

They said that those facing allegations should not delay sending their resignation and that their continued stay was not in the interest of the association.

SIT PROBE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASES

More female actors have come forward with their complaints and allegations in the wake of Hema Committee report which revealed discrimination and harassment of women in Malayalam film industry. The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the hardships faced by women in the industry.

Kerala Police said that the Special Investigation Team held a meeting at the police headquarters on Tuesday.

"The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation," a Kerala Police release said.

MALAYALAM FILM INDUSTRY UNDER SCANNER

On August 26, Malayalam film actor Minu Muneer made sexual harassment allegations against some of her co-stars in the Malayalam film industry. Minu accused actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of subjecting her to verbal and physical abuse in the process of filming movies.

In a conversation with ANI, Minu spoke about her experiences, difficulties and tribulations, including for AMMA membership, and her being denied roles and being described as "worthless".

"Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me," she alleged.

"Once when I was driving to a new shoot location, Maniyanpilla Raju sat with me in the car and started asking questions about my husband and how I would manage without him here. I told him that he had misunderstood me. Maniyanpilla Raju once told me that I should keep my hotel door open at night but I refused. After this, I wasn't given films," she further alleged.

The allegations came a day after the resignation of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their positions in AMMA following accusations made against them.

JUSTICE HEMA COMMITTEE REPORT

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals.

The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, noted that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi Vijayan government in December 2019 and made public only this month. (ANI)
New Delhi: Samantha Ruth Prabhu fans strongly lashed out at Naga Chaitanya after his engagement pictures with Sobhita Dhulipala were shared on the internet by Nagarjuna. Ever since then the fans and netizens have been digging old videos and pictures of Sam with Chay where they are claiming that the Pushpa actress was extremely happy in her marriage and it was Chay who cheated on her.

Now an old video of Samantha from her wedding with Chay is going viral where she is seen breaking down and mentioning he is the greatest man she has ever met and he would make a perfect father to their wonderful kids. Like how all arguments will be resolved without a change of tone and how Im never allowed to get away with anything but crying. But because of you I can feel myself slowly and surely becoming what I have always dreamt of being. You are the greatest man I have ever known and I know that one day you will be a perfect father to our beautiful child. Ill choose you in a hundred lives and a hundred worlds and any reality. I choose you.

Watch the video of Samantha breaking down and calling Naga Chaitanya the greatest man

Fans react by seeing the video where they slam the actor for not keeping the relationship with the actress.

After her divorce from Chay, she appeared in Karan Johars Koffee With Karan where she blamed the filmmaker for unhappy and unsuccessful marriages as he has set high standards of love and relationships in his films like K3G but in real life is more KGF.
New Delhi: Apple has officially announced the launch date for its much anticipated iPhone series -- the launch of iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India.

The Cupertino-headquartered company has sent out invites for the launch of iPhone 16 at the event on 9 September 2024. The Apple event themed Its Glowtime. The event will broadcast from Apple Park in Cupertino, California, in the US.

Expected Product Launches during Apple Glowtime Event On September 9

The special Apple event will be held on September 9 during which the company is expected to unveil all the above mentioned four models of in the iPhone 16 series. Alongside, Apple is also expected to launch the Watch Series 10, Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE in an affordable range, AirPods 4

Reports say that Apple is also slated to confirm the rollout date of iOS 18 coupled with software updates for its devices at the Glowtime event.



Apple iPhone 16 Event Official Launch Date: Check India Timings

Apple said that people can watch the Apple event on 9 September at 10:30 PM IST. They can tune in at apple.com or on the Apple TV app to watch the event.

IANS quoting reports said, "the iPhone 16 lineup will be Apples flagship rival to the new Pixel 9 series and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold devices. Apple Intelligence (AI) will be a huge leap for Apple device ecosystem at the event hosted by its CEO Tim Cook. Among the big changes coming to the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus is expected to be a switch to a vertically-aligned camera system on the back."

It is expected that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max phones may get bigger screens, featuring a new bronze colour.

In line with the iPhone 15, all the four models of the iPhone 16 might have the Action Button and a new button dedicated to capturing photos and videos.

IANS further quoting sources said, the Make in India iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models available in the country right after the global launch this fall. The India-assembled Apple devices will be available within 1-2 months of the global launch in partnership with leading manufacturer Foxconns facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

The iPhone 16 is set to be made available on the first day of global sales in India, just like last year when iPhone 15 arrived in the domestic market on the very first day of the global sale. It will be shortly followed by iPhone 16 Plus models, sources told IANS.

With Agency Inputs
US President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone, praising his "message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support" for Ukraine. Modi's visit to Kyiv on August 23 was viewed by many as a diplomatic balancing act, especially since his trip to Russia the previous month had drawn criticism from the Biden administration and some Western capitals.

During his visit, Modi conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should come together to end the conflict, and said India's readiness to play an "active role" in achieving peace. In a post on 'X', Biden wrote, "I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine."

"We also reaffirmed our commitment to collaborate towards peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the US president added. This conversation was the first between the two leaders following Modis visits to Russia, Poland, and Ukraine, and after recent events in Bangladesh.

The White House's readout of the call noted that the leaders talked about Modi's recent travels to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

"The President commended the prime minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector," it said.

Biden and Modi reiterated their joint support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, in line with international law and the UN Charter.

"The leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the White House said.

The White House's account of the call did not mention Bangladesh, which was referenced in a post by PM Modi on 'X'.
Tokyo: Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane had violated its airspace, local media reported that it was the first such move by a Chinese aircraft.

Japan's defence ministry said an Y-9 surveillance aircraft at 11.29am on Monday "violated the territorial airspace off the Danjo islands in Nagasaki prefecture" in the East China Sea and lasted two minutes. It prompted Japan to deploy "fighter jets on an emergency basis", Kyodo news outlet reported.

The latest development could fuel tensions between the two countries following repeated maritime provocations by China in the region, the state media said.

The aircraft circled above waters southeast of the islands multiple times before and after entering Japan's airspace, eventually heading toward China around 1:15 p.m. Japanese ministry of Defence said that the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) fighters did not use weapons or signal flares.

Japan's Vice foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned China's acting ambassador late on Monday to lodge a "extremely serious protest," and called for measures against a recurrence, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

As per the NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, there were previous incursions by non-military aircraft involving a propeller-powered Chinese marine surveillance plane and a small drone that had taken off from a China Coast Guard vessel and went into airspace near the disputed Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017.

Kyodo news agency cited a Japanese defence Ministry source as saying that China "might be trying to provoke a reaction from Japan," while a government source said the airplane merely grazed the territorial airspace and possibly strayed off course.

China's increasing aggressive actions in the region, especially with Taiwan, has been a growing cause of concern for US and its allies.

Japan is part of the Quad alliance with India, Australia and the US, which is seen as a counter to Beijing's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Senkaku islands in the East China Sea administered by Japan has been claimed by China and there has been confrontations between Japanese and Chinese vessels. The group of disputed islands, Uotsuri island , Minamikojima and Kitakojima are known as the Diaoyu in china.

Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing today.
Hezbollah, a Shia paramilitary group and Islamist political party based in Lebanon, has often been a subject of intrigue and controversy. While it is widely recognized for its complex role in the Middle East, there is ongoing debate about the true extent of its military capabilities and influence. Here's everything you need to know about Hezbollah's background, its military strength, and whether it is underappreciated in the Middle East.

Origins and Political Role

Hezbollah, meaning "Party of God," was founded in 1982 in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Established with the support of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, its primary objective was to resist Israeli occupation and promote Shiite interests in Lebanon. Over the decades, Hezbollah has evolved from a purely militant group into a significant political player in Lebanon. It holds a substantial number of seats in Lebanon's parliament and maintains considerable influence in the country's political and social spheres.

Military Capabilities

Hezbollah's military prowess is often compared to that of conventional state armies, and it has garnered a reputation for being one of the most formidable non-state actors in the region. Its military capabilities are bolstered by extensive support from Iran, which provides financial assistance, advanced weaponry, and training. Heres a closer look at its military strength:

Rockets and Missiles

Hezbollah's arsenal includes a vast array of rockets and missiles, some of which are capable of reaching deep into Israeli territory. According to the Indian Express, the group possesses thousands of rockets with varying ranges, including precision-guided munitions. This capability has been demonstrated in previous conflicts, such as the 2006 Lebanon War, where Hezbollah's rocket fire impacted major Israeli cities.

Recent assessments indicate that Hezbollah has significantly upgraded its missile technology. Reports suggest that the group now has access to more advanced weaponry, including precision-guided missiles that enhance its ability to target specific locations with greater accuracy. This development has raised concerns about the groups potential to conduct more precise and devastating strikes.

Military Structure and Training

Hezbollah operates with a well-organized military structure, including specialized units trained for various combat scenarios. It has a significant number of fighters who are well-trained in guerrilla warfare, often drawing on tactics honed during years of conflict with Israeli forces and in the Syrian Civil War. The groups military training is supplemented by support from Iran and, occasionally, from other regional allies.

Defensive and Offensive Capabilities

Hezbollah's defensive capabilities are also noteworthy. The group has fortified its positions in Lebanon, particularly in southern Lebanon, which is a key area of its operations. This includes extensive use of bunkers, tunnels, and other defensive measures designed to withstand Israeli military operations.

On the offensive side, Hezbollah's experience in asymmetrical warfare allows it to launch operations that are challenging for conventional forces to counter. This includes the use of drones, sophisticated rocket systems, and a network of operatives skilled in various forms of combat.

Underestimations and Challenges

There is ongoing debate about whether Hezbollah's military power is underestimated. Some analysts argue that Hezbollahs capabilities are more robust than commonly perceived, particularly given the group's advancements in missile technology and its ability to sustain prolonged conflict. Others, however, caution that the groups power should be viewed within the context of its regional alliances and the complex dynamics of Middle Eastern geopolitics.

According to a recent report by Press TV, Hezbollah's resistance and defense capabilities have often been underestimated, especially by Western observers. The group's ability to adapt and evolve its strategies in response to changing military and political landscapes is a testament to its resilience and strategic acumen.

Hezbollah remains a pivotal and complex actor in the Middle East, with a military capacity that challenges conventional perceptions of non-state actors. Its extensive arsenal, advanced training, and strategic defensive measures contribute to a formidable military presence that is often underestimated in global discussions.

Understanding Hezbollahs capabilities is crucial for comprehending the broader dynamics of regional conflict and the ongoing power struggles in the Middle East. As the geopolitical landscape continues to shift, Hezbollah's military strength and strategic importance will likely remain a significant factor in regional stability and international relations.
By Gabriel Araujo

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Shares of Vale rose on Tuesday as analysts and investors welcomed the appointment of Gustavo Pimenta as the Brazilian miner's next CEO, starting next year.

Pimenta, Vale's head of finance, was unanimously picked by the company's board of directors to replace outgoing CEO Eduardo Bartolomeo, Vale said late on Monday, wrapping up a noisy succession process that had seen board members depart amid accusations of political influence.

Pimenta, 46, has served as Vale's CFO since 2021 after 12 years as an executive at U.S. energy company AES.

Analysts expect the decision to reduce uncertainty about the miner's strategy and remove an overhang on Vale's stock that has depressed its shares this year.

Sao Paulo-traded shares of Vale were up some 3% by midday, making it the top gainer on Brazil's benchmark stock index Bovespa, which added 0.2%. Year-to-date, Vale was down 16%.

"Pimenta has built a solid reputation with investors and within the mining community," BTG Pactual analysts led by Leonardo Correa said, adding the announcement's timing was a surprise as they expected it to happen by December.

The process was "significantly accelerated as a means of de-risking the equity story, in our opinion," they added in a note to clients. "It is an important victory for Vale's governance and the country too."

Media reports this year said the Brazilian government was seeking to influence the CEO choice. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has repeatedly criticized Vale for two deadly tailing-dam collapses.

Vale was privatized in the 1990s and has a dispersed ownership. But the government still exerts significant influence as its main shareholders include a pension fund operated by state-run lender Banco do Brasil.

Genial Investimentos analysts praised Pimenta's appointment as he is well-known within the sector and familiar with Vale's assets and expansion plans. Vale is one of the world's largest iron ore producers.

"It removes once and for all the prospect of the government being connected to the CEO position," Genial said. "The decision seems assertive. On the other hand, it also creates doubt as to who will replace Pimenta as CFO."

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Rod Nickel)
Investors weren't in a forgiving mood after digesting Bank of Montreal's (NYSE: BMO) latest news on Tuesday. After the north-of-our-border lender divulged its latest set of quarterly results, investors assertively traded out of the stock. When the smoke cleared, Bank of Montreal shares closed the day more than 6% lower; meanwhile, the S&P 500 index finished in positive territory, with a 0.2% gain.

A miss on the bottom line

Bank of Montreal's fiscal third quarter of 2024 saw the company earn just over 8.2 billion Canadian dollars ($6.1 billion) in revenue, which was marginally higher than in the same period of 2023. Going in the opposite direction was non-GAAP (adjusted) net income; this came in at CA$1.98 billion ($1.47 billion), or CA$2.64 ($1.96) per share. The profit in the year-ago quarter was $2.15 billion ($1.59 billion).

That bottom-line result fell short of professional expectations. On average, analysts tracking Bank of Montreal stock were estimating CA$2.77 ($2.05) per share in adjusted-net income.

During the quarter, the bank increased its provisioning for credit losses considerably. This nearly doubled year to year, to CA$906 million ($671 million) against CA$492 million ($365 million).

Diversification and U.S. expansion on tap

In the earnings release, Bank of Montreal quoted CEO Darryl White as saying:

While the cyclical increase in credit costs has resulted in loan loss provisions above our historical range, performance has been supported by operating momentum across our diversified businesses, including continued revenue growth in Canadian personal and commercial banking and stronger client activity in our market-sensitive businesses.

White added that the company continues to add new customers to its U.S. banking operations.

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Why Xi Jinping is staring into an economic abyss

Herbert Lun believes lockdown made Chinese consumers more frugal.

The managing director of Wing Sang Electrical, which makes products such as hair dryers and straighteners, says habits have changed since the countrys zero covid policy forced millions to stay at home.

I do see consumer behaviour changing, including less spending on frivolous luxury goods, he says.

The shift reflects changing tastes as well as caution.

Luns business is based in Shenzhen, Chinas high-tech epicentre linking Hong Kong to the mainland.

He says life here has returned to normal since the pandemic, though shoppers are increasingly turning their backs on Western goods.

In the past, luxury brands, and especially foreign brands, have done well in China, but since Covid I see a shift to more domestic brands that offer much better value for money, he says.

In my sector, we used to see a huge desire for brands like Dyson vacuums and hairdryers. Now domestic brands are offering competitive quality and innovation at a fraction of the price. The same goes for cosmetics.

The shift has been a shock to the system for many brands that bet on China.

Burberry, Gucci and Estee Lauder are just some of the luxury names whose profits have suffered because of faltering Chinese demand.

But the shift away from Western brands only scratches the surface of the changes taking hold in the worlds second largest economy. Growth is slowing. Money is tight. And trade tensions are flaring.

China grew 4.7pc in the second quarter of 2024, slower than the 5.1pc predicted by economists as nervous foreign investors pulled a record 12bn out of the country over the same period, in blow to President Xi Jinping.

The four Ds

Some fear the worlds factory is now in overdrive as shrinking profits force producers to ramp up output just to get enough cash to service their debts.

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, believes China is at risk of being sucked into a doom loop of falling prices, factory closures and job losses that will leave it facing a Japanese-style lost decade.

She believes Chinas problems have long been rooted in the four Ds  debt, demand, demographics and decoupling from the rest of the world.

Liu highlights government data that shows a third of Chinese vehicle manufacturers were unprofitable in May. Cars are getting cheaper quickly: the average electric vehicle produced by Chinese giant BYD now costs 20pc less than a year ago.

Prices across the economy were shrinking at the end of 2023 and have only just started rising again, climbing 0.5pc in July from a year ago.

Most economists would describe a temporary fall in prices as an effective tax cut. However, Liu points out that the drop has been accompanied by weak incomes.

Household income growth has basically stagnated, she says.

Combine that with the property market crash, and the fact that most peoples wealth is tied up in their house, and its clear this has not been good for motivating consumption.

Tina Wu, a 27 year-old PhD student living in Beijing, says the post-pandemic jobs landscape is tough.

Its not very easy for young people to find well-paying jobs due to the impact of the pandemic, she says.

Many companies have reduced salaries.

Wu, who used to work as a designer in a government architecture firm before returning to university, remains upbeat about the future.

Im optimistic that in three to five years, the job market will recover and be thriving again, she says.

Not everybody is as upbeat as Wu.

Ben Cavender, managing director at China Market Research Group says it is clear that Chinese consumers have been tightening their belts.

Consumer confidence is low right now, and if anything getting lower, says Cavender, who is based in Pudong, near Shanghai.

There is a lot of dismay that not much has been done by the government to improve job prospects or salaries, and people are still very worried about future job cuts and a lack of rebound in the housing market.

This is especially true for younger consumers. I think the feeling on the ground in Shanghai is that the economy is slow, I know very few business owners who are happy right now.

Cavender adds that many are keeping their options open. The wealthier Chinese that I know are also still quite intent on getting their kids out of the country for education and green card purposes just as a hedge.

The sense is that it will be a couple of years before things truly get better.

The Guochao trend

They called it the Guochao trend. Literally translated as national wave, Chinas Gen Z have been shifting their purchases towards local brands that reflect national pride.

Chinese brands took advantage of Covid to become much better at brand positioning and marketing, and can be as competitive or more competitive than foreign brands now in a lot of categories, says Cavender.

However, this switch also masks a new frugality. Retail sales growth has struggled, and is now close to its lowest level since the country emerged from lockdowns.

Trading down is still very much a topic at hand, says Cavender.

The luxury space is a good example of that. Consumers are tending to either allocate their spending up to the most premium brands or are trading down towards premium athleisure. This is partly why we see brands like Gucci struggling so much at the moment.

Gen Z youngsters such as Tina Wu are keen to make up for lost time.

Life in Beijing has returned to how it was before the pandemicbusy, crowded, and full of energy, she says.

Im actually spending more money now than during the pandemic. Im going out more for shopping, dining and social activities, which has increased my expenses. During the pandemic, I mostly stayed at home, so my spending was much lower.

While Cavender says the mood around him is more downbeat, life goes on.

China is still China, he says.

So very convenient daily life, lots of technology, safe and getting cleaner by the day.

Shanghais streets are much quieter than they used to be. Not because of the scars of lockdown, but simply because the diesel and petrol vehicles that used to whizz around the city have been replaced by the quiet whirr of thousands of electric cars and scooters.

Andy Xie, former Morgan Stanley chief Asia economist, says life for most people is back to normal.

However, he says many who used to work in Chinas $3 trillion (2.3 trillion) shadow banking industry are hurting. The era of cheap money has gone.

The industry, which has fuelled the explosive credit growth in recent years, has enabled an easier flow of credit to small and medium enterprises.

Much of this money was invested in the property market, which is now on its knees. Regulators continue their crackdown on the sector.

All these people who worked in finance wanted to create the types of profits that would allow them to live like a banker from Goldman Sachs, Xie says.

But what were seeing in China is the froth in the system with this property bubble really dissipating.

Xie says the speculators in China have been forced to adjust their lifestyles the most.

The economy going forward will be very different, he says.

The easy money is gone. And without easy money, youre not going to go out and buy a Ferrari.

Beyond China

International tensions are another worry. Donald Trump has already vowed to escalate its trade war with China if he returns to the White House next year, while Kamala Harris said this week that as president she would ensure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.

Lun, who is currently in the US on a business trip, says many Chinese bosses remain worried about what the future holds.

I see companies that used to export to Europe and America shifting their focus to domestic sales and export to other developing countries, he says.

The concerns about future trade wars have made lots of Western buyers weary, adding to the problems of softening sales in those traditional markets.

The buyers I deal with worry about tariffs, but thats out of our control.

However, he also wants to keep his options open.

We are looking to expand and grow outside of traditional western markets, Lun says.

We were looking at the Middle East, also India. But demographically [they are] very different places.

Fears about overcapacity are creating more trade tensions, with many countries including the UK worried about being flooded with cheap cars in order to meet net zero targets.

Some nations have already sought to block this. The US has announced a 100pc tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, as well as a 25pc tariff on batteries, parts and critical minerals in a bid to keep them out.

Xie believes this is the start of a bigger decoupling that will see the US and other western nations pay higher prices for goods going forward as China, which is becoming less reliant on the West for technology to drive development, looks to do more business in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

He says the US in particular has not faced up to the fact that the rest of the world doesnt have to play by its rules anymore.

Anglo Saxons are good at two things: talking and fighting, he says.

They are not very good at working. So they usually use their skills to talk about fighting in order to get other people to work for them. The past 500 years have been like that.

But in terms of getting things done, they can never win against the Chinese. So they are basically deluding themselves. The issue is that they dont want to accept that China is going to be the largest economy.

But the evidence also suggests that China remains cautious about moving too close to countries such as Russia as it worries about the potential impact of secondary sanctions.

While Vladimir Putins state visit to China this year was intended to demonstrate their no limits friendship, one business owner operating in eastern China says many factories have stopped doing business with Russian intermediaries after Chinese banks began refusing to process payments.

Since the invasion of Ukraine [in 2022], theres been a lot of Chinese goods exported to Russia through intermediaries facilitating these transactions mostly via the Middle East and north east China, they say.

Since the beginning of this year, many of those factories stopped doing business with intermediaries for Russia. Getting paid for the goods has become a big issue because the Chinese banks wont process payments any more if they suspect its related to Russia.

The big question surrounding China going forward is growth.

The International Monetary Fund believes the rate of economic expansion is likely to slow to just over 3pc by the end of the decade because of weak domestic demand.

I dont think the Chinese problem can be solved anytime soon, even if the government is willing to enact all the reforms needed to boost consumption and separate government from industry. It will take at least a decade to reshape institutions, says Liu.

For now, growth and its drivers are likely to remain on shaky foundations.

The question is not just how fast the economy is growing, but the drivers of that growth, Liu says.

The Chinese economy is almost $18 trillion now. So 3pc on top of that in absolute terms is still a lot of growth.

But the problems arise when in order to generate this amount of growth, there is a cost in terms of debt, in terms of deeper structural imbalances, and the sacrifices made in terms of geopolitics. So the question is not how much China grows in the coming years, but at what cost?

The new trend towards frugality in the worlds second largest economy risks being only a foretaste of what is to come.

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Shares of Hims & Hers (NYSE: HIMS) fell as much as 8% on Tuesday and closed at their low for the day after news broke that Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) lowered the price for a key weight loss drug.

Eli Lilly's shot at Hims & Hers

The big news on Tuesday was an announcement that Eli Lilly will sell the weight loss drug Zepbound through its direct-to-consumer website at a 50% discount to the previous price. A 2.5 milligram single-dose vial will cost $399 for a month's supply, while a 5 milligram dose will be $549 per month.

This is the first name-brand GLP-1 weight loss treatment to be this inexpensive without using the shortage exemption Hims & Hers uses to sell a compounded version of the drugs. Today, investors think that's a threat to a key growth avenue for the company.

Good news for Hims & Hers

As much as the market sees this as bad news, I think it's the opposite. Hims & Hers is just as much a customer acquisition platform and distributor of name-brand products as it is a compounder of treatments under its own brand name. So, the company would likely be happy to offer the Zepbound treatment at this price point.

The GLP-1 Hims & Hers currently makes sells for $199 per month, so it's still significantly cheaper than this offering. And we are only a few months into Hims & Hers even offering a GLP-1, so this won't be a big loss for existing sales, even if some customers move to Eli Lilly's direct site.

The market reacted strongly to this news today, but I don't think it will have much impact on Hims & Hers growth long-term.

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Methodist Fremont Health has a new president and CEO.

Steve Goeser, president and CEO of Methodist Health System, announced on Monday that Bill Vobejda has been chosen as Methodist Fremont Healths president and CEO. The Methodist Fremont Health board of directors selected Vobejda, and the Methodist Health System board of directors ratified the decision.

Vobejda will assume the leadership role on Sept. 2.

Vobejda has held the position of vice president of integrated service for Methodist Health System since March 2020. Prior to that appointment, he was vice president of operations at Methodist Fremont Health for eight years.

Im pleased by the selection of Bill for this role in Fremont, Goeser said in a news release. With his prior experience on the leadership team, hes already very familiar with the operations and the people at Methodist Fremont Health, which is very important. In his most recent role, hes shown his high-level leadership skills and guided us through multiple facility projects as well as expansion of our health systems sustainability efforts. Im confident Bill will continue to build upon Methodist Fremont Healths strong foundation of caring for the many communities it serves.

Prior to joining Methodist, Vobejda was regional publisher of the Fremont Tribune and Columbus Telegram. He also was marketing director at the Lincoln Journal Star. He has taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Midland University.

Im grateful for the opportunity to return to Methodist Fremont Health and continue to build on the solid foundation already in place, Vobejda said. I look forward to partnering with the amazing team of providers and staff to deliver on our commitment to provide outstanding care to the community.

Vobejda earned his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His past leadership positions include serving as board president for the Greater Fremont Development Council, the Fremont Opera House and Archbishop Bergan Catholic School.
Two people sit

at Daniels Park

in Sedalia. The park remains up for grabs, a Douglas County commissioner says.
Jimmy Sengenberger is an investigative journalist, public speaker, and longtime local talk-radio host. Reach Jimmy online at Jimmysengenberger.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @SengCenter.
A labor union that represents some 7,000 licensed doctors and advanced-practice clinicians nationwide is on the cusp of forming in Colorado Springs.

Leaders of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists announced during a press conference Monday that they had at that minute submitted a filing with the National Labor Relations Board, an independent federal agency, to trigger organized unionization for providers at 20 medical clinics of Peak Vista Community Health Centers in the region.

We are telling Peak Vista we are not your enemy, we are your colleagues, said Union President Dr. Stuart Bussey. This is a community safety net, and these people are warriors of the vanguard of the city. This is not Bethlehem Steel or the coal mills in Pennsylvania, or the sweatshops, or is it?

Peak Vista has received notification about the intent to unionize, said the organization's President and CEO Dr. Emily Ptaszek.

"Peak Vista has been serving the Colorado Springs community for more than 50 years. We are steadfast in our mission to provide exceptional health care to people facing access barriers through clinical programs and education," she said in a statement. "We stand ready, and have the capacity, to serve this community, from new to existing patients.

At issue: productivity requirements that began Jan. 1 for providers, whose clients are uninsured, homeless, low-income or have government-subsidized insurance.

The new mandates increased patient loads by more than 25%, limited appointments to 15 minutes, and forced doctors and high-level assistants to complete paperwork and other duties of the job during their lunch period, after hours or on weekends for no additional pay.

That all affects patient care and quality of care, said Andrew Guttman, a union representative and organizer.

Employees contacted the Sacramento, Calif.-based workers group for assistance, he said, which now has collected affirmation from a percentage of Peak Vistas medical employees to unionize.

After the consent signatures have been verified for legitimacy, the question whether to unionize at Peak Vista will be put to vote, he said.

Every provider will vote yes or no, Guttman said.

The union believes the number of medical providers has fallen below 100 he said. With six providers being fired over the past month, three being suspended and more than 20 voluntarily resigning, Guttman said its been difficult for the union to pinpoint the exact tally.

The process to reach a vote should take about a month, according to Guttman.

Were here united, were not going anywhere, he said. Peak Vista is moving to protect patients. This is a safety net that provides quality care to people who have nowhere else to go. This is a vital organization in the functioning of this community.

Diana Wyman, who has used Peak Vista for 14 years for services for her three adopted children, said her kids know and love their pediatrician, who Wyman said was fired without cause and that she doesnt understand why.

Im trying to get answers and support the doctors, Wyman said. Theyre not being considerate of their patients. I think taking care of patients is most important, which means returning our doctors and providing a good environment for them to work in.

Dr. Michelle Myers, a pediatrician, said she recently was fired and, over the six years she had been employed at Peak Vista, the work environment has gradually gotten worse and worse.

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With the involuntary and voluntary loss of doctors in such a short period of time, Youre taking away the idea of a medical home, she said.

Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board has started investigating the unions charges that Peak Visa has engaged in unfair labor practices and has created onerous working conditions through terminations and alleged retaliation on the part of administrators, Guttman said.

The practice of quotas has become common, said Professor Kevin Laudner, dean of the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

Healthcare professionals today face significant expectations, including delivering high-quality, patient-centered care while managing an increasingly heavy workload, he said in an email.

The number of patients a doctor or assistant handles in a day varies depending on the setting, specialty and resources, he said, though on average, primary care providers might see up to 25 patients per day. The national median is 20.

Regardless, there is an expectation that patient load and available resources must allow for sufficient time to provide proper patient care and avoid burnout, Laudner said.

Balancing efficiency with quality is crucial for both the well-being of patients and the healthcare providers, he said.

The industry also has been affected by more providers retiring or leaving the field during and post-pandemic, Laudner said. That has left remaining providers often being asked to see more patients, which can increase provider stress.

There have been a variety of impacts this has created on the industry, but a clear one is the increased number and need for nurse practitioners and physician assistants providing primary patient care in the absence of medical doctors, Laudner said.

The issues that have surfaced at Peak Vista are not isolated.

Tamara Herl, a licensed professional counselor and certified art therapist, said she recently worked at two mental health centers along the Front Range that followed similar practices.

The expectations werent realistic, and everyone knew it, she said.

One facility wanted Herl to have 80 to 100 patients at any given time.

That seemed like it was so hard to keep track of everyone and do a good job and have a full picture of their story and what they needed, Herl said. Its not a healthy model expecting people to swallow with a smile.

Herl was so unhappy she voluntarily left both clinics and started her own practice.

Students in the UCCS nursing school are being taught how to manage increases in workloads, Laudner said, including prioritizing tasks based on urgency and patient needs and delegating to support staff. Asking for help and advocating for more resources are another strategy.

Lean on your mentors, colleagues and supervisors for additional support, he said. Take care of yourself physically and mentally to manage stress and avoid burnout.
We're tracking the Colorado General Assembly's special session on property taxes. This week's special session is focused on a property tax deal crafted by legislative leaders, the governor and two groups, Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern. The two groups pledged to withdraw two property tax ballot measures should the deal win approval from the General Assembly. Follow us here.

Wrapup

What happens tomorrow is final votes on the three bills the House passed today. The concurrent resolution (HCR24B-1001) will need 44 votes, or two-thirds, to move out of the House. The other two bills will need a simple majority vote.

Should all three pass (and we're hearing it's not yet a guarantee on the deal bill), all three would move to the Senate.

The Senate would have to introduce the bills, run them through committees and through second reading tomorrow, assuming they want to finish the special session on Thursday. A final vote would then take place on Thursday, and that's wrap it up.

3:35 p.m. No herd of COWs. Just one. And we're done for the day.

The first (and as it turns out, only) COW amendment is on wolves, the amendment previously offered on the concurrent resolution. It fails on a 22-37 vote, with more than a few Democrats voting in support.

With that out of the way, the House has now adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.

3:30 p.m. The deal bill passes

HB24B-1001 has passed after about 3 1/2 hours of debate. The amendment to carve-out fire districts was never introduced; the only amendments that passed were from House Speaker Julie McCluskie and presumably negotiated with the governor and the conservative groups.

Progressive Democrats did not get what they wanted on this today. It will be interesting to see how they vote.

On to the committee of the whole (COW) report, and I've been told there will be a COW amendment on the wolf amendment to the concurrent resolution. There's a joke in there somewhere...

2:05 p.m. New fiscal note

There's a new fiscal note on HB24B-1001, based on the changes in House Appropriations yesterday (and thanks to Greg Sobetski of Legislative Council for the numbers).

Bottom line: homeowners would save about $114 million (or their taxes would be reduced by $114 million, although the actual increase would be higher than that) in 2025. Commercial property owners would save $140 million, a 45/55% split.

Interestingly, in property tax year 2026, homeowners would save $111 million and commercial $180 million. Keep in mind that at the time Gallagher was repealed, commercial building owners were paying four times the amount of property taxes than what homeowners were paying. So while commercial building owners are getting a bigger break, they've been paying considerably more in property taxes over time.

1:45 p.m. Progressives begin their amendments

Reps. Tammy Story, D-Evergreen and Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, both have offered amendments intending to address some of the concerns progressive Democrats have had with this bill. Story's amendment had to do with allowing school districts statewide to retain additional revenue.

Mabrey said the property tax bill will disproportionately benefit wealthier Coloradans, although renters are much more at risk than homeowners. "Where is the special session for renters?" he asked. His amendment makes sure additional relief is targeted to those who need it. It would not allow the additional tax relief to be directed toward those with second homes. This is roughly the same concept from HB24B-1002, a bill Mabrey introduced Monday but was rejected by the House Appropriations Committee.

Story's amendment failed; Mabrey withdrew his.

Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Adams County, offered an amendment to make the tax cut less regressive in 2026. It would apply to median homeowners who would save more on property taxes than wealthy homeowners.

"We're here because there really is a need to provide some kind of relief in the form of a property tax cut to some people who own property," she said.

She later withdrew the amendment.

1 p.m. Denver chamber also pledges not to pursue property tax limits

In a letter to lawmakers, the Denver Metro Chamber reiterated its position supporting the deal reached by Gov. Jared Polis, Advance Colorado and other parties to reduce property taxes further than what lawmakers already enacted earlier this year.

The business group also said it, too, is pledging not to pursue any future initiative to limit property taxes  at least not for the next six years.

"We are so encouraged by the potential of a legislative solution that we have not taken positions of support or opposition to initiatives 50 or 108 yet  hoping that a principled compromise this week will make further action unnecessary," the chamber said.

"Yesterday, we also agreed to add our own commitment to that of Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern to not offer any property-tax related ballot measures for at least six years if the legislature passes this compromise and does not act contrary to its purposes. We made this commitment for clarity that our Chamber supports and will continue to support this compromise agreement which provides meaningful tax relief and protection from tax spikes in the future," the group added.

12:30 p.m. Another McCluskie amendment passes

This one (known as L47), extends the life of the property tax commission by an extra six months, so that they evaluate "the equity of valuation for assessment established for property" in both Senate Bill 24-233 and HB24B-1001.

12:00 p.m. Amendment gives local governments flexibility in growth cap

House Speaker Julie McCluskie has the first amendment of the day to HB24B-1001, the main deal bill on property taxes.

McCluskie said the intent of her two-page amendment is on the caps. She said the caps are limiting  so the amendment provides a carry-forward for local governments and schools. If they do not hit the ceiling, they can carry forward any of the balance of that cap that they did not use. The cap is 10% for local governments and 12% for schools over a two-year assessment period.

"This provides a smoothing if there's an up and down in assessed valuations, either growth or decline." The amendment passed.

Added for some further clarification: if revenues grow by 10% for a school district in one year, they haven't used the full amount of the cap (12%), so they can roll forward that 2% into the next year. If revenues grow by another 7% over that two-year period, for a total of 14%, the district would be able to retain 12% of that revenue.

11:45 a.m. A creative argument

Here's most creative argument of the day so far: Rep. DeGraaf has pointed out that under the Sixth and 14th amendments, a person cannot be deprived of life, liberty or property. "You have a bleeding artery in the economy of Colorado," referring to the impact of wolves on agriculture. He introduced an amendment, which failed. The bill has been adopted on a voice vote.

Now onto HB24B-1001, the "deal" bill. It will be interesting to see what kinds of amendments show up for this one.

11:25 a.m. Show up, go home

Apparently, the Senate gaveled in for about 30 seconds and then sent everyone home. According to Senate GOP spox Josh Bly, Dems were told to not even show up, so there was just a handful of Republican senators who came in, as well as the president and majority leader.

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Weissman is asking for a "no" vote on the wolf amendment.

This is a level of detail that should not be in constitutional language, he told the House. Initiatives could take many forms, and Weissman said this could already happen. "We've already got this covered, conceptually. I do appreciate the conversation about wolves, and that was a measure very closely decided," he said. "(But) let's return property tax decision-making" to the citizens.

The amendment failed on a voice vote.

11:15 a.m. Show up, disrupt

We've had a bit of a disruption, which is being managed by the state patrol. A member of the public caused a scene in a Senate committee room yesterday and was removed. He showed up again a few minutes ago outside of the House and was removed by the state patrol. Exactly what his issue is isn't known.

11:10 a.m. We've got wolves!

One of the more interesting conversations in yesterday's hearing on this bill was on wolves.

The logic is that if citizens should have the right to vote on property taxes at the local level, because property taxes are a local issue, why doesn't that apply to other things that have a local impact?

This is one of the major sticking points on the issue of wolf reintroduction  that voters, mostly on the Front Range, imposed the wolf reintroduction on communities that did not want them and did not support Proposition 120 in the 2020 election.

There's now an amendment on the concurrent resolution that reflects this idea from Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta. It would add language that basically says citizens should be able to vote on any property tax revenue (to keep it within the subject of the bill) derived from livestock and that is going to be reduced by a statewide initiative on introduction of predatory species that preys on livestock and "that does not have a substantial well-established population" in Colorado, including wolves.

Got that? It basically allows citizens in a local government to vote on the introduction of predatory species, including wolves.

10:40 a.m.

The debate right now is about an amendment offered by Rep. Stephanie Luck, R-Penrose, to exempt school districts from the citizen vote. It fails.

Expect a lot of amendments on this bill and on the main deal bill that will follow, but that's likely not going to be for a while. I'm hearing there's no "white smoke" yet on the negotiations.

10:30 a.m. Special elections?

Opponents of the resolution  currently, Rep. Ken DeGraaf, R-Colorado Springs, is making this argument  are pointing out the way this is structured will require a local government special election in order to put the revenue changes (other than an increase) into effect. For small local governments, that could be quite the expense. Citizens don't need 15 different special elections, he added.

"The citizens of this state have been on our case to come up with a statewide solution," said Rep. Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction.

If the city of Grand Junction passes one set of bill at a certain valuation percentage, and the city of Fruita does something, that's 20% or 30% below, what happens? he asked. (They moved to Fruita, apparently). "It goes against everything we've been trying to do, in helping people live close to where they work. We're introducing legislation that will move people based on the valuation. This would reverse what the legislature is trying to do," he said.

The fiscal analysis does not show any money provided to local governments for special elections.

Speaking in favor was Rep. Jennifer Parenti, D-Erie, who said the problem with property taxes does not exist at the state level  it's a local government issue.

"We have allowed a very dangerous narrative to take hold in this state," she said, one that says the state of Colorado has a role to play in how much people pay in property taxes. Citizens need to go to their local government for that conversation, she said. "This resolution is the only thing we should be talking about in this special session," Parenti said, arguing the conversation about property taxes should return to the local governments where they belong.

Parenti is among the lawmakers who will not be returning in 2025; she recently decided not to run for reelection.

10:05 a.m.

The agriculture bill passes on second reading (voice vote) with one technical amendment.

Now onto the concurrent resolution, HCR24B-1001, which changed dramatically between the draft that Colorado Politics obtained a week ago to what was introduced yesterday. The original bill would have banned any statewide citizen initiatives on property taxes, which drew concerns that it would infringe on citizens' rights. The introduced version requires a vote by citizens in a local government before any limitations on property tax revenue coming from a statewide initiative can be implemented.

As it now exists, HCR24B-1001 is fairly close to a ballot initiative, Proposition 95, which was floated last year but didn't make it to the title-setting process.

This bill will require a two-thirds, or 44 votes, to make it out of the House in order to head to this November's general election ballot. The Senate will be another matter; it will require 24 votes and that's going to be a fairly major hurdle. Sources said Senate Republicans have no interest in seeing this go to the ballot, and at least one Republican will have to flip for it to make it out of the Senate.

9:45 a.m.

First up is House Bill 24B-1003, the agriculture bill.

9:40 a.m.

Now we're down to three. Sources have told Colorado Politics that HB24B-1007, the Ortiz bill on accessible housing, will not move forward.

The House is now onto debate on the three remaining bills left in the special session.

9:20 a.m. Day Two

Thanks to the decision last night by the House that it would not take up second reading debate on the three bills that passed out of committees (including the "deal" in HB24B-1001), the Senate has nothing of consequence to do today. The senators will gavel in at 10 a.m. and likely to adjourn for the day shortly thereafter.

What's on tap for today in the House:

HB24B-1001, which passed House Appropriations on a 7-3 vote Monday evening. The second reading delay is due to continued negotiations over the bill, and a concern that progressive Democrats are not yet on board with it. The sponsors are House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon; House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs; Sens. Chris Hansen, D-Denver; and, Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County.

HCR24B-1001: the constitutional amendment that would require a local vote in order for a statewide property tax initiative that limits revenue to go into effect. The sponsors are Rep, Mike Weissman, D-Aurora and Hansen.

HB24B-1003: a bill to make permanent a business personal property tax exemption for ag equipment and to expand that exemption to greenhouses that grow crops that are in a "raw and unprocessed state." The sponsors are Reps. Matt Soper, R-Delta and Junie Joseph, D-Boulder; and Sen. Kevin Priola, D-Henderson.

Waiting in the wings

HB24B-1007 awaits a House Appropriations Committee hearing. It would reduce assessment rates by up to 2% for accessible housing properties constructed after January 1, 2025. It has a $900,000 cost to state education funding in the first year and $1.8 million in the second, which may give some lawmakers in appropriations heartburn. The sponsor is Rep. David Ortiz, D-Centennial.
A Boulder jury will be allowed to see the first moments recorded on body-worn camera when police officers first encountered in the stores pharmacy department the man accused of killing 10 people at the King Soopers in Boulder in 2021.

The judge made the decision as the process for selecting jurors for the trial of Ahmad Alissa has begun.

Officers had asked Alissa, dressed only in his underwear and handcuffed, a host of questions including whether there were other shooters.

Boulder District Judge Ingrid Bakke denied Alissas public defender's motion to suppress his first conversation, reasoning that under these circumstances, police had a reasonable need to protect the public and officers.

The officers questions are geared almost exclusively toward public safety concerns, such as asking defendant where he left the gun, whether he came to King Soopers alone, and whether there were any other people inside the building who were going to shoot at them, the judge said.

Did you come here by yourself? an officer asked. "Yes," he said, according to court documents.

The exchange also showed Alissa asking to speak to his mother, according to court documents. He was told that he would not be able to talk to her until he answered officers questions.

I will let you call your mom if you answer my questions," said Boulder Police Sgt. Adrian Drelles, according to a July 26, 2024 prosecution motion.

Here's how that conversation went, according to the documents.

After the defendant said he does not have to answer questions, Drelles responded: I dont want anybody else to get killed. Im not letting you call your mom until you answer my questions. Is there anybody else inside that is going to shoot at us?

Defendant responded, I dont believe so, but can I talk to my mom? Just let me talk to my mom.

Drelles then said: Yes, well let you call your mom.

Alissas attorneys wanted the footage suppressed from jurors at trial because Alissa wasnt read his Miranda rights before he was queried by law enforcement, though he was in police custody.

Bakke ultimately granted the body cam footage to be allowed.

Under normal circumstances, Defendants responses to the officers impromptu interrogation would be suppressed, she wrote in what could be one of the last court orders before the trial begins after Labor Day weekend.

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Alissa wasnt read his Miranda Rights until 2 a.m. the next morning, while he was handcuffed to a hospital bed.

A second order to suppress Alissas statements while he was in the hospital being treated for his leg wound and in custody was more favorable to the defense. Alissas attorneys argued that statements he made before he invoked his right to remain silent should be suppressed.

Bakke agreed.

Alissa has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, 47 counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, 10 counts of felony possession of a prohibited large capacity magazine, and 47 crimes of violence sentence enhancers in connection with the March 2021 shooting.

Alissa has been housed at the Colorado Mental Health Center in Pueblo, but by order of the court, he will be transported to Boulder this week by Boulder Sheriffs to face trial.

On Monday, prospective jurors filtered in and out of the Boulder County Justice Center to fill out a questionnaire.

In an order filed on Aug. 6, Bakke noted that at the time jurors in Boulder County were summoned on the Alissa case, there were 219,223 "available people remaining in the pool." A total of 1,500 people were summoned, the order noted.

On Sept. 3, the attorneys will begin the process of questioning prospective jurors in person, and the opening statements could start the week after Labor Day.

The trial comes three years and six months after the mass shooting led to the death of Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; Boulder Police Ofc. Eric Talley, 51; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.

The criminal case stalled for years, as Alissas mental health remained a question, an issue his lawyers raised right after the shooting. That question over whether he is mentally competent to stand trial  meaning he is able to understand court proceedings and help his lawyers in his defense  put proceedings on hold for the last two years.

Following treatment and rehabilitation with medication, Alissa was ruled competent to stand trial by Bakke on Oct. 6, 2023.

During the upcoming trial, prosecutors will need to prove to jurors not only that he committed the crimes, but that he was not insane when he did. They will need to prove that he knew the difference between right and wrong and did not have a mental illness that hindered his decision making. To prove a charge of first-degree murder, prosecutors will have to prove he pre-meditating the shooting and planned it.

If Alissa is found guilty of any of the murder charges, he will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

If, on the other hand, he is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could be committed to a mental institution  where he would be treated until he was deemed no longer a danger to himself or others.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty and Assistant District Attorney Ken Kupfner will be the main prosecutors in the case.
Watch live as residents share their concerns about Ford Amphitheater's volume with the Colorado Springs City Council.

These complaints are currently being raised during the "citizen discussion" portion of the meeting. 30 residents have shown up to discuss the amphitheater. The chambers are full, with standing room only, according to a Gazette reporter in the meeting.

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Residents have asked for more noise mitigation action to take place. However, Bob Mudd said they made an effort to keep the venue's neighbors in mind.

"Venu President & COO Bob Mudd said developers exceeded requirements to mitigate noise, including for sound barriers, parking requirements and security. He and the company has heard resident feedback and continue to solicit it. Venu is committed to being a good neighbor, he said," Breanna Jent reported on social media.

Colorado Springs City Council will also vote on whether the prohibition of recreational marijuana establishments will move to the ballot in November.

Other agenda items include road work proposals and the proposal of making September Service Dog Awareness Month as well as Suicide Prevention Month.
China, Brunei boost ASEAN sub-regional industry cooperation

Xinhua) 09:33, August 27, 2024

Liu Ning, secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China, delivers a speech at a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee held its 4th meeting in Brunei on Sunday to enhance coordination and further promote the industrial collaboration between China and the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA).

Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the prime minister's office and second minister of finance and economy of Brunei, said at the meeting that the BGEC has played a pivotal role in fostering a dynamic supply value chain between Brunei, China, and other ASEAN countries since its establishment in 2014.

"Brunei Darussalam is continuously working to diversify its economy and welcome quality FDI from China to invest in sectors such as food, downstream oil and gas, tourism, services, and ICT," the minister said.

"The growing industrial cooperation between Guangxi and Brunei highlights the substantial potential for cross-sector collaboration, particularly in developing industry chains through shared resources and strategic alignment," he added.

During the meeting, Liu Ning, secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China, highlighted the achievements of the BGEC over the past decade, indicating that Guangxi aspires to actively engage in the sub-regional cooperation between China and the EAGA.

Nearly 100 representatives from the governmental and business sector of Guangxi and Brunei attended the meeting, including a sideline trade and investment promotion event.

Representatives from the business sector of China's Guangxi and Brunei attend a signing ceremony during a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the prime minister's office and second minister of finance and economy of Brunei, delivers a speech at a meeting held by the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC) Joint Cooperation Committee in Brunei, on Aug. 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Meng)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Cerro Gordo County Republican Party welcomed guests for an 8 a.m. pancake breakfast at its headquarters in Mason City's Willowbrook Mall Saturday morning. Volunteers and candidates provided a hot meal and fired up voters for the upcoming election.

Doug Campbell was the first of the candidates to arrive. Campbell is fresh off the Aug. 19 nominating convention that saw him beat out newcomer M.J. Rodriguez to run for the seat held by former District 30 Sen. Waylon Brown, who won the GOP the primary in June but resigned shortly after.

Christian Hermanson is running opposite Democrat Jeremy True for House District 59, a seat formerly held by Sharon Steckman of Mason City who retired this year. He had a delayed start to his campaign, as he was still serving in the military until early July. Retired now, Hermanson says door knocking has been going great.

"We run into Democrats, independents and Republicans," Hermanson said. "They want to focus on the important things, tax policy, infrastructure and public safety. Party politics aside, as a voter, take a good and honest look at the policies candidates are proposing."

Carl Ginapp echoed Hermanson when it comes to making a choice at the ballot box. Ginapp is running for the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors, and said local government is vital to him.

"What you say means nothing," Ginapp said. "The question is: Who do you want carrying the checkbook?"

Another seat on the ballot this year is that of Cerro Gordo County sheriff. The retirement of Sheriff Kevin Pals has opened the race up, and Democrat Brian Koob and Republican Dave Hepperly are facing off for the office.

"I've got 41 years of experience," Hepperly said, "22 with the Cerro Gordo sheriff, and I think experience is what counts."

The breakfast was an opportunity for candidates who have been knocking doors to save a little shoe leather and let voters come to them. Campbell says the party doesn't hold many events with the public. "In the summer in Iowa, we go to their events," he said. "I meet so many people that way."

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To verify voter registration, request an absentee ballot, or find polling sites, visit cerrogordo.gov/elections.
Excited grade schoolers poured into Roosevelt Elementary School in Mason City early Tuesday morning to begin the 2024-2025 school year.

Parents took pictures, tied shoelaces, and gave out one last hug in the hustle and bustle of the misty morning. Teachers fresh from summer break ushered students in, gently leading tiny and nervous kindergarteners, dwarfed by their new backpacks, into the building.

This year, Mason City elementary schools held parent-teacher conferences all day on the Monday before school started. Roosevelt Principal Austin Peterson said giving families and students a chance to meet with their teachers one-on-one before the first day makes the back-to-school transition go a little more smoothly.

The elementary school's front office was fully staffed Monday night with secretaries and the school nurse to assist with any kind of paperwork that might need squared away before the big day. "That first impression and that first experience is so important, and we want to make sure families get our best," Peterson said.

Roosevelt Elementary also has a clothing and supplies closet in case students are in need of something. Peterson said families and students shouldn't hesitate to mention something to teachers or other building staff if there is anything they need. "We're always striving in Mason City and here at Roosevelt just to meet family's needs. ... People are going through a lot right now," he said.

First grader Alaric Theilen was ready for his first day in Mrs. Mayer's class, sporting a brand new Pokemon backpack with matching lunchbox. His mother, Chelsey Legried, said he had been waiting all summer to start first grade. Alaric said he was very excited about his first day, but he was nervous at the same time. "My favorite class is P.E., but if recess was an answer, then I would say probably recess," he said.

Kimberly Mayer has taught for 15 years, and this is her 10th year at Roosevelt. She started setting up her classroom weeks ago, and has plenty of games and getting-to-know-you activities planned for the students. "I love seeing the kids and the excitement in their faces," she said.

Multiple Roosevelt staff members said the excitement among the children is a highlight of the year. Peterson said he was most looking forward to lunch time, where students are more relaxed after a hectic morning and there is time to sit with them and ask how summer had gone.

"That first day of school is always an excitement. You build such strong relationships with kids and families, and then you kind of go two to three months without seeing them, so when you see them it's that joy of having them back in the building," he said.

Teacher Sasha Holstad has taught kindergarten for 15 years, and she looked forward to meeting her new students. Holstad also said watching her students grow and getting to know their families was one of her favorite parts of teaching, and she always looks forward to seeing her former students, no matter how much they'd grown.

Last year was the first year Holstad saw students she taught as kindergarteners graduate from high school. "They become sort of like your kids. ... It's so crazy. In my mind, I still remember them as being five," she said.

PHOTOS: A look at the first day of school for Roosevelt students in Mason City
Democratic Congressional candidate Christina Bohannan tried her hand at shooting at a private gun range near Blue Grass on Saturday with the Democratic candidate for Scott County Sheriff Thomas Gibbs, a former firearms instructor.

Bohannan is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, in southeast Iowa's 1st Congressional District, for the second time.

While at the property owned by Iowa House Democratic candidate Phil Wiese, Bohannan fired a 9 millimeter handgun, an AR-15-style rifle, and a 12-gauge shotgun at a target set up on the lawn.

Bohannan said she wanted to come out to the range because she thinks its important for legislators to understand more about the firearms they regulate and to show her support for gun rights for law-abiding citizens as well as for gun safety.

"I grew up with guns, I'm a gun owner myself, I support the Second Amendment, and I think it's important that we support those rights for law-abiding responsible gun owners and understand really firsthand what we're doing when we think about gun regulation," Bohannan said.

Bohannan said it's important to recognize rights for gun owners while also pushing for expanding background checks and keeping people safe from gun violence.

Federal law began requiring background checks when a gun is bought from a licensed dealer in 1994, but not unlicensed dealers such as at non-licensed sellers at gun shows or online. Legislation passed in 2022 expanded the number of non-dealers who were required to be licensed and get background checks.

"I think we can absolutely protect both at the same time," Bohannan said. "And I want us to get away from this more extreme argument on kind of the left and the right about it. ... A lot of Democrats in Iowa are gun owners and believe that we should protect gun rights while also making sure that our kids and our communities are safe."

Bohannan said she thought legislation Congress passed in June 2022 "did some good."

That legislation closed the so-called "boyfriend loophole" in the law preventing domestic abusers from owning firearms; created funding for states to implement red-flag laws which allow a temporary removal of firearms from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others; and added funding for school and mental health programs, among other provisions.

Iowa's House delegation split along party lines on that bill, with Iowa's then-lone Democratic representative Cindy Axne voting for it and Republicans Miller-Meeks, Randy Feenstra, and Ashley Hinson voting against. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst voted for the bill and Sen. Chuck Grassley voted against it.

Bohannan said she supports expanding background checks, but stopped short of pledging support for bans on certain types of weapons, such as semi-automatic assault-style rifles or bump stocks.

"That's a harder issue because that's not just about who has them, it's about types of guns. ... I do think that we need to try to keep those out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them," Bohannan said. "So I would like to see some tighter regulations on those. Whether we should have an outright ban, I think is a conversation we can have but I think the main thing is to make sure that people aren't just going in a moment of anger or in a situation where they might have suicidal tendencies or violent tendencies just getting those weapons immediately and being able to fire them.

"And I think we also need to really look at gun safety training because a lot of people ... don't know how to handle a firearm safely. And I've been doing this for a long time. I've been shooting since I was a kid, but I still learned something today from Tom about gun safety," she added.

Bohannan said she'd like to see more research on mental health, suicide, and deaths by gun violence at the federal level.

Asked how she differs from Miller-Meeks on her position on guns, Bohannan said Miller-Meeks "does not want to do anything at all to prevent gun violence against our kids, against people going out in the community in our schools. I think we have to take this seriously. Even responsible gun owners largely support background checks and she voted against those efforts."

At an Iowa City town hall a year ago, Miller-Meeks said she may consider supporting strengthening background checks.

She said she opposed banning semi-automatic rifles, including AR- or AK-style rifles. She said she does not condone what has happened in shootings around the country and strongly supports and advises people to lock their weapons and ammunitions and to take classes on gun safety.

Miller-Meeks introduced legislation to allow states to use unused federal COVID-19 relief funds to be made available for school security.

At the town hall, Miller-Meeks called a federal assault weapons ban from 1994 to 2005 ineffective. Answering questions from reporters, she said Congress had failed to get enough votes for measures to reduce access to semi-automatic weapons used in mass killings nationally, according to reporting from the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Instead, she said the country must fully enforce laws on the books and toughen sentencing for people who commit a crime using a firearm.
DES MOINES -- The state experienced mostly dry weather last week, allowing farmers 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Primary field activities continued to be cutting and baling hay and preparing for the fall harvest.

With the Farm Progress Show kicking off in central Iowa, much of the state will receive a blast of heat followed by cooler weather as we head into September, said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. This stretch of unseasonably dry conditions is providing a nice window for farmers to bale hay, chop silage and begin to seed cover crops.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 3% very short, 23% short, 72% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3% very short, 20% short, 75% adequate and 2% surplus.

Corn in the dough stage or beyond reached 90% this week, six days behind last year but one day ahead of the five-year average. Forty-five percent of the corn crop reached the dent stage or beyond, three days behind last year. Corn mature reached 4%. Corn condition rated 77% good to excellent. Soybeans setting pods reached 90% , nine days behind last year and three days behind the five-year average. Soybeans coloring reached 5%, four days behind last year and two days behind the average. Soybean condition was 77% good to excellent.

The states third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 79%, six days behind last year but six days ahead of the five-year average. Hay condition rated 77% good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 65% good to excellent. As temperatures rose at the end of the week, stress became a concern for livestock.

Weather summary

Rainfall was observed across Iowas western two-thirds early in the reporting period, according to Justin Glisan, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, though totals were 0.40 to 0.80 inch below normal. In eastern Iowa, deficits were over an inch in certain locations. Temperatures varied from slightly warmer across the northwest to four degrees below normal southeast; the statewide average temperature was 68.4 degrees, 3.2 degrees below normal.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation across eastern Iowa to 0.93 inch at Rock Rapids (Lyon County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.08 inch while the normal is 0.93 inch. Lowden (Cedar County) reported the weeks high temperature of 90 degrees on the 24th, eight degrees above normal. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the weeks low temperature of 44 degrees on the 22nd, 13 degrees below normal.
Intended audience:

My background:

My goal

Main idea:

Reasoning:

You are in a highly competitive job market, employers market. So lets get this started. There were a lot of articles and posts about a mismatch of between ever-growing cost of masters education and stalled growth of post-MBA compensation. What does it mean is less and less lets name it profit margin or residual income an MBA gets after paying tax, loans and cost of living. Isnt it unfair? Sorry, if you feel it sucks, but this is the harsh reality. However, I have not yet encountered (m)any article(s) speaking about high degree of competition for the post-MBA jobs in the US.

Each year lets say top-30 schools produce about 10,000 MBAs (assume 330-average class size*30 schools). Every ambitious MBA graduate wants to get a job offer from a great PE/VC firm, bulge bracket bank, top consulting firm, a blue-chip corporation or an ambitious start-up, or ______ (there is a placeholder for your dream job). People from PE/VC firms tend to stay longer there, and banks and consulting firms rotate their staff often. So, most ex-MBAs end-up either working for start-ups or corporations in the US. Guess what?! Each year there are not as many great positions (with a good compensation and promising career path trajectory). Over the last 20 years corporations have already employed thousands of MBAs and these people are still working there, are not going to leave and still repaying their MBA and car loans and mortgages. So, you are going to compete with the local ambitious talent in a highly competitive market. This is a just a piece of an equation, which is called getting a job in the US.



You are an alien in the US. If you are 30+ perhaps early in your life you had watched a science fiction movie by James Cameron called Aliens, hadnt you? For millennials, there was an alien in the movie from the other planet, a horribly looking aggressive creature, which incubated (or parasited) inside humans ultimately killing them. Normally, people in the movie were afraid of it, hated it and wanted to kill. In the US, they call us aliens (well at least in all legislative documents). How do you like that? ? (Of course nobodys is going to hate or kill you in the US). I mean why the hell they dont name us foreigners, expatriates, potential immigrants, non-residents, non-Americans, Europeans (Asians), but aliens? The old good story tells us that the US was formed of immigrants and they are the core of the nation. However, more than 50-80 years have already passed since the immigrants massively had come to settle to the US. They are and their kids are Americans now. And they all have a non-restricted right to work in their own country. Aliens dont have that right. They have the right to apply for H1B lottery (literally gamble) to a get the right to work in the US. And if one is laid off, he/she is given by law 30 days to leave the country unless the person finds another job. Sorry, if you feel it sucks, but this is the harsh reality and these are the current laws and regulations. From my experience only a limited number of companies: tech corporations such as Alphabet, Amazon, other big corporations, or top banks/consulting houses are ready to offer an alien an H1B sponsorship and then, if an alien does well, offer a green-card sponsorship. Tshh a little dirty secret is that corporations tend to pay aliens a bit lower than to US-residents . and keep an alien in a hanging position as longer as possible, I mean extending as much as possible paperwork for green-card. Another little dirty secret is that top banks/consulting houses/big4 keep rotating people quite often, so they wont proceed with the green card application unless you are good enough and get a promotion to manager (consulting) or VP (banking). I have numerous friends and classmates, who were not offered interviews, denied offers, or not offered green-card sponsorship (after being loyal for 5 years to the company). Sorry, if you feel it sucks, but this is the harsh reality. Add to this Trumps anti-immigration intentions and upcoming laws. So, if you want a job in the US, you are disadvantaged to compete for even more competitive companies, have limited rights (less options) and have to gamble for work visa and then hope for green card.



You are old. What?! Yes, for most companies in the US, if you are over 30, unless you are an army veteran, you are old =read less productive. Why?! Because if you are married or considering to marry soon or even have kids you also therefore have other priorities, you are just smarter and not getting any more this fancy sh*t about marvelous career trajectory after just a few years on the wall street while working for pennies (I mean per hour) overnights after overnights, crunching models and presentations. If you are 30+ you want a more or less comfortable life and a manageable work-life balance, have time with your loved ones (kids, spouse) and a well-paid job with a pay slip every second week. Sweat shops (i-banks, consulting firms) understand what you starting to realize after 30, and therefore they are hungry for naive, full of ambitions young blood to grind. A better choice for a 30+ would be working for a US corporation but that is not easy, I would say even harder, in my humble opinion, as you have already read above.



You dont have US experience. Among other things while screening for candidates, recruiters of US-based companies look for candidates experience either living or working in the US. This is, perhaps, to make sure a potential employee would fit well into companys culture and working environment (as if 2 years spent in the US while studying for MBA + internship is not enough for that). If one does not have US experience, recruiters then look for candidates experience working for US companies abroad, preferably for McKinsey, i-banks, international listed corporations and big4 firms. (if you wonder why during my MBA I did not apply to US big4 firms? - I had worked there before, big4 was not my goal, I could have transferred there earlier without getting an MBA from top school and having zero loan, + perhaps I was already old for them, so all four firms even did not even invite for the interview although I had exact the experience they are looking for  all is fair they were not my first choice, neither do I for them).

So, if you dont have US experience (in US or abroad), unless you were an Olympic champion or adviser to your countrys president etc, your chances of getting a job in the US are pretty slim. Recruiters dont really know what (and they dont care much about) you did a few years ago before your MBA at a GHajTRak no-name LLC in India/China/Poland/Colombia. Therefore, recruiters multiply your non-US experience by zero. Sorry, if you feel it sucks, but this is the harsh reality. Recruiters/hiring managers approach recruiting conservatively because there is an abundance of quality candidates, because it is the employers market. Btw, it is interesting how Americans could be at the same time very innovative in business and quite conservative in social life and many other non-business areas, i.e. there is NFC payment technology in every iPhone, which allows you to pay with your phone, without swiping your credit card, but still this payment technology is not used in the US, while widely used in other countries.



You dont have US network. Besides your schools alumni network, most likely you dont have friends, relatives, former colleagues, undergrad alums, or even your moms/uncles friend in the US who would be happy to help you to get a post-MBA job in the US. By the way, networking is the only way to get a job in the US. I wish I knew it much earlier (at the beginning I naively had thought that the most competitive job market looks for most competitive/experienced candidates, leaving all other factors aside, and having an MBA from a top business school would place you in a privileged circle  wrong!).

In conclusion:

I had a chance to hear a very interesting story from an older applicant. I had a lunch with a long-time moderator from GMAT Club who joined almost 10 years ago (he has not been active for a number of years) but we just met for the first time. It was a chance encounter but a very successful and interesting one. I have encouraged him to share his story with other older applicants to set their expectations and improve their success chances. He agreed and earlier this week sent me the below story, which I am posting on his behalf (for a number of reasons, he preferred to stay anonymous, which is understandable taking into consideration how blunt the story is).========================================First of all, I would like to wholeheartedly thank my friend BB, a wonderful person with big big heart, the founder of the GMAT Club, who for many years advised, helped and inspired me (and thousands like me on this website) in my MBA journey from the GMAT preparation to MBA applications and who helped me navigating my MBA experience. He recently inspired me to write about my MBA journey to share my thoughts and experiences. I am happy to give back to the GMAT Club community and hope that at least a few of you will find this post useful.Hey, congrats on getting the admissions offer to the US top business school! Now what?!So if you are a 30+ years old non-US resident (aka a non-green card holder or US citizen) considering getting your MBA degree in the US and hoping to get a job in the US, this post is for you. Its based mostly on my experience so please watch out for biases.I am 35 years old European, married, have completed recently a full-time MBA at a top-15 US business school, went through on/off campus recruiting, hunting for the job in the US. As for career path before MBA: 6 years of BIG 4 advisory practice (non-US) as a manager and then + 4 years internal consulting in industry (non-US) as a senior manager. So, I had much more experience than most of my classmates.is to help you make an informative decision on whether to pursue an MBA degree at this age, considering factors outside of your control (such as visa lottery, Trumps anti-immigration policy, cost of living in the US, etc.). Stop reading if you been lucky enough and got a full ride, just go for it, why not?!MBA does not give any significant advantage in getting a great job post-graduation in the US (or make you happier or more successful), period. If you think MBA will open you a lot of doors for you and employers are going to hunt you (yes  even if you are from Harvard/Stanford/Wharton), lol ? - keep dreaming, the reality is harsher than these rosy dreams. Of course, if you are a superstar then you dont need an MBA even from Stanford to succeed in life.if you add up above mentioned factors (most of them outside of your control and you most likely are not aware of them before MBA), hundreds of hours of networking and interview preparation, much stress and gamble for work visa all of this adjusted for luck - you would get a pretty accurate expectation of what it takes to get a job in the US being an alien. MBA does not give any significant advantage in getting a job post-graduation in the US. But there is still a chance ?. Welcome to the most competitive job market in the world and a chance to work and live one of the most developed countries in the world!p.s. Happy end? Ultimately, a number of months after graduation, everyday networking and stress (psychologically an financially being unemployed for more than 2 years really sucks), I got two job offers in the US (all through networking only): a boring one at a well-known corporation and an offer at a locally-only-known consulting boutique. I chose the first job offer (why? to secure an opportunity to transfer abroad if I dont get the H1B visa with the hope to return back to US later) and lived from a pay slip to pay slip (life in San Francisco is so expensive) without getting a clue of what to do and expect next. Few months later, I did not get the H1B visa. The company, I worked for did not have vacancies abroad for my role (I think the real reason was that I worked for them for a few months only and they did not care to take any effort to help me  does it suck? Yes, and you know what followslol). Without much hesitation I left the US with my wife, went back to my home country, finally getting a relief from everyday stress and uncertainty. Would I repeat my experience in the US again? Perhaps I would, if I had known all the hidden obstacles and factors outside of your control, like you know them now.I sincerely hope my post was helpful for you and now you are fully armed for this interesting, life-changing, but challenging journey.Good luck!_________________
The U.S. Air Force is holding two town hall meetings to provide up-to-date information about the Sentinel Program.

The meetings are Sept. 4 at the Fergus County Fairgrounds in Lewistown, 1000 US-191, and Sept. 5 at the C.M. Russell High School auditorium in Great Falls, 228 17th Ave. NW.

Both meetings start at 6 p.m. and are open to the public.

The Air Force is replacing all Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles with Sentinel ICBMs. The project includes modernizing launch facilities, control centers and other ground infrastructure throughout central Montana.

The Air Force will provide an overview of the Sentinel Program and its projected impact on the local area. A question-and-answer session will follow to receive comments from the community about the Sentinel Program.

The Sentinel Program will modernize the old Minuteman III nuclear defense system with new rockets, warheads and technology across Malmstrom Air Force Bases 13,800-square-mile missile complex. The project is anticipated to involve around 3,000 temporary workers, operating out of two construction facilities near Great Falls and Lewistown. Work could start in 2026.

A Sentinel fact sheet, environmental impact statement, project information and frequently asked questions are at https://www.afgsc.af.mil/Sentinel-GBSD/.

For more information please contact Malmstrom Public Affairs Office at 406-731-4050 or email 341mwpa@us.af.mil.
An academic conference focusing on the nomination of the Great Tea Route, which spans China, Mongolia, and Russia, for the UNESCO World Heritage List was held at the Chinese Cultural Center here in the Mongolian capital on Monday.

The conference, sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and the Cultural and Tourism Department of central China's Hubei province, was co-organized by the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator and the Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Center, among others.

"Today, we are not only discussing the revival of an ancient trade route but also embarking on a new chapter of friendship and cooperation among China, Mongolia, and Russia. The Great Tea Road, a golden ribbon weaving across the Eurasian continent, has witnessed the historical integration and interaction of civilizations from China, Mongolia, and Russia, as well as between the East and the West," said Li Zhi, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and director of the Chinese Cultural Center, during an opening ceremony.

Li emphasized that the Great Tea Road is not just a trade route for tea and other commodities, but also a vital bridge for cultural exchange, sharing of ideas, and emotional connections.

"The Great Tea Route and its surrounding things symbolize the history of our past cooperation, the successes of our current collaboration, and the potential for future development and partnership," said Byambasuren Davaatseren, head of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department at the Ministry of Culture of Mongolia.

In addition, a cultural tourism event titled "Tea for Harmony -- Mongolia Tour" was held, featuring tea tasting and an exhibition of photos that showcase the history of the Great Tea Route, along with China's tea culture and tourism destinations, at the Chinese Cultural Center on the same day.
Dematic , a leading global supplier of integrated supply chain and warehouse automation technologies, software, and services, is excited to announce the launch of its innovative Vision Picking Solution in Australia and New Zealand. This advanced solution is designed to optimise warehouse worker productivity and enhance supply chain processes by integrating vision-assisted picking with real-time logistics solutions.

In todays fast-paced supply chain environment, it is vital to always know where your stock, orders, people, and equipment are. Dematics mobility and productivity solutions empower supply chain operators with key information whenever and wherever it is needed. This leads to enhanced decision-making, optimised service levels, and reduced costs, says Lee Koutsos, Director of Real Time Logistics and Colby Storage Solutions ANZ at Dematic.

The Dematic Vision Picking Solution incorporates a small heads-up display (HUD) that improves the warehouse picking process by providing visual confirmation of instructions. This hands-free technology works seamlessly with vision-picking software, which can be applied to any vision glasses technology and can also work in tandem with voice-picking technology. By displaying the items to be picked (including images for fast identification) along with their quantities and locations (including check digits to ensure the right location is selected), the solution ensures smoother and more accurate picking.

The Dematic Vision Picking Solution offers numerous key benefits, including:

Enhanced efficiency: Hands-free picking and better spatial awareness.

Increased Accuracy: Visual confirmation reduces picking errors.

Reduced Training Times: Intuitive design simplifies onboarding.

Improved visibility: Real-time data provides up-to-date information on stock and asset traceability as well as stocktake.

Optimised Workflows: Improves overall warehouse operations.

The Dematic Vision Picking Solution addresses key challenges currently faced by the supply chain industry, including the high cost of labour, labour shortages and turnover, and the need for faster order fulfilment. By integrating advanced technologies into warehouse operations, Dematic is helping businesses overcome these challenges, improve accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency, continues Koutsos.

The solution is ideal for various warehouse applications such as picking cases from pallet racking, picking eaches from cartons in shelving, replenishment, stocktaking, and maintenance and inspection tasks. The solution is also ideal in temperature-controlled environments (where staff typically wear gloves) and supports multiple languages, making it suitable for a diverse workforce.

To further boost productivity, the Dematic Vision Picking Solution includes gamification features. Staff can engage in competitive activities and achieve targets, with rewards for meeting activity-based goals.

The new Dematic Vision Picking Solution is available through our Real Time Logistics division in Australia and New Zealand. It was developed from our deep global experience and rigorous in-house testing, and it is supported by our large Australian team of engineers, project managers, and software developers. We provide ongoing support from a large customer service team with a 24/7 contact centre and in-house repair centre, concludes Koutsos.
A Vodafone survey has uncovered almost one in five Australians (19.1%) would rather live with smashed screens than fork out cash to fix them.

Tasmanian residents are most likely to have a smashed phone screen with more than a quarter (27.8%) reporting they dont repair their phone because it is too expensive.

More than half of Australians (54.9%) have shattered their phone screens up to five times in the past year. Apple users struggle with repair costs, with more than a third (35.2%) spending up to $250, and almost 12% of respondents forking out as much as $500 to fix their smashed phone screens.

In the lead up to the launch of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone 16, Vodafone is helping customers avoid costly repairs with the introduction of $0 first screen replacement for those who sign up to Vodafone Device Care at a cost of $14.99/mth plus service fees.

Vodafone will repair the first screen for $0 instead of the standard fee of $45.

For chronic screen smashers or those experiencing this phone-omenon for the first time, Vodafone Device Care will be $0 for your first screen replacement, so those looking to protect their phone can experience even greater peace of mind, Vodafone said.

With Vodafone Device Care, customers can leave the stress and exorbitant screen repair costs behind with access to phone screen replacements, and mobile phone exchanges for any reason, said a Vodafone spokesperson.

When it comes to accidentally smashing phones, Australians are a creative lot. While some reported throwing it into a wall when it doesnt do what its supposed to, another responded, it was in my hand when I tried to catch a falling tin of peaches.

Here is a list of the top ways Aussies are smashing their phone screens:

Pocket Plummeter: 70% dropped their phone while taking it out of their pocket or bag

Social Stumbler: 17% were texting or scrolling on social media when it slipped out of their hand

Selfie Smasher: 13% were snapping a pic when their phone slipped out of their hands

Screen Stomper: 6% had their phone screen stepped on or crushed

Run Club Fumbler: 6% dropped their phone while going for a run

Baby Bumbler: 5% had their kid drop and smash their phone



Other data includes:

Tasmania (27.8%), South Australia (22.5%), Australian Capital Territory (21.7%) and New South Wales (21.6%) are the states most likely to not repair smashed phone screen because it is too expensive.

Australian Capital Territory residents broke their phone screen the least in the last 12 months with only 35% reporting theyd broken it in the last 12 months, compared to over half of Queensland (55%) and the Northern Territory (78%) residents.
Boom Supersonic said Monday it has completed the second test flight of its XB-1 demonstrator that also included a first test of the planes landing gear.

The second test flight took place at the same Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, Calif., facility as the first on March 22. Chief test pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg was at the controls.

Up next: the possibility of the first supersonic flight of its Overture aircraft later this year.

Successful completion of XB-1s second flight is yet another milestone in a year that has moved Boom closer than ever to delivering supersonic flight to the world, said Blake Scholl, founder and chief executive of Boom. We continue to target breaking the sound barrier by the end of this year.

Boom reached a key milestone June 17 with the completion of its $500 million superfactory at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The Denver-based manufacturer has pledged to create at least 1,781 jobs at full production.

According to Boom executive Kathy Savitt, the Overture timeline at PTI remains as follows:

2024:Equipment installation;

2025: Equipment assembly;

2026: First Overture rollout;

2027: First test flight;

2029: Federal Aviation Administration certification; and

2029: First passenger flights.

The second test flight also involved use of its digital stability augmentation system, as well as tufting was applied to the right wing in order to verify aerodynamic characteristics.

NASA defines tufting as a means for testing models of proposed aircraft and engine components to provide diagnostic information about the flow of air around the model.

Tufts are small lengths of string that are frayed on the ends. They are attached to the surface and as the air flows over the model, the tufts are blown and point downstream. Tufts can indicate regions of unsteady flow when recorded by film or video.

In July, Boom utilized Tuesday the influential U.K. Farnborough International Airshow to announce several new operational developments for its Overture aircraft and Symphony engine.

The latest developments involve:

A new flight deck developed from reviewing aviation safety practices and responding to feedback from pilots in the airline, business and military sectors;

An update on the Symphony development, with hardware testing underway and the first full-scale engine core projected to be operational in just 18 months;

Advanced Integration Technology has joined the Symphony development program, while Universal Avionics is coming onboard to support Honeywell on Overtures flight deck.

Announcing it will partner with StandardAero to place full Symphony production and testing at its San Antonio plant.

Overture is expected to be the first large commercial aircraft to have a net-zero carbon impact from Day One, running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel.

The completion of the 170,000-square-foot factory shell at PTI represents a key symbolic milestone for one of the highest-risk, highest-reward projects in Triad and U.S. manufacturing history.

Its also the most tangible, hands-on example of how far Boom is ahead of its eight global competitors in their common goal of resuming supersonic flight following the grounding of the Concorde in 2003.

The aircraft is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 over water with a range of 4,250 nautical miles.

At Mach 1, the prototype can fly at the speed of sound, which is 761 miles per hour. Each one-tenth beyond Mach 1 represents a 10% increase beyond the speed of sound, so Mach 1.1 is 10% faster, Mach 1.2 is 20% faster and Mach 1.3 is 30% faster.

The initial Boom projection is producing up to 33 Overture aircraft annually at a projected price tag of $200 million.

In keeping with Booms ambitious nature since its January 2022 commitment to the PTI facility, Scholl said during the June 2024 ribbon-cutting ceremony the manufacturer plans to eventually double annual production, which would require another plant that could add another 600 jobs.

The baseline plan is to build one more just like it here, Scholl said.

So, well double up production, and weve got designs on the third one as well, that would fit right here on the same site.
The Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a non-governmental think tank based in Beijing that focuses on globalization, global governance and international relations, partnered with Springer Nature Group to launch a new book on Aug. 22.

The book, "Enhancing Global Governance in a Fragmented World: Prospects, Issues, and the Role of China," compiles insights from 30 leading global thinkers. It is part of the "China and Globalization" series, addressing issues like climate change, economic inequality and geopolitical conflicts.

The Center for China and Globalization (CCG) hosts a book launch event on Aug. 22. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Nearly 30 experts, researchers and contributing authors from more than 10 countries, including Singapore, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Italy, Malaysia and the United States, participated in the launch event both online and offline to discuss global governance trends, explore solutions to urgent global challenges, and seek ways to advance a more inclusive future.

CCG Founder and President Wang Huiyao, volume co-editor of "Enhancing Global Governance in a Fragmented World," said it advocates for improved global governance through enhanced cooperation and inclusive strategies, emphasizing China's role in addressing these challenges.

Leana Li, regional director for books for China at Springer Nature Group, said the book arrived at a crucial time, noting its relevance as the world faces growing divisions and complex cross-border challenges.

Ong Keng Yong, executive deputy chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, emphasized the urgency for enhanced global governance. He called for new cooperation norms based on mutual trust, respect and reciprocal benefits, urging adherence to principles in the U.N. Charter and other key international documents.

David Morris, president of 1EarthVillage and former Australian diplomat, said the shift to a multipolar world is reshaping global thinking and civilization's foundational elements.

"Over the last few hundred years, we've been used to a European framework of thinking," Morris said, adding that moving to a more inclusive world requires "a whole new way of thinking."

The covers of the book "Enhancing Global Governance in a Fragmented World: Prospects, Issues, and the Role of China." [Photo by Liao Jiaxin /China.org.cn]

The book is available free online to the public and academics, aiming to broaden its impact and foster wider discussions on global issues.
A former Kearney man was sentenced in Nebraska federal court Tuesday after he was convicted of fraud worth $750,000 against Speedway Properties.

Jeffery Sikes was sentenced to nine years in prison by Senior United States District Judge John Gerrard.

From April 2013 through July 2014, Sikes devised a scheme against Speedway Properties where Sikes and Vanguard, a limited liability company, contacted Speedway about leasing a property it owned.

According to the plea agreement, Sikes told Speedway representatives he was looking to establish a laboratory space in Lincoln.

Sikes proposed the idea that Speedway would provide $750,000 in financing for the buildout of the lab.

Before the buildout could proceed, Sikes told Speedway that Vanguard would guarantee all amounts owed under the lease agreement.

Balance sheets showing Vanguard's cash flow between 2010 and 2013 were shown to Speedway, but the information provided was fake and misrepresented Vanguard's financial condition.

In June 2013, Vanguard and Speedway signed a lease agreement for the commercial property in Lincoln. According to the plea agreement, Speedway would loan Vanguard $750,000.

After signing the lease, Vanguard contracted with ADC Corporation, a company controlled by Sikes, to make ADC the general contractor for the construction project.

Through ADC, Sikes provided false invoices representing bills paid to subcontractors for work performed or materials supplied to Speedway.

Sikes took the funds disbursed from the false invoices and used them for himself, according to court records. He was set to be sentenced in Nebraska federal court in January 2018, but he fled to Alabama.

Then Sikes  along with other Nebraskans with Kearney ties  set fire to three Walmarts in Alabama and Mississippi in 2021 with customers inside.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison for those crimes.

United States District Judge Terry Moorer also ordered Sikes and his co-defendants to pay $7,295,533 in restitution.

Moorer sentenced six members of the conspiracy in total. Brothers Alexander Olson, 23, and Quinton Olson, 22, received 15 years and three years, respectively; Sikes' wife, Erica Sikes, 41, and Jenna Bottorff, 38, each received four years; and Mikaya Scheele, 29, received two years.

Top Journal Star photos for August 2024
A 16-year-old Lincoln teen was sentenced Tuesday after pleading no contest to beating a 22-year-old man and robbing him at gunpoint in March.

Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret sentenced Kaeydan Gonzales to 10 to 17 years for robbery, terroristic threats and using a firearm to commit a felony.

Gonzales was arrested April 26 during a traffic stop after officers with the Lincoln Police Department smelled the odor of marijuana and then searched the black Toyota Camry he was in.

Inside, officers found 43.4 grams of marijuana, two THC cartridges and two handguns.

Officers checked the serial number of the guns and discovered one of the handguns was stolen.

After his arrest, police reviewed the contents of Gonzales' phone.

Investigators found a video from March that showed a person believed to be Gonzales pointing a gun at the 22-year-old man.

Police say the video depicts Gonzales telling the victim to strip naked and ordering him to the ground before kicking him in the head several times.

Gonzales stole the 22-year-old's iPhone and clothes.

In an interview with the victim, he told police he had lost consciousness for a short time during the assault.

Investigators believe the victim was called to the area of North 35th and Gladstone streets, where the assault occurred, because Gonzales had accused him of snitching on his brother Kaeylab Gonzales, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Both brothers were being investigated by Lincoln police for selling marijuana.

Kaeylab Gonzales was charged on Aug. 15 for the first-degree murder of Francisco Alvis, as well as use of a firearm to commit a felony, unlawful discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Top Journal Star photos for August 2024
1. Yes. They look better and require less maintenance. Most high-end housing areas have them.

2. Yes. Wood fences can weather and look unsightly, plus masonry walls help to block sound.

3. No. Residents should have a choice of what kind of barriers are put up near their homes.

4. No. Allowing a variety of materials will be better for aesthetics, and costs may be lower.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say. Masonry walls may be sturdier, but mandating them is problematic.

Vote

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A trainee practices making hand-pulled noodles at a vocational school in Dongxiang County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, May 28, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Northwest China's Gansu Province has introduced its first support policy system for the Lanzhou beef noodles industry, aiming to establish over 10,000 physical stores, including more than 1,000 overseas, by the end of 2026.

By then, Gansu is expected to have over 50 pre-packaged enterprises in the industry, the provincial government announced at a press conference on Monday.

The comprehensive policy system, which covers the entire industry chain from storefronts to pre-packaging and related sectors, includes detailed plans for raw material supply, market expansion, enterprise development, scientific and technological innovation, standardization, branding, taxation and human resource support.

Lanzhou, the provincial capital, plans to cultivate and introduce a total of 1,000 marketing and management professionals for the beef noodles industry by the end of 2026. The city has also prepared financial support such as startup guarantee loans ranging from 300,000 yuan (about 42,170 U.S. dollars) to 10 million yuan for enterprises that meet its policy requirements.

With a history of about 200 years, Lanzhou beef noodles consist of a flavorful, clear broth, shaved beef, tender radish slices and chewy handmade noodles.

In 2021, the craftsmanship of making Lanzhou beef noodles was listed as China's national intangible cultural heritage.
State lawmakers have long since finished their long, 17-day special session in Lincoln and returned home. The summer session unfolded as a lot of people, including me, expected  a lot of ideas for reducing property taxes were discussed.

However, only a small, incremental change was achieved, one that will result in a 3% drop in property taxes for some taxpayers.

As weve discussed before, reducing property taxes, while a noble and needed move, is a complicated task and requires an adept hike across a political minefield.

The plan finally advanced by Gov. Jim Pillen whipped up a cyclone of controversy by requiring a major shift of taxes  a shift that benefitted some taxpayers (including the governor and his hog operations) and handed a larger tax bill to others.

But the state Legislature did make one worthy change by eliminating the need for taxpayers to request a state tax credit.

I always thought it was a bad idea to require people to do some complicated calculations and fill out a line on a state income tax form to get a tax refund.

Why not just send people a check, I wondered?

A little background: The state Legislature, over the years, has adopted two state credits against payments of local property taxes in an attempt to lower property taxes paid to support K-12 schools.

One, the older one, shows up as a discount on your annual property tax statement that arrives in the mailbox each fall. A line on the form tells you how much less you have to pay.

The other one  the one were talking about now  was adopted four years ago, and it requires taxpayers to claim the credit on their annual state income tax form.

The rationale for this special filing was that taxpayers didnt really see the older tax

break the state was providing amid the lines of figures detailed on the annual property tax statement.

The state wasnt getting full credit for the tax breaks it was providing, one senator said, reasoning that if taxpayers had to file for the credit on a state income tax form, they will realize that the Legislature is working to reduce property taxes.

Well, that never fully came to pass.

Up to 45% of taxpayers never filed to get the refund via their state income tax filing, leaving millions in credits (more than $250 million in the most recent year) unclaimed.

That aint chicken feed, folks.

I dont know about you, but if someone wants to give me money, send me a check, dont make me do some mathematical gymnastics and fill out a line on a form.

State officials expected that taxpayers, over time, would become more aware of the need to file for the refund. But that doesnt appear to have happened.

Two years ago, officials told me that 40% of taxpayers had failed to file for the credit. But during the special session, that figure had somehow increased to up to 45%.

How that happened wasnt fully explained, though my guess is that the Pillen administration  which has rightly been seeking to do away with the need to ask for the refund  felt that if nearly half of taxpayers were missing out on a tax break, it would be easier to sell such a change.

For good measure, state senators added an additional $185 million on top of the $565 million in tax relief that was already being provided through the income tax credit. And they put some new spending restrictions on counties and local municipalities.

To be clear, the only people getting additional property tax relief are those who failed to file for their tax break. But something is better than nothing, they say.

Some senators complained that what the Legislature passed was the absolute minimum that could be provided. And Pillen, at his post-special session press conference, expressed frustration, though he signed the three bills that were praised as a big deal.

Those measures side-stepped the most controversial proposals by the governor, such as elimination of tax exemptions on sales of things like candy, auto repair services and purchases of farm and business equipment. And the bills didnt, as once proposed, remove a fair amount of local control over K-12 schools.

Politics is the art of the possible, is how Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor of Germany, once put it.

And the state Legislature passed what was politically possible.

Team Pillen has at least two more years to convince the Legislature that more is possible.
(Photo by Hyemin Lee)

Explore Boseong Green Tea Farm, nestled in the lush hills of Jeollanam-do Province, a peaceful oasis away from the bustle of daily life. This picturesque green tea field has earned a spot on CNNs list of 31 Beautiful Sights on This Incredible Planet.

Boseong County, along with Jeju Island, is South Koreas largest producer of green tea, contributing around 40% of the countrys supply.
People visit the booth of Chinese carmaker Xpeng during the 2023 International Motor Show in Munich, Germany, Sept. 5, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The European Commission's plan to impose tariffs of up to 36.3 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) has sparked concerns among industry experts and business insiders across Europe.



Critics argue that the move may worsen the competitiveness issues of the European Union (EU), hinder the region's green transition and escalate trade tensions with China rather than protect the European auto industry as intended.

Strong opposition

Michael Schumann, chairman of the Board of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, condemned the EU's proposal as "erroneous," emphasizing the association's strong opposition.



"The Chinese EV industry has become, and will continue to be, a global innovation benchmark," Schumann said, adding that Chinese automakers have made significant strides in smart technology, enhanced their research and development (R&D) capabilities, and actively invested in Europe's auto industry, contributing to the sector's evolution.

Tadas Povilauskas, an economist at SEB Bank in Lithuania, described the EU's investigations into Chinese auto industry subsidies as a "political move." He noted that the influx of Chinese EV imports will intensify competition for European automakers, driving them to seek ways to remain competitive.

Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary's Szazadveg Institute, labeled the EU's plan as "shortsighted," noting that it comes as European manufacturers struggle with declining EV sales in their core market, Europe.

Kiszelly argued that the root of Europe's competitiveness challenges lies within the EU rather than in China's subsidies.

"The best course of action would be to encourage competition to drive down prices and push European car manufacturers to innovate further," Kiszelly said. "Improvement is better achieved through competition than through isolation and decoupling."

Kiszelly pointed out that Western companies have benefited from their presence in China for decades and urged them to face competition from Chinese EV manufacturers rather than attempt to limit or ban them.

Hindering Europe's green transition

Experts and officials also expressed concerns about the potential contradiction between the EU's green ambitions and its tariff policies.



"The EU's temporary anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese EVs hinder mutually beneficial cooperation and obstruct the green and low-carbon transition," Schumann warned.

Luigi Gambardella, president of the Brussels-based international digital association ChinaEU, criticized the EU's protectionist measures, stating that they "risk stifling future advancements in mobility technologies."

He encouraged efforts to advance mutual investment, foster mutual growth and ensure that the benefits of EV technology are shared more widely.

"EVs are crucial for Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy," Gambardella said, pointing out that high costs already pose a significant barrier to widespread EV adoption. He argued that the proposed tariffs could further slow consumer adoption of electric vehicles, undermining Europe's climate goals and delaying the shift away from fossil fuels.

"We hope to see a greater variety of EV brands on the market, particularly cost-effective Chinese models, to accelerate Germany's green and low-carbon transition," Schumann said, highlighting China's role in the global green transformation of the transportation sector.

Croatian political analyst Mladen Plese said that the Europeans are returning to classic outdated technologies in the auto industry because of the high prices of EVs. "If the prices of EVs continue to be high, this will certainly continue, and this will threaten the green transition in Europe."

'Threat to current market conditions'

Experts are concerned about the potential long-term impact on the EU's auto industry and broader trade relations with China brought by the tariffs.



Triinu Prits, head of the foreign trade policy and international economic organizations' division at Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that while Estonia lacks an automotive industry, the EU's tariff measures would still affect the country's subcontractors, importers, car maintenance providers and consumers.

"Tariffs could make the European market less attractive to Chinese firms looking to collaborate or enter the European market," Gambardella warned. He said that protectionist measures are clearly "a threat to current market conditions" and could have far-reaching consequences for the future of mobility in Europe.

"Any political or economic measures, including potential countermeasures, could lead to unpredictable consequences," Prits said.
La Crescent city council members will consider a camping ban on all city-owned property in the Minnesota community next month in response to a potential influx of unsheltered people leaving La Crosse.

La Crosses city council banned camping on city-owned property two weeks ago. With no plan to house the 105 unsheltered people living outdoors in La Crosse, officials in La Crescent worry they may relocate to their smaller city across the river.

By aligning our policies with those of neighboring municipalities, we can present a united front in managing this issue and mitigate the displacement effects that may arise from La Crosses recent ordinance, La Crescent police chief Luke Ahlschlager said in a memo to council members.

Council members directed the city attorney, Skip Wieser, to draft La Crescents camping ban to be similar to La Crosse and Rochesters ordinances. The one exception from other cities will be in the event of festivals or other outdoor gatherings when residents and tourists typically camp.

The city will also draft resource pamphlets that can be passed out to people experiencing homelessness in La Crescent.

I think the goal of this would be not to give tickets, or give as a very last resort. Its more keeping peoples areas safe and clean as best we can, Wieser said.

La Crosses camping ban begins enforcement Aug. 28. Campers along the Vietnam Veterans Trail in La Crosse were given notices Aug. 16 that they need to vacate the trail and any possessions left behind will be thrown away.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday emphasized the need to actively respond to population aging and promote the high-quality development of elderly care services.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang presides over a study session held by the State Council in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 26, 2024. Li emphasized the need to actively respond to population aging and promote the high-quality development of elderly care services. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Li made the remarks at a study session held by the State Council.

Noting that population aging will be a basic part of the Chinese situation for quite some time to come, Li said it is not only necessary to attach great importance to the challenges brought about by aging, but also to recognize the new development opportunities that aging presents.

Li stressed the need to develop home and community-based elderly care services, improve the rural elderly care services network, and support local governments in providing mutual-aid elderly care based on actual local conditions.

To respond to the care needs of elderly people with disabilities, Li called for efforts to promote the integration of medical and health care with elderly care, increase the supply of nursing home beds, and develop long-term care services.

The government will strengthen financial security to support the elderly, improve the unified national management system for basic old-age insurance funds, and develop a multi-tiered and multi-pillar old-age insurance system, he said.

He called for active efforts to tap into elderly human resources and create diverse jobs that are tailored to the population group.

He also stressed the importance of expanding and improving the silver economy to meet the needs of the elderly in an improved manner.

Wu Yushao, a professor at Fudan University, gave a lecture at the session. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, State Councilor Wang Xiaohong and State Councilor Shen Yiqin participated in discussions.

China, like many other nations, is undergoing a demographic shift. By the end of 2023, the population aged 60 or above had reached 297 million, including 217 million people aged 65 or above, which accounted for 15.4 percent of the total population.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday held a Bauhinia Culture Forum to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the launching ceremony of the Bauhinia Academician Lecture.

The event brought together experts, academicians, and leaders from various sectors, including representatives from the United States, Britain, Serbia, Indonesia, as well as the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.

Together, they reviewed the glorious history since the founding of New China over the past 75 years and the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao, and shared the entrepreneurial stories of scientists.

Addressing the Bauhinia Academician Lecture, Chen Qingquan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the importance attached to and urgent requirements by China for science and technology are unprecedented, China's care and expectations for scientists are unprecedented, and the opportunities for scientists to realize their ideal talents are unprecedented.

Hong Kong should give full play to its unique advantages and contribute to the development of China's new quality productive forces, Chen said.
Tarator is the Bulgarian national soup, which is always served cold. This first dish is very easy and quick to prepare, because you don't need to boil or fry anything. In addition, it is very tasty and refreshing, which is so necessary in the summer.

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How to properly prepare tarator, foodblogger Myroslava Pekariuk told on Instagram. Another feature of this dish is its price. As a result, tarator turns out to be not only delicious, but quite budget-friendly.

Ingredients

Cucumbers - 1 pc

Garlic - 2 cloves

Walnuts - 2 pcs

Greek yogurt - 300 gr

Water - 200 ml

Linseed oil

Sunflower seeds

Dill

Salt

Method of preparation

1. Finely chop dill, peel cucumbers and cut into thin slices, chop nuts.

2. Mix dill, cucumbers, nuts in a deep bowl, add squeezed garlic, salt, drizzle with flaxseed oil and mix.

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3. In a separate bowl, dilute yogurt with water (to the consistency of kefir), pour this liquid over our tarator and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top.
By Somrak Chaisingkananont

During my first visit to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, from July 26-31, I had the opportunity to explore the rich tapestry of Bashu culture and experience the various historical and cultural aspects of the province's development. Assoc.prof. Zirong Song, Zijun Shen, Wen Song, Yunyi Chen and Zijun Shens research team from the Department of Foreign Languages at Sichuan University of Media and Communications guided me on visits to the archaeological sites of Jinsha and the Sanxingdui Museum. Through these visits, I gained a deeper understanding of the ancient kingdom of Shu , the origin of Bashu culture.

Recent archaeological discoveries at Sanxingdui and Jinsha, thought to be sites of Shu culture, indicate the presence of a unique civilization in this region before the Qin conquest in 316 BCE. Although I had read articles about the excavation of numerous masks made from both gold and bronze, I was stunned when I saw the vast number of actual artifacts, including pottery, jade, bronze weapons, the Golden Sun Bird made of gold leaf, kneeling stone figures, human skeletons in burial graves, diverse types of bronze masks, gold artifacts, and the huge bronze tree with nine birds. The Golden Sun Bird motif is used by the city of Chengdu as a logo to represent China's cultural heritage. The Sanxingdui and Jinsha ruins provide evidence of a large-scale civilization that confirms the multicultural history of Chinese civilization.

Another noteworthy observation is that Chinese students and adult tourists lined up to buy tickets to both museums. The research team mentioned that, due to the summer break and the domestic tourism promotion policy, many people came to visit and learn about the history of Chinese civilization. A significant aspect of Xi Jinping's cultural policy is the promotion of 'cultural confidence,' which involves fostering a sense of pride and identity in Chinas rich cultural heritage. The crowded tourists at the two museum sites reflect that President Xi Jinping's emphasis on the protection of cultural relics and cultural heritage, as well as his appreciation for the charm of Chinese culture, has been well received by the Chinese people.

In addition, I think Thai tourists are not very familiar with these two museums. Most visitors to Chengdu focus on beautiful natural attractions, ancient cities, and shopping districts. Including these two museums in tour company programs would help foreign tourists appreciate the grandeur of this unique ancient civilization.

Protecting and preserving over 17,000 cultural relics uncovered from the Sanxingdui Site is a very challenging task. When I visited the exhibition Craftsmanship and Ingenuity: Showcase of Preservation and Restoration Achievements of Newly Excavated Cultural Relics from the Sanxingdui Site, I learned about the splendid work involved in the collaborative working model of 'multi-team cooperation.' The Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute and the Sanxingdui Museum have partnered with 16 cultural heritage research institutions, sharing resources and interconnecting technologies to conduct a series of preservation, restoration, and research projects. Importantly, they discovered traces of decayed silk that date back more than 3,000 years. This is evidence that this ancient civilization was connected to the ancient Silk Road.

The intersection of tradition and innovation is evident in Sichuan's approach to cultural preservation. Modern technology is employed to document and study cultural heritage, utilizing digital tools to create virtual archives and interactive exhibits. This integration of science and technology ensures that Bashu culture is preserved for future generations while adapting to contemporary methods of knowledge dissemination.

My research interest on Bashu culture focuses on the transmission of intangible cultural heritage, with particular attention to the traditional craftsmanship like Shu Brocade and Embroidery, which highlight the cultural richness of Sichuan. The Bashu research team facilitated my visit to the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum, where I observed an exhibition that showcased the complex looms used for weaving the intricate patterns of Shu brocade. The exhibition noted that four models of Shu brocade looms were unearthed from a tomb in Chengdu and later reconstructed for a textile factory during the Han Dynasty. Throughout China's dynastic history, Shu brocade and embroidery were initially developed to fulfill the demands of the royal family and nobility. Research into the traditional diverse patterns of Shu brocade and embroidery has led to the development of new, refined artistic patterns, enhanced by innovative technology and artistic creativity. The gallery's display of intricate embroidery stitches and the unique techniques created by master artisans left a lasting impression on me, particularly the vibrant and breathtaking dual-sided embroidery artworks.

During my visit, I observed young female embroiderers meticulously weaving brightly colored threads to create intricate patterns, including the minute details in depictions of pandas. The precision of their stitches reflects their dedication and focused effort. In an informal interview, one embroiderer shared that her interest in this cultural heritage began in high school, leading her to become an apprentice in Shu embroidery. She receives a salary while learning and practicing the craft under the guidance of a master, with her smaller embroidery works being sold to tourists. These crafts not only serve as cultural symbols but also attract tourists, generating substantial revenue and creating job opportunities.

Shu embroidery faces significant challenges in terms of inheritance and sustainability due to its time-consuming and costly creation process, which makes it much more expensive than contemporary products. In response, the government has implemented measures to safeguard this valuable intangible cultural heritage. Recognizing the importance of transmitting these traditional crafts, Sichuan has integrated Bashu culture into its educational framework, highlighting its significance in both academic and extracurricular activities. Schools and universities now offer specialized programs in traditional arts and crafts, ensuring that younger generations gain the necessary knowledge and skills to preserve their cultural heritage.

Drawing from my experience studying the preservation and transmission of Thai intangible cultural heritage, I have observed that attracting the younger generation to appreciate and inherit this heritage requires substantial support. Government, institutions, or non-governmental organizations should assist cultural heritage transmitters in earning a living, enabling them to devote time to learning, practicing, and refining their cultural skills. Unfortunately, Thai government agencies lack the budget for such comprehensive support. Their efforts are primarily focused on finding markets for products and giving awards to national artists or local wisdom teachers. Consequently, the number of Thai inheritors of intangible cultural heritage is declining, putting many forms of this heritage at risk.

In contrast, the Chinese government's proactive approach in developing human resources and employing inheritors of intangible cultural heritage is commendable, as mastering such heritage is a lengthy process that requires years of dedication before one can create unique works. Additionally, cultural centers and museums dedicated to Bashu heritage serve as educational hubs, fostering social inclusivity and cultural appreciation.

According to Xi Jinpings policies, the Chinese government provides substantial support to local governments and institutions in Sichuan for the preservation and promotion of local cultures. This support includes funding, resources, and policy backing for initiatives aimed at preserving Bashu culture, as well as fostering local innovation and cultural development projects. Further research into these policies could reveal their impact on Bashu culture in a modern context, particularly regarding how they influence both the cultural richness and economic development of Sichuan.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Zijun Shen and his research team from the Department of Foreign Languages at Sichuan University of Media and Communications and Foreign Experts Bureau of Sichuan for their invitation and warm hospitality throughout this trip. The program provided an invaluable opportunity for foreign scholars like me to explore Bashu culture, conduct on-site observations, and promote Bashu culture on an international scale. This marks the beginning of what I hope will be fruitful research collaboration and academic exchanges.

In summary, my experiences in Chengdu offered a comprehensive understanding of Bashu culture, Chinas developmental trajectory, and its global initiatives. Chinas historical depth, combined with its contemporary strategies, demonstrates a dynamic approach to growth and international engagement. The principles of mutual learning among civilizations, the "Belt and Road" initiative, and the vision of a shared future reflect Chinas commitment to positively contributing to global development and fostering a more interconnected world.(,,,,Somrak Chaisingnanomont)







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Efforts to enforce Macaus strict e-cigarette regulations continue to intensify, with authorities seizing hundreds of devices so far this year.

Between January and June, local authorities confiscated about 200 e-cigarette devices and 10,000 cartridges, as part of efforts to crack down on illegal imports through online shopping, couriers and personal transport.

Since a 2018 ban on e-cigarette sales took effect, authorities have recorded 193 suspected instances of the law being broken.

In 2023 alone, about 700 e-cigarette devices and nearly 59,000 cartridges were seized, as authorities intensify monitoring, inspections and confiscations.

Individuals face fines of up to MOP4,000 for violations, while tobacco shops risk penalties ranging between MOP20,000 and MOP200,000.

Macau has significantly escalated efforts to combat the illegal import and use of e-cigarettes, implementing stricter regulations and enforcement measures to promote a smoke-free lifestyle among residents.

The Health Bureau and Macao Customs are focusing on preventing youth access and exposure to e-cigarettes.

They aim to minimize the products availability and discourage use among residents, in line with laws passed in 2017 and 2022 further prohibiting the manufacturing, distribution and import of e-cigarettes. VC
Crown Resorts Ltd. has announced CEO Ciaran Carruthers will step down at the end of the year, with current president and chief operating officer David Tsai assuming the role of acting CEO from Sept. 1.

During his tenure, Crown implemented significant changes and secured approvals from regulators in Victoria and New South Wales.

In a statement, Crown Resorts chairman John Borghetti praised Carruthers critical work that resulted in the company retaining licenses in key markets.

It has been a privilege to work alongside Ciaran during this period of transformation and remediation, Borghetti said, noting the implementation of harm minimization programs and other compliance upgrades.

More regulatory steps remain for Crowns Perth casino, but insiders say Carruthers leadership positioned the company for continued success.

Carruthers departure comes after Crown was cleared to operate in Melbourne and Sydney following detailed reviews of its past practices. He formerly served as chief operating officer at Wynn Macau Ltd.

Tsai will take over as acting CEO while Crown searches for a permanent replacement. VC
Salamba Ndiaye was 22 when she first tried to get to Spain, dreaming of a career as a real estate agent. Without her parents knowledge, she made it onto a small fishing boat known as a pirogue, but the Senegalese police intercepted the vessel before it could leave.

A year later Ndiaye tried again, successfully making it off the coast but this time a violent storm forced the boat to stop in Morocco, where Ndiaye and the other passengers were sent back to Senegal.

Despite her two failed attempts, the 28-year-old is determined to try again. Right now, if they told me there was a boat going to Spain, I would leave this interview and get on it, she said.

Ndiaye is one of thousands of young Senegalese who try to leave the West African country each year to head to Spain, fleeing poverty and the lack of job opportunities. Most head to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa, which is used as a stepping stone to continental Europe.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 22,300 people have landed on the Canary Islands, 126% more than the same period last year, according to statistics released by Spains Interior Ministry.

Earlier this year, the EU signed a 210 million euro deal with Mauritania to stop smugglers from launching boats for Spain. But the deal has had little effect on migrant arrivals for now.

The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia this week to tackle irregular migration. The West African nations are the main launching pads for migrants traveling by boat.

The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest in the world. While there is no accurate death toll because of the lack of information on departures from West Africa, the Spanish migrant rights group Walking Borders estimates the victims are in the thousands this year alone.

Migrant boats that get lost or run into problems often vanish in the Atlantic, with some drifting across the ocean for months until they are found in the Caribbean and Latin America carrying only human remains.

But the danger of the route is not a deterrent for those like Ndiaye, who are desperate to make a better living for themselves and their families in Europe. Barsa wala Barsakh, or Barcelona or die in Wolof, one of Senegals national languages, is a common motto of those who brave the deadly route.

Even if we stay here, we are in danger, said Cheikh Gueye, 46, a fisherman from Thiaroye-sur-Mer, the same village on the outskirts of Senegals capital that Ndiaye is from.

If you are sick and you cant pay for treatment, arent you in danger? So, we take our chances, either we get there, or we dont, he added.

Gueye also attempted to reach Europe though the Atlantic route but only made it to Morocco following bad weather, and was sent back to Senegal.

Like many inhabitants of Thiaroye-sur-Mer, he used to make a decent living as a fisherman before fish stocks started to deplete a decade ago due to overfishing.

These big boats have changed things, before even kids could catch some fish here with a net, Gueye said, pointing at the shallow water.

Now we have to go more than 50 kilometers out before we find fish and even then we dont find enough, just a little, he adds.

Gueye and Ndiaye blame the fishing agreements between Senegal and the European Union and China, which allow foreign industrial trawlers to fish in Senegalese waters. The agreements impose limits on what they can haul in, but monitoring what the large boats from Europe, China and Russia harvest has proven difficult.

Ahead of the Spanish prime ministers visit to Senegal on Wednesday, Ndiayes mother, Fatou Niang, 67, says the Senegalese and Spanish governments should focus on giving young people in the West African country job opportunities to deter them from migrating.

These kids dont know anything but the sea, and now the sea has nothing. If you do something for the youth, they wont leave, Niang says.

But if not, well, we cant make them stay. Theres no work here, she said. MARK BANCHEREAU, THIAROYE-SUR-MER, MDT/AP
The founder and CEO of the messaging service Telegram was detained at a Paris airport on an arrest warrant alleging his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses, French media reported on Sunday.

Pavel Durov, a dual citizen of France and Russia, was taken into custody at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday evening after landing in France from Azerbaijan, according to broadcasters LCI and TF1.

Investigators from the National Anti-Fraud Office, attached to the French customs department, notified Durov, 39, that he was being placed in police custody, the broadcasters said.

Durovs representatives couldnt be immediately reached for comment.

French prosecutors declined to comment on Durovs arrest when contacted by The Associated Press on Sunday, in line with regulations during an ongoing investigation.

French media reported that the warrant for Durov was issued by France at the request of the special unit at the countrys interior ministry in charge of investigating crimes against minors. Those include online sexual exploitation, such as possession and distribution of child sexual abuse content and grooming for sexual purposes.

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother in the wake of the Russian governments crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, adopting regulations that forced internet providers to block websites and cellphone operators to store call records and messages that could be shared with security services.

In the increasingly repressive environment, Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news. In 2018, Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor moved to block Telegram over its refusal to hand over encryption keys, but ultimately failed to fully restrict access to the app.

Telegram continued to be widely used  including by government institutions  and the ban was dropped two years later. In March 2024, Roskomnadzor said that Telegram was working with the Russian government to a certain extent and had removed more than 256,000 posts with prohibited content at Roskomnadzors request.

Telegram also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war, and deliver missile and air raid alerts.

In a statement posted on its platform, Telegram said it abides by EU laws including the digital services act, and its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

Durov, the company added, has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform, Telegrams post said. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. Were awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.

A French judicial official suggested that Durov could appear before a judge later Sunday to determine whether he will remain in custody. The official wasnt authorized to be named publicly during an ongoing investigation.

If the person concerned is to be brought before a judge today, it is only in the context of the possible extension of his police custody measure  a decision that must be taken and notified by an investigating judge, the official said.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for lack of content moderating on the messaging service, which experts say opens up the messaging platform for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and allowing the sharing of content linked to sexual exploitation of minors.

Compared to other messaging platforms, Telegram is less secure (and) more lax in terms of policy and detection of illegal content, said David Thiel, a Stanford University researcher, who has investigated the use of online platforms for child exploitation, at its Internet Observatory.

In addition, Telegram appears basically unresponsive to law enforcement, Thiel said, adding that messaging service WhatsApp submitted over 1.3 million CyberTipline reports in 2023 (and) Telegram submits none.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of 5.125 million euros ($5 million) against the operators of Telegram for failing to comply with German law. The Federal Office of Justice said that Telegram FZ-LLC hasnt established a lawful way for reporting illegal content or named an entity in Germany to receive official communication.

Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.

Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram over its failure to surrender data on neo-Nazi activity related to a police inquiry into school shootings in November.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of social media site X whos called himself a free speech absolutist in the past, posted #freePavel in support of Durov following the arrest.

Russian government officials expressed outrage at Durovs arrest, with some highlighting what they said was the Wests double standard on freedom of speech. BARBARA SURK, NICE, MDT/AP
Gunmen in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 31 people in two separate attacks yesterday and security forces killed 12 insurgents, officials said, in one of the deadliest days of violence in the restive Baluchistan province, with reports of other shootings and destruction in the area.

Twenty-three people were fatally shot after being identified and taken from buses, vehicles and trucks in Musakhail, a district in Baluchistan, senior police official Ayub Achakzai said. The attackers burned at least 10 vehicles before fleeing.

In a separate attack, gunmen killed at least nine people, including four police officers and five passersby, in Qalat district also in Baluchistan, authorities said.

Insurgents blew up a railway track in Bolan, attacked a police station in Mastung and attacked and burned vehicles in Gwadar, all districts in Baluchistan. No casualties were reported in those attacks.

Baluchistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces. The separatists have been demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in Baluchistan has persisted.

The attack in Musakhail came hours after the outlawed Baluch Liberation Army separatist group warned people to stay away from highways as they launched attacks on security forces in various parts of the province.

But there there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest killings.

In a statement yesterday, the BLA only said it inflicted heavy losses on security forces in attacks in the province. Pakistans military and government did not immediately comment on that claim. The group often provides exaggerated figures of troop casualties.

Separatists are known to ask people for their ID cards, and then abduct or kill those who are from outside the province. Many recent victims have come from neighboring Punjab province.

Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, denounced the latest killings, saying the attacks are a matter of grave concern and urging the Baluchistan provincial government to step up efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement that security forces in Baluchistan responded to the latest attacks, killing 12 insurgents. He said authorities would reveal who was behind the latest attacks after completing an investigation, but noted that terrorists and their facilitators will have no place to hide in the country.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Naqvi in separate statements called the attack in Musakhail barbaric and vowed that those behind it would not escape justice.

Later, Naqvi also condemned the killings in Qalat

In May, gunmen fatally shot seven barbers in Gwadar, a port city in Baluchistan.

In April, separatists killed nine people after abducting them from a bus on a highway in Baluchistan, and the attackers also killed two people and wounded six in another car they forced to stop. BLA claimed responsibility for those attacks at the time.

Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said the latest killings of non-Baluch people are an attempt by separatists to harm the province economically.

Ali told The Associated Press that most such attacks are carried out with the aim to economically weaken Baluchistan, noting that the weakening of Baluchistan means the weakening of Pakistan.

He said insurgent attacks could hamper development work being done in the province.

Separatists in Baluchistan have often killed workers and others from the countrys eastern Punjab region as part of a campaign to force them to leave the province, which for years has experienced a low-level insurgency.

Most such previous killings have been blamed on the outlawed group and others demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. The Pakistani Taliban also have a presence in the province, and they are closely connected to the BLA.

In a separate attack yesterday in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a roadside bomb killed four people and wounded 12 others in North Waziristan district, said local administration official Abid Khan.

ABDUL SATTAR, QUETTA, MDT/AP
In collaboration with the Hengqin Guangdong-Macau Deep Cooperation Zone, the Investment Promotion Bureau has embarked on a five-day tour across six cities in the Greater Bay Area to attract investment. The team visited 16 key enterprises, focusing on industries such as traditional Chinese medicine, finance and high-tech sectors. Companies expressed enthusiasm for Macaus favorable business environment, notably its low tax system and recent regulatory reforms. This initiative is part of Macaus strategy to diversify its economy and enhance its international market presence, targeting expansion into regions like Southeast Asia and Europe.

Related
Malaysian authorities were working yesterday to salvage a 45-year-old fast attack naval ship that sank after it struck an unknown underwater object.

The navy said in a statement that a leak was first detected in the engine room of the KD Pendekar on Sunday, which quickly flooded the vessel. The crew failed to fix the hole and the 260-ton ship sank underwater hours later off the coast of southern Johor state, it said. All 39 crew members were evacuated safely, with no injuries.

The leak is believed to be caused by the ship hitting an underwater object, it said, adding that salvage operations were underway. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident, it said.

Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin yesterday ordered an inspection of navy vessels over 40 years old, which make up at least a third of the countrys fleet. The Pendekar, built by Karlskrona Varvet Shipyard in Sweden, was commissioned into the Malaysian fleet in 1979.

We do not deny that (some of) our ships are old but that is not likely to be one of the causes  and the important thing is that thankfully no lives were lost, Khaled was quoted as saying by the Malay-language Harian Metro newspaper.

Khaled said a fleet modernization is ongoing, involving the construction of littoral combat ships with the first due to be commissioned in 2026. The ministry is also negotiating to purchase littoral missions ships from Turkiye, he said. MDT/AP
You are here: China

The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command will conduct a joint live-fire drill on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border starting on Tuesday, a spokesperson said on Tuesday morning.

The Theater Command spokesperson Tian Junli said in a news release that the command will deploy both ground and air forces for the exercise.

The drill aims to test the command's capabilities in reconnaissance and early warning, multidimensional blockade and firepower strike, he said.

The command's troops are always prepared to respond to various emergencies, resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, border stability, and the safety of people's lives and property, the statement said.
Macau has become a prime destination for luxury electric vehicle buyers, largely due to unrestricted tax exemptions for electric cars, according to lawmaker Ron Lam.

In a written submission to the government, Lam criticized the current tax exemption policies, arguing they are not only a waste of public funds, but also do not achieve the objective of promoting long-term environmental protection.

Macau has been granting tax exemptions to electric vehicles. Although the measures are favorable to the popularization of electric vehicles, there are no restrictions on the number of electric vehicles that can be owned or their maximum price, turning Macau into a tax haven for luxury electric vehicles, Lam said.

As an example, Lam noted that a luxury electric car that sells for approximately HKD838,000 in Hong Kong can be purchased for only HKD428,000 in Macau. This results in around HKD4 million less tax revenue for each car, while the environmental benefits obtained are not very significant, he said.

Lam has called on authorities to establish clear criteria for categorizing environmentally friendly vehicles and consider setting a maximum limit on the amount of tax relief available.

He also suggested promoting a one-for-one scheme to encourage vehicle owners to replace their old vehicles with new electric ones.

Furthermore, Lam questioned the exemptions for long-range fossil fuel vehicles and called for updating vehicle tax regulations to tax different vehicle types more reasonably and encourage businesses to buy electric trucks and vans.

The lawmakers request aimed to address these issues and better achieve environmental goals through tax policy reform.

Victoria Chan
Sam Hou Fai, the judge and president of the Court of Final Appeal (TUI), has been exonerated from his posts by the Chief Executive (CE) at his request, according to an executive order published yesterday in the governments official gazette.

The CE order, effective from Wednesday (Aug. 28), said Sam will be exonerated from his positions as president of the TUI and as a member of the independent commission responsible for nominating candidates for judicial positions.

It is believed this move is linked to earlier statements by Sam, indicating he is considering running for the position of Macaus next Chief Executive.

According to election rules, candidates for this position must step down from any roles of political or governmental influence before officially declaring their candidacy.

Sams exoneration aligns with the nomination period for candidates to run for the election of the sixth term of CE of Macau Special Administrative Region, which runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 12.

Speculation around Sams potential candidacy has grown since the current CE, Ho Iat Seng, announced last week that he would not seek re-election due to health issues.

In a statement to the media mid last week, Ho finally broke the silence over the matter, clarifying that his health has not been fully restored and expressing gratitude for the support he has received throughout his term.

I have profound feelings for Macau and have done my utmost for Macaus development, but since my health has not been fully restored, for the sake of Macaus long-term development, I have decided not to participate in the election for the sixth-term Chief Executive, he said.

According to the Chief Executive Election Law, high-ranking officials or judicial officers must resign or retire before the nomination period begins; otherwise, they cannot be nominated as candidates.

The election of the new CE is on Oct. 13 when a collegial committee of 400 people will vote to elect one candidate.

Since the first CE election in May 1999, when Edmund Ho was elected as the first-ever CE after defeating Stanley Au with around 83% of votes, all other election terms candidates have run uncontested.

Ho Iat Seng was the only one of three CEs so far who has not served two consecutive terms.
* Tax haven for lux e-cars

 Macau has become a prime destination for luxury electric vehicle buyers due to unrestricted tax exemptions, lawmaker Ron Lam denounces

* Environment | Incineration plant in Pac On completed

* Clearing the way | Sam Hou Fai requests exoneration ahead of CE elections

* MGTO has unveiled a MOP27 million international promotional campaign to revitalize tourism and attract global visitors

* Sands China Ltd may resume dividends in 2025: Seaport

* China conducts military patrols near border with war-ridden Myanmar

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Tuesday, August 27, 2024  edition no. 4554
VERONA  Epics User Group Meeting annually offers a themed surprise for thousands of visitors, so it was no shock when founder Judy Faulkner appeared on stage Tuesday in the companys Deep Space Auditorium dressed as Lady Swan, a variation on Mother Goose and in keeping with a larger storytelling motif.

What may have surprised the Deep Space crowd and thousands more watching around the world is that while artificial intelligence has already transformed many Epic Systems Corp. services, there is much more to unfold in the fairy tale story of Epics pioneering of health care software.

Some numbers put Epics UGM in context: People from health care systems, payor networks and more from all 50 U.S. states and 15 other countries were on hand in the 11,400-seat Deep Space venue when Faulkner and team updated how the companys software is being used.

That in-person audience and about 32,000 more online learned that Epics Cosmos database now contains anonymized records from 270 million patients, which helps researchers conduct better studies and doctors better assist patients. They heard about developments with Epics MyChart, which is a patient portal for appointments, care questions and more. They learned the company gets about 370,000 job applications per year, which feeds the growth of Epics workforce of 13,000 people  most of whom clustered on the ever-growing Verona campus. They also heard examples of why cybersecurity diligence is more vital than ever, especially when patient data is involved.

A long list of new Epic customers, called out during the Deep Space presentation, showed why the company is a world leader in electronic health records. It reportedly holds a larger market share than its closest competitor, Oracle Health/Cerner. Of course, Epic didnt get there by standing still after its humble start in a Madison basement in 1979.

Artificial intelligence is one reason. Speakers at UGM stressed AI has been in play with Epic products for years, with some 400 health systems using the companys predictive models for tasks ranging from estimating readmission rates to patient bills to drug-drug interactions that can be dangerous if not avoided. In fact, Faulkner said Epic alerts to caregivers have halted 78 million such instances over time, most likely saving lives in the process.

Whats new but already emerging in Epics software suite are uses of generative AI, such as automated response technology. Examples include a Look-Alikes function, which helps providers who care for patients with rare or mysterious diseases by finding similar patients elsewhere to examine treatment regimens. Another tool being tested would allow doctors to evaluate treatment options based on the outcomes of other patients in the database.

In all, the company is working on about 100 AI products for tasks large and small and, in some cases, designed to take time and human effort out of the process.

One demonstration during the UGM session in Deep Space involved Seth Hain, Epics senior vice president for research and development, using a cellphone to highlight how AI might help MyChart users in the future. An AI voice contacted Hain through his phone to see how he is recovering from wrist surgery. It asked him to rate his pain, instructed him to hold up his wrist so the phones camera could check range of motion, and compared his progress to others.

According to Cosmos data, your recovery is ahead of schedule for patients like you. Keep up the good work, the voice said.

The tool is not ready for prime time, Hain readily acknowledged, and there are health care providers who worry AI could undermine patient relationships versus nurturing them. Still, the AI phone check-in showed how AI can supplement patient care and help providers get better results.

The Epic story must continue to turn the page. Health care costs are high and some health systems are struggling financially, particularly in rural settings. Regulators abroad, at the U.S. federal level and in states such as Wisconsin are looking at AI with a mix of awe and dread. How a company such as Epic harnesses the power of AI to combat such problems and improve the practice of medicine is the next chapter.
The Baraboo police K-9 handler has resigned amid an investigation into alleged involvement with an accused drug dealer, while two other officers were cleared of misconduct, according to a Baraboo Police Department statement Monday.

Officer Derek Burch, who handled K-9 Riggs for the Baraboo Police Department, resigned last week, according to the unsigned statement, which did not say why he left or whether he had been accused of any wrongdoing. Officers Nick Burch and Mike Pichler were found not to have violated any laws, the statement said.

A Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation probe is ongoing.

Burch resigned prior to the departments completion of an internal investigation into the officers alleged affiliation with William Deppe, 37, of Baraboo, who faces 17 felony charges, mostly related to narcotics and firearms.

Deppe faces numerous charges of narcotics possession with intent to deliver, maintaining a drug trafficking place, firearm-related counts and child neglect. He was ordered not to have contact with the three officers as a condition of his bond, according to court records.

None of the officers named in the investigation are named in the criminal complaint against Deppe. According to the criminal complaint, Sauk County deputies executed a warrant to search three properties associated with Deppe, including his home in the town of Fairfield, on Aug. 13.

Investigators also searched Deppes vehicle and discovered drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun.

According to the complaint:

Investigators searching Deppes properties also discovered prescription bottles containing various narcotics, numerous small bags of cocaine, pills containing fentanyl, digital scales and 63 more firearms, many of which were easily accessible to Deppes two children.

In total, roughly 64 grams of cocaine were discovered during the investigation, as well as 75 pills, including 60 hydrocodone tablets.

The department announced on Aug. 16 that three officers were allegedly affiliated with Deppe. One of the officers was placed on leave, but the department has not said which one.
BAYFIELD  Stunning sunsets and sunrises are the norm here amid the remote Apostle Islands off Wisconsins northernmost peninsula.

Sailboats ply the frigid, clear waters along with tour boats that provide up-close views of lighthouses, former fishing camps and idled mining operations that more than a century ago harvested blocks of brownstone used in buildings throughout the Midwest.

Kayaking is big and, if conditions are right, provides picturesque paddles to island camp sites and shoreline caves carved by the tumultuous and unpredictable waters of Lake Superior. The views and landscape make the Apostle Islands one of the most majestic places in the country.

Northwoods U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, has introduced a bill that would upgrade Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to a national park. If approved, the Apostle Islands would become the nations 64th national park and join Isle Royale National Park, a remote island northeast of Grand Marais, Minnesota, as the second U.S. national park in Lake Superior. It would also jettison Wisconsin from a list of 20 states without a national park.

Tiffany said making the Apostle Islands a national park would increase tourism and raise the areas profile.

I think the Apostle Islands fit the bill. I believe it is one of the really great places in America that is deserving of the designation as a national park, said Tiffany who was first elected to Congress in 2020. It is truly a unique place.

If granted national park status, the Apostle Islands would get more access to federal conservation money and more educational programming specific to the islands. There are several types of designations under the National park Service. They include national park, national preserve, national monument, national memorial, national historic site, national seashore and national battlefield park.

Residents and leaders in Bayfield County, which has only 16,600 residents, agree that the Apostle Islands are special but are against a national park designation.

Many here say the summer tourism season is already overloaded with visitors, which has led to parking headaches and traffic issues in downtown Bayfield, a city of about 600 people. More concerning is the lack of employees to staff restaurants, bars, shops and lodging businesses. And housing for those employees is hard to find and too expensive.

Its just going to be too many people, said Wally Milbrath, 69, a retired mechanical engineer who has lived in Bayfield for seven years and began visiting the area in the 1970s. People love to go to national parks. Theres nothing wrong with that. But this park is not designed that way. Its supposed to be a wilderness area you can enjoy from the water and go and visit. I dont know anybody thats in favor of it that lives here, but maybe Im not talking to the right people.

Tiffanys proposal has the backing of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board, and state Sen. Romaine Quinn and state Rep. Angie Sapik, Republicans whose districts include Bayfield County. But only two of the 25 rural towns in Bayfield County have come out in support of the plan, and they are far removed from the Lake Superior shoreline. Others are even farther afield. They include Gary Gillis, the mayor of Hayward, 73 miles south of Bayfield; economic development organizations in Burnett, Iron and Sawyer counties; and chambers of commerce in Hayward and Superior.

Opponents of the plan include Ted Dougherty, the mayor of Bayfield; Nicole Boyd, chair of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; and Mary Mottiff, tourism director for Bayfield County and mayor of Washburn 10 miles south of Bayfield. They say Tiffanys proposal hasnt been adequately explained to them (he has not met with them), does not include an economic study, and fails to address concerns over housing, staffing and increased pressure on infrastructure. The Bayfield Economic Development Corporation initially backed the national park plan but has since rescinded its letter of support .

Its very skimpy on details and theres a lot of questions people have. This effort did not come from us and were wondering why someone thinks its needed, said Mottiff, who has been leading Bayfield Countys tourism effort since 2007. Yes, we want economic development but visitors need to have a good experience while theyre here and be safe.

Tiffany, who chairs the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands, introduced the proposal on July 23 and held a hearing the next day. A town hall will be held Wednesday, Sept. 4, to allow public comment on the issue. Tiffany has made it a telephone meeting to allow more people to participate.

The proposal could go to a vote on the House floor yet this year, according to Tiffany, who for 20 years owned and operated a 70-foot-long tour boat on the Willow Flowage, southwest of Minocqua. Based on when Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was made a national park in 2019, a national park designation for the Apostle Islands could increase tourism by 20%, Tiffany said.

In 2023, Bayfield County had 1.5 million visitors who pumped $93 million into the local economy, according to state tourism figures. A 20% increase would mean an additional 300,000 visitors and $18.6 million more in economic impact.

I can tell you theres many communities around Wisconsin that would like to have that problem, to have too much growth, Tiffany said. Because thats basically what theyre saying is that hey, we dont want anymore business here. I think most communities would appreciate the business and they will find ways to deal with those challenges that are before them.

The effects of more tourism

Dougherty, 56, a financial planner who was elected Bayfields mayor in April, moved to to the city in 2007 and has raised five children here. The community is at the base of a bluff, and expanding the citys water and sewer up and over the bluff would take more than $10 million, according to Dougherty. The city also little available land for redevelopment, has just one gas station and a single small grocery store. The city normally has three full-time police officers, one seasonal full-time officer and a part-time seasonal officer. This year, due to a lack of applicants and high housing costs, the city has only a police chief.

Some restaurants are open only five days a week and some businesses have begun buying homes to convert them to employee bunk houses. Two- and three-night stays at some lodging facilities are also mandatory in an effort to reduce the need for more cleaning staff. In the past 12 years, those 65 or older in the community have increased to 30% from 20%, said Dougherty, further reducing the labor pool.

Dougherty first learned of the park proposal from an email sent by Tiffanys staff in June.

I read it and it was bizarre to me because it didnt make any argument for what the need is. Im very pro-tourism. The city is pro-tourism. Our businesses cater to to tourism, Dougherty said. Our goal, and I know the goal of our business owners in town, is to make sure tourists have a great experience and they want to come back. We have a reputation very similar to Door County, and if were overwhelmed with visitors and we cant accommodate them and cant provide the experience that theyre used to and what has historically brought them back, that devalues our value proposition.

For the past five years, Julie Buckles has owned Honest Dog Books, part of which is housed in a former lumberyard building in downtown Bayfield. The national park proposal is the talk of the regulars who play morning mahjong at the shop, but Buckles needs more information and prays for the day when more people visit the area in the off season. From late fall to late spring, the area is starved for visitors. The exception was in 2014 and 2015 when it was cold enough to allow foot access to the sea caves along Lake Superior. People came from around the world but the area, where many businesses close for the off season, struggled to serve the temporary windfall of visitors.

I would not say there is too much tourism here. We very much need to even out our tourism. It would be great to have a lot more in November or April, the two worst months, but its not very scenic then, Buckles said. What makes me suspicious is that its been pushed through so fast and so hard without buy-in.

The Apostle Islands were designated a national lakeshore in 1970, with 80% of the land in 2004 designated as a federally protected wilderness area. The National Lakeshore comprises 21 islands and 12 miles of shoreline on the mainland of northeastern and northern Bayfield County. Three of the islands are in Bayfield County and the remaining 18 are part of Ashland County. The main access points to the islands are in Bayfield County, which would experience the bulk of any influx of tourists. The largest of the Apostle Islands is Madeline Island, but it is not part of the National Lakeshore and is not included in Tiffanys national park proposal.

Under Tiffanys plan, hunting, which is allowed throughout the Lake Shore, would be banned. The exception would be on Sand Island, which his proposal would make a national preserve. Its unclear if development could come to the island. Tiffany has also pledged that any legislation would also preserve the treaty rights of the Red Cliff and Bad River tribes.

Were prepared to add an amendment, if necessary, to make it crystal clear this does not change any treaty rights, Tiffany said.

Part of the culture

Madeline Island is served by a car ferry, is home to Big Bay State Park and has a population ranging from 220 in the winter to 2,300 in the summer. The remaining Apostle Islands are largely uninhabited and have no services such as restaurants or shops. The only lodging is in the form of primitive campsites.

The islands have been a part of the Red Cliff Nations culture for centuries, where members established seasonal camps to hunt for deer, bear and waterfowl, fish and gather berries. The tribes reservation is just north of Bayfield and home to about 1,500 members, who make up one of the largest workforces in the county, helping to staff business not only on the reservation but in nearby Bayfield and Washburn.

The Tribe has a $100 million budget for its government services but that figure does not include revenue from its casino or its fish company, which processes and sells fresh whitefish and lake trout caught in the depths of Lake Superior.

Boyd, 39, who grew up on the reservation and was elected tribal chair in July 2023, met with Tiffanys staff in March while in Washington, D.C., and came away from the meeting with more questions than answers. Boyd has degrees from UW-Superior and the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has taken continuing education courses on sustainability and community development at Harvard University.

She spent 10 years as director of the tribes early childhood center and later worked in planning and community development. So far, Boyd said, she has seen no economic or environmental impact studies on making the Lakeshore a national park.

We havent been a part of the why, Boyd said.

Im not going to be sufficed with the no, it wont have any impact and no added explanation, no added conversation, no added relationship effort. So Im not sure what the intentions are. I dont have any reason to believe that it would be a benefit. Our ancestors are buried on these lands. Theyre not just a playground for us, she said.

Remoteness both blessing and a curse

At the Apostle Islands, no admission sticker is required, there are no gates through which to pass. Camping is allowed on 18 of the Lakeshores 21 islands. The National Park Service estimated earlier this year that 247,167 people visited the Lake Shore in 2023, a slight decrease from 2022 when 254,952 visited. The same report said island campers logged 10,797 nights, 2,478 fewer nights than 2022.

This year, however, Oak Island has been off limits due to a very national park-like issue: troublesome bear activity.

Theyve been chewing on kayaks and breaking into things, said Kasey Arts, a field biologist with the National Park Service. Were just trying to make sure everybody is safe and its a safe situation for everybody. I wouldnt compare the extremeness of our situation to Yosemite, but were figuring it out.

Bears swim between the islands and, due to their high density, are forced to scramble for food. Sand and Stockton islands are among the the most popular islands for kayakers due their proximity to the mainland. Theyre monitored by guides and park service employees who do preventative search and rescue while stationed at Meyers Beach or Little Sand Bay.

Theyre kind of hard to access, which is a blessing and a curse, Arts said. We want people to be able to get out there and enjoy the resource, but its difficulty to get to makes it nice for the wildlife out there because theres a little less pressure on them.

Most visitors experience the islands via tour boats that depart Bayfield several times a day. One tour covers 55 miles of water, passing most of the islands, and sidles up to sea caves on Devils Island. Another cruise package goes to Raspberry Island, where visitors can walk the island and tour a lighthouse that was finished in 1862 but couldnt begin to operate until July 1863 because the lens for its lantern was made in France and took months to arrive.

Back on the mainland, Brenda Kovachevic, 65, is a lifelong resident. Her mother was the news editor of the Daily Press in Ashland and a close friend of Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. Kovachevich remembers when the Apostle Islands became a National Lakeshore but has seen her children move away from the area for better jobs. Kovachevich manages Andys Market, which sells local produce and jams and is tucked into the busy main drag of Bayfield. Rittenhouse Avenue doubles as Highway 13, which holds vehicles from not just tourists but large trucks making deliveries throughout the county.

Kovachevic has seen older homes removed in favor of larger and more modern dwellings while others have been converted to rental properties, which has further reduced the housing options. A national park could infuse more money into the area but, like many here, she is skeptical of Tiffanys motivation and has mixed emotions about his plan.

I kind of think hes trying to get a feather in his cap, said Kovachevic. Im grateful that the park service is here. The biggest issue is there was no communication. But honestly, I cant see it changing anything, other than it would be awfully nice to have more off-season business generated by it. And that could happen.

Photos: The Apostle Islands and their tourism impacts on Bayfield County
Vice President Kamala Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will return to Wisconsin for a Labor Day event, Harris campaign confirmed Tuesday.

Walz and Minnesotas first lady, Gwen Walz, will hold an event in Milwaukee on Monday. Additional details on Walzs visit were not immediately available, but the stop is part of a multi-state tour launched by Harris and her surrogates across several battleground states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The latest visit comes as both Harris and Walz, and former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, continue to ramp up their presence in Wisconsin  one of a handful of states that many expect to play a pivotal role in determining the winner of the November presidential election.

Harris and Walz traveled to Wisconsin last week for a campaign rally at Milwaukees Fiserv Forum as the Democratic National Convention took place in Chicago.

Trump is slated to be in La Crosse on Thursday, while Vance has planned a trip to De Pere on Wednesday.

Trump and Harris appear locked in a neck-and-neck race in the battleground state, according to a recent Marquette Law School Poll.

Photos: The Apostle Islands and their tourism impacts on Bayfield County
China hosts seminar on SDGs for developing countries' parliaments, marking 40 years of NPC-IPU affiliation

09:34, August 27, 2024 By Zhong Wenxing, Cao Xinyue ( People's Daily Online

The delegation visits the Museum of the Communist Party of China. (People's Daily Online/Cao Xinyue)

Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the China's National People's Congress' (NPC) Affiliation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) & 2024 Interregional Seminar on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Parliaments of Developing Countries opened in Beijing on Aug. 19. Tulia Ackson, president of the IPU and speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, along with parliamentary leaders and representatives from 32 developing countries, attended the event which will last until Aug. 28.

Under the theme of "Strengthening Inter-Parliamentary Exchanges for Sustainable Development," the seminar featured four sessions focusing on peace and stability, economic globalization, cultural diversity, and democracy suited to national conditions.

Delegates visited the Museum of the Communist Party of China, where they were impressed by exhibits featuring historical artifacts, detailed archival materials, and lifelike reconstructions displaying the history of the Communist Party of China.

The delegation visits the Museum of the Communist Party of China. (People's Daily Online/Cao Xinyue)

Adrian Charles Duval, speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius, said the seminar helps participating countries engage in dialogue, establish connections, and advance agendas beneficial to global development, promoting common prosperity.

Mvondo Medard, administrative secretary of the IPU and member of the National Assembly of Cameroon, expressed hope for deeper China-Africa cooperation and said, "I feel very happy to be in China. China is such a beautiful and modern country. Cameroon and China have long maintained friendly relations in many fields."

For Nigerian delegate Ufuoma Peter, this marked his first visit to China. Peter is interested in Chinese culture and he is eager to spend holidays in Beijing with his family in the future, saying that, "China has a significant impact on Nigeria in terms of infrastructure construction, especially in areas such as road and airport construction."

Peter told People's Daily Online that he aimed to apply what he learned in China to the development of Nigeria.

Neang Nito from Cambodia, an alumnus of China's Northeastern University, highlighted China's crucial role in advancing the SDGs and the long-standing Cambodia-China friendship. He sincerely hopes that the friendship between the two countries will further continue and develop.

The delegation also toured the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, expressing admiration for China's rich history and culture while looking forward to strengthened cultural exchanges.

(Intern Li Jingyan also contributed to this story.)

The delegation visits the Museum of the Communist Party of China. (People's Daily Online/Cao Xinyue)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Entrance for the 2024 World Robot Conference, Aug. 23, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]



The 2024 World Robot Conference, under the theme of "co-fostering new quality productive forces for a shared intelligent future," showcased the innovative advancements of intelligent robots across various industries. Notably, an exhibition of special robots highlighted the growing role of robotics in safety, emergency responses and in extreme environments.

Wang Shanhe, a representative from Shandong Guoxing Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereafter Guoxing), emphasized the significance of these robots.

"We find it meaningful to be in this industry, as human life is paramount," Wang said. Guoxing is recognized as a "little giant" firm for its role within the industry. Among the robots the company produces, its firefighting robots are designed to replace firefighters in hazardous areas, such as in areas that are prone to explosions or have a concentration of toxic gas. These robots can be independently operated by firefighters via a remote control. The range of operation is approximately 1,000 meters. In response to mountainous terrain, the company has also developed diesel-powered robots with enhanced climbing capabilities.

Guoxing's explosion-proof firefighting robot at the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Aug. 23, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]

Wang revealed that the government is actively promoting the use of firefighting robots, with regulations mandating their deployment in fire stations that are grade II and above. National inspections are scheduled to begin next year.

Adjacent to Guoxing's booth, CITIC HIC Kaicheng Intelligence Equipment Co. (hereafter CITIC), Ltd., showcased their special robots designed for use in the coal mining, petrochemical and emergency rescue sectors. With coal mining, these robots assist in underground inspection and have evolved to perform various tasks, aiming to free workers' hands. With petrochemical production, a trio of wheeled, rail-guided and fixed-post robots can offer comprehensive solutions, all of which are extensively used by major domestic oil companies. With emergency rescue, treaded robots are predominantly used, aimed to replace firefighters in hazardous circumstances. These firefighting robots are also capable of addressing varying flow rates, medium types and shooting distances for firefighting needs.

CITIC's mine-tracking inspection robot at the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Aug. 23, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]

The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China called for "Improving the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions." Special robots are designed with classifications that adapt to different safety and emergency situations and extreme environments, which is in line with this proposal.

President of the Chinese Institute of Electronics Xu Xiaolan emphasized the growing synergy between artificial intelligence and robotics, which has stimulated new consumption, industries and employment, thereby forming new quality productive forces.

International experts are also taking notice of China's robotic advancements. "I've been here before, in 2019, and even back then the exhibition was very impressivethe sheer number of robots and how rapidly technology develops and evolves," remarked Associate Professor Jens Kober from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He highlighted the affordability and quality of Chinese robots, making them competitive in the global market.
AARP Idaho to host Social Security Town Hall

On Thursday at noon, AARP Idaho will host a telephone town hall with Tom Nicholls, AARP government affairs director and social security expert, to talk about the state of the program, solutions for fixing the earned benefits, and the latest discussions taking place in Congress. Nicholls will also answer specific questions from callers around the state.

Washington must find a solution to protect Social Security so Idahoans get what theyve earned, Cathleen Simlar, AARP Idaho interim state director, said. While the program will not run out of money there is a chance that in 10 years it only pays out about 80% of earned benefits. This call will discuss the current state of Social Security, what changes are necessary to ensure its protected, and answer any questions Idahoans may have about their benefits.

More than one in five Idaho residents, totaling 370,385 people, receive Social Security benefits. The payments inject more than $6 billion into Idahos economy every year, officials say. For most retirees, Social Security is their largest source of income. The average retired worker benefit in Idaho is now $1,517 per month.

Participants can join the statewide town hall by dialing toll-free 866-767-0637 or watching the livestream on the AARP Idaho Facebook page. To learn more about Social Securitys impact in Idaho, visit https://states.aarp.org/idaho/social-security-youve-earned-it.

Also:

Child Support Services at the state Department of Health and Welfare

will implement stronger policies to help ensure more timely and complete child support payments from non-custodial parents, officials say. The department will accomplish this by raising minimum child support payments required to maintain hunting and fishing privileges when a parents owes past due child support. Since 1996, Idaho law has allowed Child Support Services to suspend non-custodial parents drivers, recreational and occupational licenses when they owe a qualifying balance of past due child support. Officials say that $130 millions of past due child support is owed for Idaho children on 24,251 child support cases. The new policy will go into effect on Sunday. Additionally, the department will also be studying which welfare benefits can be withheld from individuals with delinquent child support, and how to publicly report child support-related license suspensions consistent with state public record laws.

The American Red Cross continues to experience a national blood emergency as remnants of Hurricane Debby and other severe weather events across the country have further complicated efforts to rebuild the nations blood supply, officials say. Those in unaffected areas are urged to make an appointment to give now. In recent weeks, weather has added to the summer shortfall in donations by forcing the cancellation of nearly 60 blood drives throughout the country, causing nearly 1,500 lifesaving blood products to go uncollected. Severe weather impacts 90,000 blood donations made to the Red Cross. First-time donors and those who give regularly are critical to blood supply recovery. To make an appointment, visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/

or call 1-800-733-2767. Donors who give blood through Saturday will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card by email. Those who come to give blood Sept. 1-15 will receive a Red Cross raglan T-shirt while supplies last.

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China Coast Guard (CCG) ships on Monday prevented two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels from delivering much-needed supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal.

The PCGs BRP Cabra and BRP Engano set off from Buliluyan port in Palawan on its way to Escoda Shoal earlier that day on a rotation and reprovision mission but failed to drop off the supplies due to the Chinese blockade.

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Meanwhile, the PCG maintained that it has the right to operate within the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling Beijings claim over the shoal imaginary.

PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tariela described the Chinese Coast Guards (CCG) latest act as unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions as they attempted to block the Philippines humanitarian missions.

On Sunday, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship BRP Datu Sanday, which was on a humanitarian mission to provide Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies, was also prevented from completing its mission by multiple Peoples Liberation Army Navy and CCG ships.

It is the PRC that is trespassing in our Exclusive Economic Zone. Escoda Shoal is located within our EEZ, while your claim to Xianbin Jao exists only in the imagination of the Chinese Communist Party. he asserted.

For his part, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Monday underscored the need to deter an armed attack following the recent ramming incident near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Teodoro said the Philippines should make itself strong to combat Chinas hostile actions.

Let us deter an armed attack. That is the more important thing, that is what I am focused on doing, everybody is too focused on armed attack. Lets make ourselves strong enough so that that does not happen, Teodoro said.

As this developed, the United States, Japan, and the European Union condemned the dangerous maneuvers carried out by Chinese naval assets. These actions, which have escalated over the past week, include ramming Philippine vessels and deploying water cannons, further heightening tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

On the other hand, Gan Yu, the spokesperson for the CCG, defended their recent actions by stating that they were merely carrying out their duties and resolutely safeguarding their interests under Chinese law.

The Chinese Coast Guard will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in the waters under Chinas jurisdiction in accordance with the law, and resolutely safeguard the countrys territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Gan stated.

As this developed, the United States, Japan and the European Union (EU) voiced their anxiety over Chinas recent actions in the WPS, condemning what they describe as aggressive and illegal maneuvers by Chinese naval assets.

Any harassment and actions which increase tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are not tolerated. Upholding a rules-based international order and adhering to commitments must prevail, Japan Embassy in the Philippines said in an X post.

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson also expressed strong disapproval, describing Chinas conduct as unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive.

She emphasized that these actions disrupted a legal mission and endangered lives, highlighting the serious nature of the incident.

EU Ambassador Luc Veron echoed these sentiments, calling the dangerous maneuvers by Chinese naval assets disturbing.

He stressed that respect for international law, including UNCLOS, is essential in the South China Sea as anywhere else.
Senators on Monday sought to squeeze information on how several members of the Guo clan managed to pull off their daring escape from the Philippines despite their being on a government watchlist, but they only got fragments from their star witness, Sheila Guo, supposed sister of fugitive ex-Mayor Alice Guo.

Testifying before a committee headed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sheila, also known as Zhang Mier, said they were picked up by a white van on their farm in Bamban, Tarlac shortly after dinner on the evening of their escape.

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The witness said she did not know the driver nor the license plate of the van used to fetch them.

She narrated that they traveled for about five hours until they reached an unfamiliar seaport from where they boarded a boat to embark on the first leg of their journey to escape Philippine justice.

From the small boat, they soon transferred to a fishing vessel and travelled for another five hours until they reached Malaysia, Sheila recounted.

The boat we transferred to had fishing nets, she said in Filipino while recalling that the vessel was either blue or green.

For his part, Sen. Joel Villanueva rebuked law enforcers for failing to closely watch the Guo farm in Tarlac.

This a bit alarming and a (cause for) concern. Its common sense They should have watched the farm and know whats happening inside, said the senator.

When senators pressed for her true relationship with Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, she revealed that they are not really related by blood.

She recalled that she came to know the Guo family through her aunt Lin Wen Yi.

Sheila said Alices father, Jian Zhong Guo, whom she calls Daddy, asked her to go to the Philippines to manage their embroidery firms in Quezon City.

She was then 17 or 18 years old when she first came to the Philippines, and that was the first time she was introduced her younger sister by the Guo patriarch.

During Sen. Sherwin Gatchalians questioning, Sheila admitted that her Philippine passport was simply handed to her by Jian Zhong Guo.

Furthermore, she denied knowing the contents of the documents related to the Guo family companies where she was named corporate secretary, treasurer and incorporator.

She blindly affixed her signatures without reading or asking about the documents, she told Gatchalian.

Sheila, along with Cassandra Li Ong was eventually arrested by Indonesian immigration authorities on Aug. 22.

She was the corporate secretary of most of the Guo familys companies, while Ong was the authorized representative of Lucky South 99, an illegal POGO raided in Bamban, Tarlac.

Sheila was remanded to the custody of the Senate while Cassie Ong is being held at the House.

Ong, a central figure in the ongoing investigation into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and their associated illegal activities, was scheduled to appear today at the resumption of the House Quad-Comm hearings deliberating on the matter.

POGOs, which flourished during the administration of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, were later banned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after they were found to be fronts for numerous criminal activities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and illegal drug trade.

As this developed, Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioner Norman Tansingco said Alice Guo is still in Indonesia and is being monitored by local immigration authorities.

Based on the latest report submitted to me last night, Alice Guo is in Jakarta, Tansingco said.

Wesley may have already entered Hong Kong, the BI chief added.

Based on our coordination with our counterparts, Indonesian Immigration, mayor Alice Guo has not yet made an attempt to cross the border again, since she last entered (Indonesia) on Aug. 18, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.

We are monitoring the situation and we are in communication with our counterparts there as well as intelligence groups in Indonesia so that we would be able to locate the whereabouts and monitor the movements of former mayor Alice Guo, she added.

Editors Note: This story has been updated. Originally posted with the headline Shiela Guo admits leaving the Philippines with sister Alice and brother Wesley via boat.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered Vice President Sara Duterte to return 73.28 million of the 125 million in confidential funds that her office spent in just 11 days in December 2022 on items deemed disallowed under government regulations.

The COAs Notice of Disallowance, dated Aug. 8, 2024, surfaced during a House Committee on Appropriations hearing as lawmakers deliberated on the proposed 2.037 billion budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025.

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The disallowed expenditures, amounting to nearly two-thirds of the total confidential funds, included payments for rewards in the form of goods rather than cash, and the procurement of tables, chairs, desktop computers and printers  expenses that appeared inconsistent with the intended use of confidential funds.

Tensions rose during the hearing as Vice President Duterte repeatedly refused to answer lawmakers questions about the rapid expenditure of the confidential funds.

Her consistent response to the questions was, I will forego the opportunity to defend the OVP 2025 budget proposal in question and answer, and I will leave it to the House to decide on the proposal.

This forced the Committee chair to suspend the approval of the proposed budget for the Office of the Vice President. The briefings were reset to September 10.

The Vice President had claimed that there was a script to question her use of confidential funds.

I decided Ill come alone, answer all of it alone. So that if you cite me for contempt, Im the only one going to detention. No one else here, or their families waiting at home, will be involved, she added.

Appropriations panel vice chair Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, who presided over the hearing, emphasized that the interpellation is a critical component of legislative oversight.

Madam Vice President, we have 17 members listed for interpellation. And as you know, youve been here many times for our budget briefing, that this is an important part of the budget briefing, Quimbo said.

The GAA, the General Appropriations Act, is arguably the most important piece of legislation of the year, she stressed.

Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro questioned the prudence of spending 125 million in just 11 days, especially given the OVPs generally low utilization rate for other budget allocations.

At one point, Duterte questioned the relevance of discussing previous budgets, particularly the 2022 budget that included the confidential funds.

Where in the budget proposal of 2025 is the item confidential funds? Duterte asked, questioning the relevance of the inquiries.

Quimbo countered, insisting that Castros questions were valid, especially given the ongoing concerns about how the confidential funds were used.

The Hon. France Castro has already provided a sufficient explanation as to why she asked the question, so please proceed with your answer, Quimbo said.

Castro highlighted that 40 million of the confidential funds had been allocated for medical and food aid, questioning how such a large amount could have been spent so quickly.

Dutertes continued evasion led Castro to compare the Vice Presidents tactics to that of a squid releasing ink to avoid capture.

Castro also stressed that the COAs Notice of Disallowance made the spending of the funds illegal. If disallowed, ilegal ang paggamit nito, she said.

COA Assistant Commissioner Alexander Juliano explained that a Notice of Disallowance signifies that an expenditure is deemed improper by the COA.

A Notice of Disallowance means the expenditure is not allowed because its either irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable, Juliano said.

Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline VP Sara dodges questions on 2022 confidential funds in House budget hearing
Red Bull Basement is set to catapult the brightest Filipino innovators onto the world stage as it launches in the Philippines.

This initiative empowers the next generation to envision, develop, and launch groundbreaking ideas, with the power of artificial intelligence (AI) technology right at their fingertips.

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Participants will receive the tools they need to craft a winning business plan. The winning national champion from the Philippines will earn an exclusive invitation to the Red Bull Basement World Final in Tokyo, Japan. The application period is open until September 30, 2024.

Red Bull Basement: Bringing Filipino Innovators to the Global Stage

In todays world, young innovators are driven by a deep desire to make meaningful change, yet finding the right path can be challenging. Red Bull Basement offers a comprehensive platform where participants can unlock their potential through unique opportunities such as networking, collaboration, and expert-led workshops.

This empowers participants to challenge the status quo and bring their visionary ideas to life using the latest technology, leaving a lasting impact on a global scale.

Red Bull Basement Philippines invites a fresh cohort of student innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to present their ideas. Participants are asked to harness AI to build robust business plans, identify key opportunities, prioritize growth areas, and bring their ideas to life. Teams of one or two innovators in the Philippines can apply by visiting the Red Bull Basement website. An intuitive AI tool will guide interested participants in creating and submitting a concise, one-page business plan. A panel of local judges will then select the top participants for the National Final.

Red Bull Basement has partnered with Microsoft and AMD for its 2024 edition, putting a strong emphasis on AI technologies to deliver an exceptional experience. The Red Bull Basement Chatbot, powered by Microsoft, will utilize Azure OpenAI Service and AMD Instinct accelerators to assist teams in developing their ideas and creating business plans.

The winner(s) of the National Final will gain access to invaluable resources. They will refine their business plans and further develop their ideas, moving closer to launching their ideas as viable start-ups. They will also be equipped with AI-enabled laptops featuring AMDs latest Ryzen AI processor technology.

The National Champion will also head to the World Final, going up against innovators from 40 other countries, as the exclusive representative of the Philippines. This extraordinary event will feature intensive workshops and networking opportunities, culminating in the announcement of the global winner of Red Bull Basement 2024. The World Final winner will be given a 3-week hands-on experience at Silicon Valley, in California in 2025, which allows them to gain personal mentorship and networking opportunities with global industry leaders.

Prepare to make a mark on a global scale. Join Red Bull Basement today! Application period is open from August 12 to September 30, 2024. Visit this LINK to submit your entries and to learn more about Red Bull Basement.
On Monday, August 26, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called on Ghanaian authorities to disclose information about the 2005 massacre of around 60 migrants in The Gambia. On July 22, 2005, Gambian security forces, under the regime of Yahya Jammeh, arrested and executed 44 Ghanaians, nine Nigerians, two Togolese, and nationals from Cote dIvoire and Senegal shortly after their boat arrived in The Gambia.

Since the massacre, victims families have condemned the Ghanaian government for its perceived inaction and casualness in seeking justice, despite sending a team to investigate the incident soon after it occurred. Although several investigations were launched, their findings remain classified, prompting continued demands from the victims families for their release.

Recent developments, including evidence and testimonies from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established in The Gambia in 2019, have intensified calls for justice. The Commissions report recommended prosecuting Yahya Jammeh and eleven of his associates for their involvement in the massacre.

The Gambia is in the process of setting up a hybrid court, comprising both Gambian and international judges, to address the crimes committed during Jammehs rule.
The Democratic Republic of Congos eagerly anticipated mpox vaccine rollout has hit an unexpected roadblock, dashing hopes for a swift response to the growing health crisis. Despite earlier optimism, health officials now confirm that the first batch of vaccines wont be arriving this week as planned.

This setback comes at a critical juncture in the fight against mpox. With over 21,000 suspected or confirmed cases reported across Africa this year alone, the need for decisive action has never been more pressing. The DRC finds itself at the epicenter of this outbreak, grappling with more than 1,000 new cases in just the past week.

Yet, amidst the disappointment, a glimmer of hope emerges. Global health authorities maintain that containing the spread of mpox is still within reach, but stress that a coordinated, well-funded response is crucial. Plans are already in motion to bolster staffing in affected countries and implement strategic vaccination efforts targeting high-risk individuals.

As the DRC navigates the complex web of regulatory processes and international cooperation, the world watches with bated breath. The promise of vaccine donations from countries like Germany offers a ray of hope, but the race against time continues.

In this high-stakes battle against a formidable virus, one thing is clear: the path to victory will require unwavering commitment, swift action, and unprecedented global solidarity. As Congo and its neighbors stand on the front lines, the question remains: can the world unite to turn the tide against mpox before its too late?
 Flash

Paris public prosecutor on Monday announced the charges on which the Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris a day before, in a global first for a messaging service.

According to Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the Telegram founder and chief executive officer (CEO) is accused of 12 criminal offenses, including failing to take action against Telegram users involved in cyberbullying, sharing pedophilic content, and the glorification of terrorism.

Durov can now be detained for up to 96 hours until Aug. 28, Beccuau said. He is subject to the criminal procedure for organized crime offenses, including illegal transactions in an organized group, possessing pornographic images of minors, and offering or making available pornographic images of minors.

Beccuau said the arrest "comes in the context of a judicial investigation opened on July 8, 2024." It also concerns "refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law," the Paris prosecutor added.

The Russian Embassy in Paris has begun working on the case, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Sunday, adding that it is Russian diplomats' duty to respond to cases involving the detention of Russian citizens abroad.

Responding to the arrest, the Telegram group said on its X account that the company "abides by European Union (EU) laws, including the Digital Services Act." "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform," it added.

Tech giant and owner of the U.S. social media platform X Elon Musk, along with former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, condemned this arrest on Sunday, citing a violation of the freedom of speech.

Following a tweet with the tag #FreePavel on X, Musk wrote several other posts stressing the importance of protecting free speech and democracy.

Meanwhile, Snowden said on X that the arrest of Durov is "an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association."

"I am surprised and deeply saddened that (French President Emmanuel) Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world," he said.

However, French President Macron said on X on Monday that the arrest of Durov is "in no way a political decision," calling it "part of an ongoing judicial investigation."

The French head of state stressed that his country is "deeply" committed to freedom of expression.

"In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights," he added.

According to the French daily Le Figaro, Durov's arrest warrant was issued by a special unit within the French Interior Minister tasked with combating crimes against minors, in coordination with various investigative services.

Durov, also holding French citizenship, founded Telegram in 2013. The messaging app allows up to 200,000 members per chat group and claims not to collect users' information or censor content.

With approximately 900 million subscribers, it is now one of the world's leading messaging platforms and influential in Russia. It has become a critical source of information during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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People sit at the Don Bosco refugee camp as Red Cross officials create awareness around mpox in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa

The growing mpox outbreaks in Africa that triggered the World Health Organization's emergency declaration are largely the result of decades of neglect and the global community's inability to stop sporadic epidemics among a population with little immunity against the smallpox-related disease, leading African scientists said Tuesday.

According to Dr. Dimie Ogoina, who chaired WHO's mpox emergency committee, negligence has led to a new, more transmissible version of the virus emerging in countries with few resources to stop outbreaks.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, had been spreading mostly undetected for years in Africa before the disease prompted the 2022 outbreak in more than 70 countries, Ogoina said at a virtual news conference.

"What we are witnessing in Africa now is different from the global outbreak in 2022," he said. While that outbreak was overwhelmingly focused in gay and bisexual men, mpox in Africa is now being spread via sexual transmission as well as through close contact among children, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups.

And while most people over 50 were likely vaccinated against smallpoxwhich may provide some protection against mpoxthat is not the case for Africa's mostly young population, who Ogoina said were mostly susceptible.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever and body aches. It mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sex. People with more serious cases can develop prominent blisters on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

Earlier this month, WHO declared the surging mpox outbreaks in Congo and 11 other countries in Africa to be a global emergency.

On Tuesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were more than 22,800 mpox cases and 622 deaths on the continent and that infections had jumped 200% in the last week. The majority of cases and deaths are in Congo, where most mpox infections are in children under 15.

Red Cross officials create awareness around mpox in the Don Bosco refugee camp in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa

Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, a Congolese scientist who helped identify the newest version of mpox, said diagnostic tests being used in the country did not always pick it up, making it hard to track the variant's spread.

In May, Mbala-Kingebeni, who heads a lab at Congo's National Institute for Biomedical Research, published research showing a new form of mpox that may be less deadly but more transmissible. The noted mutations suggested it was "more adapted to human transmission," he said, but the lack of tests in Congo and elsewhere complicated efforts to monitor outbreaks.

The new variant has been detected in four other African countries as well as Sweden, where health officials said they have identified the first case of a person this month with the more infectious form of mpox. The person had been infected during a stay in Africa.

WHO said that available data to date does not suggest that the new form of mpox is more dangerous but that research is ongoing.

Marion Koopmans, a virologist at Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands who has been studying mpox, said scientists were now seeing some significant impacts of the disease, noting that pregnant women were miscarrying or losing their fetuses and that some babies were being born infected with mpox.

Ogoina, a professor of infectious diseases at Niger Delta University in Nigeria, said that in the absence of vaccines and drugs, African health workers should focus on providing supportive care, like ensuring patients have enough to eat and are given mental health support, given the stigma that often comes with mpox.

"It's very, very unfortunate that we have had mpox for 54 years and we are only now thinking about therapeutics," he said.

Mbala-Kingebeni said strategies previously used to stop Ebola outbreaks in Africa might help, given the limited numbers of shots expected. He said authorities have estimated Africa needs about 10 million doses but might only receive about 500,000and it's unclear when they might arrive.

A health worker attends to a mpox patient, at a treatment centre in Munigi, eastern Congo, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. Congo will receive the first vaccine doses to address its mpox outbreak next week from the United States, the country's health minister said Monday, days after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency. Credit: AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa

"Finding a case and vaccinating around the case, like we did with Ebola, might help us target the hot spots," he said.

Koopmans said that given the urgent need for vaccines in Africa, waiting for more doses to be produced was unrealistic.

"The short term (question) really is about, who has vaccines and where are they to be best used next?" she said.

Spain's health ministry announced Tuesday that it would dip into its mpox vaccine stockpile to donate 20% of its supply, about 500,000 doses, to African countries battling mpox.

"We consider it senseless to accumulate vaccines where they are not needed," Spain's health ministry said in a statement, adding Spain will recommend to the European Commission to propose that all member states also donate 20% of their vaccine stock.

Spain's donation alone is more than what the European Union, vaccine Bavarian Nordic and the U.S. have pledged. Last week, Africa CDC said the EU and Bavarian Nordic had promised 215,000 mpox vaccines while the U.S. said it was donating 50,000 doses of the same vaccine to Congo. Japan has also donated some doses to Congo.

Meanwhile, the U.S. on Tuesday donated 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines to Nigeria where mpox has been common, making the vaccines the first to arrive in Africa since the global emergency was declared. The country has had a few dozen cases this year.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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The ABCD Algorithm. (A) Example raw log-power spectra from 152 channels during a single recording session. (B) Example, mean log-power spectrum and second order exponential fit (exp2) used for whitening. (C) Example whitened power spectra. (D) The first 8 PCs of the power spectra from the data used with the temporal features to cluster the data. Note many of the peaks in PCs 36 are centered at 60 Hz and its harmonics. (E) Mean power spectra of clusters that were used as 'good' training examples in the KNN classifier. (F) Mean power spectra of clusters that were used as 'bad' training examples in the KNN classifier. (G) Mean power spectrum of all data well-classified as good by the ABCD algorithm. (G) Mean power spectrum of all data well-classified as bad by ABCD algorithm. Credit: Journal of Neural Engineering (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad60f6

Published in the Journal of Neural Engineering, a research team led by the University of Minnesota Medical School has evaluated the reliability of human experts in comparison to an automated algorithm in assessing the quality of intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) data. This research hopes to pave the way for more accurate and efficient seizure detection and localization, ultimately improving outcomes for epilepsy patients.

iEEG is a procedure that measures brain activity by placing electrodes directly on or inside the brain. This detailed information is crucial for diagnosing and treating conditions like epilepsy, where pinpointing the exact source of seizures is essential for effective treatment.

For this study, the research team enlisted 16 experts, including EEG technologists and fellowship-trained neurologists, to rate 1,440 iEEG channels as "good" or "bad." In this study, good meant recording brain activity and bad meant not recording brain activity. Their evaluations were compared to themselves, each other and against the Automated Bad Channel Detection (ABCD) algorithm, which was developed by the Herman Darrow Human Neuroscience Lab at the University of Minnesota.

The ABCD algorithm demonstrated higher accuracy (95.2%) and better overall performance compared to human raters, particularly in identifying channels with high-frequency noise.

"Our findings highlight potential biases and limitations in human-based EEG assessments. The ABCD algorithm's performance suggests a future where automated methods can aid clinicians in improving the accuracy and efficiency of seizure detection, ultimately enhancing patient care," said Alexander Herman, MD, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the U of M Medical School and attending psychiatrist with M Health Fairview.

This research underscores the potential of automated solutions to enhance the reliability and efficiency of iEEG data interpretationcritical for seizure localization and improved patient outcomes.

"This research demonstrates the potential of automated algorithms to outperform human experts in identifying bad EEG channels. By reducing the workload and variability in assessments, we can focus more on clinical decision-making and patient care," said David Darrow, MD, MPH, an assistant professor at the U of M Medical School and neurosurgeon with M Health Fairview

Future research should aim to refine these automated methods further and explore their application in real-time clinical settings.

More information: Tariq Hattab et al, Assessing expert reliability in determining intracranial EEG channel quality and introducing the automated bad channel detection algorithm, Journal of Neural Engineering (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad60f6 Journal information: Journal of Neural Engineering
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The red flag signs of a hearing-related issue that requires medical attention include sudden hearing loss, or hearing loss in only one ear. Such symptoms should be taken seriously and assessed by a physician, audiologist Stephanie DiSpigno advises.

DiSpigno treats hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and fits patients with hearing aids at Listen 2 Life Hearing Centers, which has clinics in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

She spoke to The Inquirer about what patients need to know when considering visiting a professional to address hearing complaints.

The difference between an audiologist and a physician

Audiologists assess the severity of hearing loss and can provide treatment options. Physicians, such as ear, nose, and throat specialists, can assess whether hearing symptoms are part of a medical condition.

Know the red flags

Seek medical attention any time you experience fluid draining out of the ear, sudden hearing loss, hearing loss or ringing that affects only one ear. Balance issues can be another symptom of an ear-related issue that merits seeking medical attention.

"Anything that is a red flag, we always defer to our ENT partners," DiSpigno said.

Call your insurer

Private and public insurance coverage for hearing aids can vary widely. Among the government-funded coverage programs for seniors and low-income families, Medicaid in Pennsylvania covers hearing aids for children, but Medicare does not for seniors.

"We help each patient make the best choice, audiometrically and financially," she said.

Don't wait

Many patients wait for years after being diagnosed with hearing loss to pursue treatment, DiSpigno said. For some patients, hearing loss can trigger feelings of grief and worries about aging.

But advancements in treatment options allow patients to quickly regain their quality of life.

"Once they realize that their hearing loss is impacting their quality of life, do something about it," she said.

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Single-cell RNA- and TCR sequencing reveal favored V1+ usage with expanded CDR3 identity patterns in  T cells of MSS CRC. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51025-1

The most common form of colorectal cancer, microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer (MSS CRC), can currently only be treated to a limited extent with modern immunotherapies. A research team led by MedUni Vienna has now identified the possible cause of treatment failure and thus found a way to improve treatment for patients. The study was recently published in Nature Communications.

The researchers, led by Victoria Stary (Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna), focused their investigations on a special type of immune cell, known as  T cells, whose role in immune disorders associated with colorectal cancer has not yet been investigated.

In contrast to the much better-studied  T cells, which only recognize foreign bodies in the body when they are presented to them by other cells,  T cells can react directly to signals emitted by potentially diseased cells. This makes them a highly effective component of the immune system.

The researchers' complex analyses show that a certain subgroup of these cells, the so-called V1+ T cells, do not function sufficiently to effectively fight the cancer in patients with MSS CRC. The scientists identified certain connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) that release substances that block the activity of the V1+ T cells as the trigger for this.

"As we have discovered, this blockade can be partially reversed if a certain molecule called TIGIT is inhibited on the V1+ T cells. This allows the T cells to fight the cancer cells a little better again," reports Stary.

Most common form of bowel cancer by far

At 85% to 90%, microsatellite-stable tumors make up the vast majority of colorectal cancers. In contrast to microsatellite unstable colorectal cancer (MSI CRC), patients with MSS CRC respond only to a limited extent to immunotherapies aimed at activating the body's own immune system to fight the tumor.

The newly gained insights provide a possible explanation for the therapy failure and at the same time point to promising options. "Our study shows that not only the known  T cells, but also the  T cells play a role in the most common form of colorectal cancer.

"Future research could specifically target  T cells and their interactions with other cells in the tumor microenvironment, such as fibroblasts, to develop ways to improve treatment success in MSS CRC," says Stary.

More information: Victoria Stary et al, Dysfunctional tumor-infiltrating V1+ T lymphocytes in microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51025-1 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

During the winter of 2020 and 2021, the US saw deaths from COVID-19 reach 250,000. The following year, this number surged by a third to 330,000. But from August 2022 to March 2023, the number of deaths related to COVID-19 deaths plummeted to just 80,000, abruptly ending the COVID pandemic. This dramatic decline couldn't be attributed solely to vaccines, which had already been widely available since spring 2021.

New research published in The European Physical Journal B by Marcelo Moret of CIMATEC in Brazil, together with James Phillips at Rutgers University, New Jersey, suggests that a phase transition in the molecular structure of the COVID-19 spike protein made the virus less likely to cause severe infections. Their results offer important insights into how the pandemic ended so quickly, and could help us to prepare for future pandemics.

The spike protein protrudes from the surfaces of viruses like COVID-19, and facilitates entry into host cells by binding to specific receptors on cell membranes. As the virus mutates, these proteins can change rapidly: improving the virus's ability to bind to receptors, but in some cases, making it less deadly.

In their study, Moret and Phillips examined the link between mutations and death rates. They discovered that a phase transition in the spike protein's molecular structurecomparable to transitions between phases of matter in physicscould be directly responsible for the sudden drop in fatalities. This phase transition occurred in new strains of the omicron variant which emerged in 2023, which featured just 5 additional mutations from the original omicron variant.

The duo's study suggests that this transition altered the virus's binding mechanisms in the upper respiratory tractthe passages connecting the nose, mouth, and throatmaking severe infections less likely. This insight not only enhances our understanding of COVID-19's evolving contagiousness but also offers valuable lessons for preparing for future pandemics. Through future research, Moret and Phillips hope to further solidify these theories, providing deeper insights into how future pandemics may evolve.

More information: Marcelo A. Moret et al, Why and how did the COVID pandemic end abruptly?, The European Physical Journal B (2024). DOI: 10.1140/epjb/s10051-024-00733-0 Journal information: European Physical Journal B
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Overview of AI model development for use in oncology patients. Credit: McGale et al.

A new editorial was published in Oncotarget, titled "Artificial intelligence: A transformative tool in precision oncology."

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing society and health care, opening new possibilities for precision medicine. In oncology, immunotherapy (IO) has similarly transformed cancer treatment with novel therapeutic mechanisms, but it has also introduced atypical response patterns that challenge traditional evaluation methods.

In this editorial, researchers Jeremy McGale, Matthew J. Liao, Egesta Lopci, Aurelien Marabelle, and Laurent Dercle from the Department of Radiology at Columbia University in New York, explore AI's role in addressing these challenges. They focus on the development of new biomarkers for precise disease characterization, particularly those using imaging for the early response assessment of cancer patients treated with IO.

Additionally, the researchers highlight a comprehensive review that applied AI/radiomics to cross-sectional imaging (PET, CT, MRI) showcasing the current landscape in IO treatment. They also determined that of 87 relevant studies, most utilized algorithms to predict treatment response or prognosticate survival at predetermined time points.

"In conclusion, although AI/Radiomics in IO is a rapidly advancing field, there remains significant room for improvement," said the researchers.

More information: Jeremy McGale et al, Artificial intelligence: A transformative tool in precision oncology, Oncotarget (2024). DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28639 Journal information: Oncotarget

Provided by Impact Journals LLC
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In this Aug. 26, 2019 file photo, a municipal biologist examines a mosquito in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file

The world's deadliest animal can be squashed flat with a quick slap: It's the mosquito.

The buzzing insects are more than annoyingthey spread disease. When they bite and drink blood from a person or animal they can pick up viruses or germs too. If they can go on to bite someone or something else, they deposit the germ right under the skin.

People in some areas of Massachusetts have been warned to stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active after a rare case of eastern equine encephalitis was discovered. And Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, was recently hospitalized after he came down with West Nile virus.

Both are nasty diseases spread by mosquitoesthough thankfully they are relatively rare.

The best way to avoid getting sick is of course to avoid getting bitten, which means taking steps like using repellent, wearing clothing with long sleeves and long pants and staying indoors when the mosquitoes are out. Local health departments also work to reduce mosquito numbers, including spraying neighborhoods with insecticide. Authorities in Massachusetts are using trucks and planes this week to spray vulnerable areas.

Here's a look at some commonand not so commonmosquito-borne diseases.

This 2014 photo made available by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a feeding female Anopheles funestus mosquito. Credit: James Gathany/CDC via AP

Eastern equine encephalitis

Most people infected with eastern equine encephalitis don't develop symptoms, but some can come down with fever or swelling of the brain and about one third of people infected die. There have been three cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the U.S. this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont. The worst year for the disease was 2019, with 38 cases. It is caused by a virus and is not very common around the world. The virus typically spreads in certain swamps, including red maple and white cedar swamps in Massachusetts.

West Nile virus

About 2 in 10 people infected with West Nile virus develop symptoms, which can include fever and swelling of the brain. About 1 in 10 people who develop severe symptoms die. There have been 216 West Nile cases so far this year. West Nile virus was first reported in the U.S. in 1999 in New York. It gradually spread across the country. In 2003, there were nearly 10,000 cases.

A passer-by walks a dog, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, while entering a walkway, in Plymouth, Mass., near a sign that advises people of a ban in effect for outdoor activity between dusk and dawn due to the risk of exposure to mosquito-borne diseases. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

Malaria

Malaria infected nearly 250 million people globally in 2022 and killed more than 600,000, mostly children. It is caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes and mainly infects people in tropical regions, especially Africa. A vaccination campaign has been launched in recent months that health officials hope will help reduce cases and deaths.

A passer-by walks a dog, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, along a walkway, in Plymouth, Mass., near a sign that advises people of a ban in effect for outdoor activity between dusk and dawn due to the risk of exposure to mosquito-borne diseases. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

Dengue

Also known as "break-bone fever" because it can be so painful, dengue is becoming more common. The World Health Organization says that about half the world's population is at risk of getting the disease, and there are 100 million to 400 million infections every year. Not everyone gets symptoms, which can include fever, severe headaches and pain in the muscles and joints. Most U.S. cases are in people who have traveled to other countries, though the CDC says there have been about 2,600 locally acquired cases so far this year.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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A residential area showing trees and shrubs added for the Green Heart Louisville Project. Credit: Mike Wilkinson for The Nature Conservancy

The University of Louisville's Green Heart Louisville Project has found that people living in neighborhoods where the number of trees and shrubs was more than doubled showed lower levels of a blood marker of inflammation than those living outside the planted areas. General inflammation is an important risk indicator for heart disease and other chronic diseases.

The findings were presented by Daniel Riggs, UofL assistant professor of environmental medicine, at the 36th Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology in Santiago, Chile on Aug. 26.

The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute launched the first-of-its-kind project in 2018 in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Washington University in St. Louis, Hyphae Design Laboratory and others to study whether and how living among more densely greened surroundings contributes to better heart health.

The design of the study closely mirrors clinical trials which test whether medical treatments are effective. The team applied the treatmentthe addition of large trees and shrubsto some participants' neighborhoods but not to others. They then compared residents' health data to see how the addition of the trees affected their health.

"The Green Heart Louisville Project is an excellent example of how our university's innovative and collaborative researchers are working to improve lives in our community and far beyond," UofL President Kim Schatzel said.

"Trees are beautiful, but these results show that the trees around us are also beneficial to individual and community health. Through this and many other projects, the Envirome Institute is improving health at the community level, not just for individuals, but for everyone living in a neighborhood."

Before and after image of area where trees were planted along Watterson Expressway/Interstate 264 in Louisville, KY for the Green Heart Louisville Project. Credit: Mike Wilkinson for The Nature Conservancy

To understand the state of the community's health at the start of the study, researchers took blood, urine, hair and nail samples and documented health data from 745 people living in a four-square-mile area of south Louisville. The researchers also took detailed measurements of tree coverage and levels of air pollution in the area.

Following this baseline data collection, the Envirome Institute worked with The Nature Conservancy and a host of local partners and contractors to plant more than 8,000 large trees and shrubs in designated neighborhoods within the project area.

Those living in the greened area were considered the treated population and the results obtained from this population were compared with residents of adjacent neighborhoods, where the project team did not plant any trees.

After the plantings, the research team reassessed residents' health. They found that those living in the greened area had 1320% lower levels of a biomarker of general inflammation, a measure called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) than those living in the areas that did not receive any new trees or shrubs.

Higher levels of hsCRP are strongly associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease and are an even stronger indicator of heart attack than cholesterol levels. Higher CRP levels also indicate a higher risk of diabetes and certain cancers.

Map of the Green Heart Louisville Project area showing neighborhoods where trees were planted and those where no trees were planted for the project. Credit: University of Louisville

A reduction of hsCRP by this percentage corresponds to nearly 1015% reduction in the risk of heart attacks, cancer or dying from any disease.

"These results from the Green Heart Louisville Project indicate that trees contribute more to our lives than beauty and shade. They can improve the health of the people living around them," said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Envirome Institute and UofL professor of medicine.

"Although several previous studies have found an association between living in areas of high surrounding greenness and health, this is the first study to show that a deliberate increase in greenness in the neighborhood can improve health. With these results and additional studies that we hope to report soon, we are closer to understanding the impact of local tree cover on residents' health. This finding will bolster the push to increase urban greenspaces."

As more is known about the health impacts of increased tree cover, increased greening in cities may emerge as a key method to improve public health.

"Most of us intuitively understand that nature is good for our health. But scientific research testing, verifying and evaluating this connection is rare," said Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist of The Nature Conservancy. "These recent findings from the Green Heart Project build the scientific case for the powerful connections between the health of our planet and the health of all of us."
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Credit: Son Bom from Pexels

Noor Shaik rushed to the bedside of a patient with severe diabetes complications, who had remained upbeat while undergoing surgery to address a foot infection.

The woman was now crying uncontrollably, but not due to pain from her operation that morning. What caused her outburst was that her only hair tie had been lost in the operating room.

And the wild curls she couldn't keep out of her face were a breaking point.

Shaik, a third-year neurology resident at Penn, ducked out during her break and returned with a $3 pack of hair ties.

"Now she was crying with joy," Shaik recalled. "Three dollars at Target made her feel appreciated and valued."

The interaction was so meaningful to Shaik that she proposed creating a program through which health-care providers could expense small items that help make patients feel more at ease during their hospital stay. The initiative, called PennHOPES, has been so popular with patients and providers at HUP that Penn is now expanding it to Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

"My intention was to help patients, but seeing how providers are responding to it has been very heartwarming," Shaik said. "These small, meaningful moments also help us reconnect with why we got into medicineto help people."

Cookies, slippers, a plush goat

PennHOPES has so far spent about $2,500 on 70 gifts.

Through the program, providers can request an Amazon gift card to buy a small pick-me-up or helpful item for a patient who will be at the hospital for at least five days. Gifts must be less than $50 and cannot be related to their care. PennHOPES receives one or two requests a week.

Gifts have included cookies for a patient who spent their birthday in a hospital bed, reading glasses and a book for a patient who didn't enjoy watching the television in their room, and a shaving kit for a patient whose beard was getting stuck in their face mask.

The oncology department ordered fuzzy slippers for a patient who had been unable to walk because of a burning sensation in her feet after cancer treatment.

A plush goat toy gifted through the program comforted a young patient with epilepsy and developmental disabilities, whose hospital bed was noticeably missing the farm of stuffed animals she slept with at home.

"She would hold onto that goat all night," Shaik said.

Small gift, big smile

Small comfort items can make a big difference for patients like Mary Houston who have lengthy hospital stays for complex medical problems.

Houston, 49, who lives in Wilmington, spent two weeks at HUP's epilepsy monitoring unit in March. It was her third stay in recent months, but she was still trying to understand epilepsy, which she was diagnosed with at age 47.

Since having a grand mal seizure in 2022, she had to stop working as a clinical operations manager for Penn's living-donor program, could no longer drive, and had tried several different medications. At its worst, Houston experienced multiple seizures a day.

Houston had been at the hospital for almost two weeks when someone tossed a velvety-soft blanket into her lap, a gift from her care team, who knew how much she loved to cozy up.

"I was really smilingand I had 13 probes that were surgically implanted in my brain," Houston said.

Doctors ultimately recommended a temporal lobectomy, a procedure to remove a part of the brain that contributes to seizures.

Houston underwent the procedure in May and has been at home since, recovering and waiting to see whether it helps reduce her symptoms.

The shimmery gray blanket from Penn is often across her lap as she does word puzzles to exercise her mindat least when her catahoula leopard rescue dog, Luna, hasn't gotten to it first.

2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

While the World Health Organization declares mpox a global emergency based on rapid spread in African countries, the infectious disease formerly known as monkeypox has been considered an epidemic in the U.S. since 2022.

Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, chief of UConn Health's Division of Infectious Diseases, has been keeping an eye on it, both here and overseas.

"At this point there is no cause for great alarm," Dieckhaus says. "Our local epidemic is not from the strain that led to the WHO declaration of a public health emergency of international concern. At this time, the concern in Africa is due to increased reported cases of a more infectious strain, Clade 1 virus, which to date has been primarily seen in Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of the Congo."

Dieckhaus, who monitors potential global health risks as a physician in UConn Health's International Traveler's Medical Service, says other countries in Africa also have seen cases, and a suspected case of transmission was reported in Sweden in mid-August.

Noting the Clade 1 strain has not reached the U.S., Dieckhaus says known mpox cases in Connecticut tallied 11 through the first half of 2024. It went from 145 in 2022 to four last year, after an mpox vaccine was introduced.

"Many, but not all, cases in the United States are associated with close physical contact including sexual contact, although cases can be seen in those with any type of close physical contact or environmental proximity, sharing bedding or clothing, and mother-to-child transmission," Dieckhaus says. "Rodents serve as a natural reservoir in Africa; however, the virus does not seem to have yet established a rodent reservoir within the United States."

Mpox causes a rash that can look like pimples or blisters on the face and the mouth, or in other parts of the body including the hands, feet, chest, or genital areas. It also can cause swollen lymph nodes, fevers, chills, muscle aches, and respiratory symptoms.

"The severity of illness can be quite varied; many people recover spontaneously; however, the illness may be especially severe in those with immunocompromising conditions," Dieckhaus says. "The epidemic in the United States has disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community. As such, the majority of the described cases have been in young adult males; however, either gender or any age can be affected from infancy through the elderly."

Those considered at high risk can take a two-dose vaccination, available in Connecticut through the Department of Public Health and administered at more than 20 sites statewide. Health care providers who suspect mpox send specimens to the DPH lab. Antiviral therapy is available for serious illness, but in many cases, a healthy immune system is enough to defeat the virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how novel infectious diseases can be introduced from international locations, more so with the ease and rapidity of modern-day international travel, Dieckhaus says.

"The CDC and WHO have established sentinel systems worldwide to identify agents that could lead to epidemics anywhere, including potential introductions into the United States," he says. "This recent warning about mpox is an example of those systems working."

Dieckhaus also brings the perspective of a physician who's been on close to two dozen medical mission trips to Africa throughout his career.

"My time in Africa is often characterized by working with limited clinical data and uncertain diagnoses," Dieckhaus says. "Oftentimes, we do not have the tools to definitively diagnose many conditions. The WHO's declaration on mpox underscores that we need to be vigilant to identify new infectious agents, especially areas that are poorly equipped to identify emerging outbreaks.

"We are an increasingly global community. Recognition of newly evolving epidemic agents not only provides an opportunity to support local populations and health structures, but importantly, may allow us to contain them and thus limit spread of these agents to new sites and populations."

Still, most of Dieckhaus' first-hand experience with mpox has been in the U.S., diagnosing and managing patients at UConn Health, developing protocols for appropriate management and isolation, and promoting vaccination campaigns to local high-risk populations.

From a public health standpoint, he says the DPH has been mitigating risk by actively engaging high-risk communities to encourage vaccination and is engaged with providers to ensure access to diagnostic testing and antiviral medications when needed.

"A significant increase in mpox cases in populations with high rates of illness could theoretically cross over into lower-risk populations and/or infect certain rodent reservoirs within the United States, leading to an ongoing endemic illness," Dieckhaus says. "But because this is a reportable disease, any significant rise in local cases will be identified in order to better focus our prevention and health-related efforts."
 Flash

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met with Chairman of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society M U Kabir Chowdhury and donated 100,000 U.S. dollars on behalf of the Red Cross Society of China to assist flood victims in Bangladesh on Monday.

During a ceremony, Yao said that the Chinese government and people are deeply concerned and empathize with the people of Bangladesh. As a country that also frequently suffers from natural disasters, China extends its sincere sympathies to the interim government and the people of Bangladesh. In the face of the floods, the Red Cross Society of China promptly provided humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh.

Yao believed that under the leadership of the interim government, the people of Bangladesh would surely overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes soon.

"China is willing to continue providing assistance according to Bangladesh's needs to help in disaster relief and reconstruction efforts, further consolidating and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Bangladesh," he added.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed, and China is a true friend of Bangladesh," Chowdhury said, adding whenever the people of Bangladesh face natural disasters, China always extends a helping hand in a timely manner.

"The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society sincerely thanks the Red Cross Society of China for its timely and valuable assistance, believing that the aid from China will play a positive role in the flood relief and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas," he added.
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A 12-week pelvic floor yoga program is not superior to a physical conditioning program for women with daily urinary incontinence, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Alison J. Huang, M.D., from the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues examined the effects of a therapeutic pelvic floor yoga program versus a nonspecific physical conditioning program on UI among ambulatory women aged 45 years or older in a study conducted at three sites in California.

The intervention consisted of a 12-week program of pelvic floor-specific Hatha yoga techniques (pelvic yoga) versus equivalent-time instruction and practice of general muscle stretching and strengthening (physical conditioning).

Of the 240 women reporting daily urgency-, stress-, or mixed type-UI, the mean baseline UI frequency was 3.4 episodes per day, including 1.9 and 1.4 urgency-type and stress-type episodes, respectively, per day.

The researchers found that total UI frequency decreased by an average of 2.3 and 1.9 episodes per day during a 12-week time period with pelvic yoga and physical conditioning, respectively. There was a per-day decrease of 1.2 and 1.0 episodes of urgency-type UI in the pelvic yoga and physical conditioning groups, respectively. No difference was seen in the reductions in stress-type UI frequency between the groups.

"As a pleiotropic behavioral intervention, yoga may offer greater therapeutic benefit for urgency UI as an inherently more complex syndrome," the authors write. "However, changes in type-specific UI were secondary outcomes only and require more investigation."

More information: Alison J. Huang et al, Efficacy of a Therapeutic Pelvic Yoga Program Versus a Physical Conditioning Program on Urinary Incontinence in Women, Annals of Internal Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.7326/M23-3051 Journal information: Annals of Internal Medicine

Copyright  2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Spain will donate 500,000 mpox vaccine doses to countries in central Africa suffering from a surge in cases, the government said Tuesday.

The doses amount to 20 percent of Spain's total mpox vaccine reserves, the health ministry said in a statement without specifying which nations in the region will receive the vaccines or when they will arrive.

Spain also urged its European Union peers to follow suit and also donate 20 percent of their mbox vaccine stockpile, saying it" makes no sense to stockpile vaccines where there is no problem," the statement added.

France and Germany have both announced they will each donate 100,000 mpox vaccine doses to countries suffering from the emergency.

Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals that can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.

It causes fever, muscle pains and skin lesions and in an increasing number of cases, death.

The disease's resurgence and the detection in the Democratic Republic of Congo of a new strain, dubbed Clade 1b, prompted the World Health Organisation to declare its highest international alert level on August 14.

Outbreaks have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda since July.

No mpox cases have yet been reported in Spain. Sweden's Public Health Agency announced earlier this month it had registered a case of the Clade 1b variant of mpox.

While that was the first case in Europe, the patient had been infected during a visit to an affected African country.

 2024 AFP
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As an mpox outbreak continues to rage in Africa, the World Health Organization on Monday launched a six-month plan to quell its spread.

"The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a news release announcing the plan.

"Doing so requires a comprehensive and coordinated plan of action between international agencies and national and local partners, civil society, researchers and manufacturers, and our Member States," he added.

What is included in the new battle blueprint? Increasing staffing in affected countries and boosting surveillance, prevention and response efforts are the keystones of the new plan.

It will not be accomplished for free, however: WHO said it expects $135 million in funding will be needed as the agency works to improve access to vaccines, notably in the African countries hardest hit by the outbreak.

The WHO's latest move follows its declaration earlier this month that classified the current mpox outbreak as a global health emergency.

Luckily, relief is on the way: The first mpox vaccine doses from the United States are set to arrive soon in the Congo, and Germany and Japan have also offered up doses, the Associated Press reported.

So far, the Congo has reported the vast majority of mpox cases and needs 3 million vaccine doses just to make a dent in the spread of the virus. Last week, that country reported more than 1,000 new cases in the previous week, the AP reported.

Still, other African countries have not been spared: According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the new outbreak has led to more than 21,300 confirmed and presumed mpox cases and 590 deaths in 12 countries, some of which have never been affected by the disease before.

The newly spotted strain did surface outside of Africa for the first time earlier this month, when Sweden reported a case of mpox in a person who had traveled to the Congo.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert in early August that advised health care providers to be on the lookout for the new mpox strain in patients who have recently been in the Congo or any neighboring country (Angola, Burundi, Central Africa).

Still, "due to the limited number of travelers and lack of direct commercial flights from [Congo] or its neighboring countries to the United States, the risk of clade I mpox importation to the United States is considered to be very low," the CDC added at the time.

This is the second time in three years the WHO has designated an mpox outbreak a global health emergency.

In July 2022, an outbreak that originated in Africa spread worldwide, affecting nearly 100,000 people, primarily gay and bisexual men, across 116 countries and killing about 200 people, the Times reported.

What's worrying in the new outbreak is that the death rate linked to the new strain of the disease appears higher: About 3% of those infected have died, instead of the 0.2% observed in the 2022 outbreak.

Mpox is spread by close skin-to-skin contact, including sex. It's characterized by a painful rash on hands, feet, chest, mouth or genitals, as well as fever, respiratory symptoms, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.

There is a vaccine, Jynneos, that can shield at-risk people from mpox.

Vaccination plus behavioral change among gay and bisexual men, the group most affected in the United States in the 2022 outbreak, has caused U.S. cases of mpox to fall from more than 30,000 in 2022 to 1,700 in 2023.

But the virus is changing: Scientists discovered in 2023 that mpox has gained mutations allowing it to spread more easily between people. Sexual transmission, often through heterosexual prostitution, is a main conduit for infection in Africa.

Dr. Nicole Lurie is executive director for preparedness and response at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a nonprofit that finances vaccine development.

Speaking to the Times, she said, "this outbreak has been smoldering for quite a long time, and we continually have missed opportunities to shut it down. I'm really glad that everybody is now paying attention and focusing their efforts on this."

More information: Find out more about mpox at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Zebrafish photoreceptor cells stimulated with blue light show correct electrical activity. The picture was taken using the microscope that was custom-built for this study. Credit: Michael Brand and Evelyn Abraham

Blinding diseases lead to permanent vision loss by damaging photoreceptor cells, which humans cannot naturally regenerate. While researchers are working on new methods to replace or regenerate these cells, the crucial question is whether these regenerated photoreceptors can fully restore vision.

Now, a team of researchers led by Prof. Michael Brand at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) of Dresden University of Technology has made an important step forward. By studying zebrafish, an animal naturally capable of photoreceptor regeneration, the team showed that regenerated photoreceptors are as good as original ones and regain their normal function, allowing the fish to recover complete vision.

Their results, published in the journal Developmental Cell, offer promising insights for the future of photoreceptor replacement therapies.

Vision is a complex sense that depends on the retina. This complex neural tissue in the back of our eyes is actually an external piece of the brain. It is where photoreceptor cells capture light and convert it into electrical signals. For humans, these photoreceptors are not replaced after damage. Once lost, they do not regenerate, leading to irreversible vision loss.

Therapies that are currently under development, including at the CRTD in Dresden, aim to replace damaged human photoreceptors and restore vision, either by stimulating stem cells within the retina to develop into new photoreceptors or by transplanting photoreceptors grown outside of the body.

Unlike humans, zebrafish have a remarkable ability to regenerate parts of their nervous system even after severe damage. Zebrafish can regrow photoreceptors from special stem cells located in the retina, known as Muller glia. This unique ability makes zebrafish an ideal model for studying the potential to restore vision through photoreceptor regeneration.

"Mammalian retina, including human retina, has very similar Muller glia cells. However, our cells have lost the ability to regenerate during evolution. Since these cells are so very similar, however, it may be possible to rekindle this regeneration potential for therapeutic applications in the future," says Prof. Michael Brand, research group leader at the CRTD who led the study. "However, it is crucial to determine if such new photoreceptor cells can function as effectively as the originals."

Making the impossible measurements

Researchers have long known that zebrafish can regenerate damaged retinas, with new photoreceptors appearing identical to the originals. Various groups, including the group of Prof. Brand, developed behavioral tests that confirmed that fish regained vision after regeneration. But these tests could not directly assess the extent to which the photoreceptor function was restored.

Zebrafish. Credit: TUD/Magdalena Gonciarz

"The only comprehensive test to see if the vision is fully restored is to directly measure the electrophysiological activity of the retinal cells. Are photoreceptors correctly stimulated by the various colors of light? Are they electrically active to the same extent? Are they connected to the neighboring cells? Are they passing the signal to them? Are all the typical circuits engaged?" says Prof. Brand.

To answer these questions, the Brand team used a genetically modified zebrafish that let them use high-end microscopy to track the activity of photoreceptors at the photoreceptor synapse, i.e., directly where the photoreceptors connect to other nerve cells and pass the electric signal forward.

However, testing the function of regenerated photoreceptors proved to be a significant technical challenge. Photoreceptors convert light into electrical signals. But using light to observe cells under the microscope simultaneously stimulates them. This technical difficulty seemed almost impossible to overcome.

However, with input from Prof. Tom Baden from the University of Sussex in Brighton, U.K., and Dr. Hella Hartmann, leader of the Light Microscopy Facility at the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering at TUD, it was possible to build a custom microscope that allowed the team to uncouple the stimulation from observation and measurement for different light colors, and to overcome this technical hurdle.

Using this advanced custom setup, the Brand team could show that the regenerated photoreceptors indeed regain their normal physiological function. They respond to light at different wavelengths, transmit the electric signal to neighboring cells, and do so with the same sensitivity, quality, and speed as original photoreceptors in an intact retina.

Hope for the future

"Restoring all of these aspects of photoreceptor function, together with our previous work on restoring vision-controlled behavior, confirmed on a molecular level that the fish can fully 'see' again," says Prof. Brand.

"Humans and fish have a common evolutionary ancestry and share most of the genes and types of cells. Therefore, we hope that humans can learn this 'regeneration trick' from the zebrafish.

"It is important to note that, at this stage, our work is classical basic research. It is still a long way until it can be applied in the clinic. However, being able to eventually achieve such functional regeneration from stem cells already located in the human retina could potentially revolutionize the treatment of currently untreatable diseases like retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration. This study brings us one step closer to that dream," concludes Prof. Brand.

More information: Evelyn Abraham et al, Restoration of cone-circuit functionality in the regenerating adult zebrafish retina, Developmental Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.07.005 Journal information: Developmental Cell
Dadaab Member of Parliament Farah Maalim has defended President William Rutos administration, asserting that Ruto has outperformed his predecessors.

Maalim argued that since Ruto assumed office in September 2022, he has made significant progress across nearly every sector of the economy, surpassing the achievements of the previous four Kenyan presidents.

Maalim emphasized that the economy is in a better state today compared to three years ago. He highlighted the reduction in foreign debt and the Kenyan Shillings improved performance against the US Dollar as notable successes under Rutos leadership.

President William Ruto has performed better than any other President before him in the first two years of office. The Kenya shilling gained massively against all other convertible currencies & continues to get stronger in the midst of all those protests, Maalim stated in a post on X.

He further noted that Ruto has secured loans from the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to retire the burdensome Chinese loans and Eurobonds inherited from his predecessor.

Despite facing major anti-government protests, Maalim praised Ruto for maintaining economic stability. He pointed out that many countries experience severe economic setbacks during such protests, but Ruto has managed to keep the situation under control.

Both Nigerian & Bangladesh currencies lost big time after protests, he remarked.

Also Read  Farah Maalim Summoned, Kicked Out of Wiper Party for Remarks on Gen Z Protesters

Maalim also noted that Ruto has made significant reductions in government spending to tackle inefficiencies in the public sector. He highlighted budget cuts in the Presidents office and the office of the First Lady.

Additionally, Maalim commended Rutos achievements in various areas, including a rise in Kenyans securing employment abroad, reforms in the coffee and tea industries, and progress in the sugar sector towards self-sufficiency.

Maalim concluded that these accomplishments warrant recognition and urged that Ruto be given space to continue his work.

Lets give Ruto space to perform. One wonders why, under Uhuru, Kenyans didnt raise the issues they are raising now and protest, he said.
Amnesty Kenya has strongly opposed Nairobi Countys plan to dispose of 120 unclaimed bodies within seven days, arguing that this action could compromise the dignity of the deceased.

Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that these bodies, collected by police officers from 22 different stations across the city, were deposited between May 12, 2023, and April 28, 2024. The majority of the unclaimed bodies are male, with fifteen identified as female and one as a child. Causes of death include accidents, mob violence, medical conditions, and shootings.

Kasarani has the highest number of cases (5), but other stations such as Kamukunji, Shauri Moyo, Huruma, and Dandora are also involved. Deaths by shooting were reported for Kasarani and Kilimani, Amnesty noted.

In a statement released on Monday, August 26, Amnesty Kenya highlighted the risks associated with mass disposal of unclaimed bodies. The organization emphasized that the responsibility for preserving and disposing of deceased individuals lies with the 47 county governments.

Amnesty Kenyas Director, Irungu Houghton, criticized the frequent underfunding and poor regulation of public institutions tasked with this responsibility.

After spending time at the Yala mortuary in 2022, the Malindi mortuary in February, and several Nairobi mortuaries over the past three months, it is evident that our public institutions are grossly underfunded and under-regulated, he said.

Improper disposal of unclaimed bodies

Houghton noted that past practices at mortuaries included improper disposal of unclaimed bodies, such as lacking individual body bags, metallic tags, and using undignified mass graves similar to rubbish dumps. He also pointed out that the National Coroner has introduced standard operating procedures, which require morticians to trace fingerprints from each unclaimed body with the National Registration Bureau and conduct autopsies to determine the cause of death.

Amnesty Kenya is concerned that it is unclear whether these procedures have been followed for all 120 bodies slated for disposal. The organization is also troubled by the short seven-day notice period, which may not allow sufficient time for families to check if their missing relatives are among the unclaimed bodies.

Additionally, Amnesty Kenya questions the level of public oversight during the disposal process and how the Nairobi Funeral Home and the Governor will protect themselves from potential future legal issues.

How do we ensure that the existing Standard Operating Procedures are followed and that a basic level of dignity is accorded to the dead? What degree of public oversight will accompany the disposal of these bodies? How do the Funeral Home and the Governor protect themselves in the future should any issues arise? the organization asked.

Amnesty Kenya has called for clear guidelines on disposing of unclaimed bodies, especially in light of recent controversies surrounding the deaths of protesters and ongoing disappearances.

The organization stressed the need for the Morticians and Allied Professionals Association, county governments, and the National Coroner to collaboratively develop and publicly share transparent and detailed procedures for handling unclaimed bodies.

Given the controversy surrounding the deaths of protesters and the unresolved cases of missing individuals, it is crucial to establish and publish clear and transparent guidelines for the disposal of unclaimed bodies, Amnesty Kenya concluded.
President William Ruto has directed that National Youth Service (NYS) recruits receive mandatory basic firearms training to prepare them to defend the country when necessary.

While presiding over the 88th National Youth Service Recruits Pass-Out Parade in Gilgil on Monday, Ruto emphasized his governments commitment to recruiting significant numbers of servicemen and women into the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and ensuring job placements for NYS graduates.

The NYS remains indispensable to our efforts to enhance public service delivery and national security, he stated.

The president highlighted that out of the 790 officers recruited into the Kenya Wildlife Service, 447 were former NYS recruits.

This is a 56% overall living to my directive that all security agencies must give priority to our NYS men and women because of their demonstrated discipline, capability and paramilitary training, Ruto explained.

He instructed the relevant ministries, particularly those of Interior and Defence, to ensure that the paramilitary training for NYS recruits includes a basic firearms course to prepare them for national defense and to make sure that they stand ready to protect the country when the need arises.

In addition, Ruto mandated the NYS to oversee the Climate Works Mtaani program, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.

I want to announce that NYS will be supervising the cohort of young people that shortly we will be recruiting under the initiative that will bring more young people into the space of greening Kenya, he said.

He instructed the cabinet secretaries responsible for NYS, Environment, Housing, and Defence to lead this initiative as the country aims to plant 15 billion trees in response to climate change.

The NYS has set a goal to plant one billion trees by 2032.
George Gruner, a former executive editor of The Fresno Bee and senior member of a group of Bee journalists that went to jail rather than reveal their sources for a public service news story, died Sunday evening at a Fresno hospital. He was 99.

A U.S. Army veteran during World War II, Mr. Gruner devoted 44 years to journalism including 33 at The Bee. After starting as a copy editor in 1955, he rose through the ranks until being named managing editor in 1971 and executive editor in 1981. He retired in 1988.

Mr. Gruner is perhaps best known for his role in the Bee Four case in which he, two reporters and the city editor went to jail in 1976 to protect the confidentiality of the source of articles concerning grand jury testimony related to a government corruption case.

The Bee Four spent 15 days behind bars and never betrayed that confidence.

We preserved the perception among news sources that, when The Bee gave its word about confidentiality, it kept it, Mr. Gruner said later. When we say we will protect them, we will.

In recognition of his personal public service and the quality of journalism he maintained and valued, the George F. Gruner Awards for Meritorious Public Service in Journalism are awarded annually by Fresno States Department of Media, Communications and Journalism. The awards honor outstanding online and newspaper journalism in the central San Joaquin Valley.

In terms of San Joaquin Valley journalists who have made a significant impact, George is right at the top, said Jim Boren, a former Bee executive editor who now works as a media literacy adviser at Fresno State.

All of us whove worked at The Fresno Bee are branches of the George Gruner tree. He established quality journalism and invested in good people. We are all a part of his legacy.

Congressman Jim Costa, who represented Fresno in the State Legislature from 1978 to 2002 before shifting to Capitol Hill, recalled Mr. Gruner as a classic, old school journalist.

George understood the importance of a free press and newspapers that people read daily, Costa said. Big stories with state and national significance were always a part of the paper. Medium and smaller stories that involved our Valley communities were just as important. He had integrity and made a difference.

Early origins

Mr. Gruner was born in Alameda in 1925 and attended public school in Oakland. His first journalism job, at age 17, was as a gummer for the Oakland Post-Examiner. The job required him to take two strips of paper with text from a teletype machine, then glue them together with gum paste in the correct order for transmission to linotype machine operators, who then converted the text into hot type cast with molten metal.

After the Post-Examiners editor discovered Mr. Gruner was too young for employment, young George walked a few blocks down the street and found similar work with the Oakland Tribune.

At 18, Mr. Gruner entered the Army and was shipped overseas to England, France and Germany, where he served in an anti-aircraft artillery unit during World War II. He served briefly under General George Patton and was among U.S. forces overrun during the early stages of the Battle of the Bulge.

After the war, Mr. Gruner returned to the Oakland Tribune and became a reporter. It was then that he met his future wife, Irene, a fellow reporter and Sanger native. The couple traveled to Europe in 1952, where Mr. Gruner worked for Stars & Stripes, before they returned to California seeking work.

Mr. Gruner found a job on The Bees copy desk in 1955, then shifted to the city desk and moved up the editor ranks.

In 1976, Mr. Gruner, along with Bee reporters Bill Patterson and reporter Joe Rosato, and city editor James Bort, were jailed for refusing a Superior Court judges order to name a confidential source who provided The Bee with sealed transcripts of a grand jury hearing.

The Bee published stories quoting the transcripts, which cited testimony by a Fresno city council member saying he was paid by a company to take over the citys garbage removal services. The testimony had been sealed after the council member and others involved were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges.

Californias shield law, which helps protect journalists from having to name confidential sources, became stronger after the Bee Four journalists were released.

After retiring from The Bee, Mr. Gruner authored three books on California and military history including a retrospective of Hammer Field in Fresno, the focal point of Central Californias military effort during World War II.

Until the last year of his life, Mr. Gruner continued to make annual appearances at the Gruner Awards ceremony. His fiery addresses on the importance of journalism as the essential tool in the delivery of truth were always a highlight of the evening.

He was always there, Boren said. At age 99, he was still there. He would not miss those Gruner Awards for any reason. It shows his commitment to the cause. He was a special guy.

Mr. Gruner was preceded in death by his wife, Irene, and is survived by his son, Richard Gruner of Santa Monica, and two granddaughters. No funeral services are planned. Mr. Gruners remains have been donated to the Willed Body Program at UC San Francisco.
The objective of the subsidiary will be to invest in power, infrastructure, and related fields, the company added in the exchange filing.

The authorised capital of Adani Power Middle East is USD 27,000 shares of USD 1 each, as per the statement.

Adani Power owns 100 per cent of the shares in the new Incorporated Company, Adani Power Middle East Ltd.

With a power generation capacity of 15, 250 MW Adani Power Limited (APL) is the largest private thermal power producer in India.

APL has thermal power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand, and a 40 MW solar power project in Gujarat.

The company claims to be the world's first company to set up a coal-based Supercritical thermal power project registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol.

Adani Power Limited (APL) and its subsidiary Mahan Energen Limited (MEL) have recently signed a contract with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) of Rs 11,000 crore, where BHEL will develop three supercritical thermal power projects for the company

The contract, signed on Sunday (August 25), encompasses the supply of critical equipment and the supervision of the erection and commissioning processes for three major power projects.

Each project will feature a capacity of 2x800 MW and will be based on advanced Supercritical Technology.

The projects are slated to be developed at the following locations: Kawai Phase-II and Kawai Phase-III in Rajasthan, and Mahan Phase-III in Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 27: Rustomjee Group, an esteemed real estate developer in Mumbai, announces the launch of 'Verdant Vistas', a luxury residential project located in the prime location of Thane, in partnership with Keppel. This premium property intends to redefine luxury living by integrating Thane's natural beauty with modern amenities. Rustomjee Group is expecting a positive response for this project similar to its premium projects at other upscale locations like Bandra, Prabhadevi, Juhu amongst others across Mumbai which will further strengthen its position as a real estate leader, inviting homebuyers to embrace a new standard of elegant living. This launch marks Rustomjee's introduction of its luxury portfolio in Thane, completing its portfolio range in the region. With offerings ranging from Urbania for affordable homes, La Vie and La Familia for aspirational buyers, Rustomjee is now setting a new benchmark in the region with Verdant Vistas. Verdant Vistas is inclusive of two buildings, Tower A with 176 flats and Tower B with 264 units ensuring a sense of community amidst natural beauty. Notably, the project addresses a gap in the market by offering spacious 4BHK apartments, seldom available in this region. The 3BHK units range from 1100 to 1300 sq. ft., while the 4BHK units range from 1750 to 2250 sq. ft., ensuring ample living space for residents. Each residence boasts expansive decks offering forever creek views along with providing additional outdoor living space. The project is equipped with 25+ luxurious amenities spread across 3 floors, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, amphitheatre, kids play area, club house, and senior citizen area, designed to enrich community interaction. 'Verdant Vistas' is designed to blend in with Thane's natural terrain, utilizing the hills, valleys, and its distinctive characteristics to create a serene living environment. The residential phase includes these natural components into the design of the homes whereas the commercial and multi-sports phases offer Ullas Creek, a dynamic water feature that enhances the surroundings. This thoughtful layout incorporates water as a connecting feature, symbolizing development and transformation throughout the environment intending to provide a peaceful and comfortable lifestyle. Coen, a renowned landscape consultant from Singapore, has meticulously crafted the landscaping for 'Verdant Vistas'. Coen's philosophy aligns perfectly with Rustomjee's commitment to authenticity and thoughtfulness, ensuring that the project enhances its natural surroundings while offering residents a serene living environment through landscape architecture. Additionally, MOD architects offers idea-driven architecture and design expertise and Architect Hafeez Contractor, known for unique design concepts and bold execution, enriches the project with an added layer of luxury and comfort, further enhancing the living experience. Located strategically in Thane, this project provides families with a perfect living space as it provides easy access to Mumbai's major social infrastructure. Residents of this sprawling 127-acre township enjoy close proximity to schools, retail areas, and community amenities, all of which are meant to improve convenience and quality of life. The project's location assures seamless connectivity to public transportation networks, making commuting easier for residents. Furthermore, the adjoining spiritual center enriches the community's cultural experience, increasing the project's appeal. By incorporating these aspects, this project hopes to create a peaceful and fulfilling environment that fosters family well-being and a harmonious lifestyle. As part of the launch of Verdant Vistas, Rustomjee is pleased to introduce its state-of-the-art Customer Experience Center in Thane. This facility offers prospective buyers an immersive preview of the Verdant Vistas project's distinctive features and amenities. With personalized tours and expert guidance, visitors will have the opportunity to experience Rustomjee's commitment to excellence and innovation. Mr. Boman Irani, Chairman & MD, Rustomjee Group said, "We are excited to announce the launch of our newest cluster, 'Verdant Vistas,' at Rustomjee Uptown Urbania. This project offers the luxury of space with larger apartments, large sundecks and verdant green views along with every conceivable amenity. At Rustomjee, we believe in creating luxurious lifestyles centred around you. We use cutting-edge technology, innovative construction methods, and the finest materials to meet your needs. We are also committed to sustainability, ensuring that our development minimizes its carbon footprint through energy-efficient systems, high-performance windows, water conservation, use of eco-friendly & non-toxic materials wherever possible, strategies to minimize construction waste, waste management, and the incorporation of ample green spaces. These are just some of the many efforts we are undertaking in our ongoing commitment to sustainability. Partnering with award-winning international experts, we create spaces that are not only innovative and inspiring but also enrich lives. Verdant Vistas is a testament to our dedication to enhancing lifestyles, fostering well-being, and enriching the community through thoughtfully crafted residences." Mr. Ho Kiam Kheong, President (India) of Keppel's Real Estate Division, said, "We are pleased to build on our partnership with the Rustomjee Group, following our earlier successful projects in Thane. Our latest project, Verdant Vistas, will set new benchmarks in luxury for Uptown Urbania and Thane. With our extensive real estate experience across Asia, combined with Rustomjee's deep market insights, we look forward to bringing new benchmarks of quality in urban living to residents and the greater community." Thane boasts exceptional connectivity with its strategic location bridging Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, complemented by its proximity to major highways and the upcoming metro lines. The enhancement of its transport infrastructure, including the Thane-Diva-Kalyan metro extension and the proposed Thane-Borivali corridor, is set to further elevate its accessibility and integration within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
NewsVoir Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) [India], August 27: Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Ministers Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Dada Pawar laid the foundation stone for the Surjagad Ispat Pvt. Ltd. steel project in Gadchiroli. This ambitious project, with an investment of Rs.10,000 crore, is expected to generate employment for over 7,000 individuals, both directly and indirectly. During the ceremony, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis expressed confidence that Gadchiroli district will become the most progressive district in the state in the near future. He highlighted that in the future, Gadchiroli alone will account for thirty percent of the state's steel production. Fadnavis also emphasized that Gadchiroli will become Maharashtra's leading district and the largest steel hub in the country. He spoke about the positive impact of industry on the tribal community, mentioning the establishment of a medical college and the planned construction of an airport in the area. Fadnavis announced efforts to transform Gadchiroli into an education hub and initiate water transportation from Chamorshi to Kakinada port. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Dada Pawar remarked on the significance of inaugurating a major company with an investment of Rs.10,000 crore in Gadchiroli. He stressed that this project will provide significant employment opportunities for local residents and meet the country's steel requirements. Vedansh Joshi, MD of Surjagad Ispat Pvt Ltd, stated, "We are contributing to our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by making significant investments and promoting industrial development in Maharashtra. We are establishing an integrated steel plant in the Naxal-affected region of Wadlapeth village, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, covering an area of 340 acres. Our project includes a 1.6 MTPA Beneficiation Plant, a 1.2 MTPA Pellet Plant, a Sponge Iron Plant of 4 x 650 TPD, an Induction Furnace of 0.75 MTPA, a Rolling Mill of 0.75 MTPA, a Captive Power Plant with a capacity of 120 MW, and a Pellet Plant of 1.2 MTPA and we plan to extend up to 2 million tons integrated steel plant in phase 2. Upon completion, we plan to achieve 8 million tons of integrated steel production." The Bhoomi Pujan ceremony was graced by prominent dignitaries, Cabinet Ministers- Uday Samant, and Dr. Dharmaraobaba Atram. Several government officials were also present. The first phase of the project is slated to commence in 2026, with the entire project expected to be completed by 2030. In conclusion, the Surjagad Ispat Pvt Ltd project stands as a testament to Maharashtra's commitment to industrial growth and regional development. The initiative promises not only economic benefits but also aims to uplift local communities by providing essential services and employment, marking a new chapter in Gadchiroli's development. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The Indian residential real estate market achieved its best-ever performance in FY24, with the pan-India absorption rate surging by approximately 20.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in terms of area absorbed, according to a report by JM Financial This surge in demand was accompanied by an 11.5 per cent YoY increase in supply, yet inventory levels in major cities fell to a record low of 12 months, indicating a tight market driven by sustained demand. The sector recorded an average YoY price increase of 9.0 per cent, reflecting a combination of price escalations and a favourable product mix. This contributed to an overall market growth of approximately 29 per cent during the fiscal year. Pre-sales for listed companies, particularly Tier 1 developers, saw a staggering 39.5 per cent YoY increase, highlighting their continued market share gains and the growing preference for branded and high-end products. Bengaluru's residential market was among the top performers, continuing its robust growth trajectory since FY21. In FY24, the city recorded a YoY sales increase of 18.1 per cent, with 102.7 million square feet (MSF) absorbed against 95.9 MSF launched. The demand for residential properties in Bengaluru has consistently outpaced supply, resulting in an 8.3 per cent reduction in unsold inventory, which stood at 75.1 MSF by the end of FY24. Residential property prices in the city have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10.7 per cent over FY20-24, reflecting sustained demand and a vibrant market. The National Capital Region (NCR) experienced a slight decline in residential sales in 4QFY24, with absorption down by 10.2 per cent YoY. However, the region still recorded a healthy 10.9 per cent YoY increase in sales for the entire fiscal year, with 79.4 msf sold. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) displayed strong momentum, with a 20.4 per cent YoY increase in sales for FY24, despite a 3.5 per cent YoY decline in new launches. Residential prices in MMR have seen a CAGR of 7.7 per cent over FY20-24, supported by steady demand, particularly in the premium segment. Hyderabad's residential market continued to thrive, with sales up by 28.0 per cent YoY in FY24, driven by a 20.0 per cent YoY increase in 4QFY24 alone. The city's growing appeal as a destination for lifestyle upgrades has fueled demand, although supply has also grown, leading to an increase in unsold inventory. Conversely, Chennai saw a decline in sales by 9.5 per cent YoY in 4QFY24, despite a significant 50.0 per cent YoY increase in launches. The market recorded a 7.9 per cent YoY increase in sales for FY24, with property prices rising at a CAGR of 7.4 per cent over FY20-24. With inventory levels at historic lows, rising disposable incomes, and a limited expansion in supply, the residential real estate sector is poised for continued growth in FY25. Propequity forecasts an 18 per cent market growth, comprising a 12 per cent increase in volume and a 6 per cent escalation in prices. While supply is expected to grow moderately, inventory levels are likely to remain healthy due to strong absorption rates. (ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 27: This Indian brand has been making headlines recently for all the right reasons. Having recently been featured on Disney+ Hotstar, and Fox 40 and catching the eyes of various international news channels, Neuphony, an Indian brand has put India on the map in terms of neurotechnology, neck to neck with Elon Musk's Neuralink. For some context, Neuralink is a company founded by Elon Musk that aims to develop brain-computer interface technology. In simple terms, they're working on creating a way for human brains to connect with computers directly. The main idea behind Neuralink is to create tiny devices that can be implanted in the brain. This technology is similar to Invasive EEG (also known as intracranial EEG or iEEG), which uses electrodes (or threads) implanted in the brain to record brain activity. The key difference is that iEEG is primarily used for diagnostic (data recording) purposes, usually as a temporary setup. Neuralink aims to create a two-way interface for both - recording, and potentially stimulating brain activity in the long run. But, how is Neuphony similar to Neuralink? Neuphony works on creating products that can be used by researchers, practitioners (therapists, psychologists, etc.), BCI engineers, biohackers, institutions(research institutions, colleges, etc.), and for personal use as well. The Neuphony EEG Flex Cap is a cutting-edge neurotech device designed for precise brainwave mapping and analysis. This device is an example of the usage of non-invasive EEG technology which neither requires any surgery or implantation in the brain nor requires any gel or solutions to the hair for precise data monitoring. Neuphony's flex cap and headband combined with their desktop application has put India right next to Neuralink as the desktop application allows raw EEG data recording and streaming to other applications through LSL and SDK functionality, which potentially opens up the possibilities of all BCI applications. Basically, this enables the use of the data from EEG (electroencephalography) waves to control any application one would want, just through their mind. And, not just this, but also opens the possibilities for researchers and BCI engineers to develop products in the domain. Brain-controlled drones, robotic cars, room lighting, and VR are just a few of the applications already explored As per our sources, Neuphony is currently working on a better, more optimized version of the Neuphony EEG flex cap. The current flex cap has 8 channels, i.e. it can take data from 8 different points in the brain, but reportedly, Neuphony is working on a version that will cover 19 channels based upon the 10-20 system of EEG examination. We reached out to Neuphony for their comments on this and the Brands of Tomorrow episode that was recently released on Disney+ Hotstar and the potential competition, and this is what the Co-Founder and CEO, Ria Rustagi had to say on this: "At Neuphony, our mission has always been to leverage technology to improve brain health and enhance quality of life. This device is a significant step forward in achieving that goal." As for the media outreach, Ria said, "Honestly, the aim is not to get recognition for Neuphony, but for the technology itself. It is long overdue that this technology was made accessible to more people as it can impact millions of lives in ways we can't even imagine" And, about the potential competition, "There is no competition. Everyone is working towards the same goal. Yes, we get hate online already, in various ways, but that shouldn't stop the community from growing..." While Neuphony devices are a major milestone for India, their implications are global. Neuphony is working to make this technology accessible to people worldwide. The company envisions a future where advanced neurotech solutions are available to all, regardless of geographic location. Neuphony's EEG devices are gaining recognition from leading research institutions and experts worldwide. This four-year-old startup has recently been awarded several prestigious grants, including the MEITY grant, Startup India Seed Fund, NIDHI SSS, and BIRAC Seed, propelling its mission to revolutionize neuroscience research and education. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Industry experts predict that if even 10-11 per cent of Bangladesh's exports are diverted to India, it could translate into an additional USD 300-400 million in monthly business for Indian textile players, according to Primus research report. India's textile industry is on the brink of expansion as neighbouring Bangladesh, a dominant player in the global textile market, faces severe disruptions. Bangladesh's textile sector accounts for 80 per cent of its exports and contributes 15 per cent to its GDP, has been a powerhouse, especially in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector. However, recent challenges, including supply chain disruptions, curfews, and an internet blackout, have dealt a heavy blow to the industry. These setbacks are expected to result in a 15-20 per cent decline in RMG exports from Bangladesh for the January to March 2024 season. The disruption has caused widespread concern among global buyers, leading to market shortages and increased uncertainty. This crisis has opened a window of opportunity for India, which is now poised to capture a more substantial share of the global textile market. To fully capitalize on this emerging situation, India must adopt a strategic and proactive approach. Strengthening infrastructure, such as modernizing textile manufacturing facilities, improving logistics, and ensuring a steady supply of raw materials, will be crucial to meet the anticipated increase in demand. Additionally, enhancing policy support by offering incentives for domestic and foreign investors, streamlining regulatory processes, and reducing bureaucratic hurdles will create a more favourable environment for the textile industry to thrive. Several Indian companies operating in Bangladesh are considering relocating their operations back to India. Textile hubs in India, like Tirupur, which are known for their robust manufacturing infrastructure, are already seeing a surge in orders. The stocks of Indian textile manufacturers have risen by over 10 per cent, driven by expectations of gaining a more significant market share. Furthermore, securing favourable trade agreements, particularly with key markets in the UK and EU, will be essential for expanding market access. By focusing on innovation and expanding its reach, India can reclaim its position as a global leader in the textile industry. (ANI)
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) has announced that InMobi, will serve as a co-chair of the newly formed USIBC AI Task Force. According to an official statement, this move reflects USIBC's dedication to advancing AI principles and fostering collaborative innovation between the U.S. and India. Jacob Gullish, USIBC Executive Director - Digital Economy stated, "We are thrilled to have InMobi as a Co-Chair of the USIBC AI Task Force. InMobi's proven track record in pioneering AI-driven solutions positions them perfectly to lead initiatives that will deepen U.S.-India collaboration in AI research and development." USIBC leaders emphasized the importance of this appointment, noting InMobi's pivotal role in driving AI technologies that will shape the future of the U.S.-India relationship. The announcement was made at the AI Task Force's inaugural meeting in Bengaluru, attended by top industry leaders, diplomats, and key stakeholders from both countries. InMobi's expertise in AI-driven products and consumer technology makes it a key participant in this initiative. Dr Subi Chaturvedi, Global SVP, Chief Corporate Affairs and Public Policy Officer at InMobi, will serve as Co-Chair of the Task Force. On her appointment, she said, "It is a privilege for InMobi to co-chair the AI Task Force. This initiative is a significant step towards ensuring ethical, trusted and responsible AI use while maximising its potential for innovation and public good. InMobi is dedicated to leveraging our expertise to build a fair, ethical, responsible, inclusive and sustainable AI ecosystem for all. Through collaboration with academia, industry leaders, and policymakers, we aim to establish standards that uphold the highest ethical practices and champion global collaboration." She further added, "We envision a future where AI drives economic progress while safeguarding individual rights and well-being. Our efforts through the AI Task Force are geared towards achieving innovations that benefit society, ensuring the sustainability, equity, and inclusivity of the digital economy with an AI for all." As Co-Chair, InMobi will spearhead efforts to identify critical focus areas, develop actionable plans, and ensure that AI adoption serves the public interest and promotes societal benefits. The AI Task Force, under USIBC's guidance, will work on advancing strong AI principles, engaging multiple stakeholders, and accelerating the commercialization of AI technologies for inclusive growth. The initiative seeks to harmonize AI concepts, strengthen U.S. and Indian leadership, and sustain competitive AI-driven industries. (ANI)
PNN Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], August 27: Ahmedabad based Aeron Composite Ltd, leading company engaged in manufacturing and supply of fibre glass reinforced polymer products is planning to raise up to Rs. 56.10 crore from its SME public issue. The company has received approval to launch its public issue on NSE Emerge Platform of National Stock Exchange. The public issue opens for subscription on August 28 and closes on August 30. Out of the proceeds of the public issue, Rs. 39 crores will be utilized to fund the capital expenditure requirements towards setting up of a manufacturing unit at Mehsana, Gujarat and general corporate purpose. Hem Securities Ltd is the book running lead manager of the issue. The initial public offering of Rs. 56.10 crore, comprises of a fresh issue of 44.88 lakh equity shares of face value Rs. 10 each. Company has finalized price band of Rs. 121-125 per equity share for the public issue. The minimum lot size for retail investors is 1,000 shares amounting to minimum investment of Rs 1,25,000 at the upper price band of Rs. 125 per share. Retail investor quota for the IPO is kept at not less than 35% of the net offer, HNI quota is kept at not less than 15% of the offer and QIB portion is kept at not more than 50% of the offer. Incorporated in the year 2011, Aeron Composite Ltd is engaged in the business of manufacturing and supplying of Fiber Glass Reinforce Polymer Products i.e. FRP products including FRP Pultruded Products, FRP Moulded Gratings & FRP Rods tailored for various industrial applications. FRP product is a composite material consisting of a polymer matrix (resins) reinforced with fibers such as fiberglass, carbon or aramid. This combination offers benefits, including corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, high strength, lightweight properties, electrical and thermal non-conductivity, and ease of fabrication. Company provides comprehensive solution which includes conceptual design, prototype development, testing, manufacturing, logistic support, installation and after sales service. The company's manufacturing facility certified by ISO 9001:2015 is located in Saket Industrial Estate at Changodar, Ahmedabad and is spread over 26,320 square metres. The manufacturing facility is certified for the design, manufacture and supply of FRP pultruded products, FRP Handrails, FRP cable trays, FRP fencing, FRP moulded gratings, FRP Cross arm, FRP poles, FRP rods and module mounting structures for solar panels (MMS). Company exports to more than 30 countries. Company has reported excellent operational and financial performance over years. The Company has witnessed a multi-fold growth in revenue and profitability over the years. For FY23-24 (till February, 2024), company has reported net profit of Rs. 9.42 crore (PAT Margin 5.26%), EBITDA of Rs. 14.27 crore (EBITDA margin 7.97%) and revenue from operations of Rs. 179.14 crore. For Full year of FY2022-23, company had reported net profit of Rs. 6.61 crore (PAT Margin 3.69%), EBITDA of Rs. 9.82 crore (EBITDA margin 5.48%) and revenue from operations of Rs. 179.38 crore. As on February 2024, Net Worth of the company was reported at Rs. 34.78 crore, Reserves & Surplus at Rs. 33.21 crore and Asset base of Rs. 99.79 crore. As on Feb 2024, ROE of the company was 31.33%, ROCE at 29.67% and RONW at 27.09% with a healthy debt/equity ratio of 0.35 times. Promoter Group shareholding in the company will be 73.63% post the public issue. Shares of the company will be listed on NSE's Emerge platform. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 27: Acharya Prashant has set a new world record for the largest online examination of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita ever conducted merging ancient wisdom with latest technology. Organized by the PrashantAdvait Foundation in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, this historic event marks a new era in spiritual education. On June 24, 2024, the foundation orchestrated an extraordinary online exam where thousands of students, participating in Bhagavad Gita sessions led by Acharya Prashant, tested their knowledge. Conducted via the Acharya Prashant app, the exam featured 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and was completed within 90 minutes. This monumental event was officially recognized as the largest of its kind on July 2, 2024. The scale and intellectual challenge of this examination have drawn comparisons to major competitive exams like the JEE, reflecting its unprecedented depth and complexity. It stands as the most extensive online Gita-based spiritual examination ever conducted, setting a new benchmark in the field. Acharya Prashant, founder of the PrashantAdvait Foundation, is a leading figure in modern spirituality. An alumnus of India's prestigious IIT and IIM and a former civil servant, he has authored over 200 books on subjects ranging from karma to social issues. His innovative approach blends spiritual wisdom with contemporary challenges, addressing critical issues such as climate change and women's empowerment. The online Bhagavad Gita course, which has attracted over 30,000 global students, laid the groundwork for this record-setting event. Acharya Prashant's unique interpretation of the Gita integrates ancient wisdom with practical applicability, offering profound insights into modern life. "This examination was a transformative experience," noted a participant. "It bridged the gap between ancient teachings and modern understanding." In recognition of this groundbreaking achievement, the PrashantAdvait Foundation received an accolade from the India Book of Records, underscoring the event's unprecedented scale and its contribution to global spiritual education. "This exam was not just a test of knowledge but a significant spiritual journey," commented a scholar of Eastern philosophies. This landmark event not only showcases Acharya Prashant's innovative approach to spiritual education but also sets a precedent for the future of how spiritual knowledge can be disseminated and evaluated in the digital age. The future of global spiritual learning has indeed arrived. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 27: The International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) teamed up with WallAffairsjammu to organize a heartwarming charitable event in the Seer village of the Jammu region. The event aimed to provide essential support and joy to children in the local underprivileged community. Event Overview The event was organized by Manmohan Singh from WallAffairsjammu, with the support of volunteers Manjeet Singh, YashPaul Singh, and Manish Singh. Their combined efforts ensured the smooth execution of the event, which brought valuable aid to 20 children. Provided Aid The event focused on delivering essential supplies to the community, including: Rice Wheat Cooking oil Lentils These items were distributed to help meet the basic needs of the families in the community and to improve their living conditions. Activities and Interaction The event kicked off at 5 PM and featured various physical activities. These activities not only provided the children with exercise but also brought them moments of joy and laughter. Organizer's Reflections Manmohan Singh expressed his satisfaction with the event, stating, "This event was a great success. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to help those in need. Seeing the children receive the necessary aid and experiencing their happiness is incredibly fulfilling." Looking Ahead The collaboration between IYDF and WallAffairsjammu once again demonstrated the powerful impact of collective efforts in improving the lives of underprivileged communities. This event not only provided essential supplies to the children but also promoted their physical well-being through engaging activities. Both organizations remain committed to organizing more such initiatives, bringing hope and support to those who need it most. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 27: Indian Institute of Internship One Premier Organization with Non-Profit Status Registered Under Government of West Bengal by the Registrar of Assurance Govt. of West Bengal. Indian Institute of Internship Run & Managed By: All India Faculty Council & Technical Partner: National Institute of Industrial Training (Empanelled Under NITI AAYOG Govt. of India). Indian Institute of Internship, Kolkata we are committed to helping students bridge the gap between education and the workplace. Our internship programs are designed to equip students with the skills and experience they need to make a successful transition into the professional world. Offering Best Internship for Engineering & Management Students. Indian Institute of Internship, Kolkata established in 2022 as a non-profit autonomous research - based equity educational institution to promote education & research Various Domain in Form of National & International Internship. Indian Institute of Internship, Kolkata has made distinguished scholarly contributions - acclaimed nationally and internationally. Indian Institute of Internship Kolkata is unique and is the only organization of its kind in India. Indian Institute of Internship Received Funds from EMCTA for Skill Enhancement - Sayantan Chakraborty Technical Director of Indian Institute of Internship Informed that Indian Institute of Internship going to Start Centre of Continuing Education ( CCE ) in Association with Various Engineering, Management, General Degree Colleges as well as Some Universities to Start from Skill Certification Based Credentials also Starting Faculty Development Program in Collaboration with All India Faculty Council. Want to Know More Regarding Indian Institute of Internship it would be better to Search " Indian Institute of Internship" Indian Institute of Internship Offered Best Internship on DevOps, Best Internship in Machine Learning, Best Internship in Full Stack Web Development Best Internship in Cyber Security, Best Internship in Cloud Computing. Indian Institute of Internship Conducted Internship on Full Stack Web Development, DevOps, Sales Force with 350+ Students from RCC Institute of Technology, Gargi Memorial Institute of Technology, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology (JIS Group), University of Engineering & Management, Techno International Batanagar, Meghnad Saha Institute of Technology, Netaji Subhah Engineering College, Techno Main Salt Lake, Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College Many More. Entire Program Fully Managed By Operation Director Avik Ghosh, National Institute for Industrial Training. All India Faculty Council at a glance: All India Faculty Council India's First Registered & Licensed Faculty Council For Engineering, Management & Technology Educators - Fully Funded By: DASA, ICCA - Sayantan Chakaborty , Technical Director, Dr Tanupriya Choudhury, Hon. Secretary & In Charge Collaborative Research, Dr. Dipak Mathur, Operation In - Charge ( Institutional Tie Up), Dr Sukrapash Jain, Admin Division, Faculty Development Program, Dr Bikas Jana- Hons. Joint Secretary; Delivered Special Thanks to All Members / Fellow Members for Their Continuous Support Towards Development of Our Nation. 1. All India Faculty Council Conducted Award & Fellowship Ceremony in Sector V to Felicitate Educators from Various Parts of West Bengal with Glorius Presence of Dr. Raju Basak, Chairman ,Er. Anirban Dutta Honorary Secretary - The Institute of Engineers(India), West Bengal State Centre, Prof. Dr. Santu Kumar Sen, Dr. Saradindu Panda Principal of Saheed Anurup Chandra Mahavidyalaya, Dr. Swarup Kumar Mitra Principal GNIT(JIS Group), Dr. Mahuya Das Principal Greater Kolkata of Engineering and Awardees from Gargi Memorial Institute of Technology, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology ( JIS Group ), JIS Kalyani, Narula Institute of Technology, Techno Main Salt Lake, BP Poddar Institute of Engineering & Management, Meghnad Saha Institute of Institute of Technology, Netaji Subhash Engineering College, MCKV Institute of Engineering, Saheed Anurup Chandra Mahavidyalaya, Sister Nivedita University, Techno India University, Budge Budge Institute of Technology, Techno International New Town and Many More. 2. All India Faculty Council Recently Conducted Faculty Development Program on Cloud Computing(August 2024) which was Arranged by Haldia Institute of Technology- Renowned Engineering College in West Bengal Also Known by its Quality Education, Infrastructure & Placement-to Enhance the Skill of Faculty Members on Emerging Technologies. The Inaugural Speech was Delivered By The Eminent Educator Dr. Susmit Maity General Manager - Training & Placement and Sayantan Chakraborty, Microsoft Certified Trainer & Circle of Excellence Since 2012 (MC ID: 8988166) - Technical Director of All India Faculty Council Developed the Content of the Program , After Successful Completion of the Program Grade Based Certificate of Achievement Issued to Participant to Showcase their Technical Expertise. Dr. Tanupriya Choudhury Hon. Secretary of All India Faculty Council Congratulates to Entire Team Haldia Institute of Technology & All India Faculty Council for Grand Success of the Event. 3. All India Faculty Council upcoming Events: A. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Life Time Achievement Award on 5th September B. Faculty Development Program on DevOps - Hybrid Mode - PAN India Basis -2nd Week of September C. Faculty Development Program on Business Intelligence - Hybrid Mode - PAN India Basis - 3rd Week of September To Know More Regarding All India Faculty Council - Just Search "All India Faculty Council" Still You have some questions? Feel Free to Contact Us 6290710628 to Know More Please visit: www.internshipindia.wiki, www.indiantiassociation.in, www.industrialtraining.wiki (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 27: Brands are increasingly using WhatsApp API to sell and build stronger customer relationship. Triblem supporting well-known brands such as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands. During the pandemic especially there was a sudden gap in the distribution because the physical stores were not available and brands needed instant ways of engaging with their customers. Around this time WhatsApp emerged as the most effective tool and sales. Triblem has helped businesses power millions of conversations with thousands of customers in India. Triblem enables companies to have scalable yet personalized conversations with its customer engagement software that is built on WhatsApp's Business API. We went vertical in our approach and created integrations with google sheet zoho shopify among others to really help scale growth and sharpen the product. Triblem WhatsApp API liked by many brands such as as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands. Revenues and customer growth have doubled in the past few months as users find ROI in both time saved and increased revenue from automated workflows connected to Ecommerce platforms and CRMs. Built on the official WhatsApp Business API it enables small-scale companies such as as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands to manage customer interactions and sales on the communication platform. They can easily convert product inquiries on WhatsApp into paying customers take orders on WhatsApp help recover abandoned carts into sales send order details and updates to customers and engage with them through multi-agent support. S Hari Founder of Kiacart Private Limited said "The business messaging market has grown enormously. Meta estimates that around a billion people per week communicate with a business or service account across WhatsApp Messenger and Instagram. Thanks to as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands. This insight is critical for what's happening now and what's coming ahead. About 40% of Meta's advertisers globally - over 4 million businesses - use click to message ads which redirect people from Facebook or Instagram into one of Meta's messaging products to chat with business such as as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands. They can also support their customers through a collaborative team inbox assign chats and respond to their queries with a single WhatsApp Business Number. Technological advances in operations newer concepts and tactics in digital marketing and prioritized customer experience strategies have made businesses more aware. Triblem always providing 24/7 support to their 24/7 such as as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and more brands. Well-known companies and fast growing in india's brands such as TripZada Holiday, IndoAdvisors, Infinite Square, Sunshine Solar, AdmAArk Events & Weddings, King Digital, Nucassa Real Estate, Connectby.io, 7md Store - Technical Support, Amedore Luxury Salon, Acupuncture Wellness Centre, Dharamdev Medical Foundation, Vittakosh, NPJ Jewellers, Savoir Prive Properties, F2 Technology, Apna Mechanic, 4raGames, Bonheur Auto Express, Govindjee store, Arihant Data Recovery, Tick Try, Heaven Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. Visit: http://triblem.com/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN New Delhi [India], August 27: On the afternoon of August 24, 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) and Pdigipro joined forces to organize a heartwarming charity event at the School for the Deaf and Mute in Meerut, India. The event, initiated by Ms. Priya Gupta, aimed to provide essential support to the children of the school while also fostering a sense of warmth and care through interactive activities. Event Organization and Participants The event was spearheaded by Priya Gupta, with enthusiastic participation from volunteers including Priyam Gupta, Priya Gupta, Dixant Saxena, Harshit Tyagi, Vanshika Gupta, Naina Lodhi, Kiran Lodhi, Gautam Lodhi, Shivani, and Arpita Gupta. The event took place at the School for the Deaf and Mute, located at 221 Race Course Road, Meerut Cantt, with Fatehveer overseeing the proceedings on behalf of the school. Details of Donated Supplies IYDF and Pdigipro provided a variety of essential supplies to 60 children at the school, including: Food Items: 60 packets of chips, 60 packs of juice, 24 liters of cooking oil, 30 kilograms of rice, and 30 kilograms of flour. Learning and Recreational Supplies: 60 jump ropes, 60 drawing books, and 60 sets of colors. These items were carefully selected to address the children's basic needs while also enriching their learning and recreational activities. Event Schedule and Atmosphere The event commenced promptly at 12:30 PM, with volunteers distributing the thoughtfully prepared supplies to the children. Following the distribution, the children eagerly participated in various activities such as dancing, jump rope, and drawing. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy as the children responded warmly to the volunteers' efforts, creating a heartwarming and emotional scene. Organizer's Reflection Priya Gupta, the event's organizer, shared her thoughts on the experience: "Seeing the happiness on the children's faces made all our efforts truly worthwhile. This event was not just about material aid; it was about providing emotional support as well. The volunteers felt incredibly joyful and grateful for being part of such a meaningful experience." Feedback and Future Outlook The event concluded successfully, with both the children and the school expressing deep gratitude for the support provided by IYDF and Pdigipro. The volunteers also reflected on the profound warmth and fulfillment they experienced during the event. Looking ahead, IYDF plans to continue partnering with compassionate companies to organize more charitable activities, offering care and support to children in need and helping them build a brighter future. This event not only brought material support to the children but also infused their lives with a sense of hope and joy, reinforcing the commitment of IYDF and its partners to making a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable children. (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)
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) - the national mission for financial inclusion and banking the unbanked - completed ten years of implementation. A decade since the launch of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a total of 53.13 crore of such accounts have been opened, with a deposit balance of Rs 2.3 lakh crore, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday. The average balance per account has increased from Rs 1,065 in March 2015 to Rs 4,352 now. Around 80 per cent of accounts are operative, the finance minister said. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched by PM Narendra Modi 10 years ago on August 8, 2014. It aimed to ensure comprehensive financial inclusion of all households in the country by providing universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic bank account to every household, financial literacy, and social security cover. The initiative was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his maiden Independence Day address from Red Fort in 2014. Later he launched the programme on August 28, 2014. PMJDY accounts are being used extensively although, zero balance accounts are permitted and there is no requirement of maintenance of minimum balance in PMJDY accounts, only 8.4 per cent of accounts have zero balance. The scheme has done very well in rural / semi-urban areas. Out of the total accounts opened under the scheme, about 66.6 per cent of accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas. As of August 14, 2024, out of a total 53.13 crore PMJDY accounts, 29.56 crore (55.6 per cent of total accounts) belong to women account holders Today, 99.95 per cent of all inhabited villages have access to banking facilities within a 5 km radius through banking touch points (including bank branches, ATMs, Banking Correspondents (BCs), and Indian Post Payment Banks). As of August 14, 2024, there are more than 173 crore operative CASA (current account saving account) accounts in the country which include more than 53 crore operative PMJDY accounts. The government's target is to open more than 3 crore PMJDY accounts during the current Financial Year. Giving details of progress under social security schemes, Sitharaman said that over 20 crore cumulative enrolments provided life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh under PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana with a premium of Rs 436 per annum. Over 45 crore cumulative enrolments provided a one-year accidental cover of Rs 2 lakh (death or permanent total disability) and Rs. 1 lakh (permanent partial disability) with a premium of Rs 20 per annum under PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. Giving progress details of various credit-linked schemes, the Finance Minister said that under PM Mudra Yojana (PMMY), 48.92 crore cumulative loans amounting to Rs 29.93 lakh crore have been sanctioned to provide collateral-free institutional finance to micro/small business units up to Rs 10 lakh for income generating activities. Under the Stand-Up India Scheme (SUPI) total of 2.36 lakh cumulative loans amounting to Rs. 53,609 crores have been sanctioned to Scheduled Caste / Schedule Tribe and Women entrepreneurs for setting up greenfield projects and under PM SVANidhi total loans worth Rs 12,630 crore have been sanctioned to 65.27 lakh street vendors. (ANI)
As per a statement from the vaccine manufacturer, the vaccine called HILLCHOL[?] was developed by Bharat Biotech under license from Hilleman Laboratories (funded by Merck, US and Wellcome Trust, UK), to combat cholera.

Currently, only one manufacturer supplies such vaccines worldwide, resulting in an estimated yearly deficit of 40 million doses.

To mitigate this global shortage of oral cholera vaccine, Bharat Biotech said it has established large-scale manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar with a capacity to produce up to 200 million doses of HILLCHOL[?].

While cholera is preventable and treatable, global cases and deaths have risen steadily since 2021. From early 2023 to March this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported in 31 countries, the statement from Bharat Biotech claimed.

The spread of cholera is primarily attributed to the faecal contamination of water and food supplies, a problem exacerbated by natural disasters and among people living in crowded conditions with insufficient access to clean water.

HILLCHOL[?] vaccine is administered orally on Day 0 and Day 14 and is suitable for individuals older than one year. It is presented as a single-dose respule and should be stored between +2C and +8C. It is presented in a mono-multidose format, one of the first such presentations for vaccines. Although the cholera vaccine provides additional protection against infections, it is essential to emphasize that it does not substitute for other preventive measures.

Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, said, "Vaccines provide the best intervention to prevent, limit, and control cholera outbreaks. HILLCHOL[?] is an excellent success story of partnership leading to public health solutions."

Ella said its new large-scale production facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar will significantly enhance the production and supply capabilities for this oral cholera vaccine.

The launch of the HILLCHOL[?] vaccine is the result of an extensive international collaboration involving Hilleman Laboratories, Bharat Biotech, the University of Gothenburg and Gotovax AB, the Bharat Biotech statement added. (ANI)
In a meeting with Suman Bery, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, on Tuesday in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the state government is spending over Rs 52000 crore per year on their five guarantees scheme. He said, "On the 5 Guarantees we are spending over 52,000 crore a year. This is perhaps the largest income support initiative by any state government." Siddaramaiah stated, "In line with our vision for equitable growth, we have launched a very ambitious inclusion agenda by providing direct income support to over 12 million families through direct benefit transfer. We call this agenda "Five Guarantees." Gruha Lakshmi- Monthly cash support of Rs 2,000 per woman head of the household, benefiting 12 million women through direct bank transfers. Gruha Jyothi- Free domestic power up to 200 units for 14 million households, Anna Bhagya- Provision of 10 kg of grain per person per month, with an alternative cash transfer of Rs 170 per person due to grain shortages. This benefits over 12 million families. Shakti- Free bus travel for all women residents, with over 280 crore trips taken so far, Yuva Nidhi- Monthly stipends of Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for up to two years or until employment is found. This program has supported 1.31 lakh youths. Siddaramaiah said, "Our state has been actively working towards a vision to foster inclusive growth, enhance governance, and address the unique challenges that our region faces. Although our work is in line with the objectives outlined by NITI Aayog and the Government of India, we believe we are going several steps ahead in promoting inclusion of the bottom 60 of the population, in terms of income, in the development agenda." Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted Karnataka's focus on leveraging its strengths to drive sustainable economic growth. The state has made substantial progress in areas such as infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and sectoral development. He said, "Karnataka is a hub of research, innovation and high technology in semi-conductor, space and aerospace sectors. 42 per cent of India's software exports emanate from Karnataka and 28 per cent of the GSVA -Gross State Value Add of the state comes from computers, software and related production and exports." He emphasized the state's dedication to advancing sectors crucial for its economy, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and technology-led industries. In a bold move towards social welfare, Karnataka has launched the 'Five Guarantees' program, aimed at providing comprehensive support to the state's vulnerable populations. Karnataka is at the forefront of sustainability, to explain this Siddaramaiah stated, "Sustainability is at the core of our development strategy. We are committed to environmental conservation and are implementing policies aimed at reducing our carbon footprint. For example, Karnataka is a leader in renewable energy. 53 per cent of our installed capacity of 32 Giga Wats comes from renewable energy sources." The state is also dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainable agricultural practices. Siddaramaiah reiterated the importance of balancing development with environmental stewardship to ensure long-term prosperity and quality of life for all residents. Siddaramaiah emphasised, "Effective governance is key to achieving our developmental goals. We are investing in technology and innovative solutions to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in our administrative processes. For example, we have a strong set of e-Governance solutions. Using these we were able to roll out the 5 guarantees in a record time of less than 3 months." He added, "Using our DBT module we are transferring over 54,000 crores to the beneficiaries directly into their bank accounts. By adopting e-governance tools and fostering a culture of responsiveness, we aim to improve service delivery and citizen engagement." The Chief Minister expressed appreciation for NITI Aayog's guidance and support, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration. He said, "Our partnership with NITI Aayog has been instrumental in shaping our development strategies. We appreciate the guidance and support provided and are keen to continue collaborating on various Initiatives. We believe that through shared knowledge, resources, and expertise, we can address the challenges we face and unlock new opportunities for growth." (ANI)
When completed, 145,400 such rifles will be in service with the Indian Army, a statement from Sig Sauer said.

"We are proud to be a partner in the modernization effort of the Indian Army, and prouder still that the SIG716 rifle achieves the Ministry of Defence's modernization goals with the second largest army in the world," said Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER.

The Ministry of Defence first awarded SIG SAUER a contract for the SIG716 in 2019 for 72,400 rifles.

The successful "fielding and overwhelming" acceptance by soldiers led to this follow-on award for an additional rifles, the company said in the statement.

"Since the initial fielding of the SIG716, we have received phenomenal end-user feedback on the performance and reliability of the platform. Throughout this time, we have strengthened and further solidified our partnership with the Indian Ministry of Defence and are honored to earn their continued trust equiping their frontline infantrymen."

The SIG716 is an enhanced AR platform chambered in 7.62 NATO featuring a 16-inch barrel, M-LOIC handguard, and a 6-position telescoping stock.

SIG SAUER designs and builds the SIG716 rifles for the Indian Army and for all of its customers in the United States. (ANI)
Amid sexual harassment allegations in the Malayalam film industry, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the hardships faced by women in the industry. The SIT met at the police headquarters on Tuesday to outline the continuation of the probe. "Special Investigation Team formed to investigate the hardships faced by women in the film industry convened at the police headquarters to outline continuation of the probe. The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation," said the statement from the Kerala Police. The Kerala government had earlier said that it has decided to form a special investigation team, led by a senior police officer, to investigate allegations of sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry. "In light of recent interviews and statements from several women in the Malayalam film industry detailing the hardships they have faced, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a meeting with senior police officials here on Sunday," said an official release from the Chief Minister's Office. On August 26, Malayalam film actor Minu Muneer made sexual harassment allegations against some of her co-stars in the Malayalam film industry. Minu accused actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of subjecting her to verbal and physical abuse in the process of filming movies. In a conversation with ANI, Minu spoke about her experiences, difficulties and tribulations, including for AMMA membership, and her being denied roles and being described as "worthless". "Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me," she alleged. "Once when I was driving to a new shoot location, Maniyanpilla Raju sat with me in the car and started asking questions about my husband and how I would manage without him here. I told him that he had misunderstood me. Maniyanpilla Raju once told me that I should keep my hotel door open at night but I refused. After this, I wasn't given films," she further alleged. The allegations come a day after the resignation of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their positions in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following accusations made against them. Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals. The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry. The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi Vijayan-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month. (ANI)
Actor Mohanlal has resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of Justice Hema Committee report and sexual harassment allegations faced by some members of the executive committee. Mohanlal and all executive members have resigned. Mohanlal wrote to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informing about the decision. After the release of the Hema Committee report, a section of AMMA members demanded that those facing sexual harassment allegations should resign from key positions. They said that those facing allegations should not delay sending their resignation and that their continued stay was not in the interest of the association. More female actors have come forward with their complaints and allegations in the wake of Hema Committee report which revealed discrimination and harassment of women in Malayalam film industry. The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the hardships faced by women in the industry. Kerala Police said that the Special Investigation Team held a meeting at the police headquarters on Tuesday. "The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation," a Kerala Police release said. On August 26, Malayalam film actor Minu Muneer made sexual harassment allegations against some of her co-stars in the Malayalam film industry. Minu accused actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of subjecting her to verbal and physical abuse in the process of filming movies. In a conversation with ANI, Minu spoke about her experiences, difficulties and tribulations, including for AMMA membership, and her being denied roles and being described as "worthless". "Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me," she alleged. "Once when I was driving to a new shoot location, Maniyanpilla Raju sat with me in the car and started asking questions about my husband and how I would manage without him here. I told him that he had misunderstood me. Maniyanpilla Raju once told me that I should keep my hotel door open at night but I refused. After this, I wasn't given films," she further alleged. The allegations came a day after the resignation of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their positions in AMMA following accusations made against them. Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals. The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, noted that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry. The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi Vijayan government in December 2019 and made public only this month. (ANI)
Producer-director Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who is shooting for his upcoming film 'Hisaab' in Dehradun, met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his residence along with his wife and actress Shefali Shah on Tuesday. Vipul Amrutlal Shah welcomed the Uttarakhand government's new Film Policy 2024 as very film-friendly and congratulated Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for it. He stated that the new Uttarakhand Film Policy will increase the number of films shot in Uttarakhand. During the meeting, while appreciating the simple shooting permission process under the single window system by the Uttarakhand Film Development Council (UFDC), Shah described the state as a completely film-friendly destination for filmmakers. He described shooting a film here as very easy compared to other states and also praised the help provided by the local people. According to him, this new film policy has created an atmosphere of enthusiasm among the filmmakers. He said that his new film stars Shefali Shah and actor Jaideep Ahlawat as the lead actors. This film is a comedy suspense film. More than 60 per cent of the support crew was taken locally in the three-day shooting of this film. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami congratulated Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Shefali Shah for the success of this film and said that the government is committed to the development of every sector related to film production. Film production will promote new direct employment activities in the state as well as give new strength to the tourism of the state. He also informed that the process of identifying new shooting destinations with the help of the Tourism Department and promoting them for shooting has started so that relatively less famous tourist places of Uttarakhand can also be promoted through films. During the meeting, Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari informed that in the new film policy passed by the state government, more grant amount has been included for films, films and web series released on OTT platforms have also been included for grants. CEO and Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari of Film Vikas Parishad, Joint CEO and Joint Director of Information Dr Nitin Upadhyay were also present in this meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence. (ANI)
The Malayalam film industry is currently embroiled in controversy following sexual harassment allegations made by actress Minu Muneer against several prominent figures in the industry. Muneer has accused actors Mukesh M, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of both verbal and physical abuse during their collaborations on film projects. Speaking to ANI, Muneer detailed her experiences, alleging a range of misconduct. "Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me," she claimed. She further described troubling interactions with Maniyanpilla Raju, including inappropriate suggestions regarding her hotel accommodation. The allegations surfaced shortly after the resignation of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their positions in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), following separate accusations against them. Muneer's allegations were initially shared on her Facebook page, where she recounted a series of incidents dating back to 2013. "I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya, Advocate Chandrasekharan, production controller Noble and Vichu," Muneer wrote. She stated that the abuse led her to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai. In response to these serious accusations, actor Mukesh M, who is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly, issued a press release asserting his innocence. "In response to the allegations raised against me and other film industry colleagues, I welcome the ongoing investigations. A fair and transparent inquiry is crucial to uncover the truth behind the accusations being discussed in the public domain," he said. "As both an actor and a public representative, I hold a deep responsibility towards society. Coming from a family with a rich theatrical tradition, I am perhaps more capable than most of understanding the pain and concerns of those in the arts," he added. "My mother, who began acting at the age of fourteen, continues to perform at the age of eighty-seven. I have no qualms with those who seek to politically target me. Similar accusations were made against me in 2018 as part of a political drama, which the public dismissed. In the face of those now attempting to judge me, I am providing certain clarifications backed by evidence to demonstrate my innocence," Mukesh M added in the press note. Mukesh alleged that Muneer had previously sought financial assistance and attempted to blackmail him. "This group, which has been persistently blackmailing me for money, has now turned against me at this opportune moment," Mukesh stated. He has called for a thorough and transparent investigation to clear his name. The controversy is further intensified by the recent release of a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report, which outlines various cases of harassment and exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. The report highlights the dominance of a small group of male figures within the industry and their control over its operations. In light of these revelations, the Kerala government has decided to form a special investigation team to address the allegations. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the formation of this team in response to growing public and media scrutiny. "In light of recent interviews and statements from several women in the Malayalam film industry detailing the hardships they have faced, we have convened a meeting with senior police officials to ensure a thorough investigation," read an official release from the Chief Minister's Office. (ANI)
This move comes in the wake of a comprehensive report by the Justice Hema Committee, which highlighted serious allegations of sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry.

The resignation was collectively announced by Mohanlal and all executive members of AMMA.

The decision follows mounting pressure from a faction of AMMA members who demanded the resignation of those implicated in the harassment allegations.

Mohanlal communicated his resignation to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, citing the need for accountability and reform within the association.

In a media interaction, Kerala's Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar expressed his concern over the resignation, emphasizing the impact of Mohanlal's departure.

"We cannot afford that as Mohanlal is a good man. He was a very strong president...The association is very helpful to the poor people who were working in the film industry," Kumar said.

The Justice Hema Committee report, which became public earlier this month, unveiled disturbing details of harassment and discrimination faced by women in the industry.

The 235-page document, released after extensive redaction to protect the identities of witnesses and accused, outlines systemic issues within the industry controlled by a small group of influential figures.

The report's revelations prompted a wave of resignations, including those of director Ranjith and actor Siddique, who stepped down from their AMMA roles.

Actor Minu Muneer has since come forward with severe allegations against her co-stars, including M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu.

Muneer accused these individuals of verbal and physical abuse, citing specific incidents that underscore the troubling environment for women in the industry.

Kerala Police have responded by forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate the allegations.

The SIT has been reinforced with additional female officers to ensure a thorough examination of all related cases.

"The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation," a Kerala Police release stated. (ANI)
The Malayalam film industry is grappling with intense scrutiny following recent allegations of sexual harassment made by a few female actors. As the controversy unfolds, Director Shaji N Karun, chairman of the film policy-making committee, has been tasked with evaluating whether actor-MLA Mukesh M should remain a part of the committee or be removed from his position. Shaji N Karun, "MLA and actor Mukesh, who is facing sexual allegations, will be removed or retained from the film policy-making committee, will decide in consultation with the government." The scandal erupted after Minu Muneer publicly accused several prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry, including Mukesh M, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu, of verbal and physical abuse. Speaking to ANI, Muneer detailed harrowing experiences, alleging that Jayasurya forcefully hugged and kissed her, while Idavela Babu made inappropriate advances. She also described unsettling interactions with Maniyanpilla Raju, including troubling suggestions regarding her hotel accommodations. The allegations surfaced soon after the resignation of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their roles in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), following accusations against them. Muneer's initial revelations, shared on her Facebook page, included claims of abuse dating back to 2013. She also mentioned that the mistreatment contributed to her decision to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai. In response, Mukesh M, who also serves as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, issued a press release defending his integrity. "In response to the allegations raised against me and other film industry colleagues, I welcome the ongoing investigations. A fair and transparent inquiry is crucial to uncover the truth behind the accusations being discussed in the public domain," Mukesh stated. He continued, "As both an actor and a public representative, I hold a deep responsibility towards society. Coming from a family with a rich theatrical tradition, I am perhaps more capable than most of understanding the pain and concerns of those in the arts." Mukesh further elaborated on his past experiences with similar accusations, noting that previous allegations made in 2018 were dismissed by the public. He also claimed that Muneer had previously sought financial assistance and attempted to blackmail him. The situation is exacerbated by the recent release of a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report, which brought to light numerous cases of harassment and exploitation within the Malayalam film industry. The 235-page report, published after significant redaction to protect identities, criticizes the dominance of a small group of male figures who control the industry's operations. In response to these revelations, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to address the allegations. "In light of recent interviews and statements from several women in the Malayalam film industry detailing the hardships they have faced, we have convened a meeting with senior police officials to ensure a thorough investigation," read the official statement from the Chief Minister's Office. Actor Mohanlal's resignation as the president of AMMA has further intensified the crisis. His departure, along with that of all AMMA executive members, follows demands from some members that those facing harassment allegations should resign from their positions. The Hema Committee report's revelations have prompted more female actors to come forward with complaints of harassment and discrimination. Kerala Police have taken action by strengthening the SIT with additional female officers. "The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation," a Kerala Police release stated. (ANI)
On Tuesday, the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court ordered to shift Darshan to another jail amid VIP treatment row. Other accused Pawan, Raghavendra and Nandish will be shifted to Mysore Jail. The police are also preparing to shift the accused Jagdish to Shivamogga and Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail.

Actress Pavitra Gowda, who is also accused in the murder case, will remain in Bangalore jail.

Three special teams have been formed to investigate three cases related to special hospitality in the jail.

On Monday, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda responded to the matter.

He said, "If this person is being given extra privileges, it is wrong. Officers who have facilitated such privileges should be held accountable, and action should be taken against them."

The Karnataka government earlier suspended seven prison officials after purported picture of Darshan from the jail circulated online. In the image, the actor was seen holding a cup in his right hand and a cigarette in the other

The officials were suspended following the directions of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who instructed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to immediately transfer Darshan and others to different jails.

Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara termed it as a lapse and assured it would not be repeated. (ANI)
As per Deadline, Jolie will receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media on September 8 at the TIFF fundraiser, while also bringing her latest film, Without Blood, to Toronto for a world premiere.

'Without Blood' is a war drama based on the book of the same name by Alessandro Baricco. It stars Salma Hayek and Demian Bechir.

The TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media is presented by Anne-Marie Canning and recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema. Other honorees set for the TIFF fundraising gala, for which Sandra Oh is serving as the inaugural Honorary Chair, include Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Durga Chew-Bose, David Cronenberg, Clement Ducol and Camille, Jharrel Jerome, Mike Leigh, and Zhao Tao.

Speaking about the tribute, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said, "Angelina Jolie is a multifaceted talent who has entertained audiences for decades while consistently using her platform to champion important causes. We're honoured to present her with the 2024 TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media."

"This award recognizes her exceptional achievements in filmmaking, and her unwavering commitment for positive change, solidifying her status as a veritable humanitarian and global force to be reckoned with," Bailey added.

Lauded by TIFF for her long history of humanitarian work and her dedication to social justice, on display in works like Unbroken and In the Land of Blood and Honey, Jolie returns to TIFF after stopping in to screen her 2017 film First They Killed My Father, as per Deadline. (ANI)
The CBI sources earlier said that the test would be conducted by a team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL).

Earlier, CBI officials conducted a polygraph test on the arrested accused, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches on August 25 at multiple locations connected to Sandip Ghosh and his relatives in West Bengal''s Kolkata.

On August 24, the CBI filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Dr Sandip Ghosh based on directives from the Calcutta High Court.

The investigation was initiated after a single bench of the High Court ordered the CBI to probe the alleged corruption at the medical college.

The Calcutta High Court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation, which is to be presented on September 17.

Earlier in the month, the Supreme Court ordered the security of Kolkata''s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while hearing the suo motu case concerning the incident.

The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the attacks on a BJP spokesperson from the Thadou community in the Churachandpur district of the state on Tuesday. In a post on X, CM Biren Singh said that the attack was a direct challenge to the unity and integrity of the state. He said, "The attack carried out on the family members of Michael Lamjathang, a leader of the Thadou community, one of the oldest among the ethnic tribes of Manipur, as well as a BJP spokesperson, by vandalising his house was an act of cowardice." "I consider this personal harm being put on one of our recognised tribes as a direct challenge to the unity and integrity of the State. Attacks on any particular community of the recognised tribes of Manipur, as well as the attack on the family of the BJP Spokesperson, are condemned in the strongest terms. We will initiate appropriate legal action against the culprits," he added. Manipur Cabinet Minister, Govindas Konthoujam, also condemned the incident and said that the attack is on the entire Thadou community. "I strongly condemn the barbaric attack on Thadou student leader & BJP Manipur Spokesperson Michael Lamjathang Haokip in Peniel village, Churachandpur. This cowardly act of violence against his home & family is not just an assault on an individual but on the entire Thadou community & our civilization. Such heinous acts expose the mentality of those who, are unable to engage in logical debate & resort to violence. We must stand united against such attempts to silence voices through fear," he said. Meanwhile, on August 26 in a joint operation, Security Forces arrested six cadres of the proscribed outfit KYKL from Awang Potsangbam, Imphal West District. The Police recovered three gun-topping lenses, three live ammunition rounds, one Tube Launching empty case, one four-wheeler vehicle, six mobile handsets, various military fatigues and other miscellaneous items. In the follow-up action, police raided some locations and recovered one single-barrel gun, one double-barrel gun and several rounds of ammunition. (ANI)
The coverage includes personal accident cover, an all-risk policy for gold and silver ornaments, a fire and peril policy, and public liability.

In 2022 and 2023, the GSB Seva Mandal festivities were insured for Rs 316.40 crore and Rs 360.40 crore, respectively.

Taking about the insurance GSB, Seva Mandal, Chairman, Amit Dinesh Pai said, "Like every year, this time too we will be celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. It will be five days' celebration...A total of Rs Rs 400.58 crores crore insurance has been done. Last year it was around Rs 300.60 crores...A private agency helps us with security and 875 people work in three shifts. CCTV, facial recognition cameras and metal detector gates will be used...100 plus CCTV cameras have been installed..."

Mentioning the environmental concerns taken care by the trust Dinesh Pai said that their focus is on lowering pollution and having an eco-friendly Ganpati.

"We are focusing on the environment and trying to curb pollution aiming to make net carbon emission zero. All of our waste is biodegradable, this year we will lower the use of flex banners and use LED hoardings," he added.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals which is celebrated for 10 days. People believed that during this time, Lord Ganesha arrived on Earth with mother and Goddess Parvati. (ANI)
Amid the heightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat in the wake of the Nabanna Abhijan Rally, the West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday urged the state government to not to use power to stop the "peaceful protesting students." He further reminded the state government of the verdict of the Supreme Court and said that democracy cannot silence the majority. In a video message, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said, "In the context of the peaceful protest, announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppressions of the protest by certain instructions of the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India, let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on the peaceful protestors. Democracy cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority! Remember that." The 'Nabanna Abhijan Rally' is called by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other organizations which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. On Monday, the West Bengal Police called the Nabanna Abhijan Rally to reach the Nabanna or State Secretariat "illegal" and dubbed it an attempt to incite widespread unrest in Kolkata. Meanwhile, ahead of the demonstration, the police deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and Riot Control Force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads. In the view of Nabanna Abhiyan, the Kolkata Police has also issued a traffic advisory and made diversions for several routes connecting the city to various regions. Earlier on Monday, Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' on August 27. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
On the occasion, the Home Minister will deliver the Anand Swaroop Gupta Memorial Lecture on "New Criminal Law - Citizen Centric Reforms."

Shah will also honour the recipients of the President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and the President's Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) for the years 2023 and 2024.

During the function, the Home Minister will also release a special edition of the Bureau's publication "Indian Police Journal" on new criminal laws.

BPR&D is tasked to transform the Indian police forces into smart forces to successfully meet the challenges of policing as well as internal security by equipping them with the necessary intellectual, physical and organizational resources.

Since its inception in 1970, BPR&D has been serving as the think tank of the Indian police to foster excellence in policing in research and development. The focus of the institute is to develop policies and procedures for police and correctional services, explore ushering technologies for enhanced service delivery to the citizens, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, promote cooperation and coordination between states and central police organizations.

The inauguration ceremony will be attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director General of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Heads of central police organizations as well as senior officials of Home Ministry and other departments. (ANI)
BJP leader Nilesh N Rane on Tuesday arrived at the location where a statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed on Monday and called the incident "unfortunate" and demanded action against the persons at fault. Notably, the statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhudurg district just eight months ago. This morning visuals from the site showed the podium covered up with a cloth where the statue was installed. After the incident, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed "strong winds" for the cave-in. "What happened is unfortunate, it should not have happened. We demand that action should be taken against those who are at fault, be it contractors or officers...Action will indeed be taken," said Nilesh N Rane. "Whatever it takes to reinstall the statue here, will be reinstalled. I assure you of this. I thank the people of Maharashtra for being patient because this is nothing ordinary. It is appreciable of them to maintain peace and calm...I don't think anyone has done politics over it so far. There is anger over this and I don't think that is wrong...," Nilesh N Rane added. Another Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar also visited the site and suggested that the Government was building a similar statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea. "This is an accident. This statue was erected by the Navy. It was Navy Day, Prime Minister was about to come here, so it was done swiftly at that time and everyone praised it...I think there is an opportunity, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was being built in the Arabian Sea. If a similar, very tall statue is built here, it will be an attraction for the entire India. Tourists come to Malvan, so if this is deliberated upon and built like the Statue of Liberty, it will be a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj...," said Deepak Kesarkar. Earlier, local police filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse of the 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg. The FIR, registered under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was confirmed by Sindhudurg Police. The incident ignited criticism from the opposition parties, who targeted the state government over poor infrastructure. (ANI)
Reacting to the UP CM Yogi Adityanath's remarks of "Batenge to Katenge", BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh on Tuesday said that his statement is true. Saying that we need to remain vigilant, he further claimed that leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav are trying to divide the nation on the basis of caste, language and region. Speaking to ANI, on UP CM Yogi Adityanath's remarks, BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "Out of 5 resolutions that our PM has, one is to - remain vigilant from those who try to divide people based on caste, language and region. The CM has said 'batoge to katoge', and he has given the example of Bangladesh. It's true, as it is evident from what happened in 1947. Even today, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, the way they are trying to divide Hindus based on caste is a dangerous turn." "Not only this, Rahul Gandhi also says there should be a caste census but when he goes to Jammu and Kashmir, he ties up with the National Conference and advocates for revoking Article 370 and under this article, OBCs, Dalits, Pahadi and the Gujjar community don't get any resolution. On one side he is promising something in Jammu and Kashmir and on the other side he is talking about something else, it is a step to divide the country. That's why we need to remain vigilant from those who try to divide people based on caste, language and region and that's what CM Yogi said," Singh said. Singh further asserted that the BJP government in both centre and state is capable of maintaining unity and integrity of the country "Whether it is our Prime Minister or our government, in the state and centre, we are capable of handling the unity and integrity of the country, but it is also our duty to remain vigilant on the people who want to divide the country whether it is Akhilesh Yadav or Rahul Gandhi or any parties in different regions of the country," said Singh. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on August 26 that the "nation will be empowered only when we stay united" while warning, "if we are divided, we will be destroyed." His comments came in the aftermath of the political crisis in the neighbouring country Bangladesh where Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister, was forced to flee the country following weeks of deadly protests. The remarks were made at a rally in Agra on August 26 after unveiling the statue of Rashtraveer Durgadas Rathore. "Nothing can be above the nation. And the nation will be empowered only when we are united. 'Batenge to Katenge'. You are seeing what is happening in Bangladesh. Those mistakes should not be repeated here... 'Batenge to Katenge, Ek Rahenge to Nek Rahenge'...," CM Yogi said while addressing a gathering. (ANI)
West Bengal Police on Tuesday accused West Bengal LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari of creating a false narrative about four students who have been missing since last night. Denying Suvendu Adhikari's claim about the four missing students, West Bengal Police on Tuesday said that those four students have been arrested for orchestrating large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan. Taking it to a social media post on X, West Bengal Police wrote, "A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the Interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed." https://x.com/WBPolice/status/1828306310485389597 Reacting to the West Bengal Police statement, Suvendhu Adhikari replied that the families have approached the Calcutta High Court In a social media post, Adhikari wrote, "The families have approached Hon'ble Calcutta High Court. See you in Court Mamata Police.." https://x.com/SuvenduWB/status/1828307647587627095 Notably, in the morning today, West Bengal LoP claimed that four student activists who were distributing food to the volunteers suddenly went missing after midnight. In another social media post on X, Adhikari wrote, "The following Student Activists who were distributing food to the volunteers, who were arriving at Howrah Station, suddenly went missing after midnight:- # Subhojit Ghosh # Pulokesh Pandit # Goutam Senapati # Pritam Sarkar Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police. If something happens to them Mamata Police will be held accountable. @BengalGovernor @BhallaAjay26 @CPKolkata #CP @hwhcitypolice." https://x.com/SuvenduWB/status/1828260688625631611 Meanwhile, in a potential move to control the protestors, the check gates at the rear of Fort William at Hastings, in Kolkata were being greased by civic workers ahead of the Nabanna Abhijan Rally which is scheduled for today. The West Bengal Police has tightened the security all over the area and deployed heavy forces to control the protests. The police have also deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and Riot Control Force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads. A march to Nabanna has been called today by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other organizations which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee said that the conviction rate for rape cases in India is 26 per cent. He also demanded a stringent "anti-rape law" that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days. Banerjee posted on X a chart that stated rapes and atrocities against women in the last 15 days after the RG Kar Hospital incident. The TMC MP said, "This collage stands as a stark reminder of the state of affairs in India over the last 15 days as the nation fights for justice against rape. The answer is clear: a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days, followed by immediate and harsh punishment. The shocking truth is that the conviction rate for rape cases in India is a dismal 26 per cent. This translates to only 26 convictions out of every 100 reported cases, while 74 offenders escape unpunished." "If we are to deliver justice to the victims of this appalling crime, it is imperative that we demand a time-bound anti-rape law from our state and union government," he added. Abhishek Banerjee also asserted that anything else is futile, merely symbolic and ultimately ineffective. The TMC MP's statement comes in the wake of a scheduled protest of students on Tuesday against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College. Meanwhile, in the wake of the scheduled protests the West Bengal police have tightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat "Nabanna". Ahead of the demonstration, the police deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and Riot Control Force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads. Meanwhile, after days of protest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital over the sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor, the hospital is gradually coming back to normal life as patient numbers have crossed 1000 now, Saptarshi Chatterjee, Medical Superintendent and Vice President of the Hospital said on Tuesday. The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
A day after the BJP state unit alleged that the Kharge family trust had been allotted land improperly, the Congress has rushed to the defence of the Congress President and his family. Mallikarjun Kharge's son and the Karnataka IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Priyank Kharge took on the BJP asking them to explain to people how the allotment of land is illegal. "BJP can say what they want. But they have to tell the people how is it illegal and what is illegal. It is a CA (Civic Amenity) site. It is not an industrial plot. It's an educational thing. The trust has been there for more than 2 decades and has been running educational institutions..." Further criticising BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya, who first raised the issue in a post on X and has questioned the Kharge family's eligibility to get KIADB land, Priyank Kharge said, (BJP MP) Lahar Singh has fallen out of political favour. He wants to get back by maligning Mallikarjun Kharge and his family. By this, he will be back in the limelight...If they (BJP) are not able to figure out how it is illegal, then what should I answer?... The problem with BJP is, when they do things illegally it's okay, but even if we do things legally they have a problem." Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra continued his attack on the Kharge family questioning why the allotment had been made only to their family. "Mallikarjun Kharge family trust has been allotted 5 acres of civic amenities plot which is right next to Bengaluru International Airport. This plot is worth crores and is a valuable plot. My question is if the government wanted to allot this property how many applicants were there? Why only the Kharge family's trust was chosen for the allotment?...No rules were followed," Vijayendra said. The allegations against Kharge and his family come amidst the ongoing controversy over a land allotment scam involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has provided sanction to prosecute the CM over the disputed allocation of land under a Mysore Urban Development Authority scheme to his wife. (ANI)
Former Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said on Tuesday that the Congress-National Conference alliance will get success in the upcoming assembly polls. When asked if his party, if elected, would push the Centre to resume talks with Pakistan, Farooq responded, "Sab manifesto mein hai..." (everything is in the manifesto). "This time, people are in a very good mood. The National Conference and Congress will have a very good (performance), and we will achieve success," he added. In their election manifesto, the PDP promised efforts to restore Articles 370 and 35A, pursue diplomatic initiatives between India and Pakistan, and ensure the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. The President of the JKPCC (Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee), Tariq Hameed Karra, said that this unity is not just about numbers and constituencies but about the shared motive and intention of alleviating the people's suffering. "It is visible how tense the BJP is with this unity (INDIA alliance)" Tariq said. Earlier today, National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah, said that together with Congress, they aim to present a united front against the BJP. "Today is the last day to file nominations for the first phase. We have given our manifesto and roadmap. We have decided on a seat-sharing agreement with Congress. We aim to fight against the BJP like a consolidated front so that the possibility of success increases further. We regret that in the seat-sharing some people were left out who wanted to contest in these elections," he said. The National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties will also have a "friendly contest" on five seats. The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party. The National Conference announced its list of 18 candidates, while the Congress announced its first list of nine candidates. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4. Voting will be held for 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Election Commission, the Union Territory has 88.06 lakh electors. (ANI)
President of Indore's Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Manjeet Singh Bhatia has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding action against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut for her recent comments on the farmers' protest. Bhatia requested to expel her from the party and also requested the President of India to take back her Padma Shri award. The letter, a copy of which is with ANI, read, "Farmers have a big contribution in making India self-reliant. On behalf of the entire farmer community, we humbly request you (PM Modi) that along with being the head of the country, you represent a reputed party and Kangana Ranaut is representing the country by being an MP of your party. Her statement that rapes and murders were happening during the farmers' movement is very irresponsible and hurtful." "Many types of issues have come up in the country from time to time and they have also been resolved and many issues are yet to be resolved. MP Kangana Ranaut should avoid such negative statements which affect the unity and integrity of the country. Every citizen of India condemns this statement of Kangana Ranaut," it added. "Please take strict action against MP Kangana Ranaut and expel her from the party. Farmers are respectable as they are our Annadata (food providers)," the letter further read. Meanwhile, speaking to ANI, Manjit Bhatia said, "Kangana Ranaut has given a statement that at the time of the farmers' protest in Delhi many people were killed and bodies were hanged and rape incidents occurred. These remarks are condemnable because Ranaut is holding the post of an MP and her remark is heard across the country and globe. One should speak by making coordination with tongue and mind as you are representing the country." "She has always made such remarks which disturbs the harmony. Sometimes she called Sikh as Khalistani, also that we received independence as a donation. First, she was honoured with Padma Shri and now BJP honoured him the post of MP by giving ticket. But her remark is not even in favour of the party," he said. "On one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to strengthen the country across the globe, she is making such a remark. Farmers are our Annadata (food provider), all the farmers in the country belonging to any religion are the backbone of the country and strengthen the economy of the country. She should understand what to speak and what is its impact," Bhatia further said. "We have demanded from Prime Minister, BJP President JP Nadda to take strict action against her (Kangana Ranaut). We have also demanded from the President to take back the Padma Shri award from her. Unless she is punished, the message will not be sent that her statements are causing hurt. Party should take strict action against her so that she should make coordination with her mind before saying anything next time," he concluded. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Chief Secretary to make a decision regarding a BJP MLA's representations on the installation of CCTV cameras in Laxmi Nagar's whole area The BJP MLA from Laxmi Nagar, Abhay Verma alleged that Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) had conducted a survey suggesting the need for 2,066 CCTV cameras in Laxmi Nagar. However, he claimed that the installation was selectively implemented, favouring areas represented by ruling party leaders. He stated his constituency comprises four municipal wards, with one won by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the remaining three by the BJP. The MLA's plea argued that the CCTV installation process was primarily carried out in the ward won by AAP. The bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, along with Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, has noted the submissions and instructed the relevant authorities and the Chief Secretary to make a timely decision and present their representations. Meanwhile, Advocate Santosh Tripathi, representing the Delhi Government, opposed the allegations of discrimination, asserting that the plea is politically motivated. Abhay Verma, BJP MLA recently approached the Delhi High Court, alleging discrimination in the installation of CCTV cameras by the Delhi government. The plea claims that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government is installing cameras only in areas represented by AAP MLAs and Councillors while areas represented by BJP MLAs and Councillors are being overlooked. The petitioner stated that while Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced the installation of 1,40,000 CCTV cameras across Delhi, his constituency was unjustly excluded. The petitioner, through Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain asserts that despite multiple representations to the Chief Secretary, GNCTD, the request for CCTV cameras in the remaining wards of Laxmi Nagar has not been addressed. The petitioner highlights a discrepancy where an AAP councillor's request for 1,000 cameras in her ward was promptly approved, while similar requests from the petitioner for other wards in the constituency have been ignored. The petitioner argues that this selective installation is adversely affecting the law-and-order situation and safety in the remaining parts of the constituency. They seek a court order directing the installation of CCTV cameras in the remaining wards of Laxmi Nagar to ensure equitable distribution and enhance security. Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain, representing the petitioner, states that the procedure requiring further approval from the minister after a proposal is passed by the Assembly and consulted with the Cabinet Minister is flawed. This process, according to the petition, undermines the authority of the Assembly and grants the minister undue discretion, allowing them to selectively approve projects. This discretion, the petitioner contends, often negatively impacts constituencies represented by opposition parties, thereby compromising their development. The petition asserts that such executive intervention undermines democratic principles and suggests that eliminating unnecessary approvals could enhance overall state development and fairness in resource allocation. (ANI)
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla took a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that if so much security had been provided at the RG Kar hospital then it would not have been desecrated by miscreants on the night of August 14. Tear gas shells, and water cannons were used and protesters marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna were lathi-charged on Tuesday by security personnel on the Howrah Bridge amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case. Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Mamata Banerjee is not Didi but is behaving like Idi Ameen. Mamata Banerjee's government has protected the rapists, destroyed evidence, and suppressed the voice of truth, for which the Supreme Court and the High Court reprimanded. Now once again when the students, doctors, and common citizens' are taking out Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan' to demand justice for the daughter, Mamata Banerjee's government is blocking the roads with containers." He further said that the Bengal police are arresting the students and calling the protesters murderers. He further said, "Three-tier security has been provided and 6000 policemen have been deployed. If so much security had been given at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital then the crime scene would not have been desecrated. If so much security had been provided at the college then there would not have been injustice with the trainee doctor. From the first day case was called suicide, FIR was registered late, cremation was done in a hurry, renovation was done and goons were sent to vandalise the spot." He further said that the protesters are being called murderers and arrested. "Why are Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and AAP leaders silent? Should we not ask for justice for the victim? This is the real face of the INDIA bloc. They don't have respect for the constitution, nor they care for freedom to speak or safety of girls," he added. Earlier, protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area en route to the Secretariat. Ahead of the protest, called amid the ongoing row over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, police had thrown a ring of security around the West Bengal state secretariat. On Monday, Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' on August 27. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
A boat that ventured into the sea for fishing off the coast of Rameswaram with eight crew members was apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy, as per the Rameswaram Assistant Director of Fisheries on Tuesday. The boat was part of a group of 430 total mechanised boats from Rameswaram, that ventured into the sea for fishing purposes. CR Senthilvel, Tamil Nadu Secretary of AITUC Fishing Workers' Association, also confirmed that the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 8 fishermen off the coast of Tamil Nadu. Highlighting the alleged murders and arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen, he said that over 350 fishermen have been arrested and 2 have been murdered. "Tamil Nadu fishermen are being caught by the Sri Lankan Navy throughout the year. There have been a lot of boat attacks going on. 2 fishermen have been murdered. More than 350 fishermen have been arrested this year alone. Hence, there is a sense of hopelessness among the fishermen," said the Secretary. A few weeks ago, on August 10, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging action to secure the release and repatriation of another group of fishermen who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy. The letter by the Chief Minister highlighted the death of two fishermen and said that there has been no relief or respite on the matter. "I am writing this to you with a deep sense of anguish and concern as 35 of our fishermen from Ramanathapuram district, along with their four motorised country boats, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy yesterday. I wish to recall that just recently, a delegation from Tamil Nadu that included the MPs and fishermen representatives met you after we had lost two fishermen. It is distressing to note that despite this, there has been no significant relief or respite in this regard," CM Stalin stated in the letter. (ANI)
The collapse of a 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, which led to widespread embarrassment for the state government is now turning into a political issue as Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray pulled down the BJP over the incident by linking it to Shivaji's pride. In a statement, posted on X Thackeray said, "It is unimaginable that the statue of our deity, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would also be a subject of the BJP's corruption. Thackeray also slammed the BJP for allegedly blaming the Indian Navy. "Here too, a favoured contractor friend. Here too, terrible quality of work. Here too, is an inauguration keeping in mind the elections, not the sentiment. And then, the usual trolls and shameless politicians trying to blame the Indian Navy," Thackeray added in the post. The 35-foot statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole also alleged that the government whether at the centre or the state, knew nothing except corruption. Nana Patole said, "The way the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was vandalized is because of their corruption, whether this government is of the centre or the state, they know nothing except corruption. They have never lagged in insulting the ideas of Shivaji Maharaj, the lord of Maharashtra. Yesterday's incident is a misfortune for Maharashtra, for the people of Maharashtra. And no one will forgive this government, this government should now leave the chair and run away." After the local police had filed an FIR against and structural consultant following the collapse of the statue, Patole said that the FIR should be against the government. "When the inauguration took place the Prime Minister of the country was present, the Chief Minister was present, on what basis they conducted the inauguration. Along with the contractor, these people are also responsible because there is involvement of corruption. The way the statue collapsed, the head and the hands fell apart, it shows they have always insulted the ideologies of Shivaji Maharaj," he added. Earlier, the local police filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and discussed the rehabilitation of Wayanad in the meeting, as per an official release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The state government had submitted an additional, detailed memorandum also which was requested by the Centre. Earlier, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had on on August 17 said that the root cause of the Wayanad landslide disaster is climate change. "The root cause of the Wayanad disaster is climate change. The agricultural sector is one of the most directly impacted by this phenomenon. At this stage, our primary focus should be on discussing the impact of climate change on agriculture and the measures needed to overcome these challenges," Vijayan said after inaugurating the Farmers' Day celebrations. He said that experts estimate that due to climate change, rain-dependent rice yields in our country could decrease by 20 per cent by 2050 and by 47 per cent by 2080."Similarly, wheat yields could decrease by 19.3 percent by 2050 and by 40 percent by 2080. These are serious concerns that require immediate and sustained attention," he added. The landslides that killed hundreds of people in Kerala's Wayanad were triggered by a burst of rainfall that was made about 10 per cent heavier by human-caused climate change, a study has found. The study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), an international group of researchers, found that the excessive rainfall in the early hours of July 30 that triggered the landslides was a "once in a-50-year event". The study highlights the need for rigorous assessments of landslide risk and improved early warning in hillside regions of northern Kerala to prevent repeat landslide disasters. The study was conducted by 24 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities and meteorological agencies in India, Malaysia, the United States, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. (ANI)
Hitting out at the Nabanna Abhijan protest march, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra described the protestors as goons who had forced the police to react. https://x.com/MahuaMoitra/status/1828383787782144476 In a post on X, Moitra said, "Police get bricks thrown at them by #WeDontNeedNoEducation "Chhatras", SHO's head split. Many policemen hurt. And @BJP4Bengal calls bandh to protest police "atrocities". Same old playbook." "No - bodies have not fallen. Sorry BJP & GodiMedia to disappoint your ghoulish desires. This is not a common citizen's march. Students? Women? Barely. A bunch of goons throwing bricks at police & goading them to react," she further added. https://x.com/AITCofficial/status/1828357560379854878 The Trinamool Congress on its official social media handle on X called the protest orchestrated by the BJP. "Make no mistake, this isn't a protest for justice, it's chaos orchestrated by @BJP4India - hired goons running amok, smashing barricades and attacking on-duty Police officers. This is a deliberate plot to incite unrest and destabilise Bengal," the TMC said. Meanwhile, the West Bengal BJP called a 12-hour West Bengal bandh on Wednesday to protest against the police action on the Nabana march. Earlier in the day, security personnel on Tuesday lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area enroute to the Secretariat. Protestors also at the Santragachi area and started marching from the College Square towards the State Secretariat in Kolkata. Several students and citizens joined the march displaying the tricolour in their hands and raising slogans as they moved towards the Secretariat. The West Bengal Police had deployed heavy forces aiming to keep in check the protestors. Ahead of the protest, called amid the ongoing row over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, police had thrown a ring of security around the West Bengal state secretariat. The protestors had been demanding justice for the trainee doctor who was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Madhusudhana Chary on Tuesday thanked the Supreme Court after K Kavitha was granted bail in the excise policy irregularities cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. Speaking to ANI, Madhusudhana Chary said, "We are all very happy that Kavitha is granted bail by the Supreme Court. She has gone through very bad days in the last 5 months. Right from the beginning, she was saying that she would fight in a court of law. She was ill-treated by ED due to the political pressure." Chary stated that the Supreme Court was satisfied with Kavitha's pleas and granted bail to her. "The highest judiciary forum of the country, the Supreme Court, came to our rescue and after hearing her plea, the Supreme Court was satisfied and granted the bail. We thanked everyone who stood with Kavitha in her bad days," the BRS leader further said. Earlier today, the Supreme Court granted bail to K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case. A bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed to release of K Kavitha immediately. The top court also imposed various conditions against Kavitha including not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses in the matter. The top court directed her to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both CBI and ED cases. The top court also directed her to surrender her passport. The top court, while hearing the matter, said that the probe agency cannot pick and choose anyone. BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15, 2024 and by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11, 2024. Subsequently, she was also later arrested by CBI in the matter. The CBI inquiry was recommended based on the findings of the Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials said. The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. (ANI)
Mauritius parliament speaker commends China's innovation and development

09:39, August 27, 2024 By Zhong Wenxing ( People's Daily Online

Adrien Charles Duval, speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius, is interviewed in Beijing, China, Aug.19, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Wenxing)

Adrien Charles Duval, speaker of Mauritius' National Assembly, praised China's innovation and development during a recent visit. He commended China for charting its own path to modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), noting its position as the world's second-largest economy.

Duval expressed his delight at visiting China for the first time leading a delegation to the 40th anniversary celebration of China's National People's Congress (NPC) joining the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The delegation also attended a seminar on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for developing countries' parliaments.

Duval highlighted China's active participation in the IPU over the past four decades.

He emphasized the strong, enduring cooperation between China's NPC and Mauritius' National Assembly, citing a 2018 memorandum of understanding on legislative cooperation among various agreements.

Adrien Charles Duval, speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius, visits the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, China, Aug. 19, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Zhong Wenxing)

Reflecting on his visit to the Museum of the CPC, Duval described it as "a profound learning journey". He praised China's development to become the world's second-largest economy, attributing this success to the CPC's leadership and China's commitment to its own path to modernization.

Duval also acknowledged China's crucial role in assisting countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean region. He stressed the importance of China's continued leadership in promoting dialogue and mutual support among nations.

Looking ahead, he expressed optimism that the seminar would play a constructive role in enhancing friendly cooperation between Mauritius and China, as well as strengthening legislative exchanges among developing countries.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia on Tuesday hit out at the TMC led West Bengal government over the Kolkata police's crackdown on the protestors taking part in Nabanna Abhijaan Rally amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Security personnel on Tuesday lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathicharge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna. BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia termed today's actions from the West Bengal government as 'dictatorship'. "What's happening in Nabbana clearly shows what dictatorship looks like." "Today, when Mamata Banerjee failed and students were protesting, the entire stage was destroyed. But when the lungi-wearing infiltrators protest, who are assumed to be TMC members because of their religion, the police do nothing," he said. He demanded resignation from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Police Commissioner. "If this is the character of the Chief Minister, then both Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner should resign. There should be a polygraph test for both Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner. We will stand with the victim's family and the students until our sister gets justice", he added. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also took a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that if so much security had been provided at the RG Kar hospital, then it would not have been desecrated by miscreants on the night of August 14. Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Mamata Banerjee is not Didi but is behaving like Idi Ameen. Mamata Banerjee's government has protected the rapists, destroyed evidence, and suppressed the voice of truth, for which the Supreme Court and the High Court reprimanded." "Now once again, when the students, doctors, and common citizens' are taking out Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan' to demand justice for the daughter, Mamata Banerjee's government is blocking the roads with containers," he further said. The TMC however claimed that it was the BJP that had led the protest and incited the protestors. "Police being brutally thrashed by BJP goons in the name of Justice. Who will get justice for this policeman? Right to peaceful process cannot mean right to brutal assault . Will paid trolls & Godi Media answer this?," asked TMC MP Mahua Moitra in a post on X. Earlier, protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area en route to the Secretariat.Ahead of the protest, called amid the ongoing row over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, police had thrown a ring of security around the West Bengal state secretariat. On Monday, Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' on August 27. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country. The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
Following the chaos that gripped the streets of Kolkata amid the Nabanna Abhijan" protest rally in the state capital on Tuesday, Union Minister and BJP West Bengal President Sukanta Majumder called for a '12-hour bandh' in the state on Wednesday. According to Majumder, the bandh was called in opposition to the "violence on the student agitation" during the protest march earlier Tuesday. Earlier today, a march to West Bengal Secretariat 'Nabanna' was organised by the 'Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other organisations, which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. Speaking to ANI while protesting in front of the Kolkata Police Headquarters in the Lal Bazar area, Majumder said, "The police and Mamata Banerjee have unleashed violence on the student agitation. They have lathi-charged, used tear gas and used water cannons on the democratic, peaceful protest. So in opposition to this, we have called for a 12-hour bandh in Bengal tomorrow." He further demanded the release of the students who were arrested by the police during the "Nabanna Abhiyan." Earlier today, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathicharge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected in the Santragachi area, en route to the Secretariat. The TMC has blamed the BJP alleging that the party had orchestrated the chaos. "BJP's idea of a 'peaceful protest': Pelt stones and push barricades Severely injure the police Orchestrate extreme chaos and disrupt the law & order of the state The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' conspired by BJP is nothing short of a fatal attack on Bengal," the TMC posted on its official X handle. The protests on Tuesday followed the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing chaos that has gripped the streets of Kolkata following the 'Nabanna Abhijan" protest rally in the state capital on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that they have "orchestrated extreme chaos and disrupted the law and order of the state." Earlier today, a march to West Bengal Secretariat 'Nabanna' was organised by the 'Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other organisations, which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. In a social media post in X, the TMC listed "BJP's idea of a 'peaceful protest'," stating that their idea of a "peaceful protest" includes stone pelting, pushing barricades, severely injuring the police, orchestrating extreme chaos and disrupting the law and order of the state. TMC further stated that the "Nabanna Abhiyan" was a conspiracy by the BJP and was "nothing short of a FATAL ATTACK on Bengal!" BJP leaders also expressed their anguish over the ongoing chaos in Bengal. BJP National President JP Nadda took to X and said, "The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety." At a press conference in the national capital, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia also took a jibe at the TMC and said, "If there is any dictator in the country, then that dictator is Mamata Banerjee... The truth should come out; the investigating agency, CBI, should do a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner. The truth cannot be suppressed and the biggest thing is that as long as these people are in their positions and are crushing the students and tearing the Constitution to pieces, this will not be tolerated; this issue will be raised strongly as it has been raised today." Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was seen at a protest outside Kolkata Police Headquarters in the Lal Bazar area demanding the release of students who were detained by police today, following the chaos that happened at the protest rally. "The police and Mamata Banerjee have unleashed violence on the student agitation. They have lathi-charged, used tear gas and used water cannons on the democratic, peaceful protest... Our demand is simple: the students who have been arrested by the police should be released," Majumder said. Majumdar has also called for a 12-hour bandh in the state on Wednesday. On Monday, Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar, said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' on August 27. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. All these came following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises, which sparked nationwide outrage and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall on August 9. (ANI)
The discussions focused on bolstering security across medical institutions, following national outrage over the recent rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata.

Minister Patil emphasized the government's commitment to safeguard the medical professionals, particularly women, by enhancing existing security measures.

Speaking to the reporters, Dr. Patil said "We are fully committed to ensuring the safety of women doctors. Based on the feedback from today's meeting, we will implement additional security measures, including more streetlights, CCTV cameras, and trained security personnel at all medical colleges, super-specialty hospitals, and hostels. We are also prioritizing safety in women's restrooms."

He further assured that the measures would be in line with guidelines set by the Central Government and the Supreme Court.

Additionally, the Minister highlighted the importance of the internal complaints committees established under the PoSH Act (Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) , stressing that these bodies will rigorously address any grievances brought forward by women in the medical field.

Dr. Patil issued a stern warning against perpetrators of violence and sexual assault, stating that the government will take stringent action against such offenses.

"We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to protect our medical professionals, particularly women," he affirmed.

The meeting was attended by director of Medical education Dr. Sujatha Rathod, the Dean and Director of BMC&RI, Dr Ramesh Krishna, Principal of BMC&RI Dr Asima Banh and others from the Medical Education Department, directors of medical institutions and super-specialty hospitals, as well as representatives of senior resident doctors, undergraduate and postgraduate students, paramedical staff, and other stakeholders. (ANI)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha was released from Tihar Jail on Tuesday following the Supreme Court's decision to grant her bail. This development comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities in the 'excise policy case' by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Earlier today, a bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed to release K Kavitha immediately. The top court also imposed various conditions against Kavitha including not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses in the matter. The top court directed her to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both CBI and ED cases. The top court also directed her to surrender her passport. The top court noted that Kavitha is behind bars for five months and the trial will take a long time to complete as there are 493 witnesses and many documents. The SC noted that the reliance is on the statements of co-accused who have been granted pardon and made an approver. The top court, while hearing the matter, said that the probe agency cannot pick and choose anyone. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for K Kavitha, pressed for her bail on the ground of parity that co-accused Manish Sisodia has got bail. Senior Advocate Rohatgi for Kavitha, further said that she is a woman & sitting MLC and therefore there is no chance that she will flee from justice BR Gavai, on a lighter note, commented that being an MLA or MLC, one knows what is right and wrong, not vulnerable. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohtagi called the allegations against Kavitha for changing phones bogus because people also change cars. She is also the daughter of a then Chief Minister, Rohatagi said. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, for the probe agency, said she had destroyed the phone and formatted it. Rohatgi countered and said that she had given it to her servant. ASG Raju expressed shock as it highlighted that it was an iPhone. But Rohatagi said yes, so what! Justice KV Viswanathan remarked that people delete messages and he has also a habit of deleting messages. ASG Raju said that one can delete messages but not format the phone. ASG Raju informed the top court that the agency has call detail records (CDRs) to show her connection with the other accused. On July 1 the Delhi High Court dismissed the bail petitions moved by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in CBI and ED cases related to the Excise Policy case. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the Excise Policy money laundering case in Rouse Avenue Court. The chargesheet was filed against BRS Leader K Kavitha and other accused namely Chanpreet Singh, Damodar, Prince Singh and Arvind Kumar.BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15, 2024 and by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11, 2024. Subsequently, she was also later arrested by CBI in the matter. The CBI inquiry was recommended based on the findings of the Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials said. The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. (ANI)
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna B Varale issued notice to the Gujarat government on Bhatt's plea against the High Court order.

In January 2024, the Gujarat High Court dismissed Bhatt's appeal against a trial court order and upheld his conviction on various counts of the Indian Penal Code dealing with murder, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation. Bhatt has moved the apex court challenging the High Court's decision.

A Gujarat court in June 2019 sentenced former Sanjiv Bhatt to life imprisonment in the matter of a custodial death case dating back to 1990. (ANI)
As the situation in Kolkata remains grim following student protests demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of a second-year trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that CBI should do a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner. "If there is any dictator in the country, then that dictator is Mamata Banerjee. The truth should come out, the investigating agency CBI should do a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner," Bhatia said while addressing a press conference. "The truth cannot be suppressed and the biggest thing is that as long as these people are in their positions and are crushing the students, tearing the Constitution to pieces, this will not be tolerated, this issue will be raised strongly as it has been raised today," he added. Meanwhile, the West Bengal BJP called a 12-hour West Bengal bandh on Wednesday to protest against the police action on the Nabana march.Earlier in the day, security personnel lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area enroute to the Secretariat.Several students and citizens joined the march displaying the tricolour in their hands and raising slogans as they moved towards the Secretariat. The West Bengal Police had deployed heavy forces aiming to keep in check the protestors.Ahead of the protest, called amid the ongoing row over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, police had thrown a ring of security around the West Bengal state secretariat.The protestors had been demanding justice for the trainee doctor who was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose expressed his angst on the chaos that gripped the streets of Kolkata following the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest rally in the state capital on Tuesday. Speaking to ANI, Bose said that it was a ghastly sight that they witnessed on the streets of Kolkata today. "I would say disproportionate force and coercive power were used by the state in dealing with the situation, ignoring the Supreme Court's pronouncements that state power shall not be unleashed against peaceful protesters. This is the ghastly sight that we saw today on the streets of Kolkata. Certainly, this cannot be appreciated in any manner," he said. He further stated that the "situation is far from normal" and "all players in public life feel like coming together and challenging the irresponsible behaviour of the government" over the gravity of the situation. "CBI is the premier investigating agency of the government. I don't want to comment on their investigation at this stage at all. People have a right to get justice. They should get justice," he added. He further asserted that the government "has a duty to ensure that justice is given to the people" and to "stop this murderous game." "Today on the streets, the government has insulted the national flag, national sentiments, the nation and the people of Bengal," he said. Earlier today, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathicharge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected in the Santragachi area, en route to the Secretariat. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party had orchestrated the chaos. "BJP's idea of a 'peaceful protest': Pelt stones and push barricades Severely injure the police Orchestrate extreme chaos and disrupt the law and order of the state. The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' conspired by the BJP is nothing short of a fatal attack on Bengal," the TMC posted on its official X handle. The protests on Tuesday followed the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. (ANI)
The Patiala House Court has on Tuesday ordered the release of Shabir Ahmad Shah, a Kashmiri separatist leader, in a money laundering case linked to terror funding. The court observed that Shah has been in continuous custody since July 26, 2017, and considering that the maximum sentence for the offence under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is seven years, his ongoing detention exceeds this period. Hence the court orders to release him, particularly in the case. However, despite being released in the money laundering case, Shabir Ahmad Shah is expected to remain in judicial custody due to ongoing cases registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Additional Sessions Judge Dheeraj Mor in an order passed on August 24, saidthe accused Shabir Ahmad Shah is facing trial for offence under Section 3 of PMLA punishable under Section 4 of PMLA Act, 2002 and the maximum substantive sentence prescribed for the said offence is 7 years. He is in continuous custody in this case since July 26, 2017 and since then, more than 7 years have passed. Therefore, the submissions made on his behalf are apparently correct. Accordingly, in view of proviso to Section 436A CrPC, he is entitled to be released in this case. Therefore, he is directed to be released from judicial custody in this case. Release warrants be issued. He be released forthwith, if not required in any other case, said the court. After the order, Shabir Shah Counsels Prashant Prakash and Qausar Khan said, the accused was released from custody due to serving the maximum permissible punishment, which highlights a serious issue in the judicial process. Despite the release, the charges against the co-accused have not even been framed, and arguments on these charges have been pending since 2021. The trial itself has not begun in a meaningful way, making this case a clear example of significant delays in the justice system. Earlier in the case, Shabir Ahmad Shah's wife, Dr. Bilquis Shah, was named as an accused in the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) supplementary chargesheet. She was granted bail later on a bail bond. According to the charge sheet, Shabir Ahmad Shah is the main accused and is the conspirator who had devised the whole scheme of money laundering so as to obtain illicit funds from outside India to further the nefarious designs of causing unrest in J&K. Shabir Ahmad Shah was in regular touch with Hafeez Sayeed, a global terrorist, head of Jamat-ud-Dawa, an organisation banned under UNSC resolution no. 1267 Shabir Ahmad Shah was in regular touch with Mohd. Shafi Shayar, based in Pakistan, whose Pakistani phone number was provided by him to Mohd. Aslam Wani for collecting the crime money in Delhi on his behalf. Shabbir Shah who was lodged in Tihar Jail under Judicial Custody, in his defence earlier stated that there is no evidence of any nature connecting the Shabbir Shah with Aslam Wani. He is a respectable person and is a known political leader. He is a chairman of Democratic Freedom Party and the allegations levelled against are motivated and based on falsehood.(ANI)
Following his announcement to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren stated his reason for joining the party. Taking to social media platform X on Tuesday, Soren said that he had decided to join the BJP expressing his "faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah." "Your cooperation is expected in this new chapter of the struggle for the issues and rights of the tribals, natives, Dalits, backward classes, poor, labourers, farmers, women, youth and common people of Jharkhand," he further stated. In his post, Soren further added that the people of Kolhan region had stood with him at every step, and rejected his option of taking "sanyaas" from politics. He further stated that there "was no such forum/platform in the party" where he could express his "pain." He also mentioned the problems like "Bangladeshi infiltration" in Santhal Pargana and said, "What can be more unfortunate than the fact that these infiltrators are occupying the lands of the descendants of those heroes who never accepted the slavery of the foreign British in the fight for water, forest and land. Because of them, the dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters who consider brave women like Phool-Jhano as their ideal is in danger." "If these intruders, who are causing economic and social harm to the tribals and natives, are not stopped, the existence of our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger. In many areas, including Pakur and Rajmahal, their number has become greater than that of tribals. Apart from politics, we have to make this issue a social movement; only then will the existence of tribals be saved," he added. In the end, he stated that "only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of votes." On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to social media platform X to announce the joining of Champai Soren to the BJP on August 30 in Ranchi. "Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, Champai Soren, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah a short while ago. He will officially join the BJP on 30th August in Ranchi," the Assam CM said on X. Earlier, Champai Soren hinted at forming a new party, after Soren took to social media to voice his grievances, stating that he had been "insulted" during his tenure as Chief Minister and that all options remained open ahead of the forthcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections. (ANI)
As per a screenshot that went viral, the scammer posing as CJI Chandrachud wrote that he had an important meeting of the Collegium but was stuck in Connaught Place and needed Rs 500 and promised to return the money.

The screenshot read, "Hello, I am CJI and we have an urgent meeting of the collegium and I am stuck at Cannaught Place can you send me 500rs for cab?," the fraudster wrote. I will return the money once I reach the court."

The scammer ended the message with 'sent from iPad'.

Sources in the Supreme Court told ANI that "appropriate action has been taken." (ANI)
The streets of Kolkata were gripped by violence and chaos following a protest rally that took a wrong turn in the state capital. Following this, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumder called for a '12-hour bandh' in the state on Wednesday. On Tuesday, a protest march to West Bengal Secretariat 'Nabanna' was organised by the 'Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other organisations, which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. The rally termed "Nabanna Abhiyan" started from the College Square in the capital of West Bengal, amid heightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat with protestors gathering at the Santragachi area in Howrah. Later, the police hosed protestors with water cannons as they climbed atop police barricades, clashed with police personnel and broke the barricades at Santragachi in Howrah during the protest march. Protestors also dragged away police barricades and police resorted to opening lathi-charge and lobbying tear gas shells to disperse them. Following the chaos, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) TMC listed "BJP's idea of a 'peaceful protest'," in a social media post in X, which includes stone pelting, pushing barricades, severely injuring the police, orchestrating extreme chaos and disrupting the law and order of the state. TMC further stated that the "Nabanna Abhiyan" was a conspiracy by the BJP and was "nothing short of a FATAL ATTACK on Bengal!" BJP leaders also expressed their anguish over the ongoing chaos in Bengal. BJP National President JP Nadda took to X and said, "The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety." At a press conference in the national capital, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia also took a jibe at the TMC and said, "If there is any dictator in the country, then that dictator is Mamata Banerjee... The truth should come out; the investigating agency, CBI, should do a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner. The truth cannot be suppressed and the biggest thing is that as long as these people are in their positions and are crushing the students and tearing the Constitution to pieces, this will not be tolerated; this issue will be raised strongly as it has been raised today." Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was seen at a protest outside Kolkata Police Headquarters in the Lal Bazar area demanding the release of students who were detained by police today, following the chaos that happened at the protest rally. "The police and Mamata Banerjee have unleashed violence on the student agitation. They have lathi-charged, used tear gas and used water cannons on the democratic, peaceful protest... Our demand is simple: the students who have been arrested by the police should be released," Majumder said. Majumdar has also called for a 12-hour bandh in the state on Wednesday. Earlier, the check gates at the rear of Fort William at Hastings in Kolkata were greased by civic workers in an attempt to thwart protestors from scaling the barricades. The police have also deployed vajra vehicles, water cannons, and the Riot Control Force in the area while containers were placed to block the roads. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose today urged the state government not to use power to stop the "peaceful protesting students." Later today, Bose expressed his angst over the chaos and said that it was a ghastly sight that they witnessed on the streets of Kolkata today. "I would say disproportionate force and coercive power were used by the state in dealing with the situation, ignoring the Supreme Court's pronouncements that state power shall not be unleashed against peaceful protesters. This is the ghastly sight that we saw today on the streets of Kolkata. Certainly, this cannot be appreciated in any manner," he said. On Monday, Additional Commissioner of Police Kolkata, Supratim Sarkar, said that they have rejected an application by 'Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj' to hold a rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' on August 27. He added that the police rejected their application because the group did not seek formal permission and provided insufficient details. All these came following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises, which sparked nationwide outrage and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall on August 9. (ANI)
In a landmark decision, the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, on the first day of its monsoon session, passed legislation to increase the legal age for marriage from 18 to 21 years. The amendment was introduced by Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Social Justice, who presented the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Bill No. 4 of 2024). The bill, which amends the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (Act No. 6 of 2007) as applicable to Himachal Pradesh, was passed with a voice vote in the Assembly. "Whenever any bill is brought for legislation, it starts as a bill and is passed by the house in the form of an act. We shall send it to the governor. This bill is very important for societal change. It establishes a minimum age of 21 years for marriage for both boys and girls. If someone flouts this law, they will be punishable under the law," said Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil. He further highlighted the proactive stance of the state's Chief Minister on such issues, stating, "I believe our Chief Minister has been very vibrant on such issues. Himachal was the first to legislate for orphans and destitute children. Now, this new law will be a path-breaking step for the country. It will serve as a landmark for other states to follow. This amendment will help in transforming society. Girls in our country are progressing well, and setting the marriage age at 21 will give both boys and girls a chance to grow." The bill received support across party lines. BJP legislator Reena Kashyap emphasized the necessity of this decision, stating, "Increasing the marriage age from 18 to 21 years was much needed. I would also request the government to take more steps in favor of women. At the age of 21, the youth, especially women, are mature enough mentally and physically to get married. This bill is a significant step forward," said Reena Kashyap. Anuradha Rana, the youngest legislator, a tribal girl, and a Congress MLA, expressed her satisfaction with the legislation. "This is a very important amendment bill. It was my first experience in the Assembly, and I was able to participate in discussions on disaster issues as well as this amendment bill. This legislation is historic and will prevent child marriages below the age of 18. It will be beneficial for the country, enabling women to build their careers and make wise decisions regarding marriage at the right age," said Rana. This amendment positions Himachal Pradesh as the first state in the country to introduce such a significant change, potentially setting a precedent for others to follow. (ANI)
The Bombay High Court said on Tuesday that boys need to be educated about gender equality from a young age and there is a need to bring change in their mindset. The court made the remarks during a hearing on the Badlapur sexual assault case. The court had taken suo motu cognizance of the alleged sexual assault of two girls at a school in Badlapur. A bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan said male dominance and chauvinism continue in society and there is a need to teach boys about right and wrong behaviour from a young age. The Court suggested constituting a committee to study the issue and recommend rules and guidelines to be followed in schools to prevent such incidents. The court again expressed its displeasure over the way the Badlapur Police conducted the initial investigation into the case and said that the police should have shown some sensitivity. The court said one of the victim girls and her family were asked to come to the police station to record their statement. It said Badlapur police did not even make an attempt to record statements at their home and there has been a serious lapse in the investigation of Badlapur police. Maharashtra Advocate General (AG) Birendra Saraf admitted the lapse and said three police officers from Badlapur police station have been suspended. "We always talk about girls. We don't tell boys what is right and what is wrong. We need to change the mentality of boys, teach them to respect women," the court said. The court said that it will hear the case on September 3 and the government should tell it about the committee by that date. It said the committee should have a retired judge, a retired police officer, a retired principal, a woman IPS officer and a member of the Child Welfare Committee. During the hearing, the court questioned why the victim girls were sent to the toilet with a male attendant and if the school had probed his background before recruiting him. On this, the police said that the parents of the accused are working in the same school and hence he was also hired. The accused has married thrice and the statements of his wives have been recorded. The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra's Badlapur had sparked outrage. On August 17 police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls. The state government has formed an SIT to probe the sexual assault case. (ANI)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Tuesday vowed to fight out after she walked out of Tihar jail following the Supreme Court's decision to grant her bail in irregularities in the 'excise policy case' by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). "We are fighters, we will fight it out legally and politically. They have only made the BRS and KCR's team unbreakable," BRS leader K Kavitha said after walking out of jail. "All I have to say is that law will prevail, law will take its course. The whole country knows this was a faulty case", she added Addressing the party workers outside Tihar Jail, she said, "I want to thank all of you. I became emotional after meeting my son, brother and husband today after almost 5 months. Only politics is responsible for this situation. The country knows that I was put in jail only because of politics, I did not make any mistake I will fight." Earlier today, a bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed to release K Kavitha immediately. The top court also imposed various conditions against Kavitha, including not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses in the matter. The top court directed her to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both CBI and ED cases. The top court also directed her to surrender her passport. The top court noted that Kavitha is behind bars for five months and the trial will take a long time to complete as there are 493 witnesses and many documents. The SC noted that the reliance is on the statements of the co-accused, who have been granted pardon and made an approver. Reacting to this, BRS Working President, MLA and Kavitha's brother Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao wrote on X, "Thank You Supreme Court. Relieved. Justice prevailed". Meanwhile, K Kavitha's bail sparked a war of words among Telangana political leaders with both the BJP and Congress accusing each other of BRS nexus. While the Congress claimed that this shows the nexus between the BJP and BRS, BJP retaliated by saying that this bail is a win for both BRS and Congress. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar, taking to X, reacted on Kavitha's bail and wrote, "Congratulations to the Congress party and its advocates for securing bail for BRS MLC in the infamous liquor scam. Your untiring efforts finally yielded fruits. This bail is a win for both BRS and Congress. --BRS leader is out on bail, & the Congressman gets to Rajya Sabha. Remarkable political acumen by KCR in supporting the candidate, who initially argued for the bail, to be nominated to Rajya Sabha unopposed by the ruling Congress. Congratulations to the partners in crime who wine & dine". Criticising the comments made by Bandi Sanjay, BRS Working President KTR stated that the Supreme Court should take cognisance of these comments. KTR wrote on X, "You're a union minister incharge of Home Affairs & casting aspersions on Supreme Court!! Highly unbecoming of your position, I respectfully urge the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India & the respected Supreme Court to take cognisance of these comments and initiate contempt proceedings." However, the Congress was not far behind. TPCC Working President Mahesh Kumar Goud also reacted to Kavitha's bail and said, "Kavitha getting bail today indicates the clear nexus between BJP and BRS. We have been saying that BRS and BJP party are in close nexus for the last ten years. Now it got exposed. On what conditions Kavitha got bail today when compared to the conditions when bail was rejected, clearly indicates that BJP's pressure is there for Kavitha getting bail now. We can clearly say that the merger of BRS party with BJP party started today. The process of merger started today when Kavitha got bail. The people of Telangana should understand that the nexus between BJP and BRS is exposed today and Congress is ready to face both parties." Earlier today, the top court directed her to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both CBI and ED cases. The top court also directed her to surrender her passport. The top court noted that Kavitha is behind bars for five months and the trial will take a long time to complete as there are 493 witnesses and many documents. On July 1 the Delhi High Court dismissed the bail petitions moved by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in CBI and ED cases related to the Excise Policy case. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the Excise Policy money laundering case in Rouse Avenue Court. The chargesheet was filed against BRS Leader K Kavitha and other accused namely Chanpreet Singh, Damodar, Prince Singh and Arvind Kumar.BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15, 2024 and by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11, 2024. Subsequently, she was also later arrested by CBI in the matter. CBI inquiry was recommended based on the findings of the Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials said. The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. (ANI)
Transgender councillor Bobi Kinnar has been granted anticipatory bail in a caste certificate case on Tuesday from Rohini Court. The court granted interim protection to Bobi Kinnar, stating that the case is document-based and there is no scope to threaten the witnesses. He was granted interim protection on August 17. An FIR has been registered at Sultan Puri police station against Bobi Kinnar in a caste certificate case. He had moved an application for anticipatory bail. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Kapil Kumar granted anticipatory bail to Bobi Kinnar. The court said, "Prima facie there is no scope of threatening the witnesses since admittedly the witnesses are government officials and as per record, the necessary documents must have been produced in the election petition filed by the complainant before the court of Ld. ADJ." "The court noted that this case is document-based. "The first fact is that the present case primarily involves documentary evidence which was produced before the concerned authority at UP based on which the certificate in question was issued and the factum of issuance of the certificate itself is to be verified. There is no scope of tampering of these documents being official records," the court said. "Accordingly, considering the above-mentioned facts and the submissions of the investigating officer that there is no requirement of custodial interrogation of the accused/applicant at thisstage of the investigation, in the considered opinion of this court, the applicant deserves the interim protection from arrest till the next date of hearing (NDOH)," it added. "Accordingly, let no coercive steps be taken by the IO against the applicant till the NDOH," the court ordered on Tuesday. The applicant/accused joined the investigation today only given the notice already issued by the Investigation Officer (IO) and he shall continue to join the investigation as andwhen required by the IO and shall co-operate in the investigation, the court directed. The court said, " On the NDOH, IO would be at liberty to file the further/additional reply to the present application mentioning the developments in the investigation and on what grounds the custodial interrogation of the accused might be required." The court has listed the matter on September 10 for further hearing. During the hearing, the IO appeared physically. On Saturday, IO appeared through video conferencing and submitted that first, he will verify the cast certificate of the applicant and thereafter will take necessary steps as per law. He had submitted that he is on leave and will file a reply on Tuesday. He also submitted that he would not arrest Bobi till Tuesday. Advocate Amit Kumar counsel for Bobi submitted that a false FIR had been got registered by the complainant by misusing the process of law. It was also submitted that a complaint had been filed against the complainant. The concerned court has opined to initiate an inquiry. An FIR was registered against Bobi on the Complaint filed by Varuna Dhaka. It is alleged that Bobi used a forged/fabricated caste certificate to contest the MCD election 2022. Congress candidate Varuna Dhaka had lost the election against Bobi. (ANI)
Over 70 people have been killed in multiple cases of terror attacks reported in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, Al Jazeera reported citing military and police officials. The country's military said 14 soldiers and police were killed. 21 terrorists were also killed in fighting in a major attack that targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district. In a separate attack in Musakhel district, local officials said at least 23 civilians were killed after attackers reportedly stopped their convoy, checked their IDs and determined they were from Punjab. 35 vehicles were also set ablaze in the incident. 10 people - five police and five civilians - were reportedly killed in Kalat in an attack on a police post and a highway. On Monday, rail traffic with Quetta was also suspended following blasts on a rail bridge in the town of Bolan, linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan, as well as on a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said. Six unidentified bodies have been found by the police so far, near the attack site on the railway bridge. Notably, Balochistan province has had a simmering rebellion for years, with several armed groups present. Rights groups have denounced Pakistan's response to the movement, which they document as including enforced disappearances and other forms of state repression, Al Jazeera reported. The attacks, along the highway that connects to the province of Punjab, came shortly after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) warned people to stay away from highways in the province. In a statement, the group claimed its fighters targeted military personnel travelling in civilian clothes, who were shot once they were identified. Pakistan's Interior Ministry, however, said the killed people were innocent citizens. The injured were moved to a hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan, the nearest large medical facility. President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements called the Musakhail attack "barbaric" and pledged that the attackers would not get away with it. Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, denounced the assaults as "a matter of grave concern" and called on the Balochistan provincial government to "step up efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists". Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also promised that the attackers would be brought to justice. According to local media, 12 rebel fighters were killed by security forces throughout the province in the past 24 hours. Notably, similar attacks in Balochistan in the past, have been claimed by the BLA, such as the killing of seven barbers in Gwadar in May, or the April killings of several people abducted from a highway. Armed groups like the BLA in the resource-rich but impoverished province have secessionist aims, often targeting labourers from Punjab coming to the area to work, as reported by Al Jazeera. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden, during his telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra, commended the latter's "historic visits" to Poland and Ukraine as well as his message of peace, the White House said in a statement. The two leaders discussed PM Modi's trip to two European nations and the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in September. "The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector," the statement read. PM Modi and President Biden affirmed their continued support for a "peaceful resolution" of the conflict "in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter." The leaders also emphasised their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office said that Prime Minister Modi briefed Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi and Biden held discussions on various regional and global issues. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad. "While discussing the situation in Ukraine, the Prime Minister briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine. He reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability," the statement read. The conversation took place days after PM Modi's visit to Poland and Ukraine. PM Modi visited Ukraine on Friday last, the first by an Indian PM to the European nation. During the bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi emphasised India's position of peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. "India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace," PM Modi told Zelenskyy. He said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress. Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in war since 2022. India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Later on Monday (local time), the White House said they discussed peace prospects "in accordance with President Zelenskyy's plan for a just peace." White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby reiterated that Washington would welcome any country that wants to help President Zelenskyy work towards just peace. "Any country that's willing to come at that discussion by starting with President Zelenskyy's perspective, by hearing him out, by signing on to that proposal -- and I won't speak for India and what they're signing on to or not; that's for the Prime Minister and his team to talk to -- but we certainly welcome any nation that is willing to be helpful and to start that conversation by ascribing to President Zelenskyy's just peace proposal and getting his perspectives," Kirby said at the briefing. Taking to X following the conversation, PM Modi stated, "Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India's full support for early return of peace and stability." PM Modi appreciated Biden's deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral ties and highlighted that the India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity. During the telephone conversation, the two leaders also expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. (ANI)
After a massive exchange of fire between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah over the weekend, the White House said that the negotiators continue to work to strike a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, CNN reported. The talks had made progress over the weekend, according to a senior US official familiar with the talks in Cairo, where mediators discussed "final details" of a potential agreement including the names of prisoners that would be exchanged as part of the pact. While such progress does not guarantee a final agreement anytime soon, negotiators in the Egyptian capital are now discussing the "nuts and bolts" of a deal, the official said. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that all sides, including Hamas, are represented in the talks and that the discussions have been able to move on with more specificity as they work to hammer out a deal. However, Bassem Naim, a Hamas political bureau member, said Hamas was not participating in negotiations on Monday. Speaking to Al Arabi TV, he reiterated Hamas's position that it is "ready to negotiate what was agreed upon" in a July 2 proposal but will "not accept the conditions that [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu added." Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year, killing 1200 people and holding over 250 hostages, out of which over 100 are still in captivity. In response, Israel launched a strong counteroffensive targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli operation, however, has been criticised for civilian casualties. Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli operation, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Netanyahu has insisted that the war in Gaza will continue until a "total victory" against Hamas has been won, even if a deal is reached. That objective has been questioned by many top Israeli officials, including his own defence minister, and family members of captives held by Hamas. Negotiators have worked for months to bridge demands by Netanyahu and Hamas. The remaining sticking points, while significant, are seen as potentially surmountable, CNN reported citing the official. One issue is the Israeli military's presence on Gaza's side of the border with Egypt, an area known as the Philadelphi corridor. Hamas opposes Israel's desire to continue to station troops there in the early phase of a ceasefire deal. The US official said the current proposal calls for an Israeli military withdrawal from "densely populated areas" in Gaza, and that the current debate is focused on what parts of the Philadelphi corridor qualify as densely populated versus unpopulated, where the IDF will maintain a presence in the first phase of an agreement. However, the Hamas negotiating delegation left Cairo on Sunday publicly reiterating the group's demand that any agreement must include "a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the freedom of return of residents to their areas, relief and reconstruction, and a serious exchange deal." The US official said despite public comments by Hamas, "negotiators believe Hamas may be more flexible on an Israeli presence during the first phase of an agreement." (ANI)
Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane had violated its airspace, local media reported that it was the first such move by a Chinese aircraft. Japan's defence ministry said an Y-9 surveillance aircraft at 11.29am on Monday "violated the territorial airspace off the Danjo islands in Nagasaki prefecture" in the East China Sea and lasted two minutes. It prompted Japan to deploy "fighter jets on an emergency basis", Kyodo news outlet reported. The latest development could fuel tensions between the two countries following repeated maritime provocations by China in the region, the state media said. The aircraft circled above waters southeast of the islands multiple times before and after entering Japan's airspace, eventually heading toward China around 1:15 p.m. Japanese ministry of Defence said that the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) fighters did not use weapons or signal flares. Japan's Vice foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned China's acting ambassador late on Monday to lodge a "extremely serious protest," and called for measures against a recurrence, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement. As per the NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, there were previous incursions by non-military aircraft involving a propeller-powered Chinese marine surveillance plane and a small drone that had taken off from a China Coast Guard vessel and went into airspace near the disputed Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017. Kyodo news agency cited a Japanese defence Ministry source as saying that China "might be trying to provoke a reaction from Japan," while a government source said the airplane merely grazed the territorial airspace and possibly strayed off course. China's increasing aggressive actions in the region, especially with Taiwan, has been a growing cause of concern for US and its allies. Japan is part of the Quad alliance with India, Australia and the US, which is seen as a counter to Beijing's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. The Senkaku islands in the East China Sea administered by Japan has been claimed by China and there has been confrontations between Japanese and Chinese vessels. The group of disputed islands, Uotsuri island , Minamikojima and Kitakojima are known as the Diaoyu in china. Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing today. (ANI)
A delegation from Osaka University, Japan, accompanied by officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi to discuss the establishment of a National Centre for Medical Device Development, Validation and Skill Training at AIIMS, a statement by AIIMS said. The visit was marked by a high-level meeting chaired by M Srinivas, Director of AIIMS Delhi, at the Ramalingaswami Boardroom. The focus of the meeting was an ambitious project in line with India's "Make in India" initiative for medical devices, AIIMS stated. According to a statement, this visit is a continuation of the collaborative efforts initiated nearly a decade ago following the joint statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, during their summit in Tokyo on September 1, 2014. As a result of that summit, AIIMS and Osaka University signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 13, 2014, aimed at the development of novel and affordable surgical instruments, marking the first such R&D collaboration between medical institutions in India and Japan, the statement said. Leading the Japanese delegation was Kiyokazu Nakajima, Professor in the Department of Next Generation Endoscopic Intervention at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. The discussions revolved around the technical aspects and proposals for creating a state-of-the-art, publicly-funded research centre for medical device development, validation and skill training. The delegation also visited the proposed site for the centre at AIIMS Delhi's Jhajjar campus, the statement said. This visit builds on the foundation laid by earlier collaborative efforts, including the onsite training of delegations from AIIMS to Japan, where they visited prominent facilities such as the Fukushima Medical Device Development Support Centre at Fukushima, Medical Device Development Centre (MEDDEC) at Kobe and medical device manufacturing company CASTEM Co. Limited at Hiroshima. Additionally, they had meetings with Overseas Medical Equipment Technical Assistants (OMETA) at Tokyo to understand and learn the self-sustainability of the proposed centre in India. The AIIMS delegations, led by Hemanga K Bhattacharjee, Professor of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS New Delhi, along with specialists from other departments, scientists and technical officers from AIIMS gained valuable insights into cutting-edge technological research and hands-on experience on prototype conceptualisation, computer assisted designing, 3D printing for rapid prototype and subsequent manufacturing experience, which will be crucial in the establishment of the proposed centre in India, per the statement. This innovative project aims to reduce India's reliance on imported medical devices, which currently stands at over 70%. The centre is expected to provide a platform for Indian surgeons, physicians, and engineers to conceptualize, design, develop, and test medical device prototypes. Japan's support, particularly in technology and knowledge transfer, will be instrumental in establishing this first-of-its-kind facility, which promises to make high-quality, affordable medical devices accessible to the Indian population and promote an ecosystem for the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector which is in line with the "Make in India" policy of the Government of India, the statement said. (ANI)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said that it was 'great' to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to extend his wishes on Krishna Janmashtami. Albanese said that they talked about all the work Australia and India are doing as partners bilaterally and regionally. In a post on X, Albanese said, "Great to speak to you yesterday Narendra Modi, to wish you Happy Krishna Janmashtami, and to talk about all the work Australia and India are doing as partners bilaterally and regionally, including through the Quad." https://x.com/AlboMP/status/1828285564023410937 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese and took stock of the bilateral relations between both countries. PM Modi and Australian PM Albanese also discussed about their cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Delighted to speak to my friend Anthony Albanese. We took stock of progress in our bilateral relations and cooperation in the multilateral fora, including the Quad." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1827957905728933911 Earlier on July 29, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and spoke about intensifying the bilateral ties between the two nations. Jaishankar said that he and Wong also discussed deepening practical cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. In a post on X, he said, "A great start this morning meeting Australian FM Penny Wong in Tokyo. Spoke about further steps to intensify our bilateral ties including in security, trade and education. Also discussed deepening our practical cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. Look forward to continuing this at the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting shortly." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1817728675451920492 Wong said on July 29 that Australia is launching a new Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre, to help undersea cable networks in the Indo-Pacific. The centre will ensure that Indo-Pacific networks are resilient and all countries can benefit from reliable connectivity and the growth of the digital economy, a statement from the Australian Foreign Minister's office said. The statement added that the work is integral to the prosperity and security of the region. (ANI)
A suicide attack in the Razmak area of North Waziristan on Monday resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left 15 others injured. The attack targeted a vehicle belonging to Usman alias Liwanay, a former militant commander who has since surrendered to the state. The explosion occurred around 11:30 AM and, despite the severity of the attack, Liwanay was unharmed, reported Dawn News. The victims included two individuals whose bodies were so severely mutilated that their identities remain unknown. The injured, including the two deceased, were transported to the Miramshah Hospital, where an emergency was declared immediately following the blast. Dr Hamidullah, the hospital's medical superintendent, confirmed that six critically injured patients were transferred to a hospital in Bannu for more advanced treatment. In response to the attack, local authorities have cordoned off the area and initiated an investigation to determine the perpetrators and motives behind the suicide bombing, Dawn reported. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly member from North Waziristan, Naik Muhammad, along with local activist Abdul Khalil, visited the injured individuals in the hospital to offer support and express solidarity. The incident has sparked significant unrest in the region. In reaction to the deteriorating law and order situation, a peace rally was organized, where participants voiced their frustrations and threatened to block roads leading to the cantonment area if their concerns were not addressed promptly, Dawn reported. North Waziristan, part of Pakistan's tribal areas, has been a hotspot for militant activity and violence for years. The region has seen numerous conflicts between the Pakistani military and various militant groups, contributing to ongoing instability and security challenges through time. The recent attack underscores the persistent threat of extremism in the area and highlights the urgent need for enhanced security measures and effective counterterrorism strategies. (ANI)
In a post on X, "Pleased to welcome FM Mauro Vieira of Brazil today. Look forward to productive discussions of the 9th India - Brazil Joint Commission Meeting."

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1828325311928230068

Earlier, the Brazilian Minister arrived in the national capital on Saturday on a four-day official visit to India till August 28.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Vieira's visit will provide further impetus to the strategic partnership between India and Brazil.

The MEA stated that Jaishankar and Vieira will speak on how the two nations, as part of the Troika, can take forward key G20 outcomes from India's G20 Presidency last year.

Brazil has assumed the presidency of the G20 until November 2024. The G20 Troika during the Brazilian G20 Presidency in 2024 will comprise India, Brazil, and South Africa.

Brazil will host the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19. The G20 is made up of 19 countries including India and Brazil.

The MEA said India and Brazil share a multifaceted relationship rooted in shared values.

It also said that the Brazilian Foreign Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the strategic partnership established in 2006 and explore new avenues of cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral arena across diverse sectors.

Earlier in July, the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Dammu Ravi, led India's delegation at the G20 Development Ministers' Meeting in Rio De Janeiro. During the meeting, he highlighted India's flagship programmes, including the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, and AMRUT and reiterated India's commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water and sanitation. (ANI)
In a tragic incident on Monday, Umar Sherani, a worker with the National Democratic Movement (NDM), Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Organising Committee, was killed in a targeted attack in Daraban, DI Khan, News International reported. According to the report by News International, an unidentified gunman fatally shot Sherani at Kari Bkhtiar Morr in the Daraban Kalaan area on Monday. Eyewitnesses stated that Sherani, a resident of Darazinda in Daraban, was having tea at a local hotel when the assailant opened fire. Sherani was struck by multiple bullets and died on the spot. The shooter then escaped on a motorcycle. Local Media reports suggest that Sherani had been receiving threats from unknown sources in recent days. However, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack. https://x.com/mjdawar/status/1828061359084331040 Reacting to the incident, Mohsin Javed Dawar, Chairperson of the NDM, called Umar a valuable asset of NDA. In a post on X, he said, "We are deeply saddened to announce that our dear friend and member of the Provincial Organizing Committee has been tragically martyred in a targeted attack in Daraban, DI Khan. A dedicated and passionate political activist, Umar was a valuable asset to NDM. His senseless killing is a stark reminder that our region has been abandoned to the mercy of terrorists, who continue to claim innocent lives with impunity." https://x.com/HRCP87/status/1828092131627655456 The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the attack on Umar and said, "HRCP is shocked to learn that political activist and NDM_Officialmember Umar Sherani has been killed, reportedly by militants in a targeted attack in Dera Ismail Khan. The continued presence of militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seriously damaged civic and political spaces in the province. While the state must identify and prosecute the perpetrators as a matter of priority, it must also cede no further space to militancy and extremism in any shape." https://x.com/NDM_Official/status/1828078467214360975 The National Democratic Movement (NDM) expressed its condolences on X: "Our long-time colleague and member of the NDM Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Organizing Committee, Umar Sherani, has been martyred in Daraban, DI Khan. Umar Sherani was a sincere political worker who always stood at the forefront for the rights of oppressed nations. Pakhtuns are being forced into the fire of terrorism, and the blood of our precious youth and elders is being shed." (ANI)
Mahesh Sachdev, Former IFS Officer said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visits to Ukraine and Russia were 'unique' because there are very few governments that have good ties with both the countries. Speaking to ANI, Sachdev said that other countries' peace-keeping talks with both countries have not succeeded, and it is yet to be seen if PM Modi's talks bear fruit. "One should say that the visit was probably unique from the global perspective where there are very few people who have retained good ties with Russia as well as Ukraine and there are even fewer heads of state and governments who have been able to visit both Moscow and Kyiv to hold talks since the conflict began. Perhaps the President of Turkey and the Prime Minister of Hungary are the two others. However, their approaches to peace-making between Ukraine and Russia have not succeeded. So it remains to be seen whether the Indian Prime Minister had any particular success in this regard or whether there is a formula that is evolving from this, these two initiative visits," Sachdev said. Sachdev said that PM Modi's conversation with US President Joe Biden must have covered the PM's Ukraine visit besides bilateral talks. "The conversation that Prime Minister had yesterday...bilateral ties would have figured as well. The prime minister's visit to Ukraine on the 23rd of this month was a historic landmark. It was the first time since Ukraine split from the USSR that an Indian Prime Minister had visited that country. At the same time, it was also in the context of a bitter conflict ongoing between Russia and Ukraine which has been being waged for over two and a half years now... I think the Prime Minister was received fairly well and therefore one should say that some remnant bitterness that was caused by his visit to Moscow last month in Kyiv seemed to have been mitigated. I imagine the Prime Minister would have informed President Joe Biden about his impressions of the visit," he said. Sachdev said that PM Modi conveyed that India was on the side of peace. "The Prime Minister was in Russia last month and this was the first time he has visited Russia for nearly three years. So, there was some speculation about the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow and Kyiv being interlinked with peace-making or at least calming the situation down. The Prime minister emphasized that India was not neutral in the conflict. It was on the side of peace and wanted to do everything possible to restore peace and equanimity in that part of the world. One would like to also add that bilaterally, India's ties with Ukraine are quite substantive. The bilateral trade is nearly USD 6 billion and is in Ukraine's favour from where we import a lot of sunflower oil and other inputs... Our agreements were signed during the visit including facilitating India's humanitarian supplies to the war-torn country," Sachdev said. Sachdev said that Biden and PM Modi must have also spoken about Bangladesh's socioeconomic stability and Sheikh Hasina's statement against the US. "Turning to Bangladesh's situation which has evolved since the beginning of the month, I think the two democracies, India and the United States, have a lot to share in terms of secularist credentials of the new government, in terms of economic and socioeconomic stability of that country, and how the radicalization of Bangladesh can be avoided. I think we have an important role to play as Bangladesh's largest neighbour and traditional friend of that country. I imagine that the United States, which has been criticised by Sheikh Hasina for being responsible for her ouster, at least partially, would have had some statement from President to Prime Minister in this regard as well," he said. "As I have already mentioned, the visit to Moscow and his embrace of President Putin created some kind of bad blood in Kyiv. President Zelenskyy and Washington DC were displeased by this gesture. Now, having visited Kyiv and embraced President Zelenskyy as well, I think those doubts would have been settled. The President has mentioned that he would be looking forward to visiting India and would like to have the second Ukrainian peace conference in the global south. And India was a good candidate for that purpose. So it shows that the doubts in the mind of the leadership in Kyiv about India's non-partisan role in this regard have been rested," Sachdev said. Sachdev said that even though the US took a partisan position in supporting Ukraine, it is interesting to see India's strategy of balance of ties on the issue. "The US is a superpower and it has an interest in all parts of the world. It has taken a fairly partisan position in supporting Ukraine with economic and military assistance and delivering diplomatic aid to sustain the Kyiv government against its war with Russia. Thanks to its supplies of equipment, etc, Kyiv has been able to get into the Kursk region and launch an offensive. So I would like to imagine that the visit, as observers themselves have said from the White House, from the state Department, are keenly watching the Prime Minister's visit to Kyiv and they appreciate India's strategic autonomy in this regard but would like to see, as they perceive greater balance in ties on this issue," he said. (ANI)
The meeting, which took place on Monday during Sheikh Abdullah's working visit to Zagreb, focused on friendship relations and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in developmental areas of mutual interest.

The two sides discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in various sectors, including economic, investment, renewable energy, and tourism.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed praised the distinguished relations between the two countries, emphasising that Croatia constitutes a key partner for the UAE, adding that both countries are committed to leveraging all available opportunities to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation for long-term mutual benefits.

Sheikh Abdullah and Grlic Radman also addressed several issues of mutual interest.

The meeting was attended by Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs, and Ahmed Alattar, Non-Resident Ambassador of the UAE to Croatia. (ANI/WAM)
United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit to China. Sullivan is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese FM Wang Yi. Upon his arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport, Sullivan was met by Yang Tao of China's Foreign Ministry and US Ambassador Nicholas Burns. During Sullivan's visit, China will focus on raising serious concerns regarding the Taiwan question, address development rights and strategic security, China's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. State media Global Times said that Sullivan's visit is at the invitation of Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China. Sullivan is the first US national security advisor to visit China in eight years, it said. During the term of President Barack Obama, Susan Rice travelled to China in 2016. White House National Security Communications Advisor Jonh Kirby told reporters in Washington on August 26 that during Sullivan's visit will include meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi over the course of two days, August 27 through August 29. "This trip marks the fifth meeting between Wang and Sullivan. The channel between the National Security Advisor and the Director has played an important role in responsibly managing the competition and the tension between our two countries," Kirby said. He said, Sullivan's trip to China was discussed by President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping, at the Woodside Summit in November 2023 in the US. In Beijing, Sullivan will discuss key issues in the US-China bilateral relationship, including advancing counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, and AI safety and risk discussions - all outcomes of the Woodside Summit, Kirby said. "You can expect that he will also take the opportunity to talk to Mr Wang about our concerns, from a security perspective, all throughout the Indo-Pacific - tensions rising in the South China Sea, tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and a range of other issues including unfair economic practices. All of that will be on the table," Kirby told reporters. Sullivan's visit will be his fifth face-to-face meeting with Wang and comes ahead of the US presidential elections to be held in November this year. (ANI)
His conversation with the Russian President came a day after his talk over telephone with US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict. PM Modi had visited Poland and Ukraine last week.

During his conversation with President Putin, PM Modi reiterated India's firm commitment to support to an early and peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The two leaders also discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.

"Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," PM Modi said in a post on X.

Russia and Ukraine are engaged in a conflict for over two-and-a-half years.

PM Modi, who received a telephone call from the US President on Monday, conveyed his appreciation for President Biden's deep commitment to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties.

The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that the India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

The two leaders had a detailed exchange of views on a number of regional and global issues. (ANI)
Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) Chairman Shafi Burfat has condemned the ongoing situation in Balochistan and other regions of Pakistan as a severe violation of human rights and a manifestation of state fascism. Burfat argued that the so-called democratic framework in Pakistan is a facade, primarily serving the interests of the Punjabi majority and its military elite. He accused the Pakistani state of systematically oppressing historical regions, including Sindh, Balochistan, the Pashtun, and the Saraiki people, under the guise of religion and national unity. Burfat's statement highlights that these regions are subjected to political oppression, economic exploitation, state terrorism, and cultural erasure. He asserted that the languages, cultures, and national identities of these historical regions are being distorted and suppressed to maintain the dominance of the Punjabi elite, who constitute a majority in Pakistan. The Chairman draws parallels with the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh, where the Punjabi military was responsible for the massacre of three million Bengalis, arguing that similar tactics are being used today to subjugate other historical regions within Pakistan. He criticised the international community, particularly nations in Europe and America, for perceiving Pakistan's political system as democratic. According to Burfat, this perception ignores the expansionist and oppressive mindset of the Punjabi majority, which is enforced through military might. He called on the United Nations and global powers to recognise that the root cause of Pakistan's political and economic crises lies in the denial of freedom to these historical nations. Burfat also condemned the 1973 constitution, which he claims was imposed to serve the political, economic, and strategic interests of Punjab at the expense of other nations within Pakistan. He argued that the constitution forcibly annexed these nations, preventing them from achieving the independence that should have followed the creation of Bangladesh. In light of these grievances, Burfat called for international intervention, urging the United Nations, European Union, and the United States to consider overseeing referendums for the independence of Balochistan and Sindhudesh. He believes that such referendums, conducted under the supervision of an international UN peacekeeping force, would expose the true extent of state fascism, oppression, and occupation faced by these regions. Burfat's statement is a strong appeal for the recognition of the national freedom of historical regions as a fundamental human right. He emphasised that the struggle for national liberation is the highest form of democracy and the most crucial human rights issue in Pakistan. He urged the global community to take this matter seriously and to support the legitimate aspirations of these nations for independence and self-determination. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in which the two leaders exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM Modi shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine and underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict. His conversation with the Russian President came a day after his talk over telephone with US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister briefed President Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi had visited Poland and Ukraine last week. During their conversation, PM Modi and President Putin reviewed progress on bilateral issues and discussed measures to strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. PM recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit. They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest. "The two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. He underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," a PMO release said. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch. The Prime Minister said in a post on X that he and President Putin exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "Spoke with President Putin today. Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India's firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict," PM Modi said. PM Modi's visit to Ukraine on August 23 was the first by an Indian PM to the European nation. During the bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi emphasised India's position of peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. "India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace," PM Modi told Zelenskyy. He said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress. Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in war since February 2022. (ANI)
Australian Senator David Fawcett recently defended a motion he co-led that criticizes China's attempts to assert sovereignty over Taiwan, Nikkei Asia reported. Fawcett explained that the motion aims to uphold the current regional order and counter any potential unilateral actions by China to forcibly take over Taiwan, according to Japan-based Nikkei Asia report. "Allowing a nation to disregard others simply because of its economic or military strength will ultimately have negative consequences for everyone," Fawcett told Nikkei Asia. The motion, passed last week, asserts that United Nations Resolution 2758 "does not establish the People's Republic of China's sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine Taiwan's future status in the United Nations." Australia is the first country to pass such a motion concerning Resolution 2758, Nikkei Asia reported. Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, is claimed by China, which has used the 1971 Resolution to restrict Taiwan's international presence and involvement with the United Nations and its affiliated bodies, such as the World Health Organization. Although Resolution 2758 acknowledges the People's Republic of China as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations," the Australian Senate clarified that it neither grants Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan nor dictates Taiwan's participation in international organizations, Nikkei Asia reported. Despite speculation that the motion might provoke a reaction from Beijing, there has been no public condemnation from Chinese state media or the Chinese embassy in Australia. Senator David Fawcett's action comes amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. Recently, Taiwan issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid trips to China, Hong Kong, and Macao due to Beijing's threats against those who support Taiwan's independence, Central News Agency (CNA) reported. Liang Wen-chieh, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, issued the warning in response to heightened tensions with China. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has refused to engage with Taiwan's government since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, CNA reported. The advisory aimed to alert Taiwanese travellers regarding the risks posed by China's new regulations targeting independence supporters. While travel was not prohibited, citizens were advised to avoid expressing political views or participating in activities that could lead to detention or prosecution by Chinese authorities, according to Central News Agency report. Previously, Taiwan condemned Beijing's threats of severe penalties, including the death penalty, for those advocating Taiwan's independence. Beijing's notice stated that leaders of independence efforts causing significant harm to the state could face the death penalty, while other prominent advocates might receive prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life. Taipei had rejected these new Chinese guidelines, asserting that Beijing had no legal authority over Taiwan and dismissing the regulations as non-binding on Taiwanese citizens. (ANI)
A local journalist was killed in the Ghotki district in Pakistan's Sindh, Geo News, reported citing police. The locals have blamed dacoits for the killing of journalist Bachal Ghunio, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. According to the police, the deceased was attacked while he was in his fields. The police said that the journalist's body was taken to Taluka headquarter Ubuaro hospital and an investigation is being conducted. Bachal Ghunio's family held a protest outside the office of the senior superintendent of police in Mirpur Mathelo. They called for the arrest of the suspects, according to a Geo News report. Speaking with Geo News, the deceased journalist's minor son said there was enmity between his father and some members of the community. However, Ghunio was killed despite the issues being decided upon. He further stated that opponents had also targeted his father a few years back. Taking notice of the matter, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has issued orders for the immediate arrest of those responsible for the killing, Geo News reported. He also ordered the intensification of operations against dacoits in the riverine area. Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon condemned the incident and reassured that those responsible for the heinous act will soon be brought to justice. Calling the targeting of journalists an attack on press freedom, Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi has called for the arrest of those responsible for Ghunio's killing. Ghunio's killing comes amid a notable rise in violence against journalists in Pakistan in recent times making him the ninth one to be killed in 2024. Earlier in July, reporter Malik Hassan Zaib was shot dead by unknown assailants in the Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while he was travelling with his brother. On May 15, Ashfaq Ahmed Sial from Muzaffargarh was shot by two motorcyclists. Muhammad Siddique Mengal of Balochistan was killed in a bomb attack on May 3. Kamran Dawar from the Tapi area in Pakistan's North Waziristan was shot dead on May 21. On the same day, journalist Nasrullah Gadani was shot by assailants on motorcycles near Korai Goth. He succumbed to the injuries three days later. Journalist Khalil Jibran of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Landi Kotal area was also shot dead by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle on June 18, Geo News reported. Earlier in June, the International Press Institute (IPI) global network had expressed alarm over attacks on Pakistani journalists and called on the authorities to ensure the safety and protection of the media, the report said. Similarly, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), in a statement issued in May, had said that journalism was "under threat" in Pakistan. (ANI)
Indian Navy's frontline stealth frigate, INS Tabar commanded by Captain MR Harish arrived at Malaga, Spain on Sunday for a two-day visit to enhance the existing bilateral relations between India and Spain, Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. During the two days of stay at Malaga port, the ship's crew will undertake a number of professional interactions with the Spanish Navy. After departure from Malaga, Indian Naval Ship Tabar will also undertake a PASSEX at sea with Spanish Navy Ship Atalaya. These interactions seek to enhance interoperability between the navies of India and Spain and will also offer an opportunity for both sides to observe and imbibe the 'Best Practices' for each other. The Indian Navy remains committed to fostering partnerships with navies across the world. INS Tabar is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy, according to the Defence Ministry. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Sword Arm Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command. Notably, the relations between India and Spain were established in 1956 with the opening of the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi. India acknowledges the major onus of maritime security on Spain due to Spain's large coastline and has been engaging with Spain through various constructive and collaborative efforts. As per the Ministry of Defence, the visit by INS Tabar further aims to strengthen these bonds and explore newer avenues of bolstering the relationship between the two nations in the maritime domain. Earlier on August 26, the Indian Embassy in Spain stated that INS Tabar reaches Malaga for a two-day visit and is set to conduct maritime exercises with the Spanish navy. Taking to X, Indian Embassy in Spain stated, "INS Tabar, the Frontline Talwar-class frigate of Indian Navy's Western Fleet, reaches Malaga for a 2 day visit. The ship will conduct maritime exercises with Spanish navy and will participate in various professional interactions. If you're in Malaga, don't give it a miss." (ANI)
Chile's Minister for Foreign Affairs Alberto van Klaveren will be on an official visit to India from August 27-29. During his visit, he will co-chair the 2nd India-Chile Joint Foreign Affairs with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on August 28. Alberto van Klaveren along with Chile's Agriculture Minister, Esteban Valenzuela, will participate in the Chile-India Business (Agriculture) Summit on August 28 and later depart for Mumbai. In a press release, MEA stated, "Chile is a key partner of India in the Latin American region. The forthcoming visit of Minister Klaveren will provide both sides an opportunity to review the progress in bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation, further strengthening bilateral ties." Earlier in May, Chile's Ambassador to India Juan Angula and Police Attache PDI (Policia De Investigaciones De Chile), Rafael Andres Tellez Benucci, visited the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters and held discussions with CBI Director Praveen Sood and senior officials of the premier investigation agency. During the meeting, he acknowledged the close cooperation between CBI and PDI, particularly in areas of combating technology-enabled crimes, drug trafficking and transnational crimes. "During the visit, he held discussions with Praveen Sood, Director, CBI and senior officials of CBI. He acknowledged the close cooperation between CBI and PDI, especially in areas of combating technology-enabled crimes, drug trafficking and transnational crimes. He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts and thanked CBI for arranging events in the past with PDI, Chile, for exchange of expertise on forensics and combating organized crime," CBI said in a press release. The Chilean delegation visited the Global Operations Centre of CBI. The two sides deliberated to strengthen the collaborative framework for police cooperation, the release said. "The Chilean delegation also visited the Global Operations Centre of CBI. It was deliberated to strengthen the collaborative framework for police cooperation. H.E. Mr Juan Angulo Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Chile in India while interacting with senior officers of CBI, thanked CBI for the collaborative spirit and reiterated commitment to enhance cooperation," it said. "It was discussed to explore conducting workshops to build capacity in combating technology-enabled crimes, exchange criminal investigation techniques and share best practices in digital forensics. Mr. Praveen Sood thanked the Ambassador of Chile for his visit. Both sides agreed to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement cooperation," the release added. (ANI)
Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to India and discussed bilateral ties. Arya called India a "significant and growing market" for Canada's exports and investments. He noted that India serves as a key source for fulfilling Canada's "critical talent needs." In a post on X, Chandra Arya stated, "During my visit to New Delhi on Aug 12, I had the privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi at his residence office. We discussed Canada India relations. India is a significant and growing market for Canada's exports and investments, and it serves as a key source for fulfilling our critical talent needs." "As the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner in India said a few months back "in the long-term, Canada's strategic interest and India's strategic interest are absolutely aligned." We all need to work to realize the full potential of our relationship," he added. Earlier in July, PM Modi met his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. "Met Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau at the G7 Summit," PM Modi said in a post on X. The meeting between PM Modi and Trudeau came amid strained ties between the two nations after Canadian PM had in the House of Commons last year talked about "credible allegations" about a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of the Khalistani terrorist Nijjar that took place in Surrey in British Columbia, Columbia in June 2023. India has however dismissed the accusations as "absurd" and "motivated." Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year. The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March this year showed Nijjar being shot by armed men. (ANI)
Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev has stressed that the telephonic conversation held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday is an "indication of diplomatic moves" and termed it "very timely and needed." Speaking to ANI, Sachdev stated that PM Modi recently travelled to Ukraine and called it a "major visit" and added that India has presented "very powerfully" with regard to ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. On the telephonic conversation between PM Modi and Biden, Robinder Sachdev stated, "I think it is Joe Biden who called Prime Minister Modi so, that is an indication of diplomatic moves and secondly this conversation was very timely and needed. PM Modi had been to Ukraine I think for a very major visit and India has presented very powerfully with regards to the Ukraine conflict." "So in this situation, I think call from President Biden and discussion between the two leaders as to the state of things was very much needed for charting the way ahead," he added. PM Modi held talks with US President Joe Biden over the phone on Monday. PM Modi briefed Biden on his recent visit to Ukraine and reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi and Biden held discussions on various regional and global issues. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad. Highlighting India's role in the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Sachdev said, "India can play the role of an honest broker, honest friend in this situation. In the coming months or coming years whenever both parties get tired of the war and get some common sense at that time, India can play a very important role." He further spoke about how India is becoming a global leader. He called PM Modi's visit to Ukraine a "game changer" in India's diplomacy. He noted that it is the first time that India has said that it will work pro-actively to help resolve the conflict. He said, "For some time India is rising in its cloud and influence and image globally as a thought leader. This Ukraine visit by the Prime Minister I feel is a game changer in our diplomacy. It is first time that India has said that we will work proactively to help you solve the conflict. In a way our diplomacy is now going charging full ahead to address and bring solutions to the challenges of the world. Thats a big change in our foreign policy now and the world is noticing that." Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in war since 2022. India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. He called it "very important" that PM Modi discussed the Bangladesh situation with Biden. Sachdev said that Bangladesh is in a huge economic crisis and called on India and the US to urge the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide loans to Bangladesh. The Foreign Affairs expert said, "I think it's very important that Prime Minister Modi discussed the Bangladesh situation with Biden. The reason, Bangladesh is in huge economic crisis. Bangladesh is going to IMF asking for more loans. India along with America can pressurise IMF to make loan to Bangladesh contingent upon improvement for minority rights in Bangladesh. I think that's important." Speaking of his understanding of the conversation, he said, "Its not just that what PM Modi discussed or told Biden but what jointly India said to Biden you can do to help the situation in Bangladesh. I think there is scope and availability for America to ensure that the government of Bangladesh, the present interim government of Bangladesh takes strong step to prevent atrocities on minorities, including Hindus. So this conversation about Bangladesh was very important and practical step." During the telephone conversation, PM Modi and Biden expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch. In a press release, the Prime Minister's Office stated, "The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh." The conversation took place days after PM Modi's visit to Poland and Ukraine. PM Modi visited Ukraine on August 23, the first by an Indian PM to the European nation. During the bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi emphasised India's position of peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. "India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace," PM Modi told Zelenskyy. He said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress. (ANI)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have filed separate post-arrest bail pleas in the new Toshakhana case related to a jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife have filed the applications through Barrister Salman Safdar under Section 9(b) of NA Ordinance 1999 and Section 497 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The applications have requested the accountability court to grant post-arrest bail to the couple in the "interest of justice and fair play". Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi have mentioned the state and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman as parties to the case. The development comes at a time when Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are on judicial remand in Adiala jail over the Toshakhana case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week. The couple was arrested in the said case on July 13, hours after a district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted them in the iddat case (un-Islamic nikah case). The reference, which comprises two volumes, was filed by NAB investigation officer Mohsin Haroon and case officer Waqar Hassan in an accountability court, according to a Geo News report. The registrar of the accountability courts will review the new application. After removing the objections, the registrar will send the reference to the administrative judge of the accountability court. The administrative judge will then decide on whether to conduct the hearing himself or transfer it to another accountability court. It is pertinent to note here that administrative Judge Nasir Javed Rana is already hearing the 190 million reference against Imran Khan. The new NAB case is linked to a case related to a jewellery set gifted to the PTI founder's wife Bushra Bibi by the Saudi crown prince when Imran Khan served as Pakistan's PM from 2018 to 2022. The jewellery set, including a ring, bracelet, necklace a pair of earrings was gifted to Bushra Bibi during her visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021, according to the NAB's reference. It said that Imran Khan and his wife have illegally kept the jewellery set, Geo News reported. It stated that the deputy military secretary briefed the Toshakhana section officer to estimate and reveal the price of the jewellery set. It further said that the jewellery set was not deposited in Toshakhana. The jewellery company sold the necklace for EUR300,000 and earrings for EUR80,000 in 2018. The details regarding the price of the bracelet and ring could not be obtained from the company. On May 28, 2021, the price of the jewellery set was estimated worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 70.56 million, the price of the necklace was PKR 50.64 million and the price of the earrings included in the jewellery was worth 10.50 million back then, the report said. According to the rules, the 50 per cent price of the jewellery set is approximately PKR 30.57 million. The national exchequer faced a loss of approximately PKR 30.28 after the jewellery was undervalued, Geo News reported. According to the case, the former Pakistan PM and his wife violated the NAB Ordinance. It further said that an inquiry was started against them after the NAB chairman's instructions on August 1, 2022. (ANI)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], Aguust 27 (ANI/WAM): Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, stated that the UAE, since its establishment by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has laid strong foundations for building a resilient nation. Marking Emirati Women's Day, he stated, "Guided by science, knowledge, and faith, the country has been a pioneer in empowering women across vital sectors, investing in their capabilities, skills, and experiences. Today, this empowerment stands as a model across various fields." Sheikh Salem highlighted the UAE's most recent remarkable achievement of ranking seventh globally and first regionally in the Gender Equality Index, according to the 2024 Human Development Report issued by the United Nations Development Programme. He emphasised that this milestone would not have been possible without Emirati women's unwavering support and empowerment, which has strengthened their presence and enabled them to realise their aspirations. He said, "This year's theme, 'Collaborate for Tomorrow', carried forward for a second year, reflects the confidence and trust Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (The Mother of the Nation), Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, places in Emirati women. It emphasises sustainability as a participatory process and an integrated approach that contributes to realising the state's aspirations and future visions." (ANI/WAM)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], August 27 (ANI/WAM): The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) is set to make its highly anticipated return from 31st August to 8th September, 2024, at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. Under the esteemed patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers' Club, the exhibition will feature thousands of brands across 11 diverse sectors. Celebrating its 21st edition, ADIHEX stands as the largest event of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, offering an immersive experience where tradition meets innovation, and culture intertwines with cutting-edge practices. Over nine spectacular days, ADIHEX 2024 will showcase a vibrant tapestry of the UAE's rich cultural heritage, from falconry, hunting, equestrian sports, veterinary products, fishing and marine sports, environmental preservation, cultural heritage, arts and crafts, to cutting-edge technology and innovations. More than just an exhibition, ADIHEX is a celebration of the deep-rooted traditions that define these sectors while also embracing the latest advancements that shape their future. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of exhibitions, participate in hands-on workshops, and engage in expert-led discussions covering everything from sustainable hunting to the ancient art of falconry and the elegance of equestrianism. Each day will unveil new experiences, allowing visitors to connect with the past, present, and future of these time-honoured practices. This year's ADIHEX will also host a series of thrilling competitions that highlight the intersection of tradition, skill, and creativity. Exhibitors will vie for the title of the Best Stand Design in each sector, where they will be judged on the use of sustainable materials, creativity, and functionality. Falconry enthusiasts can look forward to the competition for the Best and Most Beautiful Falcon Perch, where artisans will showcase their ability to merge tradition with modern design. Similarly, the Most Beautiful Falcon Hood competition will include functionality, comfort and safety for the falcons in creating these essential falconry accessories, while the Best Set of Falconry Tools Used in Hunting Trips competition will showcase the expertly crafted equipment essential for successful and authentic falconry expeditions. Participation is limited to manufacturers of handmade falconry tools. The Best Hunting Knife contest, open to both individuals and companies of all nationalities, will showcase stunning blades that exemplify durability, safety, ease of use, and portability, while being highly functional for hunting purposes. Participants can also vie for the title of the Most Unique Product Exhibited at ADIHEX, a contest exclusive to private companies where innovation and originality are the key criteria. Falcon enthusiasts will be captivated by the Falcon Beauty Contest, featuring falcon chicks up to one year old in a celebration of their elegance and grace. Similarly, the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest will honour this majestic and historic breed, renowned for its speed, endurance, and beauty. Dog lovers will find delight in the Dog Agility Contest and the Individual and All Breed International Dog Show, where the dexterity, obedience, and charm of various canine breeds will be on full display, complemented by the light-hearted Fun Dog Show. In a heartwarming tribute to inclusivity, the Gymkhana for People of Determination will provide a platform for individuals with special needs to showcase their skills and resolve in a supportive environment. While celebrating its deep-rooted past, the Heritage Competitions will offer a profound connection to the region's rich cultural traditions. Meanwhile, for those with a passion for marksmanship, the shooting competitions at the Battle Park Stand and the Tasleeh Stand will deliver adrenaline-pumping action, challenging participants' accuracy and composure under pressure. ADIHEX 2024 is not just an exhibition; it is a celebration of culture, tradition, and innovation. With countless exhibitors, interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and these exciting competitions, ADIHEX is the must-attend event for anyone passionate about hunting, equestrian sports, or cultural heritage. (ANI/WAM)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile Alberto Klaveren arrived in the national capital on Tuesday for a two-day visit to India. He will participate in the second India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting today to discuss bilateral cooperation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and strengthen ties between the two nations. Klaveren is on an official visit to India from August 27-29. The Ministry of External Affairs shared a post on its X, "FM Alberto Klaveren of Chile arrives to a warm welcome in New Delhi for the second India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting." "An opportunity to discuss our bilateral cooperation and advance our ties further," the post added. Alberto van Klaveren along with Chile's Agriculture Minister, Esteban Valenzuela, will participate in the Chile-India Business (Agriculture) Summit today and will later depart for Mumbai. In a press release, MEA stated, "Chile is a key partner of India in the Latin American region. The forthcoming visit of Minister Klaveren will provide both sides an opportunity to review the progress in bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation, further strengthening bilateral ties." Earlier in May, Chile's Ambassador to India Juan Angula and Police Attache PDI (Policia De Investigaciones De Chile), Rafael Andres Tellez Benucci, visited the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters and held discussions with CBI Director Praveen Sood and senior officials of the premier investigation agency. During the meeting, he acknowledged the close cooperation between CBI and PDI, particularly in areas of combating technology-enabled crimes, drug trafficking and transnational crimes. "During the visit, he held discussions with Praveen Sood, Director, CBI and senior officials of CBI. He acknowledged the close cooperation between CBI and PDI, especially in areas of combating technology-enabled crimes, drug trafficking and transnational crimes. He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts and thanked CBI for arranging events in the past with PDI, Chile, for exchange of expertise on forensics and combating organized crime," CBI said in a press release. The Chilean delegation visited the Global Operations Centre of CBI. The two sides deliberated to strengthen the collaborative framework for police cooperation, the release said. (ANI)
The United States voiced its support for the Philippines on Tuesday, condemning the hazardous manoeuvres conducted by Chinese vessels against Filipino ships and reaffirming its commitment to providing advisory assistance to modernise the Philippine military. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said, "What I would say is the Philippines remains the lead for its own operations in the South China Sea, and we continue to provide significant advisory support in addition to our efforts to help modernise the Philippine military." The remarks by Ryder came while addressing a press conference. Ryder further criticised China and said that it has been systematically obstructing the Philippines' ability to conduct lawful maritime operations in the South China Sea. "And so, as allies, we continue to stand with the Philippines, given especially the People's Republic of China (PRC) has consistently prevented them from executing lawful maritime operations in the South China Sea," Ryder said. Expressing his commitment to the Philippines, Ryder added, "And so, our commitment to that alliance is ironclad. As you know, our governments have close continual consultation, so any military support would be at the request of the government of the Philippines. And in that light, Admiral Paparo simply called it an option within the context of consultations." Notably, a Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, the 'BRP Datu Sanday' (MMOV 3002), encountered "aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres" from eight Chinese Coast Guard ships while operating from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Escoda Shoal," news outlet PNA reported. Meanwhile, the Philippines's Defence Secretary on Monday said that his country is focused on strengthening its military to deter armed attacks, local media reported, in the wake of the ramming incident in the disputed South China Sea of a Philippine vessel by Chinese ships. (ANI)
Ahead of the presidential elections in the United States, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepted the debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, outlining specific conditions and rules for the face-off. Sharing a post on the social media platform Truth, Trump said, "I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a debate with Comrade Kamala Harris. It will be broadcast live on ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business, on Tuesday, September 10th, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." This comes after Trump suggested over the weekend he might cancel the debate amid a feud between the campaigns over the rules. Trump said on Truth Social he and Harris had reached an agreement to follow the same set of rules he and President Joe Biden did during the June 27 CNN debate, including no live audience and muted microphones when the candidates aren't speaking. "The rules will be the same as the last CNN debate, which seemed to work out well for everyone except, perhaps, Crooked Joe Biden. The debate will be "stand up," and candidates cannot bring notes, or "cheat sheets." We have also been given assurance by ABC that this will be a "fair and equitable" debate and that neither side will be given the questions in advance (No Donna Brazile!)." The Republican presidential candidate further stated that a third debate has not been agreed upon by the Radical Left. The post said, "Harris would not agree to the FoxNews debate on September 4th, but that date will be held open in case she changes her mind or, Flip Flops, as she has done on every single one of her long-held and cherished policy beliefs. A possible third debate, which would go to NBC FAKE NEWS, has not been agreed to by the Radical Left. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Notably, Biden's halting and disjointed performance in his June debate with Trump at CNN ultimately led him to drop out of the presidential race. Harris entered the fray for the presidential ticket after US President Joe Biden announced in July that he was withdrawing from the election bid. If elected president, the 59-year-old Harris would become the first woman in history to become the US president. The vice president is only the second woman ever nominated for the presidency by a major political party. (ANI)
Nordic and Baltic countries have expressed concern over the potential security risk that Hungary could bring to the bloc by easing entry rules for nationals of Russia and Belarus.

Hungary's National Card immigration scheme allows foreign workers to stay in the country for at least two years, and can pave the way towards permanent residency.

Hungary has extended the scheme, originally available to Serbian and Ukrainian nationals, to EU candidate countries Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Moldova, as well as Belarus and Russia.

In a letter to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, the foreign and interior ministers of the Baltic and Nordic states, said that Hungarys recent actions may constitute a serious security risk.

During a joint press conference in Adutiskis, the foreign ministers of Latvia and Lithuania highlighted their concerns.

Latvia and Lithuania's foreign ministers Baiba Braze and Gabrielius Landsbergis meet in the Lithuanian town of Adutiskis. - EBU

"There was never a Schengen free for Russian diplomats with hostile intentions, and there was never a Schengen free for possible security breaches by certain countries," said Baiba Braze, Latvian minister of foreign affairs.

"This is why we take it very seriously as a security risk, and there has been a joint Nordic-Baltic ministers letter  both foreign and interior ministers  and we are currently waiting for the evaluation from the Commission in terms of the legal complications that the Hungarian decision has created, but also the impact on security, on cooperation, and from other angles," she added.

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Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's minister of foreign affairs, echoed Braze's words.

"This is a unique situation. Schengen is built on trust. We trust that others will do the same as we do. If that trust is broken or could be broken, we need to look for ways to restore balance in the Schengen area," Landsbergis said.

"The current provisions provide for additional measures, such as stricter checks on people entering through the EU's external border. But this has to be assessed by the EU as a body or the Schengen Union."

Hungary dismisses concerns

The Hungarian government has responded to Brussels request for an explanation over its easing of entry requirements for Russian and Belarusian nationals, dismissing concerns it would undermine the security of the Schengen border-free travel zone.

In a letter shared by the Hungarian minister for European affairs on social media channel X, Hungarys Home Affairs Minister Sandor Pinter claims that the National Card scheme  which was recently extended to Russians and Belarusians  would be issued "in accordance with the relevant EU framework and with due consideration of the security risks involved".

"Hungary continues to place great emphasis on the protection of its national security and the security of the Schengen area as a whole," Pinter added.

The Hungarian government said applicants will undergo the same rigorous screening process as for other permits, pointing out that the Commission has never voiced concerns about the processes it currently has in place.
Body of Massachusetts man who went missing while on vacation found under home

Authorities in South Carolina said they have found the body of an endangered Massachusetts man who went missing over a week ago while vacationing with his family on Hilton Head Island.

Stanley Kotowski, 60, had not been seen since leaving his family's vacation rental in Sea Pines the morning of Aug. 16, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's Office incident report. He had been experiencing a mental health crisis prior to his disappearance, authorities said.

His body was found under a home in a crawl space in Sea Pines on Monday, upward of 600 feet from where he was last seen, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said. His cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging and it has been ruled a suicide, Beaufort County Coroner David Ott said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

PHOTO: The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office released this Ring camera still of Stanley Kotowski in the clothes he was last seen wearing before going missing. (Beaufort County Sheriff's Office)

Authorities responded to the home around 11:30 a.m. Monday "in connection to suspicious activity," the sheriff's office said in a statement. A Sea Pines security officer who was walking in the neighborhood noticed a "foul odor" and flies in the area and contacted the sheriff's office, Beaufort County Sheriff's Lt. Eric Calendine told reporters Tuesday.

The body was recovered from a 3-foot-high crawl space about four hours later, the sheriff's office said. Kotowski was determined to have died the day he went missing, though the exact time is undetermined, Ott said.

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner called the discovery "deflating" following the massive search by deputies and the community for Kotowski.

"Just wish the outcome was different," he told reporters Tuesday.

MORE: Massachusetts man goes missing while on vacation in South Carolina

Tanner described the crawl space as "unusual" and its entry point as "very unique," in explaining that he understood how it may have been missed during the search.

Kotowski was reported missing by his family about two hours after he was last seen, according to Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Master Sgt. Daniel Allen. He was listed as endangered due to his mental state, the length of time he has been missing and because he was last seen on a Ring camera without any shoes on, Allen said.

According to the incident report, Jackie Kotowski told deputies her husband "believes Sea Pines is a 'set up' and has a conspiracy that the people here are out to get him." She also reported he had made "several statements of people at this place 'watching him,'" the incident report stated.

His wife also told deputies that, before he left, Stanley told her, "Promise me you will go on without me," according to the incident report.

PHOTO: The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office released this missing person flyer for Stanley Kotowski. (Beaufort County Sheriff's Office)

He had been struggling with anxiety before he went missing, his family told Savannah, Georgia, ABC affiliate WJCL following his disappearance.

"He had really bad insomnia for about a month. This is like a brand-new thing," his wife, Jackie Kotowski, told WJCL. "He doesn't have dementia. His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse and he started to get a little paranoid, and he thought someone was chasing him."

Kotowski had sought medical attention days before his disappearance for his mental health issues, according to Calendine.

MORE: Former MLB pitcher Greg Swindell's daughter found after going missing, father says

He had not taken any personal items, such as his phone or wallet, when he left the rental, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Tanner said they are not releasing the exact location where his body was recovered out of respect for those living and vacationing in the community.

Authorities thanked the community for their efforts in attempting to find Kotowski, including searching their properties and checking security cameras.

"I'm very thankful for the community itself for what they did during this whole endeavor," Calendine said.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Body of Massachusetts man who went missing while on vacation found under home originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Peoria appears poised to take a different path forward on combatting homelessness than some of its smaller neighboring cities in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that ruled cities have a right to criminalize camping on public property.

In July, Pekin's city council unanimously passed an ordinance making it illegal for people to camp on public property within the city. Morton passed a similar ordinance earlier this month.

Peoria, however, does not seem quite ready to jump on board with an outright ban.

Peoria debates ordinance other cities have passed

The ordinance, which was the top subject of debate at a six-hour Peoria City Council meeting on Aug. 13, would make it possible for the city to impose fines and even jail time on people sleeping on public property in tents, benches, stairwells and other outlets.

Fines for camping on public property under the proposed ordinance begin at $100 and can be as high as $750 after multiple offenses in the proposed ordinance. Continued violations could lead to time in the Peoria County Jail ranging from 180 days to six months.

'Survival mode': A look at two Peoria homeless camps and the community effort to help them

Ordinances in Pekin and Morton allow police to issue citations and arrest people who are caught camping on public property. In East Peoria, the city's policy has long been to remove people camping on public land.

Pekin's police chief Seth Ranney said fines and jail time in Pekin will be a last resort for compliance with the ordinance and said the new law was in no means meant to be adversarial in nature.

Ranney said the ordinance in Pekin has been met with no resistance from the city's homeless population and said the solution to homelessness will be done "one person at a time" as the city plans to take its time in trying to connect each unhoused person with services.

No one has been fined or jailed in Pekin since the ordinance passed, Ranney said.

"Since it's passed, we wanted to make sure we gave the people who are unhoused plenty of time to make arrangements. So over the past month, we've been working with them to try to get them housed," Ranney said. "In Pekin, very, very few people that are in the unhoused situation is economics. It's not really a lack of money. A lot of our people are dealing with mental health and, or, drug addiction issues and a lot of times unfortunately dealing with both. That makes it a much more complex problem than just people are unhoused."

Ranney said the goal of the Pekin program is to move unhoused people into the shelters, like one run by the Salvation Army, and eventually connect them with permanent housing.

"That's where a lot of our focus is ... trying to get people to take the temporary housing that's available. And the housing that's available to them may not be exactly what they want, but it gets them off the street and gets them into a more stable environment  and that's our goal, to continue to give them a better opportunity by breaking the cycle that is in the unhoused status, unfortunately," Ranney said.

'I didn't plan on any of this': Why downtown Peoria serves as center of homeless outreach

Shawn Williams tidies up his new tent at a homeless encampment behind New Hope Apartments in downtown Peoria.

'There is a real disconnect'

Jessica McGhee, a homeless outreach activist with Lula, said Pekin's ordinance led to many of Pekin's unhoused people coming to Peoria. She, like others who spoke out against the proposed ordinance in Peoria, struggle to make sense of how fining and jailing people would help combat homelessness.

McGhee said she has worked with a man in Peoria who is chronically homeless and has severe mental illness that has led him to believe he is married with children when neither of those things are true. McGhee said at one point a few years ago the man had $40,000 in fines for various crimes, including trespassing  an insurmountable amount of fines for a man in his situation.

"What is the point?" McGhee asked.

McGhee said the common notion that all homeless people can just go to shelters isn't accurate because some unhoused people are dealing with severe mental illness or substance abuse problems that preclude them from some shelters.

"Some shelters run seven-day bans, 30-day bans, year bans and lifetime bans, so there's that," McGhee said. "Also, if they're on the street and they're not in the shelters, if they're working with outreach groups they are typically on the housing list, which means they're waiting. So if they can't go to the shelters and they can't go to the housing but they're on the list and doing all the right things but they're not allowed to be outside ... what's the solution?"

The Pekin ordinance was approved by the Pekin City Council unanimously.

Yet in Peoria, where homelessness is far more widespread, the ordinance proposal was met with far more resistance.

"There is a real disconnect between what people think they know and what is the actual reality out there," McGhee said.

Intense debate in Peoria

A large crowd at Peoria City Hall was often loudly vocal during the meeting in which tensions and passions ran high over the intensely sensitive subject.

Those opposed to the plan, which included Mayor Rita Ali and leaders from homelessness outreach services such as United Way's Continuum of Care, JOLT and Phoenix Community Services, criticized the plan as rushed, cruel and ultimately an ineffective way to combat homelessness in Peoria.

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali said more work had to be done in crafting the ordinance and by no means did she think Peoria should criminalize homelessness. She said that citations and jail sentences do not work to address homelessness.

"I want to make it clear to everyone that we have to let people know that street homelessness is no longer allowed or acceptable in Peoria. You may not agree with that, but we do have to let people know that. But, again, we have to do it in a strategic way, not too fast and in terms of stronger measures, I think those stronger measures have to go to people who refuse services, refuse to be housed, refuse wrap around support, who refuse substance treatment, who refuse trauma informed services," Ali said.

More: 2 Peoria homeless camps have virtually disappeared. What happened?

Other city councilmembers including Bernice Gordon-Young, Mike Vespa and Tim Riggenbach questioned the plan's effectiveness and logic, wondering aloud if it made sense to fine people who could not afford basic necessities and imposing jail time as means of a final punishment.

"Believe me, I understand how uncomfortable it is to drive by these homeless camps. I work downtown, I drive by them every day. I know people in the businesses that look out their window and see them," Riggenbach said. "But for me it's also uncomfortable thinking that we're going to eliminate a perceived nuisance while we're not really addressing the underlying problem."

In Pekin, Ranney recognizes that the ordinance they passed is not going to be a "cure all" for homelessness and says they have set "realistic expectations" for it.

"Our goal, as it has been from the beginning, is to try and reach one person at a time and to try and meet them where they are and try to figure out how they have come to where they are today, because that will help us figure out how to best help them," Ranney said.

Peoria city attorney Patrick Hayes, who crafted the ordinance at the behest of councilmember Zach Oyler, highlighted all of the money and resources Peoria has poured into combatting homelessness but added it was city staff's view that people did not have a right any longer to camp on public property. He said people did have a right, however, to expect sanitary and safe conditions on public property.

In June the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that city's did have the right to arrest and fine people for sleeping in public spaces, overturning a lower court's opinion that it constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

Hayes also noted that Peoria spent $30,000 last year cleaning up homeless encampments around Peoria. Peoria undertook efforts last year to clean up prominent homeless encampments along Knoxville Avenue and Interstate 74 near Dries Lane, among other sites across the city.

This summer, a significant homeless encampment that has been growing in size popped up along I-74 in Downtown Peoria.

Hayes, too, said that the city has received lots of feedback from business owners and residents who reported issues with the homeless population and encampments in Peoria.

Glenn Giles, 59, hangs out in his tent under a tarp, chatting with visitors in an encampment along Interstate 74 behind the Peoria's Womens' Club and New Hope Apartments in downtown Peoria.

'Sleeping outside like animals'

City councilmember Chuck Grayeb stood alone at the council meeting among councilmembers voicing their support for the ordinance. Grayeb's 2nd District includes Downtown Peoria, where the city's most visible camps are often located.

Grayeb disagreed with Riggenbach's notion that the ordinance was punitive and then drew ire from the packed crowd at City Hall when he likened homeless people to "sleeping outside like animals."

"The people I represent, and I dare say the people you represent, and all of you around this horseshoe have nothing but compassion for people who are unhoused and are living like animals outside, like animals... yes, like animals," Grayeb said. "So who is lacking compassion, ladies and gentlemen? We are trying to do something about it. Nobody is trying to be punitive despite the fact that somebody is trying to set this up that if we take any real action we are trying to be punitive. That is absolutely ridiculous."

More: These 12 city of Peoria employees have the highest base salaries

As for those who do prefer to live outside in tents and camps and refuse shelter, McGhee said it is "so difficult" and too complex of an issue to solve. But she does not think that fines or jail time will be the solution.

"I think it's a slow progression, and when you're like, 'well you're not going by the rules, so we're going to fine you until we have to put you in jail'  it's not that simple," McGhee said.

McGhee said one potential solution in Peoria could be sanctioned encampment  one with bathrooms and garbage cleanup  where the unhoused can live and be connected to the services they need until they find permanent housing.

"I know everyone wants to solve homelessness in Peoria and that's great. But if you look at the state of the world, we're not special, but we're trying to just kick the can down the road or put people in jail," McGhee said. "I think it needs a multi-tiered approach."

Peoria city councilmember Zach Oyler, who asked city staff to draw up the ordinance at a previous meeting, chastised other councilmembers for saying they wanted a "seat at the table" in discussions around homelessness solutions during a first reading of the ordinance he asked for.

"I've heard several times in this discussion already that folks around this council want to be at the table  this is the table," Oyler said. "So, I am not really sure what the confusion is. The elected members of this body are here to actually make policy and try to solve problems. So any time any of you want to provide some ideas, I am sure the manager and city attorney will be more than happy to listen to those and craft them into the ordinance. But sitting here on Tuesday night after staff has done their job and saying 'we need to come up with some new ideas' ... be a part of those ideas. This is the table."

The debate at Peoria City Hall was a first reading of the ordinance which meant it was the first time councilmembers could give public feedback to staff about the proposal.

A lone tent remains on the recently abandoned homeless encampment on a vacant lot next to the Spurck Mansion on Knoxville Avenue in Peoria. About 15-20 homeless people had been living on the lot.

'Dangerous step backwards'

Chris Schaffner, the executive director of JOLT, criticized Grayeb during the meeting for his comments and said he had a "strong opposition" to the ordinance.

"This ordinance, which follows a recent Supreme Court ruling of Grant's Pass, Oregon, is not just a misguided policy, it is a dangerous step backwards and one that betrays the core values that many on this council have historically championed," Schaffner said. "This ordinance is in direct opposition to those values. By criminalizing homelessness, we are not solving the problem, we are merely punishing those who are already struggling the most."

Christine Kahl, the president of Phoenix Development Services, encouraged the council to delay implementation of the ordinance. She said there was a 40% increase in the unsheltered population in Peoria last year. Kahl said the problem was growing at a faster rate than solutions that have been put forward.

"I think it is important to understand that just because a network exists does not mean it has the capacity to address this," Kahl said. "There are only 1.5 staff supported by a grant specifically to do homeless outreach. That grant covers four counties. So street outreach by only 1.5 people is not at capacity to meet the need of the unsheltered community."

Kate Green, the executive director of United Way's Continuum of Care, told the council it does not have to turn to criminalization to solve the homelessness problem in Peoria.

"I want to extend the offer to be that bridge between the passion and the work that you're doing here tonight around this table to connect with lived expertise, to connect with providers, to connect with all of those different institutions and systems of care as we work to effectively address this so we don't have to turn to criminalization and we can have a more whole-hearted approach to ensuring we are effectively addressing encampments in our community," Green said.

More: Prominent family-owned Peoria shopping center has been sold

People who are currently or have in the past been homeless also spoke in opposition to the ordinance at the meeting.

"Criminalizing is wrong, that's not right, you've got to have a solution ... these are people not animals," said outreach worker Aaron Slaughter.

Christopher Short, who used to be homeless in Peoria, said that a lot of unhoused people have their own stories.

"Who are we to really even give our opinions or our assumptions without knowing personally what that's like, what that experience is until you've gotten close enough to see and unveil the truth of people's lives," Short said.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Cities in Illinois criminalizing homelessness could include Peoria
City continues to lease space for CMPD North Division while waiting on permanent home

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will continue renting space for its North Division office.

On Monday, City Council approves a renewal of the lease at the Harris Oaks Business Park off Statesville Road, where the division has been housed since 2005. Those officers will move into a permanent home at 1818 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road when the 24-month lease with AF4 Charlotte Industrial expires.

The City purchased the 9.2-acre Mount-Holly Huntersville property in 2020 for $435,000.

Ammo contract approved

The city also approved a three-year contract for CMPDs ammunition.

Dana Safety Supply Inc. is the sole, factory-authorized law enforcement distributor for Olin Winchester ammunition in North Carolina. The agreement has annual aggregate costs estimated at $400,000.

Steven Coker with Charlottes Business Inclusion program explained that firearms and ammunition firms are exempt from the citys minority- and women-owned business contracter goals.

There are no MWSBE vendors who that kind of work, 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 Queen City News.
During the three years Fabrice Mauries has served as the French ambassador to Haiti, his nations presence hasnt always been well received, and Washington at times appeared to have paid France little heed when trying to rally the international community around the troubled countrys crises.

But as Mauries prepares to bid adieu as Frances emissary to Haiti, the diplomat, known for his frankness in discussions with members of the countrys political class, can say he tried to speak to everybody, from a twice-deposed president to a rabble-rousing presidential candidate.

Among the last encounters Mauries had as he wound down his diplomatic tour this month was a meeting with Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the twice-exiled former president whose supporters still blame France for his second exile after he demanded reparations for Haitis independence debt to the European power. He has also held conversations with Jean-Charles Moise, the former presidential candidate whose involvement in the current nine-member Transitional Presidential Council was key as the 15-member Caribbean Community helped Haitis political and civil leaders forge a transition to restore order.

I tried to speak to as many people as possible, Mauries said. First to understand, second to convince that it was time to work toward elections and fight against violence, third to fix what is broken.

Mauries is ending his diplomatic tour in Port-au-Prince after arriving in the country in September 2021. Hes being replaced by Antoine Michon, Frances charge daffaires at the Organization of American States. Mauries tenure in Haiti has been challenging, from the spreading gang violence and growing number of killings and displaced persons to the near collapse of the government earlier this year.

My dominant feeling is one of unfinished business, Mauries said. I am leaving the front lines while in the middle of a war, a war against abject violence, crime and widespread cynicism. I continue thinking that any way out of these... crises requires a moral perspective and thinking about the reasons why Haiti and why only Haiti in the region is in this situation. How is it not possible to be outraged daily?

Despite the recent reconfiguration of the government and forced resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, Haiti continues to struggle with governing itself. The presidential council is under a cloud of scandal. Prime Minister Garry Conille is trying to restore security and prepare the country for elections. Financial aid to deal with the humanitarian crisis and support an armed multinational security force headed by Kenya has been slow in coming.

At a farewell reception Mauries hosted Friday at the ambassadors residence, the guests included two members of the presidential council, a former president under Canadian sanctions and former ministers and members of parliament, as well as the ambassadors of the United States and Spain.

The disparate group, Mauries said, reflected both his approach to his job and Paris policy of tapping into Haitis fractious politics in hopes of better understanding the factions and issues fueling the crises. Neither has been easy. Some Haitians and foreign diplomats have criticized the approach.

And while security remains a top priority for many Haitians, Mauries believes the government has been a key part of the problem.

Haiti is a dream for libertarians: No state, no regulation, he said. As long as there are no global awareness that the restoration of the state should be the number one priority, no one will succeed.

Delphine Gardere, CEO of Rhum Barbancourt, said Mauries curiosity led him to understand the complexities of the Haitian political and cultural chessboard, which enabled him to hold high level meetings across the board without avoiding the tough conversations.

Over the years Ive seen many ambassadors come and go from Haiti. Fabrice Mauries stands unique in his knowledge of some of the most unspoken intricacies of Haiti, the businesswoman said. His sincerity and directness is also something that I personally appreciate.

Before being posted to Haiti Mauries was Frances ambassador to Peru. He also served at the French Embassy in Beijing between 2003-06, before being serving as deputy director for Southeast Asia. His next assignment is as ambassador to Gabon, a former French colony in West Africa and an assignment he requested.

In his departing speeches, Mauries highlighted the excellent bonds of friendship between Haiti and France, and relations he says have been strengthened throughout his mandate in areas such as culture, education and support to the Haiti National Police.
PANAMA CITY  Bay District Schools has released a statement concerning a J.R. Arnold High School administrator peering over the top of a stall in the girls bathroom.

Recently, the school has been developing strategies to halt vaping in bathrooms on campus. An image of administrator Anji Dunlap looking into a stall has circulated on social media.

Our goal has always been to create a safe and healthy environment for all students, the statement says. Ms. Dunlap's actions were part of an effort to catch a student in the act of vaping."

According to the statement, Superintendent Mark McQueen does not condone her decision to peer over the top of a locked bathroom stall.

This action violates our processes, our procedures and the trust placed in us by our stakeholders, he said in the statement. Following the conclusion of the investigation, we will be taking corrective action.

How's the weather? Panama City Beach daily weather update Aug. 27, 2024

Human resources and school administration are currently investigating the incident to make sure appropriate action is taken.

We apologize to all who witnessed this behavior and to our community at large, the statement says. We understand the concerns this incident has raised, and we want to assure you that this situation is being taken very seriously.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: School admin in Panama City Beach, Florida under review for peering into bathroom stall
A key Boeing mechanic who worked on 737 Max doors was on vacation on 2 critical days before the Alaska Airlines blowout

A key Boeing mechanic who worked on 737 Max doors was on vacation on 2 critical days before the Alaska Airlines blowout

One Boeing mechanic was usually the only one who worked on door plugs, he told NTSB investigators.

The 35-year veteran was on vacation during critical work on the Alaska Airlines 737 Max.

A trainee with limited experience filled in, according to NTSB transcripts.

A Boeing mechanic who was usually the only one to work on door plugs was on vacation on two days that later proved critical to the Alaska Airlines blowout.

That's according to a transcript of the mechanic's interview with investigators published by the National Transportation Safety Board. The Seattle Times first reported the detail.

The mechanic has worked for Boeing for 35 years and on Boeing 737 doors since 1999. He told investigators he was part of a team of about 20 people, and said: "I think I'm the only one that can work on all the doors."

On January 5, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max was at an altitude of 16,000 feet when it lost a door plug  a fuselage panel that covers a deactivated emergency exit. The plane, delivered just 66 days earlier, left Boeing's factory missing key bolts designed to secure the door plug, the NTSB said in its preliminary report.

The jet was first worked on by Spirit AeroSystems before arriving at Boeing's plant in Renton, Washington. Workers then found damaged rivets near the door plug, so it had to be opened to replace the rivets.

Photos from the NTSB report show the five damaged rivets, and one in close-up. Boeing via NTSB

On September 18, 2023, the day this work took place, the veteran mechanic was on vacation, The Seattle Times reported.

According to transcripts, the employee who filled in for the veteran mechanic was a trainee who had worked at Boeing for 17 months. He told investigators his only previous jobs were at KFC and Taco Bell.

The door plug was then closed by another worker. "I think somebody that was asked to do it that didn't really know that they were doing," the veteran mechanic told investigators.

No record of the door plug's opening and closing was entered into the system, so no quality inspection was conducted.

Boeing's Renton factory door team appeared to often face pressure. In the past three years, the veteran mechanic said he had about 15 managers.

At the end of his interview, he added: "The only thing I don't understand about the whole thing is, how come our shop wasn't contacted to open the plug? Usually, when something like that happens, I get asked to do that."

The veteran mechanic then confirmed that he was on vacation at the time.

Boeing declined to comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Macklemore said he canceled an upcoming October concert in Dubai over the United Arab Emirates role in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Sudan through its reported support of the paramilitary force thats been fighting government troops there.

The announcement by Macklemore reignited attention to the UAEs role in the war gripping the African nation. While the UAE repeatedly has denied arming the Rapid Support Forces and supporting its leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, United Nations experts reported credible evidence in January that the Emirates sent weapons to the RSF several times a week from northern Chad.

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Sudan plunged into chaos in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions including Darfur. Estimates suggest over 18,800 people have been killed in the fighting, while over 10 million have fled their homes. Hundreds of thousands are on the brink of famine.

At a contentious U.N. Security Council meeting in June, Sudans embattled government directly accused the UAE of arming the RSF, and an Emirati diplomat angrily told his counterpart to stop grandstanding. The UAE has been a part in ongoing peace talks to end the fighting.

The Emirati Foreign Ministry offered no immediate comment on Macklemores public statement Sunday, nor did the city-states Dubai Media Office. Organizers last week announced the show had been canceled and refunds would be issued, without offering an explanation for the cancelation.

In a post Saturday on Instagram, Grammy winner Macklemore said he had a series of people asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the people of Sudan and to boycott doing business in the UAE for the role they are playing in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis.

Macklemore said he reconsidered the show in part over his recent, public support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war raging in the Gaza Strip. He recently has begun performing a song called Hinds Hall, in honor of a young girl named Hind Rajab killed in Gaza in a shooting Palestinians have blamed on Israeli forces opening fire on a civilian car.

I know that this will probably jeopardize my future shows in the area, and I truly hate letting any of my fans down, he wrote. I was really excited too. But until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF I will not perform there.

He added: I have no judgment against other artists performing in the UAE. But I do ask the question to my peers scheduled to play in Dubai: If we used our platforms to mobilize collective liberation, what could we accomplish?

The RSF formed out of the Janjaweed fighters under then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades before being overthrown during a popular uprising in 2019. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and other crimes during the conflict in Darfur in the 2000s.

Dubai, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates, the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and other tourist destinations, long has tried to draw A-list performers in the city-state at a brand-new arena and other venues. However, performers in the past have acknowledged the difficulties in performing in the UAE, a hereditarily ruled federation of seven sheikhdoms in which speech is tightly controlled.

That includes comedian Dave Chappelle, who drew attention in May in Abu Dhabi when he referred to the Israel-Hamas war as a genocide while also joking about the UAEs vast surveillance apparatus.

Macklemore, a 41-year-old rapper born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty in Kent, Washington, won Grammy awards in 2014 for his breakout song, Thrift Shop.

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An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale struck in the early hours of Monday morning, according to the US Geophysical Institute (USGS) and the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

The shocks were most intense in the Sines, Lisbon and Setubal areas, with reports on social media of the earthquake being felt as far as Porto, and even Spain and Morocco.

The Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA) has since revised the earthquake's magnitude to 5.3 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake was recorded at 5:11 am local time (6:11 am CET), with its epicentre 58 kilometres west of Sines, on the high seas, and at a depth of 21 kilometres, according to the IPMA.

"We received a lot of calls, especially from people who wanted to know what was going on and what they should do. At this time (6:00 am local time) we still haven't managed to count the number of calls received," said Commander Jose Miranda from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).

According to Miranda, there are no reports of victims or major damage at this time.

"We only have information at this time about a situation in a street in Sesimbra in which possible cracks in buildings are being assessed," he added.

In a statement issued Monday morning, the Portuguese government said it was "in close coordination with all the relevant services" following the earthquake.

It reassured that there was no record of personal or material damage and appealed to the population to remain calm and follow the recommendations of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.

The quake wasnt big enough to create a tsunami on the US East Coast or Europe.

Over 2,000 people reported Monday's earthquake using the United States Geological Survey (USGS) tool Did you feel it?

USGS Community Internet Intensity map USGS

We are located on the ground floor apartment and the entire building shook above us and the floor below us felt like it was sinking. Our dogs woke up and were freaking out, Keira McCann told BNO News. We did not expect to experience this in Portugal.

Vera Fassbender, who lives in Lisbon, also said she "felt it shaking for 3-5 seconds".

"I am on the 8th floor. It was a light shaking but very noticeable and also a bit scary!

The earthquake was also felt in parts of Morocco, including the Casablanca area.

Initially thought I was just shaking while sleeping until my brother rushed to properly wake me up and tell me that he felt it too, Rimah Oubella in Casablanca said.

Not too strong of a shake but enough for the bed and my body to move.

According to USGS, no earthquakes have occurred within 400 km of todays epicentre in the last 30 days.

While there hasnt been recent seismic activity, Portugal, especially its southern region and the Azores, is located near the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates. This positioning makes the area susceptible to seismic activity, including earthquakes.

The country experiences several minor earthquakes below magnitude 3.0 each year, which are not usually felt by the population or cause damage.

Earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 5.0 are less common but still occur regularly. These can be felt by people and might cause minor damage.

Mondays quake was the strongest to hit the country since 2009, when a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the south coast.

One of the worst earthquakes, with an estimated magnitude of 8.5-9.0, struck in 1755. Known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, it killed at least 50,000 people, including an estimated 10,000 in Morocco.
Donald Trump was photographed smiling and giving an awkward thumbs up Monday at the graves of fallen Marines in Arlington National Cemetery.

The former presidents demeanor was criticized online as many were puzzledand others outright offendedthat hed give his signature smirk and hand gesture at such a sensitive site.

Smiling thumbs up at the grave is unusual to say the least, posted Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican lawmaker whos a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

Trump was in Virginia to lay a wreath that commemorated the third anniversary of 13 American soldiers being killed at the Abbey Gate of Kabul Airport during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Taliban members took to the streets to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Militarys withdrawl from Afghanistan in 2022. Ali Khara/Reuters

Defenders of the Republican nominee praised Trump for making the trip to Arlington at all, while others fingered Trumps actions as being merely habit after months on the campaign trail.

Trump appeared to be surrounded by loved ones of the fallen Marines in the photos, some of whom smiled and gave a thumbs up themselves. The most widely circulated photos showed him behind the tombstones of Nicole Gee, a sergeant, and Darin Taylor Hoover, a staff sergeant.

Trump today with thumbs up at the grave of a soldier. Disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/scwq6bVhFF  The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 26, 2024

Joining Trump in Virginia was Tulsi Gabbard, the ex-Democratic lawmaker who endorsed him later that day. Utahs Republican governor Spencer J. Cox also attended, sharing photos from the event. Neither Joe Biden or Kamala Harris attended.

Trumps campaign has recently tried to pin the U.S. militarys bloody exit from Afghanistan as an attack line on Harris. This is despite Trump being the president who struck the deal that led to the withdrawal, with him going as far as planning to host members of the Taliban at Camp David on Sept. 11, 2019, to finalize it.

Arlington National Cemetery has strict rules about partisan events on its grounds and denies entry to anyone who tries to gain publicity or engender support for any cause, but presidents and politicians regularly attend memorials there that are typically covered by the press.

Donald Trump stands alongside Misty Fuoco, whose sister Sgt. Nicole Gee was killed in Afghanistan in 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Reuters

Trump has a checkered past with the military and veterans. He was accused by those formerly close to him of dodging the Vietnam War draft by making up an injury. Hes also disparaged the intelligence of service members and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, The Atlantic reported during his presidency.

Among the most damning alleged comments revealed in that report was that Trump referred to the more than 1,800 Marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wooda deadly WWI battleas suckers for getting killed. In a separate conversation on the matter, he reportedly referred to soldiers killed in action as losers.

Why should I go to that cemetery? he was accused of saying. Its filled with losers.

Trump has claimed the allegations made in the bombshell report arent true. Those once close to him confirmed the quotes veracity, however. That included the retired four-star Marine general John Kelly, who was Trumps longest-serving chief of staff.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Utah police: DNA taken from Nicholas Alahverdian in January matches his DNA taken from 2008 rape

DNA from Rhode Island conman Nicholas Alahverdian taken in the Utah County Jail in January, following his extradition from Scotland, matches DNA collected in 2008 from a woman who said he raped her, a police officer testified Tuesday.

Taking the stand at a hearing to determine if probable cause exists to prosecute Alahverdian, Orem Police Lt. Karalee Johnson became the first witness linking a recent sample of Alahverdians DNA to an alleged rape since he faked his death in 2020, sparking a sensational international story.

The scene in Provo District Court offered a sharp contrast to the theatrical outbursts of two years ago in Edinburgh when Alahverdian shouted, Its Knight, Knight, Knight! when his Scottish extradition lawyer failed to refer to him by his masquerading name, Arthur Knight.

On Tuesday Alahverdian sat silently in a wheelchair, wearing a blue prison jumpsuit and an oxygen mask as the DNA evidence was presented.

Alahverdian, 37, faces two 2008 rape allegations from two separate Utah counties. He is charged in both cases under the name Rossi, the surname of his stepfather.

Tuesday marked the second time in less than a week that Alahverdian, once a familiar Rhode Island State House advocate for child welfare, did not contest his true identity  for the purposes of preliminary hearings, at least.

Under questioning from Utah County prosecutor Stephen Jones, Johnson said the DNA from the 2008 Orem rape had essentially sat on a shelf until 2018 when the states Sexual Assault Kit Initiative worked through a years-long backlog of untested rape samples.

It was only then that the 2008 DNA sample was identified as Alahverdians, she said.

On Sept. 14, 2008, a 21-year-old woman identified in court Tuesday only as K.B. told Orem police that Alahverdian had raped her the previous day.

They had met on MySpace, she told investigators, and after a couple of weeks of dating he raped her after luring her to his apartment saying he would repay her money he owed her.

According to court records, Alahverdian then told the woman the assault was her fault because she is mentally unstable and too emotional to deal with.

Authorities have said police closed the case at the time without it being referred to prosecutors for possible prosecution.

Johnson said she was working in a police special victims unit when the results from the 2008 rape sample came back from the crime lab.

And what did the results determine, asked Jones.

That the DNA returns to Nicholas Rossi," she said.

And is Mr. Rossi in the room today?" asked Jones.

Yes.

And can you describe what hes wearing? asked Jones.

A blue jumpsuit, sitting in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask.

Your honor, will the record reflect this witness has positively identified the defendant in this case? asked Jones.

It will, replied Judge Derek Pullan. Based on the facts disclosed ... the court does find probable cause to believe that the defendant Nicholas Rossi committed the offense of rape as charged.

The case was continued until Oct. 16 for a bail hearing and formal arraignment.

On Thursday a judge sitting in Salt Lake City also ruled that prosecution can move forward in Alahverdians other rape case.

Alahverdian is charged in that case with raping a 26-year-old woman in November 2008.

They, too, met online and had actually bought wedding rings, court records show. But the woman told investigators Alahverdian was emotionally and verbally abusive and raped her after a violent outburst.

Since his capture in December 2021 in a Glasgow hospital  where doctors say he almost died from COVID  Alahverdian has relied on a wheelchair, oxygen and a lie about his identity.

He says he is a former Irish orphan who with Dickensian spunk found his way to England, sold books on the street to survive and became a bookish resident of Glasgow with scholarly interests in theology.

He married a woman from Bristol, England, in February 2020, Miranda Knight, and one week later, with the help of his widow, distributed a glowing obituary informing Rhode Island reporters of his death and upcoming memorial services.

But law enforcement officials were skeptical of his demise and kept looking for him.

Last year an extradition judge approved Alahverdian's return to Utah describing him as dishonest and deceitful as he is evasive and manipulative.

Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Alahverdian DNA matches sample from 2008 Orem, Utah rape, say police
Aug 27 (NHK) - Japan has lodged a strong protest with China after a Chinese warplane intruded into Japanese airspace on Monday.

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Okano Masataka summoned the charge d'affaires ad interim at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo to protest the first-ever confirmed intrusion by a Chinese warplane into Japan's airspace. Okano strongly demanded that China take measures to prevent a recurrence.

The Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General Namazu Hiroyuki also lodged a protest when he met with Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry, Liu Jinsong, in Tokyo.

According to Japan's Defense Ministry, the Chinese Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft was inside Japan's airspace for about two minutes on Monday morning, when it was flying over waters southeast of the Danjo Islands that are part of the city of Goto in Nagasaki Prefecture.

A senior Japanese defense ministry official warned that this could be part of Beijing's efforts to threaten Japan's interests, both at sea and in the air. The official said there have been a number of intrusions by the Chinese navy and coast guard into Japan's territorial waters.

Some Japanese government officials said it is too early to conclude that China's latest action was intentional. The government said it will continue assessing the incident, while keeping an eye on Chinese actions.
Saitama, Aug 27 (News On Japan) - A male high school teacher in Saitama City has been arrested for allegedly installing a small camera in the dressing room of a school dormitory to secretly film female students.

The suspect, Ayato Suzuki, 36, is accused of entering the girls' dressing room of a public high school in Saitama City, where he works, on August 17 and setting up a small camera to record multiple female students without their knowledge.

According to police, the incident came to light when a female student noticed something resembling a camera on the floor while cleaning the dressing room.

Several videos, suspected to have been recorded on different occasions, were found on the SD card seized by the authorities.

Suzuki has admitted to the charges, stating, "There is no doubt that I entered the girls' dressing room without permission and installed the camera."

Police are continuing their investigation, suspecting that there may be additional crimes.

Source: ANN
Aug 27 (NHK) - A government survey shows that matchmaking apps are now the most common way for young people in Japan to find a spouse. This has officials considering how to tap social networking as a way to encourage more people to marry.

The Children and Families Agency last month polled 20,000 people aged from 15 to 39 about marriage. This was the first such survey by the agency.

One of the questions for married people was how they met their spouse. Roughly a quarter said they found their partner through a matchmaking app.

Just over twenty percent said they met their spouse through work and almost 10 percent at school. Nine percent said friends or family introduced them and 5 percent met at parties.

The government sees the survey results as a sign that social media is playing a bigger role in bringing young couples together.

Promoting safe matchmaking through social media is just one of the measures officials plan to discuss. They also aim to expand support for marriage counseling conducted by the private sector and local governments.
Shiga, Aug 28 (News On Japan) - Costco stores are opening across Japan, sparking hopes for regional revitalization while also raising concerns among local residents about the potential impact on daily life, particularly traffic congestion.

Shiga Prefecture welcomed its first Costco on August 23, with the opening of the Higashiomi Warehouse Store. On the first day, about 800 people lined up before dawn, prompting the store to open three hours earlier than scheduled at 5 a.m.

The 10,000-square-meter store quickly filled with customers, creating a buzz from the moment the doors opened.

I only came to buy eggs because theyre cheap. I even waited in line for two days, said one member. Another added, Eggs are 198 yen for 20, which is quite a bargain.

Amid rising prices, the price of eggs at Costco stood out, selling for 198 yen (tax included) for 20 eggs as of August 23.

It was so cheap, I ended up buying a lot more than usualalmost double, another customer shared.

The Higashiomi store is situated in an area surrounded by rice fields, about one kilometer from the Yokaichi Interchange on the Meishin Expressway, a location with significant traffic.

The opening of this Costco was made possible by the efforts of the local government in Higashiomi, which actively sought to attract the retailer. Yuichiro Marutani, a professor of International Marketing at Tokyo Keizai University, who has studied Costcos global operations, points to local collaboration as a key factor in the success.

The secret to Costcos popularity lies in its unique product selection. Seventy-five percent of the 4,000 items are consistent, while the remaining 25 percent regularly change, keeping things interesting for customers, Marutani explained.

Another expert highlighted Costcos significant impact on local employment.

Costcos hourly wage of 1,500 yen, uniform across the country, is a very high standard, said Hiroshi Masaki of Teikoku Databanks Information Management Division.

The local governments corporate support department sees Costco as a catalyst for economic growth.

We are an inland industrial region, so we believe Costcos presence will significantly change the flow of people. We aim to use this to revitalize and enliven our city, said Hiroomi Ikedo, Chief of the Corporate Support Section in Higashiomi.

However, there are some concerns.

There were worries about the impact on daily life, such as customers entering residential roads, Ikedo added.

When talking to local residents

Im concerned about the traffic congestion. It might become a problem, said Kazuki Sakai, a local fishmonger.

Another resident commented, This road has become completely gridlocked due to the traffic.

While the arrival of Costco brings excitement, some residents are anxious about potential traffic issues.

In addition to Higashiomi, Costco continues to open stores across the country. On August 24, the Nanjo Warehouse Store in Okinawa saw more than 1,000 people lining up before dawn for its opening. We also spoke to Koko, a well-known Costco enthusiast who was there to celebrate the opening.

Costco is like an accessible overseas experience! It doesnt even feel like Japan to me anymore, Koko said.

She added that Costcos atmosphere is similar to its stores abroad, making it feel like a mini overseas trip.

At Costco, you can buy premium-grade beef at prices comparable to pork if you buy in bulk, she shared.

Source: MBS
Kumamoto, Aug 28 (News On Japan) - As Kumamoto Prefecture battles an outbreak of norovirus among people who played in the waters at Todoroki Falls in Amakusa City, water quality tests have uncovered the virus in the surrounding area.

Kumamoto Prefecture's Health Crisis Management Division Chief Kunihiko Yumigake stated, "Norovirus G2 was detected in two locations: the basin of the falls and just above the waterfall."

Norovirus, often found in shellfish like oysters and notorious for causing food poisoning, especially in winter, was also detected in six of the sixteen patients tested.

However...

Chief Yumigake further explained, "The G2 norovirus found in stool samples matched the administrative test results, but the genetic type differed from the G2 norovirus detected in the river water."

The prefecture has tested the genetic types of the norovirus found in four individuals so far. Among these four, some belonged to different groups and visited the river on different days. Despite this, it remains unclear if the river was the source of the infection, as the genetic type of the norovirus in the river water does not match that found in the patients.

Chief Yumigake added, "While norovirus has been detected in both the river water and stool samples, we have not yet reached a definitive conclusion on the link to this incident."

This raises further questions about the possibility of a mass norovirus infection originating from river water.

The prefecture noted that norovirus is present in nature, and infections could potentially occur in stagnant water areas. However, infectious disease expert Professor Tetsuya Matsumoto of the International University of Health and Welfare offered a different perspective.

"It's entirely unexpected. It's highly unusual for so many cases of norovirus infection to occur in a natural setting," Professor Matsumoto pointed out, suggesting the possibility that a person might have been the source of the virus.

"If someone infected with norovirus were to release a significant amount of the virus through vomiting or defecation, it could contaminate the surroundings and lead to further infections," Professor Matsumoto explained.

Kumamoto Prefecture plans to continue investigating the water quality and will also inspect nearby toilets and other potential sources as they work to determine the cause of the health issues.

Source: ANN
TOKYO, Aug 28 (News On Japan) - A Yomiuri Shimbun employee has been arrested on the spot for assaulting a man who was skateboarding.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, just before 11 p.m. on August 23, a man in his 30s who works as a cameraman at Yomiuri Shimbun's Tokyo headquarters rode his bicycle to the scene.

There, he picked a fight with three men who were skateboarding and kicked one of them in the leg.

Although he attempted to escape, he was arrested on the spot after punching another man who chased after him.

Subsequent investigations revealed the mans selfish remark to the skateboarders.

Yomiuri Shimbun Employee (30s): It's not fair that I'm working while others are playing.

In response, some members of the public expressed criticism: People should be free to use their time as they choose. It's wrong to take out frustration on others, one person said. Another commented, Maybe his job isn't enjoyable, and seeing others have fun made him feel this way.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department stated that while skateboarding on busy roads can be a violation, it is not necessarily so on other roads.

However, some people voiced concerns about skateboarding in the streets: The sound of the board can be quite loud. I hope they observe proper etiquette to avoid accidents, one said.

Skateboarders themselves expressed their frustrations: Theres nowhere to skate in Tokyo, one said. If I skateboard around my house, I get scolded, and it causes noise issues for the neighbors, another added, lamenting the lack of places where they can freely enjoy their hobby.

The man arrested at the scene was released on August 26.

Yomiuri Shimbun has stated, We are withholding comment at this time as the facts are not yet fully confirmed.

Source: FNN
By Kingsley Omonobi

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar has directed Air Component Commanders of the various operational theatres in the country to sustain air assault on terrorists, Bandits and other enclaves of criminal elements as well as illegal refinery sites/illegal bunkering and sites.

Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet who made this known in statement said the CAS gave the directive at a meeting he summoned on Tuesday warning that no effort should be spared in hitting the terrorists hard

It reads, On the heels of significant successes recently recorded in various theaters of operations across the country, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has issued a directive to Air Component Commanders, urging them to intensify their efforts in ongoing operations.

He made this call while addressing all Air Component Commanders during a virtual meeting held on 26 August 2024.

In commending the Commanders for their outstanding performance, the CAS highlighted the critical role they have played in ensuring the safety and security of the nation.

He noted that their dedication and tactical efforts have led to a series of successful missions, eliminating key terrorist leaders, disrupting activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals, and safeguarding key national assets.

The Service, and indeed the entire nation, are proud of your achievements. Your relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to duty have not gone unnoticed, and the recent operational successes are a testament to your leadership and the professionalism of the men and women under your command.

We must, however, continue to hit them hard until they succumb to our superior might.

While acknowledging the successes made so far, the CAS emphasized that the challenges are far from over and called on the commanders to maintain the momentum.

He urged them to remain vigilant and to continue leveraging intelligence, precision strikes, and collaborative efforts with sister services to neutralize remaining threats.

We must not rest on our laurels he said. The security of our nation depends on our continued resolve and unwavering commitment. I charge you to intensify your efforts and push forward with even greater determination.

The Nigerian Air Force will continue to provide all necessary support to ensure the success of our missions.

The CAS also reassured the Commanders that the NAF leadership remains fully committed to their welfare and the provision of needed resources and equipment to enhance operational capabilities.

He expressed confidence in their ability to deliver on their mandate, stressing that the nations security and peace are paramount.

Recent air strikes targeting terrorists in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna, as well as oil thieves in Rivers and Imo States, have earned commendation from the CAS and other well-meaning Nigerians.

While these efforts are commendable, the Service remains committed to allocating even more resources across all theatres to restore peace across Nigeria, ensuring that citizens can pursue their lawful activities without fear for their lives or property.
By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), on Monday, disclosed that it has commenced shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, cargoes to Japan and China on Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis.

The company explained that Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) is an international commercial term that requires the seller to deliver the products/goods at a specific port. The seller takes responsibility for the shipping and insurance for the products/goods until they get to the specified port of delivery. It requires expertise and a higher level of efficiency to execute than the Free on Board (FOB) system.

A statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, said the company achieved the milestone through the collaboration of two of its downstream subsidiaries  NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd  which delivered its first DES LNG cargo from the 174,000m LNG vessel Grazyna Gesicka at Futtsu, Japan, on 27th June, 2024.

According to Soneye, NNPC since then has expanded its footprint to China with the delivery of one LNG cargo on DES basis.

NNPC Ltd has been involved in LNG trading since 2021 with its first LNG cargo sale in November of that year. It has since traded over 20 cargoes into the European and Asian markets on FOB basis, he added.

Soneye quoted the companys Executive President, Downstream, Mr. Dapo Segun, as saying: The DES system, apart from being more financially rewarding, allows NNPC Ltd inroads into the downstream segment of the LNG sector and positions it to capture more market shares while building in-house capacity and ensuring that global customers are familiar with the NNPC Ltd brand.

He stated that the collaboration between NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd in executing the LNG supplies on DES basis has strengthened the latters position as a world class shipping provider in the LNG sector.

NNPC Shipping intends to build a shipping portfolio (including owned vessels) so that we can provide our sister company and other clients all the shipping flexibilities they need, Managing Director of NNPC Shipping, Panos Gliatis, enthused.

He noted that NNPC LNG Ltd, in collaboration with NNPC Shipping Ltd, is scheduled to deliver at least two more LNG cargoes to the Asian market on DES basis by November. Many more orders are expected before the end of year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that his military had recently carried out the first successful test of a domestically-produced ballistic missile.

His announcement in Kyiv came in the wake of two consecutive nights of large-scale Russian bombardments across Ukraine that killed several people and battered energy infrastructure.

There has been a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile. I congratulate our defence industry on this. I cant share any more details about this missile, he said at a press conference in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine has been attempting to develop its own arms industry and encourage military production on its own territory as part of efforts to become less dependent on Western military aid.

Zelensky said last week that his forces had deployed in combat for the first time a Ukrainian-made long-range rocket drone called Palianytsia.

Kyiv has signed agreements with Western arms companies on the production of small arms and ammunition.
Germany has pledged to donate 100,000 doses of the Money Pox (mpox) vaccines to Africa, after France and Austria made similar commitments last week and as the continent is to belatedly receive 10,000 shots in the coming days amid criticism of delays caused by the World Health Organizations (WTO) red tape.

The first batch of 10,000 of mpox vaccines, donated by the United States, will finally reach the continent this week, long after they have been made available in other parts of the world. The German government has said it was donating to Africa from its military stocks 100,000 doses of mpox vaccines, designed to tackle a dangerous new variant of the virus. A government spokesperson also revealed Germany plans to provide flexible funding options to the WHO and assistance to African partners through the GAVI vaccine alliance. Currently, Germanys army has stockpiled approximately 117,000 doses of Jynneos, which it acquired in 2022.

Another 100,000 doses of the mpox vaccine were earlier committed by France that has pledged to send them to regions most affected by the disease. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said that the country would donate the vaccines as it prepares to launch vaccine centers within its borders. Last week, also Austria said it would be aiding Africa in its fight against the spread of the virus by donating at least 34,000 doses, which can be used for up to 170,000 vaccinations.

According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), arrangements with the European Union and Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, whose vaccine was authorized in 2019, will enable the shipment of some 200,000 vaccines throughout the continent.
Palestinan Minister of Culture, Imad Hamdan, has commended King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, for his laudable role in protecting the Holy City of Al Quds and preserving its civilizational character.

The Palestinian official made the remarks in Rabat Sunday during a visit to the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agencys headquarters, where he held a working session with the Agencys Managing director, Mohamed Salem Echerkaoui.

During the talks, Hamdan praised the role of Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency, the executive arm of the Al-Quds Committee, in delivering concrete projects with a positive economic and social impact on the Palestinian people.

Imad Hamdan expressed the wish to concentrate efforts to consolidate and consecrate the Palestinian narrative and protect the Arab-Islamic identity of the Holy City.

He also expressed his departments willingness to examine ways of strengthening cooperation and partnership with Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency in areas of common interest, praising the Agencys strong presence and activities in Al-Quds.

The Palestinian Minister visited The Al-Quds Committees permanent exhibition at the Agencys headquarters in Rabat, and was briefed on the Agencys programs and activities in support of the Holy Citys main cultural centers.

The Palestinian official held talks the same day with his Moroccan peer Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, with focus on the solid historical and fraternal relations between Morocco and Palestine, as well as on the special interest King Mohammed VI grants to the Palestinian cause.

In this vein, Bensaid reaffirmed Moroccos constant, historic, and unwavering position in favor of the Palestinian cause, stressing that the Kingdom remains firmly committed to a peaceful two-state solution, with a view to establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East region.

The Moroccan official recalled that King Mohammed VI devoted a large part of his latest Throne Day Speech to recent developments in the Gaza Strip, illustrating the special interest and personal follow-up that the Sovereign continues to devote to the Palestinian cause.

Bensaid also stressed the importance of the partnership between the two countries in the cultural field, noting that they are both determined to implement various programs and conclude several agreements in the cultural industry.

For his part, the Palestinian minister expressed his gratitude to the Moroccan King and people for their constant and unwavering support for the Palestinian question, hailing in this respect the Sovereigns efforts in favor of the Palestinian cause.

During the meeting, Bensaid gave his Palestinian counterpart an overview of the projects launched by Morocco in the cultural and creative industries sector, stressing their importance in supporting and boosting the economy, particularly in terms of job creation among young people.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the exchange of expertise, experience and skills with a view to bringing the cultures of the two brotherly peoples closer together, and to emphasize the need to update the executive program of cultural cooperation between Morocco and Palestine, in addition to cooperation in the digitization of books and manuscripts, while making Moroccan experience in this field available to the Palestinians.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation and coordination in the cultural field within regional and international institutions in the interests of Morocco and Palestine, and to promote bilateral cultural cooperation.
Denmark has become the latest western country to close its embassies in Mali and Burkina Faso.

The decision was announced by the Danish foreign ministry as part of a new African strategy that includes opening new embassies in Rwanda, Tunisia, and Senegal.

Mali and Burkina Faso are ruled by military juntas together with their ally Niger, following a series of military coups that affected many other Sahel countries.

Mali and Burkina Faso in particular have sided with Russia and expelled French and other Western troops.

This month, Mali cut ties with Ukraine whom it accuses of backing Tuareg rebels. The decision was made following an ambush in northern Mai that killed many Malian soldiers and Wagners armed men by Tuareg rebels.

On August 9, Mali declared the Swedish ambassador persona non grata, following his critical remarks on Bamakos military alliance with Moscow.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have signed a confederation agreement marking their announced departure from the regional grouping ECOWAS. They have also agreed on mutual defense.
Morocco posted a new blueberries export record in the 2023/2024 season at 67,300 tons, up 25% from last season, despite drought.

Spain stood as the largest destination for Moroccan blueberries with 30% of all exports, followed by the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and France, East Fruit reported.

Moroccos blueberries were also exported to the Gulf, the US, Canada, Honk Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, it said.

Reports indicated that many farmers were abandoning tomatoes in favor of strawberries whose prices are much more interesting.

Blueberries have become increasingly popular worldwide due to their health benefits, including high antioxidant content.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected in Mauritania this Tuesday as part of a regional tour that also includes Dakar and Banjul.

The primary focus of this tour, taking place August 27 to 29, is the fight against illegal immigration. The Spanish Canary Islands, which are geographically close to Mauritania, have seen a surge in illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in recent months.

This three-day tour comes amid a significant geopolitical issue for the European Union (EU), with Spain at the forefront. Sanchez aims to engage with the leaders of the visited countries to discuss and enhance cooperation in addressing irregular immigration and improving management strategies, according to Spanish media reports.

Nouakchott and the EU have a contentious partnership agreement targeting illegal immigration, which includes the return of undocumented Mauritanians in exchange for 500 million euros in aid.

As of August 15, 2024, Spain had already received 31,155 illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
Authorities in Eastern Libya announced on Monday, August 26, 2024, the closure of all oil fields and terminals and halted exports indefinitely amid a severe political crisis with the UN-recognized government in Tripoli. This move comes in response to Tripolis takeover of the Central Bank and the replacement of its governor, Al Siddik al Kabir, by Tripoli authorities.

The conflict between al Kabir and outgoing Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, which started over budget disagreements, has intensified. Al Kabir had criticized the expenditure of state funds, which are largely derived from oil revenues, without visible development projects. Over the past three years, spending has totaled nearly 90 billion euros.

The Central Bank, which manages and distributes oil revenue, has been a focal point of contention. Recent events included failed attempts to oust the governor and the kidnapping of a bank director. On Monday, a group aligned with Dbeibah forcibly entered the bank and the office of the governor who had previously closed the bank and sent staff home.
A media outlet close to the Egyptian intelligence services reported, on Monday August 26, that Egypt has firmly declared it will not accept any Israeli military presence along its border with the Gaza Strip. This stance was communicated through a senior source to Al-Qahera News.

Egypt, which plays a crucial role as a mediator in efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amidst the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territories, has emphasized its position on the strategic Philadelphia corridor. This area, which lies along the border between Egypt and Gaza, has become a focal point in the ongoing hostilities, which have continued for over ten months.

The Egyptian government has reiterated to all involved parties that it is steadfast in its refusal to allow any Israeli forces to be stationed or operate in this border region. This declaration underscores Egypts commitment to maintaining the sovereignty and security of its borders while actively engaging in peace negotiations to address the prolonged and deadly conflict.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty Images

Donald Trump has reportedly added two of his recent endorsees as advisers on a potential second presidential term: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard.

Kennedy broke the news himself during an appearance on Tucker Carlsons podcast that was released Monday. Im working with the campaign. Were working on policy issues together. Ive been asked to go onto the transition team to help pick the people who will be running the government, and Im looking forward to that, he said.

Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, officially confirmed the staffing news on Tuesday in a statement. As President Trumps broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team, he said, per CBS News. We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team as we work to restore Americas greatness.

Kennedy, who first launched his conspiracy-laden presidential campaign in 2023, initially sought the Democratic nomination but later ran as an independent candidate. Although Kennedy has criticized Trump at times in the past, his Friday endorsement in Arizona appeared inevitable as his campaign lagged in the polls and faced ballot challenges in multiple states. These are the principled causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent and now to throw my support to President Trump. The causes were: free speech, the war in Ukraine, and the war on our children, he said during the press conference where he suspended his campaign.

Gabbard threw her support behind Trump on Monday, joining him on the campaign trail in the key battleground state of Michigan. This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts and regions around the world, and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before, she said, per USA Today. This is one of the main reasons why Im committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House.

The former Hawaii congresswoman first came to prominence in 2016 after she resigned from her role of vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee to endorse Bernie Sanders for president. After an unsuccessful run for president in 2020, Gabbard remained at odds with the Democratic Party, and her views became increasingly aligned with the Trumpist faction of the GOP. She would go to announce she was leaving the Democratic Party in 2022 on social media, denouncing it as an elitist cabal of warmongers.

Kennedy and Gabbard will join Trumps running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, as well as his eldest sons Donald Jr. and Eric as honorary co-chairs of the transition team. The Trump campaign previously announced that top donors Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick will serve as chairs of the team.

The Harris transition team is coming together as well. NBC News reported last week that the campaign had selected Yohannes Abraham, the current U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to play a key role on the team. Covington & Burling, LLP, the law firm of former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder, which assisted in the vice-presidential vetting process, will also assist the transition process, per the Associated Press.
This man loves a military parade. Photo: Ian Langsdon/AP

Donald Trump is famously hostile to U.S. aid to Ukraine and to national security alliances generally, even such time-honored institutions as NATO. He has also been outspoken for years about his opposition to forever wars like George W. Bushs war in Iraq. At the same time, he is one of the most belligerent men ever to occupy the Oval Office. He loves military pomp and circumstance, he pushed regularly for increased Pentagon spending as president, and his basic formula for peace is to terrify potential adversaries with his remorseless willingness to inflict unimaginable casualties while ignoring or violating every traditional principle of limited war. He is also very interested in deploying the U.S. military against migrants from Mexico, domestic protesters, and even criminal suspects. He models himself on Andrew Jackson, who similarly stood for a policy of strict neutrality in overseas affairs matched with a clearly announced determination to kill anything that moves if malefactors cross him or his country. Some observers call this posture isolationism, but it is more accurately described as unilateralism, in which national interests unmodified by treaties, alliances, or moral considerations justify any conceivable military action (or inaction).

So its interesting to watch ex-Democrats famous for their opposition to militarism embracing Trump as an antiwar candidate. These include former Democrat then independent-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, and 2020 Democratic-presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard. In his long and rambling speech endorsing Trump on August 23, Kennedy listed Trumps willingness to end (presumably on Russia-friendly terms) the war in Ukraine as one of three existential issues on which the two men agree. Shanahan similarly called antiwar one of the key principles supporting a unity movement between MAGA and her own preoccupations.

Bobby and Don. Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

And in endorsing Trump on July 26, Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022 after calling it an elitist cabal of warmongers, said of the Republican that she was confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war.

Tulsi takes the plunge. Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP

The very idea of Donald Trump as a man of peace is problematic, but presumably if the only national-security issue you care about is ending U.S. support for Ukraine, hes your guy. Yes, some doves for Trump credit him with a determination and willingness to reduce the risk of nuclear war, notwithstanding his opposition to the nuclear nonproliferation treaties that kept the Cold War from turning hot. But a more honest assessment of the 45th presidents posture is that he has perfected the so-called madman theory once embraced by his predecessor (in office and in spirit) Richard Nixon, which means keeping the peace through sheer terror at the presidents unpredictability and indifference to human life. You can argue that Trump might succeed in intimidating other leaders into accepting his policy dictates. You cannot genuinely believe he will make the world a less violent and more stable place.

There are, to be clear, other reasons for the conduct of these and other doves for Trump. Kennedy and Shanahan are clearly angry at Democratic efforts to keep them off the ballot and at establishment liberal mockery of their subscription to a vast range of conspiracy theories involving alleged corporate capture of government agencies (not that this is a concern of Trumps). Gabbard has revived an old cultural conservative strain of her political career and is regularly blasting Democrats for wokeness. Its anybodys guess whether there is a reservoir of voters concerned principally with the power of the military-industrial complex and the resources devoted to national defense who look at Trump and see a comrade. If he stands up at one of his rallies and flashes a peace sign rather than the clenched fist of vengeance, maybe it would do him some good.
Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

More than a month after she became the de facto Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris has yet to sit for a one-on-one interview with a major news organization. On Tuesday, days after officially accepting her partys nomination, the Harris campaign announced her first sit-down  though it will not be a solo endeavor.

On Tuesday evening, CNN said that anchor Dana Bash would speak with Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, for an interview that will air Thursday at 9PM. The news meant that Harris had met her own deadline from earlier this month when she said her team was working to finalize an appearance before the end of August.

After President Joe Bidens July 21 announcement that he was dropping his reelection bid, the vice-president had to operate on an extremely truncated timeline to mount her own campaign, vet a running mate, and work to overhaul the Democratic National Convention for a new candidate and messaging. The Harris campaign has embraced less traditional forms of media, from boosting its social-media presence through its popular @KamalaHQ account and inviting hundreds of content creators and influencers to the DNC alongside the 15,000 credentialed journalists and media members in attendance.

Harris did film with some of the internet creators including TikTok accounts @trackstarshow and @queencitytrends, talking about her love of music and her childhood. Walz made his own appearance on the popular series Subway Takes in a clip that was published Tuesday.

Harriss Republican rivals have spent weeks tweaking Harris for not granting interviews. Earlier this month, Trumps running mate, Ohio senator J.D. Vance, approached Harriss press pool, which was assembled near Air Force Two, to knock her for not talking to the media. On Monday, Vance continued his push on social media.

Kamala Harris wants a promotion but refuses to interview for the job. https://t.co/Vv4Hr0ZoWT  JD Vance (@JDVance) August 26, 2024

Trump took a shot at Harriss intelligence on TruthSocial Monday, suggesting that she had NO CONFIDENCE in her ability to do interviews. When is Comrade Kamala Harris going to start answering questions? he wrote.

In recent weeks, Trump and Vance have attempted to capitalize on Harriss absence from the media by scheduling more of their own interviews and appearances. The tactic, however, has not always gone according to plan, with the former president making headlines for his rambling press conferences and the senator going viral for his awkward interactions with the public.

The move away from traditional media is not unique to Harris. As of July, Biden has logged far fewer interviews with the media than many of his predecessors on both sides of the aisle by that point of their tenure, including his running mate Barack Obama, Trump, and even George W. Bush, according to Axios.
The City of Opelika moved forward with phase one of planned improvements that will be made to one of the city's busiest roads, Pepperell Parkway.

The council unanimously approved an agreement between the Alabama Department of Transportation and the City of Opelika for improvements to Pepperell Parkway from Commerce Drive to Lowdnes Street. This is just phase one of improvements coming to the roadway.

"This'll be a great improvement to the corridor and to the city, functionally, aesthetically and soreness, but that is to be anticipated with anything good that comes to the transportation system," City engineer Scott Parker said.

The budget for the agreement is just over $3.3 million, according to the City of Opelika. The city's match will be 20%, or over $662,200. Parker said the project is funded by the Opelika/Auburn area Metropolitan Planning Organization and has partial funding by the Federal Highway Administration, according to the city's resolution.

According to the resolution, ALDOT has awarded the contract to D&J Enterprises Inc., on its low bid of $2.5 million

Parker said the project will involve redoing all of the drainage and putting curb and gutter on the entire length, then adding sidewalks to the north side of the roadway, which President and Ward 4 Councilman Eddie Smith called a "big deal."

Parker said that he anticipates the project will take about six months with the curb and gutter and sidewalk work expected first, followed by resurfacing the road later in the project. Parker said this is just phase one and they hope to have the phase two project started soon.

"Hopefully, by the end of this year, early next year, we'll have phase two, which is from Lowndes Street all the way to Five Points, which would do the same thing," Parker said.

Council exempts sale of hearing instruments from municipal sales taxes

The Opelika City Council unanimously approved exempting all gross proceeds from the sale or sales of hearing instruments from the municipal sales and use taxes. This follows the State of Alabama enacting a tax exemption that excluded all gross proceeds from the sale or sales of hearing instruments, including hearing aids, from the State of Alabama sales and use taxes. That exemption is effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2029.

"I want to thank President Smith for his leadership in bringing this to the council, and I believe the council will look favorably upon it, because it's going to be a savings for our citizens, like yours truly, that wears hearing aids and all y'all are too young for those but I really appreciate it," Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said during the Aug. 6 Opelika City Council meeting.

Other Council business

The Opelika City Council approved the budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year. The 2025 General Fund budget is set to be just over $98.4 million while the general fund and proprietary funds combined budget is estimated to be $192 million for 2025.

The Opelika City Council declared encamping in a public place to be unlawful and violations can lead to be charged with a misdemeanor. According to the ordinance, the city's continued partnership with Valley Rescue Mission to provide housing and social services to homeless persons has reduced Opelikas homeless population, but there are still instances of homeless people erecting tents and other temporary structures in public places.

Included in the ordinance, it is unlawful for any person to move an encampment from one public place in the City of Opelika to another public place within 60 days after receiving a written warning. If done so, that would constitute a continued violation of Chapter 26 of City Code and would negate the requirement of another written warning.

The council approved rezoning 704 1st Ave., 104 N, 7th Street, and a lot on N. 7th Street from office/retail to Downtown Commercial District. The properties are owned by Hayley Investments, LLC. and according to the Opelika Planning Commission report, the applicant proposed a restaurant to occupy 704 1st Ave. The property at 704 1st Ave. was occupied by Mr. Gatti's Pizza before it closed earlier this year.

According to the report, the area is slowly being restored and will be used to expand Opelika's Downtown Commercial Core.

The council rezoned 22,450 sq. ft. at 711 Pleasant Drive from R-5M to Office Retail zoning. The property is currently owned by Kibwe, LLC.

The council approved annexing 109.9 acres at Lee Rd. 171 and Wigdon Road, which is owned by Prestige Worldwide Rentals, LLC. According to the report from the Opelika Planning Commission, the property owners plan to subdivide the property into large residential lots and wanted to do so in the Opelika city limits.

The council approved a downtown street closure for the Flags for Vets Benefit Concert that will be held on Nov. 23. The concert will be from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is being organized by Flags for Vets, Inc. According to the street closure application, North Railroad Avenue will be closed from South 7th Street to South 8th Street.

Pharmavite announced another planned expansion and the Opelika City Council approved various tax abatements and exemptions for the company. The company plans a major addition to its 4701 Northpark Drive facility that will involve the purchase and acquisition of new manufacturing machinery and a total a capital investment of just over $12 million, according to the resolution. The project is estimated to be completed by June 30, 2026.
Most people in Erika Girardis situation would be trying to maintain the lowest possible profile. But she is a Housewife, and discretion doesnt make for good TV.

me and @MattGoldstein26 RHONYT https://t.co/o5R4K6BIaF  katie rosman (@katierosman) October 9, 2021

Article isn't long and not too much is new information but here are some highlights from the article published this mornTing:- other expenses include "payments of $1.5 million to McDonald Selznick, a talent agency; $260,000 to the law firm Greenberg Traurig; and $252,000 to Troy Jensen, a celebrity makeup artist and image consultant"- Erika has been named in half a dozen lawsuits as a defendant that money that was supposed to go to clients was given to her EJ Global, LLC- From her lawyer: Her lawyer Evan Borges said Ms. Girardi did not have any knowledge of the wrongdoing that her husband is accused of, nor did she know how he managed his law firms finances. Erika doesnt have personal liability for any of those transactions, Mr. Borges said- OP note: it has been alleged that Tom Girardi pretty much controlled all finances at Girardi Keese that could leave his fellow colleagues out of the loop, so it makes sense she wouldn't know the details of misappropriation. However given that legal complaints have gone on for decades, throughout her marriage, someone with an ostentatious lifestyle such as she, would absolutely question if clients complaining would ruin her bag. And to act clueless, for someone who once previously claimed she could pass the bar, not even a gut instinct led her to believe that these complaints were incredibly serious?- Ms. Ruigomez (the mother of Joseph Ruigomez, whose body was burned and whose girlfriend was killed in the 2010 San Bruno explosion) used to watch and enjoyNote from OP: I first read about this case and the formal complaint during Erika's first season of the show back in 2016, Tom's response to the complaint was that he thought the family would be irresponsible and plunder the money, so he was holding on it for the sake of Joseph's care. Fucking cretin.- Why Sutton Stracke seemed very concerned about her name being attached was because, well, click here - Also, there was an article in the LA Times, featuring fellow castmates: Garcelle , Sutton Stracke, and Crystal Kung Minkoff
Sucks to suck.

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the way they very obviously want to be a power couple, but the internet is just not letting them is VERY funny



Edited at 2024-08-27 06:52 pm (UTC)

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Lmaooooo It's so great watching the internet collectively just do this:Lmaooooo

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This show had amazing gifs, but for the life of me I could not get into it.

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I've hated them both for so long, this is like my christmas.

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this whole thing has been such a mess

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I know she doesnt have a stylist team, obviously! But does she have a PR team? Because if she does, she should fire everyone. This press tour should be studied because its beyond disastrous. If she doesnt have one, she needs to hire someonemaybe get Jennifer Lawrences people. Her next-door, bumbling, humble persona is working well.

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I would argue Jennifer's adorkable persona ran its course, she's only been good now cause she's been lowkey. People don't mind in small doses but high doses like a few years ago would eventually get her problems.

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Yeah, Ill give her thatshe knows when to stay low-key and out of the spotlight if she has nothing to promote.

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Jlaw was smart enough to call it though and take a break just as people were getting sick of her.



I think she also mentioned having issues with her team who were only presenting her with big payday projects.



She's now doing a healthy mix of prestige indie and big projects.

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Jennifer can be very charming though. Blake on the other hand...

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The reason it works with Jennifer IMO is because her persona is simply a heightened, more entertainment friendly version of what she already is. Blake clearly fancies herself as a far more interesting and funnier person than she is, and it shows. Instead of embracing her natural persona as a dull housewife who monetizes wellness as a brand & whose hobby is acting, she flew too close to the spotlight thinking shes a real movie star. If you compare her to someone like JenLaw, all the things Blake lacks (especially the talent) become even more glaring.

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Idk that JLaw has a good PR team either after she jumped to defend Amy Schumer for being a Zionist

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I think J Law, despite being annoying at times, is not actually an awful person and has friends in the industry/people like her unlike Blake.

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I love that for us

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I look forward to this gif in every Blake post lol

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blake and ryan via GIPHY



they both look like they have the personality of a bag of pudding that was left out in the sun for a week they both look like they have the personality of a bag of pudding that was left out in the sun for a week

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I love everything this comment and Gif chooses to be 

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I just realized that Scarlett was married to Ryan and is now married to the guy in this gif. I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened 

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i keep thinking this drama is over but nope, its still coming. their shitiness is like a gremlin in the rain and Im loving it.

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I would bet $10 Reynolds SCAB'd both IEWU & Deadpool 3

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Scabby McScabberson.



There should be sliding-scale fines for that. Or kick him out of the union.

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Unfortunately, I dont think the general public will care/ keep that in their working memory.



I will , most of ontd probably will, and others in different movie departments and the union and such will tho

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So glad this got picked back up, cuz this is the part where I wanna see what the fallout is of him being a likely scab. While I know very little about filmmaking, it feels like that kind of rewrite would have happened later in production if they felt it wasnt delivering well and they wanted to make adjustments. Idk, but how would they know that only that scene in particular needed Ryans magic pen back in April before production started? Not buying it. Especially knowing the fight over the dual cuts of the film happened during production right? Feels like he would have been brought in by Blake after there was some kind of breakdown in communication.

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HE definitely scabbed!



I was kind of interested in one of her hair masks but the reviews on Target are not very good, I'm better off sticking to my ridiculously expensive Ouidad one.

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I've heard they're stinky AF, so I am curious to smell it. My nothing-special hair looks better conditioned than hers most of the time so... not putting it on my head.

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Despite the rapid growth of renewables, overall energy demand continues to outpace supply, leading to increased fossil fuel consumption.

China led the world in renewable energy production and capacity additions, particularly in wind and solar.

Renewable energy's share of global energy consumption reached 14.6% in 2023, driven by record growth in solar and wind power.

In June, the Energy Institute released the 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy. The Review provides a comprehensive picture of supply and demand for major energy sources on a country-level basis. Each year, I write a series of articles covering the Reviews findings.

In previous articles, I discussed:

Today I will discuss renewable energy, with a focus on the growth of wind and solar power.

Overview

In 2023, renewable energy sources surged to new heights. Renewables share of total primary energy consumption reached 14.6%, 0.4% above the previous year.

Solar and wind power drove global renewable electricity generation to a record-breaking 4,748 TWh, marking a 13% increase from the previous year. This growth accounted for 74% of all net additional electricity generated worldwide.

Solar power led the charge, with 346 GW of new capacity, smashing the 2022 record by 67%. China contributed a quarter of this growth. Europe, too, made significant strides, adding over 56 GW of solar capacity, making up 16% of the global total capacity increase.

Global Renewable Consumption (excluding hydropower). Robert Rapier

Wind power also soared to new heights, with over 115 GW of new capacity installedanother record. China again was at the forefront, responsible for nearly 66% of these additions. Chinas total installed wind capacity now rivals that of North America and Europe combined. Offshore wind, a growing frontier in renewable energy, saw Europe holding the highest share at 12%, but China wasnt far behind, boasting 37 GW compared to Europes 32 GW.

Meanwhile, the share of biofuels increased in the global energy mix. Production grew by over 17% from 2022, with the United States and Brazil leading the way. In 2024, bio-gasoline (predominantly ethanol) and biodiesel production reached a near-even split, with the U.S., Brazil, and Europe consuming the lions share of these renewable fuels.

The Top Producers

China dominates the worlds renewable energy production. Notably, both China and India  which have seen dramatic fossil fuel consumption growth in recent years  have increased renewable consumption at double-digit rates over the past decade.

Top 10 Renewable Energy Producers in 2023. Robert Rapier

There are a couple of caveats to note about this table. First, it excludes hydropower. The reason is even though hydropower generation contributes around as much as wind and solar, hydropower growth has been relatively stable for years. This table basically shows the growth trajectory of modern renewables like wind and solar power.

Second, the numbers are reported as Input-equivalent energy, which is the amount of fuel that would be required by thermal power. This accounts for the lower efficiencies of converting coal, for example, into electricity. In other words, for a given amount of solar power, the table is calculating how much coal or natural gas would be required to produce that much power.

Conclusions

Renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, continue to grow at rapid rates. With record-breaking growth in capacity and generation, these modern renewables continue to supplement traditional energy sources.

China continues to dominate the renewable sector, driving much of the global expansion, while the U.S., Europe, and Brazil also make significant contributions, particularly in biofuels.

As the world strives to reduce carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy, renewables will play a critical role in shaping a sustainable and resilient energy future. However, to date overall energy demand continues to outpace the growth in renewables, which has meant that fossil fuel consumption has also continued to grow.

By Robert Rapier

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Most G20 nations have passed their peak power sector emissions, with Brazil's emissions 38% below 2014 levels.

Canada and Germany follow Brazil with 66% and 58% of their electricity generated from renewables, respectively.

Brazil leads the G20 in renewable electricity generation with 89% of its power coming from renewable sources, primarily hydro, solar, and wind.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, shows how much electricity is generated from renewable sources among G20 countries.

The data is based on Embers yearly and monthly electricity reports as of 2023. Data for Saudi Arabia is not available.

Brazil Leading in Renewable Energy

The global average for renewable electricity is 30%, but nearly half of the G20 countries fall below this average.

Brazil leads the G20 in renewable electricity, with 89% of its power generated from renewables in 2023. The countrys high share of renewables is due to its robust hydroelectric base and rapid expansion of solar and wind energy.

Canada, in second place, generates 66% of its electricity from renewables, primarily hydropower.

Germany, in third place, has the highest proportion of wind and solar in its energy mix.

G20 Economies Past the Peak of Fossil Power

The majority of G20 economies are at least five years past their peak power sector emissions.

At the top of our list, Brazils power sector emissions peaked in 2014 at 114 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2). By 2023, nine years after the peak, its power sector emissions were 38% below 2014 levels, at 70 MtCO2.

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic showing emission reduction targets by country in 2024.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Chile is perhaps better known for its copper, but the country has also recently emerged as a frontrunner in the energy transition with a veritable boom in solar installations. Now, the government is threatening these. It plans to temporarily remove one subsidy mechanism, and solar developers are not happy.

Like in other markets such as Europe and parts of the U.S., solar generators in Chile depend on government guarantees for certain prices, at which utilities must buy their electricity. However, it seems that these guaranteeseffectively subsidiesalong with other factors have driven the price of electricity for Chileans too high for the current governments comfort. So, it wants to suspend the guaranteed minimum price payments for three years to continue subsidizing electricity.

The industry, understandably, was less than thrilled. Chile has seen its solar generation capacity boom in the past few years, set to reach 13.77 GW this year, up by close to 50% over 2023. So, once the subsidy suspension plan was first announced earlier this month, three solar developers associations expressed concern about the governments intentions, saying that the plan significantly alters the remuneration scheme of the PMGD by taking away, through an arbitrary mechanism, revenues from projects with investments already made.

Related: Big Oils Carbon Credit Strategy Faces Scrutiny

Foreign investors drawn to Chile by its generous payment scheme for solar developers were also critical of the move. You invest in Chile thinking that this is Latin Americas Switzerland, David Crouch, managing partner of Aediles Capital, told Bloomberg. This action sets a dangerous precedent. Aediles Capital is one of the companies to be affected by the move and an entity set up to manage BlackRock energy assets in Chile.

The proposed changes would have us immediately default on our covenants to our debt holders, another solar developer executive said, as quoted by Bloomberg, in comments on the Chilean governments move.

What these comments suggest is that the solar industry remains highly dependent on government subsidies for its profitability and even for its status as a going concern: Bloomberg noted in a report on the legislative changes that some wind and solar developers have gone into insolvency because of their exposure to the free market and no government subsidy net.

Supporters of the move say that it has oversaturated the market with solar developers and has pushed electricity prices highersomething that has happened in the European Union and the UK, too, as governments slap additional taxes on electricity in order to fund the expansion of wind and solar.

We have identified a gap between the efficient cost of development and the income that a group of generators is receiving, Energy Minister Diego Pardow told Bloomberg in response to questions about the planned change. There is a space to contribute to the expansion of the subsidy.

The subsidy Pardow refers to is a subsidy on electricity for households in a move that almost any government would take when its voters are faced with rising bills: keep those down. In this case, the move has pitted the government against investors who previously flocked to Chile because of the guaranteed income.

Artificial intervention in the prices of electricity supply contracts awarded in public tenders has generated uncertainty and distrust among those who finance the development of energy projects in Chile, as it significantly affects the great distinguishing feature that sets Chile apart, legal and regulatory stability, a coalition of three solar associations said earlier this month.

It is somewhat ironic, however. The developers are complaining because the government wants to take away their subsidiessuggesting subsidies are a negative, but only when given to someone else, in this case, low-income households. When the subsidies guarantee their own income, they are a great positive.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Several oilfields across Libya have halted production as closures spread, engineers reported on Tuesday, amid a dispute over control of the central bank and oil revenues. Mohammed al-Menfi, head of the Presidency Council in Tripoli, had issued a decision to replace Central Bank head Sadiq al-Kabir and the bank's board, a move rejected by the eastern parliament.

On Monday, authorities in the east, where most of the oilfields are located, threatened to shut them all down, escalating their standoff with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, which relies heavily on oil revenues. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah of the Government of National Unity, based in Tripoli, condemned the shutdowns, stating that oilfields should not be closed "under flimsy pretexts."

A complete production shutdown

By Tuesday, Libyas oilfields were in the process of shutting down. Engineers confirmed that oil production at the El Feel oilfield in southwestern Libya had stopped, and production at several other fields in the east and southeast had either halted or been reduced. Local operators indicated to Bloomberg that production would gradually cease nationwide.

Libyas oil production, which averaged 1.2 million bpd before the closures, has fluctuated in recent months, with major disruptions occurring in August and January due to political unrest. The current shutdown stems from renewed tensions between Libyas east and west, particularly over the leadership of the Central Bank of Libya, which oversees the country's oil wealth.

Impact on oil markets and shipping

Experts are assessing the impact on global oil markets. Kpler noted the shutdown impacts key ports including Marsa Al Hariga, Zueitina, Marsa Al Brega, Ras Lanuf, and Es Sider. Europe is the leading destination for Libyan barrels, and "increasingly so in recent years" - accounting for 85% of exports this year according to Kpler's Matt Smith. With Libyan crude primarily light sweet, "European refiners will likely turn to the U.S. and West Africa to replace it."

Related: Asia's Top Refiner is Struggling With Weak Fuel Demand in China

For the shipping industry, the shutdown presents mixed outcomes. In an article from Tradewinds, Fearnley Securities commented, "Although lower volumes generally have a negative impact, reduced Libyan exports have already affected aframaxes. However, the shift to Atlantic barrels could boost tonne-miles, as OPEC+ is unlikely to increase exports in response to this situation." According to leading shipbroking company Pareto, Libya exported some 1.04 million bpd on average over the last 12 months, most of which went to Spain, Italy and France. Pareto notes that replacement barrels may have to be found further afield.

Libyas long history of supply outages.

At the moment, its difficult to say how long the outage will last. The longest shutdown of Libyan oil production occurred from January 2020 to September 2020, and lasted around nine months. This shutdown was triggered by forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA) based in Benghazi, who blockaded key oil facilities as part of a broader political and military conflict against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

During this period, Libya's oil production plummeted from around 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to less than 100,000 bpd, severely impacting the country's economy. In 2020, the continued loss of income pushed both sides to the negotiation table. Shorter outages in production have lasted anywhere between a few weeks and a couple of months, the last of which occurred in 2022 when local militias blockaded oilfields, including the largest Sharara oilfield, which led to a one-million barrel per day loss in production.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

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The first-half earnings report of the largest refiner in Asia, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, confirmed market concerns about a weak fuel demand in China.

China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, commonly known as Sinopec, reported this weekend a first-half net profit that rose 1.7% year-over-year to $5 billion (35.7 billion Chinese yuan). The higher earnings were due to increased domestic crude oil and natural gas production and rising international oil prices.

But the refining metrics of the largest refiner in Asia by capacity all deteriorated compared to the first half of last year, reflecting weak Chinese demandespecially for dieselthat has been spooking the markets this year.

While domestic demand for natural gas saw apparent consumption rising by 10% year on year, domestic consumption of refined oil products fell by 0.5% due to declining diesel demand, Sinopec said in its first-half earnings report.

The corporation was hit harder by the weaker demand than other Chinese state-held energy giants because of its more refining-weighted portfolio of assets.

Sinopecs domestic production for oil and gas equivalents hit a record high, with oil and gas output at 257.66 million barrels of oil equivalent, up by 3.1% year-on-year. Domestic crude oil production totaled 126.49 million barrels, up by 1.5%, and natural gas production reached 700.57 billion cubic feet, up by 6.0%.

Related: EIA Reports Increase in U.S. EV Sales After Slowdown

However, weak earnings and sales at the refining and chemicals divisions partly offset the good upstream results.

Sinopec flagged severe challenges brought by the weak market demand and narrowing margin of certain products in the first half of the year.

The corporation had already warned in July that its refining throughput barely inched up by 0.1% in the first half of 2024 due to higher crude prices and lackluster domestic fuel demand.

Gasoline production rose by 6.6% year-on-year and jet fuel output jumped by 15.2%, but diesel production at Sinopec slumped by 8.8%, this weekends full first-half report showed.

Light chemical feedstock production also fell, by 7.4%, reflecting weaker demand amid the ongoing property crisis and weaker-than-expected Chinese economic growth.

Sinopecs domestic sales of refined oil products fell by 2.5%, with retail oil product sales down by 4.7%.

Overall, refineries in China produced 6.1% less fuel in July this year than a year earlier, logging the fourth consecutive monthly decline in output and signaling that the period of weak Chinese demand isnt over yet.

Sinopec said on Sunday that it actively addressed the challenges of weak diesel demand and rapid growth of electric vehicles, while expanding battery charging and LNG fueling network with charging volume and vehicle LNG operating volume both going up significantly.

Chinas weak diesel demand is not only the result of the property crisis and lackluster economy. Its also due to a structural change in transportation as an ongoing shift to LNG-powered trucks limits diesel use for transportation, slowing overall oil demand growth.

Jet fuel remains the only bright spot of Chinese oil product demand, logging in double-digit growth this year. But jet fuel consumption alone cannot offset weaker demand for road transportation fuels.

A rebound in Chinas airline traffic this year has boosted jet fuel demand in the only bright spot in transportation fuel consumption in the worlds top crude oil importer. But as a share of Chinas total fuel consumption, jet fuel is much smaller than the shares of gasoline and diesel.

Faltering overall oil demand and lower crude imports in China result from weaker economic growth and lackluster fuel demand below expectations.

The apparent weaker demand and the slowing imports in China have been the biggest drags on oil prices in recent months, often overshadowing tensions in the Middle East.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Just a year ago, carbon credits were all the rage. Companies struck deal after deal in a market that analysts said would grow at breakneck speed. Then, it all started unwinding. Because Big Oil was using carbon credits, too. Apparently, it wasnt supposed to go this way.

Back in 2022, Shell said it would invest some $100 million in developing what are commonly called carbon sinks or ecosystems that absorb more carbon dioxide than they emitif they emit any at all. The supermajor then planned to turn those sinks into a business, issuing carbon credits to sell to other companies in need of decarbonization.

In September last year, however, Shell dropped those plans. The change of heart followed an investigation carried out by The Guardian and Die Zeit that revealed as much as 90% of the carbon credits verified as legitimate by the largest carbon credit certification company at the time were essentially worthless.

The revelation made some noise and cast doubt over the usefulness of carbon credits in the energy transition. Some critics have even called the indulgences modeled on the Medieval practice that the Catholic church had of selling forgiveness for sins. And the biggest sinner of them all is, of course, the oil and gas industry.

The oil and gas industry has no other way to decarbonize except by offsetting the emissions related to its operations through carbon credits. It is no accident that Occidental, the first oil and gas company to make an emissions commitment in the U.S. oil patch, is investing heavily in direct air capture, which it would tie to the issuance of a version of carbon credits to sell to big emitters.

It is no accident that every energy company with decarbonization plans has carbon credits included in these plansbecause the only other way for oil and gas companies to cut their emissions is by essentially committing suicide. And they are far from the only ones.

Related: Russia Launches 200 Missiles at Ukrainian Energy Installations

Last month, the United Nations targeted carbon credits, also called carbon offsets, as an overused tool for emission reduction when companies should actually be cutting their real emissions, the FT reported at the time. Indeed, the UN drafted a document recommending that companies do not use credit offsets at all outside government-regulated programs such as the EUs Emissions Trading Scheme.

I would hope and I would expect that serious organisations that are committed to protecting ecosystems . . . dont shut down an avenue for channelling that carbon finance, the head of BPs carbon trading business unit said in comments on the UN document at the time.

Now, Bloomberg is reporting that Big Oil has become the ultimate winner from that carbon credit market that the UN so dislikes. Calling the energy industry the main perpetrators of the global climate disaster, the report states that Big Oil is using carbon credits in order to reduce its Scope 3 emissions instead of physically reducing these emissions.

Yet there is a twist: Big Oil is far from the only industry doing this. Big Tech, a massive emitter that is only getting even more massive by the data center, is doing exactly the same thingbecause there is no way Big Tech can source 100% of the electricity it needs from wind, solar, and batteries, not without carbon credits. Neither can any other industry that needs a reliable supply of energy around the clock.

Climate activists, however, have a problem exclusively with Big Oil, even though some involved in the transition have argued that Big Oil using carbon credits to offset their emissions is, in fact, part of the transition and, as such, a positive. Activists have arguedcorrectlythat carbon credits would help the oil and gas industry to survive for longer, implying their ultimate goal is the demise of that industry as the final solution to the climate change problem, regardless of the cost.

Businesses, meanwhile, have continued using carbon credits, with institutions emerging to make sure they are not worthless, as the Guardian/Zeit investigation revealed. The most influential of these, the Science Based Targets initiative, became the site of a scandal focused on those troublesome Scope 3 emissions earlier this year when it did an about-turn on its original policy, announcing it would, from now on, let companies count credits towards Scope 3 emission reductions.

The announcement caused an uproar among the SBTis employees, so the organization had to do another about-turn and go back to its original stance on Scope 3 emissions and credits. The reason for the uproar was the same reason that Bloomberg laments Big Oils position as what it called a big winner of the carbon credit system as a whole: not enough actual emission reductions.

Critics of the system are certainly right to point that out. From another perspective, however, the transition is about net zero rather than absolute zero. If carbon credits work as advertised, they should be contributing to an overall reduction in emissions. Also, it should not matter which industry uses these if the ultimate goal is to lower emissions of carbon dioxide.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Taking a page out of Europe's playbook, Canada will impose staggering new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, aluminum and steel, lining up behind western allies and taking steps to protect domestic manufacturers.

Speaking in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was gathered with the rest of his cabinet for a series of meetings about the economy and foreign relations Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the new policy which consists of a 100% levy on electric cars and 25% on steel and aluminum. The EV tariff will take effect Oct. 1 and will also include certain hybrid passenger automobiles, trucks, buses and delivery vans. It will be added to an existing 6.1% tariff that applies to Chinese EVs, the government said in a news release.

The levies on aluminum and steel will come into place Oct. 15. The government released an initial list of goods on Monday and the public will have a chance to comment before it is finalized on Oct. 1.

Turdeau's (sic) government is also launching a new 30-day consultation on other sectors, including batteries and battery parts, semiconductors, solar products and critical minerals.

We are transforming Canadas automotive sector to be a global leader in building the vehicles of tomorrow, the prime minister told reporters in Halifax. But actors like China have chosen to give themselves an unfair advantage in the global marketplace, compromising the security of our critical industries and displacing dedicated Canadian autos and metal workers.

Canada, an export-driven economy that relies heavily on trade with the US, has been closely watching moves by the Biden administration to erect a much higher tariff wall against Chinese EVs, batteries, solar cells, steel and other products. Canadas auto sector is heavily integrated with that of its closest neighbor: The vast majority of its light vehicle production, amounting to just 1.5 million units last year, is exported to the US.

Turdeau's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has been one of the most prominent voices in favor of a harder approach to Chinese vehicle exports, and becoming a closer trade ally with the US. In June, she announced a public consultation on possible measures to make it more difficult for Chinese companies to sell electric vehicles in the Canadian market. During an interview with Bloomberg News in July, she said the tariffs consultation might go beyond electric cars.

The government also announced Monday that it will limit eligibility for electric vehicle incentives to products made in countries that have negotiated free-trade agreements with Canada. It will review the new levies within a year of them coming into effect.

We previously reported that the European Union also announced proposed new tariffs on electric vehicles important from China, though at lower levels than the US and now Canada are proposing. Products made by SAIC Motor Corp. face additional duties of 36.3%, while Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. and BYD Co. each face tariffs of 19.3% and 17%, respectively, according to a draft decision released last week. Tesla Inc. will see an extra 9% charge on Chinese-made vehicles.

Chinese leaders plan to raise the issue of tariffs when US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan visits this week, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Sullivan is due to meet with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and may also meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

And now we wait to see what China's tat will be to Canada's tit: Beijing previously retaliated against Canada when it restricted imports of Canadian canola seed for three years, a move seen as retribution for a decision by Canada authorities to arrest Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a US extradition warrant. Meng returned to China in 2021.

The value of Chinese electric vehicles imported by Canada surged to C$2.2 billion ($1.6 billion) last year, from less than C$100 million in 2022, according to data from Statistics Canada. The number of cars arriving from China at the port of Vancouver jumped after Tesla started shipping Model Y vehicles there from its Shanghai factory.

However, the Canadian governments main concern isnt Tesla, but the prospect of cheap cars made by Chinese automakers eventually becoming available. As Bloomberg reports, BYD informed the Canadian government in July that it intends to lobby lawmakers and officials about its plans to enter the country.

Trudeau also faced political and industry pressure. The Canadian auto sector had been pushing him to hike tariffs to protect domestic jobs and wages, arguing that Chinas EVs are cheaper due to much weaker labor standards. The government has also bet big on automakers and manufacturers from democratic allies: the government has agreed to to multibillion-dollar subsidies for electric vehicle plants or battery factories for Stellantis NV, Volkswagen AG and Honda Motor Co., among others.

Steel and aluminum producers in Canada have also publicly and repeatedly urged the government to restrict Chinas access, saying that Xis industrial policy allows the Asian powerhouse to unfairly flood foreign markets, putting local jobs at risk.

By Zerohedge.com

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Oil prices started the week with a major spike on the back of Khalifa Haftar's Benghazi-based government declaring a nationwide halt of all oil production and exports.

- One of the two rival powers in Libya, the Benghazi government run by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar said it would shut down all crude output and exports in the country, declaring a nationwide force majeure.

- The decision comes amidst an escalating dispute over who should appoint NOC officials and control oil revenues, aggravated by the kidnapping of Central Bank officials and growing calls to investigate potential misuse of Libyas financial resources.

- Even the Tripoli-based government has called for institutional change, demanding that central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir be replaced, a key position given that all crude oil revenues flow into the central bank.

- Having recovered from the oil blockades of 2020 and 2022, Libyas production has been relatively stable at 1.2 million b/d lately, with a little more than 1 million b/d exported to the global markets.

Market Movers

- Saudi Arabias shipping company Bahri has agreed to purchase nine scrubber-fitted VLCCs from Greece-based firm Capital Maritime & Trading for $1 billion, boosting its current fleet of 40 super-large tankers.

- Norways state energy company Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) will be closing down its Vietnamese office and canceling plans to invest in the Asian countrys offshore wind sector due to regulatory hurdles.

- Global oil trader Vitol is under investigation in the Netherlands pertaining to alleged bribery in Kazakhstan, with the countrys prosecutors office claiming it failed to disclose suspicious transactions to consultants.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Khalifa Haftar has become the savior of oil bulls this week, with Libyas Benghazi-based eastern government announcing a nationwide shutdown of oil production and exports. Seeking to wrest control of the central bank and the national oil company from the Tripoli government, the current standoff could become the next phase in Libyas high-stakes civil war. ICE Brent futures surged above $81 per barrel on Monday, but have since fallen back slightly.

UN Calls for Global Phaseout of Oil & Gas. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on world leaders to phase out oil and gas and stop all new exploration in hydrocarbons, speaking on the Pacific island of Tonga and arguing that greenhouse gases are cooking our planet.

China Flags M&A Interest in Oil Projects. Chinas national oil company CNPC said it is reviewing its global strategy and would seek to sign new deals, focusing on gas liquefaction capacity and deepwater offshore projects as it faces an uphill battle with maturing domestic production.

Kuwait Signs Long-Term LNG Deal with Qatar. Kuwait signed a 15-year term contract with Qatar to supply up to 3 million tonnes of LNG per year from 2025 onwards, to be delivered to the port of Al Zour as meeting Kuwaiti power generation became even harder amidst recurring power outages.

Brazil Allows Producers to Inject Less Natural Gas. Brasils President Lula da Silva signed a decree authorizing oil regulator ANP to mandate reductions in natural gas reinjection into new oil wells, seeking to make more gas available for the domestic power generation market and make power cheaper.

Canada to Impose Punitive Tariffs on Chinese Goods. The Trudeau administration has slapped a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese electric vehicles as well as a 25% levy on steel and aluminum produced in China, with Beijing calling the measure protectionist and defying WTO trade rules.

Californias Refiners Revolt Against Newsom Bill. Californias refiners are dissenting against Governor Newsoms proposal that would allow the state to compel refiners to sell their gasoline inventories in times of undersupply, saying it misdiagnoses the problem instead of focusing on weak infrastructure and restrictive quality specifications.

Quality Switch Left Lead Sellers Confused. Sellers of battery metal lead on the Shaghai Futures Exchange are forced to change trading strategies after ShFE lowered the content of bismuth in the metal that can be delivered in its contracts, reflecting tighter emission standards in China.

ExxonMobil Calls for Oil Investment. The global outlook of US oil major ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) has oil production declining at a rate of 15% per year without new investment, double the IEAs estimate of 8%, believing oil demand will plateau beyond 2030 and hold more or less steady until 2050.

Canadas Rail Unions Mull Restart of Strike. Defying the governments binding arbitration proceedings, Canadian labor unions of rail workers continue to issue strike notices to Canadian National as they believe Ottawas mandate sidestepped the collective bargaining process and jeopardized workers rights.

Improving Iron Ore Eases China Worries. Inventories of iron ore held at Chinese ports have been declining for four straight weeks, indicating that a period of severe oversupply might be easing soon as steel demand improves, lifting iron ore futures back above the $100 per metric tonne threshold.

Ukraines Power Sector Damaged from Russian Strikes. In one of the largest strikes ever in the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia launched more than 100 missiles on Ukraines energy infrastructure, triggering nationwide blackouts and damaging Kyivs hydroelectric plant and water supplies.

US Slaps Sanctions on Russias Next Big Project. The US Treasury Department announced further sanctions on Russias flagship Arctic upstream project Vostok Oil, targeting 10 companies associated with building pipelines and the export terminal, as Rosneft seems to be falling behind its 2024 commissioning target.

Brazil Wants a Bigger Share of Argentinas Shale. Brazils national oil firm Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) is actively seeking out shale gas deals in Argentina as part of a bigger plan to increase the companys exposure to the Vaca Muerta shale play, potentially by acquiring a stake in upstream firm Tecpetrol.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

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The Brussels autumn normally kicks into gear by mid-September, when the president of the European Commission delivers the State of the European Union address (referred to as SOTEU by EU types) to the European Parliament. The speech, which tends to last about an hour, outlines policy priorities the EU executive aims to launch or complete in the coming months.

But this is no normal Brussels autumn, since the EU is in the middle of a changing of the guard. In June, EU leaders decided that former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa would replace Charles Michel as president of the European Council on December 1. Weeks later, the European Parliament approved a decision by EU leaders to give Germanys Ursula von der Leyen another five years at the helm of the European Commission. But instead of delivering another SOTEU in September, von der Leyen will be busy composing her new team of 26 commissioners, one from each of the other EU member states. Some capitals have already presented their respective commission candidates ahead of the August 30 deadline. Once von der Leyen has interviewed them all, she will earmark a policy portfolio for each one.

Calling Kallas And Axing Oliver?

So far, we know just one name and portfolio: Alongside the Costa and von der Leyen appointments in June, EU leaders decided that Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas should follow outgoing Spaniard Josep Borrell as the EU's next foreign policy chief. That is not a done deal, however. Like each of the other 25 commission candidates, Kallas will face grueling hearings among the relevant committees in the European Parliament. In Kallass case, that is the Foreign Affairs Committee, whose members also will sink their teeth into the next EU enlargement commissioner, whoever that may be.

Ive heard from EU diplomats that the Kallas hearing is slated for September 29. In fact, the Brussels news cycle in the latter half of September and early October will be dominated by these hearings. They offer the European Parliament the opportunity to flex its muscles by rejecting a handful of commission candidates who it believes fared poorly under questioning. (Last time, in 2019, MEPs rejected three candidates, after which it was up to their sponsor states to quickly propose new individuals for new hearings.)

One who is almost certainly in MEPs crosshairs is Hungarian candidate commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. He has been nominated by Budapest for a new term following a controversial five years as the blocs enlargement supremo. Accused by many diplomats of putting Budapests interests ahead of Brussels -- with a soft spot for Serbia and Georgia but not so much for Ukraine -- he was caught in a hot-mic incident at a plenary session calling MEPs idiots.

While Varhelyi is unlikely to be offered the enlargement portfolio again, he is sure to face a tough task convincing lawmakers that he is the right person for any portfolio that von der Leyen might entrust him with. The hope in some quarters is that each commissioner and the new European Commission as a whole will get a pass by the European Parliament so they can start working on December 1, but dont rule out the possibility that it drags out longer than that.

Not So Hawkish After All

None of the EU officials Ive spoken to expects the Kallas approval to be in any real danger. But it will still be interesting to hear what she and any incoming enlargement commissioner say on Ukraine, Russia, the Western Balkans, and the prospect of adding more members to the bloc. I dont expect any radical changes on this front. EU policy is rather set on full support for Ukraine and a renewed push for enlargement once the bloc has reformed and candidate countries are fulfilling all preconditions. But the emphasis and how these messages are delivered will be of the essence.

Kallas comes in with a reputation as a Russia hawk -- arguably the first EU foreign policy chief with such a strong position vis-a-vis Moscow. It should, of course, be noted that the entire bloc has moved closer to the Baltic states view on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 2 1/2 years ago, but doubts remained when her name first popped up that she was too outspoken to be the EUs top diplomat.

So expect her to tone it down slightly when she faces MEPs and for her to talk about much more than just Russia and Ukraine. In fact, it wouldnt be surprising if she spoke at equal length about the war in Gaza, relations with countries on the southern rim of the Mediterranean, and the need for stronger relations with other big powers of the so-called Global South, including Brazil and India. And dont rule out that the first foreign trip in her presumptive new post might be to visit EU hopefuls in the Western Balkans, rather than Ukraine, simply to emphasize the importance of those countries.

I also hear from Brussels diplomats that they expect that she is ready to tackle head on the thorny EU-initiated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Current EU foreign policy chief Borrell enlisted former Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in 2020 to serve as special EU representative for the dialogue, but there has been little real progress, and it appears that function might be scrapped altogether with Kallas in charge.

Enlarging The EU?

It will also be fascinating to see who von der Leyen opts for as enlargement commissioner. With EU expansion once again a hot topic -- with Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine most recently invited to join the bloc and the latter two seen as making real progress -- more EU member states are interested in securing that portfolio, unlike back in 2019 when only Budapest truly pushed for it and got it. Since Estonia, which is regarded as an eastern member state in Brussels, got the foreign policy position, it would be a real surprise if another easterner got the commissions enlargement portfolio. My guess is that von der Leyen will look to the south or west to ensure geographical balance -- and avoid accusations that the blocs sole focus is Ukraine. The thing to look out for with the enlargement commissioner is, of course, any reference to dates when the next EU expansion might happen.

It is almost impossible to guess exactly when any country might be added to the bloc, but the latest high-level attempt to promote a time frame came from outgoing European Council President Michel when last year he challenged the EU to be ready for expansion by 2030. That is not his call, of course, and hell be out of office soon anyway; but the truth is that even that date looks ambitious, since no candidate country seems particularly close to joining. But the bigger emphasis both in the hearings and in the years ahead will likely be on the reforms the EU itself must undergo in order to accept new members.

Discussions have already started; but if Brussels is serious, those changes will have to be made rather soon. Will the EU budget be increased? (The current candidate countries all are poorer than the EU average.) And what political reforms are necessary for an EU that might go from 27 to well over 30 members in the coming years? Fewer veto opportunities for national capitals is a common refrain, but achieving that without anyone vetoing such a move in the first place is a formidable challenge. You wont hear it this autumn, but there are persistent fears that its the EU itself that isnt ready to grow bigger.

Positive Reports For (Some) Western Balkan States?

Separately, the outgoing European Commission will most likely issue its annual enlargement report outlining progress (or lack thereof) among EU hopefuls. The tone will be positive on Moldova and Ukraine, but dont expect those countries to open any EU accession chapters this year. The screening for both -- in which the EU considers national legislation and highlights how they need to adopt it to EU rules and laws in various policy fields -- should conclude in the first half of 2025, if all goes well; only then could negotiations commence in earnest.

For Georgia, which has increasingly been at odds with Brussels for years, the report will be less pleasant: No real progress is expected, and the EU is also likely to take into account how free and fair the parliamentary elections on October 26 are before deciding on any further action. The EU has already paused high-level visits and military aid to Georgia over the recently enacted foreign influence law, and further sanctions loom if the situation deteriorates further.

On the other hand, genuine progress toward the EU could be in store for some Western Balkans countries this autumn. Dont rule out Montenegro closing some negotiation chapters, something it hasnt managed do to since 2017. This would signal that Podgorica, after years of standing still on EU membership, is once again proceeding, at least slowly. Montenegro remains the presumptive front-runner among candidate countries, with all 33 accession chapters open and some finally even starting to get closed.

There is also an expectation that Albania will start de facto accession talks this autumn, finally decoupling from North Macedonia as Skopje still hasnt changed its constitution to reflect demands imposed by member state Bulgaria. Few expect North Macedonia to manage the feat this year. Meanwhile, although some countries are pushing for Serbia to open accession chapters, that may still be a bridge too far for EU member states rattled by Belgrades close relations with Moscow.

Battling With Budapest

Some political decisions might land this autumn as well. More money will have to be generated to support Ukraine, and frozen Russian assets can now be used. Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, has kept Brussels on its toes over the summer. The EU seems unlikely to help Budapest secure the Russian oil imports that Budapest has requested, and the issue of Hungary easing working visas for Russian and Belarusian citizens will continue to reverberate, even if its hard to see the bloc doing anything concrete about it.

Expect both issues to arise once the blocs foreign ministers assemble in Brussels on August 29. That meeting, which is informal, was supposed to take place in Budapest before Borrell decided to move it to the EU capital after several member states vowed to boycott any meeting in Hungary following Prime Minister Viktor Orbans surprise trips to Moscow and Beijing in early July.

Two other Hungary-related issues that will also be worth following this autumn: First, theres Budapests refusal to greenlight the eighth tranche of the European Peace Facility (EPF) for Ukraine, worth 500 million euros of military aid. The tranche has been blocked for nearly 18 months, and few believe the Hungarians will budge during their EU Presidency, despite member states mounting pushes for it in the upcoming months.

Then there are further sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The bloc passed its 14th round of restrictive measures against Moscow and a separate spate of sanctions against Minsk just before the Hungarian Presidency began on July 1. The common line from most EU diplomats Ive spoken to is that no new sanctions packages will be proposed because Hungary, which has on numerous occasions questioned their effectiveness, wont entertain the idea of new sanctions during its six-month presidency. The question is whether the European Commission, which normally initiates new sanctions proposals, is willing to test that resolve, especially in the event of an escalation of Russian attacks on Ukraines civilian population or infrastructure this autumn.

Looking Ahead

On August 30-September 1, the biggest think-tank event in Central Europe, the Globsec Forum, will take place in Prague. Political leaders and experts will discuss security and defense, EU and NATO enlargement, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, among other things. Ill be there for all three days and will share my impressions in the next edition of this newsletter on September 3.

By RFE/RL

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China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its listed company PetroChina are looking to buy oil and gas exploration and production assets and LNG opportunities globally in what could be a revival of deal-making for the Chinese state giant after two decades.

CNPC could seek to expand its current investments in LNG in Qatar, one of the worlds biggest LNG exporters, Lu Ruquan, director of the Chinese firms Economics and Technology Research Institute (ETRI) who is involved in strategy discussions, told Reuters on Tuesday.

CNPC already has an agreement for a 27-year LNG supply deal from state company QatarEnergy and a 5% stake in one of the trains of the massive North Field expansion project in Qatar.

The Chinese state energy firm is also looking for opportunities to acquire deepwater acreage in South America near the giant oil discoveries offshore Guyana, Lu told Reuters.

Exxon has announced in recent years massive oil discoveries offshore Guyana in a consortium comprising another Chinese state operator, CNOOC.

Earlier this year, ExxonMobil  which currently pumps in a consortium with U.S. Hess Corporation and CNOOC of China all the crude oil that Guyana produces  announced that it plans to develop a seventh offshore oil project on the prolific Stabroek block. Guyana expects to receive the development plan for Exxons seventh oil project offshore the South American country early next year, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat said earlier this month.

CNPC and PetroChina now plan to extract more oil from aging fields and face complex geopolitical realities with sanctions on Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

According to Lu, CNPC could be faced with the highest geopolitical hurdles since it first invested outside China in the early 1990s.

CNPC and PetroChinas international buying spree continued until the early 2000s. During that timeframe, PetroChina bought Devon Energys business in Indonesia, as well as assets in Kazakhstan.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Colombias state-owned oil company Ecopetrol has reported five attacks on two pipelines, adding that exports of the commodity have not been affected.

The Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline was attacked three times, Ecopetrols subsidiary Cenit reported, as quoted by Reuters, and the Bicentenario pipeline suffered two attacks. It added that the Colombian army had been deployed to the area of the attacks on the Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline to protect staff who were repairing the infrastructure.

Colombias oil pipelines are a frequent target for guerilla groups active in the country. They are also targeted by crime groups stealing crude and using it in drug production, Reuters said in its report.

Colombia currently produces close to 800,000 barrels of oil daily but wants to increase this to over 1 million bpd. For 2024, the target is to reach 800,000 bpd, the head of the countrys energy regulator said earlier in the year.

At the same time, the current government has ambitious plans for wind and solar growth as it seeks to reduce Colombias dependence on oil, gas, and coal revenues. Hydrocarbons, however, remain a major contributor to budget revenues. Even so, the Petro government has not held any new oil and gas exploration tenders since coming into office.

State oil company Ecopetrol is contributing to the output increase through enhanced oil recovery techniques, improving extraction volumes from reservoirs. Colombia's current oil recovery rate averages 27 percent, energy minister Andres Camacho said in May this year.

The government is also reviewing contracts for oil exploration due to speculation, with some companies signing contracts just to resell them at higher prices without conducting any actual explorationa practice that could stifle future oil production.

We're going contract by contract to see where there really are good reasons to suspend these activities and where there aren't, to declare possible non-compliance due to negligence, Orlando Velandia, head of the energy regulator ANH said earlier this year.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Oil production at several Libyan oilfields was halted on Tuesday after the rival government in the east announced on Monday a stop to all oil production and exports from OPECs African producer.

Crude oil output at the El Feel oilfield in southwestern Libya has stopped, engineers told Reuters on Tuesday.

Engineers at several other oilfields in the east and southeast have also halted or reduced production. Local operators have indicated to Bloomberg they will be gradually halting production across the country.

Libya, which pumps about 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, was plunged into a deeper political crisis earlier this month over a row about the leadership of the Central Bank of Libya, the only internationally recognized depository of Libyas oil revenues.

The Benghazi-based government in eastern Libya, which is a rival to the Tripoli-based government in the politically divided North African OPEC producer, said on Monday it would shut down all crude oil output and exports.

The east-based government backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar is not internationally recognized, but Haftar and his people control most of the countrys oilfields.

Over the past weeks, the situation in Libya has deteriorated with the east-west rivalry flaring up again and centered on the leadership of the Central Bank of Libyathe guardian of Libyas wealth and income from oil exports.

The internationally recognized government in the capital city in the west, Tripoli, is trying to replace Sadiq Al-Kabir, the governor of the Central Bank of Libya. This has led to the latest controversy between the eastern and western governments and political factions, threatening again to reduce Libyas oil production and exports.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed on Monday its deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Libya resulting from unilateral decisions.

UNSMIL warned that continuing with unilateral actions will come at a high cost for the Libyan people to resolve the protracted crisis, and risks precipitating the country's financial and economic collapse.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Norway's gas exports are soaring so far this year. So much so, they are on track to challenge historical records, with pipeline deliveries to Europe up 10% year-on-year. This years surge follows the 2023 lull, and positions Norway as Europe's leading gas supplier after Russia's exports dwindled post-Ukraine invasion. Gassco, Norway's system operator, reported that 70.2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas were delivered by the end of July, compared to 64 bcm during the same period last year.

Strong European demand, high system availability, and reduced maintenance at the Kollsnes processing plant all contributed to the increase, Gasco's CEO, Frode Leversund, told Reuters.

Leversund noted that if the trend continues, Norway could approach or even surpass its 2017 record of 117.4 bcm. While Leversund is cautious about declaring a new export record, he acknowledges that 2024's figures will likely rank among the highest in history.

Norway's gas export system an 8,800-km pipeline network that supplies Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Denmarkis crucial to Europe's energy stability. Its also crucial to Norway, with 95% of its gas exports delivered via pipelines. The EU's gas inventoriesan often utilized metric that assesses the Union's state of energy preparedness heading into heating seasonare currently 86.7% full, Saco Bank's head of commodity strategy Ole Hansen said last week.

Any disruptions in the flow of nat gas from Norwayduring maintenance season, for examplecould impact gas prices. The security of this network has come under increased scrutiny since the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, with Gassco enhancing its inspection efforts.

Norway supplies about 30% of Europe's natural gas.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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